South Africa: President Ramaphosa welcomes call by political parties on security, economic concerns

President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed a call by political leaders for more frequent and collaborative engagement between political parties and government on key challenges facing the country.

This comes after political parties appealed to the President for government to attend to and work with political parties in addressing security-related challenges.

On Thursday, the President held an engagement with representatives of political parties on concerns raised by political leaders on the security situation in the country and economic difficulties affecting citizens.

The President was joined by the Minister in The Presidency, as well as the Ministers of Police, Justice and Correctional Services, and Defence and Military Veterans.

In a statement, The Presidency said leaders of political parties represented in Parliament had requested an interaction with the President to discuss security in the country in general, the security apparatus, findings of recent inquiries into components of the security apparatus, as well as the unrest that affected KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July 2021.

This includes crime and lawlessness in communities, kidnappings, rising tensions between South Africans and foreign nationals, and cross-border crime.

The President welcomed suggestions by political parties on how to strengthen national efforts to combat crime, corruption and violence.

The President urged political parties represented in Parliament to use their authority to support the national security apparatus in getting the resources and capacity they need, the statement read.

At the same time, the President said Parliament had to demand accountability to ensure that security structures had the right men and women with the requisite skills and experience at the helm.

Yesterdays engagement follows several meetings between the President and representatives of political parties in the past two years on issues of national importance.

The President welcomed todays engagement with political leaders, given that the security and stability of the country, and the wellbeing of citizens, is a shared concern and responsibility.

The President provided an overview of governments responses to security challenges, including rebuilding the integrity and capability of law enforcement agencies, the operationalisation of the Border Management Agency and more effective implementation of immigration and labour laws, the Presidency said.

The President has further cautioned against perceptions that link migration to criminality.

The President acknowledged the extent and depth of security challenges, with communities under siege from criminals and gangsters, and rampant violence against women and children.

President Ramaphosa said the social and economic conditions in which South Africans lived are at the core of the crime problem in the country, alongside criminal elements keeping communities in fear.

It is therefore vital for the country to proceed with great urgency and purpose to accelerate growth and employment creation, the Presidency said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-06-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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Ahead of the Operation Bluestar anniversary, the bullet-hit bir of Guru Granth Sahib has been put on display in the Golden Temple complex in Punjab's Amritsar. The bir, struck by a bullet during Operation Bluestar in 1984, has been put on display at Sri Shaheed Ganj Baba Gurbaksh Singh Gurdwara, located at the rear side of Akal Takht of the Golden Temple. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has put the bullet-hit bir on display for the second consecutive year for "darshan". Last year, after 37 years, the sangat were given the darshan of the bullet-hit bir for the first time. While speaking with ANI, head granthi of the Golden Temple Giani Gurmukh Singh, said that the bir will be put up on display daily from morning 9 am to evening 7 pm till June 5. "We have put on display the bullet-hit bir, the bullet that had hit the bir, and the remains of the holy pages that were damaged because of it," he said. Former senior vice-president of the SGPC Surjit Singh condemned the attack and said that these days bring back memories of the deep wounds the then Congress government gave to the Sikh community. "The then Congress government gave deep wounds to the Sikhs by attacking Sri Harmandar Sahib and Sri Akal Takht Sahib in 1984. These wounds have not been, and will never be forgotten. The youth sees and knows the brutal assault carried out by the then government," he said. Thanking the BJP government for giving the community some justice after the '84 riots killed thousands, Surjit said, "1984 induced riots across India, killing thousands of Sikhs. We were never given justice. The BJP government has helped us achieve some justice by putting a few people behind the bars. We hope to get complete justice." Meanwhile, the security has been heightened in Amritsar city ahead of the Operation Blue Star anniversary. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Amritsar, Parminder Singh Bhandal said that the paramilitary forces have been deployed in advance. "We have got two teams of Rapid Action Force and two companies of Central Reserve Police... Check posts have been set up across the city," Bhandal said. The Indian Army carried out Operation Blue Star in 1984 between June 1 and June 8. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, had ordered the military operation to flush out Sikh terrorists including Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who were accumulating weapons inside the premises of the Golden Temple. (ANI)
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday issued fresh summons to Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, which was closed by the investigating agency in 2015 and asked the Congress MP to join the investigation on June 13. Earlier, the central investigating agency had summoned the leader and his mother and Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi to join the probe on June 8. ED's move followed the questioning of senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Treasurer Pawan Bansal in April this year in New Delhi in connection with its money laundering probe into the National Herald case. The agency then recorded the statements of both the Congress leaders then under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The National Herald is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Private Limited (YIL). While Kharge is the CEO of YIL, Bansal is the Managing Director of AJL. The ED is currently investigating the shareholding pattern and financial transactions as well as the role of party functionaries in the functioning of the AJL and YIL. The YIL promoters include Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. BJP MP Subramanian Swamy had alleged that the Gandhis cheated and misappropriated funds, with YIL paying only Rs 50 lakh to obtain the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that AJL owed to the Congress. He had filed a complaint with a Delhi court earlier. Following the court taking cognizance of an Income Tax Department probe against YIL on Swamy's petition, the ED also registered a fresh case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). (ANI)
It is learnt that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh will also participate in the meeting.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, as well as Director-General of Central Reserve Police Force Kuldiep Singh and Border Security Force chief Pankaj Singh, are also expected to attend.

This comes in the wake of the recent killings of Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a recent terror attack, a bank manager, identified as Vijay Kumar, was shot dead right outside his office by terrorists in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. The incident occurred at the Ellaqie Dehati Bank at Areh Mohanpora in Kulgam. The Resistance Front, a shadow outfit of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group, claimed responsibility for the attack.

A couple of days ago, a 36-year-old Hindu woman teacher Rajni Bala, hailing from Jammu's Samba district, was shot dead by terrorists at a government school in Gopalpora, Kulgam.

Last month, two civilians - including Kashmiri Pandit employee Rahul Bhat -- and three off-duty policemen were killed in Kashmir by the terrorists.

Two weeks ago, Shah held a meeting to review security arrangements for the Amarnath Yatra and the overall security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)
All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Friday confirmed that she has tested positive for COVID-19, just a day after the Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi got tested positive. Though she confirmed that she has mild symptoms as of now, she asserted that she's in quarantine.Taking to social media, Priyanka tweeted on Friday, "I've tested positive for Covid-19 with mild symptoms. Following all the protocols, I have quarantined myself at home. I would request those who came in contact with me to take all necessary precautions." Before Priyanka tested positive for COVID-19, Sonia Gandhi had developed mild fever and other COVID symptoms on Wednesday evening. She tested COVID-19 positive, a day later of the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate to her in the National Herald case. "Congress president Sonia Gandhi tests positive for COVID-19. She has developed mild fever and some symptoms and has isolated herself and has been given requisite medical attention. As of today, her date of appearance before ED on June 8 stands as it is," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala told ANI. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal also tested COVID-19 positive. Rahul and Sonia Gandhi were issued a summons by the ED on Wednesday in connection with the National Herald case, which was closed by the investigating agency in 2015. The federal agency's move followed the questioning of senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Treasurer Pawan Bansal in April this year in New Delhi in connection with its money laundering probe into the National Herald case. The agency then recorded the statements of both the Congress leaders then under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The National Herald is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Pvt Limited (YIL). While Kharge is the CEO of YIL, Bansal is the Managing Director of AJL. The YIL promoters include Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The ED is currently investigating the shareholding pattern and financial transactions as well as the role of party functionaries in the functioning of AJL and YIL. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday thanked the people of Champawat for supporting him after he won the crucial Champawat bypoll. "I thank the people of Champawat for this big win. This is the victory of Champawat. I will try to return the people's blessing through development works," Dhami told media persons. Dhami has won the Champawat bypoll by a margin of over 55,000 votes. This was a much-needed victory for Dhami to continue to remain as the chief minister as he had lost the state Assembly polls held earlier this year despite the BJP's landslide victory. Congratulations poured in for Dhami from his party leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the poll victory. PM Modi expressed confidence that the Uttarakhand CM will work harder for the progress of the hilly state. "Congratulations to Uttarakhand's dynamic CM @pushkardhami for the record win from Champawat. I am confident he will work even harder for the progress of Uttarakhand. I thank the people of Champawat for placing their faith in BJP and laud our Karyakartas for their hard work," PM Modi tweeted. Uttarakhand BJP president Madan Kaushik also congratulated Dhami on the win. "Hearty congratulations and best wishes to the Honorable Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Dhamiji on winning the Champawat by-election with huge votes," he said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who campaigned for Dhami ahead of the polling and held a roadshow with him in Tanakpur in the Champawat district, also congratulated Dhami for the "historic" victory. Adityanath said that this victory is dedicated to the people's welfare policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dhami's leadership and the hard work of BJP workers. "Hearty congratulations to the successful Chief Minister of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Dhami ji for winning the historic victory in the Champawat Vidhan Sabha by-election. This victory is dedicated to the people's welfare policies of the respected Prime Minister, your developmental leadership and the hard work of BJP workers," said Adityanath, who also hails from Uttarakhand, in a tweet. Dhami secured 58,258 votes against Congress candidate Nirmala Gahatodi who grabbed only 3,233 votes. Apart from Dhami and Congress' Gahatodi, Manoj Kumar Bhatt from Samajwadi Party and Independent candidate Himanshu Gadkoti were also in the fray. The polling took place on May 31 and votes were counted today. Dhami, who had lost the Khatima seat in the State Assembly polls, contested from Champawat to become an MLA. According to the Constitution, he needs to fulfil this requirement within six months of being sworn in to continue as the chief minister. Dhami lost the Khatima constituency to candidate Bhuwan Chandra Kapri by a margin of 6,579 votes. Later, BJP MLA Kailash Gehtori resigned from the Champawat assembly seat to pave the way for Dhami to contest by-polls. (ANI)
The court opined the pandemic has not abated and keeps springing its ugly head.

The court also said that all such persons found violating norms should be booked, penalised and placed on the no-fly list.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Sachin Datta directed DGCA to ensure norms are followed and DGCA should take strict action against passengers and others who violate masking and hygiene norms.

The court also noted the submission of counsel for DGCA that it has seriously implemented norms regarding the wearing of masks at airports and in aircraft.

The court asked DGCA to file a report in this regard and listed that matter and listed the matter for July 18, 2022.

The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation initiated by the Delhi High Court on its own motion on not following COVID-19 in the airport by a Single-Judge Bench of Justice C. Hari Shankar last year. The Delhi High Court last had taken suo motu cognisance after noting an alarming situation on March 5th 2021, where people travelling from Kolkata to Delhi on an Air India flight did not wear masks. (ANI)
Special CBI Court dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Congress MP Karti Chidambaram and two others in a money laundering case connected with the alleged Chinese Visa scam. The court also dismissed the plea for interim protection from arrest to Karti Chidambaram till he moves the High court for seeking anticipatory bail in the case CBI judge M K Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court on Friday dismissed all three applications moved by Karti Chidambaram, S. Bhaskar Raman and Vikas Makharia. The order was reserved on Monday after hearing the arguments of the counsels of the defence and prosecution agencies. The Enforcement Directorate has recently filed a money laundering case against him following a CBI case in the related matter. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal and Advocate Arshdeep Singh and Adv Prateek Chadda have appeared for Karti Chidambaram in the matter. They had argued there is no material against the accused. No money laundering case is made out against the Karti Chidambaram. Still, they registered the ECIR. The accused has joined the investigation and cooperating in the same. Senior Advocate Sibal had argued that the alleged transaction is from 2011 and they registered the case after a lapse of a long time. They had all the emails but did not investigate all these years. There is the apprehension of the arrest. On the other hand, the value of the alleged transaction is Rs. 50 Lakh, it is less than one crore, in the view of this fact he should be granted bail. On the other hand, ASG S V Raju submitted that the bail application is premature as there is no material we have in this case. We will investigate the case. Still, they have apprehension of arrest, why do they have so. Tridip Pais appeared for S. Bhaskar Raman and argued that his client is in CBI custody since 17 May. There is no case is made to arrest him money laundering case as there is no material, as ED had submitted. Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur argued on the bail plea of Vikas Makharia. He submitted that no case is made out against him. He should be granted anticipatory bail in a money laundering case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money laundering case in an alleged Chinese visa scam involving Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, officials said on Wednesday. The ED has filed a case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, taking cognisance of a recent First Information Report registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the case, said the officials. It is alleged that Karti received illegal gratification of Rs 50 lakh to illegally facilitate visas for 263 Chinese nationals' to complete a power project in Punjab. Karti 'misused his influence' in the home ministry in 2011 and 'conspired' with co-accused to devise a "back-door way to defeat the purpose of the ceiling" on work permits imposed by the ministry, CBI has alleged. Karti's father and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram was home minister in 2011. P Chidambaram has not been named as an accused in the FIR. Besides Karti, four others have been booked by the CBI. The four co-accused are Karti's chartered accountant S. Bhaskararaman, Vikas Makharia, representative of Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd, a Mansa-based private company, and Bell Tools, Mumbai, have been named. The FIR also mentions "unknown public servants and private individuals" too. On May 17, CBI arrested S. Bhaskarraman close in the alleged visa scam. Meanwhile, Karti had issued a statement and claimed that he is neither directly nor indirectly involved in a visa case. "I have no relationship whatsoever with any of the corporate entities mentioned in the FIR in which I have been named as an accused. I'm neither aware of them, nor have I ever been associated with them or any of their representatives in any manner. I say with certainty that I have never facilitated even a single Chinese national in their visa process, let alone 250," said Karti. He further said, "I also have no knowledge of the procedures, processes and formalities that need to be fulfilled in order to obtain visas related to project work in India. Further, I know no person who has the authority to issue such visas." "I have also never known the person (now deceased) whose alleged action triggers this charge. He has never been examined by the CBI, and now, never can be," he added. (ANI)
Bommai, who held a meeting to review the implementation of budget programmes in the Transport department said, a report is awaited from the expert committee constituted to suggest rejuvenation of State Transport Corporations.

In-principle approval has been given for setting up automated driving test tracks at a cost of Rs 80 crore at Devanahalli, Kolar, Hosakote, Gadag, Ballari, Vijayapura, Bidar, Yadagiri and Davangere, Bommai said and instructed the officials to implement the project without any delay.

In the meeting, it was decided to provide good amenities and infrastructure for passengers along the State Highways. The amenity complexes should have branding and good maintenance.

CM appreciated the tax mobilisation in the department for 2021-22 which was 103 per cent of the target.

Bommai instructed the officials for speedy completion of the Shiggaon Bus Depot and Driver Training Centre, for which administrative approval has been granted.

A meeting will be convened soon to extend 'Vidya Nidhi' scholarship scheme for children of Yellow Board vehicle drivers.

The meeting was attended by Transport minister B Sriramulu, Additional Chief Secretary in Finance Department ISN Prasad and other senior officials. (ANI)
The launch was a collaboration between the state government and a private organisation.

The Wi-Fi hotspots were launched in Chennai Chindadripet by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Youth Wing Secretary and MLA Udhayanidhi Stalin.

"I thank to the organisation which came forward to give free wifi in Chennai. Initially it has been launched at 20 places, soon we plan to expand," said Udayanidhi Stalin.

Users will have to login through the ACT Free Wi-Fi portal with their phone number and OTP, post which they can use free internet for 45 minutes at 20 Mbps speed.

The internet will be provided free of cost with a data limit of 1 GB.

The newly launched hotspots are located across the city in Amma Canteens, Corporation Parks, T-Nagar Smart City, Triplicane, Royapettai, Napier Park/ May Day Park and Ratna Cafe junction for easy access. (ANI)
Two people and one policeman were injured in the aftermath of the clashes, informed Kanpur Commissioner of Police Vijay Singh Meena.

Some people tried to shut down shops. It was opposed by the other group, said the police.

"A clash broke out between them. Police reached there immediately and tried to control the situation. Senior officers reached there right after and controlled the situation using force," said ADG (Law & Order) Prashant Kumar, UP on Kanpur violence.

"The government has taken it very seriously. Additional Police forces were sent. Hooligans being identified, and 18 arrested so far. We have video footage, we will take action," he stated.

"Action under Gangster Act will be taken against conspirators and their property will be either seized or demolished," he further stated. (ANI)
Xiaomi India announced leadership changes for the next phase of growth as it reaffirms its commitment to the Indian market. According to GSM Arena, Mr Alvin Tse, who formerly supervised the company's operations in Indonesia, has been appointed as the General Manager of the Indian branch, which will now be overseen by Mr Wentao Zhao. Mr Alvin Tse took to Twitter and wrote, "Dear @XiaomiIndonesia friends & fans, today marks the end of my Indonesia chapter & the beginning of a new chapter in India. Post my transition, I will join hands with @xiaomiindia leadership team & continue to deliver amazing products at honest pricing to everyone". Tse is a founder member of Xiaomi Global and Poco, and after his transfer, he will join Xiaomi India's existing leadership team, which includes Mr Muralikrishnan B (Chief Operating Officer), Mr Raghu Reddy (Chief Business Officer), and Mr Sameer BS Rao (Chief Technology Officer) (Chief Financial Officer). Since Mr Manu Jain - former Managing Director of Xiaomi India - switched to a worldwide role as Group Vice President and is now responsible for Xiaomi's international strategy, including marketing and PR, the trio has been heading the company's Indian operations. This reorganisation also sees Mr Anuj Sharma, Xiaomi India's Chief Marketing Officer, return to the company after leading Poco's Indian operations in 2020. Mr Manu Jain took to Twitter and wrote, "Many of you have asked me about my current role. Hope this clarifies. I moved abroad ~one year ago to assume a global role within the group. Exciting new journey. Congratulations to Alvin @atytse! And all the best to the @XiaomiIndiateam. Onwards to the next level of growth!". These organisational changes at Xiaomi India occur at a time when the Indian government is investigating the company for violating international laws. Manu Jain was also investigated by the country's Enforcement Directorate, which confiscated Xiaomi India's assets worth INR55.5 billion ($715 million at current currency rates) in connection with the company's illicit external payments. In response, Xiaomi India said that all their "operations are firmly compliant with local laws and regulations," and they are "committed to working closely with government authorities to clarify any misunderstandings." (ANI)
A special court of NIA on Friday convicted Islamic State (ISIS) and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorist Mohammed Masiuddin alias Abu Musa and awarded him rigorous life imprisonment in the 2014 bomb blast that occurred in Khagragarh in West Bengal Burdwan district. Musa, during interrogation, had allegedly admitted to having links with top ISIS leaders and the JMB through e-mails, social networking sites and mobile calls. On October 2, 2014, at about 12:15 hrs, a powerful bomb (IED) blast had taken place on the first floor of a rented house in the busy Khagragarh locality of Burdwan District of West Bengal. IED had accidentally gone off at the time of its fabrication by the members of JMB. Two terrorists had succumbed to their injuries caused due to bomb blast. A total of 33 accused were charge-sheeted by NIA for the commission of various offences in this case. Out of 33 accused, 31 were arrested. Earlier, 30 accused persons were convicted and sentenced, to various terms, by the NIA Special Court, Kolkata. Last year, an NIA court sentenced Kausar Ali alias Mohammad Jahid-Ul Islam alias Bomber Miyan, India head of Bangladesh-based terrorist organisation Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB) to 29 years in jail. The NIA in a statement said that Kausar was convicted by the court under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 125 of the IPC (waging or attempt to wage war against the government of any Asiatic power in alliance or at peace with the government of India). The court also fined him Rs 35,000. "The investigation by NIA revealed a conspiracy by JMB to radicalise, recruit and provide training in arms and explosives to its members in India for committing terrorist acts and waging war against the democratically established Governments of India and Bangladesh. A large number of IEDs, explosives, hand grenades, and training videos were recovered during the investigation of the case," NIA stated. (ANI)
Biju Janta Dal (BJD) candidate and wife of former MLA Kishore Mohanty, Alaka Mohanty, won the by-election to the Brajarajnagar assembly constituency in Odisha on Friday. Mohanty is the wife of former MLA Kishore Mohanty who died in December 2021 due to Cardiac arrest. According to SK Lohani, the Chief Electoral Officer Mohanty Mohanty had registered her victory with a margin of 66,122 votes as she got a total of 93,953 votes in total. "The Congress candidate Kishore Chandra Patel secured a second position with a total of 27,831 votes, while the Bharatiya Janata Party's Radharani Panda got 22,630 votes," Lohani said. "My Congratulations to Alaka Mohanty, candidate of Biju Janta Dal for winning the by-election with a huge margin. I would like to thank the people of Brajarajnagar for their unwavering love and trust. My heartfelt thanks to all party workers for their dedication and hard work, This victory has further strengthened our commitment to serving the people of the State," said BJD president and state Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Communist Party of India (CPI) had also fielded its candidate Ramesh Tripathi for the bypoll, while 10 independent candidates also contested for the seat vacant due to the BJD MLA Kishore Mohanty's death in December 2021 due to Cardiac arrest. The former MLA (Kishore Mohanty) first became the MLA for Jharsuguda in 1990 by contesting elections from Janata Dal and later won the same seat with the ticket from BJD in the year 2000 as well as 2009. The by-election for the Brajarajnagar MLA seat in the Jharsuguda district of Odisha were held on May 31, where as many as 2,14,878 electorates were slated to cast their votes in 279 polling booths. Of these, 22 booths were new while 60 others were identified as sensitive. Webcasting was also done in 145 booths. To ensure free and fair voting, as many as 27 platoons force and 100 police personnel were deployed at the polling booths. As per Lohani, the counting of votes, which was held in 20 rounds, was started at 8 AM at the Jharsuguda Engineering College. (ANI)
Addressing mediapersons here on Friday, the President of Sadhana Mahila Association, Geetha, stated that the apex court last week passed an order in favour of sex workers.

"The court has clearly stated that atrocities which endanger the freedom and dignity of sex workers should not take place," she said.

Sex workers are constantly harassed and suffer at the hands of police, and even face police brutality. The order has particularly identified the factor of police brutality, Geetha pointed out.

She maintained that it is a crucial step by the Supreme Court to direct the police to take care of sex workers in terms of healthcare, and that their health status should not be used as evidence against them.

She appealed to the state government to implement the recommendations of the apex court in letter and spirit to protect the honour of sex workers in Karnataka.

--IANS mka/kvd/arm

( 187 Words)

2022-06-03-19:10:02 (IANS)
With 7 candidates in the fray for 6 seats, the stage is set for elections to the Rajya Sabha from the state amid apprehensions of 'horse-trading' being voiced in different quarters, here on Friday. The ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to agree on withdrawing the so-called 'extra' candidate for the 6th seat, paving the way for the polls, scheduled on June 10. A delegation of MVA comprising Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Sunil Kedar and Anil Desai met Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis to explore and ensure unopposed election for the 6 candidates as has been the tradition for over two decades. However, after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended this afternoon, 7 candidates are left in the race who will compete for the 6 seats in the polls. The main contest will be between Shiv Sena's Sanjay Pawar and BJP's Dhananjay Mahadik -- both from Kolhapur -- and would be a test of credibility and strength for both sides to get their respective nominee elected. Given the current arithmetic of the state legislative assembly, the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress can easily get one elected and the BJP -- which had three earlier, can get 2 elected. With the help of Independents, smaller parties and the excess votes of their allies, both Sena and BJP are hoping to get their candidate elected for the 6th seat which is now being contested. Sena's Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut expressed regrets that the BJP did not honour the proposal to drop its nominee Mahadik to ensure unopposed elections, declared that the MVA will ensure all its four nominees are elected without any hassles. BJP state president Chandrakant Patil also was confident of getting their third nominee (Mahadik) contending that the seat 'belongs to the BJP' and asked the Sena should withdraw its candidate. NCP's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Sena and Congress leaders slammed the BJP for 'forcing' an election for the 6 Rajya Sabha seats rather than honouring the old norms of unopposed elections to the Upper House of Parliament. "We are hearing that the BJP is preparing to throw money and threaten legislators with Central agencies to ensure their supporta That's their style of politics, but we are fully confident of getting all our 4 candidates elected," Raut said. Patil denied the charges and said that they are not contacting any legislators from the ruling side, and claimed the BJP would overcome the requirements of around 10 votes needed to ensure Mahadik's victory. At one point, Patil urged the Sena to give up the RS seat since BJP is a national party and needed it more than a state party (Sena) which should focus on the upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council elections where the BJP could give one seat in return. It may be recalled that a royal scion from the Kolhapur throne, Yuvraj Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje had announced plans to contest the 6th Rajya Sabha seat as an independent, but after failing to get any commitments from either side, withdrew from the race last week. --IANS qn/pgh ( 525 Words) 2022-06-03-19:18:04 (IANS)
All six candidates of the ruling parties in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were Friday elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha. Four candidates of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Andhra Pradesh and both the candidates of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in Telangana were declared elected after the last date for withdrawal of nominations. With opposition parties not fielding any candidates and none of six candidates withdrawing from the contest, they were declared elected without a contest by the respective Chief Electoral Officers. The elections for six Rajya Sabha seats were scheduled to be held on June 10. YSRCP Parliamentary Party leader V. Vijaysai Reddy has been re-elected to the upper house of the Parliament for a second term. The remaining are the first-time MPs. Backward classes leader R. Krishnaiah and Supreme Court lawyer S. Niranjan Reddy, both belonging to Telangana, and industrialist Beeda Masthan Rao are the other declared elected from Andhra Pradesh. Vijaysai Reddy, a close aide of Jagan Mohan Reddy, is a chartered accountant by profession. The 64-year-old leader hails from Nellore district. He was unanimously elected to Rajya Sabha for the first term in 2016. Masthan Rao is an industrialist and former MLA from Kavali in Nellore district. He had quit the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to join the YSRCP in December 2019, a few months after the latter stormed to power. Krishnaiah, who hails from Vikarabad district of Telangana, is President of the National BC Association. The 68-year-old, who led several movements for the backward classes and unemployed, was TDP's chief ministerial candidate in Telangana in 2014 elections. He quit the Congress and joined the YSRCP in February 2019 at the invitation of Jagan Mohan Reddy. In 2018 Assembly elections in Telangana, he had contested unsuccessfully on Congress ticket from Miryalaguda constituency. Earlier in 2014, Krishnaiah had joined the TDP in 2014. He was elected to Telangana Assembly from L. B. Nagar constituency in 2014 on a TDP ticket but switched loyalties to Congress on the eve of 2018 elections. Niranjan Reddy, a senior advocate in the Supreme Court, hails from Nirmal district in Telangana. He appeared on behalf of Jagan Mohan Reddy in quid pro quo cases. After his unanimous election, Vijaysai Reddy said all 30 MPs of YSRCP will raise their voice in Parliament for the state's interests. He said they would work to continue cordial relations with the Central government. He said he and other MPs would do their best to live up to the expectations of party leader and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Masthan Rao said he joined the YSRCP unconditionally and did not aspire for a Rajya Sabha seat. In Telangana, Hetero Drugs Chairman and Managing Director Bandi Parthasaradhi Reddy and Telangana Publications Private Ltd Chairman and Managing Director Divakonda Damodar Rao were elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha. Parthasaradhi Reddy is the founder and head of Hetero Drugs, a Hyderabad-based generic pharmaceutical company. He is a billionaire and one of the richest Indians in Hurun India Rich List 2021. Parthasaradhi Reddy and family of Hetero Labs ranked 58 in the list of wealthiest Indians in 2021, against 81 in 2020 list. According to Hurun list, they have a wealth of Rs 26,100 crore, a growth of 88 per cent in a year. Damodar Rao is Chairman and Managing Director Telangana Publications Private Ltd. The company runs Telugu daily 'Namasthe Telangana', English newspaper 'Telangana Today' and Telugu news channel 'T-News', considered as mouthpieces of the ruling party. They thanked Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for nominating them to Rajya Sabha and promised to work to the best of their ability to serve the people of Telangana. Earlier on May 23, businessman-turned-politician Ravichandra Vaddiraju of the TRS was elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha in the by-election, caused by the resignation of Banda Prakash Mudiraj after he was elected to the Telangana Legislative Council in December 2021. --IANS ms/vd ( 659 Words) 2022-06-03-19:30:02 (IANS)
Telangana Police on Friday informed that they have arrested one person in connection with the alleged gang rape of a teenage girl in Hyderabad's Jubilee Hills last week. In a press conference, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Zone) Joel Davis said the suspect Saduddin Malik was arrested by the police. Out of the five people identified, three are minors, the police added. Addressing a press conference on Friday, the DCP said the police have identified five culprits as per CCTV footage and the statement of the victim. Of these, three are minors, he said. "Hyderabad rape victim could not reveal anything about the culprits. She only revealed one name and special teams were immediately formed to nab them. CCTV footage has been recovered. We have identified five culprits as per CCTV footage and as per the statement of the victim," Joel Davis said. He further said that the cops have identified a juvenile boy and his location has been traced. However, as per law minors should not be apprehended in the night time. "I am hopeful that we will be able to apprehend him tomorrow," said Davis. Earlier, several news reports stated that Telangana Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali's son has been involved in the said incident. However, Telangana Police quashed such claims. "Out of the five culprits that were identified, three are minors. One accused Saduddin Malik has been arrested. The allegation that the Home Minister's son-in-law is involved is baseless," he said. The security footage which is viral on social media purportedly showed the girl standing with the suspected attackers outside the pub where she had met them. The boys had offered to drop her home. Instead, she was assaulted inside a parked car in the city. Her attackers took turns to rape her while the others stood guard outside the car. The 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped when she was returning home after a party in Jubilee Hills area of Hyderabad on May 28. The matter came to light after the minor girl's father submitted a complaint to the police regarding the incident. On the complaint of girl's father, a police case has been registered against five persons. The case has been registered under Sections 354 and 323 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 9 read with 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Ruling TRS Working President and Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao on Friday requested the state's Home Minister, Director General of Police (DGP) and Hyderabad City Police Commissioner to take "immediate and stern action" in the gang rape of a teenage girl in Hyderabad. (ANI)
The armies carried out the joint drill at Amangilde and Nursultan Peaks in Kazakhstan.

A joint team of Indian Mountaineering Mobile Training Team and Kazakhstan Army participated in the drill.

"A joint team of Indian Mountaineering Mobile Training Team to Kazakhstan and #KazakhstanArmy summited Amangilde and Nursultan Peaks in Kazakhstan. Both sides exchanged valuable experiences and techniques during the summit," informed ADGPI in a tweet. (ANI)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cited "rising" attacks on people at places of worship in India among ongoing violations of freedom of religion around the world. A senior US State Department official went further and accused Indian officials of "ignoring or even supporting" these attacks. Neither official named names or made any specific mention of incidents. Their remarks came at the release of the State Department's 2021 annual report on the state of freedom of religion around the world. Also mentioned by US officials were China, for its repression of Uyghur Muslim minorities, Myanmar, for its treatment of Rohingyas, and Pakistan, for its continued use of the draconian blasphemy law that is punishment by death. "In India, the world's largest democracy, and home to a great diversity of faiths, we've seen rising attacks on people in places of worship," Blinken said. He did not specify them, but the 2000-page report indicated these attacks were carried out at Christian and Muslim places of worship. Rashad Hussain, the State Department's Ambassador-at-Large for international religious freedom, said at the release of the report that was brought out under his leadership, that: "In India, some officials are ignoring or even supporting rising attacks on people and places of worship." The State Department report did not, however, go as far as to name India as a "country of particular concern", disregarding a recommendation from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an American watchdog on global religious rights, for the second successive year. This body has been a strident critic of India in the past and even attempted to send officials to India on fact-finding missions that were blocked by New Delhi. Blinken's criticism of Indian will irk New Delhi which has bristled at such remarks and observations from American officials in the past. Lately, India has gone on the offensive, saying it also harbours concerns about rights and freedoms in the United States. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the issue of racial equality with erstwhile US President Donald Trump at the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement in the summer of 2020. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar put it bluntly at a joint press briefing with Secretary Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh here in April. "People are entitled to have views about us. But we are also equally entitled to have views about their views, and about the interests and the lobbies and the word banks which drive that," Jaishankar had said, adding: "Whenever there is a discussion, I can tell you that we will not be reticent about speaking out. I would also, just so that I round off that point, tell you that we also have views on other people's human rights situation, including that of the United States. So we take up human rights issues when they arise in this country, especially when they pertain to our community and in fact, we had a case yesterday." --IANS yashwant/vd ( 511 Words) 2022-06-02-22:40:04 (IANS)
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu advised the Indian community in Senegal to follow rules and regulations of the country which has given them the opportunity, and secondly, not to forget their roots. Naidu said this in his address to the Indian diaspora in Dakar on Thursday during his three-nation tour. "It's important that wherever you go for sake of employment and economic uplift, two things should be remembered -- must follow rules and regulations of the country which has given you the opportunity and secondly, do not forget your roots," the Vice President said. Earlier in the day, Naidu visited the Dakar Biennale 2022. The Biennale is an international art exhibition that showcases contemporary African art and creativity. He also visited the Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar. Naidu is in Senegal from June 1 to June 3 and will be holding delegation-level talks with the President of the National Assembly Moustapha Niasse and other dignitaries, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He also visited the Monument of African Renaissance in Dakar. "The Vice President, Venkaiah Naidu visiting the Monument of African Renaissance in Dakar, Senegal today," tweeted the Vice Presidential secretariat. The monumental structure made of bronze and copper stands tall at 52 meters and symbolises the 'dignity of the African continent as well as its vision of a better future. Moreover, Naidu and his spouse Usha Naidu paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the African Renaissance Monument, following which the Vice President also visited the Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar. The Museum is a repository of African art, culture and history and aims to highlight Africa's cultural and scientific contributions to the world. Complimenting Senegal for positioning itself as one of Africa's model democracies, the Vice President said that India, as the world's largest democracy, appreciates Senegal's success in this regard. He further said that these shared values of democracy and secularism form the basis of warm and friendly relations between the two countries.Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu met the President of Senegal, Macky Sall, at the Presidential Palace in Dakar on Wednesday and reviewed the progress in the relationship between India and Senegal during the meeting. Both the leaders agreed to further strengthen cooperation in various fields including agriculture, health, defence, railways, energy and culture. "Vice President @MVenkaiahNaidu and President @Macky_Sall of Senegal held tete-a-tete followed by delegation-level talks in Dakar today. Reviewed the progress in our ties & agreed to further strengthen cooperation in agriculture, health, defence, railways, energy, culture, etc," Spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Arindam Bagchi said in a Tweet. (ANI)
Expressing concern over gun violence in the United States, President Joe Biden said that the US needs to ban assault weapons for the sake of protecting children and families or raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21. "We need to ban assault weapons. ... if we can't, then we should raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21. Ban high-capacity magazines. Strengthen background checks. Enact safe storage laws and red flag laws. Repeal gun manufacturers' immunity from liability," he said. He further said that this is not about taking away anyone's rights. "It's about protecting children. It's about protecting families. It's about protecting communities. It's about protecting our freedoms to go to school, to a grocery store, to go to church without being shot and killed," he said. "This is not about taking away anyone's guns...we believe that we should be treating responsible gun owners as examples of how every gun owner should behave," he said. On May 24, a mass shooting incident took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde in Texas in which several people including 19 children were killed. This was the deadliest attack since the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed, according to CNN. On May 31, an elderly woman was killed and two other persons were injured when gunfire erupted at a high school graduation ceremony in New Orleans. The shooting occurred outside the Convocation Center on the campus of Xavier University where graduates of Morris Jeff High School were gathered, NBC news reported citing New Orleans police. On June 1, at least four people were killed in a shooting incident at a hospital campus in Oklahoma's Tulsa city, CNN reported citing police. The shootout incidents in the US have been increasing. Earlier, US President Joe Biden also sought advice from New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern over tackling violence in the United States as shooting incidents in America have been increasing in recent days. Biden referred to the 2019 Christchurch slaying of 51 people in mass shootings targeting Muslims. The incident prompted New Zealand to ban military-style rifles. A gun buy-back was also instituted. "We need your guidance," Biden said during the meeting with Arden in the Oval Office. "Your leadership has taken on a critical role in this global stage -- and it really has -- galvanizing action on climate change; the global effort to curb violence, extremism, and online, like happened in Christchurch," he added. (ANI)
Over 70 per cent women are victims of harassment at the workplace in Pakistan and there seems to be no end to their plight. Recently, an order has been issued by the federal ombudsman who has imposed a penalty on the former ambassador of Pakistan to Italy, Nadeem Riaz, who has been found sexually harassing the trade officer. The reports have shown that the ombudsman has charged him with a heavy fine on the complaint of the trade officer who said that Nadeem Riaz had sexually harassed her, according to the Pakistani newspaper Daily Times. Reports say that women who are working in offices in Pakistan with male colleagues and at places where the male ratio is significantly high, find inconvenience in their mobility around and at the workplace. Citing official reports, Daily Times reported that more than 70 per cent of women are harassed at their workplaces every day. Many women have abandoned the idea of being a working woman owing to the lack of security and improper working conditions at the workplace and those who are forced to earn to support their families often remain silent as they cannot give up their job, nor do they complain about it due to fear of losing their employment. Sara, a 25-year-old banker, said the practice prevalent in the workplace puts women in jeopardy. "Harassment exists and we cannot ignore that. But we have to remain silent, otherwise, our fathers and brothers wouldn't let us continue working, and we cannot afford that," she said as quoted by the media outlet. A report was produced on the "Sexual Harassment at workplace in Pakistan" after analyzing the experience of various women who were asked about their working environment at the workplace. Most women are also found switching their jobs in order to avoid such a toxic environment. Data collected by White Ribbon Pakistan, an NGO working for women's rights, shows that 4,734 women faced sexual violence between 2004 and 2016. Lately, the government of Pakistan has passed the "Protection against Harassment at the Workplace (Amendment Bill), 2022 and has amended the weaker provisions of the 2010 law. Pakistan observes an increased ratio of overall working women in recent years but the country is grappling with the issue of psychological, physical and sexual harassment of women that impedes their safe mobility and prevents them from stepping outside to work. (ANI)
US President Joe Biden is expected to visit Saudi Arabia this month, NBC reported citing sources. He is also widely expected to travel to Israel. The is will be a symbolically important move as the Biden administration works to expand on the Trump administration's progress in nurturing fledgling ties between Israel and Arab Gulf states, according to the media outlet. During the Saudi Arabia trip in late June, Biden is likely to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, US officials and others familiar with his travel plans said. Widely known by his initials, MBS, the crown prince is Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler and is in line to be its next king. However, the White House declined to comment Thursday about whether Biden would visit Saudi Arabia. "The president will look for opportunities to engage with leaders from the Middle East region," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. Biden plans this month to travel to a NATO summit in Spain and Group of Seven summit in Germany. Major oil producers led by Saudi Arabia on Thursday also agreed to a bigger than expected output boost, a relief for Biden whose poll numbers have sagged in part over skyrocketing gas prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, the United States is not involved in OPEC+ decisions to boost oil production, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on Thursday. Earlier in the day, the OPEC+ committee recommended increasing the oil production by 648,000 barrels per day in July and August, instead of the planned 432,000. "That is a decision that OPEC+ makes on their own, that is not something that we decide on, or that we are involved in," Jean-Pierre told a briefing, when asked what role Washington played in pushing the alliance to increase production. (ANI)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Siksika Nation Chief Ouray Crowfoot announced the signing of a historic land claim settlement.

The 1.3 billion Canadian dollar settlement is one of the largest agreements of its kind reached in Canada, Xinhua News Agency reported citing an official statement.

The settlement aims to right past wrongs dating back over a century when the Canadian government broke promise and wrongfully took almost half of Siksika Nation's reserve land, including some of the most productive agricultural and mineral-rich lands, to sell to settlers, the release said.

"Settling this case, which dates back to 1910, is long overdue for the People of Siksika Nation. I want to make that clear: Canada is not giving 1.3 billion dollars to Siksika," said Crowfoot, adding that Canada is righting a wrong committed over a century ago when Canada illegally took 115,000 acres of lands provided to Siksika along with other illegal acts.

Under the settlement, Siksika can acquire over time up to 115,000 acres of land for addition to their reserve land base on a willing-seller/willing-buyer basis.

At present, Canada has settled over 590 specific claims through negotiated settlements with First Nations across the country. This includes over 180 claims settled through negotiations since 2016, the news release said. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar who is on a two-nation European visit met with the Foreign Minister of Austria, Alexander Schallenberg in Slovakia where both the leaders discussed the Afghanistan issue and held talks on the Indo-Pacific region. Jaishankar is currently on a visit to Slovakia and the Czech Republic from June 2 to 6 to impart further momentum to bilateral relations with the two Central European countries. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar on Thursday wrote, "Great to see my friend FM Alexander Schallenberg of Austria. Noted the progress in our bilateral cooperation since his March visit. Appreciated his perspectives on the Ukraine conflict and its implications. Also discussed the situation in Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific." Earlier, Schallenberg had visited India from March 19 to 21, his first visit to India in his current term. He was accompanied by a high-level business delegation. During the visit, India and Austria had agreed to further intensify their commercial engagements with Austrian business delegates expressing a keen interest in investing in sectors such as renewable energy. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Schallenberg held delegation-level talks on March 20. They discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including political, economic, commercial, and consular ties. Moreover, Jaishankar spoke with the Foreign Minister of France, Catherine Colonna, and discussed the Ukraine conflict and Indo Pacific. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, "Delighted to speak to my new colleague FM Catherine Colonna of France. Discussions covered our strategic cooperation and other bilateral issues. We also spoke about the Ukraine conflict and the Indo-Pacific. Looking forward to an in-person meeting." During his visit to Bratislava from June 2 to 4, Jaishankar will call also call on Prime Minister of Slovakia Eduard Heger and will hold bilateral discussions with Ivan Korcok, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia. He will also attend the GLOBSEC 2022 Forum and speak on the topic 'Taking Friendship to the Next Level: Allies in the Indo-Pacific Region'. During his visit to the Czech Republic from June 4 to 6, Jaishankar will hold discussions with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jan Lipavsky. The discussions will provide an opportunity for a comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation. The Czech Republic will be taking over the EU Presidency from July 1, 2022.In addition to meeting the political leadership of the two countries, Jaishankar will also interact with a cross-section of the diaspora, including Indian students in Slovakia and the Czech Republic."India has traditionally enjoyed close and friendly ties with both Slovakia and the Czech Republic. EAM's visit will impart further momentum to bilateral relations with the two Central European countries," the MEA release said. (ANI)
Two people were injured in gunfire by a shooter at a funeral in Graceland Cemetery in Wisconsin on Thursday, according to police and local media. The funeral was being held for a man identified as 37-year-old King who was shot at and killed by a police officer in Racine County in Wisconsin last week "At 2:26 pm there were multiple shots fired at Graceland Cemetery," the Racine police had tweeted. "There are victims but unknown how many at this time," police originally said, but later confirmed to the Journal Sentinel (a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin), that two adults were struck by gunfire. The shooting occurred at the interment for Da'Shontay L. King Sr., the man fatally shot by Racine police on May 20, King's sister, Natasha Mullen said. "We were at the gravesite trying to get prepared to bury him, and bullets started flying everywhere," she said. Notably, King, 37, was fatally killed by a Racine police officer during a traffic stop about two weeks ago. The Racine Police had said they were carrying out a search warrant on a vehicle when King who they said had a handgun and ran from the car. Following this, Zachary B. Brenner, the Racine police officer, shot King. As of now, it is not clear exactly why the police officer shot King. According to the Racine police, King "took an action" that prompted Brenner to shoot, but the Wisconsin Department of Justice did not mention such an action in a statement. King's funeral service took place at noon Thursday at the Fellowship of Christian Believers Church, 703 Washington Ave., according to his obituary. His interment at the cemetery was to follow. Racine Mayor Cory Mason, in a statement, said, "Today's heinous shooting at a cemetery, while a family was already mourning the loss of a loved one, is a new low for these perpetrators of violence in our community." "The violence has got to stop! Revenge is not the answer," Mason added, reported the Wisconsin local media portal on its website. The Mayor asked the Racine police to enforce a curfew for all people under the age of 18. As a safety measure, the Mayor said that all juvenile residents must be home by 11 pm. There is a recent upsurge seen in incidents of shootings in the US. Earlier, an 18-year-old gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The death toll in the mass shooting incident at a school in Texas was 21 including 19 children and two adults. US President Joe Biden condemned the attack on students at a school in Texas saying that gun laws cannot prevent every tragedy but they have a positive impact pointing out that mass shootings tripled after the assault weapon ban expired. On Thursday, Biden urged US Congress to ban assault-style weapons and expand background checks to curb gun violence in the United States. The president also called for "red flag" laws and a repeal of the immunity that protects gun manufacturers from legal liability if their weapons are used in violence. "For God's sake, how much more carnage are we willing to accept?" Biden asked adding, "How many more innocent lives must be taken before we say, 'Enough'?" The remarks come after the US, in just three weeks witnessed three deadly shootouts and 35 deaths. The most recent one that took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, resulted in five people dead including the shooter at Saint Francis Hospital. Over half of Americans supported making gun violence laws more strict, The Hill reported citing a poll conducted between the mass shootings that took place this month in New York and Texas. Fifty four per cent of those surveyed in a CBS News-YouGov poll out said they would like to see stricter laws regulating the sale of guns. A total of 30 per cent say they want gun laws to remain the same, and 16 per cent said they wanted gun laws to be less strict, the report added. (ANI)
After Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government increased the prices of petroleum products in Pakistan, protests have erupted with citizens attacking a petrol pump near Purani Sabzi Mandi in Karachi's Central District, reported local media outlet. Not just this, the infuriated Pakistanis pelted stones and vandalized the pump. There was already anger among the protestors over the increased fuel prices and this was further elevated after the petrol pump stopped supplying the fuel. The protest was also being held on Nagan Chowrangi. Citizens in Larkana were also demonstrating against the increase in petrol price. The situation escalated when the angry citizens set fire to tires at Jinnah Bagh Chowk in Larkana, reported ARY News. Notably, the Prime Minister Shehbaz-led government ceded to the demands of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and removed fuel subsidies, and increased the price of petrol by Rs 30. Later, citing measures to mitigate the impact of the fuel price hike, PM Shehbaz Sharif launched a new relief package of Rs 28 billion per month. Like all other times, the Shehbaz government took a dig at the former Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government and said that because of them he had to take the "difficult decision" to increase fuel prices with a "heavy heart". This comes in the context of the February 28, 2022, announcement by the Imran Khan government of relief measures to reduce prices of petrol and electricity are on account of Opposition pressure and public anger. The measures include a reduction in the prices of petroleum products and electricity tariffs by Rs 10 and Rs 5 respectively along with a number of new schemes including one on tax amnesty. Imran Khan's subsidies are perceived to have destroyed Pakistan's economy for the Shehbaz administration. Now, in this latest relief package announced by the Shehbaz government, the PM said that 14 million poor families, comprising 85 million people, would be given Rs 2000 per family. He said this was in addition to the monetary assistance being given to them under the Benazir Income Support Programme. "This relief package will be added in the next budget," Shehbaz said. Moreover, in a veiled attack, Shehbaz also slammed Imran Khan for his allegations against the US for conspiracy to oust him from power. "A most trusted friendly country -- the one that supported us in all difficult circumstances -- was made upset. But we have started the rebuilding process," the premier said in an apparent reference to the United States. (ANI)
About 14,427 people were affected after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake jolted the city of Ya'an in Sichuan, South Western China, reported local media citing preliminary statistics. Four people were confirmed dead and 41 others injured due to the earthquake that jolted the city on Wednesday afternoon, according to the city's earthquake relief headquarters on Thursday. Earlier, the city's earthquake relief headquarters said that a total of 13,081 people in Ya'an were affected by the earthquake however as per the new statistics the number has increased significantly, reported Xinhua. The 6.1-magnitude earthquake rattled Lushan County of Ya'an in Sichuan, at 5 p.m. Wednesday Beijing Time, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicentre, with a depth of 17 km, was monitored at 30.4 degrees north latitude and 102.9 degrees east longitude, the CENC said. Earlier, a level-III national emergency response was activated after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit southwest China's Sichuan Province, the Ministry of Emergency Management. A work team was dispatched to guide and assist the local emergency rescue efforts, the ministry said. Local firefighters reached the epicenter, while quake rescue teams of Sichuan and other neighboring regions were on standby for relief operations, the ministry had added. On April 15, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 on the Richter Scale hit the city of Delingha in northwest China's Qinghai Province, according to CENC. The epicenter was monitored at 38.52 degrees north latitude and 97.33 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 10 km, as per Xinhua. No casualties were reported in that earthquake. Two days before, on April 13, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake had jolted Xingwen county of Yibin city, in China's Sichuan Province. Earlier on March 26, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake jolted China's Qinghai province. The quake had struck the city of Delingha in the province at 12.21 am. The epicenter was monitored at 38.50 degrees north latitude and 97.33 degrees east longitude, 126 km away from the city proper, with a depth of 10 km, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. The epicenter was located in an unpopulated area at an altitude of 4,410 meters, Xinhua News Agency had reported. There were no villages within 20 km of the epicenter, according to the emergency management bureau of Delingha. Tremors were felt by residents in Delingha and the cities of Jiuquan, Jiayuguan, and Zhangye, the bureau said. (ANI)
Pakistan reported 36 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, the country's ministry of health said on Friday. The tally of infected people climbed to 1,530,556 across the country after adding the fresh cases, according to the data released by the ministry. A total of 30,379 people died of COVID-19 in Pakistan, with no more deaths over the last 24 hours, according to the ministry's statistics. As many as 14,635 tests for COVID-19 were conducted in Pakistan while the positivity rate stood at 0.25 per cent. There are 76 active cases that are in critical condition in the South Asian country. Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan reported 67 new COVID-19 cases and 72 active cases that are in critical condition. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Health of Pakistan reported the first case of COVID-19 Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1. on May 9. This new sub-variant is causing an increasing number of cases in different countries, the National Institute of Health (NIH) had said in a statement. "NIH has detected the first case of Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1. This new sub-variant is causing an increasing number of cases in different countries," the health body had tweeted. In view of this, NIH advised people to take preventive measures to avoid contracting the virus, which is vaccination against it. "We strongly recommended getting vaccinated and all those due for boosters must get the shots immediately," it added. Director General Health Dr Rana Muhammad Safdar said that the Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1 was detected in a traveller who had returned from Qatar. He added that this sub-variant is seen in the recent spike in cases in the US. "The disease severity and hospitalisation remain the same as Omicron but data is limited as of now," Pakistani media Geo TV reported. The WHO (World Health Organisation) designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern on November 26, 2021, while the first case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Karachi was reported on December 13. Since then, the Ministry of NHSRC (National Health Systems Resource Centre), NCOC, NIH (National Institute of Health) and the provincial health departments have remained vigilant to detect the variant in Pakistan," read an official statement. (ANI)
A Pakistani soldier was killed when terrorists targeted security forces in the North Waziristan district of the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. "On night June 1-2, terrorists fired at a military post in general area Datta Khel, North Waziristan District," the statement read on Thursday. During an intense exchange of fire, a young soldier who was 28 years old lost his life. Actions had been carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area, said the statement. Hamid Ali, 28 was a resident of Sargodha city in Pakistan's Punjab province. In a similar incident, on May 23, two Pakistani soldiers died in an attack carried out by terrorists at a check post in North Waziristan, a local media reported. "On May 23, terrorists carried out a fire raid on a military post in general area Mir Ali, North Waziristan District. Troops initiated a prompt response," said the ISPR statement.During an exchange of fire, Sepoy Zahoor Khan (20) and Sepoy Rahim Gul (23) died. Earlier on April 15, seven Pakistan Army soldiers had died after terrorists ambushed a military convoy near the Afghanistan border in North Waziristan. The military's media wing had said terrorists ambushed a vehicle of security forces in the Isham area of the tribal district on April 14. The troops had promptly retaliated by effectively engaging the attackers. And in the encounter, four terrorists were killed. Recently, terrorist activities have been increased in Pakistan border areas, especially in the North Waziristan district, according to the country's vernacular media. The rise in the number of terrorist attacks has been costing the lives of several Pakistani soldiers. Reportedly, these militants have their bases in Afghanistan. They enter Pakistan from Afghanistan and after launching attacks on the former, retreat to their bases in Afghanistan. Further, terrorist organizations like the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have also been working from the Afghan bases, planning attacks against Pakistan. Earlier, a total of 105 army personnel lost lives in such terrorist attacks within the first three months of this year, recording 97 soldiers and army officers, according to Pakistan Vernacular Media. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who is on an official visit to Slovakia met the country's Prime Minister Eduard Heger and discussed the expansion of political, economic and defence cooperation between the two countries. He also conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's greetings and appreciation for support during Operation Ganga. "Thank PM of Slovak Republic @eduardheger for meeting me this morning. Conveyed PM @narendramodi's greetings and our appreciation for support during Operation Ganga. Discussed the expansion of our political, economic and defence cooperation," tweeted S Jaishankar on Friday. Under Operation Ganga an evacuation mission to bring back all the Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine was carried out due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Around 20,000 Indians including students were stuck in Ukraine. Four union ministers - Hardeep Singh Puri, Kiren Rijiju, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Gen VK Singh - who went to countries neighbouring Ukraine as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's special envoys during the evacuation efforts. Jaishankar is on a two-nation European visit - Slovakia and the Czech Republic from June 2 to 6 to impart further momentum to bilateral relations with the two Central European countries. During his visit to Bratislava from June 2 to 4, Jaishankar will hold bilateral discussions with Ivan Korcok, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia. He also attended the GLOBSEC 2022 Forum and spoke on the topic 'Taking Friendship to the Next Level: Allies in the Indo-Pacific Region'. During his visit to the Czech Republic from June 4 to 6, Jaishankar will hold discussions with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jan Lipavsky. The discussions will provide an opportunity for a comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation. The Czech Republic will be taking over the EU Presidency from July 1, 2022. In addition to meeting the political leadership of the two countries, Jaishankar will also interact with a cross-section of the diaspora, including Indian students in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. "India has traditionally enjoyed close and friendly ties with both Slovakia and the Czech Republic. EAM's visit will impart further momentum to bilateral relations with the two Central European countries," the MEA release said. (ANI)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit Serbia and Turkey next week, Maria Zakharova, the ministry's spokeswoman, said on Friday. "On June 6-7, the visit of the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry to Serbia will take place. A meeting with the president of this country [Alexandar Vucic], negotiations with the foreign minister, the chairman of the National Assembly and the patriarch of Serbia are planned," Zakharova told a briefing, as quoted by Sputnik. The spokeswoman also said that Lavrov will visit Ankara on June 8 to discuss the situation in Ukraine with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. "It is planned to discuss the state of and prospects for deepening cooperation on a wide range of issues, and of course we are talking about trade and economic cooperation in the context of the illegitimate sanctions against Russia imposed by the West," Zakharova added. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Lavrov will discuss ways for safe passage of Ukrainian grain during his visit to Ankara. "Next week, the foreign minister will indeed be in Turkey, he is scheduled to have contacts there. And of course, in continuation of the top-level phone conversation, the issue of Ukrainian grain will be high on the agenda," Peskov told reporters. This visit comes a day after the European Union officially approved the sixth package of sanctions against Moscow, including a gradual phase-out of Russian oil and desconnection of more Russian banks from SWIFT. "In light of Russia's continuing war of aggression against Ukraine and Belarus' support to it, as well as the reported atrocities committed by Russian armed forces in Ukraine, the Council decided today to impose a sixth package of economic and individual sanctions targeting both Russia and Belarus," the European Council said in a statement. The new package includes a ban on "the purchase, import or transfer of crude oil and certain petroleum products from Russia into the EU," with the phase-out of Russian oil set to take "from 6 months for crude oil to 8 months for other refined petroleum products." (ANI)
Turkey and Pakistan have traditionally enjoyed a good relationship based on religious fraternity. There was a distinct upswing in this relationship under the leadership of erstwhile Pakistan PM Imran Khan, who was desirous of being seen as a puritan Islamist and a strong leader. If Imran Khan is famous in Pakistan for his U-turns, Pakistan is equally notorious for its double face. And Turkey is realising this at the cost of its citizens. Tens of thousands of illegal Pakistani migrants arrive in Turkey through land route via Iran, in search of a more prosperous future and also in their quest to cross into Europe. According to Turkish authorities, there has been a significant increase in illegal immigrants from Pakistan entering Turkey over the last four years. The exact number of Pakistani illegal immigrants spread all over Turkey is not known and keeps changing. At any time, there are 3,000-5,000 Pakistani detainees at various detention centres. This has created large scale unrest in Turkey which is already under the strain of refugee influx from Syria and Afghanistan. What distinguishes the Pakistani immigrants from the other immigrants is their total disregard for Turkish culture, values and women. In April of this year, a Pakistani immigrant was caught sharing photographs and videos of Turkish women recorded on social media. Similar videos by other Pakistani immigrants also surfaced on social media creating a furore in the Turkish population. Turkish citizens justifiably responded with scathing retorts and the social media was ripe with the "Pakistan Get Out" campaign trending in Turkey. Illegal Pakistan immigrants are also found indulging in gang wars and other illegal crimes including human and narco-trafficking and ransom kidnapping of tourists visiting Turkey. This is a major problem for Turkey since it is considered one of the favourite tourist destinations and an important revenue-generating source for the Turkish economy. There have been a spate of crimes and kidnapping wherein Pakistani immigrants/refugees involvement has been confirmed. The most recent incident was the kidnapping of a Nepali origin tourist in the heart of Turkey. Fortunately, the Turkish police acted on time and were able to apprehend the Pakistani perpetrators. Instead of educating its citizens, Pakistan appears to have taken an affront to Turkish sentiments. The Pakistani Consulate in Istanbul issued a Whatsapp advisory stating "due to recent events there is a wave of anti-Pakistan sentiments in Turkey and Pakistan citizens are advised to be careful". To add fuel to the fire, the Pakistan origin Urdu head of Turkish Radio- Television Corporation (TRT), Furcian Hameed stated that the "frustration of Turkish youth due to unemployment and other problems sometimes biased their behaviour towards foreigners". These statements reflect Pakistan's complete disregard for Turkey and its citizens. A case in point which reflects Pakistan's attitude towards Turkey is the news article in Pakistan newspaper Dawn given below. However, Pakistan has failed to institute measures to assuage the Turkish sentiments. Over the years, the Turkish ministries and government have repeatedly appealed to Pakistan to put in place measures to curb the illegal inflow of Pakistan's illegal migrant population. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and also the FIA have been in touch with Pakistan counterparts to work out a legal and efficient system but it has been of no avail. What is concerning to Turkey is the fact that a large number of Pakistan immigrants are working illegally in Turkey and instead of gratitude, they detest Turkish customs and traditions. Although both the countries' cooperation has increased in other areas including defence, however, in view of the latest developments Turkey has expressed its displeasure toward Pakistan. A sign of this displeasure was the absence of President Erdogan from the launching ceremony of Pakistan Navy Frigate PNS Badr on May 20, 2022. President Erdogan had previously graced the ceremony of PNS Babur in Istanbul on August 15, 2022. Pakistan wants to brush aside the angst of its neighbours but Turkey is not a country to put up with such perfidy. (ANI)
Pakistan government on Thursday dismissed fears that attempts were afoot to undermine the criminal justice system (CJS) in a suo motu case regarding Exit Control List (ECL) rules. The federal government dismissed such apprehensions as unsubstantiated and "part of a sponsored media whispering campaign" to malign the present government, reported Dawn. This comes a day before the resumption of a hearing in a suo motu case over ECL rules. Earlier, Supreme Court directed the federal government to explain whether ECL rules were approved by the federal cabinet and, if so, whether some ministers were among the beneficiaries and if so, whether they had recused themselves from attending the meeting or not. On April 22, the government introduced significant changes to the rules controlling citizens' exit from the country in an attempt to end the practice of keeping people on the no-fly list for years and even for over a decade, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had said. A five-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, had taken suo motu notice on apprehensions that criminal justice might be undermined by people in authority, reported Dawn. In a written order issued earlier this week, the SC had observed that it appeared the amendments in the Exit From Pakistan (Control) Rules of 2010 had been enforced with retrospective effect. Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, a five-judge Supreme Court bench will resume hearing the case on Friday. Meanwhile, a report on behalf of the Attorney General (AGP) Ashtar Ausaf explained that the amendments to the Exit From Pakistan (Control) Rules of 2010 and their enforcement were in consonance with the due process as well as the law, reported Dawn. The amendments were made, the report said, after approval by the federal cabinet and enforced retrospectively. The right to travel outside the country is a fundamental right, as well as an intrinsic part, of the right to liberty guaranteed by Article 9 of the Constitution, the report contended. An inquiry or investigation, whether conducted by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) or any other agency, was not by itself a sufficient reason to place an individual's name on the ECL. The CJP had taken suo motu notice of the recommendations of an SC judge on perceived interference in the independence of the prosecution branch in the performance of its power and duties for investigation and prosecution of pending criminal matters involving persons in authority in government. According to a press release issued by the apex court, such interference could influence the prosecution of cases, result in tampering or disappearance of evidence in courts or in possession of prosecuting agencies and lead to transfers and postings of officers on key posts. (ANI)
The Pakistani government is mulling whether to file treason charges against former prime minister and PTI chief Imran Khan over his party's 'Azadi March' last month that led to large-scale violence in Islamabad. Multiple scuffles took place between the police and PTI marchers after Imran Khan and his convoy entered Islamabad and started marching towards the D-Chowk despite the Supreme Court's order to hold a rally at a ground between areas of Islamabad. He later had called off his long march and sought help from the Pakistan Supreme court. During a key cabinet meeting, top officials of Shehbaz Sharif's government briefed the participants on Azadi March' held on May 25. Besides Imran Khan, the officials deliberated over filing a case under the charges of sedition against the chief ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mahmood Khan, and Gilgit-Baltistan, Khalid Khursheed. "However, the committee postponed the meeting to deliberate over the matter further till June 6 to present its final recommendations before the federal cabinet," the statement read. Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah requested the committee to recommend to the federal cabinet that Imran Khan be charged with treason. "PTI's long march was a fitna and fasad March, instead of 'Azadi March' as it was an armed uprising on the capital. Therefore, I urged the committee to recommend filing a treason case under section 124(A) of the CrPC [Code of Criminal Procedure] against Imran Khan and chief ministers of KP and GB," Daily Times quoted him as saying. "With planning, around 2,500 miscreants were already sent to Islamabad and they tried to capture D-Chowk before the arrival of Imran Khan," he said. On Thursday, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) granted PTI chief pre-arrest bail for 15 days in the 14 cases registered against him. The decision came straight after the party's chairman ended his 'Azadi March' on May 25. Imran and other leaders of his party were booked in 14 cases registered at multiple police stations across Islamabad over allegations of vandalism in the capital, the Dawn newspaper reported. Imran Khan's counsel Babar Awan filed the petition in the court which was heard by PHC Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan. The judge granted the PTI leader bail till June 25 and subsequently forwarded the orders to the additional sessions judge of Islamabad. Calling the Azadi March a peaceful demonstration, the ousted leader called on the present government for the excessive use of force, usage of chemical shells of tear gas, baton charge, firing, shelling, rubber bullets and shotguns which "tore apart" the fundamental rights of people. (ANI)
In a blow to China, the Nepal Army (NA) on Thursday suspended Chinese contractors for failing to expedite construction work on the Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track Expressway. It should be noted that the government in its policy and programs last week had mentioned completing the Terai-Kathmandu fast track on time, i.e. by 2081 BS, reported Khabarhub. The Nepal Army had signed two separate contracts with China State Construction Engineering Corp. Ltd and Poly Changda Engineering Co Ltd last year for the construction of three tunnels, a few bridges, and a partial road under the Fast Track project. Both the Chinese companies have been informed about the suspension by sending a letter on May 23. However, the period of suspension has not been mentioned. The under-construction Kathmandu-Terai Madhes Expressway, under the management of the Army, is a project of national pride and strategic importance. The work is scheduled to be completed in the fiscal year 2080/81. The fast track, an Asian Highway Standard Primary Class A standard road, will have three tunnels and bridges. The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs 175 billion. The length of the four-lane expressway will be 72.5 km. This road will pass through Khokna of Lalitpur, Kathmandu, and Makwanpur and reach Nijgadh of Bara district. The project has been mired in controversy since the tenure of retired Chief of Army Staff Purnachandra Thapa, who had selected only two out of 43 companies as qualified contractors for both the phases, reported Khabarhub. The parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had on April 1, 2021, directed the NA to stop the contract process, claiming that it did not abide by the financial regulations of the country. It had instructed to stop the contract process as it lacked transparency as only two companies had entered the pre-qualification process in the first package and only one competed in the second package. The committee had also instructed the Public Procurement Monitoring Office to remove the obstruction by preparing the necessary documents, guidelines and procedures as soon as possible while proceeding with the contract for the participation of international companies. However, two days after the directive, the military opened the financial proposals of the two packages selected in the pre-qualification and evaluated them, reported Khabarhub. The contract agreement process started after the company submitted the financial proposal. The contract agreement was signed on May 14, 2021, with both the companies so that the construction could be completed within 3 years. (ANI)
US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will visit South Korea, the Philippines, Laos, and Vietnam on June 5-14 to follow up on recent summits between the United States and Asian allies and the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the State Department said on Friday. "Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will travel to the Republic of Korea (ROK), the Philippines, Vietnam, and Laos from June 5 to 14. The Deputy Secretary's travel to the region reflects the United States' continued commitment to the Indo-Pacific and follows last month's U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit, President Biden's visit to the ROK and Japan, the Quad Leaders' Summit in Tokyo, and the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework," the US State Department said in a press statement. In Seoul, Deputy Secretary Sherman will meet with ROK leaders, including Foreign Minister Park Jin, Unification Minister Kwon Young-se, and First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong. Also in Seoul, Deputy Secretary Sherman will meet with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori Takeo and have a trilateral meeting with First Vice Foreign Minister Cho and Vice Foreign Minister Mori to discuss how the United States, the ROK, and Japan can continue to work together for the benefit of the region and the world to address the critical challenges of the 21st century. In Manila, Deputy Secretary Sherman will meet with President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and senior members of the incoming and outgoing administrations to discuss new ways to deepen the bilateral U.S.-Philippines Alliance. She will also participate in a business roundtable and an event in celebration of World Oceans Day. In Vientiane, Sherman will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune and Vice Foreign Minister Bounleua Phandanouvong to discuss how to best support Laos as it pursues its sustainable development goals and boosts its prosperity and connectivity with its ASEAN neighbors. The Deputy Secretary will engage with civil society members and alumni of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) to demonstrate the United States' strong support for Laos civil society and mutual understanding between our countries. In Ho Chi Minh City, Deputy Secretary Sherman will meet with municipal Party Secretary Nguyen Van Nen and deliver remarks at Fulbright University Vietnam. In Hanoi, the Deputy Secretary will meet with Vietnamese officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, and Vice Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc to emphasize the strength of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership and U.S. support for a strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam. She will also announce additional support for surveying and clearing unexploded ordnance, demonstrating our continued commitment to addressing legacies of war. In addition, the Deputy Secretary will discuss supply chain resiliency with private sector representatives and, together with Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan, launch a USAID project to counter wildlife trafficking in Vietnam. (ANI)
One never knows what the future will bring for you. Some are pleasant and some are painful. One such rare incident took place in Thailand when a fish hopped out of the water into a fisherman's mouth, slipping to his throat, and got stuck there. The unidentified angler who was spearfishing in fresh water, got a closer fish encounter, as spiky freshwater fish, after slipping to his throat, tried to escape but got lodged between the unlucky angler's throat and nasal cavity, reported New York Post. The incident took place on May 22 in Phatthalung province, the report further said. According to the media report, the 5-inch interloper wiggled its tail into the fisherman's windpipe, cutting off his oxygen supply, and leading to a clutch at his throat. Upon noticing the fellow's plight, samaritans rushed him to the hospital, where doctors were confused to see his condition. "The chances of this happening are very low. I have never seen this kind of case before," Sermsri Pathompanichrat an officer at the hospital treating the patient said. In the hospital, an X-ray revealed that a spiky freshwater fish known as an Anabas lodged between his throat and nasal cavity. It had reportedly gotten stuck there while trying to swim out of the man's nose, according to New York Post. "Our doctors worked hard to minimize the damage on our patient's organs," Pathompanichrat said, adding "they have successfully saved the patient." And while this fish tale might've initially seemed hard to swallow, this isn't the first time someone has been injured by a flying fish. A similar incident was reported in March, this year when a man was left in serious condition after a needlefish speared him in the neck while he was swimming in Thailand. (ANI)
Gotabaya pointed out that it could prevent the organized efforts of some businessmen to increase prices by artificially creating a shortage of goods and acting on people's fears, Xinhua news agency reported.

He said a portion of the agricultural products currently being sent to the wholesale market should be made available directly to grocery stores.

The Sri Lankan president said this would reduce the cost of transportation and enable consumers to purchase goods at lower prices and farmers to obtain higher prices.

Rajapaksa also instructed the Consumer Affairs Authority to take legal action against those who take advantage of the prevailing situation and sell goods at unfair prices.

Sri Lanka has seen a rapid increase in food prices in recent months due to lower yields after the country banned the use of chemical fertilizers in April 2021.

The government recently lifted the ban on chemical fertilizer and said it will import fresh fertilizer stocks for the coming farming season.

Sri Lanka is witnessing an unprecedented economic crisis and political crisis. Large-scale protests have been taking place for months, leading to the ouster of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Wickremesinghe on Sunday said that five finance committees and 10 oversight committees will be appointed to resolve the economic and political crisis faced by the country.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has also relaxed import restrictions on 369 items in March and April this year.

Earlier, those who wanted to import any of the 369 items had to obtain an import licence, and the decision to restrict the import was taken to reduce foreign currency spending on foreign products. (ANI)
India on Friday lauded the extension of truce between the Government in Yemen and Houthi rebels for an additional two months. "We welcome the agreement between the parties to the Yemeni conflict to renew the current truce for two additional months. We are encouraged by this development, the reduction in violence in Yemen during the ceasefire over the past two months as well as the first face-to-face meeting under the UN auspices between the parties to the conflict," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Friday. "We hope that these developments would lead to further political dialogue between the parties for ending the conflict and restoring peace, security and stability across Yemen," Bagchi added. UN Special Envoy for the country Hans Grundberg announced on Thursday that a truce between the Government in Yemen and Houthi rebels has been renewed for an additional two months, "By agreeing to implement and now renewing the truce, the parties have provided a rare glimmer of hope to Yemenis that an end to this devastating conflict is possible," he said in a statement.The extension comes into effect at 7 pm, local time, and under the same terms as the original UN-brokered agreement, which began on April 2. The conflict between Yemeni Government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and the Houthis began in 2015, a few months after the rebels took over the capital, Sana'a.Over the past two months, the country's people have experienced the tangible benefits of the truce, said Grundberg. Civilian casualties have dropped significantly, fuel deliveries through Hudaydah port have increased considerably, and commercial flights have resumed at the main airport in Sana'a, after nearly six years. Additionally, the parties have been meeting face-to-face under UN auspices for the first time in years to make progress toward opening roads in Taiz and other war-ravaged governorates and implementing nationwide military de-escalation mechanisms. Since April 2015, Yemen has been in the grip of a war where the Saudi-led coalition and the internationally recognised government are battling with the Houthis to control key ports and cities in the country. The conflict is also seen as part of a regional power struggle between Shia-ruled Iran and Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia. (ANI)
"Norway, one step closer to ISA membership! HE Mr Hans Jacob Frydenlund, Ambassador Norway to India handed the signed copy of the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement to Shri Prabhat Kumar, AS (ER & DPA)," tweeted MEA spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi.

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a treaty-based inter-governmental organization working to create a global market system to tap the benefits of solar power and promote clean energy applications.

With 75 signatory countries in this global collective, the ISA creates a multi-stakeholder ecosystem where sovereign nations, multilateral organizations, industry, policymakers, and innovators work together to promote the common and shared goal of meeting the energy demands of a secure & sustainable world.

It is an Indian initiative that was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of France, Francois Hollande on November 30th, 2015 in Paris, France on the side-lines of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP-21), with 121 solar resource-rich countries lying fully or partially between the tropic of Cancer and tropic of Capricorn as prospective members.

The ISA aims to pave the way for future solar generation, storage and technologies for Member countries' needs by mobilising over USD 1,000 billion by 2030.

Achievement of ISA's objectives will also strengthen the climate action in member countries, helping them fulfil the commitments expressed in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

"Glad to hand over signed framework agreement on our membership in @isolarallianceto Mr. Prabhat Kumar Addl Secy @MEAIndia announced during @AHuitfeldt visit @DrSJaishankar. India-Norway have many projects on #climatechange #environment & this will further strengthen our efforts," tweeted Hans Jacob Frydenlund.

"We need to increase pace of #greentransition worldwide & use of #solar cells will be important. We look forward to cooperating with @isolaralliance, this opens new opportunities for companies' research & cooperation between India-Norway @norwayinindia @cristianvcarter @NorwayCGMumbai," added the Norwegian Ambassador. (ANI)
Amid tense relations with China, European Union (EU) is looking at boosting semiconductor trade with Taiwan. Hungry for chips, the EU hopes to tap into Taiwan's semiconductor and microchip industry. The European Union held a virtual trade dialogue on Thursday with the Taiwanese minister for economic affairs, Mei-Hua Wang, reported DW News. "Taiwan is a very important player in the area of semiconductors -- if not the most important player," the EU Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, told the European Parliament last month. Ming-Yen Tsai of Taiwan's Representative Office in the European Union and Belgium told DW he was optimistic about the upcoming talks and highlighted that the EU and Taiwan shared the same core values of democracy, human rights, free markets, and the rule of law. Fresh talks with Taipei come amid tense relations with China though, which regards Taiwan as a breakaway province. But Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, assistant professor at the National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan and a former political adviser in the European Parliament, told DW that there is clear momentum in EU-Taiwan relations right now and trade with Taiwan isn't really an afterthought. "With everything that has happened since the offset of the pandemic, China's economic coercion against Lithuania, disinformation campaigns and most recently its diplomatic support to Russia's war in Ukraine, there has been a growing appetite in the EU to bring Taiwan and the discussion of trade with the island back on the table. The EU is keen to find ways of cooperating in specific areas of interest like the semiconductor sector and tech supply chains, as the Commission has also made that clear," she said. "In the past, global circumstances were different, as the EU was trying to rebalance its relations with China. But now the bloc's line of thought has fundamentally shifted. The recent EU-China summit didn't go well, with Brussels disappointed with Beijing's refusal to condemn Russia's war. So in this context, clearly, Taiwan is no longer seen with as much caution as before," she added. Moreover, materials like semiconductors and microchips are essential for almost everything and Taiwan's semiconductor sector, in particular, has a huge role globally, making countries compete to gain secure access to its semiconductor output. Moreover, the EU is also counting on Taiwan to support its Euro 45 billion European Chips Act, since Taiwan produces the world's most advanced microchips. The EU Commission's Spokesperson for Trade and Agriculture shared a similar view and told DW that the bloc's new Indo-Pacific Strategy also offered a framework to explore further opportunities to cooperate on supply chains with Taiwan, and also boost Taiwanese investments in Europe that remain very low. According to a report by the European External Actions Service last year, by the end of 2020, only 2.1 per cent (USD 7.3 billion) of Taiwan's worldwide foreign direct investment (FDI) stock was invested in the EU. The largest part of Taiwanese FDI stock was invested in China (55 per cent), followed by the British Caribbean (13.5 per cent) and the United States (6.3 per cent). Ming-Yen Tsai of Taiwan's Representative Office in the European Union and Belgium told DW that while 66.6 per cent of all total Taiwanese investment in the EU in recent years was mainly in areas such as electric vehicles, batteries and ICT products, both Taiwan and the EU have also made green and digital economies a key policy priority. Meanwhile, Beijing has warned Brussels not to engage with Taiwan and abide by the "One-China policy," which is the diplomatic acknowledgement of Beijing's position that Taiwan is a part of China. (ANI)
The urgent call was made by the AU's Peace and Security Council in a statement issued on Friday that followed its recent meeting that dwelt upon the state of humanitarian actions in Africa.

The council "expresses deep concern over the continued prevalence of complex, multifaceted and, at times, unprecedented humanitarian crises in the continent," an AU statement read.

The council associated the worsening security and humanitarian situations in Africa with climate change-related and public health emergences, amongst other hazards, especially in areas that are already fragile due to terrorism and violent conflicts which cause food insecurity and forced displacements.

It further expressed concern over the increasing number of vulnerable populations in Africa, notably refugees, internally displaced persons, returnees, asylum-seekers, stateless persons, missing persons and their diminishing resilience capacity.

It underlined the imperative of continental collaboration and an action-oriented approach to strengthening the resilience of these vulnerable populations.

The council further emphasized the need to address the root causes and drivers of humanitarian crises and to ensure that the Continental Early Warning System incorporates multi-hazard early warning and early action systems.

Such efforts would enable timely interventions to address the diverse humanitarian disaster risks and their potential consequences, the council said.

Meanwhile, the council commended African countries for hosting refugees in their countries, albeit with limited capacities.

It further appealed to the international community to provide adequate and flexible support to countries hosting refugees to allow them to effectively respond to the needs of the refugees taking into consideration the unpredictable nature of humanitarian needs.

The council also called on the AU Commission, working closely with member states, to expedite action in the finalization of the AU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Statelessness in Africa. (ANI/Xinhua)
It is well known that Chinese president Xi Jinping exerts significant control on the governance and political frameworks. However, in the recent past, reports in the international media suggest a growing rift between Xi and Premier Li Keqiang, contributing to a policy dissonance. Sanjay Pulipaka, writing in Asia Times said that the Chinese official media are giving more space to the premier, and there is growing speculation that Li is taking control of economic policy. For instance, at a mega-national teleconference with more than 100,000 participants, Li called on local authorities to "earnestly implement policies to stabilize the economy and support market entities, employment and people's livelihoods." The 20th National Congress of the CPC will be held later this year, and it may herald leadership changes. Therefore, Li Keqiang's recent moves are getting more attention from domestic and international observers. While there is no hard rule, the Chinese premier is generally in charge of economic policy. However, President Xi has sidelined Premier Li, said Pulipaka. For instance, in 2013, Xi "headed the Leading Group on Comprehensively Deepening Reform." Similarly, in 2020, Li was not present at a symposium to discuss China's 14th Five Year Plan, and Xi steered the conversations. As a consequence of getting marginalized, the premier was never in a position to implement his economic philosophy fully, which is based on three pillars: "ending fiscal stimulus, deleveraging, and structural reforms." However, the dual challenges of resurgent outbreaks of COVID-19 and subsequent economic challenges have given space for Li Keqiang to regain control of economic policymaking. Li has a short window in which to restore confidence in the economy, as he will retire this year after completing two full five-year terms as premier. According to usual practices, Xi Jinping should also step down during the 20th Party Congress and hand over the baton to a successor. However, a constitutional amendment in 2018 eliminated term limits, opening the possibility for Xi to remain as president for additional terms. At the moment, there is no designated political heir or a visible challenger to Xi. In his retirement message, Li noted that Xi would be at the core of the Party Central Committee, indicating that Xi may get a third term. If Xi Jinping gets one more term, it will herald a significant shift in Chinese politics. However, in the run-up to the 20th Party Congress, there will be considerable power play and posturing for other offices between various factions in the party. The CPC is not a homogeneous entity and has many factions within it. Moreover, if the economic crisis deepens, the subdued murmurs against Xi will gain greater momentum. Of course, Xi's team may look for a scapegoat to carry the albatross of economic mismanagement, reported Asia Times. However, given that was sidelined in a very visible manner, the possibility of making him carry the proverbial can of worms is limited. In fact, Li is better placed to impact the political process, and it appears that the premier is determined to achieve the following four political goals. First, while Li cannot continue as premier because of term limits, he can still be a member of the Standing Committee of the Central Political Bureau of the CPC. Second, an important objective for Li would be to appoint people to high offices to hasten the pace of reforming state-owned enterprises and create conditions to carry forward the structural reform. Third, Li may get a fellow faction leader (such as Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua) appointed as premier, who can serve as a check and balance to the president's office. Fourth, if some of the above political objectives are not achieved, Li and his faction may seek to increase their presence in Politburo and associated platforms. In the next few months, the economy's performance will have a significant bearing on the outcomes of the 20th National Congress of the CPC. If Xi eases pandemic-related lockdowns, then there is a possibility that there may be an increased incidence of the Covid virus in the country. On the other hand, the continuation of severe lockdowns is negatively impacting the economy. Either way, Xi's credibility is getting dented. Therefore, he will have to make tough choices in the coming months, said Pulipaka. (ANI)
Port Moresby [Papua New Guinea], June 3 (ANI/Xinhua): Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday that China's security cooperation with the Solomon Islands was in line with international law. "Solomon Islands is an independent sovereign state, which has the right to sign bilateral agreements with other countries as it needs," Wang said at a joint press conference with Papua New Guinea's (PNG) Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Soroi Eoe after their meeting in Port Moresby, capital of PNG. It is fully consistent with international law and norms in state-to-state relations, he added. Wang said that if in the 21st century today, there is still any attempt to interfere in the domestic affairs of the Solomon Islands and dictate terms to the country, it would be disrespectful to a sovereign state. According to the minister, the bilateral security framework agreement between China and the Solomon Islands was conducted in light of the request and need of the Solomon Islands and through consultations on an equal footing. The agreement is aimed at assisting the Solomon Islands in maintaining social stability, Wang said, noting that China does not impose anything on anyone. "However, anytime when its friends and partners need support, China is always ready to extend a helping hand." Wang noted that some media outlets were hyping up a regional security agreement China intends to sign with Pacific island countries and that was simply fake news. China has come to the South Pacific region to build roads and bridges and improve people's lives, not to deploy troops or establish military bases, he stressed. China is willing to work with Pacific island countries to expand consensus on regional cooperation, not to sign any regional security agreement, Wang said. (ANI/Xinhua)
The West African country, Senegal views India as an integral and reliable partner in its vision of "Emerging Senegal 2035." Dammu Ravi, MEA Secretary (ER) briefing on Vice President Venkaiah Naidu's visit to Senegal said that President of Senegal, Macky Sall has requested India's support in Railways, and healthcare - "broadly wanting India to be a reliable partner in his vision of the 'Emerging Senegal 2035'." Naidu further reiterated India's commitment to be a part of Senegal's growth story. He is on a 3-nation tour comprising Gabon, Senegal and Qatar. Naidu is in Senegal since June 1 and will be departing for Qatar on June 3. During his visit to Senegal economic issues were also discussed. "Both sides talked about bilateral trade which has grown by 35-37 per cent in the last two years. Bilateral trade is at 1.65 billion now," said Dammu Ravi. Three MoUs were signed with the West African country to further deepen bilateral partnerships in various areas. The first MoU pertains to a visa-free regime for Diplomatic and Official passport holders which would strengthen cooperation between the two countries through seamless travel of officials/diplomats. The second agreement relates to the renewal of the Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) for the period 2022-26. Appreciating the richness of Indian and Senegalese culture, Naidu expressed confidence that with the renewal of the CEP, there will be more cultural exchanges, thereby strengthening people-to-people contacts. The third MoU seeks to enhance bilateral cooperation in youth matters. Recognizing that both India and Senegal have relatively young populations, the Vice President expressed confidence that this MoU will be mutually beneficial to the two countries through sharing of information, knowledge and good practices, and youth exchanges. Complimenting Senegal for positioning itself as one of Africa's model democracies, the Vice President said that India, as the world's largest democracy, appreciates Senegal's success in this regard. He further said that these shared values of democracy and secularism form the basis of warm and friendly relations between the two countries. Appreciating Senegal's support for India's permanent UNSC membership, Naidu reiterated India's unwavering support for the Common African Position, enshrined in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration and underscored the need to rectify the historical injustice done to the African continent. "There was discussion on cultural enhancement including Bollywood, people-to-people, and parliamentarian exchanges. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu invited President of the National Assembly (of Senegal) Moustapha Niasse at a mutually convenient time," said the MEA Secretary. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday reviewed bilateral cooperation with Slovakia Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok and identified areas for further growth of bilateral ties. Jaishanakar, who is the first Indian Foreign Minister to visit Slovakia, said he valued Korcok's insights on Europe's views about global politics and their conversation on Ukraine was particularly useful. "Was warmly welcomed by FM @IvanKorcok as the first Indian Foreign Minister to visit Slovakia. Reviewed our bilateral cooperation and identified the areas of further growth. Committed to materialising that through continuing interactions," Jaishanakar said in a tweet. "Valued his insights on Europe's views about global politics. Our conversation on Ukraine was particularly useful," he added.Earlier today, Jaishankar met members of the Indian community in Slovakia. Jaishankar is paying an official visit to Slovakia and the Czech Republic from June 2 to 6. During his visit to Bratislava, Jaishankar also called on Eduard Heger, Prime Minister of Slovakia. "Thank PM of Slovak Republic @eduardheger for meeting me this morning. Conveyed PM @narendramodi's greetings and our appreciation for support during Operation Ganga. Discussed the expansion of our political, economic and defence cooperation," the External Affairs Minister said in a tweet. He attended the GLOBSEC 2022 Forum today and spoke on the topic 'Taking Friendship to the Next Level: Allies in the Indo-Pacific Region'.During his visit to the Czech Republic from June 4 to 6, EAM will hold discussions with Jan Lipavsky, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. The discussions will provide an opportunity for a comprehensive review of our bilateral cooperation. The Czech Republic will be taking over the EU Presidency from July 1, 2022. In addition to meeting the political leadership of the two countries, EAM will also interact with a cross-section of the diaspora, including Indian students in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. India has traditionally enjoyed close and friendly ties with both Slovakia and the Czech Republic. EAM's visit will impart further momentum to bilateral relations with the two Central European countries. (ANI)
Chinese firms are enjoying the lion's share of benefits from the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its ill effect is directly affecting the local people of Pakistan. As per Islam Khabar, Pakistan is also landing in the debt trap of its "all-weather friend" China. The economic crisis in Pakistan appeared grimmer after more than two dozen Chinese firms or Independent Power Producers (IPPs) threatened to cease operations at power plants on May 9, if payments are not made upfront, media reports said. Reportedly, Pakistan has to pay more than Rs 300 billion Pakistani rupees (USD 1.59 billion) in dues to several Chinese firms, which are operating in Pakistan. There are more than 30 Chinese companies which are operating under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in several infrastructural projects in various fields like energy, communication, railways, roads and highways - across Pakistan to facilitate trade connectivity. There was a myriad complaint from the Chinese side, including those relating to complex visa procedures for Chinese executives, heavy taxation and so on. About 25 representatives from Chinese independent power producers (IPPs) spoke one after the other and complained about the buildup of their accruing dues and warned that without upfront payments they would shut down within days, reported Islam Khabar. In March 2022, with China threatening to halt the multi-billion-dollar CPEC over differences in cost estimations and contractual disputes, the issue of overdue payments owed to Chinese independent power producers (IPPs) is near a breaking point. Reports claimed that Beijing was reluctant to pump in new funds under the CPEC arrangement until difficulties faced by Chinese investors are resolved and previous CPEC-related agreements are fully honoured by Pakistan. Beijing has voiced its concerns about the non-payment of power dues for some time, including at the highest level during Imran Khan's visit to Beijing in 2022. Geopolitical issues in Pakistan are also propped up, as the Baloch insurgency poses a constant threat to peace and stability. The Baloch insurgents are regularly targeting CPEC infrastructure projects, such as gas pipelines and electricity towers, because they consider China as an imperialist power that, along with the Pakistan government, wishes to plunder Balochistan's natural resources. China is surely facing a tough situation in Pakistan. There may have been no departure of Chinese workers from Pakistan after the Karachi University attack, but they look less confident about the country's ability to protect them. The CPEC project was started in the year 2015. In April 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Islamabad to inaugurate the CPEC, a US USD 46 billion investment in Pakistan's energy and transportation sectors. As part of China's One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative, CPEC was planned to endorse regional linkages among Pakistan, China, and Eurasia. The two sides set up the "1+4" cooperation model, meaning the two sides take CPEC as the core while prioritizing in Gwadar, Energy, Transport Infrastructure and Industrial Cooperation. The Chinese side of the CPEC vision is to further advance the western development strategy, encourage economic and social development in Western China, quicken the Belt and Road construction, make way for China's advantages in capital, technology, production capacity and engineering operation, and help the formation of a new open economic system friendly to China. On the other hand, the Pakistani side vision is to fully harness the demographic and natural endowment of the country by advancing its industrial capacity through the formation of new industrial clusters, complementing the regional socio-economic growth, enhancing people's happiness, and sponsoring domestic peace and stability. However, only three schemes have been declared completed by the CPEC Authority, including USD 4 million Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan. The other two schemes are the Physical Infrastructure of Gwadar Port and the Free Zone Phase-1 costing USD 300 million and the Pak-China Technical and Vocational Institute which has been built with a USD 10 million Chinese grant. Keeping the slow pace of various projects and other challenges, it can be said that, CPEC is improbable to ever accomplish the aspirations that Xi Jinping and Nawaz Sharif envisioned in 2015, reported Islam Khabar. Pakistan had big hope since beginning with this mammoth multi-pronged investment under CPEC but it must have approached it with great caution. Pakistan should be an equal partner rather than giving China a free hand and be allowed to monopolize its energy sector. In January 2018, Dawn informed that Pakistani firms have been denied contracts for power and other projects including equipment and raw materials for the projects that were being imported from China. (ANI)
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu addressed students of Universite Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) in Senegal and said that working together requires us to develop a mindset that accepts and adopts, recognizes plurality and diversity and forges partnerships with mutual trust and respect. "Peace, respect, receptivity, and democratic ethos encapsulated in the Senegalese term 'Teranga' are the foundational values that have brought Senegal and India together and continue to provide the inspiration to work together and move together towards peace and prosperity for our people," he said in his address. Naidu said the Senegalese have demonstrated a positive approach because of the "Teranga" ingrained in their collective consciousness. "You have an innate ability to welcome new people and fresh ideas. You have accorded great importance to values like hospitality, respect, community and solidarity," he said. Senegal and India have been connected since antiquity through the material medium of textiles. "We both are pluralistic societies - multiethnic, multireligious with several spoken languages. We have gained freedom from a colonial past and established democratic governance in our countries. We are striving relentlessly to provide a conducive environment for people to grow and prosper," he also said. It is an eloquent testimony of Senegal's great respect for all that Mahatma Gandhi stood for - peace, truth, non-violence and dialogue for conflict resolution. This struggle against injustice, violence and violation of fundamental freedom is what unites our countries. "We have fought similar battles in the past and have emerged successful and gained freedom. Now, we are co-travellers on a fascinating development journey and have been natural partners who are drawing upon each of our country's strengths to face many global challenges with courage, competence and conviction," he added. "I do hope that the neem tree brought from India to Senegal in the 1960s which you have named as the Independence Tree of Senegal will flourish along with the Baobab tree giving shade, nourishment and good health to all. Let the Tiranga, the tri-colour flag of India symbolizing India's vision of peace, prosperity, righteousness and hardwork as well as the tri-coloured flag of Senegal symbolizing the values of optimism, hope, hard work, prosperity and passionate commitment to development as well as the spirit of Teranga fly high," Naidu said. Students and teachers present at the Vice President's address expressed their happiness to attend the event. Touba Ndiaye, a student in the English department at UCAD said: "We are lucky to have Indian delegation here and it's a proud moment for the whole University. India is the country that I love a lot and definitely I will try to visit it soon." Salome Eyaete, a teacher representing British Senegal Institute in the University programme said: "It's an incredible event. I also told my students that this is going to be a very educative programme. It was an opportunity to know the thoughts of the Vice President about Senegal. India is making presently a great impact in Senegal. Of course, I want to visit India, especially Mumbai." Naidu is in Senegal from June 1 to June 3. (ANI)
IRYNA BALACHUK  FRIDAY, 3 JUNE 2022, 13:41

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Russian president, said that during the 100 days of war in Ukraine, the Russian occupiers had achieved "certain results."

Source: Russian propaganda publication RIA Novosti

Peskov's Quote: "The main purpose of the operation is to protect people in the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic. Measures are being taken to ensure and certain results have been achieved."

Details: According to a Kremlin representative, the occupiers allegedly "liberated many settlements from the pro-Nazi forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and directly from nationalist elements."

Also, according to Peskov, the Russian military, which is destroying entire villages and cities, allegedly "provided an opportunity for people to start a peaceful life."

Putin's spokesman said: "This work will continue until all the goals of the 'military operation' are achieved in Ukraine."

Details: At the same time, answering questions about the time of possible annexation of certain oblasts of Ukraine by the so-called "referendum", Peskov said that "there is no understanding of the time frame of possible referendums in the "DPR" [self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic], "LPR" [self-proclaimed Luhansk Peoples Republic], Kherson and Zaporozhzhia oblasts on becoming the part of the Russian Federation."

Why this is important: Russia attacked Ukraine on 24 February. Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to seize Kyiv and Ukraine in a few days. This was hinted at in various ways by the Russian leadership, also evidenced by various intelligence services; Russian soldiers who were captured confirmed this information - they were left without food in early March because they were given field rations for just a few days.

The Russian leadership justified its helplessness in the war with Ukraine by allegedly "caring for civilians" - they say they deliberately "slowed down the pace of the operation to reduce the number of civilian casualties."

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At the same time, Ukraine has been resisting the occupying forces for 100 days. The Armed Forces of Ukraine were able to expel the invaders from Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and Mykolaiv oblasts. Fighting is currently taking place in Luhansk, Donetsk and Kharkiv oblasts.

Russia has already lost about 31,000 troops and thousands of units of equipment in this war of aggression.

The Putin regime is hiding its losses in the war from its own people, continuing to "feed" them propaganda about "the Nazis and the liberated people of Donbas." Everyone who tries to protest against the war is quickly detained; letters from relatives of soldiers killed in Ukraine are not answered; Russia does not collect the corpses of the killed occupiers - they remain lying in refrigerated carriages in Ukraine.

On the eve of the 100th day of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin asked Russian state media not to focus on the duration of the Russian invasion.
CrackerClips / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Social Security is an essential safety net for many Americans. Even if you haven't saved enough for retirement, you can still count on Social Security benefits in retirement.

Read: 14 Key Signs You Will Run Out of Money in Retirement

Learn: Best and Worst States for Pensions

However, with an average monthly benefit of just over $1,400, America's most expensive cities are far out of reach without another source of income. If you do have to rely on your Social Security benefits alone -- and still want to make the most of your golden years -- you'll need to live somewhere affordable that won't compromise your quality of life.

That's why GOBankingRates compiled a list of the 20 best cities to live off of just Social Security. The study factored in the cost of living, livability and median rent and -- after comparing the 143 largest cities in the U.S. -- combined the scores to determine where you really can get by on just your Social Security benefit.

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

20. Lubbock, Texas

Cost of Living Score: 79.9

Livability Score: 68

Average Rent: $719

Lubbock is one of five Texas cities identified in the study as a good place to live just on Social Security. Its relatively low livability score and rent of more than $700 per month prevented it from moving up on the list.

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19. Toledo, Ohio

Cost of Living Score: 72.7

Livability Score: 62

Average Rent: $651

Toledo's cost of living indicates that you can expect to spend more than 25% less on your basic expenses than you would in the rest of the country, on average. What's more, Toledo is one of the cities where your money stretches the furthest, according to a separate GOBankingRates study.

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

18. Cleveland, Ohio

Cost of Living Score: 72.6

Livability Score: 60

Average Rent: $612

If you're younger and looking to avoid living off your Social Security check alone when you reach retirement, one of the best ways is to start saving early. However, even if it's too late to build the sort of nest egg you would like, a city like Cleveland -- which combines modest rent with a low cost of living -- should help you make the most of your Social Security benefits.

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17. Magnolia, Texas

Cost of Living Score: 104

Livability Score: 80

Average Rent: $773

Magnolia is about 45 miles northwest of Houston in fast-growing Montgomery County. Its popularity probably has led to the high rental rate in the city - eighth-highest on the list. It also has the second-highest cost of living in the study.

Art Wager / Getty Images/iStockphoto

16. Richmond, Texas

Cost of Living Score: 108.2

Livability Score: 82

Average Rent: $780

Also located in the Houston metropolitan area is Richmond, and it has the highest cost-of-living index in the study. It's livability score is among the biggest, too.

WilliamSherman / Getty Images/iStockphoto

15. Roanoke, Virginia

Cost of Living Score: 84.1

Livability Score: 75

Average Rent: $792

The average rent cost in Roanoke is the fourth-highest on the list, but its lower cost of living and high livability rates make it desirable for retirees. If you wanted supplement your Social Security earnings, Roanoke is a good place to do it. Another GOBankingRates study showed it's one of the top 20 cities for remote workers.

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14. Lincoln, Nebraska

Cost of Living Score: 89.8

Livability Score: 78

Average Rent: $806

The average rent in Lincoln of $806 is second-highest on the list, but overall, living in this college town still is 10% cheaper to live in than the rest of the United States.

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

13. Grand Forks, North Dakota

Cost of Living Score: 88.2

Livability Score: 74

Average Rent: $733

Grand Forks is the northernmost city on the list, and one of two in North Dakota. At $733, rent in Grand Forks is at the midpoint, but it's still 11% less expensive to live here than elsewhere.

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

12. Odessa, Texas

Cost of Living Score: 88

Livability Score: 63

Average Rent: $504

The primary appeal of Odessa to retirees is the low cost of rent. At $504 per month, it's the cheapest in the study - and by a wide margin. But the livability score of 63 also is among the lowest, knocking Odessa to No. 12 on the list.

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

11. Fargo, North Dakota

Cost of Living Score: 91.9

Livability Score: 77

Average Rent: $740

Fargo is one of the best cities to live in on a fixed income, another GOBankingRates study revealed. That should appeal to those relying on Social Security.

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10. Davenport, Iowa

Cost of Living Score: 81.7

Livability Score: 69

Average Rent: $644

It costs about 19% less to live in Davenport than the average American city, fueled by its average rent of $644 per month. Dragging it down is its livability score of just 69.

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

9. Abilene, Texas

Cost of Living Score: 78.1

Livability Score: 75

Average Rent: $780

The last of the five Texas cities on the list, Abilene has a cost of living that is about 22% below the national average - one of the lowest in the study. That makes the comparatively high apartment cost of $780 easier to bear.

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8. Norman, Oklahoma

Cost of Living Score: 89.4

Livability Score: 76

Average Rent: $715

Norman is the home of the University of Oklahoma, and living surrounded by all of those college students will keep a retiree young. The average rent of $715 is the seventh-lowest among cities on the list.

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7. Lake Charles, Louisiana

Cost of Living Score: 83.4

Livability Score: 70

Average Rent: $622

For retirees interested in living near the water, with all of the recreational opportunities that brings - think fishing! - there's good news: Lake Charles has the third-lowest rent cost of the cities considered in this study.

benkrut / Getty Images/iStockphoto

6. Des Moines, Iowa

Cost of Living Score: 81.2

Livability Score: 75

Average Rent: $729

Des Moines scored high in two categories, livability and cost of living, which led to its No. 6 ranking on this list.

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5. Rochester, Minnesota

Cost of Living Score: 94.1

Livability Score: 84

Average Rent: $800

About 3 million people visit Rochester annually, many of them to visit with doctors at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, which opened in the city in 1889. While rents are the third-highest in the study, its livability score is high, too, making it desirable for retirees.

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4. Fort Wayne, Indiana

Cost of Living Score: 78.9

Livability Score: 75

Average Rent: $718

Fort Wayne is a little pricier than many of the other cities on this list, but it still is among one of the best cities in the nation to retire on $1,500 a month, found a separate GOBankingRates study.

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3. St. Charles, Missouri

Cost of Living Score: 92.2

Livability Score: 86

Average Rent: $831

St. Charles has the highest rental cost in the study at $831 but it also has the highest livability score at 86. There's a lot for retirees to do there, from exploring historic Main Street to touring the local wine country.

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2. Lynchburg, Virginia

Cost of Living Score: 82.9

Livability Score: 81

Average Rent: $786

Lynchburg's relatively high livability score is the primary factor in pushing the city to No. 2 on this list, but its retiree-friendly cost of living is another major factor. The cost of living is about 17% below the U.S. average.

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1. Rock Springs, Wyoming

Cost of Living Score: 96.2

Livability Score: 83

Average Rent: $692

Outlaw Butch Cassidy once called Rock Springs, an outpost of the Old West, home. Today, it's a city welcoming to retirees, with a low average rent of $692 and a high livability score. An old mining town located in the high desert, Rock Springs is near the Killpecker Sand Dunes, which are the largest sand dunes in North America.

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Joel Anderson contributed to the reporting for this article.

Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the best places to live on only a Social Security check based on the (1) average monthly benefit for retired workers, $1,518.97, sourced from Social Security Administration; (2) the overall cost of living in each city, sourced from Sperling's Best Places; (3) average 2021 rent for a one-bedroom apartment as sourced from ApartmentList,; and (4) Livability scores sourced from areavibes. Factors (2) through (4) were scored and combined with the lowest score being best. Factor (4) was weighted double in final calculations. All data was collected and is up to date as of Dec. 14, 2021.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 20 Best Places To Live on Only a Social Security Check
NextShark

Indian actor Priyanka Chopra took to Twitter on Saturday to condemn an advertisement for purportedly promoting rape culture after it aired earlier in the day. The commercial for the male fragrance brand Layerr Shot shows four men staring at a nervous-looking woman in a store when one of the men asks, Were four, theres one, who takes the shot? When the woman turns around, it becomes clear that the men are referring to the body spray on the store shelf. An advert romanticizing gang rape.
FOND DU LAC  A 72-year-old Taycheedah man is charged with making a terrorist threat after officials say he threatened to shoot Wisconsin legislators who vote to pass a bill allowing teachers to be armed in schools.

James R. Stearns made his initial appearance Thursday in Fond du Lac County Circuit Court. According to the Fond du Lac County District Attorney's Office, Stearns was taken into custody May 27.

The charge is based on two emails Stearns allegedly sent in late May. According to the district attorney, one email was sent to a radio host, in which Stearns stated he would purchase "the most powerful" gun he can, travel to Madison and shoot legislators who vote to arm teachers. The other email was allegedly sent to a Wisconsin legislator, stating that if the legislator passed legislation to arm teachers and school staff members, "people will hunt you down and your family like animals."

According to a criminal complaint, while speaking to officers before his arrest, Stearns said he "did not understand the seriousness of the threat and the way it was being taken."

The court ordered a $4,000 cash bond with conditions that Stearns has no contact with the legislator, does not possess any dangerous weapons or ammunition and does not use the internet.

Political disagreement is healthy but we will never tolerate threats of violence, whether directed at our schools, students, government, groups, or individuals in our community," Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney said in a statement. "We will seek to hold those accountable that seek to intimidate, create fear or disrupt our communities through threats of violence.

The charge of terrorist threats to cause an interruption of government operations is a felony in Wisconsin. If convicted, Stearns could face a fine of up to $10,000 and up to three years and six months in prison.

The Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office is investigating the case. Stearns is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing July 29.

Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ArseneauKelli.

This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac County man charged with threatening to shoot legislators
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Thursday confirmed a robbery at one of his properties, but denied claims levelled by a former spy chief that he had kidnapped and bribed the thieves.

Former intelligence boss Arthur Fraser late Wednesday accused the president of organising the kidnapping, questioning and bribery of thieves who stole $4 million from his farm north of Johannesburg.

"President Ramaphosa is clear that there is no basis for the claims of criminal conduct that have been made against him," his office said in a statement.

But the presidency confirmed that a robbery took place around February 9, 2020, in which money from a wildlife sale was stolen. At the time, Ramaphosa was attending an African Union summit in Ethiopia.

"On being advised of the robbery, President Ramaphosa reported the incident to the head of the Presidential Protection Unit of the South African Police Service for investigation," the statement said.

After a career in intelligence, Fraser became chief of the country's prisons.

It was he who in September ordered the release on medical parole of former head of state Jacob Zuma, just two months into a 15-month jail sentence for contempt following his refusal to testify in a probe into financial sleaze under his presidency.

Zuma was forced to resign in 2018 after a series of corruption scandals.

He was succeeded by his then deputy, Ramaphosa, who came into office pledging to fight graft.

But he too has been called in for questioning in the investigation into alleged looting from state coffers during the Zuma era.

gs/sn/ah
The Daily Beast

Phil Noble - WPA Pool/Getty ImagesRoyalist is The Daily Beasts newsletter for all things royal and Royal Family. Subscribe here to get it in your inbox every Sunday.The queens enforcers reportedly told Harry and Meghan no chance when the couple asked for a photograph of the monarch meeting their child Lilibet for the first time.The revelation of the denied photograph emerged as Harry and Meghan issued their own picture of their daughter to celebrate her first birthday.In honor of their daugh
Physician Alica Wooldridge wants to spend more time with patients to better understand their individual medical needs, while offering them more affordable prices on tests, treatments and prescription drugs.

In February, Wooldridge opened LakelandMD, a direct primary care clinic at 202 Lake Miriam Drive in Lakeland to do just that. Direct primary care is for patients both insured or uninsured who pay a monthly fee to gain access to physician negotiated rates for everything from blood tests to x-rays and mammograms to medications.

Many tests for COVID-19, flu or pregnancy, among others listed on the doctors website are included in the monthly fee at no additional cost. Others are negotiated by the direct care physician for their patients at rates significantly lower than insurance plans.

Dr. Alicia Wooldridge , a primary care physician , examines Abigail Brocato and her mom Anna Brocato at her office in Lakeland Fl. Tuesday May 24, 2022. Wooldridge opened a direct primary care clinic in February in Lakeland hoping to spend more time with patients and giving patients a more affordable healthcare option; as she negotiates directly for her patient's tests and treatments and offers some prescription drugs bypassing expensive insurance company plans.ERNST PETERS/ THE LEDGER

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This healthcare delivery model makes health insurance carrier plans optional or even unnecessary for seeing a doctor, as well as eliminating copays and deductibles. At LakelandMD, patients pay a monthly membership fee of $49 per child or $99 per adult. A family of four pays $279.

Wooldridge is among a growing number of doctors who have found a work-around for their patients and employees who are fed up with the lack of pricing transparency, surprise medical bills, formularies dictating covered prescriptions and hurried doctor visits.

The model behind the DPC is that you have fewer patients, and you have a lower overhead because you dont have to pay for all the billing people and all of the support staff for checking all the boxes the insurance companies require, said Wooldridge.

"You dont bill insurance and you keep your overhead lower and pass the savings on to your patients," she said.

Patents with existing health insurance often with no hope of reaching their deductible still visit Wooldridge because of the overall lower cost of medical care at a DPC clinic.

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Those wanting catastrophic coverage can keep their existing health insurance or secure a medical cost sharing membership plan, including those offered by Sedera or Christian Healthcare Ministries.

Patients Benefiting

Dr. Alicia Wooldridge , a primary care physician , examines Ella Brocato at her office in Lakeland Fl. Tuesday May 24, 2022. Wooldridge opened a direct primary care clinic in February in Lakeland hoping to spend more time with patients and giving patients a more affordable healthcare option; as she negotiates directly for her patient's tests and treatments and offers some prescription drugs bypassing expensive insurance company plans.ERNST PETERS/ THE LEDGER

One of Wooldridge's patients, Anna Bracato, likes more than just the pricing.

The former Wesley Chapel resident found a DPC physician there for her daughter who suffers from an childhood illness and then sought one in Lakeland for herself and her younger daughter after relocating.

My oldest daughter has had significant health issues and we have gone from doctor to doctor to doctor around the globe and this is the first time we found a physician that we thought was not only qualified as a medical doctor but was also willing to explore things that maybe new or natural, she said.

He was willing to explore it. He went to great lengths to get other physicians that could help us, I mean, we were blown away, Bracato said.

Bracato found that most traditional physicians were prescribing expensive medications during brief appointments that did not seem to improve her daughters health.

They were only willing to prescribe the top medicine, not necessarily listen to our specific case, she said. And so my experience with DPC and doctor Wooldridge is she's absolutely qualified and, you know, willing to go deeper than just the 15 minutes.

Bracato thought it was going to be more expensive but after comparing costs with her health insurance provider she found, we saved significantly more money. Significantly.

Employers Benefiting

Dr. Alicia Wooldridge , a primary care physician , examines Audrey Myers at her office in Lakeland Fl. Tuesday May 24, 2022. Wooldridge opened a direct primary care clinic in February in Lakeland hoping to spend more time with patients and giving patients a more affordable healthcare option; as she negotiates directly for her patient's tests and treatments and offers some prescription drugs bypassing expensive insurance company plans.ERNST PETERS/ THE LEDGER

New facility: Encompass Health opens 50-bed inpatient rehab hospital in Lakeland

Rising heath insurance premiums come with higher deductibles, which are usually never reached by most employees in health insurance plans, Wooldridge said. So unless the patient has "a very major illness or accident, the employees dont actually derive any benefit from it, she said.

Employees often avoid ongoing appointments "for routine things, for urgent care visits, for ear infections, for strep throat, for whatever; because it (the insurer-based plan) doesn't really kick in until the deductible has been met." Wooldridge said.

With lower overhead, doctors are happier because they dont have to have thousands of patients, they get to have hundreds, Wooldridge said. They can control their lives and their schedule to spend as much time as they need with individual patients "because they are not being told by administration that you have to see 20 people a day and were giving you 15-minute appointments.

DPC and employers

In addition to the doctor patient relationship, direct care is catching on with at least one Lakeland employer.

At Lakeland Automall, the employer recently offered DPC to its employees through Persona Healthcare Direct in Lutz.

I think this is going to be an excellent thing for our local employer groups, said Liz Antaya, employee benefits advisor for the Lakeland office of Stahl & Associates Insurance.

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She had worked with a few well-known insurance carriers for the Lakeland Automall for several years when "every year they were getting pretty large increases, not every year, but most years," Antaya said. "And so, It gets frustrating as a benefit advisor, going to your client and delivering the bad news  don't shoot the messenger  you're getting increases, and often times youre taking away benefits and then charging more for it."

A masters degree program helped her to learn "about the other ways to provide real value while meeting people who could show her better ways to serve her clients.

With the Automall facing 25% increases year after year, she helped the owner offer employees membership to a DPC plan, similar to a gym membership, that was employer-built, which offers on-site doctor appoints every other week with both included tests and lower pricing for medical treatments and prescriptions.

Dr. Alicia Wooldridge , a primary care physician , at her office in Lakeland Fl. Tuesday May 24, 2022. Wooldridge opened a direct primary care clinic in February in Lakeland hoping to spend more time with patients and giving patients a more affordable healthcare option; as she negotiates directly for her patient's tests and treatments and offers some prescription drugs bypassing expensive insurance company plans.ERNST PETERS/ THE LEDGER

"The direct care primary care physician provides up to 75 to 85% of the care," Antaya said.

Some employees opted to retain their existing health insurance plan so they could continue seeing their current primary care doctor who they may have seen for decades, she said.

Plans that are built by employers offer Center of Excellence for special treatments and procedures needed by some members in the direct care plan, including out-of-state medical facilities.

Typically there are 50 employees on the DPC health plan, smaller groups can offer payment toward membership for a direct care physician and couple with medical cost sharing for much less than legacy health insurance.

Carl Schuessler is the founder and managing principal at Mitigate Partners, an employee benefits consulting firm. He and Antaya are part of the Health Rosetta, which seeks to help advisors learn more about employer-built healthcare plans.

Its about getting the money off Wall Street, and putting it back on Main Street, Schuessler said.

Health Rosetta seeks local, non-partisan fixes to the health care system for public and private employers and unions to reduce their health benefits spending by 20% to 40% while improving the quality of care, its website said.

According to the website, https://mapper.dpcfrontier.com/ Florida has more than 50 DPC clinics similar to Wooldridge's from South Florida to the Panhandle.

Paul Nutcher covers business and industry for The Ledger. He can be reached at pnutcher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland patients could benefit from alternative healthcare model
By Ted Hesson, Daina Beth Solomon and Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than a year into U.S. President Joe Biden's sweeping effort to tackle the "root causes" of migration with aid to Central America, projects likely worth millions of dollars have been canceled or put on hold due to corruption and governance concerns, U.S. officials and others tracking the issue said.

The setbacks come as the Biden administration is hosting the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles next week, where the United States hopes to find common ground with other nations and issue a joint statement on migration.

At the same time, corruption in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras has also limited potential investment from U.S. companies, another prong of Biden's strategy, according to a group coordinating the effort.

In one striking example, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) abruptly suspended an undisclosed amount of funding tied to Guatemala's justice ministry in July 2021 after the firing of a special prosecutor targeting corruption days earlier.

USAID also redirected funding away from projects linked to the justice ministry in El Salvador weeks after El Salvador's Congress, dominated by lawmakers aligned with President Nayib Bukele, voted to remove top judges and the attorney general in May 2021.

Bukele tweeted at the time that the dismissals were warranted and that they were "cleaning house."

USAID declined to detail the specifics of the projects or say how much funding was suspended in both cases, but it likely amounted to millions of dollars in funding to strengthen legal systems, experts told Reuters.

As the efforts faltered in the past year, record numbers of migrants attempted to cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, fueling criticism by Republicans as they seek to gain control of Congress in Nov. 8 midterm elections. Migrants from the three countries - collectively known as the Northern Triangle - were caught crossing the border more than 300,000 times from Oct. 2021 to April of this year, according to U.S. government data, a quarter of all border apprehensions.

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Biden, a Democrat who took office in January 2021, vowed to reverse the isolationist approach of his Republican predecessor, former President Donald Trump, who suspended aid to the region in an effort to strong-arm the countries into cracking down on migrants heading north.

Signaling the importance of the strategy, Vice President Kamala Harris was put in charge. She marshaled prominent U.S. companies to invest in the region and traveled to Guatemala in June 2021, where she heralded the start of a "new era."

But U.S.-Guatemala relations cooled a month later when Guatemalan Attorney General Maria Consuelo Porras fired the country's leading anti-corruption prosecutor. Relations grew more tense last month, when Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei reappointed Porras to her role, which led the United States to sanction her for corruption.

Giammattei's office, in response to questions from Reuters, said corruption is a historical and structural problem and the government has prioritized fighting it.

'DISINCENTIVE FOR INVESTMENT'

The tensions could spill over into the summit. Biden officials hope the hemispheric gathering, held every three or four years, will help reassert U.S. influence in the region after what Biden said is years of neglect under Trump, but it remains unclear whether Guatemala's Giammattei will attend.

Philip Gordon, Harris' national security adviser, said in an interview that the administration has been "honest from the start" about the challenges of corruption and that it "needs to be dealt with."

When asked about U.S. criticism over corruption in Guatemala's justice system, Guatemalan Foreign Minister Mario Bucaro said last week that the government was addressing the matter but would not allow outside interference affect the country's sovereignty.

The governance issues also have dampened the potential of the Harris-led private sector initiative to invest in the three countries.

The Partnership for Central America, a non-profit organization launched last year to coordinate the effort, in March pulled out of co-hosting an event with the Guatemalan government over the country's approach to corruption, said Jonathan Fantini-Porter, the group's executive director.

The partnership also has limited its engagement in El Salvador.

"Corruption's a big thing," Fantini-Porter said. "Its a disincentive for investment."

With limited options for partners in the region, Harris flew to Honduras in January to attend the inauguration of President Xiomara Castro. Juan Orlando Hernandez, Castro's predecessor, was arrested and extradited to the United States on drug-trafficking and firearms charges.

The Biden administration requested $861 million for the Central America root causes effort last year, a more than 50% increase over the previous year and is asking for even more this year. But even some Democratic allies are skeptical of the push for more funds.

"We credit them with recognizing that supporting criminals is a bad idea," said Tim Rieser, a foreign policy aide to Senator Patrick Leahy, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "On the other hand, it's not yet clear what the plan is."

(Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington and Daina Beth Solomon in Mexico City; Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick in Washington, Gustavo Palencia in Tegucigalpa, Enrique Garcia in Guatemala City and Nelson Renteria in San Salvador; Editing by Mica Rosenberg)
By Conor Humphries and Robin Emmott

KYIV (Reuters) - After 100 days of war, Ukraine is fighting for time, trying to hold out against overwhelming Russian fire on its eastern front long enough for Western weapons to arrive and give it a badly needed edge.

With casualties mounting and some delays in Western capitals with deliveries, Ukrainian officials fear the relief may not come quickly enough.

A White House pledge this week of $700 million of weapons including advanced rocket systems have been greeted with a touch of scepticism by some of those watching their homes pummelled and cities overrun.

"It's already running late," said Serhiy Gaidai, the governor of Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region whose home town Sievierodonetsk has been partially destroyed during a Russian advance in recent days.

"Our Western partners are helping us, but the quantity of weapons and ammunition that they are providing are not enough," he said in an interview.

Thousands have been killed and more than 6 million people forced to flee the country since Russia launched what Ukraine says was an unprovoked invasion on Feb. 24.

Russia says it is engaged in a "special military operation" to disarm Ukraine and rid it of ultra-nationalists the Kremlin says threaten Russian security. In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin appears intent on conveying the impression of business as usual, despite damaging international sanctions.

With one-fifth of Ukraine under occupation, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday told Western officials in Bratislava that the war faced an "inflection point" depending on whether the West could provide the weapons to subvert the huge advantage in equipment and troops Russia has in the east.

'BIG MISTAKE'

Some feel the West has already missed its best chance.

"My sense is that the West made a big mistake. Six weeks ago, when the Russians were in retreat ... That's when the Americans should have given Ukrainians HIMARS," said Jamie Shea, a former senior NATO official now at the Friends of Europe think-tank in Brussels, referring to the advanced rocket systems being promised by the United States.

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After over-stretching their supply lines in the early weeks of the war, the Russians were forced to withdraw from positions around the capital Kyiv and other northern regions.

But in recent weeks they have put Ukraine on the back foot in eastern Ukraine by concentrating overwhelming fire power on a relatively small front.

Russia is advancing slowly, just 500-1,000 meters per day compared to the tens of kilometres envisaged by their military doctrine when using their current tactics, a Western defence official said.

The focus on artillery is in part determined by the weakened state of Russian ground forces, whose combat effectiveness is around just 50% of full capacity, the Western defence official said, estimating Moscow had lost over 40,000 troops to death or injury.

DEEP FATIGUE

But the tactic is also inflicting unrelenting damage to the Ukrainian forces on the front line, with the government estimating losses of 100 troops a day and 450-500 wounded.

The intensity of fire is preventing Ukrainian forces from being rotated, deepening fatigue levels.

While Ukraine is impressing with very smart tactics and strategies and organization, "no one can deny that the Ukrainians have been taking hit after hit" said Joerg Forbrig, at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin.

"Russia has a lot more to pour into this war than the Ukrainians have," he said.

Two factors are likely to determine the success of the Western relief effort: speed and quantity, according to military analysts.

"We received about 100 howitzers from the United States and almost all of them are in Ukraine, but the problem is that we need at least five times more such weapons in order to at least ensure a balance of power," in the east, said Kyiv-based Serhiy Zgurets, head of Defense Express policy consultancy.

It can take up to four weeks for weapons to enter service taking into account delivery and training time, potentially giving Russia a window to pre-emptively ramp up its operations.

Advanced U.S. rocket systems with a range of up to 80 km (50 miles) - around double the range of existing artillery - could prove a major advantage to Ukraine, greatly reducing the exposure of artillery crews to incoming fire and increasing the speed and accuracy at which Russian positions can be taken out.

The weapons could also allow Ukraine to strike at supply lines deep behind enemy lines. Washington agreed to supply the HIMARS after receiving assurances from Kyiv that it would not use them to hit targets inside Russian territory.

Russia said Washington is adding "fuel to the fire".

"Provided that Ukraine consistently receive the types of weapons that it has requested ... and that it will be expanded and increased ... this could potentially make it possible to halt Russia on all sectors of the front and will create conditions for counter-attacks" by August or September, said Oleksandr Musiyenko of Ukraine's Center for Military and Legal Studies.

(Reporting by Conor Humphries and Pavel Polityuk in Kyiv, Robin Emmott in Brussels; Additional reporting by Max Hunder and Tom Balmforth; Writing by Conor Humphries; editing by Grant McCool)
(Getty Images)

Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray is hoping to draw inspiration from the age-defying feats of Rafa Nadal and Marin Cilic at the French Open as he seeks to build momentum ahead of the grasscourt major this month.

The 35-year-old, who skipped Roland Garros to preserve his fitness and prepare for Wimbledon, overcame Dutchman Gijs Brouwer 7-6(4) 7-6(3) to advance to the quarter-finals of the Surbiton Trophy Challenger event on Thursday.

Murray said he had one eye on events in Paris, where Nadal and Cilic will be in semi-final action later on Friday.

I dont know whether it is Rafas last run or not because he seems to be doing physically really well during the event, so I hope he is able to continue going for a while, the Scot told reporters.

The Spaniard, who turned 36 on Friday, is bidding for a record-extending 14th crown on the Parisian clay.

Murray was equally impressed with former U.S. Open champion Cilic, who has rolled back the years and emerged as a surprise contender in the French capital.

Cilic as well, he is someone I grew up with in the juniors and played a lot with. He has just made the semis of the French for the first ever time at 33 years old and is playing really well, he said.

I can take some inspiration from those guys.

Nadal faces third seed Alexander Zverev while Cilic goes up against the up-and-coming Casper Ruud.

Dhruv Munjal for Reuters
TheBlast

On Tuesday morning, Lyssa Chapman told the world that she was officially married to her girlfriend, Leiana Evensen, who she calls Lei. Chapman is the daughter of Dog the Bounty Hunter, who didnt seem to be in attendance at a beautiful wedding ceremony in Hawaii. The two have been together for five years and finally []
Athens-Clarke police arrested a suspect Thursday in the shooting of a homeless man during a late-night dispute along Hawthorne Avenue.

The victim, who declined transportation to a hospital for a wound to his hip, told police after the shooting that he did not want to press charges against the woman who allegedly shot him.

The 29-year-old man, who told police he bounces around from camp to camp every night," was urged by police to seek medical attention.

More crime news: Athens-Clarke police: Woman confronted by 2 armed men in carjacking, but escapes unharmed

'Operation Washout Classic City': 49 suspects in Athens linked to violent crime, gangs arrested

The shooting occurred about 11:15 p.m. in the parking lot of Walgreens, which was closed at the time, but the dispute between the parties had occurred nearby in the Checkers restaurant parking lot, according to the report.

Police said someone in a car had tossed trash out and that the victim picked the trash up and threw it back into the car.

When the victim walked away, the suspect drove near him, where another argument ensued followed shortly by gunshots, according to police.

A responding officer collected four 9mm shell casings on the pavement.

Detectives followed up on the evidence and on Thursday, police Lt. Shaun Barnett announced the arrest of Deaundrea Silmon, 22, of Windy Hill Way, Athens, on a charge of aggravated assault. She remained in jail Friday without bond.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Athens woman charged in shooting of man during dispute over trash
ALYONA MAZURENKO  THURSDAY, 2 JUNE 2022, 19:49

PHOTO: GENERAL STAFF

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports that Belarus has begun mining forest roads, bypass roads, and bridges on its own territory, in the areas near the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook

Details: On the Volyn and Polissia fronts, Belarus has focused on strengthening measures to protect the state border with Ukraine.

Belarusian forces are planting mines along the forest roads, bypass roads, and bridges in the areas near the border with Ukraine.

There is a threat of missile and air strikes from the territory of Belarus.

Russia is transferring artillery and motorised rifle units to the Sivershchyna front from areas where they were being replenished.

On the Slobozhanshchyna front, Russia continues undertaking preparations to resume its offensive. Units of Russian troops are replenishing losses in weapons, military equipment, and material resources.

Russian troops are using barrell and jet artillery to fire on Ukrainian troops in order to lower their offensive potential.

On the Kharkiv front, Russian troops did not undertake active combat operations. Their main efforts are focused on maintaining their previously occupied positions and supply routes.

Russian troops continued to shell civilian infrastructure in the areas around Tsyrkuny, Stara Hnylytsia, Peremoha, and Staryi Saltiv; they conducted airstrikes near the village of Nove.

On the Sloviansk front, Russia has focused its main efforts on creating favourable conditions for mounting an offensive.

Russian troops fired on civilian infrastructure in the areas around Dovhenke, Virnopillia, Hrushuvakha, Velyka Komyshuvakha, and Husarivka.

On the Donetsk front, Russian forces continued to use mortars, barrel artillery, and MLRS along the entire contact line.

On the Lyman front, Russian troops attacked civilian infrastructure in the areas of Sosnove, Sviatohirsk, Staryi Karavan, and Raihorodka.

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Russian troops conducted assault operations in the areas around Studenok, Sosnove, and Yarova; fighting is continuing there. Russia has also stepped up its electronic warfare operations.

On the Sievierodonetsk front, Russian invaders continued their assault on Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk.

Russian attack aircraft carried out airstrikes in the areas around Ustynivka and Borivske. In addition, Russian troops conducted assault operations near Borivske, but were not successful.

On the Bakhmut front, Russian troops mounted an offensive and conducted assault operations on Komyshuvakha, Mykolaivka, Vrubivka, Berestove, and Bilohorivka. Fighting is continuing.

On the Avdiivka, Kurakhiv, Novopavlivske, and Zaporizhzhia fronts, Russia did not conduct active military operations and is instead trying to replenish its losses in weapons and military equipment.

Russian troops carried out airstrikes on civilian infrastructure in the city of Marinka. In addition, attacks were recorded in the areas around Vidrodzhennia, Dolomitne, Toretsk, Novobakhmutovka, Avdiivka, Pisky, Mykilske, Vuhledar, and others.

On the Pivdennyi Buh front, Russian occupation forces are destroying transport infrastructure facilities along the possible advance routes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in order to maintain their lines of defence.

On the Kryvyi Rih front, Russian troops have been forced to defend their positions. They inflicted fire damage to civilian infrastructure in the areas around Shyroke, Lepetykha, Shevchenkove, Osokorivka, Partyzanske, and others.

In the operational zones of the Black and Azov seas, groups of Russian ships are focused on maintaining favourable conditions and are blocking all civilian shipping in the northwestern part of the Black Sea.

It is reported that Russian troops are continuing to suffer losses in personnel and equipment. Thus, 115 wounded soldiers were admitted to hospitals in the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk Oblast on May 27-28 alone; 32 were registered dead in the course of the same two-day period.

Due to large sanitary losses and fatalities in military units and subunits of the 1st Army Corps of the 8th Combined Arms Army of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, forced mobilisation continues in the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk Oblast.
Professional chefs weigh in on famous scrambled egg recipes from Anthony Bourdain, Martha Stewart, Gordon Ramsay and Ina Garten. (Photo: HuffPost/Getty)

Professional chefs weigh in on famous scrambled egg recipes from Anthony Bourdain, Martha Stewart, Gordon Ramsay and Ina Garten. (Photo: HuffPost/Getty)

Scrambled eggs have a reputation as a beginner dish thats easy for inexperienced home cooks to make  but anyone whos ever ended up with a scorched breakfast can tell you they require some skill and nuance to pull off successfully.

Thats why a Google search for how to make scrambled eggs pulls up over 68 million results, including several recipes written by celebrity chefs. But which of these famous gourmets methods produce flavorful, fluffy and easy-to-execute scrambled eggs? And which arent all theyre cracked up to be? (Pun very much intended.)

We asked a group of professional chefs to weigh in on scrambled egg recipes from Gordon Ramsay, Ina Garten, Anthony Bourdain and Martha Stewart, and heres their verdict on each one.

Gordon Ramsay

Star English chef Gordon Ramsay (best known for his Michelin-starred restaurants in the U.K. and his TV appearances on Hells Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares and MasterChef) has a very famous  and very controversial  technique for scrambled eggs. First, he cracks eggs into a cold skillet without whisking first. Then, he adds butter. Then, he cranks up the heat to high and stirs continuously with a rubber spatula for 30 seconds. He then takes the pan off the heat, stirs for 10 seconds, then puts it back on the heat for 30 seconds. He repeats this process for 3 minutes, then stirs a tablespoon of creme fraiche into the eggs before plating.

The Good:According to Gabriel Glasier, executive chef and founder of Chef Travel Guide, This recipe produces rich and luxurious scrambled eggs that are elevated to special-occasion status. Jeff Allen, executive chef of Millers All Day in Charleston, South Carolina, also thinks Ramsays recipe makes for very special eggs, largely thanks to the creme fraiche, which makes the scramble creamy and fluffy. As for Christina McKeough, chef de cuisine of High Street Philly in Philadelphia, she applauds the clear instructions provided by Ramsay: Ramsays recipe was so concise, detailed and effective in creating that elusive, creamy, luscious texture with very little effort.

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The Bad: While Ramsays recipe isnt necessarily difficult or work-intensive, Glasier does say its how busy restaurant chefs make scrambled eggs. It takes practice and is not good for beginners. The major variables here are the fact that youre cracking the eggs right into the pan without whisking (which means that you need to be very consistent with your stirring throughout the cooking process) and, most of all, the use of high heat. Over high heat, your eggs are very likely to stick and burn, Allen warned. Finally, because Ramsays recipe requires you to move the pan on and off the burner numerous times, theres a lot of room for error.

The Verdict:Ramsays scrambled eggs will give you a rich and luxurious flavor and texture, and theyre ideal for fancy brunch celebrations. That said, our experts question its practicality for beginner chefs, so its best to try this one out when you have plenty of free time and plenty of supplies for re-dos.

Ina Garten

Garten, the Hamptons-based culinary doyenne whose Barefoot Contessa specialty store spawned a hit Food Network show, takes a holistic approach with her scrambled eggs recipe, offering up both the egg recipe itself and suggestions for how to turn it into a complete meal. Garten whisks her eggs with half-and-half, salt and pepper, then transfers the whisked eggs to a skillet with melted butter over low heat. She then makes the somewhat surprising choice to leave the eggs in place for 3-5 minutes without stirring them. Once the eggs have set, she uses a spatula to fold the fully cooked bottom over the looser top and stirs quickly until the eggs reach a custardy texture. She then pulls the pan off the heat and finishes the cooking process by stirring truffle butter into the eggs. She serves her scrambled eggs by spreading them on toast and garnishing with chopped chives.

The Good: Erik Leong, executive chef of Mahina & Suns in Honolulu, thinks the fact that Garten is a self-trained cook gives her recipe a level of accessibility, since she understands firsthand how to provide guidance for the everyday amateur cook. In terms of Gartens method, Parkes Brittain, executive chef and partner at Egghill in Nashville, Tennessee, applauds her low-and-slow cooking technique. Low heat, measured seasoning and the added truffle butter give you more control and help ensure that the final product is going to be consistent and flavorful every time you make it, Brittain said. Christina Ferrari, chef-owner of Shoreline Lake Boathouse & American Bistro in Mountain View, California, also feels that Gartens use of low heat makes her recipe very manageable for home cooks: Ina Gartens recipe lets you can more easily control the cooking process over low heat, then finishing it off the heat. Also, Gartens instructions cover the plating and serving of her eggs, so this one recipe will give you guidance for an entire brunch spread.

The Bad:Gartens choice to leave her scrambled eggs in place for several minutes can be a tricky one for restless cooks, as the temptation to stir and scrape can quickly become overwhelming. Also, Brittain points out that Gartens add-ons (the toast, the half-and-half, the truffle butter) can veer in the direction of gilding the lily: Without considering the added cost of things like cream and truffles, at the end of the day, I want my scrambled eggs to taste like the aforementioned eggs.

The Verdict:If youre looking for simple, straightforward, salt-of-the-earth scrambled eggs, Gartens recipe probably isnt for you. But if a luxurious breakfast packed with flavor sounds like a great way to start off your weekend, then give this user-friendly recipe a try.

Anthony Bourdain

Bourdain was beloved for his direct and candid communication style, and his no-BS philosophy carries over into his scrambled egg recipe. His method begins with cracking the eggs on a flat surface and then putting the yolks and whites into a bowl with salt and pepper (but no additional cream, milk, water or any other liquid). Next, you beat the eggs, then transfer them to a hot pan (he said to get the pan not too terribly hot, but hot, so medium-high heat is a good bet here) with a pat of foaming butter in it. Leave the eggs in place for a minute or so to settle, then begin to move the eggs in a figure-eight formation with a rubber spatula, which he said will create an appealing texture. You can stop pushing the eggs when you have something fluffy, airy, rippled, with a nice textural note when you taste the egg, he said.

The Good:Private chef and Chopped champion Julia Chebotar loves the straightforward nature of Bourdains method, telling HuffPost that he makes it very simple and no-fuss  nothing but eggs, butter, pan and a spatula. Executive chef Joe Mosconi of Venteux in Chicago, agrees, adding that its a great introductory recipe if youre looking to learn to make straight-up scrambled eggs. Without any extra fillers, the home cook can really learn how eggs behave under heat, and from that baseline, they can start experimenting with additional ingredients. For Richard Sandoval, chef-owner of Richard Sandoval Hospitality, Bourdains figure-eight stirring pattern is a smart move, because it can help prevent overcooking.

The Bad:Bourdains recipe calls for cooking the eggs in foaming butter, but Chebotar warns that this is a hard technique when you cant gauge the proper heat of the pan. If its too hot, the butter will burn and your eggs will not taste right. If you add eggs to the pan too soon before the butter foams, you might have eggs that stick to your pan. Also, Bourdains recipe isnt so much a recipe as it is a technique; you wont find specific measurements, cook times, or temperatures here. For that reason, this could prove a challenging endeavor for a beginner home cook.

The Verdict:Bourdains method delivers simple, no-nonsense scrambled eggs that can be zhuzhed up with additional ingredients, but are also delicious as is. But because his recipe lacks specifics, it might not work for a home cook who doesnt already have scrambled-egg-making experience.

Martha Stewart

Stewart offers up a scrambled egg recipe that comes with serving tips, thus setting you up for a well-rounded brunch (much as Gartens recipe does). Stewart starts by thoroughly whisking her eggs with just salt and pepper (no added milk, cream or water). Then, she adds clarified butter to a nonstick skillet over medium heat. She pours the whisked eggs into the pan and uses a silicone spatula to stir for 2 minutes, or until large curds form. Once the curds begin to set, she scoops the eggs onto toasted English muffins (with bacon and asparagus on the side) on a pre-heated plate and sprinkles them with salt and pepper.

The Good:Glasier approves of using clarified butter, saying it helps with preventing the eggs from turning brown, which is the perfect way to ruin your eggs. (Clarified butter doesnt contain milk solids, which can burn.) He also views Stewarts choice to warm her plates in advance as a nice touch. Allen thinks Stewart structures her recipe in a very reader-friendly format: The biggest strength of the Martha Stewart recipe is the provided details. The recipe does a great job of explaining each step and which tools and ingredients are needed for each step; it really makes this recipe accessible to cooks of all levels. And Kate Williams, chef-owner of Karls in Detroit, vouches for Stewarts decision to pull the eggs from the pan as soon as the curds start to set, explaining that the key is to juuuuust undercook them to your liking, as theyll firm up in those few seconds from pan to plate to mouth.

The Bad:Glasier likes Stewarts choice to season with salt and pepper both after whisking and after cooking, but he says that this can go very badly if the cook does not taste the eggs before the second addition. Allen feels that Stewarts recipe would benefit from the addition of extra dairy, which is needed to make the eggs nice and fluffy. Williams questions the practicality of using clarified butter, which I dont stock at home, and Im not sure how many home cooks do.

The Verdict:Overall, Stewarts scrambled eggs are a great choice for home cooks looking for a well-explained recipe that yields tasty results. That said, the devil is in the details with this version, so youll need to pay very close attention to your seasonings and may need to plan ahead if you dont keep clarified butter on hand.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
President Biden said the Second Amendment is "not absolute" in a speech Thursday following a wave of mass shootings across the nation, pleading with to Congress to pass what he called "commonsense" gun control legislation, including reinstating an assault weapons ban, requiring background checks, and limiting magazine capacity.

The president, speaking from the Cross Hall of the White House, told Americans that the issue of restricting access to guns "is one of conscience and common sense."

"For so many of you at home, I want to be very clear  this is not about taking away anyone's guns," the president said. "It is not about vilifying gun owners. In fact, we believe we should be treating responsible gun owners as an example of how every gun owner should behave."

"I respect the culture, the tradition, the concerns of lawful gun owners," Biden continued. "At the same time, the Second Amendment, like all other rights, is not absolute."

Biden added: "This isn't about taking away anyone's rights. It's about protecting children. It's about protecting families. It's about protecting whole communities. It's about protecting our freedoms to go to school, to a grocery store, to a church without being shot and killed."

The presidents remarks come after a wave of mass shootings in recent weeks in Oklahoma, Texas and New York.

TULSA, OKLAHOMA POLICE SAY 5 DEAD, INCLUDING GUNMAN, AFTER HOSPITAL SHOOTING

On Wednesday, a gunman killed four and then himself at the Natalie Medical Building at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Last week, alleged gunman Salvador Ramos killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING: WHO ARE THE VICTIMS KILLED AT UVALDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?

And in May, officials say 18-year-old Payton Gendron allegedly opened fire at a Tops Friendly Market store in Buffalo, New York killing 10 people and wounding at least three others. Eleven of the victims were Black individuals, while the remaining two victims were White, authorities have said.

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The president, pointing to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said guns are "the number one killer of children in the United States of America."

"The number one killer more than car accidents, more than cancer," Biden said. "Over the last two decades, more school children have died from guns than on-duty police officers and active-duty military combined."

BUFFALO GROCERY STORE SHOOTING: SUSPECT WORKED AT HOMETOWN MARKET IN MONTHS BEFORE 'RACIALLY-MOTIVATED' ATTACK

"Think about that," Biden said. "More kids than on-duty cops killed by guns, more kids than soldiers killed by guns."

"For God's sake, how much more carnage are we willing to accept? How many more innocent American lives must be taken before we say enough, enough," Biden continued.

"I know that we can't prevent every tragedy, but here's what I believe we have to do," Biden said, laying out his proposal to Congress.

"We need to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines. And if we can't ban assault weapons, then we should raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21; strengthen background checks; enact safe storage and red flag laws; repeal the immunity, that protect gun manufacturers from liability; address the mental health crisis, deepening the trauma of gun violence," the president said.

Biden called these proposals "rational, commonsense measures."

TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING: LIVE UPDATES

The president has been calling on Congress for months to take up gun control legislation that would require background checks for all gun sales, ban the sale and possession of unserialized firearms, ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines, and repeal gun manufacturers protection from liability.

Bidens 2023 budget proposal called on Congress to deliver funding to implement his comprehensive strategy to reduce gun crime and make communities safer.

"This time, we have to take the time to do something," the president said. "This time, it's time for the Senate to do something, but, as we know, in order to get anything done in the Senate, we need a minimum of 10 Republican senators."

Biden said he supports the bipartisan efforts that include a "small group of Democrats and Republican senators trying to find a way."

"But my God, the fact is the majority of the Senate Republicans don't want any of these proposals even to be debated or come up for a vote," Biden said, slamming Republicans. "I find unconscionable. We can't fail the American people again."

The president said he has "been in this fight" of gun control "for a long time."

"I know how hard it is, but I'll never give up," Biden said. "And if Congress fails, I believe this time a majority of the American people won't give up either."

Pointing to the 2022 Midterm Elections, Biden said that he believes "the majority of you will act to turn your outrage into making this issue central to your vote."

"Enough, enough. enough," Biden said.

Biden's address comes as Congress is debating the "Protecting Our Kids Act," an expansive piece of gun control legislation that Democrats argue is common sense, while Republicans say it is unconstitutional.

HOUSE DEMS' GUN PACKAGE TO RAISE AGE LIMIT FOR SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLE PURCHASES, BAN 'HIGH CAPACITY' MAGAZINES

The "Protecting Our Kids Act" Is a package of eight bills aimed at suppressing gun ownership.

The bills contain proposals to raise the minimum age for purchasing a semi-automatic weapon from 18 to 21, a ban on "high capacity magazines," a registry for bump stocks, and more.

Law enforcement personnel at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, May 24, 2022. Reuters/Marco Bello

In a House committee meeting Thursday, Democrats railed against the NRA, Republicans, assault weapons and the Senate as they expressed outrage that the U.S. doesn't have tighter gun laws despite mass shootings in recent years.

"The NRA has too much of a grip on this Congress and on the Senate, it needs to stop," Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., said as the House Judiciary Committee prepared the package of gun-related bills for a vote next week. "There's something gun-crazed about our country that we need to deal with."

The legislation will likely see a vote on the House floor next week, along with a bill on red flag laws.

Republicans, meanwhile, argued that Democrats are not taking into account mental health and other factors that cause shootings. "Any time we address gun violence, we should also address the state of affairs of our society, address crime and mental health," Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., said. "We must also address the family unit."

DEMS RAIL AGAINST NRA, SENATE, ASSAULT WEAPONS AS HOUSE PREPS GUN CONTROL PACKAGE: 'CRISIS OF DEATH'

But House-passed gun bills will have a very difficult time making it through the Senate, where the 60-vote filibuster threshold gives Republicans a say on any legislation.

There, around a dozen senators from both parties are participating in talks about potential legislation that would be significantly less far-reaching than anything to come from the House. Among the issues on the table are federal legislation to encourage states to pass red flag laws and expansion of background checks.

Fox News' Tyler Olson, Louis Casiano, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
British brothers Alfie and Kenneth Springthorpe have been slapped with a 50,000 fine for fighting aboard a Jet2 flight after one brother urinated on the other. The incident took place last month on a flight traveling from London to Crete, according to Metro.

A fellow passenger on the flight who witnessed the ordeal said, About two and a half hours into the flight I was waiting to go to the toilet and the older brother stood up but was so drunk he couldnt stand, he needed the loo but in his drunken state peed over the younger brother who then hit him resulting in a full fist fight.

Under the seats of the brothers, who are from the Sidcup area of southeast London, cabin crew discovered an empty bottle of Ciroc Vodka as well as another that was half empty. With the chaos the brothers caused, the pilot had to divert the flight to Corfu, where one brother was able to walk off the plane while the other had to be dragged.

Video footage recorded by another passenger shows one of the men being dragged down the aisle of the plane by police officers in Greece. In the video, the man is seen with his pants falling down, barely able to stand.

The other passengers on the flight were forced to wait to continue to Crete until the head of the cabin crew had gone to the police station and given a statement. For more than 200 passengers this meant enduring a delay of over three hours and 45 minutes.

Jet2.com has issued a bill for more than 50,000 to a pair of disruptive brothers, alongside a lifetime ban, after their aggressive and violent behavior led to a flight having to be diverted last week, said Jet2 in a statement.

Alfie and Kenneth Springthorpe, from Sidcup, displayed a catalog of appalling behavior onboard the aircraft which included causing damage as well as unacceptable levels of aggression and even physical violence.

As a result, the highly trained crew were left with no choice other than to divert the aircraft, which was flying from London Stansted to Heraklion (Crete), to Corfu so that police could offload them.

Related: Man Arrested For Urinating In Southwests Plane Cabin And Fighting Two Flight Attendants
WASHINGTON  German lawmakers today passed a 100 billion (U.S. $107 billion) defense budget boost, initiating a major spending spree over several years that is expected to include seven new P-8 Poseidon maritime-surveillance planes in addition to five copies ordered last year.

The bill to establish a special fund for Germanys armed forces, the Bundeswehr, passed parliament by a vote of 593-80, with seven abstentions. Together with the countrys regular defense budget of roughly 50 billion, the money is meant to get Berlin to spend an average of 2 percent of its gross domestic product on defense over five years  a fiscal target set for NATO members.

The vote makes good on a push announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in late February to boost Germanys defenses following Russias invasion of Ukraine. Defense officials have said they want to use the extra money to reverse deep cuts made to Germanys military during the post-Cold War period, when a conflict in Europe involving Russia appeared unlikely.

Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht called the special funds passage historic for its unprecedented value and scope. A lot will change in the coming weeks and months, as the measure has to be implemented, and it must arrive quickly, she said, adding that her ministrys acquisition policies would have to be considerably changed.

In a statement on Friday, the Defence Ministry said it would forward a bill to that effect to lawmakers before the summer recess, which begins in early July. Officials did not respond to an email seeking information about the timeline for getting individual spending requests approved by the Bundestags defense and budget committees, though the panels have been known in previous years to greenlight billions of euros worth of equipment spending in a last-minute push before the break.

A longstanding list of equipment priorities, attached to the special fund legislation, is expected to serve as a blueprint for new investments, according to German defense blog Augen Geradeaus.

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The document includes a number of Foreign Military Sales transactions with the United States, including the purchase of 35 F-35 fighter jets and a heavy-lift helicopter program, which Boeing won this week with its Chinook.

Defense officials also have set their sights on seven of the companys P-8 Poseidon maritime-surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft, the office of Enak Ferlemann, a lawmaker with the Christian Democratic Union party, told Defense News. German news website Nord24 was first to report the potential purchase.

Ferlemanns district includes Nordholz Naval Air Base, where the country would base the planes.

The list of investment priorities attached to the special fund bill doesnt mention P-8s by name, saying only that an unspecific number of additional planes in the maritime-surveillance category should be bought. Defense officials did not return a request for comment on Friday afternoon.

German lawmakers last year approved the purchase of five Poseidons for about $1.6 billion. Officials want the planes for their advanced submarine-hunting capabilities, as Germanys existing fleet of P-3C Orion aircraft is on its last legs.

Allied European navies in the United Kingdom and Norway also operate the planes, raising the prospect of interoperability when keeping tabs on Russian submarines in the North Sea and North Atlantic, in particular.
NY Daily News

A condiment-obsessed Queens murder suspect hoarded sweet-and-sour duck sauce in his refrigerator  but not enough to stop him from killing a Chinese food delivery worker in a feud over his wish for more, a police source said Tuesday. When cops opened accused killer Glenn Hirschs refrigerator, they found it full of items to flavor up his food  including lots of duck sauce of the kind given ...
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday he will travel to the United States on Tuesday to visit the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) headquarters and then partake in the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden.

The summit is being convened in the United States for the first time since the first such gathering in Miami in 1994, as Biden seeks to reassert U.S. leadership and counter China's growing clout.

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa)
CANANDAIGUA  A vehicle law enforcement authorities said is tied to a shooting death in South Carolina also may have been involved in an alleged kidnapping incident in Wayne and Ontario counties last month.

Ontario County sheriffs deputies on Thursday announced the arrest of two people, including a 17-year-old whose name was not released and a Canandaigua man, who allegedly held a 16-year-old local resident against their will for more than 12 hours May 23 and 24.

The minor was charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping, a class A felony, deputies said. He was arraigned in Ontario County Court on May 27 and remanded to a secure juvenile facility.

That same juvenile was later identified as a suspect in an Orangeburg County homicide in which a 6-year-old boy was shot and killed May 13 and a warrant was obtained by the Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office for his arrest, deputies said. The 17-year-old is a former resident of Ontario County who had recently moved to Wayne County.

Logan French, 21, was arrested Wednesday at his residence in the town of Canandaigua and charged with first-degree kidnapping, deputies said. French was arraigned in Ontario County CAP Court and held in Ontario County Jail without bail.

The vehicle was located in the town of Palmyra by investigators from the Ontario County Sheriffs Office and Canandaigua Police Department. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office assisted investigators and stopped the vehicle in the town of Arcadia on May 27 and detained two male occupants.

Seth Phillips, a Farmington resident who was later arrested as a fugitive from justice by the Ontario County Sheriffs Office after a warrant was issued for his arrest on a murder charge by the Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office, was a passenger in the vehicle when it was stopped May 27, deputies said. Deputies said Phillips was not involved in the kidnapping.

A South Carolina man, Phillips, the 17-year-old, and another Canandaigua man, Michael T. Lloyd, 20, are facing charges in South Carolina in connection with the fatal shooting. Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell has said the familys house was shot by mistake because individuals were in the area to buy or steal marijuana.

The kidnapping case will be presented to the Ontario County grand jury at a later date to consider additional charges against French and the juvenile.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Canandaigua man, teen face kidnapping charges in Ontario County
With more than 18,000 Americans dead after the pull of a trigger so far in 2022, including 1,000 since the Buffalo mass shooting last month according to the Gun Violence Archive, many Central Floridians want some sort of action taken to make the streets safer.

The question is, what?

The violence hasnt ignored the Orlando area, which was rocked by a string of shootings over the past couple of weeks. One of them, investigators said, was carried out by a 10-year-old girl.

LIVE UPDATES: Potential Tropical Cyclone 1 expected to bring tropical storm conditions to region

Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Monique Worrell felt strongly enough about the recent events to call a news conference Thursday, both to denounce violence against police officers and to say there were too many guns on the streets.

We have lost the very basic respect for human life, she said, turning her attention to other prevention measures. It is likely that prior to each of these instances of violence, there was someone who suspected that these individuals could engage in these incidents. We need those individuals to be proactive and speak up before these instances occur.

Worrells call echoes the hopes of many of her fellow Democrats, who say a patten is unfolding among the recent high-profile mass shootings: young men, large weapons and mental issues.

READ: Key House committee passes gun control legislation in emergency hearing

An 18-year-old shouldnt be able to get an AR-15 if they cant even get an alcoholic beverage at a bar, Lisette Cuevas said at an anti-gun violence rally Thursday.

Cuevas mentioned that brains arent fully developed until later in life, and she wanted to see the minimum age needed to buy a military-style weapon favored by mass shooters raised to at least 21, which Florida currently requires.

That would put 19-year-old Skye Boyd under the threshold in more than just his home state. He also attended the protest and had a list of changes he wanted to see leaders enact. However, he focused on the tendency for mass shooters to announce their plans on social media before carrying them out.

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People rally against gun violence and call for changes during a protest in June 2022.

READ: Violent fugitive wanted on animal torture charge arrested in Flagler County, deputies say

Why dont we have some kind of way to supervise whats going on there? he asked, describing a notification system if certain words or phrases are used. If there is some kind of threat being made, why not get it to the authorities?

The feelings werent shared by others on the same sidewalk. Within earshot of the protesters  and occasionally standing off against them  were groups of Ron DeSantis supporters armed with an arsenal of flags, including some with the governors face on them.

Instead of gun restrictions, they said they wanted the focus to be on mental health.

READ: Social media dispute led to womans fatal shooting by 10-year-old neighbor, investigators say

I want the right to protect myself, Cyndi Coner said. What is the old saying? Outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns.

Coner evoked a different saying: see something, say something, adding that someone should have reported the Uvalde shooter in the days leading up to his killing spree.

If he had been living in Florida and a report had been made, police could have used the Sunshine States red flag law to temporarily seize his guns and mandate some sort of counseling. Law enforcement officers have praised the law since it went into effect in 2018. Texas does not have a statewide law.

READ: Police searching for pair believed to be involved in Daytona Beach fatal hit-and-run

A Ron DeSantis flag waves during a Republican rally in June 2022.

Its not a matter of the gun causing the problem, its a matter of an individual causing the problem, Todd Catella said. Its not laws that need to be passed. It is society saying this guy looks dangerous, I need to report him.

Gov. DeSantis spokeswoman said his office had nothing new to add to the conversation on Thursday, adding that he defends Floridians constitutional rights.

She did point out, however, that among the budget items the governor approved earlier in the day were $4 million to strengthen security systems at Jewish day schools, $140 million to expand school mental health programs and $6.4 million to help school districts install panic alarm systems that contact nearby first responders.

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has accused prominent Charlotte businessman Marty Sumichrast of fraud and self-dealing transactions during the three years he managed the Stone Street Partners private fund.

The suit filed by the SEC Wednesday seeks to have civil penalties and disgorgement of all ill-gotten gains that according to details in the suit could run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. It also seeks to bar Sumichrast from serving as an officer or director of a publicly traded company.

ALSO READ: This $2 pen can help protect your bank account from fraud

Sumichrast, 55, resigned as CEO of Adara Acquisition, a special purchase acquisition company he started with local partners in 2021, immediately after the SEC action was filed. He has been replaced by Tom Finke, a board member and one of the original Adara partners.

He remains as chairman and CEO of cbdMD Inc., a Charlotte manufacturer of hemp-based consumer health products, that went public in 2018. The board announced Monday its directors has formed a special committee of independent directors to review the SEC action to evaluate the consequences on the company, if any, and, together with counsel, promptly recommend an appropriate course of action to the board.

Read the full story here.

(WATCH BELOW: Father, son found guilty in COVID-19 fraud trial involving east Charlotte restaurant)
The US State Departments annual report on international religious freedom has accused China of continued genocide and repression of predominantly Muslim Uyghurs.

The report released by secretary of state Antony Blinken on Thursday blames the Xi Jinping government for using state policy and technology to repress Uyghur Muslims as well as other minorities.

He said that more than one million Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz and others minority groups have been detained in internment camps in Xinjiang since April 2017.

The PRC [Peoples Republic of China] continues to harass adherents of other religions that it deems out of line with Chinese Communist Party doctrine, including by destroying Buddhist, Christian, Islamic, and Taoist houses of worship and by erecting barriers to employment and housing for Christians, Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners, Mr Blinken said.

Rashad Hussain, Washingtons envoy for international religious freedom, said China has been designated a country of particular concern regarding religious rights every year since 1999, and continues to be one of the worst abusers of religious freedom in the world.

The PRC uses sophisticated emerging technologies such as AI and facial recognition to surveil and maintain control of its open-air prison in Xinjiang, said Mr Hussain.

Behind all the evidence and data, the many reports of deaths in custody, torture, and physical abuse, there are thousands of Uyghur family members  daughters and sons are desperate to know where their parents are, but are terrified of what news they could discover and are wondering whether they will ever be safely reunited.

Rights groups and activists have been accusing China of systemically oppressing Uyghurs for years in Xinjiang.

Concerns have been raised about widespread abuses, including mass incarceration, forced labour, torture and sexual assault of more than a million Uyghurs in detention centres in the region.

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China has denied all allegations of abuse and has described these centres as reeducation camps.

The US report comes on the heels of UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelets controversial trip to China amid fears that the fact-finding mission will end up being a whitewash.

Ms Bachelet, who visited Xinjiang as part of a six-day trip to China, said in a video conference that the visit was not an investigation but an opportunity to raise concerns with senior Chinese leaders.

The top UN rights official faced criticism for agreeing to a trip that did not include unhindered access to Xinjiang.

The start of Ms Bachelets trip coincided with the release of a major new cache of documents relating to the involuntary detention of Uyghurs. Photographs and a huge cache of data hacked from police computer servers in the region revealed new details of Chinas highly secretive system of mass incarceration in Xinjiang, as well as a shoot-to-kill policy for those who try to escape.

Among these documents, a spreadsheet titled persons subjected to strike hard because of religion lists 330 people who were sentenced because of illegal religious activities such as studying the Quran.
STORY: Their joint statement smears China and gravely interferes in China's internal affairs, said Zhao Lijian, a spokesman at the Chinese foreign ministry.

In their statement, U.S. President Joe Biden and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also said they would encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.

Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong are China's internal affairs, Zhao said at a regular news conference.
China's envoy to Wellington underlined Beijing's stand on Taiwan in talks with New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta on Thursday, after a joint statement by Wellington and Washington unnerved Beijing.

Wang Xiaolong, China's ambassador to New Zealand, restated China's position on various issues including Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong, according to the Chinese embassy in Wellington.

"We also talked about how NZ and China could work together to support common development in Pacific island partners. We agreed that it is imperative to keep dialogues going at a time like this," Wang wrote on Twitter after the meeting.

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.

The meeting came two days after Wang cautioned New Zealand on its relations with China following a joint statement between Wellington and Washington this week.

The statement said the two countries reaffirmed their support for freedom of navigation and flights over the South China Sea and beyond, and expressed "grave concerns" about reported human rights violations in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

During a speech at the New Zealand China Council, Wang warned that positive ties with Beijing should not be "taken for granted".

Wang Xiaolong, the Chinese ambassador to New Zealand. Photo: China Ministry of Foreign Affairs alt=Wang Xiaolong, the Chinese ambassador to New Zealand. Photo: China Ministry of Foreign Affairs>

The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the meeting on Thursday was a "useful opportunity" to discuss the two countries' relationship, emphasising the importance of "an open and constructive dialogue, both in areas of cooperation and areas of difference" with China.

However, Mahuta also expressed concern about China's security agreement with the Solomon Islands, emphasising the importance of "existing regional institutions" in handling regional security matters.

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The security agreement between China and the Solomon Islands prompted a regional backlash when it was signed in April. The US sent a delegation to Honiara to speak to Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare immediately, while the Australian and New Zealand leaders issued statements criticising the pact for regional security concerns.

While the official agreement has not been released, leaked documents suggested China might be able to place military equipment and personnel on the Solomon Islands with the government's consent. The Chinese foreign ministry said the pact aimed to promote peace and security.

China has been seeking to expand its influence in the South Pacific, which comprises 14 independent states and other dependencies administered by the US, France, Australia and New Zealand.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi launched a Pacific tour this week, widely seen as a move to bolster China's influence in the region. However, its first stop in Fiji to discuss a potential security pact with 10 Pacific island nations fell apart after the nations failed to reach consensus.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern praised US President Joe Biden for his efforts in the Indo-Pacific region during her US visit earlier this week, which coincided with Wang Yi's Pacific tour.

Rivalry between the US and China over the Pacific islands has ramped up with intense lobbying from both US and China for Pacific nations' membership in trade and security pacts.

Fiji became the first country in the region to join the Washington-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

China would continue to aid Pacific island nations "without any political conditions", Wang Yi said after Monday's summit, according to a Chinese statement.

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.
Amber Heard in court

Amber Heard became a victim of vicious online harassment during her defamation battle with Johnny Depp, involving allegations of intimate-partner violence. Could the case have a chilling effect on other accusers coming forward?

A Virginia jury found on Wednesday that Johnny Depp was defamed by Amber Heard in a 2018 op-ed in which she described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse", without naming Mr Depp.

The seven jurors mostly rejected Ms Heard's counterclaim, awarding her $2m in damages for a single count of her suit - an amount eclipsed by the more than $10m awarded to her ex-husband.

The verdict surprised some legal experts, especially as it followed Mr Depp's loss in a similar case in the UK nearly two years ago.

And for Ms Heard, it was an almost wholesale rejection of her testimony.

Mr Depp, 58, has fiercely denied his former partner's allegations of emotional, physical and sexual abuse, which she claimed took place on several occasions throughout their five-year relationship. This week, the jury sided with Mr Depp, determining the allegations were false.

In a statement, Ms Heard, 36, said she was "heartbroken" by the ruling. Her team has said she will appeal.

But in the court of public opinion, it seemed Ms Heard had already lost.

Over six weeks of trial - long before the jury returned its verdict - a consensus was established online that Ms Heard was lying. Her testimony was widely mocked, hashtags calling her a sociopath trended on Twitter, and a petition to remove her from the upcoming Aquaman 2 has, to date, received more than 4.4m signatures. On TikTok, couples acted out graphic acts of violence alleged by Ms Heard on the stand, in an apparent effort to show they were fabricated.

"I think that's something we should be really clear-minded about moving forward: this trial has led to a huge amount of harassment toward Amber Heard," said Dr Nicole Bedera, a sociologist who specialises in sexual violence. "It was shocking."

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Mr Depp thanked the jury on Wednesday for giving him his 'life back'.

Domestic violence experts like Ms Bedera fear the intensely negative response toward Ms Heard will have repercussions far beyond the trial. Many warn that the online abuse she suffered will have a chilling effect on survivors, deterring some from reporting their stories of abuse.

"There are a lot of survivors who will see their story in this trial. They will be harmed by this case, too," Ms Bedera said. "I think a lot of victims will be more nervous about coming forward in the future."

Already, domestic assault is chronically underreported. Only two out of every five instances of domestic violence are reported to police in the US, according to the latest survey from the Department of Justice. That same number - about 40% - come forward with reports of intimate partner violence.

"I think it's become clear that survivors are making rational decisions when they decide not to come forward," said Alexandra Brodsky, a civil rights attorney and author of Sexual Justice. "They are engaged in a cost/benefit analysis, and often that calculus shows them they're better off not reporting."

That balance is weighted heavily by the fear of a painful investigation and trial, and a fear of not being believed.

Both were crystallised by the response to Ms Heard, said Kelly Sundberg, a professor at Ashland University and author of Goodbye Sweet Girl, a memoir about her experience in an abusive relationship. "There is a reason that most people keep their abuse private."

"Even if she [Heard] had won, this would have had a chilling effect on survivors because no-one wants to be disbelieved and discredited on the kind of scale that she was," said Ms Sundberg.

"If I had seen this kind of response before I wrote my book, I don't think I would have felt safe publishing it," she said.

"It was horrific," Ms Bedera added. "People called her a psycho, a liar, they said she was crazy, she was manipulative, they said that she deserved what happened to her."

In the final week of trial, Ms Heard, single mother to her one-year-old daughter, addressed the harassment in court saying she had received "hundreds of death threats regularly, if not daily".

"People want to kill me, they tell me so, everyday. People want to put my baby in a microwave, and they tell me," she said. "It has been agonising."

During the trial, the court heard recordings of Ms Heard seeming to taunt and bully her former partner. In one clip, she admits to "hitting" Mr Depp before telling him not to be a "baby".

"Tell the world, Johnny," she says in another, recorded in 2016. "Tell them, 'I, Johnny Depp, a man, a victim, too, of domestic violence.'"

These clips were routinely employed as evidence on social media that Ms Heard was lying, and was the "real" aggressor in her relationship.

But that same scrutiny did not seem to apply to Mr Depp.

The court heard numerous witnesses, including his former girlfriend actor Ellen Barkin, describe his alleged drug and alcohol abuse and violent tendencies. In recorded audio, the court heard Mr Depp shout insults and obscenities at Ms Heard, and saw messages in which he said he wished Ms Heard would die.

"There was a double standard without a doubt," Ms Bedera said.

"Johnny Depp has also said some really horrific things. The text messages about killing and raping Amber Heard come to mind," she said. "A lot of people were quick to say 'it was just a joke.'"

Amber Heard was in court to hear the jury's verdict

Experts also fear the legal path used by Mr Depp - filing a defamation case - may be used by perpetrators of abuse.

"One thing that's really gotten lost in the coverage is that this was not Heard suing Depp for abuse," civil lawyer Alexandra Brodsky said. "It was Depp suing Heard for saying she was abused at all, and not even by him."

Ms Brodksy described a growing "cottage industry" of lawyers and PR consultants who advise young men on how to clear their name after being accused of sexual assault in college. "A big part of that is defamation suits, or at least threatening defamation suits. We've seen that strategy spread," she said.

In this case, after six weeks of testimony, the jury ruled unanimously that Mr Depp had been defamed by Ms Heard in her 2018 Washington Post op-ed - effectively vindicating his denials of abuse. "The jury gave me my life back," he said in a statement following the verdict.

But seeking damages for defamation becomes "alarming" when it is used by perpetrators as a PR strategy, Ms Brodsky said,

"The truth is that no matter what happened at the end of the trial, Depp would have - at least among some people - come out the hero," she said. "I really do worry about the copycat effect."

At the same time these cases act as a deterrent for survivors in general, Ms Brodsky said. "Someone sees their friend, their classmate or a celebrity face a defamation suit and they say 'I don't want to deal with that.'"

iPlayer

Reputation: Depp v Heard. Watch key moments from the trial on iPlayer (UK-only).
Jun. 3Local medical experts are seeing an uptick in COVID cases and fear numbers could spike from family gatherings, vacations and festivals during the Memorial Day weekend.

"Two weeks ago in my 12-county area, the number of hospitalizations was in the 20s; as of yesterday it was in the 50s. It has more than doubled in two weeks' time," Judy Smith, administrator of the Alabama Department of Public Health Northern District, said Thursday. "We've got a major wait-and-see today, Friday and the first of next week because of the Memorial Day holiday. We're hoping we'll see minimal changes, and people will be OK."

Smith said the number of cases is likely higher than is being reported to ADPH, but it is difficult to monitor with people taking home tests.

She said the omicron variant of the coronavirus and its subvariants are the most prevalent.

"The good news is they don't seem to be as severe an illness, but part of that may be to do with the vaccine and antibody level people have," she said. "On the flip side, they seem to be equally as contagious or more contagious. The chances of getting them are increased but fortunately don't create the hospital requirements. ... (Omicron) is a tricky virus that has the potential to mutate and to spread in a hurry from person to person."

Paige Norris, service line director of diagnostic and outpatient services at Decatur Morgan Hospital, said the hospital has seen "a slight uptick" in cases the past two weeks. "Presently, we have six inpatient cases, but their illnesses are not as severe as we have seen in the past."

None of the patients are on ventilators or in the intensive care unit, Norris said.

She said throughout April and into early May the hospital had one or two inpatient cases at a time.

Norris said she wouldn't be surprised if the number of inpatient cases in the next few days reaches 15 because of the Memorial Day holiday.

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"That's a valid concern," she said. "The area had a lot of wonderful community events and those things raised the alert level. We've seen the number of cases rise after holidays. We saw it at Christmas. We saw it at spring break. We're prepared."

Decatur Morgan Hospital had more than a 100 inpatient cases at one time over the past 18 months, she said. Statewide and local hospitalizations peaked in early January and late August of 2021 and late January of this year.

Smith said the Morgan County Health Department administered 54 vaccinations last week and 65 two weeks ago. "Tuesday and Wednesday we've already given 24," Smith said. "We're not giving nearly as many second boosters, but age and immunity issues dictate it. A second booster is not recommended for everyone."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, everyone age 5 years and older should get one booster five months after completing their initial Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine series. A booster is also due five months after anyone 18 and over receives the initial Moderna vaccine series. Those who received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine should receive a booster, preferably of Pfizer or Moderna, two months after the original dose.

The CDC recommends a second booster four months after the first Moderna or Pfizer booster for people ages 50 and over and people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.

Of those taking COVID tests outside the home over the last seven days in Morgan County, 10.7% have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to ADPH. Since the virus was detected in the state in March 2020, 518 Morgan County residents have died of COVID, including 83 this year.

Morgan County has had a total of 36,411 reported cases of COVID. About 45% of the county's residents have received the full initial vaccine series, and about a third of those have received a booster.

Of those taking COVID tests outside the home over the last seven days in Limestone County, 19.8% have tested positive for the coronavirus. Since the pandemic began, 295 Limestone residents have died of COVID, including 63 this year. Half of Limestone residents have received the initial vaccine series, and 35% of those have received a booster.

Lawrence County has had an 11.2% positivity rate over the last week and has had 160 COVID deaths, including 22 this year. Forty percent of Lawrence residents have completed the initial vaccine series, and about a third of those have received a booster.

Smith said county health departments in north Alabama offer free tests and vaccinations from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 mike.wetzel@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442. Twitter @DD_Wetzel.
A 75-year-old man convicted in 1982 of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and one of burglary of a habitation is innocent, and the state now officially recognizes that, according to a news release from the Dallas County District Attorneys Office.

Mallory Vernon Nicholson was convicted in 1982 and in prison until 2003 after serving 21 years of a 55-year sentence Nicholson was released on sex-offender parole, according to the Dallas County DA.

But witness descriptions of the actual attacker didnt match Nicholson, who was at his wifes funeral a few hours before the attack and had friends with him at the funeral and afterward, into the night.

But Nicholson, at the time 35, was convicted. The DAs office said prosecution at the time didnt turn over vital evidence, namely that witnesses said the actual attacker was a 14-year-old boy who went by the nickname CoCo and lived across the street from the home in which the boys were attacked.

In 2021, the DAs Conviction Integrity Unit began reinvestigating the case after the Innocence Project insisted they review it again. They looked back at original documents and interviewed people again, coming to the conclusion that Nicholson was innocent of the crime.

Ive said it before, theres no time limit on seeking justice, Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot said in the release. We owe it to Mr. Nicholson to clear his name fully and completely. Our job at the district attorneys office is not just to seek convictions but to ensure that justice is done. I am proud to say that today justice has, in fact, been done in the case of Mallory Nicholson  who is an innocent man.

The DAs office in spring 2021 agreed to habeas corpus relief for Nicholson because the prosecution in 1982 didnt turn over the exculpatory evidence about the suspect description to the defense, according to the news release. The case was sent to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which reversed the convictions and sent the case back to Dallas County in November 2021.

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The false accusation and trial

Nicholson was accused of, on June 12, 1982, going up to a 9-year-old boy and a 7-year-old boy outside their grandmothers apartment and offering to pay them to help break into another apartment, according to the DA.

The actual attacker lifted the boys up to get through a window, then had them kick through the drywall to get him into the unit, the DAs office said in the news release.

Once inside, the attacker stole items like food, clothes and TV before going back inside and sexually assaulting the boys. When the attacker left for the last time, the boys escaped and told their aunt, who called police.

The DAs office said they were taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas for sexual assault exams and described their attacker as a 14-year-old boy.

When the 9-year-old boy was taken by detectives, along with his mother, to look at the crime scene, the boy saw Nicholson sitting on the porch and said he was the attacker. Nicholson was arrested, but in a six-picture lineup including Nicholsons photograph, the 7-year-old boy did initially not pick him as the attacker.

The mother called police and said the boy recognized his attacker but was afraid to point to him, though, according to the DAs office. At a live lineup the next day, the boy picked out Nicholson. But, the DAs office notes, Nicholson was the only person who was present in both lineups.

During pretrial, defense was granted a review of any evidence that would suggest Nicholsons innocence, but the alternative suspect information was not included in that.

The lead prosecutor of the case told investigators after the conviction that he couldnt recall whether those reports of another suspect were turned over, according to the DAs office.

He said that because of his practices and understanding of Brady at that time, its likely that any information about the 14-year-old suspect was ignored or not provided to defense attorneys, the DAs office said in the release.

The Brady Rule requires prosecutors to disclose exculpatory evidence in the governments possession to the defense.

The only eyewitness testimony that was presented at the 1982 trial was from the boys, who identified Nicholson as their attacker.

Creuzot said it is the job of his office to correct the wrongs of the past, like not handing over the information about an alternative suspect and convicting a man who was not in the area when the crime occurred.

When Nicholson married his current wife Ethel 20 years ago, she asked him if he committed the crimes for which he was convicted, Star-Telegram media partner WFAAs Chris Sadeghi reported. He told her no and theyve worked together for his exoneration ever since.
The New York Times

The Kremlin-backed mayor of the Ukrainian town of Enerhodar was standing on his mothers porch when a powerful blast struck, leaving him critically wounded. A week later, about 75 miles away, a car packed with explosives rocked the office of another Russian-appointed official in the occupied southern city of Melitopol. In a rarity, both Ukrainian and Russian officials confirmed the blasts, which struck deep inside Russian-controlled territory. And both explosions appeared to be the work of what
A man in China wants his former stepson to pay 35,200 yuan (approximately $5,285) for raising him after separating from his ex-wife last year.

The man, surnamed Tang, from Sichuan Province, filed a lawsuit against his ex-stepson, surnamed Liu, in March to recuperate money he spent supporting him during four years of college. Tang said the money includes university tuition as well as food and clothes.

Tang married Lius mother in 2009 and helped raise him until September 2021 when she filed for a divorce. Three months after the separation, Tang pursued legal action against his former stepson to get the money he spent on Liu back.

A local court in Chongqing, however, denied Tangs request and ruled that the money was spent voluntarily.

More from NextShark: Asian Family Gets Eggs, Racist Notes Thrown at Home in SF

The judge told the Chinese online news site Jiupai News: Tang chose to support Liu, despite knowing he didnt have a legal responsibility to pay for his university study as Liu had reached 18 years of age. In China, children are legally adults once 18, and parents are no longer expected to cover their living expenses.

The judge also said that Liu is still responsible for taking care of his former stepfather even after the divorce and reassured Tang that he may seek compensation if required.

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The Democratic Republic of Congo is better known for the brutality of its many rebel groups than the quality of its coffee, but one project is trying to change that, writes Moses Sawasawa.

An ideal climate and hilly terrain has seen generations of farmers grow Arabica coffee on Idjwi island in Lake Kivu, located between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.

More recently, thousands of ex-combatants, including Koko Bikuba, say working here has changed their lives.

"When we arrived in this place, people were afraid of us," the 37-year-old says. "My life has changed thanks to this work. I take care of six children who are studying."

Though Mr Bikuba is reluctant to open up about his past, he says he "very much regrets having done so much harm to my country and especially to my community".

Most of the former combatants here came from Masisi in DR Congo's North Kivu province, which has seen decades of fighting.

The UN estimates that more than 120 militias operate across eastern DR Congo, which is rich in minerals often exploited by the armed groups.

It clearly heartens Mr Bikuba that some people on Idjwi who initially wrote him and his colleagues off as "thieves and killers" have since warmed to them.

"The turmoil of the forest is far from me now and I'm financially stable," he adds, thanks to his job in logistics on the plantation.

Almost 2,400 former fighters are employed as farmers on Idjwi by the Co-operative Company of Innovative Coffee producers in Kivu (SCPNCK). They are mostly former militia fighters, although some, including Mr Bikuba, used to be soldiers, SCPNCK says.

The co-operative sells to countries around the world including the US, France and Belgium.

Owner Gilbert Makelele explains that the project began in 2012 as part of a peace initiative - but he also wanted to take on smugglers who, he says, took coffee from Idjwi island across the border into Rwanda from where they would sell it internationally at knockdown prices.

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He is proud that SCPNCK "helps ex-combatants to make their own money and not from kidnapping or rape - everyone in the Congolese army is there because of unemployment".

The coffee co-operative receives government funding and several ambassadors have visited to understand how it works, most recently the US ambassador to DR Congo, Mike Hammer.

Arabica coffee from this area is appreciated for its "full-bodied, fruity" character that develops a medium acidity, explains Belgium-based buyer Isabelle Prigo.

Coffee comes from coffea trees, which were first cultivated in Ethiopia thousands of years ago.

In modern-day cultivation, the seedlings are planted in soil bags, then take roughly five months to grow before they can be transplanted into the fields.

Slopes such as those on Idjwi are ideal because the terrain helps to stop soil erosion.

Visible in the middle of this shot are the rows of coffee dryers.

That is where the ripe, red coffee fruit - also known as cherries - are placed after being plucked by hand from the trees.

Twenty-nine-year-old former fighter Jacques sorts through the coffee dryer with colleagues.

This is another stage of quality control, where any under-ripe or spoiled cherries that found their way into the harvest are sifted out.

Across the industry, the more exacting this process is, the higher the taste scores awarded to coffee producers.

Later, the red outer layer of the coffee is sloughed off in a process calling milling.

Some producers use wet milling - also known as "washed coffee", while others use dry milling - called "natural".

SCPNCK follow the wet method, which shows off the bean's distinctive origin and terroir by ridding it of parchment and mucilage, as well as the red pulp.

After washing, the coffee is dried.

Former soldier-turned-coffee taster Bisimwa Kabo, 27, is tasked with ensuring the product is of the highest standard.

Just one or two sour beans can impair the flavour of a whole batch.

The final step of the process sees the dried beans placed in sacks ready for delivery.

Roasting and grinding typically happens in the destination country, carried out by the distributor.

"In the 1980s, we used to export coffee to the US, Sudan and Ethiopia," says Christine Mugoli of the National Office for Congolese Agricultural Products, adding that annual production back then stood at 500,000 tonnes compared with just 10,000 tonnes today.

Exports were handled by the government decades ago, but today are in the hands of co-operatives, she adds, although greater government investment is planned.

"It can be said that the government had abandoned coffee culture a little," she says.

"We still want to fight to take back our place among the leading coffee-producing nation of Africa and the world."

Koko Bikuba hopes that vision will see the success of Idjwi island replicated.

"I just ask the authorities to increase security in the east of the country, so other soldiers with similar wishes can seize this kind of opportunity."

All photos subject to copyright.
Jill Biden

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Jill Biden

Amid a busy time for the Biden administration, first lady Dr. Jill Biden is spending her 71st birthday with family.

According to a spokesperson for the first lady, who turned 71 on Friday: "She's spending her birthday weekend in Rehoboth with the President and one of her sisters."

"She's hoping to get in a bike ride or two and enjoy being with her family," the spokesperson adds.

RELATED: Joe and Jill Biden Visit Gravesite of Late Son Beau Ahead of Memorial Day Ceremony

Tributes to Dr. Biden began pouring in Friday morning, with former First Lady Michelle Obama taking to Twitter to share a sweet message and a photo of the two together.

"Happy birthday, Jill! You have been such a wonderful friend to me over the yearsand now as @FLOTUS, you're inspiring so many around the world," Obama wrote. "Thank you for leading with such grace and dignity. You deserve to be celebrated today!"

Happy birthday, Jill! You have been such a wonderful friend to me over the yearsand now as @FLOTUS, youre inspiring so many around the world. Thank you for leading with such grace and dignity. You deserve to be celebrated today!  pic.twitter.com/43aWVVEwe0  Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) June 3, 2022

Others who celebrated the first lady on her birthday include Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg, who wrote on Twitter: "Happy Birthday, @FLOTUS. Our country is made better every day by your commitment to our nation's veterans and military families, and our young people."

It's been a busy week for the first couple. Earlier this week, they visited the gravesite of Beau Biden on the anniversary of his May 30, 2015, death and met with families in Uvalde, Texas, in the wake of a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that killed 21 people, including 19 students and two adults.

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They'll spend the weekend in Delaware, where the couple has a home in Rehoboth Beach and makes frequent visits.

RELATED: Jill Biden Talks First Marriage, Finding Love Again and Independence: 'I Am a Woman Who Loves to Work'

Dr. Biden  who works as a professor of English at Northern Virginia Community College in addition to maintaining her duties as first lady  recently spoke to Harper's Bazaar for a cover story about her role.

"I am a woman who loves to work," she told Bazaar, adding that maintaining independence  even as first lady  was a top priority.

"I understand a woman's need to have something for herself," she said.
Fortune

Remote work appears to be the way of the future for many, if not most, companies for which it's possible. But such employers will have to contend with the reality that a perk for some causes resentment for others.
The New York Times

SALT LAKE CITY  If the Great Salt Lake, which has already shrunk by two-thirds, continues to dry up, heres whats in store: The lakes flies and brine shrimp would die off  scientists warn it could start as soon as this summer  threatening the 10 million migratory birds that stop at the lake annually to feed on the tiny creatures. Ski conditions at the resorts above Salt Lake City, a vital source of revenue, would deteriorate. The lucrative extraction of magnesium and other minerals from the
(Reuters) - Major Chinese cities looked to further relax COVID-19 curbs in a bid to steadily return to normalcy after months of stringent lockdowns, while in the United States, airlines are ramping up efforts to get the international COVID-19 testing rule dropped.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

* Eikon users, see COVID-19: MacroVitals https://apac1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/cms/?navid=1592404098 for a case tracker and summary of news.

ASIA-PACIFIC

* Beijing will further relax COVID-19 curbs by allowing indoor dining, as China's capital steadily returns to normal with inflections falling, state media said on Sunday.

* South Korea will lift its quarantine requirement for foreign arrivals without vaccination from June 8 and also start lifting aviation regulations imposed for international flights.

* India approved Hyderabad-based drugmaker Biological E's COVID-19 vaccine as the first mix-and-match booster dose in the country, the company said on Saturday.

* North Korea reported some 73,780 more people with fever symptoms amid its first-ever coronavirus outbreak, North Korean state media KCNA said on Sunday.

EUROPE

* Princess Charlene of Monaco, who had been away from the principality for months due to health issues, has tested positive for COVID-19, as the number of cases in neighbouring France begin to rise again.

AMERICAS

* U.S. airlines are stepping up their efforts to get the Biden administration to end COVID-19 pre-departure testing requirements for international air travel.

* Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his newly wed wife Janja tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday and will remain isolated for the next few days, the leftist leader and front-runner for the October election said on Twitter.

AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

* The European Investment Bank (EIB) has committed 75 million euros ($80 million) to finance construction of a new facility in Senegal that will produce COVID-19 and other vaccines for use across Africa.

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* Deaths on the African continent from COVID-19 are expected to fall by nearly 94% in 2022 compared to last year, modelling by the World Health Organization showed.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* Pfizer Inc's antiviral treatment Paxlovid reduces COVID-19 hospitalisation and death rates in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients 65 years and older, according to a new study in Israel conducted during the rise of the Omicron variant.

* The U.S. Food and Drug Administration raised concerns about a possible risk of heart inflammation from Novavax Inc's COVID-19 vaccine, even as the company's data showed it could reduce the chances of mild-to-severe disease.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

* China's services activity contracted for a third straight month in May, pointing to a slow recovery ahead despite the easing of some COVID-19 lockdowns in Shanghai and neighbouring cities, a private business survey showed.

(Compiled by Shailesh Kuber, Olivier Sorgho, and Uttaresh.V; Edited by Sriraj Kalluvila and Shounak Dasgupta)
Jun. 3Harford County Public Schools declared May 17 as "Herr Rick Jones Day" at Fallston High School. The reason? Jones, a 71-year-old German teacher at the school, is completing his 50th year of teaching in the county school system.

A brief ceremony was held to commemorate the golden milestone, an accomplishment no other teacher at the high school has achieved, according to the school system. Hundreds of people attended the ceremony, during which Jones received many gifts.

Jones was presented with an ornate wooden box with the German flag painted on top. Inside the decorative box were dozens of letters written by former and current colleagues as well as students from Jones' past.

Jones' passion for the German language comes from his ancestry, he said. His mother was born in Germany, and all of his relatives live there. He decided to become a German teacher to express his creativity, he said.

"Being a teacher, a German teacher, allows me to be creative," said Jones. "I find that my instruction can be limited only by my imagination."

Jones began his career in 1972, teaching German at Bel Air High School. He learned about the position when the school system came to his college, the University of Scranton, for open job interviews. Five years later, he left Bel Air for Fallston High School, which opened in 1977.

Jones said the Bel Air teaching post was the first job he was offered. But one of the reasons he accepted was the small-town feel to Bel Air, which gave him a sense of peace. At the time, it had a population of only 6,000 and the high school had 300 students.

Jones has spent the last 45 years at Fallston High, teaching German, coaching tennis for several seasons and directing 28 theatrical performances on the Fallston High stage, including "Little Women: The Musical" just a few weeks ago.

Jones said he's stayed as long as he has because of the creative freedom the school system has given him. He recalled that when he first started teaching, the curriculum was based on a single book, and that gave him a lot of flexibility.

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"I could really do anything I wanted to do with the curriculum," Jones said. "This gave me the opportunity to be as creative as I wanted to be. There was not a curriculum to go by, but a book."

In 1991, the school system requested a curriculum for German studies, and Jones wrote it.

"From the time I started to now, I have seen a great deal of growth in the curriculum and the teaching," Jones said. "I wrote the curriculum and it has helped with instruction. When we used to get together, we were able to crystalize our instruction because at the very beginning there was none of that going on. I like to see the growth of instruction."

Many of his current students enjoy his class because of his creativity. Jones keeps his students engaged by incorporating nuggets from his life, movies and other sources into his lessons, he said. His daughter also helped him with the development of many of class activities.

"I do enjoy coming to his class every other day," said Ben Sellers, one of Jones' students. "He has a more genuine teaching style. It's something to look forward to."

Jones' teaching style has inspired others to go down the same path, including Saxon Brown, a former student who is now a colleague at the school.

"Undoubtedly, the fun we had in class, and the way we felt about him has definitely inspired me to become a teacher," said Brown. "Jones managed to mix work and play. He has shown that you can have a job for 50 years and enjoy it."

Jones does not plan to retire anytime soon. At the end of the ceremony, he announced that he would be returning to Fallston for his 51st year. The news brought cheers from everyone in attendance.

Jones says he's motivated to continue teaching by his desire to create new ways to teach German, and by the strong support system in his department. Both factors, along with the chance to stage plays for the school, energize him, he said.

"Why would I retire? I still have the energy to do this," Jones said. "I am in an ideal situation."

The Aegis: Top stories

As Jones reflects on his teaching career, he says he has received the most joy from his students' success and the satisfaction he gets from teaching.

"I would say making it to 50 years was my biggest accomplishment," Jones said. "But I never thought of this as an accomplishment. Everyone is doing all of this stuff because I came to work every day."

Before he retires, he hopes to have more students receive a four or five on the German Advanced Placement test  five is the highest score  and to see the HCPS foreign language department get an evaluator who understands German.

"German is in a unique position in the department," Jones said. "I would love to see a person come in to observe me that knows something about language instruction."

Along with his teaching duties, Jones is planning next year's plays and will continue to mentor students outside the classroom as a part-time driver's education teacher.

When he does retire from the school system, he plans to teach driver's ed full-time, and spend more time with his wife, son and daughter.

"I owe a lot of my success as a teacher to my wife, who has had to put up with a lot," Jones said. "The hours of work at home, the conferences which I attended, the presentations which I have given at conferences, all the time away. I plan when I retire to give that time back to her."
With his suitcases in hand, 9-year-old Ashton Rochester made his way through the crowded Merida International Airport in anticipation of the moment hes been waiting months for: to reunite with his mother.

Cell phone video captured the heartwarming moment that Ashton spotted his mom and ran into her arms.

Theres mommy, said Jason Rochester, Ashtons dad as the family reunited.

Oh, Im so happy, said Ashtons mother, Cecilia Gonzalez-Carmona.

For more than half his young life, Ashton has lived in Georgia while his mom has lived in Mexico.

Cecilia self-deported there in 2018 because of bad legal advice.

Her husband Jason is a U.S. citizen, and the family thought Cecilia could apply for U.S. citizenship within about a year.

But they later learned the law bans her for a minimum of ten years before shes even eligible to apply for the re-entry process.

Now were caught in this whirlwind, said Jason Rochester.

This week, Washington Correspondent Samantha Manning caught up with the family during their visit to Mexico, after following their journey for more than a year.

In theory, Ashton will be 14, 15, could be 30 before he ever has his mom at home, said Jason Rochester. Thats not a life for a kid.

To make matters even harder, doctors found a tumor on Ashtons kidney shortly after his mom left.

He went through cancer treatment and thankfully is doing well now.

Its really hard for me not to be there, said Cecilia.

The family is fighting for changes to the law along with the nonprofit group American Families United.

They are pushing for Congress to pass the American Families United Act, which is aimed at helping millions of families in similar situations who are separated from their loved ones.

According to the legislation, under this bill, DOJ (Department of Justice) or DHS (Department of Homeland Security) may, on a case-by-case basis, exercise discretion by declining to remove an alien or bar an alien from entering the United States to prevent hardship for the aliens U.S. citizen spouse, parent, or child.

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We really are calling on the legislators to roll up their sleeves just like we are and deliver for our American families by making a small change to the law, said Kali Pliego, President of American Families United.

The bill has been introduced in the House with dozens of Democratic co-sponsors and three Republican co-sponsors.

But it has not been taken up in the Senate yet.

The day-to-day gridlock of Washington D.C. unfortunately I think takes a toll and they really forget about the human impact, said Ashley DeAzevedo with American Families United.

Jason is pleading with the Senate to introduce the bill as well and for it to move towards a vote in both chambers of Congress before this session ends.

Were racing the clock and its ticking faster than we want it to, said Rochester.

For months, we have been asking Senators from both parties about where they stand on the proposal and so far, support in the Senate remains unclear.

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Trending stories:
BHUBANESWAR, India (Reuters) - Indian police said on Friday they were seeking the arrest of five men in connection with the gang rape of an underage teenager in the southern city of Hyderabad.

In December 2012, the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman in Delhi caused nationwide outrage and led to a tough new anti-rape law.

But India remains one of the world's most dangerous places for women, with a rape occurring every 15 minutes, federal data show.

In the Hyderabad case, the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has accused the men of assaulting her in a car after they had attended a party at a bar on May 28, according to a police report of the incident seen by Reuters.

"We are in the process of zeroing in on the alleged accused," deputy police commissioner Joel Davis told Reuters. "So far nobody has been apprehended".

(Reporting by Jatindra Dash,; Writing by Alasdair Pal, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
The administration of Floridas Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has asked a state medical board to effectively ban all transition-related healthcare for transgender young people, while another state agency issued a report to justify banning transgender people on Medicaid  the federal health programme for lower-income Americans  from accessing gender-affirming care.

The administrations moves follows an advisory from Floridas Department of Health to ignore federal health guidance and advise against all gender-affirming care for transgender minors in the state, including social transioning measures like changing pronouns or wearing different clothes.

Floridas measures against transgender people in the state are among an unprecedented wave of GOP-led policies and legislation across the US restricting transgender healthcare and banning transgender athletes from school sports, among dozens of bills targeting LGBT+ Americans.

On 2 June, the states Agency for Health Care Administration released a 46-page report citing debunked research seeking to justify a ban on Medicaid coverage for transgender people of any age who seek puberty blockers, hormone therapies or gender-reassignment surgery.

Hours later, Floridas Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo told the state board regulating doctors that widely supported evidence from medical professionals supporting gender-affirming care is extraordinarily weak and said the state must protect children from politics-based medicine, according to a letter obtained by NBC News.

The recommendations from the administartion fly against the positions from established medical groups, including the World Professional Association for Transgender Health as well as the American Medical Association, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The latest guidance drew immediate backlash from medical professionals and LGBT+ advocates.

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If the state rejects transition care for transgender people on Medicaid, Florida would become the 11th state to have explicit exclusions against gender-affirming care in Medicaid programmes, despite federal court precedents that such exclusions are violations of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Act, accordion to the American Civil Liberties Union.

The Human Rights Campaign estimates that denying Medicaid coverage for transition-related care would impact roughly 9,000 transgender people in Florida.

The organisation characterised the measures as a transparent ploy to create controversy, ignore medical best practices, and refuse to provide age-appropriate, medically necessary care to some Floridians for purely partisian, discriminatory reasons.

Gender-affirming care is lifesaving  that, unlike the material in this report, is a fact  and this medical care is neither experimental, nor new, said Cathryn Oakley, the Human Rights Campaigns state legislative director and senior counsel.

Banning gender-affirming care under Medicaid  and trying to ban gender-affirming care for youth  is incredibly irresponsible, the National Center for Transgender Equality said in a statement. This will only increase barriers for trans people seeking medically necessary care  and this decision is both deeply biased and anti-science.

State Rep Carlos G Smith, among the first openly LGBT+ state legislators in Florida, said the administration is trying to take the freedom of trans ADULTS to access healthcare and of parents to care for their kids.

Theres no consistent or conservative ideology here. Just cruelty and a willingness to use vulnerable people to advance his presidential dreams, he said.

The Trevor Projects 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health found that only one in three young transgender people consider their home to be gender-affirming.

Another report from the organisation, published in Transgender Health, found that acceptance of ones gender identity from their parents was associated with 4 per cent lower odds of attempting suicide among transgender and nonbinary youth.

Recent polling from Morning Consult on behalf of organisation found that 85 per cent of transgender and nonbinary youth reported negative impacts to their mental health following recent debates over state legislation that impacts their care.

When asked about legislation that would ban physicians from prescribing gender-affirming care, 7 per cent of respondents said it made them feel angry, 57 per cent felt sad, 47 per cent felt stressed, 40 per cent felt scared, and more than one-third felt hopeless, helpless, and/or nervous, according to the report.
It is probably one of the darkest days in Atlantas history. On June 3, 1962, an Air France charter flight from Paris to Atlanta crashed on takeoff from Frances Orly Field.

Friday marks the 60th anniversary of the crash.

A total of 130 people on board died  among them were 106 Atlanta arts patrons returning home from a tour of European capitals. Two flight attendants sitting in the rear of the Boeing 707 survived. At the time, it was considered the worst plane crash in aviation history.

Investigators later determined that the Atlanta-bound charter developed trouble as the pilot began the takeoff roll.

The pilot unsuccessfully attempted to abort the takeoff by locking the wheels and reversing the engines. The plane crashed just yards off the runway.

With many of its major arts patrons deceased, the city quickly started planning for a memorial to the victims. Former Atlanta mayor William B. Hartsfield called the Orly crash the greatest tragedy to hit Atlanta since the Civil War.

The loss of the citys most influential arts supporters helped pave the way for the Memorial Arts Building at the Woodruff Arts Center. The Woodruff Arts Center, which opened in 1968, stands as a memorial honoring the dead of Orly.

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Now, the city of Atlanta is getting ready to honor those who were killed 60 years ago.

Its just a special time for us to hold them up, said Hala Moddelmog, with the Woodruff Arts Center. If they were able to see this beautiful place right now, with all the kids running around  I think theyd be very pleased because their vision, their hope was for all Atlantans to be able to come to this beautiful, wonderful art center. And it just makes me happy that we have the honor and privilege of remembering them.

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After the Orly disaster the Atlanta Art Association evolved into the Atlanta Arts Alliance, which would eventually administer the High Museum of Art, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Alliance Theatre, the 14th Street Playhouse, and the Atlanta College of Art, the New Georgia Encyclopedia said. The center was opened to the public in 1968, when a casting of Auguste Rodins The Shade (LOmbre) was presented by the French government to the city of Atlanta, in memory of those who died at Orly.

The Woodruff Arts Center holds the distinction as being the only arts center in the nation that hosts three different types of art forms.

Moddelmog said the arts center was made possible by an anonymous donor, who was later identified as Coca-Cola founder Robert Woodruff.

On Friday, flowers were laid out in front of the Rodin sculpture in memory of those who died. The Atlanta City Council will also present a proclamation to honor the victims of the crash.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this article.

IN OTHER NEWS:
NEW BRUNSWICK  The federal government is looking to block the acquisition of Saint Peters Healthcare System by RWJBarnabas Health because it says it would harm competition for hospital services.

The Federal Trade Commission voted unanimously to take action to block the merger because, according to FTC Bureau of Competition Director Holly Vedova, there is overwhelming evidence that this acquisition would be bad for patients, because the parties would no longer have to compete to provide the lowest prices and the best quality and service.

"Saint Peter's University Hospital is less than one mile away from RWJ in New Brunswick, and they are the only two hospitals in that city," Vedova said.

In a statement on Friday, RWJBarnabas Health CEO Barry H. Ostrowsky and Saint Peters Healthcare System President and CEO Leslie D. Hirsch said they will be reviewing the FTCs complaint over the coming days and determine how to best move forward.

"Today, we were notified that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is going to file an administrative complaint and has authorized a suit in federal court to block our proposed transaction that would have enabled us to build the first premier academic medical center in New Jersey to increase services and provide better access to such care for New Jersey residents," the statement said. "We are incredibly disappointed by these FTC actions against our proposed transaction, which has received full approval from New Jerseys Attorney General and is supported by grassroots community groups, employer groups, unions, managed care organizations and elected officials at all levels within the State of New Jersey.

"We are most disappointed, however, for the people of New Jersey  especially those who reside in our most vulnerable, chronically underserved communities  who will be denied access to the complex care only provided by premier academic medical centers."

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Merger plans abandoned: Hackensack Meridian, Englewood Health terminate agreement

Saint Peters Healthcare System and RWJBarnabas Health signed an agreement in 2020 to merge the two health care systems. That announcement came less than a year after Saint Peters and RWJBarnabas signed a letter of intent to explore a strategic partnership.

Saint Peters Healthcare System and RWJBarnabas Health signed an agreement in 2020 to integrate the two health care systems.

The acquisition would give the combined health care system a market share of approximately 50 percent for general acute care services in Middlesex County as a whole, easily resulting in a presumption of harm under the antitrust laws, according to an FTC statement.

Saint Peters and RWJBarnabas are direct competitors and both systems routinely identify the other as the most significant competitor when assessing competition and strategizing on providing general acute care services in Middlesex County, the FTC said.

Earlier: Saint Peter's, RWJBarnabas to integrate health care systems

This competition incentivizes Saint Peters and RWJBarnabas to improve quality, technology, amenities, equipment, access to care and service offerings, according to the FTC.

The FTC also said the entry of other health providers into the general acute care services market in Middlesex County will not be timely, likely, or sufficient to counteract the anticompetitive effects of the acquisition.

The FTC's complaint also says that the acquisition would:

Eliminate important head-to-head competition between the parties. Today, the competition between the parties benefits both commercial insurers and all RWJBarnabas and Saint Peters patients, regardless of the insurer;

Increase concentration. The acquisition would likely increase concentration and substantially lessen competition in the market for general acute care services in Middlesex County; and

Leave insurers with fewer, less attractive alternatives. The only other general acute care hospitals in Middlesex County are located outside New Brunswick. A combined health system would likely be able to demand higher reimbursement rates and/or more onerous contractual terms than it does today, which will harm consumers

Besides the administrative complaint, the FTC voted to authorize its staff to seek a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction.

The federal court complaint and request for preliminary relief will be filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey to halt the transaction pending an administrative proceeding scheduled to begin on Nov. 29.

Headquartered in West Orange, RWJBarnabas is a nonprofit corporation that operates 12 general acute care hospitals, several ambulatory surgical centers, a pediatric rehabilitation hospital and a freestanding behavioral health center in New Jersey.

Saint Peters Healthcare is a nonprofit corporation headquartered in New Brunswick that operates an independent hospital, which includes a state-designated childrens hospital.

Earlier this spring, Hackensack Meridian Health and Englewood Health officially dropped their plans for a merger.

The two institutions dropped their fight against the FTCs objections to their plan for one of the state's largest health systems to acquire the Englewood hospital, a proposal that was announced with great fanfare  and promises of a $440 million investment by Hackensack Meridian  in October 2019.

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: RWJBarnabas and Saint Peters Healthcare merger challenged by FTC
Instructors and supporters of the Old Town School of Folk Music sing following a news conference and rally to announce a union organizing drive on Dec. 11, 2018. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Teachers at the Old Town School of Folk Music announced Friday that they have reached a tentative first contract agreement with the schools board of directors, nearing the end of a protracted negotiation that had lasted for more than two years.

The schools teaching artists voted overwhelmingly to unionize with the Illinois Federation of Teachers in 2019, forming the Old Town Teachers Organization. The union represents about 200 teachers in a variety of disciplines, most of whom teach at the school part time.

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The tentative agreement is still subject to a ratification vote by union membership and approval of the schools full board, according to Jennifer Hill, a spokesperson for the IFT. Both union leadership and school executive director and CEO Jim Newcomb said they hoped the contract would be ratified soon. Hill said ratification was expected to occur before the end of the month.

Its a very fair contract, were really thrilled to have been able to negotiate it, said Dona Benkert, a member of the unions bargaining committee who has taught at the school for more than three decades. Theres a lot of improvement in the working conditions as well as the pay structure.

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We are very happy to have reached a tentative agreement with our faculty, Newcomb said. It was a long, hard slog, but I think everyone involved can be happy with the contract, which balances the needs of our teachers, students and the school.

Both parties confirmed that, if ratified, the tentative agreement would provide for pay increases for teaching staff, starting with a 4% raise in the first year, and including increases in starting wages. The contract would also widen the pool of teachers eligible for health insurance by giving teachers credit, and paying them for time between classes. Teachers who work less than 18 hours per week are not eligible for health coverage, and the change would allow more teachers to bank enough working hours to meet that threshold. The contract would also lower the hours-per-week threshold for teachers to be eligible for paid time off.

For more than two years, the union and the schools management were unable to reach a contract agreement. In late May, teachers gathered outside the school in Ravenswood before one of the unions final bargaining sessions, where they performed union songs and prodded the schools management to come to an agreement with its staff.

You would think that the Old Town School of Folk Music, one speaker at the rally said, noting the schools display of portraits of the likes of Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie, would know the answer to the question Which side are you on? 

After that rally, Newcomb told the Tribune he rejected the suggestion that the school is dragging out negotiations in any way, and said its relationship with the staff was 100% a partnership between the two teams at this point.

Parties reached the tentative agreement following a final nine-hour bargaining session on Thursday, the IFT said in a statement.

We organized because it was the only way to be heard, said Bill Brickey, the unions co-president. He has worked at the school since 1990. It was the only way that our requests, our needs, carried any weight.

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Brickey gave credit to the schools management and board for being willing to come to the bargaining table.

Theyre to be applauded for it, and we are to be applauded for holding them accountable, he said.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on Thursday said he supports voters arming themselves when headed to the polls in an effort to protect against intimidation.

I sort of like [Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas] Massies legislation that maybe everyone whos a voter or on their way to vote ought to have the opportunity to carry a firearm to ensure that theyre not subject to any intimidation, Gaetz said.

Gaetzs comment came as the House Judiciary Committee was marking up a package of bills that seek to tighten gun regulations. Among the measures included is legislation that would prohibit straw purchases  when someone who cannot pass a background check purchases a firearm through a proxy buyer  and a bill that would raise the age requirement to purchase a semi-automatic weapon from 18 to 21 years old.

A Gaetz aide told The Hill that the congressman was referring to an amendment to the latter measure proposed Massie that seeks to create a carve-out from the age requirement for individuals registered for Selective Service, the system that tracks information on men ages 18 to 25 for national emergencies.

The amendment failed in a 24-20 vote.

Roughly a dozen states prohibit guns from being carried at polling sites, including California, Arizona, Florida and Georgia, according to the Los Angeles Times.

On the other hand, five key swing states  Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin  have not enacted bans on firearms at polling places, despite having the constitutional power to do so, according to a study pushed in September 2020 by Guns Down and the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, two gun control organizations.

Concerns regarding voter intimidation mounted around the 2020 presidential election, especially after then-President Trump encouraged his supporters to monitor polls on Election Day.

A number of states have passed voting bills in the aftermath of the 2020 race, including in Texas, where partisan poll watchers who can observe elections were given more authority. The bill in part prohibits election officials from turning down appointed poll watchers, making such a move a Class A misdemeanor.

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Gaetz is a supporter of gun rights. Last week, in response to a tweet asking why civilians need AR-15-style rifles, the Florida Republican listed target sport, Self defense and Hog hunting.

Just to name a few he added on Twitter.

The gun debate returned to national headlines last month after a gunman opened fire at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 students and two adults. Ten days before that, a gunman fatally shot 10 Black individuals in a racially motivated incident at a grocery store in Buffalo, N.Y.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Tuesday called for retired and former military members to step up to enhance security in schools following the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, last week.

Graham wrote in a thread posted to his Twitter account that the U.S. has hundreds of thousands of former military members who could bring a lot to the table in protecting schools and that trained ROTC instructors should be able to carry firearms to make schools more secure.

The senator also said that he is working on creating a certification process for former military members that will allow them to go through security training and prepare them to help schools across the country.

It is time to mobilize our retired and former service members who are willing to help secure our schools, Graham added in a follow-up tweet. Our schools are soft targets. They contain our most valuable possession  our children, the future of our country  and must be protected.

Grahams remarks reflect a GOP-led push to sharpen security in schools  and reject gun restriction proposals called for by Democrats and gun control advocates  following the massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde that killed 19 students and two teachers.

Texas officials and media reports said that some of the security measures Republicans have been calling for were already in place at Robb Elementary prior to the attack.

Federal programs intended to keep schools secure, such as the Student, Teachers and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act which provided more than $125 million in grants to schools, are in place across the country.

Grahams comments come as questions have swirled about the police response to the Uvalde shooting, with Texas officials saying that police should have confronted the shooter earlier.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Hill

Monkeypox has been found in 12 states and Washington, D.C., just weeks after it was first detected in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency has stressed that the virus, which spreads through prolonged skin to skin contact, is not a high risk to the public. However, the
Oxygen

A former Colorado jail guard accused of being part of an elaborate murder-for-hire plot has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping the victim. Jerry Banks, 34, of Fort Garland, Colorado, pleaded not guilty to a kidnapping charge on Thursday in Vermonts federal court, the Denver Post reports. He was arrested and charged in April in connection with the Jan. 6, 2018 murder of Gregory Davis, 49, of Vermont. The Denver Post notes that Banks was a part-time jail guard with the Costilla County Sheriffs Off
Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok on September 9, 2012, with then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Jim Watson/pool/AFP via Getty Images

Hillary Clinton described dealing with Vladimir Putin and his "messianic self-belief."

"Putin does not like critics, especially women critics," Clinton said, per The Guardian.

Clinton recalled a huge backlash for questioning the authenticity of Putin's election wins.

Hillary Clinton said spoke frankly about Russia's President Vladimir Putin Russia, saying he has a "messianic" self-belief, according to The Guardian.

Clinton was interviewed at the Hay literary festival in England on Thursday, the outlet said. She was asked about her reaction to the war in Ukraine and her own dealings with Putin  in which Putin lashed out at her for criticizing him.

During her time as Secretary of State, she saw "his almost messianic belief in himself and what he was destined to be," the paper reported her as saying.

Even then, she saw he had the "goal of restoring imperial Russia," she said.

She also said she saw the side of him that dislikes scrutiny, per the Guardian, saying: "Putin does not like critics, especially women critics.

When Putin was elected to his third presidential term in 2012, Clinton criticized the election as fraudulent, saying: "The Russian people, like people everywhere, deserve the right to have their voices heard and their votes counted," as The New York Times reported at the time.

Thousands of pro-democracy protesters emerged after the election, as NBC reported. Putin blamed the protests on Clinton's statement.

She later backed down, saying the White House was prepared to work with him, per the Times.

Then-US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks with then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin outside Moscow in Novo-Ogarevo on March 19, 2010. Alexey Nikolsky/AFP via Getty Images

"Putin then became very adversarial toward me with few exceptions," Clinton said on Thursday.

Putin's psychology has attracted scrutiny for as long as the US has been dealing with him  which has only ramped up since his invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Psychologists have attempted to understand his autocratic and authoritarian leadership, during which he has spent years attempting to cultivate a deeply macho image.

In May, Ukraine's head of military intelligence Maj. Gen Kyrylo Budanov claimed without evidence that Putin was in mental decline, in part due to chronic illness. (Experts have told Insider that there is "no credible evidence" Putin is ill.)

Read the original article on Business Insider
Oosterdam by Holland America Line

Courtesy of Holland America Line

Holland America Line is offering a month-long sale with up to 50% off cruise fares and other perks, the cruise line told Travel + Leisure.

The company's "Celebration Sale" comes as the cruise line plans to have its full fleet back in service this month. To take advantage, travelers must book a cruise by June 30 and sail by Sept. 30, 2023.

"Having our full fleet of 11 ships back in service after more than two years on pause is cause for celebration, and the promotion is our way of thanking guests for their loyalty and choosing to cruise with Holland America Line," Beth Bodensteiner, the chief commercial officer of Holland America Line, said in a statement provided to T+L. "The Celebration Sale crosses all of our global destinations, and the perks make it more affordable to book a dream vacation now."

The sale is valid on 2022 and 2023 sailings throughout the company's network, including to the Caribbean, Mexico, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Panama Canal, Canada and New England, Hawaii, the U.S. Pacific Coast, and the South Pacific. The sale is also valid on sailings in Alaska as well as on Alaska Cruisetours, which combine an Alaska cruise with a land tour to Denali National Park and the Yukon.

Travelers can also book the promotion for cruises to South America and Antarctica, as well as to New Zealand and Australia, which dropped its ban on cruise ships in April.

The sale is not valid on Grand Voyages or on itineraries that are three days or less.

In addition to discounts on the actual fare, travelers who book the sale will receive $50 in onboard spending money per guest  which can be used for everything from specialty dining to spa treatments and even shore excursions  and 50% reduced deposits. Guests can also combine the sale with Holland America's "Have It All" cruise fares, which include shore excursions, a beverage package, specialty dining, and a Wi-Fi package.

To offer travelers peace of mind, Holland America has extended its "Worry-Free Promise" to Dec. 31, 2022, allowing guests on all cruises booked by Sept. 30 to cancel for any reason up to 30 days before their departure and receive a credit for a future cruise. Travelers who test positive for COVID-19 within 30 days of a sailing will also receive a credit for a future cruise if booked by Sept. 30.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
ABC

Jimmy Kimmel just happened to be perusing Donald Trump Jr.s website recently when he noticed an odd description next to the various hats and shirts with hate-filled messages scrawled across them: Designed and embroidered in the USA.

The hypocrisy, they dont even try to hide it anymore, the late-night host said during his monologue Thursday night. I guess they dont need to hide it, nobody seems to notice.

But Kimmel did notice that while Trump Jr. is always talking about China, saying things like my father was tough on China or Hunter Bidens in bed with China, the labels on the products he sells tell a very different story.

For instance, Kimmel drew attention to a hat that reads FJBshort for Fuck Joe Bidenthat may have been designed and embroidered here, but we ordered one of the hats and boy, youre not gonna believe this, it was actually made in, how about that, China.

You wont find that on his website though, the host added, presenting product after product, from a Lets Go Brandon T-shirt to one that reads Lets Get Biden to Quit (Just in time for Pride Month) to the lovely sentiment, In a World Full of Alecs, Be a Kyle that were manufactured in countries like Nicaragua and El Salvador.

Bo Burnham Brutally Mocks Joe Rogan in Inside Outtakes

And why doesnt he have shirts made here? Kimmel asked. Because they cost about 30 percent more to have them made here.

After proudly showing his audience a Jimmy Kimmel Live! T-shirt that is actually made in the U.S.A, he shook his head, saying, Shameless, worthless grifters and leeches is what these people are.

For more, listen and subscribe to The Last Laugh podcast.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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One of the first signs that the pandemic would impose serious consequences on Chicago dance was when the Joffrey Ballet postponed Don Quixote, originally slated for late April 2020. It was to be their final performance at the Auditorium Theatre before moving to the Lyric Opera House.

That postponement would become a cancellation, followed by a rescheduled Don Quixote in February 2022, followed by another postponement due to spiking COVID-19 numbers last winter. So, it took a while to get here, but this wonderfully gaudy ballet is finally open and getting its due.

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Don Quixote continues through June 12 at the Lyric Opera House.

Considered among ballets classics, Don Quixote is loosely  very, very loosely  based on Miguel de Cervantes epic novel of the same name. The original opened the day after Christmas in 1869, when choreographer Marius Petipa was squarely in the middle of a long career with Russias Imperial Ballet. Petipas most enduring ballets  Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake  would come later. Don Quixote shares a formula with those later works and has all the marks of a Petipa ballet: a flimsy story, a village scene, men quibbling over who gets to marry the pretty girl, a dream sequence and a wedding, which is primarily an excuse for a grand pas de deux.

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Victoria Jaiani in Joffrey Ballets "Don Quixote." (Cheryl Mann / HANDOUT)

But Don Quixote has a distinctly different feel than Petipas other works. In part, that is due to its Spanish setting and Ludwig Minkus rousing score; the schmaltzier, more hummable ballets of Petipas late-career were mainly composed by Tchaikovsky. The Austrian composer Minkus, on the other hand, offers a utilitarian vehicle for unabashed, largely plotless dancing with a bit of Spanish flair slapped on. Most Don Quixotes are some version of Alexander Gorskys 1900 revival of the Petipa original. Here, Joffrey repeats its breezy two-act staging by Yuri Possokhov, well-loved when it premiered in 2011.

A sprightly youngblood named Victoria Jaiani danced the lead role as Kitri on opening night 11 years ago, as she did here with Dylan Gutierrez as her love interest Basilio, a humble barber. Considering that just five weeks ago, Gutierrez was making bunny-shaped sock puppets as the lovable Lennie Small in Of Mice and Men, if nothing else, Don Quixote is a gorgeous reminder of his, and this entire companys incredible range. Jaiani, matured, is no less magical as the still-girlish Kitri. Tribune critic Sid Smith described her 2011 performance as sparkling, kittenish and technically on fire. That characterization still applies.

Derrick Agnoletti and Miguel Angel Blanco in Joffrey Ballets "Don Quixote." (Cheryl Mann / HANDOUT)

The lead canonical roles are best known as showy, technical displays, more often excerpted as variations than performed as a full-length ballet, which is a shame since the most lovable bits are the character roles. Theres the sillily chivalrous and naive wannabe knight-errant, Don Quixote (Miguel Angel Blanco), who drifts to sleep and embarks, bed post sword in hand, on an epic journey with his beer-bellied sidekick Sancho Panza (Derrick Agnoletti). The aforementioned Kitri is betrothed to a ridiculous aristocrat, Gamache (Fernando Duarte), who struck a deal with her father, Lorenzo (Raul Casasola), essentially paying for Kitris hand (gross).

Comedy ensues, but not before group dance after group dance swirls about the Lyrics cavernous stage. Now the villagers dance with tambourines! Now the toreadors swing their capes around! Now a few more by Kitris two identically-dressed friends (Amanda Assucena and Valeria Chaykina)! How about one more duet and just a few more solos for Kitri and Basilio!

Don Quixote, Sancho and their faithful puppet horse (whose lower half is formed by two Joffrey youngsters in silver unitards) happen upon the village  a brief blip in Cervantes novel that takes up most, but not all, of this two-hour ballet.

Derrick Agnoletti as Sancho Panza and the Joffrey ensemble in "Don Quixote." (Cheryl Mann / HANDOUT)

For what is a ballet without a dream sequence full of fairies? After a treacherous journey through a storm that literally launches Don Quixote through the air, he and Sancho arrive safely at home. In an intoxicated fever dream, Don Quixote ascends to a mythical cloudland full of dancing dryads. By this time, he is clearly in love with Kitri too, and she appears as a fairy; Jaiani joins soloists Miu Tanaka, as a Cupid-like figure named Amore, and Gayeon Jung, Queen of the Dryads, with a corps of tutued sylphs flitting around them.

This Don Quixote is a fun and beautiful ballet, well-danced and, by the end, bringing audiences to their feet. But I couldnt help feeling a somewhat flat affect throughout the evening. Minkus score never really jumped out of the orchestra pit. Save Jaiani and Gutierrezs death-defying overhead lifts and the ballets whirling signature turn sequences, the cheesy, overwrought bravura this ballet needs from all its soloists rarely bubbled to the surface, leaving much of that work to Jaiani, Gutierrez and the comedic character roles.

I cant figure out whether that sense of fatigue was on their end or mine; even as I write this it feels picky and trite. Better to remember how much it took to get here. When I think back to 2020 and those first devastating cancellations, it feels like a luxury to over-analyze such an evening.

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More significant, perhaps, than Don Quixote itself is the list of era-ending departures that follow its final curtain on June 12. With Agnoletti, April Daly and Temur Suluashvili and a few others pending retirements  those three alone having collectively spent 60 years at the Joffrey Ballet  fewer than a handful of dancers hired by Gerald Arpino remain. While such a shift was inevitable  despite what it looks like, dancers are, in fact, mere mortals  it nonetheless is a tick on the timeline of this ever-evolving ballet company.

Review: The Joffrey Ballets Don Quixote (3.5 stars)

When: Through June 12

Where: Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive

Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Tickets: $35-$188 at 312-386-8905 and joffrey.org
A Fulton County judge has denied bond for Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffrey Williams.

Judge Ural Glanville handed down the ruling Thursday evening saying he has significant concerns about Williams being a danger to the community and flight.

Williams co-founded a violent street gang that committed multiple murders, shootings and carjackings over roughly a decade and promoted its activities in songs and on social media, prosecutors allege in a sprawling indictment that charges him, rapper Gunna and 26 others with racketeering.

He was arrested last month at his home in Buckhead, an upscale neighborhood north of downtown Atlanta. He was being held on charges of conspiracy to violate Georgias RICO Act and participation in a criminal street gang.

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The judge cited allegations that he is leader of a dangerous gang and more as to why he denied Williams bond.

Earlier in the day, prosecutors wanted William attorney to recuse himself due to a conflict of interest.

The judge allowed the lawyer to continue for now, but said he would revisit the issue later.

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Lawrence County Superior Court I Judge John Plummer III has issued two summonses for a couple of former Lawrence County Jail employees, according to a Friday afternoon news release from the Indiana State Police.

The summonses stem from two separate investigations.

Dining: Pub 15 opens in downtown Bedford, offering 'elevated pub food.'

Michael Haag, 55, of Bedford, faces a level 6 felony of assisting a criminal.

According to the release, Indiana State Police Trooper Cody Brown was assigned to investigate Haag in March 2022.

At the time, Haag was a supervisor at the Lawrence County Jail.

"Haag had allegedly assisted a criminal who had an active warrant for their arrest and failed to report the whereabouts and/or failed to assist law enforcement with the arrest of the suspect," ISP said in its release.

A search warrant was issued and "electronic evidence was found to corroborate the investigation."

Other investigation

Another jail employee faces one count of domestic battery, a class A misdemeanor.

According to the release, this investigation stemmed from an April 2022 incident in which Brown was called to a home in Mitchell to look into a situation due to a conflict of interest.

A legacy soaked in pain: Nancy Germano talks 'Indiana & the Great Flood of 1913' book.

The former jail worker was identified as 46-year-old Dustin Allen who, at the time, was a jail supervisor.

After the investigation, a probable cause affidavit was submitted to Special Persecutor Chris Gaal "which alleges Allen did knowingly touch another person in a rude, insolent or angry manner as defined by Indiana Code."

The two cases are separate and are not connected, ISP notes.

Contact Reporter-Times editor Lance Gideon at lgideon@reporter-times.com or 765-342-1543. Follow him on Twitter: @LanceOGideon.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Mail: Former Lawrence County Jail employees summonsed by Judge Plummer
The policy is at the center of a lawsuit from conservative students with the nonprofit group Speech First

A U.S. district court judge in Texas has sided with a conservative group that says the University of Houstons anti-discrimination policy is a violation of free speech.

As reported by The Houston Chronicle, U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes blocked the university from re-implementing a former version of its anti-discrimination policy, which is at the center of a lawsuit from conservative students with the nonprofit group Speech First.

The University of Houston (Photo: Screenshot/uh.com)

The lawsuit was filed against the university after it implemented a policy that stated students will be expelled or put on probation if they subject their peers to unlawful severe, pervasive, or persistent treatment because of their race, color, gender, age, religion or sexual orientation, per the report.

As reported previously by theGrio, the universitys policy, posted on its website, says, in part: Examples that could satisfy this legal standard include, but are not limited to: epithets or slurs, negative stereotyping, threatening, intimidating or hostile acts, denigrating jokes and display or circulation (including through e-mail) of written or graphic material in the learning, living, or working environment.

The lawsuit lists the unnamed students as Students A, B and C, and notes personal beliefs that they are afraid to discuss because of the universitys policy. For example, per theGrio report, Student B doesnt want to use pronouns and play along with the fiction that people can decide whether they are a male, a female, or neither, according to the lawsuit filed in the United States District Court, Southern District of Texas.

Universities should not be ideological instruments for propagating expression carefully curated to match whatever ideas and beliefs happen to be popular at the moment, said Speech First Executive Director Cherise Trump.

 BREAKING: Speech First has just WON an injunction against @UHouston for silencing students through its "overbroad harassment policy."



You can read more here 

https://t.co/PX9HRN0Ver pic.twitter.com/mZm3MVxN37  Speech First (@Speech_First) May 23, 2022

Hughes, a Reagan appointee, granted a preliminary injunction to Speech First in May, saying his final ruling will most likely side with the students, according to The Houston Chronicle. Hughes said the ruling was necessary to provide students defenses against arbitrary professors.

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The University cannot choose to abide by the First Amendment in the Constitution, Hughes wrote. It is not guidance  it is the law.

This is another huge victory for students in Texas, Trump said. The courts ruling sends a clear message to all universities that restrictions on student speech will not be tolerated simply because listeners find certain ideas to be offensive or controversial.

Trump continued, The Universitys policy subjects students to formal discipline for harassment for merely expressing mainstream conservative opinions that other students find objectionable. This overbroad restriction on speech forces students to habitually self-censor and refrain from beliefs that are inconsistent with the consensus on campus. Higher education should be a sanctuary for debate where students can express their beliefs and engage with opposing viewpoints.

The ruling bars the University of Houston from implementing its previous anti-discrimination policy during the litigation.

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The post Judge signals he will rule in favor of students who say university policy banning slurs chills free speech rights appeared first on TheGrio.
A Kentucky school board on Thursday voted to start the process of firing a superintendent who has been accused in a lawsuit of sexually harassing a teacher, the board attorney said.

The Spencer County School Board sent Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason Glass a request for approval to remove Superintendent Charles Chuck Adams, Kentucky Department of Education spokeswoman Toni Konz Tatman confirmed for the Herald-Leader Friday.

Adams has been on leave since last year, Spencer County Board Attorney Grant Chenoweth said. An assistant superintendent, Chuck Abell, is the acting superintendent.

Chenoweth said the lawsuit triggered the board action. After the lawsuit was filed, a separate investigation also occurred that concluded that Adams conduct was inappropriate but not sexual in nature.

Chenoweth, who represents several Kentucky school boards, said firing a superintendent is not very common.

Allegations in lawsuit; investigation findings

Online court records show that Spencer schools employee Hannah Jaggers filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the school board in 2021. It is ongoing. The lawsuit said the school board knew about the harassment and failed to take action.

The lawsuit allegations include that in one instance, Adams told Jaggers that she could have his extra ticket to a game and be his plus one and ride with him, the lawsuit said.

On one occasion, Adams grabbed the teachers foot as he walked by her on the bleachers, the lawsuit alleged and that he stuck his hand on top of hers as she put her hand in a box of candy, the lawsuit said. Jaggers attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.

The school board said in its charge document that Adams violated the professional code of conduct. The behavior, as the teacher described in her lawsuit against the school board, appears to be substantiated, the document said.

The document said that the conduct Adams directed against the teacher was not sexual in nature, but the unwanted behavior failed to safeguard her freedom to teach.

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Adams frequently paid visits to Jaggers classroom. Text messages sent from Adams to Jaggers personal phone about matters unrelated to work reflected a utilization of institutional privilege for his personal benefit, according to the charges document.

He denied sending the text messages but they were later corroborated with screen shots, the charges document said.

Adams justified the excessive attention by saying he showed Spencer County natives and Spencer County high school graduates extra attention, but the document said that was not true. Additionally, the document said Adams intended to retaliate against those who brought the allegations to light.

These behaviors distract from the educational mission of the Spencer County Public Schools, the document said.

Adams could not immediately be reached for comment.

What happens now?

Glass has 30 days to review and approve the charges as well as look at how the school district performed academically under Adams leadership, Chenoweth said. If Glass approves the boards request to move ahead with the firing, the superintendent is entitled to an administrative hearing by the board and can have an attorney represent him.

Abell, the acting superintendent, said Friday, Spencer County School District is a great place to work and learn and we continue to focus on our students despite the distractions caused by this situation.
Headlines about interactions between police and people in North Carolina and around the country ending in injuries, lawsuits and even deaths have raised questions about what officers are allowed to do and what rights people have.

Whether youre pulled over, stopped on the street or find police at your door, you do have rights that you can exercise in your interaction. Still, there are things police do have the authority to do.

If you feel that police have overstepped, there are also actions you can take to get accountability.

Heres what to know about your rights when interacting with police in North Carolina:

What are your rights when police come to your home in North Carolina?

If police come to your home, you do not have to let them in unless they have certain kinds of warrants, the ACLU of North Carolina advises.

Ask the officer to slip the warrant under the door or hold it up to the window so you can inspect it, the group recommends.

If police have a search warrant, they can enter the address listed on the warrant, but officers can only search the areas and for the items listed. If they have an arrest warrant, they can enter the home of the person listed on the warrant if they believe the person is inside.

Even if officers have a warrant you have the right to remain silent, the ACLU adds. If you choose to speak to the officers, step outside and close the door.

If arrested, you should ask for a lawyer, the ACLU recommends, and you have the right to a free one if you cant afford one.

If you feel your rights were violated, the ACLU says, you should make note of the details of the incident and report them to the ACLU or file a complaint.

What are your rights when pulled over in North Carolina?

If youre being pulled over, you need to put on your turn signal and pull off to the right as soon as you can safely do so, the North Carolinas drivers license handbook says. If theres not an obvious safe space to immediately stop, you should put on your flashers and slow down to signal that youre aware of the situation and looking for space to pull over.

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Once pulled over, the ACLU recommends turning off your car, turning on your cars internal light, opening your window part way and putting your hands on the steering wheel. You should also turn off the radio, the states handbook says.

If youre being pulled over by an unmarked vehicle, the state handbook says, you may call 911 to report your name and location in order to verify that an actual law enforcement officer is conducting the traffic stop.

Police can ask to see your drivers license, vehicle registration and proof of car insurance. Per the state handbook, you should also disclose immediately if you have a weapon in your car.

You can refuse to consent to a search of your car, per the ACLU, but if police believe your car contains evidence of a crime, your car can be searched without your consent. You also still have the right to remain silent during a traffic stop.

Passengers also have the right to remain silent and may ask police for permission to leave, the ACLU adds.

Again, if youre arrested the ACLU recommends getting an attorney immediately and noting the details of any issues that need to be reported to the ACLU or reported in a complaint.

What about if youre stopped on the street?

If youre stopped by police, the North Carolina ACLU recommends that you stay calm and not try to argue, run away or resist, even if you are innocent or police are violating your rights.

You can ask if you can leave and, if told yes, do so calmly, the ACLU says.

You also have the right to remain silent and cannot be punished for refusing to answer questions. If you wish to remain silent, tell the officer out loud, the ACLU adds.

You dont have to consent to searches of yourself or your belongings, but police may pat down your clothing if they suspect a weapon.

You should not physically resist, but you have the right to refuse consent for any further search, the ACLU says. If you do consent, it can affect you later in court.

If you are arrested, you can and should ask for a lawyer, the ACLU recommends.

And if you feel your rights have been violated, you should take notes of the details of the incident and file a written complaint or call your local ACLU.

What about officers in schools?

Students also have rights when approached by school resource or safety officers, the ACLU of North Carolina says.

If stopped or questioned, students can ask if they can leave and, if yes, calmly and silently walk away, the ACLU says.

Students also have the right to remain silent and can also ask to have a lawyer, a parent or another adult present before you are questioned, the ACLU adds.

Searches must be related to the crime that youre suspected of committing, and officers cannot search you based on a feeling, a rumor, the color of your skin, or the clothes youre wearing.

Police and school employees are never allowed to strip search you, the ACLU adds.

Students also have the right, per the ACLU, to take pictures and video of on-duty police in public areas at your school as long as you dont interfere with what theyre doing and phones are allowed in the school.
By Mark Trevelyan

LONDON (Reuters) - Senegal's President Macky Sall said Russia's Vladimir Putin had told him on Friday he was ready to enable the export of Ukrainian grain to ease a global food crisis that is hitting Africa especially hard.

"President #Putin has expressed to us his willingness to facilitate the export of Ukrainian cereals," Sall wrote on Twitter after meeting Putin in his role as chairman of the African Union.

Russia was also ready to ensure the export of its own wheat and fertiliser, Sall said after the talks in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on day 100 of Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Sall did not say if Putin had attached any conditions to his offer. Russia has previously said it is ready to allow vessels carrying food to leave Ukraine in return for the lifting of some Western sanctions against it, a proposal that Ukraine has described as "blackmail".

Related video: Pope urges lifting of Ukraine's wheat export block

Africa is heavily dependent on grain supplies from Russia and Ukraine that have been badly disrupted by the war.

"I have come to see you, to ask you to be aware that our countries, even far from the theatre (of war), are the victims of this economic crisis," Sall told Putin earlier.

Russia's army has seized much of Ukraine's southern coastline and its warships control access to the country's Black Sea ports. Yet it continues to blame Ukraine and the West for the resulting halt in Ukrainian grain exports.

Putin told Russian state TV in an interview broadcast on Friday evening that Ukraine could export grain from ports including Odesa if it cleared them of mines.

"Let them remove the mines, we guarantee them free passage to international waters," he said.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Odesa and the surrounding region have repeatedly been struck by Russian missiles and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said last month its port was paralysed for probably the first time since World War Two.

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Putin said the easiest way to ship out Ukrainian grain would be via neighbouring Belarus, but that would require the West to lift sanctions on Belarus.

Moscow says sanctions are also hitting its own grain and fertiliser exports, aggravating the shortages. Ukraine and Western governments accuse Russia of weaponising the food crisis.

"We are now seeing attempts to shift the responsibility for what is happening on the world food market, the emerging problems in this market, onto Russia. This is an attempt, as our people say, to shift these problems from a sick head to a healthy one," Putin said.

African countries are acutely affected by the growing crisis, which has sent prices of grains, cooking oils, fuel and fertilizer soaring.

Russia and Ukraine account for nearly a third of global wheat supplies, while Russia is also a key global fertilizer exporter and Ukraine is a major exporter of corn and sunflower oil.

(Additional reporting by Bate Felix in Dakar, editing by Frances Kerry and David Evans)
Kuwaits Foreign Ministry and the U.S. embassy in the country clashed over a pro-LGBT tweet published by the embassy in honor of Pride month, which is celebrated in June in the United States.

The Middle Eastern country, where same-sex relations are criminalized, issued a swift rebuke, summoning the acting U.S. embassy Charges dAffaires James Holtsnider and demanding that the embassy not publish such tweets.

The tweet from the U.S. embassy in Kuwait, which was accompanied by a rainbow flag image, said, All human beings should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear no matter who they are or whom they love.

All human beings should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear no matter who they are or whom they love. @POTUS is a champion for the human rights of #LGBTQI persons. #Pride2022 #YouAreIncluded pic.twitter.com/gdPPBDlHZH  U.S. Embassy Kuwait (@USEmbassyQ8) June 2, 2022

The U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia, where the death penalty is imposed for same-sex sexual activity, also posted a tweet expressing its solidarity with the LGBT community on Wednesday.

This is not the first time a U.S. embassy has clashed with a countrys anti-gay laws. Last year, the U.S. embassy in the United Arab Emirates flew the rainbow flag on its flagpole and caused controversy in the country, in which same-sex relations are also criminalized.

According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), 69 U.N. member States continued to criminalize consensual same-sex activity as of 2020.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Kyle Rittenhouse's lawyer says his client intends to file a slew of defamation lawsuits  chiefly against parties like Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg. Sean Krajacic/Pool via Getty Images

Kyle Rittenhouse's lawyer says his client is looking to file "at least 10" defamation lawsuits.

The lawyer said the cases would be filed against defendants like Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg.

Rittenhouse said that the Depp v. Heard verdict was "fueling" his drive to file lawsuits of his own.

A lawyer representing Kyle Rittenhouse said that their team is gearing up to file "at least 10" defamation lawsuits against large companies and prominent individuals on behalf of Rittenhouse.

Todd McMurtry, Rittenhouse's new attorney, told Fox News Digital that he had been "hired to head the effort to determine whom to sue, when to sue, where to sue."

Per the outlet, McMurtry added that he was "assured that there's probably 10 to 15 solid" cases that could be filed against "large defendants."

McMurtry singled out Facebook and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, accusing the platform of defaming Rittenhouse, per Fox News Digital. The lawyer added that Zuckerberg would be "at the top" of the list of parties to be sued by Rittenhouse, because of his "outsized voice."

"They said that he was involved in a mass murder incident," McMurtry said, per the outlet, referring to Facebook and Zuckerberg. "This was not a mass murder incident. It was clearly factually false."

He told Fox News Digital that his team would be looking into everything said about Rittenhouse to determine which comments were "legally actionable."

"To call somebody a mass murderer is seriously defamatory. And then to use the power of social media to basically  censor any views that would take opposition to that mass murderer statement is a serious effort to destroy his character," the lawyer added, per the outlet.

McMurtry is known for representing Nicholas Sandmann in lawsuits against major media outlets like The Washington Post and CNN.

Sandmann was dubbed the "the Covington Catholic kid" after a video showing him smirking at activists during a tense standoff near the Lincoln Memorial went viral. He later sued media outlets for defamation, claiming that they had portrayed him as a white nationalist.

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Sandmann has encouraged Rittenhouse to do the same, citing the success of his legal actions against media organizations.

Rittenhouse, who fatally shot two men and injured a third in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in August 2020, was acquitted in November 2021 of five charges, including first-degree homicide. Rittenhouse and his mother, Wendy Rittenhouse, have accused several parties  from President Joe Biden to media outlets and celebrities  of "defaming" him.

Rittenhouse said on Wednesday that Johnny Depp's victory over Amber Heard in court was motivating him to pursue his own defamation lawsuits.

"Johnny Depp trial is just fueling me, you can fight back against the lies in the media, and you should!" he tweeted.

In February, Rittenhouse hinted that he might be looking sue media organizations. He told Fox News' Tucker Carlson that he was launching an initiative called The Media Accountability Project to raise funds to sue politicians, celebrities, and athletes.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Booking photo of Los Angeles Police Officer Matthew Calleros. (Orange Police Department Via AP)

A 24-year LAPD veteran pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing a pickup from an Orange County car dealership in 2019.

Matthew Calleros, 46, of Whitter, pleaded guilty to felony vehicle theft, forgery of registration or license plates and false impersonation in addition to three misdemeanor counts of unauthorized disclosure of DMV records, according to Orange County Superior Court records.

He was sentenced to 180 days in jail, two years probation and ordered to pay an undisclosed amount in restitution, court records show.

He is expected to report to jail by Aug. 26.

The charges stem from the theft reported in October 2019 when Calleros drove a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado off the lot of B&J Car Co. in Orange after sending a salesman away to look at the vehicle's history.

After the vehicle was reported stolen, he posed as a different LAPD police officer to inform the department's Vehicle Warrant Unit that the pickup had been recovered.

Prosecutors said Calleros affixed the stolen vehicle with a license plate from a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and used a confidential law enforcement database to check both license plate numbers.

Calleros was arrested at LAPD's Hollenbeck Division station, where he had been assigned, in November 2020 after an investigation by LAPD and Orange Police Department.

The stolen pickup was located in the station's parking lot, prosecutors said.

The LAPD did not immediately respond to questions regarding Calleros' employment. The department said last year that he had been suspended and stripped of his police powers.

He was charged in February 2021 and initially pleaded not guilty.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
When Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in late February, the Russian president vowed his forces would not occupy the neighboring country. But as the invasion reached its 100th day Friday, Russia seemed increasingly unlikely to relinquish the territory it has taken in the war.

The ruble is now an official currency in the southern Kherson region, alongside the Ukrainian hryvnia. Residents there and in Russia-controlled parts of the Zaporizhzhia region are getting offered Russian passports. The Kremlin-installed administrations in both regions have talked about plans to become part of Russia.

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The Moscow-backed leaders of separatist areas in eastern Ukraines Donbas region, which is mostly Russian-speaking, have shared similar intentions. Putin recognized the separatists self-proclaimed republics as independent states two days before launching the invasion. Fighting has intensified in Ukraines east as Russia seeks to liberate all of the Donbas.

The Kremlin has largely kept mum about its plans for the cities, towns and villages it has bombarded with missiles, encircled and finally captured.

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Russian troops have succeeded in their main stated task of protecting civilians in the separatist-controlled areas. He added that Russian forces have liberated parts of Ukraine and this work will continue until all the goals of the special military operation are achieved.

In a video message marking the wars first 100 days, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that his country would not submit easily to Russian aggression after showing it could withstand months of attacks from a larger adversary.

We have defended Ukraine for 100 days already. Victory will be ours, he said

Annexing more land from Ukraine was never the main goal of the invasion, but Moscow is unlikely to let go of its military gains, according to political analysts.

Of course (Russia) intends to stay, Andrei Kolesnikov, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said. To Russia, its a pity to give away what has been occupied, even if it was not part of the original plan.

The wife, right, and the mother, second from right, of Army Col. Oleksander Makhachek mourn over his coffin during a funeral service in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, June 3, 2022. (Natacha Pisarenko/AP)

Putin has described the goals of the invasion somewhat vaguely, saying it was aimed at the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine. It was widely believed that the Kremlin intended initially to install a pro-Moscow government in Kyiv and to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and taking other steps away from Russias sphere of influence.

Russia captured much of Kherson and neighboring Zaporizhzhia early in the war, gaining control over most of Ukraines Sea of Azov coast and securing a partial land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

There was hardly a warm welcome from the locals. Residents of the cities of Kherson and Melitopol took to the streets to protest the occupation, facing off with Russian soldiers in plazas. Ukrainian officials warned that Russia might stage a referendum in Kherson to declare the region an independent state.

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They installed people with pro-Kremlin views to replace replace mayors and other local leaders who had disappeared in what Ukrainian officials and media said were kidnappings. Russian flags were raised Russian state broadcasts that promoted the Kremlins version of the invasion supplanted Ukrainian TV channels.

The Russian ruble this month was introduced as the second official currency in both the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions  at least in the parts under Russian control  and pro-Russian administrations started offering a one-time social payment of 10,000 rubles (roughly $163) to local residents.

Top Russian officials started touring the regions, touting the territories prospects for being integrated into Russia. Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin visited Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in mid-May and indicated they could become part of our Russian family.

A senior official in the Kremlins ruling United Russia party, Andrei Turchak, put it even more bluntly in a meeting with residents of Kherson: Russia is here forever.

Members of the pro-Kremlin administrations in both regions soon announced that the areas would seek to be incorporated into Russia. While it remains unclear when or if it will happen, Russia is laying the groundwork.

An office of Russias migration services opened in Melitopol, taking applications for Russian citizenship in a fast-track procedure Putin expanded to residents of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. The rapid procedure was first implemented in 2019 in the rebel-controlled areas of the Donbas, where more than 700,000 people have received Russian passports.

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Oleg Kryuchkov, an official in Russia-annexed Crimea, said this week that the two southern regions have switched to Russian internet providers; state media ran footage of people lining up to get Russian SIM cards for their cellphones. Kryuchkov also said that both regions were switching to the Russian country code, +7, from the Ukrainian +380.

Senior Russian lawmaker Leonid Slutsky, a member of the Russian delegation in stalled peace talks with Ukraine, said that referendums on joining Russia could take place in the Donbas, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions as early as July.

Kremlin spokesman Peskov was evasive when asked Friday whether Russian authorities planned to hold votes in those areas, saying that it would depend on the course of Russias offensive. He and other Russian officials have said repeatedly that it would be up to local residents to determine their future status.

Tatyana Stanovaya, founder and CEO of R.Politik, an independent think tank on Russian politics, thinks Putin doesnt want to rush the referendums and run the risk of them being denounced as shams.

He wants the referendum to be real, so that the West can see that, indeed, Russia was right, the people want to live with Russia, Stanovaya said.

Nila Zelinska holds a doll belonging to her granddaughter, she was able to find in her destroyed house in Potashnya outskirts Kyiv, Ukraine, May 31, 2022. (Natacha Pisarenko/AP)

Ukrainian experts say it is not going to be easy for the Kremlin to rally genuine support in Ukraines south.

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Volodymyr Fesenko, of the Kyiv-based Penta Center think tank, said residents of the southern regions identify as Ukrainians much more strongly than the people in areas closer to Russia or have been led by the Moscow-backed separatists for eight years.

We already see that the occupying Russian administration is forced to tighten the screws and intensify repressions in the southern regions, since it cannot effectively control the protest sentiment, Fesenko said. And this causes a new wave of discontent among the population, which received nothing but Russian SIM cards and high Russian prices.

Local residents echoed Fesenkos sentiment.

Petro Kobernyk, 31, an activist with a nongovernmental organization who fled Kherson with his wife, said Russian repression began in the first days of the occupation.

Hundreds of pro-Ukrainian activists, including my friends, are being held in the basements of security services, Kobernyk said by phone. Those who actively express their position are kidnapped and tortured, threatened and forced out of the region.

His claims could not be independently verified. Russian forces keep people in an an information vacuum, with Ukrainian websites no longer available, Kobernyk said.

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He described a bleak life in Kherson. With many stores shut down, the city has turned into an endless market where people exchange goods for medicines and food.

But some in Ukraine have welcomed Russias actions.

Vadim Romanova, a 17-year-old from the devastated port city of Mariupol said one of his dreams has come true.

Ive wanted to live in Russia since I was little, and now I realize I dont even have to move anywhere, he said.
Robert Chavez, 49, was convicted May 24 of the 2009 double homicide of Max Griego, Jr. and Mary Hudson Gutierrez.

Chavez was sentenced June 2 to two consecutive life sentences for the deaths which prosecutors argued he ordered as a leader of the AZ Boys,' an organization connected to drug trafficking and other crimes.

These sentences are to run consecutive with previous sentences, including a 26-year sentence for drug trafficking and a life plus 21 year sentence for the murder of Richard Valdez.

Robert Chavez

For 13 years we have been waiting for justice and perhaps we have closed the book on the AZ Boys," 12th Judicial District Attorney Scot Key said in a news release.

Both Hudson Gutierrez and Griego we killed at Hudson Gutierrez' house on Montlake Terrace in Alamogordo, court records state. The case went cold until almost a decade later when indictments were returned on Jan. 8, 2019.

Story continues below.

Chavez and his brother Joe D. Chavez, Jr. were leaders of the AZ Boys drug trafficking organization. The AZ Boys imported methamphetamine from Phoenix into Otero County.

The Chavez brothers and their associate Matias Loza were each charged with two counts of first-degree felony murder (willful and deliberate) in the double homicide of Griego and Hudson Gutierrez July 5, 2009.

Mary Aaron Hudson Gutierrez

Griego, 27, was pronounced dead inside the home after receiving medical treatment for gunshot wounds at the residence. His death came after an attempted kidnapping.

Hudson Gutierrez, 34, was transported to Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center, then airlifted to an El Paso hospital, but was pronounced dead at the hospital from gunshot wounds. Her death came after an attempted burglary.

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While the investigation into both deaths was happening, another homicide believed to be related to the AZ Boys was being investigated.

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Joe Chavez, Jr.'s son-in-law, Richard Valdez, was killed and his body put in his car and the car set on fire in 2011.

Maximiliano Max Griego III

"During the investigation of the Valdez death, the Otero County Narcotics Enforcement unit culminated their separate investigation of drug trafficking activity and were about to indict the organization for a large-scale narcotic smuggling from Phoenix to Alamogordo," a 12th Judicial District Attorney's Office news release states.

"Multiple indictments were returned by the grand jury including racketeering and money laundering. Robert Chavez, Joe Chavez Jr, Matias Loza, and others were indicted in May of 2012."

Loza pled guilty to the murders of Valdez as well as Hudson Gutierrez and Griego and was sentenced to life without parole.

Joe Chavez Jr. is currently serving 48 years for drug trafficking, followed by life plus 15 years for the Valdez murder and the double homicide of Griego and Hudson Gutierrez.

Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. If you have questions about your subscription, please contact Customer Service at AlamogordoDailyNews@Gannett.com or call 1-877-301-0013.

This article originally appeared on Alamogordo Daily News: Chavez gets two life sentences for 2009 double murder
Christina Taylor holds plaster casts of her baby's hands and feet at her home in Littleton, Colo., on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Taylor chose to get an abortion when she found out after 20 weeks that her baby had no kidneys or bladder. Taylor said she honors her loss with the casts, which were made by the hospital's bereavement team. (Thomas Peipert / Associated Press)

An 18-year-old was undergoing treatment for an eating disorder when she learned she was pregnant, already in the second trimester. A mom of two found out at 20 weeks that her much-wanted baby had no kidneys or bladder. A young woman was raped and couldn't fathom continuing a pregnancy.

Abortions later in pregnancy are relatively rare, even more so now with the availability of medications to terminate early pregnancies.

Across large parts of the United States, they are also increasingly difficult to obtain.

Now, if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion, women will face even more hurdles in some parts of the country and may have to travel to another state to get an abortion.

That means more women could end up having the procedure later than they wish, and the burden falls more heavily on some groups, such as teens, poor, Black, Latino and Native American women and those who live in states where access to any abortion is limited.

Its not because people dont want to have them sooner, said Dr. Diane Horvath, an OB-GYN in Baltimore who has performed abortions for 16 years. Its because barriers and new information cause them to have to push it back to later in pregnancy.

The Associated Press interviewed three women who had abortions later in their pregnancy. While their backgrounds and reasons for terminating their pregnancies were varied, none expressed doubt about their decision  or said they were traumatized by it  and all said they were grateful that they were able to do it.

Wanted baby, missing organs

Christina Taylor already had two kids when she became pregnant with her third. Everything was going well at the start and she was looking forward to welcoming a new baby into the family.

When she was 20 weeks pregnant, Taylor went for an ultrasound and basic anatomy scan that is normally done at this stage. For most people, this is a time to find out the babys sex. For some, its also when fetal abnormalities are detected.

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I laid down and the ultrasound tech was doing her thing and she was getting really quiet and was taking a really long time, she recalled. She left the room at one point, I need to talk to the doctor.

When the tech returned, Taylor could see from the look on her face that something was wrong. When the doctor arrived, he told the couple that there was no amniotic fluid. There were also no kidneys. The baby would probably not survive the pregnancy, or if by some miracle made it to full term, he would die shortly after birth.

I told the doctor, look, Im not sure. I dont buy the age of viability thing, but for my own mental health and for the health of my family I want to terminate my pregnancy as soon as possible, Taylor recalled.

She got a second doctors opinion and an MRI, which not only confirmed that there were no kidneys present but also no bladder.

Fortunately, in Colorado, abortion is legal, as it was at the time, with no gestational limits. In the U.S., nearly all abortions take place in the first trimester of pregnancy. Just over 6% of abortions were performed at 14 to 20 weeks gestation, the second trimester, in 2019 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fewer than 1% took place at 21 weeks or later, in the third, based on the most recent data available.

Taylors story shows what getting an abortion with access to good healthcare, health insurance and no legal obstacles can look like.

I had the option to wait it out and see when he passed and then, you know, youd have a stillbirth. But I knew I couldnt do that. Like, I couldnt put my kids through that, Taylor said.

On the way home from the MRI, she called her insurance company and found that it covered both types of abortion procedures: dilation and evacuation, and induction and dilation. She chose the latter, which essentially would mean inducing labor and going through delivery. This way, she could have the procedure in a maternity ward, with a team of midwives.

There was a small chance that he could have been born still alive and we would have been able to hold him and say goodbye when he passed, Taylor said.

She labored for a day and a half. Given the circumstances, she recalled it as an overall positive experience, knowing how much worse it could have been had they still lived in Texas, where even in 2017 the procedure would not have been legal. The states current ban of all abortions after six weeks makes no exceptions  Taylor would have had to travel out of state to receive care, or possibly wait until her baby died in her womb, putting her at increased risk of infections and even death.

Only eight states allow abortions at any time during a pregnancy. Twenty states have no specific time limits but prohibit abortions at the time of fetal viability, which is generally considered to be around 23 or 24 weeks but depends on a host of other factors besides gestational age.

I still grieve to this day for the loss of my son, and my husband does too, said Taylor, who has been sharing her abortion story to bring attention to experiences such as hers. But you know, we accept that thats something that happens sometimes. And especially because of the context of knowing how lucky we were to just not have laws in the way of just doing what felt right.

'I would rather die'

Everyone thinks you present pregnancies the same way. You miss a period, you throw up, you take a test and at five weeks, you know youre pregnant. And that is just not how life shakes out for a lot of people, said Erika Christensen, founder of PatientForward, a nonprofit that helps people access later abortions.

Jenn Chalifoux, now 30 and studying law at the University of Colorado in Boulder, became pregnant in 2010 when she was 18 and receiving inpatient care for an eating disorder in New York. Her story touches on popular myths: that women always know they are pregnant and that women in liberal states with laws that ban only rare late abortions can easily get them.

Chalifoux returned home from college in the summer before her sophomore year to receive treatment for restrictive eating. A common symptom of such eating disorders is the loss of ones period. A common  though by no means fail-safe  sign of being pregnant is also the loss of ones period.

I had a medical team of doctors and psychiatrists and stuff that I was working with. And at no point did any of us think that the fact that I hadnt gotten my period was because of a pregnancy, Chalifoux said.

As she was starting to recover from the eating disorder, though, her period still hadnt returned. She was on birth control, but just to rule it out, she took a home pregnancy test, which was positive. After confirming the pregnancy through a blood test, she reached out to Planned Parenthood, where she was told that it was too late for a medical abortion and she would need a surgical procedure.

I spent probably at least two weeks thinking about the financials, going through the money that I had, Chalifoux said. And a week makes a difference.

The cost of an abortion increases significantly as time goes on, from a few hundred dollars to thousands in the second trimester and even tens of thousands later on. For many women, financial barriers to abortion serve to push the procedure later, because it can take time to come up with money. Medicaid, which provides healthcare coverage to low-income Americans, does not pay for abortions except in the case of rape, incest or when the mothers life is in danger.

Its really hard to get an abortion in this country, Christensen said. And the idea that people are able to seek care by a certain date is kind of based on the myths that we get all the information we need by a certain time and that we live in equitable environments with equal access to resources and healthcare. Neither of those are true.

Horvath, a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health, said she's already seeing patients from other states in her Maryland practice who have found themselves too far into the pregnancy to be able to have abortions in their state.

Realizing that she could not handle it alone, Chalifoux told her parents, who embraced her with support. By this point, weeks had passed since she learned she was pregnant and she started to experience physical symptoms of pregnancy. The experience of not having control over her body as it changed horrified her, and she said she was getting intrusive thoughts of performing an abortion on herself.

I just remember feeling like I wanted to cut myself open or die. The experience of not having control over my body and feeling my body, feeling it change, noticing the changes and knowing that I was getting more pregnant every day was just  I mean, it was like horror, she recalled.

After going for an initial appointment at a hospital to prepare for the procedure, another ultrasound revealed that she was further along than first thought. In all, Chalifoux said, it took about a month from the time she learned she was pregnant until she was able to receive an abortion, a few days after she turned 19.

It was such a long time ago that Ive healed from a lot of it, but Im able to recognize that where I used to think that my abortion was traumatic for me, I can realize now that it was the pregnancy that was traumatic. And that the abortion was actually very healing, she said.

Today, Chalifoux is studying law, hoping to become a public defender or find work fighting against mass incarceration and speaks publicly about her abortion as part of her reproductive rights activism. Looking back, she says, she does not think she would have survived if she were forced to carry the pregnancy to term.

I can remember having this fear that I would be forced to give birth, she said. And I can remember thinking that I would rather die.

Rape and a doctor's miscalculation

It was July 2020. The young woman decided to check out her friends stand-up comedy show in a downtown Houston comedy club. She wouldnt know anyone in the audience, but that didnt matter. Working in the service industry and being a social, responsible person who had lived on her own since she turned 18, she wasnt worried. She met what seemed like a group of really cool people. She had some drinks with them and had a good time, she recalled. Looking back, she doesnt recall any women being part of the group. But she trusted herself.

Everything kind of happened really fast, said the woman, 31, whom the AP is not identifying because she is the victim of sexual assault. Im pretty sure, pretty sure someone slipped something in one of my drinks. I ended up waking up the next morning in a rundown motel room somewhere in southwest Houston.

She had nothing on her except her clothes and shoes. Her phone, wallet and underwear were missing. It was about 10:30 a.m. and the motels management was banging on her door. Instead of offering help, she recalled, the motel's employees yelled at her and kicked her out. The woman, who is Black, thinks they might have thought she was a prostitute. She walked along the side of the highway until she found a gas station where she could call a family member to pick her up.

Time went on, and she didnt tell anyone what happened except one close friend. She started dating someone.

In late October, early November of that year, she took a home pregnancy test. She was on birth control, but she figured maybe it had failed. She was pregnant.

After an initial appointment with a doctor who gave her an incorrect gestational age, she followed up at a womens clinic, where she learned that she was actually further along. She did the math and traced back the start of her pregnancy to the time she was raped in July.

And that was just something that I was not  I would not have been able to live with, she said.

The woman said it took her more than a week to absorb the shock of learning that she became pregnant from a sexual assault. More time passed as she searched for an abortion provider, encountering crisis pregnancy centers that tried to steer her away from terminating the pregnancy. One of the centers, she said, was calling her daily at one point. The woman said she felt harassed.

There was also the cost. According to medical bills the woman provided to the AP, the cost of her procedure increased by $2,500 between the time she was examined in Austin, Texas, before her abortion and the time she arrived in New Mexico for the procedure. PatientForward helped cover her costs.

She was in her third trimester by the time she got on an airplane, alone, to fly to New Mexico and terminate her pregnancy at 27 weeks of gestation. She hasnt told her family what happened, or any other friends, still coping with feelings of shame and guilt from both the rape and the abortion. She does not know who raped her.

I have no idea who did it. No idea, she said. I never went back and pursued it.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell at a rally on the west steps of the Colorado State Capitol building in Denver, Colorado on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. Hyoung Chang/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Rep. Liz Cheney accused MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell of "lunacy" on Wednesday.

This was after Lindell made a baseless claim about Wyoming voting machines being fraudulent.

Cheney's campaign manager also called Lindell an "out-of-state-wacko" for his comments.

Rep. Liz Cheney on Wednesday slammed MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, accusing him of "lunacy" over his latest comments on the integrity of election results in Wyoming.

Cheney tweeted an article where Lindell was being interviewed by the Cowboy State Daily at a Trump rally in Casper, Wyoming, on Saturday. Speaking to the news outlet, Lindell once again baselessly claimed that votes were stolen from the former president.

Lindell suggested that he "has more information than anyone in the world" about the presence of "an algorithm that went nationwide, from Hawaii to Alaska to California to New York island." In addition, the pillow CEO suggested that any politician who denied his claims was a "traitor."

"Any politician says that  100% traitor," he said. "Wyoming had 20-some thousand votes stolen in the presidential election. That's almost 10% of your [total cast] votes in Wyoming. Everything was taken."

Lindell implied that computers influenced the election results in "all 50 states."

"We have a name for this in Wyoming. Lunacy," Cheney tweeted in response.

Cheney's campaign manager Tammy Hooper also hit back at Lindell's claim that lawmakers not on board with his baseless claims are traitors.

"For an unhinged conspiracy theorist to make these baseless claims questioning the integrity of our elections in Wyoming and calling those who don't buy his fantasy 'traitors,' is dangerous and wrong," Hooper said in a statement to WyoToday Media.

"Everyone across Wyoming, including the Republican state party leadership, elected officials, and candidates have a responsibility to condemn these unfounded allegations and make clear that we won't allow an out-of-state wacko to baselessly attack the integrity of our public servants or question our patriotism," Hooper added.

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Lindell is among several defendants being sued by voting technology company Dominion in a billion-dollar defamation lawsuit. Lindell is also embroiled in a separate defamation suit with voting company Smartmatic.

Lindell, meanwhile, is bankrolling a nationwide campaign to stop the use of voting machines in all 50 states.

Read the original article on Business Insider
As classes wrap up for students across the Carolinas, school districts are finding alternative ways to feed kids who rely on school lunches to keep from going hungry.

ALSO READ: USDA sets new rules for school lunches

Union County, Burke County and Catawba County are all offering summer meal programs to feed students. The details for each program are listed below.

(WATCH BELOW: Married restaurant owners step up to help wipe out school lunch debt)




Ukrainska Pravda  FRIDAY, 3 JUNE 2022, 14:16

The self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has suggested that the "people's militia" he is creating should consist of groups of about 50 people for each village council.

Source: Belarusian state news agency Belta quotes Lukashenko from Minsk

Details: Lukashenko believes that those who join the "people's militia" should have basic knowledge of weapons. He emphasised that "a real man should be able to protect his family if necessary."

Lukashenko's quote: "And I thought that just in case we need to have this people's militia, a group of people for every village council. There will be few of them. Maybe 50 people. But they should also have their weapons somewhere in a warehouse. We are calling them for training - they will take their submachine guns (mostly submachine guns, grenade launchers, guns) so that they can protect their houses."

Previously: On 27 May, the so-called Minister of Defence of Belarus Viktor Khrenin announced at a meeting with the heads of zones of territorial defence forces that Lukashenko had set a task to create a "people's militia." At the same time, there are territorial defence forces in Belarus today, which are divided into 7 districts.

Background:

In late May, Lukashenko said that the KGB of Belarus had conducted "without a single shot" a "special operation in Ukraine to release Belarusian citizens" and handed out awards for its conduct.
A coastal Georgia man could find himself in prison after he was accused of threatening to blow up an Internal Revenue Service office in New York, federal prosecutors say.

Benjamin Stasko, 34, of St. Simons Island, pleaded guilty Wednesday, June 1, to a count of interstate transmission of a threat to injure in connection with online threats he made in 2020, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Georgia.

On July 6, Stasko allegedly posted a comment on a federal agencys website claiming a pipe bomb was planted inside the Ted Weiss Federal Building in New York City, according to a news release. The threat was aimed at an IRS office housed at the building and promised to kill, injure or intimidate others by detonating the highly explosive bomb, according to an indictment.

Officers brought in bomb sniffing dogs to search the building, but no explosives were found. Stasko was later arrested in St. Simons Island, prosecutors said.

Authorities did not say if he had a specific motive.

If convicted, Stasko faces up to 5 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and a hefty fine, prosecutors said.

We will not tolerate threats of violence against public institutions, and will vigorously pursue anyone who would perpetrate such crimes, U.S. Attorney David H. Estes, said in a statement. Benjamin Staskos admission of guilt will deliver justice for his dangerous and ill-advised threat.

St. Simons Island is about 80 miles south of Savannah.

He repeatedly called 911 about President Biden, cops say. Now, a Florida man is charged

Man threatened to bomb Merriam-Webster over definitions of boy and girl, feds say

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The California man who operated a $1.4 million Ponzi scene from prison while serving time for another fraud conviction has been sentenced to eight more years in prison, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.

Michael David Carroll, 46, of Long Beach, California, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to wire fraud and was sentenced Tuesday to eight more years of prison and to pay nearly $1.4 million in restitution to his victims, according to the release.

This defendant had the audacity to mount a million dollar Ponzi scheme while serving time for a prior fraud. But for a second time, his avarice caught up with him: A federal judge more than doubled his sentence, U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham said. The U.S. Attorneys Office and the FBI are determined to hold accountable those who defraud honest investors.

Court documents show that Carroll in September 2017, already 36 months into a 70-month sentence for another fraud conviction, lied to investors about how he was trying to secure funding to invest into legitimate ventures, according to the Justice Department. He admitted to pitching investors on short-term loans used to buy assets or cover obligations until longer-term financing could be found, promising 40% to 50% returns on investments in one to three months.

He deceived dozens of investors to preserve the scheme and fund a lavish lifestyle, according to the FBI.

He concealed the fact that he was a convicted felon and, when asked about it, claimed he had been falsely accused and that the charges had been dismissed, according to the Justice Department. He would then use new investor funds to make payments to older investors and create a false impression of their funding yielding profits.

Excess money was used to pay for things like private jet services, luxury vehicles, luxury dining and suites at NFL games.
Dalton Lewis

A man shot and killed by bail bondsmen early Friday morning had missed a court appearance stemming from allegations that he tried to steal an ankle brace from the Walmart on North Myrtle School Road.

Dalton Lee Lewis, 24, was shot outside a home at Diane 29 Theater Road early Friday morning by at least one bail bondsman who was trying to take him into custody, according to Gastonia police.

Lewis had a court date of Dec. 17 on misdemeanor charges of resisting a public officer, larceny, second-degree trespass, and carrying a concealed weapon  the weapon alleged was "metallic knuckles"  as well as a felony charge of possession of heroin stemming from the same incident, according to court records.

Arrest warrants indicate that Lewis was accused of stealing an ankle brace worth around $30 from Walmart and that he tried to pull away from the officer who arrested him.

He was arrested Dec. 16.

The bail bondsman or men alleged to have shot Lewis, had not been charged late Friday. Police were still investigating which of two accounts of the shooting was true, and police spokesman Rick Goodale said that he expects the investigation to be lengthy.

Bail bondsman Tim Moore said that Lewis pointed a gun at him and other bail bondsmen, so some of the bondsmen fired their own weapons. Lewis' fiancee, Brittany Green, who was in the car with Lewis when he was shot, disputes this account, saying that Lewis was unarmed and reaching for his car keys when he was shot.

One element that has caused a problem for investigators is the gun that the bail bondsmen say they found in the car.

A car towed from a property on Diane 29 Theater Road after a shooting had bullet holes in the driver's side door and in the windshield. Credit: Dave Faherty | WSOC-TV

The gun, a revolver, was removed from the car after the shooting and placed on the hood, Goodale said.

"Quite honestly, it is a problem. In an ideal world, they should have left the gun in the car," Goodale said. Removing the gun created more investigative work for police, who have to figure out who the gun belongs to and whether it was indeed in the car as the bail bondsmen said it was, Goodale said.

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Flip Dow, a longtime Gaston County bail bondsman, agreed.

He said in an interview that the car should have been left as it was after the shooting.

"You don't touch nothing. I'm an ex county police officer. You leave it like it is until the police get there," Dow said.

Lewis was shot in the chest seven times, his mother, Lynn Spargo, said in a text message.

Dalton Lee Lewis, 24, was shot while sitting in a car on Diane 29 Theater Road. This car was later towed from the scene. Credit: Dave Faherty | WSOC-TV

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gastonia man missed court on misdemeanor, drug charges
A man wanted for allegedly shooting his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend has been arrested.

Willie Carradine Jr., 59, was arrested by the Alexandria Police Department on Thursday afternoon in the 2100 block of Olive Street, according to a city spokesman.

Carradine was booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center #1 on two counts of attempted second-degree murder. Bail has been set at $1 million.

Memorial Day weekend: Monroe man dead, another man sought in Alexandria weekend shootings

Court update: October trial date set in Alexandria homicide case

The department had been looking for Carradine since May 29, saying he shot the two in front of a home in the 1800 block of Monroe Street. Both victims, who are in their 50s, are recovering.

No booking information was available for Carradine late on Thursday afternoon.

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Willie Carradine, man sought in Alexandria double shooting, arrested
Two state child welfare workers were removed from their duties following the suspicious death of 8-year-old Amaria Osby late last month in Chicagos Uptown neighborhood, allegedly at the hands of her mother, officials said.

The workers, an investigator and a supervisor, didnt try hard enough to see Amaria and her family after a hotline call alleged Amaria had witnessed her parents involved in a domestic violence incident at a restaurant in March, according to DCFS.

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That altercation triggered a probe that ended tragically on May 25, when Amarias body was found at her Uptown neighborhood home, lying next to her mother, Andreal Hagler, who allegedly asphyxiated her, Cook County prosecutors said.

Two staffers were at fault, said DCFS spokesman Bill McCaffrey.

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Contrary to DCFS policies, the investigator in this case did not continue to make attempts to see the family, McCaffrey said.

Both the supervisor and the investigator are not performing child protection duties at this time and the department is determining the appropriate personnel action, McCaffrey said.

A chilling timeline described the restaurant-incident hotline report, saying law enforcement responded, made no arrest and did not press charges.

The next day an investigator made a good faith attempt to visit the child victim and family without success, according to the timeline.

Two months went by without any visits at all  until May 24, when an investigator visited the family and spoke with the mother and the child. There were no noted concerns for physical abuse or neglect, according to the timeline.

The next day Amaria was found dead.

An autopsy determined the cause of her death was multiple injuries from an assault, and it was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiners office.

After her mother was charged with the girls murder, prosecutors at Haglers bond hearing said she thought Amaria didnt love her anymore and loved her father more.

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After drinking bleach, Hagler told her daughter it was their time to go and placed a plastic bag over her head, asphyxiating her before placing one over her own head, prosecutors said. Hagler was denied bail.

Cook County Public Guardian Charles Golbert believes DCFS violations may have caused Amarias death.

Under DCFS own regulations, the investigator is required to make contact with the child within 24 hours through the first report of abuse or neglect. If that is not successful, the investigator is required to continue to attempt to see the child every day, including weekends and holidays until they actually see the child, Golbert said.

The workers are specifically required to try places like schools and day care as well as their home.

If the investigator is not successful in seeing the child within five days, there is supposed to be a special level of supervisory to review the case, according to Golbert.

None of these regulatory requirements to ensure the child was safe happened, Golbert contended.

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In this case, all of these requirements were violated by DCFS. And that may well have resulted in Amarias death, he said.

At a minimum, the case cried out for a protected plan for Amaria, Golbert said.

If that had happened back in March, when DCFS first got this report, the outcome might have been very different for Amaria, but well never know for sure because DCFS did nothing, absolutely nothing, for two months.

The restaurant incident was not the first time DCFS had contact with the family.

The agency initially became involved in 2017, when Amaria was 3, after a hotline call about a DUI accusation involving Hagler.

That investigation ended up with Hagler indicated or confirmed for neglect, according to DCFS.

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Amaria was entered into a safety plan, and the case was closed in November of 2017 after investigators visited the family multiple times and spoke with the mother and the child, finding no noted concerns for physical abuse or neglect.

For the next several months, Hagler participated in substance abuse treatment and community service, according to DCFS. Besides a seizure Amaria had that sent to her a hospital for three days in February 2018, DCFS completed its final home visit in March 2018.

According to Golbert, Amaria is the sixth child to die since December despite DCFS involvement with the childrens families.

Many questions linger, according to Golbert, who pointed to the agencys heavy caseload, due to a 21% investigator vacancy rate as of March, as a possible reason for the failures in Amaris situation.

But McCaffrey disagreed, saying the caseload played no role in the investigators failure to follow procedure.

DCFS has its highest head count  currently 2,930 employees out of an available 3,056 positions  in more than a decade, despite the hiring challenges impacting child welfare agencies nationwide, according to McCaffrey. 

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Tragically, even an investigator seeing and assessing Amarias safety could not have prevented this horrific act, McCaffrey said.
Firearms are now the leading cause of death for children and teens, but this is not a result of publicized mass shooting incidents.

A woman watches as Chicago police investigate in the 5700 block of South Carpenter Street, where a man was shot to death during a party on the Englewood neighborhood block on the South Side, early Sunday, May 29, 2022. Firearms are now the leading cause of death for children and teens, but this is not a result of publicized mass shooting incidents. Credit - Ashlee RezinAP

Hadiya Pendleton was standing with friends in a park on Chicagos South Side when she was shot and killed by a gunman who ran toward the group and opened fire. The 15-year-old King College Prep students death in 2013 may have never made headlines, except for the fact that she had performed as part of a majorette squad at President Barack Obamas second inauguration just one week earlier.

As the nation mourns the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade in Uvalde, Texas, Hadiyas parents Cleo and Nathaniel Pendleton are hoping murders like their daughters will be part of the larger conversation about the thousands of American children who are killed by guns each yearmost of whom never receive public attention.

When you talk about the impact that gun violence has on families, its just a mess, Cleo Pendleton, who spoke with TIME to commemorate National Gun Violence Awareness Day on Friday, says. We deal with it and we hear about it so frequently that people have started to become numb to it and normalize it.

This undated family photo shows 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton of Chicago. Pendleton was shot and killed in 2013 in a Chicago park as she talked with friends when a gunman opened fire on the groupa week after she performed in President Barack Obama's inauguration. Courtesy of Everytown for Gun Safety

Every year, more than 3,500 children and teensdefined as infants through age 19are shot and killed in the U.S., and another 15,000 are wounded in shootings, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data from 2016 to 2020, which was analyzed by Everytowna nonprofit group that advocates for tougher gun laws and actions to address gun violence.

Of those deaths, 2,100 are homicidesmost of them the result of either domestic violence or the kind of street violence that claimed Hadiyas life.

On average, 1,200 children a year die by suicide with a gun. Another 130 children and teens per year die from unintentional shootings. On average, fewer than 35 children and teens are killed as a result of mass shootings a yeareven though, for obvious and good reasons, those tragedies often receive lots of attention.

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Experts and advocates like the Pendletons say that, as the U.S. is forced once again to confront the tragedy of children being gunned down in their schools, saving the lives of children will require the country to seriously address gun violence in all forms.

In general mass shootings account for less than 1% of all firearms deaths in the United States, thats for all ages, Dr. Los Lee, an associate professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School says. When you look at it for children, its also less than 1%. So they account for a very small number.

Read more: What Counts as a Mass Shooting? Why So Much of Americas Gun Violence Gets Overlooked

And the problem is getting worse. Gun violence has trended upwards since the start of the pandemic. In 2020, firearms became the leading cause of death for children and teens. As of June 1, 2022, 686 children have been killed this year as a result of gun violence and 1,700 have been injured, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit site that collects gun violence data across the country. (The archive defines children as age infant to 17.)

The majority of these shootings happen within inner-city minority communities. Black children are 14 times more likely than white kids and teens to die as a result of gun violence. Hispanic or Latino children are three times more likely than white kids to die as a result of gun violence. To put it plainly, Black and Hispanic or Latino children are severely more exposed to gun violence than white children.

Over Memorial Day Weekend, 14 people were killed in shootings in Philadelphia. Among the victims killed were Jamel Parks, a 9-year-old and his father, Gerald Parks. They were sitting in a car not far from their home. A 17-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy were both wounded. In Baltimore over the same weekend, three teens were shot, one fatally, in separate incidents.

Inner-city shootings, which are also very tragic to the victims and the families in the community, occur more frequently and people can become desensitized to it, Lee says. Because of the kinds of communities that are primarily impacted, the public and policymakers are less invested in thinking about gun violence prevention interventions in those areas.

Cleo Pendelton believes that theres a vicious cycle of gun violence in the U.S., and because the problem appears so unrelenting, many focus solely on law-enforcement solutions. We need to try more things outside of just locking kids up. We need to put money towards community resources, Cleo says. We need to figure out creative solutions to help reduce the likelihood that this perpetual violence is going to continue.

Read more: We Never Thought This Would Happen Here. Uvalde Residents Reckon With Gun Violence in Their Quiet Town

When it comes to protecting children, Nathaniel Pendleton believes its important to invest in community-based solutions. Politicians dont live in our neighborhoods, they just dont. They dont know the experiences that we deal with. How can you make a decision on something when you have no idea about how people in these neighborhoods think? Nathaniel says.

Cleo and Nathaniel Pendleton, parents of slain Chicago teen Hadiya Pendleton, attend a press conference on July 29, 2013, in Miami Beach, Fla. Angel ValentinGetty Images

With the summer months comingwhich usually portends a seasonal uptick in violenceexperts and community leaders hope that gun deaths are viewed as a public health issue and are tackled as such. That means there needs to be a comprehensive approach to addressing the problem. In addition to policing, that means community investment, legislation and people on the ground stepping up.

The Pendletons are continuing their activism in their community and beyond with the hopes that people will begin to take this problem seriouslyand so other children dont have to have their lives cut short.

Lets stop talking about it. We need to think and do something about it, Cleo Pendleton says. Life should be more important than the right to bear arms. Hadiya had the right to live and that right was taken from her.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story listed an incorrect date for Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy's commencement.

Donning the red-and-white colors of a school more than 1,600 miles south, 200 McDowell Senior High School students walked out of class Thursday in protest of the nation's gun violence epidemic that led to another mass killing at a grade school in Uvalde, Texas.

Some carried signs that read "I don't want to be next," "we need change," and "parents should not be scared to send their children to school." Others held poster boards that simply listed the names of schools where fatal mass shootings have occurred: Columbine, Parkland, Sandy Hook and others.

They lined 38th Street as school officials, including Superintendent Ian Roberts and school security officers observed. Cars raced past, some drivers honking to show solidarity. Five community members stood across the street, holding signs of their own.

McDowell High School students protest gun violence in schools by standing along West 38th Street in Millcreek Township on June 2, 2022. At least 200 students gathered in support of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where 21 were killed, including 19 children, on May 24. All of the McDowell students said that schools should be a safe place of learning and not fear.

More:Pennsylvania senators may put forth gun legislation following Buffalo, Uvalde mass shootings

"We've all had the thought, which one of us is next?" junior Delaney Glunt, 17, one of the protest organizers, told her fellow classmates, "which one of our names is going to be on CNN or Fox News now? Which parent am I going to text goodbye to first? Which desk is the farthest away if a shooter walks by in the hallway? It shouldn't come to our lives being cut short for change to occur."

On May 24, an 18-year-old man used an AR-15 style rifle to shoot and severely wound his grandmother before proceeding to Robb Elementary School where he killed 19 students and two teachers and wounded 17 others. The man, who had locked himself in a classroom after entering the school through an unlocked side door, was later killed by a member of the United States Border Patrol Tactical Unit.

The shooting was the third worst school shooting in the United States behind the 2007 shooting at Virginia Tech and the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

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It came just 10 days after another 18-year-old male killed 10 Black people, including a security guard, inside a Tops Market grocery store in Buffalo. A grand jury on Wednesday indicted the man with 25 counts, including domestic terrorism motivated by hate and 10 counts of first-degree murder. He also used an AR-15 style rifle.

More:Gov. Wolf addresses 'future of education,' gun violence in visit to McDowell Mfg.

McDowell students' silent protest also came just hours after three shootings occurred in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Pittstown, Pennsylvania and Van Nuys, California. In Tulsa, a gunman killed four people on the second floor of a hospital. The shooter was later found dead. In Pittstown, which is a township in Luzerne County, a man attempted to shoot a woman outside of a nail salon. And in Van Nuys, a gunman shot a sophomore in the leg outside of Grant High School.

The tragedies have renewed calls from Democrats to pass gun reform legislation, including stricter background checks and bans on high-capacity firearms such as the AR-15, while Republicans have focused on mental health and school security as possible solutions to the wave of gun violence.

McDowell High School students gather to protest gun violence in schools on June 2, 2022. At least 200 students stood along West 38th Street in support of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where 21 were killed, including 19 children, on May 24. All of the McDowell students said that schools, including theirs in Millcreek Township, should be a safe place of learning and not fear.

A protest free of politics

Glunt and other organizers Rashad Gaines and Lily Grady said the silent protest was meant to be free of politics so that students could properly honor the lives lost in Uvalde.

Such political divisions, they said, are part of the reason why lawmakers have been unable to stop mass shootings in schools.

"We believe that it first starts with community," said Gaines, a 17-year-old junior. "If we could bring everyone together and agree on one thing  that our learning environments aren't safe  then we would be doing something against this horrible thing that's plaguing our nation.

More:200 attend a prayer vigil at Sacred Heart Church in Erie to stand against racism and violence

"This isn't about gun laws or mental health or anything like that," Gaines said of the debate that has again divided the country. "This is about our schools. This is about the victims who lost their lives in Texas and all around the world, all school shootings that have happened. I hope that they do something to put an end to this."

"We just think enough is enough," Grady, an 18-year-old senior, said. "We're so sick and tired of opening our phones every day on social media and seeing another school shooting, another mass shooting. We're not here for political gain. We're just here to bring awareness about what is going on."

Tim Stoops, director of assessment, safety and security for the Millcreek Township School District, had the district's four school security officers to be on hand for the event, which district officials were aware of in advance, to keep the protestors safe as they stood along West 38th Street. Students organized the protest to occur during the high school's tutorial period from 10:40 to 11:20 a.m.

Stoops said the district is continuously looking at ways to improve safety, adding that a grant allowed it upgrade door access controls, security cameras and its radio system.

Superintendent Ian Roberts said the students made him and others aware of the walkout, which is one of the reasons he attended. He said the organization, including the decision to keep it apolitical, was all done by the students.

"I remain committed to creating safe spaces for our students, in which they can come and learn and not have to worry about their safety," he said. "I stand in unison and certainly in solidarity with our students here at McDowell, but certainly with all of our educators in districts all over this country. We have to increase our commitment to creating safe environments for students and every adult who serves, teaches and leads them. Enough is enough."

How are other districts addressing security?

Erie County school districts are keeping safety and security a top priority as the academic year draws to a close and students graduate. Some superintendents said they are putting in place new procedures to address safety.

In the Erie School District, which dealt with a school shooting at Erie High in early April, graduation attendees will be through metal detectors and undergo a bag search on an as-needed basis, Superintendent Brian Polito said. There will also be additional support from the Erie Bureau of Police for Saturday's ceremonies for Erie High School and NWPA Collegiate Academy at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Roberts said security will be a priority for McDowell graduates, whose commencement will occur June 9 at Erie Insurance Area, which has its own security.

Added Harbor Creek High School Principal Pam Chodubski, "Safety is our priority for all of our families, students and staff attending graduation."

Following Thursday's silent protest, Gaines, Grady and Glunt stood among several other organizers to discuss how they can get more community members and school districts involved in a similar event next school year. Then they joined together, putting their hands one on top of the other like a football team about to break huddle, and shouted, "Make change."

Contact Matthew Rink at mrink@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ETNrink.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: McDowell students protest gun violence after fatal Texas school shooting
Watch: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive at National service of Thanksgiving

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have joined other members of the Royal Family at a National Service of Thanksgiving as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The couple arrived at St Paul's Cathedral in London to loud cheers from the crowds and held hands as they climbed the steps to enter the London landmark.

The couple's children, Archie, three, and Lilibet, who turns one tomorrow, weren't in attendance. They are, however, in the UK and staying at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor with their parents.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive at the National Service of Thanksgiving in London. (Getty Images)

The couple looked happy to be back in the fold and spent time talking to clergymen on their way in. (Getty Images)

Meghan Markle looked resplendent in a white coat dress and matching hat. (Getty Images)

For the occasion, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex dressed the part in their finest attire. Harry wore a suit adorned with his vast collection of service medals while Meghan opted for a white coat dress with cropped sleeves and matching wide-brimmed hat.

She swept her hair up into a low, off-centre bun and accessorised with a pair of diamond earrings she wore to the Commonwealth Service in March 2020.

They arrived on their own - after the wider Royal Family but ahead of the senior royal procession - and were given a moment to themselves to greet clergymen that Harry won't have seen for a long time.

They were seated next to Harry's cousins - Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry greet clergymen as they arrive at St Paul's cathedral. (Getty Images)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seated alongside Harry's cousins: Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice and their husbands. (Getty Images)

The service was attended by a huge number of royals including the most senior members: Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall as well as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The Cambridge children were not in attendance after making their debut in the Trooping the Colour royal procession, riding in the first carriage with their mother, Kate, and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

Buckingham Palace announced last night that the Queen would not be attending after experiencing some discomfort during Thursdays celebrations and the procession was rejigged to reflect Her Majesty's absence with Prince Charles representing her. Prince Andrew has contracted COVID-19 and so also didn't attend.

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Following the service, senior members of the family will attend a Guildhall reception hosted by Lord Mayor but this invitation doesn't include Harry and Meghan as they're no longer working royals.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were seated to the left while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge formed part of the right-hand side of the congregation. (Getty Images)

Prince Harry pulls a comical expression as he waits for the start of the National Service of Thanksgiving to begin. (Getty Images)

The Sussexes leave St Paul's after the service. (Getty Images)

Peter Phillips, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Zara Tindall and her husband Mike depart after the National Service of Thanksgiving. (Getty Images)

The Sussexes carried out their first official engagement in their capacity as members of the Royal Family yesterday since stepping back as working royals in March 2020. The pair watched the Trooping the Colour parade from the Major Generals Office alongside a number of royals of all ranks.

Meghan was pictured playfully shushing young royals and standing with Harry but no other photographs were circulated and it's not clear if Archie and Lilibet were in attendance. The couple didn't appear on Buckingham Palace's balcony to watch the RAF flypast.

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan were photographed at the Major Generals Office, Horse Guards Parade earlier. The couple were seen chatting with the Duke of Kent, and Meghan was spotted playing with Savannah Philips, Mia and Lena Tindall.



: Kelvin Bruce/Jim Bennett pic.twitter.com/MULet9QWpl  Omid Scobie (@scobie) June 2, 2022

This morning's service marks the first time the public has seen the previously-dubbed 'fab four' - Kate, William, Harry and Meghan - since March 2020, when the foursome - along with other Royal Family members - attended the annual Commonwealth Service in London.

William and Harry reunited in front of the world in July 2021 to unveil a statue of their mother on what would have been her 60th birthday - but their wives were not in attendance.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the annual Commonwealth Service in London in March 2020
(Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Meghan Markle has been praised for her outfit at the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebration this week, as she donned the same pair of silver earrings she wore in 2020 for her final royal event.

Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, arrived at the Service of Thanksgiving at St Pauls Cathedral on Friday, along with other members of the royal family, as part of the bank holiday celebrations to mark the Queens 70th year on the throne.

For the occasion, the Duchess of Sussex wore a white trench coat and skirt designed by Dior, a matching hat designed by Diors Stephen Jones, and had her hair in an updo. For accessories, she had a pair of white gloves and shoes.

She then completed the look with her pair of the Snowflake Snowstorm earring by Birks, which she had worn over two years ago at the Commonwealth Day Service.

The March 2020 event also marked her and Prince Harrys final royal engagement before stepping down from their roles as senior working royals and moving to the US. At the occasion, Markle had paired the silver earrings with a green dress and matching hat. She carried a black purse in her hand and wore nude-coloured heels.

Throughout this week, which marks her first royal appearance since 2020, Markle has appeared to have revisited another one of her iconic looks.

At the Trooping the Colour parade on Thursday, she wore an off-the-shoulder navy dress and white hat with a bow on it. After the event, fans began to speculate if that dress was the same outfit, designed by Roland Mouret, that she wore in 2018, ahead of her wedding.

(Getty Images)

Fans also applauded her white hat, which had sold out of stores only a few hours after her first Platinum Jubilee appearance.

While watching the Queens birthday parade from the Major Generals Office, Markle was seen playfully shushing Peter Phillips daughters Savannah, 11, and Isla, 10, and Mike and Zara Tindalls children Mia, eight, and Lena, three.

The Service of Thanksgiving was Markle and her husbands second royal appearance during the jubilee celebrations, after arriving in the UK with their three-year-old son, Archie, and 11-month-old daughter, Lilibet, who turns one on 4 June.

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Markles sophisticated outfit at the cathedral has continued to be fawned over on social media, with fans describing it as understated glamour.

This is how you wear a coat dress!, one person on Twitter wrote, while another said: Superior in every way.

Fridays event marks the first time in two years that the Sussexes and the Cambridges, Prince William and Kate Middleton, have been publicly seen together at the same royal engagement. Prince Harry and Markle sat on the opposite side of the cathedral to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridege during the service.

Follow our live coverage of the Queens platinum jubilee celebrations here.
More than half of President Bidens Cabinet members have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past few months.

None of the officials experienced severe symptoms, and all recovered quickly. All were also fully vaccinated, and all but one had received a booster shot when they became infected.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland was the most recent Cabinet member to announce a positive test, which she did on Wednesday.

Here are the Cabinet members who have tested positive for COVID-19 since late 2021.

Alejandro Mayorkas

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tested positive for a breakthrough case in October during routine pre-travel protocols and reported having mild congestion.

A breakthrough case occurs when a fully vaccinated individual tests positive for COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

CDC data at the time reported that an unvaccinated individual was six times more likely to test positive than a vaccinated person. Mayorkas was fully vaccinated but had not yet received a booster shot, The Washington Post reported.

CNN reported that Mayorkas had been planning to travel with Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Colombia.

Lloyd Austin

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement in early January that he had tested positive while at home and would stay there for five days while recovering.

He said he would maintain his responsibilities, but that Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks would represent him as appropriate.

Austin was infected as the initial omicron wave led the national average of cases to hit 150,000 weekly.

The CDC had changed its quarantine guidelines about a week prior, shortening the timespan from 10 days to five days for asymptomatic individuals or for those whose symptoms are improving.

Gina Raimondo

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo tested positive in early April after experiencing mild symptoms and taking an at-home test.

She was among several high-profile political leaders who tested positive after attending the annual Gridiron Club dinner days earlier. The dinner brings together a range of politicians and journalists and features comedic speeches and skits roasting those involved in politics.

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Merrick Garland

Attorney General Merrick Garland, who also attended the Gridiron dinner on April 2, tested positive for COVID-19 a few days after Raimondo. The Justice Department said he was not experiencing any symptoms but would isolate at home for at least five days, following guidance from the CDC.

Tom Vilsack

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack tweeted that he also tested positive three days after Garlands announcement. Vilsack had also been in attendance at the Gridiron dinner.

Kamala Harris

Vice President Kamala Harris became infected with the virus in late April after receiving positive results from rapid and PCR tests. She had not shown any symptoms and had not been around President Biden or first lady Jill Biden in the days preceding her positive test, the vice presidents office said.

The second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, tested positive in March, but Harris continued to test negative during that time.

Antony Blinken

Secretary of State Antony Blinken tested positive in the first week of May and was experiencing mild symptoms. The State Department said he would work from home for a week.

Then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki said President Biden was not a close contact to Blinken, having not seen him for several days.

Xavier Becerra

Xavier Becerra, the secretary of Health and Human Services, tested positive last month while visiting Berlin for a Group of Seven meeting for health ministers. An department spokeswoman said Becerra would continue his responsibilities while in isolation.

Marty Walsh

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh announced via Twitter on Tuesday that he tested positive for COVID-19, saying he plans to isolate and follow CDC guidelines as he looks to a quick recovery.

Deb Haaland

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland received a positive COVID-19 test Wednesday after experiencing mild symptoms.

Haaland had received two booster shots, according to a statement from the Interior Department. She had been scheduled to travel to the West Coast but is working remotely instead.

Haaland tweeted that she urges everyone to stay up to date on their vaccines so they will have more mild symptoms if they become infected.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Metro riders wait at the station at Figueroa and 7th Street in downtown Los Angeles. On election day, all rides are free. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Voters can grab free bus and train rides when they head to the polls for next Tuesdays California's primary election.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced that it will offer free rides to help boost voter turnout.

The free ride program will run from midnight to 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday. The initiative also extends to Metros bike share program, which is offering free 30-minute rides on Tuesday with the promo code 060722.

Metro also has placed ballot drop boxes at several locations including Union Station, El Monte Bus Station, Harbor Freeway Station C and J Lines, Harbor Gateway Transit Center, Hollywood/Western Station B Line, North Hollywood Station B Line, Norwalk Station C Line and the Wilshire/Vermont Station B and D Lines.

A detailed view of voting center locations and drop boxes across Los Angeles is available here: https://www.latimes.com/projects/2022-california-primary-election-polling-places-voting-center-ballot-drop-boxes/

In-person voting for the primary election began last week across Los Angeles County, with more vote center locations set to open Saturday ahead of election day on Tuesday.

More information about how to register to vote and cast a ballot is available here:



https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2022-05-09/california-2022-primary-election-how-to-vote

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Authorities said Friday they arrested a Flint man near the U.S. Capitol after he was found with body armor, high capacity magazines and other ammunition  and a BB gun.

Jerome Felipe, 53, also had a fake badge that said "Department of the INTERPOL" on it, according to a news release from U.S. Capitol Police.

A police officer encountered Felipe, who is a retired New York City police officer, about 5 a.m. Friday after Felipe parked his vehicle near Peace Circle, on the west side of the Capitol.

Felipe presented the officer the fake badge and said he was a criminal investigator for that agency, the release said. He then gave U.S. Capitol Police permission to search his vehicle.

More: Michigan woman arrested with guns in truck outside US Capitol

They found a BB gun, two ballistic vests, several high capacity magazines and other ammunition in the car. "No real guns were found," the release said.

New York Police Department officials confirmed Felipe retired in 2018. The department said it is cooperating with U.S. Capitol Police in its investigation.

Felipe was charged with possession of high capacity magazines and unregistered ammunition. Investigators were still trying to determine why Felipe was parked near the Capitol.

Early this year, a 58-year-old Michigan woman was arrested outside the U.S. Capitol after parking her truck in a no-parking zone and police said they found weapons, including a loaded shotgun, in her vehicle. Police said she was there to tell them information she said she had about Jan. 6, 2021, the day of the attack on the Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.

Journal News staff writer Asher Stockler contributed to this report.

Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @tsspangler. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan man arrested with fake badge, BB gun outside US Capitol
U.S. Department of Labor in Washington D.C. Liu Jie/Xinhua via Getty Images

The US Department of Labor found Petersen Health Care Inc. owes staff $3 million in overtime wages.

The company manages a chain of residential nursing care facilities across the Midwest.

Nursing homes have lost 15.2% of its total workforce since the start of the pandemic.

A nursing care management company owes $3 million in overtime wages to caregivers at 84 facilities throughout the Midwest following a federal investigation, the US Department of Labor announced last week.

Petersen Health Care Inc. was found in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act after failing to pay the correct overtime wages to more than 3,000 caregivers at facilities in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri, the agency alleged.

The caregivers will receive $2,939,576 in "back overtime wages" for the period of June 2018 and June 2020, the DOL announced.

"While we have agreed to settle this matter, we do not agree with the Department's claims or the assumptions they made in determining their findings. Petersen Health Care pays, and has always paid, its employees fairly and equitably for all time worked," Greg Wilson, the company's senior VP of operations said in a statement to Insider, but he added that "the current economic environment dictated settlement of the matter."

"We regularly review and evaluate our pay practices to ensure our hard working employees are being compensated fairly and equitably for all time spent caring for our seniors in need," he continued.

It isn't the first time the company has been fined over wage and hour law violations. The Department of Labor has investigated Petersen Health Care 30 times over the last two decades, and determined the company "systematically violated wage and hour laws on numerous occasions," according to a May press release. Seven of the investigations found a combined $88,000 in unpaid wages.

US nursing homes have lost 241,000 workers since the start of the pandemic

Long term care facilities  which include nursing homes, assisted living facilities, residential care, and in-home care  continue to struggle with major workforce shortages, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In March, the industry saw its lowest employment levels since 2007.

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Nursing homes have lost 15.2% of its total workforce since 2019, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living reported. Employees in the emotionally and physically challenging industry often face burnout, low pay, and poor working conditions, NPR reported in February.

The US Department of Labor said it's recovered a total of $22.7 million for healthcare workers across the Midwest between 2019 and 2021. During the Great Resignation, employers across the country faced heightened levels of competition for new hires. This brought discussions of worker pay and treatment to the forefront, particularly in industries that were on the frontline of the pandemic.

"As healthcare industry employers struggle to retain and recruit workers to provide the services necessary for their businesses to succeed, failing to respect workers' rights and pay workers their full wages means that these essential workers will look elsewhere for employment," Jessica Looman, the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division acting administrator, said following the settlement.

Read the original article on Business Insider
BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Moldova is not seeking shortcuts in its bid to join the European Union, President Maia Sandu said on Friday, in the wake of Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

Moldova, which borders Ukraine to the east and Romania to the west, has pressed ahead with efforts to join the EU amid fears that it could be drawn into the conflict.

"Just granting candidate status doesn't mean accepting us into the EU," she told the GLOBSEC 2022 Bratislava Forum. "We are not looking for a shortcut, we realise we have a long way to go."

Ukraine has also sought EU membership, along with Georgia.

Last week, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita said Moldova had a "historic" opportunity to join the EU and any projects to bring the country closer to the bloc must not replace the route to full membership.

Moldova's fears about being drawn into the conflict in Ukraine come after pro-Russian separatists in Moldova's Transdniestria region blamed Kyiv for what they said were shootings, explosions and cross-border drone incursions.

Sandu told the conference on Friday that work was under way to reform Moldova's justice system and fight corruption and that EU membership could help safeguard democracy there.

"Remaining in this buffer zone, in this grey area, is very bad news for us," she said. "That is why we are trying to get a positive sign from the EU."

(Reporting by Jason Hovet; Editing by Nick Macfie)
An Oak Park and River Forest High School administrator had just finished a presentation last week about student assessment when school board member Ralph Martire nervously seized upon a phrase that had popped up several times.

Equitable grading practices  people are going to hear that and not understand it, he said. We are going to get some very uninformed comments about this.

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He was right. Within days a website called West Cook News used the presentation as the basis for a story that claimed the school was creating a race-based grading system that would require teachers to account for the skin color or ethnicity of its students.

Nothing in the presentation suggested such a policy, and school officials say the story is false. But the account, magnified by influencers and conservative media, still rocketed around the internet, leading to volleys of insulting comments and what the school called unnecessary confusion.

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The story also spilled over into Illinois politics. Darren Bailey, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, told West Cook News the supposed grading policy was the latest example of woke ideology polluting our schools and promised to stamp it out if he wins election.

Neither Baileys spokesman nor the websites operators responded to the Tribunes requests for comment, and school officials declined to be interviewed. But experts say the episode illustrates how quickly a fake story can travel through cyberspace  and how difficult it can be to correct.

Somebodys really got to be following the story in a sustained way (to discover a debunking), said Nikki Usher, a journalism professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who has lectured on misinformation. The majority of people who consume news and information arent doing that with this kind of story; it just exists in the ether. Once something ricochets across the internet its too late.

West Cook News is part of a venture called Local Government Information Services, or LGIS, that runs more than 30 localized websites in Illinois. One of the people behind LGIS is media entrepreneur Brian Timpone, who owned a company that provided hyperlocal news to the Tribune until the newspaper suspended the arrangement amid complaints of plagiarism and fake bylines.

Another is Republican operative and talk show host Dan Proft, who formed LGIS before the 2016 general election. His current relationship to the company is unclear, though he has tweeted and defended the grading story.

A 2018 Tribune investigation found many LGIS stories featured candidates supported by Profts political committee. In a roundabout way, Bailey appears to be a similar beneficiary.

Proft has said he is backing Bailey for governor, and according to campaign finance documents, a newly formed committee Proft runs has spent millions attacking Baileys top rival for the Republican nomination, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin.

In recent weeks, LGIS sites have run several culture war-themed stories that were preceded or followed by stories featuring Baileys comments. They include a disparaging preview of Lake County PrideFest, a Machesney Park school districts decision to ban the book Gender Queer and the raising of an LGBTQ flag by River Forest schoolchildren.

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The OPRF grading story fits that mold.

In a presentation on student assessment made at the May 26 school board meeting, administrator Laurie Fiorenza said the school plans to establish an equitable grading philosophy by next year. The only mention of race came in a slide, skipped over at the meeting, that said the school would evaluate grading using evidence-backed research and the racial equity analysis tool.

Martire, who outside of his school board duties runs a left-leaning nonprofit called the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, gave a benign explanation of the contemplated changes, using the example of a student who scores a zero on a quiz but later shows command of the material.

Why should those zero points hold down that kids grade when the kid is demonstrating mastery of the academic content? he said at the meeting. Thats what moving to an equitable grading system is. Its understanding that students grow at different paces.

The West Cook News story, published Monday without a writers byline, didnt mention that. Instead, it claimed without evidence the school will order its teachers to exclude from their grading assessments variables it says disproportionally hurt the grades of black students.

One day later, the website published Baileys take.

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Any school district attempting to infect wokeness into the grading policies will be ineligible for state funding, he said. There will be no place for left-wing ideology in the classroom in a Darren Bailey administration.

In a statement issued Tuesday, school officials said the story was not true, and that they have no intention of implementing a race-based grading policy.

We encourage the community to seek information directly from the district or other reliable news sources rather than internet sources that continue to share inaccurate information, they said.

By then the story had already spread widely even as Facebook slapped it with a false information tag. A version carried by the conservative Breitbart website accumulated more than 10,000 Facebook shares and 8,000 comments.

Meanwhile, numerous people have tried to discredit the story. Radio host Peter Sagal, whose children attended OPRF, said on Twitter the school was being smeared with lies. A blog post written by Georgetown professor Don Moynihan highlighted the storys inaccuracy and the political maneuverings of LGIS.

Moynihan, who studies attacks on public institutions, said his post has been viewed 39,000 times. He believed it caused some high-profile Twitter users to delete their links to the original story, though others have let it stand.

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(The post) had some effect, but its limited, he said.

UIUC professor Mira Sotirovic, who studies propaganda, said efforts to correct false stories can be difficult because people tend to perceive information as true if it agrees with their beliefs.

Therefore, the attempt to debunk the misinformation by elaborating on how the argument / message is wrong may just make it more memorable or reinforce the original message, she said.

While many who read and commented on the story appear to live far from Oak Park, Usher said it still matters if they get a false impression, noting the battle over critical race theory, which critics say has been rife with misinformation, gained a foothold in Loudoun County, Virginia, before spreading across the country.

Where do we get our ideas? Usher said. Just because something is happening far away doesnt mean it cant happen here.

jkeilman@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @JohnKeilman
Natthawon Chaosakun/Shutterstock

Lois Walker said she made 20 calls and multiple ER visits due to pain, swelling, and bowel issues.

Doctors told her she had health anxiety, even when her pregnancy became so painful she threatened suicide.

During a c-section, doctors found tumors in multiple organs. She doesn't know how long she'll live.

Content warning: this article mentions suicide.

When Lois Walker started experiencing strange bathroom habits and a swollen belly in June 2020, doctors suspected irritable bowel syndrome.

When her symptoms worsened, the 37-year-old UK mom said her general care doctor thought it was "health anxiety," and put her on an anti-anxiety medication, according to multiple media reports via the UK media group SWNS.

Even when she asked her doctor if it could be cancer, due to her history with skin cancer, he dismissed her symptoms as age-related, she said.

It took 20 calls to her doctor, multiple ER visits, and an excruciating pregnancy that led to a c-section more than a year after her symptoms began for Walker, now a mom of three, to learn she has incurable stage-4 cancer. She's now speaking out against the UK health system and urging doctors to believe patients' pain.

"If there is just one medic who reads this and thinks 'we need to do better,' that's all I want," she told the BBC. "I would not want anybody to go through what I'm going through."

Walker's pregnancy was so painful she told doctors she would kill herself and her unborn baby

Walker's extreme symptoms during pregnancy didn't prompt further investigation until it was too late, she said.

At about 14 weeks pregnant, she said she couldn't walk or eat due to the pain. It only got worse.

By nine months pregnant, she said she weighed the same as her pre-pregnancy weight, but doctors weren't concerned.

"Then the final straw was when they had to get the mental health team involved because I said that it had reached the point where I would have to end both our lives, and I feel ashamed to say that," she said, SWNS reported. Walker was hospitalized and given morphine, but the cause of her symptoms were left unexplored.

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Finally, after pushing her doctor further, clinicians found a mass behind her uterus, which led to the c-section in September 2021, she said. There, they found tumors in her ovaries, abdomen and lymph nodes. The cancer had also spread to her bowel and liver.

"They just said, basically, that my abdomen was so diseased that they needed to send off some biopsies, and I'd have to wait. But I knew anyway," Walker said. "The doctor actually grabbed my hand and he cried, and he actually said that he'd let me down."

Walker has undergone chemotherapy and operations, including a hysterectomy. She's planning a double mastectomy too, according to a fundraising page started by her sister. The family considers the baby, Ray, a miracle.

"It's been really, really hard," Walker told the BBC. "I didn't want to get attached to him, but he is my ray of sunshine. My kids are my purpose. I want to concentrate on making memories. If love could save me, I would never die."

Young women are more likely to be victims of 'medical gaslighting'

Research shows women are more often victims of medical gaslighting, or when medical professionals dismiss a person's symptoms, deny tests or treatments, and ultimately misdiagnose them.

More and more are speaking out. It took 23-year-old Chloe Girardier five months and seven doctor's appointments to get her persistent cough and weight loss to be taken seriously, The Sun reported. She had Hodgkin's lymphoma, a rare cancer that required her to undergo intensive chemotherapy.

Amanda Lee, a 28-year-old actress and wedding photographer, said her doctor called her severe stomach pain "not such a bad thing" since it was leading to weight loss, according to Today Health. She was later diagnosed with stage 3A colon cancer.

20-year-old Georgia Ford said her pain, spasms, vomiting and weight loss were dismissed as being "all in her head." She had stage-4 kidney cancer.

Women are "not being believed, and that's causing significant delays in care, misdiagnosis, late diagnosis, ineffective treatment, and ineffective triaging," Dr. Garima Sharma, an internal medicine physician and cardiologist at Johns Hopkins previously told Insider. "Women are paying a very heavy price."

Read the original article on Insider
More than 45,000 Americans have applied to sponsor Ukrainian refugees since the U.S. launched its Uniting for Ukraine program in late April, according to a new CBS News report.

6,500 Ukrainians already have arrived under the program and 27,000 have been selected and approved to travel to the U.S., according to data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) obtained by the news organization.

DHS confirmed the report in a response to The Hill.

This week marks 100 days since Russia invaded Ukraine. Its unclear how many casualties the war has claimed.

The Biden administration announced in April that the U.S. was planning to welcome 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing Russian aggression.

It ultimately could become the largest official private sponsorship program for refugees in the U.S. in decades, according to CBS News.

Under the program, sponsors have to undergo background checks and financially commit to supporting the Ukrainian refugees they welcome. Ukrainians approved under the Uniting for Ukraine program will not enter the U.S. with standard refugee status, which offers a path to permanent residency, and instead can stay only up to two years.

I think this is a great case study for what is possible when the United States government gives the option for individuals and community groups to step forward and directly resettle refugees, Matthew La Corte, an immigration policy analyst at the Niskanen Center, told CBS News.

The U.S. is on track to reach half of the 100,000 Ukrainian refugees Biden vowed to welcome within the next three months, DHS estimates.

According to the agency, the Uniting for Ukraine program has allowed the Biden administration to bypass the traditional refugee system by bringing in American volunteers and groups to directly finance the resettlement of displaced Ukrainians.

This will build on lessons learned from the U.S. governments efforts over the past year to stand up tailored private sponsorship initiatives to enable Americans to play a leading role in welcoming newly arrived Afghans and Ukrainians, an unnamed State Department spokesperson told CBS News.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Tesla Model 3. Xing Yun/Costfoto/Future Publishing via Getty Images

The US is stepping up its investigation into a problem with Tesla vehicles known as "phantom braking."

Over 750 drivers have submitted complaints saying their Teslas unexpectedly hit the brakes at highway speeds.

Tesla has until June 20 to respond to questions from regulators.

The US government is stepping up an investigation into Tesla after more than 750 drivers complained that their cars suddenly slammed on the brakes at high speeds.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received 758 reports from Tesla owners who say they've experienced a dangerous phenomenon known as "phantom braking," according to a letter the agency sent to Tesla on May 4 and made public on Friday.

In complaints to NHTSA, Tesla owners recounted frightening incidents when their vehicles unexpectedly and violently hit the brakes at highway speeds. Drivers said phantom-braking incidents typically happened when they had switched on cruise control or Autopilot, a system that automatically accelerates, brakes, and steers on highways.

The problem could be an issue with Tesla's automatic emergency braking system, a safety feature designed to detect a imminent crash and stop the car. Some drivers said shadows and oncoming cars seemed to trigger phantom-braking events. Some said they had to take evasive action to avoid getting rear ended after slowing down.

NHTSA said in February that it is investigating the issue in Model Y SUVs and Model 3 sedans from the 2020 and 2021 model years. In the May letter, the agency requested that Tesla respond to a long list of questions by June 20. The automaker faces penalties of up to $115 million if it doesn't respond in time.

Tesla is facing mounting scrutiny from regulators, particularly over its semi-autonomous driving technology. The US is investigating incidents where Tesla vehicles on Autopilot or cruise control crashed into stopped emergency vehicles.

Are you a Tesla owner with a story to share about phantom braking or anything else? Are you a Tesla employee with a tip? Contact this reporter at tlevin@insider.com

Read the original article on Business Insider
Palmetto State Bank in Hampton is now facing a lawsuit related to the alleged financial crimes of Richard "Alex" Murdaugh.

A new civil lawsuit filed Thursday is against suspended South Carolina attorney Richard Alex Murdaugh, former bank CEO Russell Laffitte, and Palmetto State Bank of Hampton.

The latest personal injury suit was filed in Allendale County Court of Common Pleas by attorney Mark Tinsley on behalf of Arthur Badger as a personal representative of the estate of Donna Badger, who was killed in a vehicle crash in 2011.

The suit alleges that Murdaugh and Laffitte, through the services of Palmetto State Bank, conspired to steal settlement funds from Arthur Badger, who was Murdaugh's client at the time.

Power, prestige and privilege: Inside the rise and fall of the Murdaugh dynasty in South Carolina

Previous reporting: Hampton County ex-banker gets $1 million bond and house arrest

Arthur Badger is an Allendale man who was injured in a Jan. 28, 2011 crash with a UPS truck. His wife, Donna Badger was killed. The complaint also accuses the defendants of making illegal loans and misrepresenting facts to government agencies as part of this conspiracy.

As causes of action, the suit alleges civil conspiracy, conversion and fraud against Murdaugh and Laffittee, and aiding and abetting, negligence, and breach of fiduciary duty against Palmetto State Bank.

Arthur Badger complaint by USA TODAY Network on Scribd

Murdaugh was indicted on Jan. 21 for allegedly stealing, on multiple occasions in 2013 and 2014, from the personal injury settlement funds of the Badgers, who were not even aware they had a settlement.

Richard "Alex" Murdaugh

Laffitte, who was terminated as CEO of Palmetto State Bank on Jan. 7, was indicted on May 4 for numerous charges that included criminal conspiracy with Murdaugh on several other alleged crimes.

The complaint includes copies of allegedly fraudulent disbursement statements and emails between Murdaugh and Laffitte referencing the use of a law firm accounting employee to cut checks for certain amounts in a certain fashion. At the time of the alleged crimes, Murdaugh was a partner at Peters Murdaugh Parker Eltzroth & Detrick, PA, the law firm founded by his great-grandfather, while Laffitte was the vice president of the Hampton bank founded by his family more than a century ago.

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Michael Virzi Affidavit by USA TODAY Network on Scribd

The Hampton County Guardian has contacted, by email and phone, attorneys for Murdaugh, Laffitte and Palmetto State Bank seeking comment. Requests for comment were not immediately returned.

This is the 11th civil lawsuit filed directly naming Murdaugh, and the first against Laffitte, after an alleged decade-long, multi-county financial crime spree in which Murdaugh stole more than $8 million from clients, partners and other attorneys.

Ex-manager's statement: Palmetto State Bank, ex-bank manager issue statements in Alex Murdaugh case

In addition to Badger, Tinsley also represents the estate of Mallory Beach in a wrongful death suit against Murdaugh related to a February 2019 boat crash, as well as representing two of the boat crash survivors who are suing Murdaugh.

Murdaugh was suspended from the practice of law by Order of the South Carolina Supreme Court in September 2021. Murdaugh has been the target of waves of indictments since late 2021 and is now facing a total of 82 criminal charges. He remains in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Richland County on a $7 million bond with no ten percent option.

Laffitte is currently out on a $1 million bond.

Read more about the Murdaugh crime saga here.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Alex Murdaugh, former banker, Palmetto State Bank facing new lawsuit
By Tom Allard and Stanley Widianto

JAKARTA(Reuters) -Almost 2,500 mortar shells from Serbia bought for Indonesia's spy agency last year were converted to be air-dropped, and some were used in attacks on eight villages in Papua, according to a report from an arms monitoring group and photos provided to Reuters.

The alleged procurement for the state intelligence agency, known as BIN, was not disclosed to the parliamentary oversight committee that approves its budget, three members told Reuters.

The London-based monitoring group, Conflict Armament Research (CAR), said the mortar rounds were manufactured by Serbia's state-owned arms-maker Krusik and later modified to be dropped from the air rather than fired from a mortar tube. It said the arms sent to BIN also included 3,000 electronic initiators and three timing devices typically used to detonate explosives.

The 81mm mortar rounds were used in attacks in October on villages in Papua, an Indonesian province where a decades-long campaign by armed separatists has accelerated in recent years, according to CAR, an eyewitness, and human rights investigators working on behalf of several church groups.

Reuters was not able to independently confirm certain aspects of the CAR report, including whether BIN had received the shipment. Reuters also could not establish who authorised the purchase of the munitions or who used them in Papua.

BIN and the Ministry of Defence did not respond to requests for comment about the purchase or use of the mortar shells.

The parliamentary oversight committee is holding a closed hearing next week with BIN, and the weapons purchase will be discussed, one committee member said.

Tubagus Hasanuddin, a former general who also sits on the parliamentary committee that oversees BIN, said that the intelligence agency can acquire small arms for its agents' self defence but that any military-grade weapons "must be for education or training purposes and not for combat".

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"We need to conduct a hearing first with BIN and check the reason. Afterwards we will check the legality," he said.

No one was killed, although homes and several churches burned down, according to one witness and investigators working for eight human rights and church groups to document the attacks.

"It's clear cut that these mortars are offensive weapons that were used in civilian areas," said Jim Elmslie, convenor of the West Papua Project at the University of Wollongong, who submitted CAR's report to the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner in April. "This is a breach of humanitarian law."

BIN is a civilian agency under the direct authority of Indonesia's president, Joko Widodo, widely known as Jokowi. The president's office did not respond to a request for comment about the purchase or use of the weapons.

A spokesman for Indonesia's military, Col. Wieng Pranoto, told Reuters its forces did not drop the munitions on the villages. He declined to say whether BIN deployed the munitions.

Indonesian law requires the military, police and other government agencies to seek permission from the Ministry of Defence to buy arms, and requires them to use materiel produced by the domestic defence industry if it is available. The country's state-owned arms-maker PT Pindad produces mortar rounds, and they are part of the armed forces' arsenal.

A defence ministry source familiar with the procurement system said the ministry never approved the purchase or any regulation that would allow BIN to acquire the munitions.

"It raises questions of why BIN would want them," this person said.

Another member of the parliamentary committee that oversees BIN said he was personally investigating the findings in CAR's report to determine whether there was any wrongdoing. He said he had approached BIN and PT Pindad for an explanation but "found a lot of giant walls".

"There must be something that is very, very sensitive about it," he told Reuters.

PT Pindad's spokesperson and chief executive's office did not answer detailed questions from Reuters about how the mortar rounds were procured or who used them.

One of the company's commissioners, Alexandra Wuhan, declined to discuss specifics of the purchase, but said: "Pindad is obliged and subjected to Indonesia's laws, rules and regulations regarding military and civilian arms procurements, likewise BIN as the end user. Pindad cannot be held responsible for the when and where the arms are used by Indonesian authorities. We do not have such control."

ARMS PURCHASE

CAR is a Europe-based arms monitor whose clients have included the European Union, the United Nations, and the U.S. and British governments.

The organisation analysed photos of ordnance used in the attacks in Papua and formally requested information on the shells from the Serbian government via the country's mission at the United Nations in New York on Nov. 26.

Serbia's UN ambassador, Nemanja Stevanovic, provided a response on Dec. 31 in a "note verbale," a formal diplomatic communique. James Bevan, CAR's executive director, said the information in that communique formed the basis of the weapons tracking group's report.

CAR declined to share Serbia's response, citing protocols. Stevanovic, and Serbia's UN Mission, did not respond to a Reuters request to share the note verbale.

THE TRANSFER

The report said Serbia confirmed Krusic made the M-72 high-explosive mortar rounds, which were sold to Serbian arms supplier Zenitprom DOO in February 2021 along with the 3,000 electronic initiators and timing devices. The munitions were then exported by Zenitprom DOO to PT Pindad for BIN, the group says.

On Oct. 6, 2020, at the beginning of the procurement process, BIN provided Serbian authorities with end-user certificate No. R-540/X/2020, confirming that they would be the exclusive users of the items in the consignment and that the munitions would not be transferred or sold to other parties without the permission of the Serbian authorities, the report said. No request to transfer the weapons was made before the Papua attack, the Serbian government told CAR, according to the report.

In its report, CAR said Serbia confirmed the lot numbers on the shells used in Papua matched those of the ones purchased by BIN.

Some details of the report that Reuters was not able to independently confirm include the mortar shells' matching lot numbers, the transfer of the munitions consignment to BIN or whether BIN complied with the end-user certificate. Reuters was unable to determine who had modified the mortar rounds or why BIN had purchased the timers and igniters.

CAR said BIN had provided the Serbian government with a "delivery verification certification," although Reuters could not independently confirm the weapons had arrived in BIN's hands.

An official at the arms-control section of Serbia's Ministry of Trade in Belgrade and the country's embassy in Jakarta did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. Krusik and Zenitprom DOO did not respond to requests for comment.

VILLAGE ATTACKS

An independence rebellion has simmered in resource-rich Papua since 1969, when a United Nations-supervised vote involving only about 1,025 people led to the former Dutch colony becoming part of Indonesia.

The security situation in Papua has "dramatically deteriorated" since April 2021, when separatists killed the head of BIN's Papua office in an ambush, according to a statement by three U.N. special rapporteurs in March. Between April and November last year, they said there were "shocking abuses" by the government. The Indonesian government rejected their statement.

Starting on Oct. 10, 2021, helicopters and drones fired into and dropped munitions on eight villages in the Kiwirok district for several days, according to the eyewitness interviewed by Reuters, human rights investigators and several local church leaders.

"They dropped bombs with drones," Pastor Yahya Uopmabin told Reuters, saying he watched the assault from nearby mountains, where many residents had fled. "Places of worship, houses of residents were burning."

Eneko Bahabol, a Papuan investigator working for a consortium of eight human rights and church groups, said 32 mortar rounds were dropped, including five that didn't detonate. Reuters has seen photos of the unexploded rounds.

The photos from CAR show the mortar shells carry the markings of the Serbian state-owned arms-maker. Samuel Paunila, head of the ammunition management advisory team at the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, confirmed the mortar rounds had Krusic markings.

(Reporting by Tom Allard and Stanley Widianto. Additional reporting by Michelle Nicholls in New York and Aleksandar Vasovic in Belgrade. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
An attack ad against U.S. Senate candidate Cheri Beasley and her campaign no longer will be seen on some North Carolina TV stations after Cox Media Group determined it contained false statements.

Six other media outlets have pulled the ad, at least temporarily, while their legal teams review the statements made against Beasley.

The main point of contention: The ad incorrectly alleges that Beasley set a child pornography offender free.

Thats why Cox Media Group announced this week that it is taking the ad off of WSOC-TV in Charlotte and WAXN-TV in Kannapolis, CBS News first reported. Cox Media Group did not respond to McClatchy DC for comment but said in a letter obtained by CBS News that CMG will not run the ad when it contains false statements on material issue.

The media outlets reviewing the ad include Viamedia, Raleighs WRAL, WNCN, WRAZ and Charlottes WJZY and WMYT, The N&O confirmed.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee created the 30-second ad titled NC: Vulnerable. The committee also did not respond to a request for comment by McClatchy DC.

Dory MacMillan, Beasleys campaign spokeswoman, said the false attack was rightfully taken off television.

Washington Republicans have been caught lying about Cheri Beasleys record, MacMillan said. Voters know Cheri worked with law enforcement to hold violent offenders accountable, and she will continue to keep our communities safe as North Carolinas next U.S. Senator.

U.S. Senate race

Beasley, 55, has been gearing up for a brutal race against her Republican opponent since December when her two closest opponents on the Democrat ticket dropped out of the race to allow her to focus on raising money and her name recognition instead of the ugly attacks within her own party that were seen in the Republican primary.

Beasley now will face U.S. Rep. Ted Budd, who won the Republican nomination in the primary election after defeating former N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory, former U.S. Rep. Mark Walker and other candidates.

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Budd, who has received former President Donald Trumps endorsement, is a three-term congressman representing Davie County and the surrounding area of the 13th Congressional District.

The race between Beasley and Budd is expected to be expensive and brutal as they head toward the Nov. 8 general election.

Beasley is a trailblazer in North Carolinas judicial system who last served as North Carolina Supreme Courts chief justice until losing her reelection by just 401 votes to Paul Newby in 2020. She was the first Black woman to serve in that role, and the first Black woman to be elected to a statewide office in North Carolina without first being appointed to the position by a governor. She has also served as a public defender, a District Court judge and a Superior Court judge.

The attack ad NRSC launched against her last week uses stock images of childrens faces flashing on the screen as a womans voice declares, Our children, our societys most vulnerable  and Chief Justice Cheri Beasley has failed them.

The ad discusses three cases Beasley worked on in the Supreme and appellate courts, though the latter of the cases mentioned is patently false.

Beasley has not been a judge since Dec. 31, 2020.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cheri Beasley arrives to deliver her primary victory acceptance speech on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 in Raleigh, N.C.

Attack ad

A child porn offender, she voted to set him free, the womans voice says, with a reference at the bottom of the screen to an article that addresses the case of James Howard Terrell.

Terrell was found guilty in Onslow County on multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor after an officer, without a warrant, found numerous photos of naked children on a thumb drive belonging to Terrell.

Terrells girlfriend had taken the thumb drive to the police station after searching for a picture of a housekeeper he kept referencing and instead found a photo of her own granddaughter naked from the waist up.

But before an officer applied for a search warrant, the officer looked through the thumb drive and found more photos of other girls.

The majority of Supreme Court judges, including Beasley, found that going through the thumbdrive before getting a search warrant violated Terrells Fourth Amendment rights.

But Beasley she did not set him free, as the ad states.

The case was remanded back to the lower court to determine if there was probable cause to obtain a search warrant for the contents of the thumb drive without the evidence obtained through the unlawful search.

Terrell was later found guilty and sentenced to more than 20 years in prison, according to the N.C. Department of Public Safety. He was released from prison on Dec. 23, 2021, through a court order and is currently in Delaware, NCDPS records state.

Sex with a minor

The ad also accuses Beasley of tossing the conviction of an online predator and throwing out the indictment of a sexual predator who assaulted a 7-year-old girl. Neither claim provided voters with enough information about the court case to understand its full context.

The first attack references the appellate case of David Keller who, according to court records, went to the higher court after a Superior Court judge refused to instruct the jury that they could find Keller not guilty because a police officer trapped him into committing a crime.

In this case, Keller found an ad on Craigslist from a boy looking to have sex with a man and responded unknowingly to an officer. When the officer told Keller that he was 15-year-old, Keller told him repeatedly that having sex with a minor was illegal and they would have to wait until the boy turned 18.

Keller had offered to let the boy stay with him when he learned he was being abused by a family member, but when the officer wrote back that he would find someone else if sex wasnt part of the deal, Keller agreed to sex too.

Keller testified that he only said yes as a way to meet with him and make sure he didnt seek out someone who would harm him, but he did not intend to have sex with the boy.

Beasley agreed that the jury should have been instructed about entrapment defenses and remanded the case back to the trial court to give the jury full instructions.

The jury later found Keller guilty.

Child molestation

The ad then accuses Beasley of throwing out an indictment against a sexual predator who assaulted a 7-year-old.

In this case, Michael White was accused of molesting the child while living with her and her mother. White appealed his case because an indictment failed to include the victims name, which is required under state law.

Beasley wrote that while the childs identity was clear from a previous indictment, Whites own confession and other records, her hands were tied because of statutory requirements. She reversed the conviction and remanded the case back to the state court for further action.

White was released from his 30-year prison sentence a month later. His case is still pending in Graham County and his next court date is Aug. 3.
RENO, Nev.  Nevada plans to ditch its investments in companies that manufacture or sell assault weapons, Treasurer Zach Conine announced on Thursday after the latest string of mass shootings in the U.S.

Conine, a first-term Democrat up for re-election in November, said his office was evaluating all current assets and would work to divest tens of millions of dollars from the companies in the most fiscally prudent manner possible.

As Nevadas chief investment officer, I have a responsibility to ensure Nevadas tax dollars are invested with minimal exposure to risk, Conine added in a statement. Companies that profit on the manufacture and sale of assault-style weapons present a market risk Im not willing to take.

Investments are fundamentally a plan for the future, and it's time Nevada started investing in a better future where our children aren't slaughtered in classrooms.

Three variations of the AR-15 assault rifle are displayed at the California Department of Justice in Sacramento, Calif., on Aug. 15, 2012. The gunmen in two of the nation's most recent mass shootings, including last week's massacre at a Texas elementary school, legally bought the assault weapons they used after they turned 18.

The move will affect less than 1% of the $49 billion investment portfolio managed by Conines office. It comes just days after 19 children and two teachers were slaughtered at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

Conine said assault weapon-related assets would not be sold at a loss and would not negatively impact the Silver States portfolio.

'We're in a paralysis': There have already been a dozen mass killings this year. Here's what the numbers show.

From back surgery to mass killing: How the tragic Tulsa hospital shooting unfolded

The divestment policy, which took immediate effect in the Treasurers office, will go up for a vote at an upcoming state Board of Finance meeting.

If approved, Nevada would be the fourth state to do so in the U.S., joining Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York City among jurisdictions that have recently cut financial ties with assault weapon manufacturers. Conine also called on other states, asset managers and financial institutions to do the same.

James DeHaven is the politics reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal.

This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: Nevada to divest with companies that manufacture, sell assault weapons
North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Han Tae Song chairs the Conference on Disarmament

North Korea has temporarily taken over as head of a top nuclear disarmament forum at the United Nations.

It comes as the pariah state was earlier this year accused of testing an intercontinental ballistic missile, which are banned by the UN Security Council.

However it assumed the presidency of the Conference on Disarmament as the position rotates between members.

The move sparked immediate criticism of the forum's effectiveness.

A number of non-government organisations had urged countries to walk out of the room - a common form of diplomatic protest. While member states did not do this at Thursday's session, some nations sent only lower-level representatives.

Pyongyang only last week fired several missile tests in the immediate aftermath of US President Joe Biden's visit to its neighbours South Korean and Japan.

The UN prohibits North Korea from ballistic and nuclear weapons tests, and has imposed strict sanctions after previous tests.

The Conference on Disarmament - held three times at year at the UN headquarters in Geneva- is the world's only permanent, multilateral body negotiating arms and nuclear accords.

Its overarching aim is to end the nuclear arms race and prevent nuclear war. However it's failed to produce any deals of note since 1996.

North Korea will chair the forum for at least the next three weeks.

The opening session on Thursday saw Western states - many of whom wield sanctions against Pyongyang- release a joint statement condemning North Korea's aggression this year.

"We remain gravely concerned about the DPRK's reckless actions which continue to seriously undermine the very value of the Conference on Disarmament", said Australia's ambassador, on behalf of a coalition of countries.

Responding to the appointment, the US said it prompted questions over the forum's effectiveness.

"It certainly does call that into question when you have a regime like the DPRK in a senior leadership post, a regime that has done as much as any other government around the world to erode the non-proliferation norm," said State Department spokesman Ned Price.

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Australia's ambassador Amanda Gorely also specified in the statement that the choice to stay was not to be interpreted as "tacit consent" of North Korea's record.

North Korea's ambassador at the meeting said it noted the statement and others of criticism.

In his own statement, he reiterated his nation's claims of self defence necessitating its militarisation, and said it remained committed to contributing to global disarmament.
Federal prosecutors are asking for up to 34 years in prison for a former Indian movie producer who pleaded guilty to running a Chicago-based sex-trafficking ring that lured unsuspecting young actresses from their home country to the U.S., where authorities said they were forced into prostitution, physically abused and threatened with public shaming if they complained.

Kishan Modugumudi, 42, pleaded guilty in February 2020 to a count of sex trafficking related to one victim. His wife, Chandra, 35, also pleaded guilty to sex trafficking for her role in the scheme, court records show.

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U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall later held a closed-door hearing where she heard directly from some of the Modugumudis victims, including an actress who testified the couple likely thought none of them would show up to talk against them, prosecutors revealed in a court filing Friday.

But yes, we are here, the woman, identified only as Victim C, told the judge, according to the prosecution filing. Women, we are here, and we are talking against them. We are raising our voice. And we are showing that they did something wrong in their life. They have to feel regret until their death.

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Federal prosecutors say a husband-and-wife team ran a high-end prostitution ring involving young Indian actresses brought to the U.S. out of this apartment building in the 5700 block of West Belden Avenue in Chicago. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

In asking for a sentence of between 27 and 34 years for Kishan Modugumudi, prosecutors said in the filing he was a predator who preyed on the hopes and dreams of young, innocent Indian women with dreams of coming to the United States and advancing their careers.

In a separate filing Friday, prosecutors asked Kendall to sentence Chandra Modugumudi to up to 27 years behind bars.

Both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on June 24.

A Tribune report detailing the allegations against the couple in July 2018 caused a major stir in Tollywood, a nickname for the lively Telugu-language film scene in southern India where Kishan Modugumudi had worked as a producer and found his alleged victims.

According to federal prosecutors, Modugumudi lured the actresses to Chicago with the promise of being discovered. Once here on temporary visas, however, the actresses were treated like sex slaves, forced to stay in a dingy, two-story apartment building in Chicagos Belmont Cragin neighborhood waiting for their next date, the charges alleged.

The Modugumudis advertised the girls, some as young as 16, for sex at Indian conferences and cultural events across the country. The couple charged clients up to $3,000 for each sexual encounter, which took place in hotel rooms in Chicago, Dallas, New Jersey, Washington and elsewhere, according to prosecutors.

To keep the scheme going, Modugumudi resorted to physical and sexual assault of the victims as well as threats to disclose their names, which would result in career-ending and reputation-destroying shame for the victims and their families in India, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Merin wrote.

They were not empty threats, according to Merin. Kishan Modugumudi took lewd photos of some of the victims and kept them to blackmail them into silence. Actresses who were sent back to India suffered continued threats of exposure if they spoke out, Merin wrote.

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One of the actresses, who was 17 at the time, refused to engage in commercial sex acts, prompting Kishan Modugumudi to text his wife, Is she blabbering anything?

I threatened to kill her if she speaks anything, Chandra Modugumudi replied, according to the prosecution filing.

Her husband texted back: Tell her you would inform her mother if she creates any trouble.

Even after he was arrested and held without bond, Kishan Modugumudi attempted to disclose information about the victims to gain sympathy in Indian media and make good on his threats to destroy his victims lives if they dared to speak out against him and his wife, Merin said.

Investigators were able to stop the attempt after they intercepted emails he had sent to an Indian reporter from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago, according to prosecutors.

Before his arrest, Kishan Modugumudi had risen to become a player in the Tollywood movie industry and co-produced several hit films.

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Founded in the silent-film era in the early 1900s, the Telugu film industry is one of the oldest and busiest in India. Its commercial hub, Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, holds the Guinness World Record as the largest film studio complex in the world with 47 sound stages.

But Tollywood also has been criticized as a haven for traffickers who use promises of stardom to trap aspiring young actresses in the sex trade. An estimated 200,000 women and children in India are forced into prostitution every year, many lured by opportunities to model or act in films, according to Reuters.

When federal agents searched the Modugumudis apartment in the 5700 block of West Belden Avenue in February 2018, they found detailed ledgers of the sex acts performed by each girl, including where they occurred and how much they collected, according to prosecutors.

The ledgers showed that the couple had taken in at least $617,000 from forcing the victims to engage in commercial sex acts, prosecutors said.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
MONMOUTH  OSF HealthCare Holy Family Medical Center in Monmouth, Illinois, will hold a community open house for the newly redesigned emergency department (ED) from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 4. The public is invited to attend. The transition of patient care to the new department is slated for early-mid June upon approval by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The new and expanded ED is now more than 10,000 square feet and includes 10 patient rooms, a dedicated triage room, a behavioral health room and a decontamination room. A new ambulance bay with a private entrance was also added. The redesign combines innovation and state-of-the-art concepts to enhance the patient experience and improve efficiencies.

This is a very exciting time for our community and patients, said Lisa DeKezel, president of OSF HealthCare Holy Family Medical Center. The ED really is the access point of care for many people. Its where we go when were the most vulnerable and, certainly, when we need local community members who we can trust to care for us. Seeing the opportunity for innovation and transformative care right here in Monmouth is such an incredible opportunity. OSF HealthCare continues to show its long-term commitment to high-quality care for rural communities.

The ED redesign project began in the spring of 2021. While it had already been a goal to renovate the space, the COVID-19 pandemic solidified the need for an expansion as emergency room volumes across the country soared. In addition to an extra 8,000 square feet, the improved capabilities of the new ED will enhance the services available to patients while allowing OSF Mission Partners (employees) to continue providing high-quality, compassionate care.

The new entrance is on the west side of the campus at 1000 W. Harlem Ave. in Monmouth.

This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: OSF Holy Family Medical Center hosts open house for new emergency department
Christian Owens, Paddle CEO Paddle

Paddle, a payments company for software startups, allows staff to work abroad for 45 days a year.

Work from anywhere is a highly in-demand work benefit post-pandemic.

Paddle told Insider the policy helps employees manage their work-life balance.

Working from anywhere is a highly sought-after but elusive post-pandemic work benefit.

While remote or hybrid working has been adopted by many companies in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses that allow their employees to work from other countries for long stretches of time are still in the minority.

The idea is popular with employees and job seekers. Airbnb said in the week following its recent work-from-anywhere announcement, more than 800,000 people flocked to its careers page.

There are a few reasons why other companies are resistant to letting employees work from anywhere.

It has the potential to become an HR and tax minefield. Full-time employees will be subject to country-specific local employment laws and tax requirements if they remain in a country for too long. Fines for tax or employment violations can be harsh, and not all companies are willing to roll the dice on the extra expense.

Paddle is a London-based startup that provides payment and bill infrastructure for fellow software firms and is valued at $1.4 billion. It's one of the few companies right now offering a work-from-anywhere policy, with any of its 275 employees permitted to work from any country in the world for 45 days of the year.

Insider spoke to Hanna Smith, Paddle's head of people, to find out how.

1. Paddle sought legal advice for the policy

Smith said that the idea to introduce Paddle's work-from-anywhere policy came from an in-house employee survey. She said that many employees were starting to travel again, and working abroad was something Paddle wanted to allow alongside its remote work policy.

"The pandemic gave us all the ability to do things differently," Smith said. "We wanted to do it because the world was starting to open up again."

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Paddle sought advice when creating its "Navigate" policy to avoid potential issues.

"We took legal advice on it," Smith said. "Generally, you can work outside of your country of employment for under 90 days without being personally liable to pay tax in that country or the company being liable to pay tax in that country."

"I think tax is definitely a big consideration. That's why we settled on 45 days," she added.

She said companies should seek personalized advice as laws can vary by country. Airbnb's policy follows a similar structure, with workers allowed to work in 170 countries for up to 90 days a year.

2. Working from abroad can improve work-life balance

Giving employees the ability to work from other countries has boosted Paddle's recruitment and retention, Smith said.

"It's one of the first things that candidates want to know about," she said. "It's definitely a good attraction piece for talent and a retention piece too."

Since Paddle introduced the scheme in August 2021, 43 employees have used the policy for a total of 285.5 days.

Smith said that the policy has also enabled employees to look after their wellbeing on their own terms.

"We have one employee who suffers from seasonal affective disorder  they didn't want to use their vacation or to go on holiday. They wanted to actually be able to work somewhere where they have more sunlight so they used the policy to do that in January," she said.

The main restrictions on the policy are timescale and timezone.

Navigate requests must be submitted to the company before an employee travels and Paddle prefers employees to stay within a five-hour plus or minus timezone  but Smith added that they takes a "personalized approach" to the rule.

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Kirsty Needham

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Papua New Guinea's prime minister has warned the opposition not to "play politics" with the visit of China's foreign minister amid an election campaign, noting China is a major trade partner and the biggest buyer of the Pacific nation's gas exports.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Prime Minister James Marape on Friday after signing agreements with his counterpart, in the final days of an eight-nation tour that has raised concern over Beijing's ambitions in the region.

China was unable to gain consensus from 10 Pacific island nations for a sweeping regional pact on security and trade at a meeting on Monday. Several nations said it was too rushed and they wanted to consult the broader region, where some countries have diplomatic ties with Taiwan and not Beijing.

Nonetheless, Wang struck a series of bilateral deals on infrastructure, fisheries, trade and police equipment on his tour, and officials say discussions over a regional pact will continue.

At a press conference in Port Moresby on Friday, Wang denied that China had wanted a security pact at all and called media reports about such an agreement "disinformation".

"China has come to the South Pacific region to build roads and bridges and improve the people's lives, not to station troops or build military bases," a Chinese foreign ministry statement cited him as saying.

"China stands ready to work with Pacific island countries to expand consensus on regional cooperation, not to sign any regional security agreement."

GRAPHIC: China's outreach in the South Pacific https://graphics.reuters.com/PACIFIC-SECURITY/CHINA/movanzonepa/graphic.jpg

Chinese state media outlet Xinhua this week reported Beijing wanted developing countries to join its new "Global Security Initiative", although details have been scant.

The United States, Australia and New Zealand have expressed concern over Beijing's offers for a greater security and policing presence in the Pacific, after it struck a security pact with Solomon Islands.

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In a letter to other Pacific leaders last month, the Federated States of Micronesia warned a multilateral pact with China could bring a "Cold War" to the region.

In a virtual meeting with his Federated States of Micronesia counterpart on Thursday, Wang said China wasn't expanding its military into the Pacific but focusing on economic development.

"The facts over nearly half a century have proved that the exchanges between China and (Pacific island countries) did not and will not affect regional security and stability," he said, according to a foreign ministry statement on Friday.

Wang travelled to East Timor later on Friday, where he is to sign bilateral agreements on health, agriculture, media and economic cooperation, according to East Timors foreign ministry.

'FRIENDS TO ALL'

Administered by Australia until 1975 and its nearest neighbour, Papua New Guinea is strategically positioned and rich in resources but largely undeveloped.

Papua New Guinea had a foreign policy of "friends to all and enemies to none", Prime Minister Marape said in a statement.

"China is the major buyer of our produce, and we will engage with them more in commerce and trade, as well as other aspects of our bilateral relationship going into the future," he said.

China buys over 50% of all the gas produced in Papua New Guinea and has given an undertaking to buy more, he said.

Marape hit back at former prime minister Peter O'Neill, who is running for the top job and who criticised the timing of Wang's visit as being inappropriate and warned no deals should be signed.

"The former prime minister knows very well not to play politics with the visit of an international leader to our country," Marape said.

TONGA SHARES 'RESPECT FOR DEMOCRACY'

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong arrived in Tonga on Friday to highlight the new Australian government's commitments on climate change, in her second trip to the region since being sworn in last week.

"We are not a government or country that wants to come in and tell you what to do," said Wong, who visited Samoa on Thursday and pledged a new coastguard patrol vessel.

Tonga's Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni, who signed six agreements with China on Tuesday, told a joint media conference Tonga and Australia shared "respect for democracy and rule of law and the rights and freedoms of others".

Australian aid has been crucial in Tonga's history, and will continue in the priority areas of education, health, defence, trade, policing and democratic governance, he said.

Tonga has external debt of $195 million or 35.9 percent of its GDP, of which two-thirds is owed to China's Export-Import Bank, its budget shows.

Sovaleni told reporters on Wednesday the debt had been discussed during the Chinese foreign minister's visit, and Tonga will continue to make repayments.

Australia has offered to increase work opportunities for Tongans in Australia, and export opportunities, he added.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Additional reporting by Kate Lamb and Yew Lun Tian in Beijing; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Kim Coghill and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
The father of a victim in the mass school shooting in Parkland, Florida, tweeted at Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) youre a liar over his claims on Thursday that Democrats havent done their job on gun control legislation.

During a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Jordan accused Democrats of political theater in their Protecting Our Kids Act legislation saying they failed earlier to reach out about markups or changes in the proposed legislation.

Democrats never once reached out to us to seek our input on the legislation we are considering here today, Jordan claimed.

But Fred Guttenberg  whose 14-year-old daughter, Jaimie, was one of 17 people killed in 2018 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School  pointed out that he and others testified three months ago about the proposals, but Jordan skipped most of the hearing.

Perhaps had you not spent most of the time out of the hearing, you would remember, Guttenberg snapped in a tweet.

.@Jim_Jordan, you're a liar. I heard you say Democrats never reached out on the markups in front of you today. I testified in front of this committee as did @kristinsong3 months ago about these. PERHAPS HAD YOU NOT SPENT MOST OF THE TIME OUT OF THE HEARING, YOU WOULD REMEMBER.  Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) June 2, 2022

Guttenberg also angrily took on other Republicans over their testimony Thursday on the proposed legislation.

He hailed criticism of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) by Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), who blasted Gaetz for urging a waiting period before taking any action on gun control.

He acted as if weve had two shootings in America, Cicilline said disdainfully of Gaetzs proposal. We are responding to thousands and thousands and thousands of shootings in this country over the last decade. We waited too long already.

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Honor the memories of those who weve lost to gun violence by taking this issue seriously and being committed to finding a solution, he added.

Gaetz responded that Americans cherish their guns, to which Cicilline asked, Do they cherish their children, Mr. Gaetz? All children in America are at risk.

Thank you @davidcicilline for challenging the liar @mattgaetz. I do cherish my children. Since Jaime was murdered in Parkland, 100,000,000 weapons have been added to America. As for Matt, and his incomplete bullshit on Parkland and what happened, FUCK YOU Matt!!!  Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) June 2, 2022

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Southend star Ryan Peniston battled past fellow Brit Jack Draper in a thrilling second round contest at the Surbiton Trophy on Thursday, writes Oli Dickson Jefford in Surbiton.

Peniston, who benefits from the LTAs NTC Access programme that supports players ranked 100-200 in singles and 31-100 in doubles, prevailed 6-7(9) 7-5 6-4 to reach the last eight.

The 26-year-old rebounded from missing set points in the opening set and then came from 4-2 down in the decider to beat Draper, who is 89 spots above him in the ATP rankings and was struggling physically towards the end of the contest.

It was a tough battle from the start to the finish, and its a shame Jack got some cramps in the end, but I thought the level was really good and he was fighting all the way. It was a good battle, he said.

Im pleased with just getting over the line, really. It was a tough situation at the end because of Jacks physical issues, but credit to him  he was still fighting hard. Just to get over the line and keep my head on my shoulders, it was a good effort I thought.

It was a tough one. I was up in that first set pretty much the whole time and then had a little slip, and got to the breaker. It was very tight as well, and I had a set point, then he got it. I was pleased with how I regrouped at the end of the second set.

Victory over Draper follows a significant win for Peniston in the first round, where he beat former top 25 player and second seed Adrian Mannarino, also from a set down.

Having entered the main draw as a wildcard, he now faces qualifier Otto Virtanen for a place in the second round on Friday.

Virtanen beat another Brit in the form of Paul Jubb in the second round, and Peniston is relishing the chance to face him himself.

He added: I know a little bit about him. Ive seen him play quite a bit and I played him once before. Im looking forward to it.

Hes a good player, so hopefully it will be a good match.

For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA Website
Pennsylvanias Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman has released a letter from his doctor stating that the Democratic nominee for Senate can resume campaigning in the highly watched senate race after he suffered a stroke.

Mr Fettermans campaign released a letter from Dr Ramesh Chandra of Alliance cardiology on Friday saying that he saw Mr Fetterman in a follow-up appointment after his stroke on 13 May.

Dr Chandra said he first saw Mr Fetterman at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center East in 2017 when he experienced swelling in his feet.

That is when I diagnosed him with atrial fibrilation, an irregular heart rhythm, along with a decreased heart pump, he said. Dr Chandra said that he prescribed medications, told Mr Fetterman to change his diet and to follow up in a few months.

Instead, I did not see him again until yesterday, Dr Chandra wrote. John did not go to any doctor for 5 years and did not continue taking his medications.

Mr Fetterman admitted to his poor health practices in a statement.

JUST IN: In a statement, @JohnFetterman admits "I almost died" because he didn't take care of his health well enough. Didn't see a doctor for 5 years. Releases doc note that says if he stays healthy "he should be able to campaign and serve in the U.S. Senate without a problem." pic.twitter.com/J2NgCvOfCl  Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) June 3, 2022

Like so many others and so many men in particular, I avoided going to the doctor, even though I knew I didnt feel well, he said.

Mr Fetterman said that he thought exercising and losing weight would be enough to combat his health issues.

Of course it wasnt, he said. I didnt do what the doctor told me. But I wont make the same mistake again. Taking care of others is important but you must include yourself in there too.

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As my doctor said, I should have taken my health more seriously. The stroke I suffered on May 13 didnt come out of nowhere. Like so many others, and so many men in particular, I avoided going to the doctor, even though I knew I didnt feel well. As a result, I almost died. I want to encourage others to not make the same mistake, he added in the statement.

Dr Chandra said that Mr Fetterman has a pacemaker now and is stable.

The prognosis I gave for Johns heart is this: if he takes his medications, eats healthy, and exercises, hell be fine, Dr Chandra wrote. If he does what Ive told him, and I do believe that he is taking his recovery and his health very seriously this time, he should be able to campaign and serve in the US Senate without a problem.

Mr Fetterman suffered a stroke just days before the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania, when he beat Representative Conor Lamb and the state legislator Malcolm Kenyatta. Mr Fetterman will face either television host and physician Dr Oz or businessman Dave McCormick, depending on who wins a too-close-to-call Republican primary.

The Senate race will determine who will replace retiring Republican Senator Pat Toomey.
A Philadelphia man was arrested on murder charges for allegedly stabbing his boyfriend to death nearly three years ago, then withdrawing money from the victim's trust fund and taking over his social media accounts to make it look like he was still alive.

Keshaun Sheffield, 20, was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, theft, receiving stolen property, and other crimes, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele announced.

Sheffield was in a relationship with the victim, 22-year-old Rashid Young, for roughly two years before the murder on Aug. 19, 2019.

He is accused of stabbing Young to death and transporting his body in a Pottstown Borough recycling container to a house that he shared with his mother.

PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFER $20K REWARD FOR INFO ON MURDER SUSPECT SEEN HUGGING VICTIM BEFORE FATAL SHOOTING

Sheffield then allegedly dug a grave at Awbury Arboretum, a nonprofit botanical garden in north Philadelphia, and buried Young's remains there.

A landscaper for the garden discovered Young's remains on Sept. 30, 2019 and called the police.

"The investigation found that Sheffield was accessing the victims social media accounts and using his cellphone to communicate with Youngs family and keep up the appearance that Young was still alive from August to December 2019," the district attorney wrote this week.

PHILADELPHIA: 13-YEAR-OLD BOY SHOT IN HEAD IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION, 2 ARRESTED, POLICE SAY

Young's remains went unidentified until a private investigator hired by Young's family contacted the Montgomery County Detectives with new information about the case.

Detectives then used dental records to confirm Young's identity.

"Since August 2019, a family has been searching for information about their missing son. Today, we shared with them the tragic details of his death and will be able to return his remains to them for a proper burial," Steele said Wednesday. "This is yet another case of relationship violence that turned into a murder."
A man was arrested Friday outside the US Capitol building after authorities say they found him with after authorities say they found the man with a fake badge, a BB gun, body armor, and high capacity magazines. US Capitol Police

A retired New York cop was arrested on Friday outside of the US Capitol building.

Capitol police say they found the man with a fake badge, a BB gun, body armor, and high-capacity magazines.

The man is now facing charges for unlawful possession of high-capacity magazines and unregistered ammo.

The US Capitol Police arrested a retired New York City police officer who had a fake badge, body gear, and high-capacity magazines in his car near the Capitol building, the agency announced in a statement on Friday.

The 53-year-old, identified as Jerome Felipe from Flint, Michigan, was parked near the west side of the Capitol building early Friday morning before 5 a.m., according to the report.

According to the DC law enforcement agency, a Capitol Police officer started talking to Felipe after he had parked his 2017 Dodge Charger near Peace Circle, on the West side of the Capitol.

Felipe then showed officers a fake badge that had "Department of the INTERPOL" printed on it and claimed he was a criminal investigator with the agency, Capitol Police said.

Authorities say Felipe then gave the officers permission to search his car where the officers discovered a BB gun, two ballistic vests, several high capacity magazines, and other ammunition.

No real guns were found, Capitol Police said.

Felipe is now facing charges for unlawful possession of high capacity magazines and unregistered ammo.

Capitol Police said investigators were still working to determine the reason Felipe was parked near the Capitol building.

It was not immediately clear whether Felipe had retained a lawyer. An NYPD spokesperson confirmed to Insider that Felipe retired in 2018.

"We are fully cooperating with the US Capitol Police investigation," the spokesperson said.

Capitol Police said investigators are looking into why Felipe was parked near the Capitol.

The news comes as Congress has faced an increase in threats in recent years, putting Capitol Police officers on high alert.

Last year, ahead of President Joe Biden's inauguration, a Virginia man was arrested near the Capitol for carrying a pistol without a license and ammo.

Days earlier, another armed Virginia man with more than 500 rounds of ammo was arrested attempting to drive through a US Capitol checkpoint.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A warm Thursday evening brought groups of people, with the occasional lone book-reader or phone-surfer, to the original limestone steps at Burnham Parks Promontory Point, a serene spot cherished by locals and tourists alike tucked away in the East Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicagos lakefront.

In an effort to maintain the points historic charm, hundreds of thousands of federal dollars have been requested for the 2023 fiscal year to re-up a study looking into the long-awaited preservation of the limestone revetment at Promontory Point, which has been there since its creation in 1938.

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The study would determine a preferred preservation approach for the design of the Promontory Point Shoreline Protection Project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according to a news release from U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, who represents Illinois 2nd Congressional District, who called the point beautiful.

Its a gem in the city, and we should do everything we can to restore it, Kelly said.

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People walk along limestone rocks at Promontory Point on June 1, 2022, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Promontory Point is a 40-acre, man-made peninsula on the shore of Lake Michigan between 53rd and 57th streets, according to the Promontory Point Conservancy, a community group with a mission to protect and preserve the point. The limestone revetment was designed as the four or five tiers of step stones point-goers know and love at the edge of the lake that lead up to Burnham Park.

High lake levels in the 1980s led to the plan to repair and replace the revetments along Chicagos entire lakefront, including Promontory Point, but many residents took issue with replacing the historic limestone blocks with concrete. Several community groups rallied together by 2006 and called for an alternative that would hopefully preserve the points original limestone, but no funding was made available to continue these efforts until now.

Kelly submitted the request for funding in May as one of 15 community service projects across her district she put on the congressional table this year. She said the Chicago Park District put in the proposal and determined the amount needed for the study, $550,000.

Over 75 proposals were submitted to Kelly, and she selected the 15 this year based on need and impact for the communities she represents, according to the news release.

Kelly said she walked around Promontory Point at the end of 2012, before she was elected to Congress, with Ald. Leslie Hairston, 5th, who gave her a tour and who Kelly said has been a warrior for this project.

Limestone rocks hug the lakeshore at Promontory Point on June 1, 2022, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Once the funding is approved, Kelly said, the money will go to the Army Corps, who will run point on the study. Kelly said she is optimistic about the approval because all 10 of the projects she put forth last were approved, bringing more than $6.7 million in federal funds to her district.

Other projects up for funding this year include improvements to South Shore Hospital, gun-violence prevention and streetlight improvement.

Don Lamb is an astrophysicist at the University of Chicago and a member of the Promontory Point Conservancy. Lamb said he has been involved with saving the point since about 2005. He said the point is an incredibly unique and special place for the South Side and the entire city and finally sees some light at the end of a lengthy tunnel toward preserving it.

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It still needs to be passed by Congress and signed by the president, but I feel more optimistic today than I have in 16 years that Promontory Point will be saved, Lamb said.

sahmad@chicagotribune.com
West Chester Police are searching for a vehicle after a woman's body was found on the side of the road Sunday.

Police said the body was found between Muhlhauser Road and State Route 747 on Sunday afternoon.

Police are searching for a vehicle after a woman was found dead in West Chester Sunday.

The woman has been identified as Sherry Haywood, 46, of Cincinnati.

The Butler County Coroner ruled Haywood died of multiple traumatic injuries.

Police are searching for the owner of a white Ford Edge SUV, model year 2007 through 2011, with a front passenger's side headlight and bumper damage.

Anyone who recognizes the vehicle in the photograph or has information regarding the incident is urged to contact West Chester Police at 513-777-7270 or by visiting www.westchesteroh.org/police.

Police are searching for a vehicle after a woman was found dead in West Chester Sunday

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Police searching for vehicle after woman found dead West Chester
Police sources say criminals were able to buy over $3,000 worth of luxury glasses from a store in the South Hills Village Mall as part of a sophisticated scheme involving a victim in Alabama.

Our sources tell Channel 11 that two men were seen on surveillance video May 25 at an eyeglass store, buying Cartier glasses with a credit card they manufactured with someone elses stolen credit card number. The card was even able to swipe.

Were told the suspects also used a fake ID with a name that matched the name on the fake credit card, so a clerk would have never known anything was wrong. It wasnt until the victim from Alabama called the store to say he had fraudulent charges they were made aware of the crime.

Shoppers say schemes to defraud hard-working folks are out of control.

I just think its crazy and its so wrong, Michele Volpatti tells Channel 11. I dont understand these people, how they do this stuff and how they get away with it too.

I would feel used and I would feel disrespected, Jason Sarkoyan added. Its wrong to take peoples money thats not theirs that they didnt work hard for.

Sources say suspects often sell these stolen glasses for thousands of dollars more online.

Police are still searching for the two men seen in the surveillance photos.

TRENDING NOW:

Key House committee passes gun control legislation in emergency hearing Man charged after allegedly attempting to assault woman in Pittsburghs Bloomfield neighborhood Pennsylvania state police investigating two student situations at Hempfield High School VIDEO:Shooting victim identifies suspect in North Braddock before dying DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
Portsmouth police are increasing their presence at the citys high schools Friday following multiple overnight shootings.

Police will be at the citys three high schools during arrival and dismissal, Portsmouth Public Schools spokesperson Lauren Nolasco said. The decision comes after five people were injured on Thursday in four separate shootings. No one was killed in any of the shootings and one is believed to have been a self-inflicted injury, according to police.

We are aware of the significant concern about recent gun violence. Please be assured that we are actively investigating the incidents & will release more information as it becomes available, police said in a Twitter post Friday morning.

The decision to send more police to schools was made out of precaution, police spokesperson Victoria Varnedoe said in an email to The Virginian-Pilot.

Nolasco said none of the shootings happened on school property. But one of the shootings happened close by to Cradock Middle School, according to information provided by police.

Thursdays violence began around 4 p.m. when two men were shot and injured in the Armistead Forest neighborhood. One mans injuries are life threatening, police said Thursday afternoon, while the second man is expected to recover.

A 56-year-old woman was shot around 9:16 p.m. in the 2400 block of Staunton Ave, off Portsmouth Boulevard. Police said her injuries are not life threatening.

Around 10:21 p.m., police said a boy suffered a gunshot wound in the 1100 block of Virginia Avenue, in the London Oaks Apartments. Police said Friday morning that the gunshot wound appeared to be self-inflicted. The boy is expected to recover.

A 31-year-old man was seriously injured in a shooting, reported at the intersection of Alden Avenue and Emmons Place, around 10:55 p.m. in the Cradock neighborhood, police said. Police said the shooting happened during an argument.

Police said Friday morning the victim was in stable condition. The site of the shooting, provided by police, is in a neighborhood located across the street from Cradock Middle School.

Ali Sullivan, 757-677-1974, ali.sullivan@virginiamedia.com
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seated on the opposite aisle to the senior working royals. Victoria Jones/PA Images via Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended a Service of Thanksgiving in London on Friday.

The royal event, held in honor of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, was their first in over 2 years.

While Prince William and Kate Middleton were also there, the two couples did not appear to interact.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince William, and Kate Middleton were all present at a royal event held in honor of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee on Friday, but the two couples did not interact with one another.

Harry and Markle arrived at St Paul's Cathedral in London for a service of thanksgiving for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee prior to any of the senior working royals. Their appearance marked the couple's first joint royal engagement in over two years, since stepping back from royal life and moving to the US. They arrived in the UK on Wednesday alongside their two children, Archie and Lilibet, according to Vanity Fair.

Despite their former nickname along with William and Middleton being the "Fab Four," which they gained during their time working as a unit on the Royal Foundation prior to 2019, the two couples were seen sitting on opposite sides of the aisle at the event reuniting them all.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were guided to their seats. Dan Kitwood -WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were seated on the second row of wooden pews on the left side of the cathedral aisle next to Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, and their husbands.

Photos from the service show Harry seemingly joking around with the others on the bench and also leaning forward to the next row where Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, were sitting.

Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sat on the right side, between Princess Anne, Prince Charles, and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

Prince William and Kate Middleton were seated by Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Following the end of the service, Harry and Markle were pictured speaking with Zara Tindall, granddaughter to Queen Elizabeth II, and her husband Mike Tindall. They were then seen walking down the steps of the cathedral before leaving the event.

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Elsewhere, Middleton and William were also seen leaving the event in a procession with Charles and Camilla, who they've made joint appearances with as a foursome in previous years.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with Zara Tindall, left, and right, Prince William and Kate Middleton leave the cathedral alongside Charles and Camilla. TOBY MELVILLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images, Dan Kitwood -WPA Pool/Getty Images

Both senior working royals and extended family then went to London's Guildhall for a lunch reception with Vincent Keaveny, the Lord Mayor of London, according to The Mirror. However, the publication reported that neither Harry nor Markle attended.

Kensington Palace and representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
A lockdown at Sanderson High School prompted by a reported shooting at a nearby park on Friday morning has been lifted, according to school officials.

Reports of a shooting at Optimist Park led officials to place the school in a code red lockdown. The Raleigh Police Department, which is investigating the reported shooting, gave officials the go-ahead to lift the lockdown at 11:35 a.m., Principal Gretta Dula wrote in a message to parents.

These steps are taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of our students and faculty. Once the police gave us the all clear, the lockdown ended without any incident at the school, Dula wrote in the message.

She added: Again, our campus, students, and staff are all safe.

Raleigh police previously said officers had responded to a shooting in the 5900 block of Whittier Drive, where Optimist Park is located, just after 10:30 a.m.

Officers were conducting a follow-up investigation into the reported shooting, police said in a post on Twitter. Based on preliminary information, police said the shooting appears to be an isolated incident, and that there is no ongoing threat to the surrounding area.

Schools often go into lockdown when theres police activity in the nearby area. Its done as a precautionary measure.

In Dulas message to parents, she wrote that there was no need for parents to pick up their children early, and that any families who wanted to do so should expect a very long wait.

Dula said parents wouldnt be allowed to leave their cars and would need to have their ID, which school employees would check before bringing their kids to them.

For all other parents, dismissal will proceed as normal, at the regular dismissal time, Dula wrote.

Fears about school safety have risen since last weeks mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 students and two teachers were killed.
Days after Kansas City police shot Leonna Hale in a Family Dollar parking lot, we learned the 26-year-old woman was allegedly armed, according to charges filed against her by Jackson County prosecutors.

This week, to address rumors that Hale was unarmed, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker released a photo showing Hale holding a gun. But did the image taken from a Kansas City Police Department officers body-worn camera quiet the community uproar that has followed this case? Hardly.

Almost immediately, proponents for police accountability questioned the veracity of the photo. One of Hales ankles appears to be missing and one of her wrists looks distorted, community activists claimed.

The activists, including religious leaders, demanded that Baker release the full video to help address skepticism and provide transparency in the investigation, a reasonable request.

Mayor Quinton Lucas, a member of the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, watched police body cam footage of the incident and called for release of the full video.

Before the accusations against Hale became a criminal case, Bakers office allowed a group of clergy and community leaders to view footage as well. The photo was not doctored or altered, a spokesperson for the prosecutors office said. Still images from moving video can be misleading, and the compressed, low-resolution quality of digital files from small cameras like those officers wear can produce misleading visual artifacts, like that supposedly missing ankle.

This case, which quickly gained national attention, has been muddied by a spread of misinformation due to local authorities doling out updates in dribs and drabs.

Hale is not pregnant, the Rev. Timothy Hayes, pastor of the 24-hour Faith Training Center, told The Star, contradicting a witness claim that spread quickly after the shooting.

On Saturday, an eyewitness told a Star reporter she heard Hale tell officers she was pregnant and couldnt comply with police orders to get on the ground. The witness recounted a similar version of what she saw to a member of our editorial board.

Hale was shot multiple times. She faces charges of one count each of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon and resisting arrest. As in any criminal proceeding, Hale is afforded due process and her right to a fair trial must be preserved.

Releasing footage of what led to Hales shooting would provide another level of transparency needed in this case. It should be done as quickly as possible to build community trust.
Rebecca Grossman, the Hidden Hills resident charged with the fatal hit-and-run crash that killed two Westlake Village brothers in September 2020, entered a not guilty plea Friday during a second arraignment in the case.

Grossman, 58, appeared in court at the Van Nuys Municipal Courthouse with one of her attorneys, John Hobson. She pleaded not guilty to two counts of felony murder, two counts of felony vehicular manslaughter and one count of hit-and-run.

The second arraignment and plea were spurred by the results of a preliminary hearing in the case earlier this year, when Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Shellie Samuels ruled Grossman would stand trial for the charges.

A different Los Angeles judge, Joseph Brandolino, presided over the second arraignment on Friday. Nancy Iskander, the mother of the victims, was in the courtroom during the hearing.

The charges stem from a crash the evening of Sept. 29, 2020 along Triunfo Canyon Road at Saddle Mountain Drive. Brothers Mark Iskander, 11, and Jacob Iskander, 8, were crossing Triunfo Canyon Road in a marked crosswalk with their mother and brother when they were allegedly hit by Grossman's car. Both were pronounced dead that night.

Grossman is the wife of plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Grossman and the daughter-in-law of Dr. A. Richard Grossman, who founded the Grossman Burn Centers. She is the co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation and the former publisher of Westlake Magazine.

The next court date, a pretrial hearing, was scheduled for Aug. 1, with another hearing discussed for early September.

Jeremy Childs is a breaking news and public safety reporter covering the night shift for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached by calling 805-437-0208 or emailing jeremy.childs@vcstar.com. You can also find him on Twitter @Jeremy_Childs.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Rebecca Grossman arraigned on murder charges for second time
SPRINGFIELD  Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday said the Illinois State Police no longer has any DNA evidence from sexual assault cases that has not been tested within six months, a significant improvement from a backlog that existed for years.

Under a 2010 state law, forensic evidence in sexual assaults is required to be tested within 180 days if the state police has sufficient staffing and resources. The state hasnt been able to fully comply with that statute until now, according to the governors office.

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Pritzker said when he took office in 2019, there was a backlog of nearly 2,000 sexual assault cases with DNA evidence that had not been tested within six months.

In some cases, kits were misplaced or sat on shelves for years. In the worst cases, they were lost entirely, said Pritzker, flanked by other state officials at a state police facility in Belleville. In the past, survivors waited years with no word, just to find out that their evidence was never even processed in the first place. Thats legally and morally unacceptable.

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A rape kit in the emergency department at Mount Sinai Hospital on Dec. 4, 2019. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune / Chicago Tribune)

Pritzker was promoting the end of the backlog in a reelection year as he faces Republican candidates whove repeatedly tried to paint him and other Democrats as weak on crime and criminal justice issues.

Pritzker said his predecessor, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, allowed for the state polices forensics labs to be chronically underfunded. Feuding between Rauner and the Democratic-controlled state legislature led by House Speaker Michael Madigan resulted in a budget impasse that lasted more than 700 days.

Forensic scientists were stuck with old equipment, cumbersome software and constant staffing shortages, Pritzker said. Every day they got more cases than they could process.

On Friday, state police Director Brendan Kelly said reducing the DNA backlog so no kits go without testing under 180 days is just the first phase of efforts to improve.

We are going to be holding ourselves accountable to reaching the 90-day mark in the next phase, as we get faster and faster in the years ahead, he said. Survivors of sexual assault, and all crimes, are often able to find some sense of closure through successful prosecution of cases and our goal is to help bring that sense of closure as soon as possible so the healing can begin.

Carrie Ward, CEO of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, praised the states quicker turnaround time on DNA evidence testing and said it means that survivors are important and that the trauma of their sexual assault experience is recognized.

But she said getting the backlog to six months or less is not a total victory.

Six months is still a long time for survivors to wait, said Ward. We cannot be complacent with our progress.

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Elizabeth Payne, managing attorney for the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, echoed that sentiment but also said the process for testing the evidence and finding the alleged attacker is often complicated. Payne said it can still take well over six months to complete the process of finding a match to a potential perpetrator, and law enforcement will often not bring charges until that entire process is completed.

The law governing sexual assault evidence was passed in 2010 and its always recommended that testing be completed within six months and its taken Illinois 12 years to comply with that law, Payne said in a telephone interview Friday. So its certainly positive that weve achieved it, but we shouldnt lose sight of how long it took us to get there and how many survivors were impacted in the meantime.

The state police will be opening new crime labs in Joliet and Decatur, and Pritzker has pledged to add more troopers and forensic scientists to the department.

Also Friday, Pritzker signed legislation to increase the number of surveillance cameras along expressways and state highways in Cook County and 21 other counties throughout Illinois. The states fiscal year 2023 budget included $20 million for this technology.

Its the latest anti-crime legislation hes signed in recent weeks as the Democrats look to seize control of the crime issue.

Pritzker earlier signed a measure that would crack down on people convicted of committing organized retail crime  the large-scale theft of goods by a group of people who then try to sell the stolen merchandise online  and legislation banning the sale and ownership of ghost guns, which are untraceable by law enforcement since they have no serial numbers.

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jgorner@chicagotribune.com
ROME  A decision on the sale of a stake in Italian cannon maker Oto Melara will not be made before September in order to give Italys Fincantieri time to mull an offer, a government official has told Defense News.

Owned by Italys state-controlled defense giant Leonardo, Oto Melara has been the subject of takeover talks since last year, as it no longer fits with Leonardos focus on electronics, cyber and aviation.

At the end of May, Germanys Rheinmetall made a non-binding offer to buy 49 percent of the firm for 190 million to 210 million euros ($204m-$226m), with the offer of involving Oto Melara in work on its Lynx fighting vehicle should Italy choose to buy it.

Rheinmetall has not had access to the Oto Melara data room so its offer could yet change.

Leonardo has previously held talks about a full sale of the firm to KNDS  the alliance of Germanys Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Frances Nexter.

Leonardo CEO Alessandro Profumo has called a deal KNDS the ideal solution for Oto Melara, although the Italian government will have a say in the choice.

Italian state-controlled shipyard Fincantieri has also expressed an interest in the firm, which supplies naval as well as land cannons.

We will wait for September for a Fincantieri offer, we want to have the entire picture, the government source said. A new Fincantieri CEO, Pierroberto Folgiero, was appointed this spring following the governments decision to substitute longtime CEO Giuseppe Bono.

The source did not rule out an acceptance of the Rheinmetall offer to take 49 percent of Oto Melara with Leonardos 51 percent remaining stake being sold to Fincantieri, meaning control of the firm would remain in Italy.

That is a solution favored by Italian union UILM, which is pushing the Italian state to retain a controlling interest in the firm.

In a statement on June 1 after news broke of the Rheinmetall offer UILM said, We will not accept proposals which do not involve Italian governance.
Lion sighting locks down school

SIMI VALLEY  A reported mountain lion sighting in Simi Valley Thursday afternoon prompted a lockdown at a school, officials said.

At around 1:30 p.m., a lion estimated at 110 pounds was reportedly seen in the 300 block of Royal Avenue, Simi Valley Police Department officials said. The area is near Madera Elementary School in the 200 block of Royal.

The proximity prompted a lockdown at the school. A spokesperson with the Simi Valley Unified School District said students had already been released as part of a minimum day, so only a limited number of students in an after-school program were affected.

A mountain lion reportedly seen near Royal Avenue in Simi Valley prompted a lockdown at Madera Elementary School on Thursday. Police officials said the photo was taken by a resident.

Police officers searched for the animal but never caught sight of it, said Cmdr. Ritchie Lew. The department released a photo of the lion that had been taken by a resident, he said.

The mountain lion was said to have moved toward Carmel and Capri drives, but officers weren't able to find it as of 6 p.m., Lew said.

Several schools in Santa Paula were locked down Thursday morning after a reported threat from a high school student who was later arrested. On Wednesday afternoon, Oxnard High School was briefly locked down over concerns about a possible threat from a student who as also arrested.

More local news: 'It's a bummer': Road, parking closures to impact Ventura beachgoers

Murder charge filed in Saticoy shooting

VENTURA COUNTY  Prosecutors filed a murder charge Thursday against an 18-year-old Ventura man in connection with a fatal shooting in Saticoy over the weekend.

Julius Jeremiah Luna also faces special enhancements alleging he personally used a firearm and the crime was committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Julius Luna

Sunday's shooting, reported around 5:30 p.m., left Piru resident Grabiel V. Cueva Jr., 26, dead from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office. Sheriff's officials have spelled his first name as Gabriel.

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Luna was arrested Tuesday in Fresno County and later booked into Ventura County jail.

No plea was entered during an arraignment Thursday in Ventura County Superior Court. The hearing was continued to June 30. A bail hearing will be held Monday afternoon.

As of Thursday evening, Luna remained in Ventura County jail with bail set at $1.5 million, jail records showed.

The intersection of Alelia and Azahar streets in Saticoy, near where a 26-year-old man was fatally shot Sunday evening.

County firefighters tackle garage fire, hazmat incident

VENTURA COUNTY  A garage fire caused damaged to a home in Simi Valley Thursday morning and a hazmat call at a Camarillo restaurant sent two people to the hospital on Wednesday, according to Ventura County Fire Department officials.

Thursday's fire was reported around 10:30 a.m. in the 1800 block of Hillary Court, said fire Capt. Brian McGrath. The garage of the home was well-involved with fire, with some extension of the blaze into the house. As of midday the cause remained under investigation, McGrath said. The number of displaced residents wasn't immediately available.

On Wednesday, firefighters responded at 10:30 a.m. to a hazardous materials call at a restaurant in the 2000 block of Ventura Boulevard in Camarillo, McGrath said.

Someone had apparently mixed two types of chemicals in a dishwasher while cleaning, he said, and the mixture off-gassed. Several people reported not feeling well.

Firefighters got everyone out. Two people were transported to a hospital for minor reports of not feeling well, McGrath said, and the scene was turned over to environmental health officials.

Items may be updated.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Mountain lion sighting locks down Simi Valley school, more news
By Brad Brooks and Steve Gorman

LUBBOCK, Texas (Reuters) - Emergency-911 calls from children hiding from the gunman who killed 21 people inside a Texas elementary school were not routed to the on-scene police commander who waited nearly an hour before officers moved in to end the siege, a state senator said on Thursday.

Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat whose constituency includes Uvalde, Texas, the town 80 miles west of San Antonio where last week's shooting occurred, said the lapse in how 911 calls were transmitted was part of a larger "system failure" that is still just coming to light.

"We need transparency, and that hasn't happened here," Gutierrez told a news conference nine days after last Tuesday's massacre at Robb Elementary School, which ranks as the deadliest U.S. school shooting in a decade and follows a string of mass shootings elsewhere across Texas in recent years.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) disclosed last week that as many as 19 officers from various local law enforcement agencies stood outside the classroom occupied by the Uvalde gunman for more than 45 minutes before a U.S. Border Patrol-led tactical squad stormed in and killed the shooter.

DPS officials said the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District's own police chief had assumed command of the incident and made the decision to hold off on sending officers in to neutralize the gunman, apparently believing the immediate threat to students inside had abated after an initial flurry of gunfire from inside.

But even as the officers waited in a hallway outside the classroom, at least two fourth-grade girls cowering inside placed frantic, whispered phone calls to local emergency-911 dispatchers pleading for police to send help, according to DPS.

Gutierrez said the Texas Commission on State Emergency Communications, an agency that monitors the 911 system, told his office that all such calls placed in Uvalde are routed to the Uvalde Police Department only, not the school district's police department.

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That means the on-scene commander at the time of the shooting, Pete Arredondo, who is chief of the school district's separate police force, was not immediately privy to the calls from school children under attack, Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez acknowledged he could not rule out whether information about the 911 calls in question were relayed from Uvalde police to Arredondo in real time, even though the dispatch center was not directing the calls to Arredondo's agency.

The head of DPS, state police Colonel Steven McGraw, has said Arredondo made "the wrong decision" by waiting almost an hour to breach the classroom, a move at odds with law enforcement doctrine requiring officers to pursue and confront an active shooter without delay.

Gutierrez said "every law enforcement unit that was at that school" bears some responsibility for what happened.

The state senator also criticized Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, for declining to call the state legislature back into a special session to address "a problem that is staring him square in the face."

Gutierrez said there were signs of growing willingness, even within a Republican Party long resistant to tougher gun laws, to consider such measures as raising the legal age for purchasing rifles from 18 to 21.

The murder weapon used in Uvalde, an AR 15-style semiautomatic rifle, was legally purchased by the shooter on his 18th birthday, and he later bought a second rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, according to police.

Abbott on Wednesday called instead for the formation of special committees to examine school safety, mental health and police training and to recommend policy changes for the legislature and governor's office to adopt.

(Reporting by Brad Brooks in Lubbock, Texas; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Chris Reese)
By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia's U.N. envoy said on Friday he is willing to meet his U.S. counterpart to discuss aid deliveries into Syria from Turkey, but that it was "a bit funny" that she warned him about leveraging Russia's war in Ukraine during talks on Syria.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Thursday she intended to meet Vassily Nebenzia soon to kick off the talks - expected to be contentious - and she will not let Moscow use Syria aid deliveries as a "bargaining chip" on Ukraine.

"That's a bit funny that she warns us in advance that we should not use any leverage of that," Nebenzia told reporters on Friday. "We can say it in reverse as well."

Nebenzia and Thomas-Greenfield have had few interactions outside U.N. Security council meetings since Moscow invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

"She can meet me any time, I am not in a hideout," Nebenzia said.

The Security Council mandate allowing aid deliveries into northwest Syria from Turkey expires on July 10. But Syria's ally Russia has signaled opposition to renewing the operation, arguing it violates Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity and that more aid should be delivered from inside Syria.

"It's not working as we want it to," said Nebenzia, adding that Russia believed not enough effort had been made to deliver more aid to the region from inside Syria. "Who's to blame? That's a good question."

The United Nations has said four aid convoys had deployed to northwest Syria from within the country - known as cross-line operations - but that this cannot currently substitute for the size and scope of the cross-border operation.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council in his latest report on Syria aid operations in April that "challenges still need to be overcome to achieve regular and sustained cross-line operations in the north-west."

Those challenges included timely security guarantees from the parties and commitments not to interfere with humanitarian deliveries from within Syria, he said.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
(Reuters) -Russia's Foreign Ministry said it was summoning the heads of U.S. media outlets in Moscow to a meeting next Monday to notify them of tough measures in response to U.S. restrictions against Russian media.

"If the work of the Russian media - operators and journalists - is not normalized in the United States, the most stringent measures will inevitably follow," ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

"To this end, on Monday, June 6, the heads of the Moscow offices of all American media will be invited to the press centre of the Russian Foreign Ministry to explain to them the consequences of their government's hostile line in the media sphere," she added. "We look forward to it."

Russia has accused Western countries of imposing unfair restrictions on its media abroad, including bans on some state-backed news outlets. Lawmakers passed a bill last month giving prosecutors powers to shut foreign media bureaus in Moscow if a Western country has been "unfriendly" to Russian media.

Washington has imposed sanctions against some state-run Russian TV stations, which it says have spread disinformation to bolster Russia's war in Ukraine.

Asked about the summoning of U.S. media outlets in Moscow, a spokesperson for the State Department said the United States supports access to media and the internet for Russians, who are being subjected to censorship by their own government.

"The Kremlin is engaged in a full assault on media freedom, access to information, and the truth," the spokesperson said by email.

Since invading Ukraine in February, Russia has cracked down on media coverage of the conflict, introducing 15-year prison sentences for journalists spreading intentionally "fake" news about what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine.

The law prompted some Western media to pull their journalists out of Russia. Other Western organizations, including Reuters, have stayed in the country and continue to report.

Russia says it is engaged in a "special military operation" to disarm and "denazify" its neighbor. Ukraine and allies call this a baseless pretext for a war that has killed thousands, flattened cities, and forced more than 6 million people to flee abroad.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Mark Trevelyan, Alison Williams and Jonathan Oatis)
WASHINGTON  Based on what has been observed of Russias invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. Army in Europe has renewed interest in pursuing active hard-kill protection systems for its Stryker combat vehicle, something the service put on the backburner years ago.

Beginning in 2016, the Army evaluated Active Protection Systems that could provide increased protection for Stryker. It decided in 2019 to place the effort on hold after evaluating several possible solutions.

There is a renewed interest in a hard-kill APS for the Stryker forces in Europe, said Col. William Venable, project manager for the Stryker Brigade Combat Team within the Armys Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems. He spoke at a conference in Arlington, Virginia, focused on future active protection for armored vehicles on June 2.

The interest from the European theater flowed back to his office, Venable said The Army asked for feedback on requirements for a system that can be rapidly fielded much like the service did to up-gun the Stryker with a 30mm cannon, known as a Dragoon, and also with a Common Remote Weapon System using Javelin anti-tank missiles.

The Army moved quickly on both programs amid urgent operational needs from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Europe following Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014. Anticipating Russian capability, the Army called for the rapid fielding of greater firepower capability for its maneuver forces.

While the Army planned to field APS on M1 Abrams tanks, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and Stryker, it only successfully fielded the Rafael-made Trophy APS system on the Abrams.

The Army still has a small congressional plus-up of $16 million in fiscal 2022 to continue evaluations and work on the IMI-made Iron Fist system for Bradley. The service provided no subsequent funding for the program in FY23 and beyond, budget documents show.

For Stryker, the Army evaluated Herndon, Virginia-based Artis Corporations Iron Curtain before determining it was not the right system for the vehicle.

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The service then evaluated Rheinmetalls Active Defense System and Rafaels Trophy VPS for Stryker but did not move forward with either due to limitations and challenges. One of the larger issues is that several solutions defeat threats very close in to the vehicle, leaving dismounted soldiers walking around outside vulnerable.

Venable said there is a gap in the services understanding of the performance requirements for hard-kill APS systems on Stryker vehicles.

How does it interact with the vehicle? What are the residual effects of hard-kill APS systems on a vehicle and how does it affect the mission of the formation of infantry soldiers that are operating around the vehicle, are the questions with which the service is wrestling, he said.

Lacking the answer to those questions wouldnt necessarily prohibit the Army from being able to move forward in rapidly fielding an APS system on Stryker, Venable told Defense News at the conference.

We have some potential solutions, he said. If we have to go fast, I dont know if we need to solve those problems to go fast. If we have to go fast, there are some effective solutions that are out there today and that can be integrated quickly.

The Army would include safety and operating restrictions as part of an urgent fielding, he noted.

Venable added that while a system could be rapidly fielded due to an urgent need, more would need to be done if the capability was to turn into a program of record, including a higher level of testing and evaluations and would need to meet a greater percentage of operating requirements.

The Armys original plan in 2016 was to field APS on Abrams, Bradley and Stryker quickly over a couple of years while developing a future integrated vehicle protection suite for current and future fleets. While the service has tried to move quickly for both the interim and the integrated modular APS system both schedules have continued to slip.

Yet still moving out on a future capability, the Army held a rodeo with vendors in 2021 for a laser warning capability for the system. It selected Danbury Mission Technologies AN/VVR-4 Laser Detecting Set in February. The company was part of Collins Aerospace but was spun-off during the United Technologies Corporation and Raytheon merger.

The laser warning capability is the first of its type to be integrated with the Armys common interface and controller, which Lockheed Martin is developing after winning a contract in February 2021.

Base kit integration is to take place through FY24 across Bradley, Abrams, Stryker and the Armored Multipurpose Vehicle. A procurement contract award will take place in the second quarter of FY23, according to budget documents.

The service has fielded Abrams tanks with APS in Europe for two years. The systems participated in exercises and live-fire demonstrations since deploying to the theater.
A jubilee Service of Thanksgiving will take place (AFP via Getty Images)

Friday 3 June marks the second day of the platinum jubilee weekend, which began on Thursday with the Queens birthday parade.

While the Trooping the Colour event saw thousands of people gathering to watch the spectacle of soldiers, musicians and horses marching up The Mall to Buckingham Palace, todays events are expected to be much quieter and more private.

A Service of Thanksgiving for the Queens 70-year reign will take place at St Pauls Cathedral, bringing together most members of the royal family for the first time since the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs wedding in 2018.

However, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday that the Duke of York will no longer attend the service after testing positive for Covid-19.

Prince Andrew was set to join the wider royal family at the event in what would have been only his second public appearance since he reached a settlement in the sexual abuse case brought against him by Virginia Giuffre.

The Duke claimed he has no recollection of ever meeting Giuffre and vehemently denies her allegations against him.

In February, he agreed to pay millions to settle the civil case. He has been largely absent from royal duties since he stepped down from public life in 2019, following the furore over his friendship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are still expected to attend the Service of Thanksgiving. Their familys presence in the UK marks the first time they have returned to British soil with their son Archie and months-old daughter Lilibet since they stepped down from royal duties in 2020.

The Sussexes visit will also be the first time senior members of the royal family, including the Queen, will meet Lilibet, who was born in the US on 4 June 2021.

The Dean of St Pauls, the Very Reverend Dr David Ison, said: It is a great honour to hold a Service of Thanksgiving for the reign of Her Majesty the Queen and to celebrate her 70 years of service to the UK and the Commonwealth.

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The Queen is expected to attend the service, but Buckingham Palace said earlier that her presence at official jubilee events will not be confirmed until the day-of due to her ongoing episodic mobility problems.

She appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for Thursdays parade with the aid of a walking stick.

The service will also see Great Paul, the largest church bell in the country, be rung for a royal occasion for the first time.

It will be broadcast on BBC One from 9.15am, although members of the royal family are only expected to arrive from approximately 11am.

Additional reporting by PA
Crews with Seattle Fire and the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest were assisted by Washington State Ferry crews in helping someone who had fallen into the water near Colman Dock on Wednesday, Washington State Ferries tweeted.

The Seattle Fire Department had originally tweeted about a water rescue response in the 100 block of Alaskan Way South just after 9 p.m. on Wednesday. An adult male was in the water in possible distress.

With help from employees onboard the M/V Tacoma ferry, fire and coast guard crews were able to save the man from the water.
A Springfield High School student accused of threatening a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut appeared in front of a judge Friday, one day after he was arrested on disorderly conduct charges.

Sangamon County State's Attorney Dan Wright said little occurred at the 14-year-old's first appearance in juvenile court at the county building. He said another hearing was slated for Tuesday as a psychiatric evaluation for the student was still being completed.

The student faces 1-3 years in juvenile detention on charges of disorderly conduct stemming from the phone call.

The Springfield Police Department said it were informed by officials in Newtown, Connecticut, about a threat called in late Wednesday afternoon to commit a shooting at the elementary school. Sandy Hook was the site of a mass school shooting in 2012 in which a 20-year-old man killed 26 people, including 20 schoolchildren.

More local: Springfield psychologists share tips on how to have 'the talk' about mass shootings with kids

SPD and Newtown Police eventually identified the suspect as a 14-year-old ninth-grade student at SHS.

Springfield Police Chief Ken Scarlette said Newtown Police contacted SPD at 10:50 a.m. Thursday. "We took swift action (upon being contacted)," he said.

The student, who was not named, was detained at SHS for questioning, and taken to police headquarters downtown where he was arrested, Scarlette said.

The student was then released to the custody of the Sangamon County Juvenile Detention Center Thursday afternoon. The student is still awaiting a psychiatric evaluation and risk assessment.

Police determined the teen did not have the means to carry out the threat and believe he acted alone.

A call to a sergeant at the Newtown Police Department was not returned to The State Journal-Register.

"Its an unspeakable, unspeakable act," said District 186 Superintendent Jennifer Gill. "My outrage for these types of events is only growing stronger. My heart goes out to anybody whos been affected by school violence.

Story continues

"Its an absolutely devastating thought the idea that this continues. Nothing is more important to me than the safety of my students, my staff and the families that I serve."

The student, Gill said, was not in attendance at SHS on Wednesday but was at school Thursday.

Scarlette confirmed the student was home sick on Wednesday when the call was placed.

Gill said there was never a threat to SHS students, staff members or school property. Parents were notified of the incident via email Thursday.

"Our district got no wind of this until the police department approached us after its investigation," Gill added.

An optional staff meeting was held at SHS after school Thursday.

Wright said Thursday that his office would pursue the case to the fullest extent of the law.

This case and any other threats of violence directed against a school will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Period," Wright said. "The only appropriate response to crimes involving school threats is zero tolerance and thorough consideration of all available mental health services our community can provide."

Scarlette said he sent an email to Newtown Police Chief David M. Kullgren expressing the fact that "Springfield Police Department doesn't tolerate incidents such as this as I know his community doesn't either. We ultimately have the same desire to keep our communities safe."

Reporter Steven Spearie contributed to this story. Contact Zach Roth: (217) 899-4338; ZDRoth@gannett.com; @ZacharyRoth13

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Student accused of phoning in shooting threat to Sandy Hook in court
A sixth Polk County resident has been indicted in connection with the U.S. Capitol riot.

The Department of Justice announced Friday that Brian Boele of Lakeland had been arrested. A grand jury for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia indicted Boele, 59, on a felony charge of civil disorder and three related misdemeanor offenses.

Boele was indicted along with James Brett IV, 48, of Clearwater, the Department of Justice said in a news release. The two were named in a superseding indictment previously charging three men from Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Boele was scheduled to make a first appearance Friday in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, based in Tampa.

Boele and Brett joined a group in illegally entering the U.S. Capitol grounds and making their way to the Lower West Terrace, where law enforcement officers were attempting to secure the building from a crowd of rioters, the Justice Department said in a news release.

The indictment says that Boele and the others obstructed, impeded or interfered with officers. Boele is also charged with entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, as well as disorderly and disruptive conduct in such an area.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE OF POLK'S JAN. 6 DEFENDANTS:

Supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress met to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election. The riot forced members of both chambers to flee for safety and interrupted the counting of Electoral College votes.

Trump had repeatedly and falsely told supporters that then-Vice President Mike Pence had the authority to overruled the process. Members of Congress eventually returned and confirmed the election of Joe Biden as president.

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The attack directly and indirectly resulted in seven deaths, according to a U.S. Senate report, including that of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick. Rioters caused injuries to dozens of law-enforcement officers and caused more than $1.5 million in damage to the Capitol building, according to government reports.

More than 800 people have since been arrested on charges related to the insurrection. Florida leads all states in the number of residents arrested.

More than a year has passed since the arrest of the first Polk County resident in relation to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, Corinne Montoni of Lakeland.

Four other current and former Polk County residents were indicted last summer. Last June, FBI agents arrested Olivia Pollock of Lakeland; Joshua Doolin of Polk City; and Joseph Hutchinson, formerly of Lakeland and now living in Georgia.

The Justice Department also announced the indictment of Jonathan Pollock, Olivias brother. He has not yet been arrested, and the FBI lists him as a fugitive.

Boeles case is being investigated by the FBIs Tampa Field Office. The agency invites anyone with tips to call 800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland man is sixth Polk resident charged in Jan. 6 Capitol riot
In a stunt that counts as ingenious and little bizarre, someone secretly installed an operational electrical outlet on a traffic signal in Florida.

The device was found by Fort Walton Beach Officer Christopher Carter at the intersection of Perry Avenue and US-98, and closer inspection revealed it was not intended to switch the light from red to green.

Instead, it was being used as a makeshift charging station for phones and other electrical devices. Investigators realized this after finding a plug attached to a charging device of some kind.

Are you kidding me? Fort Walton Beach police asked in June 2 Facebook post. Someone out there decided the traffic light was not functioning to its full ability, and wanted to help it reach a new level of usefulness. While we really are in awe of the ingenuity here, we would like to send out a little reminder that damaging a traffic signal is a felony.

The device starts to make more sense when taking into account panhandlers and those without homes frequent the intersection, Fort Walton Beach Police Department Lt. Brandon Chapin told McClatchy News.

Recently the intersection has been undergoing infrastructure upgrades, and this afforded an unknown individual opportunity to access an electrical panel, Chapin said.

The outlet was then crudely affixed to the pole with duct tape; thankfully, the access hole was too small and prevented any tampering to the poles actual wiring, he continued. This attempt appears to have been for access to the electrical services within the pole.

City public works employees have since removed the outlet and all its associated wiring, he said. The wiring access panel has also been sealed to prevent it from happening again.

The departments Facebook post about the outlet has gotten hundreds of reactions and comments, including some who called it vigilante electrical work.

I have a light switch that needs to be swapped out, who ever did this is hired. Ill even let them charge their phone, Samantha Johnson wrote on the departments Facebook page.

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Charge your phone while you wait to cross the street, Patrick Armitage posted.

Fort Walton Beach is 160 miles west of Tallahassee.

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MADRID (Reuters) - Spain plans to relax work permit rules for foreigners, its social security and migration minister said on Friday, to address labour shortages in industries such as tourism and construction that threaten its economic recovery.

The government intends to grant more temporary visas for sectors that need workers, Jose Luis Escriva told reporters.

"We are evaluating different aspects of the migration law and where there is room to improve it ... in order to address bottlenecks in Spain's labour market," he said.

Labour shortages have been reported in the tourism, agriculture, construction and technology industries.

The government plans to allow around 50,000 non-EU students to combine studies with work.

It will also facilitate access to work permits by allowing those who can show a previous connection to Spain through family, residence or at least two years work, even if it was informal.

A draft of the reforms listed the most pressing job vacancies as being for telemarketers, sales representatives, delivery vehicle drivers and software developers.

Spain's tourism industry has seen a strong rebound but companies are struggling to find workers willing to wait tables and clean hotel rooms, something the government has characterised as a Europe-wide problem.

Friday's S&P monthly purchasing managers survey showed that, despite stronger demand in May, businesses were unable to grow as fast as expected because of problems finding workers. The report highlighted potential wage inflation as a result.

There are fears staff shortages could also hamper Spain's ability to realise pandemic recovery projects funded by the European Union.

Spain's economy was the hardest hit in the euro zone by the pandemic, shrinking 11% in 2020.

Though unemployment is still high by European standards, at 13.65%, the pandemic encouraged more workers into the formal economy as official contracts were needed to collect furlough payments.

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As a result, formal employment has reached a record high.

Spain already has migration programmes with countries such as Morocco, Ecuador and Colombia and is open to extending temporary work visas to other Central America countries. A new pilot programme with Honduras started earlier this year, sources told Reuters.

(Reporting by Belen Carreno; Writing by Christina Thykjaer; Editing by Aislinn Laing, Mark Potter and Christina Fincher)
A Springfield High School student was arrested Thursday after authorities said he threatened a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

In a joint statement with Sangamon County State's Attorney Dan Wright and Springfield Public Schools District 186, Springfield Police said they were informed by officials in Newtown, Connecticut, about a threat called in late Wednesday afternoon to commit a shooting at the elementary school. Sandy Hook was the site of a mass school shooting in 2012 in which a 20-year-old man killed 26 people, including 20 schoolchildren.

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Springfield Police and Newtown Police identified the suspect as a 14-year-old ninth-grade student at SHS.

Springfield Police Chief Ken Scarlette said Newtown Police contacted SPD at 10:50 a.m. Thursday. "We took swift action (upon being contacted)," he said.

The student, who was not named, was detained at SHS for questioning, and taken to police headquarters downtown where he was arrested, Scarlette said.

The student was then released to the custody of the Sangamon County Juvenile Detention Center Thursday afternoon. The student was awaiting a psychiatric evaluation and risk assessment.

The student was scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. detention hearing Friday in juvenile court.

Police determined the teen did not have the means to carry out the threat and believe he acted alone.

A call to a sergeant at the Newtown Police was not returned to The State Journal-Register.

"Its an unspeakable, unspeakable act," said District 186 school superintendent Jennifer Gill. "My outrage for these types of events is only growing stronger. My heart goes out to anybody whos been affected by school violence.

"Its an absolutely devastating thought the idea that this continues. Nothing is more important to me than the safety of my students, my staff and the families that I serve."

Story continues

The student, Gill said, was not in attendance at SHS Wednesday but was at school Thursday.

Scarlette confirmed the student was home sick on Wednesday when the call was placed.

Gill said there was never a threat to SHS students, staff members, or school property. Parents were notified of the incident via email Thursday.

"Our district got no wind of this until the police department approached us after its investigation," Gill added.

An optional staff meeting was held at SHS after school Thursday.

The student faces charges of disorderly conduct, with a possible sentence of one to three years in juvenile detention, if convicted, said Sangamon County state's attorney Dan Wright.

This case and any other threats of violence directed against a school will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Period," Wright said. "The only appropriate response to crimes involving school threats is zero tolerance and thorough consideration of all available mental health services our community can provide."

Scarlette said he sent an email to Newtown Police Chief David M. Kullgren expressing the fact that "Springfield Police Department doesn't tolerate incidents such as this as I know his community doesn't either. We ultimately have the same desire to keep our communities safe."

Reporter Steven Spearie contributed to this story. Contact Zach Roth: (217) 899-4338; ZDRoth@gannett.com; @ZacharyRoth13

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Illinois high school student arrested after threat to Sandy Hook in CT
CANTON  The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation has completed its review of the Canton police officer-involved shooting death of James Williams on New Year's Day.

Williams, 46, was firing an AR-15 into the air at his home in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW when he was fatally shot by Canton police officer Robert Huber, who was sent there amid a report of gunfire in the area. Family members say Williams was ringing in the new year from behind his patio fence.

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Canton: Canton officer: Acted 'in self-defense of a lethal threat' in shooting James Williams

At the request of the Canton Police Department, the state took the lead in investigating the handling of the matter and Huber's actions.

BCI provided the initial summary of the investigation to the Stark County Prosecutor's Office on May 17, and will meet with prosecutors in the coming weeks to review the case and formally transmit files, said Attorney General Press Secretary Steve Irwin.

According to Irwin, the state investigation will remain open in the event the county requests any additional investigative work that may be needed.

James Williams, center, was shooting celebratory gunfire to ring in 2022 when he was shot to death by a Canton police officer.

The investigative review and any findings are not a public record until legal proceedings are concluded, Irwin said.

Stark County Prosecutor Kyle Stone previously stated in an interview with The Canton Repository that he would personally present the findings to a grand jury to determine whether any charges would be brought against Huber.

The city has said Huber feared for his safety when he fired at Williams.

The Williams' family attorneys at Blakemore, Meeker & Bowler Co said their firm was made aware by the city of Canton around May 26 that the BCI review was complete but was told the city was not in possession of the report.

"The Williams family, nor their counsel, have been informed that the Stark County Prosecutors Office has been in possession of BCIs review of James Williams shooting death since May 17, 2022," Colin Meeker said.

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Meeker said the firm and the Williams family want to know why they've been left in the dark and planned to contact the Stark County Prosecutor.

The Stark County Prosecutor's Office acknowledged the Canton Repository's request for comment.

Celebratory gunfire on New Year's Day

Williams was rapidly firing a high-powered AR-15 rifle just after midnight.

Huber exited his patrol car and continue to investigate the shots fired while on foot.

According to a body camera video from the scene and other public records filed in the case:

Huber heard rapid fire shots and saw flashes and smoke from behind the patio fence, and a person firing what sounded like a high-powered assault rifle. Huber then fired shots through the fence, striking Williams.

James Williams, 46, of Canton, was behind this fence on Jan. 1 when he was shot to death by a Canton police officer.

Huber did not identify himself when he arrived. Huber yelled, "Shots fired! Shots fired!" then, "Police! Get down now! Police! Get down now!" after firing his weapon multiple times, according to the video.

Williams, and his wife Marquetta, were home with their children at the time.

Williams was transported to Aultman hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Canton: Body cam footage: Officer shoots before yelling, "Police! Get down now!"

Canton: 'I will fight until I have no breath left.' Fatal Canton police shooting prompts lawsuit

Widow Marquetta Williams speaks at a press conference outside Canton City Hall after it was announced that her family had filed a federal lawsuit against the city and police officer Robert Huber over the fatal shooting of her husband, James, on Jan. 1.

The Williams family filed federal civil rights and wrongful death lawsuits against Huber, the city and other unnamed first responders.

According to Huber's response to the complaint, Huber acted in self-defense of a lethal threat. Both Huber and the city of Canton have denied any wrongdoing.

James Williams was shot to death in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW in the first few minutes of the new year.

Reach Cassandra cnist@gannett.com; Twitter @Cassienist; 330-580-8338

This article originally appeared on The Repository: BCI review of Canton Police fatal shooting of James Williams complete
The man killed by Memphis Police Department officers during a traffic stop on Interstate 40 on Friday was being sought in connection to a killing of a woman earlier that day at an Amazon warehouse in Horn Lake, officials said.

The woman killed was identified as 44-year-old Ebony Crockett, The Commercial Appeal's reporting partner WMC-TV reported.

Were heartbroken by this violent act and we extend our deepest sympathy to the victims family," Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement to the station.

TBI is investigating an officer-related shooting on I-40 near Whitten road.

"We are working to support our team and ensure their safety. Were also working closely with the police department as they lead the response and investigate.

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Hours after the shooting, police tried to stop a suspect vehicle on the highway.

"Officers exited their vehicles and repeatedly instructed the individual to get out of the car," the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. "According to preliminary information from the scene, the individual inside of the vehicle fired a weapon and officers returned fire, striking the individual."

The man killed was identified as Corey Brewer, 45, of Memphis.

The shooting on the interstate happened at about 3:20 p.m., according to a Twitter statement by the Memphis Police Department, and no officers were injured.

Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich called in the TBI to conduct an investigation of the shooting.

The TBI did not identify the officers involved in the shooting.

According to TBI, the shooting is the first officer-involved incident the agency has been called to investigate in Shelby County in 2022.

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

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Suspect in Mississppi killing shot and killed on I-40 and Whitten
Detectives have arrested an 18-year-old from Miami on allegations he took part in the murder of a teen found shot to death in a car in Kendall on Thursday night.

Antonio Varona, 18, was booked into jail Friday afternoon for the killing of 18-year-old Jeffrey Lopez. The slain teen was found shot to death in a black Infiniti on the 10300 block of Southwest 55th Street just before 10 p.m. on Thursday night. The shooting took place near St. Timothys Catholic Church.

The shooting happened during a narcotics transaction gone awry, according to an arrest report by Miami-Dade homicide detective Christopher Santos.

According to the arrest report, Varona was found on scene and ran away when officers approached. He was eventually arrested and confessed as to his involvement in the killing.

The report did not specify if Varona was the one who fired the weapon, or if anyone else was involved.
MUSKOGEE  Residents here, already reeling from recent gun violence, received "bone-chilling" news this week the man police identified as the mass shooter of a Tulsa hospital might have been one of their neighbors.

Muskogee Mayor Marlon Coleman said he lives mere feet away from the home police searched Wednesday in connection to the shooter, Michael Louis.

Coleman said he waved at Louis earlier this week.

More: A patient unleashed horror at a Tulsa medical center, killing 4, including his surgeon

"There are no words to describe what you feel when you realize someone who lived less than 200 feet away, was responsible for this type of action," Coleman said. "It is bone chilling."

Muskogee Mayor Marlon Coleman addresses the media about Wednesday's shooting in Tulsa from outside the Muskogee Civic Center on Thursday.

Louis, of Muskogee, killed three members of the Saint Francis Health System and an orthopedic center visitor before taking his own life, police said Thursday.

Officers in the city 50 miles southeast of Tulsa arrived Wednesday evening at a home in Muskogee's Park Place neighborhood. The Muskogee Police Department said Tulsa police notified the agency that Louis, 45, could have planted a bomb at the residence.

Investigators with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol didn't find an explosive device, Muskogee police said.

More: How to help Tulsa shooting victims, families

Coleman said he wasn't home at the time of the bomb scare. He and other neighbors said they are unsure whether Louis was a permanent resident or a visitor at the home.

Louis listed the Park Place North home as his address in 2014, according to voter registration records, and last voted in 2020.

Neighbors say officers warned them about 6 p.m. to shelter in place. Police ordered the home's residents, a woman and her daughter, to exit the house, neighbors said.

A resident of the searched home declined to comment to The Oklahoman on Thursday.

More: A doctor who loved jazz, a mother of two: What we know about the Tulsa shooting victims

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Neighborhood streets remained blocked while officers processed the scene until about 10 p.m., neighbors said.

A home in Muskogee was searched Wednesday after Tulsa police said there could be a bomb planted at the residence.

Those who live there said the neighborhood is typically a quiet area where visits from local police are rare. Neighbors said they don't recall ever seeing officers at the home in question before.

This is the second shooting in the past week with connections to Muskogee.

Gunfire at a Memorial Day event in nearby Taft left 39-year-old Sharika Bowler dead and eight people injured early Sunday. Shots broke out after an argument in the town 7 miles from Muskogee, police said.

A recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that took the lives of 19 children and two teachers paints a horrific backdrop for the attacks in Oklahoma.

Coleman called for congressional action to address gun violence. He wouldn't say what type of legislation is necessary, but elected officials "must do something or step aside and let someone else do your job."

"Those who desire to hold office have to do something to re-instill confidence in Americans that it's OK to go to the hospital and not be worried," Coleman said. "Mayors across Oklahoma and abroad need support from the U.S. Congress by doing something to address this problem."

Muskogee Mayor Marlon Coleman addresses the media about the shooting in Tulsa and its connections to Muskogee on Thursday.

Coleman said he would ask the Muskogee City Council to allocate extra resources to active shooter trainings.

He urged Muskogee residents to seek mental health support and to foster a greater sense of community  to get to know their neighbors beyond a simple wave.

"Perhaps if we knew our neighbors and felt their pains and understood their problems, we could be the vessel or the vehicle to proactively cure what might be the inevitable," Coleman said.

Tulsa police said Louis had back surgery May 19 and targeted the doctor who performed the operation. Louis reportedly complained of ongoing back pain for several days after the surgery.

Saint Francis Hospital is pictured on Thursday, June 2, 2022, after a gunman entered a medical facility and killed four on Wednesday in Tulsa.

Police said he purchased an AR-15 style rifle from a Tulsa gun store at 2 p.m. Wednesday before attacking the second floor of the Natalie Building on the Saint Francis hospital campus. Officers said Louis also was armed with a handgun bought from a Muskogee pawn shop.

Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin identified the four victims Thursday as Dr. Preston Phillips, Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn and William Love, who was accompanying a patient.

A letter found on Louis' body made it clear that he came in with the intent to kill Dr. Phillips and anyone who got in his way, Franklin said.

Reporter Nuria Martinez-Keel covers K-12 and higher education throughout the state of Oklahoma. Have a story idea for Nuria? She can be reached at nmartinez-keel@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @NuriaMKeel. Support Nurias work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Tulsa shooting connection 'bone chilling' for Muskogee, mayor says
The Harris County School District has hired two new principals, including one from Muscogee County.

Jessica Burnett is leaving her position as principal of North Columbus Elementary School to become principal of New Mountain Hill Elementary School, where Mark Gilreath is retiring.

Jessica Burnett

Donna Crooks is being promoted from assistant principal to principal at Pine Ridge Elementary School, where Jackie Lintner is retiring.

Donna Crooks

HCSD superintendent Roger Couch announced the personnel moves during Thursday nights school board committee meetings. Burnett and Crooks introduced their families to the board.

I appreciate the opportunity to work in the community in which we live, Burnett told the board. I promise to give my all and serve New Mountain Hill and the Harris County School District.

Crooks also thanked the school board for the opportunity.

And I look forward to a great new year, Crooks said.

HCSD spokeswoman Rachel Crumbley provided background information about Burnett and Crooks:

Burnett has been an educator for 20 years, all in Muscogee County. She started teaching at Clubview Elementary School in kindergarten and fourth grade. Then she worked as an academic coach, split between Blanchard and River Road elementary schools. She was assistant principal at Clubview and Gentian elementary schools for three years before being promoted to principal of Gentian, where she worked for another six years. She has been principal at North Columbus for the past three years.

After graduating from Columbus High School, Burnett earned a bachelors degree in early childhood education, a masters degree in educational leadership and a specialists degree in education leadership from Columbus State University.

Mrs. Burnett is a veteran school administrator with a proven track record of increasing student achievement, initiating creative programs, and maintaining an effective environment in every school she has served, Stacey Carlisle, HCSD assistant superintendent for human resources, said in a news release.

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Crooks has been an educator for 22 years, all at Pine Ridge. She taught in the Early Intervention Program for one year, then third grade for 12 years before becoming assistant principal.

After graduating from Hardaway High School, Crooks earned a bachelors degree in elementary education from CSU, a masters degree in elementary education and a specialists degree in early childhood education from Troy University, then certification in educational leadership from CSU.

Mrs. Crooks left the corporate workplace to begin her teaching career at Pine Ridge, Carlisle said. She wanted to invest in the school system where her children attended. Her development from teacher to a leader in the role of an assistant principal has strongly supported notable achievement gains and STEAM accreditation for Pine Ridge. She is a respected and trusted member of the Pine Ridge community who has demonstrated herself as an instructional leader to promote a positive school culture.

Couch added in the news release, While we are losing two very talented and experienced principals in Gilreath and Lintner, and we wish them the best in retirement, we are fortunate to have two highly qualified leaders with very successful and meaningful experience joining our team.
A 13-year-old female student brought a knife to Berlin Intermediate School on Wednesday, intending to stab a classmate, Worcester County public schools announced this morning.

The school district held a joint news conference Friday morning with Sheriff Matt Crisafulli. The two students had a "verbal altercation" on social media, he said.

The student posted a photo of a knife on Snapchat, "along with statements indicating her intent to stab the classmate," according to Crisafulli.

She brought a "fixed-blade kitchen knife" to school Wednesday morning and asked a 12-year-old classmate to "hide it near the wood line of the school so she that could stab the classmate during recess," Crisafulli said. Before the knife could be hidden, students who overheard the conversation informed staff, he said.

Two juveniles were charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and related offenses in connection with a "targeted threat" at Berlin Intermediate School, according to the Worcester County Sheriff's Office on June 3, 2022.

The knife was recovered from one of the students' backpacks, Crisafulli said.

The 13-year-old's cellphone was seized, Crisafulli said. The investigation is ongoing.

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In consultation with the state attorney, the sheriff's office has "applied" to charge both students with first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, first-degree attempted assault, first-degree conspiracy to commit assault, reckless endangering, carrying a concealed dangerous weapon and possession of a dangerous weapon on school property.

Counseling and other resources will be available to students and staff, according to Worcester County School Superintendent Lou Taylor.

Both he and Crisafulli said Friday there are no active threats to any county schools at this time.

MORE: Controversial Worcester athletic complex plan gets nod in 4-3 vote

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Student brought knife to Berlin Intermediate School in plot: Police
Ukraine's Ambassador to Singapore Kateryna Zelenko. (PHOTO: Embassy of Ukraine in Singapore)

SINGAPORE  The world must expand sanctions against Russia in order to cripple its ability to wage war, said Ukraines ambassador to Singapore Kateryna Zelenko on Friday (3 June).

Speaking at a virtual conference in Singapore, Zelenko was giving an update on the 100th day of the war since Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.

The country must be economically and politically isolated from the worldSanctions against Russia must be strengthened and expandedThe world has to stop buying Russian commodities, most notably oil and gas, which continue to finance this war against Ukraine, Zelenko said.

Russias invasion has triggered a wave of condemnations around the world and financial sanctions imposed against the Kremlin and its allies.

Singapores Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on 28 February announced that the city-state would impose export controls on items that can be used directly as weapons in Ukraine, as well as certain financial sanctions on Russia, given the "unprecedented gravity" of the Russian attack. Singapore would block certain Russian banks and financial transactions connected to Moscow, he added.

Referring to the strong statements delivered by Singapores government, Zelenko said, The fact that Singapore imposed sanctions on the Russian Federation, like export controls, like limitation of the financial operations with several Russian banks  this is the step we value and we appreciate greatly.

The ambassador also noted that the European Union has agreed to adopt the sixth package of sanctions covering crude oil and petroleum products, with a temporary exception for crude oil delivered by pipeline.

As soon as the sanctions package is imposed, the work on the seventh one should start because we see that sanctions work. In 2022, Russia's GDP has moved from 5.6 per cent growth in January to 3 per cent decrease in April. The legal way to confiscate Russia's frozen foreign exchange reserves and assets has to be found, Zelenko said.

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Calling for more financial support around the world, Zelenko pointed out that the war has caused between US$564 billion to US$600 billion indirect and direct economic losses to Ukraine, while the total amount of direct losses from damage and destruction of residential and non-residential buildings and infrastructure reached US$105.5 billion as of today.

Ukrainian economic losses from the Russian invasion as of 25 May 2022. (INFOGRAPHIC: Embassy of Ukraine in Singapore)

Singapore voted alongside 140 other countries for a resolution to condemn Russias aggression against Ukraine during an emergency session in the United Nations (UN) on 2 March. Five countries voted against the resolution while 35 abstained.

With no sign of a reversal of Russias invasion, the emergency session reconvened on 24 March to vote on a resolution reiterating the UNs demand that Russia withdraw from Ukraine and deploring the attacks on Ukraines civilian population and infrastructure. Singapore voted in favour of the resolution alongside 139 other countries while five countries voted against it and 38 abstained.

Due to the seismic disruption in Europes security environment, Finland and Sweden applied last month to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), citing Russias blatant invasion of Ukraine.

When asked about the applications by Finland and Sweden, Zelenko said they can only strengthen the alliance. Noting Russias mixed signals about the issue, Zelenko said the aspiration by the Nordic countries to join NATO is a sign that the developed countries in Europe feel safer to be part of the alliance to nullify Russian aggression.

Ukraines ambassador to Singapore Kateryna Zelenko speaking at a virtual media conference on 3 June 2022. (SCREENSHOT: Embassy of Ukraine in Singapore)

Call for more weapons to Ukraine

The Russians have committed looting, tortures, wilful killings, widespread abductions, and violated the norms of international humanitarian law in the war, according to Zelenko. Their aim is to occupy the entire territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, secure the land corridor to Crimea, and complete the occupation of southern Ukraine, she said.

Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have started investigations into more than 15,000 war crimes and crimes of aggression committed by Russian forces since 24 February, Zelenko said. "We welcome all steps made by the international institutions to bring Russia to justice, as well as statements made by the heads of state and governments throughout the world."

At the same time, Zelenko pointed out that Russia has suffered huge military losses arising from its aggression. According to data that she presented at the conference, Russia had lost more 30,000 Russian military personnel, more than 3,000 armoured personnel vehicles, more than 1,300 tanks, 210 aircraft and others as of Thursday.

Russian military losses in Ukraine war, according to preliminary data as of 2 June 2022. (INFOGRAPHIC: Embassy of Ukraine in Singapore)

Around 20 per cent of Ukraine's territories have been lost to Russia as of today, Zelenko said. But 82 per cent of Ukrainians would not agree to cede territories in exchange for peace, she added. "Ceasefire in itself cannot be an objective. We will strive for the withdrawal of Russian troops and Ukraine has to liberate its territories based on the principle of maximum preservation of people's lives."

As the situation in the Donbas region will only get worse, and Russia will be emboldened to intensify its aggression, Zelenko urged the international community to provide Ukraine with more weapons, ranging from artillery to multiple launch rocket systems, and help it turn the tide of the war.

Calling such aid as "the best investment" in maintaining stability in the world and preventing many severe crises originating from Russia. she said, "In order to win (the war), freedom must be armed better than tyranny."

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Ukraine marked its 100th day at war Friday as bitter fighting in the east continued and Russia's grip on captured territory remained tight.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday estimated Russia now controls about 20% of his country, an estimate which includes conquests during the current invasion as well as Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and partial command of disputed territory in Luhansk and Donetsk in the east.

In the beginning of the invasion, Ukraine largely repelled Russian advances, but Russia has since made impactful gains in the east.

In the Kherson region, the ruble is an official currency, and Russian passports are being offered to residents there and in the Zaporizhzhia region. Asked Friday how Moscow viewed the progress at 100 days, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian troops have succeeded their main task of protecting civilians in areas controlled by Russian-backed separatists.

Commenting on the 100 days mark, Zelenskyy was optimistic: Our team is much larger," he said. "The Ukrainian Armed Forces are here. Most importantly, our people are here."

The toll of war on everyday Ukrainians has been brutal: At least 4,169 citizens have been killed, including 268 children, and at least 4,982 citizens have been injured, according to the latest count from the United Nations' human rights office, which says its tally is believed to be an undercount.

Fresh graves are seen at a cemetery in the city of Mariupol on June 2, 2022, amid the ongoing Russian military action in Ukraine.

Major developments:

The European Union on Friday formally approved an embargo on Russian oil and other sanctions targeting major banks and broadcasters. EU leaders say the move means that around 90% of Russias oil exports to Europe will be blocked by years end.

The European Union on Friday also added 65 people to its sanction list, targeting Russian military officers linked to atrocities in Bucha and the siege of Mariupol.

Roughly 60% of infrastructure and residential buildings in Lysychansk, one of only two cities in the east still under partial Ukrainian control, have been destroyed, said Oleksandr Zaika, head of Lysychansk City Military-Civil Administration.

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Amid struggles with the global grain supply exacerbated by the war, the chairman of the African Union, Senegal's President Macky Sall, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday and said Africa is "totally at the mercy of the situation."

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Zelenskyy criticizes US cities for maintaining sister ties with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a gathering of U.S. mayors on Friday that they should sever "sister city" ties with Russian cities.

"We should not let tyrants exploit their connections with the free world," Zelenskyy said, addressing the U.S. Conference of Mayors' annual meeting. "What do those ties give to you? Probably nothing. But they allow Russia to say that it is not isolated, even after the start of this war."

Zelenskyy called out Chicago, Jacksonville, San Diego and Albany as some of dozens of U.S. cities that have ties to Russian cities.

Some cities, including Chicago, have suspended but not permanently severed their relationships with their Russian sister cities since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in February. Others, like San Jose, California, chose to continue their relationships; the San Jose Spotlight reported that the City Council chose to send a letter to its sister city Ekaterinburg, urging residents to stand against Vladimir Putin.

How the seizure of Russian superyachts helps the feds punish Putin and his oligarchs

A former U.S. Marshal said the United States' asset forfeiture under orders of President Joe Biden and Task Force KleptoCapture is wreaking havoc on Russian oligarchs and their ill-gotten gains.

The most recent seizures include $1 billion worth of superyachts, tracked down in ports from Europe to Fiji.

"Really, the power of asset forfeiture is that allows us to hit them where it hurts the most, which is in the pocket, and not let them keep things that were otherwise illegally acquired," said former U.S. Marshal Jason Wojdylo. "A Russian oligarch yacht is certainly a new level of vessel we've never seized before." Read more.

 Trevor Hughes

UK defense ministry: Russia likely to take full control of Luhansk in 2 weeks

Russian forces will likely take full control of the Luhansk region within the next two weeks, the latest intelligence update from the British defense ministry said Friday.

Russia controls about 90% of the region, the update said, but "Russia has achieved these recent tactical successes at significant resource cost, and by concentrating force and fires on a single part of the overall campaign."

As a result of the intense focus in the region, other Russian advances elsewhere in Ukraine have largely stalled and "have transitioned to the defensive," the update said.

At 100 days of war compared to its original plan, "none of (Russia's) strategic objectives have been achieved," the update added, saying more manpower, equipment and time would be needed to do so.

'Fierce battles' in Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, Ukrainian official says

The Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk was experiencing "fierce battles," Luhansk regional governor Serhiy Haidai said Friday.

About 13,000 residents remain in the city amid intense Russian bombardment. Haidai also said Friday Russian forces were heavily attacking Lysychansk nearby.

Russia pummels Donbas, but more allies step up to help Ukraine

As Russia continues its intense assault aimed at taking over the eastern Donbas region, Ukrainian forces are attempting to fend them off while awaiting new weapons that "really can save the lives of our people and defend our land, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday.

In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy reported some progress in efforts to defend the city of Sievierodonetsk, which is mostly under Russian control, and said fierce battles are also being waged in Lysychansk, Bakhmut and others.

The longer the war goes on, the more vile, shameful and cynical things Russia is forever inscribing in its history, he said.

Help for the Ukrainians in on the way. Britain said it will send them sophisticated medium-range rocket systems, a day after the U.S. and Germany made similar pledges. Sweden (anti-ship missiles, semi-automatic rifles, anti-tank weapons) and Slovakia (howitzers) also committed Thursday to delivering weapons.

Any advance in the southeast is already costing Russia a lot, including the loss of equipment and soldiers,'' Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov told The Associated Press. "And new deliveries of Western weapons to Ukraine could turn the tide.

 Jorge L. Ortiz

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine-Russia war hits 100 days; EU OKs Russian oil embargo: Updates
Marriott

The Marriott hotel chain has announced it is leaving Russia after 25 years, saying Western restrictions made it "impossible" to keep operating there.

The company closed its Moscow office and paused investment in Russia in March, following the invasion of Ukraine.

However, its 22 hotels in the country are owned by third parties and remained open.

Marriott said the process of suspending operations in Russia was "complex".

But in a statement, it said: "We have come to the view that newly announced US, UK and EU restrictions will make it impossible for Marriott to continue to operate or franchise hotels in the Russian market."

The company said it remained "focused on taking care of our Russian-based associates" and had been supporting individuals in Ukraine and Russia to secure employment with Marriott outside countries affected by the conflict.

"We continue to join our associates and millions of people around the world in wishing for an end to the current violence and the start of a path towards peace," it added.

Marriott joins McDonald's, Starbucks and other companies in heading for the exits in recent weeks as the war in Ukraine continues and Western sanctions aimed at isolating Russia economically tighten.

Public outcry over Vladimir Putin's invasion also put pressure on Western brands to distance themselves. Hotel brands drew attention for being among the slowest to respond.

"The process to suspend operations in a market where Marriott has operated for 25 years is complex," the company said in a statement.

Marriott did not provide further details about its exit.

French carmaker Renault's assets in the country were nationalised, while burger giant McDonald's sold its restaurants, many of which were directly owned by the company, to an existing franchisee.
Luhansk Region Patrol Police Chief Viktor Levchenko is doing everything possible to evacuate as many children as possible from the combat zone

In the last three months, Levchenko says he has experienced more than in all his previous thirty-three years.

Since the beginning of the war, he has faced human grief almost daily as he has devoted all his time to evacuate civilians from the war zone. His team sometimes rescued 3,000-5,000 inhabitants of the region a day.

By Feb. 24, about 280,000-300,000 people lived in the three largest towns of the unoccupied part of Luhansk Oblast  Lysychansk, Severodonetsk and Rubizhne. Many of them left the war zone on their own. Risking their lives, a specialized team led by Levchenko have evacuated 42,000 civilians from the region who would otherwise have remained there.

For this work, Levchenko received the Defender of the Fatherland Medal and the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III degree  as well as a severe concussion: The group he was in recently came under fire. As a result, a French journalist was killed and police officers were wounded. Levchenko was hospitalized.

Viktor Levchenko near the shelled building, where 150 civilians, including children, are hiding from the shelling Viktor Levchenko

A native of Mykolaiv who has worked in Luhansk Oblast for the past three years, Levchenko described to NV what he has seen with his own eyes.

Outbreak of war

If for the whole of Ukraine the war began on Feb. 24, 2022, the war has been going on in Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts since 2014. There is constant shelling by Russian mercenaries. Ukraines soldiers have been killed and wounded there, and the war there has lasted a long time.

About a week before the start of a large-scale invasion, the town of Schastia, namely its residential areas, came under very heavy shelling. An evacuation from the town was planned, but it failed.

Our entire unit was put on high alert. On Feb. 23, my deputy and I were on night duty, sitting in my office. This was in the town of Lysychansk.

Read also: Escape from hell: Women of Mariupol tell their stories of living under occupation and escaping the siege

At about 4.00 a.m., I opened YouTube while my deputy took a nap. And I saw the online broadcast by this "botox freak" (Russian dictator Vladimir Putin). I heard his rhetoric about the Nazis and something else from his senile delusion, and I immediately woke up my deputy, the commanders, and said: "This is war."

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The "botox freak" had not finished speaking yet, but we had already raised the alarm, gathered all the personnel. And at about 5.00 a.m., when he finished his madness, very strong explosions and missile flights began. Everything exploded everywhere! We also heard distant battles, there were explosions in our town, the enemy used aircraft.

Fighting began in Luhansk Oblast, our troops were retreating as the enemy was firing heavily, breaking through and encircling. Our troops retreated to more advantageous positions where it was possible to hold back the enemy, because there were several times more Russians.

Evacuation

All functions of the patrol police became unnecessary at a stroke  traffic rules ceased to exist. We started from what was now most necessary for the residents. After all, to whom did we take the oath? To the Ukrainian people.

On the third or fourth day, the shops were not working properly, the cities were constantly shelled, people faced problems with food, medicine, and drinking water. We organized a humanitarian headquarters, where food, diapers and hygiene products were brought, we made a huge warehouse.

There was still mobile communication (in the region). People could call and share information. A patrol car was arriving, loading and delivering targeted humanitarian aid. Patrol officers got involved in this and delivered medicine and humanitarian aid, working closely with the military and civilian administration.

The broken glass of the car in which the evacuation group was heading to safety. A French journalist was killed in the shelling, and Viktor Levchenko suffered a severe concussion Viktor Levchenko

Later people started leaving. Those who could leave in their own cars left. But there were still many who did not have their own cars. We took such people to the train and they left for Western Ukraine.

But then the "Rashists" (sic, Russian fascists) completely destroyed the railway tracks to Lysychansk and Rubizhne. In the second month, maybe a bit earlier, the railway connection was already completely destroyed. The evacuation to the border with Dnipropetrovsk Oblast began, and the train was already leaving from there.

Evacuation routes were constantly changing, and transport was also changing because it was failing quickly after the shelling. The military and civilian administration took buses from other regions. There was a critical shortage of drivers since this was a real war zone and many drivers left. That's why many patrol officers got behind a wheel, some of them didn't have the necessary categories, didn't know how to drive these buses  we studied on the go. We repaired the buses as much as we could, got on them and went to the most hellish sites in Luhansk Oblast and rescued people from there.

Read also: How everyday Ukrainians, state officials, and politicians overcome fatigue, and endure the long, difficult months of military action

A lot of people left in the first month. We evacuated 3,000-5,000 people a day. Later there were fewer and fewer people, we took away 200-300 people a day. We traveled throughout Ukrainian-controlled Luhansk Oblast, which had not yet been captured by the "Rashists": Popasna, Hirska territorial community, Toshkivka, Orikhove, Novodruzhesk, Pryvillia, Rubizhne (where fighting was still underway at that time), and Severodonetsk.

Later, when the influx of people stopped, we started getting information through the locals and their relatives, because there was no mobile connection anymore, about people who needed to be evacuated. Then we organized an operation, it can't be called otherwise, planned the routes and left. We went to the shelters where people were hiding and sometimes persuaded them, told them about the situation that it was deadly dangerous to stay there. We brought food to those people who had refused to leave. That's all we could do to help them at that time. We took out people who wanted to evacuate, repeatedly coming under fire. And it was non-stop.

Children remain in war zone

My greatest pain is that children remain in the war zone. For me personally, the most important thing is to save our future. The adult can decide for himself what he wants and what he does not. But children haven't seen life yet, they cannot assess the risks. They don't deserve to see death, destruction and to be in constant danger.

We told the parents of minor children: "Get out of the shelter, you will see that everything is destroyed, you have nothing to eat." If we didn't bring them food, people would starve. We explain that the "Rashists" do not care about the population, they only care about capturing the territory in any way and at the same time destroying the maximum number of Ukrainians. This was shown by the example of Mariupol, Bucha and Irpin. That's why we worked very actively with the parents of minor children.

It was a great happiness for me and patrol officers to be able to save at least one child with his parents.

Read also: One day on the evacuation train that takes scores westward from war-torn Donbas

About a week ago we managed to take out 13 minor children at once. This is a sensation! These children will no longer fall victim to artillery shells or the "Rashists." They are now in Western Ukraine and Europe. And most importantly, the Russians will not steal these children as they do in Mariupol.

Unfortunately, some children still remain in Luhansk Oblast. For me, it's a lot even if one child remains there.

Our position is the following: it's worth taking a risk even for the sake of one life. This distinguishes us from the Russians, because people are just statistics for them. For us, every life is valuable.

We've recently gone to Bilohorivka. I think everyone already knows this village, it's called "Bilobaivka" and "Chornohorivka" (drawing analogies with Chornobaivka in Kherson Oblast). The Russians tried to force the Siversky Donets River there, a lot of their equipment was destroyed. They captured this village, and then our military drove them out.

We received information that there were still people who needed to be evacuated. Only two residents wanted to leave. We put them in the car and took them out. It's difficult to describe this village, it's completely destroyed, there is nothing there.

There was a case of evacuation of animals. We received information that there was a shelter, about 40 dogs and three of their owners, on the outskirts of Rubizhne, which had already been almost occupied at that time. Since there was heavy fighting there, no one brought food or dog food, and the fighting lasted more than a month. We don't have specialized transport for animals, but there are ordinary minibuses in which our special forces units travel. And we decided that we would go with them, somehow put dogs there, put people in and take them out.

We went there by two buses and one patrol car, which I was in. Our task was to cover up, because this is the outskirts of Rubizhne and there was a forest behind the house with the shelter, where an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group was located. Me and my colleagues kept an eye on the exits from the forest, while others loaded these dogs into buses. They (the dogs) were very thin, it was scary to see that.

First, we took them to Lysychansk, and other people took the dogs from there to Zaporizhzhya. Later, their owner sent us a footage that they were fine, the dogs had already gained a little weight and felt great.

French journalist

We got armored vehicles for the evacuation only two weeks ago. The head of the military and civilian administration gave them to us since all roads in Luhansk Oblast are being shelled now, it's extremely dangerous to take people out in unarmored vehicles.

When a French journalist (Frederic Leclerc-Imhoff, a reporter for French broadcast BFM TV, was killed on May 30), I was in the same car cab with him.

Prior to that, the regional military administration called me and told that French journalists and their translator would cover the evacuation. We met with them, I suggested: let us give you an interview here, and then, when we take people out, you will catch them on video here (in Bakhmut) since it is dangerous to go. They consulted with each other and still decided to go with us.

We all got into an armored car and left. We entered the town of Lysychansk and came under fire. A shell exploded right in front of us. All I remember is the road, then the ringing in my ears, the smoke in the cabin, the dust, the completely cracked and broken armored glass. I don't know what it was, the investigation will establish. The explosion was quite strong, I was disoriented for a while.

When I regained consciousness, I turned to the driver, a patrol officer: "How are you, brother?". In turn, he said his eyes were bleeding. I saw his face  it was completely bloodied. I started talking to him. I told him that we need to leave, because the shelling continues and if we stop at this moment, there will be almost no chance to survive. He did not give up the wheel, we left and were driving for five minutes. Then we found out that the fragment had pierced his helmet and caused very serious head injuries. But fortunately he survived, the helmet saved his life.

We informed via a walkie-talkie that there were serious injuries among us, we were trying to help the French journalist as much as we could, because we were all shell-shocked.

Read also: Only 20 residents of Ukraines Luhansk oblast have agreed to be evacuated

It's difficult to explain what it's like when an artillery shell explodes in front of you. When we arrived, we pulled out Frederic. Police officers who were already on the scene checked his pulse and said he did not survive.

I have a severe contusion. Another patrol officer has shrapnel wounds to the head and a concussion. Another police officer has a concussion and minor shrapnel wounds to his legs.

Thoughts about war

The Russians aren't our brothers. And they have never been them. They have always tried to destroy us, to absorb our culture.

What they are doing now is just genocide. They're destroying our cities, they don't even think about where they are shooting, they just want to destroy everyone. Therefore, this is a war for the survival of the Ukrainian nation. This is not the liberation of the Donbas, as they say. Now the whole country is united and helping our Armed Forces. All united to resist this onslaught. So we will definitely win. Unfortunately, with very big losses, but we will win.

I'm not a big enough person to decide what will happen next. We will work as the leadership says. I will improve my health a little so that I can fully perform my duties. But I'm sure that the work will not change: I will help our citizens.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  Afghanistans Taliban rulers are maintaining close ties with al-Qaida as they consolidate control over the country, and their main military threat is coming from the Islamic State extremist group and guerrilla-style attacks by former Afghan government security personnel, U.N. experts said in a new report.

The experts said in the report to the U.N. Security Council that with the onset of better weather, fighting may escalate as both Islamic State and resistance forces undertake operations against Taliban forces.

But neither IS nor al-Qaida is believed to be capable of mounting international attacks before 2023 at the earliest, regardless of their intent or of whether the Taliban acts to restrain them, the panel of experts said.

Nonetheless, it said the presence of IS, al-Qaida, and many other terrorist groups and fighters on Afghan soil is raising concerns in neighboring countries and the wider international community.

Since their takeover of Afghanistan last Aug. 15 as U.S. and NATO forces were in the final stages of their chaotic withdrawal from the country after 20 years, the Taliban have favored loyalty and seniority over competence, and their decision-making has been opaque and inconsistent, the experts said.

In the report obtained Thursday, the panel monitoring sanctions against the Taliban said its leaders have appointed 41 men on the U.N. sanctions blacklist to the Cabinet and senior positions, and they have favored the countrys dominant Pashtun ethnic group, alienating minority communities including ethnic Tajiks and Uzbeks.

The Talibans primary concern has been to consolidate control while seeking international recognition, to re-engage with the international financial system and to receive aid in order to deal with the growing economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the experts said.

Since taking power, however, there have been many factors creating internal tensions within the movement, leading to perceptions that the Talibans governance has been chaotic, disjointed and prone to reversing policies and going back on promises.," they said.

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As the Taliban struggle to transition from an insurgency to a governing body, they have been divided between pragmatists and hardliners who have gained the upper hand and want to turn the clock back to the group's harsh rule from 1996 until December 2001, when they were ousted from power by U.S. forces following the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

To date, their efforts to win recognition and aid from Western nations have floundered, largely because they have not formed a more representative government, and have restricted the rights of girls to education beyond elementary school, and of women to work and travel without a male relative's oversight.

The central dilemma is how a movement with an inflexible ideology can engage with a society that has evolved during the past 20 years, the experts said. Further stresses revolve around power, resources, and regional and ethnic divisions.

Despite these serious issues, the panel said the Taliban appear confident in their ability to control the country and `wait out the international community to obtain eventual recognition of their government.

They assess that, even if they make no significant concessions, the international community will ultimately recognize them as the government of Afghanistan, especially in the absence of a government in exile or significant internal resistance, the experts said.

So far, not a single country has officially recognized the Taliban, and there is growing international anger at its treatment of girls and women and its failure to keep its promise of forming an inclusive government. There are also concerns about the Talibans inability to keep its promise not to allow terrorist groups to operate in Afghanistan.

The panel said the Haqqani Network, a militant Islamist group with close ties to the Taliban, moved quickly after their takeover to gain control of key portfolios and ministries including interior, intelligence, passports and migration. It now largely controls security in Afghanistan, including the security of the capital, Kabul, the experts said.

The Haqqani Network is still regarded as having the closest links to al-Qaida, the panel said, and the relationship between the Taliban and al-Qaida also remains close. The experts pointed to the reported presence of al-Qaidas core leadership in eastern Afghanistan including its leader Ayman al-Zawahri.

To counter the Islamic State, the report quoted an unidentified country as saying the Taliban have created three battalions of special forces called red units.

The emergence of the National Resistance Front and Afghanistan Freedom Front comprising former Afghan security personnel has led the Taliban to adopt aggressive measures against populations suspected of supporting anti-Taliban operations, the panel said.

In April, it said National Resistance Front forces stepped up operations in Badakhshan, Baghlan, Jowzjan, Kunduz, Panjshir, Takhar and Samangan provinces.

The Afghan Freedom Front, which only emerged recently, has also claimed several attacks on Taliban bases in Badakhshan, Kandahar, Parwan and Samangan, the experts said.

Taliban forces may be hard pressed to counter several insurgencies simultaneously, they said.
DETROIT (AP)  More than 750 Tesla owners have complained to U.S. safety regulators that cars operating on the automaker's partially automated driving systems have suddenly stopped on roadways for no apparent reason.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed the number in a detailed information request letter to Tesla that was posted Friday on the agency's website.

The 14-page letter dated May 4 asks the automaker for all consumer and field reports it has received about false braking, as well as reports of crashes, injuries, deaths and property damage claims. It also asks whether the company's Full Self Driving and automatic emergency braking systems were active at the time of any incident.

The agency began investigating phantom braking in Tesla's Models 3 and Y last February after getting 354 complaints. The probe covers an estimated 416,000 vehicles from the 2021 and 2022 model years. In February, the agency said it had no reports of crashes or injuries.

The letter gives Tesla a deadline of June 20 to respond to the information request but says the company can ask for an extension.

Shares of Tesla Inc. tumbled more than 9% Friday.

A message was left early Friday seeking comment from Tesla.

In opening the probe, the agency said it was looking into vehicles equipped with automated driver-assist features such as adaptive cruise control and Autopilot, which allows them to automatically brake and steer within their lanes.

Complainants report that the rapid deceleration can occur without warning, and often repeatedly during a single drive cycle, the agency said.

Many owners wrote in their complaints that they feared a rear-end crash on a freeway.

In the letter, NHTSA asks for the initial speed of when the cars began to brake, the final speed, and the average deceleration. It also asks if the automated systems detected a target obstacle, and whether Tesla has video of the braking incidents.

The agency is now seeking information on warranty claims for phantom braking including the owners names and what repairs were made. Its also seeking information on Teslas sensors, any testing or investigations into the braking problems, or if any modifications were made.

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The letter focuses on Teslas testing of the automated systems when it comes to detecting metal bridges, s-shaped curves, oncoming and cross traffic, and different sizes of vehicles including large trucks. The agency also wants information on how cameras deal with reflections, shadows, glare and blockage due to snow or heavy rain.

The agency asks Tesla to detail its assessment of the alleged defect in the automated systems, including what caused the unnecessary braking, what failed, and the risk to motor vehicle safety that the problem poses. It asks Tesla what warnings, if any, the operator and the other persons both inside and outside the vehicle would have that the alleged defect was occurring, or subject component was malfunctioning.

The probe is another in a string of enforcement efforts by the agency that include Autopilot and Full Self-Driving software. Despite their names, neither feature can drive the vehicles without people supervising.

Its the fourth formal investigation of the Texas automaker in the past three years, and NHTSA is supervising 23 Tesla recalls since January of 2021.

The agency also is investigating complaints that the automatic emergency braking systems on more than 1.7 million newer Hondas can stop the vehicles for no reason.

In addition, NHTSA has a broader probe under way into crashes involving partially automated driving systems from all automakers. Since 2016, the agency has sent teams to 34 crashes in which the systems were either in use or suspected of operating. Of the 34, 28 involved Teslas.

Fifteen people died in the crashes that NHTSA is investigating, and at least 15 more were hurt. Of the deaths, 14 occurred in crashes involving Teslas, agency documents say.

NHTSA also is investigating why Teslas on Autopilot have crashed into emergency vehicles parked on roads.

Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have been fighting with U.S. and California government agencies for years, sparring with NHTSA and most notably with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Musk has offered to buy Twitter for $44 billion and make it a private company, but says he has put the deal on hold because of allegations that the social media platform has more automated bot accounts than it has disclosed.
Utah County attorney David Leavitt has asked sheriff Mike Smith to resign over the allegedly bizarre charges (Screengrab | Fox 13 News Utah / YouTube)

Utah county attorney David Leavitt has sought an investigation into sheriff Mike Smith after the law enforcement officer allegedly accused him of cannibalising young children and participating in a ritualistic sex ring.

Mr Leavitt also called for an investigation into the sheriffs activities for misuse of taxpayer and county resources.

The Utah county attorney was addressing decades-old allegations of an illegal sex ring involving 15 people, initially made by one Nicholas Rossi in an online post, on Wednesday. He and his wife were both accused of cannibalism and murder of children.

Mr Leavitt called the accusations ludicrous, outlandish and a pack of lies.

He alleged that Mr Rossi was trying to exact revenge as he had prosecuted him for a rape charge.

He added that the accusations were also a political move as elections for the Utah county attorney race were scheduled next week.

And I encourage Mike Smith, if he can, to vindicate himself that this is not done for his political purposes, for the political purposes of those who seek to eliminate me from this office. And if there is such a link, then I call upon him to resign, Mr Leavitt said.

The allegations against him and his wife are part of a Utah County investigation into ritualistic child sexual abuse between 1990 and 2010.

The Utah county sheriffs office had announced that it was investigating a ritualistic child sexual abuse and child sex trafficking case, but it did not specifically name Mr Leavitt or anyone else.

Local reports said that when Mr Smith was asked if Mr Leavitt was a subject of that investigation, the sheriff responded by saying: We dont talk about who is under investigation.

But Mr Leavitt claims that the investigation report names him.

Meanwhile, Mr Smith said in a separate press conference that he wont resign and added that he doesnt need to apologise for using county resources on the investigation.

I believe that Leavitt is using his authority and his pulpit to bully, distract and mischaracterise the facts of an ongoing investigation, he said.

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He also rejected Mr Leavitts accusations that the report was politically motivated.

This is not political. This is something we take very, very seriously. This is some of the most egregious crimes that happen in our community when our children are victimised at this level, Mr Smith said.

Utahs top law enforcement official also said that the investigators have asked any potential victims to come forward. He added that the investigation began a year ago when someone reported the crimes to law enforcement.

Mr Smith added that the attorney was focusing only on accusations of cannibalism while the primary investigation involves sexual abuse of young people.
Family Research Council Launches The Washington Stand, A News and Commentary Outlet





NEWS PROVIDED BY

Family Research Council

June 2, 2022



WASHINGTON, June 2, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- Family Research Council (FRC) has launched a brand-new digital media outlet named The Washington Stand. Like FRC, The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. The platform will feature multiple types of content, including original reporting, news analysis, political and biblical commentary, videos, podcasts among others. The FRC-branded outlet was created to address a void in the lack of a digital news outlet to help inform Christians from a biblical worldview.

The Washington Stand will complement Washington Watch with Tony Perkins, a national daily one-hour TV and radio broadcast program that Family Research Council President Tony Perkins has hosted for the last nine years.

On the launch of The Washington Stand, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins commented:

"The institutional bias of the 'legacy media' has spawned a revolution in news not seen since the advent of cable news. As the anti-Christian, anti-moral bias of the media has reached a fevered pitch, more and more Christians are seeking out news content that is aligned with their biblical worldview rather than attacking it. They are looking for news and information that they can trust and that will enable them to better understand the times in which we live. The Washington Stand is not just something FRC wants to do, this something we have to do because America has found itself at a time when legacy media can no longer be relied upon. And social media is silencing conservative viewpoints, while at the same time claiming to be the town hall of this generation. Biblically-informed Christians need news sources they can trust, and The Washington Stand seeks to meet that need.

"God is our basis for the truth but unfortunately too many Christians have not been trained to go back to the Scripture and dig into the foundation. As a result, they go silent in the face of a world and news media that has intentionally sought to marginalize their views. The Washington Stand is a means to embolden Christians who are motivated to engage and serve the broader culture because of their Christian faith. The Washington Stand is a means to embolden Christians to boldly speak the truth and engage our culture to transform it for God's glory whether it be in their workplaces, public office or anywhere else," concluded Perkins.

The Washington Stand Editor-in-Chief Jared Bridges also commented:

"Our objective with The Washington Stand is to equip followers of Jesus with truth and wisdom so that they can rest assured that they have the truth from a source they can trust."

Visit The Washington Stand at: WashingtonStand.com

Follow the Washington Stand on Twitter @WSHStand and Facebook.

SOURCE Family Research Council

CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Alice Chao, 866-FRC-NEWS or 866-372-6397


Pete Arredondo, chief of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District police, did not have a police radio with him while in a standoff with the Robb Elementary School shooter.

An official with the Texas Department of Public Safety told the New York Times that Arredondo  as head of the schools police department  was not eligible for a Uvalde Police Department radio. This impeded his ability to communicate with police dispatchers as he assumed the role of incident commander at the scene of the May 24 shooting.

The revelation comes after state senator Roland Gutierrez revealed that 911 calls being made by students inside the classroom with the shooter were going to city police but were not communicated to Arredondo, calling it a system failure.

The Texas DPS investigation revealed that up to 19 Uvalde police officers were in the school hallways and did not storm the classroom to remove Ramos  even as children were alive inside and calling 911 to plead for help  because Arredondo determined that Ramos had transitioned from an active shooter to a barricaded hostage-taker. One victim, Khloe Torres, called in at 12:10 and said I dont want to die, my teacher is dead, my teacher is dead, please send help, send help for my teacher, she is shot but still alive.

Uvalde police dispatch had relayed that the classrooms were full of victims at this moment at 12:13, more than 45 minutes before the rooms were finally stormed by U.S. Border Patrol agents. Owing to the absence of information, Arredondo believed all children were dead and chose not to engage Ramos directly  a decision that attracted widespread criticism on the grounds that it led to the deaths of children inside during that time.

Instead of a radio, Arredondo had to use a cellphone to call and request tactical assistance. It is unclear whether other Uvalde police department officers present at the time, bearing police radios that were receiving transmissions from police dispatch, relayed the information to Arredondo as they waited.

Story continues

The victims families will appear before Congress to testify on gun violence in America, in a high-profile hearing announced on Friday.

Representative Carolyn Maloney (D., N.Y.), chairwoman of the House Oversight Committee  who is currently running against Judiciary chairman Jerry Nadler (D., N.Y.) in a bitterly contested Democratic primary after redistricting  invited the families to testify before the committee. The hearing will address the human impact of gun violence, and is expected to be used by Democrats to make arguments for restrictions on gun ownership as part of a push by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) to do so.

In comments to the Associated Press, Maloney said that the hearing is ultimately about saving lives, and I hope it will galvanize my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation to do just that. She also asked her colleagues to listen with an open heart as victims testify about the darkest days of their lives, a statement implicitly directed at Republicans on the committee who have opposed gun restrictions proposed by House Democrats.

The hearing will be held on June 8 and will include testimony from Miah Cerrillo, a fourth-grade student and survivor of the massacre. Cerrillo survived by acting dead and covering herself in her classmates blood as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, the shooter, was engaged in a standoff with police for 50 minutes in her classroom. She was hit by a bullet fragment which had ricocheted into her back. A GoFundMe fundraiser to pay her medical bills has raised nearly half a million dollars. Other witnesses from the incident will include the parents of children killed.

It will also include testimony from Pamela Gendron, a civil engineer from Conklin, N.Y., and the mother of Peyton Gendron, a 20-year-old man who shot dead ten people and injured three in a racially motivated attack on Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo on May 14. Her son has been charged with first-degree murder and is under a federal hate-crimes investigation. The families of his victims will also participate in the hearing.

It is unclear whether the family of Ramos will be testifying before the committee. Ramoss grandmother, Cecilia Sally Martinez Gonzalez, with whom he was living at the time, is recovering after being shot in the face by Ramos shortly before the attack on Robb Elementary School. As of this writing, Representative Maloneys office has not responded to an inquiry from National Review on the subject.

The hearing comes as the school district has decided Robb Elementary School will be permanently closed, and that students will not return to the building. In an email to National Review, Anne Marie Espinoza, spokesperson for the district superintendent, said that plans are under way to serve students at other campuses in the future.

More from National Review
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty

Family members of shooting victims and survivors are striking out at the company that manufactured the firearm used to kill 21 people in a shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, last month.

Emilia Marin, a speech pathology clerk who survived the shooting at Robb Elementary on May 24, filed a petition Thursday in the 38th Judicial District to depose Daniel Defense, the company that produces the AR-15-style rifle used by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos in the attack. The filing also requests information on the companys marketing and sales of this kind of rifle, as well as a similar style of rifle used in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting that killed 60 people.

The filing is what is known as a pre-suit deposition, which allows potential litigants to collect evidence in advance of a lawsuit. Daniel Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The father of one of the shooting victims, ten-year-old Amerie Jo Garza, has also lawyered up, demanding similar information from the gun manufacturer in a letter released Friday.

Day to Mourn Two Uvalde Victims Upended by Fury at Cops: I Have All of This Anger in My Heart

The letter demandsamong other thingsinformation about the companys marketing of AR-15-style rifles, particularly to teens and children; its incitement and encouragement of the assaultive use of these weapons; and any communications with the Uvalde shooter.

My purpose for being now is to honor Amerie Jos memory, Alfred Garza III, Amerie Jos father, said in a statement. She would want me to do everything I can so this will never happen again to any other child. I have to fight her fight.

Garza is represented by a team of three lawyers including Josh Koskoff, who represented nine Sandy Hook families in their lawsuit against the manufacturer of the rifle used in that shooting. The manufacturer, Remington, was ultimately ordered to pay the families $73 million and release internal documents to the public.

Story continues

Daniel Defense, the Maker of the Uvalde Shooters Perfect Rifle, Abruptly Exits the NRA Convention

That lawsuit could offer clues to how Uvalde families and survivors could hold Daniel Defense accountable, despite a federal law that shields gun manufacturers from liability in shooting deaths. The lawsuit focused not on the weapons themselves, but on the manufacturers alleged marketing of them to troubled young men like the one who killed 26 people in the 2012 shooting.

Daniel Defense has previously run marketing campaigns inspired by video games like Call of Duty and featuring characters from the Star Wars movie franchise, both of which are popular with young people. It recently deleted a tweet from May 16 featuring a picture of a baby holding a gun alongside the words: Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Daniel Defense has said that they are praying for the Uvalde families, Koskoff said in a statement. They should back up those prayers with meaningful action.

Salvador Ramos purchased a Daniel Defense rifle shortly after his 18th birthday and posted photos of it on Instagram days before the massacre. Instagram

Amerie Jo was among 19 fourth-grade students who died in the shooting carried out by Ramos, who legally purchased the Daniel Defense rifle days after he turned 18. Marin, a 25-year veteran of the school, was initially identified by authorities as having propped open the door through which Ramos entered the school. Video surveillance later revealed that she had closed the door before the shooter entered the building but it didnt lock as it should have.

Her lawyer, Don Flanary, told CNN the confusion had only compounded her trauma from the incident. But, he added to the San Antonio News-Express: She is definitely not the only survivor who will suffer these effects for the rest of their lives.

Countless children, all who were at the school that day, are no doubt experiencing the same horrific damages, Flanary said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Law enforcement personnel stand outside Robb Elementary School following a shooting, Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills

A Uvalde teacher who survived the mass shooting wants to take gunmaker Daniel Defense to court.

The Georgia company built the rifle used by the gunman who killed 21 people at Robb Elementary School.

According to NPR, the teacher wants information about its marketing, sales, lobbying, and profits.

A Uvalde teacher who survived last week's mass shooting at a Texas elementary school is looking to take the manufacturer of the gun used in the killings to court, according to multiple reports.

Special education teacher Emilia Marin filed a petition on Thursday to depose Daniel Defense, the Georgia-based gunmaker that made the rifle used by the gunman who shot and killed 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School on May 24.

Though it's not a lawsuit, the filing seeks to figure out if Daniel Defense can face legal action for its marketing, NPR reported. In the court documents, Marin reportedly requested that the company provide information about its marketing, sales, lobbying, and profits.

Marin's lawyer, Don Flanary, did not respond to requests for comment from Insider.

Daniel Defense could not be immediately reached for comment by Insider. After the mass shooting, Daniel Defense said it would cooperate with local, state, and federal authorities in their investigations. It also pulled out of last weekend's NRA conference  which was slated just under 300 miles from Uvalde in Houston.

Marin is the same teacher that Texas authorities originally falsely said had propped open the door used by the gunman to enter the school before he barricaded himself in a classroom.

Flanary later said that the teacher did prop open the door, but closed it when she saw the gunman  refuting the claims made by officials. Law enforcement later corrected their narrative and said that the door was closed but didn't lock automatically.

In a recent interview with CNN, Flanary confirmed she was the teacher, as her name had not been reported yet.

"She thought he was going to come in and kill her and she made peace with that," Flanary told CNN, adding that Marin had a grandson at the school who survived.

Story continues

"She felt alone like she couldn't even grieve," he said. "She second-guessed herself, like 'did I not do that?'"

The changing allegation is the latest shift in authorities' story about what happened during the deadly shooting and how police responded. Local law enforcement, including the police chief running the response, have faced intense backlash after police confirmed that officers were inside the school during the shooting but were ordered not to confront the gunman.

Read the original article on Insider
A man was charged with the murder of a U.S. Army veteran in northwest Tennessee Thursday.

Robert Vallery, 54, was found dead in his familys home on Will Dickerson Road in Union City on Nov. 12, 2021.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Cameron A. Taylor, a 28-year-old Martin man, was identified as the person responsible for Vallerys death.

Thursday, warrants were issued charging Taylor with First Degree Murder, Especially Aggravated Burglary, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Dangerous Felony, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, and Theft over $1,000.

Agents served Taylor later that day.

He is currently in the Obion County Jail on unrelated charges and is being held without bond.

The TBI said the Obion County Sheriffs Office, Weakley County Sheriffs Office, and Martin Police Department assisted with the investigation.

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Indian actor Priyanka Chopra took to Twitter on Saturday to condemn an advertisement for purportedly promoting rape culture after it aired earlier in the day. The commercial for the male fragrance brand Layerr Shot shows four men staring at a nervous-looking woman in a store when one of the men asks, Were four, theres one, who takes the shot? When the woman turns around, it becomes clear that the men are referring to the body spray on the store shelf. Why is India the rape capital of the world and most unsafe country for a woman!
Gun control advocates listen as Democratic senators speak at a rally at the Capitol in Washington, May 26, 2022. (Tom Brenner/The New York Times)

As Congress once more struggles through acrimonious and so far fruitless negotiations over gun reforms in the wake of a mass shooting, Americans may find themselves looking north in befuddlement.

Canadas government has begun moving to ban handgun sales and buy back military-style rifles  dramatic changes in a country with one of the worlds highest gun ownership rates outside of the United States, expected to pass easily and with little fuss.

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Ask Americans why Canadas government seems to cut through issues that mire their own in bitterness and frustration, and you might hear them cite cultural differences, gentler politics, even easygoing Canadian temperaments.

But ask a political scientist, and you will get a more straightforward answer.

Differences in national culture and issues, while meaningful, do not on their own explain things. After all, Canada also has two parties that mostly dominate national politics, an urban-rural divide, deepening culture wars and a rising far-right. And guns have been a contentious issue there for decades, one long contested by activist groups.

Rather, much of the gap in how these two countries handle contentious policy questions comes down to something that can feel invisible amid day-to-day politicking but may be just as important as the issues themselves: the structures of their political systems.

Canadas is a parliamentary system. Its head of government, Justin Trudeau, is elevated to that job by the legislature, of which he is also a member, and which his party, in collaboration with another, controls.

If Trudeau wants to pass a new law, he must merely ask his subordinates in his party and their allies to do it. There is no such thing as divided government and less cross-party horse-trading and legislative gridlock.

Canada is similar to what the United States would be if it had only a House of Representatives, whose speaker also oversaw federal agencies and foreign policy.

Story continues

What the U.S. has instead is a system whose structure simultaneously requires cooperation across competing parties and discourages them from working together.

The result is a U.S. system that not only moves slower and passes fewer laws than those of parliamentary models like Canadas, research has found, but also stalls for years even on measures that enjoy widespread support among voters in both parties, such as universal background checks for gun purchases.

Many political scientists argue that the United States long-worsening gridlock runs much deeper than any one issue or the interest groups engaged with it, to the basic setup of its political system.

The Perils of Presidents

Scholar Juan Linz warned in a much-discussed 1990 essay, as much of the developing and formerly Soviet worlds moved to democracy, that those countries not follow what he called one of the foundational flaws of the United States: its presidency.

The vast majority of the stable democracies in the world today are parliamentary regimes, Linz wrote.

Presidential systems, on the other hand, tended to collapse in coups or other violence, with only the United States having persisted since its origin.

Its telling that when American diplomats and technocrats help to set up new democracies abroad, they almost always model them on European-style parliaments.

Subsequent research has found that parliamentary systems also perform better at managing the economy and advancing rule of law than presidencies, if only for the comparative ease with which they can implement policy  witnessed in Canadas rapid response to gun violence or other crises.

Americas legislative hurdles, requiring cooperation across the president, Senate and House to pass laws, are raised further by the fact that all three are elected under different rules.

None represents a straight national majority. Presidential elections favor some states over others. The Senate tilts especially toward rural voters. All three are elected on different schedules. As a result, single-party control is rare. Because competing parties typically control at least one of those three veto points on legislation, legislation is frequently vetoed.

Americans have come to accept, even embrace, divided government. But it is exceedingly uncommon. While Americans may see Canadas legislative efficiency as unusual, to the rest of the world it is American-style gridlock that looks odd.

Still, Americas presidential system does not, on its own, explain what makes it function so differently from a country like Canada.

As long as things are moderate, a presidential system is not so bad, said Lee Drutman, a political scientist who studies political reform.

Rather, he cited that the U.S. is nearly alone in combining a presidency with winner-take-all elections.

Zero-Sum Contests

Proportional votes, common in most of the world, award seats to each party based on its share of the vote.

Under American-style elections, the party that wins 51% of a race controls 100% of the office it elects, while the party with 49% ends up with nothing.

This all but ensured that politics would coalesce between two parties because third-ranked parties rarely win office. And as those two parties came to represent geographically distinct electorates struggling for national control, their contests took on, for voters, a sensation of us-versus-them.

Canada, too, has winner-take-all elections, a practice inherited from Britain. Still, neither of those countries hold presidential contests, which pit one half of the nation against the other.

And in neither country do the executive and legislative branches share power, which, in times of divided government, extends the zero-sum nature of U.S. elections into lawmaking, too. And not only on issues on which the parties supporters disagree.

In 2013, shortly after a gunman killed 20 first graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, polls found that 81% of Republicans supported background checks for gun purchases. But when asked whether the Senate should pass such a bill  which would have required Republicans to side with the then-Democratic majority  support dropped to 57%. The measure never passed.

The episode was one of many suggesting that Americans often privilege partisan victory, or at least denying victory to the other side, over their own policy preferences, scholar Lilliana Mason wrote in a book on partisanship.

Even when policy debates crack open and an opportunity for compromise appears, Mason wrote, partisans are psychologically motivated to look away.

Unstable Majorities

Still, there is something unusual to Canadas model, too.

Most parliamentary systems, as in Europe, elect lawmakers proportionally. Voters select a party, which takes seats in the legislature proportional to its overall vote share. As a result, many different parties end up in office and must join in a coalition to secure a governing majority. Lawmaking is less prone to gridlock than in the U.S., but its not seamless, either: The prime minister must negotiate among the parties of their coalition.

Canada, like Britain, combines American-style elections, which produce what is not quite a two-party system in those countries but is close, with European-style parliaments.

As a result, Canadas prime minister usually oversees a legislative majority, allowing him or her to breeze through legislation even more easily than in European-style parliaments.

This moment is an exception: Trudeaus Liberal Party controls slightly less than half of the House of Commons. Still, his party dominates a legislative alliance in which he has only one partner. Canada also includes a Senate, though its members are appointed and rarely rock the boat.

But the Canadian system produces what Drutman called unstable majorities, prone to whiplashing on policy.

If you have a 52% margin for one party, and then you throw the bums out because 4% of the vote went the other way, now youve moved completely in the other direction, he said.

Gun laws are a case in point. After a 1989 mass shooting, Canadian lawmakers passed registration rules but phased them in over several years because they were unpopular among rural communities.

Those rules were later abolished under a Conservative government. Though Trudeau has not reimposed the registry, he has tightened gun laws in other ways.

In a European-style system, by contrast, a 4-point shift to the right or left might change only one party in the countrys governing coalition, prompting a slighter policy change more proportional to the electorates mood.

American liberals may thrill at the seeming ease with which Canadas often-left-leaning government can implement policy, much as conservatives may envy Britains more right-wing, but similarly rapid, lawmaking under a similar system.

But it is the slow-and-steady European model, with its frustratingly incremental advances, that, over the long run, research finds, tend to prove the most stable and effective.

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Weve heard many voices in recent days calling for significant controls on the kinds of military-grade guns routinely used in mass shootings across America. But one group has been remarkably silent  the police.

Where are cops voices?

I ask that question with this in mind: Imagine if every police chief in America stepped forward and demanded a national ban on military-style assault rifles. Imagine if they were joined by every major police union.

And how about banning military-grade body armor too? Why should civilians be allowed to buy the kinds of bulletproof vests and military helmets that are worn by SWAT teams and combat units in the U.S. military?

If police across America made such demands with a unified voice, how quickly would Republicans abandon their grim dance with the National Rifle Association? Imagine the blood draining from Ted Cruzs faux-serious face as he tries to shift into the carefully calibrated rhetorical gear that allows him to verbally dance between his demands for law and order and his support for gun rights.

Whats striking here is that police have not banned together and jumped into the political fray over guns. Why not? Especially since they are the ones who, more and more, must confront criminals who have more powerful weapons than the sidearms they themselves carry.

Just about every level of policing, from chiefs to beat cops, is represented by a rank-and-file union or some sort of coalition such as an association of chiefs of police. Whats more, these policing groups are politically savvy. When they want a salary hike, improved training or upgraded equipment, they know how to push the levers of political power.

And often, cops get what they want.

So whats holding them back when it comes to assault weapons?

Some police leaders have indeed stepped forward and demanded stricter controls or even outright bans on AR-15-style rifles that are the civilian versions of guns issued to U.S. soldiers. But those voices are rare and often faint.

Story continues

And, as in the case of Art Acevedo, the former Houston police chief who ran the Miami police department until last October when he was dismissed after a series of disputes with local political leaders, any call for a ban on assault firearms risks being branded by America's powerful gun lobby as the equivalent of a traitor.

Former Miami Police Chief Art Acevedo hugs a protester in front of Versailles Restaurant in Miami.

Acevedo, who describes himself as a Republican, has hardly been shy about speaking up. He was a frequent guest on TV talk shows. He also testified before Congress in support of stricter controls on guns and large capacity magazines  one of the few police leaders to step forward with such a suggestion.

In response, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the principal trade association for gun manufacturers, said Acevedo publicly used his uniform and his authority to advocate for denying law-abiding citizens their rights and also sparred on Twitter with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) arguing that AR-15s, or Modern Sporting Rifles (MSRs), should be barred from civilian possession.

Oh, my. Used his uniform? Sparred on Twitter with a U.S. senator? Aren't police chiefs supposed to speak up about public safety?

Gun control laws: America is losing its soul to guns, but our politicians don't seem to care

More from Mike Kelly: Mass shootings are tearing America apart. So why can't we stop them?

Acevedo also was head of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, a group that represents Americas largest and most violent crime centers. He ought to know something about guns and death. So whats wrong with him stepping forward and calling for restrictions on some types of firearms?

More important: Why is Acevedos such an unusual voice? Where are the other chiefs?

In fairness, other chiefs and law enforcement leaders have spoken up occasionally. But their voices are often stifled, vague or not in sync  a chorus that is not in tune.

Consider what took place after the murders in December 2012 of 20 first graders and six adult staffers at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. An impressive string of police organizations stepped forward with a call to reinstate the federal ban on assault weapons. These groups included the Major Cities Chiefs Association as well as the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Foundation and the Police Executive Research Forum.

Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 26 were killed, including 20 students, on Dec. 14, 2012.

But not a single police union joined in the call. And not all of the chiefs organizations or groups representing other police supervisors such as captains, lieutenants and sergeants were on board. In other words, the voices of America's thin blue line were not unified. Once again, the gun lobby won the day by exploiting America's cultural fissures.

Whats striking now is that cops dont see beyond the politics and fear of the gun lobby and frame their stance on guns as a matter of life and death  for themselves.

The reality now on most police forces is that the patrol officers who arrive first on the scene of a mass shooting are equipped with just a sidearm  generally a 9 mm or perhaps a 40-caliber semi-automatic pistol.

Those pistols are powerful enough. But theyre the equivalent of peashooters against the weapon of choice for mass shooters, the AR-15-style assault rifle.

This is not fantasy. Consider what took place at the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas.

In both cases, the killer arrived on the scene with an AR-15-style assault rifle. Also, the killers in both cases wore body armor.

In Buffalo, a security guard reportedly armed with a 9 mm handgun confronted the shooter. The security guard, who also happened to be a retired police lieutenant, managed to fire two shots, and authorities say at least one bullet struck the shooter.

David Martinez of Buffalo places flowers at a memorial across the street from the Tops supermarket where a gunman killed ten people Saturday.

The problem is that the guard's 9 mm bullet was too weak to penetrate the shooter's body armor. Unhurt, the killer merely turned, aimed his AR-15, and shot the guard to death.

In Uvalde, the scenario was slightly more complex but remarkably similar.

The shooter carried an AR-15-style rifle and wore body armor. Cops rushed to the elementary school where shots had been reported. Within minutes, 19 officers huddled in a hallway outside a classroom where the shooter took cover.

But the cops did not rush through the door.

For starters, the door was locked. Cops waited for a janitor to come forward with a key. But also important, the cops feared the shooter was protected with body armor and was carrying an AR-15-style, semi-automatic rifle that could fire multiple rounds with merely the pull of a trigger.

What cop wants to rush into the wall of bullets from such a gun?

Its a fair question, especially in light of the fact that those 19 officers  and others who joined them  waited for nearly an hour for a SWAT team, decked out in body armor and equipped with more powerful weapons, to push open the door to the classroom and kill the shooter. By then, of course, 19 students and two teachers had been murdered.

Mourners pay their respects on May 27, 2022, at a memorial for the children and teachers killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022.

Much of the debate in recent days understandably focused on the police decision to wait outside the classroom door until a better-equipped SWAT team arrived. But missing is the question of what ordinary police are supposed to do when confronted with criminals who have more powerful weapons than the sidearms they carry.

Its important to talk about the policing decision to risk potential  perhaps certain  death by attacking a better-armed and protected killer. But why not also ask why the killer was allowed to acquire such weapons and body armor in the first place?

If police honestly face up to such a question, theyll know the correct answer. Cops understand the risks they encounter when they put on their uniforms. They also understand how to reduce risks.

So why not call for a civilian ban on military-grade weapons?

Its time for cops to speak up. They'd be protecting themselves  and the rest of us, too.

Mike Kelly is an award-winning columnist for NorthJersey.com as well as the author of three critically acclaimed non-fiction books and a podcast and documentary film producer. To get unlimited access to his insightful thoughts on how we live life in New Jersey, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: kellym@northjersey.com

Twitter: @mikekellycolumn

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Police in America need to call for a ban on assault weapons
ALONA MAZURENKO  FRIDAY, 3 JUNE 2022, 12:40

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recorded a video near the Office [of the President] in the government area of Kyiv together with the Prime Minister, the head of the Office of the President and members of Ukraine's negotiating team with Russia.

Source: Zelenskyy on Instagram

Quote: "The leader of the faction is here, the head of the Office of the President is here, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, [Denys] Shmyal is here, [Mykhailo] Podoliak is here, the President is here. Our team is much bigger.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine are here. And most importantly, our people are here.

We have been defending Ukraine for 100 days. The victory is ours."

Details: Zelenskyy had recorded a similar video at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, when Russian propagandists spread misinformation that the Ukrainian president had left Ukraine.

The video, published on 3 June, is dedicated to the 100th day of the struggle of the Ukrainian people against the Russian invasion.
MARTINSVILLE  Almost $400,000 in federal funding is coming to the Blue Ridge Parkway earmarked to enhance tourism, outdoor recreation and overall economic development in Virginia.

The nonprofit Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has announced it has secured a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to support economic development planning in the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor in Virginia. The grant is part of the EDAs American Rescue Plan Act Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation program.

The parkway includes 12 counties, including Amherst and Bedford counties, plus nine independent cities in Virginias Blue Ridge Parkway corridor.

The foundation intends to engage all involved community leaders and using a collaborative process, the nonprofit organizations staff will work alongside these local leaders to develop targeted strategies to enhance tourism and related economic activities.

One of the key reasons to build the Parkway was to support economic recovery and prosperity in the rural communities along its path, said Carolyn Ward, chief executive officer of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. We want to foster new ideas to enhance these long-term relationships and mutual benefits between the Parkway and these gateway communities.

According to a U.S. National Park Service study, the Blue Ridge Parkway had a $1.3 billion economic effect on local communities in 2020 and Ward said she sees ample potential to improve those figures.

Our initial discussions with leaders in each Parkway community confirmed widespread interest in working across various boundaries to benefit everyone involved, Ward said. This grant will ensure a through, inclusive and effective process.

Virginias U.S. senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, said in a joint release, After two difficult years, Virginians are eager to travel and be outside.

This funding will help accelerate the regions economic recovery and promote investment in local communities, the senators said.

The foundations work includes programming at the popular Blue Ridge Music Center on the parkway and the award-winning, nationwide Kids in Parks program, a release from the foundation stated.

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 Flash

Villages are often named after the mountains they are perched upon, but Bajiaozhai, or a village having eight horns, in Ziyuan county of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and neighboring Xinning county of Hunan province, is a pseudo-karst mountain range with eight peaks featuring Danxia landform, or steep red cliffs.



The karst topography is common in areas underlain by limestone, but in Danxia it is formed from red-colored sandstone and its conglomerates. And they were both formed by endogenous forces, including uplift, and exogenous forces, including weathering and erosion.

Although two out of the eight peaks are located in Ziyuan and the other six in Xinning, more than half of the Bajiaozhai zone (or 125 square kilometers), which is also called Yuntai Mountain, stretches into Ziyuan on the Guangxi side, and less than half of it (108 sq km) into Xinning.

As another tourist spot in Jiaozuo, Central China's Henan province, bears the same name of Yuntai Mountain, the eight-peak mountain stretching across Guangxi and Hunan is better known as Bajiaozhai in the country.

It is good to see the two counties cooperating well with each other to manage the sizable scenic zone stretching across two provincial-level regions.



The highest of the eight peaks stands 818 meters above sea level, and the lowest 450 meters. There are about 130 scenic spots in the zonemany of which are microscopic landforms formed by water erosionand sightseers can see them on the two sides of the delicately-designed travel routes meandering through the peaks. It takes about three hours to finish the tour on foot.

And they can also take the cableway, which provides a breathtaking view, especially when there is a sea of clouds on the mountains, making the peaks look like islands dotted in endlessly flowing clouds. Only when one sees all peaks together can one understand or marvel at the uniqueness of the place.

From the foot of the mountain, only on the Ziyuan side, people can see eight peaks, like they were eight dragon heads. So more tourists come to the mountains from the Ziyuan side, which is close to Guilin, an international tourist attraction known for its Lijiang River and karst mountains.

Atop the mountain lie the ruins of the Yuntai Temple built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and those of the Tiankong Temple built in the Song Dynasty (960-1279).



The peaks are of various forms and slight changes in light during different weather conditions, such as fog, bring the peaks alive, a visual treat for sightseers, photographers and painters alike.

Some geologists and world natural heritage evaluation experts, who have seen so many picturesque landscapes elsewhere, had a different experience altogether while doing field work in Bajiaozhai.

Traditional activities are organized regularly during festivals here, as both Guangxi and Hunan are home to multi-ethnic minority groups.

In Bajiaozhai, surface water has eroded red conglomerates formed 67 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period, along vertical joints, forming a rare Danxia landform landscape in the country.

With an annual temperature of 19 C, the scenic area has good vegetation and forest landscape, in which live a large number of precious plants and rare birds and animals.

In 2005, the Chinese National Geography selected Bajiaozhai as one of the most beautiful Danxia landforms in Chinathe others are in Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guizhou and Gansu.

The local government attracted investors who spent 700 million yuan ($104.59 million) from 2016 to 2018, upgrading the region's infrastructure to a 4A-level national sightseeing zone (5A being the top level).

In brief, Bajiaozhai has a good combination of geology, topography, botany and anthropology, and its fresh air and pleasant temperature and humidity make it a tourist attraction throughout a year.
If you want a home setting thats not run-of-the-mill, Sandidges Mill in Amherst County is a perfect fit.

The three-story brick building, one of the countys last surviving 19th-century gristmills, in recent years was restored into a modern home with the second floor currently leased as an apartment. The mill's front doorstep is less than a mile from U.S. 60 West on a narrow stretch of Sandidges Road with scenic countryside views and a soothing backdrop of birds chirping that many may prefer over downtown traffic noise or the bustle of a busy apartment complex.

John Patteson, the mills owner, bought the structure in 2006 and saw potential life as a future home with rural charm. In 2009, he worked to stabilize the structure and eight years later began piecing together the process to transform the upper floor into living space.

Patteson, an Amherst resident who has restored numerous historic properties, said the stabilization and conversion of the mill into a home is the largest renovation hes ever done. Since 2019, hes leased the second floor to three different tenants and said its worked out well since the market wasnt great for a long-term sale.

The first floor, a great room, has vintage furniture and antiques. A large mirror on the wall is from a former downtown Amherst drugstore and a counter top with a pair of wood stools he bought is from a country store in Tightsqueeze, a community in Pittsylvania County.

Weve never been able to kick the habit, Patteson said of he and his wife finding old collectibles.

Patteson also bought a home across the road in Sandidges he restored and two other older buildings that were cornerstone sites in the small village area. He sold the house he restored more than a decade ago and thought at the time he would one do something with the mill, which at the time was heavily dilapidated and filled with challenges.

The floor was rotted it out and it had 70% of a roof, said Patteson. We had to start under it and work our way up.

The former water-powered gristmills slate roof was replaced in 2009 and extensive stabilization work was done that year. In March 2017, Patteson began the restoration and eventually became frustrated with trying so sell it so he stuck a for rent sign in front of it.

I had a lot of fun doing this, Patteson said of restoring the site into a home.

Each floor has about 1,340 square feet and the apartment space includes two bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms and an additional room. All throughout the building are historic pictures, some Colonial-style artwork, that come with the furnishings.

Ive got plenty of it, Patteson said of the historic-laced decor.

The restored mill has high ceilings and aesthetically pleasing features hes proud of. The barn across the road hes been told was built by Mennonites who helped the area recover from the devastation caused by the remnants of Hurricane Camille in August 1969.

Hes looking for similar success with the circa-1892 post office building a few doors down, last operated about 67 years ago. The thought of selling the property to someone who may get rid of those two historic structures next to the mill is not something he wants to entertain despite suggestions from realtors and insurance professionals, he said.

It has some fantastic architectural details, Patteson said of the old post office and his sentimental attachment to it. I dont want somebody to come in and tear those buildings downthey are fixable. I just cant do it."

Patteson said that stretch of Sandidges Road has had a mill for the past 203 years and he believes the brick structure predates the start of the Civil War.

Following a flood in 1941 the mills equipment was moved to another mill in Madison Heights. The mill last operated more than 80 years ago and joins Galts Mill, Brightwells Mill and the former Amherst Milling Co. as the last remaining mills in the county, according to a nomination form to place the Brightwells site on the National Register of Historic Places, which was celebrated in 2017.

Amherst Milling Co. on Union Hill Road in the town of Amherst also underwent a heavy restoration into a brewery and restaurant, Camp Trapezium, which opened its doors last summer.

James Hawes, a Amherst resident who helped stabilize the Sandidges Mill, said that process was fairly involved with various factors going on at the same time.

We kept as much character as we could, Hawes said.

Patteson said the same dimensions as when the building was a working mill has been maintained.

Its a beefy foundation, Patteson said of the extensive renovation on Sandidges Mill. You could drive a tractor in there if you wanted to.

Patteson said hes proud of the work done to give a piece of history in Sandidges a new lease on life. The touchups have been done in a way any history buff can appreciate.

Looking over at the old post office with a stare of a mind in full restoration mode, Patteson appeared ready embark on a new rehab adventure. The will is great but resources are a challenge.

Id love to have it looking good again, he said.

For now, hes proud of the work gone into giving a piece of history in Amherst County a new lease on life that pays tribute to a bygone era of the old community mill.

Future tenants, in addition to having history living in their four walls, can enjoy views of surrounding pastureland with cattle while also being a short drive from a main county highway and not too far from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Its tucked away, Patteson said of the location. Its in the middle of nowhere but on the edge of everywhere.

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A 9-year-old boy was critically injured Wednesday after a car rolled down a hill and into the front yard of a Lynchburg home, police said.

Police responded at 9:04 p.m. to the 1100 block of Toledo Avenue. The boy became trapped underneath a 2020 Hyundai Accent after the vehicle rolled into the yard, the Lynchburg Police Department said in a news release.

Police officers and Lynchburg Fire Department personnel immediately began life-saving measures. The child was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital and later flown to Roanoke for treatment. As of Thursday afternoon, he still was listed in critical condition, LPD said.

Police ask anyone who may have captured video of this incident on a security or doorbell camera to contact the Lynchburg Police Department at (434) 455-6041 or share the footage on the Neighbors Portal.

Police ask anyone with information about this incident to contact Officer Bauserman, with the Traffic & Safety Unit, at (434) 455-6047 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 798-5900. Enter an anonymous tip online at http://p3tips.com or use the P3 app on a mobile device.

 From staff reports
AMES, Iowa (AP)  A man who fatally shot two women before killing himself in the parking lot of an Iowa church had been romantically involved with one of the women and faced a court hearing next week on a charge of harassing her, investigators said Friday.

Johnathan Lee Whitlatch, 33, of Boone, pulled up in a pickup truck to 22-year-old Eden Montang, 21-year-old Vivian Flores and another woman just before 7 p.m. Thursday outside Cornerstone Church on the outskirts of Ames and began shooting with a 9 mm handgun, they said.

Montang and Flores were killed, Story County Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald said, and Whitlatch shot himself. The women were friends and students at Iowa State University who were walking together to the church for a weekly service that is popular with ISU and high school students, the sheriff said.

About 80 other students were inside the megachurch at the time of the shooting, Fitzgerald said. The church is located near Interstate 35, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Des Moines.

Our hearts break for all involved, and we are praying for everyone affected, especially the family of the victims, the church said in the statement. The church also held a prayer service for the victims Friday morning.

Whitlatch and Montang had recently broken up, Fitzgerald said, and Whitlatch was arrested May 31 on counts of harassment and impersonating a police officer.

Details of the allegations against Whitlatch werent immediately available, Story County Capt. Nicholas Lennie said. Whitlatch was released on bond the same day he was arrested, Lennie said, and had been scheduled to appear in court June 10.

A search of Whitlatchs truck following the shooting turned up 9 mm ammunition and a receipt from a West Des Moines store that showed he bought the ammunition an hour before the shooting, Fitzgerald said. Investigators believe his intent was to kill Montang, Fitzgerald said.

He was there for a specific purpose, which he accomplished, the sheriff said.

A search warrant executed at Whitlatchs home also turned up an AR-15 rifle, which was not used in the shooting.

The shooting follows mass shootings across the nation in recent weeks that have roiled the country. Those include last weeks shooting by an 18-year-old gunman, who killed 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and an attack Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a gunman killed his surgeon and three other people at a Tulsa medical office. On May 14 in Buffalo, New York, a white man carried out what officials say was a racially-motivated attack on a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood, killing 10 people.
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Morocco has canceled customs duty on oilseeds and other ingredients used for table oil in order to deal with skyrocketing prices.

The decision was announced by the government spokesman Mustapha Baitas following the weekly cabinet meeting Thursday.

The decision aims to alleviate the financial burden on households as the price of cooking oil is set to increase due to disruptions in the global supply chains.

The war in Ukraine and sanctions on Russian exports, two key exporters of sunflower and colza, meant little oilseeds were available in the international markets.

Many countries, notably in Europe, are now turning to Soya leading to an exponential surge in prices.

Morocco imports most of the key ingredients for making table oil. 85% of cooking oil used in Morocco is sourced from Soya.
Renault Group will buy Moroccan cobalt from Managem starting from 2025 as it seeks to bolster battery production for its electric vehicles.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between the two companies amid higher demand for low carbon cobalt from carmakers.

Under this deal, Managem will supply 5000 tons of sulfate cobalt annually for a duration of seven years to the French carmaker, the two firms said in a statement.

Managem plans a factory in Guemassa to produce sulfate cobalt as it also has prospects elsewhere in Morocco for cobalt and other rare metals.

The deal is part of a Renault push to reduce the carbon footprints of its batteries by 20% by 2025 and 30% by 2030.

Renault, which has two production plants in Morocco, plans to increase local sourcing to 2.5 billion euros from local suppliers.

Renault is following BMW suit in opting for Moroccan cobalt, which has one of the worlds high purity rates.
Preparations for the annual meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund were at the focus of talks, held Thursday in Rabat, between Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah, Central Bank governor Abdellatif Jouahri, WB Vice-President and Corporate Secretary, Diarietou Gaye, and IMF Secretary-General, Ceda Ogada.

The meeting was held part of a technical mission to Morocco conducted by a high-level delegation of the two international financial institutions to coordinate preparations for the WB-IMF annual meetings, due in Marrakech in October 2023.

The talks tackled the means to be implemented to ensure better organization and smooth communication.

On this occasion, the parties assessed the progress of preparations for these annual meetings and the measures taken by the host country for the success of this event. They also expressed their satisfaction with the progress achieved in various aspects and with the outcomes of this mission.

The organization of this event, which will be held in an African country for the first time in over 50 years, is a real opportunity to give a boost to all national sectors, especially after the health crisis and its repercussions, Nadia Fettah told the press following the meeting. It is also an opportunity to start a communication campaign both internationally and nationally, she added.

In similar remarks, Gaye said she was pleased with the organization of this major international event in the Kingdom. Morocco is prepared to receive the world for an event that will certainly be a great success, she added.

The 2023 annual meetings, which will see the participation of 12,000 people, will be an opportunity to highlight the structural reforms undertaken by Morocco and the various advances made, and to exchange viewpoints with decision-makers and international experts on ways to promote international and regional cooperation.
Former UK Secretary of State for Defence Liam Fox, member of the ruling conservative party, has described the autonomy plan offered by Morocco for a lasting resolution of the Sahara regional conflict as the only serious and viable proposition.

In a statement to local news website le 360.ma on the sidelines of his ongoing work visit to the North African Kingdom, the influential MP, Chair of the UK Abraham Accords Group, voiced hope to see the Moroccan plan moving forward as quickly as possible so that we get a good outcome and not just a long process.

He also described Morocco as a reliable partner and friend, offering the UK a tremendous opportunity to overcome energy crisis through the Xlinks Morocco-UK power project expected to generate 10.5GW of zero carbon electricity from the sun and wind in Morocco to power over 7 million British homes via HVDC sub-sea cables.

During his trip to Morocco, Mr. Liam fox is accompanied by a parliamentary delegation including Andrew Murrison, Lord James Wharton, Tom Hunt and Laura Roberts.

He said the goal of his visit to Rabat is to show support of British parliamentarians to the process of Abraham accords, affirming that the governments of Morocco, Israel, UAE and Bahrain have shown great vision, leadership and courage.

The British MP delegation met with Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and several other officials, including Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Talks focused on Morocco-UK relations, cooperation prospects and latest developments on the regional & international scene.

The UK Abraham Accords Group seeks to build on and maintain bi-partisan support within the UK political system for the Abraham Accords, creating new opportunities for shared prosperity, stability and trade in the MENA region.
Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photos: Getty

Bill de Blasio was having lunch at Caffe Reggio in the West Village on the third Monday in May, sinking in to what he assumed would be a post-mayoral life of writing and commentary, when his phone started blowing up. State lawmakers were at a silent vigil for the Buffalo shooting victims when their phones started pinging. Alessandra Biaggi, a state senator from the Bronx and Westchester who had spent most of this year running for Congress in a district that was almost entirely on Long Island, was at home on her computer and thought, Okay, what am I supposed to do now?

The frantic browser refreshing and texting were because a postdoctoral fellow in political science at Carnegie Mellon University had, upon the order of the states Court of Appeals, released new maps that would determine what the states congressional districts would look like for the next ten years and, in doing so, tossed the city and states political order  particularly the Democratic side of it  into disarray.

Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Maloney, who for a combined six decades represented side-by-side districts in Manhattan  he on the West Side, she on the East  were thrown together in one district stretching lengthwise across the island. Hakeem Jeffries and Yvette Clarke, longtime allies in the Brooklyn political firmament, were tossed into the same district after Bedford-Stuyvesant was split in two, dividing the historically Black district in a way Jeffries said would make Jim Crow blush. Nydia Velazquez, a 30-year incumbent from a district drawn to ensure Puerto Rican representation in the House of Representatives, was drawn out of hers, while an entirely new district that stretched across the bougie neighborhoods in lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn brownstone belt was created out of whole cloth.

Within hours of the new maps being released, the benign detente that had guided how the almost entirely Democratic members of the New York congressional delegation behave had been cast aside. Maloney and Nadler, both in their 70s, sat down for a tense meeting on the floor of the House; each tried to convince the other to stand aside before quickly announcing they both were running to represent the district (and starting to shiv each other in the press, including to me). Ritchie Torres, a 34-year-old freshman lawmaker from the Bronx, accused Sean Patrick Maloney, a Hudson Valley representative and the head of the Democratic congressional campaign arm, of racism after Maloney announced that he was going to run in a district just to his south currently represented by Mondaire Jones, who, along with Torres, is the first openly gay Black man to serve in the body. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Sean Patrick Maloney should resign. The new lines seemed to mean that Democrats chances of retaining the House in the fall dropped to nil and that years of seniority built up by certain members would be wiped out. It was mass hysteria, dogs and cats living together, said one senior Hill aide. Everyone assumed the whole thing was a plot against them.

And it meant that what was expected to be a slow political season in New York City was immediately transformed into a 90-day sprint, a battle royale of all against all that will likely cost tens of millions of dollars and feature some of the most vicious Democrat-on-Democrat primaries New York has ever seen at a time when Republicans are set to make big gains in the November elections and the stakes for American democracy couldnt be greater.

By some estimations, all this chaos was the result of years of well-intentioned ineptitude by Democrats and allied groups. By others, it was the work of an obscure Republican judge in one of the most rural corners of New York State. In reality, it was some of both.

To understand how we got here, you have to understand that nonpartisan, independent redistricting has been a cause of liberals and good-government groups going back decades. Every ten years, after the Census made it clear who lived where, state legislators would draw lines for themselves and for their states members of Congress. The system was essentially rigged by lawmakers, allowing them to pick where they wanted to run, and meant that across the country districts became increasingly Republican or Democratic and less likely to change hands in a general election as lawmakers looked to maximize partisan advantage.

There had been efforts at reform around the nation, including taking the power of redistricting away from lawmakers entirely and putting nonpartisan commissions in charge, but they were often stymied by what their guiding principle should be. Is the idea to draw districts that give each party an equal shot at winning? In a heavily Democratic state like New York, that is nearly impossible. Is it to draw communities of interest together to allow minority groups the opportunity to elect one of their own? Doing so often means drawing districts that bend and squiggle across a state, leading to charges of gerrymandering. Or is it best to just draw squares on a map, keeping each district as small and elegant as possible, even if it means longtime incumbents with deep ties to their communities suddenly find themselves locked out of power?

Mondaire Jones surprised pretty much everyone by running in a newly created district spanning lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

In 2014, then-Governor Andrew Cuomo pushed a ballot measure over the objections of Democratic lawmakers that would create a commission evenly divided among Republicans and Democrats to produce congressional and state legislative maps. The measure, which passed easily even as some good-government groups saw it as flawed, gave the Legislature the power to reject the commission maps and draw its own if it wanted to. But it didnt say what would happen if the commission failed to deliver a map at all. Thats what happened in 2022 after Democrats and Republicans on the commission came up with their own respective maps, effectively punting the decision to the Democratic Legislature.

The Legislature produced a congressional map that was prodded on by Sean Patrick Maloney, the Democratic campaign chair, that would have helped Democrats in their desperate efforts to retain their majority in Congress. Under the current map, Democrats represent 19 congressional districts in the state, and Republicans eight; under the Legislatures map, most political prognosticators thought that it gave Democrats a shot at winning 22 seats, reducing the Republicans to a mere four seats, depending on the national climate.

There were some rather egregious lines: Biaggi was in a district that stretched across Long Island Sound to add the slightest sliver of the Bronx and Westchester to a district otherwise entirely on Long Island. An upstate Republican district was all but eliminated. The First Congressional District, which begins where the state begins on the eastern end of Long Island, was cut sideways in half and stretched to pick up larger (read: Democratic) population centers in Nassau County. A seat held by Republican Nicole Malliotakis centered on Staten Island was pulled upward to include the deep-blue Brooklyn neighborhoods of Park Slope.

Good-government groups were appalled. A master class in gerrymandering, said Michael Li of the Brennan Center, a comment that was echoed by Republican lawmakers. The Legislature had, in the opinion of Laura Ladd Bierman of the League of Women Voters, tried a brazen disregard of the required process. They thought the commission had made such moves impossible.

Republicans quickly sued, accusing the Democrats of violating the state constitution by drawing up a map that politically benefited one side. Democrats, though, were generally delighted. Hillary Clinton privately told Albany Democrats that they had saved American democracy. Democrats were usually allied with good-government groups. But now, in a world in which Republicans were gerrymandering red states to a fare-thee-well, a Q-Anon shaman was storming the Capitol, and Republicans around the country were running on the expressed pledge to not count votes for anyone but Donald Trump, goo-goo concerns seemed minor.

Alessandra Biaggi watched her district change through the redistricting process. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Most political observers thought the case was dead on arrival. Courts are reluctant to overrule legislators in political matters, and it was already late in the political season. But Republicans chose for their lawsuit to be heard in Steuben County, a rural and overwhelmingly Republican area in the states Southern Tier that is closer to Cleveland than it is to New York City. The judge that heard the case, Patrick McAllister, is a former vice-chairman of the local Republican Party and someone who bragged on his campaign literature about his membership in the NRA and Blue Lives Matter. McAllister refused to hear testimony over Zoom, so unless New York City residents were willing to make the five-and-a-half-hour drive north, they couldnt weigh in. McAllister ultimately ruled that not only were the maps a partisan gerrymander, but lawmakers had essentially no right to draw the maps at all unless they had first rejected maps from the independent redistricting commission. That there were no such maps didnt matter. McAllister also noted that according to the 2014 law, the maps needed to be approved on a bipartisan basis, ignoring the fact that when that law was written, Republicans still controlled one house of the Legislature (and indeed, in 2020, Republicans used the fact that all-Democratic control would give Democrats the right to draw district lines of their choosing as a campaign issue, but Democrats still retained a supermajority of seats in both bodies).

Democrats appealed, and again, most political observers presumed they would be successful once they got a hearing outside of conservative Steuben County. While the state Court of Appeals was hearing the case, Cuomo wrote an op-ed in the Daily News urging the court, six of whose seven members he appointed, to reject the Democrats case.

It was, one senior Albany Democrat said, like the ghost of Andrew Cuomo reaching out his hand from beyond the grave to take revenge on us. A few weeks later, the court did as he suggested. Writing for a 4-3 majority, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, a former Republican district attorney of Westchester County (she succeeded Jeanine Pirro in the job) and a close Cuomo ally, agreed that the Legislature had no ability to draw its own maps, and that because the previous exercise was a partisan gerrymander, it couldnt be trusted to do it anyway. And so, rather than give the Legislature the chance to fix places where the lines were egregious (as courts have done in the past), the court assigned Jonathan Cervas, a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and a registered independent who last voted in the Republican primary, the task of drawing new lines.

It was a mess by design, said Susan Lerner, head of Common Cause New York, which broke from some of its good-government peers by opposing the 2014 bill. The original constitutional amendment was drafted by Senate Republicans who understood the ins and outs of redistricting and placed land mines in the provision. It was designed to fail and written by Republicans who knew they were going to lose their dominance and did not want to have a fair redistricting process, and they were assisted in that by the now-disgraced Andrew Cuomo.

Sean Patrick Maloney drew heavy criticism from some Democratic peers. Photo: Shutterstock

Democrats pointed out that the map the court rejected wasnt even that gerrymandered. Some Democrats wanted lawmakers to be even more aggressive, leaving just two or three GOP-leaning seats. The map drawn by Cervas is not so different from what the Legislature came up with, giving Democrats majorities or close to it in 20 or so seats, just down a bit from the 22 or 23 seats the Legislature drew.

But he did toss New York politics into chaos. Because of the new lines, instead of June party primaries that would have coincided with that for the governors race, congressional campaigns are going to entirely occur on a three-month sprint through the hot city summer, culminating in a late-August primary when many New Yorkers are away and few are paying attention to politics.

Sitting over breakfast at Juniors in Brooklyn on the start of a holiday week, Hakeem Jeffries, the fifth highest-ranking Democrat, was nearly trembling with frustration over how the redistricting process had played out. When it comes to allegedly nonpartisan judges behaving irresponsibly, the Court of Appeals decision will go down in infamy as disgraceful, he said. The overall problem is not that any particular incumbent was inconvenienced, but that the people of New York were deprived of their ability to reasonably elect the candidates of their choice and historic communities of interest were detonated in a way that will only serve radical right-wing Republicans.

The original map from Cervas showed that what he valued was having compact districts, never mind the actual realities of life in New York. Asian voters in the outer boroughs were tossed into several districts. Historic Black neighborhoods in Brooklyn and the Bronx were split into two or three districts. The most Jewish district in the country, represented by Nadler and snaking down the West Side into the orthodox neighborhoods of Brooklyn, would be split up.

Hakeem Jeffries, a Democratic leader in the House, was vocal in criticizing the redistricting process. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

As the congressional delegation waited on the final word, Jeffries urged his colleagues to keep their fire and focus on the process and not on each other. He invoked Shirley Chisholm and framed the fight as one of civil rights, urging the map-drawer to keep communities of interest together. He told people that he would rather retire than run against Yvette Clarke, a House colleague and ally who was drawn into his district.

But they didnt listen. Almost as soon as the lines were announced, a war of all against all broke out. Congressional members who had dutifully stood aside for one another at press conferences where they were referred to as my friend and had co-signed statements and issued joint press releases were revealed to be barely able to contain their rivalries. They had nearly all jumped into the race of their choosing, never mind that they were ostensibly on the same team.

Sean Patrick Maloney said he would run in a district in which he lived, ignoring that the district was mostly the territory of Mondaire Jones, while Maloneys old district was mostly redrawn into more Republican-friendly territory to the north. Jones, a lefty lawmaker who pushed out a longtime incumbent from her Westchester seat in 2020, publicly accused Maloney of trying to nudge him into running against Jamaal Bowman, another Black progressive who defeated a longtime incumbent in 2020, in a Bronx district. Jones accused Maloney of not playing fair. Progressives and Ocasio-Cortez rallied and said that Maloney, as head of the House campaign arm, would have an unfair advantage because of his ties to the donor class and should resign his position. Torres, meanwhile, who has always had an uneasy relationship with Jones and Maloney, piled on with additional criticism of Maloney.

Congressional campaign aides say that, in fact, Jones had been considering running against Bowman all along, and that he was prodded on by senior House Democrats, members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and forces aligned with Eliot Engel (a longtime incumbent Bowman defeated in 2020), all of whom wanted to get rid of the ultra-progressive Bowman. Jones polled running in the suburban district to his north and the Bronx-centered one to his south, finding that he would win the primary in the suburbs but would be at risk of losing a general election there and that he would lose to Bowman in the Bronx. Jones, though, a Squad-adjacent member of Congress who often talks of abolishing the filibuster and expanding the Supreme Court, dreaded life as a member of a suburban swing district should he be able to eke out a win, while much of his staff threatened to quit if he decided to run against Bowman. Jones then astutely raised a ruckus about Maloneys maneuvers to rally progressives to his side and shocked everyone by announcing that he wasnt going to run against Maloney, Torres, or Bowman, but in the new district created in lower Manhattan and brownstone Brooklyn  saying that even though he didnt live there, it was his spiritual home since it is also where the Stonewall Inn is.

Already running there, however, was de Blasio. The district includes much of de Blasios former council district, but it also includes many white progressives of the kind who turned on de Blasio during his years when he lived at Gracie Mansion. De Blasio is moving back into the district to his Park Slope townhouse once some renovations are completed, and sitting at a local coffee shop, where he knocked over a chair before sliding his elongated frame into an outdoor table, he explained how he was going to reintroduce himself to voters.

After COVID, some people were like, Dont you want to go sit on a beach somewhere? No, I feel an urgency. I really hope you can see it. I just felt this constant energy, adrenaline to keep going. I believe in term limits, but to me it is kind of artificial where we were at this point where we had figured out a lot of what needed to be done and it was all of a sudden time ago.

When the map came out, de Blasio decided to jump in the race instantaneously, he said. He also said he was shocked when Jones announced he was running for the seat. I was surprised, but I am not sure we should be surprised by anything anymore. Its a very volatile situation. Jones had been telling would-be supporters that national Democrats were going to treat him as an incumbent member of Congress running for reelection, even though he doesnt live in the district.

Polling is sure to be uncertain in a congressional primary, but a recent one had de Blasio, despite being mayor for eight years and having close to 100 percent name ID, tied with the lesser-known Jones. More than three-quarters of those polled said they were undecided. (I like that hundred-percent name ID! de Blasio said when I asked him about it.)

Meanwhile, a few miles away from where de Blasio was eating a banana bread and having an iced espresso, New Yorkers are bracing for a political battle for the ages. Jerry Nadler is so Upper West Side he once brought a Zabars bag to a congressional hearing to impeach President Trump. Carolyn Maloney, the first Democrat to serve an area that was once a silk-stocking Republican stronghold, is so Upper East Side that one of her major, yearslong causes was bringing a pair of pandas to the Bronx Zoo. (Children love pandas! she once gushed to this magazine at a charity fundraiser for her mission at the Waldorf Astoria.)

As soon as the new lines were announced, they both called Mark Guma, a political strategist who has worked with both of them, to try to lure him to their side. He ultimately chose Nadler.

The two representatives then talked to each other. According to Nadler, he sat down with Carolyn Maloney on the floor of the House and said he should run in the new district, and she should run in the lower Manhattan/brownstone Brooklyn district that didnt (yet) have an incumbent in it. And she rejected that out of hand.

According to Maloney, it was she who approached him, calling him to say they should work together on a lawsuit to get the old maps restored. And he said he thought it was a waste of time, and that was that. And then about an hour later I looked on Twitter and saw that he had announced. I am very bothered that after many years of friendship, he didnt have the respect to tell me.

Regardless, Maloney  who allies say has noted with admiration the funeral that sitting members of Congress receive compared to retired members  then took to Twitter to accuse Nadler of just being another man trying to elbow out a woman from power. Elbow out? Nadler responded when told of the accusation. Ridiculous.

The thing that this revealed, said one political consultant, is that elected officials from neighboring districts really dont like each other.

Primaries are often bloody and brutal and as the stakes get higher, that fundamental truth doesnt really change, said Evan Stavisky, a local political consultant, when asked why none of these elected officials, all of whom are adults, could wait to work this situation out themselves. Its an opportunity to serve in the House of Representatives. The meek may inherit the earth, but that doesnt mean thats how you win a congressional primary.

Now, three decades of resentments are coming to the fore. Maloney pointed to her work to bring federal transportation dollars to New York and said she rides the Second Avenue Subway, which she helped get built, to cheer herself up. And Im not even on the Transportation Committee! she said after a press conference in Times Square. (Nadler, it should be pointed out, is the committees chair, a position he beat out Maloney for.)

Hes male, and hes entitled, and he thinks he can say, Get out of my way, Maloney told one supporter after her press conference.

Allies of Maloneys say that Nadler took credit for her work in passing a health bill for 9/11 responders. Allies of his say that Maloney too often drifts over to the West Side for some of her public appearances, and can cite instances they felt like she was delivering backhanded criticisms of Nadler before his own voters. They also say Maloney doesnt have the intellectual heft he does and point to some of her more outlandish stunts, such as wearing a burka on the House floor to protest the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Jerry gets tired of Carolyn, said one longtime friend of Nadlers. She can be a lot to take.

As to why he is running for reelection against someone he was campaigning alongside just a few months ago, Nadler offered an answer when reached by phone in Washington, D.C. I am a defender of democracy. I voted against the Iraq War. I voted against the Patriot Act. I voted for the Iran Deal, he said. All of which some people voted against.

That person, of course, was Carolyn Maloney.
It will be another Senate test for Trump and his endorsee in Arizona on August 2. Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer. Source images: Getty Images

Donald Trump has stubbed his toe by endorsing losers in three Republican gubernatorial primaries (in Nebraska, Idaho, and Georgia) so far this year, with the most painful defeat being Brian Kemps 52-point demolition of David Perdue in the Peach State. The ex-president has also had some misses in U.S. House primaries and in high-profile down-ballot races, like Brad Raffenspergers win over Trumps candidate Jody Hice, again in Georgia. But so far Trump has done nothing but win in Senate primaries. The MAGA success stories include Pennsylvania (Mehmet Oz), Ohio (J.D. Vance), North Carolina (Ted Budd), and Georgia (Herschel Walker). And now in Arizona, Trump has gone bold with an endorsement of venture capitalist and Peter Thiel disciple Blake Masters, perhaps his most extreme Senate favorite yet.

Its easy to compare Masters to Vance. Both are loudly populist Trump fans. Both are favorites of Tucker Carlson. Both are venture capitalists by trade. Both have been heavily backed financially and personally by Silicon Valley eccentric Peter Thiel.

But while Vance is better known nationally thanks to his book Hillbilly Elegy and the movie based on it, Masters is arguably the real deal in terms of being the edgiest national conservative or right-wing populist or whatever you choose to call the toxic politics he shares with Vance, Carlson, Josh Hawley, Steve Bannon, Donald Trump Jr., and other MAGA demagogues. Vance got money from Thiel; Masters has idolized Thiel for years, co-wrote his book on start-ups, and currently runs his family foundation. Vance comes across as an intellectual dilettante dabbling in politics. Masters has the cold demeanor of a true fanatic. Vance is troubling. Masters is scary. This Masters campaign ad really says it all:

Like Thiel himself, Masters is an ex-libertarian who seems to have concluded that authoritarianism is the only guarantor of his idea of freedom. That makes him a natural ally of Trump and of the conservative extremists who now form the 45th presidents political entourage. Masters favors a national abortion ban, close to a complete immigration ban, a ban on teachers unions, and harsh anti-crime policies. He has opposed aid to Ukraine. But what clearly attracted Trump to his banner was Masterss staunch support for his 2020 election fables in a state that actually undertook a post-election audit (to the great hilarity of non-MAGA observers everywhere). Masters resolutely maintains that Trump won the presidency and lost it by foul means. So he passed the most important test for the ex-presidents endorsement.

Trumps decision was upsetting to his two most prominent rivals in the Arizona primary: Attorney General Mark Brnovich, who despite being quite Trumpy probably lost any chance of a nod from Mar-a-Lago by equivocating over the Arizona audit, and self-funding business executive Jim Lamon, who has sought to compare his own path into politics to Trumps (though he was best known for utilizing the crude anti-Biden slogan Lets Go, Brandon! in a campaign ad). Indeed, according to Axios, Lamons brownnosing of Trump in a personal meeting went awry:

Trump didnt click with businessman Jim Lamon after they met in person at Mar-a-Lago, two sources familiar with their meeting told Axios.

Trump thought Lamon, who pushed his business bonafides, talked about himself too much, one of the sources said. He felt Lamons attempts to compare himself to Trump were off-putting, a third source explained to Axios.

Dont compete with the boss, in other words.

It remains to be seen if Masters can emulate Vances post-Trump-endorsement rise to the GOP nomination between now and the August 2 primary (in which Trump has also endorsed a gubernatorial candidate, former news anchor Kari Lake). If he does, incumbent Democrat Mark Kelly awaits him in November. Kelly has been quietly stockpiling campaign contributions ($39 million as of March 31) and unifying Democrats (unlike his colleague Kyrsten Sinema, he has chosen a quiet and cooperative form of centrism) even as Republicans have gone on a MAGA bender. If Masters can actually ride a Republican midterm trend into the Senate, it will be a much stranger place, but Josh Hawley will no longer walk alone.
 Flash

China and the Cook Islands on Thursday pledged efforts to deepen bilateral practical cooperation and promote closer relations.



Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown and visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the pledge during a meeting via video. Wang is here on a visit to Papua New Guinea, the seventh leg of his current tour to Pacific island countries starting from May 26.

China and the Cook Islands, which have respected and treated each other as equals, Wang said, have seen steady progress in bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields since the establishment of diplomatic ties, with their trade value soaring by nearly 300 times.

China has worked actively in carrying out livelihood projects to help the Cook Islands, and conducted tripartite cooperation with New Zealand, which played an active role in boosting the Cook Islands' socio-economic development and local people's living standards, said the Chinese foreign minister.

The two countries have supported each other in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and seen their friendship further upgraded, Wang said, noting that China is willing to use the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to further increase mutual trust and deepen practical cooperation so as to bring more tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Wang noted that China is willing to discuss plans for next-step cooperation based on the development needs of the Cook Islands, and both sides can expand cooperation on tourism, infrastructure, sub-national programs and education to facilitate the country's economic recovery.

China is also willing to build on the experience of past success to explore more tripartite cooperation, Wang said.

Brown thanked China for its long-term and huge support for the development of the Cook Islands, and its selfless assistance to his country's fight against COVID-19 despite its own tough anti-pandemic tasks.

He spoke highly of the positive contributions made by Chinese enterprises and local governments to the infrastructure construction and improvement of people's livelihood in the Cook Islands.

The sound relationship and close cooperation between the Cook Islands and China stand as a strong illustration of China's vision of treating small countries sincerely and practicing mutually beneficial win-win cooperation, he said.

The Cook Islands cherishes its relations with China and firmly believes that its future is closely linked with China, Brown said, noting that the island country stands ready to work with China to push for greater development of bilateral relations in the next 25 years.

Brown said that his country supports strengthening tripartite cooperation, especially on large-scale projects.

He also noted that the Cook Islands attaches great importance to the mechanism of the China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the next steps for cooperation proposed by China, and is ready to work with partners of island countries to strengthen communication and coordination for better response to various challenges brought by the pandemic.

Wang said that all parties agreed the China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting has become a useful platform and effective mechanism for overall cooperation between China and Pacific island countries, and are willing to continue to push forward this process and jointly build up more consensus for regional development.

China has released its Position Paper on Mutual Respect and Common Development with Pacific Island Countries, and put forward proposals and measures for further cooperation, he noted.

China has engaged in exchanges with Pacific island countries for nearly half a century, with bilateral cooperation always focused on economic development and people's livelihood, the Chinese foreign minister said.

China will remain a good friend and partner of Pacific island countries to jointly address challenges, seek common development and build a community of a shared future between China and Pacific island countries, he added.

Wang stressed that any attempt to smear China-island countries cooperation with the outdated mindset of geopolitical rivalry will find no support among the friends of island countries and thus will go nowhere.

Believing that Pacific island countries have the wisdom and capability to overcome temporary difficulties and regain vitality, Wang expressed hope that Pacific island countries will strengthen solidarity and uphold open regionalism.

The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in Chinese language education and encourage young people of the Cook Islands to learn Chinese, so as to train more envoys of friendship.

Both sides also agreed to continue supporting each other in international affairs.
Adyton Resources Corporation

Image 1

Mining Warden Kopi Wapa addresses local Wapolo landowners

About Adyton

Map showing the location of Adytons Papua New Guinea exploration projects relative to significant PNG gold projects.

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adyton Resources Corporation (TSX Venture: ADY) is pleased to report that it has successfully completed a Wardens Hearing for the renewal of Exploration Licence EL 2549. The Hearing, which is a mandatory process step in the renewal for all exploration licenses in PNG, was conducted by senior Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) Mining Warden Mr Kopi Wapa on May 31 2022 at Wapolu village on Fergusson Island with all principal landowners present.



EL 2549 hosts the Wapolu prospect, which together with the nearby Gameta prospect, is a key element to Adytons current commercialization assessment of the Fergusson Island Projects. The Fergusson Island Projects have the stated gold resources tabled below.

Project



Indicated Inferred Au

(g/t) Tonnes

(million) Au

(koz) Au

(g/t) Tonnes

(million) Au

(koz) Fergusson Island - Gameta Project 1.33 4.0 173 1.01 10.5 340 Fergusson Island  Wapolu Project - - - 1.06 5.8 200 Fergusson Island total 1.33 4.0 173 1.02 16.3 540

Gameta and Wapolu resources at 0.5g/t gold cut-off 1

Managing Director Tim Crossley said, in PNG the Wardens Hearing is an important, mandatory part of the regulatory process for renewing exploration licences and provides an opportunity for the impacted stakeholders to provide input into the renewal process. The Hearing confirmed strong support by land holders and other stakeholders for Adyton to continue its exploration activities. It was also a good opportunity for me to travel to the Island and meet our principal landowners and other key stakeholders. I am very encouraged by the support the company has to continue with its activities.



_______________________________

1The Fergusson Island Project currently has a mineral resource prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 dated October 14, 2021. See the NI 43-101 technical report entitled NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Fergusson Gold Property, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea (the Fergusson Island Technical Report) dated October 14, 2021 and prepared for Adyton Resources by Mark Berry (MAIG), Simon Tear (MIGI PGeo), Matthew White (MAIG) and Andy Thomas (MAIG), each an independent mining consultant and qualified person as defined in NI 43-101, available under Adytons profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com

Story continues

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1a9fcd9e-d4f9-4584-b98a-9d1f8be2a652

Tim Crossley, Chief Executive Officer

For further information please contact:

Tim Crossley, Chief Executive Officer

Email: tcrossley@adtyonresources.com

Phone: +61 7 3854 2389

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

ABOUT ADYTON RESOURCES CORPORATION

Adyton Resources Corporation is focused on the development of gold and copper resources in world class mineral jurisdictions. It currently has a portfolio of highly prospective mineral exploration projects in Papua New Guinea on which it is exploring for copper and gold. The Companys mineral exploration projects are located on the Pacific Ring of Fire which hosts several world class copper and gold deposits. Adytons current gold resource inventory is more than 2M Oz.

Adyton was formed by a reverse takeover transaction completed with XIB I Capital Corporation on February 17, 2021 and commenced trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ADY on February 24, 2021.

Adyton is also quoted on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the code 701:GR.

For more information about Adyton and its projects, visit www.adytonresources.com .

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ae165b3d-bfdf-44c5-87b4-0458563afd52

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been prepared, reviewed, and approved by Rod Watt, BSc Hons (Geo), FAusIMM, Chief Geologist of Adyton, who is a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43 101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43101"). Mr. Watt consents to the inclusion of his name in this release. Mr Watt verified the data disclosed in this press release in accordance with industry standard best practices, including sampling, analytical, and test data underlying the information or opinions contained herein.

Forward looking statements

This press release includes forwardlooking statements, including forecasts, estimates, expectations, and objectives for future operations that are subject to several assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Adyton. Forward looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forwardlooking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. Forward looking statements in this news release include plans for additional drill testing, the intention to prepare additional technical studies, the timing of additional drill results, and the preparation of a resource upgrade in Q3 2021. The forwardlooking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forwardlooking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Such factors, among other things, include: impacts arising from the global disruption caused by the Covid19 coronavirus outbreak, changes in general macroeconomic conditions; changes in securities markets; changes in the price of gold or certain other commodities; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, caveins and flooding); discrepancies between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of and changes in the costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forwardlooking statements. Such forwardlooking information represents managements best judgment based on information currently available. No forwardlooking statement can be guaranteed, and actual future results may vary materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements or information. Adyton Resources Corporation undertakes no obligation to update forwardlooking information except as required by applicable law.




The State Senate District 27 election results have been contested.

Jay Hovey unofficially won the race by one vote on Tuesday over incumbent Tom Whatley after the provisional ballots were added to the total number of votes.

Jeannie Burniston, the Alabama Republican Party communications director, confirmed that the paperwork to contest the results was filed by the deadline of noon Thursday, but she wouldnt say which candidate filed it.

Hovey and Whatley did not return calls from the Opelika-Auburn News on Thursday afternoon.

Burniston said she also couldnt comment on whether there will be a recount because recounts are filed with the local county party organizations.

A contest means that they feel they have a case about something pertaining to the election and the way it was conducted  problems with the voting, anything like that, Burniston said. If its just a matter of a recount  we dont think that number is right  we recount the ballots.

The deadlines to file to contest the results or to request a recount were both at noon Thursday.

Burniston said more information about the process of contesting the election results will be released after the Republican Party holds a meeting to discuss the topic.

While Burniston said other races in Alabama have also been contested, including Alabama House District 1, Alabama House District 2, Alabama House District 28, Alabama House District 29, Lauderdale County Commission District 1, and several Republican Party executive committee seats in Lauderdale County.

The winner of this race will run against Democrat candidate Sherri Reese of Opelika in the general election in November.

Recap

On election night, Hovey appeared to be cruising to victory to those monitoring the results in Lee County, where he piled up 6,610 votes in that county to Whatleys 3,942, or about 62% of the vote.

But despite Tallapoosa and Russell counties having far fewer voters than Lee County, Whatley dominated both counties to such a great extent that he nearly wiped out the entire deficit. Whatley won Tallapoosa by 3,540 votes to 1,555, or about 70%, and Russell by 881 to 202, or about 81%.

At that point, Hovey led Whatley 8,367 votes to 8,363, but the two candidates still had to wait a week for the provisional ballots to be counted.

On Tuesday, officials at the Lee County Meeting Center gathered to count the provisional ballots, which are votes where there was initially a question about the voters eligibility. The vote is counted once that question is resolved.

There were 87 total provisional ballots in the three-county district, including 67 in Lee, 14 in Tallapoosa and six in Russell.

Of those provisional ballots, 15 had the District 27 race on the ballot and were accepted to be counted, including 10 in Lee County and five in Tallapoosa County. Russell County did not have any accepted provisional ballots in the race.

Whatley beat Hovey on provisional ballots in both counties, winning 6-4 in Lee and 3-2 in Tallapoosa.

After adding those provisional votes to the precinct totals, Hovey still led by one vote, with a total of 16,745 votes cast, or 8,373 for Hovey and 8,372 for Whatley.
Each year the Opelika Exchange Club recognizes an Emergency Medical Technician as a way to show appreciation for their service to the community and for responding to thousands of medical calls every year.

John Thomas JT McCracken has been selected as this years recipient for his dedication to serving the people of Lee County as a paramedic.

I was surprised, McCracken said. It was kind of a well-kept secret until the last minute, but I appreciate it. Its nice to be recognized and supported, especially by your staff, your peers and your bosses.

Austin Bayles, who like McCracken is from Beauregard, is the manager of East Alabama Emergency Medical Services, and the two have worked together for 18 years. Prior to becoming manager, Bayles was McCrackens paramedic partner and rode with him in an ambulance.

JT is a great asset to our organization, not only EMS but the hospital as a whole, Bayles said. The knowledge and leadership that he brings to the table is unsurpassable. You cannot replace that with anything.

Bayles said young paramedics look up to McCracken, and as a mentor he goes above and beyond to train and instruct new employees.

Hes given his time, his dedication not only to this department but the fire department as well, Bayles said. Were very fortunate for everything that hes done throughout the years of serving this community. He really has a true servant heart.

While Bayles usually picks a candidate for the EMT of the year award, this year the Opelika Exchange Club came to him suggesting McCracken as a candidate, and Bayles said no one could be more deserving.

McCracken is responsible for leading the daily operations of his shift along with ALS care for patients and has received multiple compliments in regards to his professional bedside care, read the award citation from the Opelika Exchange Club.

McCracken, 46, was born and raised in Beauregard and thought about becoming a paramedic, the highest level of EMT training, since he was a kid.

While attending Beauregard High School, he was inspired by one of his teachers, Toni Long, who had served as a nurse and firefighter.

McCracken said that while in health classes Long encouraged him to take the EMT basic course through Health Occupations Students of America. After graduating high school, he attended Southern Union State Community Colleg, joined the Beauregard Volunteer Fire Department and in 2002 became a full-time paramedic for East Alabama EMS.

He now serves as the assistant fire chief and paramedic with the Beauregard Volunteer Fire Department.

Throughout his 20 years at East Alabama EMS, McCracken worked his way up to the position of shift supervisor where he oversees the daily operations of the crews and trucks and helps dispatch and coordinate hospital transfers out of the facility.

During the day, McCracken usually works on the administrative side doing paperwork, and during the night portion of his 24-hour shift, or if theres a large-scale incident, hell ride in the ambulance as a medic.

When asked how he handles emergency situations, McCracken said, When you first get into it, its an adrenaline thing, but over the years it kind of wears off on certain calls.  Every now and then youll get that call like the one we had this past Saturday that got everybodys emotions rolling.

McCracken said on Saturday the department received a call about a three-vehicle crash in which a 5-year-old child was killed and two children and two adults were transported to the hospital.

There was hardly any information about it when the first people started getting on the scene, he said. The feedback started to come back of what the situation is, then it got everybodys adrenaline pumping and emotion stirring, especially because there were children involved.

McCracken said one of the most difficult things about receiving a high-profile call is being the first on the scene.

Its all on you for a few minutes, and theres only so much you and your partner can do at one time, he said.

Even when receiving an ordinary call, McCracken said you never really know what youre dealing with until you arrive on the scene.

Bayles said that during the time he was partners with McCracken, he never saw him get flustered or overwhelmed.

JT is a very cool and calm person. It takes a lot to get him rattled, Bayles said. He and I worked a lot of bad incidents together, a lot of incidents that most people would be very overwhelmed by. Hes always very calm and thats a very good trait when it comes to working in the emergency field.
I love, love, love, Jacob's music.

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Ooo any song recs?

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Not the OP, but I've loved Jacob's music since like 2014 (he performs music under the name Raleigh Ritchie), and basically everything he puts out is great imo, but some of my faves are Stronger Than Ever, Birthday Girl, and Squares.



Here's a beautiful live performance of Squares he did during lockdown:









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What the person above said. Everything he puts out is good.



Stronger Than Ever, You're A Man Now Boy, Werld is Mine,Time in a Tree are some of my faves.

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I really hope shes good in this. I loved her in that Christmas movie. I think romantic comedies can be her next thing.



Oh, we love a mustard cardigan! Yes!!

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She does seem really good at romantic comedies, I enjoyed that one too. (Also what a wild movie).

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I really liked the other one, that she did (before GOT ?) Me before you. That one

was bittersweet.



https://youtu.be/-QXo16od13A



What a twist that movie ending was?! I mean, she has a penchant for doing heartbreaking rom coms.I really liked the other one, that she did (before GOT ?) Me before you. That onewas bittersweet.

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i was looking forward to last christmas but the script was so messy. there was so much going on, i wish it had been a straightforward christmas movie without all the sub plots (her estrangement from her immigrant family, with emma thompson doing that terrible accent lol, the strange xmas shop she worked in, the homeless shelter thing). henry and emilia were so cute, they should have just let them do their thing



i've been watching starstruck on hbo which is one of the best rom coms i've seen in years. really well done (the first season is better than the second though) and the world it's set in feels really rich and real. i hope emilia does something like that one day

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I hated Last Christmas the first time I saw it, but then it was on 24/7 and I watched it about 10 times and now I love it Lol

But Me Before You is still superior

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Kit was supposed to be at a convention in D.C. this weekend, but pulled out earlier this week due to "circumstances beyond his control"...



The Bride movie sounds interesting.

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I love Nathalie Emmanuel and am so happy she's getting (seemingly) good work. Her face is stunning.



Jacob Anderson's ep of Thirst Aid Kit made me a forever fan. So thoughtful and kind.



Im still so mad they did Queen Lena Headey dirty and that she hasn't truly broken out.



I like Emilia's dedication to the romcom universe. Has anyone read her comic? Is it any good?

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Im curious about the comic too, I thought it was an interesting project for her to take on. I wonder how well it did in terms of sales, the Instagram account for it hasnt been updated since October 2021 which doesnt seem promising

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That read as if I was saying she had great face work. I did not mean that; two entirely separate thoughts. Ugh.

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Pedro is probably the most successful of the GOT alums, and I can still see him being very successful in 5 years, but he got lucky in that he was in and out quick! Maybe Momoa, but what else has he done besides Aquaman?



Ill be checking out Nathalies projects for sure (justice for Missandei!!) and Emilias if shes gone back to rom coms.





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pedro's career has taken off like crazy, i don't even really associate him with game of thrones anymore b/c of everything he's done since. i know game of thrones is a huge opportunity for most actors but he was really able to build a massive career out of it in a way not even the main stars have been able to

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Pedro is an absolute charisma bomb. Imagine coming in after losing so many faves in S3, having to throw down against Headey and Dinklage, peacing out a few eps later, and having the audience lose it bc you made everyone fall in love with your character.

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He completely stole S4.

His "I will be your champion" speech to Dinklage was .

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He took the role and ATE.IT.UP. He deserves all of his success.

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RE: Momoa. Dune. And all the other DCEU stuff. See on Apple+ and some Netflix movies / series. Hes been booked and busy.

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i wonder who tops between richard and froy and what do they talk about?



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can i offer you a sip of water?

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no but i'll take a glass of champagne.

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what do they talk about indeed... and they've been together for ~2 years! how!



apparently froy lurks one of richard's ig fan accounts and has liked their stories/posts before, which is cute? weird? i'll let ontd be the judge 

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ONTD's once favorite show, later dumpster fire



Uhh, speak for yourself darling!!







 Uhh, speak for yourself darling!!

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The only one I actively keep up with is (supposed ONTD alumni) Alfie Allen and he was just nominated for a Tony. I wish him all the luck in the world. He's incredibly talented.

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supposed ONTD alumni Alfie Allen



Celebs, they're just like us! Surfing the Web to bitch about gossip bless

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i totally forgot about alfie! i remember in s2 thinking how his acting was so much better than the other newcomers his age, including richard. is he mostly doing theater now?

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I think he was definitely the best of his age group and stayed consistently good.



Like the comment below says, he pops up in some pretty strange things, and a lot of it isn't really worth noting but he's always good. He was in Harlots for a little bit and had a role in Jojo Rabbit, and he's got a mini series from the creator of Peaky Blinders coming up, so I'm hoping that's decent!

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he was always so overlooked awards-wise and he was SO GOOD, def better than the stark kids.

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He pops up in the weirdest things but I also enjoy his performances.

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He's the most remarkable one for me too, but that's cause he'll always be Lily Allen's wanker little brother to me lol

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i was listening to emilia guesting on a podcast the other day and she seems like a sweetheart



i saw nathalie's likes earlier too <3 glad she has big projects lined up



iirc amazon dumped a ton of money into that show richard was doing so i assume he and priyanka will have to do a huge promo tour and he'll go from being nowhere to everywhere lol, but it sounds kinda like a generic spy thriller so i'm meh already. of the projects listed, the bride sounds most intriguing to me!

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that show already sounds god awful lol idk what he was thinking, it seems like a very strange move after bodyguard and eternals. i guess maybe for the $$ but i thought he would try to go for prestige roles

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and, of course, oberyn martell has recently adopted a child <3 bless!!!!!

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All the best for Nathalie, and in all honesty I think writing killed the show never the acting even at the most basic it was still better than some hugely awarded and paid sitcom stars so I will never blame anyone other than those two dudes that came up with a "South Won the War" show for anything bad that came from this show.

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The actors always made it work. Some were less talented than others, but I don't think any of them were outright awful and even at the show's worst, people still turned in some great performances. I'll always feel for Stephen Dillane because he felt so frustrated with not being told Stannis's motivations or what was happening, but he still turned in a great performance. The show's failures were all on the showrunners.

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Somehow after all this time I just realized there isn't a thumbs up reaction on here. But that's my sentiment is yes, I agree.

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I love Nathalie  I'm looking forward to her upcoming projects.

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I was super excited to see Jaqen in the new season of Stranger Things. It took me an episode and a half to place him but at one point whe was looking down at Hop from the upper floor and it clicked.

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Yes I didn't place him immediately either! He's brilliant in both roles.

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Gwendoline Christie has been doing a good amount as well! She's going to be in two Netflix series coming up, Wednesday and The Sandman. I feel there's going to be buzz around them both.

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The actress who played Ellaria Sand was just in the new episode of Obi Wan Kenobi.



Edited at 2022-06-03 03:24 am (UTC)

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Indira Varma, right? She's such a great character actor. I swear, she's been everywhere.

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 Flash

Micronesian Secretary of Foreign Affairs Kandhi Elieisar said on Thursday that Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's "cloud visit" to the Federated States of Micronesia highlighted the mature and strong relations between the two countries.



Welcoming the "cloud visit", or a video meeting, paid by the Chinese state councilor, Elieisar said China has been sincere and cordial in conducting pragmatic, productive cooperation with Micronesia since the establishment of diplomatic ties.

China has made significant contributions to the socio-economic development of Micronesia and helped the Pacific island country fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, noting that the two sides have always trusted and respected each other on multilateral issues.

Micronesia is looking forward to further strengthening the friendly relations with China to realize win-win cooperation with mutual benefits, Elieisar said.

Wang said China and Micronesia have made fruitful achievements in their relations since they established diplomatic ties more than 30 years ago, and the two countries should stick to the right path and stride toward the goal of win-win cooperation.

The two-way trade grew by over 30 percent last year, which fully demonstrated the potential of bilateral cooperation, he said, urging the two sides to further dovetail the Belt and Road Initiative with the Blue Prosperity Micronesia.

Wang also called for extended cooperation in the fields of agri-fishery, infrastructure, trade and investment, as well as tourism, so as to send positive signals for enhancing friendship, cementing mutual trust and opening up the future.

Wang and Elieisar also exchanged views on the cooperation between China and Pacific island countries.

The second China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting has just been successfully held, and all participants gave full credit for the significant outcome China and Pacific island countries have achieved through enhancing unity and coordination over the past nearly 50 years, Wang said.

The participants also hailed China's unremitting efforts in safeguarding the regional stability and development, he added.

He said China has established a dialogue platform in the form of the foreign ministers' meeting to carry out collective dialogue and regional cooperation with the island nations.

He added that China is keen to strengthen coordination with the island countries, drive the two engines of bilateral cooperation and regional coordination to simultaneously play their roles, and form synergy to boost the independent and sustainable development of the island countries.

Wang said the exchanges between China and island countries over the past nearly 50 years prove that the exchanges have never and will never affect the regional security and stability.

China focuses on economic development and cares about the improvement of people's livelihood. China is building roads and bridges instead of seeking military presence in the island countries, he noted.

The Chinese side released a position paper after the meeting, which further demonstrated China's positive attitude and unveiled specific measures in carrying out cooperation with the island countries.

Wang said China and other developing countries, including Pacific island countries, will continue grasping their development rights firmly, speeding up development and rejuvenation, achieving common prosperity and promoting fairness in the world.

Elieisar appreciated China's crucial role in the successful holding of the meeting, and expressed gratitude to China for treating Pacific island countries as close friends.

He said Micronesia is willing to coordinate with all other concerned parties to forge a partnership with mutual respect, understanding and trust.
ASSP Safety 2022: Headed to Chicago!

The OH&S team will be at ASSPs Safety 2022 Professional Development Conference & Exposition covering the event.

Safety professionals from all industries are excited to be packing their bags and heading to Chicago, Ill. for the American Society of Safety Professionals Safety 2022 Professional Development Conference and Exposition on June 27 - 29.

Safety 2022 will highlight best practices, industry trends and the latest product innovations. Attendees will have the ability to attend concurrent sessions by industry leaders as well as walk through the aisles of the expo floor that will feature hundreds of companies showcasing their own safety solutions.

If your job involves the safety and health of your organization, Safety 2022 is the place to gain critical insights and knowledge to advance your work environment, said Stephanie Gurnari, CSP, chair of ASSPs Professional Development Conference Planning Committee, in a press release. Its a comprehensive experience that provides significant value.

In the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, ASSP has put together an on-site safety plan that will help to keep attendees safe. Registered attendees must provide proof of full vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test within 48 hours of badge pick-up. At this time, ASSP is not requiring face coverings, but noted that they will continue to monitor public health trends and may revise their guidance as the event draws closer.

For those who are not comfortable traveling yet, ASSP is offering Safety 2022 as a virtual event with livestreamed sessions that allow online attendees to experience the sessions in real-time with those who are at McCormick Place.

In addition, OH&S will be attending Safety 2022 and covering the event from the show. Before, during and after the show you can check back in with www.ohsonline.com to read our coverage of the event each day. If you are attending in person, you can also stop by booth #1212 to grab the most recent copy of the magazine.
There has been plenty of turmoil in oil markets this week, with the EU banning Russian oil, OPEC accelerating its production increases, and U.S. inventories dropping once again. At the end of the week, sentiment is decidedly bullish, with OPEC unable to calm the oil price rally.

Oilprice Alert: This month's Intelligent Investor column, now available for Global Energy Alert members, highlights two oil and gas pipeline stocks that could provide strong income for investors. If you're an investor in the energy space then now is the time to sign up for Global Energy Alert.

Friday, June 3rd, 2022

This week has seen quite a lot of turmoil in oil markets. With China finally coming out of its three-month lockdown nightmare, oil prices were moved by reports that Saudi Arabia and the UAE would seek to speed up the monthly increments of OPEC+. When the oil group did in fact opt for 648,000 b/d increases in July and August, it seemed that prices might genuinely come lower, closer to the $110 per barrel mark. Unfortunately for oil bears, news of dropping US inventories, combined with the EU's decision to ban Russian oil imports, sent oil prices climbing once again.

OPEC+ Speeds Up Production Increases. OPEC+ members agreed to raise their overall production targets by 648,000 b/d in both July and August, bringing the final unwinding of the oil groups production cuts forward by one month on fears of falling Russian production.

EU Bans Insurance of Russian Oil Cargoes. The European Union finalized its prohibition of financing and financial assistance services for Russian oil cargoes, a measure that is set to come into effect after a wind-down period of six months, effectively banning EU entities from providing insurance to Russian trade.

White House to Retroactively Raise 2021 Blending Volumes. According to media reports, the Biden Administration is poised to raise ethanol blending mandates for 2021 above the previously indicated number of 13.32 billion gallons, sending D6 renewable credits soaring by 11% on Wednesday when the story broke. Related: Where Are Oil Prices Headed?

Iran Cuts Gas Supply to Iraq Again. Iran cut gas supplies to Iraq a little more than one month after it had restarted them, with the decision stemming from the non-payment of arrears. Supplies were supposed to rise to 50 million cubic meters per day, so now Iraq is facing widespread power shortages.

The Netherlands Wants to Drill Again. The Netherlands and Germany agreed to jointly develop a gas field in the North Sea, 12 miles off the north coast of both countries, reversing a previous rejection from German authorities, as both countries seek to wean themselves off Russian gas.

Kazakhstan Renames Its Crude to Minimize Risk. Kazakhstan is changing the name of the crude that it is exporting via Russian ports to Kazakhstan Export Blend Crude Oil (KEBCO), in a bid to dissociate itself from Russian-origin cargoes that generally go under the name of Urals.

Tullow-Capricorn Merger Creates African Upstream Powerhouse. Tullow Oil (LON:TLW) and Capricorn Energy (LON:CNE), formerly known as Cairn, agreed to merge in an all-stock deal of $830 million, with the new yet-unnamed entity expected to have an output of around 100,000 of boepd.

EPA Restores Right of States and Tribes to Block Projects. The US Environmental Protection Agency restored the right of states and tribes to block energy projects on environmental grounds by using the federal clean water permitting process, reversing a Trump-era decision that will most likely slow down new infrastructure projects.

The Usual EU Money Squabbles Start Again. The government of Spain announced that it should be the EU that pays for any new natural gas interconnections between Spain and its European neighbors, with Madrid being completely independent of Russian energy supplies and taking in LNG instead.

Colombia Court Approves Fracking Pilot. Colombias highest administrative court has allowed pilot fracking projects to proceed while it considers the legality of a previous lower court decision to block two projects, allowing national oil firm Ecopetrol (NYSE:ECO) and ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) to continue with drilling operations.

Chevron Warns Against US Fuel Export Ban. Chevron (NYSE:CVX) CEO Michael Wirth warned against banning fuel exports as a means of decreasing the price of oil products, saying that over the next few months product shortages will materialize, with Europe being the most likely candidate.

Russia Limits Exports of Noble Gases. Russias Trade Ministry announced that it would limit the exports of noble gases, most notably neon, a key ingredient in making chips, aggravating a supply crunch that has already seen one of the worlds largest producers  Ukraine  disappear from the markets.

New Australian Government Faces Gas Crisis. With Australia taken aback by a cold snap that sent heating demand spiking along with demand for natural gas, Canberra has called on the industry to help as gas prices have quadrupled and the government mandate to keep LNG at home could only be triggered from 2023.

Norway Sees LNG Prospects Boosted, At Last. Norwegian energy major Equinor (NYSE:EQNR) restarted the Hammerfest LNG facility in the countrys Arctic waters after it had been idle for almost two years after a 2020 fire incident, boosting Norways export capacity by 650 Bcf per day.

By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
- Whilst oil quality issues are still a problem with some Chinese buyers, the main cause of lower Venezuelan crude exports last month was Joses two largest berths being shut

- According to PDVSA data reported by Reuters, May witnessed total exports dropping to 391,452 b/d, a 49% decline compared to April 2022.

- Venezuelas oil exports plunged to their lowest level since October 2020 as repair works at the Jose terminal, the main oil port in the country, hindered loadings.

- The OPEC+ speed up might have been a result of a diplomatic flurry between Riyadh and Washington, with rumors that US President Joe Biden is considering a visit to the Saudi capital.

- With Saudi Arabias spare capacity assessed at 800,000 b/d and almost half of it coming from the Neutral Zone co-developed with Kuwait, even Saudi Aramcos ability to produce enough crude is questionable.

- Interestingly, Russia approved of the deal  if one is to exclude it from the tally, OPEC+ has been underperforming its targets by 1.6 million b/d  so perhaps Moscow has little faith in the viability of output increases.

- The most recent OPEC+ meeting this Thursday saw members of the oil group agree on production hikes of 648,000 b/d in both July and August, seeking to offset pressures coming from Russia sanctions.

1. OPEC+ Speeds Up Oil Production Increases

- The most recent OPEC+ meeting this Thursday saw members of the oil group agree on production hikes of 648,000 b/d in both July and August, seeking to offset pressures coming from Russia sanctions.

- Interestingly, Russia approved of the deal  if one is to exclude it from the tally, OPEC+ has been underperforming its targets by 1.6 million b/d  so perhaps Moscow has little faith in the viability of output increases.

- With Saudi Arabias spare capacity assessed at 800,000 b/d and almost half of it coming from the Neutral Zone co-developed with Kuwait, even Saudi Aramcos ability to produce enough crude is questionable.

- The OPEC+ speed up might have been a result of a diplomatic flurry between Riyadh and Washington, with rumors that US President Joe Biden is considering a visit to the Saudi capital.

2. Venezuelan Exports Drop to Almost 2-Year Low

- Venezuelas oil exports plunged to their lowest level since October 2020 as repair works at the Jose terminal, the main oil port in the country, hindered loadings.

- According to PDVSA data reported by Reuters, May witnessed total exports dropping to 391,452 b/d, a 49% decline compared to April 2022.

- Whilst oil quality issues are still a problem with some Chinese buyers, the main cause of lower Venezuelan crude exports last month was Joses two largest berths being shut for maintenance.

- In addition to the above, two of the Latin American countrys upgraders were also temporarily shut due to outages, so production seems to have suffered, too.

3. Iranian Sanctions Nudge Chinese Teapots Towards Russian Crude

- A new set of US sanctions levied against individuals and entities involved in what the US Department of Treasury labeled an oil smuggling and money laundering network made it much harder for Chinese independent refiners to buy Iranian crude.

- Chinese refiners are faced with a dilemma of still-recovering domestic demand, whilst sourcing costs have been soaring as oil prices remain firmly in the triple digits.

- Whilst it was six months ago that the last Urals cargo was delivered to Shandong province where most of the teapots are located, the Iran conundrum rekindled buying interest in discounted Russian crude.

- Iranian exports have risen to their highest since 2019, with monthly outflows averaging around 900,000 b/d and most of them using Singapore/Malaysia as a stop-over before ending up in China.

4. Europe Eyes Subsea Power Grid to Allocate Wind Energy

- According to media reports, Northern European countries are looking into ways to create a common subsea power grid that would connect their prospective offshore wind farms.

- The governments of the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, and Belgium agreed to increase their offshore wind capacity tenfold by 2050, bringing it to a total of 150 GW.

- The wind farms would connect into so-called energy islands, hubs that would interconnect the nations power grids and serve as temporary storage sites to avoid grid overloading in times of high generation.

- Despite political will in place, it is still undecided who will pay for the project  early estimates that it will cost more than a double-digit billion-dollar amount.

5. Permian Basin Remains Core Growth Engine of US Production

- The Permian Basin alone will contribute more to global crude supply this year than any country globally, with production levels only below those of Saudi Arabia and Russia.

- According to Rystad Energy estimates, production in the Permian will increase by almost 1 million b/d this year, jumping to 5.6 million b/d, buoyed by still-high rates of investment.

- In 2023, Permian is on track to account for half of all US crude production, continuing the strong growth and climbing further to 6.5 million b/d.

- Other major US basins such as the Bakken, Eagle Ford, and DJ Niobrara are all expected to bounce back from the production declines seen in 2021, but the increases are set to be only marginal.

6. UK Windfall Tax Might End Up Shooting Oil Industry in the Foot

- Oil and gas companies that are active in the UK North Sea will lose billions of dollars of cash as a result of the UK Government slapping a 25% windfall tax on energy firms, Bloomberg concludes.

- The windfall tax comes with one potential escape route for companies  80% of the presumed payment can be avoided if they commit to new capital expenditure in the UK Continental Shelf.

- Shares of UK-focused independents like Harbour Energy (LON:HBR) or EnQuest (LON:ENQ) have seen their value plummet over the past week, dropping by 15-20% w-o-w.

- Inspired by the British example, the Biden Administration is now considering levying a windfall tax on oil and gas profits, according to National Economic Council deputy director Bharat Ramamurti.

7. Chinese Metals Inventories Depleted Amid Weak Demand Prospects

- Chinese smelters and traders have started to run down metal inventories amid lockdown-triggered demand losses.

- Metals futures have been in steady backwardation since March, with the general slowdown in the construction sector  a key outlet for steel and aluminium  forcing stock owners to sell below their purchasing costs.

- Along with dropping Chinese metals smelting, the conversion of metals like nickel or aluminum has simultaneously been upended by the ramifications of the Russia-Ukraine war.

- Chinas official economic growth target for this year still stands at 5.5%, whilst most Western rating agencies and investment banks downgrading their 2022 GDP growth estimates closer to 4%.
OPEC+ agreed on Thursday to bring their planned September production increase forward, and spread it across July and August. The result is instead of rubber-stamping a 423,000 bpd increase in July, the pact announced a 648,000 bpd increase in July, and another 648,000 in August. In reality, moving it forward represents

The rumors this week that OPEC could suspend Russia from its production quota agreement were likely just a testing of the waters. These rumors were complicated by the medias confusing use of the term suspended. On Tuesday, unnamed OPEC delegates suggested to media that the group could suspend Russia. On Wednesday, the OPEC+ Joint Technical Committee said it did not discuss suspending Russias quota. Some argued that the term suspended, in OPEC speak, should be substituted with the word exempt. Using that interpretation, the report - from anonymous delegates - was that the group was considering giving Russia a pass on limiting its production per the current agreement. The move could be seen as OPEC trying to make room for the group to increase production more than planned, but the group hardly needs justification for doing that, with or without Russia. After all, the oil consumers of the world have been begging OPEC for just that - more oil. In the end, Thursdays OPEC meets concluded without any revocation of Russias production limits.

Politics, Geopolitics & Conflict

The rumors this week that OPEC could suspend Russia from its production quota agreement were likely just a testing of the waters. These rumors were complicated by the medias confusing use of the term suspended. On Tuesday, unnamed OPEC delegates suggested to media that the group could suspend Russia. On Wednesday, the OPEC+ Joint Technical Committee said it did not discuss suspending Russias quota. Some argued that the term suspended, in OPEC speak, should be substituted with the word exempt. Using that interpretation, the report - from anonymous delegates - was that the group was considering giving Russia a pass on limiting its production per the current agreement. The move could be seen as OPEC trying to make room for the group to increase production more than planned, but the group hardly needs justification for doing that, with or without Russia. After all, the oil consumers of the world have been begging OPEC for just that - more oil. In the end, Thursdays OPEC meets concluded without any revocation of Russias production limits.

OPEC+ agreed on Thursday to bring their planned September production increase forward, and spread it across July and August. The result is instead of rubber-stamping a 423,000 bpd increase in July, the pact announced a 648,000 bpd increase in July, and another 648,000 in August. In reality, moving it forward represents a 50,000 bpd real increase from now until September, and thats only if OPEC+ can actually ramp up faster than it has been able to until now, which is doubtful. Expect to see sagging compliance for July due to the large quota increase, even as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are expected to be able to increase at a quicker rate than their peers. Oil prices fell on rumors that there would be a larger increase, but the official announcement lent stability to the market and prices rebounded, supported by the EU ban on imported Russian oil.

Russia cut off gas to Shell under a contract supplying Germany on Wednesday, following moves to cut off gas to both Denmark and the Netherlands for refusal to pay in rubles.

You can sanction Russian crude in the West, but that doesnt mean the crude products that were made using Russian crude are identifiable and sanctionable. The U.S. may have banned imports of Russian crude oil, but thats not to say it isnt purchasing refined products that were made - at least partially - from Russian crude in countries that are willing to purchase it at a discount. Indias Reliance, for example, has stepped up its Russian crude oil purchases sevenfold. The refined products made in India could make their way anywhere - including into the EU and the U.S.

Cold War rhetoric is reaching a new high in the aftermath of Washingtons decision to give rocket launchers to Kyiv, which has the Kremlin warning of a direct confrontation between the U.S. and Russia, as the Kremlin tightens the noose around Ukraines Donbas region.

The UN has said Iran now has enough uranium to produce a nuclear weapon, as tensions rise in various proxy war locations, from Iraq to Yemen. Earlier this week, Iranian-backed groups launched an attack in Iraq, targeting the Al-Asad military base, which houses U.S. forces, just days after the U.S. seized Iranian oil off the coast of Greece. Iran responded to that by seizing two Greek ships, prompting Greece to warn about the safety of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz - a key oil shipping route that Iran has threatened before. As nuclear talks stall, unrest is spreading in Iran, reminiscent of the deadly riots of 2019.

Deals, Mergers & Acquisitions

A proposed merger between London-listed Tullow and UK competitor Capricorn Energy would see Tullow acquire Capricorn in an $827-million all-share deal. Tullow shareholders would own 53% of the combined group, if the deal is approved.

Also this week, Australian Woodside Energy completed its all-stock merger with BHPs oil and gas unit.

Discovery & Development

On the discovery front, in the Norwegian Sea, ConocoPhillips has finished delineating the Slagugle oil discovery, downsizing its earlier estimates of between 12 and 32 million standard cubic meters of recoverable oil equivalent. New preliminary estimates indicated between 6 and 13 million Sm3.

Regulatory Monitor

The big news on the regulatory front this week is all about windfall taxes on oil and gas companies. First, Hungary's populist leader, Viktor Orban, imposed a tax on extra profits for companies across the board, including energy. This was followed by the UKs windfall tax on oil and gas companies, affecting North Sea operators. Then, on Thursday, a senior economic advisor for the White House said the administration was considering a similar windfall tax on oil and gas companies in the United States, shrugging off what he conceded could be a negative impact on supply as oil prices soar.
Russia exports nearly 8 million bpd of crude oil and condensate - 2.3 million bpd of which makes its way into the EU. Of that 2.3 million bpd, 1.6 million bpd is shipping to the EU by sea. This is the first type of crude that will be banned. The rest of the crude that makes its way from Russia to the EU is shipped via pipeline,

Russia, like other major crude oil producers this year, has benefited handsomely from crude oil sales since the huge price spike that began last Fall. For Russia, the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Those oil revenues are helping to fund its war in Ukraine. This unfortunate scenario is precisely what has prompted the EU to try to arrange some monetary punishment by refusing to purchase the international pariah's crude oil. But the ramifications will go well beyond Russia into the very countries that are seeking to choke off Russia's war funds - even into America.

The ban, of course, is designed to punish Putin by choking off Russia's oil revenues. But the West may be shocked to learn that what it has accomplished - at least in the short term - is its own misery in the form of higher crude prices.

The EU finally reached an agreement  albeit a watered-down one  on banning Russian oil imports. The ban has been a long time coming - and it will be a long time coming still as the ban won't go into full effect until the end of the year.

The EU finally reached an agreement  albeit a watered-down one  on banning Russian oil imports. The ban has been a long time coming - and it will be a long time coming still as the ban won't go into full effect until the end of the year.

But that won't stop oil prices from reacting to the ban.

The ban, of course, is designed to punish Putin by choking off Russia's oil revenues. But the West may be shocked to learn that what it has accomplished - at least in the short term - is its own misery in the form of higher crude prices.

Russia, like other major crude oil producers this year, has benefited handsomely from crude oil sales since the huge price spike that began last Fall. For Russia, the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Those oil revenues are helping to fund its war in Ukraine. This unfortunate scenario is precisely what has prompted the EU to try to arrange some monetary punishment by refusing to purchase the international pariah's crude oil. But the ramifications will go well beyond Russia into the very countries that are seeking to choke off Russia's war funds - even into America.

Russia exports nearly 8 million bpd of crude oil and condensate - 2.3 million bpd of which makes its way into the EU. Of that 2.3 million bpd, 1.6 million bpd is shipping to the EU by sea. This is the first type of crude that will be banned. The rest of the crude that makes its way from Russia to the EU is shipped via pipeline, which will not be banned until the end of the year. Some countries in the EUsuch as Germanyhave said they will start to curb their intake of Russian crude early.

This is both surprising and noteworthy because Germany alone consumes half a million barrels per day of Russian crude. And it's not just the large quantity of crude that will create difficulties for Germany and other crude consumers that have a heavy reliance on Russian crude. The refineries that process this sour Urals will have to source another match if they are to keep running.

Bulgaria also has refineries that were built specifically for running this sour crude.

Countries are already striking deals with alternate suppliers, but the competition is fierce, putting even more upward pressure on global oil prices.

The EU's decision to ban Russian crude will have only one immediate effect - lifting crude oil prices, which will be of great benefit to Russia while it replenishes its war chest. Meanwhile, Russia will have many months to figure out how to get its crude oil - about 2.3 million barrels per day - to other willing buyers that are only too happy to snatch up Urals on the cheap. The buyers who have already shown a willingness to take Russian crude oil include China, India, and Turkey. Russia will not be able to merely flip a switch and export all of its crude to these places. After all, some of these barrels are currently shipped via pipeline. And the EU is looking to make it even harder for Russian seaborne crude shipments to market by banning insurers from insuring Russian crude loads. But surely some of the crude that the EU is refusing to take - in the future - will find alternate homes.

Russia likely won't feel the sting of any of this for many months.

Turkey, India, and China, however, will make out like bandits. They will have the luxury of buying Urals at unbelievably low prices, refining it, then exporting those crude products to other countries (like those in the EU) at unbelievably high prices. The situation for these countries couldn't be more ideal.

That's not to say that Russia won't feel the sting at some point in the future. But the EU's ban of 2.3 million bpd will not strip Russia of 2.3 million bpd - even in the long-term. But what crude oil exports Russia does lose over the course of the next six months will likely not come back - ever - and it will need to shut in this production. But this amount is likely to be far less than the Western world had hoped, and will be largely offset - or more than offset - by higher crude prices as the world scrambles to make up for any real shortfall.
Todays relatively calm trade is a stark contrast to Thursdays volatile session that saw prices soar more than 1% following early weakness after U.S. crude inventories fell more than expected amid high demand for fuel. Thursdays rally took place despite OPEC+s agreement to boost crude output to compensate for a drop in Russian production.

OPEC+ divided its output increase across its members and still included Russia, whose output is falling due to sanctions and some buyers avoiding its oil over the invasion of Ukraine, suggesting the boost will undershoot the level that the market needs to overcome the supply shortage.

Expectations that supply will stay tight is underpinning prices early Friday. This is probably because OPEC and its allies under-delivered.

The U.S. benchmark is on track for a sixth weekly gain on tight U.S. supply, which has prompted talk of fuel export curbs or a windfall tax on oil and gas producers.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures are edging higher in a mixed trade on Friday. Pressuring prices early in the session was OPEC+s decision to raise production targets slightly more than planned. Nonetheless, the market remains underpinned by tight global supply and rising demand due to Chinas easing of COVID restrictions.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures are edging higher in a mixed trade on Friday. Pressuring prices early in the session was OPEC+s decision to raise production targets slightly more than planned. Nonetheless, the market remains underpinned by tight global supply and rising demand due to Chinas easing of COVID restrictions.

The U.S. benchmark is on track for a sixth weekly gain on tight U.S. supply, which has prompted talk of fuel export curbs or a windfall tax on oil and gas producers.

Expectations that supply will stay tight is underpinning prices early Friday. This is probably because OPEC and its allies under-delivered.

OPEC+ divided its output increase across its members and still included Russia, whose output is falling due to sanctions and some buyers avoiding its oil over the invasion of Ukraine, suggesting the boost will undershoot the level that the market needs to overcome the supply shortage.

Heightened Volatility is New Theme

Todays relatively calm trade is a stark contrast to Thursdays volatile session that saw prices soar more than 1% following early weakness after U.S. crude inventories fell more than expected amid high demand for fuel. Thursdays rally took place despite OPEC+s agreement to boost crude output to compensate for a drop in Russian production.

Market Starts Week on Strong Note

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures opened the week sharply higher on Tuesday on the back of bullish news out of Europe. The catalyst fueling the rally was the European Unions agreement to slash oil imports from Russia. Traders are now bracing for tighter supply amid rising demand ahead of peak U.S. and European summer driving season. It turned out to be the perfect setup for bullish traders.

The Key Bullish Events

The EU agreed in principle to cut 90% of oil imports from Russia by the end of 2022. This should tighten already tight global supplies.

The reopening of China is also underpinning prices. Traders are betting on a surge in demand from China after the easing of COVID-19 curbs.

Adding further to the bullish supply/demand situation are expectations of increased demand for crude oil products like heating oil and gasoline. Demand for the latter is expected to surge over the near-term due to the start of the summer driving season in the United States and Europe.

Weekly Technical Analysis

Weekly July WTI Crude Oil

Trend Indicator Analysis

The main trend is up according to the weekly swing chart. The main trend was reaffirmed this week when buyers took out the previous main top at $116.43.

A trade through $61.32 will change the main trend to down. This is highly unlikely, but due to the prolonged move up in terms of price and time, the market is currently inside the window of time for a potentially bearish closing price reversal top.

Retracement Level Analysis

The first minor range is $96.93 to $119.98. The market is currently trading on the strong side of its 50% level at $108.46, making it support.

The short-term range is $88.53 to $119.98. Its retracement zone at $104.26 to $100.54 is the best support and a value zone. Since the main trend is up, a break back into this area is likely to attract new buyers.

The main range is $61.32 to $119.98. Its retracement zone at $90.65 to $83.73 is controlling the long-term direction of the market.

Weekly Technical Forecast

The direction of the July WTI crude oil market the week-ending June 10 will be determined by trader reaction to $115.07.

Bullish Scenario

A sustained move over $115.07 will indicate the presence of buyers. If this move creates enough upside momentum then look for a retest of this weeks high at $119.98. This is a potential trigger point for a surge into a series of nearby futures contract highs at $121.17, $126.42 and $130.50.

Bearish Scenario

A sustained move under $115.07 will signal the presence of sellers. If this move creates enough downside momentum then look for a break into the first pivot at $108.46. Since the main trend is up, buyers could come in on a pullback into this level.

A break through $108.46 will indicate the selling pressure is getting stronger with $104.26 - $100.54 the next key target area. Look for stronger buying on a test of this area since it represents value.

A failure to hold $110.54 will be a sign of weakness and could trigger an acceleration to the downside with $90.65 the next major target.

Short-Term Outlook

Traders should continue to expect heightened volatility since were in a headline driven market. Our bias is still to the upside because of tight supply and expectations of stronger demand from China. This should be more than enough to offset the OPEC+ production increase.

The next major move in crude oil actually comes down to whether bullish traders are willing to chase the market higher by buying new highs, or if they are patient enough to play for a pullback into support.

If the market was sitting near weekly support, we would probably be seeing more aggressive buying based on the current fundamentals. But since the market is up 11 weeks from its March low, traders are a little hesitant to buy strength.

Because of the prolonged rally, the technical picture may determine the direction of next weeks trade. A close above $115.07 will indicate there are still new buyers willing to enter new positions at the current lofty levels.

However, a close under $115.07 on Friday will be a sign that the selling is greater than the buying at current levels. If confirmed next week with follow-through selling, we could see the start of a 2  3 week correction with $104.26 to $100.54 a potential target zone. A move into this area will likely be very attractive to new buyers.

This move wont change the trend to down, but it will alleviate some of the upside pressure and overbought technical conditions.
Gas traders are scrambling to find enough LNG carriers ahead of the start of the next heating season amid the European Union's own rush to reduce its dependence on Russian energy.

Among those seeking LNG carrier capacity are TotalEnergies, Shell, and China's Unipec, according to a Financial Times report that cited LNG shipowners and brokers.

As a result of the rush, charter rates for LNG carriers have soared to the highest in 10 years, the FT noted in its report, to $120,000 per day, according to data from Clarksons Platou Securities.

Some are buying LNG carriers: Abu Dhabi's Adnoc recently purchased three newbuild LNG carriers in anticipation of greater global LNG exports. The vessels have a capacity of 175,000 cubic meters each. This is significantly higher than the average capacity of the current Adnoc fleet, at 137,000 cubic meters.

Meanwhile, the demand patterns in LNG are becoming problematic because of the European Union's mad dash for alternative gas imports: according to Rystad Energy, if the EU pursues its plans to reduce Russian gas imports by two-thirds by the end of the year, the global supply of liquefied natural gas will fall short of demand by as much as 26 million metric tons.

"By shunning Russian gas, Europe has destabilized the entire global LNG market that began the year with a precarious balance after a tumultuous 2021," Rystad Energy said.

It is also largely because of the EU's supply reorientation that gas buyers are in a rave to secure LNG carriers.

"The market has exploded. It's very hard to find any ships with length [of availability] in the market. It's going through the roof," Oystein Kalleklev, head of Flex LNG and Avance Gas, told the FT.

There seems to be no way that the LNG carrier crunch will let up anytime soon, either. New LNG carriers take years to build, and no one expected Europe to suddenly become the biggest buyer of U.S. liquefied gas in a matter of months.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Israel is widely believed to be the only atomic power in the Middle East but the country refuses to confirm or deny that it has nuclear weapons.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett expressed Israels deep concern regarding Irans continued progress toward achieving nuclear weapons, his office said in a statement.

Israel is ready to use its right to self-defense to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has told the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog that the Jewish state is ready to use its "right to self-defense" to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons.

In a meeting with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi on June 3 in Jerusalem, Bennett accused Tehran of deceiving the world about its atomic activities.

Bennett expressed Israels deep concern regarding Irans continued progress toward achieving nuclear weapons while deceiving the international community by using false information and lies, his office said in a statement.

The Israeli leader emphasized the urgent need in mobilizing the international community to take action against Iran, using all means, in order to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons."

Bennett's warning comes amid stalled efforts to revive a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers aimed at preventing Iran from developing atomic weapons. The landmark deal lifted most sanctions in exchange for Iran's curbing its nuclear activities.

The deal collapsed after President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement and reinstated biting sanctions on Iran.

Efforts by the administration of President Joe Biden to revive the deal began in Vienna in April last year but have since fizzled out.

Grossi's visit came after the global nuclear watchdog on May 30 said it still had questions that were "not clarified" despite long-running efforts to get Iran to explain the presence of nuclear material at three undeclared sites.

Bennett said Israel prefers diplomacy but "reserves the right to self-defense and to action against Iran in order to block its nuclear program should the international community not succeed in the relevant time frame."

Israel was a staunch opponent of the 2015 nuclear deal and welcomed the Trump administrations unilateral withdrawal from the agreement.

Israel is widely believed to be the only atomic power in the Middle East but the country refuses to confirm or deny that it has nuclear weapons.

By RFE/RL

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The Brazilian government is planning to move a step closer to the privatization of oil major Petrobras by including it in its privatization program, Reuters has reported, noting that analysts still remain skeptical that privatization will take place.

President Jair Bolosonaro, who is seeking re-election later this year, has been highly critical of Petrobras and its management, changing as many as three chief executives in just the past year or so. Earlier this week, the Brazilian President suggested splitting Petrobras into several parts before privatizing it.

Talk about taking the state oil major private is not new, but the move appears way too challenging for any progress to be made. Just weeks ago, the newly appointed energy ministry of Brazil said in his first news conference that the ministry would study the full privatization of Petrobras.

The state oil giant has recently been on a collision course with the President because of international crude oil price developments that have prompted Petrobras to increase retail fuel prices, especially the price of diesel, drawing the ire of the Brazilian President.

Bloomberg noted in a report from last month that there is a widely held belief in Brazil that as a state-owned company, the oil major should work to shield Brazilians from the effects of global market trends when it comes to setting local fuel prices.

Yet if the company is privatized, it will be putting the interests of its shareholders over the interests of its consumers, and that could lead to higher prices as well if international oil prices remain high.

Reuters this week quoted analysts from BTG Pactual as saying that the privatization of Petrobras would be a challenge from a political perspective and that the possibility of a deal taking place in the short to medium term should be viewed with a great deal of skepticism."

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The European Union formally adopted on Friday the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, which includes a ban on seaborne Russian oil imports and a ban on maritime insurance for Russian oil going to third countries, which the EU expects will make it very difficult for Russia to ship its oil to the rest of the world.

For seaborne crude oil, spot market transactions and execution of existing contracts will be permitted for six months after the sanctions enter into force. For petroleum products, these will be permitted for eight months after entry into force, the European Commission said. The ban covers 90% of the current EU oil imports from Russia.

Because of its geographical exposure, Bulgaria was given a special temporary derogation until the end of 2024 to continue importing crude oil?and petroleum products via maritime transport.

EU member states highly dependent on Russian pipeline oil are also given a temporary exemption to import Russian crude via pipeline until the EU Council decides otherwise.

However, Member States benefiting from this exemption will not be able to resell such crude oil and petroleum products to other Member States or third countries, the Commission said.

These member states include Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. For weeks, Hungary had blocked a decision on an embargo after the European Commission proposed a full ban by the end of the year on all Russian oil imports. The initial proposal was watered down to an agreement on a ban on seaborne imports by the end of the year, with pipeline crude exempted, for now.



Related: Where Are Oil Prices Headed?

In a much farther-reaching measure in the sanctions package, the EU also bans EU operators from insuring and financing the shipment of oil to third countries after a six-month wind-down period.

This will make it particularly difficult for Russia to continue exporting its crude oil and petroleum products to the rest of the world since EU operators are important providers of such services, said the Commission.

The UK is also highly likely to join the insurance ban after the UK and the European Union have reportedly agreed to jointly shut off Russias access to oil cargo insurance. The UK is home to an insurers club that covers 95% of the global oil shipment insurance market.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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 Flash

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Thursday urged the U.S. side to strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques to cease any form of official exchanges with Taiwan.



According to media reports, a virtual meeting was held on Wednesday between deputy U.S. trade representative and Taiwan representative to launch the so-called U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade.

"China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between Taiwan and countries having diplomatic ties with China, including the negotiating and signing of agreements with sovereign implications and official nature," spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a daily news briefing.

Zhao said that the U.S. has been making frequent moves on the Taiwan question recently. In essence, they are all violating the one-China principle, emboldening the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and disrupting the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

"There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China," Zhao said, noting these are not only consensus reached by the international community but also solemn commitments made by the U.S. in the three China-U.S. joint communiques.

The U.S.'s insisting on playing the "Taiwan card" will only drag the China-U.S. relations into danger, Zhao said.

The U.S. side should strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques to cease any form of official exchanges with Taiwan, stop negotiating and signing any agreements with sovereign implications and official nature, and refrain from sending wrong signals to the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, he said.

"We also have this stern warning to Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities: stop seeking 'Taiwan independence' by soliciting U.S. support as soon as possible. Otherwise, the higher you jump, the harder you fall," said Zhao.
LNG production in Qatar has fallen this year, even with increased calls for the fuel amid an energy crisis in Europe as the bloc attempts to wean itself off Russian gas, Bloomberg reported on Friday.

Qatar exported less than 35 million tons of LNG from January to Maya loss of 1 million tons from the same period in 2021, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.

The news comes just a few short months after Qatar wanted guarantees from Europeleading up to Russias invasion of Ukrainethat the bloc would limit the resale of any LNG cargoes outside Europe on the spot market. Qatar also asked the EU to resolve an investigation dating back to 2018 into the Middle Eastern countrys long-term supply contracts.

But even then Qatar wasnt talking about increasing production. It was considering increasing its shipments to Europe by diverting LNG cargos away from Asia.

Germanys Economy Minister Robert Habeck recently visited Qatar with an eye to securing additional LNG cargo.

Qatar is in the process of increasing its gas extraction and we need more gas in the short term to replace Russian supplies, Habeck said at the time.

In 2021, Qatar made the FID on an LNG expansion project that would increase its annual capacity from 77 million tons to 110 million tons. But the $29 billion project isnt set to be complete until 2025.

According to Bloomberg, Qatar managed to export 84 million tons of LNG last year, despite its stated 77 million ton annual capacity.

Germany has plans to build two import terminals to receive shipped LNG when it locates a source. But last month, Germany and Qatar hit a roadblock in their talks over long-term LNG deals. Qatar is looking for long contracts, while Germany is looking to leave room to transition away from fossil fuels.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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Switzerlands power supply remains uncertain for next winter and troubles with enough electricity capacity cannot be ruled out, the Swiss Federal Electricity Commission, Elcom, said in its annual news conference this week.

Swiss nuclear power generation could be lower in the winter, but more importantly, some of Switzerlands neighboring countries, mostly France, could export less electricity.

Due to the expected lower availability of French nuclear power generation and of Frances power exports to Switzerland, the Swiss imports of power generated in France is likely to be much lower this winter compared to previous winter seasons, Elcom said.

Therefore, Switzerland may need to cover its electricity import needs of around 4 gigawatt hours (GWh) from imports from its other neighbors Germany, Austria, and Italy. Yet, the power export availability of those countries would heavily depend on the available fossil fuels, mostly natural gas, according to Elcom.

Various uncertainties remain about the security of power supply in Switzerland next winter, the Federal Electricity Commission noted.

According to a poll Elcom carried out among 613 Swiss electricity providers, most operators expect electricity tariffs to jump by around 47 percent, which means that household electricity prices would rise by around 20 percent.

The higher power prices have been driven by the surge in natural gas, coal, and carbon prices in recent months, Elcom said, adding that the lower nuclear power generation in France in recent months has also played a part in the price hikes.

Switzerland, as well as the rest of Europe, is bracing for a surge in power prices in the winter, as the EUof which Switzerland is not a memberlooks to cut its dependence on Russian natural gas. Russia, for its part, has already cut off gas supply to Poland, Bulgaria, Finland, the Netherlands, and customers in Denmark and Germany that have refused to pay in rubles for gas.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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If Ukraine loses operational control at Zaporizhzhia, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, currently occupied by Russian forces, Kyiv would consider shutting down the power plant, Yuriy Boyko, an adviser to the Ukrainian prime minister, said on Thursday.

Ukraine could consider turning off the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant at the slightest threat that it could lose operational control, Interfax news agency quoted the official as saying.

Russian forces have occupied the Zaporizhzhia power plant, which has typically generated around 20 percent of Ukraines total electricity.

In the early days of the invasion of Ukraine, Russia shelled the Zaporizhzhia power plant, Europes largest, creating concerns about a nuclear disaster ten times bigger than Chernobyl.

Ukrainian staff are still operating the Zaporizhzhia power plant, but there are Russian occupying forces on the ground. Russia has also sent its own nuclear power experts to monitor the work of the Ukrainian staff.

As long as the control commands are executed and the site maintains the regime, we are not stopping. But we are also looking at a scenario in which the station could move completely out of control and we stop it, the Ukrainian official said today.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), continues his efforts to organize an IAEA mission to Zaporizhzhya NPP to carry out important nuclear safety, security and safeguards activities at this site in the countrys south, the IAEA said in its latest update on the situation in Ukraine earlier this week.

Ukraine separately informed the IAEA today that there had been no significant developments related to nuclear safety and security in the country over the past 24 hours, the agency said on Tuesday.

Ukraine also told the IAEA that eight of its nuclear reactors are currently connected to the grid, including two at the Zaporizhzhya NPP, three at the Rivne NPP, two at the South Ukraine NPP, and one at the Khmelnytskyy NPP. The seven other reactors are shut down for regular maintenance or held in reserve.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Dear Heloise: Most people rarely write a check anymore, but there are occasions when a check is needed. If you are ordering new checks, do not have your full name on a check. Instead of Mary Jones or Mary J. Jones on your printed checks, use your initials. For example: M.J. Jones. If someone happens to steal your checks, they wont know who M.J. Jones is or if its a man or a woman. This makes it much easier for your bank to detect fraud on your account.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australias center-left Labor Party secured enough seats Tuesday to hold an outright majority in the House as vote counting from an election 10 days ago continued.

That means new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his party will be able to govern alone  although it's possible they might still seek deals with other parties to strengthen their hand. The calculus remains different in the Senate, where the Labor Party will likely need help from other liberals to command a majority.

With about 80% of the vote counted, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. projected Labor will win at least 76 of the 150 House seats, the minimum required to form a majority government. Two seats remained too close to call. Labor will need to provide a Speaker, which will reduce their voting ranks by one, although the Speaker also gets the casting vote in the case of a tie.

Albanese's party defeated the conservative coalition led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in the May 21 election.

Albanese was sworn in last week when it became clear he had the numbers to govern, with or without a majority. He flew to Tokyo for a summit with President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Albanese got a standing ovation when he addressed his Labor caucus Tuesday. He outlined his agenda for the rest of the year and announced the new parliament will open on July 26.

He said Labor will introduce a bill to form a federal anti-corruption commission, review wasteful spending and announce a budget in October.

Albanese told his colleagues the party won by showing unity, discipline and a sense of purpose.

We had a good story to tell, he said. We werent intimidated by anyone, we didnt get distracted, we stayed on course and the discipline we showed was magnificent."

He welcomed those colleagues who had won their first elections.

For those newbies, you really struck gold because opposition is not fun. At all, he said.

He said Australia would join the global effort to combat climate change "after nine wasted years.

Albaneses Cabinet and ministers are due to be finalized and sworn in this week before he flies to Indonesia on Sunday for a three-day diplomatic visit.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Millions of seniors today receive benefits from Social Security. And for some people, those benefits are their sole or primary source of income.

I hope to take a different approach to retirement, and it involves building savings to cover my expenses and using Social Security as extra money only. Here's why I'm banking on my own nest egg much more so than Social Security.

1. Benefit cuts may be on the table

Social Security is not in danger of going away anytime soon, but benefit cuts are a distinct possibility.

In the coming years, Social Security anticipates that it will owe more in benefits than it collects in revenue. See, the program's main revenue source is the money it receives from payroll taxes. But as baby boomers retire in droves, that revenue source won't fund the program as much.

Social Security has trust funds it can tap to keep up with scheduled benefits for roughly another decade. But once those cash reserves run dry, benefit cuts are a distinct possibility. As such, I'd rather not depend too heavily on an income source that has the potential to shrink.

2. COLAs tend to fall short

Each year, Social Security beneficiaries are eligible for a cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. This year, seniors got their largest COLA in decades, and there's talk that next year's COLA will be even more generous.

But through the years, COLAs have done a poor job of helping seniors maintain their buying power. So far, that's been the case this year, as well. As such, I can't count on benefits that are more likely than not to erode my purchasing power throughout retirement.

3. The rules could change

Social Security is subject to a series of rules, but they're not set in stone. They could change in a manner that hurts me or others like me financially.

Right now, for example, anyone who pays enough tax into Social Security is entitled to a monthly benefit. But if the program's financial woes increase, lawmakers might choose to do means testing. That could mean that not everyone gets a Social Security benefit or the full benefit they'd normally be entitled to.

Furthermore, right now, my full retirement age for Social Security is 67. That's the age when I'm allowed to claim my benefits in full. But lawmakers could choose to raise full retirement age in an effort to help the program financially. And I don't want to land in a position where I'm forced to shift my retirement plans around due to circumstances outside my control.

What role should Social Security play in your retirement?

There's no need to write off Social Security for retirement planning purposes. But you need to have a plan outside of Social Security in case benefits shrink or the program evolves in a less favorable way. That plan could just boil down to building yourself a solid nest egg so you're less reliant financially on Social Security once you stop working.

The $18,984 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook

If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $18,984 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies.

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In an effort to expand its footprint into Nebraska, Anago Cleaning Systems has turned to an Omaha couple with a track record of success in starting businesses and creating jobs in the Omaha metro area.

Luper and Brittanie Akough have taken the helm leading the Nebraska franchise of the commercial cleaning company.

For Luper, a 32-year-old entrepreneur, becoming a franchisee marked a new challenge. Following other successful endeavors including in insurance, real estate and logistics, Luper and Brittanie, 30, looked for other ways to expand their portfolios.

Becoming a franchisee initially was not part of that plan. In fact, Luper said, it took some convincing from a local broker to take on the role.

I havent been much of a rule follower in my life, he said. The way I saw franchising is a bunch of rules that I have to follow, and essentially franchise companies take money from you and you have to follow all these rules.

After being assured that not all franchises operate with such a heavy hand, the couple chose Anago after seeing that cleaning companies were more resistant to the negative economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic than were other industries.

The Akoughs attention to detail plus their successful track record has impressed Adam Povlitz, president and CEO of Anago Cleaning Systems.

When we met them, we were blown away by how professional they are for such a young age, Povlitz said. To be so successful in basically all the entrepreneurial things theyve done, its just super impressive.

With Anagos focus on small and medium-sized operations such as dentist offices and schools, Luper said he liked the idea of helping lead a business in an industry that took on greater prominence during the pandemic.

Playing to the strengths of Anago and the cleaning industry is the projected rise in the number of janitorial and building-cleaner jobs over the next decade. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said employment in that sector is projected to grow 6% between 2020 and 2030.

Having opened the Nebraska Anago franchise on May 1, the Akoughs havent yet hired any employees for Anago Cleaning Systems. But the couple have a strong employment track record with about 100 employees across the companies they own.

Well probably bring some sales and some ops people on as we grow the operations at Anago, Luper said.

In the meantime, the couple can count on the guidance of Lupers father, Samuel. A Nigerian immigrant, Samuel overcame roadblocks including language and cultural barriers to become a successful businessman, having opened several businesses in the medical employment field.

Samuels determination inspired his son.

I remember being 12, 13 years old (and) looking up to my dad and saying, Hey, I want to be like my dad someday. I want to own a business,  Luper said.

Much as Samuel did for his family, Luper and Brittanie have sought to pay it forward by showing how entrepreneurship can benefit the Black community.

We want to give back to the Omaha community. Specially, the community that tugs on our hearts is the Black entrepreneurial community, Luper said. We believe by creating more entrepreneurs and creating more people that leave a legacy for their families, the whole city is better off for it.

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OSUN, Nigeria (AP)  As health authorities in Europe and elsewhere roll out vaccines and drugs to stamp out the biggest monkeypox outbreak beyond Africa, some doctors acknowledge an ugly reality: The resources to slow the disease's spread have long been available, just not to the Africans who have dealt with it for decades.

Countries including Britain, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, the United States, Israel and Australia have reported more than 250 monkeypox cases, many apparently tied to sexual activity at two recent raves in Europe. No deaths have been reported.

Authorities in numerous European countries and the U.S. are offering to immunize people and considering the use of antivirals. On Thursday, the World Health Organization will convene a special meeting to discuss monkeypox research priorities and related issues.

Meanwhile, the African continent has reported more than five times as many cases this year.

There have been more than 1,400 monkeypox cases and 63 deaths in four countries where the disease is endemic  Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo and Nigeria  according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So far, sequencing has not yet shown any direct link to the outbreak outside Africa, health officials say.

Monkeypox is in the same family of viruses as smallpox, and smallpox vaccines are estimated to be about 85% effective against monkeypox, according to WHO.

Since identifying cases earlier this month, Britain has vaccinated more than 1,000 people at risk of contracting the virus and bought 20,000 more doses. European Union officials are in talks to buy more smallpox vaccine from Bavarian Nordic, the maker of the only such vaccine licensed in Europe.

U.S. government officials have released about 700 doses of vaccine to states where cases were reported.

Such measures aren't routinely employed in Africa.

Dr. Adesola Yinka-Ogunleye, who leads Nigerias monkeypox working group, said there are currently no vaccines or antivirals being used against monkeypox in her country. People suspected of having monkeypox are isolated and treated conservatively, while their contacts are monitored, she said.

Generally, Africa has only had small stockpiles of smallpox vaccine to offer health workers when monkeypox outbreaks happen, said Ahmed Ogwell, acting director of the Africa CDC.

Limited vaccine supply and competing health priorities have meant that immunization against monkeypox hasnt been widely pursued in Africa, said Dr. Jimmy Whitworth, a professor of international public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Its a bit uncomfortable that we have a different attitude to the kinds of resources we deploy depending on where cases are, he said. It exposes a moral failing when those interventions arent available for the millions of people in Africa who need them.

WHO has 31 million doses of smallpox vaccines, mostly kept in donor countries and intended as a rapid response to any re-emergence of the disease, which was declared eradicated in 1980. Doses from the U.N. health agencys stockpile have never been released for any monkeypox outbreaks in central or western Africa.

Dr. Mike Ryan, WHOs emergencies chief, said the agency was considering allowing rich countries to use the smallpox vaccines to try to limit the spread of monkeypox. WHO manages similar mechanisms to help poor countries get vaccines for diseases like yellow fever and meningitis, but such efforts have not been previously used for countries that can otherwise afford shots.

Oyewale Tomori, a Nigerian virologist who sits on several WHO advisory boards, said releasing smallpox vaccines from the agency's stockpile to stop monkeypox from becoming endemic in richer countries might be warranted, but he noted a discrepancy in WHO's strategy.

A similar approach should have been adopted a long time ago to deal with the situation in Africa, he said. This is another example of where some countries are more equal than others.

Some doctors pointed out that stalled efforts to understand monkeypox were now complicating efforts to treat patients. Most people experience symptoms including fever, chills and fatigue. But those with more serious disease often develop a rash on their face or hands that spreads elsewhere.

Dr. Hugh Adler and colleagues recently published a paper suggesting the antiviral drug tecovirimat could help fight monkeypox. The drug, approved in the U.S. to treat smallpox, was used in seven people infected with monkeypox in the U.K. from 2018 to 2021, but more details are needed for regulatory approval.

If we had thought about getting this data before, we wouldnt be in this situation now where we have a potential treatment without enough evidence, said Adler, a research fellow at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

Many diseases only attracted significant money after infecting people from rich countries, he noted.

For example, it was only after the catastrophic Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014-2016  when several Americans were sickened by the disease among the more than 28,000 cases in Africa  that authorities finally sped up the research and protocols to license an Ebola vaccine, capping a decades-long effort.

Jay Chudi, a development expert who lives in the Nigerian state of Enugu, which has reported monkeypox cases since 2017, hopes the increased attention might finally help address the problem. But he nevertheless lamented that it took infections in rich countries for it to seem possible.

You would think the new cases are deadlier and more dangerous than what we have in Africa, he said. We are now seeing it can end once and for all, but because it is no longer just in Africa. Its now everybody is worried.

Cheng reported from London. Cara Anna in Nairobi and Mike Stobbe in New York contributed to this report.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  The Mississippi attorney general is deciding whether to file a lawsuit to recover $2.3 million in public money that the state auditor said was misspent by a community college and some business leaders.

A spokesman for Auditor Shad White told the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal that Itawamba Community College, a former college dean, owners of furniture manufacturing company Chapter 3 Inc. and a former employee of the furniture company have not repaid the Workforce Enhancement Training funds.

The auditors office demanded the money in October, but it does not have authority to pursue civil or criminal sanctions. Cases go to the attorney generals office.

Attorney General Lynn Fitch's chief of staff, Michelle Williams, said the office is evaluating whether to file suit.

Fitchs office could have started investigating the case late last year. But when the Daily Journal contacted the agencies, both discovered miscommunication had caused a delay.

Legislators this year largely left the Workforce Enhancement Training fund laws unchanged.

Most of the demand letter recipients have denied mishandling the training money, even as criminal cases are pending.

The money is collected through an unemployment insurance tax on businesses. The funds were previously controlled by the Mississippi Community College Board.

The Office of Workforce Development was rebranded as Accelerate Mississippi and now oversees the roughly $25 million, though it is required to collaborate with the community college board.

Accusations of misspending happened while the community college board still had oversight.

The Senate this year introduced a bill to tweak the training funds. House leaders amended it by directing Accelerate alone to administer and oversee the funds. That language was removed from the bill's final version, so state law still provides a role for the community college board.

Accelerate Executive Director Ryan Miller told the Daily Journal that the organization has worked with an accounting firm and set regulations to ensure training dollars are spent properly. Those guardrails include asking community colleges to apply for training funds similar to how other government groups use a Request for Proposal process to solicit bids from vendors.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday welcomed the two-month extension of the nationwide truce in Yemen.

"I welcome the agreement by the Government of Yemen and the Houthis to renew the truce in Yemen for an additional two months under the same terms as the original agreement," said Guterres in a statement issued at UN headquarters in New York. He is in Stockholm, marking 50 years since the UN conference linking the environment and poverty.

Since the original truce came into effect on April 2, he said, Yemenis experienced tangible benefits, including a significant reduction in violence and civilian casualties. The UN chief also noted an increase in fuel deliveries through the Hodeidah port and the resumption of international commercial flights from Sanaa for the first time in almost six years. The conflict began in 2014.

The truce also enabled the parties to meet directly under UN auspices to negotiate military de-escalation mechanisms, Guterres said. Talks also are expected on the opening of roads in Taiz and other governorates.

"I strongly urge the parties to complete the full implementation of the terms of the truce without delay in order to uphold the interests of all Yemenis, who continue to suffer from one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world," he said, referring to the nation being on the brink of famine during hostilities.

"I thank my special envoy, Hans Grundberg, and his team for their tireless efforts and those of all regional and international actors, including the members of the Security Council, for their continued support to our collective efforts," said the secretary-general. "Regional and international support will remain critical for the continuation and successful implementation of the truce."

The second truce took effect at 7:00 p.m. Thursday local time.
PARIS (AP)  Members of the French diplomatic corps dropped their traditional reserve on Thursday to go on a rare strike, angered by a planned reform they worry will hurt their careers and Frances standing in the world. It was the second such strike in nearly 20 years.

About 100 diplomats dropped the veil of invisibility that often defines their work to demonstrate in full view of the imposing Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the home base for the foreign service. In overseas posts, ranging from Tokyo to the Middle East and Washington, numerous diplomats, including some ambassadors, honored the day-long strike.

They want President Emmanuel Macron to scrap a plan to merge career diplomats with a larger body of civil servants, starting in January, or at least hold a dialogue.

The plan, announced by Macron in an April decree, will reportedly affect about 800 diplomats. Opponents claim thats just the beginning.

We risk the disappearance of our professional diplomacy, a group of 500 diplomats, wrote in a commentary published last week in Le Monde newspaper. Today, (diplomatic) agents ... are convinced it is the very existence of the ministry that is now being put into question.

The planned change comes amid the war in Ukraine and complex negotiations over Irans nuclear program, and while France holds the European Unions rotating presidency.

Newly-appointed Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, herself a career diplomat, has not commented. However, she will meet Tuesday with unions and representatives of the protest movement for an initial listening session, the ministry said.

Demonstrators held a large banner reading Professional Diplomats on Strike during the protest across from the ministry, known as the Quai d'Orsay for its location by the River Seine.

To say that diplomacy is in danger, that word may be too strong, said Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, a former ambassador to China, Japan and Britain, who was taking part in the public protest near the ministry. But, he added, diplomacy will be weakened, at a time when those skills are especially needed.

"To become an ambassador, before getting to the top of the ladder, it is necessary to actually tick some boxes," said another demonstrating diplomat, identifying himself only as Benjamin. "And this reform supports the idea that there is no need for such skills." Like others not yet at the top rung, he declined to give his full name.

The government reform is meant to modernize and diversify France's diplomatic corps, created in the 16th century, and to bring down the walls of what some in the government see as an elite institution turned in on itself.

It will put diplomats into a large pool from all branches of public service, encouraging switches to other ministries and forcing personnel to compete with outsiders for prized diplomatic posts.

Diplomats contend their job requires specialization and expertise acquired over years in posts around the world  and has no room for amateurs.

Today, I am on strike, Deputy Ambassador to the United States Aurelie Bonal tweeted. "Diplomats negotiate, talk, compromise. They generally do not go on strike."

Bonal raised yet another worry that protesting diplomats contend the change could generate: cronyism. Without a diplomatic corps, it will be much easier for the (government) to appoint friends at all levels of diplomatic jobs, she tweeted.

Dominique de Villepin, a former prime minister and foreign minister known for an eloquent 2003 speech at the United Nations in which he declared French opposition to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, labeled the pending reform in a tweet last month A historic fault.

For France, the loss of diplomats separate status in the civil service means a loss of independence, a loss of competence, a loss of memory that will weigh heavily on the years ahead, Villepin tweeted.

Even before Macrons decree, frustration had festered in the Foreign Ministrys halls over cuts in funding, personnel and outsourcing. The group commentary in Le Monde deplored decades of marginalization of the ministrys role within the (French) state as well as a vertiginous reduction in personnel  down by 30% in 10 years, the diplomats claim. Funding, they said, is but 0.7% of the state budget.

The Twitter hashtag, #diplo2metier, shows a number of ambassadors around the world joining in or supporting Thursday's strike.

I will be on strike ... to protest the reform of the diplomatic corps and the continued reduction of means for our diplomacy, French Ambassador to Kuwait Claire Le Flecher tweeted on her personal account.

Bonal, the deputy ambassador to the United States, said the job of diplomat is more than gorging on Ferreros in touristic countries. The truth is we also visit morgues & jails; we work very late hours, not always in safe countries," she tweeted. Its a vocation, not a 3-year experience.

Bonal said she was among those who went on the first such strike in 2003, a protest over budget cuts.

Nicolas Garriga in Paris contributed.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
SALEM, Ore. (AP)  Every public school district in Oregon last year was given the option to ban guns from their properties.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that most have declined to do so.

Since a change to Oregon law in September, only 13% of the states public school districts have opted to close an exemption that allows holders of a concealed handgun license to carry weapons onto public property where possessing a gun would otherwise be a felony.

According to an analysis by OPB, that list includes some districts in the Portland metro area  though not yet Portland Public Schools  along with more rural school systems. Among the 25 that have banned guns are districts in Klamath Falls, Myrtle Point, Tillamook, Pendleton, Tigard-Tualatin, Lake Oswego and Woodburn.

The vast majority of the states 197 public school districts have, to date, taken no action.

Whether or not to prohibit guns in schools has been a contentious point in Oregon, where one estimate suggests gun ownership is more prevalent than in many other states.

The slaying of 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, has many Americans demanding measures to narrow access to firearms  a dynamic on display over the weekend, when independent gubernatorial candidate Betsy Johnson faced heated questions about her pro-gun stance from a crowd in Portland.

Gun rights groups and sympathetic politicians, meanwhile, insist having armed citizens nearby during an attack could limit damage from mass shootings. Opponents of the 2021 Oregon bill have suggested new restrictions are more apt to make public spaces less safe because CHL holders are overwhelmingly law-abiding. Mass shooters, they point out, dont care about gun bans.

In Oregon, concealed handgun license holders must be at least 21, and are required to undergo a background check and complete a gun safety training course prior to receiving a license. In exchange for those steps, people with a CHL have long been granted leeway to bring their weapons into places where guns are otherwise prohibited.

With SB 554, lawmakers chipped away at that privilege. They banned guns in the state Capitol and the terminal of Portland International Airport, whether or not a person has a concealed handgun license. And they gave public schools, colleges and universities the option to implement their own bans.

A separate provision of state law, unimpacted by the bill, allows lawfully possessed guns on school grounds as long as they are unloaded and locked in a vehicle, regardless of a school boards actions.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Grab your party hats and hang up your bunting  the Platinum Jubilee celebrations for the UK's Queen Elizabeth II are nearly upon us.

No other monarch in British history has achieved 70 years of service.

The Queen, then aged 25, acceded to the throne on Feb. 6, 1952 on the death of her father, King George VI.

She became the longest-reigning British monarch in 2015, beating the time spent on the throne by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, who ruled for 63 years, seven months.

In recognition of the landmark occasion, Buckingham Palace is pulling out all the stops. Here's what you need to know.

What is happening?

To celebrate the unprecedented anniversary, a number of events have taken place around the UK this year. It all culminates in a four-day national bank holiday weekend from Thursday, June 2 until Sunday, June 5, known as the Platinum Jubilee Weekend. In the UK, royal celebrations are typically held in the summer to allow for better weather.

The weekend will feature a variety of public events and community activities, as well as "national moments of reflection" on the Queen's seven decades as sovereign, according to the palace.

The upcoming celebrations will be the Queen's first jubilee without her husband, Prince Philip, who died in 2021.

Several jubilees have punctuated the Queen's reign since her accession to the throne in 1952: the Silver Jubilee, marking 25 years in 1977; the Golden Jubilee celebrations for 50 years in 2002; and the Diamond Jubilee commemorations a decade ago for her 60th anniversary.

The monarch opted to mark other anniversaries, like her Ruby Jubilee (40 years in 1992) and Sapphire Jubilee (65 years in 2017), with less fanfare and without public events.

The Queen's private estates  including Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle  are also joining in with jubilee themed events.

What events are planned?

Thursday, June 2

The festivities kick off from 10 a.m. BST (5 a.m. ET) with the Queen's birthday parade, known as Trooping the Colour. The annual ceremony is returning to central London after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In an impressive display of military pageantry, more than 1,200 officers from the Queen's personal troops, the Household Division, will be joined by several hundred Army musicians and 240 horses. The "colour"  or regimental flag  will be trooped by the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards. The procession will start at Buckingham Palace and move down The Mall to Horse Guard's Parade, joined by members of the royal family on horseback and in carriages.

Upon returning from the parade ground, the Queen and members of the royal family will make their customary balcony appearance. The event will close with a fly-past over the palace.

Later, 1,500 beacons will be set alight across the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and in UK Overseas Territories. The principal beacon will be lit in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The lighting of beacons is a long running royal tradition used to mark jubilees, weddings and coronations. Beacons will also be lit in the capital cities of Commonwealth countries.

Friday, June 3

A thanksgiving service paying tribute to the Queen's lengthy reign will be held at St Paul's Cathedral with family members in attendance.

Saturday, June 4

Several royal family members are expected to head to Epsom Downs racecourse in the afternoon for the 243rd edition of its famous horse race, the Derby. The Queen, a keen horse breeder herself, has been a regular spectator at the event and has even presented the famous trophy in years gone by.

In the evening, a two-and-a-half hour "Platinum Party At The Palace" concert will see a star-studded line up take to three stages built in front of Buckingham Palace and the famous Queen Victoria Memorial. Queen + Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys and Diana Ross are among the artists set to perform their biggest hits at the show, which will be broadcast live by the BBC. Some 22,000 people will get to watch the concert in person, including 10,000 who won tickets through a public ballot; 5,000 tickets were reserved for key workers.

Sunday, June 5

To cap the celebrations, on Sunday, people are being encouraged to organize street parties as part of the "Big Jubilee Lunch" initiative. Community gatherings are set to take place across Britain, including flagship events in London and at Cornwall's Eden Project  where the idea for the lunches originated. "Big Jubilee Lunches" have also been planned around the world, from Canada to Brazil to South Africa and Japan.

The weekend's finale is the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, in which artistic performers, dancers, musicians, military personnel, key workers and volunteers will unite to bring iconic moments from the Queen's reign to life in a festival of creativity. Starting at 2:30 p.m. (9:30 a.m. ET), the pageant will involve a "River of Hope" section that will comprise 200 silk flags parading down The Mall like a river. School children have been invited to create a picture of their hopes and aspirations for the planet over the next 70 years, a selection of which will be shown on the silk flags.

When will we see the Queen?

It's still not exactly clear when we'll see the Queen over the weekend.

The 96-year-old monarch has struggled with mobility issues recently and has been forced to withdraw from several public appearances, including the State Opening of Parliament in May.

She'll continue to play it safe for the jubilee and hasn't confirmed whether she'll be present at the various festivities.

A royal source recently told CNN that Her Majesty is "looking forward" to the revelry and plans to take part in the celebrations, but "her presence will not be confirmed until much nearer the time or on the day itself."

Which other royals are joining in the celebrations?

Most senior royals are expected to attend a few of the jubilee weekend events in central London. Some will also deploy to all four UK nations during the four-day extravaganza, with the Queen sending the Cambridges to Wales, the Earl and Countess of Wessex to Northern Ireland and Princess Anne to Scotland.

And after much speculation, it has also been confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and their children, will be flying back to the UK for the celebrations.

The Queen has decided that only royals carrying out official duties will make an appearance on the famous Buckingham Palace balcony during the Trooping the Colour parade on Thursday. So we are expecting to see the Queen alongside three of her children  Charles, Edward and Anne  as well as Prince William and Kate and their children, and a number of the monarch's other relatives.

This doesn't mean Harry, Meghan or Andrew won't be involved in the celebrations at all. The wider family is traditionally invited to church services, like the one set for St. Paul's Cathedral on the Friday.

___

CNN's Hannah Ryan contributed to this report.
Airborne debris from Mondays massive chemical fire at Nox-Crete traveled at least 1.25 miles east-southeast of the plant, state environmental regulators reported Thursday.

The material, roofing insulation, has been found scattered in peoples yards and elsewhere.

Testing of that material, along with sampling of standing water, soil and ash, was underway this week, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The insulation has tested negative for asbestos, so homeowners can safely dispose of it with their trash, according to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy.

Still, the state is advising homeowners to use caution when handling it. The insulation should be double-bagged, and people are advised to lightly dampen it with water before handling so that it doesnt crumble. People shouldnt mow over any debris.

The EPA is testing the debris for the presence of other chemicals, said Ben Washburn, an agency spokesman.

Washburn said the EPA has completed most of its sampling and expects to finish Friday.

The agencys testing is being done at the plant and downwind of it based on the prevailing wind direction and speed during the fire, he said. Air-modeling experts have assisted in determining the sampling area, he said. EPA personnel also have spoken with nearby residents to identify areas that need sampling.

Because the fire has been extinguished, there is no need for field air monitoring, Washburn said. People who have concerns about what they inhaled during the fire are advised to check with the Douglas County Health Department or their doctor.

Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse said at a public meeting Wednesday that her department has compiled a fact sheet on the fire and distributed it to the local medical establishment.

Once the EPA gets the results of its tests, it will forward the information to Nebraska environmental regulators, Washburn said. The federal agency is acting in a support role, he said.

State personnel were at the site Tuesday and Wednesday, conferring with Nox-Crete officials on cleanup and also taking samples, according to the state.

Air testing at the site on Tuesday detected very low levels, no higher than 1 part per million, of volatile organic compounds, according to the state. Volatile organic compounds by their nature vaporize easily and dissipate in the air.

Data taken from the states Air Quality Monitoring Network showed that none of the following pollutants exceeded federal standards: nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, particulate matter or sulfur dioxide.

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy will issue a report within a couple weeks of the completion of the investigation, said Carla Felix, a department spokesperson. The report will be available to the public.

To read the companys environmental records, go to the home page of the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, deq.state.ne.us, and click on Public Records Search. Enter facility 10550.

Explosions and fire broke out Monday evening at the Nox-Crete Inc. warehouse at 1440 S. 20th St. The fire sent thick black smoke billowing over the neighborhood.

As many as 50 firefighters responded, and they worked into the night. Police also responded to the scene to assist with the emergency response and crowd control.

Lori Reid, president of Nox-Crete Inc., issued a statement Wednesday afternoon, thanking first responders for being able to control the situation in a way that has resulted in no injuries, for which we are grateful beyond description.

Reids statement did not provide information on what was inside the warehouse, but noted that various agencies are conducting a full investigation into the cause of the blaze. Nox-Crete continues to cooperate with local authorities and will defer to their expertise regarding questions about the fire.

Reid acknowledged that nearly 2,400 of the plants neighbors lost power during the fire, and she expressed appreciation for the efforts of utility workers to quickly restore power as well as the work of the City of Omaha.

Nox-Crete has been on the same site in Omaha since 1956, employing nearly 50 people.

The fire affected Nox-Cretes main warehouse but did not affect our nearby offices or production facilities, Reid said, and as such, our team is back at work.

World-Herald staff writer Christopher Burbach contributed to this report.

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Biden appeals for tougher gun laws: 'How much more carnage?'

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden has delivered an impassioned plea to Congress to act on gun control. In an address to the nation Thursday night, he called on lawmakers to restore limits on the sale of assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. He says that if legislators fail to act, voters should use their outrage to turn gun violence into a central issue in Novembers midterm elections. Biden is trying to drive up pressure on Congress to pass stricter laws, though such efforts have failed in the wake of past violence. The speech follows recent mass shootings in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York.

Texas senator: School police chief didn't know of 911 calls

UVALDE, Texas (AP)  A Texas state senator says the commander at the scene of a school shooting in Texas was not informed of panicked 911 calls from inside the school building. Sen. Roland Gutierrez said during a news conference Thursday that the pleas for help from people inside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde did not make their way to school district police Chief Pete Arredondo. The Democratic senator who represents the city called it a system failure that the calls were going to city police but not communicated to Arredondo. The head of the Texas Department of Public Safety has said police didnt confront the gunman more quickly because Arredondo believed the situation had morphed from an active shooting to a hostage situation. Nineteen children and two teachers died.

Police: Tulsa gunman targeted surgeon he blamed for pain

Police say a man who blamed his surgeon for ongoing pain after a recent back surgery bought an AR-style rifle hours before opening fire at a Tulsa medical office, killing the surgeon and three other people before fatally shooting himself. Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin identified the shooter as 45-year-old Michael Louis. He says the gunman had recently undergone back surgery and had called a clinic repeatedly complaining of pain. Franklin says the doctor who performed the surgery, Dr. Preston Phillips, was killed Wednesday, along with Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn and visitor William Love.

Harini Logan wins spelling bee in 1st-ever tiebreaker

OXON HILL, Md. (AP)  Harini Logan has won the Scripps National Spelling Bee, defeating Vikram Raju in the bee's first-ever lightning-round tiebreaker. Both spellers got four words wrong during their grueling showdown before Scripps went to the 90-second spell-off. Harini was faster and sharper throughout, spelling 21 words correctly to beat Vikram by six. The 13-year-old from San Antonio, Texas, will take home a trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. Harini was a four-time participant in the bee and a sentimental favorite who endured the pandemic to compete again in person for the first time since 2019.

Queen Elizabeth II to miss Jubilee service amid 'discomfort'

LONDON (AP)  Buckingham Palace says Queen Elizabeth II will not attend a church service to mark her Platinum Jubilee after experiencing discomfort at events on Thursday. The palace says that with great reluctance the 96-year-old monarch has decided to skip Fridays service at St. Pauls Cathedral. The palace says the queen greatly enjoyed todays Birthday Parade but did experience some discomfort. Britain is marking the monarchs 70 years on the throne with four days of events over a long holiday weekend. Elizabeth is Britains longest-reigning monarch and the first to serve for seven decades. Many royal followers camped out overnight in London in hopes of getting a glimpse of the queen.

Jan. 6 committee sets prime-time hearing date for findings

WASHINGTON (AP)  The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol will go public with its findings in a prime-time hearing next week, launching into what lawmakers hope will be one the most consequential oversight efforts in American history. The six hearings, set to begin June 9 and expected to last until late June, will be the first time the committee discloses what it has discovered in the course of a sprawling 10-month investigation that has touched nearly every aspect of the insurrection. More than 1,000 people have been interviewed by the panel, and only brief snippets of that testimony have been revealed to the public, mostly through court filings.

NY passes bill raising age to buy, own semi-automatic rifles

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New Yorks legislature has voted to ban banning anyone under age 21 from buying or possessing a semi-automatic rifle. The legislation is a major change to state firearm laws. It was passed Thursday, less than three weeks after an 18-year-old used one of the guns to kill 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo. Other new legislation will restrict civilian purchases of bullet-resistant armor, which was worn by the killer in Buffalo. Bills would also require new guns to be equipped with microstamping technology that can help law enforcement investigators trace bullets to particular firearms. Legal fights over the legislation are expected.

2 doctors, receptionist and visitor killed in Tulsa shooting

The four people killed in a shooting inside a Tulsa medical building included two doctors, a receptionist and a former soldier who was accompanying his wife during a checkup. Police, officials at Saint Francis Health System and others who knew the victims provided details about them on Thursday. Police say Dr. Preston Phillips, Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn and Army veteran William Love were fatally shot.

Celtics have huge 4th, beat Warriors in Game 1 of NBA Finals

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Jaylen Brown fueled a comeback charge and scored 24 points, Al Horford hit six 3-pointers and the Boston Celtics rode the most lopsided fourth quarter in NBA Finals history to a 120-108 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 1. Horford finished with 26 points and the Celtics outscored the Warriors 40-16 in the final 12 minutes after trailing by 15 points late in the third quarter. Boston made its first seven tries from long distance in the fourth and wound up 9 of 12 beyond the arc over the final 12 minutes as almost everybody got involved in the 3-point flurry.

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DILI, East Timor (AP)  The foreign ministers of Australia and China were both making their final stops Friday on what has become an island-hopping diplomatic duel in the South Pacific.

Australias Foreign Minister Penny Wong arrived in Tonga where she met with Prime Minister Huakavameiliku and other officials including King Tupou VI. Her visit came just three days after Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi held similar meetings in Tonga.

Wong and the officials talked about climate change and rebuilding efforts after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit in January. Also on the agenda was the contentious issue of regional security.

We are not a government or a country that wants to come in and tell you what you should do, Wong said at a news conference in the capital, Nuku'alofa.

She said Australia considered itself part of the Pacific family.

We want regional security to be dealt with, to be the responsibility of the Pacific family, Wong said. And we will continue to engage with our friends, our partners in the region.

Huakavameiliku said Tonga was honored that Wong had decided to visit just two weeks after taking office, following an election in Australia.

This is a clear sign of the Australian governments strong commitment to strengthening our bilateral relations and engagement with our region, the prime minister said.

Meanwhile, Wang met in Papua New Guinea with Prime Minister James Marape and other officials before flying Friday afternoon to East Timor, the final stop on his eight-nation tour of the region and the first outside of the South Pacific. Wang is due to leave East Timor on Saturday.

Wang met his East Timorese counterpart Adaljiza Magno shortly after arriving in Dili, the capital.

The two countries have enjoyed strong relations over the past 20 years, Magno said, adding that her government was grateful for China's assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic and amid flooding last year that left dozens of people in Dili dead.

The two top diplomats signed agreements related to fisheries, water and sanitation. China also agreed to support the development of East Timor's healthcare system, including by building hospitals and sending medical teams there. And China pledged to help support East Timor's defense and education sectors.

During the visit, Wang held separate talks with East Timors Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak, who is looking to increase infrastructure investment from Australia, Japan and China.

Most government offices in the capital, including the presidential palace and the foreign and defense ministries, as well as major shopping centers, were built with Chinese investment. A commercial port built by a Chinese state-owned company is set to open later this year.

Before returning to Beijing on Saturday, Wang is scheduled to meet with East Timors newly elected President Jose Ramos-Horta and leaders of the countrys two largest political parties.

East Timor, Asias youngest country, just celebrated its 20th anniversary of independence from Indonesia, which invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975. Its transition to a democracy has been rocky, with leaders battling massive poverty, unemployment and corruption as the country continues to struggle with the legacy of its bloody independence battle and bitter factional politics that have occasionally erupted into violence. Its economy is reliant on dwindling offshore oil revenues.

Wang had hoped to ink an ambitious multilateral deal with 10 South Pacific nations this week covering everything from security to fisheries. He couldnt find consensus on that deal but has been notching up smaller wins by signing bilateral agreements with many of the countries hes been visiting.

The diplomatic push by China, especially around Pacific security, has caused deep concern among some of the island nations as well as farther afield in Canberra and Washington. Since news of the proposed deal emerged, Wong has made two trips to the Pacific to shore up support for Australia.

Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP)  The trial of a Connecticut state senator and his 2018 campaign treasurer on federal fraud charges has been delayed indefinitely amid a legal fight over whether a 28-minute video that surfaced recently can be used as evidence.

Jury selection began Tuesday for the trial of Bridgeport Democratic Sen. Dennis Bradley and Jessica Martinez on allegations they covered up campaign violations committed at a 2018 party thrown by Bradley as they sought nearly $180,000 in public campaign funds from a state program. Bradley and Martinez deny the charges and have pleaded not guilty.

U.S. District Judge Victor Bolden in Bridgeport dismissed jurors Thursday, in response to federal prosecutors saying they were going to appeal his ruling barring the video of the party from being used in the case.

Prosecutors said a witness gave them the video May 24. They claim it shows Bradley and Martinez knew campaign contributions were being solicited at the party and later lied to state election officials when they said no fundraising took place.

Bradley's lawyers asked Bolden to bar the video, saying prosecutors violated court evidence rules by disclosing the video so late and close to the trial, making the case harder for the defense. They said the FBI previously gave the defense three shorter videos and knew there was a longer video, but didn't seek to obtain it until last month.

Prosecutors argued in court documents filed Friday that the case should be put on hold pending their appeal to the 2nd U.S. Circuit of Appeals in New York  an assertion disputed by defense lawyers.

Authorities say Bradley and Martinez lied about the party to hide campaign violations that would have barred them from receiving the public funds. They also allege Bradley violated spending limits when he paid for the party.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York would make it easier to sue over discriminatory voting policies and require localities with a history of civil right violations to get approval before changing election rules, under legislation that passed the Democrat-controlled Assembly and Senate Thursday.

A spokesperson for Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said she will review the legislation. This year, Hochul has called for this type of state-level Voting Rights Act to protect voters of different races and languages.

New York's bill follows the U.S. Senate's failure in January to pass voting legislation that would have enabled the Justice Department to intervene in states with a history of voter inference.

Under the bill, certain areas, school boards, or local election boards would no longer be able to make changes  like removing people from voter rolls, reducing voting hours or the cutting number of polling sites  without approval from the state attorney generals office or courts.

Communities where minority New Yorkers have disproportionately high arrest rates could also need permission to change election rules.

The legislation would make lawsuits over voter intimidation and suppression easier by laying out an expedited process for New Yorkers or the attorney general to sue over voting violations, including new bans on voter intimidation, deception and obstruction.

Courts could come up with solutions for voter suppression ranging from moving the dates of elections to adding more voting hours or days.

Democrats and civil rights leaders have said Republican-led states are passing laws making it more difficult for Black Americans and others to vote by consolidating polling locations, requiring certain types of identification and ordering other changes.

Parts of New York City once had to seek federal approval for changes to election and voting laws under a key part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in 2013.

Roughly a century ago, New York state passed laws that required English literacy tests to vote and moved election day to Saturday, during the Jewish Sabbath.

Bill sponsors Sen. Zellnor Myrie and Assemblymember Latrice Walker, both Democrats from New York City, said the state's record on voting has improved but still needs work.

Supporters cited U.S. Census data that shows voter registration and turnout rates are lower for Black and Hispanic New Yorkers than non-Hispanic white residents.

In recent decades, New York has also faced criticism of its language assistance programs for minority voters, and allegations of gerrymandering political districts to reduce the power of minority communities.

Since the courts have weakened the federal Voting Rights Act and without action from Congress to strengthen it, we have seen a wave of laws passed across this nation meant to stifle the voting power of minority voters, Walker said. "This legislation sends the message that here in New York, your right to vote is protected.

New York's legislation is similar to a 2021 law in Virginia that empowers voters and the attorney general to sue over voter suppression and requires local election officials to get public comment or pre-approval from the attorney general for voting policy changes.

Oregon lawmakers this year failed to pass a bill that would have required some local communities to get permission for election law changes.

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Authorities say a train accident in the Alps in southern Germany on Friday left at least four people dead and many more injured. Police said the regional train headed for Munich appears to have derailed shortly after noon in Burgrain  just outside the resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, from where it had set off. Three of the double-deck carriages overturned at least partly, and people were pulled out of the windows to safety. The cause was not immediately clear. Police put the number of injured at about 30, 15 of whom were taken to hospitals. It wasnt clear how many people were on the train at the time of the accident.
The Air Force used a makeshift process that did not fully follow its own best practices when it selected Huntsville, Alabama, for the new U.S. Space Command headquarters over Offutt Air Force Base and four other sites in January 2021, according to a new report released Thursday by the Government Accountability Office.

GAO auditors found that the Air Force had fully or substantially met only 7 of 21 of its best-practice standards for selecting the sites of strategic bases like the SpaceCom headquarters.

The Air Force only minimally met standards for making its selection credible, the report said, because no independent groups reviewed its process and because costs werent fully analyzed.

And it only partially met standards for appearing unbiased because it failed to document the reasons it weighted various selection factors for the bids it analyzed. Further, the cost analysts left out some key costs.

The GAO report did say that Huntsvilles Redstone Arsenal appeared to be the proper choice under the process used, even if that process was flawed. There had been a flurry of last-minute lobbying by top Air Force and SpaceCom leaders in support of Peterson Air Force Base (now Space Force Base) in Colorado Springs  the commands temporary home since it was re-established in 2019.

SpaceCom is in charge of all of the militarys space operations. It is separate from the Space Force, which was created by President Donald Trump as a sixth branch of the armed forces in 2019.

SpaceCom chief Gen. James Dickinson and then-Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Hyten (a former StratCom commander) argued in a series of emails and Zoom meetings just before the decision was announced that Colorado Springs bid could save the Pentagon money, because it would save relocation costs and could make use of renovated facilities instead of building new ones.

The GAO report did not address whether the Air Force should reopen the selection process in light of its findings, and those of a separate investigation by the Department of Defense Inspector General released last month.

It recommended, however, that the Air Force should develop and follow a basing process that is in line with its own best practices.

Such actions, the report said, would better position the Air Force to substantiate future basing decisions and help prevent bias, or the appearance of bias, from undermining their credibility.

Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Don Bacon, both Republicans serving on the congressional Armed Services committees, said the two reports do raise issues that merit further study.

The report raises some important questions that we will be following up on with the GAO and the Air Force, Fischer said in a statement.

We will be reviewing it in the coming days and will make the necessary inquiries, Bacon said in a separate release.

Then-Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett announced the selection of Redstone Jan. 13, 2021, over Offutt, Peterson and three others sites: Albuquerque, New Mexico; San Antonio, Texas, and Cape Canaveral, Florida. It came on her last day on the job, just a week before then-President Trump left office.

The timing led to accusations from political leaders in Colorado that Trump had influenced the selection as a political reward to Alabama, and to local politicians there who had supported him in his failed 2020 reelection bid.

The GAO said it could not determine who had made the final decision.

SpaceCom had been headquartered at Peterson from its creation in 1985 until its 2002 merger with the Offutt-based U.S. Strategic Command  though many of its operations remained in Colorado even after the merger.

The Pentagon announced plans to re-establish SpaceCom in 2019 as an independent command. It also began a search for a permanent headquarters.

The GAO said the Air Force largely followed its strategic basing process during its initial site selection, from December 2018 to March 2020. That process led to a list of six finalists, including Redstone, Vandenberg Air Force Base (now Space Force Base), Peterson and three other Space Force bases in Colorado.

But several members of Congress complained about a lack of transparency in the decision. So then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper restarted the site selection in March 2020 using a new three-phase process that incorporated some elements of customary Air Force basing processes but changed or left out others.

The GAO report noted that, instead of starting with a list of sites known to fit SpaceComs needs, the Air Force solicited applications from across the country. The headquarters was highly coveted, with the planned construction of a new building at a cost of $1 billion to $2 billion and the promise of an estimated 1,450 mostly high-paying jobs.

Nominations were received for 66 sites in 26 states. The list was trimmed to 50, then 15. The six finalists were announced in November 2020. Peterson and Redstone Arsenal were the only bases to appear on both lists. Offutt, which was not on the first list, qualified this time.

All six made video teleconference pitches and received site visits from the selection team in December 2020 and early January. The qualifiers were scored in 21 areas in the broad categories of mission compatibility, capacity, community support and cost to the Defense Department.

The team boosting Offutt  headed by Fischer and Gov. Pete Ricketts  thought it stood a solid chance of winning because of the areas low living costs, solid schools and strong support for the military. Nebraska sweetened its pitch with $107 million in financial incentives.

Neither the inspector general nor GAO reports revealed details of how the finalists scored, except to note that the Redstone bid scored highest at every step. Huntsville has few ties to the Air Force but touts itself as the Rocket City because it is the home of NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center and the headquarters of several Army missile commands.

But the digital magazine Breaking Defense, which obtained an unredacted version of the IG report, reported last month that the committee scored Offutts bid third behind Huntsville and Albuquerque, followed in order by San Antonio, Colorado Springs and Cape Canaveral.

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LINCOLN  The Nebraska Cattlemen are the latest group to add to the list of endorsements for Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Pillen.

The nonprofits president, Brenda Masek, announced the endorsement at a press conference Thursday afternoon at its Lincoln headquarters. Though Pillen is a hog producer, she said, he understands the grit and resilience of Nebraskas agricultural community and will fight to protect it.

Jim has walked in our shoes, Masek said. He knows our struggles.

Pillen, a University of Nebraska regent, piled up a series of notable endorsements during a contentious Republican primary race. Current Gov. Pete Ricketts, who is barred by term limits from seeking reelection, has been among Pillens most prominent and vocal backers.

State Sen. Brett Lindstrom, who finished third in the Republican primary for governor, has since endorsed Pillen, but his other top primary opponent, Charles Herbster, has not endorsed him yet.

Masek said she expects Pillen to continue Ricketts work to support Nebraska agriculture as the states No. 1 industry. In Nebraskas agricultural sector, beef exports are at the top. Ricketts said Nebraska had over $1.8 billion in beef exports in 2021, beating the previous record set in 2018 by about 25%.

Pillen vowed that if elected, he would defend Nebraska agriculture by working to preserve water and fighting back against synthetic meat, or what Pillen called petri-dish meat.

Specifically, Pillen called out Bill Gates, the billionaire philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft, for his support of lab-grown meat as a sustainable alternative to traditional meat production. Pillen is not the first politician to target Gates on the issue.

After Gates was quoted in a 2021 MIT Technology Review article as saying he thought all rich countries should move to 100% synthetic beef to help slow the effects of climate change, former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry wrote that making supper in a lab wasnt a solution.

His computer hasnt been cyberattacked, his brain has, Pillen said of Gates on Thursday.

Masek said the Nebraska Cattlemen group  which advocates for the financial interest of cattle producers in the state  supports Pillens goals to address the states tax code imbalance, support Nebraskas rural areas, control government spending and reform state aid for education. She said Pillens potential administration would help Nebraska farmers prosper.

When rural communities, and farmers and ranchers prosper, all of Nebraska prospers, Masek said.

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Nebraskas current tourism slogan landed with a splash in 2018, stirring a strong social media reaction and generating press coverage on several national platforms, from The Washington Post to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

The national award-winning slogan  Nebraska. Honestly, its not for everyone  continues to evoke praise and criticism, with even a few Republican gubernatorial candidates calling for a change. But with a busy summer travel season officially underway, Nebraskas tourism chief says the state doesnt plan to shed the striking slogan any time soon.

John Ricks, executive director of the Nebraska Tourism Commission, considers the campaign a success and cites tourism metrics and state rankings to make his case. A few Omaha industry professionals, though, are still unsure about the message and say that determining success requires more nuance.

In its research, Ricks said, the commission had found that Nebraska wasnt even on peoples shopping list as a potential vacation destination. They found indifference, apathy  difficult beasts to battle in the advertising world.

You have to do something unexpected to get peoples attention, to even get in their consideration set, he said. So, thats what we did.

Barriers to people visiting were entrenched, he said. The commission found that people wouldnt even take the time to research Nebraska. There were perceptions that the state was all dusty plains, flat and boring, flyover country.

The campaign fed those assumptions back to people, Ricks said, then told them the real story.

One ad from the tongue-in-cheek campaign shows people floating a stream in livestock tanks with the words Lucky for you, theres nothing to do here. Another shows hikers jumping across a rock formation: Famous for our flat, boring landscape.

The commission moved advertising out of the state, Ricks said, to attract travelers who tend to stay longer, spend more and bring in new money. For in-state travel, the commission is more focused on the states successful Nebraska Passport program.

When this hit, we somehow connected with people, Ricks said. And were joking now that  were finding that there are a lot more not everyones out there than we thought.

Tourism is a $3.6 billion industry in Nebraska, Ricks said, that generates almost $265 million in state and local taxes.

Analyzing travel data from the last few years can be tricky, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic upending the industry in 2020. But Ricks offered some statistics that he said indicate success.

Web traffic on the states tourism website, visitNebraska.com, increased from about 371,000 visitors in 2017 to about 918,000 in 2021.

Year-to-year changes in visitor spending had been modest each year between 2012 and 2017 (ranging from a 1.3% decrease to a 3.5% increase). In 2018, spending went up by 5.5%. It increased again, by 4.6%, in 2019 before plummeting 40% in 2020. It recovered and then some in 2021, increasing by 68%.

When people started traveling after locking down early in the pandemic, Ricks said, theyd go in their cars to see less-populated places that are outdoorsy, less-traveled and affordable.

Thats just a description of Nebraska, he said.

He expects theres still pent-up demand that drove some of the success in 2021. But not every state got back to where it was in 2019, he said. Nebraska did.

Another metric: Nebraskas ranking on MMGY Globals Portrait of American Travelers improved this spring, placing it among eight states that had a statistically significant increase over 2021.

Chris Davidson, executive vice president of MMGY Travel Intelligence, said the company has published its in-depth report for over three decades. It surveys roughly 4,500 adults about their travel habits. In 2021, it changed to a quarterly schedule.

One question asked of active leisure travelers in each survey centers on their interest in visiting each of the 50 states and Puerto Rico, along with other specific destinations. That data is used for the rankings Ricks cited.

Nebraska has traditionally been in the bottom five, Davidson said.

Nebraska ranked tied for 45th with Arkansas and Oklahoma in spring 2019, but only 17% of people surveyed were somewhat or extremely interested in visiting. MMGY didnt publish a report in 2020.

In spring 2021, 21% of people were somewhat or extremely interested in visiting Nebraska in the next two years, and it ranked 48th. In its most recent report, spring 2022, that number rose to 25% and Nebraska ranked 45th.

Just people who were extremely interested went from 5% in 2019 to 9% in 2022. The percentage of people who werent at all interested was 41% in 2019 and dropped to 36% in 2022. The states average score went from 2.2 on a five-point scale to 2.4  about a 9% improvement.

Davidsons assessment of those numbers was twofold: Its some encouraging, incremental positive momentum, he said. And, theres a lot of work to be done.

The reality is, its still in the bottom five states for interest in visiting, he said.

Jeremy Lipschultz, a social media professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said he guessed the initial attention the slogan received cut both ways  some people were positive about it, but some were negative because it sounds exclusive.

Terry Kroeger, president and CEO of Omaha marketing firm Smith Kroeger, said it was unfortunate that the message was contrary to the truth that Nebraskans are very welcoming to newcomers and visitors.

This message says the opposite, he said in an email.

During the recent gubernatorial primary, Republican candidates talked about changing the slogan.

Right now, Nebraska is not for everyone is not the message that I want to send as governor, State Sen. Brett Lindstrom said at a debate. We simply cant. We have too many jobs in the state of Nebraska  60,000-plus unfilled jobs  were not going to be able to grow organically and bring people and retain and recruit talent by sending that message that Nebraska is not for everyone.

Lipschultz thinks that most of the attention was short-term, and that a lot of factors could drive the long-term, positive results, including work going on in communities across the state to promote downtown development, tourism and community engagement  such as UNO Social Media Lab projects in towns including Ashland, Ravenna and Valentine.

Im sure that some of those local efforts would add up in the larger numbers across the state, he said.

Leanne Prewitt, president and chief creative officer at Ervin & Smith in Omaha, drew a distinction between effectiveness and success. If the goal was to have national recognition for the states tagline, it was certainly effective. And its likely the most memorable tourism slogan the state has ever had, she said.

With tourism numbers up, she questions whether its the campaign or the fact that people were forced to visit flyover states the last two years because they were reluctant to fly. Even if the slogan did cause the boost, she said, shed challenge whether its been a complete success because she thinks it offends Nebraskans.

Even if you get effectiveness in any or all of those three areas, if you shame and piss off the residents of the state or the people that the campaign is about, I think its not a success, she said.

She thinks it was a mistake that the commission used an out-of-state firm (Colorado-based advertising agency Vladimir Jones) for the campaign and that there couldve been a way to launch it within the state that let people in on the joke, rather than letting them feel mocked.

Back in 2018, Lipschultz told The World-Herald that his initial grade for the tourism tagline would be only a C. Now, he said, he might raise that grade. Hes not quite sure its an A, he said, but its a contributor to this overall momentum.

Ricks is aware that some people have disparaged the slogan. But, he said theres a lot of uniformity across the industry  states touting great restaurants, events, hotels.

You cant differentiate on sameness, he said. The audience for the campaign, he said, is people who like to take time to enjoy and wander, who want to peel back the onion and learn a little more.

Thats the not everyones. Those are the people, he said. And, as long as it keeps working, well stick to it.

Nebraska currently has its largest campaign of Ricks tenure: $3 million in media buys. It has added Minneapolis and spot markets in Madison, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma City to the lineup of Denver, Kansas City, Des Moines, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

New ads that are part of the campaign still confront the barriers travelers encounter when deciding whether to travel here, while broadcasting the states quirkiness.

Wed install mountains, but theyd just block the view one says, over a landscape photo of the sun setting over rolling hills. Another, advertising the Ashfall Fossil Beds, says Some of us have been waiting 12 million years for you.

The commissions advertising agency will change June 30, with Florida-based Miles Partnership coming out on top in a request for proposals. The firm also has a Denver location, and the commission has worked with it before.

Ricks said the campaign wont change.

The long-term objective was to at least get on peoples shopping lists, Ricks said. We had a big job in terms of changing these perceptions. We had to take people unexpectedly and  not necessarily shock them  but we had to get their attention. The self-deprecating humor was all intentional, and it continues to work.

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Artists prepare for First Friday

BLOOMINGTON  Downtown Bloomington artists will host First Friday on June 3 from 5-8 p.m. as part of the Cogs & Corsets festival.

The festival will take place Friday and Saturday throughout the six square blocks of downtown Bloomington. Downtown galleries and studios will feature local artists'new work and hosting visiting artists whose pieces represent the Steampunk vibe.

There will be a Steampunk Market, The Tea Room, The Great Airship Race Murder Mystery Dinner, panels, lectures, workshops, the Maker Faire display and more.

Masks and social distancing are encouraged, but not required.

Visit cogsandcorsetsil.com for more information.

Peoria museum opens exhibit

PEORIA  The Peoria Riverfront Museum opened its new exhibit "Creatures of Light: Nature's Bioluminescence," that opened on May 28.

The exhibit will be available at the museum through September 5. The exhibit was created by the American Museum of Natural History in New York; it illuminates the worlds of the extraordinary organisms that flash, sparkle and glimmer by generating light, called bioluminescence, exploring how and why they glow, from the deep sea to Midwest backyards.

The museum also hosted the American Museum of Natural History's international traveling of "T. Rex: The Ultimate Predator" May 2021-January 2022.

"Creatures of Light" is an immersive, family-friendly exhibit that takes guests of all ages through a series of recreated, interactive environments where the light makers live, including a woodland floor scattered with glowing mushrooms, a meadow filled with fireflies flashing species-specific patterns, a New Zealand cave where glowworms drop sticky threads from their bioluminescent tails to trap prey, Puerto Ricos Mosquito Bay famous for dinoflagellates that create sparkling halos around anything that moves and the Cayman Islands Bloody Bay Wall lit with fluorescent coral and fish.

Admission is free for members and $19 for adults, $17 for seniors and students with ID and $15 for youth 3-17. The admission prices covers all exhibitions and daytime planetarium shows. Giant Screen Theater tickets are extra. The museum welcomes Blue Star Museum families, Museums for all and public library pass holders.

Sponsors of the exhibit include PNC, UnityPoint Health, OSF Healthcare and Corporate Visionary Society Council. In addition to the American Museum of National History, the exhibit was in collaboration with the Canadian Museum of Ottawa, Canada and the Field Museum, Chicago.

Call 309-686-7000 or visit RiverfrontMuseum.org for more information.

Peoria band

concerts return

PEORIA  The Peoria Municipal Band will return with their 85th season of summer concerts on Sunday, June 5 at 7 p.m. in the Glen Oak Park Amphitheater in Peoria.

The concert will feature vocal soloist Jennifer Rosa with music by George Gershwin, Eric Whitacre, John Philp Sousa and others.

The 2022 summer season will consist of 24 performances by a band of 50 musicians. All concerts are free and parking is available near the venues.

Other Sunday evening concerts will be June 12, 19, 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, Aug. 7 and 14. Wednesday evening performances will be at 7 p.m. on the corner of Water and State St. These performances will be June 8, 15, 22, 29, July 6, 13, 20, 27, Aug. 3 and 10.

A special performance will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 24 at St. Philomena's Church and School and at 7 p.m. on Firday, July 29 at United Presbyterian Church.

Visit peoriamunicialband.com for more information.

Allerton concert series back

MONTICELLO  Last Minute, a Central Illinois-based rock and roll band will open the Allerton Park & Retreat Center Concert Series presented by the Ayers Family at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 3.

The band will play classic rock tunes. The band will kick things off for the monthly concert series, starting with 'LOVE FOR ALLerton' entry, on the Gatehouse lawn of the Monticello-area park.

After Last Minute, Green Diamond Express will take the stage at 7:30 p.m.

There is a $5 suggested donation to attend the concert; $10 per family. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on. Food will be provided by Piato To Go and Jimmy John's/

Lodging will also be available during the concert weekend. Visit allerton.Illinois.edu/lodging for more information.
This is a developing story that will be updated.

SHIRLEY  Two people were killed and three were seriously hurt in a major crash on Interstate 55 in McLean County, authorities said Saturday.

The five-vehicle crash took place shortly before 4 p.m. Friday near mile marker 151, south of Shirley, according to Illinois State Police.

One person suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, and another was pronounced dead at a hospital after being transported from the scene by medical helicopter, police said.

Three other people were hospitalized with what police described as life-threatening injuries.

I-55 southbound was closed during the emergency response and investigation, with vehicles directed off at Exit 154. A reporter at the scene observed traffic backed up for at least two miles about 45 minutes after the crash.

All lanes were reopened at 12:39 a.m. Saturday, police said.

Authorities did not release any additional information.

Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison

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BLOOMINGTON  A former LeRoy High School teacher was sentenced Thursday to probation and jail time on a grooming charge.

Brandon E. Reynolds, 35, of LeRoy, pleaded guilty to one count of grooming (Class 4 felony) in March. He was sentenced to two and a half years on probation and 180 days in the McLean County Jail.

Prosecutors said Reynolds had inappropriate text message conversations with a 16-year-old female student in May 2019 in which the former teacher complimented the students physical appearance, called the student irresistible and beautiful, and made other suggestive comments.

Reynolds had admitted in a police interview to knowing the student was 16 years old and that the conversations were inappropriate, prosecutors said.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services contacted LeRoy police in September 2020 to relay a report of an inappropriate relationship between a minor student and Reynolds, prosecutors said.

The LeRoy Community Unit School District placed Reynolds on administrative leave when it became aware of Reynolds contact with the student and it replaced Reynolds in December 2020, Superintendent Gary Tipsord had said. His state teaching license was suspended in October 2020.

Reynolds was arrested in October 2020 and posted a $10,000 bond to be released from jail four days after he was charged.

Judge William Yoder accepted defense lawyer Joshua Rinkers recommendation for a community-based sentence.

The McLean County Assistant States Attorneys Office asked the judge to sentence Reynolds to one year in prison.

The judge said probation would monitor Reynolds more closely and for a longer time than supervision after release from prison. He also noted a sex offender risk assessment which concluded that Reynolds is a low risk to reoffend.

Reynolds must register as a sex offender for 10 years and he must not have contact with minors unrelated to him.

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NORMAL  U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood is asking for $4 million to be included in federal appropriations for expansion of the simulation lab at Illinois State Universitys Mennonite College of Nursing.

LaHood, a Republican from Peoria, said the project will help address a critical need for nurses in Central Illinois, a trend he says holds across the country. He is seeking the money through Community Project Funding, which is part of the federal appropriations process.

This is really easy when you think about the personnel and resources we have here, and the need for nurses, he said.

In April, LaHood announced $700,000 in federal funding from the 2022 Community Project Funding toward a new residency program at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington. He visited ISU on Thursday to meet with administrators about the nursing program, and they spoke with The Pantagraph after their meeting.

LaHood said nearly everywhere he goes in his district, he has heard about the need for more nurses and health care workers. Health care comes up a lot in his travels through his district, which has 20 downstate counties including parts of Bloomington-Normal and McLean County.

If you look at the footprint of health care in Central Illinois, it continues to grow, LaHood said.

MCN was a logical place to look to help address that need.

Obviously, the Mennonite College of Nursing has a tremendous reputation and background here, LaHood said.

MCN Dean Judy Neubrander said she regularly hears from hospitals and health care companies that are in need of more nurses.

LaHood submitted his request as part of 15 Community Project Funding requests to the House Committee on Appropriations for the 2023 budget. He is optimistic that the MCN project will be in the final appropriations and said he looks forward to working with Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, both Democrats, on the funding.

If approved, the money could start coming ISUs way by next spring or summer, officials said.

The new nursing simulation lab was approved by ISUs Board of Trustees in May 2021, with an overall budget of $18 million. The current lab is constructed from multiple modules, which will continue to be used during the construction. The college plans to increase from the current 906 students to between 1,200 and 1,500 students in coming years, Neubrander said.

The university has had to turn away interested, and qualified, students due to lack of space, ISU Provost Aondover Tarhule said.

The new and upgraded building will be around 20,000 square feet, more than twice the size of the current facility. Plans are for it to be located next to and be connected to the current lab.

The (new) building will be a reflection of the true quality of Mennonite College of Nursing, Neubrander said.

As of late, students have had to use simulation beds out in hallways due to lack of space, ISU President Terri Goss Kinzy said. She called the project transformational.

LaHoods requests also target other projects in the Bloomington-Normal area. That includes $2.128 million for a downtown accessibility and safety project in Downs, $3.5 million for rehabilitation of College Avenue between Rivian Motorway and White Oak Road in Normal, and $3.45 million for an expansion of Western Avenue Community Center in Bloomington.

The process, also called earmarks, did not happen for around 10 years, but was reinstated during the fiscal year 2022 budget process. The reinstated program requires increased transparency, including posting requests online, along with forms saying the member of Congress and their family do not have any financial connection to the project.

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis requests include $1.6 million for sewer improvements in Heyworth. Requests of his outside the Bloomington-Normal area also touch on health care training, with $322,100 for improvements and expansion of Parkland Colleges Health Professions spaces in Champaign. Davis is a Republican from Taylorville whose district includes parts of Bloomington-Normal and McLean County.

Durbins requests include $520,000 for the Town of Normal to do an infrastructure and planning study for the northwest part of town. Duckworths requests include $1.5 million to bike and pedestrian infrastructure improvements in Normal.

This is the only project ISU submitted to LaHood for consideration, Kinzy said.

The site prep is expected to happen over the summer, with construction expected to take 12 to 18 months after bids are received, said Mike Gebeke, associate vice president for facilities services. Two vacant university-owned buildings located next to the current lab were demolished to make room for the construction.

The timing of the MCN project makes sense, LaHood says. The pandemic disrupted health care and led some nurses to leave the profession or retire.

We think it makes a lot of sense to re-engage people with nursing as we come out of the pandemic, he said.

LaHood is in a four-way primary race for the redrawn 16th District against Michael Rebresh of Minooka, JoAnne Guillemette of Rockford and Walt Peters of Rockford. No Democrat has filed with state or federal officials to run. LaHood is the only candidate who has raised significant amounts of money during the campaign.

Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter:@connorkwood

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BLOOMINGTON  Now that the school year has wrapped up, students are free to go enjoy their summer. Bloomington-Normals libraries are hoping that their summer activities will include reading.

It gives kids something to do to enrich their lives, said Melissa Robinson, childrens services manager at the Bloomington Public Library.

Reading during the summer can help students avoid losing progress they made during the school year, Robinson said. Her counterpart at the Normal Public Library, Programming and Youth Services Manager Rhiannon Shoults, agreed.

Continuing that reading over the summer does a lot to prevent that slide in academics, she said.

Both libraries are using the Read Beyond the Beaten Path program offered by iREAD, a nonprofit created by the Illinois Library Association that provides a yearly summer reading program.

The two libraries have set up their programs with different goals for readers. Both programs are open to readers of all ages.

At NPL, the goal is to read for 42 days, the equivalent of six weeks, now through Aug. 1.

That can be however you define it, so if you read for five minutes or if you read for five hours, it counts, Shoults said.

BPL has different goals for kids, teens and adults, Robinson said. The goal for kids is to read 20 books from now through Aug. 1. Teens and adults have reading logs that resemble bingo cards, with different spots with mini-goals like About a famous person, About a sport or Is set in Illinois.

Pre-pandemic, each library tended to have around 3,500 people turn in reading logs each year, Robinson and Shoults said. More would sign up or pick up logs than turn them in, though, so it is hard to say exactly how many people were reading for the program.

Both libraries are offering prizes for finishing the reading goals, including vouchers to area businesses.

NPL will be using the online Beanstack app and website for readers to track their participation. Readers can also use a paper log that they can find on the website or at the library.

BPL is using physical logs, which can be found at the library or printed from the library's website.

Both libraries have other events planned throughout the summer as well. Full lists for both can be found on the libraries' websites.

At NPL, events include a visit from Sugar Grove Nature Center on June 17, Shoults said, which plays into the "Reading Beyond the Beaten Path" outdoorsy theme.

Holding events is a little more complicated for the Bloomington library this year, Robinson said.

We usually like to have a lot of programs over the summer, but the library is under construction, she said.

Instead, the library is planning some off-site programs that will not be affected by the construction. Some will be in cooperation with the McLean County Museum of History and the Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market.

BPL is planning events a month at a time due to the uncertainty of the construction season, Robinson said. The library also continues to offer curbside service and has the Bookmobile, providing other ways to engage with library services while avoiding the construction.

More information and reading logs can be found on the libraries websites at bloomingtonlibrary.org and normalpl.org. There is no cost to participate in either program.

Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter:@connorkwood

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100 years ago

June 3, 1922: A special election will be held within 45 days on abandoning the commission form of government in Bloomington and returning to the aldermanic form. The city council told its corporate counsel to withdraw objections against a recently filed petition of residents calling for the election. There were 2,754 names on the petition.

75 years ago

June 3, 1947: Coleman R. Griffith, provost of the University of Illinois, spoke at the Illinois State Normal University commencement ceremony for 137 graduates. The fault with the world is not that too many people have too much education, he told the audience. Rather, not enough people have enough education.

50 years ago

June 3, 1972: Gov. Richard B. Ogilvie may break off a series of debates with his Democratic opponent, Dan Walker. If we are not going to educate people through these so-called debates, there isnt much point in continuing them, he told reporters at a press conference, during which he also discussed his administrations proposal to increase school aid by $90 million.

25 years ago

June 3, 1997: Schools in Illinois will get $330 million more than last year, but area educators said that doesnt make up for the failure of a legislative package to reform the states education funding. Republican Gov. Jim Edgar proposed a 25% income-tax increase to help resolve inequities, but this and many other ideas were shelved.

Compiled by Pantagraph staff
CLINTON  A month-long celebration of Clinton-area aviators has landed at the C.H. Moore Homestead and DeWitt County Museum.

Retelling the stories of aviation pioneers, barnstormers, test pilots, military airmen and NASA scientists and their connections to DeWitt County, Prairie Flyers: A Century of Aviation in DeWitt County brings an upscale gallery to the small Clinton museum.

Don Marshall, of Lane, stopped by the exhibit on Sunday, the day before Memorial Day. The Vietnam veteran said he enjoyed the high-altitude flight uniforms.

His wife, Janice Marshall, said shed never been to an exhibit like it.

Ive been to museums and airshows, but not anything like this, she said. I think its great.

The couple both said they were impressed.

The display is in the Carriage Barn on the C.H. Moore Homestead, which is estimated by museum staff to be from the 1860s. Modern lighting and World War II-era music and radio traffic immerse visitors into a world of vintage.

Denis Hambucken of New Hampshire, his friend John Warner, and Edith Brady-Lunny, former reporter for The Pantagraph and a current WGLT correspondent, combined forces to collect stories and piece the display together. In December, the museum publicly asked DeWitt County residents to loan them historical artifacts.

Joey Long, director of the museum, said "Prairie Flyers" is the most ambitious exhibit theyve ever taken on.

We have proven that if you dream big, and if you have the support of the community, you can do it, she said. Long also said it wouldnt have been possible without the generous support they received.

She said people dug into their attics and closets, dusted off and opened old shoe boxes and dresser drawers, and brought them old photos, service medals, apparel and more. Long said those heirlooms were brought out of hiding to help tell the stories the exhibit presents.

The exhibit is chartered for a run at the Carriage Barn for only a limited time. After July 3, items will be returned to their loaners.

The display was a team effort by museum staff and volunteers, with Warner originating the idea. Long said she tracked down local people who were connected to aviation, and catalogued artifacts. Once found, the director said Brady-Lunny then interviewed them.

One aviator featured in the display is Dave Henard, who flew helicopters in the Vietnam War. He said it feels amazingly special to be featured in the exhibit.

Another subject covered by "Prairie Flyers" is Ken Shaffer, who served in the United States Air Force for 20 years as a pilot and reservist. He has 25,000 hours of logged flight time.

You can meet them both at events scheduled on Thursdays this month at the Vespasian Warner Public Library, 310 N. Quincy St., Clinton.

Henard and Hambucken will be present to sign their books on June 9, and Shaffer will share stories from his time serving on June 16. Both programs start at 6 p.m. at the library.

Hambucken has released a World War II history book, and Henard in 2018 published "Victory Stolen," which shares his perspective on the Tet Offensive and its aftermath.

Long said she's thrilled with the project's final outcome. She said visitors will have all of their senses engaged for the experience.

"It takes it to a much higher level when you add all of these elements," she said of the audio and visual parts of the display.

IF YOU GO WHAT: "Prairie Flyers: A Century of Aviation in DeWitt County" WHEN: Open hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays, through July 3. WHERE: C.H. Moore Homestead and DeWitt County Museum, 219 E. Woodlawn St., Clinton PASSES: $10 for adults, $5 for ages 11 and under. Reservations are recommended for large groups  call 217-935-6066.

Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison

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BLOOMINGTON  With a snip of comically large scissors, Home Sweet Home Ministries officially opened its new community center Thursday afternoon.

The Junction, located just across the parking lot at 301 E. Oakland Ave. in Bloomington, is where people and services will come together, said Matt Burgess, CEO of Home Sweet Home.

The new community center offers meeting rooms, a classroom and a large gathering space, which Burgess called a nimble platform for the community to use.

Its a place where we want people from our community to feel welcome to just come and connect with each other, he said. So whether youre just coming in to enjoy a cup of coffee here and sit around the table and chat, or coming in to receive some services that either we provide or a nonprofit partner will provide out of this space, we just want the whole community to feel welcome in this space.

Living Stone Communities church is the first to partner with Home Sweet Home, using the space to hold services on Sunday mornings, but other nonprofit partnerships are also in the works.

Samantha Williams, community outreach manager, said theyve discussed connecting with Heartland Community College, as well as PATH Crisis Center, YWCA McLean County and its Labyrinth services, Career Link, Prairie State Legal Services and others.

Were hoping that everybody just finds some way to kind of station themselves here, said Williams, who manages outreach for The Junction as well as the Bread for Life Food Co-op, which shares a building with the new center.

Among the goals of the new facility, The Junction will be able to offer continuing education classes, legal paperwork assistance, case management, life skills classes and more, according to a statement from Home Sweet Home.

Shelli Schwanke, member services manager for the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, said she was excited to celebrate the shelters newest initiative with community volunteers.

This is a beautiful facility and I just love the way they want to utilize the partnerships and make the facility available to community partners, too, she said.

The Junction has been in the works since the homeless shelters thrift store, which once stood in the same location, closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was a long process, a very long road. We didnt foresee it taking as long as it did, nor did we see it being as stressful as it was.  But it all worked out as it always does. Were grateful just to finally see this day, Williams said.

Burgess said in the planning stages, they reached out to the community members and organizations who might be able to use the space, asking how the shelter could help them reach the community.

Throughout our entire history as an organization, we have been supported by the community and focus exclusively on serving the Bloomington-Normal community. This is just an extension of that, he said. This is core to who we are and fulfills a key part of our mission statement of building community here in Bloomington-Normal.

The ultimate garage & estate sale guide for this weekend Garage BL: 1015 S Western Ave BL: 1015 S Western Ave.

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

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THOMSON  Three Illinois Congressional representatives are calling for an immediate investigation into the deaths of seven Thomson federal prison inmates that have occurred since March 2020, and accusations of "serious abuses" by its staff.

In a letter Wednesday to the Justice Department's Inspector General, the lawmakers cite a new report by National Public Radio and the Marshall Project that, if accurate, "describes conduct that would almost certainly contravene numerous BOP (Bureau of Prisons) policies, as well as infringing the civil rights of individuals in BOP custody and possibly violating federal criminal statutes," and "raises serious and troubling allegations about the conduct of staff at USP Thomson," Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, and Sens. Cheri Bustos and Tammy Duckworth, all Democrats, said in a news release Thursday.

The report's most serious allegations include staff purposefully stoking tensions between cellmates, encouraging assaults against sex offenders and informants, and leaving men shackled to a bed for hours in their own urine and feces without food or water, the release said.

The report, released Tuesday, also says staff laughed at the expense of a Jewish man they were guarding as he lay dying following an assault that occurred after he was placed in a recreation cage with known white supremacists, the release said.

They also call for a probe of "any other allegations of abusive or dangerous conditions at USP Thomson that arise in the course of your investigation. In particular, we request that your investigation include the role that staffing shortages may have played in giving rise to the conditions in which the deaths and alleged abuses occurred."

In response, Jon Zumkehr, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 4070, the prison union, issued this statement:

"We cannot comment on an ongoing investigation, but we have been fighting to full staff Thomson.

"We are currently short 105 staff members, including 78 from custody. We are committed to full staff USP Thomson and we have hosted monthly job fairs to bring new staff to Thomson."

The Carroll County U.S. penitentiary now has 929 inmates, about 430 fewer than in March 2020.

Durbin, Duckworth, and Bustos also have worked to address low staffing at Thomson. In April 2021, they sent a letter to then-BOP Director Michael Carvajal urging BOP administrators to support the union's request for a 25% retention bonus for nearly all Thomson staff, which the lawmakers also had been advocating for since 2020.

The bonus was approved five months later.

Also Thursday, Durbin said the committee will hold a hearing on the continued overuse of solitary confinement and restricted housing in federal prison facilities, including Thomson. About 7.8% of federal inmates are housed in a form of restricted housing, the release said.

The inmate deaths

The most recent inmate death at the Carroll County lockup was March 15. No cause of death was released at the time.

Of the six other inmates, at least four apparently were killed by other inmates, a fifth died of injuries from an unspecified source, and a sixth was ruled a suicide, his family said.

Two inmates are charged in one of the deaths.

Information on the other inmates' causes of death were not available at press time.

"In general, for safety, security, and privacy reasons, this office does not share specifics regarding the cause of death for any inmate," Thomson prison public information officer Nicole Vido said in reply to an email sent in March seeking more details.

"The official cause of death is determined by the medical examiner and not the Bureau of Prisons."

According to the Department of Justice:

James Everett, 35, was found unresponsive in an unspecified area of the prison and pronounced dead around 8:30 p.m. March 15. Everett had been at Thomson since Sept. 16, 2020, serving a 15-year sentenced levied in the Western District of Missouri for threatening a federal officer, forcibly resisting a federal officer and being a felon in possession of a firearm. No information on a cause of death was released.

Matthew Phillips, 31, of Texas, was found unresponsive with life-threatening head injuries the morning of March 2, 2020. He was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead 3 days later. He was sentenced to 7 years, 3 months for distributing heroin and money laundering, and had been at Thomson since September 2019.

In December, two inmates said to be white supremacists were indicted on murder and hate crime charges in the death of Phillips, who was Jewish, the Department of Justice said in a news release.

Brandon C. Simonson, 37, and Kristopher S. Martin, 37, members of the Valhalla Bound Skinheads, beat Phillips to death because of his religion, according to the indictment handed down by a federal grand jury in Rockford.

The two are charged with conspiracy to commit murder, second-degree murder, and hate crime, all of which carry up to life in prison, and assault resulting is serious bodily injury, which carries 10 years.

Edsel Aaron Badoni, 37, of Blue Gap, Arizona, died around 2:30 p.m. Nov. 27, 2020 after a fight with another inmate. He was sentenced Feb. 13, 2018, to 13 years, 10 months for assault with a deadly weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and discharging a firearm during a violent crime.

He was sent to Thomson on Nov. 25, 2019.

A week later, on Dec. 3, 2020, Boyd Weekley, 49, of South Dakota, was found unresponsive at 2:30 p.m., also after a fight with another inmate. He was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead.

Weekley was serving a life sentence for a Western District of Michigan conviction on kidnapping and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

He had been in Thomson since Feb. 25, 2020.

Two weeks later, on Dec. 18, 2020, Patrick Bacon, 36, was found unresponsive in his cell around midnight. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

His death was ruled a suicide, his mother, Shelley Bacon, told Sauk Valley Media.

Bacon was serving a 10-year sentence levied in California for assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, aiding and abetting, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

According to records from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Bacon was imprisoned in Victorville Federal Prison in California when he stabbed another inmate with a metal shank, fracturing the man's sinus cavity and causing stab wounds to his head and chest. Bacon was appealing the conviction because he had not been allowed to employ an insanity defense.

He had been in custody at Thomson since Oct. 14, 2020.

On Feb 28, 2021, Shay Paniry, 41, an Israeli mobster from of of Studio City, California, was found in an unspecified area, with life-threatening injuries.

Paniry, who arrived at the prison on Oct. 14, 2020, was sentenced to 17 years, 6 months for conspiracy to launder money, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and interfering with commerce.

On Dec. 15, 2021, around 10:30 p.m., Bobby Everson, 36, was found unresponsive following a fight. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A second inmate, who was not named, was medically assessed but had no injuries, the prison said in a news release. No staff or other inmates were injured.

Everson was serving a 13-year, 2-month sentence for conspiracy to engage in racketeering, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and felon in possession of a firearm, levied in the Northern District of New York.

He had been at Thomson since July 1, 2021.

The full text of the letter to the Department of Justice Inspector General

Dear Inspector General Horowitz:

We respectfully request that your office immediately open an investigation into allegations included in a disturbing report published by NPR and the Marshall Project[1] concerning the deaths of seven incarcerated men and serious abuses by staff at the United States Penitentiary Thomson (USP Thomson) in Illinois.

Five of the deaths were reportedly the result of homicides by fellow Special Management Unit (SMU) residents; the remaining two were suicides. The article's most serious allegations include:

Staff purposefully stoking tensions between cellmates and intentionally pairing men whom they knew would attack each other;

Staff encouraging assaults against sex offenders and informants and falsely telling residents that a particular man was a sex offender, resulting in repeated physical and sexual assaults against him;

Abusive shackling leaving scars known as "the Thomson tattoo," sometimes in a room known as "the dungeon" or "the torture room," where men would lie shackled to a bed for hours in their own urine and feces without food or water;

The continuation of abusive behavior towards incarcerated persons after the SMU was transferred to USP Thomson;

Punishment (often by shackling) of men who refused to be housed with cellmates whom they believed would kill them;

The highest rate of pepper-spray usage in the Bureau of Prisons (BOP); and

Staff laughing and joking at the expense of a Jewish man they were guarding as he lay dying in a hospital following an assault that occurred after staff placed him in a recreation cage with known white supremacists.

If these reports prove accurate, they describe conduct that would almost certainly contravene numerous BOP policies, as well as infringing the civil rights of individuals in BOP custody and possibly violating federal criminal statutes.

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is responsible for protecting the integrity of Department of Justice components, including BOP, as well as the health and safety of the people in BOP custody. The NPR and Marshall Project report raises serious and troubling allegations about the conduct of staff at USP Thomson.

As such, it is imperative that you investigate the allegations detailed in the NPR and Marshall Project report, as well as any other allegations of abusive or dangerous conditions at USP Thomson that arise in the course of your investigation. In particular, we request that your investigation include the role that staffing shortages may have played in giving rise to the conditions in which the deaths and alleged abuses occurred. We have long fought to address the staffing crisis at USP Thomson and throughout BOP, repeatedly warning that failure to do so could result in catastrophe. We are deeply troubled that these warnings seem to have proved accurate.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. We look forward to your prompt response.

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CHICAGO - Two Chicago-area women have been arrested on charges alleging they entered the U.S. Capitol shortly after rioters breached a Senate wing door and later tried to get back in the building before being turned away by police.

Trudy Castle, 57, and Kimberly DiFrancesco, 55, were both charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Washington with misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and unlawfully entering a restricted government building. The women are related, but their exact relationship was not stated in the charges.

Castle, who works as a property manager for a downtown real estate company, was arrested Wednesday and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Heather McShain, who released her on her own recognizance.

A lawyer for Castle was not listed on the court docket as of Thursday, and she did not return messages left at her office.

DiFrancesco, of Elmhurst, was arrested Thursday and is scheduled to appear before McShain later in the afternoon.

The women are the 29th and 30th Illinoisans to have been charged so far in the Capitol breach, an ongoing investigation that has been described by prosecutors as the largest criminal probe in the countrys history.

Nationwide, about 800 people have been arrested as of this month in all 50 states and the District of Columbia on charges stemming from the Capitol breach, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

According to the complaint, Castle and DiFrancesco were both seen on surveillance footage entering the Capitol building through a Senate wing door shortly after it had been breached by the unruly mob.

Images included in the complaint allegedly showed the two as they walked through the building to the elevator bank near the visitors center. In one of the images, Castle, dressed in a white jacket and red and blue Trump hat with a pom-pom, could be seen walking past chairs from an earlier clash with police that had been strewn on the floor.

Castle was also captured on surveillance going under a security door just after rioters interfered with its operation, according to the complaint. The images showed Castle walking through the breached door using her arm in what appears to be an effort to protect her head or move the door up should the door deploy downward again, the complaint stated.

Castle and DiFrancesco left the Capitol building after about 40 minutes, where Castle met up with her adult son, according to the complaint. About an hour later, the women appeared to try to get back in the building through the same breached Senate door but were unsuccessful, according to the complaint.

At that time, law enforcement officers pushed away the rioters, and the women appear to depart, the complaint stated.

The women were identified by law enforcement after a tipster called the FBI field office in Dallas on Jan. 15, 2021, and reported that DiFrancesco had sent photos from her cell phone from inside the Capitol, according to the complaint.

Last week, Matthew Bokoski, of Chicagos Uptown neighborhood, was also charged with misdemeanor counts alleging he and his father entered the Capitol through breached Senate Parliamentarian door.

The father and son walked down a hallway as part of a crowd before the group was met with a line of 10 to 15 police officers, according to the complaint. Both men later turned around and left after being in the building for about five minutes.

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The states political world may have been shocked, but I doubt many in that world were surprised at the level of vitriol in Rep. Sam Yinglings (D-Grayslake) press release last week which claimed hed been attacked by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Pritzkers offense was endorsing Yinglings Democratic primary opponent Mary Edly-Allen in the race to replace retiring state Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake).

Edly-Allen is a former Democratic state Representative and is also backed by Sen. Bush. She had a pretty good couple of weeks leading up to the Pritzker endorsement. Edly-Allen had by then reported raising about $266K just since the middle of May, including $25K reported last week from the Illinois Pipe Trades PAC. Rep. Yingling started the second quarter with more money (his $109K compared to her $11K), but has struggled ever since, reporting just $38K in contributions to date.

Pritzker has yet to give any legislator more than $5,000 in campaign contributions during the primary, but Edly-Allen clearly has the funds to get the word out about his support. And while there is no polling that I could lay my hands on in that district about Pritzker, hes generally polling very well among Democrats. So, the nod will likely help.

I privately thought going into this Senate contest that Yingling had a decent edge, but if Edly-Allen is working like she did when she first won a House race in 2018, along with all this money and numerous important endorsements, well, I may have been very wrong.

And then Yingling let loose on the governor. As a gay man, I am used to being bullied, Yingling was quoted as saying in his press release after Pritzker announced his decision. But, I did not expect to be attacked on the first day of PRIDE month by a fellow Democrat. The press release issued by the governors campaign did not contain a single reference to Rep. Yingling. It was all about Edly-Allens positive traits.

Im told the governor made his decision to endorse Edly-Allen the week earlier, but there was reportedly some Senate Democratic involvement in the decision to hand the story to a suburban newspaper over the Memorial Day weekend. The short-staffed and possibly disinterested paper didnt run it. So, the announcement was pushed out the door Tuesday evening in a wide blast. No thought was apparently given to the fact that the following day would be the beginning of LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

The reason most in the political world probably wont be surprised by his reaction is that Rep. Yingling, plain and simple, does not work well with others.

Since January of 2021, for instance, Yingling has introduced 183 bills and not a single one of them has made it to the governors desk. Just four have passed the House. The Senate, where Yingling is trying to land, has taken up none of them. The four bills never even made it out of the Assignments Committee.

Yingling has sent out four mailers that I could find. Three of them were negative.

One mailer paired up Edly-Allen with former House Speaker Michael Madigan, and Yingling also mentioned the Madigan connection in his press release. Madigan did not originally back Yingling for the House, but he sent plenty of foot soldiers to the district to keep him there. Madigans committees also directly gave Yingling $1.75 million over the years and Madigans allies in the House and in organized labor gave him millions more.

Rep. Yingling did not join colleagues to call for Madigans ouster until after the November 2020 election was over and his Republican opponent was vanquished with the help of about $300,000 in contributions from Madigans Democratic Majority PAC and the Democratic Party of Illinois.

To be clear, theres nothing inherently wrong with that. But using Madigan as a cudgel against a primary opponent after taking help like that while Yingling is clearly demonstrating that he is having a difficult time raising money on his own without backing from a party caucus is a bit much.

Pritzkers campaign had no comment about Rep. Yinglings remarks. Coincidentally or not, the governor appeared the following day with two prominent LGBTQ+ state legislators Rep. Kelly Cassidy and Sen. Mike Simmons to tour LGBTQ+ owned businesses in Chicagos Andersonville neighborhood and kick off PRIDE Month. He was not asked by reporters about Yinglings statement.

Rich Miller publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.

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Hyperbole, attacks and outright lies are as much a part of American politics as shaking hands and holding babies. (At least prior to COVID-19.)

That potpourri of information finds its way to you via all manner of media  TV, radio, newspapers, online. But the most invasive and most obvious is the campaign mailer.

If you have a mailbox, youve been bombarded extensively this year. Republicans are lining up for the opportunity to bring down Democrat incumbents like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth. But first they need to be victorious in the primary at the end of the month.

Do those mailers do any more than turn into landfill fodder within weeks? Well, they keep a candidates name in front of the voters  constituents, after all, have to look at the flyer in order to throw it away. They provide reinforcement for the messages the candidate is attempting to get across. And they raise the profile of candidates who may be new to voters thanks to redistricting or retirements.

Unfortunately, too many of us will allow photos and provocative language to make up our minds about voting. A 30-second TV or radio ad or a banner on a website is no way to determine a qualified candidate.

Should we as voters take some blame for the current state of political affairs in our country? How can we not? More than ever, were treating politics as a sporting event. The specifics dont matter, so long as the candidate is Red or Blue. A primary part of many of the ads and mailers is emphasizing what the candidate is or is not, in clear-cut terms.

Subtlety is impossible in a 6-by-9 printing space or in a 30-second ad.

We cant complain about ineffective government and a split country unless were willing to take close looks at what the candidates promise and then hold them to those promises. No candidate will line up with each individuals preferences. We must pick whats important to us and make our judgments based on that.

That certainly leads to better possibilities than a vote based on a photograph or a catchy phrase.

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The government of Ghana on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, concluded phase one of its YOUSTART stakeholders engagement after engaging MMDCEs and Regional Ministers from Eastern, Volta and Oti Regions in Koforidua on the sensitization drive of the programme yet to be launched by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.



The motive of the sensitization and the engagement with the various stakeholders is to get their feedback on the YOUSTART Programme before the eventual launch by the President of the land.



In view of the preparation of the Government towards the launch of the YOUSTART, the phase two of the stakeholders engagement would begin on Monday, 6th June 2022, with Civil Society Organizations, Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Association of Ghanaian Industries, identifiable youth groups, NABCO beneficiaries, Faith-Based Organizations, and the media as well.



Mr Dan Kwaku Botwe, Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, speaking at the last engagement programme for some government institutions, Regional Ministers and MMDCEs, said the YOUSTART Programme has the potential impact on the local economy.



The Member of Parliament for Okere Constituency in the Eastern Region added that the nature of the programme and its positive effect on the local economy demanded that the MMDCEs were sensitised to encourage the youth in their various places to take advantage of the YOUSTART when it is launched.



The Deputy Minister For Finance and member of Parliament for Ejisu Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Dr John Ampontuah Kumah who represented the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta at the stakeholder engagement mentioned that it had become important for the government to also engage the various organisations and groups in the country to drive understanding and acceptability of the programme.



So far we have engaged every Municipal, Metropolitan and District Chief Executives and have tasked them to set up YOUSTART Desks at the grassroots level ahead of the launch. In the coming days, we will also engage with civil society organizations, Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Association of Ghanaian Industries, identifiable youth groups, NABCO beneficiaries, Faith-Based Organizations and the media, he told the media.



He reiterated that the Government has over the past years worked to reduce the unemployment situation in the country through recruitment into the public sector, NABCO, 1D1F, planting for food and jobs among several others.



To reduce the unemployment numbers drastically, Government has introduced YOUSTART, targeting 1 million jobs in the next three years. So we want to make sure everybody is involved in how the programme is planned and executed. That is why we are spending time doing this engagement he said.

Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/Peacefmonline.com









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Featured Video
On June 2, 2022, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) launched the EDGE Green Building Challenge for architectural and engineering students as well as professionals in the built environment at the Green Park, Cantonments City, Accra.



The Challenge is in two strands: the Net Zero Ready Design Competition, which is aimed at getting architecture and engineering students and recent graduates in the built environment to exhibit their understanding of green buildings using the EDGE App and utilizing knowledge from the Design for Greater Efficiency (DfGE) course. The DfGE course covers the basics of energy and resource efficiency measures in design from the technical and commercial perspective, and seeks to encourage and incentivize resource efficiency in the construction sector.



The second strand, the Green Building Awards, is open to professionals who can submit new buildings or retrofits completed in the last seven years which have come as close to Net Zero Ready as possible, whether certified or not.



In her opening remarks at the launch, Cemile Hacibeyoglu, IFCs Senior Country Officer for the Ghana cluster, stated that the drive towards sustainability in the built environment represents both a challenge and business opportunity for building design professionals. However you choose to see it, it is the future. Designers must develop the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to support the built environments



move onto a low-carbon path, Ms Hacibeyoglu said. She also thanked the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) for funding for the DfGE course.



Dennis Papa Odenyi Quansah, Program Lead for Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya, provided an overview of the EDGE program, which is a global innovation by the World Bank Group. EDGE offers a faster, easier, and more affordable way to build and brand green. It includes a software that helps to identify the most practical ways to build green. Goldkey Properties is the headline sponsor for the challenge. The Ghanaian developer has EDGE-certified a number of its buildings. Fuseina Abu, Managing Director of Goldkeys, reiterated her companys support for environmental sustainability through initiatives such as this challenge.



Akosua Obeng, Partner at Orthner Orthner and Associates, one of the supporting partners on the challenge, walked the audience through eligibility criteria and guidelines. For the Net Zero Ready Design Competition, participants are expected to work in groups of a minimum of two members and maximum four members. At least one of the group members must be either an architectural student or an engineering student. Students from other disciplines in the construction industry who have completed the DfGE course are eligible to participate. Students who have not taken the DFGE course can still register and take the course during the competition period and present their certificates with their submission.



For the Green Building Awards, buildings that are nominated could be EDGE-certified or no. However, using the EDGE App, they all have to demonstrate that the interventions made have led to significant savings in terms of energy and water and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Firms must demonstrate clearly what green interventions they have made and their resulting savings on the EDGE App.



Speaking on behalf of Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye, the Minister of Works and Housing, Rev. Stephen Yaw Osei, the Director at the Policy Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluating Directorate (PPBME) reiterated the Ministers endorsement and support for the Challenge. Rev. Osei said, My expectation of this competition is that it will generate innovative ideas that will provide Ghanas own developed solutions to green building. I can assure you that my Ministry, on behalf of the government, would be looking forward to receiving pragmatic policy recommendations in this regard.



The Executive Director of GhIE and the President of GIA joined the speakers on stage to launch the Challenge officially.



Prizes for the Challenge include a six-month internship with the lead sponsor Goldkey Properties, an all- expense paid trip to South Africa to attend the Green Building Convention in Cape Town, plaque and publication in the media and free EDGE Expert Training. The EDGE Green Building Challenge is organized by IFC EDGE program with donor funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). Goldkey Properties is the headline sponsor. Other supporting partners include Orthner Orthner and Associates, Ghana Institute of Architects, Yecham Property Consult, Business & Financial Times and the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund.



To find out more about the Challenge, visit https://edgebuildings.com

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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This year Her Majesty The Queen became the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking seventy 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth.



Speaking from South Africa on her 21st birthday, Her Majesty devoted her life to the service of the Commonwealth, saying: I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service.



This week the British High Commission joins friends, partners and colleagues to mark the contribution Her Majesty The Queen has made to countries, communities and people in Ghana and across the Commonwealth by holding two events:



 A Big Lunch for children and young people from schools across Ghana;

 And, a live screening of the BBCs Platinum Party At The Palace happening in London, at the High Commissioners Residence.



Speaking after hosting children and young people for a Big Lunch at her Residence, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson said:



This week it is my humble honour and pleasure to join with our friends, colleagues and partners both here in Ghana and across the Commonwealth, to mark and celebrate the extraordinary reign of Her Majesty The Queen.



Together we celebrate not just the work of the crown but the work of the woman who wears it. In her 70 years on the throne, HRH The Queen has been an anchor in times of uncertainty, a figurehead and a constant.



On Thursday evening, Harriet Thompson attended the lighting of the Jubilee Beacon at the Rotary Club of Accra. More than 2000 beacons will be lit throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories, and one in each of the capital cities of Commonwealth countries including in Accra, in recognition of HRH The Queens long and selfless service.







Chairman of the Executive, Rotary International Great Britain and Ireland, David Ellis said:



Rotary International Great Britain and Ireland are delighted to once again take part in Her Majestys Platinum Jubilee Beacon Event as we were for the Diamond Jubilee, we look forward to clubs around world taking an active role in this prestigious event.



The Mission is also delighted to announce the names of two British people living and working in Ghana have been awarded an Overseas and International Birthday 2022 Honour.



Mrs Brenda Akofio-Sowah MBE, Volunteer and Fundraiser, Caledonian Society of Ghana; and Founder, International Spouses Association of Ghana has been awarded a Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the British community in Ghana and UK-Ghana relations.



Mr Steven Gray OBE, Vice Chair, UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce, and Regional Head, UK Export Finance has been awarded a Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to British businesses in West Africa.



The awards announced this week, have recognised 122 extraordinary people in a wide range of fields. These include contributions made across business, charity, development, the environment, education, foreign policy, health, science and security.



Sir Philip Barton, Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service, said:



I congratulate everyone receiving honour and thank them for their hard work and years of service. The UKs impact around the world depends on exceptional people like those recognised in this years Queens Birthday Honours. I am grateful for their outstanding contribution.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Founder and President of the Worldwide Miracle Outreach and an International Evangelist, Dr. Lawrence Tetteh; and the Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, have disagreed with the purported armed demonstration that is being planned for 4th June 2022 by some citizens of the Republic.



The Religious Leaders made their point on GTVs Breakfast Show on June 2, 2022.



According to Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, if they intend to stage a demonstration with ammunition, they should stop because that could create a state of instability in Ghana, insurgency, and also treasonable things in the Nation.



I want to tell any Politician, Im sure no Politician is encouraging that across the parties. Stay safe and keep on the fight, meaning use wisdom.



Citing an example, he stated: In Uganda, if you are an opposition leader you are beaten and put behind a pickup truck. He added that people can express disagreement with some assertions by the President or Vice President as well as the government in power, but one should not take it personally and turn it into hatred where one would want to create an atmosphere of insurrection.



Dr. Lawrence Tetteh also said: sometimes young men get so psyched up and make statements without thinking and I keep saying emotions have no intent. We should be able to make statements that will not undermine the very things we are doing.



"They are demonstrating because they are not happy with something, but if you are going to do it in violence, that will be a crash which we dont want in Ghana. Let us try to do things within the confinement of the law by seeking police permission.



He continued: the whole essence of being here is to create an environment where Muslims and Christians can live in peace, where NPP and NDC can live in peace as well.



I am happy that our young men and women are going on demonstration, it is part of democracy but violence is not acceptable, he concluded.



In a statement posted on their Facebook page, the Ghana Police Service on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, said it had received notification from the above-mentioned organizers of the intended demonstration on Sunday, May 29, 2022.









Source: gbc









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Senegal's President and head of the African Union, Macky Sall, has told his Russian counterpart that he should consider the impact that food shortages caused by the Ukraine conflict are having on the continent, the AFP news agency is reporting.



The two men have been meeting in the southern Russian city of Sochi.



AFP quotes President Sall as saying that President Vladimir Putin should "become aware that our countries, even if they are far from the theatre [of action], are victims on an economic level" of the conflict.



He added that food supplies should be "outside" of the West's sanctions on Russia.



Prior to the conflict, more than 40% of wheat consumed in Africa came from either Ukraine or Russia.



Before he left Senegal, President Sall's office said the visit was aimed at freeing up stocks of cereals and fertilisers that are currently blocked in Ukrainian ports.



African countries have been particularly affected by the price increases caused by the war.



Earlier, the Reuters news agency quoted the Kremlin as saying that Mr Putin would give an "exhaustive" explanation as to what is happening to Ukrainian grain.



In his public remarks after the meeting, quoted by AFP, Mr Putin said Russia was "always on Africa's side".

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The authorities in Lagos have begun the process of crushing more than 2,000 confiscated motorcycles seized this week as part of the attempts to enforce a ban on motorcycle taxis, known as okadas, in the Nigerian city.



The ban was introduced following last months killing by a mob, allegedly made up of motorbike taxi drivers, of Sunday David, a 38-year-old sound engineer in the Lekki area of the city.



Its not the first time the government has imposed a ban.



In January 2020, the government banned the operation of motorcyclists in 15 local council areas across Lagos. But that stopped being enforced.



Some are sceptical whether this ban will work as the okadas provide a vital service in places not covered by the public transport system.



They are also an important source of employment for many young men in the vast city, where lack of work is a big problem.

Source: BBC









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The Office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice has prepared the bill of indictment on one of the conveners of the #FixTheCountry movement, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor.



Per the copy of the bill sighted by the Daily Graphic, Mr Barker-Vormawor has been charged with two counts of treason felony.



The bill of indictment will pave the way for the Ashaiman District Court to commit the accused on the charges.



Committal



At the committal stage, if the magistrate finds the convener to have a case to answer for his conduct, he will be committed to stand trial at the High Court on the charges recommended by the A-G.



Some of the evidence the prosecution will be relying on for the prosecution include Mr Barker-Vormawors investigation cautioned statements, his charge sheet, charge statements, his Facebook and Twitter posts, intelligence report from the Cybercrime Unit of the Ghana Police Service, and intelligence reports from the National Security Ministry.



The state intends to call three witnesses for the trial.



Evidence summary



According to the summary of evidence captured in the bill of indictment, the complainant on February 11, this year saw a post by the accused person which stated that: If this E-levy passes after this cake bullshit, I will do the coup myself. Useless Army!



The case investigator who led the cybercrime unit of the Criminal Investigations Department said on Tuesday February 1, 2022 during his routine 24-hour cyber surveillance and social media monitoring, picked up information on Oliver Barker-Vormawors Facebook which stated "Year of Coups" on his Facebook account.



According to the summary, by Wednesday March 9, 2022, the "likes" on the said posts were 255 and the comments 83.



It further stated that the investigators analysis of the "comments" section of the post made on February 1, 2022, indicated that the accused had managed to convince a number of people of the need to usurp the executive powers of the Republic through a violent overthrow of the Constitution.



That, according to the bill of indictment, led the investigator to immediately inform his superiors about the intelligence he gathered for their onward action



On Wednesday, December 23, 2022, 4:48 a.m, the accused made a post on his Facebook profile stating: "Your Democracy! Your Human rights activist President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo is a fraud! Dear Ghana Police Service, I am waiting for my arrest. Nansins Republic."





The accused is said to have tagged the official Facebook pages of the President of Ghana and the Ghana Police Service.



In another instance, the accused is said to have posted: "This Attorney-General does not fear God. He is claiming that the sick and bedridden Chieftaincy Minister actually went into the chambers and voted for the E-levy even though we all saw that the guy was stuck in his ambulance. If the Supreme Court actually throws away the last of its dignity to join the puppet master in that deception, all just to punish Ghanaians with E-levy at all cost, so that Article 71 holders can live large at the expense of the people, then at this juncture dier, we have crossed the rubicon of no return and I will do the coup myself. Useless Army."



The post, according to the bill of indictment, generated over 400 comments with 70 per cent of his followers supporting his intentions to orchestrate a coup in Ghana.





Arrest



Mr Barker-Vormawor was arrested in February this year by the police for threatening to stage a coup.



The accused, through his lawyers secured a bail at the Tema High Court in the sum of GH2 million with two sureties.









Source: graphiconline.com









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UNCTAD in collaboration with African Union and German corporations has organized a two-day workshop on the contribution of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to economic diversification in Africa in the context of AfCFTA at Labadi Beach Hotel on the 2nd and 3rd day of June 2022.



The workshop dubbed Special Economic Zones In Ghana As A Tool For Industrialization And Diversification aimed to share best practices on special economic zones development and to contribute to the process of the implementation of the AfCFATA.



The workshop also provided a platform for the diverse stakeholder community to discuss the role special economic zones can play in the economic diversification of the continent and supporting regional integration.



Participants included government representatives from several African countries, experts and practitioners as well as private sector executives and pan-African organizations.



The workshop presented the main lessons learned from the development of SEZs in Africa and the implementation of SEZs targeted policies.



It addressed the key factors that contribute to the success of zones through the evaluation of key success stories in the continent.



The workshop also covered mainstreaming of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the development of SEZs policy with a focus on labour and environmental practices.



The event also served as a platform for discussion on regional integration and the implementation of the AfCFTA.



The two-day workshop covered a high-level panel discussion, presentations of the findings of the handbook to a diverse audience of policymakers and practitioners as well as academic training sessions and SEZs visits.



Remarks by Hon. Alan Kyerematen, Minister of Trade and Industry at the workshop, stated; SEZs are increasingly playing a key role in Africas industrial transformation and economic growth while many challenges lay ahead, these zones can play a tremendous role in the development of the African continent under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.



He further said; Technology and innovation play a critical role in transforming an economy. Africa is lagging in terms of innovation and technology. SEZs through FDI act as a mode through which improvement and implementation of innovative technology. There is also the transfer of knowledge between local and foreign counterparts in execution of duties. Therefore, the dynamic benefits that come with spatial development can help in achieving the objective of AfCFTA and in ensuring structural transformation in the continent.



Similarly, although the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement is set to impact SEZs on the continent significantly, there is a lack of research and policy guidance on how zones can adjust to the new regulatory environment.



If Africa is seriously considering adopting the SEZ model for development, policy adjustments are urgently needed. The current state of affairs will not spur industrialization and promote Africas active participation in global trade.



To achieve this, there is the need for a strong long-term vision and institutional support for the success of SEZs and development in Africa coupled with effective cooperation between different levels of government agencies and the private sector.



Furthermore, SEZs are known to increase domestic and foreign direct investment (FDI) in economies due to their distinct regulatory regime and incentives. It is estimated that FDI inflows increased in Africa by 11% in 2018 and 80% and 60% of FDI inflows in 2018 to Egypt and Nigeria respectively are directed to the SEZs.



He urged all participants to assist in maintaining a disciplined focus on the agenda to ensure that, at the end of the workshop, they will have a practical appreciation of the importance of SEZs to the economic diversification in Africa in the context of AfCFTA.



Delivering a keynote speech, H.E. Amb. Michael Oquaye, CEO Of Ghana Free Zones Authority, also said; Africa is endowed with many natural resources and every country can boast of some dominant resource. There is therefore a great opportunity to leverage the resources we have to benefit from economies of scale and become competitive as a continent.



AfCFTA is a major initiative to enhance structural transformation and improve the competitiveness of African industrial products.



It is generally agreed that the opportunities generated by deeper regional integration will not fully materialize unless African countries develop productive capabilities, enabling them to take advantage of economic complementarities between their economies and this is the reason the SEZs are crucial to the industrialization drive of Africa.



For the SEZs to succeed however there is the need to develop productive capacity by attracting firms in strategic sectors and industries. This will be the strategic focus of the Ghana SEZ as well as developing regional and continental value chains.



In this regard, the initiatives our parent Ministry is undertaking includes the site assessment of government land banks including the Greater Kumasi Industrial Park Project, the Sekondi EPZ, the Yabiw ( Shama) EPZ, the Busila Land Bank and the Salvelugu Land Bank. Plans are also far advanced to create SEZs for the Automobile, Pharmaceutical, Agro processing and ICT sectors as well as building Business Incubation centers.



Another bold step of the government is the establishment of the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation with the mandate to create a petroleum hub SEZ on a 20,000 acre land at Jomoro in the Western Region of Ghana.The GFZA has also signed a PPP Agreement with a private developer to develop the Sekondi SEZ.



For Africa, the future of SEZs after COVID probably lies in the success of AfCFTA. There is therefore the need for Africa to look within and be self-reliant using the competitive advantages of countries to produce goods that can be traded within Africa. There is also the need to focus more on developing local businesses and increasing the local raw material production base in the development of SEZs. Development of the local raw material production base is crucial in meeting the requirements of the rules of origin to be able to trade under AfCFTA.



I can confidently say that Ghana as a whole, the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the GFZA specifically, is on the path to putting in place the necessary policies to take advantage of the AfCFTA Agreement. This workshop will provide further clarity on the steps to take to make us more effective in implementing the strategies at the Secretariat levels.



Looking at the concept note for the workshop, it aims to present the main lessons learned from the development of SEZs in Africa, the implementation of SEZs targeted policies, the key factors that contribute to the success of zones through the evaluation of key success stories in the continent, and the mainstreaming of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the development of SEZs policies with a focus on labor and environmental practices. The workshop is also expected to serve as a platform for discussions on regional integration and the implementation of the AfCFTA, he added.











Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Today, June 3, 2022, marks the seventh anniversary of Ghanas worst disaster, the June 3 Twin disaster, which occurred in Accra, in 2015.



In the middle of a heavy flooding and rainstorm mid-night Wednesday, June 3, 2015, an explosion at Kwame Nkrumah Circle Branch of the GOIL filling station in the capital Accra, killed at least 150 people and plunged the whole nation into an official three-day national mourning.



The streets of the capital from the accident scene were littered with bodies while some were found in drains taking authorities weeks to clear the remnants of the disaster.



The morgues were congested with bodies and hospital authorities were overwhelmed with casualties from Ghanas worst-ever disaster that happened on June 3.



What many Ghanaians have coined the Black Wednesday years ago still has imprints of sadness, and sorrow to date and is likely to leave indelible scars on the minds of Ghanaians.



Lessons learnt?



Seven years on, there hasnt been any change in respect of the national efforts to right the wrongs from the horror that hit the nation.



Flooding continues to be a major catastrophe that Ghanaians may have to live with it perpetually.



The country has already recorded several incidents of floods in many parts of the capital, Accra, including Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Kaneshie, Odokor, Dansoman, Flamingo, Teshie, and Mataheko among others.







Source: kasapaonline









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Huawei revealed the definition of the Next-Generation Data Center Facility, and unveiled its new PowerPOD 3.0 data centre power supply system. The new rollouts, not only reaffirms Huaweis commitment to building low-carbon, smart data centres, it also underscores the fact that the next generation of data centres will be sustainable, simplified, autonomous driving, and reliable.



With the continuous development of fields such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and Big Data, data centres will only grow in scale and importance. But at the same time, there is growing pressure on data centres to use less electricity and operate more sustainably, especially as economies in Africa and other regions look to decarbonise. Critically, they will have to do so without compromising on performance or drastically increasing their physical footprints.



The PowerPOD 3.0 enables data centres to do all of these things. It reduces the footprint of data centres by 40%, cuts their energy consumption by 70%, shortens the delivery period from 2 months to 2 weeks, and lowers the service level agreement (SLA) fault rate by 38%.



At Huawei, we are ready and willing to do to contribute to green development in Africa, says Jason Xia Hesheng, President of Huawei Digital Power Southern Africa. We have a proud tradition of ensuring that all our technologies are sustainable while pushing the boundaries of innovation. It will allow customers to pursue some of the most transformative technologies such as 5G and AI while protecting the planet.



Africa in particular stands to benefit from systems such as the PowerPOD 3.0. Energy in particular presents a major challenge in Africa. Data centres consume anywhere between 2%-3% of the worlds power annually. This adds an additional strain on African countries grids. Additionally, the average annual Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of data centres in Africa is 1.8, meaning that they arent as efficient as they could be. Something like the PowerPOD 3.0 could go a long way to bringing that score closer to the ideal of 1.0.



In addition, the systems ability to bring down O&M costs could also prove significant, given that the initial construction of data centre accounts for just a third of its costs, with the other two-thirds coming from O&M.



With Africa set to have more than 600-million internet users and 360 million intelligent end-users by 2025, it will be critical that it not just use systems such as PowerPOD 3.0 to make its existing data centres more efficient, but also as a way of embracing the next generation of data centres, characterized by Sustainability, Simplification, Autonomous Driving and Reliability.



As Africa looks to balance population growth, urbanisation, and the desire to move forward on smart city initiatives with commitments to decarbonise, these kinds of next-generation data centres will be crucial. As the "heart" of the data centre, the power supply system should integrate and innovate all devices in the power supply chain.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), SaCut Denis Amenga-Etego says its totally wrong to stage a demonstration against the government with guns.



According to him, the idea for the June 4 armed demo may have another twist if the organizers are allowed to proceed.



Some leaders of the pressure group, #Fixthecountry are seeking clearance to hold a three-day protest starting June 4 against the Akufo-Addo-led government



The group had informed police that they will be employing their own security personnel and will be armed, in order to protect the marchers.



But SaCut Denis Amenga-Etego who had joined the group and their previous demonstration seem not to support their proposed armed demo.



Arms takes on a different meaning when we want to win the hearts and minds of the people against a tyrannical government, he told the group in a statement copied to Peacefmonline.com.



Adding that, The pen is mightier than the gun. Dont these so-called intellectuals know this? Or they just got confused for a second?



Read below statement



Fixing The Country With Arms Of Conviction



Mr Kwesi Pratt and company, who wined and dined with the radically extreme left all over the world from Cuba to Bolivia to Iran etc and learned their ways of social and political mobilization for political action - even they never contemplated the idea of an armed demonstration on the streets of Ghana.



Obviously, they understood the mood and acceptably chosen methods of the people in their activism. They were not confused - not even for a second. And thats why they had a massive following, at least, until they faded out on the streets and stationed themselves in the studios.



Political action requires strategic thinking along with the masses of the people. Once there is confusion about the strategic political goal of a movement, the group is reduced to a vehicle for misguided self-promotional gimmicks.



Arms takes on a different meaning when we want to win the hearts and minds of the people against a tyrannical government.



We need to be armed with the conviction of principles. Armed with social and scientific research and investigative tools to being able to know the exact mood of the masses at every point in time and the prevailing ills of the government. We need to be armed with the truth.



We must also be armed with a moral high ground. In other words, the integrity of the leaders of any street protest is more inviting to the masses than guns and bullets.



The pen is mightier than the gun. Dont these so-called intellectuals know this? Or did they just got confused for a second?



Street protest is a tool for psychological warfare to undermine the prevailing psychology which is out of manufactured consent exposing the ills of government and carrying the people along in an effort to wake up the spirit and sense of people-power among the masses.



The end game is mass resistance to the establishment. A man's resistance leads to a dead end.



The last time, I and many others were on the street with #FixTheCountry organizers to lend our arms of a collective voice to the mass resistance of the establishment.



There are no doubts in the masses about a clearly misguided leadership after their call for arms on the street. And this is where the group may have to fix itself and come again!



SaCut Denis Amenga-Etego

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Minority in Parliament has filed three urgent questions to compel Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister for Finance, to provide details on how much the state has spent on the National Cathedral project.



The action by the Minority follows the circulation of a letter indicating the release of the additional seed money of GH25 million from national coffers for the project.



Over the period, the government has indicated that the project is to be financed largely by donations from the Christian community.



Speaking to the press on Thursday, June 2, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said, The first urgent question is about the amount of taxpayers funds released for the National Cathedral project thus far. The second urgent question is to ask the Minister responsible for Finance, how much of taxpayer funds have been used to pay Adjaye and Associates and other consultants working on the National Cathedral project.



The third urgent question which stands in the name of Kwame Agbodza relates to the procurement processes because we have done our checks, and we are not convinced that the procurement law has been complied with.



The North Tongu MP had alleged that President Akufo-Addo ordered the release of the said amount.



He noted that the decision is insensitive to the plight of ordinary Ghanaians in the face of current economic difficulties.



In a post on his social media pages, Ablakwa said: The direction of this country is now in a precarious state that we can no longer keep quiet and accept all of this wanton dissipation of scarce resources to continue.



The National Cathedral project was proposed by the government in March 2017 as a physical embodiment of national unity, harmony, and spirituality.



The $350-million inter-denominational cathedral will have an auditorium capable of seating 5,000 people, as well as chapels, and a baptistery.













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The grasshopper Warramaba virgo reproduces asexually. Credit: Michael Kearney, Author provided

Most animals on Earth have two sexes, male and female, that combine and mix their genes when they reproduce. We are so accustomed to this state of affairs that the existence of all-female species that don't have sex, but instead reproduce by cloning, comes as a great surprise.

The beautiful green grasshopper Warramaba virgo is one of these rare "parthenogenetic" species, in which an egg can develop into an embryo without being fertilized by a sperm. It lives in the southern parts of the Australian arid zone, where it feeds on mulga trees and other shrubs and bushes in the summertime.

We have studied these grasshoppers for the past 18 years to understand how they developed asexual reproduction, and how the change has affected their ability to survive and reproduce.

Our new research published in Science shows W. virgo arose about 250,000 years ago from a cross between two different sexually reproducing species of grasshopper, and giving up sex appears to have had no negative repercussions for them whatsoever.

The puzzle of parthenogenesis

Biologists studying evolution have often considered the rarity of parthenogenetic species like W. virgo as a major puzzle.

This is because sex imposes big costs on animal reproduction. First, there is the "two-fold cost of sex": half a creature's offspring (the males) are unable to produce their own offspring alone, so they are often seen as "evolutionary wastage."

Moreover, finding a mate takes energy and mating animals are often at greater risk of attack by predators. Doing away with males also removes these drawbacks.

Warramaba virgo feeds on mulga trees (many of which also reproduce asexually). Credit: Michael Kearney, Author provided

So why does sex exist at all? The main reason, biologists think, relates to the mixing or "recombination" of genes as a consequence of sex. This can speed up the rate of adaptation by bringing favorable combinations of genes together and also helps to purge a population of combinations of bad mutations.

Parthenogenetic species don't have these processes: instead, all members of the species have virtually identical genes. This means they might be less able to adapt when the environment changes. What's more, parthenogens could accumulate bad mutations that reduce their fitness.

But are these costs real? Do they result in the rapid extinction of any parthenogens that happen to form?

What's the secret of W. virgo?

Over the past 18 years we have been investigating these questions in W. virgo.

This grasshopper was first studied in 1962 by the eminent evolutionary biologist and geneticist Michael White. White's young son Nicholas first discovered them near the New South Wales town of Hillston, when he noted that only females of a particular species could be found.

White then went on to show that the same species was present 2,000 km away in Western Australia, along with a sexual species (recently named W. whitei).

W. virgo turned out to have a hybrid origin: a cross between W. whitei and another species, W. flavolineata, many thousands of years in the past.

Warramaba virgo (middle) and its parent species, W. flavolineata (left) and W. whitei (right) . Credit: Michael Kearney, Author provided

A parthenogenetic species might have an advantage if its genetic diversity is boosted by repeated hybridizations between the two parent species, producing an army of different clones. Combining the genomes of the two species might also make the parthenogens more vigorous.

Such "hybrid vigor" does occur in some animals, such as mules (crosses between a horse and a donkey). The mule has much greater strength and endurance than its parent species.

Could it be that the hybrid origins of W. virgo generated a diverse clone army with special abilities compared to its sexual relatives, or a hybrid with high level of vigor?

Few benefits to giving up sex, but also no drawbacks

The answers to these questions were a resounding "No"!

We examined more than 1,500 genetic markers in W. virgo and found almost no variation in the parthenogens compared with the parent species.

This showed clearly that only one hybrid mating between W. whitei and W. flavolineata was responsible for producing W. virgo in the first place. Based on the number and nature of mutations that have occurred in W. virgo, we estimate the mating occurred some 250,000 years ago.

We also showed that the parthenogen had no advantage over its parent species in a range of physiological traits including tolerance to heat and cold, rate of metabolism, how many eggs they lay, the size of their eggs, how long they take to mature and how long they live.

A lab-made cross of W. whitei and W. flavolineata. She produced few eggs, none of which hatched. Credit: Michael Kearney, Author provided

Meanwhile, W. virgo naturally produced twice as many female offspring as the sexual species. It retained its two-fold advantage over sexual species despite 250,000 years for low fitness mutations to accumulate in this species.

The conclusion from our research then is that W. virgo has become parthenogenic but without costs. It has also successfully spread all the way from the west side of the country to the east side, unlike its parent species.

Why don't more species give up on sex?

So why then do we see sexual species everywhere despite their two-fold reproductive cost? We suspect it must be very difficult to develop parthenogenesis in the first place.

Indeed, we have tried experimentally crossing the same sexual species that gave rise to W. virgo and only created a few hybrids, none of which were able to produce offspring. The hybrid state may disturb the normal processes of egg development sufficiently to make parthenogenesis an extremely uncommon phenomenon in animals more generally.

We think future research into the paradox of sexual reproduction should focus on barriers that prevent sex from being lost, rather than only focusing on the advantages of sex.

Explore further Asexual reproduction can have negative effects on genome evolution in stick insects

More information: Michael R. Kearney et al, Parthenogenesis without costs in a grasshopper with hybrid origins, Science (2022). Journal information: Science Michael R. Kearney et al, Parthenogenesis without costs in a grasshopper with hybrid origins,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.abm1072

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Johnny Depp has won his defamation suit against his ex-wife Amber Heard for her Washington Post op-ed article published in 2018, which stated she was a "public figure representing domestic abuse."

The facts in every case are unique, and the jury is always in a better position to judge these facts than commentators relying on media reports.

Nevertheless in such a high profile case as this, the verdict has a ripple effect that can go beyond the facts. The unfortunate reality is the Depp Heard case is likely to reinforce the fear that women who come forward with claims of sexual and domestic abuse will encounter a system in which they are unlikely to be believed.

Reform is needed to better balance the protection of men's individual reputations with the rights of women to speak about their experiences.

Defamation a tool of elite men

Depp was awarded more than US$10 million in damages after convincing the jury Heard was a malicious liar.

This is despite the fact a U.K. judge determined in 2020 that it was "substantially true" Depp had assaulted Heard repeatedly during their relationship.

After the verdict, Heard commented she was "heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway" of her famous ex-husband.

Historically, the common law of defamation was built to protect public men in their professions and trades. It worked to both defend their reputations individually and shut down speech about them as a group.

Data from the United States in the late 20th century shows women comprise only 11% of plaintiffs bringing defamation suits.

As legal scholar Diane Borden has noted, the majority of libel plaintiffs are "men engaged in corporate or public life who boast relatively elite standing in their communities."

Defamation trialswhich run according to complex and idiosyncratic rulesare often lengthy and expensive, thus favoring those with the resources to instigate and pursue them.

Various defenses exist, including arguing that the comments are factually true, or that they were made on occasions of "qualified privilege," where a person has a duty to communicate information and the recipient has a corresponding interest in receiving it.

But in one way or another, disputes concerning allegations of sexual and domestic abuse usually come down to matters of credibility and believability that play on gendered stereotypes.

It becomes another version of "he said, she said," and as we've seen from the social media response to Amber Heard, women making these types of allegations are often positioned as vengeful or malicious liars before their cases even reach the courts. This is despite the fact sexual assault and intimate partner violence are common, and false reporting is rare.

In fact, most victims don't tell the police, their employer or others what happened to them due to fears of not being believed, facing professional consequences, or being subject to shaming and further abuse.

Heard has received thousands of death threats and suffered relentless mockery on social media.

Time for reform

The global #MeToo movement and recent Australian campaigns, such as those instigated by Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins, encourage survivors to speak out and push collectively for change.

But now, ruinous and humiliating defamation suits could further coerce and convince women to keeping their experiences quiet and private. Measures must be taken to better protect public speech on such matters.

One potential way forward is for defamation trials involving imputations of gendered abuse to incorporate expert evidence about the nature of sexual and domestic violence in our society.

For decades, feminist legal scholars fought for the inclusion of such evidence in criminal trials, especially those relating to matters of self-defense in domestic homicides and issues of consent in rape proceedings.

Expert sociological and psychological evidence can combat and discredit ingrained patriarchal assumptions and mythscomments and questions such as "what was she wearing?"; "why didn't she fight back?"; "why didn't she just leave him?"; "why was she nice to him afterwards?" or "why didn't she tell people at the time?"

Otherwise, pervasive gender biasoften held by both men and women, judge and jurycan undermine the voices and accounts of women before they even set foot in court, before they even open their mouths.

Defamation trials have not traditionally included such expert evidence. But now that they have become a powerful forum for silencing speech about gendered harm, perhaps it's time they did so.

Explore further The Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial shows the dangers of fan culture

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Baudet du Poitou donkeys are endangered. Their numbers have dwindled to only 300-400 worldwide. A breeding effort is underway at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaigns College of Veterinary Medicine to expand their numbers and help save the breed from extinction. Credit: Michelle Hassel, Public Affairs | Illinois

Nothing I've read about the Baudet du Poitou donkeys prepares me for my first sight of them. They are girthy, with massive round bellies and oversized ears that swoop forward and back, sometimes independently of one another. They are covered in thick hair that hangs in shaggy tufts, "like mammoth fur," says my companion on this adventure in equine medicine, Public Affairs senior photographer Michelle Hassel.

We're here today with veterinarian and Ph.D. student Dr. Giorgia Podico to observe these exotic animals and check on their reproductive status. Podico is part of a team that is trying to impregnate these two donkeys, which are endangered and in need of conservation. Three days ago, the two jennies were artificially inseminated with semen preserved for 25 years in one of the U. of I. College of Veterinary Medicine's freezers.

The college has worked with Baudet du Poitou donkeys since 2020. Even though he is long gone, Saadi Du Bourg, the jack who provided the semen sample for the new effort, may still sire offspring through artificial means, Podico says.

The female donkeys are 10 to 12 years old. The larger, darker one is Sophie. Her companion, Sourbette, is a lighter shade of brown. They huddle together, oblivious of a two-year-old jack in the pen next to theirs in the equine reproductive wing of the Large Animal Clinic at the U. of I. The jack's name is Kipling, and he's much grouchier than the jennies, Podico says.

The stockiness of Baudet du Poitou donkeys makes them a good breed to cross with horses to produce sturdy mules for farm work, Podico says. They were bred in the Poitou region of France in the Middle Ages, possibly from donkeys brought there by the Romans centuries earlier.

Some were shipped to the U.S. in the 19th and 20th centuries, but their unique genetic characteristics were lost through interbreeding with donkeys here.

These three were sent to the U. of I. from a farm in Vermont that is trying to establish a breeding program for them in the U.S. Dr. Igor Canisso, a veterinary specialist in equine reproduction in veterinary clinical medicine at Illinois, is leading the breeding effort.

Podico opens the gate to the pen and tries to coax the donkeys outside.

"They're very stubborn, donkeys. You know, they're famous for that," she says. "They're smarter than horses. You can't really convince them to do something they don't want to do."

Dr. Kianna Spencer watches the ultrasound monitor as Dr. Giorgia Podico examines Sourbette for signs of pregnancy. Credit: Michelle Hassel, Public Affairs | Illinois

After a little coaxing, the donkeys begin to move. They probably know they're headed outside to an area where they can munch some fresh grass, an activity they seem to enjoy.

"And don't try to speed them up, because they don't go fast," Podico says. Donkeys normally move "at sloth speed," she says.

After their snack, the donkeys are led back inside the facility. On the way, they pass an outdoor pen where a large dark mare rushes to the fence and calls out to them, neighing loudly. They snap to attention and bray back at her. The three once shared a pen and clearly regard one another with affection, Podico says.

Once inside, Podico and her colleague, veterinary resident Dr. Kianna Spencer, coax each of the hesitant donkeys into a narrow stall where an ultrasound can be performed. They are checking the jennies for early evidence of an implanted, fertilized egg. The odds are against them, however. Artificial insemination with formerly frozen semen can cause inflammatory reactions that interfere with pregnancy, Podico says. At best, studies have shown, they have a 1 in 5 chance of becoming pregnant.

Despite the odds, one of the jennies inseminated here in 2020 had a successful pregnancy. Her offspring, a jack named Hamilton, was born prematurely on the farm in Vermont and nearly died of sepsis, but intensive care brought him back. He was the first to be conceived in the U.S. with frozen semen.

It is strange to think of a domesticated breed of farm animal as an endangered species, but these donkeys are precariously close to extinction. There are only 300-400 Baudet du Poitou donkeys left in the world, up from a mere 44 in the mid-1970s. Efforts like the one at Illinois will likely determine their ultimate fate.

The ultrasound goes well. When scanning Sourbette's uterus, Podico sees a tiny 7-millimeter circle of black, which could be a sign of pregnancy, she says.

"We'll check in a couple of days to see if it has grown at all," she says.

We later learn that Sourbette is not pregnant. Podico says the jennies' owner, Bari Fischer, has agreed to continue the effort to expand the Baudet du Poitou numbers. So, the team at Illinois will try again to impregnate these jennies and save the breed.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Food wastage in farm shops, agricultural cooperatives and farmers' stalls is between 1% and 2%, a much lower percentage than in supermarkets, where 5% to 10% of fruits and vegetables end up in the rubbish bin. This is the result of a study by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) carried out as part of a project that aims to contribute to the creation of resilient municipalities that can cope with situations of food vulnerability such as the one generated by the COVID19 pandemic.

Eighty percent of the world's food is consumed in cities, where 70 percent of waste generation is also concentrated. The PANDEMIES project"Pandemic Resilient Municipalities through the nexus of proximity agriculture, energy, water and waste. From the pilot to the municipality" aims to reduce food waste, bring sustainable production closer to consumers in cities and raise public awareness of this global problem.

The study compares the level of food wastage of fruits and vegetables in long distribution chain establishments (supermarkets, hypermarkets), which supply 81% of the population, with those in the short chain (farm shops, agricultural cooperatives and direct sales by farmers), which supply 19% of the population.

Waste in farm shops and agricultural cooperatives is up to 80% lower than in supermarkets due to the fact that, in this type of establishment, there is a closer relationship between buyer and seller, which encourages the consumption of more varied and seasonal foodstuffs. Customers also tend to be more environmentally conscious and tend to buy more aesthetically "ugly" products, most of which do not make it to supermarkets. Pietro Tonini, ICTA-UAB researcher responsible for this study, says, "Between 10 and 15% of what is grown stays in the field due to aesthetic demands, market saturation or excessively low prices, figures that are not counted as food waste."

The study shows that those who buy in supermarkets/hypermarkets are more likely to consume ultra-processed products, a type of food whose consumption has increased after the pandemic. In contrast, farm shop and agricultural cooperative customers consume more fresh goods, spend more time cooking, and are more environmentally and healthily conscious.

It is estimated that long-chain distribution wastes 60 million tons of food every year in Europe, i.e., between 35 and 38 kilograms per person per year. "This means that more than a third of what we produce is wasted: a terrible figure," explains Pietro Tonini, who points out that, fortunately, the short supply chain is growing in Mediterranean countries.

The aim of the project is to raise awareness and promote sustainable food production among the population, bringing production closer to the consumer. "At present, wholesalers import products from far away, so we are breaking the system around the cities," concludes Pietro Tonini.

Explore further A third of fruit and vegetable crops too ugly to sell
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism are ubiquitous among CEOs, despite ample evidence that these dark personality traits pose financial and managerial risks to organizations. Their prevalence on corporate boardsnearly three times the general populationsuggests that on some levels anti-social behavior may benefit business management. A new study published in the Strategic Management Journal in May reveals one such instance, finding that companies with Machiavellian CEOs have a net income savings of over 6.6% on firm costs.

"Negotiating important firm costs is a fundamental, often headline-making activity with significant impact on organizations," said Federico Aime, a management professor at Oklahoma State University and one of the study's authors. "Highly Machiavellian personalities consistently excel in situations that are stressful, uncertain, unstructured and have a high degree of face-to-face interactionall of which are commiserate with the CEO position and high-level negotiations."

The research specifically measures how CEOs higher on the Machiavellian scale (high Machs) perform at negotiating lower production costs, acquisition premiums and debt financing. To determine high Machs, Aime, along with co-authors Tessa Recendes, Aaron D. Hill and Oleg V. Petrenko, aggregated public video of 198 CEOs at S&P 500 firms from 2000 to 2011. Trained psychology professionals then evaluated the videos using an established scale for Machiavellianism.

"There is an assumption among business management researchers that markets determine costs and CEOs can't contribute much to reducing them through sheer force of personality," said Recendes. "But where CEOs aren't directly negotiating deals, they create culture and priorities within a company which managers use as directives."

To establish CEO influence over costs, the authors first ran multilevel modeling on corporate and financial data from four different data sets, finding a 32.3% CEO effect on production costs and 22.3% effect on financing costs. For acquisitions however, CEO influence is clear: their presence can be felt at every stage from selecting the acquisition targets to negotiating the final deal. With the connection between each cost and CEOs established, the researchers compared how CEOs across the Machiavellian spectrum faired in 1,354 firm years and 186 acquisitions.

"It should be no surprise that CEOs with a Machiavellian focus on bargaining pay less on acquisition premiums," Hill said. "Machiavellianism can drive CEOs to gather more bargaining information because their inherent distrust, to leverage social interactions and coalitions, and to manipulate others allow them to win."

The study found that companies with Machiavellian CEOs paid 12.11 percent lower acquisition premiums, representing approximately $157 million or 3.6% of the average deal. Companies with high Mach CEOs also paid $101.19 million less on goods sold and $35.8 million less on debt interest, representing a total of 6.6% savings on the average company's net income. The researchers explained that high Mach expectations and cultural norms filtered down to bargaining performance on production and financial costs.

"Even for the interactions they aren't directly involved in, they set the tone from the top and infuse the organization with a great deal of their traits through their agenda, initial decisions and leadership behaviors," Petrenko said.

The authors note that while high Mach CEOs seem to lower company costs, this might not outweigh the risks of the personality trait. However, the study does help explain the ubiquity of Machiavellianism in the upper echelons of business management, considering the decades-long focus on cost reduction. Adding negotiation structures and opportunity-seeking resources might offer some of the same effect, but there may also be unexplored benefits to Machiavellianism for CEOs.

Explore further Feedback-seeking CEOs boost firm performance

More information: Tessa Recendes et al, Bargaining your way to success: The effect of Machiavellian chief executive officers on firm costs, Strategic Management Journal (2022). Tessa Recendes et al, Bargaining your way to success: The effect of Machiavellian chief executive officers on firm costs,(2022). DOI: 10.1002/smj.3402

Provided by Strategic Management Society
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

It's fair to say that drinking alcohol is popular among Kiwis, to the point of potential harm.

According to the latest New Zealand Health Survey, one in five adultsor 824,000 peoplehave an established drinking pattern that "carries a high risk of future damage to physical or mental health."

In 2016, data showed heavy drinking sessions were much more common in New Zealand than in the U.K., the U.S., Canada and even countries like Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Alcohol abuse is also a major contributor to crime. In 2010, the New Zealand Police estimated about one-third of all police apprehensions involved alcohol and half of serious violent crimes had alcohol as a contributing factor.

Dropping the purchasing age

However, in a landmark alcohol reform enacted in 1999, New Zealand reduced the minimum purchasing age from 20 to 18 years old.

Politicians in favor of the change argued that an 18-year-old could vote and marry and should therefore be given the chance to drink in a safe environment.

Since then, there has been an ongoing debate among social and political commentators, including health professionals, over whether the legal purchasing threshold should be raised back to 20.

Critics of the 1999 reform usually cite a potential increase in public health risks to support their point of view.

Last year, in an unprecedented move, the heads of the district health boards released a joint statement calling for the reform of the 2012 Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act.

The statement proposed numerous changes to reduce easy access to alcohol, including increasing the legal purchasing age from 18 to 20.

Does alcohol access cause a jump in crime?

In a recent study, researchers found monthly consumption jumped drastically when individuals turned 18 and could legally purchase alcohol.

The researchers used Statistics New Zealand's integrated data infrastructure (IDI) to test whether this change in drinking behavior prompted a corresponding spike in alcohol-related criminal behavior among 18- and 19-year-olds.

The analysis also took advantage of the detailed crime register administered by the Ministry of Justice.

The spectrum of offenses is broad, ranging from minor incidents, such as bringing alcohol into an alcohol banned area, to severe crimes like causing injury through excess alcohol.

The authors considered convictions a more accurate measure of crime than arrests, as not every arrest leads to a conviction.

Researchers looked at the difference in alcohol-related criminal behavior for ages just below the minimum legal purchasing age versus ages right above the mandated age threshold.

Put simply, the research compared the criminal outcomes of youths who had just gained the right to buy alcohol to those who were close to turning 18 and therefore unable to legally buy it.

There was a slight increase in traffic violations by drivers around the currently mandated age of 18. However, the analysis found little evidence that 18- and 19-year-olds committed more alcohol-related crimes after reaching the legal purchasing age.

From 2014 to 2018, the average number of alcohol-induced offenses for those aged 17 years and 11 months stood at 53 convictions per 100,000 people and increased by four convictions in the month turning 18. This equals an increase of 8% but is not statistically significant.

However, similar to previous research, the analysis indicated that gaining easier access to alcohol was associated with an immediate spike in other crimes, particularly dangerous acts and property damage.

The average number of property damage convictions (per 100,000 people) where alcohol was involved increased from 40 to 51 (28%), and dangerous acts increased from 47 to 60 convictions (27%) in the month of turning 18.

Alcohol purchasing age of 20

The researchers also examined how criminal behavior changed in the period between 1994 and 1998 when the legal alcohol purchasing age was 20.

They found that all alcohol-related convictions dropped from 203 to 163 (19%) in the month of turning 20.

This surprising pattern is caused by changes in the legal breath and blood alcohol limit, which takes place at the same age and permits higher blood alcohol levels for drivers aged 20 and above.

When removing those types of convictions, the researchers find no observable jump in alcohol-related crimes. That said, there was an increase in offenses against public order and other traffic-related convictions.

Alcohol and crime in the US and Canada

These findings align with the data from the United States and Canada.

A US study looked at how crime rates changed around the minimum legal drinking age of 21 in the states where drinking and purchasing alcohol below the age of 21 is not permitted.

The authors found individuals aged just over 21 were 5.9% more likely to be arrested than individuals just under 21. However, crime levels for this age group were substantially higher compared to New Zealand.

In Canada, where the minimum legal drinking age for most states sits at 18, and 19 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, a sharp increase of 7.6% in all crimes was observedwith a large jump of 29.4% for disorderly conduct.

As two decades of data shows, allowing younger people to drink has resulted in upticks in some types of crime, but not all of them. Understanding the impact of lowering New Zealand's drinking age can inform the ongoing policy debate and offers decision makers an insight into how these sorts of thresholds can change society in unexpected ways.

Explore further Alcohol-impaired driving crimes spike immediately after drinking age

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The molecular ruby [Cr(bpmp) 2 ]3+ with an earth-abundant chromium(III) central ion sensitizes green-to-blue triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion with 9,10-diphenylanthracene as the annihilator. The process involves a near-unity energy transfer efficiency via an underexplored reaction pathway, an anti-Stokes shift of 0.54 eV, and a maximum upconversion quantum yield of 12.0 %. Credit: Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2022). DOI: 10.1002/anie.202202238

Sustainable chemical applications need to be able to employ renewable energy sources, renewable raw materials, and earth-abundant elements. However, to date many techniques have only been possible with the use of expensive precious metals or rare earth metals, the extraction of which can have serious environmental impacts. A team of researchers including Professor Katja Heinze and Professor Christoph Kerzig of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) as well as Dr. Ute Resch-Genger of the German Bundesanstalt fur Materialforschung und -prufung (BAM) has now achieved a breakthrough in the use of chromium, an abundant base metal which Heinze's group has been investigating for some time.

The new findings show that chromium compounds, also called molecular rubies, can substitute expensive precious metals in photon upconversion. Photon upconversion (UC) is a process in which the sequential absorption of two photons of lower energy leads to the emission of one photon of higher energy. This higher energy photon can in principle be employed to expand the use of low-energy sunlight in solar cells or photochemical reactions which otherwise require UV light for activation. The use of molecular rubies can thus help to reduce the impact of environmentally damaging processes such as mining of precious metals or rare earth elements and to expand photochemistry to more sustainable processes.

Chromium compounds as a promising alternative

Most photochemical and photophysical applications such as phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes, dye-sensitized solar cells, or light-driven chemical reactions use precious metals such as gold, platinum, ruthenium, iridium, or rare earth metals. However, precious metals are expensive because they are scarce while rare earth elements are only mined in a few countries, in China in particular. Furthermore, their extraction often involves considerable consumption of water, energy, and chemicals. In some cases, such as gold mining, highly toxic substances such as cyanide or mercury are employed.

On the other hand, resources of the metal chromium, which gets its name from the ancient Greek word for color, are 10,000 times more plentiful in the Earth's crust than those of platinum and 100,000 times greater than those of iridium, meaning that it is available in sufficient quantities. "Unfortunately, the photophysical properties of abundant metals like chromium or iron are just not good enough to be useful in technological applications, especially when it comes to the lifetimes and energies of their electronically excited states," explained Professor Katja Heinze of JGU's Department of Chemistry. A significant progress in this regard has been made only in the last few years, with Heinze's team being one of the main contributors. They were also involved in the development of so-called molecular rubies. These are soluble molecular compounds which possess exceptionally good excited state characteristics. Molecular rubies have already been used as molecular optical thermometers and pressure sensors.

Direct observation of the energy transfer processes thanks to new large-scale laser device

The team of scientists from Mainz and Berlin has now achieved yet another breakthrough. "In the process, we observed a novel mechanism and understood the high efficiency of the new chromium compounds in detail," said Professor Christoph Kerzig. The scientists managed to directly observe the unusual energy transfer pathway using a laser setup recently installed in the Kerzig group. This so-called laser flash photolysis technique allowed them to detect all intermediates that are important for the upconversion mechanisms. Furthermore, quantitative laser experiments established the absence of inherent energy loss channels and side reactions, which lays the grounds for efficient applications of this underexplored way to transfer and convert solar energy with chromium compounds.

Consequently, scientists may be able to develop new light-driven reactions using the common metal chromium in the future instead of using the rare, more costly ruthenium and iridium compounds, which today are still the most frequently used. "Together with our partners at BAM in Berlin and other universities we will continue to push on with our efforts to develop a more sustainable photochemistry," said Professor Katja Heinze.

The group's results have been published in Angewandte Chemie.

Explore further Manganese could make luminescent materials and the conversion of sunlight more sustainable

More information: Cui Wang et al, Efficient TripletTriplet Annihilation Upconversion Sensitized by a Chromium(III) Complex via an Underexplored Energy Transfer Mechanism, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2022). Journal information: Angewandte Chemie International Edition , Angewandte Chemie Cui Wang et al, Efficient TripletTriplet Annihilation Upconversion Sensitized by a Chromium(III) Complex via an Underexplored Energy Transfer Mechanism,(2022). DOI: 10.1002/anie.202202238
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The prospect that the U.S. Supreme Court could soon strike down its landmark abortion-rights decision in Roe v. Wade has galvanized some social media usersfrom Pennsylvania to Colorado, and New Jersey to Canadato organize an unofficial abortion aid network for the internet age.

On sites like TikTok, women are posting videos offering out-of-state abortion seekers a place to stay and assistance with transportation, with some using code words like "camping" or "site-seeing" instead of "abortion."

"If anyone needs a 'vacation to the woods,' consider the campfire already started," wrote one woman, who said she lived in Pennsylvania, tagging the post "#roevwade." "I've got a cozy and safe tiny shed for relaxation and recovery."

"Camping season in Pennsylvania is 24 weeks," she said, referencing the weeks of pregnancy in which abortion would still be legal in the commonwealth.

While thousands of commenters have chimed in offers of help, providers and abortion rights activists say reliable networks already are in place. Many have been operating for decades to help people seeking abortions. Organizers say donating or volunteering for existing organizations is far more effective.

The Abortion Liberation Fund of Pennsylvania has been helping lower-income patients cover the cost of an abortion since 1985.

"If you're outraged and feeling the need to take action, we don't want to curb that. But there's too much at stake for folks to walk into this without having done their due diligence," said Elicia Gonzales, the fund's executive director. "Abortion seekers need to be handled with care, with folks who are skilled and have experience in knowing how to deal with the range of issues."

Without getting in touch with already-existing aid networks, the newly politically active risk duplicating services and alienating vulnerable populations whose needs they may not understand. Most people getting abortions in Pennsylvania are early along in their pregnancy, in their 20s, and unmarried. Black people were nearly seven times as likely as white people to seek out abortions in 2020, according to information from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

"This assumption of a lack of an existing system isn't malicious, but undermines the foresight, brilliance, and collaboration" of reproductive justice organizers, especially Black women, said Beulah Osueke, the deputy director of New Voices for Reproductive Justice, an organization that focuses on the needs of Black women and people across the full spectrum of gender identities in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

"I sense a lot of frustration, because this has been happening. Access has been restricted. And Black women in particular, poor people in particular, face a set of obstacles that white people, people who have financial means, were not privy to," Osueke said.

Those who want to help abortion seekers should research the organizations already working in their community, and contact those groups with offers for funding or volunteer time, activists say.

Long-standing organizations such as the Abortion Liberation Fund of Pennsylvania have established routines for providing funds to people seeking abortions across state lines. The group is also accustomed to working with communities statewide, such as recently coordinating a house party around a request for outreach in York, Pa.

Opposition to abortion doesn't stop some Americans from supporting friends and family who seek one.

People who aren't ready to host a patient recovering from an abortion, or to be a clinic escort, can get involved simply by talking more about abortion, said Gonzales, the executive director.

"Sometimes we ask folks to support a person who needs to travel out of state because of PA's gestational limits. Sometimes we partner with sibling funds to get folks across state lines," she said.

The Women's Centers, a network of independent abortion providers in several states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, needs clinic escorts to help patients "when there's a lot of harassment and violence outside our facilities," said Lizbeth Rodriguez, the Pennsylvania community engagement coordinator.

"A lot of the antiabortion legislation is meant to confuse folks," Rodriguez said. "We always just try to reassure themyou are being seen, and connecting folks to other practical support networks."

Nationally, the established networks helping abortion seekers cover health care costs, transportation, housing, and child care during the procedure are known as "practical support organizations," said Tessa Benson, the deputy director of Apiary, a nonprofit that supports their work across the country.

Practical support organizations often fly under the radar, Benson said, but have developed sets of best practices for abortion seekers through decades of experienceand sometimes simple trial and error. Now, those organizations typically train volunteers on how best to help patients.

"People who are not tapped into this network don't realize some of these systems are already established and in place and are wanting to create something on their ownthey're folks who are really well-intentioned and wanting to plug in in ways that are actionable and meaningful," Benson said. "When there's a crisis in the abortion access world, people get really fired up about contributing in any way they can."

2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The recent mass shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, has sparked another round of the gun control debate.

The shooter reportedly used an AR-15-type rifle, bought just after he turned 18. The AR-15 has been controversial in the United States and Canada for decades, and, in 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government prohibited the weapon.

Assault-style rifle characteristics

Several characteristics of the AR-15 make it dangerous in the wrong hands. It is a semi-automatic firearm, meaning it can be fired repeatedlyonce for each pull of the trigger. And it can be reloaded in seconds by removing its cartridge magazine and replacing it with a loaded one.

A less frequently commented upon feature of the AR-15 is that it usually fires a version of the ammunition used by many NATO soldiers to kill enemy troops. As shown in Texas, and many other mass shootings, that ammunition is also extremely effective at harming civilians. The Texas killer purchased 1,600 rounds of the ammunition.

Journalists have debated whether to detail the bodily harms experienced by mass shooting victims. Some believe that failing to describe the physical effects of rifle bullets sanitizes mass shooting events, and suggest that greater public knowledge about victims' injuries might affect the gun control debate.

Dangerous high-velocity ammunition

Ammunition is often defined by its caliberthat is, by the diameter of the projectile fired. Firearm calibers are designated in millimeters or inches. The .223-inch caliber ammunition (or 5.56mm) used in most AR-15s is smaller than the rounds employed in many rifles traditionally used for hunting game, like the .308.

However, the small size of the .223 ammunition doesn't mean it's safe. It was developed in response to the American military's desire in the post-Second World War period to create a small-caliber, high-velocity weapon. The .223 round was light, meaning that soldiers could easily carry many rounds for their rifles.

The firearms industry mass-marketed semi-automatic rifles like the AR-15, and such weapons became increasingly popular by the late 20th century. Unfortunately, rifles firing .223 ammunition also frequently became a favorite weapon of mass shooters.

The head of a Canadian firearms group details the dangers of .223 ammunition on his YouTube channel.

Defenders of the AR-15 sometimes downplay the dangers of such guns. For example, in 2020, the vice-president of a Canadian gun lobby group, the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights, tweeted a picture of her AR-15 and called it a "a low-powered sport rifle."

However, doctors who have treated the victims of mass casualty events have described the serious injuries inflicted by ammunition fired from assault-style rifles.

Graphic detail of injuries and damage

While gun advocates generally avoid discussing the harm that assault-style rifles can cause, there are exceptions.

Before he became CEO of the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights, Rod Giltaca explained in graphic detail the dangers of the .223 round on his YouTube channel.

Giltaca introduced his 2013 video, focused on wound characteristics, by stating that there was "some misconception about the .223 cartridge" and that he wanted to show "how dangerous that cartridge still is, even though, yes, it's a small bullet." He pointed out that unlike rounds fired from handguns, the ".223 travels really, really fast, and that creates some problems should you get hit with it."

Giltaca detailed the various "problems" a human body experienced if shot with a .223 rifle bullet.

For example, he said the bullet produces a "little shockwave," which leads to a "temporary stretch cavity." If the bullet strikes a thigh, for example, "it's going to suck a bunch of air in there." This leads to "massive tissue disruption and tissue death" because "your skin has been pulled apart and it tears, and it collapses back together again."

Giltaca concluded by offering his "bottom line." Rifles firing ammunition like .223 rounds "are really, really dangerous," for if "you get hit with a rifle round, you're not coming back."

Americans have been reminded of this over and over again in mass shootings committed with assault-style rifles. And, unfortunately, Canadians have also learned about the dangers of such guns.

The rifle used in the Montreal massacre in 1989, the now prohibited Mini-14, fired .223 ammunition. Fourteen young women died as a result.

Explore further Study finds less fragmentation in muzzleloading and black powder cartridge rifles

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
This image made from a composite of September 2003January 2004 photos captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows nearly 10,000 galaxies in the deepest visible-light image of the cosmos, cutting across billions of light-years. Credit: NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI), HUDF Team

Scientists who study the cosmos have a favorite philosophy known as the "mediocrity principle," which, in essence, suggests that there's really nothing special about Earth, the sun or the Milky Way galaxy compared to the rest of the universe.

Now, new research from CU Boulder adds yet another piece of evidence to the case for mediocrity: Galaxies are, on average, at rest with respect to the early universe. Jeremy Darling, a CU Boulder astrophysics professor, recently published this new cosmological finding in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

"What this research is telling us is that we have a funny motion, but that funny motion is consistent with everything we know about the universethere's nothing special going on here," said Darling. "We're not special as a galaxy or as observers."

Roughly 35 years ago, researchers discovered the cosmic microwave background, which is electromagnetic radiation left over from the universe's formation during the Big Bang. The cosmic microwave background appears warmer in the direction of our motion and cooler away from the direction of our motion.

From this glow of the early universe, scientists can infer that the sunand the Earth orbiting around itis moving in a certain direction, at a certain speed. Researchers find that our inferred velocity is a fraction of a percent of the speed of lightsmall, but not zero.

Scientists can independently test this inference by counting the galaxies that are visible from Earth or adding up their brightness. They can do this thanks largely to Albert Einstein's 1905 theory of special relativity, which explains how speed affects time and space. In this application, a person on Earth looking out into the universe in one directionthe same direction that the sun and the Earth are movingshould see galaxies that are brighter, bluer and more concentrated. Similarly, by looking the other direction, the person should see galaxies that are darker, redder and spaced farther apart.

But when investigators have tried to count galaxies in recent yearsa process that's difficult to do accuratelythey've come up with numbers that suggest the sun is moving much faster than previously thought, which is at odds with standard cosmology.

"It's hard to count galaxies over the whole skyyou're usually stuck with a hemisphere or less," said Darling. "And, on top of that, our own galaxy gets in the way. It has dust that will cause you to find fewer galaxies and will make them look dimmer as you get closer to our galaxy."

Darling was intrigued and perplexed by this cosmological puzzle, so he decided to investigate for himself. He also knew there were two recently released surveys that could help improve the accuracy of a galaxy countand shed light on the velocity mystery: one called the Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS) in New Mexico, and the other called the Rapid Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder Continuum Survey (RACS) in Australia.

Together, these surveys allowed Darling to study the entire sky by patching together views from the northern and southern hemispheres. Importantly, the new surveys also used radio waves, which made it easier to "see" through the dust of the Milky Way, thus improving the view of the universe.

When Darling analyzed the surveys, he found that the number of galaxies and their brightness was in perfect agreement with the velocity researchers had previously inferred from the cosmic microwave background.

"We find a bright direction and a dim directionwe find a direction where there are more galaxies and a direction where there are fewer galaxies," he said. "The big difference is that it lines up with the early universe from the cosmic microwave background and it has the right speed. Our cosmology is just fine."

Because Darling's findings differ from past results, his paper will likely prompt various follow-up studies to confirm or dispute his results.

But in addition to pushing the field of cosmology forward, the findings are a good real-world example of Einstein's special relativity theoryand they demonstrate how researchers are still putting the theory into practice, more than 100 years after the famed physicist first proposed it.

"I love the idea that this basic principle that Einstein told us about a long time ago is something you can see," Darling said. "It's a really esoteric thing that seems super weird, but if you go out and count galaxies, you could see this neat effect. It's not quite as esoteric or weird as you might think."

Explore further Celebrating Hubble's 32nd birthday with a galaxy grouping

More information: Jeremy Darling, The Universe is Brighter in the Direction of Our Motion: Galaxy Counts and Fluxes are Consistent with the CMB Dipole, The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2022). Journal information: Astrophysical Journal Letters Jeremy Darling, The Universe is Brighter in the Direction of Our Motion: Galaxy Counts and Fluxes are Consistent with the CMB Dipole,(2022). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ac6f08
Sgt. Eddie Ryan of Lake George, a U.S. Marine Corps sniper who sustained a traumatic brain injury in the Iraq War, was inducted into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame, a webpage that honors notable veterans, on May 31.

State Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, nominated Ryan for the honor.

Sergeant Ryan is a miraculous survivor of friendly fire in Iraq, and sustained a traumatic brain injury in the line of duty, Stec said in a nomination video. Despite this adversity, he maintains a positive spirit, is quick to smile, and is a beloved member of our community. I am honored to know Sergeant Ryan and his family.

Ryan was in his third tour of duty in Iraq when he was shot twice in the head on April 13, 2005.

The group of Marines that he was with was mistaken for enemy soldiers.

He lost sight in his left eye and lost many of his motor skills as a result of the injuries.

He continues to receive physical therapy.

Ryan moved with his family in 2011 from Ulster County to the familys former vacation home in Lake George to be closer to Stratton VA Medical Center.

In other regional political news:

Building favor

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, has downplayed speculation that she may run for vice president in 2024 or president in 2028.

If she does run for either office, Stefanik has already established political favor in early primary and caucus states through her political contributions this election cycle.

In Iowa, Stefanik, through her E-PAC political action committee, has contributed $10,000 each to the reelection campaigns of U.S. Reps. Marianette Miller-Meeks and Ashley Hinton, as of April 30, her most recent PAC finance report filed with the Federal Election Commission.

In New Hampshire, Stefanik, through E-PAC, has contributed $10,000 to the campaign of Karoline Leavitt.

In Nevada, Stefanik, through E-PAC, has contributed $10,000 to the campaign of April Becker, and $5,000 to the campaign of Annie Black-Guedry.

In total, E-PAC had contributed $470,000 this election cycle to political campaigns and organizations, including $105,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee, as of April 30.

Stefanik also has transferred $1.805 million from her regular campaign fund to NRCC, the political arm of the House Republican Conference, as of March 31.

Two candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Stefanik in November: Matt Castelli, a former CIA counterterrorism official from the town of Saratoga, and Matt Putorti, a lawyer from Whitehall.

Gun safety campaign fundraiser

Republican congressional candidate Liz Lemery Joy is hosting a pistol permit safety course to raise campaign cash.

Thomas Driscoll of High Standard Training will instruct the 4-hour course in Latham on June 15, according to a Joy campaign announcement.

Cost to attend is a $50 contribution to Joys campaign.

Joy, a former blogger and speaker from Schenectady, is challenging Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, in the new 20th Congressional District, which includes all of Saratoga County, along with Albany and Schenectady counties, and the cities of Troy and Rensselaer in Rensselaer County.

Pataki on campaign committee

Republican and Conservative state Supreme Court justice candidate Allison McGahay on June 1 announced that former Gov. George Pataki, who owns a farm in the town of Essex, will serve as honorary chairman of her campaign committee.

I have known Allison since I appointed her as counsel to the New York State Board of Elections 17 years ago, Pataki said, in a news release. We need Allison on the bench, she has the right experience, legal expertise and judicial temperament and will be an excellent judge for all the people of the 4th Judicial District.

Joy endorsements

Republican congressional candidate Liz Lemery Joy on Thursday announced that the New York State Law Enforcement Union Council 82, which has more than 3,000 members, and the Schenectady Police Benevolent Association, endorsed her candidacy.

Joy is challenging Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, in the new 20th Congressional District.

Jordan legislation

State Sen. Daphne Jordan, R-Halfmoon, on Thursday announced that the Senate passed by a vote of 62-1 legislation she introduced to establish a New York State Korean War Medal.

The Korean War has inappropriately been referred to as Americas forgotten war. The reality could not be further from the truth. New Yorkers will never forget the service and selfless sacrifice of our patriotic heroes who served during the Korean War, she said in a news release. We have a duty and an obligation to remember and honor the service of our states Korean War veterans.

The legislation, which previously passed the state Assembly, now goes to Gov. Kathy Hochul for review.

Greenwich teacher

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, announced that she visited Greenwich Central School on Wednesday to discuss agriculture issues with juniors and seniors enrolled on the schools agriculture class, and to honor teacher Betsy Foot, who is retiring after 34 years of teaching.

Maury Thompson covered local government and politics for The Post-Star for 21 years before he retired in 2017. He continues to follow regional politics as a freelance writer.

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The combination of a higher reverse termination fee and a much greater likelihood to close in a Frontier merger provides substantially more regulatory protection for Spirit stockholders than the transaction proposed by JetBlue, said Mac Gardner, the Spirit chairman, in a joint news release with Frontier. The release was issued after the financial markets closed Thursday evening.

A reverse breakup fee refers to the amount of money paid to a targeted company if the would-be acquirer backs out of a proposed deal.

JetBlue, which is a major competitor of Spirit at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, originally offered $33 a share, or $3.6 billion cash, for Spirit in April. The bid was well above a $2.9 billion cash-and-stock deal that Frontier made for Spirit in February.

Separately, the proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis of San Francisco has advised Spirit shareholders to opt for the Frontier deal, asserting that it would allow Spirit investors to participate in the potential future upside of the combined company, including the anticipated post-COVID recovery in the airline travel industry.

The Frontier deal would allow Spirit to continue to operate as a brand whereas the JetBlue deal would absorb the discount airline.

Spirit still prefers bid from Frontier Airlines over JetBlue Spirit Airlines said Monday it still supports Frontier Airlines $2.9 billion takeover bid f

Spirit is the lone commercial carrier at Atlantic City International Airport.

After some initial conversations with top executives of JetBlue, Spirit has continuously rebuffed JetBlues takeover efforts. Those efforts turned hostile late last month when the New York-based carrier made a revised tender offer of $30 a share and heavily lobbied major Spirit shareholders to vote against the Frontier proposal.

A vote by Spirit shareholders on the Frontier bid is scheduled for June 10.

Up until this week, one of JetBlues major talking points has been the absence of a reverse breakup fee if the Spirit-Frontier combination ends up being rejected by federal regulators. JetBlues offer comes with a $200 million fee.

Earlier this week, the proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services recommended that Spirit shareholders reject the Frontier offer, citing the absence of a fee.

After Frontier acted late Thursday, JetBlue said in a statement that Spirits board of directors only went back to Frontier under pressure, when it became increasingly clear their shareholders would decisively reject the Spirit boards flawed process and Frontiers inferior transaction.

JetBlue makes offer for Spirit Airlines, could spark bid war JetBlue Airways has offered to buy Spirit Airlines for about $3.6 billion and break up a pla

But in the joint Frontier-Spirit statement, the two airlines reaffirmed their intention to merge and urged Spirit shareholders to vote yes on the deal next week.

We continue to believe in the strategic rationale of a combined Spirit and Frontier, which brings together two complementary businesses to create Americas most competitive ultra-low fare airline, said William A. Franke, chair of Frontiers board and managing partner of Indigo Partners, Frontiers majority shareholder.

Given our conviction that regulators will find this combination to be pro-competitive, we have agreed to institute a reverse termination fee, he said. We look forward to bringing these two companies together and delivering on the benefits for all stakeholders.
Vietnam Airlines resumes Hanoi-Busan route

Vietnam Airlines has become the first foreign carrier to resume flights to Busan since the Republic of Korea (RoK) restricted flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic.



Flight VN426 departed from Hanoi with 148 passengers on board, and another run by the national flag carrier returned from Busan with 175 passengers.



The airline is operating three flights per week on the route every Monday, Tuesday and Friday.



As from July, it will also reopen the Ho Chi Minh City-Busan route with four flights per week, and plans to launch flights connecting Hanoi, HCM City, Da Nang and Nha Trang with Seoul.



Wide-body Boeing 787 aircraft will be used on the routes.





Tickets are available at www.vietnamairlines.com, booking offices and sale agents of Vietnam Airlines nationwide.

Budget carrier Vietjet Air on June 3 also welcomed passengers back on its journey between Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam and Phuket, a popular tourist destination of Thailand.



The airline, the first in Vietnam to resume flights between the two localities, will operate four round trips on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, each lasting two hours.



Vietjet earlier resumed flights from HCM City, Hanoi and Da Nang to the Thai capital city of Bangkok. The airline now has the biggest number of routes between Vietnam and Thailand.


Staff Writer

BRIGANTINE  On the second day of hurricane season Thursday, Atlantic City Electric hosted its annual summer news conference to prepare the community for the upcoming storm season and inform people about different energy projects.

The conference, which hadnt been held for several years due to pandemic restrictions, took place at Atlantic City Electrics Brigantine substation, which had undergone upgrades the past two years and was put back in commission last month.

Atlantic City Electric and the Atlantic County Office of Emergency Preparedness hosted the event.

Ben Armstrong, communications director for Pepco Holdings, opened and closed the conference. Speakers included Karen Bew, deputy mayor of Brigantine; Andrew Sykes, Atlantic City Electrics emergency preparedness manager; and Mark Pino, deputy emergency management coordinator for Atlantic County.

Keeping an eye on the weather is one of the most important things for customers to do, said Susan Coan, region vice president of Atlantic City Electric, as she shared some tips with the small crowd of residents, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, public workers, Atlantic City Electric workers and others present.

Coan said besides keeping an eye on the weather, people should have emergency storm kits with flashlights, batteries, a radio, bottled water and nonperishable foods, essential prescription medicines and first aid, and anything you need to leave the house in a rush.

No area is immune to a storm, Coan said.

Speakers reiterated that having an emergency plan, alternate meeting spot in case of extended outages, reviewing manufacturers instructions for generators, and having a survival flash drive with important documents like identification, birth certificates and wills are important to survival.

Being ready for summer isnt just up to Atlantic City Electric alone. Its up to our customers and community to do what they have to do, Pino said.

After the conference, Atlantic City Electric linemen Kenyatta Brown, Tim Hesse and others volunteered to perform a demonstration about live wires during emergency situations.

Brown and other volunteers used a firefighters boot, metal ladder and even an uncooked hot dog (meant to resemble a human finger), to show what happens when these objects touch a live wire.

The boot and the hot dog burst into blue, green and yellow flames, while some demonstrations featured loud booms that come from wires when an outage occurs.

A passing resident on a bike stopped to ask Atlantic City Electric workers how to tell the difference between wires. Workers told the man to stay away from all downed wires.

Contact Selena Vazquez: 609-272-7225 svazquez@pressofac.com

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BUENA  The borough is looking to bury the hatchet with its former fire company  but the possibility remains for more conflict down the road.

The Borough Council voted during a special meeting Thursday to authorize a solicitor to settle its lawsuit against the Landisville Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company and the former commissioners of the now defunct Buena Fire District No. 1.

The vote follows a May 23 meeting in which two members of council expressed their desire to end litigation as it continued to sew strife among residents.

We want to come back together. This should have never gotten this out of hand, Borough Council member Jorge Alvarez said. Were going to get back, one way or another, we have to get back to what we were and what we should be, because all were doing is becoming just like everything else you see in the news, which is a shame.

Council unanimously voted in July 2021 to dissolve Fire District No. 1, a municipal entity that had historically been served by the 100-year-old Landisville fire company. The territory and responsibilities of Fire District No. 1 were to be taken over by Buena Fire District No. 2, which is served by the Minotola Fire Company.

The borough and Fire District No. 2 have since sued the Landisville company. They had accused it of failing to turn over certain property to Fire District No. 2 as mandated by borough ordinance.

Buena officials meet in private about Landisville fire company litigation The Borough Council last week held a lengthy closed session to discuss litigation that pits 

While the Thursday vote was set to end the boroughs role in the lawsuit, council members said they had received no indication that Fire District No. 2 was ready to settle  and there was one man in the audience who spoke passionately against a settlement.

Members of the audience who supported the Landisville company were nevertheless celebratory due to the nights vote.

I look forward to hopefully moving forward to heal as a community, said Jenna Baruffi-Talarico, one of the principal advocates for the Landisville company over the past few months.

The vote to authorize a settlement was 3-0, with Alvarez, Council member Gina Andaloro and Council President Matthew Walker voting in the affirmative.

Council member Patricia Andaloro, Gina Andaloros mother, abstained, as she had been named as a defendant in the lawsuit due to her stint as a commissioner for Fire District No. 1.

Council member Joseph DAlessandro III had previously expressed reluctance about dropping the lawsuit. He said ending litigation could impair the boroughs ability to obtain records needed to pay Landisville firefighters as part of their Length of Service Award Program  something he considered the boroughs fiduciary duty. Ending the litigation, he said, could also prevent the borough from enforcing its ordinances regarding the transfer of the companys property.

Farpoint toy show draws crowds at two locations MAYS LANDING  Toys are good, Penelope Daniels said, and Farpoint Toys & Collectibles 

DAlessandro was absent from the Thursday meeting.

Borough Solicitor Angela Costigan had been representing both the borough and Fire District No. 2 in the lawsuit.

Council voted Thursday to have the law firm of Blaney-Donohue & Weinberg provide an alternative solicitor to settle the suit on behalf of the borough, as Costigans representation of another plaintiff could amount to a conflict of interest. Costigan, too, was absent from the Thursday meeting.

Those who supported the dissolution of Fire District No. 1 have argued dissolution was warranted by a series of violations. The borough and the state Office of Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health conducted investigations that uncovered more than two dozen code violations at the Landisville company.

Supporters of the fire company have argued the dissolution was unfair. They noted that Landisville passed a state inspection in June 2021 after the investigations were completed and before council voted to dissolve in July 2021.

The dissolution appears to have fueled an outburst of political action against the members of council who were seated at that time.

Buena Borough Hall set to reopen after flooding BUENA  Four months after flooding shut down Borough Hall, Buena is beginning to create more

Then-Council President Rosalie Baker and then-Council member Joseph Mancuso Jr., running as Republican incumbents, were defeated in the November election by Democratic challengers Gina and Patricia Andaloro  a remarkable outcome given Bakers approximately 30-year career on the borough governing body and the overall tilt of the New Jersey 2021 elections toward the GOP. Supporters of the Landisville company attributed the outcome in part to outrage over the dissolution of Fire District No. 1.

Those supporters of the fire company hope to see a similar dynamic unfold during the June 7 Republican primary election. The race will see Baker and DAlessandro run against three newcomers  Douglas Adams, Mariana Barsuglia and Joseph Fabrizio. Of the three newcomers, Fabrizio is running unopposed for the GOP nomination to fill the one-year unexpired term of a vacant seat on the council. Of the remaining four candidates, the two who obtain the highest vote totals will win the GOP nominations to fill two full-term seats on the council.

Contact Chris Doyle cdoyle@pressofac.com

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ATLANTIC CITY  The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority is supplying Jewish Family Service a $685,000 grant to help provide mental health resources to city residents.

The grants will be used over three years to support mental health treatment as the nation continues grappling with growing mental health concerns and alarming suicide rates, especially among young people, both organizations said in a news release Friday.

The multiyear grant will fund much-needed health services, particularly in light of many unmet needs during the pandemic, CRDA Executive Director Sean Pattwell said.

Both organizations underscored the COVID-19 pandemics mental health toll on families, some of whom may still be straightening out financial issues and the effect virtual learning has had on their children.

Absecon man's charges in police-involved shooting dismissed Jalial Whitted, 37, had been charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, certain persons n

Jewish Family Service will, in the first year, enter into a partnership with the Leaders in Training program and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City to help youth and the casinos employees who live in the city obtain mental health assistance. In the subsequent years, JFS will work to establish additional partnerships to promote mental health assistance throughout the resort, the organization said.

Additionally, CRDAs funding will deliver 163 Atlantic City residents, from children to seniors, outpatient counseling, JFS said.

Mental health treatment is imperative for many individuals, JFS CEO Andrea Steinberg said in a statement Friday. Last year alone, JFS provided 98 Atlantic City residents with its outpatient counseling services. The programs included youth interventions, functional family therapy and case management services. With the CRDA funding, coupled with the Hard Rock partnership, JFS will be able to continue to help residents experiencing mental health challenges.

Contact Eric Conklin: 609-272-7261 econklin@pressofac.com Twitter @ACPressConklin

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U.S. coastal development has been obviously unsustainable for many years. The trillion dollars worth of property insured through the National Flood Insurance Program is barely the start of existing liability. The value of development along the East and Gulf coasts alone is heading for $100 trillion.

Also obvious was that coastal building rules would become much more restrictive, and flood insurance would become significantly more expensive.

Flood policy rates already jumped this year. New Jerseys Department of Environmental Protection is preparing a bundle of regulations -- to be called Protection Against Climate Threats, or PACT -- that would make development much harder in flood zones.

Municipalities already are expressing opposition to some of the PACT rules and how theyre being formulated. Recently they were joined by Pleasantville officials, who said the changes threaten the citys much needed economic redevelopment.

Particularly at risk of tighter state rules is Pleasantvilles big Lakes Bay project on 25 acres at the site of its former high school. A private developer is planning to construct 180 units of market-rate rental housing, as well as restaurants, a park and improvements to the city marina on the bay.

Weve supported that project since the city started pursing it in 2003. It would finally bring to Pleasantville the kind of waterfront development allowed in many other wealthier municipalities over the years. We also warned, however, that at some point, we wouldnt be surprised if the tightening of coastal development rules didnt make it impossible for Pleasantville to finally get such a project done.

That, unfortunately, seems to be happening with the Murphy administrations PACT program.

Pleasantville City Council recently passed a resolution opposing the tighter regulations, calling the plan to add another 5 feet to the required elevation of buildings would be prohibitively expensive or simply not feasible in many cases.

Linda Peyton, the city administrator, urged the state to include the city and other municipalities in the rule-making process. The PACT communities would like to be at the table and be in conversation with NJDEP as these regulations come out, so that we can make sure it doesnt have a negative impact on our communities, Peyton said.

Pleasantvilles resolution said the state is trying to make plans for the next 50 years, well beyond the 20- to 30-year periods considered by city master plans. It also asked that the flooding forecasts the state is using be peer reviewed and subject to independent economic analysis, both good ideas given the volatility and unreliability so far of climate and flooding forecasts, and the emergence of related technological innovation.

The city also urged that state legislation should be required for the DEP regulations to become part of law and enforceable. Surely that will be the case. Gov. Phil Murphy ordered the DEP to work up the new flood rules in 2020, but we cant imagine that such dramatic change in the conditions of coastal property ownership could take effect without a full-blown legislative process and approval.

Reaching the necessary consensus for the PACT changes and working through the likely legal challenges will take time, probably much.

There of course will be development projects that are among the last to get built under existing rules, even if there is a statewide moratorium. We hope that Pleasantvilles Lakes Bay is among them.
Republican primary candidate Sean Pignatelli, of Downe Township, says hes more conservative than his opponent U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, in going up against the clear favorite in the race.

But Pignatellis Twitter feed was full of positive posts about Democrats as late as last year leading up to Novembers general election season. Those posts were recently deleted after a reporter questioned him about them. And at least one of his recent news releases has praised Democrats.

Pignatelli registered as a Republican for the first time in January, according to Cumberland County Board of Elections records.

Hes not the only one with former Democratic ties.

Van Drew was first elected as a Democrat and famously left the party in 2019 after the party withdrew support for him over his refusal to vote to impeach President Donald Trump. He was reelected to a second term in spite of the party change in 2020.

The incumbent has the support of all six Republican county committees in the district. He is considered a favorite to win reelection, as the district has been trending more Republican in recent elections.

Pignatelli has a website, a public relations firm called Goldman McCormick out of New York City and a campaign manager, but his campaign has not filed any financial disclosure reports with the Federal Election Commission.

He said Thursday his campaign will not raise or spend more than $5,000 so does not need to file FEC reports.

He could never compete with Van Drews fundraising power, Pignatelli said.

Im not suggesting impropriety and Im not taking any sides, but the lack of any FEC report when there seems to be spending going on raises questions, said John Froonjian, executive director of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University.

Campaign finance law requires reports so voters see who is supporting particular candidates and what special interests are funding them, Froonjian said.

Our campaign elected not to take in any donations, Pignatelli said. Im just using personal funds.

He said his campaign manager and other workers are all volunteers, and he is paying a minimal amount from his own pocket to the public relations firm.

In a February news release, Pignatellis campaign acknowledged he had been a supporter of Democrats in the past, mainly because he is a strong union man.

And in a recent news release criticizing Van Drew for voting against $28 million in increased funding to the Food and Drug Administration to deal with the baby formula crisis, Pignatellis campaign quoted New Jersey Democratic State Committee Vice Chair Peg Schaffer and praised Democrats.

This no vote is the latest in a long pattern of Van Drew actively working against real solutions to the problems faced by New Jerseyans, the Pignatelli release said. Earlier this year, Van Drew joined 193 House Republicans in voting against capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month, while every New Jersey Democrat supported the bill. Additionally, every congressional Republican  including both Van Drew and Chris Smith  voted against the American Rescue Plan, which has saved New Jerseyans money on everything from their health care premiums to rent or mortgage to child care costs, and more.

Five candidates make deadline to run for Jeff Van Drew seat in 2nd TRENTON  Two Democrats and three Republicans filed petitions by the deadline Monday to run 

In an email response to questions about why he praised Democrats in the release, Pignatelli distanced himself from the statement.

The information in the top part of the press pitch you received from my PR team (about the statement from the Democrats) came directly from this published article, Pignatelli said with links to what was a Democratic Party news release on Insidernj.com. Also, I do not stand with the Democrats. My opponent Jeff Van Drew frequently stands with the Democrats, and that is why I am running against him in the primary.

The FDA bill HR7790, called the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, passed the House May 18 by a vote of 231-192, with the support of all Democrats and just 12 Republicans.

Van Drew said he voted no because he didnt want to reward the FDA with $28 million in increased funding after it handled the baby formula crisis so badly.

The (bill) was intentionally named to mislead the American people in order to score cheap political points and does nothing to actually solve the current baby formula crisis, Van Drew said in a statement after the vote. After shutting down one of our nations largest baby formula manufacturing plants, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) failed to have a plan in place to respond to this foreseeable crisis.

Van Drew said the bill did nothing to put formula back on the shelves, or to require the FDA to come up with a plan to do so.

He and other Republicans did, however, join Democrats in passing a bill (H.R. 7791, the Access to Baby Formula Act) to require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to take actions to address emergencies, disasters and supply chain disruptions affecting baby formula for participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

That bill has become law.

Always considered a moderate to conservative Democrat, Van Drew has become more conservative on some issues since becoming a Republican. Once pro-choice on abortion, for example, Van Drew has said he now considers himself pro-life.

Primary favorites for Van Drew seat emerge after conventions Several candidates say they are running for the seat held by U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd,

Pignatelli is predicting victory June 7, in the style of another unlikely winner in November.

Its going to be similar to the Ed Durr race last year, Pignatelli said of the Republican truck driver who spent less than $2,000 to unseat Democratic state Senate President Steve Sweeney in New Jerseys 3rd Legislative District.

All we can do is utilize our resources and get the message out, Pignatelli said. If people want a change, they know where to vote.

There is another Republican running in the primary, John Barker of Berkeley Township in Ocean County. But his campaign has not been as communicative as Pignatellis.

On his website, Barker calls himself a patriotic American who supports parental control in education and gun and veterans rights. He also supports replacing all federal taxes with a federal sales tax.

REPORTER: Michelle Brunetti Post 609-841-2895 mpost@pressofac.com

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PRAGUE - During visits to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan this week, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) President & CEO Jamie Fly met with top government officials, human rights activists, and independent journalists to discuss the vital role that RFE/RL's journalism plays in advancing democracy in the region.

In Uzbekistan, Fly met with Tanzila Narbaeva, Chairwoman of the Senate in the upper house of the Uzbek parliament and Asadjon Khodjaev, Director of the Agency of Information and Mass Communications in addition to several other government institutions. Fly discussed with the Uzbek government RFE/RLs interest in improving its ability to report from inside Uzbekistan for its Uzbek audiences. RFE/RL had to close its bureau in Tashkent in 2005 after government pressure on RFE/RL journalists. He also called on the government to stop blocking RFE/RLs Uzbek language website.

Fly also met with Komil Allamjonov, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Public Foundation for Support and Development of National Mass Media, as well as with a group of Uzbek bloggers and activists to discuss the state of media freedom in Uzbekistan.

During his visit to Kazakhstan, Fly met with Aida Balaeva, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential; Roman Vassilenko, the Deputy Foreign Minister; and Askar Umarov, the Minister of Information and Social Development. During these meetings with the officials, Fly discussed RFE/RLs commitment to independent reporting for Kazakh audiences and the Kazakh governments plans to reform Kazakhstans media law.

During Flys visit, RFE/RL the launched a Special Project Victims of Bloody January with a list and stories of victims of the January 5-8 uprising in Kazakhstan and held an event in Almaty with other media organizations and human rights groups to discuss the efforts to uncover the truth about those who were killed.

RFE/RLs Kazakh Service, known locally as Radio Azattyk, provides Kazakh audiences with a trusted, independent, and alternative source of local, regional, and national news for millions of residents in a country where the government overwhelmingly seeks to control press. In January 2022, Kazakh police opened fire on and detained several Service journalists covering the fuel price protests in Almaty. The Kazakh government also censored the Service website within the country.

RFE/RLs Uzbek Service, known locally as Radio Ozodlik, is an essential source of independent news and information for audiences that are otherwise dependent on official media. It is unique in bringing accountability journalism to its audiences, and in countering government disinformation and Russian propaganda inside the country. Investigative reporting is a focus for the Uzbek Service, targeting the corrupt practices of the country's top officials.

About RFE/RL

RFE/RL relies on its networks of local reporters to provide accurate news and information to more than 37 million people every week in 27 languages and 23 countries where media freedom is restricted, or where a professional press has not fully developed. Its videos were viewed 7 billion times on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram/IGTV in FY2021. RFE/RL is an editorially independent media company funded by a grant from the U.S. Congress through the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

---

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Martins Zvaners in Washington (zvanersm@rferl.org, +1.202.457.6948)

Karin Maree in Prague (mareek@rferl.org, +420.221.122.074)
Splash Landing temporarily closed for cleaning

Splash Landing Aquatic Center in Bettendorf is temporarily closed allegedly due to a problem with the paint used in September 2021 by the painting contractor making the water cloudy, the city said.

Kim Kidwell, director of culture and recreation for the city, said the aquatic center opened at 11:30 a.m. Monday but was closed at 2 p.m. that day due to the cloudy water keeping people and life guards from seeing the bottom of the pool.

City staff determined the problem was with the paint used by contractor W.F. Scott Decorating Inc. of Rock Island.

The pool will be drained and the contractor will oversee the specialized cleaning of the pool beginning Friday.

However, Brock Aunan of W.F. Scott Decorating said in an email Thursday to the Times that it is undetermined if the situation at Splash Landing was a paint problem.

Aunan said the Sherwin Williams paint rep has twice explained to the city that the chalking is a normal process with epoxy paints exposed to the elements. The rep does not believe there is any problem with the paint.

Because of this inherent chalking, he said, the pool should be thoroughly cleaned every year.

The city says the pool was cleaned, he added, "but if we clean it tomorrow, normal, not specialized, then the problem was caused by insufficient annual maintenance by the city and not the paint or the painting contractor. This was all discussed with City personnel at 1 p.m. today (Thursday.)"

Kidwell said it is hoped the city will be able to open the pool again sometime next week.

Bettendorfs Movies in the Park series begins Saturday

Bettendorfs Movies in the Park series will begin Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park, 1645 23rd St., with the movie Encanto.

Movies start at 9 p.m. Admission is free to all ages. People are welcome to bring a lawn chair or blanket.

On June 11 the movie will be Jungle Cruise, June 18 will be Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and on June 25 the moving will be Space Jam, A New Legacy.

Weather cancellations will be made by 5 p.m. on the day of the showing and will be uploaded to the events section on the Bettendorf Parks and Recreation Facebook page.

Davenport pools open Monday

Davenport pools will be opening Monday and remain open until Aug. 21.

Annie Wittenmyer Aquatic Center, located at 2828 Eastern Ave., and Fejervary Aquatic Center, 1900 Telegraph Road, will be offering alternative swim and lap swim schedule.

Public swim costs $5 per person and will be offered from 1-7 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from at Annie Wittenmyer, and -1-7 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at Fejervary.

Lap swim costs $2 per person and will be offered on the same daily schedule at each pool, noon to 1 p.m. and 7-8 p.m.

The American Red Cross Learn to Swim program will continued to be offered simultaneously at Annie Wittenmyer and Fejervary. Session one lessons begin June 13 for ages 6 months to over 18-years-old.

Session one will be held Monday through Fridays, June 13 through June 24.

Session two will be held Monday through Fridays, June 27 through July 15, with no classes on July 4 or July 9.

Session three will be held Monday through Fridays, July 18-July 29.

There also will be and eight-class Saturday session June 11 through Aug. 6, with no classes on July 4 or July 9.

Both aquatic centers will offer pricing specials.

Go to https://www.davenportiowa.com for more information.

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Rock Island police have arrested a second man for the 2021 killing of Kielan J. Sims.

Seth D. Washington, 21, Moline, was arrested Friday and charged with first-degree murder, according to a news release from the Rock Island Police Department. Washington was being held Friday in the Rock Island County Jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond.

Officers were called at about 12:45 p.m. on May 29, 2021, to the 1600 block of 7th Street in Moline for a report of a gunshot victim. Arriving officers found 18-year-old Kielan J. Sims suffering from a gunshot wound. Sims was taken to UnityPoint Trinity-Health Hospital in Rock Island where he died of his injuries, according to the news release.

The following day, detectives with the Rock Island Police Departments Criminal Investigation Division obtained an arrest warrant for 26-year-old Mayson Andrew Davis of Muscatine. Davis was arrested and charged later that day with first-degree murder, a class M felony, in relation to Sims death, according to the news release.

The police department provided a copy of the charge filed against Washington by the Rock Island County States Attorneys Office. It stated that Washington, while acting with another person for whose conduct he is legally accountable, knowingly and without legal justification, shot Sims.

Further details on Washingtons court appearances were not immediately available.

Davis, now 27, was also being held Friday in the Rock Island County Jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond, according to Rock Island County court records. His next court date is scheduled for July 1.

Prior to the shooting, Davis was serving a term on conditional discharge in Rock Island County and awaiting trial on robbery and burglary charges in Scott County.

Police said they continue to investigate the 2021 fatal shooting.

Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact the Rock Island Police Department at (309) 732-2677 or Crime Stoppers at (309) 762-9500 or using the P3 Tips app.

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Several statewide candidates will be campaigning in the Iowa Quad-Cities this weekend ahead of the primary election on Tuesday  some with primary opponents and others looking ahead to November.

On Saturday, U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, will host a campaign office opening in Davenport. Also in attendance will be Republican Iowa state treasurer candidate Roby Smith, who's not running for reelection to the Iowa Senate in favor of statewide office, as well as Iowa Sen. Chris Cournoyer, R-LeClaire. Neither have primary opponents in the June 7 primary election. The event begins at 2:15 p.m. at 4711 N Brady St. Suite 1, Davenport.

Mike Franken, one of three Democrats vying for their party's nomination to challenge Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, will visit Davenport from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the River Center, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport.

Mary Figaro, Democratic candidate for Iowa Senate District 47, will host a community discussion on mental health care in Iowa from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at 4620 E. 53rd St. in Davenport. Figaro does not have a primary opponent.

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Opposition intensified this week to plans to build a 24- to 26-unit subsidized housing development in Silvis, as dozens of residents and one city official questioned the project during a public meeting.

About 50 Silvis residents gathered at a town hall meeting Wednesday evening to discuss the Apoyo Village development along with other city news.

"Why Silvis?" Mayor Matt Carter asked during the meeting.

Apoyo Village, a planned Section 8 housing development that has received around $6 million in state grants and low-interest loans, has faced opposition from some Silvis residents concerned with the development's recommendation from the Illinois Department of Corrections and the SAFER Foundation, which assists individuals with arrest and conviction records in the Quad City area overcome barriers they face finding housing and obtaining employment.

The Greater Metropolitan Area Housing Authority of Rock Island County is the agency behind the proposed project. The agency already operates Pebble Creek Apartments in Silvis, Heartland Park Senior Living Community in Moline and Hometown Harbor in East Moline.

Those who oppose the Apoyo Village project say the development is targeting tenants on release from the Illinois Department of Corrections and that the project is less than a half-mile from Bowlesburg Elementary School and several daycare centers, and just more than a half-mile from United Township High School.

Greater Metropolitan Authority of R.I. County CEO Amy Clark has said that Apoyo Village would not be a halfway house for people leaving prison. Registered sex offenders would not be allowed to live in the development, and prospective residents would need to pass a background check.

The goal behind the development is to provide affordable housing with a variety of services close by for people who need it. She has said in previous meetings that they do not intend to build a development in a town where it is not wanted.

Nathan Joseph, a principal member of project developer Domera Development, LLC, fielded questions from city officials and residents via Zoom during Wednesday's townhall. The complex will be owned and managed by the Rock Island County Housing Finance Corporation, a nonprofit affiliate of the Greater Metropolitan Authority of R.I. County.

Joseph said the Greater Metropolitan Authority of R.I. County looked at demographics and other data recommended by the Illinois Housing Development Authority and found Silvis to be a good fit. If it is built, the 24- to 26-unit project will be located at 2001 5th St.

Asked about other communities considered for the project, Joseph gave the example of Reynolds, Ill., located in southern Rock Island County. He said Reynolds didn't have sufficient amenities to meet the project's needs.

Community members asked if there was anything the city could do to stop the development in its tracks. Silvis City Administrator Nevada Lemke said fair housing laws in Illinois bar the city from attempting to restrict affordable housing.

"Right now, really, all we've got to go off on is that the proposed development fits with the zoning that is currently for that parcel," Lemke said.

At a May 19 public meeting held by the Greater Metropolitan Authority of R.I. County, the organization expressed its wish to hold another town hall for public comment, but no date had been set.

Joseph said they have received around 600 letters from the community in support of the development. However, other residents have signed petitions and sent letters of their own opposing its construction.

"The CEO, from the very beginning, said, 'We won't come if we're not welcome in the community," Carter said.

He was interrupted by a chorus of "You're not welcome," called out by the crowd.

"And I don't know what other message that can be sent from our community to the organization," he finished.

In other news:

Residents will start seeing Western Illinois University students at their doors, working to take an inventory of lead service lines in the community. As the city gets an accurate inventory of the lead service lines, they will begin planning how to replace them - a process that will take years to complete. As the replacement project is unfunded, Lemke said costs currently would fall to residents, but they may receive funding in the future.

The project to send water from Moline to a portion of Silvis is set to be completed by August, Lemke said. Water rates will not change based on this program, and any past changed to water, sewer or garbage rates were not attributed to the agreement with Moline.

Reporter Thomas Geyer contributed to this article

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CHICAGO  Illinois issued 48 new marijuana craft grow licenses Wednesday, continuing slow progress in expanding and diversifying the industry.

Twenty of the new licenses are majority Black-owned, 17 are majority white-owned, and four are majority Hispanic-owned, with the rest owned by a partnership group or not providing specific information.

All the new licensees qualified as social equity applicants, meaning they lived in areas of high poverty or frequent cannabis arrests, or they or their immediate family members had a prior minor cannabis criminal record, or have more than half their employees meeting those criteria.

The news means that applicants can now get financing to pursue their dreams, and can restart the process of acquiring real estate, getting zoning approval, beginning construction, hiring employees and buying supplies.

This is very good news, said attorney Don Craven, who represents several companies that won licenses. It adds a level of certainty they have not had.

Many growers expect to take six months to a year or more to open. Of the first batch of up to 40 craft grows authorized in 2021, just three recently received permits to begin construction.

The announcement means that nearly half of all 341 craft growers, transporters and infusers licensed by the state Department of Agriculture are Black or brown majority-owned firms.

But state law limits craft growers to 5,000 square feet of growing space, a tiny fraction of the 210,000 square feet of canopy space that the originally licensed, white-owned cultivation centers are allowed.

Craft growers hope new legislation will increase their size limit, which would make it easier to get financing.

In a separate matter, a Cook County judge last week allowed the state to issue up to 185 new licenses for recreational marijuana stores, though they are still held up by a federal lawsuit challenging residency requirements. Illinois law also requires the state to issue at least 50 additional store licenses by the end of 2022.

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The question on Americans' minds: Could it happen here?

In all-too-common nightmare scenarios, gunmen have killed dozens in shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde and now Ames, in recent days.

Quad-Cities police agencies and school districts say they stand by prepared, planning for the worst and hoping for the best.

Here's a look at how police and schools say they'd respond in the event of an active shooter:

Law enforcement

In Bettendorf, members of the police departments tactical team train with the National Tactical Officers Association  a group that keeps current on the best practices for dealing with an active shooter, Bettendorf Police Chief Keith T. Kimball said.

Those officers come back, then we train internally, Kimball said.

The goal is to ensure the departments officers know what to do, Kimball said. They may be the first on the scene of a mass shooting and the first to attempt stopping the attack.

We dont have time to wait for a SWAT team, the chief said.

The East Moline Police Department conducts active shooter training often, East Moline Police Chief Jeff Ramsey said. He, however, declined to provide any details to avoid the risk of compromising the tactics used by East Moline officers.

This type of training is and has always been a priority at the East Moline Police Department, Ramsey said.

Cross-training goes beyond the department, Kimball said. The different area law enforcement agencies work together to prepare for mass-casualty shootings.

Should a fellow agency need help, the training is meant to be uniform so the officers and deputies who might suddenly find themselves thrown together all have the same foundation from which to work, Scott County Sheriffs Office Deputy Ken Koehler said.

We have an agreement with law enforcement on the Illinois side of the Quad-Cities to cross the bridge and assist if a large scale critical incident occurred in Scott County, Koehler said. Over the years we have worked with the Illinois agencies in training on large-scale mass-casualty events.

We actually have another large-scale active-shooter training event we have been planning for months this summer which will involve around 15 agencies on the Iowa and Illinois side of the river, Koehler said.

Responding to a large-scale event like a mass shooting can involve a lot of tasks, Kimball said. Responding law enforcement can find themselves searching the targeted building to ensure a threat is over, helping evacuate people who are in danger and assisting in treating the wounded.

Law enforcement agencies in the Quad-Cities also work with school districts to help them prepare, police said. That includes training, planning and security reviews.

We work with the schools and have a great relationship with them regarding this issue, Ramsey said.

All Scott County deputies are taken through the different schools in the county to see the layout of the buildings and are given maps of all the schools interior plans, Koehler said.

We probably meet at least four times a year with the school districts, Kimball said.

School districts

Quad-Cities area school districts also described strong working relationships with the law enforcement agencies.

Over the years, the Pleasant Valley Community School District has had a very close working relationship with the Scott County Sheriff's Office to employ two school-based resource officers, Pleasant Valley Superintendent Brian Strusz said. Both organizations look to hire resource officers who are student-focused and will promote a safe and supportive learning environment.

The district also works with the LeClaire and Bettendorf police, Strusz said.

We have made arrangements with these agencies that ensures in the event of an emergency they will have the ability to enter our buildings without undue delay, Strusz said.

Members of law enforcement agencies serve on the Bettendorf Community School Districts safety committee, reviewing safety plans and initiatives in the district, the district said. They offer guidance on operations and planning and are essential partners in school safety.

The Rock Island-Milan School Districts safety manager oversees processes, procedures and drills, district Superintendent Reginald Lawrence said. The safety manager is also the districts link to the Rock Island Police Department and works regularly with the citys officers.

The district does not use SROs, instead using its own safety personnel, but officers are not absent from the district or its activities, Lawrence said.

We always have support from the Rock Island Police Department, Lawrence said.

The Davenport Community School District has a district security supervisor  Andy Neyrinck  who solely focuses on school safety protocols, Davenport Community School District Superintendent TJ Schneckloth said. He is constantly reviewing and training with staff to prepare for a mass casualty shooting.

The district has a plan in place should an attack occur, but Schneckloth declined to provide further details about it.

The district has four full-time school resource officers and a police liaison who work with it, Neyrinck, who is a retired Davenport officer, said.

We have a great relationship with Davenport Police Department, Neyrinck said.

Districts interviewed for this article, when they chose to provide information about their planned response to active shooter scenarios said they use either the ALICE system, (an acronym for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) or Run, Hide, Fight as the basis of their plans.

Both encourage dynamic responses to an attacker depending on the circumstances. They include escaping, hiding or, as a last resort, resisting the assailant.

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Two Republicans will be on the ballot to vie for the newly drawn Iowa House District 81, which covers northwest Davenport and lacks an incumbent.

Davenport real estate agent Sean Hanley is running against Luana Stoltenberg, an author and speaker who has been endorsed by social conservative groups such as the Family Leader.

Hanley unsuccessfully ran for the Iowa House in 2020 against Democratic incumbent state Rep. Monica Kurth of Davenport and no-party candidate Jonathan Vance.

With the decennial redistricting, Kurth is running in a different House district. Former Genesis spokesperson Craig Cooper is running for District 81 as a Democrat.

Hanley was unavailable for an interview because of a recent and ongoing family medical emergency.

In a statement announcing his candidacy in December, Hanley said he'd focus on education, public safety and economic growth if elected, and he has he would work in a bipartisan manner.

"This starts with my support of funding increases for our K-12 schools with open financial transparency," Hanley said in the statement. "I will continue to support funding advancements in state infrastructure and ways to streamline our spending, working to continue building a more competitive tax climate. This will put more money back in Iowan's pockets providing much-needed relief. I will continue my support for our men and women who protect and serve in a way that is effective and sustainable. I will keep fighting for homeownership and property rights for hardworking Iowans through policies geared to getting more Iowans into homes."

Stoltenberg has made abortion and conservative social issues central tenants of her campaign in social media posts and comments at Republican events.

Stoltenberg was endorsed by the Iowa Family Leader, a religious and socially conservative advocacy group. Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of the Family Leader, said in a press release Stoltenberg's "commitment to protecting unborn children is deeply rooted, and her compassionate advocacy on behalf of women wounded by abortion is a shining example of the voices most needed in the current debate."

Stoltenberg said she's on leadership of and involved with several pro-life groups, including a pregnancy resource center and is a board member of the Coalition of Pro-Life Leaders, she said.

In May, Stoltenberg told attendees at a candidate event sponsored by Scott County Republican Women that abortion was a personal issue for her. She told attendees she had three abortions as a young woman, which she later deeply regretted, and later adopted a son because she was no longer able to bear children.

"I thought because it was legal, it was OK. But it destroyed a lot of my life," Stoltenberg told attendees.

Stoltenberg said she wants to see a constitutional amendment put to the voters that would make explicit Iowa's constitution didn't protect the right to an abortion. State lawmakers already passed such an amendment, House Joint Resolution 5. It must be passed again by the legislature and then would go to voters for ratification, which would require a simple majority.

Beyond abortion, Stoltenberg opposes vaccine requirements, supports taxpayer funded savings accounts to help with families switching to private schools, and said she supported eliminating protected classes from the Iowa Civil Rights Act altogether.

In a survey by the Constitutional Action Network posted online by far-right conservative news site the Iowa Standard, Stoltenberg described her opposition to vaccine requirements and said she'd support stripping gender identity and sexual orientation from the Iowa Civil Rights Act.

"Gender identity and sexual orientation are not a protected class, it is a choice," Stoltenberg wrote on the survey.

The 1965 Iowa Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, credit, public accommodations. Different treatment is illegal under the act if it's based on race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, or disability.

A group of nine Republican Iowa lawmakers tried to introduce a bill in 2020 to remove gender identity from the civil rights act, a move that opponents said would eliminate ant-discrimination protections for transgender Iowans. The Iowa Legislature added gender identity and sexual orientation as protected classes in 2007.

"I feel like there shouldn't be special protections for people because we can go on all day," Stoltenberg said in a phone call on Thursday night. "...The more things we just put into law, to me, it greys the line. I think we should all be respectful of one another. And who we are whether it be you know, whatever gender, whatever race, whatever. We're all people we're all the human race. And so no one should be more protected than another. We should all love each other."

She also indicated on the survey that she supports taxpayer-funded savings accounts for students switching to private schools, as well as limit the governor's power in declaring an emergency proclamation, requiring the Legislature take a vote on a state of emergency lasting longer than 15 days.

Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds pushed for the private schools measure, which would've diverted per-pupil funding into savings accounts for 10,000 students to offset costs of switching to a private school.

"I do believe that that tax payers' money that sends that child to school, I think that they should be able to take that money and put it into a savings account and say 'that money follows that child,'" Stoltenberg said.

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The wife of an inmate at Thomson prison is speaking out a day after lawmakers called for a federal investigation into the facility.

U.S. Sens Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.; Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; and U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Moline; have asked the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of rampant prisoner abuse, made public this week in a joint investigation by NPR and the Marshall Project, a nonprofit working on criminal justice issues. In a joint letter sent Wednesday to U.S. Inspector General Michael Horowitz, the lawmakers demanded immediate action.

Meanwhile, Shawanna Edwards hasn't spoken to her husband, Jackie Edwards, since April 13.

Jackie Edwards, 61, is an inmate at USP Thomson, serving the remainder of a five-year sentence for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

"On April 14, I got a phone call from another inmate telling me I need to get an attorney and get (to Thomson) as soon as possible because the correctional officers had assaulted Jackie," Shawanna Edwards said.

Randilee Giamusso, spokesperson with the Federal Bureau of Prisons Office of Public Affairs and Information, said Friday for privacy, safety and security reasons, the BOP "does not discuss information on an individual inmate's conditions of confinement to include housing quarters or whether a particular inmate is the subject of allegations, investigations or sanctions in prison."

"However, we can share the BOP is committed to accommodating the needs of federal offenders and ensuring the safety and security of all inmates in our population, our staff, and the public," Giamusso said.

Jackie Edwards was transferred to USP Thomson on Feb. 28 from Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago. As a nonviolent offender with good behavior, he was sent to Thomson's satellite minimum-security camp.

The federal prison in Thomson currently houses 929 inmates: 797 in the maximum-security facility and 132 at the adjacent minimum-security camp.

During a May 4 phone call with another inmate, Shawanna Edwards heard her husband was being mistreated by guards.

"They accused him of resisting and put him in restraints; handcuffed to the back, restraints around the legs and waist restraints," Jackie Edwards said. "They placed him in the interrogation room. They assaulted him in the interrogation room and took him to solitary confinement. As of today, he's been in the hole for 50 days.

"No one has seen him physically in person. I had a pastor go to the prison and (prison staff) said he wasn't on the (visitor's) list," Shawanna Edwards said. "I called the prison ministry to send someone to speak with Jackie, and they said he had to request (a pastor) himself. I've sent numerous emails and made calls with regard to having an attorney visit with him, and the prison will not call my attorney back.

"We don't know anything about his care, his well-being, his health or his situation," Shawanna Edwards said. "It's my understanding he wasn't walking when he was taken from the interrogation room to solitary confinement, which is in another building."

The Bureau of Prisons spokesperson declined to comment on the Edwards' case.

"All inmates are continually encouraged to maintain contact with loved ones, friends and outside resources," Giamusso said. "All inmates are afforded communication privileges with written communication being the preferred form of communication. It is highly recommended (Jackie Edwards') family continue to communicate and help him stay connected to his family and outside resources. If he does not reach out to them on his own, we would suggest they write him a letter and inform him of their concerns."

Giamusso said the BOP had an administrative remedy program for inmates to seek a formal review of almost any concern they had regarding their incarceration.

Shawanna Edwards says she's had to learn about her husband solely from second-hand contact with people on the inside. She was told her husband also was allegedly charged with assault of a correctional officer during his interrogation.

"It's unheard of; how could you assault anybody when you are in handcuffs, waistcuffs and restraints on your legs? It doesn't make any sense," she said. "I'm trying to get a visual on him. I want somebody to see him, but the prison is not complying. I've emailed numerous times; I've called numerous times.

"I spoke with the inmate (again) on May 26, and my husband was still in segregation," she said. "That was the last conversation I had with anyone at the prison. The prison has not given the family any information on (Jackie). Thomson Prison is violating his constitutional rights as well as his civil rights."

Jackie Edwards' official release date is May 2, 2023, but under compassionate release terms, he was eligible for early release May 29. The First Step Act of 2018 allows inmates over 60 years old who have served two-thirds of their terms to be released early to home detention. But May 29 has come and gone and Shawanna Edwards said prison officials will not respond to her calls and emails.

She also has made the three-hour drive from her home in Richton Park, Ill., to Thomson three times in an effort to see her husband in person. Her visits have been denied.

"I've asked to talk to the warden to get some information on my husband. No one is willing to talk to me. No one will speak to me about the situation."

Shawanna Edwards is grateful that lawmakers are demanding an investigation into allegations of abuse at Thomson.

"These are human beings; they're not just inmate numbers. They should be treated accordingly," she said. "They should have someone from outside the prison come in and investigate. These incidents happen all too often  more than what we hear about.

"It's alarming when you get a phone call about your loved one being assaulted, abused and mistreated."

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DES MOINES  Iowa Democrats are proposing sweeping changes to their caucuses, essentially turning the complicated system into a simple straw poll, in an attempt to preserve their status as one of the first states to express their choice for the next U.S. president.

The Iowa Democratic Party on Thursday afternoon formally submitted to the national party an application to be one of the early-voting states to the national partys rules and bylaws committee.

The national partys rules and bylaws committee is expected to meet later this month to review states applications.

The Iowa caucuses  both Democrat and Republican  have kicked off the countrys presidential nominating process every four years for the past four decades.

But in recent years, national Democrats have expressed concern with the caucus system, which requires in-person attendance, and with a lack of diversity in the state, which makes it, in critics eyes, unfit to serve as the influential first state in the process of picking a president.

The heat on Iowa Democrats intensified after the 2020 caucuses, when a computer program designed to tabulate caucus results failed on caucus night. As a result, official results werent reported for several weeks.

The Democratic National Committee earlier this year decided to overhaul its presidential primary calendar. The national party is throwing out the current order of early-voting states and requiring any state that wants to be an early-voting state in the future to submit an application.

Twenty states intend to submit applications, according to national reports.

Iowa Democrats last month notified the national party of their intention to apply to remain an early-voting state.

This proposal allows us to grow the Iowa Democratic Party and keep our position on the nominating calendar, Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Ross Wilburn said in a statement. By expanding our caucus process to include a window of non-present participation, we will be able to engage with more Iowans than ever before and showcase the strength of the Iowa Democratic Partys grassroots infrastructure.

To make their caucuses more accessible  a requirement established by the national party  Iowa Democrats are proposing to eliminate the requirement for in-person attendance and the reorganizing of candidates supporters over multiple rounds.

Whats left would be similar to Iowas Republican caucuses, which are a simple straw poll, with each participant submitting one presidential candidates name and the party counting those submissions.

Developing a non-present participation process that is easy to understand and accessible is a critical improvement we must make to live up our Democratic Party values, Scott Brennan, the Iowa Democratic Partys member on the national partys rules and bylaws committee.

By making our Iowa Democratic Caucus process more straightforward, we also create an opportunity for more Iowans to get involved and help us do the important work of electing more Democrats.

The Iowa Republican caucuses once again will be first-in-the-nation in 2024, national Republican leaders recently announced.

No attendance required

According to the application submitted by the state party, the Iowa caucuses would allow Democrats to cast a presidential preference without attending the caucuses.

Under the current system, participants are required to attend the caucuses at a prescribed time and remain in attendance throughout the process, with limited exceptions. Critics of the caucus system say this requirement makes it difficult for some people to attend, and thus excludes them from the process.

Under the proposed changes, Democrats would participate by completing a preference card before caucus night. Participants would request a card, which would be mailed to them two to four weeks before caucus night. The participant would state their presidential preference on the card and return it via the mail, before caucus night.

No multiple rounds

To streamline the process of quantifying support, Iowa Democrats also are proposing an end to the current systems process of reorganizing candidates supporters over multiple rounds.

Under the current system, candidates are required to reach a prescribed level of support. If a candidate fails to reach that level, that candidates supporters can shift to another candidate in a second round.

Under the proposed changes, there would be no multi-round process, and only the participants initial choice for president would be counted.

Party process

The proposed changes in effect detach Democrats presidential preference statements from the partys delegate election process.

So under the proposal, on caucus night party officials would announce the presidential preference results, and the remainder of the caucus would be dedicated to party business.

Iowa Democrats also are proposing to contract with national party-approved election vendors or state or local elections officials to run the new process to ensure it is fair and trustworthy.

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Black Hills Community Theatre and award-winning Native American playwright Larissa FastHorse are creating theater that tells real-life South Dakota stories. Local Indigenous and arts organizations are invited to participate in a first draft of a play on Sunday.

FastHorse is partnering with BHCT as its artist-in-residence during the 2022-23 season, in collaboration with Cornerstone Theater's D/N/Lakota Theater Project.

The D/N/Lakota Theater Project works with Native communities in South Dakota and explores the strength, beauty, humor and perseverance of their culture, language and identity. The D/N/Lakota Theater Project talks to Indigenous people about issues that are important to them, then creates plays from the ground up based on those conversations and issues, according to Jayme Kilburn, BHCTs artistic director.

From BHCTs end, we have not done enough to bring Native folks into theater. We wanted to be more inclusive of First Peoples, Indigenous folks. We saw this as a great opportunity to partner, Kilburn said.

FastHorse (Sicangu Lakota Nation) grew up in Winner and Pierre. She made history as the first Native American playwright to have a play  a satirical comedy The Thanksgiving Play  included on the American Theater magazines Top 10 Most-Produced Plays of the 2019-20 season. Shes also a 2020-2025 MacArthur Fellow.

FastHorses accomplishments include co-creating a series for the FreeForm network in 2019, and she is currently developing new plays with theaters including Second Stage Theater, Center Theatre Group, The Public Theater, Guthrie Theater, Seattle Repertory Theatre and Yale Repertory Theatre. She also has projects with Disney Channel, NBC and Dreamworks, and is writing on a series for Apple+.

FastHorse and Cornerstone Theater are now both based in Los Angeles. Cornerstone contacted BHCT about a partnership, Kilburn said.

I had studied (Cornerstone) in graduate school. Theyre one of these really seminal theater groups that does collaborative theater, Kilburn said.

I was really excited, she said. One of Cornerstones missions is they want to leave something behind. We (BHCT) said, If you create a program, wed love to pick up where you leave off.

On Sunday, Talking Circle  a first look at the D/N/Lakota Project  will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Studio Theater at the Performing Arts Center in Rapid City. Go to https://forms.gle/9UAn3UNbf88uJUf99 to register for this event.

Talking Circle offers local Indigenous and arts organizations the glimpse of the D/N/Lakota Project in process and a preview of a first draft of a play FastHorse is writing. The D/N/Lakota Theater Project is the third in a series of Cornerstone productions in collaboration with FastHorse and Indigenous people of United States lands.

Cornerstone has been coming here and talking with Indigenous folks and going onto reservations, Kilburn said. Its a first look (at the play) and they will be bringing scripts and its sort of a read-around of the play in progress.

Collaborating with residents of the Sicangu Lakota Nation (Rosebud), Oglala Lakota Nation (Pine Ridge), Ihanktonwan Dakota Oyate (Yankton), and other Lakota reservations, as well as Rapid City, Cornerstone will present this new production in multiple South Dakota locations, on dates yet to be determined. The finished production will incorporate music, marketplaces, dance, fashion, ritual and telling of current Native stories in an interactive, accessible theatrical experience.

On Monday and Tuesday, BHCT will host Institute Intensive: Working with Communities from 6 to 9 p.m. each night in the Studio Theater at the Performing Arts Center in Rapid City. Visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeHAQk3S0_c1rXm8ysoi1s-WKvlC4c4JnOd2gKiAiQ0wkZcZA/viewform to register for Institute Intensive.

Local Indigenous and arts organizations are invited to this specially designed Institute Intensive. This workshop is designed to share tools for building authentic relationships within and between communities while creating art. Cornerstone will lead exercises and conversations that help the participants establish shared practices and vocabulary for the work ahead.

Its learning about how they as a theater company go into communities and create theater with communities about issues that are important to that community, so its learning that process of collaborating with participants, Kilburn said. Its about working with folks who might never have done theater before.

Participants can expect to learn strategies for group mapping, story gathering, turning stories into art and guidelines for helping adult first-time theater artists succeed. With curriculum based on Cornerstones 35-year history and facilitated by company ensemble members, Institute Intensive draws on Cornerstone case studies and on participants input and creativity for activities, exercises and conversations. Participants will learn about identifying and engaging communities, cultural mapping, story-gathering, scriptwriting and adaptation, design in a community context, and rehearsal room strategies. The Institute Intensive culminates with participants using what theyve learned to create short collaborative performances.

A Residency for Recovery grant from the South Dakota Arts Council provided funding for FastHorses artist-in-residence with BHCT. More local artist-in-residence events are planned this fall. For more information, go to bhct.org/larissa-fasthorse-artist-in-residence.html.

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A seven-episode, comprehensive Lakota oral history series was completed May 27 and is now available for the public. The entire series, Heart Of All Oral History Project, can be heard at heartofallohp.com

The series represents two-and-a-half years of work, and the finished episodes total 11 hours and 47 minutes of interviews with 47 elders and community members on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The episodes previously aired on KILI radio, podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and iHeart, and on South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

In January 2020, students on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation began working on an unprecedented project intended to shine a light on the Lakota, who are widely recognized as being one of the last Indigenous holdouts against American colonization efforts. With support from a National Endowment for the Humanities grant, the project committed to using the Lakota oral history tradition to create an audio series.

The project covers a broad range of topics including creation stories, Crazy Horse, Buffalo Nation days, reservations, Fort Laramie, Wounded Knee, boarding schools, and the sacred Black Hills, the Heart Of All.

The episodes explore the history and future of a people known for defeating the 7th Cavalry at the Battle of Little Bighorn, along with the stories of such prominent historical figures as Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and Black Elk. More recently, the Lakota are remembered for the U.S. Supreme Courts 1980 decision to compensate them $105 million for the theft of the Black Hills, and for their involvement in the much-publicized Standing Rock protest in opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline.

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A 38-year-old minimum security prison inmate is on escape status in Rapid City, the Department of Corrections announced Thursday afternoon.

Malcom Little Brave, a Native American man who is 6-foot 2-inches tall and weighs about 230 pounds, left his community service jobsite in Rapid City without authorization. He failed to return to the Rapid City Community Work Center, according to the news release.

Little Brave has black hair and brown eyes. He's currently serving a sentence for an aggravated assault conviction from Meade County.

If anyone sees Little Brave, or if someone knows his whereabouts, contact law enforcement immediately.

 Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com 

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SIOUX FALLS | South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg is not expected to take the stand for his impeachment trial, nor is anyone else for the defense.

Defense attorneys did not turn in a list of witnesses as required by rules for the June 20-21 trial over Ravnsborg's actions surrounding a 2020 fatal car crash, the Argus Leader reported.

The parameters set by the Senate in April required both defense attorney Mike Butler and prosecutor Mark Vargo to submit the list by Wednesday. Butler will present his case through cross examination of the prosecution evidence, oral argument and perhaps some exhibits.

Ravnsborg, a Republican, was impeached by the House over the crash in which he killed a pedestrian but initially said he may have struck a deer or other large animal. Ravnsborg is the first official to be impeached in South Dakota.

Vargo, the Pennington County States Attorney, plans to call to the stand crash investigators, three of whom are from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, as well as former South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation agents who worked under Ravnsborg.

The trial format allows both the impeachment prosecutors and Ravnsborgs defense attorney one hour for an opening statement, four hours to present evidence and one hour to close their arguments. Senators may take more time to ask additional questions and debate the articles of impeachment.

Ravnsborg last year pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors. The 45-year-old Republican, who took office in 2019, struck and killed Joseph Boever, who was walking along a rural highway.

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PORT MORESBY, June 3 (Xinhua) -- The sound relations between China and Papua New Guinea (PNG) will boost regional peace and development, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Friday.

Wang, who held talks here with Soroi Eoe, minister of foreign affairs and international trade of PNG, said such relations will not only bring enormous benefits to the two countries and peoples, but also conduce to upgrading China's overall ties with Pacific island countries that have diplomatic relations with it, so as to safeguard unity among developing countries and advance regional peace and development.

PNG is China's key strategic cooperation partner in the South Pacific region, and China is willing to work with the PNG side to extend their cooperation to more areas, enhance strategic planning, boost strategic mutual trust, and build China-PNG relations into a "locomotive" that helps advance China's ties with Pacific island countries, Wang said.

Wang noted that China appreciates PGN for firmly upholding the one-China principle and supporting China's legitimate proposals, and China also gives steadfast support for PNG in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and seeking a path of self-development for national prosperity.

He pointed out that PNG is China's biggest trade partner, investment destination and market of contracted projects in the South Pacific region, and the results of bilateral cooperation can be seen everywhere in the country, which has produced tangible benefits for the PNG people.

China stands ready to further upgrade the bilateral cooperation to achieve a scale effect that will generate more dividends, and share with PNG its own development experience and technology, so as to create more landmark cooperation projects, said Wang.

Eoe said the visit by the Chinese delegation not only helps boost cooperation between China and Pacific island countries, but also supports the Pacific island nations' efforts in accelerating their development and safeguarding their common interests.

Eoe said Papua New Guinea will continue to adhere to the one-China principle, which is the foundation of bilateral relations, and unswervingly support China's just position on its internal affairs including Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang issues. PNG is willing to enhance pragmatic cooperation with China in various fields, Eoe said.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed to enhance synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Connect PNG infrastructure development strategy, complete a feasibility study on a free trade agreement between the two countries at an early date, and expand cooperation in areas including energy, fisheries, communication and healthcare.

The two countries also planned to explore cooperation potential in law enforcement and at local level, and strengthen cooperation in agriculture, forestry and fisheries processing industries, so as to help Papua New Guinea accelerate the industrialization process and improve its capability of self-development.

Following the meeting, Eoe and Wang attended a signing ceremony of cooperation documents on anti-pandemic, disaster prevention and mitigation, and green development, among others.

They also attended an inauguration ceremony of a new surgical center at Port Moresby built with China's assistance, and jointly met the press. 
Thank you, Dr. Simon. I was proud to have you as my children's superintendent and wish you all the best.

Last Sunday a man with a loaded AR-15 and high capacity clip was strutting up and down Main Street obviously looking for attention while our police had their hands tied as we are a Constitutional Carry state. Does a tourist destination community which spends millions on promotion of the destination want this image?

We know if we do nothing then mass shootings will continue. Our political leaders should have the courage to investigate policy options and act to secure the safety of the public. Other countries have had the courage and will to act, but our country appears more willing to let needless deaths continue.

There is something wrong with our politicians in Washington, they give billions of dollars to other countries and our social security system is going broke. Our leaders in Washington dont care about social security because it doesnt affect them and they have lots of money. Sad state of affairs.

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Ravalli Countys seven polling places will be open Tuesday for voters anxious to return to the voting booth again.

But those who make the trip to the polls need to remember to bring the proper identification if they want to cast their ballots in person.

And prospective voters better not procrastinate when it comes to registration this time around. Late registration on Election Day is no longer an option.

Late registration closes Monday at noon, said Ravalli County Election Administrator Regina Plettenberg. It wont be available on Election Day.

There are also new identification requirements for voters casting their ballots at the polls set by the state Legislature.

There are six preferred pieces of identification, which include a state drivers license or Montana ID card. People can also present a tribal or military ID, a concealed weapon permit or passport.

If people dont have any of those, Plettenberg said voters will need two pieces of identification, including one that includes their photograph (like a Costco card, student ID or gym membership) and another piece of documentation like their vehicle registration.

People will want to make sure they take those to the polls with them, she said.

The polling places are found at the countys schools and Pinesdale town hall. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

About 68% of Ravalli County voters received an absentee ballot for the primary.

So far, the return has been decent, Plettenberg said. Historically, weve not had great turnouts in non-presidential primary elections. Its usually in the realm of 40%.

Voters cant get an absentee ballot after Monday at noon.

Those who still have their ballots at home should forgo mailing them back to the election office at this point.

Postmark doesnt work, she said. At this point, I would not mail them. People can either bring them to our office (in Hamilton) or drop them off at one of the polling places on Election Day.

Polling places can be found on the county election website at https://ravalli.us/145/Elections or people can call the election office at 406-375-6550 with questions.

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Amy Cianflone was awarded the 2022 911 Dispatcher of the Year for Montana by the EMS and Trauma Board for Montana through the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) on May 18.

The award recognizes a 911 dispatcher who has shown exemplary performance of duties as the first, first responder in medical emergencies.

I was honored to be nominated and receive that award for the whole state, Cianflone said.

Cianflone has worked for the Ravalli County 911 Center for 21 years. Along with her dispatch duties, she is also an Emergency Medical Dispatch Lead Instructor/Evaluator, Team Leader,and Training Coordinator for CJIN TAC and Certified Training Officer (CTO).

It is a system that we use that links to the state and the FBI database, Cianflone said. We are required to do a lot of training to use that system. Im the Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC) and I handle all of that training for the sheriffs office. It is not just 911, I do the training for the detention center, deputies, and county attorney so we can use the database.

Cianflone was nominated by Lt. Zae Hudson, Ravalli County Sheriffs Office, who said, Amy is the foundation of our 911 center and all that her duties encompass. She was instrumental in assisting with building our Emergency Medical Dispatch criteria, training program and evaluation program and our EMD policy and procedures.

Hudson has worked for Ravalli County for 23 years and is the Communications Lieutenant.

Ive been honored to work alongside of [Amy] for 21 years, Hudson said. She was the dispatcher when I was a road deputy and honestly when they asked me to take this leadership position, my caveat was that I get to bring Amy from the Civil Department in the Sheriffs Office back to 911.

He explained that Cianflone was a dispatcher and then worked for the Sheriffs Office in the Civil Department.

I asked her to come back and help me understand the 911 world, Hudson said. Shes never left.

He said the award honors her skill set, dedication and sacrifice.

This is a tribute to her and her family that shes been able to do the sacrifice for 21 years, Hudson said. Her husband steps in when shes dedicated to our citizens of Ravalli County, our first responders of Ravalli County and everyone that passes through Ravalli County that needs emergency services. It is an award to recognize her familys sacrifices when they are missing their mom and wife while she serves our county.

In his nomination, Hudson said that one of Cianflones major contributions was convincing our department how important it is to give 911 dispatchers an opportunity to make a difference in life and death medical emergencies before first responders get boots on the ground.

We have medical protocols for any given medical issue, and it is a scripted program, Hudson said. When they go through all of their questions it comes out to a code. That indicates to the first responders how they should respond.

Hudson said the dispatch operators can immediately give medical instruction. The first two questions are is the person breathing? and are they conscious?

If either is a no then our team goes right to a CPR card, he said. It takes special skills to do what our team does and it is a special calling.

Cianflone said the program is essential.

I believe in providing that service to the community, she said. The program is near and dear to my heart. It is a hard job that can also be very rewarding.

Cianflone said Ravalli County 911 dispatchers are not EMTs but do EMD, Emergency Medical Dispatch.

We are the first, first responders, Cianflone said. Our EMD program allows our dispatchers to give pre-arrival instructions on the phone before the ambulance or responders arrive.

She said the Montana EMS and Trauma Board purchased the system from King County, Washington, then she went to Kalispell for training.

I came back and created the rest of the program to be able to do this program here in Ravalli County, Cianflone said. We can give the instructions that can be the difference between life and death. That is why the Trauma Board gives this award. It goes hand in hand with medical services.

Hudson said that during the last three years, the Ravalli County 911 team has made a difference in thousands of medical emergencies under the watchful eye and mentoring of our EMD (emergency medical dispatch) Lead Instructor Amy Cianflone.

Due to her tireless efforts, I believe that Amy is the 911 Dispatcher Of The Year, Hudson said.

Cianflone said she can make a difference in her neighbors lives by doing this job.

I enjoy being part of keeping our community safe, she said. I was born and raised here and always have a feeling of ownership of this community. My family has been here so long, and it always feels like youre doing something good to a lot of people you know. It is challenging but rewarding.

Sheriff Steve Holton said the 911 award recognizes Cianflones skill and dedication to our community and is well deserved.

She is a credit to our agency, and we are extremely proud of her, Holton said. I thank Lt. Hudson for nominating her, and I thank Amy for her selfless service to our community. Amy's exemplary performance has quite literally saved lives in our county, and we are thankful she is part of our team.

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Its not every day when private, county, state and federal folks come together to open up thousands of acres of public access for hikers, bikers and horseback riders.

On Sunday, many of those folks that worked to find common ground will meet at the brand new C. Ben White Trailhead in the West Fork of the Bitterroot to celebrate that accomplishment.

It took more than a decade to figure it out and then more partnerships than most people can remember, but a new 1.5-mile trail that begins just off Leavens Road climbs the mountainside before connecting into a complex of multiple-use trails and old logging roads in the Heart Bench Trail System.

While there will certainly be lots of smiles at the official dedication ceremony Sunday, June 5 at 1 p.m., the trails opening will mark the culmination of a dream that former landowner, Marty Stromberg, held for years.

Her son, Ben, had a connection for the property that includes both river frontage and access to the national forest lands. For years before his death at 24 in a motorcycle accident, Strombergs son talked about how he wanted to see it preserved.

The Bitter Root Land Trust helped Stromberg work through a complicated process that eventually led to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks acquisition of land that now will forever be used to access both the river and national forest lands.

On Thursday, Stromberg said the sale two years was a relief.

I didnt have the weight of what was going to happen to this land on my shoulders anymore, she said. I knew that we were going to see something good happen for public access, which was always my intention. Im very heartened to see the care that FWP has already shown in taking care of this place.

The parcel purchased by FWP is just under 100 acres. The bulk of that  about 80 acres  is on the river side of the road. Plans call for improving the boat launch that people have been using for years, including a concrete latrine and a small campground with one to three sites.

FWP Recreation Manager Rory Zarling isnt sure when that work will be completed. It could start this fall or maybe get pushed back to 2023.

There is a lot of desire to have it done sooner than later, Zarling said. As word gets out, its going to get more and more popular.

The fishing access site will be the first owned by the state on the popular West Fork of the Bitterroot. Sites further up the river are operated by the Bitterroot National Forest.

Bitter Root Land Trust Stewardship Coordinator Kyle Anderson has worked with a variety of partners to get the trail work completed. That work was mostly paid through a $26,000 Forest Service RAC Grant. A $5,000 award through the onX "Access & Stewardship" grant program helped pay for trail construction.

A lot of people came together to help make the project come through, Anderson said.

The Trapper Creek Jobs Corps concrete class built a new trail bridge. FWP contributed a work, machines and designs to keep the overall costs low. Full Moon Trails  Matt Galiher and Tim Datta  built the trail for a sweetheart rate, Anderson said.

Hamilton High School senior Isaac Harmon used his senior project to coordinate volunteers in cleaning up the upland area that had been used as a dump by people living in the area before Stromberg moved onto the property. Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, community volunteers, BRLT and FWP staff helped with the cleanup.

Bitterroot Forest trails specialist Mark Smith led the trail building effort in the national forest. Hes looking forward to people having the opportunity to explore the expansive Heart Bench Trail System.

Smith said it was a challenge finding a route along the ridge that gained nearly 1,400 feet in a short distance.

We had to kind of ping-pong back and forth, but I think it turned out really nice, Smith said. Im excited to see people use it. Its a neat location and offers a nice view of the upper West Fork and Connor. Theres also some nice ground up above that will probably get some use from hunters.

There are also opportunities for horseback riders and bikers to put some routes together to create loops.

Its an easy two-hour hike, he said. You get a nice view of the local scenery. While I dont see it as a destination trail, it will be a great addition to the Bitterroot National Forests trail system.

With more people moving into the valley, Ravalli County Commissioner Jeff Burrows said the ability for folks to disperse will become even more important. The countys open lands bond program provided some of the funding that made the acquisition possible.

Its a really cool piece of property at the mouth of the West Fork, Burrows said. It provides recreational access and opportunities to hunt and fish.

Burrows said the countys open lands board has done a good job in ironing out the kinks in the scoring system for the open lands program and has done well in accurately scoring projects that fit criteria important to the 60% of voters who passed the first $10 million open lands bond in 2006.

Stromberg has hiked the new trail and plans to get her horse out on it sometime in the near future.

We were really thrilled with the trail, she said. In spots, the trail goes through little groves that seem almost magical. The switchbacks in the trail really cut down on the sounds from the highway. And then when you get to the nose of the ridge, you can see all the way up the West Fork as well as Boulder and Trapper peaks.

Its going to be a nice access, she said. Im sure Im going to use it.

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A Republican candidate in a state House district south of Helena has been charged with a felony after allegedly altering his signature on a ballot envelope in May, in order to test the system.

Timothy D. McKenrick, of Boulder, was charged May 26 in Jefferson County District Court with one count of deceptive election practices. The allegations were first reported by The Boulder Monitor.

McKenrick admitted to election officials that he intentionally altered the signature on his ballot envelope, according to charging documents filed by Jefferson County Attorney Steven Haddon.

The charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. McKenricks initial appearance is set for June 29. He did not respond to a request for comment left at the phone number listed on his campaign filing.

McKenrick dropped off his ballot for the Jefferson County High School Board of Trustees election on May 3 at the high school, according to the affidavit.

Speaking to an election official, he allegedly brought up the language on the affirmation envelope stating that failure to complete the signature information may invalidate my ballot. He said that it should use the word shall instead of may, the affidavit states, which drew the officials attention to his signature.

A subsequent comparison of the signature with those already on file for McKenrick indicated that it didnt match the earlier samples.

On May 5, McKenrick returned to the high school at the request of election officials, and told one of them that he had intentionally altered his signature to appear more closely to that he used when he was younger  to make sure the election workers were checking signatures, the charges state.

He said he would rather his vote not be counted than miss the opportunity to test the system, the affidavit states.

McKenrick also allegedly admitted to intentionally altering his signature during a conversation with Jefferson County Election Administrator Ginger Kunz.

In doing so, he made or presented a record or document knowing it to be false with the purpose that it be taken as a genuine part of a record or document received or kept by the government, the charges state.

Despite a steady campaign over the past year by some lawmakers and activists to sow doubt about Montana's election security, incidents of fraud remain relatively rare. And those alleging hacking or other coordinated election fraud have failed to substantiate their allegations with evidence.

McKenrick is the only candidate who has filed to challenge incumbent Rep. Marta Bertoglio, R-Clancy, meaning the winner of the primary will go on to represent HD 75 as no Democrat is running in the district. The primary is June 7.

McKenrick previously pled guilty, in 2008, to 10 separate hunting violations charged in Jefferson County Justice Court. At the time, he was a part-time jailer and dispatcher for the county.

He was accused of incidents in 2006 and 2007 that included hunting without a license, using other peoples tags to kill a deer and three elk and killing multiple mule deer in a single season. He pleaded guilty in January 2008 and paid $4,000 in restitution in addition to fines, according to the justice court.

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Three months after Alecia Nelson was injured in an encounter with a police officer, a Richmond General District judge on Friday dismissed the felony charge that police lodged against her for allegedly assaulting the officer who arrested her.

While the prosecutor asked to withdraw the charge, the judge instead granted the defenses motion to dismiss the case.

In an interview afterward, Nelson said she felt relief.

At first, I was humiliated and upset. It was like, Why did this happen to me? But its just made me stronger, she said.

Nelson stopped by the Family Dollar on Westover Hills Boulevard on March 7 to pick up Goldfish crackers and other snacks for her daughters third-grade class at nearby Westover Hills Elementary School, where Nelson works as an assistant teacher.

After a store manager alerted police that Nelson was suspected of shoplifting, a Richmond officer tried to detain her. A struggle ensued, and it was captured on video by another customer.

The footage shows a white officer leaning over and attempting to handcuff Nelson, who is Black, on the floor of Family Dollar as she screams and says she cant breathe and asks bystanders to call 911 for help.

She was charged with felony assault of a police officer but was not charged with any theft.

Its just crazy. I feel bittersweet about the video because if it wasnt taped, it would have been [the officers] word against mine, she said.

In a statement after the arrest, the police department said the officer, Graham Lang, a veteran of 21 years on the police force, attempted to conduct a lawful detention of Ms. Nelson by giving verbal commands regarding the need to detain her for further investigation. The suspect refused to cooperate with the officers lawful command, to which she verbally and physically resisted.

Joshua Carter, who recorded the video of the arrest, told The Times-Dispatch in March that the officer knocked Nelson into a makeshift wall and pushed her through a shelf of candy.

At some point, Carter said, the officer hit his head on a gumball machine and was bleeding. Nelson suffered heavy bruising during the encounter and said she had pain in her chest and head.

The flashbacks I was having was straight George Floyd, Carter said in an interview a few days after the incident, referring to the man who was killed in 2020 during an encounter with Minneapolis police officers.

Defense attorney David Whaley, who represented Nelson for free, requested that the judge specifically dismiss the case, as allowing the prosecution to withdraw it would still allow authorities to bring the charges back within 12 months, he said.

Even if the case went to trial, Whaley said it would have been difficult to prosecute.

There was no way that a judge or jury would have convicted her, he said.

Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealths attorney, said in an email her office chose to drop the case based upon the law and a review of the officers body-worn camera footage, recordings from the stores video cameras and witness statements.

McEachins office made a similar call last year after a woman  whose bloody arrest was captured on video  faced a pair of misdemeanor charges for allegedly resisting arrest and trespassing in an encounter with police.

The woman, Khalah Sabbakhan, said police violently arrested her after she confronted two officers about their treatment of a person who appeared to be homeless behind the Whole Foods in the Fan District.

Nelson and Carter have filed formal complaints with the police department against Lang, alleging assault and excessive force. A spokesperson for the department said Friday afternoon that Lang has remained on duty and that an internal affairs investigation is still ongoing.
Derrick G. Avey, 42, was also wanted in connection with a homicide after authorities discovered a dead woman on his Newburg, Pa., property later the same day, police said.

The woman, Kyline C. Avey, 41, was identified as his wife.

Hopewell Sheriff Travis Stanley said the initial incident occurred at around 12:28 p.m. as a deputy working radar on Interstate 295 was told to be on the lookout for a black Ford Explorer that had struck a guardrail.

After spotting the sport utility vehicle, the deputy pulled behind it to make a traffic stop, but the vehicle took Exit 9B to Oaklawn Boulevard in Hopewell. The SUV pulled into an Exxon service station at 5003 Oaklawn Blvd., Stanley said.

The deputy followed the vehicle into the parking lot and again tried to conduct a traffic stop, but when the deputy got out of his car, the SUV drove away onto nearby Cousins Avenue.

The SUV later became tied up in traffic, and the deputy maneuvered his cruiser in front to block the suspects vehicle, according to Stanley.

The deputy then got out of his car and approached the SUV, but the deputy saw a person inside point what appeared to be a long, black rifle directly at him, the sheriff said. The deputy went back to his cruiser for cover while the SUV drove away and the deputy radioed for assistance restarting the pursuit with the SUV.

The deputy followed the SUV until they reached Temple Avenue and River Road, where several Hopewell police officers had positioned their vehicles to contain the SUV and end the pursuit.

The suspect then pulled nose to nose with police, and the driver confronted the officers with a firearm, officials said. Hopewell police officers and an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives fired their weapons, said state police spokeswoman Sgt. Jessica Shehan in a statement. Avey was declared dead at the scene.

During the course of notifying his next of kin, Pennsylvania State Police discovered a dead woman at Aveys home in Franklin County, Pa., southwest of Harrisburg.

Officers had arrived in the 8900 block of McClays Mill Road in Lurgan Township to assist with an investigation for a woman who had not been seen or heard from for several days.

Authorities found a woman lying in a wooded area to the rear of the property. Kyline Avey had multiple gunshot wounds, police said.

Pennsylvania police then learned that Derrick Avey was involved in a shooting incident in Prince George prior to Kyline Avey being discovered.

Shehan said Virginia State Police are still investigating the Prince George shooting as is standard procedure when an officer discharges their weapon.

The state medical examiners office has yet to determine Derrick Aveys cause of death. His autopsy is scheduled for Friday.

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A Petersburg man was sentenced Thursday to serve two years in prison for breaking into an Ettrick business in the first conviction of its kind in Virginia based in part on the use of a liquid nanotechnology known as SmartWater CSI.

The odorless and invisible substance can be used by residents and merchants to mark property that could be stolen.

After a hearing in Chesterfield County Circuit Court, Judge Jayne Pemberton sentenced Christopher S. Gaines, 53, to 10 years in prison with eight years suspended for his earlier guilty plea to burglary in the April 11, 2021, break-in at the Ettrick Deli at 3608 E. River Road.

The punishment was in the mid-range of discretionary state sentencing guidelines, which called for an active term of incarceration of between one year and nine months and four years and four months.

Gaines, who has an extensive record of theft, burglary, forgery and other property-related crimes, became a suspect in the Ettrick burglary after police, using a special ultraviolet light, observed that his clothing was covered with yellowish-green smears of SmartWater  a special traceable liquid coded with a unique signature for each user.

Gaines was sprayed with the fluid when he entered the business. A spraying device had been installed weeks earlier after two previous break-ins at the deli.

The Chesterfield Police Department is so far the only law enforcement agency in Virginia to use the technology, but SmartWater is widely used in dozens of localities in the Miami-Dade County, Broward County and Palm Beach areas in Florida, where it was first introduced into the U.S. in 2013 from England.

Chesterfield Police Chief Jeffrey Katz essentially imported the idea from Boynton Beach, Fla., where he served as police chief before being hired by Chesterfield in January 2018. SmartWater is used in more than 70 localities in Boynton Beach, a company official said.

In a pilot program, Chesterfield police selected three neighborhoods that crime data indicated could benefit from the SmartWater program based on problems with break-ins and thefts.

Police met with residents to introduce the program and provided free SmartWater kits to those interested that allowed them to mark some of their property. Signs were posted that the technology was being used.

Residential burglaries went from 39 break-ins to 16 in the Broyhill Pointe subdivision during a time frame that compared a 37-month period before SmartWater was introduced with a 37-month period after it was implemented. Break-ins dropped 69%, from 49 to 15, in Mason Woods subdivision during a similar time frame, county police said.

Burglaries dropped 9% in the Bensley community, from 22 to 20, during a time frame that compared a 24-month period before SmartWater was introduced with a 24-month period after.

When applied, the liquid provides information to police about an individual items place of origin. Law enforcement can then use this provenance in court when an arrest is made.

Every person arrested in Chesterfield is now scanned for traces of SmartWater on their person, clothing and belongings, as the county  through the police and sheriffs departments  has expanded use of the technology.

The Sheriffs Office, which operates the Chesterfield jail, installed a SmartWater detection camera in a small vestibule where all new prisoners pass through before they are booked on charges.

In the Gaines case, officers responded to the Ettrick Deli at 11 p.m. in response to an alarm triggered at a window in the delis shed. The shed, which is used as the delis office, has a locked door and is completely enclosed by a locked gate and fence, according to prosecutor Jennifer Nesbitts summary of evidence.

Upon arrival, officers observed a person inside the shed and ordered him to come out. The man exited but then climbed onto the roof, ignoring commands to come down. He eventually led officers on a foot pursuit before they apprehended him at gunpoint, Nesbitt said in her summary.

Police recovered $162.67 on the man, along with a flashlight. The man was wearing a mask pulled up over his nose and ears as well as a fishing cap down over his eyes. The man told officers that he was looking for food because he was homeless, but did not explain why he didnt take any food that was inside the shed.

The officers then scanned Gaines with the UV light, and the invisible SmartWater luminesced on his body, clothing, personal items and the money he had stolen, Nesbitt said.

This defendants problem is that he has a very serious addiction, and to date has not taken it seriously  and he acknowledges that addiction, Nesbitt told the court, noting that Gaines extensive criminal record is a reflection of his abuse of cocaine, alcohol and marijuana. He has continued to be his own worst enemy. Hes 53 years old and hes spent over a decade of his life in jail or incarcerated as a result of his behavior.

The judge ordered that Gaines undergo substance abuse counseling while serving his sentence.
A 35-minute lockdown earlier this week at Grange Hall Elementary School was caused by a Chesterfield County student grabbing ahold of a staff walkie-talkie to say he has a gun.

An investigation from school administrators and Chesterfield officers concluded that the student made the statement as a joke, said county police spokeswoman Liz Caroon.

The student was returning from a field trip and was not in the building, but staff members heard the statement on an internal radio line and notified the countys emergency communications center.

Police received the alert at 1:43 p.m. on Tuesday, and units arrived at 1:51 p.m. to immediately enter the school.

In a Facebook post at 2:38 p.m., Chesterfield police wrote that they responded to Grange Hall Elementary School, which was placed on lockdown following suspicious traffic on the school radio today. Police cleared the school, and the investigation determined no threat was made. The lockdown has been lifted.

The post has garnered nearly 500 reactions, 80 comments and 40 shares.

Almost all of the responses were thanking CPD for quickly responding, but some parents questioned why they hadnt been notified by the school district. Others wanted an update on what the suspicious traffic was.

CPDs Facebook post was the only public acknowledgment of the incident.

An email from Courtney Jones, Grange Halls principal for five years, to parents was sent shortly after dismissal at 3:07 p.m. to share that police and administrators had investigated a threatening comment but that the school had been cleared and dismissal continued as scheduled.

I want to share my appreciation for our students behavior during what otherwise was a distraction to our normal school day. Please take the time tonight to share our appreciation with your child, Jones said. As you talk with your child, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your continued partnership to keep our school a safe and supportive learning environment.

The Tuesday lockdown occurred less than a week after an elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers. The first of the 21 funerals was on Tuesday afternoon for 10-year-old Amerie Jo Garza.

We are all having a harder time sending our babies to school these days, but Im sure the adults are just as shaken as the kids after this incident, wrote Kasey Lindsay Terrill, a parent of a Grange Hall student, in a private Facebook group. Lets be compassionate towards them.

Terrill said she was really proud of how quickly the administration and teachers reacted to handle the situation and acknowledged that its unrealistic to expect them to keep kids safe and provide partial updates to parents before staff knows whats happening.

But, like other parents including Christina Goodpaster, Terrill wondered why Chesterfield County Public Schools did not assist Grange Halls administration by at least sending out a mass email to parents.

GHES and our principal handled the situation exactly how it shouldve been handled to keep our students and staff safe. We cant expect an email from the principal or office staff in the midst of such chaos, and I know I [want] their number one job to be securing our school and helping our kids, Goodpaster said. Perhaps parents should use this time to speak with CCPS central office on how this shouldve been handled better.

Shawn Smith, CCPS spokesperson, said in a statement that the school had been delayed in sending the initial communication to parents but initially thought the email had gone out prior to the Facebook post from police. He added that in an emergency or crisis situation, that communication will most often come directly from the specific school and not the central office.

Smith did not specify what instances would warrant parents being notified by CCPS instead of the individual school.

Guidance from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services on recommended practices for K-12 schools in the event of a lockdown or emergency includes communicating with parents but doesnt say whether that communication should be sent by the district or individual school.

But in May 2019, CCPS posted on its Facebook page and on Twitter when Manchester High School was on lockdown due to an unsubstantiated rumor of a weapon on school grounds in addition to the schools email to parents. The posts also alerted media to the incident. Police did not find a weapon and cleared the school by noon, per a Richmond Times-Dispatch report from that day.

Another lockdown in 2018 at Huguenot High School, which is part of Richmond Public Schools, prompted fury from parents who werent notified until the building was cleared. Richmond officials defended the decision and said it was policy. Spokespeople from the districts in Hanover and Henrico counties said they may issue an initial alert as soon as possible with updates as more information becomes available.

On Wednesday night, Henrico police reported two students in separate schools  Hermitage and Varina  had guns on school property. The incidents werent posted on the social media pages of Henrico County Public Schools.
Col. Wayne Huggins was grinning as he waited at the Capitol for the General Assembly to adopt a budget on Wednesday.

For Huggins, the two-year, $165 billion budget culminates years of work on a new pay plan to raise starting salaries for sworn officers of the Virginia State Police while rewarding veterans whose pay has lagged behind new hires.

The budget includes $46.5 million to fund the new plan, which also will dovetail with across-the-board raises of 10% over two years for all state employees as Virginia tries to bolster its government workforce as it hopes to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Weve finally got the problem solved, said Huggins a former State Police superintendent and Fairfax County sheriff who is retiring as executive director of the Virginia State Police Association after 18 years. Were very pleased.

The new budget would increase annual starting salaries for state police officers from $47,843 to $51,500 ($64,383 in Northern Virginia because of the higher cost of living).

It also would fund a pay plan that ensures a 10% salary separation based on rank, so higher ranking officers dont earn less than those they supervise, while increasing pay by 1.4% per year of service.

State police were not the only group of law enforcement and public safety officers to receive targeted pay relief in the budget, which also boosted starting pay for correctional officers and local sheriffs deputies, while providing $47 million to local governments that operate police departments that often have been overlooked for state aid.

The budget coming out of public safety was one of the best budgets in a long time, said Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, who chairs the public safety subcommittee of Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee.

The budget includes almost $58.6 million for correctional officers to staunch an exodus of front-line staff at state prisons, as well as $7 million for probation and parole officers. Deputy sheriffs and officers at regional jails will receive $85.7 million. It also includes $1.9 million for a pay plan at the Division of Capitol Police.

The budget includes a 5% raise for state employees to take effect on July 10 for the Aug. 1 paycheck. Law enforcement, public safety and other employee groups who receive targeted pay increases of 7.5% or more will get a 2.5% across-the-board raise the first year.

The money will boost starting pay for correctional officers and deputies to $42,000, an increase of about $7,000 a year, and will help them deal with salary compression, which results when compensation for veteran employees lags behind the market rates for new hires.

Its a big step, its a lot of money, and we appreciate it, said John Jones, executive director of the Virginia Sheriffs Association, whose members dont see the same level of local government support across the state.

The money helps, but wont fully solve the problems correctional officers face. A legislative study last year found that more than a quarter of all correctional officer jobs were vacant, and one facility had a staff turnover rate of more than 50%.

Don Baylor, lobbyist for the National Coalition of Public Safety Officers, said the state lost more than 2,600 correctional officers last year alone, more than double the number in 2010, when the problem began to emerge during the Great Recession.

Its going to help to some extent, but its still not going to be enough to retain people, Baylor said.

The budget compromise before Gov. Glenn Youngkin includes about $29 million less for correctional officer pay than then-Gov. Ralph Northam proposed in the spending plan he introduced in December, while adding money for probation and parole officers.

The challenge goes beyond pay to working conditions, Baylor said, with mandatory overtime compensating for lack of adequate staffing in one of the toughest environments for employees.

Money isnt the only answer to this, he said.

Lucas said she recognizes the ongoing challenge of recruiting and retaining officers.

I couldnt fix it all in one budget cycle, she said, but Im not going to stop working on it, for sure.

Huggins can testify to the time it takes to address the problem of employee compensation, especially salary compression for veteran officers whose pay has lagged between raises that require General Assembly approval.

The legislature has addressed the salary compression issue for state police and law enforcement and public safety agencies in the budget six times, beginning in 2014. But salary compression has remained a challenge that Huggins often has described as a crisis for state police, which has more than 300 vacancies in its more than 2,000 jobs for sworn officers.

A compensation study last year found that the current pay structure made it harder to recruit new officers, retain veterans or promote them to higher positions that earned enough to offset the lost overtime.

Huggins and former Sen. Bill Carrico, R-Grayson, a retired senior state trooper from Southwest Virginia, tried unsuccessfully for several years to persuade the assembly to raise Virginias vehicle registration fee to generate a source of revenue dedicated to state police compensation.

Now, Carrico is succeeding Huggins as executive director of the association, with the battle appearing to be won. Wayne had worked so hard on it, he wanted it to come to fruition, said the former senator and delegate.

Said Huggins: Its just a way to pay people for their years of service that theyve dedicated to the commonwealth.
JERUSALEM, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The 21st "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for Israeli university students was held at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Thursday.

Four students from three universities participated in the first offline contest since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The final, under the theme of "One World One Family," consisted of three parts: keynote speech, knowledge quiz, and talent show.

Yonatan Brusser from the Hebrew University won the first place, followed by Eyal Eliezer from UIBE-Israel, an overseas campus of China's University of International Business and Economics (UIBE).

The "Chinese Bridge" has been promoting China-Israel friendship and mutual understanding over the past years, said Minister-Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Israel Dai Yuming in his speech.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China-Israel diplomatic ties, noted Dai, expressing his hope that more Israeli young people could help boost the bilateral ties via learning Chinese.

Han Xi, Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the Hebrew University, told Xinhua that the Confucius Institute has been providing a platform for cultural exchange and promoting Chinese language learning by hosting the "Chinese Bridge" competition and other activities. 
Leslie Haley, the Midlothian District supervisor in Chesterfield County, has resigned to take a senior job with Attorney General Jason Miyares.

Haley, a Republican, will start Monday as the new deputy attorney general for government operations and transactions, according to a news release from the attorney generals office.

Haley was elected to the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors in 2015 and 2019 and has at times been the chair. She was previously a senior assistant ethics counsel at the Virginia State Bar, and she ran for attorney general in the four-person GOP nomination contest last year, which Miyares won.

I first met Leslie on the campaign trail over a year ago and I have enjoyed getting to know her, Miyares said in a statement. I have a deep respect for her dedication to ethics, the rule of law and serving Virginians.

Haley issued a video statement saying respectful disagreement can lead to mutual understanding.

I listened a lot and learned a lot, and I think weve made incredible strides over the past seven years, she said of her time as a supervisor.

Im grateful for the expertise and dedication of the professional staff that serves the residents and businesses of Chesterfield, and Im honored to be part of the work that has been done.

Haley is a partner at the Park Haley LLP law firm, which focuses on ethics and business law. She served as the senior assistant ethics counsel at the Virginia State Bar for 14 years and is a past chair of the Greater Richmond Partnership.

The Board of Supervisors will meet June 13 to talk about the process for filling the open seat on an interim basis, according to a county news release. The board will ask the Chesterfield Circuit Court for a special election on Nov. 8 to fill the year remaining on Haleys term.
Former House Speaker Kirk Cox will return to Capitol Square in a new role for an old cause  the advancement of higher education and its relationship with the needs of Virginias business community.

Cox, who retired from politics last year after 32 years in the House of Delegates and an unsuccessful bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, will become president of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council on July 1, following the retirement of longtime leader Donald J. Finley.

The council has become an influential partner of politicians and business leaders over the past 25 years under Finley, who served as education secretary under Gov. Gerald Baliles and has worked in state higher education policy for more than 50 years.

As president of VBHEC since its founding, Don Finley has served with extraordinary dedication, foresight, energy and grace, Council Chairman Dennis Treacy said this week. His work has improved the lives of all Virginians who serve in, or benefit from, our top-ranked public higher education system.

Cox should be an easy fit with the council. A retired high school government teacher, he led a series of major legislative initiatives to boost Virginias colleges and universities, encouraging them to expand degree and credential programs to fill the needs of a fast-changing workforce, but also to moderate tuition increases to make higher education affordable.

This is where the business community rightly wanted to go for a long time, he said in an interview on Thursday.

Cox, 64, sponsored only one piece of legislation in 2019 during his term as speaker, creating individual performance agreements for colleges and universities to focus on producing degrees for students in fields where business needs skilled talent.

The legislation also boosted the Innovative Internship Fund, now known as the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership, which awards grants to colleges and universities to work with businesses to offer internships to students looking for pathways to careers in Virginia.

The partnership will receive $13 million as part of a $33 million package of programs in the newly adopted state budget to focus on higher educations role in workforce development.

Thats a really good way to jump-start the program, Cox said.

The budget includes almost $1 billion in new funding for colleges and universities, including money to hold tuition increases at no more than 3% a year, increase financial aid for needy students, and the states share of 10% raises for college faculty and employees over two years.

Those investments align with the business councils Growth4VA initiative, which pushed last fall for $880 million in new state investments in higher education, both to expand access for students to attend colleges and universities and to create opportunities for them to develop the right skills for careers in high-demand fields.

This ought to be a major step forward for college access, Finley said in an interview on Thursday.

We are extremely pleased with the budget, he added.

Finley also is happy with the choice of Cox as his successor.

In the last 10 to 15 years, hes been a champion for higher education, Finley said. Hes a great find for the organization. He has relationships that are much more current.

Among those relationships is Makola Abdullah, president of Virginia State University in Coxs old House district, chairman of the Council of Presidents for state higher education institutions and a member of the business councils board of directors.

Former Speaker Cox has dedicated his life to teaching and public service, Abdullah said in a statement. His personal leadership on major legislative and budget actions for well over a decade shows his deep commitment to higher education and to preparing all of Virginias young people for excellent job opportunities and fulfilling lives.

On a personal note, I have long appreciated the dedication, positive spirit, and collaborative approach that Kirk Cox brings to the educational mission, he added. He was the delegate representing Virginia State University for a number of years, and I worked closely with him to bring additional resources to our campus and keep college affordable for our students.

For Cox, it was a relatively short retirement from public life, but hes enthusiastic about the business councils mission.

I love policy, he said. I really wanted something that was policy-oriented.
The speaker's voice is steady, purposeful. His tone is businesslike. He favors facts over flourishes. That his recorded remarks are interrupted only three times by applause suggests his audience may not fully grasp their implications for the future. The rumble of two propeller-driven aircraft overhead confirms this is a moment long-passed.

Seventy-five years ago on June 5, 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marshall - in an 11-minute speech to 15,000 at Harvard University's commencement - laid out a program for rebuilding a western European economy that, like swaths of the continent itself, had been reduced to rubble over the six years of World War II.

"It is logical that the United States should do whatever it is able to do to assist in the return of normal economic health in the world, without which there can be no political stability and no assured peace," said Marshall, who, as Army chief of staff from 1939 to 1945, counseled two U.S. presidents in the prosecution of global war.

"Our policy is directed not against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos. Its purpose should be the revival of a working economy in the world so as to permit the emergence of political and social conditions in which free institutions can exist."

The program of this soldier-statesman, educated at Virginia Military Institute and a resident of then-mostly rural Loudoun County, would be known as the "Marshall Plan." It became the shorthand of succeeding generations of politicians and wonks urging comprehensive remedies to complex problems, such as education, privation, energy and transportation.

In recent weeks, President Joseph Biden's transportation secretary, Peter Buttigieg, urged a Marshall Plan for restoring Ukraine from the ravages of its continuing war with Russia. The conflict is the biggest war in Europe since World War II, when Germany - among the nations stabilized under the plan Marshall advanced - sought to rule it.

The Soviet Union, the heart of which was Russia, was much on Marshall's mind that spring day in Cambridge, Mass. The Soviets had been America's allies in the hot war with Germany and Japan but were now adversaries in the Cold War that would rage until their communist empire collapsed in 1991.

"Any government which maneuvers to block the recovery of other countries cannot expect help from us," said Marshall, who had been selected secretary of state by President Harry Truman - and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate - and would later briefly serve as his defense secretary.

Amid two bursts of applause, Marshall continued, "Furthermore, governments, political parties or groups which seek to perpetuate human misery in order to profit therefrom politically or otherwise will encounter the opposition of the United States."

The bipartisan Marshall Plan, enacted in 1948 and officially known as the European Recovery Program, steered $15 billion to reconstruction of cities, industries and infrastructure destroyed by war. In emphasizing economic recovery, the plan was intended as a check on communism - one complemented the following year by the creation of NATO, the military alliance.

While $15 billion in 1948 would be worth about $180 billion today, the U.S. investment under the Marshall Plan would seem pocket change compared with the $54 billion that the nation has already spent on military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, whose desire to join NATO hastened Russia's decision to attack the former Soviet satellite in February.

Marshall, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953, was an internationalist committed to global security and the defense of democracy. But as a soldier and civilian, Marshall was a man of his times, accepting of its attitudes and practices, including the legal separation of the races at home that betrayed the fight for freedom abroad.

As Army chief of staff, he resisted desegregating the military during World War II. Blacks were largely restricted to service roles in support of white combat units. Marshall's priority was winning the war, not "experimenting... with a social problem that the Army can't solve," said biographer David L. Roll, author of "George C. Marshall: Defender of the Republic."

The armed services were desegregated in 1948 under an executive order by Truman, then facing a tough election campaign in which Black support would prove decisive in some states. Truman's moves in civil rights, however, inflamed conservative Democrats across the South.

In Virginia - and this was long before Trump allies schemed to do it in battleground states in 2020 - there was an effort to steer, by statute, its electoral votes to Truman's opponents should the president win here. Virginia's segregationist political machine grudgingly retreated because of public and editorial outrage.

Roll, a Washington. D.C., lawyer and trustee of the George C. Marshall Foundation, a research center and repository of the general's papers at VMI, said that Marshall would eventually speak out on race, urging white Americans in a 1949 speech in New York to recognize the struggle for equality unfolding on their own shores.

"We must be careful to remove the motes" - the dust - "from our eyes as we seek to clear the eyes of the world," said Marshall.

Marshall's remarks on race, coming five years before the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed government-induced racial segregation in public schools, generated little attention, said Roll. That was initially the case, too, with Marshall's speech at Harvard. There is only one recording of it, made by a Boston radio station.

But 75 years later, despite the scratchiness of mid-century broadcast technology, Marshall's words still ring clear.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin is lagging behind his own deadline for reviewing requests by state employees to work remotely, as the administration scrambles to process teleworking applications a month before the new policy takes effect.

Chief of Staff Jeff Goettman, who must approve any request for an employee to telework more than two days a week under the new policy, said Friday that the administration wouldnt complete its review by the deadline it set for that day.

While we continue working through the telework requests as expeditiously as possible, we are informing you we will not have all of them returned to agencies by the June 3 date as previously anticipated, Goettman told the leaders of executive branch agencies covered by the new policy that the administration announced May 5.

Every effort is being made to process the requests in a timely manner, and anticipate completion of this step in the process by early next week, he said in a memo copied to Cabinet secretaries, who are responsible under the new policy for approving any request to telework more than one day a week.

Youngkin recently made it clear publicly that he is not backing off his plan to put the new policy into effect July 5, but an organization representing state employees plans to request a delay in implementation until Sept. 12, after the Labor Day holiday.

The Virginia Governmental Employees Association plans to formally request the delay in a meeting scheduled next week with Secretary of Administration Lyn McDermid, who is overseeing the process for the governor.

We were a little concerned over the quick turnaround time, VGEA lobbyist Dylan Bishop said Friday.

The Youngkin administration has no count yet on how many telework applications eligible state employees have submitted under the policy, which applies to more than 65 executive branch agencies employing at least 55,000 of the states 122,000 workers. It does not apply to legislative or judicial employees, independent agencies or many employees at higher education institutions.

Under the governors new policy, agency heads can approve one day of telework a week for employees, but the applicable Cabinet secretary or the governors chief of staff must review requests for more. The administration has not estimated how many such requests it has received.

The Department of Human Resource Management does not know how many state employees have been working remotely since the COVID-19 pandemic began 27 months ago. A provision of the state budget lawmakers adopted this week would require the agency to submit a report on how many employees have been working remotely as well as how many are requesting permission to telework under the new policy.

The two-year budget and revisions to this years spending plan are awaiting action by Youngkin, who will have seven days after receiving them to veto items or propose amendments.

The VGEA said last week it had received many calls and emails with concerns and frustrations about the new telework policy and asked its members about their experiences with it.

We want to be able to share as many concerns as possible with the administration so that we can continue to ensure that they are aware of and working to resolve the specific and wide-ranging concerns and challenges of our state employees, the association said in a statement emailed to members and posted on social media.

Bishop said the association has received hundreds of responses, which it plans to share with McDermid.

Were in the process of compiling and sorting it out right now, he said.
At least 1 in 5 Richmond and Henrico residents who have been tested for COVID-19 in the past week are reporting positive results, according to Virginia Department of Health data on Thursday.

These figures are higher than any positivity rate recorded among the localities in all of 2020 and 2021. The peak for both the city and county was in early January, when nearly 40% of people getting tested were testing positive.

Statewide, Virginia is averaging fewer daily cases than last week, when VDH was reporting almost 3,300 new infections per day. But Thursdays count is also 11 times higher than this time last year, and its likely a severe undercount since VDH doesnt include at-home tests in official tallies.

People might forgo testing, too, if they dont have symptoms or believe the symptoms are simply allergies.

Richmond and Henrico health officials acknowledged in a Thursday news briefing that gauging risk can be challenging, but with the region facing high transmission levels, they advise wearing masks indoors regardless of vaccination status and recommend employers and elected officials boost the message.

Amy Popovich, nurse manager of Richmond and Henrico Health Districts, also urged people to get tested, isolate when sick and stay up-to-date with vaccinations. Everyone age 50 and over, or people 12 and up who are immunocompromised, are eligible for a second booster.

Our medium-to-long-term strategy here for COVID is to assess during times of when theres lower transmission and then when we move into the higher times of activity, thats when we add in more mitigation strategies  more of the prevention measures, Popovich said.

But that doesnt necessarily mean a return to mask mandates, which neither the Virginia Department of Health or the Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention have the power to enact.

The decision would fall to localities but wouldnt be able to apply to K-12 schools per state law and it wouldnt be determined solely by case counts, said Dr. Melissa Viray, acting director of Richmond and Henrico Health Districts.

The key point here is that what we have learned about the pandemic, you can not use one number. There is not one single number that describes all of the risks, Viray said. I will say that given the impact of what lockdown did on our economies and things like that, I would think that we have learned ... that more stringent mitigations tend to have unintended consequences both in our economies and our families and our communities.

Viray added that with vaccines and treatment being more widely available, its just a different world now and said it would have to be pretty darn bad for us to want to go back to the same kind of stringent mitigations that we saw back in 2020 or even in parts of 2021.

Richmond and Henrico combined have 67% of its residents fully vaccinated and more than a third have received a booster shot. Both are lower percentages than overall state figures, which show 74% of the population as fully vaccinated and nearly half with a booster.

As of Sunday, the latest available update, the average number of vaccines administered per day across Virginia is 1,459. The last time vaccination figures were that low was in December 2020 when the first batch of doses arrived.

Vaccines  which are credited with largely warding off severe infection hospitalizations and deaths in those who are vaccinated  do not prevent a person from being infected, transmitting the virus or from having long COVID, a term used to describe symptoms that last for months or longer after being infected.

These symptoms can include neurologic conditions, respiratory issues, organ failure, gastrointestinal conditions and more that threaten a persons health and livelihood.

In a CDC study released last week that looked at the medical records of nearly 2 million people, but did not consider vaccination status, researchers said that implementation of COVID-19 prevention strategies, as well as routine assessment for post-COVID conditions among persons who survive COVID-19, is critical to reducing the incidence and impact of post-COVID conditions, especially in people above the age of 65.

The study found that 1 in 5 adults under the age of 65 who had COVID and survived experienced at least one condition that could fall under the long COVID umbrella. In patients over the age of 65, it was 1 in 4.
I remember sitting in the gallery of a courtroom, observing my mentor put on evidence in a civil litigation case. I was a law student who had a great opportunity to work for a prominent and well-respected small-town attorney.

This attorney knew that allowing me to observe different cases in different courts would enrich my legal education. On this day, the attorney was arguing a case for his client in which the facts were not advantageous.

Toward the end of the hearing, I was surprised when he called his client to testify. From previous conversations, I had concluded my mentor did not believe his client would be a good witness. The client was too self-assured and had a tendency to embellish the facts.

Sure enough, the client remained true to character and did not provide great testimony. The judge ruled for the other party.

As we walked out of the courtroom, I waited for the client to express his anger over the outcome. To my surprise, he seemed to relish in the event.

Later, as we drove back to the office, I asked my mentor why he did not discourage his client from testifying. The wise and experienced attorney told me that often, it was important for individuals to not necessarily win in court, but to have an opportunity for their stories  or their voices  to be heard.

The priority of our court system is to provide justice by facilitating a judge or jury to make the right decision regarding a civil or criminal matter. However, as I have spent more time in court, both as a defense attorney and a prosecutor, I appreciate the need for individuals stories to be heard, whether it is a victim, a defendant or a witness who observed an event.

Section 8 of the Bill of Rights of the Virginia Constitution includes a right most people are familiar with. A person cannot be compelled in any criminal proceeding to give evidence against himself; or, as most commonly referenced, its the right to remain silent.

However, this same section has the right to speak when it states that a man hath a right to demand the cause and nature of his accusation, to be confronted with the accusers and witnesses, and to call for evidence in his favor. Here the Virginia Constitution gives a voice to accusers, witnesses and defendants.

These rights incorporated in the Virginia Constitution were adopted in 1776  probably in response to unfair British judicial policies, such as the Administration of Justice Act, which was passed by Great Britain in 1774. These rights do not mean everyones story is true, right or worthy of a favorable verdict, but that everyone has the liberty to be heard in a court of law.

Recently, many Americans have been captivated by a civil trial in Virginia involving two celebrities  Johnny Depp and Amber Heard  as opposing parties. Initially, I wondered why these two individuals, who presumably have wealth and recognition, would put their reputations on the line to go through such a trial.

However, as I consider these individuals, I wonder if they might be similar to many of my clients as a defense attorney, or the victims I have worked with as a prosecutor. They have a story they want to be heard. Thankfully, our court system gives them, and everyone, the opportunity to tell that story.

Lyrics to America the Beautiful include America! America! God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law!

Our country is not perfect and has its flaws. Nevertheless, as citizens of the United States and the commonwealth of Virginia, we are blessed to enjoy certain liberties preserved through our laws.

Prior to a judge or jury rendering a decision or verdict, those involved have the right to speak. This, along with many other liberties enjoyed by its citizens, remind us that America is, indeed, beautiful.
An inmate at the Botetourt-Craig Regional Jail at Fincastle died Thursday after attempting to commit suicide earlier this week, the countys sheriffs office said.

At 4:25 p.m. Tuesday, the 32-year-old inmate was found unresponsive in his cell. He was found by a deputy minutes after a security check had been performed, the sheriffs office said in a press release.

The deputy called for emergency medical assistance and rendered life saving measures until emergency medical services arrived, the press release said.

The inmate was transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where he died two days later.

The Salem division of the Virginia State Police has been asked to complete an investigation of the incident, as is our standard practice, the sheriffs office said.

The name of the inmate has not been released.

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A Roanoke County man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for crimes related to a 2021 shooting melee at an apartment complex that permanently injured another man.

Camron Marquis Jeffries, 21, had entered no contest pleas to charges of aggravated malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in Roanoke County Circuit Court in December.

On June 3, 2021, a shooting broke out at the apartment complex then known as the Villages at Garst Creek. During the exchange of bullets, attorneys said, Jeffries shot Calik Harris in the head. Harris, who was 19 when wounded, suffered a traumatic brain injury.

You dont seem like a bad person, Judge Charles Dorsey told Jeffries in court during a May 30 sentencing hearing. But on that day, under those circumstances, for whatever reason, the level of callousness that you displayed to fellow human being and members of the community  your neighbors  its incomprehensible. I cant grasp it.

Roanoke County Commonwealths Attorney Brian Holohan said there was ill will between Harris and Jeffries long before the shooting occurred. Previous evidence in the case indicated the dispute involved a text thread between two women with whom they were involved.

Holohan said after one confrontation at the apartment complex on June 3 of last year, Jeffries got in the drivers seat of a friends car, returned home, ate a meal, and then retrieved an AR-15 style assault rifle.

Then, Holohan said, Jeffries got into the passengers seat of the same car with the same friend and returned to the apartment complex.

The reason they switched is so Mr. Jeffries could shoot Mr. Harris, Holohan told the court, so he could sit in the passenger seat and operate his rifle without having to worry about operating the vehicle at the same time.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing Jeffries level his rifle at a gathering in the complexs parking lot. Holohan said that, in addition to Harris, three adults and one 9-month-old child were present.

The shooting victim, who was struck by a bullet during the confrontation, also appeared to fire a .40-caliber handgun. Witnesses said he only fired back after Jeffries began shooting.

There are few crimes that one can imagine that show more callousness and disregard for human life than the crime of Mr. Jeffries, Holohan continued.

But Jeffries lawyer, Brad Braford, said the case was tri-able. He said after the shooting last June, police found a gun in Harris hand and spent shell casings near Harris wounded body.

It very easily would have been Mr. Harris sitting here beside me today and Mr. Jeffries being the one that was grievously injured, Braford told the court.

But Holohan said the impact the shooting has had on Harris and his family has been catastrophic.

This fight for our life ripped us with no mercy, no grace, no understanding, and it snatched almost everything that was in its path, Harris mother, Javonda Merkmen, testified during a victim impact statement.

The mother said that since Harris was injured, her family had become homeless and was staying at the Rescue Mission of Roanoke.

My sons belongings lie in a small green basket in his wheelchair with diapers and pads and wipes, Merkman said. This is my reality of life-threatening injuries.

Harris sat in a wheelchair in the gallery of the courtroom during the proceedings. Merkmen said while he can eat on his own, Harris cannot walk or easily carry a conversation.

Everything takes a long time because it doesnt register right away, Merkmen said. I have to walk him through every process, and if he cant do it, I do it for him.

Jeffries apologized to Harris and Merkmen during a brief statement.

I couldnt imagine being in your spot. I couldnt imagine that things that yall are going through, Jeffries said. I really do apologize. I regret the things Ive done. I cant change the things that Ive done. I really wish that I could change it.

Braford said while Jeffries cant change the facts of the shooting, he can change the things that are under his control.

The defense attorney said Jeffries has received his high school diploma and several certificates from the Western Virginia Regional Jail since being placed in custody.

Braford said Jeffries has an IQ of 58. The attorney said while that number doesnt excuse his behavior, it is a factor that emphasizes his situation in the world.

He obviously has some issues, Braford said. Mr. Jeffries life from the very beginning was tough.

Jeffries brother, Malik Jarmans, testified that Jeffries was born with a shin defect that required expensive medical treatment.

Jarmans told the court their mother often moved from job to job and lease to lease. He said their family, too, once stayed in the Rescue Mission.

Those are things that will impact him and might give him a tiny, tiny, tiny bit of an idea of what Mr. Harris is going through, Braford said.

The sentencing guideline range calculated for Jeffries was between about five and 12 years. Holohan said a 12-year sentence was completely inadequate in the circumstances.

Holohan argued Jeffries had a very dark motive and was willing to satisfy his malicious desire. he said the court needed to impose a sentence which may make someone like Mr. Jeffries hesitate to commit a violent crime.

Holohan asked the court to consider imposing a life sentence and suspend the sentence after Jeffries served 30 years. Jeffries would be 50 years old when released.

He will get out of prison, Holohan said. Mr. Harris doesnt get that hope that one day hell get out of his situation.

Braford chose to respectfully disagree with Holohans life sentence proposal, arguing the guideline range was significantly lower.

Braford said he doesnt think the community is receptive to receiving messages about people like Jeffries. He also argued 30 years could be a life sentence.

Nobody knows how many days they have on this Earth, he said.

Dorsey agreed with Brafords argument that people similar to Jeffries wouldnt listen to the message sent by a life sentence.

It wouldnt be fair to try and do it through you if theres no listening, Dorsey said to Jeffries.

But, Dorsey added, there was a very clear, very concrete line of demarcation when you left, went home, ate, relaxed and not only armed yourself, but apparently either escalated the degree of armament or, for the first time, it became absolutely clear that we were using rifles instead of handguns.

Dorsey said Jeffries had time to cool off if there was passion, but returned and initiated the confrontation.

The judge sentenced Jeffries to three years in prison for the firearm charge and to 55 years in prison for the aggravated malicious wounding charge. The 58-year sentence will be suspended on the condition of good behavior after Jeffries serves 30 years.

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A 10-year-old student is to face juvenile petitions for threats made Wednesday against Preston Park Elementary School staff and students, Roanoke police said Friday.

Police have sought petitions against the child for threats to harm others at school, a Class 6 felony when charged against an adult, and for threats to damage a school building, a Class 1 misdemeanor.

The petitions will be served pending the juveniles release from psychiatric medical care, police said in a news release.

Roanoke has seen two shootings and two threats made involving city schools in the last three days.

Our country has had a rough time in the past couple of weeks. And our city is no different than that, Police Chief Sam Roman said during a news conference at the police station Friday afternoon.

Roman said the police department, the sheriffs office and the school system work in concert to ensure safety.

It is our duty to make sure that every day that the citizens of our city, our kids are safe, Sheriff Antonio Hash said. As an agency, we get up every morning and put this uniform on to always do what were called to do. And thats to protect and serve. Our kids are a part of that priority.

City police said the credibility of the threats against Preston Park are still under investigation. Superintendent of Schools Verletta White said disciplinary action against the student suspected of making the threats is pending.

We do have a student code of conduct. We have a discipline handbook, White said. Depending on the threat, the nature of the threat, the ability to act on that threat, and what category it falls in, we follow through with those disciplinary procedures, and we will follow through.

On Friday, a second threat was made on social media involving William Fleming High School. The threat was investigated by police, who determined it was not credible.

Roanoke school officials took to social media and issued a recorded phone call to parents in an attempt to quell rumors about the threat. Some parents responded to the school divisions Facebook post by calling for school leaders to end the school year early. The last day of classes for city students is June 9. Graduation is June 10.

Police have not determined who was involved in making that second threat.

Caitlyn Cline, the departments public information officer, said after the news conference that the departments understanding of the threat changed about 16 times throughout the day Friday.

Roman said every threat is credible until the police department can prove otherwise.

And there are so many different ways in which we could do that, the police chief said, to include ensuring we find the source and have a conversation with the source. That is the most likely way that we can either verify or dispel any threats that may come into the schools.

Several fearful parents and guardians pulled their students out of school Friday, but White said the citys public schools are safe places.

I know that were living in a time where theres high angst, as there should be, based on the fear thats out there that we all have, White said. Can we guarantee that nothing will happen? I dont think any of us can make that guarantee. But I can say that our staff is one that does everything that we can to make sure that our students and our staff members stay safe. And were committed to that.

As rumors of threats at Fleming were circulating Friday, a man was shot a few miles away at the intersection of Fleming Avenue and Williamson Road Northwest.

The shooting took place near James Breckinridge Middle School. Police said schools near the incident were placed on hold and secure as a precaution, but were not directly affected. Preston Park Elementary is also near the shooting site.

Roman confirmed the Fleming Avenue shooting and the threat made involving William Fleming High School were unrelated.

At this point, I can confirm that these are two separate incidents, the chief said. The two are not connected in any way.

White said RCPS wants to give parents and guardians information, but the school division is limited when an investigation is ongoing or when information is related to a juveniles record.

Were limited by law in what we can say and what we can do. But we give as much as we can, White said. If there was any real kind of threat or danger, we would communicate that accordingly.

Roman said safety precautions will be put in place at graduation ceremonies as the school year comes to a close. One year ago, a student was wounded in the parking lot of the Berglund Center as William Fleming students were inside for a graduation rehearsal.

When we have incidents across our country, and even here in our city, we will take additional steps to ensure that everyone involved is safe, with specific emphasis on our children, Roman said.

Were looking forward to graduation this year, White said. Were not going to allow anyone to take away this moment for our children that they so deserve.

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PORT MORESBY, June 3 (Xinhua) -- China and Papua New Guinea (PNG) pledged to bring their relations to a higher level, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Friday.

At a joint press conference with PNG Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Soroi Eoe, Wang said PNG was the first Pacific island country to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding and a cooperation plan on the Belt and Road Initiative with China, and has become China's largest trading partner, investment destination and market of contracted projects in the region.

Wang stressed that China never interferes in other countries' internal affairs and hopes that PNG will maintain its sound governance and social harmony, speed up its development and achieve prosperity.

Wang introduced the five-point consensus reached by both sides on deepening bilateral strategic cooperation.

Firstly, the two sides will set the direction of developing bilateral relations. They believed that facing a volatile international and regional situation, bilateral relations can only be strengthened rather than weakened.

Secondly, both sides will firmly support each other. China firmly supports PNG in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, taking a development path that suits its national conditions, and pursuing an independent foreign policy.

China appreciates PNG's firm adherence to the one-China policy and its valuable support on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns.

Thirdly, both sides will accelerate common development, promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and jointly implement the Global Development Initiative. China encourages more Chinese companies to invest in PNG to help the country's industrialization process and elevate its capacity for self-development.

Fourthly, the two sides will join hands to meet challenges. China will continue to provide economic and technical assistance with no political strings attached, so as to help PNG's economic and social development, and support PNG in its fight against COVID-19.

Fifthly, the two sides will strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation, speak with one voice on the international arena, call on the international community to pay more attention to the special concerns of PNG and other Pacific island countries, and provide tangible help to address climate change and pursue sustainable development.

Wang stressed that the outcome of bilateral cooperation is satisfying, and China stands ready to join hands with PNG to build higher-quality bilateral relations at a higher level to bring more benefits to the two peoples, Wang said. 
Arkansas Times columnist Gene Lyons is a National Magazine Award winner and co-author of "The Hunting of the President" (St. Martin's Press, 2000). You can email Lyons at eugenelyons2@yahoo.com.
" " Spaghetti models for Tropical Storm Ida show its path crossing the Caribbean Sea, into the Gulf of Mexico and making landfall somewhere along the U.S. Gulf Coast Monday Aug. 30, likely as a major hurricane. cyclocane/CC BY 3.0

If you're living in a coastal area prone to hurricanes and major tropical storms, you may not be all that interested in the statistical and meteorological big picture behind storm prediction. What you really want to know is what a particular hurricane is going to do  what its path is going to be, and when it's going to strike your area.

As the Atlantic hurricane season began June 1, 2021 (it runs through Nov. 30), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) predicted between 13 and 20 storms that would be big enough to merit names, with winds of 39 miles per hour (63 kilometers per hour) or greater.

However NOAA updated that forecast Aug. 4, to 15 to 21 named storms, three to five of those it's predicting will be Category 3, 4 or 5 hurricanes with winds 111 miles per hour (179 kilometers per hour) or faster.

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Spaghetti Models and Forecasting

To aid in forecasting efforts, meteorologists utilize visualizations called spaghetti models (also sometimes known as spaghetti plots). To a lay person, spaghetti models look like, well, a bunch of spaghetti strands thrown randomly against a wall. In reality, though, spaghetti plots are a method of combining information from a variety of predictive models onto one map, to come up with a picture of a hurricane's potential track.

"Each model that is used to predict hurricane paths  and in many cases intensity  can have that path plotted on a map," Daniel J. Leathers explained when we spoke to him in 2019. He's a professor and director of the Meteorology and Climatology program at the University of Delaware, who also serves as Delaware State Climatologist and as a co-director of the Delaware Environmental Observing System. "All a spaghetti plot does is take the results from all of these models and plot all of them on the same map."

To understand why spaghetti plots are important, you have to understand that there are a whole bunch of different modeling methods that are used to track hurricanes, and like presidential election polls, they don't all produce the same results.

The object of creating such a map, according to Leathers, is to see the extent to which all the different models agree. "When the paths are very similar to one another, this means that all the models are agreeing (to a large extent) about the future path of the storm," he says. In contrast, if the individual plots are all over the place, "then that says that there is great uncertainty in the models about where the storm will move in the future. Spaghetti plots are a way of seeing all of the model results at one time, and not relying on just one model for a forecast. They are very helpful in conveying the certainty, or uncertainty, of a forecast."

" " Spaghetti models, or spaghetti maps, show many different potential tracks of a tropical system's trajectory, helping forecasters to determine a storm's eventual path. South Florida Water Management District

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Reading Spaghetti Models

The lines on the chart indicate the different paths projected by the various models, which have varying degrees of reliability. "The models include dynamical models (using the physics of the atmosphere), statistical models and in some cases analogue models to predict the coming movement of an individual storm," Leathers explains. "These models come from meteorological organizations from all across the globe  places like the National Weather Service, the British Met Office, universities and so on. Some models are certainly thought to be better than others. They are very different in how they make predictions, and in what they are best at."

What, if any, useful information can non-meteorologists get from looking at spaghetti plots? "The most useful information is the certainty of the forecast," Leathers explains. "Again, if all the paths are very similar, the forecast certainty is high. If the paths are very different, the certainty is low. If there is a great spread in the forecast tracks then that shows that the models are not doing a great job as a suite in figuring out where this particular storm is likely to move in the future."

But if you're going to try to make sense of spaghetti plots, it's important to understand their limitations. "Non-meteorologists do need to be careful in interpreting the plots, as some models generally do better than others at different times in the storms life-cycle," Leathers says. "This can be important information to get the most from a spaghetti plot."

Spaghetti models have changed subtly over the years, according to Leathers. The approach has evolved as more hurricane models are run in real-time, and as technology has allowed us to put these models together into a spaghetti plot faster, he says. He says he doesn't expect anything to replace them in the foreseeable future.

"As technology allows for the more rapid transfer of data and as visualization technology goes, I am sure there will be some more changes," Leathers says. He also predicts that the number of models, and their sophistication, is likely to continue to grow in the years ahead.

Now That's Interesting According to an official at the National Hurricane Center, some hurricane models can be run in a few seconds on an ordinary computer, while others may require hours of calculations by a supercomputer.

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Originally Published: Jun 18, 2019
" " Hurricane Irma reached a maximum sustained wind speed of 185 miles per hour (297 kph), making it the strongest hurricane to ever form in the Atlantic Ocean. NOAA

When hurricane season arrives each year on June 1, phrases such as "storm surge," "wind speed," and "eyewall" suddenly become part of the summer lexicon in the United States. But probably the most important words to know about a hurricane are those that describe its power  and those include whether it's a Category 1 or a Category 5. The variance between the strengths of these two storms could mean the difference between life and death.

Meteorologists rank hurricanes from one to five based on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The scale is a yardstick that takes into account a hurricane's wind speed, storm surge and air pressure. The scale begins with a Category 1, the least powerful and dangerous hurricane, and moves towards its climax at Category 5  the most catastrophic. But how did the Saffir-Simpson scale come to be, and what does it mean? We'll tell you in a bit. Let's first look at what a hurricane is, how it forms and why we need to be aware of its destructive power.

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What Is a Hurricane?

Hurricanes are among the most violent storms on the planet and are born as tropical disturbances near the equator, where warm water, moist air and the rotational movement of Earth create winds, clouds and thunderstorms. As these disturbances move across the ocean, warm moist air rises and is replaced by cooler air. The cooler air condenses and falls toward the ocean surface only to be warmed again. The cycle repeats itself, and tropical disturbances gain strength and spin faster as wind picks up speed and more moist, warm air is pulled upward.

When wind speed reaches 25 to 38 miles (45 to 61 kilometers) per hour, the tropical disturbance morphs into a tropical depression, which turns into a tropical storm when winds reach 39 miles (62 kilometers) per hour. Tropical storms are like giant wet vacs on steroids  they suck a generous amount of moisture and heat from the ocean water, adding more fuel to the growing storm. An eye begins to form as the winds turn counterclockwise at a tremendous speed. A hurricane is born when winds are clocked at 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour.

As the storm pushes across the ocean, it gathers speed and strength. Low air pressure forces ocean water into a huge mound near the eye, which could create a devastating storm surge when the wall of water reaches land. The more heat and moisture a hurricane consumes, the more powerful the storm becomes. That's where the Saffir-Simpson scale comes in.

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What Is the Saffir-Simpson Scale?

The one through five scale was created when Robert H. Simpson was director of the National Hurricane Center in 1969 during the time Hurricane Camille blew through the Caribbean and into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Its winds were clocked at 190 miles (306 kilometers) per hour as it struck Mississippi. The official death toll from wind, storm surge and rain was 256.

"I wasn't able to communicate with people, like the Office of Emergency Planning, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and all the state agencies that were preparing for the storm," Simpson lamented in the book Hurricane Watch: Forecasting the Deadliest Storms on Earth. "I couldn't get a handle on the storm to answer their question: 'what kind of resources must we put in this particular area to do our job?' I needed something to give them a handle on it, so they would need to know what resources they needed to deal with the storm."

In 1971, Herbert S. Saffir was working as an engineer in Florida preparing a report for the United Nations on building codes that could withstand the onslaught of high speed winds. He eventually came up with a table that outlined the damage to buildings wind can cause at various speeds. He worked up five categories of hurricanes based on damage each could cause. In 1972, Simpson took Saffir's numbers and correlated them with storm surge estimates and barometric pressure. The result was the Saffir-Simpson scale. By 1975, the Saffir-Simpson scale was in widespread use. Local, state and federal officials, not to mention the public at large, now had an easy-to-read-and-understand chart that outlined a hurricane's impact.

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What Do Hurricane Categories Mean?

According to the Saffir-Simpson scale:

Category 1 storms have sustained winds of 74 to 95 miles (119 to 153 kilometers) per hour. These are dangerous winds that could damage roofs, snap tree branches and uproot some trees. Power outages can occur. The storm surge can range between storms have sustained winds of 74 to 95 miles (119 to 153 kilometers) per hour. These are dangerous winds that could damage roofs, snap tree branches and uproot some trees. Power outages can occur. The storm surge can range between 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters).

Category 2 storms have sustained winds of between 96 to 110 miles (154 to 177 kilometers). Winds at this speed can cause extensive damage, including power loss, downed streets, and major roof and siding damage to well-constructed frame houses. The storm surge could reach up to 8 feet (2.4 meters).

Category 3 storms have sustained winds of 111 to 129 miles (178 to 208 kilometers) per hour. Damage to homes can be major. It's possible that electricity and water will be unavailable for weeks after the storm passes. The storm surge can range between 9 and 12 feet (2.7 and 3.6 meters).

Category 4 storms have sustained winds of 130 to 156 miles (209 to 251 kilometers) per hour. Property damage can be extensive. Most trees will snap or be uprooted. Power could be out for months and most of the area devastated by the storm will be uninhabitable for weeks or months. The storm surge is between 13 and 18 feet (3.9 and 5.4 meters).

Category 5 storms have sustained winds of 157 miles (252 kilometers) per hour or higher. Category 5 hurricanes are the most catastrophic and will cause total roof and building failures, collapsed walls, and the isolation of neighborhoods due to downed trees and power lines. Storm surge with storms of this strength can reach more than 18 feet (5.4 meters).

While the Saffir-Simpson scale is a good measuring tool, it doesn't really tell the full story of a hurricane's impact. Hurricanes pack a lot of kinetic energy, and as a byproduct, a hurricane's power increases exponentially from one category to the next as wind speed increases. A Category 5 hurricane, for example, is 500 times more powerful than a Category 1. How does this relate to property damage? Compared to a Category 1, a Category 2 hurricane can generate seven times the amount of damage, while a Category 5 storm can generate 144 times the amount of destruction.

Now That's Scary Only four Category 5 hurricanes made landfall on the United States: Labor Day Hurricane in 1935, Andrew in 1992, Camille in 1969 and Michael in 2018.

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Originally Published: Sep 7, 2017
" " A young woman leans on a car during the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in Miami. Andrew was a Category 5 hurricane that hit South Florida in 1992. Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

On Aug. 18, 1969, Hurricane Camille made landfall along the Gulf Coast of the United States as a Category 5 hurricane, the strongest storm on Earth. Hurricanes are rated by wind speed and the damage they inflict, with Category 5 defined as sustained winds of 157 mph (252 kph) or greater, strong enough to flatten even well-built homes and send debris flying like airborne missiles. Camille had winds as high as 175 mph (282 kph).

Camille was Ruth Clark's first hurricane. The then-27-year-old native of Richton, Mississippi, 70 miles inland from the Gulf Coast, took shelter in her church's partial basement, huddled with her husband and neighbors as the storm tore straight through her hometown. Hours earlier, at the Trinity Episcopal Church in coastal Pass Christian, Miss., 15 people drowned in Camille's historic storm surge.

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"You really can't describe to anybody what it's like to sit through a hurricane," says Clark, who also rode out Hurricane Katrina, a Category 3 storm, in 2005. "It's almost like they describe the sound of a tornado, like listening to a train go by, except it doesn't pass on and it's over with. It just keeps going and going and going. You're hearing the popping and the crackling of the trees, and the fireworks from the power lines going down, popping and snapping. It's just a horrendous sound."

During both storms, Clark wondered more than once if it was the end. The giant oak trees lining Richton's streets toppled in the brutal and relentless winds, which raged for hours. All it would take was for one of those trees to come crashing through the roof, or for the walls to succumb to the terrible force.

"The house is trembling like it's an earthquake. You just feel everything shaking and you don't know what's going to happen," says Clark, who now lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia. "You do a lot of praying."

Doug Rohan was just starting his senior in high school when Hurricane Andrew, another Category 5 storm, slammed into South Florida on Aug. 24, 1992. Rohan and his family took refuge in his father's boarded-up office building and spent a long, blacked-out night listening to the rattle and thump of unknown objects careening across the rooftop.

"When daylight came and we opened the door to look outside, we realized that the rumblings were heard on the rooftops were probably very large tree limbs or porta-potties blown four to five blocks from construction sites," remembers Rohan. "There were faces of office buildings that were sheared off from the facade. That's what a Category 5 hurricane can do in a direct hit."

Rohan lived just 2 miles (3 kilometers) north of the worst devastation in the Homestead district. At the Homestead Air Force Base, fighter jets were sucked out of hangers. Rohan says that entire neighborhoods were leveled as if a "Hiroshima-style bomb" had detonated in South Miami. More than 180,000 people in Miami-Dade County were left homeless and 1.4 million people had no power, many for weeks. Rohan will never forget that most of what remained standing was slathered on the windward side with a pea-green slurry.

"Every single leaf was stripped from every single tree and minced up like it was in a blender," says Rohan. "So, you had all this sap oozing out, mixed with the rain, and it was like a poultice on all the buildings and cars. It was like snow drifts, except it was like finely chopped green leaves."

Corene Matyas researches tropical cyclones (aka hurricanes) at the University of Florida. She explains that Category 5 hurricanes draw their massive power from a set of ideal storm-generating conditions that converge in late summer over the Atlantic. Tropical cyclones extract their energy from warm ocean waters, and the Atlantic and Caribbean are the warmest in August and September. All it takes is an area of low pressure and an influx of air (wind) to "fill" the pressure gap. The wind evaporates warm water from the ocean surface and draws the moisture upward where it condenses into a swirling column of clouds.

"Soon you have a positive feedback mechanism," Matyas says. "The faster the wind, the more productive the storm, which then lowers the surface pressure further, which makes the winds faster, which makes it evaporate more. If everything is set up just right for the storm, this process can keep going and going, which is what we're seeing with Irma. There isn't anything disrupting this process right now."

A Category 5 hurricane is likely to do 500 times more damage than a Category 1 hurricane, which has winds of 95 mph (152 kph). Only three Category 5 hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S. so far: Camille, Andrew and the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935.

The types of damage Clark and Rohan experienced is very typical of a Category 5 hurricane. The Weather Channel notes that at this level of storm, "People, livestock, and pets are at very high risk of injury or death from flying or falling debris ... A high percentage of industrial buildings and low-rise apartment buildings will be destroyed ... Nearly all trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed."

But Clark and Rohan agree that although living through a storm is terrifying, what no one is prepared for is the aftermath. The debris and destruction can be overwhelming, as is the late summer heat without air conditioning. Power may be out for weeks, grocery stores are closed and roads are often impassable. Ice becomes one of the most critical commodities as people try to salvage and preserve the food quickly thawing in their chest freezers.

With phone lines down (this was before cell phones), Rohan's uncles followed their instincts and drove a pickup from Gainesville, Fla. with five coolers of ice, two chainsaws and a bunch of hotdogs. Rohan was a newly minted Eagle Scout and he and his family camped in the backyard for two weeks cooking on the propane grill. Tens of thousands of other South Floridians slept for months in tent cities set up by the National Guard.

After Katrina, Clark's small town of Richton was cut off by flooded rivers from the bigger city of Hattiesburg. The National Guard sent in Blackhawk helicopters with ice and MREs (meals ready to eat). Clark had to have the roof replaced on her house, and it took her several months just to clear the fallen trees and other debris from her yard.

Hurricanes can be incredibly fickle and almost random with their destructiveness. "Even with all of those hurricane models and cool graphics, there's still a lot of uncertainty," says Rohan. "A couple of miles are going to make the difference between the worst weather and basically a severe thunderstorm. You could evacuate because you think you're going to get hit and then nothing happens. Or alternatively, you can hunker down and ride out the storm, and then -- pow! -- you're hit with 220-mph gusts and your home is flattened."

Now That's Interesting One of the theories why hurricanes crush one neighborhood but leave an adjacent one standing has to do with "rolling" winds. Matyas says that when strong winds pass over land, they begin to roll in a tunnel shape. Homes on the "up" side of the roll are relatively safe, but homes on the "down" side could get smashed.
Arizona State University researchers are leading an effort to gather much-needed data on heat exposure. They gathered temperature and humidity measurements and also time activity diaries of volunteers in Phoenix, Arizona. Their dataset received a 2022 DesignSafe Dataset Award, which recognized the dataset's diverse contributions to natural hazards research. Credit: David Hondula, ASU.

Personal exposure to heat is an environmental hazard that might not make the same headlines as hurricanes or wildfires. But its effects are devastating. On average, about 658 people die each year in the U.S. from heat-related illness such as heat stroke, not to mention the unreported cases of heat exhaustion.

Arizona State University (ASU) researchers are leading an effort to gather much-needed data on heat exposure. They collected sensor data over the summer of 2016 from 55 volunteers in Phoenix, Arizona. As they went about their daily lives, the sensors recorded their ambient temperature every five minutes. Researchers also went door-to-door conducting surveys and collecting journal information about participants' experiences and behaviors.

The science team's personal heat exposure data won a 2022 DesignSafe Dataset Award, which recognized the dataset's diverse contributions to natural hazards research.

"These datasets fill what many researchers have identified as a critical link in understanding the potential vulnerabilities to heat faced by different communities across the country," said dataset co-author David Hondula, an associate professor in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning at ASU.

The dataset provided a granular and detailed picture of the conditions that people experience as they move from their home to work to place of recreation.

"It's at a level of detail that hasn't been captured very well before in the environmental health domain until about 10 years ago," Hondula added. "That's when we first started seeing studies asking what the temperatures are that people are experiencing as they move about their daily life."

"One of the interesting findings is that we didn't see a big difference in people's individual average temperature exposure throughout the study period," said dataset co-author Lance Watkins, a PhD student advised by Hondula at ASU.

This finding indicated that for the most part participants were well-situated to maintain their exposure to extreme heat and to keep their temperatures relatively lowor that they stayed in environments where temperatures are relatively low. However, Watkins noted a larger difference in the people's maximum temperature across the dataset.

"The highest maximum temperature a participant was exposed to was 117 degrees Fahrenheit," he said. "While average exposure wasn't terribly hot, the larger variation in maximum exposure implies that people still find themselves in dangerously hot environments as they go about their day."

The researchers used iButton air temperature and humidity sensors for the participants, typically on a lanyard worn around their neck or on a belt. They wore the iButtons continuously over 3-4 weekends, filling out a time activity diary of their thermal comfort level and with questions such as, whether or not they were in air conditioning.

The Arizona Department of Health Services provided support through educational material on personal heat exposure given during the door-to-door visits by the dataset scientists, a handful of graduate students, and a whole host of undergraduates who assisted in the data collection.

"We added the methodological details to the dataset in hopes of building consistency over time, especially in the emerging field of understanding personal heat exposure," Hondula said. "By being able to share those study details through DesignSafe, over time we're going to see real benefits to the scientific community as a whole."

Researchers went door-to-door in Phoenix, Arizona to interview participants in Phoenix, AZ and collect journal information on their personal experiences and behavior adapting to summer heat. Credit: Lance Watkins, ASU.

The dataset was made publicly available on the NHERI DesignSafe cyberinfrastructure.

"The DesignSafe team was committed to building functionality into their platform that could work across a wide range of social scientists and the types of data that they're working with. DesignSafe is a center of gravity and a platform where we can all share and learn from one another," Hondula said.

He added that the data repositories at DesignSafe are easily discoverable and sharable, with new datasets added every day.

"I loved how well the DesignSafe documentation was organized and easy to understand, making it easier to be able to publish the data," Watkins added.

Valuable in and of itself, the award-winning dataset is also part of a larger study called Three City Heat and Electrical Failure Adaptation Study (3HEAT) that's funded by the National Science Foundation. It developed computer models that predict hospitalizations and mortality resulting from the deadly combination of a city-wide blackout plus an extended heat wave in Phoenix, Atlanta, and Detroit. Arizona State University, Georgia Tech, and the University of Michigan collaborated on the study led by principal investigator Brian Stone at Georgia Tech.

The 3HEAT study combines the personal heat exposure and time activity diaries; climate model data for present and future city conditions; electric grid operational data; and public health mortality and morbidity datasets to estimate the impacts and assess societal adaptations to mitigating heat hazards from grid failure during a heat wave.

The researchers assert that data can help make a difference to disadvantaged communities, which also happen to be the hottest.

Said Hondula: "I'm excited about how these types of datasets can help those communities make their argument to public officials. These data carry a certain credibility in the eyes of decision makers that can help add extra urgency to the conversation about resolving some of the difficult and unfortunate disproportionate impacts of hazards we see in cities."



The dataset PRJ-3324 | Personal Heat Exposure was published by Lance Watkins, Mary Wright, Paul Chakalian, Elizabeth Kurtz, and David Hondula of Arizona State University. Funding was awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) grant SEES-1520803.

DesignSafe is a comprehensive cyberinfrastructure that is part of the NSF-funded Natural Hazard Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) and provides cloud-based tools to manage, analyze, understand, and publish critical data for research to understand the impacts of natural hazards. The capabilities within the DesignSafe infrastructure are available at no-cost to all researchers working in natural hazards. The cyberinfrastructure and software development team is located at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at The University of Texas at Austin, with a team of natural hazards researchers from the University of Texas, the Florida Institute of Technology, and Rice University comprising the senior management team.

NHERI is supported by multiple grants from the National Science Foundation, including the DesignSafe Cyberinfrastructure, Award #2022469.

More information:

10.17603/ds2-c3q7-vv73

Provided by Texas Advanced Computing Center
FLORENCE, S.C.  Wilson High School graduated 230 students at the Florence Center in a manner that only Wilson High School knows how to  with class, grace, and undeniable swagger.

The salutatorian, Ridgley Jackson, spoke about the dangers of comparison and overcoming self-imposed limiting beliefs. She will be attending Clemson University in the Honors College program. Her future field of study will be in biological sciences.

I finished the 8th grade with a 40% on my final math exam, Jackson said. I ruined my record of straight As on my report card. I compared myself to everyone until I spoke with a counselor that told me comparison is the thief of joy. That saying resonated with me and helped me to overcome the limiting beliefs that I assigned to myself. Overcoming those beliefs allowed me to be here today and to reach a fuller potential.

All of us are capable of achieving great things and all of us have the ability to leave behind the limits that we have set for ourselves. No matter where you go or what you do, we will always have one thing in common. We will always be Tigers.

The valedictorian, Olivia Townsend, encouraged her classmates to do what is best for them and to not be ashamed of their path even if it takes them down an unorthodox road. She will be taking a gap year to further pursue her equestrian interest before attending college.

Although we are here in part to recognize academic achievement, dont lose sight of the fact that you are an entire person and not just a student, Townsend said. Your value as an individual is not rooted in academic success. As you continue to challenge your mind, dont forget to honor your heart.

Dont let anyone discourage you from following your passion because it requires an unorthodox path. My passion certainly does. Let your future decision be yours. I encourage you to keep doing what you love even when it is challenging. Skill does not negate adversity, but adversity does not mean failure. I honestly believe that work ethic is just as valuable as intelligence. Keep both in your toolbox as you move forward. Determination and grit is what makes a Wilson Tiger.

The principal of Wilson High School, Eric Robinson, gave a farewell speech. He joked that this would be the last time the students had to listen to him.

I want to leave you all with a quote from Michael Josephson, Robinson said. Take pride in how far you have come. Have faith in how far you can go, but dont forget to enjoy the journey. I wish all of you much success in life and I want to tell each and everyone of you that I love you and I am always here for you. As you go off into the world, take all the knowledge, skills, and character that you have learned at Wilson High School and as I always tell you, once a tiger always a tiger.

The graduating class had a total of $13, 667,610 in scholarships. Eighty-five students received the Hope Scholarship. 58 students received the Life Scholarship. 11 students received the Palmetto Fellows scholarship. 51 students were Board of Trustee scholars, 34 students graduated with double cords (4.0 to 4.49 grade point average), 69 students graduated with single cords (3.0 to 3.99), and 5 students graduated with military cords.

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Seguin, TX (78155)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. Near record high temperatures. High 102F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear early, then a few clouds later on. Low 73F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.
 Another federal judge gives Michael Avenatti another below-guideline sentence, as he gets now 48 months for defrauding Stormy Daniels | Main | What following the science might mean in when it comes to the actual laboratories of criminal justice 

June 3, 2022

"'Tough Talking' Sacramento District Attorney Presides Over Homicide And Violence Surge While 'Liberal' San Francisco Enjoys Major Decreases"

Next week brings a high-profile recall vote on San Francisco's District Attorney Chesa Boudin, an election that many have come to view as a referendum on the progressive prosecutor movement. Because I consider all "movements" in the criminal justice reform space to be dynamic and erratic, I rarely think any one local vote itself reshapes the reform landscape. But I still understand why this vote is getting considerable attention, and lots of politicians and pundits will surely see lots of lessons from the outcome of this interesting bit of local criminal justice democracy.

Against that backdrop comes this notable new report from the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice. Here is the report's introduction:

San Francisco has seen major decreases in crime amid progressive reforms, while nearby Sacramento is seeing a homicide and violence surge under the leadership of a conservative prosecutor whose policies feature high rates of incarceration. Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert has positioned herself as the states leading tough-on-crime candidate as she criticizes progressive San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin and seeks to unseat Californias reform-minded Attorney General Rob Bonta (Hooks, 2021; Schubert, 2022). Yet DA Schuberts tenure has coincided with increased homicide and violent crime, lesser declines in property crime, and above average rates of homicide and violent crime for urban Sacramento than in San Francisco. Schuberts tough on crime rhetoric and policies have not delivered lower or falling crime rates. This analysis compares crime trends during Schuberts conservative prosecutorial term in office (2015- present) with those of San Franciscos progressive prosecutors (George Gascon and Chesa Boudin) during a key period in Californias criminal justice reform era. If talking tough on crime and incarcerating more people actually reduced crime, we would expect to see a much bigger decline in crime and a lower crime rate in Sacramento than in San Francisco. In fact, the opposite is the case. San Francisco has sustained larger crime declines and achieved lower rates of violent crime than the City of Sacramento since 2014.

The figure reprinted here is only one of a number of graphics from the report seeking to provide a broad view of crime rates and trends in two nearby (but very different) California cities. According to the report, the data show that "violent crime rates have risen an average of 9% in Sacramento while falling an average of 29% in San Francisco from 2014-2021, a period that spans the tenures of DA Schubert and San Francisco's progressive DAs." Here are some more data points from the report as highlighted on this CJCJ webpage:

Rates of homicide, other violent crimes, and property crimes fell faster in San Francisco than in the City of Sacramento from 2014-2021, even as San Francisco reduced its incarceration rate (-38%) much faster than Sacramento County (-24%).

Today, the City of Sacramento has higher rates of violent crime than San Francisco, including for homicide, rape, and aggravated assault.

The San Francisco Police Department solves a far smaller share of reported crimes than police in any major California city, presenting the DA with fewer cases to prosecute. Sacramentos DA receives a higher proportion of reported cases from local police departments, particularly for violent offenses.

Sacramentos heavy reliance on imprisonment cost California taxpayers $151.6 million, while San Franciscos progressive approach saved the state $163.3 million.

June 3, 2022 at 08:15 AM | Permalink

Comments

So what this article is saying is that because Boudin refused to bring charges on a huge number of crimes, that crime has gone down? And furthermore, San Francisco has saved itself and the state some money--solely because Boudin stopped prosecuting thugs? And that makes SF better than Sacramento?

So the costs of violent crime are hidden because the victims are the ones that pay (with lives, property, etc.) so that Boudin and the writer or this piece can claim that SF has reduced its crime, when all that's been reduced is the prosecution of crimes.

Why isn't this fact the lede of this article? Because the title now is misleading in the extreme.

Posted by: restless94110 | Jun 3, 2022 9:13:56 AM

restless94110 --

Correct. This "report," which simply reeks of partisanship, reaches its conclusions by sleight-of-hand, rather than by taking an honest look at facts on the ground. (For example, when "progressive" SF police routinely take a pass on making arrests, sure, you're going to get less REPORTED crime. But that doesn't mean less crime).

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 3, 2022 9:58:23 AM

Bill & Restless,

I'd be with you if this report was about property crime alone: the REPORTED crime problem you emphasize would be the whole story. But it also includes violent crimes, i.e. crimes that are charged in SF.

Posted by: John | Jun 3, 2022 4:35:49 PM

Ah yes, San Francisco, that urban hellhole, or should I say sh_thole (this is a family blog, isn't it?) that people are desperate to escape from. That's why it's practically deserted and the real estate is going for a song. In contrast, everyone, their moms, and their dogs, are beating the door down so they can take even the smallest part in the .... Sacramento Miracle. Did I get that right?

Posted by: kotodama | Jun 3, 2022 10:00:00 PM

kotodama --

You got it more right than you think. In 2014, the low year for crime, San Francisco Bay Area home prices increased by 20%. Since then the rate of increase has fallen off sharply (averaging a little more than 6% over the next five years, and only 1% for the last year for which data are available). It would appear that quite a few people are having second thoughts who were more eager when crime was lower.

https://www.bayareamarketreports.com/trend/3-recessions-2-bubbles-and-a-baby

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 4, 2022 10:43:04 AM

Bill, the article you link appears to have market data only through 2019, and DA Boudin did not become DA until 2020. That fact aside, the article pretty robustly suggests that home prices have very little to do with crime rates, since reported SF crime dropped a lot from 2008 to 2011, but so did home prices. But wait... I need to remember your first comment in this thread, which suggests that we should only look on data on REPORTED crime when they support your arguments, not when they undercut your claims. Got it, your view on data seems a lot like your views on textualism and originalism: very important stuff, unless and until they do not support your contentions, in which case they no longer matter.

Posted by: Doug B. | Jun 4, 2022 11:36:43 AM

Doug --

"Bill, the article you link appears to have market data only through 2019, and DA Boudin did not become DA until 2020."

I wasn't talking specifically about Boudin. I was addressing kotodama's argument that people are breading down the door to move to SF. They might be, since it's a uniquely beautiful city, but they do so less as crime rises, hence the falloff in the rate of real estate price increases.

"That fact aside, the article pretty robustly suggests that home prices have very little to do with crime rates, since reported SF crime dropped a lot from 2008 to 2011, but so did home prices."

A young guy like you should be able to remember that the Great Recession, with its NATIONWIDE massive cratering of home prices, was 2008-2011.

P.S. Crime rates do affect home prices, as I'm sure you know, but they are far from the only thing that does. Schools, unemployment rate, commute times, interest rates, weather and lots more affect them. Did I suggest otherwise? Where was that?

"Got it, your view on data seems a lot like your views on textualism and originalism: very important stuff, unless and until they do not support your contentions, in which case they no longer matter."

Gads, did I join your club while I wasn't looking? For decades, liberals have been ginning up "rights" through the dippsy-doodle of substantive due process (an oxymoron by its own terms) -- until the discussion turns to qualified immunity, in which context there is no end of liberal wailing that HEY IT'S NOT IN THE CONSTITUTION!!!

P.S. Still, being a sporting man, would you like to make a bet on whether Chesa Boudin, with his criminals-are-cool progressive policies, is retained or booted by perhaps the most liberal set of voters in the country? How 'bout $100? That's chickenfeed to a high-flying chaired professor.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 4, 2022 12:50:50 PM

So, Bill, it seems you concede you are inconsistent in your approach to the Constitution, but defend such inconsistency by claiming others are, too. Got it.

As for Boudin, the polls suggest he is in trouble, and I find betting cash on political outcomes a bit unseemly. But I would wager a meal that California, which has a much lower prison population rate/total than Texas, will not have a much higher violent crime rate than Texas in 2022 no matter the outcome of the recall.

Posted by: Doug B. | Jun 5, 2022 11:12:55 AM

Hi Bill - Mr. Boudin's goals of reducing crime while reducing incarceration are noble (at least from my perspective) and if a jurisdiction can reduce crime while reducing incarceration, that should be encouraged. Incarceration is very costly (and not just in financial terms but in potential damaged by imprisonment) and "tough-talking" DA's are also experiencing increases in crime rates - we should not blame Mr. Boudin for trying to reduce incarceration and at least try to impact the lives of the defendants in a positive way. Brett Miler

Posted by: Brett Miler | Jun 5, 2022 11:45:32 AM

Doug --

One thing you're utterly reliable at doing is recasting what I say to be what you WANT for me to have said, and then exclaim, "Got it."

Far out!!

What I actually said was, "Gads, did I join your club while I wasn't looking? For decades, liberals have been ginning up "rights" through the dippsy-doodle of substantive due process (an oxymoron by its own terms) -- until the discussion turns to qualified immunity, in which context there is no end of liberal wailing that HEY IT'S NOT IN THE CONSTITUTION!!!"

You avoid saying if you disagree with that. Do you?

P.S. I have criticized substantive due process every single time I'm mentioned it.

"I would wager a meal that California, which has a much lower prison population rate/total than Texas, will not have a much higher violent crime rate than Texas in 2022 no matter the outcome of the recall."

Oh man, is the word "much" carrying a lot of water uphill in that sentence! Still, I would be happy to wager a meal on the outcome of the UNC v. Ohio State basketball game.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 5, 2022 12:46:53 PM

Pretty sure, Bill, I have said repeatedly that the Ninth Amendment serves as a much clearer textualist and originalist foundation for rights than "substantive" due process. Do we agree on that? We can debate what unenumerated rights should fairly be grounded in the Ninth Amendment, but my read of the text and original meaning of the Constitution is that this is where one should focus energies for stuff like the right to get married and the right to travel and the right to educate one's children and the right to refuse medical treatment. Are these the kind of "ginned up" right you have in mind?

You are on for a meal on the Dec 2022 UNC/OSU game, though we are in a big transition year.

Posted by: Doug B. | Jun 5, 2022 2:49:49 PM

"Pretty sure, Bill, I have said repeatedly that the Ninth Amendment serves as a much clearer textualist and originalist foundation for rights than "substantive" due process. Do we agree on that?"

We do. How good a foundation it serves is a separate question, though.

It just seems to me that, if unenumerated rights are so clearly rooted in the history and traditions of the country, it should be easy to adopt them in legislation. And if they can't get adopted in legislation, one must wonder how "clearly rooted" they actually are. I think all the rights you mention would get enacted -- or if not enacted whole cloth, perhaps the majority wants some qualifications. That in my view is the way it should work.

Carolina is also in a transition year -- transitioning from national runner-up to national champion. Still, I want to be equitable about this. If you win, we go to Arby's. If I win, we go to the Ritz.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 5, 2022 7:59:32 PM

Happy to buy you two Ritz (crackers) if I lose

Posted by: Doug B. | Jun 5, 2022 10:43:03 PM

I can go for that deal but only if your offspring show up.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 6, 2022 7:23:08 AM

Post a comment
Exclusive-Germany's Rheinmetall bids for Leonardo's OTO Melara cannon maker FILE PHOTO: A logo of defence group Leonardo is pictured on their booth during EBACE in Geneva

By Angelo Amante, Giuseppe Fonte and Giulia Segreti

ROME (Reuters) -Germany's Rheinmetall has sent Italy's Leonardo an offer for a minority stake in its OTO Melara cannon maker unit valuing the whole business at almost 430 million euros ($462 million), according to a document and two sources close to the matter.

Leonardo put OTO Melara up for sale last year and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February has since highlighted the need for more advanced ground combat systems and greater European spending and cooperation on defence.

The non-binding offer was presented at the end of May and Rheinmetall is seeking to buy up to 49% of the company, the sources told Reuters on Thursday, seeking anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Rheinmetall has set a value of 190 million to 210 million euros as an indicative price for the 49% stake in OTO Melara, a document seen by Reuters showed.

The document said Rheinmetall would in future be open to acquiring a further 2% or more in OTO Melara, which would give it majority ownership, in line with the company's industrial plan and its stakeholders' strategy.

Shares in Leonardo rose 3% on Friday following the report.

Rheinmetall's move comes after Franco-German consortium KMW+Nexter Defence Systems (KNDS) and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri last year sent Leonardo a preliminary offer to buy the whole of OTO Melara and its sister company Wass.

Leonardo, which plans the sale as part of a broader strategy to focus on helicopters, aircraft and electronics for defence, was not available for comment. Rheinmetall did not respond to a Reuters email seeking comment.

GOVERNMENT ROLE

The Italian government has been informed, the sources said, but Rheinmetall still needs to secure Italy's backing, one of the sources said.

Rome has the power to block or set strict conditions on takeovers in strategic sectors, such as defence, energy and banking.

Before giving its backing to any changes in OTO Melara's ownership, Rome wants Italy to be included in the Franco-German Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) tank project, more popularly known as the "tank of the future", one of the sources said.

Story continues

Including Italy could create the opportunity for Leonardo to provide sensors and defence electronics systems for the new tanks.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has pointed out that the European Union spends about three times as much on defence as Russia, stressing the need for better coordination.

Brokerage Equita warned a final decision on a sale could still take time, given the government's powers to intervene.

($1=0.9305 euros)

(Editing by Barbara Lewis and Clarence Fernandez)
Kyla Stone may have the leading role in the national touring production of Anastasia, but she stands in awe of the understudies and swings in the show.

Thanks to them, she says, Anastasia has kept going while COVID ebbs and flows. Theyre leaders in terms of just putting on the hat and going, Im just going to do it, Stone says. Its just unreal.

Often with little notice, those swings (so called because they swing in and out of roles) have been able to step in and make the show work. Even now, she says, those unsung heroes do it with such ease and such grace.

Among the first in her company to contract the virus, Stone was no stranger to its effects.

The pandemic made its first appearance just as she was graduating from Chapman University in 2020. Theaters shut down, jobs disappeared; like others, Stone wondered if she had made the right career choice. Is theater even going to happen? I was so lucky to have such a great group of friends. We were writing things and putting them up on Zoom and doing staged readings. So I sort of switched gears.

When live performances started to return, I just sort of hit the ground running.

Among those auditions: one for Anya in Anastasia, the story of a young woman determined to find out if shes a member of Russian royalty.

While a person of color hadnt played the part, director Darko Tresnjak was open to colorblind casting. He told us really early on that he wanted a cast that was going to best tell the story, Stone says. It just so happened that I was one of those lucky people.

The decision  one foreshadowed by the multi-ethnic cast in Hamilton  is a good one, Stone says. Doors are hopefully opening in terms of whats available to any actor.

That anythings possible approach grazed Stone during high school. I was very fortunate. I had a theater director who just let me run wild and I distinctly remember sitting down my junior year and she was like, OK. What show do you want to do? And I was like, What? To get that agency at such a young age was great. And then to go to college and get to play such a wide variety of roles was just sort of the icing on the cake. When I graduated, I was so gung ho to audition for everything that I felt right about.

As a big musicals lead, Stone says, theres always something new to discover. To get to be on stage with these people that I adore and love and care about is just such a gift.

Because professors didnt detail all that comes with a national tour, the California native has learned plenty while traveling from one city to the next. I dont think anyone realizes laundry is harder to do than you think, she says with a laugh. You really need to listen to what your body needs, too. Every day is different. Every show is different. Sometimes we dont have the luxury of sitting down for a week, so it really is a true testament to knowing yourself.

Slated to play Anya through August, Stone says shes eager to try all sorts of roles. One in Star Wars is obvious, but I would love to be a Bond girl or a Bond villain and Christine Daae (in Phantom of the Opera) and Anna in Frozen. Theres a whole bucket list of shows.

Now, though, shes immersed in Anastasia. To capture the right essence, Stone says she just needs to put on the costumes Linda Cho designed. Its hard not to just take up that mantle. You feel like that energy is running through you. And the dress that I wear at the end is 35 pounds. So its hard not to just stand upright. But there really is something about having a crown on your head that makes you feel, OK, this is real.

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JERUSALEM, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with visiting Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi on Friday, urging the international community to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons.

Bennett expressed Israel's deep concern regarding Iran's continued progress toward achieving nuclear weapons while "deceiving the international community by using false information and lies."

He emphasized the urgent need in mobilizing the international community to "take action against Iran, using all means, in order to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons."

Stressing his country's support for the IAEA carrying out its mandate in a professional and independent way, the Israeli prime minister noted the importance of the IAEA Board of Governors "delivering a clear and unequivocal message to Iran in its upcoming decision."

While Israel prefers diplomacy to deny Iran the possibility of developing nuclear weapons, it reserves the right to self-defense and to act against Iran in order to block its nuclear program should the international community not succeed in the relevant time frame, Bennett said.

Grossi's visit came amid Israel's mounting concern over Iran's nuclear activities and any potential return to the 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers. He arrived in Israel Thursday night before heading to the Austrian capital of Vienna for an IAEA Board of Governors meeting on Monday. 
Joint Service

Mayflower Congregational UCC will participate in a joint service at First Unitarian Church. Mayflower Pastor Jessie Lent will deliver the sermon titled One Place, celebrating Gay Pride and Pentecost Sunday. The service will be held on Sunday, June 5, at 2508 Jackson Street from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. All are welcome!

FoodShare

Mayflower Congregational UCC will host its monthly FoodShare with its partners at Zestos, Inc. The event will be at 1407 W. 18th St. on June 11, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. All are welcome!

Pancake Breakfast

St. John Lutheran Church, 2801 Jackson St., south parking lot area, will host a pancake breakfast on June 18 from 7 to 11 a.m. Free will offering. Proceeds will go to benefit food ministry.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  Enough, enough, President Joe Biden exclaimed over and over Thursday night, as he delivered an impassioned address to the nation imploring Congress to take action against gun violence after mass shootings he said had turned schools, supermarkets and other everyday places into killing fields."

If legislators fail to act, he warned, voters should use their outrage to turn it into a central issue in Novembers midterm elections.

Speaking at the White House, Biden acknowledged the stiff political headwinds as he sought to drive up pressure on Congress to pass stricter gun limits after such efforts failed following past attacks.

He repeated calls to restore a ban on the sale of assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines  and said if Congress won't embrace all of his proposals, it must at least find compromises like keeping firearms from those with mental health issues or raising the age to buy assault-style weapons from 18 to 21.

How much more carnage are we willing to accept? Biden asked after last week's shootings by an 18-year-old gunman, who killed 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and another attack Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a gunman shot and killed four people and himself at a medical office. Dont tell me raising the age wont make a difference, he said.

The most recent shootings came close on the heels of the May 14 assault in Buffalo, New York, where a white 18-year-old wearing military gear and livestreaming with a helmet camera opened fire with a rifle at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood, killing 10 people and wounding three others in what authorities described as racially motivated violent extremism.

This time we have to take the time to do something," Biden said, calling out the Senate, where 10 Republican votes would be needed to pass legislation.

For all the passion of Bidens address, and for all his big asks and smaller fallback alternatives, any major action by Congress is still a long shot.

I know how hard it is, but Ill never give up, and if Congress fails, I believe this time a majority of the American people wont give up either," he added. "I believe the majority of you will act to turn your outrage into making this issue central to your vote.

Adding a stark perspective to young people's deaths, he noted that Centers for Disease Control data shows guns are the number one killer of children in the United States of America, ahead of car crashes.

Over the last two decades, more school-age children have died from guns than on-duty police officers and active-duty military  combined, he said.

Aware of persistent criticism from gun-rights advocates, Biden insisted his appeal wasn't about vilifying gun owners" or taking away anybodys guns.

We should be treating responsible gun owners as an example of how every gun owner should behave, Biden said. This isnt about taking away anyones rights, its about protecting children, its about protecting families.

He called on Congress to end outrageous protections for gun manufacturers, which severely limit their liability over how their firearms are used, comparing it to the tobacco industry, which has faced repeated litigation over its products' role in causing cancer and other diseases.

Imagine if the tobacco industry had been immune from being sued, where wed be today, Biden said.

All major broadcast networks broke away from regular programing to carry Bidens remarks at 7:30 p.m. EDT, before the start of prime-time shows.

Biden has given major speeches on the coronavirus pandemic and the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. But the president has used such addresses sparingly during his nearly 18 months in office, especially during evening hours.

Earlier Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about the Oklahoma shooting, saying, All of us hold the people of Tulsa in our hearts, but we also reaffirm our commitment to passing commonsense gun safety laws.

No more excuses. Thoughts and prayers are important, but not enough," Harris said. "We need Congress to act.

Visiting Uvalde on Sunday, Biden mourned privately for three-plus hours with anguished families. Faced with chants of do something as he departed a church service, the president pledged, We will. In his address, he spoke of being passed a note by a woman in a Uvalde church grieving the loss of her grandchild, calling on people to come together and act.

His Thursday night address coincided with bipartisan talks that are intensifying among a core group of senators discussing modest gun policy changes. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said the group is making rapid progress," and Biden has spoken to Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, among those leading Democrats' efforts on the issue.

Democrats are hoping Biden's remarks encourage the bipartisan Senate talks and build pressure on the Republicans to strike an agreement. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden is encouraged by congressional negotiations but the president wants to give lawmakers some space to keep talking.

The private discussions in the Senate, which is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, are not expected to produce the kinds of sweeping reforms being considered by the Democratic-led House  which has approved expansive background checks legislation and will next turn to an assault weapons ban.

A House package debated Thursday  and approved by a committee, 25-19  is less sweeping but includes a provision raising the required age for buying semi-automatic firearms to 21. It still faces slim chances in the Senate.

Instead, the bipartisan senators are likely to come up with a more incremental package that would increase federal funding to support state gun safety efforts  with incentives for bolstering school security and mental health resources. The package may also encourage red-flag laws to keep firearms away from those who would do harm.

While the Senate approved a modest measure to encourage compliance with background checks after a 2017 church mass shooting in Texas and one in Parkland, Florida, the following year, no major legislation cleared the chamber following the devastating massacre of 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.

Associated Press Writer Lisa Mascaro contributed.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
GRAHAM COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS)  A Great Pyrenees in Graham County has gotten into some legal trouble.

Seven-year-old Leos barking has racked up more than $750 in noise violation citations and attorney fees, said owner Michael Eddings.

Leos bark does travel, but its just because hes 120 pounds, Eddings said.

Eddings said Leo doesnt bark more than other dogs in the neighborhood and believes he and his family are being unfairly targeted by the Graham County Sheriffs Office following a complaint.

I have a neighbor that has three or four dogs that bark, Eddings said. And my neighbor across the street has dogs that bark. So, I think singling us out for one dog is a little ridiculous.

During a court appearance on Tuesday, Eddings said he was stunned to hear what a representative of the Graham County district attorneys office offered in terms of a plea deal.

He said that if you have the vocal cords removed surgically, they would drop all charges, Eddings said. Its crazy; it is inhumane.

Graham County District Attorney Ashley Welch confirmed an assistant district attorney made the suggestion. Welch issued the following statement:

"I have confirmed that an assistant district attorney in my district suggested, as a possible solution to violations of a towns noise ordinance, that a dogs vocal cords be surgically altered. Whether offered in jest or seriousness, the suggestion was inappropriate. I am unable to offer additional comment as this is now a personnel matter.

Neither Leo nor Eddings is off the hook. Eddings' next court appearance is scheduled for October.

Were willing to negotiate, Eddings said. Well put up a fence, things like that, but Im not going to put on a barking collar and Im not going to have surgery.

According to Graham Countys noise ordinance, quiet hours are not defined. The ordinance does specify between disturbing and unnecessary noise. Both criteria state a noise should not be clearly audible at a distance of more than 50 feet from the noise source.

Graham County Sheriff Jerry Crisp confirmed his deputies have issued several noise violation citations to Eddings  both for the dogs barking and loud music. Crisp said his office received complaints from many of Eddings neighbors. Since the last citation, no additional complaints have been filed.

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KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  On Ukraines battlefields, the simple act of powering up a cellphone can beckon a rain of deathly skyfall. Artillery radar and remote controls for unmanned aerial vehicles may also invite fiery shrapnel showers.

This is electronic warfare, a critical but largely invisible aspect of Russias war against Ukraine. Military commanders largely shun discussing it, fearing theyll jeopardize operations by revealing secrets.

Electronic warfare technology targets communications, navigation and guidance systems to locate, blind and deceive the enemy and direct lethal blows. It is used against artillery, fighter jets, cruise missiles, drones and more. Militaries also use it to protect their forces.

Its an area where Russia was thought to have a clear advantage going into the war. Yet, for reasons not entirely clear, its much-touted electronic warfare prowess was barely seen in the wars early stages in the chaotic failure to seize the Ukrainian capitol of Kyiv.

It has become far more of a factor in fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine, where shorter, easier-to-defend supply lines let Russia move electronic warfare gear closer to the battlefield.

They are jamming everything their systems can reach, said an official of Aerorozvidka, a reconnaissance team of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle tinkerers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of safety concerns. We cant say they dominate, but they hinder us greatly.

A Ukrainian intelligence official called the Russian threat pretty severe when it comes to disrupting reconnaissance efforts and commanders communications with troops. Russian jamming of GPS receivers on drones that Ukraine uses to locate the enemy and direct artillery fire is particularly intense on the line of contact, he said.

Ukraine has scored some successes in countering Russias electronic warfare efforts. It has captured important pieces of hardware  a significant intelligence coup  and destroyed at least two multi-vehicle mobile electronic warfare units.

Its own electronic warfare capability is hard to assess. Analysts say it has markedly improved since 2014, when Russia seized Crimea and instigated a separatist revolt in eastern Ukraine. But there are setbacks. Last week, Russia claimed it destroyed a Ukrainian electronic intelligence center in the southeastern town of Dniprovske. The claim could not be independently confirmed, and Ukrainian officials did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine has also made effective use of technology and intelligence from the United States and other NATO members. Such information helped Ukraine sink the battle cruiser Moskva. Allied satellites and surveillance aircraft help from nearby skies, as does billionaire Elon Musks Starlink satellite communications network.

Electronic war has three basic elements: probe, attack and protect. First, intelligence is gathered by locating enemy electronic signals. On attack, white noise jamming disables and degrades enemy systems, including radio and cellphone communications, air defense and artillery radars. Then there is spoofing, which confuses and deceives. When it works, munitions miss their targets.

Operating on a modern battlefield without data is really hard, said retired Col. Laurie Buckhout, a former U.S. Army electronic warfare chief. Jamming can blind and deafen an aircraft very quickly and very dangerously, especially if you lose GPS and radar and youre a jet flying at 600 miles an hour.

All of which explains the secrecy around electronic warfare.

It is an incredibly classified field because it is highly dependent on evolving, bleeding-edge technologies where gains can be copied and erased very quickly, said James Stidham, a communications security expert who has consulted for the U.S. State and Homeland Security departments.

Ukraine learned hard lessons about electronic warfare in 2014 and 2015, when Russia overwhelmed its forces with it. The Russians knocked drones out of the sky and disabled warheads, penetrated cellphone networks for psychological ops and zeroed in on Ukrainian armor.

One Ukrainian officer told Christian Brose, an aide to the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., how Russian info warriors tricked a commander into returning a wireless call from his mother. When he did, they geolocated him in mid-call and killed him with precision rockets, Brose wrote in the book The Kill Chain.

The U.S. also experienced Russias electronic warfare in action in Syria, where the adversaries have backed opposing sides in the civil war. In 2018, U.S. Special Operations chief Gen. Raymond Thomas described how U.S. pilots communications were regularly knocked down in Syria in the most aggressive electronic warfare environment on the planet. Russias advanced systems are designed to blind U.S. Airborne Warning and Control Systems, or AWACS, aircraft  the eyes and ears of battlefield commanders  as well as cruise missiles and spy satellites.

In the current war, electronic warfare has become a furious theater of contention.

Aerorozvidka has modified camera-equipped drones to pinpoint enemy positions and drop mortars and grenades. Hacking is also used to poison or disable enemy electronics and collect intelligence.

Ukrainian officials say their electronic warfare capabilities have improved radically since 2015. They include the use of encrypted U.S and Turkish communications gear for a tactical edge. Ukraine has advanced so much it exports some of its technology.

Russia has engaged in GPS jamming in areas from Finland to the Black Sea, said Lt. Col. Tyson Wetzel, an Air Force fellow at the Atlantic Council. One regional Finnish carrier, Transaviabaltica, had to cancel flights on one route for a week as a result. Russian jamming has also disrupted Ukrainian television broadcasting, said Frank Backes, an executive with California-based Kratos Defense, which has satellite ground stations in the region.

Yet in the wars early days, Russias use of electronic warfare was less effective and extensive than anticipated. That may have contributed to its failure to destroy enough radar and anti-aircraft units to gain air superiority.

Russias defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment for this article.

Some analysts believe Russian commanders held back units fearing the units would be captured. At least two were seized. One was a Krasukha-4, which a U.S. Army database says is designed to jam satellite signals as well as surveillance radar and radar-guided weapons from more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away. The other: the more advanced Borisoglebsk-2, which can jam drone guidance systems and radio-controlled land mines.

Russia may have also limited the use of electronic warfare early in the conflict because of concerns that ill-trained or poorly motivated technicians might not operate it properly.

What were learning now is that the Russians eventually turned it off because it was interfering with their own communications so much, said retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, a former U.S. Army commander for Europe.

The communications problems were evident with many Russian troops talking on insecure open radio channels, easily monitored by outsiders.

Its unclear how much of an edge Russias electronic assets may now offer. Ukraines forces are now more concentrated than early in the war, which could make them easier to target.

Much depends on whether Russias battalion tactical groups are configured in reality as they are on paper, said James Rands, of the Janes military intelligence think tank. Each group, comprised of roughly 1,000 troops, is supposed to have an electronic warfare unit. The Pentagon says 110 such groups are in Ukraine.

The Kremlin also claims to have more than 1,000 small, versatile Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles it uses for reconnaissance, targeting, jamming and cellphone interception.

Russia has lost about 50 of its Orlan-10s in the war, but whatever they lost could be a small portion of whats flying, said researcher Samuel Bendett, of the Center for Naval Analyses think tank.

Ukraines relative UAV strength is unclear, but Ukrainians have adapted such technologies as software-defined radio and 3D printing to stay nimble.

The U.S. and Britain also supply jamming gear, but how much it helps is unclear. Neither country has offered details. The ability of both sides to disable the other's drones is crucial with the artillery they scout now so decisive in battles.

Musk's Starlink is a proven asset. Its more than 2,200 low-orbiting satellites provide broadband internet to more than 150,000 Ukrainian ground stations. Severing those connections is a challenge for Russia. It is far more difficult to jam low-earth orbiting satellites than geostationary ones.

Musk has won plaudits from the Pentagon for at least temporarily defeating Russian jamming of Ukrainian satellite uplinks with a quick software fix. But he has warned Ukrainians to keep those terminals powered down when possible  they are vulnerable to geolocation  and recently worried on Twitter about redoubled Russian interference efforts.

Im sure that the Russians are getting smarter about that now, said Wetzel, the Air Force lieutenant colonel.

Bajak reported from Boston. AP correspondent Lolita C. Baldor contributed from Washington.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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LE MARS, Iowa -- Aaron Leusink's addiction to painkillers started with one pill.

Prescribed hydrocodone after undergoing a vasectomy performed after his fourth child was born 11 years ago, Leusink said he took one of the pills to ease the pain as he recovered from the procedure.

"One pill that made me feel good changed my entire life," Leusink told District Judge Roger Sailer.

The high from that first pill led Leusink to take all of his prescription, then any unused opiates he could find from family members' past prescriptions. He later turned to theft, using his position as a Plymouth County Sheriff's deputy to steal prescription drugs collected as evidence and from homes while serving search warrants. He broke into pharmacies and stole more.

His secrets came crashing down on April 20, 2020, when a state investigator visited his home, asking about the missing drugs.

"I had to look my family in the face and tell them who I had become," the former deputy said.

He looked his family members in the face again Thursday, this time hugging, kissing and telling them goodbye after Sailer sentenced him to 40 years in prison for burglary, theft and other charges.

Leusink had faced up to 60 years in prison, and Sailer said the fact Leusink had sought treatment and has been sober since his arrest two years ago worked in his favor. However, the circumstances surrounding the crimes were "nothing short of outrageous," Sailer said, and the damage done to the integrity of the sheriff's office, law enforcement and the criminal justice system is not easily fixed.

"All of these crimes represent a gross, gross violation of the public's trust," said Sailer, who also fined Leusink a total of $3,195.

Apologizing to his former co-workers, the community and his family, Leusink asked Sailer for leniency, telling the judge he'd continue his drug abuse rehabilitation and needed to support his family, who he said would suffer financially in his absence, possibly losing their business and home.

"I've made some mistakes, your honor, and I fully understand the people I've hurt," Leusink said. "I'm asking you for a chance to right my wrongs but at the same time support my family."

Ironically, Leusink served as the department's DARE officer for nine years, educating hundreds of Plymouth County students about the dangers of drugs. Retired Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo said the 30 years he spent in office promoting integrity and trust were shattered by a man he had hired and had sworn under oath to uphold the law.

"He used the very system designed to protect the public for his own advantage," Van Otterloo said. "We've been given a black eye by the actions of former deputy Leusink."

Earlier, Leusink's wife, April, had asked for leniency, saying the stress of being separated from her husband since he'd been jailed after pleading guilty two months ago has taken a toll on her and their children.

"We have not had a family meal since Aaron's been gone, and I can't bring myself to look at the empty seat," she said. "He has never had ill intentions to anyone."

Leusink, 43, of Le Mars, pleaded guilty in April in Plymouth County District Court to 11 charges: single counts of first-degree burglary, felonious misconduct in office, fourth-degree theft and unlawful possession of prescription drugs, two counts each of second-degree burglary and third-degree burglary, and three counts of fifth-degree theft.

Van Otterloo had asked the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation to investigate Leusink in April 2020 after a review of his body camera videos showed him taking prescription drugs from a rural Le Mars home. Leusink was fired later that month.

Agents searching Leusink's home found more than 1,600 pills, evidence bags that had been ripped open or were left unsealed, a thumb drive and an iPhone from a case he had previously worked and $5,432 in cash. Opened evidence bags that were missing hydrocodone pills seized in cases Leusink had worked were found at his desk at the sheriff's office.

The DCI found evidence linking Leusink to 2019 pharmacy burglaries in Akron and Kingsley and others that dated back to 2017, and video and audio footage from his body camera showed him seizing bottles of prescription medications while executing search warrants at homes in rural Merrill and Hinton.

Leusink was arrested in September 2020.

An Iowa State Auditor's Office investigation report in November 2020 detailed flaws in the department's evidence procedures. Van Otterloo, who had requested the probe, said after the report was released that his office had implemented auditors' recommendations to improve procedures.

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SIOUX CITY -- A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a Le Mars, Iowa, man who said a Woodbury County Sheriff's deputy conducted an unlawful search of his vehicle during a traffic stop.

Chief U.S. District Court Leonard Strand ruled that Ryan McMurtrey failed to meet a deadline to confirm he wanted to continue with the lawsuit after his lawyer withdrew from the case.

McMurtrey had sued Deputy Kyle Cleveringa in September 2020 in U.S. District Court in Sioux City, arguing that the deputy conducted an illegal search that led to his arrest on drug charges and a three-month stint in jail before his case was dismissed.

McMurtrey was seeking compensatory and punitive damages. He said in the lawsuit that Cleveringa violated his federal Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable search and seizure during an Oct. 2, 2018, traffic stop in which a backpack later discovered to contain methamphetamine and marijuana was seized.

Cleveringa stopped McMurtrey and his female passenger near Sloan, Iowa, because McMurtrey's car did not have a front license plate. Cleveringa said he smelled alcohol coming from inside the vehicle and asked McMurtrey if he could search the car for any open alcohol containers. McMurtrey gave his consent.

According to the lawsuit, Cleveringa searched backseat pouches, inside other containers and backpacks in the vehicle and found a backpack that had a lock on it. McMurtrey declined to give him permission to search it, so Cleveringa seized it in order to obtain a search warrant. McMurtrey and his passenger were allowed to leave.

After the search warrant was obtained, the drugs were found inside the backpack, and McMurtrey was arrested on Dec. 17, 2018. He was unable to bond out of the Woodbury County Jail and remained in custody while his attorney filed a motion to suppress the evidence collected from the backpack.

District Judge Jeffrey Poulson granted McMurtrey's motion, ruling the search was illegal because Cleveringa went beyond the limited consent to search for open containers and did not have authority to search the backpack. The Woodbury County Attorney's Office dropped the charges, and McMurtrey was released from jail nearly three months after his arrest.

A nearly identical lawsuit in which McMurtrey said Cleveringa's actions also violated Iowa law, is scheduled for a pretrial conference next month in Woodbury County District Court.

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SIOUX CITY -- A dispute between two homeless men near the Anderson Dance Pavilion ended with one of them jailed for stabbing the other in the face with a pair of scissors.

The incident took place at approximately 5:36 a.m. Wednesday, when the two men had been sleeping near each other.

According to court documents, Tommy Barton, 38, became angry with the other man and stabbed and sliced him at least three times in the face, causing severe lacerations. The victim's left eye later swelled shut while being treated at a hospital.

Police found Barton a short distance from the scene, and he threw away a pair of scissors after seeing the officers. Police retrieved the scissors, which were wet and appeared to have just been washed, court documents said.

The victim later identified Barton as his assailant. According to court documents, Barton told police while being transported to jail that prior to the stabbing, the victim had been kicking Barton's belongings and "rubbing his butt on them." Barton said the victim also was touching him while he was sleeping, and that was why he assaulted him.

Barton was booked into the Woodbury County Jail on one count of willful injury causing serious injury.

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After dark on April 15, 1848, a small schooner named the Pearl sailed away from a wharf in Washington, D.C.

On board were 77 slaves who planned to travel south on the Potomac River nearly 100 miles until they reached Chesapeake Bay, where they would turn and sail some 125 miles north to New Jersey, beyond the reach of slavery.

It was the largest nonviolent slave escape recorded in the countrys young history, and though ultimately unsuccessful, it became a defining moment for the Bell family.

The Pearl affair, as it became known, was also just one part of a long struggle by Daniel and Mary Bell to find freedom, which is the subject of a new feature-length film by three University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty members.

The Bell Affair, which will premiere in Washington on Thursday, chronicles Marys long fight for freedom through the courts, based upon research into the hundreds of instances of slaves suing slaveholders done by William G. Thomas III, a UNL professor of history. The film could play in Lincoln this fall.

Thomas, one part of Salt Marsh Productions along with Kwakiutl Dreher and Michael Burton, previously released an 11-minute film, Anna, based on the life of a slave woman named Ann Williams who jumped from a third-story window rather than be sold into slavery after gaining her freedom.

Both Anna and The Bell Affair draw on research done by Thomas and published in his book A Question of Freedom: The Families Who Challenged Slavery from the Nations Founding to the Civil War, as well as by UNLs Center for Digital Research in the Humanities.

The film draws upon the same archival documents, Thomas said, but employs historical imagination to show a more personal side to the freedom suits.

In the film, youre seeing a family, and I hope audiences will take away an understanding of the experiences of these families and care about the history in a way they hadnt before, he said.

Dreher, an associate professor of English who returned to write The Bell Affair after having previously penned Anna, said the film will expand viewers perceptions of how slaves struggled for freedom.

Our general notions of freedom-making have to deal with running away and the Underground Railroad, Dreher said, but Will Thomas research has shown there was myriad ways of gaining freedom, including through the court system.

Using the historical record as a foundation, Dreher said her own experiences  interactions between spouses, or between parents and children, the little conflicts that happen every day at home  helped flesh out the characters and what their personal lives may have been like.

In the Bells case, theres an added wrinkle: Daniel had won his freedom, while Mary remained enslaved.

Robert Armistead, who owned Mary and her children, signed a deed of manumission granting Mary her freedom a few days before his death  a document processed by the Washington County, Maryland, clerk in September 1835.

Armisteads widow, Susan, did not honor the document, however, claiming she owned Mary and the Bell children for life. She successfully contested the deed, leaving Mary enslaved.

A dozen years later, abolitionists purchased Marys freedom once more, but a court rejected her petition for freedom, leaving her enslaved until the escape attempt made on the Pearl several months later.

Until that point, both Daniel and Mary continued to live in the same house, which Dreher imagines created a heightened sense of conflict.

If youre sitting at the table and youre talking about freedom-making, what would that conversation be about? she asked. You just dont get up in the morning and say, oh, lets pack our bags and leave. That takes planning. I imagined what that planning would be like.

For a family deeply intertwined with the history of freedom suits  the Bell family filed a total of seven lawsuits over 20 years, involving several generations  Dreher said it was also important to portray Daniel and Mary thinking about the future.

These enslaved people had lives while they were living in the confines of enslavement and owned by people who had an investment in the buying of human flesh and keeping them from living their lives, she said. How do people manage that? I want people to know how one family did that.

The Bell Affair was produced during the coronavirus pandemic, with actors from all over the country  including local talent like Myeisha Essex as Mary Bell  filming themselves in their own homes, with costumes created by Heather Striebel, a Ph.D. candidate in UNLs Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design, and stitched by Anna Kuhlman and Audrey Foster.

The footage was later stitched together by Western Meadowlark, a production company consisting of another pair of UNL alums, Elijah Watson of Holdrege and Benjamin Hartzell of Omaha.

Similar to the cover of Thomas book, A Question of Freedom, about the freedom lawsuits, as well as Salt Marsh Productions earlier film, Anna, The Bell Affair is presented through animation.

Through the sepia tone, viewers are given the sense they are watching an engraving or etching, according to Burton, a UNL assistant professor of design.

When we look at images created by people in the past, we tend to think that was a long time ago, he said. When you do that with real people and real actors and have them talk and speak lines, but you maintain that old, etched aesthetic, youre reminded that these are real people with real emotions.

Burton said the effect allows viewers to experience history in a different way.

"It helps us think about our past and where we came from and how we got here," he said. "We didn't live in the past, and nothing that happened in the past is our fault, but knowing where we are today will help us know where we are going in the future."

Thomas said he hopes The Bell Affair allows audiences to see slavery in more personal terms.

As an author, we rarely get the opportunity to turn our work into a completely different medium, he said. Its a rare, precious experience that teaches us more things about our work than we knew at the outset.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS

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The GOP primary for Iowa's House District 5 is one of only eight races in the state featuring three or more candidates. But there's something even rarer about it: It's one of only two in the entire state where Gov. Kim Reynolds has endorsed a challenger to an incumbent Republican House member.

On May 25, Reynolds threw her support behind 31-year-old Zach Dieken, an Iowa State trooper from Granville, who is running against first-term Rep. Dennis Bush, a 71-year-old Cherokee farmer, and 55-year-old Sibley paralegal Thomas Kuiper. A primary reason for the endorsement by the sitting governor is that Bush, a former Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn School Board member, is one of the GOP House members who have resisted Reynolds' proposal to provide K-12 students and their parents scholarships for private schools, the so-called "voucher bill," that critics say will shift taxpayer funding away from public schools.

The newly-drawn House District 5 takes in all of O'Brien and Osceola counties and parts of Buena Vista and Cherokee counties. Major cities in the district include Cherokee, Hartley, Primghar, Sheldon and Sibley.

Bush said his top two issues in this primary are "supporting education in our local public schools and advocating for mental health services."

The former two-term Cherokee County supervisor said he thinks voters should select him for a second-term (there are no challengers on the Democratic side) because his knowledge doesn't just pertain to the Iowa legislature.

"I am the only candidate with an extensive knowledge of agriculture, having farmed my whole life. Agriculture is the life blood of HD5," Bush said via email.

"I am also the only candidate with an extensive knowledge of the mental health system in the region, having served on the Rolling Hills Mental Health Region Governance Board for most of my time as County Supervisor, and having served on the Iowa Mental Health and Disability Services Commission for the last four years," Bush added.

As for Dieken, who's never run for an elected office before, he said over email his biggest focuses would be on ending abortion in the state and curbing federal influence.

"Our country has murdered millions of children and Iowa has had its hand in that murder," Dieken said of abortion. "It needs to stop because the LORD hates it and commands it not to be done."

Turning his attention to alleged federal "intrusions," Dieken then said: "The last two years will happen again and we must have leaders willing to fight for our constitutional liberties."

Dieken's pitch for voters thinking of selecting him is that he's running for the right reasons.

"I am a genuine conservative who will fight for what is right, Im not in this for name recognition or boredom," he said. "My young children are at risk of living in a corrupt nation much less free than even what I grew up in. I fight for my own family. I fight for the future of your families and their freedom."

Before entering the District 5 primary field, Kuiper's main focus was on representing companies on unemployment cases across the country and wrote two "quote books" about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Now, he's focused on the abortion question and the state's economy.

"Pro-life, and making sure the state spends less than what it takes in," Kuiper said via email when asked what his two biggest issues are in this election.

Kuiper, who's penned columns for the N'West Iowa Review, added to that list while talking making the case for why he should be the one to continue on to the November general election.

"I am a committed conservative. One does not have to wonder where I stand on the issues, as I've written over 100 columns, including topics such as the 2nd Amendment, being Pro-life, taxes & responsible spending, and how the founders envisioned a Christian Nation."

Jared McNett is an online editor and reporter for the Sioux City Journal. You can reach him at 712-293-4234 and follow him on Twitter @TwoHeadedBoy98.

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TEHRAN, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Friday described the move by the United States and three European countries to draft an anti-Iran resolution for the upcoming meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as "hasty and unconstructive", official news agency IRNA reported.

Making the remarks in a telephone conversation with Josep Borrel, EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Amir-Abdollahian said Iran has the determination to reach a good, strong and lasting nuclear agreement with powers.

However, he said, the recent action of the United States and the three European countries in drafting the resolution is "contrary to the practice of diplomacy ... which will make the negotiation process more difficult and complicated."

For his part, Borrel criticized some attempts to thwart the nuclear talks in Vienna, underlining the need to speed up the talks and reach an agreement.

According to media reports on Wednesday, the United States, France, Britain and Germany prepared a draft resolution over Iran's nuclear program for the IAEA Board of Governors' upcoming meeting. 
Russia may be in Ukraine to stay after 100 days of war

When Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in late February, the Russian president vowed his forces would not occupy the neighboring country. But as the invasion reached its 100th day on Friday, Russia seemed increasingly unlikely to relinquish the territory it has taken in the war. The ruble is now an official currency in the southern Kherson region. Residents there and in Russia-controlled parts of a neighboring region are getting offered Russian passports. The Kremlin-installed administrations in both regions have talked about plans to become part of Russia. In a video marking the first 100 days of fighting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that his country would not submit easily to Russian control.

Ex-Trump aide Navarro indicted; Meadows won't be charged

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Justice Department has declined to charge former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and another aide to former President Donald Trump, Dan Scavino, for contempt of Congress for their defiance of subpoenas in the Jan. 6 congressional investigation. Thats according to a person familiar with a letter sent by the Justice Department to a lawyer for the House of Representatives on Friday. The action came the same day the Justice Department said a grand jury had indicted Peter Navarro, a trade adviser in the Trump White House, for his refusal to cooperate with the committees investigation. The New York Times first reported the decision not to prosecute Meadows and Scavino.

McCormick concedes to Oz in Pennsylvania GOP Senate primary

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Former hedge fund CEO David McCormick is conceding the Republican primary in Pennsylvania for U.S. Senate to celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz. McCormick ended his campaign Friday night as he acknowledged an ongoing statewide recount wouldnt give him enough votes to make up the deficit. Before the recount, Oz led McCormick by 972 votes out of 1.34 million votes counted in the May 17 primary. The Associated Press will not declare a winner in the race until the recount is complete. Fridays development sets up a general election between Oz, who was endorsed by Donald Trump, and Democrat John Fetterman in what is expected to be one of the nations premier Senate contests.

What did police know as the Uvalde school shooting unfolded?

As investigators dig deeper into the law enforcement response to the deadly school shooting, in Uvalde, Texas, a host of disturbing questions remain about what officers on the scene knew as the attack was unfolding. Did they know children were trapped in a classroom with the gunman? Was that potentially critical information relayed to the incident commander on the scene? And did officers challenge the commanders decision not to promptly storm the classroom?

100 speeches in 100 days of war: Zelenskyy rallies Ukraine

When Russia invaded Ukraine, no one knew how Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would respond. The 44-year-old who had catapulted himself from the world of entertainment into his nation's presidency now faced an invasion by Russias giant army. His response has turned out to be forceful  and compellingly public  in leading his country's unexpectedly fierce resistance. Every night, he rallies Ukrainians to the fight with a video address on social media. There have been 100 so far  one for each day of the war  nightly reminders that he has not fled and that Ukraine has indeed survived.

Deadly secret: Electronic warfare shapes Russia-Ukraine war

KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Electronic warfare is a vital, mostly invisible element in Russias war on Ukraine. The Kremlin barely tapped its advantage in the domain early in the war. But that edge could be more decisive now that fighting is raging on a more static front in the eastern Donbas region. Shorter, more secure supply lines favor Russias ability to deploy electronic war units, which use jamming and other technologies to outwit the enemy. The Ukrainians report intense Russian jamming in the region but have scored some successes including the seizure of important pieces of hardware and destruction of at least two multi-vehicle mobile electronic warfare units.

Firm proposes Taser-armed drones to stop school shootings

Taser developer Axon said this week it is working to build drones armed with the electric stunning weapons that could fly into schools and help prevent the next Uvalde, Sandy Hook, or Columbine. But its own group of technology advisers quickly panned the idea as a dangerous fantasy. The publicly traded company, which sells Tasers and police body cameras, floated the idea of a new police drone product last year to its artificial intelligence ethics board, a group of well-respected experts in technology, policing and privacy. Some of them expressed reservations. But they did not expect Axons Thursday announcement that it wants to send those Taser-equipped drones into classrooms.

Sky high: Carbon dioxide levels in air spike past milestone

A federal science agency says that levels of the main global warming gas have shot past a key milestone. Friday's announcement by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in May averaged 421 parts per million. That's more than 50% higher than pre-industrial levels. NOAA says carbon dioxide levels in the air in May have reached a point last known when Earth was 7 degrees hotter, millions of years ago. Carbon dioxide levels peak in May of the year and drop as plants suck up more of the heat-trapping gas.

Depp-Heard trial: Advocates fear chilling effect on accusers

Some advocates and experts fear that the verdict in the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard case will have a chilling effect on women coming forward with abuse claims. Jurors sided largely with Depp in the civil libel trial, awarding him $10 million and his ex-wife $2 million. They didn't rule on any abuse charges. Still, some have concerns about the assumptions people may now make that women are lying. Others say abusers may be newly emboldened to paint accusers as liars in retaliation for them coming forward. Experts and others cite the social media campaign waged against Heard as well as the verdict for their fears. But others say cases will go forward on their own merits, and hope truth can prevail despite the recent high-profile trial.

Rangers beat Lightning 3-2 in Game 2 for 2-0 series lead

NEW YORK (AP)  Mika Zibanejad scored in the third period, Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 shots and the New York Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 to take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals. KAndre Miller and Kaapo Kakko also scored, and Adam Fox and Chris Kreider each had two assists for the Rangers. New York won its eighth straight home game, extending a franchise playoff record. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist for Tampa Bay, Nicholas Paul also scored, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves. The Lightning have lost consecutive playoff games for the first time in the last three postseasons. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions were 17-0 after a loss coming in. Game 3 is Sunday in Tampa, Florida.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Biden appeals for tougher gun laws: 'How much more carnage?'

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden has delivered an impassioned plea to Congress to act on gun control. In an address to the nation Thursday night, he called on lawmakers to restore limits on the sale of assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. He says that if legislators fail to act, voters should use their outrage to turn gun violence into a central issue in Novembers midterm elections. Biden is trying to drive up pressure on Congress to pass stricter laws, though such efforts have failed in the wake of past violence. The speech follows recent mass shootings in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York.

Texas senator: School police chief didn't know of 911 calls

UVALDE, Texas (AP)  A Texas state senator says the commander at the scene of a school shooting in Texas was not informed of panicked 911 calls from inside the school building. Sen. Roland Gutierrez said during a news conference Thursday that the pleas for help from people inside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde did not make their way to school district police Chief Pete Arredondo. The Democratic senator who represents the city called it a system failure that the calls were going to city police but not communicated to Arredondo. The head of the Texas Department of Public Safety has said police didnt confront the gunman more quickly because Arredondo believed the situation had morphed from an active shooting to a hostage situation. Nineteen children and two teachers died.

Police: Tulsa gunman targeted surgeon he blamed for pain

Police say a man who blamed his surgeon for ongoing pain after a recent back surgery bought an AR-style rifle hours before opening fire at a Tulsa medical office, killing the surgeon and three other people before fatally shooting himself. Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin identified the shooter as 45-year-old Michael Louis. He says the gunman had recently undergone back surgery and had called a clinic repeatedly complaining of pain. Franklin says the doctor who performed the surgery, Dr. Preston Phillips, was killed Wednesday, along with Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn and visitor William Love.

Harini Logan wins spelling bee in 1st-ever tiebreaker

OXON HILL, Md. (AP)  Harini Logan has won the Scripps National Spelling Bee, defeating Vikram Raju in the bee's first-ever lightning-round tiebreaker. Both spellers got four words wrong during their grueling showdown before Scripps went to the 90-second spell-off. Harini was faster and sharper throughout, spelling 21 words correctly to beat Vikram by six. The 13-year-old from San Antonio, Texas, will take home a trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. Harini was a four-time participant in the bee and a sentimental favorite who endured the pandemic to compete again in person for the first time since 2019.

Queen Elizabeth II to miss Jubilee service amid 'discomfort'

LONDON (AP)  Buckingham Palace says Queen Elizabeth II will not attend a church service to mark her Platinum Jubilee after experiencing discomfort at events on Thursday. The palace says that with great reluctance the 96-year-old monarch has decided to skip Fridays service at St. Pauls Cathedral. The palace says the queen greatly enjoyed todays Birthday Parade but did experience some discomfort. Britain is marking the monarchs 70 years on the throne with four days of events over a long holiday weekend. Elizabeth is Britains longest-reigning monarch and the first to serve for seven decades. Many royal followers camped out overnight in London in hopes of getting a glimpse of the queen.

Jan. 6 committee sets prime-time hearing date for findings

WASHINGTON (AP)  The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol will go public with its findings in a prime-time hearing next week, launching into what lawmakers hope will be one the most consequential oversight efforts in American history. The six hearings, set to begin June 9 and expected to last until late June, will be the first time the committee discloses what it has discovered in the course of a sprawling 10-month investigation that has touched nearly every aspect of the insurrection. More than 1,000 people have been interviewed by the panel, and only brief snippets of that testimony have been revealed to the public, mostly through court filings.

NY passes bill raising age to buy, own semi-automatic rifles

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New Yorks legislature has voted to ban banning anyone under age 21 from buying or possessing a semi-automatic rifle. The legislation is a major change to state firearm laws. It was passed Thursday, less than three weeks after an 18-year-old used one of the guns to kill 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo. Other new legislation will restrict civilian purchases of bullet-resistant armor, which was worn by the killer in Buffalo. Bills would also require new guns to be equipped with microstamping technology that can help law enforcement investigators trace bullets to particular firearms. Legal fights over the legislation are expected.

2 doctors, receptionist and visitor killed in Tulsa shooting

The four people killed in a shooting inside a Tulsa medical building included two doctors, a receptionist and a former soldier who was accompanying his wife during a checkup. Police, officials at Saint Francis Health System and others who knew the victims provided details about them on Thursday. Police say Dr. Preston Phillips, Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn and Army veteran William Love were fatally shot.

Celtics have huge 4th, beat Warriors in Game 1 of NBA Finals

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Jaylen Brown fueled a comeback charge and scored 24 points, Al Horford hit six 3-pointers and the Boston Celtics rode the most lopsided fourth quarter in NBA Finals history to a 120-108 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 1. Horford finished with 26 points and the Celtics outscored the Warriors 40-16 in the final 12 minutes after trailing by 15 points late in the third quarter. Boston made its first seven tries from long distance in the fourth and wound up 9 of 12 beyond the arc over the final 12 minutes as almost everybody got involved in the 3-point flurry.

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MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (AP)  A federal appeals court has upheld part of a 2020 Connecticut police accountability law that allows public disclosure of state trooper personnel files and internal investigations.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York on Thursday rejected a challenge by the Connecticut State Police Union, which argued the law violates the 2018-2022 troopers' contract by stripping away its exemptions to state freedom of information laws.

The contract section in question says troopers' personnel files and documents in internal investigations that end with no finding of wrongdoing are not subject to disclosure.

A three-judge panel of the appeals court upheld a lower court ruling against the union.

Because we conclude that the law the union sought to enjoin was reasonable and necessary to achieve a legitimate public purpose, we identify no error in the District Courts legal or factual conclusions, the panel wrote.

A message seeking comment was left with the state police union on Friday. It wasn't immediately clear if the union plans to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Proponents of the 2020 law said it answered the calls for reform after the police killings of George Floyd and other Black people. It also created a new state inspector general to investigate police use-of-force cases statewide, limited circumstances in which deadly use of force can be justified, and allowed lawsuits in state courts against officers in certain cases.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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ATLANTA (AP)  Georgia officials have arrested an 18-year-old who they say threatened online to kill a sheriff and his wife over the arrest of rappers Young Thug and Gunna and others.

Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat, alleged to be the target of the threats, announced the arrest Friday. Quartavius Mender was booked into the Fulton County jail last week on 23 counts of making terroristic threats, records show. He's being held without bail. It's unclear if Mender has a lawyer to speak for him.

Local news outlets report Mender threatened to kill Labat, his wife Jacki and the Atlanta school district's police chief on various social media pages if they did not release Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffery Williams.

#freethug or Imma sh00t u and your wife, Mender wrote, according to arrest warrants reviewed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He allegedly wrote on the sheriffs Instagram page a second time hours later, saying, Imma assassinate you.

Among the 28 people charged in the racketeering indictment is Tenquarius Mender. It was not immediately clear Friday if he and Quartavius Mender are related.

We take these kinds of brazen threats seriously, Labat said in a statement. Social media cyberbullying, and hiding behind a keyboard, will not protect someone from criminal prosecution.

Officials allege Young Thug leads the Young Slime Life gang, arresting him and 27 others in a sprawling indictment brought under Georgia's state racketeering law. It charges the gang members engaged in murders, shootings, carjackings and other crimes.

Young Thug was denied bond Thursday after a Fulton County judge expressed significant concerns about letting him go home on house arrest.

Prosecutors said they plan to offer plea deals to some of the defendants in exchange for testimony, but said some witnesses are already being threatened.

Our witnesses in this case are being threatened with violence, serious violence and death," Fulton County prosecutor Don Geary said.

Young Thug's lawyers strongly deny that he participated in any crimes.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Decades of work havent shrunk the oxygen-depleted dead zone that forms each year in the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana and Texas.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting that this year's will be about the 35-year average. That's nearly triple the goal for reducing the area with too little oxygen for marine animals to survive.

Combining models developed by five universities resulted in a forecast of about 5,364 square miles (13,893 square kilometers), NOAA said in a news release. Thats a hair lower than the five-year measured average of 5,380 square miles (13,934 square kilometers) and about 15% smaller than last year's measurement.

In 2001, a federal-state task force set a long-term goal of reducing the dead zone, or hypoxic area, to 1,900 square miles (4,920 square kilometers)  about 35% of the current average.

The action plan to reduce the size of the Gulf of Mexico dead zone was established over 20 years ago, yet this years forecast is comparable to the 35-year average zone, said the University of Michigan's Don Scavia, who leads one of several research teams working with NOAA.

Clearly, the federal and state agencies and Congress continue to prioritize industrial agriculture over water quality, Scavia, professor emeritus at the School for Environment and Sustainability, said in a news release on the university's website.

The Gulf dead zone is largely created by urban and agricultural runoff and discharges of nitrogen and phosphorus to the Mississippi River, which drains 41% of the continental United States. In the Gulf of Mexico, the nutrients feed an overgrowth of algae, which die and sink to the bottom, using up oxygen from the ocean floor up as they decompose.

Fish, shrimp and crabs can swim away. Animals that are slower or fixed to the bottom cannot.

The Gulf dead zone remains the largest hypoxic zone in United States waters, and we want to gain insights into its causes and impacts, said Nicole LeBoeuf, assistant administrator of NOAAs National Ocean Service. The modeling we do here is an important part of NOAAs goal to protect, restore and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources through ecosystem-based management.

The problem is by no means unique to the United States.

The number of dead zones throughout the world has been increasing in the last several decades and currently totals over 500, Louisiana State University scientists Nancy Rabalais, who has studied the phenomenon since 1985, and Eugene Turner wrote in a separate release Thursday.

The one that stretches along most of Louisianas coast and into Texas waters is the second largest human-caused coastal hypoxic area in the global ocean, Rabalais and Turner wrote.

Models used by NOAA were developed by the agency and scientists at LSU, Michigan, William & Marys Virginia Institute of Marine Science, North Carolina State University, Dalhousie University and the U.S. Geological Survey, which provides Mississippi River nutrient data.

Some of the universities also release their own forecasts. LSU's, which sees nitrogen levels in May as the main driver for the area's size in July, forecast its size this year at 5,881 square miles (15,233 square kilometers).

The Interagency Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force uses NOAAs hypoxia forecast models and USGS nutrient monitoring to set nutrient reduction targets across the Mississippi watershed states.

Officials noted that the bipartisan infrastructure law signed in November 2021 includes $60 million over five years for the Environmental Protection Agency to support nutrient reduction strategies in the watershed.

The Hypoxia Task Force has a transformational opportunity to further control nutrient loads in the Mississippi River Basin and reduce the size of the hypoxic zone using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, said John Goodin, director of EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. This annual forecast is a key metric for assessing the progress the Hypoxia Task Force is making.

To confirm the size of the hypoxic zone and refine the forecast models, NOAA supports a monitoring survey each summer.

Because hurricanes and tropical storms roil the water and mix in oxygen, one in the two weeks before the cruise could significantly reduce the dead zone.

"If a storm does occur, then the size of the zone is predicted to be 56% of the predicted size without the storm," or about 3,294 square miles (8,530 square kilometers), Rabalais and Turner wrote in their forecast.

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BANGKOK (AP)  Myanmars military-installed government announced Friday that it will execute a former lawmaker from ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyis party and a veteran pro-democracy activist convicted of violating the countrys Counter-Terrorism Law, local media reported Friday.

Two online news outlets, Voice of Myanmar and NP News, said two other men convicted of killing a woman they believed was an informer for the military will also be executed, in addition to former lawmaker Phyo Zeya Thaw and activist Kyaw Min Yu, also known as Ko Jimmy.

Government spokesperson Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun was cited as saying the decision to carry out the hangings was confirmed after legal appeals by the four were rejected.

He was cited as saying the executions will go ahead in accordance with prison procedures. According to the law, executions must be approved by the head of the government. He did not say when the executions would be carried out.

The United Nations, which has advocated against the death penalty, called the Myanmar militarys decision to execute the two pro-democracy activists a blatant violation of the right to life, liberty and security guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterates his calls for all charges to be dropped against those arrested for exercising their fundamental freedoms and rights and for all political prisoners in Myanmar to be released immediately.

The U.N. chief also calls for peoples rights to freedom of opinion and expression to be respected, and stresses that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines the principles of equality before the law, the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, and all of the guarantees necessary for a persons defense, Dujarric said.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which tracks arrests and state-conducted killings, says Myanmar courts have handed down death sentences to 114 political offenders, including two children, since the army seized power from Suu Kyi's elected government in February last year.

Last years army takeover triggered nationwide popular protests, which turned into a low-level insurgency after nonviolent demonstrations were met with deadly force by the security forces. The Assistance Association estimates that 1,887 civilians have died at the hands of police and the military in crackdowns against opponents of military rule.

Some resistance groups have engaged in assassinations, drive-by shootings and bombings in urban areas. The mainstream opposition organizations generally disavow such activities, while supporting armed resistance in rural areas, which are more often subject to brutal military attacks.

The last judicial execution to be carried out in Myanmar is generally believed to have been of another political offender, student leader Salai Tin Maung Oo, in 1976 under a previous military government led by dictator Ne Win.

In 2014, the sentences of prisoners on death row were commuted to life imprisonment, but several dozen convicts received death sentences between then and last years takeover.

Phyo Zeya Thaw, the former lawmaker, also known as Maung Kyaw, and Kyaw Min Yu were given death sentences under the countrys Counterterrorism Law in January this year by a closed military court. They were found guilty of offenses involving explosives, bombings and financing terrorism.

Phyo Zeya Thaw had been a hip-hop musician before becoming as a member of Generation Wave, a political movement formed in 2007.

He was arrested last November on a charge of possessing weapons and ammunition, according to a report in a state-run newspaper at the time. It said he was arrested on the basis of information from people detained a day earlier for shooting security personnel.

Other statements from the military accused him of being a key figure in a network of dozens of people who allegedly carried out what the military described as terrorist attacks in Yangon, the countrys biggest city.

He previously was jailed in 2008 under another military government after being accused of illegal association and possession of foreign currency.

Kyaw Min Yu is one of the leaders of the 88 Generation Students Group, veterans of a failed 1988 popular uprising against military rule.

He has been active politically since then, and spent more than a dozen years behind bars. He was arrested in Yangon last October.

The state-run media said Kyaw Min Yu has been accused of conducting terrorism acts including mine attacks to undermine the state stability and of heading a group called Moon Light Operation to carry out urban guerrilla attacks.

He had been put on a wanted list for social media postings that allegedly incited unrest.

The other two men sentenced to die, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw, were convicted in April last year of allegedly torturing and killing a woman in Yangon. They targeted her as an alleged military informer and killed her in March 2021, according to an April 2021 statement from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services.

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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  Democrats in the state Senate on Thursday pitched their proposal to give $200 tax rebates to motorists in North Carolina, who are dealing with historically high gas prices.

Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue and other Democrats held a news conference to urge Republicans to consider the gas tax rebate legislation. The bill would direct the windfall be given no later than Oct. 1 to everyone 18 years and older with a valid North Carolina drivers license, media outlets reported.

The money, which would come in the form of a check or debit card, could be used for any purpose. It's designed to provide near-term assistance to North Carolina residents and families struggling with higher prices for groceries and other necessities.

We want to put more money in their pockets now, Blue told reporters.

The tax rebate would cost $1.3 billion and come from the estimated $4.2 billion in revenue overcollections that the state predicts to have at the close of the fiscal year.

Republican leaders in the General Assembly also are looking at tax relief as part of their negotiations to adjust the second year of the two-year budget that begins July 1.

House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger said Thursday that the GOP might consider some kind of one-time rebate but that more permanent tax relief is preferred.

I would like to see something thats a little more broad-based and long-lasting as opposed to a temporary thing that may help with one tank of gas or two, Berger told reporters.

Republicans have mentioned a potential effort to reduce the individual income tax rate more quickly than was laid out in the two-year budget approved last November. That measure is incrementally decreasing the personal rate from 5.25% to 3.99% in 2027.

North Carolina's motor fuels tax is currently 38.5 cents per gallon.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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LONDON (AP)  Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, joined other members of Britains royal family Friday at a church service honoring Queen Elizabeth IIs 70 years on the throne.

The queen herself skipped the event at St. Pauls Cathedral in London due to difficulties getting around that have limited the 96-year-old monarchs public engagements in recent months.

But royal watchers quickly shifted their focus to Harry and Meghan as they made their first public appearance in festivities marking the Platinum Jubilee.

Harry and Meghan, who gave up royal duties and moved to California two years ago, kept a low profile during the jubilee events held Thursday, the first of four days of celebrations. The couple appeared only in photographs shot through the windows of the building from which members of the royal family watched the Queens Birthday Parade.

The pair played a more public role on Friday, walking into the church on their own, holding hands and proceeding down the long nave of the cathedral ahead of more senior royals. People inside the church craned their necks to watch.

The service of thanksgiving is taking place on the second of four days of festivities celebrating the queens Platinum Jubilee. On Thursday, thousands of royal supporters cheered wildly as the queen joined other senior royals on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch 70 British military aircraft fly past.

The queen decided not to attend Fridays church service after experiencing some discomfort during Thursdays events. She will watch the event unfold on television as Prince Charles stands in for her.

The congregation at St. Pauls includes members of the royal family, senior politicians, diplomats and more than 400 essential workers, charity volunteers and members of the armed forces who have been invited in recognition of their service to the community.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell is set to deliver a sermon. Cottrell stepped in after Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tested positive for COVID-19. The service will begin and end with the tolling of Great Paul, the largest church bell in Britain.

Follow AP's coverage of Queen Elizabeth II at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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AMES  A Boone man who allegedly shot two women outside an Ames church and then turned the gun on himself had been awaiting trial in a sexual assault case in Cedar Falls.

Police said Johnathan Lee Whitlatch, 33, was behind the fatal shooting at Cornerstone Church in Ames on Thursday night. Media accounts identify the shooter and his two victims.

The shooting claimed the lives of 22-year-old Eden Mariah Montang and 21-year-old Vivian Renee Flores. Whitlatch then killed himself.

Court records show Whitlatch was scheduled to go to trial in July in Black Hawk County on a charge of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse stemming from an incident at a Cedar Falls nightclub.

Authorities allege Whitlatch was at Derringers Public Parlor on Main Street on Oct. 23 when he twice put his hand down a womans pants and attempted to penetrate her vagina.

Surveillance video of the incident showed Whitlatch put his hand down the womans pants once around 7:38 p.m. She stepped away, and he pulled her back, and he allegedly put his hand in her pants at about 7:44 p.m., according to court records. She tapped his leg and again stepped away, records state.

In an interview with police, Whitlatch told police he didnt remember much of the night because he had been drinking, records state.

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UNITED NATIONS, June 3 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday welcomed the extension of the UN-brokered truce in war-torn Yemen, which began on April 2.

According to a press statement, the members of the Security Council welcomed the extension of the truce, while reiterating their appreciation for the measures taken by the parties to uphold the truce, which "has led to real and tangible benefits" for the Yemeni people, including a significant reduction in civilian casualties.

UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg announced on Thursday that Yemen's warring parties had agreed to extend the ongoing truce for another two months.

In particular, they welcomed the government of Yemen's flexibility in enabling the entry of fuel ships into Hodeidah and enabling flights between Sanaa and Amman and Sanaa and Cairo, and commended the support of regional partners, the statement said.

The members of the council expressed the hope that "a strengthened truce could be translated into a durable ceasefire and an inclusive, comprehensive political settlement," under the auspices of the UN.

"They encouraged the Yemeni parties to continue their engagement with the UN special envoy and to negotiate and communicate with each other with a spirit of mutual respect and reconciliation," according to the statement.

The members of the council also reiterated their deep concern about the risk of famine and encouraged donors to fully fund the UN humanitarian response plan. They underlined the need to have an inclusive, comprehensive political settlement, to address the humanitarian and economic crises, and to protect civilians.

Under the UN auspices, Yemen's warring parties entered a two-month cease-fire on April 2, which includes allowing commercial flights to and from Houthi-held Sanaa and the entry of fuel ships into the Houthi-held port of Hodeidah, and lifting the siege of the government-held Taiz city.

Yemen fell into in a civil war in late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government 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. 
Running for their lives

Three young men who were playing basketball at Lockwood Park, immediately west of the cemetery, said they were nearly shot.

About 10 minutes after a funeral procession had gone by, they said they heard shots and the fence behind them was repeatedly hit.

Tre Brantley, one of the men, started running to his car the moment he heard shots. He could only hope his brother, Kellyn Foster, was safe and following him; he was. They both got into their car and ducked down, praying they wouldn't get hurt.

"This has got to stop," Brantley said of the gun violence.
HOUSTON (AP)  Residents of Centerville had become more vigilant over the past three weeks as authorities searched for a murderer who had killed on behalf of Mexican drug cartels and who stabbed and injured the driver of a prison transport bus last month when he escaped custody not far from their small Texas town.

The search for Gonzalo Lopez, 46, ended late Thursday in a shootout about 220 miles (350 kilometers) away. He led officers on a brief chase in a stolen truck before he was gunned down.

Authorities believe while Lopez roamed free, he killed a man and his four grandsons, then stole an AR-15-style rifle and a pistol from their ranch near Centerville, as well as the truck he drove to Atascosa County, south of San Antonio, where he was fatally shot by officers.

"This is something that you cant imagine ever to happen in a small community like this, said Tuffy Loftin, 61, a pastor in Centerville who knew the family.

Centerville residents had been worried ever since May 12, when Lopez overpowered the officer who was driving him and 15 other prisoners near their community between Dallas and Houston. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is still investigating how Lopez broke free from his restraints and escaped a caged area of the bus where he had been held.

Following his escape, law enforcement vigorously patrolled Highway 7 and other roads in Centerville, escorting many of the citys nearly 1,000 residents to their homes to ensure they felt safe.

Jean Davis, 70, who owns a feed and fertilizer store on the east side of town, said her husband wanted her to take a rifle and pistol to work, but she refused.

The town has really been on edge, especially that first 10 days when he was out missing and nobody knew where he was, said Davis, who lives about 15 miles (24 kilometers) away in Buffalo.

State troopers, Texas Department of Criminal Justice officers, the U.S. Marshals service and sheriff's deputies from Leon County  which includes Centerville  searched the area for Lopez for weeks with no luck.

Concerns over his whereabouts were justified: Lopez's long criminal history included convictions for capital murder, attempted capital murder, kidnapping and aggravated assault. Authorities said he belonged to the Mexican Mafia, which is a prison gang, and was a contract killer for at least two drug cartels.

In a confession to authorities, Lopez said he had been on his way to Laredo to kill a restaurant and bar owner for the Mileno drug cartel from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, in 2004 when he became embroiled in a shootout with deputies who tried to stop his vehicle.

Lopez escaped to Mexico with the help of the Mexican Mafia.

In March 2005, Lopez said he was contracted by La Mana drug cartel from Tamaulipas, Mexico, to kidnap a man named Lupe Ramirez from Weslaco in South Texas because he owed the cartel $40,000, according to court records.

Lopez and another person kidnapped Ramirez and left him hog tied in an outside room of my moms residence as they went to pick up money and marijuana that Ramirezs family had left for them, according to court records. Lopez later bludgeoned Ramirez's head with a pickaxe and buried his body in a desert.

Lopez had been serving a life sentence for capital murder for Ramirezs death and a life sentence for attempted capital murder for the 2004 shootout with deputies, when he escaped from the prison bus.

Authorities maintained nearly 40 roving patrols, believing he remained in the area around Centerville, possibly entering unoccupied structures to look for food, water and clothing, said Jason Clark, spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

At around 6 p.m. on Thursday, authorities went to a home near Centerville for a welfare check and discovered five bodies. In a statement, their family identified the dead as 66-year-old Mark Collins, and his four grandsons: Waylon Collins, 18; Carson Collins, 16; Hudson Collins, 11; and Bryson Collins, 11. Waylon, Carson and Hudson were brothers and Bryson was their cousin.

These precious people who loved and were loved by so many, will never be forgotten, the Collins family said in a statement. Steve Bezner, the familys pastor, described the Houston area family as having the greatest character, the deepest faith and unrelenting kindness and love.

At a Friday afternoon news conference, Andy Kahan, the director of victim services and advocacy for Crime Stoppers of Houston, called the familys killing absolutely one of the most gut-wrenching scenarios that Ive dealt with and Ive seen a lot and been through a lot.

The Tomball school district in suburban Houston said Friday that the grandchildren were students in its district.

Loftin, a pastor at the Cowboy Church of Leon County, said he used to go to the familys ranch, which also features a beautiful fishing lake and a pier, to help with cattle management. He called them good, salt of the earth people.

Authorities believe Lopez confronted the family on Thursday. The Leon County Sheriffs Office has not specified how they were killed.

Authorities say Lopez took several firearms from the home as well as the familys white Chevy truck and fled. Law enforcement spotted him just before 10 p.m. in Atascosa County.

Officers with Jourdanton police used spike strips to flatten the trucks tires, but Lopez kept driving, firing the rifle through a truck window before hitting two telephone poles and a fence, said Atascosa County Sheriff David Soward.

Lopez exited the stolen pickup truck armed with a rifle and handgun and reportedly fired at officers, Soward said. Four officers returned fire, killing Lopez.

Sainz reported from Memphis, Tennessee. Associated Press writer Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed this report.

Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at www.twitter.com/juanlozano70

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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UVALDE, Texas (AP)  The state agency investigating the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde has determined that the commander facing criticism for the slow police response was not carrying a radio as the massacre unfolded, a Texas state senator said Friday.

Sen. Roland Gutierrez told The Associated Press in a brief telephone interview that a Texas Department of Public Safety official told him school district police Chief Pete Arredondo was without a radio during the May 24 attack by a lone gunman at Robb Elementary School that left 19 students and two teachers dead. Seventeen more people were injured.

Authorities have not said how Arredondo was communicating with other law enforcement officials at the scene, including the more than a dozen officers who were at one point waiting outside the classroom where the gunman was holed up. Arredondo heads the districts small department and was in charge of the multi-agency response to the shooting.

He has not responded to multiple interview requests from AP since the attack, including a telephone message left with district police Friday.

The apparently missing radio is the latest detail to underscore concerns about how police handled the shooting and why they didn't confront the gunman faster, even as anguished parents outside the school urged officers to go inside. The Justice Department has said it will review the law enforcement response.

Focus has turned to the chief in recent days after Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said Arredondo believed the active shooting had turned into a hostage situation, and that he made the wrong decision to not order officers to breach the classroom more quickly to confront the gunman.

Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, complained Thursday that Arredondo was not informed of panicked 911 calls coming from students trapped inside a classroom where the gunman had holed up. The Democrat called it a system failure.

Police radios are a crucial source of real-time communication during an emergency and, according to experts, often how information from 911 calls is relayed to officers on the ground. Its unclear who at the scene was aware of the calls. Uvalde police did not respond to questions about the calls Thursday.

The news emerged amid tensions between state and local authorities over how police handled the shooting and communicated what happened to the public.

The gunman in Uvalde, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, spent roughly 80 minutes inside the school, and more than an hour passed from when the first officers followed him into the building and when he was killed by law enforcement, according to an official timeline.

Ramos slipped through an unlocked door into adjoining fourth-grade classrooms at 11:33, authorities said. He rapidly fired off more than 100 rounds.

Officers entered minutes later, exchanging fire with Ramos, and by 12:03 there were as many as 19 officers in the hallway outside the classroom, McCraw said. Authorities have not said where Arredondo was during this period.

Officers from other agencies urged the school police chief to let them move in because children were in danger, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they had not been authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.

A U.S. Border Patrol tactical team used a school employees key to unlock the classroom door and kill the gunman around 12:50 p.m., McCraw said.

Law enforcement and state officials have struggled to present an accurate timeline and details of the shooting and how police responded, sometimes providing conflicting information or withdrawing statements hours later. State police have said some accounts were preliminary and may change as more witnesses are interviewed.

Gutierrez said Friday that a Texas Department of Public Safety official told him that the Uvalde-area district attorney, Christina Mitchell Busbee, a Republican, had directed the agency to not release more information about the shooting investigation to the senator or the public.

The Department of Public Safety on Friday referred all questions about the shooting investigation to Busbee, who has not returned telephone and text messages seeking comment.

Gutierrez said Thursday that many people should shoulder some blame in the Uvalde shooting, including the Texas governor.

There was error at every level, including the legislative level. Greg Abbott has plenty of blame in all of this, he said.

More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting

Coronado reported from Austin, Texas. Associated Press writers Jake Bleiberg in Dallas; Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas; and Mike Balsamo in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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A federal judge has tossed a lawsuit filed by the parents of a bar owner who killed himself after being charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of a Black man during unrest in downtown Omaha in May 2020.

In a ruling filed two years and a day after protests sparked by the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, U.S. District Judge John Gerrard ruled that David and Glenda Sue Gardner had no basis for the lawsuit alleging their son, Jake Gardner, killed himself because authorities had violated his constitutional right to a fair trial.

Gerrard ruled the parents could not connect Gardners suicide to any constitutional violation. And Gerrard rejected the notion that special prosecutor Fred Franklin, who guided the grand jury to charges in the case, somehow conspired with Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine, who elected not to charge Gardner before deferring to a grand jury.

Gerrard ruled that Franklin didnt say anything that shocked the conscience at a press conference announcing that the grand jury had charged Gardner, 38, with manslaughter in the May 30, 2020, death of James Scurlock, 22.

Gardner had confronted Scurlock outside his bar near 12th and Harney streets after someone shattered a plate-glass window and Scurlocks friend hurled a sign at the window. Thinking the bar had been shot up, Gardner and his father, David, went out and down the street, and David Gardner pushed a bystander. Scurlocks friend ran and decked David Gardner. David Gardner got up and held a knife by his side.

Jake Gardner, a former Marine, then pulled a gun and held it by his side as he walked backward. A young woman tackled Gardner from behind. On his back in a puddle, Gardner fired what he described as a warning shot that caused her and Scurlocks friend to scramble away. Scurlock jumped on Gardners back and wrapped one arm under his chin and appeared to be wrestling for control of the gun. Supporters have suggested Scurlock was trying to disarm an active shooter.

After an 18-second struggle in which Gardner yelled get off me several times, Gardner switched the gun to his left hand and fired over his shoulder, killing Scurlock.

A day later, Kleine ruled that Gardner acted in self-defense, noting that Gardner claimed Scurlock had him in a chokehold. Amid protests, Kleine agreed to allow a special prosecutor to be sought to present the case to a grand jury. A judge appointed Franklin, a former federal prosecutor, to guide a grand jury review of the case. Three months later, in September 2020, grand jurors charged Gardner.

Gardner, who had gone to the West Coast after he said he received threats, killed himself in Oregon on Sept. 20 rather than turn himself in to face trial.

John Pierce, a California attorney who has represented several Jan. 6 Capitol riot defendants and who once represented Kenosha, Wisconsin, gunman Kyle Rittenhouse, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Kleine and Franklin. Among the eyebrow-raising claims, Pierce alleged that Kleine and Franklin conspired to deprive Gardner of a fair trial.

In turn, Pierce alleged Gardner felt so hopeless and despondent that he killed himself. Gardners parents pointed to a press conference Franklin gave after the indictment that, they said, cast Gardner as a racist and a killer.

Franklins opinions about the governments evidence were nothing more than that, Gerrard wrote. And Franklins confidence in the governments evidence isnt shocking to the conscience.

There is absolutely no legal basis to conclude that Franklin or anyone else is liable, under federal or state law, for Franklins alleged braggadocio.

Nor is there any evidence that Kleine and Franklin conspired, the judge said. After Franklins press conference, Kleine held an impromptu press conference criticizing Franklin for how he portrayed the case. Kleine made it clear he stood by his determination that Gardner had fired in self-defense.

Gerrard said Gardner would have had ample chance to receive a fair trial, despite Pierces claims to the contrary. Prospective jurors often havent heard much about even sensational cases; and jury selection allows attorneys to root out jurors who have biases.

The court is confident that an impartial Douglas County jury could have been selected regardless of Fred Franklins press conference, Gerrard wrote. (Pierce) insists that there would have been no way to mitigate the prejudice he claims was caused by Franklins remarks. That legal conclusion is untenable.

The right to an impartial jury doesnt require ignorance by prospective jurors, Gerrard continued. It simply requires them to set aside previous knowledge of a case and rely only on evidence presented in court.

The judge also took issue with some of Pierces legal arguments. At one point, the judge questioned whether two non sequitur sentences had been inserted mistakenly into a brief Pierce submitted. Theres no other explanation for their presence, the judge wrote. At another, the judge said, Pierce argued that Franklin violated the so-called Brady rule that requires prosecutors to turn over potentially exonerating evidence to defense attorneys.

Pierce seems to be arguing that Franklin had a duty to disclose exculpatory evidence at the press conference in order to make the public aware of it, Gerrard wrote. There is no such constitutional obligation. But whatever counsel is arguing, its not a Brady violation.

Gerrard wrote that the loss of a child is devastating under any circumstance.

Gardners parents are undoubtedly bereaved, and of course they have every right to be, Gerrard wrote. The events that led to this case were tragic for Gardners family and for Scurlocks.

But not all tragic circumstances ultimately lead to legal liability. This is one of those instances.

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On Thursday, the chief operating officer of an Iowa company that alleged Tops gunman Payton Gendron claimed sold him the body armor plates online told The Buffalo News that he and his company are devastated by the Buffalo tragedy.

Adam Ruff of RMA Armament confirmed that the firm sold items to Gendron, but said his companys products are intended for use by law-abiding citizens.

What happened in your city is a tragedy and a horrific act of violence, Ruff wrote in an email responding to questions about whether Gendron bought his body armor from RMA. RMA Armament is saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred in Buffalo ... Our products are intended for the protection of law-abiding private citizens, police departments and government partners.

"We do have a record of this individual purchasing products from our website. Our entire team is devastated by this tragedy, and we are keeping the families and the community of Buffalo in our prayers, Ruff wrote.

According to a lengthy online diary Gendron published online shortly before the shooting, he bought two armor plates from RMA on Jan. 10, and they were delivered to his house on Jan. 14. On its website, RMA sells the plates that Gendron said he bought for $320 a plate, or $640 a pair.

Gendron said the plates were made to fit into a body armor vest that he had bought Jan. 5 from a seller on eBay for $230.

When The News asked whether RMA is cooperating with the ongoing investigations into the shooting, Ruff answered: RMA has a company policy to cooperate fully with all inquiries from local, state and federal authorities.

Ruff said he could not provide further details at this time.

The RMA website boasts that the ceramic body armor plates that Gendron said he purchased can stop ammunition fired by the M16 automatic rifle used by the military and the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle that Gendron possessed when he was arrested.

In a 2017 story in the Des Moines Register in Iowa, RMAs founder and CEO Blake Waldrop was identified as a former Marine and former police officer. Waldrop said he founded the company because a Marine buddy had been killed by an explosive in Iraq in 2005 while wearing body armor that did not protect him. Waldrop launched RMA in his garage in 2011. The company now operates out of a factory in Centerville, Iowa.

Gendron, 18, was arraigned Thursday on charges of first-degree domestic terrorism, 10 counts of first-degree murder, 10 counts of second-degree murder as a hate crime, three counts of attempted second-degree murder as a hate crime and a weapons possession in connection with the shooting deaths of 10 Black people and the wounding of three others during the shooting spree at the Tops Markets on Jefferson Avenue.

Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said a retired police officer, Aaron Salter Jr., who was working as a security guard in the store, fired shots at Gendron to try to stop his assault.

"He fired one round that struck the defendant's bulletproof vest," Gramaglia confirmed.

Gendron then proceeded to shoot and kill Salter, police said.

Gendron is one of several American mass shooters in recent years who have worn body armor while murdering people.

The use of body armor by mass killers is a growing topic of debate in law enforcement. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is among the government officials who maintain that only law enforcement people should be allowed to own bulletproof vests.

Some government officials, including Hochul, also suggest that there should be a ban on online sales of bulletproof vests.

After the Buffalo murders, Hochul and other state legislators voiced support for a bill that would allow only law enforcement officials to buy body armor. State lawmakers passed the bill late Thursday that also bans online sales of body armor. The bill makes it a misdemeanor to sell body armor to someone who is not a police officer, peace officer, in the military or in an other eligible profession, or to sell body armor online. A conviction for the unlawful sale of body armor can result in a $5,000 fine.

Law enforcement and military service members need body armor vests to do their job safely. Most civilians don't, Hochul said Monday. Our bill makes purchasing body armor vests unlawful for anyone not engaged in an eligible profession. All sales of vests will also be required to be done in person.

Most states allow private citizens to buy body armor.

Federal laws on body armor prevent only convicted violent felons from buying bulletproof vests and armor.

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The war in Ukraine has slogged on for 100 days, and those who claim to know where its headed are kidding themselves.

Back on Feb. 24, when Russian forces invaded on three fronts, the most optimistic prediction from the Ukrainian vantage was that Kyiv would fall within a few weeks, if not a few days, but that resistance fighters would bog the Russians down in a quagmire for months or even years. No one was predicting that by June, President Volodymyr Zelensky would still reside in the capital as president or that both sides armies would still be locked in combat.

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In some ways, the world knows a lot about whats going on in this war (thanks to publicly available satellite imagery). In other ways, we know very little (the axiomatic fog of war). And in still other ways, were led (by sometimes faulty intelligence leaks) or misled (through press releases by various defense ministries) to think we know a lot more than we really do. This scramble of hard data, vague guesswork, and propaganda is then churned through the 24/7 news machine, which calls on experts of various stripes and calibers to keep score, declare winners and losers, and predict what happens next.

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And so, early on, when the Russian army turned out to be a lot worse than many expected and the Ukrainians turned out to be a lot better, many declared that Ukraine was going to win. More recently, as the Russians shifted their strategy to focus on the eastern Donbas region and began to make advances, yesterdays optimists turned dour and warned that Ukraine might lose unless the West stepped up its delivery of heavy armaments. Now the West is doing just that, and the contest seems to be one of time. Will Russian rockets demolish Ukrainian troop positions before the arrival of those new weapons? Will the new systems allow Ukrainian rockets to demolish Russian positions in returnor will they come too late?

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But even this view is too narrowa throwback to the body count comparisons of the Vietnam Wars nightly news briefings. (It now appears that Ukraine and Russia have lost a roughly equal number of soldiers, somewhere over 10,000a fact thats alarming but not particularly enlightening.)

Some analysts are doing more meticulous analysis, notably Michael Kofmans battlefield updates for the research firm CNA, and the Institute for the Study of Wars near-daily Russian Offensive Campaign Assessments. There you can find the most fine-grained detail available on who controls what patches of territory, with what strategic consequences, in the ever-shifting front lines of lethal fire. Even so, these analysts admit that the overall picture is hazy and reveals little about whos winning or losing in any meaningful sense.

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One reason for this is that its unclear what winning and losing meanor how the combatants and their allies define those terms. Zelensky has said he would be willing to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin once the preFeb. 24 borders are restored. Does this mean all Russian troops must leave Ukrainian territory? Does that include all of Donbas, or can the troops stay in the areas previously occupied by pro-Russia separatist militias? And what about Crimea, which most countries formally recognize as part of Ukraine but which Russia, having captured it without firing a bullet in 2014, is extremely unlikely to let go? Meanwhile, Putin and his aides continue to demonize Zelenskys government as Nazi puppets of an imperialist West and to dispute Ukraines existence as a sovereign state. If Putin holds to this line, negotiations are out of the question; victory, by this standard, means not only occupying Donbas but another go at invading Kyiv and beyondessentially Ukraines obliteration.

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Putins talk could, of course, be just that: a way to consolidate support among the Russian population. He might also think that if he declared a more modest goal, Zelensky might take it as a sign of weakness and respond by stepping up Ukraines offensives.

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In any case, neither side has an incentive to stop fighting now, especially since both sides probably detect the chance of a breakthrough in the weeks ahead. In recent weeks, Russia has been pummeling Ukrainian positions with artillery rockets, and Ukraines rockets dont have the range to fire back. The new U.S. rockets President Joe Biden is sending will match the Russians range, and therefore shift the balance of power. It will take a few weeks, however, to ship the weapons, then train Ukrainians (probably in Poland) in how to use them. How much damage will the Russian pummeling do in the meantime?

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Meanwhile, the Russians are running short on vital resources as well: manpower (due to deaths, desertions, and Putins decision to go to war with too few troops to begin with), weapons (a quarter of their tanks lost in battle), and, perhaps most significant, morale. Putin is not deluded about any of this. He knows that his army has performed poorly; hence his firing of at least five top generals just this week. However, he also knowsin recent weeks, a number of Western eminences and analysts have given voice to thisthat the West is losing patience for this war and the economic devastation that it is wreaking worldwide. He is hoping that if he can keep up the barrage for a little longer, the patience might snap and the pressure might build for Zelensky to make some kind of deal.

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Whether or not any of these hopes or fears come to pass, a larger question remains: What happens to Ukraine once the fighting stops? The devastation has been immense. Russia seems intent not so much on reoccupying the country but on wiping it out. In any case, the recovery will be extremely expensive. At the end of World War II, the United States emerged with sufficient power and wealth to help rebuild Western Europe through the Marshall Plan and other forms of aid and investment. Its not at all clear who will have the resources and the political will to do the same to rebuild Ukraine at the end of this.

For all these reasons, the war is likely to go on for quite a while longer. And the picture of where its goingwhos winningis likely to remain murky.
This story was originally published by Knowable magazine

Deep in the frozen ground of the north, a radioactive hazard has lain trapped for millennia. But U.K. scientist Paul Glover realized some years back that it wouldnt always be that way: One day it might get out.

Glover had attended a conference where a speaker described the low permeability of permafrostground that remains frozen for at least two years or, in some cases, thousands. It is an icy shield, a thick blanket that locks contaminants, microbes, and molecules below footand that includes the cancer-causing radioactive gas radon.

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It immediately occurred to me that, well, if there is radon underground, it will be trapped there by a layer of permafrost, recalls Glover, a petrophysicist at the University of Leeds in England. What happens if that layer suddenly isnt there anymore? Ever since then, Glover has worked on methods to estimate how much radonwhich is released as the element radium decaysmight be liberated as climate change causes the permafrost to thaw.

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Significant areas of Arctic and sub-Arctic ground contain permafrostbut today it is melting, and the rate of that thaw is accelerating. In a report published in January, Glover and coauthor Martin Blouin, now technical director at the mapping software firm Geostack, used modeling techniques to show that homes with basements built on areas of permafrost could be exposed to high levels of radon gas in the future. As the permafrost melts, this reservoir of active radon can flood to the surface and get into buildingsand by being in buildings, cause a health hazard, Glover says.

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No one knows exactly how quickly radon diffuses through icy ground, but by using the rate of diffusion of carbon dioxide and adjusting for the properties of radon, Glover came up with a figure that he could use in the model. Based on 40 percent permafrost thaw, the calculations reveal that radon emissions could raise radioactivity levels to more than 200 becquerels per meter cubed (Bq/m3) for a period of more than four years in homes with basements at or below ground level. This happens when the 40 percent thaw occurs in 15 years or less.

According to the World Health Organization, the risk of lung cancer increases by about 16 percent with every 100 Bq/m3 of long-term exposure. Some countries, including the U.K., set the safe level of average exposure at 200 Bq/m3. But without testing for radon in areas where the geology suggests its present, people will not know whether they are at riskbecause the gas is odorless, colorless, and tasteless.

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Glover stresses that the model in the paper is an early attempt to understand how permafrost thaw could affect peoples exposure to the gas. It doesnt, for example, account for seasonal variation in the rate of permafrost thaw or the effects of soil compaction when ice within it melts, something which could pump yet more radon to the surface.

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Some 3.3 million people live on permafrost that will have completely melted away by 2050, according to estimates in a 2021 study. Not all of these people live in areas prone to radon but many do: for example, in parts of Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and Russia. And the link between radon exposure and lung cancer is well-established, as is the fact that smoking further increases ones risk, says Stacy Stanifer, oncology clinical nurse specialist at the University of Kentuckys College of Nursing. She points to studies suggesting that radon could be behind up to 1 in 10 lung cancer deaths, of which there are 1 million in total worldwide every year.

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Breathing radon is dangerous for everyone, but its even more harmful when you also breathe tobacco smoke, says Stanifer. Smoking is prevalent in Arctic and sub-Arctic communities; for example, a 2012 study reported that nearly two-thirds of Canadian Inuit age 15 and over who live within the Inuit homeland said they smoke cigarettes daily, compared with 16 percent of Canadians overall.

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Scientists dont know how much radon is actually emanating from areas with melting permafrost today, says Nicholas Hasson, a geoscientist and Ph.D. student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. I would call this a blank spot. He notes that, in real life, permafrost layers are complex and irregular, and agrees with Glover that field measurements are essential to validate the model. Instead of a uniform sheet of ice underground, imagine permafrost as more of a higgledy-piggledy Swiss cheese of ice, with some areas much thicker than others and places where groundwater courses through it, exacerbating the thaw.

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Hasson and colleagues have studied locations where permafrost is thawing unusually quickly and emitting methane, a greenhouse gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide. Similar chimneys could be spewing out elevated amounts of radon gas in some places, he suggests.

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For human health, what really matters is the amount of radon that gets into peoples homes. Scientists and even homeowners themselves can use radioactivity detectors to assess this. A study published online in February 2022, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, measured levels of radon over the course of a year in more than 250 homes in three towns in Greenland. Out of 59 homes in Narsaq, for instance, 17 were found to have radiation levels above 200 Bq/m3.

Lead author Violeta Hansen, a radioecologist at Aarhus University in Denmark, stresses that these are early results based on a small number of homes. It would take much more research, she says, before she could evaluate the health risks associated with radon in properties like these across Greenland. She is now leading an international project that will run field experiments and gather radon measurements from homes in various countries, including Canada and Greenland. We need to come back to the public with low-cost and effective, validated mitigation measures, Hansen says.

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It is important to avoid panicking people without solid data and solutions on hand, says Aaron Goodarzi, a radiobiologist at the University of Calgary in Canada. The good news is that there are tried-and-tested methods of lowering levels of radon inside a house once the homeowner knows it is there. Goodarzi points, for example, to a technique called sub slab depressurization, in which a sealed pipe is inserted below the house and connected to a fan. This sucks any radon out from below the building before blowing it away into the atmosphere. Think of it simply like a bypass, he says.

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The type of building matters. Glovers model found that homes built on piles or stilts, and thus separated from the ground, did not experience a boost in radon levels. Fortunately, many homes in the Arctic and sub-Arctic are constructed in this fashion. But for those that arent, the cost of mitigating radon could be prohibitive for low-income communities in these regions. Thats an equity issue that has to be considered, certainly, says Goodarzi, who notes that the onus might be on social housing administrators in some areas to ensure that the housing they provide is healthy.

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A spokesperson for Health Canada says that the government agency currently recommends that homeowners test radon levels in their properties and use certified suppliers to install mitigation technologies if such are required.

Many people may not think about radon very much, given the fact that it is invisible. Glover says that getting informed now, before the permafrost thaw worsens, could save lives.

We know that people die from it, he says. But at the same time, theres so much that we can do to protect ourselves.

This article originally appeared in Knowable magazine on May 11. Knowable magazine is an independent journalistic endeavor from Annual Reviews, a nonprofit publisher dedicated to synthesizing and integrating knowledge for the progress of science and the benefit of society. Sign up for Knowable Magazines newsletter.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Vast traffic jams in the area following the accident.

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The collision of a locomotive with a passenger train in northern Slovakia left dozens of people injured.

"The locomotive was supposed was on its way to aid a broken-down train, but there was a collision," spokesperson of the railway carrier ZSSK, Tomas Kovac, told Markiza television. The passenger train broke down and stopped near Varin, outside the city of Zilina. The accident happened on Friday, June 3 shortly before 19:00.

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The collision occurred in the Martin district, between the towns of Vrutky and Varin. Traffic was interrupted on the line, ZSSK stated as reported by the MY Turiec local newspaper.

"All rescue services are currently involved in the scene. Several dozen passengers have suffered only minor injuries," the police said.

The police preliminarily ruled out any loss of life in the accident. Altogether 11 ambulances treated 74 patients, 34 of whom were transported to hospitals in Martin, Zilina, Ruzomberok, Dolny Kubin and Povazska Bystrica.

While 56 people suffered light or medium injuries, 11 were heavily injured, the Martin authorities told MY Turiec.

One person in critical condition was transported by helicopter to Martin Hospital.

The Fire and Rescue Corps said that 21 professionals from Martin, Zilina, Trencin, the HaZZ Rescue Brigade in Zilina and Banovce nad Bebravou and volunteer firefighters from DHZO Sucany, Lipovec, Martin - Priekopa were involved at the scene.

Two evacuation buses were sent to the site to offer temporary refuge to the passengers.

Government ministers were headed to the site after reports about the accident emerged, including Transport Minister Andrej Dolezal, Interior Minister Roman Mikulec and Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky.

The accident caused chaos on the busy Friday evening roads. The road between Zilina and Martin under Strecno Castle has been closed due to intervention at the accident site. The alternative route through Terchova and Zazriva in the Orava region became quickly jammed.
NAIROBI, June 3 (Xinhua) -- The Russia-Ukraine crisis will hurt Africa's agricultural and energy sectors which are crucial for the continent's economic development, a senior pan-African bank official said on Friday.

Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) told journalists in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that the crisis could reduce Africa's annual food production by between 20-50 percent due to scarcity of key agricultural inputs.

"The continent imports about two million metric tons of fertilizers per year from Russia and Ukraine. So what that means is that if we don't take action, the food production itself would decline by between 20 and 50 percent. So clearly, we are looking at a potential food crisis," Adesina said.

The AfDB official, who has been in Kenya for a four-day visit, said that the continent's food security challenges will be further compounded as imports of agricultural products will also be negatively affected.

He revealed that Africa is likely to lose the approximately 30 million tons of maize, wheat and soybeans that are imported annually from both Russia and Ukraine.

According to Adesina, in response to the looming food crisis caused by the Russia-Ukraine crisis it has rolled out the African Emergency Food Production Facility to boost the continent's capacity to produce its own food.

He said that the Russia-Ukraine crisis has also negatively impacted the energy prices in Africa which will have a tendency of slowing down the region's economic growth.

"So you look at energy prices today and they have gone up through the roof. So the oil importing countries are facing a higher import bill," he added.

The AfDB official revealed that the crisis has also disrupted global supplies and logistics as freight costs have gone up tremendously.

"So you are going to find that in literally almost every sector and for development projects that have been funded, you are going to see a lot of slowing down on that, because people just can't get things, equipment and stuff like that out," he observed.

According to Adesina, the impact of the Russia-Ukraine crisis is going to be quite serious.

"And I don't expect the impact of this war to be a passing thing. I will just say, Oh, no, wake up next year, and I expect that this probably will be gone. The impact will be with us for at least five years. Because you will have to rebuild even after the crisis," Adesina noted.

He said that African countries that export goods to Russia and Ukraine will also be affected due to closure of the markets. 
LAGOS, June 3 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 people were injured in an explosion Thurday evening at a a gas refilling shop in Nigeria's north state of Kano, authorities said.

Preliminary investigation shows that the blast, in the Kumbotso local government area, was caused by fire from an exploded cylinder used by a man frying and selling fish near the gas shop, said Saminu Yusif, spokesperson for the Kano State Fire Service.

Those injured are receiving treatment in hospitals, Yusif told Xinhua on the phone.

Several shops near the gas refilling shop were burnt down in the fire, he said. 
China, Cook Islands pledge closer ties, deepened practical cooperation

Xinhua) 09:29, June 03, 2022

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown via video in Papua New Guinea, June 2, 2022. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

PORT MORESBY, June 2 (Xinhua) -- China and the Cook Islands on Thursday pledged efforts to deepen bilateral practical cooperation and promote closer relations.

Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown and visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the pledge during a meeting via video. Wang is here on a visit to Papua New Guinea, the seventh leg of his current tour to Pacific island countries starting from May 26.

China and the Cook Islands, which have respected and treated each other as equals, Wang said, have seen steady progress in bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields since the establishment of diplomatic ties, with their trade value soaring by nearly 300 times.

China has worked actively in carrying out livelihood projects to help the Cook Islands, and conducted tripartite cooperation with New Zealand, which played an active role in boosting the Cook Islands' socio-economic development and local people's living standards, said the Chinese foreign minister.

The two countries have supported each other in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and seen their friendship further upgraded, Wang said, noting that China is willing to use the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to further increase mutual trust and deepen practical cooperation so as to bring more tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Wang noted that China is willing to discuss plans for next-step cooperation based on the development needs of the Cook Islands, and both sides can expand cooperation on tourism, infrastructure, sub-national programs and education to facilitate the country's economic recovery.

China is also willing to build on the experience of past success to explore more tripartite cooperation, Wang said.

Brown thanked China for its long-term and huge support for the development of the Cook Islands, and its selfless assistance to his country's fight against COVID-19 despite its own tough anti-pandemic tasks.

He spoke highly of the positive contributions made by Chinese enterprises and local governments to the infrastructure construction and improvement of people's livelihood in the Cook Islands.

The sound relationship and close cooperation between the Cook Islands and China stand as a strong illustration of China's vision of treating small countries sincerely and practicing mutually beneficial win-win cooperation, he said.

The Cook Islands cherishes its relations with China and firmly believes that its future is closely linked with China, Brown said, noting that the island country stands ready to work with China to push for greater development of bilateral relations in the next 25 years.

Brown said that his country supports strengthening tripartite cooperation, especially on large-scale projects.

He also noted that the Cook Islands attaches great importance to the mechanism of the China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the next steps for cooperation proposed by China, and is ready to work with partners of island countries to strengthen communication and coordination for better response to various challenges brought by the pandemic.

Wang said that all parties agreed the China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting has become a useful platform and effective mechanism for overall cooperation between China and Pacific island countries, and are willing to continue to push forward this process and jointly build up more consensus for regional development.

China has released its Position Paper on Mutual Respect and Common Development with Pacific Island Countries, and put forward proposals and measures for further cooperation, he noted.

China has engaged in exchanges with Pacific island countries for nearly half a century, with bilateral cooperation always focused on economic development and people's livelihood, the Chinese foreign minister said.

China will remain a good friend and partner of Pacific island countries to jointly address challenges, seek common development and build a community of a shared future between China and Pacific island countries, he added.

Wang stressed that any attempt to smear China-island countries cooperation with the outdated mindset of geopolitical rivalry will find no support among the friends of island countries and thus will go nowhere.

Believing that Pacific island countries have the wisdom and capability to overcome temporary difficulties and regain vitality, Wang expressed hope that Pacific island countries will strengthen solidarity and uphold open regionalism.

The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in Chinese language education and encourage young people of the Cook Islands to learn Chinese, so as to train more envoys of friendship.

Both sides also agreed to continue supporting each other in international affairs.

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown via video in Papua New Guinea, June 2, 2022. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi(R) meets with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown via video in Papua New Guinea, June 2, 2022. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Du Mingming)
Photo taken on June 2, 2022 shows the milling plant funded by China in Lusaka, Zambia. Zambia on Friday officially commissioned three state-of-the-art milling plants funded by China. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang)

Lusaka, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Friday officially commissioned three state-of-the-art milling plants funded by China.

The three industrial milling plants, with a combined capacity to produce 520 tons of mealie meals per day, are expected to enhance food security and reduce the price of mealie meals used in preparing the country's staple food.

The commissioning ceremony was attended by Du Xiaohui, the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia and Ambrose Lufuma, Zambia's Defense Minister.

In his remarks, the Chinese envoy said the commissioning of the project was yet another milestone in enhancing the cordial bilateral relations between the two countries.

He said the project will go a long way in enhancing food security and stabilizing the price of mealie meals in the country.

According to him, China has always shown keen interest in supporting Zambia's agriculture development and food security in various forms.

He cited the China-supported Demonstration Center which has supported the cultivation of high-yielding crops as well as provided technical training to about 5,000 people in recent years.

China was open to other proposals aimed at tapping the potential of agriculture cooperation with Zambia, he said.

On his part, the Zambian minister expressed gratitude to China for the support, saying it will go a long way in not only boosting agricultural production but reducing the price of mealie meals.

Lufuma said Zambia will forever be grateful to China for the support rendered over the years, adding that China has been a reliable partner and has been ready to step in and support when called upon.

According to him, the project has not only provided jobs during the construction stage but about 300 additional jobs have been created by the project while local people will be imparted with technical skills on how to run the milling plans.

The milling plant project is under the Presidential Milling Plants Initiative. Previously, over 1,000 solar-powered milling plants have been installed in various parts of the southern African nation since 2015. 

Workers monitor operations in the milling plant funded by China in Lusaka, Zambia, on June 2, 2022. Zambia on Friday officially commissioned three state-of-the-art milling plants funded by China. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang)

Photo taken on June 2, 2022 shows the milling plant funded by China in Lusaka, Zambia. Zambia on Friday officially commissioned three state-of-the-art milling plants funded by China. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang)

A worker checks the quality of the mealie meal in the milling plant funded by China in Lusaka, Zambia, on June 2, 2022. Zambia on Friday officially commissioned three state-of-the-art milling plants funded by China. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang)

Workers pack the mealie meal in the milling plant funded by China in Lusaka, Zambia, on June 2, 2022. Zambia on Friday officially commissioned three state-of-the-art milling plants funded by China. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang)

Photo taken on June 2, 2022 shows the milling plant funded by China in Lusaka, Zambia. Zambia on Friday officially commissioned three state-of-the-art milling plants funded by China. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang)
Blue Chip Farms has notified the harness racing industry of the passing of Credit Winner on June 3, 2022 at the age of 25.

"After a peaceful retirement from active stallion duties in 2020 his physical condition deteriorated dramatically this spring," said the farm in a release. "His struggles over the last few days have been such that syndicate manager Tom Grossman, and Blue Chips veterinarian, Dr. Herbert Burns, made the tough, but humane, decision to choose euthanasia as palliative measures were ineffectual. Credit Winner was beloved by everybody and enriched everybody who crossed his path."

"We missed a lot of lunch breaks because of Credit but it was always well worth it," said Blue Chips stallion manager Alex Avila.

In 1999, freshman trotter Credit Winner earned $359,207, finishing on the board in eight of his nine starts. Major victories included divisions of the International Stallion Stake and the Bluegrass. As a three-year-old in 2000, Credit Winner finished on the board in 12 of 14 starts, with six wins and earnings of $1,136,088. Major victories included the Kentucky Futurity and Old Oaken Bucket. Credit Winner retired with a career racing record of 23-9-9-2.

As a stallion, Credit Winner has sired winners of more then $103 million, including six millionaires, with 300 $100,000 winners and 154 in 1:55. He is the sire of Devious Man 3,1:52.2s ($1,338,677), winner of the 2016 New York Sire Stakes final and 2017 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial and EBC final; 2005 Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year and world champion Chocolatier 3,1:53 ($1,324,800), winner of the 2006 World Trotting Derby and 2005 Breeders Crown; 2012 Yonkers Trot winner, world champion Archangel 5,1:50 ($1,140,972); 2011 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial winner and world champion Dejarmbro 3,1:52.2f ($1,137,285); Calchips Brute 5,1:54.3 ($1,082,437) and world champion Crazed 3,1:52.2 ($1,063,059), winner of the 2008 Colonial and Matron Stakes.

As a broodmare sire, Credit Winner has sired the dams of winners of more than $60 million with 172 $100,000 winners, 117 in 1:55, and four millionaires including 2015 OBrien Older Trotting Horse of the Year Resolve 4,1:50.4 ($2,621,086), winner of the 2016 Yonkers International Trot and Maple Leaf Trot; 2018 Yonkers International Trot winner Cruzado Dela Noche 3,1:53.3f ($1,383,639); Bar Hopping 3,1:51.4 ($1,292,433), winner of the 2016 Breeders Crown, Canadian Trotting Classic and Zweig Memorial; and 2019 Kentucky Sire Stakes final and 2020 Zweig Memorial winner Ready For Moni 4,1:50.3 ($1,204,068).

This past January, Credit Winner was announced as one of this year's into the Harness Racing Living Horse Hall of Fame.

"Credit Winner will live on in his sons and daughters. Blue Chip is proud to have been his home for his entire stallion career. The farm joins all of his syndicate members in genuine gratefulness."

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Credit Winner.

(with files from Blue Chip Farms; all earnings in USD)
A Brandy Station landowner is prepping a piece of his propertyin a county-designated technology zoneto market as a large data-center campus.

David Martin, president of Attotek Inc., a government contractor in software development, has submitted an application to rezone 88 acres off Brandy Road to light industrial for the speculative project. Fifty acres of the site is now zoned for commercial services and 38 acres are zoned as a rural area.

The land lies within Culpeper Countys Brandy Station Technology Zone just south of the village, across from Rice Tire.

Developments proposed in the tech zones are eligible for an 80 percent rebate on all county taxes for five years after they are built. A first-year grant waives owners costs for site-plan and building-plan fees.

The Planning Commission will conduct an initial review of Martins proposal during its meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 8.

Martins April application includes plans for up to three, single-story, 45-foot-tall data centers covering nearly a million square feet, an electrical substation and 100 parking spaces.

The campus would occupy the eastern part of his property, bounded by the railroad and Hoffman Lane, where Attotek Inc. is located. The data centers would be accessed at two entries along Bel Pre Road.

Shiloh Baptist Church, a historic Black sanctuary recently rebuilt after a fire, would be a close neighbor.

Martins entire 350-acre tract is now used for low-intensity agriculture and is open space. A tributary of Jonas Run bisects the property, which includes a residence and Martins business.

Attotek Inc. would remain on the site as the data centers are built around it, Martin said in a phone interview Friday.

The project is similar in size to the Amazon data centers approved in April by the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors in its controversial rezoning of 243 acres of farmland at an equestrian center on State Route 3 in Stevensburg.

Opponents of the Amazon project, who have since sued the county over it, urged that data-center developments be located in the countys designated technology zones, as Martin proposes.

Martin started working more than a year ago to prepare his land to market for data centers.

What we see with Loudoun and Prince William, most if not all of the data-center developers have a customer in place, and are building to suit a particular customer, he said in the interview.

Time is of the essence to get projects in place, Martin said. Preparing sites in advance, by going through engineering, infrastructure and rezoning processes, can provide a fixed timeline with no risk to data-center customers, Martin said.

A developer eyeing Culpeper for their project will look to see how far along in the approval process it is, he said. When issues like wetlands and topography are already resolved, sites are more likely to attract a data center, Martin said.

If you can achieve many of these things, they will look with more earnest, he said. If you can prepare the property as much as possible, you will have more interest.

The approximate 100 acres of the site he aims to prepare for data centers is quite common for its size and desirability, Martin said.

The area is served by Dominion and Rappahannock Electric, the property owner said, when asked whether theres adequate power at the site for high-demand data centers.

He said those details would be worked out during the site-plan phase.

The Culpeper County planning staffs analysis of Martins application states the Comprehensive Plans future land-use map envisions the parcel as commercial, rural and open space. Staff noted the property sits across from several homes; the applicant has proposed a four-foot-tall landscaped berm along Bel Pre Road.

The Comprehensive Plans goal to protect environmentally sensitive areas from development is largely accomplished by the application, staff stated, noting the propertys significant wetlands, including a pond. This area would not be part of the adjacent data-center complex, per the application.

Staff noted questions about water use at the data-center site. The applicant proposes use of private wells and septic to serve the project.

Data centers are primarily air-cooled using electric HVAC units, the staff report noted, and not with large amounts of water, as others have suggested.

The proposal is a very large data center complex that would have significant impacts on Bel Pre and Stevensburg roads, staff noted. The impacts may be significant to the immediate area from an aesthetic standpoint, staff said.

It will also have a significant, positive economic impact for the county, creating jobs and tax revenue, staff said.

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources does not list any historical sites on the property, according to the applicant.

According to county staff, the proposed data-center site is part of the federal Brandy Station battlefield study area, and is close to the site of Virginias recently approved Culpeper Battlefields State Park.

A Washington, D.C.-area commercial broker lists Martins land as an opportunity zone and a 338-acre-plus data center site, noting its proximity to the recently upgraded electrical transmission line that will feed Amazons Stevensburg development.

The brokers listing markets the Martin property for up to 10 more data centers covering more than 4 million square feet at potential buildout.

Culpeper County resident Andrew Gutowski, a commercial project manager in the Washington area, said Martins proposal runs counter to Amazons claim that the countys tech zones were unsuitable for its data-center project.

Gutowski said the Brandy Station plan disproves Culpeper Supervisors Chairman Gary Deals assertion that the county had to approve Amazons Stevensburg development because no other data-center projects would come along in the county for years.

The Brandy Station data centers would occupy 946,700 square feet, more than two times the Stevensburg data centers 427,200 square feet, he noted Friday.

This means that the Amazon project could have easily been relocated to the Brandy Station site, if only the Board of Supervisors had held firm and told Amazon to go there, Gutowksi said.

An architect, Gutowski is well-versed in real-estate development, design and construction in the United States and abroad.

Culpeper Star-Exponent staff writer Clint Schemmer contributed to this report.

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The Legacy of the Plains Museum welcomed numerous new arrivals in the last few weeks, and these museum exhibits are far cuter than visitors might expect.

Several calves were born to the museums herd of Longhorn cattle over the last two weeks. Theyll be shown off for education and tourism and will then be sold off as a fundraising project in January.

The babies were born when the purebred Texas Longhorns were crossbred with a Hereford bull. Each of the babies is chocolate brown with a near-identical white marking on the face.

This is the first time theyve all looked the same, Dave Wolf, the museums executive director, said. Usually we have a white one, a black one, a brown one ... theyre just a huge attraction.

Gary Warner, a volunteer with the museum, takes care of the calves and their mothers. Hes worked with the museums cattle since 2007. He repairs fences, feeds the animals and helps move them when they need a new pasture.

Theyre pretty shy, Wolf said. They tend to stick close to mom, but you can see Garys right in the middle of them theyre pretty docile. Theyre still rather dangerous just with their horns ... even just being close to them, they turn their head real quick, and that horn will get you.

Harold and Barb Minge, who owned a nearby ranch, donated the Longhorns to the museum more than a decade ago, though those animals are long gone. These new calves are part of yet another generation.

The Longhorn breed is kind of a unique breed. Longhorns were originally brought over by the Spanish and as they escaped they became feral, Wolf said. Theres a lot of genetic diversity whereas most other cattle are probably streamlined with their genetics.

In the next few weeks, the cows will be moved to a field of grass adjacent to State Highway 92. That way, tourists will see them as they drive by and might be more likely to stop by the museum.

The babies arent the museums only new arrivals. A trio of goats, a 4-H project of Wolfs daughter, also live on museum property. The three-month-old animals arrived some two weeks ago.

Since the Wolfs live in town and cant keep the goats on their property, the museum was kind enough to house them.

There are two male goats and one female goat. The female is named Flower and the smaller of the males is named Skunky. Wolf said the museum will hold a naming contest for the other male. The rules for the contest are to be decided shortly; people can submit their ideas via social media or email. Museum staff will narrow the selections down to three and Wolfs daughter will pick her favorite from those.

Wolf said the animals are a fixture of the museum just to have the farm aspect of it. Your farms typically always had a couple cows, whether it be for milk or for meat, then for meat you had goats, pigs, chickens because you were self-sufficient and grew your own food. So its trying to demonstrate that and help some 4-H kids out in the same process.

Having them featured in exhibits will allow summer school groups or anyone interested in farm life to learn more about the animals themselves and the different aspects of raising them.

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ACCRA, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Gold production in Ghana dipped 29.9 percent to 2.8 million ounces in 2021 from 4.02 million ounces a year earlier, leading to Ghana's dropping in rank as Africa's largest gold producer to the second position, the Ghana Chamber of Mines announced Friday.

Joshua Mortoti, President of the chamber disclosed this in his keynote address at the chamber's annual general meeting to climax the 2022 West Africa Mining and Power Conference.

The 2021 output is the lowest since 2008. Net revenue from this output also declined to 4.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2021 from 5.1 billion dollars in 2020.

"Output of the small-scale gold producers, which is proxied by exports of licensed gold exporting companies (LGECs), plummeted by around 91.66 percent to 0.089 million ounces in 2021 from 1.1 million ounces in 2020," said Mortoti.

The near-collapse of the small-scale subsector's output "was principally a reflection of the response by producers to the imposition of a three percent withholding tax on their output by government in 2019." 
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Editors note: Information is provided by the Cowlitz County Corrections Department and local law enforcement agencies. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Harassment  Longview officers Wednesday arrested Holly Marie Frederickson, 34, of Kelso on suspicion of felony harassment, fourth-degree assault and second-degree animal cruelty.

Stolen vehicle  Cowlitz County deputies Wednesday arrested Taylor David Martello, 35, of Ariel on suspicion of possessing a stolen vehicle, third-degree theft and third-degree malicious mischief.

Stolen property  Woodland officers Wednesday arrested Dean Jesse McCarty, 38, of Vancouver on suspicion of possessing stolen property and two counts of driving with a suspended license.

Failure to register  Cowlitz County deputies Wednesday arrested Charles Clyde Ripple, 54, of an unknown location on suspicion of failure to register as a sex offender.

Fugitive  Longview officers Thursday arrested Aaron Charles Allred, 47, of Kelso on suspicion of being a fugitive from justice.

Fugitive  Department of Fish and Wildlife officers Thursday arrested Cameron Jennings Dodson, 60, of Portland on suspicion of being a fugitive from justice.

Burglary  Cowlitz County deputies Thursday arrested Kaneeya Lea Pratt, 33, of Kelso on suspicion of second-degree burglary and possessing stolen property worth over $250.

Assault  Longview officers Thursday arrested Heather Yvonne Randall, 40, of Longview on suspicion of third-degree assault and obstructing an officer.

Assault  Longview officers Thursday arrested Angie May Spears, 45, of Longview on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.

Assault

400 block of Long Avenue, Kelso. Wednesday. Report of assault by known suspect.

400 block of Oregon Way, Longview. Wednesday. Man reported being assaulted a few weeks ago.

300 block of 17th Avenue, Longview. Wednesday. Report of a woman forcing herself inside a residence and slapping someone.

900 block of Cedar Street, Kelso. Thursday. An assault reportedly happened May 30, with a suspect identified.

Beech Street and Oregon Way, Longview. Thursday. Reporting party said he was hit in the head by a man with a metal pipe.

Burglary

1000 block of Pekin Road, Woodland. Wednesday. Report of commercial burglary.

100 block of Crooked Creek Road, Castle Rock. Thursday. Man called that there was an inventory burglary last week where a gun was taken.

1700 block of 30th Avenue, Longview. Thursday. Commercial burglary reported where a church window was broken, though it's unknown whether anything was taken.

Stolen vehicle

4000 block of Dike Road, Woodland. Wednesday. 1983 Traveler trailer reported stolen.

100 block of Cannon View Drive, Longview. Wednesday. Teal green 2006 Saturn Vue reported stolen.

1200 block of 15th Avenue, Longview. Wednesday. Blue 2010 Honda Insight reported stolen.

500 block of Ragland Road, Longview. Thursday. Red 1990 Toyota pickup reported stolen. Washington plate A60835N. Vehicle has chrome trim and handles.

Theft

700 block of Fishers Lane, Longview. Wednesday. Report of known suspect stealing mail.

1100 block of Hudson Street, Longview. Wednesday. Report of woman shoplifting $672 worth of items.

1600 block of Delaware Street, Longview. Thursday. Man found with a stolen electronic thermometer worth $130.

200 block of Millard Street, Woodland. Thursday. Reporting party said items they had left the night before in this location were now gone.

Vandalism/malicious mischief

600 block of Cloverdale Road, Kalama. Wednesday. Report of someone possibly walking around a home.

800 block of Ocean Beach Highway, Longview. Wednesday. Report of someone breaking a vehicle window.

Nichols Boulevard and Florida Street, Longview. Wednesday. Report of a man throwing rocks at cars.

Vehicle prowls

2800 block of Dover Street, Longview. Wednesday. Report of man trying to open vehicle doors.

100 block of Tilla Drive, Kelso. Thursday. Reporting party said a vehicle was prowled and items from their car were now missing.

3000 block of Spirit Lake Highway, Castle Rock. Thursday. Car window was smashed in and a purse inside was taken.

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WOODLAND  Many residents who live on the stretch of road between Woodland and Ridgefield use satellite dishes for internet, which sometimes malfunction because of the mountains. A state-funded study could provide wider internet coverage to those residents.

The states economic revitalization group gave the Port of Ridgefield $50,000 for an internet feasibility study. The Woodland port partnered with Ridgefield because the area of interest connects the two ports.

Ridgefield is technically financially responsible to match the grant funds, but the two ports will split the cost 50-50.

About 25,000 people live on this expanse of road on the Interstate 5 between Woodland and Ridgefield, near La Center, and internet access can be hard to come by, said Jennifer Wray-Keene, Port of Woodland executive director.

State laws identified a need for wider access to broadband internet, but the challenge is installing it.

In 2019 the Legislature passed the statewide Broadband Act, which defined internet access as a critical part of living in Washington state. The law laid out a plan to provide an option for publicly funded internet to all residents and businesses by 2028.

The Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board approved funding not just for Ridgefield and Woodland; in total, the board gave $200,000 spread across Clark, Spokane and Whitman counties.To get the grant, jurisdictions have to confirm they have other funding options they can use, and they also have to get several permits.

CERB is dedicated to helping communities across the state develop the infrastructure to attract, retain and grow businesses and jobs, for many this starts with planning. These investments will have a positive economic impact at a time when it is needed the most, CERB Chair Randy Hayden said in a news release.

The local Ridgefield-Woodland grant, though still in its early stages, will fund the chance for the two ports to see whether they can provide internet for residents near La Center.

Most of this study is not within this district, thats why the Port of Ridgefield and the Port of Woodland have decided to partner on this study, because neither of us have information, Wray-Keene said.

In the La Center area, people have between two to four options when it comes to high-speed providers, according to a fixed broadband deployment map from the FCC.

About 40% of Cowlitz County residents have three or more providers to choose from, as compared to 90% statewide. The county has better coverage than its neighboring counties like Columbia and Skamania, but rural high-speed networks in general tend to earn less and cost more than equivalent networks in urban areas, according to Washington states 2019 data report on broadband internet.

Port of Woodland in 2020 got a $375,000 loan and a $375,000 grant to build dark fiber on poles between Ariel and Cougar along highway 503. CERB in a 2020 legislative report said areas without providers and consistent affordable internet could see economic benefits by providing broadband access.

Port of Ridgefield also got a loan and grant in 2019 to connect more than 6,000 people to internet by building buried fiber along the Discovery Corridor specifically for the city of Ridgefield.

Other recipients of this years internet study grant include $50,000 for Port of Camas-Washougal, $50,000 to Spokane County and $50,000 to Port of Whitman County. Each district will need to use local resources to match at least $12,500 of the funds.

Wray-Keene said the study is just that  a search into the logistics of providing internet in this area.

We might find out that its beyond our capabilities, she said. We might find out its better for the private (sector).  Theres a lot of pieces within this informational search were going to do.

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Free in-person tax assistance

AARP tax aide volunteers will answer tax questions, help with letters received from the IRS and provide other income tax preparation help from noon to 2 p.m. June 4, July 16, Aug. 13 and Sept. 17 at the Longview Public Library, 1600 Louisiana St., Longview.

Advance appointments can be made online at AARP.org/taxaide. Same-day appointments also can be made online for the above dates.

Taxpayers should bring all tax documents and IRS letters to their appointments. Masks are required.

Car show, poker run is June 4

The Three Rivers Rockabilly Weekend Car Show and poker run starts at noon June 4 at the Three Rivers Mall, 351 Three Rivers Drive, Kelso.

The cost is $20 per playing hand per vehicle and $15 per passenger. The event also ends at the Three Rivers Mall with the last car out to play at 3 p.m. Participants must be 21 years old to enter the poker hand bar locations of Tims Bar and Grill, Scooters Bar and Grill, The Station Pub and Grub, Erebus and Explorer Brewing.

Prizes will be awarded for the best hand and the worst hand and will be determined by 4 p.m.

Literacy materials ready for preview

High school English language arts materials are available for public preview from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 6, 8 and 10, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 7 and 9 at the Longview School District Administration building, 2715 Lilac St., Longview.

For details, call 360-575-7009.

MM class of 1967 meets

Members of the Mark Morris High School class of 1967 are invited to a class luncheon at 1 p.m. June 6 at Stuffys II, 804 Ocean Beach Highway, Longview.

All classmates, spouses and former teachers are welcome.

For details, call Kandy Emerson Lewis at 360-425-9761.

Register now for summer sewing

The 4-H Summer Sew School is back for Cowlitz County youngsters.

The class will be held Monday through Thursday, June 20-23, at the Washington State University Cowlitz County Extensions new office at 304 Cowlitz Way, Kelso. Parking is available at the Extension office and across the street from the office on Fourth Avenue North.

Cowlitz County 4-H Sewing and Textile volunteers will teach sewing skills to beginners from 9 to 11 a.m. and to children with sewing experience from noon to 3 p.m. each day.

Students will learn straight stitching, hand sewing, how to work with a simple pattern and how to use basic sewing supplies.

Students should supply their own sewing machines with accessories and instruction manuals. If a child does not have access to a sewing machine, a limited number of machines are available on a first come, first served basis.

The class is open to children who have completed third grade or above. The $30 cost includes basic sewing supplies plus a resource notebook. An additional $20 will be charged for each additional sibling.

A parent is required to attend an orientation session at the WSU Extension office at 6:30 p.m. June 14 for parents with beginning sewers and at 7 p.m. for parents of sewers with some experience.

Participants will be part of the Cowlitz County 4-H Youth Program which allows them to exhibit their items at the Cowlitz County Fair from July 27 to 30.

The class size is limited and registrations will be accepted on a first paid, first served basis. Registration forms and details including placement in class level is available by calling Sewing and Textile Adviser Lou Buckendahl at 360-673-4604.

The registration deadline is June 10.

WSU Extension COVID protocols will be in place which includes hand sanitizers, disinfecting tables, and more. Masks are optional..

Free park days for rest of year

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is offering free days in 2022 when visitors to state parks will not need a Discover Pass for day-use visits.

State Parks free days are in keeping with 2011 legislation that created the Discover Pass program, according to a press release from Washington State Parks.

The free days apply only at state parks. The Discover Pass still is required on WDFW and Department of Natural Resources lands.

The costs for a Discover Pass are $30 for an annual pass or $10 for a one-day permit. The pass is required for vehicle access to state recreation lands managed by Washington State Parks, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the DNR.

The remaining schedule

June 11: National Get Outdoors Day.

June 12: Free Fishing Weekend.

June 19: Juneteenth.

Sept. 24: National Public Lands Day.

Oct. 10: World Mental Health Day.

Nov. 11: Veterans Day.

Nov. 25: Native American Heritage Day.

Spend the night at John Null Park

A Family Camp Out sponsored takes place June 24 and 25 at John Null Park, 2650 Pacific Way, Longview.

Families can set up their tents anytime after 4:30 p.m. June 24.

Activities from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. include archery, a scavenger hunt, kickball and crafts. Pizza will be delivered between 8:30 and 9 p.m.

A campfire will be set up. Smores will be fixed. The evening also includes a movie on a big screen with popcorn. A farting contest will occur all night. Breakfast, consisting of a McDonalds breakfast sandwich, will be served at 8 a.m. June 25 Campers are asked to be packed up and out of the park by 10 a.m. June 25.

The event is sponsored by Fibre Federal Credit Union with Dominos Pizza sponsoring the pizza and McDonalds sponsoring the breakfast.

The cost is $31 per family. To register, visit bit.ly/38afBds.

Grand Ol Flag exhibit begins

A Grand Ol Flag patriotic exhibit sponsored by the Friends of Skamokawa takes place from noon to 4 p.m. Fridays through Sundays from June 11 to Aug. 28 at the River Life Interpretive Center, 1394 State Route 4 (Ocean Beach Highway), Skamokawa.

The exhibit will reflect the history of flags and their meanings, and will include service memorabilia, uniforms and more.

For details, call Office Manager Lori Cagle at 360-795-3007 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays or Thursdays or send an email to fos1894@gmail.com

 The Daily News

Contact Nancy Edwards at 360-577-2544 or nedwards@tdn.com.

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KALAMA  A push to allow city residents to petition to make certain government changes took a step forward Thursday night, in some citizens long-time effort to give residents more control.

The Kalama City Council approved its intent to allow residents initiative and referendum powers  a policy permitted in Washington state if the municipality approves. Kelso and Longview have the same option.

After a discussion on whether to table the item until the next meeting because Councilwoman Wendy Conradi was absent, the council decided to move ahead in a split vote. The council passed the resolution in a 3-1 vote, with Councilman Jon Stanfill opposed.

The vote didnt make the policy official. The resolution will be published in the legal section of a newspaper for 90 days, during which citizens could submit a petition for the policys approval to be decided at the ballot instead. That petition would have to be signed by the number of voters equal to at least 10% of the votes cast at the last general municipal election.

If no petition is submitted, the council will take up the ordinance at its next regular meeting, likely sometime in September.

Efforts to adopt the powers sprang up about four years ago. In 2018, a group of citizens tried to use the initiative and referendum process to adopt an ordinance prohibiting construction of public buildings in city parks to prevent the new police station from being built in Maruhn Park. The city attorney determined residents did not have the power.

The following year several council candidates, including council members Matthew Merz and Steve Kallio, stated while campaigning they would support giving citizens the power of initiative and referendum.

The policy

Non-charter code cities like Kalama dont automatically have initiative and referendum powers, according to the Municipal Research and Services Center. As of April, 54 of the states 197 code cities have adopted these powers, including Longview, Kelso, Battle Ground and Ridgefield.

City Attorney Sam Satterfield said Thursday the power increases the rights of citizens to put forward laws but it is not all encompassing.

The power of initiative allows voters to submit a petition with a specific number of signatures that proposes an ordinance for adoption. If it meets requirements, the council must adopt the ordinance or send it to the ballot. Referendum allows voters to petition within a certain timeframe to suspend an ordinance passed by the council until it is repealed or sent to the ballot.

Not all legislation is subject to initiative and referendum, according to the MRSC. Only ordinances may be enacted or repealed, and the powers dont apply to ordinances:

initiated by petition.

for emergencies.

providing for local improvement districts.

appropriating money.

providing for compensation or working conditions of city employees.

authorizing or repealing the levy of taxes.

Initiative and referendum does not apply to administrative actions or powers granted by the Legislature to the city council.

Control over their government

The council last considered the initiative and referendum powers in July 2020, by Merzs request. The council voted 3-2 not to discuss the topic further, with Merz and Kallio opposed. Last month, Merz requested the discussion be placed on Thursdays agenda.

Conradi had requested ahead of the meeting to table the discussion until later this month when she would be present. In a 3-1 vote, the council denied her request. Mayor Mike Reuter and Stanfill supported tabling the topic.

Reuter said he isnt against the initiative and referendum powers but felt that all councilmembers should be present for the discussion and vote.

Stanfill said hes opposed to adding the powers for several reasons, including a strong belief in representative democracy.

One reason I do think this is not the best way for the city to go, is that it takes complex issues and boils them down to a yes or no vote, he said. We live now in an era where we leave room for a lot of misinformation.

Council members Scott Moon, Kallio and Merz voiced support for adopting the powers.

This is already a freedom held by other citizens, Merz said. Theres no reason for Kalama not to have the same ability of control over their government.

Two citizens at the meeting spoke in favor of moving forward with the resolution.

Theres no confusion in what this entails, it makes the council accountable, said Sara Hutchinson, who was involved in the effort to petition for the powers in 2018. The people of this city have spoken and made great efforts to gain those powers. For people who are voted in to say, We dont want you to have that, is wrong.

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Author Melanie Holmes is the guest speaker at a Northwest Voices event taking place at 5:30 p.m. June 9 in the Longview Public Library, 1600 Louisiana St., Longview. She will he will read and discuss her second book, A Hero on Mount St. Helens. she also will sign the book from 2 to 4 p.m. June 11 at Vault Books and Brew, 20 Cowlitz St. W., Castle Rock.

The book is a biography of volcanologist Dr. David Johnston who died in the line of duty when Mount St. Helens erupted May 18, 1980.

At the time, Johnston was one of two US Geological Survey scientists focused on gases as a possible precursor to an eruption, according to a press release from the city of Longview.

Standing in what was the Timberline parking lot with television cameras rolling, he called the volcano, a dynamite keg with its fuse lit, states the press release.

Johnston saw the beginning of the eruption while standing on the observatory post on a ridge 5.7 miles northwest of the summit. He radioed his colleagues in Vancouver, This is it! The ridge where he died is the site of the Johnston Ridge Observatory, a science, learning and visitor center.

Holmes other books are The Female Assumption, which won a Global Media Award in 2014 from the Population Institute in Washington, D.C.; a book about her hometown of Manteno, Illinois; and The Secret Life of Postcards: Tracing Art and History Through One Womans Collection, a meditation on vintage postcards.

According to the press release, Holmes spent the bulk of her career in the business world before embarking on a writers path. From her first job as a clerk for the Environmental Protection Agency, to working as a secretary for a 4-H county extension office, and later serving as the board liaison for the presidents office of the Chicago Zoological Society, she always found herself writing and trying to learn more about history, diversity and cultural influences.

She freelances for a small newspaper, speaks at events about one of her four books and volunteers in the name of history at two museums near to her heart, states the release.

Northwest Voices events are free and open to the public. The events are funded by the Longview Public Library, Lower Columbia College, the Friends of the Longview Library, the Longview Library Foundation and the LCC Foundation.

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Celcom Axiata Bhd today announced that Tan Sri Dr Halim Shafie has been appointed as its new interim chairman. Dr Halims appointment is effective since 2 June 2022.

As reported by national news agency Bernama, prior to helming the interim chairman role, Dr Halim has been serving as Axiata Group Bhd independent non-executive director since 1 November 2020. Furthermore, he has significant experience and influence in the industry, whereby he was previously Telekom Malaysia Bhd chairman from 2009 to 2015 as well as the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) chairman from 2006 to 2009.

Besides that, Dr Halim was also the Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications secretary general in 2000 and has served in many government agencies. These include the Ministry of Education, Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) and the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN).

Speaking of Dr Halims appointment, Celcom CEO Datuk Idham Nawawi said that the company is looking forward to his guidance and leadership. The major telecommunication company also hopes that the new interim chairman can drive the organisation towards new strides and creating value for customers.

Dr Halim was appointed to fill in the role as interim chairman following the resignation of Datuk Izzaddin Idris as Axiatas president and group chief executive officer (CEO) and Celcoms chairman. Celcom Axiata Bhd announced Izzaddins resignation on 31 May 2022.

It would be interesting to see the direction that Celcom Axiata Bhd will be taking under the guidance of Dr Halim. Currently, the company is in the midst of two major undertakings, the merger with Digi as well as the 5G service agreement with DNB.

What do you guys think? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest tech news in Malaysia and beyond!
PRETORIA, June 3 (Xinhua) -- The first three months of 2022 recorded increases in murder, robbery of cash in transit, kidnappings, and truck hijacking because of the country's socio-economic levels, said Minister of Police Bheki Cele on Friday.

Cele made the remarks in Pretoria while presenting the crime statistics for the first quarter of this year.

He said murders increased by 22.2 percent, truck hijacking by 31.4 percent, carjacking by 19.7 percent, and robbery of cash in transit by 26.2 percent compared to the same period last year.

"The first three months of this year, 10,818 people were raped in South Africa. Out of the 6,083 people killed in the country, 898 of them were women and 306 were children under the age of 17 years. A total of 3,306 kidnapping cases were opened by the police. This crime trend has shown a sharp increase with over 1,700 more cases reported to the police compared to the same comparative period. Most of the kidnapping cases were high jacking, robbery, and rape-related," said Cele.

Cele said they have managed to arrest criminal syndicates involved in extortion, kidnapping, cash-in-transit heists, and drug smuggling. The police are working hard to remove corrupt officers and have a station accountability plan to improve efficiency.

"One thing is for sure, police alone cannot win the fight against crime. We need deeper partnerships with communities built on trust, commitment, and delivery. These quarterly figures are used as a management tool to guide the operational plans of the South African Police Service," he said.

He called on the government, business, non-governmental organizations, civil society, and communities to join the police in tackling crime. 
Associates of Twin Peaks Restaurant in Bryan will host a car wash Saturday to raise funds for those impacted by the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde with 100% of the proceeds going to official funding pages for the families of victims.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Aggieland residents can have their car washed for $5, however, any additional donations are greatly appreciated, according to Clint Hurry, general manager for the Twin Peaks location off North Earl Rudder Freeway.

As managers, it was a surprise to us that we would be able to do this for these families, he said. The idea was brought forth by our owners  the Rosas, John, Joe and Ricky  who thought it was important that we as a company help contribute to offset some of the heartaching costs that were unexpected by the unfortunate tragedy that happened in Uvalde.

Ricky Rosa said he and his brothers initiated a car wash concept over the summer in order to support various charities, and they alternate between different charities.

Because of the Uvalde incident that happened there, it is very unfortunate, and this is the least we could do to share with the community there and those families out there that were left behind, Ricky Rosa said Thursday. It is about the community and being there in good times and bad. Growing up, my brothers and I had good times and bad and we understood what that meant to us as a family. When you are left with a scar to show for in bad times, you kind of take the sweet moments, too.

This is about being there for others in a time of need, Ricky said, and nothing like this incident compares to any personal life experiences for him and his brothers.

It is just a sad situation and a sad moment, and this is our way to show our support for the community by raising money to help soften this time they are going through, Ricky Rosa said. We appreciate all the support from Bryan and College Station residents and students and the community embracing this opportunity to being able to raise money for a cause and help heal some hearts. We have nine restaurants in total that we will be participating in a car wash and all of them will be donating their proceeds to Uvalde.

The other eight participating Twin Peaks restaurants locations are in Beaumont, Corpus Christi, five locations in Houston, and one in Indianapolis.

The car wash will be located outside the restaurant along the service access road on the freeway for maximum exposure, Hurry said.

We have nine locations within our franchise group that are going to participate at the same time on the same day in the car wash, he said. We are going to compile all of those proceeds together and we will write a check.

The Rosa Brothers founded their company in 2009 and have raised over $250,000 with past in-store efforts to support important and meaningful community causes year-round to support Americas veterans, service members and families by working with organizations such as Folds of Honor, the USO South Texas, Wounded Warriors Project, Wish for Our Heroes and Indy Veterans, according to a Thursday press release.

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PORT MORESBY, June 3 (Xinhua) -- There is no "autopilot mode" for improving China-Australia relations, and restarting bilateral ties requires concrete actions, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Friday.

Wang made the remarks when meeting the press during his visit to Papua New Guinea.

Wang stressed that improving China-Australia ties is a common aspiration of people of both countries and conforms to the trend of the times.

Noting that bilateral ties have run into difficulties in recent years, Wang said the crux of the problem lies in the fact that some political forces in Australia insist on treating China as an adversary rather than a partner, and portraying China's development as a threat rather than an opportunity.

Such moves have led to a significant reversal of Australia's positive and pragmatic China policy pursued for many years, he added.

Wang said the solution is to view China and China-Australia relations rationally and positively, respect each other, seek common ground while shelving differences, and create necessary conditions for bringing bilateral relations back on the right track. 
An "extremely sophisticated" Chinese-speaking advanced persistent threat (APT) actor dubbed LuoYu has been observed using a malicious Windows tool called WinDealer that's delivered by means of man-on-the-side attacks.

"This groundbreaking development allows the actor to modify network traffic in-transit to insert malicious payloads," Russian cybersecurity company Kaspersky said in a new report. "Such attacks are especially dangerous and devastating because they do not require any interaction with the target to lead to a successful infection."

Known to be active since 2008, organizations targeted by LuoYu are predominantly foreign diplomatic organizations established in China and members of the academic community as well as financial, defense, logistics, and telecommunications companies.

LuoYu's use of WinDealer was first documented by Taiwanese cybersecurity firm TeamT5 at the Japan Security Analyst Conference (JSAC) in January 2021. Subsequent attack campaigns have used the malware to target Japanese entities, with isolated infections reported in Austria, Germany, India, Russia, and the U.S.

Other tools that feature prominently in the lesser-known adversary's malware arsenal include PlugX and its successor ShadowPad, both of which have been used by a variety of Chinese threat actors to enable their strategic objectives. Additionally, the actor is known to target Linux, macOS, and Android devices.

WinDealer, for its part, has been delivered in the past via websites that act as watering holes and in the form of trojanized applications masquerading as instant messaging and video hosting services like Tencent QQ and Youku.

But the infection vector has since been traded for another distribution method that makes use of the automatic update mechanism of select legitimate applications to serve a compromised version of the executable on "rare occasions."

WinDealer, a modular malware platform at its core, comes with all the usual bells and whistles associated with a traditional backdoor, allowing it to hoover sensitive information, capture screenshots, and execute arbitrary commands.

But where it also stands apart is its use of a complex IP generation algorithm to select a command-and-control (C2) server to connect to at random from a pool of 48,000 IP addresses.

"The only way to explain these seemingly impossible network behaviors is by assuming the existence of a man-on-the-side attacker who is able to intercept all network traffic and even modify it if needed," the company said.

A man-on-the-side attack, similar to a man-in-the-middle attack, enables a rogue interloper to read and inject arbitrary messages into a communications channel, but not modify or delete messages sent by other parties.

Man-on-the-side intrusions typically bank on strategically timing their messages in a manner that the malicious reply containing the attacker-supplied data is sent in response to a victim's request for a web resource before the actual response from the server.

The fact that the threat actor is able to control such a massive range of IP addresses could also explain the hijacking of the update mechanism associated with genuine apps to deliver the WinDealer payload, Kaspersky pointed out.

"Man-on-the-side-attacks are extremely destructive as the only condition needed to attack a device is for it to be connected to the internet," security researcher Suguru Ishimaru said.

"No matter how the attack has been carried out, the only way for potential victims to defend themselves is to remain extremely vigilant and have robust security procedures, such as regular antivirus scans, analysis of outbound network traffic, and extensive logging to detect anomalies."
Microsoft on Thursday said it took steps to disable malicious activity stemming from abuse of OneDrive by a previously undocumented threat actor it tracks under the chemical element-themed moniker Polonium.

In addition to removing the offending accounts created by the Lebanon-based activity group, the tech giant's Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) said it suspended over 20 malicious OneDrive applications created by Polonium andd that it notified affected organizations.

"The observed activity was coordinated with other actors affiliated with Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), based primarily on victim overlap and commonality of tools and techniques," MSTIC assessed with "moderate confidence."

The adversarial collective is believed to have breached more than 20 organizations based in Israel and one intergovernmental organization with operations in Lebanon since February 2022.

Targets of interest included entities in the manufacturing, IT, transportation, defense, government, agriculture, financial, and healthcare sectors, with one cloud service provider compromised to target a downstream aviation company and law firm in what's a case of a supply chain attack.

In a vast majority of the cases, initial access is believed to have been obtained by exploiting a path traversal flaw in Fortinet appliances (CVE-2018-13379), abusing it to drop custom PowerShell implants like CreepySnail that establish connections to a command-and-control (C2) server for follow-on actions.

Attack chains mounted by the actor have involved the use of custom tools that leverage legitimate cloud services such as OneDrive and Dropbox accounts for C2 with its victims using malicious tools dubbed CreepyDrive and CreepyBox.

"The implant provides basic functionality of allowing the threat actor to upload stolen files and download files to run," the researchers said.

This is not the first time Iranian threat actors have taken advantage of cloud services. In October 2021, Cybereason disclosed an attack campaign staged by a group called MalKamak that used Dropbox for C2 communications in an attempt to stay under the radar.

Additionally, MSTIC noted that multiple victims that were compromised by Polonium were previously targeted by another Iranian group called MuddyWater (aka Mercury), which has been characterized by the U.S. Cyber Command as a "subordinate element" within MOIS.

The victim overlaps lend credence to earlier reports that MuddyWater is a "conglomerate" of multiple teams along the lines of Winnti (China) and the Lazarus Group (North Korea).

To counter such threats, customers are advised to enable multi-factor authentication as well as review and audit partner relationships to minimize any unnecessary permissions.
Phil E. reminded me that it's been about a year since I bought my $150 solar Seiko watch. Since last year I've learned that ordinary Solar Seikos from the low-end "Essentials" collection actually typically qualify as HAQ watcheshigh-accuracy quartzachieving accuracy as good as three seconds per month.

Mine has been better than that. It's currently five seconds slow since the last time change in March, which works out to accuracy of a little worse than 20 seconds per year. That's under two seconds per month, well within HAQ territory. Quartz watch accuracy is usually claimed to be 20 seconds per month, mechanical watch accuracy 15 to 20 seconds per day. Very impressive for an ordinary moderately-priced quartz watch, if accuracy is what floats your boat. (There are many reasons to like watches, accuracy being a relatively minor one. A watch that's good to within a few minutes a day is all you really need if you don't mind setting it every day.)

I have an even more accurate watch, though. By far my most expensive watch, my Casio Oceanus T200, which I had to buy from Japan (Oceanus products are domestic-market only), syncs with either the radio signal from WWV in Fort Collins, Colorado, or with the iPhone. Since I don't receive the WWV signal thanks to the high bluff across the lake from me, I use the iPhone sync. (There's an app.) The watch resets itself four times a day if the iPhone is within range, and you can connect manually whenever you want to. So that watch is accurate to within a fraction of a second all the time. That beats any quartz watch. The Oceanus is also solar-powered. Its hands stop in the dark to save energy, although it continues to keep track of the time. The hands reset to the exact time as soon as you shine some light on it for a few seconds.

The Oceanus is a very lovely thing. Casio, one of the richest watchmakers in the world, pulled out all the stops in making its flagship range.

I've stopped collecting watches. I have seven, and typically wear only three, my solar Seiko, my Oceanus, and my everyday watch, my favorite, a 140th Anniversary Seiko of the SUR3xx series (the 140th Anniversary is pictured above. It's no longer available, which is why there's no link). That one is six seconds off since the time change. I occasionally wear one of the other ones, but not very often.

Three watches is enough for me and seven is overkill, and I doubt I'll be buying more. I'm pretty sure the attraction for me is boyhood nostalgia. I worked at the Bay Point Pharmacy in Bayside, Wisconsin, starting when I was 14 or so, and we had a number of watches in the glass case that served as the front counter, where the cash register was, including some space-age Bulova Accutrons. I admired the Accutrons, which worked by counting the vibrations of a tiny tuning fork. I got caught up as a teenager in the hoopla surrounding the introduction of the first quartz watch, and got interested in the technology behind it, and coveted one badly, in the way kids do, although the first one was fantastically expensive. I bought my first quartz watch on a school trip to Switzerland in 1972. The lore and lure of watches for me pretty much begins and ends with quartz. Given that, I probably should be wearing this Seiko, but I already have a silver version of that one and I don't want any more watches. I'm good.

But it's nice to be back wearing a watch again every day. I do find it handy. And it's a pleasure.

Mike

Book o' the Week

All About Saul Leiter. The Amazon writeup for this book says "Photography lovers the world over are now embracing Saul Leiter"and oh boy, is that ever true of me"who has enjoyed a remarkable revival since fading into relative obscurity in the 1980s." One of my favorite photographers. Beautiful photopoems. Saul's Early Color (which you can still get for around $300) was one of our all-time bestselling book links. (I bought two, one to thumb and one to not touch!)



This book link is a portal to Amazon.

Link to B&H

Original contents copyright 2020 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)

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Paris, TX (75460)

Today

Mostly cloudy with scattered thunderstorms mainly in the morning. High 84F. SSW winds shifting to NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Area high-achieving high school students are headed to summer enrichment programs across the country thanks to sponsorships from the Garwin Family Foundation.

For the tenth year, the Foundation is funding merit-based scholarships to attend highly-selective, subject-specific programs at universities across the country including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale and Stanford. For 2022, 11 students have been selected, including the groups first-ever participant from Murphysboro High School.

We came to a realization that the program was running like a well-oiled machine and that we could think about expanding to other area high schools and were pleased to have our first student from Murphysboro this year, explained Garwin Family Foundation Director Marsha Ryan.

Learning at some of the top institutions, with some of the brightest students in the country will provide our brightest students an experience like no other. Said Murphysboro High School Principal Cody Ellermeyer in a news release. We look forward to continuing the partnership in the future so that more of Murphysboro High Schools best and brightest can take advantage of everything these enrichment programs can offer.

Ryan said the program, which relies on high school counselors who serve as liaisons to students, likely will expand to Carterville High School in coming years. Students at Carbondale Community High School and area students who attend the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora are eligible for sponsorship by the Garwin Family Foundation.

Students must go through a rigorous application process to receive funding from the Garwin Foundation including interviews as well as be accepted by a summer program approved by the foundation. Once approved by the foundation and accepted into the program, tuition, room and board and often transportation costs are covered by the foundation.

Sponsored students and their summer programs include:

Sydney Davis from Carbondale Community High School, Iowa Young Writers Institute, Creative Writing

Lauren Fakhoury of the Illinois Math and Science Academy, City University of New York to study Latin

Katherine Herzog from Murphysboro High School, Michigan Math and Science Scholars to study catalysis, solar energy and green chemical synthesis

Jordan Johnson of CCHS, Michigan Math and Science Scholars, catalysis, solar energy and green chemical synthesis

Yoonseo Jung of CCHS, Stanford University to study fundamentals of augmented reality

Jason Qin from IMSA, Yale University, linear algebra with applications and to MIT Beaverworks to study quantum software

Michelle Wang of CCHS, Summer Science Program in astrophysics

Samuel Wang from CCHS, St. Louis Students and Teachers as Research Scientists to study cancer research and biology

David Weng of CCHS, Awesome Math to study algebra 1.5 and elements of geometry

Robert Wigfall of CCHS, University of Illinois Chicago to study biotechnology

Elaina Xiao of IMSA, MIT Beaverworks to study designing for assistive technology

One the selected students, Robert Wigfall, a sophomore at CCHS, said he is looking forward both to exploring a possible college major and career, but also exposure to a university setting.

I hope to get of several things out of this program: the college experience, living on dorms and being in university in general. Also, I hope to sort of experience what it is like to have a greater level of education. Im looking forward to it, he said.

The Garwin Family Foundation was established in 1993 to furthering study in the arts and sciences, humanities, law and medicine.

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Making the initial call to an attorney for advice can be frightening or intimidating. A unique Southern Illinois program is making talking to a lawyer easier  and free.

Lawyer in the Library makes area attorneys available for free, 20-minute consultations at area public libraries.

Brenda Sprague, administrative assistant for the office of the chief judge of Illinois first judicial circuit, said the program is designed to help area residents ask basic questions to a licensed attorney, ranging from help with a will or estate question, to discovering whether or not they need to seek out long-term legal counsel. She said the program is funded through a grant from the Illinois Supreme Courts Commission on Access to Justice. This is the fourth year for the program.

One of the intents is to help self-represented people that couldnt afford an attorney or didnt want to hire an attorney to be better prepared when they come to court, she explained, but added that Lawyer in the Library services are not limited to open or pending court cases.

The program is available in a number of Southern Illinois libraries and any area resident may use the services at any of participating libraries. Upcoming Lawyer in the Library sessions are scheduled for several area libraries including the Stinson Memorial Library in Anna, the Metropolis Public Library and the Marion Carnegie Library. Sprague said she hopes to add additional libraries in the coming years.

Most libraries encourage scheduling a consultation, but some walk-in appointments are available.

Ive heard nothing but positive responses about Lawyer in the Library, explained Sarah Watkins, director of Annas Stinson Memorial Library. Its just been very beneficial for people who want to talk with an attorney and our patrons are excited that they have the opportunity to meet with a professional about whatever their needs are.

Watkins said some of the complimentary session have been document reviews, while other visits may lead to referrals for additional services.

If someone has never visited with an attorney before, this is really great segue into it, she explained. Especially if it is a matter where you just want to verify something or you dont feel like you want the pressure of hiring a professional or cant afford the fees, this is a service that may not cover everything you need, but its a great starting place.

Carbondale attorney Gene Turk has been meeting with patrons of the Anna library this summer.

Its an opportunity to provide pro bono advice and steer people toward whatever would be appropriate for them, Turk outlined.

He said many of the visits he has completed in Anna so far this summer have related to estate planning.

Mostly it was people who have had questions about estate issues, trusts and wills. Its been people who dont want to get too involved about meeting with a lawyer until they know what direction they need to go. Its a great opportunity to dip their toes in so to speak, he said.

Turk said the Lawyer in the Library program is a way for him to give back.

I like to help out in the community. Ive practiced here a long time and I am semi-retired so I have the time and enjoy it, he said.

Watkins said the program helps libraries do more than circulate books.

Im a big believer that libraries offer more to the community than people realize. This is just one example of that, Watkins said.

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Elon Musk is reportedly demanding that Tesla office workers return to in-person work or leave the company.

The policy, disclosed in leaked emails Musk sent to Tesla's executive staff Tuesday, was first reported by electric vehicle news site Electrek.

According to the report:

"Anyone who wishes to do remote work must be in the office for a minimum (and I mean *minimum*) of 40 hours per week or depart Tesla. This is less than we ask of factory workers," Musk wrote, adding that the office must be the employee's primary workplace where the other workers they regularly interact with are based  "not a remote branch office unrelated to the job duties."

Musk said he would personally review any request for exemption from the policy, but that for the most part, "If you don't show up, we will assume you have resigned."

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment on the apparent policy change, but Musk appeared to confirm it in a tweet of his own early Wednesday when asked on Twitter, "Hey Elon...any additional comment to people who think coming into work is an antiquated concept?" Musk replied: "They should pretend to work somewhere else."

The policy is at odds with that of the other tech company Musk is attempting to buy, Twitter, which has previously announced employees can continue to work from home "forever" if they prefer. "Wherever you feel most productive and creative is where you will work and that includes working from home full-time forever," CEO Parag Agrawal wrote in a note to Twitter's nearly 100,000 employees in March, just before Musk's interest in owning the social media platform was disclosed.

At Tesla, however, that won't be the case. It's especially important that senior managers be seen in the office, Musk said, adding that was one of the reasons he essentially lived at the Tesla factory in Fremont, California, when the company was struggling to increase production in 2017 and 2018.

"If I had not done that, Tesla would long ago have gone bankrupt," he wrote. "There are of course companies that don't require this, but when was the last time they shipped a great new product? It's been a while."

He added, "Tesla has and will create and actually manufacture the most exciting and meaningful products of any company on Earth," he added. "This will not happen by phoning it in."

Surveys show the majority of office workers prefer the option to work from home. Since reopening offices following COVID-19 shutdowns, many companies beyond Twitter have announced increased flexibility for employees who want to work remotely, partly as a way to retain or attract talent in a particularly tight labor market. But the world's richest person doesn't seem concerned about that dynamic.

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MADISON  About 50 years ago, as a kid riding a dirt bike, Curtis Francois whetted an appetite for speed that steadily progressed to motorcycles and then to racing cars professionally.

"Really, I guess I had a need for speed at an early age," Francois said.

That lifelong love for racing along with his experience as an entrepreneur and real estate developer have melded into Francois' own metro-east motorsports playground known now as the World Wide Technology Raceway.

Francois, the owner and CEO of the track where he raced Indy Lights long before he bought the place, will host the top stock car drivers in the country in the sold-out NASCAR Cup Series race in the inaugural Enjoy Illinois 300 at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Madison.

"We promise a world class event and I think fans will be blown away," Francois said.

NASCAR legend Richard Petty, St. Louis rapper Nelly and more than 30 other musical acts will be part of the weekend.

It will be the first time the highest level of NASCAR racers will compete in a sanctioned event in the St. Louis area.

Those drivers and the 80,000-plus fans who flock to the speedway over the three-day weekend will see what Francois has been building since he took over the track in 2011 after the previous owners had shut it down.

Francois said he is already well into a nearly $100 million investment plan for the speedway that features a 1.25 mile oval track formerly known as Gateway Motorsports Park. The first phase of $50 million has been completed with an additional $15 million invested in the second phase.

The Enjoy Illinois 300, along with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Saturday and pre-race events on Friday, is expected to produce an estimated $60 million economic impact for the region, according to a Maryville University study.

"That's something that we're proud of and I think it will make a difference for the community," Francois said.

Landing NASCAR's top drivers

Francois described getting the rights to host the NASCAR Cup Series as something opposite of a racer peeling out from the starting line.

It was "built on a measured pace" to show racers that his group would deliver what was promised.

"So we didn't take huge swings back in 2012 when we reopened," Francois said. "We never took too big of a bite."

Highlights of his early ownership include hosting dragstrip events for the NHRA and hosting both INDYCAR Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on the oval super speedway.

The truck race has been a staple on the track's annual schedule since 2014 and will return at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

NASCAR announced last year that its top racers will compete at the St. Clair County track and Francois said he looks forward to hosting "many more" NASCAR Cup Series races in the coming years.

"World Wide Technology Raceway has been on our radar for several years now," said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president for Racing Development & Strategy.

Kennedy said NASCAR leaders have been impressed by the "great energy from the fanbase" attending the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series since 2014.

"I know the fans are certainly going to show up," he said.

Indeed, the 57,000 grandstand tickets for the Enjoy Illinois 300 race on Sunday have been sold out. There are tickets available for Saturday's truck race and a pre-race event on Friday when Petty, 84, will drive the ceremonial first NASCAR Cup Series car laps. If you can't make it to the races, both events will air nationally on FS1.

The investment in track improvements are designed to keep race fans happy, Francois said.

He's also bought additional land to increase the size of the track grounds from about 170 acres to about 700 acres. This means fans can park on World Wide Technology property. The track also has 1,200 spaces for campers to park.

Francois had this to say about his philosophy of hosting race fans: "Make sure that when fans show up that they see that we care about them and that is making sure that from the time that they pull into the gates, to the time they're in their seat, or at the time they're leaving, they're entertained, they feel good value for their investment and that they are treated to something that makes memories that last a lifetime."

Racetrack development

While Francois raced professionally in a variety of cars and races, including the 24 Hours of Daytona, he still had to work a "regular job."

"Much to my frustration I would have preferred to be racing a whole lot more," he said, "but I was very busy."

In his non-racing days, Francois, 57, said he spent 10 years developing franchises for Dent Wizard and more than two decades developing subdivisions in the metro-east.

"I had the racing experience and then I had the real estate experience," Francois said. "I also was doing primarily all of my real estate business in the metro-east. Next thing you know, we have this opportunity that comes along."

That "opportunity" was buying the racetrack along the border of Madison and St. Clair counties near the intersection of Illinois 203 and Interstate 55-70. Most of the property is in St. Clair County.

"I was very well prepared," he said of the 2011 purchase. "I did not have a crystal ball that made all that happen. It just happened to be that way."

Francois said he drew upon his experience as a driver at the various tracks where he has raced.

"And so from behind the wheel I was getting a look at racetracks. ..." he said. "I had no idea at the time but it was certainly formative to getting involved with this racetrack."

After buying the track, Francois worked to increase the size of the property to improve parking.

"When I took over in 2011, I recognized that we had to identify and solve the challenges in the past," he said. "One of those challenges was there simply was not enough ground contiguous to the site to park fans and really to effectively handle traffic ingress and egress."

Francois said he first wanted to obtain ownership of the land under the track.

"It was not an easy problem to solve," he said. "There were 14 different parcels underneath this race track."

And those parcels were controlled by seven different owners.

Francois said it was a "complicated" process and "was not for the faint of heart to jump in" and take over the then-closed track. The land owners had already agreed to have the grandstand demolished with the intent of selling its parts as scrap metal.

"It was really important conversations that I had with those ground owners to really explain my vision but ultimately I needed to own the ground if I was going to get involved with this and try to make a go of it," Francois said.

He said without their cooperation, the track would not have prospered as it has.

Francois said overall he's conducted 25 to 30 different closings on the property for the track complex.

To complement all the property improvements, Francois has been able to attract sponsors interested in supporting the track and its races.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has taken notice of Francois' investment in racing and the metro-east and this week lauded the $60 million in economic impact a Maryville University study projected will be generated in the region by the Enjoy Illinois 300 and its related events.

"Entrepreneur-ship is what he is the definition of," Pritzker said. "The idea of taking a chance others might not have been willing to take, having a vision of the track and the area and then making the investments necessary to make it all come true.

"He's been a great ally for local people and is also very committed not to just this success but to the years ahead for the track and entire region."

Francois, who grew up in Kirkwood, Missouri, gave particular notice to the support of two area businessmen: David Steward and John Bommarito.

Steward is the founder and chairman of St. Louis-based World Wide Technology, which provides technology services to businesses. His company bought the naming rights for the racetrack.

Bommarito is president of the Bommarito Automotive Group which has car dealerships across the St. Louis metro area. He signed on to sponsor events and races at the track, including Richard Petty Day on Friday and an IndyCar Series race in August.

Francois' future

Ten years has elapsed between the first events scheduled at Francois' racetrack and NASCAR's debut performance in the St. Louis area. Much has happened in the interim.

Francois said he has worked to schedule racing-related events at the track year-round. One of the popular activities is the racing events at the Kartplex that draws families full of racing enthusiasts.

"We've got so many different things going on that we've built this grassroots fan base," Francois said.

Those longtime fans, as well as area residents who have never been to the NASCAR Cup Series event, will get to see what Francois is building.

"It's just going to be an opportunity for this area, for the metro-east to say, 'Hey, you know what? We're putting our flag in the ground and we're a great place to visit," Francois said.

And Francois said he wants to keep improving the track for years to come.

"We will always be looking and striving to be one of the top race tracks in the country from the standpoint of that we are nimble, we continue to lean into all types of developments that help the fans enjoy the races," he said.

"That is our mantra. It's been that way for the last 10 years. And I think over the next 10 years, you're going to continue to see great changes that enhance the opportunity for people to enjoy racing."

But for this weekend, Francois has his eyes on a more immediate target:

"The first thing that I'm looking forward to is seeing is the Cup cars charge into my Turn 1 for the very first time," he said.

"I think that's going to be just a moment for myself and my family that will really validate the last 10 years, of all the work and the sacrifice and the investment that we've made."

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CUSTER STATE PARK, South Dakota  The relative juxtaposition of South Dakotas Black Hills and Badlands National Park is mind-boggling.

According to Google Maps, Badlands National Park and Custer State Park, the centerpiece of the Black Hills tourist destinations, are just 68.9 miles apart by road. As the ubiquitous western meadowlark flies, its probably several miles closer.

While the Badlands are generally stark and largely devoid of trees, the Black Hills are mountainous, covered with pines, almost lush. The Badlands has a real desert feel while the word alpine comes to mind while driving through the Black Hills.

There are plenty of tourist destinations dotting the Black Hills  Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, the gambling town of Deadwood. Yet, the hills, dare we say mountains, are the true stars of the show?

Driving the Needles Highway is an adventure in and of itself. The narrow two-lane road, filled with hairpin turns and one-way tunnels, carries visitors through dense forests accentuated with towering granite spires.

And, no visit to the Black Hills is complete without driving Custer State Parks Wildlife Loop Road. The road allows you to view buffalo, pronghorn antelope, mule and white-tailed deer from remarkably close range.

There is no shortage of trails if you want to go searching for mountain bluebirds, western kingbirds or the aforementioned meadowlarks.

But, Custer State Park is hardly the only natural destination worth seeing. A drive through Spearfish Canyon, located near Deadwood, allows you to hike to the base of waterfalls and provides ample hiking adventures.

Best of all, life just seems to slow down in the Black Hills, whether youre staring at waterfalls, or enjoying the seemingly endless view from Mount Coolidge. It has to be seen to be appreciated.

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Two Democrats are running for Bamberg County auditor.

Incumbent Rosa Robinson Verner will be facing political newcomer Gale H. Black in the June 14 Democratic primary.

No Republican filed for the position.

Verner

A native and resident of Bamberg, Verner reflected on her past four years as auditor.

I find it truly inspiring to continue representing the citizens of Bamberg County in a manner that is built on honesty and efficiency, Verner said. As a lifelong resident, my democratic values are embedded in my foundation as a public servant.

Since being elected, I developed an impeccable staff that is only getting better every day, Verner continued. The learning curve was critical as we continued to improve our processes even during the COVID pandemic when our office remained open.

Verner also said she has made it a priority to focus on customer service.

Our goal is to provide quality service 100% of the time, a benchmark I take very seriously, Verner said. Furthermore, keeping our citizens informed is another milestone Ive enhanced by visiting churches, special functions and schools, seeking to keep our citizens informed of changes to their taxes.

Experience has revealed that I will continue to look for every available deduction for our remarkable and hardworking citizens, Verner said.

Verner said as a Christian woman, she strives to be a woman of integrity.

The cornerstones of my leadership are faith and empowering a well-trained, professional staff thats poised to continue bringing forth the absolute best customer service in the state, Verner said.

After graduating from Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School, Verner obtained an associates degree in computer data processing from Denmark Technical College, a bachelors degree in business administration from Voorhees College (now university), and a masters in creative arts and learning from Lesley University.

After 28 years of service with the South Carolina Department of Social Services, where she primarily worked with children and families, Verner retired from the agency.

Upon her retirement, Verner continued to assist displaced children in foster care programs.

As a lifelong Democrat, Verner volunteered and supported several campaigns, including that of the late Bamberg County Council member Alzena Robinson, her sister.

I am often reminded of her motto that Everybody can do something, Verner said.

Verner is married to Michael and they have eight children.

She is lifelong member at Capernaum Missionary Baptist Church.

When she is not busy working, Verner says she enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her family.

With your prayers, support and your vote, together we can continue to make Bamberg County a great place to live, work and play, she said.

Black

Black says her priorities are, putting our citizens first and ensuring that they have a great customer service experience when they visit the auditors office.

Her main goal is, to do the best we can to accommodate every citizen of Bamberg County as well as do our best to answer any questions, comments and/or concerns they may have, but most importantly, to make sure that all taxpayers are taxed equally and accurately.

Black said customer service has always been important to her.

She plans, to be available and to make sure that the needs of our citizens (are) accommodated every working business day from opening to closing.

Black cited her experience in the Bamberg County tax office, as well as in accounting and finance, as making her right for the position.

She has served as a tax clerk in the county auditors and treasurers offices and an accountant in the county's delinquent tax department.

I have learned the flow of the tax process, Black said. I believe that this knowledge will allow me to better assist with many aspects of the tax process. Therefore, I know that I will be a great asset to the citizens of Bamberg County.

Black also spent 14 years at the Bamberg County Hospital, with the last seven of those years as a budget analyst in the hospital's finance department.

She also worked at Tobul Accumulator/Freudenberg for nearly four years in accounts receivable and in the Bamberg County Office on Aging's finance and human resource departments.

I am a hands-on person, and I have a desire to learn as much as possible whenever the opportunity presents itself, Black said.

The Orangeburg native received her GED while attending Denmark Technical College in 1997-98 and graduated from Denmark Tech in 2000 with an associates degree in business.

Black attended Advantage College, receiving her bachelors degree in practical theology in 2017.

Black is currently taking online studies at Liberty University with plans to graduate in the fall with a degree in business administration.

Outside of her political aspirations, Black is a member of Word of Life Pentecostal Holiness Church in Bamberg.

She serves in the Sunday school department as the teacher for the teens, and also serves as the church's missions director. She is also a minister in the International Pentecostal Church as of 2018.

Black served on mission teams in Jamaica in 2012 and the Dominican Republic in 2014.

She is married to Jeff and they have seven children between them. Together they have 20 grandchildren.

During her spare time, Black enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as traveling, spending time at the beach, fishing, crafting, working in her yard, music and singing.

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ISLAMABAD, June 3 (Xinhua) -- A soldier was killed when terrorists targeted security forces in the North Waziristan district of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an army statement said on Thursday night.

The terrorists fired at a military post in the area of Datta Khel town of the district. "The troops initiated a prompt response and effectively engaged the terrorists' location," the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in the statement.

During an intense exchange of fire, a young soldier who was 28 years old lost his life, the ISPR said.

Actions had been carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area, said the statement.

"Pakistan army is determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers will not go unpunished," according to the ISPR. 
Orangeburg County

Sheriffs Office

A 57-year-old North Carolina woman is accused of stealing an SUV with a dog inside from the Regional Medical Center.

Karen Drown, of 2454 Chester Road, Lenoir, is charged with grand larceny valued at $10,000 or more.

According to her warrant, the theft was captured on RMCs video surveillance system.

Drown had been released as a patient from RMC on the morning of May 19, according to an incident report.

The owner of a 2017 Buick Enclave left the engine running as she stepped away from her vehicle, the report said. The doors were unlocked and a brown Boykin spaniel was in the backseat.

Drown allegedly drove away in the Enclave. The SUV crashed on U.S. Highway 301 in Santee after a brief pursuit by the S.C. Highway Patrol.

Orangeburg County EMS returned Drown to RMC for medical treatment.

The Boykin spaniel was returned to the owner, according to OCSO spokesperson Richard Walker.

Drown was taken into custody Wednesday. Orangeburg County Magistrate Valerie Lawrence set Drowns bond at $5,000 cash or surety. As of Friday afternoon, Drown hadnt posted bond.

If convicted, Drown faces up to 10 years in prison.

Holly Hill

Police Dept.

A Holly Hill man is facing a drug charge after being stopped at a license checkpoint in the town, according to a police incident report.

Keenan Nykel Gillard, 33, of 212 Bunch Ford Road, is facing one count of second-offense possession with intent to distribute cocaine, according to a warrant.

Gillard stopped for a license checkpoint on Gardner Boulevard on Saturday.

Officers claim Gillard was driving, but he didnt have a drivers license with him.

The officers allege they smelled marijuana, so they had Gillard and his passengers exit the vehicle while officers conducted a search.

Gillard is accused of having 3.7 grams of cocaine wrapped in eight small, plastic bags in the glove compartment of the car.

Police Chief Josh Detter told Gillard that he shouldve known better than to bring that junk into Holly Hill, the report states.

Cocaine aint that bad! Gillard allegedly replied, according to Detter.

Detter claims that Gillard said the cocaine was his.

Gillard was convicted of first-offense possession with intent to distribute cocaine in 2010.

If convicted of second-offense possession with intent to distribute cocaine, Gillard faces up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Orangeburg

Department

of Public Safety

The following items were reported stolen from a secured guestroom of the EconoLodge motel, located at 1415 John C. Calhoun Drive, on Thursday: an Amazon Fire tablet, an HP Pavilion laptop computer, a Nintendo Switch, childrens clothing, a childs Batman book bag, childrens toys and a motel-owned, 42-inch Insignia flatscreen television.

The value of the stolen items is $1,460.

In an unrelated report, someone stole the catalytic converter from a 2006 black Honda Pilot parked at D&B Seafood restaurant, located at 815 John C. Calhoun Drive.

The theft occurred on Thursday.

The value of the catalytic converter is $500.

Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD

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U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham submitted the several member-directed spending requests for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Homeland Security projects in South Carolina. Graham made the requests to the Senate Appropriations Committee, on which he serves.

The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding requests include money for Orangeburg County projects. Those projects include:

 $9.5 million for a senior resource facility.

 $8.34 million for road and pedestrian safety improvements.

I believe it is important that elected officials have a say in how taxpayer money is spent and not rely on bureaucrats in Washington to protect South Carolinas interests, Graham said in a release.

The funding requests for member-directed spending items are public record. Every person will be able to judge for themselves if these are worthwhile requests. I believe these projects meet those requirements and will pay dividends for our state in the years to come, he said.

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The beginning of hurricane season in June is significant in the Palmetto State.

The early years of the 2020s thankfully have been devoid of major hurricanes in the state, but the threat is always there.

South Carolina is one of the most vulnerable states to hurricanes and tropical storms. Six coastal counties border the Atlantic Ocean. These counties have more than 200 miles of general coastline, and another 21 inland counties may be directly affected by these storms. Densely populated coastal areas, especially during peak tourist seasons, coupled with the generally low coastal elevations significantly increase the state's vulnerability.

Recent hurricanes to impact the Palmetto State include Hurricane Matthew in 2016, Hurricane Irma in 2017, Hurricane Florence in 2018 and Hurricane Dorian in 2019. In 2015, Hurricane Joaquin, combined with a separate storm system, resulted in historic flooding from the Midlands to the Lowcountry. Forecasters with NOAAs Climate Prediction Center expect an above average hurricane season in the range of 14-21 named storms.

In 2022, South Carolina is determined to be prepared.

Gov. Henry McMaster proclaimed May 29 through June 4 as South Carolina Hurricane Preparedness Week. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division, county emergency managers, the National Weather Service along with all members of the State Emergency Response Team urge individuals, businesses and communities to be prepared. The theme for this years Hurricane Prep Week is Know Your Zone, Prepare Your Home, Remember Your Route.

 In South Carolina, state and local officials issue hurricane evacuations based on zones in coastal counties. Know your hurricane evacuation zone instantly with the SC Emergency Manager mobile app and Hurricane.sc, South Carolinas online hurricane guide.

 Do a safety check to make sure your home is best able to withstand the effects of a hurricane. Have your roof inspected, double check hurricane shutters and make sure your insurance policies cover the types of damages hurricanes can cause. Make a list and take photos of your belongings as records.

 Be aware of the closest hurricane evacuation route ahead of the upcoming hurricane season. This will allow for a more efficient and safer route out of the hurricanes path. Once youve learned your route, stick with it and remember it. Rely on the blue hurricane evacuation signs, not GPS.

Hurricanes and tropical storms not only threaten the coast, but all areas of the state. All South Carolinians should take time to prepare this week by reviewing their family emergency plans, creating a disaster supply kit and talking with their families about what could happen during and after the landfall of a major hurricane.

Recent years are ample proof of the need to know how to prepare for a hurricane. While we are always hopeful the storms will remain at sea and spare our locale  and any other  counting on luck is not the way to go.

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Two MPs raised criticisms that getting an appointment with a paediatrician is becoming increasingly complicated in Luxembourg.

In March, MPs Andre Bauler and Gilles Baum from the Democratic Party (DP) criticised in a parliamentary question that it is "an open secret" that Luxembourg is suffering from a shortage of paediatricians and that waiting times for affected patients are becoming increasingly longer.

In her reply to the parliamentary question, which was published earlier this week, Minister of Health Paulette Lenert revealed that Luxembourg has 123 paediatric specialists, 94 of whom are employed in hospitals.

The Minister explained that Luxembourg currently does not offer paediatric training. Young people wishing to train in this discipline must therefore go abroad. Unfortunately, the Minister could not provide statistics on the number of students concerned.

Finally, the Minister stated that she cannot put an exact figure on the shortage. However, she did give some figures on the number of paediatricians who will have to be replaced in the next few years, assuming that they retire at 65:

- 2022: 4

- 2023: 2

- 2024: 1

- 2025: 3

Lenert concluded by pointing out that the focus should not solely be on paediatricians, as "GPs also play an important role in providing medical care to children".
The government announced on Thursday that it would soon stop publishing regular figures on the coronavirus pandemic.

Is the pandemic finally behind us? Looking at the government, several indicators are leaning in that direction.

This Thursday, the Ministry of Health announced that it would soon discontinue the daily publication monitoring the pandemic. From 16 May the daily infection report will no longer be published due to "the current status of the pandemic and the stable situation at hospital level".

In any case, the government had not waited to outline a long-awaited way out of the crisis: Most Covid restrictions were lifted in March.

Does this mean that we should neglect the virus?

Not quite. Although it causes milder symptoms (hospital admissions have declined), the Omicron variant is still circulating and infecting hundreds of people every day: 4,287 cases were recorded in the week of 25 April to 1 May. And some restrictions apply until 30 June:
As part of the economic mission organised on the occasion of the State visit of TRHs the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess to Portugal, the Minister of the Economy, Franz Fayot, made the welcome address at an event dedicated to the mutual discovery of the start-up ecosystems of Luxembourg and Portugal in Lisbon on Wednesday 11 May. Entitled "Interconnected ecosystems driving entrepreneurship and innovation", the event highlighted the strengths of the two ecosystems and introduced several Luxembourg and Portuguese start-ups who presented their innovative and technological solutions. The event brought together more than 120 participants. With fairly young yet very dynamic start-up ecosystems, Luxembourg and Portugal have followed sometimes similar and sometimes different paths over the past 10 years to build the foundations of a favorable economic environment for innovative entrepreneurs. Following the visit of the Portuguese Minister of the Economy to Luxembourg in 2017, a memorandum of understanding was signed, initiating a reinforced collaboration and today's event further strengthens the links between the two countries' start-up ecosystems. During the event, after a video presentation of the Luxembourg ecosystem, the Minister of the Economy, Franz Fayot, spoke about the development of Luxembourg start-ups, the number of which has grown steadily thanks to the implementation of the Fit 4 start acceleration programme. Since July 2021, www.startupluxembourg.com acts as a platform dedicated to the ecosystem, bringing together all the players, i.e. over 500 start-ups and some 14 public and private incubators. The Minister of the Economy said: "Luxembourg and Portugal not only share the same values but also the same ambitions. Like the Portuguese government, the Luxembourg government is committed to supporting the start-up ecosystem. After the official launch of www.startupluxembourg.com in July 2021, it is now essential to further develop interactions with other ecosystems and Portugal is a partner of choice in this context. Today's event is a perfect opportunity to strengthen our relationship." His speech was followed by that of Luc Frieden, President of the Chamber of Commerce, which hosts the House of Startups Luxembourg, the largest start-up hosting infrastructure in Luxembourg. A true start-up institution in Portugal, the Lisbon incubator and accelerator, Startup Lisboa, was then invited to one of the two round tables with the participation of its Membership Manager, Pedro Teixeira. For his part, Jean-Michel Ludwig, Director of Business Development at Luxinnovation, recalled the central role of the Fit 4 Start acceleration programme in the structuring of the Luxembourg start-up ecosystem. The event was also an opportunity for Skeeled, a digital recruitment start-up based in Luxembourg, and the Portuguese bank Banco de Investimento Global to formalise their collaboration with the signing of a partnership. Skeeled offers an all-in-one solution to help companies attract and hire the best talent, covering everything from predictive recruitment and candidate experience to employer branding and diversity and inclusion. Crucial to the dynamism of a start-up ecosystem, the issue of financing was also discussed during a second round table moderated by Luis Galveias, chief operating officer (COO) of the Luxembourg Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (LPEA), in which investors from both countries participated. Afterwards, several presentations of Luxembourg and Portuguese start-ups offering innovative and technological solutions animated the event. Finally, Antonio Dias Martins, Executive Director of Startup Portugal, also co-organiser of the event, gave a closing speech, drawing a portrait of the Portuguese ecosystem, ranked 12th in the top 100 emerging ecosystems and which counts almost 2,150 start-ups and 150 incubators and accelerators.
Traditional roles in Luxembourg's fuel tourism have been reversed on Saturday, as SP98 crossed the threshold of 2 per litre.

The price increased by 12.9 cents to attain the record-high of 2.127 per litre.

This means that for once, the Grand Duchy no longer has the best prices to offer in the greater region, which means that some motorists already make trips across the French border to fill up their vehicles. According to local reports, the Leclerc petrol station in Thionville even ran out of SP98 on Sunday morning.

Is there an easy way of locating the petrol stations with the best prices? Our colleagues from RTL 5minutes have provided us with an overview!

Where to fill up

For one, it is important to remember that contrary to Luxembourg, where all petrol stations use the same maximum price standard, French stations regularly offer petrol below market price as a method of competing.

According to France's official petrol price website, a number of stations in the Moselle region offered SP98 at a lower rate than those in Luxembourg on Sunday, 29 May.

Here are some examples:

ESSO (Phalsbourg): 1.939 per litre

LECLERC (Thionville): 1.945 per litre



AGIP (Farebersviller): 2.149 per litre

ESSO (Betting): 2.049 per litre

ESSO (Creutzwald): 2.059 per litre

These represent some of the most current prices, but they nevertheless remain subject to extreme fluctuations.

With the help of the following websites and applications, you can monitor the evolution of prices at the petrol stations closest to the Luxembourgish border:
A van took on a tram on Friday afternoon, damaging a post and leaving one passenger injured.

The incident took place at 2pm on Friday afternoon in Luxembourg City, after a van crashed into a tram on the Place de Paris. A tram passenger fell over as a result of the impact, suffering minor injuries. The tram was also damaged in the crash, with scrapes down the sides and a broken window.

 Domingos Oliveira  RTL Mobile Reporter  RTL Mobile Reporter  RTL Mobile Reporter The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question.

Police at the scene said there was traffic forming from the city centre, and advised motorists to avoid the area if possible.
Turkey has told the United Nations that, at the behest of its president, it wishes from now on to be called "Turkiye" in all languages, the UN announced Thursday.

"The change is immediate," Stephane Dujarric, the UN chief's spokesperson, told AFP by email.

He noted that Ankara's official letter requesting the change had been received at the UN's New York headquarters on Wednesday.

The day before, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavasoglu had tweeted a photo of himself signing the letter, addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

"With the letter I sent to the UN Secretary General today, we are registering our country's name in foreign languages at the UN as 'Turkiye,'" he wrote, including an umlaut over the "u".

He added that the change would bring to an end the process of "increasing the brand value of our country," an initiative started by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has led the country for almost two decades.

Over the past few years, the country has sought to change the branding on its products from "made in Turkey" to "made in Turkiye."

In addition to making the UN's nomenclature match how the nation is spelled in Turkish, the update would also help distinguish the country from the bird of the same name in English.

"The name change may seem silly to some but it puts Erdogan in the role of protector, of safeguarding international respect for the country," Georgetown University professor Mustafa Aksakal was quoted as saying in The New York Times.

The newspaper also noted that the move comes ahead of next year's presidential election as well as the centenary of the nation's founding after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire.
VIENTIANE, June 3 (Xinhua) -- It is estimated that about 2,000 Lao nationals are currently working in Malaysia illegally, and the Lao authorities plan to work with the Malaysian side to have these groups of people registered and work legally, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Friday.

Director General of the Department of Employment under the Lao Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Anousone Khamsingsavath, said her department aims to ensure that no Lao nationals are working in Malaysia illegally and that the two governments take steps to legalize Lao workers.

"We will work with the Malaysian Embassy in Laos to see what can be done to rectify the situation, including signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on multifaceted labor cooperation between our two countries," Vientiane Times quoted the Lao official as saying.

"But we may run into difficulties because Laos and Malaysia do not have an MOU that supports a strong relationship in this area. All areas of cooperation between the governments are required to be endorsed by an MOU," the official added.

MoUs serve to help the signatories to engage in the sharing of experiences and operations, form partnerships at the regional level, and determine the direction of international labor policies within tripartite and regional systems, Anousone told the daily.

An MOU in the labor sector would pave the way for Lao nationals to work in Malaysia legally, and protect their rights and interests in keeping with international principles and their legal entitlement, she added.

Such an agreement would cover workforce development, employment, protection, social security, human trafficking prevention, academic cooperation, and collaboration on other issues.

"If we have this kind of agreement, it would encourage cooperation in skills training to strengthen the management capacity of trainers and skills development officers, and increase workforce productivity," she said.

According to the report, Lao nationals working in South Korea, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia are often employed in small and medium enterprises in agriculture, the service sector and other industries.

"Of these countries, only Malaysia has yet to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Laos to strengthen the relationship between the two governments towards closer cooperation in relation to labor," the Lao daily said. 
The Biden administration will redo the environmental review of more than 2,000 Wyoming oil and gas leases sold between 2015 and 2020  including virtually all of the leases issued under former president Donald Trump  in accordance with a trio of settlement agreements approved Wednesday by a federal judge.

None of the leases have been vacated, but their future is uncertain. The Department of the Interior now has to reevaluate and retroactively justify more than two dozen lease sales. If it decides it cant, or its reasoning doesnt satisfy the court, the sales could be reversed and any existing permits revoked.

Jeremy Nichols, climate and energy program director for plaintiff WildEarth Guardians, said the decision was unprecedented.

This is getting to the heart of the federal oil and gas program, Nichols said. The question here will be not whether its OK to lease in the Red Desert or the Powder River Basin, but whether the federal oil and gas program even makes sense in the midst of the climate crisis.

Industry responded by asking Congress to play a greater role in decisions affecting the energy sector.

Backroom court settlements like this, negotiated by the Biden Administration and its anti-domestic oil and gas allies, will continue to decide the fate of Wyomings primary economic driver until Congress reasserts its control and establishes a coherent national energy policy, Ryan McConnaughey, communications director for the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, said in an emailed statement.

WildEarth Guardians and several other environmental groups filed three lawsuits against the interior department, in 2016, 2020 and 2021, challenging the climate analysis for a total of nearly 4 million acres leased for oil and gas development across Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico and Utah.

Close to 2.5 million of those leased acres  more than 3,500 square miles  are located in Wyoming.

U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered the department in 2019 to reassess some of the Wyoming leases. A year and a half later, he declared the agencys second attempt inadequate.

Around the same time, the interior department acknowledged the same sort of deficiencies in subsequent sales climate analyses, said Kyle Tisdel, senior attorney and climate and energy program director for the Western Environmental Law Center, another plaintiff.

If the agency wants future lease sales to hold up in court, Tisdel said, its climate analysis will have to meet the higher bar the cases have established. Federal attorneys have cited Contreras decisions and other, similar rulings to explain why it took the Biden administration more than a year to complete the review process for its first round of onshore lease sales.

Wyomings first Biden-era sale is scheduled to offer 129 parcels, spanning about 130,000 acres, later this month.

The interior department agreed in March, shortly before announcing the upcoming sale, to reassess the climate impacts of most of the disputed Obama-era and Trump-era sales, including all 16 held in Wyoming. Contreras upheld the deal on Wednesday. Some of the affected leases have already been invalidated by other federal courts over environmental concerns: In March, a Montana judge threw out 193 Wyoming leases sold in December 2017 and March 2018 after finding that the interior department didnt adequately consider threats to sage grouse.

In the cases before Contreras, the environmental groups argued, successfully, that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the department to assess the direct, indirect and cumulative effects that new leasing would have on the environment and the climate. But the oil and gas industry thinks thats an inaccurate interpretation of the landmark 1970 legislation, which doesnt mention climate change.

Many in the industry feel unfairly targeted by the pause on new leasing and other executive actions aimed at lowering emissions.

Some groups will not be satisfied until NEPA is twisted into a law unrecognizable to its drafters, used to halt all mineral resource production in Wyoming, McConnaughey said.

Meanwhile, now that the settlement is finalized  surviving an attempt by the American Petroleum Institute to have the case dismissed over questions about jurisdiction  WildEarth Guardians sees this as the Biden administrations chance to follow through on its climate commitments.

I think, to the extent that they decide to uphold prior leasing decisions, theyre going to have their work cut out for them, Nichols said. They have a high bar, and were going to hold them to that high bar.

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In Wyoming, most of us fuel our cars with gasoline, heat our homes using natural gas and rely on electricity generated from coal. And we depend on state services paid for, in large part, by taxes imposed on the companies extracting that oil, gas and coal  industries whose contributions to state coffers have also kept our individual taxes low.

The economic importance of energy means price swings often hit Wyoming especially hard. Money drained from the states pockets as oil markets crashed in the early months of the pandemic, then poured back in as markets recovered.

Oil prices have been climbing since the start of 2021. In the months since Russia went to war with Ukraine, those prices skyrocketed, then eased. Theyve continued to surge as tensions mount and settle as they subside, rising to more muted highs, but never sinking to levels as low as before.

Gasoline went up along with oil, though it hasnt been as volatile. For a number of reasons, natural gas has followed, giving a boost to its competitor, coal.

Heres how energy prices changed in the past week.

Oil

Because oil is traded globally, market disruptions rarely stay where they start. Instead, localized shifts ripple from one market to the next, pushing the worlds prices up or down along with their own.

The price of U.S. oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) climbed over the past week after the EU agreed to ban most Russian oil imports by the end of the year. The move is expected to increase demand  and likely price  for the supply of non-Russian oil.

WTI closed at $116.87 per barrel on Thursday, up from $114.09 per barrel a week earlier and $105.17 on May 2. Its closing price has stayed well below the eight-year high of $123.70 per barrel set on March 8.

Wyomings drilling rig count, an indicator of industry activity, rose to 18  still about half the pre-pandemic rig count  after hovering between 15 and 16 for the last six months, according to Baker Hughes. The states oil companies say the high oil prices are incentive enough to drill, but other obstacles, including supply chain issues, have slowed them down.

Gasoline

Oil prices are the primary driver of gasoline prices. Thats why the rising cost of oil was quickly reflected at the pump, and why gasoline has remained so pricey.

The national average price of regular gasoline hit a new high of $4.76 per gallon on Friday, up from $4.60 on May 27 and $4.59 one week earlier, according to AAA.

In Wyoming, gasoline prices have also continued to climb. Regular gasoline set yet another statewide record of $4.45 per gallon on Friday. Thats up from a previous record high of $4.33 across Wyoming on May 27.

Gasoline prices went up 12 cents in Natrona County this past week, averaging $4.23 per gallon on Friday.

Natural gas

Unlike oil, most natural gas stays in the region where its produced. Localized disruptions tend to have significant effects on individual markets, but take much longer to impact others. European natural gas prices went up along with oil prices. While U.S. natural gas prices didnt change as much at the start of the war, theyve been on the rise since February, partly because of Russia but also due to a confluence of unrelated factors like cold weather, reduced storage and low production.

Economists anticipate that if the war continues for an extended period of time  six months, a year  the U.S. will expand its export infrastructure and companies will ship more natural gas to Europe, potentially further raising prices here.

The estimated weekly Henry Hub spot price averaged $8.55 per million British thermal units, another multiyear high, up from $8.47 the previous week, according to the Energy Information Administration. The daily price dipped from $9.07 on May 26 to $8.42 on June 1.

Coal

Demand for Wyomings coal is shaped primarily by the cost of other fuels  especially natural gas. Price determines whether utilities generate more electricity at coal-fired or gas-fired power plants.

Coal mined in the Powder River Basin becomes competitive when natural gas tops about $3 per million British thermal units. Its currently more than double that.

The estimated weekly spot price of Powder River Basin coal fell five cents, to $15.45 per short ton, after holding at $15.50 for the previous two weeks, continuing its slow decline from the record $30.70 per short ton reached in November, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Coals current spot price is still above any weekly price recorded in the decade before utilities, fearful this fall of the sky-high natural gas prices forecast by energy analysts, scrambled to secure more coal before winter set in.

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HELENA, Mont.  Montanas Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen pleaded no contest Wednesday to illegally passing a school bus that was picking up children with its red lights flashing and stop arm down.

Helena Municipal Judge Anne Peterson fined Arntzen $500 for the violation plus $35 in fees and surcharges with $400 suspended, for a total of $135. Arntzen received a deferred sentence, which means the charge will be dismissed if she does not have any other traffic violations within 60 days.

A no-contest plea means the defendant accepts the conviction but does not admit guilt.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Arntzens Communications Director Brian OLeary said the superintendent would like to thank all bus drivers for their vigilance in keeping our children safe.

School bus safety is a very important issue and the Superintendent encourages everyone to be alert and mindful when school buses are picking up and dropping off our children at the bus stop and at school, the statement says. This is a good reminder for all of us to slow down from lifes daily distractions, and to pay extra careful attention, especially as we enter the busy summer season. The safety of our children must always come first.

According to a call for service filed with the Helena Police Department, the bus driver reported that he was loading children onto the bus at Alice Street and Alexis Avenue in Helenas Mountain View Meadows subdivision at 7:37 a.m. May 19 when a red Chevrolet Colorado drove by. The bus driver reported Arntzen as the driver of the truck and provided the license plate number to police.

Per Montana law, a driver approaching a school bus that has engaged its red flashing lights must stop at least 30 feet away. Arntzen was cited on May 26, after meeting with an officer.

Arntzen acknowledged that she drives a red pickup and lives in the area but has no recollection of the incident, OLeary said in a May 25 statement.

Editor Jesse Chaney can be reached at 406-447-4074, or find him on Twitter: @IR_JesseChaney.

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Its getting harder and harder for hospitals in Wyoming to keep up obstetric services.

Its just a sign of whats happening across the country in rural health, Eric Boley, Wyoming Hospitals Association President, told the Joint Health and Labor Committee on Thursday.

Two hospitals in Wyoming recently cut pregnancy services.

Memorial Hospital of Carbon County in Rawlins announced in April that it will cut labor and delivery services starting mid-June.

Following that announcement, the hospital partnered with Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie to help cover for the loss. The Ivinson womens health team started seeing patients on-site in Rawlins last Wednesday, Stephanie Hinkle, Memorial Hospital of Carbon County communications and marketing director, told the Star-Tribune. The team will visit the hospital twice a month for now, although Hinkle said that could increase depending on demand.

But actual deliveries will mostly be sent to Ivinson, which is about 100 miles away from Rawlins.

The South Memorial Hospital District in Kemmerer also recently announced that it will cut labor and delivery services, as well as on-call 24/7 surgeries. Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County might partner with the hospital in Kemmerer to help cover service gaps for pregnant mothers, according to Boley.

Out of Wyomings 27 acute care hospitals, the recent cuts leave about 20 that still have labor and delivery services, Boley said.

Lack of staff is probably the main driver of these cuts, especially because labor and delivery services tend to be staff-intensive.

Rod Waeckerlin, Memorial Hospital of Carbon County board of trustees chair, said in a statement that the cost of traveling nurses was part of the reason why the hospital had to get rid of obstetric services. Hinckle told the Star-Tribune that 12 traveling nurses work at the hospital right now. The hospital has always relied on some traveling nurses, she said, but before the pandemic, that number was around three or four. Five traveling positions will get cut along with the labor and delivery services.

Boley said the state has seen nurses quit to take traveling jobs during the pandemic because those jobs pay a lot. And that forces hospitals to hire more traveling nurses, which costs more money. Some nurses have also left the industry altogether because of burnout, Boley added.

I dont know how to get them back, he said.

He added, however, that some of these nurses have returned to permanent positions as pay rates for traveling nurses have gone down.

Hospitals also need a surgical team at the ready in case a mother needs an emergency cesarean-section. South Lincoln Hospital District wasnt able to recruit enough surgical nurses to keep up this team 24/7, according to the hospitals FAQ page on the service cuts.

Theres another angle to the problem: getting health care workers the training they need to deliver babies. Boley said thats also gotten harder over the years, partly because providers arent seeing as many patients, which makes it more difficult for health care workers to become experienced, Boley said.

Weve got to find a solution to this health care [worker] shortage, Boley said. Until we find a solution to that, I see more services having to be cut.

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Its blasphemy in certain circles to state the obvious, which is that America is not exceptional in every way and that Americans are not the peerless masters of the universe. Heck, Ill even dare to say that some countries do some things better than we do.

Consider, for instance, Australia. If I didnt have a job, family, and friends, Id be tempted to move there. Because the people who live there are far less likely to be mowed down en masse in a food store, or in a movie theater, or at a concert, or in a restaurant, or in a school.

When the Australians suffered a horrible massacre in 1996  a gunman killed 35 in a seaside resort  their elected leaders didnt waste time with worthless prayers. Instead they responded like rational civilized human beings. Twelve days after the shootings, Prime Minister John Howard and his center-right government announced a sweeping bipartisan gun reform deal. In Howards words, We have an opportunity in this country not to go down the American path.

True that. What civilized country would want to emulate us?

In the 1996 law, Australia created a buyback program that took 600,000 semi-automatic rifles and shotguns out of circulation  roughly 20 percent of all firearms nationwide. They banned private gun sales, instituted thorough national background checks, required that owners register all their remaining weapons, and, perhaps most importantly, they required that gun buyers provide a justifiable reason at the time of purchase. Self-defense was not considered a justifiable reason.

In the decades since the law was enacted, roughly one million semi-automatic weapons have been sold back to the government and destroyed. And Australian hunters can still hunt. In 2016, one hunter told Time magazine: When (the prime minister) proposed the gun law, I marched like everybody else did in opposition. But I now fully endorse what he did At the end of the day, its a small price to pay not to have the nutjobs walking through shopping centers and massacring innocent people.

Granted, such enlightenment cant happen here. Were us and theyre them. Australia doesnt have a gun-fetish culture thats tethered to a misinterpreted amendment about a well-regulated militia (an amendment that the late Chief Justice Warren Burger, a Republican appointee, called one of the greatest pieces of fraud, I repeat the word fraud, on the American public). Australia doesnt have a deadly cadre of elected leaders who routinely cash in millions from the gun manufacturers lobby.

Whats indisputable is that the Australian reform law has been, in the words of a 2011 Harvard study, incredibly successful in terms of lives saved. A 2018 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that in the 18 years prior to the seaside resort shootings, Australia weathered 13 mass shootings (defined as incidents in which five or more people died). In all the years since, the country has suffered a grand total of one. (Weve had two in the last two weeks.) And a 2021 study by the RAND Corporation concluded that the Australian laws benefits have been even broader: The strongest evidence is consistent with the claim that the (law) caused reductions in firearm suicides, mass shootings, and female homicide victimization.

I know that we Americans hate to be lectured by other countries, but sometimes, like especially when little kids get slaughtered, we clearly deserve it. So lets give the Australians the last word. This is from an editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald:

It is incomprehensible to us, as Australians, that a country so proud and great can allow itself to be savaged again and again by its own citizens. We cannot understand how the long years of senseless murderhave not proved to Americans that the gun is not a precious symbol of freedom, but a deadly cancer on their society.

We point over and over to our own success with gun controland that we are still a free and open society. We have not bought our security at the price of liberty; we have instead consented to a social contract that states lives are precious, and not to be casually ended by lone madmen. But (our) message means nothing to those whose ideology is impervious to evidenceYou cant regulate evil. But you can disarm it. Once again we pray that the U.S. will come to its senses and do just that. And once again, we are dreadfully sure it wont.

That editorial was written five years ago.

Dick Polman, a veteran national political columnist based in Philadelphia and a Writer in Residence at the University of Pennsylvania, writes at DickPolman.net. Email him at dickpolman7@gmail.com

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For far too long, lawmakers have been working overtime to destroy access to abortion  state by state, law by law. Now, with the draft opinion leaked earlier last month, it looks like the Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade and our constitutional right to an abortion.

Now, its important to remember that this leaked opinion is still just a draft. Abortion remains legal across the nation  and it remains legal here in Wyoming.

Still, this leak confirms our deepest fears that the Supreme Court is ready to take away our ability to control if, when, and how to have a child. And it is deeply painful to all of us who believe that the right to control our own bodies and to make such deeply personal decisions is ours, not the governments.

If Roe is overturned, abortion will be banned in Wyoming, thanks to a trigger law Gov. Mark Gordon signed earlier this year. That means people would have to travel out of state to get essential care  something thats impossible for many people to do.

All people should have the ability to make decisions about their lives and bodies, to access abortion care when they need it, in the way that works best for them, and with the guidance and support of providers they trust. And by all people, I mean everyone. People of all races, religions, sexual orientations and gender identities and expressions have abortions. Bans and restrictions disproportionately affect communities that have survived systemic oppression and people who hold multiple marginalized identities. Weve seen it again and again  restrictions to abortion care disproportionately harm Black and brown people, people struggling to make ends meet, those who are already parenting, folks in rural areas, Indigenous people, undocumented immigrants, LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit folks, and young people.

Overturning Roe v. Wade would be an unprecedented action. Never before has the Supreme Court deprived half the country of a well-established constitutional right. The Court has, on occasion, overturned precedents in the past, but virtually always to expand rights and protections  not to take them away.

Its beyond time for Wyoming to recognize that abortion care is essential health care. Banning abortion care wont stop Wyomingites from needing, and seeking, abortion care. It just ensures that the most vulnerable people in Wyoming have a much more difficult and costly experience accessing it. When someone decides to have an abortion, it should be safe, accessible, and free from punishment or judgment.

The ACLU of Wyoming will never stop fighting for abortion rights. Whatever happens when the Court actually issues a decision, we must never give up. Everyone can fight back: Take to the streets to have your voices heard, contact your elected representatives and support your local abortion movement, including abortion funds, health centers, and reproductive justice organizations. And then vote. Vote like your rights depend on it  because they do!

If abortion is going to be left to the political process, those of us who care about reproductive freedom have to get engaged despite the barriers politicians have put in our way. Let us all make clear that the right to decide when  and whether  to have a child belongs to us. Not the government.

Libby Skarin is the campaigns director for the ACLU of Wyoming.

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Contractors in Tobago, who are owed millions of dollars from the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), had a meeting with Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and Division of Infrastructure Secretary Trevor James, on Monday.

The meeting was held at the Division of Finance headquarters in Scarborough.

This was confirmed by one contractor who spoke to the Express following the meeting.
THE State has just one more witness to call against Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Deputy Ch
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VIENTIANE, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh has called for joint efforts by all his countrymen to share in efforts to protect the world and the environment.

"This year, we have partnered with nations around the world to celebrate the 50th World Environment Day on June 5 and the 23rd National Environment Day, which coincides with National Tree Plantation Day on June 1," the Lao prime minister said in the message delivered to mark the two environment days under the slogan "Only One Earth."

"We are taking this opportunity to raise awareness and inspire the multi-ethnic Lao people to work together to help save our world by protecting and tackling environmental issues through this year's slogan 'Only One Earth', with an emphasis on cohabitation with nature in ways that are harmonious and sustainable," local daily Vientiane Times on Friday quoted the message as saying.

"As we all know, our world is constantly facing environmental crises, which have been ongoing for many years, such as climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, and currently, the climate is changing at a faster rate than humans can contend with and adapt to."

According to the Lao premier, in addition to its involvement in the international arena, Laos has identified basic environmental perspectives with a focus on balanced green development and the prevention of pollution.

Laos is to establish a more efficient and sustainable forest and water protection system, make forecasts and allocate tasks in relation to natural resource and environmental management, and work hard to encourage Lao people of all ethnic groups and regions to strictly comply with environmental laws.

"On the occasion of World Environment Day, I call on the Lao people, organizations, businesses, and all sectors of society, to work together to protect the environment by transforming behavior and imagination from a socio-economic development path that destroys the environment to a system of environmentally friendly development for sustainability and longevity," the Lao prime minister said. 
ENERGY DEAL: Stephane Picarle, general manager commercial, Shell Trinidad and Tobago, and Claire Fitzpatrick, president of BP Trinidad and Tobago, centre, sign a document at the closing ceremony of the Trinidad and Tobago 2021/2022 deep water competitive bid round, at the Hyatt Regency (Trinidad) hotel, Port of Spain, yesterday. Looking on is Louise Poy Wing, senior state counsel in the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries. Photo: ISHMAEL SALANDY
School fights are not new. For as far back as anyone can remember, the schoolyard has been a place where teenagers, in particular, settle scores.

What is new is the magnifying of school violence through camera phones and video posts on social media, which add an entirely different and more dangerous dynamic to the traditional school fights.
A monkeypox outbreak continues to grow in countries where the virus isn't normally found, putting global health officials on high alert.

Now with more than 643 cases of monkeypox in dozens of countries where the virus is not endemic, "the sudden appearance of monkeypox in many countries at the same time suggests there may have been undetected transmission for some time," World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday.

The virus has been circulating for decades in some places, including parts of West and Central Africa. In early research posted this week, scientists at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Edinburgh described how the genetic pattern they're seeing suggests that "there has been sustained human to human transmission since at least 2017."

In that research, genetic sequences showed that the first monkeypox cases in 2022 appear to have descended from an outbreak that resulted in cases in Singapore, Israel, Nigeria and the United Kingdom from 2017 to 2019.

Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist and professor at the University of Arizona who was not involved in the research, said it suggests that "this outbreak has been going on for a long time, locally," as in where the virus is endemic. And it means the world has failed to protect those in resource-limited areas where it has been endemic and to control it at its source before it spread globally, he added.

"It's really a tale of two outbreaks," Worobey said. "We need to actually turn our attention to where it's been spreading ... and start caring about that population just as much as we care about what's going on in all these other countries around the world."

If research continues to show that the virus has spread more among humans than previously thought  more distant from an animal source, that is  Worobey said one "really good question" is: Why wouldn't the world think monkeypox can be endemic in places beyond West and Central Africa?

'We don't even know how long this has been spreading'

Epidemiologist Anne Rimoin has been studying monkeypox for about two decades and has long warned that its spread in places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo could have broader global health implications.

"If monkeypox were to become established in a wildlife reservoir outside Africa, the public health setback would be difficult to reverse," Rimoin, now a professor of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, warned in a 2010 article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The latest monkeypox outbreak is proving difficult to predict in part because we haven't been able to fully trace its origins.

"We don't even know how long this has been spreading," Rimoin said. "This could have been spreading silently for a while.

"It's like we've now decided to watch a new series, but we don't know exactly which episode we've landed on. I mean, are we on episode two, or are we onepisode four, or are we on episode 10? And how many episodes are in this series? We don't know."

Previous human cases of monkeypox weren't thought to be too far removed from some initial exposure to an infected animal  typically rodents. Once the virus is circulating among these animals, it can continue jumping back into humans who might come into contact with infected squirrels or guinea pigs, for example.

If we continue to see sustained person-to-person transmission in this outbreak, even at low levels, that brings the possibility of a spillover back into animals in nonendemic countries from "an existential threat to a distinct possibility," Rimoin told CNN. Such a spillover could then allow the virus to remain in an environment, jumping between animals and humans over time.

Too early to tell

WHO officials say the global public health risk is moderate.

"The public health risk could become high if this virus exploits the opportunity to establish itself as a human pathogen and spreads to groups at higher risk of severe disease such as young children and immunosuppressed persons," according to a WHO risk assessment issued Sunday, which added that "immediate action from countries is required to control further spread among groups at risk, prevent spread to the general population and avert the establishment of monkeypox as a clinical condition and public health problem in currently non-endemic countries."

In a news briefing last week, an official with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it's "too early to tell" whether the virus could become endemic in the United States but that experts remain "hopeful" that won't happen.

"I think we're in the very early days of our investigations," said Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the CDC's Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology.

McQuiston pointed out that the virus didn't become endemic after the last monkeypox outbreak in the United States, in 2003, when pet prairie dogs led to dozens of infected people across multiple states.

"We're hopeful we'll be able to similarly contain this," McQuiston said.

The European CDC appeared to agree with McQuiston in its own assessment last week, saying there's no evidence that the virus established itself in US wildlife after authorities conducted "an aggressive campaign for exposed animals during the 2003 outbreak."

According to the European agency, "The probability of this spill-over event is very low."

Still, it wouldn't be the first virus to take up residence in a U.S. animal population, said Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Before 1999, West Nile virus was unheard-of in the U.S. Now, it's the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the country.

"It got seeded into mosquito populations and ... bird populations and was able to establish itself," Adalja said.

Still, he agrees that this is far from an inevitability with monkeypox because "2003 was a good opportunity for it to happen," and it didn't.

Worobey says there are too many unknowns to figure out where this monkeypox outbreak is headed.

"What we're finding out here, in real time, is that we know very little about what's going on," he said, "and I think it's too early to be giving blanket reassurances."

What is monkeypox and where is it spreading? What is monkeypox? What are the symptoms and how is it treated? How many monkeypox cases are there typically? What's different about these cases? Is monkeypox being spread through sex?

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Wharton, Jerry Jim

Jerry Jim Wharton passed away on May 3, 2022 after having a stroke on May 2. Jerry was born Dec 30, 1931 (6:30AM) in Norman, OK to William F. and Gladys M. Wharton. The family of four (including his older sister, Billie) moved to the Tucson area when he was quite young.

Jerry was in the Army National Guard from 1949-1952. He followed that with a five year appointment to the army which finished in 1957. He was active duty from March of 1953 to march of 1955 where he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, and the UN Service Medal.

Jerry was also a University of Arizona student. He earned a Bachelor's degree in 1953, a BA in Psychology in 1957 and a Master's in Education in 1963. He began teaching high school mathematics at Rincon HS in 1959. He moved to Palo Verde HS in 1962, when it opened and taught there for the rest of his High School teaching career. He also taught math for Pima Community College for a few years in the mid-1980s.

Jerry married Mary Evelyn Dungan in 1957 and they had three children who survive him: William Arthur Wharton (Born Dec 1959), Jeri Ellen Stallings (born May 1962) and Gavin James Wharton (born September 1966). This first marriage ended with divorce, as did another of only a few months.

He married Lois T. Putzier on 5/5/93 and they were together until her death on 2/5/2013. They put time, energy and effort into supporting causes they believed in including: protesting against the "School of the Americas," Working on Raul Grijalva campaigns, "Witness for Peace, and Guatemala Acupuncture and Medical Aid Project (GUAMAP)." Lois was arrested at a march against SOA and spent 6 months in prison. Jerry drove every weekend to spend visiting hours with her.

He married Erin Hagan on 10/21/2016 and they were together until she died on 6/13/2019.

Jerry was an avid games player. He was a strong checkers player and played tournament chess. He played many cards games and became an advanced senior master (1987) and then a Life Master (1988) of the American Contract Bridge League.

Jerry was a founding member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson, where services will be held (4831 E. 22nd St., Tucson, AZ, 85711) on June 11, 2022 at 10AM. Reception to follow. Those who cannot be at the services in person may contact: wwharton@cox.net about a zoom link. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to: Witness for Peace: https://www.solidaritycollective.org/; SOA Watch: https://soaw.org/home

GUAMAP: https://www.guamap.net/
TALLINN, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Estonia's governing coalition led by center-right Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform Party) broke up on Friday after Kallas dismissed all seven ministers from the junior coalition partner Center Party due to a dispute over welfare policy.

President Alar Karis has released the seven ministers from office, as proposed by Kallas, the presidential office said.

Until a new coalition is formed, Reform Party members of the government shall substitute for the dismissed ministers, the government said in a press release.

Kallas' Reform Party holds 34 seats in the country's 101-member Parliament (Riigikogu) and could continue as a minority government without the Center Party, which has 25 seats. Kallas said she wanted to engage in talks with the center-right Christian Democrat Isamaa Party and the Social Democrats (SDE), which hold 12 and ten seats, respectively.

Kallas' rift with the Center Party came over the latter's demand to increase family and child benefits, which the prime minister's party opposes.

The seven dismissed ministers included Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets and Interior Minister Kristian Jaani.

On Wednesday, a bill that sought to reform the kindergarten system in the country was voted down by the Center Party and opposition the Conservative People's Party at the Riigikogu, meaning that it is now off the agenda.

Kallas, 44, has led her party since 2018 and she became prime minister in 2021. The country's next parliamentary elections should be held by March 2023. 
A repaving project in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area that required temporary closures has been completed, officials said.

About 5 miles of road within the recreation area were repaved and improved in the project that began in February. The work included repaving of roads and shoulders areas, vegetation removal and pavement preservation treatments in Sabino and Bear canyons.

The $2.2 million project was paid for through the Great America Outdoors Act, which is providing funds for federal land managers to address deferred maintenance and other infrastructure projects in national forests and grasslands.

The Sabino Canyon Recreation Area is one of the most popular outdoor destinations in the Tucson area  receiving more than one million visitors each year, according to officials with the Coronado National Forest.

The project occurred during the dry spring months to avoid effects on Sabino Creeks water quality and fish populations, including the endangered Gila Chub.

The Sabino Canyon Recreation Area is always open for visitors. However, the bookstore, shuttle services, and visitor center are only open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Information regarding the canyon shuttle can be located at sabinocanyoncrawler.com/

90+ photos that show Sabino Canyon through the years

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PHOENIX  The attorney generals bid to dictate content of the states Election Procedures Manual is nothing short of an attempted coup detat, according to a lawyer for Secretary of State Katie Hobbs.

In new court filings, lawyer Roopali Desai said Hobbs, a Democrat, complied with state law by drafting a new version of the manual and submitting it to Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich for his approval. But rather than have a discussion of the differences, Brnovich simply demanded Hobbs give in to the changes he wants, Desai said.

And when that did not happen he filed suit, in tandem with the Yavapai County Republican Committee.

Nothing in the statute gives the AG the final say on which specific provisions should or shouldnt go in the final EPM, Desai told Yavapai County Superior Court Judge John Napper.

Brnovich, who had a Dec. 31 deadline to approve the changes, waited until April 21 to sue, even as county officials are busy preparing for this years election.

After refusing to engage in the drafting process five months ago, the AG cannot now come to court and demand a new EPM with his preferred election procedures, Desai said, calling his lawsuit far too late, highly prejudicial and procedurally improper.

She said Arizona law empowers the secretary of state to draft the manual every other year, submitting it to the attorney general and the governor for their approval. Brnovich wants unilateral power to decide whats in the manual, she said.

Plaintiffs lawsuit should be seen for what it is  an attempted coup detat, Hobbs attorney wrote. Plaintiffs cannot illegally seize power that must be shared among three officers of the states executive department.

The manual is designed to tell local elected officials what they are legally required to do when conducting elections as well as what they cannot do. While some provisions mirror state law, others go into much greater detail.

For example, the 544-page manual approved in 2019 deals with issues including posting the names of candidates at polling places who have withdrawn from a race, factors to consider when selecting polling places, voter education campaigns and how long certain records have to be retained.

At an earlier hearing, Napper questioned whether Brnovich had any legal basis for demanding that certain provisions be added.

One of those sought by the attorney general would spell out exactly what procedures election officials have to follow when verifying the signatures on early ballot envelopes match those already on file. But, the judge pointed out, Arizona law has no such requirements other than to say every signature needs to be verified by a human being.

Youre asking the secretary to create out of whole cloth ways that individuals are supposed to verify signatures, Napper told the Attorney Generals Office. The secretary isnt allowed to sort of create their own rules about how things are done.

The judge said what Hobbs included in the manual almost tracks the statue exactly.

But he agreed to give Brnovich and his GOP allies another shot to make his case that the manual should be changed.

Desai, in the new filing, told Napper he should toss the case entirely.

Aside from Brnovich demanding that things be his way or no way, she warned of consequences if changes are ordered for this years election.

Consider, she said, his demand that the envelopes used to send out early ballots contain the specific words return to sender if the person to whom it is addressed doesnt live there.

Desai said county election officials consulted with specialists at the U.S. Post Office who warned that putting that language on the exterior of the envelope could cause sorting machines to automatically return the envelope to the county. As a result, some people would never get the ballots they were expecting. So the secretary of state instead adopted language saying if the person doesnt live there, mark the box and return it to the U.S. Postal Service.

Several counties already have ordered envelopes with that language, and some already have received them, Desai said.

It would cost Maricopa County upward of $420,000 to reprint ballot envelopes, she said, even if it were possible to do that in time to send out the early ballots for the primary on July 18.

Potentially more troubling, she said, is Brnovichs demand that election observers have the right to challenge early ballots after the envelope is opened  when someones vote already is known.

All counties perform signature verification before the envelope is opened to preserve voters constitutional right to a secret ballot, Desai told the judge, noting they compare the signatures on the envelopes with those already on file.

Specific disputes aside, Desai said judges should have no role in the dispute.

That is a discretionary determination involving complex decision-making and priority setting that courts are ill-equipped to inquire into and second-guess, she said. The court shouldnt substitute its subjective judgment for that of election administrators who made policy decisions about what EPM procedures are feasible and appropriate.

Napper has scheduled a hearing on the issue for June 10.

+1 +1

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 .

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Tucson-based Paragon Space Development Corp. is part of a team awarded a long-term NASA contract to develop the next generation spacesuit for use on missions to the moon and the International Space Station.

A team led by Houston-based Axiom Space and including Paragon was awarded NASAs Exploration Extravehicular Activity (xEVAS) services contract, with a potential total value of $3.5 billion across the life of the program.

NASA also awarded a second industry team, led by Collins Aerospace an xEVAS services contract. Collins, part of Raytheon Technologies Corp., is partnered with industry veterans ILC Dover and Oceaneering.

The amounts of the initial 10-year, milestone-based contract awards were not announced.

Spacesuits developed as part of this program will allow humans to explore the lunar surface, provide new spacewalk capabilities outside the space station and will be critical to establishing a long-term presence at the moon and eventually to explore Mars, Paragon said.

Paragon has about 30 years experience in designing and developing life support and thermal control systems for extreme environments, and in January, the Tucson company acquired New York-based spacesuit supplier Final Frontier Design.

Paragon has developed and operated its portable life-support systems for such programs such as the StratEx Mission, which in 2014 set three world records by sending Google executive Alan Eustace on a free-fall jump from the stratosphere, and for NASAs previously canceled Constellation Spacesuit System program with Oceaneering.

With the new capabilities we have acquired  and over a quarter-century of knowledge, design expertise, and operational experience  we at Paragon are highly confident that our contributions to the Axiom team and to NASA on this program will produce the most outstanding spacesuit for NASA said Grant Anderson, Paragons president and CEO.

Paragon is currently expanding its design and production facilities and capabilities in Houston, Texas to support the spacesuit program in the years ahead, the company said.

NASA has the option to pick additional spacesuit vendors in the future under the contract, the space agency said.

The first task orders to be competed under the contract will include the development and services for the first demonstration outside the space station in low-Earth orbit and for the Artemis III lunar landing.

Axiom Space is currently building the worlds first commercial space station.

Contact senior reporter David Wichner at dwichner@tucson.com or 520-573-4181. On Twitter: @dwichner. On Facebook: Facebook.com/DailyStarBiz

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Biden appeals for tougher gun laws: 'How much more carnage?'

WASHINGTON (AP)  Enough, enough, President Joe Biden exclaimed over and over Thursday night, as he delivered an impassioned address to the nation imploring Congress to take action against gun violence after mass shootings he said had turned schools, supermarkets and other everyday places into killing fields."

If legislators fail to act, he warned, voters should use their outrage to turn it into a central issue in Novembers midterm elections.

Speaking at the White House, Biden acknowledged the stiff political headwinds as he sought to drive up pressure on Congress to pass stricter gun limits after such efforts failed following past attacks.

He repeated calls to restore a ban on the sale of assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines  and said if Congress won't embrace all of his proposals, it must at least find compromises like keeping firearms from those with mental health issues or raising the age to buy assault-style weapons from 18 to 21.

How much more carnage are we willing to accept? Biden asked after last week's shootings by an 18-year-old gunman, who killed 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and another attack Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a gunman shot and killed four people and himself at a medical office. Dont tell me raising the age wont make a difference, he said.

Texas senator: School police chief didn't know of 911 calls

UVALDE, Texas (AP)  The commander overseeing police during a shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, was not informed of panicked 911 calls coming from students trapped inside and it's unclear who at the scene was aware of the calls as the massacre unfolded, a Texas state senator said Thursday.

Sen. Roland Gutierrez said it was a system failure that school district police Chief Pete Arredondo received no word of the pleas for help from people inside Robb Elementary Schoo l on May 24.

I want to know specifically who was receiving the 911 calls, Gutierrez said during a news conference.

His voice often cracking with emotion, the Democrat who represents Uvalde said no single person or entity was fully to blame for the massacre. But, Gutierrez said, Republican Gov. Greg Abbot should accept some of the responsibility for failures in the police response.

There was error at every level, including the legislative level. Greg Abbott has plenty of blame in all of this, Gutierrez said.

Police: Tulsa gunman targeted surgeon he blamed for pain

A gunman who killed his surgeon and three other people at a Tulsa medical office blamed the doctor for his continuing pain after a recent back operation and bought an AR-style rifle just hours before the rampage, police said Thursday.

The patient called the clinic repeatedly complaining of pain and specifically targeted the doctor who performed the surgery, then killed himself as police arrived, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said.

That physician, Dr. Preston Phillips, was killed Wednesday, along with Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn and visitor William Love, police said. The attack occurred on the campus of Saint Francis Health System in Tulsa. The chief identified the shooter as Michael Louis, 45, of Muskogee, Oklahoma.

It was the latest in a series of mass shootings in the United States including the deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and an attack on a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. The recent Memorial Day weekend saw multiple mass shootings nationwide, including at an outdoor festival in Taft, Oklahoma, 45 miles from Tulsa, even as single-death incidents accounted for most gun fatalities.

President Joe Biden addressed the carnage in recent years from mass shootings with AR-style rifles in an address Thursday night.

Unsparing images from Ukraine show war at the 100-day mark

How many buildings have been obliterated in Ukraine? How many limbs lost, children brutalized, refugees put to flight? How many mothers and fathers, sons and daughters killed?

How many dreams have been destroyed?

There is no accounting of a war that launched in late winter, continued through spring, reaches the 100-day mark on Friday and is likely to drag on for seasons to come. The conflict unleashed by Russian President Vladimir Putin defies statistics. It is a story best told in unsparing images of human suffering and resilience.

Associated Press photographers have captured the terror -- people diving to the floor of a Mariupol hospital as bombs fall around them; a mob of refugees, huddled under a bridge. They have captured the tears of grieving survivors, and of families separated by the war.

They have shown us the playfulness of a soldier, lightheartedly kicking a ball amid the carnage; of another soldier, leading an impromptu chorale. They have shown us a chilling view of a car driving down a highway, through the sight of a Ukrainian sniper. They have shown us a landscape littered with buildings in ruins and the carcasses of Russian tanks.

Queen Elizabeth II to miss Jubilee service amid 'discomfort'

LONDON (AP)  Queen Elizabeth II stepped gingerly onto the Buckingham Palace balcony Thursday, drawing wild cheers from the tens of thousands who came to join her at the start of four days of celebrations of her 70 years on the throne.

Her fans sported Union Jack flags, party hats or plastic tiaras. Some had camped overnight in hopes of glimpsing the 96-year-old queen, whose appearances are becoming rare, and a chance to watch the Trooping the Color  a military parade that has marked each sovereigns official birthday since 1760.

It was an explosion of joy in the massive crowd, one of the first big gatherings in the U.K. since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Everybody has got the same mission, said Hillary Mathews, 70, who had come from Hertfordshire, outside London. All the horrors thats been going on in the world and in England at the moment are put behind us for a day, and we can just enjoy really celebrating the queen.

Elizabeth, who became queen at 25, is Britains longest-reigning monarch and the first to reach the milestone of seven decades on the throne.

Jan. 6 committee sets prime-time hearing date for findings

WASHINGTON (AP)  The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol will go public with its findings in a prime-time hearing next week, the start of what lawmakers hope will be a high-profile airing of the causes and consequences of the domestic attack on the U.S. government.

Lawmakers plan to hold a series of hearings in June that they promise will lay out, step-by-step, how former President Donald Trump and his allies worked feverishly to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential election, spreading lies about widespread voter fraud  widely debunked by judges and his own administration  that fueled a violent assault on the seat of democracy.

The six hearings, set to begin June 9 and expected to last until late June, will be the first time the committee discloses previously unseen material about what it has discovered in the course of a sprawling 10-month investigation that has touched nearly every aspect of the insurrection.

The committee, which has called Jan. 6 one of the darkest days of our democracy, was formed in the aftermath to investigate the facts, circumstances, and causes relating to the domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol.

Unlike any other congressional committee in recent times, the panels work has been both highly anticipated by Democrats and routinely criticized by Trump and the former presidents allies, including some Republicans in Congress, who complain it is partisan.

NY passes bill raising age to buy, own semi-automatic rifles

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York's legislature passed legislation Thursday banning anyone under age 21 from buying or possessing a semi-automatic rifle, a major change to state firearm laws pushed through less than three weeks after an 18-year-old used one of the guns to kill 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo.

The Legislature spent Thursday evening debating the bill raising the age limit, which passed the Senate along party lines 43-20 and in the Assembly 102-47. The legislation, which also launches a licensing requirement, is the centerpiece of a package of gun control bills announced earlier this week by Democratic legislative leaders and Gov. Kathy Hochul. It's now set to head to Hochul's desk for her signature.

New York already requires people to be 21 to possess a handgun. Younger people would still be allowed to have other types of rifles and shotguns, but the change in the law would restrict ownership of the type of fast-firing rifles used by the 18-year-old gunmen in the mass shootings in Buffalo and at a Texas elementary school.

Besides raising the legal purchase age to 21, the bill would also require anyone buying a semiautomatic rifle to get a license  something now only required for handguns.

Republicans chastised Democrats for pushing a more sweeping measure than Hochul originally pitched.

2 doctors, receptionist and visitor killed in Tulsa shooting

Two doctors, a receptionist and a former soldier accompanying his wife during a checkup were killed in a mass shooting inside a Tulsa medical building, authorities said Thursday.

Police, officials at Saint Francis Health System and others provided details about the victims of Wednesday's shooting.

One of the doctors once worked for a pro basketball team, and the other was a huge college football fan. The receptionist supervisor cheered on her sons' high school baseball team, and police said the fourth victim was an Army veteran who sacrificed his life for his wife during the shooting.

DR. PRESTON PHILLIPS

Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said Phillips performed back surgery on the gunman last month and was the primary target of the shooting. Phillips, 59, was found dead in a second-floor exam room.

Debt wiped for Corinthian students as bigger decisions loom

WASHINGTON (AP)  As college graduates wait to see whether President Joe Biden will wipe out some of their student loan debt, his administration is taking a more limited step to address a fraud scandal at Corinthian Colleges, a for-profit chain that collapsed nearly a decade ago.

Anyone who enrolled in the company's schools will have his or her federal student debt erased, clearing away $5.8 billion for more than 560,000 borrowers  the largest single loan discharge ever, according to the Education Department.

Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday called it a milestone in a journey for justice for everyone who was defrauded" and will "put real money in the pockets of real people." She made only a brief reference to lingering questions about the next steps on student loan debt. As a nation, we have a lot more work to do on these issues, she said.

Biden, as a candidate, promised to address the matter if elected, and he has expressed interest in canceling $10,000 per borrower. Theres been no word on how Biden will handle the issue, even with pressure building on him. The White House has suggested there would be some kind of income criteria that would prevent high earners from benefiting.

Debt payments were paused by President Donald Trump near the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, and Biden has kept the freeze in place while considering a more permanent solution.

Transformative year: Black coaches now lead 50% of NBA teams

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Its an annual occurrence in the NBA. Teams change head coaches and the roster of candidates who should get those jobs starts getting bandied about, and especially in recent years those lists almost always included Black candidates.

Case in point: Ime Udoka, who is of Nigerian descent.

For five years, he was one of those cant-miss candidates but never got hired. That is, until the Boston Celtics gave him the opportunity. And all Udoka did in Year 1 was reach the NBA Finals.

I dont understand what took so long, to be honest, Celtics guard Jaylen Brown said.

Udokas hiring by the Eastern Conference champion Celtics, who open the NBA Finals on Thursday night against the Golden State Warriors, was part of a transformative year for the league when it comes to diversity within the coaching ranks. In the last 12 months, eight coaching jobs have been filled by Black candidates  and for the first time, half the leagues franchises, 15 of the 30, have Black head coaches.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP)  A man from Canada and a man from the United Kingdom have been indicted in Georgia on charges that they sent fentanyl to two U.S. Navy petty officers who died from overdoses in October 2017.

Thomas Michael Federuik, 59, of Vancouver, British Columbia, and Paul Anthony Nicholls, 44, of Surrey, England, are charged with conspiracy to import and distribute drugs and money laundering conspiracy.

Because prosecutors allege deaths resulted from the charges, the men could face a minimum of 20 years in prison if convicted of the drug charges. They could also face fines up to $10 million.

Federuik and Nichols were indicted under seal in 2019. The case became public last week.

"The prevalence of this drug is, in large part, fueled by an illicit pipeline of illegally imported drugs, David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, said in a statement. This investigation sought to trace that pipeline to its source to cut off its flow to our country in an effort to protect our citizens from harm.

The two overdose victims lived in Kingsland, near Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in the far southeast corner of Georgia.

Officials say Federuik and Nichols sold drugs using a website designed to be hidden from the public on the dark web," sometimes accepting cryptocurrency in payment. The drugs would arrive from Canada in packages labeled East Van Eco Tours. Canadian investigators, including those in Calgary, targeted a vendor dubbed Canada1, who prosecutors say is Federuik.

The indictment alleges Federuik and Nicholls acquired the drugs from places including China and Hungary. The two men are in custody and and are awaiting extradition proceedings to bring them to Georgia. No attorneys for the men are listed in American court records.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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LONDON (AP)  British prosecutors said Thursday they had authorized police to charge actor Kevin Spacey with four counts of sexual assault against three men, an announcement that came as the actor was in court in New York testifying in a different case.

The Crown Prosecution Service said it had "authorized criminal charges" on the four sex assault counts and one of "causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent."

The alleged incidents took place in London between March 2005 and August 2008, and one in western England in April 2013. The alleged victims are now in their 30s and 40s.

Rosemary Ainslie, head of the service's Special Crime Division, said the charges followed a review of evidence gathered by London's Metropolitan Police.

Prosecutors initially said Spacey had been charged. However, they later clarified that charges had been authorized, but the formal charging by police had not yet taken place.

The authorization to charge means criminal proceedings against Spacey are underway. The police force said Spacey  who is not currently in Britain  "will be formally charged at a later date."

If Spacey does not return to Britain to face the charges, prosecutors could seek to start extradition proceedings.

Spacey, a 62-year-old double Academy Award winner, was questioned by British police in 2019 about claims by several men that he had assaulted them. The former "House of Cards" star ran London's Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015.

Spacey won a best supporting actor Academy Award for the 1995 film "The Usual Suspects" and a lead actor Oscar for the 1999 movie "American Beauty."

But his celebrated career came to an abrupt halt in 2017 when actor Anthony Rapp accused the star of assaulting him at a party in the 1980s, when Rapp was a teenager. Spacey denies the allegations.

Spacey testified Thursday in a courtroom in New York City in the civil lawsuit filed by Rapp. Spacey didn't respond to reporters as he left the courthouse talking on his mobile phone.

The British charges were mentioned briefly by Rapp's lawyers during the court hearing, and Spacey's lawyers were asked about it by reporters during a break in testimony. They declined to comment.

Another criminal case brought against Spacey, an indecent assault and battery charge stemming from the alleged groping of an 18-year-old man at a Nantucket resort, was dismissed by Massachusetts prosecutors in 2019.

Thursday's court session in New York City dealt with a technical issue in the civil lawsuit, whether it was better handled in a federal or state U.S. court. Spacey was called to testify about where he lived, not about the truthfulness of the allegations against him.

Spacey testified that his main residence and domicile is in Baltimore, where he moved for the filming of "House of Cards." He said he was "beguiled by its charm, its beauty." But he also testified about his time living in London as the artistic director of the Old Vic.

"It was extremely important to me that I endear myself to the British public, that I'm not running away," he said, noting that his start there was troubled by a "disastrous production" in 2005 of Arthur Miller's last play.

But, he said, "I'm an American citizen. Once the job was done, I came back to America."

He said he made a trip to London in February 2020 for a possible film, but then the pandemic hit. His U.S. doctor recommended he stay there, where he resided until the following September, when his visa expired and he flew to Los Angeles for an arbitration proceeding.

He said he has not returned to the U.K. since then.

This story has been corrected to say British prosecutors authorized charges against Spacey and he will be formally charged by police later, not that Spacey has been formally charged, and to reflect that it was Rapp's lawyers, not Spacey's, who brought up the criminal charges in court.

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With little hope that state lawmakers will pass gun-control measures in the wake of the latest school shooting, Arizona educators find themselves balancing the competing goals of hardening schools while making them welcoming places.

You can build a fortress, but a fortress is not very welcoming to parents, students or the community, said Mark Joraanstad, the executive director of Arizona School Administrators, who said the two really almost work against each other.

Experts said the environment inside a school has been shown to reduce violence as much as hardening it on the outside.

Schools where students feel safe are actually safer, said Chris Kotterman, director of governmental relations for the Arizona School Boards Association.

But after the May 24 attack on Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers before he was killed by police, Arizona schools are revisiting those approaches, along with talk of more school counselors and better relationships with local police agencies.

Uvalde was the 27th school shooting this year, according to Education Week, and the deadliest since the Sandy Hook Elementary School attack in 2012 that killed 20 students and six adults.

Its an interesting feeling, Kotterman said. Its equal parts sad and frustrating because, obviously, weve been here before.

One of the most-obvious defenses is to keep gunmen out in the first place. Advocates point to school fencing and locked doors, having one entrance that is monitored at all times, and having safe spots in classrooms where students know they can go.

Saddle Mountain Unified School District has secured each school office and district office with electronic lock systems and glass shields in each lobby, Superintendent Paul Tighe said in an email. Phoenix Elementary School District CEO and Superintendent Larry Weeks said in a statement after Uvalde that his district added ballistic glass in front offices and installed secure entry doors where visitors must be granted access.

Another option is improved alarm and alert systems that let staff immediately warn of a threat and remotely lock doors. Dick Foreman, the president and CEO of the Arizona Business and Education Coalition, noted that homeowners have long had the ability to lock house doors remotely and wonders why that technology is not in every one of our schools?

Some counties are moving that direction: Schools in Navajo, Mohave, Greenlee and Pinal counties should have Mutualink, which lets school staff hit a panic button to alert police to a school emergency, in place for fall classes. Mutualink Chief Strategy Officer Chrissie Coon said the company expects to have its system in place in Maricopa, Gila, Graham and Yavapai counties by spring.

Besides alerting police, the app gives officers access to cameras, school layouts and real-time communication with staff during an emergency.

Tighe said Saddle Mountain uses similar technology, CrisisGo, that lets any staff member initiate a lockdown or a lockout and immediately notify staff and local authorities. Maps of campus and emergency operations checklists are in the app as well.

Foreman said its important for schools to work with police before an emergency, so they have a safety plan when an emergency occurs and to make sure officers are familiar with the campus when they do respond.

In a statement after the Uvalde shooting, Peoria Unified School District Superintendent Jason W. Reynolds said his districts relationship with Glendale and Peoria police and fire departments has made it a leader in emergency preparation and response. School resource officers are also on all seven of Peoria Unifieds high school campuses.

Weeks statement emphasized Phoenix Elementary School Districts partnership with law enforcement authorities to conduct campus safety audits.

Critics say such security measures can only go so far, noting issues raised about the response in Uvalde, where it reportedly took more than an hour for officers to enter the classroom and confront the shooter.

Carl Hermanns, an Arizona State University clinical associate professor who has worked with schools on restorative justice, noted that schools have been installing high-tech security, securing campus entrances and metal detectors for decades, but shootings continue.

He said such measures, along with proposals to arm teachers and staff or to increase police presence at schools, look to stop shootings that are already in motion instead of eliminating conditions that may start them in the first place.

Theyve been doing that for years, its a billion-dollar business, Hermanns said. (Hardening schools) have helped to some extent, but overall, they have not solved the issue. What will help is helping to figure out  how not to let kids get to that point.

Thats where Hermanns and others say restorative justice can help, by creating accepting school environments where students feel they belong, and addressing harassment and bullying issues. Unlike the zero tolerance policies in many schools, it calls on students, staff and teachers to sit down and work to understand why issues may have caused harm and how to fix them.

For us to really have an impact on school safety, we have to create school cultures and climates that support children and reduce the kind of despair, alienation, disconnection that leads typically, but not always  to school shootings, Hermanns said.

The West Coast Transformative Justice Center has been teaching restorative practices in Arizona schools since 2017, said Arturo Montoya, restorative justice regional director for the West Coast Mennonite Central Committee. He said the center is currently working with South Pointe High School, the Arizona Center for Youth Resources and Tolleson Elementary, Fowler Elementary and Maricopa Unified school districts.

It really helps defuse a lot of the tensions  because they feel safe, Montoya said. They feel like theyre in a safe environment at school because there is an opportunity (for) somebody to hear them and listen to what their needs are.

Experts acknowledge there is no data linking these practices to lowered school shootings.

Doing what I just described in terms of school culture and climate isnt going to stop every shooting, Hermanns said. There will be kids that are so damaged that theyll get through anyway.

But restorative justice practices do decrease suspensions and expulsions: Montoya said discipline referrals at Desert Oasis Elementary School fell 135.7% in the year after restorative justice was implemented there in 2018.

The kids stay in school and they want to be in school and they feel safe at the school, he said. A lot of the violence we see is because kids dont feel safe.

But Kotterman noted that it takes time and actual work to develop a culture like that. That can be a challenge in Arizona, where per pupil spending is among the lowest in the nation and the 716-to-1 ratio of school counselors to students in 2020-21 was almost three times the recommended number of 250-to-1, according to the American School Counselor Association.

Funding forces you into a literal decision about whether or not I want to spend money on mental health support and other emotional support for my students or paying the people who I already have more money, Kotterman said. Students frankly deserve both.

With most Arizona schools out for the summer, there is time for policymakers, police, mental health professionals and school staff to work on solutions. But Joraanstad said they have their work cut out for them.

Will you ever eliminate this? No. Joraanstad said. But you can reduce the threat and make it more difficult for people who want to perpetuate evil  to be successful.

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org .

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The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

Im proud to serve as a health care advocate, calling for solutions to enhance the quality of life and health care outcomes for people in every community.

As a cancer survivor, I know firsthand the critical nature of efficiently navigating your personal health care needs and the hard work of ensuring you receive timely, quality care thats necessary to fight chronic illnesses like cancer.

Ive seen how the public health crisis of the past two years has especially impacted people who are already struggling with chronic conditions. And perhaps most alarming is the fact that so many patients still do not receive the care they need or choose to forgo care, because they dont have access to affordable health insurance.

From personal experience, I know the levels of stress having to worry about not only the uncertainty of my cancer treatments, but how I was going to be able to do that. We need to make access to affordable health care something we no longer have to worry about. We have that opportunity now in Arizona with the support of our representatives.

Battling cancer requires a lot of sacrifices, including financial discipline, to be able to survive. No patient deserves to fight cancer while also struggling to put food on the table.

Far too often, Ive heard stories about people with potentially life-threatening conditions who are unable to afford the care they need. For me, I will never forget the mix of emotions I felt when I was undergoing treatment  stress, doubt, fear, sadness and uncertainty. Its a battle every day to stay positive, which is a crucial part of recovery. Throughout my journey, I was shown so much kindness from so many doctors and nurses who took on my care  care only made available to me through health insurance.

This is why access to affordable health care is such a personal issue for me. Everyone should be able to receive the care they need, especially as we recover from the pandemic and people are still confronted with unexpected health challenges.

Thankfully, our lawmakers representing Arizona have an opportunity to help right now  by making sure health care subsidies are permanently available to thousands of Arizonans. Its an urgent opportunity, because these subsidies are set to expire at the end of this year. Congress must act immediately to ensure that subsidies expanded in the American Rescue Plan Act last year are made permanent.

These insurance tax credits were introduced in the Affordable Care Act, which helped ease the financial burden on millions of Americans struggling to afford care. These tax credits were then expanded in the American Rescue Plan Act last year, offering new relief to nearly 90,000 of Arizonas uninsured residents.

If lawmakers secure a permanent solution for these tax credits, thousands more uninsured Arizonans will be able to reap the benefits of greater access to affordable care.

Lawmakers must not let this opportunity slip away. They cant simply put off these challenges for another few years. All Americans deserve the security of affordable health insurance  Congress must make subsidies permanent without delay as the year-end expiration date approaches.

Im calling all Arizonans in Congress  especially Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, Sen. Mark Kelly, and Rep. Tom OHalleran  to deliver better health care for all now by ensuring health insurance subsidies are protected for good. The time is now for lawmakers to make sure ARPA health insurance tax credits are made permanent.

Im a warrior, and I will never stop advocating for quality care for all. Arizonans and countless other Americans cannot wait any longer for the assurance that affordable access to care is permanent  and within reach.

Anna Estrada is a cancer survivor and community activist in Tucson.

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As investigators dig deeper into the law enforcement response to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, a host of disturbing questions remain about what officers on the scene knew as the deadly attack was unfolding.

Did any of them know children were trapped in a classroom with the gunman? Was that potentially critical information relayed to the incident commander on the scene? And did officers challenge the commander's decision not to promptly storm the classroom?

Authorities have not released audio of the 911 calls or radio communications but have confirmed dispatchers received panicked 911 calls from students trapped in the locked classroom with the gunman while officers waited in a hallway outside.

In an apparent breakdown in communications, the commander overseeing police at the scene, school district Police Chief Pete Arredondo, was never informed that children were calling 911 from inside the school, Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez said Thursday.

Gutierrez told The Associated Press on Friday that the state agency investigating the shooting determined Arredondo was not carrying a police radio as the massacre unfolded.

Arredondo also has come under criticism for not ordering officers to immediately breach the classroom and take down the gunman. Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said that Arredondo believed the active shooting had turned into a hostage situation, and that the chief made the wrong decision.

Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the attack last week at Robb Elementary, the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade. Seventeen others were injured. The funerals began this week.

Arredondo has not responded to repeated interview requests from The AP, and telephone messages left at the school police headquarters were not returned.

There have been other cases in which officers on the scene of a crime were not relayed critical information by a police dispatcher, often because the dispatcher wasn't following protocols, said Dave Warner, a retired police officer and expert at the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.

He cited a 2009 domestic disturbance call in Pittsburgh in which a woman told a 911 operator that her son was armed. That information was never relayed to responding officers. When they arrived, the man opened fire, ultimately killing three officers and seriously wounding two.

Its an old case, but its still very relevant today," Warner said.

Protocols for 911 dispatchers handling calls in active-shooter situations also specifically caution against changing a law enforcement response based solely on the amount of time that has elapsed since shots were last heard, Warner said.

Warner said those protocols were developed in part as a result of the 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech, where a student killed 32 people.

In that case, the gunman first killed two people at a dormitory. Police and school authorities thought that the gunman had fled the campus and that the danger had passed. But he instead moved on to another part of campus a couple of hours later and continued his murderous rampage.

Warner said the protocols stress that dispatchers should not think a shooting is over "just because that caller can no longer see the shooter or hear shots being fired."

The protocols also outline key questions for 911 dispatchers to ask callers in active-shooter cases, including the types of weapons involved, the number and location of suspects and whether the caller can safely evacuate the building.

The gunman in Uvalde, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, spent roughly 80 minutes inside the school before law enforcement officers killed him, according to an official timeline.

Since the shooting, law enforcement and state officials have struggled to present an accurate account of how police responded, sometimes providing conflicting information or withdrawing some statements hours later.

Many of those details are likely to become clearer after reviewing 911 calls and police radio communications, said Fritz Reber, a 27-year veteran and former captain with the Chula Vista, California, Police Department who has studied 911 dispatch systems.

Operators at a 911 center typically relay information from callers in writing to a dispatcher, who then passes it along to officers in the field over the radio.

On the scene of major events, a specific radio channel is typically established so that all local, state and federal agencies can communicate with one another, Reber said. It is not clear whether that was done in Uvalde.

Reber said one reason information may not be relayed by dispatchers to officers on the ground is that dispatchers don't want to overload the channel with details they assume police on the scene would already know.

The assumption is the officers are there and will know more about what's going on than the people calling 911," he said.

Thor Eells, former commander of a 16-member SWAT team in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and director of the National Tactical Officers Association, said another key question is how many people were working at the 911 call center covering Uvalde.

A lot of 911 calls were being placed, and in my experience that can lead to information overload," he said. When the 911 call center is being overwhelmed, it is extremely difficult to make sure you have a timely flow of information."

There have been communication breakdowns during other mass shootings in Texas, and experts say smaller, regional dispatch centers are often inundated with calls during a major emergency.

Police communications were a problem in 2019 when a gunman shot and killed seven people and wounded more than two dozen during a rampage in Odessa, Texas.

Authorities said 36-year-old gunman Seth Aaron Ator called 911 before and after the shootings, but a failure in communication between agencies  they were not all operating on the same radio channel  slowed the response. Ator was able to cover about 10 miles before officers shot and killed him.

More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting

Associated Press writer Jake Bleiberg contributed to this report from Dallas.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A Broken Arrow-based aerospace company has dedicated its new headquarters that it estimates will have an economic impact of more than $8 million.

CymSTAR, a training and simulation firm in the military defense market, christened a refurbished, 42,000-square-foot facility at 1501 S.W. Expressway Drive.

It houses a C-5 full-motion flight simulator used to test upgrades and modifications before implementation on the U.S. Air Forces current fleet of aircraft. The building has a 60-foot ceiling that can accommodate up to five full-flight simulators.

We are excited about the prospect of investing in our most valuable assets, our employees, and supporting the local economy by offering highly skilled job opportunities right here at home, Dan Marticello, CEO and president of CymSTAR, said in a statement.

This new state-of-the-art facility will allow us to grow our engineering and manufacturing capabilities and help attract highly talented individuals to support the mission readiness of our defense forces with leading-edge training innovations.

CymSTAR, which also has facilities in Tulsa, is a HUBZone certified and ServiceDisabled VeteranOwned Small Business employing at least 200 employees in the U.S. It principally specializes in all aspects of commercial and military simulation, training systems and engineering services.

CymSTAR completed a $1.6 million modification  the building is leased  to accommodate its operations in December, and the facility became fully operational with the installation of the USAF C-5 flight simulator in mid-April, Daniel Repp, director of business development of CymSTAR, wrote in an email.

This celebration is a great opportunity to show our appreciation to CymSTARs employees for continuously going above and beyond in serving our customers, the U.S. Armed Forces, Marticello said.

Recognized as a company that consistently exceeds customer expectations, we are proud to celebrate the commitment and dedication of our valued employees who have made the companys reputation what it is today.

Aviation and aerospace businesses in Oklahoma generate $43.7 billion annually in economic activity, according to an Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission report released in 2017, making aviation and aerospace the second-largest economic engine in the state behind oil and gas.

Since its inception in 2003, CymSTAR has developed and delivered at least 900 new training devices or training device modifications on more than 125 military contracts, according to the companys website.

We are proud to have CymSTAR here in Broken Arrow and investing in our community, Jennifer Conway, president and CEO of the Broken Arrow Chamber and Economic Development Corporation, said in a statement.

CymSTAR is looking to add 80-plus new employees over the next three years. This will have an economic impact of over $8.2 million.

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Wagoners American Bank can officially call itself Blue Sky Bank, and all of Wagoner County was able to witness it at a dual ribbon cutting on June 3, 2022. The Coweta and Wagoner Chamber of Commerces hosted the event, and Blue Sky Bank provided the amenities, the information and history of the beloved building the bank occupies.

Market President Jake Dwyer and his team sent dozens upon dozens of invites to business leaders, city staff and everyday residents weeks prior to the event, and it was clearly a stellar turnout.

The Wagoner High School band performed the anthem, while local boy scouts raised the flag. From there, Dwyer explained the history of the American Bank building, located at the corner of downtown Wagoner and home of Blue Sky Bank, and his vision going forward. From there, every bank staff member explained a little bit about themselves, their role, and what the bank can do for the community.

As Dwyer once said, banking is a whole lot of numbers, but its more about people than numbers.

Blue Sky Bank, founded in Osage County in 1905, prides itself in being a community bank with six locations in Oklahoma, and one in Texas. Formerly the American Bank, Blue Sky Bank purchased the building in December 2021 and recently made the transition with their own products and services for customers. The transitions consists of some new and updated technology, including the mobile banking app, business banking app and a full suite of products and services from their treasury department.

After the outside portion of the event on a blazing hot day, Dwyer invited the group into the bank for light snacks and drinks. The attendance included, but was not limited to Blue Sky Bank board member Gentner Drummond, Sen. Kim David, Wagoner and Coweta Chamber Directors Kristen Mallett and Christy Wheeland, and all of Blue Sky Bank Wagoner staff. Numerous members of both chambers were present, including Wagoner city staff, board of education members, Wagoner County business elites and more.

Blue Sky Bank is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and has drive-thru hours Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

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Amanda Glenn was always there.

She was always the first person to offer help. The first person to help and the last one to leave, said Glenns sister-in-law, Kristin McPherson.

But on Wednesday night, when Glenn should have been arriving home in Sand Springs after work, she wasnt there.

Hours passed before authorities confirmed that Glenn was among the victims of the mass shooting on the campus of the Saint Francis Health System.

Glenn, 40, worked in the office of Dr. Preston Phillips, who also was killed and who had been the gunmans primary target, Tulsa police said.

She is survived by her husband, Jonathan Beau Glenn, and their two sons, Gabe, 18, and Ian, 16.

The last her family heard from Glenn was a text message in which she said there was an active shooter on the floor and that she was scared and going to hide under a desk, family friend Jeremy Wolfe said.

Glenn had worked in Phillips office for the last several years but had worked in the medical field for nearly two decades.

She loved being in the medical field and helping people, McPherson said. She was just always putting other people before herself.

Amanda and Beau Glenn had been married 19 years, although they had known each other much longer, probably since middle school, McPherson said, adding that they had never spent a night apart.

Until Wednesday.

The couple both graduated from Sand Springs Charles Page High School in 2000. Their son Gabe graduated two weeks ago with Charles Pages Class of 2022, and Ian attends the school now.

Family  actual relatives and unofficial family members alike  was all-important to Amanda Glenn, said Wolfe, who has been friends with Beau Glenn since childhood.

As a mother, she was always there at her kids games  just a big-time family person, he said.

In fact, we used to joke that she was my second wife, and my wife was Beaus second wife.

McPherson said Glenn loved her boys  Beau and their sons. Just so much love.

She was always smiling and happy  the type of person who never had anything bad to say about someone, she said.

She was always positive and just full of joy.

Wolfe said Glenn was a wonderful person  loving, caring, fun to be around, outgoing. She was just a normal, all-around good person.

You could always use her company, he said. You dont come across those types of people that often that you can associate with and enjoy their company and never get tired of them.

McPherson said the family is just trying to process what happened but that theyre surrounded by lots of friends at her and Beau Glenns parents house.

Sand Springs has just stepped up to support us all, she said.

Were just trying to make sense of it, and it doesnt make sense.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the family with expenses. It can be found at bit.ly/GlennFamily.

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During a news conference Thursday, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin detailed the timeline related to the mass shooting Wednesday on the Saint Francis Health System campus. Two orthopedic surgeons, a medical office staffer and a visitor were killed on the second floor of the Natalie Building: Dr. Preston Phillips, 59; Dr. Stephanie Husen, 48; receptionist Amanda Glenn, 40; and William Love, 73.

Wednesdays events

May 19: Michael Louis, 45, of Muskogee, has back surgery. His surgeon is Phillips.

May 24: Louis is released from Saint Francis Health Systems care. Over the next few days, Louis calls Phillips office several times complaining of pain following the surgery.

Sunday: Louis legally purchases a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol from a pawn shop in Muskogee.

Tuesday: Louis is seen at Phillips office for additional treatment.

Wednesday: On the day of the shooting, Louis calls Phillips office seeking further assistance for his pain.

2 p.m.: Louis legally purchases a semi-automatic AR-15-style rifle from a Tulsa gun retailer.

4:52 p.m.: A third-party off Saint Francis campus who is on a video chat with a doctor at the Natalie Building calls 911, telling the dispatcher the doctor said there was shooting in the building.

4:53 p.m.: The Tulsa Police Department receives another 911 call about a shooting in a building. Soon thereafter, TPD receives several more calls specifying that the shooter is on the second floor of the Natalie Building.

4:56 p.m.: The first TPD officers arrive through the first floor of the Natalie Building and proceed to the second floor. The officers begin yelling, Tulsa police.

4:58 p.m.: Officers hear a gunshot, believed to be Louis killing himself  approximately 39 seconds after the first officers enter the building.

Officers begin to clear the building when they see a victim in an exam room. They request help from the Emergency Medical Services Authority and continue searching for the shooter.

Officers rescue an uninjured woman who is hiding under a desk at Louis feet when he took his life. Next to Louis is another deceased person.

Officers search for potential additional victims and assailants and see another victim down in an open area near a nurses station.

Officers direct other emergency responders, including ambulance personnel, toward victims to render first aid.

As officers continue clearing the building, they locate Phillips deceased in an exam room.

The officers escort multiple witnesses and victims from the building as additional officers arrive to begin a methodical search of each floor.

Officers find 30 .223-caliber casings and seven .40-caliber casings. They also find a letter on Louis detailing his intent to kill Phillips and anyone who stands in his way. In the letter, he blames Phillips for his ongoing pain.

5:24 p.m.: The Cherokee County Sheriffs Office calls Tulsa Police Department leaders about a woman who said her husband killed several people at Phillips office. Soon thereafter, TPD received two additional calls with clarifying information from the Tahlequah-area law enforcement office.

6:52 p.m.: The Muskogee Police Department informs the public about a possible bomb at the residence of the Tulsa gunman. The threat is cleared about three hours later.

3 a.m. Thursday: TPD finishes working at the crime scene.

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Two orthopedic surgeons, a medical office staffer and a patient visitor were killed in a mass shooting Wednesday on the campus of Saint Francis Health System in Tulsa.

The gunman reportedly was able to purchase a semi-automatic rifle just hours before the slayings targeting a specific physician, according to investigators.

Mayor G.T. Bynum and officials from Saint Francis Health System and Tulsa Police Department offered more details Thursday on the shooting that left four innocent people dead, as well as the gunman.

The victims were identified by Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin as Dr. Preston Phillips, 59; Dr. Stephanie Husen, 48; receptionist Amanda Glenn, 40; and William Love, 73. A family member of Glenn's said the chief misspoke when identifying her last name during the news conference.

The shooter, who police say killed himself, was identified as Michael Louis of Muskogee, a patient of Phillips' who had recently been treated for back pain following a May 19 surgery.

Franklin said Glenn was a receptionist and that Love was a patient, but later a police spokesman said Love was with a patient.

"They stood in the way, and Louis gunned them down," the police chief said. He said Love reportedly held a door closed to allow another injured person to escape the office.

Franklin said Louis' wife confirmed with police that he blamed Phillips for his ongoing pain issues after being discharged May 24 following his surgery. She said Louis contacted her to let her know what he had done, but Franklin said she was not aware in advance of the shooting.

Louis reportedly had been seen by Phillips' office for a follow-up on his pain the day before the shooting.

According to investigators, the 45-year-old purchased an AR-15-style rifle about an hour prior to the shooting from a local retailer, Franklin said. Louis bought the .40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol used in the shootings from an area pawn shop on Sunday.

Officers at the shooting scene found 30 shell casings from the rifle and seven from the pistol rounds, Franklin said.
The shooter who gunned down four people on the campus of Saint Francis Health System on Wednesday was a disgruntled patient determined to kill his doctor and anyone who stood in his way, Tulsa police said Thursday.

The physician, Dr. Preston Phillips, 59, had performed back surgery on Michael Louis, 45, of Muskogee on May 19 and saw him the day before the shooting for a follow-up visit, according to a timeline provided by Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin.

In the interim, Louis called Phillips office several times seeking relief for his pain.

After the shooting, Franklin said, police found a letter from Louis that made clear that his intent was to kill Phillips.

He blamed Dr. Phillips for the ongoing pain following the surgery, Franklin said at a press conference Thursday.

Public records show that Phillips had no pending or past disciplinary action by the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision and that he was sued once by a patient in district court but the case was dismissed.

Franklin identified the other victims as Dr. Stephanie Husen, 48; receptionist Amanda Glenn, 40; and William Love, 73, who initially was described as a patient. Police later said Love was accompanying a patient.

We are supposed to be the ones who are caring for others during tragedies like this, Dr. Ryan Parker, Saint Francis associate chief medical officer and emergency room physician, said during the press conference in the lobby of Saint Francis Heart Hospital. To think that our caregivers were the victims is just incomprehensible to me.

They died while serving others; they died in the line of duty.

According to Franklin, the gunman used two weapons to shoot his way through the orthopedic center on the second floor of the Natalie Building: a semi-automatic AR-15-style rifle, and a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol.

Louis entered the Natalie Building through a second-floor entrance from the parking garage, Franklin said.

It is an entry that is open to the public just as any other building, just as you walked in here today, he said. There is no one to greet you at that door, so he was able to walk in without any type of challenge.

Louis bought the AR-15 at a Tulsa gun store less than three hours before the shootings occurred just before 5 p.m., and the pistol was purchased at a Muskogee pawn shop on Sunday, Franklin said.

Both weapons were purchased legally, the chief said.

A bomb threat was cleared late Wednesday at Louis residence in Muskogee, police said, adding that that side of the investigation continues.

I cannot emphasize enough that we train rigorously over and over and over again for not if, but when, Franklin said, because we have seen the violence that has taken place throughout the United States, and we will be naive not to think that that would not happen in our jurisdiction.

Asked whether he could support legislation to address gun violence, such as a red flag law or some kind of background check for gun purchases, Franklin said his job is to execute the law.

There are legislators that legislate the law, that create the law, and I am more than happy to work with legislators if they want to bend my ear from a law enforcement perspective and ask what we need, he said. I am more than willing to sit down and provide that information.

Franklin praised the work of his officers and other law enforcement personnel who responded to the crisis.

I hope that each and every citizen that sees an officer today thanks an officer today, he said, because this job is hard. It is difficult.

Franklin said Louis wife confirmed with police that he blamed Phillips for his ongoing pain after being discharged May 24 following his surgery.

She said Louis contacted her to let her know what he had done, but Franklin said she was not aware in advance of the shooting.

The Saint Francis shooting came less than two weeks after 19 children and two teachers were shot to death at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

School district police there have drawn criticism  and a U.S. Department of Justice investigation  for their failure to engage the shooter sooner.

Franklin said TPD procedures call for officers to remove the threat of an active shooter, regardless of whether that endangers their own lives.

During Wednesdays shooting, officers made their way to the second floor, where they yelled Tulsa police, Franklin said.

And advancing towards the suspect location, they heard a gunshot. We believe that was the final gunshot with the suspect taking his own life, Franklin said. The gunshot was at 4:58 p.m., approximately 39 seconds after the first officers entered the building.

Investigators found 30 .223-caliber casings and seven .40-caliber casings at the scene of the shooting.

Dr. Cliff Robertson, president and CEO of Saint Francis Health System, said he is not sure the orthopedic wing of the Natalie Building would ever open again but that no decision has been made.

I cant imagine any other path forward other than to have that clinic just go dark, because  we lost three of our colleagues in that clinic, he said. I just have a hard time believing that anytime in the near future we would be able to use that space again.

Robertson did visit the site of the shooting Thursday morning to see it for himself.

But also so that I could do one thing, which is I represent over 10,000 people that make Saint Francis Health System, Robertson said. And I prayed over each of the areas where it was clear that someone had laid, including the perpetrator.

The day after the shooting, Dr. Parker had prayer on her mind, too.

Whatever faith you subscribe to  and even if you dont subscribe to a faith  I will tell you prayer is just a solemn request for help, she said at the press conference. And I think we can all agree that our world needs a little bit of help right now.

Mayor G.T. Bynum said that although the threat the shooter presented is gone, Saint Francis employees still need Tulsans support.

The days ahead of us and the weeks ahead of us, it is so important for this community to show the team here at Saint Francis how much we love you, Bynum said. Talking directly to the employees who were watching the press conference, he added: I want to thank all of you for coming to work today.

How to help

The Tulsa Community Foundation has a Saint Francis Employee Emergency Fund set up to help members of the Saint Francis family. To see what you can do to help, go to tulsacf.org/saintfrancisstrong.

The Tulsa Area United Way has also set up a link where people can "write notes of care and compassion, sending your love and encouragement," at tauw.org/SaintFrancisStrong

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help Amanda Glenn's family with expenses. It can be found at bit.ly/GlennFamily.

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State health officials are searching for people who might have been exposed to a potentially rabid skunk in Oklahoma.

On May 24, someone dropped off a litter of five baby skunks at a Bristow animal rescue operation, according to an Oklahoma State Department of Health news release.

Officials are now concerned about possible rabies exposures related to the skunks.

In Oklahoma, wild skunks are the main carrier of the rabies virus, the release states.

Those who come into direct contact with wild skunks are urged to call the State Health Departments communicable disease epidemiologist-on-call at 405-426-8710 to determine whether they need to receive treatment. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The community is coming together in multiple ways to share prayers and memorialize the four whose lives were taken in a mass shooting Wednesday on the Saint Francis campus in Tulsa.

Peace Be Still is the theme for an event at 6 p.m. Friday at John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park, 321 N. Detroit Ave. Dr. Phillips was a board member of the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation. People will gather around the Tower of Reconciliation to mourn and pray for the souls lost in the shooting.

The hosts of a candlelight vigil set for 7 p.m. Friday at LaFortune Park, between 51st and 61st streets on the east side of Yale Avenue, ask attendees to wear pink and gather at the NatureWorks moose statue.

At 7 p.m. Saturday, Holy Family Cathedral, 820 S. Boulder Ave., will host a community prayer service led by the Rev. David A. Konderla. All are welcome, according to a news release.

The theme of the third annual Unity Over Violence Prayer March is "Such a Time As This." The event has been set for 10 a.m. June 10 at Vernon AME Church in Tulsa's Greenwood District.

The Tulsa Community Foundation has a Saint Francis Employee Emergency Fund set up to help members of the Saint Francis Health System family. To see what you can do to help, go to tulsacf.org/saintfrancisstrong.

The Tulsa Area United Way has also set up a link where people can "write notes of care and compassion, sending your love and encouragement" at tauw.org/SaintFrancisStrong.

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People unfamiliar with Oklahoma gun laws might have been surprised to learn that its possible to buy an AR-15-type semi-automatic rifle at 2 p.m. and use it less than three hours later in a mass shooting, which is what Tulsa police say Michael Louis did Wednesday.

By all accounts, Oklahoma has some of the least restrictive gun laws in the United States. For the most part, the only barrier to buying a non-automatic firearm is an FBI background check that usually takes only a few minutes.

It looks bad: You buy a gun and (the same afternoon) its involved in a mass shooting, but the law is that if theyre not (statutorily) prohibited, theres nothing that can stop them, said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Senior Special Agent Ashley Stephens. Safe to say, millions of Americans (buy guns) every single day without incident.

Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said Thursday that Louis first bought a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol at a pawn shop on Sunday, then bought the .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle at a retail store Wednesday afternoon.

In both cases, federal law would have required the seller to run Louis name and information through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, known as NICS. Within hours of his last purchase, Louis took the guns to the Natalie Building on the Saint Francis Hospital campus, where he used them to shoot multiple people, killing four of the victims and himself.

As far as could be determined Thursday, Louis did not have anything on his record that would have flagged the sales. Oklahoma district court online records show only four misdemeanor traffic cases.

Except for occasional delays in the FBI background check, gun buyers in Oklahoma are not subject to any sort of waiting period, licensing or training requirements. State law does forbid transferring guns to a person who has been convicted of a felony; a person who has been adjudicated delinquent; a person under the influence of alcohol or drugs; or any person who is under adjudication of mental incompetency or who has otherwise been found mentally unfit by a court.

Stephens said something as simple as an outstanding warrant can cause NICS to kick out a name for further investigation. Under federal law, though, the buyer can take the weapon if no decision is forthcoming within 72 hours.

The ATF is sent to retrieve the weapon, Stephens said, if the investigation subsequently finds that the sale should not have been allowed.

Oklahoma gradually dropped most of its gun ownership and carrying restrictions until, in 2019, the Legislature passed and Gov. Kevin Stitt signed House Bill 2597, the so-called Constitutional Carry Law.

With some exceptions, HB 2597 ended all licensing and training requirements. The state still issues concealed carry permits, which officials said are used primarily by people traveling with their guns to states with reciprocal licensing agreements, officials said.

In 2019, the Pew Research Center determined that Americans were far more likely to be killed by handguns than by semi-automatic rifles, including AR-15 types, but that the latter were prevalent in the largest mass shooting episodes.

AR-15-type weapons were used in recent mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas, as well as in Tulsa.

According to some sources, experts disagree about whether the AR-15 is favored because of its effectiveness or its reputation.

The original AR-15  AR stands for ArmaLite  was developed in the 1950s as a military weapon prototype. From it, say historians, came the selective fire M16 and M4 rifles used by the U.S. armed forces beginning in the 1960s.

The rights to the AR-15 were sold to Colt, which began producing a semi-automatic civilian model of the rifle. Colts patents expired in 1977, leading to a multitude of variations by manufacturers all over the world. Reportedly, more than 500 now make an AR-15-type weapon. The guns typically have 20- or 30-round magazines and are known for their lack of recoil.

At some point, AR-15-type rifles became known as assault rifles or assault weapons  there is much debate over where the term originated  and their manufacture and import were banned from 1994 to 2004.

Some say reintroducing the weapons fueled gun violence in the United States over the past decade. Others dispute that, contending that the popularity of the weapon is more of a testament to conditions in the country than a cause.

The other gun bought and believed used by Louis, described as a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol, was originally developed for military and police use but reportedly is popular with private gun owners because of its reliability and stopping power.

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William Love, a 73-year-old retired Army sergeant, held a door closed to give others time to escape the gunfire in the Natalie Building on Wednesday, police said in a social media post.

Accompanying his wife, Deborah, to the doctors office, Love knew she wouldnt be able to get out of the building fast enough on her own, family members told police.

He sacrificed his life for her, the family said in a message delivered through the Tulsa Police Department.

The couple recently had bought an RV and were looking forward to traveling, the family said.
During a news conference Thursday, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin detailed the timeline related to the mass shooting Wednesday on the Saint Francis Health System campus. Two orthopedic surgeons, a medical office staffer and a visitor were killed on the second floor of the Natalie Building: Dr. Preston Phillips, 59; Dr. Stephanie Husen, 48; receptionist Amanda Glenn, 40; and William Love, 73.

Wednesdays events

May 19: Michael Louis, 45, of Muskogee, has back surgery. His surgeon is Phillips.

May 24: Louis is released from Saint Francis Health Systems care. Over the next few days, Louis calls Phillips office several times complaining of pain following the surgery.

Sunday: Louis legally purchases a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol from a pawn shop in Muskogee.

Tuesday: Louis is seen at Phillips office for additional treatment.

Wednesday: On the day of the shooting, Louis calls Phillips office seeking further assistance for his pain.

2 p.m.: Louis legally purchases a semi-automatic AR-15-style rifle from a Tulsa gun retailer.

4:52 p.m.: A third-party off Saint Francis campus who is on a video chat with a doctor at the Natalie Building calls 911, telling the dispatcher the doctor said there was shooting in the building.

4:53 p.m.: The Tulsa Police Department receives another 911 call about a shooting in a building. Soon thereafter, TPD receives several more calls specifying that the shooter is on the second floor of the Natalie Building.

4:56 p.m.: The first TPD officers arrive through the first floor of the Natalie Building and proceed to the second floor. The officers begin yelling, Tulsa police.

4:58 p.m.: Officers hear a gunshot, believed to be Louis killing himself  approximately 39 seconds after the first officers enter the building.

Officers begin to clear the building when they see a victim in an exam room. They request help from the Emergency Medical Services Authority and continue searching for the shooter.

Officers rescue an uninjured woman who is hiding under a desk at Louis feet when he took his life. Next to Louis is another deceased person.

Officers search for potential additional victims and assailants and see another victim down in an open area near a nurses station.

Officers direct other emergency responders, including ambulance personnel, toward victims to render first aid.

As officers continue clearing the building, they locate Phillips deceased in an exam room.

The officers escort multiple witnesses and victims from the building as additional officers arrive to begin a methodical search of each floor.

Officers find 30 .223-caliber casings and seven .40-caliber casings. They also find a letter on Louis detailing his intent to kill Phillips and anyone who stands in his way. In the letter, he blames Phillips for his ongoing pain.

5:24 p.m.: The Cherokee County Sheriffs Office calls Tulsa Police Department leaders about a woman who said her husband killed several people at Phillips office. Soon thereafter, TPD received two additional calls with clarifying information from the Tahlequah-area law enforcement office.

6:52 p.m.: The Muskogee Police Department informs the public about a possible bomb at the residence of the Tulsa gunman. The threat is cleared about three hours later.

3 a.m. Thursday: TPD finishes working at the crime scene.

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OWASSO  Owasso residents and commuters can expect travel delays along U.S. 169 and 76th Street North beginning Monday amid the start of a major road construction project.

Potential traffic headaches in the area will last a year and a half.

The Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved a $13.6 million contract with Becco Contractors in February to expand the U.S. 169 northbound and southbound bridges at the high-traffic area.

Tulsa World Newsroom podcast: Why are businesses spending $130 million to be in Owasso? Owasso Reporter Editor Art Haddaway talks about a story he wrote with Staff Writer Rhett Morgan about the $130 million in development announced in Owasso in just the last two months. He explains to Editor Jason Collington what is behind such growth and why businesses keep picking the city.

The upgrades to the overpass, tentatively scheduled for completion in the fall of 2023, come as part of the Oklahoma Department of Transportations eight-year Construction Work Plan, which contains $6 billion in projects on bridges and highways across the state.

ODOT is pleased to begin addressing the critical needs of the Owasso community with this project, ODOT spokesman T.J. Gerlach said in a previous story.

The replacement of these bridges lays the foundation for the future widening of U.S. 169  that will help relieve congestion at a busy interchange and improve safety for the traveling public, both on the highway and on the city street below.

ODOT plans to maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction of U.S. 169 throughout the scope of the estimated 18-month project, although some overnight closures could reduce each side to one lane. Additionally, parts of 76th Street North under the bridge could also see various closures.

Gerlach said the current structure of both two-lane bridges above 76th cannot be easily expanded due to their design. As such, the overhaul will create a single bridge wide enough to accommodate the future expansion to six lanes along the busy freeway, which sees around 50,000 vehicles per day.

The widening project comes about five years after ODOT put the final touches on its $44 million expansion of U.S. 169 at Bird Creek, in which crews demolished the large bridge just south of Owasso to make room for six lanes  a project that laid the groundwork for a collaborative partnership with the city of Owasso.

Owasso values the relationship and communication we have with ODOT, City Manager Warren Lehr said previously. We appreciate the funding for these projects to continue to improve the quality of life for our community.

The long-term proposal for U.S. 169 in Owasso  totaling more than $50 million  includes widening and resurfacing work spanning more than 6 miles between 66th and 116th Streets North, with 76th slated as the first phase. Work at 66th-86th Streets North is set to start in Aug. 2024, with the others following at different times and locations from 2025 through 2029.

In addition to carrying out ongoing developments along U.S. 169, ODOT plans to invest $12.8 million more in Owasso to improve about five miles of U.S. 75 between 96th Street North and north of 156th Street North. An additional $1.4 million will go toward intersection upgrades along Oklahoma 20 at 145th East Place.

These highway improvements accompany about $130 million in new commercial and expansion projects that have broken ground across Owasso over the last three months.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  A U.S. Embassy tweet of a rainbow-flag-festooned message by President Joe Biden in support of Pride Month has drawn a face-to-face diplomatic protest from Kuwait and sparked a rare Twitter fight between the two close allies.

On Friday, U.S. diplomats were doubling down with rainbow flag postings and statements in support of LGBTQ rights on social media. The messages appeared in response to the Kuwaiti government's official objection the day before to what Kuwait's state news agency called the pro-gay rights post of the U.S. Embassy there.

The United States stands with the LGBTQI+ community everywhere around the world, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a pointed retweet Friday of the embassy's original offending Pride Month message.

The dispute began after the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait posted a tweet Thursday that called Biden a champion of LGBTQI rights. All human beings should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear no matter who they are or whom they love," it said.

Late that night, according to the account on Kuwait's state news agency, Kuwait's Foreign Ministry summoned acting embassy charge d'affaires James Holtsnider to express its rejection of the post.

A Foreign Ministry official, Nawaf al Ahmad, handed Holtsnider a written objection as well as stressing necessity for the embassy to respect the country's laws and regulations, according to the Kuwaiti news agency.

Kuwaiti law punishes consensual same-sex relations between men by up to seven years in prison, according to Human Rights Watch. A court ruling this year threw out another law that made imitating the opposite sex a crime punishable by prison.

Some conservative Kuwaitis spoke out in support of their government's action. The U.S. Embassy was attempting to impose modes of abnormal behavior rejected by the Muslim Kuwaiti society, tweeted one, Hamad al Matar.

Asked for comment, the State Department said in a statement Friday, The United States proudly advances efforts around the globe to protect all individuals.

On Friday, the Kuwait U.S. Embassy's Twitter account featured the original tweet, in Arabic and English, that drew the objection, as well as a photo of a rippling rainbow flag against a blue sky set as the account's profile photo.

The U.S. and Kuwait, bound by strategic interests including regional security, have a long history of largely steady good relations. That includes the U.S. leading a 1991 international army to liberate Kuwait from invading forces of Iraq's Saddam Hussein.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Former hedge fund CEO David McCormick conceded the Republican primary in Pennsylvania for U.S. Senate to celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, ending his campaign Friday night as he acknowledged an ongoing statewide recount wouldn't give him enough votes to make up the deficit.

After a bitter campaign that blanketed the airwaves with millions of dollars in attack ads, McCormick issued a gracious concession, vowing to help unite the party behind Oz.

Its now clear to me with the recount largely complete that we have a nominee, McCormick said at a campaign party at a Pittsburgh hotel. And today I called Mehmet Oz to congratulate him on his victory.

McCormick's concession cements a general election campaign between Oz, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, and Democrat John Fetterman in what is expected to be one of the nations premier Senate contests.

Already, the national parties are sponsoring attack ads on TV in a presidential battleground state that is still roiled by Trump's baseless claims of a stolen election in 2020.

The result could help determine control of the closely divided chamber, and Democrats view it as perhaps their best opportunity to pick up a seat in the race to replace retiring two-term Republican Sen. Pat Toomey.

More than two weeks out from the primary election, Republicans had begun to consider a bitter primary becoming further drawn-out by a recount and lawsuits over mail-in ballots.

I think it'll be fine, I think there will be zero problems, said Pat Poprik, the GOP chair in heavily populated Bucks County, where state party committee members had endorsed McCormick. Many people I know liked both candidates, thought both were good and had to make a last-minute decision between them.

In a statement, Oz said he was grateful for McCormick's pledge of support.

Before the recount, Oz led McCormick by 972 votes out of 1.34 million votes counted in the May 17 primary. The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the race because an automatic recount is underway and the margin between the two candidates is just 0.07 percentage points.

Fetterman, the state's lieutenant governor, acknowledged earlier Friday in a statement that he nearly died when he suffered a stroke just days before his primary. He said he had ignored warning signs for years and a doctor's advice to take blood thinners.

Oz, who is best known as the host of daytime TVs The Dr. Oz Show, had to overcome a barrage of attack ads and misgivings among hard-line Trump backers about his conservative credentials on guns, abortion, transgender rights and other core Republican issues.

The 61-year-old Oz leaned on Trump's endorsement as proof of his conservative bona fides, while Trump attacked Oz's rivals and maintained that Oz has the best chance of winning in November in the presidential battleground state.

Oz had had little history with the Republican Party  but he had a friendship with Trump going back almost 20 years and, as Trump told him in a 2016 appearance on Oz's show, you know my wifes a big fan of your show.

Meanwhile, McCormick made Ozs dual citizenship in Turkey an issue in the race, suggesting that Oz would be a national security risk. If elected, Oz would be the nations first Muslim senator.

Born in the United States, Oz served in Turkeys military and voted in its 2018 election. Oz said he would renounce his Turkish citizenship if he won the November election, and he accused McCormick of making bigoted attacks.

Oz and McCormick blanketed the state's airwaves with political ads for months, spending millions of their own money. Virtually unknown to voters four months ago, McCormick had to introduce himself to voters, and he mined Ozs long record as a public figure for material in attack ads. He got help from a super PAC supporting him that spent $20 million.

Like McCormick, Oz moved from out of state to run in Pennsylvania.

Oz, a Harvard graduate, New York Times bestselling author and self-styled wellness advocate, lived for the past couple of decades in a mansion in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, above the Hudson River overlooking Manhattan  drawing accusations of being a carpetbagger and political tourist.

The celebrity heart surgeon stressed his connections to Pennsylvania, saying he grew up just over the state border in Delaware, went to medical school in Philadelphia and married a Pennsylvania native.

Before he ran, McCormick was something of a celebrity on Wall Street, running the world's largest hedge fund, and had strong Republican Party establishment ties going back to his service in former President George W. Bushs administration. His wife, Dina Powell, was a deputy national security adviser to Trump and had strong party connections as well.

McCormick had long considered running for public office, and moved from his home on Connecticut's ritzy Gold Coast to a house in Pittsburgh before declaring his candidacy.

He stressed his connections to Pennsylvania: growing up on a farm as a high school wrestling and football star before going to West Point and fighting in the Gulf War. He also spent 10 years in Pittsburgh in business, giving him a stronger claim to Pennsylvania than Oz.

Like Oz, McCormick had worked hard to earn Trumps endorsement, and he insisted he was the authentic America First candidate, invoking Trump's nickname for his governing philosophy.

However, Trump attacked McCormick repeatedly in the campaign's final two weeks, leading a rally for Oz where he called McCormick the candidate of special interests and globalists and the Washington establishment.

Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at twitter.com/timelywriter

Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday blamed the United States and Europe for the energy problems theyre facing, saying they stoked fears about climate change to boost support for renewable energy but then underinvested.

Speaking on Russian TV, Putin said those countries adopted a short-sighted policies that relied too heavily on renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydrogen.

Those technologies werent yet ready for massive deployment or were too expensive, he said, and Europe and the United States downplayed the role of what they were supposed to replace: hydrocarbons. The result was under-development and under-investment in energy, and an increase in prices, according to Putin.

Exacerbating the problem, in his view, is that Europeans  despite Moscows warnings  declined to maintain long-term natural gas supply contracts with Russia.

The higher natural gas prices also increased fertilizer costs. Natural gas is heavily used in fertilizer manufacturing.

But we warned about that, and its not connected in any way to Russias military operation in Donbass, Putin added.

Several European countries are heavily dependent on Russia oil and natural gas and have been rushing to find alternatives now that they have adopted sanctions  including energy embargoes  against Moscow for its military operation in Ukraine.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:

 Deadly secret: Electronic warfare shapes Russia-Ukraine war

 Analysts think Russia may be in Ukraine to stay after 100 days of war

 AP PHOTOS: Russian malls half-empty after Western firms exit

 At 100 days, Russia-Ukraine war by the numbers

 US and allies: Hold Russia accountable for Ukraine crimes

 Russian Orthodox leader skips EU sanctions thanks to Hungary's Orban

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday blamed the West for emerging global food and energy crises and repeated his governments offers of safe passage for ships exporting grain from Ukraine if mines are removed from the waters.

Of course, we are now seeing attempts to shift the responsibility for what is happening on the world food market, the emerging problems in this market, onto Russia, he told Russian TV. I must say that this is an attempt, as our people say, to shift these problems from a sick to a healthy head.

As reported by the state-run Tass news agency, Putin also said Western sanctions against Russia would only worsen world markets  reducing the harvest and driving up prices.

He said inflation stemmed from the unprecedented dollar printing press during the coronavirus pandemic and blamed short-sighted European policies for under-investment in alternatives to traditional energy supplies and price increases.

The Kremlin leader said Russia wasnt blocking grain shipments from Ukraine and that the West is using Russia as a scapegoat for its problems.

Putin pledged that if the waters were demined, Russia wouldnt attack grain shipments and suggested they could be made from the Ukrainian port of Berdyansk or other countries, such as Belarus. Berdyansk is under Russian occupation.

We wont take advantage of the situation of demining to undertake any sea attacks, Putin said.

These were Putins most extensive comments to date on the emerging food crisis.

Putins positions on these issues conflict with explanations given by Ukraine and its allies.

GENEVA  Switzerlands government on Friday said it wont honor a request by Denmark to send nearly two-dozen Swiss-made armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, citing Swiss neutrality law that bans the export of war material to a country at war.

The executive Federal Council confirmed the decision, reported in Swiss media this week, on Friday just as the Swiss government also announced that it would allow the transfer of some military equipment to Germany and Britain as they replenish supplies that the two countries have sent to Ukraine.

The announcement testified to the fine line Swiss authorities are treading to hold to Switzerlands legal requirement to remain neutral as laid out in the War Materiel Act, which bars the transfer of Swiss-made weapons systems, ammunition and other war material to a country involved in an international conflict.

Denmark had requested that Switzerland transfer 22 Swiss-made Piranha III wheeled armored personnel carriers, which Denmark had procured and stored in Germany, to Ukraine.

Previously, the Swiss rejected a German request to send Swiss-made 35mm ammunition for Gepard anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine.

However, the Swiss executive said it would allow the export of some parts for hand-held anti-tank weapons and anti-aircraft weapons components sought by Germany and Italy. It acknowledged those parts could end up in Ukraine, but the parts involved would represent less than half the value of the total weaponrys value.

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del.  President Joe Biden on Friday said he thinks a negotiated settlement will be necessary to end Russias war in Ukraine.

Asked whether Ukraine should give up some of its territory to Russia in order to end the war and bring peace to the region, Biden said his policy continues to be that the United States will not make any decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine.

He said its their territory and Im not going to tell them what they should and shouldnt do.

But the U.S. leader also said it appears to me that at some point along the line theres going to have to be a negotiated settlement here. He said he does not know what such an agreement would look like but that the U.S. will continue to help Ukrainians defend themselves.

Biden commented from Delaware on Friday, the 100th day of Russias invasion.

PARIS  A French person was killed in combat in Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.

The ministry did not elaborate in its written response to a journalists question about the death of a French volunteer fighter in the Kharkiv region.

The ministry, which holds electronic written briefings, noted that Ukraine in the totality of its territory is a war zone. France advises anyone against going there whatever the motive.

French are among numerous foreign fighters who headed to Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyys call for volunteers to join an international brigade soon after Russia invaded the country Feb. 24.

The number of French volunteers is not known.

GENEVA  A Ukrainian ambassador said Russia is playing hunger games with the world by trying to depict sanctions against Moscow as the reason that grain cant transit the Black Sea  and not Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Yevheniia Filipenko, Ukraines envoy to the U.N. office in Geneva, spoke in an interview on the 100-day mark since Russian military forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

As grain exports dry up through Ukraines embattled or captured ports, Filipenko said Russia has sought to pin the blame for the blockage on Ukraine and Western sanctions that have been levied by the thousands against Moscow.

Russia has played hunger games recently to put the blame on Ukraine and others for blocking Ukrainian food exports, she said.

Filipenko said Ukrainian forces were intensely motivated to protect their homeland and would one day win the war. She echoed calls from other top Ukrainian officials for more weapons.

We are fighting for freedom of Europe and the whole world. So the next 100 days will be very busy for all of us, she said.

BRUSSELS  The European Union says it has targeted Russian military officers linked to atrocities in Ukraine in its latest round of sanctions, including top brass accused of war crimes in Bucha and the siege of Mariupol.

The EU froze the assets of 65 people and imposed travel bans on them. The bloc has now targeted almost 1,160 people, including President Vladimir Putin, pro-Kremlin oligarchs and other top officials over Russias actions in Ukraine since 2014.

The EU said Friday that Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov and Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, known as the Butcher of Mariupol, were among those on the list.

It said Omurbekov was leading the actions of his military unit and nicknamed the Butcher of Bucha due to his direct responsibility in killings, rapes and torture in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv.

It accused Mizintsev of orchestrating the bombardments of the city of Mariupol, killing thousands of civilians, including the shelling of a Mariupol maternity hospital and a theatre, killing hundreds of children.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said there can be no impunity for war crimes.

CHISINAU, Moldova  Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has paid an official visit to Moldova, which borders Ukraine, in a public show of support for the country witnessing Russias ambitions in the region up close and sheltering thousands of Ukrainian refugees.

Sanchez said Spain would stand up for Moldovas territorial integrity, in a reference to Transnistria and Russias military presence there.

Transnistria is a disputed, Russian-backed breakaway state that borders southwestern Ukraine. Pro-Russian forces broke it off from Moldova in 1992, and Russian troops have been stationed there ever since, ostensibly as peacekeepers.

Sanchez assured President Maia Sandu at a press conference Friday in Chisinau, the capital, that Moldova has Spains resounding support and our commitment to solidarity with the Moldovan authorities and the Moldovan people at a time of great difficulty and international political tension.

KYIV, Ukraine  A regional governor in eastern Ukraine says intense fighting is continuing in a key town that has faced a massive Russian offensive.

Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai told The Associated Press that fierce battles are continuing in Sievierodonetsk, where about 13,000 residents left in the city are sheltering in basements to escape relentless Russian bombardment.

Haidai said Friday that the Russian forces were also pummeling the nearby city of Lysychansk that has remained under Ukrainian control. Some 20,000 residents, or about one-fifth of Lysychansks pre-war population, have remained in the city which has seen 60% of its residential buildings and civilian infrastructure shattered by the Russian shelling. Haidai said a civilian was killed in the Russian shelling of Lysychansk on Friday.

He told the AP that the Russians have been shelling a key highway linking Lysychansk with Bakhmut, but that it remained under Ukrainian control.

LVIV, Ukraine  A Ukrainian military analyst says a Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine has slowed down amid staunch Ukrainian resistance.

Mykola Sunhurovsky of the Razumkov Center, a Kyiv-based think-tank, said Friday that the Russians are fighting for every block and every street in the eastern city of Lysychansk, adding that it has deprived them of the initiative. Lysychansk, the administrative center of the eastern Luhansk region has become an arena of fierce fighting this week as it has faced a massive Russian attack.

Sunhurovsky charged that the Russian offensive in the region has started to slow down, they have lost too many forces and need a tactical break.

He noted that time is working in Ukraines favor as supplies of Western weapons are increasing, making the Kremlin nervous, but added that Western supplies have taken time to reach Ukraine, forcing Kyiv to drag out time in the east to accumulate forces for a counter-offensive.

MOSCOW  The Kremlin says it will press on with its military operations in Ukraine until its goals are met.

Asked how the Kremlin views progress in Ukraine 100 days into the war Friday, President Vladimir Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian troops have succeeded in their main task of protecting civilians in areas on Ukraines east controlled by Moscow-backed separatists.

Peskov said that Russian forces have liberated many areas in Ukraine from the pro-Nazi Ukrainian military and nationalist units, adding that this work will continue until all the goals of the special military operation are achieved.

Speaking during a conference call with reporters, Peskov was evasive when asked whether Russian authorities are planning to hold referendums in those areas to join Russia, saying that it will depend on how the situation evolves. Peskov and other Russian officials have said repeatedly that it will be up to the residents of those regions to determine their status.

KYIV, Ukraine  Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country wont stop its resistance against the Russian invasion.

Zelensky on Friday issued a video message to mark 100 days of war. Surrounded by other top officials, Zelenskyy appeared defiant.

Our team is much larger, says Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are here. Most importantly, our people are here.

We have defended Ukraine for 100 days already, he adds. Victory will be ours!

BERLIN  The German government has rejected suggestions by Russia that western sanctions and not Moscows war in Ukraine are to blame for the global shortage of grains.

A Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told reporters in Berlin Friday that the danger is very big that Russia will try, that President Putin will try to establish a narrative that its the West thats responsible for the famine threatening Africa.

This is a narrative that we want to strongly resist, said spokeswoman Andrea Sasse.

Responding to an AP question about Putins meeting with Senegals President Macky Sall in Sochi Friday, Sasse said it was a fact that the threat of famine in parts of the world and that some countries will be cut off from grain imports are a result of the Russian war of attack and not the result of western sanctions.

A spokesman for Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Wolfgang Buechner, rejected what he called Putin's anti-western propaganda" claiming that the West's economic and financial policies as well as anti-Russian sanctions" are responsible for the problem.

ZAGREB, Croatia  Croatia's foreign ministry says a Croatian citizen has been wounded in Ukraine and will be transferred to Croatia.

Croatia's state HRT television says that the man was fighting as a volunteer in Ukraine. The foreign ministry told the station that the man is safe and receiving medical attention.

No other details were immediately available.

Last month, Croatian authorities said that Russian troops detained a Croatian citizen who was fighting alongside Ukrainian fighters in Mariupol.

MOSCOW  The Kremlin says that Ukrainian grain supplies to world markets will be on the agenda for Russian President Vladimir Putins talks with the chairman of the African Union, Senegalese President Macky Sall.

Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil. Ukrainian authorities and their Western supporters have accused Russia of endangering world food supplies with a naval blockade of Ukraines ports. Russia has denied blocking the ports and said Ukraine needed to remove sea mines to allow safe shipping.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin plans to give Sall a detailed explanation of Russias view of the situation and explain again whats going on there, who mined the ports, what is necessary to do to allow the grain flow to resume.

African countries imported 44% of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine between 2018 and 2020, according to U.N. figures. Wheat prices have spiked 45% as a result of the war-related disruption of supplies, according to the African Development Bank.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
No longer are mass shootings merely abstractions for Tulsans or Oklahomans.

Four people in the Natalie Medical Building at Saint Francis Hospital were killed Wednesday before the gunman took his life. Just days before, a shooter gunned down eight people at a Memorial Day gathering in Taft, killing one person.

This national tragedy and cycle of mass gun violence is here, at our door.

We grieve with the families. We mourn alongside their friends and colleagues.

Tulsa became the site of the nations 233rd mass shooting so far this year. Taft holds the 228th spot.

Our nation has become a country in constant crisis. People are falling to their knees in prayer and asking for help, for guidance, for something to make sense of the senseless.

Words cannot soothe this trauma. Thoughts are no balm to this pain.

Its hard finding a light in these dark moments. But we find heroism in the police and other frontline workers who walked into danger.

We honor the valor of health care workers for their service during an emotionally and physically draining pandemic. Now they face unfathomable tragedy and a different kind of fear on the job.

Tulsa and Oklahoma have faced malevolence before and rallied to become stronger, from the citys 1921 Race Massacre to the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

We have the capacity to emerge wiser and with determined purpose.

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, along with all community leaders, offered condolences and words of comfort. He added this when asked about the uptick in mass shootings: If we want to have a policy discussion, that is something to be had in the future, but not tonight. Not tonight.

We give him that  a moment to just feel the sorrow and loss, to acknowledge this shared suffering and heartache, to hug those close to us. To cry.

But tomorrow and all the tomorrows after that, we need to talk about policy. There is now no down time between mass shootings. We need to stop others from having to endure this shock and grief.

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A man shot and killed two women in the parking lot of a church in Iowa state on Thursday and then turned the gun on himself, police said, adding three more dead to the toll in a series of recent shootings that have rocked the United States.

The Iowa shooting took place shortly after President Joe Biden delivered a major address on gun violence in the wake of mass shootings in Buffalo, New York; Uvalde, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, in recent weeks.

Meanwhile another shooting on Thursday wounded two people attending a burial at cemetery in Racine, Wisconsin.

The Iowa shooting took place outside Cornerstone Church, a fundamentalist Christian church east of the city of Ames, while a church program was on inside, said Nicholas Lennie, chief deputy of the Story County Sheriff's Office.

When deputies arrived on scene they found all three dead, Lennie said, adding that he could not provide identities nor disclose what the relationship between them may have been.

"This appears to be an isolated, single-shooter incident," Lennie said.

Moments before, Biden urged Congress to ban assault weapons, expand background checks and implement other gun control measures to address the mass shootings.

"Enough, enough!," the president said.

The United States has been shaken in recent weeks by the mass shootings that killed 10 Black residents in upstate New York, 19 children and two teachers in Texas, and two doctors, a receptionist and a patient in Oklahoma.

In Racine, Wisconsin, on Thursday, multiple gunshots were fired into a crowd of mourners attending an afternoon grave-side funeral, wounding two people, Racine police Sergeant Kristi Wilcox told reporters.

One victim was treated at a local hospital and released, the other was flown to a Milwaukee hospital, apparently suffering more serious injuries, Wilcox said. No suspect was taken into custody.
Google's YouTube and other platforms could have to pay copyright damages over unauthorised uploads even if the content was put online by a third party, Germany's top court ruled.

The platforms would be liable only if they did not act quickly to block access once they had learned of illegal uploads, the court said in its ruling on Thursday.

The case comes amid a long-running battle between Europe's $1 trillion creative industry and online platforms, with the former seeking redress for unauthorised uploads.

It is also part of the wider debate on how much online platforms and social media should do to police the posting of unauthorised, illegal or hateful content.

Operators of upload platforms could in principle also be obliged to disclose the identify of users who commit the infringements and their email addresses, according to the ruling.

The court based its ruling on one issued by the EU Court of Justice last year.

Thursday's decision involves a lawsuit filed by a music producer after video and audio recordings of an artist he owned the rights to were still available on YouTube even after the producer's lawyer had sent a letter asking them to be removed.

No final decision was taken by the court over whether YouTube was liable, which means the case will return to the lower courts for re-examination based on the new guidelines.

YouTube said it was confident in the systems it had built to fight copyright infringement and ensure rights holders would receive their fair share.
What you need to know in Vietnam today:

Politics

-- Vietnam's Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang received Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Defence Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel, who is in Vietnam to attend the countries second defense policy dialogue, in Hanoi on Thursday, the Vietnam News Agency reported the same day.

Society

-- Guinness World Records has declared a glass-bottomed walkway, the Bach Long glass bridge, in Vietnam, which was opened the public in April, the world's longest bridge of its kind.

-- A car crashed into a motorbike in Bac Giang Province, northern Vietnam, on Friday, killing three people, including a child, on the bike, an official told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper the same day.

-- The Ministry of Health reported 2,208 new COVID-19 cases in Vietnam on Thursday, along with 5,820 recoveries and one death.

Business

-- Seafood exporters in Vietnam are on tenterhooks as they are expected to face a shrimp shortage in the coming months.

Sports

-- Vietnam drew 2-2 against Thailand in a group-stage game on Thursday at the 2022 AFC U23 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan.

Education

-- Five Vietnamese universities have made it to the Times Higher Education's Asia University Rankings 2022, including Ton Duc Thang University in 73rd place; Duy Tan University, 91st; Vietnam National University, Hanoi, placed between 301st and 350th; Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City City, 401st-500th; and Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), 501st+, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

World News

-- "Google's YouTube and other platforms could have to pay copyright damages over unauthorised uploads even if the content was put online by a third party, Germany's top court ruled," Reuters reported on Thursday.

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China voices firm opposition to agreements with sovereignty implications between U.S., Taiwan region

Xinhua) 11:09, June 03, 2022

BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, on Thursday expressed firm opposition to the discussion and signing of any agreement with implications of sovereignty or of official nature between the United States and China's Taiwan region.

Ma made the remarks in response to a recent announcement by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities about the launch of a so-called "initiative on 21st-century trade" with the U.S. side.

He said the DPP authorities colluded with external forces to seek "Taiwan independence" and selfish political gains at the cost of the interests of the island's enterprises and people.

The spokesperson also urged the U.S. side to adhere to the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, warning that attempts to use the "Taiwan card" to contain China are bound to fail.

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Bianji)
Police in Bac Giang Province, northern Vietnam arrested four suspects who were accused of assaulting a porter to death at Quang Chau Industrial Park on Thursday.

The victim was N.H.T., a 38-year-old man hailing from Lang Son Province, also in the northern region, and the four detainees are men aged 20 to 26, local police reported.

Police officers seized a knife that had been used in the killing.

At noon on Thursday, police of the provinces Viet Yen District were notified of a fight that broke out outside the entrance of a foreign company in the park.

A police team rushed to the scene and found T. lying dead in front of the company.

After launching an investigation, police arrested the four men.

T. was a stevedore of a transport company that was delivering machines to the foreign firm, according to initial police reports,

The assault occurred out of the personal conflicts between T. and the four men, who were armed with knives and canes.

During the fight, 22-year-old H. V. N., one of the attackers, stabbed T. with a knife to death, reports said.

Local police are continuing their investigation into the case.

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The Ho Chi Minh City Greenery Parks Co. Ltd. has been using a specialized instrument to pinpoint trees with wood decomposition inside to prevent tree-falling incidents.

The instrument detects plants that are puffy and hollow inside by wavelengths, a company representative told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Friday morning.

It measures the flow of sap from the roots to the branches of each tree.

Ailing trees have slower sap circulation than healthy ones.

Using the instrument in combination with observation and our experience can help find decayed trees that may fall given heavy rains and strong winds, so that we can timely handle them, said the representative.

This instrument is handy, and its components are widely available in the market, so we dont have to depend on a certain manufacturer."

This supplied photo shows employees of the Ho Chi Minh City Greenery Parks Co. Ltd. using a specialized instrument to detect decayed trees at a park in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Ho Chi Minh City Greenery Parks Co. Ltd. once tried out the machine in 2013 but abandoned it shortly after due to lack of spare parts for replacement.

Before the introduction of the instrument, greenery workers of the enterprise mostly detected decayed trees manually based on experience, particularly through observing the appearance of the trees, according to company director Le Cong Phuong.

This manual method is not completely efficient as many trees look fine on the outside but their internal structure has been destroyed by pathogens, Phuong admitted.

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Authorities in the south-central Vietnamese province of Binh Thuan, an area currently suffering the consequences of severe drought, water shortages, and desertification, believe increasing green coverage will solve the problem, but the plan can only succeed with cooperation from local businesses.

Goodbye green coverage

Binh Thuan Provinces coastline runs 192 kilometers from Da Chet Cape on the border of Ninh Thuan Province to the Binh Chau alluvial plain bordering southern Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province.

While the provinces beautiful beaches and year-round dry climate are a major draw for visitors, the lack of green coverage is becoming a major issue for both the environment and the quality of life of local residents.

Green coverage in Binh Thuan is currently about 43.02 percent, with green areas mostly limited to the many planted and natural forests in Tanh Linh, Tuy Phong, Ham Thuan Bac, and Ham Thuan Nam Districts, according to Ho Thien Dang, head of the provincial forest protection department.

Conversely, there is very little green to be seen in coastal and large urban areas such as Phan Thiet City, Phu Quy Island, and La Gi Town.

In recent years, the increase in green coverage has been minimal, primarily due to urbanization and deforestation, Dang said.

Local authorities are planting trees in other places [to make up for deforestation], the official said.

"The primary goal is to maintain the percentage of green coverage [in the province]."

The exploitation of forest land for urbanization has led to to erosion, desertification, ecological imbalance, and groundwater and environmental degradation, according to Le Van Chon, deputy chairman of the Peoples Committee of Phan Thiet City.

Corporate cooperation

The forest protection department in Binh Thuan blames budgeting issues for stalled increases in green coverage.

From 2016 to 2020, more than 7,500 new trees were planted in the province, raising the green coverage rate in Binh Thuan to about 41.86 percent.

The state budget covered about 30 percent of the initiative while the rest was backed by private businesses.

Provincial authorities now have their sights set on continuing to increase green coverage in order to ensure comprehensive and sustainable development.

According to Dang, included in this goal is an initiative to plant 10 million trees in Binh Thuan between 2021 and 2025, with priority given to coastal, urban, and residential areas.

To reach this goal, authorities are calling on support from local businesses.

One enterprise heeding this call is NovaGroup, a Vietnamese corporation focused on economic development and investment that recently helped plant trees along major streets in Phan Thiet City and is planning to replicate such work in other areas of the province.

The trees planted by NovaGroup included Burma padauk, resin tree, bougainvillea, and Caribbean trumpet trees.

They were grown in a laboratory managed by Nova Evergreen, a member of the NovaGroup ecosystem.

Deputy chairman Chon hailed NovaGroup for its support and called on similar actions from other enterprises.

NovaGroup representatives plant trees as part of a program aimed at increasing green coverage in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam in 2021. Photo: Handout via Tuoi Tre
A police officer in Nghe An Province, north-central Vietnam was shot and wounded by one of two suspected drug traffickers during their arrest earlier this week.

The suspects, both of the Mong ethnicity, were caught by a police unit while trafficking 15 bricks of heroin in the provinces Que Phong District on Monday, local police said.

While police were attempting to take the suspects into custody, one of the traffickers shot P.L.T., a police officer, in the thigh.

The team managed to subdue the suspect and transport the injured officer to Nghe An General Friendship Hospital for emergency aid.

The police unit involved in the case seized 15 bricks of heroin, a pistol, and seven bullets.

The weight of the seized bricks has yet to be announced.

On Wednesday, a group from the provincial Party Committee and local police arrived at the hospital to visit P., who was in stable health following a surgery.

Local police are expanding their investigation into the case in order to arrest other potential suspects.

In Vietnam, anyone possessing or smuggling 600 grams or more of heroin or 2.5 kilograms or more of methamphetamine faces the death penalty, according to the Penal Code.

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About one month after its grand opening, a glass-bottomed bridge in mountainous Son La Province, northwestern Vietnam has been declared the worlds longest glass bridge by Guinness World Records.

The bridges investor, Son La-based Tour 26 Moc Chau Joint Stock Company, has officially received a certificate from Guinness World Records, the worlds authority on record-breaking performances, for its glass-bottomed Bach Long (White Dragon) Walkway.

The certification means the 632-meter long Bach Long Bridge now trumps the previous Guinness-recognized record for a 530-meter glass bridge outside Chinas Guangdong Province.

Construction on the Bach Long Walkway started in early 2021 and the project cost a total of VND773 billion (US$33 million).

It was put into operation in the provinces Moc Chau District on April 29 this year.

The glass-floored bridge spans a lush green jungle valley. At its highest, it is about 150 meters above the ground.

The Bach Long glass bridge in Son La Province, Vietnam. Photo: Facebook page 'Cau Kinh Bach Long - Moc Chau Island'

The Bach Long Walkway is Moc Chaus newest tourist destination, joining its well-known green tea hills and ethnic minority villages.

At the foot of the bridge sits Muong Mooc Cave, also known as Chim Than (God Bird) Cave, which features natural stalactites and stone sculptures.

The bridge is 2.4 meters wide and has two 30-meter towers.

Its floor was made of super tempered glass imported from France and the suspension cables were shipped from South Korea.

The bridge can safely accommodate thousands of people at a time, but the operator limits the number to just 500 for safety purposes, Tour 26 Moc Chau said.

An entry ticket costs VND550,000 ($24) per visitor on regular days and VND650,000 ($28) on weekends or national holidays, according to VnExpress.

This is the third glass bridge in Vietnam after the Tinh Yeu (Love) glass bridge, also in Moc Chau, and Rong May (Cloud Dragon) in Lai Chau Province.

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Even Bluey cant help but get into the royal festivities, thanks to the BBC.

The Aussie smash hit show will screen the Queens episode for the first time on Free to Air in the UK this Sunday, as part of The Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The 2020 episode follows sisters Bluey and Bingo as they play a game of Queens and discover that playing the butler is much more fun.

Bluey was the most-watched programme on CBeebies for Q1 2022 where it has screened since 2021.

It is also available in the UK on Disney+.
End of the year KODI awards banquet on April 26, 2017Scho

With Kelley School of Business Dean Idalene Idie Kesner scheduled to step down at the end of July, the University of Indiana today (June 3) turned to her reliable right hand to lead the school as interim dean. Ash Soni, executive associate dean for academic programs, will take over the leadership of the school starting Aug. 1.

Soni has long served as a chief operating officer to Kesner during her decade-long run. Their academic partnership is among the most successful ever. The universitys decision to tap Soni as the interim dean ensures a smooth transition to new leadership.

When a permanent dean is named, it is also expected that Soni will help guide the chosen successor before giving up his leadership role. Kesner announced in April that she would step down from the job and return to teach in the schools classrooms after a one-semester administrative leave. Kesner was the schools first woman dean and earned her MBA and doctoral degrees at Kelley.

Its going to be some form of a two-way package

When Kesner made her decision public, Soni told Poets&Quants that he would also likely give up his current role as executive associate dean. Its going to be some form of a two-way package, he said. It might get delayed by a couple more months. We have a couple of people that weve been grooming and hopefully, they will be able to take it over. Both of us will step down and after that. We have another five months of administrative leave for everything we missed out on during our tenure. We are available at that time to help someone do the transition. I suspect it will take a few months to do the transition.

Ash has long served as a prominent, impactful leader at the Kelley School, said Provost and Executive Vice President Rahul Shrivastav in a statement. During his more than 40 years of experience at the school, he has helped guide the school through many transitions and changes, and that history recommends him well for the interim dean role. I truly appreciate Ash stepping up as we prepare for a thorough national search to try and replace the quite irreplaceable Idie Kesner.

Story continues

A professor of operations & decision technologies and a passionate oenophile, Soni joined Kelley in 1981. He has considerable expertise in enterprise systems and applications, emerging technologies, operations research and business analytics, supply chain management, and computer simulation. Yet, his greatest contribution to the school has been in his highly effective partnership with Kesner. He was deeply involved in the schools branding initiative to gain national and international exposure, the recruitment of faculty, and the oversight of many of the schools operating details.

Deeply involved in a major marketing initiative to raise the profile of the school with Kesner

With Kesner, Soni agreed early on that the school wasnt getting the credit it deserved. The marketing was key to the whole thing, he told Poets&Quants. When Idie was interim and we spent a lot of time talking about this great school in southern Indiana. But the rest of the country may not know about it. That is where Idie started thinking about the marketing piece. Ten years later we get students from the entire country, from the East Coast and the Tri-state area and California, Texas, and Florida. It is a national market and that has helped us big time.

Ash Soni

In the announcement, Soni said he is thrilled to help lead the Kelley School during this transition. I appreciate how committed our university leaders are to the schools continued success, and I look forward to continuing the incredible progress we have made under Dean Kesners tenure.

Soni earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Manchester University, his Master of Science from Strathclyde University, and his MBA and Doctorate in Business Administration from Indiana University Bloomington. He has received many awards, honors, and certificates, including The John W. Ryan Award for Distinguished Contributions to International Programs and Studies; Kelley Direct Program Teaching Excellence Award, which he won four times; and the MBA Teaching Excellence Award, for which he was honored 10 different times.

DONT MISS: MEET INDIANA KELLEYS MBA CLASS OF 2023 or MBA PROGRAM OF THE YEAR: KELLEY DIRECT

The post IU Kelley Turns To A Trusted Long-Time Leader As Interim Dean appeared first on Poets&Quants.
Following reports that hundreds of supporters of former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan had been arrested in May, 2022, a video was widely circulated on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim that it shows police officers torturing a pro-Khan protester. However, the video was shared in a false context; it has circulated online since at least April 2021 in posts about police officers apprehending a drug suspect.

"Punjab Police pulling nails of PTI protesters!" reads the claim shared in this Facebook post on May 29, 2022.

The claim was shared alongside a 36-second clip that appears to show police officers pinning down a man.

The post circulated after Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party -- referred to in the post by its acronym PTI -- accused police of arresting and detaining hundreds of its supporters in raids in the nation's most populous province, Punjab.

Khan, a former cricketer turned populist politician, was ousted from power in April in a no-confidence vote, but has since used mass rallies across the country to put pressure on the country's fragile new coalition government.

In Punjab's main city Lahore, police deployed tear gas against Khan supporters attempting to remove roadblocks and travel in convoys to the capital, Islamabad.

Screenshot of the misleading Facebook post, taken on June 3, 2022.

The identical video was also shared with a similar claim here, here and here on Facebook and here, here and here on Twitter.

Comments suggest that some users were misled by the claim.

One user wrote: "If this man is still alive and out of prison, it is his right to exact revenge, and he can do so in the same manner."

Other user said: "Shame on the Punjab police department."

However, the claim is false.

Keyword searches on Google found the video was previously shared on YouTube and Facebook in April 2021 -- a year before Khan's ouster.

Below is a screenshot comparison between the video shared in the false post (left) and the 2021 YouTube video (right):

Story continues

Screenshot comparison between the video shared in the false post (left) and the 2021 YouTube video (right).

The YouTube and Facebook posts from 2021 both claim the video shows Punjab police pulling the fingernails of the man they were apprehending.

Authorities denied the claim, according to a report by the Daily Pakistan newspaper on April 24, 2021.

In response to the posts that recirculated the clip in 2022, the Punjab police said on Twitter on May 29: "This is an old video from April 2021 that is being shared again."

It added that the man shown in the video -- allegedly a drug suspect -- had not been tortured. The post contained an image of a man with his fingernails intact.
Nicaraguan opposition figure Yubrank Suazo -- seen here after release from prison on June 11, 2019 -- has once again been detained, according to a local human rights group (AFP/Maynor Valenzuela) (Maynor Valenzuela)

Nicaraguan opposition leader Yubrank Suazo, who took part in protests against President Daniel Ortega's government in 2018, was violently arrested on Wednesday, a local human rights group said.

Suazo will be held for at least 48 hours in Managua at the notorious El Chipote jail pending an investigation, the Nicaraguan Human Rights Center (CENIDH) said.

CENIDH said Suazo was "kidnapped with violence."

"We condemn this act and demand his immediate release and respect for his personal integrity."

Over the weekend, the 31-year-old claimed police were watching his parents' house -- where he lives -- in the southwestern city of Masaya, as well as a church run by a priest critical of the government.

Suazo is a director of the opposition Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy coalition and took part in the 2018 anti-government protests in Masaya.

The city had declared itself in rebellion against ex-guerrilla Ortega's government as part of massive nationwide street protests.

The government's crackdown on the demonstrations left 355 dead.

Suazo was arrested and only released in June 2019 following negotiations between the government and opposition that led to the liberation of 600 people.

He is "one of the most persecuted" people in the country, Suazo's lawyer Yonarqui Martinez told the Articulo 66 website.

A Nicaraguan NGO campaigning for political prisoners says there are 182 opposition figures detained in the country.

Some 45 opposition figures, including seven presidential hopefuls, were arrested last year ahead of the November elections, in which Ortega benefitted from the lack of credible opposition to win a fourth successive term in office.

They were sentenced this year to up to 13 years in prison for allegedly "undermining" national security.

Ortega accuses his opponents of trying to oust him with help from Washington, which has hit him and his inner circle with sanctions.

jr/mav/gm/bc/des
The crop is seen in a wheat field ahead of annual harvest near Moree

By Naveen Thukral

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Australia is poised for a third year of near-record wheat production in 2022 as good weather boosts planting across its grain belt, easing concerns over tight global inventories.

World wheat supplies have tightened after Russia's invasion of Ukraine earlier this year cut off shipments from one of the top exporting regions, sending grain prices sharply higher and fuelling fears of a global food crisis.

India's recent move to ban exports and adverse weather in the United States have added to concerns over the availability of food grains.

Benchmark Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures prices jumped to an all-time high of $13.64 a bushel in March. The market was trading up 0.4% at $10.45-1/4 a bushel, as of 0307 GMT on Thursday.

Farmers in Australia, which emerged as the world's second largest wheat exporter in 2021/22, have nearly finished this year's wheat planting on about 14.45 million hectares (35.7 million acres), an all-time high, encouraged by red-hot prices and ideal growing conditions, according to estimates from brokerage IKON Commodities.

Last year, wheat was produced on around 14 million hectares, it added.

Graphic: Australia on track for 3rd straight bumper wheat harvest - traders - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/myvmnwylqpr/AustraliaWheatOutlookJune2022.png

EARLY ESTIMATES, EARLY SALES

Even though it is still too early to estimate the full size of 2022-23 crop, which will be harvested at the end of the year, analysts and traders have started forecasting total output of around 30-35 million tonnes, not far from the record 2021-22 harvest of more than 36 million tonnes.

"Are we looking at a crop of above 30 million tonnes for a third year in a row? I think we have a good shot at it," said Phin Ziebell, agribusiness economist at National Australia Bank in Melbourne.

"Farmers have good cash positions and the weather is really working for them."

Story continues

In the past 10 years, the country's wheat output averaged 24.8 million tonnes annually, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).

While wet conditions have aided planting on the country's east coast, known for its high-protein hard wheat, timely rains in Western Australia have also lifted sowing.

Graphic: Australia wheat planted area, yield and output by state - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/movanzzlypa/AustWheatMapsJune2022.png

Global wheat production, however, is estimated to decline to 774.83 million tonnes in 2022-23, from 779.29 million tonnes a year ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows.

Asian buyers are heavily reliant on Australian wheat, with China emerging as the biggest buyer this year, traders said. Indonesia, the world's second largest wheat buyer, Japan and South Korea are other key importers in the region.

Australian farmers have enjoyed all-time high wheat prices this year with record output giving added advantage.

Graphic: Key global wheat prices since 2005 - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/znpneookqvl/WorldWheatPricesJune2022.png

Australian Premium White (APW) was quoted at $440 a tonne, Free on Board, Western Australia, this week, slightly below a record price of $460 a tonne a few weeks ago.

Importers are looking at striking deals earlier than usual for the crop which will be ready for harvest in November, traders said.

"We expect business to start earlier than usual (in) August-September time," said one Singapore-based trader.

(Reporting by Naveen Thukral; Editing by Kim Coghill)
Sanjay Shah was arrested in Dubai over tax fraud allegations (AP)

A British man has been arrested in Dubai over a 1.3 billion tax fraud case.

The suspect, identified as Sanjay Shah, is wanted in Denmark over allegations of financial fraud.

We will push for an extradition as soon as possible, Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said in a tweet on Friday.

In a statement, Dubai police Brig Gen Jamal Al Jallaf said the emirate had received an international arrest warrant from Denmark for Shah.

Mr Al Jallaf said the Briton, 52, was accused of fraud that saw foreign businesses pretend to own shares in Danish companies and claim tax refunds for which they were not eligible. Shah has maintained his innocence while living in Dubai over the last few years.

The fraud scheme, known as cum-ex trading, involved submitting thousands of applications to the Danish Treasury on behalf of investors and companies from several countries around the world in order to receive dividend tax refunds, he said.

Denmarks justice and foreign ministries said the countrys prosecutors had been pursuing Shah since 2015.

The Danish Treasury has been cheated for a staggering amount, and of course it should not be possible for suspected perpetrators to hide in the Middle East and thus avoid being held accountable in a Danish courtroom, Justice Minister Mattias Tesfaye said.

Now I am awaiting the legal process in the United Arab Emirates, and crossing my fingers that it will end up that we can get Sanjay Shah on a plane to Denmark, so he can be prosecuted in this country.

Danish broadcaster DR reported that a judge will soon decide whether Mr Shah can be given to Danish authorities.

It is not immediately clear whether Shah has a local lawyer, and no court date for an extradition hearing has been set.

The Standard has attempted to contact Mr Shah for comment.
Finnish, Swedish NATO bids hinge on response to Turkey, says Erdogan aide FILE PHOTO: Ibrahim Kalin, Turkish President Erdogan's spokesman and chief foreign policy adviser, meets with Swedish delegation in Ankara

ANKARA (Reuters) - Progress on Finland and Sweden's NATO membership bids ahead of a NATO summit in Madrid this month depends on their response to Turkey's demands, a spokesman for President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.

Stockholm and Helsinki applied to join the Western defence alliance last month in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but they have faced opposition from Turkey, which has accused them of supporting and harbouring Kurdish militants and other groups it deems terrorists.

While Sweden and Finland have said talks with Turkey would continue to resolve the dispute, Erdogan said on Wednesday that Ankara had not received any proposals on its demands, which include stopping support for groups Turkey considers terrorists, extraditing suspects sought by Turkey, and lifting arms embargoes on Ankara.

Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogan's spokesman and chief foreign policy adviser, told Spain's El Pais daily that how Finland and Sweden respond to Turkey's demands would determine whether progress can be made ahead of a NATO summit in Madrid on June 29-30.

"It depends on what Sweden and Finland do," he said. "When we see progress on our requests, then the process will advance. NATO is not a tourism, nor economic alliance; it is a security alliance, which means that it must provide security to all its members equally and fairly."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said during a visit to Washington this week that he would convene senior officials from Finland, Sweden and Turkey in Brussels in coming days to discuss the issue.

A bid to join NATO requires backing from each of its 30 members. Turkey, which has been a NATO ally for over 70 years, has said it will not change its position unless the Nordic countries take "concrete steps" about its concerns.

(Reporting by Orhan Coskun and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Daren Butler and Nick Macfie)
Brazil's Boianovsky Takes Down MILLIONS Online KO Main Event

June 02 2022 Matthew Pitt Editor

The partypoker MILLIONS Online KO Edition came to a thrilling conclusion this week with the crowning of the series' Main Event champion. partypoker decided to run a progressive knockout festival under its popular MILLIONS Online banner and it proved to be a hit with the sites players. Felipe Boianovsky is one player who is certainly a fan of the format, as would you be had you won the Main Event for $150,163.

MILLIONS Online KO Main Event Final Table Results

Place Player Country Bounties Prize Total prize 1 Felipe Boianovsky Brazil $70,255 $79,908 $150,163 2 Ignas Vaitulionis Ireland $9,417 $79,782 $89,199 3 Christopher Frank Austria $17,689 $52,727 $70,416 4 Akesli Paalanen Finland $14,539 $34,098 $48,637 5 Patrick Leonard United Kingdom $17,953 $23,187 $41,140 6 Matthias Lipp Malta $6,437 $17,806 $24,243 7 Patrick Hyllegaard Denmark $7,656 $13,064 $20,690 8 Boris Angelov Bulgaria $2,375 $10,306 $12,681

A bumper crowd of 1,249 entrants created a $1,249,000 prize pool, smashing the $1 million guarantee. Half that princely sum went onto the heads of each player, with the remaining 50% shared among the top 185 finishers who had made it to Day 2.

Yuri Dzivielevski

Dozens of household names reached Day 2 but failed in their quest to find a seat at the eight-handed final table. They included Andrew Hulme, Joakim Andersson, Thomas Muehloecker, Dimitar Danchev, Samuel Vousden, Anton Wigg, Yuri Dzivielevski, Gianluca Speranza, Jaime Staples, and David Yan.

The eight-handed final table initially progressed at a lightning pace, with short-stack Boris Angelov running his pocket kings into the aces of Christopher Frank. Denmark's Patrick Hyllegaard followed suit when he committed his last 14 big blinds with a pair of nines in the hole only to run into the pocket jacks of Boianovsky. Surprisingly, that was Boianovsky's first bounty of the tournament!

Team partypoker's Patrick Leonard added the bounty of Matthias Lipp to his collection in a relative cooler of a hand. Leonard raise-called with ace-king after Lipp three-bet all-in with the dominated ace-queen.

Patrick Leonard

The final five became four when Leonard bowed out at the hands of Boianovsky. Leonard three-bet Boianovsky's 17,500,000 opening raise to 45,000,000 before calling off the 181,326,294 chips he had behind. Boianovsky looked in big trouble, his pocket deuces trailing Leonard's superior jacks. However, the hot-running Brazilian spiked a set on the flop and Leonard could not find a miracle two outer on the turn or river.

That hand put the ball firmly in Boianovsky's court and he went into the heads-up battle with Ignas Vitulionis with a three-to-one chip lead after Akseli Paalanen busted in fourth and Boianovsky eliminated Frank in third. Frank made a bizarre  the words of the partypoker Twitch commentary team, not ours  call for his stack with ace-king on a ten-eight-jack-seven-eight rainbow board only to be shown a straight by Boianovsky.

The tournament was Boianovsky's to lose but he did not do that because the final hand saw him jam with queen-six of diamonds, and Vitulionis call off his last 13 big blinds with pocket tens. A queen on the flop and a six on the river were more than enough to bust Vitulionis in second place, a finish worth $89,199, and crown Boianovsky the MILLIONS Online KO Edition Main Event champion.

partypoker Heads to Barcelona

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(Bloomberg) -- Hungarys obstinate approach toward negotiating sanctions against Russia are undermining European Union unity and weakening the blocs position on the world stage, a senior Czech official said.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Czech Minister for European Affairs Mikulas Bek said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbans stonewalling against efforts to pass a sixth package of EU sanctions this week, including an embargo on most Russian oil, had increasingly left Budapest isolated among Western powers, even if he eventually relented.

Read more: EU Approves Partial Russian Oil Ban, Sanctions on Sberbank

By contrast, tensions have eased between the EU and Poland, another eastern member that, like Hungary, has repeatedly engaged in dust-ups with Brussels over issues ranging from immigration to the rule of law. Since winning a fourth consecutive term in last months elections, Orban has not dropped his combative approach, Bek said.

Unlike in Polands case, there is a clear negative shift in attitude to the bloc, and its a conscious choice of the Hungarian government, Bek said in an interview on Thursday. Its a very risky approach.

Read more: EU Backs Polands 35.4 Billion-Euro Pandemic Recovery Plan

EU leaders appeared to reach a consensus on sanctions on Monday after giving in to Orbans demand for an exemption and guarantees on purchasing Russian oil. But the package hit another hurdle on Wednesday, when Budapest returned with more objections, to the frustration of member states who thought a deal had been reached.

The new requests included removing Patriarch Kirill, who heads the Russian Orthodox Church and has been a vocal supporter of President Vladimir Putin and his war in Ukraine, from the proposed list of sanctioned individuals.

Story continues

There is a clear dissonance coming from Hungary, and that is definitely perceived outside of the bloc, Bek said. Its ultimately making Moscow happy.

The approach could backfire for Orban by strengthening calls from within the EU to abandon the need for unanimous agreement on certain measures, he said. While the debate shouldnt be black and white, Hungary may actually induce demands for more radical changes in the process that could eventually reduce its influence further, he said.

The Czechs will assume the blocs rotating presidency in July, and they plan to prioritize Ukraines bid to become a candidate for EU entry.

Prague welcomes French President Emmanuel Macrons proposal to create a wider European political community, as long as it doesnt hamper the efforts of Ukraine and other membership hopefuls to join.

Were aware that EU enlargement and the effectiveness of the decision-making processes are two sides of the same coin as some states see that as an obstacle for adding new members, he said. Were ready for compromises in that respect.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
Russia may be in Ukraine to stay after 100 days of war

When Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in late February, the Russian president vowed his forces would not occupy the neighboring country. But as the invasion reached its 100th day on Friday, Russia seemed increasingly unlikely to relinquish the territory it has taken in the war. The ruble is now an official currency in the southern Kherson region. Residents there and in Russia-controlled parts of a neighboring region are getting offered Russian passports. The Kremlin-installed administrations in both regions have talked about plans to become part of Russia. In a video marking the first 100 days of fighting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that his country would not submit easily to Russian control.

Ex-Trump aide Navarro indicted; Meadows won't be charged

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Justice Department has declined to charge former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and another aide to former President Donald Trump, Dan Scavino, for contempt of Congress for their defiance of subpoenas in the Jan. 6 congressional investigation. Thats according to a person familiar with a letter sent by the Justice Department to a lawyer for the House of Representatives on Friday. The action came the same day the Justice Department said a grand jury had indicted Peter Navarro, a trade adviser in the Trump White House, for his refusal to cooperate with the committees investigation. The New York Times first reported the decision not to prosecute Meadows and Scavino.

McCormick concedes to Oz in Pennsylvania GOP Senate primary

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Former hedge fund CEO David McCormick is conceding the Republican primary in Pennsylvania for U.S. Senate to celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz. McCormick ended his campaign Friday night as he acknowledged an ongoing statewide recount wouldnt give him enough votes to make up the deficit. Before the recount, Oz led McCormick by 972 votes out of 1.34 million votes counted in the May 17 primary. The Associated Press will not declare a winner in the race until the recount is complete. Fridays development sets up a general election between Oz, who was endorsed by Donald Trump, and Democrat John Fetterman in what is expected to be one of the nations premier Senate contests.

What did police know as the Uvalde school shooting unfolded?

As investigators dig deeper into the law enforcement response to the deadly school shooting, in Uvalde, Texas, a host of disturbing questions remain about what officers on the scene knew as the attack was unfolding. Did they know children were trapped in a classroom with the gunman? Was that potentially critical information relayed to the incident commander on the scene? And did officers challenge the commanders decision not to promptly storm the classroom?

100 speeches in 100 days of war: Zelenskyy rallies Ukraine

When Russia invaded Ukraine, no one knew how Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would respond. The 44-year-old who had catapulted himself from the world of entertainment into his nation's presidency now faced an invasion by Russias giant army. His response has turned out to be forceful  and compellingly public  in leading his country's unexpectedly fierce resistance. Every night, he rallies Ukrainians to the fight with a video address on social media. There have been 100 so far  one for each day of the war  nightly reminders that he has not fled and that Ukraine has indeed survived.

Deadly secret: Electronic warfare shapes Russia-Ukraine war

KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Electronic warfare is a vital, mostly invisible element in Russias war on Ukraine. The Kremlin barely tapped its advantage in the domain early in the war. But that edge could be more decisive now that fighting is raging on a more static front in the eastern Donbas region. Shorter, more secure supply lines favor Russias ability to deploy electronic war units, which use jamming and other technologies to outwit the enemy. The Ukrainians report intense Russian jamming in the region but have scored some successes including the seizure of important pieces of hardware and destruction of at least two multi-vehicle mobile electronic warfare units.

Firm proposes Taser-armed drones to stop school shootings

Taser developer Axon said this week it is working to build drones armed with the electric stunning weapons that could fly into schools and help prevent the next Uvalde, Sandy Hook, or Columbine. But its own group of technology advisers quickly panned the idea as a dangerous fantasy. The publicly traded company, which sells Tasers and police body cameras, floated the idea of a new police drone product last year to its artificial intelligence ethics board, a group of well-respected experts in technology, policing and privacy. Some of them expressed reservations. But they did not expect Axons Thursday announcement that it wants to send those Taser-equipped drones into classrooms.

Sky high: Carbon dioxide levels in air spike past milestone

A federal science agency says that levels of the main global warming gas have shot past a key milestone. Friday's announcement by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in May averaged 421 parts per million. That's more than 50% higher than pre-industrial levels. NOAA says carbon dioxide levels in the air in May have reached a point last known when Earth was 7 degrees hotter, millions of years ago. Carbon dioxide levels peak in May of the year and drop as plants suck up more of the heat-trapping gas.

Depp-Heard trial: Advocates fear chilling effect on accusers

Some advocates and experts fear that the verdict in the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard case will have a chilling effect on women coming forward with abuse claims. Jurors sided largely with Depp in the civil libel trial, awarding him $10 million and his ex-wife $2 million. They didn't rule on any abuse charges. Still, some have concerns about the assumptions people may now make that women are lying. Others say abusers may be newly emboldened to paint accusers as liars in retaliation for them coming forward. Experts and others cite the social media campaign waged against Heard as well as the verdict for their fears. But others say cases will go forward on their own merits, and hope truth can prevail despite the recent high-profile trial.

Rangers beat Lightning 3-2 in Game 2 for 2-0 series lead

NEW YORK (AP)  Mika Zibanejad scored in the third period, Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 shots and the New York Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 to take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals. KAndre Miller and Kaapo Kakko also scored, and Adam Fox and Chris Kreider each had two assists for the Rangers. New York won its eighth straight home game, extending a franchise playoff record. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist for Tampa Bay, Nicholas Paul also scored, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves. The Lightning have lost consecutive playoff games for the first time in the last three postseasons. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions were 17-0 after a loss coming in. Game 3 is Sunday in Tampa, Florida.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
CEDAR FALLS  Wearing orange to bring gun violence to the forefront of the conversation  thats what several Columbus High School alums did Thursday.

The social group was reacting to the mass murders in Buffalo, Uvalde and now Tulsa. The classmates, all 1966 graduates, were also upset about Gov. Kim Reynolds signing a bill allowing for a special deer hunting season for those who own AR-15s. They had decided enough was enough.

Six of their 10 members used the time together to peacefully protest at the Whiskey Road Tavern & Grill while having lunch.

I kind of lost it. I was sad and angry, and we just had to do something, said Linda Lynch, of Lake City. There is no reason to own an AR-15.

They typically meet for food and fellowship at least once per year. During the pandemic, it was twice per year over Zoom.

Their Thursday gathering happened to come right before Wear Orange weekend, in honor of Hadiya Pendleton. The 15-year-old was shot and killed on a playground in Chicago one week after marching in former President Barack Obamas second inaugural parade, according to online accounts.

This years Wear Orange weekend comes a few days after Wednesdays mass shooting at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, hospital where four people were killed. It also follows the death of 19 children and two teachers in a mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and the killing of 10 Black people in a Buffalo, New York, grocery store by a white supremacist, both last month.

WATCH NOW: Leaders call for community action to counter gun violence We are not going to arrest our way out of it, Waterloo Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald said.

I think people are afraid to talk about this stuff, Lynch said. Gun violence has become normalized, and weve become numb to it.

She urged people to be outrageously courageous to affect change.

Terry Halbmaier, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, wore a No more silence. End gun violence T-shirt. She contended 90% of people are actually against AR-15s being in the hands of everyday citizens.

We need to stand up and make ourselves known, she said.

The classmates  who now are 74 years old and live in different parts of Iowa, Minnesota and Indiana  discussed changes theyd like to see happen.

The most extreme would be outlawing these guns of war from being in the hands of average citizens.

They recognize thats unlikely to happen because of politicians who are claiming to make small changes to advance gun control in Washington when, in reality, theyre are acting on behalf of their constituents who use deer hunting as an excuse to own military-style weapons.

UPDATE WITH NAME: Man shot in the neck at lemonade stand, one of two shot overnight The shooting at a childrens lemonade stand late Monday in Waterloo is one of the two latest gun violence incidents in a string of shootings during the Memorial Day weekend.

I dont want kids to think school is a scary place, Halbmaier said. But making it an armed fortress is not the answer either, nor is blaming it on mental illness.

Get your legislator on speed dial, the classmates advised, and go to a rally. Or when Everytown for Gun Safety asks you to send their messaging to five people, send it to 15.

The women had a couple ideas for what theyll be calling to discuss with their representatives in Congress: Get rid of bump stocks. Increase the legal age for buying an automatic weapon to at least 21 years old. Implement Red Flag laws. Bring about background checks. Come up with a universal database.

We need prayers, but I think were going to need a lot more than that, said Linda Kelley, of Cedar Falls.

June 3 is National Gun Violence Awareness Day.

Gun violence is ever prevalent in the Cedar Valley, as well.

Just this past week, Anthony Jacobs, 27, was shot and killed in Waterloo. A week prior, Ana Hellia Berinobic-McLemore, 26, was found shot to death in a car, also in Waterloo.

Two others were hurt this past week in shootings.

On Wednesday, community leaders called for action to counter the recent gun violence in the area. Law enforcement officials said, since the beginning of the year, theyve arrested at least 52 people on gun charges.

Waterloo Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald said the violence wont be solved with arrests. The former chief and a current Black Hawk County Supervisor, Dan Trelka, echoed Fitzgeralds sentiments.

Were in a society today where not enough people are speaking up, Trelka said. Were seeing that in our local violence. Were seeing that violence across the country. There are clues. There is a behavior that these individuals are exhibiting.

Trelka suggested that the key to stopping these tragedies is identifying the would-be shooters before they kill or injure someone instead of making anything illegal. In the case of the Robb Elementary shooter in Uvalde, Texas, he said the shooter was breaking other laws, as well  such as driving illegally, having a weapon on school grounds, and shooting his grandmother.

The right people just need to be made aware of this behavior so we can try to prevent these tragedies, Trelka said.

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AMES  A Boone man who killed two women outside an Ames church and then turned the gun on himself had been awaiting trial in a sexual assault case in Cedar Falls.

The Story County Sheriffs Office said Johnathan Lee Whitlatch, 33, was behind the fatal shooting at Cornerstone Church in Ames on Thursday night.

The shooting claimed the lives of 22-year-old Eden Mariah Montang and 21-year-old Vivian Renee Flores, both students at Iowa State University, according to the sheriffs office. Whitlatch then killed himself.

This shooting is the result of a domestic situation between the shooter and Eden Montang, Story County Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald said. He said they had recently ended a relationship.

Court records show Whitlatch was scheduled to go to trial in July in Black Hawk County on a charge of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse stemming from an incident at a Cedar Falls nightclub.

Authorities allege Whitlatch was at Derringers Public Parlor on Main Street on Oct. 23 when he twice put his hand down a womans pants and attempted to penetrate her vagina.

Surveillance video of the incident showed Whitlatch put his hand down the womans pants once around 7:38 p.m. She stepped away, and he pulled her back, and he allegedly put his hand in her pants at about 7:44 p.m., according to court records. She tapped his leg and again stepped away, records state.

In an interview with police, Whitlatch told police he didnt remember much of the night because he had been drinking, records state.

As part of the arrest, the court entered a restraining order barring him from contacting the victim, but the order didnt prohibit him from possessing firearms, records show.

Deposition interviews in the case were scheduled to start later this month.

The victim in the Cedar Falls sexual abuse case wasnt one of the shooting victims.

Deputies said Whitlatch was more recently arrested May 31 on charges of impersonating a public official and harassment in connection with an incident in Ames involving Montang.

He had posted bond and had a June 10 court appearance pending in that case. Further details of the Ames incident werent available.

Thursday nights shooting occurred as the women were arriving at the church for a Bible study program geared for high school and college students, deputies said. Whitlatch approached them and opened fire with a 9 mm Smith and Wesson pistol.

Fitzgerald, a former Waterloo police officer, said there was no indication Whitlatch had attempted to enter the church, and he killed himself before authorities arrived on the scene. He said investigators obtained a receipt showing he purchased 9 mm ammo shortly before the shooting. Detectives also found an AR-15 rifle at his home, which authorities said had no role in the shooting.







Photos: Missing children in Iowa

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WATERLOO  An armored truck driver has been sentenced to probation for stealing money while on his rounds.

Jeremy Keith Aschbrenner, 35, of Hazleton, pleaded guilty to first-degree theft during a hearing Thursday in Black Hawk County District Court in Waterloo.

He was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison suspended to two to five years of probation. Fines and surcharges in the case were also suspended.

Judge Melissa Anderson-Seeber said the sentence was appropriate because it allowed Aschbrenner to find employment and pay restitution.

Court records indicate he took around $35,000 in cash.

Aschbrenner had been a driver for Rochester Armored Car in Waterloo in the fall of 2021 when he allegedly took cash while filling an ATM at Wells Fargo Bank on Kimball Avenue, records state.

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IOWA CITY  University of Northern Iowa President Mark Nooks salary is staying the same for the next year, but his future earnings will grow after the Board of Regents enacted a new agreement with him Thursday.

Nooks annual base pay will remain at $357,110 for the fiscal year starting July 1. The two-year deferred compensation agreement approved by the board will pay him $100,000 in 2024.

That is in addition to his existing deferred compensation agreement  which runs through 2025, paying him $100,000 a year, although he forfeited half that for both last year and for this year due to pandemic-related budgetary challenges. His total payout in 2025 will be $625,000.

The regents announced compensation for institutional heads near the end of their three-day meeeting at the University of Iowa following performance evaluations held in private earlier this week.

Both University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson and Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen are getting 8.3% pay raises this summer  bumping up their annual base pay from $600,000 to $650,000.

Wilsons raise comes one year after she began last July as the UI president.

On top of the deferred compensation agreement Wilson signed at the time paying out $2 million in 2026  a result of $400,000 annual contributions for five years  the board Thursday announced an additional deferred compensation deal paying Wilson another $200,000 in 2026.

Wintersteen this week also received a new deferred compensation plan beginning July 1, paying her $80,000 in June 2024.

That is on top of her existing deferred compensation deal contributing $300,000 annually through June 2023, with an eventual payout of $733,333. She already received a $475,000 payout from her first deferred compensation plan in 2020.

Wintersteen, as part of a deeper across-campus budget reductions for fiscal 2021, said she was taking a 10% salary cut, worth $59,000 at the time, for that year.

State lawmakers last month agreed to increase the public university appropriations by $6.2 million in the upcoming budget year starting July 1  just a fraction of the $22.1 million increase the regents had requested.

Of the Legislatures $6.2 million increase, $5.5 million has been designated for general university appropriations to be split between UI, ISU and UNI.

All three of the campuses saw slight increases in their revenue budgets from fiscal 2021 to the current 2022 budget year, which ends June 30. For ISU and UI, that increase can be tied to more tuition revenue. Although total enrollment has been falling across all three campuses since fall 2017, tuition rates have enabled them to collect more student income.

In addition to the presidential compensation changes, the board Thursday agreed to pay its Executive Director Mark Braun a $50,000 retention incentive on July 1 plus another $50,000 in July 2023 so long as he stays employed with the regents.

The board created a new deferred compensation plan for Braun, contributing $130,000 annually through June 2024  with a $260,000 payout. Braun already has in place a deferred-compensation plan paying him $210,000 in 2023.

His contract, which runs through 2024, spells out a complex compensation matrix. Thats due to an Iowa law capping his positions pay at $154,300 a year. The state employee database shows Braun made $349,930 in the 2021 budget year.

In announcing the new pay raises, regents President Michael Richards said, We like the team.

We want to continue with the same leadership team and want to keep a steady course as we go forward, he said.

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WATERLOO -- Northeast Iowa Food Bank is partnering with 14 sites, with help from community partners, to provide a variety of breakfast, lunch and snack options for children in northeast Iowa who are at risk of going hungry when school is out.

Meals and/or snacks will be provided at the following sites at a first come/ first serve basis. These are open sites; no enrollment is needed:

YWCA, 425 Lafayette St., Waterloo, 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and noon to 12:30 p.m. Monday through June 10.

Kingsley Elementary School, 201 Sunset Road, Waterloo, 8:30 to 9 a.m., noon to 12:30 p.m. and 3 to 3:30 p.m., Monday through June 10.

Orchard Hill Church, 3900 Orchard Hill Drive, Cedar Falls, 8 to 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 2:30 to 3 p.m., Monday through June 10 and Aug. 15-19.

Orange Elementary School, 5805 Kimball Ave., Waterloo, 8:30 to 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to noon and 2:30 to 3 p.m., Monday through June 24.

The food bank is also partnering with four locations to provide afternoon snacks. These are open sites; no enrollment is needed:

Boys and Girls Club: 515 Lime St., Waterloo, 4 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Aug. 12

Boys and Girls Club Teen & Education Center. 803 E. Fourth St., Waterloo, 4 to 4:30 p.m. June 13-Aug. 12.

Evansdale Boys and Girls Club, 3574 Lafayette St., 4 to 4:30 p.m. June 13- Aug. 12.

The following are closed sites; enrollment is needed:

YMCA, 669 S. Hackett Road, Waterloo, 8 to 8:30 a.m. 11 to 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 to 3 p.m., Monday through June 10 and Aug. 15-19.

Young Parents Together, 1605 Lafayette St., Waterloo, 4 to 5 p.m. Mondays only, Monday through Aug. 19.

Salvation Army, 89 Franklin St., Waterloo, 3 to 4 p.m. June 13 to Aug. 19.

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AMES  A man who fatally shot two women before killing himself in the parking lot of an Ames church had been romantically involved with one of the women and faced a court hearing next week on a charge of harassing her, investigators said Friday.

Johnathan Lee Whitlatch, 33, of Boone, pulled up in a pickup truck to 22-year-old Eden Montang, 21-year-old Vivian Flores and another woman just before 7 p.m. Thursday outside Cornerstone Church on the outskirts of Ames and began shooting with a 9 mm handgun, they said.

Montang and Flores were killed, Story County Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald said, and Whitlatch shot himself. The women were friends and students at Iowa State University who were walking together to the church for a weekly service that is popular with university and high school students, the sheriff said.

Whitlatch and Montang had recently broken up, Fitzgerald said, and investigators believe Whitlachs intent was to kill her.

He was there for a specific purpose, which he accomplished, the sheriff said.

About 80 other students were inside the megachurch at the time, Fitzgerald said. The church is near Interstate 35, about 30 miles north of Des Moines.

Our hearts break for all involved, and we are praying for everyone affected, especially the family of the victims, the church said in the statement. The church held a prayer service for the victims Friday morning.

Whitlatch  who had a long history with law enforcement involving women  was arrested May 31 on counts of harassment and impersonating a police officer.

Details of the allegations against Whitlatch werent immediately available, Story County Capt. Nicholas Lennie said. Whitlatch was released on bond the same day he was arrested, Lennie said, and had been scheduled to appear in court June 10.

A search of Whitlatchs truck following the shooting turned up ammunition and a receipt showing he bought the ammunition an hour before the shooting, Fitzgerald said. A search warrant executed at Whitlatchs home also turned up an AR-15-style rifle, which was not used in the shooting.

The shooting follows several mass shootings in the U.S. in recent weeks that have roiled the nation. Those include last weeks shooting by an 18-year-old gunman who killed 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and an attack Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a gunman killed his surgeon and three other people at a medical office. On May 14 in Buffalo, New York, a white man carried out what officials say was a racist attack on a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood, killing 10 people.

Court records show that Whitlatch was arrested in November on a charge of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse and had been set to go to trial next month. Police said security camera footage shows him twice forcing his hand down a womans pants at a Cedar Falls bar.

In 2017, a judge approved a temporary restraining order against Whitlatch after another woman in southeastern Iowa accused him of domestic abuse, but the order was lifted a month later.

Last week, a judge ordered the state to start garnishing Whitlatchs wages to pay child support to a woman with whom he had fathered a child. Whitlatch also had a previous child custody dispute with a different woman, according to court records, and got divorced from yet another woman in 2014.

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DES MOINES  In a final push ahead of Tuesdays primary election, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mike Franken has scheduled 10 campaign events over a four-day, literal river-to-river tour of Iowa this weekend.

Franken, a U.S. Navy veteran from Sioux City, is one of three Democrats running for the U.S. Senate in Iowa.

The other Democratic candidates are former U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer of Cedar Rapids and Minden physician Glenn Hurst.

Iowas primary Election Day is Tuesday. Early voting is underway and runs through Monday.

Frankens planned stops are Sioux City today; Fort Dodge, Mason City, Waterloo and Cedar Rapids on Saturday; Dubuque, Davenport, Iowa City and Des Moines on Sunday; and Council Bluffs on Monday.

Franken, Finkenauer and Hurst are seeking their partys nomination to run in this falls general election, likely against Republican and longtime U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley. Grassley also faces a primary challenge, from Sioux City attorney and state legislator Jim Carlin.

ANTI-ABORTION GROUP ENDORSES BIRD: Brenna Bird, the Republican candidate for Iowa attorney general, was endorsed by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, a political organization that advocates for candidates who support policies that restrict abortions.

Bird, a former chief counsel to former Gov. Terry Branstad, is challenging incumbent Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat and the longest-serving state attorney general in U.S. history, in the Nov. 8 general election.

Brenna Bird has the courage to stand up to the abortion lobby and overreach from Washington and fight for Iowans, born and unborn, Marilyn Musgrave, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life Americas vice president of government affairs, said in a news release. Four decades of pro-abortion Democrat control of this key office are enough  Iowans deserve an attorney general they can count on to champion their will.

VINTON CANDIDATE ENDORSED: Six Benton County Republican officeholders have endorsed Colman Silbernagel of Vinton for the Republican nomination in the Iowa Senate 42 primary.

Silbernagel, who is in a three-way race in the 42nd District Republican primary, announced he has been endorsed by Benton Countys elected Republicans: Sheriff Ron Tippett, Treasurer Melinda Schoettmer, Recorder Lexa Speidel, and Supervisors Rick Primmer, Tracy Seeman and Gary Bierschenk.

The other Republicans running in the 42nd District primary are Justin Wasson of Cedar Rapids and Iowa Rep. Charlie McClintock of Alburnett. The winner will face Democrat Jessica Wiskus of Lisbon.

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SCIENCE GROUP ENDORSES FRANKEN: 314 Action Fund, which works to elect more people with STEM backgrounds to public office, has endorsed Mike Franken in Iowas U.S. Senate campaign.

Franken is a U.S. Navy veteran from Sioux City, and one of three Democrats running for the U.S. Senate in Iowa.

Engineers are trained to solve problems, and with so much on the line for Iowans  reproductive rights, climate change and the future of programs like Social Security and the Affordable Care Act  voters will look for a proven problem solver like Admiral Michael Franken in November when they enter the ballot box, 314 Action president Shaughnessy Naughton said in a news release.

Admiral Franken has the experience and discipline necessary to cut through the partisan noise in Washington and lead using evidence-based policy on Day 1.

The other Democrats in the June 7 primary are former U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer of Cedar Rapids and Minden physician Glenn Hurst.

The incumbent is Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley. He is being challenged in the primary by Sioux City attorney and state legislator Jim Carlin.

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Briefing by Russian Defence Ministry

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation in Ukraine.

High-precision air-based missiles of the Russian Aerospace Forces have hit 21 areas of concentration of AFU manpower and military equipment during the day.

Operational-tactical, army and unmanned aviation have hit 37 areas of Ukrainian manpower and military equipment concentration.

The attacks have resulted in the elimination of more than 360 nationalists and 49 weapons and military equipment including 1 detection and airspace control radar station in Slavyansk, Donetsk Peoples Republic.

Also 13 Ukrainian tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, 1 Osa-AKM anti-aircraft missile system have been destroyed near Bakhmut, as well as 2 mortar batteries, 2 Grad multiple rocket launchers, 8 artillery mounts, 26 special vehicles, and 4 missile and artillery weapon depots near Soledar, Dzerzhinsk, Yakovlevka and Bakhmut.

Russian air defence means have shot down 3 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near Ryasnaya, Krutaya Balka, Donetsk Peoples Republic and Dmitrovka, Kharkov Region overnight. 3 Uragan multiple-launch rockets have been also intercepted over Petropolie, Kamenka, Kharkov Region, and Novoselovka Vtoraya, Donetsk Peoples Republic.

Missile troops and artillery have hit 26 command posts, 122 AFU artillery and mortar batteries at firing positions, 537 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration, as well as 5 ammunition depots. 1 AFU unmanned aerial vehicle control post near Pervomaiskoe in Nikolaev Region has been destroyed.

In total, 186 Ukrainian aircraft and 129 helicopters, 1,087 unmanned aerial vehicles, 328 anti-aircraft missile systems, 3,386 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 462 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,760 field artillery and mortars, as well as 3,376 units of special military vehicles were destroyed during the operation.

Against the backdrop of Kievs political catastrophe in Mariupol and military failures in Donbass, the Kiev regime, with British financial support, has organised the production of morale raise videos for Western and Ukrainian audiences.

In particular, on May 28, staged video was filmed near Meshkovka, Nikolaev Region, of the alleged high efficiency of the use of Western weaponry by Ukrainian nationalists.

To add more drama to the future film, at the insistence of British supervisors, a re-enactment of never-existing battle between Ukrainian Nazis and outnumbered Russian soldiers was created on the set.

The roles of opponents of the Ukrainian Nazis in the staged short film were performed by members of the local territorial defence unit wearing red armbands.

In the absence of trophy Russian equipment, the mock enemy appears in the frame using Ukrainian APCs and armoured vehicles.

The next video shoot is scheduled for June 5 and 6. The videos will focus on staged testimonies of ordinary Ukrainians accusing Russia of allegedly deliberately shelling civilian populated areas.

#MoD #Russia #Ukraine #Briefing

@mod_russia_Enjoy

Now we have top-notch Hollywood style videos from Ukraine. Fake it if you cant do anything else

Against the backdrop of Kievs political catastrophe in Mariupol and military failures in Donbass, the Kiev regime, with British financial support, has organised the production of morale raise videos for Western and Ukrainian audiences.

In particular, on May 28, staged video was filmed near Meshkovka, Nikolaev Region, of the alleged high efficiency of the use of Western weaponry by Ukrainian nationalists.

To add more drama to the future film, at the insistence of British supervisors, a re-enactment of never-existing battle between Ukrainian Nazis and outnumbered Russian soldiers was created on the set.

The roles of opponents of the Ukrainian Nazis in the staged short film were performed by members of the local territorial defence unit wearing red armbands.

In the absence of trophy Russian equipment, the mock enemy appears in the frame using Ukrainian APCs and armoured vehicles.

The next video shoot is scheduled for June 5 and 6.

Another All-Star cast and video below

#MoD #Russia #Ukraine #Briefing

@mod_russia_enjoy

WtR
The idea you should look at is, Something Evil is at Play!

Few in the EU/USA object to anything being done to them. Like they are in another world. I call it Zombified, for lack of a better word, or a word that is nicer to say. People in the EU will wake up quickly or freeze to their own demise in the coming winter.

In the US its a different route of demise- cancelling pipelines, canceling leases, tossing out sanctions left and right, canceling contracts, canceling treaties, shutting down nuclear energy plants  all with the purpose to do as the EU is doing

Yet no one asks why. With all the facts crawling from under all the rocks they had been covered with! Is it now not convenient to see? And we nevertheless ship pallets of cash, weapons and biological death, to an evil country. I guess that makes us evil also? Or maybe more so?

This is going to be a very, very painful lesson, for us peasants!

WtR
Weather Alert

...Heating Up This Week, Then Increasing Winds This Weekend... * Summer's first multi-day period of heat is projected Thursday through Saturday. Highs well into the 90s in Western Nevada and into the 80s for Sierra communities are expected, with potential for some records on Friday. There is a chance of cities such as Reno (15%) and Fallon (50%) of hitting 100 degrees on Friday. Heat health impacts are possible, especially for vulnerable populations and those outdoors for extended periods. Now is a good time to ensure cooling systems are in good working order. For more information, please see the Heat Advisory. * Winds are expected to increase for the upcoming weekend, with Sunday looking to be the windiest day. While not a major wind event, widespread gusts on the order of 30-40 mph are possible Saturday afternoon with gusts 40-50 mph Sunday. This would cause rough water on lakes, tricky travel for high profile vehicles, and increased turbulence for aviation. With dry air expected, these winds could also cause increased concern for rapid fire spread in vegetation that dries out due to the upcoming heat. * The hot temperatures will also result in minor rises on creeks and streams in the Sierra from snowmelt. Slightly higher flows of cold water could impact recreation and camping near streams, however levels will be well short of any flood stages.

...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 8 PM PDT FRIDAY... * WHAT...High temperatures Friday 95 to 100. * WHERE...Lower elevations of Lassen-Eastern Plumas-Eastern Sierra Counties including Susanville, Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden Area and Northern Washoe County around Gerlach. * WHEN...From 10 AM to 8 PM PDT Friday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and sunny skies may cause heat illnesses to occur, especially for those sensitive to heat and outdoors for extended periods of time. Since this is the first heat event of the summer season, many people are not yet acclimatized to heat and may be impacted more than normal. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...These are potentially record setting highs for the date, and unusually early to be so close to 100 degrees. The average first 100 degrees for Reno isn't until July 10th. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Now is the time to prepare and ensure your cooling systems are in good working order. On the day of, drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air- conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. &&
San Francisco sushi lovers most likely know Ju-Ni, the Fulton Street fine omakase restaurant that's been collecting Michelin stars since 2017.

It is there that you may settle in for executive chef Geoffrey Lee's exquisite 14-course, $195 tasting of such delicacies as house cured ikura, sustainable bluefin tuna, and wagyu beef. It is also there that the chef's fresh (and affordable!) new restaurant concept was born from the need to put leftovers to use and feed the hungry staff late night.

Counter seating and a mural by the Apexer inside the Mission's Handroll Project. (Albert Law)

"Over the years at Ju-Ni, we would have extra product after dinner service. We would chop up the fish and make hand rolls for staff meals post-dinner. They were a hit, so we began sharing them with our VIPs at the end of the night," says Lee, who later noticed that folks gravitated to the more casual offering when ordering takeout from the restaurant during the pandemic.

With that, Lee and his partner Tan Troung (Ju-Ni, Hina Yakitori) made the decision to pursue a hand roll restaurant. They opened Handroll Project, a first of its kind in San Francisco, in the former Al's Deli space in the Mission this May.

Handroll Project has taken full advantage of the location's expansive windows to transform the interior into a bright space with white walls, blue accents, and dual gray stone counters lined with wooden bar stools to make up a total of 16 seats. A mural by Bay Area artist The Apexer covers one wall, adding some dimension to the minimalist room. Despite the decor changes inside, the pink trimmed exterior from Al's Deli remains.

The uncomplicated menu features 10 unique hand rolls (three of which are classified as "special") and a modest selection of small plates (albacore tataki, cucumber salad, miso soup, and edamame). Order the hand rolls a la carte or opt for a set of five, seven, or 10; the 10-piece option includes three of those special rolls and is a better deal than ordering each roll individually.

Each hand rollserved one at a time, following the order of the menudelivers its own flavor profile. The experience kicks off with the salmon & sesame, made with ikura and bonito flakes, followed by an elevated version of the tried and true spicy tuna (chef Lee's favorite). Next comes spicy kani (crab) with miso aioli; and the herbaceous and refreshing smoked hamachi made with shiso and Japanese green onion). The chef's poke hand roll on our visit featured a combination of salmon, albacore, and yellowtail belly. Creamy scallop with miso aioli and avocado and toro takuan with pickled radish finished off our seven roll set.

Chef Geoffrey Lee at work. (Albert Law)

The special rolls have earned their title, with the first being a nod to Ju-Ni's signature dish, ikura & ankimosalmon roe topped with grated monkfish liver pate that overflows onto the plate. Of course, there's an A5 wagyu roll (with garlic chips), and the grand finale is the smoked uni & ikura, featuring Hokkaido uni that's cold-smoked with cherry wood chips for a natural hint of sweetness.

The beverage list mirrors the food in that its simple but intentional. GM and beverage manager Alice Lee (Fish & Bird Sousaku Izakaya) put together a selection of two white wines (one sparking), three sakes, and three Japanese beers, including Yoho Nippon Citrus and the rice lager beer Echigo Koshihikari.

Though the hand rolls are quite literally the meat of Handroll Project, don't miss their miso soup, made with a special white miso (saikyo) from Kyoto. Due to the fact that it's sweetened with sake lees (the byproduct from when sake is produced) and koji, it is "typically not used for soup, but rather for desserts or to marinate fish and meat," Lee explained. Regardless of what's typical, it's incredible. Though you can enjoy your soup at the beginning of your meal, it was gently recommended that we have it at the end to warm the belly and aid digestion.



You'll notice Handroll Project's rolls look different from the more recognizable cone-shaped hand rolls. Here a hand roll is more like a taco that can be eaten in three to four bites. Though this feels like a cool, modern approach, there is purpose behind the shape, and it's all about the nori.

Lee became intrigued by the unique hand roll shape after dining at Gonpachi in the Harajuku neighborhood of Tokyo. During that same trip to Japan, his fish supplier for Ju-Ni introduced him to a boutique nori shop at Toyosu market.

"Once I tasted their product I could immediately tell the difference. It was more flavorful, crispier in texture, but thicker. Overall it was more refined than what I was familiar with working within the states. If this nori was rolled into the traditional cone shape hand roll, it would layer upon itself and be too thick to notice its quality."

Handroll Project is already drawing crowds. In lieu of reservations, they use Yelp waitlist, and even that fills up fast. As a balance to the hustle to nab a seat for dinner, this summer they plan to add lunch hours and a takeout menu that will include DIY hand roll kits. Lee explained that he believes Ju-Ni found such great success with their takeout because of the restaurant's proximity to Alamo Square. "Friends would pick up their bowls at Ju-Ni and then enjoy them together in an outdoor setting to socialize during social distancing. We hope to carry that momentum to another notable public park in San Francisco: Dolores Park."

// Handroll Project is open 5pm to 9pm Wednesday through Sunday, 598 Guerrero St (Mission), handrollproject.com.

(Albert Law) A trio of hand rolls.




iStock / Getty Images

En espanol

Gas prices keep setting new highs as the war in Ukraine rages on and demand for fuel continues unabated, begging the question of if and when will prices come down. 



Nobody expects gas to return to the lows seen at the start of the pandemic, but there are some catalysts that could give consumers a little relief at the pump in the coming months. 

It depends on a range of external circumstances, but I believe they will start softening or at least level off in June and July, says Usha Haley, a professor of management at the Barton School of Business at Wichita State University. I dont know which month, as gas prices remain volatile. 

An end to the Ukraine war might do it 

There are several reasons why consumers across the country are paying so much to fill up their vehicles. Russias invasion of Ukraine is a current catalyst. So is a switch on the part of refiners to a costlier summer blend of gasoline, which has lower vapor pressure, helping to prevent the evaporation of gas in the summer sun. Then theres summer travel, which typically kicks off with Memorial Day weekend in the U.S. According to AAA, 80 percent to 90 percent of summer trips are made via motor vehicles. Such demand also drives prices higher. As of today a gallon of regular gas is at $4.76, setting an all-new record high, according to AAA. Some gas experts expect gas to soar above $5 per gallon before coming back down.

But when it comes to what will make gas cheaper, there are several factors that play a role. A big one that is out of consumers control is the war in Ukraine. Already three months in, this has been a major reason why gas is so expensive. Russia isnt a large supplier of crude oil to the U.S., but it is to Europe. The fact that Europe is shunning oil from Russia and seeking it elsewhere is pressuring supply. If the war ended, oil prices  and thus what we pay at the pump  would decline. Theres no question if we woke up one morning and Putin was not in charge anymore, prices would drop precipitously, says Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at OPIS. That has been a catalyst taking prices horribly higher in the last 90 days or so.
Easy Access Travel

Wheelchair user Elissa Fischer, 64, has ataxia, a brain disease that affects her speech, coordination and ability to walk. Nonetheless, the retired Floridian and her husband recently spent eight days exploring Iceland, the Nordic island nation known for its rugged landscape and challenging outdoor adventures. Their itinerary included taking a dip in the countrys famous Blue Lagoon. Fischer couldnt have made such a trip without the help of Iceland Unlimited, a Reykjavik-based travel company that specializes in accessible tours.



Companies like Iceland Unlimited work hard to make travel accessible to people with all types of physical challenges, including those that come with age, such as less stamina and balance problems. They host their own tours to bucket-list destinations, focusing primarily on making travel easier and doable for their clients by carefully vetting hotels, restaurants and attractions to ensure truly accessible accommodations; using accessible vans with lifts to eliminate transportation issues; arranging for wheelchairs, scooters, walkers and other special medical equipment, as needed; securing accessible cabins on cruises, and more.

In addition to their guided tours, some also provide travel agency services, such as booking trips their clients want to take on their own  always focusing on their clients special needs.

Below is more information on Iceland Unlimited, as well as four other accessible-focused companies.

Easy Access Travel

Debra Kerper, a bilateral amputee, found few options when looking for travel experiences she could do given her disability, so she founded Easy Access Travel in 1995. Since then, the Carrollton, Texasbased company has hosted a variety of trips both on land and at sea. Plus, as a travel agency, it helps clients plan and book both domestic and international travel, with Hawaii and New England topping the list for U.S. getaways.

Kerpers philosophy for serving her special client base is simple: Eliminating surprises and informing clients of possible situations remain paramount for successful planning, she says.

Just two of the many ways the company ensures client satisfaction are by using guides in each locale who are accustomed to working with special-needs travelers, and by following routes for various excursions that are specially designed to be easily navigated by wheelchair users. It currently has accessible staterooms set aside for an Alaskan cruise this summer and for a Mediterranean cruise in October, both with Royal Caribbean. Itineraries for 2023 are still in the works; check the site for updates.

EasyAccessTravel.com; 951-202-2208
After finding a 14-year-old at Volcano Vista High School with a gun fitted with an extended magazine full of hollow point bullets last week, an Albuquerque police officer asked for guidance from the state Juvenile Probation-Parole Office on how to proceed.

By that time, the teen had tried multiple times to evade the officer and get into the SUV where his backpack with the gun was inside. A JPPO official called back several minutes later and told the officer the teen was a Level 3 low risk and was not to be arrested.

After being told he wasnt going to jail, the student thanked the officer for not letting him get into the SUV, telling him it would have been bad.

The teen was suspended from the school and released to a guardian after being detained for less than 20 minutes, according to an Albuquerque Police Department incident report. The gun, believed to be a ghost gun without serial numbers, was tagged into evidence.

The incident happened May 24, the same day a gunman walked into an elementary school in West Texas and fatally shot 19 students and two teachers before being killed by authorities.

Also on that day, much closer to home, Rio Rancho police arrested a student found with a gun at Cleveland High School. Rio Rancho police Lt. Jacquelynn Reedy had previously said the student was booked into the Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center but on Thursday declined to comment on the case.

Due to the case being referred to (Juvenile Probation-Parole Office), under childrens code, I am unable to provide you with any further information, she said in an email.

At the time of the Volcano Vista incident, Principal Melissa Sedillo said the student now faces criminal charges.

Authorities said JPPO decided against an arrest and Charlie Moore-Pabst, a Children, Youth and Families Department spokesperson, would not say if the teen is facing charges.

Moore-Pabst said, in cases like this, the agency uses a Risk Assessment Inventory to decide whether to arrest a youth. He said the tool considers a wide variety of circumstances like the level of offense, arrest history and aggravating factors.

It balances those against any mitigating factors, such as the youths alleged level of involvement in the incident, Moore-Pabst said. He said even if the tools objective score indicates that a youth should not be arrested initially, it does not preclude further investigation or a formal charge if the circumstances and evidence warrant it.

According to an Albuquerque Public Schools police report, there have been almost a dozen gun threats among students between March and mid-May.

Lauren Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office, said carrying a gun on school grounds is a fourth-degree felony. APD spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said in most cases the department follows the recommendations of JPPO.

We can arrest and charge a juvenile, however, in accordance with state statute we have to work with the Juvenile Probation Office before a child can be remanded to a facility, she said.

In the Volcano Vista incident, APD followed the JPPOs guidance.

Sometime before 11 a.m. an employee of the high school told APS police a student said that another student had brought a gun to school, according to an incident report. Officers with APS and APD, Principal Sedillo and others combed the parking lot and found three teens hiding in an SUV.

Police said they got the students, two girls and a boy, out of the SUV as school personnel began searching their bags. The officer said the boy left his backpack in the SUV, where he had it between his legs.

The report states a school employee saw a gun sticking out of the bag and mentioned it to officers. The boy then walked toward the SUV, where his backpack was, and the APD officer stopped him.

Police said the boy tried to evade the officer and get into the SUV a few more times before giving in. A school employee grabbed the bag and took the gun out of it, finding it had a 25-round magazine with 20 hollow point bullets loaded into it.

The report states the APD officer called the juvenile district attorney and was referred to a senior JPPO representative, telling her what had occurred to that point. The representative called back and said the teen was a 3, low risk and he was not to be arrested.

Police said the teen grew more and more irate and was slamming his head against the police vehicle plastic divider.

After the decision had been made, I informed (the teen) that he was not going to be transported to jail and he calmed completely after that, the officer wrote.

The teen was released to a guardian and evidence personnel told the officer the gun was possibly a ghost gun with no serial numbers.

It should be noted that  he thanked me for stopping him from getting into the vehicle. He said that it would have been bad,' the officer wrote. I did not ask for clarification as I had not Mirandized him prior. This comment was made sometime after the decision had already been made to release him.
Exactly why a school district with 5,500 fewer students than last year needs a $68 million budget increase has understandably perplexed several Albuquerque Public Schools board members.

The states largest school district has been hemorrhaging students for years, with enrollment dropping by 17% over the last decade as parents vote with their feet. Lower birth rates, an increase in the popularity of charter schools and the pandemic making home schooling a real option have all likely played a role.

And yet the districts operational spending has gone up $126 million from 2012 to 2021, a 21% increase.

Faced with a deadline to pass a proposed $1.9 billion budget, the board voted last week to table the proposal and seek more information on changes to individual school budgets, the number of full-time employees and programs, and where cuts were being made.

APS leaders tried to provide explanations Wednesday, but they were unable to sway three school board members, resulting in the narrow 4-3 approval of the nearly $2 billion proposed budget. Some board members want more input and transparency, and they are absolutely right to demand both. The primary job of board members is to craft an annual budget, not just rubber-stamp one from administrators. APS parents, students, employees and taxpayers deserve accountability and specifics.

For example, will the nearly $2 billion help APS meet requirements of the landmark Yazzie/Martinez education equity court ruling? Will it help students make up academically for the years lost to the pandemic and catch up those who were already behind? If not, the budget shouldnt have been presented, much less approved.

A recent Legislative Finance Committee report says APS has 400 more teachers and staff members than it should and orders APS to report to the LFC within a year on how it plans to adjust its facilities footprint to declining enrollment. The new budget eliminates just 70 support, 16 instructional and 27 administrative positions.

Are consolidations of the districts 143 schools inevitable? The budget doesnt address that. And where did those 5,500 students from last year go and what is APS doing to try bring them back or right-size? Ditto.

APS, with 15,000 employees and 71,460 students, has a sophisticated website, an extensive email list, large social media presence and foundation. It could use its large platform to better inform the public about how it is addressing enrollment declines and spending.

If school board members who are presented binders of budget paperwork have questions, imagine how little the average taxpayer knows about where and how APS spends its money. Essential questions remain unanswered; its up to the administration to change that.

Unacceptable PED delay in assessment data

An announcement this week that standardized student testing data wont be available until well into the next school year is a setback for every New Mexico school district seeking to gauge learning loss during the pandemic.

The state Public Education Department says data from the SAT, the standardized test for juniors, will be available in August. But data for the final Measures of Student Success & Achievement assessments, the tests for grades three through eight, wont be available until November.

This despite testing for both wrapped up in May. Testing was waived in 2020 and voluntary in 2021.

PED says the delay is because MSSA tests are new, and that reports should be available about 10 days after testing windows close next spring. That leaves teachers and students in the lurch August-November. The six-month data delay makes it next to impossible for districts to assess the learning loss and set appropriate lesson plans.

Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus says the issue could be addressed in negotiations with Cognia Inc., which processes assessment results. If should be, sooner rather than later. If Cognia cant step up for students, find a new vendor.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
SANTA FE  With just five days remaining in the primary campaign, Republican Mark Ronchetti turned his focus to Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in a new television ad, offering a preview of the campaign to come if he secures the GOP nomination.

In the 30-second commercial, Ronchetti stands at a gas pump and slams the governors decision to pull National Guard troops from the border, award pay raises to high-ranking staff members and support clean-fuels legislation.

Political elites dont get it, Ronchetti said.

The Democratic Party of New Mexico, in turn, singled out Ronchetti on Thursday, contending he would roll back the progress made by Democratic leadership in recent years.

They said he has doubled down on his extremist, far-right, and personal agenda, proving again and again just how out-of-touch he is with New Mexicans.

The back-and-forth comes as Ronchetti continues to flex his financial advantage over the rest of the Republican field campaigning for the nomination to take on Lujan Grisham.

He reported another $284,000 in new campaign contributions Thursday, giving him $470,000 in cash on hand.

Lujan Grisham, for her part, is also well-funded. She reported $711,000 in donations during the four-week reporting period that ended May 31 and has nearly $3.1 million in cash on hand.

She also reported new spending of $1.4 million, with most of that money going toward producing and airing TV ads highlighting the governors accomplishments during her first three-plus years in office.

The contributions received by the incumbent Democratic governor included $2,500 from Wendy King, a regional vice president for energy giant ConocoPhillips, and $20,800  the maximum for this years election season  from Belen-based Freshgrown Systems LLC, a hemp and cannabis seed producer.

Lujan Grisham, a former congresswoman, is seeking reelection to a second term in the Nov. 8 general election.

She is set to face Libertarian Karen Bedonie and one of five Republicans seeking their partys nomination next week.

Ronchettis $284,000 in new donations led the GOP field Thursday. Among his big contributions were $5,000 from Henry McDonald Farms in Loving and $10,400 from Lance Taylor, a Texas oilman.

Republican candidate Rebecca Dow, a state legislator, reported about $157,000 in contributions Thursday and an account balance of $198,000.

Greg Zanetti, an Albuquerque financial adviser and retired general, reported about $58,000 in new contributions Thursday, with about $48,000 in cash on hand heading into the election.

Jay Block, a Sandoval County commissioner and retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, reported about $35,000 in new donations and $20,000 in his account.

Another Republican, anti-abortion activist Ethel Maharg, had under $8,000 in recent donations.

Closing days

Ronchetti and Dow  the best-funded candidates in the GOP race  have traded attack ads throughout the campaign.

But voters are set to decide the nominee in Tuesdays election, and Ronchetti appears to be looking ahead. He had a substantial lead over Dow in a survey of voters conducted last month by Research & Polling Inc. for the Journal.

Brian Sanderoff, president of the polling firm, said Ronchettis new ad, targeting Lujan Grisham, shows he is shifting to a general-election message.

It helps him for both the primary and general elections, Sanderoff said. It makes him look like he already is the Republican nominee.

PAC activity

Outside groups have also played an active role in the run-up to the primary election.

One political committee, called New Mexico Patriot PAC, spent more than $15,000 on campaign mailers featuring an image of former President Donald Trump and a list of Republican candidates to vote for  even though Trump has not endorsed any specific candidates in New Mexico.

The political committee got most of its funding from Twister Smith of Caballo and his family members. Smith is the director of Smithco Construction, a family-owned company, and has been a prominent backer of GOP gubernatorial candidate Dow.

A group supported by labor unions, by contrast, reported about $55,000 in spending on digital ads, social media efforts and other advertising purchases, though it wasnt clear which races the committee is involved in.

New Mexico Workers for Progress, as the committee is called, reported about $61,500 in recent contributions Thursday from unions representing teachers, government workers, plumbers and construction workers.

AG race

The race for the Democratic nomination to serve as attorney general has been one of the most expensive of the year so far.

But the candidates reports hadnt been published on the state website by 7 p.m.

In the race, State Auditor Brian Colon and 2nd Judicial District Attorney Raul Torrez are competing for the nomination.

The Republican candidate, Jeremy Gay of Gallup, reported $17,000 in contributions and $40,000 in cash on hand.
LOS LUNAS  Fear of groundwater contamination. Concern over possible emission of methane and other greenhouse gases. Criticism over a lack of public notice.

Those were the objections raised Wednesday night by dozens of residents and activists who packed the Valencia County Commission chambers to protest an initiative that could lead to local oil and gas development.

After an hour of listening to opponents vent, commissioners agreed to revisit an earlier vote and hold a public hearing in July to discuss a new natural resource overlay zone that they approved in early May in a 3-1 vote, with one commissioner absent and virtually no public input.

The ordinance would allow developers to apply for surface and subsurface mineral exploration on targeted properties in the county without changing existing zoning on those lands. Commissioners said it could allow investors to develop the countys natural resources, generating more economic development and jobs, while simultaneously protecting existing zoning on lands for residential, commercial and industrial purposes.

Given the overflow crowd at Wednesdays meeting, the commission said it will announce a larger, alternative venue to host the July public hearing.

The ordinance sponsor, Commissioner Joseph Bizzell, has said he was initially inspired to pursue the initiative based on his interest in pumping brackish water from underground wells on Valencia Countys West Mesa that could be cleaned up for community use.

But opponents believe the new overlay zone will lead directly to oil and gas operations. Thats largely because of involvement by longtime oilman Harvey E. Yates, who supported creation and approval of the ordinance to help facilitate exploratory drilling for hydrocarbons in Valencia County by his Albuquerque-based oil and gas company, Jalapeno Corp.

About two dozen speakers directly addressed the commission in public comment on Wednesday.

Local activists delivered opposition petitions to commissioners signed by 25 community and environmental organizations.

We dont want oil and gas wells in our county damaging our aquifer and emitting methane and other greenhouse gasses, said Valencia Water Watchers co-founder Ann McCartney, reading from a petition to commissioners.  This needs to be a county for all the people, not the rich oil and gas producers, like Harvey E. Yates.

Delicate aquifer

Most speakers warned that drilling into the Albuquerque Basin  an undeveloped zone potentially rich in hydrocarbons  is particularly concerning, because the subsurface layers of rock and sediment are filled with fault lines that could become conduits for chemicals from oil and gas operations to contaminate the basins fresh-water aquifer.

Under those conditions, hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, would be especially dangerous, said Los Lunas resident William Maxwell, who said he worked in the energy industry for 30 years, including experience in oil and gas operations.

Im not against oil and gas, Maxwell told commissioners. But in this incidence in Valencia County, there could be serious risk of ground water contamination.

Many speakers expressed anger and frustration about the lack of publicity regarding the ordinance before the commission approved it last month.

The county published just one legal advertisement about the initiative in April in the Albuquerque Journal, violating its own rules that mandate public notice appear twice over two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation before placing an ordinance on the commission agenda.

Many of us showed up here tonight on a moments notice, local resident Elisabeth Dicharry told commissioners. I only just found out about this.

Republishing the ordinance

The notification mishap led to the ordinance being placed back on the commission agenda at the Wednesday meeting to allow commissioners to consider alternatives to rectify the problem, which County Attorney Dave Pato said could open the door to legal challenges when developers apply for an overlay-zone permit.

Opponents implored the commission to simply repeal the ordinance and then table it.

But commissioners instead voted 4-1 to repeal it to comply with the two-notification mandate, and then reintroduce it at a special public hearing now planned for July 14.

The lone opposing vote came from Commissioner David A. Hyder, who also voted against the ordinance in May.

Commission Chair Gerard Saiz and fellow Commissioner Jhonathan Aragon  who both supported the ordinance in May  said the large turnout by opponents showed clear need for more public discussion going forward.

Both said they voted for the ordinance because it could facilitate natural resource development without changing existing zoning, providing protection for current land uses. Without that, developers could still apply for county permits for mineral operations, but then zoning on targeted properties could be permanently altered.

My vote was done in good faith, and I still think that extra level of protection and safeguards would benefit Valencia County, Saiz said.  (But) based on the public comment tonight, we need the public to get more involved to speak out on it.

Editors note: An earlier version of this story misstated the work experience of Los Lunas resident William Maxwell. Maxwell worked in the energy industry for 30 years, including experience in oil and gas operations. The story has been updated.
The hardline stances of many conservative Catholic bishops in the U.S. are not shared by a majority of lay Catholics. Most of them say abortion should be legal, favor greater inclusion of LGBT people, and oppose the denial of Communion for politicians who support abortion rights, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

The poll, conducted in mid-May, shows a clear gap between the prevalent views of American Catholics, and some recent high-profile actions taken by the churchs leaders.

For example, leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops recently called on Catholics nationwide to pray for the U.S. Supreme Court to end the constitutional right to abortion by reversing its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. According to the new poll, 63% of Catholic adults say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and 68% say Roe should be left as is.

On May 20, the archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone, announced that he will no longer allow U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to receive Communion because of her support for abortion rights.

According to the poll, only 31% of lay Catholics agree that politicians supporting abortion rights should be denied Communion, while 66% say they should be allowed access to the sacrament.

An even larger majority  77%  said that Catholics who identify as LGBT should be allowed to receive Communion. That contrasts sharply with a policy issued by the Diocese of Marquette, which encompasses Michigans Upper Peninsula, saying pastors should deny Communion to transgender, gay and nonbinary Catholics unless the person has repented.

Natalia Imperatori-Lee, a professor of religious studies at Manhattan College, said the rift between rank-and-file Catholics and the bishops reveals a breakdown in communication and trust  shepherds who are far removed from the sheep.

This is a precarious time for the U.S. Catholic church, she added in an email. U.S. Catholics are, on the whole, accustomed to living and working in a pluralistic society and this poll reinforces the notion that they want the public square to remain pluralistic, free from coercion, and oriented toward care for the vulnerable populations among us.

The Rev. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, said the poll results didnt surprise him, and underscored a need for anti-abortion clergy and activists to redouble efforts to change peoples positions.

For us working on pro-life issues, these kinds of polls are like a summons, he said. Youve got to be doing your work  maybe youve got to do it better.

As for conservative bishops, their awareness of the gaps that the polling reveals is precisely one of the reasons they feel the need to speak up, Pavone said. They are striving to exercise the role outlined for them in Scripture, namely, to patiently and persistently teach the faith, whether convenient or inconvenient, to clear up confusion.

Beyond the bishops/laity rift, the poll highlighted other challenges facing the church, which is the largest denomination in the U.S.

For example, 68% of Catholics reported attending religious services once a month or less. Compared to five years ago, 37% said they were now attending less often; 14% said they were attending more often.

Over that five-year span, 26% percent of Catholics said their opinion of the Catholic church had worsened, while 17% said their opinion had improved. Most said their opinion hadnt changed.

More than two-thirds of U.S. Catholics disagree with church policies that bar women from becoming priests. And 65% say the church should allow openly gay men to be ordained.

The poll was conducted just after the leak of a draft Supreme Court majority opinion that would strike down Roe v. Wade. The views of U.S. Catholics, as expressed in the poll, were in line with the overall American public, both in regard to supporting abortions legality and preserving Roe.

However, there were sharp differences among major religious groupings. While 63% of Catholics said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, that stance was held by 74% of mainline Protestants and only 25% of evangelical Protestants.

Sharon Barnes of Dallas, who converted to Catholicism as a young adult, appreciates the centuries-old consistency of Catholic doctrine. Yet she differs from the church on some major social issues, including abortion.

Its a womans right to decide, said Barnes, 65. Its something that you have to kind of reconcile yourself, and its between you and God.

Pedro Gomez, a 55-year-old border patrol agent in Rio Rico, Arizona, is a lifelong Catholic who prays every night and attends church regularly. He understands the need for abortion in cases of rape, incest or saving the life of a mother, but he said he considers the procedure to be the killing of a child.

Gomez was surprised that most U.S. Catholics support some degree of abortion rights.

Theres a lot of gray area now that was never there in my upbringing, he said. Maybe theyre watering down Catholicism  Now people are being able to make up their own rules.

Ed Keeley, a 62-year-old public school teacher in Houston, also was raised Catholic. He described abortion as a hard subject, saying he believes in the sanctity of life but that abortion should be allowed in specific cases, including rape or incest.

He finds it ridiculous that a priest would deny Communion to someone because of their views on abortion or politics generally.

Last year, some conservative bishops, including Cordileone, argued publicly that President Joe Biden  a lifelong Catholic  should not receive Communion because of his support for abortion rights. However, Pope Francis conveyed his opposition to such a stance, saying Communion is not a prize for the perfect.

Cordileones recent denial of Communion for Pelosi was supported by several of his clerical colleagues, including the archbishops of Denver, Oklahoma City, Portland, Oregon, and Kansas City, Kansas. However, Archbishop Michael Jackels of Dubuque, Iowa, issued a statement describing the action as misguided.

As Jesus said, its the sick people who need a doctor, not the healthy, and he gave us the Eucharist as a healing remedy, Jackels said. Dont deny the people who need the medicine.

He also contended that abortion was not the only critical life issue facing the church.

Protecting the earth, our common home, or making food, water, shelter, education and health care accessible, or defense against gun violence these are life issues too, he said. To be consistent, to repair the scandal of Catholics being indifferent or opposed to all those other life issues, they would have to be denied Holy Communion as well.

John Gehring, Catholic program director at the Washington-based clergy network Faith in Public Life, said some conservative bishops engage in the culture wars in ways that damage their already diminished relevance and credibility.

Most Catholics are fed up with bishops who want to weaponize Communion in a hypocritical, single-issue campaign against pro-choice politicians, especially when we see Pope Francis offering a better road map, said Gehring

The AP-NORC poll of 1,172 adults, including 358 Catholics, was conducted May 12-16 using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points, and for Catholics is plus or minus 7.4 percentage points.

___

Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report.

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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.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.  Tropical storm warnings were issued Friday for much of the Florida peninsula, Cuba and the Bahamas as a system that battered Mexico moves through the Gulf of Mexico, killing at least two in Cuba and bringing threats of heavy rain and wind for the weekend.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm once known as Agatha in the Pacific Ocean will be known as Alex in the Atlantic Ocean basin, once it reaches tropical storm status.

A Friday evening advisory from the hurricane center said the storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph), just above the tropical storm threshold but it remained labled potential tropical cyclone one because it had few other characteristics that define such storms.

Around 11 p.m., forecasters said the system was about 185 miles (295 kilometers) southwest of Fort Myers, Florida, moving at about 12 mph (19 kph).

A Hurricane Center advisory said the system was expected to develop a well-defined center and become a tropical storm as it approaches Florida on Friday night and into Saturday.

In Cuba, heavy downpours brought by the system caused landslides and accidents that left two people dead in the capital, Havana, state media reported. A person was also reported missing in Pinar del Rio province after falling into a rain-swollen river. The countrys Civil Defense organization said the main damages so far were to homes and the electricity system. The State electricity company said 50,000 clients were without power.

In Florida, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said most government services, such as bus routes and trains, planned to operate as normal over the weekend. Some events have been canceled, she said, and while there is no widespread anxiety about the storm it might be best to make indoor plans.

If it isnt necessary to go out, its probably better to stay home, Levine Cava said at a news conference Friday.

The mayor added that canal levels in South Florida have been lowered to minimize flooding from heavy rains.

The storm warning affects both Floridas Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coast, from just below Tampa Bay and Daytona Beach to the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas. Parts of Cuba, including the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, and Mayabeque, and the northwestern Bahamas were also under a warning with tropical-storm-force conditions expected within 36 hours.

The Atlantic hurricane season officially began Tuesday. This is an unusually early start to the storm season but not unprecedented for Florida.

The National Hurricane Center predicts that rainfall up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) is possible in South Florida, including the Florida Keys. The storm is not expected to produce huge winds or major storm surge. But local flooding is likely and winds could be somewhat strong.

Heavy rains will begin to affect South Florida and the Keys Friday and continue through Saturday, the Hurricane Center said in an online post. Also predicted is storm surge and flooding, the severity of which depends on the timing of tides.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the forecast was somewhat unusual in that substantial rains were expected in southwestern Florida on Friday and windy but drier conditions on Saturday. The rain is actually beating the wind instead of the two coming together, he said.

No ones going into emergency posture yet, DeSantis said, but authorities would monitor for a strengthening storm. Weve got to be ready no matter what.

Some cities and counties across Floridas coastal and low-lying areas, including Pembroke Pines and Miami-Dade County, were offering sandbags to residents to shore up their homes Friday morning.

As a Pacific storm, Hurricane Agatha caused flooding and mudslides that killed at least 11 people and left 20 missing in Mexico, officials said. It caused rivers to overflow their banks and swept away people in homes, while other victims were buried under mud and rocks.

Agatha made history as the strongest hurricane ever recorded to come ashore in May during the eastern Pacific hurricane season since 1949. Climate scientists say tropical systems will become more powerful and destructive because of global warming.

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Anderson reported from St. Petersburg, Florida.
WASHINGTON  Less than 48 hours after a gunman stormed an elementary school and killed 19 children and two teachers in his home state of Texas, Sen. John Cornyn walked straight from the floor of the U.S. Senate into Republican leader Mitch McConnells office.

The Texas Republican had just returned to Washington from the scene of the horrific school shooting in Uvalde when he was summoned by McConnell to lead the GOP in fraught negotiations over a potential legislative response to the tragedy. Eager, if wary, he took the job.

Im not interested in making a political statement, Cornyn said at the time. Im actually interested in what we can do to make the terrible events that occurred in Uvalde less likely in the future.

Cornyn is at the center of a bipartisan group of senators working furiously to try to strike a compromise over gun safety legislation, a political longshot despite the heartbreaking pleas from the Uvalde community to do something after the massacre.

A four-term senator, Cornyn has been here plenty of times before, a central figure at the forefront of on again, off again talks with Democrats over gun policy changes that almost never make it into law. As gun owners and the powerful gun lobby wield influence, Congress has proven unable to substantively respond even as more gruesome mass shootings rip through communities all across America.

With his previous negotiating partner, Sen. Chris Murphy-D-Conn., Cornyn convened a small group of four senators to meet privately this week, some who are part of a broader Murphy-led group in a desperate search for possible compromise gun safety measures.

President Joe Biden implored Congress  and particularly the Republican senators, who have spent years blocking almost every gun control measure  to act.

This time, its time for the Senate to do something, Biden said in remarks from the White House.

Biden, too, is looking at Cornyn to lead.

I think theres a realization on the part of rational Republicans  and I think Senator McConnell is a rational Republican; I think Cornyn is as well  I think theres a recognition in their party that they  we cant continue like this, Biden said earlier in the week after visiting Texas.

Expectations are low that even the most modest gun control measures could find support among Republicans in Congress, particularly in the evenly-split 50-50 Senate where at least 60 votes are needed to advance legislation past a filibuster.

Senators arent expected to even broach ideas for an assault weapon ban or other restrictions that are popular with the public as potential ways to curb the most lethal mass shootings.

Instead, the bipartisan group is intensifying talks to reach a deal on incremental changes to the nations gun laws, after a decade of mostly failed efforts ever since a gunman killed 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

At most, the senators may be able reach consensus in a few distinct areas  bolstering school security measures; adding more mental health resources in communities; and possibly sending money to the states to encourage red flag laws to keep firearms out of the hands of those who would do harm.

That may be all they can do, said Matthew Bennett, a longtime gun policy advocate at the centrist Third Way think tank.

Its been nearly 30 years since Congress approved sweeping gun safety legislation with the passage of the 1994 assault weapons ban, which has since expired. In 2013, Congress rejected proposals to expand background checks and ban some assault-style rifles and high-capacity ammunition magazines.

One of the only gun-related bills that has become law in the decade since the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre was Cornyns fix-NICS bill  a modest effort he and Murphy developed to encourage states to comply with the recordkeeping of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

Cornyn first pushed the bill forward after another tragedy in his state, the 2017 church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, when the gunmans Air Force record of court-martial for domestic violence had not been sent for inclusion in the federal database used for gun purchases.

The Fix-NICS bill stalled in the Senate, until months later when another gunman opened fire at a Parkland, Florida, high school killing 17 in a massacre on Valentines Day in 2018.

Lets do what we can and build from there, Cornyn said at the time.

But by then, Democrats and some Republicans were circulating broader proposals and Donald Trump, who was president, suggested raising the legal age for purchasing firearms to 21. But efforts fizzled after Trump had an Oval Office meeting with the National Rifle Association.

The Fix-NICS bill ultimately won approval in Congress not on its own, but after being included in a government funding measure later that spring. It had the NRAs backing.

Cornyn, who has an A+ rating from the NRAs Political Victory Fund for his support of Second Amendment issues, said last week the Uvalde killings may be an impetus for new reforms.

A former judge and member of the Texas Supreme Court, Cornyn, 70, is a member of McConnells leadership team and widely believed to be a contender to become Republican Senate leader whenever McConnell retires. McConnell tasked him to work with Murphy and also Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, a deal-maker close to Republicans.

An owner of multiple firearms who frequently hunts in Texas, Cornyn did not attend the NRAs convention in Houston alongside Trump and fellow GOP Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the days after the Uvalde shooting, even as he dismissed some of the red-flag laws or broader changes in federal gun policy being proposed.

He is the central figure  or at least one of them  because he has respect among Republicans but is also a critical thinker, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., about Cornyn.

If he really wants to get it done, he will potentially make a critical difference.

Many Democrats are skeptical that Republicans in the Senate will come to the table. Already the Senate has hopelessly blocked two House-passed measures to bolster background checks for firearm purchases online or at gun shows.

Instead, House Democrats are pushing ahead with their own package of gun safety measures, the Protecting Our Kids Act, that includes raising the age limits on semi-automatic rifle purchases from 18 to 21 years old. It has almost no hope of passing the Senate.
SANTA FE  President Joe Biden plans to visit Santa Fe next weekend for a briefing on the wildfires ripping through New Mexico  one of which has grown to 317,000 acres, an area larger than Los Angeles.

The president is set to meet June 11 with state officials, first responders and families affected by the fires, according to the White House.

It will be Bidens first visit to New Mexico as president and the states first presidential visit since September 2019, when Donald Trump held a rally in Rio Rancho.

Biden next week will visit the state Emergency Operation Center in Santa Fe, about an hours drive from Las Vegas, the northern New Mexico city on the frontlines of the largest wildlife in state history.

Las Vegas Mayor Louie Trujillo said he hopes the president will visit the burn scars and see first-hand the flood danger still facing northern New Mexico as monsoon season approaches.

I hope he takes the time to visit Las Vegas and to see the devastation that this fire has caused, Trujillo said in an interview.

The presidents scheduled appearance comes as Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pushes the federal government to accept full responsibility for the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire, which began as two separate fires, each started by a U.S. Forest Service prescribed burn.

The pain and suffering of New Mexicans caused by the actions of the U.S. Forest Service  an agency that is intended to be a steward of our lands  is unfathomable, she said last week.

Biden called Lujan Grisham about two weeks ago and pledged the full support of the federal government as it battles the fires.

Thousands of New Mexicans have fled their homes since April amid a devastating, early start to the fire season.

The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire has burned hundreds of homes and triggered the evacuation of thousands of residents in northeastern New Mexico. It stretches across 316,971 acres from the Las Vegas area north into Taos County.

Its about 62% contained, according to firefighters.

Trujillo, the Las Vegas mayor, a nonpartisan office, said northern New Mexicans deserve to hear from the president, especially as federal and local agencies continue to fight the flames and prepare for the aftermath.

The citys source of drinking water, the Gallinas River, faces danger from flooding and broader damage to the watershed, he said.

I think the people of New Mexico want to hear that the federal delegation is working hard to make things right, Trujillo said of the presidents visit.

Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, said last week that the federal government faces significant legal liability  larger even than what it had in the infamous Cerro Grande Fire of 2000, which resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in damage in the Los Alamos area.

The Democratic members of New Mexicos federal delegation  U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan and Reps. Teresa Leger Fernandez and Melanie Stansbury  released a joint statement welcoming the presidents visit.

We look forward to working with the White House to address the climate crisis driving these unprecedented wildfires, to address the federal wildfire practices that contributed to this disaster, and to do everything we can to make New Mexicans whole, the Democrats said.

Republicans in the state Senate also issued a statement on Bidens planned visit.

Since the federal government is responsible for the largest wildfire in New Mexico history, it is only appropriate that the President would come to see the devastating damage for himself, said Sen. Cliff Pirtle, R-Roswell. In addition to restitution, the people of our state need assurance that he is serious about changing how the federal government manages our forests.

Even as the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire continues to burn, the state is also battling other fires, including:

 The Black Fire, now at 264,657 acres, burning in the Gila National Forest, west of Truth or Consequences. Its about 29% contained.

 The Cerro Pelado Fire, at 45,605 acres, by the Valles Caldera National Preserve, roughly between Cochiti Lake and Jemez Springs. Its 95% contained.

 Periodic fires in the Rio Grande bosque within Albuquerque, including a 30-acre fire last week along both sides of the river near Montano NW.

The nation is bracing for a terrible fire season.

The number of acres burned across the United States is about 78% above the 10-year average, according to the White House, and much of the West, Plains and Texas remain in a historic drought.

Several of the largest fires now burning in the nation are in New Mexico, the White House said.

Biden receives regular briefings on the fires, according to the White House.
State and federal agriculture agencies will host an open house on June 9 in Las Vegas for farmers and ranchers affected by this years wildfires.

The event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the San Miguel County Chambers at 500 W. National Avenue.

Agencies will answer questions about disaster assistance funding and soil and water recovery after the fires.

Representatives will also discuss water quality, lost livestock, grazing options, farmer and rancher mental health needs and reforestation.

The following agencies will be at Thursdays event:

New Mexico Department of Agriculture

New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service

New Mexico Livestock Board

United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

USDA Rural Development

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Wildfires have destroyed some hay supplies and summer grazing pasture.

The New Mexico Agriculture Department has created a webpage for farmers and ranchers to find other producers who still have hay and forage for sale.
BharatMatrimony, Indias leading online matrimony service, has launched its new campaign #BeChoosy. The stance they have taken comes from the insight that while it is generally perceived that most men tend to be picky when it comes to choosing a woman to marry, the same doesnt hold true for women. Women are still pressured by society into choosing their husband out of limited options, maybe three or four at best. With lakhs of verified profiles on the BharatMatrimony app and a feature to choose based on education, profession, location and more, here both men and women can be as choosy as they want in choosing their life partner.

The campaign showcases a family, having a conversation with the groom just after theyve met a girls family. The film is shot to make the viewer feel odd because the conversation itself is exactly what you would expect a girls family to have with her. And men arent generally put in that situation. Watching this conversation doesnt just catch the viewers unaware but makes them wonder, whats happening? The reaction from the audience is what lands the point of the film beautifully.

Ajeeta Bharadwaj, Chief Strategy Officer of Wondrlab, says, Society has always looked at finding your match as the end goal, when in fact it is the beginning of the next forty years of your life. So, it is important to choose right. But in our conversations with women who were in the journey of selecting their life partner, we found that when a woman exercises her choice even on fundamental things, she gets labelled as choosy. We wanted to turn this on its head and make being choosy a good thing.

Here is what Amit Akali, co-founder and CCO of WYP Wondrlab has to say about the campaign. At Wondrlab were always trying to create work that questions the consciousness of society. That brings about change by focusing on things that havent been focused on. This film too tries to do just that. We're just trying to make the viewers realise something that they might have not thought about before.

Arjun Bhatia, Chief Marketing Officer  Matrimony.com elaborates, BharatMatrimony has been constantly breaking new ground and changing the social narrative about relationships and marriage. When women, after careful consideration, make their choices be it about education, career, finance or finding a partner, people tend to say theyre being very picky and question their choices. On the contrary, men are never subjected to the kind of scrutiny or questioning when it comes to the same things. Thats why BharatMatrimony seeks to put the spotlight on this issue by encouraging and empowering women to be choosy.
After the success of its maiden Go Green initiative, HDFC Mutual Fund is back with its socially responsible #NurtureNature campaign again this year. Through this campaign, it aims to plant a sapling for every Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) registered online in eligible Equity-oriented and Gold Schemes between 01 June  10 June, 2022. Last year, in association with Grow-Trees.com, HDFC MF planted thousands of saplings under this innovative social cause. #NutureNature campaign aims to promote the cause of planet-friendly afforestation and spread awareness about the environmental and ecological significance of trees. On its part, HDFC MF encourages investors and partners to opt for online investments.

Similar to last year, after a period of 3-months from the date of registration of the SIP, a tree will be planted on behalf of the investor. The investor will also receive an e-Certificate from HDFC MF, for registering a SIP through digital / online modes with a minimum amount of Rs. 2000 per month, for a tenure of at least 3-years in eligible Equity-oriented and Gold Schemes. For detailed terms and conditions refer https://www.hdfcfund.com/information/nurturenature

Commenting on this socially responsible initiative, Mr. Navneet Munot, MD & CEO, HDFC Asset Management Company Ltd. said, Our #NurtureNature initiative to plant trees on behalf of investors registering digital SIPs, is an endeavor to help investors create wealth while contributing to a greener future. In a digitally inter-connected world, digital onboarding provides investors convenience in investing while also supporting the cause of sustainable development.

Commenting on this socially responsible initiative Mr. Bikrant Tiwary, CEO Grow-Trees.com said "Grow-Trees.com is happy to associate with HDFC Mutual Fund for this initiative for the second time for planting trees in India. We believe that a greener future is possible and that it starts with us. This thoughtful initiative by HDFC Mutual Fund aims to support the cause of protecting our environment and promoting a greener future."
Meta has launched AMBER Alerts on Instagram, allowing people to see and share notices of missing children in their area. This feature has started rolling out from June 1, and be fully available in 25 countries in the coming weeks. Since 2015, AMBER Alerts on Facebook have been successful in helping authorities find and quickly locate missing children.

Today, were bringing AMBER Alerts to Instagram for the first time. This feature was developed in partnership with organizations like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the US, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, the National Crime Agency in the UK, the Attorney Generals Office in Mexico, the Australian Federal Police and more, said Emily Vacher, Director of Trust and Safety, Meta.

We know that the chances of finding a missing child increase when more people are on the lookout, especially in the first few hours. With this update, if an AMBER Alert is activated by law enforcement and you are in the designated search area, the alert will now appear in your Instagram feed, Vacher said.

The alert will include important details about the child such as a photo, description, location of the abduction and any other available information that can be provided. People can also share the alert with friends to further spread the word.

These alerts are rare and specific to the search area. If you get one, it means there is an active search for a missing child nearby. In order to know who to show these alerts to, we use a variety of signals, including the city you list on your profile, your IP address and location services (if you have it turned on).

Instagram is a platform based on the power of photos, making it a perfect fit for the AMBER Alert program. We know that photos are a critical tool in the search for missing children and by expanding the reach to the Instagram audience, well be able to share photos of missing children with so many more people.  Michelle DeLaune, President and CEO at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

AMBER Alerts will be fully available in the next couple of weeks in 25 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Ireland, Jamaica, Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Romania, South Africa, Taiwan, Ukraine, the UK, the United Arab Emirates and the US.

Meta is working to expand and bring them to more countries.

In 2015, it launched AMBER Alerts on Facebook. Since then, the alerts have assisted in hundreds of successful child endangerment cases in the US and around the world.

For example, in 2020, Amanda Disley and her husband helped rescue 11-year-old Charlotte Moccia of Springfield, Massachusetts after seeing an AMBER Alert on Facebook. And in 2016, an AMBER Alert was issued after a four-year-old girl was abducted in Lakeland, Florida. Kaytlin Brown, an anesthesia technician at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee was on her lunch break when she saw the alert on Facebook, recognized the missing child and quickly took action.
Love is boundaryless, non-conformative and comes in various colours and forms. The past 2 years has not only been a testament to the foundation of love but has also put its true meaning into refreshed perspectives for most people. From long distance, to staying at home together, from cross country to cross continent, audiences found love in niches and places where they never thought to look. It allowed them to experiment, explore and reenergise. Keeping the theme alive with #RomanceUnlocked, ITC Engage announced the third Season of the brands Annual Property Pocketful O Stories to commemorate these unexpected, uninhibited moments of love and playful romance that were celebrated world over during the lockdown.

ITC Engage Pocketful O Stories 3.0, published by Penguin Random House India is curated and co-authored by Indias bestselling romance genre writer, Durjoy Datta along with 400 young budding writers who believe in playful romance, from the ITC Engage community. Subsequent to the success of Engage Pocketful O Stories for two consecutive seasons, ITC Engage continues on the path of love with heart-warming stories of how youngsters looking for love (& in love!), navigated their way through the pandemic period. The book is a compilation of crowdsourced micro-tales of love and romance in these black swan times.

The 3rd edition of the book was launched in Mumbai with brand ambassador and actress Tara Sutaria along with romance genres most loved author, Durjoy Datta. As the book revolves around the theme of playful romance and love, the brand hosted another book launch in Kochi with serene & romantic Backwaters as the backdrop with Durjoy Datta. With #RomanceUnlocked as the central theme of Pocketful O Stories book, the brand has accurately captured the pulse of todays universe of love. The launch also embodies the spirit of romance and the fact that cupid can strike anywhere  land, air and water. The inaugural edition of the book was launched against the picturesque view of Taj Mahal in Agra and in 2020, Durjoy and ITC Engage took everyone for a dining experience in the air. The backwaters of Kochi now completed the biosphere of love and emotion.

The digital campaign was launched to salute the spirit of love, by inviting stories around the theme #RomanceUnlocked. The entire campaign was designed to engage young audiences and fans of the brand to share their own unexpected, uninhibited moments of love and playful romance during the pandemic, via Instagram and Facebook in 400 characters, linking it to the functional advantage of the pocket-sized innovation, Engage 2 in1pocket perfumes.

The campaign garnered 35,000 unique stories and secured a plethora of expression of love from consumers, who have found love digitally or who kept their romance virtually alive by finding creative ways of engaging while being distant from each other. ITC Engage along with Durjoy Datta selected the 400 best micro tales from the entries received. These stories were stitched together to curate the book titled Engage Pocketful O Stories 3.0 with noteworthy love experiences of Unlocking Romance penned by Durjoy Datta himself.

Highlighting the experience of the campaign association, Durjoy Datta said, Through the lockdown, we all transitioned to new ways of connecting with loved ones, family and friends. It was very exciting to see people adapt to romancing in the new normal in more ways than one. #RomanceUnlocked as a theme was culturally relevant as we could shine the spotlight on love with new rules of engagement. The process of going through all the entries and shortlisting 400 was difficult, as each and every story showcased how love rode over crisis. I am excited to be unveiling ITC Engage Pocketful O Stories 3.0 in Mumbai after launching it at the stunning and romantic backwaters of Kochi. The third edition is plugged with extraordinary elements from stories to the launch theme. I am excited to showcase the stories I have penned with ITC Engage in the third round of Engage Pocketful O Stories and present the work my co-authors have put together.

Speaking on the launch of Engage Pocketful O Stories 3.0, Sameer Satpathy, Chief Executive, Personal Care Products Business, ITC, said, Since the inception of ITC Engage Pocketful O Stories in 2018, the brand has built a connect with its young consumers through the language of love and playful romance. The overwhelming response on the campaign crafted in association with one of Indias leading authors Durjoy Dutta, has been a testament to the authenticity of the micro tales & has helped establish storytelling as a foundation in brand Engages communication strategy. While Engage has been an exemplar in product innovation with the recent launch of Engage Lamante Click and Brush Fragrance, Engage Pocketful O Stories continues to expand the world of love for the brand.

Being brand ambassador of ITC Engage, Tara Sutaria said, The pandemic changed the way we love, date and maintain relationships but it has kept romance in itself unchanged. The lockdown gave lovers time to pay close attention and nurture their relationships like never before. This book gives us a glimpse of the experiences that some couples, and those looking for love, had during that time and how they kept their romance unlocked and alive. As a lover of love and all that it brings, I am so happy to be associated with Pocketful O Stories as it celebrates love stories from all parts of India.
Zashed is Indias first fashion and lifestyle architectural model. The firm with its D2C portfolio aims to build the brands from scratch being the first ever D2C Brand Architects in the country building brands from scratch on equity-based model under its Fashionverse converting each brand into a digital asset. With its brand portfolio, Zashed has started extending its wings into Global markets, the firm is now aiming to expand into the Middle-Eastern market. The digital transformation has helped the company to develop and prosper through D2C (Direct-To-Consumer) model. Moreover, covid-19 led people to shop from their homes in their comfort zones rather than moving out in scorching heat or foggy weather.

Moving into the middle-eastern market, Zashed has the intention of expanding the firm through the European market in the future. Till now, Zashed has prospered and expanded itself by developing 14+ D2C brands with holding equity in them. The firm is aiming to launch its D2C platform by the early end of 2022. This platform would play a significant role in dominating the consumer market which is a part of the fashionverse.

To develop and establish the firm, capital, and the way investment is done; matter the most. Zashed with aims to achieve 1.5 % of the 100-billion-dollar D2C market by 2025. The prosperous firm is planning to deal with companies related to fashion, Lifestyle, Jewelry & home categories.

Mentored and assisted by the energetic and enthusiastic entrepreneur Mithun Bhardwaj, the firm is reaching the heights of success and helping other firms to compete in the global market. The firm has established itself by dealing with firms related to fashion exporters, manufacturers, fabricators, textile and processing houses, visionaries, and entrepreneurs. This helps the company to stand out in the crowd. Zasheds CEO and Founder MrMithun Bhardwaj said "It was only a notion when I began Zashed to develop home grown brands. We've progressed to the point where we now have over fourteen alpha corporations, we are very delighted to expand our venture in middle-east, and after accessing the Middle Eastern sector, we'll go on to the European market as well." He adds, the world where your laptop asks you to confirm if you are robot, is a super intriguing place to be in, technology is at all-time high, if one is not connecting your business with technology today, they will poorer than the next generation financially and mentally both.

Every brand is a new start-up with an invigorating concept and story line wherein the selection of the right partner is extremely important.

Startups have become the trend and its mainly followed by youngsters and the shows like Shark Tank India have appreciated them and hold equity in the startups they invested in. The investments in Startups by the firm make the fills confidence in the hearts of entrepreneurs to build their firm from a startup to an established one. The market has funded various companies and is motivated by the startup trend running in India. A firm that is already established needs to just maintain its reputation around its audience; but a firm that has just crossed one ladder of success needs more assistance, guidance, and capital to build itself. Henceforth, it is more interesting to build a firm that has just stepped into the field of business rather than building the one which is pro in it. Zashed believes in the above theory and focuses on building startups. The firm has already established 14+ brands and is aiming to develop however is very selective in building partnerships as it strongly believes that the synergies should meet to scale any business and one should hold a growth mindset whether an employee or a brand partner.
Today in history, on June 3, 1098, one of Christendoms greatest victories over the jihad took place: the liberation of the ancient Christian city of Antioch -- where the very word Christian was first coined (Acts 11:26) -- from under the yoke of Islam.

In the years following the Battle of Manzikert (1071), which saw the Seljuk Turks defeat the Eastern Roman Empire and conquer that ancient bastion of Christianity, Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), immense persecutions of Christians followed. Whether an anonymous Georgian chronicler tells of how holy churches served as stables for their horses, the priests were immolated during the Holy Communion itself, the virgins defiled, the youths circumcised, and the infants taken away, or whether Anna Comnena, the princess at Constantinople, tells of how cities were obliterated, lands were plundered, and the whole of Anatolia was stained with Christian blood -- it was the same scandalous tale of woe.

Enter the First Crusade. To quote historian Thomas Madden, paraphrasing Pope Urban IIs famous call at Clermont in 1095, The message was clear: Christ was crucified again in the persecution of his faithful and the defilement of his sanctuaries. Both needed rescuing; both offered an opportunity to fulfill one of Christs two greatest commandments: Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27).

Christians from all around Europe, under the leadership of the Franks, hearkened to the call and took the cross. After a long and arduous journey into Turkic-controlled Asia Minor -- which saw the crusaders meet and defeat their Muslim foes in at least two encounters -- by October 1097, the Europeans were at and besieging the walls of Antioch.

For long, Antioch had resisted Islam; even when all the East was shaken and the successors of Muhammad were subjugating by force entire provinces to their impious superstition and perverse dogma, chronicler William of Tyre writes, Antioch had as long as possible refused to bear the domination of an infidel nation, that is, until its capture by the Turks in 1084. Now, more than a decade later, its indigenous Christians were much oppressed by their Turkish master, Yaghi-Siyan, who had demanded more jizya payments, launched sporadic persecutions, forced Christians to convert to Islam, and converted Antiochs main cathedral into a horse stable

Alas! How many Christians, Greeks, Syrians, and Armenians, who lived in the city, were killed by the maddened Turks, lamented Fulcher of Chartres, who travelled with the crusaders. With the Franks looking on, they threw outside the walls the heads of those [Christians] killed, with their petrariae and slings. This especially grieved our people.

In response -- and because the Frankish and Norman warrior aristocracy had no qualms about giving tit for tat -- Bohemond, a Norman prince, brought those [Muslims] he had captured back to the gate of the city, where, to terrify the citizens who were watching, he ordered that they be decapitated and their severed heads catapulted over the city walls. (Anna Comnena, who had met and described Bohemond as a towering marvel for the eyes to behold, added that a certain charm hung about this man but was partly marred by a general air of the horrible. He was clearly not one to be cowed by Islamic terror tactics.)

After eight months, the strong walls of Antioch could still not be breached. Starved crusaders were reduced to eating dogs, rats, and thistles; many died of starvation, thirst, and pestilence. A particularly severe winter set in.

Eventually, a Muslim tower captain -- an Armenian Christian converted to Islam during Yaghis persecutions -- made a deal with Bohemond. And so, today in history, on June 3, 1098, under the cover of night, the emaciated Europeans, having clandestinely been brought up over the walls into the city, ran wildly slaughtering anyone in the streets. Those who were Christians chanted Kyrie Eleison -- the Christian mantra, Lord have mercy, in Greek -- to make it clear to our men that they were not Turks but Christians. Once their shock ended, however, these same Christians, Syrians, Armenians, and the true believers of other nations, rejoiced exceedingly over what had happened. They at once took arms and joined forces with the army. The result was a bloodbath not unlike those Muslims had visited upon Christian cities all throughout Anatolia in the preceding decades.

As with the later crusader sack of Jerusalem in 1099, this incident is regularly cited by Islams apologists to demonize the crusaders. In reality, it was a drop in the bucket of what Muslims had done to countless Christians during the preceding decades -- an inconvenient fact ignored by Islams whitewashers. Nor were the motives of crusaders and jihadists the same: the former engaged in violence to liberate oppressed Christian cities and regions, whereas the invading Muslims came to conquer what was never theirs.

On the very next day, Kerbogha, the atabeg or Turkish lord of Mosul, arrived with an enormous relief force. Antioch was quickly blockaded, and they who only yesterday were the besiegers became the besieged. Another famine struck -- by the time the crusaders took Antioch, most of its stores had been depleted by the besieged -- and the besieged warriors were reduced to eating shoes and drinking horse blood. After marching thousands of miles, fighting, starving, and dying, they were granted nary a day to celebrate the liberation of Antioch.

Was God not on their side? These were times to try mens souls. Morale reached a new low, as captured in the all too contemporary sounding lament of Guy, Bohemonds brother, who heard of the plight of his brethren:

All powerful God, whose judgement never errs, who never permits the unjust to triumph over the just, why have you betrayed those who, out of love for you, have given themselves over to daily torment and death, who have left their relatives, wives, sons, the greatest honors, their native land, and why have you exposed them, without the aid of your protection, to be cut down by the swords of abominable men? But so be it. It may be that you want them to die for you, and that you will crown them with glory and honor, yet [y]ou have plunged the entire Christian world into the depths of despair and incredulity, and you have provoked the worst men [Muslims] to display relentless aggression against your people. From this day forth no man will expect anything great from you, since those who believed themselves dearer to you than all other mortals have been subjected to such an unworthy fate. Therefore, O most gracious one, from now on why should they call upon you, when your own people will expect such a death?

There was nothing to it but for the famished, desperate, and outnumbered crusaders to sally forth and meet the hordes besieging them -- but that is another story.

This article was adapted from the authors book (which also contains the follow up battle against Kerbogha), Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West. Raymond Ibrahim is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center, a Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum, and a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute.

Image: Picryl
Bret Stephens is The New York Times resident conservative  which roughly translates into an opinion columnist who isnt part of the Times far-left stable of writers. In his most recent column on Chinas threat to Taiwan, he suggests that President Biden should model his policy on Harry Trumans containment instead of FDRs New Deal.

One wonders if Stephens has reflected enough on Trumans policies in Asia  they were disastrous.

On Trumans watch, China fell to the communists and formed a strategic alliance with the Soviet Union. Truman sent George Marshall to negotiate an end to the civil war between Mao Zedongs Communists and Chiang Kai-sheks Nationalists  the latter was an American ally in World War II. Marshall failed, but that failure was due to Trumans decision to gradually reduce aid to Chiang at the same time that Soviet aid to Mao increased. Instead of fully supporting an imperfect ally, Truman  whose administration was staffed with Far East advisers who were communist sympathizers and viewed Mao as an agrarian reformer instead of a brutal totalitarian  positioned the United States as an impartial mediator in the conflict.

Shortly after proclaiming the Peoples Republic of China in October 1949, Mao formulated plans to invade Taiwan and conspired with Stalin and North Korean leader Kim Il-sung to launch the Norths invasion of South Korea. A few months before that invasion, Trumans Secretary of State Dean Acheson publicly declared that the Korean peninsula was not part of the U.S. defense perimeter in East Asia. In his column, Stephens mentions Achesons infamous mistake, but as Truman himself once said, the buck stops at the presidents desk.

Then after committing the United States to fighting the communists in Korea without a congressional declaration of war (calling it a police action), and appointing a general  MacArthur  who wanted to achieve victory, Truman, after China massively intervened in the war in October-November 1950, suddenly discovered that Korea was, in the words of his Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time. Truman expended the lives of nearly 40,000 U.S. soldiers in the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time. That is not a model for any president to follow.

Maos communists also provided sufficient assistance to enable Ho Chi Minh to defeat the French in the first Vietnam War, which set the stage for the communization of South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia in the 1970s. And Trumans Korean War paradigm  fighting a war with a goal of something less than victory  served as a model for our defeats in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

Fortunately, the U.S. Seventh Fleet prevented Mao from invading Taiwan in 1950  Truman deserves credit for that. But Trumans weakness and vacillation in East Asia undoubtedly persuaded Mao that he could eventually take Taiwan  which he tried to do twice in the 1950s. Only the strong leadership of President Dwight Eisenhower prevented that during the Taiwan Strait crisis of the mid and late 1950s.

Truman left the White House with a well-earned and unpopular reputation. His worthy achievements in postwar Europe have rightly received applause from historians, but even there his seemingly unlimited global commitments announced in the Truman Doctrine were rightly criticized by such luminaries as George Kennan and Walter Lippmann.

Stephens writes that President Bidens recent statements that the United States will militarily defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack were prudent, necessary and strategically astute, and demonstrate a sense of history. But instead of emulating Truman, Biden would have been better to channel Theodore Roosevelt  speak softly and carry a big stick. The problem, however, is that the stick isnt big enough, and Joe Biden has never been mistaken for a prudent, strategically astute statesman. We can only hope that in East Asia and the western Pacific, Bidens policies will not be as bad as Trumans.
Who is Seth Rich, and why was he murdered? Many media outlets ignored this unsolved murder in D.C. in July 2016. Those who wrote about this suspicious death were dismissed as conspiracy theorists. Jack Cashill wrote the best summary of Richs murder:

Unknown assailants gun down the young DNC data analyst at 4 A.M. on a Washington, D.C., street and take nothing. Two weeks later, international man of mystery Julian Assange strongly suggests on Dutch T.V. that Rich was his source for the purloined DNC emails then roiling the Democratic Party.

Many watched the Kabuki Theater of the Deep State unfold over many years with a very jaundiced eye.

[But what if this was a] . . . leak by a disgruntled DNC worker who had physical access to the server and copied the files to a thumb drive or similar. This thumb drive was then handled [sic] directly to a WikiLeaks operative. Julian Assange continues to deny he received the DNC files from the Russians. There is no doubt the Russians, the North Koreans, and the Chinese, and other intel agencies were in Hillary Clinton's homebrew server. And yet we were assured with high confidence by our intel agencies Russians [sic] operatives did the DNC hack.

Seth Rich (YouTube screengrab)

With last weeks testimony of Robby Mook (Clinton Campaign Chair) at the Michael Sussmann trial, Hillary Clinton is toast whether Sussmann is convicted or not. The Russian Collusion narrative now should be dead and buried. Real Clear Politics has an excellent summary of the collusion and conspiracy of the players now exposed, including the Clinton campaign that perpetuated the Russian Collusion narrative.

With this new information and the demise of the Russian Collusion narrative, its time for a new look at the untimely death of Seth Rich. If the Russians did not hack the DNC server, who did? There was damaging information to the Clinton campaign in this alleged hack. Julian Assange did have information that he later published. However, Assange continues to say it was not the Russians that gave him the data. As Cashill writes, Wikileaks offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Rich's killer. The damage control by the Clinton campaign was to blame the hack on the Russian Collusion narrative. Was this a disinformation operation by our spooks  CIA Director John Brennan and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper et. al.?

The Russian Collusion narrative began from before Donald Trump was elected and continued through his Presidency. The narrative was that Trump was a Russian agent. Hillary Clinton and the Deep State were very kind to the Russians when Hillary was the Secretary of State, notably regarding Uranium One, as reported by the WSJ and the NYT. The Clinton Foundation later received $145 million. Bill Clinton was paid $500,000 for a speech in Moscow. This deal never resulted in any action against Hillary Clinton or the usual suspects.

Before the 2020 election, fifty sycophant spooks lied including Brennan and Clapper in signing a letter to deep-six Hunter Bidens Laptop from Hell as Russian disinformation. Our Intel community is hot to get Assange extradited to the U.S. Why? Is it possible the usual suspects are covering for serious felonies they committed before and after the 2016 election? The forensic examination of the DNC server was done by Crowdstrike, hired by the DNC a yellow flag. The DNC denied the FBI access to the actual DNC servers. A real investigation wouldn't have allowed this  another big red flag. Again, what if the DNC hack was a local leak delivered by hand to Assange?

Seth Rich reportedly, a Bernie Sanders supporter with IT experience, was working for the DNC. Rich had access to the DNC server. Rich most likely learned that Hillary was sandbagging Sanders. Rich was attacked and shot to death, leaving a bar in a nice area of D.C. late at night. Nothing was taken from Rich in this robbery. The DC Metro P.D. so far has kissed this death off as a random robbery.

The FBI denied any knowledge of Richs murder. After a long series of FOIAs by Judicial Watch and others, including suing the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI finally admitted it had files on Rich's murder. Later the FBI did disclose it had Rich's laptop. Arguably, a game of cat and mouse with overtones of the FBI lying by omission:

After more than four years of repeated denials from the FBI that they had searched their files and had no information on Seth Rich, we now know that was a blatant lie. It was David Hardy, a FBI Senior official, who put that denial in writing in September 2017. . . . He stated under oath that the FBI had no records on Seth Rich . . .. [source]

FBI has completed the initial search identifying approximately 50 cross-reference serials, with attachments totaling over 20,000 pages, in which Seth Rich is mentioned . . . . FBI is also currently working on getting the files from Seth Rich's personal Laptop into a format to be reviewed. . . .The goal right now is to describe, generally, the types of files/personal information contained in this computer. [source]

Shades of deep-sixing Hunter Bidens hard drives by the FBI -- also a major red flag. The FBI, DOJ and others in the Deep State havent been truthful of late, including doing politically biased investigations, filing fraudulent FISA search warrant affidavits to spy on Trump, investigating parents as domestic terrorists who attended local school board meetings, the The January 6th Insurrection that Wasnt, and lastly the meme there was no election fraud in the 2020 election  See 2000 Mules.

What about the number of deaths of people in the orbit of the Clintons, including Jeffrey Epstein? Epstein, in my speculation, was an asset running a honey pot operation for some yet unknown intel agency to gather comprising information on the rich and famous [Epstein only got a slap on the wrist in Florida]. If Rich was the leaker, he was a loose end, too, that had to go, as he could expose the Russian Collusion narrative as a lie.

A new investigation is warranted into the death of Rich. It must start with Rich's laptop if the data hasn't been destroyed yet. That should be followed by working upwards in the Deep State hierarchies, including the Clinton and Biden families, sweating the henchmen, including Mook, FBI Director James Comey, Brennan, Clapper, Jake Sullivan, and others, regarding any knowledge of the death of Rich. There is no statute of limitations for murder. Murder is generally a state crime; however, the DOJ and FBI do have jurisdiction to investigate Richs murder as a potential unindicted predicate offense of a joint venture criminal conspiracy.

Richs murder and other related potential crimes need to be thoroughly criminally investigated for accountability of the perpetrators, but more importantly for the serious national security concerns by expanding the mandate of Special Counsel John Durham or appointing another special counsel.

Since the Obama Administration, in my opinion, there has been an ongoing joint venture criminal conspiracy as described by Kash Patel. This conspiracy includes the Clinton and Biden crime families, with many of the same actors, both foreign and domestic working together for their common self-interested purposes. This conspiracy committed many crimes, against the People of the United States, including a coup of sitting President. It constitutes a coup using an illegal usurpation of power, by treason, mutiny, bribery, frauds, and thefts of public funds, and cover-ups and obstruction of justice committed by a criminal enterprise[s] as defined in Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).

Ron Wright is a retired detective from the Riverside PD, CA serving almost thirty-five years. He holds a BA in political science CSUF, M. Adm. University of Cal, Riverside. Facebook at Ron T. Cop.
China-Australia trade sees stable growth in 2021: commerce ministry

Xinhua) 11:27, June 03, 2022

BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Economic and trade cooperation between China and Australia saw stable development in 2021, with China remaining Australia's largest trading partner in goods, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

Bilateral trade amounted to approximately 231.2 billion U.S. dollars last year, a rise of 35.1 percent year on year, according to ministry spokesperson Gao Feng.

China's imports from Australia reached 164.82 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, jumping 40.6 percent from a year ago, Gao said.

Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia, Gao said that economic and trade cooperation has been one of the most active and vibrant driving forces promoting bilateral relations over the past 50 years.

"The sound and stable development of China-Australia relations serves the fundamental interests and common aspirations of the two peoples, and contributes to the peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region," Gao said.

The spokesperson expressed the hope that the new Australian government will face up to cruxes in bilateral relations, treat China and China's development in an objective and rational way, and make more efforts to increase mutual trust and cooperation, so as to create favorable conditions for the healthy development of bilateral economic and trade relations.

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Bianji)
It's almost like clockwork. A holiday weekend comes along, and violent crime in Democrat-controlled cities spikes. During this past Memorial Day weekend, 30 people were killed and about 100 injured in America's big cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York. This was a holiday where we were supposed to be remembering soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice, not adding to the list of the dead.

While the media are quick to jump on mass shootings, as happened in Buffalo and Uvalde, they are one-time events in those cities. On the other hand, weekends where a dozen or more people are killed in a major city are ignored. Why? It would seem to feed into the "if it bleeds, it leads" narrative of the media.

Those killed in major cities are largely people "of color." Where are the cries of racism as the media did with Uvalde, saying the police would have gone in sooner if the children had been white?

Many of those killed in the cities are innocent non-white children. This past weekend, a 9-year-old boy and his father were sprayed with bullets in their car as they came home from a cookout in Philadelphia. They were among 15 people killed in the city over the holiday weekend.

Where are the reporters claiming that the government doesn't care about the children? In Chicago, where nine people were killed over the weekend and 47 injured, a group of citizens were commemorating the anniversary of another teen's death outside an elementary school. A gunman opened fire on the crowd, and a 16-year-old was among the wounded.

Sadly, it appears that the media need a lot of blood to spill at once from gunfire to care about an incident. The more people shot at once, the better it is for their numbers. They can work people into a frenzy and politicians react to these outlying events as if they are the norm. Meanwhile, they fail to see the trend right in front of their faces. It is like the story of how to cook a frog. You put the frog in a pot of cold water and slowly turn up the heat, and before long, it's too late for the frog to escape, and it is cooked.

That is what is happening in these cities. Crime is increasing, not in incidents where dozens are shot at once, but where one or two people are shot. Over and over again, these incidents happen. It's the heat slowly turning up. Now we're reaching the point in many cities where there is a massive problem that hasn't been addressed.

The other thing is that the incidents in places like Chicago and New York show that the media's and Democrats' answer to the problem doesn't work. They want you to believe that taking away guns will solve the problem. Well, the big cities have some of the strictest gun control laws around. They also have the worst problems with shootings.

It's not the guns or the laws. The problem is the people. We need to address what is driving people to shoot, stab, and run cars into other people. It is doubtful that will happen, because the problem might very well be the media and politicians who are doing what they can to drive wedges among people, make them afraid of each other, and drive them to the point of needing to do something.

You don't hear them talking about taking away their First Amendment rights to speech to control violence, but you do hear them say that about the Second Amendment. Gun control hasn't worked. The more they pass laws, the worse it has gotten. It's time to look for an answer that works and not keep posturing.

Michael A. Letts is the CEO and founder of In-VestUSA, a national grassroots non-profit organization helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs.

Photo credit: Kat Wilcox, public domain.
California is a troubled state. Its cities are drowning in a sea of feces and needles from the homeless flooding the streets, crime is rampant, the cost of living has gone through the roof, illegal aliens are pouring into the state, and people who aren't bazillionaires can't wait to leave. And now, just to make it a bit more hostile to the average person, the "California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans" has released a 500-page report detailing its history of unparalleled racism and demanding reparations from taxpayers.

It is true that Blacks in California are not doing well:

California is home to the fifth-largest Black population in the U.S., after Texas, Florida, Georgia and New York, the report said. An estimated 2.8 million Black people live in California, according to the report, although it is unclear how many are eligible for compensation. African Americans make up nearly 6% of California's population yet they are overrepresented in jails, youth detention centers and prisons. About 28% of people imprisoned in California are Black and in 2019, African American youth made up 36% of minors ordered into state juvenile detention facilities. Nearly 9% of people living below the poverty level in the state were African Americans and 30% of people experiencing homelessness in 2019 were Black, according to state figures. Black Californians earn less and and are more likely to be poor than white residents. In 2018, Black residents earned on average just under $54,000 compared to $87,000 for white Californians. In 2019, 59% of white households owned their homes, compared with 35% of Black Californians.

According to the task force, this is because of slavery. Of course, for anyone who has forgotten his history, California was not a slave state, although it was a state with a fair amount of racism. Indeed, California is still a highly, albeit voluntarily, segregated state. For a Californian to travel to the southeast and see the level of voluntary integration there is a culture shock.

For California to do penance for its guilt,

[t]he task force recommends creating a state-subsidized mortgage program to guarantee low rates for qualifying African American applicants, as well as free health care, free tuition to California colleges and universities and scholarships to African American high school graduates to cover four years of undergraduate education. The committee also calls for a Cabinet-level secretary position to oversee an African American Affairs agency with branches for civic engagement, education, social services, cultural affairs and legal affairs. It would help people research and document their lineage to a 19th-century ancestor so they could qualify for financial restitution. [snip] The committee voted in March to limit reparations to the descendants of Black people living in the U.S. in the 19th century, overruling advocates who wanted to expand compensation to all Black people in the U.S.



Image: Members of the Reparations Task Force. YouTube screen grab.

Here are a few things the task force may not have covered:

When the Civil War began, California's population was 379,994. Its population today is estimated at 38,959,247. Of that number, 32.2% of Californians are Hispanic, and 11.7% are Asian. Even the 4.8% of Blacks aren't necessarily connected to slavery because that number includes people who arrived from Africa and the Caribbean after slavery ended in the U.S. My obvious point is that a whole bunch of people who did not benefit from slavery and are not complicit in, nor have they benefited from racism, are nonetheless being told to pay up.

More compellingly, California is filled with people who came there with nothing (and some faced tremendous racial prejudice) but have thrived. The most notable group is the Asians. The first generation, starting in the 19th century, faced greater prejudice in California than the Blacks did. And the ones who arrived here beginning in the 1970s fleeing communism arrived with nothing but have leaped from poverty to the middle class in a generation. Hispanics, too, have faced great discrimination over the years, but they too have thrived.

The difference between Asians and Hispanics, on the one hand, and Blacks, on the other hand, is cultural. The Asians usually have intact homes and put a huge premium on education. The Hispanics usually have intact homes and put a huge premium on hard work. These are cultural pressures that shape children to go on to productive and often profitable lives. Meanwhile, roughly 77% of Black children are in single-parent homes, a sure indicator of future poverty. And as often as not, there's no father involved, which leads to higher criminal rates for boys.

Let me be blunt. Throwing more money at Blacks will make virtue-signaling White leftists feel a little more virtuous. It will not help those Blacks who are sinking into a morass of poverty, crime, abuse, and despair. The only thing that will change is when they stop looking for reparations (even arguably deserved ones) and start repairing their broken communities.

Dr. Ben Carson on California's reparations proposalhttps://t.co/tfJfIEyiJY  Vann Schaffner (@vannschaffner) June 3, 2022

(For a really surprising look at the culture of Blacks mired in poverty, I highly recommend Thomas Sowell's Black Rednecks & White Liberals.)
As my late father used to say, beware of polls. He used to joke that there were more polls than gas stations in the U.S. So I always look at polls with a good sense of skepticism even if I agree with the results.

The latest Trafalgar poll has some interesting news about guns and teachers. This is the story:

In the wake of the deadly Uvalde elementary school shooting, the heated topic of gun laws is once again a major forefront of peoples minds. Though a majority of Americans believe arming teaching will make schools more safe. A recent poll conducted by The Trafalgar Group, surveyed 1,091 general election voters and found that 57.5 percent of voters believe schools are somewhat or much more dangerous without teachers who carry a legal firearm and are properly trained Ito use it. This leaves just over a mere 30 percent who oppose it.

Again, it's a poll, but I think this one is correct. It confirms what I believe: that Americans want safe schools first and foremost. They want to know that the premises are safe and their kids will be safe.

Every time we have a mass shooting, the Democrats go crazy trying to focus on gun control. But Americans are smarter than that. Americans understand that you can't deal with school shooters without addressing the culture that produces these young men, whether fatherlessness or collapse of the family unit. In other words, Americans know that laws will not stop gun violence or keep criminals from getting guns.

PS: Click for my videos and podcasts at Canto Talk.

Image: Connecticut State Library.
The New York City Department of Health kicked off a new campaign, with advertisements displayed across the subway transit system. However, this taxpayer-funded project is quite the opposite of what you'd expect from a city health department  or maybe not, given the fact that it appeared in the liberal enclave of Manhattan. The ads sought to characterize debilitating opioid addictions as "empowering."

The health department did not offer resources for substance abuse, or addiction treatment, but instead delineated how to be an empowered and safe user, saying:

Avoid using alone and take turns

Start with a small dose and go slowly

Have naloxone on hand

Avoid mixing drugs

Test your drugs using fentanyl test strip

This public campaign comes on the heels of the city taxpayers funding "safe injection sites"  locations where addicts can ingest or inject their illicit drugs under the eye of a paid medical professional, someone who is trained to prevent and treat overdoses. It should not surprise anyone that facilitating junkie behavior leads to an exacerbated issue. Just three days ago, the Daily Mail published an article on the regressive direction of New York life amid the rising drug issues  outside a popular market in East Harlem, homeless men injected opiates into their feet and arms in the middle of the sidewalk in broad daylight  just blocks from three separate schools.

Joe Borelli, a New York City councilman, castigated the health department advertisements, calling them "twisted."

No, @nycHealthy, heroin addiction is not empowering



This is the opposite of harm reduction. This normalizes injecting deadly life-changing drugs



avoid using alone 



Start w small doses 



Using safely 



This is twisted



Did you approve this @NYCHealthCommr? pic.twitter.com/YW3BT1km60  Joe Borelli (@JoeBorelliNYC) May 27, 2022

On May 27, Fox News aired a segment where they hosted two fathers who had lost their children to fentanyl. The fathers formed a "fentanyl awareness coalition" in order to educate others on the reality of the dangers of fentanyl and how pervasive the problem truly is. The opioid epidemic is amplified by the addition of fentanyl, and one organization is taking the campaign to Joe Biden. From a Fox News article:

Families against Fentanyl, an organization raising awareness about the dangers of the deadly synthetic opioid, are asking the Biden Administration to count fentanyl poisoning and overdose deaths the same way it counted COVID-19 deaths.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, deaths by synthetic opioids skyrocketed in the year 2020  up past 60,000 deaths for the year.

Unfortunately, overdoses encouraged by Democrat policies aren't politically useful, so we are unlikely to see any meaningful action.
For years, whenever a media-genic school shooting has come along (as opposed to the routine carnage of young and old in America's Democrat-run, gun-controlled cities), myriad studies, plus common sense, have suggested simple solutions (limiting school points of entry, armed guards, armed teachers, etc.) and deeper solutions (focusing on families, fathers, and faith). Invariably, Democrats have said "no," indicating that they really don't care about school shootings. They've been waiting for something big to justify overriding the Second Amendment, and, with Uvalde, they think they've got it.

Whenever someone constantly complains about something but refuses to take any steps to remedy the situation, you know that the person already has a plan in mind and does not want other measures to derail that plan. So it is with Democrats and gun control. Indeed, Democrats over the past few years have gone out of their way to increase the risk of gun crimes. In Democrat-run cities, they've defunded and demoralized the police and refused to prosecute violent criminals, including those committing gun crimes. California, after Uvalde, passed a bill that relieves schools of the mandatory duty to report violent threats to law enforcement.

So, given how Democrats purport to hate gun violence, we can guess why they seem to do everything in their power to facilitate gun violence: they want to bring things to a crisis point to justify serious Second Amendment infringements.



Image: Biden demands gun control (and whats with all those candles?). YouTube screen grab, edited.

We've already seen the Canadians seize on Uvalde to justify attacking handguns and magazines with over five rounds, and now it's Biden's and the Democrats' turn. In the House Judiciary Committee, Mondaire Jones was a standout for the nonsense Democrats spouted with his hysterical rhetoric about destroying the filibuster and the Supreme Court if that's what it takes to end the Second Amendment:

Typically for a recent(ish) Harvard Law grad, Jones has no reverence for the Constitution, which he views as an obstruction to power. (That, incidentally, is why the Founders created the Constitution: to obstruct power.)

But the worst came from Biden himself, who was, as usual, a wellspring of lies, misinformation, and demagoguery. Credit goes to Breitbart for doing an extraordinary job fact-checking the effluvia that flowed from Biden's lips. Here are just a few misstatements, and I recommend visiting Breitbart for more coverage of Biden's speech.

Biden: "Guns are the number one killer of children." False. Children cease to be children when they hit 18 and become legal adults. Sadly, in 2020, 2,281 children from 0 to 17 died from guns (and I'm betting a lot were in Democrat gun-control cities), while 2,503 died in car accidents. Biden (and the dishonest CDC) arrived at their "fact" by including 18- to 19-year-olds (i.e., adults).

Biden: Expanding background checks would limit school shootings. Mostly false. We already have FBI background checks, but Democrats want to have background checks for private sales (neighbor to neighbor, father to son, etc.). But private sellers, who presumably have more knowledge of their customer, already have a legal obligation to reasonably believe that the buyer is not barred from gun ownership. Moreover, according to Breitbart, for the last 15 years, all but three mass shooters got their guns through retailers. Imposing a burden on private sales would have a minimal effect on mass shootings but create a massive burden on individuals.

Biden: Mass shootings tripled after the assault weapons ban ended in 2004. Mostly false, says the WaPo! Biden was relying on a flawed study:

The new mass-shooting database shows that there were 31 mass shootings in the decade before the 1994 law, 31 in the 10 years the law was in force (Sept. 13, 1994 to Sept. 12, 2004) and 47 in the 10 years after it expired. As noted, some of that increase stems from population growth.

Biden: Nothing was done after the Parkland shooting. False. Florida enacted a red-flag law, improved school safety, and even enacted some gun controls.

Here's a fact Biden doesn't want you to know: a CDC study during Obama's presidency showed that Americans use guns defensively from 500,000 to 3 million times per year. That completely dwarfs the ~20,800 gun deaths in 2021, an exceptionally violent year, and a year in which 18.8 million people responded to rising violence by purchasing a weapon.

In the grand scheme of things, school shootings, while utterly heart-wrenching and appalling, represent only the smallest use of guns. And as the worst attack on a school in American history shows  44 students killed by a bomb in 1927  evil people don't need guns.

There's so much more to be said. For a deep dive into the principles behind the Second Amendment, the fact that governments are the ones most responsible for gun violence, the misinformation Democrats are spewing about weapons, the lessons from Uvalde, and more, I recommend a post by Wolf Howling, my fellow blogger at Bookworm Room.

And the final word goes to Joe Biden:
Election fraud is real. And there was a lot of it in the 2020 election.

But the mainstream media in general, and the Washington Post in particular, would have you think that angry, Trump-deranged, radical Democrats, steeped in a "by any means necessary" revolutionary ideology, as well as long entrenched machine politics, would never dream of such a thing.

Unfortunately, (for them) yesterday's news from Arizona tells a different story:

Arizona woman admits guilt in ballot collection scheme PHOENIX  An Arizona woman accused of illegally collecting early ballots in the 2020 primary election pleaded guilty Thursday in an agreement with state prosecutors that saw the more serious forgery and conspiracy charges dismissed and limited any potential for a lengthy prison sentence. Guillermina Fuentes, 66, could get probation for running what Arizona attorney general's office investigators said was a sophisticated operation using her status as a well-known Democratic operative in the border city of San Luis to persuade voters to let her gather and in some cases fill out their ballots.

The Washington Post ran this Associated Press story, not bothering, despite its stable of well paid reporters, to report the matter itself. The AP, based on what I could tell from a Google search, was the only non-local news outlet that did. A few outlets cribbed from the AP story, but nobody else on the national scene put the hours in to cover the actual story.

Filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza felt a measure of vindication to see the story on the Washington Post's site:

Even the @washingtonpost gives inrepudiating its own national correspondent @pbump who has insisted that coordinated ballot harvesting merely helps people vote. 



Arizona woman admits guilt in ballot collection scheme - The Washington Post https://t.co/LOSrClLG4L  Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) June 3, 2022

The story itself was that a longtime Democrat operative engaged in "ballot abuse" or illegal "ballot-harvesting" and managed to plead down to some minor charges, admitting to some 12 ballots harvested and filled in by her, much of which was described in D'Souza's film 2000 Mules:

Investigators wrote that it appeared Fuentes used her position as a powerful figure in the heavily Mexican American community [that's 98.7% Hispanic, according to Census records -ed.} to get people to give her or others their ballots to return to the polls. Fuentes and her co-defendant were seen with several mail-in envelopes outside a cultural center in San Luis on the day of the 2020 primary election, the reports show. The ballots were taken inside and dropped in a ballot box. She was videotaped by a write-in candidate who called the Yuma County sheriff. The reports said the video showed her marking at least one ballot, but that charge was among those dropped. An investigation was launched that day, and about 50 ballots checked for fingerprints, which were inconclusive. The investigation was taken over by the attorney general's office within days, with investigators collaborating with sheriff's deputies to interview voters, Fuentes and others. Although Fuentes was charged only with actions that appear on the videotape and involve just a handful of ballots, investigators believe the effort went much farther.

While the story unavoidably made the Post's claims of free and fair elections in 2020 look pretty skeezy, given that there was videotape, the AP story itself was pretty biased.

The AP's account focused not on the fraud that verifiably took place in that swing state, but on all the charges the prosecutors could not or did not pin on the woman charged, such as conspiracy, forgery, and paying voters for their unmarked ballots. The AP concluded that it was just a little localized fraud, no major issue.

But there's no sign her illegal ballot collection went beyond the small-town politics Fuentes was involved in.

This is pretty naive, given that just because a prosecutor cannot prove a charge, that doesn't mean that the problem isn't going on. Election fraud, for the AP's information, is notoriously hard to prove, which is why so little of it gets prosecuted and so much of it winds up in films like 2000 Mules. With election machinery welded to the political machinery, it's even less likely to be charged, given that prosecutors may fear political retaliation. The dropping of the conspiracy charge in this Arizona case, for one thing, seems kind of ridiculous. Why the heck would anyone stuff ballot boxes and collect ballots and pay off voters if it weren't for someone higher up in the political hierarchy? Conspiracy seems baked in the cake, but it's possible the prosecutors couldn't prove whom this woman was talking to.

Instead of asking those questions, or asking the prosecutors why they weren't able to prove all of the charges they suspected, the AP idiotically concluded that the only possible reason for that outcome was that the Democrats didn't do it.

There also was some amazing naivete about the style of the fraud described. As Census information notes, the town of San Luis has seen a tremendous upsurge in population in the last few years. It's 98.7% Hispanic, virtually everyone Mexican-American. The style of the fraud was pure PRI-Mexico, in the style of Tijuana and Sonora state politics, which pioneered ballot-harvesting on behalf of what was once a one-party state known as "a perfect dictatorship" in the words of Nobel literature laureate Mario Vargas Llosa. The buying of ballots, the collecting on behalf of a larger political machine, and the muscling of vulnerable migrants (only 44% of whom hold U.S. citizenship, meaning, a large illegal alien population is all but certain) pretty well says PRI all over it. The AP didn't know about this stuff, which is quite likely, or, if it did (which is also likely), it certainly wasn't going to highlight it in a piece meant to inform readers.

But bad as this reporting was, the Washington Post's was worse. Longtime national correspondent Philip Bump, who's known as the water-carrier for the WaPo's top management, pooh-poohed the whole thing in the post-2020 election scenarios as baseless and the work of "conspiracy theorists." He focused on some inflammatory wording in his piece here instead of the substance of the charges and used that as the basis of his argument that there's no such thing as election fraud. Again and again, the Washington Post took this line of argument. In the Bump piece cited, he attempted to debunk the cell phone data that, along with video, pretty well proved that ballot-harvesting took place. (Phil didn't mention the video.) Comically, he mockingly placed an Arizona chart of the ballot-harvesting movements as his "proof" that nothing bad could be going on. That, ummm, is quite likely the movements of the ballot-harvester who just got busted, or the other person who was similarly busted. Bzzzt  kind of embarrassing now.

Well, however meager, we are starting to see some charges now. And the Post has a bit of comeuppance but, worse still, is behind the curve.

Image: Pixabay, Pixabay License image enhanced with FotoSketcher.
It's been over a month since Piers Morgan Uncensored was launched.[i] Rupert Murdoch reportedly signed Morgan to a $63-million three-year deal and left no stone unturned in promoting the show. There were billboards and newspaper advertisements. Morgan appeared on Fox News and on all major shows in the U.K. It was looking promising.

Then Morgan leaped straight into the gutter, pulling a cheap publicity stunt ably supported by his employers. Morgan claimed that Donald Trump had walked out of his "explosive" interview because of his tough questions. He even wrote an exaggerated piece about it in the N.Y. Post.

The claim of the walkout turned out to be a complete falsehood, but the stunt enabled Morgan to gain momentary attention as he rode on Trump's coattails.

The interview fetched him a respectable 400,000 viewers in the U.K., beating all his competition.

A con man may be able to fool a large number of people the first time, but once the deception is discovered, people seldom return.

Despite being a media veteran, Morgan forgot that it is compelling content and not petty publicity stunts that sustains viewer loyalty.

It also helps if the host has star quality and charm to carry the show. This is where Morgan falls short by light-years.

Back in 2011, Morgan took over Larry King's time slot on CNN, once again pulling similar stunts. He bragged about being the new King of Media and got into a "feud" with Howard Stern, whom he had on his second show. The combination of stunts and guests such as Oprah and Stern enabled high ratings during his first week. But the viewers departed after that.

To make matters worse, Morgan used his show to relentlessly campaign for gun control. Three years later, the show was canceled.

Piers Morgan was good on the Good Morning Britain show that he co-hosted alongside British journalist Susanna Reid. This is because the smart, sassy, and attractive Reid was always there to counter Morgan and effectively restrain him.

Morgan alongside Reid did a sterling job interviewing the powers that be in Britain. They were such a formidable team that P.M. Boris Johnson campaigning for elections hid in a fridge to escape tough questions.

What gun control was for his CNN show, Meghan Markle was for Good Morning Britain. Morgan was personally offended that Markle didn't respond to his messages once she became royalty. He used the show to frequently wage war against Markle. Morgan's unhinged presentations were both monotonous and unamusing. He ended up looking petty and vicious. He even failed to engage those who disapprove of Markle.

He attempted humor referring to Markle as Princess Pinocchio, but none of those zingers worked. When Markle accused the Royal Family of racism during an Oprah interview, Morgan expressed skepticism. But instead of being precise, he appeared hysterical, as if his personal anger at Markle had gotten the better of him. When the show's weather reporter accused him of racism and an unhealthy obsession with Markle, instead of defending himself, Morgan chose to walk off in the middle of the debate.

Morgan claimed that the producers of his show ordered him to apologize to Markle, which he rightly refused do to, and hence he was sacked.

Morgan made a great deal about woke mobs going after him and cancel culture, as he painted himself as a martyr.

This theme continues on Piers Morgan Uncensored, where Morgan frequently rants about "woke insanity" and "snowflake society." Ironically, these meandering rants make him appear like a whiny snowflake who complains all day. In fact, running away from a debate on Good Morning Britain is proof that he may not be the tough debater he claims he is.

Now for the star quality aspect of a TV anchor. Star quality is inexplicable and unquantifiable. It is not just about being photogenic or having a "broadcaster's voice." It is just something that clicks with the audience.

When Morgan is alone on-screen delivering his opening monologue, something seems amiss, just as it did on his CNN show in 2011. He simply lacks the gravitas and the skill to carry a show on his shoulders. He also lacks delivery to be engaging when he is talking all by himself.

During one-to-one interviews, Morgan frequently interrupts guests, often disturbing trains of thought. At times, he bursts into sycophantic giggles when interviewing people he admires.

He even did that with President Trump.

Another issue with the show is the lack of focus.

Gone are the days when everybody watched the same show just because there was no other news show available.

Morgan launched his show by attacking and mocking Trump, who was kind enough to give him an interview. That surely must have turned off many on the right, who were already upset with him because of his gun control stand. The left obviously thinks of him as evil because he doesn't entirely conform to leftist ngroupthink.

An opinion show doesn't have to be ideologically pure, either. Tucker Carlson frequently takes positions such as being against wars in foreign nations that were once taken by the left. Carlson often has guests such as Glenn Greenwald who are by no means conservative. Carlson frequently calls out GOP leaders for being cowardly and inept.

But Morgan's show seems directionless, as if various segments are randomly cobbled together. What's worse is that the segments themselves aren't compelling.

Morgan also seems focused on creating frivolous outrage, as he did during the launch of his show. Experts have said the appetite for outrage has diminished because of the seriousness of events like the war in Ukraine. Also, those looking for outrage can find plenty of provocative options on YouTube, so there is no reason to watch Piers Morgan.

Apart from President Trump, Morgan hasn't managed to secure interviews with any other major political figure, which often causes public interest.

The show's tag line, "Love him or hate him, you won't want to miss him," reveals the fault in the strategy. Those who love him will watch him, obviously, but those who despise him have no reason to pay to watch him. On Good Morning Britain, perhaps Morgan's detractors enjoyed Morgan being restrained or put in his place by his co-hosts. Here it is Morgan all by himself.

Recently, the British media reported that Morgan is taking a six-week break from his struggling show.

However, "insiders" claim that this leave was "pre-scheduled" for later in the summer, to allow him to focus on a new project about serial killers.

Piers responded in an incongruous message, which makes it seem as though the rumors are probably true.

Apparently, Im going on holiday for 6 weeks.

The good news is that a real-life hologram of me will be hosting @PiersUncensored for the next 10 weeks. Then Ill be hanging out in America for a bit with serial killers. So may or may not be back depending how that goes..   Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 27, 2022

A newly launched show doing well in the ratings continues its run to build a brand. Morgan's departure suggests that his backers may be losing faith in him.

Can the show be saved?

No, it cannot, the way it currently is. The audience seems to have given up. But a new show could be immediately created where Morgan has a co-host to challenge him.

Photo credit: YouTube screen grab.
I always thought the month of June was set aside for June brides.

But the whole month has been usurped by the LGTQ etc. community. This is one cultural appropriation that is ignored.

And now we have the USMC out with a new symbol to "honor" a particular community.

Sorry, but this USMC symbol doesn't cut it for me. The Marine hymn that begins "From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli" professes the strength of the Corps and willingness to fight as in the Barbary Wars, where the scimitar was a decapitating tool.

Did gays and lesbians join to be honored or to serve? Is their value as Marines determined by their sexuality or their ability to keep America secure?

Acknowledging queerness+ need not translate into honoring queerness+. The Marines who stormed beaches did not have time for this silliness. I honor them.

There are pedophiles, practitioners of bestiality, sadists, and other various sexual attractions, but I won't honor them. Apparently, at the rate things are going, any and all forms of sexual behavior will be acceptable, then honored. To what purpose?

What cannot be denied is that all forms of mammalian life are created by a male and female with interconnecting body parts. Even the chickens I raised needed a rooster to mount a hen in order to produce a fertile egg, which then hatched into a chick. Goodness, even plumbing fixtures and sprinkler systems have male and female adapters. (Of course, the self-appointed woke patrol will get around to erasing that terminology.)

Be who you want to be  in your own home.

In fairness to diversity, how come no Heterosexual Pride Month or annual Heterosexual Parade? My heterosexuality is no one's business. I don't demand that everyone honor it, lest people be labeled heterophobes. And I don't push it in anyone's face.

Not entirely loving Wikipedia, however: "The demographics of sexual orientation and gender identity in the United States have been studied in the social sciences in recent decades. A 2022 Gallup poll concluded that 7.1% of adult Americans identified as LGBT. A different survey in 2016, from the Williams Institute, estimated that 0.6% of U.S. adults identify as transgender." Apparently, it's de rigueur to be a gender-shifter. Hey, California just ruled that bees can identify as fish.

Bending over to accommodate a contingent of people who are less than 17% of a nation reeks of condescension  and wokeness. As if only this time period, from about 2010 to now, had humans ever been struck by intelligence and awareness. As if only this special kind of awareness matters.

In their tweet, the USMC manipulated words into a self-righteous salad that looks appealing to some, but upon eating, it takes a lot of chewing before swallowing  or spitting out. What other groups will the Corps tackle next? Expressing diversity, may we expect bullets to honor Christians, Jews, Muslims, atheists, agnostics, blacks, biracials, Asians, indigenous peoples? But no white bullets, because that's toxic.

Wanna bet there would never be two bullets showing  and  symbols in blue and pink?

Oops, maybe we don't need to emphasize bullets on our helmets. How very insensitive of the Marine Corps.

Molly Maffei Baldwin is a retired New Jersey elementary teacher. She now lives comfortably in small-town Texas. She may be contacted by email at mollymaffeibaldwin@yahoo.com.

Image: USMC.
Last night, the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission hosted a debate between two Arizona legislative candidates, Anna Orth and Sherrylyn Young. The moderator touched on a range of topics, and toward the end, he took questions from viewers. The conversation turned to abortion. Neither woman was willing to die on the hill of innocent life  after all, Young spent her career dismembering babies in the womb, and Orth was so incoherent that her true sentiments were hard to gather, yet nothing from her rambling would indicate her to be a person who values the sanctity of precious unborn life.

Abortion is an egregious sin against humanity. It violates the sacred love between a mother and her child, it remains one of the primary components in the communistic conspiracy to dismantle the traditional family structure upon which a healthy society rests, and putting an innocent person to death defiles any sense of morality.

Conservative values and the American way of life are under attack from all angles  the political Establishment is ceding sovereignty to unelected and global governing bodies, Biden and the Democrats capitalize on every opportunity to dismantle our border, the fourth branch of government is a metastatic and malignant tumor, and COVID tyranny decimated the middle class and the economy. Despite all of the suffering and setbacks, American patriots remain resilient and steadfast. As Thomas Paine said:

Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph [emphasis added]. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.

However, despite all those adversities, which are indeed rapidly creating a dystopian future, their resolution and defeat are moot without life.

The safeguard of innocent life is the hill to die on, even if you die alone. Morality is objective, and designating life "unworthy of life" is the fast track to eugenics and the eventual complete indifference to the preciousness of all of humanity. A society that allows for its most vulnerable to be slaughtered behind the sterile walls of a medical office is one that deserves wrath.
Mondbar Plum kommt nach 15 Jahren auf einer Gallefarm in gute Obhut 3. Juni 2022

Gerade als unser Team im Rettungszentrum in Vietnam von einem kleinen, verwaisten Mondbarenwelpen erfahren hatte, der unsere Hilfe brauchte, erhielten wir auch Nachricht uber einen alteren Mondbaren, der mehr als ein Jahrzehnt auf einer Gallefarm durchlitten hatte und dringend gerettet werden musste.

Bitte spenden Sie, um diesem wunderschonen, verzweifelten Baren dabei zu helfen, sich von seiner unvorstellbaren Vergangenheit zu erholen.

Unser Rettungsteam trat in Aktion und bereitete sich auf die Rettung und die Ankunft des Welpen sowie des alteren Baren vor. Bei Rettungseinsatzen verfugt das Team des Rettungszentrums oft uber wenig Informationen uber die Baren, daher mussen sie auf alle Eventualitaten gefasst sein.

In diesem Fall wussten wir uberhaupt nichts uber den alteren Baren, dem wir den Spitznamen Plum gegeben haben, nur dass er sich auf einer kleinen Gallefarm in Son La befand, das an der vietnamesischen Grenze zu Laos liegt, etwa zehn Stunden Fahrt von unserem Rettungszentrum in Tam Dao entfernt.

Unseren Informationen zufolge lebte der Bar seit 2008 auf der Farm.

Plum steckte in einem kleinen, rostigen Kafig, ohne etwas tun oder sehen zu konnen, ohne Gefahrten zum Spielen oder auch nur zum Beruhren, ohne offenen Raum um sich herum, ohne Gras, um sich herumzukugeln, ohne Leckerbissen, die er sich hatte suchen und die er hatte hungrig verschlingen konnen 15 Jahre lang.

Das Ausma der korperlichen und seelischen Verletzungen, die dieser arme Bar im Laufe jener langen, einsamen 15 Jahre erlitten haben durfte, ist unvorstellbar, so Heidi Quine, Leiterin des Baren- und Tierarztteams.

Doch wir werden alles in unserer Macht Stehende tun, um Plum etwas von dem zuruckzugeben, was ihm vor all den Jahren grausam geraubt wurde.

Mit Plums Ankunft in unserem Rettungszentrum Tam Dao bleiben uns nur noch funf freie Platze fur andere Baren, die uns brauchen.

Bitte helfen Sie Plum auf dem Weg der Genesung und helfen Sie uns, ein zweites Rettungszentrum zu bauen, sodass wir weiteren Baren wir Plum die zweite Chance geben konnen, die sie so dringend benotigen.
(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 3 - Italy's COVID-19 Rt transmission number and case incidence have fallen further, the weekly coronavirus monitoring report of the health ministry and the Higher Health Institute (ISS) said on Friday.

It said the incidence dropped to 207 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants in the May 20-26 period, down from 261 the previous week.

The report said the Rt number fell to 0.82 in the May 10-23 period, down from 0.86 in last week's report.

An Rt above 1 indicates the epidemic is in a phase of expansion.

The report said the proportion of Italy's intensive-car beds taken up by coronavirus sufferers was 2.3% on June 2, down from 2.6% seven days previously.

It said 7.1% of ordinary-ward hospital places were occupied by COVID patients on June 2, from from 9% last week. (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 3 - A Libyan motor boat on Friday fired warning shots at an Italian trawler in international waters north of Benghazi, sources said.

The Salvatore Mercurio was working there with another trawler, the Luigi Primo.

No damage or injuries were reported on either vessel.

An Italian frigate, the Grecale, instructed the motor launch to head off while a health team from the San Marco marines boarded the trawlers to ensure their safety and security.

Defence Minister Lorenzo Guerini was constantly informed of events. (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 3 - Italy's 20 or so confirmed monkeypox cases are all men, the country's top infectious disease hospital, the Spallanzani in Rome, said Friday.

It said it was "plausible" they had contracted the disease during sex.

An article published by Spallanzani researchers in Eurosurveillance, the journal of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), is the first detailed description of an outbreak of the virus, together with two other rapid communications by British and Portuguese researchers, published in the same number of the journal.

They all posit that transmission by direct contact during sex is the most plausible contagion cause.

The Spallanzani article also describes the first monkeypox viral genome sequencing completed in Italy.

It was registered on GeneBank on May 26.

The sequencing shows that all the Italian cases belong to the West African clade of the virus, like other research.

Arezzo's San Donato Hospital contributed to the description of the cases. (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 3 - Two base jumpers, one American and one Australian, have died in northern Italy over the last two days.

A 33-year-old American base jumper, who was at first reported to be British, died in Trentino on Friday. The man, who has yet to be identified, was unable to open his parachute, police said.

This may have been due to an error in trajectory, they said.

The accident happened on the Monte Brento.

People who were with him called emergency services after the incident at around seven o'clock in the morning. Medics tried to revive the man but there was nothing they could do for him.

A 35-year-old Australian base jumper who went missing in Friuli Thursday was found dead on Friday.

The man, who has not been identified yet, jumped from Monte Cimone.

He was at the bottom of an almost inaccessible gully at a height of over 2,000 metres, when he jumped.

The body was recovered in a highly delicate operation by the Friuli regional rescue helicopter service.

They used a 'barycentric hook' over 70 metres long to pick up the body.

Autopsies of the two men have been ordered. (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 3 - 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Giuseppe Conte on Friday reiterated his opposition to Italy sending more weapons to Ukraine as it fights Russian forces following Moscow's decision to invade its neighbour.

"Our position is clear. Italy must focus its efforts on a political solution," ex-premier Conte told an ANSA Forum.

"We have contributed by sending three lots of weapons.

"Now it seems to us that our contribution is more previous on the diplomatic front.

"I have been extremely worried over the last 100 days (of war)," he added.

"We didn't deserve this war in Europe after over two years with the pandemic.

"We must concentrate all our efforts on negotiations to force everyone, not just the parties in conflict, to sit around a table until a honourable agreement is signed that features the cease of hostilities, the withdrawal of the Russian troops, a dignified solution". (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 3 - Interior MInister Luciana Lamorgese said Friday she was concerned that more migrants would arrive from North Africa Italy due to the grain crisis sparked by the Ukraine war.

She said "some 300 million people are at risk of poverty and hunger, and we must necessarily think that there will be an increase in (migrant) flows, also in other countries and not just Italy.

"There has been an increase of 286% in Cyprus while we're over 30% in Italy, where some 20,000 people have landed since the start of the year.

"Unless they manage to bring the grain out of the Black Sea ports we must expect a bigger flow.

"We are concerned, like all first-landing countries.

"There will certainly be a higher number".

Diplomatic action on Ukraine must continue with force, Lamorgese stressed.

"Diplomatic activity must go ahead with ever increasing force," she told Skytg24.

"The European leaders and our premier are intervening in all ways and at all levels at the European Council to arrive at a programme that sees peace developed in that country as soon as possible.

"Certainly, it is not simple because diplomatic activity needs two sides.

"When a point of contact is found in the negotiations, which must be reserved, they will also be able to come out and speak openly.

"We have to be very cautious". (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 3 - A Chechen citizen was found guilty Friday of murdering a 22-year-old Italian tourist at Lloret de Mar in Spain in August 2017.

A jury in Girona found Rassoul Bissoultanov guilty of killing Tuscan Niccolo Ciatti with a kick to the head.

The popular jury ruled that the kick was meant to kill Ciatti, who had had an argument with two Chechens, the second of whom was acquitted.

A judge will now establish Bissoultanov's prison term.

Prosecutors have asked for 24 years in jail. (ANSA).


Migrants: 277 unaccompanied Tunisian minors in Italy, NGO Since start of the year, 'but they will increase'

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, JUNE 3 - The number of underage migrants represents 16.4% of the total number of Tunisian immigrants who have arrived in Italy since the start of 2022, according to the spokesman of the NGO Tunisian forum for economic and social rights (Ftdes) charged with migration, Romdhan Ben Amor. He added that unaccompanied minors who had reached Italy since the beginning of the year, at the end of May, were 277, in addition to 77 others, who were accompanied.



The figures, according to Ben Amor, are a sign of the difficult situation faced by minors in Tunisia.



He recalled that the percentage was 17.42% compared to the total number of Tunisian migrants who had arrived in Italy in 2021. "The number of unaccompanied migrant minors who arrived in Italy was 2,076 in 2021, in addition to 655 others who were accompanied", he added. (ANSAmed).




PALERMO - The mayors of some Euro-Mediterranean cities, including Marseille, Dusseldorf and Tunis, met Friday in Palermo to inaugurate a path of cooperation with mayors of African municipalities who attended the event in videoconference. The mayor of Tunis, Souad Abderrahim, represented North Africa.



The occasion was the presentation at Palazzo Comitini of the program 'Rhizome cities. A bridge between Europe and Africa', coordinated by the Foundation Studio Rizoma in cooperation and supported by the European Commission. The project is aimed at building virtuous political networks between European and African cities with the objective of reaching new models of cooperation between Africa and Europe. Part of these exchanges will also concern the theme of restitution of African artifacts, as a decolonization practice, but in a wider vision that can refer to the immaterial heritage as well as to natural resources and art interventions that should transform old relations between Europe and Africa.



"The European Commission - said Palermo Mayor Leoluca Orlando - by approving the project 'Rhizome cities' recognized the city of Palermo as leading dialogue between European and African cities. It is further confirmation of the value and ability of the city to host, dialogue and cooperate and of the important role of mayors and cities in the peace and development process.



Palermo is a city which over the past few years has built an image of freedom from the mafia as well as a point of reference for human rights".



The Foundation Studio Rizoma, in collaboration with the Allianz Foundation, will bring to Palermo a multi-year international program with 15 events on the theme of the restitution of assets to Africa and the environmental impact in the Mediterranean. Moreover, it will activate a program of scholarships to support researchers and artists who deal with the themes connected to dialogue between Europe and Africa.




TEL AVIV - One year after taking office, Israeli Premier Naftali Bennett sent an unusual open letter to Israelis urging them to "make your voices heard".

Israelis - "the silent Zionist majority" - must choose whether to proceed or to "return once again to chaos", the prime minister noted.



At the helm of a government in peril, with the same number of seats in the Knesset as the opposition (60 to 60), constantly at risk of new elections and pressed by former premier Benyamin Netanyahu, Bennett warned Israelis about the precarious situation. "About a year ago, the State of Israel experienced one of its most difficult moments. Chaos, endless elections, the cities of Lod and Acre in flames in front of a humiliated and conflictual government", he wrote, referring to clashes between Arabs and Jews amid the war with Gaza. Israel - he added - showed "terrible weakness in front of a murderous enemy that launched rockets on Jerusalem".



The country was trapped "by faith in one man, subservience of the energy of the State to his legal needs", he added, referring to Netanyahu's judicial problems and his trial.



After saying that Netanyahu had consistently attempted to poison Israeli public life ("the machinery of poison"), Bennett closed his appeal claiming that if the country does not want to move backwards, "then we all have to act. This letter is a call to action".
ROME - Italian Interior Ministry Undersecretary Nicola Molteni told Rai program Radio Anch'Io that "20,000 migrant landings registered since the start of the year, including 8,600 in May alone, are a dramatic warning sign: if we add to this the grain emergency due to the conflict in Ukraine, with the risk of famine, it is clear that the situation becomes extremely concerning". He continued saying that "the summit of interior ministers of Mediterranean countries, in Venice, is fundamental: these are five countries that are most penalized by the Dublin regulation. A global response is necessary, or at least at a European level, to confront the migration issue with a common strategy. Otherwise single States will be forced to find solutions to defend their borders, as was done with Matteo Salvini's security decrees".



Speaking about the possibility of a new decree on migration flows, Molteni said that "before thinking about a new decree, the one in force since January must be implemented". The decree "provided for 70,000 entries, including 42,000 seasonal" workers: "only a few quotas were implemented", he noted.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has reaffirmed Britains support for Ukraine, warning Russias unjustified and illegal invasion threatened world peace and economic stability.

In a statement marking the 100th day of the war, Ms Truss said the UK remained determined that President Vladimir Putins offensive should not succeed.

He expected the invasion to be over in days, but significantly underestimated the resolve of brave Ukrainians, who have valiantly defended their country, she said.

Putins invasion has brought death and destruction on a scale not seen in Europe since World War II. This war has huge ramifications for global peace, prosperity and food security. It matters to us all.

Today is a moment to pay our respects to the thousands of innocent civilians murdered since the invasion, and reaffirm our steadfast support for Ukraines heroic defence, to ensure they succeed and Putin fails.

Earlier, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) warned Russia now controlled 90% of the Luhansk oblast in the eastern Donbas region and looked set to gain complete control in the next two weeks.

In its latest intelligence assessment, the MoD said that while Moscow had made limited tactical successes its wider military campaign remained stalled.

1/2 Russias assault into northern Ukraine ended in a costly failure. Russia failed to implement its own principles of war. With the limited combat readiness of many units, it spread its forces too thinly without enough support from artillery and combat aircraft. pic.twitter.com/wujUf41NXd  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) June 3, 2022

Russia has achieved these recent tactical successes at significant resource cost, and by concentrating force and fires on a single part of the overall campaign, it said.

Russia has not been able to generate manoeuvre or movement on other fronts or axes, all of which have transitioned to the defensive.

Measured against Russias original plan, none of the strategic objectives have been achieved.

In order for Russia to achieve any form of success will require continued huge investment of manpower and equipment, and is likely to take considerable further time.
Electric car charging firm Liberty Charge has called on the sector to step in and help finance the nationwide rollout of charge points as it warned of a more than 1.5 billion shortfall in Government funding.

Liberty Charge  a joint venture between Virgin Media owner Liberty Global and private equity firm Zouk Capital  said the 450 million of Government funding earmarked for local charge point installation falls far short of real life costs.

In total, the Government has committed to just under 1.5 billion in funding, including rapid motorway and transit charge points.

But this is just half of the 3 billion Liberty Charge estimates it will cost to install the 300,000 public charge points needed to electrify the UK and could leave Britain at risk of missing its net-zero goals.

Liberty Charge believes private sector firms are able to stump up the cash to install points across many parts of the UK and is urging the Government to redirect its 450 million local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund to where it is needed the most, such as in remote rural areas.

It also said some of the fund should go towards beefing up the 50 million set aside for ongoing management and maintenance of electric vehicle networks, which it believes will not be enough.

Neil Isaacson, chief executive of Liberty Charge, told the PA news agency the private sector should and can handle the funding gap needed to meet charge point targets.

He added that local authorities urgently need more resources and funding to boost electric vehicle infrastructure, given that the UK has set itself the deadline to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.

Research commissioned by Liberty Charge suggests just 14% of local authorities have dedicated electric vehicle resources and 3% do not have any at all.

The survey of 100 local authorities found that on average they each only have three people working on electric vehicle infrastructure.

I understand theyre under-resourced, but the Government will need to go further and faster if its really serious about hitting its net-zero target, Mr Isaacson said.

Liberty Charge is also pressing for a level playing field on VAT for public charging, which is set at 20% for on-street charging, but only 5% for those with off-street points.

For many, this is adding costs that put electric vehicles out of reach.

Recent research from the RAC showed that already, soaring energy costs have meant rapid charging an electric car has become a fifth more expensive in eight months.

Without the right size and scale of public charging infrastructure that gives confidence to households that dont have off-street parking, they just wont turn to electric vehicles, Mr Isaacson said.
Sir Rod Stewart said the Queen has always been a part of my life in an interview ahead of his performance at the BBCs Jubilee Party at The Palace.

The music legend will be taking to the stage in the star-studded show outside Buckingham Palace on Saturday night along with the likes of Craig David, Alicia Keys, and Diana Ross.

Speaking to BBC News on Friday, he said: Its pride, its pride in being British, its the pageantry, the romance. I mean, Ive grown up with this woman, you know, I was seven when when she came to the throne, so shes always been part of my life, you know, and the fact that Ive met her on several occasions makes it even more important for me.

Shes, as I said, shes been so much part of my life. Its almost, I dont know, almost like a sister, you know. Shes always been in the background of my life, he added.

Sir Rod told the BBC the Queen has always been in the background of my life (PA/ Jeff Spicer)

Sir Rod, who was knighted in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to music and charity, also said the show was nerve-wracking, despite having played countless concerts.

He also told the programme he will be singing a song he has previously never performed and has been unable to rehearse.

Recalling a previous concert he played attended by the Queen, he said: Ive met her on a couple occasions. So we were doing a charity concerts at St Jamess Palace for Her Majesty and the late Duke of Edinburgh.

And they were only sitting by the band here, and they were sitting 10 yards away. Right? And they looked terrified because they thought I was going to do Do You Think Im Sexy, Hot Legs, real loud music.

And I started off, you must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss, a smile is just a smile. There was so relieved they beamed from ear to ear.
The royal family were united in celebration of the Queen at her Service of Thanksgiving as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex publicly joined relatives for the first time since quitting official duties.

The Queen was missing from the gathering but the Duchess of Cambridge said later she had enjoyed Thursdays historic Platinum Jubilee celebrations but the day had been very tiring.

Harry and Meghan were the focus of attention in the absence of the monarch and the couple, after their decision to step down as working royals for financial freedom, were relegated to a second row seat in St Pauls Cathedral.

The 96-year-old Queen watched the service on television from Windsor Castle after she suffered discomfort following a busy first day of festivities including a double balcony appearance and a beacon lighting.

Buckingham Palace later confirmed the Queen, a passionate horse owner and breeder, would not be attending the Epsom Derby on Saturday.

The monarch, who has been experiencing episodic mobility problems, was not expected to be in the royal box for the major sporting event and is likely to watch it on television at Windsor Castle.

The Princess Royal is now expected to join racegoers at the Epsom racecourse.

The royal family at the Queens Service of Thanksgiving (Murray Sanders/PA)

During the service there were smiles from the royals and ripples of laughter from the congregation as the Archbishop of York compared the monarchs well-known love of horse racing to her long reign, suggesting it reflects the distance of Aintree more than the sprints of Epsom.

In his sermon the Most Rev Stephen Cottrell said the Queen was still in the saddle, as he thanked her for staying the course, with her granddaughter Olympic equestrian Zara Tindall smiling at the remarks along with the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

The Service of Thanksgiving saw more than 400 hundred people who have served the nation, many during the pandemic, invited to be part of the celebrations marking the Queens 70-year reign.

They were among a 2,000-strong congregation which included the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was booed by the crowd outside, Cabinet ministers, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, first ministers of the devolved governments and every living former prime minister.

It was the first time Harry and Meghan had been on full public view alongside the Windsors in two years and when they arrived were greeted by cheers, responding with smiles and a wave, but both boos and cheers could be heard as they departed.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex travelled from America for the service (Richard Pohle/The Times/PA)

Indicative of their more-minor position within the royal family, the couple had taken their second-row seats with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands, and Lady Sarah Chatto and her family, before the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived.

There appeared to be no opportunity for the Sussexes to meet the senior royals during the service, and afterwards, following seniority, Charles and Camilla and William and Kate left first before Harry and Meghan.

Royal horsewoman the Princess Royal nodded in approval as the Archbishop suggested the Queens long reign had certainly, less dressage than most people imagine.

With endurance, through times of change and challenge, joy and sorrow, you continue to offer yourself in the service of our country and the commonwealth, he said in his sermon.

Your Majesty, were sorry youre not with us this morning, but we are so glad you are still in the saddle. And we are all glad that there is still more to come.

As they left Meghan, dressed in an elegant trench coat from the Dior Haute Couture spring-summer 2022 collection by Maria Grazia Chiuri, a Stephen Jones hat and wearing white gloves, held hands with her husband who bit his lip at times.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Service of Thanksgiving (Matt Dunham/PA)

Kate spoke about the Queen when she chatted to Gill Smallwood, chief executive of domestic violence charity Fortalice, during a Guildhall reception after the service.

Ms Smallwood told the PA news agency: She (Kate) said, yes, she was fine, it was just very tiring yesterday, and she (the Queen) had had a lovely, lovely time.

Before confirmation was given the Queen would not attend the Derby, her hopes of having a winner at Epsom were ended when her horse Just Fine was withdrawn from the World Pool Northern Dancer Handicap.

Phil White, London regional director for The Jockey Club, said: We would like to wish Her Majesty the Queen a wonderful Platinum Jubilee. It is a rare occasion that The Queen is unable to join us at Epsom Downs but we are delighted she plans to enjoy Derby Day on television.
There were old-time waltzes and street parties in the sun as Northern Ireland continued to celebrate the Queens Platinum Jubilee.

The second day of festivities to mark 70 years since the Queens reign began included tea dances at Belfast City Hall where music and ballroom dancing offered entertainment for older residents.

Among those in attendance was 84-year-old Bell Murdock, a guest of the Shankill Forum who said the Jubilee was a special occasion for Belfast.

She said: I cant believe that it is 70 years that the monarch has been on the throne and we are all here today to celebrate that.

The monarch has a great relationship with Northern Ireland.

On the Shankill Road we just love her.

Also at the tea dance was the new Sinn Fein Lord Mayor of Belfast, Tina Black, who said she hoped her attendance would send a message of reconciliation in the city.

(Brian Lawless/PA)

Ms Black said the Jubilee celebrations meant she had already had a busy start to her year as Lord Mayor.

It has been great, once I got my nerves settled. I havent fully completed that process but I am thoroughly enjoying it so far, she said.

I was down lighting the beacon in Belfast last night at the Titanic and I got a warm welcome, it was a very dignified event.

Belfast Lord Mayor Tina Black (second left) attends a Queens Platinum Jubilee tea dance at Belfast City Hall (Brian Lawless/PA)

Today we are having the tea dances, they are very popular.

I want to be a mayor for all the citizens of Belfast and that is why I felt it was important to be here today.

It is great that Belfast City Council can support and lead these events, you can see the energy today and I am just delighted to be here to help with the celebrations.

(Brian Lawless/PA)

Later in the day the residents of Donegall Pass in Belfast celebrated the Jubilee with a street party which included bouncy castles, a horse and carriage and a competition to crown their own queen on a throne.

The sun shone as marching band paraded through the area and local children joined in the celebrations.

Local resident Kelly Cochrane said: We have decorated everywhere, we have bouncy castles for the kids, and it is all just about celebrating the monarch and bringing the whole community together.

We are all having a great day. The atmosphere is brilliant, the community is all supporting this and it is just fantastic to see everyone coming out and enjoying themselves, that is what it is all about.

On Thursday night beacons lit up the skies across Northern Ireland to celebrate the Jubilee, including at Titanic Belfast, St Columbs Cathedral in Londonderry, St Patricks Cathedral in Armagh and St Macartins Cathedral in Enniskillen.

A Platinum Jubilee beacon is lit at St Macartins Cathedral Enniskillen (PA)

Earlier on Thursday, a 42-gun salute was fired at Hillsborough Castle by members of the 206 Ulster Battery of the Royal Artillery.

The celebrations will continue over the weekend, including a visit from the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

The royal couple are expected to carry out two engagements in the region on Saturday.

In Belfast the HMS Pembroke is docked for the weekend and open to visitors with pre-booked tickets.

Big lunch events will be taking place across the region, including on the Shankill Road and in Bangor, Co Down, which was made a city as part of the Jubilee celebrations.
Amber Heard will absolutely be appealing the decision in the US defamation case brought against her by Johnny Depp, her lawyer has said.

Elaine Bredehoft says the Aquaman star has excellent grounds for the appeal as there was so much evidence that was not included during the trial.

Mr Depp sued his former partner over a 2018 op-ed written in the Washington Post, which his lawyers said falsely accused him of being physically and sexually abusive toward her while they were together.

Jurors at Fairfax County District Court, in Virginia, returned a verdict in favour of Mr Depp on Wednesday after the six-week long trial.

EXCLUSIVE: @SavannahGuthrie talks to Amber Heards attorney, Elaine Charlson Bredhoft, following Johnny Depp's legal win. pic.twitter.com/i1EOlz1NcU  TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 2, 2022

Speaking on US news programme Today, Ms Bredehoft was asked whether the actress would be appealing the verdict.

Absolutely, and she has some excellent grounds for it, she said.

We even tried to get the UK judgement in to dismiss his case because he already had his shot and that was one of the issues.

But also a number of evidentiary issues, there was so much evidence that did not go in.

Mr Depp had previously lost a similar trial in the UK which he brought against the publisher of The Sun newspaper after an article, also written in 2018, which referred to him as a wife-beater.

But following the verdict on Wednesday the actor was awarded compensatory damages of 10 million dollars (8 million) and a further five million dollars (4 million) in punitive damages.

Elaine Bredehoft says the Aquaman star has excellent grounds for the appeal as there was so much evidence that was not included during the trial (Steve Helber/AP)

In a separate verdict, Ms Heard was awarded two million dollars (1.6 million) in damages after her counterclaim against Mr Depp over comments made by his lawyer Adam Waldman, who allegedly referred to her abuse claims as a hoax, was found to be defamatory.

Asked if Ms Heard was able to pay the amount she now owed, Ms Bredehoft replied oh no, absolutely not.

Following the verdict, the actress said she was heartbroken but even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women.

Ms Heard said the verdict sets back the clock and added that Mr Depps attorneys had succeeded in getting jury members to overlook freedom of speech.

Im sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American  to speak freely and openly, she said, in a statement shared on social media.
FILE - Prepared Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine syringes for children ages 5 to 11 and adults are displayed on a table at Northwest Community Church in Chicago, Dec. 11, 2021. The Biden administration said Thursday, June 2, 2022, that children under 5 may be able to get their first COVID-19 vaccination doses as soon as June 21, if federal regulators authorize shots for the age group, as expected. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration said Thursday that children under 5 may be able to get their first COVID-19 vaccination doses as soon as June 21, if federal regulators authorize shots for the age group, as expected.

White House COVID-19 coordinator Ashish Jha outlined the administration's planning for the last remaining ineligible age group to get shots. He said the Food and Drug Administration's outside panel of advisers will meet on June 14-15 to evaluate the Pfizer and Moderna shots for younger kids. Shipments to doctors' offices and pediatric care facilities would begin soon after FDA authorization, with the first shots possible the following week.

Jha said states can begin placing orders for pediatric vaccines on Friday, and said the administration has an initial supply of 10 million doses available. He said it may take a few days for the vaccines to arrive across the country and vaccine appointments to be widespread.

Our expectation is that within weeks every parent who wants their child to get vaccinated will be able to get an appointment, Jha said.

The timeline would provide parents with the opportunity to get their children fully vaccinated in time for the beginning of the next school year.

The Biden administration is pressing states to prioritize large-volume sites like children's hospitals, and to make appointments available outside regular work hours to make it easier for parents to get their kids vaccinated.

In the view of the White House, eliminating the last significant cohort not yet eligible for vaccines will go a long way in building confidence among some Americans who have been wary to return to many of their pre-pandemic activities, helping the country emerge from the pandemic.

Jha acknowledged the frustration of parents of young children who have been waiting more than a year for shots for their kids.

At the end of the day we all want to move fast, but weve got to get it right," he said.
Irish premier Micheal Martin has there will be challenges to offer support to Ukraine, as the war-torn country continues its bid for a speedy accession to the EU.

Ukraine is currently in the early stages of applying for EU membership.

The Taoiseach said that for a long time he had backed a faster, more accelerated process towards EU membership more generally.

Speaking at the ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) party congress in Dublin, he said: What is vital is that we have acceptance of Ukraines application to become a candidate country.

It can take a significant length of time, but that would be a very significant decision in itself and a very significant message to the Ukrainian people, that you are part of the European family.

And already, if you look at the interaction between the European Union and Ukraine in terms of customs, in terms of the welcome across the European continent for the Ukrainian people, it is very clear to me that the future of Ukraine is within the European Union.

Mr Martin would not speculate on what the timeline should be, but said that he would be pushing for the shortest possible timeframe for Ukraines accession to the EU.

"Ireland has been a huge supporter, friend & ally of Ukraine. But no matter how long the distance, the values are the one. We are happy to be here today & happy to be supported by this brave nation. Thank you." Deputy Prime Minister of #Ukraine @StefanishynaO #AldeCongress pic.twitter.com/ro4r3iSBQU  Fianna Fail (@fiannafailparty) June 3, 2022

Olha Stefanishyna, deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, who met with the Taoiseach at the ALDE congress, said that Ukraine needed to be granted candidate status by the EU, and that it needed promises to materialise.

All the history, of Ukraines independence has been done with promises. From Budapest when Ukraine withdrew from the nuclear weapons, to Bucharest when Ukraine was promised membership to Nato, which has never materialised.

Since that time weve had three wars on European soil, two of which are now taking place on our territory.

So weve submitted the application, to be integrated to European Union, we need promises to be materialised into concrete decisions as a candidate status.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Olha Stefanishyna. (Damien Storan/PA)

This is the ultimate decision at this stage.

Further discussions on an enlargement policy on the way towards membership, this takes time, we are ready to take as long as it needs.

Ms Stefanishyna also praised Ireland for its support for Ukraine.

I want to praise your personal commitment and the commitment of the whole government to host warmly the Ukrainian people the people who are running out of their houses and homes to survive the war, and particularly grateful to the Irish people, the hospitality and the warmth with which you mobilised your support.

She asked that Russian officers be held accountable for their actions within Ukraine.

Addressing the ALDE congress on Friday afternoon, Mr Martin said: We did too little to stand with the people of Ukraine after 2014. We did too little to reject Putins new imperialism and his demand to control other countries in a sphere of influence.

The determination of the last few months must be maintained, he said.

The Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, told the congress that if further conditions need to be met for Ukraine to reach candidacy status, these would be fulfilled as soon as possible.

Mr Bettel also said that a refusal from the European Commission to grant candidacy status to Ukraine in June is not acceptable.

Ms Stefanishynas speech to the ALDE congress received a standing ovation from delegates.
President Joe Biden speaks from the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Wednesday, June 1, 2022. Biden will speak Thursday night on the recent spate of mass shootings. The White House says he'll talk about his plans to press Congress on acting to pass commonsense laws to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is taking lives every day. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden delivered an impassioned plea to Congress to act on gun control Thursday night in an address to the nation, calling on lawmakers to restore limits on the sale of assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines after a string of mass shootings in the country.

Speaking at the White House, Biden sought to drive up pressure on Congress to pass stricter gun limits after such efforts failed following past attacks.

How much more carnage are we willing to accept, Biden said after last week's shootings by an 18-year-old gunman, who killed 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and another attack on Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a gunman shot and killed four people and himself at a medical office.

And those came after the May 14 assault in Buffalo, New York, where a white 18-year-old wearing military gear and livestreaming with a helmet camera opened fire with a rifle at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood, killing 10 people and wounding three others in what authorities described as racially motivated violent extremism.

All major broadcast networks broke away from regular programing to carry Bidens remarks at 7:30 p.m. EDT, before the start of primetime shows. The White House said the president would address tragic mass shootings, and a need for Congress to pass commonsense laws to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is taking lives every day.

Hes going to renew his call for action to stop the epidemic of gun violence that weve seen in Uvalde and in Tulsa and in Buffalo in just a few short weeks," said press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre ahead of the speech. She said Biden did not plan to announce any new executive actions and that tonights speech is going to focus on what Congress needs to do."

Itll be basically making sure that his voice is out there and calling to action and making sure that the American people know that hes still continuing to speak on their behalf, she said.

Biden has used national speeches in the past to speak about the coronavirus pandemic and the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. But the president has used such addresses sparingly during his nearly 18 months in office, especially during evening hours

Earlier Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about the Oklahoma shooting, saying, All of us hold the people of Tulsa in our hearts, but we also reaffirm our commitment to passing commonsense gun safety laws.

No more excuses. Thoughts and prayers are important, but not enough," Harris said. "We need Congress to act.

Before marking Memorial Day on Monday, Biden told reporters at the White House that there may be some bipartisan support to tighten restrictions on the kind of high-powered weapons used by the gunman in Uvalde. But he also noted that, while he had taken some steps via executive actions, he didn't have the power as president to outlaw a weapon.

He also said that things have gotten so bad that everybodys getting more rational, at least thats my hope," adding, Theres realization on the part of rational Republicans who realize we cant keep repeating ourselves."

Visiting Uvalde on Sunday, Biden mourned privately for three-plus hours with anguished families. Faced with chants of do something as he departed a church service, the president pledged: We will.

His Thursday night address coincided with bipartisan talks that are intensifying among a core group of senators discussing modest gun policy changes. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said the group is making rapid progress," and Biden has spoken to Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, among those leading their party's efforts on the issue.

Democrats are hoping Biden uses the remarks to encourage the bipartisan Senate talks and build pressure on the Republicans to strike an agreement. Jean-Pierre said Biden is encouraged by congressional negotiations but the president wants to give lawmakers some space to keep talking.

The private discussions in the Senate, which is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, are not expected to produce the kinds of sweeping reforms being considered by the Democratic-led House  which has approved expansive background checks legislation and will next turn to an assault weapons ban.

But even a House package debated Thursday that is less sweeping but includes a provision raising the required age for buying semi-automatic firearms to 21, faces slim chances in the Senate.

Instead, the bipartisan senators are likely to come up with a more incremental package that would increase federal funding to support state gun safety efforts  with incentives for bolstering school security and mental health resources. The package may also encourage red-flag laws to keep firearms away from those who would do harm.

Jean-Pierre suggested Biden would use his speech to call for expanded background checks and red flag laws  as well as a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. She said he would focus on two audiences: congressional negotiators and also the general public.

Any major action is still a long shot. While the Senate approved a modest measure to encourage compliance with background checks after a 2017 church mass shooting in Texas and one in Parkland, Florida, the following year, no major legislation cleared the chamber following the devastating massacre of 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.

__

Associated Press Writer Lisa Mascaro contributed.
The Justice Department review of the law enforcement response to the Uvalde, Texas, shooting is likely to focus on the school police chiefs order to delay sending officers into the classrooms where 19 children and two teachers were massacred  as well as whether the officers knew about 911 calls from students inside, experts say.

The critical incident review, requested by the Uvalde Police Department after parents, witnesses and Texas authorities faulted officers for waiting an hour before they entered a locked classroom to confront the gunman, will examine why that decision was made. The meticulous and painstaking process, which could last months, will contrast sharply with the piecemeal, inconsistent and frustrating release of information by authorities so far, according to current and former law enforcement officials who have conducted such investigations.

Investigators are expected to gather all sorts of information that has yet to be shared publicly  911 calls, phone calls, dispatch records, radio transmissions, body camera video, security video and interviews with officers, witnesses and victims  and combine them into a detailed account of the police response.

They will explore what officers and commanders knew and what they were thinking as the attack unfolded. They will examine what kind of training officers and commanders received for such situations. They will analyze how officers and commanders communicated with one another and with the public. And they will come up with a set of lessons for law enforcement agencies to avoid the mistakes made during the Uvalde siege and improve the response the next time a gunman storms into a school and opens fire.

The decision to wait an hour is a symptom of something else, said Rick Braziel, a retired Sacramento, California, police chief and consultant who conducts critical incident reviews for law enforcement agencies. You have to figure out what caused that decision. To do that you have to peel away the layers, and that will take time. The goal is to learn from this and potentially prevent it from happening in the future.

Law enforcement near Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on May24. (Jordan Vonderhaar / Getty Images)

Critical incident reviews, also called after-action reviews, have been customary in law enforcement for years, not just in mass shootings, but also in smaller-scale emergencies, such as hostage rescues, riots and police shootings. They are often done by the agency involved. But in complex, high-profile cases that have drawn intense criticism, like the Uvalde attack, it helps to have an independent organization perform the review, experts said.

The Justice Departments Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, which is overseeing the Uvalde review, has commissioned three others: of the 2014 deadly ambush of two Las Vegas police officers, in which a good Samaritan was also killed; the 2015 terrorist attack on a San Bernardino, California, government building, in which 14 people were killed and more than 20 others were injured; and the 2016 shooting at Pulse, an Orlando, Florida, nightclub, where 49 people were killed and 58 others were injured.

The Justice Department, which has not yet said who will conduct the Uvalde review, declined to comment on its plans.

It is unusual for officers to wait to confront a gunman outside a shooting scene, and understanding why that happened in Uvalde will be important to the Justice Department review, said Frank Straub, the director of the Center for Targeted Violence Prevention at the National Policing Institute and an author of Justice Department-commissioned reviews of the San Bernardino and Orlando attacks.

That would be one of the key areas that I think should be looked at, Straub said. Incident command is a critical issue in all of these events, and in the Uvalde incident its even more critical.

Completed reviews become crucial documents for U.S. law enforcement agencies, providing lessons in how police should prepare for and respond to mass shootings. In recent years, such reviews have called for tougher and more realistic training conducted jointly with multiple local agencies, more care in where arriving officers park their cars at scenes, the creation of multiagency command posts, better-organized family reunification centers and more attention to the mental health needs of officers.

Reviews have also helped change how police are taught to handle active shooters. Decades ago, the recommended response was to wait to confront a shooter until a tactical unit had arrived. After the 1999 attack on Columbine High School in Colorado, the guidance changed to have the first four or five responding officers go after the shooter. Today, police are told to immediately engage the attacker, even if only one officer is on the scene.

That standard was violated in the Uvalde attack, Texas law enforcement officials and policing experts said.

This one does cry out for a real thorough investigation, said Dan Oates, who led the local police response to the 2012 movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado, and recently came out of retirement to be Auroras interim police chief. The public needs to know. The community needs to know what occurred. And the law enforcement community needs to learn whatever lessons there are from this event.

Oates hired a private firm to conduct a critical incident review of his departments response to the theater shooting, in which a gunman killed 12 people and injured 70 more. The review noted that in the chaos of responding emergency vehicles, police struggled to get the wounded to ambulances, so they drove them to the hospital themselves, saving lives. That technique was shared widely and used by police in the 2016 attack on Pulse in Orlando. The Aurora review also pointed out communication failures that the police department fixed, Oates said.

He cautioned that very little is known about why police in Uvalde waited to enter the classroom and said the review will reveal much more information. I dont put much stock in whats been reported publicly, which is why we do these reviews, Oates said.

Although a critical incident review commonly critiques the person or agency that took control of the scene, the investigation must not be perceived as punitive or be used to punish people, current and former law enforcement officials said. Otherwise, investigators will have a hard time earning the trust of officers who made critical decisions.

If you approach it as seeking blame, then everyone will clam up, said Jim Bueermann, who ran the National Policing Institute  then called the National Police Foundation  when the Justice Department hired it to conduct reviews of the San Bernardino and Orlando shootings.

In this case, the commander was Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo. As the head of the six-member force, Arredondo had clear authority to take command of the shooting response, law enforcement experts said. But experts also said incident commanders sometimes choose to share authority with commanders from larger departments as responses increase in complexity, including the arrival of officers and rescue workers from multiple agencies.

Arredondo decided to wait for a tactical team before entering the locked classroom where an 18-year-old gunman had opened fire with an AR-15-style rifle, according to Texas authorities. After an initial burst of gunfire inside the classroom, the chief treated the standoff as a barricaded subject situation, in which there was time to move strategically and try to negotiate, rather than as an ongoing shooting in which every moment that passed was a potential missed opportunity to save a childs life, Steven McCraw, the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, told reporters last week. During that time, children called 911 from the classroom asking for help.

Agents from the U.S. Customs and Border Protections tactical unit arrived about a half-hour after local officers had entered the building. Local law enforcement instructed the tactical team to wait, but after another half-hour or so, the agents ignored the initial guidance and led a group of officers into the room, where they killed the gunman, two senior federal law enforcement officials have said. State authorities have since said that Arredondo made the wrong decision.

Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat whose district includes Uvalde, said Thursday that he was told by officials that 911 calls from the school were routed to the city police department, not to Arredondo. That points to a systemic failure in the response, Gutierrez said.

Arredondo has not responded to requests for comment. He told CNN on Wednesday that he was trying to be respectful to the families of victims and that he had been in daily contact with the Texas Department of Public Safety, which is leading the investigation into the shooting.

Travis Norton, who leads a team that reviews police response to active shooter incidents for the California Association of Tactical Officers, has studied more than dozen critical incident reviews and found that almost all turned up problems related to leadership or command and control. He also has found that reviews almost always turn up new information that helps explain why things went wrong.

Ive learned that there is always something we didnt know happened, and whatever it is, its not obvious to everybody right now, Norton said. Id venture to guess that when they do the review, theyre going to find something thats not out yet that might actually explain why a decision was made. We dont know what he saw.

Robert Mac Donald, Uvaldes police chief from 2010 to 2013, said he wants to know whether the city and school district police departments trained together for active shooter incidents. That did not happen when he was chief, he said.

Im aghast at how badly this was handled, Mac Donald said. This shouldnt happen. This is 21st century policing in America.
Rep. Karen Bass walks in the hallways of the U.S. Capitol in February. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

When Karen Bass landed in Washington in early 2011, the newest member of Congress from California wasnt merely geographically distant from the Democratic-controlled Sacramento she left behind.

She was elected to a House of Representatives that had just been taken over by Republicans, including a mammoth freshman class of 87 GOP lawmakers, many of them members of the tea party. By contrast, she was one of only nine freshman Democrats that year.

The GOP grip on Congress forced Bass  at that point, she was most recently accustomed to running the Democratic majority in the state Assembly  to pivot into trying to notch wins from deep in the minority and from the lowest rungs of seniority.

I was so excited to go to Congress because I said, '[President] Obama's in the White House, we control the House and the Senate. I'll be able to do all these things,' Bass, who is now running for L.A. mayor, said in an interview about her congressional career, recalling her excitement before the 2010 election.

That majority evaporated on election day and with it, Republicans took away earmarks, or the practice of setting aside congressional spending for a specific community project or entity. That burst my little bubble and that made me, well before I was sworn in, try to figure out how I was going to function in a minority environment with no earmarks, and still in a fiscal crisis, Bass said.

In some ways, the anticipation and letdown in Congress mirrored her experience in Sacramento: She went in with big liberal ambitions but found herself cutting programs in response to the recession.

That experience would come to shape how she operated over her nearly dozen years in Congress: While liberal, she figured out how to work with Republicans to score base hits on the issues she cared most about. She learned to tuck her initiatives into larger legislation or get streams of funding that advanced her causes into a spending bill.

Bass, 68, developed a reputation on Capitol Hill among Democrats and Republicans for an understated workhorse style, for being a straight shooter and for particular doggedness on two issues for which she cared deeply: foster children and the relationship between the United States and countries in Africa.

A lot of people judge you by how big your headlines are or how many hits you get on social media, said Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), the majority whip. Karen aint going to go out calling people names. Karen is not going to go out yelling to high heavens. That is not her style.

Perhaps to her own political detriment, Bass never acted like someone who came to Washington in search of higher office. Unlike the politicians who go on to seek a plum party leadership job or a promotion, she didnt build a strong political operation while in Washington.

She didnt prolifically fundraise in order to hand out money and collect chits with fellow Democrats. In fact, when then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden considered Bass for the vice presidency, some in Washington looked poorly on how little money she raised, particularly because of her proximity to Hollywood.

Despite this, she slowly rose to prominence within the House. In 2018, she was elected chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, a powerful voting bloc in the Democratic caucus.

Through that post, she was named House Democrats chief negotiator on a police reform effort in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. While the bill ultimately stalled in the Senate, the work elevated her profile. A few weeks after the negotiations began, she was a contender to be Bidens running mate.

Her allies say she was a natural for the post because of her strong legislative skills. She pushed bills that aimed to improve the lives of foster children, to promote trade relations with Africa to support an estimated 100,000 American jobs, and to secure millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds for communities of color that were hardest hit by the pandemic.

Still, Bass reach had its limits. Even as she gained seniority and Democrats took control of the House in 2019, she never got a major bill enacted with her name at the top. The collapse of the police reform bill was a blow. Her only bill that would become law was the renaming of a post office near USC in honor of Marvin Gaye.

Rick Caruso, the businessman who is running in a dead heat with Bass in the mayors race, says that Bass legislative resume in Congress and the Assembly doesn't have the executive experience to justify becoming mayor.

Shes well intended but shes had over 20 years and all the problems during her tenure in Congress [and the statehouse] have gotten worse and thats not a hopeful sign for the future, Caruso said. I like Karen but its not the time to have a legislator. She never sponsored a bill on homelessness and had a long time to do it.

Caruso made the remarks on the same day Bass hosted Marcia Fudge, the secretary of Housing and Urban Development, in L.A. to discuss the issue.

Bass' camp argues she pushed several bills that tried to combat homelessness, including a bill signed by Biden in March "in which the congresswoman secured funds directly for her district to build housing and help prevent women who are victims of domestic violence from falling into homelessness," said spokesman Zach Seidl.

Bass congressional career has other political vulnerabilities.She missed 8.1% of the Houses floor votes during her tenure, significantly more than the median of 2.1% among the lifetime records of other sitting members, according to GovTrack, a government transparency site. Its an issue that the L.A. Police Protective League, which is supporting Caruso, has placed prominently in television ads.

Bass didnt deny the statistics, but said it is misleading for the union to suggest she wasnt showing up for work.

I am definitely not going to make excuses. I have a 92% voting record and it should be a 100% voting record, she said. "When I've missed votes, I've been on other official congressional business.

Bass counts as her most significant achievement her work on foster care. She elevated the profile of foster youth  including by establishing a day for foster youth to shadow members of Congress on Capitol Hill  and pushed legislation that aimed to improve their lives, such as bolstering programs to help struggling families and improving the financial incentives in the system.

Its not just about the bills. Its also about raising the consciousness of the entire Congress around the issue of child welfare, Bass said. It is a real bipartisan issue. It just doesn't have the stature, the prominence  it's not on top of mind for people.

From her first days on Capitol Hill, Bass planted seeds to try to establish credibility and a reputation on the issue. She realized a seat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee  which oversees child welfare, among many other issues  was out of reach in her first term and would be highly competitive in the future.

Instead, she tried to make herself a Hill leader on foster care by forming a bipartisan caucus on the topic, alongside a conservative Republican, then-Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota.

"It may not have gotten a lot of attention," said Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland). "Nobody was working on that when she came to Congress. She works very hard, whether it's behind the scenes or not."

She also developed working relationships with House Republicans on the committee who inserted her bills into their larger pieces of legislation, a common legislative tactic that is often the most effective way to get small bills signed into law.

For that reason, Bass isn't the only rank-and-file House member to have only one sponsored bill become law. In recent years, congressional leaders have increasingly combined bills into a single vote instead of having several votes, a tactic that means fewer members appear to be getting bills signed into law.

In 2012, she wrote a bill to help foster children maintain course credits while changing schools, legislation that was designed to stem the frequent problem of foster children having to repeat grades. She introduced the bill in the House but, knowing a Democrat's bill was unlikely to go anywhere in the GOP-controlled chamber, she asked a Democratic Senate colleague, then-Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, to push the bill at that end of the Capitol.

Landrieus bill passed the Senate and came over to the House and that was one of the first bills I did that is now law, Bass said.

She was also a top proponent of a bill that reworked the incentives in the foster care system away from removing children from the home and toward helping parents resolve whatever issues that were threatening the home.

Karen  even though she was the driver of this bill  she made a Republican the sponsor of it because it was a Republican Congress, and the majority party is more likely to enact bills from its own members, said Rep. Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park), a friend of Bass. She doesnt have to seek the limelight. What she wanted to do was to make the bill successful and that meant making a Republican the lead sponsor.

While child welfare was perhaps her most prominent issue, Bass also spent time on criminal justice reform and foreign policy, particularly U.S.-Africa policy.

Upon election to Congress, she got a seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. When the position of top Democrat on the subcommittee that oversaw Africa policy opened in her first year, she lobbied the then-ranking Democrat, fellow Californian Howard Berman, to name her to the job. She beat out a more senior member, an unusual move for a freshman.

She was deeply interested, it was a true priority for her and I had a sense that she would be the right person to do the job  and in a very short time, I think my decision was proven correct, Berman said.

She quickly developed relationships with African political leaders and legislators and worked on intellectual property issues with African nations, Berman said.

Bass congressional career will end this year regardless of whether she wins the mayors race. She wont be on the ballot for the House and acknowledges that she has a very heavy heart about leaving Capitol Hill.

Shes hoping to pass the baton on her favored topics as well as bills shes working on now, such as a plan to improve the lives of incarcerated women and their children.

Bass denied that shes leaving Congress, as many of her fellow Democrats are speculated to be doing, because of the likelihood Republicans will take over the House this fall.

If I could function in the tea party [era] and with the Freedom Caucus, I could function in whatever next year is going to bring," she said. "It really is because of my concern about L.A. and the crisis that we're in and the flashbacks I have to the 1990s and I don't want to see the city repeat the mistakes of the '90s.

Times staff writer Benjamin Oreskes in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Marta Peinado, left, Rosa Flores and Cesar Fuentes make protest signs at Peinado's home in Los Angeles in preparation for the Summit of the Americas, which runs June 6-10 in Los Angeles. (Sarahi Apaez /For The Times)

A few days before the Summit of the Americas was set to open in Los Angeles, Martha Peinado grabbed some poster sheets and fistfuls of marking pens to send an enthusiastically unwelcoming message to the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele.

Peinado, 38, who immigrated to California from her native El Salvador in 2015, and two fellow activists whipped up a dozen posters that they plan to brandish next week at the L.A. Convention Center, which will host the five-day gathering of hemispheric leaders beginning Monday.

"Nayib Bukele, US justice awaits you," forewarned one greeting in black ink on orange poster sheets.

Peinado, originally from the Salvadoran province of La Libertad, was a member of the New Ideas party that brought Bukele to power riding a populist tide of disgust with El Salvador's two-party status quo. But in the three years that Bukele has ruled the Central American nation, Peinado said, democracy has withered while corruption and insecurity have festered, partially as a result of the government's secretive negotiations with gang leaders.

We are going to protest because what was promised has not been fulfilled, said Peinado, who immigrated to California in 2015 and runs a Mid-City cleaning business. "We want to show that what the president says, that the country is safer, is not true, and show that behind him there is great corruption."

For the first time since its inaugural session in 1994, the summit will take place in the hemisphere's richest, most powerful nation. But much has changed in the nearly three decades since those days in Miami. Boosterism over the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, known as NAFTA, has all but disappeared on both sides of the Rio Grande. China, pushing its aggressive Belt and Road initiative, is threatening U.S. hegemony in Latin America dating from the Monroe Doctrine. Then-President Trump skipped the summit's previous session, in 2018 in Lima, Peru, sending Vice President Mike Pence in his stead.

As of Wednesday, the Biden administration had yet to confirm the official guest list, and it wasn't clear whether Bukele would attend or join the heads of Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and other countries that are either uninvited by the U.S. or are boycotting the event. But whichever countries show up in Southern California may find themselves at the center of bitter political battles they thought they'd left back home.

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele addresses the United Nations General Assembly in 2019. (Richard Drew / Associated Press)

Few disputes within L.A.'s Latin American immigrant circles are fiercer than that pitting Bukele friends versus Bukele foes. Critics of the bitcoin-loving, media-bashing autocrat have vowed to assemble at the Convention Center at 9 a.m. Monday. Cesar Fuentes, a political activist and founder of the Libertarian Movement, put out the call to action in a live broadcast on his Facebook account, where he has more than 17,000 followers.

The summit would be an opportunity for President Bukele to return to the rule of law, something that he has run over so much, and for him to redirect his efforts toward democracy," said Fuentes, one of Peinado's poster-making colleagues. "If he doesn't come, then he's just going to close the doors, because he's going to be practically isolated."

Since its inception, the summit has served as a gathering for the Western Hemisphere's nations to address challenges as a region, promoting economic growth and prosperity "based on common democratic values and the promise of increasing trade to improve the quality of life of all peoples," as its goals are optimistically framed on the U.S. State Department website.

But whatever transpires inside the Convention Center, there are signs that dissent and disharmony may surface next week in L.A. neighborhoods such as Westlake-MacArthur Park, a frequent staging ground for Latin American political manifestaciones.

German Pena, president of the Nicaraguan American Opportunity Foundation, or NAOF, an entity formed in 1996 and headquartered in East Los Angeles, said that his group will be resurrecting and displaying years-old banners next week reading "Rescatemos Nicaragua" (Rescue Nicaragua).

"We are going to dust them off," said the native of the Nicaraguan city of Masaya, a longtime opposition bastion that has made it the target of brutal crackdowns by Daniel Ortega, Nicaragua's former leftist guerrilla leader and now its autocratic president.

Marta Peinado, a Salvadoran immigrant, makes protest signs denouncing El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele. (Sarahi Apaez /For The Times)

Pena is summoning his countrymen to gather Tuesday morning at the Convention Center to denounce the Ortega regime in absentia.

Sadly, [Ortega] will not be there," Pena said. "There are many of us who are in various parts of the world fighting for a democracy to be restored in Nicaragua."

Miguel Tinker Salas, a Venezuelan historian and professor at Pomona College in Claremont, said that the Biden administration wants to use the summit to round up support for its immigration policies, as well as more broadly to try to restore the United States' economic and political leadership. But those efforts could collapse in failure if prominent dignitaries such as Mexico's president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, skip the event.

"It will be a Summit of the Americas in name and nothing more," he said.

Lopez Obrador's position has shown the break in the hegemony that the United States exercised when the summit began in 1994," Tinker Salas continued. "Now it is another Latin America, and the United States still does not understand that. The United States is no longer the empire that makes and breaks."

Picking up on Lopez Obrador's insistence that the summit should be open to Cuba, Venezuela and other nations at odds with the United States, pro-immigrant organizations and supporters of the Mexican president will gather in Pershing Square on Thursday morning to walk to the Convention Center, then stage a protest at the corner of Pico Boulevard and Figueroa Street.

Juan Jose Gutierrez, president of Vamos Unidos USA, said that 30 Mexican and Central American organizations have confirmed their participation in the demonstration aimed at throwing a global spotlight on the United States' decades-long failure to enact comprehensive immigration reform.

Where is that will to legislate and put aside all these issues that have hindered us from making real progress towards immigration reform? Gutierrez said. You have to get out of the policy that Latin America is the backyard of the United States."

Protesters in Guatemala call for a nationwide strike to pressure President Alejandro Giammattei to resign in 2021. (Moises Castillo / Associated Press)

While some demonstrators will be calling for the United States to stop meddling in its neighbors' affairs, others will be pushing for the U.S. to play a more assertive role in promoting democracy and human rights.

Mario Avila, a survivor of government-sponsored torture in Guatemala, thinks that President Alejandro Giammattei is not going to participate in the summit. But Avila hopes the summit's other participants will pressure the Biden administration to sanction Guatemalan officials who have links to organized crime and have looted the national treasury.

"We disagree that the United States continues to support a government that does not respect human rights," said the Guatemalan community organizer. "This summit will serve to make our protest present."

Some experts predicted that the planned demonstrations would have little effect on the summit or its aftermath.

But Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda, a UCLA political science professor, said that although protests may not sway the assembled heads of state, they will resonate in ways that transcend borders.

Everyone knows that the media is here in Los Angeles, and the ability of these media to cover protests is much broader, and they have much more broadcasting capacity, even more than a protest that can be held in their countries of origin," he said. "Los Angeles has always played that role of criticism, protest and alternative propositions."

Hinojosa-Ojeda said the summit represents a challenge for Washington to initiate another type of dialogue and relationship with Latin America, contrary to conditions 30 years ago when the "natural allies" of the United States were oligarchies and right-wing militaries.

The only way in which the dialogue between the United States and Latin America is going to be reinserted has to be based on a more equitable treatment," he said.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Christina Taylor holds plaster casts of her baby's hands and feet at her home in Littleton, Colo., on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Taylor chose to get an abortion when she found out after 20 weeks that her baby had no kidneys or bladder. Taylor said she honors her loss with the casts, which were made by the hospital's bereavement team. (Thomas Peipert / Associated Press)

An 18-year-old was undergoing treatment for an eating disorder when she learned she was pregnant, already in the second trimester. A mom of two found out at 20 weeks that her much-wanted baby had no kidneys or bladder. A young woman was raped and couldn't fathom continuing a pregnancy.

Abortions later in pregnancy are relatively rare, even more so now with the availability of medications to terminate early pregnancies.

Across large parts of the United States, they are also increasingly difficult to obtain.

Now, if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion, women will face even more hurdles in some parts of the country and may have to travel to another state to get an abortion.

That means more women could end up having the procedure later than they wish, and the burden falls more heavily on some groups, such as teens, poor, Black, Latino and Native American women and those who live in states where access to any abortion is limited.

Its not because people dont want to have them sooner, said Dr. Diane Horvath, an OB-GYN in Baltimore who has performed abortions for 16 years. Its because barriers and new information cause them to have to push it back to later in pregnancy.

The Associated Press interviewed three women who had abortions later in their pregnancy. While their backgrounds and reasons for terminating their pregnancies were varied, none expressed doubt about their decision  or said they were traumatized by it  and all said they were grateful that they were able to do it.

Wanted baby, missing organs

Christina Taylor already had two kids when she became pregnant with her third. Everything was going well at the start and she was looking forward to welcoming a new baby into the family.

When she was 20 weeks pregnant, Taylor went for an ultrasound and basic anatomy scan that is normally done at this stage. For most people, this is a time to find out the babys sex. For some, its also when fetal abnormalities are detected.

I laid down and the ultrasound tech was doing her thing and she was getting really quiet and was taking a really long time, she recalled. She left the room at one point, I need to talk to the doctor.

When the tech returned, Taylor could see from the look on her face that something was wrong. When the doctor arrived, he told the couple that there was no amniotic fluid. There were also no kidneys. The baby would probably not survive the pregnancy, or if by some miracle made it to full term, he would die shortly after birth.

I told the doctor, look, Im not sure. I dont buy the age of viability thing, but for my own mental health and for the health of my family I want to terminate my pregnancy as soon as possible, Taylor recalled.

She got a second doctors opinion and an MRI, which not only confirmed that there were no kidneys present but also no bladder.

Fortunately, in Colorado, abortion is legal, as it was at the time, with no gestational limits. In the U.S., nearly all abortions take place in the first trimester of pregnancy. Just over 6% of abortions were performed at 14 to 20 weeks gestation, the second trimester, in 2019 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fewer than 1% took place at 21 weeks or later, in the third, based on the most recent data available.

Taylors story shows what getting an abortion with access to good healthcare, health insurance and no legal obstacles can look like.

I had the option to wait it out and see when he passed and then, you know, youd have a stillbirth. But I knew I couldnt do that. Like, I couldnt put my kids through that, Taylor said.

On the way home from the MRI, she called her insurance company and found that it covered both types of abortion procedures: dilation and evacuation, and induction and dilation. She chose the latter, which essentially would mean inducing labor and going through delivery. This way, she could have the procedure in a maternity ward, with a team of midwives.

There was a small chance that he could have been born still alive and we would have been able to hold him and say goodbye when he passed, Taylor said.

She labored for a day and a half. Given the circumstances, she recalled it as an overall positive experience, knowing how much worse it could have been had they still lived in Texas, where even in 2017 the procedure would not have been legal. The states current ban of all abortions after six weeks makes no exceptions  Taylor would have had to travel out of state to receive care, or possibly wait until her baby died in her womb, putting her at increased risk of infections and even death.

Only eight states allow abortions at any time during a pregnancy. Twenty states have no specific time limits but prohibit abortions at the time of fetal viability, which is generally considered to be around 23 or 24 weeks but depends on a host of other factors besides gestational age.

I still grieve to this day for the loss of my son, and my husband does too, said Taylor, who has been sharing her abortion story to bring attention to experiences such as hers. But you know, we accept that thats something that happens sometimes. And especially because of the context of knowing how lucky we were to just not have laws in the way of just doing what felt right.

'I would rather die'

Everyone thinks you present pregnancies the same way. You miss a period, you throw up, you take a test and at five weeks, you know youre pregnant. And that is just not how life shakes out for a lot of people, said Erika Christensen, founder of PatientForward, a nonprofit that helps people access later abortions.

Jenn Chalifoux, now 30 and studying law at the University of Colorado in Boulder, became pregnant in 2010 when she was 18 and receiving inpatient care for an eating disorder in New York. Her story touches on popular myths: that women always know they are pregnant and that women in liberal states with laws that ban only rare late abortions can easily get them.

Chalifoux returned home from college in the summer before her sophomore year to receive treatment for restrictive eating. A common symptom of such eating disorders is the loss of ones period. A common  though by no means fail-safe  sign of being pregnant is also the loss of ones period.

I had a medical team of doctors and psychiatrists and stuff that I was working with. And at no point did any of us think that the fact that I hadnt gotten my period was because of a pregnancy, Chalifoux said.

As she was starting to recover from the eating disorder, though, her period still hadnt returned. She was on birth control, but just to rule it out, she took a home pregnancy test, which was positive. After confirming the pregnancy through a blood test, she reached out to Planned Parenthood, where she was told that it was too late for a medical abortion and she would need a surgical procedure.

I spent probably at least two weeks thinking about the financials, going through the money that I had, Chalifoux said. And a week makes a difference.

The cost of an abortion increases significantly as time goes on, from a few hundred dollars to thousands in the second trimester and even tens of thousands later on. For many women, financial barriers to abortion serve to push the procedure later, because it can take time to come up with money. Medicaid, which provides healthcare coverage to low-income Americans, does not pay for abortions except in the case of rape, incest or when the mothers life is in danger.

Its really hard to get an abortion in this country, Christensen said. And the idea that people are able to seek care by a certain date is kind of based on the myths that we get all the information we need by a certain time and that we live in equitable environments with equal access to resources and healthcare. Neither of those are true.

Horvath, a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health, said she's already seeing patients from other states in her Maryland practice who have found themselves too far into the pregnancy to be able to have abortions in their state.

Realizing that she could not handle it alone, Chalifoux told her parents, who embraced her with support. By this point, weeks had passed since she learned she was pregnant and she started to experience physical symptoms of pregnancy. The experience of not having control over her body as it changed horrified her, and she said she was getting intrusive thoughts of performing an abortion on herself.

I just remember feeling like I wanted to cut myself open or die. The experience of not having control over my body and feeling my body, feeling it change, noticing the changes and knowing that I was getting more pregnant every day was just  I mean, it was like horror, she recalled.

After going for an initial appointment at a hospital to prepare for the procedure, another ultrasound revealed that she was further along than first thought. In all, Chalifoux said, it took about a month from the time she learned she was pregnant until she was able to receive an abortion, a few days after she turned 19.

It was such a long time ago that Ive healed from a lot of it, but Im able to recognize that where I used to think that my abortion was traumatic for me, I can realize now that it was the pregnancy that was traumatic. And that the abortion was actually very healing, she said.

Today, Chalifoux is studying law, hoping to become a public defender or find work fighting against mass incarceration and speaks publicly about her abortion as part of her reproductive rights activism. Looking back, she says, she does not think she would have survived if she were forced to carry the pregnancy to term.

I can remember having this fear that I would be forced to give birth, she said. And I can remember thinking that I would rather die.

Rape and a doctor's miscalculation

It was July 2020. The young woman decided to check out her friends stand-up comedy show in a downtown Houston comedy club. She wouldnt know anyone in the audience, but that didnt matter. Working in the service industry and being a social, responsible person who had lived on her own since she turned 18, she wasnt worried. She met what seemed like a group of really cool people. She had some drinks with them and had a good time, she recalled. Looking back, she doesnt recall any women being part of the group. But she trusted herself.

Everything kind of happened really fast, said the woman, 31, whom the AP is not identifying because she is the victim of sexual assault. Im pretty sure, pretty sure someone slipped something in one of my drinks. I ended up waking up the next morning in a rundown motel room somewhere in southwest Houston.

She had nothing on her except her clothes and shoes. Her phone, wallet and underwear were missing. It was about 10:30 a.m. and the motels management was banging on her door. Instead of offering help, she recalled, the motel's employees yelled at her and kicked her out. The woman, who is Black, thinks they might have thought she was a prostitute. She walked along the side of the highway until she found a gas station where she could call a family member to pick her up.

Time went on, and she didnt tell anyone what happened except one close friend. She started dating someone.

In late October, early November of that year, she took a home pregnancy test. She was on birth control, but she figured maybe it had failed. She was pregnant.

After an initial appointment with a doctor who gave her an incorrect gestational age, she followed up at a womens clinic, where she learned that she was actually further along. She did the math and traced back the start of her pregnancy to the time she was raped in July.

And that was just something that I was not  I would not have been able to live with, she said.

The woman said it took her more than a week to absorb the shock of learning that she became pregnant from a sexual assault. More time passed as she searched for an abortion provider, encountering crisis pregnancy centers that tried to steer her away from terminating the pregnancy. One of the centers, she said, was calling her daily at one point. The woman said she felt harassed.

There was also the cost. According to medical bills the woman provided to the AP, the cost of her procedure increased by $2,500 between the time she was examined in Austin, Texas, before her abortion and the time she arrived in New Mexico for the procedure. PatientForward helped cover her costs.

She was in her third trimester by the time she got on an airplane, alone, to fly to New Mexico and terminate her pregnancy at 27 weeks of gestation. She hasnt told her family what happened, or any other friends, still coping with feelings of shame and guilt from both the rape and the abortion. She does not know who raped her.

I have no idea who did it. No idea, she said. I never went back and pursued it.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
"That '90s Show," filmed at the Sunset Bronson Studios, is one of the many Netflix productions filmed in L.A. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

At the Sunset Bronson Studios in Hollywood on a recent afternoon, teenager Reyn Doi rehearsed lines for the new sitcom That 90s Show. He was sitting at table in a meticulously designed set that featured a wallpapered kitchen, shelves filled with teacups and bundt pans hanging from the wall.

His friend's grandparents, Kitty and Red, were interrogating Doi's character, Ozzie, to find out where their granddaughter hung out. What would get him to talk?

Get me a Capri Sun and Ill tell you anything, he deadpanned, referring to the sugary, fruity pouch packaged drink that was highly popular among kids who grew up in the 90s.

The new series, a spinoff of the Fox sitcom That 70s Show, is one of more than 70 Netflix productions that will be filmed in the Los Angeles area this year  about the same level of production as before the pandemic.

Netflix recently laid off 150 workers after reporting its first decline in subscribers in more than a decade. But the cutbacks have not slowed the pace of production activity in Los Angeles, where the Los Gatos company is doubling down and expanding its presence.

"We just think its really important that we lean into Los Angeles because of the talent base, said Amy Reinhard, vice president of studio operations, in an interview.

Netflix productions filmed in L.A. include the fourth season of "Never Have I Ever," a show about an Indian American high school student growing up in Sherman Oaks; the limited romance series "From Scratch" with Zoe Saldana; and the courtroom drama "Lincoln Lawyer," the second most popular show on Netflix last week, which features scenes shot in downtown L.A. and in front of iconic places like Pink's Hot Dogs. Several Netflix movies also have filmed locally, including the science fiction feature "Rebel Moon" directed by Zack Snyder and the thriller "The Gray Man."

To accommodate the growing pipeline of local productions, Netflix has significantly expanded its studio presence in Hollywood since 2016, securing long-term leases for more than 30 soundstages, Reinhard said. Production space has been a big issue in L.A., causing some projects to go elsewhere.

In December, Netflix renewed the lease at Raleigh Studios for the next 10 years. In total, the company has more than 800,000 square feet of production space.

That footprint is perfect for what were trying to achieve and how many productions we have here, Reinhard said.

Netflix has also expanded its live events in the area. Last month, the company held its first large-scale comedy festival, Netflix Is a Joke, with 288 shows in more than 35 L.A. area venues in 11 days. More than 260,000 tickets were sold.

The company said it produced 13 comedy specials from the festival, with 5,000 people working on the event, including around 200 employees.

"The festival was sort of a signal that, yes, we're still in the middle of this pandemic, but we're able to come back and be vibrant again, which is all very exciting," said Robbie Praw, Netflix's vice president of stand-up and comedy formats, adding that the company is also expanding its comedy presence in areas such as improv with shows like "Murderville."

"We have a very packed schedule all through the year," he said.

Netflix is expected to spend roughly $18 billion on content this year, up from $17 billion in 2021.

The company has production hubs worldwide, including Toronto, Madrid, Tokyo and London as well Albuquerque, N.M., and Brooklyn, N.Y. But L.A. remains the busiest U.S. film location for the streaming giant. Like other states, California offers film tax credits to lure studios and their crews.

"Netflix's investment in original content production in Greater Los Angeles is of real economic benefit to the region," said Philip Sokoloski, spokesman for FilmLA, the nonprofit that handles film permits in the area. "The so-called 'streaming wars' have been most beneficial to major production centers, where the depth of required talent and resources required to welcome new projects is concentrated and strong incentive programs exist to attract interested producers."

Gregg Mettler, showrunner and executive producer of "That 90s Show," says it "goes a long way toward creating an upbeat and positive set" when people can spend time with their loved ones. His production supports 150 families.

"I find my home shower to be a far more creative environment than any hotel shower," Mettler said in a statement. "Big perk of staying local.

Los Angeles is also home to Netflix's largest employee base. The company's local office footprint is larger than streaming rivals such as Amazon Studios or Apple TV+. Netflix employed roughly 11,300 employees worldwide in December, with a little less than half working in L.A.

Netflix has nearly 1.6 million square feet of office space in Los Angeles and Burbank compared to Amazon Studios' roughly 915,100 square feet of office and studio space, according to estimates from CoStar Group, which tracks real estate data.

Apple, which also plans to expand its presence locally, had an estimated 500,000 square feet of office space in the Culver City area as of October, according to Raise Commercial Real Estate.

"Just the sheer expansion in the last couple of years has really been exceptional and has outpaced what we've seen from the other streamers," Ryan Patap, CoStar's senior director of market analytics, said of Netflix.

Patap said Netflix's past growth helped fuel more building developers to market their properties to streamers during the pandemic, especially as there was hesitancy about traditional office space during the pandemic. Areas that have benefited from the growth of video streaming include Culver City and Playa Vista.

Some industry observers are wondering how long Netflix can keep up its pace, as the company trims costs and lays off workers. Netflix lost 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter and is expected to lose 2 million more this quarter.

At least three people who do business with Netflix and who were not authorized to speak publicly say they feel development has slowed.

There hasnt been the same rapid pace of activity they have always been known for, said a person who does business with Netflix. I think theres a bit of a pause happening.

Since April, the company has laid off dozens of contractors in marketing or social media related jobs as well as 70 part-time workers in animation and 150 employees worldwide.

At a company town hall last week, Netflix chief talent officer Sergio Ezama telegraphed more layoffs in coming months, according to a Netflix employee who declined to be named because they were not authorized to speak on the topic.

To address its subscriber loss, Netflix said it is testing ways to monetize password sharing, increasing its presence in mobile gaming and exploring a lower-cost, ad-supported subscription plan. New content could include potentially live-streaming stand-up comedy specials.

Times Deputy Editor Matt Brennan and staff writer Roger Vincent contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Marysville, CA (95901)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 63F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 63F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan congratulated school graduates on the occasion of Last Bell, the PMs Office said.

The message reads:

Dear graduates of public schools,

I congratulate all of you on the Last Bell.

Today you cross one of the most important boundaries of your life, you are passing from childhood to adulthood, the first steps of which are waiting for you weeks later when you should make decisions that will directly affect the essence and quality of your future life.

The talk, of course, is firstly about choosing a profession, and I hope that our beloved teachers have managed to provide you with the skills during the school years so that you can make a right decision.

And what is that right decision? Choose a profession that you like and not others. Choose a profession that will become an action for you, will motivate you to wake up as early as possible every day and go to work with pleasure and will bring benefit to others.

I believe that every person has a mission in this life. Each of you has a mission in this life and the right selection of the profession is a process of finding the mission, which is perhaps the most important decision that you are going to make in the future.

I dont want you to go for diplomas which sometimes give nothing, I want you to go for the mission, be it a mission of a teacher, a scientist, a doctor, a military officer, a businessman, an artist, an engineer, a police officer, a judge, a cook, a builder, a locksmith, a welder, a waiter, a farmer or a carpenter.

I want you to believe in the mission of changing the world to better, changing our homeland to better, I want you also to believe in your civil mission because you are going to have a chance to make decisions on the countrys future very soon, as a voter. I believe in you and want that you also fully believe in yourself and your future. In any case, knowledge and skills are the guarantee of that future.

Respectful teachers,

I also congratulate you, and I know that many of you and your students will have tears in your eyes today. Beyond these emotions it is the responsibility, our and yours responsibility for the further fate of students who are leaving the school today.

Our homeland is passing through difficult times and I want to reaffirm that all the problems that we have, we should search for and find their solutions first of all in education field, because all these problems, without exception, have been formed at the level of primary school or general education, sometimes and often because of their absence or incompleteness.

Today our government is carrying out large-scale reforms in general education sector. These reforms are focused on the access to quality education and the emphasis on the uniqueness of the role of a teacher with all its consequences and results. During yesterdays Cabinet meeting I announced that the qualitative reform of the education sector is one of our most important actions, and we have nothing more important to do. There is no exaggeration here.

Dear teachers, dear graduates,

Today is the last class in schools, but life gives us lessons every day, and I wish all of us high progress in that lifelong study. For the sake of our homeland, our generations and our fallen heroes.
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. Mher Margaryan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations, delivered a statement in the UN Security Council open debate on Strengthening Accountability and Justice for Serious Violations of International Law, the Permanent Mission of Armenia said.

In his remarks Mher Margaryan touched upon the issue of impunity of crimes that happened in the past, in the context of prevention of genocides, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Armenia alerted the international community about the level of hate speech and racist rhetoric dominating the political discourse in Azerbaijan, where state-led anti-Armenian policies extensively reported and documented by international institutions seek to dehumanize one particular nation which come to manifest that genocidal ideology does not merely belong to the past. The fact that a large-scale military aggression was unleashed amid the unprecedented global pandemic in the fall of 2020 is a crime of global proportion in itself and should be evaluated and addressed as such, he said, also touching upon the fact that Azerbaijan is still holding Armenian prisoners of war and civilians in captivity.

As the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, the International Court of Justice has a central role in ensuring justice and accountability and upholding the faith in international law, he said.
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. A quorum was not provided again by 20:00 to start the extraordinary session of the National Assembly convened on the initiative of the opposition deputies due to the absence of MPs.

ARMENPRESS reports the President of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan mentioned that 4 hours have passed, but in fact there are no MPs in the hall, including the opposition MPs. "We can state that the session did not take place," Simonyan said.

33 MPs were registered for the sitting scheduled for 16:00. The MPs of the "Civil Contract" faction did not come to the sitting. President of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan, who chaired the sitting, stated that the registration will continue until the necessary number of MPs are registered, but not more than 4 hours. There was one issue on the agenda of the sitting - the draft statement on the Armenian-Azerbaijani and Armenian-Turkish relations submitted by the opposition "Armenia" and "I have honor" factions.

As the session did not start due to the lack of a quorum, the members of the "Resistance" movement marched to the Government, then to Government House No. 1.
In his words: "I am just a professional writer, which means I don't do blogs and try and get money for whatever I write."

All statues commemorate some real, legendary or imagined virtue

Oh Bachchoo, Bachchoo tell me true

Does God welcome all human prayer?

And if he does, what does he do?

--The evidence is he doesnt care!

From Classic Nasik, by Bachchoo

When Michelangelo was asked how he went about carving the statue of David, he is reported to have said well ah gets old of a large slab of marble and then ah gets me chisel and ammer and ah chips away all de bits dat dont look like David.

Well, OK, he didnt exactly say that, I made it up, but he might, or could have!

Statistics show that one and a quarter million people visit and view the statue each year. They are perhaps there to gaze upon the art of perfection -- of the human form. Maybe some of them have some interest in or allegiance to the Biblically historical figure of David, who fought against the giant Goliath and won.

It may be that all or most of the visitors to the statue are there in obeisance to the power of the story, in which the seemingly weaker good overpowers the heavily armed evil.

All statues commemorate some such real, legendary or imagined virtue.

Recently, the local government of the city of Grantham in Lincolnshire, UK, spent 300,000 on a statue of Margaret Thatcher, Britains first woman Prime Minister. Hours after it was installed it was pelted with eggs. The reason was that Lady Thatcher was a lower middle-class revolutionary. She primarily represented that class and its animosity to basic wage workers and as a Tory she, as a matter of course, embraced capitalism, even of a global kind. She was not very popular with the working classes.

I earned my living as a teacher at the beginning of her ministership in government, as Britains secretary of state for education, when she abolished the provision of free milk in primary schools to poor children. We demonstrated with the slogan Margaret Thatcher -- milk snatcher! It was a cry of disappointed antagonism, but didnt get the poor kids to have their daily half pint of guaranteed nourishment for growth.

She was unpopular in many other ways and when the statue was installed in Grantham, 13,000 people volunteered on a website to turn up and throw eggs at it. Rumour has it that several street stalls selling rotten eggs sprang up in the locality.

At the height of support for the Black Lives Matter movement the statue of Edward Colston, a 17th-18th century slave-owning philanthropist of Bristol, was taken off its pedestal, carried by a crowd and thrown into the River Avon. The four people who were actually responsible for handling the statue were prosecuted by the police for it, but were later acquitted by a jury.

Gentle reader, imagine the fury, the outrage, the despair and exaggerated reaction of the right-wing press Douglas Murray, journalist and right-wing complainant (Ive featured him in previous columns) even said in his book that this toppling of statues was like a rewriting of history. His apocalyptic despair said it was the end of Western history and, by implication, civilisation.

History is not transmitted through the presence of statues. There are things called books written by people called historians: there are archives and documents of record.

Of course, Douglas may have a point. Perhaps this Wokery, as they call it, has gone too far. I mean, lets say, last week, had I on my travels alighted at a railway station of a city which has been renamed Personchester. Id be confused. And then on the way back to Londonna, if I passed through Birmingsoyabean? Oh, this assault on the statues of language! Where will it all end? Will poor Queen Elizabeth II during her Platinum Jubilee have to be redesignated as Royalperson Elizabeth?

Yes, yes gentle reader, I may have a gone a bit too far to prove the point that wokery is an adoption that wont alter Western civilisation. A fresh, principled, factual insight into history, especially of the colonial period, may alter to a degree our perception of it.

My friend Tariq Ali (I declare an interest by claiming our friendship) has written a book called Churchill, His Times and His Crimes. It challenges the idea that Winston Churchill, Britains wartime Prime Minister, should be universally revered. There is a cult of Churchill in Britain and the nationalist tendencies of the UK are entitled to it. After all, in other countries there were figures who openly and ideologically sided with fascism and militarily with Hitler who are revered as icons by some in their countries.

I can with confidence only say that there wont be a statue of Churchill erected in any Indian city, though there is a very dignified and emotion-provoking statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Tavistock Square in London.

Perhaps it is time that we surpass the categories of left and right in politics. Ask yourself what the fate of a statue of Vladimir Putin in Moscow or St Petersburg is likely to be? Do the latest Prime Ministers of India merit statues?

There is, I suggest, a new world order of opinion. There are The Erectors who put up statues. Then there are the Egg Throwers who disagree with the person being worthy of a statue. And then there is the third category -- The Take-Downers and Drowners.

These are the categories that will define and divide humanity in the future. I havent decided to which of these three I belong.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Even before the invasion, the separatist authorities in Lugansk and Donetsk had imposed general recruitment. The men are trying hard to avoid conscription. The subsidies promised to them by Putin never arrived. In the event of death in combat, the families receive less than 200 euros in compensation.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - In recent weeks the Russian offensive in Ukraine has focused on the Donbass, trying to secure at least this region in order to somehow proclaim victory in the "special military operation". So far, Russia has occupied almost a quarter of the territory of the entire Ukraine. Controlled in part by pro-Kremlin separatists since 2014, the Lugansk and Donetsk oblasts are, however, not completely under Moscow's occupation, which is why the able-bodied men of war in these areas have been called to general mobilisation.

In Russia, resistance to getting involved in the Ukrainian conflict is very strong, and the authorities cannot press any further, as a state of war has not been formally declared. In the Donbass, on the other hand, the conditions are explicit, and refusal to enlist is not allowed, but the men try hard to evade it, sticking to the 'sit down and shut up' rule, hoping not to be noticed and forcibly involved.

Even those already deployed in the Russian-separatist army are beginning to show signs of impatience, after 100 uninterrupted days of military action, and are increasingly demanding to be sent home. The general mobilisation in the separatist areas of the Donbass had started even earlier on 19 February, before the invasion. The local authorities had imposed it on the basis of documents from condominium services, workers in mines, metallurgical factories and other separatist-controlled facilities, down to lists of general practitioners. All had been told that mobilisation was for 90 days' service, now well overdue.

The mass of enlisted soldiers, almost all of whom had little or no military training, were held for weeks at assembly points in Makeevka and Dokucaev, using them 'for digging', which in military jargon means the construction of trenches and war infrastructure. They are usually not sent to the front line, and are armed with makeshift equipment dating back to even the First World War, at most with a few new optical pointers.

Among the 'mobilised' are musicians from philharmonic societies, employees of the prosecution services, students from the last university courses and other categories of people who had no way of escaping. When an attempt was made to throw them into the Severodonetsk 'butchery' after their 90-day contract, protests broke out, accompanied by videos and messages to friends and acquaintances seeking support outside the army. In particular, the mothers, wives and girlfriends of the improvised soldiers made themselves heard, demanding their return.

The separatist administrations had given them Russian passports with an accelerated procedure, but in fact their citizenship turned out to be incomplete, and the social subsidies promised by Putin, especially to the families of the fallen, distributed only to Russians living in the Federation, did not arrive either. The mobilised in the Donbass are only guaranteed a free funeral in case of death in combat, with compensation to the families of 5-10 thousand roubles (less than 200 euro). There had been talk of subsidies of up to three million per fallen soldier, but in some cases the bodies of dead soldiers were returned to their families in sealed coffins, marked 'cause of death: Covid-19'. Only the families of metalworkers were granted sums of up to one million.

Most of the men in Donetsk, Lugansk and other Donbass cities are locked in their homes, barricading themselves with metal doors that cannot be opened from the outside, and guard dogs to warn of the arrival of strangers. Survival is barely ensured by wives and parents, who pass food from hidden drawers. Living conditions, after all, are not easy for anyone in the occupied cities; in Donetsk, running water is practically only guaranteed to members of the separatist government, and the others have to get it by dragging cisterns from the countryside. And these are the great Russian patriots of the Donbass.
by Giorgio Bernardelli

Dedicated to St Augustine, the church will be consecrated tomorrow by the Apostolic Vicar Olivier Schmitthaeusler. For Fr Gianluca Tavola, the local parish priest, it marks the communitys coming of age where no Catholic dwelled 20 years ago. Some 200 children go to the local school. On Sundays, both local Cambodians and Vietnamese migrants attend Mass.

Kampot (AsiaNews)  In a place where no Catholic dwelled 20 years ago, now stands a well recognisable church. For the small Catholic community in Kampot, this is an important moment.

Today, eve of Pentecost, the Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, will consecrate the church of St Augustine in a place he knows very well.

The town of Kampot is located in southern Cambodia near the border with Vietnam off the Gulf of Siam. It is here that some 20 years ago, as a missionary sent by the Missions etrangeres de Paris, Bishop Schmitthaeusler settled in a house along with another priest from the vicariate.

Soon the house became a hostel for kids from Kep province coming to the town to study. That initial friendship saw the birth of a small Christian community that until today could only celebrate the Eucharist in one wing of the house.

"The church of St Augustine can accommodate no more than 150 worshippers, but it marks the communitys coming of age, said the current parish priest, Fr Gianluca Tavola, a PIME missionary from Italy who arrived in Kampot in 2009.

Its physical presence is a way of saying to everyone: We are a small community, we are young community, but we are here too.

Cambodia is a predominantly Buddhist country. Kampots pastoral area is home to about 600,000 people, and constitutes one of the nine regions that make up the Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh.

Overall, local Catholics number just over 300. They are a small seed, but one that is germinating in an area undergoing deep change as a result of the growing tourist industry on the coast.

The church of St Augustine is named after a young convert like so many of our Christians, Fr Tavola said, and will become the heart of everything involving the community.

The local pastoral centre now includes a new building with a kindergarten for children aged three to six and an elementary school up to Grade sixth with some 200 pupils, mostly from non-Christian families.

Because of the latest lockdown, opening events were delayed a bit. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility will be cut on 17 June.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the opening on 3 July of the Charity House, near another church in Chum Kiri, a village located some 50 kilometres from Kampot.

This facility, which was built with the support of the PIME Foundation, has been up and running since January, caring for sick people and disabled children, including those suffering with mental issues, followed by an ad hoc service provided by Maryknoll missionaries.

Interestingly, the congregation of the new church is Kampot draws not only the small group of Khmer Catholics, but also three Vietnamese Catholic families who have come here to work, Fr Tavola noted.

While the Cambodians are mostly young people, who have come to the faith in recent years and are still learning the ropes of the Christian life, the group of Vietnamese have a more solid faith behind them, the clergyman explained.

Put next to each other, he added, they are more or less the same number, well disposed towards one other, despite the wounds of recent history. They gladly help each other, and this is a beautiful sign for everyone.
by Alessandra De Poli

Print newspaper readership in India rose until 2019. The country remains the worlds second largest market with a circulation of 240 million copies. With the pandemic, digital content is up, but so is repression against journalists, a paradoxical situation in a country where the press was born to oppose British colonialism.

New Delhi (AsiaNews)  Khabar Lahariya (News Wave), a collective of women journalists, marked its 20th anniversary. The group covers news stories from a rural and feminist perspective, focusing on topics like abuse, water shortages, and access to electrical power in remote rural villages that find little room in mainstream media but are of the utmost interest to marginalised communities that have no other way to make their voices heard.

Founded by Dalit women married off as child brides who fled abusive relationships, the group today welcomes journalists from every ethnic background, caste, or religion, such as Muslim and tribal women. Its co-founder of the collective and current editor-in-chief, Kavita Bundelkhandi learnt to write at the age of 12.

At its start, Khabar Lahariya was a one-page newspaper delivered by hand in the villages of the Bundelkhan region; now it is only digital and its YouTube channel has more than half a million subscribers. Its story reflects the evolution of Indias information media.

India has the second largest newspaper market in the world with a total circulation of 240 million copies. About 100,000 papers were published in 2018 various languages, especially Hindi, with pint newspaper readership rising until 2019 when it started losing ground to digital media. However, in the past few years, press freedom has declined along with the rise of repression against journalists.

The first newspaper published in India was also the first in Asia and dates back to the times of British rule; in 1780, an Irishman, James Augustus Hicky founded Hicky's Bengal Gazette in Kolkata, then called Calcutta.

Although published in English, it was already using Anglo-Indian terms (and even todays Indian publications try to reflect the countrys linguistic variety). Because of its constant criticism of the colonial regime, the weekly folded after only two years with Hicky landing in jail and the East India Company seizing the papers types and printing press, silencing any opposition.

In 1826 the first weekly in Hindi, Udant Martand, appeared, followed in 1838 by The Times of India, which continues to be the countrys leading English-language newspaper, but only ninth in terms of total readership behind Hindi, Tamil and Marathi papers.

According to the Media Research Users Council (MRUC), 39 per cent of Indians over the age of 12 read at least one newspaper, up 9 per cent over 2014; however, readership for papers in the Oriya language was up by 84 per cent. Two years later, at the start of 2019, the number of readers in absolute terms rose from 407 to 425 million readers.

The growth of print newspapers stopped in 2019. According to research by the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), exposure to media information fell in the period 2019-2021 over 2015-16: the percentage of women and men who said that they were not regularly exposed to mass media rose from 25 per cent and 14 per cent respectively to 41 per cent and 32 per cent.

However, these percentages do not take into account the growth of digital information. Mohit Jain, president of the Indian Newspaper Society, believes that the NFHS-5 survey data are not in line with what has happened to the information sector, with digital platform readers up considerably in the last three years, partly because of the lockdowns imposed during the pandemic.

People are spending more time on reading newspapers and content online, he said. The lockdown brought them more leisure time, some of which was channelised in reading, a situation backed by other data.

A December 2021 report commissioned by Google claimed that digital media is the fastest growing sector in the Indian market, with online news readership expected to top 700 million by 2026, with print media declining by 20 per cent. In fact, MRUC research shows that between 2017 and 2019 digital media consumption rose by 123 per cent.

However, one thing has remained unchanged over the years: newspaper readership goes up with income. More importantly, along with the aforementioned changes, India has seen a decline in press freedom in the last few years.

According to the annual report by Reporters Without Borders, which was released last month, India's global press freedom ranking fell again, from a score of 68 to 41 in ten years. Out of 180 countries, India ranked 150th in 2022, down from 142nd in 2021 and 132nd in 2016.

The erosion follows the rise to power of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ultranationalist party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Hate campaigns against journalists on social media belie the government's claims that the press is free in India.

In the early phase of the pandemic, at least 55 journalists who challenged government infection statistics were arrested or threatened. More importantly, some major media are owned by rich individuals and families who are close to Prime Minister Modi, people like Mukesh Ambani, head of Reliance Industries, owner of 70 media outlets followed by at least 800 million Indians.

To top it off, the business model of Indias newspapers is still largely dominated by advertising revenues, and governments are important advertisers. The Union (federal) government alone spends more than Rs 130 billion (more than US$ 5 billion) per year in print and online media.

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In today's headlines: Wells are drying up in India; the US backs the Philippines in the South China Sea dispute against China; Indonesia uses Serbian weapons against Papua; new divisions in the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

TURKEY - SYRIA - RUSSIA

Russia urged Turkey not to launch another offensive in northern Syria. "We hope Ankara will refrain from actions that could lead to a dangerous deterioration of the already difficult situation in Syria," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said yesterday. Erdogan had announced yet another operation against the People's Protection Units (YPG) composed of Syrian Kurds whom Turkey considers 'terrorists'.

INDIA

A video of an Indian woman going down a well without a rope or harness to retrieve water has gone viral. In several areas of India, wells and ponds have dried up and the population is forced into these extreme measures. The government had promised running water in all villages by 2024 but millions of people still have no access to drinking water.

NORTH KOREA

In the coming weeks the Conference on Disarmament will be chaired by North Korea, which possesses nuclear weapons: a decision that has generated perplexity and indignation. The chairmanship follows the alphabetical order in English of the countries that are members of the organisation: in recent days some NGOs have exported members to leave the assembly in protest.

PHILIPPINES - USA

The United States reiterated its support for the Philippines in its dispute with China over the South China Sea: every year in the summer season Beijing imposes a unilateral fishing ban on areas it considers under its jurisdiction, but Washington recalled the 2016 Hague ruling rejecting Chinese claims.

INDONESIA

Almost 2,500 mortar shells from Serbia, purchased last year by the Indonesian spy agency (Bin), were converted to be launched from the air, and some were used in attacks against eight villages in Papua. According to the monitoring agency Conflict Armament Research, clashes in the separatist region have intensified in recent years. A parliamentary hearing could be convened on the issue.

RUSSIA - UKRAINE

After the decision by the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to detach itself from Moscow, new divisions have begun: in the diocese of Rovenkov, in the Lugansk region, the assembly of clergy with Archbishop Arkadij (Taranov) took the decision to no longer appoint the Kiev Metropolitan Onufryj (Berezovskij) during liturgies.

TURKMENISTAN

Turkmenistan's President Serdar Berdymukhamedov approved the proposal of the regional muftis, supported by the civil administrations, to collect "voluntary offerings from the population" for the construction of new mosques and Islamic school buildings. Four new mosques have been built in recent years, and the 'voluntary' contributions are in fact compulsory.
by Fady Noun

The Ministry of Social Affairs wants the governor of the central bank to get private institutions to lift limits on withdrawals by social service associations. Many paramedics, healthcare workers and educators are seeking better wages and working conditions abroad. The crisis is compounded by skyrocketing prices and the lack of resources (or inability to access them).

Beirut (AsiaNews)  We are being strangled! said Marie F., education manager at a school for children with special needs run by the Acsauvel (Metn) association. I cant take it anymore!" she added.

The Ministry of Finance has set a monthly ceiling of eight million (Lebanese) pounds to the money provided by the Ministry of Social Affairs. But that's not all. the funds are handed out over four weeks!

Acsauvel just lost a speech therapist and its chief psychologist, the manager explained; now it faces the imminent departure of one of its educators.

She perfectly understands the reasons for such departures. I see every day on the internet recruitment ads for paramedical staff, speech therapists, psychomotor therapists, specialist educators. Our staff are highly valued and in demand in Arab countries and Canada.

The Acsauvel manager and hundreds of educators accompanied by children and dependents gathered yesterday morning in front of the headquarters of the Bank of Lebanon (BDL), to protest against the treatment they get from the BDL and private banks, which are paralysing their mission and forcing some of them to lay off staff or even to close their doors.

Mingling with the crowd, the Minister of Social Affairs of the outgoing government, Hector Hajjar, shared protesters outrage in an unvarnished tirade against the false promises by BDL Governor Riad Salameh.

Responding to a memo issued the day before by the latter, Mr Hajjar told reporters about what he had already written in the morning: "The undertaking made by the Bank of Lebanon last night to pay 40 per cent of the fees due to charities for the year 2021 is a commitment in principle. We urge the governor to translate it into practice and formally confirm this decision by issuing the necessary memos for its implementation (by private banks).

One hundred dollars and one million Lebanese pounds

Sister Zahiya Frangieh, a member of the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity, was present at the morning protest. As president of the National Social Service Council, she is outraged.

The association she runs in Ajaltoun (Kesrouan) is responsible for 165 children, orphans and others, surviving on 100 dollars in fees and a million Lebanese pounds per month," she said.

One hundred million (Lebanese) pounds in arrears that the Ministry of Social Affairs owed us for the year 2020 have surely been transferred into our bank account. But this amount has already lost much of its value, and well have to wait at least a year before we can touch the money! she added.

According to Sister Zahiya, the number of people receiving various forms of assistance ranges between 46,000 and 50,000, depending on the year, and the number of people who serve them and are covered by various associations is between 23,000 and 25,000.

One of the largest organisations caring for children with Down syndrome, Sesobel, has just received a blow with the departure of 48 administrative and educational staff, explained Minister Hector Hajjar.

In his view, the ceiling of 2 million Lebanese pounds imposed by banks on weekly withdrawals is ridiculous". "Do they know that getting water delivered today costs 1.8 million pounds?" he asked. The few hundred thousand pounds paid out are not enough to cover the mobile phone bill! he added.

Mr Hajjar is also up in arms against the bureaucratic harassment to which the organisations in question are subjected, on the pretext that some dont really exist. "Things have come to the point where it takes three or four employees in each organisation to meet the audit requirements, he said.

The minister's statement was accompanied by three other demands that reflect the difficulties faced by social assistance organisations, which he claims to have personally discussed during a long session at the governor's home.

Paying the wages

The minister sums up these demands as follows: the Ministry should directly deposit wages in banks, all restrictions on withdrawals of new money transferred to institutions by foreign donors should be lifted, and special terms ought to be granted to these organisations with regard to the ceiling on money withdrawals in pollars (dollars converted into pounds at an average rate set by the BDL).

In light of the situation, we shall continue to support protest movements until these demands are met.
Authorities are clamping down on support for the demonstrations. Crackdown on celebrities who joined the "Lay Down Your Arms" campaign, subject to threats and intimidation. A fatwa against the film 'Holy Spider', starring Zar Amir Ebrahimi. But citizens defy the bans and demonstrate to demand justice for the 37 victims of the collapse in Abadan.

Tehran (AsiaNews) - Tehran has stepped up repression against directors and actors, at the forefront of the campaign to protest against the difficult economic conditions of a population is taking to the streets loudly protesting against high prices and the stalemate in the nuclear talks (Jcpoa). Western sanctions, internal corruption and a failed economic policy promoted by the government drive more and more people to demonstrate, demanding rights, jobs and freedom. When asked by intellectuals, film and TV professionals to show 'demeanour' in confronting the demonstrators, the authorities reacted by further cracking down on public dissent and on social media.

According to Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, the signatories of the declaration 'Lay Down Your Arms' have been subjected to threats and intimidation by plainclothes agents and militias close to the ayatollahs. Among the demands was that the signatures be cancelled and the campaign withdrawn, which, according to the authorities, would cast a bad light on the Islamic Republic. 'They think the cinema,' said the artist, 'is their barracks, where they can use militarism to silence discontent'.

In the open letter published at the end of May, the promoters - directors and actors - call on the security forces and those involved in the harsh repressions to 'put down their weapons'. For weeks, the country has been the scene of demonstrations that have been increasing, despite attempts by the government to suppress dissent and discontent. In a note, the Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Norms threatened punishments towards those who "try to obstruct the Pasdaran and security guards by issuing useless statements and delusional remarks", with jail sentences ranging from six months to 10 years.

Also in the crosshairs of the Iranian authorities is the recognition recently awarded by the Cannes jury to the film by the Danish-Iranian director Ali Abbassi, starring the Iranian Zar Amir Ebrahimi who won the Best Actress award in 'Holy Spider'. The artist has been living in exile for some time after being the target of a campaign of threats and defamation following a (private) video of her being intimate with her then boyfriend, which then went viral online.

Unleashing the wrath of the ayatollahs was the theme of the film based on a true story recounting the crimes of a serial killer who struck in the world of prostitution in Mashhad. A holy city described, in the depiction of its concentric streets, as a spider's web into which its prey falls, with its citizens victims and prey. For the body affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, the film is a 'political crime' and tells the story in a 'false and disgusting' manner, with a 'distorted' portrait of Iranian society and 'open insults' to the beliefs of the Shiites. The religious leaders went even further with a harsh parallel, accusing the director and actress of "blasphemous acts" as happened in the past with Salman Rushdie's famous work 'Satanic Verses', which had earned a fatwa from the then Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, calling for the author to be killed.

In spite of fatwas, threats and violence, Iranians defy the bans and continue with the long wave of protest as happened recently at the funerals of the 37 victims of a building collapse in the oil-rich city of Abadan in Khuzestan (south-west). In response, the police present en masse to quell all forms of dissent intervened using force with batons, tear gas, shots fired in the air and arrests.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Police say a man who blamed his surgeon for ongoing pain after a recent back surgery bought an AR-style rifle hours before opening fire at a Tulsa medical office, killing the surgeon and three other people before fatally shooting himself
The incident happened on May 31, Boat International reports. The ship in question is Idol, a 2007 build from Austal and Oceanfast, which had been at a refit yard in Pisa, Italy. The refit completed, Idol was on its way to the sea by way of a canal when it hit the underside of a bridge under Autostrada Azzurra. And it was all because the captain wouldnt wait for low tide.As per the media outlet, at low tide, the bridge has a clearance of 11.8 meters (38.7 feet) above sea level, so it wouldnt have presented any trouble for Idol. The problem appeared when the captain decided to clear the bridge during high tide, which would explain why the video that popped up online was being shot by a member of the crew, sent to the shore to observe and offer feedback on the difficult maneuver.Things went predictably, as the video below shows. The superyacht didnt fit under the bridge, so it hit and grazed against the cement underside while the crew member casually remarked, it hit. The video cuts off before Idol emerges from under the structure, so theres no way of knowing the extent of the damage Boat International says that whatever damage Idol took is now being fixed: the ship was taken directly to another yard, this time in Livorno. At Seven Stars, where it had been brought in for the refit, Idol got a series of modifications to the stern and bow and the addition of a helipad.At a reported price of $35 million, the 192-foot (58.5-meter) Idol is often offered for charter at prices starting at $280,000 per week, not including expenses like fuel and supplies. It is a custom design with an elegant, minimalist interior by Sam Sorgiovanni, heavy on fine Italian leather, Carrara marble, and stainless steel accents.Accommodation on board is for 14 guests, with a full-beam mastersuite and additional sleeping for 13 crew. As a charter vessel, Idol is offered with a variety of water toys, including three tenders, diving gear, and everything else you could possibly want to enjoy yourself at anchor. It also has a jacuzzi on the sundeck, several dining and lounge areas, and other luxury amenities.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Under normal driving conditions, without warning, the vehicle may experience a loss of motive power without restart due to catastrophic engine failure related to a faulty valve, reads the document attached just below.The question is, are they right or are they bluffing? The answer is pretty obvious if you glance over the January 2022 newsletter of the Lima plant in Ohio, which confirms a valve supplier issue that has been resolved with more robust design and material changes. Ford also introduced new head assemblies into production: ML3Z-6049-K instead of ML3Z-6049-G for the left bank of cylinders and ML3Z-6049-J instead of ML3Z-6049-D for the right bank of cylinders. The whole powerplant has also received a new code, namely MB3E-6007-AB instead of the previous MB3E-6007-AA.At 2,000 miles, the engine dropped a valve, according to a complaint submitted to the. Another one notes that the vehicle was towed to the dealer and catastrophic engine failure was determined with a faulty valve being the contributing factor.Ford is fully aware of this problem, yet refuses to recall every single 2021 model year Bronco equipped with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine because it would be much costlier than what its doing right now. On the upside, any customer who experiences an engine failure caused by a dropped valve is covered by the Broncos five-year or 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.The document attached below lists a population of 25,538 potentially affected vehicles. As to when the investigation will come to a conclusion, your guess is as good as mine given the automakers well-known stalling tactics.
On long-haul flights, its not uncommon for the two pilots to take what is known as controlled rest periods, which are basically power naps. However, certain conditions have to be met, and, as The Drive points out, the most important is that only one can sleep at any given time: the other must stay awake to monitor the aircraft, even if its on autopilot.On this particular ITA Airways Flight from early May, the pilots of the Airbus A330-200 fell asleep at the same time. Only the first officer had been cleared for the nap, and the pilot reportedly dozed off when he should have been on duty. This could have been a none the wiser type of situation had not air traffic control in Marseilles tried to contact the airplane.As the aircraft entered into French airspace, Marseilles tried to contact the pilot but got no response. After several failed attempts, France warned Italy of a possible hijack attempt and alerted the military to dispatch fighter jets for a fly-by that would confirm whether that was really the case. However, before the fighter jets got to take-off, the pilot onboard the ITA Airways plane woke up and responded to ground control calls.The captain was fired, though ITA Airways insisted that passenger safety was not compromised because the flight was on autopilot, flying at normal speed and altitude and never detoured from its route. That much is true since the plane landed in Rome without incident  actually, it arrived 20 minutes earlier than scheduled.Still, this was a breach of protocol. The captain tried to save his job by alleging a malfunction with the communications system, but a subsequent investigation could find nothing to back that up.
More and more automakers are gradually switching to sustainable materials for the interior of their cars, with the concern for the ethical treatment of animals being often cited as a decisive factor. Take Volvo for instance, which announced back in the fall that in the future, it plans to offer only leather-free interiors for its electric cars. Instead, the Swedish manufacturer intends to use sustainable materials such as Nordico, which, among others, is made from PET bottles and corks recycled from the wine industry.Continentals newly unveiled surface material is also described as sustainable and its called Benova Eco Protect. It can be used for various interior parts/areas in the vehicle, such as the instrument panel, door panel, side or center console, seat cover, or headrest.The German manufacturer boasts of the new material impressing with its particularly soft feel and exceptional value appeal, combined with outstanding aging resistance and fastness to light, as explained by Continentals Christian Noell.Benova Eco Protect is durable and has great heat and UV resistance, being able to remain intact even when exposed to prolonged heat of 120 degrees C (248 F).And because sustainable vehicle interiors are all the rage now, Continental reassures customers that it hasnt used any critical ingredients such as solvents, plasticizers, or anything of animal origin when creating its Benova Eco Protect. The material has a low product carbon footprint, a thickness of 0.9 mm (0.03), and offers a weight advantage of approximately 20 percent.With such good qualities recommending it, the Benova Eco Protect has already won an award from the German Design Council, for which it had to compete with 639 candidates in its category.Continental is currently producing the material in Germany but plans to also start manufacturing it at its Winchester, Virginia plant in the U.S.
SUV

Today, under BMW Group ownership since 1998, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has had one of the widest ranges ever, complete with Phantom and Ghost sedans, Wraith and Dawn two-door coupes and convertibles, plus the first-ever Cullinan SUV . Sure, certain nameplates will bite the proverbial dust in favor of new arrivals like the companys first-ever fully-electric Spectre model.And it is also true that it broke more than one convention when it agreed to go after Bentleys Bentayga and join the ultra-luxury crossoverparty, but it probably drew the line when it comes to ultra-sporty ideas. Frankly, in this odd day and bonkers age, who could blame them? I would be less surprised to see an RR announcement about building a Cullinan-based pickup truck than finding out they decided to also rival posh hypercars like Bugattis Chiron.Alas, Czech Republic-based virtual artist Rostislav Prokop, better known as rostislav_prokop on social media, continues the dream ride periplus alongside HotCars and together they imagined the potentially raw yet elegant looks of a hypothetical Rolls-Royce supercar. And, by the looks of it, the pixel master has worked within the constraints of traditional supercar development but still managed to add a little bit of opulence into the digital mix.Naturally, the result, clad in carbon fiber and looking like a mashup of exotic design (someone mentioned W Motors, for example) with traditional Rolls-Royce styling, dwells in front of a huge CGI estate, a nod to Bugattis abundant use of such settings. Sure, the supercar was probably imagined with way less power than a 1,479-hp Chiron, though, especially if the ubiquitous twin-turbo 6.75-liter V12 remains on board.
All cinema theatres are supposed to comply with the requirements under Rule 17A as introduced within 30 days of the introduction of online sale of tickets and in default, their license shall stand suspended pending compliance with the norms. (Representational Image/ DC)

Vijayawada: The state government has authorised the Andhra Pradesh Film Television and Theatre Development Corporation (APFDC) to take up online booking of film tickets by issuing a gazette notification with an amendment to the AP Cinemas (Regulation) Rules, 1970 on Thursday.

Accordingly, the APFDC has been authorised to procure, design, develop, integrate and maintain computerised services of online ticketing solution for ticketing for cinema theatres and filmgoers in the state under an online system. It will procure, design, develop and undertake all allied activities to maintain a platform through the internet or through emerging technologies throughout the state to enable online ticketing solutions. It is entitled to engage service providers to operate the portal, gateway and the platform. It will take up sale of cinema tickets through its service provider, directly to the cine goers through its platform on collection of a service charge not exceeding two per cent of the rate of admission into the cinema theatres.

The ticket aggregators/cinemas who are already engaged in the business of providing tickets through their respective online platforms, will be allowed to continue such business only through the gateway created and operated by the APFDC at a service charge not exceeding two per cent on rate of admission. They will be permitted to utilise the gateway of APFDC through the application programming interface.

The APFDC is authorised to enter into agreements with all theatres in the state to be connected to the portal created and the theatres are to provide requisite infrastructure to integrate sale of tickets with the API.

All cinema theatres are supposed to comply with the requirements under Rule 17A as introduced, within 30 days of the introduction of online sale of tickets and in default, their license shall stand suspended pending compliance with the norms. The APFDC shall not enable the portal for sale of tickets earlier than seven days from the date of the first exhibition of the cinema in film theatres.

The APFDC and the ticket aggregators/cinema theatres engaged in the business of sale of online tickets, are supposed to display the price charged per ticket including amount collectible towards GST, service charges and others on the face of every ticket.

Home principal secretary Harish Kumar Gupta issued the notification.
EV

This is nothing more than layoffs in disguise....without severance. https://t.co/k0j2UJCPLn  RJR Capital (@RJRCapital) June 3, 2022

Besides not hiring anyone else, Musk also wants to cut Teslas workforce by 10%. According to Reuters, the company employed 100,000 people by the end of 2021. That seemed to mean that the Tesla CEO planned to fire 10,000 workers, which is quite weird given everything Tesla did recently and also what the company states about sales.To start with, Tesla opened two new factories very recently: one in Grunheide, Germany, and one in Austin, Texas. Putting them in full operation will demand hiring a lot more people, something that Tesla was having trouble with, especially in Germany. The company pays lower wages than its competitors. Tesla disputes that by stating it offers stock options that make its rates attractive. Many employees complain that they are fired before being entitled to receive these share bonuses.Another issue relates to the alleged demand Tesla has. The company often states that it will only be able to deliver some vehicles months from now. Some derivatives  the ones already in production, mind you  will only be delivered by 2023 if they are ordered right now. That wait would be shorter for vehicles ordered with FSD , a $12,000 beta driving aid that Tesla decides if you can use or not. If demand is as high as themaker says it is, it would need to hire more people, not fire those who already work for it.The way Reuters first learned the story, either Tesla did not have so much demand and needed to cut its production capacity, or it just wanted to restrict the offer and raise prices, which did not make sense with two new factories ready to expand the number of cars Tesla currently sells.At least one person agreed to talk to Reuters about the remote work email from Musk as a strategy to reduce Teslas workforce: Jason Stomel, founder of tech talent agency Cadre. According to him, this has the potential to be a disguised layoff with another benefit for Tesla: avoiding severances. In an update, Reuters reported another email in which Musk mentioned only salaried workers would be fired and that hourly headcount would increase.Despite that, it seems that the EV maker is more concerned about saving money than it says it is. We should never forget that Musk joked about Teslas bankruptcy risk on an April Fools Day when that was a genuine concern . Well only know about that if the Tesla CEO decides to admit that on Twitter or if the company runs into trouble. At least Musk tried to clar things: firing 10% of your employees when demand is peaking was not a good sign.
Although attending an air show in person is the only way to properly enjoy the demonstration of pilot skill and airplane power, theres one disadvantage with that: because things happen so fast, theres a good chance youll something truly spectacular.Luckily, the Air Force knows this, and this is why for a long time after this or that air show has ended, it keeps treating us with incredible stills from the events, in a bid to highlight this truly spectacular moments live audiences might have missed.Most recently, the USAF released this photo (main pic of this piece) from the Fort Lauderdale event. It shows four F-16 Fighting Falcons employed in the service of the Thunderbirds performing a maneuver that brought them so close together the planes seem to be on the verge of merging into a single beast.As the show calendar progresses, we expect the Air Force to treat us to even more stunning images such as this. Expect them here, in our Photo of the Day section, in case you do no have the means to travel to one of the upcoming events.Speaking of which, in the month of June the Thunderbirds are scheduled to make their stand at no less that four (and a half) air shows. This coming weekend, they're expected to perform at the Fort Wayne Air National Guard Base in Indiana, and the next one in Ocean City, Maryland.On June 18, theyll be at the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, and on June 25 at the Hill Air Force Base in Utah. Last on the list, or half of the fifth show this month, as part of it is moving into July, will take place at the attle Creek Executive Airport at Kellogg Field in Michigan.
In Monaco, Leclerc seemed well on his way to winning the race when his team made several mistakes as the track transitioned from wet to dry rubber. Not only did Leclerc lose his position to Red Bulls Sergio Perez, but he also dropped all the way down to P4  with no fault of his own.Im pretty sure that those situations will make us stronger, said Ferrari F1 team principal Mattia Binotto, as quoted by Motorsport Binotto believes the Scuderia will learn from these judgement errors and continue giving Red Bull a proper fight for their money.We are pretty aware, being competitive is a fact; winning is another task. And its another level of difficulty, he went on to say. And I think as a team, we are still progressing, learning and maybe it will take some more time. Certainly, it is a disappointment when youve got the fastest car and you are scoring the pole and youre not winning the race. Its somehow a disappointment.After the race in Monaco, Leclerc was understandably furious having squandered yet another chance to win his home Grand Prix.Sometimes mistakes can happen but there have been too many mistakes overall, said the Monegasque driver after crossing the line P4.Leclerc is currently second in the 2022 Drivers standings with 116 points, 9 points behind championship leader Max Verstappen. The formers position is far from secure though, with Red Bulls Sergio Perez breathing down his neck with 110 points of his own.
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The news comes after Ford announced big changes to its product strategy in Europe. The company let the world know back then that its passenger car lineup available on the old continent would become all-electric by 2030.As part of this big electric push for the next decade, the automaker announced it would build 7 EVs in the region, including a battery-electric variant of its best-selling passenger car in Europe, the Puma small crossover , which is expected to arrive in 2024. There were also mentions of a $2 billion investment into its other German assembly factory in Cologne, and about increasingproduction at the Cologne plant to 1.2 million MEB-based models over a six-year timeframe.So considering all these previous statements, it shouldnt come as a surprise that the Saarlouis plant gets overlooked in the companys plans for the future.At the moment, what Ford is doing is laying the grounds for an all-electric future, and in preparation for the move, the company is dividing its passenger-car business into the electric Model e division and the Ford Blue combustion engine division.The news about the future of the Saarlouis plant comes after Martin Sander was appointed as head of Fords European passenger cars business and of Fords German operations, including the Cologne and Saarlouis assembly factories.Sales numbers for the Focus model might have played a role in the decision to cut production also, as recent data has shown that Focus sales plummeted 28 percent in Europe until April this year.A definitive decision on what the future holds for the Saarlouis plant is expected to be made by the end of this month.
Higher up the spectrum, Cadillac offers the Premium Luxury with the same powertrain or the 2.7-liter turbo four-cylinder mill found in the Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The higher-displacement powerplant is connected to a ten-speed automatic. The Sport is rocking the lesser engine and transmission.The performance-oriented variant marketed under the CT4-V moniker starts at just over $47k for the larger powerplant and ten-speed transmission. As for the creme de la creme, youll have to fork over $60k for the CT4-V Blacking with the six-speed manual and $63k for the automatic gearbox.Based on the Alpha 2 vehicle architecture derived from the Alpha platform of the sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro, the CT4 is manufactured alongside its larger sibling and the aforementioned pony car in Michigan.Turning our attention to standard equipment, Luxury customers are offered the Cadillac Smart System suite of safety and driver assistance features, LED Reflective Windshield Collision Alert, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, LED headlights and taillights, LED for the interior, wireless phone charging, as well as wireless CarPlay and Android Auto. In terms of extras, the most important of the lot would be all-wheel drive at $2,000 over the recommended price of the rear-wheel-drive CT4 Luxury.Premium Luxury customers get nicer wheels, leather surfaces, additional front-seat adjustability, driver memory settings, auto-dimming mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, a universal home remote, and front park assist. The Sport gains cool exterior touches, including dark accents, together with performance tires, alloy pedals, magnesium-alloy paddle shifters, 18-way adjustable front seats with larger bolsters, and a thick-rim steering wheel.Over in the V-Series world, quad trapezoid exhaust outlets open the list of goodies. Performance-tuned suspension with magnetic ride control, a limited-slip rear differential, even better performance tires, and 14-speaker premium audio are only a few highlights. As ever, all-wheel drive is an option. The CT4-V Blackwing , on the other hand, is exclusively rear-wheel drive.
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Now, in an unrelated case, an advisor to the top court of the European Union told media representatives his opinion that owners of vehicles that were equipped with emissions defeat devices should have a right to compensation.It is worth noting that the opinion in question was a personal remark, not a point of view of the institution where the advisor is currently employed in. Regardless of the advisor's opinion, judges of the European Union's Court of Justice are not bound by advice from their advocates general.In other words, it will be up to a judge to decide if the owner of a vehicle that is found to have defeat devices installed from the factory is eligible for compensation from the manufacturer.The issue was first raised after a person bought a used Mercedes-Benz C 220that did not operate its exhaust gas recirculation system when the engine was cold The reduced or even temporarily shut off recirculation that happened in colder outside temperatures meant that the vehicle produced increased nitrogen oxide emissions, even though it was homologated for use on European public roads.The first ruling of the court in Regensburg, which requested clarification from the European Union's Court of Justice on the matter of potential compensation to the owner, was that the way that the systems were shut off or restricted constituted a defeat device Several vehicle manufacturers have been accused of deploying defeat devices in their diesel-engined vehicles after tests were done to see if they complied with the emissions norms they were homologated with, as well as if they did not exceed the specifications.As it was found at the time, many vehicles did comply with the norms, but did have devices that restricted or shut off their emissions control systems for engine protection purposes.According to Automotive News (sub. req.), Mercedes-Benz representatives underlined the fact that the opinion was not binding and said that they will wait and see how the court would rule on the matter.Usually, vehicle owners reach the position where they are eligible for compensation when they file a class-action lawsuit against the manufacturer. Mind you, the process takes time, and it might not always end in favor of the plaintiff.
Amadea was forbidden to leave Fiji, where it had arrived after crossing the Pacific believing it would be safe, as its ownership was investigated. After a long and arduous legal battle, the court approved the seizure, confirming that the spectacular vessel belonged to Suleiman Kerimov, a Russian billionaire in the gold industry.Millemarin Investments Ltd., its registered owner, lost the initial appeal last week, so it looked like the U.S. had the green light to finally seize Amadea. Another bump in the road made things difficult when the entire crew on board the luxury Lurssen yacht refused to sail together with the authorities, despite the courts ruling, claiming that they had to stay loyal to the initial owner.In a movie-like unfolding of events, after having to deal with this issue by trying to scramble a new crew, which wasnt welcomed by the yachts captain, it was all in vain. The lawyers of Millemarin Investments are still trying to overturn the seizure and went for a second appeal.Until the Supreme Court decides on it, the controversial superyacht is staying right where its been since the middle of April  in Fiji. According to Bloomberg , based on information from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Fiji, the final decision is expected on June 7. So far, nothing about this elusive superyacht has been final  it will be interesting to see whether the authorities will end up taking it away or not.Unlike many of the Russian-owned superyacht seizures in various European countries, the seizure of Amadea has given everyone headaches. This massive luxury pleasure craft seems immovable, even though it has become a burden for the local authorities as well due to the huge maintenance costs.
While the NamX hydrogen capsule weighs 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds), Toyotas cartridge has a target weight of 5 kg (11 lb). None of the companies disclosed how much hydrogen these small tanks can carry, but at least Toyota gave us an idea of the size of this 5-kg unit: it is 40 cm (16 inches) long and has a diameter of 18 cm (7 in). Toyota will show it to the public at Super Taikyu Series 2022 Round 2 at Fuji SpeedWay on June 4 and June 5.The main difference between the NamX and Toyotas approach to using these swappable hydrogen capsules is that NamX is focused on using them in its vehicles (at least it has not mentioned other uses). On top of that, the company presented how these receptacles will be connected to the NamX HUV . Toyota talks about bigger plans for its cartridges.The Japanese carmaker said that they will work with a broad range of daily life applications in and outside of the home. When it decided to be more specific, Toyota mentioned that the hydrogen tanks are suitable for mobility, household applications and presented an image that shows these cartridges in motorcycles, cars, drones, heating equipment, and generators  summing up, anything that can work with electricity. All it takes is a fuel cell that can feed on the cartridges hydrogen Toyota is developing the idea with Woven Planet and ENEOS on generating hydrogen free of carbon dioxide emissions. Woven Planet is a Toyota subsidiary building a city called Woven City in Susono, Shizuoka. Expected to open in 2024, Woven City will have a hydrogen station created by ENEOS before it is inaugurated. The new hydrogen cartridges will be another way to deliver the green hydrogen these companies want to produce.
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The event was marked by Member of the VWCV Brand Management Board for Production and Logistics, Josef Baumert, and Chairman of the VWCV Works Council, Stavros Christidis, who welcomed the first unit that rolled off the assembly line yesterday (June 2).Over the last two years, the production facility has been continually prepared for the manufacture of the new all-electric vehicles, while the T6.1 and since last year the New Multivan have simultaneously been made here in Hannover, said Baumert. We are now manufacturing three Bulli product lines with three different drive system concepts in our plant here. This means complexity makes huge demands of our workforce.Around 4,000 employees were trained at the facility to put together the ID. Buzz. Up to 15,000 copies of the ID. Buzz Pro and ID. Buzz Cargo are estimated to roll off the assembly line this year alone. Once production is up to full speed, the Hannover plant can produce around 130,000 vehicles annually.Volkswagen has been accepting pre-orders for the ID. Buzz in Germany since May 20. Pricing starts at 56,606.30 (equal to $60,572) for the ID. Buzz Pro, and 46,455.60 ($49,710) for the ID. Buzz Cargo, after the environmental rebate is take into account. Deliveries will kick off this fall.In the United Kingdom, the passenger version is offered in three trim levels named the Life, Style, and 1st Edition, priced from 57,115 ($71,600), 61,915 ($77,617), and 62,995 ($78,971) respectively. All versions use the same 77lithium-ion battery, powering a rear-mounted electric motor that generates 204 ps (201 hp / 150) and 310 Nm (229 lb-ft) of torque. The ID. Buzz has an estimated driving range of 415 km (258 miles) on a full charge.The ID. Buzz will also make its way to the United States, albeit not until the 2024 model year. Americans will have to settle for the extended wheelbase model only.
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New Delhi: The West has squeezed every source of oil that India had access to earlier, including from Iran and Venezuela, and if Europe is continuing to buy Russian gas despite the Ukraine conflict there is no reason why India cannot buy oil at competitive prices including from Russia, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar said on Friday.

He was speaking during an interview at the Globsec 2022 Forum at the Slovak Capital Bratislava where he is on an official visit. The EAM said, Europe has to grow out of the mindset that Europe's problems are the world's problems but the world's problems are not Europe's problems, adding that the European view seemed to be that if it is you, its yours (crisis) . If it is me, its ours.

The EAM said India would not accept any construct based on choosing between a Western camp and a Russia-China camp, adding that India was entitled to make its choices after examining the issues. He told the interviewer, This is the construct that you are trying to impose on me and I don't accept it.... My choices will not be cynical or transactional. There will be a balance of my values and my interests. There is no country in the world that disregards its interests. I am not sitting on the fence. I am sitting on my ground. The world cannot be that Eurocentric as it used to be in the past.

Asked about India buying nine times the amount of Russian oil since last year, the EAM said the Indian oil imports from Russia were from a very low base, meaning that India imported very less previously. He also referred to how fresh European sanctions on Russian energy had been levied in such a way that the population of Europe would not be exposed to shocks.

Jaishankar said, If you (Europe) can be considerate of yourself, surely you can be considerate of other people. So if Europe says we have to manage it in a way that impact on my economy is not traumatic, that freedom or choice should exist for other people as well.

He added, Today Europe is buying oil and gas (from Russia). I just read the new package of sanctions. It is designed in a way in which consideration has been given to the welfare of the population. So pipelines have a certain carve-out. And timelines have been given. It's not as if everything is going to be cut off tomorrow morning.

The EAM said India had to place certain restrictions on its wheat exports to stop global speculation in wheat stocks and possible hoarding by traders based out of Singapore and Dubai. What we saw happening to vaccines, we don't want it to happen to the wheat. The rich people got vaccinated and the poor were left (out)... ., he pointed out.

The EAM stated, The Ukraine conflict is creating a huge food, fuel and fertiliser crisis. ... Everybody in India is disturbed by the conflict ... they see the pictures... it has begun to impact people's lives, the petrol costs, the wheat cost ... it will impact farmers as they get along with sowing. ... when it disrupts the economy, it shows up in employment.

Asked whether Indian purchases of Russian oil were not funding Russian military operations in Ukraine as per the European argument, the EAM said, We don't send people out there saying go buy Russian oil. We send people out there saying go buy oil. Buy the best oil that you can in the market. I don't think I would attach a political messaging to that. Is (Europe) buying Russian gas not funding the war? Is it only Indian money oil coming to India that funds but not gas coming to Europe that funds (the Ukraine conflict)?

Let's be even-handed out here. Why don't they allow Iranian and Venezuelan oil into the market? They've squeezed every source of oil that we have. And then say you must not go to the market and get the best deal for your people. That's not a fair approach, he said. Dismissing certain allegations of profiteering, Mr. Jaishankar said, A country like India would be crazy to get oil and sell it to someone else (at higher prices). This is nonsense.

On China, the EAM said, We are going through a difficult patch in our relationship with China. We've had our differences in the past but we never had a situation where, after 1962, where agreements over not bringing forces to the border have been disregarded. A very large number of forces have been brought to the border. We've had a clash. People have died. And this has not happened now. It happened two years ago. ... It's also a useful reminder to Europe that there were other things happening in the rest of the world which sometimes Europe perhaps doesn't pay enough attention to.

In response to a question on Indias refusal to condemn Russia and why the West should back India against China, the EAM said many would in turn ask why would anyone in Asia trust Europe at all, adding, We have a difficult position with China. We're perfectly capable of managing it. If we get global support, obviously it is of help to me. But it's not a transaction ... I could point to a lot of issues where Europe has held its peace. ... Europe has to grow out of the mindset that Europe's problems are the world's problems but the world's problems are not Europe's problems. If it is you, it's yours. If it is me, it's ours.
The United States, Russia and France have for decades jointly tried to broker an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace accord. According to Russian officials, Washington and Paris stopped cooperating with Moscow in the Minsk Group format following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. U.S. and French officials have not denied that.

In a phone call on Wednesday, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian reportedly discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin the possibility of kick-starting the work of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Pashinian also raised the matter with Toivo Klaar, the European Unions special envoy for the South Caucasus, at a meeting held in Yerevan on Friday.

In the context of regional peace and the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Nikol Pashinian emphasized the importance of the activities of the OSCE Minsk Groups co-chairmanship, the Armenian governments press office said in a statement on the meeting.

At a separate meeting with Klaar, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan likewise reaffirmed the importance of restoring the work of the OSCE Minsk Groups co-chairmanship, according to the Armenian Foreign Ministry.

An EU official told RFE/RLs Armenian Service earlier in the day that the Minsk Group is not valid any longer. The official also claimed that it is the EU, rather than Russia, that now plays the central role in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process.

The head of the EUs top decision-making body, Charles Michel, has hosted three face-to-face meetings between Pashinian and Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev since December. Meeting with Klaar, Pashinian praised Michels efforts aimed at regional stability.

Unlike Baku, successive Armenian governments have regarded the Minsk Group as the principal international platform for a Karabakh settlement and praised the work of its three co-chairs. Pashinians domestic political opponents now accuse him of helping Baku kill that format by agreeing to the EUs direct involvement in the peace process.
The violence which opposition leaders blamed on security forces also left dozens of people injured. At least 42 protesters and police officers received medical aid in hospitals, according to the Armenian Ministry of Health.

The clashes broke out as thousands of protesters marched through the city center after the countrys main opposition forces failed to push through the Armenian parliament a resolution rejecting any peace accord that would restore Azerbaijans control over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The draft resolution also demanded that Pashinians government refrain from making any territorial concessions to Azerbaijan as a result of a planned demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. It said the demarcation process must also be linked to the release of all Armenian prisoners remaining in Azerbaijan and the withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Armenian border areas occupied last year.

Lawmakers representing the ruling Civil Contract party boycotted an emergency parliament session on the resolution and thus prevented the National Assembly from making a quorum. They again accused the opposition of exploiting the Karabakh conflict for political purposes.

Opposition leaders condemned the boycott, saying that it proves their claims that Pashinian is intent on helping Azerbaijan regain full control over Karabakh.

Therefore, if we dont want Artsakh (Karabakh) to end up under Azerbaijani rule we must oust these authorities, one of them, Armen Rustamian, told reporters in the parliament building guarded by an unusually large number of police and other security personnel.

Shortly after the boycott, Rustamian and other opposition figures led a crowd of supporters to the prime ministers office in Yerevan. The protesters blocked all entrances to the building for about two hours before marching towards Pashinians official residence.

They were confronted by hundreds of riot police deployed at a street intersection outside the residence. The violent clashes broke there out after the opposition leaders and their supporters were not allowed to march to the nearby parliament building.

Security forces used stun grenades as some angry protesters tried to break through the police cordon. Scores of protesters were arrested as a result.

The police did not immediately give the total of number of arrests. Opposition lawmakers told RFE/RLs Armenian Service that one of their colleagues, Artur Sargsian, was among the detainees.

Senior police officers at the scene defended the use of force. They said that some protesters threw stones at policemen.

Ishkhan Saghatelian, the main speaker at the more than month-long opposition rallies, blamed the security forces for the violence when he addressed later in the evening supporters who gathered in the citys France Square, the site of a tent camp set up by the opposition on May 1. He urged the demonstrators to spend the night in the square.

Today Nikol once again declared war on his own people, charged Saghatelian. We accept your challenge and we are ready to defend ourselves.

Saghatelian also said that the daily anti-government protests will continue unabated. We will fight till the end, he said.
Pete Tittl's Dining Out column appears in The Californian on Sundays. Email him at pftittl@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter: @pftittl.
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Wondrous Xinjiang: Rural bazaars take on new look

Xinhua) 11:53, June 03, 2022

URUMQI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Every Saturday is bazaar day in Tashmirik Township in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Nearby villagers swarm into the bazaar to purchase everything from daily necessities and farming tools to local delicacies and fruits.

At noon, trucks, cars, and electric motorcycles fill the parking area outside the bustling bazaar, instead of horse- and donkey-drawn carriages, which used to be key transportation means for locals.

Before entering the bazaar, villagers would scan their health code and receive free face masks to follow anti-epidemic requirements.

"Almost every villager, except the elderly and children, has a smartphone, which makes code scanning very easy," said Aynur Aikmu, managing director of the bazaar.

Delicious food is always the greatest appeal to the bazaar's visitors. Stewed mutton, roast fish, baked samosas... as soon as people walk into the market, the aroma of cuisine takes over their senses.

Abliz Wulayin has been running a restaurant at the bazaar for more than a decade. Payment codes are posted on restaurant doors, windows, and tables. "I earn over 10,000 yuan (around 1,490 U.S. dollars) during a bazaar day. Customers often choose cashless payment, which is really convenient," he said.

The perfect match for hot food is homemade yogurt with shaved ice. With a tricycle, Atonguri Khader has been selling the local cool drink at bazaars for six years.

"I go to four bazaars a week and sell over 300 cups of yogurt a day," she said while ladling yogurt into a cup for customers.

In the past, it was hard to have yogurt with shaved ice in summer as ice-making required great efforts, said Atonguri, recalling that ice was often taken from rivers in winter and preserved in cellars until summer.

"What was worse, ice made of unpurified river water often caused stomach problems," said Atonguri. "Thanks to the convenient transportation in rural areas nowadays, I can get ice blocks that meet hygiene standards from the city of Kashgar within one hour. Now I have more customers."

At the fruit stalls, apart from local seasonal fruits such as apricots, cherries, cantaloupes and watermelons, mangoes, lychees, pineapples and bananas that were shipped from south China can also be seen at the bazaar.

These fruits are no longer rarities in remote villages, thanks to the development of cold-chain logistics, said Aynur Aikmu. "Mangoes are very popular among villagers. We serve guests mangoes to show hospitality."

"The growing variety of goods, the new ways of payment... rural bazaars are taking on a new look," said Mirza Abdullah, a farmer at the bazaar. "But the food taste doesn't change and the price of commodities is still favorable."

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Bianji)
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Jagan Reddy met Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, the second day of his Delhi tour, and urged him to resolve various issues raised during the Southern Zonal Council Committee meeting.

These, Jagan said, were pending ever since the state bifurcation in 2014.

The 29th SZC meeting was held in November last year in which CM Jagan had raised various issues of AP with Amit Shah. He once again reminded Shah about them and sought the Centre's help in keeping up the promises that had been made to AP during bifurcation.

Jagan also referred to Shah about the assurances to AP in Parliament and sought release of the Polavaram funds.

Jagan said even after eight years of bifurcation, the majority of the commitments remained unfulfilled. This was causing immense economic hardships and deprivation to AP. Seeking full funding provision for the Polavaram project, he pleaded for the completion of the project by the Centre as per the provisions of the AP Reorganization Act, 2014.

CM Jagan urged the central government to settle a power due of Rs 6,112 crore to AP Power Generation Corporation Ltd from the Telangana distribution utilities.

He said the total resource gap for the first financial year after state bifurcation was of Rs 22,948.76 crore. The Centre has said its liability towards compensating AP was only of Rs 4,117.89 crore under standardized expenditure. He sought the central government's intervention in this matter to help AP.

The chief minister said the inadequate coverage of the states beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act has been a matter of concern to the state and pleaded for wider coverage of the AP population under the Targeted Public Distribution System.

Jagan requested the central government to fulfill the other assurances such as the completion of eight infrastructure projects.

On Thursday night, the CM met Union minister for Jal Shakthi Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and discussed various matters including the Polavaram project. The CM returned to the state on Friday.
Lincoln City Adds Beach Wheelchairs, Mobi-Mats to Central Oregon Coast

Published 05/25/22 at 6:45 PM PST

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Lincoln City, Oregon)  For those with movement disabilities, going to the Oregon coast can be a frustration. But in Lincoln City, those seven miles just became a little more miracle-like (as per its old slogan) and they are now more accessible. Lincoln Citys Parks and Recreation Department, Explore Lincoln City and Public Works have teamed together and brought in two beach wheelchairs for public use along with three portable Mobi-Mats that allow better access.

On Tuesday, May 31, the three agencies get together for a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m., to commemorate the new installations. It happens at SW 51 St. at the beach access at the bottom of the road, in what is the Taft neighborhood.

The mobility mats will be installed at three different locations from Memorial Day through Labor Day: SW 51st St. in the historic Taft District, the D River Wayside in the Delake District and the SW 33rd St. in the Nelscott District. They are ADA compliant, portable, non-slip and roll-up, which create temporary pathways that make beach access better. They are 100 percent recycled polyester and are salt-water resistant. The ocean blue mobility mats are 450 feet long and six-and-a-half feet wide.

The central Oregon coast town also acquired two beach wheelchairs, with a third one on the way. These will be available year-round for free.

Accessibility has long been a priority in Lincoln City, said Jeanne Sprague, Lincoln City Parks and Recreation director. The addition of the Mobi-Mats and beach friendly wheelchairs extends an invitation to our beaches to everyone.

These beach wheelchairs are specifically designed to make traveling across sand and other soft surfaces possible. They feature large, balloon-type tires that allow for added stability and ease of rolling. Beach wheelchairs allow people with limited mobility to travel over sand, shells and rocks to visit Lincoln Citys beautiful Taft Beach and Siletz Bay. Daily rentals are available at SW 51st St. in the historic Taft

District. Funding for one of the wheelchairs was granted from the Oregon Coast Visitors Association.

Lincoln City joins the ranks of other Oregon coast towns that lend these out, including Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita and Pacific City.

We strive to surprise and delight all of our guests, said Ed Dreistadt, director of Explore Lincoln City. Were proud to improve the accessibility of our seven miles of beach to more guests through continued investment in mobility options.

Kevin Mattias, ADA coordinator for Lincoln City, said the Mobi-mats were originally created to provide access to people using devices such as wheelchairs and walkers.

People of all abilities will benefit, making Lincoln Citys beaches more inclusive, he said.

To utilize these, see the Lincoln City parks website.

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Mysterious, Even Mystical at One N. Oregon Coast Spot Near Cannon Beach

Published 05/28/22 at 8:05 PM PST

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Cannon Beach, Oregon)  You probably already know this spot, but you don't know you did. You've likely stopped at those overlooks just south of Cannon Beach: Silver Point is one of the most visited spots on the Oregon coast with its arresting views of Haystack Rock, glimpses of Tillamook Rock Lighthouse in the distance and other funky crevices and blobs below the viewpoint. (Photo Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

Look down some 200 feet below the cliff, and that's where a whole other world resides. It's a place that looks vastly different than much of the Oregon coast.

If you take the time to walk from one of the secret entrances at the very southern end of town, its not even a half mile before you encounter a strange little beach covered with boulders that are in turn covered in green sea goo. Besides that, this almost mystical spot hosts a mesmerizing sea cave and is capable of showing what lies underneath Cannon Beach.

Silver Point is the name of the viewpoint above, where a grand, well manicured stone wall and interpretive signs allow you to take in the sights. From here, a large sea stack and some smaller ones protrude from the ocean, and next to it a peculiar wave action is common place, the result of a small reef that causes the waves to splash in a south to north direction, looking a bit like a creature wandering back and forth.

Down on the beach, however, these slime-covered boulders look like mythical, hairy, whimsical creatures all their own: like super slow-moving goblins in the sand  or an army of Cousin Its (from the Adams Family show)  plodding their way to the sea.

These can get awfully slippery, so try not to walk on them.



Courtesy Tiffany Boothe, Seaside Aquarium

The visual center here is a big sea cave in the middle of one of those stacks. You can't ever get inside, and only on the rarest of extreme low tides can you get near it. Tiffany Boothe of Seaside Aquarium has done just that and taken some absolutely striking photographs of the place. Inside are all sorts of colorful marine life that sits completely untouched by humans. It's thick with bright shades, like an explosion of hues; a sizable city of critters with an alien look. (Photo at bottom of page)



Jesse Jones / CoastWatch

Most spectacularly, when sand levels drop dramatically in winter along the Oregon coast, sometimes Silver Point's beach can blow your mind. You could see bedrock  the 18-million-year-old foundation of much of the north Oregon coast called the Astoria Formation. This is actually what runs underneath all of Cannon Beach.

Pictures here are from Jesse Jones of CoastWatch, showing that ancient foundation visible for a brief period one winter.

A stern word of warning about the area below Silver Point: it's an extremely narrow section of beach and therefore potentially quite dangerous. Don't go there except under the calmest of conditions. If there's sneaker waves at all nearby, stay out of the area. MORE BELOW

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Four Things That Aren't What You Think They Are on Oregon Coast

Published 05/26/22 at 4:35 AM PST

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Oregon Coast)  Geology, believe it or not, can be a wild ride. It may seem dry to many, but on this coastline it contains dramatic, even bizarre truths. (Above: top of Cape Foulweather, Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

Everything on the coast has a rather trippy origin story  and a lot of times it's not what people think. People are often given the wrong impression about some landmarks. Here's four examples:



Cape Foulweather Not a Volcano

The rumor has persisted over the decades, but Cape Foulweather near Depoe Bay is definitely not a former volcano.

What it is goes back to about 14  17 million years ago when a giant crack in the Earth near the Idaho border made a super volcano, which poured out mounds of lava numerous times over millions of years. This created the bedrock for the Columbia Gorge and then numerous landmarks on the north Oregon coast. Hence, it's called the Columbia Basalts.





Portland State University's Scott Burns told Oregon Coast Beach Connection part of the reason it was mistaken for a volcano was because it almost looks conical from some angles. If you look at it from the air, it actually isn't, he said.

Ghost Forests Not From Earthquake

Those craggy 2,000-year-old stumps at Neskowin, at the very edge of Tillamook County, are an extremely popular attraction on the Oregon coast. They keep getting loads of photographic attention  and why not?

They're also part of a consistent, misinformed explanation: that they happened because of a sudden earthquake that dropped the land ten feet or more. Just about every media publication out there has gotten it wrong.

Part of the problem is that writers are not checking actual sources, like real geologists, but are looking it up on Wikipedia. Talk to any geologist in Oregon and they defer to the research of Roger Hart and Dr. Curt Peterson from around 2005.

They  and most geologists in the state  say that it was a much more gradual change in landscape, perhaps over decades. The ghost forests were simply drowned by the land turning into swampland, and then covered by sands eventually.

This is true of just about all the ghost forest stumps you'll see on the Oregon coast beaches. However, if you find ghost forest stumps slightly inland, like in Netarts Bay or in Seaside's estuary, those are likely from the tsunami that came from such a massive earthquake. The problem is they don't look like ghost forest stumps on the beach. See Explanations of Neskowin Ghost Forest Wrong, Say Oregon Coast Geologists.



South Coast Not Basalt



Bandon, courtesy Manuela Durson - see Manuela Durson Fine Arts for more

For those who know anything this area's geology, it's usually common knowledge that the north Oregon coast is full of basalt  as mentioned above. The south coast, however, with all its even more crowded proliferation of sea stacks and rock structures is not. It is one very different and varied animal.

Much of it is different ages and different origins  sometimes crammed altogether within the same rock. This explains why it's usually lighter colored rock than those deep black basalts.

A good example is Face Rock in Bandon: it's 56 million to 201 million years old, all mixed together. Parts of it started out 201 million years ago, then other bits were mixed and melted in all the way up until about 56 million years ago. How Bandon's Face Rock Was Created A Wild S. Oregon Coast Geologic Tale

Many of the rock structures from Coos Bay down through Brookings are like that. In fact, according to Eugene geologist and author Marli Miller, the various sea stacks around Bandon are a prime example and perfect metaphor for the rest of the southern shores. One sea stack, like Wizards Hat, can be one origin, while another just tens of feet away can be of another beginning. You can see these different compositions in the layers at cliffs like those near Humbug Mountain or Otter Point.



Otter Point, courtesy Oregon State Parks

The whole area is a big mishmash of different origin stories. But the one thing they have in common is they were all eroded by time and tides to look like they do now.

Yaquina Head Not a Volcano





This famed Oregon coast hotspot at Newport was of a similar origin as Cape Foulweather, and it too was not an old, dead volcano. That theory popped up for awhile in the '50s or so but was later proven wrong, primarily by former OSU geologist Al Niem.

It too came from those vast lava fields of the Columbia Basalts, just like Cannon Beach's Haystack Rock, Tillamook Head and all the way down to Seal Rock.

This one is an interesting geologic phenomenon: it's called inverted topography, Niem told Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Essentially, this was once a vast canyon, likely underwater. The lava came and filled it up. Over time, that land rose and fell and rose again, and eventually the softer rock around the fill eroded away, leaving what Niem called this finger rock structure. Yaquina Head was then also worn down considerably over millions of years. Is Newport's Yaquina Head an Old Oregon Coast Volcano?

Interestingly enough, Cape Perpetua was once a volcano as was Cascade Head near Lincoln City.

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One of the great challenges that brands face today is to implement inclusion policies and eradicate sexist, elitist and racist practices, both in their internal operation and in the image they project. For this reason, Coca-Cola believed it was convenient for its workers to participate in an anti-racism course to learn to be less white.

The seminar entitled 'Facing Racism' , given by Robin DiAngelo , was presented through LinkedIn Education publicly, although not free of charge. The company admitted that, in effect, it invited its workers to take the course, but they clarify that it was not mandatory.

Despite its good intentions, Coca-Cola now faces a reputational and image crisis. While the firm viewed the seminar as part of a diversity strategy, the approach to the training was highly controversial.

So was the 'anti-racism' training

The agenda was laid out by Dr. Karlyn Borysenko , an organizational psychologist working to end the racially divisive ideology of "critical race theory," according to her Twitter profile.

The course description made it clear that its goal was to guide people to be less white , help them understand what it means to be white and challenge what it means to be racist .

However, on social networks they released some of the slides used in the seminar and the concepts presented left many speechless.

In one of the images you can read: To be less white is: to be less oppressive, to be less arrogant, to be less trusting, to be less defensive, to be less ignorant, to be more humble, to listen, to believe. , break with apathy and break with white solidarity  .

Another says that "in the United States and other Western nations, whites are socialized to feel that they are inherently superior because they are white ." And they finish with an invitation: "Try to be less white ."

BREAKING: Coca-Cola is forcing employees to complete online training telling them to "try to be less white."



These images are from an internal whistleblower: pic.twitter.com/gRi4N20esZ - Karlyn supports banning critical race theory in NH (@DrKarlynB) February 19, 2021

The reactions were swift

Although the Coca-Cola initiative was applauded by many on social networks, others were upset and have even called for a boycott of the brand.

Internet users point out that Robin DiAngelo's speech, instead of combating racism, attacks an entire group: people with fair skin. They argue that this approach attributes stereotyped characteristics and behaviors to 'whites' based on prejudices.

Based on the slides, Internet users interpret that the course teaches that being white is synonymous with being oppressive, arrogant, confident, defensive, ignorant, arrogant, apathetic and closed-minded. Even a Twitter user highlighted that in the content they substituted racist for white , attributing negative characteristics based on skin color.

See also: These 27 companies are the best employers in Mexico in 2021

For its part, Coca-Cola ensures that the material that circulates on social networks "is not a focus of the curriculum of our company," according to statements collected by Chris Pandolfo of Blaze Public Relations.

Our Better Together global learning curriculum is part of a plan to help build an inclusive workplace. It is made up of a series of short vignettes, each a few minutes long. The training includes access to LinkedIn Learning on a variety of topics, including diversity, equity, and inclusion. We will continue to refine this curriculum , the company added.

For now, the LinkedIn Education platform withdrew the course from its catalog, while the country music singer composed the song "We have to be less white" as a sarcasm, here is the video.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Eight years on, very interesting narratives and counter-narratives are being attempted to be set for Telangana, the youngest state of India. Unlike Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand formed in November 2000, Telangana retained the powerful economic engine and mega-city of Hyderabad, and had a surplus budget. On cue with the oft-used moniker of a start-up, it was more a high pedigree unicorn on the day of its birth.

The TRS narrative, since its inception, has consistently held that the exploitation and injustices meted out to Telangana region, its people and culture, had to be ended by the creation of a separate state. Besides the political and economic deprivation, the constant attack on the self-respect of the people, of a part that had seen great heights in the past before it was merged with Andhra to create Indias first linguistic state, was unconscionable.

The states first chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao led one of Independent Indias most fascinating political struggles to give the people of Telangana their most cherished dream, and almost immediately set the course for its development, promising to make it Bangaru (golden) Telangana.

The future of the state and of its people was locked with the most popular slogan of collective aspiration  neellu, nidhulu, niyamakalu (water, resources and jobs) for everyone. It continues to be the narrative of KCR that Telangana can achieve these aspirations only under his rule and that the onslaught against Telangana continues even now; this time, the culprit is not Andhra exploiters and rulers but the Central government led by Narendra Modi and the BJP.

The TRS promises to protect the plural tradition of happy cohabitation of the Hindu-Muslim brotherhood, with secular credentials as the only recipe for the betterment of Telangana.

In stark contrast, Amit Shah led the BJP in setting a historical context of when the Hyderabad state, under the Nizam, had designs of being either a separate nation or become a tributary under the suzerainty of Pakistan.

Mr Shah sets the start of Hyderabads journey with Operation Polo, when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel saved the region from disaster, ensuring it was a part of India. By not celebrating the Liberation Day, the BJP argues, the current dispensation is appeasing Razakar tendencies, who, they allege, possibly still view the merger with India as a negative.

Added to it, the BJP forwards its party with a difference argument, set against family-ruled corrupt parties, and pitches how the truest aspirations of the region are best trusted for fructification in the able hands of the saffron party.

The Congress, which calls the creation of Telangana a gift from Sonia Gandhi, has pitched its own brand of past good governance, with great focus on free education and healthcare for all, as the mantra for seeking the mandate in the next polls.

It would be interesting to see the arguments unfold over the next 18 months, as each side portrays itself as the sole trustworthy party the people must repose faith upon along these fault lines. But the battle promises to be interesting, because it is not just for the heart or mind, but the very soul of the newest state of India, one that came to exist because of its peoples indomitable will and action.
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LAKE CHARLES, Louisiana (AP)  The front lawn of Lydia Larces home is strewn with debris: Remnants of cabinets and chunks of pink shower marble lie between dumpsters. She lives in a FEMA trailer out back, her home in shambles more than a year after Hurricane Laura tore through Lake Charles.

Larce, like many in Southwest Louisiana, has what she calls storm PTSD. Tornado warnings trigger anxiety. She fidgets and struggles to sleep.

"The fear and the unknown  it has me on an edge, Larce said. Im scared.

A string of devastating hurricanes has torn through this region in recent years. Nationally, too, there have been more Category 4 and 5 hurricane landfalls in the past five years than in the previous 50 years combined. Larce and her neighbors know they are on the front lines of climate change.

Her region is now the epicenter of a trend that she fears will make those disasters even more destructive.

Developers plan to build a series of liquefied natural gas export facilities across Southwest Louisiana, already the heart of the industry. Even in a state with a heavy industrial base, these facilities are among the largest emitters of greenhouse gases in Louisiana.

Theyre an absolute powerhouse for greenhouse gas emissions, said Naomi Yoder, a staff scientist at Healthy Gulf, a nonprofit that advocates for clean energy. Thats because these export facilities tend to burn off, or flare, natural gas.

Greenhouse gases are raising global temperatures and fueling extreme weather, from wildfires to violent storms like the ones that have pummeled Larces hometown.

We all are living in chaos," Larce said.

For a while, it looked as though an era of steadily expanding fossil fuel facilities might be ending. Last year, after taking office, President Joseph Biden announced his intention to fight climate change by eliminating fossil fuels from electricity generation by 2035 and by sharply reducing emissions from the rest of the economy.

Yet since Biden became president, the U.S. has become the worlds largest exporter of liquefied natural gas as demand for the fuel, known as LNG, has escalated.

Russias invasion of Ukraine suddenly intensified the push. It heightened demand for natural gas, especially for countries in Europe that relied on Russian energy but now need to cut those ties.

Seizing the opportunity, the natural gas industry promoted U.S.-produced LNG as a way to fill the gaps, and prices for the fuel have skyrocketed. American terminals are now exporting gas at full capacity, which is why the expansion of the terminals has accelerated.

It is along the Gulf Coast, in a line from Louisiana to Texas, where the new and proposed export terminals are clustered. Talk to some locals and government officials and you'll hear unqualified support for the facilities in this battered region.

Its a significant boon to our economy, because it provides good, high-paying jobs, said Eric Tarver, a member of the Calcasieu Parish School Board and chief financial officer of Lake Charles Toyota. More than that, its a tremendous amount of tax revenue that just dwarfs what weve had from any other industry.

But some long-time residents  often the ones who've lost the most to the storms  dispute those claims, saying that few of those coveted jobs end up going to people who grew up in the region.

REGION IN DISTRESS

Scattered across the neighborhoods of Lake Charles, blue tarps cover dozens of dilapidated roofs. Bungalows, pockmarked by gaping holes, are marred by broken siding and boarded-up windows  evidence of the damage inflicted by Hurricanes Laura and Delta more than a year ago. Yet with few other options, some residents are living here under the tarps.

I feel Southwest Louisiana has been made a sacrificial lamb, said Roishetta Ozane, a single mother of six and an organizer for Healthy Gulf.

An outspoken critic of the expansion of LNG facilities, Ozane warns her neighbors that the emissions worsen global warming and violent storms and impair their community's air quality. She has raised money, organized food drives and helped neighbors navigate government agencies to obtain relief after disasters hit.

Now is the time to get peoples attention, to open their eyes that climate change is real, Ozane said. Theyre going to continue to bring these facilities here. Weve already had these major hurricanes here. Where are we going to live?

As she drives around a predominantly Black area of Lake Charles, past shuttered businesses and crumbling homes, Ozane's phone buzzes with requests for help.

Are you living in a FEMA trailer? she asks one caller. Text me what you need.

There are other helpers here. Cindy Robertson is one of them. In her front yard bursting with daisies and ferns, she refills a pantry box that she stocks each morning to help feed homeless neighbors. By mid-afternoon, its nearly empty.

Her neighborhood has endured seven federally declared disasters in two years, and she's grown increasingly concerned, even though her family worked in coal mining. Robertson, 62, runs a nonprofit to help vulnerable people recover.

From her house, with its seascape paintings and tapestries, she provides water, sleeping bags and tents. With a succession of LNG terminals opening around her, she worries that her region hasn't yet seen the worst.

The more we have more pollution from greenhouse gases," she fears, the worse our storms are going to get.

A few miles away, Cameron LNG began exporting LNG in 2019. Further south, Venture Global Calcasieu Pass is shipping its first loads.

Still another LNG company, Driftwood, recently broke ground to build an export facility. Thats on top of more than a dozen oil, gas and chemical processing plants surrounding her community.

Robertson would much prefer increased investment in renewable energy, in line with Biden's stated priorities when he took office.

Instead of focusing on LNG, expanding what they already have... we need to take all that brainpower and all that money and put it into expanding our renewable resources, Robertson said.

EXPORTS SURGING

The use of wind, solar and other renewable energy has grown as prices of solar components and wind turbines have plunged. But so has the worlds thirst for natural gas. In February, the U.S. exported 317 billion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas  six times times the amount five years earlier.

Investment in LNG terminals catapulted from nothing in 2011, before the U.S. export industry existed, to $63 billion over the next decade, according to Rystad Energy. The firm projects that investment could swell an additional $100 billion over the next two decades.

That's despite warnings from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that emissions from existing fossil fuel infrastructure alone would cause global warming to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit)  a level that scientists say would bring dangerous consequences.

Of the eight terminals now exporting LNG, five lie on the coast of Louisiana and Texas. At least 16 more plus four expansions are proposed or under construction, nearly all along that same stretch of Gulf coastline.

The projects are backed by Exxon Mobil, Qatar Energy, Total Energies and numerous other global energy giants. Financing for several proposed plants comes from BlackRock, Vanguard and Mitsubishi, according to Global Energy Monitor.

At Cameron LNG in Hackberry, Louisiana, storage tanks loom over the wetlands next to rows of intersecting pipes. There, gas is treated to remove impurities. Then it's cooled to a liquid at minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit to flow onto ships. In a narrow channel, a huge French vessel called LNG Endeavor, escorted by tug boats, heads for the facility, dwarfing the homes it passes.

Were delivering a cleaner, more environmentally friendly fuel, said Charlie Riedl, executive director of the Center for LNG, the industry's lobbying group. The U.S. can use that to help defuse some of the geopolitical issues around the world by delivering a reliable fuel source.

Initially, Biden's administration held off on approving requests that would expand the LNG industry. But after the war in Ukraine began, the Energy Department allowed some facilities to upgrade, increasing how much they could produce.

The U.S. is exporting every molecule of liquefied natural gas that we can to alleviate supply issues in Europe, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in March, urging the oil and gas industry to ramp up production.

Asked whether boosting fossil fuel exports contradicts Biden's climate goals, Granholm told The Associated Press we have got to do both." She said she believes the United States can help its allies, reduce the cost of fuel and transition to more sustainable options.

Since the war increased the need for alternatives to Russian gas, some European LNG import projects that had stalled are being revived, said Emily McClain, a vice president at Rystad.

Its really showing were not quite ready to table gas and move to cleaner or greener energies, McClain said.

Riedl said he would like the administration to do even more, by approving any of the proposed LNG export terminals.

Louisiana offers a property tax break of up to 10 years to companies that build LNG terminals. Even with those tax breaks, the increased property tax income provides a windfall for the area, said Tarver, the school board member.

With Driftwood LNG beginning construction of a facility, the expected jobs are a shot in the arm after a devastating series of disasters, Tarver said. That the world is looking to the Gulf Coast as an energy supplier is, he said, a source of pride.

Thats a very powerful thing to us locally, just because were big Pro-America, proud American people here," Tarver said.

Others, like Ozane, argue that the tax breaks give away too much.

We have a big homelessness problem," Ozane said. "Our schools look horrible. If LNG is doing so much for the state, why is it like that?

CLEANER THAN COAL?

Down the road from Cameron LNG, a new export terminal has opened about a mile from John Allaires beachfront home. His property, where he's lived in an RV for 17 years since Hurricane Rita washed away his bunk house, is a refuge for spawning shrimp and diving sea birds. When his children were young, Allaire brought them fishing and hunting there.

At sunrise, the dark sky begins to crack into shades of orange and gray. A bright orb on the horizon looks like the rising sun. Its not. Its a flare from Venture Globals Calcasieu Pass LNG, the latest export terminal to open. The flare, a mixture of flames and smoke that pours out when the facility burns natural gas, had been burning non-stop for a week, Allaire said.

Thats pure profit and pollution going up the stack, he said.

Allaire, 66, a retired environmental engineer for an oil company, doesn't oppose oil and gas use. His property sits on a former oilfield.

But he fears the destruction of the wetlands he loves: The soft waving cordgrass where black rails hide, the pelicans diving down over the lapping water to catch fish.

Commonwealth LNG has proposed another export terminal, sandwiched between Allaire's yard and the LNG terminal that just opened. It would cover about half the ponds that are packed with blue crabs and mud minnows.

Im glad theres still places like this left  I really dont want to see it paved over, Allaire said.

The wetlands he loves play a beneficial role for climate, too. They absorb carbon dioxide. And they provide a buffer from storm surges.

Together, the four LNG export terminals on the Gulf Coast emitted nearly 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2020  comparable to all of Costa Rica, according to the Global Carbon Project.

The LNG plants are tied to climate change in another way, too. Along the whole pathway to export, from the wells where companies drill to the ships getting loaded with LNG, methane  the powerful greenhouse gas that's the primary ingredient of natural gas  can escape.

And it does, from leaky wells, pipelines, compressors and storage tanks. In the Permian Basin, one of the world's richest oil and gas fields, well heads and pipelines are leaking far more methane than previously thought, according to a study that concluded that 9% of the gas produced in New Mexico's side of the basin is leaking.

That's a shocking leakage estimate, Rob Jackson, a professor of earth system science at Stanford University and chairman of the Global Carbon Project, an international research group, said about natural gas.

At that rate, he said, the leaking methane alone is warming the climate more than the carbon dioxide that would be released if all the produced natural gas were burned.

Natural gas proponents say it's better for the climate than burning coal, because it releases fewer emissions when burned. But gas isnt substituting for coal in most places, Jackson noted. Instead, as energy demand grows globally, natural gas is being used in addition to coal and other sources.

According to projections by the Energy Information Administration, natural gas use will drive an overall increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. from 2037 to 2050 as the nations population and its reliance on gas grow.

To show it's trying to limit its environmental impact, Cameron LNG reduced its emissions by 10% from 2020 to 2021. It's also built 500 acres of tidal marsh, using material it digs up when dredging the canal.

But residents who are enduring the trauma of relentless storms know any facility that adds emissions to the atmosphere magnifies the likelihood of destruction in vulnerable communities.

In building more LNG export terminals," Jackson said, were locking in emissions for decades to come.

______

Associated Press journalists Janet McConnaughey in New Orleans and Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report.

Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
The Beaumont Enterprise has brought on a new reporter, who will be covering a newly-created subject area for the newspaper.

Courtney Pedersen, who joined the Enterprise on Wednesday, will cover the environment and relevant regulations enacted by the state and federal government designed to keep Southeast Texas residents safe.

Pedersen hails from Kalamazoo County, Michigan. She graduated Central Michigan University this year with a degree in journalism, a minor in legal studies and a certificate in creative writing.

While covering environmental regulations, Pedersen will be furthering two of her own interests.

Im really into law. So, Ive always been interested in that. But I'm also very passionate about the environment, obviously, because we live here and we need it to survive, she said. I thought this would be a really cool opportunity to make my mark to start something new and learn more.

Pedersen has wanted to be a reporter since she was about 6 years old.

I found out journalism was a career from watching superhero movies with my older brother, and I was convinced that the only way that I could marry a superhero was to be a journalist, she recalled. I started writing fake little newspapers for my Barbie dolls, and I would make my parents read it, and basically ever since then, I wanted to do journalism.

She honed her skills through internships at Public Media Network, the Michigan News Group, and WCMU public radio. She also worked for her student newspaper as summer editor-in-chief, associate editor, managing editor, and most recently, investigative editor.

Pedersen leaves behind the Great Lakes for the bayous and beaches of Southeast Texas but acknowledges that Michigan will always be her home. It is where all of her family lives, after all. But right now, shes ready for a new adventure.

I just felt like I could do a lot more growing on my own if I wasn't in Michigan, seeing the same people all the time, she said. And I wanted to explore different places, because I can always go back to Michigan. But I feel like if I were to stay there, I would never leave.

When she's not working, Pedersen enjoys making jewelry and has an affinity for sloths and Adam Sandler. She likes them separately but would be happy to see them combined.

She enjoys Sandlers comedy and approach to life.

As a person, I think he's super interesting, she said. He just does what's fun. He just does the acting for fun and uses it as an excuse to just go on vacations with his friends ..."
Alex Jones' Infowars and two of his other companies agreed to end their bankruptcy protection case in Texas, according to court documents filed Wednesday and Thursday, weeks after reaching a deal with Sandy Hook shooting victims' families suing the conspiracy theorist for calling the massacre a hoax.

The families and the local U.S. trustees office  a Justice Department agency that oversees bankruptcy cases  had questioned the legitimacy of the bankruptcy filing and sought to throw out the case.

Lawyers for the families called the filing a delaying tactic that put their defamation lawsuits against Jones on hold  a claim his lawyers denied.

Infowars, Prison Planet TV and IW Health consented to dismissing the bankruptcy case after the Sandy Hook families agreed to drop the companies from their defamation lawsuits in Texas and Connecticut. Those lawsuits will continue against Jones himself and his largest money-making company, Free Speech Systems.

Trials are pending to determine how much Jones should pay the families, after judges in both states found him liable for damages to the families.

Jones, Infowars and others were sued by the families of eight of the victims and an FBI agent who responded to the school. The families said they have been subjected to harassment and death threats from Jones followers because of the hoax conspiracy. Jones has since said he believes the shooting did occur.

The families' lawyers also have accused Jones of trying to hide millions of dollars in assets  also denied by Jones and called ridiculous by one of his lawyers. Infowars and the other two companies filed for bankruptcy protection only days before the first trial on damages was expected to begin in Texas. Jones is based in Austin, Texas.

In a court document filed Thursday, an attorney for Infowars said the three companies still have $140,000 in debts remaining that qualify for bankruptcy protection and are not related to the Sandy Hook lawsuits. The deal to end the bankruptcy case awaits a judge's approval.

The facts are that these chapter 11 cases were filed in good faith and would still serve a valid bankruptcy purpose, Infowars lawyer Kyung Lee wrote in the document. Nonetheless, the Debtors ... recognize that the dismissal is in the best interests of the Debtors and their estates because the U.S. Trustee continued opposition to the cases."

When Infowars filed for bankruptcy protection in April, it listed assets of $50,000 or less and liabilities of $1 million to $10 million, with creditors including relatives of some of the 20 children and six educators killed in the 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the Sandy Hook families in Connecticut, said in a statement that the deal to end the bankruptcy "proves what weve said from the beginning: this bankruptcy was a sham attempt by Alex Jones to pit families against one another and avoid his reckoning with a jury. It didnt work. We look forward to trial.
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TOKYO (AP)  Toshiba executives said Friday that privatization remains an option for the Japanese technology company, as they defended their efforts to choose the right bidder to restore what they called a strong Toshiba.

Tokyo-based Toshiba has been trying to win over shareholders to a restructuring plan. The company has not given the nationalities or other details of the potential investor partners, including eight that have recommended that Toshiba Corp. go private.

Toshiba's chairperson, Jerry Black, stressed in an online news conference that how bidders proposals are evaluated will be transparent to all stakeholders.

The goal is for Toshiba to go through what he called a radical transformation quickly, showing a clear direction and leadership, Black told reporters.

In March, investors rejected a company-backed reform proposal to split Toshiba into two businesses.

Some shareholders, including foreign investment funds and U.S.-based proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholders Services, opposed the plan. An earlier plan that also was scrapped had called for a three-way split.

Black, who has experience in international consulting and turning around troubled Japanese companies, and Taro Shimada, a former executive at Siemens, have been trying to come up with another plan.

Its important that we focus our assets to move forward. Many people are saying Toshiba has weakened, said Shimada, who took over as chief executive three months ago.

The options will be narrowed down after a June 28 general shareholders meeting, according to Toshiba. The company is seeking shareholders approval at that meeting for nominations of some outside directors to the board. The selected investment partners will be asked to submit legally binding proposals in July.

Japan Investment Corp., owned partly by the Japanese government, and U.S. investment fund Bain Capital are reportedly among those trying to acquire Toshiba.

Black said Toshiba was working closely with the Japanese government in evaluating its options.

It remains unclear if a suitor needs a Japanese partner to be able to close the deal.

Japan and the world will need a strong Toshiba, Black told reporters.

Toshiba has been struggling since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March 2011. A tsunami sent three reactors into meltdowns, spewing radiation over an area thats still partly a no-go zone. The company is involved in the decommissioning effort, which will take decades.

Its reputation also was tarnished by an accounting scandal, which involved books being doctored for years.

Toshiba has recently promised to boost its value by focusing on digital businesses, data services and infrastructure, such as light-detection technology, flexible materials, batteries and next-generation nuclear reactors.

Former chief executive Satoshi Tsunakawa, who had tried to lead Toshiba through reforms in recent years, is stepping down from the board.

Toshiba, founded about 150 years ago, had prided itself on its technological prowess for decades. It still has a sprawling business that includes computers, electronic devices and home appliances.

___

Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Invoking the mass shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers last week at a Texas elementary school, a panel of Louisiana legislators has converted a bill that would allow people to carry concealed guns without a permit into one allowing trained teachers to carry guns on public school campuses.

Until the shooting in Uvalde, Rep. Danny McCormick's House-passed bill doing away with the need for concealed-carry permits appeared to be on track for passage in the Senate  and a likely veto from Gov. John Bel Edwards, who rejected similar legislation last year.

But Uvalde appears to have changed the bill's trajectory. The Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee considered the bill Wednesday night in Baton Rouge  as one member noted that news was breaking of a mass shooting in Oklahoma. Two senators cited surveys of residents indicating opposition to allowing concealed weapons without mandatory training and permits.

Then, state Sen. Eddie Lambert, a Republican from Gonzales, offered the amendment allowing an elementary or secondary school to allow designated volunteers from among its teachers and administrators, to undergo police-style training to carry concealed weapons on campus and serve as school protection officers.

Lambert's amendment removed McCormick's original no-permit language.

Why can't we do both?" asked Sen. Jay Morris, a West Monroe Republican, who authored the bill vetoed last year by Edwards.

You're right, but we're going to talk about realities in politics right now, said Lambert, who didn't want the two controversial issues tied together. Rep. McCormick can always bring the bill next year.

As of Thursday, it was uncertain that either concept  no-permit concealed carry or arming teachers  would survive in the final days of Louisiana's 2022 legislative session. Lawmakers faced an adjournment deadline of 6 p.m. Monday.

McCormick said in an interview Thursday that he believes at least some of those who supported Lambert's amendment simply wanted to kill his bill, which was approved 64-27 in the House in April. Still, he said he supported Lambert's idea and had not decided whether he would try to get his original language restored in the session's final days.

Leaders of the state's major teacher organizations expressed opposition to the revamped bill.

Teachers are expected to provide their own gun, obtain their own concealed carry firearm permit, complete a minimum of 400 hours of training on their own personal time and carry all the responsibility and liability if anything goes wrong, said Cynthia Posey, legislative director for the Louisiana Federation of Teachers.

Tia Mills, president of the Louisiana Association of Educators said providing security isn't the proper role for teachers. That's not what educators went into the profession to do, Mills said.

McCormick's original bill drew notably strong opposition in a state where guns are popular and voters approved a 2012 state constitutional amendment affirming gun rights. Opponents included various law enforcement officials and Edwards. The Democratic governor is a military veteran who has touted his love of hunting and fishing and support for gun ownership. But he has said allowing the carrying of concealed weapons without training and permits would be bad policy.

Efforts in the overwhelmingly Republican Legislature to override last year's veto failed.
A new study of a leading cause of heart attacks in pregnant and postpartum women offers insights on when the problem strikes, how it has been treated and how survivors might weigh the risks of becoming pregnant again.

The condition  pregnancy-associated spontaneous coronary artery dissection, or P-SCAD  was until recently considered too rare to study. Using European SCAD registry data from 1984 to 2021, the new research included 82 women with P-SCAD and 28 women who became pregnant after SCAD. Researchers also evaluated 13 fatal P-SCAD cases from a U.K. review of maternal deaths.

Those are small numbers, said the study's senior author, Dr. David Adlam, but important in the world of P-SCAD.

SCAD doesn't cause the typical heart attack, where a clot blocks blood from reaching the heart muscle, said Adlam, a cardiologist and associate professor at the University of Leicester in Great Britain. Rather, there's a separation between the layers of the artery wall, caused by what Adlam describes as a bleed or a bruise. As that bruise expands, it squeezes off flow through the artery.

SCAD primarily affects women 50 and younger, according to a 2018 American Heart Association scientific statement, and can strike people with few obvious risk factors. It's unclear exactly how common SCAD is, but it may cause 1% to 4% of cases of acute coronary syndrome, an umbrella term for heart attacks and other conditions where blood flow to the heart is blocked.

P-SCAD cases make up a fraction of that. But although heart attacks during or soon after pregnancy are rare, P-SCAD is a common cause and tends to be more severe than SCAD outside pregnancy.

Adlam said the new findings, which appear Friday in the AHA journal Circulation, shed light on several areas.

One is P-SCAD's timing. Although it's often thought of as a threat during pregnancy, the most dangerous period in the study was in the month after delivery. In the study, only five of the 82 P-SCAD cases occurred during pregnancy. Among the 13 fatal cases, 10 happened after pregnancy.

The study did not look at P-SCAD's causes, but the data suggests the physical strains of labor and delivery are not to blame, Adlam said. "It's very likely to be related to those changes in how the vascular wall is made up as a consequence of those very precipitous changes in female sex hormones that occur after delivery."

The researchers also examined pregnancy-associated risks for survivors. Among the 28 women who became pregnant after SCAD, there were a total of 37 pregnancies. In three of those pregnancies, a heart attack occurred that was caused by or likely caused by another SCAD. But none of the women or babies died.

The findings suggest non-aggressive treatment may be best where possible.

For most heart attacks, standard practice is to insert a catheter, reopen the blocked artery and "pop a stent in," Adlam said. But women with SCAD, and particularly P-SCAD, have fragile arteries. The catheter might cause another dissection or worsen the dissection.

More than half of women in the study were successfully treated conservatively, without procedures to open arteries.

Dr. Sharonne Hayes, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who was not involved in the study, said the findings confirm earlier work that led to conservative treatment becoming the norm.

Hayes, who led the writing group for the AHA's SCAD statement, said the new study also affirmed "a fairly similar and not insubstantial risk" for women who became pregnant after SCAD. "But it also affirmed that the vast majority of the individuals did well."

Hayes said SCAD survivors for many years were told not to get pregnant. But the new findings match what has been seen in other studies of SCAD survivors who become pregnant, including one in JAMA Network Open in 2020. Hayes was the senior author of that study, involving 23 women who became pregnant after SCAD; two had a repeat SCAD.

It's all good information for women and their doctors, Hayes said, as they decide what's right for them.

In the long term, ongoing genetics research promises a better understanding of what causes SCAD and who is at risk, experts said.

Meanwhile, Adlam said, health care workers of all disciplines need to be more aware of P-SCAD, which he suspects is underdiagnosed for a host of reasons. Pregnant and postpartum women endure so many changes to their bodies that chest pain might be overlooked.

He suspects the number of cases his and other studies have found might be just the tip of the iceberg. "It's not a big iceberg," Adlam said, but "I'm sure that it's bigger than what we're seeing."

In the meantime, he said, "it's really nice that we're now able to take pregnancy-associated SCAD out of the realm of occasional case reports or small series of a couple of patients." Having dozens of cases may not be a lot, but "we're starting to get towards numbers of cases where we can draw some inferences and start to give some clearer advice."

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Three Jasper police officers have lost their appeal, and as a result have been denied qualified immunity, following the allegedly drawn-out overdose death of an inmate in the Jasper city jail.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Wednesday filed an 11-page opinion regarding its decision on the case that places a lens on the 2019 death of 28-year-old Steven Mitchell Qualls, of Tyler County, at the Jasper city jail.

In that decision, it affirmed a district court ruling to deny qualified immunity to jail officers that "turned a blind eye to Qualls's severe-and worsening-medical distress despite his repeated pleas for help and knowing he had ingested a bag full of narcotics," according to the opinion.

Qualified immunity protects government officials from lawsuits alleging an official violated an individual's rights if that right isn't clearly established. The provision has been thrust into the spotlight in recent years as many activists and advocates nationwide call for it to be abolished in the wake of the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others.

Constitutional rights lawyer Dean Malone, who represents Qualls's family, in a news release said that they look forward to a jury's decision regarding Qualls's "ordeal."

"Hopefully, defendants will not attempt to further delay the case by seeking reconsideration of the three-judge ruling or trying to get the Supreme Court to rule against the court of appeals," he said.

Qualls had a history of substance abuse and on Jan. 28 had been taken to a hospital by EMS for medical treatment for chest pains, agitation and tachycardia. He was discharged about five hours later, but refused to sign his discharge papers or leave the hospital.

The Jasper Police Department escorted Qualls out and was called only minutes later to arrest him for public intoxication, court documents said. He may have ingested a "bag full of drugs" in between the hospital release and his arrest, exhibited bizarre behavior and was booked in his street clothes as his medical condition worsened-- including with him vomiting a black liquid and a small-tied off piece of bag noticed by the officers.

A dispatcher asked if she needed to call EMS, but a Jasper police sergeant allegedly instructed her not to, court documents said. When the dispatcher asked what to do if Qualls's vomited again, the court documents said the second officer allegedly told the dispatcher to let him and laughed that he didnt want to 'hold (Qualls) hair.'"

Judge Don R. Willett writes in the opinion that Qualls "spent the last 34 hours of his life on a jail house floor enduring a slow, agonizing death as his body shut down." Willett said Qualls was unable to stand and repeatedly cried for help.

"Help never came, Willet said. By the time officers noticed Qualls was dead on the floor, rigor mortis had already set in. Said one nondefendant officer: 'I should have looked, but, you know, oh well.'"

Qualls' mother sued shortly after his death and alleged that the three officers violated Quallss constitutional rights. A federal lawsuit was filed on March 30, 2020, on behalf of Quallss family.

In previous testimony, officers said that they didn't "technically refuse" to help Qualls and, in fact, monitored him, gave him food, spoke with him and cleaned his cell.

But those facts aren't as helpful to the officers as they think, the opinion said. Prominently missing in this record are any facts suggesting the officers addressed Qualls's serious medical needs-what matters under Easter. More importantly, these facts capture in a nutshell why the officers aren't entitled to qualified immunity at this point. On this record and without considering genuineness, the officers had a front-row seat to Qualls's agonizing demise but did nothing to stop it.

According to previous Enterprise reporting, Qualls was pronounced dead on January 30 after he was found in a detoxification cell at about 8:45 a.m. His death was ruled accidental overdose of methamphetamine/amphetamine.

Mitchell needed help, and it would have been apparent to anyone that he would not have appeared intoxicated for more than a few hours after arrest," Malone said. "When Mitchell began throwing up  even a baggie that likely contained drugs when ingested  it was even more obvious that he needed emergency medical treatment. Instead, he was just left in the cell. A young man arrested for public intoxication should not die alone in a cell, with no treatment, in vomit-stained clothing. Our society is better than that.

The Jasper Police Department could not immediately be reached by press time for comment.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  A Virginia consulting firm has been awarded a contract to conduct a thorough review of West Virginia's massive health agency.

McChrystal Group LLC of Alexandria, Virginia, was among two bidders for the contract. The firm provided a cost estimate of $503,648 for the Department of Health and Human Resources' organizational assessment and $578,770 to develop a strategic plan.

The DHHR has a $7.6 billion budget, or 39% of the states entire spending. In late March, Gov. Jim Justice vetoed a bill that would have split the DHHR into separate agencies.

In a statement issued Friday by the agency, Justice said, I am committed to making our DHHR better and look forward to engaging with these national experts to complete the top-to-bottom review, so that we may clearly identify DHHRs issues and inefficiencies. We need to make sure there is no lapse in services for our residents who rely on their support.

Some supporters of the failed bill had said it was long overdue for such a large agency and could have helped better address the states substance abuse crisis. West Virginia has the nations highest drug overdose death rate.
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Some Beaumont students are getting an opportunity to get ahead on their education.

Local daycare World of Color Development Center has partnered with Beaumont ISD, giving pre-kindergarten-aged children an opportunity to prepare for school academically and socially before entering kindergarten in the district.

"(The classroom) runs exactly like our pre-ks in our district," said BISD Early Childhood Coordinator Valerie Maclin. "We have our Frog Street curriculum, (a BISD teacher) does the morning message and we have all of the various areas for large group."

Additionally, the same curriculum is used, the class structure is the same and a Beaumont ISD teacher and World of Color instructor work together in the same classroom at the World of Color site.

Pre-k is not mandatory in Texas, but being in a classroom before kindergarten can help students adjust to their new learning environment, Maclin said.

The partnership began informally in early 2020 before the pandemic. World of Color Assistant Director Kourtney Lynch contacted Maclin after being connected through the Region 5 Education Service Center.

RELATED: Beaumont school district to increase employee salary

"She was looking to partner and she had called all around because she knew that she needed some help," Maclin said. "She was just not being taken seriously."

Lynch said her main concern was that her students weren't learning material that would help them transition into kindergarten.

"We want to make sure that we're educating the kids and that they're actually able to use it when they go to school," she said.

By partnering with BISD, Lynch said she felt that she could ensure her students were being prepared properly for kindergarten.

BISD teacher Meghan Thomas, who is at the Lucas Pre-K campus, and World of Color instructor Nicole Diamond work together in a classroom at World of Color so Diamond can learn BISD instructional practices and teach students in the same way.

RELATED: Best states for working moms: Where does Texas rank?

Maclin said the structure of the curriculum and the class itself prepares students for formal kindergarten.

"Our whole goal is kinder-readiness skills," she said.

Maclin said a similar program existed in the district more than 15 years ago.

But it fell to the wayside.

Now, the restarted partnership is giving about 20 students an opportunity to get ahead once again.

RELATED: Memorial HS sets technical education example for state

Maclin said early exposure to BISD's pre-k curriculum helps close any learning gaps experienced by the students, many of whom come from low-income households.

Lynch said she's heard positive feedback from parents. She said one parent told her that her child came home using the word excavator and said "What do y'all have going on over there?"

"(The students) are asking more questions (at home)," she said. "(Parents tell her) 'I can't get them to be quiet.' (Questions) are more open-ended. We have parents that are trying to get in because they want to be a part of it, but we just don't have any availability but we're looking to grow."

The first class of pre-k students has already transitioned to kindergarten at campuses across the district.

RELATED: Evans empowers students through the love of cooking

Maclin said that since students have transitioned from World of Color to BISD campuses, she's had teachers approach her, asking her if the students attended the pre-k program.

"(It's) because (the students) know the routine," she said. "Also, the big goal is to help them get acclimated because when they were coming in, they were losing instruction because they didn't understand the environment, they didn't know what math was. We've brought some structures in to point them to socially be able to adapt."

And next year, the program will be offered at the Paul Brown Alternative Learning Center as a part of the campus' recent redesign for students there who can't find or afford childcare.

"We will have Kourtney with a second site, and it will be inside of our BISD facility so that we can begin to service not just that community, but our young girls who maybe pregnant, may have a kid," Maclin said. "They'll be able to drop their kid off and go to school. And many of them qualify for subsidy because they are a certain age and income bracket."

RELATED: Paul Brown Center gets program redesign

The childcare facility will also be available to non-students in the area.

At the same time, a new classroom, supplied by the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, is being constructed for students at the World of Color center.

Construction began more than a year ago with Lynch's husband building the new classroom on the weekend.

RELATED: Some high school students can earn real estate license before graduation

The new classroom will be bigger and has more elements for students to interact with.

"(Thomas) has students who are autistic," Maclin said. "So, (we have) a sensory wall. I love that wall. Each (component of the wall) has a different texture -- it's a calming piece."

The room also has an area with calming photos and interactive tables where the learning can continue, even on a bad day.

"I'm a big person on, 'Let's keep the learning going,'" Maclin said. "This (area) is all about feelings and emotions and how it's OK. There are puppets for students to communicate with because they don't have vocabulary. They have to be able to tell you what's wrong. We work a lot with feelings and they're able to act it out, so we try to help them be able to communicate with us, (which) is a big piece of pre-k."

RELATED: Reopening of daycares could cause number of abandoned children to drop, CPS cases rise

After a mandatory state inspection and a few finishing touches, the classroom will be ready for use.

Maclin said the district has already met with other local daycares interested in a similar program and worked with the Texas Workforce Commission to locate daycares with feeder patterns right into the district.

"Those are the ones that I'm interested in partnering with first because they have a direct impact on our campuses," she said.

RELATED: Beaumont schools name two new principals

And BISD also is in the process of partnering with Lamar University to support daycare staff's professional development, Maclin said.

"We are now working with TWC to help (the World of Color) staff and those that are interested -- this even includes the endorsements of BISD under career and technical education -- where they can go through and utilize funding from Texas Workforce to help them go to school," she said. "For (the World of Color staff), we've started with the plan of beginning their Child Development Associate (certification) and then they will go from that to their associate's (degree), those that are interested."

The goal is improve the level of care that the children are receiving, Maclin said.

Lynch has high hopes for the future of the program. In five years, she hopes it's something more people can have access to.

"All children deserve to be educated and feel nurtured," she said. "That would be my ultimate goal, to see that every child care center (has this program) because it will be more of a benefit to the children because they're already understanding -- they're ready to go (to kindergarten)."

olivia.malick@hearst.com

twitter.com/OliviaMalick
Amazon

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I know what youre thinking, how can an infrared thermometer tell you the internal temperature of what youre cooking? After all, this KIZEN thermometer doesnt have any probes or anything to insert into the food. What is does have, however, is an adjustable emissivity.
News Details

Renesas to demo M85 powered AI-at-edge MCU at Embedded World 2022

Date: 03-06-22

After announcing of new processor core ARM Cortex M85 from ARM in the month of April 2022 , Renesas is the first semiconductor chipmaker to announce demonstration of fabricated Cortex-M85 RA microcontroller at popular MCU event Embedded World 2022 in Nuremburg Germany from June 21-24. ARM Cortex M85 features what it calls as Helium Technology, a vector computing at low power to handle audio/video streaming data/signal and any such data where AI/ML type processing can replace old style processing. This feature enables AI at edge at low power for industrial IoT application in smart factory.

Renesas said it has introduced the RA (Renesas Advanced) Family of Arm Cortex-M based 17 MCU groups encompassing well over 200 individual parts with in 30 months after its announcement.

Renesas supporting its customers with software ecosystem of partners in developing solutions for IoT, AI/ML, industrial automation, medical, building automation, home appliance and multiple other applications.

As a lead partner with Arm, we are proud to be the first to demonstrate an MCU based on the high-performance Cortex-M85 processor, a clear example of the momentum that we have built in the Arm ecosystem, said Roger Wendelken, Senior Vice President in Renesas IoT and Infrastructure Business Unit. The RA family has enjoyed tremendous success in a very short time, demonstrating the core strengths that make Renesas an MCU powerhouse, including design expertise, legendary quality, and close collaboration with customers and partners in all markets and all geographies.

To continue to scale and grow, the next generation of IoT solutions demand ever-improving levels of performance, security and simplified development, and we have delivered this with the new Arm Cortex-M85, said Dipti Vachani, senior vice president and general manager, Automotive and IoT Line of Business at Arm. This demonstration of the first silicon based on our most secure and highest performance Cortex-M processor will showcase the new and exciting applications it will enable and further cements our ongoing close collaboration with Renesas.

Arm Cortex-M85 processor features advanced DSP/ML capabilities in processing AI compute intensive applications at edge. Cortex-M85 with 6 CoreMark/MHz processing performance benchmark carries typical ARM M processor features such as low power deterministic operation, short interrupt response time. Cortex-M85 offers security functional blocks such as pointer authentication and branch target identification (PACBTI) architectural extension to protect against return oriented programming and jump oriented programming (JOP) security exploit attacks.

Renesas planned to release Arm Cortex-M85 RA MCUs in 2023. RA family MCUs designed to bridge the gap between MCUs and MPUs, so that they can compute complex AI applications consuming lower power and ease of use of an MCU. This expected to help Renesas' customers to reuse their code, software, and tools and reduce costs of migration to an MPU based system.

On security front, the new Cortex-M85 core based on Armv8-M architecture supports Arm TrustZone technology for protection of secure assets. Renesas also provide integrated cryptographic engine, immutable storage, key management, and tamper protection against DPA/SPA side-channel attacks. The Armv8-M architecture also brings Pointer Authentication/Branch Target Identification (PAC/BTI) security extension, a new architectural feature that provides enhanced mitigation from software attack threats and helps achieve PSA Certified Level 2 certification, says Renesas.

Renesas supporting coding part through its Flexible Software Package (FSP) to speed up application development, where it provides multiple RTOS, BSP, peripheral drivers, middleware, connectivity, networking and security stacks and reference software to build complex AI, motor control and graphics solutions. This chip users can integrate their own legacy code and choice of RTOS with FSP. FSP to ease migration of existing designs to the new RA devices.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks about United States policy towards China during an event hosted by the Asia Society Policy Institute at George Washington University in Washington, on May 26, 2022.

Bangladesh should reject a cold war mentality and bloc politics, China told Dhakas ambassador this week as it criticized Washingtons policy to contain Beijing that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken outlined in a speech last week.

This was Chinas second apparent warning to Bangladesh in a little over a year. In May 2021, Chinas envoy to Dhaka said that bilateral ties could be substantially damaged if the South Asian country joined the four-nation U.S.-led Quad grouping, although there had been no sign of Dhaka wanting to join it or be invited. Chinas warning at that time provoked an unusually strong rebuke from Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen.

This time, the Chinese admonition was saltier, and it came via a foreign ministry statement issued about a Wednesday meeting between senior Chinese foreign ministry official Liu Jinsong and Bangladeshs envoy in Beijing, Mahbub uz Zaman.

The logic behind the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, AUKUS, the Quad grouping and the latest Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is U.S. centrism and exceptionalism, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement issued Thursday.

As a Bangladeshi proverb puts it, a cock is bold on his own dunghill. As a result, it will only bring disgrace to itself, and at the same time undermine the regional cooperation framework and create bloc confrontation.

Liu Jinsong (pictured below) serves as director-general of the Asian Affairs department at the ministry.

China believes that countries in the region, including Bangladesh, will bear in mind the fundamental interests of their own countries and the region, uphold independence, reject the Cold War mentality and bloc politics, safeguard true multilateralism and defend the hard-won environment for peace and development in the region, the statement went on to say.

The proverb cited in the press statement is, in fact, an old English one: Every cock will crow upon his own dunghill. According to The Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, it means everyone is confident when on home ground.

Liu Jinsong, then deputy chief of mission at the Chinese embassy in India, takes part in a China-India business meeting for investment and trade, at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi, Feb. 22, 2017. [AFP]

The Quad, or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue on the Indo-Pacific region, comprises the U.S., Japan, Australia and Chinas arch-rival, India. AUKUS is a security pact under which Washington and London will help Canberra build nuclear-powered submarines using advanced technology.

And the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is the bulwark of Washingtons economic strategy in the region that was unveiled last month with an initial membership of a dozen countries, including seven ASEAN members and other Indo-Pacific powers.

Blinken cited these and Washingtons involvement in other groups as aimed at defending and, as necessary, reforming the rules-based order that should benefit all nations.

Throughout his speech Blinken stressed Washingtons respect for nations sovereignty and respect for international rules, both of which China has continually breached, in the disputed South China Sea and at its borders with nations such as India.

[W]e we want to strengthen a system in which as many countries as possible can come together to cooperate effectively, resolve differences peacefully, write their own futures as sovereign equals, Blinken said in his speech at George Washington University in Washington on May 26, in which he laid out the Biden administrations strategy for countering Chinas global influence.

The United States shares the vision that countries and people across the region hold: one of a free and open Indo-Pacific where rules are developed transparently and applied fairly; where countries are free to make their own sovereign decisions; where goods, ideas, and people flow freely across land, sky, cyberspace, the open seas, and governance is responsive to the people.

All of these U.S. initiatives have drawn Beijings ire.

Not concerned with what China says

Meanwhile, Bangladeshs diplomatic circles arent happy either with Chinas warnings.

Faruk Khan, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Bangladesh would decide its courses of action independently.

We are not concerned with what China says or America says about our position; we will take decisions independently in line with our foreign policy of prioritizing national interests and peace, he told BenarNews on Friday.

Our basic foreign policy principle is friendship to all malice to none. Bangladesh keeps herself aloof from all sorts of military alliances.

Former foreign secretary Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury described Chinas statement as inappropriate.

This is completely a Chinese statement, not a joint statement. In this statement, China has made her position on Quad, Indo-Pacific alliance, AUKUS and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework clear. And I think the statement does not reflect Bangladeshs position, he told BenarNews.

In diplomacy, discussions on a third country come up at bilateral meetings. But the issues are never revealed in public, and these should not come in the public domain, he said.

Munshi Fayaz Ahmad, a former Bangladesh ambassador to China, said Chinas statement was intended as a message to all of the regions countries.

China thinks the U.S. and the western countries have been trying to engage many countries against China. They think so after the latest [U.S.] announcement of the China strategy, he said.

Actually, we need both the U.S. and China for our own interests. I think Bangladesh can join the Belt and Road Initiative and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for her own interests.
Md. Shahriar Alam, Bangladeshs state minister for foreign affairs, discusses U.S. sanctions against the nations elite RAB police unit during an interview at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, June 2, 2022.

Bangladeshs elite police force, the Rapid Action Battalion, has operated effectively despite U.S. sanctions in December 2021 over alleged human rights violations, Dhakas state minister for foreign affairs told BenarNews in an interview in Washington.

Md. Shahriar Alam was in the U.S. capital this week as part of a delegation meeting with American officials for the Second High-Level Economic Consultation between the two nations.

During a break in between meetings here, Alam sat down with BenarNews at the Bangladesh Embassy on Thursday night to answer a range of questions, including about concerns over killings and alleged enforced disappearances involving RAB personnel.

We have established RAB with the help of the United States. It has provided weapons, training, technology and so on, he said. Beyond Bangladesh, beyond Asia, there are agencies that play a significant role in curbing militancy, RAB is one of them.

RAB has never been used to suppress the opposition. There is no record of any senior leader or member of BNP or Jamaat being harassed by RAB or from being killed, he said, referring to the opposition Bangladesh National Party and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, a faith-based political party.

On Dec. 10, the U.S. Treasury Department announced the sanctions against RAB and six former and current officers. In a statement, it accused RAB of more than 600 enforced disappearances in the past 12 years, a similar number of extrajudicial killings and use of torture.

Widespread allegations of serious human rights abuse in Bangladesh by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)  threaten U.S. national security interests by undermining the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the economic prosperity of the people of Bangladesh, the statement said.

Alam said Bangladesh officials did not have any indication from the U.S. that the sanctions would be lifted any time soon, as he expressed concern about how they were issued late last year.

What we are trying to say is that they should not make such decisions on the basis of misinformation  thats why we are taking some action, he told BenarNews.

Alam was asked about a Swedish media report that RAB officials were involved with the disappearance of Ilias Ali, a BNP lawmaker who was last seen in April 2012. He noted the investigation is ongoing.

If you are talking about Swedens Netra News, I would say this is purely politically motivated, he said.

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion stand guard during a nationwide protest in Dhaka, Nov. 26, 2013. [Reuters] Joint statement

Alam traveled to Washington as part of a delegation led by Salman F. Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas adviser for private industry and investment. Jose W. Fernandez, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, led the U.S. delegation.

In a joint statement issued after Thursdays meeting, the officials said, Both countries share a common vision of a free, open, inclusive, peaceful, and secure Indo-Pacific region with shared prosperity for all.

The U.S. delegation praised Bangladesh for its COVID-19 response, noting that 76 percent of the population is fully vaccinated and 99 percent is partially vaccinated.

It also acknowledged Dhakas progress with respect to workers rights in Bangladesh in, for example, instituting safety reforms in the garment export sector, simplifying trade-union registration, developing a publicly accessible trade-union database, establishing helplines to receive complaints, digitalizing labor inspection and strengthening labor courts.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left) and Foreign Minister Penny Wong attend a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (not pictured), alongside the Quad leaders summit, between the United States, Japan, India and Australia, at the Akasaka Palace state guest house in Tokyo, May 24, 2022.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to neighboring Indonesia this weekend as the new government in Canberra tries to gather regional allies in efforts to counter Chinas increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.

During talks in Jakarta, Albanese and President Joko Jokowi Widodo will discuss trade and investment, as well as bilateral cooperation on climate and energy, the Australian government said.

We partner together closely on issues of trade, development, education, and regional security, a news release issued by the PMs office Friday quoted Albanese as saying.

Penny Wong, Australias foreign minister, said the new government was serious about its engagement with Southeast Asia.

We share a fundamental interest in promoting a more prosperous, stable and secure region, where sovereignty is respected, she said in the same statement.

Australias partnership with Indonesia has never been more consequential to this objective.

Wong, who will accompany Albanese to Jakarta as part of a five-person delegation, will arrive there fresh off a 10-day official trip to South Pacific island states as well as Indonesias tiny neighbor, East Timor, the Associated Press reported.

Santo Darmosumarto, director of East Asia and the Pacific at Indonesias Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Albanese visiting Jakarta so soon after he became prime minister is a testament to the importance that Australia attaches to ties with Indonesia, its giant neighbor next-door.

This shows how important the Indonesia-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership is, Santo told BenarNews.

Nuclear concerns

Santo said Albanese and Indonesian Jokowi would also discuss regional issues such as a security pact between Australia, Britain and the United States, known as AUKUS.

The pact, which was formed last year, allows Canberra to acquire a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines from the United States with unlimited and hard-to-detect underwater cruising capabilities.

Indonesia has on several occasions expressed concern that Australias move could start a regional arms race.

Last week, Albanese said that at a meeting in Tokyo with the leaders of the U.S., Japan and India, he had talked about engaging more in the Indo-Pacific and to push our shared values in the region at a time when China was clearly seeking to exert more influence, news reports said. The four countries make up the so-called Quad group.

We will stand firm on our values and our beliefs, on what we know will enhance the prosperity and stability of our region and what is firmly in the interests of all those who call the Indo-Pacific home, he reportedly said.

Albanese would likely try to assure the Indonesian government that his countrys decision to acquire nuclear submarines would not be a threat, according to Dewi Fortuna Anwar, a political analyst at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

Australia has insisted that it has no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons and will remain a non-nuclear weapons state.

For Indonesia, the concern is not the alliance per se, but the nuclear acquisition, Dewi told BenarNews.

I think the new government will do the same as the previous government did [to reassure Indonesia that the AUKUS is not a threat].

Hikmahanto Juwana, an international law professor at the University of Indonesia, concurred.

It is hoped that the PM will explain how AUKUS does not need to be a concern for Indonesia and the region, Hikmahanto told BenarNews.

Jakartas refusal so far to disinvite Russia from the G-20 summit in November in Bali is another issue expected to be raised during the meeting between officials of Australia and Indonesia, David Engel, the head of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, wrote in its publication, The Strategist.

Jokowi will insist on Albaneses attendance regardless of Putins presence and his offenses against international law that Indonesia claims to hold dear, Engel wrote.

Much could happen in the interim to engineer an acceptable compromise that would see the summit proceed, however effectively, with its full membership. Albaneses default position should be to commit Australias support for finding and supporting that compromise, in conjunction with like-minded partners such as Japan.

Trade

Albanese also said he hoped to revitalize the trade relationship between Indonesia and Australia.

He will be accompanied by Trade Minister Don Farrell and Industry Minister Ed Husic during the Indonesia visit, the Australian statement said.

Especially important will be both sides ambition to unlock the potential of the IndonesiaAustralia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, including to take forward the Governments proposed AU$200 million climate and infrastructure fund with Indonesia, the prime ministers office said.

Under the free trade agreement, which came into effect in July 2020, over 99 percent of Australian goods exports by value to Indonesia can enter duty free or under significantly improved preferential arrangements.

It also requires Indonesia to issue import permits automatically and without seasonality for key Australian products such as live cattle, meat and agricultural produce.

The deal allows Australian universities to operate in Indonesia and Australian companies to have greater stakes in sectors such tourism, health and mining.
Two boys, aged 6 and 8, were killed and two other children were seriously injured Friday when an old grenade they were playing with exploded in the southern Philippines, police and authorities said.

The explosion occurred near Kumalarang, a town in Zamboanga del Sur province. The surrounding Mindanao region is rife with Muslim militant and communist insurgent activity.

Police identified the two boys who died as John Kin Gregorio and John Leo Miro; his brother, John Michael Miro, 8, and a friend, Rea Fee Pucolan, 13, were injured in the blast, police said.

The children were seen carrying and later playing with a rusted out, tube-like object, Staff Sgt. Ulysses Ragojos, the case investigator, quoted a relative of the children as saying.

The victims were playing with the said rusty pipe on the wooden bench, after which it suddenly exploded causing fatal injuries on the victims, Ragojos said in his initial report about the incident, a copy of which reporters saw.

Two of the victims were dead on the spot and the other two victims were rushed to a hospital where they were treated for serious injuries, he said without identifying the hospital.

Investigators had not released a full report on the incident, but sources told BenarNews that the ordnance resembled a 40 mm rifle grenade, an explosive commonly used by Muslim militants and communist insurgents who operate in the region.

We were informed [that] the father of the Miro kids found unexploded ordnance, a tube for the rifle grenade from the Diplo River. He brought it home and cut it, then disposed of the other half. Unfortunately, the kids found the said tube and played with it, Kumalarang Mayor Ruel Molina told Inquirer.net.

Military and police authorities have been advising people to report and surrender recovered unexploded ordnance to avoid any harm  noting that people often sell the metal for scrap.

Officials did not release details about whether similar explosives had been found in this area.

Meanwhile, portions of the southern city of Marawi have remained off limits to residents for nearly five years because of unexploded ordnance remaining from bombs dropped by government forces against Islamic State-linked militants during a five-month battle that ended in October 2017. The government has not been able to remove many of the estimated 1,000 unexploded bombs from parts of the city.

More recently, the communist New Peoples Army admitted to detonating a landmine in June 2021 that killed two civilians and injured another in the central province of Masbate, drawing condemnation from the government.

Elsewhere, unexploded landmines have been left behind, posing danger to civilians, the military has said.
Members of a unit of foreign volunteers who fight alongside the Ukrainian army and against Russian forces are seen in Sievierodonetsk, Ukraine, June 2, 2022.

Russias invasion of Ukraine has brought U.S.-China frictions to the fore with no end in sight, analysts warned, while a former Asian leader cautioned about the risk of a new world war.

The war in Ukraine and its potential ripple effects in the Indo-Pacific region was a hot topic at the Future of Asia conference in Tokyo hosted by Nikkei Inc. last week.

Mahathir Mohamad, Southeast Asias senior-most statesman, conveyed a warning as he addressed the conference.

I am afraid that wars have a habit of beginning small and then grow into world wars, the former Malaysian prime minister said.

Mahathir, now 96, served as PM from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020. He was 20 when World War II ended.

Meanwhile, Chinese and U.S. analysts who attended the conference traded accusations against each others countries and their roles in trying to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

China and Russia share a common interest in weakening U.S. global influence and they seek to change the international order, said Bonnie Glaser, director of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

Before Russian invaded Ukraine, she reminded the audience at the conference, it was reported that the U.S. had shared intelligence with China about Russias military plan and urged Beijing to intervene to prevent the war, only for China to share that intelligence with Moscow.

This underscores how much mistrust is there between the U.S. and China, Glaser said.

In response Jia Qingguo, professor at the Peking Universitys School of International Studies, said the difference between China and the U.S. is that Washington is seeking an ideological world order while Beijing is seeking a secular one based on national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

It is the U.S. that has been trying to contain China, Jia said.

China does not endorse Russias military attack against Ukraine but is sympathetic to Moscow being pushed by NATOs possible expansion, the Beijing-based professor said, adding: Never push a country, especially a big country, to a corner, however benign the intentions are.

Countries should respect each other, Jia said.

Regarding that statement, the German Marshall Funds Glaser argued that China has been showing double standards when it comes to the definition of respect.

When countries have put their own interests ahead of Chinese interests, [which] has been interpreted by Beijing as disrespect, she said.

As the war drags on, rather than be a strategic partner for China, Russia will become a burden, Glaser predicted.

One possibility is that the U.S. will be freed up to some extent to focus even more intently on the competition with China and on cooperation with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region, the American analyst said, pointing out that officials in the Biden administration believe that is the most likely outcome.

Veteran diplomat Bilahari Kausikan, who is a former permanent secretary to Singapores foreign ministry, said the key issue at present is U.S.-China relations.

China has been put in a very awkward situation. It has no other partner of the same strategic weight as Russia anywhere in the world, he said.

Speaking from the perspective of Southeast Asian countries, Kausikan said geopolitics are moving in the direction of the West but if you insist in defining this conflict as a fight between totalitarianism and democracy youll likely make that support more shaky and shallow.

Not every country in this region finds every aspect of Western democracy universally attractive. Nor do they find every aspect of Chinese authoritarianism universally unappealing, he argued.

Former Malaysian PM Mahathir seemed to echo the Chinese governments stance when describing the attitude of the U.S. as always to apply pressure to force regime change.

When people do not agree, the U.S. would show that it may take military action, he said. That is why there is a tendency for tension to increase whenever it involves the U.S.

The USS Barry, an Arleigh-Burke class guided missile-destroyer, passes through the Taiwan Strait during a routine transit, Sept. 17, 2021. [U.S. Navy]

Taiwan question

Experts at the Tokyo conference also discussed the possibility of a conflict involving Taiwan, which China considers a breakaway province that should be reunified with the mainland.

According to Jia Qingguo, there should be no comparison between Ukraine and Taiwan.

No country has the right to support some residents of another country to split the place in which they live away from that country, he said.

China has every right to make sure that Taiwan will not be split from China.

For her part, Glaser said Chinas military was, without doubt, following the war in Ukraine closely.

There are some differences between Taiwan and Ukraine and its not a perfect analogy but there are lessons to be drawn.

Russia has far greater military capabilities than Ukraine but the Ukrainian resistance has been fierce and I wonder if the PLA has actually anticipated a possibility of facing a fierce resistance in Taiwan, Glaser said.

She said she hoped Taiwan would also draw some lessons from the conflict in Ukraine and develop its own defense capabilities in the face of security threats from China.
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Rolf Parker-Houghton said this sign by his wife, Cynthia, is suddenly missing from its place on Elliot Street, next to a mural on the Harmony Collective Gallery building, and he would like to see it returned.
Ryan Goodrich, 36, who also goes by the name of "Ryan Husqvarna," was arrested April 19 in Deerfield, Mass., while attempting to flee south, perhaps to Texas, according to a motion for detention filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for Vermont. Husqvarna is a popular brand of motorcycles and power equipment.
President Joe Biden hasn't made a decision yet on how he'll handle the student loan debt issue, but his administration is trying to bring closure to one of the most notorious cases of fraud in American higher education
WEST STOCKBRIDGE  Two clay heads nestle cheek to cheek, hidden inside a tall outdoor wood-fired kiln that has burned since dawn. In the darkness of night, the sides of the kiln are lowered, like petals on a tulip, revealing a glowing red-hot 8-foot sculpture, flames licking at its base and shooting out of perforations in the form. Soon the kiln sides will close again, letting the artwork cool slowly before taking its place among the sculptures of TurnPark Art Space.

Earth & Sky, a rare fire sculpture by world-renowned Estonian/Ukrainian American artist Sergei Isupov is made in collaboration with Estonian master kiln builder Andres Allik. It complements Proximal Duality, an exhibit of Isupovs large graphite drawings and smaller ceramic heads in TurnParks Gate House Gallery. It is also the highlight of the former marble quarrys annual summer festival on June 11, a celebration of creativity that includes music, art and theater on a theme of Healing Flames.

If You Go What: TurnPark Annual Summer Festival: Healing Flames Where: TurnPark Art Space, 2 Moscow Road, West Stockbridge. When: 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday, June 11. Kiln opening at 10 p.m. Admission: $35 advance, $40 day of. Free for children age 12 and under with adult. Tickets and more information: turnpark.com

This will be the second festival at TurnPark, Alex Zaretsky, TurnParks special projects associate, said during a phone interview. Last years strong turnout motivated TurnPark founders Katya [Brezgunova] and Igor [Gomberg] to turn it into an annual tradition.

Contemporary band Chingiz Dub will perform in the stone amphitheater at 9 p.m. prior to the sculptures 10 p.m. reveal. Led by Sasha Drey, it includes didgeridoo player Dima Klim in a mix of traditional Tuvan throat singing with experimental electronics music and live video mixing.

Georgian-born multimedia artist and maker of wearable sculptures, Uta Bekaia, will create four tableaux vivants of actors dressed as spirits. A longtime TurnPark collaborator, his work will flow through the grounds throughout the day, Zaretsky said.

Food will be offered for sale by Handcrafted, with stuffed shells, meatballs, a quinoa vegetable bowl and popcorn on the menu.

There will also be acoustic music scattered throughout the grounds and a short, repeated play in recognition of the situation in Ukraine. The festival will add to TurnParks ongoing fundraising for the war-torn region through donations and merchandise sales.

The cause is especially meaningful for Isupov, who grew up in Ukraine until age 20. His father, mother and younger brother, all artists, still live in its capital, Kyiv.

Every time I hear the news it makes me so emotional, he said during a phone interview.

His brothers wife has left the country with their two younger children, but his parents dont want to leave, he said. Theyre 83, theres a feeling of safety at home because art is all around, its like their kids. Mum even likes it because theres not many cars or people, its spring and its so peaceful and quiet downtown.

Isupov attended art school in Estonia, home of his artist wife Kadri Parnaments. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1993, first to Kentucky. A Berkshire region resident since 2006, with their daughter they divide their time between studios in the U.S. and Estonia.

I think it makes an artist more emotionally rich not to have physical connections to a space, he noted.

He first worked with Allik in 2016 at STARworks in North Carolina, where Allik had been firing for several years, and a year later in Denmark.

Its not super difficult to build the kiln, Isupov reported, it uses simple materials youre able to get from regular stores and is shaped like a bottle.

This will be my third fire sculpture. I do something slightly different every time, I learn every time, I feel Im still not finished with this design.

PROXIMAL DUALITY

Isupovs indoor show Proximal Duality, which runs through October, includes four ceramic sculptural heads and five large-scale drawings. Each larger-than-life head is embellished with intricate drawings, painted with a thin coat of colored clay.

My father is a painter, my mums a ceramic artist. I like to combine these two different sides, but in the same powerful thing.

Students think I have tricks, some special tool. But the biggest trick is discipline and experience. And imagination.

A lot of ideas come from the technical side, he explained. And later the story comes within the process.

The drawings use different techniques to create the same illusion of 3D as the ceramic paintings, he said.

He wants to inspire wonder, for people to feel like, wow!, how has he done it? And stop for a minute.

He studied painting for seven years in his first art school, and ceramics for seven years in his second.

Sometimes education gives you handcuffs, in Ukraine, drawing and painting were very academic. Ceramics helped me forget everything and gave me freedom. Sometimes you need to break rules.

In the U.S. I am able to do both well, he noted. And my fire sculpture tempts me to be a performer too.

TurnPark exhibits are curated by longtime associate and architect Grigori Fateyev.

Sergei is very well known for ceramic art, Fateyev said, highly detailed small scale objects, with a lot of narrative stories. He sketches all the time, hes a classically trained artist and his hand-eye coordination is impeccable.

I wanted to show his other side as a remarkable draftsman, he added. The scale is remarkable. Usually drawings are a secondary mode of art, [done] in preparation for a painting. But when you do a nine-foot-tall drawing, thats a piece in itself.

The show title is a geometry term that means something in close proximity [that] becomes reflected and duplicated, but differently. Its also a comment on polarization in our culture.

Quite often in Isupovs work, theres one narrative structure happening on one side of a sculpture and something else happening on the other, Fateyev noted.

The outdoor firing at TurnPark illustrates the process of creating, Fateyev said, how the work comes to be. The process is a very integral part of what were trying to show  seeing how the magic happens, being able to see the inner world of the artist.

An exhibition of Isupovs smaller sculptures, Past & Present, is on view at Ferrin Contemporary in North Adams, through June 26.
Business writer

Tony Dobrowolski's main focus is on business reporting. He came to The Eagle in 1992 after previously working for newspapers in Connecticut and Montreal. He can be reached at tdobrowolski@berkshireeagle.com or 413-496-6224.
Community News Editor / Librarian

Jeannie Maschino is community news editor and librarian for The Berkshire Eagle. She has worked for the newspaper in various capacities since 1982 and joined the newsroom in 1989.
Reporter

Heather Bellow, a member of the investigations team, joined The Eagle in 2017. She is based in the South Berkshire County bureau in Great Barrington. Her work has appeared in newspapers across the U.S.
A demonstrator holds a sign during a May 2019 rally to protest abortion bans in Des Moines, Iowa. With a devoutly anti-abortion Republican governor and large GOP legislative majorities, Iowa appears to be one of several states that might could ban abortion if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.
Roughly 31,000 defendants who had criminal convictions vacated in the wake of a massive state drug lab scandal are poised to split about $14 million in settlement payments under a new agreement between their lawyers and Attorney General Maura Healey.

Healeys team and attorneys representing defendants whose convictions were based in part on now-discredited evidence produced by a pair of disgraced state chemists on Wednesday filed a proposed settlement that would require Massachusetts to reimburse legal costs tied to convictions lifted in connection with wrongdoing by state chemists.

Each person who qualifies under the class action settlement, which still needs to be approved by a judge, would receive a minimum of $150. Some could get more than $1,000 after paying that much in fees for probation, parole, GPS monitoring, drug analysis, and other conviction-associated costs.

The settlement agreement calls for creating a standalone account overseen by a third-party administrator. Refund amounts will be based on Trial Court, State Police, Parole Board and Registry of Motor Vehicles records. Any defendant covered by the class action lawsuit who still has a conviction in place would also receive a 50 percent discount to their Trial Court payments.

After one year, any uncashed checks would be distributed to Community Legal Aid Inc., the Transformational Prison Project and the Tufts Education Reentry Network Program.

State government would also pay an additional $1.4 million to the attorneys representing former defendants who brought the class-action lawsuit as well as $10,000 to each of the four people  Stacy Foster, Jamie Kimball, Jonathan Riley and Nicole Westcott  representing the class of affected individuals.

The agreement punctuates years of work to resolve a scandal that rocked the justice system starting a decade ago. Former state chemist Annie Dookhan pleaded guilty in 2013 to charges stemming from a lengthy pattern of falsifying drug analyses used as evidence in criminal cases, and fellow former state chemist Sonja Farak pleaded guilty a year later to tampering with evidence in connection with her own drug addiction.

Annie Dookhan and Sonja Faraks crimes undermined the integrity of our justice system and impacted thousands of lives, Healey said in a statement. From the start, we have recognized that defendants with vacated convictions should be refunded and are pleased to have engaged in a collaborative effort to reach a fair and efficient resolution for all involved.

Between 2017 and 2019, the Supreme Judicial Court vacated the convictions of roughly 33,000 defendants in cases where Dookhan or Farak participated and ordered that they could not be prosecuted again for the same events.

Vacating these wrongful convictions was a major victory and a significant first step in doing justice for the victims of the scandals at the Hinton and Amherst drug labs, but much more work was needed to address a major collateral consequence of this unprecedented government misconduct, said William Fick, a member of the legal team representing the former defendants who brought the class-action lawsuit, in a statement.

Under a 2017 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, if a state lifts a conviction and prevents it from being pursued again, the state must reimburse defendants for all money they paid as a result of the conviction. Following the unprecedented dismissal of criminal convictions, some former defendants and state officials engaged in what both parties described in a legal memo as regular, productive discussions about reimbursing conviction-related costs. The four class representatives filed their class-action suit in 2019.

Both parties agreed that 10 different categories of charges and other payments would not have been imposed if not for the now-vacated convictions: victim-witness fees, probation fees, post-conviction GPS monitoring fees, restitution, court costs, Chapter 94C fines, drug analysis criminal assessment fees, DNA collection fees, parole fees, and fees to get a drivers license reinstated.

If a judge approves the agreement, eligible individuals will be able to access a website and a call center to pursue their refunds. They will also be able to appeal the refund amount.

Shifting costs to users of the criminal legal system creates extraordinary hardships for defendants and their families, said Luke Ryan, another attorney representing the class. In addition to erecting sometimes insurmountable barriers to re-entry, legal financial obligations require probation and parole officers to allocate substantial time to acting as collection agents that could otherwise be devoted to rehabilation and public safety.

We are hopeful that in addition to returning money to class members, this case will cause elected officials to see the wisdom of recent proposals to end the practice of treating the most financially insecure among us as a source of revenue, Ryan said.
There are certain moments in history that can be difficult to understand or to reconcile. Most of history is complicated, with multiple sides and perspectives. From 1091-1291, there were conflicts between greater Christianity and Muslims about access to, and control of, the Holy Lands.

Both religions have significant ties to Jerusalem and surrounding areas according to their sacred texts. They believe that important spiritual and historical events happened there, and wanted access to the city for their adherents. But they did not agree on who should have control or how much access the other should have.

There are many myths and many truths about the Crusades, but it is a fascinating yet complicated period of religious fanaticism, interesting players, and long-lasting ramifications.

What Were the Crusades?

The Crusades were a series of eight major, and several minor, conflicts for control of the Holy Land around Jerusalem. They occurred mostly between 1091 and 1291.

They began with the Arab-Byzantine Wars, where the Byzantine Empire conquered much of what is today known as the Middle East, as far out as Iran. During this period, the political situation began to change as Turkish Muslims migrated eastward. One powerful group, the Seljuks, grew in power and eventually took control of Jerusalem from the Fatimid Caliphate. They proceeded to take control of much of the region. Slowly, reports began to make their way back to Rome - the seat of the Roman Catholic Church - that Christian pilgrims travelling to visit the Holy Land were encountering hostility, and that Christians in the region were being oppressed. This oppression included jizya - a tax on non-Muslims living in areas under Islamic theocratic control.

From a Biblical perspective, while Jerusalem does have many locations in and around it that are significant to Christians, the Bible does not require a pilgrimage to it. There is also not a call at any point in the Bible for Christians to maintain control of the city. In fact, Jesus predicted the destruction of the Second Temple, and Jerusalem is not brought up as a significant player in history until the End of Days prophecies in the Book of Revelation. Christians do not need to control Jerusalem or surrounding territories to be fulfilling the Great Commission.

A Breakdown of the Various Crusades

The following is a brief summary of each Crusade, along with key players.

The First Crusade: Started by Pope Urban II following twenty years of planning begun by his predecessor to take back the Holy Lands. The first major action was started because Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos asked Urban for help because he was worried about the encroaching Seljuks. The advancing Crusaders took Nicea, marched on Antioch, and eventually took Jerusalem. The victors started the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Various European monarchs, mostly French or Italian, claimed the title of King of Jerusalem.

Crusade of 1101: One of the smaller crusades, Pope Paschal II did not want to lose ground won during the First Crusade. Many of the soldiers were called back from the First Crusade.

Second Crusade: This Crusade lasted from 1147-1150. Pope Eugene III called for another crusade in 1145, one which would be better organized. He called on Christian nations to sign on. Louis VII, King of the Franks, and Conrad III in present-day Germany both sent troops. While the troops from Europe went to Antioch, King of Jerusalem Baldwin III sent them to Damascus. This Crusade faced many defeats and damaged the reputation of the Pope.

Third Crusade: After the disastrous Second Crusade, Jerusalem fell to a powerful Muslim leader named Saladin in 1187. Kings in Europe were the primary advocates for this campaign. Generally, the Christian forces did not make much progress. Notably, this campaign featured the English King Richard the Lionheart, who only spent six months in England. Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI died on Crusade. This crusade lasted from 1186-1189.

Fourth Crusade: The Fourth Crusade lasted from 1202-1204. Its most notable event was the Sacking of Constantinople by the Crusaders. Despite being the seat of the Byzantine Church, Crusaders spent three days looting the city and killing Greek Christians. Both Christians and Muslims, such as Pope Innocent III an Ali ibn al-Athir, saw this event as an atrocity.

Fifth Crusade: Religious and political leaders in Europe spent 1217-1221 trying to reconquer the Holy Lands by going through Egypt. This effort was a failure.

Sixth Crusade: The King of Sicily took diplomatic efforts during the Sixth Crusade to keep this effort more peaceful. The Kingdom of Jerusalem had some control of the city due to these efforts. This Crusade, which lasted from 1228-1229, has mixed emotions on both sides, with some Christians seeing it as a victory, and others seeing it as a failure. Muslim leader Ayyubid sultan al-Kamil saw it as a victory, while other Muslims disagreed.

Barons Crusades: This campaign was the most successful since the first. In 1234, Pope Gregory IX encouraged European rulers to launch it after the expiration of a ten-year truce between Frederick II and Sultan al-Kamil. They gained a lot of territory, but it was lost soon after, and during a siege in 1244 many Christians in Jerusalem were massacred by the Khwarazmian Army.

Seventh and Last Crusades: Both these Crusades were launched by Louis IX of France, attempting to retake the Holy Land through Egypt. They took place in 1248-1254 and 1270 respectively. Neither succeeded in their political or religious goals.

14 Things to Know about the Crusades

1. Islamic military forces had been making efforts to conquer and subjugate Christian Europe and northern Africa for centuries prior to the First Crusade.

2. The motto Deus Io Vult, which means God wills it, was cried by a crowd after hearing about the plan for the Crusades from Pope Urban II.

3. The streets of Jerusalem were not so filled with blood the Crusaders had blood up to their knees. This myth became common many years after the Crusades.

4. While the massacres were never as dramatic as described by some chroniclers on either side, both sides would often kill indiscriminately. In the chaos, Muslims would kill Muslims and Christians would kill Christians.

5. Richard the Lionheart, a king of England, only spent six months of his reign in England because he wanted to be in the Holy Land on Crusade instead. He developed a unique respect for Saladin, and died on his way back to England. The Robin Hood myth features this king.

6. Many of the Christians who went on the early Crusades really believed they were doing something righteous and holy, and it was not seen as a cynical, political move.

7. Much of what drove the later Crusades were political, not religious. Some kings wanted to gain favor with Rome, while others felt they had claim to the title King of Jerusalem. While religious zeal may have played a role in why they went, the reasons were not wholly religious.

8. The Crusaders who participated in the Sacking of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade were excommunicated.

9. Historians used to believe that part of the motivation for the Crusades was to give rowdy soldiers, and second sons something to do. Some newer evidence suggests that many oldest sons participated in the First Crusades.

10. Women went on Crusade. Queen Elinor of Aquitaine (a fascinating woman who was the Queen of France when she went on Crusade but went on to leave her husband for the King of England) and Margaret of France were just two famous Queens who went to Jerusalem on campaign with their husbands.

11. During the First Crusade, crusaders claimed to have found the Holy Lance, the lance which was said to have been the one which pierced the side of Christ.

12. These campaigns were not always called the Crusades, instead they were sometimes called journeys or pilgrimages.

13. While the Roman Catholic Church most consistently participated, at various points the Eastern Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Russian, and Armenian Christians also participated.

14. The Fourth Crusade is the one that ultimately deepened the divide between the Byzantium Church and the Roman Catholic Church beyond repair.

The Crusades are a fascinating and long period of history that took place on three continents and involved multiple kings and nations. From politics, religions, and personal vendettas, exploring this period reveals the complexities of human nature.

Sources

Asbridge, Thomas. The Crusades The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2010.

Maalouf, Amin. The Crusades through Arab Eyes. New York: Al-Saqi Books,1984.

Madden, Thomas. The Concise History of the Crusades. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publisher, 2013.

Riley-Smith, Jonathan Simon Christopher. The Crusades A History. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005.

Related articles

What Is the Great Schism of 1054?

On a Quest for the Truth of the Holy Grail



Photo credit: Getty Images/appledesign

Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer and editor. She maintains a faith and lifestyle blog graceandgrowing.com, where she muses about the Lord, life, culture, and ministry.
LEWISTON - Have you seen me? The Lewiston Police Department is attempting to locate Dusty P. Funderburg, who has a warrant out for his arrest in Nez Perce County on one count of Rape.

According to police, Funderburg was last known to be living in Lewiston. The warrant is also valid in the surrounding states around Idaho.

If you know of Mr. Funderburg's location, please contact your local law enforcement agency. Do not attempt to apprehend him yourselves. If you have any other information about Mr. Funderberg or his whereabouts, please contact Det. Brian Erickson with the LPD at (208)746-0171 and reference case number 22-L7744.




First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain.





Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that.





And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details.





If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb.

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Thevendrie Brewer, chair of Netcare, today expressed her profound sadness at the passing of the highly regarded South African business leader, Meyer Kahn.

Source: Supplied. The late Meyer Khan.

A distinguished corporate career

A former chair and longstanding member of the board of Netcare, Kahn passed away at the age of 82 at Netcare Milpark Hospital on Thursday, 2 June 2022.We at Netcare mourn the loss of a businessman of immense stature. We have lost not only a talented and highly respected business leader, but a widely admired and courageous fellow South African. The board and the management of Netcare will always be grateful to Mr Kahn for the extraordinary contribution he has made to Netcare during his 17-year long term of office, added Brewer.Fellow Netcare board member and friend, advocate Kgomotso Moroka, remembers Meyer Kahn with deep affection. I got to know Meyer as a university student through my parents who were anti-apartheid activists. Meyer always supported my mothers projects such as the Housewives League and others, and was very involved with the anti-apartheid work both my mother and father did. He was committed to fighting apartheid in the most practical way possible through upliftment and training, she recalls.Meyer Kahn went much further than most white South Africans and truly knew right from wrong. He was a courageous visionary with whom I had many robust arguments. More than anything, he was forthright and spoke his mind and was impassioned about what he believed in. There will never be anyone like Meyer Kahn  he saw the big picture. He believed in people, says advocate Moroka.Meyer Kahns achievements were many and he received numerous awards throughout his career, including being nominated one of the five Top Businessmen in South Africa (1983), Marketing Man of the Year (1987), Business Manager of the Year (1990), and the Award for Business Excellence from the University of the Witwatersrand Business School.He was honoured by the University of Pretoria as Professor Extraordinary and awarded an honorary Doctorate in Commerce. In 2000 he was presented with the South African Police Star for Outstanding Service (SOE).Generations of South Africans benefitted from Meyer Kahns characteristic blend of remarkable business acumen, razor-sharp insights, sociability and forthright nature, comments Netcare chief executive, Dr Richard Friedland.As a longstanding board member and later chair of Netcare, he imparted extraordinary wisdom and was a mentor to so many of us. For those of us who were privileged to engage with him, he was a larger than life, generous person who said it directly and exactly as he saw it. We came to love and respect him.On behalf of the Netcare family I wish to express our sincere condolences to his wife Lynette, his daughters Deanne and Hayley, grandchildren and extended family. Meyer Kahn has left an indelible footprint and enduring legacy in the business landscape of South Africa and will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege to know him, concluded Dr Friedland.Born on 29 June 1939 in Pretoria, Gauteng, Meyer Kahn, BA (Law), MBA (UP), DCom (hc), SOE had a distinguished corporate career. During his lifetime he served on the boards of 16 listed companies and as a trustee of numerous organisations. He was past president of the South African Foundation and was also a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.Meyer Kahn entered the business world in Pretoria as a junior manager with the OK Bazaars retail chain. After rapid progress, he occupied executive positions in both Afcol and Amrel. In 1977, he returned to the OK Group as chief executive officer.He served as group managing director of SABMiller plc (formerly South African Breweries) from 1983 after joining SABMiller in 1966, where he occupied executive positions in several of the retail interests. He was executive chairman of SABMiller plc from 1990 to July 2012 and served as executive director from December 1981 to July 2012.In August 1997, Kahn commenced a two-and-a-half year secondment to the South African Police Service as its chief executive. He co-founded AfroCentric Investment Corporation Limited in 2006 and served as its lead independent non executive director.After serving on the board of Netcare for more than 17 years, he retired from the Board of the company on 31 March, 2018. During this time, he served as chairman of the board from November 2015 until March 2018.
Research supported by Vodacom Foundation, Safaricom and the Vodafone Foundation reveals why donor resources for Africa tend to go to Northern-based rather than African-led civil society organisations. Civil and private sector leaders discussed how Africa can liberate itself from international donor dependency at a recent conference.

Bheki Moyo, director of the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (Capsi)

Sello Hatang, chief executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation

Takalani Netshitenzhe, chief officer of corporate affairs for Vodacom Group and chairperson of the Vodacom Foundation

Among the many devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, approximately 115 million people fell below the poverty line in 2020, according to the World Bank  most of them situated in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.There is little doubt that African countries have been among the hardest hit  but although donor funding increased during the pandemic, just 5.2% of US foundation funding for Africa currently goes to African-led non-profit organisations (NPOs). This is common among Northern-based donors, who prefer to support international organisations with reach and influence, but not necessarily an intimate knowledge of community needs.At the 2022 Trialogue Business in Society conference, civil and private sector leaders discussed how Africa could liberate itself from international donor dependency. Panellists included Bheki Moyo, director of the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI), Sello Hatang, chief executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, and Takalani Netshitenzhe, chief officer of Corporate Affairs for Vodacom Group and chairperson of the Vodacom Foundation.Moyo, co-author of the 2021 research reportfunded by the Vodafone Foundation, says that while 90% of civil society organisations are dependent on international donor funding, we have begun to see a decrease in the inflows of donor funding, attributable to Covid-19 and the need to prioritise the domestic needs of countries. Moyo argued that Africans should heed the decrease in funding inflows as a warning, and focus on domestic resource mobilisation strategies. He also highlighted social entrepreneurship as an opportunity through which organisations can pivot to new ways of generating income.This was echoed by Hatang, who used the Nelson Mandela Foundation as an example of how non- profits can successfully raise funding at home. According to Hatang, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Nelson Mandela Foundation received 80% of its funding from international donors. This changed dramatically in the aftermath of Covid-19, with international funders now contributing only 40% of the foundations budget.The relationship between donors and recipients of donor funding can be fraught with power imbalances. The more funds there are to disperse, the greater the need to ensure transparency and accountability. This can sometimes lead to unnecessary red tape, negatively impacting on the work of civil society.The report findings show that while there is value in philanthropy given its ability be flexible and facilitate risk taking in ways government and other big institutions might not be able to, many smaller organisations do not have the governance, processes and language that they need to access donor funding.Netshitenzhe acknowledges the negative impact power imbalances and bureaucracy can have on the work of civil society, explaining how Vodacom is reducing these as a donor. Our group CEO bemoans the bureaucracy, especially when there is a humanitarian crisis. We have now started simplifying our processing by onboarding as many non-profit organisations as we can in our system, so were able to quickly disperse funds to previously approved NPOs quickly.Netshitenzhe also underscores the value of understanding what each donor and non-profit organisation brings to the relationship, and the importance of honesty and integrity from both parties. We are redefining the relationship with our partner NPOs to create symbiotic relationships. As Vodacom, we are not created to deal with social issues and humanitarian crises, we need delivery partners. The organisations we support know societal challenges because they are on the ground. They are our ears and eyes and they also hold us accountable on promises that we make of creating a better future through sustainable partnerships, she says.In Africa, the private sector is slowly coming to look at NPOs as partners, but there is work to be done  the relationship is still top-down and dictated by the private sector. However, companies and NPOs can collaborate across several areas, particularly corporate social investment, facilitating joint programming that really delivers impact. NPOs can function as a bridge between companies and communities.Moyo says in the ecosystem there are groups holding government and civil society accountable, grassroots groups that are survivalist, and groups that are more research-orientated should all work together for impact. We need to understand and help these groups to create linkages and collaborate to reach sustainability.While South Africa may have a progressive Companies Act when it comes to Corporate Social Responsibility, Moyo says that when it comes to practice, there is still a lot to be done in order for government to facilitate a transformative and an effective way in which organisations need to implement programmes on the ground. We have seen successes in education and health, and we need more examples.
MW Copywriter

Remuneration: cost-to-company Location: Woodstock, Cape Town Education level: Diploma Job level: Mid Own transport required: Yes Job policy: Employment Equity position Type: Permanent Reference: #MWCopywriter Company: King James

Job description

Craft copy thats suited to social formats without sacrificing its quality

Work closely with the creative teams (i.e. designers, art directors etc.); share views and contribute constructively

Collaborate with the broader members of the King James Group to bring value and cohesion

Listen to understand the brief to ensure clarity before undertaking tasks and seek solutions

Understand the importance of on-brand writing and adapting different tone of voice for different clients

Work on small, medium and large projects and invested in final product

Understand relevant social media platforms and tools and understand the fundamentals of great content marketing

Ability to learn (quickly) the latest social media formats, trends and social behaviours of the audience to adapt work and ensure it is relevant

Appreciation of creative strategy and curiosity about how businesses work

Capable of presenting ideas and concepts articulately and confidently to the team

Able to practice cross-channel thinking and contribute creative solutions

Able to come up with exciting and unique ways to manipulate formats and platforms to create ground-breaking work

Ability to advise juniors and offer support

Proofread copy to ensure there are no spelling/grammar/tonal errors

Provide relevant and reasonable feedback and give input

Strategic thinking, analyse situations and respond with solutions

Keep abreast of advertising trends within industry best practices

Understand business context and support Project Management with time estimates

Accountable for (your) timesheets and appreciation of the link to accurate cost & billing

Keep within project and retainer budgets that inform scope of copy

Raise red flags that may impact budget with relevant people at the time theyre spotted

Assist in managing client expectations through Project Management/Client Service

Ability to multitask - work across multiple projects where appropriate and consistently complete work on time

Keep all parties involved and informed and pre-empt problems before they become a major issue

Contribute to co-ordinating, delegating and supporting juniors on different projects

Adhere to team processes and standards, respectful of time

Clear and concise response to internal and client briefs

Understand clients business context and filter work through a lens linked to business objectives

Identify creative opportunities and digital solutions that meet client needs

Work across multiple projects and consistently deliver concepts and content thats on-brand

Understand how businesses work and keep abreast of relevant industry trends across these verticals

Responsible for ensuring a brand-appropriate tone of voice through all digital communication

Tertiary qualification in Copywriting / Digital Copywriting

Proficient in MS Office (i.e. Word, PowerPoint, etc.)

Minimum 3 years working experience as a Copywriter in an Advertising Agency / Digital Advertising Agency

TTL & Digital experience is essential (well versed in Digital)

Sound knowledge and experience in digital writing, an interest in industry trends (i.e. Twitter spaces and the metaverse) and an understanding of principles and best practice

Thorough understanding of social platforms and paid formats

Own social account or regularly consumes social media and is familiar with TikTok or curious about it (beneficial)

An excellent command of the English language (both verbal and written)

Strong presentation skills

Strong time management skills

Strong multitasking skills (ability to work on multiple campaigns/briefs at any given time)

Portfolio demonstrating TTL & Digital work

Team player with the ability to work independently

Able to work under pressure,

Conscientious and accountable for own actions and output

Creative out of the box thinker

Proactive

Resilient

Deadline driven

Confident

Meticulous with attention to detail

Other: Comfortable to work on-site (at King James Office); Comfortable to work alcohol brands; Drivers license with own vehicle

King James Digital - Part of Accenture Song, is seeking an amazing MW (Conceptual) Copywriter to join their Team Social; specialising in building online communities and innovative social/digital campaigns for the worlds leading brands. The successful candidate will be responsible for crafting consistently great content and conceptual social campaigns through applied thinking and an understanding of digital communication.Please submit ato careerskj@kingjames.co.za. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Should you not hear from us within 1 week after submitting your application, kindly consider your application as unsuccessful. Posted on 03 Jun 11:30, Closing date 30 Jun
Senior Digital Strategist

Remuneration: cost-to-company Location: Woodstock, Cape Town Education level: Diploma Job level: Senior Own transport required: Yes Job policy: Employment Equity position Type: Permanent Reference: #SnrDigStrat Company: King James

Job description

Build client relationships at a senior level, consistently deliver strategic counsel that adds value to the clients business

Partner with our clients to build strong, successful brands in the respective category

Demonstrate a clear and in-depth understanding of the clients business and drive advertising that delivers effectively against their business objectives

Help to identify digital strategy and creative opportunities across the Group

Actively work with creative teams to provide a deeper understanding of the brief at hand to successfully deliver stand-out creative and digital work

Provide inspiration from insight and thinking that will give way to ideas that accelerate creative and digital success across clients

Manage information sharing across clients and disciplines to enable creative opportunities to be more easily identified

Assist in selling creative work and ensuring the quality of work

Keep abreast with advertising and digital trends within industry best practice

Drive digital thought leadership within the Group

Contribute to a happy, focused and motivated Strategy department

Support and collaborate with Client Service on a day-to-day basis

Assist in building integrated relationships across the Group

Relevant tertiary qualification in Marketing / Communication

Minimum 5 years working experience as a Digital Strategist in a Digital Agency or an Advertising Agency

Proficient in MS Office (i.e. Word / Excel / PowerPoint etc.)

TTL & Digital experience is essential (well versed in Digital)

An excellent command of the English language (both written and verbal)

Strong research skills (ability to interpret all findings)

Strong time management skills

Strong presentation skills

Ability to multitask (able to work on multiple campaigns at any given time)

Team player with the ability to work independently

Ability to work collaboratively with team members and take feedback and guidance gracefully

Ability to remain calm in a fast-paced environment

Innate sense of curiosity and open to new ideas and new ways of working (and technologies)

Resilient

Confident

Assertive

Reliable

Accountable

Other:

Comfortable to work on-site (King James office)



Comfortable to work on alcohol brands

Are you a creative yet analytical out of the box thinker? Do you think in pictures and then translate these picture insights into campaigns that will exceed client expectations? If this is you, then we want you! King James  Part of Accenture Song, is currently looking for a Senior Digital Strategist to join their amazing team (soon!)Brand Stewardship & Business PartnershipCreative ExcellenceCultureInterested? Please submit a concise CV to az.oc.semajgnik@jksreerac . Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Should you not hear from us within 1 week after submitting your application, kindly consider your application as unsuccessful. Posted on 03 Jun 14:32, Closing date 10 Jul
WHO has been supporting the Government with life-saving supplies for children with severe acute malnutrition and medical complications (Baidoa, 2022). Credit: WHO/Somalia

30 May 2022  Fatima Ahmed Ali and her one-year-old son Abdullahi are just two of many Somalis whose lives have changed due to the ongoing drought in Somalia. This drought is reported to be one of the worst in recent history. Yet, they are among the lucky ones to have received timely medical attention.

Living as a pastoralist in a rural area in Gardo, Puntland, Fatima says they are used to seeing droughts come and go, but this one has been severe. Neighbours are trying to help each other as families are losing all their livestock, while children everywhere are suffering from diseases, many of which are preventable. Several families have no money to support their loved ones, and some do not know where to go if they have nutrition-related health problems, she explains.

Stabilization centres address complications

In April 2022, when Abdullahi fell really ill, a family member took Fatima and her son to a health centre nearby, in Yako. From there, a health worker directed them to the Gardo Stabilization Centre for specialized attention.

At stabilization centres like the one Fatima visited, trained health workers assess the condition of patients, particularly those who are suffering from severe acute malnutrition with medical complications. They stabilize the condition of these severely acutely malnourished children with appropriate feeding, micronutrient supplementation, correction of dehydration status, and appropriate treatment and care for medical complications. WHO is supporting 53 such stabilization centres across the country to treat severely acute malnourished children with medical complications. WHOs support includes training of health care workers on the clinical management of patients and organization of stabilization centres, provision of appropriate medical supplies, such as the severe acute malnutrition kits, and ensuring and monitoring quality of care. In 2021, a total of 14 430 children under 5 received treatment in these stabilization centres, with a 95% cure rate.

Abdullahi was not eating at all before we got here. He had a fever and could not even sleep. I felt really helpless, said Fatima. I am grateful for the support he received at the stabilization centre. After taking medication, Abdullahi was able to rest and eat again.

Fatima hopes to see conditions improve in Somalia, where every year communities face natural disasters. WHOs support to these stabilization centres is saving the lives of thousands of malnourished children who have had medical complications in Somalia, like the son of Fatima.

WHO provides life-saving critical support to save lives

Credit: WHO/SomaliaThe current food insecurity situation in Somalia owing to drought continues to worsen. Four consecutive failed rainy seasons and increasing economic pressures are deepening the severity of needs and driving the country to the brink of famine. An estimated 49% of the population  7.7 million people  require some form of humanitarian or protection assistance, of whom 6.13 million are estimated to be affected by the drought.

Of these 6.1 million people across the country who are food insecure, including nearly 1.7 million who are suffering from extreme levels of hunger, an estimated 1.4 million children under 5 and more than 250 000 pregnant and lactating women will need treatment and care for malnutrition.

WHOs current drought response operations, including its critical life-saving support is funded by the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the European Union and WHOs Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE).

At the household level, due to the ongoing drought in Somalia, WHO supports community health workers to visit families to determine who needs urgent support. In drought-affected areas, they measure the circumference of childrens upper arms to assess their levels of malnourishment, and whether they need to visit stabilization centres for medical attention.

Currently, 1.4 million Somali children are known to be acutely malnourished. The support we are providing has reduced the number of deaths caused by medical complications related to severe acute malnutrition. We have also stepped up our life-saving critical support while responding to this drought, such as expanding access to essential health and nutrition services at the community and primary health centre level, as well as keeping a vigilant eye on diseases that are evolving in epidemic proportions and containing them at source. However, WHO has a funding gap of close to US$ 39 million between now and the end of the year to support, maintain and scale up our life-saving operations. Closing this gap will mean that we are able to prevent excess deaths in a fragile setting suffering one of the worst humanitarian crises in their lifetime, said Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Representative to Somalia and Head of Mission.
Moscow does not trust president Volodymyr Zelensky and his assurances that MLRS Systems supplied by the US will not escalate the conflict in Ukraine.

Kyiv is desperate to have these weapons as the Russians have routed their armies and are giving up and running away. There's nothing to stop Zelensky from creating a wider conflict reaching Russia, which Putin warned with disastrous consequences.

Ukraine Could Start World War 3

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned on Wednesday that Kyiv would attack Russia with rocket launchers despite a warning not to do it from Washington. Peskov mentioned that the Ukrainian leader has not kept his word, reported RT.

Peskov reacted to the United States' judgment to supply Ukraine with multiple HIMRAS rocket launchers. According to US officials, the weapon systems will not be used against targets in Russia.

Washington said it was not involved in the conflict, although supplying arms like MLRS systems to the desperate Ukrainians.

Newsmax spoke to the Ukraine leader who said the assurance of his White House backer would be honored, cited Press United, but that's left to be seen after he allegedly condoned forces using human shields against Russian forces.

In an interview last Wednesday, the ex-comedian said there's no interest in Russia but only in his country. Peskov answered whatever was promised, it is a fact Zelensky has not kept any vow.

He stressed that what Moscow knows of the Ukraine leader Zelensky is otherwise and remarked that in a short period in politics, the ex-comedian allegedly lied on many occasions. Which

Read Also: Vladimir Putin's 'Girlfriend': 5 Things To Know About Alina Kabaeva

One of the biggest ones is that the war would be ended in the southeast part farther from Kyiv.

From Comedian to Politician

Volodymyr Zelensky used to be a comedian who made a political bid in January 2019 for the presidential elections.

He gained traction in the race, partly thanks to a role in a political comedy show in Ukraine by accident and used it to battle institutionalized corruption while taking on global institutions like the International Monetary Fund.

After the 2014-armed coup in Kyiv, the unconventional candidate pledged to resolve with Donbas rebel forces, they turned against the central government, but it was the opposite.

Zelensky received much public support and received over 73 percent of the vote in a second-round runoff against then-President Petro Poroshenko.

After winning, the new leader did not seek peace but instead went after the separatists of the DPR and LPR. Refused to give the recognition promised by the Minsk agreement, which is a peace road map denied to Donbas, followed by attacks in this region.

Kremlin Says Zelensky Cannot Be Trusted

Peskov remarked that trusting the Ukrainian is out of the question. The Kremlin spokesman added that Russia does not believe the US is acting in good faith.

Furthermore, it is the US goading Kyiv to fight back and denies it is waging a proxy war. Washington arms the enemies of Russia and is the promoter of continuing the conflict.

The Russian official stated that the Russian military would exercise caution to counter the risk posed to Russia by American missiles possessed by Ukraine.

Moscow doubts Zelensky and his promises not to fire the MLRS Systems into Russia but will counter the weapons to lessen the danger.

Related Article: US Seeks To Maneuver Taiwan the Same Way as Zelensky in Pushing a Proxy War

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Senior Chinese diplomat talks with South Korean national security advisor over phone

Xinhua) 12:03, June 03, 2022

BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, held a phone conversation on Thursday with Kim Sung-han, director of the National Security Office of South Korea.

Yang, also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, said China and South Korea are both close neighbors and important cooperative partners, adding that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 30 years ago, China has worked hand in hand with successive South Korean governments, and bilateral relations have achieved leapfrog development.

Under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk-yeol, China-South Korea relations had a smooth start since the establishment of the new South Korean government, Yang said.

The senior Chinese diplomat noted that China is willing to work with South Korea to well implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, maintain close communication at all levels, deepen practical cooperation, strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, jointly safeguard genuine multilateralism, properly handle sensitive issues, so as to improve and upgrade the two countries' relations toward a stable and long-term development.

Kim said the new government of South Korea attaches great importance to developing relations with China, and is ready to work together with China and take the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to open a new era of bilateral cooperation.

The two sides also exchanged views on the affairs of the Korean Peninsula and other issues of common concern.

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Bianji)
China alleges to have the only anti-hypersonic missile defense system designed to kill these fast-moving projectiles. Chinese researchers of the PLA report that Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology can determine where one of these weapons capable of Mach 5+ will hit, per South China Morning Post.

Chinese Anti-Hypersonic Missile System

The rocket launches a hypersonic glide vehicle to hit a target. The glide vehicle separates from the missile and travels at least Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound, towards the target, The EurAsian Times reported.

It is extremely difficult to track due to its erratic path and capacity to enter space and re-enter the atmosphere in a short time. The US is scrambling to have one of its own because it has no such weapons.

Beijing is way ahead of the US, and the defense system can guess the best way to intercept a superfast missile and set up a counterattack the three minutes ahead.

The typical missile works within an 8-kilometer (5-mile) target zone, which is relatively small for a weapon able to travel that range in less than two seconds.

Zhang Junbiao, a computer scientist in the early warning intelligence department of the Air Force Early Warning Academy in Wuhan, stated that military powers are currently involved in a fierce arms race in developing hypersonic glide vehicles, presenting new and severe challenges to air and space safety.

Zhang and colleagues published work related to their research, stating that trajectory prediction is critical for combat intent assessment and aerospace defense interception via anti-hypersonic missile defense.

China's claims come on the heels of a concerted effort in the United States to develop and test a hypersonic weapon system capable of matching the functionality of its adversaries, China and Russia.

Read Also: Xi Jinping: 5 Things To Know About China's President

How the US ARRW Works

Meanwhile, the United States recently held an alleged successful test of an Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) hypersonic missile, just days after assessing its Hypersonic Air-Breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC).

Attempts in the United States are continuous, and it will take time until a weapon is developed. Notwithstanding, this has not deterred China's efforts to build a ready the possible defense against it.

Hypersonic glide weapons will keep moving compared to an ICBM as it enters the atmosphere; detection becomes nil, and stopping it will be near impossible. Traveling at Mach 5+ will deter any air defense platform, and none can stop it for now.

Zhang, on the other hand, thinks AI can handle such unpredictable tasks and is creating a defense against an uncertain trajectory and extremely high speed. He suggested that AI can get slight hints from a target with data to predict where a missile will land and its flight path.

Developing a way to interpret the data will not be easy, although data from an early warning system has background noise that can confuse the computer.

The Chinese developer said that a deep AI capable of learning could sort out the noise and target data, similar to a human focus but faster.

A new deep AI can run on a laptop with results in only 15 seconds, said the Chinese study, and it can detect up to speeds of Mach 12.

China claimed last March that it has an anti-hypersonic missile built with Artificial intelligence, with the bonus of designing a new superfast weapon on its own.

Related Article: Chinese Scientists Develop Hypersonic Infrared Homing Missiles That Can Kill F-22 Raptors, Hit Moving Targets

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
National Security Agency (NSA) and US Cyber Command Director Gen. Paul Nakasone told the UK's Sky News on Wednesday, "Weve conducted a series of operations across the full spectrum: offensive, defensive, [and] information operations." This includes "offensive hacking operations" he said.

The director of the National Security Agency, Gen. Paul Nakasone, via AP

Without offering specific details, he continued, "My job is to provide a series of options to the secretary of Defense and the president, and so thats what I do." Importantly, Gen. Nakasone gave the interview from allied Baltic country Estonia, from which other supporting operations including weapons transfers for Ukraine have come.

He spoke of major attempts of the Russians to launch infrastructurally devastating cyberattacks on Ukraine, saying, "And we've seen this with regards to the attack on their satellite systems, wiper attacks that have been ongoing, disruptive attacks against their government processes."

"This is kind of the piece that I think sometimes is missed by the public. It isn't like they haven't been very busy, they have been incredibly busy. And I think, you know, their resilience is perhaps the story that is most intriguing to all of us," he said, describing the Ukrainian response.

As for support the US has given Ukraine in the lead-up to the Russian invasion, the NSA director referenced the following:

Nakasone previously said his agency deployed a hunt forward team in December to help Ukraine shore up its cyber defenses and networks against active threats. But his latest remarks appear to be the first time that a U.S. official said publicly that the U.S. has been involved in offensive cyber operations in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine.

And like any powerful deep state insider of the intelligence community, he referenced alleged Kremlin attempts to influence US elections. "We had an opportunity to start talking about what particularly the Russians were trying to do in our midterm elections. We saw it again in 2020, as we talked about what the Russians and Iranians were going to do, but this was on a smaller scale."

"The ability for us to share that information, being able to ensure it's accurate and it's timely and it's actionable on a broader scale has been very, very powerful in this crisis," he added in the interview.

US Cyber Command specialists were deployed to Ukraine and conducted offensive operations against Russia, its commander and NSA Director General Paul Nakasone said on Wednesday.  CatoTheYounger (@catoletters) June 1, 2022

Despite the whole Russian military and intelligence machine being currently entrenched and busy executing the over 3-month war in Ukraine, the American public is further being told Moscow is now eyeing 'interference' in the upcoming midterms next Fall.

According to The Hill: "Experts have warned that Russia will likely deploy its cyber operations in the 2022 midterm elections, which may take different forms, including disinformation campaigns and election hacking. The experts also said that Russias playbook is to divide the U.S. along party lines and suppress voter turnout." However, it's laughable to think that somehow it takes a foreign actor to "divide" the US "along party lines" - as if this is some new phenomenon.


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Michael Avenatti's prison sentence comes out to be for years in prison for his involvement in defrauding Stormy Daniels, the client who made the ex-lawyer a fixture on cable and a speculative candidate for public office.

Daniels' current lawyer, Clark Brewster, said it has already been three years since his client discovered what Avenatti had done. He added that the regularly accepted theme was that the suspect was a great lawyer, but his legal scholarship based on the cases they took over was in doubt.

Michael Avenatti Prison Sentence

Avenatti, who was seen in beige prison garb over a long-sleeved white T-shirt, entered court shackled at the ankles. The judge denied Avenatti's request to wear a suit to his sentencing hearing.

The former lawyer has been convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for stealing from Daniels, his former client, about $300,000 that she was supposed to receive in connection with a book contract. Prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum that the suspect stole from Daniels to support his own business and fund his lifestyle, as per ABC News.

Prosecutors added that Avenatti did so despite presenting himself to the world as Daniels' champion and defender. It was also despite using that feigned credibility to secure fame and pursue political influence in the United States.

Read Also: US Court Grants Full Freedom to Man Who Tried to Kill Pres. Ronald Reagan

Avenattie allegedly exploited his position of trust and authority as an attorney, forged his client's signature, and lied to his client and others repeatedly and callously for several months. The judge allowed the suspect to serve about half of his sentence at the same time he served prison time for a separate conviction for trying to extort millions from Nike in February 2020.

According to CNN, District Judge Jesse Furman called Avenatti's conduct "so brazen and egregious," adding that the suspect took advantage of a vulnerable victim. The former lawyer is already serving his 30-month prison sentence for his previous crime.

Stormy Daniels Scandal

Avenatti is scheduled to go on trial next month in California on charges that allege he embezzled $10 million in settlement funds from at least five different clients. Authorities also charged him with tax fraud and bankruptcy fraud, but he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Furman said that despite serving part of his four-year sentence with his Nike prison time, he would be required to serve an additional two and a half years afterward. The ex-lawyer was also ordered to pay $148,750 to Daniels and $297,000 to the United States.

During the sentencing hearing, Avenatti choked up at times as he addressed Judge Furman, saying that he has brought embarrassment and ridicule upon himself and innocent third parties, including his family, children, friends, and the legal profession. The individual added that he had destroyed his career, his relationships, and his reputation and had done collateral damage to his family and his life.

Avenatti also added that there was serious doubt as to how or if he will be able to recover any semblance of normal life or peace after serving his prison sentence, the New York Post reported.

Related Article: Johnny Depp Verdict: Legal Experts Reveal 1 Reason Why Amber Heard Lost Defamation Trial



Related Article: Johnny Depp Verdict: Legal Experts Reveal 1 Reason Why Amber Heard Lost Defamation Trial

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Amber Heard has made news for her highly publicized defamation trial against ex-husband Johnny Depp.

The 'Aquaman' actress, who plays Mera in the DC film franchise, alleges she lost multiple movie gigs and endorsement agreements when one of Johnny Depp's attorneys termed her abuse accusations a "hoax." Johnny Depp is suing her for $50 million, while Amber Heard is countersuing for $100 million.

Can Amber Heard Pay Johnny Depp?

Amber Heard's lawyer said Thursday that she could not pay Johnny Depp the $10.4 million she owes him, as insiders informed The Post the actress is "poor" due to costly legal bills involved with the bombshell defamation trial. According to insiders, the 36-year-old actress is in financial trouble as a result of her high-profile legal fight with her ex-husband, including one who blamed Heard's previous excessive spending on travel, clothes, presents, and alcohol.

According to many reports, the 'Aquaman' star was forced to change legal counsel and is now depending on her home's insurance coverage to fund the expense of her current attorneys in the lawsuit. The Travelers Companies has paid most of Heard's legal cost under the actress's insurance coverage provisions. Pamela Johnson, a vice president at the insurance company, was seen in the Fairfax, Virginia, courtroom with Heard several times throughout her trial. Johnson and Travelers did not respond to phone calls from The Post.

In accordance with legal experts, employing house insurance plans in defamation claims is widespread. While the insurance company then hires and pays for the attorney, Virginia lawyer Jeremiah Denton noted that most plans include a language that states that judgment expenses are not covered.

Amber Heard was paid $1 million for the 2018 film 'Aquaman,' and another $2 million for the sequel, which is set to be released next year. Her part in the film has been drastically reduced. Witnesses said that when Depp's lawyer initiated a smear campaign against her, Heard lost many commercial sponsorships, including one with L'Oreal.

Amber Heard reportedly failed to follow through on her commitment to contribute $7 million from Depp's 2016 divorce settlement to the American Civil Liberties Union and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, as per the New York Post.

Amber Heard Net Worth in 2022

According to CelebrityNetWorth.com, Heard is only worth $2.5 million, a far cry from the $150 million that the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' actor is said to be earning. The public defamation trial against her ex-husband revealed how much money she earned. Between 2013 and 2019, Heard earned just $10 million in pre-tax income from movie roles and endorsement deals, according to evidence. Her highest-paid year was 2019 when she earned $3 million.

Heard allegedly had a four-picture agreement with Warner Bros. She was paid $450,000 dollars for her debut appearance in a film, DC's 'Justice League,' and $1 million dollars for her work on the first "Aquaman" film. She was then paid $2 million dollars for its sequel and would have received between $3 and $4 million dollars if she had been hired in a third 'Aquaman' film.

Further evidence indicated that Heard was paid $200,000 each episode to star in 'The Stand,' which was based on Stephen King's horror novel. She earned $1.8 million from the nine-episode series.

Read Also: Jaylen Brown Net Worth 2022: Celtics Star Is Getting Nearly $1 Million as Bonus After NBA Finals Berth

Johnny Depp-Amber Heard Defamation Trial

For six weeks, the defamation lawsuit launched by actor Johnny Depp against his ex-wife Amber Heard captivated the nation, providing a rare example of high-profile #MeToo claims and countercharges, including horrific allegations of physical abuse being fought out in the public spotlight of a courtroom.

Throughout the trial, Depp vehemently disputed Heard's claims that he subjected her to continuous physical violence, including punching and headbutting, as well as multiple instances of sexual assault. Depp praised the jurors in a statement following the judgment, saying it "given me my life back."

Amber Heard, who was in the courtroom when the judgment was given, said afterward that she was "beyond words" devastated by their decision. Heard did not appear encouraged by the jury's decision of $2 million in damages, accepting that she had been defamed on one occasion by a lawyer for Depp. Alafair Hall, Heard's spokesperson, said she planned to appeal.

Such issues are frequently settled outside of court, partly to minimize public scrutiny. The caustic allegations and embarrassing facts, in this case, were aired not only in open court but also in front of cameras that broadcast every accusation on television and live streams, where they became memes and were debated on social media.

Heard's 2018 op-ed never referenced Depp by name, but he said it linked to their marriage, which began in 2015 and ended a little over a year later, and that it was incorrect. The jury agreed, concluding that it contained multiple false assertions made with genuine malice. Several legal analysts were surprised by the judgment, noting that a British judge had determined two years ago that there was proof that Depp had frequently abused Heard.

This decision came in a libel suit launched by Depp after The Sun, a British tabloid daily, referred to him as a wife abuser in a headline. In that case, the judge decided that the defendants had demonstrated that what they published was substantially truthful, New York Times reported.

Related Article: Johnny Depp Verdict: Why Was Amber Heard Awarded $2 Million Despite Depp's Win?

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A shooting during a funeral in southeast Wisconsin on Thursday resulted in multiple people being shot as loved ones were paying their respects to a 37-year-old man.

Racine police told residents to keep away from Graceland Cemetery because of reports that "multiple shots" were fired at around 2:26 p.m. CT. In a statement, police authorities said there were victims in the area, but it remained unknown at the time how many were injured.

Wisconsin Cemetery Shooting

Officials also said that the scene of the crime was still being investigated and was still considered active. A representative of Draeger-Langendorg Funeral Home and Crematory said that gunfire erupted in the area as mourners at Graceland were saying goodbye to Da'Shontay Lucas King Sr.

Police officials had indicated that five people were injured in the shooting, said the funeral home, but the extent of the wounds and the victims' identities were not immediately disclosed. Photographs from the cemetery showed crime scene tape and law enforcement officials around a white casket that had yet to be lowered into its grave, as per NBC News.

The cemetery where the shooting incident occurred in Racine was about 30 miles south of downtown Milwaukee and less than four miles west of Lake Michigan. The incident followed several mass shootings in the United States that have revived talks about gun law revisions.

Read Also: Separate South Carolina Shootings Result in Death of 8-Year-Old, Injury of 13 Others

Ascension All Saints Hospital, located next to the cemetery, said it was treating an undisclosed number of victims from the incident. It was not immediately known if there were any fatalities as a result of the shooting.

According to NPR, the facility went on lockdown "out of an abundance of caution" following the incident, hospital authorities said in a statement. Reports said that area residents said they heard roughly 20 to 30 shots being fired at the cemetery.

A Series of Tragic Shootings

The situation comes as Tulsa Police Department Chief Wendell Franklin identified the four people that were killed during the Wednesday mass shooting. They were 59-year-old Dr. Preston Phillips, 48-year-old Dr. Stephanie Husen, 40-year-old Amanda Glenn, and 73-year-old William Love.

The gunman opened fire at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, medical center and targeted a doctor that he blamed for the pain that he was experiencing after recent back surgery. Franklin noted that the suspect, identified as Michael Louis, focused on Phillips, who was his surgeon.

The chief added that they had a letter on the suspect, which made it clear that he came in with the intent to kill Dr. Phillips and anyone who got in his way. The gunman, who died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, used two recently purchased firearms, including an AR-15-style rifle.

It was only the latest in a series of high-profile shooting incidents in the United States, following the ones from Buffalo, New York, where 10 Black people were shot and killed, and in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 students and two teachers were murdered.

United States President Joe Biden is expected to address the country on Thursday night regarding the series of mass shootings and ramp up his call for Congress to pass "common sense" gun reform measures, USA Today reported.

Related Article: Tulsa Hospital Shooting: Police Report 4 Dead, Multiple Injured After Gunman Opens Fire at Medical Clinic

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A new counselling service that caters to the mental well-being of farmers and their families has made its debut in Manitoba.

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A new counselling service that caters to the mental well-being of farmers and their families has made its debut in Manitoba.

The Manitoba Farmer Wellness program opened its doors March 1, joining several crisis hotlines and helplines available to producers.

SUBMITTED Gerry Friesen, co-founder and CAO of Manitoba Farmer Wellness program, said the support for his new initiative has been overwhelming.

The program is the first of its kind, however, offering a free, one-on-one, long-term counselling service that is operated by former farmers and people with a background in agriculture.

"This program is one step further," said Gerry Friesen, co-founder and CAO of the program. "People that are experiencing overwhelming stress or experiencing any type of mental illness can get some longer-term counselling."

The program kicked off just weeks before producers across the province prepared for their annual seeding process. At the time, no one knew they would be stuck indoors, weeks behind schedule, while the province endured one of its wettest springs on record.

The sodden start to the year ironically followed a summer that plagued farmers with drought, leaving stress levels high in many cases while they endured unfavourable conditions.

Friesen can relate to what many farmers are feeling.

He grew up on a hog and turkey farm before taking it over with his brother in 1983.

Nearing the end of his tenure with the farm, in 2004 he was diagnosed with anxiety and depression after his stress snowballed.

"Stress is huge," he said. "As I, and many others have experienced, if you dont take care of stress, theres a great potential for you to slip into anxiety or depression, and that can lead to a whole host of other issues."

Friesen received a call in January 2021 from his eventual co-founder and now Farmer Wellness counsellor Kim Moffat, who had done some preliminary research about farmers mental health.

She asked the former producer to follow through on the idea of a counselling service for farmers, something Friesen said has been discussed in the community for a decade but has never seemed to gain traction due to a lack of resources.

One of the resources Moffat showed him was a survey conducted by Dr. Andria Jones-Britton in 2015. The study analyzed more than 1,100 responses from farmers across Canada and concluded 45 per cent of respondents had high stress.

Another 58 per cent were classified with varying levels of anxiety, and 35 per cent with depression, according to the study.

Telling of the gap that needed to be filled, 40 per cent of respondents said theyd feel uneasy getting professional help "because of what people might think."

Friesen agreed to start the program under the condition Moffat would join him.

The duo got to work and by late October, they were ready to get things off the ground. The pair began hiring counsellors, fundraising and promoting the business to news outlets, as they targeted an early spring opening.

The first four donations the group received were from different producers across the province.

"That speaks loudly to the fact there are farmers out there who saw the importance of this program," Friesen said.

While the duo struggled with deciding how to structure the business model, Friesen knew he wanted it to stand on two pillars: flexible scheduling to accommodate growers unpredictable agendas, and easy booking.

He has stood by that. Prospective clients can quickly schedule a time to speak by calling one of the four available counsellors after clicking on "book an appointment."

Like any business, Friesen said the start was slow, but has quickly garnered interest, as the program shifts their efforts to making sure farmers and their families are aware of their services.

"Ive been completely overwhelmed by the support weve received," he said.

Friesen couldnt provide the number of clients Farmer Wellness has worked with to date.

He said he anticipates business to pick up in the fall when farmers start to wind down for the year.

Brenna Mahoney, general manager of Keystone Agricultural Producers, is on the programs advisory council.

She said a barrier to farmers reaching out for help is that many people dont know what they deal with each day.

"Theres not a lot of people who understand who they are, what they do, or how personal it is," she said. "Its not just a job, its a lifestyle.

"Farming and the agricultural industry is inherently stressful. When we saw this pilot project, we saw enormous value in it."

Aside from competing in a global marketplace, farmers face supply-chain issues, public pressure and the challenges of a day-to-day business.

"We have a cultural shift going on in agriculture that is recognizing that mental wellness is part of running a successful business."

Mahoney emphasized the importance of making sure there are Manitoba farmers today and tomorrow.

"Its OK to not be OK," Friesen said. "Its OK to reach out for help. I know from my own personal experience that theres hope and relief."

In times of crisis, people in rural areas are encouraged to call the Manitoba Farm, Rural and Northern Support Services line at 1-866-367-3276.

 jfrey-sam@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @jfreysam
Almost half of the physicians in Prairie Mountain Health are reporting burnout from job demands and a lack of resources, according to the preliminary results of a study looking specifically at the health region.

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FILE The entrance to the emergency room at Brandon Regional Health Centre is shown. A study found that half of physicians in Prairie Mountain Health are feeling burnt out, in part due to overwhelming job demands.

Almost half of the physicians in Prairie Mountain Health are reporting burnout from job demands and a lack of resources, according to the preliminary results of a study looking specifically at the health region.

The study, conducted in partnership with Prairie Mountain Health and Doctors Manitoba, indicated 49 per cent of respondents reported experiencing high or very high levels of burnout.

One of the driving factors reported is excessive job demands, such as working more than 40 hours a week (60 per cent reported) and being on call for more than 60 hours a week (52 per cent reported).

Abuse and mistreatment were also included, with 49 per cent reporting mistreatment by patients, 39 per cent by workplace colleagues and 26 per cent by workplace leadership.

The survey included 118 people, of which 46 per cent identified as male, 54 per cent as female and most respondents were between 35-64 years of age, with 39 per cent working in hospital-based settings.

There are 271 physicians working in PMH, according to the study.

On a positive note, 83 per cent are satisfied with their career choice, 88 per cent say they have supportive colleagues, 77 per cent say they believe they are free to ask questions and raise concerns and 73 per cent say they had a sense of co-operation.

While 88 per cent reported having supportive colleagues, 52 per cent still said they feel isolated in their job and their workplaces lack social supports. This statistic was most prevalent among physicians aged 25 to 34.

These findings are part of a progress report known as a community of practice hub and the regional health authority has been a strong active partner in gathering information, said Keir Johnson, director of strategy and communications for Doctors Manitoba.

Prairie Mountain Health is one of three health regions that has been collecting data since 2020 to improve physician health and wellness.

"We are really excited that Prairie Mountain Health has been an active partner," Johnson said. "I think all of the partners recognize that recruitment and retention of doctors is difficult at any point, but there are unique difficulties for rural and northern Manitoba."

The other two hubs are the Northern and Interlake Eastern health regions.

Much of the burnout reported can be traced back to physician health and wellness. Recent incidents such as emergency room closures due to staffing issues are the end result of this burnout, Johnson said.

Overall, he said this is to make sure regions have enough physicians to meet the medical needs of the people living there. To do that, they must determine why physicians are experiencing burnout, anxiety and depression. A holistic approach is going to be needed to address those issues.

While 49 per cent of physicians reporting burnout is striking, he said it is consistent with what Doctors Manitoba has been hearing from physicians across the province. What they are seeing in this preliminary data is the driving factors of that burnout.

The national average reported burnout for physicians is 39 per cent, which is listed in the survey for context.

Burnout among physicians was already an issue before the pandemic in Manitoba. Johnson said this was not well-known to the public, but the pandemic brought more attention to it and its no surprise the numbers have worsened since the pandemic.

One aspect physicians are reporting as a concern is that they are not as involved in decision-making as they once were. The centralization of health care is leaving physicians feeling theyre bound to decisions they may not completely agree with, leaving little to no flexibility in caring for their patients.

That feeling is not unique to Manitoba or Prairie Mountain Health, as it is an issue across North America, Johnson said. However, it is contributing to burnout.

The data is showing why retention is such an issue, he said, and whose fault it is, is difficult to answer.

"In short, its everyone and no one," he said. "This helps everyone from employers to communities to see what is needed, especially for the younger physicians, to want to practise in a rural or northern setting. For many of them, they have to be entrepreneurs, they are starting families and buying a house. All the things young people can expect, but they have the added stress of practising medicine."

Solutions put forth by physicians are listed in the survey. Among them is addressing workload distribution, training leaders to listen to, involve and empower physicians, increasing communication and transparency from leaders, enhancing communication between colleagues and educating patients about the health-care system, as well as avoiding misinformation.

The Sun contacted Prairie Mountain Health for comment, but was told CEO Brian Schoonbaert and other contacts were meeting with stakeholders about other issues and would be unable to comment by press time.

This partnership was funded by a $1-million grant from Scotiabank and was performed in collaboration with the Canadian Medical Association and MD Financial Management.

 kmckinley@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @karenleighmcki1
Billionaire Andrew Twiggy Forrests energy venture has warned against green-lighting new gas fields to tackle unfolding price shocks, arguing its plan to import liquefied-gas shipments will be a better short-term solution that wont prolong the use of planet-heating fossil fuels.

The mining magnates privately owned Australian Industrial Energy, which is building the nations first import terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments at Port Kembla near Wollongong in NSW, is aiming to begin supplying gas into New South Wales and Victoria from as early as 2023.

Squadrons LNG import facility is being built at a former coal terminal at Port Kembla.

As authorities issue alerts over dangerously low gas reserves across the nations southern states, Australian Industrial Energy chairman John Hartman said the Port Kembla floating import terminal offered the best solution for energy security and the climate.

We strongly warn against the approval of new gas projects, such as those proposed by Santos and Woodside, Hartman said.
Its winter and the only way out from under the ceaseless grey sky hereabouts is to drive and drive and drive some more  north or west or, best yet, north-west. So Im putting new tyres on the 4x4. All-terrain tyres that will take me on tracks travelled by misanthropes and people born too late. Ill go out through the APY lands and into the Great Victoria Desert among the red dunes.

It will be cold in the desert. Ill cook on a fire at night while dingoes furred for frost circle my camp and bemoan their lot with canine melodrama that would shame a soprano. I knew a man who got fed up with being surrounded and heckled by dingoes while camping with his family out on the Palmer River. Lit by lantern and inspired by beer, he rigged up a Heath Robinson dingo trap using his esky, a compressor, Occy straps, and pot roast leftovers as bait.

Credit:

The lid of the esky was supposed to clamp down on the dingos head and grip it behind the ears. But anyone whod beheld this mans son assailing takeaway wouldve known he was in greater danger than any wild dog. The porky lad was trapped just before sun-up, with a loud clattering of pans and oaths. He was unharmed and unashamed, and upon release he was gifted the pot roast leftovers by his mother as reparations. Thats how bad modern parenting has become. Swine are routinely rewarded.

Deep into Western Australia Ill turn south and the dunes will turn white as I hit the coast west of where deserters murdered John Baxter. Natives, his memorial plaque calls them. Baxter was transported for 17 years for receiving a stolen brooch. I bet he grumbled about that. Anyone would  two decades for fencing a bauble seems steep. But it was the best thing that couldve happened to him, the penal system working its magic. He became an explorer. History says he was generally well-behaved, excepting wild binges on rum and brandy. I like the sound of Baxter, and Ill binge mildly in his memory as I watch the whales. He was the first white man to lay his bones on the Nullarbor.
While royal commentators noisily fuel the competition between the always appropriate Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and the luxe Calabasas cool of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Princess Beatrice has steadily become a fashion frontrunner with cool choices that almost erase her past sartorial errors.

Princess Beatrice arrives at the Service of Thanksgiving on June 3, 2022. Credit:Getty Images

Attending Fridays Service of Thanksgiving for the Queens Platinum Jubilee, Beatrices belted pale blue dress with pearl buttons from Beulah London and matching hat place her in prime princess position.

The flame-haired 33-year-old became the butt of toilet hat jokes following her appearance at the wedding of Prince William and Kate in 2011, wearing an excessively original hat by Irish milliner Philip Treacy. But the 10th in line to the throne has emerged from marriage and motherhood with an eye for designer labels that combine youthful flair with the subdued sensuality required for a granddaughter of the Queen.
At Lattoufs suggestion, were eating lunch at La Shish, a Lebanese restaurant in Guildford, the western Sydney suburb where she grew up. Guildford has one of the countrys highest concentrations of Arabic-speaking refugees, and its where Lattoufs parents settled after fleeing Lebanons sectarian civil war in the 1970s. This is very familiar territory for me, she says. When I arrive, Lattouf has already ordered an array of dishes for us to share. Eager to show off the range of their menu, the restaurant staff bring out even more courses during our interview  enough, indeed, to feed a hungry family. Theres fried cauliflower and vine leaves, lamb skewers and fattoush salad. The food at La Shish, a Lebanese restaurant in Guildford, is both plentiful and delicious. Credit:Louie Douvis Lattouf insists I try her favourite menu item, sambousek: fried pastries filled with ricotta and feta cheese, plus another serving filled with minced meat and pine nuts. The food is delectable as well as plentiful. Lattouf says she decided to become a journalist in primary school, for reasons that remain somewhat mysterious to her. There wasnt anyone around me who had been to university, wasnt anyone who was a professional. I just knew I wanted to be a storyteller.

When she told her high school careers adviser that she wanted to study journalism at a top university, the adviser replied that the local TAFE might be a more realistic option. Incensed at being encouraged to stymie her ambition, she moved to a selective public school and made it into the University of Technology Sydneys highly regarded journalism program. Throughout my life, Ive had to fight for everything, she says when I ask where she gets her gutsy attitude, her willingness to challenge authority. Im the fifth of seven children so I had to fight for the slice of pizza on the table. I had to fight to be heard because I was a female in a very patriarchal Arab family and was brought up to believe marriageability was my biggest currency. My father said to me: no one will like a woman like you with so many opinions. Loading Lattouf says it can be uncomfortable to be her friend or boss: she challenges people on their racial blind spots and expects those around her to work at self-improvement. Even in writing this book, there are a couple of friends Im no longer in contact with, but thats OK, she says. Last year, Lattouf called out the Kennedy Awards  which recognise excellence in NSW journalism  on Twitter for a 60-person judging panel that included five white men named Peter but only 15 women and no people of colour. Among the white judges was her boss at the time.

In her book, she criticises Waleed Aly for a controversial 2017 interview in which The Project host questioned the credibility of former Collingwood player Heritier Lumumbas claims he had suffered racial abuse, including being called a chimp, at the club. Lattouf notes that she considers Aly a friend and he sits on the board of Media Diversity Australia, but she felt it important to make her objections known. Lattouf notes that while white Australians sit at the top of the racial hierarchy, they do not have a monopoly on racism. For example, she writes in her book that some Arab Australians  including members of her own family  hold discriminatory views towards Indigenous Australians and African migrants. And she doesnt exempt herself from criticism. If Im asking white people to hold themselves, their families and their employers accountable, I have to do the same, she says. We need radical honesty and self-accountability. When Lattouf was preparing to launch Media Diversity Australia, then-ABC host Yassmin Abdel-Magied was under attack for posting LEST. WE. FORGET. (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine ...) on her Facebook page on Anzac Day in 2017. Lattouf and co-founder Isabel Lo decided to not speak out to defend Abdel-Magied because they feared they would become targets for abuse themselves and damage the brand of their fledgling organisation. After receiving deaths threats Abdel-Magied left Australia for London and recently told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age she is considering giving up her Australian citizenship. Its something I regret, its something where I was a bad ally, Lattouf says of her silence. I put my own self-interest ahead of doing what was right. I wasnt prepared to lose friends or career opportunities.

The receipt for lunch at La Shish, in Guildford. Credit:Louie Douvis People of colour, she says, are often punished mercilessly for speaking out while white people find it much easier to find forgiveness. Thats why Lattouf stayed silent in 2019 when Kerri-Anne Kennerley humiliated her live on-air for wearing a short white playsuit. Did you forget your pants today, Kennerley asked, before describing Lattouf as thirsty. Only a few months earlier, presenter Yumi Stynes, who is of Japanese heritage, had accused Kennerley of sounding racist during a discussion about Australia Day and sexual abuse in remote Aboriginal communities. I saw the disproportionate backlash directed at Yumi and the poor white woman sympathy that Kerri-Anne got, Lattouf says. I knew that she was denigrating me on air and it was awful but if I pushed back, Id probably be framed as the angry brown woman and slut-shamed further. One of us would come out unscathed, and it wouldnt be me. How to Lose Friends and Influence White People by Antoinette Lattouf.

She has found that challenging white dominance can lead to backlash from surprising places. In 2020, Media Diversity Australia published Who Gets to Tell Australian Stories?, a major report on cultural and linguistic diversity in Australian television news and current affairs. This study found that only 6 per cent of television presenters, commentators and reporters have an Indigenous or non-European background compared to 24 per cent of the population. All of the countrys free-to-air television national news directors were white men. Lattouf had expected hostility from conservative shock jocks and complaints from commercial television executives. But she was shocked to find one of the reports most vocal critics was a former journalist whom Lattouf had considered a mentor: they had even attended each others weddings. In social media comments sections, the former mentor labelled the report junk because of its estimates (drawn from the Australian Human Rights Commission) about how many Australians have an Anglo-Celtic background. He then published a piece in The Australian attacking the report. I cried because I was so disappointed and hurt, Lattouf writes in her book. I cried because I thought he was an ally and friend. Lattouf has now stepped back from operational duties at Media Diversity Australia and is working on journalistic projects that have nothing to do with race. Do I see my life and my future as an anti-racism diversity advocate? No, because I never sought to be one in the first place. Im looking forward to going back to being a journalist and a storyteller, she says. While the Australian media still lags countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada in terms of diversity, she sees promising signs of improvement. For example, the ABC, Channel Nine and Channel Ten breakfast programs now have Indigenous co-hosts in Tony Armstrong, Brooke Boney and Narelda Jacobs respectively. There is a renewed interest and appetite for change, Lattouf says. People are not necessarily ready to take everything on, but theres less defensiveness. I think there is a change and Im excited about it.
Residents on Sydneys north-western outskirts have criticised the state governments sluggish response to fixing roads and riverbanks that washed away when the area flooded in March for the third time in as many years.

Labor Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman told a parliamentary inquiry on Friday that the floods had gouged massive holes from the banks of the Hawkesbury River, while some roads just dont exist anymore. She said the destruction was taking a large toll on residents and small business owners who were struggling to operate turf farms, caravan parks and ski parks along the waterway.

The Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman at the inquiry on Friday. Credit:Anna Kucera

Turf farmers are suffering physical and mental health consequences, not just as a result of the natural disaster, but of the very slow response that has been delivered to them, she said.

If it had been fixed in 2021, we would not be looking at giant, cavernous holes where pasture and road should be.
An infamous Berejiklian government grants scheme that resulted in millions of dollars flowing mostly to Coalition electorates has been described by the head of the NSW corruption watchdog as blatant, politically motivated pork-barrelling.

Independent Commission Against Corruption chief commissioner Peter Hall said the $250 million Stronger Communities fund had clearly crossed the line, while another legal expert said the process was an appalling indictment on the integrity of the NSW government.

ICAC Chief Commissioner Peter Hall hosted a special public forum on pork-barrelling on Friday. Credit:Janie Barrett

Hall said he believed there needed to be a tightening of pork-barrelling laws.

A host of legal and government experts examined the use of pork-barrelling in NSW as part of an ICAC-convened forum on Friday, and discussed whether the process  once accepted and even celebrated by state ministers  should even be considered legal, as it currently is.
Queensland doctors and hospital staff have been warned to watch for signs of monkeypox after a case was detected in a man who had visited the state recently.

But Health Minister Yvette DAth ruled out the need for a vaccination push at this stage, saying authorities were confident they could jump on any outbreaks.

The alarm was raised when a man in his 50s developed symptoms after arriving in Sydney from Queensland.

The disease causes painful blisters on the extremities as well as fever and swollen lymph nodes.
As the Russian invasion enters its 100th day, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky claims that Russian soldiers have taken 20% of his country's land. He told parliamentarians in Luxembourg that the front line stretched for more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles).

Russian soldiers have increased their attacks on the city of Severodonetsk in the eastern Donbas area. According to UK defense authorities, Russia has captured the majority of the city and is making steady local gains thanks to a huge concentration of artillery.

Russia Controls 20% of Ukraine

Severodonetsk is Ukraine's easternmost city, and regional governor Serhiy Haidai claimed Russia was attempting to breach the city's defenses from all sides.

He did, however, say that Ukrainian soldiers were carrying out counter-attacks, driving back the enemy on several streets and seizing numerous prisoners. He also stated that intense street-to-street combat in the city had impeded evacuations, calling such operations very risky.

Zelensky stated in a video speech late Thursday evening that the situation in Donbas had not altered dramatically that day but that Ukrainians had had some success in fights in Severodonetsk.

Around 15,000 citizens are still stranded in the city, with many taking refuge inside the enormous Azot chemical facility. Zelensky accused Russia of insanity on Wednesday after its forces reportedly targeted the location during an artillery bombardment, according to BBC.

Ukraine anticipates additional weaponry from partners following a new US vow, President Volodymyr Zelensky said as the struggle for Ukraine's east entered its 100th day. Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko reported late Thursday that three civilians were murdered, including two in the coal-producing town of Avdiivka, and nine others were injured.

Russia claims to be conducting a special military campaign to disarm and destabilize its neighbor. Ukraine and its supporters call this a bogus excuse for a conflict that has killed hundreds, leveled cities, and pushed nearly 6 million people to migrate to other countries.

The conflict and the Western sanctions implemented in response are having an impact on the global economy, which is still struggling with the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak. Russia has blocked Ukrainian agriculture exports and exacerbated the global food crisis by controlling several of Ukraine's largest seaports and crucial Black Sea shipping routes.

On Thursday and Friday, UN assistance director Martin Griffiths will visit Moscow to talk with Russian authorities about how to clear the way for grain and other food shipments from Ukraine's Black Sea ports, as per NDTV.

Read Also: Biden Claims US Not Seeking Regime Change for Russia, Focus on Aid for Ukraine

Ukrainian Soldiers' Death

Ukraine is losing up to 600 men daily, including 100 dead in combat, according to President Zelensky, who provided the clearest indication of the blood debt his force is incurring to repel the Russian invasion. The situation in Donbas, where the toughest fighting is taking place, is very challenging,' according to Zelensky, but his forces are holding our defensive perimeter despite recent advances by Putin's men.

The struggle for Donbas has mainly devolved into brutal trench warfare, with Ukraine creating defenses that are pummeled by Russian artillery before forces try to surge through breaches in the line, reminiscent of First World War battlefields. Ukraine has been imploring friends for superior artillery to fire back against Putin's soldiers, with Joe Biden saying on Tuesday that America will be deploying powerful rocket weapons to help in the conflict.

The most intense battle is presently taking place in Severodonetsk, which is now largely under Russian control. Capturing it completely would put Putin's forces on the verge of capturing the Luhansk region, one of his primary military objectives. Ukrainian soldiers are suffering serious losses in the region. Neil Hauer, a writer who has spent time on the frontlines, reported that one soldier he is in contact with witnessed 56 soldiers killed in a recent cycle to the front in a 60-man unit.

However, the conflict is taking its toll on Russian soldiers as well. Though their tactics have improved since the bungled takeover of Kyiv, Putin's generals are up against Ukrainians who are better equipped and prepared than they were in the early days of the war, Daily Mail reported.

Related Article: Russia War: Joe Biden Knows the Risks of Sending Rocket Weapons to Ukraine Amid Crisis

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Busting out the bunting for his annual Queens birthday window display is one thing. But for British-born butcher Rob Boyle, the Queens Platinum Jubilee decorations have taken his window display at his Dandenong butcher shop to the next level.

The window at Robs British Butchers, in Melbournes south-east, is bursting with bunting and comes complete with plates featuring the Queens face, as well as puppets of the Queen.

English-born Rob Boyle and his wife Jill are in full celebration mode at their butcher shop. Credit:Joe Armao

Boyle has created his own jubilee sausages: a platinum pork piccalilli and an aptly named Queens tipple, a herbed pork with thyme, basil and sage.

His staff have also made batches of Battenberg cakes, Bakewell tarts and Eccles cakes.
Brighton Secondary College principal Richard Minack legitimised anti-Semitism at the school with a speech in which he referred to Jews as subhuman, a court was told on Friday.

Esther Meltzer worked at private Jewish school Leibler Yavneh College as the deputy principal wellbeing officer when Liam Arnold-Levy arrived there after leaving Brighton Secondary College.

Former Brighton Secondary College students Matt Kaplan and Liam Arnold-Levy have accused the school of ignoring complaints of anti-Semitism. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

Arnold-Levy is one of five Jewish students suing the state and Brighton Secondary College for negligence and failing to protect them from racial discrimination.

In the Federal Court this week, Arnold-Levy claimed that during his time at Brighton Secondary College he was subject to daily anti-Semitic verbal, physical and emotional abuse and left the school after an alleged knife attack in the school toilets.
The new aged care minister will begin looking at the prospect of using migration to help fill tens of thousands of vacancies across the sector as both unions and providers call for permanent residency for imported staff.

Anika Wells said with borders now open, she would work with Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to develop policies to allow the recruitment of overseas workers to meet the projected increased demand for labour and address genuine and persistent skill shortages in the industry.

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells will consult with providers and unions about bringing in workers from overseas. Credit:James Brickwood

While recruitment of Australians to fill roles in the aged care sector is a priority for the government, migration has historically played a role in the aged care workforce and will continue to play a role in future, Wells told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

The crisis-plagued sector has haemorrhaged workers, with previous border closures worsening skills shortages and the army being called in to help manage facilities during the pandemic.
New federal Education Minister Jason Clare says he is not interested in stoking culture wars over the national curriculum and has pledged to be a strong defender of teachers after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton vowed to reignite the values debate over what students are taught.

Clare, who was Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses surprise pick for the education ministry, took the reins this week after a turbulent period that saw the portfolio change hands twice during the COVID-19 pandemic under the Morrison government.

New federal Education Minister Jason Clare returned to his old stomping ground, Cabramatta Public School, on Friday and paid a visit to his former teacher Cathy Fry and her grade 2 class. Credit:Janie Barrett

Speaking on his third day in the job, Clare sought to draw a line under the curriculum battles that raged during the last parliament, which saw then-ministers Alan Tudge and Stuart Robert lead a successful push for the new syllabus to elevate the study of Australias Western and Christian heritage.

Im not interested in picking fights. Im interested in making sure that the education system gets stronger and that were making sure kids get the best education possible, Clare said in an interview with this masthead on Friday.
Anthony Albanese allowed himself a moment of I told you so indulgence this week when he formally welcomed his Labor team back into government, after nine years in the wilderness. He told the caucus room it was his idea to launch their election campaign in the former Liberal heartland of Perth.

Not everyone [of his advisers] was rapt, Albanese revealed. But wasnt that a good call in WA? So we have an opportunity to shape the future from this position. By this position, he meant the privilege of a two-seat majority on the floor of the House of Representatives. The four seats Labor seized from the Liberals in Perth were, in the end, the difference between minority government and power in its own right with 77 seats out 151 in the lower house.

Illustration: Simon Letch Credit:

Every incoming prime minister could be forgiven a small moment of self-praise. But no one likes a show-off. And Albanese cannot afford to misread a victory that involved a historic collapse in the primary votes of both main parties as vindication for his own world view.

The new PM would recall his predecessor Scott Morrisons equivalent shout-out to the other frontier state on election night in 2019, when he declared how good is Queensland? Morrison believed he had single-handedly navigated the Coalition to the electoral high ground of regional and outer suburban Australia, where Labor could never threaten his haul of 77 seats. Yet, he destroyed the Liberal Partys institutional base in the capitals with a re-election campaign that was both wilful in its divisiveness, and clueless about the national mood for a new type of politics.
Singapore/Dili: East Timor will sign agreements with Beijing covering air services, healthcare, economic and technical cooperation, ending Foreign Minister Wang Yis tour of the region with a swag of new deals.

Landing in Dili on Friday afternoon, Wang was expected to sign off on the pacts driven by East Timorese Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak who is looking to leverage infrastructure investment from Australia, Japan and China. Timorese government figures confirmed the deal would also include an agreement with Chinese state TV to digitise the countrys national radio and television services, expanding Chinas reach just as the ABC prepares to step up its presence in the Pacific.

Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Credit:AP

Jose Ramos Horta, who was re-elected as president in March, has been keen to maintain Dilis connection to Beijing. The presidents palace, the Foreign Ministry, the Defence Ministry and major shopping centres in the capital were built with Chinese investment. A commercial port built by a Chinese state-owned company less than 700 kilometres from Darwin is also set to open later this year.

Horta thanked Xi Jinping in May for his strong support for East Timors nation-building process. The country has large gas and oil reserves, but major mining companies have described the environment as too challenging, forcing it to turn to Chinese state-backed firms to fund the Timor GAP facility.
Wang first got Pacific Island nations offside by attempting to go around the Pacific Islands Forum in Suva. Instead of going through the historic and occasionally chaotic secretariat, China chaired its own meeting, pulling a dozen countries into its orbit rather than engaging with theirs. Then it attempted to ram through a 10-country proposal in a matter of days, misjudging the careful and patient diplomacy required to navigate an area that spans three million kilometres, 13 million people and hundreds of distinct cultures. It was too big a fruit, too quickly pursued, says Dr Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing. The international hurdles and the local domestic complications are more severe than they realised. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrives at Honiara in the Solomon Islands. Credit:SIBC Few countries send their foreign minister without a deal already sewed up, but for China, it unravelled further from there.

Samoas Prime Minister Fiame Mataafa was direct in her feedback to Beijing. You cannot have regional agreements if the region has not met to discuss it, she said. To be called into discussion and have an expectation that there will be an outcome was something we could not agree to. Loading Wang, who committed an unprecedented 10 days to the region as foreign minister, will leave for Beijing this weekend with a swag of previously negotiated bilateral deals and little else to show for it. Chinas Foreign Ministry miscalculated, according to one of its closest observers. This unsuccessful attempt will make the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan at least do more in that region to check China, says Shi. The strategic competition will be far from easy for both sides.

The Pacific now finds itself in the middle of this great power struggle. A vast, poorly understood and increasingly vital region, it sits in a strategic zone between China, the United States and Australia. This group of a dozen nations showed this week that despite their small economic heft, they carried enough diplomatic unity to navigate the ambitions of the worlds next great superpower and its rivals. Henry Puna, the former prime minister of the Cook Islands - a nation of 18,000 people - and current secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum, said on Monday the Pacific was well aware of the increasing intensity, of geopolitical manoeuvring in our region today. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong meets with Henry Puna, the secretary-general of the Pacific Island Forum, on Thursday. Credit:Getty Images The onus is on us, and our partners, to genuinely engage to better navigate these relationships in our best interest as sovereign countries, but more so, bearing in mind that as a collective, we are stronger and more effective, he said. Puna knows that a divided Pacific is a weak Pacific. China has Tonga up to its eyeballs in $180 million of debt. Kiribatis government is teetering on the edge of approving a Chinese-built runway halfway between Asia and the US west coast. And PNG faces the turmoil of an election in a months time, with thousands of police body armour sets and a $200 million offer for a Chinese fisheries park in Daru on the table.

Puna told Pacific Island countries that despite Chinas attempts to woo each of them individually, any regional deal had to be made through consensus. Loading We should not be distracted but rather, we should ensure that our forum leaders vision for our region, drives all our effort and our collaboration, he said. The unity appears to have paid off. In Beijings updated position paper - rushed out within hours of the trade and security deal failing to pass - there are commitments for China to appoint a special envoy for Pacific affairs, provide funding for climate change mitigation, send medical teams to the region and establish more than 5000 training places. All the economic and humanitarian pledges are met, but with none of the policing, cybersecurity and data-sharing attachments in Chinas Common Development Vision. Puna was very much exercising the essential spirit of Pacific regionalism, says Dr Tess Newton Cain, an associate professor at the Griffith Asia Institute who has lived in Vanuatu for 20 years.

Even if the forum may look shaky what it really comes down to is, we work together, we build consensus. Loading This is a process that takes time. People that want to work with us need to realise that this is the way we do things, and were not about to change the way we do things. Were not about to be railroaded into things that we dont know, that we dont feel comfortable with. I think its been a huge lesson for China. But I think it should also be a lesson for everybody that if you want to work with Pacific states and their leadership, this is the way things are done. Newton Cain says suggestions that the Pacific knocked back the deal thanks to lobbying by Australias foreign minister are misguided.

I just dont see that thats true, she says. I think whats important is that the new government has recognised the importance of being present in the region. The $500 million Pacific step-up was the Morrison governments signature foreign policy, but it failed to make substantial inroads because of the Coalitions aversion to climate change action - an existential threat to the Pacific. COVID-19 also forced much of its diplomatic engagement onto Zoom. Through circumstance and other priorities, Marise Payne only made a handful of visits to the Pacific in her four years as foreign minister. Wong has been to three Pacific countries in her first 10 days in office. What was noticed in Suva, Apia and Nukualofa was the change in tone delivered by Wong - and her ability to prosecute arguments that mattered to Pacific island nations without having to water them down when she returned home. She did not hesitate in Apia on Thursday when asked what policy area she was itching to change now she was in office after nine years in opposition: climate.

I spent a lot of years trying to change our countrys position, she said. I have two daughters. I would like us to be able to say to our children that we did something. I think that matters. Mataafa, the Samoan Prime Minister, was diplomatic. Were very pleased in Samoa and no doubt in the Pacific region that with the new Australian government, the policy shift brings them closer to alignment with Pacific advocacy, she said. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong (right) holds a joint press conference with Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa in Apia, Samoa. Allan Behm, Wongs former senior adviser, says Wong is a natural conciliator, particularly when dealing with disparate cultural and political agendas. Penny is naturally good at negotiating through that kind of cultural mix, he says.

Shes very natural, for example, as a person born in Sabah, Malaysia, in dealing with the cultural mixes of Southeast Asia, shes perfectly at home in that. So, shell bring that talent I think, into the way in which she conducts Australias relations in the Pacific. Shes extremely good at identifying what her particular policy interests might be. In listening to what her interlocutors my particular policy interests are, and then looking for bridges between them, looking for convergence, looking for where Australia and whoever it is might meet. But her thinking is always: how do we get the best mutual deal out of this, which has got some chance of sticking for the longest period of time? Behm, now with the Australia Institute, believes the government has its work cut out for it to mend ties after years of regional negligence.

Australia has a capacity for considerable condescension in the Pacific and the language we often use is regarded as being offensive, he says. Loading Newtown Cain agrees that even terms like the Pacific family harnessed by Payne and now Wong should be reconsidered. You never hear the same about Asian partners, she says. It can be used in a way that some of my Pacific colleagues feel is a bit patronising. Its like we have to have a different way of talking about the Pacific than we would about people from Europe or people from Asia or people from North America. Its got to be different because theyre somehow not on the same level. Part of the challenge is the chronic under emphasis on the Pacific Islands in Australian education systems. There is only one university in Australia that offers Pacific studies at the degree level, ANU. Pacific education in high school starts and ends at the Kokoda track.

Australians overall awareness and understanding of the Pacific and Pacific Island people is just starting to get past a few of those tropes around they all play rugby or they are all corrupt, says Newton Cain. We need to really engage with the diversity of the region. Loading China for its part is pursuing another type of engagement. When Wang landed in East Timor on Friday he could visit not only the Chinese built Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Presidential Palace but also by the largest shopping centres in Dili, many of them operated by Chinese businesses. The same model has spread throughout the Pacific, concentrating Chinese commercial power before diplomatic overtures are made. The state-backed model is one that Australia cannot compete with because few Australian businesses are willing to take on the commercial risks of operating in poorly regulated markets outside of mining and other high-risk, high-profit industries. East Timors President Jose Ramos Horta asked in May why anyone thought he would not take on investment from both sides. It would be a total mistake not to have a good relationship with China, he said.

Locals, worried that the Chinese business influx will take away their share of the market, are not so sure. Dili businessman Mateus da Costa says he feels this is a new invasion of the Chinese people through their economic activities. Credit:Raimundos Oki Businessman Mateus da Costa says he feels very threatened all this time because almost all corners of Dili and in various municipalities have been controlled by Chinese businessmen. I feel this is a new invasion of the Chinese people through their economic activities, but our government has remained silent so far. It has to be well regulated, our indigenous people can also do small businesses like this, he says. When they come here, they have to make a big investment in order to create new job opportunities, not to take away small business activities like this.
Russian forces now occupy one-fifth of his countrys territory, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says, offering a startling perspective on how the biggest international conflict in Europe since World War II has sundered a nation on the borders of the European Union and NATO.

If you look at the entire front line, and it is, of course, not straight, this line is more than a thousand kilometres, Zelensky said in a video address to the parliament of Luxembourg on Thursday. Just imagine! Constant fighting, which stretched along the front line for more than a thousand kilometres.

He said the Ukrainian territory now controlled by the Kremlin was comparable to the area of the Netherlands.

A destroyed building on June 2 in Trostyanets, eastern Ukraine. Russian forces occupied large swaths of the Sumy region after Moscow invaded Ukraine before Ukrainian forces retook control of the area in April. Credit:Getty

Russian forces have withdrawn from around the capital, Kyiv, in the north of the country after failing to capture it early in the conflict. But Zelensky said fighting was raging along a long crescent-shaped front, from around the north-eastern city of Kharkiv to the outskirts of the city of Mykolaiv, near the Black Sea, in the south.
There was no whistling before the artillery shell. The dead older man on the pavement by the neighbourhood shops in Kharkiv, Ukraine would not have heard the incoming Russian salvo that killed him. A younger man sobbed by his corpse.

Fifty metres away, I watched humanitarian volunteers, who were in the area during the attack, apply tourniquets on another man. Shrapnel had ripped off one of his legs and arms. He was alive when carried to an ambulance. Maybe, he was going for a coffee at his recently re-opened cafe.

A man collects scrap metal at a school that was destroyed during fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in Kharkiv. Credit:John Moore

The local florist had opened too. In a bloodied yellow top and with a fresh manicure, the young woman lay injured among shattered glass, metal shards, and the blooms of a Ukrainian spring like blue daffodils and purple lilac.

Russian forces are in retreat around Kharkiv, but they continue to lob artillery from 20 kilometres away. Local commanders say it is to maintain terror and tie up medical resources. Nine civilians died on the day I was there.
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The Russian Defense Ministry alleged that Kyiv uses foreign fighters in the Ukrainian forces as cannon fodder. The leadership sends many of these foreign volunteers to the front lines to be captured or, worse, to get killed. Many of them are injured and some killed in combat, but they are considered expendable by the military.

Kyiv Sacrifices Foreign Volunteers First

According to a top Russian defense official, Ukraine is using foreign volunteers as cannon fodder in its conflict with Moscow, RT reported.

Major General Igor Konashenkov added that the militants typically lack training and battle experience.

Furthermore, Ukrainian commanders do not reserve foreigners, and they are given up first in response to decrease losses among their forces. He also stated that a large number of mercenaries regret their actions and want to leave, but Zelensky and his Nazi commanders prohibit them from doing so, per the CSM Times.

Konashenkov is the spokesman of the Russian Defense Ministry, stating that the volume of foreign mercenaries to Ukraine to take part in hostilities against Russian armed forces has practically started to dry up since the start of May.

According to Moscow's information, he claimed at a press conference that the influx of overseas fighters in Ukraine had already decreased from 6,600 to 3,500.

The Russian Defense Ministry stressed that hundreds of foreign fighters from abroad in Ukraine were killed by Russian long-range precision weapons shortly after arriving at locations where they were receiving additional training and tactical units are coordinated, noted Threadtimes.

Read Also: Donald Trump Net Worth 2022: Did Trump Get Richer Since Leaving the US Presidency?

The Ukrainians are getting these wannabe mercenaries who got themselves killed in the frontline where their commanders intended them to be; expendable assets.

Many died in the conflict because of insufficient training and were not battle-hardened veterans; that did not matter to Zelensky's commander.

He said that attempts by Ukrainian authorities to give legal protection to foreign volunteers by attaching them to Armed Forces lists or granting them Ukrainian passports would not safeguard them from liability.

Captured Foreigner Charged for War Crimes

The announcement came several days after the Donetsk People's Republic's General Prosecutor's Office proclaimed the detention of three suspected mercenaries from the United Kingdom and Morocco. Joining the Ukrainian military and later being caught by the DPR forces might get the death penalty due to war crimes.

Last March, foreign fighters who wanted to go to Ukraine and join the forces of the Russia-backed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics should be given permission, according to Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

The Russian defense minister confirmed that 16,000 foreigners, most from the Middle East, are hardened jihadi fighters, unlike Kyiv's force of less experienced ones.

Russian President Vladimir Putin backed the idea, referring to Russia's Ukrainian enemies who have been trying to recruit foreign volunteers.

Following Ukraine's failing to deliver the terms of the Minsk agreements, initially signed in 2014, and Moscow's ultimate acknowledgment of the Donbas republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, Moscow ordered an offensive on the nearby state in late February.

The protocols negotiated by Germany and France were intended to grant the breakaway regions special status within the Ukrainian state.

Since Ukraine crossed Putin's red line, dropping neutrality led to the incursion, but Kyiv denies all provocation. Russian Defense Ministry officials reveal that all foreign fighters encouraged by Kyiv were fed inconsistencies with alleged lies that led to many becoming cannon-fodder.

Related Article: Ukrainian Officer Captured by Russians Claims US-Made Javelin Missiles Ineffective, Useless in the Battle in Mariupol

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Latest News Westpac lifts variable interest rate First of the big four banks to move

How are Australians reacting to second rate rise? Home loan enquiries running hot, group says

The second MFAA State Excellence Awards event for the year has celebrated winners of the Western Australia Excellence Awards.

Thursdays in-person event was held at Crown Perth with almost 300 brokers and industry representatives in attendance.

The Western Australia awards are the second of five MFAA state award events to be held over the coming weeks. The Queensland State Excellence Awards were held on 29 May.

MFAA CEO Mike Felton said the awards recognised those MFAA members who had excelled in a range of areas including customer service, professionalism, ethics, growth and innovation.

It was fabulous to finally be back in Western Australia in person to celebrate the outstanding work and customer outcomes our members are delivering for Australians, Felton said.

The number and calibre of award submissions we received was incredible and its always a privilege to be able to recognise all our finalists and of course congratulate all our winners.

Read more: MFAA announces Queensland Excellence Award winners

Felton said the mortgage industry was going from strength to strength.

Just this week we released the latest mortgage broker market share which has once again reached a new high of 69.5%, he said.

With amazing results like this, together with the knowledge that our industry has safely navigated an extended period of reviews with flying colours, there is much to celebrate.

The awards are audited by Hall Chadwick and are judged equally based on excellence and professionalism across all areas of business.

All winners at the MFAA Western Australian Excellence Awards will be finalists in the MFAA National Excellence Awards in their respective categories.

The next state excellence awards, for Victoria and Tasmania, will be held in Melbourne on 9 June.

Read more: Broker market share reaches all-time high

The 2022 MFAA Western Australia State Excellence Award winners are:
Transmission Company (EPTCL) has entered into a definitive agreement with Transmission (ATL) to sell one of its two transmission lines at an enterprise valuation of Rs 1,913 crore.

EPTCL has 465-km transmission lines across three states. The asset sold by the Essar group is an operational 400 kV inter-state transmission line linking Mahan power station in Madhya Pradesh to Sipat in Chhattisgarh pooling substation. The project operates under the CERC-regulated return framework.

Transmission said the acquisition would consolidate its presence in central India. ATL is well on a path to achieve its 20,000 ckt kms target before time, said Anil Sardana, managing director and chief executive officer of Transmission.

The acquisition is in line with ATLs value-added growth strategy through organic as well as inorganic growth opportunities.

With this acquisition, the cumulative network of ATL will reach 19,468 ckt kms, of which 14,952 ckt kms are operational and 4,516 ckt kms are under various stages of execution. The deal will also help ATL derive synergies in terms of O&M cost optimisation and shared resources.

For Essar group, the sale is part of its plan to reduce debt across . In the past three years, has reduced its debt from a peak of approximately Rs 30,000 crore to Rs 6,000 crore. Alongside this, is in the process of curating a green balance sheet around renewable energy, which is in line with Essars strategy of investing in future-centric businesses.

With this transaction, Essar Power is rebalancing its power portfolio with the twin objective of deleveraging its balance sheets and investing in green and renewable power, thereby furthering its ESG-oriented future growth, said Kush S, CEO of Essar Power.

Essar Power has a current power generating capacity of 2,070 Mw across four plants in India and Canada, the CEO said.

This is part of a deleveraging strategy following which Essar has repaid over Rs 1.80 trillion to banks and financial institutions in the past three years, making it the largest debt repayment in India, said a company official.
India has exported around 8.5 million tonnes of sugar since the current season began on Oct. 1, with exporters likely to contract another 1.5 million tonnes for overseas sales in the next five months, trade and government sources said on Thursday.

India, the world's biggest sugar producer and consumer, on May 24 imposed restrictions on exports of the sweetener for the first time in six years by capping exports at 10 million tonnes.

The government also asked exporters to seek export permits, or authorisation, for any overseas shipments between June 1 and Oct. 31.

"Until the restriction to register cargoes with us came into place on June 1, mills exported about 8.5 million tonnes of sugar," said a senior government official who didn't wish to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Another government official, who also declined to be identified, confirmed the shipments.

Global prices are attractive and are keen to cash in on higher international rates but they are waiting for the government to issue export permits, traders said.

"Current global prices are attractive for exports and there is a huge demand for Indian sugar," said a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading house. "India will be easily exporting 10 million tonnes."

"Cane crushing is almost over and mills have already sold most of their raw sugar stocks, so in the coming months they will primarily be exporting white sugar," the trader said.

Cane crushing in India begins in October and starts to taper off by April.

Traders are currently offering Indian raw sugar between $465 and $470 a tonne a free-on-board, and white sugar between $480 and $485 a tonne.

There is a strong demand for Indian sugar, especially from Iran, Indonesia, Bangladesh and the UAE (the United Arab Emirates," said Rahil Shaikh, managing director of MEIR Commodities India, a trading house.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
today announced plans to expand its largest greenfield food manufacturing plant in Kosi Kalan, Mathura, . The unit produces Lays chips.

The plan entails a cost of Rs 186 crore, taking the overall investment by the firm in UP to Rs 1,022 crore.

As part of the expansion, will raise the capacity of the foods plant by setting up a new manufacturing line to produce nacho chip brand Doritos.

At the third ground-breaking ceremony of the investor summit in Lucknow, committed its investment in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other key dignitaries.

Speaking about the announcement, Ahmed ElSheikh, president, PepsiCo India, said, The progressive ecosystem and industrial climate in has yielded some fantastic opportunities for PepsiCo India. Thanks to the industry-friendly policies and ease of doing business in the state, we achieved a major milestone of setting up our greenfield foods plant in Kosi in less than two years.

He added, The state-of-the-art facility is fuelling the economic ecosystem and creating job opportunities in UP. Given the tremendous response, we are happy to further raise our investment by Rs 186 crore in the state. This latest investment is yet another testament of our 'Unnati Ki Sajhedhari with the state of and is also in line with the Indian Governments vision of Atmanirbhar Bharath.

Commissioned in September 2021, PepsiCo Indias foods manufacturing plant in Kosi Kalan, Mathura intends to annually source around 1,50,000 tonnes of potatoes for its iconic chips brand, LAYS. Additionally, a strong backward integration program involving over 5,000 local farmers is also being developed. Further, the Kosi plant has provided a source of livelihood to its of supply chain partners, wholesalers, retailers etc.

The plant intends to create over 1,500 direct and indirect job opportunities and is targets to hire at least 30 per cent women employees.
Mukesh Ambani's and US-based are teaming to bid for  the international chemist and drugstore unit of Walsgreen Alliance Inc  according to a report in the Economic Times. The combined bid from Reliance and Apollo for could come in as early as Friday, June 3.

In an earlier development, as reported in Business Standard, a consortium backed by billionaire businessmen Issa brothers was planning to drop out of the race for Boots over price disagreements. They balked at a request by Walgreens to increase their offer for the Boots drugstore chain.

The Issa-TDR group was bidding together for Boots through Asda Group Ltd, the British grocery chain they jointly own.

Walsgreen had put up the business for sale in December last year and has been seeking a valuation of about 7 billion pounds ($8.8 billion) for Boots, though bidders had pegged its worth around 5 billion pounds.

Bankers said RILs overseas subsidiary had tied up with American private equity giant to fund the transaction and was in talks to raise funds from overseas banks. If Ambani wins the race, then it would give him a formidable presence in the European retail market with access to 2,200 stores. RIL had acquired online drug seller NetMeds in India and the Boots acquisition will help it launch NetMeds abroad and bring the offline retail chain to India.

The drugstore chain is currently owned by American retail giant Walgreens Boots Alliance and has a presence in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Thailand, and Indonesia.
The on Friday allowed to proceed with an offer of settlement submitted by the promoter of Siva Industries under Section 12A of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), which allows such a provision if 90 per cent of the committee of creditors (CoC) agree to it.

The reiterated it had made it clear earlier that Section 12A passed constitutional muster, and it had held the commercial wisdom of the CoC should not face judicial intervention.

It has been held that there is an intrinsic assumption that financial creditors are fully informed about the viability of the corporate debtor and feasibility of the proposed resolution plan. They act on the basis of thorough examination of the proposed resolution plan and assessment made by their team of experts, the court said.

The court said when 90 per cent or more of the creditors found it would be in the interests of the stakeholders to permit a settlement and withdraw the bankruptcy process, the adjudicating or the appellate authority could not sit in an appeal on this.

In the Siva Industries case, the CoC cleared the settlement plan of promoter Vallal RCK, father of serial entrepreneur C Sivasankaran, with 94.2 per cent of the vote.

It will set a precedent for IBC matters because it has paved the way for lenders to take commercial decisions without fear of judicial intervention. But since this gives more powers to creditors, the IBC regime should have a proper Code of Conduct for creditors and a separate one for public sector banks, a former official of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) told Business Standard.

The IBBI had last year prepared a draft code of conduct for creditors and it has not yet received the green signal.

The order cited the Insolvency Law Committee Report, which reviewed the functioning and implementation of the IBC.

The official said the court had taken a strictly legal position because the matter concerned private money and not public money.

Settlement is always a better option than liquidating the company if all parties involved agree to it and in any case liquidation could fetch much less. In many cases, chances of recovery are nil despite having huge exposure, he added.

Legal experts are of the view that though 12A cases were earlier cleared by lenders, the Siva case was litigated because the offer was considered too low by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and was rejected even though the CoC had cleared it. The court said neither the nor the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal was justified in not giving due consideration to the commercial wisdom of the CoC.

Vallal RCK, 94, said the company would be under a new management and focus on settling the matter with its creditors as soon as possible so that a new chapter can begin for the company.

Siva Industries was admitted to bankruptcy court on July 5, 2019. An offer from Royal Partners Investment Fund was rejected because it was too little.

The resolution professional then filed a liquidation petition before the registry. But Vallal filed an application before the NCLT, Chennai, on August 31, 2020, asking the CoC to consider his one-time settlement offer.

In October 2020, the directed the resolution professional to convene the CoC and consider the settlement offer.

Vallals offer of Rs 328 crore, which would entail a 93 per cent haircut for the lenders, was approved by the CoC and the lenders filed a petition with the NCLT to withdraw the bankruptcy proceedings.

But the NCLT rejected the settlement offer in August 2021, leading to Vallal moving the NCLAT.

In January this year the NCLAT upheld the NCLT order for liquidation. Vallal then moved the Supreme Court, which stayed the NCLAT order of liquidation in March this year.

The judgment reinforces the principle that the commercial wisdom of the committee of creditors is sacrosanct and if 90 per cent of the creditors decide that a withdrawal of corporate insolvency resolution proceedings against a corporate debtor should be allowed then it should be given effect, said Ajay Shaw, partner, DSK Legal, a corporate law firm.

According to the IBBI, 17 per cent of the IBC cases filed till March this year have been resolved.
The antitrust regulator of has raised concern over the Tata groups acquisition of Air India, saying it could limit competition on the India- air routes.

The Competition and Consumer Commission of (CCCS) has sought certain commitments from the Tatas to address the concerns and has decided to review the transaction in further detail, it said on Friday.

The Tata group, which owns a majority stake in Vistara  its joint venture with Singapore Airlines, completed the acquisition of on January 27. Both airlines operate on the Mumbai-Singapore and Delhi-Singapore routes and also carry cargo between the two countries. Singapore Airlines is a significant competitor to both and Vistara on these routes. The regulator said it received an application from the for a decision on whether the acquisition infringes Singapores law, which prohibits declared or potential mergers that lessen competition.

The CCCS said it needs to assess further the extent to which Singapore Airlines competes with the merged entity on these routes, given that it is a joint venture partner with Tata Sons in Vistara and a prospective partner with Vistara in the commercial cooperation framework agreement

The CCCS also needs to assess further whether the competitive constraint from other airlines such as IndiGo would be sufficient post transaction, it said.

The regulator would like to ascertain that the acquisition of does not lead to appreciable adverse effect on competition and that is why the has been asked to make certain commitments, a lawyer remarked.

Tata Sons did not comment.

Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan was earlier quoted as saying that the airline functions as a separate entity and treats Air India as a competitor. We will be keeping an arms length (from Air India) on issues that are customer-friendly or commercially sensitive, he had said in February.

Mayur Patel, regional sales director of data analytics firm OAG, believes the acquisition will not pose threat to competition.

Based on the schedule capacity data for the May 2022 period, it can be concluded that the capacity share of the merged entity of Air India, Air India Express and Vistara would be 20 per cent, which should not pose any anti-competitive threat to the India-Singapore market. On the other hand, IndiGo has a capacity share of 15 per cent on the country pair during the same period, Patel said.








Egencia, a B2B travel technology company that claims to have served more than two million people worldwide, is expanding its footprint in India with a new development centre in Gurgaons Cyber Hub business region.

The company said the development centre will focus on travel management, engineering, e-commerce, and used for technology support. Egencia was acquired by American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT), the worlds leading B2B travel platform. The development centre will shape its future.

"Our role as a proven global B2B travel tech platform is to give travellers the best user experiences, unmatched content, and unbeatable service when they are booking and traveling, so they can make informed decisions quickly. Now with this new office, Egencia is striving to build on its technology talent in India to enhance our platform capabilities and accelerate innovation as we transform the B2B Travel industry with cutting-edge technology, said Pratik Modi, senior director, technology, and India Lead, Egencia.

Egencia said its data insights and AI-driven innovation power the travel programme of more than 9000 in over 60 countries.

India continues to be a strategic location for Egencia and Amex GBT. India hosts a pool of talented professionals, and this state-of-the-art, modern facility will house existing employees and provide a substantial opportunity to potentially double the Egencia India teams in the years to come.
Mexican state and federal authorities said on Thursday that a suspected serial killer has been arrested after being accused of slaying young women that he lured on Facebook using fake job offers.

Officials said that they had surveillance camera footage from two states that showed the suspect meeting with the victims in public places and in one instance, driving a victim away on a motorbike. Assistant Public Safety Secretary Ricardo Mejia said that the suspect is a "serial killer of women, and there are at least seven cases of women's killing where this person could be involved."

Mexican Serial Killer

The official noted that the most recent case involved the murder of a 31-year-old woman in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz after going to a job interview last month. Mejia said that the victim, identified as Viridiana Moreno, left her home in the town of Cardel, Veracruz, and went to the Bienvenido hotel to attend a supposed job interview that she got from someone on Facebook.

The victim's name was made public by relatives who mounted protests after her disappearance but her unrecognizable body was found days later. Moreno was only identified by an ID card that was found near the scene and by DNA testing, as per ABC News.

Veracruz state prosecutors said that Moreno was lured by a Facebook messenger post under an account that was registered to "Mary Madison" that offered a $90 per week job as a receptionist. A copy of the message distributed by prosecutors said, "Duties include answering phones and making appointments."

Read Also: Teenage Buffalo Shooting Suspect Indicted with 25 Charges Including Domestic Terrorism After Incident Left 10 People Dead, 3 Injured

Prosecutors in the central state of Morelos on Thursday said that the same suspect had killed a 22-year-old student who was looking for work in April. Local activists said that the victim was lured into meeting the suspect at a cafeteria in late March by a Facebook listing for a job or articles for sale.

According to The Guardian, the suspect took the victim to a barber shop which is the alleged place where she was killed. Prosecutors said that three days later, the victim's body was found and had been beaten, sexually abused, and strangled.'

Luring Women with Facebook Job Offers

Protests also erupted after the student's disappearance as one chilling aspect was that both women disappeared after making contact with the suspect in public places where there were a lot of people around and had accompanied him willingly as they were convinced of the job offers.

Prosecutors in both states mentioned finding the victims' remains in "several places" or in various plastic bags. The Morelos team said that the man had a long string of aliases and had been sought on rape charges in 2012. They listed Juan Carlos Gasperin and Greek Roman Villalobos as the most common aliases.

The suspect that was arrested had a female companion while they were in the northern state of Queretaro. Authorities said that he may have also been involved in cases in the states of Queretaro and Puebla.

Many believe that the desperation of the women needing work in small, provincial Mexican towns and the region's largely under-the-table economy provides a fertile field for fake job offers, CBS News reported.



Related Article: US Court Grants Full Freedom to Man Who Tried to Kill Pres. Ronald Reagan

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The Indian unit of Chinese maker Xiaomi Corp said on Friday it has appointed founding member Alvin Tse as its general manager, a change of guard as the company faces government scrutiny over its business practices.

Tse, a British national who was also the former general manager of Xiaomi Indonesia, has helped the company expand into many global markets, said in a tweet.

The organisational rejig will also have Anuj Sharma rejoin the company as the chief marketing officer.

The development comes nearly two months after India's federal financial-crime fighting agency summoned former head Manu Kumar Jain in an investigation on whether the company's business practices conformed with Indian foreign exchange laws, two sources had told Reuters.

The Enforcement Directorate also seized $725 million from the company's local bank accounts after a probe found the maker had made illegal remittances to foreign entities by passing them off as royalty payments.

However, an Indian court has put the agency's decision to seize the amount on hold following a legal challenge by Xiaomi.

In India, Xiaomi has seen its share of the domestic market surge to 24% in 2021 from 6% in 2016, making it the market leader, according to Counterpoint Research.

(Reporting by Rama Venkat in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

(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 electronics maker on Friday announced organisational changes in the Indian leadership team. Alvin Tse, a Global founding team member, POCO founding member, former General Manager of Indonesia, will assume the role of General Manager, Xiaomi India, the company announced. The move follows recent transition of Manu Kumar Jain to a global role as Group Vice President responsible for international strategy including international marketing and PR.

Being a British national and true global citizen, Alvin has helped Xiaomi expand successfully into many global markets. Educated at Stanford University and having worked across four of the largest smartphones and internet markets in the world, Alvin enjoys bridging markets, people, and opportunities, said in a statement.

Xiaomi also announced that Anuj Sharma will return to as its Chief Marketing Officer. In this role, Anuj Sharma will spearhead the advancement and execution of the overall brand and marketing strategy, said the company.

Rest of the leadership will continue as is with Muralikrishnan B as Chief Operating Officer, Raghu Reddy as Chief Business Officer, and Sameer BS Rao as Chief Financial Officer. According to Xiaomi India, they have been leading the India business independently, and will continue to be a strong driving force behind the brand.

has been accused by Indias anti-money-laundering agency of moving money out of the country by falsely claiming it was for patent-fee payments. The agency seized more than $700 million from a local unit of the Chinese smartphone maker in April, a move that has since been put on hold pending a final court decision.
"shall not" refuse to fly a person with disability and take a doctors opinion, said Indias aviation on Friday in amended rules issued almost a week after it fined low-cost carrier Rs 5 lakh for not allowing a boy with special needs to board a flight from Ranchi.

An airline that regards a specially abled passenger's health must consult a doctor at the airport and take an "appropriate call" on boarding, said on Friday the draft rules issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

IndiGo, on May 9, said a boy was denied permission to board the Ranchi-Hyderabad flight as he was visibly in panic. After he was not allowed to board, his parents also decided not to enter the plane. Ronojoy Dutta, the airlines CEO, has expressed regret over the incident.

The DGCA, on May 28, said that in order to avoid such situations in the future, it would revisit its own regulations. Its draft rules now say: "Airline shall not refuse carriage of any person on the basis of disability." "However, in case, an airline perceives that the health of such a passenger may deteriorate in-flight, the said passenger will have to be examined by a doctor who shall categorically state the medical condition and whether the passenger is fit to fly or not. After obtaining the medical opinion, the airline shall take the appropriate call," it mentioned.

The regulator has asked the public to send in their comments about the draft rules by July 2, after which it will issue the final rules, PTI reported.

Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had on May 9 said on Twitter that no human being should have to go through this and he himself was investigating the Ranchi incident.
The security of living in the Valley was discussed threadbare at a high-level meeting on Friday chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who took stock of the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

The meeting was convened in the wake of eight targeted killings by terror groups especially Lashker-e-Taiba in the Kashmir Valley whose victims included non-Muslims, security personnel, an artist and local civilians.

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Army Chief General Manoj Pande, and Lieutenant Governor of Manoj Sinha were among those who attended the meeting.

The home minister reviewed the overall security situation in with special focus on protection of living in the valley, a ministry official said.

Scores of Kashmiri Pandits, who were employed under a prime minister's package in 2012, have been staging protests threatening mass exodus since the killing of Rahul Bhat, who was shot dead by terrorists on May 12 in the Chadoora area of Budgam district in central Kashmir.

Bhat's killing sparked demonstration by around 6,000 employees at various places who demanded their relocation outside the Valley.

The administration on Friday made it clear the employees would not be moved out of the Valley but transferred to safer locations.

Official also said the recent escalation in targeted terrorist violence would not lead to any change in plans for holding the annual Amarnath Yatra which is scheduled from June 30-August 11.

Two persons -- a bank employee and a brick kiln labourer -- were killed in Kashmir on Thursday while another labourer was injured in two separate incidents. The bank manager was the eighth and the labourer was the ninth victims of targeted killings in Kashmir since May 1.

A woman teacher hailing from the Samba district of the Jammu region was shot dead by terrorists at a school in south Kashmir's Kulgam district on Tuesday. On May 18, terrorists had entered a wine shop at Baramulla in North Kashmir and threw a grenade, killing one person from the Jammu region and injuring three others.

Policeman Saifullah Qadri was shot dead outside his residence in Srinagar on May 24 while television artiste Amreen Bhat was gunned down in Budgam two days later.

The high-level meeting chaired by Shah was the second such exercise in less than a fortnight.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Director of Intelligence Bureau Arvind Kumar, Director General of Central Reserve Police Force Kuldiep Singh, Border Security Force chief Pankaj Singh, and Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh among other key officials took part in the meeting.

Earlier, Shah had an informal meeting with LG Manoj Sinha, Arvind Kumar, Secretary of RAW Samant Goel and DGP of Jammu and Kashmir Dilbagh Singh.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was refused the Rajya Sabha nomination, Congress interim President tried to placate him by offering him the number two position in the party. Sources said the move has failed to pacify Azad, who refused to take the offer.

According to sources after Sonia Gandhi's phone call on Sunday to Azad both met and discussed issues regarding the party.

Sources said Azad was offered the post in the organisation which could be number two in party hierarchy, but the veteran leader refused to accept it.

Azad who was denied Rajya Sabha berth at the last moment is upset with the party affairs. And, has not shown any interest in the organisation and reportedly told that "new people should work as it is a generational shift in the party"

Azad and his supporters are also upset with the way party os functioning in his home state of J&K and in recent statewise 'Chintan Shivir' neither Azad nor his supporters participated. This clearly showed that all is not well. His supporters want him to be the face of the party in the state.

Congress in its ten-candidate list for the Rajya Sabha denied Anand Sharma and Azad the berth and instead nominated Imran Pratapgarhi.

reached out to Ghulam Nabi Azad and sources said the move was an effort to douse the fire and cull any discontent.

Azad was one of the prime movers of the G-23 and is one of the vocal voices within the party over reforms.

Tension is also simmering in the party units in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan over outsiders being nominated for the Upper House. The party leaders are questioning the move, but the Chief Ministers have not said anything against the party's choice of candidates. Both states will go to polls next year.

The names of Congress veteran leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Veerappa Moily did not figure in the Rajya Sabha candidate's list, and the trio were hopeful to be nominated, but it was the loyalists who got the tickets.

The loyalists include mostly the GenNext leaders, but Mukul Wasnik and P. Chidambaram did find a place. This has led to discontent within the party and even many in the young brigade too are upset.

Party spokesperson Pawan Khera, who was hopeful from Rajasthan, tweeted, "There may be shortcomings in my penance." Reacting to his tweet, Nagma, a former actress, who has been in the party since long replied, "my 18 years of work fell short of Imran Bhai."

Hinting her discomfort, Nagma had tweeted, "SoniaJi our Congress president had personally committed to accommodating me in RS in 2003/04 whn I joined Congressparty on her behest we weren't in power thn.Since then it's been 18Yrs they dint find an opportunity Mr Imran is accommodated in RS frm Maha I ask am I less deserving".

--IANS

miz/dpb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In the wake of rising Covid-19 cases, the Union health secretary has written to five states  Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and Tamil Nadu  asking them to step up the vigil and take pre-emptive actions if necessary to contain any rapid spread of infections.

As of June 3, the bulletin said India added 4041 fresh cases in the last 24 hours. Indias active case-load stands at 21,177.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in the past one week, a slight upsurge of cases has been observed  from 15,708 cases in the week ending May 27 to 21,055 in the week ending June 3. Also, there is a rise in weekly positivity rate from 0.52 per cent in the May 27 week to 0.73 per cent in the week ending June 3. He said in his letter that some states were reporting a higher contribution to Indias cases, indicating a localised spread of infection.

For example, Maharashtra has reported an increase in cases from 2,471 (May 27 week) to 4,883 cases (June 3), accounting for 23.19 per cent of the countrys cases. The state has also seen the positivity rate in the last week from 1.5 per cent to 3.1 per cent.

Kerala, on the other hand, has reported 6,566 cases in the June 3 week, up from 4,139 cases in the previous week. The positivity rate in the state has touched 7.8 per cent. About 11 districts in the state have reported a surge in cases. Similarly, Mumbai has six districts that need focused intervention, said the letter.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had called a meeting of the state Covid-19 task force on Thursday to discuss the matter and said the state government would monitor the situation for 15 days. He also asked to keep the field hospitals ready, and urged people to follow discipline if they did not want restrictions to be back.

The Union has asked these five states to ensure Covid-appropriate behaviour, monitor clusters of cases and influenza-like illnesses, as well as genomic sequencing of samples from international passengers and clusters of cases.
A Friday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Congress MP in a case registered by the in the alleged Chinese Visas scam.

Special Judge MK Nagpal denied relief to Karti, saying there was not enough ground to allow his application.

The ED recently registered the money-laundering case against Karti and others in the alleged scam pertaining to the issuance of a visa to 263 Chinese nationals in 2011 when his father P Chidambaram was the home minister.

The federal agency has filed its case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) taking cognisance of a recent first information report by the in the same case.

(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 on Friday called for strict action against those found violating masking and hand hygiene norms at airports and in aircraft, observing that the COVID-19 pandemic has not abated and keeps springing up its ugly head.

The high court said all such persons, who are found to be violating these norms, should be booked and fined and they should be placed on the no-fly list and added that it is essential to introduce sufficient deterrence to enforce compliance of norms.

It said it is noticed that very often the norms are not implemented on the ground with the seriousness with which they are framed and therefore, it is essential for the authorities, including Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ensure that the implementation on the ground is effected properly.

For this purpose, we are of the view that the DGCA should give separate binding directions to all to authorise the staff at airports and in aircraft, including air hostesses, captains, pilots and others to take strict action against passengers and others who violate the masking and hand hygiene norms, a bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Sachin Datta said.

The court noted the submission of DGCA's advocate Anjana Gosain, who herself is inflicted with COVID-19 and appeared through video conferencing, that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued another an order on May 10, calling for strict enforcement of COVID-19 protocol.

She said the authorities are seriously implementing norms regarding masking at airports and in aircraft by all concerned.

The issuance of said order, in our view, is the right step since the pandemic has not abated and keeps springing up its ugly head, the bench said, adding that guidelines are always in place and it is the practical compliance which becomes a problem and we falter.

It said let necessary steps be taken and further action taken report be placed before the court and listed the matter for further hearing on July 18.

The court's order came in a PIL, registered on the experience of a sitting judge of the high court while travelling by a domestic flight during the pandemic.

Justice C Hari Shankar had on March 8, 2021, taken suo motu cognisance of the situation after witnessing passengers not wearing masks properly during transportation from airport to the flight and their stubborn reluctance to wear mask properly.

The court, which had issued various guidelines to the DGCA and for immediate compliance, had said it was constrained to pass the order because of an alarming situation which was witnessed by the judge himself during an Air India flight from Kolkata to New Delhi on March 5, 2021.

During the hearing, the court observed that people may not wear N-95 masks in flights but they must at least wear a surgical mask as the idea is to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.

Doctors also wear surgical mask the whole day, the bench said, adding that only at the time of meals the passengers can take off the mask and the moment they finish their meals, they have to wear it again.

People violating should be physically removed from the area if they have to be.., it said.

The DGCA had earlier informed the court that they were taking action against passengers who were not properly wearing mask after repeated warnings and they will be de-boarded before departure and may be treated as unruly passengers.

The DGCA had also said in its circular that passengers shall wear masks and maintain social distancing norms at all times during air travel. The mask shall not be moved below the nose except under exceptional circumstances, it had said.

CISF or other police personnel deployed at the entrance of the airport shall ensure that no one is allowed to enter the airport without wearing a mask, it had said.

In case, any passenger is not following COVID-19 protocol, they should be handed over to security agencies after proper warning. If required, they may be dealt as per law, it had said.

The high court had earlier taken strong note of an alarming situation of passengers not properly wearing masks in flights and issued guidelines to all domestic and DGCA for strict compliance, including penal action for offenders and periodical checks of the aircraft.

Passengers in a flight are in a closed air-conditioned environment, and, even if one of the passengers suffers from COVID-19, the effect on other passengers could be cataclysmic. It is a matter of common knowledge that being within arm's length distance of a COVID-19 carrier, even if he is asymptomatic and is merely speaking, is more than sufficient to transmit the virus, it had said.

If despite being reminded, he or she refuses to follow the protocol, action should be taken against the passenger in accordance with the guidelines issued by the DGCA or Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, including placing him or her on a 'no-fly' regimen, either permanently or for a stipulated, sufficiently long, period, it had said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India has a difficult relationship with China but it is perfectly capable of managing it, External Affairs Minister said on Friday, rejecting the European construct that New Delhi's position on Ukraine could impact global support to it if its problems with Beijing increases.

In an interactive session at a conference in the Slovakian capital Bratislava, Jaishankar also said that the "Chinese do not need a precedent somewhere else on how to engage us or not engage us or be difficult with us or not be difficult with us."



He said has to grow out of the mindset that its problems are the world's problems but the world's problems are not Europe's problems.

The strong comments by Jaishankar came amid persistent efforts by the European countries to convince India to take a tough position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine with the argument that New Delhi may face a similar challenge from China in the future.

"In terms of the connection you are making, we have a difficult relationship with China and we are perfectly capable of managing it. If I get global understanding and support, obviously it is of help to me," Jaishankar said.

"But this idea that I do a transaction -- I come in one conflict because it will help me in conflict two. That's not how the world works. A lot of our problems in China have nothing to do with Ukraine and have nothing to do with Russia. They are predated," he said.

Jaishankar was asked why he thinks anyone will help New Delhi in case of a problem with China after it did not help others for Ukraine.

"Somewhere has to grow out of the mindset that Europe's problems are the world's problems but the world's problems are not Europe's problems. That if it is you, it's yours, if it is me it is ours. I see reflections of that," he said.

"There is a linkage today which is being made. A linkage between China and India and what's happening in Ukraine. China and India happened way before anything happened in Ukraine. The Chinese do not need a precedent somewhere else on how to engage us or not engage us or be difficult with us or not be difficult with us," he said.

Jaishankar said was also silent on many developments in Asia.

"If I were to take Europe collectively which has been singularly silent on many things which were happening, for example in Asia, you could ask why would anybody in Asia trust Europe on anything at all," he said.

Jaishankar said India condemned the killings in Bucha in Ukraine and favoured an investigation into it as well.

"First of all you are mischaracterising our position, for example when Bucha happened, we condemned Bucha and we actually asked for an investigation into Bucha," he said.

"In terms of what is happening with the Ukraine conflict, our position is very clear that we favour an immediate cessation of hostilities. Its not that we have ignored it unless you call phone calls to (Vladimir) Putin and (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy as ignoring something," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made phone calls to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and Russian President Putin on the crisis.

(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 fire broke out in an incense sticks manufacturing unit located in Yashodhra Nagar area of city on Friday, an official said.

Nobody was reported injured in the blaze that erupted around 12.20 pm, Municipal Corporation's chief fire officer Rajendra Uchake said in a statement.

Five water tenders and as many tankers of the water works department were rushed to the spot for firefighting, he said.

It is a ground plus single-storey tin shed structure, where raw material of incense sticks, which is highly combustible, was stored.

(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 global rise in hepatitis cases is the topic of continuing research. However, there has been a substantial advancement. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) blamed the hepatitis A epidemic in the United States on tainted strawberries.

Hepatitis, or liver inflammation, is becoming more common among youngsters throughout the world. Hundreds of cases have already been reported in the United Kingdom. As of May 25, there were 222 instances reported: 158 in England, 31 in Scotland, 17 in Wales, and 16 in Northern Ireland.

"Our investigations continue to suggest an association with adenovirus, and we are exploring this link, along with other possible contributing factors such as prior infections such as COVID-19," said Doctor Renu Bindra, senior medical adviser and incident director at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States and Canada confirmed on Saturday that contaminated strawberries are the likely source of a hepatitis A outbreak. The possibly impacted berries have already passed their expiration date, however if any cons

The FDA has joined forces with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to look into the hepatitis cases further to see whether any other tainted goods contributed to the outbreak, according to Express.

How To Prevent Acquiring Hepatitis A?

The CDC recommends that anybody who has not been immunized against hepatitis A and has eaten these organic strawberries, both fresh and frozen, within the previous 14 days contact their local health department or health care practitioner to discuss postexposure prophylaxis. (PEP) with hepatitis A vaccination or immune globulin.

The organization stated that receiving PEP within 14 days of exposure can help avoid sickness. Anyone who purchased fresh organic strawberries from FreshKampo or HEB between March 5 and April 25 and froze them for later use should not consume them, according to the FDA. According to the CDC, hepatitis A symptoms typically develop two to seven weeks after exposure and may include symptoms such as:

Jaundice, which causes yellow skin or eyes

Stomach upset or pain

Dark urine or light-colored stools

The CDC noted that not everyone with hep-A has symptoms, although adults are more likely to have them than children. The average illness course lasts a few weeks and begins with fever, lethargy, and stomach discomfort, followed by jaundice. Within 3-6 months, a healthy liver can fully recover from Hepatitis A, as per Health Line.

Read Also: Yellowstone Bison Attack: Ohio Woman Dies After Animal Impales Her [What Happened?]

List of Recalled Strawberries

So far, 17 instances have been connected to the strawberries in the United States, with 12 hospitalizations and no deaths. The majority of instances were recorded in California, with one in Minnesota and one in North Dakota. The most recent ailment began on April 30.

The potentially contaminated strawberries were purchased in the United States between March 5 and April 25, 2022, under the names FreshKampo and HEB. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the berries were purchased in Canada between March 5 and March 9 at several co-op stores in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The strawberries should be thrown away if you are unclear about what brand you bought, or where you bought them before freezing them, according to the FDA. Because the inquiry is continuing, other goods may be included, Audacy via MSN reported.

Related Article: Monkeypox Outbreak: WHO Expert Raises Alarm on Quick Spread of Virus With 550 Cases in 30 Countries

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Home Minister will on Friday hold a meeting to review the security situation in after killings of people who are not natives of the union territory. Prime Minister will take part in an investment summit in Uttar Pradesh. Two ships of the are set to be decommissioned. Aether Industries will likely list its shares.

calls meet to review J&K security situation

Union Home Minister has called a meeting on Friday to review the security situation in . Security Advisor Ajit Doval, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and other government officials will attend the meeting in Delhi.

Reportedly, the preparations for the Amarnath Yatra will also be discussed during the meet. J&K has notably witnessed a spate of civilian killings in recent months.

Two ships Nishank, Akshay to be decommissioned

The is set to bid farewell to two ships, INS Nishank and INS Akshay, as they will be decommissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on Friday. The ships have completed 32 years of service, according to an official statement.

Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, will be the chief guest at the event. Vice Admiral RK Pattnaik (Retd) and Vice Admiral Cheema (Retd), the commissioning commanding officers of INS Akshay and INS Nishank respectively, will serve as guests of honour.

PM Modi to attend UP's investor summit

Prime Minister will, on Friday, attend a ceremony in Uttar Pradesh, that aims to bring investments worth over Rs. 80,000 crore in the state.

Gautam Adani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Sajjan Jindal, and other corporate leaders are expected to attend the key event, the third such in the last four years. The investments will support 805 projects in the MSME sector, 275 in agriculture and allied industries, and 65 in pharmaceuticals and medical supplies industry, according to an official release.

Aether Industries shares listing likely today

Aether Industries is expected to list its shares on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Friday. The initial public offering (IPO) of Aether Industries was open from May 24-26 and the company raised Rs. 808 crore via primary route.

Aether Industries is a speciality chemicals manufacturer and its product portfolio comprises over 25 products sold to 34 global companies across 18 countries.

WBBSE Class 10 Result 2022 to be declared

The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) will announce Class 10 board exam results on Friday. The results will be out at 9 am and can be checked on the official websites - wbbse.wb.gov.in and wbresults.nic.in.

More than 10 lakh students are reportedly awaiting their WBBSE Class 10 results.

Last year, WBBSE Class 10 exams were cancelled due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
India considers healthcare a "Seva" and the country is ready to take a leading global role in providing healthcare services to the world through its trained and competent manpower, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Friday.

"India is at a key inflexion point of not just 'Heal in India' through its vibrant medical value tourism, but also 'Heal by India', where our medical professionals can be used to serve not just our country but at the global level," he said at a virtual event.

Interacting with officials of the regional Press Information Bureau (PIB), Doordarshan (DD), All India Radio (AIR) and various regional health journalists, Mandaviya said, "For a Samruddh Bharat, we need a Swasthya Bharat and for a Swasthya Bharat, we need Swasthya Nagrik. Health has been positioned at the centre-stage by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and several health initiatives are being taken up by the Union government. India is also ready for a leading global role to provide healthcare services through the 'Health in India' and 'Heal by India' initiatives."



He thanked the media for the role it played during the COVID-19 pandemic, a health ministry statement said.

In such testing times, media persons rose to the occasion in fighting the infodemic by providing factual information, warding off myths and fears, and addressing the dual issues of vaccine eagerness and vaccine hesitancy, the minister said.

Signifying the proactive role played by the officials of PIB, DD News and AIR News and media personnel during the Covid crisis, he said it was not just the government's efforts but 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayaas' that made us execute one of the largest and most successful vaccination programmes in the world, the statement said.

Mandaviya expressed condolences for journalists who lost their lives during this period, it stated.

The online session was attended by more than 150 officers and regional health journalists from all states.

"Democracy's fourth pillar media has set a high standard in demonstrating their potential during the pandemic," the minister said.

"We have started the second phase of 'Har Ghar Dastak' to encourage the masses towards full vaccination coverage. I seek your support in carrying the message of full COVID-19 vaccination to the masses," he said.

The Union minister urged the media to support the ongoing efforts of TB elimination, cataract, telemedicine and eSanjeevani and various other initiatives of the ministry at the regional level and to motivate citizens to come forward in large numbers and become a part of these campaigns enthusiastically through Jan Bhagidaari, the statement said.

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A group of eminent Indian spiritual leaders have gathered in in the to hold a global peace dialogue aimed at resolving world conflicts through the age-old tradition of Indian cultural and moral values.

Being organised by New Delhi-based Ahimsa Vishwa Bharati Foundation, the day-long Global Peace Dialogue at the Jain Center of Southern California in on June 4 would be attended by Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravishankar, eminent Jain leader Acharya Lokesh Muni and Bollywood Actor Vivek Oberoi, among others.

This is high time that we all work together to bring peace in the world. Every war and conflict in the world ends with dialogue. If that is the case, then we need to have peace dialogue from the very beginning to prevent any conflict or conflict-like situation in the world, Muni, the brain behind this dialogue, said on Thursday on his arrival in from India.

In the for a month-long peace and harmony tour, the Jain spiritual leader hoped that dialogue would result in some deliverables which would help in bringing peace in the world.

The war in Ukraine, and situations like the recent school shooting in Texas are depressing and steps need to be taken to prevent those, he said.

In the current world scenario there is a deep significance of this global dialogue being organised by Ahimsa Vishwa Bharati Foundation, JAINA (Jain Association of North America) and Jain Center of Southern California), said Oberoi, who would be moderating the conference.

Muni argued that there is a need to introduce peace education and value education in the school system at a very early stage. Only then can we permanently defeat conflict and violence in the world, he added.

At a time when the world is experiencing a sudden burst of conflict and uncertainty, religious and spiritual leaders also have a role to play, Muni said.

The June 4 conference is aimed at coming out with mechanisms and taking steps to address the root cause of conflict, according to the organisers of the event.

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Prime Minister inaugurated the UP Investors Summit in Lucknow on Friday. At the summit, he said, "We have worked to strengthen India as a nation with our reforms. One Nation-One Tax GST, One Nation-One Grid, One Nation-One Mobility Card, One Nation-One Ration Card. All these efforts are a reflection of our solid and clear policies."

The administration of US President Joe Biden has announced a new round of sanctions targeting Russian political and business elites, in an effort to further punish Russia for its military operation in Ukraine. The new round of sanctions were announced by the US on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported. According to a fact sheet from the White House, the Treasury Department will impose sanctions on Sergei Roldugin and his family members. Roldugin, the White House said, is a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a money manager of Putin's offshore wealth.
State-owned Highways Authority of India on Friday said that as part of the government's monetisation strategy, it has offered additional three roads aggregating 247 km to its Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT).

In a statement, the Highways Authority of India (NHAI) further said its has announced a distribution of Rs 0.79 paisa per unit to its unit holders for the year ended March 31, 2022.

Initially, the had a portfolio of five operating toll roads with an aggregate length of 390 kilometres and these roads are located across the states of Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Telangana.

had granted new concessions of 30 years for these roads.

The had issued 59.52 crore units, and Rs 47.02 crore has been distributed to the investors, according to the statement.

This maiden distribution will reinforce the confidence that the investors have shown in InvIT, as it achieves a big milestone in its journey to emerge as a major vehicle to support NHAI's monetisation efforts, it added.

NHAI InvIT's units were listed on the Stock Exchange and BSE in November 2021 at Rs 101 per unit with an Enterprise Valuation of Rs 8,012 crore.

NHAI chairperson Alka Upadhyaya said with the success of NHAI InvIT, the state-owned agency has continued to deliver on its commitments under the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP).

This will go a long way in realising the vision of developing world-class and sustainable National Highway infrastructure in the country, she added.

NHAI had launched its InvIT as a mode to monetise operational roads, as it has the largest share under the NMP.

In its first offering last year, NHAI InvIT had attracted two international pension funds, namely Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board, as anchor investors.

According to the statement, the balance units were subscribed to by a diversified set of domestic institutional investors, comprising pension funds, insurance companies, mutual funds, banks, and financial institutions.

(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.)
Prime Minister Friday said India is growing the fastest among the G-20 economies and has the capability to prove it's the "reliable partner" the world is looking for today.

Speaking at Uttar Pradesh's third investors' summit, marking the ground-breaking or the launch of 1,406 projects worth over Rs 80,000 crore, he said the prevailing situation in the world has brought big opportunities for India.

Gautam Adani, Kumar Mangalam Birla and other leading industrialists are participating in the mega summit organised by the Uttar Pradesh government. Defence minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are among those attending the event.

Modi said "only our democratic India" has the capability to prove that it is the "reliable partner" the world is looking for today. "The world today is looking at India's potential and praising its performance."



The projects were in diverse fields including agriculture, IT and Electronics, MSME, manufacturing, renewable energy, pharma, tourism, defence and aerospace, handloom and textiles.

"We are the fastest growing among the G-20 economies. Today, India is No. 2 on the Global Retail Index. India is the third-largest energy consumer country in the world," Modi said.

The prime minister said last year a record USD 84 billion Foreign Direct Index (FDI) came to India from more than 100 countries.

"India has made a record by exporting merchandise worth over USD 417 billion i.e. more than Rs 30 lakh crore in the last financial year," he said.

Speaking on his government recently completing eight years in power at the Centre, he said, "In these years we have moved ahead with the mantra of Reform-Perform-Transform. We have emphasised policy stability, coordination, and ease of doing business.

"Through our reforms, we have worked to make India strong as a nation. Be it One Nation-One Tax (GST), One Nation-One Grid, One Nation-One Mobility Card or One Nation-One Ration Card. These efforts are a reflection of our concrete and clear policies," Modi said.

Referring to both Centre and the state of Uttar Pradesh being ruled by the BJP, the prime minister said the "double-engine government" is working on infrastructure, investment and manufacturing for expeditious development of the state.

In this year's Budget, he said, an unprecedented capital expenditure allocation of Rs 7.50 lakh crore was made, he added.

He said better law and order situation has restored the business community's confidence in Uttar Pradesh, created a proper atmosphere for industries and improved the administrative systems in the state.

As an MP from the state, he said, he feels the capability and the potential the state government and the administration has. He also talked about the "changed mood" and the work culture of the state machinery.

Uttar Pradesh is home to about 16-20 per cent of the country's population, therefore it has a huge bearing on the development of the nation, he said.

The prime minister also compared the development works done before 2014 and those effected by his government in eight years.

"In 2014, there were only six crore broadband subscribers in our country. Today, this number has gone up to 78 crore. In 2014, one GB data used to cost nearly Rs 200, but today, its cost has come down to Rs 11-12," he said, adding India is among the countries with the cheapest data rates.

In 2014, the number of village panchayats connected to optical fibre was less than 100 which has gone over 1.75 lakh now, ne said.

"Before 2014, there were only a few startups. But, today, the number of registered startups has reached nearly 70,000. Recently, India has made a record of 100 unicorns, he said.

The prime minister thanked the investors for showing their faith in the capability, dedication, hard work and the understanding of the youth of Uttar Pradesh.

He also asked the industrialists to visit Kashi (Varanasi), which he represents in Lok Sabha as an MP.

"I would urge you to visit my Kashi. The fact that Kashi, along with its ancient glory, can also emerge with a new version of itself, is a living example of the capabilities of Uttar Pradesh," he added.

Modi also said that proposals agreed on today will create new possibilities in Uttar Pradesh and reflect the growing confidence in the Uttar Pradesh growth story. The prime minister said that over the last few years a new culture of delivering projects on time has developed in the country.

The first was held on July 29, 2018, and the second one took place on July 28 the year after. During the first summit, the foundation stones of 81 projects worth over Rs 61,500 crore were laid. During the second one, the foundation stones of 290 projects with investments of over Rs 67,000 crore were laid.

(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.)
Prime Minister reached in Uttar Pradesh to take part in the Ground Breaking Ceremony of the on Friday.

He was welcomed by UP Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh among others.

"The Prime Minister landed in Lucknow, where he was welcomed by UP Governor Anandiben Patel, CM Yogi Adityanath, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and other dignitaries," PMO said in a tweet.

During the Ground Breaking Ceremony, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of 1,406 projects worth more than Rs 80,000 crores. The projects encompass diverse sectors like Agriculture and Allied, IT and Electronics, MSME, Manufacturing, Renewable Energy, Pharma, Tourism, Defence and Aerospace, Handloom and Textiles etc. The ceremony will be attended by top industry leaders of the country.

The 2018 was held on February 21st-22nd, 2018, with the first Ground Breaking Ceremony being held on July 29, 2018, and the second Ground Breaking Ceremony on July 28, 2019.

During the first Ground Breaking Ceremony, the foundation of 81 projects worth more than Rs 61,500 crore was laid, while in the second Ground Breaking Ceremony, the foundation of 290 projects with investments of more than Rs 67,000 crore was laid.

After the event, the Prime Minister will reach Paraunkh village, Kanpur, where he will accompany President Ram Nath Kovind to visit Pathri Mata Mandir. Thereafter, at around 2 PM, they will visit Dr BR Ambedkar Bhawan, which will be followed by a visit to Milan Kendra at 2:15 PM.

The Kendra is the ancestral house of the President that was donated for public use and converted into a community centre (Milan Kendra). Subsequently, they will attend a public function at Paraunkh village at 2:30 PM.

"After the programme in Lucknow, I will be in Kanpur to attend a series of programmes in the august presence of Rashtrapati Ji. The programmes include a visit to the Pathri Mata Mandir, Dr BR Ambedkar Bhawan and Milan Kendra, Rashtrapati Ji's ancestral house. @rashtrapatibhvn," PM Modi said in a tweet.

(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.)
Prime Minister is scheduled to visit on Friday where he will inaugurate several projects.

In a tweet on Friday morning, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wrote, "Under the guidance of respected PM ji, 'New India of New Uttar Pradesh' has become the best destination in the country for investment. The enthusiasm of investors towards Ground Breaking Ceremony 3.0 is a direct proof of this. This ceremony is going to give flight to the aspirations of 'New Uttar Pradesh'."

At around 11 AM, Prime Minister will reach Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Lucknow where he will attend the Ground Breaking Ceremony @3.0 of the UP Investors Summit, the Prime Minister's office informed.

At around 1:45 PM, Prime Minister will reach Paraunkh village, Kanpur, where he will accompany President Ram Nath Kovind to visit Pathri Mata Mandir. Thereafter, at around 2 PM, they will visit Dr BR Ambedkar Bhawan, which will be followed by a visit to Milan Kendra at 2:15 PM.

The Kendra is the ancestral house of the President that was donated for public use and converted to a community centre (Milan Kendra). Subsequently, they will attend a public function at Paraunkh village at 2:30 PM.

During the Ground Breaking Ceremony, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of 1,406 projects worth more than Rs 80,000 crores. The projects encompass diverse sectors like Agriculture and Allied, IT and Electronics, MSME, Manufacturing, Renewable Energy, Pharma, Tourism, Defence and Aerospace, Handloom and Textiles etc. The ceremony will be attended by top industry leaders of the country.

The UP Investors Summit 2018 was held on February 21st -22nd, 2018, with the first Ground Breaking Ceremony being held on July 29, 2018 and second Ground Breaking Ceremony on July 28, 2019.

During the first Ground Breaking Ceremony, the foundation of 81 projects worth more than Rs 61,500 crore was laid, while in the second Ground Breaking Ceremony, the foundation of 290 projects with investments of more than Rs 67,000 crore was laid.

(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 a victim of cross-border attacks, India has said it regrets that state sponsors of are "allowed to go scot-free" for serious violations of international law and urged the international community to make them accountable.

"It is indeed a sad state of affairs that state sponsors of have been allowed to go scot-free," R.R. Singh, India's Minister of State for External Affairs, told the Security Council on Thursday.

"Any debate on accountability would be incomplete without taking into account the carnage wrought by terrorist forces, particularly those which are backed by State actors for pursuing political objectives," he said.

Calling "the greatest threat faced by humankind," he said, "the international community should stand firm on its opposition to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reject any attempt to provide any justifications for terrorist acts".

India has suffered the scourge of cross border terrorism for decades losing thousands of lives, Singh added.

Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama, whose country is the President of the Council for this month, presided over the debate on "Strengthening accountability and justice for serious violations of international law".

Rama said even though countries have enacted laws to uphold norms of behaviour, millions have suffered because of violations.

He added that in invading Ukraine, Russia has committed crimes against humanity and should be made accountable.

"All serious violations of international law must be treated with the same level of fairness and determination," he said.

Singh said, "The tools to address the serious violations of international law need to be used judiciously, without any selectivity, in line with principles of the UN Charter."

He stressed that countries should primarily be responsible for prosecuting serious violations of international law.

"The member states have the responsibility and obligation to ensure justice and accountability for gravest violations of human rights and mass atrocities, in line with their legislations," he added.

The international community should support the member states in ensuring justice for victims through processes based on nationally accepted norms of jurisprudence, Singh said.

"The process should also promote reconciliation and inclusive future, he added.

"The imposition of universal jurisdictions on alleged acts of atrocities committed in the territory of a sovereign state need to be avoided as well," he said.

Noting that India like many countries is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that set up the International Criminal Court (ICC), Singh added that "hastily" referring cases to it "primarily for political reasons" may not serve the ends of justice.

He asserted that "the acquittals in recent years have also cast a shadow on the credibility of the ICC".

In high-profile cases in 2021, ICC's Appeals Chamber upheld the acquittal of former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and his supporter Charles Ble Goude on charges of crime against humanity committed regarding incidents in their country in 2010.

Michele Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, supported prosecutors and judges pursuing crimes committed in other countries.

She cited the conviction in Germany of Syrian Colonel Anwar Raslan charged with overseeing torture at a Syrian detention centre as an example of several jurisdictions working together and with other partners to ensure accountability for international crimes.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in)

--IANS

arul/khz/

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Singapore's competition commission on Friday said it has raised concerns with the over its of as the conglomerate now owns two of the three key airlines that operate flights on Singapore-Mumbai and Singapore-Delhi routes.

Air India, Vistara and Singapore Airlines are the three key airlines that operate on the two aforementioned routes. Vistara's 51 per cent stake is held by the and the remaining 49 per cent is with Singapore Airlines.

Talace Private Limited, a subsidiary of the Tata Sons Private Limited, took control of on January 27 after successfully winning the bid for the airline on October 8 last year.

In a statement on Friday, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) said it has raised competition concerns with Talace Private Limited on the transaction (Tata's of Air India) based on information received from Talace and third parties.

"In particular, and Vistara are two of the three key market players along the overlapping air passenger transport routes (Singapore-Mumbai and Singapore-Delhi), and both airlines are likely to be each other's close (if not the closest) competitor," the CCCS noted.

Third party feedback also suggests the presence of Singapore Airlines as a significant competitor of Air India and Vistara along the overlapping air passenger transport routes (Singapore-Mumbai and Singapore-Delhi) and the overlapping air cargo transport routes (Singapore-India), it mentioned.

"However, the CCCS needs to assess further the extent to which Singapore Airlines competes with the merged entity along these routes, given that Singapore Airlines is a joint-venture partner with Tata Sons in Vistara and a prospective partner with Vistara in the Commercial Cooperation Framework Agreement," it noted.

The CCCS stated it also needs to assess further whether the competitive constraint from other airlines such as IndiGo would be sufficient post transaction, it mentioned.

Accordingly, the CCCS needs to further review the competition effects of the this transaction (Tata's of Air India) in greater detail, it noted.

"At this stage, the parties may offer commitments to address the potential competition concerns of the Transaction raised by the CCCS. Otherwise, the merger will proceed to a detailed further review upon the CCCS's receipt of the relevant documents from the parties," it mentioned.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) had on December 20, 2021 announced that it has approved Tata Group's proposed acquisition of debt-laden Air India.

The had on May 12 announced that Campbell Wilson, CEO of Singapore Airlines' low-cost subsidiary Scoot Airlines, has been appointed as the CEO and Managing Director of Air India. He is expected to take charge at Air India during the next few weeks, aviation industry sources said.

Since April, Air India chairman N Chandrasekaran, who is also the chairman of the Tata Group, has rejigged the top management of the airline, bringing in senior and middle-level executives who have worked in other companies of the Tata group such as Tata Steel and Vistara.

Air India had on June 1 reduced the eligibility age from 55 to 40 years and announced cash incentive to encourage a significant section of its employees to voluntarily retire.

(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.)
An Indiana teen accused of abusing and murdering a 6-year-old girl in March 2021 will be subjected to psychological evaluationto assess his competency to stand trial.

Anthony Hutchens, then 14, reportedly told police that a mysterious guy forced him to choke Grace Ross. Ross went missing from her New Carlisle residence at 6:30 pm on March 12. Her corpse was discovered two hours later in a forested area near her home.

Indiana Teen's Case Moves to Adult Court

According to the South Bend Tribune, Hutchens, who resided in the same apartment complex, was first prosecuted in juvenile court, and all parties decided he was competent without conducting a hearing. The teen's case has now been transferred to adult court, and on Tuesday, St. Joseph Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Sanford ordered the exams. If Hutchens is judged incompetent, his trial will be postponed until he receives therapy.

Sanford requested that the examination results be submitted by mid-August and canceled the trial's initial start date of August 15. When the matter does go to trial, Hutchens' attorneys said they want to pursue an insanity defense. This would increase the number of possible outcomes of a study by two.

As adding to guilty or not guilty, Hutchens may be ruled not responsible due to insanity, which would necessitate another hearing to establish his suitable placement, or guilty but mentally ill, which would mean he would be punished as usual with court-mandated mental health therapy. The teen's attorneys have also demanded a bench trial rather than a jury trial. Prosecutors have yet to submit such request, according to Crime Online.

Read Also: US Court Grants Full Freedom to Man Who Tried to Kill Pres. Ronald Reagan

Teen Suspect Intends To Claim Insanity

Attorneys for Hutchens have requested that he be deemed legally ill at the time of Grace's murder in March 2021. The youth's mother stated in court that he is autistic, has ADHD, and has a sensory issue. Authorities claim he abused and murdered Grace, whose corpse was discovered in a wooded area behind the New Carlisle apartment complex where they both lived, roughly 75 miles (120 kilometers) east of Chicago.

Grace, from New Carlisle, Indiana, was discovered dead less than two hours after her family reported her missing. An autopsy revealed that the six-year-old died of asphyxiation. In light of various facts, St. Joseph Probate Court Magistrate Graham Polando concluded that he will be tried as an adult. These considerations, according to the court, were attempts taken to conceal evidence, such as his bloodied garments, and the seriousness of the offenses charged.

According to Indiana code, cases incorporating an insanity defense might have four outcomes: guilty, not guilty, not responsible due to insanity, or guilty but mentally ill. For a jury to find a defendant not guilty by insanity, the defense must demonstrate that the defendant has a mental illness or disability and that the sickness or condition rendered them unable to grasp that what they did was unlawful.

If a defendant is found guilty but mentally ill, they are punished normally and must get court-mandated mental health therapy. If a defendant is judged not responsible due to insanity, the court schedules an extra hearing to discuss placement possibilities. Anthony was recently transported to a facility in Kokomo, with his attorneys and St. Joseph Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Sanford claiming inadequate circumstances at the St. Joseph County Jail, The Sun reported.

Related Article: Wisconsin Cemetery Shooting Injures 5 People During Funeral of 37-Year-Old Man

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planting in India, the world's biggest producer of the fibre, could jump as much as 15% in 2022 to an all-time high, as strong prices prompt farmers to switch away from other crops, an industry association said.

Higher output could help cool the rally in global and local prices, which is hurting Asian apparel makers.

Area planted to in India could rise as much as 15% from last year because the crop is providing far better returns than alternatives, said Atul Ganatra, president of the Cotton Association of India.

Local prices have more than doubled over the past year, because heavy rainfall during harvesting slashed 2021's crop to the lowest level in a decade.

(Graphic: India cotton prices- https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/znvneoowxpl/IndiaCottonPrices.png)

A 15% rise in India's cotton crop area would lift it to around 13.8 million hectares in 2022 from 12 million hectares last year.

The association expects the largest expansions in cotton area to be in the western states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, which together account for nearly half of the country's production.

"Last year I grew cotton on 21 acres land, and groundnut on my remaining 10 acres. Since cotton prices are high, I will plant only cotton this year on all my land," said Jagdish Magan, a farmer from Morbi, Gujarat.

Most Indian farmers begin planting cotton at the onset of monsoon rains in June, although some with irrigated fields start as early as May.

(Graphic: India cotton area, production and exports- https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/dwvkrnnxgpm/IndiaCottonStats.png)

Oilseeds and pulses compete with the fibre in key cotton-producing states, such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana and Rajasthan.

Pulses have given farmers relatively poor returns over the past few years, and this could encourage growers to shift towards cotton, said a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading firm.

"Ideally, with higher area, production should go up. But cotton is a rain-fed crop in many regions, so monsoon rainfall distribution will determine the crop size," he said.

The dealer also expected a rise of up to 15% in area planted to cotton.

India is likely to receive average monsoon rainfall in 2022, while cotton-producing western states could get above-average rains, the weather department said this week.

(Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav and Sumit Khanna; Editing by Bradley Perrett)

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Xiaomi India appoints British national Alvin Tse to lead operations amid govt scrutiny over business practices. Singapore's competition commission on Friday said it has raised concerns with the over its acquisition of . Here are the top headlines at this hour.

Xiaomi names new head for India unit after dispute over business practices

The Indian unit of Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp said on Friday it has appointed founding member Alvin Tse as its general manager, a change of guard as the company faces government scrutiny over its business practices. Tse, a British national who was also the former general manager of Xiaomi Indonesia, has helped the company expand into many global markets, Xiaomi India said in a tweet. Read more

No pilot tests positive for drugs, cabin crew alcohol shows revival in 2022

Even as the Indian Pilots Guild and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) battle it out in court over the regulators rules for random testing of psychoactive substances, the entire process is slowly taking off. The rules, which kicked in on the midnight of January 31, require airlines to conduct random drug testing on pilots and other aviation safety personnel and submit results to DGCA. Read more

Services activity at 11-year high in May on post-Covid business growth

Indias services activity expanded at the fastest rate in over eleven years in May supported by pickup in new business growth with demand continuing to recover following the reopening of the economy after Covid-19 lockdowns. The S&P Global India Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 58.9 in May from 57.9 in April, the highest since April 2011. A reading above 50 denotes expansion and print below 50 indicates contraction. Read more

Singapore regulator raises concern with on acquisition

Singapore's competition commission on Friday said it has raised concerns with the over its acquisition of as the conglomerate now owns two of the three key airlines that operate flights on Singapore-Mumbai and Singapore-Delhi routes. Air India, Vistara and Singapore Airlines are the three key airlines that operate on the two aforementioned routes. Vistara's 51 per cent stake is held by the Tata Group and the remaining 49 per cent is with Singapore Airlines. Read more

surpasses Gautam Adani, becomes Asia's richest man again
The Directorate General of (DGCA) has proposed to make it mandatory for to consult an airport doctor before denying boarding to a passenger with special needs.

The regulators move comes weeks after an incident at Airport where Indias largest airline, IndiGo, refused to let a disabled teenager board its aircraft. had slapped a penalty of Rs 5 lakh on IndiGo.

Airline shall not refuse carriage of any person on the basis of disability. However, in case an airline perceives that the health of such a passenger may deteriorate in flight, the said passenger will have to be examined by a doctor, who shall categorically state the medical condition and whether the passenger is fit to fly or not, the regulator said in a draft proposal, which is now open for public comments.

It said the airline should only take a call based on the medical opinion.

Sources said the was planning to further tighten the rules of the regulations and will make it mandatory for staff of and airports to undergo compulsory sensitivity training on how to handle passengers with disability.

Defending the case, IndiGo had earlier said the reason the airport manager didnt allow the teenager to board the aircraft was because he was visibly in a state of panic which could have jeopardised the safety of the flight.

IndiGo Chief Executive Officer Ronojoy Dutta recently told Business Standard that the airline would not appeal against the penalty imposed by the and take the incident as a learning opportunity.

While more mature markets like the US also allow to deboard passengers if they believe that the passenger poses a significant risk to the health or safety of others, it is mandatory for the airline to provide a written statement describing the reason within 10 days of the flight date.

For example, in 2013, a passenger with Tourette syndrome was not allowed to board a flight by US carrier JetBlue at the Reagan National Airport because he said the word bomb close to 100 times.

But the countrys Air Carrier Access Act, which prohibits discrimination in air travel due to disability, makes it mandatory for all airlines to have a Complaints Resolution Official (CRO).

A CRO is the airlines expert on disability accommodation issues. Airlines are required to make one available to the passenger, at no cost, in person at the airport or by telephone if a passenger feels his or her rights are being violated.
Although it is very early days, initial sowing of crops has started on a positive note with the areas under rising over the same period last year, while oilseeds area is at about the same level.

The area under has risen sharply in early sowing and farmers are expected to bring even more land under the crop to cash in the bullish outlook for cereals.

The actual pick-up in sowing will happen once the monsoon becomes active over Central and Western India.

Data shows that according to initial estimates, crops were sown in about 6.91 million hectares on June 3, as against seven million hectares during the same period last year.

In all, an average of 108.51 million hectares of land is cultivated each year during the season, which extends till mid-August. Rice, coarse cereals, and oilseeds take the lion's share of this area.

Meanwhile, agency Reuters said in a report published on Friday that cotton planting in India, the world's biggest producer of the fibre, could surge by as much as 15 per cent in 2022 to an all-time high, as strong prices prompt farmers to switch from other crops.

Quoting Atul Ganatra, president, Cotton Association of India, Reuters said the higher output could help cool the rally in global and local cotton prices, which is hurting Asian apparel makers.

A 15 per cent rise in India's cotton crop area would lift it to about 13.8 million hectares in 2022 from 12 million hectares last year.



The association expects the largest expansions in cotton area to be in the western states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, which together account for nearly half of the country's production.



In another report, agency Bloomberg reported that farmers in India, the top exporter, are working to take advantage of a good monsoon and prospects that the government will boost grain purchases to safeguard food security.

Charanjit Singh Gill, a farmer in Punjab -- a region known as the countrys food bowl -- said he will keep planting as its the best option during the rainy season. Rice in most Asian farms requires large amounts of water to grow.

I expect the government will buy more rice this year from us as they have to ensure the countrys food security, Gill said.

Anil Kalyan, 58, a farmer in Haryana, said he has prepared his rice nursery and plans to grow the crop on his entire 40 acres (16 hectares) of land this year.

Indian farmers planted rice on 41.15 million hectares of land during the last year, up from 40.01 million hectares a year earlier, according to the farm ministry, Bloomberg reported.

While rice acreage and production are expected to be stable or slightly higher this year, growers say, it may not remain the case for the years to come. It all depends on prices and the availability of water.

With diesel prices rising sharply in the last one year so also the cost of other inputs, any average farmer will go for those crops in which he gets a remunerative return, Suresh Agarwal from the All India Dal Millers Association had told Business Standard a few weeks back.

Agarwal had said the actual impact of any shift from towards other crops will be seen around August and if by then oilseed prices come down and rains are normal, then the shift will be less.

The southwest monsoon on which much of the bullish outlook of kharif sowing kept its forward march covering much of North-East and eastern parts of the country and making steady progress across southern India.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its latest weather outlook said that the southwest monsoon has covered the entire northeastern states and some parts of sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim. Under its influence, intense spell of rainfall was witnessed over Northeast India and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim in the next 5 days.

In Southern India, the monsoon has reached Tamil Nadu, parts of Karnataka and Kerala.

Private weather forecasting agency, Skymet in a recent report, sounded a warning. It said that the monsoon may remain behind schedule for the state of Maharashtra.

The central parts of the country including Chhattisgarh, Odisha and East Madhya Pradesh may have to wait longer than normal for the 1st monsoon showers. Monsoon arrival as per normal dates, as such is after 15thJune for parts of Gujarat, Jharkhand and Bihar, Skymet said.
India has put a precondition that exported at a government-to-government level should be used for domestic consumption only and not exported to third countries, Commerce and Industry Minister said on Friday.

We are insisting that any country that wants from us should ask only for its local population and commit that it will not allow a re-export. Our concern was that traders, speculators and hoarders should not get a control of this valuable and then charge exorbitant prices from poor and vulnerable nations, causing distress to the people of the world. We want to support the less developed, friendly and neighbouring countries to the extent that we can, Goyal said.

Business Standard on May 26 reported that India had received special requests from the UAE, South Korea, Oman and Yemen for wheat after the government banned exports on May 13.

Goyal said an inter-ministerial committee comprising representatives from agriculture, food, foreign affairs examine and approve requests from friendly nations who have asked for wheat from India, depending on their population size.

While imposing the export ban, the commerce ministry said export will be allowed on the basis of permission granted by the Government of India to other countries to meet their food security needs and based on the request of their governments.

The government also allowed a wheat consignment of 61,500 Mt for Egypt after the export ban. It was already under loading at the Kandla port.

Goyal said India had asked the (WTO) to allow a relaxation of rules so that whenever some country needs support on a government-to-government basis, India can supply wheat to the country from the government procured stock. It will be a matter of discussion when I go to the WTOs upcoming 12th Ministerial, he added.

If farmers lost out due to the wheat exports ban by the government, Goyal said farmers had already sold their produce. This is evident from the fact that after the wheat ban was introduced, we only got 600,000 tonnes through government procurement. Having sold their produce, if traders would have indiscriminately exported it at high profit, beyond a point it would have been harmful for our own food security and our own requirement and prices could have sky-rocketed, he added.

Goyal said as of now he doesnt see chances of putting restrictions on export of any other agriculture products. Those are decisions which we dont disclose before we take the decisions. In the course of the monitoring, estimates of agri production are taken from time to time wherever required. As of now, we dont see the need to do it on any other product, he added.
Following the announcement that Sheryl Sandberg will step down as Meta's COO later this year, the company is losing another executive as part of a reorganisation of its artificial intelligence (AI) group.

The company said that Jerome Pesenti, Meta's VP of AI, will depart in mid-June after helping it through the early stages of the AI transition.

"We are grateful for the incredible work Jerome has done over the past over four years in building, leading, and scaling a world-class AI function for Meta," the company said in a blogpost.

"In the new model we will distribute the ownership of these AI systems back to Meta's product groups," it added.

To continue advancing both the AI technology and community, Meta said it will also convene a new cross-functional AI leadership team led by Joelle.

"This group will be called upon to evaluate our progress in AI across the entire company. At our scale nothing comes easily," the company said.

"More centralised approaches run into their limits when the last mile proves to be too far for downstream teams to close the gap," it added.

With this new team structure, Meta said it is excited to push the boundaries of what AI can do and use it to create new features and products for billions of people.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President and Vice President met Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and discussed the implications of war between Russia and Ukraine for transatlantic security.

"The leaders discussed the implications of Russia's war on Ukraine for Transatlantic security and the importance of strengthening NATO's deterrence and defense, in addition to ensuring is properly resourced to address a wide range of challenges, from cyber to climate change," a White House said in a statement on Thursady (local time).

Baiden and met with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) chief to prepare for the June 29-30 Summit in Madrid.

"They also welcomed the applications by Finland and Sweden for NATO membership, and President Biden conveyed his strong support for efforts by Secretary General Stoltenberg to facilitate a rapid accession process that addresses the security concerns of all Allies," the statement read further.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met separately with Secretary General Stoltenberg, it added.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has the summit between NATO leaders in June will assess the military alliance's future relationship with Russia, which has soured since the start of "military operation" in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the US Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a notice today in which it published the names of 71 newly blacklisted Russian entities, including aircraft and shipbuilding companies.

"In response to the Russian Federation's (Russia's) further invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the Department of Commerce is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding 71 entities... to the Entity List. These entities have been determined by the US government to be acting contrary to the national security interests or foreign policy of the United States," the BIS notice said.

The sanctioned entities include the Chkalov Novosibirsk Aviation Plant, Irkutsk Aviation Plant, St. Petersburg Shipbuilding Institution Krylov 45, Far Eastern Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Center and the All Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics, among others, as per reports.

(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.)
Payton Gendron, the 18-year-old gunman who killed 10 African-Americans and injured three during a shooting spree at a supermarket in New York's Buffalo city on May 14, pleaded not guilty to charges of domestic act of terrorism.

Gendron appeared in the Erie County Court on Thursday for an arraignment hearing after which the judge ordered the teenager to be held without bond.

He is scheduled to appear before the court again on July 7.

A grand jury on Wednesday indicted the gunman on charges of domestic act of terrorism motivated by hate in the first degree, murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree as a hate crime, attempted murder in the second degree as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, Xinhua news agency reported.

This development marks the first time a grand jury in New York state has ever indicted a defendant on the charge of "domestic act of terrorism motivated by hate in the first degree", according to a law enforcement source.

Gendron was initially charged with a single count of first-degree murder on May 19.

US federal authorities are also investigating the shooting as both a hate crime and a case of racially motivated violent extremism, said Stephen Belongia, the special agent in charge of the local office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Gendron drove about three hours from his home to a Black-predominated community in Buffalo on May 14, and carried out the mass shooting at the Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue on Buffalo's East Side.

The victims ranged in age from 32 to 86.

The Buffalo shooting happened 10 days before another 18-year-old killed 19 children and two teachers on May 24 in a mass shooting at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

There have been 213 mass shootings in the first 21 weeks of 2022 in the US, including 27 school shootings and up to approximately 10 mass shootings every week, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

--IANS

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(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.)
Bankrupt cant tap a $1.5 billion credit line from Beijing as is concerned the Monetary Fund may force delays in repayment.

There is a condition in relation to the months of import cover that we need to have in order to be able to draw on that money, said Indrajit Coomaraswamy, a former central bank of governor who is advising the government.

Its difficult for to waive off the condition because this is a three-year swap, it might be termed a loan and there may be pressure from and others to include it in the stock of debt that we reschedule and therefore clearly that would be a disadvantage to the Chinese, he said.

India  creditor and neighbour to  wants the to treat on par with other creditors.



Top leaders reach consensus on 21A provisions



Sri Lanka's top political leaders on Friday agreed on some of the provisions of the controversial 21st Amendment to the Constitution aimed at empowering Parliament over the executive president during the second round of meeting with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe (PTI).
Eminent Indian-American and major fund raiser Ajay Jain Bhutoria has been named as Deputy National Finance Chair of the ruling Democratic party in the US.

Silicon Valley-based Bhutoria is a successful entrepreneur and is considered to be one of the major fund raisers for the Democratic Party and US President .

With a proven track record and decades of combined experience raising the resources to elect Democrats up and down the ballot, Bhutoria is the only Asian-American to hold this role this year, a media release said.

Bhutoria also serves on the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (US HHS).



Also Read: Joe Biden's political standing fuels Democratic worry about 2024

An influential and passionate champion for the South Asian and greater AAPI community, he has fought tirelessly to advance equity, justice, and opportunities for AAPIs across the nation, with a strong focus on small business growth, strong education, tackling hate crimes, advancing technology and fair immigration, the release said.

Bhutoria has been recognised by numerous US Congressmen, US Senators, California Legislators, as well as the State governors and former US presidents. For his service to the community, he has also received the South Asian Global Leadership Award and the AAPI Community Hero Award.

(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 second day of the platinum jubilee weekend, which began on Thursday with the Queen's birthday parade, is Friday, June 3.

While thousands of people gathered to see troops, musicians, and horses march along The Mall to Buckingham Palace for the Trooping the Colour ceremony, today's proceedings are likely to be considerably quieter and more intimate.

Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Reunites the Royal Family

A Thanksgiving Service commemorating the Queen's 70-year reign will be held at St. Paul's Cathedral, bringing most members of the royal family together for the first time since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding in 2018.

The Duke of York, however, will no longer attend the service after testing positive for Covid-19, according to Buckingham Palace on Thursday. Prince Andrew was scheduled to attend the ceremony with the rest of the royal family, making only his second public appearance since settling the sexual assault lawsuit filed against him by Virginia Giuffre.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are still slated to attend the Thanksgiving Day Service. Their appearance in the UK marks their first trip to British territory with their son Archie and months-old daughter Lilibet since they stepped down from royal responsibilities in 2020.

The Queen is anticipated to attend the service, however, Buckingham Palace has stated that her attendance at official jubilee activities will not be confirmed until the day of the event owing to her ongoing episodic mobility issues. With the assistance of a walking stick, she appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for Thursday's procession. For the first time, Great Paul, the country's largest church bell, will be rung for a royal event during the service, according to Independent.

They arrived in the United Kingdom. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are anticipated to gather with the older royals on Friday for Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee. The couple, who were not on the balcony for Trooping The Colour on Thursday, will attend a thanksgiving ceremony at St. Paul's Cathedral on Friday morning as part of Queen Elizabeth's ongoing Platinum Jubilee festivities celebrating her 70 years on the throne.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in the United Kingdom this week to honor the queen and were spotted celebrating with members of the royal family during the Trooping the Colour event. They were not allowed on the balcony, which was reserved for working senior royals. Despite not being on the balcony, both Harry and Meghan were captured on tape shushing a few younger royals in a viral moment, according to Fox News.

Read Also: Supermassive Black Holes in Middle of Galaxies Affect the Formation of New Stars in the Cosmos

Prince Louis Caught Viewers' Attention

Meanwhile, royal fans were left in stitches when Prince Louis' responses to the flyover stole the show. During the occasion, which kicked off four days of celebrations for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, the four-year-old could be seen monetarily cupping his ears as deafening jets blasted overhead.

Previously, he could be seen waving at the jets and conversing with the Queen during the spectacular spectacle. He looked to yawn at one point while his mother murmured in his ear before turning to his great-grandmother to ask a question. His siblings, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte, were spotted beaming with delight as they were joined by their mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, and father, Prince William.

Thousands of royal enthusiasts on The Mall in front of the palace erupted in cries of "hooray" as the Royals clustered together on the balcony. As the plane neared, the Queen could be seen smiling and looking forward while wearing sunglasses.

Princess Charlotte was spotted earlier in the day restraining Louis, four, at the Trooping the Colour procession. Prince Louis' passionate waving grabbed his elder sister's attention after he waved to the crowd from his place between his two older siblings. Princess Charlotte was spotted gently placing her hand on his arm, probably to chill his crowd-pleasing responsibilities, as per Mirror.

Related Article: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Get "Cast Iron Assurances" of Protection as They Arrive in UK with Archie and Lilibet To Attend Platinum Jubilee

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reported the death of another colonel of the elite Quds force of its Revolutionary Guards on Friday, the second in two weeks from the unit which oversees Iran's military operations abroad.

Quoting an unknown official, the early morning report by the official IRNA news agency said Col. Ali Esmailzadeh died during an incident in his residence days ago in city of Karaj, some 35 kilometres northwest of the capital Tehran.

It did not elaborate but denied reports that the colonel was assassinated.

Other news channels close to the Guard said Esmailzadeh fell from his rooftop or balcony.

In May two unidentified gunmen on a motorbike shot Col. Hassan Sayyad Khodaei five times in a car in front of his residence in Tehran.

blamed his slaying on the US and its allies, including Israel.

traditionally blames Israel for such targeted killings, including those on nuclear scientists over the past years.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The deadly mass shooting at an Oklahoma medical office by a man who blamed his surgeon for continuing pain following an operation on his back underscores the escalating threat of violence doctors have faced in recent years.

Michael Louis, 45, fatally shot Dr. Preston Phillips and three other people in Tulsa on Wednesday before killing himself. Police said Louis had been calling the clinic repeatedly complaining of pain and that he specifically targeted Phillips, who performed his surgery.

What we currently know is that Louis was in pain, Louis expressed that he was in pain and was not getting relief and that was the circumstance surrounding this entire incident, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said at a news conference.

Doctors have been increasingly threatened with or become victims of violence by patients complaining of pain, especially in recent years when they have prescribed alternatives to opioids and tapered patients off addictive painkillers. Police have not said that Louis was seeking opioids to relieve his pain.

More than two-thirds of pain specialists surveyed during a violence education session at a 2019 American Academy of Pain Medicine meeting said a patient threatened them with bodily harm at least once a year. Nearly half said they had been threatened over opioid management.

We only become aware of it when these dramatic and tragic events occur, said Dr. W. Michael Hooten, a former president of the academy and a professor at the Mayo Clinic. Some of the lower-level threats and lower-level occurrences of violence, we're simply not aware of them because they don't get the attention.

A jury in Minnesota returned a guilty verdict on all counts Thursday against Gregory Paul Ulrich, who was charged in the 2021 health clinic shooting that left one person dead and four injured. Sentencing is scheduled for June 17.

Investigators have said the alleged gunman's addiction to opioid medication was the driving factor" behind the shooting.

A police report says Ulrich had threatened a similar mass shooting in 2018, allegedly as revenge against people who he said tortured him with back surgeries and prescribed medication.

In 2017, an Indiana man shot and killed a doctor who refused to prescribe opioids to his wife.

Oklahoma has been hit particularly hard by the opioid crisis. State statistics show that from 2007 to 2017, more than 4,600 people in Oklahoma died from opioid overdoses, including prescription painkillers and illicit drugs such as heroin and illegally made fentanyl. Nationally, opioids have been linked to more than 500,000 deaths since 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the Tulsa shooting, Franklin said Louis was carrying a letter that said he was targeting Phillips, an orthopedic surgeon with an interest in spinal surgery and joint reconstruction.

Franklin said Phillips performed the surgery on Louis on May 19 and that the patient was released from the hospital on May 24.

He said Louis called the doctor's office several times over several days reporting he was still in pain and that he saw Phillips on Tuesday for additional treatment. Louis called the office again Wednesday complaining of back pain and wanting additional assistance, he said.

The threats have prompted some facilities to take steps including installing panic buttons, restricting high-risk patients' access and seating doctors closer to the door than patients. Dr. David Holden, president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, said it's also meant reviewing access points to their facilities.

Holden, an orthopedic surgeon, said doctors have long dealt with concerns about threats from patients over care. But the violence in recent years has taken that concern to a new level.

We've had those concerns forever, so that's not new," Holden said. What is new is the sudden, targeted violence to the extreme.

(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.)
Five names have been shortlisted for South Korea's new presidential office, it was announced on Friday

The shortlisted names are The People's House, Itaewon-ro 22, The People's Government Office, Mineum Government Office and Bareunnuri, Yonhap News Agency quoted the presidential office as saying.

The five were chosen from among 30,000 entries submitted by the public over a one-month period starting April 15.

The naming contest got under way after President Yoon Suk-yeol decided to move the presidential office out of Cheong Wa Dae and into what used to be the defense ministry compound to draw closer to the public.

The former presidential office, which was called Cheong Wa Dae because of its blue roof, was located on a secluded compound on a hill.

Mineum derives from Chinese characters that mean "people" and "voice". Bareunnuri roughly translates to "righteous world" while Itaewon-ro 22 combines the street address of the presidential office with 2022, the year the office opened.

The five names will be put to a vote online at www.epeople.go.kr/idea from Friday through next June 9.

The final name will be announced later this month after combining the results of the online vote with a jury's assessment by a 70:30 ratio.

--IANS

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(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 coalition of consumers on Friday filed a police case against Google's top executives, including CEO Sundar Pichai, for the tech giant's in-app billing system that forces domestic app developers to pay hefty commissions.

According to The Korea Times, Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty (CUCS) has filed a complaint against Pichai, Korea CEO Nancy Mable Walker and Asia-Pacific President Scott Beaumont at Gangnam Police Station in Seoul for allegedly violating the country's Telecommunications Business Act.

"The enforcement of Google's in-app payment policy has raised costs, burdening consumers and damaging creators," a representative from the consumer group was quoted as saying.

"App developers have no choice but to accept the request from Google, which accounts for 74.6 per cent of the app store market share," the representative added.

South Korean have raised charges for paid content services on as the US tech giant prepares to remove apps with external payment links circumventing Google's in-app payment system.

Google started enforcing the controversial billing system in Korea from June 1.

Currently, many app developers on Google's Play store directed users to external links for payment to circumvent Google's billing policy, which takes a hefty 15-30 percent commission from in-app purchases, reports Yonhap News Agency.

In March, South Korea's Cabinet approved a revised bill that would ban app store operators from forcing developers to use their own in-app payment systems.

Still, Google required in April all app developers selling digital goods and services to use its billing system and to remove external payment links. Non-complying apps were not able to offer updates, and Google warned to remove such apps from the Play store on June 1.

Since Google's announcement, in-app charges for a wide array of content services, including webtoons and digital books, have seen 15-20 per cent hikes on the Play store in the past two months.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
For some Afghans who were evacuated as their country fell to the Taliban last summer, the journey to the US has stalled, and perhaps ended, at a sun-baked cluster of tents and temporary housing on an American base in the Balkans.

While more than 78,000 Afghans have arrived in the US for resettlement since August, the future for those who have been flagged for additional security vetting and diverted to Camp Bondsteel, in the small nation of Kosovo, remains up in the air.

The US won't force the dozens there to return to Afghanistan, where they could face reprisals.

Their frustration is growing. Some Afghans at the base, which has been shrouded in secrecy, took the unusual step this week of staging a protest, holding up signs with messages such as we want justice, according to photos sent to The Associated Press.

They just keep repeating the same things, that it takes time and we must be patient, one of the Afghans, Muhammad Arif Sarwari, said in a text message from the base.

Their complaints open a window into an aspect of the evacuation and resettlement of Afghans that has gotten little attention because US authorities, and the government of Kosovo, have been reluctant to say much about the people sent to Bondsteel.

The base houses a mix of adults and children, because some of the people who have so far failed to get a visa to the US are travelling with family.

Sarwari, a former senior intelligence official with the Afghan government, said there are about 45 people there, representing about 20 or so individual visa cases, after a flight to the US left with 27 of the refugees on Wednesday.

The Biden administration won't provide details, but acknowledges that some of the evacuees did not make it through what it calls a a multi-layered, rigorous screening and vetting process and won't be permitted to enter the US.

While the vast majority of Afghan evacuees have been cleared through this process, the small number of individuals who have been denied are examples of the system working exactly as it should, said Sean Savett, a spokesman for the National Security Council.

In all, about 600 Afghans have passed through Bondsteel, according to the government of Kosovo, which initially authorised use of the base for evacuees for a year but recently agreed to extend that until August 2023.

Kosovo, which gained independence from Serbia in 2008 with US support, has also provided little information about the Afghans at Bondsteel, citing the privacy of the refugees.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a statement that the government is proud of its role providing temporary shelter to them.

Afghans are housed in a section of Bondsteel called Camp Liya, named for an Afghan child handed to the US Marines over a fence at the Hamid Karzai Airport during the evacuation, according to a US military publication.

It was the chaotic nature of that evacuation that led to the need for an overseas facility in the first place. As the Afghan government collapsed, thousands of people made it onto military transport planes with minimal screening before they arrived at one of several overseas transit points.

The people sent to Bondsteel were stopped and diverted for a host of reasons, including missing or flawed documents or security concerns that emerged during overseas vetting by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, officials have said.

At the same time, some in Congress have criticised the administration for what they say has been inadequate vetting of Afghan refugees.

Sarwari made it to Kuwait from in early September with his wife and two of his daughters and says he doesn't know why he's been held up.

He was a prominent figure in Afghanistan, serving as the former director of intelligence after the US invasion in 2001. Before that, he was a top official with the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance.

Both positions would make him a target of the Taliban if he were to return.

The vetting team keeps telling us sorry, Washington is just deciding some political issues, he said.

Sarwari has applied for a special immigrant visa, which is issued to people who worked for the US government or its allies during the war. He has not received a response, according to his lawyer, Julie Sirrs.

In theory, he is free to leave but it's not clear where he could go, Sirrs said. He obviously cannot return to . He's clearly in danger if he returns.

He and live a circumscribed existence on Bondsteel. Although technically not detained, they cannot leave the arid, rocky base and have spent months in tents, which were adorned with handwritten signs during this week's protest. One said unfair decision, while another said children are suffering.

The Biden administration says authorities have determined that some it won't say how many simply cannot be allowed to enter the US.

It is working to find other countries that don't harbour the same security concerns and are willing to accept them for resettlement. No one will be forcibly returned to Afghanistan, the NSC spokesperson 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.)
Sheryl Sandberg's exit from Meta Platforms Inc comes at a crucial time for the parent as it pivots to "metaverse" in the face of slowing ad revenue, although Wall Street analysts say her departure will not be as significant.

As second-in-command to founder and Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, Sandberg transformed from a buzzy startup into a technology behemoth and helped grow its ad revenue to over $100 billion from $272 million in her 14 years with the company.

She was also the face of the company in dealing with regulators in Washington as the social-media network became embroiled in a series of controversies, including a data scandal that involved British firm Cambridge Analytica.

"Meta is a more mature business with set processes as Sandberg moves on," JMP Securities analyst Andrew Boone said.

"While we acknowledge Sandberg's instrumental role in building Meta's advertising business, the company now has the infrastructure and processes in place to weather most departures, including Sandberg's."

A Harvard graduate, Sandberg joined from Google in 2008, after having served as chief of staff for the U.S. Treasury Department under former President Bill Clinton.

Javier Olivan, currently chief growth officer, will take over as the company's COO when Sandberg leaves.

"I'm more concerned about the ultimate outcome of the metaverse and the impact of earnings over the next handful of years than I would be about who is sitting in the role of COO," said Thomas Hayes, managing member at Great Hill Capital LLC in New York.

MKM Partners analyst Rohit Kulkarni said former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, who was hired in 2018 to run the company's global policy organization, could play a larger role in dealing with regulators.

(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.)
Ltd.s long-delayed flight to India may finally be ready for takeoff.



As travel resumes and the carrier moves past the record annual loss it was reporting around this time last year, Chief Executive Officer Goh Choon Phong wants to pursue a multi-hub strategy, one in which airlines owned by it will benefit from aviation demand outside of Singapore. India is obviously a very important one because its going to be massive, Goh told Bloomberg News, adding that he expects CEO Goh Choon Phong wants to pursue a multi-hub strategy as he expects India to be the third-largest aviation market after China and the US by the middle of the decade

Its a market that has attracted the small Asian city-state for decades. had partnered with the Mumbai-based conglomerate Tata Group in the failed 2001 privatization of Air India Ltd. New Delhi finally got around to selling the flag carrier to Tata only last year. During that 20-year period, Middle East rivals tried to make inroads into India. Etihad Airways PJSC invested in Jet Airways India Ltd., whose founder Naresh Goyal ran his carrier into bankruptcy. When Qatar was negotiating for more flights between Indian locations and Doha six years ago, it was told to set up a new airline. Qatar Airways Ltd. even announced a brand-new short-haul carrier for India. While nothing came of that plan, the company has often expressed its keenness to buy a stake in IndiGo, Indias biggest airline.

The Tata Group flirted with others, including Singapore Airlines arch rival AirAsia Bhd., with which it launched AirAsia India. Goh, who rose to become CEO in 2011, stuck to Tata, taking a 49% stake in its full-service carrier Vistara. In the seven years that Vistara has been flying, its yet to turn a profit even though it now serves nine overseas destinations and covers 31 cities in India.

But Gohs loyalty and patience may finally be rewarded: Campbell Wilson, the CEO of Singapore Airlines no-frills Scoot brand, is joining as CEO of the newly privatized Air India. This isnt a case of Tata poaching senior talent from its partner, but rather the beginning of a deeper relationship. Wilsons move  plus the Tata Groups plan to lease 700,000 square feet of commercial space near the New Delhi airport to house the corporate offices of Air India, its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express as well as Vistara and AirAsia India  prompted The Morning Context to ask if a merger was on its way. The news website had previously reported that Singapore Airlines and the Indian conglomerate had agreed to keep Vistara and Air India separate for two years. That timeframe to decide on a big, fat, Indian wedding may no longer be sacrosanct, it said.

For the salt-to-software Tata Group, consolidation of its airline businesses will mean cost efficiencies, for instance, by removing overlapping routes and perhaps losing the AirAsia brand along the way. Meanwhile, a substantial stake in Air India will be the jewel in Singapore Airlines crown. Its home base in Singapore is well-suited as a router of passenger flows between India and the U.S. west coast.

Vistara, which has already started some European routes, plans direct flights to the U.S. as well, effectively giving Singapore Airlines a foothold in the lucrative West-bound market from India, long dominated by Emirates Airline, Etihad and Qatar Airways. If the New Zealand-born Wilson, a Singapore Airlines veteran, can pull off an Air India-Vistara integration, Goh can use the template to roll out his multi-hub strategy in other markets. Hopefully, those efforts wont drag on for two decades. Or else they may have to be concluded by the successor to the 58-year-old CEO.
said it will focus its attention now on catching up on the backlog in identifying HIV and TB cases that were out on the backburner during the COVID-19 pandemic.

minister Joe Phaahla told the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) -- the higher tier of the South African government -- on Wednesday that his ministry would also focus on catching up with the many delays in surgical procedures and other facilities caused by the emphasis on treating patients in the past two years.

Phaahla's statement came as the National Institute of Communicable Disease reported 2,970 new COVID-19 cases and 31 deaths on Tuesday night.

We lost some of the pace as we focused on the pandemic. We have already agreed with all (provincial ministers) that the key is to integrate the mitigation against COVID-19 into our comprehensive basket of services from primary health care levels upwards, including the vaccination programme, which must increasingly be part of our comprehensive services, Phaahla said.

He said the great pressure that had put on hospitals and frontline medical staff has been greatly eased, allowing a return to issues such as getting people with HIV and tuberculosis onto appropriate treatment.

The minister conceded that had fallen behind on targets that had been agreed with UNAIDS in this regard.

Long waiting lists for surgery would also be addressed, he said.

We know there are many people who were due for a number of surgical procedures which were delayed for weeks and months, and some even for years, as a result of the pandemic occupying most of our focus in the health facilities, Phaahla said.

Explaining his department's budget of just over 64 billion rands for the new fiscal year to the NCOP, Phaahla said around 86 percent of this would be provided to the nine provincial health departments with conditions attached to use it for fighting HIV and Aids, TB and STI programmes, non-communicable diseases and increasing human resource capacity at hospitals and clinics.

A significant amount will go towards the infrastructure of new facilities or replacement or refurbishment and maintenance of health facilities because we cannot talk of improvement of quality without addressing infrastructure and equipment at our health facilities, Phaahla said.

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Sri Lanka's newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, during a meeting with representatives from the Joint Chambers on Thursday, explained that the Government was targeting USD 5 billion for repayments and USD 1 billion to bolster the country's reserves.

During the meeting, Wickremesinghe elaborated that discussions with the Monetary Fund are proceeding and was hopeful that the negotiations would end this month.

He further explained that the debt restructuring has already begun, following the appointment of financial and legal advisors.

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister said that any bridging to help in alleviating the crisis is dependent on an agreement with the IMF being reached.

Commenting further, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe stated that talks were continuing with donor nations. He added that relations with Japan had broken down, and it would take a while to repair those relations and regain their confidence.

In regards to the medicine shortage, the Prime Minister explained that former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, who was appointed on May 19 to coordinate the relief efforts for the island nation, was leading the appeal for urgently needed medical supplies.

Addressing the issue of food scarcity, the Prime Minister explained that securing fertilizer and compiling a food security program were being given equal priority. He explained that in the event of any excess crops, those would be provided to vulnerable groups at a concessionary rate.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, relaxed the import restrictions on 369 items in March and April this year.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies, has issued a gazette notification on the relaxation, the Ministry said in a press statement.

Earlier, those who wanted to import any of the 369 items had to obtain an import licence, and the decision to restrict the import was taken to reduce foreign currency spending on foreign products.

is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens, resulting in massive protests over the government's handling of the situation.

The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a fall in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as reckless economic policies, like the government's move last year to ban chemical fertilizers in a bid to make Sri Lanka's agriculture "100 per cent organic".

Due to an acute shortage of foreign exchange, recently defaulted on the entirety of its foreign debt amounting to about USD 51 billion.

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Afghanistan's rulers are maintaining close ties with al-Qaida as they consolidate control over the country, and their main military threat is coming from the Islamic State extremist group and guerrilla-style attacks by former Afghan government security personnel, UN experts said in a new report.

The experts said in the report to the that with the onset of better weather, fighting may escalate as both Islamic State and resistance forces undertake operations against forces.

But neither IS nor al-Qaida is believed to be capable of mounting attacks before 2023 at the earliest, regardless of their intent or of whether the acts to restrain them, the panel of experts said.

Nonetheless, it said the presence of IS, al-Qaida, and many other terrorist groups and fighters on Afghan soil is raising concerns in neighboring countries and the wider community.

Since their takeover of last Aug 15 as US and NATO forces were in the final stages of their chaotic withdrawal from the country after 20 years, the Taliban have favoured loyalty and seniority over competence, and their decision-making has been opaque and inconsistent, the experts said.

In the report obtained Thursday, the panel monitoring sanctions against the Taliban said its leaders have appointed 41 men on the UN sanctions blacklist to the Cabinet and senior positions, and they have favoured the country's dominant Pashtun ethnic group, alienating minority communities including ethnic Tajiks and Uzbeks.

The Taliban's primary concern has been to consolidate control while seeking recognition, to re-engage with the international financial system and to receive aid in order to deal with the growing economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the experts said.

Since taking power, however, there have been many factors creating internal tensions within the movement, leading to perceptions that the Taliban's governance has been chaotic, disjointed and prone to reversing policies and going back on promises.," they said.

As the Taliban struggle to transition from an insurgency to a governing body, they have been divided between pragmatists and hardliners who have gained the upper hand and want to turn the clock back to the group's harsh rule from 1996 until December 2001, when they were ousted from power by US forces following the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

To date, their efforts to win recognition and aid from Western nations have floundered, largely because they have not formed a more representative government, and have restricted the rights of girls to education beyond elementary school, and of women to work and travel without a male relative's oversight.

The central dilemma is how a movement with an inflexible ideology can engage with a society that has evolved during the past 20 years, the experts said. Further stresses revolve around power, resources, and regional and ethnic divisions.

Despite these serious issues, the panel said the Taliban appear confident in their ability to control the country and 'wait out' the international community to obtain eventual recognition of their government.

They assess that, even if they make no significant concessions, the international community will ultimately recognise them as the government of Afghanistan, especially in the absence of a government in exile or significant internal resistance, the experts said.

So far, not a single country has officially recognised the Taliban, and there is growing international anger at its treatment of girls and women and its failure to keep its promise of forming an inclusive government. There are also concerns about the Taliban's inability to keep its promise not to allow terrorist groups to operate in .

The panel said the Haqqani Network, a militant Islamist group with close ties to the Taliban, moved quickly after their takeover to gain control of key portfolios and ministries including interior, intelligence, passports and migration. It now largely controls security in Afghanistan, including the security of the capital, Kabul, the experts said.

The Haqqani Network is still regarded as having the closest links to al-Qaida, the panel said, and the relationship between the Taliban and al-Qaida also remains close. The experts pointed to the reported presence of al-Qaida's core leadership in eastern including its leader Ayman al-Zawahri.

To counter the Islamic State, the report quoted an unidentified country as saying the Taliban have created three battalions of special forces called red units.

The emergence of the National Resistance Front and Afghanistan Freedom Front comprising former Afghan security personnel has led the Taliban to adopt aggressive measures against populations suspected of supporting anti-Taliban operations, the panel said.

In April, it said National Resistance Front forces stepped up operations in Badakhshan, Baghlan, Jowzjan, Kunduz, Panjshir, Takhar and Samangan provinces.

The Afghan Freedom Front, which only emerged recently, has also claimed several attacks on Taliban bases in Badakhshan, Kandahar, Parwan and Samangan, the experts said.

Taliban forces may be hard pressed to counter several insurgencies simultaneously, they said.

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Two wounded in shooting at funeral in U.S. Wisconsin

Xinhua) 14:55, June 03, 2022

CHICAGO, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Two people were wounded in a shooting Thursday at a cemetery in Racine, south of Milwaukee in the U.S. state of Wisconsin during a funeral for a man killed by police.

One victim was taken to hospital and is expected to survive; the other was treated and released, local media reported Friday.

The shooting occurred just before 2:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) as multiple shots were fired, the Racine Police Department said in a statement

Police are not able to say what led to the shooting. No suspects are in custody. The public has been asked to avoid the area during the ongoing investigation.

In response to the shooting, Racine Mayor Cory Mason has imposed a curfew for anyone under the age of 18.

The shooting comes the day after a gunman killed four people at a Tulsa medical office.

Shooting has happened frequently in the United States recently. On May 14, a mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo in the U.S. state of New York left 10 dead and three injured. On May 24, a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde of Texas left 21 people dead, including 19 students.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, there has already been 233 mass shootings so far this year in the United States, averaging more than one per day.

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Bianji)
A shooting outside an Iowa church Thursday evening left three people dead, including a suspected gunman, according to local authorities.

Capt. Nicholas Lennie of Story County Sherrif Department said the incident happened before 7 p.m. outside Cornerstone Church in Armes, while a program was going on inside, as per a report from NBC News. Deputies found at the scene the remains of two females and a male.

Sheriff Paul H. Fitzgerald said the event at the church involved college-age students. The shooting, however, took place just outside.

Lennie said 911 callers reported a gunman in the parking lot shooting two persons.

The gunman has been identified, and there is no threat to the community. However, the motive of the shooting had not been established yet as the probe was still in its early phases, according to the official.

Investigators are looking into whether the shooter committed suicide though they believe it was an isolated case.

"This appears to be an isolated, single-shooter incident," Lennie noted, per a Reuters report.

Heartbreaking Incident

A report from KCCI 8 stated Cornerstone Pastor Mike Vance released a statement regarding the tragic shooting, wherein he stated that "two young members of our Cornerstone Church community" were involved in the incident.

"We can say, however, that we are more than saddened by the events that transpired. Our hearts break for all involved, and we are praying for everyone affected. Our Ministry staff are available to support all those impacted, and we will continue to fully cooperate with authorities as they complete their full investigation," Vance said in the statement.

He also commended the "responsiveness" of the Story County Sheriff's Department, Ames Police Department, and law enforcers for handling the incident "with exceptional professionalism and compassion."

Read Also: Yellowstone Bison Attack: Ohio Woman Dies After Animal Impales Her [What Happened?]

Biden Pushes for Tougher Gun Laws

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden made a passionate plea for stricter gun control laws on Thursday, calling for a ban on assault weapons, stricter background check laws, and a higher minimum age to purchase.

The call came as a series of gun massacres shocked the country and urged fresh talks on Capitol Hill about how to avoid them, CNN reported.

Biden ratcheted the pressure on Congress to act after past massacres failed to yield any significant new laws, speaking from the White House Cross Hall, where mournful lines of lighted candles were a backdrop.

Since the recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, it was the President's most emphatic and precise appeal for gun regulation.

The President asked: "How much more carnage are we willing to accept?" He demanded Republicans end their obstruction of gun control measures.

He used his address to simultaneously inspire action and warn opponents of new gun legislation with voter anger, although the majority of voters want some form of new action to avoid mass killings.

Biden also urged Congress to strengthen background checks for gun purchases, establish new rules for safely storing weapons, enact new "red flag" laws prohibiting gun sales to people with criminal records, repeal liability shields for gun manufacturers, and increase mental health services for students.

Most of those proposals seem unlikely to pass in the Senate, which is evenly divided. A bipartisan group of senators is currently analyzing how to make the measures possible.

Related Article: Indiana Teen Charged After Strangling 6-Year-Old Girl To Death; Suspect Says "Shadowy Man" Told Him to Do the Crime

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As the Russia-Ukraine conflict entered its fourth month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 50 embassies have resumed operations in Kyiv, Ukraine, and termed it a testament to their faith in the country's victory.

Zelenskyy on Thursday said that this is important news not just practically, but also symbolically. "Every new embassy that returns to our capital is a testament to our faith in our victory," Zelensky said, reported The Kyiv Independent.

Earlier, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that the Indian Embassy in Ukraine, which was temporarily operating out of Poland, would resume its operation in Kyiv from May 17.

"The Indian Embassy in Ukraine, which was temporarily operating out of Warsaw (Poland), would be resuming its operation in Kyiv w.e.f. 17 May 2022," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

The Embassy was temporarily relocated to Warsaw on March 13 due to the deteriorating security situation in the wake of the Ukraine conflict.

While conveying the decision to temporarily relocate the embassy to Poland, MEA had said the situation will be reassessed in the light of further developments.

"In view of the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Ukraine, including attacks in the western parts of the country, it has been decided that the Indian Embassy in Ukraine will be temporarily relocated to Poland," the MEA had said.Russia started its military operation in Ukraine in the last week of February this year which resulted in a large-scale humanitarian situation. Under operation Ganga, India had facilitated the safe return of 22,500 Indian nationals, most of them students, studying in various universities in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, US officially resumed its operations at the US Embassy in Kyiv on May 18 after shutting down it for three months, just days before Russia started its military operation in Ukraine, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.Price said that when they suspended the operation, they made it clear that even though they are relocating the US Embassy personnel for their safety, this would not stop their engagement and support for Ukrainian people, government and civil socities as well as allies and partner.

"We underscored our commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, pledged to continue our assistance, and started working toward the day we could return to Kyiv," read the statement.

State Department Spokesperson stated that the Ukrainian people, with their security assistance, have defended their homeland from Russia's unprovoked aggression, and this is the result that "the Stars and Stripes are flying" over the Embassy once again.

"We stand proudly with, and continue to support, the government and people of Ukraine as they defend their country from the Kremlin's brutal war of aggression," Price said in a statement.

He further stated that additional measures have been taken to increase the safety of colleagues who are returning to Kyiv and have enhanced the security measures and protocols.

"We are committed to confronting the challenges ahead. The war rages on. Russia's forces inflict death and destruction on Ukrainian soil every day. Millions of Ukrainians are displaced from their homes and mourn the loss of their loved ones. With the strength of purpose, we reaffirm our commitment to the people and government of Ukraine, and we look forward to carrying out our mission from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv," according to the statement.

Taking to Twitter, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, "The Stars and Stripes fly again over Embassy Kyiv. I can announce that we have officially resumed Embassy operations in Ukraine's capital. We stand proudly with the government and people of Ukraine as they bravely defend their country from Putin's brutal invasion. Slava Ukraini!"

Russia started its military operation in Ukraine on February 24. This large-scale operation has reportedly resulted in a humanitarian crisis, leading to crippling sanctions from Western countries targeting Moscow's high-profile individuals and companies.

(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.)
Leading crypto exchange Coinbase, which halted payments via unified payments interface (UPI) mode on its app in India in April, on Friday announced to pause hiring for as long as the global macro-economic factors remain in place.

The company also revoked accepted offers from some candidates who haven't joined it yet.

"After assessing our business priorities, current headcount, and open roles, we have decided to pause hiring for as long as this macro environment requires," LJ Brock, Chief People Officer at Coinbase, said in a statement.

The extended hiring pause will include backfills, "except for roles that are necessary to meet the high standards we set for security and compliance, or to support other mission-critical work", he added.

The crypto exchange paused hiring two weeks back and now, it has become evident that "we need to take more stringent measures to slow our headcount growth".

The company will also rescind a number of outstanding offers for people who have not started yet.

"This is not a decision we make lightly, but is necessary to ensure we are only growing in the highest-priority areas. Limited exceptions apply and will be managed by the same criteria as backfills. All incoming hires will be advised of their updated offer status by email," Brock informed.

Admitting that crypto would be volatile, but that "volatility alongside larger economic factors may test the company, and us personally, in new ways".

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong in May revealed that it quit India operations owing to "informal pressure" from the Reserve Bank of India.

"There are elements in the government there, including at the Reserve Bank of India, who don't seem to be as positive on it. And so they -- in the press, it's been called a 'shadow ban', basically, they're applying soft pressure behind the scenes to try to disable some of these payments, which might be going through UPI," Armstrong told analysts during the company's earnings call.

The crypto exchange reported its first net loss as a public company of $430 million in the first quarter this year.

The exchange had launched its crypto trading services in India on April 7.

--IANS

na/ksk/

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Georgia's top elections official appeared Thursday before a special grand jury investigating whether former President and others illegally tried to meddle in the 2020 election in the state.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was summoned to the Fulton County courthouse where the special grand jury has been meeting, according to a subpoena obtained by The Associated Press through an open records request. Other subpoenas seek documents and testimony from five other people in his office.

Raffensperger arrived at the courthouse in downtown Atlanta on Thursday morning. When a reporter asked how the day would go, Raffensperger replied hopefully short" as he walked up the steps. That wasn't the case, though. Raffensperger left after more than five hours by another exit, avoiding reporters. It's unclear if Raffensperger's testimony concluded Thursday or if he will be called back.

Trump directed his ire at his fellow Republican after Raffensperger refused to bend to pressure to overturn the votes that gave Democrat Joe Biden a narrow presidential election victory in . Raffensperger defeated a Trump-endorsed challenger in last month's Republican primary.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said her investigation includes looking into a January 2021 phone call in which Trump pushed Raffensperger to find the votes needed for him to win . Trump has said his call with Raffensperger was perfect and that he did nothing wrong.

Tricia Raffensperger, the secretary's wife, also testified Thursday, leaving the courthouse after less than an hour. She was present with Raffensperger when he received the Trump phone call. Tricia Raffensperger received death threats during the period after the 2020 election.

Raffensperger wrote in his 2021 book Integrity Counts that he perceived Trump as threatening him multiple times during the phone call, a question that could ultimately be critical to whether some criminal charges could be brought. Raffensperger reiterated in an interview aired Wednesday by WAGA-TV that he felt pressured.

I heard what the president said. And I understand that he has tremendous positional power, Raffensperger told the television station. But I also know that we followed the law and we followed the Constitution.

A Trump spokesman dismissed the Fulton investigation as a politically motivated witch hunt when it became public last February. A number of others have been subpoenaed, including five other people associated with Raffensperger's office. State Attorney General Chris Carr has received a subpoena to appear June 21.

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Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday sought to underscore the alliance's appreciation of as an important ally.

He offered the conciliatory words to Ankara ahead of a planned gathering of senior officials from Sweden, Finland and in Brussels next week to discuss Turkey's opposition to the Nordic countries joining the defense alliance.

Stoltenberg made the comments to reporters after meeting with President Joe Biden and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan at the White House for what was billed as preparatory talks for the Madrid Summit to be held this month.

Stoltenberg said he discussed Sweden and Finland's application to join with Biden and Sullivan and expressed confidence that the alliance would find a path to addressing Ankara's concerns. But Stoltenberg also seemed to go out of his way to note Turkey's value to the alliance.

I think we need to also recognise that is an important ally. Turkey contributes to our security in many different ways, said Stoltenberg, who noted the country's Turkey's efforts at countering Islamic State militants.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has insisted Finland and Sweden must show more respect for Turkish sensitivities about terrorism since the countries filed their NATO applications. He is refusing to budge over what he says is their alleged support for Kurdish militants.

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After 100 days of war, is fighting for time, trying to hold out against overwhelming Russian fire on its eastern front long enough for Western weapons to arrive and give it a badly needed edge.



With casualties mounting and some delays in Western capitals with deliveries, Ukrainian officials fear the relief may not come quickly enough.



A White House pledge this week of $700 million of weapons including advanced rocket systems have been greeted with a touch of scepticism by some of those watching their homes pummelled and cities overrun.



"It's already running late," said Serhiy Gaidai, the governor of Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region whose home town Sievierodonetsk has been partially destroyed during a Russian advance in recent days.



"Our Western partners are helping us, but the quantity of weapons and ammunition that they are providing are not enough," he said in an interview.



Thousands have been killed and more than 6 million people forced to flee the country since launched what says was an unprovoked invasion on Feb. 24.



says it is engaged in a "special military operation" to disarm and rid it of ultra-nationalists the Kremlin says threaten Russian security. In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin appears intent on conveying the impression of business as usual, despite damaging sanctions.



With one-fifth of Ukraine under occupation, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday told Western officials in Bratislava that the war faced an "inflection point" depending on whether the West could provide the weapons to subvert the huge advantage in equipment and troops has in the east.



'BIG MISTAKE'



Some feel the West has already missed its best chance.



"My sense is that the West made a big mistake. Six weeks ago, when the Russians were in retreat ... That's when the Americans should have given Ukrainians HIMARS," said Jamie Shea, a former senior NATO official now at the Friends of Europe think-tank in Brussels, referring to the advanced rocket systems being promised by the .



After over-stretching their supply lines in the early weeks of the war, the Russians were forced to withdraw from positions around the capital Kyiv and other northern regions.



But in recent weeks they have put Ukraine on the back foot in eastern Ukraine by concentrating overwhelming fire power on a relatively small front.



Russia is advancing slowly, just 500-1,000 meters per day compared to the tens of kilometres envisaged by their military doctrine when using their current tactics, a Western defence official said.



The focus on artillery is in part determined by the weakened state of Russian ground forces, whose combat effectiveness is around just 50% of full capacity, the Western defence official said, estimating Moscow had lost over 40,000 troops to death or injury.



DEEP FATIGUE



But the tactic is also inflicting unrelenting damage to the Ukrainian forces on the front line, with the government estimating losses of 100 troops a day and 450-500 wounded.



The intensity of fire is preventing Ukrainian forces from being rotated, deepening fatigue levels.



While Ukraine is impressing with very smart tactics and strategies and organization, "no one can deny that the Ukrainians have been taking hit after hit" said Joerg Forbrig, at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin.



"Russia has a lot more to pour into this war than the Ukrainians have," he said.



Two factors are likely to determine the success of the Western relief effort: speed and quantity, according to military analysts.



"We received about 100 howitzers from the and almost all of them are in Ukraine, but the problem is that we need at least five times more such weapons in order to at least ensure a balance of power," in the east, said Kyiv-based Serhiy Zgurets, head of Defense Express policy consultancy.



It can take up to four weeks for weapons to enter service taking into account delivery and training time, potentially giving Russia a window to pre-emptively ramp up its operations.



Advanced U.S. rocket systems with a range of up to 80 km (50 miles) - around double the range of existing artillery - could prove a major advantage to Ukraine, greatly reducing the exposure of artillery crews to incoming fire and increasing the speed and accuracy at which Russian positions can be taken out.



The weapons could also allow Ukraine to strike at supply lines deep behind enemy lines. Washington agreed to supply the HIMARS after receiving assurances from Kyiv that it would not use them to hit targets inside Russian territory.



Russia said Washington is adding "fuel to the fire".



"Provided that Ukraine consistently receive the types of weapons that it has requested ... and that it will be expanded and increased ... this could potentially make it possible to halt Russia on all sectors of the front and will create conditions for counter-attacks" by August or September, said Oleksandr Musiyenko of Ukraine's Center for Military and Legal Studies.



(Reporting by Conor Humphries and Pavel Polityuk in Kyiv, Robin Emmott in Brussels; Additional reporting by Max Hunder and Tom Balmforth; Writing by Conor Humphries; editing by Grant McCool)

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Ukrainian forces locked in a grinding battle for control of the country's east struggled to hold off Russian troops and buy themselves some time Thursday while they await the arrival of the advanced rockets and anti-aircraft weapons promised by the West.

With the arms deliveries possibly weeks away, is looking at a prolonged period of grueling combat, military analysts said.

There's a time lag, so the next few weeks are going to be pretty tough for our Ukrainian friends, said retired US Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former commanding general of US Army forces in Europe.

is intent on exhausting Russian forces, as evidenced by street-to-street fighting in the critical eastern city of Sievierodonetsk, Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said.

And this can go on for quite some time, he warned.

Britain on Thursday pledged to send sophisticated medium-range rocket systems to Ukraine, joining the US and in equipping the country with some of the advanced weapons Kyiv had been begging for to shoot down aircraft and destroy artillery and supply lines.

Western arms have been critical to Ukraine's success in stymieing Russia's much larger and better-equipped military during the war, which was in its 99th day Thursday.

The Kremlin warned of absolutely undesirable and rather unpleasant scenarios if the latest Western-supplied weapons are fired into .

This pumping of with weapons ... will bring more suffering to Ukraine, which is merely a tool in the hands of those countries that supply it with weapons, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Russian forces continued to pound towns and cities overnight and to tighten their grip on Sievierodonetsk in the eastern industrial Donbas region, which Moscow is intent on seizing. An estimated 800 people, including children, were holed up in bomb shelters at a chemical factory under attack in the city, the regional governor said.

In the neighboring city of Lysychansk, some 60 percent of the infrastructure and residential buildings have been destroyed by nonstop shelling, a local official said.

Britain's Defense Ministry reported that had captured most of Sievierodonetsk, one of two cities in Luhansk province that had remained under Ukrainian control. The Donbas is made up of Luhansk and Donetsk provinces.

Meanwhile, residents forced to flee the Kyiv area after Russian forces' abortive attempt to storm the capital weeks ago confronted the overwhelming task of rebuilding their shattered lives.

Nila Zelinska and her husband, Eduard, returned for the first time to the charred ruins of their home outside Kyiv. They fled with her 82-year-old mother amid Russian shelling and airstrikes in the early days of the war.

A sobbing Zelinska recovered from the rubble a doll that belonged to one of her grandchildren, clutching it as if it were a real child.

May there be peace on earth, peace so that our people are not suffering so much, she said.

Speaking by video link to a security conference in Slovakia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for even more weapons and sanctions against to halt such horrors.

As of today, the occupiers control almost 20% of our territory," he said.

Zelenskyy said Russia had fired 15 cruise missiles in the past day and used a total of 2,478 missiles since invading. He said most of them targeted civil infrastructure.

(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.)
expects to receive more weapons from allies after a new U.S. pledge of help, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, as the battle for Ukraine's east raged 100 days into Russia's invasion.

Russia's forces now occupy about 20% of Ukraine's territory, according to Zelenskiy. Russian President Vladimir Putin's military is focusing on the industrial Donbas region, comprised of Luhansk and Donetsk, in the hope of a high-profile victory.

Three civilians were killed in Donetsk, including two in the coal-producing town of Avdiivka, and nine people were wounded, Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said late on Thursday. Reuters could not immediately confirm the details.

"The entire temporarily-occupied territory of our state is now a complete disaster zone, for which Russia bears full responsibility," Zelenskiy said in a late-night address.

"We are expecting more good news on weapon supplies from other partners... We are working to bring the supply of modern combat systems to a much higher level," he said.

Russia has accused the United States of adding "fuel to the fire" with a new $700 million weapons package for that will include advanced rocket systems with a range of up to 80 km (50 miles).

President Joe Biden's administration has repeatedly said it had Ukraine's assurances it would not use the rocket systems to hit targets inside Russia.

Russia says it is engaged in a "special military operation" to disarm and "denazify" its neighbour. and allies call this a baseless pretext for a war that has killed thousands, flattened cities, and forced more than 6 million people to flee abroad.

DONBAS

While Moscow denies targeting civilians, it says it regards Ukrainian infrastructure used to bring in Western arms as a legitimate target.

But it says Western supplies will not alter the course of its attack.

"Pumping weapons into Ukraine does not change all the parameters of the special operation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked if U.S. plans to sell Ukraine drones that can be armed with missiles could change the nature of the conflict.

"Its goals will be achieved, but this will bring more suffering to Ukraine."

Russia's Pacific Fleet launched a week-long series of exercises with more than 40 ships and up to 20 aircraft taking part, Russian news agencies quoted the defence ministry as saying.

On the ground in Ukraine, the eastern industrial city of Sievierodonetsk is now largely in ruins after days of fierce fighting.

Its capture and that of smaller twin Lysychansk would give Russia control of all of Luhansk, which like Donetsk is claimed by Russia on behalf of separatists.

Seizing Luhansk would accomplish one of Putin's stated aims and shift battlefield momentum further in Russia's favour after its forces were pushed back from the capital, Kyiv, and the north.

Moscow's forces were also attempting to advance south towards the Ukraine-held cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in Donetsk, governor Kyrylenko said.

U.N. TALKS ON GRAIN

The war and Western sanctions imposed in response to it are taking a toll on a global economy still dealing with the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

With its control of some of Ukraine's biggest seaports and critical Black Sea shipping routes, Russia has been blocking Ukrainian farm exports and deepening a far-reaching food crisis.

U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths is in Moscow on Thursday and Friday to discuss with Russian officials how the way can be cleared for exports of grain and other food from Ukraine's Black Sea ports.

"The situation remains fluid," a U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said, adding that the United Nations "will do and go anywhere we need to go to push this project forward." Russia and Ukraine together account for nearly a third of global wheat supplies, while Russia is also a key fertilizer exporter and Ukraine a major supplier of corn and sunflower oil.

Interfax news agency quoted Russia's defence ministry on Thursday as saying that vessels carrying grain could leave Ukraine's Black Sea ports via "humanitarian corridors" with Russia ready to guarantee their safety.

As Washington blacklisted more individuals and entities with ties to the Kremlin, including a major steel producer and a cellist it called Putin's middleman, the European Union gave final approval to a sanctions package that includes a 90% cut in Russian oil imports by the end of the year.

Russia called the import ban "self-destructive", saying it could destabilise global energy markets.

(Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Costas Pitas and Stephen Coates; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien, Robert Birsel)

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Shares of dipped 5 per cent to Rs 1,940 on the BSE in Fridays firm market after the company's manufacturing facility in the Nandesari GIDC area in Vadodara caught a massive fire following five chemical blasts on Thursday.

After the accident, the company released a statement saying it was monitoring the situation and that the loss of property was insured.

At 12:38 pm; the stock was trading 3.5 per cent lower at Rs 1,974, as compared to a 0.70 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. The trading volumes on the counter had jumped over three-fold with a combined 2.7 million equity shares having changed hands on the NSE and BSE.

An incidence of fire around the warehouse section of the company's manufacturing site located at Nandesari, district Vadodara, in the state of Gujarat occurred on 2nd June, 2022 at around 6:00 P.M, said in an exchange filing on Thursday.

There has been no casualty and few people are being given first aid treatment. The company has kept all concerned authorities informed and the plant operations are expected to resume in a day or two upon clearance of damaged warehouse. The cause of fire is being investigated and the company is committed to extend all assistance to the relevant authorities investigating into this matter, it said.

Meanwhile, in the past one month, the stock of the specialty chemical company has underperformed the market by falling 14 per cent as compared to a 1.4 per cent decline in the Sensex. It has corrected 36 per cent from its record high level of Rs 3,020 touched on October 19, 2021.

Analysts at HDFC Securities believe that high input costs will continue to put pressure on the companys margins and further growth in Deepak Phenolics Limited (DPL) is capped as the phenol plant is already running at full capacity.

Besides, is entering into challenging chemistries vis-a-vis chemistries it is currently operating in. The fluorination and photochlorination chemistries will pave the way to tap agrochemical and pharma customers. However, the company needs to demonstrate its competencies well over the period in these chemistries to seize business opportunities, the brokerage said in its Q4 result update.
Market regulator on Friday imposed a five-year market ban on two individuals  Santosh Singh and Adil Suthar  for indulging in fraudulent activities such as front-running of trades.

Singh worked as a dealer with IIFL Mutual Fund, while Suthar was a sub-broker with .

Singh, who was a friend of Suthar, used to tell him to watch certain specific scrips and price movements and execute buy and sell trades in those scrips, it has been alleged.

Regulator revokes order against Bhutada

In another development, also revoked an order passed against Abhay Bhutada, MD and CEO of Poonawalla Finance (formerly Magma Fincorp).

In an interim order dated September 15, 2021, had barred Bhutada and seven others for allegedly passing unpublished price sensitive information (UPSI) and insider trading.
today: The Sensex and Nifty benchmarks are likely to start Fridays session on an upbeat note following a relief rally in the US overnight. At 7:30 am, the SGX Nifty futures were quoting at 16,760 levels, hinting at an opening gain of over 100 points for the Nifty.

Meanwhile, here are some out for in trade today:

Aether Industries: The speciality chemical maker will make its debut on the bourses today. The issue price has been fixed at Rs 642 per share.

UltraTech Cement: The countrys largest cement maker, on Thursday said its board had approved a new capital expenditure (capex) plan of Rs 12,886 crore, as the firm braces for competition in the sector. The capex, the company said, would be to increase capacity by 22.6 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) through brownfield and greenfield projects. Read here

India: MG Motor India and lubricant brad India are set to collaborate with Jio-bp to explore mobility solutions for electric cars, the automaker said in a statement on Thursday. Under the partnership, Jio-bp, MG Motor and will explore setting up four-wheeler EV charging infrastructure and expand Castrol's existing auto service network to cater to EV customers. Read more

BSNL: State-run BSNL has urged the government to allocate it spectrum worth Rs 61,000 crore in the premium 700 Mhz frequency range as well as the medium frequency band for 4G and 5G services, reported PTI. Read more

Yes Bank: The bank plans to buy back overseas bonds worth up to $200 million and issued under the Medium Term Note Programme. The private sector lender did not elaborate on the purpose and timing for re-purchase these bonds. Read here

Deepak Nitrite: The company'smanufacturing facility in the Nandesari GIDC area in Vadodara caught a massive fire after five chemical blasts. After the accident, the company released a statement saying it was monitoring the situation and that loss of property was insured.



Coal India: As per a PTI report, the coal ministry has floated a draft cabinet note for seeking inter-ministerial views on the proposal to list 25 per cent shares of arm BCCL. As a part of (CIL) restructuring, the government has decided for an initial listing of 25 per cent shares of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL).

Godrej Industries: The company has invested Rs 690 crores in its arm Godrej Capital. With this, it has increased its holding from 87.11 per cent to 91.81 per cent in the latter.

Hindalco Industries: The company has completed the divestment process for Hindalco Do Brazil Industria Comercia de Alumina LTDA.

MTAR Technologies: The defence company has entered into a share purchase agreement with sellers and GEE PEE Aerospace & Defence for acquisition of a 100 percent stake in GEE PEE Aerospace & Defence. The acquisition cost is Rs 8.82 crore.

GR Infraprojects: The company has signed a concession pact with National Highways Authority of India for a Rs 1,577 crore road project.

Prudent Corporate Advisory Services: Promoter Rameshchandra Chimanlal Shah & persons acting in concert acquired 4.25 lakh shares in the company via open market transactions on June 2, as per reports. With this, their shareholding in the company has increased to 57.81 per cent from 56.78 per cent.

Rajnish Wellness: The company said its board will consider issue of bonus shares and sub-division of shares of the company having face value of Rs 10 each on June 13.
Health officials are recommending the use of COVID-19 precautions to curb the spread of the mysterious and sudden outbreak of monkeypox in the United States as Los Angeles County becomes the latest to record its first case.

However, unlike the coronavirus, monkeypox has been here for decades, and health experts are much better prepared for the disease. While there are sporadic cases every year, the majority of the outbreaks usually stay confined within Africa.

Precautions Against Monkeypox

But in some years, the virus can spread to other continents, and this is one of those years where monkeypox has traveled internationally. Usually, monkeypox is not fatal and is nowhere near as transmissible as COVID-19.

Despite the rapid spread of the recent outbreak, health officials said that monkeypox poses a minimal risk compared to the coronavirus. LA County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said in the first case, which is still considered presumed, that the patient traveled domestically, as per ABC7.

Authorities said that the patient had known close contact with a positive case and that the individual was symptomatic and was currently in isolation. Officials said that the patient was doing relatively well and was not hospitalized.

Read Also: WHO Believes North Korea's COVID-19 Outbreak Gets Worse Days After Kim Jong Un Boasts on Vaccine, Lifting Lockdowns

Paul Chapin, who works with Bavarian Nordic, a company producing monkeypox vaccines, said that the illness was very serious. However, he noted that it was nowhere near as infectious as the coronavirus. He noted that they would most likely take all measures necessary to contain the outbreak in the United States.

According to CNN, the monkeypox outbreak has already infected more than 643 people in dozens of countries where the virus is not endemic. Many believe that the sudden outbreak of the illness simultaneously suggests that there may have been undetected transmission for some time, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.

International Spread

Health officials said that the monkeypox virus has been circulating for decades in various places worldwide, including some parts of the West and Central Africa. This week, early research by scientists at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Edinburgh described how the genetic pattern they have observed suggests that there has been sustained human transmission since at least 2017.

The study found that genetic sequences showed that the first monkeypox cases in 2022 appear to have descended from an outbreak that resulted in cases in Singapore, Israel, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom from 2017 to 2019.

An evolutionary biologist and professor at the University of Arizona, Michael Worobey, who was not involved in the research, said that the results suggest that the recent outbreak has been spreading for a long time locally. It also means that the world had failed to protect those in resource-limited areas where the virus has been endemic and to control the virus at its source before it was able to spread globally.

The situation has forced diagnostic companies to race to develop tests for monkeypox in hopes of tapping into a new market as governments ramp up efforts to trace the world's first major outbreak of the viral infection outside of Africa, Reuters reported.

Related Article: Hepatitis A Outbreak: A Complete List of Contaminated Strawberries and How To Ensure Your Children Will Stay Safe

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Deepak Nitrite: The company informed that a fire incident took place around warehouse section of its manufacturing site tocated at Nandesari, district Vadodara, in Gujarat. The incidence occurred on 2nd June 2022 at around 6:00 P.M. lmpact of the incidence is being ascertained. There were no casualties. Both, loss of assets as well as loss of business are covered under insurance.

Aether Industries: Shares of the speciality chemical manufacturer will debut at the bourses on Friday. The initial public offer (IPO) was subscribed 6.26 times. The issue opened for bidding on 24 May 2022 and it closed on 26 May 2022. The IPO price was fixed at the upper end of the Rs 610 - 642 a share price band.

UltraTech Cement: The cement major's board approved capex of Rs 12,886 crore towards increasing capacity by 22.6 mtpa with a mix of brown field and green field expansion. This will be achieved by setting-up integrated and grinding units as well as bulk terminals. The additional capacity will be created across the country.

G R Infraprojects: The construction company has signed a concession pact with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for a Rs 1,577 crore road project. The deal has been inked for NH-71 from Madanapalli, Andhra Pradesh under Bharatmala Pariyojna.

Tech Mahindra: The IT solutions provider has collaborated with Anritsu to launch an IoT (Internet of Things) experience lab in Tech Mahindra's Fremont, CA facility. The lab aims to create a simple, cost-effective environment for 5G IoT device manufacturers to verify device performance to ensure greater product confidence during pre-commercialization.

HDFC: The housing finance major has collaborated with Accenture to digitally transform its lending business. The collaboration will revamp HDFC's customer experience and business processes to provide greater operational agility and efficiency, and drive business growth.

Hindalco Industries: The Aditya Birla Group's metal firm announced closure of Disinvestment of Hindalco Do Brazil Industria Comercia de Alumina LTDA (HDB), a wholly owned step down subsidiary.

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Deepak Nitrite announced an incidence of fire around warehouse section of the Company's manufacturing site located at Nandesari, District Vadodara, in the State of Gujarat. The incidence occurred on 2 June, 2072 at around 6:00 P.

M.

There has been no casualty and few people are being given first aid treatment. The Company has kept all concerned authorities informed and the Plant operations are expected to resume in a day or two upon clearance of damaged warehouse. The cause of fire is being investigated and the Company is committed to extend all assistance to the relevant authorities investigating into this matter.

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Deepak Nitrite tumbled 3.47% to Rs 1974.20 after the company informed about a fire incident that occurred yesterday (2 June 2022), around warehouse section of its manufacturing site located at Nandesari, District Vadodara, in the State of Gujarat.

The company said that an emergency response team, with the support of local authorities, brought the fire under control within couple of hours.

There has been no casualty and few people are being given first aid treatment.

The company has kept all concerned authorities informed and the plant operations are expected to resume in a day or two upon clearance of damaged warehouse. The cause of fire is being investigated and the company is committed to extend all assistance to the relevant authorities investigating into this matter.

Both, loss of assets as well as loss of business are covered under insurance, the company said.

According to the media reports, seven workers have been hospitalized after inhaling smoke, while some 700 people living in the vicinity of the factory have been shifted to safer places. While several firefighters were rushed to the spot, the initial eye-witness accounts reveal damages to a large part of the factory premises due to the fire and blasts, reports added.

Deepak Nitrite manufactures intermediates and speciality chemicals besides performance products and phenol. The company has facilities in Nandesari and Dahej in Gujarat, Roha and Taloja in Mahrashtra and Hyderabad.

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The domestic equity barometers traded with strong gains in the morning trade. The Nifty traded a tad below 16,750 mark. IT stocks advanced for the second consecutive session. Positive global cues supported buying.

At 10:27 IST, the barometer index, S&P BSE Sensex was up 501.63 points or 0.90% to 56,319.74. The Nifty 50 index rose 114.65 points or 0.69% to 16,742.65.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index fell 0.12% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index added 0.21%.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 1,885 shares rose while 1,100 shares fell. A total of 123 shares were unchanged.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 451.82 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net buyers to the tune of Rs 130.63 crore in the Indian equity market on 2 June 2022, provisional data showed.

New Listing:

Shares of Aether Industries hit an upper circuit of Rs 776.75 at 10:20 IST on the BSE, a premium of 20.99% compared with the issue price of Rs 642.

The scrip was listed at Rs 706.15, representing a premium of 9.99% compared with the IPO price.

So far, the scrip hit a low of Rs 699.85. Over 3.90 lakh shares of the company have changed hands in the counter till now.

The IPO of Aether was subscribed 6.26 times. The issue opened for bidding on Tuesday (24 May 2022) and it closed on Thursday (26 May 2022). The price band of the IPO was fixed at Rs 610-642 per share.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty IT index rose 2.16% to 30,434.75. The index advanced 4.01% in two trading sessions.

Mindtree (up 3.58%), L&T Technology Services (up 3.39%), Mphasis (up 3.35%), Tech Mahindra (up 3.05%), Coforge (up 3.04%), Infosys (up 2.98%), HCL Technologies (up 2.79%), Wipro (up 2.76%), Larsen & Toubro Infotech (up 2.63%) and Tata Consultancy Services (up 1.26%) edged higher.

Tech Mahindra rose 3.05% after the IT solutions provider announced that it has collaborated with Anritsu to launch an IoT (Internet of Things) experience lab in Tech Mahindra's Fremont, CA facility. The lab aims to create a simple, cost-effective environment for 5G IoT device manufacturers to verify device performance to ensure greater product confidence during pre-commercialization.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Deepak Nitrite slipped 2.7% after the company informed about a fire incident that occurred yesterday (2 June 2022), around warehouse section of its manufacturing site located at Nandesari, District Vadodara, in the State of Gujarat. The company said that an emergency response team, with the support of local authorities, brought the fire under control within couple of hours. There has been no casualty and few people are being given first aid treatment.

The company has kept all concerned authorities informed and the plant operations are expected to resume in a day or two upon clearance of damaged warehouse. The cause of fire is being investigated and the company is committed to extend all assistance to the relevant authorities investigating into this matter.

G R Infraprojects advanced 2.02% after the company's wholly owned subsidiary, GR Madanapalli Pileru Highway, executed concession agreement with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for Rs 1,577 crore. The agreement constitutes construction of four lanning of NH-1 from Madanapalli to Pileru and package-1 on hybrid annuity mode (HAM) in Andhra Pradesh under Bharatmala Pariyojna. The completion of the project is expected to be within 730 days from appointed date. The operational period stands for 15 years from commercial operation date.

UltraTech Cement fell 3.25% after the cement major's board approved capex of Rs 12,886 crore towards increasing capacity by 22.6 mtpa with a mix of brown field and green field expansion. This will be achieved by setting-up integrated and grinding units as well as bulk terminals. The additional capacity will be created across the country.

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Agreement includes manufacturing and distribution in UK and EU regions.

The company's UK-based subsidiary, Poetic Brands, has entered into a license agreement with the Authentic Brands Group (ABG) for the Forever 21 brand. As per the agreement, Poetic Brands has been granted the rights for the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of Forever 21 in the United Kingdom and European regions, including Germany, France, Spain, and Switzerland amongst others.

Poetic Brands will drive the growth of the brand across categories including womenswear, menswear, kids wear, athleisure, swimwear, and fashion accessories. Forever 21 brand will be distributed through leading fullprice retailers and popular ecommerce platforms across UK and EU. Poetic Brands also has the opportunity to create Forever 21 shopinshops. With this acquisition, Poetic Brands which currently operates with Rs 260 crore ($35 million) topline will expand its licensed portfolio to include Forever 21.

Commenting on the announcement, Pallak Seth, vicechairman of PDS said, "The brand drives innovation across retail, providing designs, fabrications, and fits for customers at an affordable price. Through our relationship with Forever 21, we will deliver quality products and great style to consumers in the UK and Europe, while opening doors to bring on board the best in class partners in our supply chain."

Sanjay Jain, group CEO at PDS added, "Forever 21 over the years has emerged as a muchloved brand that caters to discerning and pricesensitive audience. We are looking forward to building the Forever 21 brand while delivering superior products and services to consumers in the UK and EU. PDS is consciously evaluating its portfolio to expand valueadded service and highmargin products and categories. This relationship provides the PDS platform a high growth, fast fashion category."

PDS (PDS Multinational Fashions) operates an integrated design-led platform offering product development, sourcing, virtual manufacturing, and distribution for major brands and retailers worldwide.

On a consolidated basis, net profit of PDS rose 27.9% to Rs 77.13 crore on 57.3% rise in net sales to Rs 2,775.44 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21.

Shares of PDS were down 0.93% at Rs 1,679.55 on the BSE.

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Power stocks were trading with losses, with the S&P BSE Power index decreasing 78.81 points or 1.88% at 4114.23 at 13:47 IST.

Among the components of the S&P BSE Power index, Adani Transmission Ltd (down 3.47%), Adani Power Ltd (down 3.13%),Adani Green Energy Ltd (down 2.67%),NTPC Ltd (down 2.36%),Torrent Power Ltd (down 2.33%), were the top losers. Among the other losers were ABB India Ltd (down 2.15%), Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (down 1.73%), Siemens Ltd (down 1.61%), NHPC Ltd (down 1.5%), and Tata Power Company Ltd (down 1.02%).

On the other hand, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (up 0.35%), turned up.

At 13:47 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 288.43 or 0.52% at 56106.54.

The Nifty 50 index was up 48.05 points or 0.29% at 16676.05.

The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was down 164.72 points or 0.62% at 26530.06.

The S&P BSE 150 Midcap Index index was down 69.78 points or 0.85% at 8134.02.

On BSE,1555 shares were trading in green, 1689 were trading in red and 133 were unchanged.

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Reliance Industries Ltd is quoting at Rs 2804, up 2.93% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 28.01% in last one year as compared to a 6.68% jump in NIFTY and a 27.6% jump in the Nifty Auto index.

Reliance Industries Ltd is up for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 2804, up 2.93% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 0.53% on the day, quoting at 16716.5. The Sensex is at 56226.02, up 0.73%. Reliance Industries Ltd has gained around 4.1% in last one month.

Meanwhile, Nifty Auto index of which Reliance Industries Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 7.84% in last one month and is currently quoting at 25968.65, up 0.08% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 77.52 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 89.4 lakh shares in last one month.

The benchmark June futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 2796.65, up 2.91% on the day. Reliance Industries Ltd is up 28.01% in last one year as compared to a 6.68% jump in NIFTY and a 27.6% jump in the Nifty Auto index.

The PE of the stock is 47.16 based on TTM earnings ending March 22.

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The first edit says different kinds of assets will need different methods for monetisation. The government should do a realistic reassessment of this all-important plan.

According to the second edit, car-makers should be on the same page as the government on safety initiatives.

Ajai Shukla evaluates the armys arsenal and says it does not have enough of the most lethal killer.

Vandana Gombar: Start-ups in the climate space are the focus of philanthropists and impact investors, among others.

Aditi Phadnis explains why Patidar leader Hardik Patel is in the news.
The and will battle it out for the sixth seat of from as none of the seven candidates in the fray - four of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and three of the - withdrew their nominations on Friday.

The election will be held on June 10. This will be for the first time in more than two decades that the state will see election to the Upper House of the Parliament.

The last such election had taken place in 1998 when Congress candidate Ram Pradhan lost despite the party having enough numbers.

But in 1998 the election was held through secret ballot, while this time the voters (MLAs) will have to show their vote to the party whip before dropping it in the ballot box.

The deadline to withdraw the nominations was 3 pm on Friday.

The has fielded Union minister Piyush Goyal, Anil Bonde and former MP Dhananjay Mahadik, while has put up two candidates - Sanjay Raut and Sanjay Pawar.

NCP has renominated Praful Patel, while Congress has fielded Imran Pratapgarhi.

The fight for the sixth seat is between the BJP's Mahadik and Sena's Sanjay Pawar.

In the morning, a trio of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, Sunil Kedar of the Congress and Anil Desai of the (all from the ruling MVA) met BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis here to see if an election could be avoided.

The MVA delegation told Fadnavis that the ruling combine will facilitate the election of one more BJP candidate in the the Legislative Council elections if the saffron party withdrew its third candidate, said Bhujbal.

"We proposed that BJP withdraw its third candidate to facilitate unopposed election to the and in return can take one additional seat to the Legislative Council, where biennial elections to 10 seats are scheduled later this month," he told reporters.

"But Fadnavis gave a counter-offer saying the MVA withdraw its fourth candidate for and take additional seat in the Legislative Council. So election to Rajya Sabha looks inevitable after two decades. The fight will be between Shiv Sena's Sanjay Pawar and BJP's third candidate Mahadik," he said.

One candidate each of the Sena, NCP and Congress will get elected safely as party whip is binding on the voter-MLAs, Bhujbal added.

BJP president Chandrakant Patil said state BJP leaders discussed the MVA's offer with the central leadership, but eventually the party decided to contest three seats.

In the 288-member Assembly, Shiv Sena has 55 MLAs, NCP 53, Congress 44 and BJP 106. Bahujan Vikas Aghadi has three MLAs, Samajwadi Party, AIMIM, Prahar Janshakti Party two each, CPI(M), MNS, PWP, Swabhimani Party, Rashtriya Samaj Party, Jansurajya Party, Krantikari Shetkari Party have one each. There are 13 independents, and there is one vacancy due to the death of Sena MLA Ramesh Latke. Two of NCP MLAs - Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh - are in jail.

"The BJP knows how to win such elections....both sides are relying on the votes of independent MLAs. We have contacted many of them and we are confident of winning the third seat as well," Chandrakant Patil told reporters.

The winning quota for a candidate is 40.01 votes. The voters have to specify the preference of candidates. If a candidate fails to secure the sufficient number of votes in the first round of counting, then his or her second preference votes are counted.

"There have been instances in the past where due to preferential voting, a key candidate lost the election and a comparatively newer one got elected. It may happen this time as well," the BJP leader said.

"We have 12 surplus votes of our own. We also have good communication with the independents and small parties," Patil added.

Asked about Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray holding a meeting with independent MLAs and providing them accommodation in a hotel in Mumbai, Patil said, "Gone are the days when such tactics were useful." Meanwhile, AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel claimed that "parties contesting the election" have approached its two MLAs, but his party will take decision on its stand on June 6.

"We will have a party meeting in Nanded on June 6 in the presence of party president Asaduddin Owaisi. There we will decide our stand. The decision cannot be taken by me or the two MLA's," he told reporters in Aurangabad.

Former state home minister Anil Deshmukh, currently in jail in a money laundering case, on Friday approached a special court here seeking bail for one day for casting his vote in the Rajya Sabha elections.

"Being a standing MLA, the applicant is a member of the Electoral College for election of members to the Rajya Sabha. The applicant is desirous to exercise his franchise and cast his vote," his application said. The court sought a reply from the ED and posted the matter for hearing on June 6.

(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.)
Soon, you will no longer receive unwanted notifications from abusive and disruptive websites as Google is working on cutting down on the number of unwanted Chrome notifications.

The company will be blocking notifications from websites that the company deems to be disruptive.

Google Tries a Stronger Approach to Combat Notification Spam

The notifications in Google Chrome, and generally the web are posting problems these days. Sometimes, nearly every website you try to browse prompts for permission to send you notifications.

There are times that it is just easier to simply click "allow" when there are websites that ask for your permission to use cookies or apps that need to ask for many permissions to work at all.

Then, before you even know it, your web browser is periodically getting pinged with various notifications. What's even worse is when you find yourself subscribed to Chrome notifications from a website that sends outright spam.

In recent years, Google has already started taking actions on this issue. Google has some ways of "quieting" the notification prompt from websites that abuse notifications or ask for permission in a misleading way, according to 9to5Google.

But when a site has been quieted in this way, Chrome also warns that the site may be trying to trick you.

Currently, Google is trying a stronger approach to combat notification spam. Soon, Chrome will be able to automatically revoke a website's permission to send notifications, according to a new code change. Chrome will also be able to block any future attempts to ask for permission.

The difference in this new method is now Chrome will step in and stop those notifications altogether if you've accidentally allowed notifications from a harmful site.

Chrome's existing protections are only designed to convince you not to give that permission. But still, the choice is left to you.

Read Also: Microsoft Edge vs. Google Chrome: Which Web Browser Reigns Supreme in 2022

Chrome Will Only Block What Google Deemed to be Disruptive

The new code change, however, shouldn't affect the overwhelming majority of websites that send notifications via Chrome but only those that Google has deemed to be "disruptive."

According to 9to5Google, it is not clear whether this will differ from the existing list of sites whose notification prompts have been quieted or if this is a separate method of deterrent. But from what can be observed, the feature seems to be solely intended to keep Chrome spam-free.

However, this would give Google the role of moderating/policing the web, being the decider of which websites can and cannot send notifications.

Through Chrome's built-in Safe Browsing features, which block access to harmful websites, Google has already been moderating the web to some extent. And possibly, like Safe Browsing, users will be able to disable these notification block protections through Chrome's settings.

Google justified its actions by saying that these types of disruptive notifications are in violation of the company's "Developer Terms of Service" which make mention of not using Google APIs to send any form of spam, according to 9to5Google.

But since the development on Chrome's notification spam block protection has only just started, we would probably be waiting for a few months before it becomes broadly available.

Related Article: Google Chrome Security Update: CVE-2022-1096 a High-Severity Zero-Day Exploit
Congress leader Vivek Tankha, who himself is a Kashmiri Pandit, on Friday questioned the government's inability to stop targeted killings and the movement of Pandits out of the Valley.

Addressing a press conference, Tankha said, "The government should ensure there should be no killing now and everyone should feel safe."

He alleged that the government offices were not safe and the terrorist were targeting the officials. "The gory pictures of people leaving the valley, which have come out, are scary," he said.

Advising the government to take into confidence all the stakeholders, the Congress leader said that in 1990, "We were caught unawares, but now the government must act."

Vijay Kumar from Rajasthan, who was a manager in a regional rural bank (Ellaquai Dehati Bank), was shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district on Thursday.

Kumar was working as the manager of a regional rural bank (Ellaquai Dehati Bank) in Areah village branch of Kulgam district.

On May 31, militants killed Rajni Bala, a non-local teacher in the same district. She belonged to Samba district of Jammu division.

--IANS

miz/uk/dpb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
If Europe manages to procure oil and gas from Russia in a way to ensure that the impact on its economy is not traumatic, that freedom should exist for others as well, External Affairs Minister said on Friday.

His comments at an interactive session during a conference in the Slovakian capital Bratislava came against the backdrop of mounting Western criticism of India's import of discounted Russian oil.

Today, Europe is buying oil and gas from Russia and new package of sanctions is designed in a way considering the welfare of the people while timelines have been set for reducing Russian energy imports with no immediate cuts, he said.

"People need to understand that if you can be considerate of yourself, surely you can be considerate of other people," he said.

Jaishankar was asked about reports of a nine-fold increase in India's import of crude oil from Russia.

"If Europe manages in a way that impacts on the economy is not traumatic, that freedom or choice should exist for other people as well. India is not sending people out 'saying go buy Russian oil', buy the best oil in the market, no political messaging should be attached to this," he said.

Asked about claims of India was involved in the trans-shipment of Russian oil, Jaishankar said he has not heard of anyone in India even thinking of trans-shipment of Russian oil.

"A country like India would be crazy to get oil from somebody and sell it to somebody else. This is nonsense," he said.

To another question on whether India is not funding Russia's war by buying oil, he wondered "if buying Russian gas is not funding the war", an oblique reference to various European nations procuring gas from Moscow.

He also said that if countries in Europe and the West were so concerned, why were they not allowing Iranian and Venezuelan oil to come to the market. "They've squeezed every other source of oil we have and then say, okay guys, you must not go into the market and get the best deal for your people. I don't think that's a very fair approach," Jaishankar said.

Asked about India banning the export of wheat, he suggested that it was done to prevent diversion to high-income countries and to not give those involved in speculative trade open access to the Indian market.

Jaishankar said India has been exporting wheat to several countries. "But what we then saw was a kind of run on our wheat, a large part of it done by international traders based out of Singapore and, maybe to some degree, Dubai and the result was the low-income countries, many of whom were our traditional buyers like neighbours Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal, the Gulf buys regularly Yemen Sudan, low-income buyers were being squeezed out," he said.

Jaishankar said wheat was being stocked for being traded, and, in a way, India's goodwill was being used for speculative trading.

"So we had to do something to stop that. Prevent diversion to high-income countries with a greater possibility to buy like with vaccines," he said.

Jaishankar said the decision was required to not give the speculators open access to the Indian market so that Indian customers and the least developing countries get the supplies.

He said India is still open to supplying wheat to any deserving country.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Alleging that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh participated in the demolition of Babri Masjid "disrespecting" the Supreme Court and later defended the action saying it was necessary for "historic reasons", AIMIM chief on Friday questioned if the RSS would follow a similar method in the Gyanavapi issue.

Reacting to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's speech on Thursday that the Gyanvapi dispute involves some issues of faith and the court's decision on it should be accepted by all, the Hyderabad MP in a series of tweets said forcible conversion was a lie and Bhagwat and his ilk cannot accept that people born in modern India are Indian citizens.

It is irrelevant where their forefathers came from, or who they were, or what they did, Bhagwat said.

"Bhagwat's incendiary speech on #Gyanvapi mustn't be ignored. He said an agitation for #Babri was necessary for historical reasons. In other words, RSS didn't respect SC & participated in demolition of masjid. Does this mean that they'll do something similar on Gyanvapi also?" Owaisi questioned in one of the tweets.

Stating that today's Muslims, even if their ancestors were Hindu, are citizens of India by virtue of the Constitution, he questioned what would happen if one starts saying that Bhagwat's ancestors were forcibly converted from Buddhism.

"It's for courts to nip it in the bud. If these things are allowed to fester, we'll be allowing mobs to get emboldened Mohan keeps saying that Islam came with invaders. In fact, it came via traders, scholars & saints, much before the first Muslim invaders came to India," he tweeted.

The RSS chief had also said there was no need to find a 'shivling' in every mosque and start a new dispute every day.

A court in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi had ordered videographic survey of the Gyanvapi complex on a plea by five Hindu women that they be allowed to worship Hindu deities whose idols are installed on the outer wall of the mosque.

The Hindu litigants claim that a 'shivling' was found in the complex during a court-mandated survey of the premises last month. However, the Muslim side has maintained that the object was part of the water fountain mechanism at the 'wazoo khana', where the devotees carry out ablutions before offering namaz.

The case is listed for next round of hearing on July 4.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra has returned a Bill which was presented in the Assembly to change the qualification requirements for the Vice Chancellor's post at the Haridev Joshi Journalism and Mass Communication University here.

According to information received, the Raj Bhavan has sent back the Bill saying that it needs to be re-examined keeping in mind the provisions of different regulatory bodies and the minimum experience required.

This was the third Bill of the Ashok Gehlot-led government which was returned by the Raj Bhavan.

The state government had introduced the Journalism University Bill during the Assembly session. Under this Bill, a person having experience of 20 years in journalism in the public or private sector is allowed to become the Vice Chancellor of a journalism university. Till now, to become the Vice Chancellor in all universities, it was necessary to have a professor's experience of 10 years, but the government wanted to amend it.

In the last one-and-a-half years, this was the third Bill of the state government that was returned by the Raj Bhavan.

Before this, the Advocate Welfare Amendment Bill was returned by the Governor. Another bill, The Rajasthan Compulsory Marriage Registration Bill, was returned as the state government itself demanded it back after several objections were raised on it by different groups of people.

--IANS

arc/uk/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.)
Over 80 Congress MLAs from Rajasthan are camping at a hotel in ahead of the elections to four seats in which the party fears horse trading by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), party sources said on Friday.

Several ministers, including Parsadi Lal Meena, B D Kalla, Mamta Bhupesh and some independents like Suresh Tak, are present at the hotel in the lake city.

A bus carrying over 40 MLAs reached the hotel, where the party had held its 'Chintan Shivir' in May, around 2.30 am on Friday.

The bus left Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence with the Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) on Thursday evening and stopped in Bhilwara where state Revenue Minister Ramlal Jat hosted a dinner.

Remaining MLAs of the party will reach the hotel according to their convenience, the sources said.

Later in the day, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, along with one of the three candidates for the seat Pramod Tiwari and a few other MLAs reached by air.

Talking to reporters at the Dabok airport in Udaipur, Pilot said the Congress has more than enough support to win three seats.

He said the election is contested on the basis of numbers in the assembly.

"The BJP wants to bat but does not want to come on the pitch," Pilot said.

He added that the BJP has supported an independent candidate in the RS election but those who were present at the time of Subhash Chandra's nominations were only BJP MLAs and there was not a single independent MLA at the time of nomination.

In Jaipur, Soldier Welfare Minister Rajendra Gudha, one of the six MLAs who won the 2018 assembly elections on the BSP symbol and merged with the Congress in 2019, increased the worries of ruling party by saying that the six MLAs got no respect in the Congress.

Gudha and the other five MLAs have not gone to .

"The MLAs did not get the respect that they deserve," he told reporters in Jaipur.

Targeting AICC general secretary in-charge for Rajasthan Ajay Maken, Gudha said that he had made some commitment to him but failed to fulfil it.

to the four seats will take place on June 10.

The Congress has fielded three candidates and the BJP one.

The BJP has given support to media baron Subhash Chandra who has filed his nomination as an independent candidate.

Fearing horse trading for the seat contested by Chandra, the ruling Congress has decided to keep the party and other supporting MLAs together.

The Congress, with its 108 MLAs in the state Assembly, is set to win two seats.

After winning two seats, the Congress will have 26 surplus votes, 15 short of the required 41 to win the third seat.

On the other hand, the BJP has 71 MLAs in the state Assembly and is set to win one seat, after which it will be left with 30 surplus votes.

The party leaders claim the support of 126 MLAs, including 108 of the Congress.

It needs 123 MLAs to win three seats.

(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 give momentum to India's growth story in the 21st century, Prime Minister said Friday, presenting India as the "reliable partner" the world is looking for today.

Speaking at Uttar Pradesh's third investors' summit, marking the ground-breaking or the launch of 1,406 projects worth over Rs 80,000 crore, he said the prevailing situation in the world has brought big opportunities for India.

"I am confident that in the 21st century it will be UP, which will give momentum to India's growth story. UP is going to become a driving force of India," he said.

Gautam Adani, Kumar Mangalam Birla and other leading industrialists are participating in the mega summit organised by the government. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also attended it.

Modi said "only our democratic India" has the capability to prove that it is the "reliable partner" the world is looking for today. "The world today is looking at India's potential and praising its performance."



The projects were in diverse fields including agriculture, IT and Electronics, MSME, manufacturing, renewable energy, pharma, tourism, defence and aerospace, handloom and textiles.

"We are growing the fastest among the G-20 economies. Today, India is No. 2 on the Global Retail Index. India is the third-largest energy consumer country in the world," Modi said.

He said last year a record USD 84 billion of Foreign Direct Index came to India from more than 100 countries. "India has made a record by exporting merchandise worth over USD 417 billion i.e. more than Rs 30 lakh crore in the last financial year."



Speaking on his government recently completing eight years in power at the Centre, he said, "In these years we have moved ahead with the mantra of Reform-Perform-Transform. We have emphasised policy stability, coordination, and ease of doing business.

"Through our reforms, we have worked to make India strong as a nation," Modi said, mentioning schemes like One Nation-One Tax and One Nation-One Ration Card. "These efforts are a reflection of our concrete and clear policies," Modi said.

In this year's Budget, he said, an unprecedented capital expenditure allocation of Rs 7.50 lakh crore was made.

Modi said the emphasis being laid today on defence manufacturing was never given earlier. "Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, we have decided with immense courage, and identified 300 defence items which will not be imported. In other words, those who want to come in the field of defence manufacturing, for them, there is an assured market of these 300 products," he said.

He said better law and order situation has restored the business community's confidence in Uttar Pradesh, created a proper atmosphere for industries and improved the administrative systems in the state.

As an MP from the state, he said, he feels the capability and the potential the state government and the administration has. He also talked about the "changed mood" and the work culture of the state machinery.

Uttar Pradesh is home to about 16-20 per cent of the country's population, therefore it has a huge bearing on the development of the nation, he said.

The PM also compared the development works done before 2014 and those effected by his government in eight years.

"In 2014, there were only six crore broadband subscribers in our country. Today, this number has gone up to 78 crore. In 2014, one GB data used to cost nearly Rs 200, but today, its cost has come down to Rs 11-12," he said, adding India is among the countries with the cheapest data rates.

In 2014, the number of village panchayats connected to optical fibre was less than 100 which has gone over 1.75 lakh now, he said.

"Before 2014, there were only a few startups. But, today, the number of registered startups has reached nearly 70,000. Recently, India has made a record of 100 unicorns, he said.

The PM thanked the investors for showing their faith in the capability, dedication, hard work and the understanding of the youth of Uttar Pradesh.

He also asked the industrialists to visit "my Kashi" (Varanasi), which he represents in Lok Sabha as an MP. The fact that Kashi, along with its ancient glory, can also emerge with a new version of itself, is a living example of the capabilities of Uttar Pradesh."



Modi also said proposals agreed on today will create new possibilities in Uttar Pradesh and reflect the growing confidence in the Uttar Pradesh growth story. The prime minister said that over the last few years a new culture of delivering projects on time has developed in the country.

He also observed that betterment of every person of UP means the betterment of every sixth Indian.

Modi informed that in the latest Budget, there was an announcement of a five-kilometre chemical-free natural farming corridor on both banks of the Ganga.

Uttar Pradesh is home to 1,100 kilometre expanse of river Ganga covering 25-30 districts. This will create huge opportunities for natural farming, he said.

He also said now is the golden opportunity for the corporate world to invest in the agriculture sector.

He said several initiatives such as the modern power grid, multi-model connectivity, record number of expressways, Eastern and western Dedicated Freight Corridors converging in UP will give a new push to the development of the state.

"For making a self-reliant India, reforms will be carried out in whichever sector, and wherever necessary. Reforms will be carried out continuously. We are with development as far as 'niti' (policy), 'nirnay' (decisions), 'niyat' (intention) and 'swabhaav' (behaviour) are concerned," he said.

Adityanath, Defence Minister Singh and UP's Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal Gupta 'Nandi' also addressed the gathering.

(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.)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 3 (ANI/NewsVoir): Continuing its efforts to empower businesses with fast digital and affordable access to liquidity, (https://www.kredx.com) KredX, India's largest supply chain finance platform, today announced its collaboration with Tradewind Finance, a global financial solutions company to corroborate enhanced export and supply chain financing solutions for business corporates. This collaboration will focus on providing financing to KredX's customers for their international business, exports and imports, at competitive rates by leveraging KredX's platform and financing capabilities of both the companies.

In November 2021, KredX received an "In-principle" approval by IFSCA to offer a platform for Indian companies to transact and raise financing for their exports and imports. This allows KredX to extend its expertise in offering a world-class transaction platform and offer financing solutions to its existing customer base as it continues to add new ones. Collaboration with Tradewind, amongst more such collaborations in the offing will allow KredX to offer a transparent, competitive, reliable funding option to Indian corporates for their international business. Under this new arrangement, KredX will support the domestic financing needs of Tradewinds customers in India and it will provide Tradewind with firmographics and business intelligence with respect to the Indian market that will strengthen the German and Indian lenders' association with exporters in India.

Tradewind Finance, headquartered in Germany with presence in India, provides liquidity to enterprises trading internationally and in multiple currencies. The company's focus in cross-border financing, along with its strong buyer and supplier portfolio based across the world, will offer Indian businesses the cash flow resources to grow their businesses globally and trade more efficiently. Tradewind's competitive pricing and scalable funding will also enable Indian corporates to execute greater volumes of transactions.

Commenting on the collaboration, Manish Kumar, CEO and Founder at KredX, said, "We are very excited about our association with Tradewind Finance on such a significant initiative. Collaborating with a globally recognized organization like Tradewind with expertise and experience in enabling trade finance globally will allow us to further empower businesses and open new growth avenues not just within India but internationally. Given our large customer base and significant business in India we are certain that this partnership will help us serve our customers better and tap into the underserviced export and import financing market in the country. We are aiming for a growth of 1000 per cent plus across the major corridors of the United States, Europe, Middle East and the rest of Asia."

"We are excited to collaborate with KredX and make cross-border financing more accessible to Indian businesses. Tradewind is deeply invested in India and we are delighted that our services will help SMEs take center stage in the global marketplace. We are certain that this partnership will be rewarding to both the companies and help achieve the larger goal of ensuring quick access to finance to SMEs on both domestic and international front," Soheil Zali, Tradewind's Regional Commercial Director for West and South Asia, comments.

Founded in 2015 in Bangalore by Manish Kumar and Anurag Jain, KredX is a leading integrated financial solutions provider accelerating finance through the use of cutting-edge technology and data. The company offers a host of customisable solutions ranging from enterprise finance and cash flow management solutions to working capital and channel financing solutions for businesses, large and small, operating within the supply chain ecosystem while offering unique alternative debt investment solutions to investors worldwide. Through the use of reliable technology to accelerate customer growth, the company aims to become the world's fastest Operating System for supply chain finance.

Tradewind is a Germany-based finance organization that provides international trade finance solutions to the world's small and mid-sized enterprises as well as to large corporates globally. Their core products are non-recourse export factoring and supply chain finance. By combining financing, credit protection, and collections into a single suite of trade finance products, Tradewind brings comprehensive, streamlined and best-in-class services to the world's exporters and importers.

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI/PNN): Silver Pearl Hospitality and Luxury Spaces Ltd, a hospitality company operating in the niche market of the Boutique hotel segment, is coming out with a maiden IPO of 50,00 000 equity shares of Rs 10 each at a fixed price of Rs 18 per share to mobilize Rs 9 cr. The issue opens for subscription on June 6, 2022, and will close on June 9, 2022. Minimum application is to be made for 8000 shares and multiples thereon, thereafter. Post allotment, shares will be listed on BSE SME.

The issue is solely lead managed by Inventure Merchant Banker Services Pvt Ltd, and Purva Sharegistry (India) Pvt Ltd is the registrar to the issue. SVCM Securities Pvt Ltd is the market maker for the company.

Its current properties are located in Rakchham, Kinnaur, and Himachal Pradesh. Rakchham village is located in the Touristic Sangla Tehsil of Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is around 10 km from Chitkul, which is the last village of India near the China Border and around 12 km from Sangla and is located between the two. Rakchham is often known as mini Switzerland and has been the site for many commercial shoots. It is nestled between the majestic snowcapped Kinner Kailash mountain range and lush green meadows with the Baspa River. The first hotel property started operations in FY 19-20. All its hotels, cafes and restaurants are operated under "Osiya". The company provides authentic hospitality and gives guests a localized and memorable experience. It seeks to cater to family and adventure loving enthusiasts and deliver differentiated yet superior service offerings with a value-for-money proposition.

As on date, the company's portfolio consists of the following properties Osiya Shambhu Lodge, Osiya Shoshla Cafe, Osiya Rangnoo Rakchham Retreat, Osiya Tashi Dolma Home, and Osiya Baba Inn Guest Home.

Keeping in view the explosion in demand, wherein revenge travel is trending, the company intends to increase the keys in Rakchham by installing Bubble Tents which will be a first of its kind in Northern India. The company had conducted trial runs in May, wherein the feedback was very positive.

As part of its growth and geographical diversification strategy, it is acquiring a running hotel property in Goa spread over 39000 sq. Feet located at Tamborim, beach Cavelossim. . This property will increase the geographical reach and provide business during the winter season from November to February, which is comparatively a lean season for the properties situated in Rakchham, Himachal Pradesh. Unlike Himachal Pradesh, Goa remains an all-weather tourist attraction.

The promoter, Rajesh Kumar Negi, has approximately two decades of experience in the hotel and hospitality industry. The management team also has substantial experience in the hospitality industry. The strength of its management team and its understanding of the hospitality market enables it to continue to capitalize on current and future market opportunities. The company, through its directors, is also looking for partners in Shimla, Narkhanda, Nako, Tabo and Kaza to give holidaymakers an awesome OSIYA - they prefer to call it AWWSIA- experience at every stop on the Spiti Circuit.

With Covid-19 on the wane and all sectors opening up fully and people being confined to their homes for the last two years, the summer of 2022 promises to be a revival for the tourism industry in general.

This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)

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It is Europes most valuable tech company. Its market cap has gone from $25 billion to $225 billion in a decade. And eight months ago, it hit a lifetime high of over $350 billion. This Dutch company made almost $20 billion in net sales and over $6 billion in profits last year. Yet, the chances are you may not have heard about it. The company, Holdings, describes itself as the most important tech company youve never heard of and rightly so. is one of the worlds leading manufacturers of chip-making equipment. It designs and manufactures lithography machines-- an essential component in manufacturing microchips which go into smartphones, data centres, personal computers, laptops, cars and much more. makes lithography systems, used to create the circuitry of computer chips. Its lithography systems can be found in the factories of every major chipmaker in the world. ASMLs most advanced machines use a wavelength of light called EUV, which stands for extreme ultraviolet. The machine uses EUV light beams, generated by lasers and focused by giant mirrors, to lay out extraordinarily narrow circuits on slabs of silicon known as wafers. That in turn makes it possible to create faster and more powerful microprocessors, memory chips and other advanced components, which are critical for consumer electronics and military applications alike. A lithography system projects light through a blueprint of the pattern onto a photosensitive silicon wafer. After the pattern is printed, the system moves the wafer slightly and makes another copy on the wafer. This process is repeated until the wafer is covered in patterns, completing one layer of the wafers chips. To make an entire microchip, this process is repeated layer after layer, stacking the patterns to create an integrated circuit (IC). The simplest chips have around 40 layers, while the most complex can have over 150 layers.

Only a few companies, including Americas Intel, South Koreas Samsung Electronics and Taiwans TSMC, are currently capable of manufacturing the most sophisticated chips. And theyve come to depend on ASML to make them.

11,000 of its 32,000-strong workforce is engaged in Research and Development (R&D). Since 2000, ASML has rapidly taken market share from Japanese competitors Nikon and Canon, which now mainly focus on older . ASML controls more than 90% of the lithography market and no competitor is attempting to build an EUV system, citing high development costs.

Amid a global chip shortage, the demand for ASMLs systems is higher than its current production capacity.

Last year, it sold 42 extreme ultraviolet or EUV systems and this year it expects to ship 55 units. It is the only manufacturer of EUV systems that are used in making the worlds fastest microprocessors.

ASML says its job is to help the industry continue Moores Law. In 1965, Gordon Moore, one of Intels co-founders, observed that the number of transistors on a microchip was increasing rapidly, exponentially increasing the computing power while decreasing the cost of the chip.

Moore predicted that the number of transistors would double every year for the next decade. In 1975, he revised the prediction to every two years. His prediction has proved to be true and todays microchips contain tens of billions of transistors.

ASMLs EUV machine pushes Moores Law forward and chip makers cannot produce leading-edge chips without it.

Delivering just one of these takes three Boeing 747 cargo planes, 40 freight containers and 20 trucks. The bus-sized machine comprises 100,000 parts, weighs nearly 200 tonnes and costs around $150 million. A cutting-edge chip plant needs 9-18 of these machines, which are one of the biggest capital costs for chipmakers.

ASMLs next iteration of the system, known as "High NA" EUV machines, will be even larger, and cost around $300 million each.

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Stars are celestial bodies mostly born of hydrogen and helium. They start from an accumulation of gas and dust that collapses due to gravity, creating the makings of a star, per NASA.

One of the prime examples of places where gases and dust accumulate in space is the irregular dwarf galaxy, Minkowski's Object. If you wish to see this galactic star nursery, you're in luck.

NASA recently revealed a picture of Minkowski's Object as well as an elliptical galaxy, NGC 541, which has significantly influenced the dwarf galaxy during the formation of the stars it contains, per a separate NASA report.

Minkowski's Object is named after German-American astronomoer Rudolph Minkowski, who identified and interpreted cosmic radio sources, per Physics Today.

Minkowski's Object and NGC 541 - Celestial Parents

Minkowski's Object and NGC 541 could be considered the parents of the stars within the former. According to NASA's report, NGC 541 shoots out radio jets from its accretion disk, which is around the galaxy's central black hole.

This radio galaxy activity may be due to NGC 541's environment, which is made up of gaseous halos and/or debris from recent galaxy merging events which may have triggered NGC 541's radio galaxy activity.

NASA believes NGC 541 itself is the product of the merging of two separate galaxies, per Space.com.

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NGC 541's radio jet may have caused the formation of stars within Minkowski's Object as it helps compress and heat the gas around the elliptical galaxy, causing it to heat up and become energized.

As the energized gas begins to return to a lower-energy state, the energy from the radio jet leaves the cloud in the form of radiation. During this time, the gaseous clouds cool and collapse, giving birth to stars.

Thanks to NGC 541's radio jet, Minkowski's Object has accumulated 20 million stars during its 7.5 million-year life so far.

To Study The Birth Of Stars And Galaxies

NASA reportedly wants to study and understand how galaxies and stars form, which is one of the most prominent reasons the space agency wants to study the area where NGC 541 and Monkowski's Object are.

Both Hubble and its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope once its commissioning process is complete, will be used to study this area to further study the birth of stars and the formation of galaxies through the merging of two or more separate ones.

Webb is currently expected to finish its commissioning process at the end of June, with NASA revealing its first full-color photos and stenoscopic data on July 12, a week and five days after its expected commissioning.

Webb will also be used to study celestial bodies that can give clues as to what the universe looks like in its early days and other worlds, such as the super-Earths it would be studying, 55 Cancri e and LHS 3844 b.

Related Article: NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Captures Magnificant Galaxy 'Grand Design Spiral'
Elon Musk says the Tesla Robot prototype might be ready a few months from now in time for AI Day.

The CEO of Tesla, Musk, first unveiled its humanoid robot, which also goes by the name Optimus, back on Aug. 10, 2021, during the first AI Day of the tech giant, as per a news story by Bloomberg.

The billionaire says that the humanoid robot does what Musk describes as "unsafe, repetitive, or boring" tasks, such as making a room sparkling clean or getting fresh goods from the grocery.

Elon Musk and Tesla Robot Prototype

But during that time, a working prototype of Optimus was nowhere in sight. Instead, the Tesla chief executive only described how the humanoid works.

The tech entrepreneur, Musk, said that it should see the light of day some time at the end of 2022.

Musk had to do a whole presentation showing us the size of the humanoid robot could be. The Optimus is about 5'8 tall, weighing roughly around 57 kilograms.

Although its dimensions are akin to a human person, an artificial intelligence (AI) system, which the giant EV maker also uses for its cars these days, controls it.

During the AI Day, the Tesla boss also envisioned a future wherein "physical work will be a choice."

Now, Musk tweets that the audience of the AI Day 2022 might get to see a working prototype of the humanoid robot of Tesla. The announcement of the tech billionaire received thousands of likes from excited fans on Twitter.

The CEO also teased in another tweet that the second Tesla AI Day would be an "epic" event.

Read Also: Elon Musk Got Into a Twitter Fight - What Does His Now Deleted Tweet Say?

Tesla AI Day Delayed?

It has been nearly a year since the billionaire entrepreneur introduced the Tesla Bot. It should mean that the second iteration of the AI Day is also inching closer.

According to a recent report by Electrek, the Tesla AI Day for this year is scheduled a year after its first inaugural event in 2021, supposedly on Aug. 19.

However, Musk also announced on Twitter, alongside the working prototype of the humanoid bot, that the AI Day 2022 has been slightly pushed to a much later date.

The Tesla CEO explained that the delay for the second AI Day is entirely due to the Optimus prototype as it expects a working timeline by around end of September.

So, instead of having the "epic" Tesla AI event in August, it has been moved to Sept. 30.

Related Article: Elon Musk Mandates Tesla Workers' Return To Office-Requiring At Least 40 Hours a Week
A Mario Kart on-rails ride is coming to the US' Super Nintendo World early next year.

Universal Studios Hollywood has recently announced that its Super Nintendo World theme park, along with its new Mario Kart AR ride, will be opening in early 2023.

The amusement park previously announced that the theme park would open sometime next year.

Super Nintendo World Opening Details

Universal Studios Hollywood mentioned that Nintendo fans could look forward to being in the Mushroom Kingdom, the world of Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach in the Super Nintendo World theme park. During their visit, park goers can get to see an "immersive land of visual spectacle, vibrant colors, and architectural ingenuity featuring rides and interactive areas the whole family can enjoy."

The attractions inside the US' Super Nintendo World are similar to the ones found in Universal Studios Japan, where the attractions are inspired by Mario Kart and Mario's dinosaur partner, Yoshi.

One of these similarities is a Mario Kart-inspired AR ride called Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge. As the name suggests, park goers on this ride will be going up against Team Bowser in an interactive game of Mario Kart.

The attraction's riders will wear special AR goggles shaped to look like Mario's hat while aboard a four-set Mario Kart-style vehicle programmed to take riders along a track filled with characters and enemies commonly found in a Mario game, per the ride's teaser video on YouTube.

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The Verge mentioned that the riders could steer the vehicle to collect coins and throw shells to defeat Team Bowser, which allows for different outcomes to the ride based on how well the riders did. As such, the ride encourages riders to go through the course multiple times to get a higher score, much like a normal game of Mario Kart.

The ride is similar to the one found in Universal Studios Japan, with the only difference being that the one in Japan puts people up against Koopa instead of Bowser.

Sam Byford, The Verge's senior editor who is based on Tokyo, experienced the ride in Universal Studios Japan and described the experience as "overwhelming but a whole lot of fun."

It is unclear if the Super Nintendo Worlds in the US (another one will be opened in Universal Studios Orlando in 2024) will be inspired by the one in Japan or if they will be a carbon copy. If Universal Studios went with the latter, US fans of Donkey Kong can look forward to a Donkey Kong-themed area that includes a roller coaster and branded merchandise and food, per Video Games Chronicle.

Super Nitnendo World Hollywood Opening Day

Since Universal Studios narrowed down the theme park's opening day to early 2023, there is a strong probability that the amusement park will open Super Nintendo World on March 10, more popularly known in the Nintendo fan community as "Mario Day."

March 10 was named Mario day due to the abbreviated month and the day forming the word "Mario," or "MAR10" in this case.

Related Article: Super Mario World to Open in Universal Studios Hollywood in 2023
Geolocation data tracking of a popular restaurant chain's app led to the loss of privacy of millions of users, Canadian data privacy authorities said.

The privacy commissioner's probe into the Tim Hortons mobile app found that the app unnecessarily collected extensive amounts of data without obtaining adequate consent from users.

Data Was Never Used for Intended Purposes, Probe Finds

Canadian invesitgators found that Tim Hortons gathered granular location data for targeted advertising and product promotions without customer consent, and that the company never used such data for the stated purposes.

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According to a report from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, the data collection, which happened while the app was not in use, resulted in "a loss of Users' privacy that was not proportional to the potential benefits Tim Hortons may have hoped to gain from improved targeted promotion of its coffee and associated products."

The investigation started two years ago by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada in partnership with privacy officials in British Columbia, Quebec and Alberta. This came after reports surfaced that the Tim Hortons app monitored users' geolocation while not using the app.

The restaurant chain's app has four million active users, according to a CBC report quoting a company presentation to investors.

Third Party Named in Quetionable Tim Hortons Data Collection

Tim Hortons contracted a third-party service provider, Radar, to gather geolocation data of users. In August 2020, Tim Hortons stopped collecting location data.

However, the investigation discovered that there was a lack of contractual safeguards for users' personal data while being captured by Radar. The report describes the language in the contractual clauses to be "vague and permissive," which could have allowed Radar to use the personal information collected in aggregated or de-identified form for its own puposes or for other campaigns users do not know of.

The report said the language used in the contract did not offer "adequate protection by Tim Hortons, of Users' personal information."

"While we accept that Radar did not engage in a use or disclosure for its own purposes, the contractual language in this case would not appear to constitute adequate protection, by Tim Hortons, of Users' personal information," the report said.

The report states that Tim Hortons also agreed to delete all granular location data and to have third-party service providers do so as well, as per recommendations from the privacy authorities. The company also agreed to establish a privacy management program for its app and all future apps to ensure they are compliant with federal and provincial privacy legislation.

The federal law governing privacy issues is called the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, or PIPEDA.

The report found that while the Tim Hortons app was not compliant with privacy laws, the restaurant chain has since taken steps to resolve the issues.

"We've strengthened our internal team that's dedicated to enhancing best practices when it comes to privacy and we're continuing to focus on ensuring that guests can make informed decisions about their data when using our app," a statement from Tim Hortons released on Wednesday said.

"While we accept that Radar did not engage in a use or disclosure for its own purposes, the contractual language in this case would not appear to constitute adequate protection, by Tim Hortons, of Users' personal information," the report said.

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NASA is planning to launch five more missions to the International Space Station using SpaceX.

The space agency just recently announced that it plans to issue a sole source modification to SpaceX to buy five additional flights to the ISS as part of the Commercial Crew Transportation Capabilities contract.

The additional space flights from SpaceX will enable NASA to continuously have human access to the ISS to meet its long-term goals.

NASA's Acquisition of 5 Flights From SpaceX

NASA can now foresee the need for their agency to deploy additional SpaceX missions as early as 2026. This will allow them to safeguard the safety of the orbital laboratory which will help them continue operations and scientific experiments in space.

This partnership will also enable each business to work through any unforeseen challenges as the private sector gains operating expertise with these new systems.

As previously reported, NASA had released a request for information from the American industry in October 2021 to secure a sustained human presence on board the ISS. Highlighting reliable, safe, and cost-effective human transportation to the space station.

These additional five spaceflights will be added to the existing contract worth $3.5 billion that was granted to SpaceX in February with the goal of launching three crewed spaceflights: Crew-7, Crew-8, and Crew-9 missions with its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft.

According to Space.com, to put these timelines in perspective, Crew-4 is currently in space now. While Crew-5 is expected to launch in September, Crew-6 is scheduled to launch in the spring of 2023. Considering the newly added five flights, it is assumed to continue in sequence after Crew-9, then the contract modification would take SpaceX through the mission Crew-14.

Read Also: Blue Origin's Next Space Tourist Mission Has a New Target Date - When is It?

NASA's Public-Private Partnership

NASA has previously announced their desire to continuously operate the International Space Station until 2030. The orbital space laboratory is supposed to retire by the end of 2024. However, ISS is an international initiative. Therefore, NASA will be seeking agreements with its partners to make this possible.

With their current plans extended for six years, the space agency will require more crew rotation missions in order to maintain a space flight pace that is both safe and able to continue for the duration of the space station's remaining planned operations.

Even though SpaceX is the only company now capable of transporting astronauts into orbit for NASA, the agency has stated that Boeing's Starliner capsule would likely be ready in the near future.

Just recently, Boeing successfully operated their test flight, launching their Starliner to and from the ISS on May 25. Boeing's success will also benefit NASA, as this can pave the way for securing and strengthening their further space missions and spaceflights.

NASA not only plans to work with SpaceX in flying their astronauts into space. The agency is also planning to deploy launches to Boeing after the company is certified to do so. According to NASA's commercial crew program manager, Steve Stitch, stated that "It's critical we complete Starliner's development without undue schedule pressure while working to position both Boeing and SpaceX for sustainable operations in the years ahead."

NASA's commercial space director, Phil McAllister stated, "Our goal has always been to have multiple providers for crewed transportation to the space station. SpaceX has been reliably flying two NASA crewed missions per year, and now we must backfill those flights to help safely meet the agency's long-term needs."

Related Article: NASA Picks Two Companies to Build Spacesuits for Moon Mission
Barbara Smith joined The Carter Center in September 2020 as vice president for peace programs. She said her most reqarding past post was serving as a director in the National Security Council under President Barack Obama. (Photo: The Carter Center)

Barbara Smith, vice president of the Carter Centers peace programs, says she was born to her line of work.

Her mother is from Germany and taught her the value of international perspectives. Her father was in the military and ingrained in her the importance of service.

Even so, she briefly flirted with a career in medicine at the University of Texas: That lasted about a semester, she said, laughing. I dont even like the sight of blood. That should have been my first clue.

Instead, she found herself drawn to diplomacy and international relations, and an internship at the U.S. State Department sealed the deal.

Smiths career prior to joining The Carter Center in September 2020 included positions at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, The Asia Foundation, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

She spent several years working in Sarajevo after the Bosnian war. One of her more memorable assignments involved organizing a helicopter tour for ambassadors to solicit support for the Reconstruction and Return Task Force.

But of all her pre-Center jobs, the most rewarding  and the most challenging  was serving as a director in the National Security Council under President Barack Obama.

Theres just nothing like working at the White House, she said. Its so exciting.

During her 13 months there, Smith focused on Afghanistan and Pakistan. Her tasks included writing daily talking points for spokespeople and a weekly briefer for Obama: You had to distill everything you thought the president should know that week into one page.

Shed imagined being calm and composed when she met the president. But the first time she entered the Oval Office  to be on hand for Obamas call with Afghanistans then-president, Hamid Karzai  her cool evaporated.

After returning to USAID and then doing some freelance consulting, Smith is once again moving in presidential circles  this time as an employee of the president whose fireside chats she remembers from childhood.

Smith had long been aware of the Carter Centers excellent work, particularly on election observation and election standards. Shed even once met with Democracy Program Director David Carroll while in Atlanta visiting in-laws. When she learned that her former USAID colleague Paige Alexander had come on board as the Centers CEO, her interest grew. Months later, Smith landed the job of vice president of peace programs.

How many people get to have a title like that? she marveled.

Despite her familiarity with the Centers reputation, it wasnt until she took on the role that she realized the full depth and breadth of Centers efforts.

I had no idea that the peace programs had over 50 different projects and were changing lives in the way we are across Latin America and Africa and Asia.

Smiths priorities for the next few years include mentoring organizations in countries where the Center works so that they can play leading roles in their fields. She points to the Democracy Programs work with an Ethiopian fact-checking group as one example of this.

Another priority is finding more opportunities for the Centers peace and health programs to work together in the way theyve begun to do in Mali  where conflict resolution work makes it easier to undertake health initiatives, and health initiatives serve as incentives to keep the peace.

Working to build a more peaceful world isnt easy.

Since Smith joined the Center, Afghanistan has fallen to the Taliban; Myanmar, Mali, and Sudan have suffered coups, the U.S. capitol was stormed by rioters, and Russia has invaded Ukraine.

It does all get to be too much sometimes, Smith admitted. But then I think about Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, after a brutal civil war that saw neighbors fighting neighbors, now has had a democracy, albeit a transitional one, for 20 years. Or the situation in East Timor, another country on which I worked, that is still rated as a free democracy many years after the conflict there. There are success stories, and thats what you have to focus on or else youll get lost in discouragement.

Also keeping her going are her Carter Center colleagues.

Im so inspired by their passion and their commitment to the people and places where we work, she said. It all connects to that sense of service my father ingrained in me.

Related Resources

Learn more about the Carter Center's Peace Programs 
Photo: Contributed The Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory telescope, just south of Penticton at White Lake.

Three times a day, a measurement is transmitted from the National Research Council's Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory to a list of recipients around the world. Some use it directly. Others archive it and make it available on their websites, along with other data.

The measurements are made using two small radio telescopes, referred to as "flux monitors. The data consists of measurements of the intensity of solar radio emission at a wavelength at 10.7cm. It is used by those involved in activities where, one way or another, they are affected by what the Sun is up to. These include communications services, space mission managers and various infrastructural services.

The data is known as The 10.7 cm solar radio flux, or simply, F10.7.

The service has its roots in the Second World War. In 1942, anti-aircraft radars, which were sweeping the sky over Britain searching for raiders, suddenly became unusable. Huge signals swamped any potential echoes. The display screens, which should have shown radar echoes, were filled with random dots and speckles. This stuff is now referred to as "snow. The radars were being jammed.

The first fear was that Britain's antiaircraft defences were being affected by some secret weapon. Then, one of the engineers shut off the transmitter on one of the radars and waved the antenna around while looking at the display screen. Those jamming signals were coming from the Sun.

It was a relief to know that no secret weapon was involved, but since every time the Sun did whatever it was doing air defences were degraded, information about solar "attacks" was kept secret until after the war.

During that same war, warships at sea used their radar to sweep the horizon for any possible enemy ships. The operators soon noticed that when the radar antenna was pointed at the rising or setting Sun, any echoes from that direction were swamped by the same sort of "snow. Because this phenomenon could be used by potential attackers, it too was kept as quiet as possible.

The Second World War was a high-tech war. It saw an explosion in the use of radar systems and advanced communication devices, along with efforts in making equipment to jam or spoof the enemy's radar and communication devices. When the war ended there were piles of advanced electronics that were no longer needed.

Naturally occurring radio emissions from the Milky Way were discovered in the 1930s, launching the embryo science of radio astronomy. The availability of unwanted military antennas and receiving systems provided a gold mine for making radio telescopes.

During the war, the National Research Council was a centre for the development of radar systems. After hostilities ended, the NRC scientists used bits of those radar systems to make Canada's first radio telescope. They pointed the instrument at various objects in the sky but the only thing they could detect was the Sun. So, they decided to accurately measure these solar radio emissions and how they varied.

Early in the war, Britain shared its military secrets with the U.S. and Canada. They included the resonant cavity magnetron. That device could generate high transmitter powers at centimetre wavelengths. It was particularly needed for airborne radar systemsshort wavelengths mean smaller antennas can be used.

It is hard to accommodate large antennas on planes. The magnetrons operated at a wavelength of around 10.7 cm, so the radars did too and so did the NRC's radio telescope.

It turned out that measurements of solar radio emissions at this wavelength were a good indicator of the whole range of solar activity, Which is why this service has continued to the present day.



 Venus is low in the dawn glow. To its right, lies Mars and Jupiter, close together, and then Saturn.

 The Moon will reach First Quarter on the 7th, and be Full on June 14.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A researcher seeking records about an RCMP investigation from Canada's national archives was told it would cost the government more than $21 million to process his request under the Access to Information Act.

The man filed an access request with Library and Archives Canada in January upon learning of another applicant's struggle to obtain the large cache of records from a two-decade-old RCMP corruption probe.

Library and Archives cited the multimillion-dollar processing cost in trying to persuade the federal information ombudsman to allow the latest request to be dismissed because it was vexatious or made in bad faith.

In April, information commissioner Caroline Maynard refused permission and, as a result, Library and Archives is now processing the man's access request  although it says up to 65 years will be needed to do so.

The Canadian Press has agreed not to identify the requester, a public servant in the National Capital Region who is concerned the publicity would be detrimental to his career.

In early January, the public servant read a news story about Michael Dagg, who filed an access request with Library and Archives for records on Project Anecdote, a fraud and corruption investigation by the RCMP in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Following Dagg's request, the archives identified 780,000 pages of paper and microfilm records, including investigation reports, witness statements, briefing notes, exhibits, search warrants and communications with foreign governments.

Library and Archives said it would need an extension of 29,200 days to process the request, making the due date March 25, 2098.

Dagg, a longtime user of the access law, called the 80-year delay "outrageous'' in a January interview with The Canadian Press, saying the archives should have a more constructive plan.

Dagg complained to the information commissioner in May 2018. Maynard subsequently learned that Library and Archives needed a year and a half to digitize the documents and considerably more time to go through the records and excise material too sensitive to disclose.

Consultations with the RCMP and the Department of Justice were likely necessary, with a possibility of others, including foreign governments, the commissioner's October 2021 report said.

Maynard concluded that while processing the large volume of records under the standard 30-day period set out in the access law would interfere with the archives' operations, the 80-year extension was unreasonable.

In March 2021, Library and Archives gave a new time-frame of 65 years to process the request.

Maynard recommended a response to the request be provided to Dagg "forthwith,'' but Library and Archives refused to budge.

Dagg is pursuing the matter in Federal Court.

The public servant's curiosity was piqued by the story about the case and submitted his own request for the documents.

In support of its claim that the latest request was vexatious, Library and Archives said it would cost more than $21 million to process, adding it would have a significant effect on internal operations.

The archives said while it currently has eight permanent employees in its Access to Information and Privacy office, a minimum of nine additional employees would need to be devoted to the request for more than six years.

In addition, the request would have to be assessed internally and specialized equipment to process digital media would need to be acquired, which could take months or even years.

Maynard concluded in an April 21 finding that Library and Archives had not "met its burden of establishing that the access to information request is either vexatious or made in bad faith."

She also found the archives did not show that it fulfilled its duty to assist the public servant with his request before seeking approval to decline to act.

The following day, the requester received a letter from Library and Archives saying it would process his application, with the proviso it would take up to 23,725 days to prepare a response  the same 65-year time-frame eventually provided in Dagg's case.

The public servant is complaining to Maynard about the extension.

In an interview, he acknowledged his application is "a very big request" for hundreds of thousands of pages, but said it is the mission of Library and Archives to process such files for Canadians.

He believes he might have an advantage in his effort to get the records because the federal government has amended the access law to give the information commissioner order-making authority, powers that took effect for complaints made on or after June 21, 2019.

It means that when Maynard finds a complaint to be well-founded, she may now issue any order she considers appropriate, including with respect to time limits  not just a recommendation.

In a special report to Parliament earlier this year, Maynard said Library and Archives frequently failed to answer formal requests for historical records in a timely way and she called on the Liberal government to make fundamental changes.

Maynard noted the growing public criticism of Library and Archives by academics, researchers and journalists over the excessive wait times.
Over 100 million Samsung customers now have access to Android 12. The question is, how many of these phones will be eligible to receive the next Android update?

Why Is It Important To Update Your Phone's Software?

Before we give the list of Samsung phone models which will receive an Android 13 update, let us first discuss the importance of getting the newest Android OS for your devices.

According to CNET, security is one of the many reasons why software upgrades are so important. Bug fixes and security patches are common in updates, so it's a good idea to install them as soon as they're available. Samsung will provide five years of security updates and four years of Android OS upgrades for Galaxy S21 and later models. Periodic security updates are also issued by the company for older devices, including those that are no longer upgradeable to new Android versions.

Android OS updates are also vital because they provide your phone with new features and functionalities. Updates to Google Wallet and end-to-end encryption for group chats will be included in Android 13, which will be released this fall.

Samsung also adds its own interface to Google's Android software, known as One UI, and phones that are eligible for Android operating system upgrades usually get the most recent version, CNET reported.

Those who wish to test the software right now can do so with Android 13's beta version.

Read More: Oppo Find N Becomes First Foldable Phone To Run Android 13 - But There's a Catch

Which Samsung Phones Will Get the Latest Android Software?

sammobile.com noted that it already has a solid idea of which Galaxy smartphones and tablets are eligible for the next Android 13 / One UI 5 update, thanks to Samsung's firmware update policies. Check out the listings below:

Galaxy S series

Galaxy F series

Galaxy Note series

Galaxy Z series

Galaxy A series

Galaxy M series

Galaxy Xcover series

Galaxy Tab series

Related Article: Android 13's Refreshable Braille Display Support is Arriving on Its Beta - Here's How it Works
Photo: The Canadian Press

Former White House official Peter Navarro was indicted Friday on contempt charges after defying a subpoena from the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Navarro is the second former Trump aide to be charged with contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with the Jan. 6, 2021, investigation.

Former White House adviser Steve Bannon was indicted in November. The case against him is pending.

Navarro, 72, was charged with one contempt count for failing to appear for a deposition before the House committee.

The second charge is for failing to produce documents the committee requested.

He is expected to appear in court in Washington later Friday.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be attending next week's Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles as President Joe Biden summons leaders to talk about what's ailing the Western Hemisphere.

On his way to California, Trudeau and Defence Minister Anita Anand will also pay a visit to Colorado Springs, which is home to the jointly commanded continental defence system known as Norad.

The Prime Minister's Office confirmed the details of the June 7-11 trip this morning.

Military analysts have been waiting for months to hear more about how Canada and the U.S. plan to upgrade Norad, particularly in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, although it's not clear whether an announcement is imminent.

In L.A., the social and humanitarian impact of the war in Ukraine will be a central theme of the talks, as will new ways to address global migration challenges, including those confronting the U.S. at its southern border.

Trudeau will also be accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, who will be involved in additional meetings on climate change and nature protection.

The prime minister "will underscore the importance of taking ambitious climate action, including by protecting our oceans and cutting pollution, while creating good jobs and growing the economy," the Prime Minister's Office said in a release.

"He will also promote democracy and reinforce the continued importance of COVID-19 testing and treatments, both to identify dangerous variants and to contain future outbreaks."
Photo: The Canadian Press Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, leaves flowers at a memorial site, Thursday, May 26, 2022, for the victims killed in this week's elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

As investigators dig deeper into the law enforcement response to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, a host of disturbing questions remain about what officers on the scene knew as the deadly attack was unfolding.

Did any of them know children were trapped in a classroom with the gunman? Was that potentially critical information relayed to the incident commander on the scene? And did officers challenge the commander's decision not to promptly storm the classroom?

Authorities have not released audio of the 911 calls or radio communications but have confirmed dispatchers received panicked 911 calls from students trapped in the locked classroom with the gunman while officers waited in a hallway outside.

In an apparent breakdown in communications, the commander overseeing police at the scene, school district Police Chief Pete Arredondo, was never informed that children were calling 911 from inside the school, Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez said Thursday.

Gutierrez told The Associated Press on Friday that the state agency investigating the shooting determined Arredondo was not carrying a police radio as the massacre unfolded.

Arredondo also has come under criticism for not ordering officers to immediately breach the classroom and take down the gunman. Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said that Arredondo believed the active shooting had turned into a hostage situation, and that the chief made the wrong decision.

Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the attack last week at Robb Elementary, the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade. Seventeen others were injured. The funerals began this week.

Arredondo has not responded to repeated interview requests from The AP, and telephone messages left at the school police headquarters were not returned.

There have been other cases in which officers on the scene of a crime were not relayed critical information by a police dispatcher, often because the dispatcher wasn't following protocols, said Dave Warner, a retired police officer and expert at the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.

He cited a 2009 domestic disturbance call in Pittsburgh in which a woman told a 911 operator that her son was armed. That information was never relayed to responding officers. When they arrived, the man opened fire, ultimately killing three officers and seriously wounding two.

Its an old case, but its still very relevant today," Warner said.

Protocols for 911 dispatchers handling calls in active-shooter situations also specifically caution against changing a law enforcement response based solely on the amount of time that has elapsed since shots were last heard, Warner said.

Warner said those protocols were developed in part as a result of the 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech, where a student killed 32 people.

In that case, the gunman first killed two people at a dormitory. Police and school authorities thought that the gunman had fled the campus and that the danger had passed. But he instead moved on to another part of campus a couple of hours later and continued his murderous rampage.

Warner said the protocols stress that dispatchers should not think a shooting is over "just because that caller can no longer see the shooter or hear shots being fired."

The protocols also outline key questions for 911 dispatchers to ask callers in active-shooter cases, including the types of weapons involved, the number and location of suspects and whether the caller can safely evacuate the building.

The gunman in Uvalde, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, spent roughly 80 minutes inside the school before law enforcement officers killed him, according to an official timeline.

Since the shooting, law enforcement and state officials have struggled to present an accurate account of how police responded, sometimes providing conflicting information or withdrawing some statements hours later.

Many of those details are likely to become clearer after reviewing 911 calls and police radio communications, said Fritz Reber, a 27-year veteran and former captain with the Chula Vista, California, Police Department who has studied 911 dispatch systems.

Operators at a 911 center typically relay information from callers in writing to a dispatcher, who then passes it along to officers in the field over the radio.

On the scene of major events, a specific radio channel is typically established so that all local, state and federal agencies can communicate with one another, Reber said. It is not clear whether that was done in Uvalde.

Reber said one reason information may not be relayed by dispatchers to officers on the ground is that dispatchers don't want to overload the channel with details they assume police on the scene would already know.

The assumption is the officers are there and will know more about what's going on than the people calling 911," he said.

Thor Eells, former commander of a 16-member SWAT team in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and director of the National Tactical Officers Association, said another key question is how many people were working at the 911 call center covering Uvalde.

A lot of 911 calls were being placed, and in my experience that can lead to information overload," he said. When the 911 call center is being overwhelmed, it is extremely difficult to make sure you have a timely flow of information."

There have been communication breakdowns during other mass shootings in Texas, and experts say smaller, regional dispatch centers are often inundated with calls during a major emergency.

Police communications were a problem in 2019 when a gunman shot and killed seven people and wounded more than two dozen during a rampage in Odessa, Texas.

Authorities said 36-year-old gunman Seth Aaron Ator called 911 before and after the shootings, but a failure in communication between agencies  they were not all operating on the same radio channel  slowed the response. Ator was able to cover about 10 miles before officers shot and killed him.
The Tennessee Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld sentences imposed by the Hardin County Circuit Court for drug offenses that occurred in a drug-free zone. Offenses committed in drug-free zones, most often around schools, provide for enhanced punishment above that for offenses committed in other locations. The drug-free zone in this case was comprised of the area around a public park rather than a school. The Court determined that the sentences for such offenses, although not enhanced by one classification level like cases involving drug-free zones around schools, properly included mandatory minimum periods of confinement.

When law enforcement officers searched a Hardin County home in June 2018, they found various narcotics. Douglas E. Linville was one of several individuals in the home at the time of the search. A jury convicted Mr. Linville of multiple drug offenses. Because the home was located within 1,000 feet of the Savannah City Park, the jury determined that the offenses occurred in a drug-free zone.

Tennessee law provides for heightened penalties for certain drug offenses if they take place in a drug-free zone. The heightened penalties include enhancing the sentence classification for such offenses and requiring offenders to serve mandatory minimum periods of confinement. The original drug-free-zone law addressed the area around elementary, middle and secondary schools. However, by the time of Mr. Linvilles offenses, the law had been expanded to address the area around a preschool, child care agency, public library, recreational center, or park. The question presented in Mr. Linvilles case was which of the heightened penalties the amended law imposed if the drug-free zone was related to a public park. The trial court ordered sentences that included mandatory minimum periods of confinement, but the court did not enhance the offenses by one classification. The Court of Criminal Appeals, however, also ordered a one-classification sentence enhancement.

In its unanimous opinion, the Supreme Court reversed the decision of the Court of Criminal Appeals with respect to the one-classification sentence enhancement. The Court determined that when the drug-free-zone law was amended to include public parks, the legislature chose not to impose the one-classification sentence enhancement that would apply if the offense occurred in a drug-free zone related to a school. However, the Court also determined that the legislature chose to retain the same mandatory minimum periods of confinement for drug-free-zone offenses related to a public park as for those related to a school. Accordingly, the Court reinstated the sentences ordered by the trial court.

To read the Supreme Courts opinion in State v. Douglas E. Linville, authored by Justice Jeff Bivins, visit the opinions section of TNCourts.gov.
The Signal at 1810 Chestnut St. was cited to the Chattanooga Beer Board for the failure to allow two Hamilton County Sheriff deputies in the building during the East Hamilton High School Senior Prom on April 29. The Signal provides security for events at the venue, but on this night, the school hired two School Resource Officers for additional security. The SROs are also deputies with the Hamilton County Sheriffs Department. Other SROs come from the Chattanooga Police Department, but guns are part of all their uniforms.

Attorney Ginna Burrell and owner of the Signal Josh Billue told the Chattanooga Beer Board they knew the additional security would be there, but were unaware they would have guns. That night around 6:45, when the SROs arrived, the manager on duty told them they would not be allowed inside with firearms. The two contacted their supervisor and left.

City Attorney Emily ODonnell said the Chattanooga City Code specifies that access cannot be denied to any portion of the premises to any police officer, regardless if the business has a beer permit or not. Mr. Billue and attorney Burrell told the board that having no firearms inside is a condition of their insurance policy. They said their policy requires that all security guards who work there have to come from Axis Security, their approved vendor. This insures that the insurance company knows that they are properly trained.

Board member Brooke King noted that the business put its insurance policy over what the city does to help keep people safe. SROs are police officers or deputies and they all carry guns.

The security personnel from Axis do not carry guns. Officials from The Signal told the beer board members that they were unfamiliar with SROs and that they are armed. The board was told, in hindsight, that had they known ahead of time, their insurance company could have been contacted to ask if it was permissible. But that night, the manager made a decision just an hour before the prom. Since this incident, the Signal has established a plan with their insurance carrier. The agreement is that with prior notification, armed security officers from the Police Department and Sheriffs Department will be allowed inside whether they are acting as officers or private security. Attorney Burrell said this has been a lesson learned.

The Chattanooga Beer Board passed a motion to issue a letter of reprimand to The Signal on a vote of five in favor and three opposed.
A Mayors Kids Fishing Rodeo free fishing event will be held on Saturday, June 11 at 9 a.m. at the ponds at John Ross Commons in Rossville.



"With school letting out soon, parents will no doubt begin the yearly task of finding wholesome and fun activities to occupy their children all summer long and a few of the Mayors of Walker County have banded together to help fill one of those many summer Saturdays," officials said.

Mayor Teddy Harris of Rossville says, Ive always enjoyed driving by the ponds and seeing the local youth out there fishing and one day it hit me - we should host a fishing rodeo.

Along with the support of his fellow elected officials, Mayor Arnold of Lafayette and Mayor Bennett of Lookout Mountain, and with help from the Rossville Downtown Development Authority and several local citizens and organizations, the 1st Annual Mayors Kids Fishing Rodeo was planned.



"Although this is only the first year for the fishing rodeo, the event is already making a big splash in the community," officials said.

While the event is completely free to attend and is scheduled on one of Georgias free fishing

days, meaning no fishing license is required to participate, several organizers were concerned that some local youth may not have access to a fishing rod or other tackle needed to participate. To keep this from happening, several community members and businesses stepped up to donate funds and equipment - including 25 rod and reel setups that were donated by the Bass Pro Shops location just a few miles north of Rossville in East Ridge.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is also planning to stock the ponds with 400 catfish prior to the event.

Tobey Hill, executive director for the Downtown Development Authority, said, Thanks to all our volunteers and supporters in the community, it looks like we are all set to have a successful fishing rodeo.



For more information or to sign up a child to participate, visit the event on Facebook by searching

Rossville Mayors Kids Fishing Rodeo. There is a link in the event description where you can complete the sign up form, or the form will be provided via a QR code on the day of the event.

Prizes will be awarded to kids in select age groups for the first fish caught, the largest fish caught and the most fish caught.


The BLVD Project and Rossville Downtown Development Authority are teaming up to host a series of open-air markets on June 3, July 1, and Aug. 5 from 4-8 p.m. this summer. The BLVD is a grassroots organization that seeks to improve food access, safety, transportation, aesthetics, and business along the Rossville Blvd corridor. The markets will be located at 207 Chickamauga Ave. Rossville, and will feature vendors selling locally grown produce, flowers, original artwork, and consumable personal goods.

Executive Director of The BLVD Project Heather Herweyer said the group decided to host open-air markets after completing a series of workshops led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The workshops were granted to a select few cities across the country to stimulate economic development, repurpose vacant lots, and increase community access to fresh produce.

A market in this area seemed like it would have the most potential to lead to future development," said Ms. Herwyer. "Residents in our area are always traveling to other parts of Chattanooga/North Georgia to have fun and procure goods. We wanted to test our hypothesis that if fun events were offered in our area, people would stay here and spend their money on our local businesses here."

Executive Director for Rossville Downtown Development Authority Tobey Hill said the markets will give residents a chance to feel Rossville. This event gives us a much-needed opportunity to be a destination - even if it is just for a few hours. We want people to begin to see and experience Rossville differently, and I think this outdoor market series will be a vital step forward in inviting people to come in and experience our community, said Mr. Hill.

The markets will feature local businesses like Flora de Mel. Owner Jay Martin says the events will be a welcomed change. As a new business in Rossville, Flora de Mel is thrilled to see more light coming to the area. Artist markets bring energy, creativity, and much-needed love to downtown Rossville, and we very much look forward to participating, said Mr. Martin.

The Blvd is a group of neighbors, businesses, property owners, and passionate citizens. Several sponsors are committed to the inaugural markets, including Bridge Innovate, Simply Bank, and CSL Plasma. To become a vendor, learn more about the event, or donate, visit www.rossvillega.gov/rossville-blvd-market for more information.


Microsoft will take the path less traveled during a time when union-busting is the norm.

Microsoft's president and vice-chair, Brad Smith, revealed in a blog post that Microsoft recognizes and respects its employees' "legal right to form or join a union."

Microsoft is one of, if not the latest company to announce it would not deter its employees' unionization.

Microsoft's Unique Approach Regarding Unionization

Smith mentioned in an official Microsoft blog post that Microsoft's employees would never need to organize to have a dialogue with Microsoft's leaders when it comes to unionization, adding that it is sharing principles to guide its approach with labor organizations in recognition of the changing norms on workplaces.

As a result, the company came up with four new principles that are based on employee organizing and how it will engage with its employees, labor organizations, and "other important stakeholders in critical conversations around work."

These principles state that Microsoft believes in the importance of having a dialogue with employees and that it recognizes that employees have a legal right to choose whether to form or join a union.

The company also added that it's committed to creative and collaborative approaches with unions when employees wish to exercise their rights, and it is presented with a "specific unionization proposal."

Read More: Google to Cut Unwanted Chrome Notifications from Abusive and Disruptive Websites

Microsoft also included that it is dedicated to maintaining a close relationship and shared partnership with its employees, including those represented by a union.

These principles are created based on two factors: that Microsoft has a lot to learn from prominent labor, business, and academic leaders regarding relationships with labor organizations, and that its approach may be different from other companies due to its "deep appreciation" of the vital and innovative role employees play in developing and adopting new technologies.

Smith said that Microsoft acknowledges that it will need to continue learning and changing as a company s employee expectations and views change with the world. He also added that the company recognizes that employers, and employees will not always agree on all topics.

"None of us ever Knows precisely what challenges the future will bring," Smith said. "Buth we're willing to bet that a company that listens to and works well with its employees is likely to have a winning hand."

Microsoft's Uniqueness In The Changing Times

Companies in the tech sector have been recently reported to have threatened or warned employees of unionizing to deter or stop employees from forming or joining a union.

According to Business Insider, workers in Amazon's New York warehouse have formed the company's first union in April, but that has not deterred the company to intimidate workers that wanted to organize, per the New York Times. It also ran anti-union ads on social media to deter or prevent employees from unionizing.

Another tech company, Apple, was reported to have threatened workers about the repercussions of joining a union, according to a video shared within the company, per CNBC.

Google is also not innocent when it comes to union-busting, with the company hiring union-busting consultants to convince employees that "unions suck," per Ars Technica.

As such, Microsoft's approach to unions is unique that it sets the company apart from how other tech companies responded to their workers' efforts to unionize.

Related Article: Apple Retail Workers in Atlanta Backs Out From Forming Union  But Was It Voluntary?
A new restaurant, Real Good Smokehouse, will be opening at 221 Market St. by Tim Hennen and Shannon Johnson. Mr. Johnson described it as a traditional but updated smokehouse serving ribs, brisket, pulled pork and chicken. The restaurant received a beer license from the city beer board that will allow them to sell both consumer and carry-out beer.



Ruby Falls has just undergone a million-dollar renovation to the lobby and the addition of a new restaurant, Ruby Falls Castle Cafe. It will have a full menu of salads and sandwiches for the 500,000 visitors per year, and to make it complete, will also be offering beer, said President and CEO Hugh Morrow. The beer served will be several local beers manufactured in Chattanooga, and will be limited to two per customer. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. and the customers can come to the restaurant without purchasing a ticket to tour the cave.

The board also approved applications of beer permits for new businesses. TailGate Brewery Chattanooga, is taking over The Terminal Restaurants. This is the fifth location with the other four in Nashville. Brewing beer will be done on site, and this location will specialize in Belgium beers. Owner Wesley Allyn Keegan told the board that his company purchased the real estate so plans are to be here for the long term. He said the business will sell beer any way that it can be done, on site, six packs to go and through a distributor.

Weigels, a new gas and convenience store, has opened at 5875 Highway 153. The business is expanding from around the Knoxville area. The company requires all employees to be ABC certified in alcohol sales and they do their own compliance checks at each location once a quarter. They also verify ages with a point of sales system on the cash register. The representative speaking to the board said the stores are known for milk and bakery products. This location is the first of many that are planned for around Chattanooga.
The Tennessee Democratic Party announced that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is granting the TNDPs request to fund a new organizing director to help register and turn out potential voters across the Volunteer State.

Officials said this organizing program "will target key legislative races to lay the groundwork to break the Republican supermajority in the Tennessee Legislature. With this new role, Tennessee Democrats will be well positioned for early and consistent voter outreach across the state throughout the primary and general election cycles."

DNC Chair Jaime Harrison said, As a former state party chair, I know just how critical it is to reach out to voters in every corner of the state to strengthen our party. Thats why Im thrilled that the DNC is able to invest in the Tennessee Democratic Partys organizing and voter education work on the ground. Its imperative, now more than ever, that we elect strong Democratic leaders who will fight for lower costs, continue to grow the economy, and stand up for Tennessee families.

"The Tennessee Democratic Party is excited to receive this new investment as we head into a heated governors election this November and continue to defend our Democratic seats, TNDP Chair Hendrell Remus said. The TNDP is grateful to the DNC for their support in funding a robust organizing program as Tennessee Democrats continue fighting for an economy that puts working people first and defending our state from Republicans ultra-MAGA agenda.

This grant is part of the DNCs Red State Fund, which was established last year under the leadership of DNC Chair Harrison "to put Republicans on defense and build tailored programs in traditionally Republican states."
Using an obscure section of the 14th Amendment (1866) prohibiting ex-Confederates from holding office after the Civil War, voters challenged a few Republicans right to be on the ballot, claiming these Republicans supported an insurrection on Jan 6. Each challenge, of course, was eventually denied.

Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-GA, argued her challenge in federal court, but Obama appointee, Judge Amy Totenberg, in a 73 page decision ruled it could move forward. The judge is sister to NPRs Nina Totenberg of the phony SCOTUS Sotomayor-Gorsich mask controversy. (CNN, Caleb Howe, Apr 9, 2022).

The Amnesty Act of 1872 undid most of Section 3 but that undoing and the fact Greene won her primary hasnt stopped their harassment. These voters are now trying to block Greene from the November general election.

An Election Day Associated Press headline read, Greenes divisive politics faces test in Republican primary in GA (Ross Bynum, Associated Press). Apparently Georgians dont agree that Greene is divisive as she defeated five challengers with 70 percent of the vote.

With a little research, you can learn Free Speech for People, a non-profit group, is connected to some of the challenges including Greene. You can also learn the political party to which its founders are linked if you havent already suspected.

When you consider the Jan. 6 Tribunal, the harassment of Rep. Greene and other Republicans along with a voluminous 73 page decision by Totenberg, it should become clear who the real target of all this sinister conniving is. Their fear of him is greater than COVID.

Ralph Miller

* * *

I would like to respond paragraph-by-paragraph to Mr. Miller's opinion dealing with various challenges to Republicans holding office in light of the insurrectionist disqualification clause (Section Three) of the 14th Amendment. First however some definitions:

Insurrection -- the act of revolting against civil authority or an established government

Sedition -- incitement of resistance to or insurrection against lawful authority

18 United States Code 1512 C -- a person can't "obstruct" or "impede" any official proceeding [one before Congress is included] or even attempt to do so, if you act corruptly



1. The 14th Amendment is a shining star of our constitutional system. It establishes birthplace citizenship. It calls for equal protection under the law and due process of law. It maintains that no state can abridge the privileges and immunities of citizens of the United States. The 14th Amendment also declares that an individual cannot hold federal or state office if they "shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against [the Constitution of the United States] or given aid or comfort to enemies thereof."

2. I am unclear what Mr. Miller means when he states that "[e]ach challenge, of course, was eventually denied." Not true. As he notes, Marjorie Taylor Greene's case is moving forward through the court system, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit recently reversed a district court ruling that favored former North Carolina representative Madison Cawthorn.

3. Several "Stop the Steal" and "March for Trump" organizers communicated with various members of Congress, one commenting that "I remember talking to Marjorie Taylor Greene specifically." She has stated that Jan. 6 "was just a riot [emphasis added] at the capitol and if you think about what our Declaration of Independence says, it was to overthrow tyrants." As a result of the events of Jan. 6, five people died, 100 police officers were injured and 600 people have been charged with criminal behavior.

4. Both Cawthorn's and Greene's lawyers have attempted to employ the 1872 Amnesty Act to defend their clients. According to one historian, the legislation virtually "ended the restrictions on ex-Confederates imposed by the Fourteenth Amendment." It pardoned all but 500 individuals. Lastly, It is a retrospective, not a prospective, law, and thus can't be justified in defense of either Greene or Cawthorn.

5. Lastly, Free Speech for the People is national non-profit, non partisan organization that works to limit campaign spending and foreign financial involvement in our elections.

Michael V. Woodward, Ph.D.
Amber Heard was ultimately awarded $2 million in her countersuit against ex-husband Johnny Depp. Depp sued Heard for defamation after he said her Washington Post op-ed, where she said she was a survivor of abuse, damaged his career and personal life.

But Heard launched her own countersuit, alleging that Depps lawyer Adam Waldman actually defamed her by insisting her abuse allegations were untrue. Waldman made several remarks referring to Heards abuse claims.

Depp originally sued Heard for $50 million and was awarded $15 million. She countersued Depp for $100 million and Amber Heard received $2 million. But why?

Why did Amber Heard get $2 million in compensatory damages from her countersuit?

The jury found that while some of the comments Waldman made were defamatory, they werent enough to award her the total amount. Only one of Waldmans statements was defamatory, according to the jury.

Johnny Depp and Adam Waldman |Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images/ Karwai Tang/WireImage

This statement was what got Heard the $2 million: Quite simply this was an ambush, a hoax, he said to the Daily Mail in 2020 (via Newsweek). They set Mr. Depp up by calling the cops, but the first attempt didnt do the trick. The officers came to the penthouses, thoroughly searched and interviewed, and left after seeing no damage to face or property. So Amber and her friends spilled a little wine and roughed the place up, got their stories straight under the direction of a lawyer and publicist, and then placed a second call to 911.

The tabloids sided with Amber Heard in 2020, a Johnny Depp supporter said

Podcast host and courtroom insider Danielle DellOlio explained, This is a countersuit that Amber had put up for $100 million against Johnny Depp for the statements that his lawyer, Adam Waldman, had made a few years ago, back in 2020, when the United Kingdom trial was happening, she recounted to Showbiz Cheat Sheet.

The United Kingdom trial was a libel trial, that Johnny Depp had placed against a tabloid newspaper called The Sun, she continued. And they had written that he was a wife beater. So he was basically saying that they couldnt call him a wife beater. Tabloids can call you many things  very hard case to win, just like a defamation case. I was honestly shocked today when he won, but hes always said that winning has never been his goal. Its bringing the truth to light. The problem with the United Kingdom trial, the public didnt see much of it unless you really went digging through the actual court documents.

Johnny Depps lawyer, Adam Waldman was angry

At that point in time, the tabloids were not kind to Johnny Depp, DellOlio continued. During that time, Adam Waldman, one of Johnnys attorneys, came forward, made a few statements to them about how Amber had a, quote unquote, abuse hoax happening. [Where] her and her friends had roughed up the place, spilled a little bit of wine, and then called the cops. And made up this huge fake claim against him. So I believe that there were three statements that Amber alleged were defamatory towards her. There was only one that the jury ruled was defamatory actually against her today.

Heard was awarded $2 million in damages for that, nothing in punitive damages. And they said that statement was made with malice, DellOlio recalled.

She added, But to be fair, I think all of Adams statements were made with malice. I think as a friend, I know hes an attorney, but I think as a friend, he was quite angry about that entire situation and the fact that the media at that point in time was being extremely skewed towards Amber. There was no middle ground with that libel lawsuit.

Upon hearing the verdict, Waldman posted a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. on Instagram. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.

For more of the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheets YouTube channel.

RELATED: Law Expert Explained How Amber Heard Could Evade Paying Johnny Depp
Actor Antony Starr has made headlines for his captivating performance as the villainous Homelander on The Boys. Earlier this year, however, Starr made headlines for a different reason after being arrested for assault in Spain. Starr has recently addressed the controversy of these charges, and what he realized after the experience.

Antony Starr was arrested while filming an untitled Guy Ritchie film

Antony Starr | Craig Barritt/Getty Images

According to Deadline, Starr got into a physical altercation while filming the untitled action thriller by King Arthur director Guy Ritchie. The man Starr fought, 21-year-old Bathuel Araujo, alleged that Starr was extremely drunk and confrontational at a bar in Alicante, Spain. So much so that he was physically bumping into people and pushing them.

Araujo also claimed that after he was arrested, Starr told the police there would be consequences for their actions.

You dont know who youve messed with. You wont know who I am and what Ive done, Araujo claimed Starr said.

After his arrest, Starr would spend the night in jail.

Anthony Starr addresses being arrested for assault

The Boys Actor Antony Starr Arrested in Spain for Allegedly Assaulting a Chef https://t.co/oT06ITASNk  People (@people) March 5, 2022

Aware of the mistakes he made, he wasnt interested in reliving what happened in detail.

Theyre out there. Theyve been said. Ive got nothing to add to that, Starr shared to New York Times.

However, he did take the time to express accountability for what transpired.

I got myself into a situation that was negative and I reacted poorly, and the way forward from that was very clear, Starr continued. It was quite simply to take ownership of it, which I do, and then really learn from it and move forward.

Even Araujo seemed to hold no ill will towards The Boys alum after his confrontation with the actor.

I feel that all humans have the right to make mistakes and he was no exception, Araujo wrote. He has lived the consequences of his actions and I hope he has learned from it. I wish him good things and I hope he doesnt go through the same thing again.

Starr benefited from keeping the incident as close to the chest and private as possible.

Ive really just kept this issue to a personal level, because it is a personal issue  a personal issue that Ive taken responsibility for, he explained.

How The Boys actor Erin Moriarty reacted to Antony Starrs assault charges

Erin Moriarty, who plays Starlight in the hit Amazin Prime series, admitted that scenes involving Homelander can be difficult. If only because the character was an intimidating presence to be around.

She described her scenes with Hmelander as gut-wrenching because she was facing a character who can laser her to death on a whim. What helped her during those scenes was how Starr was the complete opposite of his Homelander character.

You have to be able to shake it off at the end of the day, Moriarty said. It might take a second, but it definitely helps that Antony, in addition to being professionally present as a human being, is so unlike Homelander and so kind and so funny.

The actor also asked if Starrs recent controversy affected their professional relationship. But Moriarty asserted nothing changed between them.

Theres no world in which I would feel uncomfortable or unsafe, she said. I think hes a wonderful dude that got caught up in a moment and is implementing the lessons appropriately. Its not impacting my perception of him at all, as an actor and as a human.

RELATED: The Boys Season 3: Antony Starr Says Homelander Becomes Homicidal Maniac in New Episodes
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation fans can tune in to new episodes of the MTV series beginning June 23. At this point, fans have very little to go on since MTV hasnt released a full teaser for the second half of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation Season 5. However, theres enough for us to theorize about regarding whats to come. Heres what we can see unfolding in new episodes of JSFV, plus details about the Buckhead Shore spinoff and another Jersey Shore spinoff the cast isnt too happy about.

Jersey Shore: Family Vacation Cast | MTV

Jersey Shore: Family Vacation teases California trip, Mike celebrating in new episodes

In the brief teaser clips for the new season, we see the cast toasting in a California locale. As weve previously reported, the cast of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation traveled to San Diego for a full-on family vacation. The casts trip to El Paso, Texas, will also appear in new episodes.

The teaser also shows Mike The Situation Sorrentino fist-pumping. Could this be another celebration in honor of Big Daddy Sitch? If it is, our hearts go out to Vinny Guadagnino.

Finally, theres a clip of Nicole Snooki Polizzi and Deena Cortese screaming. This celebration could be regarding Nicoles latest Messy Mawma wine release, something to do with Jenni JWoww Farleys wedding plans, or even an update about Ronnie Ortiz-Magro. Fans will have to tune in to find out what theyre screaming about.

Angelinas divorce will also come up in new episodes of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation

As MTV wrote,  where this group goes, drama follows. Angelina Pivarnick and Chris Larangeiras divorce no longer seemed like an option in the first half of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation Season 5. However, things have changed since fans saw this crew last.

Angelinas marriage inches past the point of no return, MTV writes. Its time to settle some old scores that will have the whole family at odds.

Buckhead Shore also premieres on June 23

MTV will also debut Buckhead Shore on June 23. Now its time to bring the next shore thing to Buckhead, Georgia, the teaser says.

Dubbed the Beverly Hills of Atlanta, MTV fans will get to meet an entirely new cast Jerzdays this summer. The cast of Buckhead Shore includes JuJu Barney, Katie Canham, Savannah Gabriel, Adamo Giraldo, Parker Lipman, Bethania Locke, Pat Muresan, Chelsea Prescott, and DJ Simmons.

Instead of the Jersey Shore, this group will be at a lake for their annual summer getaway. MTV says to expect wild fun, high drama hookups, and maybe even a few broken hearts.

Jersey Shore cast isnt happy about more Jersey Shore spinoffs ahead of new episodes

After Deadline reported on Jersey Shore 2.0 and Buckhead Shore on May 18, the cast of Jersey Shore spoke out against the spinoffs. Pauly DelVecchio, Angelina, Jenni, Mike, Deena, Nicole, and Vinny Guadagnino all shared the same message to their social media:

As a cast that took a chance with a network in need, we put our most vulnerable moments on television for the world to see. We gave our all over the past 13 years, became a family, and continue to open our lives for the world. So please understand that we are not in support of a version that will exploit our original show, our hard work, and authenticity to gain viewers.

MTV nor SallyAnn Salsano, head of 495 Productions, returned our request for comment regarding this matter.

Watch the premieres of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation Season 5B and Buckhead Shore on MTV beginning June 23.

RELATED: Jersey Shore: Family Vacation: Ronnie Ortiz-Magros Alleged Return Has Fans Saying MTV Needs to Do Better
On May 31, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook of BTS appeared at the White House as part of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month (AANHPI Heritage Month). During the Korean bands visit, the members briefly spoke at an official press briefing at the White House and met with President Joe Biden. While BTS visit with Biden was not open to the press, Biden later shared some of the meeting on social media.

President Joe Biden and the members of BTS | Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz

President Joe Biden shared some of his meeting with BTS

BTS meeting with Biden took place in the Oval Office at 3 p.m. EDT following a press briefing with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

According to a press release, the meeting lasted for 35 minutes, and BTS and President Biden had a conversation on anti-Asian hate crimes and Asian inclusion, and spoke about President Bidens recent visit to South Korea.

While BTS conversation with Biden was not shown to the press in real-time, Biden later posted a video of the meeting on social media.

This is an important month here in America. A lot of our Asian American friends have been subject to real discrimination. Hate only hides. When good people talk about it and say how bad it is, it goes down, Biden told the members of BTS in the video.

RM of BTS replied on behalf of the group, saying, We want to say thank you, sincerely, for your decision such as signing the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law. So we just want to be a little help and we truly appreciate the White House and governments trying to find solutions.

Thanks for stopping by the White House, @bts_bighit. pic.twitter.com/JRE3Firnbc  President Biden (@POTUS) June 1, 2022

RELATED: BTS 2022 Grammy Awards Performance Is Now Available to Watch Online

BTS spoke at a press briefing at the White House

Leading up to their meeting with Biden, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook took part in a press briefing at the White House. The band did not take questions from reporters, but each member gave a statement. Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook each spoke in Korean, and RM concluded BTS briefing in English.

Today is the last day of AANHPI Heritage Month. We joined the White House to stand with the AANHPI community and to celebrate, Jin shared.

Jimin added, We were devastated by the recent surge of hate crimes including anti-Asian hate crimes. To put a stop on this and support the cause, wed like to take this opportunity to voice ourselves once again.

J-Hope then shared, We could be here today thanks to ARMY, our fans worldwide who have different nationalities and cultures, and use different languages. We are truly grateful.



We still feel surprised that music created by South Korean artists reaches many people worldwide, transcending barriers across the board including language and culture. We believe music is always a wonderful unifier of all things, said Jungkook.

Everyone has their own history. We hope today is one step forward to respecting and understanding each and every one as a valuable person.

V of @bts_bighit pic.twitter.com/bikkWhWJov  The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 1, 2022

RELATED: 5 K-Dramas Recommended by BTS for Fans to Watch

Suga added, Its not wrong to be different. Equality begins with opening up and embracing all differences.



Everyone has his or her own history. We hope today is one step forward to respecting and understanding each and every one as a valuable person, said V.



RM concluded, Lastly, we thank President Biden and the White House for giving us this important opportunity to speak about the important causes and remind ourselves of what we can do as artists. Thank you very much.

More of BTS meeting with President Joe Biden will be shared

While the video Biden posted on social media is just less than a minute long, the president promised more of his meeting with BTS will be released at a later date.

It was great to meet with you, @bts_bighit. Thanks for all youre doing to raise awareness around the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination. I look forward to sharing more of our conversation soon, the president tweeted.

BTS: Jungkook Thinks the Bands Grammy Awards Rehearsal Was Better Than Their Performance
How should the church love her community during times of crisis?

This was the question our church in Austin wrestled with last year when Texas experienced a devastating winter storm that left more than 4 million people without power, water, and food for seven days. During that time, at least 22 people died in connection. The consequences of those storms also lingered for months as many in our community were unable to find food while others needed rent assistance.

Most of our congregants were left without power in their apartments, and we began scrambling to find housing for folks. By day two, half of our congregants were living with the other half. The shelves of our one local grocery store had been depleted pre-storm and now even the fast-food restaurants in the area were running low on supplies. By day four, we were low on food as were many others in East Austin. We were getting phone calls from managers at apartment complexes and neighbors, asking if we could spare food, money, or blankets. Everyone was hurting, and resources were dwindling fast.

It would have been easy to keep what little resources we had to ourselves. In fact, in times of crisis, some churches only use their resources to care for their own congregants. For example, Ive heard Christians quote Galatians 6:10: Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Some have used verses like this to argue that the churchs priority should be for their own only. What if our congregants are hurting? some ask. Shouldnt we take care of our brothers and sisters in Christ first, those who are members of our specific congregation? This thinking, however, creates a false dichotomy. It makes us believe that we can only care for ourselves or others, not both. That is nothing more than a mentality of scarcity.

The entire community should know they can count on the church and feel cared for by the people of the church.

When a church hoards its resources, she falls short in truly understanding and offering the biblical vision of holistic care that the body of Christ is called to. In Scripture we see that the church should never see it as a waste to care for non-Christians. In times of crisis (and in times of stability, for that matter) the church should open up its resources for the entire community and live out an embodied theology of community care. The entire community should know they can count on the church and feel cared for by the people of the church. We must open up our resources as best we can to the entire community, not just our own congregants.

Here are four ways that you and your church can love your community during a crisis as well.

1. Be Connected with the Poor and Needy in Your Community Pre-Crisis

You wont know what the needs of a community are unless youre already on the ground, building relationships, and connected to the people, places, and needs around you. Our church meets in another churchs gymnasium in East Austin, and we focus the majority of our efforts in reaching the people in the government housing, apartments and homes in the close radius surrounding where we meet. Within our community -- and in our church -- are immigrants, some of whom are undocumented. In stable times (by that, I mean outside of major natural disasters), we work with people to apply for documentation, provide rent assistance and groceries for single moms, set up handwashing stations to those experiencing homelessness and more. The people in our community are our friends; we know them on a first-name basis. So, as soon as the winter storm hit, we immediately began reaching out to folks, asking what their needs were, and then our relief work as a church was developed based on what was requested.

This is important for churches as well as any organization or non-profit seeking to help in times of crisis -- you cant just decide in a vacuum what is needed, buy something in bulk, and drop it off somewhere. Relief work during a crisis must always be driven by real people and real requests. The church must tailor its resources to the needs of specific people. Some people will need medicine; others will need food. Some might want groceries; others will want gift cards to buy their own groceries. You wont know until you ask. If you as a church are not yet fully connected and invested in your local community, ask yourself how you can start building in-roads and developing relationships with local men and women.

2. Partner with Others Doing the Work

The plain and simple truth is that no single church can do relief work alone, and we shouldnt try to do it alone either. Times of crisis offer a unique opportunity for the body of Christ to truly live out as a collaborative body with different parts all working together.

For example, in the aftermath of the winter storm in Texas:

We partnered with a local church to deliver hot meals, groceries, and water to immigrants in our community. Another pastor and his wife delivered groceries and water to my husband and I, which was a huge blessing as it helped us stay focused in our own community efforts.

We partnered with Christian non-profits to deliver hundreds of breakfast tacos, coffee, and cases of water to two different apartment complexes with 60 units each who had all gone without power and water that week.

Our church also partnered with another church to secure bottled water for local families. This church also helped us deliver food to people in our congregation and community who requested benevolence meals.

Youd be surprised at how many people are willing to help and want to help. In moments of crisis, think about who might want to partner with you. Dont be afraid to reach out and ask local churches, leaders, and organizations if theyd like to collaborate or donate financially. Then delegate, delegate, and delegate some more.

3. Be Willing to Suffer the Cost

Caring for your community both individually and as a church will require an immense amount of sacrifice. Youre not only caring for your own familys needs in the midst of a crisis, youre also looking out for others. Theres a double sacrifice involved.

Yes, get rest. Yes, practice soul care. Stay rooted in God's Word and prayer. Reach out for help. My husband and I were so grateful for all the folks who took care of us during that difficult time, bringing us groceries and food. In the midst of taking care of so many other community members, we werent able to do that great of a job of caring for our own family. Our family practically ran out of food at the end of that week and along with being physically and emotionally tired, we were also very hungry.

This is in some ways parr for the course. Caring for a community in crisis will take a lot out of you. Even now, after the winter storm is gone, the weather has warmed up, and people have their power back, I still remember the ways my body wrestled for months afterward with feelings of flight, fight, or freeze. I felt burnt out. There was a weight I felt for the families in need, imagining what they were going through and feeling compelled to do something about their lack that lingered long after folks were able to stabilize. Disasters and crises will exact its own kind of trauma. As followers of Jesus, we must not be naive. We must know what we are signing up for, to see the cost that lies ahead, and then still be willing to step into the storm for the sake of those who are hurting even more than we are.

4. Show Gratitude and Thanks

Finally, show gratitude and thanks to everyone who serves. Too often, an individual leader will try to take credit for the deeds of many, or the church or non-profit is spotlighted without attention given to the everyday folks who showed up and did the groundwork. Every person who shows up, who donates, who delivers meals, shelters someone in need, calls someone up for prayer or counseling should be acknowledged and thanked. Give them shoutouts on Sunday morning, on your churchs social media platforms, and also personally, either through phone calls, hand-written thank you notes, or something else that is meaningful. Part of the reason people serve is to show that they are part of a bigger community that is going through similar things. Thanking and acknowledging folks throughout this process is also part of how we build bonds, deepen friendships, and grow in solidarity. It can feel like a minor thing, but voicing gratitude, especially if you are the leader or pastor, goes a long way.

May we, as the church, show up in times of crisis for our community, and may God equip and strengthen us for the work ahead.

Youre reading the Better Samaritan blog, produced by the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College. To learn more and be equipped to support others during disasters, take a look at our Disaster Ministry Handbook

Michelle Ami Reyes, PhD, is the Vice President of the Asian American Christian Collaborative and the Scholar in Residence at Hope Community Church. She is the author of Becoming All Things: How Small Changes Lead to Lasting Connections Across Cultures and co-author of, The Race-Wise Family: 10 Postures to Becoming Households of Healing & Hope. Dr. Reyes has contributed to several book chapters including The Jesus I Wish I Knew in High School and Take Heart: 100 Devotions to Seeing God When Life's Not Okay. She serves on the board for Redbud Writers Guild, is a writing fellow at Missio Alliance, and a regular contributor at (in)courage and Think Christian. Her writing on faith and culture can be found in many other publications, including Christianity Today, Patheos, and Faithfully Magazine. She lives in Austin, Texas with her pastor husband and two amazing kids. You can connect with her and her work at https://michelleamireyes.com.
South Africa: SA to commemorate World Environment Day

South Africa will on Sunday join other nations in commemorating World Environment Day 2022.

This year, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) and eThekwini Municipality will commemorate the day in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

WED is the biggest international day for environment awareness.

Led by UNEP and held annually since 1974, the event has grown to be the largest global platform for environmental outreach, with millions of people from across the world engaging to protect the planet.

This year, World Environment Day will be held under the campaign slogan: Only One Earth, with a focus on Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature.

This year is a historic milestone for the global environmental community. It marks 50 years since the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, widely seen as the first international meeting on the environment.

The world is facing three major environmental crises: climate change, biodiversity and nature loss, as well as waste pollution.

This is driven by human activity and unsustainable patterns of consumption and production. The worlds most vulnerable communities are often the worst impacted by environmental crises.

The recent torrential rains and deadly floods experienced in KwaZulu-Natal are evidence of the devastating impact the environmental crises have on humanity, our economies and our natural world, and a stark reminder of the urgent action needed, the DFFE said in a statement.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-06-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
World Insights: 100 days of Russia-Ukraine conflict -- no quick end in sight

Xinhua) 15:28, June 03, 2022

MOSCOW, June 3 (Xinhua) -- One hundred days into the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the deadly crisis with global repercussions still shows no sign of easing off.

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, his country's special military operation in Donbass starting on Feb. 24 was launched in response to the fundamental threats posed by NATO and the bloc's eastward expansion.

The global community has since been closely monitoring how the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to remodel the global economy, energy landscape as well as diplomatic and military ties.

Russian officials have repeatedly stressed that the special military operation would continue until all its objectives are met, while Ukraine has vowed to "fight till the end."

In this context, the West's ever-increasing military aid to Ukraine and unprecedented pressure on Moscow have strongly exacerbated the situation, and created barriers to future peace talks.

With both Russia and Ukraine adhering to different negotiation positions, the prospect of peace remains elusive.

CHANGES ON THE GROUND

Following the end of the battle in Mariupol, with Russia taking control of the Azovstal steel plant and the city, both sides shifted their military focus to the northeastern part of the Donetsk region, and the western part of the Lugansk region.

The current military action is centered around two strategically important cities in the Lugansk region, namely Severodonetsk and Lysychansk.

The Ukrainian side has confirmed that heavy fighting continued in Severodonetsk. The head of the Lugansk regional military administration Sergei Haidai recently said that Russia was gaining control of most of the city, while Ukrainian forces were still showing resistance.

During his visit to the frontline in Kharkiv region on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country's troops were facing an extremely difficult situation.

In a Telegram post following the visit, the Ukrainian leader said his country would "defend its land till the very end" and "would fight and definitely win."

In a more recent address to the Luxembourg parliament on Thursday, Zelensky said that Russian forces controlled around 20 percent of Ukrainian territory.

Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed that Moscow's military operation would continue despite Western pressure and increased Western assistance to Kiev.

Russian military expert Aleksei Leonkov believes that the Ukrainian army has already suffered defeat in the battle for Donbass and that Kiev's efforts on the battlefield have not led to any tangible results.

According to Igar Tyskevich, an analyst at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, Russia's full control of the Donbass region would not be feasible in the short term, and that it would be difficult to predict how long this conflict would last.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE TALKS AT A STANDSTILL

While there are noticeable developments on the battlefield, the same cannot be said about the current state of the negotiation process between Russia and Ukraine. The prospect of peace remains bleak, as talks were put on hold following a controversial incident in Bucha in April.

Russian officials said that Moscow was willing to continue diplomatic talks, despite Ukraine's constant urge to deviate from previous agreements. After sending draft proposals to Kiev in April, Russia said the "ball was now in Ukraine's court."

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelensky said that Russian forces must return to positions held before the start of the conflict for diplomatic talks to continue. Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said such conditions were "impossible in principle."

World leaders have nonetheless continued to pursue mediation efforts. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have held multiple telephone conversations with Putin to discuss the Ukrainian crisis and the peace talks.

Turkey, which has expressed its desire to play a mediating role in the conflict and has already hosted a round of Russia-Ukraine talks, recently expressed readiness to host a new round of negotiations.

Nevertheless, none of the current efforts have led to a successful revival of the talks because of stark differences in the negotiation positions of both sides.

Russia has already begun strengthening its presence in southern and eastern Ukraine, including simplifying the procedures for residents in the Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions in southern Ukraine to apply for Russian citizenship.

Some Russian analysts agree that it is pointless to continue negotiations with Zelensky on key political matters.

Alexander Perendzhiev, a Russian political and military analyst, has said that Zelensky is merely a puppet of the West, and the West itself is not ready for serious negotiations.

Tyskevich, the analyst at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, believes the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has escalated into a "long-term war" and the "active phase" may last for several months or even longer, and the next key step would be to discuss the necessary conditions for a ceasefire agreement.

However, even if a truce is reached, according to the expert, it would be very fragile.

WESTERN INVOLVEMENT

Instead of promoting peace talks and a rapid end to the conflict, the United States and its Western allies have continued to exert pressure on Russia, ramp up sanctions, and provide military assistance to Ukraine.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that the United States would supply Ukraine with advanced rocket systems that Kiev had requested.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has also announced recently that the country was receiving Harpoon anti-ship missile systems from Denmark, Britain, and the Netherlands to defend itself in the Black Sea, while other countries will also supply defense equipment in the near future.

In a bid to contain Russia even further, European Union leaders have recently agreed to ban "more than two thirds" of Russian oil imports to the bloc, as they adopted their sixth package of sanctions against Russia.

The Kremlin has repeatedly stressed that by supplying heavy weapons to Ukraine, the United States was deliberately "adding fuel to the fire" and hindering a potential resumption of peace talks.

In recent telephone conversations with European leaders, Putin pointed out that the supply of weapons would further destabilize the situation and worsen the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

Russian political scientist Karine Gevorgyan noted that by providing Ukraine with an unlimited supply of weapons, the West risks depleting its own arsenals.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that the West is fighting a proxy war against Russia, using Ukraine as the battlefield.

If the West finally recovers from its "anti-Russian frenzy" and decides it wants to restore relations, Moscow would seriously consider whether or not it needs to re-establish these ties, said Lavrov.

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Bianji)
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is bracing for the approaching recession. Musk asked employees to pause the hiring of talent globally, and stated the possibility of cutting off 10% of jobs in his company.

This recent news briefly comes right after the CEO himself mandated Tesla workers go back to office and halted the acceptance of remote working.

Tesla Layoff

Elon Musk told Tesla executives to hold the hiring globally expressing that he has a bad feeling with the current economic state. Aside from pausing the massive break in hiring, the electric vehicle company may cut off 10% of its job offers.

It has been reported by Business Insider that Tesla collectively hired an enormous number of employees last year, at around 100,000 people, as seen in its annual Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

If this cut off gets implemented, this would mean thousands of people losing their jobs.

Yesterday, in reaction to the series of tweets made by Australian tech millionaire Scott Farquhar, who encouraged Tesla employees to check into its remote work possibilities, Elon Musk replied, stating, "recessions serve a critical economic cleansing role."

The above set of tweets illustrate why recessions serve a vital economic cleansing function  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 2, 2022

In addition, a fan on Twitter asked Musk about his opinion on whether or not a recession is coming, and he responded by saying yes, and he believes it is a good thing. He also stated that money has been abundant for quite some time now and some bankruptcies need to happen.

Musk added, "Also, all the Covid stay-at-home stuff has tricked people into thinking that you don't actually need to work hard. Rude awakening inbound!"

Yes, but this is actually a good thing. It has been raining money on fools for too long. Some bankruptcies need to happen.



Also, all the Covid stay-at-home stuff has tricked people into thinking that you dont actually need to work hard. Rude awakening inbound!  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 27, 2022

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Tesla Employees Back To Work

Tesla's hiring break comes just after their CEO, Elon Musk emailed executives of the company stating that remote work is no longer acceptable.

The company's CEO blasted out a series of emails that essentially demanded employees return to the office immediately or face termination. As previously reported here in iTechPost, in the first email, Musk stated that employees who would opt to work remotely would need to be in the company's offices for at least a minimum of 40 hours.

If there are particular exceptions, he would personally review them directly. He also emphasized that the Tesla main office is the only office of the company, not some remote branch office.

In the second email, the CEO added, "If you don't show up, we will assume you have resigned." Musk also mandated that the more senior your role is in the company, the more your presence in the office will be valued.

Musk is, of course, aware of other companies implementing options such as working remotely full-time or a hybrid working set up. However, for his company, Musk reasoned by stating, "There are of course companies that don't require this, but when was the last time they shipped a great new product? It's been a while."

Tesla EV Production

Despite a global chip shortage that has been going on for quite some time now and production problems due to the COVID-19, Tesla was able to manufacture 930,422 cars last year and deliver 936,222 of them.

Fortune reported that the Tesla factory in Shanghai was closed for three weeks throughout the month of April. This is also one of the reasons why a few analysts have lowered their predictions for the company since there have been delayed deliveries as a result of rigid COVID measures, lockdowns, and lost productivity at its Shanghai facility, which serves as a hub providing electric vehicles to China as well as for export.

China is the company's second most significant market after the United States. On a typical day, it can produce approximately 2,100 automobiles.

However, Musk did not elaborate further on the reasons behind his statement about the bad feelings he has for the economy. This comes as no surprise, as numerous analysts have echoed the same concern about the gloomy days ahead.

Related Article: Elon Musk Mandates Tesla Workers' Return To Office-Requiring At Least 40 hours a Week
This piece was adapted from Russell Moores newsletter. Subscribe here.

Even after several years of unpredicted chaos and suffering, the last three weeks have hit hard.

A white nationalist terrorist gunned down nearly a dozen Black shoppers in a Buffalo supermarket. Another shooter attacked a Taiwanese congregation during a Sunday luncheon. And then another brutally murdered 19 children and two adults at a school in Uvalde, Texas.

After each of these horrors, people often ask, How long until something is done? And yet, the sad truth in light of all these atrocities is the declining attention span of the American people.

Axios points to research on the sustained attention of the publicshowing that horrors like the Sandy Hook shooting or the Parkland school shooting do not rally the nations attention beyond a matter of days. Some might suggest that the country is numb to such tragedies since they happen with such frequency compared to the rest of the world.

But Axios argues that what we are seeing is a people not necessarily numb to horror but overwhelmed by it. The sheer weight of all these incidents can lead to a shutdown in many people, in which they simply give up trying to comprehend it all and move on to something else.

In some ways, the countrys response is similar to how individuals sometimes respond to trauma in their own lives. One reason the book The Body Keeps the Score sells so many copies is because it explains a reality that many people experience. Even after we try to forget an awful eventor numb ourselves with alcohol or drugs or career advancement or something elseour response often shows up in other physical or neurological ways. The mind may forget, the argument goes, but the body remembers.

Sustained attention is so difficult with trauma and tragedy because we dont want to think about such darkness. Theres a reason why most people turn their heads away when they see a mangled body in a car accident along the highway. We would rather pretend that such horrors dont, or cant, happen. And we do this not just with the terrors in the world but with our own personal apocalypseour impending death.

Blaise Pascal argued that we all know we are going to die, so we try everything we can to distract ourselves from that reality. This conclusion, of course, was anticipated by the writer of Ecclesiasteswho admitted his own search for fulfillment through work, wealth, pleasure, and wisdom, only to find these to be nothing more than vain pursuits.

The writer of Hebrews further revealed that this submerged fear of death is precisely the power that the devil has over us (Heb. 2:1415). To keep from acknowledging that we are perishable flesh, we pursue fleshly desires with abandonin a way that just leads to more death (Rom. 8:513).

The root of our focus on triviality, pleasure, and diversion is not so much hedonism as it is fear (Rom. 8:15). We are afraid of death, so we look for idols to protect us from thator at least to numb us to its reality (Gal. 4:89).

Our tendency to become overwhelmed in the aftermath of so many horrors is heightened by our sense of powerlessness. Even when we identify actions that could curb the problem, we know that almost nothing is accomplished in a civic and political system as broken as ours. And so, many of us simply move on.

This principle has a personal parallel too. How many of us have descended into patterns and habits we know to be wrong and self-destructive because we have given up on pursuing virtue and health? Once a person concludes that he or she is a lost cause, with no hope for change, the path ahead is bleak.

Yet a response of overwhelmed numbness can lead to more people getting hurt. Jesus continually confronts us about the ways that we want to look away from the hurting, whistle past injustice, and make the suffering invisible. The sores of Lazarus were no doubt unsettling to the rich man who passed by him each day at his gate (Luke 16:20).

It was easier for the leaders to accuse the blind man of bearing punishment for his own sin than to acknowledge that blindness can happen (John 9). In fact, these leaders were so callous to the blind mans plight that the problem, for them, became not his suffering but his healing.

We are indeed overwhelmed by much darkness, all around us and inside us. Sometimes we will disagree on the exact steps to take to address the problems. And there will always be powerful forces around who dont want us to address them at all. So, we just move on until the next horrorafter which we will move on again.

As the people of Jesus, we dare not fall prey to that tendency. Jesus, after all, is the one who never turned away from even the most terrifying realitiesleprosy, bleeding, and suffering of all sorts. One of the most remarkable things about Jesus is not just that he healed those who bore great difficulty but that he saw them in the first place. He sees us.

Jesus moves on, but not without carrying a wounded sheep on his back. We should go and do likewise.

Russell Moore leads the Public Theology Project at Christianity Today.
Pentecost reveals a God who understands that language is more than communication.

Just days after Jesus death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit arrives, and with him, the apostles ability to speak in other languages. Diasporic visitors from as far away as todays Iraq, Libya, and Italy suddenly can hear the gospel in their mother tongues. Hearing about Jesus in this intimate way surprises and amazes the listeners in Jerusalem and viscerally reinforces the personal nature of Jesus mission. (The fact that these visitors likely understood Jerusalems prevailing languages of Greek or Aramaic further underscores this.)

Yet the church was slow to adopt this message of Pentecost when it came to translating Scripture. Yes, they translated the Bible, but predominantly into Latin, Koine Greek, Ge'ez, Coptic, or Church Slavoniclanguages that, over time, became the domain of just a few.

This first changed during the Reformation, and then again with the advent of Bible societies in the 19th century and with translation organizations such as Wycliffe Bible Translators in the 20th century. Today, more than 3,500 languages have at least a portion of the Bible translated into their language (a huge jump from about 2,000 languages just 20 years ago!).

The explosion of modern Bible translations amplifies the ongoing story of Pentecost, a grace that becomes most apparent when were able to unearth the riches of these translations and share their treasures beyond their original target audiences.

A couple of those gems can be found in Acts 2:4, the verse that reports on the lifting of that language barrier: They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they began to speak in other languages which the Holy Spirit made them able to speak (NLV).

Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost?

Since 1885, the year of the first major revision of the King James Version, all major English Bible translations have used the term Holy Spirit, and yet the older Holy Ghost has maintained its enormous staying power. Practical reasons include the continued use of the original King James Version (KJV) and the use of Holy Ghost in nonbiblical texts, including The Doxology. But it also reveals the stubbornness of languageand language speakers.



Of course, there is nothing wrong with Holy Ghost as a termwhich brings us to a second insight. English has built its vocabulary by rather unashamedly borrowing from many languages, creating sometimes fascinating constellations of synonyms. Ghost comes from the Old English gast, which originally meant breath or good or bad spirit, and spirit comes from the Latin spiritus, which means breath or supernatural immaterial creature.

So why did the 19th-century revisers of the KJV change ghost to spirit when they used to mean essentially the same thing? In the revisers opinion, ghost had transitioned to refer too strongly to the spirit of a dead personperhaps in response to the popularity of Victorian mediums and seancesthus running the risk of implying that the Holy Spirit was the haunting ghost of a deceased god.

If language changes over time and you have a treasure chest like English, why not adjust? Other languages with more limited vocabularies didnt have that same freedom, so German, Dutch, and Afrikaans, for instance, still use a form of ghost today (Geist, Geest, and Gees, respectively).

Holy Spirit: he, she, or ?

Many languages use grammatical genders that should not be confused with biological genders, especially because the genders for identical terms can vary so much from one language to another (like the word sun, which has the grammatically feminine gender in German and the male in Spanish, and the word moon, which is the opposite in the respective languages).

Article continues below

But if the biological gender is inherently necessary for a noun (man, woman, bull), in most cases it matches the grammatical gender. This becomes complicated with Spirit, however, where the original languages use the neuter term Pneuma in Greek and the feminine word ruach in Hebrew.

Before A.D. 400, Classical Syriac (also known as Syrian Aramaic), a language related to Hebrew, used a termRuhathat required a feminine grammatical gender. Around 400, however, a change started to emerge. When referring to the Holy Spirit, Spirit was now construed as masculine, even though it was contrary to the rules of the language (wind or lower-cased spirit continued to require a feminine gender). In this case, the language speakers seemed to have complied with the grammatical violation.

Other language speakers were not as compliant. In Ashaninka, for example, a language spoken in Brazil and Peru, the term for spirit began as feminine and was artificially changed to masculine for the Holy Spirit. Ashaninka speakers simply refused to accept the change in practice, however, and the Bible translators were eventually forced to change it back to its true grammatical gender. Upon further research, though, the translation team failed to detect any perceptible difference in the speakers understanding of the nature of the Holy Spirit.

For some languages, the classification of nouns goes beyond gender. In Bantu languagesa very large language family spoken in Central and South Africanouns belong to between 15 and 18 different classes. In Swahili, the word Roho for Spirit should have been in the noun class for loan words (traveling to Swahili via Arabic), but early translators felt it was too risky to have Spirit be misunderstood as an inanimate object. So although it was grammatically incorrect, they placed Roho in the first class of nouns specifically reserved for peopleand Swahili speakers accepted it.

In the case of Lamba, another Bantu language, the translators did not want to take any such liberties. Umupasi Uswetelele, Lambas term for Holy Spirit, belonged linguistically to the noun class also used for trees and plants, making it a non-person, grammatically speaking. And that's where it remains today. But its meaning is apparently unambiguous because, according to linguist C. M. Doke, numerous references in the Scriptures  establish that the Holy Spirit is a person, the third person of the Trinity.

A recent example of the intersection between language and theology is in a language with a long tradition in Bible translation. Swedish used to have three genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter), but modern Swedish uses only two genders (common [utrum] and neuter). Until the Bibel 2000, Holy Spirit was translated as helige Ande, which is masculine. With the merging of the masculine and feminine genders into the common gender, it is now translated as the common-gendered heliga ande, matching the more widely used gender-equal-language practice in Sweden.

So whats the bottom line with Holy Spirit and gender? Certainly, the Holy Spirit transcends our distinctions of male, female, or whatever other kind of classification a language might offer.

Translating Holy Spirit in traditionally non-Christian cultures

The late Eugene Nidaa towering figure in the history of Bible translation and linguistics who was highly respected in secular academiasaid in regard to languages without any Christian tradition, Undoubtedly no word has given quite so much trouble to the Bible translator as spirit. Although this quote dates back to 1961, the difficulties in finding the right term continue in the ongoing encounter between Christianity and new cultures.

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Myriad stories exist where these translation struggles and successes are the direct result of initial failures. One such was the translation of Holy Spirit into Ditammari of Togo as pure aira term Christian translators used to delineate from impure air, which in traditional beliefs referred to unclean spirits. Early Bible readers misunderstood this as the air that we breathe, so translators eventually changed it to air of God.

Another wonderful translation is Biyax Utux Baraw or Power of God in Seediq (spoken in Taiwan). I especially like the translation choice made in Western Highland Chatino (spoken in the Mexican state of Oaxaca). Here, Holy Spirit is rendered as Tyi'i Ndiose or Gods perfect heart, a description that touches my heart (imperfect as it may be).

When examining linguistic choices like this, its important to keep in mind that they were not made by the translation team because they had the most exotic and exciting ring to them. Rather, their research showed that other word choices, even those that seemed to be more immediate matches, had connotations that would be confusing at best or misleading at worst.

Filled with the Holy Spirit

The first sentence of Acts 2:4 includes these words in most English translations: filled with the Holy Spirit. I have spoken to fellow Christians who confided in me that they don't really know what this means. Yes, they believe in God the Father. They believe that he sent Jesus, his Son, to die on the cross for our sins, and that by believing in him they can have everlasting life.

But the Holy Spirit? They believe in him as far as Scripture testifies about him, but they havent experienced the Spirits presence in their lives. Theyre not even talking about ecstatic experiencessimply the assurance that the Holy Spirit lives within them, or that they are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Words are keys to defining our world. Especially with something as intangible and yet experiential as being filled with the Spirit, it might be of tremendous help to those who are not sensing the Holy Spirits presence in their lives to use a different metaphor. While all languages are completely capable, they describe perceptions of reality in slightly different ways.

And what may seem to be a limitation may open unique opportunities. For example, as Nida attests in the 1972 Handbook on the Acts of the Apostles: In many languages people are not regarded as empty, [and can therefore not] be filled.

Bible translations in languages with this limitation have discovered a treasure trove of alternative descriptions for the Spirits activity in human beings (as you can see here) including the Spirit filling ones heart (Yamba, spoken in Cameroon) or the Spirit filling ones head and heart (Isthmus Mixe), the Holy Spirit coming to be completely with one (Rincon Zapotec, which with Isthmus Mixe are spoken in Oaxaca, Mexico), and walking with the Holy Spirit (Eastern Highland Otomi, spoken in central Mexico).

My favorites come from two unrelated languages in Peru. The Shipibo-Conibo translators chose the Holy Spirit permeates one (as medicine), and the Yanesha  translators employed wear the Holy Spirit, because for them filling didnt make sense. Wearing fit better in their traditional belief system.

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What should our response be to alternate translations like these? We can either examine them as linguistic curiosities, or we can allow them to probe our own imperfect heartsto see whether they can help us grow. We may recognize that we might very well wear the Holy Spirit, that we might walk with the Spirit, that the Holy Spirit comes to be completely with us, that the Spirit permeates us as much as a medicine that dissolves in our bloodstream and enters every nook and cranny of our body.

Gods cup of grace overflows in his continuation of the Pentecost miracle through Bible translations in thousands of languages. And when reverse-translated into English, these versions have the power to open our eyes and astonish us, much like those first listeners in Jerusalem.

Jost Zetzsche is a professional translator who lives on the Oregon coast. Since 2016 he has been curating United Bible Societys Translation Insights and Perspectives (TIPs) tool. His latest book is Encountering Bare-Bones Christianity.
Chicago might be a strange perch from which to write this appeal for gun reform. After all, Governor Greg Abbott of Texas recently invoked that well-established dog whistle and the refuge of Republican politicians and many of their Christian supporters: the deaths of Black kids due to gun violence in Chicago. For them, my city is proof positive that gun laws dont work.

But here I sit, as one of Chicagos young pastors at one of its most historic Black churches, bidding for a favorable response from the larger, politically dominant, white evangelical denominations in America.

I write to them because these denominations, like the Southern Baptist Convention, are politically influential in states with senators who could, if pressured by their base, be moved to act. They have swung elections in the past, when issues important to them drove them to the ballot box. These senators and representatives might not listen to a Black pastor in Chicago, but they will listen to a cluster of white pastors in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee.

I am not the first Black pastor to appeal to the white Christian majority to shake off their malaise and address pressing issues of justice. Martin Luther King Jr. made a similar appeal in 1963 from another unlikely place: a Birmingham jail. The issues are different, but the admonition is the same. There must be some white Christians of goodwill who sense that something is terribly wrong with gun violence among the children in our nation.

About 30 years ago, The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) began an aggressive recruitment of young Black clergy. Their seminaries sought young Black aspiring ministers who had no direct experience with the troubled racial history of their denomination. They offered money, jobs, and missional networks meant to help these pastors fulfill the Great Commission. SBC conferences started to intentionally feature speakers of color.

Linked to this invitation to preach the gospel together came an entreaty. Black pastors and their churches were to adopt the political agenda of the so-called moral majority. Their political agenda was presented as a litmus test for theological fidelity.

If you are true to the God of the Bible, they said, you had to affirm that abortion, adoption, pornography, and the war on drugs were the key moral issues framing the American social landscape. They deemed these issues Christian while labeling a host of other concerns plaguing my community as political and divisive.

Gun reform, for example, has always been placed in the category of politics, but it is now considered the leading cause of death for children in this country.

In an era when hopes for interracial cooperation waxed high, Black pastors and churches migrated into dual affiliation. They did not leave their Black denominational homes of the National Baptist Convention or the Progressive National Baptist Convention. They merged both worlds as a signal of racial reconciliation. Enduring their cross and despising their shame, they sat down at the table of brotherhood.

Since then, 30 years have passed, and as far as I can measure, we are probably more divided socially and ethnically, if not politically, than we were back then.

The Black church has heard your requests for unity in fellowship and solidarity on public moral arguments. We have watched you parade the case for the unborn as the single greatest civic concern of our time. Some of us have even lent the credibility of our ministries to urge our politicians toward a more virtuous ethic. Even more of us facilitate organizations that care for women facing unplanned pregnancies. In good faith, we have joined our cause with yours.

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Now we ask the same of you.

It is not our senatorsthose from our city-zoned districtswho reject universal background checks on the purchases of firearms. It is not our congressional leadersthose who attend our churches and speak at our back-to-school eventswho are standing in the way of legislation that could prevent the next mass school shooting. It is yours. Your senators, who serve in your districts, sit in your pews, and listen to your preachingthey are the greatest antagonists to a real pro-life, anti-school-shootings agenda.

You have asked us to join in the fight for pro-life legislation, and now we ask you to do the same. Be pro-life by urging your congressional leaders to protect the lives of school kids who die at the force of weapons too easily placed in the wrong hands. Urge your senators to pass morally upright gun legislation. Be true to the same book you preach on Sunday.

We have waited for you to use your influence to lobby Congress for better school funding, access to quality health care, and food security. We have waited for you to denounce the alt-right racism that made a playboy a president. We have waited for you to declare that our lives matter. Now every American child is waiting on you to use your influence to protect them.

In short, I think you should leave Chicagos name out of your mouth until you understand the forces that shape this city.

We are not your rhetorical whipping boy, trotted out for another session of mockery that serves your political ends. We are not your minstrel show, played on repeat on your news channels as a way to reinforce tropes about the inherent dangerousness of Black people. We see what you are doing and name it for what it is: racism. We know that you do not actually care about the Black lives lost to gun violence here. If you did, you wouldnt use dead Black boys and girls as a political tool. You would see their tragic deaths as a catalyst for action.

Chicago is a border colony. Illinois is a gun-restrictive state. Studies have shown that nearly 60 percent of guns connected to crimes in Chicago arrive through Republican states. The loose privileges of others have a direct, negative, and destructive effect on us. And while there is no excuse for the murder rate in Chicago, there is also no excuse for decades of divestment and inferior schools.

There is no excuse for redlining and gentrification that imprison entire family lines. There is no excuse for new multimillion-dollar marijuana stores owned and operated by white menselling the same marijuana that criminalized successive generations of Black menwho work without penalty and with permission.

Why is Chicago the scapegoat? It is because Chicago is code for Black.

What is rarely mentioned is the hard work of pastors and religious leaders on the ground in this city. When you talk about Chicago, talk about Breakthrough Urban Ministries in Garfield Park, a ministry that has rebuilt an entire neighborhood through housing, recreation, homeless intervention, and counseling services.

Talk about the work of Together Chicago, a new multipronged consortium of pastors, business leaders, community organizers, and educators reducing violence and building businesses. If you talk about Chicago, talk about James Meeks and the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago, which decreased violence by voting their neighborhood dry for two decades.

Chicago is an easy trope for those who do not know the story here.

I better understand why Martin Luther King Jr. took pen to paper in that Birmingham jail. When the laws that should liberate you imprison you, the one person a pastor expects to help him is another pastor. Its frustrating that some of those who stand in the way of human flourishing are those sermonizing the imago Dei into a political talking point.

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So I write my own letter from Chicago with the aid of these pastors listed below. We need you, our white evangelical brothers and sisters, to move your politicians to save our schools from another shooting.

Charlie Dates is senior pastor at Chicagos Progressive Baptist Church. He holds a PhD in historical theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.



This letter was written with support from the following pastors: James Meeks, Salem Baptist Church of Chicago; Horace Smith, Apostolic Faith Church, Chicago; Otis Moss, Trinity United Church of Christ; Watson Jones, Compassion Baptist Church; David Swanson, New Community Covenant Church, Chicago; Ralph West, The Church Without Walls, Houston.

Speaking Out is Christianity Todays guest opinion column and (unlike an editorial) does not necessarily represent the opinion of the publication.
Lebanese Christian party leader warns of 'major confrontation' after Hezbollah allies lose majority

A Lebanese Christian party leader is threatening to reject any coalition government that would place allies of the Islamic terror group Hezbollah in the country's seat of power.

Samir Geagea, the head of the Christian party Lebanese Forces, told Reuters this week that the group will continue to boycott any power-sharing deal if a new consensus cabinet is formed that includes anyone aligned with the armed Shi'ite movement being appointed as prime minister.

The Lebanese Forces holds the largest bloc in Lebanon's fragmented Parliament with 21 of 128 seats. Hezbollah lost its parliamentary majority in last month's election, but the Hezbollah-led alliance secured 61 seats.

The body's first session was held Tuesday.

But Geagea says after the elections failed to stop Nabih Berri, described as a Hezbollah ally, from securing his seventh term as speaker, all options are on the table.

"If it's a government that includes everyone as usual, of course we won't approve and we won't take part," Geagea was quoted as saying.

"[Hezbollah] shouldn't celebrate too much," Geagea added.

The party chief also warned any further parliamentary divisions could result in a "major confrontation" between the Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies and the Saudi-aligned Lebanese Forces, according to Reuters.

Lebanon's Parliament is set to elect a successor to President Michel Aoun in the coming months. The new president would then tap a new prime minister, and it's unclear whether Geagea and the Lebanese Forces will support the current premier, Najib Mikati. Aoun's presidential term ends on Oct. 31.

In addition to political turmoil, Lebanon also faces an economic crisis. The World Bank has warned the lira, the Lebanese currency, has dropped more than 90% in value since October 2019.

Any delay in forming a new government would likely worsen the country's economic stability.

Robert Nicholson, president of the Philos Project, a nonprofit advocacy group for Christianity in the Near East, told The Christian Post any Hezbollah-led government would be "the nail in the coffin of free Christianity in Lebanon."

As Lebanon's economy continues to deteriorate, Nicholson says, "Hezbollah  has no incentive to preserve Lebanon's old political system or the pluralistic values that made the country so special."

"In other words, it's an old-fashioned bust out: The biggest winner will be Iran, and the biggest loser will be the Christians."

With poverty and famine already running rampant, and stores, schools and hospitals closing, churches are "forced to shoulder the burdens of ever more desperate flocks," said Nicholson.

He pointed to the American University of Beirut  which he called "the shining legacy of Protestant missions in the Near East"  announcing plans to relocate to nearby Cyprus.

Nicholson warns the grip of the Iranian regime and the country's economic downward spiral is fueling desperation among Lebanese Christians.

"As the good people leave, the bad people gain more power and consolidate their grip on the state even more. It's a vicious cycle that can only be broken with outside help," he said. "That's why American leadership is so important."

The explosion in Lebanon's capital city in August 2020 led to over 200 deaths, thousands of injuries and the destruction of over 300,000 homes. The explosion worsened Lebanon's financial and humanitarian crisis as the Middle Eastern country with nearly a 40% Christian population was already in a state of decline.

With a population of around 6.8 million, Lebanon shares borders with Israel and Syria.

Bishop Peter Karam, the patriarchal vicar and titular bishop of Acre of Phoenicia of the Maronites, said last year that part of Lebanon's financial crisis is due to the amount of corruption in the government. He compared the financial system's mismanagement to a "Ponzi scheme."

"We must admit the fact that there is a lot of corruption in Lebanon. A lot of corruption in Lebanon financially, politically, socially.  The collapse of the financial institutions in Lebanon is a very complex issue," Karam said.

"The financial sector in Lebanon was a model in the region for a lot of years. The country was known as the Switzerland of the Middle East. But now it's just nonexistent because of mismanagement, corruption and political interference in the workings of the central bank and the financial sector."
State Dept. condemns Russia's 'appalling destruction of religious sites' in Ukraine

The U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom has accused Russia of engaging in the "suppression of religious leaders" and condemned its military forces' "appalling destruction of religious sites" in Ukraine during the State Department's release of its annual report documenting the state of religious freedom worldwide.

The U.S. State Department released the 2021 International Religious Freedom Report Thursday. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a press conference in the State Department's Benjamin Franklin Room Thursday that the report offers a "thorough, fact-based review of the state of religious freedom in nearly 200 countries and territories around the world."

The State Department has published a report on international religious freedom every year since 1998 as part of its requirements under the International Religious Freedom Act. This year's report is over 2,000 pages long.

U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain highlighted three key themes that summarized the findings in the document.

He said the report revealed that "too many governments use discriminatory laws and policies and abuse their own people," listing China and Burma as examples of countries that have engineered "genocides of religious minority communities in recent years." He warned that "rising societal intolerance and hatred are fueling violence and conflict around the world."

Hussain lamented that Russia, which the department recognizes as a country of particular concern for tolerating or engaging in egregious violations of religious freedom, has "doubled down on its violations of religious freedom rather than reverse course."

"Russian courts regularly reach new milestones for excessive prison sentences against individuals exercising their religious freedom," he said.

Hussain condemned Russia's "unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine" that began in February. He said the invasion includes the "suppression of religious leaders and the appalling destruction of religious sites."

"Russian authorities carry out hundreds of home raids against suspected extremists that frequently include violence," he added.

Blinken criticized governments that "continue to use blasphemy and apostasy laws" banning defamation and renunciation of religion "to police the language of religious minorities."

"Others curtail expressions of religious belief like restrictions on religious attire," he said. "In all societies, including our own and across Europe, we must do more to combat rising forms of hate including anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim sentiment."

"In March, based on extensive legal review of the evidence, I made the determination that Burma's military committed genocide and crimes against humanity with the intent to destroy [the] predominantly Muslim Rohingya [people] in 2017," he continued. "[The] intent that was evidenced by, among other things, attacks on mosques, the use of religious and ethnic slurs, the desecration of Qurans, among, again, many other actions."

Blinken cited Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, China and Afghanistan as other countries that routinely discriminate against religious minorities.

"In Eritrea, only four religious groups are permitted to practice their faith freely, while members of other religious minority groups have been detained, arrested, [and] forced to renounce their faith as a precondition for their release," the secretary asserted.

"In Saudi Arabia, we recognize the important recent moves to increase interfaith dialogue and religious tolerance. However, publicly practicing any faith other than Islam remains illegal. And the government continues to discriminate against members of religious minority communities."

Blinken warned that "far too many governments remain undeterred in the repression of their citizens."

"China continues its genocide and repression of predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and other religious minority groups," Blinken stated, telling reporters that more than 1 million Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities have been detained in internment camps in Western China since 2017.

"The PRC continues to harass adherents of other religions that it deems out of line with Chinese Communist Party doctrine" by destroying their houses of worship and "erecting barriers to employment" for religious minorities," Blinken added.

"There are thousands of Uyghur family members, daughters and sons [who] are desperate to know where their parents are but are terrified of what news they could discover and are wondering whether they will ever be safely reunited," Hussain proclaimed. "The PRC government also continued its crackdown on Tibetan Buddhists. Authorities arrested, tortured and committed other abuses against Tibetans who promoted their language and culture, possessed pictures and writings of the Dalai Lama or practiced their religion at Buddhist monasteries."

Blinken said religious freedom in Afghanistan has "deteriorated dramatically" following the Taliban's takeover of the country last summer as the Islamic terrorist group has "crack[ed] down on the basic rights of women and girls to get an education, to work, to engage in society, often under the banner of religion."

At the same time, the terrorist group "ISIS-K is conducting increasingly violent attacks against religious minorities."

Blinken stressed that in Pakistan, "at least 16 individuals accused of blasphemy were sentenced to death by Pakistani courts in 2021 though none of these sentences has yet to be carried out."

Hussain added that "democratic backsliding and the rise in nationalism and nativist rhetoric and policies have been used to justify violence towards members of ethnic or religious minority groups and historically marginalized peoples." He contended that "social media platforms are used to spread hate speech and to incite violence by vilifying and threatening members of religious minorities."

Hussain praised the "powerful collaboration among civil society, governments and multilateral partners has led to some progress and provides hope in addressing these complex challenges." Both Blinken and Hussain repeatedly praised civil society throughout their remarks.

Blinken expressed gratitude to "faith leaders, religious organizations, [and] human rights groups" who "shared their perspectives and analysis" for the report.

Hussain rejoiced that the U.S. has "more partners in this effort now than ever before, including religious leaders. And religion can be such a powerful force for good and it should never be used to harm people."

"Our greatest hope is that together, we can unite our efforts to ensure respect of freedom of religion or belief for all people around the globe, and we continue to stand in solidarity with all people seeking to exercise their beliefs," Hussain concluded. "Civil society groups in countries all over the world are essential to this report and to our work. Their advocacy changes laws and lifts up the names of prisoners, provides lawyers to fight against various charges, and pushes governments, including our own, to do the right thing."

"Independent and strong civil societies help governments solve problems and better serve their people by shining a light on issues that matter the most," Hussain insisted. "Change is only possible with the hard work of the groups and individuals dedicated to fighting for these rights."

Blinken listed Morocco, Taiwan and Iraq as countries that have shown "notable progress" in the last year.

"Last year, the Kingdom of Morocco launched an initiative to renovate Jewish heritage sites like synagogues and cemeteries and to include Jewish history in the Moroccan public school curriculum," he said.

"In Taiwan, authorities are making it easier to report employers who refuse to give their workers a weekly rest day in order to attend religious services," Blinken added. "In Iraq, national leaders welcomed Pope Francis for the first-ever papal visit to the country, where he conducted Christian interfaith ceremonies in Baghdad, in Mosul and in the Iraqi-Kurdish region."

Blinken said that societies are "better off" when "the fundamental right of each person to practice their faith or to choose not to observe a faith is respected." When countries deny this right, it "sows division" and "ignites tension" that leads to instability and conflict.
How we can kick Clubfoot for good

Today is World Clubfoot Day  a day for celebrating how far we have come, and how far we still have to go, in humanitys fight against clubfoot. If you arent sure what clubfoot is, you arent alone. Although about 1 in 1,000 babies are born with the birth defect, people in countries with developed health systems are unfamiliar with the condition because it is so quickly and efficiently diagnosed and treated in infants.

Most cases of clubfoot have no underlying cause, but contracted muscles and connective tissue cause the foot (or feet) to turn in and under. Left untreated, the foot becomes rigid as the child walks on the top of their foot, often developing painful callosities that can become disabling.

Today, millions are disabled, stigmatized, and destitute because of clubfoot. Mothers of children with clubfoot are frequently blamed, causing additional negative impacts. Fortunately, this common tragedy is entirely avoidable.

Many faith-based organizations such as Hope Walks, Hope and Healing International, CURE International, and CBM are actively providing treatment to children with clubfoot in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) where pediatric healthcare is extremely limited. Since CURE Internationals founding in 1996, it has healed more than 33,000 children of clubfoot. While this number is impressive, its a fraction of the need: An estimated 150,000 to 200,000 babies are born with clubfoot every year. Surgery on this scale is not a realistic option.

The key to overcoming this condition is early treatment. It is easiest and cheapest to treat when the individual is an infant. Specifically, the Ponseti method for correcting clubfoot is inexpensive, globally accepted, and involves braces and casts to stretch the Achilles heel to permanently solve the problem. Intervention later in life often requires surgery, increasing the costs and chance for complications.

The only way the world is going to ever kick clubfoot for good is to invest more in early childhood intervention.

Like a small crack in a buildings foundation, solving the problem early pays off. Intervention at a young age allows the problem to be solved higher upstream, eliminating the need to counter social stigmas, perform surgeries, and spend limited resources. In this race against the clock, expectant parents must be prepared to seek medical attention quickly.

Unfortunately, disability is frequently shamed in many cultures and considered a curse caused by the sins of the parents. This common misunderstanding causes parents to hide or mistreat the child.

CURE has been at the forefront of combatting this misunderstanding. We work with local churches in places like Malawi and Ethiopia to spread a compassionate theology of disability to combat the curse narrative and encourage adults to bring children with disabilities to hospitals for evaluation and treatment.

Nigist didnt know what to do when it became clear that her firstborn, Selamu (Amharic for "peace"), had bilateral clubfoot. Now four years old, the childs legs had grown severely deformed and became a subject of local scorn.

One Sunday morning, her local church hosted a guest speaker: Pastor Mesfin, the Spiritual Director at CURE Ethiopia. Pastor Mesfin shared a compassionate theology of disability, dispelled superstitions, and told parents about the healing available at CURE Ethiopia. Nigist immediately brought Selamu in for evaluation and treatment.

Because of his age, three surgeries were necessary to repair the damage and improve his life forever.

Although Selamus story ended well, it was entirely avoidable. If treatment options were available, socially-accepted, and administered soon after he was born, he would have never needed surgery and his family would never have been ostracized.

While Selamu can walk normally today, he should have been able to do so for years. That is our goal. Its why we partner with others, including Oxford University, to train others on how to address this problem in infancy. On this World Clubfoot Day, let us recognize that we have the tools  through early intervention  to prevent clubfoot from plaguing Gods children in the future.
35 Arkansas churches considering departure from UMC over homosexuality debate

Thirty-five congregations in Arkansas that belong to The United Methodist Church are undergoing processes of discernment for possibly disaffiliating from the mainline Protestant denomination over its ongoing homosexuality debate.

As the UMC Arkansas Conference begins to hold its official annual meeting this week, 35 of its 634 member churches are involved in the disaffiliation process.

A conference spokesperson confirmed the number of churches under discernment in an email to The Christian Post on Wednesday, adding that she was uncertain as to how many more will undergo the process in the near future, labeling it pure speculation.

The spokesperson directed CP to a video of Arkansas Bishop Gary Mueller explaining the options for congregations unsure of whether they will remain in the denomination.

This included pointing out that the UMC Book of Discipline still presently maintains a traditional stance on LGBT issues, including a ban on the blessing of same-sex unions and a ban on the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals.

The three options included staying with the denomination indefinitely, waiting for the results of the 2024 General Conference, or leaving under the present standards for disaffiliation, which include a congregational vote, communication with conference leadership, and certain financial payments to the denomination.

This is not a battle to be won, its not a mixed martial arts cage match. Its a time of grief and discernment, said the bishop. We need to respect the best intentions of others.

On May 1, a theologically conservative alternative to the UMC known as the Global Methodist Church was launched in response to the ongoing debate over LGBT issues in the denomination.

Since then, churches across the UMC, especially in the United States, have announced plans to disaffiliate from the mainline denomination to join the nascent GMC.

The Wesleyan Covenant Association, a theologically conservative UMC group, recently said that 107 UMC congregations in Florida had taken measures aimed trying to join the GMC.

The Florida chapter of the WCA said: 107 Florida Methodist churches have chosen to initiate the process to depart the Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church  107 represents approximately 20% of the 560 United Methodist Churches in the Florida Conference.

This broad group of churches include both large and small congregations along with Anglo, African American, Latino, Korean, and other ethnic communities of faith. These churches will align with the new Global Methodist Church (GMC) which launched on May 1, 2022.
Two-thirds of American Christians don't know any methods for telling others about Jesus, poll finds

Most American Christians want to share their faith but only a minority of them have encouraged others to embrace Jesus Christ in the last six months, according to new data released by Lifeway Research that suggests more than six in 10 believers don't know any methods for telling others about their faith in Christ.

Released last week, the Lifeway Research survey titled Evangelism Explosion Study of American Christians Openness to Talking about Faith is based on survey responses from 1,011 American Christians who were interviewed between April 1223.

With an error margin of plus or minus 3.1%, "quotas and slight weights were used to balance gender, age, region, ethnicity, education and religion to reflect the population more accurately."

The survey found that 54% of participants said they are either "willing" or "eager" when asked what they think about "telling others about Jesus Christ."

However, 52% of Americans who identify as Christian believe that encouraging someone to change their religious beliefs is offensive and disrespectful," and 66% of Christians are not familiar with any "methods for telling others about Jesus."

Sixty-eight percent of respondents believe that "it is the responsibility of the

pastor to equip the congregation to share the Gospel" and 69% agree that it's "the responsibility of Christians to encourage non-Christians to trust Christ as their savior."

However, the survey revealed that 70% of Christians have not shared with a stranger how to become a Christian in the past six months.

While 93% say they are "at least somewhat open to having a conversation about faith with a friend," only 52% "shared a story in the last six months about what God has done in their life with a friend or family member who was not a Christian."

Additionally, 57% say they have not "invited an unchurched friend or family member to attend a church service or some other program at church in the past six months." And 62% say they have not "shared with a friend or family member how to become a Christian in the past six months."

Scott McConnell, the executive director of Lifeway Research, believes there are some Christians who might avoid evangelizing because doing so could be viewed as unkind, and they want to be perceived as loving.

For some Christians, their love for others compels them to suggest this offensive thought. For others, this discourages them from speaking up about what they believe, McConnell surmised in a statement.

He said it's a "bold idea to encourage someone to consider converting the center of their life to be Jesus Christ."

While many Christians don't seem to be evangelizing to friends and family, 64% "have prayed for the salvation of a friend or family member in the past month."

Praying for someone to follow Christ comes more easily than talking with someone about it, McConnell said. It isnt clear if the proverbial cat has the tongue of some Christians or if theyre not connecting with non-Christians in settings where these conversations can take place.

When broken down by racial demographics, the survey's findings suggest that black Christians were more likely to share their faith with unbelievers than white Christians in the past six months.

The findings revealed that half of the white Christian population surveyed (50%) answered that they did not engage in any faith-based conversations with family or friends in the past six months.

About 32% of African American respondents said they didnt hold any conversations about faith with a friend or family member who is an unbeliever in the past six months.

The survey found that white respondents (64%) were more likely than African American respondents (52%) to say they didn't share "how to become a Christian" with a friend or family member.

A higher percentage of African Americans (56%) say that they would be "very open" to holding a conversation with a friend about their faith if given the opportunity. A lower percentage of white Christians (44%) say they would be very open" to sharing their faith with a friend.

Additionally, 42% of African American respondents said they are very open to having a conversation about faith with someone they have never met before than whites (30%) and Hispanics (31%).

Many Christians say they agree sharing their faith is important, McConnell continued.

But many also need encouragement and to be shown how to share the good news about Jesus Christ with others.

A higher percentage of white respondents (38%) said they did not pray for salvation for any loved ones, while 24% of black respondents said that they didnt engage in any salvation-focused prayers on behalf of their friends or relatives.

John Sorensen, president of Evangelism Explosion (EE), a ministry that trains people on how to share their faith in Christ, said many people are willing to share the Christian faith. Still, not many take the initiative to do so.

Now, perhaps more than ever, people are open to conversations about faith, yet this study reveals few Christians actually take the opportunity to engage in personal evangelism, Sorensen noted.

Our mission at EE is to equip followers of Jesus to have the confidence to share the Gospel naturally, lovingly and intentionally with family, friends and yes, even strangers, which is why we wanted insights on the evangelistic attitudes of Christians. We imagine a world where every believer is a witness for Christ to His glory.
CeCe Winans, Lauren Daigle urge Christians to answer God's call: 'He sends the ones who are available'

NASHVILLE  Christian music superstars including CeCe Winans, Lauren Daigle, Michael W. Smith, Danny Gokey and Third Days Mac Powell shared wisdom for the next generation of CCM artists, highlighting the importance of following Gods lead and remaining scripturally sound in a rapidly changing culture.

Christian music veterans and newcomers alike gathered at Nashvilles Grand Ole Opry House Sunday for the K-LOVE Fan Awards, a night defined by hope, inspiration and comradery.

Ahead of the show, nominees, performers and guests spoke with The Christian Post on the red carpet about their hope for the future of Christian music and the next generation of believers.

Matthew West, who hosted the nights show alongside Tauren Wells and was also nominated for Male Artist of the Year, walked the red carpet with two of his daughters. The 45-year-old Dove Award-winner told CP that the best advice he can offer up-and-coming artists is to stay humble, stay focused on the lane that God has put you in, and youre going to have a major impact on society and culture.

I hope I've been a positive role model for other young artists who come in, he said. And I'd say the biggest encouragement I can give is always put God first in your life. And don't worry about comparing yourself to others. You know, artists can be just like everybody else on social media, where you're comparing, What does this artist have going on? How high is this song on the charts? And you can let that stuff rule you. And when it rules you, it robs you of the true understanding of how God is using you in life.

Winans and Daigle, who performed together at Tuesdays show and have countless awards and chart-topping singles between them, both encouraged younger believers to just be who God has called you to be.

God has empowered them to be more than enough for this generation, Winans said. I think, God is so amazing that every generation, He gives the talents, the gifts, exactly what they need. I just want the young people to be who they are, and take all the limits off.  God will take you further than what you could ever imagine.

Daigle added that God has wired each person so creatively, adding: There's a thing called a zeitgeist, which is where time and culture intersect. And it's when God  decides to say, This is the one I have appointed. This is the one I'm calling out. Let's go; come on. This is how we get the people ready for what's to come. He sends the ones that are uniquely available, I think."

If you feel like God is calling you to this or that, He's touched your life in some sort of way. Ask Him to open doors and see the places that He'll take you, she added.

Winans said she hopes CCM keeps growing and covers the world, stressing that the world needs to hear the Good News of the Gospel.

That's what it's all about, she said.

What started as a niche genre in the 1960s at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California, CCM is today a multibillion-dollar industry, with many artists finding huge crossover success. According to the Berklee School of Music, the fastest-growing radio market in the United States today is Christian music.

Smith, of the most recognizable names in CCM for the last four decades, told CP he believes humility is the key to truly honoring God. The artist, whos won three Grammy Awards, 45 Dove Awards, one American Music Award and was recently inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, was nominated in the Book Impact category for his book, The Way of the Father.

Stay humble. It's not about you. And that's the key.  I'd rather humble myself; being humbled by God is not a lot of fun. So I just think that's the key. And I think God will exalt you and I think He'll give you a favor and I think He'll do extraordinary things if you stay humble, the 64-year-old artist said.

Mac Powell, the former frontman of Third Day who is now a solo artist, encouraged artists to remain biblically sound, stressing the importance of not watering down the message of the Gospel.

I think as an artist, you're always wanting to make music that will reach people outside of the walls of the Church, but at the same time, we all often think about that term, we're preaching to the choir, he said. I've gotten criticized in the past for making very Gospel-forward music because you go, Well, you're just preaching to the choir. Well, I know I was in the choir, and I needed to be preached to. So  artists can do both. We can do music and art that reaches outside of our walls, but at the same time, encourage our brothers and sisters that are within the Church.

American Idol alum Danny Gokey, who was nominated for Male Artist of the Year and was also a presenter, encouraged the next generation to seek first the Kingdom, adding: A lot of us, we want to be famous for Jesus, but He doesn't need our fame, He needs our hearts and our obedience. And He needs us to speak what hes saying, because the words that we put in music speak to people who are in basements, in hospitals, ready to take their lives. I'm telling you, the uniqueness of His voice inside of us and displayed through us is a big deal. And we must be tuned in.

He stressed that regardless of what happens in culture, Gods message never changes.

God's Word is the most stable foundation to build on, the artist said. For me, it's taking God's Word and formulating it in such a way that it's fresh.  When I write, I go to the Lord and say, What do you want to say? And then the packaging is the producing the sound, and we try to get it out there. A lot of times God uses prophetic moments in my life that I write into songs.

The K-LOVE Fan Awards will air on TBN June 3, airing back to back at both 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET.
Boris Johnson reads from Philippians at Platinum Jubilee honoring Queen Elizabeth's reign

Facing calls to resign over a national COVID-19 lockdown scandal, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson read from the Bible at a royal event Friday with former British leaders in attendance.

Johnson was booed as he and his wife, Carrie, arrived at St. Paul's Cathedral for the service of thanksgiving for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, one of several events being held in London marking the Queen's 70-year reign.

While Johnson did not visibly react to the booing, the BBC and other media outlets noted the chilly reception.

Labour MP Karl Turner shared video footage of Johnson's arrival on social media.

"Our Prime Minister of our great country. The greatest country on earth being booed at the platinum jubilee of Her [Majesty] the Queen," Turner tweeted. "What a great shame he's brought to the great office of Prime Minister."

Once inside the cathedral, Johnson read from Philippians 4:8, which states: "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable  think about these things."

More than 400 people attended the service, including former prime ministers David Cameron and Tony Blair, the Times UK reported.

Queen Elizabeth, 96, skipped the service due to health issues after reportedly experiencing "some discomfort" after attending events on Thursday.

Johnson has faced calls to resign following multiple reports that he and other members of the ruling Tory party held several parties at 10 Downing Street during the nation's strict COVID-19 lockdown.

The crowd's reception could signal some tough sledding for Johnson ahead of a potential confidence vote over the scandal as early as next week.

In a Times interview last July, Johnson hailed Christianity as "a superb ethical system" but added that he would count himself "as a kind of very, very bad Christian."

When asked to respond to reports that a friend described the prime minister as holding to a "pre-Christian morality system with a multitude of gods and no clear set of rules," Johnson replied: "Christianity is a superb ethical system and I would count myself as a kind of very, very bad Christian.

"No disrespect to any other religions, but Christianity makes a lot of sense to me."

When he was asked at last year's G7 summit whether he was a practicing Catholic, Johnson initially balked at a response.

But after being told that Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said the prime minister did not believe in God, Johnson promptly quoted Psalm 14:1, which says, "The fool has said there is no God."

Johnson  who was baptized a Catholic but was twice married as an Anglican before his third marriage to Carrie Symonds  also took part in a Bible reading project for the King James Bible Trust in 2011.

The prime minister read from Isaiah 11. He called the King James version the "single most beautiful and influential work of English literature."
From left, director Bilall Fallah, actress Iman Vellani, and director Adil El Arbi pose during an online press conference for Disney+'s new series "Ms. Marvel," Friday. Courtesy of Disney+





By Lee Gyu-lee







Marvel Studios is set to present a new addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with its first Muslim superhero, Kamala Khan, through Disney+'s new series "Ms. Marvel."







The co-directors and executive producers of the series, Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi, who co-led the 2020 action film "Bad Boys for Life," expressed that the superhero character in the upcoming series will offer an inspiring story to MCU fans around the world.







"This character of Kamala is a bit of an homage to the fandom, to people who are fans of all the Avengers and heroes in the MCU. And it is one of the first times that we really delve deep into what it means to be a fan and what it means to aspire to become part of that kind of character, but not really believing that one day you'll be a part of that," Arbi said during an online press conference with local news outlets here, Friday.







"It's a very inspiring story for all the fans of MCU everywhere in the world, telling that they all can be heroes."







The six-part series, scheduled to release on June 8, follows a 16-year-old Pakistani-American girl, Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), who is an avid Captain Marvel fan. She struggles to fit in both at school and at her home, dealing with confusion in cultural identity. And the only place she can resort to is her imagination and her favorite superhero character. One day, her life turns upside down when she gets superpowers like the heroes she's always admired.







A scene from the series "Ms. Marvel" / Courtesy of Disney+





The director duo, who are Moroccan Belgian, shared that leading the series was even more meaningful as it follows the story of a Muslim girl.







"Just as Muslims, it's just extremely beautiful to see this first Muslim superhero in MCU, and to be part of that to tell that story is just a big honor," Fallah said."







Arbi added that they were able to relate to the story and the character as it reminded them of their own background.







"That journey of a 16-year-old Pakistani-American girl, searching for identity and the world and culture that she needs to follow, reminded of us as Moroccan Belgians, not knowing what our place in the world is. And we hope that it had a nice contribution to MCU," he said.







This is the first acting role for actress Vellani, who is a real-life fan of the Ms. Marvel character from the comics. She expressed that she saw much resemblance between the character and her real life and was able to immerse herself into her character easily.







"I was 17, the character (was) 16, but we really weren't that far off. And I felt like I lived Kamala's life when I read the comics. I felt like the comics were written about me. I really felt like I knew the character like the back of my hand," she said.







Arbi noted that the coming-of-age story of Kamala Kahn will resonate with people around the world, offering messages on what it means to take responsibility.







"As a teenage girl, she's already searching for her identity in the Pakistani-American culture. But all of a sudden, with the powers, she needs to search for identity as a normal human to as a superhero, and to try to find out who she needs to be and who she wants to be," he said.







"And, that is something that everybody else in the whole world can relate. It's a universal story of what happens when you need to grow up and when you need to take your responsibilities and chose to help out other people."


Christian grad sues after university took action for sharing her beliefs with classmates

A conservative Christian student filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against officials at an Illinois university, alleging her civil rights were violated after the school issued three of her former classmates no-contact orders against her because of her religious and political beliefs.

Maggie DeJong, a former graduate school student at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, claims fellow students reported her to school officials after publicly expressing her Christian faith and conservative political views on her social media accounts and with classmates and peers in and out of the classrooms.

DeJong, 26, was enrolled in SIUE's Art Therapy program and graduated last month.

DeJong often shared her opinions on political and religious topics on her social media pages, in private messages with other students and while participating in-class discussions, according to the civil complaint.

The political topics included critical race theory, Black Lives Matter, the criminal justice system, COVID-19 regulations, Marxism and censorship.

The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, claims that DeJong's conservative and Christian stances on the topics differed from those held by the program's faculty and students.

"Under the Art Therapy Program's 'anti-oppressive framework' and calls for 'social justice,' Ms. DeJong's speech was often seen as 'harmful,'" the lawsuit reads.

The lawsuit lists former Chancellor Randall G. Pembrook, the school's Director for Equal Opportunity, Access Jamie Ball and Art Therapy Counseling Graduate Program Director Megan Robb as defendants in their individual capacities.

Robb allegedly told DeJong that she can express her viewpoints so long as they did not "harm" others," the legal filing notes. The lawsuit accuses Robb of directing and encouraging fellow art therapy students "to report Ms. DeJong's purportedly 'harmful,' and fully protected, speech to University officials."

DeJong is represented by attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom, a prominent conservative Christian legal advocacy group that has won religious freedom cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

"Rather than accept and embrace diverse ideological perspectives, SIUE officials are determined to force their graduate students to think and speak exactly the same  or stay silent  and they will punish anyone who steps out of line," ADF Senior Counsel Gregg Walters wrote in a statement.

"Maggie has always respectfully shared her religious or political views, which every student is entitled to do under the First Amendment. It is a sad day for civil dialogue and freedom of speech when universities can issue gag orders like those issued against Maggie for nothing more than expressing her beliefs  beliefs held by millions of Americans."

The university issued the no-contact orders on Feb. 10, which were rescinded two weeks later. With the three no-contact orders, DeJong was prohibited from having "any contact" or even "indirect communication" contact with the three fellow art therapy graduate students who requested them.

The lawsuit contends school officials didn't provide DeJong with any opportunity to defend herself and she wasn't told what the allegations against her entailed until a month later.

University officials further "threatened" to take "disciplinary consequences" if DeJong violated the no-contact orders.

"There is a famous expression used to describe the free-speech protection guaranteed by the First Amendment: 'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,'" the lawsuit reads. "But our nation's public universities don't uphold that principle today. Instead, their message is often the opposite: 'I not only disapprove of what you say, but I will keep you from saying it.'"

ADF contends that Robb violated the university's policy of disclosure, which required all officials to "take all reasonable steps to ensure confidentiality during an investigation of a student for alleged misconduct."

The lawsuit accuses Robb of sending an email to over 30 students that confirmed DeJong was under investigation, accusing the student of "misconduct" and "oppressive acts."

"Ms. DeJong has suffered sleeplessness, anxiety, chest pains, feelings of sadness, loss of appetite, weight loss, lack of concentration, harm to her reputation, and future loss of employment and wages," the lawsuit claims.

School officials rescinded the no-contact orders days after receiving a demand letter from DeJong's attorneys.

It wasn't until a month after the no-contact orders were issued that officials revealed to DeJong the specific "materials underlying the orders and related investigation."

The Christian Post reached out to the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville for comment on the lawsuit. A response was not received by press time.

"Rather than, for example, advise Student T.P. and the other complainants to ignore Ms. DeJong's speech they disagreed with, or respond respectfully to it, University officials sacrificed Ms. DeJong's civil rights to appease the art therapy mob," the lawsuit reads.

"And University officials then sat on their hands as Defendant Robb, her student followers, and even alumni dragged Ms. DeJong's reputation through the mud simply because she holds views on an array of topics that differ from those espoused in the echo chamber that is the SIUE Art Therapy Program."

DeJong seeks "compensatory, nominal, punitive damages and attorney fees and costs compensation."

The three students who requested no-contact orders are identified in the lawsuit by abbreviated pseudonyms of "Student A.S.," "Student T.P.," and "Student S.W."

DeJong is described in the suit as a devout Christian whose faith "motivates her to love God above anyone else, love her neighbor as herself, and tell others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

In November 2021, the court filing says DeJong reportedly posted a meme to her social media account that read: "Don't be deceived" by "[n]ew age practices" and referenced New and Old Testament scriptures from the Bible.

After the post, DeJong received a private message from Student S.W., who said: "Don't you think it's not okay to say a person's belief system is wrong?"

In a private message sent to S.W., DeJong responded by claiming the remark was a "good question."

"In a relativist society, that can be viewed that way. But my personal held beliefs are grounded in objective truth by the gospel of Jesus Christ," wrote DeJong in her response to S.W. "My belief compels me to call out evil that holds people in spiritual bondage. You can totally disagree with me, and that is your right:) But it is out of love that I call this out."

A few months after the discussion, DeJong discovered that her statement about how her "personal held beliefs are grounded in objective truth by the gospel of Jesus Christ" was used in an art project of another student from the art therapy program.

The project title was: "The Crushing Weight of Microaggressions."

The lawsuit further claims that although DeJong was reported for expressing her conservative Christian stances, other students were given the opportunity to openly express their beliefs, even supernatural ones.

Student S.W., who identifies as a self-proclaimed witch, shared in class that "she wanted to learn how to cast spells."

And another student, who also identified as a self-proclaimed witch, brought Wicca materials to class.

The complaint accuses multiple professors of devoting time in class to holding discussions with students about tarot cards, and some students used tarot cards in the class sessions.

DeJong and Student S.W. reportedly sent messages to one another "between March 24 and 27, 2021, in which they expressed their respective viewpoints on several topics, including Second Amendment rights, gun laws, and 'privilege and power.'"

On another occasion, Student S.W. allegedly claimed that there was a text message from DeJong that was allegedly "perceived as threatening."

The message from DeJong reads: "[Student S.W.], I see where there are different forms of power, but I refuse to succumb to critical race theory. I think it is divisive and racist in its essence. So maybe I don't approach it your way, but I would be careful with your bold statements about me."

The text is one of over 40 messages sent between DeJong and Student S.W.
Cora Jakes Coleman addresses adoption rumor after ex-husbands arrest for sexual abuse

A spokesperson for Cora Jakes Coleman, the eldest daughter of megachurch Pastor T.D. Jakes, called online allegations that she manipulated a vulnerable Texas mother into giving up her child for adoption slanderous on Thursday while insisting that all adoptions made by the 34-year-old divorcee were legally executed.

Despite slanderous attempts to smear Cora Jakes, her children were properly adopted through a multi-year process with numerous checks and reviews. This process is afforded to anyone in the United States of America and there was no preferential treatment given to Cora. Any claims to the contrary are false and defamatory, the spokesperson said. As adoptions are bound by law, the applicable documents and court proceedings preclude detailed public commentary.

The response comes after the recent arrest of Cora Jakes former husband, rapper Richard Brandon Coleman, 33, also known by his stage name SkiiVentura, for "continuous sexual abuse of a young child/children." The Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Waxahachie, Texas, confirmed with The Christian Post on Thursday that Richard Coleman has remained in custody on a $150,000 bond since his arrest on May 4.

Cora Jakes, who announced her divorce in January, got married on June 4, 2011, and later adopted two children, Amauri, 13, and Jason, 7, during her union with her ex-husband as she struggles with infertility.

Warning: This video contains strong language.

Shortly after her ex-husbands arrest was made public, Michelle Loud, a Texas hairstylist who identified herself in a tearful video online as Jasons biological mother. She expressed concern for the safety of her son and accused Cora Jakes and her ex-husband of manipulating her into giving up her son while she was in a vulnerable state.

She (Cora) played on my vulnerability, Loud alleged. She had me in front of a f------ MacBook recording and asking me questions talking about it was counseling but it wasnt counseling because later on down the line, a few years later, she would then use that evidence against me in court when I went to fight for my son.

A source close to the family told The Jasmine Brand that Jason was not identified as the victim in the case against Cora Jakes ex-husband.

Since the discovery of the alleged abuse by her ex-husband, Cora Jakes, who directs the childrens ministry at The Potters House of Dallas where her father leads, has been devastated along with her extended family and wasted no time in ensuring the abuse was reported to authorities.

The Jakes family endured a shocking and deeply disturbing event when the ex-husband of Cora Jakes engaged in shameful conduct. After being made aware of the allegations, Cora immediately contacted the authorities, Cora divorced the accused, and the family is attempting to heal at the same time they are fully cooperating with law enforcement, the family spokesperson said.

Despite the familys attempt to do the right thing, the spokesperson noted that media speculation has continued to be mean-spirited and unkind.

Tragically, unkind speculation and baseless false suggestions spread by gossip sites continues to exacerbate the injuries to the family and has made the healing process even more painful and difficult. The public and mean-spirited false gossip is especially shameful since the principal victim is a minor child who will someday read about these events, the spokesperson stated.

It was also made clear in the statement that the Jakes family has been cooperating with authorities in the investigation because they strongly believe in zero tolerance for any kind of abuse.

This matter does not involve The Potters House. Cora is personally devastated by the events and deserves the privacy and respect of someone who wrestles with feeling responsible for events for which she had no control, the statement said.

Loud has insisted on Instagram, however, that she did not lie about being manipulated during the adoption process and said she represented herself in court because she could not afford a lawyer.

The truth is going to outlive a lie any day! she wrote on Tuesday. I need legal representation! I need for my voice and story to be heard and all the ones that have been silenced through the years to speak up and stand with me! Spiritual Manipulation is REAL!

The complete statement from the Jakes family is included below:

The Jakes family endured a shocking and deeply disturbing event when the ex-husband of Cora Jakes engaged in shameful conduct. After being made aware of the allegations, Cora immediately contacted the authorities, Cora divorced the accused, and the family is attempting to heal at the same time they are fully cooperating with law enforcement.

Tragically, unkind speculation and baseless false suggestions spread by gossip sites continues to exacerbate the injuries to the family and has made the healing process even more painful and difficult. The public and mean-spirited false gossip is especially shameful since the principal victim is a minor child who will someday read about these events.

Here are the facts as we know them today. Coras ex-husband is in jail, charged with the sexual abuse of a child. He is in jail because the family immediately reported the abuse to law enforcement authorities and has cooperated at every level with law enforcement and the prosecution. The family acted swiftly and without hesitation as they strongly believe in zero tolerance for any kind of abuse. This matter does not involve The Potters House. Cora is personally devastated by the events and deserves the privacy and respect of someone who wrestles with feeling responsible for events for which she had no control.

Despite slanderous attempts to smear Cora Jakes, her children were properly adopted through a multi-year process with numerous checks and reviews. This process is afforded to anyone in the United States of America and there was no preferential treatment given to Cora. Any claims to the contrary are false and defamatory. As adoptions are bound by law, the applicable documents and court proceedings preclude detailed public commentary.

The Jakes family is attempting to heal itself, the minor child that has been abused, and the adults who are also traumatized by these events. It is unfortunate that perpetuating baseless gossip will only risk greater pain and injury to the minor as this child will have to explain to others in the future what was written about them, even though the child has no voice today.

The Jakes family asks to be included in your prayers as they focus on healing.
Early Christianity a 'feminist movement'?: Catholic nun says it's time for true 'herstory' to be told

Was the feminism fight central to the first century church?

Thats the question a Catholic nun takes on in a piece for the Global Sisters Report, a self-described independent, nonprofit source of news and information about Catholic sisters and the critical issues facing the people they serve."

Asserting that the Bible shows how the early church was a feminist movement and that its time for the true herstory of female discipleship to be told, the piece celebrates the news that Pope Francis opened the door to expand senior roles for women in the Catholic Church, citing scriptural reasons behind such a move.

The nun who wrote the piece is Nameeta Renu, a member of the Order of Consecrated Virgins in Bombay in Mumbai, India. She compared the church to Mary and Martha, two women who were followers of Jesus.

Renu, whose bio states that she has a doctorate in theology on spiritual guidance and integral formation, writes that while Martha embodied the relatively conservative early church views on womens roles, which pointed toward more traditional roles, Mary represents the feminist church as envisioned by Jesus.

In questioning these two archetypes, Renu then suggests both Martha and Mary represent the church at different points on the wide spectrum of feminism and cites Martha from the Margins: The Authority of Martha in Early Christian Tradition, a paper co-edited by agnostic atheist Bart Ehrman.

After asserting that God wants both men and women to be liberated from patriarchy, Renu says this can only happen when victims are freed from domination, and when oppressors are converted and liberated from sin.

She goes on to call Mary Magdalene the Apostle to the Apostles, and suggests that such a claim to apostleship holds as much weight as the Apostle Paul.

Mary Magdalene has a very important role in following Jesus, but she is excluded from the Twelve Apostles while Paul boldly calls himself an apostle to the Gentiles even though he is not a disciple of Jesus before his death and resurrection, Renu writes.

Christian blogger Erica Lee, whose blog Unfiltered & Free looks at gender and other topics through a biblical lens, told The Christian Post that filtering Scripture through feminism will only fuel further division.

"The feminist movement is nothing more than another societal ploy to divide the population against themselves," Lee said. "Satan is the master deceiver and he is hard at work.

"All social justice movements pit us against each other when we are all one Body in Christ. Christ's sacrifice on Calvary was the great equalizer."

Lee also said characterizing Mary Magdalene as a type of 13th apostle is without scriptural basis.

It appears to me that the author is simply uplifting an already significant female from the Bible to an elevated status as to remove perceived victimization, said Lee. Such twisting and manipulating of Scripture is dangerous.

Renu's piece also pushes back against the traditional interpretation of Acts 6:3, which says the apostles told the disciples, Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty of distributing to widows in the church.

According to Renu, there is little documentation about the identities of the seven who were chosen and that church fathers often used gendered language to represent all the baptized, even in the Nicene Creed of 325 A.D.

Renu suggests the seven might have been either men, women, or a combination of both.

She also argues that because the head of a family traditionally receives the blessing for all family members, some of the seven names could indirectly refer to their daughters, sisters, mothers or other relatives.

They could even refer to couples or all the members of their families being selected for the service, she added.

Lee told CP that such hermeneutical teaching is a direct reflection of the modern church and cited a recent study that found just 37% of pastors hold to a biblical worldview.

That is a heartbreaking indictment on the church, said Lee. Therefore, as a result, we see articles such as this.

Renu's piece appears to have been written in response to news out of the Vatican that would allow women to serve alongside all-male clergy in senior management of the Catholic Church.

Published in March, the new constitution calls for the involvement of laywomen and laymen, even in roles of government and responsibility.

The document, however, did not alter the role for women as it pertains to worship in the Catholic Church.

In most countries, women were already serving as lectors and catechists in the Catholic Church. However, with the official ordination, more conservative bishops will be unable to prevent women in their dioceses from taking on those roles. Francis changed the laws of the Roman Catholic church in January 2021 to formally allow women to give readings from the Bible during Mass, act as altar servers and distribute communion.

Throughout his papacy, Francis has called for women to have more formal roles in the church, but has remained firm on forbidding women to become deacons or priests. Catholic doctrine prohibits the ordination of women as priests, as those roles are reserved for men.

In April 2020, the pope established a commission to study whether women should be granted the right to become ordained deacons. In this role, women would be permitted to preach and baptize, but not to conduct Mass.
India jails 30 Christians on charges of forced conversion as persecution mounts

As many as 30 Christians were jailed last month on charges of forced conversion in just one state alone, including 20 in one week, according to a U.S.-based persecution watchdog, which says churches now fear they may be implicated in a case if they conduct even small group prayers.

The latest incident that led to an arrest of a Christian worker took place on May 31 in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh when a mob of extremist Hindu nationalists broke into the home of a local pastor who was praying with his family, beat him, dragged him from his home and assaulted him before handing him over to police, International Christian Concern reports.

The police then arrested and imprisoned the pastor, charging him with deliberate and malicious acts against another religion while failing to investigate the assault against him.

We have arrived at a critical juncture, where practicing faith of our choice is equated as crime and punished accordingly, a local Christian leader from Uttar Pradesh was quoted as saying. We need to be alert and prepared to face the challenge; almost every pastor and leader is targeted in UP. These are the testing times.

In a separate incident in the same state on May 29, about 10 young Hindu nationalists interrupted a Sunday service where 40 Christians were praying and worshiping, stole the pastors Bible and shoved him to the ground.

The police arrested the churchs pastor and filed a formal complaint against him and refused to book the assailants.

We are scared to even conduct small group prayers even that can be framed as forcible conversions, a house church pastor was quoted as saying. Our lives are in danger, as Christian identity could put us behind the bars, we dont see any way out, only God should intervene.

Uttar Pradesh is one of the 11 Indian states which have adopted an anti-conversion law, which presume that Christians pressure Hindus to convert to Christianity.

Indias anti-conversion laws are not a means to protect religious freedom, but rather a mechanism for the government to oppress and punish religious minorities,

ICC President Jeff King said. Our Indian brothers and sisters are facing increased levels of persecution since the adoption of these laws in 11 states. India claims to be the worlds largest democracy, yet shamelessly violates human rights. We pray for the continued resilience of the Indian Church and for the injustice to come to an end.

While Christians make up only 2.3% of Indias population and Hindus comprise about 80%, the countrys anti-conversion laws presume that Christians force or give money to Hindus to persuade them to convert to Christianity.

Some of these laws have been in place for decades in some states. Radical Hindu nationalist groups frequently use the laws to make false charges against Christians and launch attacks on them under the pretext of an alleged forced conversion.

For Indias Christians, 2021 was the most violent year in the countrys history, according to a report by the United Christian Forum, which recorded at least 486 violent incidents of Christian persecution in the year.

The UCF attributed the high incidence of Christian persecution to impunity, due to which such mobs criminally threaten, physically assault people in prayer, before handing them over to the police on allegations of forcible conversions.

Police registered formal complaints in only 34 of the 486 cases, according to the UCF.

Often communal sloganeering is witnessed outside police stations, where the police stand as mute spectators, the UCF report states.

Hindu extremists believe that all Indians should be Hindus and that the country should be rid of Christianity and Islam, an Open Doors fact sheet explains. They use extensive violence to achieve this goal, particularly targeting Christians from a Hindu background. Christians are accused of following a foreign faith and blamed for bad luck in their communities.

The Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America documented at least 761 incidents of violence against Christians in 2021.

The year 2021 has proven to be the most violent year for Christians in India, said John Prabhudoss, the chairman of FIACONA, at an earlier press conference in Washington, D.C.

Prabhudoss said FIACONA documented and analyzed all 761 incidents, adding that the number of anti-Christian attacks is likely to be much higher because most of the incidents are not reported.

The groups report said common citizens of India, especially the religious minorities, observe and feel that the state government, which is led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, including the Uttar Pradesh state government, were implementing the majoritarian ideology, namely Hindutva.

The national government, also led by the BJP, it continued, is subservient to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, an umbrella Hindu nationalist group, and its multiple associates specializing in radical and violent means to exclude and demean the Christians.
Is Instagram harmful to teens mental health? Meta says no, but others disagree

Concerns about the negative impact of social media use on youth mental health and self-esteem continue to lead to calls to find solutions, with some advocating for improving safeguards on the applications to protect teens, while others believe the problem requires legislative action.

A spokesperson for Meta, the parent organization of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, told The Christian Post that the company's research "doesn't conclude that Instagram is inherently bad for teens."

"While some teens told us Instagram made them feel worse when they were struggling with issues like loneliness, anxiety and sadness, more teens told us that Instagram made them feel better when experiencing these issues," the spokesperson wrote in a Wednesday statement to CP. "That said, we want to help those who may be struggling. We've done extensive work in bullying, suicide, self-injury and eating disorder prevention, and we're focused on building new features to help people struggling with negative social comparison."

The spokesperson said the company has also introduced new default settings and launched "Take a Break" to encourage teenagers to spend time away from Instagram. In addition, the company plans to install a "nudges" feature to direct teenagers toward a different topic if they've been dwelling on the same one for some time.

Meta's representative noted that the company launched its first set of parental controls in March, which are available through its Family Center. The corporation said it worked closely with experts, parents, guardians and teens to develop the Family Center, which also includes a new education hub where families can access expert resources and tips on topics such as how to talk to teens about healthy social media use.

Others, however, believe Congress has a role to play in safeguarding teens mental health and monitoring their use of social media applications.

"When we know children are being harmed by something, why can't the state help?" Peggy Noonan wrote in an April 7 op-ed for The Wall Street Journal.

While the columnist noted that conservatives might hesitate to interfere with companies' ability to "maximize shareholder value," Noonan asserted that "[o]ur greater responsibility is to see to it that an entire generation of young people not be made shallow and mentally ill through addictive social-media use."

One solution Noonan suggested doesn't involve "technological sophistication" and "could be done with quick and huge public support" and involves placing an age limit on social media sites. She offered 18 as the age users can join sites such as TikTok, Youtube or Instagram.

"Why not? You're not allowed to drink at 14 or drive at 12; you can't vote at 15. Isn't there a public interest here? Applying such control would empower parents who face 'all the other kids are allowed,' with an answer: 'Because it's against the law,'" she wrote.

In March, Nature Communications journal published a Cambridge University study suggesting a link between social media use and negative life satisfaction in adolescents. The study suggested certain adolescent age groups were more sensitive to social media use than others, a time when higher social media use led to lesser life satisfaction ratings. These "development windows of sensitivity" were ages 14,15 and 19-years-old for boys and 11 to 13 and 19-years-old for girls.

Another study published in April by Acta Psychologica reportedly found a "consistent and substantial association between mental health and social media use" among girls.

"These associations were stronger than links between mental health and binge drinking, sexual assault, obesity and hard drug use, suggesting that these associations may have substantial practical significance as many countries are experiencing rising rates of depression, anxiety and suicide among teenagers and young adults," the study reads.

As The WSJ reported last September, researchers inside Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, found a link between the site and the development of eating disorders in young girls. The researchers presented the findings in a March 2020 slide presentation posted to Facebook's internal message board.

"Thirty-two percent of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse," the researchers said. "Comparisons on Instagram can change how young women view and describe themselves."

Facebook's research also found that among teens who reported suicidal thoughts, 13% of British users and 6% of American users traced these feelings to Instagram. More than 40% of Instagram's users are 22-years-old or younger, and 22 million U.S. teens use the site each day, the WSJ reported. In contrast, 5 million U.S. teenagers log onto Facebook each day, with 50% of the nation's teens spending more time on Instagram than Facebook on average.

In response to the WSJ report, Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., the chair and ranking member of the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security, announced last September a probe into Facebook's knowledge of its platform's impact on teenagers.

That same month, Sens. Edward Markey, D-Mass., along with Reps. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., and Lori Trahan, D-Mass., wrote a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg also asking for answers in light of the report. They called on the company to abandon its plans to develop an Instagram platform for children younger than 13.

"Children and teens are uniquely vulnerable populations online, and these findings paint a clear and devastating picture of Instagram as an app that poses significant threats to young people's wellbeing," the lawmakers wrote.
Saddleback's Kay Warren: Church is 'vital' to combating mental health crisis

As the pandemic has resulted in increased anxiety and depressive disorder among Americans, Saddleback Church co-founder Kay Warren says the Church can play a unique role in caring for those with mental illness and their families no matter how messy situations might be.

During a message delivered Thursday at the 2021 Evangelical Press Association Christian Media Convention, Warren, who co-founded the California-based megachurch with her husband, Rick, reflected on the death of her son, Matthew. He took his own life in 2013 after a life-long battle with mental illness.

I'll tell you  I will miss my son every day for the rest of my life, until that glorious resurrection day when I see Jesus and see Matthew again, she said.

After Matthews death, Warren founded Saddlebacks Hope for Mental Health Initiative to support individuals and family members of loved ones with mental illness and suicidal ideation.

She shared statistics revealing that one in five adults in the United States and one in five children will be affected by mental illness in the coming year. Suicide has become the second leading cause of death among people 10 to 34 years of age.

Where do people go who are living with mental health challenges? Where do they go to find compassionate care and understanding? Where can they find hope for their dark days? Warren asked. I really believe that the Church of Jesus Christ needs to be that safe, welcoming, and compassionate place for all who suffer.

There's a desperate need for the Church to engage with individuals with mental health challenges and their families, she added. The Church is positioned to take strong leadership and to provide the help that others can't.

The Kaiser Family Foundation reported in February that about four in 10 adults in the U.S. have during the pandemic reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, an increase from one in 10 who reported these symptoms in 2019.

The report also found that young adults have experienced various pandemic-related consequences, such as the closure of schools and loss of income that may contribute to poor mental health.

The foundation notes that during the pandemic, 56% of 18 to 24-year-olds reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder and are more likely than all adults to report substance use and suicidal thoughts.

Stressing that the Church can fill in the gaps that government programs and secular organizations leave behind, Warren cited statistics revealing that 25% of people who are seeking help in a mental health crisis will go to their priest, rabbi or pastor before they'll go to a mental health professional or physician.

I seriously beg you, don't walk by the Church of God on your way to engaging the world on critical issues like mental illness, Warren said. It's going to be messy ... [but] the Church is the only vehicle that God has chosen to spread his message of compassion and mercy, and at the center of it all is Christ and His body, the Church.

You can't say you love Jesus and hate His Church or have no use for it or ignore it, she continued. It is His body, and in His church, in His body, there is a place for everyone.

It doesnt require a large church congregation or excessive wealth to have an attitude of mercy and compassion and tenderness, Warren said. Instead, it requires a decision to care, to let your heart be touched by the suffering of fellow human beings, to allow their pain in some way to touch yours.

A 2014 survey from Lifeway Research found that nearly half of pastors (49%) rarely or never speak to their church in sermons or large group settings about acute mental illness.

Additionally, about one in four individuals said they had either stopped attending church, had not found a church to attend or had changed churches based on the churchs response to mental health issues.

Mental illness dehumanizes people, Warren stressed. But the Church has the opportunity to open its arms and befriend and listen to those struggling.

What if we held each other's hearts in our hands for a few moments and validated each other's significance ... and provided each other with the comfort that God has given to us, she said.

The most powerful thing the faith community can do is remove the debilitating stigma and rejection that those living with a mental illness encounter, Warren said, adding: The faith community is what I call a legitimizing force in society. If the Church says you're OK, you're OK."

The primary reason many people struggling with mental illness dont seek help, she explained, is due to the stigma attached to it. But the Bible is clear that having an illness doesnt mean that youre not valuable or that theres something spiritually wrong, she assured.

Nobody wants to be thought of as having a mental health challenge, Warren pointed out. Mental illness is part of our body; it's part of the physical part of our body. And when you can let people know that it's not a sin to be sick and your church is a  safe place to bring your brokenness, then we're beginning to remove the stigma.

Warren encouraged churches to hold mental health seminars, compile a list of some mental health professionals for referral purposes and offer hope to those struggling with mental illness.

The LifeWay study found that 68% of pastors surveyed said their churches maintain a list of local mental health resources for church members. Still, only about 28% said that families are aware those resources exist.

Hope is the most valuable commodity that we have in the Church to offer people in profound pain, she said.

The Church is to offer hope at every stage and phase of life. That's what makes us different from every other organization trying to offer help in this space. We're here to stay. And we're here to continue to hold out hope.
Methodist theologians sign statement to retrieve the riches of Wesleyan tradition amid UMC schism

A group of over 60 theologians, professors and clergy have signed onto a statement of faith aimed at helping to solidify the identity of the Methodist movement at a time when the world's largest Methodist denomination is facing a schism over sexuality.

Titled The Faith Once Delivered: A Wesleyan Witness, the document came out of a gathering of around 50 Christian scholars at the Next Methodism Summit held in January in Alexandria, Virginia.

The document, which takes its name from Jude 1:3, states in its introduction that it aims to guide the theological trajectory of Methodism for the next century or more.

It is nothing less than a robust affirmation of the historic Christian faith and the particular gifts of the Wesleyan movement within the larger Church, the introduction reads.

The document is divided into six sections. The first section focuses on the attributes of God. The second section is centered on the image of God and creation. The third section focuses on Scripture and its authority. The fourth section touches on the nature of salvation. The fifth section focuses on the Church, and the final section is mostly focused on the End Times.

Kevin Watson, acting director of the Wesley House of Studies of George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University and pastor of discipleship at First Methodist Church of Waco, Texas, served as an assisting editor for the document.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Watson said that he participated in the January gathering and crafting of the document because he believes the Wesleyan-Methodist tradition needs to retrieve the riches of its own doctrinal heritage.

I believe many parts of the Wesleyan-Methodist tradition are experiencing a crisis of identity. We have forgotten who we are. We have lost the treasure the Lord has entrusted to us and our nerve to spread Scriptural holiness, said Watson.

I was encouraged to see more than 60 scholars share the same concern and willingness to invest themselves in a contemporary restatement of the core beliefs of the Wesleyan theological tradition.

Watson believes The Faith Once Delivered was different from other statements of faith because of its range of contributors and the timing of the release of the document.

This document is not seeking to speak a new word in support of a current cultural moment. Rather, it is seeking to retrieve the basics of the faith that has already been given to us, he continued.

Receiving the faith that has already been given to us is the key first step to seeking to discern what faithfulness looks like in the present.

Bishop Scott Jones, head of the Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, led one of the working groups at the January gathering and reviewed drafts of the document.

Jones told CP that he believes the document articulates a bold future for Wesleyan Christianity and that it will help people make decisions about where God is leading this part of the Christian movement.

I hope leaders read it and think more clearly about who Methodists are called to be and how God can use us for His purposes, Jones added.

Lane Davis, an ordained elder in the UMC Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference, served on the sub-drafting group that wrote Section 4 of the document, titled "Salvation: The Image Restored.

Davis told CP that many people, including himself, see a revival beginning in churches of the Wesleyan tradition, but revivals need strong theological foundations to last.

There are many of us that we have those foundations in the doctrinal documents of Methodism. I signed The Faith Once Delivered because I believe it is a faithful, concise, summation of those core Wesleyan tenets, he said.

The document comes as the UMC, the largest Methodist denomination globally, is facing a schism over its decades-long debate over homosexuality.

Although the UMC Book of Discipline officially labels homosexuality incompatible with Christian teaching, many theologically liberal church leaders have refused to enforce rules associated with that stance.

On May 1, a theologically conservative alternative to the UMC, known as the Global Methodist Church, was officially launched, with manycongregations making efforts to join it.

Davis believed that at least one component of why the United Methodist Church finds itself on the brink of schism was a lack of knowledge of the traditions of the Methodist movement.

The Wesleyan tradition has a rich theological and doctrinal heritage, and yet Methodists as a whole have not done a great job of communicating and forming our congregations in the particulars of that tradition, he said.

Watson said a distinction needs to be made between the formal teaching of the Church and what is happening on the ground in reality across United Methodism.

The UMCs official statements of doctrine  the Articles of Religion, Confession of Faith, Wesleys Sermons, and the General Rules  are in harmony with this document, Watson said.

The challenge is that over the past decades, a gap has opened up between official teaching and actual practice in the UMC. Adherence to The Faith Once Delivered would vary widely across the breadth of the UMC, particularly within the United States.
Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren announces search for his successor: 'Timing is everything'

Influential Pastor Rick Warren has announced that after more than 40 years as the lead pastor of Saddleback Church in California, he will be soon stepping back from his current role with the church and has begun the process of searching for his successor.

This next week, we are going to begin the official search for my successor, Warren, who oversees the 25,000-member, 19-campus Saddleback Church based in Lake Forest, announced in a June 6 sermon.

That's a big deal, the official search for my successor," the 67-year-old pastor said. "This isn't the end. It's not even the beginning of the end. It's the beginning of the beginning, but we're going to start looking for the next-generation pastor who will replace me and lead our family into the future.

Since they launched the church in 1980, Warren said that he and his wife, Kay, knew this day would eventually arrive. But he promised to dedicate 40 years of their lives to the church.

We've been waiting on God's perfect timing, began the process, finding our next lead pastor, and letting me make the smooth transition into a less visible role as founding pastor," he said. "Now, this is such a significant decision because I'm the only lead pastor our church family has ever had.

As the church neared the 40-year mark in January 2020, Warren said that he and his wife attended a prayer retreat to uncover Gods calling on their lives.

We went out, we prayed and we both felt that God wanted us to stay on in leadership past the 40-year commitment, he said. Neither of us had any comfort in leaving, we had no idea what the future would hold, but we decided we're gonna stay on until God gives us His timing."

And then we didn't understand it then, but three weeks later, after our 40th anniversary, the COVID pandemic would shut everything down for a year and a half, he continued. As we began to see the light at the end of the tunnel of the COVID pandemic, we started feeling that God was saying, Now is the time to at least start the process, start looking for your successor for your replacement.

Warren, whose church is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, stressed that the Saddleback staff doesnt know all the details of what searching for his replacement will entail. But he explained, you don't have to see the ultimate step to take the first step. You just take the first step in faith.

The Purpose Driven Life author added he has no intention of leaving the church and that hes looking forward to the transition into a less visible role with the church.

He said that while he and Saddleback elders dont have a particular successor in mind, they will be looking at the biblical qualifications for a pastor, including someone who will love you as much as somebody who's willing to sacrifice their life for your benefit and is already doing purpose-driven ministry.

Earlier in his message, Warren said that one verse that has guided his ministry is Acts 13:36, which reads, Now when David had served Gods purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed.

You might think that's a funny life verse  but to me, that statement is the definition of a successful life serving God's purpose in your generation. That would be a wonderful verse to have on your tombstone, he contended.

There is a right time for every activity. That includes every activity in your life, he added. We're not supposed to just do the right things, the things that God wants us to do. We are to do it at the right time. Timing is everything in life.

Warrens announcement comes just weeks after Saddleback ordained three women pastors, drawing criticism from Southern Baptist leaders, including Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler, who said the church acted in "violation" of SBC doctrine. SBC President J.D. Greear also criticized the move.
SBC committee to consider disaffiliating Saddleback Church for ordaining women pastors

A committee within the Southern Baptist Convention is set to consider whether a prominent megachurch led by bestselling author Rick Warren can continue in fellowship with the denomination after it ordained three women pastors last month.

At the annual meeting of the SBC this week in Nashville, a motion asking if the denomination should break fellowship with Saddleback Church in Orange County, California, was referred to the denomination's Credentials Committee.

The Credentials Committee is tasked with evaluating whether SBC-associated churches meet the denomination's standards of faith and practice.

The megachurch posted on social media that it ordained three female pastors on a "historic" Thursday night, which drew criticism from Baptist leaders who believe female ordination goes against SBC teachings and praise from supporters of women in ministry.

The motion was introduced by Pastor Shad Tibbs of Fellowship Baptist Church in Trout, Louisiana.

The church is led by Warren, the author of the mega-bestseller The Purpose Driven Life. The 67-year-old Warren recently announced that he is searching for his successor amid plans to retire.

During a press conference following his SBC presidential election victory, incoming SBC President Ed Litton was asked whether churches that ordain women should be "kicked out" of the denomination.

As a self-professed complementarian, Litton said: Thats something were going to have to work out.

The motion from the Louisiana pastor comes amid heightened tension in the denomination about what Scripture says about gender, particularly whether or not women are permitted to hold certain offices and preach in church.

The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 plainly states that the pastoral office is "limited to men as qualified by Scripture."

The issue has become one of the most visible divisions in the convention, especially after popular Bible teacher Beth Moore announced that she could no longer identify as a Southern Baptist and left the denomination.

Proponents of this view, sometimes called complementarians, often reference 1 Timothy 2:9-15, where the Apostle Paul speaks of not allowing women to teach or exercise authority over men.

Egalitarians, by contrast, assert that this particular scripture seeks to correct a specific problem in the church in Ephesus and that it is not a permanent nor universal restriction. They argue that the phrase in Greek is more accurately translated as "I am not now allowing" a woman to teach.

The national convention has yet to remove a church from fellowship for this reason. But some local and state conventions have done so.

Once reviewed by the Credentials Committee, a recommendation will be made to the Executive Committee.

Should the Executive Committee decide that a church is no longer in cooperation with the denomination, the decision will be made public. Should a church opt to appeal the decision, messengers at the denomination's annual meeting may decide whether to uphold the decision.

In early May, Saddleback ordained Liz Puffer, Cynthia Petty and Katie Edwards as pastors.

Days after the ordination of the three women, then-SBC President J.D. Greear said in a blog post that although he respected Saddleback's ministry and their heart for taking the Gospel around the world, he disagreed with the ordination. He called the move "disappointing."
North Carolina preschool teacher resigns amid outcry after using flashcard with pregnant man

A North Carolina preschool teacher who used a set of flashcards featuring a picture of a pregnant man has resigned following an outcry from parents and lawmakers.

Last week, Tim Moore, the Republican speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, issued a statement announcing that Republican Rep. Erin Pare received an email from a concerned constituent alerting her to the use of LGBT themed flashcards "to teach colors to children in a preschool class at Ballentine Elementary School.

One of the flashcards included an image of a pregnant man to illustrate the color white.

The flashcard is part of a set titled Progress Pride Flag Rainbow Families Flash Cards." The set is touted as a way to explore the colours and meanings of the updated Progress Pride Flag.

The sold-out collection features custom-designed illustrations portraying LGBT families of diverse races, ages, sexualities, genders, and abilities. Another flashcard in the collection depicts a family led by two mothers, which was created to introduce the color pink.

Rep. Pare immediately contacted the principal of the elementary school to alert her of this constituent concern and to confirm the use of the flash cards in the classroom, Moore said. The principal of the school took swift action to investigate and respond to the information.

After finding the stack of cards in a preschool classroom, the principal verified with the teacher that they had been used by the teacher in the classroom to teach colors and confirmed that the flash cards were not part of the approved curriculum.

Moore noted that upon discovering them, the principal immediately took possession of the cards, contacted the WCPSS area superintendent, and engaged human resources.

The Wake County Public School System, the largest school district in the state, told local news outlet WRAL Tuesday that the teacher who used the LGBT-themed flashcards has resigned. In a statement emailed to WRAL, Wake County Public School System Spokesperson Lisa Luten reported that the district is concerned to learn of the inappropriate instructional resource found in a preschool classroom.

Pare, who represents North Carolina House District 37, which includes Ballentine Elementary School, praised the school for addressing the concerns of her constituent in a swift and professional manner. She maintained that schools should only be using age-appropriate materials, and these flashcards clearly do not meet that standard for a pre-school classroom.

I hope schools across Wake County and the State of North Carolina will follow the example of Ballentine and respond swiftly when a parent expresses concern and ensure that materials like this are not being used to teach young students, she added.

North Carolina lawmakers are weighing a Parents Bill of Rights bill similar to the recently enacted Florida law that bans school officials from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity with students in kindergarten through third grade.

In addition to a provision prohibiting the discussion of such topics with young students, the measure would require schools to notify parents of any changes in the name or pronoun assigned to their child in school records. While multiple committees in the Republican-controlled North Carolina Senate have reported favorably on House Bill 755, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has derided the proposal as the Dont Say Gay bill and indicated that he would likely veto it.

A poll conducted by Cygnal on the weekend of May 21-22 revealed that 57% of North Carolina voters support the creation of a Parents Bill of Rights while 24% oppose it.

Videos shared by the Twitter account Libs of TikTok reveal that the attempt to introduce the concepts of sexual orientation and gender identity to preschool students is not an isolated incident.

One video features a non-binary preschool teacher discussing how students in the classroom have started wearing pronoun pins, which allow them to pick a new pronoun pin every day. Another shows a preschool teacher asserting that Im a non-binary preschool teacher and my kids know Im non-binary.

Diversity is my favorite thing to teach says non-binary preschool teacher who also makes 4 year olds pick a pronoun pin every day to wear pic.twitter.com/6IRmh4v8Co  Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 12, 2022

They know Im not a girl or a boy. I use they/them pronouns in the classroom, the teacher stated. I go by Mx. Grae in the classroom, not Miss or Mr.

More recently, Libs of TikTok shared a picture of a sign promoting Family Pride Day at Sudbury Cooperative Preschool in Massachusetts. The event includes a drag queen story time and a parade.

A preschool in Massachusetts is hosting a pride event including drag queen storytime and a pride parade. pic.twitter.com/cOrW9HbQPu  Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 31, 2022
Olimpia Zagnoli's "Summer Girl" (2021) for Lotte / Courtesy of the artist and Sejong Center for the Performing Arts









By Park Han-sol







Italian illustrator Olimpia Zagnoli's appetite for highly saturated color blocks and their playful mixes have given birth to some immediately recognizable designs that found their way into publications, fashion houses and art galleries around the world.







Her bold and fresh palette has popped up everywhere  the covers of The New York Times and The New Yorker, inside the New York subway train and fashion collections with Prada, Dior, Fendi and Seoul-based Innisfree.







Illustrator Olimpia Zagnoli speaks during a press preview held at the Sejong Museum of Art in central Seoul for her exhibition, "Life is Color." Courtesy of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

Zagnoli's colorful magic has now arrived in Korea as her first exhibition in Asia, "Life is Color," at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul.







"Color is an essential part of my work, not only in terms of its palette but also its structural aspect. It helps me give an atmosphere, mood to my work," she said at a recent press preview at the museum, where more than 150 of her illustrations, site-specific installations and videos are on display.







One quick look at the high-spirited illustrator already offered a hint of the multihued, quirky wonderland that was about to unfold inside the gallery as she donned a deep blue maxi dress, coily green heels and a jacket  a handmade gift from her sister that portrays a map of pasta in Italy.







Installation view of "Life is Color" at the Sejong Museum of Art / Korea Times photo by Park Han-sol





The exhibition is a cornucopia of eye-catching delights in the truest sense of the word as the voluptuous forms captured in vibrantly contrasting hues roam freely within each canvas.







From still-life illustrations born from her childhood memories in Italy in the early 1990s to visual celebrations of urban and natural landscapes  including iconic skyscrapers in New York, Milan and her hometown, Reggio Emilia, as well as the panoramic Mediterranean scenery  Zagnoli's works are filled with bits and pieces of hues "grabbed" from her surroundings and reborn with her touch of imagination.







There are pieces that have been created specifically for the Korean show: "Night in Seoul," which depicts Kyobo Tower standing in southern Seoul, and "The Kiss" oil painting series.







Installation view of "Life is Color" at the Sejong Museum of Art / Korea Times photo by Park Han-sol





But she highlighted that the most prominent subject in her illustration works are humans  their bodies and relationships as they mingle with one another.







"They represent various people  people that I met, people that I observe in the street, people that I would like to meet in the future and perhaps a version of myself (from the past or the future)," she said.







"And I always try to make my work as inclusive as possible, using different kinds of people, different colors, different sizes and different genders. I also invent new people that maybe you would never find (in real life)."







One particularly interesting section is "The Body Electric," where she features a collection of works dedicated to human bodies as tools to tell different stories outside of fixed social norms.







A view of Zagnoli's "How to Eat Spaghetti Like a Lady" (2017) / Korea Times photo by Park Han-sol





Her "How to Eat Spaghetti Like a Lady" on view is an entertaining challenge to Time Life's photographs published in 1942 as a step-by-step guide to instruct women on how to consume a bowl of spaghetti in the supposedly most dignified way.







"The idea for my work is to instead decide to enjoy your food the way you want and be comfortable with your body, be comfortable with your space It's a celebration of a healthy relationship between yourself and food and the world around you," she noted.







Olimpia Zagnoli's "Burst into Bloom" (2020) for The New York Times / Courtesy of the artist and Sejong Center for the Performing Arts





Before saying "Ciao," the show finishes with a section showcasing how her digital illustrations are brought alive as three-dimensional, everyday products  textiles, cappuccino cups, shopping bags, pizza boxes, tissue packets and makeup palettes.







"I really like the flexibility of this art. It can become something that's framed and hung in an apartment, but also can become an everyday product that you can keep in your purse," Zagnoli said.







"Life is Color" runs through Oct. 1 at the Sejong Museum of Art of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.






Virginia passes law defining religion as including outward expression,' not just belief

Virginias Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has signed a law that legally defines religion as including actions and expressions, not just personal belief, which is viewed as a win by religious liberty advocates.

Known as House Bill 1063, the legislation defines the word religion as meaning any outward expression of religious faith, including adherence to religious dressing and grooming practices and the carrying or display of religious items or symbols.

Youngkin spokesperson Macaulay Porter told The Christian Post in a statement Tuesday that the legislation is a modest step to advance religious liberty in Virginia.

Governor Youngkin has a firm spiritual foundation that guides his entire life and will use every ounce of his authority to protect Virginians First Amendment right to freely live out their faith, Porter said. HB 1063 is a modest step toward preserving religious freedom in the Commonwealth and the Governor hopes to continue to build on that in the future.

Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal group that has argued religious liberty cases before the United States Supreme Court, applauded the passage of HB 1063.

ADF Senior Counsel Gregory S. Baylor said that the measure provides a necessary and helpful clarification in the law to help ensure Virginians wont face discrimination simply for outwardly expressing their religious beliefs.

Virginia law forbids discrimination on the basis of religion in multiple contexts yet fails to define the actual term religion, which can leave Virginians vulnerable to hostile reactions to expressions of their faith, said Baylor in a statement.

We commend Gov. Youngkin and the Virginia General Assembly for resolving this ambiguity so that Virginians can freely live out their faith without fear of government punishment.

The bill was introduced by Del. Irene Shin, a Democrat representing northern Virginia, with the aim of protecting individuals with an outward religious expression like wearing a yarmulke or cross from being discriminated against.

In April, after the legislation passed both houses of the General Assembly in unanimous votes, Youngkin offered an amendment to HB 1063 that would have instead defined religion as all aspects of religious observance, practice, or belief.

Shin denounced this change of language, claiming in a statement posted to Twitter that it perverts the intention of this legislation and the legislative body. After maintaining that Youngkin hijacked my bill to push his own insidious, right-wing agenda, Shin unveiled the hashtag #GetYourOwnDamnBill to highlight her disapproval of the amendment.

Last week Gov Youngkin aka Wolf in Fleece Clothing amended my bill HB1063.



I'm furious he hijacked my bill to push his own insidious, right-wing agenda. Maybe I should be used to it by now but nah I'm still appalled by his recklessly divisive policies.#GetYourOwnDamnBillpic.twitter.com/f41xQgV5Ah  irene shin ???????? (@ireneshintweets) April 21, 2022

The practical implications of the Governors amendment would be to create legal protections for discriminatory and bigoted policies, acts and beliefs under the guise of religion, she continued.

The fact that this Administration would co-opt a universally approved bipartisan measure designed to ensure equal protections and weaponize it to advance their agenda of discrimination and division, while sadly unsurprising, is still appalling.

Although the governors amended version of HB 1063 passed the Republican-controlled House of Delegates in a vote of 52-48 last month, it was not taken up by the Democrat-controlled Senate in time for the governors action deadline.

HB 1063 was one of 23 bills Youngkin signed into law Friday, as the regular session of the 162nd Virginia General Assembly came to a close. He acknowledged that while most of these bills were returned to me in an imperfect form, I firmly believe they offer a bipartisan path forward. The governor vetoed an additional seven bills sent to him by the legislature.
Evangelicals, regular churchgoers more likely to be pro-life: Lifeway

Evangelicals and other Americans who attend church regularly are more likely to oppose abortion than the religiously unaffiliated and those who go to church less often, according to a new report by Lifeway Research.

Lifeway Research released a report last week on the abortion issue on behalf of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

The survey found that while 64% of those who held Evangelical beliefs identified as pro-life, 53% of non-Evangelicals and 70% of non-religious respondents identified as pro-choice.

Furthermore, Christians who attend church weekly were over twice as likely to be pro-life, with 53% saying they were pro-life versus 19% who identified as pro-choice.

By contrast, respondents who attend church two to four times a month were mostly pro-choice, with 36% identifying as pro-choice and 28% as pro-life, while 46% of those who attend church less frequently identified as pro-choice, versus 30% who identified as pro-life.

When asked how their views developed on abortion, 58% of those labeled generally pro-life said their opinions were formed by My personal religious faith, while only 9% of those labeled generally pro-abortion rights said the same.

For their report, Lifeway conducted an online survey of 1,155 Americans from April 20 to May 3, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7% with a 95% confidence level.

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Adam W. Greenway said in a statement published Tuesday that he believes the report shows Evangelical beliefs and practices, especially church attendance, translate into pro-life views.

This underscores the truth that the ultimate solution to this moral problem, like all moral problems, is spiritual transformation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ among individuals that will eventually translate into societal changes, stated Greenway.

In early May, Pew Research Center released a report in which white Evangelicals were the surveyed group most likely to believe that abortion should be illegal in most cases (53%) and the most likely to oppose abortion in all cases (21%).

By contrast, 32% of Catholics, 31% of white non-Evangelical Protestants, 21% of black Protestants, and 13% of religious unaffiliated agreed that it should be banned in most cases.

Pew also found that, regardless of religious affiliation, large numbers of Americans favor certain restrictions on access to abortions.

For example, seven-in-10 say doctors should be required to notify a parent or legal guardian of minors seeking abortions, stated Pew.

And most of those who say abortion should be legal in some cases and illegal in others say that how long a woman has been pregnant should be a factor in determining whether abortion is legal or illegal (56% among all U.S. adults).

Lifeways and Pews reports come as the nation awaits a decision from the United States Supreme Court on the case of Dobbs v. Jackson, which will determine if Mississippi can ban most abortions after 15 weeks into a pregnancy.

If the Supreme Court upholds the state law, it will effectively overturn the landmark 1973 decision of Roe v. Wade, which established abortion prohibited states from banning abortion before fetal viability.

In early May, Politico published a leaked draft majority opinion that had Roe being overturned in a 5-4 decision authored by Justice Samuel Alito, allowing states to decide if they want to ban abortion.

Although both Politico and the Supreme Court noted that the draft was not final and did not necessarily mean that Roe would be overturned, the news nevertheless sparked several protests and numerous incidents of vandalism against churches and pregnancy resource centers.
Man charged with hurling Molotov cocktails at North Carolina churches, police say

A man investigators say was caught on video hurling Molotov cocktails at two churches in North Carolina has been arrested.

Cumberland County Sheriff Ennis Wright announced on Facebook Monday that 57-year-old Terry Wayne Raeford of Fayetteville was arrested in connection with the vandalism of the two churches.

In a Facebook post Sunday, Wright noted that sheriffs investigators initially responded to the first incident at Grays Creek Church in Hope Mills just after 10:30 a.m. A half-hour later, New Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Fayetteville reported a similar incident, Wright said.

Arson investigators obtained video footage from both churches, which showed a black male in his 50s pull a gray sedan with tinted windows into a parking lot. No injuries were reported in either incident. Security cameras captured the suspects vehicle at both locations, enabling them to identify Raeford as the man in the video.

Raeford was charged with two counts of Manufacture, Assembly, Possession, Storage, Transportation, Sale, Purchase, Delivery, or Acquisition of Weapon of Mass Death and Destruction; Exceptions, and two counts of Malicious Damage of Occupied Property by Use of Explosive or Incendiary; Punishment.

Wright indicated that Raeford, who is being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center on a $200,000 bond, is cooperating with the investigation. He made his first appearance in court Tuesday afternoon.

The social media pages for both churches appeared to show predominantly black congregations. The motive for the vandalism remains unclear and it is unknown whether any hate crime charges would be filed.

The attack against the North Carolina churches marks the most recent acts of vandalism against places of worship.

The nondenominational Axis Church in Nashville reported a similar attack involving a Molotov cocktail last September. Federal investigators offered a financial reward for any information on who may have been responsible for the attack. Two months after the incident, church leaders were still working to repair the damage, which forced them to strip everything down to studs and rebuild.

New York City police are investigating after thieves decapitated angel statues and ripped a centuries-old solid gold tabernacle worth $2 million from the altar of a local Catholic church.

Last month, pro-abortion vandals targeted two separate churches in Colorado with graffiti messages like Abortion Saves Lives and My Body My Choice. Windows were broken and church statues were defaced as well.

The vandalism occurred days after Politico published the contents of a leaked draft majority opinion that indicated the U.S. Supreme Court may overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide in the coming weeks.

Since the publication of the draft opinion, reports of vandalism and other damage have been reported at churches and pro-life pregnancy centers across the U.S., including in Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
Most Americans say allowing kids to use 'preferred pronouns' confuses them about sex, survey finds

A majority of Americans believe allowing children to choose a preferred pronoun that does not correspond with their biological sex would only confuse them, according to a new poll.

Researchers with Harvard's Center for American Political Studies and Harris Poll conducted a survey in May that asked over 1,900 registered voters whether children should be able to choose between using he, she or they, or whether they should be addressed by their sex.

Nearly six out of 10 respondents (59%) said children should be "called by their sex."

Forty-one percent of respondents believe "Kids should be able to pick their pronouns." Sixty-one percent of Democrats, 56% of respondents between ages 18 to 34 and 53% of respondents who lived in an urban region said the same.

Republicans (77%) and independents (64%) overwhelmingly believe children should be referred to by their biological sex. The majorities of both male (60%) and female (59%) respondents agree.

The survey also asked whether allowing kids to pick their pronouns is a move that "prevents discrimination against transgender students" or an "excessive measure that does more to confuse kids about their sex."

A solid majority  60%  said they believe preferred pronouns are an excessive measure that does more to confuse kids about their sex." The other 40% believe using pronouns preferred by children prevents discrimination.

Parents (59%) and non-parents (58%) agreed that children should be called by their biological sex.

Most respondents said they think teachers should be able to use whichever pronouns they prefer for their students, with 63% of respondents saying they should have discretion when it comes to pronouns in the classroom.

A majority of Democrats (56%) and respondents aged 18-34 (54%) said teachers should be compelled to use pronouns that kids say they want to be used under penalty of losing their job, according to the survey.

About 27% of respondents think it should be classified as "illegal discrimination" for failing to use someone's selected pronouns, while 73% said it should not be considered "illegal."

The poll was conducted online in the United States from May 18 to May 19, 2022, among 1,963 registered voters. Results were weighted for age within gender, region, race/ethnicity, marital status, household size, income, employment, education, political party and political ideology where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population.

Far from being hypothetical, the issue of using biological sex pronouns for trans-identified people  which the LGBT community refers to as deadnaming  has resulted in legal battles for many Christians, particularly those with careers in academia.

A federal judge granted a temporary order last month in the case of a Kansas teacher suing her school district over policies requiring teachers to use the preferred names and pronouns of trans-identified students and hide those preferences from parents.

U.S. District Judge Holly Teeter partially granted a preliminary injunction on behalf of Fort Riley Middle School teacher Pamela Ricard preventing Geary County Schools Unified School District 475 from disciplining her for not referring to a students preferred name and pronouns in her communications with a trans-identified students parents "within the regular course of her duties."

In April, a Christian professor in Ohio who claims he was threatened with punishment by university officials in Ohio for refusing to use the preferred pronouns of a trans-identified student was awarded a $400,000 settlement and secured the right to avoid using pronouns that conflict with his beliefs.

Last fall, a Pennsylvania university threatened disciplinary action against students who misuse pronouns, including misgendering, pronoun misuse, and deadnaming.

In 2018, a school board in Virginia fired teacher Peter Vlaming because he wouldn't agree to use the preferred pronoun of a trans-identified student. Following his firing, a large group of students at West Point High School staged a walkout to protest the teacher's termination. Vlaming filed a lawsuit against the West Point School Board in October 2019.

In 2021, another teacher was placed on leave in Loudoun County, Virginia, after he voiced concern at a school board meeting about a proposed policy that has since been enacted requiring teachers to use the preferred pronouns of their trans-identified students. A judge ordered the teacher's suspension to be lifted, and the Virginia Supreme Court rejected the school district's appeal.
Pro-life group to counter abortion activists' 'summer of rage' with 'summer of service'

A pro-life leader is rallying her group to counter the promises of violence this summer from abortion extremists with acts of servitude following a leaked draft opinion indicating that most justices are inclined to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case that legalized abortion nationwide.

Militant abortion activists have vandalized churches and pro-life pregnancy centers throughout the country, with Women's March President Rachel Carmona promising that this will be a "summer of rage."

Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins told The Christian Post that her organization had already been working for over a year to put initiatives together for the summer when she heard the Women's March president's declaration.

"When I saw this 'summer of rage declaration,' obviously I was like, 'Wait a minute, we have a 'summer of service.' This is exactly what we're doing," the pro-life leader said in an interview with CP. "I was like, 'Well, we can't let them do this. Do something better. 'Resist the summer of rage and join the summer of service.'"

The Supreme Court is considering whether to uphold Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban, and a ruling is expected sometime in June.

According to a May 2 Politico report, a leaked draft opinion shows that a majority of the justices are leaning toward reversing Roe. A statement the following day by the court verified the authenticity of the draft opinion, but also said the draft does not reflect the final ruling.

In anticipation of the ruling, many pro-life groups are making preparations to help women and children in a post-Roe society.

This Valentine's Day, SFLA relaunched "Standing With You," a program that ensures pregnant women know where to find resources and support on campus. The group gave the website a "facelift," according to Hawkins, using the talking point, "In a post-Roe America, no woman stands alone."

SFLA started the program 12 years ago, calling it "Pregnant On Campus" at the time, which served as a database of resources for pregnant and parenting students. A few years ago, Hawkins said her team decided to expand the program and make it national.

After renaming it "Standing With You," a chat feature was added, allowing users to instantly connect with someone at Heartbeat International, which runs the largest network of pregnancy centers in the country. A phone number was also added, connecting women to pregnancy centers in their community.

"We really wanted a national resource, a one-stop-shop where women and families who were facing an unexpected pregnancy could go for support," Hawkins said.

The pro-life group is also doork nocking and making communities aware of pregnancy resources through its "Abortion Free Cities" campaign in 22 cities throughout the country. In addition, Hawkins revealed that SFLA is launching a billboard campaign in multiple cities, including Naples, Florida, Dallas, Texas, Tacoma, Washington, and Sacramento, California.

"We've spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on digital ads, and now billboards should be launching in a week advertising 'Standing With You' and nonviolent resources like this," the SLFA president said.

One billboard campaign is called "See Her Hurt," and it will direct women to a website where they can watch a video about the emotional pain caused by abortion. The other billboard directs people to the "Standing With You" website, where they can find information about pregnancy support services.

In March, Hawkins also began spreading the word about an idea she had to host a "Standing With Her Sunday," a national simulcast slated to take place at the end of the summer this year.

The event will feature pro-life leaders from national groups such as Turning Point USA, Support After Abortion, and the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. The event is still in the planning stages, but the purpose is to show church leaders how to help their community and congregants access life-affirming resources in a post-Roe era.

"Because this is when the Church is really going to have to step up. And I know far too many Christians who simply don't know about all these pregnancy resources, these nonviolent alternatives that exist," Hawkins said.

SFLA is also promoting a digital and physical pledge program called "Standing With Her Summer," which the group will distribute online. The program enables people to pledge that they will stand with women facing unexpected pregnancies. Participants will then receive email updates about how to take an active role in serving women and children.

Hawkins revealed that SFLA will also distribute the "Standing With Her Summer" pledge at Christian music festivals taking place this summer, including ones in Washington and Pennsylvania.

"We take this responsibility very seriously that we're going to be this first post-Roe generation, and we have a lot of work to do," the pro-life leader said.

In addition to SFLA, local pregnancy centers and the leaders of national pro-life organizations such as Human Coalition and Lifeline Children's Services outlined their plans earlier this month to help women in a post-Roe society.

"The truth of the matter is, Lifeline [Children's Services] and other organizations like ours, we're ready," Lifeline President Herbie Newell said in an interview with CP. "We're scaled for the ability to help more women."
Abundant life is a fundamental human right

Jesus stated, as recorded in John 10:10, that he came to give us life more abundantly. This is Jesus mission for all people. That means the freedom to make a decision for abundant life is a fundamental human right. Protecting the Christian communitys religious liberties to help people make this decision is critical. And exercising our freedom to help people decide on abundant life must be our communitys mission.

As such, I am not necessarily pro-life, although I lead a national organization of pregnancy centers. Instead, I am Pro Abundant Life.

When unplanned pregnancies occur, everyone has a decision to make. In the first chapter of Matthew, a pregnant, unmarried (but betrothed) teenager has a decision to make. Her betrothed has to make a decision. Their community has to make a decision.

In the story of Jesus birth, Mary made the decision to choose life for her unborn child when she said to the angel, Let it be unto me as you have said. Josephs first instinct was to make the child a social outcast  he wanted to divorce her quietly  yet a visit from the same angel changed him, and he made the decision to be a husband to Mary and a father to the child growing inside of her. Then, Marys cousin Elizabeths response to the pregnancy confirmed the communitys decision. Her decision: We will choose life for this baby and abundant life for your family.

In this story, we see Gods high idea for families to be made up of a loving father and mother, united in marriage, loving each other, loving their child, and loving God. And for their communities to support, embrace, and love them.

Jesus could have come into the world via a single mother, but that was not Gods high idea. It would have fulfilled His purpose but violated His principles around what a family should look like. So, while it is unreasonable to expect that every unplanned pregnancy will result in a man marrying a woman and living as a family, it is perfectly reasonable to help women, men, and communities understand Gods high idea so that intergenerational cycles can be broken and families can begin to pursue the abundant life that Jesus promised.

Roe v. Wade legalized abortion and also separated fatherhood and motherhood in the womb. That is why, legally and culturally, women become mothers when they get pregnant, but men dont become fathers until the child is born. Thats why men say today that they dont want to be a father, even though a child is already conceived.

But Care Net helps men understand that they are already a father at conception. His decision is not whether or not he is a father, but what kind of a father he will be. Will he follow Josephs example and accept the responsibility of marriage and fatherhood? Or will he follow the example of King Herod in that same story, who ordered the deaths of infant boys? Is he going to sacrifice the innocent to protect himself? Or will he sacrifice himself to protect the innocent?

Too often in the pro-life movement, we dont include men in our work to end abortion. And too often we dont have a long-term plan to care for families after the birth of the child. But in the biblical narrative, we see the Christian community supporting everyone  the woman, the man, and the baby. This is discipleship, which is a key to ending abortion and providing families with the life support they need.

I care so deeply about the pro-life movement getting this right because I lived it. My mom was a single mother and, like many, a hero. But it was a hard life for all of us. Through the hardship, I made it through school and was accepted into Princeton University.

When I was a 19-year-old junior, my 18-year-old sophomore girlfriend, Yvette, became pregnant. The school nurse who tested Yvette said without taking a breath, It's positive and of course, you're going to have an abortion. Yvette told her she wanted to get married, graduate from Princeton, and become a doctor. The nurse immediately said, How are you going to be a doctor with a baby?

When Yvette told me about the baby, I had to dig deep. Finally, I said, in my own 19-year-old way, I'll be a husband to you and a father to our child. Having the support she needed made her decision so much easier. It turned out the nurse was right about one thing. Yvette didn't graduate from Princeton with a baby. She graduated as a wife and mother of two babies. And she became a doctor. We are still married to this day, and our two sons are also married.

That nurse was assuming that Yvette would not have the support she needed from me or from her community; therefore she would not be able to achieve her dreams and aspirations. But imagine a nation where every woman and man facing a pregnancy decision knows they will have the loving support of a church and the Christian community at large.

Only then will we be able to fulfill our mission of giving people the freedom to pursue the abundant life that can only come from a relationship with Jesus Christ.
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KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  On Ukraines battlefields, the simple act of powering up a cellphone can beckon a rain of deathly skyfall. Artillery radar and remote controls for unmanned aerial vehicles may also invite fiery shrapnel showers.

This is electronic warfare, a critical but largely invisible aspect of Russias war against Ukraine. Military commanders largely shun discussing it, fearing theyll jeopardize operations by revealing secrets.

Electronic warfare technology targets communications, navigation and guidance systems to locate, blind and deceive the enemy and direct lethal blows. It is used against artillery, fighter jets, cruise missiles, drones and more. Militaries also use it to protect their forces.

Its an area where Russia was thought to have a clear advantage going into the war. Yet, for reasons not entirely clear, its much-touted electronic warfare prowess was barely seen in the wars early stages in the chaotic failure to seize the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

It has become far more of a factor in fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine, where shorter, easier-to-defend supply lines let Russia move electronic warfare gear closer to the battlefield.

They are jamming everything their systems can reach, said an official of Aerorozvidka, a reconnaissance team of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle tinkerers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of safety concerns. We cant say they dominate, but they hinder us greatly.

A Ukrainian intelligence official called the Russian threat pretty severe when it comes to disrupting reconnaissance efforts and commanders communications with troops. Russian jamming of GPS receivers on drones that Ukraine uses to locate the enemy and direct artillery fire is particularly intense on the line of contact, he said.

Ukraine has scored some successes in countering Russias electronic warfare efforts. It has captured important pieces of hardware  a significant intelligence coup  and destroyed at least two multi-vehicle mobile electronic warfare units.

Its own electronic warfare capability is hard to assess. Analysts say it has markedly improved since 2014, when Russia seized Crimea and instigated a separatist revolt in eastern Ukraine. But there are setbacks. Last week, Russia claimed it destroyed a Ukrainian electronic intelligence center in the southeastern town of Dniprovske. The claim could not be independently confirmed, and Ukrainian officials did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine has also made effective use of technology and intelligence from the United States and other NATO members. Such information helped Ukraine sink the battle cruiser Moskva. Allied satellites and surveillance aircraft help from nearby skies, as does billionaire Elon Musks Starlink satellite communications network.

Electronic war has three basic elements: probe, attack and protect. First, intelligence is gathered by locating enemy electronic signals. On attack, white noise jamming disables and degrades enemy systems, including radio and cellphone communications, air defense and artillery radars. Then there is spoofing, which confuses and deceives. When it works, munitions miss their targets.

Operating on a modern battlefield without data is really hard, said retired Col. Laurie Buckhout, a former U.S. Army electronic warfare chief. Jamming can blind and deafen an aircraft very quickly and very dangerously, especially if you lose GPS and radar and youre a jet flying at 600 miles an hour.

All of which explains the secrecy around electronic warfare.

It is an incredibly classified field because it is highly dependent on evolving, bleeding-edge technologies where gains can be copied and erased very quickly, said James Stidham, a communications security expert who has consulted for the U.S. State and Homeland Security departments.

Ukraine learned hard lessons about electronic warfare in 2014 and 2015, when Russia overwhelmed its forces with it. The Russians knocked drones out of the sky and disabled warheads, penetrated cellphone networks for psychological ops and zeroed in on Ukrainian armor.

One Ukrainian officer told Christian Brose, an aide to the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., how Russian info warriors tricked a commander into returning a wireless call from his mother. When he did, they geolocated him in mid-call and killed him with precision rockets, Brose wrote in the book The Kill Chain.

The U.S. also experienced Russias electronic warfare in action in Syria, where the adversaries have backed opposing sides in the civil war. In 2018, U.S. Special Operations chief Gen. Raymond Thomas described how U.S. pilots communications were regularly knocked down in Syria in the most aggressive electronic warfare environment on the planet. Russias advanced systems are designed to blind U.S. Airborne Warning and Control Systems, or AWACS, aircraft  the eyes and ears of battlefield commanders  as well as cruise missiles and spy satellites.

In the current war, electronic warfare has become a furious theater of contention.

Aerorozvidka has modified camera-equipped drones to pinpoint enemy positions and drop mortars and grenades. Hacking is also used to poison or disable enemy electronics and collect intelligence.

Ukrainian officials say their electronic warfare capabilities have improved radically since 2015. They include the use of encrypted U.S and Turkish communications gear for a tactical edge. Ukraine has advanced so much it exports some of its technology.

Russia has engaged in GPS jamming in areas from Finland to the Black Sea, said Lt. Col. Tyson Wetzel, an Air Force fellow at the Atlantic Council. One regional Finnish carrier, Transaviabaltica, had to cancel flights on one route for a week as a result. Russian jamming has also disrupted Ukrainian television broadcasting, said Frank Backes, an executive with California-based Kratos Defense, which has satellite ground stations in the region.

Yet in the wars early days, Russias use of electronic warfare was less effective and extensive than anticipated. That may have contributed to its failure to destroy enough radar and anti-aircraft units to gain air superiority.

Russias defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment for this article.

Some analysts believe Russian commanders held back units fearing the units would be captured. At least two were seized. One was a Krasukha-4, which a U.S. Army database says is designed to jam satellite signals as well as surveillance radar and radar-guided weapons from more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away. The other: the more advanced Borisoglebsk-2, which can jam drone guidance systems and radio-controlled land mines.

Russia may have also limited the use of electronic warfare early in the conflict because of concerns that ill-trained or poorly motivated technicians might not operate it properly.

What were learning now is that the Russians eventually turned it off because it was interfering with their own communications so much, said retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, a former U.S. Army commander for Europe.

The communications problems were evident with many Russian troops talking on insecure open radio channels, easily monitored by outsiders.

Its unclear how much of an edge Russias electronic assets may now offer. Ukraines forces are now more concentrated than early in the war, which could make them easier to target.

Much depends on whether Russias battalion tactical groups are configured in reality as they are on paper, said James Rands, of the Janes military intelligence think tank. Each group, comprised of roughly 1,000 troops, is supposed to have an electronic warfare unit. The Pentagon says 110 such groups are in Ukraine.

The Kremlin also claims to have more than 1,000 small, versatile Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles it uses for reconnaissance, targeting, jamming and cellphone interception.

Russia has lost about 50 of its Orlan-10s in the war, but whatever they lost could be a small portion of whats flying, said researcher Samuel Bendett, of the Center for Naval Analyses think tank.

Ukraines relative UAV strength is unclear, but Ukrainians have adapted such technologies as software-defined radio and 3D printing to stay nimble.

The U.S. and Britain also supply jamming gear, but how much it helps is unclear. Neither country has offered details. The ability of both sides to disable the other's drones is crucial with the artillery they scout now so decisive in battles.

Musk's Starlink is a proven asset. Its more than 2,200 low-orbiting satellites provide broadband internet to more than 150,000 Ukrainian ground stations. Severing those connections is a challenge for Russia. It is far more difficult to jam low-earth orbiting satellites than geostationary ones.

Musk has won plaudits from the Pentagon for at least temporarily defeating Russian jamming of Ukrainian satellite uplinks with a quick software fix. But he has warned Ukrainians to keep those terminals powered down when possible  they are vulnerable to geolocation  and recently worried on Twitter about redoubled Russian interference efforts.

Im sure that the Russians are getting smarter about that now, said Wetzel, the Air Force lieutenant colonel.

___

Bajak reported from Boston. AP correspondent Lolita C. Baldor contributed from Washington.
Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten History

By Jeff Nussbaum

Flatiron. 374 pp. $29.99

- - -

There's an old joke in which a political speechwriter dies and goes before Saint Peter, who gives him a choice between heaven and hell. Keeping an open mind, the speechwriter asks to see both. Saint Peter takes him to hell first, showing him a room packed with exhausted-looking speechwriters, all typing away madly, racing to hit their deadlines. "That's my worst nightmare!" says the speechwriter. "Please show me heaven." So, Saint Peter takes him there and shows him another room, also full of frantically typing speechwriters. "But this is the same as hell!" the writer protests. "Not at all," Saint Peter answers. "Up here, we use their stuff."

That neatly sums up the strange world of professional speechwriting, a land of ghost drafts, scraps, rewrites, recycles, deep-dive research, retractions, excisions, cross-outs and hurry-ups. While there have been many books written about the art - Peggy Noonan's "The Time of Our Lives: Collected Writings" (2015) and Ted Sorensen's "Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History" (2008) jump to mind - Jeff Nussbaum's delightful "Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten History" stands alone in celebrating orphaned speeches that never made it to the podium, yet retain historical resonance.

Nussbaum is a veteran of the profession, possessing a witty, Art Buchwald-esque writing style. He produced superb work for Vice Presidents Joe Biden and Al Gore, co-wrote "Had Enough?: A Handbook for Fighting Back" (with James Carville) and "Intelligence Matters: The CIA, the FBI, Saudi Arabia, and the Failure of America's War on Terror" (with Bob Graham), and is a partner in the speechwriting and strategy firm West Wing Writers. Boldly, Nussbaum claims that speechwriting's dirty secret is that most of what political, business and cultural leaders say is pablum. For every JFK "Ask not what your country can do for you" oration there are a dozen Gerald Ford clunkers and another dozen that never get delivered at all - and it's the cream of those latter that "Undelivered" takes as its subject matter, giving Nussbaum fertile ground for rethinking how significant oration is made. Sometimes a speech will go undelivered because of something as simple as a snowstorm or a scheduling change, he says, but at other times "History - with a capital H - intervenes, when leaders are forced to choose, and the words they didn't use tell us as much as the ones they did."

Scavenging among the documents of unrealized futures, Nussbaum resurrects speeches such as Condoleezza Rice's undelivered doctrine from Sept. 11, 2001, and Hillary Clinton's aborted presidential victory speech of Nov. 5, 2016. Both lead Nussbaum, a Democratic strategist, to ponder how the 21st century would have been different had terrorists not brought down the World Trade Center towers or the electoral college delivered the presidency to Donald Trump - or, for that matter, had his old boss Al Gore been declared the 2000 presidential winner over George W. Bush and made climate change America's top public policy issue.

Older speeches lay clear the perils of historic pivot-points. Dwight Eisenhower's apology for the failure of the D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944, for example, is a seminal part of World War II history, standing out as the most riveting example that history isn't preordained and leaders don't have the luxury of hindsight. "Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops," Eisenhower would have said had the Allied invasion turned into a Dunkirk-like boondoggle. "My decision to attack at this time and place was based on the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone."

As Nussbaum points out, Eisenhower's undelivered message has led great military historians like Stephen E. Ambrose and Dennis Showalter to ponder how an Allied loss at Normandy would have changed history for the worse. Luckily, Eisenhower never had to deliver the speech. In Nussbaum's able hands, Ike's filed-away draft serves as an object lesson in the language of leadership and responsibility.

Another of the book's strong suits is its resurfacing of potentially incendiary speeches that were never set ablaze. I was particularly taken by the speech that anarchist Emma Goldman would have delivered at her sentencing for inciting a riot in 1893, had she decided to rile up her supporters. Nussbaum also includes a powerful speech Helen Keller planned to deliver at a suffrage parade in 1913, had she not become concerned for her personal safety.

Conversely, I'm baffled why Nussbaum included Mayor Abe Beame's draft 1975 speech announcing that New York was teetering on bankruptcy - which is unreservedly dull. Sometimes, too, the book lurches into the quicksand of what former Atlantic Monthly managing editor Cullen Murphy once called "provisional history," or seems to weave from port to port with no ultimate destination in mind. To some degree that's to be expected, a lack of through-line being almost inevitable in a compendium of speeches that, for various reasons, went unspoken. But I did sometimes have the feeling of sifting through a Christie's or Sotheby's catalogue: its listings factually accurate, well curated, and interesting in and of themselves, but telling no overarching story.

Some chapters, however, hold up in dramatic ways, and the closing one is particularly strong, with Nussbaum reflecting on how great figures' last words can live in immortality. Scholars debate, for instance, whether Thomas Jefferson's final words were "No doctor, nothing more" or "Is it the Fourth yet?" - the latter the far more glorious option because, as Nussbaum puts it, "we want last words to be meaningful, lasting, and profound." For prescient but undelivered last words by an American president, the award must go to John F. Kennedy, whose speech at the Dallas Trade Mart on the night of his assassination would have addressed "misinformation" that could undermine America's standing in the world. "We cannot expect that everyone, to use the phrase of a decade ago, will 'talk sense to the American people,'" the speech reads. "But we can hope that fewer people will listen to nonsense."

As Nixon speechwriter William Safire wrote in his classic "Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History" (1992), a speech on a page is like a movie's screenplay: of limited appeal when read as literature. "What makes a draft speech a real speech is the speaking of it," he noted. That the speeches in "Undelivered" were never orated does take some of the helium out of their balloons, but in Nussbaum's able hands, this cruise through what-might-have-been offers a hell of a fun ride.

- - -

Douglas Brinkley is the Katherine Tsanoff Brown chair in humanities and professor of history at Rice University and the author of "American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race."
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LONDON (AP)  Tongas chief diplomat in the United Kingdom will be thinking about two monarchs this weekend as Britain and the Commonwealth celebrate Queen Elizabeth IIs Platinum Jubilee.

There is Elizabeth, of course, who will celebrate 70 years on the throne with four days of parades and pageantry.

But High Commissioner Titilupe Fanetupouvavau Tuivakano will also remember her great- grandmother Queen Salote Tupou III, who endeared herself to Britons as she rode through the streets of London in an open carriage during Elizabeths coronation parade in 1953.

Despite pouring rain, Queen Salote refused to close the top as a sign of respect for the new monarch, drawing cheers from the revelers lining the streets.

Every single Tongan knows about that experience, Tuivakano told The Associated Press. I even have some individuals walking up to me (in London) and asking me, Are you Tongan? These are ladies who were there 70 years ago.  They still remember what happened.

Tonga is an example of how Britains relationship with the world has changed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

The archipelago of 170 islands in the South Pacific was a British protectorate at the time of the coronation. It became fully independent in 1970 and joined the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 54 countries that grew out of the British Empire and is headed by Elizabeth.

Britain worked closely with Australia and New Zealand, two other Commonwealth nations, to provide aid to Tonga after a volcanic eruption and tsunami devastated the islands earlier this year.

Queen Salote was just 18 when she came to the throne in 1918. She is credited with laying the groundwork for independence, though she died in 1965 before seeing it become reality.

Her actions at the coronation helped cement the links between the two countries, the diplomat said.

There were crowds and crowds of people who witnessed this auspicious occasion and this sign of traditional Tongan respect which was passed down among generations, she said. I think this has, in a sense, not only reflected the relationship between the United Kingdom and Tonga but also among the people of the United Kingdom that were there and also the people of Tonga.

One of those who witnessed the event was David Hodge, a young soldier who marched in the parade. Fresh from a posting in what was then known as Malaya, Hodges unit of the Somerset Light Infantry was positioned right behind the Tongan monarchs carriage.

The crowd loved her sitting in an open carriage taking absolutely no notice of the weather and with a wonderful smile on her face the whole time, Hodge wrote on the 40th anniversary of the coronation in 1993. Her happiness summed up the whole day for a great many people that day.

Hodge died in 2013. But his daughter Susan Duddridge will dance in Sundays jubilee pageant, providing a direct link between the coronation parade and this weekends celebrations.

She will be thinking of her dad as she joins 10,000 performers for the procession that ends outside Buckingham Palace.

My dad was very proud when he was chosen to march at the coronation, so to have the opportunity to walk in his footsteps is amazing, she said. And I am equally as proud to be part of this amazing day.

The build up to the jubilee has also been a time of reflection for Tongas high commissioner, who has small etching of Queen Elizabeth II on her desk and an immense black and white photograph of her great-grandmother on her office wall.

Tuivakano sees similarities between the two queens from opposite sides of the world. Both were crowned at a young age and took their places in a male dominated world. Yet both became iconic in their own right and hold respect that transcends generations.

As she takes Queen Salotes picture off the wall to pose for a photograph, Tuivakano gently touches the edge of the frame, handling it with great care. It is almost as if the queens spirit is not far.

The great-grandmother she never met still serves as a guiding light. When asked what she would say to Queen Salote if she had the chance, she responds quietly.

I would tell her that she has left a great legacy, not only for our family, but for Tonga and the Pacific region and also the world, she said. We have all tried to follow suit. I would tell her that.

___

Follow AP's coverage of Queen Elizabeth II at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii
Another sweat-filled Houston summer is upon us. So every week until it hits 70, we'll tell you where to find refreshing eats and drinks to cool off in every neighborhood.

Last week, we hit up Montrose and dished on where to seek out 6 cool treatsfrom ice cream to frozen cocktails.

Next up? The Heights. Here are the best places for icy refreshments, from frozen margaritas to snow cones and gelato bars. Welcome to the Summer of Sweat.

Courtesy

Aqua S

Save yourself a drive to Asiatown and score Australia-based brand Aqua S soft serve at its outpost in the Heights. The shop offers a revolving selection of more than 100 flavors of sea salt soft serve, including flavors like banana, red velvet and sweet potato.

Find it: 506 Yale St., Unit D, Houston, TX 77007; 346-293-9917

Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 12-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 12-11 p.m.

Michael Paulsen, Staff / Houston Chronicle

Cloud 10 Creamery

This small-batch ice cream and sorbet shop is a foolproof place to indulge. Located at the Heights Mercantile, you can choose from traditional scoops in a cup or a cone, or try a push pop or ice cream sandwich before perusing the nearby shops for some retail therapy.

Find it: 711A Heights Blvd., Houston, TX 77007; 713-485-5106

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Michael Ciaglo, Staff Photographer / Houston Chronicle

Dolce Neve

Find much more than plain gelato at this Austin-based gelato shop. In addition to gelato bars and sandwiches built with gelato flavors like salted caramel and pistachio, you can cool down with affogatos and Italian shaved ice.

Find it: 4721 N. Main St., Ste H, Houston, TX 77009; 832-767-2183

Hours: Monday, 1-9 p.m.; Tuesday, 2-9 p.m.; Wednesday-Thursday, 1-9 p.m.; Friday, 1-10 p.m.; Saturday, 12-10 p.m.; Sunday, noon-9 p.m.

Honeychild's Sweet Creams

Honeychild's Sweet Creams garnered a loyal following by popping up at coffee shops and farmers markets around town, but now you can get the icy frozen custard on a regular basis at the new M-K-T development in the Heights. The frozen custard, in flavors like Texas sheet cake and peach cobbler, is house-made with all-natural, locally sourced ingredients.

Find it: 600 N. Shepherd Drive, Suite 450, Houston, TX 77007; 832-280-7854

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 12-10 p.m.; Sunday, 12-6 p.m.

Courtesy

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

This beloved ice cream chain has an outpost on the buzzy corner of Ashland and 19th Street. Score scoops of unique flavors like brown butter almond brittle and skillet cinnamon roll. Prefer sorbet over ice cream? Opt for frose sorbet made with real wine.

Find it: 375 W. 19th St., Houston, TX 77008; 346-335-1394

Hours: Monday-Thursday, 12-11 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-midnight

Yelp/Natalie G.

Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard

At Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard, a rotating menu of more than 75 flavors of Italian ice, made fresh daily, are offered. For something cold and creamy, opt for a milkshake or blendini with candy mix-ins.

Find it: 2802 White Oak Drive, Houston, TX 77007; 832-987-4827

Hours: Monday-Thursday, 12-9 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, 12-10 p.m.

Yelp/Cindy M.

Tampico Refresqueria

Find refreshing raspasor snow conesand mangonadas at this trusty Heights kiosk, known for its icy treats and Mexican street snacks. Flavors range from wild cherry and pineapple to tamarind and Mexican vanilla. Amp up your order with a topping of crema or chamoy.

Find it: 4520 N. Main St., Houston, TX 77009; 713-880-3040

Hours: Sunday-Friday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

Yelp/Nat + Justin J.

Tikila's

This Texas-sized tiki bar, boasting plenty of indoor and outdoor space to lazily spend summer days in, offers frozen margaritas and mojitos, plus beach resort favorites like pina coladas and palomas. For a true vacation-style cocktail without the vacation, spring for the Lime in the Coconut, presented in a real coconut.

Find it: 2708 N. Shepherd Drive, Houston, TX 77008; 713-485-0211

Hours: Monday-Thursday, 3 p.m.-12 a.m.; Friday, 3 p.m.-2 a.m.; Saturday, 12 p.m.-2 a.m.; Sunday, 12 p.m.-12 a.m.
Terraform Labs' Co-founder Do Kwon's Twitter page / Screen capture from Twitter





By Lee Min-hyung







Do Kwon, co-founder of Terraform Labs, is being pushed into a corner amid growing skepticism over its much-hyped Terra Luna 2.0 ecosystem.







Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao was the latest crypto mogul to have stepped up criticism of the Korean developer. He has ordered his exchange team to look into any allegations that Kwon and Terraform Labs face over the recent Luna fiasco.







The decision reflected the escalating controversies surrounding the sustainability of the revived Terra ecosystem after the value of its predecessor suddenly dropped to near zero last month. Kwon then launched the new ecosystem, as part of a desperate bid to compensate for investor loss by issuing new tokens.







However, with Luna 2.0 showing drastic price fluctuations after its launch last week, crypto tycoons and industry officials have issued a series of warning messages against the cryptocurrency, urging investors to pay special attention before buying the new Luna token.







The world's largest crypto exchange operator also reiterated its strong willingness to team up with global investigative authorities to get the facts straight regarding the rumors and allegations that Kwon and his company face.







Daegun, a Seoul-based law firm representing a group of 12 victims from the Luna fiasco sued Kwon and Shin Hyun-sung, another co-founder of the company, at the Seoul Southern District Court, Thursday.







Kwon is known to be staying in Singapore, though his whereabouts have not been confirmed presently. He is still actively promoting the rebranded Terra on his social networking accounts.







The Korean entrepreneur came under heavy criticism across the globe particularly due to his absence from public appearances even weeks after the big scandal erupted. While prices for the Terra stablecoin and its sister token Luna massively dropped each day in mid-May, he did not take any immediate actions, nor did he engage in any real-time communication with investors.







"Terra itself, their project team, was quiet for way too long and not frequent enough in their communications with users," the Binance leader told Fortune in a recent interview. "So, I think all of those things went wrong."







Despite the unceasing lawsuits against the Terraform Labs founder here and abroad, Kwon did not make any hints of him making a public appearance to apologize to investors over the two collapsed cryptocurrencies.







Korean authorities have also launched an investigation into Terraform Labs and its founders. The prosecution has recently summoned a former developer of the company for questioning. But it remains unclear whether the prosecution will be able to summon Kwon for the time being.


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WEST HARTFORD  When Gala Flagello and Aaron Price were students at the University of Hartfords Hartt School, they couldnt find a nearby music festival that was to their liking.

A lot of music students will look for summer music festivals or young artist programs to continue their learning throughout the summer, Price said. Gala and I were looking. Whats near us? The answer was very, very little. Thats how we recognized the need to start a festival.

To fix that, they created their own, and now Connecticut Summerfest is returning for its seventh season, and first in-person iteration since 2019.

Their goal was to make an affordable and inclusive educational festival that combines learning with free public performances.

Were a festival by composers for composers, Flagello said. Truly, when we were applying to festivals as students sitting next to each other in the library, these were the things we want in a festival. We should do it. We should make that happen.

The festival invites composers to spend a week working towards before having their original works performed by a professional ensemble.

The tuition, weve been lowering every single year, Price said. Our concert series has always been free. As a nonprofit we are providing education for composers as a next career step for them to have a piece performed by professional ensembles.

The festival runs from June 9 through June 15, with a weeks worth of presentations, rehearsals, seminars, guest speakers and more sprinkled throughout. It all culminates in four performances at the Hartt Schools Berkman Recital Hall.

Those concerts are all free to the public, another important component of what Flagello and Price want to offer to the greater Hartford community.

For the public, weve often taken issue with that ivory tower nature of classical music, Price said. We wanted to have an accessible free concert series that costs nothing to attend with a casual dress code. If you can wear it to McDonalds, you can wear it to our concert. We want it to be a very welcoming atmosphere.

They also are working to break down barriers that might exist between the audience and the composers by encouraging interaction between the two audiences during and after the show.

We encourage audience members to speak to the composers and the performers and everyone involved in the festival, Price said. Theres no stupid questions. If they want to ask how a French horn works, thats a perfectly valid thing to ask.

What the public wont see is all the hard work that happens behind the scenes in the days before the performances. The festival brings three ensembles in to work with and perform the works of the composers on the final night of the festival.

The ensembles that we hire, its important that they like talking to the audience between pieces and explaining their relationships with the composer, Flagello said. Aaron and I have both had experiences at other summer music festivals where you go and sort of hand your notes on a page to someone who has never looked at them before and kind of has no interest in playing them. You get a reading that feels very fleeting. We really wanted to build those relationships.

The first performance will be on June 10, at 8 p.m., featuring the Haven Trio. On June 11, also at 8 p.m., Del Sol Quartet will perform. A matinee performance will be held on June 12 at 4 p.m. featuring the NorthStar Duo. It all culminates on June 14, at 8 p.m., with the premiere performances of the works created by the participating composers.

Live streams of all the performances will be broadcasted online at youtube.com/connecticutsummerfest.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)  A former U.S. Air Force staff sergeant and alleged member of the boogaloo extremist movement was sentenced to 41 years in prison Friday for the fatal shooting of a federal security officer in the San Francisco Bay Area amid large 2020 protests against police brutality.

Steven Carrillo, 33, had pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal murder charge in the killing of David Patrick Underwood and to the attempted murder of Underwoods colleague after federal prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty.

The men were shot on May 29, 2020, while they stood in front of a federal building in Oakland as hundreds marched on the streets.

In February, Carrillo admitted to posting messages on Facebook a day before the shooting asking anyone if they were down to boog and saying he was ready to act and not just talk. He also admitted firing 19 rounds from a homemade AR-15 rifle from the back of a white van being driven by a man he connected with online.

I aligned myself with the anti-government movement and wanted to carry out violent acts against federal law enforcement officers in particular, Carrillo said then.

Prosecutors on Jan. 31 said they would not seek the death penalty, but U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said at a February hearing she was not convinced that a 41-year-sentence agreed to by prosecutors and defense lawyers was sufficient for Carrillos crimes.

Gonzalez Rogers had warned that she could reject the plea agreement if she didnt feel prosecutors and defense lawyers did enough to justify the sentence.

On Friday, Gonzalez Rogers sentenced Carrillo to the 41-year term, a lifetime of supervised release and an amount of restitution to be determined at a later date, a court official said. She spoke directly to Underwood's family, explaining why she had accepted the agreement.

I believe there is evil in this world.  But from what I read and studied as I tried to make and find logic in the illogical, as I have looked for answers, as you are frustrated and angry that such a tragedy could happen, what I can tell you is that I do not see evil in Mr. Carrillo," the judge was quoted as saying by the Mercury News.

I know (the plea agreement) wont make you happy but I need you to trust me. I would not accept it if I saw no measure of redemption, she said. He will spend virtually the rest of his life in prison in a cell that is typically no bigger than 10 by 6  not even bigger than that jury box.

Prosecutors have said Carrillo, of Santa Cruz, had ties to the boogaloo movement  a concept embraced by a loose network of gun enthusiasts and militia-style extremists. Experts say the group started in alt-right culture on the internet with the belief that there is an impending U.S. civil war.

Authorities accused Carrillo of fatally shooting Underwood after spraying a guard shack he was in with bullets.

Prosecutors said Robert Alvin Justus Jr., of Millbrae, drove the van. He faces federal charges of murder and attempted murder in the case.

The pair is accused of driving to Oakland and taking advantage of the distraction afforded by people marching through the citys downtown to protest George Floyds killing by a police officer in Minneapolis.

Carrillo was arrested a week after the shooting in Oakland after he allegedly ambushed sheriffs deputies in Santa Cruz County who were responding to a report of a van containing firearms and bomb-making materials. Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was killed and several other law enforcement officials were wounded, according to authorities and court records.

Prosecutors in Santa Cruz charged Carrillo with a slew of felonies, including murder and attempted murder in connection to that killing.

Carrillo has pleaded not guilty to Gutzwillers killing.
Astros pitcher treats dads to Father's Day shopping spree The 30-year-old will be experiencing his first Father's Day as a dad this month.

Rittenhouse reverses course, will attend TAMU 'feeder school' The 19-year-old amended previous statements implying he was enrolling as an Aggie in 2022.
Barry Sussman, the Washington Post editor who directly oversaw the Watergate investigation by reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, providing invaluable - if at times unheralded - contributions to the news coverage that helped force President Richard Nixon from office, died June 1 at his home in Rockville, Md. He was 87.

The cause was an apparent gastrointestinal bleed, said his daughter Shari Sussman Golob.

In Hollywood and in the public eye, newspapering is often imagined as a solitary undertaking, the work of shabbily dressed reporters hunched over their keyboards with telephones cradled between shoulder and ear, barricaded in by notepads and papers piled high atop their desks.

In truth, journalism is a far more collective enterprise, with crucial roles played by people whose names do not appear below headlines in the space known in newspaper jargon as the byline. One such person, and perhaps the chief example in The Post's unraveling of the Watergate affair, was Sussman.

A Brooklynite, Sussman began his journalism career scribbling film reviews in the darkened movie houses of New York and came to Washington by way of Appalachia, where he landed his first full-time newspaper job in his late 20s at the Bristol Herald Courier on the Virginia-Tennessee border. Rapaciously curious, and with a savant-like recall of detail, he rose in just over a year to become the newspaper's managing editor. The Post hired him in 1965 as a suburban editor on the Metropolitan desk.

By Saturday, June 17, 1972, when five burglars wearing business suits broke into the Democratic national headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, Sussman was The Post's city editor, in charge of 40 to 45 reporters and editors responsible for coverage of D.C.

One standout Metro reporter was 29-year-old Woodward. A button-down former Navy lieutenant, he had been with The Post only nine months but had already distinguished himself with his inexhaustible work ethic and investigative zeal, although not with his literary flair. Sussman took Woodward on as a protege and personal friend, journalist and Watergate scholar Alicia C. Shepard reported, helping him improve his writing "at a time when colleagues joked that for Woodward, English was a second language" and teaching him "how to take his hard-earned facts and massage them into readable stories." The morning of the Watergate break-in, Sussman immediately phoned Woodward at home and called him into the newsroom.

The more renegade Bernstein, 11 months younger than Woodward but with more than a decade of additional experience, sensed intrigue in the Watergate burglary and wanted in on the action. While other editors at The Post had grown exasperated by Bernstein's more trying habits - he was allergic to deadlines and once rented a car on The Post's dime, parked it in a garage and forgot about it - Sussman recognized his value as both a reporter and a writer and argued successfully to keep him on the Watergate story.

Paired by Sussman, Woodward and Bernstein - known collectively as Woodstein - became the most famous reporters in American journalism with their incremental and inexorable revelations of the political sabotage, corruption and coverup that began with the Watergate break-in, sent numerous Nixon associates to prison and ultimately precipitated Nixon's resignation on Aug. 9, 1974. During their reporting, Sussman was detailed to serve as special Watergate editor.

"If you look at the reporting, it wasn't just stringing together facts," Bernstein said in an interview. "It wasn't just the knocking on doors. It was also ... an intellectual process, and he had his finger on that in a way that none of the [other editors] did."

The Post's Watergate coverage received the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for public service, the highest honor in journalism, and was dramatized in "All the President's Men," the 1976 movie directed by Alan J. Pakula. Robert Redford played Woodward, convening by night in a parking garage with his highly placed source called Deep Throat. Dustin Hoffman played the shaggy-haired Bernstein. Sussman was omitted entirely.

In her 2007 book "Woodward and Bernstein: Life in the Shadow of Watergate," Shepard wrote that the filmmakers excised Sussman "for dramatic reasons." The story already had three editors - executive editor Ben Bradlee, portrayed in an Oscar-winning turn by Jason Robards; managing editor Howard Simons, whose real-life role the movie diminished, played by Martin Balsam; and Metropolitan editor Harry M. Rosenfeld, played by Jack Warden.

If Sussman was deemed superfluous for the movie - a decision that deeply wounded him, according to Shepard's reporting - he was by all accounts the opposite in the actual events that inspired it.

"Barry was essential for The Post's Watergate" coverage, said former executive editor Leonard Downie Jr., who worked as an editor on the Watergate investigation, "just as essential as Bob and Carl."

Journalist David Halberstam, writing in his 1979 book about American media, "The Powers That Be," described Sussman as "the perfect working editor at exactly the right level."

"Almost from the start, before anyone else at The Post," Halberstam wrote, Sussman "saw Watergate as a larger story, saw that individual events were part of a larger pattern, the result of hidden decisions from somewhere in the top of government which sent smaller men to run dirty errands."

Woodward and Bernstein, for their part, described Sussman as "Talmudic" in his mastery of the most arcane details of the Watergate affair and "Socratic" in his ability to elicit leads from them through his insightful questioning.

"More than any other editor at The Post, or Bernstein and Woodward, Sussman became a walking compendium of Watergate knowledge, a reference source to be summoned when even the library failed," the two reporters wrote in "All the President's Men," their 1974 book upon which the movie was based.

"On deadline, he would pump these facts into a story in a constant infusion, working up a body of significant information to support what otherwise seemed like the weakest of revelations. In Sussman's mind, everything fitted. Watergate was a puzzle and he was a collector of the pieces."

The book "All the President's Men" reportedly contributed to a rift that opened between Sussman and the two reporters he had supported through the most difficult days of the Watergate investigation, when an error in their reporting involving grand jury testimony invited questions about their credibility, and when Nixon was privately threatening "damnable, damnable" consequences for The Post in retaliation for its coverage.

Sussman had hoped to co-author the account of Watergate with Woodward and Bernstein, Shepard wrote, but the reporters ultimately moved forward alone with "All the President's Men," which became a bestseller. Shepard quoted Woodward as saying that "it was a reporter's story to tell, not an editor's," and that Sussman's "role is fully laid out in the book."

By the time the book was published, Shepard wrote, Sussman had stopped speaking to Woodward and Bernstein. According to Sussman, they were "wrong often on detail" in the book and had a tendency to "sentimentalize" the Watergate story.

Sussman wrote his own book about Watergate, "The Great Cover-Up" (1974), which broadcast journalist Brit Hume, writing in the New York Times, praised as establishing "with clarity the compelling case for Nixon's complicity in the Watergate coverup."

Decades later, when Shepard called Sussman to inquire about his two former colleagues, he replied, "I don't have anything good to say about either one of them."

Reached after Sussman's death, Woodward said in an interview that "Barry was one of the great imaginative, aggressive editors at The Washington Post during Watergate. We all owe him a debt of gratitude, particularly Carl Bernstein and myself."

Barry Sussman was born in Brooklyn on July 10, 1934. His mother, an immigrant from what was then the Russian Empire, was a homemaker. His father, who was born in the United States, was a civil servant.

Sussman graduated in 1956 from Brooklyn College, where he received a bachelor's degree in English and history, and where he was an editor and columnist on a school newspaper.

His first job post-college was at a New York advertising agency. He hated the work but reveled in moonlighting as a movie reviewer. He placed an ad in the trade publication Editor and Publisher - "freelance writer seeks first newspaper job" - and got one at the Bristol Herald Courier, more than 500 miles and a universe away from New York.

In Bristol, he met his future wife, Peggy Earhart, whom he married in 1962. Survivors include his wife, of Rockville; two daughters, Seena Sussman Gudelsky, also of Rockville, and Shari Sussman Golob of Potomac, Md.; and four grandchildren.

At The Post, Sussman became a favorite among his reporters. One of them, John Hanrahan, who went on to become executive director of the Fund for Investigative Journalism, described Sussman in an interview as "by far the best editor I ever had on any newspaper or any project I was ever involved with."

"He was wonderful to work with on deadline," another, Lawrence Meyer, recalled. "When there were holes in the story, he would send you back to fill them and manage to do everything without any kind of rancor."

Sussman had long cultivated an interest in public opinion. After Watergate, he became The Post's first in-house pollster, helping to found the Washington Post-ABC News poll.

"If presidential elections are the heart of the political process in this country," he once wrote, "political polls have become the chief instrument through which that heart's beat is measured."

Sussman penned a column on polling for The Washington Post National Weekly edition as well as a book on the subject, "What Americans Really Think and Why Our Politicians Pay No Attention" (1988).

His other books included "Maverick: A Life in Politics" (1995) written with Lowell Weicker Jr., the Republican turned independent Connecticut congressman, senator and governor who had served on the Senate Watergate Committee.

In 1987, Sussman was hired by United Press International as managing editor for national news; he resigned within months in opposition to large-scale staff cuts at the troubled news agency.

He later ran a private survey research firm, was a consultant to newspapers in Spain, Portugal and Latin America and served as editor of the Nieman Watchdog Project at Harvard University. As the internet upended the newspaper business model and hollowed out newsrooms across the United States, he cited the lack of overarching editors as "the single greatest failing of newspaper investigations these days."

"There's no cohesion in the reporting," he told Investigating Power, an online history of investigative journalism. It seemed, he said, that when new scandals arose, "there's not an editor who is told '[this] is your story,' the way I was told Watergate was my story, and you're going to get to the bottom of it."

Decades after Watergate, Sussman was sometimes called on to speak about Nixon's undoing and the ongoing role of a free press in a democracy. All those years later - the 50th anniversary of the Watergate break-in will fall just weeks after his death - Sussman, ever the attentive editor, still had command of the most granular details of the investigation he had overseen, and had at his fingertips the names of all the president's men.
Susan Walsh/AP

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden will travel to New Mexico next week to receive a briefing from state and federal officials as the state continues to deal with t he largest wildfire in state history, the White House announced Friday.

Biden is expected to meet with New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, first responders and personnel from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other agencies during his June 11 visit to the New Mexico State Emergency Operation Center in Santa Fe.
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP)  A man from Canada and a man from the United Kingdom have been indicted in Georgia on charges that they sent fentanyl to two U.S. Navy petty officers who died from overdoses in October 2017.

Thomas Michael Federuik, 59, of Vancouver, British Columbia, and Paul Anthony Nicholls, 44, of Surrey, England, are charged with conspiracy to import and distribute drugs and money laundering conspiracy.

Because prosecutors allege deaths resulted from the charges, the men could face a minimum of 20 years in prison if convicted of the drug charges. They could also face fines up to $10 million.

Federuik and Nichols were indicted under seal in 2019. The case became public last week.

"The prevalence of this drug is, in large part, fueled by an illicit pipeline of illegally imported drugs, David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, said in a statement. This investigation sought to trace that pipeline to its source to cut off its flow to our country in an effort to protect our citizens from harm.

The two overdose victims lived in Kingsland, near Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in the far southeast corner of Georgia.

Officials say Federuik and Nichols sold drugs using a website designed to be hidden from the public on the dark web," sometimes accepting cryptocurrency in payment. The drugs would arrive from Canada in packages labeled East Van Eco Tours. Canadian investigators, including those in Calgary, targeted a vendor dubbed Canada1, who prosecutors say is Federuik.

The indictment alleges Federuik and Nicholls acquired the drugs from places including China and Hungary. The two men are in custody and and are awaiting extradition proceedings to bring them to Georgia. No attorneys for the men are listed in American court records.
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DILI, East Timor (AP)  The foreign ministers of Australia and China were both making their final stops Friday on what has become an island-hopping diplomatic duel in the South Pacific.

Australias Foreign Minister Penny Wong arrived in Tonga where she met with Prime Minister Huakavameiliku and other officials including King Tupou VI. Her visit came just three days after Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi held similar meetings in Tonga.

Wong and the officials talked about climate change and rebuilding efforts after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit in January. Also on the agenda was the contentious issue of regional security.

We are not a government or a country that wants to come in and tell you what you should do, Wong said at a news conference in the capital, Nuku'alofa.

She said Australia considered itself part of the Pacific family.

We want regional security to be dealt with, to be the responsibility of the Pacific family, Wong said. And we will continue to engage with our friends, our partners in the region.

Huakavameiliku said Tonga was honored that Wong had decided to visit just two weeks after taking office, following an election in Australia.

This is a clear sign of the Australian governments strong commitment to strengthening our bilateral relations and engagement with our region, the prime minister said.

Meanwhile, Wang met in Papua New Guinea with Prime Minister James Marape and other officials before flying Friday afternoon to East Timor, the final stop on his eight-nation tour of the region and the first outside of the South Pacific. Wang is due to leave East Timor on Saturday.

Wang met his East Timorese counterpart Adaljiza Magno shortly after arriving in Dili, the capital.

The two countries have enjoyed strong relations over the past 20 years, Magno said, adding that her government was grateful for China's assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic and amid flooding last year that left dozens of people in Dili dead.

The two top diplomats signed agreements related to fisheries, water and sanitation. China also agreed to support the development of East Timor's healthcare system, including by building hospitals and sending medical teams there. And China pledged to help support East Timor's defense and education sectors.

During the visit, Wang held separate talks with East Timors Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak, who is looking to increase infrastructure investment from Australia, Japan and China.

Most government offices in the capital, including the presidential palace and the foreign and defense ministries, as well as major shopping centers, were built with Chinese investment. A commercial port built by a Chinese state-owned company is set to open later this year.

Before returning to Beijing on Saturday, Wang is scheduled to meet with East Timors newly elected President Jose Ramos-Horta and leaders of the countrys two largest political parties.

East Timor, Asias youngest country, just celebrated its 20th anniversary of independence from Indonesia, which invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975. Its transition to a democracy has been rocky, with leaders battling massive poverty, unemployment and corruption as the country continues to struggle with the legacy of its bloody independence battle and bitter factional politics that have occasionally erupted into violence. Its economy is reliant on dwindling offshore oil revenues.

Wang had hoped to ink an ambitious multilateral deal with 10 South Pacific nations this week covering everything from security to fisheries. He couldnt find consensus on that deal but has been notching up smaller wins by signing bilateral agreements with many of the countries hes been visiting.

The diplomatic push by China, especially around Pacific security, has caused deep concern among some of the island nations as well as farther afield in Canberra and Washington. Since news of the proposed deal emerged, Wong has made two trips to the Pacific to shore up support for Australia.

____

Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand.
COLLINSVILLE  About 15 people gathered outside the Ameren Illinois headquarters in Collinsville Thursday upset with higher utility rates.

On May 25, Ameren issued a statement that customers could see average power bills raise around $52 a month because of the increase in electricity supply costs. People speaking at Thursday's event said Ameren Illinois has raised its price of electricity to 10.628 cents per kilowatt hour.

"The increase is going to affect families all across the region, especially families that has already been in dire situations because of finances," said J.D. Dixon, an environmental justice organizer for United Congregations of Metro East in Cahokia. He said the increase will mostly affect the elderly and those on fixed incomes.

"Incomes are not increasing by 120%, but the energy bills are," he said. "We all know how this heat is and that the older adults in Illinois will succumb to heat strokes and heat injuries."

The Rev. Larita Rice-Barnes, Director of the Metro East Organizing Coalition in East St. Louis, called the rate increase "immoral".

"We have to always worry about our elderly and their ability to be able to cool their houses," Barnes said. "Ameren has the ability to implement programs so that our families can take advantage of those to help them to be able to pay their bills.

"We are demanding that Ameren protect our customers, protect our grids and save our power," she said.

Information on Ameren bill payment options are available at amerenillinois.com/options. The company also lists energy and money-saving resources and tips at AmerenIllinoisSavings.com.

Zach Chike, the leader of Community Development and Youth Outreach at City of Joy Fellowship in East St. Louis, gave credit to Ameren Thursday for bringing solar power to the area. But he said that does not "undo the decades of injustice and lack of care for our communities".

"Communities like ours have been written off in so many ways," Chike said. "East St. Louis was not on the minds of the people in the corporate office."

Wyvetta Granger, founder and director of Community Life Line East St. Louis, said the rate increase will affect what people pay to store diabetic medicine or use a nebulizer.

"For most of us, we're just going to make an adjustment with cutting out a meal," Granger said, . "For others, it's a matter of health."

Sally Burgess, Downstate Lead Organizing Representative for The Piasa Palisades Group, said the Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) signed into law in September can offer short and long term impact.

"CEJA puts us on a path to 100% affordable, reliable clean energy while insuring our power supply is built right here in Illinois so that Illinoisians are getting jobs," Burgess said. She said Illinois "can't slow down" on the progress that has been made.

"We're calling on Ameren to educate their customers in the ways that CEJA can empower their consumers and lower their own energy cost," she said.
WASHINGTON - Democratic candidates in high-profile Senate races are renewing a push to squash the filibuster, this time to pass stricter gun laws. They say that if elected, they would not let Republicans, or even some Democrats, stand in the way of acting on an issue with wide public support.

The massacres at a supermarket in Buffalo and an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and then a shooting Wednesday at a medical building in Tulsa that killed four people have again shined a light on Congress's inaction on the nation's gun violence epidemic. With Democrats in control of the White House and both chambers in Congress, many activists say the only thing preventing gun-related measures is the filibuster.

But party leaders and some Senate incumbents are wary of a fight they've already lost over voting rights and abortion, and they aren't interested in revisiting the filibuster debate, much preferring to keep their energy focused on the Republican opposition to gun-control laws. Democratic candidates, looking to rev up voters in the fall midterms, are planning to keep the pressure on Senate incumbents and President Biden, who addressed gun violence Thursday in a prime-time speech.

The president said it was "unconscionable" that the majority of Senate Republicans have opposed most gun-control proposals, but he did not call on Senate Democrats to end the filibuster. He said he supported the bipartisan group of senators working on a compromise proposal that could win Republican support. "We can't fail the American people again," he said.

Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who is running in a crowded primary to face Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in November, said Democrats should end the filibuster to pass their most pressing policies.

"I will never let archaic Senate procedure stand in the way of our basic human rights, whether it's the right to live free from gun violence, abortion access or the right to vote," Barnes said in an interview on Wednesday. "People are motivated, they want leaders that will do everything possible, and that means getting rid of the filibuster . . . it has to go."

Other Democratic Senate candidates in the Wisconsin primary, including Milwaukee Bucks senior vice president Alex Lasry and state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski also have called for ending the filibuster.

John Fetterman, Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor, who won last month's Senate Democratic primary, has continually raised the issue in his campaign speeches.

Some incumbents, like Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, who won a special election last year and is running for a full term this fall, have called for making rule changes that would make it harder to filibuster legislation.

Under the filibuster rule, one senator can block a bill that doesn't have at least 60 votes. Democrats hold 50 seats, and two of them, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, have refused to go along with eliminating or amending the filibuster.

If Democrats can pick up at least two seats in November, the party could have the votes needed to end the filibuster and pass legislative priorities, such as universal background checks for gun purchasers.

Before the recent mass shootings, several Democratic candidates, including Rep. Val Demings, who is trying to unseat Republican Sen. Marco Rubio in Florida, and Rep. Tim Ryan, who is running for the seat in Ohio left open by GOP Sen. Rob Portman's retirement, were calling for an end to the filibuster to get major legislation on voting rights and other issues through Congress.

Shortly after the Uvalde tragedy, in which 19 children and two teachers were killed, Ryan did so again.

"But while we mourn the 21 Americans murdered in another entirely preventable attack, I am beyond frustrated that the legislation we passed out of the House continue to stall in the Senate, held hostage by the filibuster and by politicians who refuse to do the right thing," Ryan said in a statement. "It's literally a matter of life and death and the Senate must act."

Demings's campaign did not respond to requests for an interview on the topic.

Warnock defeated Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler in a January 2021 special election runoff that helped Democrats gain control of the Senate. Warnock worked behind the scenes last year to persuade his colleagues to change the filibuster and pass voting rights legislation with a simple majority. But in January, Manchin and Sinema were the only members of the Democratic caucus to vote against the rule change. The failure of the year-long push for action frustrated and divided Democrats. Warnock did not respond to a request for comment for this article.

Charles Booker, the Democratic Senate nominee in Kentucky who is running against Republican Sen. Rand Paul, said gun regulation is an issue that can reach voters, even in his conservative state.

"If you listen to the people of Kentucky, you'll hear a resounding call for common-sense reform. We just don't have leaders that pay us any attention," Booker, a former state representative, said in an interview. "Any effort for progress is being used once again in the filibuster. And I've been a very strong proponent of getting rid of the filibuster so we can deliver results for the American people. And that includes gun safety and security and addressing this chaos."

Despite increased calls for action in the wake of the Uvalde shooting, Manchin and Sinema have signaled they remain unwilling to undo the filibuster. Manchin told reporters a day after the Uvalde shooting that the rule was "the only thing that prevents us from total insanity." Sinema, when asked about eliminating the filibuster for gun-control laws, said she was not interested in "D.C. solutions" to the problem of mass shootings.

Promising to end the filibuster was a major applause line in Fetterman's stump speech the week before he overwhelmingly won last month's Senate primary in Pennsylvania.

"Do we have any Joe Manchin Democrats in the room?" Fetterman asked supporters crowded into an airport hangar in western Pennsylvania. The air filled with laughter and shouts of "No!"

"Keeping the filibuster in place means as a Democrat you believe there are 10 to 12 Republican senators of conscience who are going to say, 'Oh my God, we got it wrong our entire career . . . gun-control legislation? Yes, yes, where have I been all these years?' " Fetterman said.

Manchin and Sinema are now working with a bipartisan group of senators that is exploring a possible deal to change gun laws after the recent mass shootings.

Weeks before the mass shooting in Buffalo, which killed 10 people, pollsters for the gun regulation groups Giffords and Everytown for Gun Safety briefed Democratic midterm strategists in April on new research that indicated gun politics could help the party respond to Republican attacks on crime.

The polling found large concern in Senate battleground states about increasing gun crime. Democratic candidates who pushed for measures like stricter background checks, crackdowns on irresponsible gun dealers, and combating the spread of illegal guns gained an advantage in the research over Republicans who opposed more regulation. The effect was more pronounced in suburban areas.

Angela Kuefler, a longtime pollster for Everytown for Gun Safety and Giffords, said there also has been some shifting over time in the way the public responds to mass shootings.

"There used to be a profound sadness," she said. "Now that has been taken over by rage and anger, and anger is a motivating emotion."

But Democrats remain cautious about predicting a clear political effect in November from continued Republican reluctance to change gun laws, despite polls that show overwhelming voter support for expanded background checks and "red flag" laws, which enable court orders to seize guns from people considered a danger to themselves or others. Although several members of Congress, like Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., and Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Ga., were successful in the 2018 elections by campaigning on the issue of gun violence, they remain the exception and not the rule.

Kris Brown, president of Brady: United Against Gun Violence, said Democrats should call a vote now on gun legislation, and when it fails, Biden "needs to say right then and there that we need to end the filibuster."

"I do think it's a now-or-never moment. This is very much on people's minds, they are devastated, and it's not the America they want," Brown said. "It's on the lawmakers, but it's also on the president. I would like him to say that this is a 'top priority for this Senate,' and I'd like him to say that 'the filibuster is killing us.'
Some lessons are direct: "Who can describe what transgender means?" In other classes, the discussion is more subtle: "Remember, families can come in all shapes and sizes!"

Sometimes teachers simply shift their language to reflect gender diversity that may be in the room. Instead of "Good morning, boys and girls!" the teacher might say, "Good morning, scholars!"

In Florida and several others states, educators are restricted in teaching about gender identity, but elsewhere, teachers are embracing the topic as the number of transgender and gender nonbinary children rises.

Resources and lesson plans for those who want to teach about gender identity are becoming much more common. Seven states now require that curriculums include LGBTQ topics. The National Sex Education Standards, developed by experts and advocacy groups, name gender identity as one of seven essential topics, alongside puberty, consent, sexual orientation and other subjects. And the federal government recommends that schools include gender identity in their sex education programs.

"There's years of research that demonstrate that curriculums that include respect for others regarding their sexual orientation and gender identity are more effective," said Kathleen Ethier, director of the division of adolescent and school health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's true not just for LGBTQ students, she said. "When you make a school environment safe and supportive for the most vulnerable youth, you improve the school environment for everyone."

Opponents argue that teaching about gender identity is driven by liberal ideology and is inappropriate for children, especially young children. Five states, including Florida, ban or limit how teachers can talk about gender identity and sexual orientation, with at least 10 states considering such measures, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Books that feature transgender or nonbinary characters have been subject to numerous ban attempts.

The restrictions often go beyond the classroom. Many districts have resisted efforts to allow transgender students to use the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity, and 18 states limit transgender women from competing in women's and girls' sports, though some measures are on hold pending a court challenge. Philadelphia's school district even came under fire for informing teachers about an independent Trans Wellness Conference where some attendees discussed how to support youth who are transitioning genders.

Classes that address gender identity are still the exception in American schools. But an increase in the number of young people identifying as trans or gender nonconforming has prompted many schools to change course and adopt lessons that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. A Gallup survey released last year found 16% of young adults in Generation Z identify as LGBT, more than any other generation.

The approaches vary, particularly for elementary schoolchildren. In some classrooms, lessons about gender identity focus on gender stereotypes. Students in first grade, for instance, may be prompted to consider that there are no "boy colors" or "girl colors."

Some classes use the book "I Am Jazz," the story of a transgender girl. "I have a girl brain but a boy body," she says. "This is called transgender. I was born this way!"

A lesson meant for first grade called "Pink, Blue and Purple" comes from a curriculum called "Rights, Respect, Responsibility" developed by the activist group Advocates for Youth. It tells students that gender is not a fixed attribute.

"You might feel like you're a boy even if you have body parts that some people might tell you are 'girl' parts," the teachers are told to say. "You might feel like a girl even if you have body parts that some people tell you are 'boy' parts. And you might not feel like you're a boy or a girl, but you're a little bit of both. No matter how you feel, you're perfectly normal!"

The lesson continues with students looking at various toys and assessing if each best suits boys, girls or anyone. Through discussion, the teacher helps students understand that all the toys - dolls, drums, paints, helicopters - are for anyone.

In his kindergarten classroom, one teacher in western Massachusetts using "Rights, Respect, Responsibility" introduces the idea of gender as part of an exploration of identity. He explains that people use all sorts of pronouns: he, she, they, ze. He introduces the terms transgender and gender queer but doesn't fully define them because that is too much for kindergartners, said the teacher, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because his district did not authorize him to speak publicly.

He talks to students about anatomy but declines to classify various body parts as male or female. "We don't say a penis belongs to a man," he said. It belongs to a human, he explains.

And he makes clear that even if a doctor proclaims at birth, "It's a boy!" that baby may not be a boy. "Someone who was born a boy may not feel they are a boy."

Similar lessons are offered in older grades in his school, building in sophistication as children get older.

Others take a more moderate approach. Kara Haug, who teaches sex ed in several Sacramento-area elementary schools, does not bring up the question of gender identity in her classes, which are mostly grades five or six.

But she said her pupils often ask about it, and she will answer. Once, for instance, a student asked: "Can we stop our periods if we don't want them because we feel like a boy?" So she explained how hormones work.

Another curriculum called HealthSmart obliquely addresses gender identity in fifth grade in the context of respect for oneself and others. Students read stories about children their age and discuss whether the characters seem to be boys or girls or whether it's unclear. They read about a child who is bullied because of gender expression and then create a text message campaign to encourage their peers to accept and respect diversity.

HealthSmart explores the subject more directly in middle school, where body parts are presented in a gender-neutral way: It might refer to a "body with a penis," for instance, rather than specifying that boys have penises. People are referred to as partners, not boyfriends or girlfriends.

"There's a real push to be inclusive of all students," said Suzanne Schrag, senior curriculum editor at ETR, which publishes the HealthSmart curriculum. She said gender identity was not discussed in the previous version of the HealthSmart curriculum, published in 2012-2013, but was added in a 2020 update.

In high school, some teachers are more direct. Sam Long, a transgender man who teaches biology at Denver South High School, said he regularly discusses gender identity in his classes.

"LGBTQ identities are a naturally occurring facet of human variation, and that is why we need to learn about them in the context of biology and human anatomy," he said.

Long encourages students to consider that gender on a spectrum is an alternative to thinking of gender as a binary. At the start of each year, he talks about his own personal story and transition.

Bill Farmer, a science teacher in Evanston, Ill., takes a similar approach. Like Long, he teaches about people with intersex traits - those born with reproductive or sexual anatomy who do not fit a traditional male or female binary. And he introduces the idea that gender is a social construction, not a biological fact.

He teaches that there are three separate identities: biologic sex, or what sex organs one has at birth; gender identity, or what gender one identifies with; and gender expression, meaning how one presents to the world. So a student might paint his fingernails - a typically female gender expression - but still identify as a boy.

"There's not many spaces where students have the opportunity to engage in these discussions in a more structured way and where there's a safe space to ask questions," he said. He added that there are at least one or two trans or nonbinary students in each of his classes, more than ever before. "Most students are testing out or trying to figure out where they fall in their gender identity."

Out of 10 biology teachers at his school, he estimated that four or five talk about these issues in class.

In Maryland, officials at the Education Department included gender identity in the statewide standards that were recently adopted for sex ed. But that doesn't mean all teachers will teach these topics, said Lea Jaspers, who helped write the plan.

The framework calls for instruction to represent all students regardless of gender identity and other factors, but as a matter of practice, each district decides for itself how to teach the subject. Jaspers thinks it's mostly used in schools where a student has identified as transgender, and she said one of the goals was to be sure those lessons were state-approved for teachers who need them.

"The framework is very comprehensive so a teacher could never say, 'We are not allowed to say that,' " she said.

Due to the politics, the landscape remains a patchwork, with most students not exposed to these ideas, said Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, executive director of GLSEN, which advocates for LGBTQ students in K-12 schools.

"One district might have a safe and affirming and inclusive curriculum," she said. "Another across the way could be having a vastly different experience . . . It's deeply uneven."

Sometimes, schools add these lessons because they become aware of a particular student grappling with identity questions and want them and their peers to feel comfortable. In other cases, the lessons reflect a changing culture where these subjects are considered less taboo, and where school leaders want kids who haven't yet realized they might be LGBTQ to come out in a supportive climate.

"There are trans and nonbinary kids from K through 12. It is not unusual. It is probably true in every school in the country," said Ellen Kahn, senior director of programs and partnerships at Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which offers training for schools that want to adopt an LGBTQ-inclusive approach. "Some are more willing to lean in and learn."

Kahn said the number of training requests from schools have nearly doubled in the last year, with about half coming because they became aware of one or more student who is transgender or nonbinary.

Nonetheless, while these lessons appear to be more common, they are far from universally accepted, and lessons seen as too explicit or aimed at young children often face blowback.

Conservatives argue that inclusive curriculums pose a special challenge. Lessons in schools amounts to "cult grooming and ideological grooming," in which students are taught that their gender is "fluid" and can be changed, said James Lindsay, a conservative activist who has advised legislators on measures dealing with gender and race.

The rise in children identifying as transgender or gender nonbinary, he argued, is being driven by a culture that introduces the idea to children who might never have adopted it on their own.

"The message is if you dress or act a certain way you might not be the sex you are," he said. "When I was a child I wanted to grow up to be a firetruck. Children do not always know exactly what is going on in the world and they need some strong boundaries to protect them."

In Maine, Gov. Janet Mills, D, removed a video where a teacher explains gender identity to kindergartners from the state's education department website after the Maine Republican Party began airing an ad attacking the governor for it. In the video, the teacher says that sometimes doctors "make a mistake" when they tell parents whether their newborns are boys or girls.

"A review of the video led the Department to conclude that the lesson is not something we would recommend including as part of kindergarten instruction, and, as such, has been removed from the site," spokesman Marcus Mrowka said in a statement.

The teacher, Kailina Mills, replied that she was disappointed by the move. "The Maine Department of Education and Mills administration caved to pressure instead of standing up for some of the most vulnerable people, families and students in Maine," she said in a statement.

In New Jersey, statewide standards for teaching sex ed are set to take effect this fall. They include discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity. One school system caused a stir when it presented a possible first-grade curriculum that explained to first graders that some boys may not feel like boys even if they have "body parts that some people might tell you are 'boy parts.'"

Gov. Phil Murphy, D, responded by ordering a review of the guidelines and said some lesson plans "do not accurately reflect the spirit of the standards."

The state education department then issued a clarification that discussion of gender identity should involve gender stereotypes (math isn't just a "boy subject," for instance). It added: "They should also help children to understand that every person deserves respect, no matter their identity or expression."
Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun, second from left, holds a meeting with U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, second from right, in Seoul, June 3. Yonhap



South Korean Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun drummed up support from the U.S. Congress on Friday to expand bilateral trade and investment, his office said.



Ahn made the request during a meeting with Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) in Seoul, where the two noted the achievements of the May summit between Presidents Yoon Suk-yeol and Joe Biden, and discussed ways to deepen their economic ties, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.



During the summit, Seoul and Washington agreed to work together to enhance partnerships on "critical and emerging technologies" through the promotion of investment and research and development cooperation, according to their joint statement.



"Related law in the U.S. is crucial for South Korean firms to implement investment plans smoothly," Ahn told the senator, stressing the need for bills on incentives for investment in the semiconductor sector and visas for professionals, among other things.



Samsung Electronics has been working on a $17 billion chip fabrication plant in Texas, with a groundbreaking ceremony expected this month.



Last month, Hyundai Motor Group announced the $10.54 billion investment plan in the U.S. to build an electric vehicle and car battery plant, as well as to develop software for robotics and autonomous driving.



Over the past decade, bilateral trade and investment marked a solid growth on the back of the KORUS Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which came into force in March 2012.



Trade volume jumped 66 percent to $169.1 billion in 2021 from $100.8 billion in 2011. South Korea's investment in the U.S. between 2012 and 2021 came to $123.5 billion, and the U.S.' investment in South Korea stood at $47.93 billion during the cited period, according to government data.



Duckworth also met separately with officials and businesspeople affiliated with the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM), and discussed business prospects and economic partnership opportunities.



At the meeting, Duckworth stressed that her state of Illinois is ready for greater investment from and increased exports to partners like South Korea.



"It's clear that when our nations strengthen our mutual supply chains, we help insulate one another from economic shocks and give each other an even greater competitive edge, so let's get the ball rolling," she was quoted as saying by AMCHAM.



Among those present at the meeting were AMCHAM Chairman James Kim, Rep. Lee Sang-min of the Democratic Party and Christopher Del Corso, charge d' affaires ad interim from the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. (Yonhap)


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BERLIN (AP)  German lawmakers voted Friday to approve a 100 billion-euro ($107 billion) special fund to strengthen the country's military, preparing the way for a massive procurement drive three months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine jolted the government into action.

The measure won broad support in the parliament's lower house after Chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition held lengthy negotiations with the main opposition Union bloc.

A majority of 593 lawmakers voted in favor of the fund, with 80 opposed and 7 abstaining.

Parliament's upper house, which represents Germany's state governments, will still need to approve the plan.

Scholz announced the fund on Feb. 27, three days after Russia invaded Ukraine, and said that Germany would now spend over 2% of its gross domestic product on defense  a NATO target on which it has long lagged. The government and the opposition agreed that defense spending would meet the 2% target on a multi-year average, with help from the special fund.

Officials acknowledge that the German military, the Bundeswehr, has for years suffered from neglect and in particular from aging, poorly functioning equipment.

Scholz's center-left Social Democrats and the Union, which led the government for 16 years under ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel, have blamed each other for that. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told lawmakers Friday that the shortcomings of the Bundeswehr can't be sustained for a second longer.

This is a historic day, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told parliament. This is a lot of money, but it is well invested  in the security and peace of our country.

Earlier this week, Scholz said the planned spending spree amounts to a quantum leap that will be greeted with relief in Paris, London, Washington and Warsaw. 'Finally,' they say, Germany is taking on the security policy responsibility that it has in the 21st century, he said.

The opposition insisted during negotiations with Scholz's coalition that the fund be used exclusively for the Bundeswehr, rather than go toward other things related to national security, such as aid to stabilizing poor countries or civilian cyber-defense measures.

Some details of how the money will be spent have emerged. The defense ministry says it will buy 60 Chinook CH-47F transport helicopters, made by Boeing. The government also wants to buy up to 35 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets to replace aging Tornado aircraft.

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Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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MOSCOW (AP)  The chairman of the African Union, Senegals President Macy Sall, told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday that the fighting in Ukraine and Western sanctions had worsened food shortages, and appealed to other countries to ensure grain and fertilizer exports arent blocked.

For his part, Putin blamed the West for emerging global food and energy crises and repeated his governments offers of safe passage for ships exporting grain from Ukraine, one of the world's leading exporters of wheat and corn.

We will facilitate the peaceful passage and guarantee the safety of arrivals to these ports, as well as the entry of foreign ships and their movement through the Azov and Black seas, in any direction, Putin pledged, in remarks carried on Russian state TV after his meeting with Sall in the Black Sea city of Sochi.

Ukraine and its allies have said that Russia is to blame for blocking Ukraines grain exports, because of threats to shipping from Russian naval vessels. Ukraine also fears that opening up safe corridors to Ukrainian ports could make them vulnerable to Russian attack.

African countries are especially hard hit by the food shortages and price increases. They imported 44% of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine between 2018 and 2020, according to U.N. figures, and wheat prices have soared around 45% as a result of the supply disruption, according to the African Development Bank.

Russia, the worlds largest wheat exporter, has urged the West to lift sanctions imposed over its military action in Ukraine so that grain starts flowing freely to global markets. While food and fertilizer are exempt, sanctions have targeted Russian shipping and made international shipping companies reluctant to transport Russian cargoes.

The fact that this crisis brought the cessation of exports from Ukraine, but also from Russia because of sanctions, we have found ourselves in between these two, Sall told reporters. Its of absolute necessity that they (Western partners) help to facilitate the export of Ukrainian grains, but also that Russia is able to export fertilizers, food products, but mainly cereals.

In citing the sanctions as a contributing factor, Sall is partly supporting Putins explanations. The Russian president appears to be attempting to drive a wedge in international support for sanctions and emphasize that other countries are suffering more than Russia, in terms of inflation, shortages of goods, the burden of refugees from Ukraine, increasing inflation, and the costs of economic and military aid to Ukraine.

Britain last week accused Russia of trying to hold the world to ransom by demanding relief from Western sanctions to allow grain exports.

Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of blocking Ukrainian ports to halt exports, endangering world food supplies.

Russia has played hunger games recently to put the blame on Ukraine and others for blocking Ukrainian food exports, Yevheniia Filipenko, Ukraines envoy to the U.N. office in Geneva, said in an interview Friday.

Putin on Friday again denied blocking Ukrainian ports, and said it was a bluff to blame Russia.

Of course, we are now seeing attempts to shift the responsibility for what is happening on the world food market, the emerging problems in this market, onto Russia, he said. on Russian TV. I must say that this is an attempt, as our people say, to shift these problems from a sick to a healthy head.

Putin on Friday proposed several corridors to allow foreign ships safely to leave ports along the Black and Azov seas. He said Odesa and other ports under Ukrainian control could be used for exports after mines are removed and also those now under Russian control  Berdyansk and Mariupol. He also suggested moving grain through other countries such as neighboring Belarus.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Friday that Ukraine was ready to create the necessary conditions to resume exports from Odesa, the country's largest port.

The question is how to make sure that Russia doesnt abuse the trade route to attack the city of Odesa, Kuleba tweeted. No guarantees from Russia so far. We seek solutions together with the UN and partners.

Sall noted problems with the Belarus option. Another way is to pass through Belarus, but Belarus is also under sanctions, although its the most direct way in reality, through Belarus to the Baltic Sea, he said.

The supply chain issues brought on by the fighting in Ukraine come as large portions of Africa already were grappling with drought and other problems.

Senegal was one of 17 African nations that abstained from voting on the U.N. resolution condemning Russia's military action in Ukraine. According to the partial Kremlin transcript, Sall told Putin many African countries didnt condemn Moscow despite what he described as strong pressure to do so.

The United Nations has warned that 18 million people are facing severe hunger in the Sahel, the part of Africa just below the Sahara Desert where farmers are facing their worst agricultural production in more than a decade. About 13 million more people face severe hunger in the Horn of Africa region as a result of a persistent drought.

With the conflict in Ukraine now in its fourth month, world leaders have ramped up calls for solutions. World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said about 25 million tons of Ukrainian grain are in storage and another 25 million tons could be harvested next month.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Tennessee officials have opened a new restaurant and visitors center at Henry Horton State Park.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation says it and the Department of General Services hosted the grand opening Thursday at the park in the Chapel Hill area on the shores of the Duck River.

The 6,381-square-foot (592-square-meter) restaurant and two-story visitors center combine for nearly $8.3 million in improvements at the park.

The restaurant will seat 106 people inside and 52 people outside. The visitors center includes an exhibit and interpretive area and a conference room.

The park was built in the 1960s on the estate of former Gov. Henry Horton.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  A judge has invalidated a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for St. Pauls unionized city employees.

The Pioneer Press reported that Ramsey County Judge Leonardo Castro ruled Thursday that the city improperly imposed the mandate without negotiating with the employee unions.

The judge called the mandate an unfair labor practice. Castro wrote that city officials did what they thought was right in the face of the pandemic but the mandate is intrusive and requires employees to forfeit their bodily autonomy in the name of maintaining their livelihood.

The unions sued over the mandate last year. City spokesman Kamal Baker says city officials are reviewing the decision and considering the best way to keep employees safe.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)  Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams says he will support legislation to only allow recount requests from candidates coming within 1 percentage point of the winner.

Adams spoke out after at least six losing Republican candidates from Kentuckys May primary election filed petitions requesting an official recount of the vote, including two who lost by 36 percentage points and more than 2,000 votes, the Courier Journal reported.
The actions of two white Carroll County residents who reportedly spent months intimidating their Black neighbor are at the basis of the state's first-ever hate crime lawsuit.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced June 1 that his office filed a lawsuit in the 15th Judicial Circuit, Carroll County against Chad Hampton, 45, of Victoria and his mother Cheryl Hampton, 67, of Streator.

The complaint lodged by Raoul alleges the two committed a hate crime through intimidation and disorderly conduct. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties and equitable relief. According to a press release from Raoul's office, the "Carroll County States Attorneys office has charged Chad Hampton with criminal destruction of property and Cheryl Hampton with criminal harassment of a witness."

Our complaint alleges the defendants intentionally used the shameful history of lynching and racism in America to terrorize and instill fear in their next-door neighbor simply because he is Black," Raoul said. "No one should be subjected to this kind of hate. I am committed to continuing to partner with law enforcement agencies across Illinois to prosecute hate crimes and send a message that hate and bigotry of any kind are not welcome and will not be tolerated.

The lawsuit alleges both Hamptons engaged in months of racist behavior aimed at their neighbor, Gregory Johnson.

"For instance, the defendants displayed the racial slur, n-----, in front of a Confederate flag in a window directly facing the victims home," the release read. "Raoul also alleges Chad Hampton had previously displayed swastikas in direct view of Johnsons home. Attorney General Raoul alleges the escalating harassment came to a head with the Hamptons using a noose to hang a bound and chained effigy of a Black manmade to resemble Johnson from a tree directly in view of Johnsons home."

I looked out of my new home at a Black-faced mannequin shackled and lynched on a tree branch, the N-word scrawled upon a window, and swastikas, Gregory Johnson said in the release. Our American flag was replaced with their Confederate flag. Have we not come any farther than this? This lawsuit is about tearing off the shackles that still restrain us to this day. Its about never giving up on the mission of our United States Constitution. We, as a nation, are better than this.

Raoul filed the lawsuit following a hate crime investigation by his office's Civil Rights Bureau and the assistance of Carroll County State's Attorney's office, the city of Savanna, and the Savanna Police Department.

According to the release, this is the first time Raoul has utilized the expanded authority that was granted to his office under the Illinois Hate Crimes Act amendment in 2018. The amendment allows for civil lawsuits against perpetrators of hate crimes.
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP)  A judge has found that a Southern California district attorney violated the state's new racial justice law in his discussions of a Black man who was sentenced to life without parole in a double murder case.

Jamon Buggs was sentenced Friday in the 2019 killings of a man and woman in Newport Beach.

The sentencing came after Judge Gregg L. Prickett found that Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer violated a state law aimed at ensuring racial justice for defendants in a meeting about whether to seek the death penalty for Buggs. Prickett said an appropriate remedy would have been to take the death penalty off the table for Buggs, but Spitzer had already previously decided not to seek it, the Orange County Register reported.

The issue came to light earlier this year when an internal memo by a former prosecutor raised questions about a meeting on the Buggs case during which Spitzer asked about the race of Buggs' previous girlfriends.

Spitzer said race was an issue because authorities suspect Buggs targeted the man because he mistakenly believed he was dating Buggs' white ex-girlfriend. Spitzer said he turned over information about the conversation to the judge as a precaution though he didn't believe California's new law  which bars authorities from seeking a conviction or sentence based on race  required it.

Denise Gragg, one of Buggs' attorneys, raised concerns in court Friday of potential bias in the case.

If you cant even recognize that is a bias, how can you assure yourself or us that there were not decisions made in this case or not made in this case that were influenced by that bias? she said.

Kimberly Edds, a spokeswoman for the Orange County district attorney's office, said the judge found that Buggs was treated fairly throughout the case.

District Attorney Spitzer asked for life without the possibility of parole and thats exactly the sentence the defendant was given by the judge, she said. Justice was served.
BANGKOK (AP)  Myanmars military-installed government announced Friday that it will execute a former lawmaker from ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyis party and a veteran pro-democracy activist convicted of violating the countrys Counter-Terrorism Law, local media reported Friday.

Two online news outlets, Voice of Myanmar and NP News, said two other men convicted of killing a woman they believed was an informer for the military will also be executed, in addition to former lawmaker Phyo Zeya Thaw and activist Kyaw Min Yu, also known as Ko Jimmy.

Government spokesperson Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun was cited as saying the decision to carry out the hangings was confirmed after legal appeals by the four were rejected.

He was cited as saying the executions will go ahead in accordance with prison procedures. According to the law, executions must be approved by the head of the government. He did not say when the executions would be carried out.

The United Nations, which has advocated against the death penalty, called the Myanmar militarys decision to execute the two pro-democracy activists a blatant violation of the right to life, liberty and security guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterates his calls for all charges to be dropped against those arrested for exercising their fundamental freedoms and rights and for all political prisoners in Myanmar to be released immediately.

The U.N. chief also calls for peoples rights to freedom of opinion and expression to be respected, and stresses that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines the principles of equality before the law, the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, and all of the guarantees necessary for a persons defense, Dujarric said.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which tracks arrests and state-conducted killings, says Myanmar courts have handed down death sentences to 114 political offenders, including two children, since the army seized power from Suu Kyi's elected government in February last year.

Last years army takeover triggered nationwide popular protests, which turned into a low-level insurgency after nonviolent demonstrations were met with deadly force by the security forces. The Assistance Association estimates that 1,887 civilians have died at the hands of police and the military in crackdowns against opponents of military rule.

Some resistance groups have engaged in assassinations, drive-by shootings and bombings in urban areas. The mainstream opposition organizations generally disavow such activities, while supporting armed resistance in rural areas, which are more often subject to brutal military attacks.

The last judicial execution to be carried out in Myanmar is generally believed to have been of another political offender, student leader Salai Tin Maung Oo, in 1976 under a previous military government led by dictator Ne Win.

In 2014, the sentences of prisoners on death row were commuted to life imprisonment, but several dozen convicts received death sentences between then and last years takeover.

Phyo Zeya Thaw, the former lawmaker, also known as Maung Kyaw, and Kyaw Min Yu were given death sentences under the countrys Counterterrorism Law in January this year by a closed military court. They were found guilty of offenses involving explosives, bombings and financing terrorism.

Phyo Zeya Thaw had been a hip-hop musician before becoming as a member of Generation Wave, a political movement formed in 2007.

He was arrested last November on a charge of possessing weapons and ammunition, according to a report in a state-run newspaper at the time. It said he was arrested on the basis of information from people detained a day earlier for shooting security personnel.

Other statements from the military accused him of being a key figure in a network of dozens of people who allegedly carried out what the military described as terrorist attacks in Yangon, the countrys biggest city.

He previously was jailed in 2008 under another military government after being accused of illegal association and possession of foreign currency.

Kyaw Min Yu is one of the leaders of the 88 Generation Students Group, veterans of a failed 1988 popular uprising against military rule.

He has been active politically since then, and spent more than a dozen years behind bars. He was arrested in Yangon last October.

The state-run media said Kyaw Min Yu has been accused of conducting terrorism acts including mine attacks to undermine the state stability and of heading a group called Moon Light Operation to carry out urban guerrilla attacks.

He had been put on a wanted list for social media postings that allegedly incited unrest.

The other two men sentenced to die, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw, were convicted in April last year of allegedly torturing and killing a woman in Yangon. They targeted her as an alleged military informer and killed her in March 2021, according to an April 2021 statement from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)  Police in Tennessee fatally shot a motorist who was a suspect in the killing of a woman in Mississippi on Friday, authorities said.

Police say officers were conducting a traffic stop of a white Honda in the area of Interstate 40 in east Memphis when shots were fired and a man driving the car was killed. No officers were hurt in the afternoon shooting.
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  San Franciscos progressive district attorney, elected on a platform of reducing incarceration, faces a recall election driven by a pandemic in which brutal attacks against Asian seniors and viral footage of smash-and-grab robberies tested residents famously liberal political bent.

Recall proponents say Chesa Boudin is inexperienced and ideologically inflexible, often seeking to avoid charging criminals and siding with offenders over victims. His prosecutors are not permitted to seek cash bail, try juveniles as adults or seek longer sentences for perpetrators with gang affiliations.

The June 7 recall has pitted Democrat against Democrat in this city of not quite 900,000 people where reports of burglary and motor theft are up from 2017, but overall reported crime is down. Recall proponents have raised more than $7 million  double what his supporters have collected  with funding from the real estate industry and a conservative billionaire.

Boudin's supporters say his platform is in line with voters who approved measures to reduce sentences. They say conservative interests have exploited high-profile tragedies to make everything Boudins fault when crime rates are much higher in districts with traditional law-and-order prosecutors.

Political experts, and Boudin himself, say he's bearing the brunt of general angst.

San Francisco residents have long accepted a middling public school system, homeless encampments and open drug dealing as part of city life. But the pandemic amped up dissatisfaction as schools remained closed to in-person instruction while city and police officials appeared indifferent to graffiti and vandalism.

Part of it is a tremendous amount of understandable frustration and anxiety that people have felt in the context of COVID, uncertainty about the direction our countrys headed, anger at the Trump administration and misinformation that administration fueled on everything from public safety to vaccines, Boudin told The Associated Press.

The vote also comes at a time when recalls are increasingly being used in California, said Joshua Spivak, a recall expert who is with the Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform at Wagner College in New York City.

Gov. Gavin Newsom easily survived a recall in September, but three members of the San Francisco school board were ousted in February.

Boudin was elected in a very, very close race, Spivak said. Hes somebody who was kind of a perfect target for a recall challenge.

Boudin's office has been locked in open battle with San Francisco police, which accused his office of withholding evidence in a case against an officer. Boudin says police often fail to bring thorough cases to the DA's office for prosecution, making arrests in just 5% of cases. He made headlines when he disclosed that police had used DNA collected from a rape to arrest the victim in an unrelated property crime.

He is backed by the San Francisco Democratic Party and most of the 11-member Board of Supervisors. Mayor London Breed, however, has declined to take a position on the recall, highlighting political divisions in a Democratic city where leaders embrace immigrant and gay rights but have fought over police accountability and cracking down on drug dealing.

Boudin, 41, had never worked as a prosecutor when in November 2019, he eked out a 51% win over the more moderate candidate backed by the mayor.

Many were captivated by his personal story. Boudin was a baby when his parents, left-wing Weather Underground radicals, served as drivers in a botched 1981 robbery that left two police officers and a security guard dead. They were sentenced to decades in prison.

On the campaign trail, he spoke of the pain of stepping through metal detectors to hug his parents and vowed to reform a system that tears apart families. Kathy Boudin was released on parole in 2003 and died of cancer in May. David Gilbert was granted parole in October.

The honeymoon period in office was short-lived.

An allegedly intoxicated parolee driving a stolen car hit and killed two pedestrians on the final day of 2020. Critics say the driver had been arrested multiple times that year and should have been in jail, but Boudins office had declined to press charges for burglary, drug possession and car theft. Instead they referred him to state agents who didn't revoke his parole.

Boudin spokesperson Rachel Marshall said the case prompted the DA's office to begin charging parole violations ourselves rather than relying on parole to do it."

Former prosecutor and recall supporter Brooke Jenkins said the office under the previous district attorney was progressive. But unlike Boudin, she said, George Gascon gave prosecutors discretion and allowed them to insist on onerous treatment programs as conditions of avoiding jail time.

We are conditioning people to believe they can do whatever they want in San Francisco with no consequences, Jenkins said. I think San Francisco sees the need for a little bit more balance to social justice and criminal justice issues.

Leanna Louie, a Democrat campaigning for the recall, said she was outraged Boudin's office released to home treatment a young man who viciously kicked an elderly Chinese man sitting on a walker, severely injuring him.

I think everybody could do better. But this, this is the worst, Louie said. Chesa is probably the least helpful person in this whole process.

Marshall said the defendant was jailed for about seven months at the request of the DA's office. His attorney then requested he be transferred to mental health diversion, which the judge granted, she said.

It's unfair to single out Boudin in a complicated system that relies on judges, police and social services to do their parts, his supporters say.

Rico Hamilton, a longtime advocate for ending street violence who was shot last year, was among Black, Asian American and Latino leaders at a recent news conference against the recall.

We are the leaders of change, Hamilton said. And us saying that we dont want Chesa is saying that we dont want to change the system."

At a former tanning salon in the citys gay-friendly Castro neighborhood that is Boudin's campaign headquarters, the district attorney expressed pride in what his office has achieved while in a pandemic that drastically cut access to treatment, counseling and courtrooms.

His office filed charges in 62% of arrests brought by San Francisco police in 2021, up from a low of 45% his first year and on par with years dating back to 2016, according to the offices annual report. Reported crimes include burglary, robbery, vandalism and theft but not homicides, sexual assaults and domestic violence.

At the same time, his office expanded the percentage of defendants who successfully completed diversion programs, some of which are mandated by the state, to avoid incarceration. In May, he announced a new Asian American Pacific Islander victim services unit.

Last year, Boudin sued manufacturers and shippers of ghost guns, weapons popular with criminals made from parts bought online. His office pursued assault and battery charges against an on-duty San Francisco police officer, although a jury acquitted him. While opponents have cited high turnover in his office, Boudin said he has no problem filling vacancies.

Theres a playbook that Republicans and police unions across the country are using to attack criminal justice reform. They exploit tragedies to suggest that those tragedies are a result of reforms, Boudin said. They dont do that in tough-on-crime jurisdictions where the exact same tragedies occur, with more frequency.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks on the release of the 2021 International Religious Freedom Report, at the State Department, June 2, in Washington. AP-Yonhap



North Korea continued to seriously limit the religious freedom and other basic human rights of its people in 2021, the U.S. Department of State said Thursday.



In its 2021 country report on international religious freedom, the State Department said up to 70,000 North Koreans may be held prisoners for their religious beliefs.



"Since 2001, the DPRK has been designated as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom," the report said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.



The State Department designated the North a state violator of religious freedom last November for the 20th consecutive year. The country was one of only 10 nations to be designated a "country of particular concern" in 2020.



North Korea, almost without fail, has reacted angrily to U.S. reports on human rights and religious freedom each year, accusing them of being part of a U.S. attempt to topple the regime in Pyongyang.



Secretary of State Antony Blinken said promoting religious freedom globally was a "vital foreign policy priority" for the U.S.



"We know that when the fundamental rights of each person to practice their faith or choose not to observe a faith is respected, people can make their fullest contributions to communities' successes. Entire societies are better off," the top U.S. diplomat said in a press conference on the release of the 2021 country report.



"When governments deny this right, it ignites tension, social division. It often leads to instability," he added.

Blinken also insisted the annual report seeks to promote freedom for all people.



"At its core, our work is about ensuring that all people have the freedom to pursue spiritual tradition that most adds meaning to their time on Earth," said Blinken, adding, "That's the progress that this report hopes to help create."



The department noted the annual report partly relies on information provided by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that may not be independently verified due to extremely limited access to countries, such as North Korea.



It added that access to North Korea has further narrowed since Pyongyang began enforcing an unprecedented border closure in 2020 as a precaution against the COVID-19 pandemic.



"COVID-19 restrictions in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea further limited people's rights to freedom of expression, including access to information, to freedom of association and of peaceful assembly, and to freedom of thought, conscience and religion," said the report, citing an earlier report from the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.



The high commissioner's report also notes that Pyongyang was systematically attacking persons it considered a threat, including those who practice religion, imprisoning individuals without due process and subjecting them to "physical and mental suffering amounting to torture," according to the State Department.



Citing a report from Open Doors USA, a U.S.-based NGO, the department said the North is estimated to be holding "50,000 to 70,000 citizens in prison for being Christian."



"With regard to North Korea, we know that the government continues to execute, torture, arrest and abuse individuals that are engaged in religious activity," Rashad Hussain, ambassador at large for international religious freedom, later told a department daily press briefing.



"There are tens of thousands of political prisoners that are being held because of their religious beliefs, which are highlighted in our report," he added. "We are continuing to work with the international community to respond to what North Korea is doing as well."



The department noted the North has five state-controlled Christian churches in Pyongyang, but that access to those facilities for the sake of genuine religious activity, especially by regular people, is "heavily restricted."



The report said North Korean authorities even arrested those "whom they believed lingered too long outside those churches to listen to the music or consistently drove past them each week when services were held, on suspicion of being secret Christians," citing a 2019 report from South Korea's state-run Korea Institute for National Unification.



The department said the U.S. has raised and will continue to raise concerns over human rights conditions, including religious freedom in North Korea, despite having no diplomatic relations with the country.



"The U.S. government raised concerns about religious freedom in the country in other multilateral forums and in bilateral discussions with other governments, particularly those with diplomatic relations with the country," it said, noting the country also co-sponsored a resolution passed by the U.N. General Assembly in December condemning North Korea's "long-standing and ongoing systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights."



"The United States made clear that addressing human rights, including religious freedom, would significantly improve prospects for closer ties between the two countries," it added. (Yonhap)


WASHINGTON (AP)  For some Afghans who were evacuated as their country fell to the Taliban last summer, the journey to the United States has stalled, and perhaps ended, at a sun-baked cluster of tents and temporary housing on an American base in the Balkans.

While more than 78,000 Afghans have arrived in the U.S. for resettlement since August, the future for those who have been flagged for additional security vetting and diverted to Camp Bondsteel, in the small nation of Kosovo, remains up in the air. The U.S. won't force the dozens there to return to Afghanistan, where they could face reprisals.

Their frustration is growing. Some Afghans at the base, which has been shrouded in secrecy, took the unusual step this week of staging a protest, holding up signs with messages such as we want justice, according to photos sent to The Associated Press.

They just keep repeating the same things, that it takes time and we must be patient, one of the Afghans, Muhammad Arif Sarwari, said in a text message from the base.

Their complaints open a window into an aspect of the evacuation and resettlement of Afghans that has gotten little attention because U.S. authorities, and the government of Kosovo, have been reluctant to say much about the people sent to Bondsteel.

The base houses a mix of adults and children, because some of the people who have so far failed to get a visa to the U.S. are traveling with family. Sarwari, a former senior intelligence official with the Afghan government, said there are about 45 people there, representing about 20 or so individual visa cases, after a flight to the U.S. left with 27 of the refugees on Wednesday.

The Biden administration won't provide details, but acknowledges that some of the evacuees did not make it through what it calls a a multi-layered, rigorous screening and vetting process and won't be permitted to enter the U.S.

While the vast majority of Afghan evacuees have been cleared through this process, the small number of individuals who have been denied are examples of the system working exactly as it should, the National Security Council said in a written statement.

In all, about 600 Afghans have passed through Bondsteel, according to the government of Kosovo, which initially authorized use of the base for evacuees for a year but recently agreed to extend that until August 2023.

Kosovo, which gained independence from Serbia in 2008 with U.S. support, has also provided little information about the Afghans at Bondsteel, citing the privacy of the refugees. Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a statement that the government is proud of its role providing temporary shelter to them.

Afghans are housed in a section of Bondsteel called Camp Liya, named for an Afghan child handed to the U.S. Marines over a fence at the Hamid Karzai International Airport during the evacuation, according to a U.S. military publication.

It was the chaotic nature of that evacuation that led to the need for an overseas facility in the first place. As the Afghan government collapsed, thousands of people made it onto military transport planes with minimal screening before they arrived at one of several overseas transit points.

The people sent to Bondsteel were stopped and diverted for a host of reasons, including missing or flawed documents or security concerns that emerged during overseas vetting by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, officials have said.

At the same time, some in Congress have criticized the administration for what they say has been inadequate vetting of Afghan refugees.

Sarwari made it to Kuwait from Afghanistan in early September with his wife and two of his daughters and says he doesn't know why he's been held up. He was a prominent figure in Afghanistan, serving as the former director of intelligence after the U.S. invasion in 2001. Before that, he was a top official with the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance.

Both positions would make him a target of the Taliban if he were to return.

The vetting team keeps telling us sorry, Washington is just deciding some political issues, he said.

Sarwari has applied for a special immigrant visa, which is issued to people who worked for the U.S. government or its allies during the war. He has not received a response, according to his lawyer, Julie Sirrs.

In theory, he is free to leave but its not clear where he could go, Sirrs said. He obviously cannot return to Afghanistan. Hes clearly in danger if he returns.

He and others live a circumscribed existence on Bondsteel. Although technically not detained, they cannot leave the arid, rocky base and have spent months in tents, which were adorned with handwritten signs during this week's protest. One said unfair decision, while another said children are suffering.

The Biden administration says authorities have determined that some  it won't say how many  simply cannot be allowed to enter the U.S. It is working to find other countries that don't harbor the same security concerns and are willing to accept them for resettlement. No one will be forcibly returned to Afghanistan, according to the NSC statement.

_____

Associated Press writer Llazar Semini in Tirana, Albania, contributed to this report.
Marta Lavandier/AP

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  The Special Olympics has dropped a coronavirus vaccine mandate for its games in Orlando after Florida moved to fine the organization $27.5 million for violating a state law against such rules.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday announced the organization had removed the requirement for its competition in the state, which is scheduled to run June 5 to June 12.
MIDDLETOWN  Vinal Technical High School was briefly placed on lockdown Friday morning after a social media post raised concern and was reported to authorities, state police said.

State police said troopers in the Troop F were notified of the post around 8:30 a.m. The post caused concern among school administrators, and the decision was made to go into lockdown out of an abundance of caution, state police said.

Authorities determined there was no threat to the school and the lockdown was lifted at 8:50 a.m., state police said.

School officials said the person who made the threat had been apprehended.

This morning, Vinal Tech administration was made aware of a threat made against our school community, a message sent to parents said. As such, we placed the school in lockdown. Since then, the individual who made the threat has been apprehended. Currently, there is no threat to the school community.

State police did not identify the person and did not say if any charges have been filed.

Middletown and state police arrived at the school and the lockdown remained in place until the person of interest was located, said Kerry Markey, director of communications for the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System.

The incident comes as districts around the state have seen a number of school threats and alarming incidents in the wake of last weeks shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. In the wake of that shooting, police in Connecticut said they were stepping up their presence at local schools.
(Katy Kildee/kkildee@mdn.net)

To help new or expecting parents prepare and learn about available resources, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is hosting three virtual baby fairs this month.

The department announced the virtual events in a press release on Thursday, explaining families will have an opportunity to learn about available resources and important health and safety information. Participants will also be able to ask questions directly to health experts at the events.
ORLEANS, Vt. (AP)  A juvenile is facing a charge of domestic terrorism after a threat led to the closure of a high school Friday in northeastern Vermont.

Classes at Lake Region Union High School were canceled after authorities learned of the threat made via social media against the school and students.
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Hospitals, like schools, are not typically designed to guard against the threat of a determined gunman entering the building to take lives.

The vulnerability of health care facilities was highlighted by a shooter who killed four people and then himself Wednesday at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The assailant got inside a building on the Saint Francis Hospital campus with little trouble, just hours after buying an AR-style rifle, authorities said.

Heres a look at what's known about security at the Tulsa facility and other American hospitals:

DID THE GUNMAN HAVE TO PASS THROUGH SECURITY?

No, the 45-year-old man identified as the shooter, Michael Louis, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, parked his car in an adjoining garage, then went through unlocked doors into the medical building, authorities said.

It is an entry that is open to the public, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin told reporters Thursday. He was able to walk in without any type of challenge.

It was a short walk from that entrance to the office area where Louis fatally shot his primary target, Dr. Preston Phillips. Police said Phillips recently performed surgery on Louis and that Louis blamed the doctor for chronic pain he still suffered.

Once Louis got in, he began firing at anyone who was in his way, Franklin said. At least one person holding a door open for others to escape was killed.

COULD BETTER SECURITY HAVE STOPPED THE SHOOTER?

The president and CEO of Saint Francis Health System said nothing can stop somebody with guns hellbent on causing harm.

Dr. Cliff Robertson did not provide details about hospital security. He said the facility has procedures to deal with difficult, unhappy patients, though he did not elaborate.

Hospital officials planned to review their security procedures in the days ahead. There will be a thousand questions to answer regarding the shooting, Robertson said.

From official accounts, the reaction time of officers could not have been much better. Wendell said officers responded to the shooting within minutes and that the shooter apparently killed himself as police approached.

IS IT STANDARD FOR HOSPITALS TO LEAVE SOME ENTRYWAYS OPEN?

Yes, because some urgent medical situations require patients to be moved quickly. But some hospitals, especially ones that have dealt with violence on their grounds, have upgraded security in recent years.

Mercy Hospital in Chicago beefed up security after a 2019 attack in which a man fatally shot an attending physician who was his ex-fiance in the parking lot. He then entered the hospital, where he shot and killed a pharmacy resident and a police officer before he was fatally shot himself.

Now security officers are stationed at every entrance, and the hospital has a system that electronically notifies employees of any armed intruders.

HOW COMMON ARE SHOOTINGS AT HOSPITALS?

From 2000 to 2011, there were 154 hospital-related shootings, according to a 2017 guide from the International Association of Emergency Medical Services Chiefs that cited the Annals of Emergency Medicine.

Nearly 60 percent of those shootings were inside hospitals, and around 40 were outside on hospital grounds, the guide said.

The attacks resulted in 235 people wounded or killed, according to the guide, which also cited data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that indicated violence is four times more likely in health care than in other industries.

WHAT ARE SOME UNIQUE CHALLENGES FOR HOSPITALS?

Some patients have limited mobility, and many staff members are obligated to stay with them in dangerous situations, sometimes making quick evacuations impossible.

Also, hospital buildings are often labyrinths, with many doors that lead to more doors. The Tulsa police chief said that was the case in the shooting on Wednesday, when the building's vastness created echoes, which made it harder for officers and others inside to know precisely where the gunshots were coming from.

WHAT ELSE HAVE HOSPITALS DONE TO IMPROVE SECURITY?

Even before the 2019 shooting at Chicago Mercy, the hospital had begun training employees about what to do during an active gunman situation. That included instructions on retreating into rooms, locking doors and turning out lights.

Training sessions at the hospital that were held annually before the 2019 shooting are now held four times a year, said Paul Stewart, a spokesman for the hospital, which is now called Insight Hospital and Medical Center.

Out of concern about people entering with guns, some hospitals have also installed metal detectors. At Chicago's UI Health, which is affiliated with the University of Illinois, metal detectors were installed in the emergency room, though not nearly as many as nurses and other health care workers asked for.

Nurses complain that patients entering with guns are far too common.

They did that after someone brought in a semi-automatic weapon and was actually making a video on his phone about how he was going to kill nurses, said Paul Pater, a nurse at the hospital.
DETROIT (AP)  More than 750 Tesla owners have complained to U.S. safety regulators that cars operating on the automaker's partially automated driving systems have suddenly stopped on roadways for no apparent reason.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed the number in a detailed information request letter to Tesla that was posted Friday on the agency's website.

The 14-page letter dated May 4 asks the automaker for all consumer and field reports it has received about false braking, as well as reports of crashes, injuries, deaths and property damage claims. It also asks whether the company's Full Self Driving and automatic emergency braking systems were active at the time of any incident.

The agency began investigating phantom braking in Tesla's Models 3 and Y last February after getting 354 complaints. The probe covers an estimated 416,000 vehicles from the 2021 and 2022 model years. In February, the agency said it had no reports of crashes or injuries.

The letter gives Tesla a deadline of June 20 to respond to the information request but says the company can ask for an extension.

Shares of Tesla Inc. tumbled more than 9% Friday.

A message was left early Friday seeking comment from Tesla.

In opening the probe, the agency said it was looking into vehicles equipped with automated driver-assist features such as adaptive cruise control and Autopilot, which allows them to automatically brake and steer within their lanes.

Complainants report that the rapid deceleration can occur without warning, and often repeatedly during a single drive cycle, the agency said.

Many owners wrote in their complaints that they feared a rear-end crash on a freeway.

In the letter, NHTSA asks for the initial speed of when the cars began to brake, the final speed, and the average deceleration. It also asks if the automated systems detected a target obstacle, and whether Tesla has video of the braking incidents.

The agency is now seeking information on warranty claims for phantom braking including the owners names and what repairs were made. Its also seeking information on Teslas sensors, any testing or investigations into the braking problems, or if any modifications were made.

The letter focuses on Teslas testing of the automated systems when it comes to detecting metal bridges, s-shaped curves, oncoming and cross traffic, and different sizes of vehicles including large trucks. The agency also wants information on how cameras deal with reflections, shadows, glare and blockage due to snow or heavy rain.

The agency asks Tesla to detail its assessment of the alleged defect in the automated systems, including what caused the unnecessary braking, what failed, and the risk to motor vehicle safety that the problem poses. It asks Tesla what warnings, if any, the operator and the other persons both inside and outside the vehicle would have that the alleged defect was occurring, or subject component was malfunctioning.

The probe is another in a string of enforcement efforts by the agency that include Autopilot and Full Self-Driving software. Despite their names, neither feature can drive the vehicles without people supervising.

Its the fourth formal investigation of the Texas automaker in the past three years, and NHTSA is supervising 23 Tesla recalls since January of 2021.

The agency also is investigating complaints that the automatic emergency braking systems on more than 1.7 million newer Hondas can stop the vehicles for no reason.

In addition, NHTSA has a broader probe under way into crashes involving partially automated driving systems from all automakers. Since 2016, the agency has sent teams to 34 crashes in which the systems were either in use or suspected of operating. Of the 34, 28 involved Teslas.

Fifteen people died in the crashes that NHTSA is investigating, and at least 15 more were hurt. Of the deaths, 14 occurred in crashes involving Teslas, agency documents say.

NHTSA also is investigating why Teslas on Autopilot have crashed into emergency vehicles parked on roads.

Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have been fighting with U.S. and California government agencies for years, sparring with NHTSA and most notably with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Musk has offered to buy Twitter for $44 billion and make it a private company, but says he has put the deal on hold because of allegations that the social media platform has more automated bot accounts than it has disclosed.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  House-passed legislation to erase Robert E. Lee Day and Confederate Memorial Day from a list of Louisiana holidays was approved 28-4 on Friday by the state Senate.

The measure by state Rep. Matthew Willard, a New Orleans Democrat, awaited a final House vote on non-controversial language changes before going to Gov. John Bel Edwards for his signature. The legislative session is set to end Monday.

Neither of the holidays has been officially observed by state government in years. Backers of the bill said the holidays should be wiped from state law because they commemorated slavery and white supremacy.

Handling the bill on the Senate floor, Sen. Jay Luneau, an Alexandria Democrat, disputed arguments that have come from opponents of the bill that the holidays are part of state history.

It is important for us to realize that there is a way to commemorate history without glorifying the atrocities, Luneau said.

The two holidays are among those on a list of holidays a governor can proclaim in addition to other, permanent holidays that include Christmas and Independence Day. The governor is limited in the number he can proclaim in a year.

Nobody spoke against the bill on the Senate floor Friday but there was one significant change. The bill also contained language eliminating George Washington's birthday from the optional holiday list in deference to the federal President's Day holiday. Sen. Beth Mizell, a Franklinton Republican, objected to that provision and it was eliminated with an amendment.
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As investigators dig deeper into the law enforcement response to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, a host of disturbing questions remain about what officers on the scene knew as the deadly attack was unfolding.

Did any of them know children were trapped in a classroom with the gunman? Was that potentially critical information relayed to the incident commander on the scene? And did officers challenge the commander's decision not to promptly storm the classroom?

Authorities have not released audio of the 911 calls or radio communications but have confirmed dispatchers received panicked 911 calls from students trapped in the locked classroom with the gunman while officers waited in a hallway outside.

In an apparent breakdown in communications, the commander overseeing police at the scene, school district Police Chief Pete Arredondo, was never informed that children were calling 911 from inside the school, Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez said Thursday.

Gutierrez told The Associated Press on Friday that the state agency investigating the shooting determined Arredondo was not carrying a police radio as the massacre unfolded.

Arredondo also has come under criticism for not ordering officers to immediately breach the classroom and take down the gunman. Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said that Arredondo believed the active shooting had turned into a hostage situation, and that the chief made the wrong decision.

Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the attack last week at Robb Elementary, the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade. Seventeen others were injured. The funerals began this week.

Arredondo has not responded to repeated interview requests from The AP, and telephone messages left at the school police headquarters were not returned.

There have been other cases in which officers on the scene of a crime were not relayed critical information by a police dispatcher, often because the dispatcher wasn't following protocols, said Dave Warner, a retired police officer and expert at the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.

He cited a 2009 domestic disturbance call in Pittsburgh in which a woman told a 911 operator that her son was armed. That information was never relayed to responding officers. When they arrived, the man opened fire, ultimately killing three officers and seriously wounding two.

Its an old case, but its still very relevant today," Warner said.

Protocols for 911 dispatchers handling calls in active-shooter situations also specifically caution against changing a law enforcement response based solely on the amount of time that has elapsed since shots were last heard, Warner said.

Warner said those protocols were developed in part as a result of the 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech, where a student killed 32 people.

In that case, the gunman first killed two people at a dormitory. Police and school authorities thought that the gunman had fled the campus and that the danger had passed. But he instead moved on to another part of campus a couple of hours later and continued his murderous rampage.

Warner said the protocols stress that dispatchers should not think a shooting is over "just because that caller can no longer see the shooter or hear shots being fired."

The protocols also outline key questions for 911 dispatchers to ask callers in active-shooter cases, including the types of weapons involved, the number and location of suspects and whether the caller can safely evacuate the building.

The gunman in Uvalde, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, spent roughly 80 minutes inside the school before law enforcement officers killed him, according to an official timeline.

Since the shooting, law enforcement and state officials have struggled to present an accurate account of how police responded, sometimes providing conflicting information or withdrawing some statements hours later.

Many of those details are likely to become clearer after reviewing 911 calls and police radio communications, said Fritz Reber, a 27-year veteran and former captain with the Chula Vista, California, Police Department who has studied 911 dispatch systems.

Operators at a 911 center typically relay information from callers in writing to a dispatcher, who then passes it along to officers in the field over the radio.

On the scene of major events, a specific radio channel is typically established so that all local, state and federal agencies can communicate with one another, Reber said. It is not clear whether that was done in Uvalde.

Reber said one reason information may not be relayed by dispatchers to officers on the ground is that dispatchers don't want to overload the channel with details they assume police on the scene would already know.

The assumption is the officers are there and will know more about what's going on than the people calling 911," he said.

Thor Eells, former commander of a 16-member SWAT team in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and director of the National Tactical Officers Association, said another key question is how many people were working at the 911 call center covering Uvalde.

A lot of 911 calls were being placed, and in my experience that can lead to information overload," he said. When the 911 call center is being overwhelmed, it is extremely difficult to make sure you have a timely flow of information."

There have been communication breakdowns during other mass shootings in Texas, and experts say smaller, regional dispatch centers are often inundated with calls during a major emergency.

Police communications were a problem in 2019 when a gunman shot and killed seven people and wounded more than two dozen during a rampage in Odessa, Texas.

Authorities said 36-year-old gunman Seth Aaron Ator called 911 before and after the shootings, but a failure in communication between agencies  they were not all operating on the same radio channel  slowed the response. Ator was able to cover about 10 miles before officers shot and killed him.

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More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting

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Associated Press writer Jake Bleiberg contributed to this report from Dallas.
A man was fatally shot at his home in Wisconsin on Friday and a suspect was discovered in the basement with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in what appeared to be a plan to target people connected to the judicial system, Wisconsins attorney general said.

Attorney General Josh Kaul refused to name the victim or the suspect, but said the shooting appeared to be a targeted act" and that the gunman had selected targets who were "part of the judicial system. They were found in a residence that a neighbor and public records said belonged to a retired county judge.

Investigators don't believe any one else is at risk any longer, but an investigation involving the FBI and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation is ongoing, Kaul said during a news conference.

The information that's been gathered indicated that it was a targeted act and that the targeting was based on some sort of court case or court cases, Kaul said.

The Juneau County Sheriff's Office received a call that two shots were fired at a home in New Lisbon at approximately 6:30 a.m. Friday, according to the Division of Criminal Investigation. The caller had fled the home where the gunman had entered and made the call from another nearby home.

Donna Voss, a neighbor, told The Associated Press local police on Friday morning instructed her to stay in her home. She said she heard law enforcement on a loudspeaker telling the man to surrender and leave the home.

The Division of Criminal Investigation said in a news release that law enforcement officers outside tried to negotiate with the gunman, but after that failed they entered the home shortly after 10 a.m. The Juneau County Special Tactics and Response Team found the 68-year-old homeowner dead and a 56-year-old man in the basement with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to a medical facility.

Kaul said the man is in critical condition.

For Voss, the shooting came as a shock in a usually quiet neighborhood where houses sit alongside farmland and wooded lots, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Madison.

Its unbelievable and really freaky, she said.
Kim Gunn, center, South Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, his U.S. counterpart Sung Kim, right, and Japanese counterpart Takehiro Funakoshi pose before their meeting at the Foreign Ministry's office in Seoul, Friday. AP-Yonhap



By Jung Min-ho



The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan met for the first time in Seoul Friday since President Yoon Suk-yeol took office last month amid growing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.



Speaking to reporters before their meeting, the senior diplomats  Kim Gunn, Sung Kim and Takehiro Funakoshi  all underscored the importance of a "firm and united" response to the North's military threats. They also urged Pyongyang to return to the table for talks, offering help for its fight against COVID-19 and food crisis.



"Our trilateral cooperation is essential for responding to challenges posed by North Korea," Kim Gunn, the South's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, said. "North Korea's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons will only end up strengthening our deterrence. This will ultimately run counter to Pyongyang's own interests."



The trilateral meeting comes just a week after the three countries' foreign ministers  Park Jin, Antony Blinken and Yoshimasa Hayashi  pledged to cooperate to effectively respond to North Korea's threats following a Seoul-Washington summit that vowed the same.









Sung Kim, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, said that U.S. intelligence believes that the North is preparing its Punggye-ri test site for what would be its seventh nuclear test.



"This assessment is consistent with the DPRK's own recent public statements. We are preparing for all contingencies in close coordination with our Japanese and ROK allies," Kim said. "Furthermore, we are prepared to make both short and longer term adjustments to our military posture as appropriate in responding to any DPRK provocation and as necessary to strengthen both defense and deterrence to protect our allies in the region."





Kim Gunn, center, South Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, his U.S. counterpart Sung Kim, center at right, and Japanese counterpart Takehiro Funakoshi, center at left, attend their meeting at the Foreign Ministry's office in Seoul, Friday. AP-Yonhap
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  A former police officer and firefighter in West Virginia has pleaded guilty in federal court in a rape case involving a 16-year-old girl.

Christopher Lee Osborne entered the plea to violating the girl's civil rights by forcibly raping her at the Danville Fire Department, according to a news release issued Thursday by the U.S. Justice Department.
Mark Winema / Getty Images/Mark Wineman / Getty Images

DALLAS (AP)  A man broke into the Dallas Museum of Art and caused more than $5 million in damage, including smashing three ancient Greek artifacts before he was arrested, police said.

Brian Hernandez, 21, is charged with criminal mischief of more than or equal to $300,000, which is punishable by five years to life in prison. He was booked Thursday into the Dallas County jail with bond set at $100,000. Jail records list no attorney for Hernandez.
Ken Branca

A San Antonio police officer shot and wounded a 13-year-old boy who T-boned a patrol car while trying to flee in a stolen vehicle early Friday morning, June 3, on the city's Southwest Side, according to authorities. The teen was later pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital for his injuries.

The incident occurred just before 1:30 a.m. in the 4900 block of War Horse Drive, near Old Pearsall Road and Loop 410. Officers responded to the scene after receiving a call about shots fired.
The four children killed Thursday by an escaped Texas prisoner at the center of a weeks-long manhunt were all students in a Houston-area school district, officials confirmed Friday.

The children attended Tomball ISD schools, which had just concluded the 2021-22 school year days before the family was slain. They were visiting a cabin to kick off the summer break with their grandfather when fugitive Gonzalo Lopez killed all five before stealing a pickup truck and further eluding capture by law enforcement. Family members in Houston called police Thursday after not hearing from the grandfather, according to the Associated Press.

When police closed in on the cabin Thursday afternoon, they found the five dead and the truck missing. Hours later in the small town of Jourdanton south of San Antonio, police spotted the truck and killed Lopez in an exchange of gunfire. The identities of the children and their grandfather were not immediately released.

"There are no words," Tomball ISD superintendent Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora said in a statement. "During this difficult time, the Tomball community is continuing to pull together following the tragic loss of four students.

The school district sent a lengthier email to parents Friday morning announcing the deaths and said they would offer counselors for those who are suffering grief. "The loss of a student, for any reason, is heartbreaking," district officials wrote in the email. "But to lose four in such a tragic way is excruciating, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of these beloved students and grandfather."

AP

Lopez had been on the run since May 12, when he attacked a prison guard, stole a prison bus and escaped on foot after crashing in Centerville, which is about halfway between Houston and Dallas. He was hiding near the cabin when the family called police to ask about their loved ones in Centerville on Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

At some point between their arrival at the cabin Thursday morning and that evening, Lopez killed the five and made his escape. Authorities believe he had ties to South Texas and was part of the Mexican Mafia prison gang. He was in prison serving a life sentence for killing a man at the border in 2006.
Eliahna "Ellie" Garcia was days away from having a big party for her 10th birthday when she was shot and killed at Robb Elementary in Uvalde. Now, her family is preparing to bury the little girl on Monday, June 6, two days after her birthday. In the aftermath, Disney is stepping in to help the little girl's loved ones honor her life.

In the days since the Uvalde school tragedy, Ellie's family has shared multiple times that their 4th grader was a fan of the hit Disney movie Encanto. As the Uvalde community plans and attends the 21 funerals for the victims of the shooting, Ellie's family received a gift from Disney's costume team.
The father of one of the 19 children killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, is seeking answers from the manufacturer of the gun used in the massacre  the deadliest school shooting in Texas history.

Lawyers representing Alfred Garza III, the father of 10-year-old victim Amerie Jo Garza, issued a letter Friday to Georgia-based Daniel Defense demanding the gunmaker provide information about its marketing, especially to teens and children, as well as all of the gun company's previous communications with the Uvalde shooter.

"My purpose for being now is to honor Amerie Jo's memory," Garza said. "She would want me to do everything I can so this will never happen to any other child. I have to fight her fight."

Lawyers representing Garza include high profile Texas attorneys Mikal Watts and Charla Aldous, and Connecticut-based attorney Josh Koskoff, who previously won a settlement for nine Sandy Hook families against the gunmaker of the AR-15 used in the 2012 school shooting. "If they really are sincere in their desire to support these families, they will provide the information that Mr. Garza has requested without delay or excuse," Koskoff said. "Either way, we will do a complete and thorough investigation, leaving no stone unturned.

The letter also asks Daniel Defense to provide information about the marketing the DDM4 v7 rifle used in the shooting as well as the company's online purchasing system, its "incitement and encouragement of the assaultive use of these weapons" and "awareness of the prior use of AR-15 style rifles in mass shootings.

Daniel Defense issued a statement after the Uvalde shooting saying it was "deeply saddened by the tragic events." After confirming it produced the weapon used in the massacre, the company dropped out of the National Rifle Association's annual convention in Houston.

The firearms maker also went private on Twitter and limited comments on Instagram after receiving backlash for social media posts that featured a photo of a toddler sitting with an AR-15 rifle on its lap. The posts were subsequently deleted.
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WASHINGTON (AP)  Less than 48 hours after a gunman stormed an elementary school and killed 19 children and two teachers in his home state of Texas, Sen. John Cornyn walked straight from the floor of the U.S. Senate into Republican leader Mitch McConnell's office.

The Texas Republican had just returned to Washington from the scene of the horrific school shooting in Uvalde when he was summoned by McConnell to lead the GOP in fraught negotiations over a potential legislative response to the tragedy. Eager, if wary, he took the job.

I'm not interested in making a political statement, Cornyn said at the time. I'm actually interested in what we can do to make the terrible events that occurred in Uvalde less likely in the future.

Cornyn is at the center of a bipartisan group of senators working furiously to try to strike a compromise over gun safety legislation, a political longshot despite the heartbreaking pleas from the Uvalde community to do something after the massacre.

A four-term senator, Cornyn has been here plenty of times before, a central figure at the forefront of on again, off again talks with Democrats over gun policy changes that almost never make it into law. As gun owners and the powerful gun lobby wield influence, Congress has proven unable to substantively respond even as more gruesome mass shootings rip through communities all across America.

With his previous negotiating partner, Sen. Chris Murphy-D-Conn., Cornyn convened a small group of four senators to meet privately this week, some who are part of a broader Murphy-led group in a desperate search for possible compromise gun safety measures.

President Joe Biden implored Congress  and particularly the Republican senators, who have spent years blocking almost every gun control measure  to act.

This time, its time for the Senate to do something, Biden said in remarks from the White House.

Biden, too, is looking at Cornyn to lead.

I think theres a realization on the part of rational Republicans  and I think Senator McConnell is a rational Republican; I think Cornyn is as well  I think theres a recognition in their party that they  we cant continue like this, Biden said earlier in the week after visiting Texas.

Expectations are low that even the most modest gun control measures could find support among Republicans in Congress, particularly in the evenly-split 50-50 Senate where at least 60 votes are needed to advance legislation past a filibuster.

Senators arent expected to even broach ideas for an assault weapon ban or other restrictions that are popular with the public as potential ways to curb the most lethal mass shootings.

Instead, the bipartisan group is intensifying talks to reach a deal on incremental changes to the nations gun laws, after a decade of mostly failed efforts ever since a gunman killed 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

At most, the senators may be able reach consensus in a few distinct areas  bolstering school security measures; adding more mental health resources in communities; and possibly sending money to the states to encourage red flag laws to keep firearms out of the hands of those who would do harm.

That may be all they can do, said Matthew Bennett, a longtime gun policy advocate at the centrist Third Way think tank.

It's been nearly 30 years since Congress tackled sweeping gun safety legislation with the passage of the 1994 assault weapons ban, which has since expired.

One of the only gun-related bills that has become law in the decade since the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre was Cornyns fix-NICS bill  a modest effort he and Murphy developed to encourage states to comply with the recordkeeping of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

Cornyn first pushed the bill forward after another tragedy in his state, the 2017 church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, when the gunman's Air Force record of court-martial for domestic violence had not been sent for inclusion in the federal database used for gun purchases.

The Fix-NICS bill stalled in the Senate, until months later when another gunman opened fire at a Parkland, Florida, high school killing 17 in a massacre on Valentine's Day in 2018.

Lets do what we can and build from there, Cornyn said at the time.

But by then, Democrats and some Republicans were circulating broader proposals and Donald Trump, who was president, suggested raising the legal age for purchasing firearms to 21. But efforts fizzled after Trump had an Oval Office meeting with the National Rifle Association.

The Fix-NICS bill ultimately won approval in Congress not on its own, but after being included in a government funding measure later that spring. It had the NRA's backing.

Cornyn, who has an A+ rating from the NRA's Political Victory Fund for his support of Second Amendment issues, said last week the Uvalde killings may be an impetus for new reforms.

A former judge and member of the Texas Supreme Court, Cornyn, 70, is a member of McConnell's leadership team and widely believed to be a contender to become Republican Senate leader whenever McConnell retires. McConnell tasked him to work with Murphy and also Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, a deal-maker close to Republicans.

An owner of multiple firearms who frequently hunts in Texas, Cornyn did not attend the NRA's convention in Houston alongside Trump and fellow GOP Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the days after the Uvalde shooting, even as he dismissed some of the red-flag laws or broader changes in federal gun policy being proposed.

He is the central figure  or at least one of them  because he has respect among Republicans but is also a critical thinker, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., about Cornyn.

If he really wants to get it done, he will potentially make a critical difference.

Many Democrats are skeptical that Republicans in the Senate will come to the table. Already the Senate has hopelessly blocked two House-passed measures to bolster background checks for firearm purchases online or at gun shows.

Instead, House Democrats are pushing ahead with their own package of gun safety measures, the Protecting Our Kids Act, that includes raising the age limits on semi-automatic rifle purchases from 18 to 21 years old. It has almost no hope of passing the Senate.
The site's address may sound like it belongs to Greg Abbott, but none of the words or endorsements found at "governorgregabbott.com" were penned by the Texas politician or his staff. The website's actual owner is Toby Morton, 51, an Oklahoma-based former comedy writer who has previously written for such hit shows as "South Park" and "MADtv." In recent years Morton has begun building a series of campaign-like parody websites mocking Republican leaders like Abbott for their stances on guns, anti-transgender youth legislation and other political stunts Morton considers regressive and dangerous.

Morton's fake campaign site for Abbott calls out the governor for his alleged role in greenlighting price gouging during the February 2021 winter freeze. He also skewers the Republican leader for considering granting clemency to Austin police officers indicted for tactics used against protesters during 2020 demonstrations against racial injustice. The site also makes reference to a 2015 tweet posted by Abbott lamenting the state falling behind California in background check requests for firearm purchases. The missive resurfaced following May 24's deadly shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which left 19 children and two teachers dead.

Perhaps the most notable facet of the site is an endorsement for Abbott's Democratic opponent Beto O'Rourke. "We here at GovernorGregAbbott.com fully endorse Beto for Governor," the page, which includes a link to donate to O'Rourke's campaign, reads. "Governor Greg Abbott is tired and just feels it best to rest for the remainder of his existence."

Morton says the governor's office is aware of the site and two employees have actually since subscribed. Morton also recently launched a parody website for Sen. Ted Cruz, that labels the junior senator a "Sycophant," "Seditionist" and "Accomplice to Murder." The site is still in its early stages but Morton plans to add a section "dedicated to doors and how they can save America," a barb aimed at the senator and other GOP legislator's recent proposal of hardened, one-door layouts as the solution to gun violence in U.S. schools.

Morton says the massacre of 10 and 11-year-old students in Uvalde angered and motivated him to "dig deeper into what [Republican leaders] are really about." The comedic writer plans to add ongoing updates emphasizing Cruz and Abbott's views on guns and ties to the NRA.

Morton has actually created at least seven of the "GOP Sycophant Websites" so far, including pages criticizing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.). Morton's first website was a domain for former Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), which included animations and satirical stories in the style of The Onion. After his friend shared the site on Twitter, Morton received demands from users to create more.

"I basically fell into it," Morton said. "I think that's why people call me the 'accidental activist.' I read an article in 2019 about how a campaign bought up their opponent's domain name and redirected that domain to their own website. I thought that was clever but felt there could be more to it than just redirected the domain."

Only one politician, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) has actually attempted to have Morton's site about her taken down. However, Morton says the sites are legal as they are each labeled "parody," which is protected by the First Amendment, and include stories and videos done for comedic purposes. Still, he's gotten a handful of angry responses from supporters of the politicians.

Several social media users praised Morton for the sites and the writer says he's collected just enough donations from his supporters to keep the domains open. "I began just wanting to get a few reactions but now my hope is to bring more awareness to individuals who are running for office," Morton said. "Plenty of others create videos, but I seem to be the only one creating mock websites for politicians so hopefully these will grow even more."
Remember the good old days when there was such a thing as cheap gas? So do we, but gas prices have been climbing since the US inflation rate spiked, with the national average at 48% higher than normal. At this same time last year, regular, unleaded gasoline averaged $2.67 per gallon. Today in Houston specifically, the average cost per gallon for regular, unleaded fuel is now over $4.30 and diesel costs over $5.

If youre ready to cash in your current car for a used electric hybrid vehicle, we dont blame you. And while we cant find cheap gas for you, if youre wondering how to save on gas in Houston for the immediate future, Sams Club has made us all an offer thats hard to refuse  get 10% back on fuel purchases with a Sams Club Mastercard!

Save on gas prices with a Sams Club MasterCard every Saturday in June

If youre already a Sams Club member and owner of a Sams Club Mastercard, youre all set to receive 10% back in Sams Cash on fuel purchases made every Saturday in June. Once your billing cycle is complete, your Sam's Cash credit will be applied to your account which you can use in-store or redeem for cold, hard cash. Fill up your car & your cart with these much-needed savings!

Heres a brief breakdown of what 10% fuel savings may look like for you:

Lets say the gas price at the pump is $4.10

By paying with your Sams Club Mastercard you save 41 cents per gallon  hot dog!

The bottom line price you pay for fuel is $3.69 per gallon.

If youre not already a Sams Club member, there has never been a more crucial time to join. By joining, you gain access to one of Houstons favorite warehouse shopping destinations, plus youll be right on time to access the cheap gas prices in Houston  Sams club members enjoy cheaper gas prices in Houston than others who use typical filling stations. Beginning Saturday, June 4th, some members will save even more at the pump.

Cheap gas nearby starts with a Sams Club membership

For Houstonians, who travel far and wide by car, the struggle is very real. Getting ourselves, family members, and friends where we all need to be has become an undue burden because of the high cost of gas; filling up a tank, depending on your vehicle, can easily cost $80-$100.

Luckily, with your Sams Club membership and MasterCard, youll save 10% on gas prices every Saturday in June when you fuel up at Sam's Club, in addition to the regular Sam's Club Mastercard savings of 5% cash back on all other fuel purchases.* Now you can cruise into summer with the A/C blasting AND money in your pocket. What could be better than that?!

Act fast and get your Sams Club MasterCard today so you can be first on line to save at the pump on June 4, 11, 18, and 25.

*5% cashback applies to the first $6,000 spent on fuel per year, and 1% back after that threshold is reached.

Hearst Newspapers participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.

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WFO HOUSTON/GALVESTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, June 2, 2022

_____

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT

Special Weather Statement

National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX

702 PM CDT Thu Jun 2 2022

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northwestern

Chambers County through 715 PM CDT...

At 702 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near

Cove, or near Beach City, moving south at 15 to 20 mph.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around

unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is

possible.

Locations impacted include...

Beach City, southern Mont Belvieu, Anahuac and Cove.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.

Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe

shelter inside a building or vehicle.

LAT...LON 2985 9489 2986 9477 2973 9467 2962 9490

2968 9491

TIME...MOT...LOC 0002Z 344DEG 17KT 2977 9481

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN

MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern El Paso

County through 630 PM MDT...

At 604 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over

East El Paso, moving northeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and penny size hail.

East El Paso, Central El Paso, Far East El Paso, Mission Valley,

Horizon City, Fort Bliss, Socorro, Sparks, Homestead Meadows,

Butterfield, Biggs Field, Fort Bliss Northeast and Montana Vista.

This includes Interstate 10 in Texas between mile markers 20 and 35.

This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio

stations and available television stations for additional information

and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.

LAT...LON 3180 10600 3164 10632 3168 10634 3171 10637

3173 10638 3175 10641 3175 10643 3176 10645

3195 10632

TIME...MOT...LOC 0004Z 225DEG 20KT 3177 10635

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather




North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a message of congratulations to Queen Elizabeth, the reclusive state's foreign ministry said, as Britain celebrates her Platinum Jubilee.







Friday marked the second of four days of pomp, parties and parades to celebrate the 96-year-old monarch's record-breaking 70 years on the throne.







"I extend my congratulations to you and your people on the occasion of the National Day of your country, the official birthday of Your Majesty," Kim said in a message dated June 2.







Britain and North Korea established diplomatic relations in 2000.







North Korea is one of the few countries that the queen, who is also head of state of 14 other nations including Australia, Canada and New Zealand, has never visited during her long reign. She has however paid a state visit to South Korea. (Reuters)


WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 3, 2022

_____

AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY

Flood Advisory

National Weather Service Lubbock TX

430 AM CDT Fri Jun 3 2022

...FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CDT EARLY THIS

MORNING...

* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues.

* WHERE...Crosby, Dickens, Garza and Kent Counties.

* WHEN...Until 600 AM CDT.

* IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...

- At 428 AM CDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to

thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin

shortly in the advisory area. As of 428 AM, the West Texas

Mesonet at Spur measured 1.2 inches of rain.

- Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1.5 inches are expected

over the advisory area. This additional rain will result in

minor flooding.

- Some locations that will experience flooding include...

Post, Crosbyton, Spur, Jayton, Dickens, White River Lake,

Lake Alan Henry, Kalgary, Girard, Clairemont, Mcadoo,

Justiceburg, Afton, Caprock and Southland.

- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the

dangers of flooding.

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern

Callahan, northwestern Brown and northeastern Coleman Counties

through 515 AM CDT...

At 430 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over

Cross Cut, moving northeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around

unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is

possible.

Locations impacted include...

Cross Plains, Cross Cut and Burkett.

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio

stations and available television stations for additional information

and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement

agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service

office in San Angelo.

LAT...LON 3195 9923 3208 9929 3218 9912 3208 9911

3208 9893 3201 9888

TIME...MOT...LOC 0930Z 243DEG 20KT 3207 9915

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN

MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, June 2, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

Severe Weather Statement

National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX

747 PM CDT Thu Jun 2 2022

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM CDT

FOR SOUTHWESTERN REEVES...NORTH CENTRAL JEFF DAVIS AND SOUTHEASTERN

CULBERSON COUNTIES...

At 747 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Kent, moving

east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to

roofs, siding, and trees.

Locations impacted include...

Kent.

This includes the following highways...

Interstate 10 between mile markers 168 and 190.

Interstate 20 between mile markers 0 and 3.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

To report severe weather contact your nearest law enforcement agency.

They will send your report to the National Weather Service office in

Midland.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 3, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Central Garfield County in southeastern Washington...

Northwestern Asotin County in southeastern Washington...

* Until 145 PM PDT.

* At 1257 PM PDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 11 miles south of

Pomeroy, or 19 miles east of Dayton, moving northeast at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Damage to vehicles is expected. Torrential rainfall is

occurring with this storm, and may lead to flash

flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded

roadways.

* Locations impacted include...

Peola and Alder Thicket Campground.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 3, 2022

_____

FLASH FLOOD WARNING

The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...

The burn scar in...

Eastern Okanogan County in north central Washington...

Southwestern Ferry County in northeastern Washington...

* Until 400 PM PDT.

* At 104 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing

heavy rain near the burn scar. Additional rainfall amounts up to 1

inch are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or

expected to begin shortly.

Excessive rainfall over the burn scar will result in debris flow

moving through the Chuweah Creek. The debris flow can consist of

rock, mud, vegetation and other loose materials.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms in and around

the burn scar.

SOURCE...Radar.

IMPACT...Flooding of areas in and around the burn scar.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...

Nespelem Community and Nespelem. Cache Creek Road, Joe Moses Road,

Chuweah Road.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

This is a life threatening situation. Heavy rainfall will cause

extensive and severe flash flooding of creeks...streams...and

ditches in the Chuweah Creek Burn Scar. Severe debris flows can also

be anticipated across roads. Roads and driveways may be washed away

in places. If you encounter flood waters...climb to safety.

Move away from recently burned areas. Life-threatening flooding of

creeks, roads and normally dry arroyos is likely. The heavy rains

will likely trigger rockslides, mudslides and debris flows in steep

terrain, especially in and around these areas.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
Just in time for summer, pop duo the Lockyer Boys are back with a brand new single and video 'LATKD' out today on all digital streaming platforms. Watch video here.
Terminal 1 at Incheon international airport is crowded with people arriving in the country on June 1. Yonhap



By Ko Dong-hwan





Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks during Friday's meeting with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency at Government Complex in Seoul. Yonhap
Imagine being able to order an in-flight meal by scanning a QR code as you board and seeing the available catering inventory. Or having flight attendants carry iPads that allow them to quickly input notes on a passenger such as their preferences, compliments or complaints. Thats the vision at Canada Jetlines, a startup airline that began with a cloud-native strategy.

Were putting the power of communication right into the front-line workers hands and capturing that information in a centralized location, said CIO Robert Pope. Thats giving us a greater view of the business  and making enhancements for the customer experience almost on the fly.

Pope is among the speakers at the Canadian CIO Future of Cloud Summit, taking place virtually June 8 and 9.

The summit promises to demystify hybrid clouds for CIOs and enterprises and share best practices for optimizing clouds for security, privacy and customer experience.

Kicking off the summit, the futurist Anat Baron will preview the biggest technology trends in the post-pandemic world. Later, Baron will take questions about the next great transformation in a live discussion with attendees.

Sherif Sheta, CIO of the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine, will tell how to lead with a cloud-first strategy.

For big-picture insights, Dave McCarthy, IDC research vice president, cloud infrastructure services, will give worldwide cloud predictions for the coming year. Looking specifically at Canada, Megha Kumar, IDC Canada research vice president for software and cloud services, will drill into the state of adoption of public clouds services within the countrys organizations.

Looking specifically at the financial services industry, BNY Mellon CIO for Architecture and Engineering Joseph Sieczkowski will discuss cultivating an agile and dynamic operating model, and Wells Fargo Bank Head of Hybrid Environments Christopher Marsh-Bourdon will share insights on designing hybrid cloud environments for security and flexibility.

On Thursday, analysts and practitioners will continue to provide actionable insights. A panel of tech leaders will explore how the cloud native, digital-first world is changing the role of the CIO. The panel will feature BC Transit CIO and Vice President for IT Laura-Lea Berna; LCBO CIO and Senior Vice President Geoff Cronin; and CAA Club Group CIO Kin Lee-Yow.

An analysts panel will identify cloud trends with transformational impact. McCarthy returns along with Matthew Eastwood, senior vice president of enterprise infrastructure, cloud and enabling technology; and Jason Bremner, IDC Canada research vice president, industry and business solutions.

Illuminating case studies will come from Royal Caribbean CIO Martha Poulter, who will explain the unique technology challenges of implementing a cloud strategy with cruise ships on the open ocean. David Bellis, formerly 3Ms vice president for global infrastructure services and enterprise architecture will share how the company reaped the benefits of moving functions such as accounting, supply chain management, manufacturing, product lifecycle management, e-commerce, and other enterprise IT applications to the cloud.

Jennifer Hays, senior vice president of engineering efficiency and assurance at Fidelity Investments, will look at gaining financial control and predictability over cloud spend. And U.S. Federal Reserve System CIO Ghada Ijam will share how the central bank is leveraging cloud-smart strategies.

James Cham, a partner at Bloomberg Beta, will offer a venture fund perspective on changes to watch in software development, deriving value from big data, and a view into the role of AI.

Looking to integrate cloud native apps into a seamless operational platform? Professional Case Management CIO Charlie Billings will share his organizations experience.

Finally, InfoWorld senior writer Serdar Yegulalp will present a non-technical introduction to Kubernetes and best practices of managing container-based applications at scale.

Throughout the summit, sponsors including Bell, Carbon60 and ManageEngine will offer thought leadership and solutions on subjects such as attaining digital innovation with the cloud, monitoring and securing multi-cloud environments, and challenges to achieving DevSecOps. Check out the full summit agenda here. The event is free to attend for qualified attendees. Dont miss out  register today.
Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701)

Today

Sunshine along with some cloudy intervals. High around 80F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Showers early, becoming a steady rain late. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
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President Yoon Suk-yeol said Friday he was committed to expanding Korea's role on the global stage based on the country's firm alliance with the United States.







Yoon made the remarks during a meeting with visiting U.S. academics and officials, including Edwin Feulner, founder of The Heritage Foundation think tank, and former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz.







"I believe developing the Korea-U.S. relationship into a comprehensive strategic alliance at the global level serves the national interests of both countries, and have the firm determination to pursue that," he said during the meeting at the presidential office, noting that he and U.S. President Joe Biden shared and agreed on their visions for the future of the alliance during their summit in Seoul last month.







"I plan to expand Korea's role and responsibility upon the foundation of a firm Korea-U.S. alliance," Yoon said.







The meeting was also attended by Karen House, former publisher of the Wall Street Journal; Christopher Del Corso, charge d'affaires ad interim at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul; and Chung Mong-joon, founder of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, among others.







The U.S. visitors were in Seoul to attend a forum co-hosted by the Asan Institute and the U.S. Embassy to mark the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and the United States. (Yonhap)






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Yesterday, Britain kicked off celebrations for Queen Elizabeth IIs Platinum Jubilee, a four-day bacchanalfeaturing tea dances, street parties, dog shows, wellie wanging, and ceremonial beacon lighting (and thats just in the village Im from)in honor of her seventy years on the throne. British newspapers, of course, are having a field day, both on their front pagesthe liberal Daily Mirror: For our Queen for our Britain; the right-wing Sun: Dont you just love E(II)R?and in special print supplements, with The Times of London bearing an unsettling image showing the queen shaking hands with a younger version of herself. Reporters have interviewed royal superfans camping out in castle-shaped tents and compiled lists of jubilee merch (corgi cake, anyone?), while debating whether its okay to refer to the Platinum Jubilee as the Platty Joobs. Like one of the castle-tent dwellers, who was from Connecticut, US outlets seem fascinated by the celebrations, too, despiteor perhaps because oftheir lack of obligation to be.

The Jubilee has temporarily overshadowed another story, one that doesnt concern the longevity of the head of state but the possibly numbered days of her current head of government, Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The last time I wrote about him, back in January, he was in graveand, increasingly, transatlantically newsworthypolitical peril after British news outlets published a flurry of stories about parties in his residence and offices on various dates in 2020 and 2021, while the rest of the country observed strict lockdown rules that he set. (Two of the parties took place on the eve of Prince Philips funeral, at which the queen sat alone.) Narrative tension was ramping up across the British mediasphere as Sue Gray, a senior civil servant, prepared to release a report on the parties, with political journalists and pundits speculating breathlessly as to when she might publish and whether her findings might cost Johnson his job. Then, Londons police department announced an open-ended investigation into potential law-breaking and asked Gray to avoid substantively addressing the incidents it was probing, stifling the storys narrative momentum and ensuring that the whole sorry saga would drag on.

ICYMI: A new book on Anna Wintour reinforces her powerful persona

The police investigation frustrated the press; stories dripped out about officials receiving questionnaires to fill out, but it wasnt clear how the police was approaching its work, and Johnson and his office said they wouldnt be commenting on a pending probe. Meanwhile, the news cycle moved on, most decisively after Russia invaded Ukraine and Johnson sought to position himself as a top international cheerleader for the latter country, winning plaudits from hawkish pundits. Stories about the spiraling cost of living also started to cut through, as did a scandal that followed the leaking to the press of the finance ministers wifes tax affairs, and a series of sexual-misconduct claims against lawmakers that were often covered under the nauseating banner PESTMINSTER. (Britains Parliament is located at Westminster.) One lawmaker in Johnsons Conservative Party admitted to twice watching pornography in Parliamentthough on the first occasion, he insisted, hed simply been trying to look at a website about tractorsand resigned. Another Conservative was arrested on suspicion of rape and told to stay away from Parliament. The media has not yet named him for legal reasons.

Amid this parade of war and shame, Partygate, as the Johnson scandal had come to be known, occasionally cut back into the news cycle. In late March, the police issued a first set of fines to officials, though who had received them was not made public. Then, a few weeks later, we learned that Johnson, his wife, and his finance minister had all also been fined for attending an office birthday party at which Johnson, as a political ally once memorably put it in his defense, had been ambushed with a cake. Johnson became the first sitting prime minister to be punished for breaking the law, and various commentators called for him to resign. In other ways, though, the media reaction was surprisingly muted. Savvy reporters explained that the political dynamics had changed since January; right-wing newspapers led with the story, but most of their headlines quoted directly from Johnsons apology. The Mail went for the jugularbut not for Johnsons, claiming that his cake never left its Tupperware box and taking aim at the resignation howls coming from the left, asking, in a front page headline, DONT THEY KNOW THERES A WAR ON? (The next day, the government announced plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, and many newspapers led with the news.)

Partygate still had not reached its climax, with the police investigation into other events continuing. Journalists speculated as to whether Johnson might receive further fines, given that the birthday party had seemed to represent the thin end of the wedge (or slice) when it came to his reported covid partying. The next time the story cut through in a big way, however, it concerned not Johnson but Keir Starmer, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, who had repeatedly called for Johnson to resign over Partygate, but who now stood accused of himself breaking covid rules when he ate a curry and drank some beer at a political meeting in a northern English city last spring. A video circulated showing Starmer with a bottle. The Guardian later reported that it had been filmed through a window by the son of James Delingpole, a writer for Breitbart and other right-wing outlets, who happened to be studying nearby at the time.

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The images werent newright-wing media personalities and newspapers had spread them to accuse Starmer of hypocrisy beforebut they only blew up in a big way in late April and early May, ahead of local elections that were widely interpreted as a key test of Johnsons political standing with voters. The right-wing press was again in the vanguardthe Mail ran the Starmer story, now christened Beergate, on its front page seven days in a rowbut this time, mainstream reporters and pundits also gave it credence, and Starmer and his colleagues were asked about the incident in interviews; they insisted that Starmers team had merely paused for food during a permitted work meeting and claimed they could prove it, but their answers werent always totally convincing. Playbook will be honest: When the original Starmer Beergate story came to light a few months ago, most Westminster observers didnt think much of it, your author included, Alex Wickham, who heads the London edition of Politicos Playbook newsletter, wrote on the eve of the elections (under the headline Starmers korma karma). That has changed significantly. Then, history repeated itselfboth times as farceas the police launched an investigation. In a dramatic intervention, Starmer pledged to resign if he was fined for breaking the rules. Right-wingers in politics and media accused him of improperly influencing the police.

No sooner had the Beergate police killed that storys momentum than the Partygate police (keep up) concluded their investigation without fining Johnson for a second time, his office confirmed. The next day, the front pages of left-leaning papers channeled fury that Johnson had gotten away with it, whereas those on the right demanded that the country simply move on: the Mail declared the police probe A FARCICAL WASTE OF TIME, while the Express asked, CAN WE NOW JUST FOCUS ON THE BIG ISSUES? When I last wrote about Partygate, back in January, I warned that the story appeared to be following a similar, albeit much sillier, trajectory to that of the Mueller report in the US, where too much coverage privileged novelty and optics over well-established evidence of wrongdoing, and substituted journalistic judgment for opaque legal technicalitiesgetting lost in the weeds and somehow contriving an anticlimax from explosive material the press itself had hyped. Not every British outlet treated the long tail of Partygate this way; far from it. On the whole, though, it felt to me as if the sharp coverage of the turn of the year had indeed been sucked down a rabbit hole of procedure, shifting standards, and narrative irresolution.

Then, last Monday, ITVs Paul Brandwho had broken one of the sharpest Partygate scoops back in Januarydropped another bombshell, publishing a photo that showed Johnson raising a glass at a party during a strict covid lockdown in November 2020. Reporters immediately asked how the police had deemed that event unworthy of a fine, a question that echoed on the next days front pages. (The Express defended Johnson, though in a country notorious for sarcasm, the papers lead headlineNOTHING TO SEE HERE! YARD SAYS BORIS BROKE NO RULESat least had a whiff of ambiguity.) On Wednesday, Grays full report finally dropped, and though it contained no new bombshells, it was already clear that it was no longer going to be the final word. Amid a further flurry of incriminating stories, The Times reported that Johnson asked Gray, at a private meeting, not to publish her report, sparking frenzied speculation about an attempted coverup. (Government officials denied that Johnsons office requested a meeting with Gray, then admitted that it had.) And various outlets have since homed in on an alleged eventa so-called abba Party, after the music that was allegedly played at itin Johnsons residence that was scarcely mentioned in Grays report. The Times reported that an abba section in the report had been altered prior to publication. (The paper claimed, in the same story, that Johnsons dog barked incessantly as Johnson tried to digest the final Gray report, leading Johnson to snap, Will someone put that dog down!)

At the end of all this, Johnsons position once again seems rocky; it looks unlikely, for now, that his colleagues will vote to remove hima majority of the lawmakers in his party would have to concur, which makes for a high barthough he could yet face a vote of no confidence, the British version of impeachment (kinda) that can be triggered by just 15 percent of his party colleagues, a total of fifty-four lawmakers. Some of Johnsons colleagues have come out against him publicly, but all they need to do to express support for a vote is submit a private letter to the chair of a committee of Conservative lawmakers that is the British version of the House Freedom Caucus (kinda). As was the case back in January, reporters are again scrambling to work out how many letters may already have been submitted. Tom Larkin, of Sky News, has been keeping a color-coded spreadsheet tracking which Johnson critics have said what about his future. Yesterday, Larkin reported that Andrew Bowie, a Scottish Conservative lawmaker, had become the forty-fifth of Johnsons colleagues to publicly question his position. Bowies statement doing so, Larkin noted, had lain unread on his personal website for the past two days.

Only one man knows for sure how many letters have gone in: Graham Brady, the chair of the aforementioned committee and now the most-watched man with that last name this side of Tampa Bay. Some observers think that he may already have enough letters to call a vote, but is holding off from saying so for fear of stealing the queens Jubilee thunder. (As Wickham noted, this is the Conservative Party after all.) Not that this has stopped Brady from being a hub of political-media attention. On Tuesday, a BBC reporter cornered him and asked him about the letters; in response, Brady smiled placidly but declined to answer, adding that totting up letters is not a regular pastime of mine. Maybe he prefers wellie wanging during the Platty Joobs.

Below, more on parties and Britain:



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: The courts, the platforms, and regulating speech

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Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
LAKE CHARLES, Louisiana (AP)  The front lawn of Lydia Larces home is strewn with debris: Remnants of cabinets and chunks of pink shower marble lie between dumpsters. She lives in a FEMA trailer out back, her home in shambles more than a year after Hurricane Laura tore through Lake Charles.

Larce, like many in Southwest Louisiana, has what she calls storm PTSD. Tornado warnings trigger anxiety. She fidgets and struggles to sleep.

The fear and the unknown  it has me on an edge, Larce said. Im scared.

A string of devastating hurricanes has torn through this region in recent years. Nationally, too, there have been more Category 4 and 5 hurricane landfalls in the past five years than in the previous 50 years combined. Larce and her neighbors know they are on the front lines of climate change.

Her region is now the epicenter of a trend that she fears will make those disasters even more destructive.

Developers plan to build a series of liquefied natural gas export facilities across Southwest Louisiana, already the heart of the industry. Even in a state with a heavy industrial base, these facilities are among the largest emitters of greenhouse gases in Louisiana.

Theyre an absolute powerhouse for greenhouse gas emissions, said Naomi Yoder, a staff scientist at Healthy Gulf, a nonprofit that advocates for clean energy. Thats because these export facilities tend to burn off, or flare, natural gas.

Greenhouse gases are raising global temperatures and fueling extreme weather, from wildfires to violent storms like the ones that have pummeled Larces hometown.

We all are living in chaos, Larce said.

For a while, it looked as though an era of steadily expanding fossil fuel facilities might be ending. Last year, after taking office, President Joseph Biden announced his intention to fight climate change by eliminating fossil fuels from electricity generation by 2035 and by sharply reducing emissions from the rest of the economy.

Yet since Biden became president, the U.S. has become the worlds largest exporter of liquefied natural gas as demand for the fuel, known as LNG, has escalated.

Russias invasion of Ukraine suddenly intensified the push. It heightened demand for natural gas, especially for countries in Europe that relied on Russian energy but now need to cut those ties.

Seizing the opportunity, the natural gas industry promoted U.S.-produced LNG as a way to fill the gaps, and prices for the fuel have skyrocketed. American terminals are now exporting gas at full capacity, which is why the expansion of the terminals has accelerated.

It is along the Gulf Coast, in a line from Louisiana to Texas, where the new and proposed export terminals are clustered. Talk to some locals and government officials and youll hear unqualified support for the facilities in this battered region.

Its a significant boon to our economy, because it provides good, high-paying jobs, said Eric Tarver, a member of the Calcasieu Parish School Board and chief financial officer of Lake Charles Toyota. More than that, its a tremendous amount of tax revenue that just dwarfs what weve had from any other industry.

But some long-time residents  often the ones whove lost the most to the storms  dispute those claims, saying that few of those coveted jobs end up going to people who grew up in the region.

Region In Distress

Scattered across the neighborhoods of Lake Charles, blue tarps cover dozens of dilapidated roofs. Bungalows, pockmarked by gaping holes, are marred by broken siding and boarded-up windows  evidence of the damage inflicted by Hurricanes Laura and Delta more than a year ago. Yet with few other options, some residents are living here under the tarps.

I feel Southwest Louisiana has been made a sacrificial lamb, said Roishetta Ozane, a single mother of six and an organizer for Healthy Gulf.

An outspoken critic of the expansion of LNG facilities, Ozane warns her neighbors that the emissions worsen global warming and violent storms and impair their communitys air quality. She has raised money, organized food drives and helped neighbors navigate government agencies to obtain relief after disasters hit.

Now is the time to get peoples attention, to open their eyes that climate change is real, Ozane said. Theyre going to continue to bring these facilities here. Weve already had these major hurricanes here. Where are we going to live?

As she drives around a predominantly Black area of Lake Charles, past shuttered businesses and crumbling homes, Ozanes phone buzzes with requests for help.

Are you living in a FEMA trailer? she asks one caller. Text me what you need.

There are other helpers here. Cindy Robertson is one of them. In her front yard bursting with daisies and ferns, she refills a pantry box that she stocks each morning to help feed homeless neighbors. By mid-afternoon, its nearly empty.

Her neighborhood has endured seven federally declared disasters in two years, and shes grown increasingly concerned, even though her family worked in coal mining. Robertson, 62, runs a nonprofit to help vulnerable people recover.

From her house, with its seascape paintings and tapestries, she provides water, sleeping bags and tents. With a succession of LNG terminals opening around her, she worries that her region hasnt yet seen the worst.

The more we have more pollution from greenhouse gases, she fears, the worse our storms are going to get.

A few miles away, Cameron LNG began exporting LNG in 2019. Further south, Venture Global Calcasieu Pass is shipping its first loads.

Still another LNG company, Driftwood, recently broke ground to build an export facility. Thats on top of more than a dozen oil, gas and chemical processing plants surrounding her community.

Robertson would much prefer increased investment in renewable energy, in line with Bidens stated priorities when he took office.

Instead of focusing on LNG, expanding what they already have we need to take all that brainpower and all that money and put it into expanding our renewable resources, Robertson said.

Exports Surging

The use of wind, solar and other renewable energy has grown as prices of solar components and wind turbines have plunged. But so has the worlds thirst for natural gas. In February, the U.S. exported 317 billion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas _ six times times the amount five years earlier.

Investment in LNG terminals catapulted from nothing in 2011, before the U.S. export industry existed, to $63 billion over the next decade, according to Rystad Energy. The firm projects that investment could swell an additional $100 billion over the next two decades.

Thats despite warnings from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that emissions from existing fossil fuel infrastructure alone would cause global warming to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit)  a level that scientists say would bring dangerous consequences.

Of the eight terminals now exporting LNG, five lie on the coast of Louisiana and Texas. At least 16 more plus four expansions are proposed or under construction, nearly all along that same stretch of Gulf coastline.

The projects are backed by Exxon Mobil, Qatar Energy, Total Energies and numerous other global energy giants. Financing for several proposed plants comes from BlackRock, Vanguard and Mitsubishi, according to Global Energy Monitor.

At Cameron LNG in Hackberry, Louisiana, storage tanks loom over the wetlands next to rows of intersecting pipes. There, gas is treated to remove impurities. Then its cooled to a liquid at minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit to flow onto ships. In a narrow channel, a huge French vessel called LNG Endeavor, escorted by tug boats, heads for the facility, dwarfing the homes it passes.

Were delivering a cleaner, more environmentally friendly fuel, said Charlie Riedl, executive director of the Center for LNG, the industrys lobbying group. The U.S. can use that to help defuse some of the geopolitical issues around the world by delivering a reliable fuel source.

Initially, Bidens administration held off on approving requests that would expand the LNG industry. But after the war in Ukraine began, the Energy Department allowed some facilities to upgrade, increasing how much they could produce.

The U.S. is exporting every molecule of liquefied natural gas that we can to alleviate supply issues in Europe, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in March, urging the oil and gas industry to ramp up production.

Asked whether boosting fossil fuel exports contradicts Bidens climate goals, Granholm told The Associated Press we have got to do both. She said she believes the United States can help its allies, reduce the cost of fuel and transition to more sustainable options.

Since the war increased the need for alternatives to Russian gas, some European LNG import projects that had stalled are being revived, said Emily McClain, a vice president at Rystad.

Its really showing were not quite ready to table gas and move to cleaner or greener energies, McClain said.

Riedl said he would like the administration to do even more, by approving any of the proposed LNG export terminals.

Louisiana offers a property tax break of up to 10 years to companies that build LNG terminals. Even with those tax breaks, the increased property tax income provides a windfall for the area, said Tarver, the school board member.

With Driftwood LNG beginning construction of a facility, the expected jobs are a shot in the arm after a devastating series of disasters, Tarver said. That the world is looking to the Gulf Coast as an energy supplier is, he said, a source of pride.

Thats a very powerful thing to us locally, just because were big Pro-America, proud American people here, Tarver said.

Others, like Ozane, argue that the tax breaks give away too much.

We have a big homelessness problem, Ozane said. Our schools look horrible. If LNG is doing so much for the state, why is it like that?

Cleaner Than Coal?

Down the road from Cameron LNG, a new export terminal has opened about a mile from John Allaires beachfront home. His property, where hes lived in an RV for 17 years since Hurricane Rita washed away his bunk house, is a refuge for spawning shrimp and diving sea birds. When his children were young, Allaire brought them fishing and hunting there.

At sunrise, the dark sky begins to crack into shades of orange and gray. A bright orb on the horizon looks like the rising sun. Its not. Its a flare from Venture Globals Calcasieu Pass LNG, the latest export terminal to open. The flare, a mixture of flames and smoke that pours out when the facility burns natural gas, had been burning non-stop for a week, Allaire said.

Thats pure profit and pollution going up the stack, he said.

Allaire, 66, a retired environmental engineer for an oil company, doesnt oppose oil and gas use. His property sits on a former oilfield.

But he fears the destruction of the wetlands he loves: The soft waving cordgrass where black rails hide, the pelicans diving down over the lapping water to catch fish.

Commonwealth LNG has proposed another export terminal, sandwiched between Allaires yard and the LNG terminal that just opened. It would cover about half the ponds that are packed with blue crabs and mud minnows.

Im glad theres still places like this left  I really dont want to see it paved over, Allaire said.

The wetlands he loves play a beneficial role for climate, too. They absorb carbon dioxide. And they provide a buffer from storm surges.

Together, the four LNG export terminals on the Gulf Coast emitted nearly 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2020  comparable to all of Costa Rica, according to the Global Carbon Project.

The LNG plants are tied to climate change in another way, too. Along the whole pathway to export, from the wells where companies drill to the ships getting loaded with LNG, methane  the powerful greenhouse gas thats the primary ingredient of natural gas  can escape.

And it does, from leaky wells, pipelines, compressors and storage tanks. In the Permian Basin, one of the worlds richest oil and gas fields, well heads and pipelines are leaking far more methane than previously thought, according to a study that concluded that 9% of the gas produced in New Mexicos side of the basin is leaking.

Thats a shocking leakage estimate, Rob Jackson, a professor of earth system science at Stanford University and chairman of the Global Carbon Project, an international research group, said about natural gas.

At that that rate, he said, the leaking methane alone is warming the climate more than the carbon dioxide that would be released if all the produced natural gas were burned.

Natural gas proponents say its better for the climate than burning coal, because it releases fewer emissions when burned. But gas isnt substituting for coal in most places, Jackson noted. Instead, as energy demand grows globally, natural gas is being used in addition to coal and other sources.

According to projections by the Energy Information Administration, natural gas use will drive an overall increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. from 2037 to 2050 as the nations population and its reliance on gas grow.

To show its trying to limit its environmental impact, Cameron LNG reduced its emissions by 10% from 2020 to 2021. Its also built 500 acres of tidal marsh, using material it digs up when dredging the canal.

But residents who are enduring the trauma of relentless storms know any facility that adds emissions to the atmosphere magnifies the likelihood of destruction in vulnerable communities.

In building more LNG export terminals, Jackson said, were locking in emissions for decades to come.

Associated Press journalists Janet McConnaughey in New Orleans and Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report.

About the photo: A small vehicle drives past a network of piping that makes up pieces of a train at Cameron LNG export facility in Hackberry, La., on Thursday, March 31, 2022. Natural gas is cooled at the facility and turned into liquid and sent on massive ships to many parts of the world. Once it arrives at its destination, the liquified natural gas is re-gasified and piped to homes, factories and other places. Demand for natural gas worldwide has been greater than ever since Russia, another major natural gas exporter, invaded Ukraine. (AP Photo/Martha Irvine)
A federal appellate court on Thursday cleared the way for thousands of Houston-area property owners and their insurers to pursue claims for damages after the US Army Corps of Engineers emptied two reservoirs that were holding back floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

A panel of the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a US Court of Federal Claims ruling that dismissed 176 lawsuits filed by the owners of properties along Buffalo Bayou downstream of the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs.

Rand Nolen, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said he doesnt forsee any further procedural obstacles that would delay trial on property damage claims that he said are expected to cost $6.5 to $13 billion.

Now the court has told the government it must pay the folks whose property it flooded, damaged, and destroyed, Nolen, with the Fleming, Nolen and Jez law firm in Houston, said in a press release.

A similar lawsuit was filed by property owners upstream of the reservoirs. They allege the government did not buy enough land to adequately store floodwaters and used their properties for the extra storage.

Nolen said in an interview that the evidence shows the Corps intentionally emptied the reservoirs simply because an operating manual written in 1962 told them to do so. He said the dams were fortified in the 1980s and 1990s; there was never any threat of structural damage.

Literally, what they did when they opened those floodgates is they moved the water that was behind the reservoirs into everybodys living rooms, he said.

Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Co., American Home Assurance Co., Great Lakes Insurance and Lexington Insurance Co. are among the plaintiffs in the cases that were consolidated by the Federal Claims court. The insurers are seeking to subrogate property damage claims they paid because of the Buffalo Bayou flooding.

The plaintiffs say the government must compensate them for damages under the 5th Amendment, which prohibits the government from taking private property without just compensation. The lawsuits allege that the government took a flowage easement over their properties when it decided to release water from its dams.

Senior Judge Loren A. Smith, with the Federal Claims Court, granted a motion to dismiss filed by the government, finding that that the property owners did not have a vested right in perfect flood control. His ruling says the US Supreme Court has routinely held that the government cannot be held liable under the Fifth Amendment for property damage caused by events outside the governments control, otherwise known as acts of God. Also, sovereign immunity protects the Corps because the release of water was made under the governments police power to protect public safety, the trial court found.

But the Circuit Court panel rejected the judges reasoning. The opinion says Texas courts have tied the exercise of police power to solely to the abatement of nuisances, not the release of flood waters.

A general police power exception to property rights does not exist under Texas law, the opinion says. In fact, the Tucker Act, passed in 1887, specifically waives sovereign immunity for government flood-control projects, the appellate panel said.

Texas courts have recognized that property owners have interests in flowage easements under Texas law the appellate panels opinion says.

The Circuit Court declined to rule on whether the Corps actually did engage in a taking under the Fifth Amendment. It remanded the case back to Judge Smith to determine if that occurred.

Nolen said he doesnt have to prove that the Corps erred when it released water into Buffalo Bayou, but he has gathered evidence that shows there was no imminent danger to the dams. He said the Corps leadership decided to open the floodgates only because the Water Control Manual written in 1962 instructs them to do so when certain threshold conditions are met.

Presumably, the guidelines in the manual were intended to protect the structure of the dams, but nobody knows for sure, Nolen said. He said the operating manual was not amended after the dams were improved in two projects during the 1980s and 1990s.

Nolen said the Corps allowed water to flow out of the reservoirs at a rate of 16,000 cubic feet per second after Hurricane Harvey had passed. The Corps then kept the floodgates open for two weeks, increasing the amount fo damage.

He said water sat in the homes downstream from the reservoir at a depth of six to seven feet.

Any salvaging of anything is impossible, Nolen said. Even the studs you cannot reuse because they bow and warp and start causing problems.

Nolen said many of the 176 lawsuits filed so far against the Corps by downstream property owners seek compensation of about $2 billion for 1,875 properties. But he said an estimated total of 8,000 properties were affected. The six-year statute of limitations to file a damage claim has not yet passed. Nolen said he expects an additional 2,000 lawsuits to be filed, which will greatly increase the amount of damages owed.

US Court of Federal Claims Judge Charles Lettow ruled in favor of the upstream property owners in December 2019. A trial to determine the amount of damages in that litigation is now underway at the federal courthouse in Houston, Nolen said.

About the photo: Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force Two (VA-TF2) searching neigborhoods inside Houston for survivors after flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)  One home was swept away by a raging river, with several other homes and cabins lining the Copper River in eastern Alaska also in danger of being lost because of the eroding riverbank, officials said Wednesday.

The flooding is occurring in the unincorporated area of Copperville, about 180 miles (290 kilometers) northeast of Anchorage. The flooding is from the snowmelt in the mountains after temperatures warmed up, Jeremy Zidek, a spokesperson for the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, told The Associated Press.

The home that was lost Monday was a secondary residence. Resident Daniel Chappell captured the home being carried away by the river and shared the video with Anchorage television station KTUU.

It doesnt look like the rivers going to make any changes to our advantage, so we dont know exactly what to do at this point, he told KTUU.

The river has been eroding the river bank several feet a day.

Thirty-some years Ive been living here and nothing like this has ever occurred so its just taking a little to get my mind wrapped around, Chappell said.

Two other homes with full-time residents also sit near the bank. One was a trailer with other structures attached, which has been disassembled and moved further bank onto the bank, Zidek said.

The other home with full-time residents has some riverbank left but he was unsure what the homeowners plan was.

About four other structures in danger are recreational cabins or vacation properties.

The snowmelt had earlier caused flooding on Moose and other creeks in the nearby community of Glennallen, Zidek told the AP.

When temperatures were cooler, it allowed the snow to melt slowly during the day and with it cooler at night, it slowed the process, he said. But the melting quickened once temperatures hit the 60s and 70s.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
BEIJING, June 3 -- The 19th ASEAN Regional Forum Security Policy Conference (ASPC) was held via a video link on June 3, during which the participants exchanged views on the regional and international issues.

The head of the Office for International Military Cooperation under China's Central Military Commission (CMC) attended the event. He shared China's views on current regional and international landscapes and put forward China's proposals on strengthening defense and security cooperation in the post-pandemic period. He stressed that in face of intricate security threats, we need to carry forward the common values of the whole of humanity and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
U.S. Ambassador to Korea Philip Goldberg, left, takes his oath at the Department of State, Thursday (local time). He plans to arrive in Seoul later this summer. Courtesy of U.S. Embassy in Korea



By Kwon Mee-yoo



New U.S. ambassador to Korea Philip Goldberg took his oath of office and is expected to arrive in Seoul to begin his tenure later this summer.



The U.S. Embassy in Seoul said Friday on its social media that Goldberg was officially sworn in at the Department of State, Thursday (local time).



The embassy welcomed Goldberg, saying he would bring "a wealth of knowledge and experience to strengthen our growing global partnership."



"I'd like to send my regards to everyone in Korea, everyone in Seoul saying how proud and honored I am to be the next U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Korea. We just had a small swearing-in ceremony, which was very nice. I'm really looking forward to getting there and seeing all of Korea, all the people at the embassy," Goldberg said in a video clip posted on the embassy's Twitter.



U.S. President Joe Biden nominated Goldberg as the new head of the U.S. diplomatic mission to Korea on Feb. 11 and Goldberg was approved by the Senate on May 5.



Goldberg is a career ambassador, the highest diplomatic rank in the U.S. Foreign Service. He was the coordinator for the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874 on North Korea from 2009 to 2010. He served as U.S. ambassador to Bolivia and the Philippines and was posted to Colombia before being appointed to South Korea.



Following the Senate confirmation, there was speculation that Goldberg may arrive in Seoul promptly upon approval, ahead of the Korea-U.S. summit on May 21. However, Goldberg stayed in Bogota, Colombia longer as Colombia had its presidential election on May 29 and Bogota is an important partner of the U.S. in South America.



The exact timing of Goldberg's arrival in Seoul has not been decided yet. An official from the U.S. Embassy here told The Korea Times that they cannot comment on the issue.



The U.S. Department of State noted that Goldberg is expected to assume his duties in Korea "later this summer" in a note announcing his departure and naming a charge d'affaires in Bogota.








The United States Forces Korea has now returned parcels of its Yongsan Garrison in central Seoul to Korea, officials said Friday, allowing Seoul to speed up its plan to build a public park near the presidential office.







The return encompassed 51,000 square meters of land inside the garrison included its southern and southwestern gates, as well as thoroughfares to the gates, the Office for Government Policy Coordination said in a statement.







The handover is expected to help Korea accelerate its plan to build the park as the gates are close to the presidential office, which had been used by the defense ministry before Yoon's office was relocated from Cheong Wa Dae.







In particular, the garrison's southern gate has been used on the route that President Yoon Suk-yeol makes during his commute to work in order to minimize inconvenience to citizens.







Yoon has been commuting every day from his private home in southern Seoul, while the foreign minister's official residence in Yongsan is converted into the new presidential residence.







Since Yoon was inaugurated last month, the garrison's southern gate has been under the control of Korea's presidential security service.







So far, the U.S. has returned about 30 percent of the land in the garrison to Korea, according to the statement. (Yonhap)








Ukraine's top envoy to Seoul expressed hope Friday for weapons aid from Korea to help fight its war with Russia.







Ukrainian Ambassador to Korea Dmytro Ponomarenko made the remark to reporters after a meeting with Lee Jun-seok, the chief of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), ahead of Lee's planned visit to Ukraine together with a group of PPP lawmakers.







"I think this issue will be discussed as well during the visit of Lee to Ukraine," Ponomarenko told reporters.







The ambassador said he expects Korea to be "more proactive" in regard to cooperation with Ukraine especially in the military field.







Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also made a similar request during a virtual address to Korean lawmakers in April. Zelenskyy then said Ukraine needs various military technologies, including planes and tanks, and asked for Korea's help.







Korea has turned down calls for weapons aid, though it has agreed to provide non-lethal aid.







Ponomarenko said he expects the PPP delegation's visit to Ukraine to bring a positive result, saying that all bilateral cooperation issues will be discussed when the delegation meets with Ukrainian officials.







Last month, the PPP said it will send a peace delegation to Kyiv to express support for and solidarity with Ukraine, which will make it the first Asian political party to do so.







Ponomarenko said he was told by Lee that a message from President Yoon Suk-yeol will be delivered when the delegation visits Ukraine, though he does not think the message will be in the form of a letter.







But a presidential official said it appears unlikely Yoon will deliver a message through Lee.







The envoy added he expects Yoon and other government officials to attend an international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine in Lugano, Switzerland, next month. (Yonhap)










South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold a vice ministerial meeting in Seoul next week to discuss the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, and other regional and global issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday.







Wendy Sherman, deputy U.S. state secretary, will make a three-day trip to South Korea beginning Monday, two weeks after U.S. President Joe Biden's visit for a summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, according to the ministry.







Sherman will meet her South Korean counterpart, Cho Hyun-dong, on Tuesday, and they will be joined by Japan's Takeo Mori for a tripartite session Wednesday, it noted.







The three are expected to discuss ways to expand trilateral cooperation for stronger deterrence against North Korea's nuclear and missile threat, and other regional and global issues amid China's rising assertiveness and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.







The trilateral meeting at the vice-ministerial level was last held in Washington D.C. in November, and it will be the first under the Yoon administration that was launched last month.







On Friday, the top nuclear envoys of the three nations met in Seoul and vowed close coordination against North Korea's provocations amid speculation over its preparation for a nuclear test. (Yonhap)


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As managing editor, I work with the staff to put together a daily report that reflects what happens in the community, what people are talking about and what issues engage them. Email: abbottjm@missouri.edu; phone: 573-882-4164.

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The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form




South Korea's foreign ministry has provided $3 million to the World Food Programme's (WFP) emergency relief project toward Ukraine, the United Nations food agency said Friday.







The WFP said about $2 million will be allocated for food and cash assistance, and logistics support for the recent U.N. Flash appeal for Ukraine, and $1 million will be channeled to the WFP's aid to Ukrainian refugees in Moldova.







"The support from the Korean Government and the people of Korea will enable us to reach the most vulnerable communities in Ukraine and refugees who have fled to Moldova from Ukraine since the crisis," Yun Seon-hee, director of the WFP's Korea Office, said.







According to the office, Seoul previously donated $1.5 million to the U.N. food agency's Ukraine-related relief activities in March. (Yonhap)


Tesla and SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk this week delivered an ultimatum to the two companies white-collar workers: get back in the corporate office or face firing.

The demand to work at least 40 hours in the office was originally made known through leaked employee emails. Later on Wednesday, Musk appeared to confirm his edict on Twitter: When asked to comment on the email for people who think coming in to work is an antiquated concept, he responded, They should pretend to work somewhere else.

Musks letter to executive staff specified, the office must be where your actual colleagues are located, not some remote pseudo office. If you dont show up, we will assume you have resigned.

Musk justified his call for a return to the office by writing, its less than we ask factory workers to do. His directive left little wiggle room for those who have extenuating circumstances.

"If there are particularly exceptional contributors for whom this is impossible, I will review and approve those exceptions directly," Musk wrote.

Twitter

The demand for Tesla and SpaceX workers to get back to the office comes at a time when companies around the globe are evolving their hybrid work plans, allowing flexibility for when, where, and how often employees must be on site.

It also comes at a time when the Great Resignation is seeing workers moving laterally to competitors for better pay and benefits or choosing entirely new career paths.

Human resources experts and industry analysts were not surprised by Musks demand, because his past behavior shows a willingness to impose his will regardless of the cost.

Market research, however, shows that organizations that continue to impose their will on their employees and refuse to adapt their management approach will lose their top employees to companies that provide more independence.

A poaching opportunity?

In an environment where the stock prices of tech companies have fallen dramatically over the past few months, many organizations are watching competitors with less flexible work policies and other benefits.

Some of those companies are looking at this as an opportunity to recruit away talent, said Brian Kropp, distinguished vice president with Gartners HR practice.

Look, Elon Musk is a very smart guy. There may be 20% or 25% of employees who end up leaving, and maybe those are the ones he wants to leave, but a good chunk of that 25% are in demand at other companies, Kropp added.

Employee surveys have shown that as many as 40% of workers would leave their job if they were not allowed to work remotely.

Kropp admitted he has no idea what Musk is thinking, only that hes zigging when a lot of others are zagging.

When you look at the data, its clear companies are embracing hybrid work, Kropp said.

Last week, Gartner finished surveying 180 companies, finding that organizations expect about 25% of their workforce to be fully remote, 60% to be hybrid, and just about 15% to be in the office full-time. What we find is employees who work remotely or hybrid have the same or slightly higher performance than office employees, Kropp said.

Analysts dont believe Musk using his RTO demand to intentionally cull his workforce to create a leaner organization; instead, its about knowing his companies have a brand strength that few others possess.

Tesla has far more applicants than employees, so the odds are in their favor that they will not see material consequences in terms of number of employees [departing], but there will be brand consequences, said Amy Loomis, a research director for IDC's worldwide Future of Work market research service.

For a company built with a focus on the future, this is certainly a step back into the past, Loomis added.

Jack Gold, principal analyst with J. Gold Associates, was blunt in his summation of Musks intent. I dont think he really cares. He wants to be in command about all things, and once he has an idea of how things should work, he goes for it regardless, Gold said. So, this kind of edict should not really be surprising in the context of the management style of Elon Musk.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from Computerworld.

Where RTO mandates have foundered

Musk is not the first chief executive to demand a return to the office, but it is the first time one has so vehemently set down the consequences for refusal to comply.

In May 2021, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon weighed in on the idea of remote work, saying it doesnt work for people who want to hustle.

It doesnt work for culture, doesnt work for idea generation, Dimon continued. We are getting blowback about coming back internally. But thats life.

Nearly a year later, however, blowback from employees seemed to have softened Dimons position. In April this year, Dimon conceded that he expected only about half his 270,000-person workforce to return to the office full-time  and 10% will work fully remote.

Apple, another company with arguably unmatched branding power, in April began requiring employees to spend at least three days in an office each week. The reaction was almost immediate.

A group of employees calling themselves Apple Together pushed back against the hybrid work mandate, publishing an open letter to executives criticizing the companys Hybrid Work Pilot program, characterizing it as inflexible.

Loomis said the consequences for Tesla and SpaceX as companies will be a loss of good engineering talent, and an impact on both Musks personal brand and the brand of his companies in terms of their bona fides.

Look at how well this turned out for Jamie Dimon, Loomis added.

David Lewis, CEO of OperationsInc, an HR consulting firm in Connecticut, said firms that dictate a full-time return to office  or how employees should work remotely  are missing the big picture. Lewis noted that the US unemployment rate is 3.6% and there are now more than 11 million job openings.

For information technology workers, unemployment is just 2%, according to CompTIA, a nonprofit association for the IT industry and workforce.

But, as Loomis pointed out, Tesla is an outlier with a reputation of having a ferociously loyal workforce and with prospective workers beating a path to its doors.

In most companies, a move like this, given the job market, would be strategically poor and likely result in many choosing to leave. This is Tesla, and as such he [Musk] may have enough cachet in his brand and culture to get away with this, Lewis said. Still, that only means in my view that instead of a mass exodus he will lose less [employees]. The question is how many less?

Will other CEOs follow Musks lead?

Ultimately, Musk will regret his strategy, Lewis said, because hes betting his employees and their priorities will be vastly different from those in other organizations, for the simple fact that their desire to work for Tesla outweighs their desire for better work life balance.

He just essentially launched a massive ad campaign that communicated Tesla is a work-in-office-only company, which could prove very problematic for those trying to develop a candidate pipeline for them, Lewis said.

Still, if Musk is successful in retaining a large majority of his workforce after digging his heels in on the back-to-office policy, there is a chance other companies could follow suit. Its a strategy Lewis and other experts warn against.

I imagine some companies will watch closely and follow his lead if successful, Gold said. But truthfully many companies have already decided that their worker productivity and product output has not been negatively affected by having remote workers, at least part time. So, if it isnt broken, why fix it if its going to make people unhappy?

The biggest issue facing Musk and his companies is really around management style, Gold said. You either trust your workers to get results without looking over their shoulders or you dont.

If you really feel you need to be supervising them full-time in person, then Id suggest your company has bigger issues, Gold said.

Gartners Kropp said enabling flexible work conditions is not just about attracting and retaining employees, which it does. What companies often didnt think about is mental health well-being benefits of remote and hybrid, and that has been huge.

Lewis advises other companies to watch for the impact of Musks mandate. Even in the unlikely scenario that Musk can factually demonstrate a successful outcome with no hint of turnover or trouble filling jobs, Lewis said, companies should still be leery of following suit.

Overall, I think Elon regularly tests the bounds of his company and personal brand. This move is poorly conceived and is a loser, Lewis said.
Under the just compensation clause of the Fifth Amendment, the government can seize privately owned property to be used for certain public projects  this could be a road, a railroad, an airport or a pipeline  but it must also provide fair compensation. The amount of compensation considered just can be disputed. For example, a Virginia family recently disputed an eminent domain claim to a part of their family property, where there are plans for a natural gas pipeline. A jury awarded the family compensation of about $523,000 for the land  significantly more than the pipeline company believed it was worth. As long as the government has a legitimate public use for the property, overturning an eminent domain claim is unlikely  but there are ways for a landowner to increase the payout they receive. Key insights The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution requires the government to pay just compensation when it takes private property for public use.

Examples of public use might include a public park, a public utility, a public school or a highway.

In most cases, its not possible to refuse an eminent domain action. However, there are ways to increase compensation.

What is a recent example of eminent domain? Eminent domain is enacted to seize property more frequently than you might expect. It is so constant that, if you surveyed all 50 states, you would see its power invoked on a daily basis, said Ryan Simatic, an attorney with Biersdorf & Associates, a Minneapolis firm that represents property owners impacted by eminent domain. He gave a few current examples of eminent domain cases, including claims on a church parking lot needed for a public use project and a commercial property being seized for the development of a city road. It is so constant that, if you surveyed all 50 states, you would see its power invoked on a daily basis.  Ryan Simatic, eminent domain attorney Pipeline projects are also common triggers of recent eminent domain cases. In Iowa there are multiple proposed liquid carbon dioxide pipeline projects that would affect private land and would require eminent domain claims. Local farmers who would be impacted by the pipelines have cited concerns not only about losing parts of their land but also about the disturbance of topsoil reducing their crop yields and the safety concerns of hazardous materials running under the ground. According to the Progressive Farmer, Summit Carbon Solutions is spearheading a project that would build about 681 miles of pipeline in Iowa alone. The company is requesting the state government let it potentially use eminent domain in up to 30 counties during the construction of the pipeline, if needed. Its unclear how many landowners will object to the use of their property for the pipelines. In another case, an oil pipeline builder sued property owners in Tennessee unwilling to sell access to their land under eminent domain. The company later announced that it would halt the lawsuits and look for alternative routes to build the pipeline. Eminent domain seizures are happening every day, according to Simatic. Our firm has represented property owners who have had their property taken for roads, schools, parks, public parking lots and so forth, explained Simatic. But it can also be for utilities. Some states even allow the use of eminent domain for economic development, like reviving blighted areas, he said.

What determines just compensation in eminent domain? Just compensation is a significant aspect of any eminent domain claim. Just compensation is the amount of money the owner receives when they relinquish their rights to the property. Robert Bird, an attorney and professor of business law at the University of Connecticut, says there isnt an exact formula for just compensation  its negotiated between the government and the property owner. It generally means that the property owner should receive sufficient compensation to put the owner in the same position as if the taking had not occurred, he said. When property owners challenge takings, it is often over the issues of just compensation. For a single-family home, for example, the fair market value might be used. This can be determined using a property appraisal. But in cases involving farms, commercial businesses or industrial properties, there tend to be more cases of litigation over just compensation. [Just compensation] generally means that the property owner should receive sufficient compensation to put the owner in the same position as if the taking had not occurred.  Robert Bird In the event a parcel of a larger plot of land is taken and this decreases the value of the land the owner is allowed to keep, just compensation might also include what are known as severance damages.

Is there a way around eminent domain? Can you get around an eminent domain claim? Assuming the taking of the property is for a legitimate public use project, the answer is usually no. However, its important to make sure the government meets the requirements to claim eminent domain. These requirements include: The property being taken must be private property. The authority taking the property must be a government entity or a private company working under the authority of the government. The property must be a genuine necessity to the public use project. The owner of the property must be paid just compensation. While it is unlikely you can avoid an eminent domain claim on a property if its legitimately for a public use project, its not uncommon for property owners to walk away with a larger payout than they were originally offered if they negotiate.

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FAQ What constitutes public use in eminent domain? Public use is a broad term in eminent domain. It can include taking property for a park, an airport, a railroad, a port or another project that serves the general public. Public use now also includes economic development projects. In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in Kelo v. City of New London that economic benefits for a community qualify as public use. Will my legal costs be covered in an eminent domain case? The laws for legal costs in eminent domain cases vary from state to state. In some cases, if the owner can show in court the property is not being taken for public use  or, if the government entity abandons the project during a case  the court might award the owner court costs and legal fees. In cases where the owner is only arguing for just compensation, not the right to take their property, courts in many states will allow the recovery of court costs. Its important to understand each states laws as they pertain to recovering legal costs in eminent domain cases. Has any homeowner ever won an eminent domain case? Winning an eminent domain case is unlikely in most cases; successfully negotiating for just compensation is more likely. For example, in 2006, a jury determined a Georgia hospital had to pay almost five times the appraised value of a duplex to condemn the home for a public use project, according to NBC. The home appraised at $50,000 to $60,000, and the jury said the hospital had to pay $200,000 for the property, in addition to giving the renter $51,000 to assist with her move.

Bottom line While its uncommon to successfully challenge an eminent domain claim, it is common for the landowner to get a higher payout than originally offered by the government authority. The most effective long-term way to curb eminent domain is to vote for elected representatives who do not support aggressive use of eminent domain as a government practice, explained Bird.
Former President Moon Jae-in's residence in Yangsan, southeastern Korea / Yonhap



Police imposed their first ban on rallies in front of former President Moon Jae-in's residence in Yangsan, southeastern Korea, Friday, as the Moon family has reportedly been suffering from loud noises and abusive language produced by demonstrators and conservative activists since his retirement early last month.



The Yangsan Police Station said it has issued a ban against two rallies planned by an organization of victims of abnormal reactions to COVID-19 vaccines and their families in front of Moon's home and the nearby community hall of Pyeongsan Village.



Police had previously restricted rallies by anti-Moon protesters in the rural village, but it is the first time that rallies have been entirely prohibited in front of the former president's retirement home and in its vicinity.



The ban came after Moon and his wife Kim Jung-sook lodged a complaint Tuesday against four demonstrators from three conservative civic groups, saying the accused hurled insults at the couple and violated laws during rallies in front of their home. The demonstrators are accused of insulting and defaming Moon through repetitive and expletive-laden shouts of false information and violating laws on public security.





Former President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook wave after arriving at their private retirement home in the southeastern city of Yangsan, May 10. Courtesy of Moon's office
Atashbazi.ir scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 13 Oct 2014, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the atashbazi homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the atashbazi homepage on Twitter + the total number of atashbazi followers (if atashbazi has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the atashbazi homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the atashbazi homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if atashbazi has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the atashbazi homepage on StumbleUpon.

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PAGE TITLE     -     -     DESCRIPTION                    KEYWORDS   ,   ,  ,     ,   , ,   ,  ,  ,  , ,  ,  ,  ,  ,      ,   ,  OTHER KEYWORDS



The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage.

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Type of server and offered services. Operative System running on the server. The language of atashbazi.ir as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site.

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Yeeaoobox.com scored 48 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2.5/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 28 May 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

yeeaoobox.com is very popular in Facebook. It is liked by 19 people on Facebook.

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the yeeaoobox homepage on Twitter + the total number of yeeaoobox followers (if yeeaoobox has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the yeeaoobox homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the yeeaoobox homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the yeeaoobox homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if yeeaoobox has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the yeeaoobox homepage on StumbleUpon.

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PAGE TITLE --YeeaooBoxIBT   TPO     DESCRIPTION Yeeaoobox80TPOiPhoneApp KEYWORDS , IBT, TOEFL Speaking, , TPO, , , , , , ,  OTHER KEYWORDS task1, task1 2012, task2, yeeaoobox, robbiesun, yeeaoobox , tpo tpo



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Students partake in the University of Utah Asia Campus' Experience Day on May 28 and listen to Randall McCrillis, dean of students at the school. Courtesy of University of Utah Asia Campus



By Ko Dong-hwan



Hundreds of students from local middle and high schools and universities in the country gathered in Incheon's Songdo on May 28 to experience what it's like to attend a university lecture led by an American university.



Some 300 students and their parents were at Incheon Global Campus for the five-hour Experience Day offered by the University of Utah Asia Campus, in which participants attended a lecture given by the school's professors. The lectures ranged from communication to psychology, film and media arts, urban ecology, electrical computer engineering and business information systems.



"I was thinking about studying at a graduate school after graduating from college, and I applied to learn more about the University of Utah Asia Campus after I heard that there is an environment where I can take lectures and study in English," said Han Chae-rim, 18, a third-year student at Jeonju Jungang Girls' High School who was there for Experience Day. "The free campus atmosphere, which is different from Korean universities, and the professor's lectures were quite impressive."



Randall McCrillis, Dean of Students at the school, delivered a speech at the event to the participants. "I appreciate the great interest of many students and parents," he said. "I hope this event will be a valuable opportunity for students to choose a major they want in the future."





Don MacAngus, a communications professor at the University of Utah Asia Campus, lectures on mass communication law during Experience Day. Courtesy of University of Utah Asia Campus
Two AIDA Cruises ships are resuming service after routine drydocks.

Following her drydock at Lloyd Werft, the AIDAdiva will start on her first voyage from Warnemunde to the Norwegian fjords on Saturday, May 14, 2022.

From April 25 to May 12, 2022, several areas of the ship were redesigned in addition to regular class and maintenance work, the company said. It's just one of many cruise ship drydocks this year, as outlined in the 2022 Drydock and Refurbishment Report by Cruise Industry News.

New aboard is the restaurant Almhutte, featuring dishes from Alpine region and various beer specialties in a cozy hut atmosphere.

Wellness lovers can look forward to another novelty at the Body & Soul Spa: The entire wellness oasis has been expanded to include a spacious outdoor area where guests can relax and unwind with a view of the sea. In addition, the fitness equipment has been replaced by the latest generation of equipment.

The AIDAperla will end its three-week shipyard stay at Damen in Rotterdam on Saturday, May 14, 2022, and set off for Hamburg.

The first guests will embark in the Hanseatic city on Monday, May 16, 2022, for a sailing to Norway.

AIDA said the ship received a visual makeover.

One key highlight is a new ice cream bar, plus a refreshed spa, the company said. After three weeks in drydock, there is also a new fashion accessories store in the shopping area ahead of the ship's summer season of 10-day Norwegian fjord cruises from Hamburg.
The Rhapsody of the Seas is welcoming guests back today, marking the return of Royal Caribbean Internationals entire 26-ship fleet.

Kicking off a summer season in the Mediterranean, the Vision-class vessel is completing the companys restart plan, which started in December 2020 with the Quantum of the Seas.

For its first cruise in over two-years, the Rhapsody is sailing from Civitavecchia, a port near Rome, Italy, on an open-jaw itinerary.

The seven-night voyage ends in Piraeus, Greece, and includes calls in Catania, Salerno, Santorini, Mykonos and Kusadasi.

Continuing its European program, the ship will sail additional four- to seven-night itineraries in the Mediterranean departing from various homeports in the region, such as Barcelona (Spain) and Ravenna (Italy).

According to Royal Caribbean, the full deployment includes visits to 25 destinations in the Greek Isles, southern France, Italy, Turkey, Croatia and more.

Starting in August, in a first for the company, the Rhapsody is also offering a series of cruises from Israel.

Through Oct. 31, the vessel will be based in Haifa, sailing three- to eight-night itineraries to Greece and Cyprus.

A Vision-class cruise ship, the Rhapsody of the Seas originally entered service in 1997.

As part of the Royal Advantage refit program, it was subjected to a month-long, $54 million drydock refit in 2012.

During the major revitalization, the 78,491-ton ship received a host of new amenities and venues as well as an assortment of technological upgrades.

Among the additions were new dining options, including Chops Grille, Izumi Asian Cuisine, Chefs Table experience and Park Cafe.

The 2,000-guest vessel also got a bow-to-stern refresh of all furniture, carpet and upholstery, including renovated staterooms.

With the Rhapsody now in service, 26 cruise ships have resumed service for Royal Caribbean International since March 2020  when the COVID-19 pandemic led the cruise industry to a full stop.

After first welcoming guests back in Asia in December 2020, the company restarted revenue operations in North America in June 2021.

As more ports and destinations around the world reopened for cruise operations, the rest of the fleet was reactivated gradually in the past 12 months.
Norwegian Cruise Line has marked the successful return of Norwegian Escape to Europe as she completed her first voyage to the Eastern Mediterranean.

It's the first time the ship has been back in Europe since 2015 and is the company's largest ship in Europe, plus its the first Breakaway-Plus Class ship to sail in European waters for a full-length season.

She will homeport in Civitavecchia, Rome, this summer, offering sailings ranging from seven to 11 nights.

The ships itineraries feature calls at ports including Santorini, Mykonos, Naples, and Livorno, and hidden gems, such as Valletta and Messina.

Norwegian Escape will also debut the company's Meet the Winemaker Series in Europe as she sails around the Greek Isles and Italy. The July 17th sailing will feature Certified Angus Beef and notable winemaker Antonio Hidalgo, from the family-owned Spanish Sherry house Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana. The October 17th edition will be hosted by globally recognised Sandro Bottega of Bottega S.p.A.

Including Norwegian Escape, a total of eight Norwegian ships are sailing in European waters this summer season.

Europe has always been a bucket list destination for travellers from all over the globe and is a key cruise destination for NCL, said Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line.

We strive to offer our new and loyal guests a wide range of destinations and itineraries. Were excited that this years Europe season is our most extensive to date with eight ships and more than 100 ports of call. Our Guest First philosophy compels us to put our guests at the heart of every decision and development we make, which is why we continue to innovate our product offering, as we have done for the last 55 years.
Citing local travel limitations, Norwegian Cruise Line cancelled the upcoming Asia season aboard the Norwegian Sun.

After resuming service for an Alaska program in early May, the 2001-built vessel was set to offer a series of itineraries to the Far East and Southeast Asia starting in October.

The five- to 12-night voyages featured visits to Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and more.

The 2,000-guest cruise ship will now sail in Europe instead, offering roundtrip itineraries to the Canary Islands during the 2022-2023 winter, the company said in a prepared statement.

Given challenging and inconsistent local travel restrictions related to the public health environment in Asia, we have made the decision to reposition the Norwegian Sun, the company said in the letter, which was sent to booked guests.

As a result, all the sailings aboard the vessel from October 11, 2022 through and including April 25, 2023 have been cancelled.

We understand the desire to travel now more than ever, so we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, Norwegian added.

According to the company, guests affected will automatically receive a full monetary refund of the fare paid to the form of payment provided at the time of reservation.

Bookings paid with previously issued Future Cruise Credits (FCC) will see 100 percent of the credits re-applied to the accounts of the original holders.

Additionally, all guests will receive 10 percent discount in the form of an FCC to be use in future bookings.

Norwegian will also cover airline-imposed change/cancellation fees up to $300 per person.

If guests still wish to explore bucket-list-worthy destinations in Asia, the 2023-2024 voyages to the region will be available for booking beginning on June 16, 2022, the company added.

The new Canary Islands itineraries havent been published yet.




President Yoon Suk-yeol said Friday that the economic situation was too grave to be talking about the election victory of his party.







The ruling People Power Party won 12 of the 17 key mayoral and gubernatorial races in Wednesday's local elections, strengthening Yoon's mandate less than a month after he took office, May 10.







"Don't you feel the windows shaking and the trees swaying on the lawn?" Yoon told reporters as he arrived for work at the presidential office when asked to comment on assessments that his administration had received a boost from the elections.







"Our lawn currently lies in the path of a typhoon that includes an economic crisis. It's not the time to be talking about a political party's political victory," he said, without elaborating further.







It was the second time Yoon commented on Wednesday's elections. On Thursday, he issued a statement thanking the people for helping the elections run smoothly and vowing to focus all efforts on reviving the economy.







Government data released Friday showed consumer prices jumped 5.4 percent in May from a year earlier, the steepest year-on-year increase since August 2008, amid high energy and food costs driven by Russia's war in Ukraine and the post-pandemic economic recovery.







When asked if he plans to meet the newly elected mayors and governors soon, Yoon said such a meeting would be more meaningful after they have looked into their respective administrative and financial issues.







On a possible meeting with the leadership of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, he simply said, "There can be no partisanship in navigating difficulties." (Yonhap)






Holland America Line's Rotterdam has been christened by Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands who served as godmother and officially named the ship in front of invited dignitaries and guests in Rotterdam on Monday.

Upon arrival, Princess Margriet was welcomed at the gangway with a traditional floral bouquet presented by seven-year-old Nora van Dijk, daughter of Nathalie van Dijk, who has been with Holland America Line for 15 years, most recently as a business development representative in sales in the Rotterdam office, according to a press release.

During the daytime naming celebration, Carnival Corporation President and CEO Arnold Donald, Holland America Group President Jan Swartz, Rotterdam Captain Werner Timmers, Lord Mayor of Rotterdam Ahmed Aboutaleb and Mariner Ambassadors David and Gisela Gere joined Princess Margriet to officially welcome Rotterdam to the fleet.

"Our heritage is rooted here in the Netherlands, and we are deeply honored to have Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet as godmother of her fifth Holland America Line ship," said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. "When Rotterdam was delivered in 2021 we postponed its naming ceremony so we could hold it in Rotterdam, because there's no better place to name a ship than in the city it was named after. After a challenging couple of years, we are excited to celebrate this memorable moment in our company's history."

Rotterdam's naming ceremony also was attended by Stein Kruse, senior advisor to the chairman and CEO, Carnival Corporation; Keith Taylor executive vice president, fleet operations Holland America Group; Randy Weisenburger, board member, Carnival Corporation; Nico Bleichrodt, vice president, international sales, Holland America Line and Seabourn; Jaap Smit, commissioner to the King; and Boudewijn Siemons, COO, Port Of Rotterdam and Chairman of the Cruise Policy Board.

The Geres were selected as Mariner Ambassadors for Rotterdam to honor Holland America Line's appreciation of its loyal guests who are long-time cruisers. Since first sailing in 1988 aboard Rotterdam V, the Geres have sailed nearly 2,500 days on Holland America Line, including several cruises on Rotterdam VI.
Global Ports Holding (GPH), the worlds largest cruise port operator, is welcoming Raffaella Del Prete as its new General Manager for its Italian Cruise Ports  Cagliari, Catania, Crotone and Taranto.

Del Prete will be taking the helm from Dr. Antonio Di Monte who has served as the General Manager for GPH Italian Cruise Ports and will report directly to GPH COO Stephen Xuereb.

Xuereb commented: I would like to whole heartedly thank Antonio for his endless dedication and commitment to on the development and expansion of GPHs Cruise Ports in Italy. We wish him all the best for the future.

On this occasion, I take the opportunity to welcome Mrs. Raffaella Del Prete, who has an extensive knowledge in port management, team building and leadership. With her knowledge and experience she will be a great addition to our team of experts and professionals at GPH. I do look forward .to working with her in the next stage of the development of our Italian Ports and network," he added.

Del Prete has an extensive experience in terminal management, according to the company.

She has been serving as the General Manager of Yilport San Cataldo Container Terminal in Taranto Italy since 2019 where she was in charge of all terminal activities which continued operations during the pandemic.

Previously she worked for APMT Reefer Terminal in Vado, Italy where she built a high performing and committed team. GPH said.

She has also worked at MSC Crociere  Sorrento Technical HQ, Maersk Line in Genoa and Maersk Sealand in Copenhagen.
Ambassador Cruise Line is offering kids sailings for as low as 1 this summer with a special promotion for their Hidden Nordic Treasures Multi-Generational Cruise, according to a statement.

Departing on 23 July 2022, the Ambience will sail on a Nordic voyage for 14 nights.

Departing from London Tilbury, this family sailing will take in ports of call including Copenhagen, Ronne, Tallinn, Helsinki, Stockholm, Visby and Skagen.

Children will also be able to enjoy the world of the circus onboard too! As one of Ambassadors many themed cruises this season, Ambience will host specialist performers from La Soiree, Blackpool Tower Circus, Hollywood`s Magic Castle and former Cirque Du Soleil aerialist, Renato Pires and more.

Guests will also have the chance to get involved and develop their own circus skills with juggling, diablo, balancing, and illusion workshops running too.
P&O Cruises' guests will take part in the Jubilee celebrations this weekend with a Jubilee afternoon tea, lunch and pageant featuring Her Majesty The Queens favourite dishes across the fleet.

In honor of this celebration, P&O Cruises is offering discounts of between 75 and 250 per person on cruises between September 1, 2022 and December 30, 2023 on Early Saver bookings made by July 4, 2022.

Grant Harrold, Royal Butler to Prince Charles, William and Harry will be guest speakers on the Iona throughout the Jubilee weekend. Photographer Hugo Rittson-Thomas will attend the event on the Azura, and Official Painter of Her Majesty The Queen, Christian Furr will join the event on the Britannia.

Example itineraries for early bookings until July 4, 2022 available include:

75 per person saving;

A cruise to the Norwegian Fjords on the Iona is available from 574 for seven nights and a cruise to Northern Europe for seven nights from 424.

150 per person saving;

Mediterranean cruise on the Britannia for 14 nights from 949 and a cruise to the Canary Islands on The Azura for 14 nights from 1,299.

250 per person saving;

Caribbean cruises on The Arvia from 1,879 for 22 nights and Canada and New England cruises on The Aurora from 2,449 for 24 nights.
The global restart of the cruise industry continues to gather positive momentum as 365 cruise ships are set to sail in June, up from just under 350 in May, according to the June edition of the Cruise Ships in Service Report from Cruise Industry News.

Among the big news, the largest three brands have their full fleets back in operation, with Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Line offering cruises on all their ships.

Eighty three cruise brands are set to operate in June, while the industry is adding approximately 25,000 berths back into service across the world.

MSC is welcoming two ships back into service with the Orchestra sailing on June 4 from Genoa, while the Musica follows a day later.

Princess Cruises also adds another ship back into service and welcomes Australia back into the fold with the Coral Princess offering domestic itineraries from Sydney starting on June 16.

Costa is seeing two ships restart, with the Pacifica sailing from Bari on June 4, and the Fortuna launching her Northern European program on June 11.

Up from May, the numbers are dramatically up from just one year ago, as only 28 brands and 74 ships sailed in June 2021, with just 85,262 berths in service.

Download a free copy today of the June edition of the Cruise Ships in Service Report from Cruise Industry News.
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority-led Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) Program has launched its sixth season of large-scale underwater noise reduction initiatives to support the recovery of southern resident killer whales, according to a prses release.

As part of the ECHO Programs 2022 measures, ship operators are encouraged to slow down or stay distanced while transiting through key areas of southern resident killer whale critical habitat.

This year, the programs underwater noise reduction measures will cover a record-high distance of about 80 nautical miles of the Salish Sea, including at Swiftsure Bank; Haro Strait and Boundary Pass; and in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

These measures will run from approximately June to November, when southern resident killer whale presence is typically highest, the port said.

Over the last six years, the ECHO Program has become internationally recognized for implementing one of the worlds largest, and most successful, voluntary efforts to reduce underwater noise from ships, said Duncan Wilson, vice president of environment and external affairs. We hope to serve as an example, globally, of how collaborative efforts can create quieter oceans for endangered whales.

New in 2022, the ECHO Program will coordinate an expanded ship slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank, a known foraging area for southern resident killer whales that overlaps with international shipping lanes. This year, the slowdown extends to the inbound shipping lane, which is the main entry point used by commercial ships to reach the Port of Vancouver.This measure is in addition to Transport Canadas Seasonal Slowdown Area outside of the shipping lanes, which also comes into effect on June 1.

We are proud to work closely with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and the members of the ECHO Program to protect this iconic species, and to continue to provide a safer, quieter environment in which this endangered whale population can recover, said OmarAlghabra, Minister of Transport Canada. The Government of Canada works closely with Indigenous partners, industry, and local stakeholders to put in place concrete measures to help protect the Southern Resident killer whales.

The overarching goal of the ECHO Programs measures is to reduce threats to at-risk whales posed by commercial ship traffic. Underwater noise is one of the key threats to southern resident killer whales due to its potential to interfere with their ability to hunt, navigate and communicate.

Launched in 2014, the ECHO Program is one of the port authoritys key efforts to facilitate Canadas trade through the Port of Vancouver within a context of strong environmental protection.

These expanded measures across both Canadian and U.S. waters could not have been achieved without the collaboration of manyfrom across Indigenous communities, government agencies, the marine transportation industry, and environmental groups in Canada and the U.S., addedWilson. We thank our partners and advisors for their support and participation in these important efforts to support the recovery of one of the regions most iconic species.
Royal Caribbeans Oasis of the Seas is set to arrive at Port Saint John on June 8, marking the biggest ever cruise ship to call in the Canadian port.

It's also the inaugural call for the Oasis in Saint John, with Royal Caribbean making regular calls to the port since 1999.

We look forward with great anticipation to the first visit of Oasis of the Seas to Port Saint John! It is a testament to our city, our region, our province, and indeed, our port, that we are able to attract to Saint John a cruise ship of this size, with capacity for over 5000 cruise guests, said Andrew Dixon, Chief Operating Officer at Port Saint John. While the Oasis of the Seas is not our first ship in the post pandemic era, it will most definitely signal the return to a normal cruise day with all of the excitement and economic impact that we have been missing for two and a half years now.

The AREA 506 Container Village is poised to open the same week as the arrival of Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas. These passengers will be the first to disembark the ship through the Marco Polo Cruise Terminal and experience the Container Village as a first point of contact.

We couldnt be more excited to welcome passengers from the Oasis of the Seas as our first ever group at the AREA 506 Waterfront Container Village. Our vendors and partners have been working hard in preparation, and its an incredible honour for us to be a small part of these passengers Saint John experience, added Ray Gracewood, President of AREA 506.

The Oasis of the Seas will berth at approximately 9:20 am and depart at 9:25 pm on June 8th.
The Ortelius is resuming service today, marking the return of the entire Oceanwide Expeditions fleet.

According to the companys website, the 116-passanger expedition vessel is embarking on a charter cruise ahead of a summer program in the Arctic.

Departing from the Netherlands, the 11-night voyage will sail to Svalbard and features visits to Fair Island, Jan Mayen and more.

Once in Longyearbyen, the vessel kicks off its 2022 regular expedition schedule, which includes different itineraries around Spitsbergen, Iceland and Greenland.

According to Oceanwide, the expeditions offer the opportunity to not only explore remote villages and regions but also the chance to catch site of whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals and the polar bear.

The itineraries include the full Spitsbergen circumnavigation, with visits to the Monaco Glacier, the Seven Islands, the Hinlopen Strait and the Krossfjorden.

In Greenland, the Ortelius will also sail to the Scoresbysund fjord system, the Antarctic Sound, the Foster Bay and more.

Built as a special-purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science, the Ortelius entered service in 1989 as the Marina Svetaeva.

The ship received its current name, which honors the Dutch/Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius, after being acquired by Oceanwide in 2011.

According to the Netherlands-based company, the 4,090-ton ship features the highest ice-class notation, which makes it ideal to polar expeditions in both the Arctic and Antarctica.

Other highlights of the vessel are an abundance of open-deck spaces and its highly-experienced crew that features eight expedition specialists, Oceanwide said.

In addition to numerous expedition features, the Ortelius is equipped with a bar, lecture room and restaurant.

The vessel was subjected to a refit in 2019, which saw upgrades to the dining room and crew areas.

Two other vessels are exploring the Arctic for Oceanwide expeditions in 2022.

In addition to the Plancius and the Ortelius, the line up includes the new Hondius.

As the companys first purpose-built expedition vessel, it entered service in 2019 and, according to Oceanwide, is the most flexible, advanced and innovative vessel touring the polar regions.
The Pacific Explorer recently became the first vessel from a mainstream cruise line to resume service in Australia.

After a two-year hiatus, the P&O Cruises Australia ship welcomed guests back in Sydney on May 31, kicking off a series of domestic cruises in the country.

For its first cruise, the Pacific Explorer is sailing a four-night cruise that includes a visit to Brisbane, in addition to two full days at sea.

Through July, the 1,998-guest vessel is offering additional domestic cruises to some of the most popular destinations in Australia.

The three- to ten-night itineraries feature stops at Moreton Island, Cairns, Airlie Beach and more.

Starting in August, the Pacific Explorer is set to also sail international cruises that visit different destinations in the South Pacific region.

As additional P&O Australia vessels welcome guests, the Explorer will be repositioned in October, offering a series of cruises departing from Adelaide and Melbourne.

After originally entering service as the Dawn Princess in 1997, the Pacific Explorer was transferred to P&O Australia following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment in 2017.

According to the company, the 77,000-ton vessel is highlighted by its first ever waterpark, which features two of the longest and wildest waterslides on an Australian-based ship.

The ship also offers a barefoot lawn bowling green and a wide range of dining options, including several specialty venues.

Among the options are two fast-casual restaurants: Luke's, a poolside grill by Australian chef and restaurateur Luke Mangan, and 400 Gradi, a traditional Neapolitan pizzeria by Melbourne chef Johnny Di Francesco.

Following the Pacific Explorer, the entire P&O Australia fleet is set to be in service by late October.

While the Pacific Encounter is set to enter service on August 27, the Pacific Adventure will welcome guests on October 22.

Explorers return also marks the service resumption of yet another Carnival Corporation brand.

Along with Carnival China Cruise Shipping, P&O Australia was one of the last left to restart revenue operations in the corporations nine-brand portfolio.
Returning to the country after a two-year hiatus, Silversea Cruises is offering both its expedition and traditional luxury product in Australia over the coming months.

Marking the return of the luxury brand to the region, the Silver Explorer will arrive in Australian waters on June 4.

One of the companys expedition ships, the 144-guest vessel is offering a program of ten-night itineraries in the Kimberley region.

Taking place through early August, the expeditions sail between Broome and Darwin, taking guests to destinations that include Wyndham, the Swift Bay, the Hunter River, the Ashmore Reef and the Freshwater Cove.

The program will be followed by two special, 17-night expedition sailings in Western Australia.

The one-way itineraries sail between Darwin and Fremantle and feature vsits to unusual destinations beyond the Kimberley region, such as the Abrolhos Islands, the Dirk Hartog Island and the Dampier Archipelago.

Silverseas traditional luxury ships are also returning to Australia for the 2022-2023 season.

The Silver Muse, the Silver Whisper and the Silver Shadow are set to sail in the region during the upcoming winter season, offering a wide selection of cruises and itineraries.

After resuming service in Alaska in May, the Silver Muse will be the first to arrive. Starting in December, the 2017-built vessel is set to offer different itineraries that include visits to Fremantle, Albany, Kangaroo Island, Adelaide, Sydney, Hobart, Melbourne, Cairns, Townsville, Newcastle, Fraser Island and more.

Before concluding its local season in mid-February, the Muse is also offering cruises to New Zealand, with itineraries sailing ports such as Dunedin, Auckland and Picton.

The Silver Whisper, meanwhile, arrives in January. The 396-guest vessel is set to offer a series of cruises 15- and 16-night cruises between Auckland and Sydney that feature calls in Melbourne, Eden, Hobart, Akaroa, Wellington, Napier and more.

In late February, the vessel departs for Asia with a positioning cruise via Australia. The 18-night itinerary links Sydney to Singapore and includes visits to Brisbane, Townsville, Cairns and Darwin, in addition to several ports in Indonesia.

Completing the companys offer in the region, the Silver Shadow will also offer itineraries between Australia and New Zealand during early 2023.
Lawyer Kang Yong-seok holds a banner reading "Travel ban for Lee Jun-seok" during a news conference in front of Seoul Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul on May 30. Kang, also a conservative YouTuber, ran unsuccessfully in the Gyeonggi gubernatorial election held on Wednesday. Yonhap



Different kind of blame game under way in ruling party over Gyeonggi election results



By Kang Hyun-kyung



The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is not the only political establishment that has been embroiled in a post-election blame game following its crushing defeat in Wednesday's local elections.



Plenty of second-guessing, remorse and belated what ifs have erupted inside the ruling People Power Party (PPP) after the elections. Its candidate Kim Eun-hye's defeat in the highly-contested Gyeonggi gubernatorial election by a razor-thin margin has triggered soul-searching among some sympathetic ruling party members to figure out if her defeat was inevitable.



Kim lost the election due to an upset victory by her rival Kim Dong-yeon of the DPK, thanks to an abrupt surge in votes supporting him after 97 percent of all ballots cast were already tallied. The difference in votes won by the two Kims was only 0.15 percentage point, or 8,900 votes. The tiny gap by which the DPK's Kim won the gubernatorial election has been a painful reminder for the conservatives.



Hong Joon-pyo, the governor-elect of Daegu Metropolitan City, pointed the finger at the conservative candidate Kang Yong-seok as the main culprit behind PPP candidate Kim's defeat.



"A far-right YouTuber has ruined the Gyeonggi election and this is one of the most regrettable parts," Hong wrote on his Facebook.



In his social media post, he singled out four "incidents" that held back the PPP, which otherwise "would have done a lot better" in Wednesday's elections. Kang is one of the troublemakers responsible for the PPP's underperformance, according to Hong.



Hong stopped short of directly mentioning Kang as the one responsible for Kim's defeat. But it was obvious who the governor-elect was referring to, as he said the person he is blaming is a YouTuber who ran in the election. Kang is the only candidate that met these conditions.



Kang, a lawyer and a former lawmaker, is an influential YouTuber among ultra conservatives. He regularly appeared in the news channel, Hoverlab, and presented his views about political issues and current affairs.



Kang ran in the election as an independent candidate after the PPP's leadership rejected his request to rejoin the party to and receive its blessing to run in the gubernatorial election. He declared his bid right away to run in the election as an independent, causing worries among some conservative voters about a possible vote split and its possible negative impact on the ruling party. The ruling party and Kang both faced calls to field a unified candidate, which did not happen.



Kang ran to the finish, earning some 54,000 votes. That was much more than the 8,901 votes that led to the PPP's Kim to lose the election.





Kim Eun-hye, center, a former lawmaker who ran unsuccessfully in the Gyeonggi gubernatorial election on the ticket of the conservative People Power Party, is seen at the campaign rally in Gunpo City, Gyeonggi Province on May 29. Yonhap
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WEST HARTFORD  Police said a pedestrian was killed Friday at the intersection of North Main Street and Farmington Avenue.

The department said they responded to the scene shortly after 10 a.m. A 61-year-old male pedestrian died as a result of injuries sustained. The 67-year-old female driver was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
The call came Thursday, only a day after the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard verdict, to a free legal clinic for domestic violence victims in Athens, Georgia. The woman wanted to pursue her abuse claims, but she was worried.

The fear was that shed be seen to be a liar like Amber Heard, clinic director Christine Scartz said of the woman  the first caller to directly mention the verdict. People do not want to give the most intimate details of their personal life and then be called a liar.

Scartz is among advocates and legal experts who fear that the case  unique as it was for its celebrity lineup, sordid revelations, mutual claims of abuse, and relentless misogyny on social media  will have a real-world chilling effect on women coming forward with abuse claims. The jury, with five men and two women, mostly sided with Depp in the dueling defamation case, ordering Heard to pay him $10 million to the $2 million he must give her.

Although jurors were considering civil libel claims and not criminal abuse charges, the verdict largely vindicated Depp's allegations that Heard lied about abusing her. During testimony, Heard detailed dozens of instances of assault, and Depp emphatically denied ever abusing her. In 2020, a U.K. judge in a civil libel case found that Depp assaulted Heard on a dozen occasions.

For Scartz, who directs the clinic at the University of Georgia's law school, the concern is about the assumptions some will make that women are lying. She fears abusers may be newly emboldened to paint their accusers as liars in retaliation for them coming forward.

Not all experts fear a chilling effect or, as some have framed it, a threat to the #MeToo movement. Debra Katz, a Washington employment attorney and perhaps the nations most prominent #MeToo lawyer, said the Depp case was one of a kind, a thing of itself  who these people were, and the dysfunction in their marriage and the craziness that took place between them. And this was really driven by celebrity.

Still, Katz, who has represented accusers of Brett Kavanaugh, Andrew Cuomo and others, considers the case a setback, because it unfortunately taps into misogyny that already exists, and its terrible that Amber Heard was put through the kind of character assassination, the smear job that she was put through.

During the trial, users of TikTok and Twitter vilified Heard in memes and videos, some using court footage. The social media content, viewed billions of times, blasted her as a liar, an abuser, and a fake crier. #AmberIsALiar and other hashtags became popular search terms.

TikTok has tallied nearly 20 billion views for the hashtag #JusticeForJohnnyDepp, compared with some 78 million for #JusticeForAmberHeard. That amounts to more than 250 posts supporting Depp for each one supporting Heard.

Whats clear, Katz said, is there is still misogyny, deep misogyny in the world, and it still pervades our justice system. However, she said, one shouldn't assume women wont come forward in other cases.

And she said a more important gauge of the #MeToo movement's durability lies in a court decision that came Thursday, a day after the Depp verdict: Harvey Weinsteins loss of his appeal of his rape conviction in New York and 23-year prison sentence. In that case, she said, jurors saw through every single sexist argument that Harvey Weinsteins lawyers made about these women. Thats a much more consequential jury verdict and court victory than anything this Depp-Heard thing suggests.

The organization metoo.International - launched by Tarana Burke, who coined the phrase decades ago through her work with survivors of sexual violence - has rejected efforts to connect the Depp-Heard trial and the movement.

The way in which #MeToo has been co-opted and manipulated during the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial is a toxic catastrophe and one of the biggest defamations of the movement we have ever seen, the group said in a statement issued before the verdict.

What we experienced in the Depp-Heard trial was a public retelling of intimate partner violence between two privileged white celebrities, it said, while also decrying the public humiliation and harassment heaped onto Heard.

Law professor Mary Anne Franks tried to avoid coverage of the trial, only to find herself barraged by these really terrible, out-of-context, completely distorted types of takes whenever she peeked online. She can't help but wonder whether jurors  who weren''ot sequestered, and could use their phones when not in court  caught them, too.

Its crazy to think they are not going to be influenced by whats happening on social media, said Franks, a University of Miami law professor who studies the intersection of civil rights and technology.

Social media, Franks added, amplified the power imbalance between the wealthier, beloved actor and his less famous ex-wife. And the trial came at a critical cultural moment, she noted, as the progress women have made in the last 50 years is increasingly under threat, and the #MeToo movement faces backlash.

When men are being held to account, that resentment, that rage, it might simmer for awhile, but its going to bubble over after at some point, and I think a lot of people were channeling these emotions through this case," Franks said.

While the jury deliberated, the streets outside the Fairfax, Virginia, courtroom became a pro-Depp carnival. The spectacle included a retired detective sporting a pirate hat to pay homage to his Jack Sparrow character and the arrival of a flatbed truck bearing a Pirates of the Caribbean vessel.

During the six-week trial, the national organization RAINN, which combats sexual violence, noted a striking increase in calls to its hotline. It says it provided help to 28% more people in May 2022 than in May 2021, a spike it attributes to news coverage. On verdict day, it served 35% more people than on the average Wednesday, spokeswoman Erinn Robinson said.

Washington lawyer Joseph Cammarata, who represented seven women in a successful defamation suit against Bill Cosby, and Paula Jones in a lawsuit against President Bill Clinton that included a defamation claim, closely followed the courtroom action. He said he understands sex assault victims are increasingly concerned they could be sued if they come forward. But he believes the truth can still prevail.

The trial pitting Heard against Depp, he said, reflected only their relationship and doesn't mean that in all cases, the accused now has an advantage.

It is a story of these two people," he said of the trial. "A public story about their private life. "

And a woman who feels aggrieved, should have an opportunity ... to have her day in court. Her case will be judged on the facts of that case, not on Johnny Depps case, not on any other case, but on her case.

But Scartz, at the Georgia clinic, worries that the accused may decide its worth it to to take a chance, roll the dice and call her a liar. See what happens, you know? You dont lose anything at this point.

Those of us who work on the front lines of all of these sorts of cases  we will do our best to convince our clients to go ahead and seek the relief that they need. But well see. We may never be able to definitively say this had an effect, because you dont know who isnt calling you.

___ Dale reported from Philadelphia and Noveck from New York. Follow them on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Maryclairedale and https://twitter.com/JocelynNoveckAP
Thorough self-remorse and innovation essential for DPK



The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is faced with strong turbulence following its devastating defeat in the June 1 local elections. Rep. Yoon Ho-jung and Park Ji-jyun, co-heads, and six other members of the party's emergency committee resigned en masse, Thursday, taking responsibility for the humiliating defeat in the elections.



The party is poised to discuss diverse pending issues soon, such as how to tackle the damage in the wake of the election setback and to form a new leadership who will be in charge of party affairs in the post-election era. Yet skepticism is rising that the party will face growing obstacles in the process due to brewing conflicts among different factions regarding the responsibility for the election outcome.



The recent election loss has dealt a major blow to the DPK as it came following its previous defeat in the March 9 presidential election and last year's April 7 by-elections for the mayoral posts of Seoul and Busan. The DPK won only a dismal five out of 17 major races for metropolitan city mayors and provincial governors, while the ruling People Power Party (PPP) snatched 12.



In many senses, the DPK's defeat has been anticipated. It has failed to conduct strict self-remorse and efforts towards renovation despite its loss in the presidential election. Citing a slight margin of 0.73 percentage points in the presidential race, the DPK consoled itself by saying, "We fared well though we lost." It appeared to believe it could take power again if it had won the local elections.



The party allowed its presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung to run in the parliamentary by-election held on the sidelines of the local polls and its former leader Song Young-gil to run for the Seoul mayoral election. Such decisions prompted criticism from many people, further fanning anti-DPK sentiment. Both Lee and Song should have refrained from running in the elections, taking time for thorough self-reflection, as they are most responsible for the outcome of the presidential race.



The DPK also came under a barrage of salvos during the campaign period for ramming through a bill designed to completely strip the prosecution of its right to investigate certain crimes. Such bids invited criticism which alleged a kind of parliamentary dictatorship, with the party renouncing the values of dialogue and consensus. As a result, the party suffered an overwhelming defeat compared to the 2018 local elections where it won in 14 major cities and provinces.



While quitting her post as co-chair of the DPK's interim committee, Park said, "It appears the DPK is still arrogant despite its defeat in the presidential election. I think the party should completely change the people and system (to survive)." Former DPK leader Lee Nak-yon said the unprecedented low turnout rate in Gwangju, a traditional stronghold for the liberal party, should be interpreted as a "political impeachment" against the DPK. The party should attentively listen to such admonishments this time for a thorough self-reflection and harsh innovation.




HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Former hedge fund CEO David McCormick conceded the Republican primary in Pennsylvania for U.S. Senate to celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, ending his campaign Friday night as he acknowledged an ongoing statewide recount wouldn't give him enough votes to make up the deficit.

After a bitter campaign that blanketed the airwaves with millions of dollars in attack ads, McCormick issued a gracious concession, vowing to help unite the party behind Oz.

Its now clear to me with the recount largely complete that we have a nominee, McCormick said at a campaign party at a Pittsburgh hotel. And today I called Mehmet Oz to congratulate him on his victory.

Keith Srakocic/AP

McCormick's concession cements a general election campaign between Oz, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, and Democrat John Fetterman in what is expected to be one of the nations premier Senate contests.

Already, the national parties are sponsoring attack ads on TV in a presidential battleground state that is still roiled by Trump's baseless claims of a stolen election in 2020.

The result could help determine control of the closely divided chamber, and Democrats view it as perhaps their best opportunity to pick up a seat in the race to replace retiring two-term Republican Sen. Pat Toomey.

More than two weeks out from the primary election, Republicans had begun to consider a bitter primary becoming further drawn-out by a recount and lawsuits over mail-in ballots.

I think it'll be fine, I think there will be zero problems, said Pat Poprik, the GOP chair in heavily populated Bucks County, where state party committee members had endorsed McCormick. Many people I know liked both candidates, thought both were good and had to make a last-minute decision between them.

In a statement, Oz said he was grateful for McCormick's pledge of support.

Before the recount, Oz led McCormick by 972 votes out of 1.34 million votes counted in the May 17 primary. The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the race because an automatic recount is underway and the margin between the two candidates is just 0.07 percentage points.

Fetterman, the state's lieutenant governor, acknowledged earlier Friday in a statement that he nearly died when he suffered a stroke just days before his primary. He said he had ignored warning signs for years and a doctor's advice to take blood thinners.

Oz, who is best known as the host of daytime TVs The Dr. Oz Show, had to overcome a barrage of attack ads and misgivings among hard-line Trump backers about his conservative credentials on guns, abortion, transgender rights and other core Republican issues.

The 61-year-old Oz leaned on Trump's endorsement as proof of his conservative bona fides, while Trump attacked Oz's rivals and maintained that Oz has the best chance of winning in November in the presidential battleground state.

Oz had had little history with the Republican Party  but he had a friendship with Trump going back almost 20 years and, as Trump told him in a 2016 appearance on Oz's show, you know my wifes a big fan of your show.

Meanwhile, McCormick made Ozs dual citizenship in Turkey an issue in the race, suggesting that Oz would be a national security risk. If elected, Oz would be the nations first Muslim senator.

Born in the United States, Oz served in Turkeys military and voted in its 2018 election. Oz said he would renounce his Turkish citizenship if he won the November election, and he accused McCormick of making bigoted attacks.

Oz and McCormick blanketed the state's airwaves with political ads for months, spending millions of their own money. Virtually unknown to voters four months ago, McCormick had to introduce himself to voters, and he mined Ozs long record as a public figure for material in attack ads. He got help from a super PAC supporting him that spent $20 million.

Like McCormick, Oz moved from out of state to run in Pennsylvania.

Oz, a Harvard graduate, New York Times bestselling author and self-styled wellness advocate, lived for the past couple of decades in a mansion in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, above the Hudson River overlooking Manhattan  drawing accusations of being a carpetbagger and political tourist.

The celebrity heart surgeon stressed his connections to Pennsylvania, saying he grew up just over the state border in Delaware, went to medical school in Philadelphia and married a Pennsylvania native.

Before he ran, McCormick was something of a celebrity on Wall Street, running the world's largest hedge fund, and had strong Republican Party establishment ties going back to his service in former President George W. Bushs administration. His wife, Dina Powell, was a deputy national security adviser to Trump and had strong party connections as well.

McCormick had long considered running for public office, and moved from his home on Connecticut's ritzy Gold Coast to a house in Pittsburgh before declaring his candidacy.

He stressed his connections to Pennsylvania: growing up on a farm as a high school wrestling and football star before going to West Point and fighting in the Gulf War. He also spent 10 years in Pittsburgh in business, giving him a stronger claim to Pennsylvania than Oz.

Like Oz, McCormick had worked hard to earn Trumps endorsement, and he insisted he was the authentic America First candidate, invoking Trump's nickname for his governing philosophy.

However, Trump attacked McCormick repeatedly in the campaign's final two weeks, leading a rally for Oz where he called McCormick the candidate of special interests and globalists and the Washington establishment.

___

Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at twitter.com/timelywriter

___

Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics
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A man who fatally shot two women before killing himself in the parking lot of an Iowa church had been romantically involved with one of the women and faced a court hearing next week on a charge of harassing her, investigators said Friday.

Johnathan Lee Whitlatch, 33, of Boone, pulled up in a pickup truck to 22-year-old Eden Montang, 21-year-old Vivian Flores and another woman just before 7 p.m. Thursday outside Cornerstone Church on the outskirts of Ames and began shooting with a 9 mm handgun, they said.

Montang and Flores were killed, Story County Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald said, and Whitlatch shot himself. The women were friends and students at Iowa State University who were walking together to the church for a weekly service that is popular with university and high school students, the sheriff said.

Whitlatch and Montang had recently broken up, Fitzgerald said, and investigators believe Whitlachs intent was to kill her.

He was there for a specific purpose, which he accomplished, the sheriff said.

About 80 other students were inside the megachurch at the time, Fitzgerald said. The church is near Interstate 35, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Des Moines.

Our hearts break for all involved, and we are praying for everyone affected, especially the family of the victims, the church said in the statement. The church held a prayer service for the victims Friday morning.

Whitlatch  who had a long history with law enforcement involving women  was arrested May 31 on counts of harassment and impersonating a police officer.

Details of the allegations against Whitlatch weren't immediately available, Story County Capt. Nicholas Lennie said. Whitlatch was released on bond the same day he was arrested, Lennie said, and had been scheduled to appear in court June 10.

A search of Whitlatchs truck following the shooting turned up ammunition and a receipt showing he bought the ammunition an hour before the shooting, Fitzgerald said. A search warrant executed at Whitlatchs home also turned up an AR-15-style rifle, which was not used in the shooting.

The shooting follows several mass shootings in the U.S. in recent weeks that have roiled the nation. Those include last weeks shooting by an 18-year-old gunman who killed 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and an attack Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a gunman killed his surgeon and three other people at a medical office. On May 14 in Buffalo, New York, a white man carried out what officials say was a racist attack on a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood, killing 10 people.

Court records show that Whitlatch was arrested in November on a charge of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse and had been set to go to trial next month. Police said security camera footage shows him twice forcing his hand down a woman's pants at a Cedar Falls bar.

In 2017, a judge approved a temporary restraining order against Whitlatch after another woman in southeastern Iowa accused him of domestic abuse, but the order was lifted a month later.

Last week, a judge ordered the state to start garnishing Whitlatchs wages to pay child support to a woman with whom he had fathered a child. Whitlatch also had a previous child custody dispute with a different woman, according to court records, and got divorced from yet another woman in 2014.

___

AP writer Grant Schulte contributed to this story from Omaha, Nebraska.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexicos ruling Morena party looks poised to win at least four of the six races for state governorships Sunday on the back of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, its folksy, charismatic leader, and the absence of a credible opposition, analysts say.

Ironically, at its point of greatest power, Morena may also be about to enter its phase of greatest vulnerability: the young party must take control of an intractably cartel-dominated border state like Tamaulipas, and launch a divisive internal contest to see who will replace Lopez Obrador when he leaves office in 2024.

With Morenas dominance a seemingly foregone conclusion  the opposition will probably be left with only a half-dozen of Mexicos 32 states  there has been a stampede by politicians of all stripes to join or ally themselves with the party for political survival, a rush that threatens to erode its already weak internal cohesion and ideology.

Analysts say Morena could be on track to become an omnipresent government party, like the old Institutional Revolutionary Party, the PRI, that dominated Mexican politics for 70 years from 1929 to 2000  but without the PRIs former reputation for iron internal discipline.

Basically, Morena is now a broad tent made of anyone who Lopez Obrador  a political pragmatist who sometimes woos opposition politicians with ambassadorships  allows in.

It marks a new stage in Mexican politics.

The fight is not going to be with the opposition, its going to be within Morena, said Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, an associate professor at George Mason University. The movement is going to be muddied by people joining who have little to do with the (political) project.

Those contradictions are on display in Tamaulipas, which borders Texas, where most ex-governors in the last 20 years have gone to prison for corruption or associating with the drug cartels that dominate the state.

Morenas candidate for governor in Tamaulipas is a mild-mannered cardiologist, Americo Villarreal, who is a former PRI member and the son of a well-liked former PRI governor who was also a friend of Lopez Obrador. The younger Villarreal has offered little new in the way of policies to take on gangs like the Northeast Cartel, which has grown so bold it attacked the U.S. consulate in the border city of Nuevo Laredo earlier this year.

While Lopez Obrador has disappointed the U.S. government by avoiding confrontation with drug cartels or trying to arrest their leaders, he has cooperated closely with the Americans by detaining migrants seeking to reach the U.S. border.

Correa-Cabrera expects Villarreal to continue those trends, in what she says could be seen as a narco peace policy. Still, she noted that drug violence tends to spike after local elections, in part because deals made with outgoing politicians end, and new terms must be negotiated.

It is going to get a little out of control for him, Correa-Cabrera said. The violence is going to get worse, its going to be a difficult start for him, how difficult I dont know.

Ivonne Acuna Murillo, political science professor at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, says Lopez Obradors policies  like doubling the minimum wage in border areas like Tamaulipas and constantly visiting provincial towns and cities  rather than the stature of local candidates, are key to understanding Morenas potential gubernatorial sweep.

His work of being constantly there, not ignoring any place, constantly visiting these places every weekend to be close to the people, that is what nourishes him and gives him power, said Acuna Murillo.

It is a movement built by him and that follows him, and what we know of as Lopez Obrador doesnt necessarily coincide with what Morena is, its support base and structure, and so that is a big challenge, she noted. I think that it is a party that without this big leader, could be somewhat fragile.

Morena was founded by Lopez Obrador in 2012 and when he retires the party is likely to become a free-for-all of political division. By law, Lopez Obrador is limited to one term..

Several top figures in his administration have already begun a sharp-elbowed dispute to win Morenas presidential nomination in the 2024 race.

Morena also appears to be on track to win elections in Quintana Roo, home to resorts like Cancun, Tulum and Playa del Carmen. While the states mainstay tourism industry has recovered relatively quickly from the coronavirus pandemic, it faces huge challenges from drug violence and the arrival of foul-smelling sargassum seaweed on its beaches.

Lopez Obrador has spent heavily in Quintana Roo to build his Maya Train tourism project, which will link colonial cities, beach resorts and Mayan archaeological sites, though it has raised hackles among environmentalists as workers cut a swath through the jungle with no environmental impact statement.

I think Morena will certainly win, and I hope that means we will have more federal government support for tourism as a national priority and resolve the problems we face, said Sergio Leon, the former head of the state employers federation.

Rafael Barajas, a civic activist in Tulum, countered that obviously Morena is going to win, because the political group of (Tulum Mayor) Marciano Dzul has made an agreement to allow the federal government to do what it wants, so the Maya Train can go ahead without protests.

Opposition parties still exist, but they have been forced into uncomfortable anti-Lopez Obrador alliances.

In the two states where Morena is trailing  Aguascalientes and Durango  the candidates are running jointly for the PRI and the conservative National Action Party.

Morena is also likely to take the states of Oaxaca and Hidalgo, whose current PRI governors have been oddly close to Lopez Obrador. Again, the challenge to Morena comes less from without, than within.

In some states like Hidalgo, there are governors who, though they are PRI members, they are more on Morenas side, said Acuna Murillo. It seems that this political culture of a strong president is alive, and the PRI logic is to be on the side thats winning,

If Morena falls, it is going to be for internal reasons, she said, because there is no opposition that can compete with it.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  Florida health officials have asked the state medical board to draft new policies that would likely restrict gender dysphoria treatments for transgender youth as the state amps up its ongoing attacks on the treatments amid the country's culture wars.

The officials are also arguing that such treatments should not be covered by Medicaid. In a lengthy report dated Thursday, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration said puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and sex reassignment surgery have not been proven safe or effective in treating gender dysphoria. Tom Wallace, the state's deputy director of Medicaid, signed off on the report.

In response, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo wrote a letter to the state Board of Medicine asking it to review the findings and establish new standards for children seeking these complex and irreversible procedures."

Florida must do more to protect children from politics-based medicine," Ladapo wrote. Otherwise, children and adolescents in our state will continue to face a substantial risk of long-term harm."

Transgender medical treatment for children and teens is increasingly under attack in many states where it has been labeled a form of child abuse or subject to various bans.

Many doctors and mental health specialists argue that medical treatment for transgender children is safe and beneficial and can improve their well-being, although rigorous long-term research on benefits and risks is lacking. Federal guidelines say gender-affirming care is crucial to the health and well-being of transgender and nonbinary children.

Last year, the American Medical Association issued a letter urging governors to block any legislation prohibiting the treatment, calling such action a dangerous intrusion into the practice of medicine." The letter noted that medical treatments are among several supportive interventions promoted for transgender minors.

This is not the first time Florida officials have opposed such treatments. Similar steps have already been taken by the administration of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has embraced clashes in the countrys culture war as he runs for reelection and eyes a run for president in 2024.

Last month, the administration issued guidance that pushed back against the federal guidelines by opposing social gender transition or gender reassignment surgery for children and adolescents, and puberty blockers for anyone under 18.

Last year, DeSantis signed a law barring transgender girls and women from playing on public school teams intended for student athletes identified as girls at birth.

The actions have drawn condemnation from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, an international group of doctors and others involved in treating transgender people.

Floridas assault on transgender communities has been relentless," Dr. Walter Bouman, the groups president, said in a statement Friday. He noted that the association's U.S. affiliate previously attacked Floridas ongoing efforts, saying they lack scientific merit, and in some cases misinterpret or distort available data.

Floridas health agencies have an obligation to support the health and well-being of its residents, including those who are transgender, Bouman said. The state has instead chosen to issue misleading and dangerous reports designed to harm transgender people."
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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  When Philadelphia's election board prepared to count ballots last year that were mailed in without the voter's handwritten date, Republicans threatened impeachment. Before GOP Senate candidate David McCormick conceded his race Friday, he wanted counties to embrace the same approach.

In a last-ditch bid to close a roughly 900-vote gap with Dr. Mehmet Oz, former hedge fund CEO David McCormick pressed for undated mail-in ballots to be counted. He finally acknowledged Friday that there were not enough ballots remaining to make up the difference.

McCormick had insisted he simply wanted every Republican vote to be counted in a contest that will decide the GOP nominee for one of this years most closely watched Senate races. But in calling for undated mail-in ballots to be counted, McCormick put the GOP in an uncomfortable spot after the party spent the better part of two years deriding such votes as illegal alongside a broader embrace of former President Donald Trumps lies about widespread fraud in the 2020 campaign.

"Now it looks like we could be OK for something if it impacts the race in a way you want it to go, said Mike Barley, a Republican campaign strategist in Pennsylvania who does not have a candidate in the Senate race.

The national and state party fought McCormick in state courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court could resolve the matter any day now. In any case, most Republicans believed McCormick would be unable to make up the votes in a recount, regardless of whether undated ballots were counted.

More registered Democrats vote by mail in Pennsylvania than do registered Republicans, possibly as a result of Trumps baseless smearing of mail-in voting as rife with fraud.

Until now, Republican Party leaders had been solidly unified behind the idea that ballots without a voter's handwritten date on the envelope must be thrown out.

The law, they reasoned, is clear on that point  even if that handwritten date on a ballot envelope plays no role in determining whether a voter is eligible or whether a ballot is cast on time.

Then, three days after the May 17 primary election, a federal appeals court ruled in a case stemming from a local judicial election last year that throwing out such ballots violates federal civil rights law.

As he tried to find the votes to overtake the Trump-endorsed Oz, McCormick argued that every Republican vote should count, and, in court, his lawyer, Charles Cooper, told a state judge that the object of Pennsylvanias election law is to let people vote, not to play games of gotcha with them.

McCormick's pursuit served up a sort of whiplash for Republicans, who had threatened to impeach Philadelphia election officials last year after they moved to count such ballots and accused state judges of stealing a state Senate seat in 2020 when they ruled that the ballots could be counted in that years election.

This time around, however, Republicans didn't blast judges or threaten to impeach the county election boards counting the ballots.

Not at this point, because its still in litigation, said Republican state Rep. Seth Grove, who chairs the committee that writes election-related legislation.

In court, the Republican National Committee and the state Republican Party opposed McCormick. The party, however, was not unified in that effort.

For instance, the Butler County Republican Party, which endorsed McCormick, didn't take a side in the fight, said county GOP chair Al Lindsay.

Counties that already counted the undated ballots, without being forced, included Republican counties, both big and small.

Sam DeMarco, the Republican Party chair in heavily populated Allegheny County, said hes not aware that Republicans have actually changed their mind about the law.

Rather, he has heard griping from Republicans about McCormick because they think this is what the Democrats would do.

In any case, it is probably better to get the fight out of the way in a Republican primary, rather than leave it for the general election, he said.

I just want to get a definitive ruling and, personally Im happy its happening now, in a primary, rather than in November, where the actual seat would be up for grabs, DeMarco said.

McCormick's concession sets up a November general election between Oz and Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who said Friday that he nearly died in the days before his primary after suffering a stroke.

Despite McCormicks concession to Oz, The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the race because an automatic recount is underway. The Pennsylvania secretary of state is scheduled to release the results of the recount on Wednesday.

Barley, the campaign strategist, said the perception that the party had shifted its stance  or that some Republicans had, anyway  sets a dangerous precedent.

What happens in November if it doesnt go your way and then you dont want them counted? he asked.

___

Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at twitter.com/timelywriter.

___

Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at twitter.com/ap_politics.
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UVALDE, Texas (AP)  The state agency investigating the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde has determined that the commander facing criticism for the slow police response was not carrying a radio as the massacre unfolded, a Texas state senator said Friday.

Sen. Roland Gutierrez told The Associated Press in a brief telephone interview that a Texas Department of Public Safety official told him school district police Chief Pete Arredondo was without a radio during the May 24 attack by a lone gunman at Robb Elementary School that left 19 students and two teachers dead. Seventeen more people were injured.

Authorities have not said how Arredondo was communicating with other law enforcement officials at the scene, including the more than a dozen officers who were at one point waiting outside the classroom where the gunman was holed up. Arredondo heads the districts small department and was in charge of the multi-agency response to the shooting.

He has not responded to multiple interview requests from AP since the attack, including a telephone message left with district police Friday.

The apparently missing radio is the latest detail to underscore concerns about how police handled the shooting and why they didn't confront the gunman faster, even as anguished parents outside the school urged officers to go inside. The Justice Department has said it will review the law enforcement response.

Focus has turned to the chief in recent days after Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said Arredondo believed the active shooting had turned into a hostage situation, and that he made the wrong decision to not order officers to breach the classroom more quickly to confront the gunman.

Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, complained Thursday that Arredondo was not informed of panicked 911 calls coming from students trapped inside a classroom where the gunman had holed up. The Democrat called it a system failure.

Police radios are a crucial source of real-time communication during an emergency and, according to experts, often how information from 911 calls is relayed to officers on the ground. Its unclear who at the scene was aware of the calls. Uvalde police did not respond to questions about the calls Thursday.

The news emerged amid tensions between state and local authorities over how police handled the shooting and communicated what happened to the public.

The gunman in Uvalde, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, spent roughly 80 minutes inside the school, and more than an hour passed from when the first officers followed him into the building and when he was killed by law enforcement, according to an official timeline.

Ramos slipped through an unlocked door into adjoining fourth-grade classrooms at 11:33, authorities said. He rapidly fired off more than 100 rounds.

Officers entered minutes later, exchanging fire with Ramos, and by 12:03 there were as many as 19 officers in the hallway outside the classroom, McCraw said. Authorities have not said where Arredondo was during this period.

Officers from other agencies urged the school police chief to let them move in because children were in danger, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they had not been authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.

A U.S. Border Patrol tactical team used a school employees key to unlock the classroom door and kill the gunman around 12:50 p.m., McCraw said.

Law enforcement and state officials have struggled to present an accurate timeline and details of the shooting and how police responded, sometimes providing conflicting information or withdrawing statements hours later. State police have said some accounts were preliminary and may change as more witnesses are interviewed.

Gutierrez said Friday that a Texas Department of Public Safety official told him that the Uvalde-area district attorney, Christina Mitchell Busbee, a Republican, had directed the agency to not release more information about the shooting investigation to the senator or the public.

The Department of Public Safety on Friday referred all questions about the shooting investigation to Busbee, who has not returned telephone and text messages seeking comment.

Gutierrez said Thursday that many people should shoulder some blame in the Uvalde shooting, including the Texas governor.

There was error at every level, including the legislative level. Greg Abbott has plenty of blame in all of this, he said.

___

More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting

___

Coronado reported from Austin, Texas. Associated Press writers Jake Bleiberg in Dallas; Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas; and Mike Balsamo in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (AP)  A woman and her nephew were found dead on Thursday in a North Carolina home which also served as a daycare, and police said they are investigating a double homicide.

The Kannapolis Police Department said its officers responded to a home at around 8 a.m. after receiving a 911 call, the Independent-Tribune of Kannapolis reported.
BALTIMORE (AP)  A challenge coin inscribed with the Maryland State Police logo along with graphic imagery and offensive language has some troopers concerned because they see it as a potential response to allegations of racial discrimination within the agency.

The Baltimore Sun reports that photos of the coin obtained by the newspaper show the state police insignia with images of female anatomy and references to people being offended. Challenge coins are tokens that people in organizations such as law enforcement collect to commemorate events or membership.

Maryland State Police became aware of the coin in January and the agency is investigating its creation, including whether someone in the agency was involved with the coins' design, manufacturing/purchase or sale, spokeswoman Elena Russo said in an email. Russo said the agency hasnt identified the person responsible for this violation of Department policy and urged anyone with information on who created it to contact internal affairs. Investigations of other coins have led to disciplinary or administrative actions, she said.

The coin is being interpreted as a reaction to issues raised by Black troopers about disparate treatment around discipline, hiring and promotions and racist incidents within the agency, according to leaders of the Coalition of Black Maryland State Troopers and the Randallstown NAACP.

Branch President Ryan Coleman said he has heard from troopers who saw the coin as part of an attempt to downplay the plight of minority and women troopers and called it evidence of a culture that could be having a broader effect on residents.

If people of color who are troopers, or police who are women, if theyre not being treated properly, how is the regular citizen going to be treated? Coleman said. If you dont even like the people you work with, how is a regular motorist or someone who needs help, how will they fare?

Sgt. Anthony Alexander, the coalitions president, said he received images of the coin Thursday and heard concerns from several of the coalitions roughly 45 members. Theres been animosity and division following recent complaints and the coin is the most recent example of a culture that needs to change, he said. He plans to send a letter about the coin to the superintendent.

Thats whats destroying us, is the culture itself inside the agency that fosters this type of behavior, Alexander said. We have to become better as an agency, but we wont get there until we start really making major changes.
HARTFORD  A Bridgeport man previously convicted of assault, strangulation and other offenses pleaded guilty Thursday to illegally possessing a firearm, according to federal prosecutors.

LaMain Heard, 31, has been detained since his federal arrest on Jan. 21. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 24 and faces up to 10 years in prison, according to U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery.

Police found the firearm when they attempted to stop a car, in which Heard was a passenger, last summer. A Bridgeport police officer shot the driver, Dennis Waiters, in the leg when Waiters tried to drive away.

On the night of June 15, 2021, police tried to pull over a vehicle near the intersection of Main and Catherine streets based on information from a credible source who indicated that the occupants were in possession of an illegal handgun and planned to use it, according to a preliminary report from Stamford/Norwalk States Attorney Paul Ferencek.

The car stopped at a traffic light while officers in five separate unmarked vehicles surrounded it. Four of the five vehicles had their lights and sirens on, according to Ferenceks report.

The car, driven by Waiters, backed into a civilian vehicle and the door of an unmarked cruiser. Waiters then drove toward the officers, the report stated.

When Waiters tried to drive away, Bridgeport Police Officer Carlos Vazquez shot once at the vehicle. The bullet went through the drivers door and hit Waiters in the upper leg, causing him to crash into a light pole, according to Ferencek.

Waiters and Heard said previously that they thought civilians were trying to attack them, prompting their attempt to flee. They said they feared for their lives.

When the car stopped, Heard dropped a semiautomatic pistol in the car and tried to flee. Police apprehended Heard and later analyzed the firearm to find it had his DNA, Averys office said.

Heard was previously convicted of second-degree assault, second-degree strangulation, first-degree unlawful restraint, first-degree escape and first-degree failure to appear, according to court documents.

Heard pleaded guilty in federal court in Hartford Thursday to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media /

NEW HAVEN  A Meriden man is accused of leading a drug organization that trafficked kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Connecticut, according to federal prosecutors.

A federal grand jury in New Haven indicted Bimael Acevedo-Roman, 28, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine Wednesday. He was arrested on May 18 and is currently released on $100,000 bond, according to U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery.
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Municipal workers take a mask off a statue of a primitive man in Dalseo District of the southeastern city of Daegu, May 2, as the country allowed people to not wear masks outside starting the same day amid a decreasing trend in the number of daily COVID-19 cases, in this photo released by the ward office. The office placed the mask on the 20-meter-long and 6-meter-high structure on May 15, 2020, to encourage people to wear masks amid the surge of coronavirus infections. Yonhap



By Scott Shepherd




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A gunman who killed his surgeon and three other people at a Tulsa medical office blamed the doctor for his continuing pain after a recent back operation and bought an AR-style rifle just hours before the rampage, police said Thursday.

The patient called the clinic repeatedly complaining of pain and specifically targeted the doctor who performed the surgery, then killed himself as police arrived, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said.

That physician, Dr. Preston Phillips, was killed Wednesday, along with Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn and visitor William Love, police said. The attack occurred on the campus of Saint Francis Health System in Tulsa. The chief identified the shooter as Michael Louis, 45, of Muskogee, Oklahoma.

It was the latest in a series of mass shootings in the United States including the deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and an attack on a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. The recent Memorial Day weekend saw multiple mass shootings nationwide, including at an outdoor festival in Taft, Oklahoma, 45 miles from Tulsa, even as single-death incidents accounted for most gun fatalities.

President Joe Biden addressed the carnage in recent years from mass shootings with AR-style rifles in an address Thursday night.

Since the mass shooting at a Uvalde elementary school killed 21 people, including 19 children, just over a week ago, there have been 20 mass shootings in America, each with four or more people killed or injured," he said. After describing the Tulsa shooting as one of those 20 mass shootings, the president said, "That doesnt count the carnage we see every single day that doesnt make the headlines.

Louis carried a letter that said he was targeting Phillips, Franklin said. The letter made it clear that he came in with the intent to kill Dr. Phillips and anyone who got in his way, Franklin said. "He blamed Dr. Phillips for the ongoing pain following the surgery.

Franklin said Phillips performed the surgery on May 19 and Louis was released from the hospital on May 24.

He said Louis called the doctor's office several times over several days reporting he was still in pain and saw Phillips on Tuesday for additional treatment. Louis called the office again Wednesday complaining of back pain and wanting additional assistance, he said.

A phone number listed for an address for a Michael Louis in Muskogee was not working Thursday.

Phillips, 59, was an orthopedic surgeon with an interest in spinal surgery and joint reconstruction, according to a profile on the clinics website. He once served as lead physician for Tulsas WNBA team before the franchise moved out of state, according to the Tulsa World.

Dr. Cliff Robertson, president and CEO of Saint Francis Health System, called Phillips a "consummate gentleman" and a man that we should all strive to emulate. He said the three employees who were killed were the three best people in the entire world and that they didnt deserve to die this way.

Husen was 48 and Glenn was 40, officials said.

Love, a 73-year-old retired Army sergeant, was a patient at the clinic but that day he was accompanying his wife, Deborah, for her six-month checkup, said their daughter, Karen Denise Love.

Police have received reports that Love held a door shut in hopes of allowing others to flee from the gunman through another door, Franklin said in response to reporters questions.

Karen Love said her parents were in an examination room with one of Phillips assistants when the couple heard the commotion outside. When they realized it was gunshots, Karen Love said her father grabbed the door handle from inside the room.

As they heard this guy going up and down the hall, they knew it was gunfire, Karen Love said. They thought it was someone just shooting people. My dad was trying to hold the door the best he could.

Police believe Louis bought his weapons legally, Franklin said. Louis bought an AR-style semi-automatic rifle on the afternoon of the shooting and a handgun on Sunday, the police chief said.

Franklin praised the law enforcement officers, 911 operators and emergency for their immediate response to the attack Wednesday. Police responded to the call about three minutes after dispatchers received the report at 4:52 p.m. and made contact with the gunman at 5:01 p.m., authorities said Wednesday.

Franklin said police believe Louis shot himself about 39 seconds after the first officers entered the building.

Our training led us to take immediate action without hesitation, he said. Thats exactly what officers do and thats what they did in this instance."

The length of time it took police officers in Uvalde, Texas, to engage the gunman during last weeks deadly school shooting at Robb Elementary School has become a key focus of that investigation. Officers waited over an hour to breach the classroom where the 18-year-old gunman attacked with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle, killing 19 children and two teachers.

Democratic leaders have amplified their calls for greater restrictions on guns since the Uvalde shooting, while Republicans are emphasizing more security at schools. The divide mirrors a partisan split that has stymied action in Congress and many state capitols over how best to respond to a record-high number of gun-related deaths in the U.S.

Oklahoma House Democrats on Thursday called for a special session to consider gun safety legislation, but thats unlikely to happen in a GOP-controlled Legislature that has been pushing for years to loosen firearms restrictions.

Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who is running for reelection, said last week after the Texas shooting that it was too soon to talk about firearms policy. A pro-firearms group, the Oklahoma 2nd Amendment Association, is an influential force at the state Capitol, and the first bill Stitt signed into law after taking office in 2019 was a measure that allows most adults to openly carry firearms without the previously required background check or training.

Since January, there have been 12 shootings where four or more people have been killed, according to The Associated Press/USA TODAY/Northeastern University mass killing database. Those shootings have left 76 dead, including 35 adults and children in Buffalo, Uvalde and Tulsa, the database says. The death toll does not include the suspects in the shootings.

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Murphy reported from Oklahoma City; Bleed from Little Rock, Arkansas; and Foody from Chicago. AP researchers Jennifer Farrar and Randy Herschaft contributed from New York.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol will go public with its findings in a prime-time hearing next week, the start of what lawmakers hope will be a high-profile airing of the causes and consequences of the domestic attack on the U.S. government.

Lawmakers plan to hold a series of hearings in June that they promise will lay out, step-by-step, how former President Donald Trump and his allies worked feverishly to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential election, spreading lies about widespread voter fraud  widely debunked by judges and his own administration  that fueled a violent assault on the seat of democracy.

The six hearings, set to begin June 9 and expected to last until late June, will be the first time the committee discloses previously unseen material about what it has discovered in the course of a sprawling 10-month investigation that has touched nearly every aspect of the insurrection.

The committee, which has called Jan. 6 one of the darkest days of our democracy, was formed in the aftermath to investigate the facts, circumstances, and causes relating to the domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol.

Unlike any other congressional committee in recent times, the panels work has been both highly anticipated by Democrats and routinely criticized by Trump and the former presidents allies, including some Republicans in Congress, who complain it is partisan.

More than 1,000 people have been interviewed by the panel, and only brief snippets of that testimony have been revealed to the public, mostly through court filings. The hearings are expected to showcase a series of witnesses but the committee has not yet publicly released the names.

The investigation has focused on every aspect of the insurrection, including the efforts by Trump and his allies to cast doubt on the election and halt the certification of President Joe Biden's victory; the financing and organizing of rallies in Washington that took place before the attack; security failures by Capitol Police and federal agencies; and the actions of the rioters themselves.

The hearings are expected to be exhaustive, but not the final word from the committee, which plans to released subsequent reports on its findings, including recommendations on legislative reforms, ahead of the midterm elections.

___

Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP)  A military veteran who once faked his own death to try to avoid criminal charges has been convicted of sexually assaulting a girl and impregnating her when he was 40 and she was 14.

A jury convicted Jacob Blair Scott of Moss Point, Mississippi, on Thursday. Jackson County Circuit Judge Kathy King Jackson sentenced him to 85 years in prison, saying it is essentially a life sentence. She also ordered him to pay $10,000 in fines.

The evidence is overwhelming, Jackson said. Its more evidence than Ive probably ever seen."

The Sun Herald reported Scott was emotionless when a jury found him guilty of nine counts of sexual battery, four counts of touching a child for lustful purposes and one count of child exploitation.

Scott, 45, is a military veteran who was awarded a Purple Heart in 2011 for injuries he received while deployed in Iraq, according to the U.S. Marshals Service, which had once listed him as one of its 15 most wanted fugitives.

Scott was supposed to turn himself in to face charges of assaulting the girl, but he faked his death in July 2018 by leaving a small boat with a gun and a suicide note in Orange Beach, Alabama, WLOX-TV reported.

Authorities found little evidence of a suicide but searched for a body for more than a week in the Gulf of Mexico. Scott was captured in early 2020 at an RV park in Oklahoma, where he was living under another person's name.

During the trial, the victim cried as she testified that Scott sexually assaulted her at least 30 times beginning in 2016 and ending in 2017 when she learned she was pregnant. She said she gave birth to the baby.

District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath and Assistant District Attorney Justin Lovorn excoriated Scott for trying to blame his mental state, a failing relationship and even the victim for the sexual assaults.

This is the first time in my 18 years I have ever seen anything so brazen and so vile, McIlrath said. This is about blaming the 14-year-old. This whole trial was about humiliating the 14-year-old who had no choice."

Before sentencing, Scott blamed his mental issues, post-traumatic stress and other disorders for affecting his mental state when he committed the crimes. He pleaded with the judge to look at his medical record and how he was heavily medicated and suffering from depression and relationship problems that he said clouded his judgment.

I was a good man, Scott said This aint who I am.

McIrath called Scotts defense a hail Mary tactic to try to get leniency. Before handing down the sentence, the judge said she didn't believe Scott.
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ATLANTA (AP)  Growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico, Katya Echazarreta was encouraged to abandon her dreams of traveling to space.

Everyone around me  family, friends, teachers  I just kept hearing the same thing: Thats not for you, Echazarreta told The Associated Press.

Echazarreta, 26, will prove them wrong Saturday when she joins a diverse international crew boarding the fifth passenger flight by Blue Origin, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' space travel venture.

She and five others, including Victor Correa Hespanha, the second Brazilian to fly to space, will blast off from Texas atop a New Shepard rocket for a 10-minute flight. The automated flight should reach an altitude of roughly 66 miles (106 kilometers) before parachuting into the desert.

Echazarreta, whose flight is sponsored by the nonprofit Space for Humanity, will be the first Mexican-born woman and one of the youngest women to fly to space. She was chosen from more than 7,000 applicants in more than 100 countries.

The flight comes as Blue Origin competes with Elon Musks SpaceX and Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic for space tourism dollars and efforts aimed to increase diversity in space travel, which long has been dominated by white men.

Of the more than 600 people who have been to space since Yuri Gagarins pioneering flight in 1961, fewer than 80 have been women and fewer than three dozen have been Black, Indigenous or Latino.

In April, NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins arrived at the International Space Station, the first Black woman assigned a long-duration mission there.

Earlier this year, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced the agencys first-ever equity plan to further identify and remove the barriers that limit opportunity in underserved and underrepresented communities.

Tabbetha Dobbins, vice president for research and dean of the graduate school at Rowan University, is a member of the American Institute of Physics task force aimed at increasing the representation of Black undergraduate students in physics and astronomy. She told The Associated Press that access to space  no matter how brief the trip  matters.

Theyre going beyond the boundaries that most human beings have gone and thats a major step, Dobbins said. Its so important that everyone sees themselves represented. Its hugely impactful.

But Jordan Bimm, a space historian at the University of Chicago, said it remains to be seen whether the commercial space for all ethos becomes reality.

True diversity and access is sustained diversity and access, Bimm told The Associated Press. If we want the population of people getting to go to space to actually reflect human diversity on Earth, we need to rethink why we are going and who holds the keys.

Echazarreta, who is pursuing a masters degree in electrical engineering after a stint at NASA, said people from other cultures or other parts of the world feel like this isnt for them, like just because of where theyre from or where they were born, that this is automatically not something that they can dream or have as a goal.

I hear that all the time, particularly from Latin America, said Echazarreta, who is excited for her family to see the launch, considering it their achievement as much as hers.

With this flight, Mexican parents can no longer tell their young daughters they cant travel to space.

Instead, she said, theyll have to respond: You can do it, too.

___

Snow reported from Phoenix.

___

Follow Alex Sanz on Twitter at https://twitter.com/alexsanz
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Fewer than half of Connecticuts towns and cities filed affordable-housing plans in time for the June 1 deadline that was required by a 2021 law, which itself was a major compromise amid staunch opposition from suburban, mostly affluent communities against state mandates they claim threatened local control.

But with no mechanism to actually enforce the law, there will be little repercussions to prod towns and cities to comply with the filing requirements, which are part of a larger law that also establishes a Commission on Connecticuts Development and Future.

Among the towns that failed to file are the affluent Fairfield County municipalities of Darien, Easton, Greenwich, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Trumbull and Westport. But officials from Bridgeport, Ansonia, East Haven, Hamden, Hartford, Meriden, New Haven, North Haven, Norwalk, Shelton, Torrington and Waterbury also failed to meet the deadline.

Only 81 of Connecticuts 169 municipalities met the deadline to submit their affordable housing plans to the state Office of Policy and Management for posting on its website in addition to local sites.

Other municipalities that havent yet filed include Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethel, Clinton, Colebrook, Derby, Kent, Litchfield, Oxford, Seymour, Thomaston, Watertown and West Hartford failed to meet the deadline.

In cases where towns or cities have failed to adopt affordable housing plans by the deadline, chief elected officials are required to notify the OPM with the reasons why plans were not adopted on time and provide a date by which plans may be adopted and provided. The state Department of Housing and the Regional Plan Association created a guidebook for municipalities to help in their deliberations at a time the state is experiencing a crisis in affordable housing.

Cities and towns have a statutory responsibility to have filed plans by June 1, Chris Collibee, spokesman for OPM Secretary Jeffrey Beckham, said Thursday after the list of participating communities was updated. We anticipate continuing to receive additional filings over the next couple of days. He said OPM will work with the state Department of Housing to contact those towns and cities that have not communicated their plans and work with them to ensure compliance.

It is important to note that approximately 20 percent of towns that have not filed their plans have communicated with OPM that they are on track to complete their plans in the near future, Collibee said.

The reporting deadline was among the few requirements that emerged from the 2021 legislature, when the issues of racial exclusion and local control broke out in the General Assembly and ended efforts to require local land use officials to create more dwelling units.

State Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vehey, D-Fairfield, co-chairwoman of the legislative Planning and Development Committee, whose panel originated last years reporting requirement and the June 1 deadline, said Thursday the pressing need for affordable housing units is no secret.

Towns missing the deadline This is a list of towns that had not filed an affordable housing plan as of June 2 Ansonia Ashford Avon Beacon Falls* Bethel Bethlehem* Bloomfield Bolton Bridgeport Bridgewater Burlington* Clinton* Colchester Colebrook* Coventry* Cromwell* Darien* Derby Eastford East Granby* East Hampton* East Hartford East Haven* East Lyme* Easton* East Windsor Enfield Franklin Glastonbury* Granby Greenwich Griswold Groton Haddam Hamden Hartford Hartland Kent* Ledyard* Lisbon Litchfield* Manchester Marlborough Meriden* Middlebury Middlefield Montville Naugatuck* New Britain New Canaan* New Hartford New Haven North Canaan North Haven* Norwalk* Oxford Plainville* Plymouth* Pomfret Prospect Putnam* Redding Ridgefield* Rocky Hill Roxbury* Scotland* Seymour Sharon Shelton* Somers Southbury Sterling Tolland Torrington* Trumbull* Union* Waterbury* Watertown West Hartford West Haven Westport* Wethersfield Willington Winchester* Windham Windsor Windsor Locks* Wolcott * Indicates municipality has notified state officials they will not meet the deadline Source: Connecticut Office of Policy and Management See More Collapse

I think the big picture is, do we all agree on the definition of a problem and do we agree on the lack of housing stock? McCarthy Vehey said in a phone interview. We know theres a tremendous need. Housing starts in Connecticut have been so low compared to other states and compared to particular times in our state. Municipalities have asked for power to act locally and thats what we did.

She recalled that in 2021 any pro-housing bills with legal provisions faced strong objections. While state law has vaguely required the filing of affordable housing plans every five years, last years bill finally provided a deadline date. A plan is a critical first step toward planning affordable housing, McCarthy Vehey said. There is a lot of resistance. Our towns need those road maps and by asking them to create their own plans were asking them to create their own road maps.

House Majority Leader Jason Rojas said Thursday that the problem goes beyond affordable homes into housing in general, along with traditions of local control and the growing need for dwellings at a crucial time when the economy needs workers.

Its frustrating, said the East Hartford Democrat, whose town has also failed to file a plan on time. He noted that building permits have been low throughout the state in recent years.

When you think about costs, it depends on the supply, Rojas said in a phone interview. Whether you own a house or rent one its expensive both ways. We always hear that local land-use officials always support housing, but far too often we see less than that. Were giving them the chance to come up with plans informed by local conditions.

Kevin Maloney, communications director for the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, said Thursday that while towns and cities have benefited from resources provided by state officials, many communities, particularly smaller ones with limited resources, have struggled to develop these plans.

CCM is continuing to work with the state to support communities in this effort, Maloney said. We are confident towns and cities are working hard to complete these plans.

During the legislative session that ended last month, a number of housing initiatives failed, including a bill that would have allowed local housing authorities to buy and develop units in neighboring municipalities. This year, of the 23 bills that originated in and were approved by the legislative Housing Committee, only one became law, requiring municipalities with 25,000 or more residents to create fair rent commissions.

Christie Stewart, director of the Bridgeport-based Center for Housing Opportunity, which works in Fairfield and Lichfield counties, said Thursday that some towns will need more prodding that others. But the future of Connecticut is at stake.

The legislation has no teeth, but its such a contentious issue that even without teeth its a tiny step forward, Stewart said in a phone interview. They cant bury their heads in the sand. Affordability is relative, but its going to take a pro-active approach and adherence to plans. What remains to be seen is to take these plans and see how they get implemented. How do we prioritize?

Stewart said that while some towns, realizing there are no consequences, may never file affordable housing plans, no municipal officials should continue to ignore the need for more housing units. The Center for Housing Opportunity also posts information on meetings of local boards, including the June 7 meeting of the Greenwich Planning and Zoning Commission.

Between zoning restrictions and the limited capacity of developers, we have kind of a broken housing system, she said. Heres a challenge: Use your local control and decide where to develop housing options in your towns. This is about pro-active planning for vibrant, sustainable communities while the population undergoes a massive demographic shift.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  Democrats in the state Senate on Thursday pitched their proposal to give $200 tax rebates to motorists in North Carolina, who are dealing with historically high gas prices.

Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue and other Democrats held a news conference to urge Republicans to consider the gas tax rebate legislation. The bill would direct the windfall be given no later than Oct. 1 to everyone 18 years and older with a valid North Carolina drivers license, media outlets reported.

The money, which would come in the form of a check or debit card, could be used for any purpose. It's designed to provide near-term assistance to North Carolina residents and families struggling with higher prices for groceries and other necessities.

We want to put more money in their pockets now, Blue told reporters.

The tax rebate would cost $1.3 billion and come from the estimated $4.2 billion in revenue overcollections that the state predicts to have at the close of the fiscal year.

Republican leaders in the General Assembly also are looking at tax relief as part of their negotiations to adjust the second year of the two-year budget that begins July 1.

House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger said Thursday that the GOP might consider some kind of one-time rebate but that more permanent tax relief is preferred.

I would like to see something thats a little more broad-based and long-lasting as opposed to a temporary thing that may help with one tank of gas or two, Berger told reporters.

Republicans have mentioned a potential effort to reduce the individual income tax rate more quickly than was laid out in the two-year budget approved last November. That measure is incrementally decreasing the personal rate from 5.25% to 3.99% in 2027.

North Carolina's motor fuels tax is currently 38.5 cents per gallon.
MERIDEN  State authorities said they have suspended a local bars liquor permit after a number of fights, including two shootings, earlier this month.

The bar, Tequila Galore Lounge & Grill, on Colony Street had its liquor license suspended and was ordered to close pending proceedings for revocation or other action, according to a summary suspension order from the states Department of Consumer Protection dated Wednesday.

The bar had been open for six months, according to filings from DCP.

We expect our permittees to take seriously the responsibility that comes with the privilege of holding a liquor permit, DCP Commissioner Michelle Seagull said in a statement. It is clear from these repeated events that Tequila Galore is operated in a manner that compromised the health and safety of the public. Thank you to the Meriden Police Department for quickly bringing this matter to my attention. Immediate suspension is justified and necessary to prevent further public safety risks at this facility.

Attempts to reach the bars owners Thursday were unsuccessful.

The order states that on Memorial Day, the bar was the scene of a large fight and shooting, where at least seven shots were fired, injuring one person. That incident followed another shooting on May 14 and a large disturbance on March 12, which resulted in injuries and required a dozen police officers to break up the crowd, the order states.

DCP is also investigating four other incidents at the bar in March and May related to overcrowding, remaining open after hours and an anonymous complaint made to police with a video that allegedly shows strippers dancing at the bar, the order states. The anonymous complaint forwarded from police to DCP on March 6 also alleged hookahs and marijuana were permitted at the bar.

[I]n the 6 months this establishment has been permitted [to operate with a liquor license], we have seen persistent issues with their customers, employees, and received numerous complaints from neighbors, Meriden Deputy Chief of Police Jerry Scully was quoted in the suspension order. The level of violence has not subsided and in fact, is occurring on a more frequent basis. Gunfire, combined with crowds of patrons, passing vehicles, and a residential/commercial mix is a serious threat to the health, safety, and welfare of everyone.

The Memorial Day shooting was first reported to police as call for a fight at the bar around 1:10 a.m., with individuals possibly in possession of firearms, Scully wrote in a letter Tuesday to M. Caitlin Anderson, director of DCPs Liquor Control Division. While officers were responding, dispatchers reported hearing from a separate caller that as many as seven shots had been fired.

At the scene, police found shell casings in an area used for parking by bar patrons, Scully wrote. The upper part of the glass front door had been shattered and fresh blood spatter was found inside the business.

A 30-year-old male victim was later identified after he was dropped off at Midstate Medical Center, according to the letter. Scully wrote that the man had been shot in the hip area, and was uncooperative with investigators claiming he wasnt a snitch.
SALEM, Ore. (AP)  Efforts to get millions of dollars in funding to treatment centers and related services as part of Oregon's pioneering drug decriminalization have been botched even as drug addictions and overdoses increase, state officials and lawmakers said on Thursday.

Oregonians passed Ballot Measure 110 in 2020 decriminalizing possession of personal amounts of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and other drugs  the first in the nation to do so. A person found with drugs receives a citation, like a traffic ticket, with the maximum $100 fine waived if they call a hotline for a health assessment.

The ballot measure redirected millions of dollars in tax revenue from the state's legal marijuana industry to treatment. But applications for funding stacked up after state officials underestimated the work required to vet them and get the money out the door, officials testified Thursday before the House Interim Committee on Behavioral Health. Only a tiny fraction of the available funds has been sent.

So clearly, if we were to do it over again, I would have asked for many more staff much quicker in the process," said state Behavioral Health Director Steve Allen. "We were just under-resourced to be able to support this effort, underestimated the work that was involved in supporting something that looked like this and partly we didnt fully understand it until we were in the middle of it."

Allen, who works for the Oregon Health Authority, told lawmakers in the remote hearing that this $300 million project has never been done before. He insisted it has strong potential, saying officials have over-relied on traditional treatment.

The service array, the types of services that are included, the approach, the harm reduction, etc., are all designed by people who have experienced this and have, I think, some really interesting, good ideas about what these service systems ought to look like," he said. "So its an experiment. I think well know more in a few years.

Rep. Lily Morgan, a Republican from Grants Pass, said lives are being lost while the state waits for the ballot measure to have a positive effect.

Director, youve mentioned a couple of times that youre waiting to see, and yet we have overdoses increasing at drastic rates, in my community a 700% increase in overdoses and a 120% increase in deaths," Morgan told Allen. "How long do we wait before we have an impact that were saving lives?

Secretary of State Shemia Fagan appeared before the committee, and described her mother's struggles with heroin and methamphetamine addiction before she recovered. Fagan said Oregon remains in a drug abuse crisis, despite the ballot measure.

When the voters of Oregon passed Measure 110, we did so because it was a change of policy in Oregon to improve the lives of people, to improve our communities," Fagan said. And in the years since, we havent seen that play out. ... Instead, in many communities in Oregon, weve seen the problem with drug addiction get worse.

Allen acknowledged there has been a dramatic increase in overdoses and overdose deaths statewide and attributed much of the cause to the recent arrival of methamphetamine laced with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is so powerful that a tiny amount can kill, and illicit pills containing fentanyl.

That adds urgency to the effort to provide treatment services and harm reduction, like medication to treat overdoses and needle exchanges, that the measure also pays for, he said. Advocates point out that the services are available to anyone in Oregon, not just those who were cited for possession.

Getting these resources out to the community is incredibly important ... not just the harm reduction resources, but people who can support folks who are at risk for overdose," Allen said. "So time is of the essence.

Ian Green, an audits manager, said the ballot measure lacked clarity around roles of the health authority and the Oversight and Accountability Council that were established.

That contributed to delays, confusions and strained relations, Green said. He also blamed the health authority for not always adequately supporting the council. Council co-chair Ron Williams said most of the available funds still haven't been released.

I feel these challenges can be overcome and corrected with deliberate, intentional, focused effort and courageous, solution-oriented conversations, Williams said.

The health authority said $40 million in funds have been disbursed.

But about $265 million set aside for the 2021-23 biennium still hasn't been spent, said Devon Downeysmith, spokeswoman for the Health Justice Recovery Alliance. Hundreds of providers, which screen the needs of people who use drugs, offer case management, treatment, housing and links to other services, are waiting for those funds.

Still, more than 16,000 Oregonians have accessed services through Measure 110 funding, according to the Drug Policy Alliance, which spearheaded the measure.
BRIDGEPORT  A convicted sex offender, awaiting trial for allegedly violating his probation, has been arrested again after police said they found hundreds of images of child pornography on his computer - again.

Paul Sykes, 53, of Capitol Avenue, was charged with first-degree possession of child pornography.

During Sykes arraignment Friday afternoon, Senior Assistant States Attorney Nicholas Bove urged Superior Court Judge Ndidi Moses to set a high bond for the defendant, calling Sykes a danger to the community.

The judge ordered Sykes held in lieu of $100,000 bond and continued the case to June 27.

State police said in May they searched Sykes home after receiving information that Sykes had conducted numerous searches on the internet for information on how to make machine guns.

During the search, police said they seized Sykes computer. During a subsequent search of the hard drive, they said they found hundreds of images and two videos of child pornography.

When they confronted Sykes with what they found, police said Sykes claimed the images were from customers of his computer repair service.

I dont have much use for porn, much less child porn, police said Sykes told them.

Sykes, who had previously been convicted of sexual assault in Maine, was working in a print and copying shop in Fairfield Center in 2007 when he was accused of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old boy during a visit to the boys Fairfield home to repair a computer.

He was subsequently sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to risk of injury to a minor, fourth-degree sexual assault and possession of child pornography.

According to court records, he was released on probation in April 2016. In 2018, he was charged with violating that probation after he was found having a sexual relationship with another probationer and using the internet without permission, records show.

He was re-sentenced to a suspended 8-year term followed by 390 months of probation.

He was subsequently charged with violating that probation when probation authorities found two videos and 196 images of child pornography on Sykes computers hard drive along with 113 documents dealing with weapons and explosives, the warrant affidavit states.
A member of Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty speaks during a press conference in front of Gangnam Police Station in Seoul, Friday, before reporting Google's top executives to the police for allegedly violating the Telecommunications Business Act. Yonhap





By Park Jae-hyuk







A group of consumers in Korea reported Google's top executives to the local police, Friday, for the company's in-app billing system that forces domestic app developers to pay hefty commissions.







Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty (CUCS) said it reported Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Google Korea CEO Nancy Mable Walker and Google Asia-Pacific President Scott Beaumont to the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul for allegedly violating the Telecommunications Business Act.







"The enforcement of Google's in-app payment policy has raised costs, burdening consumers and damaging creators," a representative from the civic group said. "App developers have no choice but to accept the request from Google, which accounts for 74.6 percent of the app store market share."







Google started enforcing the controversial billing system in Korea from June 1 by removing apps on the Google Play Store if the developers of those apps direct their users to external systems for payment whereby they are not liable for the 30 percent commission taken by the U.S. tech firm.







Although the National Assembly passed a law last year to prevent Google's in-app payment policy, the company has circumvented regulations by offering alternative payment options via its own system.







It has forced app developers to use either its own billing system charging a 30-percent commission or alternative payment options charging a 26-percent commission.







The office of Rep. Kim Yeung-shik of the ruling People Power Party estimated Korean app users will be paying an additional 230 billion won every year as a result of the in-app payment policy.







CUCS also plans to report Google to the Fair Trade Commission (FTC).







The antitrust watchdog has already reportedly investigated Google's alleged violation of the Fair Trade Act, as the Korean Publishers Association filed a complaint in April.







If the FTC regards Google's policy as illegal, the agency may impose sanctions including a fine.







"We are not able to comment on our ongoing investigation," an FTC official said.







Last month, the Korea Communications Commission told reporters that it has embarked on investigations into Google, saying its in-app billing system could be unlawful.







Lawmakers and content creators have also leveled criticisms at Google.







"Google's excessive greed has threatened the ecosystem of the mobile content industry," Rep. Cho Seung-rae of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea said.







The lawmaker hinted at possible solidarity with other lawmakers, regulators and non-governmental organizations in the U.S., Europe and other developed countries.







Cartoonists raised concerns about the possible collapse of Korea's online cartoon industry.







"Naver and Kakao began raising subscription fees," the Webtoon Association said in a statement. "This will reduce earnings of creators."







Despite the intensifying criticisms, Google has not changed its stance on the in-app payment policy.







The Korea Times asked for Google Korea's comment on this issue through its PR agency, but the company did not respond.


Susan Montoya Bryan

MEXICO CITY (AP)  The United States has extradited a former Mexican border state governor to his homeland, where he is accused of embezzling millions of dollars in state funds.

Cesar Duarte, who was governor of Chihuahua state, was sent back to Mexico to face corruption charges stemming from his time in office.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP)  Visitors to national forests in western North Carolina are being warned that bears are getting close to humans and even circling campsites.

The U.S. Forest Service issued the warning for Pisgah and Nantahala national forests. The service says visitors have reported bears tearing down bear bags from trees, carrying off backpacks, spending hours near campsites and ignoring efforts to scare them away, The Charlotte Observer reported.
HARTFORD - A federal jury has ordered a Westport man to pay $6.8 million to a woman who claimed he repeatedly sexually assaulted her when she was a child.

The U.S. District Court jury deliberated over two days before ruling Thursday afternoon that George Stiegler Jr. caused both negligent and intentional infliction of emotion distress to the now 25-year-old woman.

The jury also found that punitive damages are warranted and those will be decided by Judge Alvin Thompson at a later date.

The justice system worked, the jury heard the victim, believed her and rendered justice for what was done to her, said the plaintiffs lawyer, Antonio Ponvert III, of the Bridgeport law firm Koskoff, Koskoff and Bieder. My client is a very brave, courageous young woman who felt the need to speak out on her behalf and on behalf of other victims.

Stieglers lawyers did not return calls and emails for comment on the verdict.

During the 6-day trial, the plaintiff, who now lives in California, testified that when she was five she and her mother moved into Stieglers home in Westport.

The plaintiff testified that Stiegler first began showing her pornographic photographs and that led to him sexually assaulting her over the next six years.

Ponvert said his client told her mother what Stiegler was allegedly doing to her when she was 15 and she was sent to see a therapist hired by Stiegler.

He said years later the woman filed a complaint with the Westport police but by then it was beyond the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution. That time limit has since been extended.

I hope this verdict will cause law enforcement to take another look at this case, Ponvert said.
An aerial view of Shanghai's container port / gettyimagesbank



From small traders to some of South Korea's top conglomerates, China's hardline coronavirus containment policy has taken a toll



By Kim Bo-eun



HONG KONG  South Korean businesses in Shanghai are rushing to normalize operations after the city lifted its two-month long citywide lockdown on Wednesday.



Park Sang-min, a South Korean businessman based in the commercial hub, said many companies involved in trade like his own had lost business partners during the lockdown, when cargo-handling capacity at the city's port plunged.



The city's port, the world's biggest based on cargo throughput, handled 17 percent fewer containers in April compared with the same month of 2021, data from Shanghai International Port Group shows.



As Park's company was unable to ship parts and materials overseas over the past two months, business partners in Europe and Northern Africa found other companies shipping goods from regions of China not under lockdown.



Payments for some orders delivered before the lockdown were also suspended because banking services were halted.



"It was two months of shipments of orders being delayed or cancelled, but this takes a significant toll that goes beyond earnings," Park said. "We have to find business partners to substitute for those that we lost."



Government subsidies are available for companies whose business has been affected, but his firm may not be eligible, he said.



Industry analysts project the backlog of cargo to cause heavy congestion in months to come as major ports reopen  which could further impact delivery of orders.



Park, who is vice-chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, said the group was still investigating how members had been affected by the lockdown.





A sign is seen on a shop window showing it is closed, in Shanghai, on May 14, when the city was under a lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Yonhap



Companies in Beijing also experienced difficulties under partial lockdowns, with many business premises closed.



"The toll was greater for the self-employed such as those running restaurants, as they could not operate because all indoor operations with the exception of hospitals, pharmacies and grocery stores had to close," said Park Min-young, chief representative of the Korea International Trade Association Beijing Office.



South Korea's top conglomerates could not escape the effects of the lockdown, either, as their factories or suppliers in Shanghai shut down.



Food product manufacturers Nongshim and Orion, as well as cosmetics giants such as LG H&H and Amorepacific, had operations suspended for a period during the lockdown.



Nongshim, one of the world's largest producers of instant noodles, had its Shanghai factory closed from March 28 to April 11.



"The plant has reopened partially since then, but the factory is not operating at full capacity yet," a Nongshim spokesman said, stating it takes time for factories to fully resume operations after a shutdown.



The company was able to get products to market because it has another factory in Shenyang, which was not under lockdown, the spokesman said. But sales are projected to be down.



"We are looking into the scale of damage," he said.



Amorepacific had operations at its Shanghai factory suspended in April.



Given the cosmetic company's key sales channels include retail shops, which were closed during lockdown, sales are likely to have been affected.



The company declined to comment on the issue, but revenue generated from China accounted for 69.9 percent of its total overseas revenue in 2021.



LG's household product unit also relies on income from China for overseas earnings.





People walking in downtown Shanghai on Wednesday as the city reopens after a two-month lockdown. Yonhap
Seven years ago, I came to the United States alone from China as an international student with the bare minimum ability to understand English, yet I managed to survive and attended college here.

About two years ago, I was struggling with my career path and future. An old friend of mine  Emily Chan, the former food reporter at the Daily Emerald  pulled me into the Daily Emerald as a videographer.

At the time, I was a shy guy who was still learning the ins and outs of filmmaking. Two years later, who wouldve thought that guy was to become the video production manager at the Daily Emerald and film all the cool videos during his time here?

Its been a bitter-sweet journey  Im sure, this too, speaks for many other people who worked hard during the pandemic as we were tested against all kinds of challenges. As a lost student who was trying to figure out his career path in the middle of the pandemic, the Daily Emerald helped me to find my love in filmmaking and pushed me to succeed in my career.

Its safe to say I was fortunate enough to be part of this spectacular newsroom gathered with people with the same aspirations and dreams.

Despite the challenges and hardship of COVID-19, this special time created a stronger bond for all of us and forged us to be more resilient than ever. I am proud of all the great videos my videographers and I created during this difficult time.

After years of practice in the filmmaking field, I have decided to shift my focus to the art direction in advertising. However, Im thankful for all the experience I learned as a filmmaker that makes me a better art director.

As time marks the coda of my chapter at the University of Oregon, I want to thank everyone who helped, supported and inspired me during my time as a student. Now, its time to bid farewell to my college life and leave the legacy behind. Onward to my next chapter as an art director in advertising  hooray!
Environmental activists picket Hyundai Motor Group headquarters in Seoul, Monday, to insist that the carmaker scrap its plan to build a liquefied natural gas power plant. Yonhap





By Park Jae-hyuk







Hyundai Motor has remained ambiguous about the construction of a power plant using liquefied natural gas (LNG) near its Ulsan factory, Friday, despite the possibility of losing its RE100 membership, as well as backlash from its unionized workers and the city's residents.







Since the construction project was announced last month, concerns have grown among environmental activists here and overseas, including the Climate Group, which leads the RE100 campaign, a global initiative of businesses committed to making the move to 100 percent renewable electricity by 2050.







The activists described Hyundai Motor's continuing use of fossil fuels as "greenwashing," or deceptive marketing to make the company appear eco-friendly when in fact it is not.







The Climate Group even hinted at the possible nullification of Hyundai Motor's RE100 membership, which it earned in April this year.







Amid the controversy, the Hyundai Motor union said late Thursday that the management expressed its intention to postpone the construction indefinitely.







The union has claimed that the LNG power plant will not create decent jobs, saying that the management has sought to use irregular workers for the facility.







"Before we start wage bargaining for this year, we asked the management to clarify its stance on the construction of the power plant," the union said in a statement. "Citing the labor management dispute, the company told us that it would not discuss the issue anymore and that it would delay the construction indefinitely."







A Hyundai Motor spokesman, however, said that the union's statement was misleading.







"We just agreed not to mention that issue during the wage bargaining," he said. "It remains uncertain whether we will continue the construction."







He declined to comment on the company's countermeasures against criticisms from environmental activists.







Some energy industry experts have defended Hyundai Motor, raising questions about the feasibility of Korean companies joining the RE100 campaign under the country's current unfavorable environment toward solar, wind and other cleaner energy options.


A clinical psychologist has analyzed the four different attachment styles in romances - and divulged the secret to finding love and having a healthy and happy relationship for each one.

Doctor Leslie Becker-Phelps, a psychologist and author from Basking Ridge, New Jersey, sat down with Call Her Daddy podcast host Alex Cooper this week to discuss the four different ways that people can handle situations and react to conflict in their love life - something known as the attachment theory.

The attachment theory was first developed by British psychiatrist John Bowlby in the 1960s. The theory explains how our brains are programmed to help us survive and thrive, based on the environment we grew up in.

It is said that infants develop one of four main attachment styles in response to the care that they receive - including avoidant or dismissive, anxious or preoccupied, disorganized, and secure.

You can discover your own attachment style by taking a simple online quiz.

A clinical psychologist has analyzed the four different attachment styles in romances - and divulged the secret to finding love and having a healthy and happy relationship for each one

Leslie Becker-Phelps, a psychologist and author from New Jersey, sat down with Alex Cooper (pictured) on her Call Her Daddy podcast this week to discuss the four attachment styles

The attachment style is formed based on our carers' response to our fears as a baby, and the way that our emotions impact our relationships with our carers.

From a young age, we learn to recognize and control our feelings, and create a 'template' that guides our social interactions and informs us how we are valued by other people - which is continued into adulthood.

Dr. Becker-Phelps has broken down each of the four different attachment styles, and has explained how they could impact your decision making, career, relationships - and even your sex life.

Avoidant or dismissive attachment style

Becker-Phelps explained why dating someone with an avoidant attachment style is not healthy, stating that it forces you to 'rely on yourself' and leads to a feeling of 'rejection'

Psych Central reported that avoidant or dismissive attachment styles can develop if a child has a 'strained bond with their caregivers.'

'This happens when the child learns they may not be able to rely on others to fulfill basic needs and comfort,' it added.

People who are avoidants become distressed and retreat when things go wrong in their life or in a relationship, and they often fear rejection.

Dr. Becker-Phelps explained why dating someone with an avoidant or dismissive attachment style is not healthy, stating that if someone is not 'emotionally available' to you, it forces you to 'rely on yourself' and leads to a feeling of 'rejection.'

She said those with avoidant attachment styles don't turn to their partners when they're struggling because they 'don't expect that they're going to be there for them'

She said, 'If you think others are not emotionally available for you, you might ... rely on [yourself].

'On one level, you will feel strong, but on another level, in order to not have that bother you - because frankly, we are wired to connect - you are overriding the need to connect.

'Somewhere inside, you are dismissing your own experience. You're going to feel rejection, but ... in order to not feel it, you're blocking off a whole part of yourself. Now, you're not able to relate as deeply to yourself, or as deeply to other people.'

She added that those with avoidant attachment styles don't turn to their partners when they're struggling or need help because they 'don't expect that they're going to be there for them.' Instead, they internalize their problems.

'Let's say the person who is dismissive is going through a hard time. When you have a partner, you want to be supportive of them, caring. But a dismissive partner starts getting annoyed [by that], like "I don't need your advice,"' she shared.

'They push them away because it makes them vulnerable. If they need their partner, that goes against how they function.

'They function by saying, "I can't trust that person," and now, that person is trying to be helpful. They think, "If I let my guard down and I take it in, that goes totally against how I view the world."'

According to Dr. Becker-Phelps, having a dismissive attachment style can also impact your sex life, since those people fear emotional connection and want sex to be strictly physical for them

'Dismissive people are dismissing of closeness with others - so they're likely to separate out the sex from the relationship, or keep the sexuality more on the physical level,' she shared

She added that dismissive people often make their partners feel like they're not 'respecting what they have to say,' and tend to keep things 'superficial' - since they avoid 'talking about their feelings,' being 'vulnerable,' and 'getting in depth' about what they're going through.

According to Dr. Becker-Phelps, having a dismissive attachment style can also impact your sex life, since those people fear emotional connection and want sex to be strictly physical for them.

'Dismissive people are dismissing of closeness with others - they're not looking for closeness so they're likely to separate out the sex from the relationship, or keep the sexuality more on the physical level,' she shared.

'It's not deepening the emotional connection for them because one thing that comes with emotional closeness is vulnerability.

'The dismissive person isn't going to be vulnerable because they're pretty sure they're going to get rejected.

'[They believe that] the other person is not going to be there for them in some way so they're not going to be vulnerable.'

Anxious or preoccupied attachment style

Those who have an anxious attachment style often don't want to face problems in a relationship, which Becker-Phelps explained stems from feeling 'unlovable' or 'unworthy'

Those who have an anxious or preoccupied attachment style usually respond sensitively to disagreements, but are often distracted and don't want to face problems in a relationship.

Becker-Phelps explained that this often stems from feeling 'unlovable' or 'unworthy.'

'If you relate to yourself as unlovable or unworthy, you're going to feel uncomfortable, you're going to have a lot of anxiety around [relationships],' she told Cooper on her podcast.

'The [anxious] person, if they let people really see them, then [they believe] they're going to be rejected because they're not lovable.'

The psychologist explained that when someone with an anxious attachment style dates someone with a secure attachment style, it can scare them away due to their low self esteem.

'If you're insecure and there's somebody who's caring, that's great. But if they listen to you and they see you and they really give you a sense of caring for you, that's not going to go over well,' she said.

'You're going to be like, "Oh my God is this really what I want? Why do I like this? It really makes me uncomfortable." It makes you uncomfortable because you have this underlying experience of yourself as unlovable.

'So if someone who is securely-attached actually loves you, that undermines your whole experience of who you are. That's really hard.

The psychologist explained that when someone with an anxious attachment style dates someone with a secure attachment style, it can scare them away due to their low self esteem

'What happens is, [you tell yourself], "Maybe I don't love him," or, "I'm not gonna allow myself to get close."

'So you end up getting close with those who are distant in some ways ... and then you're stuck in an unhappy relationship.'

However, according to Becker-Phelps, dating someone with a different attachment style could be helpful to you in the long run.

'If you have a partner who is caring and you've been rejecting the caring but you see you've been rejecting it, then you can learn,' she said.

She claimed that anxious people 'try to do what they think the other person wants,' and will often change themselves to make their partner happy

'You can practice taking in the caring, sometimes it can help you to heal to be in a particular relationship. But a person can't do it to you, you have to be part of that process.'

When it comes to anxious people's sex lives, Becker-Phelps said they will often try to please their partners sexually.

She explained, 'If you are anxious, you feel like you need to earn the caring, earn the love. An anxious or preoccupied woman may look for ways to sexually please her partner.

'The more anxiety, the more she might be doing that. It can, at certain points in life, look like promiscuity, like "She's just throwing it out there," but she is just trying to get love.'

She claimed that anxious people 'try to do what they think the other person wants,' and will often change themselves to make their partner happy.

'It's so unhealthy,' she said. 'And the more insecure you are, the less insight you have. You may not even know you're doing it.

'Think about your relationships. Were you different sexually across different partners? What was going on? Did your interests really change, or were your interests really aligning with each of your partners'? Was it something you really wanted to do or were you just looking for a way to try to get love from that person?'

Disorganized attachment style

Someone with a disorganized style does not feel valued by others, easily loses control of their emotions, and can resort to manipulative behavior. Dr. Becker-Phelps is pictured in 2017

Someone with a disorganized style, on the other hand, does not feel valued by others, easily loses control of their emotions, and can resort to manipulative behavior to coerce others into providing help.

Research shows that attachment style affects our performance in many areas of life, including physical and mental health, finding a compatible romantic partner, and our behavior in family, social, and work contexts.

Although Becker-Phelps admitted that it's 'very hard' to change your attachment style, she said it is possible.

'If you are in a loving relationship and you're insecure, that's going to help pull you towards being more secure,' she explained.

'Attachment styles effect all aspects of our lives. Let's say you're in a career, the career is really feeding your soul or you have a hobby that's really feeding you and you're feeling better and better about yourself.

'You may be able to transfer some of that into your relationship because now you're feeling stronger so you're more likely to be able to ride that wave and work on it within yourself.'

Secure attachment style

'If a child can consistently rely on their parents to fulfill their needs growing up, theyre likely to develop a secure attachment style,' Psych Central reported. Becker-Phelps is pictured in 2017

'If a child can consistently rely on their parents to fulfill their needs growing up, theyre likely to develop a secure attachment style,' Psych Central reported.

'Theyll see relationships as a safe space where they can express their emotions freely.'

Becker-Phelps told Cooper (pictured) than an important part of adapting to a secure attachment style is learning to have 'compassionate self awareness'

Becker-Phelps said an important part of adapting to a secure attachment style is learning to have 'compassionate self awareness.'

She explained, 'To be able to make a change, first we need to know ... the problems within ourselves, which means we have to look within ourselves and become self aware - really getting what's going on inside of you.

'It's being able to view yourself with compassion. The more you understand yourself and where things come from, the more empathy you can have with your experience.

'And when you empathize, now you're your greatest supporter and comforter and you help yourself move forward.

'When you think about empathizing with someone else, you have to know what they're going through in order to empathize with them. The same is true for ourselves.'

You can discover your own attachment style by completing an online survey which can be found here.
We all have our foolish moments, but now that so many people live their lives online, there's a high risk that your blunder is going to be out there for all the world to see.

A gallery collated by 24/7 mirror reveals a host of ridiculous statements by people from around the world that are now unfortunately on the internet forever.

One person thought that Dwayne Johnson and The Rock were two separate people, while another woman from the US thought that Labor Day is a celebration of women who have given birth.

Here, FEMAIL shares some of the worst clueless posts and decisions to make you feel better about yourself...

Duh! One person thought that Dwayne Johnson and the Rock were two separate people. In reality, the Rock is just Dwayne Johnson's nickname

Cereal offender: A clueless diner from the UK was baffled after putting a snack bar in milk and expecting it to dissolve into a delicious breakfast

Frosting reception! A customer asked their cake decorator for 'Happy Birthday' to be written on two cakes but they took things too literally

Oh baby! The American labor movement might have something to say about this

Tat wasn't a good idea! It's very sweet to get matching inkings with your friend, but unless the two of you are together at all times, the tattoos make no sense

Oh dear! Another blunder was made by someone who thought that a tortoise was a turtle, not realising that the animal cannot swim. They threw it into a potentially very unhospitable environment, completely unaware

Overegging it! In reality the 'GMO egg' is just one which has been boiled for too long

Ironic! Someone decided to write a scathing message about foreign people who come and live in the US. But even though they clearly think their spelling and grammar is high quality, they have made some glaring errors with apostrophes, commas and even a missing word

Not right! Perhaps not of the cassette generation, someone was surprised when their iPhone was getting scratched by what they thought was a 'docking station'. In reality, it is for cassettes and the phones have never been designed to slot into them

Wrong country! While making a very serious news bulletin about terror attacks in Paris, this broadcaster projected what they thought was the French flag behind the presenters. However, the blundering team actually projected the national flag of The Netherlands

Not all white! Two hapless teens were so desperate for drugs that they found what they thought was cocaine at home... but it was actually their grandfather's ashes
A #MomTok star embroiled in the 'soft swinging' scandal ignited by Taylor Frankie Paul amid her divorce has hit back following rumors that her husband was involved with the influencer.

Taylor, 28, blew up #MomTok  a group of TikTok content creators who are mostly Mormon  after alleging that she and her husband, Tate Paul, were divorcing after she crossed the line while swapping partners with friends in their Utah community.

Former Bachelor star Nick Viall dished about the drama on his podcast The Viall Files, saying he had called Taylor, who told him that two other coupes were involved but only one of them are influencers.

During the episode, he and his co-hosts discussed online rumors that Taylor went 'all the way' with Victoria Zalic's husband, Selver, while Victoria had hooked up with Tate.

After listening to the podcast, Victoria denied the claims in a short TikTok video, saying that she is 'involved with #MomTok' but has nothing to do with the swinging.

Scroll down for video

Victoria Zalic (pictured) has denied she and her husband, Selver, were involved in the 'soft swinging' scandal that has rocked #MomTok following Taylor Frankie Paul's claims she and her friends were swapping partners

However, she seemed to confirm Taylor's story by claiming she knows the other influencer couple in the group, and 'they're getting divorced'

Taylor, 28, has alleged that she and her husband, Tate Paul, are getting divorced after soft swinging with their pals

However, she seemed to confirm Taylor's story by claiming she knows the other influencer couple in the group.

'Guys, I know who the other couple was,' she said. 'They're getting divorced, and it's not me. Ughh, it's humiliating. This is my life right now. I'm basically famous.'

Victoria previously denied their involvement after Taylor allegedly confirmed that she didn't hook up Selver.

'Can we confirm we did not get together ever?' Taylor wrote in a comment.

'Is this good enough you little Reddit trolls?' Victoria asked in her TikTok video.

'Yes, we can confirm we did not get together,' Selver added.

There is an entire subreddit dedicated to 'Taylor Paul Drama,' including a lengthy recap of everything that had gone down the week before.

Victoria previously denied their involvement on TikTok after Taylor allegedly confirmed that she didn't hook up Selver

Sam and Camille Munday; Brayden and Mckenna Rowley; Chase and Miranda Hope McWhorter; and Conner and Whitney Leavitt are also among the couples that have been mentioned in regards to the alleged swinging.

Nick said he also reached out to Miranda, but she wrote back saying she'd have to speak to her manager first. She later declined to speak with him.

Former Bachelor star Nick Viall explained on his podcast The Viall Files that he had reached out to Taylor, and she told him two other couples were involved

Miranda had denied the allegations in her own TikTok Live, claiming that she and Taylor had a falling out because she started a rumor that her husband, Chase, had feelings for her.

Meanwhile, TikTok user @gossipingviv shared a screenshot of one of Miranda's comments saying she and Chase 'definitely were not involved.'

Whitney also hit back at the rumors in a clip she posted on her own TikTok page last week amid the drama.

'It's so interesting to me that people are asking Taylor to basically "clear" their name,' she said. 'I'm like f**k that. I'll clear my own name'

'I don't even know why MomTok was mentioned,' she added. 'I am not a swinger. I have never swang, and, hey, if you're a swinger and you want to swing, then you do you. But that's not me and Conner.'

Nick was admittedly skeptical of Taylor's story because of the speculation that she is making this up for clout, but he said she 'sounded sad' and 'frustrated with the situation.'

He also noted that she made it seem like her husband, Tate, was divorcing her out of principle because she broke their agreement and not because he wanted to.

Taylor dropped the bomb that she and her husband were allegedly soft swinging on TikTok Live

According to the Mormon influencer, their friend group had an agreement that they would switch partners but not 'go all the way,' which is known as a 'soft swap'

Taylor admitted she 'did step out of that agreement' when she got drunk and went off with a friend's husband, but she noted that 'everyone has hooked up with everyone in this situation'

The drama started on May 20 when Taylor announced on TikTok that she and Tate are getting a divorce.

'In my twenties, getting divorced, started therapy, living on my own for the first time ever along with two kids,' she captioned the clip, which shows her standing alone in her empty house amid her move.

Three days later, she alluded to there being more to the story when she posted footage of herself lying in bed and packing moving boxes.

'My entire life is falling apart,' she wrote in the on-screen text. 'And I can't even speak on why... without bringing them down with me.'

Taylor and Tate have two young children together, a daughter, Indy, and a son, Ocean, and she painted a rosier picture of their separation in a follow-up video.

The short clip started with throwback photos of Taylor with Tate in happier times and ended with footage of them packing up their house.

'Excited to co-parent with my best friend,' she wrote in the caption.

Taylor first sparked rumors of infidelity when she announced on TikTok on May 20 that she and Tate are getting a divorce. The clip shows her standing in her empty home ahead of her move

Three days later, she alluded to even more drama when she posted footage of herself lying in bed and packing moving boxes

Taylor claimed in another clip that she was 'excited to co-parent' with Tate following their divorce. They share daughter, Indy, and a son, Ocean

However, Tate didn't appear to feel the same way, and he deleted all photos and videos of Taylor from his social media pages.

Fans didn't know what to think as there has long been speculation that their family life is scripted. Some thought the divorce announcement was a publicity stunt, and the couple was really moving into a new home together.

Taylor is known for having a strange sense of humor, and she has joked about swinging and not believing in monogamy in previous TikToks.

She's also made video in which she claimed she was 50 and that two of the women in her #MomTok crew were her 25-year-old twin daughters.

Nick noted on his podcast that Taylor told him most of her TikTok videos are satirical, but her swinging allegations and divorce are real.

As rumors swirled that Taylor had been unfaithful, other moms in their content-creation group allegedly unfollowed her and liked comments that suggested she had cheated on her husband, according to Rolling Stone.

Taylor is known for having a strange sense of humor, and she has joked about swinging and not believing in monogamy in previous videos

She's also made video in which she claimed she was 50 and that two of the women in her #MomTok crew were her 25-year-old twin daughters

Taylor (pictured with her fellow #MomTokers) refused to name names, but she stressed that fans could easily figure out which couples were in her alleged swinging group

Then, in a bombshell TikTok Live, Taylor opened up about her divorce, claiming that she and Tate were soft swinging with their friends.

According to Taylor's account, their friend group had an agreement that they would switch partners but not 'go all the way,' which is known as a 'soft swap.'

'We had an agreement, like all of us, and I did step out of that agreement,' she admitted. 'That's where I messed up, and I, obviously, am losing everything that I have, so that is true.'

Taylor alleged that she and the other wives in the group would make out with each other and each other's husbands when they were drinking

'No one was innocent. Everyone has hooked up with everyone in this situation,' she claimed. 'So, yes, I'm getting shunned for doing that, but it wasn't like I was going around hooking up with my friend's husband.

'We were at a party, I got belligerent, and we went and messed [around] by ourselves rather than with the whole group,' she explained, insisting it was a 'one-time thing.'

Taylor noted that she and Tate had other issues in their marriage before they separated, but 'this was like the tip of the iceberg'

There is an entire subreddit dedicated to 'Taylor Paul Drama,' including a lengthy recap of everything that had gone down the week before

However, she said there were some feelings involved, which complicated the situation.

'I was friends with these people, and we spent a lot of time together. We were intimate on several occasions, she said. 'It sucks that I have to admit this because...no one really wants to admit they're involved in something like that.'

Taylor noted that she and Tate had other issues in their marriage before they separated, but 'this was like the tip of the iceberg.'

'Tate has made out with several girls and [done] other things, and I've made out with all of the husbands and [done] other things,' she added.

She refused to name names, but she stressed that fans could easily figure out which couples she was referring to in the TikTok Live.

The mother of two did, however, claim Camille and her husband, Sam, were not a part of the swinging because they brought 'too much drama' and Camille didn't want to be involved.

Miranda Hope McWhorter claimed she and her husband, Chase, were not involved in the alleged swinging, according to TikTok user @gossipingviv

Whitney Leavitt hit back at the rumors on TikTok. 'It's so interesting to me that people are asking Taylor to basically "clear" their name,' she said. 'I'm like f**k that. I'll clear my own name'

Amid rumors that Taylor was hit with a cease and desist letter, she took to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday to say that she had spoken to her legal team

Taylor made it clear she has nothing to lose at this point, saying she and Tate had told their families everything that had happened. She admitted her parents were 'disgusted' by the revelation.

She insisted that she has proof of her swinging claims in the form of videos and texts if she ever needs it.

Taylor also alleged that there are 'three divorces in the friend group,' but one of the breakups is not related to the swinging situation.

'They're going to deny it, and that's fine,' she said. 'I'm speaking my truth, and they can speak theirs.'

Amid rumors that Taylor was hit with a cease and desist letter, she took to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday to say that she had spoken to her legal team.

'Good morning,' she wrote. 'I first off wanted to thank my family for being so supportive during this time. Holy s**, family is everything. Also thank you to everyone else checking in without any judgement. I see you, I hear you. I'm overwhelmed though.

'After talking with my legal team I have all rights to share MY story if wanted,' she added. 'However, I feel that I shared a part and will not be sharing anything else from here on out.'
Queen's goddaughter opened up about the 'thoughtful' monarch's incredible memory.'

Victoria Pryor, 68, is the daughter of the Queen's late first cousin Margaret Rhodes, who was lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother and one of the Her Majesty's closest confidantes.

Based in Norfolk, Victoria, who is one of the Queen's 30 godchildren, reminisced about her memories with the Queen on today's Good Morning Britain as the second day of the Monarch's Platinum Jubilee gets underway.

Victoria revealed the Queen has an 'amazing' memory and never forgets about the people she meets. And when Victoria's great-niece was christened last month, the Queen was there and looked 'great'.

Based in Norfolk, Victoria Pryor, who is one of the Queen's 30 godchildren, reminisced about life with the Queen on today's Good Morning Britain as the second day of the Monarch's Platinum Jubilee gets underway.

Victoria Pryor, 68, on her wedding day in 1999. She is the daughter of the late Margaret Rhodes, pictured in blue next to the Queen Mother, who was lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother and one of the Queen's closest confidante.

'Obviously I don't know her incredibly well like Mummy, but she's so thoughtful and kind and helped so many people,' Victoria told the show.

'And her memory; She remembers everything about all of us and about everybody really that she goes to see. She's incredible in that way and she can talk to anybody,' she added.

The monarch's goddaughter added she giggles 'very easily' and that the Queen mother, who passed in 2002, was 'super funny.'

Victoria, who spent most of the summers of her childhood at Balmoral with the royal family, added that the Queen is a dedicated godmother, and always gets her a present at Christmas.

Victoria revealed the Queen has an 'amazing' memory and never forgets about the people she meets, and revealed the Monarch attended her grandniece's christening and looked 'great.'

Some of the Queen's 30 goddchildren Guy Rupert Gerard Nevill (19451993) Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia (born 1945) Charles Strachey, 4th Baron O'Hagan (born 1945) Julian Hardinge, 4th Baron Hardinge of Penshurst (born 1945) Elizabeth Lavinia Sara King (born 1946) Rosemary Elizabeth Elphinstone (born 1947) Sandra Elizabeth Zia Butter (born 1948) Edward Philip Gerald Hay (born 1949) The Hon Michael-John Knatchbull (born 1950) David Lascelles, 8th Earl of Harewood (born 1950) Caroline Elizabeth Longman (born 1951) Elizabeth Georgina Gail Villiers (born 1952) Elizabeth Harriet Colville (born 1952) Henry Alan Walter Richard Percy, 11th Duke of Northumberland (19531995) Victoria Ann Rhodes (born 1953) The Lady Virginia Mary Elizabeth FitzRoy (born 1954) Christopher Abel Smith (born 1954) Princess Friederike of Hanover (born 1954) George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon (born 1956) Alice Dugdale (born 1957) Fergus Leveson-Gower, 6th Earl of Granville (born 1959) Katherine Elizabeth Somervell (born 1961) James Arthur Hussey (born 1961) David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon (born 1961) Edwina Victoria Louise Hicks (born 1961) James Robert Bruce Ogilvy (born 1964) The Hon. Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer (born 1964) Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark (born 1983) Advertisement

She revealed the monarch once got her a game of Twister, but chuckled as she admitted they never played it together.

Victoria added that the Queen paid her the honour of coming to her great-niece's Christening last month.

She said it was 'lovely' to see her and 'she seemed so well and looking amazing.

'And her skin is so amazing. We were incredibly lucky, she was so kind to come to that,' she added.

Her mother, Margaret Rhodes, who died in 2016, was the Queen's cousin, and became one of her closest confidantes.

'She was the same age as the Queen, she spent so much time with the Queen and Princess Margaret,' she said.

'They became really, really good friends, best-mates,' Victoria added.

Margaret was there when a triumphant Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret attended V day celebrations in London and 'danced the conga around the Ritz,' Victoria revealed.

'It was just incredible it was like Cinderella in reverse and nobody knew who they were, that Mummy was with two princesses,' she said.

'At the end somebody went back to tell the King and Queen that they were there at the front,' she added.

'Mummy spent a lot of time in Scotland with them and in her late years she lived in Buckingham Palace and spent a lot of time at Windsor Castle.'

'In the late years, when my father died, the Queen really kindly offered her a place in Windsor Great Park and Mummy was so hugely grateful.

'Then she became a lady- in-waiting for the Queen mother and had a really lovely 30 years in Windsor Great Park.
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Sophie Wessex looked glamourous as she joined other royals at the Service of Thanksgiving on the second day of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The 57-year-old smiled as she arrived for the Service at St Paul's Cathedral with husband Prince Edward, 58, and their children Lady Louise Windsor, 18, and James, Viscount Severn, 14.

Sophie sported a sparkly dress by brand Suzannah for the event celebrating her mother-in-law the Queen's 70 years on the throne, teaming the dress with a bespoke dyed cocktail hat from Jane Taylor millinery.

The royal sweetly co-ordinated with her daughter Lady Louise, 18, who was wearing a pale link silk dress and a sequinned band from the same milliner.

Matching mother and daughter! Sophie Wessex and her daughter Lady Louise were perfectly co-ordinated today in shades of nude and blush as they attended a reception after the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Sophie Wessex and her family arrived for the event at St Paul's Cathedral today. Her daughter Lady Louise Windsor, 18, greeted another participant as her mother and father Prince Edward, 58, and brother James, Viscount Severn, 14, watched on

The Earl and Countess of Wessex grinned as they sat in St Paul's Cathedral with their children Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn for the Service of Thanksgiving marking the Queen's 70 years on the throne

Sophie and her daughter, 18, paused to chat to Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Princess Anne's husband, after the service in tribute to the Queen

After the service, the Wessexes paused on the steps of St Paul's with Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence

Sophie complemented her look with a pale pink hat, keeping her makeup minimal.

She wore her blonde locks slicked back in a chic bun with elegant dangling earrings framing her face.

The Queen will not attend today, with Prince Charles officially representing her after she was forced to pull out.

She is understood to have suffered episodic mobility issues yesterday - and, in a statement, the Palace revealed the Queen 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

Sophie and her family made their way to their seats after Princess Anne, with Prince Edward standing aside to allow his older sister to take her seat

She wore her blonde locks slicked back in a chic bun with elegant dangling earrings framing her face. She arrived for the Service at St Paul's Cathedral with her family

The Wessex's arrived at the cathedral ahead of today's Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen's 70 years on the throne. The family smiled as they waited to enter the event

Sophie sported a sparkly dress for the event and the royal complemented her look with a pale pink hat, keeping her makeup minimal

The family were seen in a car as they made their way to the Service of Thanksgiving on the second day of the historic Platinum Jubilee celebrations for the Queen

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

The decision ahead of the service was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.

Both Prince Andrew and The Archbishop of Canterbury have tested positive for coronavirus and are also not attending, with The Archbishop of York giving a sermon instead.

Senior royals including the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will join the Wessex's at the service, with Harry and Meghan making their first appearance with the family since the Westminster Abbey Commonwealth Service in March 2020.

Members of the Cabinet are also attending today's proceedings, including Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Additionally, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will be at the Service, alongside first ministers of the devolved administrations and former prime ministers.

Meanwhile key workers, charity volunteers and members of the armed forces have been invited to the Service of Thanksgiving in recognition of their contribution to public life.

More than 400 people, who have been making a difference either nationally or locally, are among the guests and many have been working tirelessly during the pandemic.

Members of the Cabinet, former prime ministers and first ministers of the devolved administrations are also guests at today's service. Sir Keir Starmer, Labour leader and former prime minister David Cameron were pictured as they arrived at St Paul's Cathedral ahead of the service

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and wife Carrie were pictured as they arrived at St Paul's Cathedral. Home Secretary also arrived at the event and wore a pink ensemble for the occasion

People are seen taking their seats in St Paul's Cathedral ahead of today's event. Before the service starts, the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Portsmouth (Royal Band) played for guests

Before the service began, the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Portsmouth (Royal Band), played as the congregation arrived and the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry performed to mark royal arrivals, while the Fanfare Trumpeters of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force will accompany later in the service.

The choirs of St Paul's Cathedral and Her Majesty's Chapel Royal will join together to sing the Vivats, I Was Glad by Sir Hubert Parry, performed at every coronation and now for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Before the Service of Thanksgiving, the Great Paul, the largest church bell in the country, was rung between 10.50 and 10.55.

Former prime ministers Gordon Brown and Tony Blair were pictured chatting and smiling before the Service of Thanksgiving began at St Paul's Cathedral

The historic bell was made in 1882, but fell silent in the 1970s due to a broken mechanism and was then restored in 2021.

Since, the bell has rang out eight times but today's event was the first royal occasion where it was rung before the Service begins at 11.30am.

Royal family members are to arrive at the foot of the West Steps at 10.55am and then at 11.25, just before the service begins, there will be a procession.

This procession will feature the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince of Wales and the royals in attendance will take their seats under the Dome before the ceremony gets underway.

David Cameron and wife Samantha were seen waiting for the Service of Thanksgiving to start as they stood in St Paul's Cathedral with other dignitaries ahead of the service

There is also to be a prayer called The Bidding during the Service, where the Dean of St Paul's will offer 'thanks and 'thanks and praise for the reign of Her Majesty the Queen and especially for her 70 years of faithful and dedicated service'.

The event will feature a new anthem by Judith Weir, Master of the Queen's Music, that sets to music words of the third Chapter of the Book of Proverbs.

Bible readings, hymns and prayers to express thankfulness for the Queen's reign, faith and service will also be heard by the congregation as the nation marks the monarch's 70 years on the throne and the ceremony will end with the singing of the national anthem.

St Paul's Cathedral is also playing host to more than 400 members of the public who have made significant contributions to during the pandemic both nationally and locally

Today's Service of Thanksgiving comes after Sophie Wessex yesterday joined other members of the Royal Family at Trooping the Colour, for the first day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Donning a custom made gingham coat dress by Suzannah in certified sustainable cloth, and a matching hat, the Countess looked delighted to be marking the monarch's milestone 70 years on the throne, riding in a carriage alongside her husband and their two children as they waved at cheering crowds.

The Wessex carriage was the second of three that left the forecourt of Buckingham Palace carrying members of the Royal Family down The Mall yesterday morning, with the Duchess of Cornwall, 74, riding alongside Kate Middleton, 40, and her children in the first carriage.

The Countess of Wessex is attending today's service after sporting a custom made gingham coat dress made by Suzannah to wave at crowds from a carriage during yesterday's Trooping the Colour Platinum Jubilee celebrations with husband Prince Edward and children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn

The Wessex carriage was the second of three that left the forecourt of Buckingham Palace carrying members of the Royal Family down The Mall yesterday morning

Kate and Camilla were in the first carriage as they arrived at the Trooping the Colour celebrations yesterday, with the Duchess of Cambridge's children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis sitting opposite them waving at the happy crowds

Louis sat between his older siblings George and Charlotte in a carriage, with Kate and Camilla sat opposite. The children, who were dressed in a light blue, navy and white colour scheme, waved to the crowds - and at one point Charlotte appeared to push Louis's hand down, while the Princess squinted in the sunshine as the carriage left.

The third carriage was ridden by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, while Prince Charles, Prince William and Princess Anne rode on horses during the traditional carriage procession.

Meanwhile, the Queen left Windsor Castle yesterday morning, travelling by car as she headed to Buckingham Palace.

The Cambridge children sat and watched proceedings unfold as they travelled in a carriage down the Mall during yesterday's journey to the Trooping the Colour celebrations

Prince Harry was seen jokingly shh'ing Lena Tindall as she watched the Trooping the Colour parade with her sisters Savannah and Mia and cousin Isla Philips

It comes as Prince Harry and Meghan joined senior royals at an official engagement for the first time in more than two years.

The Queen's Birthday Parade at Horse Guards in London was the first official Platinum Jubilee event of the bank holiday weekend, and she appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the RAF flypast at 1pm yesterday.

Thousands of people draped in Union Jack flags, party hats and plastic tiaras lined The Mall in the warm sunshine yesterday. Some of those at the front brought camping chairs, having arrived over the past few days to get the best spot, and spirits were high as members of the public chatted and joked with police maintaining the perimeter.

Huge crowds walked down the Mall during Trooping the Colour parade, hoping to catch a glimpse of the RAF flypast at 1pm as the royals stood on the balcony

However, police then swooped on four intruders tried to smash through security on The Mall. Two of the protesters - who were from Animal Rebellion - were able to sit in the middle of the road as the marching band approached. Officers hauled them out of the way as the musicians walked by them, avoiding them completely.

According to Animal Rebellion, the activists were protesting against the use of crown lands for hunting, as well as the 'crown's inaction on the climate emergency and their continued support for meat, fishing, and dairy'.

The Irish Guards were among the first to arrive at a march at Horse Guards Parade yesterday morning in front of the sitting crowds in the bright sunshine, led by their mascot, an Irish Wolfhound called Seamus. And as huge crowds descended on the capital to witness the historic weekend, police and park authorities said the areas were full.
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Kate Middleton looked glamorous in a custom Emilia Wickstead yellow dress today as she joined Prince William and other senior royals at the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee before heading to Guildhall for a luncheon with the Lord Mayor of London.

The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, walked in to the Cathedral with her husband, 39, while their children Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince George, eight, and Prince Louis, four, stayed at home.

She paired the gorgeous lemon dress with a Philip Treacy hat - a favourite milliner of the royal family - and 560 brown Gianvito Rossi pumps, which she owns in at least six colours. Kate has long been a fan of Emilia Wickstead dresses and worn them on dozens of occasions, most recently to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace last week.

In a sweet tribute to the Queen, Kate sported a pair of Her Majesty's earrings, which she previously wore to Prince Philip's funeral and Remembrance Sunday service in 2016.

The Bahrain Pearl Diamond Drop Earrings come from Her Majesty's private collection, and were also worn by Diana in 1982. The earrings were crafted from pearls gifted to the Queen and Philip from the ruler of Bahrain at the time of their wedding in 1947.

Kate tied her brunette hair back into a low sleek plaited bun and opted for a natural make-up look today, pairing a pink lip gloss with smoky eye and light layer of foundation.

It's the second official day of celebrations to mark Her Majesty's 70 years on the throne and follows a day of street parties and fanfare which saw Kate join her children, husband and in-laws on the balcony at Buckingham Palace.

Prince Charles officially represented the 96-year-old monarch at the Platinum Jubilee service in London today, which was also attended by Harry and Meghan for their first joint royal engagement in more than two years.

Other senior royals in attendance were Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex with their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn as well Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence.

Future King and Queen! William and Kate are seen leaving St Paul's Cathedral following the service to honour the Queen

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave after a service of thanksgiving today, with Kate stunning in an Emilia Wickstead coat

Strutting her stuff! Duchess of Cambridge arrives for the Lord Mayor's reception after the service today

The future Queen looked delighted to be celebrating her husband's grandmother - and smiled and waved at crowds this morning

Kate wore no nail polish and appeared to have a small cut on her thumb which was covered by a plaster as she left the Cathedral

Kate Middleton looked glamorous in an Emilia Wickstead yellow dress today as she joined Prince William and other senior royals at the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee

Kate held onto a pair of cream gloves and brown clutch bag as she waved a well-wishers on the steps outside the Cathedral

Kate arrives for reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of London at The Guildhall in London following the service today

Prince William looked delighted to chat to the Lord Mayor and Kate ahead of the lunch in honour of the Queen

Kate looked delighted to pay tribute to The Queen this morning. She is pictured at St Paul's Cathedral with Princess Anne and Prince William

Lovely in lemon! William and Kate arrive for a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth

Smile and wave! Prince William and his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, arrive for a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth

Princess Anne, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William read from hymn sheet as they mark Queen's 70 years

Let the celebrations continue! Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge attend the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral

She paired the look with a Philip Treacy hat - a favourite milliner of the royal family - and mauve slingback shoes.

The Duchess of Cambridge , 40, walked in to the Cathedral with her husband, while their children Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince George , eight, and Prince Louis , four, stayed at home

Photos show gorgeous detailing on Kate Philip Treacy hat - including to bright yellow flowers which perfectly complemented her dress

Kate Middleton previously wore the earrings - a touching tribute to both the Monarch and her late mother-in-law - at Prince Philip's funeral last year. Her Majesty wore them in official photos in 1952

While the 96-year-old Queen looked in good spirits at yesterday's celebrations, but missed today's service at St Paul's following a last-minute decision announced by the Palace last night which explained she experienced 'discomfort' during the Trooping The Colour events.

She is understood to have suffered episodic mobility issues yesterday  and, in a statement, the Palace revealed the Queen 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

It is understood the decision ahead of the service was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.

There was also no appearance at St Paul's by Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week. The Queen watched the service from her Berkshire residence, and it was broadcast nationally on BBC One.

Also in attendance in many former Prime Minsters and their spouses, as well as other political leaders.

Tony and Cherie Blair, David and Samantha Cameron, Gordon and Sarah Brown and Theresa and Philip May were among the early arrivals, as well as Boris and Carrie Johnson.

Mrs Johnson went for a red colour scheme, possibly giving a nod to one of the key colours of the Union flag.

The mother-of-two teamed her Sandro dress with red pointed heels from Dune, and a white hat with a spray of red feathers from AJ Gretton Millinery.

Other politicians at the service included Labour leader Keir Starmer, who attended alone, as well as London Mayor Sadiq Khan, his wife Saadiya and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell.

Other royals in attendance included Zara and Mike Tindall as well as the Queen's cousins Prince Michael and Prince Edward of Kent and Princess Margaret's grandchildren Samuel and Arthur Chatto.

It comes after the Queen looked cheerful at Trooping the Colour as Kate stunned in a recycled 3,000 Alexander McQueen blazer dress.

The Duchess joined her stepmother-in-law Camilla and her three children for a carriage ride down the Mall to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.

Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince Louis, four, also joined Kate on the Buckingham Palace balcony alongside Prince Charles, 73, Prince William, and other working royals, including the Queen.

Little Louis stole the show picking his nose, covering his ears and chatting to the Queen throughout the service.

While in the past up to 40 members of The Firm have been spotted on the Buckingham Palace balcony only working royals and their children joined the Queen to get the best view of the flyover today, meaning there will be no spot for Prince Andrew or Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Kate opted for a 3,000 Alexander McQueen coat dress which she also sported last summer as she joined senior royals at the Eden Project for G7 reception.

Her Royal Highness is a huge fan of the British brand sporting designs on several occasions, most famously to her wedding in 2011.

The Duchess of Sussex carried a pair of cream leather gloves in her hand as she climbed the steps at the cathedral today

Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

Princess Anne arrives at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

The Queens granddaughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall attend the thanksgiving service at St Paul's today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson look at each other next to Liz Truss and Priti Patel this morning

Princess Michael of Kent arrives at the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Lady Louise Windsor was seated between her mother Sophie Wessex and brother James, Viscount Severn, for the service

Perfect in pink! Other royals in attendance included Zara and Mike Tindall (left) and Lord Frederick Windsor with his wife Sophie (right)

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, arrive for a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth

Prince Harry holds hands with Meghan Markle as the pair arrive at St Paul's Cathedral for the celebrations

Sadiq Khan and his wife Saadiya (left) arrive at St Paul's Cathedral. Left: Former Prime Minster David Cameron and wife Samantha

Tony and Cherie Blair (left) David and Samantha Cameron, Gordon and Sarah Brown (right) and Theresa and Philip May were among the early arrivals, as well as Boris and Carrie Johnson.

Carrie Johnson (left) arrives in red, while Priti Patel opted for a trendy pink coat

Theresa and Philip May were among the early arrivals. They are pictured entering the Cathedral this morning

Former British prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown wait for the start of the National Service of Thanksgiving for The Queen's reign at Saint Paul's Cathedral

Wellwishers wait for the arrival of the Royal Family outside Saint Paul's Cathedral ahead of the National Service of Thanksgiving

Inside the chapel: Photos shows National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral as senior royals arrive this morning

Members of the public gather outside St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning ahead of the service of thanksgiving

The order of service for today's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London which begins at 11.30am today

She added a Philip Treacy hat to the ensemble and paid a sweet tribute to Princess Diana by wearing her late mother in law's earrings and necklace.

Yesterday, The Queen met her great-granddaughter Lilibet for the first time after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had lunch with the monarch and senior royals behind closed doors as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced their daughter to the Queen, who was nicknamed Lilibet as a child, yesterday at Windsor in one the Royal Family's private events after Trooping the Colour at Buckingham Palace.

Harry and Meghan are expected to remain mostly low-profile over the four-day Jubilee weekend, with no sign of the Netflix cameras that followed them around at the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in April. But they will attend today's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral - their first joint royal engagement in two years.

Prince Charles will officially represent the Queen at the service in London today after she was forced to pull out last night, and there will also be no appearance from Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus.

The Sussexes, who are staying at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor while visiting from California, were not allowed on the Buckingham Palace balcony yesterday and instead watched proceedings from Horse Guards Parade.

A bit of all white! Kate Middleton stunned in a 3,000 Alexander McQueen blazer dress today as she joined her stepmother-in-law Camilla and her three children for a carriage ride down the mall to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee

Prince Louis, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Prince William are seen on the balcony today

There it goes! The Cambridges stared up over the balcony to watch the fly past today to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Today's service was Harry and Meghan's first appearance with The Firm since the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020 shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royals.

News of the Queen's meeting with Lilibet yesterday  which comes ahead of her first birthday tomorrow  was revealed on BBC Breakfast this morning by royal commentator Omid Scobie, who is friendly with the Sussexes.

He said: 'I think people are expecting some sort of big birthday extravagant event, that we're going to see photographs from. From what I'm told, we shouldn't expect anything.

'Those moments with Lilibet are very much private between them and the Queen and of course we know how much she's been looking forward to it.

'They've been held back by a pandemic. Of course the times that Harry has been here it's just been by himself for quite sombre occasions. And so this really was the first time.

'Of course we know the Queen went back to Windsor Castle yesterday, the couple went back to Windsor as well where they're staying at Frogmore Cottage.

'So that would have been the first moment or the first chance for her to meet her namesake.'

Yesterday, Harry and Meghan made a concerted effort not to be seen by prying eyes as they watched Trooping the Colour yesterday, arriving incognito at Horse Guards Parade and studiously keeping away from most - although not all - of the waiting photographers.

The couple arrived in the UK on Wednesday afternoon, flying in by private jet from Los Angeles to Farnborough Airport in Hampshire, where they were picked up by royal bodyguards and taken to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.
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The Duchess of Cornwall looked refined as she arrived at St Paul's Cathedral for a service of thanksgiving alongside the royal family for the second day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Camilla, 74, arrived alongside Prince Charles, choosing to wear an all ivory and gold embroidered coat dress by Fiona Clare and hat by Philip Treacy.

The elegant outfit includes embroidery detail down the sleeves and cuffs, and along the collar and shoulder line, opting to hold a matching pair of gloves and a clutch bag.

Camilla, 74, arrived alongside Prince Charles , choosing to wear an all ivory and gold embroidered coat dress by Fiona Clare and hat by Philip Treacy

Camilla, 74, arrived alongside Prince Charles, choosing to wear an all ivory and gold embroidered coat dress by Fiona Clare and hat by Philip Treacy

Walking up the central aisle of St Paul's Cathedral Camilla nodded and smiled at those she passed, alongside Prince Charles, and a few steps behind Kate and William.

With the Queen missing, Charles and Camilla were seated prominently with Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge sitting next to them, and seated next to them were Princess Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence.

Prince Charles and Camilla's official Instagram page, Clarence House, shared a select few photos of the day yesterday, as well as photos from the Coronation day in 1953, and writing: 'On this day 69 years ago, a young Prince Charles joined his mother, the new Queen Elizabeth II on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following her Coronation.

'Today, members of the The Royal Family watched a special flypast by the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

'More than 70 aircraft participated, including the world-famous Red Arrows and the Royal Air Force Battlre of Britain Memorial Flight.'

Yesterday Camilla was driven down the Mall in her carriage, sitting alongside Duchess of Cambridge and children Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte, wearing her favourite Bruce Oldfield striped blue outfit, pearl necklace and earrings and a blue Philip Treacy hat, looking graceful and relaxed.

Charles and Camilla step out of their car and are greeted outside St Paul's Cathedral, London, this morning

Camilla outside St Paul's Cathedral today wearing an ivory and gold embroidered coat dress by Fiona Clare and a hat by Philip Treacy

Camilla walked up the central aisle of St Paul's Cathedra, while smiling at those she passed, alongside Prince Charles

Prince Charles and Camilla walk through St Paul's Cathedral, walking past the memory tile saying: 'Remember men and women of Saint Paul's watch who by the grace of god saved this cathedral from destruction in war 1939-1945

Charles and Camilla stand and sing mid service in St Paul's Cathedral, London, today

The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles sit down at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall leave St Paul's Cathedral after the Service of Thanksgiving today, on the second day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations

The National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations

Roads around St Paul's Cathedral today turned red, white and blue as the second day of Jubilee celebrations started this morning.

Fans draped in Union Jack flags spent the early hours of the morning jostling for the best position to catch a first glimpse of royals arriving for today's thanksgiving service.

The Queen has 'reluctantly' had to pull out of the festivities after feeling 'discomfort' at yesterday's Trooping the Colour, while her disgraced son, the Duke of York, will also be absent after 'testing positive for Covid'.

The Princess Royal, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Cambridge take their seats in St Paul's Cathedral this morning

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

The Archbishop of Canterbury has also tested positive for Covid-19 and will too miss the event, with the Archbishop of York, the Most Revd Stephen Cottrell, giving the sermon instead.

Super fans camped out overnight to secure the best possible vantage point for today's ceremony, with the streets bursting with colour and national pride.

The Bishop of London, Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullay told BBC Breakfast she is 'excited' ahead of the thanksgiving service, in which she will be leading the blessing - but admitted she was nervous about the ceremonial regalia she needs to wear.

'It's a coat called the George V coat. It's quite an old coat, which is a cape and it sits on me, but of course it was designed for men because I'm the first woman who happens to be the Bishop of London,' she said.

'So, it doesn't sit quite as well on me, so I'm slightly nervous.'

(From left) Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, Princess Anne, Camilla, Prince Charles, the Queen, Prince Louis, the Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William and Sophie, Countess of Wessex at Buckingham Palace yesterday

She said that Her Majesty's Christian faith has 'always shaped her' and she feels privileged to play a part in the service and 'give thanks' to The Queen for her service to the country.

Meanwhile the Dean of St Paul's has said today's service represents the nation 'picking up the baton' from The Queen as a thank you for her years of service.

The Very Revd Dr David Ison told BBC Breakfast: 'I think, for me, what this service is about, is saying not only thank you, but also we are picking up the baton of what The Queen has done. We ourselves are committing to how we can make the world a better place.'

He said of the service: 'I always get nervous. You can't help it because you want it to go well and therefore you're nervous to make sure it does goes well and worried about what might go wrong.'

Camilla, Prince Charles, the Queen, Prince Louis, the Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as part of the Trooping the Colour parade yesterday

He also spoke about an incident during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee when his cape ripped.

'I put on my cape and I was bounding down the stairs of the vestry and I caught the cape on the door latch and ripped it and this is in the afternoon, before the service.

'So, they had an emergency embroiderer who came in early in the morning to stitch it back up again.'

Today's service will be Harry and Meghan's first appearance with The Firm since the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020 shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royals.

But a royal commentator has said that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hope to be as 'low-profile as possible' during their trip to the UK.

Yesterday Camilla wore her favourite Bruce Oldfield striped blue outfit, pearl necklace and earrings and a blue Philip Treacy hat, looking graceful and relaxed

The Red Arrows perform a flypast over The Mall on day one of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London yesterday

Omid Scobie, author of Finding Freedom, told BBC Breakfast: 'I spoke with people close to the couple... who said that they want to be as low-profile as possible during this trip.

'It's almost hard to believe, but I think yesterday Trooping the Colour was a great example. We didn't really catch sight of them on TV cameras.'

He added that the couple hold a 'warm and close' relationship with The Queen and also spoke about the upcoming first birthday of their daughter, Lilibet, tomorrow.

'Those moments with Lilibet are very much private between them and the Queen,' he said, adding that last night at Windsor would have been the first time Her Majesty would have met her namesake in person.

Fighter jets from Britain's RAF fly in formation to form the number '70' during a special flypast over Buckingham Palace yesterday

The 96-year-old Queen will miss today's service at St Paul's following a last-minute decision announced by the Palace at 7.30pm last night after she experienced 'discomfort' during the Trooping The Colour events.

She is understood to have suffered episodic mobility issues yesterday  and, in a statement, the Palace revealed the Queen 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

Crowds look up from The Mall as the RAF Red Arrows fly overhead after the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London yesterday

It is understood the decision ahead of the service, which begins at 11.30am today, was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.

Senior members of the monarchy at St Paul's this morning will also include the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Sussexes, who will be joined by the extended royal family.

Meanwhile key workers, charity volunteers and members of the armed forces have been invited to the Queen's service of thanksgiving in recognition of their contribution to public life.

Members of the public gather outside St Paul's Cathedral, London, for the second day of the Platinum Jubilee weekend celebrations

More than 400 people, who have been making a difference either nationally or locally, are among the guests and many have been working tirelessly during the pandemic.

They will join members of the royal family at St Paul's Cathedral to celebrate the monarch's 70-year reign, although the Queen herself will not attend after experiencing 'some discomfort' during Thursday's events following previous mobility issues.

The Dean of St Paul's, Dr David Ison, will say in The Bidding: 'We come together in this Cathedral Church today to offer to God our thanks and praise for the reign of Her Majesty the Queen and especially for her 70 years of faithful and dedicated service.

Members of the public take their place outside St Paul's Cathedral ahead of the National Service of Thanksgiving today, which The Queen cannot attend

'As we gather from communities across her realm and the Commonwealth of Nations, we rejoice in the diverse and varied lives of all those whom she serves, and in the beauty and abundance of the world in which we live.

'Inspired by words and music, we pray that God will continue to bless and guide Her Majesty, and that we may all receive grace to honour life and to live in harmony with one another; and we continue to pray for those whose lives are marred by conflict, suffering and tragedy.

'And mindful of the call of God to look to the needs of others, we commit ourselves afresh to caring for our world and all for whom it is home, striving always to seek out and nurture that which is good in people and in all creation.'

Royal enthusiasts gather in the early morning at St Paul's Cathedral ahead of the National Service of Thanksgiving, part of celebrations for the Queen's platinum Jubilee

Those invited in recognition of their service have all been recipients of honours in the New Year or Birthday Honours lists and their number also includes public servants and representatives from social enterprises and voluntary groups.

Boris Johnson, who will give a New Testament reading, and members of his Cabinet are among the guests along with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, first ministers of the devolved governments and former prime ministers.

The diplomatic world will be represented by high commissioners and ambassadors from across the world and also attending are governors general and clergy from world faiths.

Participants set to feature in the Service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral take part in a full dress rehearsal outside the London landmark earlier this week

The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell will give the sermon after the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tested positive for Covid-19. The Dean of the Chapel Royal, Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London, will give the Collect and the Blessing, and the Dean of St Paul's will conduct the service.

Young people representing countries where the Queen is head of state will lead the 'Act of Commitment' celebrating the life and reign of the monarch, led by the Reverend Robert Kozak.

During the day, one of the country's largest bells, the Great Paul, will be rung before and after the service, the first time it will have been heard at a royal occasion.

A full dress rehearsal last week for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

Practice marches last week ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral which takes place today

The event will feature a new anthem by Judith Weir, Master of the Queen's Music, that sets to music words from the third Chapter of the Book of Proverbs.

Bible readings, hymns and prayers to express thankfulness for the Queen's reign, faith and service will also be heard by the congregation as the nation marks the monarch's 70 years on the throne.

Before the service begins, the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Portsmouth (Royal Band), will play as the congregation arrives and the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry will perform to mark royal arrivals, while the Fanfare Trumpeters of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force will accompany later in the service.
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Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice looked elegant as they arrived at St Paul's Cathedral with their husbands to attend a Thanksgiving Service in honour of the Queen this morning.

Eugenie, 32, looked stunning in a 1,503 orange dress from Emilia Wickstead as she walked to the Cathedral with her husband Jack Brooksbank, 36.

Meanwhile, her older sister Beatrice, 33, dazzled in a blue dress by Beulah as she was accompanied by her husband of two years Edo Mapelli Mozzi, 38.

The two sisters joined Prince Charles, 73, the Duchess of Cornwall, 74, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children for the event. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also made a noted appearance.

However, it was announced the Queen wouldn't attend the service today after experiencing some 'discomfort' during the first day of celebrations.

Also absent from proceedings was the girls' father Prince Andrew, who last night announced he'd tested positive for Covid.

The Duke has been absent from public life since being cast out of the working monarchy and no longer uses his HRH style after Virginia Giuffre, who was trafficked by Andrew's friend Jeffrey Epstein, accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17. The Duke has always strenuously denied the claims.

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Style sisters! Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice arrive at the Guildhall for a reception after the service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul's Cathedral in London

Beatrice, 33, dazzled in a blue dress by Beulah as she was accompanied by her husband of two years Edo Mapelli Mozzi, 38, who gallantly help-her out of the car

Eugenie stepped on the stairs of the cathedrals in a pair of stylish black slip -ons heels, which matched the pretty hat she chose to wear today

Before the Jubilee festivities, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby - who also now has Covid and had to pull out of the service - had suggested Andrew was 'seeking to make amends', adding: 'I think that's a very good thing.'

Andrew took a central role in escorting his mother to the Duke of Edinburgh memorial service in March.

It came as a surprise change to the planned arrangements - only weeks earlier he had been banished from royal public life and paid to settle his court case.

The move was taken as a sign of the monarch's support for her son, and there were fears Andrew could use the Jubilee celebrations as another opportunity to place himself front and centre, amid reports he still believes there is a way back for him to public life.

The Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson's daughters looked relaxed as they made their way to the Cathedral this morning.

The two mothers, who had left their respective children, August, 16 months, and Sienna, eight-months, at home, looked a picture of unity.

Eugenie's brown locks were styled neatly in a ponytail under a discreet black hat from Juliette Botterill.

Meanwhile, Beatrice's strawberry blonde mane was styled in a similar do, under a fascinator that completely matched her dress.

Priness Eugenie chose a vibrant orange dress with a black cocktail hat, while Beatrice was perfectly co-ordinated in shades of blue

Prince Harry, who was sitting next to Jack Brooksbank, seemed very amused by their conversation as the family waiting for the ceremony to begin

Both sisters sported a glamourous daytime makeup, with a dash of mascara and bronzer to compliment their healthy glow.

Meanwhile, Jack and Edo looked in their element in finely tailored jackets and morning coats.

Jack, who was wearing glasses, was wearing a sunny yellow tie, while his brother-in-law donned a baby blue one that matched Beatrice's dress.

The two sisters and their husbands were seen smiling and waving at fans as they made their way inside the Cathedral for the service.

It was announced their father Prince Andrew wouldn't attend the Jubilee's celebrations after he tested positive for coronavirus.

Eugenie shared touching photos of her family waving at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee flyover as she shared a glimpse of her first day of Jubilee celebrations online yesterday.

The Queen's granddaughter was pictured standing with husband Jack who was holding their son August, in photographs posted to her Instagram stories.

The smartly dressed trio were standing on a London rooftop waving to the Platinum Jubilee flypast, at what appeared to be a jubilee celebration party.

Beatrice's husband Edo Mapelli Mozzi revealed on Instagram he attended the same party as he shared glimpse of the flypast on his own Instagram post.

Writing in a social media post, he said: 'Congratulations to Her Majesty The Queen on her remarkable Platinum Jubilee. Thank you for your 70 years of steadfast and dedicated service.'

Senior members of the royal family - including Prince Charles, Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children - appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour.

While Eugenie and Beatrice have also featured on the balcony in previous years, they were not included this year after the Queen decreed that only working members of the Royal Family would join her to watch the flypast in order to avoid any awkwardness surrounding the presence of Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Prince Andrew.

It comes as the Queen has met her great-granddaughter Lilibet for the first time after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had lunch with the monarch and senior royals behind closed doors as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Eugenie and Beatrice, who looked very elegant, were all smiles as they arrived for the ceremony at St Paul's this morning with their respective husbands

The visiting Duke of Sussex, 37, looked deep in thought as his cousins and their partners perused the book of the ceremony

Princess Beatrice paired her blue dress with grey swede heels and looked perfectly relaxed earlier today when she arrived at the event

Eugenie, 32, looked stunning in an orange dress as she walked to the Cathedral with her husband Jack Brooksbank, 36, left. Meanwhile, her older sister Beatrice, 33, dazzled in a blue dress as she was accompanied by her husband of two years Edo Mapelli Mozzi, 38, right. The two sisters looked elegant. Beatrice wore an orange dress while Beatrice donned a blue dress cinched at the waist with a built-in belt

Princess Beatrice and Edo Mapelli Mozzi made a striking pair as they arrived before the service was due to start this morning

Eugenie, Jack and Harry seemed to be in on the same joke as they were seen laughing together after sitting down in the cathedral

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced their little girl to the Queen - nicknamed Lilibet as a child - yesterday at Windsor after attending a private Royal Family lunch at Buckingham Palace following Trooping the Colour.

Harry and Meghan are expected to remain mostly low-profile over the four-day Jubilee weekend, with no sign of the Netflix cameras that followed them around at the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in April. But they will attend today's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral - their first joint royal engagement in two years.

Prince Charles is officially representing the Queen at the service in London today after she was forced to pull out last night, and there will also be no appearance from Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus.

The Sussexes, who are staying at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor while visiting from California, were not allowed on the Buckingham Palace balcony yesterday and instead watched proceedings from Horse Guards Parade.

But today's service will be Harry and Meghan's first appearance with The Firm since the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020 shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royals.

The 96-year-old Queen missed today's service at St Paul's following a last-minute decision announced by the Palace at 7.30pm last night after she experienced 'discomfort' during the Trooping The Colour events.

The two sister and their husbands, who were both wearing morning coats, were greeted by the Lord Mayor of the city of London

A stylish quartet! Older sister, dressed in blue, led the way with her husband Edo, while Eugenie, in orange, followed with Jack

Princess Beatrice looked stunning in her blue number, adorned at the wrists and on the chest with pearls, which she wore with a matching hat. Edo Mapelli Mozzi looked dapper in his morning coat

Princess Eugenie looked great in her  1,503 summer midi dress with a cold shoulder detail from Emilia Wickstead this morning

Jack Brooksbank and Edo Mapelli Mozzi both gallantly helped their wives up the stairs of the cathedrals. Eugenie wore black stilettos while Beatrice opted for baby blue ones

The parents of baby August, 16 months, attended the event without their son. They made a very elegant pair as they stepped out of the car

Making a glamourous trio, Beatrice, Eugenie and Edo chatted as they waited for the service to begin, sat behind the Earl of Wessex and his family

Beatrice and Eugenie greeted their cousin Prince Harry and his wife Meghan as they were sat in the Cathedral prior to the event

She is understood to have suffered episodic mobility issues yesterday - and, in a statement, the Palace revealed the Queen 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

It is understood the decision ahead of the service, which begins at 11.30am today, was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.

The Archbishop of York delivered the sermon during today's service as the Archbishop of Canterbury was forced to pull out due to having coronavirus.

There was no ceremonial journey to the cathedral and members of the Cabinet also attended today's proceedings, with Boris Johnson reading from the Bible.

A bus load of royals! Fans in central London waved as the first part of the royal convoy arrived at St Paul's cathedral this morning

Princess Eugenie has shared touching photos of her family waving at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee flyover as she shared a glimpse of her Jubilee celebrations online

While Eugenie is not a working royal she has been vocal in support of her grandmother ahead of the historic weekend

Additionally, Sir Keir Starmer attended the Service, alongside first ministers of the devolved administrations and former prime ministers.

Meanwhile key workers, charity volunteers and members of the armed forces were invited to the Queen's service of thanksgiving at St Paul's today in recognition of their contribution to public life.

More than 400 people, who have been making a difference either nationally or locally, were among the guests and many have been working tirelessly during the pandemic.

Before the service begins, the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Portsmouth (Royal Band), played as the congregation arrived and the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry performed to mark royal arrivals, while the Fanfare Trumpeters of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force accompanied later in the service.

The choirs of St Paul's Cathedral and Her Majesty's Chapel Royal joined together to sing the Vivats, I Was Glad by Sir Hubert Parry, performed at every coronation and now for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Princess Beatrice, Prince Harry, Prince William, the Prince of Wales and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburg attending a service of Thanksgiving to mark her Golden Jubilee at St Paul's in 2002

There was also to be a prayer called The Bidding during the Service, where the Dean of St Paul's offered 'thanks and 'thanks and praise for the reign of Her Majesty the Queen and especially for her 70 years of faithful and dedicated service'.

The event featured a new anthem by Judith Weir, Master of the Queen's Music, that set to music words of the third Chapter of the Book of Proverbs.

Bible readings, hymns and prayers to express thankfulness for the Queen's reign, faith and service also were heard by the congregation as the nation marks the monarch's 70 years on the throne and the ceremony will end with the singing of the national anthem.


By Kim Hyun-bin



Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong is reportedly scheduled to visit Europe from June 7 to 18 to seek the cooperation of ASML of the Netherlands, one of the world's leading manufacturers of chip-making equipment.



ASML is the only company in the world that produces extreme ultraviolet (EUV) exposure equipment, which is needed for ultra-fine semiconductor processing. Other leading semiconductor manufacturers are also lining up to get their hands on the equipment.



"Vice Chairman Lee is scheduled to visit the Netherlands next week, there is a high possibility of him visiting ASML," an industry official familiar with the matter told The Korea Times.





Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong
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The Duchess of Sussex channeled First Lady style as she joined Prince Harry for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday.

Meghan, 40, was the picture of poise in a cream coat, believed to be by Dior, and matching shoes by the designer as she made her first public royal appearance in more than two years.

While Meghan kept her look understated by opting for a netural shade and a classic cut, she still looked the height of elegance, in a style reminiscent of former First Lady Jackie Kennedy.

The Sussexes were last seen with The Firm at the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020, shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royals.

But it was a far more relaxed affair on Friday morning, with the couple smiling broadly as they arrived at the London cathedral ahead of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Meghan and Harry were greeted on the steps of St Paul's by the Lord Mayor of London and held hands as they took their seats beside Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, and their husbands.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in a separate car a short time later, avoiding any potentially tense interaction between the foursome.

Prince Charles represented the Queen at the service in London today after she was forced to pull out last night, and there will also be no appearance from Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus.

Meghan, 40, was the picture of poise in a cream coat, believed to be by Dior, and matching shoes by the designer as she made her first public royal appearance in more than two years

The Duchess of Sussex kept her look understated and donned a pair of leather gloves to match her outfit as she left Westminster Abbey today

The Duchess of Sussex shared a joke with Harry's cousin Zara Tindall as they left St Paul's Cathedral on Friday

Prince Harry's cousin Peter Phillips chatted to the Sussexes and his sister Zara as they left the service this morning

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex left St Paul's Cathedral hand-in-hand after joining senior royals for the service on Friday

Peter Phillips, the Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Zara Tindall and David Armstrong-Jones on the steps of St Paul's

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (left) and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (right) outside St Paul's Cathedral today

Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex chatted to the lively Zara Tindall, who looked stunning in pink, after the service

Meghan Markle flashed a smile at Peter Phillips as the pair chatted outside St Paul's Cathedral following the service

Prince Harry took his wife's hand as they made their way down the steps of St Paul's Cathedral following the service on Friday

The Duchess of Sussex put on an elegant display in a cream Dior coat and shoes by the designer for the outing today

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared in good spirits as they left the cathedral following the Service of Thanksgiving

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex took their seats alongside Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and their husbands

Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank and the Duke of Sussex smile during the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's today

Prince Charles and Camilla speak with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after arriving at St Paul's Cathedral today

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (left, circled) sit across the aisle from the Sussexes (right, circled) at St Paul's today

Prince Charles and Camilla lead the royal departures from St Paul's Cathedral after the service this afternoon

Buckingham Palace officials took great care in trying to avoid a repeat of the frosty scenes when the Sussexes and Cambridges sat near each other and left together at their last joint event in March 2020 at Westminster Abbey.

And aides would have been delighted that today's service in front of 2,000 special guests passed without any such incident or negative 'optics' given the attempts to ensure today was about the Queen and her 70-year reign.

Members of the crowd outside St Paul's sang the National Anthem while they waited for the Royal Family to leave at the end, before Charles and Camilla were the first to walk out as the bells began to toll at the end of the service.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge followed, with Kate waving cheerily to the crowds while chatting to her husband.

Some of the royal family - including the Duchess of Cambridge, Sophie Wessex and Lady Louise Windsor - later appeared at a reception at Guildhall but Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not.

The Duchess of Sussex looked radiant in a belted cream coat dress with chic collar detailing. She pared the classic piece with a wide brimmed hat and a pair of classic point-toe pumps.

The Duchess of Sussex spent time chatting to Prince Harry's cousin Peter Phillips following the Service of Thanksgiving

The Duchess of Sussex, who looked elegant in a coat and shoes by Dior, held her husband's hand as they left St Paul's

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex both held their order of service as they left the cathedral on Friday morning

The Duchess of Sussex smiles after leaving the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral today

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave after attending the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral today

Completing the monochrome ensemble, Meghan carried a pair of cream leather gloves.

Although Meghan is typically known for stacking delicate rings, bracelets and necklaces, she chose to keep her jewellery simple for the service.

The Duchess wore her 10,500 diamond 'stowstorm' earrings from Canadian jewellery designer Birks and her 4,200 Cartier Love bracelet, both of which she has worn on a number of previous occasions.

She also showed of her stunning diamond engagement ring and matching wedding band.

Following the service, Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex left the cathedral hand-in-hand and spent time speaking to his cousin Zara Tindall and her brother Peter Phillips.

Zara, who also enjoys a close relationship with Prince William, appeared relaxed and breezy as she chatted to the Sussexes.

Meghan, 40, was the picture of poise in a cream coat dress and matching hat and shoes as she joined senior royals in her first public engagement with the family in two years

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex took their seats beside Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank at today's engagement

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, pictured, took their seats separately to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, avoiding any awkward moments between the foursome

Meghan kept an affectionate hand on her husband's back as they took their seats alongside Eugenie at St Paul's Cathedral

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were greeted by the Lord Mayor of London on their arrival at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday

The Duchess of Sussex carried a pair of cream leather gloves in her hand as she climbed the steps at the cathedral today

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex held their hands as they took their seats at St Paul's Cathedral for the Service of Thanksgiving

The Duchess of Sussex put on her gloves as she left the cathedral hand-in-hand with her husband Prince Harry

The Duchess of Sussex looked stunning as she made her arrival at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday morning

Prince Harry gave the crowds of cheering well-wishers a wave as the couple made their way inside St Paul's Cathedral

Smiling Meghan chatted to her husband as they waited for the Service of Thanksgiving to start on Friday morning

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were seated alongside Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in the cathedral

Lady Louise Windsor was seated between her mother Sophie Wessex and brother James, Viscount Severn, for the service

The Royal Family turned out in force for the Service of Thanksgiving, although the Queen chose to stay at home after experiencing 'discomfort' at Trooping the Colour on Thursday.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle kept a low profile as they watched the spectacular military display from inside the Major General's Office, overlooking Horse Guards Parade.

The couple stayed largely out of public view as they took in the action alongside the Tindalls, Peter Phillips and their families. The Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge and her children were also present.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex took their seats alongside Princess Beatrice (in blue), Princess Eugenie and their husbands

The Duchess of Sussex kept a hand on her husband's back as they took their seats at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Jovial Prince Harry joked around with Jack Brooksbank, the husband of his cousin Princess Eugenie, ahead of the service

At one point Meghan Markle whispered something in her husband's ear as they waited for the service to start

Prince Harry looks up at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning as he celebrates his grandmother's Platinum Jubilee

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex took their seats next to Jack Brooksbank ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving

Prince Harry listened to his wife as she whispered something in his ear while waiting for the service to start

Harry and Meghan chatted briefly ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday morning

In typically affectionate fashion, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex held hands as they made their way inside the cathedral

It comes a day after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced their daughter Lilibet to the Queen for the first time. Their son Archie, three, was born in the UK and met the Queen as a baby but Lilibet, who turns one tomorrow and was named in Her Majesty's honour, has never met her great-grandmother.

The couple introduced Lilibet to the Queen yesterday at Windsor after attending a private Royal Family lunch at Buckingham Palace following Trooping the Colour.

Harry and Meghan, who are staying at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor while visiting from California, are expected to remain mostly low-profile over the four-day Jubilee weekend, with no sign of the Netflix cameras that followed them around at the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in April.

Radiant Meghan beamed as she chatted to the Lord Mayor on her arrival at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday morning

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shook hands with the Lord Mayor of London as they made their way into the cathedral

Meghan opted for a chic monochrome look, pairing a cream dress with coordinating hat, shoes and gloves for the occasion

The couple looked stylish as they made their way inside St Paul's Cathedral for the Service of Thanksgiving on Friday

Meghan Markle looked composed as she arrived for her first royal engagement in more than two years

The Duchess of Sussex put on a typically glamorous display as she arrived with Prince Harry for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at St Paul's Cathedral ahead of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Corwnall

Meghan Markle looked stunning in a white coat dress, matching shoes and matching hat for the service on Friday morning

Prince Harry arrives at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning to celebrate his grandmother's Platinum Jubilee

Harry and Meghan arrive at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning to celebrate his grandmother's Platinum Jubilee

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared in excellent spirits as they arrived at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday morning

The Sussexes were not allowed on the Buckingham Palace balcony yesterday and instead watched proceedings from Horse Guards Parade.

They were glimpsed through an open window as they caught up with other members of the family, including Peter Phillips' daughters Savannah, 11, and Isla, 10, and Zara and Mike Tindall's daughter Mia, eight.

The 96-year-old Queen missed today's service at St Paul's following a last-minute decision announced by the Palace at 7.30pm last night after she experienced 'discomfort' during the Trooping The Colour events.

She is understood to have suffered episodic mobility issues yesterday - and, in a statement, the Palace revealed the Queen 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

News of the Queen's meeting with Lilibet yesterday  which comes ahead of her first birthday tomorrow  was revealed on BBC Breakfast this morning by royal commentator Omid Scobie, who is friendly with the Sussexes.

He said: 'I think people are expecting some sort of big birthday extravagant event, that we're going to see photographs from. From what I'm told, we shouldn't expect anything.

'Those moments with Lilibet are very much private between them and the Queen and of course we know how much she's been looking forward to it.

'They've been held back by a pandemic. Of course the times that Harry has been here it's just been by himself for quite sombre occasions. And so this really was the first time.

'Of course we know the Queen went back to Windsor Castle yesterday, the couple went back to Windsor as well where they're staying at Frogmore Cottage. So that would have been the first moment or the first chance for her to meet her namesake.'

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, greet guests at St Paul's Cathedral this morning

The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles sit down at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

The Princess Royal, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Cambridge take their seats in St Paul's Cathedral this morning

(Left to right) The Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Prince of Wales today

Zara Tindall, daughter of Princess Anne, and her husband Mike Tindall arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving ths morning

Princess Anne take her seat in St Paul's Cathedral, London, for the National Service of Thanksgiving this morning

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson attend the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Yesterday, Harry and Meghan made a concerted effort not to be seen by prying eyes as they watched Trooping the Colour yesterday, arriving incognito at Horse Guards Parade and studiously keeping away from most - although not all - of the waiting photographers.

The couple arrived in the UK on Wednesday afternoon, flying in by private jet from Los Angeles to Farnborough Airport in Hampshire, where they were picked up by royal bodyguards and taken to Frogmore Cottage.

Yesterday a Range Rover with a modest escort swept them in to Central London and onto Whitehall, where they took up position in the Major General's Office overlooking the parade ground ready for the other royals to arrive.

Among the first to greet them were Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edo, as well as the Queen's grandson Peter Phillips.

Meghan was seen kissing his elder daughter, Savannah, 11, as his younger daughter, Isla, 10, held Zara and Mike Tindall's younger daughter Lena, almost four.

Former prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral today

Ex-prime minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson look at each other next to Liz Truss and Priti Patel this morning

As Princess Beatrice's husband, Edo Mapelli-Mozzi, looked on, Meghan, 40, appeared to be sharing a secret with the youngsters, who were joined by the Tindalls' eldest daughter Mia, eight.

Meghan, wearing a large wide-brimmed navy and white hat, put her finger mysteriously to her lips as the girls mimicked her, laughing.

Her husband, Harry, 37, who looked tanned in a lounge suit rather than military uniform, was also seen later entering into the spirit of things, apparently urging Lena to 'shush'.

The couple were later seen chatting to the Queen's cousin, the Duke of Kent, 86, before he left the family gathering to join the monarch at Buckingham Palace, where they took the returning military salute together.

Last month Buckingham Palace revealed that the Queen had personally decided to only invite working members of the Royal Family and some of their children onto the Buckingham Palace balcony with her.

This neatly sidestepped the tricky issue about what to do with Harry, Meghan and Andrew who have all quit royal duties.

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's today

Peter Phillips arrives for the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

The Queens granddaughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall attend the thanksgiving service at St Paul's today

Princess Anne arrives at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Princess Michael of Kent arrives at the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

The Earl and Countess of Wessex arrive with their children Louise and James for the service at St Paul's Cathedral today

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, smiles as he arrives at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

But while Andrew wasn't invited to join the family following his shaming over his links to billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, she did extend an olive branch to the Sussexes to join other family members at Horse Guards to watch the parade from the windows of the Duke of Wellington's old office.

Those on the Buckingham Palace balcony also included the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duchess of Cambridge and her three children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - after they had arrived by carriage along with the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their two children, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Anne's husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

Princess Alexandra, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent were also present as well as the children of Princess Margaret, Lord Snowden and Lady Sarah Chatto, and their families.

As for Harry and Meghan, Mr Scobie told BBC Breakfast today that he 'spoke to people close to the couple' who said that the couple 'wanted to be as low profile as possible during this trip'.

He continued: 'It is almost hard to believe, but I think that yesterday at Trooping the Colour was a great example. We didn't really catch sight of them on TV cameras. There were a few grainy photos of them in existence online but that is about as far as it goes.

'And for them being here is all about honouring and really celebrating the life and legacy of the Queen. Someone that they have continued a very warm and close relationship with.

A man adorned in Union Jacks holds a flag of the Queen as royal fans gather outside St Paul's Cathedral in London today

Wellwishers wait for the arrival of the Royal Family ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Guests arrive at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning for the Platinum Jubilee

Royal fans line the streets outside of St Paul's Cathedral in London today ahead of the the National Service of Thanksgiving

Royal fans gather on St Paul's Churchyard in London ahead of the National Service of Thanksgiving this morning

'Of course we know that is not the same with the other family members and today will be very interesting to see them alongside some of them.

'I was with the couple on their last day in the UK, on Meghan's last engagement, and of course we remember they also went on to that Westminster Abbey Commonwealth service.

'Very awkward moments between the Sussexes and the Cambridges. It was almost sort of at the peak of the tensions between them and the institutions of the monarchy.

'A lot of that has softened since then. It doesn't meant that the relationships have necessarily gotten back on track to how they once were. I think all eyes will be on them today just to see how they all are with the other members of the family.

'But of course everyone is here to celebrate the faith, the reign and the lifetime of service of the Queen.

'And I think for them, despite the fact that they broke away from the firm, they always said that they had carried out their work. Holding, upholding the same principles and values as Her Majesty.'
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Lady Louise Windsor donned a cream dress as she joined her parents and brother at the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.

The Queen's granddaughter, 18, put her best foot forward in a silk frock by Ghost and a sequinned pink headband by JT Millinery as she made her second high profile appearance in as many days.

The Wessexes joined senior royals including Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for the service on Friday morning.

The teenager played a starring role in Trooping the Colour yesterday, joining her parents Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex and brother James, Viscount Severn, in a carriage for the Queen's birthday parade before making her appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony alongside the Queen.

The Queen's granddaughter, 18, put her best foot forward in a silk frock by Ghost and a sequinned pink headband by JT Millinery as she made her second high profile appearance in as many days

The Queen's granddaughter, 18, put her best foot forward in a silk frock by Ghost and a sequinned pink headband by JT Millinery as she made her second high profile appearance in as many days

Fresh-faced Lady Louise looked lovely in a headband and gold jewellery. Her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders in wavy locks

She enjoys a particularly close relationship with her grandmother, and with her late grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh.

Prince Charles represented the Queen at the service in London today after she was forced to pull out last night, and there will also be no appearance from Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus.

It comes a day after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced their daughter Lilibet to the Queen for the first time. Their son Archie, three, was born in the UK and met the Queen as a baby but Lilibet, who turns one tomorrow and was named in Her Majesty's honour, has never met her great-grandmother.

The couple introduced Lilibet to the Queen yesterday at Windsor after attending a private Royal Family lunch at Buckingham Palace following Trooping the Colour.

The teenager, who donned a white dress, cautiously walked down the cathedral's steps by her uncle's side, clutching a red handbag

Matching mother and daughter! Sophie Wessex and her daughter Lady Louise were perfectly co-ordinated today in shades of nude and blush as they attended a reception after the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Lady Louise Windsor was seated between her mother Sophie Wessex and brother James, Viscount Severn, for the service

After the service, the Wessexes paused on the steps of St Paul's with Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence

Sophie and her daughter, 18, paused to chat to Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Princess Anne's husband, after the service in tribute to the Queen

Lady Louise Windsor smiled at the crowds as she joined her parents in the back of a car to St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Lady Louise Windsor shook hands with the Lord Mayor of London as she arrived with her family at St Paul's Cathedral

Lady Louise, pictured left, waited dutifully as her parents were greeted by the Lord Mayor of London on Friday morning

Lady Louise Windsor arrived with her parents Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex and her brother James, Viscount Severn

Prince Edward was joined by his wife Sophie Wessex, daughter Lady Louise and son James, Viscount Severn, at the service

The Royal Family turned out in force for the Service of Thanksgiving, although the Queen chose to stay at home after experiencing 'discomfort' at Trooping the Colour on Thursday

Harry and Meghan, who are staying at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor while visiting from California, are expected to remain mostly low-profile over the four-day Jubilee weekend, with no sign of the Netflix cameras that followed them around at the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in April.

The Sussexes were not allowed on the Buckingham Palace balcony yesterday and instead watched proceedings from Horse Guards Parade.

They were glimpsed through an open window as they caught up with other members of the family, including Peter Phillips' daughters Savannah, 11, and Isla, 10, and Zara and Mike Tindall's daughter Mia, eight.

(Left to right) The Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Prince of Wales today

The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles sit down at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

The Princess Royal, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Cambridge take their seats in St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Jovial Prince Harry joked around with Jack Brooksbank, the husband of his cousin Princess Eugenie, ahead of the service

Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank and the Duke of Sussex smile during the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's today

Zara Tindall, daughter of Princess Anne, and her husband Mike Tindall arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving ths morning

The National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations

The 96-year-old Queen is missing today's service at St Paul's following a last-minute decision announced by the Palace at 7.30pm last night after she experienced 'discomfort' during the Trooping The Colour events.

She is understood to have suffered episodic mobility issues yesterday - and, in a statement, the Palace revealed the Queen 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

News of the Queen's meeting with Lilibet yesterday  which comes ahead of her first birthday tomorrow  was revealed on BBC Breakfast this morning by royal commentator Omid Scobie, who is friendly with the Sussexes.

He said: 'I think people are expecting some sort of big birthday extravagant event, that we're going to see photographs from. From what I'm told, we shouldn't expect anything.

'Those moments with Lilibet are very much private between them and the Queen and of course we know how much she's been looking forward to it.

'They've been held back by a pandemic. Of course the times that Harry has been here it's just been by himself for quite sombre occasions. And so this really was the first time.

'Of course we know the Queen went back to Windsor Castle yesterday, the couple went back to Windsor as well where they're staying at Frogmore Cottage. So that would have been the first moment or the first chance for her to meet her namesake.'

Yesterday, Harry and Meghan made a concerted effort not to be seen by prying eyes as they watched Trooping the Colour yesterday, arriving incognito at Horse Guards Parade and studiously keeping away from most - although not all - of the waiting photographers.

The couple arrived in the UK on Wednesday afternoon, flying in by private jet from Los Angeles to Farnborough Airport in Hampshire, where they were picked up by royal bodyguards and taken to Frogmore Cottage.

The Duchess of Sussex carried a pair of cream leather gloves in her hand as she climbed the steps at the cathedral today

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex held their hands as they took their seats at St Paul's Cathedral for the Service of Thanksgiving

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Prince Charles and Camilla arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

Princess Anne arrives at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

The Queens granddaughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall attend the thanksgiving service at St Paul's today

Harry and Meghan arrive at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning to celebrate his grandmother's Platinum Jubilee

Princess Michael of Kent arrives at the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Yesterday a Range Rover with a modest escort swept them in to Central London and onto Whitehall, where they took up position in the Major General's Office overlooking the parade ground ready for the other royals to arrive.

Among the first to greet them were Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edo, as well as the Queen's grandson Peter Phillips.

Meghan was seen kissing his elder daughter, Savannah, 11, as his younger daughter, Isla, 10, held Zara and Mike Tindall's younger daughter Lena, almost four.

As Princess Beatrice's husband, Edo Mapelli-Mozzi, looked on, Meghan, 40, appeared to be sharing a secret with the youngsters, who were joined by the Tindalls' eldest daughter Mia, eight.

Meghan, wearing a large wide-brimmed navy and white hat, put her finger mysteriously to her lips as the girls mimicked her, laughing.

Her husband, Harry, 37, who looked tanned in a lounge suit rather than military uniform, was also seen later entering into the spirit of things, apparently urging Lena to 'shush'.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson look at each other next to Liz Truss and Priti Patel this morning

Ex-prime minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

Former prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral today

Crowds gather before a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul's Cathedral in London today

The couple were later seen chatting to the Queen's cousin, the Duke of Kent, 86, before he left the family gathering to join the monarch at Buckingham Palace, where they took the returning military salute together.

Last month Buckingham Palace revealed that the Queen had personally decided to only invite working members of the Royal Family and some of their children onto the Buckingham Palace balcony with her.

This neatly sidestepped the tricky issue about what to do with Harry, Meghan and Andrew who have all quit royal duties.

But while Andrew wasn't invited to join the family following his shaming over his links to billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, she did extend an olive branch to the Sussexes to join other family members at Horse Guards to watch the parade from the windows of the Duke of Wellington's old office.

Those on the Buckingham Palace balcony also included the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duchess of Cambridge and her three children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - after they had arrived by carriage along with the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their two children, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Anne's husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

A man adorned in Union Jacks holds a flag of the Queen as royal fans gather outside St Paul's Cathedral in London today

Guests arrive at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning for the Platinum Jubilee

Wellwishers wait for the arrival of the Royal Family ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Royal fans line the streets outside of St Paul's Cathedral in London today ahead of the the National Service of Thanksgiving

Royal fans gather on St Paul's Churchyard in London ahead of the National Service of Thanksgiving this morning

Princess Alexandra, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent were also present as well as the children of Princess Margaret, Lord Snowden and Lady Sarah Chatto, and their families.

As for Harry and Meghan, Mr Scobie told BBC Breakfast today that he 'spoke to people close to the couple' who said that the couple 'wanted to be as low profile as possible during this trip'.

He continued: 'It is almost hard to believe, but I think that yesterday at Trooping the Colour was a great example. We didn't really catch sight of them on TV cameras. There were a few grainy photos of them in existence online but that is about as far as it goes.

'And for them being here is all about honouring and really celebrating the life and legacy of the Queen. Someone that they have continued a very warm and close relationship with.

'Of course we know that is not the same with the other family members and today will be very interesting to see them alongside some of them.

'I was with the couple on their last day in the UK, on Meghan's last engagement, and of course we remember they also went on to that Westminster Abbey Commonwealth service.

'Very awkward moments between the Sussexes and the Cambridges. It was almost sort of at the peak of the tensions between them and the institutions of the monarchy.

'A lot of that has softened since then. It doesn't meant that the relationships have necessarily gotten back on track to how they once were. I think all eyes will be on them today just to see how they all are with the other members of the family.

'But of course everyone is here to celebrate the faith, the reign and the lifetime of service of the Queen.

'And I think for them, despite the fact that they broke away from the firm, they always said that they had carried out their work. Holding, upholding the same principles and values as Her Majesty.'
Samantha Cameron has been snapped wearing a blue midi dress as she arrived at St Paul's for the Platinum Jubilee thanksgiving service today.

The 51-year-old was accompanied by her husband David Cameron, 55, former prime minister.

Businesswoman Samantha donned a 290 blue maxi dress for the occasion, created by Cefinn, the London-based fashion brand she founded and of which she is the creative director.

According to the Cefinn website, the 'Cordelia' frock is made from 100 per cent printed organic cotton.

Samatha Cameron arrived at St Paul's this morning wearing a blue maxi dress created by Definn - the fashion brand she founded

The 51-year-old businesswoman (pictured, right) attended the event with her 55-year-old husband David Cameron (pictured, left)

It is described as having 'delicate knife pleats at the neckline, a tiered skirt and elegant sleeve, which enhances its femininity and makes it really special'.

Samantha paired the gown with black accessories including simple heeled pumps and hat.

She kept the rest of her look simple, with her black hair pulled into a low bun, and a glossy make-up look featuring dark eyeliner and a pink lip.

Her husband David complemented her outfit, wearing a coordinating blue suit, blue and white checked shirt, and purple tie.

Her Majesty will not be in attendance today, after being forced to 'reluctantly' pull out last night, after she experienced 'discomfort' during the Trooping The Colour events.

According to a Palace statement, the 96-year-old 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

In addition, Prince Andrew was not at the event, after yesterday announcing that he has tested positive for Covid.

However, other senior royals will be taking part, notably Prince Charles, who will stand in for his mother, as well as the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Sussexes.

Businesswoman Samantha Cameron opted for a blue and black outfit for the service at St Paul's today, wearing a dress from Cefinn, the brand she founded

The couple were seen smiling at the crowds as they made their way up the stairs into St Paul's

Today's service will mark Harry and Meghan's first appearance with The Firm since the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020 shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royal.

The couple was seen yesterday as they watched Trooping the Colour, however they made a concerted effort not to be seen by prying eyes, arriving incognito at Horse Guards Parade and studiously keeping away from most - although not all - of the waiting photographers.

Also at today's thanksgiving service will be around 400 members of the public, including key workers, charity volunteers and members of the armed forces, who were invited to the service in recognition of their contribution to public life.

Royal fans gather early this morning at St Paul's Cathedral in London ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen

Royal enthusiasts gather this morning at St Paul's Cathedral ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen

Wellwishers wait for the arrival of the Royal Family ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral this morning

The Bishop of London said earlier today that she is 'excited' ahead of the thanksgiving service. Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, who will be leading the blessing at St Paul's, told BBC Breakfast: 'I'm excited, I think.'

She added that she was nervous about the ceremonial regalia she needs to wear. 'It's a coat called the George V coat. It's quite an old coat, which is a cape and it sits on me, but of course it was designed for men because I'm the first woman who happens to be the Bishop of London,' she said. 'So, it doesn't sit quite as well on me, so I'm slightly nervous.'

She said that Her Majesty's Christian faith has 'always shaped her' and she feels privileged to play a part in the service and 'give thanks' to The Queen for her service to the country.

This morning, ahead of the service, royal fans started gathering in London in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the family.
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Zara Tindall looked pretty in pink as she attended the Service of Thanksgiving for her grandmother the Queen with her husband Mike at St Paul's Cathedral.

The Queen's granddaughter, 41, fuchsia Laura green dress, and added an extra splash of colour by teaming it with a Juliette Botterill hat in lilac, trimmed with flowers.

She accessorised with Laurence Coste earrings and teamed her outfit with a pale lilac Aspinall bag and LK Bennett shoes in a similar shade.

She was accompanied by her husband Mike who picked up the colour of her outfit by donning a pink tie.

The Queen's granddaughter, 41, donned a Juliette Botterill hat, Laura green dress, Laurence coste earrings and teamed her outfit with an Aspinall bag and LK Bennett shoes at the National Service of Thanksgiving to Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen, at St Paul's Cathedral, London

Zara and Mike Tindall arrived hand-in-hand for the Service of Thanksgiving for The Queen's reign at St.Paul's Cathedral in London, on day two of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations

On the second day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations Zara and Mike decided to leave their children at home, and enjoy the service together with family at St Paul's Cathedral

The couple were among a host of royals who arrived en masse around 11am, alongside other members of the Queen's extended family including her cousin Prince Michael of Kent and his family, and Princess Margaret' daughter Sarah Chatto and son David Linley.

The mother-of-two yesterday kept a relatively low profile during Troooping The Colour celebrations on the first day of the Platinum Jubilee weekend.

While Zara chose a very appropriate red dress and hat for the big day yesterday, today she's opted for a deep pink belted coat dress and a small clutch bag, while holding her husband close

The Queen's granddaughter donned a 450 silk Beulah London Darsha dress teamed with a Juliette Botterill 'Floral Blossom Percher' hat and her Rolex watch for the occasion.

Her husband Mike posted a photo of the pair stopping off at The Stafford, London, to support Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity GOSH, of which the Queen is patron, and artist Carne Griffiths on the release of his portrait 'The Platinum Queen' before heading to Buckingham Palace for the Trooping The Colour ceremony.

In an Instagram post, he said they were looking forward to the next few days 'celebrating one of the greatest woman on this planet'.

Zara and Mike Tindall walk up the central aisle in St Paul's Cathedral towards their seats and members of the public sit waiting for the service to begin

The couple made their way to their seats after arriving in a convoy of Range Rovers with other less senior members of the Royal Family

The couple weren't seen again for the rest of the day, after joining other members of the Royal Family at the Major General's Office overlooking Horse Guards Parade.

However, their daughters Mia and Lena were spotted frolicking with their cousins.

High-spirited Mia Tindall was seen play-fighting with Princess Charlotte, as Kate Middleton intervened to try to keep them in line.

Zara, 41, who is the Queen's eldest granddaughter, lives on Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park Estate with her former rugby player husband Mike Tindall, and their three children, Mia, 8, Lena, 3, and Lucas, one.

She is an accomplished equestrian and Olympian and despite being a granddaughter of the monarch and cousin of a future king, Zara has kept a relatively low public profile and often spends her weekends at sporting events.

She and Mike have no official duties but are regulars at royal family events, such as church services and important milestones such as the Jubilee.

In March, their daughter Mia accompanied her parents to Prince Philip's memorial service at Westminster Abbey, one of her most high profile royal events to date.

However, Zara and her family did not appear on the balcony yesterday during the flypast, despite being part of the royal party in previous years.

Her Majesty was forced to shave the numbers to 'those members of the royal family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the Queen'.

However, exceptions were made for her great-granchildren Louis, Charlotte and George and Princess Anne's husband.

Prince Charles will officially represent the Queen at the service in London today after she was forced to pull out last night, and there will also be no appearance from Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus.

Zara stands and chats with cousin Harry and his wife Meghan as they leave St Paul's Cathedral, London, earlier today

Zara with her brother Peter, husband Mike and Harry and Meghan outside St Paul's Cathedral after the service of thanksgiving for the Queen

Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank and the Duke of Sussex smile during the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's today

The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles sit down at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Prince Charles and Camilla arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

The Princess Royal, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Cambridge take their seats in St Paul's Cathedral this morning

The National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations

The Queen's absence was a last-minute decision announced by the Palace at 7.30pm last night after she experienced 'discomfort' during the Trooping The Colour events.

She is understood to have suffered episodic mobility issues yesterday - and, in a statement, the Palace revealed the Queen 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

The Queen's granddaughter Zara Tindall donned a Beulah London Darsha dress teamed with a Juliette Botterill 'Floral Blossom Percher' hat and her Rolex watch as she got ready to watch Trooping The Colour with her husband Mike.

Zara and Mike Tindall stopped off at The Stafford, London, to support Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity GOSH, of which the Queen is patron, and artist Carne Griffiths on the release of his portrait 'The Platinum Queen' before heading to Buckingham Palace for the Trooping The Colour ceremony

Close cousins! Charlotte, 7, is just a year younger than Mia, 8, so it's no wonder the pair gravitate towards each other on royal occasions. The girls were seen observing the action from the Major General's Office.

Cousins Mia Tindall, eight, and Princess Charlotte, seven, are spotted giggling through the window at Buckingham Palace as they prepared to watch the gun salute and flypast

It is understood the decision ahead of the service, which begins at 11.30am today, was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.

Senior members of the monarchy at St Paul's this morning will also include the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Sussexes, who will be joined by the extended royal family.

Today's service will be Prince Harry and Meghan's first appearance with The Firm since the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020 shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royals.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced their daughter to the Queen, who was nicknamed Lilibet as a child, yesterday at Windsor in one the Royal Family's private events after Trooping the Colour at Buckingham Palace.

Harry and Meghan are expected to remain mostly low-profile over the four-day Jubilee weekend, with no sign of the Netflix cameras that followed them around at the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in April.

Yesterday, Harry and Meghan made a concerted effort not to be seen by prying eyes as they watched Trooping the Colour yesterday, arriving incognito at Horse Guards Parade and studiously keeping away from most - although not all - of the waiting photographers.

The couple arrived in the UK on Wednesday afternoon, flying in by private jet from Los Angeles to Farnborough Airport in Hampshire, where they were picked up by royal bodyguards and taken to Frogmore Cottage.

They were not allowed on the Buckingham Palace balcony yesterday and instead watched proceedings from Horse Guards Parade.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have so far avoided a frosty public appearance with Prince William and Kate Middleton - but today the couple made it clear there are members of the royal family with whom they remain friendly with.

The 37-year-old Duke, wearing a black suit adorned with military medals and a silver tie, and Duchess of Sussex left their children Archie, three, and Lilibet, nearly one, behind to attend the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today.

They took seats alongside his cousins Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice and their respective husbands, Jack Brooksbank, 36, and Edo Mapelli Mozzi, 38 - and Harry couldn't resist larking around in the pews of St Paul's, sharing a joke with his cousin's husband Jack Brooksbank.

Prince Harry and banker Brooksbank were spotted giggling ahead of the historic service, with Princess Eugenie, dressed in a striking orange dress, appearing to also stifle a laugh.

Earlier this year, Princess Eugenie became the first member of the Royal Family to make a public visit to Prince Harry in California, two years after he quit as a senior royal, and it's thought the two couples share a close bond.

Later, after leaving the service, Harry and Meghan, wearing a cream coat dress with a matching hat and shoes, was seen sharing a laugh with his cousin Zara Tindall.

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Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan Markle, 40, put on a very friendly display with the Duke's cousins as they attended the service at St Paul's Cathedral today

Meanwhile the Duke took his seat next to Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank, 36, at St Paul's Cathedral for the National Service of Thanksgiving - and the pair appeared to be getting on famously, with Princess Eugenie looking like she was stifling a giggle ahead of the commemorative service.

Still a joker! Prince Harry, wearing a black suit adorned with military medals and a silver tie, offered an open-mouthed grin to a familiar face in the next pew, as Princess Eugenie, also smiling, also offered a cheery hello to the guest

And after leaving the service, the royal couple put on a friendly display with both Zara Tindall and her brother Peter Philips (left).

Prince Harry and Meghan are also close to Zara, Princess Anne's daughter, and her husband Mike - although they are not believed to have visited the couple in their new home in LA. The Duke is even godfather to the couple's youngest daughter, Lena.

Harry, along with his brother William, were were raised in Gloucestershire, just a few miles from where Zara and her brother Peter Phillips grew up.

The four royal cousins were often spotted chatting and joking at royal events, with William previously revealing how it was 'hard to keep a straight face' when sitting opposite his cousins in church.

The bond between cousins is particularly close for members of the Royal Family, who might struggle to let outsiders into their inner circle.

Such is the closeness between the cousins that they are all part of a WhatsApp group where they exchange messages on upcoming events and family news.

Harry and Meghan had to squeeze past his cousins Beatrice and Eugenie, who were already seated, to get to their places in the Cathedral.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arriving for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral this morning. Meghan, 40, was the picture of poise in a cream coat dress and matching hat and shoes as she joined senior royals in her first public engagement with the family in two years

Harry and Meghan had to squeeze past his cousins Beatrice and Eugenie, who were already seated, to get to their places

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (left, circled) sit across the aisle from the Sussexes (right, circled) at St Paul's today

Later, the Prince was spotted, with his mouth open, appearing to be enjoying a joke with another royal seated across the aisle. Beatrice, sitting a few seats down, was also grinning in the same direction.

Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex, in a cream coat dress and matching hat and shoes, chatted to Lady Sarah Chatto, the Queen's niece, ahead of the historic ceremony.

The Duchess of Sussex put on a typically glamorous display as she arrived with Prince Harry. Meghan, 40, was the picture of poise in a cream coat dress and matching hat and shoes as she joined senior royals in her first public engagement with the family in two years.

The couple were last seen with The Firm at the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020, shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royals.

But it was a far more relaxed affair on Friday morning, with the couple smiling broadly as they arrived at the London cathedral ahead of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Prince Harry looks up at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning as he celebrates his grandmother's Platinum Jubilee

Back in the fold? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex looked to be enjoying the occasion as they chatted to fellow royals seated around them (Pictured from right: Lady Sarah Chatto, the Sussexes, Jack Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie, bottom row from left, the Duke of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex's son James, Viscount Severn)

As the service began, Prince Harry looked more contemplative; his wife Meghan had been chatting to Lady Sarah Chatto, the Queen's niece, ahead of the historic ceremony

The couple were last seen with The Firm at the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020, shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royals

Meghan and Harry were greeted on the steps of St Paul's by the Lord Mayor of London and held hands as they took their seats beside Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, and their husbands.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in a separate car a short time later, avoiding any potentially tense interaction between the foursome.

Although the Queen is absent at today's service after experiencing 'discomfort' following yesterday's Trooping the Colour, senior royals, the Lord Mayor of London, politicians - including the Prime Minister and wife Carrie - celebrities and key community figures gathered for the historic service to honour the Queen's reign.

Prince Charles is officially representing the Queen at the service after she was forced to pull out last night, and there will also be no appearance from Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus.

Political guests arrived ahead of the royals, including former prime minister Sir Tony Blair and his wife Cherie, followed by other ex-prime ministers Gordon Brown, Theresa May and David Cameron, and their spouses.

Carefully timed: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in a separate car a short time after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, avoiding any potentially tense interaction between the foursome

Return to royal life: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were greeted at the Great West Door by the Dean of St Paul's this morning

The couple were pictured smiling broadly at well-wishers as they arrived for the second day of Jubilee events

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pictured walking into St Paul's Cathedral in London for the service of thanksgiving this morning

Members of the public gather outside St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning ahead of the service of thanksgiving

Wellwishers wait for the arrival of the Royal Family ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Ex-prime minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

Former prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral today

Where and when can I watch the Platinum Jubilee celebrations? Here is a rundown of what will happen today and for the next two days as the nation pays tribute to the Queen's 70 years as sovereign during the Platinum Jubilee weekend, and where to watch the events on television. TODAY 12.25pm - Members of the royal family attend a Guildhall reception hosted by the Lord Mayor TOMORROW The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's daughter Lilibet celebrates her first birthday.

Senior royals tour the UK, with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visiting Cardiff Castle to meet stars ahead of a jubilee concert, the Princess Royal taking part in an animal-handling session at Edinburgh Zoo and the Earl and Countess of Wessex travelling to Northern Ireland.

4.30pm - The Epsom Derby takes place. Avid racegoer the Queen is no longer planning to attend, although members of the royal family are expected to be there. Ed Chamberlin presents racing coverage on ITV from 12.40pm. A guard of honour, made of up to 40 of the Queen's past and present jockeys, is due to line the course.

7.40pm - Royals arrive at the BBC's Platinum Party at the Palace concert. Coverage begins on BBC One from 7.30pm with Kirsty Young in St James's Park, and Roman Kemp backstage.

8pm-10.30pm - The open-air show in front of the palace, features stars including Queen + Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys, Duran Duran and Diana Ross. SUNDAY Street parties and Big Jubilee Lunches are staged across the country.

Coverage begins on BBC One from 1pm with commentary from Clare Balding, while Kirsty Young, AJ Odudu, Anita Rani, Anton Du Beke, Sophie Morgan and Owain Wyn Evans report on street parties across the UK.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall join a flagship feast at The Oval cricket ground in south London, while Edward and Sophie meet people creating the 'Long Table' down on The Long Walk leading up to Windsor Castle.

2.30pm-5pm - The Jubilee Pageant takes place in central London, with a 3km carnival procession featuring a cast of thousands including puppets, celebrities and tributes to the seven decades of the Queen's reign.

It will move from Horse Guards, along Whitehall to Admiralty Arch, and down The Mall to the Palace.

The finale will feature Ed Sheeran performing and singing the national anthem with close to 200 national treasures in front of the Queen's official residence.

It is hoped the Queen will make a balcony appearance as the festivities come to a close.

At 8pm on BBC Two, Kirsty Young looks back at the weekend of celebrations. Advertisement

Soon after, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon arrived with her husband, and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

Members of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force lined up on either side of the Great West Door.

The 96-year-old Queen missed today's service at St Paul's following a last-minute decision announced by the Palace at 7.30pm last night after she experienced 'discomfort' during the Trooping The Colour events.

She is understood to have suffered episodic mobility issues yesterday - and, in a statement, the Palace revealed the Queen 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

It is understood the decision ahead of the service was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.

The Queen met her great-granddaughter Lilibet for the first time yesterday after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had lunch with the monarch and senior royals behind closed doors as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced their little girl to the Queen - nicknamed Lilibet as a child - yesterday at Windsor after attending a private Royal Family lunch at Buckingham Palace following Trooping the Colour.

Harry and Meghan are expected to remain mostly low-profile over the four-day Jubilee weekend, with no sign of the Netflix cameras that followed them around at the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in April. But they will attend today's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral - their first joint royal engagement in two years.

The Sussexes, who are staying at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor while visiting from California, were not allowed on the Buckingham Palace balcony yesterday and instead watched proceedings from Horse Guards Parade.

The order of service for today's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London which begins at 11.30am today
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Princess Margaret's daughter Lady Sarah Chatto looked elegant in ivory as she arrived at St Paul's Cathedral for today's National Service of Thanksgiving - taking a seat next to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for the historic event.

The 58-year-old royal, who was joined by her artist husband Daniel and two sons Arthur, 23, and Samuel, 25, at the service to mark 70 years of the Queen's reign, appeared deep in chat with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who she was seated next to at the commemorative service.

The Queen's beloved niece and other extended royals - including her brother David Linley, Earl of Snowdon and his son Charles Armstrong-Jones - all arrived by bus for the service.

Wearing an ivory skirt suit, with a wide-brimmed cloche-style hat accessorised with a four-string pearl necklace and pearl earrings, Lady Chatto looked in good spirits as she chatted with the Sussexes, who have kept a low profile so far at the four-day celebrations.

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Lady Sarah Chatto, 58, was joined by husband Daniel and the couple's two sons Arthur, 23, - pictured in his military uniform above - and Samuel, 25, at St Paul's Cathedral for the National Service of Thanksgiving in London on Friday

The Queen's niece, far left, was seated next to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for the service of thanksgiving

Princess Margaret's daughter appeared to be deep in chat with Meghan and Harry ahead of the ceremony at St Paul's

The 58-year-old royal, who was joined by her artist husband Daniel, and their two sons, walked behind the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they entered St Paul's for the service on Friday morning

Lady Chatto's youngest son Arthur cut a dashing figure in his navy Marines uniform; the former personal trainer was accepted to join the prestigious military force earlier this year

The 23-year-old has won plenty of fans on social media in recent years thanks to his handsome looks and recent Royal Marine status. Right: a floppy-haired Samuel Chatto, 25, spotted walking behind his cousin Charles Armstrong-Jones

Lady Sarah was seated alongside the Sussexes, Jack Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex's son James, Viscount Severn, is pictured far left

Wearing an ivory skirt suit, with a wide-brimmed hat accessorised with a four-string pearl necklace and pearl earrings, Lady Chatto looked comfortable as she chatted with the Sussexes, who have kept a low profile so far at the four-day celebrations

The Queen's niece, Lady Sarah, pictured behind her brother David Linley (far right), arrived by bus for the service on Friday morning with her sons, Arthur, far left, and Samuel, (second from right) who wore military uniform, and her nephew Charles Armstrong-Jones (second from left)

Wearing an ivory skirt suit, with a wide-brimmed cloche-style hat accessorised with a four-string pearl necklace and pearl earrings, Lady Chatto looked in good spirits as she chatted with the Sussexes

Lady Chatto's youngest son Arthur, the Queens great nephew, looked dapper in his military uniform; the 23-year-old has won plenty of fans on social media in recent years thanks to his handsome looks and recent Royal Marine status.

Once seated in the cathedral, Arthur removed his military hat to reveal a closely-shorn haircut.

Meanwhile, his older brother, Samuel, an artist, wearing a traditional morning suit, opted for a floppier hairstyle, smiling as he made his way up the steps of St Paul's for the service.

While Prince Harry shared a joke with Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank, Lady Chatto looked deep in conversation with Meghan Markle ahead of the service.

Although the Queen is absent at today's service after experiencing 'discomfort' following yesterday's Trooping the Colour, senior royals, the Lord Mayor of London, politicians - including the Prime Minister and wife Carrie - celebrities and key community figures gathered for the historic service to honour the Queen's reign.

Prince Charles is officially representing the Queen at the service in London today after she was forced to pull out last night, and there will also be no appearance from Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus.

Political guests arrived ahead of the royals, including former prime minister Sir Tony Blair and his wife Cherie, followed by other ex-prime ministers Gordon Brown, Theresa May and David Cameron, and their spouses.

Soon after, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon arrived with her husband, and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

Members of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force lined up on either side of the Great West Door.

Members of the public gather outside St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning ahead of the service of thanksgiving

Well-wishers wait for the arrival of the Royal Family ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Ex-prime minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

Former prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral today

The 96-year-old Queen will miss today's service at St Paul's following a last-minute decision announced by the Palace at 7.30pm last night after she experienced 'discomfort' during the Trooping The Colour events.

She is understood to have suffered episodic mobility issues yesterday - and, in a statement, the Palace revealed the Queen 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

The Queen will be watching the service on television from Windsor Castle, and it will be broadcast on BBC One. In London, thousands of people have gathered around the Cathedral for the service, which began at 11:30am today.

Where and when can I watch the Platinum Jubilee celebrations? Here is a rundown of what will happen today and for the next two days as the nation pays tribute to the Queen's 70 years as sovereign during the Platinum Jubilee weekend, and where to watch the events on television. TODAY 12.25pm - Members of the royal family attend a Guildhall reception hosted by the Lord Mayor TOMORROW The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's daughter Lilibet celebrates her first birthday.

Senior royals tour the UK, with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visiting Cardiff Castle to meet stars ahead of a jubilee concert, the Princess Royal taking part in an animal-handling session at Edinburgh Zoo and the Earl and Countess of Wessex travelling to Northern Ireland.

4.30pm - The Epsom Derby takes place. Avid racegoer the Queen is no longer planning to attend, although members of the royal family are expected to be there. Ed Chamberlin presents racing coverage on ITV from 12.40pm. A guard of honour, made of up to 40 of the Queen's past and present jockeys, is due to line the course.

7.40pm - Royals arrive at the BBC's Platinum Party at the Palace concert. Coverage begins on BBC One from 7.30pm with Kirsty Young in St James's Park, and Roman Kemp backstage.

8pm-10.30pm - The open-air show in front of the palace, features stars including Queen + Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys, Duran Duran and Diana Ross. SUNDAY Street parties and Big Jubilee Lunches are staged across the country.

Coverage begins on BBC One from 1pm with commentary from Clare Balding, while Kirsty Young, AJ Odudu, Anita Rani, Anton Du Beke, Sophie Morgan and Owain Wyn Evans report on street parties across the UK.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall join a flagship feast at The Oval cricket ground in south London, while Edward and Sophie meet people creating the 'Long Table' down on The Long Walk leading up to Windsor Castle.

2.30pm-5pm - The Jubilee Pageant takes place in central London, with a 3km carnival procession featuring a cast of thousands including puppets, celebrities and tributes to the seven decades of the Queen's reign.

It will move from Horse Guards, along Whitehall to Admiralty Arch, and down The Mall to the Palace.

The finale will feature Ed Sheeran performing and singing the national anthem with close to 200 national treasures in front of the Queen's official residence.

It is hoped the Queen will make a balcony appearance as the festivities come to a close.

At 8pm on BBC Two, Kirsty Young looks back at the weekend of celebrations. Advertisement

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

It is understood the decision ahead of the service, which begins at 11.30am today, was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.

Senior members of the monarchy at St Paul's this morning will also include the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Sussexes, who will be joined by the extended royal family.

The Queen met her great-granddaughter Lilibet for the first time yesterday after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had lunch with the monarch and senior royals behind closed doors as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced their little girl to the Queen - nicknamed Lilibet as a child - yesterday at Windsor after attending a private Royal Family lunch at Buckingham Palace following Trooping the Colour.

Harry and Meghan are expected to remain mostly low-profile over the four-day Jubilee weekend, with no sign of the Netflix cameras that followed them around at the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in April. But they will attend today's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral - their first joint royal engagement in two years.

The Sussexes, who are staying at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor while visiting from California, were not allowed on the Buckingham Palace balcony yesterday and instead watched proceedings from Horse Guards Parade.

The order of service for today's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London which begins at 11.30am today
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The Queen's support squad of royal women attended the Platinum Jubilee thanksgiving service at St Paul's today, showing their unwavering loyalty for Her Majesty, who was unable to attend the event due to mobility issues.

Among her leading ladies were, Zara Tindall, 41, and Princesses Beatrice, 33, and Eugenie, 32, the Queen's older granddaughters.

Although none of them carry out official royal duties, they are key figures at major royal events such as today's service and are unwavering in their support of the Queen.

Princess Eugenie this week went to the V&A to visit Queen's Jubilee Emblem Display and has been asking social media followers to submit photos of their Jubilee celebrations, which she's been sharing on her Instagram Stories.

And yesterday Zara's husband Mike took to Instagram to share a photo of the pair supporting Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity GOSH, of which the Queen is patron, and artist Carne Griffiths on the release of his portrait 'The Platinum Queen' before heading to Buckingham Palace for the Trooping The Colour ceremony.

The support squad represented the monarch, who revealed last night that she would have to 'reluctantly' pull out of today's service, after experiencing 'discomfort' during yesterday's Trooping The Colour events.

According to a Palace statement, the 96-year-old 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

The Queen's granddaughter Zara Tindall wore an eye catching fuchsia outfit as she stepped out in support of the monarch at today's Platinum Jubilee service

Sisters Princess Beatrice (left) and Princess Eugenie (right) were among the Queen's female squad, showing up for today's thanksgiving service at St Paul's to show their support for the absent monarch

Style sisters! Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice arrive at the Guildhall for a reception after the service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul's Cathedral in London

In addition, Prince Andrew was not at the event, after yesterday announcing that he has tested positive for Covid.

However, other senior royals took part, notably Prince Charles, who stood in for his mother, as well as the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Sussexes.

Today's service also marked Harry and Meghan's first appearance with The Firm since the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020 shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royal.

The couple were seen yesterday as they watched Trooping the Colour, however they made a concerted effort not to be seen by prying eyes, arriving incognito at Horse Guards Parade and studiously keeping away from most - although not all - of the waiting photographers.

Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank and the Duke of Sussex smile during the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's today

Princess Eugenie looked great in her  1,503 summer midi dress with a cold shoulder detail from Emilia Wickstead this morning

Princess Beatrice looked stunning in her blue number, adorned at the wrists and on the chest with pearls, which she wore with a matching hat. Edo Mapelli Mozzi looked dapper in his morning coat

A stylish quartet! Older sister, dressed in blue, led the way with her husband Edo, while Eugenie, in orange, followed with Jack

The Queen's granddaughter, 41, donned a Juliette Botterill hat, Laura green dress, Laurence coste earrings and teamed her outfit with an Aspinall bag and LK Bennett shoes at the National Service of Thanksgiving to Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen, at St Paul's Cathedral, London

Zara and Mike Tindall walk up the central aisle in St Paul's Cathedral towards their seats and members of the public sit waiting for the service to begin

Also at today's thanksgiving service were around 400 members of the public, including key workers, charity volunteers and members of the armed forces, who were invited to the service in recognition of their contribution to public life.

The Bishop of London said earlier today that she is 'excited' ahead of the thanksgiving service. Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, who will be leading the blessing at St Paul's, told BBC Breakfast: 'I'm excited, I think.'

She added that she was nervous about the ceremonial regalia she needs to wear. 'It's a coat called the George V coat. It's quite an old coat, which is a cape and it sits on me, but of course it was designed for men because I'm the first woman who happens to be the Bishop of London,' she said. 'So, it doesn't sit quite as well on me, so I'm slightly nervous.'

She said that Her Majesty's Christian faith has 'always shaped her' and she feels privileged to play a part in the service and 'give thanks' to The Queen for her service to the country.

This morning, ahead of the service, royal fans started gathering in London in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the family.

The Princess Royal, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Cambridge take their seats in St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Members of the Royal Family arrive to attend the Service of Thanksgiving for The Queen's reign at St Paul's Cathedral today

(Left to right) The Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Prince of Wales today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie arrive at St Paul's Cathedral in London for the Platinum Jubilee event today

The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles sit down at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today
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Sophie Winkleman and Zara Tindall had a joyful reunion at today's St Paul's thanksgiving service.

Sophie, 41, who is married to Lord Frederick Windsor, 43, the only son of the Queen's cousin Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, donned a beautiful pink dress by Beulah with pearl buttons and a matching hat adorned with flowers as she walked to the Cathedral.

Meanwhile, Zara, also 41, attended the service with her husband Mike Tindall and also sported a vibrant pink dress.

They joined Prince Charles, 73, the Duchess of Cornwall, 74, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children for the event. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also made a noted appearance.

However, it was announced the Queen wouldn't attend the service today after experiencing some 'discomfort' during the first day of celebrations.

After the ceremony, Sophie reunited with Zara Tindall and the pair seemed to delight in the fact they were both wearing pink as they posed up a storm.

Sophie Winkleman, 41, who attended the service with her husband Lord Frederick Windsor, 43, reunited with Zara Tindall in front of the cathedral

All smiles! The two royal beauties picked similar outfits, from the floral details of their dresses to the buttons on their pink dresses

Sophie, - who famously starred as Big Suze in Peep Show before marrying into the royal family in 2009, looked in her element as she made her way to St Paul's next to her husband, 43, who was wearing a morning coat.

Her bright pink dress was eye-catching in all the right way and the look was just sophisticated enough, with pearls on the wrists and chest.

Her glossy locks were cascading down her shoulders in a sleek blowdry, and she was sporting a glowy makeup, with just a dash of mascara.

Sophie, who is the half sister of TV presenter Claudia Winkleman, paired the look with a white leather clutch bag and cream swede heels. Lord Frederick looked dapped in a grey suit for the occasion

Her choice of dress proved popular, as Princess Beatrice was wearing the exact same number in blue.

Meanwhile, Zara, the Queen's granddaughter, 41, donned a fuchsia Laura Green dress, and added an extra splash of colour by teaming it with a Juliette Botterill hat in lilac, trimmed with flowers.

She accessorised with Laurence Coste earrings and teamed her outfit with a pale lilac Aspinal bag and LK Bennett shoes in a similar shade.

The two women seemed to be amused by the fact they donned a similar outfit, and posed for pictures after the ceremony.

Extended members of the royal family have come on masse to the service of Thanksgiving today to show their support.

Sophie, who also starred in Two and a Half Men, lives in London, and has two children with Frederick, Maud, eight, and Isabella, five.

Maud, attends Thomas's Battersea, the same school that her distant cousins Prince George and Princess Charlotte attended.

Since the couple tied the knot in 2009, mother-of-two Sophie says everyone has 'looked after' her, in particular the Queen and Prince Charles, who have been 'wonderful', and Prince William, whom she described as 'heaven'.

Speaking to The Times, in 2020 she said: 'I've been incredibly welcomed with open arms by all of them... They'd never tell me off at all if I wanted to play some [racy] role.'

Sophie is half-sister of TV presenter Claudia Winkleman, with whom she shares father Barry Winkleman, and was educated at the private City of London School for Girls before completing an English degree at the University of Cambridge.

She explained she and the Strictly presenter had 'very separate lives' as children because Claudia, who is nine years her senior, lived with her mother.

It comes as the Queen has met her great-granddaughter Lilibet for the first time after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had lunch with the monarch and senior royals behind closed doors as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced their little girl to the Queen - nicknamed Lilibet as a child - yesterday at Windsor after attending a private Royal Family lunch at Buckingham Palace following Trooping the Colour.

Harry and Meghan are expected to remain mostly low-profile over the four-day Jubilee weekend, with no sign of the Netflix cameras that followed them around at the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in April. But they will attend today's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral - their first joint royal engagement in two years.

Prince Charles is officially representing the Queen at the service in London today after she was forced to pull out last night, and there will also be no appearance from Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus.

The Sussexes, who are staying at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor while visiting from California, were not allowed on the Buckingham Palace balcony yesterday and instead watched proceedings from Horse Guards Parade.

But today's service marked Harry and Meghan's first appearance with The Firm since the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020 shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royals.

Zara and Sophie were both wearing pink and both seemed to be having a great time at today's thanksgiving service in central London

A friendly reunion! The two royals seemed amused at how similar their outfits looked, down to the shoes and their leather bags

The 96-year-old Queen missed today's service at St Paul's following a last-minute decision announced by the Palace at 7.30pm last night after she experienced 'discomfort' during the Trooping The Colour events.

She is understood to have suffered episodic mobility issues yesterday - and, in a statement, the Palace revealed the Queen 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

It is understood the decision ahead of the service, which begins at 11.30am today, was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.

The Archbishop of York delivered the sermon during today's service as the Archbishop of Canterbury was forced to pull out due to having coronavirus.

Sophie looked poised in her bright pink outfit as she arrived for the St Paul's service at the arm of her husband Lord Frederick earlier

Zara sported a very chic pair of sunglasses today as the sun shone on central London. She paired her looks with lilac and violet accesories while Sophie opted for white

Sophie Winkleman, 41, and Lord Frederick Windsor, 43 were among the royal who came out in support of the Queen at today's St Paul's thanksgiving service

There was no ceremonial journey to the cathedral and members of the Cabinet were also to attend today's proceedings, with Boris Johnson reading from the Bible.

Additionally, Sir Keir Starmer attended the Service, alongside first ministers of the devolved administrations and former prime ministers.

Meanwhile key workers, charity volunteers and members of the armed forces were invited to the Queen's service of thanksgiving at St Paul's today in recognition of their contribution to public life.

More than 400 people, who have been making a difference either nationally or locally, were among the guests and many have been working tirelessly during the pandemic.

Before the service begins, the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Portsmouth (Royal Band), played as the congregation arrived and the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry performed to mark royal arrivals, while the Fanfare Trumpeters of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force accompanied later in the service.

The choirs of St Paul's Cathedral and Her Majesty's Chapel Royal joined together to sing the Vivats, I Was Glad by Sir Hubert Parry, performed at every coronation and now for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
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Prince Harry today sported his ceremonial medals as he appeared for the Service of Thanksgiving during the second day of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Arriving at St Paul's Cathedral in London today, the Duke of Sussex, 37, who is currently living in his $14 million mansion in the US having stepped back from royal duty, wore his special Platinum Jubilee medal, which he was awarded by the Queen, proudly pinned to his chest.

As with previous jubilees, the Queen paid privately for the medals to be given to members of her 'wider' family, both working and non-working.

The commemorative medals were also being presented to frontline staff at the police, fire and emergency services who have completed five years' service, as a token of thanks. Members of the royal household with one year of qualifying service will receive medals too.

Harry, who acrimoniously quit as a working royal and moved to the US in pursuit of lucrative commercial careers while repeatedly criticising the Royal Family, was awarded the medal alongside his wife Meghan as a matter of course.

He wore it with a number of other pieces today, including the Afghanistan Operational Service Medal in 2008 for service in Helmand Province.

It is understood that Harry wore his medals with his 'civilian dress' during todays event, where the dress code may have said 'decorations'.

Prince Harry today sported his ceremonial medals as he appeared alongside his wife for the Service of Thanksgiving during the second day of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations

He wore a Star of the Grand Cross Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. On the other side of his jacket he wore medals for the Golden Jubilee, 2012 Diamond Jubilee and Platinum Jubilee

Charles' youngest spent 10 years in the Army and served two tours of Afghanistan.

The royal also had the his KCVO Neck Order, which is awarded as part of the Royal Victorian Order - a monarchical order of knighthood, which was given to Harry in 2015 by the Queen 'for services to the sovereign'.

On the other side of his jacket he wore medals for the Golden Jubilee, 2012 Diamond Jubilee and Platinum Jubilee.

In January, a royal said said: 'In common with previous jubilees, it is likely that wider members of the Royal Family would receive the Platinum Jubilee medal... they are funded privately and are commemorative.'

Timothy Noad from the College of Arms designed the Queen's Platinum Jubilee medal, made of nickel silver, which features the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of the Queen with the Latin inscription 'Elizabeth II Dei Gratia Regina Fid Def' - Elizabeth II, By the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith.

On the reverse is the heraldic image of the royal crest and the years of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee - 1952-2022.

Other royals including Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Edward were also snapped in the medals during the event today (left, the Duke of Cambridge wearing the new Platinum Jubilee medal, his 2002 Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal and the 2012 Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal. He also wore his Garter star. right, the Prince of Wales and Duchess)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arriving for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral this morning. Meghan, 40, was the picture of poise in a cream coat dress and matching hat and shoes as she joined senior royals in her first public engagement with the family in two years

The Duke of Sussex and his medals: How Prince Harry has been given a number of awards for his service to the Queen 2002 - Awarded the Queens Golden Jubilee Medal, which was given to everyone who was in active service on February 6 2002 and had been in the forces for five years 2008 - Received an Operational Service medal to mark his service in Afghanistan. 2012 - Awarded the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal, which was awarded to all those in the Armed Forces, emergency services, prison services and members of the Royal Household. 2015 - Knighted by his grandmother for his service and was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO). 2022 - Awarded the Queen's Platinum Jubilee medal despite stepping back from royal duty Advertisement

Medals have been awarded to mark royal jubilees since the Victorian period when the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria's reign was commemorated in 1887 with a medal.

In recent decades, medals have been issued to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, Golden Jubilee in 2002 and Silver Jubilee in 1977.

Other royals including Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Edward were also snapped in the medals during the event today.

The Prince of Wales wore medals including: a garter star, an Order of Merit, the Queen's Service Order (New Zealand), Coronation Medal, Silver Jubilee Medal, Golden Jubilee Medal, Diamond Jubilee Medal, Naval Long Service Good Conduct (LSGC), Canadian Forces Decoration, The New Zealand Commemmorative Medal, and the New Zealand Armed Forces Award.

The Garter Star is the most prestigious British order of chivalry, which The Prince of Wales was awarded in 1958.

The Prince Of Wales also wore the Queen's Service Order, which was awarded to him in New Zealand in 1983, to recognise 'valuable voluntary service to the community and faithful services to the Crown'

Around his neck, Charles wore the Queen's Coronation medal, commemorating the year his mother took the throne, as well as medals to mark The Queen's Silver, Gold and Diamond Jubilees.

There was also his Canadian forces decoration. The Duke of Cornwall was awarded this in 2002 in recognition of his 32 years of service as Colonel In Chief of the Royal Canadian Regiment, as well as his New Zealand Commerative medal which he was awarded in 1990.

The other medals included his Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal to mark the good conduct of armed forces personnel.

Prince William wore the new Platinum Jubilee medal, his 2002 Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal and the 2012 Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Like his father, William has a Garter star on display as he is a member of the Order of the Garter.

The youngest of the Queen's children, The Earl of Wessex displayed the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee medal, Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee medal and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal during today's service.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (left, circled) sit across the aisle from the Sussexes (right, circled) at St Paul's today

Back in the fold? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex looked to be enjoying the occasion as they chatted to fellow royals seated around them (Pictured from right: Lady Sarah Chatto, the Sussexes, Jack Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie, bottom row from left, the Duke of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex's son James, Viscount Severn)

Prince Harry looks up at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning as he celebrates his grandmother's Platinum Jubilee

Platinum Jubilee medal was hailed by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries as a fitting tribute to the soldiers and frontline workers who received the award marking the Queen's 70-year reign The Platinum Jubilee medal has been hailed as a fitting tribute The Culture Secretary hailed the Platinum Jubilee medal as a fitting tribute to the sacrifices of the Armed Forces, emergency services and others received the award marking the Queen's 70-year reign. Medals were awarded to living recipients of the Victoria and George Crosses and serving frontline members of the police, fire, emergency services, prison services and Armed Forces who completed five years service on February 6 2022, the start of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Medals have been awarded to mark royal jubilees since the Victorian period when the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria's reign was commemorated in 1887 with a medal. In recent decades, medals have been issued to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, Golden Jubilee in 2002 and Silver Jubilee in 1977. On the reverse is the heraldic image of the royal crest and the years of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee - 1952-2022 Advertisement

Edward wore his Canadian Forces Decoration, and New Zealand Commemorative medals.

Today, Harry and Meghan spent a few minutes talking to the senior cleric before they entered the place of worship and proceeded to greet the long line of clergy. Harry stopped to chat for a few moments with the Archbishop of York.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge then arrived to loud cheers and waved to the public as they walked up the steps to the cathedral. The Duchess was wearing a dress by Emilia Wickstead and a Philip Treacy hat.

Charles and Camilla were the last royals to arrive, stopping to speak with the clergy before making their way inside to their seats. Camilla wore an ivory and gold embroidered coat dress by Fiona Clare and hat by Philip Treacy. Kate and William, followed by Charles and Camilla, were then led in a procession to their seats in the front row.

Harry and Meghan had to squeeze past his cousins Beatrice and Eugenie, who were already seated, to get to their places. Harry was spotted, with his mouth open, appearing to be enjoying a joke with another royal seated across the aisle. Beatrice, sitting a few seats down, was also grinning in the same direction.

Political guests arrived ahead of the royals, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie, former prime minister Sir Tony Blair and his wife Cherie, Sir John Major and other ex-prime ministers Gordon Brown, Theresa May and David Cameron, and their spouses. Cabinet ministers Sajid Javid and Liz Truss were also there.

The Queen was not in attendance today, with Prince Charles officially representing her after she was forced to pull out.

She is understood to have suffered episodic mobility issues yesterday - and, in a statement, the Palace revealed the Queen 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

The decision ahead of the service was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.

Both Prince Andrew and The Archbishop of Canterbury have tested positive for coronavirus and did not attend, with the Archbishop of York giving a sermon instead.

Senior royals including the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will join the Wessex's at the service, with Harry and Meghan making their first appearance with the family since the Westminster Abbey Commonwealth Service in March 2020.

Members of the Cabinet are also attended today's proceedings, with Boris Johnson reading from the Bible.

Additionally, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was at the Service, alongside first ministers of the devolved administrations and former prime ministers.

Meanwhile key workers, charity volunteers and members of the armed forces were invited to the Service of Thanksgiving in recognition of their contribution to public life.

More than 400 people, who have been making a difference either nationally or locally, were among the guests and many have been working tirelessly during the pandemic.

Before the service began, the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Portsmouth (Royal Band), played as the congregation arrived and the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry performed to mark royal arrivals, while the Fanfare Trumpeters of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force accompanied them later in the service.

Return to royal life: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were greeted at the Great West Door by the Dean of St Paul's this morning

Where and when can I watch the Platinum Jubilee celebrations? Here is a rundown of what will happen today and for the next two days as the nation pays tribute to the Queen's 70 years as sovereign during the Platinum Jubilee weekend, and where to watch the events on television. TODAY 12.25pm - Members of the royal family attend a Guildhall reception hosted by the Lord Mayor TOMORROW The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's daughter Lilibet celebrates her first birthday.

Senior royals tour the UK, with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visiting Cardiff Castle to meet stars ahead of a jubilee concert, the Princess Royal taking part in an animal-handling session at Edinburgh Zoo and the Earl and Countess of Wessex travelling to Northern Ireland.

4.30pm - The Epsom Derby takes place. Avid racegoer the Queen is no longer planning to attend, although members of the royal family are expected to be there. Ed Chamberlin presents racing coverage on ITV from 12.40pm. A guard of honour, made of up to 40 of the Queen's past and present jockeys, is due to line the course.

7.40pm - Royals arrive at the BBC's Platinum Party at the Palace concert. Coverage begins on BBC One from 7.30pm with Kirsty Young in St James's Park, and Roman Kemp backstage.

8pm-10.30pm - The open-air show in front of the palace, features stars including Queen + Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys, Duran Duran and Diana Ross. SUNDAY Street parties and Big Jubilee Lunches are staged across the country.

Coverage begins on BBC One from 1pm with commentary from Clare Balding, while Kirsty Young, AJ Odudu, Anita Rani, Anton Du Beke, Sophie Morgan and Owain Wyn Evans report on street parties across the UK.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall join a flagship feast at The Oval cricket ground in south London, while Edward and Sophie meet people creating the 'Long Table' down on The Long Walk leading up to Windsor Castle.

2.30pm-5pm - The Jubilee Pageant takes place in central London, with a 3km carnival procession featuring a cast of thousands including puppets, celebrities and tributes to the seven decades of the Queen's reign.

It will move from Horse Guards, along Whitehall to Admiralty Arch, and down The Mall to the Palace.

The finale will feature Ed Sheeran performing and singing the national anthem with close to 200 national treasures in front of the Queen's official residence.

It is hoped the Queen will make a balcony appearance as the festivities come to a close.

At 8pm on BBC Two, Kirsty Young looks back at the weekend of celebrations. Advertisement

The choirs of St Paul's Cathedral and Her Majesty's Chapel Royal joined together to sing the Vivats, I Was Glad by Sir Hubert Parry, performed at every coronation and now for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Before the Service of Thanksgiving, the Great Paul, the largest church bell in the country, was rung between 10.50 and 10.55.

The historic bell was made in 1882, but fell silent in the 1970s due to a broken mechanism and was then restored in 2021.

Since, the bell has rang out eight times but today's event was the first royal occasion where it was rung before the Service begins at 11.30am.

Royal family members arrived at the foot of the West Steps at 10.55am and then at 11.25, just before the service begins, there was a procession.

This procession featured the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince of Wales and the royals in attendance took their seats under the Dome before the ceremony got underway.

There was also a prayer called The Bidding during the Service, where the Dean of St Paul's offered 'thanks and 'thanks and praise for the reign of Her Majesty the Queen and especially for her 70 years of faithful and dedicated service'.

The event featured a new anthem by Judith Weir, Master of the Queen's Music, that sets to music words of the third Chapter of the Book of Proverbs.

Bible readings, hymns and prayers to express thankfulness for the Queen's reign, faith and service were also heard by the congregation as the nation marks the monarch's 70 years on the throne and the ceremony ended with the singing of the national anthem.
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The Queen's extended family flocked to the Platinum Jubilee thanksgiving service at St Paul's today to support the monarch, who was unable to attend the event due to mobility issues.

Among the guests was the Queen's cousin, the Duke of Kent, who looked dapper in a waistcoat and tails, and was accompanied by his cousin Princess Alexandra, who appeared on the balcony with the Queen for the flypast yesterday after Trooping the Colour.

Also present was the Queen's cousin Prince Michael of his Kent and his wife, Princess Michael, along with their two children.

The couple's daughter Lady Gabriella Windsor, looked elegant as she arrived at the event with her husband Thomas Kingston, wearing an all-peach ensemble, matching her accessories to her belted midi dress.

Additionally, her Majesty's 58-year-old niece, Lady Sarah Chatto, was snapped in St Paul's, appearing to be deep in conversation with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Meanwhile, Lady Gabriella Windsor opted for an elegant all-peach ensemble, matching her low heeled pumps, fascinator, and clutch bag to her belted midi dress

The Queen's cousin, Prince Michael of Kent, (left), was snapped supporting her Majesty during today's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which he attended with his wife Princess Michael of Kent (right)

Princess Alexandra was snapped attending a Guildhall Reception after the thanksgiving service, accompanied by her cousin Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent

Sophie Winkleman and Lord Frederick Windsor arrived hand-in-hand at today's service. She opted for a bold fuchsia dress, while his outfit was more sombre grey

Actor Sophie Winkleman, who is married to Prince Michael's son Lord Frederick Windsor, stunned in a vibrant fuchsia dress as she made her way to the event, hand-in-hand with her husband.

While these extended family members are less familiar to the public, they are often spotted at major royal events, showing their unwavering support for the Queen.

Their attendance was especially poignant today, as her Majesty was unable to go to the service herself.

Last night she revealed that she would have to 'reluctantly' pull out of today's service, after experiencing 'discomfort' during yesterday's Trooping The Colour events.

According to a Palace statement, the 96-year-old 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

In addition, Prince Andrew was not at the event, after yesterday announcing that he has tested positive for Covid.

However, other senior royals took part, notably Prince Charles, who stood in for his mother, as well as the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Sussexes.

Today's service also marked Harry and Meghan's first appearance with The Firm since the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020 shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royal.

The couple were seen yesterday as they watched Trooping the Colour, however they made a concerted effort not to be seen by prying eyes, arriving incognito at Horse Guards Parade and studiously keeping away from most - although not all - of the waiting photographers.

Meanwhile, her Majesty's niece, Lady Sarah Chatto (pictured, right) was photographed speaking to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle inside St Paul's

Also at today's thanksgiving service were around 400 members of the public, including key workers, charity volunteers and members of the armed forces, who were invited to the service in recognition of their contribution to public life.

The Bishop of London said earlier today that she is 'excited' ahead of the thanksgiving service. Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, who will be leading the blessing at St Paul's, told BBC Breakfast: 'I'm excited, I think.'

She added that she was nervous about the ceremonial regalia she needs to wear. 'It's a coat called the George V coat. It's quite an old coat, which is a cape and it sits on me, but of course it was designed for men because I'm the first woman who happens to be the Bishop of London,' she said.

'So, it doesn't sit quite as well on me, so I'm slightly nervous.'

She said that Her Majesty's Christian faith has 'always shaped her' and she feels privileged to play a part in the service and 'give thanks' to The Queen for her service to the country.

This morning, ahead of the service, royal fans started gathering in London in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the family.

The Princess Royal, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Cambridge take their seats in St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Members of the Royal Family arrive to attend the Service of Thanksgiving for The Queen's reign at St Paul's Cathedral today

(Left to right) The Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Prince of Wales today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie arrive at St Paul's Cathedral in London for the Platinum Jubilee event today

The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles sit down at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today




A unit of HD Hyundai, formerly known as Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings, has conducted the world's first transoceanic voyage of a large merchant ship based on its autonomous navigation technology, the company said Friday.







Avikus, a wholly-owned unit of the South Korean shipbuilder, has successfully tested its own Level 2 autonomous navigation solution called HiNAS 2.0 on a 180,000 square-meter-class liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, HD Hyundai said in a statement.







The LNG ship, named Prism Courage, sailed half of nearly 20,000 kilometers of the monthlong voyage from Freeport on the southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico to the Boryeong LNG Terminal in South Korea using the HiNAS 2.0 system, it said.







The LNG ship is operated by SK Shipping, an affiliate of chemical-to-construction conglomerate SK Group.







"It is meaningful that we have successfully tested the Level 2 system to operate a vessel beyond the Level 1 technology providing optimal routes. We will lead innovation by upgrading autonomous navigation solutions not only for large merchant ships but also for small leisure boats," Avikus Chief Executive Lim Do-hyeong said in the statement.







The LNG ship is not an unmanned vessel, but there was no interruption by crew members during the 10,000-kilometer autonomous navigation, the company said.







The autonomous navigation ships and related equipment market is expected to grow by an average rate of 12.6 percent a year to reach $235.7 billion in 2028, according to global market research firm Acute Market Reports.







HD Hyundai has Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) as a subholding company under its wing. KSOE has three major affiliates  Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. (Yonhap)


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Glamorous racegoers were quick to get into the spirit of the races as they arrived for Ladies Day at the Cazoo Derby at Epsom Downs racecourse in Surrey this morning.

Making the most of the barmy weather, elegant women dressed to the nines in high heels, flowing summer frocks and elaborate hats stepped out for the day of festivities.

Typically the most glamorous day of the festival, many opted to make a nod to the Queen's Jubilee celebrations with their outfits, donning red, white and blue - while one woman wore a smart Union flag themed fascinator and matching bag for the occasion.

The event is usually attended by the monarch, 96, however she is planning to miss the Epsom Derby tomorrow for just the third time of her reign in order to 'pace herself' for the ongoing Platinum Jubilee festivities.

Instead, the Queen will watch the famous race on television from the comfort of Windsor Castle.

Glamorous racegoers donned their finery for Ladies Day at the Cazoo Derby at Epsom Downs racecourse in Surrey this morning

Pop the bubbly! Many revellers quickly got into the spirit of things at the event and could be seen cheering on the horses as the festivites got underway

Making the most of the barmy weather, the well-dressed punters sported stunning summery frocks and elaborate hats for the day of festivities

Many opted to make a nod to the Queen's Jubilee celebrations happening today (left, one woman wore a smart Union flag themed fascinator, and right, one gentleman in a themed waistcoat and tie)

Putting on a leggy display! Some racegoers opted for bold and bright outfits for the occasion, pairing statement dresses with vibrant accessories

Others made refernece to Her Majesty's ongoing Jubilee celebrations, wearing Union flag themed accessories (left and centre) - with one man even donning a waistcoat covered in photographs of the Queen (right)

Elaborate headwear was the order of the day for many, with oversized hats and flamboyant fascinators adorned with feathers, flowers and frills spotted in the enclosure.

And while all eyes are on the runners and riders of the day, the competition also provides the oppurtunity for the ladies attending to fight it out for who is best dressed on the other side of the fence.

The judges look for style, creativity and originality in an outfit, as well as attention to detail and appreciation of current fashion trends.

As well as 1,000 in cash, the winner also receives a two night stay at a hotel and hundreds of pounds worth of vouchers.

Winner, winner! One man thrust his fist into the air with joy as he watched the races get underway this afternoon

Success! One group of women appeared ecstatic as they watched the races getting underway earlier today, throwing their hands into the air with joy (left and right)

It's party time! Many racegoers sat down on picnic blankets as they chatted and drank ahead of the races beginning today

His first win! One little boy appeared dismayed at the races before he cheered on a horse to apparent victory (left to right)

Get in! Another man threw his fist into the air after apparently winning on a horse at the Derby earlier today and couldn't contain his happiness

Having a jolly good time! One pair of friends appeared overjoyed at the event as they sipped on Pimms and lapped up the atmosphere

It is therefore of little surprise racegoers were keen to pull out all the stops when it came to their looks, pushing the boundaries with outfits that were both creative and elegant.

Popular cold-shoulder and strappy dress styles allowed many women to flash a hint of skin without putting too much on display.

Many donned frocks in vibrant hues of pinks and reds, while some opted for softer floral floral patterns.

Revellers posed next to balloon sculptures shaped into the Queen's crown as they marked Her Majesty's Jubilee at the races today.

Radio 1 favourite Gemma Cairney will be spinning her favourite hip-hop and 90s classics on Ladies Day later this evening.

There was a solemn moment as jockey Ryan Moore placed a wreath at the statue of Lester earlier this morning to honour the late racing star

Jockey Ryan Moore laid a wreath on the statue of the recently departed Lester Piggott, for whom the race will be run in honour of tomorrow. Lester's daughter Maureen watched on (right). It will be the first time in the 242-year history of the Classic that it has been dedicated to an individual

Held at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey, the Derby was first run in 1780.

It is Britain's richest flat horse race, and the most prestigious of the five Classics - the other four of which are the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, the 1,000 Guineas Stakes, the Epsom Oaks, and the St Leger Stakes.

The Cazoo Derby will be run in memory of Lester Piggott on Saturday. It will be the first time in the 242-year history of the Classic that it has been dedicated to an individual.

Piggott, who died earlier this year aged 86, won the Derby a record nine times.

Revellers attending the event earlier today went on to take part in a minutes applause for former jockey Lester Piggott

Elaborate headwear was the order of the day for many, with oversized hats and flamboyant fascinators adorned with feathers, flowers and frills spotted in the enclosure

A sea of colour! Many of the women attending the event today opted to wear bright and vibrant ensembles as they stepped out for the big day out (left and right, a group pose with a cardboard cut out of the Queen)

Getting into the spirit of things! One group of ladies sipped on champagne as the races began earlier this morning, donning hats to shield themselves from the barmy weather

Soaking up the atmosphere! Many appeared in high spirits to be attending the races earlier, which are taking place today and tomorrow at Epsom

Taking a seat before the action begins! Ahead of the races started, one group of women sat down to take in the excited atmosphere at the race course

Look Mum, we're matching! One pair of young girls were dressed in identical purple plaid dresses at the event, which was coordinated with floral shoes and a blue fascinator

A swing band greeted attendees of the festival as they walked into the ground of the racecourse earlier this morning

Strike a pose! Mark Heyes and Charlotte Hawkins snapped a picture with drag artist Cherry Valentine (centre) at the event today

Making a statement! Drag Queen Cherry Valentine was among the revellers who appeared overjoyed to be attending the big event today

Revellers quickly began to fill up the stands on Ladies Day during the Cazoo Derby Festival 2022 at Epsom Racecourse, Surrey

Meanwhile other attendees were more low-key in their fascinators, with one woman opting for a simple black headpiece (left), while another added a pop of colour to her white ensemble with a red hat (main). A third wore a chic white headpiece which perfectly coordinated with her orange dress (right)

A real statement! Many of those attending the big day appeared to be battling it out for the best dressed award, opting for over-the-top hats and fascinators (left and right)

But who will be crowned Best Dressed? One woman wore a strapless lilac gown for the outing which she paired with black accessories (left), while Drag Artist Asifa Lahore opted for a statement ensemble for Ladies Day (right)

Other plans to mark his passing include a minutes applause on Friday and Saturday of the Derby meeting, and a wreath in the colours of Piggotts 1970 Derby winner Nijinsky to be laid at his statue in front of the Queen Elizabeth II Stand.

Reports suggest Her Majesty will be skipping the Saturday event with the Princess Royal representing the family on her behalf.

Sources close to the Queen, 96, have previously said it is 'increasingly unlikely' she will make the trip to Epsom during the four-day celebrations next weekend that will mark her 70 year reign.

Amid her 'episodic mobility concerns', one royal source told the Times that Her Majesty made the decision to help 'pace herself' as she rests at Balmoral in Scotland.

Revellers posed next to balloon sculptures shaped into the Queen's crown as they marked Her Majesty's Jubilee at the races today

Matching in florals! One group of women donned coordinating halterneck black dresses with identical black and pink fascinators (left and right)

The only two prior times the Queen has not attended Epsom were in 1956, while visiting Sweden on official duties and in 1984 when she marked the 40th anniversary of the D-Day landings in France.

However her hopes of having a runner in the Cazoo Derby are over after all three of her remaining entries were pulled out.

The Queen has never won the Derby. The closest to success she came was Aureole's second place in 1953, her coronation year.

Here come the girls! Another group opted for coordinating blue, pink and white outfits as they arrived at Epsom racecourse in Surrey for Ladies Day

Revellers arriving this morning were in high spirits, and posed with entertainers and stils performers as they entered the racecourse
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's journalist friend Omid Scobie says it is still very possible that the couple's daughter Lilibet will meet her three cousins for the first time before the Sussexes return to California - amid ongoing speculation about frosty relations between the pair and the other royals.

Appearing on Good Morning America on Friday, Scobie, 40, said that Harry, 37, Meghan, 40, had 'two priorities' during their trip back to the UK for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations: 'celebrating and honoring the life and legacy' of the Monarch, and introducing her to their daughter for the first time.

According to the royal commentator, that meeting took place on Thursday afternoon at Windsor Castle, where he says the Queen, who was nicknamed Lilibet as a child, had the chance to meet her namesake great-granddaughter after a royal family lunch at Buckingham Palace.

'Of course we know the Queen went back to Windsor Castle yesterday, the couple went back to Windsor as well where they're staying at Frogmore Cottage,' he told BBC Breakfast.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter Lilibet could meet her cousins for the first time during the family's stay in the UK, the couple's friend Omid Scobie has claimed

Lilibet, who turns one on Saturday, was born in California and has not yet met Prince William and Kate's three children, George, eight, Charlotte, seven, and Louis, four (seen on Thursday)

Harry, 37, and Meghan, 40, (seen left on Friday) are in the UK to attend the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations amid ongoing speculation about tension between the Duke and his brother William, 39 (seen right with Kate on Friday)

'So that would have been the first moment or the first chance for her to meet her namesake.'

He added to GMA: 'For Harry and Meghan, I think they had two priorities on this trip: to celebrate and honor the life and legacy of the Queen and also introduce her to their daughter.

'Yesterday after Trooping the Colour would have been the first opportunity for that, [when] they [all] headed back to Windsor.'

His comments came just moments after Harry and Meghan exited St. Paul's Cathedral to a mixture of cheers and boos, having attended a Thanksgiving Service alongside William, Kate, Prince Charles and Camilla, and other members of the extended royal family.

The Sussexes were expected to maintain a relatively low profile over the four-day Jubilee celebrations, with no sign of the Netflix cameras that followed them around at the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in April and during their trip to New York last September.

However the service at St. Paul's in London was one of just a couple of public events that they were due to attend - marking their first joint royal engagement since March 2020.

During the church service, the couple were seated a fair distance away from Harry's brother, Prince William, and his father, Prince Charles, and the Sussexes were not publicly seen speaking to or interacting with either of the royals during the proceedings, fueling further speculation that relations between Harry and his family remain very tense.

However, Scobie insists that the entire royal family have 'put any difficulties to one side' during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in order to ensure that 'all attention remains focused' on the Monarch.

Bells ring loud and proud in London to honor the Queen on her #PlatinumJubilee.@arobach and @tjholmes are joined this morning by @theroyaleditor and @scobie.



LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/7kB7j2u1YX pic.twitter.com/lyyxIJfXw9  Good Morning America (@GMA) June 3, 2022

Royal commentator Scobie told GMA on Friday that 'there are still opportunities over the days ahead' for Archie, three, and Lilibet, to spend time with their cousins

The Sussexes attended a Thanksgiving Service at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday, marking their first joint royal engagement since a March 2020 Commonwealth Service (pictured)

Scobie, 40, revealed on Friday that the Queen met her namesake great-granddaughter Lilibet for the first time at Windsor Castle on Thursday. She is pictured spending time with the Sussexes' son Archie shortly after he was born

'We are all watching to see how they are getting on with the other family members,' he said, adding: 'I think everyone has really put any difficulties to one side to really make sure that all attention remains focused on the Queen and that the environment they're all in is really positive.'

He also claimed that, despite Harry and Meghan appearing to keep their distance from William, Kate, Charles and Camilla, behind the scenes that may be a very different story - with the royal biographer, who has long been friendly with the Sussexes, suggesting that there is still 'opportunity' for the couple to meet up with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their three children in 'private'.

'Of course there will be a number of private moments,' he said, adding that it is still very possible Archie and Lilibet will have the chance to spend time with their cousins, George, Charlotte and Louis.

'No news yet but I'd say there are still opportunities over the days ahead.'

Lilibet, who was born in California and is due to celebrate her first birthday on Saturday with a small gathering at Frogmore Cottage, has yet to meet any of her royal cousins - having never before traveled to the UK.

Three-year-old Archie has not seen any of his cousins since he was a baby.

Thus far during the Jubilee celebrations, Archie and Lilibet have been kept away from the public eye, with Harry and Meghan choosing not to bring their children to either of the two major events that they have attended: Trooping the Colour and the St. Paul's service.

However, Prince William and Kate's three children, George, eight, Charlotte, seven, and Louis, four, captivated the attention of the public when they joined their parents at the Trooping the Colour celebrations on Thursday, where the youngest of the three children became a viral sensation thanks to his very animated reaction to the royal flypast.

The mischievous young royal stole the spotlight on the balcony of Buckingham Palace when the was seen pulling faces and picking his nose while standing alongside his great-grandmother.

Louis, who is the youngest of the Cambridge children, was also photographed waving enthusiastically at bystanders earlier in the day, as he joined his siblings in a carriage ride down the Mall to Horse Guards Parade for the Queen's Birthday Parade.

However, his most attention-grabbing moments came courtesy of the obviously strong bond he shares with his great-grandmother, the Queen, who was seen chatting to the youngster during the flypast, seemingly in an effort to distract him from the loud noise of the aircraft.

And Louis seemed entranced, looking up inquisitively at the monarch, and seeking out her attention. At one point, he even broke away from his mother Kate, 40, to barge past the Queen, much to the bemusement of the Duchess of Cambridge and Camilla.

According to a lipreader, during the noisy flypast, as Louis was seen trying to squeeze past the Queen on the Buckingham Palace balcony, Kate said to Camilla: 'He really is trying to squeeze by!'

The Queen is affectionately known as Gan Gan by the Cambridge children - after Prince George created the adorable nickname for his great-grandmother aged two.
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The Royal Family turned out in force for the Queen's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday morning.

The Queen, 96, was represented at the service by her son Prince Charles, 73, after she pulled out yesterday because she experienced 'discomfort' during Trooping the Colour.

Her son Prince Andrew was also missing after testing positive for Covid-19 yesterday but her three other children, eight grandchildren, and their respective spouses were all present, as were a selection of cousins and their families.

All eyes were on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they made their first royal appearance in more than two years, after stepping back from royal duties in March 2020.

They were seated between Harry's cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie and their respective husbands, and Princess Margaret's daughter Lady Chatto and her family.

The Royal Family turned out in force for the Queen's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday morning

In front of them were Prince Edward, Sophie Wessex and their two children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, who have held increasingly public roles after Harry, Meghan and Prince Andrew stepped back from royal duties.

On the other side of the aisle were the Tindalls, Princess Margaret's son David Armstrong-Jones and some of Her Majesty's cousins and their children.

Notably, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge were given seats next to Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, and Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

The seating is a reflection of their seniority within the Royal Family but also helped avoid any awkward moments were they to cross paths with Harry and Meghan.

Here, FEMAIL takes a closer look at the royals who showed up to celebrate Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee...

FRONT ROW

Prime seats: From left to right, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Princess Anne, the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles led the congregation at the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral

1. Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence: Princess Anne's husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, 67, was seated next to his wife at the high profile occasion. Following the service, he accompanied his niece Lady Louise Windsor, 18, down the steps of St Paul's Cathedral. Despite not being a working member of the Royal Family, Sir Timothy was invited to join the Queen on the Buckingham Palace balcony yesterday, in recognition of the valuable support he provides his wife, the Princess Royal. The retired Royal Navy officer wore his service medals.

2. Princess Anne: Princess Anne, 71, was seated on the front row between her husband and the Duchess of Cambridge. The Princess Royal looked elegant in a green ensemble with matching hat. Yesterday Princess Anne took on a starring role in Trooping the Colour, accompanying her brother Prince Charles on horseback as he inspected the troops and took the salute.

3. The Duchess of Cambridge: Kate Middleton, 40, was a vision in lemon yellow Emilia Wickstead dress and Philip Treacy hat as she joined her husband Prince William, 39, at the Service of Thanksgiving today. In a sweet tribute to the Queen, Kate sported a pair of Her Majesty's earrings, which she previously wore to Prince Philip's funeral and Remembrance Sunday service in 2016.

4. Prince William: The Duke of Cambridge, 39, put on a dignified display as he supported his father at the Service of Thanksgiving. William, who also had a starring role in Trooping the Colour yesterday, looked handsome in morning dress and military medals. He was not forced to come face-to-face with his brother Prince Harry thanks to careful planning from Buckingham Palace aides that kept the brothers apart.

5. The Duchess of Cornwall: Camilla, 74, arrived alongside Prince Charles, choosing to wear an all ivory and gold embroidered coat dress by Fiona Clare and hat by Philip Treacy. The Duchess of Cornwall was present to support her husband as he represented the Queen after she pulled out late last night.

6. Prince Charles: Prince Charles represented the Queen at the service in London today after she was forced to pull out last night. The 96-year-old Queen missed today's service at St Paul's following a last-minute decision announced by the Palace at 7.30pm last night after she experienced 'discomfort' during the Trooping The Colour events. The Prince of Wales is taking on an increasingly prominent role as his mother faces ongoing health issues.

THE WESSEXES

Moved up the pecking order: Prince Edward, Sophie Wessex and their children Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn

7. Prince Edward: The Earl of Wessex, 58, the Queen's youngest son, was joined by his wife and two children at the Service of Thanksgiving. Whereas once the Wessexes would have found themselves on the second row of such an occasion, in reflection of Edward's lower placing in the line of succession, he has been bumped up the pecking order after Prince Andrew and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from royal duties. As a result he is given prime seats at events like today's service at Trooping the Colour yesterday.

8. The Countess of Wessex: One of the Queen's inner circle, the Countess of Wessex, 57, put on a typically faultless display as she joined the senior royals at the Service of Thanksgiving. Sophie sported a sparkly dress by brand Suzannah for the event celebrating her mother-in-law the Queen's 70 years on the throne, teaming the dress with a bespoke dyed cocktail hat from Jane Taylor millinery.

9. Lady Louise Windsor: The Queen's 18-year-old granddaughter put her best fashion foot forward in a white silk dress from high street label Ghost as she stepped out for the Service of Thanksgiving. The teenager, who enjoys a particularly close relationship with her grandmother, finished the look with a pink hairband.

10. James, Viscount Severn: Next to Lady Louise was her 14-year-old brother, James, Viscount Severn, the youngest of the Queen's grandchildren. His seniority in the Royal Family means he is often invited to royal events not attended by other youngsters like Savannah Phillips, 11, and her sister Isla, 10.

THE QUEEN'S COUSINS

Showing their support: The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy

11. The Duke of Gloucester: Queen's cousin Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, 77, is the son of her uncle Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester. He carries out royal engagements on behalf of the Queen and has links to 150 organisations. Many of The Dukes Patronages are related to architecture and conservation, both areas in which The Duke remains deeply interested. He joined the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace yesterday.

12. The Duchess of Gloucester: Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, 75, is a full-time working member of the Royal Family. The Duchess of Gloucester travels extensively across the UK and overseas to undertake hundreds of engagements every year. Many are related to the more than 60 organisations with which she is connected, across the arts, the military, sport, health, welfare and education. She was also on the balcony yesterday.

13. The Duke of Kent: Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, 86, is the son of Queen's uncle Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. In acknowledgement of his close personal relationship with the Queen, he was invited to join Her Majesty on the balcony of Buckingham Palace yesterday. The Duke of Kent is involved with over 140 different charities, organisations and professional bodies.

14. Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy: Princess Alexandra is the daughter of Queen's uncle Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. She is patron or president of over 100 organisations which reflect her wide-ranging interests, from the arts to health care. She also supports The Queen in her duties as Head of State, attending ceremonial occasions alongside other members of the Royal Family.

THE EXTENDED FAMILY

Distant relatives Lady Gabriella Windsor, Sophie Winkleman, Lord Frederick Windsor, Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Michael of Kent (face hidden behind Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence) at the Service of Thanksgiving today

15. Lady Gabriella Windsor: Prince Michael of Kent's daughter Lady Gabriella Windsor, 41, looked elegant as she arrived at the event with her husband Thomas Kingston, wearing an all-peach ensemble, matching her accessories to her belted midi dress.

16. Sophie Winkleman: Actress Sophie Winkleman, 41, who is married to Prince Michael's son Lord Frederick Windsor, stunned in a vibrant fuchsia dress as she made her way to the event, hand-in-hand with her husband. The former star is best known for her role as Big Suze in Peep Show.

17. Lord Frederick Windsor: Financial analyst Lord Frederick Windsor, 43, is the son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. He married his actress wife Sophie in 2009. The couple share two children, Maud and Isabella.

18. Prince Michael of Kent: Prince Michael of Kent, 79, is a son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. Prince Michael is involved in around 100 charities and organisations, however he is not a working royal and does not carry out engagements on behalf of his cousin the Queen.

19. Princess Michael of Kent: The wife of Prince Michael, Princess Michael of Kent, 77, is of German, Austrian, and Hungarian descent. She is actively involved in around 45 different charities and organisations, including animal and wildlife trusts and health and welfare charities.

Supportive family: (Pictured from left, the row behind Princess Anne) Lord Nicholas Windsor, James Ogilvy, Julia Ogilvy (in white hat, face hidden by the Duchess of Cambridge), Sylvana Tomaselli, George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews

20. Lord Nicholas Windsor: Lord Nicholas Windsor, 51, is a son of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. As a Catholic convert, he has forfeited his right of succession to the throne.

21. James Ogilvy: Landscape architect James Ogilvy, 58, is the elder child and only son of Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy and the late Angus Ogilvy. He is also an accomplished photographer.

22. Julia Ogilvy: Author Julia Ogilvy, 57, is the wife of James Ogilvy. The couple share two children.

23. Sylvana Tomaselli: Wife of the Earl of St Andrews, Canadian-born academic and historian Sylvana Tomaselli, a lecturer at Cambridge University, opted for a pink ensemble topped with a pink hat for the occasion. She recently attended the Duke of Edinburgh's Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey.

24. George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews: The Earl of St Andrews, a former diplomat, is the elder son of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and his wife, Katharine, Duchess of Kent. The 59-year-old father-of-four attended with his wife Sylvana Tomaselli.

MUCH LOVED FAMILY MEMBERS

Coming together (from left, behind Camilla: Charles Armstrong-Jones, David Armstrong-Jones, Mike Tindall, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips were seated behind the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles at the Service of Thanksgiving

25. Charles Armstrong-Jones: The 22-year-old son of the Second Earl of Snowdon, David Armstrong-Jones, was seated next to his father David Armstrong-Jones at the memorial service. Armstrong-Jones was the third grandchild of Princess Margaret.

26. David Armstrong-Jones: David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon, 60, is the son of Princess Margaret and her husband Anthony Armstrong-Jones. Formerly styled as Viscount Linley and known professionally as David Linley, he is a furniture maker and former chairman of the auction house Christie's. He enjoys a close relationship to his aunt the Queen.

27. Mike Tindall: Ex-England rugby player Mike Tindall, 43, is the husband of Zara Tindall. The couple share three children and live on Princess Anne's Gatcombe estate, in Gloucestershire. Mike has a close relationship with Zara's family, particularly her brother and cousins. He was spotted hugging William when they met at an event last week.

28. Zara Tindall: Standing out from the crowd in a vibrant pink ensemble was the Queen's granddaughter Zara Tindall, 41, Princess Anne's younger child and only daughter. The accomplished equestrian appeared on particularly good form and was spotted chatting to Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex after the service. Yesterday she kept a low profile at Trooping the Colour, watching the action from the Major General's Office.

29. Peter Phillips: Seated next to his sister and brother-in-law at the end of the row was Peter Phillips, 44, the Queen's eldest grandchild. Princess Anne's son attended alone, following his divorce from wife Autumn Phillips last year. The couple share two daughters, Savannah, 11, and Isla, 10, who attend royal events with their father. Yesterday they were spotted playing with Princess Charlotte and the Cambridge children at Trooping the Colour.

HIGH-SPIRITED COUSINS

Representing the Yorks: Princess Beatrice, her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and her sister Princess Eugenie

Cracking a joke: Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank and Prince Harry share a joke ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving

30. Princess Beatrice: Princess Beatrice, 33, looked elegant in a blue dress by Beulah. She wore her strawberry blonde locks styled in a carefully coiffed ponytail that was tucked underneath her blue hat. Beatrice was the most senior member of the York family present today after her father tested positive for Covid.

31. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi: Princess Beatrice's husband Edo, 38, stayed by his wife's side as he supported her at the Service of Thanksgiving. The father-of-two shares daughter Sienna with the royal and has a son, Wolfie, from a previous relationship.

32. Princess Eugenie: Princess Eugenie, 32, looked radiant in an orange dress as she joined her sister and family at the Service of Thanksgiving. Her brown locks were styled neatly in a ponytail under a discreet black hat from Juliette Botterill. It was no doubt a particularly happy occasion for the royal, who has an especially close bond with her cousin Prince Harry and his wife Meghan. She and Jack visited the couple in the US.

33. Jack Brooksbank: Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank, 36, was seated between his wife and her cousin Prince Harry. Harry and banker Brooksbank were spotted giggling ahead of the historic service, with Princess Eugenie, dressed in a striking orange dress, appearing to also stifle a laugh.

THE SUSSEXES

34. Prince Harry: The Duke of Sussex was joined by his wife Meghan as he made a rare royal appearance after stepping back as a working member of the royal family. Harry, 37, who was last in the UK for the unveiling of the Princess Diana statue last year, appeared in good spirits at the Service of Thanksgiving today. He and Meghan are visiting from their home in California with their children Archie, three, and Lilibet, who turns one tomorrow.

35. The Duchess of Sussex: Meghan, 40, was the picture of poise in a cream coat by Dior and matching shoes by the designer as she made her first public royal appearance in more than two years. The Sussexes were last seen with The Firm at the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020, shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royals. Following the service, she was seen joking with Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips.

BELOVED NIECE AND FAMILY

The Chattos: Lady Sarah, her husband Daniel and their children Samuel and Arthur (in military dress) at the service today

36. Lady Sarah Chatto: Princess Margaret's daughter Lady Sarah Chatto looked elegant in ivory as she arrived at St Paul's Cathedral for today's National Service of Thanksgiving - taking a seat next to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for the historic event. She has always been close to her aunt the Queen and once referred to her as a second mother.

37. Daniel Chatto: Former actor Daniel Chatto, 56, is the husband of Sarah Chatto and stays largely out of the spotlight. The couple married in 1994 and share two sons, who accompanied them today.

38. Samuel Chatto: Sarah and Daniel's eldest son Samuel, 25, an artist, took his seat next to his parents in the pew. He wore morning dress and styled his hair in a floppy hairstyle.

39. Arthur Chatto: Lady Chatto's youngest son Arthur, the Queens great nephew, looked dapper in his military uniform; the 23-year-old has won plenty of fans on social media in recent years thanks to his handsome looks and recent Royal Marine status. Once seated in the cathedral, Arthur removed his military hat to reveal a closely-shorn haircut.
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Prince Charles showed a moment of warm affection towards Kate Middleton today at St Paul's Cathedral when he blew his daughter-in-law a kiss as they met.

Once the Prince of Wales and Camilla had arrived for the Service of Thanksgiving, the two met with William and Kate before they walked together to their seats.

On previous occasions, Prince Charles has been seen greeting his daughter-in-law with a kiss on both cheeks, but today cameras captured the sweet moment when the heir to the throne gently blew Kate a kiss, as they met.

However, the Prince of Wales was not seen greeting or interacting with his other daughter-in-law Meghan Markle, after royal aides carefully managed the seating plan to keep Charles, Camilla and the Cambridges separate from the Sussexes.

Harry and William have had a long-standing feud, while Harry has accused his father Charles of cutting him off financially and Meghan claimed an unnamed royal made a comment about Archie's skin tone before he was born  with the Sussexes having a war of words with the Palace following last year's bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview.

It was the first time Harry and Meghan, who now live in California, had been on full public view alongside the Windsors since they quit the monarchy for a new life in the US two years ago.

Prince Charles showed a moment of warm affection towards Kate Middleton today at St Paul's Cathedral when he blew his daughter-in-law a kiss as they met

It has been said Kate has always had a good relationship with Prince Charles, long before he became her father-in-law, seen here just before the four walk together to their seats for the Service of Thanksgiving

The four exchange some words as they meet inside St Paul's Cathedral this morning before the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (left, circled) sat alongside Prince Charles and Camilla - across the aisle from the Sussexes (right, circled) at St Paul's today

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex looked to be enjoying the occasion as they chatted to fellow royals seated around them (Pictured from right: Lady Sarah Chatto, the Sussexes, Jack Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie, bottom row from left, the Duke of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex's son James, Viscount Severn)

Kate is known to have a warm relationship with her father-in-law and has reportedly helped smooth the sometimes fractious relationship between the heir to the throne and his son, William.

The Duchess was warmly welcomed into the family by Charles after her engagement to William, and she's been heard affectionately calling him Grandpa in public on previous occasions.

For today's service, Kate opted for a sunny yellow dress by Emilia Wickstead, teamed with a matching hat with floral adornments.

However, there was no interaction captured on camera between Prince Charles and his younger son Prince Harry at today's service.

The couple were kept apart from Prince William, Kate, Prince Charles and Camilla after royal aides ensured they sat on the other side of the aisle - and they later left separately.

The Sussexes did not attend a reception straight after at the nearby Guildhall which featured a series of other Royal Family members and politicians including Prime Minster Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Prince Charles and Camilla speak with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after arriving at St Paul's Cathedral today

A friendly display! Prince Charles and Kate were seen chatting (left) with the Duchess apparently making the Prince of Wales chuckle during the event (right)

The Prince of Wales was seen giggling after chatting with his eldest son Prince William and Kate Middleton during the event earlier today

Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall leave St Paul's Cathedral after the Service of Thanksgiving today, on the second day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations

Charles and Camilla stand and sing mid service in St Paul's Cathedral, London, today

The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles sit down at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

Buckingham Palace officials took great care to try to avoid a repeat of the frosty scenes when the Sussexes and Cambridges sat near each other and left together at their last joint event in March 2020 at Westminster Abbey.

And aides would have been delighted that today's service in front of 2,000 guests passed without any such incident or negative 'optics' given the attempts to ensure today was about the Queen and her 70-year reign.

Kate and William chatted to Prince Charles and Camilla inside the cathedral, but there was no sign of the same rapport with Harry and Meghan who sat in between Lady Sarah Chatto and Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank, and were under strict instructions to keep a low profile during the event.

Harry and Megan walked down the aisle of St Paul's hand-in-hand after the service, joined by other members of the royal family and following Charles and Camilla and William and Kate - but did not appear with them outside.

The Sussexes turned to talk to Lady Sarah Chatto, who had been sat next to Meghan, and her husband Daniel Chatto. Senior clerics waited to bid the congregation goodbye and Meghan shared a joke with the Archbishop of York and touched Harry's arm as he joined the conversation. The trio then laughed before the Sussexes moved on.

How Prince Charles and Kate Middleton's bond has become more apparent in the past year - with sweet greetings at public events Prince Charles and Kate Middleton have shown several public signs of their close relationship over the past year. In April 2021, the Duchess shared a kiss on the cheek with her grief-stricken father-in-law as they left Prince Philip's funeral. Kate consoled Prince Charles as the pair walked out of St George's Chapel following the emotional service in memory of the Duke of Edinburgh. Photographs show Kate comforting the Prince of Wales over the loss of his father by putting her hand on his shoulder. She then kisses him on the cheek as they set off from the entrance of the chapel. Prince Charles had earlier been visibly emotional as he walked in the procession. And in June, the Duchess of Cambridge lovingly called father-in-law Prince Charles 'grandpa' when she greeted him at a G7 reception. Kate used the family nickname while speaking to Charles at a reception at the Eden Project, in Cornwall. Meanwhile in September, she attended the James Bond premiere alongside her father-in-law, greeting him with a close embrace as they met at Royal Albert Hall in London Advertisement

Kate and William, walk alongside Charles and Camilla to their seats in St Paul's Cathedral this morning before the service begins

The Princess Royal, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Cambridge take their seats in St Paul's Cathedral this morning

A source said palace aides had been acutely aware of 'the optics' - how things would look from the outside - and ensured that the couple were only attending events where there would be minimal interactions with other senior royals in public

Megxit stage left: Harry and Meghan return to Frogmore Cottage while other royals mingle with St Paul's guests at reception after William and Kate kept their distance at carefully stage-managed service Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to their Windsor home of Frogmore Cottage this afternoon, leaving the rest of the Royal Family to attend a reception without them following the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen. The Duke of Sussex was seen smiling next to his wife while being driven in a Range Rover with another car carrying security personnel behind them, after what was the couple's first joint royal engagement in two years. They had been at St Paul's Cathedral for the service, but were kept apart from Prince William, Kate, Prince Charles and Camilla after royal aides ensured they sat on the other side of the aisle - and they later left separately. The Sussexes did not attend a reception straight after at the nearby Guildhall which featured a series of other Royal Family members and politicians including Prime Minster and Home Secretary Priti Patel. Kate and William chatted to Prince Charles and Camilla inside the cathedral, but there was no sign of the same rapport with Harry and Meghan who sat in between Lady Sarah Chatto and Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank, and were under strict instructions to keep a low profile during the event. Advertisement

Members of the crowd outside St Paul's sang the National Anthem while they waited for the Royal Family to leave at the end, before Charles and Camilla were the first to walk out as the bells began to toll at the end of the service.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge followed, with Kate waving cheerily to the crowds while chatting to her husband. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex left holding hands and were seen chatting to Zara Tindall and her husband Mike. Both Harry and Meghan shook hands with the Lord Mayor before getting into a car.

During today's service, there were smiles from the Earl and Countess of Wessex as the Archbishop of York referred to the Queen's love of horse racing, while the Princess Royal nodded her head in approval.

The Archbishop of York said the Queen was 'still in the saddle', as he thanked her for 'staying the course'.

In his sermon at St Paul's, The Most Rev Stephen Cottrell compared the monarch's well-known love of horse racing to her long reign, suggesting it 'reflects the distance of Aintree more than the sprints of Epsom'.

Mr Cottrell told the congregation, which included senior members of the Royal Family, he was 'sorry' the Queen could not attend, but glad there is 'still more to come'.

He said: 'It is well known that Her Majesty likes horse racing.

'I don't have any great tips for the Derby tomorrow, but since the scriptures describe life as a race set before us, let me observe that her long reign reflects the distance of Aintree more than the sprints of Epsom.

'Certainly, less dressage than most people imagine. But with endurance, through times of change and challenge, joy and sorrow, she continues to offer herself in the service of our country and the Commonwealth.

'Your Majesty, we're sorry you're not with us this morning in person, but you are still in the saddle. And we are all glad that there is still more to come.'

In his address, the Archbishop said the best leaders are those who 'know how to be led' and 'lead for others, not themselves'.

'People whose heart's desire is to serve the common good and build up the common life; who don't try to do it all themselves, or act in their own strength alone; people who take a longer view; and who seek out places of replenishing, even places where they might learn the mind of Christ,' he said.

'I say this today, knowing that in Her Majesty the Queen we see an example of this kind of service; a staunch constancy and a steadfast consistency; a faithfulness to God, an obedience to a vocation that is the bedrock of her life.'

The Queen missed out on the service this morning, due to episodic mobility issues that she's been experiencing.

Buckingham Palace revealed Her Majesty 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

Buckingham Palace said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at St Paul's Cathedral (left) and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Guildhall (right)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave after attending the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral today

Meghan Markle and Zara Tindall outside St Paul's Cathedral today after the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

(Left to right) The Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Prince of Wales today

Prince Charles and Camilla arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Prince Harry and Princess Beatrice smile ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the Queen this morning

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex walk into St Paul's Cathedral in London for the service of thanksgiving this morning

(L-R) Daniel Chatto, Lady Sarah Chatto, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Peter Phillips and David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon depart the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive and are greeted at the Great West Door by the Dean of St Paul's this morning

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Theresa May, Philip May, Samantha Cameron, David Cameron, Sarah Brown, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and Cherie Blair today

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Prince Harry arrives at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning to celebrate his grandmother's Platinum Jubilee

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave behind Peter Phillips following the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's today

Peter Phillips and the Duchess of Sussex leave the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this afternoon

The Duchess of Cambridge arrives for a reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of London at The Guildhall in London today

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank (left) and Prince Charles and Camilla (right) leave the Guildhall this afternoon

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Lady Sarah Chatto attending the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's today

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall arrived at the reception and were greeted by the former lord mayor Sir David Wootton and Colonel Simon Duckworth. They were then followed by William and Kate.

It is understood the decision ahead of the service, which was at 11.30am today, was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.

Senior members of the monarchy attending this morning also include the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who will be joined by the extended royal family.

Tributes were paid to the Queen's '70 years of faithful and dedicated service' in front of 2,000 people including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Cabinet ministers, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and former prime ministers.

Public service was the theme at the heart of the religious event, with 400 people who are recipients of honours, including NHS and key workers who were recognised for their work during the pandemic.

Where and when can I watch the Platinum Jubilee celebrations? Here is a rundown of what will happen today and for the next two days as the nation pays tribute to the Queen's 70 years as sovereign during the Platinum Jubilee weekend, and where to watch the events on television. TODAY No more events today TOMORROW The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's daughter Lilibet celebrates her first birthday.

Senior royals tour the UK, with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visiting Cardiff Castle to meet stars ahead of a jubilee concert, the Princess Royal taking part in an animal-handling session at Edinburgh Zoo and the Earl and Countess of Wessex travelling to Northern Ireland.

4.30pm - The Epsom Derby takes place. Avid racegoer the Queen is no longer planning to attend, although members of the royal family are expected to be there. Ed Chamberlin presents racing coverage on ITV from 12.40pm. A guard of honour, made of up to 40 of the Queen's past and present jockeys, is due to line the course.

7.40pm - Royals arrive at the BBC's Platinum Party at the Palace concert. Coverage begins on BBC One from 7.30pm with Kirsty Young in St James's Park, and Roman Kemp backstage.

8pm-10.30pm - The open-air show in front of the palace, features stars including Queen + Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys, Duran Duran and Diana Ross. SUNDAY Street parties and Big Jubilee Lunches are staged across the country.

Coverage begins on BBC One from 1pm with commentary from Clare Balding, while Kirsty Young, AJ Odudu, Anita Rani, Anton Du Beke, Sophie Morgan and Owain Wyn Evans report on street parties across the UK.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall join a flagship feast at The Oval cricket ground in south London, while Edward and Sophie meet people creating the 'Long Table' down on The Long Walk leading up to Windsor Castle.

2.30pm-5pm - The Jubilee Pageant takes place in central London, with a 3km carnival procession featuring a cast of thousands including puppets, celebrities and tributes to the seven decades of the Queen's reign.

It will move from Horse Guards, along Whitehall to Admiralty Arch, and down The Mall to the Palace.

The finale will feature Ed Sheeran performing and singing the national anthem with close to 200 national treasures in front of the Queen's official residence.

It is hoped the Queen will make a balcony appearance as the festivities come to a close.

At 8pm on BBC Two, Kirsty Young looks back at the weekend of celebrations. Advertisement

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave after attending the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral today

Members of the Royal Family arrive to attend the Service of Thanksgiving for The Queen's reign at St Paul's Cathedral today

The National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations

Royal enthusiasts gather in the early morning at St Paul's Cathedral ahead of the National Service of Thanksgiving, part of celebrations for the Queen's platinum Jubilee

Members of the public gather outside St Paul's Cathedral this morning for the arrival of the royal family for the Platinum Jubilee service of thanksgiving

Harry and Meghan's comeback... but no sign of peace yet: RICHARD KAY reveals how prince has gone from the very essence of a popular 21st century royal to skulking in side rooms with his most junior or obscure relatives Perhaps it was too much to expect of a couple that prized money and personal freedom above royal traditions of service and duty to suddenly rediscover those noble virtues. Or perhaps the differences that saw Harry and Meghan choose well-rewarded exile over the humdrum obligations of being working royals were simply unbridgeable. But if there were to be an opportunity to give the Queen the greatest Platinum Jubilee gift of all  photographic proof of family unity  it was won and lost in the hour or so when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex came face to face with their royal relatives in a viewing point overlooking the Trooping the Colour ceremony on Horse Guards Parade. Rationing their public appearances to just the odd glimpse, they were certainly careful to avoid accusations of hogging the limelight or of upstaging anyone. Indeed it seemed they were quite content to retreat to the shadows. When they did edge into sight through the open windows of a VIP viewing area they were seen only with the most junior or most obscure of Royal Family members. There was a blink-and-you-miss-it encounter with the Queen's elderly cousin, the Duke of Kent, and two delightful moments when Harry and Meghan  both offering a playful shush  knelt down to share a joke with Princess Anne's grandchildren Mia and Lena Tindall and Savannah and Isla Phillips. Charming as these episodes undoubtedly were, imagine the value of a snapshot of them with the Duchess of Cambridge. Was the absence of it deliberate? It is impossible to know if such a moment even presented itself. Kate might simply have been too busy keeping tabs on her three children, George, Charlotte and Louis, whose cheerful presence had delighted the crowds on their carriage drive with the Duchess of Cornwall. And there were up to 70 people in the room, many of whom would not have exchanged a word with the duchess for more than two years. More significantly, this was also the first time Kate and Meghan had been together since the Duchess of Sussex accused her sister-in-law in her TV interview with Oprah Winfrey of making her cry over bridesmaids' dresses. What a message a photograph of the two women chatting side by side would have sent. If they were prepared to project an image of togetherness to the world and let bygones be bygones, then surely critics would have followed suit. If there is one thing we have learned about Harry and his wife, it is their skill at curating an image through the use of pictures. Remember that first Christmas card after their wedding? Artfully arranged in black and white, it showed the couple silhouetted against the fireworks that concluded their wedding reception and with their backs to the camera. Us against the world, it roared. Judging by the pictures which did emerge from the Trooping viewing area  known as the Major General's Office  it would have been entirely natural if a photo of the two royal women together had appeared. For Harry this must be the hardest of homecomings, because he has been reduced to little more than a spectator. Unable to appear in military uniform like his brother William and uninvited on to the Buckingham Palace balcony, he might have preferred the obscurity of being among the cousins who reside far down the royal line of succession. On the occasion of the last two Jubilees in 2012 and 2002, the prince had enjoyed favoured status and a prominent role alongside William and Prince Charles, taking every curtain call and basking in the affection of the public. That affection is no longer guaranteed from Britons who have been wearied by his endless sniping at the royals, at the monarchy and at the country. The tragedy is that before Meghan came along, Harry was the very essence of a popular 21st-century prince. He was what every romantic expected a dutiful young royal to be  not only good-looking and a brave soldier, but someone who could laugh easily at himself. Indeed, laughter accompanied him everywhere he went. Meghan's arrival in his life changed so much of that. But was this her fault, or was it down to Harry's uncertainty over how to bring a fragrant Hollywood figure into the restrictive and highly controlled world of royal life? Rather than stay and use her undoubted talents as a force for change, they chose to abandon his heritage and his birthright for the riches of celebrity and life in California. It is tempting to wonder if his diminished role gave him pause for thought yesterday. Trooping the Colour was not his last chance to build bridges with his estranged family  and it may be there will be better, more intimate opportunities over the next three days. But if there is no lasting sign of family forgiveness, or at least rapprochement, he may regret squandering what must have presented itself amid the hurly-burly of that Trooping ceremony. Advertisement

Prince Harry's jokey manner masked 'inner anxiety' about his new status as a royal B-lister, claims body language expert, who says both brothers 'leaned on wives for emotional support' at St Paul's Cathedral

Prince Harry's 'inner anxiety' about his new lesser status in the royal family couldn't be masked by his jovial manner at St Paul's Cathedral today, a body language expert has claimed.

The Duke of Sussex, 37, appeared in high spirits at the National Service of Thanksgiving, as he sat with his wife Meghan Markle and cousins Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice and their respective husbands, Jack Brooksbank, 36, and Edo Mapelli Mozzi, 38.

However, body language expert Judi James, told FEMAIL that the apparently jokey demeanour of the Prince - including giggling with Jack Brooksbank - was masking genuine fears about an awkward encounter with his brother Prince William.

James says both brothers appeared to lean heavily for 'emotional support' on their wives - who cut calm, confident figures - to get through the high profile reunion; two years after Prince Harry's move to California.

ONE THING IN COMMON: WILLIAM AND HARRY BOTH LEANED ON THEIR WIVES

Despite their differences, the estranged royal brothers had one thing in common today, says James.

She explains: 'William and Harry seemed to share one trait here: both seemed to lean on the strength of their wives for emotional support as they appeared in public under the same roof for the first time since Philips service.'

All eyes on the Sussexes: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning...and while Meghan Markle looked a vision of calm, Prince Harry appeared to show 'humility' in his body language, says Judi James

Leaning in: Judi James, a body language expert, examined footage of the royal family at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday: while both Prince William and Prince Harry appeared to breeze through their respective appearances, their body language suggests the day was stressful for both brothers as they shared the same public space

Prince William appeared happy to let the Duchess take the spotlight, standing back as she waved at well-wishers and following her up the stairs to the cathedral

Duchess of calm: Both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle cut confident figures at St Paul's Cathedral, while their husbands appeared more nervous about the public reunion

Support: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex walk into St Paul's Cathedral hand-in hand in London for the service of thanksgiving this morning; while the couple didn't show overt public displays of affection, Prince Harry gripped his wife's hand as they entered and left the church

The Sussexes, normally keen on public displays of affection, kept their physical touches to mostly a tight hand grasp upon entering and leaving the ceremony.

James explains: 'After Meghans famous grooming ritual at polo, where she wiped lipstick off Harrys face, Harry seemed keen to return the favour here, touching his wifes face as though warning her there was a hair or something that needed checking.

'However, apart from this one loving touch and their signature hand clasp there were no overt PDAs, suggesting they really were down-playing their body language for the cameras.'

The couple put on a united front as they faced the extended royal family for the first time since Megxit in 2020

HARRY: FIDGETING AND CONSTANT CLOTHES-PATTING TO CALM NERVES

The Duke of Sussex may have appeared in high spirits but the weight of a still recent transatlantic move - and that very public interview with Oprah Winfrey - is likely to have played heavily on his mind.

Says James: 'Harrys body language fluctuated but the key theme was inner anxiety.

'The man who is an A-list star in the US was suddenly relegated to the royal B-list and it did seem to have an understandable effect.'

She adds: 'His self-touch, checking rituals of clothing-patting and straightening announced his levels of inner anxiety and the way he held his head down in a lowered angle suggested humility as he and Meghan listened to the response from the public for the first time.'

Harrys body language fluctuated but the key theme was inner anxiety, says James. The Duke, pictured looking up at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning, appeared fidgety and distracted at times

Pensive: James suggested that Harry's poses throughout the day - including holding his head at a lowered angle - suggested he had listened to the response from the public

WILLIAM: ADOPTED PROTECTIVE 'FIG LEAF' POSE

While Prince William appears in confident mood ahead of the ceremony this morning; his body language, a protective 'fig leaf' pose, suggests otherwise, says James

While the Duchess of Cambridge's body language is relaxed and open, William kept his hands firmly in front of him

The prince showed smaller signs of nerves including eye-darts and a sucking in of the lips as he entered the cathedral

Says James: 'William looked relaxed and chatty on arrival but, like his brother, he showed smaller signs of what looked like inner anxiety, like a muscle that worked away in his jaw and an eye-dart and sucking in of the lips.

'He held his hands clasped in the self-protective fig leaf pose on the way to his seat and as he walked past his brother on the way out he raised his order of service in a barrier ritual that hinted at discomfort as he turned his head slightly in the other direction.'

HARRY: LAUGHING DEMEANOR HIDING INNER WORRIES

The old Harry? Says James: 'Inside the church Harry did suddenly break out into a couple of fun grins when he leaned across and seemed to be doing an open-mouthed smile aimed probably at the Tindalls'

The Duke took his seat next to Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank, 36, and the pair appeared to be getting on famously...but Harry's jovial mood was likely masking some inner anxiety about his new role within the royal family

Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan Markle, 40, put on a very friendly display with the Duke's cousins as they attended the service at St Paul's Cathedral today - but kept a tight grip on his wife's hand throughout

Was it case of Harry acting like the 'class clown' to diffuse the couple's return to public life in the UK?

'Inside the church Harry did suddenly break out into a couple of fun grins when he leaned across and seemed to be doing an open-mouthed smile aimed probably at the Tindalls.

'But this more playful look was in such contrast to his subdued behaviour that it also looked as though it could be eruptions of inner tension or nerves,' says James.

'Even when he chatted and smiled with Zara after the service was over he was primarily concerned with finding out where his car was.'

DUCHESSES OF CALM: HOW MEGHAN AND KATE STAYED IN CONTROL

The two leading ladies in this royal show didn't disappoint, says our body language expert.

'Meghans body language looked solid and impeccable, providing a sense of support and inner strength.

'She touched Harrys waist during one of his fun moments as though reminding him they were there with a low profile, but her warm, calm smile never faded even though it did become a bit rigid as they lined up behind William and Kate on the way out.'

Kate as matriarch: The Duchess of Cambridge's mouth often fell into the gesture of firmness, says James, which the royal usually uses when she is in matriarch role

While Prince Harry looked nervous and serious, Meghan Markle maintained her poise, looking calm, composed and supportive of her husband

While Prince Harry offers a shy smile, Meghan is more open to interacting with the crowds as the pair approach the cathedral

And it was exactly the same scenario for the Cambridges, according to our expert:

'Kate looked similarly rock-like for William, taking the lead as they walked from the car and instigating the waves to the cheering crowd.

'Her mouth often fell into the gesture of firmness that she uses when she is in matriarch role and there was a moment during the service when she threw her husband a very strong and meaningful look and small head-nod that suggested she was offering or reminding him of some instructions.'

Confidence: A beaming Kate took the lead, going ahead of William as they entered the church - deflecting the limelight, and pressure, from her husband

'Kate looked similarly rock-like for William' While the Prince offered a shy smile to crowds, the Duchess of Cambridge seemed at ease in the spotlight
While hats were the accessory that stole the show at St Paul's today, Princess Eugenie turned heads with a new adornment in the form of a small tattoo behind her right ear.

The royal, 32, wore her hair in a half ponytail as she attended the Service of Thanksgiving for her grandmother the Queen, with her locks swept back behind her ears to reveal the discreet inking.

It is unknown when Eugenie, who attended the service for the Queen with her husband Jack Brooksbank, 36, acquired the new body art.

Tattoos are rare among members of the royal family, although Lady Amelia Windsor, granddaughter of the Duke of Kent, has a tiger on her back, and Queen Victorias son Prince Albert got an inking of a Jerusalem Cross during a visit to the Holy Land in 1862.

His sons Prince George, Duke of York and Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, followed in his footsteps 20 years later, going under the needle in Japan.

Princess Eugenie, 32, sported a neat hairdo at St Paul's this morning, which revealed a black circle on the back of her left ear

The mother-of-one looked stunning in a 1,503 orange dress from Emilia Wickstead as she walked to the Cathedral for the service held in honour of the Queen and her Platinum Jubilee

Zara Tindall also raises eyebrows when she was spotted with a tongue piercing at Prince Charles' 50th birthday party in 1995

Eugenie looked stunning in a 1,503 orange dress from Emilia Wickstead as she walked to the Cathedral for the service held in honour of the Queen and her Platinum Jubilee.

She paired it with a stylish black fascinator and slip-on black heels, as well as a black leather clutch.

Her sister Beatrice, 33, looked as stylish in a blue number from Beulah, with a fascinator of the same colour.

Princess Eugenie chose a vibrant orange dress with a black cocktail hat, while Beatrice was perfectly co-ordinated in shades of blue

Eugenie stepped on the stairs of the cathedrals in a pair of stylish black slip -ons heels, which matched the pretty hat she chose to wear today

Style sisters! Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice arrive at the Guildhall for a reception after the service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul's Cathedral in London

Jack Brooksbank and Edo Mapelli Mozzi both gallantly helped their wives up the stairs of the cathedrals. Eugenie wore black stilettos while Beatrice opted for baby blue ones

Lady Amelia Windsor, 26, is another royal who loves tattoos. She sports a visible one on her side here (pictured in 2018 at the Serpentine Summer Party)

The royal, who is a model and a West-London fashionista also has a tiger tattooed on her clavicle

The two mothers, who had left their respective children, August, 16 months, and Sienna, eight-months, at home, looked a picture of unity.

Eugenie's brown locks were styled neatly in a ponytail under a discreet black hat from Juliette Botterill.

Meanwhile, Beatrice's strawberry blonde mane was styled in a similar do, under a fascinator that completely matched her dress.

The Queen did not attend the event after suffering from some 'discomfort' following yesterday's Trooping the colour celebrations, but members of the royal family came out en masse to celebrate her legacy at the central London cathedral.

The princesses' father Prince Andrew announced last night he'd tested positive for Covid and did not attend the event today.

A stylish quartet! Older sister, dressed in blue, led the way with her husband Edo, while Eugenie, in orange, followed with Jack

Eugenie, Jack and Harry seemed to be in on the same joke as they were seen laughing together after sitting down in the cathedral

Princess Beatrice and Edo Mapelli Mozzi made a striking pair as they arrived before the service was due to start this morning

The Duke has been absent from public life since being cast out of the working monarchy and no longer uses his HRH style after Virginia Giuffre, who was trafficked by Andrew's friend Jeffrey Epstein, accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17. The Duke has always strenuously denied the claims.

Before the Jubilee festivities, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby - who also now has Covid and had to pull out of the service - had suggested Andrew was 'seeking to make amends', adding: 'I think that's a very good thing.'

Andrew took a central role in escorting his mother to the Duke of Edinburgh memorial service in March.

It came as a surprise change to the planned arrangements - only weeks earlier he had been banished from royal public life and paid to settle his court case.

The move was taken as a sign of the monarch's support for her son, and there were fears Andrew could use the Jubilee celebrations as another opportunity to place himself front and centre, amid reports he still believes there is a way back for him to public life.
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Prince Harry's 'inner anxiety' about his new lesser status in the royal family couldn't be masked by his jovial manner at St Paul's Cathedral today, a body language expert has claimed.

The Duke of Sussex, 37, appeared in high spirits at the National Service of Thanksgiving, as he sat with his wife Meghan Markle and cousins Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice and their respective husbands, Jack Brooksbank, 36, and Edo Mapelli Mozzi, 38.

However, body language expert Judi James, told FEMAIL that the apparently jokey demeanour of the Prince - including giggling with Jack Brooksbank - was masking genuine fears about an awkward encounter with his brother Prince William.

James says both brothers appeared to lean heavily for 'emotional support' on their wives - who cut calm, confident figures - to get through the high profile reunion; two years after Prince Harry's move to California.

ONE THING IN COMMON: WILLIAM AND HARRY BOTH LEANED ON THEIR WIVES

Despite their differences, the estranged royal brothers had one thing in common today, says James.

She explains: 'William and Harry seemed to share one trait here: both seemed to lean on the strength of their wives for emotional support as they appeared in public under the same roof for the first time since Philips service.'

All eyes on the Sussexes: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning...and while Meghan Markle looked a vision of calm, Prince Harry appeared to show 'humility' in his body language, says Judi James

Leaning in: Judi James, a body language expert, examined footage of the royal family at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday: while both Prince William and Prince Harry appeared to breeze through their respective appearances, their body language suggests the day was stressful for both brothers as they shared the same public space

Prince William appeared happy to let the Duchess take the spotlight, standing back as she waved at well-wishers and following her up the stairs to the cathedral

Duchess of calm: Both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle cut confident figures at St Paul's Cathedral, while their husbands appeared more nervous about the public reunion

Support: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex walk into St Paul's Cathedral hand-in hand in London for the service of thanksgiving this morning; while the couple didn't show overt public displays of affection, Prince Harry gripped his wife's hand as they entered and left the church

The Sussexes, normally keen on public displays of affection, kept their physical touches to mostly a tight hand grasp upon entering and leaving the ceremony.

James explains: 'After Meghans famous grooming ritual at polo, where she wiped lipstick off Harrys face, Harry seemed keen to return the favour here, touching his wifes face as though warning her there was a hair or something that needed checking.

'However, apart from this one loving touch and their signature hand clasp there were no overt PDAs, suggesting they really were down-playing their body language for the cameras.'

The couple put on a united front as they faced the extended royal family for the first time since Megxit in 2020

HARRY: FIDGETING AND CONSTANT CLOTHES-PATTING TO CALM NERVES

The Duke of Sussex may have appeared in high spirits but the weight of a still recent transatlantic move - and that very public interview with Oprah Winfrey - is likely to have played heavily on his mind.

Says James: 'Harrys body language fluctuated but the key theme was inner anxiety.

'The man who is an A-list star in the US was suddenly relegated to the royal B-list and it did seem to have an understandable effect.'

She adds: 'His self-touch, checking rituals of clothing-patting and straightening announced his levels of inner anxiety and the way he held his head down in a lowered angle suggested humility as he and Meghan listened to the response from the public for the first time.'

Harrys body language fluctuated but the key theme was inner anxiety, says James. The Duke, pictured looking up at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning, appeared fidgety and distracted at times

Pensive: James suggested that Harry's poses throughout the day - including holding his head at a lowered angle - suggested he had listened to the response from the public

WILLIAM: ADOPTED PROTECTIVE 'FIG LEAF' POSE

While Prince William appears in confident mood ahead of the ceremony this morning; his body language, a protective 'fig leaf' pose, suggests otherwise, says James

While the Duchess of Cambridge's body language is relaxed and open, William kept his hands firmly in front of him

The prince showed smaller signs of nerves including eye-darts and a sucking in of the lips as he entered the cathedral

Says James: 'William looked relaxed and chatty on arrival but, like his brother, he showed smaller signs of what looked like inner anxiety, like a muscle that worked away in his jaw and an eye-dart and sucking in of the lips.

'He held his hands clasped in the self-protective fig leaf pose on the way to his seat and as he walked past his brother on the way out he raised his order of service in a barrier ritual that hinted at discomfort as he turned his head slightly in the other direction.'

HARRY: LAUGHING DEMEANOR HIDING INNER WORRIES

The old Harry? Says James: 'Inside the church Harry did suddenly break out into a couple of fun grins when he leaned across and seemed to be doing an open-mouthed smile aimed probably at the Tindalls'

The Duke took his seat next to Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank, 36, and the pair appeared to be getting on famously...but Harry's jovial mood was likely masking some inner anxiety about his new role within the royal family

Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan Markle, 40, put on a very friendly display with the Duke's cousins as they attended the service at St Paul's Cathedral today - but kept a tight grip on his wife's hand throughout

Was it case of Harry acting like the 'class clown' to diffuse the couple's return to public life in the UK?

'Inside the church Harry did suddenly break out into a couple of fun grins when he leaned across and seemed to be doing an open-mouthed smile aimed probably at the Tindalls.

'But this more playful look was in such contrast to his subdued behaviour that it also looked as though it could be eruptions of inner tension or nerves,' says James.

'Even when he chatted and smiled with Zara after the service was over he was primarily concerned with finding out where his car was.'

DUCHESSES OF CALM: HOW MEGHAN AND KATE STAYED IN CONTROL

The two leading ladies in this royal show didn't disappoint, says our body language expert.

'Meghans body language looked solid and impeccable, providing a sense of support and inner strength.

'She touched Harrys waist during one of his fun moments as though reminding him they were there with a low profile, but her warm, calm smile never faded even though it did become a bit rigid as they lined up behind William and Kate on the way out.'

Kate as matriarch: The Duchess of Cambridge's mouth often fell into the gesture of firmness, says James, which the royal usually uses when she is in matriarch role

While Prince Harry looked nervous and serious, Meghan Markle maintained her poise, looking calm, composed and supportive of her husband

While Prince Harry offers a shy smile, Meghan is more open to interacting with the crowds as the pair approach the cathedral

And it was exactly the same scenario for the Cambridges, according to our expert:

'Kate looked similarly rock-like for William, taking the lead as they walked from the car and instigating the waves to the cheering crowd.

'Her mouth often fell into the gesture of firmness that she uses when she is in matriarch role and there was a moment during the service when she threw her husband a very strong and meaningful look and small head-nod that suggested she was offering or reminding him of some instructions.'

Confidence: A beaming Kate took the lead, going ahead of William as they entered the church - deflecting the limelight, and pressure, from her husband

'Kate looked similarly rock-like for William' While the Prince offered a shy smile to crowds, the Duchess of Cambridge seemed at ease in the spotlight
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A lip reading expert has revealed some of the conversations shared by the royals as they attended the Platinum Jubilee thanksgiving service at St Paul's today, with members of the Firm discussing the weather, fashion, and their dry skin.

According to Juliet Sullivan, footage from the event shows Meghan Markle, 40, and her husband Prince Harry, 37, complimenting his cousin Zara Tindall, 41, on her outfit.

It also shows Princess Eugenie worrying about whether her face looked ok as her skin was dry, and Prince William, 40, making small talk with the Lord Mayor about how warm he must be, as he's greeted upon his arrival at St Paul's.

Senior royals, as well as members of the extended family, attended today's event, which kicked off the second day of Platinum Jubilee.

A lip reader spotted Meghan Markle (left), Prince Harry (right) and Zara Tindall talking about her fuchsia dress after the ceremony, with Meghan telling the royal she 'looks great'

Upon his arrival at the venue, Prince William (centre) and Kate Middleton (right) were greeted by the Lord Mayor of London - with William saying the mayor, who was wearing heavy robes, 'must be warm today'

Meanwhile, inside, Princess Eugenie (right) asked her brother-in-law Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (centre), whether her face was 'ok'

Her Majesty was unable to go to the service herself. Last night she revealed that she would have to 'reluctantly' pull out of today's service, after experiencing 'discomfort' during yesterday's Trooping The Colour events.

According to a Palace statement, the 96-year-old 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

In addition, Prince Andrew was not at the event, after yesterday announcing that he has tested positive for Covid.

However, the ceremony appeared to go off without a hitch, leaving the royals plenty of time to have conversations among themselves.

What the royals said at St Paul's Platinum Jubilee service Meghan and Harry to other attendees, as they arrive Harry: 'Good morning. Nice to see you...Thank you the weather has been kind to us...Yes we shall go in. He takes Meghan's hand and says 'wonderful'. Harry and Meghan walk in, and talk to the Archbishop Meghan: 'I've never been here, it's beautiful.' Then she responds to the Archbishop: 'Thank you so much.' Harry and Meghan walk to the lineup, shaking people's hands 'Morning nice to see you.' 'Morning you look so smart.' 'Morning how are you?' 'Morning...' 'Morning how nice to see you again.' Members of the congregation 'Wow. how wonderful does Meghan look?' Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and their husbands Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank, inside Eugenie: 'Is my face ok?...It feels dry ' Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi: 'It's ok, it's fine.' Beatrice (to Edoardo) about the man behind her: 'Look how many medals he has...it's amazing...you have a medal! You deserve a medal.' Edoardo: 'No I don't!' Beatrice: 'Yes you do.' Edoardo smiles. Harry and Meghan talking in the congregation Harry: 'So when we go...and then we have to that's together...' Megan: 'Yes...(nods)...should be fun (laughs).' William and Kate arrive, they speak to the Bishop They get out of the car and shake hands. Bishop: 'Good to see you.' William: 'How nice to see you...I bet you are warm today.' Pause William: 'You look very smart.' Bishop talks William: 'Super. You could hear the bells ringing miles away as youre coming in...Yes well we had better get inside my father is on his way.' William: 'We go right through now.' Kate (to the man): 'It's wonderful, so beautiful here.' William: 'Yes it really was special wasn't it?...Let's go through my father is coming in.' To the line up Kate: 'Yes it's special, really lovely to be back here again.' Kate and William, waiting to sit down, the procession and choir pass them William: 'Such a wonderful procession of outfits , they all look fantastic.' William to Princess Anne: 'Yes, yes, and Kate says yes it's incredible.'



At the end of the service Zara and Mike Tindall to Eugenie: 'Well we have to mention that you know.' Eugenie responds. Zara: 'Is it really?' (Laughs). Prince Charles says goodbye at end of service to the line up Charles: 'Thank you very much.' Camilla: 'Thank you, bye.' Charles: 'So wonderful, thank you very much.' Prince William: 'Thank you very much, lovely service...You all spoke very well, especially all four of you.' Kate: 'Thank you very much it was beautiful it came together so well...Wonderful service and to see all these people oh gosh yes. That sound! Thank you so for doing this it was wonderful.' Meghan to Harry: 'What?' Meghan to Harry: 'Yes it was great.' William (to line up): 'The choir were fantastic thank you so much.' Harry to the bishop Harry: 'So much preparation and it went well.' H arry and Meghan speaking with Zara and Mike Tindall (As they leave the cathedral the four wait on the steps). Harry: 'Hi here we are, lets wait here for the car.' Zara: 'Which one is your car?' Harry: 'Aaahhh its the Range Rover.' Meghan: 'Aaah yes there it is, the Range Rover, it's right there.' Harry to Zara: 'Love your outfit. I didnt know what colours you would wear blue, pink, orange.' Zara turns and giggles, Meghan says: 'You look great.' Advertisement

After taking their seats, Princess Eugenie was seen talking to her brother-in-law Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and her sister Princess Beatrice.

Eugenie, who dabbed her face with her fingers, asked Edoardo: 'Is my face ok?...It feels dry '

Edoardo replied: 'It's ok, it's fine.'

He then shared a playful moment with his wife Beatrice, who said about the man behind her: 'Look how many medals he has...it's amazing...you have a medal! You deserve a medal.'

Edoardo said: 'No I don't!'

Beatrice replied 'yes you do' to Edoardo, who then smiled.

Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank and the Duke of Sussex smile during the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's today

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex (left) was seen sharing a light hearted moment with Zara Tindall (right) after the service, where the pair spoke about Zara's outfit

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave after attending the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral today

Prince Charles and Camilla speak with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after arriving at St Paul's Cathedral today

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Meanwhile, upon Prince William's arrival at St Paul's, where he was greeted by the Lord Mayor of London, he referenced the weather and the mayor's elaborate robes, saying: 'I bet you are warm today.

After the event was over, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan was spotted having a conversation with Zara Tindall about her fuchsia outfit.

Harry said to Zara: 'Love your outfit. I didnt know what colours you would wear blue, pink, orange.'

Zara turned and giggled, then Meghan added: 'You look great.'

As well as the royals, at today's thanksgiving service were around 400 members of the public, including key workers, charity volunteers and members of the armed forces, who were invited to the service in recognition of their contribution to public life.

The Bishop of London said earlier today that she is 'excited' ahead of the thanksgiving service. Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, who will be leading the blessing at St Paul's, told BBC Breakfast: 'I'm excited, I think.'

She added that she was nervous about the ceremonial regalia she needs to wear. 'It's a coat called the George V coat.

'It's quite an old coat, which is a cape and it sits on me, but of course it was designed for men because I'm the first woman who happens to be the Bishop of London,' she said. 'So, it doesn't sit quite as well on me, so I'm slightly nervous.'

She said that Her Majesty's Christian faith has 'always shaped her' and she feels privileged to play a part in the service and 'give thanks' to The Queen for her service to the country.

The Princess Royal, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Cambridge take their seats in St Paul's Cathedral this morning
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Mike Tindall has shared a glimpse into his Jubilee celebrations as he playfully tried on his wife Zara's fascinators and compared her outfit to a Starburst sweet.

The former England rugby star, 43, who is married to Princess Anne's daughter Zara, has been posting snaps of his celebrations marking the Queen's 70 years on the throne on his Instagram page.

The father-of-three shared a snapshot of his wife alongside her cousin Princess Eugenie on his social media, playfully writing: 'When you combine your favourite Starbursts!! Two world class ladies!! #starburst #platinumjubilee.'

It was a rare public snap for the cousins, whose parents Prince Andrew and Princess Anne are siblings.

The father-of-three also shared a number of snaps posing in his wife's fascinators after they attended Trooping the Colour and the Service of Thanksgiving today.

Mike Tindall has shared a glimpse into his Jubilee celebrations as he playfully compared Zara and Princess Eugenie's vibrant outfit to 'his favourite' Starburst sweets

The father-of-three also shared a number of snaps posing in his wife's fascinators after they attended Trooping the Colour and the Service of Thanksgiving today (pictured)

He also posted two similar photos as he posed in his wife's fascinator. Earlier today, he shared the snap, writing: 'Hats day 2! Fave so far! What colour do you think tomorrow will be?'

And following Trooping the Colour yesterday, Mike shared a photo in Zara's red headpiece which perfectly matched his tie.

He wrote: 'Personal fave of mine! I definitely need to wear more hats.'

Posting yesterday, Mike shared a photo of the pair stopping off at The Stafford, London, to support Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity GOSH, of which the Queen is patron, and artist Carne Griffiths on the release of his portrait 'The Platinum Queen' before heading to Buckingham Palace for the Trooping The Colour ceremony.

In an Instagram post, he said they were looking forward to the next few days 'celebrating one of the greatest woman on this planet'.

Zara looked pretty in pink as she attended the Service of Thanksgiving for her grandmother the Queen with her husband Mike at St Paul's Cathedral.

The former rugby ace shared a number of snaps posing in his wife's fascinator today (left), as well as a snap of the couple posing ahead of the service today (right)

The Queen's granddaughter, 41, fuchsia Laura green dress, and added an extra splash of colour by teaming it with a Juliette Botterill hat in lilac, trimmed with flowers.

She accessorised with Laurence Coste earrings and teamed her outfit with a pale lilac Aspinall bag and LK Bennett shoes in a similar shade.

The couple were among a host of royals who arrived en masse around 11am, alongside other members of the Queen's extended family including her cousin Prince Michael of Kent and his family, and Princess Margaret' daughter Sarah Chatto and son David Linley.

Zara, 41, who is the Queen's eldest granddaughter, lives on Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park Estate with her former rugby player husband Mike, and their three children, Mia, 8, Lena, 3, and Lucas, one.

Mike's posts today come after he posed in his wife's red fascinator ahead of Trooping the Colour yesterday (left). He also shared a snap of the couple posing together (right)

The Queens granddaughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall attend the thanksgiving service at St Paul's today

She is an accomplished equestrian and Olympian and despite being a granddaughter of the monarch and cousin of a future king, Zara has kept a relatively low public profile and often spends her weekends at sporting events.

She and Mike have no official duties but are regulars at royal family events, such as church services and important milestones such as the Jubilee.

Mike previously said he was 'looking forward to [the celebrations]', adding that he had no specific role to play in the festivities.

Speaking about her Majesty on Good Morning Britain last month, the father-of-three added: 'I think the Queen is an unbelievable lady...I think people think she's invincible sometimes, but you have to remember she's a 96-year-old at the end of the day.

'She's incredible at what she's done over her lifetime and I can't wait to celebrate that.'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at St Paul's Cathedral (left) and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Guildhall (right)

Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex attend the Service of Thanksgiving for The Queen's reign at St Paul's Cathedral today

Prince Harry and Meghan arrive to attend a Service of Thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II this morning

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave St Paul's Cathedral after the Service of Thanksgiving for the Platinum Jubilee toda

Mike's posts came as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to their Windsor home of Frogmore Cottage this afternoon, leaving the rest of the Royal Family to attend a reception without them following the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen.

The Duke of Sussex was seen smiling next to his wife while being driven in a Range Rover with another car carrying security personnel behind, after what was the couple's first joint royal engagement in two years.

They had been at St Paul's Cathedral for the service, but were kept apart from Prince William, Kate, Prince Charles and Camilla after royal aides ensured they sat on the other side of the aisle - and they later left separately.

The Sussexes did not attend a reception straight after at the nearby Guildhall which featured a series of other Royal Family members and politicians including Prime Minster Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Buckingham Palace officials took great care to try to avoid a repeat of the frosty scenes when the Sussexes and Cambridges sat near each other and left together at their last joint event in March 2020 at Westminster Abbey.

And aides would have been delighted that today's service in front of 2,000 guests passed without any such incident or negative 'optics' given the attempts to ensure today was about the Queen and her 70-year reign.

Prince Charles and Camilla speak with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after arriving at St Paul's Cathedral today

The Queen's niece, Lady Sarah, pictured behind her brother David Linley (far right), arrived by bus for the service on Friday morning with her sons, Arthur, far left, and Samuel, (second from right) who wore military uniform, and her nephew Charles Armstrong-Jones (second from left)

Princess Margaret's daughter Lady Sarah Chatto, 58, appeared to be deep in chat with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as she took a seat next to the couple in St Paul's Cathedral for the National Service of Thanksgiving on Friday

Lady Louise Windsor was seated between her mother Sophie Wessex and brother James, Viscount Severn, for the service

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson look at each other next to Liz Truss and Priti Patel this morning

Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

The Duchess of Sussex carried a pair of cream leather gloves in her hand as she climbed the steps at the cathedral today

Kate and William chatted to Prince Charles and Camilla inside the cathedral, but there was no sign of the same rapport with Harry and Meghan who sat in between Lady Sarah Chatto and Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank, and were under strict instructions to keep a low profile during the event.

Harry and William have had a long-standing feud, while Harry has accused his father Charles of cutting him off financially and Meghan claimed an unnamed royal made a comment about Archie's skin tone before he was born  with the Sussexes having a war of words with the Palace following last year's bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview.

It was the first time Harry and Meghan, who now live in California, had been on full public view alongside the Windsors since they quit the monarchy for a new life in the US two years ago. Crowds cheered the pair as they arrived, with the couple smiling and waving, but both boos and cheers could be heard as they departed.

Today, Charles officially represented the absent 96-year-old monarch at the service in London which began at 11.30am. The Queen missed the historic event following a last-minute decision announced by Buckingham Palace at 7.30pm yesterday after she experienced 'discomfort' during Trooping The Colour events earlier in the day.

There was also no appearance at St Paul's by Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week. The Queen watched the service from her residence of Windsor Castle, and it was broadcast on BBC One.
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Meghan Markle's hairdresser and close friend has revealed how the Duke and Duchess' son Archie is the 'cutest, well mannered boy' while their baby girl Lilibet is 'beautiful'.

George Northwood, who recently jetted out to the Netherlands to do Meghan's beauty while she attended the Invictus Games with husband, shared a post on Instagram with several images of the Duchess today.

In a gushing caption, he posted: 'So nostalgic and wonderful to be reunited Harry, Meghan and their family in the UK. Archie has grown to be the cutest, well mannered little boy and Lilibet is just beautiful.'

It comes after The Queen reportedly met her great-granddaughter Lilibet for the first time after Prince Harry and Meghan had lunch with the monarch and senior royals behind closed doors as part of Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Meanwhile royal fans have been desperate to catch a glimpse of three-year-old Archie and Lilibet, who turns one tomorrow. Many have bemoaned the absence of Archie and Lilibet from the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The royal couple have shared very few photographs of Archie, while they have only released one image of Lili - a Christmas card which the Duke and Duchess shared on their Archewell website in December.

Meghan Markle's hairdresser and close friend has revealed how the Duke and Duchess' son Archie is the 'cutest, well mannered boy' while their baby girl Lilibet is 'beautiful'

George Northwood, who recently jetted out to the Netherlands to do Meghan's beauty while she attended the Invictus Games with husband, shared a post on Instagram with several images of the Duchess today

In a gushing caption, Meghan's hairdresser said her son Archie had 'grown to be the cutest, well mannered little boy' and Lilibet is 'just beautiful'

Archie has rarely been seen since the couple stepped back as senior royals in March last year, with the couple releasing a few sparing pictures of him showing him with his back to the camera.

During the Oprah Winfrey interview and Prince Harry's mental health documentary, he made an appearance but royal fans were only be able to get a glimpse of the youngster's face.

It also marked the first time royal fans have been able to see Lilibet's face. Meghan is thought to have revealed a grainy first photograph of her second child after a framed picture of Prince Harry kissing a newborn baby took pride of place on her desk in a video for her 40th birthday.

Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's second child, was born on June 4 in Santa Barbara, California, at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, and is eighth in line to the throne.

She was named after the Queen's childhood nickname, while her middle name Diana was in tribute to Harry's late mother. The baby weighed 7lbs 11oz.

No photographs of Lilibet were released following her birth, unlike her brother Archie, who had a photocall at Windsor Castle in 2019.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at St Paul's Cathedral (left) and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Guildhall (right)

Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex attend the Service of Thanksgiving for The Queen's reign at St Paul's Cathedral today

Prince Harry and Meghan arrive to attend a Service of Thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II this morning

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave St Paul's Cathedral after the Service of Thanksgiving for the Platinum Jubilee toda

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to have introduced their little girl to the Queen - nicknamed Lilibet as a child - yesterday at Windsor after attending a private Royal Family lunch at Buckingham Palace following Trooping the Colour.

News of the Queen's alleged meeting with Lilibet yesterday  which comes ahead of her first birthday tomorrow  was revealed on BBC Breakfast today by royal commentator Omid Scobie, who is friendly with the Sussexes.

He said: 'I think people are expecting some sort of big birthday extravagant event, that we're going to see photographs from. From what I'm told, we shouldn't expect anything. Those moments with Lilibet are very much private between them and the Queen and of course we know how much she's been looking forward to it.

'They've been held back by a pandemic. Of course the times that Harry has been here it's just been by himself for quite sombre occasions.

'And so this really was the first time. Of course we know the Queen went back to Windsor Castle yesterday, the couple went back to Windsor as well where they're staying at Frogmore Cottage. So that would have been the first moment or the first chance for her to meet her namesake.'

Harry and Meghan are expected to remain mostly low-profile over the four-day Jubilee weekend, with no sign of the Netflix cameras that followed them around at the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in April.

So just when HAVE Harry and Meghan shared a glimpse of Archie and Lilibet with desperate royal fans? 8 May 2019 - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appear in photo-call for Archie at Windsor Castle. When asked to expose more of their baby's face to the cameras, the Duchess laughed as Harry joked: 'Hes already got a little bit of facial hair as well, wonderful.' 6 July 2019 - Meghan and Harry hold private christening for Archie and release two images of the event on Sussex Royal. It offers royal fans their first real glimpse at Archie 10 July 2019 - Meghan cradles Archie in her arms as they join Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at a polo match September 25 2019 - Meghan and Prince Harry appear in front of cameras with Archie as they meet with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his wife Leah at the Tutu foundation in Cape Town 24 December 2019 - Meghan and Harry release their holiday card for the year, with their son taking centre stage in the black-and-white snap 31 December 2019 - Duke and Duchess also share a snap of Prince Harry cradling Archie during their 'break' in Canada on Vancouver Island on their Instagram page 6 May 2020 - Meghan and Archie appear in a video for Save the Children to mark youngster's first birthday where Duchess reads Duck or Goose 23 December 2020 - Duke and Duchess release an illustrated Christmas card in which Archie's face is not visible 8 March 2021 - Archie appears briefly in Meghan and Harry's Oprah Winfrey interview as he runs along beach, but his face is barely visible 9 March 2021 - Meghan and Harry share a snap cuddling with Archie in their garden - but his face is buried in Meghan's shoulder 6 May 2021 - Meghan and Harry release photograph of Archie from behind for his 2nd birthday 21 May 2021 - Archie, from behind, appears on swings with Prince Harry in The Me You You Can't See documentary 6 June 2021 - Meghan releases her children's book the bench, in which both her children are illustrated 7 June 2021 - Meghan and Harry announce their daughter Lilibet has been born, but do not release any photographs 4 August 2021 - Meghan releases video to mark her 40th birthday, in which there appears to be a blurry image of Harry kissing a newborn in the background, thought to be Lilibet. There are also several blurry images of Archie. 18 November 2021 - Meghan shares another picture of Archie from behind as she appears on The Ellen Show 23 December 2021 - The Duke and Duchess share an image of their family, including Archie and Lilibet, in which their faces are all visible to the camera Advertisement

The couple returned to their Windsor home of Frogmore Cottage this afternoon, leaving the rest of the Royal Family to attend a reception without them following the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen.

The Duke was seen smiling next to his wife while being driven in a Range Rover with another car carrying security personnel behind, after what was the couple's first joint royal engagement in two years.

Meghan Markle's hairdresser who has become a close friend George Northwood: The hairdresser, whose other clients include Alexa Chung, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Alicia Vikander, was a regular part of team Sussex when Harry, 37, and Meghan, 40, lived in the UK, and was trusted with doing the Duchess's locks on her wedding day. Northwood last worked with the Duchess of Sussex on her final royal engagements in March 2020 and thought at the time they would be seeing each other at the Invictus Games the following month. The pandemic meant the pair were unable to reunite until the long-delayed event was held last month. Advertisement

They had been at St Paul's Cathedral for the service, but were kept apart from Prince William, Kate, Prince Charles and Camilla after royal aides ensured they sat on the other side of the aisle - and they later left separately.

The Sussexes did not attend a reception straight after at the nearby Guildhall which featured a series of other Royal Family members and politicians including Prime Minster Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Buckingham Palace officials took great care to try to avoid a repeat of the frosty scenes when the Sussexes and Cambridges sat near each other and left together at their last joint event in March 2020 at Westminster Abbey.

And aides would have been delighted that today's service in front of 2,000 guests passed without any such incident or negative 'optics' given the attempts to ensure today was about the Queen and her 70-year reign.

Kate and William chatted to Prince Charles and Camilla inside the cathedral, but there was no sign of the same rapport with Harry and Meghan who sat in between Lady Sarah Chatto and Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank, and were under strict instructions to keep a low profile during the event.

Harry and William have had a long-standing feud, while Harry has accused his father Charles of cutting him off financially and Meghan claimed an unnamed royal made a comment about Archie's skin tone before he was born  with the Sussexes having a war of words with the Palace following last year's bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview.

It was the first time Harry and Meghan, who now live in California, had been on full public view alongside the Windsors since they quit the monarchy for a new life in the US two years ago. Crowds cheered the pair as they arrived, with the couple smiling and waving, but both boos and cheers could be heard as they departed.

Today, Charles officially represented the absent 96-year-old monarch at the service in London which began at 11.30am. The Queen missed the historic event following a last-minute decision announced by Buckingham Palace at 7.30pm yesterday after she experienced 'discomfort' during Trooping The Colour events earlier in the day.

There was also no appearance at St Paul's by Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week. The Queen watched the service from her residence of Windsor Castle, and it was broadcast on BBC One.

The Sussexes, who are staying at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor while visiting from California, were not allowed on the Buckingham Palace balcony yesterday and instead watched proceedings from Horse Guards Parade.

Prince Charles and Camilla speak with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after arriving at St Paul's Cathedral today

The Queen's niece, Lady Sarah, pictured behind her brother David Linley (far right), arrived by bus for the service on Friday morning with her sons, Arthur, far left, and Samuel, (second from right) who wore military uniform, and her nephew Charles Armstrong-Jones (second from left)

Princess Margaret's daughter Lady Sarah Chatto, 58, appeared to be deep in chat with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as she took a seat next to the couple in St Paul's Cathedral for the National Service of Thanksgiving on Friday

Lady Louise Windsor was seated between her mother Sophie Wessex and brother James, Viscount Severn, for the service

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson look at each other next to Liz Truss and Priti Patel this morning

Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

The Duchess of Sussex carried a pair of cream leather gloves in her hand as she climbed the steps at the cathedral today

Yesterday, Harry and Meghan made a concerted effort not to be seen by prying eyes as they watched Trooping the Colour yesterday, arriving incognito at Horse Guards Parade and studiously keeping away from most - although not all - of the waiting photographers.

The couple arrived in the UK on Wednesday afternoon, flying in by private jet from Los Angeles to Farnborough Airport in Hampshire, where they were picked up by royal bodyguards and taken to Frogmore Cottage.

Yesterday a Range Rover with a modest escort swept them in to Central London and onto Whitehall, where they took up position in the Major General's Office overlooking the parade ground ready for the other royals to arrive.

Among the first to greet them were Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edo, as well as the Queen's grandson Peter Phillips.

Meghan was seen kissing his elder daughter, Savannah, 11, as his younger daughter, Isla, 10, held Zara and Mike Tindall's younger daughter Lena, almost four.

As Princess Beatrice's husband, Edo Mapelli-Mozzi, looked on, Meghan, 40, appeared to be sharing a secret with the youngsters, who were joined by the Tindalls' eldest daughter Mia, eight.

Meghan, wearing a large wide-brimmed navy and white hat, put her finger mysteriously to her lips as the girls mimicked her, laughing.

However, the non-appearance of the couple's own children, Archie, three and Lilibet, who turns one on Saturday, was noted by many on social media.

One wrote: 'I'm praying the Queen gets some time with Archie and Lilibet. She's been waiting so long. I also hope that there is a special christening for Lilibet before Harry returns to the USA.'

Another tweeted: 'Where is their family? I can understand the baby staying with the nanny, but where was Archie? Why wasn't he at the window watching with the other children?'

A third added: 'Queen Elizabeth n Louis on the balcony were just a grandmother n her grandson!! Wish Archie n Lilibet were with her!!'
An American expat living in Tasmania who was lambasted online for complaining about our 'sad and dense' bagels when her home country is dealing with a gun violence crisis has defended her tongue-in-cheek video.

TikToker Ashleigh, who goes by the name @coffeeenut online, moved from New York to Tasmania for university and noticed the bagels Down Under taste different compared to the US.

'Things in Australia that genuinely do not make any sense at all to an American who just moved - the bagels, moving on,' she said.

Ashleigh blasted Aussie bagels for being 'so sad and dense' but said our coffee culture was worth the move.

TikToker Ashleigh, who goes by the name @coffeeenut online, moved from New York to Tasmania for university and noticed the bagels Down Under taste different compared to the US

Ashleigh's comments didn't sit well with some Aussies, who began comparing her complaint to America's gun violence and wildly expensive healthcare.

She has responded to what was only meant to be a light-hearted video by claiming she is 'sad and disappointed' by the response on a video that was only meant to be about bagels.

'I had to turn on Tiktok filters for words like shooting, guns and shot. I get that people are hurt and upset about what is going on in the US, and rightfully so, but a TikTok on bagels is not the outlet for that. I'm used to people making all the classic "American jokes" on me but this was too far,' she told FEMAIL.

'At the end of the day it's just bread! I'm overall really loving Australia and am really happy with my move. I think it's fun to compare and share my experiences between both countries, especially if it's over light-hearted things like bread and coffee.;

Despite the backlash Ashleigh said she will continue to post about the cultural differences between nations.

She has responded to what was only meant to be a light-hearted video by claiming she is 'sad and disappointed' by the response on a video that was only meant to be about bagels

'I think the biggest differences are with the work life balance. In the north-east of the US there's this really toxic "hustle culture" where you're made to feel that if you aren't doing five things at once, you aren't good enough,' she said.

'Whereas, here in Australia, as well as what I noticed when I lived in NZ, is that people are a lot more relaxed. Here, people actually take weekends and close their laptops at 5pm.

'I'm not used to being told it's okay to take a weekend. For example, in the US a lot of people fear they will lose their job if they have to take time off due to an illness.'

Ashleigh feels her move to Oz has been a 'healthy adjustment' because she's been forced to slow down.

'There's of course other quirky differences like slang. I never struggled so hard to understand English in my entire life since moving here,' she said.

Ashleigh's bagel video went viral earlier this week, which is when she started to receive some negative feedback from Australians

'There's slang, and then some slang is shortened further, but if you don't even understand what the original slang is, you won't get the shortened one. I've been told the mainland has a lot more of that.'

Ashleigh's bagel video went viral earlier this week, which is when she started to receive some negative feedback from Australians.

'I'll tell you what doesn't make sense for Australian people in America: guns,' wrote one commenter on TikTok.

Another commented: 'Well I am amazed that Americans can buy guns but not a Kinder Surprise... because someone might get hurt... one f**ked up country, just saying.'

The United States has had 230 mass shootings since the beginning of 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive. (Pictured: National Rifle Association meeting & exhibit at Nashville, Tennessee)

'She's not impressed. The rest of the world isn't impressed with their daily school shootings,' added a third.

'Sad she escaped the gun violence and lack of medical support for crappy bagels. Poor lady,' one user said sarcastically.

'Probably confused about our schools as well, mainly because they're not shooting ranges,' said another.

The United States has had 230 mass shootings since the beginning of 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Australia, on the other hand, has had three since 1996, when former prime minister John Howard brought in sweeping gun reform following the horrific Port Arthur massacre where 35 people were killed.

Australia also beats the US in the health sector, thanks to Medicare.

Medicare was introduced by the Whitlam government in 1975, where it was referred to as Medibank at the time.

It was abolished in 1981 by Malcolm Fraser but later reinstated by the Hawke government in 1984 under the name Medicare.

The US also does not have universal health care but Australia does under the Medicare scheme. Stock image

Not all users were pleased with the extreme reaction to Ashleigh's minor complaint about bagels, with many arguing the response was unnecessarily over the top

Not all users were pleased with the extreme reaction to Ashleigh's minor complaint about bagels, with many arguing the response was unnecessarily over the top.

One American said: 'What a thing to say to someone over a bagel. Seriously, we don't have the best coffee, but someone is right to criticise it in my opinion lol. I wish we could get better coffee here.'

'Love Australians getting so offended and using this person's dislike for bagels as a scapegoat for school shootings as if this person is saying school shootings are ok, and bagels are not,' said a second user.

'SHE WAS BEING HUMOUROUS PEOPLE!' a Tasmanian resident stressed, before adding 'she's right, Australian bagels do suck, I loved discovering bagels when I visited the US'.

In the US, bagels are a popular breakfast option that are often topped with cream cheese and butter.

But Australians prefer bacon and egg rolls or avocado on toast along with a coffee first thing in the morning, rather than a bagel.

Despite the differences between the US and Australia, Ashleigh said she made 'a good choice' moving internationally.
This March 2020 file photo shows a production facility of SKC in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. Korea Times file



SKC, a film and chemical materials company of South Korea's conglomerate SK Group, has said it is considering selling its polyester (PET) film business in what could be an attempt to bolster its drive for battery materials and other eco-friendly sectors.



The proposed selling of the PET film business is one of the various options being discussed with Hahn Company, a Seoul-based private equity fund, though no decision has been made yet on holding a board meeting, SKC said in a regulatory filing Thursday.



Still, people familiar with the matter said SKC could hold a board meeting as early as next week to finalize the decision and plans to sign the deal with the private equity fund for approximately 1.6 trillion won ($1.28 billion).



An SKC official declined to comment.



The sale, if confirmed, would mark a major breakaway from the flagship business that SKC is rooted in. SKC started off as South Korea's first PET film developer in 1977, becoming the fourth in the world in 1980 to have developed colored videotape after the United States, Germany and Japan.



It has expanded its businesses to various types of films, from optical, packaging and display to semiconductors and solar cells.



But the potential sale of the PET film division has been speculated for months, as SKC is reorganizing its businesses to focus more on battery components and other advanced materials, especially the copper foil used in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.



SKC acquired KCFT, a copper foil manufacturer, from KKR & Co. in 2019 and has now renamed the company SK Nexilis as its wholly owned subsidiary.



SKC is predicted to use the proceeds from the sale to expand copper foil facilities. SKC said in November it will spend 900 billion won to build a battery copper foil factory in Poland, with an aim to produce 50,000 tons a year. (Yonhap)


The number of adults in the UK being treated for gender dysphoria on the NHS has risen 75 per cent in five years, MailOnline can reveal.

Latest figures for 2021 show more than 11,000 patients received care for the condition that causes sufferers to feel they were born the wrong gender.

This is 74 per cent more compared to the 6,371 patients being treated in 2016.

A gender dysphoria diagnosis is the first step to getting prescribed cross-sex hormone therapies that help trans people develop the characteristics of their preferred gender.

It comes amid a nationwide shortage of hormone replacement therapy which is also used to help alleviate the symptoms of the mesopause.

Around 1,600 trans patients were prescribed the female hormone oestrogen in 2021, the most popular HRT drug that is most short in stock.

However, the total figure is believed to be higher because data is only available for four out of the 12 of the gender clinics that provided information to MailOnline.

A current HRT shortage has left menopausal women rationing doses, trading supplies in car parks or turning to the black market.

This map shows the geographic distribution of gender dysphoria patients in the UK from NHS clinics that provided data to MailOnline

MailOnline complied the data on gender dysphoria based on Freedom of Information (FOI) requests sent to 12 NHS gender clinics in the UK.

Of these, 11 provided data on their patient numbers stretching back to 2016, or to when they first opened.

Only four of the services were able to provide the number of patients prescribed oestrogen as part of their treatment, meaning the total is likely higher.

Overall there were 11,085 gender dysphoria patients being treated in 2021/22, compared to 6,371 in 2016/17.

Of the 2021 patients 1,592 were prescribed oestrogen.

For men wising to be feminine, oestrogen helps shrink testes, reduce facial hair and muscle mass, and leads to development of breast tissue and rounder hips.

In women going through the menopause, HRT replaces the hormones the body stops making during the menopause.

It is used in this way to treat debilitating symptoms like hot flushes, brain fog, joint pains, mood swings and vaginal dryness.

About a million British women are estimated to be taking HRT of some sort for their menopause symptoms, with NHS data showing prescriptions for these medications rose to over 500,000 in February alone.

The current HRT crisis has left desperate women rationing doses, turning to the black market or even smuggling medications into the UK from abroad.

The number of these patients prescribed oestrogen, which helps people with the condition become more feminine. Data was only provided by four of the country's gender clinics

Fury over 'ideological' new NHS trans pregnancy advice that refers to 'chest-feeding New NHS advice for trans parents has been described as 'ideological' for failing to mention the word breasts and 'normalising' a potentially dangerous chest-binding technique. The guidance also encourages people to keep taking hormone transitioning drugs when they 'chestfeed', despite admitting 'it is unclear what effect this could have on your baby'. The advice was written a year ago but was only issued online this week after nearly a year of internal wrangling over whether to publish. It has provoked concern among nurses and members of the public, who said the advice fails to warn people about health risks to both parents and babies. A page titled 'chestfeeding if you're trans or non-binary' makes no mention of breasts and refers to breast reduction operations as 'top surgery'. The advice also has a section on binding, a technique used by women transitioning to men to flatten their breasts, usually with extremely tight fitting bras. Experts have previously warned the technique can cause bruised ribs, fractures, breathing difficulties and infections. Even NHS England advice in 2008 said bindings should only be used for short periods of time because they 'may cause back problems' and can distort breast tissue, which could affect any future surgery to remove the breasts. Advertisement

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust accounted for the lion's share of gender dysphoria patients in the UK, our analysis shows.

The Trust's Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health treated 5,050 patients in 2021  nearly half of the total for the year.

In second place was The Welsh Gender Service, which only launched in 2019 and recorded 1,679 patients in the 2021 financial year.

This is more than double the patients treated at the service in the previous year and eight-times more than its first year of operation.

In third place for 2021 was the Gender Dysphoria Clinic at Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

It treated 1,475 patients last year, roughly double the number in 2016.

For Scotland, the clinic with highest number patients was Sandyford run by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, with 742 in 2021, only eight more patients than 2016.

Northern Ireland's gender dysphoria service, run by the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust's Brackenburn Clinic, recorded just 58 patients in 2021.

Just four out of 12 NHS trusts provided data on the number of patients given oestrogen in 2021.

These were Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, NHS Highland in Scotland, Sheffield Health and Social Care, and Northamptonshire Healthcare.

Northamptonshire Healthcare had the most patients on oestrogen in 2021, with 1,341.

That accounts for about 91 per cent of the people it was treating for gender dysphoria that year.

This was followed by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital with 201 patients, about 55 per cent of its total patients, and NHS Highland, which treated between 40 and 50 patients with oestrogen.

NHS Highland told MailOnline it couldn't provide an accurate figure due to how different HRT medications were listed in its database and prescription rules changing in 2021 due to Covid.

Sheffield Health and Social Care provided 38 patients oestrogen in 2021, about 12 per cent of its total patient number.

It should be noted the figures collected by MailOnline only show adults treated for gender dysphoria.

Children with the condition are treated via the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust which has two main clinics, one in London and one in Leeds.

GIDS has seen a dramatic rise in its annual caseload over the last decade. Just 138 children were referred for treatment in 2010/11. But this has grown to 2,383 in 2020/21, a 17-fold increase.

There are also 5,500 children currently on the NHS waiting list for gender swap treatment after post-lockdown surge in demand .

Children with gender dysphoria are not usually given HRT but can be given puberty blockers after going through several rounds of counselling.

They can be given HRT once they turn 16-years-old, and if they have been on hormone blockers for at least a year.

There were about 512,000 NHS prescriptions written for 'female sex hormones and their modulators' in England in February, the latest official data shows, compared to 265,000 in March 2017. Many of these will be HRT medications but some may include other female hormone drugs such as contraceptives

60p 'sex change' pills are being sold on eBay Sex change pills that claim to make users 'grow boobs' are being sold on eBay, MailOnline can reveal. The online marketplace is housing dozens of listings for 'feminiser' and 'masculine- transitioning' tablets, which can be bought for as little as 60p a pill. They are marketed using voluptuous women or musclebound men with sellers of the most popular products located in London, Bristol and Newcastle. Most of the items seen by MailOnline made dubious health claims, which doctors warned were designed to prey on desperate patients with gender dysphoria. One aimed at trans women said just one daily pill could help them 'grow boobs', develop a 'pert and feminine bottom' and make their voice 'higher and ladylike'. Another marketed at trans men claimed to be able to 'grow facial hair', 'increase strength and muscle mass' and 'shrink breasts'. Some of the products have been purchased hundreds of times, despite no proof any of the listed ingredients will cause the desired effect. Doctors told MailOnline that at best they are snake oil supplements that do nothing but at worst they may contain body-warping hormones. Advertisement

Waiting times for gender identity clinics have become grown considerably in recent years as the condition has become more widely accepted.

Some clinics like the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health are now contacting patients originally referred in February 2020.

Whereas Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has a 49 month long waiting list.

There are currently five oestrgoen medications that are in serious short supply in the UK.

These are various doses of Oestrogel, Ovestin, Premique, Lenzetto and Sandrena.

There has been a big increase in women seeking HRT, with an estimated 538,000 prescriptions issued in December, compared with 238,000 in January 2017.

Prescriptions for Oestrogel, which is used by around 30,000 in the UK, have also risen dramatically.

Some gender dysphoria clinics have also warned their patients about Oestrogel shortages and advising users to substitute their usual does with alternative medications like Lenzetto and Sandrena.

It is not known how many trans people in total might also be impacted by shortages of oestrogen medications.

If transwomen, a male-to-female person, stops taking HRT male features like facial hair can return which can trigger or exacerbate feelings of gender dysphoria.

Health minister Sajid Javid has continually promised action on Britain's HRT crisis.

Last month he appointed a new HRT tsar Madelaine McTernan with a mission to secure menopause medications from countries with excess supplies in Europe and North America.

About two weeks ago Government also issued officials issued a Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP) enabling pharmacists to hand out substitute forms of HRT without the patient having to go back to her GP for a fresh prescription.

But pharmacists have warned that, despite official assurances, local rules are still deterring GPs from prescribing the brands of HRT many women want.

There are no accurate estimates on how many trans people there are in the UK, however the Government estimates there are between 200,000-500,000.
New York City has detected its fifth suspected case of monkeypox, health chiefs revealed Thursday night  bringing the national tally to 22.

Officials in the Empire state are yet to published any further details on the case, including the patients' sex and whether they are linked to international travel.

But the new infection makes the city of 8million America's hotspot for the tropical disease  which is native to West Africa.

Yesterday another four monkeypox cases were spotted, with Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia all reporting their first patients to be struck down with the virus.

Most cases are being detected in gay and bisexual men who have recently returned from international travel. But a number are also being seen in 'close contacts' of cases in a sign human-to-human transmission may be taking place on American soil.

Globally more than 700 cases have been detected  with the most in Spain and the UK where tallies have eclipsed 200.

America has now detected 22 cases of monkeypox across 11 states  with Pennsylvania and Illinois yesterday joining the list of cities to detect the virus

Pictured above are the early spot symptoms triggered by monkeypox. After the marks appear they become concave and turn black before eventually falling off

Pictured above are symptoms triggered by a monkeypox infection. Anyone with these warning signs is being urged to come forward

New York City's new case has tested positive for orthopox virus  the family that includes smallpox and monkeypox.

The sample will now be sent for testing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to confirm it is a monkeypox case. It is very likely that an orthopox-positive person has monkeypox.

Revealing its fifth infection yesterday, New York City's Department of Health said on Twitter: 'An additional person has tested positive for the orthopox virus in New York City, which is presumed to be monkeypox.

'To date, five cases have been identified.

'Monkeypox is rare in New York City but we can prevent the spread. Learn more about prevention and symptoms.'

Cut your number of sexual partners to help fight monkeypox, urges World Health Organization People should reduce their number of sexual partners to help fight the spread of monkeypox, the World Health Organization urged on Wednesday. Dr Hans Kluge, the head of WHO's European division, has warned the current outbreak of the tropical disease 'may not be containable'. He warned Europe had become the new epicentre of the virus, with the outbreak linked to sexual transmission at raves and festivals on the continent. Dr Kluge insisted the virus 'will not require the same extensive population measures' as Covid but said 'significant and urgent' action was needed to prevent more cases. He added that while cases have been concentrated in men who have sex with men, there was nothing stopping it from spreading to other groups. Advertisement

The first case in the city was in a man who became hospitalized in Manhattan after suffering symptoms of the virus.

No details on the other cases have been revealed.

Monkeypox has now spread to 11 states with the second highest number of cases in California (four).

Florida has three infections while Colorado and Utah both have two.

Georgia, Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington, Pennsylvania and Illinois have each reported one infection.

Monkeypox is typically spread through physical contact with infectious skin lesions in patients.

People who are infected initially suffer a fever within the first 21 days, before a rash erupts on their face and spreads to the rest of the body.

It can take up to four weeks for symptoms to clear as the rash goes through several stages before eventually falling off.

Most cases are mild, but between one in 10 and one in a 100 people who are infected die from the disease.

There are far more cases of monkeypox being detected in Europe than the U.S. where the virus may have gained a foothold.

Spain has reported the most cases on the continent (208), followed by England (206) and Portugal (138).

WHO chiefs suggest that the continent's outbreak is linked to unsafe sex at two raves in Spain and Belgium.

Like in America, its cases are mostly among gay and bisexual men, but health chiefs warn there is nothing stopping the disease spreading into other groups.

There are also mounting calls for the outbreak to be contained, with experts saying that if the virus is allowed to continue to spread it could spill over into the animal population  which would become a reservoir.

On Wednesday, the head of the WHO's European division Dr Hans Kluge called on people to reduce their number of sexual partners to help stem the outbreak.

He also warned that the tropical disease 'may not be containable' in Europe as there are still undetected chains of transmission.
Over-confidence could be the enemy of good health, a new study has found  because adults with too much self-belief are less likely to visit doctors even when they are feeling unwell.

Researchers at the University of Vienna, Austria, found that people aged 50 and over who were too confident about their health visited the doctor two times less a year on average than those who were not.

They warned this could lead to serious diseases such as cancer only being diagnosed in the late stages  when the patient is harder to treat.

It comes as part of a growing body of research showing the downsides of too much confidence, including poor financial decisions, wasting time on bad ideas and losing the trust of others around you.

Researchers at the University of Vienna, Austria, found those who were over-confident about their health visited the doctor two times less a year on average than those who were not confident (stock)

Patients over 60 who enjoy a stiff drink may recover better after an operation than those who stay sober Older patients who enjoy a stiff drink may recover better after an operation than those who stay sober, a study suggested Wednesday. People aged 60 and over who consumed a 'potentially unhealthy amount' of alcohol typically had a better quality of life. The heavy drinkers reported significantly better mobility, self-care and fewer problems undertaking daily activities after surgery compared to those drank less or not at all. Researcher Vera Guttenthaler, from University Hospital Bonn, in Germany, said: 'One explanation may be that higher alcohol consumption may lead to elevated mood, enhanced sociability and reduced stress.' While the findings have been questioned by other academics, the researchers said the topic was 'exciting' and warrants further investigation. Advertisement

Published this week in the Journal of the Economics of Aging, researchers looked at more than 80,000 European adults who were over 50 years old.

Participants were asked to rate how healthy they were by whether they would struggle to get up from a chair after sitting for a long period.

They were then asked to physically get up from a chair, with the scientists rating whether this was harder or easier than expected.

Next participants were questioned on whether they suffered any health conditions and how often they visited the doctors in a year.

Results showed most adults (79 percent) correctly assessed their health, but a tenth either over or under estimated it.

Those who were less confident were more likely to say they had an underlying health condition  such as high blood pressure, cataracts or high cholesterol  than those who were over-confident.

Overall, participants visited the doctors about nine times a year.

But those in the over-confident group were 17 percent less likely to visit the doctor.

While those in the least confident group went around ten times a year.

The scientists did not investigate whether either group faced a higher risk of death from certain conditions.

Dr Sonja Spitzer, a demographer who led the study, and others said: 'Individuals that believe they are healthier than they actually are could delay doctor visits even when necessary  and turn up sicker in later stages of the illness.

'While this might result in short term savings, in the long run, health gets worse if left untreated and results in more serious illness leading to higher costs.

'Overconfident individuals might also be less inclined in using preventative and screening services for early detection of diseases.'

They added: '[On the other hand], individuals that underestimate health may end up having earlier screening and diagnosis of diseases due to frequent doctor visits, and impact costs differently by preventing further deterioration of health.'

The study was based on the results of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement (SHARE) research that was carried out between 2006 and 2013.

Dr Mujaheed Shaikh, a health economist at the Hertie School in Berlin, Germany, was also involved in the research.
Forget landing on the Moon or inventing the computer, I think the smallpox vaccination campaign, which eliminated a hideous disease that in the 20th century alone killed more than 300 million people, is one of mankinds greatest achievements.

And its a gift that keeps on giving because it could protect you against monkeypox, even if you were vaccinated decades ago.

There have been nearly 200 cases of monkeypox in the UK since the outbreak began four weeks ago.

Although its rarely fatal, it can cause a nasty rash that appears first on the palms of your hands and soles of the feet, and then the rest of the body.

How worried should we be about monkeypox? The World Health Organisation says at the moment, we are not concerned of a pandemic, but it is monitoring events.

What is particularly impressive is that decades later, when people who were inoculated as babies are re-tested, they still show a strong protective antibody response to smallpox (the record so far is someone who was inoculated more than 90 years ago)

One worry is that as monkeypox spreads it may mutate into something much more contagious, as Covid did.

One bit of good news, at least if you are over 51 years old, is that you may already be protected against monkeypox by the smallpox vaccine, which, until 1971, was routinely given to young children (the vaccines were stopped when smallpox was no longer considered a risk in the UK).

Smallpox is related to monkeypox and studies suggest that the vaccines for smallpox also offer 85 per cent protection against monkeypox.

What is particularly impressive is that decades later, when people who were inoculated as babies are re-tested, they still show a strong protective antibody response to smallpox (the record so far is someone who was inoculated more than 90 years ago).

This could help explain why the majority of cases of monkeypox have been in people under 50. So a big thanks to my parents for getting me inoculated.

But the smallpox vaccine is not the only one that provides some unexpected benefits.

Flu jabs protect against dementia

It might seem unlikely, but a vaccination against the flu  or pneumonia  not only protects you against these diseases but also reduces your risk of Alzheimers.

That was the conclusion of a study from the University of Texas Health Science Center in the U.S., based on the health records of more than 9,000 people  those who had an annual flu jab were 13 per cent less likely to develop Alzheimers than those who didnt; with the pneumonia jab, they were up to 40 per cent less likely to develop the condition.

One theory is that the vaccines prevent inflammation which can spread to your brain.

It might seem unlikely, but a vaccination against the flu  or pneumonia  not only protects you against these diseases but also reduces your risk of Alzheimers

Yellow fever and breast cancer

Yellow fever is a rather more exotic vaccine, which you tend to have for travelling to some parts of Africa and South America.

Rather surprisingly, the vaccine may also protect women against breast cancer.

In a ten-year study by the University of Padua in Italy, researchers tracked more than 12,000 women whod been immunised against yellow fever and found that those whod had the jab between the ages of 40 to 54 had nearly half the chance of developing breast cancer in the two years after vaccination compared to women who were not vaccinated.

Strangely, the jab didnt offer the same protection to women given it before 40 or after 54.

The yellow fever vaccine contains a live, but weakened, virus (which you also find in the chickenpox and polio vaccines)  its thought that the live virus stirs up the immune system, which then also destroys breast cancer cells at a very early stage in the disease, before they become aggressive, which theyre more likely to do in younger women.

Shingles and stroke risk

Having a vaccine to prevent shingles may also reduce your risk of having a stroke.

Shingles is caused by reactivation of the chickenpox virus which lies dormant in the nerves after the original infection, and can cause a rash with lasting nerve pain. Its common in people over 50, though you have to be over 70 to be offered a free vaccine on the NHS.

As well as preventing shingles, the vaccine may reduce your risk of stroke by nearly 20 per cent, according to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S., based on the medical records of a million people aged 66 or older. Like the vaccines against flu and pneumonia, the benefit may be due to reduced inflammation.

Tuberculosis and bladder cancer

In the UK more than 10,300 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer every year.

Surprisingly, one of the frontline treatments, which helps prevent it spreading or coming back, is an injection of BCG, a vaccine made up of weakened bacteria that youre given as a child to protect you against tuberculosis (TB).

As with the yellow fever vaccine it seems to encourage your immune system to become active and kill off cancer cells that might grow back, or that are left behind.

It is part of an exciting approach to preventing and treating cancer, known as immunotherapy, which holds great promise for the future.

So there you go. At a time when the anti-vax movement is stronger than ever, these are some more reasons to celebrate the remarkable things that vaccines can protect us from  and a reminder of why you really do want to keep up with your jabs.

Dance to boost your brain Recently I did a podcast on the health benefits of dancing, part of a series I present called Just One Thing. As I discovered when interviewing dancer-turned-neuroscientist Dr Julia Christensen from the Max Planck Institute in Germany, dancing not only boosts your muscles and balance, it can even increase the size of your brain. But is it just because dancing is a great form of exercise? In a recent study from Japan, brain scans on people before and after listening to the sort of music that makes you want to strut your stuff showed it has a beneficial impact on our brains, particularly on executive function  i.e. skills such as concentration and planning. While the researchers didnt suggest why, one theory is that this is because music has a complex neurological and multisensory effect on us. So the next time your boss catches you dancing by the water fountain, you can always say Im working on my personal development  and quote me. As I discovered when interviewing dancer-turned-neuroscientist Dr Julia Christensen from the Max Planck Institute in Germany, dancing not only boosts your muscles and balance, it can even increase the size of your brain. But is it just because dancing is a great form of exercise? Advertisement
Two men that eventually became America's first two monkeypox cases had sought out treatment for rashes and warts multiple times before doctors finally tested them for the virus in mid-May, after an outbreak had begun in Europe, the CDC reveals.

A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Friday lays out a timeline for how these early cases were initially missed by local doctors, and the gap between patients noticing symptoms and finally being told they were infected.

The first patient, in the Boston, Massachusetts area, had first experienced a rash around his anus and genitals on May 4, days before cases of the virus were first popping up around Europe. He was not tested for monkeypox until he was hospitalized due to severe pain.

A New York City man had experienced a rash on May 4 as well. Doctors thought it was a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and did not consider the rare virus until the case in Massachusetts was announced.

The CDC report published Friday considers most recent data as of May 31. This includes 17 confirmed cases of the virus, with 16 in men who have sex with other men.

Officials said during a briefing Friday that they had now confirmed 20 cases in America, and over 700 across the world. There have also been no deaths from the virus tied to this outbreak.

All American patients are either in recovery or have fully recovered already. Patients who have the virus are told to remain isolated until their scabs from the lesion fall off and are replaced by new skin.

The outlier case that is not in a gay or bisexual male comes from the Northern Virginia region, where officials confirmed a case in a woman that had recently traveled abroad.

Two different strains have been found in the U.S., with a vast majority of cases matching the same strain that has been found across Europe in recent weeks.

Both strains are of the less-severe Western African variant. Two different strains implies that there were multiple animal-to-human transfers of the virus that eventually led to U.S. cases, though.

Last year, two monkeypox cases were detected in the U.S. - one in Texas and one in Maryland - were also of different strains, and the same two strains that are currently circulating in America.

One U.S. case has not been tied to international travel, or a known human-to-human transmission. The CDC did not reveal where that case was detected.

Monkeypox will display itself as small lesions that appear on a person's body, though officials warn that they could be subtle and easy to miss (file photo)

CDC officials assured the public that the country has a large enough stockpile of monkeypox vaccines to deal with an oncoming surge of the rare virus (file photo)

Monkeypox was first detected outside of West and Central Africa - regions where it is endemic - on May 7 in a person in the UK that had recently traveled to Nigeria.

Days earlier, on May 4 a man in Massachusetts that had recently returned from international travel developed an anogenital rash.

This rash eventually spread to his face. Over the next week, he would seek out medical care four times, and each time common causes for these types of lesions were ruled out.

On May 12, the man was hospitalized due to unbearable pain caused by his rash. Shortly after, on May 17, local officials notified the CDC of this man's condition - having seen coverage of a similar case in the UK.

He tested positive for the orthopox family of viruses on May 17, and a day later the CDC confirmed that he had monkeypox.

Also on May 4, a New York City man with recent international travel history developed an oral lesion and a painful rash.

Cut your number of sexual partners to help fight monkeypox, urges World Health Organization People should reduce their number of sexual partners to help fight the spread of monkeypox, the World Health Organization urged on Wednesday. Dr Hans Kluge, the head of WHO's European division, has warned the current outbreak of the tropical disease 'may not be containable'. He warned Europe had become the new epicenter of the virus, with the outbreak linked to sexual transmission at raves and festivals on the continent. Dr Kluge insisted the virus 'will not require the same extensive population measures' as Covid but said 'significant and urgent' action was needed to prevent more cases. He added that while cases have been concentrated in men who have sex with men, there was nothing stopping it from spreading to other groups. Advertisement

When he sought out medical care, he was tested for STIs and sent home. The rash began to spread, and other STI tests continued to comeback negative.

Upon hearing about the case in Massachusetts, New York City officials notified the CDC of this case. In the coming days he would test positive for monkeypox and go into isolation.

In the days following, cases of the virus would erupt around America, including at least three others in New York City, three in Sacramento County and others spread across eleven U.S. states.

At least one of these patients was treated with tecovirimat, an antiviral agent developed to fight smallpox but also effective against monkeypox, out the nation's strategic stockpile.

Because smallpox - a virus that has been eradicated for decades - and monkeypox are both orthopox viruses, many treatments against the former also work against the latter.

Contact tracing efforts started in order to control the spread of the virus, and officials have detected hundreds of exposed people across regions where confirmed cases have been found.

These include 56 people considered to be of high risk of catching the virus, 117 at a moderate risk and 235 at low risk based on potential levels of exposure.

There are two available vaccines for the virus, which are being distributed to close contacts of the infected and people who work in healthcare that may be exposed to the virus.

One is JYNNEOS, a vaccine that can be administered both before and after exposure to the virus to be effective. Last week, CDC officials laid out plans to distribute the shots to health workers and the exposed.

It is believe that America has around 1,000 doses of the two-dose vaccine, though CDC officials say this figure has shifted since they last revealed numbers last week - implying the country has purchased more of the shots. It is the preferred vaccine for fighting the rare virus.

ACAM2000 is an older vaccine which was designed to prevent smallpox - just like JYNNEOS - and is only effective post-exposure to the virus. The U.S. is reportedly sitting on a stockpile of over 100 million doses of the jabs, a figure which may have also changed according to the CDC.

It also has a higher reported risk of adverse events tied to it.

The CDC reports that one state with detected cases of the virus has chosen to request ACAM2000 instead of the preferred JYNNEOS to treat their close contacts.

Officials reiterated that the country has 'more than enough' vaccine doses to deal with the current outbreak.
Livers are never older than three years  even when someone reaches their 80s  because the cells are constantly renewing themselves, a study has revealed.

German scientists said their study would help improve understandings of age-related diseases in the organ, such as fatty liver disease and cirrhosis.

It is the first time the cells in this organ  which is the only one capable of regenerating itself when damaged  have been aged by scientists.

Human bodies replace billions of cells every day, with those lining the intestine having the shortest lifespan of just four days. But others like those in muscles can live for 70 years while those in the brain may survive as long as a person lives.

Cells in the liver last for about three years before they are replaced, scientists say. Pictured above is the organ (red area) along with the gall bladder (yellow), which stores bile

In the study,  published earlier this week in the journal Cell Systems  researchers from Dresden University of Technology, 100 miles from Berlin, studied liver samples from 32 patients between 20 and 84 years old.

They had 32 samples from post-mortems for patients that had died, 12 from biopsies and nine that were one type of cell taken from the liver.

To age the sample, the researchers used a method that relies on measuring the amount of carbon in cells from the atmosphere.

What is the liver? The liver is the largest internal organ in the human body, weighing in at about 3lbs (1.4kg). It is the main powerhouse with more than 500 functions including producing bile, storing iron and vitamins. It also cleanses the body from drugs, alcohol and old blood cells. The organ is formed of about 75,000 hexagon-shaped lobules, each made from millions of liver cells. All the blood in the body passes through these lobules every two minutes. Unlike other organs such as the heart and lungs, the liver is the only one able to regenerate itself  even when up to 90 percent has been damaged. Regular consumption of more than 30 units (15 pints of beers, five bottles of wine) a week risks chronic cirrhosis (damage) of the liver. Advertisement

Carbon becomes incorporated into plants through photosynthesis, and then comes into humans when they eat greens.

There were massive  although not dangerous  amounts of carbon in the environment in the 1950s thanks to nuclear bombs being tested above ground, which was reflected in cells.

But after these were banned, the levels gradually began to fall.

It was this decline that the scientists used to estimate the age of cells.

The study found liver cells live for about a year on average, and never beyond three years.

But up to 20 percent  scientifically called diploid hepatocytes because they contain extra genes  had a lifespan of up to ten years.

These cells were more common in older patients, which the scientists said suggested they may have a role in ensuring the organ continues to replenish itself.

Dr Olaf Bergmann, the geneticist who led the study, said: 'No matter if you are 20 or 84, your liver stays on average just under three years old.'

He added: 'It is important to establish these characteristics of cell renewal in the adult liver, particularly to gain a better understanding of age-related diseases and liver cancer.'

Despite its ability to regenerate, there is mounting evidence that livers still age overtime due to mutations in cell genes.

This can lead to problems with normal cell function which triggers low-level inflammation in the organ, a risk factor for several diseases, reports a 2019 study in Computational and Structural Biotechnology.

The human body replaces about 330 billion cells every day  or one percent of the total, according to a 2016 study in PLOS Biology.

It also revealed that while some cells tend to only live a few days, others could last a lifetime.

The shortest lived cell is thought to be the sperm cell, which is stored for just three days on average before being replaced.
THE WHALEBONE THEATRE by Joanna Quinn (Fig Tree 14.99, 560pp)

THE WHALEBONE THEATRE

by Joanna Quinn (Fig Tree 14.99, 560pp)

Quinns debut is a wonder. Set on the Dorset Coast, with a crumbling old country manor as a backdrop, it is a charming coming of age tale that seems destined to become a classic.

At the heart of this engaging novel are three step siblings  fierce, imaginative Cristabel, sweet, unconfident Flossie and Digby, charming and charismatic.

Neglected by their guardians  the rakish, drunken Uncle Willoughby and his brittle, gadfly wife Rosalind  the trio are left to their own devices.

They spend their time scrabbling on the seashore, encountering a raggle-taggle rout of visitors to Chilcombe (including an American poet and a Russian artist) and creating a tiny theatre, the memory of which will gleam golden as adulthood encroaches and the darkness of WW2 casts its long shadow. Elegantly written and totally immersive, this is escapism fiction at its very best.

THE SECOND SIGHT OF ZACHARY CLOUDESLEY by Sean Lusk (Doubleday 14.99, 369pp)

THE SECOND SIGHT OF ZACHARY CLOUDESLEY

by Sean Lusk (Doubleday 14.99, 369pp)

Lusks dashing, magical debut winds its way through the grimy streets of mid18th Century London and slips through the twisting lanes and alleyways of Constantinople, eventually arriving in the disconcerting rooms of the royal palace and its equally disconcerting inhabitants.

Intricately plotted and peopled with intriguing characters and cunning clockwork, it unspools the stories of Abel Cloudesley, a man with a touch of mischief, a dash of mercury, who makes marvellous machines, and his beloved son Zachary, a boy gifted with the ability to glean past secrets and shadowy futures at the touch of a hand.

Caught out by underhand machinations of an old friend, Abel is inveigled into heading to the Ottoman Empire as a spy  and its where the teenage Zachary will follow to uncover his fathers fate and embark on his own extraordinary tale.

THE HALF LIFE OF VALERY K by Natasha Pulley (Bloomsbury 16.99, 384pp)

THE HALF LIFE OF VALERY K

by Natasha Pulley (Bloomsbury 16.99, 384pp)

Its 1963 and prisoner Valery Kolkhanov, a former nuclear scientist with a troubled past and an uncertain future, is trying to stay alive in a Siberian gulag.

The weather is killingly cold, the food rations are slender and his fellow captives are beleaguered and dangerous. But Kolkhanov has managed to survive by guile, charm and the protection of gangster inmates, who have accepted him as one of their own.

Taken by car from the frozen wastes to a mysterious Russian town, hidden in a dying forest, Kolkhanov is set to work on a project that tracks the levels of radiation and its effect on flora and fauna, but quickly realizes that something far more sinister and deadly is occurring.

Pulleys impeccable prose, vivid and shot through with tenderness, lends a hint of lightness to this unsettling story.
AND AWAY... by Bob Mortimer (Gallery 8.99, 352pp)

AND AWAY...

by Bob Mortimer (Gallery 8.99, 352pp)

In 2015, Bob Mortimers life was trundling along like a podgy golden retriever being dragged along the pavement, when he woke with chest pain.

The pain proved to be a heart problem requiring a triple bypass. But that terrifying brush with mortality had some positive outcomes.

As he recovered, fellow comic Paul Whitehouse persuaded him to take a fishing trip  an outing that would lead to the BBC2 series Gone Fishing.

And Mortimer also began to reflect on his life: his childhood in Middlesbrough, his fathers death when he was only seven, his paralysing shyness, early career as a solicitor and the moment in a London pub when Mortimer first met Vic Reeves and his life changed for ever.

The resulting memoir is a joy  equal parts heartfelt and hilarious.

BILLY SUMMERS by Stephen King (Hodder 8.99, 448pp)

BILLY SUMMERS

by Stephen King (Hodder 8.99, 448pp)

Billy Summers is an unusual character: a hitman with a conscience and a taste for literary fiction. After a traumatic childhood growing up in foster care after his sister was murdered by his mothers boyfriend, he joined the Marines and discovered a talent as a sniper.

After leaving the army, Billy puts this skill to use, carrying out underworld hits, but only when he is convinced that the target is a thoroughly bad person.

At 44, he is ready to retire, but is persuaded to take on one last job. The target is a low-life crook, but Billy senses an untold story behind the hit  and then an unexpected twist disrupts his plans.

Stephen King combines a story of corruption in high places with a lyrical portrait of small-town life and a bittersweet love story.

BEAUTIFUL WORLD, WHERE ARE YOU by Sally Rooney (Faber 8.99, 352pp)

BEAUTIFUL WORLD, WHERE ARE YOU

by Sally Rooney (Faber 8.99, 352pp)

Being hugely successful in your 20s sounds like every young writers dream. But success brings complications  not least, the burden of expectation.

Rooneys latest considers this, along with how to love and live in a world threatened by problems inherited from older generations.

Alice and Eileen are friends who met at university in Dublin. But while Eileen works as a low-paid assistant, Alice signed a huge book deal when she was 24, and the ensuing celebrity has caused a breakdown.

With painfully authentic emotions rendered in elegant prose, Rooneys novel celebrates the enduring power of friendship.
When Toby Dorr saw the news that prison guard Vicky White's time on the lam with her convict lover, Casey White, had ended with his capture and her suicide she cried for three days straight.

It might seem an extreme reaction for a woman who never met Vicky, 56, but for Dorr the feelings were overwhelming. She was 'devastated.'

She says, 'Vicky couldn't see through the darkness and decided to take her own life which was just heartbreakingbecause that could have been me.'

For Dorr, 64, this isn't a fanciful connection or idle turn of phrase. Because sixteen years ago it was her.

In 2006 Dorr  then known as Toby Young  sparked a nationwide manhunt when the trusted volunteer who ran a dog training and adoption program at Lansing Correctional Facility, Kansas, smuggled convicted murderer John Manard, then 27, out of prison in a dog crate and went on the run.

Now, in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Dorr has shared her story and offered a unique insight into what drives a woman like her  a woman in so very many ways like Vicky  to do the unthinkable and 'blow up' her life.

While Dorr and Manard were living what she called their 'honeymoon life' the rest of the country was looking for them. The Associated Press came to do an article about Lansing's 'Dog Lady,' Dorr. She was pictured walking a dog with Manard. It was less than two weeks before his escape and the plan was already set. Dorr's heart was 'beating out of her chest'

Sixteen years ago Toby Dorr was a trusted volunteer who ran a dog training and adoption program at Lansing Correctional Facility, Kansas. She smuggled her convict lover out of prison in a dog crate and went on the run

Toby Dorr, 64, (left) went on the run with her convict lover John Manard, then 27, in 2006, sparking a nationwide manhunt. He was 21 years her junior

Speaking with DailyMail.com, Dorr says the similarities between her and Vicky White's (pictured) stories are 'stunning.' 'John Manard, who I helped escape, was 21 years younger than me. Casey White was 22 years younger than Vicky,' Dorr said

The similarities between Dorr and Vicky's stories are, as she puts it, 'stunning.'

She explained 'John Manard, who I helped escape, was 21 years younger than me. Casey White was 22 years younger than Vicky.

'Vicky had been this upstanding citizen her whole life. She lived an exemplary life and won employee of the year [several] years in a row and was slated to get it again this year. The whole community depended on her and no one ever suspected anything which is why the whole escape worked.

'It was the same with mine. I had been an upstanding citizen and I had free rein to go into the prison and go anywhere I wanted.

Dorr's inspirational memoir, 'Living With Conviction' is out next month and she has written a series of workbooks, 'Unleashed' designed to help women gain agency within their own lives

'Their first vehicle was found in Tennessee which is where we were caught. They were gone for 11 days; we were gone for 12 days.

'We were caught in a high-speed car chase. It was terrifyinga hundred miles an hour and it lasted for probably 10 minutes which seemed like an eternity.

'They were caught in a car chase too. Their car crashed into a ditch and rolled over. Our truck crashed into a tree.'

According to Dorr she was looking forward to reaching out to Vicky in what she saw as the inevitable aftermath of the escape.

She said, 'I thought I could help her work through this, be a friend to her and an asset.'

To many, Vicky's solid life and her work as a trusted corrections officer is impossible to reconcile with her actions on Friday April 29, when she walked her lover out of jail under the auspices of taking him to a mental health check-up.

But to Dorr, Vicky's life of service to others goes a long way to explaining what came next.

She says, 'Vicky and I both lived such similar lives up to the escape. I can't speak to how she felt but I can tell you how I felt and there's just too many coincidences. I felt like I'd lived my whole life for everybody else.'

Dorr was the oldest of seven and helped raise her younger siblings. She married her high-school boyfriend, a firefighter Patrick Young, when she was 20 and they went on to have three children: two sons, Eric and Greg, and a daughter, Emily, who died just 18 hours and 31 minutes after birth.

Dorr was 24. According to her, her husband's way of dealing with Emily's death was to never talk about it. Looking back, Dorr sees that as the 'end of her marriage' though the union survived another two decades.

She says, 'My whole life was what my husband needed from me and what my children needed from me.

'I had a demanding job in corporate America, and I never spent any time on myself. I never gave myself an hour off and I think the world learned that they could depend on me to pick up all the pieces and do all the work and hold everything together.'

Dorr thinks the same was true of Vicky who, as well as being Assistant Director at Lauderdale County Jail, cared for her former husband whose drug addiction had ended their marriage and who suffered from Parkinson's.

Dorr said, 'She was everything to everyone around her and had no life other than what she had in serving people.'

For Dorr the net result was that she felt 'invisible.' She said, 'I honestly believed that at the time of the escape it would be two weeks before anybody noticed I was gone.'

Dorr believes that Vicky too was living a life of quiet desperation - hungry to be 'significant.'

For Dorr that need was heightened by a series of cataclysmic events. In 2001 she was earning a six-figure salary for Sprint when the company shut down the program she ran and ended her 14-year-career.

Vicky White was caught with her lover after 11 days on the run, while Dorr and Manard were caught within 12 days  both were in a high-speed car chase

Dorr said: 'Casey and John wanted to get out of prison so I'm sure they had some insight, but really it was Vicky, and it was myself that worked out the details.' Casey White is pictured arriving at a courthouse on May 10

Vicky and Casey were caught after leading US Marshals on a car chase that lasted 'less than a few minutes'. They had been in Evansville, Indiana, since May 3

Vicky White, 56, shot herself at the end of the car chase with police. She was due to retire on the day she absconded with the suspected murderer

In March 2004 a lump on her neck turned out to be thyroid cancer which was successfully treated but the brush with her mortality highlighted how deeply unhappy she was.

Searching for purpose, she started the Safe Harbor Prison Dog Program in Lansing Correctional Facility not long after. The program saw prisoners train rescue dogs that would then be put up for adoption.

John Manard, a tall, red-haired young prisoner with 'Hooligan' tattooed across his navel volunteered to be one of her trainers.

Within a year, 700 dogs had been rehoused and the program was garnering local attention.

In a twist of fate Associated Press came to do an article about Lansing's 'Dog Lady,' Dorr.

She was pictured walking a dog with Manard. It was less than two weeks before his escape and the plan was already set. Dorr's heart was 'beating out of her chest.'

I thought maybe that's what I need. I just need to blow up my life.' Toby Dorr

Dorr insisted that, for most of their relationship, she and Manard never 'crossed the line' but she can identify the exact moment it changed.

Her father had just been diagnosed with cancer. She recalled, 'John was the only person who noticed I was upset. All he said to me was, 'What's going on with you today Toby you seem pretty upset?' And somebody noticing that I had a needwas like pouring water on a dying plant. I can imagine Vicky being in that same situation.'

Vicky's ex-husband, to whom she was close, died just four months before Casey's escape.

After that, Dorr said, 'Our relationship just took off like a rocket fire. There was no quenching it because for the first time in my life somebody noticed me and I was significant.'

The confines of prison only intensified her desire.

She said, 'The relationship was cultivated in a very abnormal environment. I might be checking on a dog that has a wound and I'm parting the fur to look and John's helping me move the fur so his hand touches mine and it's like electricity. But that's the best day we had.

'Vicky could go to Casey's cell because she was an officer, but she couldn't do it too much because she would be noticed.'

According to Dorr it was Manard who first mentioned escape. She said, 'John just said to me one day, ''If I wasn't in prison would you be with me?'' and I thought, you know, I might.

'I thought it was a casual question, but to him it was like, ''Okay. Now I gotta get out.''

'He came to me one day and said, ''If I got out would you run away with me?'' And I thought about it, and I thought, you know, maybe I could. Maybe that's what I need. I just need to blow up my life.'

Today, Dorr said, 'Obviously I look back and the woman I am today would never consider doing that, but the woman I was then, for her it made the most sense to save her life.'

She believes wholeheartedly that the same was true for Vicky, 'She was desperate to be loved. She was desperate to be noticed. She was desperate to be significant.'

Dorr is sure that escaping with White seemed 'logical' to Vicky just as escaping with Manard seemed 'logical' to her.

She added, 'Which just kind of indicates how broken [we both were].'

Vicky has been credited as the brains behind her and White's doomed bid for freedom. Similarly, Dorr said she took the lead in planning. Dorr is pictured after she was captured and arrested for helping John Manard escape

Dorr cashed in her 401K for $42,000, bought a truck in a false name, booked a month in a remote cabin in Tennessee and smuggled Manard out in a dog crate that a prison guard helped load into her truck

Vicky has been credited as the brains behind her and White's doomed bid for freedom. Similarly, Dorr said she took the lead in planning.

She said, 'Casey and John wanted to get out of prison so I'm sure they had some insight, but really it was Vicky, and it was myself that worked out the details.'

For Dorr that meant cashing in her 401K for $42,000 in cash, buying a truck in a false name, booking a month in a remote cabin in Tennessee and smuggling Manard out in a dog crate that a prison guard helped load into her truck.

For Vicky that meant selling her house and withdrawing $92,000 cash, buying a truck under a false name and walking White out of jail on the pretense of taking him to a mental health check.

For both women being on the run meant the first opportunity to be fully intimate with their lifer lovers. Vicky visited an adult store and bought stockings in the days before she and White went on the run.

Dorr recalled, 'We had escaped but it was our first date. There was a lot of love there and John did treat me well. He would do things like run a bubble bath and line the tub with candles. I brought my mandolin with me, and he would sing to me, he's a good musician. We'd lie next to the fire and he'd serenade me.'

There were, Dorr said, 'some really romantic moments that I had never had in my whole life.'

She hopes, and believes, Vicky experienced the same.

She said, 'It just made me more confident that I'd done the right thing in helping him escape, that this really was my destiny. But it was not a natural life for those 12 days.

'It was like a movie or something. It didn't feel real.'

When she was in prison, Dorr said, Manard found ways to send her letters and artwork and songs he had written. One of the drawings has the names 'Toby' and 'John' written in roses and hearts

Manard wrote these songs and love letters to Dorr after he was sentenced to 20 years on top of the life-sentence he was already serving for his role in a fatal carjacking

And while she and Manard were living what she called their 'honeymoon life' the rest of the county was looking for them. At one point both were on the FBI's Most Wanted list.

But one clear, and uncomfortable, difference between Dorr and Vicky is that Dorr had children where Vicky had none. When Dorr left, her sons, Eric and Greg, were 21 and 25.

She used the fact that they were 'adults' to excuse her leaving, she said. She had wanted to leave her marriage many years sooner but stayed for their sake.

Now, she said, 'They were out of the house, finding their own way, and their absence in the home just made me realize how little I had in common with my husband.'

If she felt she didn't really know the man with the felony murder conviction by her side in the cabin, she felt she at least knew him better than the man sitting in a recliner in her own front room.

Ultimately both couples were tripped up by rookie mistakes and the desire to taste something approaching 'normal' life.

Dorr gave the real cabin address when buying a truck under a false name putting law enforcement in the vicinity. The pair were spotted outside a mall after going to the movies.

White was caught on surveillance camera at a car wash and quickly traced to the motel where law enforcement lay in wait.

When White was arrested, he claimed that he and Vicky didn't have a plan of where they would go next. They had traveled less than 300 miles from their starting point in Alabama.

According to Dorr she and Manard had never thought too hard beyond the escape either.

Surprisingly she said, 'I always thought I could go back home, get divorced, start a new life and deal with whatever I had to deal with.

'I believed I was going to rebuild my life and that my sons would welcome me back.'

But things didn't work out that way. After her arrest Dorr got her divorce  her husband signed the papers before her first court appearance. But she did not get a relationship with her sons.

Toby (pictured aged 4 far right with her mother, sister and brother) shared childhood photos with DailyMail.com She was the oldest of seven and helped raise her younger siblings

Dorr and her husband had three children: two sons, Eric and Greg, and a daughter, Emily, who died just 18 hours and 31 minutes after birth (pictured) Dorr sees that as the 'end of her marriage' though the union survived another two decades

She was sentenced to 27 months  a sentence that took in federal firearms charge because she and Manard had guns. To this day Dorr considers letting Manard take two guns - weapons gifted to her by her husband - her biggest mistake.

But, she said, prison was healing, 'I found my freedom behind bars. It was the first time in my life that I had time to focus on myself - all these old, emotional wounds that I needed to heal. And figure out what I wanted to do and how to move forward.'

She was released on April 30, 2008, a day that she thought auspicious because it was her youngest son's 24 birthday.

She said, 'I thought it was an omen  you know, we're going to fix this, it's going to be okay.'

But Greg was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma the very same day.

She said, 'He died 17 days before his 25th birthday so for the whole next year he battled this cancer. I did go to see him. I told him I loved him, and he said, ''I know you do.'' But we didn't really get to fix our relationship.

'He said, ''You know mom I've got to battle this cancer. I can't be distracted. You're just going to have to stay away till I get through this.'' But he didn't get through it.'

Tears well as Dorr recalls the last day she saw her son. She had to negotiate with her ex-husband to be allowed into the hospital room where he lay in a coma. He granted her 15 seconds.

She recalled, 'I held his hand and I told him I loved him and that he had fought a good fight and it was okay to go and I left the room.

'He died before I got to the elevator. I will always believe he was waiting for me to get there before the let go.'

As for her older son, Dorr said, 'I always thought that time would heal, but it's been a lot of time. We need to live our lives on his terms, and if his terms are that we don't have a relationship, I accept that because I love him.'

Vicky and Casey White were found 219 miles away from the jail they left in Alabama on April 29. The manhunt spanned three states

Manard was sentenced to 20 years on top of the life-sentence he was already serving for his role in a fatal carjacking.

When she was in prison, Dorr said, Manard found ways to send her letters and artwork and songs he had written. He always seemed to have a way of knowing where she was.

But eventually, she realized that if she was going to make anything of her life she would have to let go.

Dorr has since remarried  she met her husband, Chris, after her release when both were working at an IT company. He has known about her crime from the start.

When, several years ago, a reporter reached out saying that Manard had asked for her telephone number it was her husband, Chris, who urged Dorr to get in touch.

She said, 'He said, 'You two have never had closure. You need to talk to each other and move on.'

According to Dorr her husband never viewed Manard, now in prison in Maine, as a 'threat.'

Remarkably, in 2014 Dorr and Chris visited her ex-lover as a couple. It was the first time she has seen Manard since they were 'ripped apart' at the scene of their crash in Tennessee.

'It was good to see him,' she said, 'And it was good to have him meet Chris and then to be able to give him a hug and say goodbye and walk away.'

Dorr does not regret what she did. She said, 'Was it worth it? It was a huge price to pay but I love the woman I am today. I feel confident and I believe I can make a difference. And that is worth whatever price I had to pay'

To this day Dorr and Manard email as friends.

She said, 'When I look back, I do see John and I as a love story. Someone told me once, true love would never ask someone to put their lives in danger, which is true.

'But at the same time true love is just all consuming and crazy. True love would sacrifice their life for you. And I think both of those relate to John and I.'

So, does she feel she sacrificed her life for Manard?

Dorr said, 'I feel that I sacrificed my life for myself. John was the catalyst. At the time I did sacrifice everything for John but what I really got out of it was a woman who's strong and courageous and has a story to tell, and who chooses to share her story so that it can help other women realize they need to make changes in their life before they're so desperate that helping someone escape from prison seems like the best idea they have.'

To Dorr, Vicky's tragedy is not that she helped White escape, but that she never got the chance to face the music and find hope in a new life.

Dorr's inspirational memoir, 'Living With Conviction' is out next month and she has written a series of workbooks, 'Unleashed' designed to help women gain agency within their own lives. She wishes she could have helped Vicky.

Because, for all the sadness and the loss to which her choices led, Dorr does not regret what she did.

She said, 'Was it worth it? It was a huge price to pay but I love the woman I am today. I feel confident and I believe I can make a difference. And that is worth whatever price I had to pay.

'I wouldn't want to go back and be that broken, insignificant, invisible woman ever again.'
A mother whose baby was abducted while she bought a loaf of bread has revealed she was also the victim of an attempted abduction when she was a child.

Erika Carter, from Adelaide, had ducked into a deli in Klemzig to grab a loaf of bread at about 7.45am on Monday and left her four-month-old baby, Jordan, strapped in his seat with the car's engine running.

In the brief time she was inside a 37-year-old man arrived at the carpark in an allegedly stolen Mazda, jumped into her Honda, and began driving away with little Jordan still in the backseat.

Scroll down for the video.

CCTV footage shows the moment desperate Adelaide mother Erika Carter (above) watched as her car was stolen, with her four-month-old baby still strapped in the backseat

CCTV footage obtained by Seven News shows the moment the desperate mother runs out to her car and tries to stop it driving away.

Some two hours later police found Ms Carter's abandoned vehicle just 5km away in Enfield with Jordan still inside.

He is reportedly in good health despite being left in the car amid chilly temperatures of around 12C.

However in a strange twist Ms Carter revealed she was also the victim of an abduction attempt when she was just 11.

Baby Jordan (left) was found two hours after the robbery with Ms Carter (right) noting 'it's sad we live in a world where we can't trust what's around us, and we can't feel safe'

She said she had been walking her mum's dog in Holden Hill - just 5km from where Jordan was later abducted - when she was 'grabbed and put into a car'.

'My dog bit the abductor, and I managed to unlock the passenger's door and get out but that took me years to get over,' she told Seven.

Ms Carter said 'it's sad' that she wasn't able to leave her car for just a few minutes without someone taking advantage.

'I went for a quick trip to get a loaf of bread and made the wrong decision to leave bubs for that split second and as I was paying for my bread, I heard my car rev and my heart just sunk,' she said.

Ms Carter (above) revealed she had been the victim of an attempted abduction when she was 11, just 5km from where Jordan was later taken

'It's sad we live in a world where we can't trust what's around us, and we can't feel safe.'

Police arrested the 37-year-old Para Hills man at his home on Monday night and charged him with the abduction of a child and illegal use.

He pleaded guilty to stealing the vehicle and baby Jordan on Tuesday.

A second man with an outstanding warrant was also arrested at the home.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, speaks during the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 14, 2021, in this photo released by the Saudi Royal Palace. AP-Yonhap



President Joe Biden has decided to travel to Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks and is expected to meet with the kingdom's crown prince, whom he once shunned for his brutality. It's a visit that is coming together as OPEC+ announced Thursday it will pump more oil amid skyrocketing energy costs around the globe.



Biden's first trip to the Saudi kingdom as president is likely to occur later this month but details have not been finalized, a person familiar with the planning told The Associated Press.



The White House praised Saudi Arabia, Thursday, for its role securing an OPEC+ pledge to pump more oil and the president himself lauded the Saudis for agreeing to a cease-fire extension in its eight-year old war with Yemen that was announced the same day.



''Saudi Arabia demonstrated courageous leadership by taking initiatives early on to endorse and implement terms of the U.N.-led truce,'' Biden said in a statement after the 60-day extension of the cease fire was announced.



Those warm words mark a sharp contrast with some of Biden's earlier rhetoric about the oil-rich kingdom. As a candidate, he pledged to treat the Saudis as a ''pariah'' for the 2018 killing and dismemberment of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's brutal ways. U.S. intelligence officials determined that the Saudi crown prince likely approved the killing of the journalist.



Biden administration officials have been working behind the scenes to repair relations, discussing shared strategic interests in security and oil with their Saudi counterparts. The effort has played out as the fallout from the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the world's No. 2 crude exporter after Saudi Arabia, and a Saudi-Russian brokered cap on oil production have raised crude prices and sent prices



Americans pay at the pump to record highs.





Fuel trucks line up in front of storage tanks at the North Jiddah bulk plant, an Aramco oil facility, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, March 21, 2021. AP-Yonhap



Biden and Democrats face rising voter anger over the high prices, making the tight oil supply a top political liability.



Appeals from the U.S. and its allies for the OPEC+ group  OPEC nations plus Russia  to boost production more appeared to bear results Thursday. OPEC nations announced they would raise production by 648,000 barrels per day in July and August, offering modest relief for a struggling global economy.



The increase did not appear to ease concerns about tight supply. Oil prices rose after OPEC+ announced the increase.



In a statement, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre acknowledged what she said was Saudi Arabia's role ''in achieving consensus'' within the oil producers' bloc. She thanked the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq as well.



Jean-Pierre also directly cited ''the leadership of King Salman and the Crown Prince'' in Thursday's announcement of an extended U.N. cease-fire in Yemen, where Saudi-led forces have led an unsuccessful war to rout that country's Houthi rebels.



The White House is weighing a Biden visit that would also include a meeting of the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries  Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates  as well as Egypt, Iraq and Jordan, according to the person familiar with White House planning, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the yet-to-be finalized trip.



Biden would be expected to meet with Prince Mohammed during the visit, according to the person.



Such a meeting could ease a tense and uncertain period in the partnership between Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, and the United States, the world's top economic and military power, which has stood for more than three-quarters of a century.



But it also risks a public humbling for the U.S. leader, who in 2019 pledged to make a ''pariah'' of the Saudi royal family over the killing of Khashoggi.



Biden is expected to travel to Europe at the end of June and could tack on a stop in Saudi Arabia to meet with Prince Mohammed, Saudi King Salman and other leaders. If he does, Biden would also likely visit Israel.



Israeli officials in their engagement with the Biden administration have pressed their point of view that U.S. relations with Arab capitals, including Riyadh, are critical to Israel's security and overall stability in the region. The visit could also provide an opportunity to kick off talks for what the administration sees as a longer-term project of normalizing Israel-Saudi relations.



And while the Biden administration continues to be concerned about Saudi Arabia's human rights record, the president's advisers credit Saudis for showing greater restraint in its conflict with Yemen since Biden took office.





A 3D printed oil pump jack is seen in front of a displayed OPEC logo in this illustration, April 14, 2020. Reuters-Yonhap
Rumor's are circulating that Johnny Depp is due to make his post-defamation trial comeback in Beetlejuice 2.

Depp, who has not been in a major movie since 2018, now appears in the cast list alongside stars Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder, in Google searches for the movie.

The film's IMDB page has also recently been updated with a synopsis and release date of 2025

In February, Deadline fueled speculation that the film franchise would be revitalized after reporting that Brad Pitt's production company, Plan B, would be helming the project, and saying that it was in early development at Warner Bros.

The cast list that appears when one searches 'Beetlejuice 2' in Google. Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder starred in the original Beetlejuice film in 1988

Johnny Depp during his defamation trial on May 3. He was awarded $15million in damages from Amber Heard on June 1

The rumors began swirling in the final days of Depp's blockbuster defamation trial against his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, 36. On June 1 Depp was awarded $15million in damages from Heard.

Since his victory on Wednesday, Depp has appeared ready to get his life back on track. He has appeared on stage playing guitar with rock legend Jeff Beck during several performances this week, and released a statement saying he felt as if he had been given his life back.

'Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed.'

'And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.'

Michael Keaton (left) and Winona Ryder (right) in the original 1988 Beetlejuice film. They are rumored to be reprising their roles in a sequel

Film director Tim Burton is rumored to be directing the new Beetlejuice film. He and Depp have worked together on numerous films over the years

Johnny Depp in the 2018 film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. He was booted from the Harry Potter adjacent franchise in 2020 amidst controversy surrounding Amber Heard

If true, Depp's presence in the film could be one of the actor's first roles in a major film since he was booted from the Harry Potter adjacent franchise, Fantastic Beasts, in 2020 amidst the controversy surrounding his and Heard's marriage.

There have been no confirmations from any authorities that Depp is due to star in the film, or that the film is truly in production at all. Film websites that have reported on the rumors have warned fans not to get their hopes up yet, cautioning that IMDB pages for not-yet-made films can be inaccurate.

Nonetheless, some fans have expressed glee at the news, with one Twitter user posting a picture of the Google-searched cast list, but with a crown illustrated atop Depp's head and the exclamation 'YASS' glittering beneath him.

'Thrilled to see Johnny Depp added to the cast of Beetlejuice 2 #Istandwithjohnny,' the user wrote.

Beetlejuice, which tells the tale of a recently deceased couple hiring a 'bio-exorcist' to scare away the new living inhabitants of their home, was released in 1988 to commercial and critical success. The original film starred Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Alec Baldwin, and was directed by Tim Burton.

Depp's appearance in a Burton-directed Beetlejuice 2 would be another of numerous projects the pair have worked together on over the years, including Edward Scissorhands (1990), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Sweeney Todd (2007), and Alice in Wonderland (2010).

The plot synopsis for Beetlejuice 2 that has appeared on the film's IMDB page recently
A tiny bloodstain on a toddler's hand captured in a social media post could be a vital clue in the hunt for her Australian mother missing in Mexico.

Tahnee Shanks, 32, was last seen on May 2 when she checked out of the family's Cancun hotel with husband Jorge Astudillo and two-year-old daughter, Adelynn.

Little Adelynn was later found wandering alone and barefoot outside a Cancun church about 9pm that day with no sign of her parents.

A Cancun local posted a picture of the toddler on Facebook to try to trace her family - but Tahnee's relatives now believe it contains crucial evidence.

The photograph shows an unexplained mystery bloodstain on the child's little finger which the family fears could be related to her mother's disappearance.

And it comes as a series of sinister WhatsApp messages emerge that reveal Ms Shanks's concerns for her safety at the hands of an abusive husband.

A tiny bloodstain on toddler Adelynn Shanks's hand captured in a social media post could be a vital clue in the hunt for her Australian mother missing in Mexico

Adelynn has since \flown back to Australia where she is being cared for by her grandmother Leanne, as well as aunts and uncles in Queensland's Whitsundays.

'If you zoom into the original picture you can see Adelynn has a spot of blood on her tiny finger,' her uncle Daniel Shanks told the Daily Mercury.

'Family members inspected Addys hand and found no blemishes or signs of injury.

'We have asked investigators if this was reported or documented when Addy was taken into custody and if the clothes she was wearing have been DNA tested.'

The worried family have also been unable to locate the child's clothes that she had on in the Facebook post which went viral around the world.

Mr Shanks added: 'Where are Addys clothes?

'Mexican and Australian authorities have been made aware by the family and no response has been received and as far as we know, no action has been taken.'

Tahnee Shanks, 32, was last seen on May 2 when she checked out of the family's Cancun hotel with husband Jorge Astudillo and two-year-old daughter, Adelynn

Disturbing WhatsApp messages from the mother prior to her disappearance have also now surfaced which give a frightening insight into her life in Mexico.

She reveals her fears in one that 'something may happen to her' before she could return to Australia June 22 and escape her drunken, abusive husband.

In one WhatsApp exchange she reveals she'd locked herself in her daughter's bedroom in a bid to escape his rage as he tried to kick her out of the family home.

And in another she admitted to a friend she'd asked her family to help her financially so she could move out before her planned return to Australia with Adelynn in June.

Disturbing WhatsApp messages from Tahnee Shanks prior to her disappearance have also now surfaced which give a frightening insight into her life in Mexico

At the time, she said her husband had only been verbally abusive so far but she added ominously: 'I don't want to wait until it gets physical.'

Another text warned: 'I know this is gunna sound weird but keep [his] name. Jorge Luis Aguirre Astudillo!

'Just in case anything happens to me they can go after him. Not that anything will! But I just want to keep that as a backup.'

Neither Tahneee or her husband have been seen since Adelynn was found outside the church a month ago.

The family had travelled from their home in Merida to the tourist hotspot of Cancun on May 1 and then checked out of their hotel the next day.

Their white 4WD was spotted on toll road cameras just before 12pm heading back to Merida before making an abrupt U-turn.

The car was found burnt out in the town of Puerto Morelos 40km south of Cancun later that nigh and she has not been heard from since.

Investigators are understood to be working on two theories as to why she disappeared.

Tahnee Shanks and her estranged partner Jorge Aguirre Astudillo remain missing in Mexico. Their daughter Adelynn was later found wandering the streets of Cancun alone

Little Adelynn (pictured) is settling well into a new life in Queensland after her grandmother and uncle Dan made the frantic dash to Mexico to collect her

The first is that there was a domestic violence incident and Mr Astudillo is on the run or in hiding.

The alternative theory is that Mr Astudillo was involved in criminal activity linked to Mexico's notorious drug cartels and the disappearance is payback.

'He (Mr Astudillo) was threatened before and he even had hired a bodyguard because... he was afraid for his life,' Quintana Roo state attorney-general Oscar Montes de Oca Rosales told 60 Minutes.

'It could be retaliation for the criminal groups that he was involved with.

'According to the law, we consider them as alive and that's the way that we look for them until something is shown to be different.'

Mr de Oca said from what investigators have found, Astudillo 'could be' a cartel member himself.

He was previously accused of fraud and selling fake holiday packages, though Ms Shanks has been cleared of any criminal links.

The pair's white ute was captured on leaving a Cancun hotel on the morning of May 2. They travelled 20 kilometres towards Merida when the ute suddenly did a U-turn and headed back towards Cancun, before taking a detour off the highway

The family were heading back home to Merida after spending the night in Cancun when Tahnee and her former partner vanished

Adelynn's godmother Nikita Weller claimed her good friend Ms Shanks confided in her about her fears about her husband.

The couple recently separated after Ms Shanks found out he had an affair and booked a flight to return to Queensland with Adelynn.

'She found out he was into some shady stuff. She didn't say what. But it scared her enough to want to come home,' Ms Weller said.

'She just said he was into shady stuff and she was scared and that was it.

'I told her: 'I think you need to come home. I think this is it, it's time you've got to come home somehow'.'

Friends said Ms Shanks was organising a trip to visit Australia with Adelynn but was secretly planning to stay.

Mystery remains what happened to Tahnee Shanks and Jorge Aguirre Astudillo on May 2

Her brother Ben Shanks offered a $70,000 reward, or one million Mexican pesos, through a loan on his house for information that leads to her safe return.

'There's an eight-hour period from them going through that toll and Adelynn being dropped off in Cancun at that church,' he said.

'Then her phone stopped pinging pretty soon after that. It might have been a couple of hours I understand.

'We need closure... I just can't leave it like this because all I can think of is that something worse than being murdered has happened, like she is being trafficked.'

Mr Shanks said the couple must have used a different route to return to Cancun as they were not filmed on the same toll road camera on the way back.

He said authorities told him the reward would be unwise as he would be swamped with false information, but he has not received one lead despite the reward being shared by thousands of people on social media.

Ms Shanks' mother and brother rushed to Mexico within days after a family friend alerted them about the photos of Adelynn online.

Adelynn was reunited with her uncle Dan and grandmother Leanne (pictured together) in Mexico before they brought her back to Australia

Leanne only met her granddaughter once before but Dan had never met his niece due to Covid.

'(Tahnee's) never been away from that child,' Ms Shanks' mother said.

'But look, it's just about... we've got to do everything we can to try and find her, we are distraught, her brothers and sister love her... we've just got to bring her home to Ade.'

Ms Shanks was planning to fly back to Queensland on June 16, her family said.

According to her Facebook profile, Ms Shanks' plans were delayed by border closures.

She wrote in May 2021: 'I can't come back to Australia till mid 2022!!! My baby girl will be 2 1/2 years old and hasn't even met her grandad, uncles, great gran, cousins.'

Tahnee's mum Leanne Shanks (pictured) holds onto the slim hope her daughter is still alive
Oregon's first-in-the-nation scheme to decriminalize drugs and encourage those caught possessing them to seek medical help has been blighted with problems, officials admitted on Thursday - as one Republican politician said there had been a 700 percent in overdoses in her district in the last year.

The pioneering scheme, Ballot Measure 110, was approved by voters in November 2020, and went into effect in February 2021.

A person found with personal amounts of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and other drugs receives a citation, like a traffic ticket, with the maximum $100 fine waived if they call a hotline for a health assessment.

Yet of the 1,885 people who received tickets for personal possession in the first year, only 91 called the hotline, according to its non-profit operator, Lines For Life.

And on Thursday, those behind the scheme admitted that they had underestimated the effort required to distributed the $300 million in funds for the program, and only $40 million has been spent.

'So clearly, if we were to do it over again, I would have asked for many more staff much quicker in the process,' said Steve Allen, Oregon's behavioral health director.

'We were just under-resourced to be able to support this effort, underestimated the work that was involved in supporting something that looked like this and partly we didn't fully understand it until we were in the middle of it.'

A woman enters the Great Circle drug treatment center in Salem, Oregon, on March 8. On Thursday, Oregon officials admitted much more needed to be done to make their pilot program of decriminalization a success

Oregon officially became the first US state to decriminalize possession of small amounts of all drugs - including heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine

The ballot measure redirected millions of dollars in tax revenue from the state's legal marijuana industry to treatment.

But applications for funding stacked up after state officials underestimated the work required to vet them and get the money out the door, officials testified on Thursday before the House Interim Committee on Behavioral Health.

New possession limits Under the new Oregon law that went into effect in February 2021, offenders caught with the following drug amounts can avoid criminal charges: Less than 1 gram of heroin

Less than 1 gram, or less than 5 pills, of MDMA

Less than 2 grams of methamphetamine

Less than 40 units of LSD

Less than 12 grams of psilocybin

Less than 40 units of methadone

Less than 40 pills of oxycodone

Less than 2 grams of cocaine Offenders caught with the following amounts of drugs will be charged with misdemeanor simple possession, rather than a felony: 1 to 3 grams of heroin

1 to 4 grams of MDMA

2 to 8 grams of methamphetamine

2 to 8 grams of cocaine Advertisement

Allen, who works for the Oregon Health Authority, insisted the scheme has strong potential, saying officials have 'over-relied on traditional treatment.'

'The service array, the types of services that are included, the approach, the harm reduction, etc., are all designed by people who have experienced this and have, I think, some really interesting, good ideas about what these service systems ought to look like,' he said.

'So it's an experiment. I think we'll know more in a few years.'

Yet Lily Morgan, a Republican state politician representing Grants Pass, said lives are being lost while the state waits for the ballot measure to have a positive effect.

'Director, you've mentioned a couple of times that you're waiting to see - and yet we have overdoses increasing at drastic rates,' she said.

'In my community, a 700 percent increase in overdoses and a 120 percent increase in deaths.

'How long do we wait before we have an impact that we're saving lives?'

Secretary of State Shemia Fagan appeared before the committee, and described her mother's struggles with heroin and methamphetamine addiction before she recovered.

Fagan said Oregon remains in a drug abuse crisis, despite the ballot measure.

'When the voters of Oregon passed Measure 110, we did so because it was a change of policy in Oregon to improve the lives of people, to improve our communities,' Fagan said.

'And in the years since, we haven't seen that play out.

'Instead, in many communities in Oregon, we've seen the problem with drug addiction get worse.'

Possession of hard drugs was decriminalized under a ballot measure that Oregon voters passed by a wide margin in November 2020. Pictured: Volunteers deliver boxes containing signed petitions in favor of the measure to the Oregon Secretary of State's office in June 2020

Allen acknowledged there has been a 'dramatic' increase in overdoses and overdose deaths statewide and attributed much of the cause to the recent arrival of methamphetamine laced with fentanyl - a synthetic opioid that is so powerful that a tiny amount can kill - and illicit pills containing fentanyl.

Steve Allen, Oregon's behavioral health director, on Thursday provided an update on the scheme, saying it had potential but still needed development

That adds urgency to the effort to provide treatment services and harm reduction, like medication to treat overdoses and needle exchanges, that the measure also pays for, he said.

Advocates point out that the services are available to anyone in Oregon, not just those who were cited for possession.

'Getting these resources out to the community is incredibly important - not just the harm reduction resources, but people who can support folks who are at risk for overdose,' Allen said.

'So time is of the essence.'

Ian Green, an audits manager, said the ballot measure lacked clarity around roles of the health authority and the Oversight and Accountability Council that were established.

That 'contributed to delays, confusions and strained relations,' Green said.

He also blamed the health authority for not always adequately supporting the council.

Council co-chair Ron Williams said most of the available funds still haven't been released.

'I feel these challenges can be overcome and corrected with deliberate, intentional, focused effort and courageous, solution-oriented conversations,' Williams said.

The health authority said $40 million in funds have been disbursed.

But about $265 million set aside for the 2021-23 biennium still hasn't been spent, said Devon Downeysmith, spokeswoman for the Health Justice Recovery Alliance.

Hundreds of providers, which screen the needs of people who use drugs, offer case management, treatment, housing and links to other services, are waiting for those funds.

More than 16,000 Oregonians have accessed services through Measure 110 funding, according to the Drug Policy Alliance, which spearheaded the measure.
Aaron Campbell (pictured), 20, who raped and killed six-year-old Alesha MacPhail in 2018, was left with his 'front tooth through his lip' after being pounced upon inside his cell at Polmont Young Offenders near Falkirk, Scotland on Wednesday

A 'remorseless' child killer who raped and murdered a six-year-old girl has been hospitalised after being brutally attacked by a fellow inmate.

Aaron Campbell, 20, was left with his 'front tooth through his lip' after being pounced upon inside his cell at the Polmont Young Offenders institute near Falkirk, Scotland on Wednesday.

The fiend was reportedly an immediate target after being sent to the notorious institution for mercilessly snatching little Alesha MacPhail from her bed in July 2018.

Warped Campbell left the child's brutalised body - which had 117 injuries - in the grounds of a derelict hotel.

He was sentenced to 27 years following a nine-day trial at the High Court in Glasgow in February 2019 - reduced to 24 on appeal.

His attacker this week was hailed a hero by inmates after he had to be dragged off Campbell by prison guards, reported the Sun.

He was able to access the killer, who has been too scared to leave his cell, after his door was left slightly open during meal time.

Alesha's great-grandad George Lochrane, 79, said of the attack: 'I hope he's in pain. I hope he's suffering.

Campbell left Alesha MacPhail's brutalised body - which had 117 injuries - in the grounds of a derelict hotel after snatching her from her bed and murdering her. (Pictured: Alesha)

'The only thing I'm sorry about is that I didn't get to do it myself.'

A prison source told the Sun that 'everyone' in the lockup is 'happy', and that staff have been 'making sly comments that he deserved it.'

They said the attacker had pushed Campbell onto his bed and 'managed to get a good few blows in.'

The source added: 'He's normally kept apart from everyone in here as everyone wants to hang him.

'They would kill him if they could because of what he did to that wee girl.

'But there was a brief chance to get at him and the boy took it. He could get a serious assault charge against him but he's not bothered, he says it was worth it.'

A Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said: 'We do not comment on individual prisoners.'

A prison source told the Sun that 'everyone' in the lockup is 'happy', and that staff have been 'making sly comments that he deserved it.' (Pictured: Polmont Young Offenders)

At his sentencing more than three years ago, Judge Lord Matthews described Campbell as a 'cold, callous, calculating, remorseless and dangerous' individual, who could only ever be released if 'a lot of work' was done to change him.

Alesha, from Airdrie, was on holiday visiting family when Campbell abducted and killed her.

Polmont is Scotland's national holding facility for male young offenders aged between 16 and 21, with sentences ranging from six months to life.

A former inmate who turned his life around - and spent time in several other Scottish prisons - said last year that Polmont was 'traumatic' and 'worse than any adult prison I've ever been in'.

It came after five inmates had died by suicide in just four years.

'I was in Polmont as a young man and it was the most violent, degrading and mentally challenging environment I've ever experienced  and that includes the adult prisons I have been in since,' he told the Sunday Mail.
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Russia's invasion of Ukraine enters its 100th day today  with Kyiv saying Moscow now controls 20 percent of the country's territory as Vladimir Putin's forces continue to hammer the eastern Donbas region.

As more than 100,000 Russian troops massed on Ukraine's borders in the days leading up to the February 24 invasion, analysts made dire predictions that Moscow's armies would sweep to victory in a matter of days.

Instead, Ukrainian forces have put up a fierce 100-day defence against Russia's 'special military operation'.

Putin's troops have been forced to set their sights on capturing the east of the country after being repelled from around the capital Kyiv, and have suffered massive losses at the hands of a highly capable Ukrainian resistance.

But while Kyiv's forces have surprised many with their dogged defence, thousands of civilians have been killed in indiscriminate Russian shelling, millions have been forced to flee their homes and harrowing war crimes carried out by Putin's troops have been uncovered.

As the war has dragged on into its fourth month, Ukraine has also experienced heavy military losses of its own.

And although their advance has been much slower than Moscow expected, Russian forces have expanded control beyond the 16,600 square miles taken when Russia seized Crimea and parts of the Donbas in 2014.

'Today, about 20 percent of our territory is under the control of the occupiers,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an address to Luxembourg lawmakers on Thursday.

He added that Russia's assault on the eastern Donbas was now killing up to 100 Ukrainian soldiers every day, with experts saying his military is in a race against time to receive more Western weaponry - or face the prospect of a retreat, or being surrounded in the region.

'If we win this war, all Europeans will be able to continue enjoying their freedom,' Zelensky said, in a plea for more support from his Western allies. 'But if this one person who wants to destroy any freedom in Ukraine and Europe prevails, then dark times will come for everyone on the continent.'

As Russia's brutal invasion marks its 100th day, MailOnline looks back at some of the most memorable images of the war in Ukraine. WARNING: Contains graphic images.

FEBRUARY 24: Day 1. Smoke rises from a military airport in Chuguyev near Kharkiv as Putin launches his invasion of Ukraine

FEBRUARY 24: Helena, a 53-year-old teacher stands outside a hospital after the bombing of the eastern town of Chuguiv

FEBRUARY 24: A man uses a carpet to cover a body stretched out on the ground after bombings on the eastern Ukraine town of Chuguiv. The victim is believed to be one of the first civilian fatalities of the conflict

FEBRUARY 24: A Russian tank is seen in front of the destroyed reactor in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

FEBRUARY 24: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky holds a press conference about Russia's attack on Ukraine in Kiev

FEBRUARY 24: Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a video address announcing the start of the military operation

FEBRUARY 26: Damage to the upper floors of a building in Kyiv is seen after a Russian missile struck in the early hours

FEBRUARY 26: Smoke rises from a Russian tank destroyed by the Ukrainian forces on the side of a road in Lugansk region

FEBRUARY 27: A Russian Armoured personnel carrier (APC) burning next to unidentified soldier's body during fight with the Ukrainian armed forces in Kharkiv

FEBRUARY 28: Cars stuck in traffic as families fleeing the conflict drive towards the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing between Ukraine and Poland, near the Ukrainian village of Tvirzha, some 20km from the border

FEBRUARY 28: A couple say goodbye at a platform at Kyiv central train station as an evacuation train leaves the capital

MARCH 1: Roads are empty during curfew in Kyiv as the city braces itself for the incoming Russian invasion

MARCH 1: Animal keeper Kirilo Trantin comforts an elephant at the Kiev Zoo in Kyiv

MARCH 3: Servicemen of Ukrainian Military Forces set a fire to get warm in the Luhansk region on March 3, 202

MARCH 4: A woman learns how to use an AK-47 assault rifle during a civilians self-defence course in the outskirts of Lviv, western Ukraine

MARCH 4: A woman cries as she stands in front of a house burning after being shelled in the city of Irpin, outside Kyiv

MARCH 4: Men walk past a residential building damaged in yesterday's shelling in the city of Chernihiv

MARCH 5: People cross a destroyed bridge as they evacuate the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, during heavy shelling

MARCH 5: An elderly woman is assisted to cross the Irpin River on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by Ukrainian troops to slow the Russian military advance while fleeing the town of Irpin

MARCH 5: Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee by crossing the Irpin River on the outskirts of Kyiv

MARCH 6: A family in an evacuation train says goodbye to a young man staying on the platform at a train station in Odessa

MARCH 7: Pedestrians cross a street in front of a billboard displaying the symbol 'Z' in the colours of the ribbon of Saint George and a slogan reading: 'We don't give up on our people', in support of the Russian armed forces, in Saint Petersburg

MARCH 8: A woman hugs her cat inside a subway wagon in a underground metro station used as a bomb shelter in Kyiv

MARCH 9: Mariana Vishegirskaya stands outside a maternity hospital that was damaged by shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine

MARCH 14: An aerial photograph shows the Mariupol drama theatre being used as a civilian shelter - with the word 'Children' written on the ground outside - two days before a Russian air strike destroyed it, killing hundreds of people

MARCH 15: Ukrainian firefighters work at a bombed apartment building in Kyiv

MARCH 16: The Drama Theatre destroyed by shelling in Mariupol, killing hundreds of people inside

MARCH 18: Ukranian servicemen are seen through a building window as they carry the remains of a missile after shelling in a residential area in Kyiv

MARCH 21: Ukraine Crosses are pictured under smoke and garbage in the cemetery of Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine

MARCH 21: A man with his bicycle walks between debris outside the destroyed Retroville shopping mall in a residential district, after a Russian attack on the Ukranian capital Kyiv

MARCH 24: Anti-tank barricades block a street placed in preparation for a possible Russian offensive in Odesa

MARCH 25: A man flees with his belongings as fire engulfs a vehicle and building following artillery fire on the 30th day on the invasion of the Ukraine by Russian forces in the northeastern city of Kharkiv

MARCH 26: Ukraine People stand in front of an Ukrainian national flag fluttering while watching dark smoke and flames rising from a fire following an air strike in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv

MARCH 26: A view of the destruction of the city of besieged Mariupol

MARCH 27: An elderly woman stands amid rubbles near a damaged apartment building at a front line district of Kharkiv

MARCH 27: A Polish serviceman (L) helps Ukrainian refugees to cross the Ukrainian border with Poland at the Medyka border crossing, southeastern Poland

MARCH 31: A Ukrainian serviceman walks out of a trench at the frontline, east of Kharkiv

APRIL 1: This aerial picture shows burned Russian armoured vehicles in the outskirts of Kyiv

APRIL 2: The bodies of civilian lie on Yablunska street in Bucha, northwest of Kyiv, after Russian army pull back from the city

APRIL 2: A Ukranian soldier plays a pick-up game in Irpin on the outskirts of Kyiv

APRIL 3: A woman navigates a debris-filled street where destroyed Russian military vehicles stand in Bucha, near Kyiv

APRIL 4: Ukainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (centre) speaks to the press in the town of Bucha, northwest of Kyiv

APRIL 5: A woman gestures as families wait to board a train at Kramatorsk central station as they flee the eastern city of Kramatorsk, in the Donbas region

APRIL 6: Ukraine Body bags are lined up for identification by forensic personnel and police officers in the cemetery in Bucha, north of Kyiv, on April 6, 2022, after hundreds of civilians were found dead in areas from which Russian troops have withdrawn around Ukraine's capital, including the town of Bucha

APRIL 6: A cyclist passes by a destroyed building in the town of Borodianka, northwest of Kyiv

APRIL 8: A rocket attack on a train station in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk killed dozens

APRIL 8: A fragment of a Tochka-U missile lies on the ground following an attack at the railway station in Kramatorsk

APRIL 9: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson walk along a street after a meeting, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv. Mr Johnson was among a number of Western leaders to visit Ukraine in a show of support for the country after Russian forces retreated from the Kyiv Oblast region

APRIL 12: A Russian soldier takes a picture from inside the Mariupol drama theatre, bombed on March 16

APRIL 13: Journalists gather as bodies are exhumed from a mass-grave in the grounds of the St. Andrew and Pyervozvannoho All Saints church in the Ukrainian town of Bucha

APRIL 13: Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Britain's Karim Khan, visits a mass grave in Bucha

ARPIL 14: Russia's Black Sea flagship the Moskva sinks after it was struck by Ukrainian missiles

APRIL 17: Yehor, 7, holds a toy rifle next to destroyed Russian military vehicles near Chernihiv, Ukraine

APRIL 18: Coffins are seen from above being buried during a funeral ceremony at a cemetery in Bucha

APRIL 19: A man walks at a cemetery in Irpin, where there are at least three rows of new graves for those killed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine

APRIL 19: Ukraine Relatives of Mykhailo Romaniuk, 58, who was shot dead on his bicycle on March 6, wait to bury his coffin at a cemetery in Bucha

APRIL 22: Tania Boikiv looks at a refrigerated lorry with exhumed bodies at a morgue in Bucha, northwestern of Kyiv

APRIL 24: A Ukrainian soldier lights candles at the Volodymysky Cathedral during Easter celebration in Kyiv

APRIL 30: Ukrainian soliders ride in the back of a truck to a resting place after fighting on the front line for two months near Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine

MAY 2: Ukraine soldiers pass by as Polina (R), 15, and her cousin Nastya, 16, bring flowers to Polina's mother to celebrate her birthday as heavy shelling can be heard in the distance in Raihorodok

MAY 8: People evacuated from Mariupol arrive on buses at a registration and processing area for internally displaced people in Zaporizhzhia

MAY 9: Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu (left) attend the Victory Day Parade at Red Square in Moscow

MAY 10: This photo released on May 10, 2022 by the Azov regiment shows an injured Ukrainian serviceman inside the Azovstal iron and steel works factory in eastern Mariupol

MAY 10: A view shows the Azovstal steel plant in the city of Mariupol. The plant was the last Ukrainian bastion in the city and held out against the invaders for weeks before it was finally captured

MAY 11: Ukrainian forensics experts examine the body of a Russian soldier exhumed in the village of Zavalivka, west of Kyiv, in a refrigerated rail car stacked with the Russian dead

MAY 13: A Ukrainian policeman stands inside a school sport hall, where, according to residents, Russian soldiers were based in the village of Vilkhivka, after it was retaken by Ukrainian Army

MAY 14: A woman cries during the funerals of three Ukrainian military servicemen, Melnyk Andriy, Shufryn Andriy and Ankratov Oleksandra, who were killed in the east of the country, in Lviv

MAY 15: A view shows a plant of Azovstal Iron and Steel Works during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol

MAY 16: Ukrainian soldiers carry the coffin of Volodymyr Losev, 38, during his funeral in Zorya Truda in the Odesa region. The 38-year-old Ukrainian volunteer soldier was killed May 7 when the military vehicle he was driving ran over a mine

MAY 19: Anatolii Virko plays a piano outside a house likely damaged after a Russian bombing in Velyka Kostromka village

MAY 21: A woman mourns while visiting the grave of Stanislav Hvostov, 22, a Ukrainian serviceman killed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in the military section of the Kharkiv cemetery number 18 in Bezlioudivka, eastern Ukraine

MAY 23: A mortar explodes next to the road leading to the city of Lysychansk in the eastern Ukranian region of Donbas

MAY 29: The New Safe Confinement at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant which covers the number 4 reactor

MAY 30: Smoke rises in the city of Severodonetsk during heavy fightings between Ukrainian and Russian troops at eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas

JUNE 2: Close relatives and friends of Denys Chepiznyi listen to the priests prayer during his funeral at Baranivka Cemetery in Sumy, Ukraine. Denys Chepiznyi, 29, died in combat in Zaporizhia region on May 27

JUNE 2: Day 99. This handout picture taken and released by the Ukrainian presidential press service. Zelensky said Russian troops control about one-fifth of his country, including the annexed Crimean peninsula and territory in the east held by Moscow-backed separatists since 2014
Activist and writer Yassmin Abdel-Magied has taken a brutal swipe at the Queen's platinum jubilee celebration, claiming the presence of so many Union Jack flags in her adopted homeland is like a 'waking nightmare'.

The ex-ABC personality, 31, who moved to Brisbane from Sudan when she was 18 months old, fled Australia for the Britain in 2017 after causing outrage for a social media post about Anzac Day that read: 'Lest. We. Forget. (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine)' on April 25. She later appologised 'unreservedly' for the 'disrespectful' post.

Now she's sparked another debate as the British pay tribute to their 96-year-old monarch in her 70th year on the throne, just days after releasing a book where she discussed the possibility of renouncing her Australian citizenship and claiming she has to leave the room when she hears an Aussie accent.

Activist and writer Yassmin Abdel-Magied (pictured) has admitted drama 'always' finds her five years after she fled Australia to avoid the backlash from an infamous Anzac Day post

Activist and writer Yassmin Abdel-Magied has taken a brutal swipe at the Queen during her platinum jubilee celebration tweeting the presence of Union Jack flags throughout her adopted homeland is like ' waking nightmare'

Furious commenters fired back at the remark, with some telling her to 'go back to Australia'.

'Dude no. Bunting is a lovely, lovely British tradition. Once you've done a few more winters & non-summers you will - as I did when I lived there - long for a bright bit of fabric waving sadly in the drizzle x,' one person wrote.

Another said: 'If you don't like it move out but dont come back to Australia. I hear you are giving up your Australian citizenship, great news.'

A third commented: 'Why do you feel some flags are like 'a waking nightmare'?'

'They are colourful bits of cloth hung out to mark the astonishing longevity of an individual who did not ask for her role but, once given it, has carried it out with admirable diligence & patience, suppressing her own ego.'

The private-school educated former mechanical engineer recently admitted drama 'always' finds her.

Ms Abdel-Magied last week appeared on ABC News Breakfast to discuss her new book which details her experience following the polarising Facebook post which sent her into exile.

She issued an 'unreserved' apology for the 'disrespectful' Anzac Day post shortly after making it in 2017 , but many Australians were furious she had hijacked the national day of remembrance to make a political statement completely unrelated to the deaths of more than 100,000 servicemen and women.

'I didn't go looking for the drama, but somehow, I tended to attract it,' the activist reflected on the controversy.

'I think that, quite often, I was maybe a little ahead of my time.'

Pictured: Queen Elizabeth II stands with Prince Charles to watch a special flypast from the Buckingham Palace balcony on Thursday

Furious commenters fired back at Abdel-Magied's remark, with some telling her to 'go back to Australia'

Ms Abdel-Magied said she was proud to have prompted a difficult conversation on Australia's national stage while still only in her twenties.

'Because I'm not necessarily bringing up things that are morally wrong, but bringing up things that folks might find uncomfortable or tricky to discuss in the public context,' she explained.

The author floated the idea of renouncing her Australian citizenship in an essay from her new book Talking About a Revolution.

Ms Abdel-Magied wrote that Britain or perhaps the US would be her permanent home after stating she felt 'betrayed' by her home country in 2017.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied who created a storm of outrage with an infamous Facebook post on Anzac Day in 2017 says the backlash impacted her so badly she might never return to Australia

'I've emigrated, I'm not going back. I've emigrated in the same way my parents left Sudan, I have left Australia,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald.

If the activist gives up her Australian passport, she would only be left with a Sudanese one and it would be much harder for her to enter Australia.

The author has admitted it would be 'impractical' for her renounce the passport.

And despite recently marrying a UK man, Ms Abdel-Magied will have to wait a number of years to become a British citizen.

Ms Abdel-Magied's 2017 Anzac Day post drew widespread condemnation online, in the media and even death threats, which continued even after she took it down and apologised

The 31-year-old said she was proud to have prompted a difficult conversation on Australia's national stage while still only in her twenties when reflecting on her infamous Anzac Day post

She has only returned Down Under a handful of times, sometimes only to fulfill visa requirements to remain in the UK.

Ms Abdel-Magied told an interviewer in London that if she even hears an Australian accent now, 'I will leave'.

'I feel a little bit betrayed by Australia, because it's my country and these are my country people and it's my home, and to sort of fight for your right to exist in your home country  it's exhausting,' she said at the time.

Then Immigration Minister Peter Dutton was one of a number of conservative politicians who weighed in.

The newly elected Liberal leader called the post a 'disgrace' and condemned using 'Lest We Forget', a phrase associated with remembering the war dead, to make political points about Australia's foreign and immigration policy.

New Liberal leader Peter Dutton (right), here seen with his wife Krilly, was one of a number of politicians who condemned the 'Lest we forget' Facebook post, which he called a 'disgrace'

Despite being Young Queenslander of the Year in 2010 and appointed a cultural ambassador by the Australian government, Ms Abdel-Magied came to describe herself as Australia's 'most publicly hated Muslim'.

She told the Sydney Morning Herald the hurt she feels towards Australia runs deep.

'(Australia) expelled me and it was cruel, and it was cruel in a way it didn't need to be and it was cruel to somebody who loved it and only wished it well,' she said.

'I've compared it in the past to an abusive partner because it's such a complex relationship. On the one hand, there are lots of good times there and on the other hand, there's been so much harm and hurt that you can never quite be sure what that relationship was like at all.'

Ms Abdel Magied said it was because of the abuse, she chose to appear virtually, rather than in person, at the Sydney Writers' Festival on Saturday.

Ms Abdel-Magied says that she is so reluctant to return to her once adopted and beloved country that for writers' festivals in Australia she now only appears by a video link

Ms Abdel-Magied's parents still live in Brisbane, where, as skilled migrants, they emigrated in 1992.

They might have to wait a while to see their daughter in person again.

'I grew up in Brisbane, and I don't really have any problems with Brisbane, but I don't miss it,' Ms Abdel-Magied said.

'And sometimes I feel like a terrible person for that. How can you not miss somewhere where you spent the majority of your life? Yet, I'm very fine [with] not going back.'

Ms Abdel-Magied has become a sought-after commentator in the British media but has built a more lucrative profile as a speaker in the US, where she mainly talks about racial and cultural relations.
Two New York lawyers who torched an NYPD van with a Molotov cocktail during the George Floyd protests in 2020 appeared in a Brooklyn court on Thursday to accept a plea deal that could drastically reduce their sentences.

Colinford Mattis, 35, and Urooj Rahman, 33, withdrew earlier guilty pleas to charges of unlawfully possessing Molotov cocktails, and plead guilty to conspiracy charges punishable by no more than five years imprisonment.

The pair were initially facing up to life in prison when they were first arrested in 2020, which was then reduced to 10 years in October, 2021.

Federal prosecutors agreed to recommend a prison sentence of 18 to 24 months in return for today's plea.

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Urooj Rahman, 33, (left) walks out of the Brooklyn Federal court on Thursday after taking a plea deal for torching an NYPD van during the George Floyd protests in 2020

Colinford Mattis, 35, (right) leaving the Brooklyn Federal court on Thursday after taking a plea deal for the 2020 torching of an NYPD van

Urooj Rahman clutching a Molotov cocktail fashioned out of a Bud Light bottle on the night she used a similar device to torch an NYPD van

The pair was arrested amid clashes between protesters and police on May 30, 2020, during an eruption of demonstrations following Floyd's killing by Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin.

Surveillance cameras recorded Rahman, a human rights lawyer, hurling a molotov cocktail bomb into a parked police vehicle, setting fire to its interior. No one was injured in the attack, but the vehicle was severely damaged.

Officers arrested the lawyers a short time later and said they found a lighter, a Bud Light beer bottle filled with toilet paper and a gasoline tank in the back of a minivan driven by Mattis, a corporate attorney. Prosecutors allege the lawyers planned to distribute and throw other Molotov cocktails.

An NYPD van which was set ablaze in Brooklyn during the May 2020 George Floyd protests. It is not clear if it is the same vehicle that the lawyers hit with Molotovs

A burned out NYPD van after the protest in May 2020. It is not clear if it is the same vehicle that the lawyers hit with Molotovs

Urooj Rahman, (left) and Colinford Mattis (right) after their arrest in 2020 for firebombing an NYPD van during George Floyd protests in New York City

Boss of the NYPD union Patrick Lynch, (center) has condemned the short sentences of Rahman and Mattis

Initially, Mattis and Rahman were looking at a 40-year mandatory minimum count and life imprisonment when they were arrested in 2020.

The government's prosecution plan then shifted to a 10-year sentence with terrorism enhancement, based on an October 2021 Brooklyn federal court hearing where Mattis and Rahman each pleaded guilty to one count of possessing and making a destructive device.

The pair have spent most of the last two years in home confinement.

News of the lawyers' reduced sentences was met with outrage by Patrick J. Lynch, President of the New York City Police Benevolent Association, who said the light sentences will embolden 'anti-police radicals.'

'The judge must reject this request. There is absolutely no justification for lowballing the sentence for an anti-police terrorist attack,' Lynch said on Fox News.

'It's bad enough that these dangerous criminals have been allowed to sit at home for the past two years,' Lynch said.

'Handing them a below-guidelines sentence would give a green light to other anti-police radicals who seek to advance their cause through violence. The judge must reject this request.'

U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan said he was not bound by the sentencing recommendations under the new plea deal, but would take it into account when he sentences the two attorneys this fall.

Urooj Rahman leaving the Brooklyn Federal court on Thursday. She agreed to a plea deal, with federal prosecutors agreeing to recommend a sentence of 18 to 24 months in prison
A Kansas woman who was shot and wounded by Kansas City, Missouri, police last week has been charged with several counts after police released images from a bodycam that show her to be armed.

The Jackson County prosecutor's office charged Leonna Hale, 26, of Kansas City, Kansas, with unlawful firearm possession, exhibiting a firearm and resisting arrest.

The prosecutor's office said police body camera video of the shooting showed Hall was holding a gun in her right hand on Friday as police tried to arrest her in connection with a reported carjacking that had occurred in Kansas City, Kansas.

'Hale was continually displaying a weapon during her encounter with police and also appeared to be attempting to flee,' according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker who reviewed the footage.

An Image from police bodycam footage shows Leonna Hale, 26, holding a weapon in her hand

Kansas City police fired at 26-year-old Leonna Hale (pictured in an unrelated mugshot) five times after she told them there was a gun in the car and as a man who was with her fled

Hale was rushed to hospital after suffering serious injuries but was in a stable condition

'Some false narratives about what happened last Friday night at 6th and Prospect Avenue, unfortunately, were relied upon by some media and other sources,' Baker said. 'Our job, as prosecutors, is to remain neutral and review all evidence. Our review of body cam videos provided the actual accounting of events that night.'

'The two officers stated that she was armed with what they believed to be a handgun. Body camera footage confirms the officers' statements that Hale was holding a handgun,' Baker explained.

'Still photos, taken from body cam footage, of this encounter also demonstrate a weapon was present and in the hands of the defendant.'

Although the full footage from the officer body cameras has not yet been released, Baker released a still image from one of the body cameras worn by the officers to back up the claims.

It appears to depict a black woman holding a gun in her right hand although it is not completely clear whether she is pointing it at police.

Kansas City police fired at Leonna Hale five times after she told them there was a gun in the car and as a man who was with her fled just before 8pm last Friday

Witnesses claimed the suspect had been trying to cooperate before she was gunned down and handcuffed on the ground as blood seeped through her white t-shirt

Police have said officers were approaching a car in a store parking lot that matched the description of the one carjacked.

Police said a man and a woman, later identified as Hale, fled from the vehicle. Both officers fired at Hale in the parking lot as she fled holding the gun, police said.

Some media reports at the time of the shooting mentioned an eyewitness who described Hale as being unarmed and pregnant.

They also claim the woman had been trying to cooperate before she was gunned down and handcuffed on the ground as blood seeped through her white t-shirt.

Authorities said Hale's pregnancy was just a 'rumor' and cast doubt over her claims

Hale was rushed to hospital after suffering serious injuries but was in a stable condition, police said.

The man, who was said to be her boyfriend, was also taken in by medics on an unrelated medical issue.

Dramatic footage shows Hale being cuffed on the ground as she started to bleed from gunshot wounds at a Family Dollar store in Kansas City.

Investigators said in court documents that Hale denied ever having a gun when she was interviewed by Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers.

She declined to participate in a follow-up interview when contacted a second time after detectives reviewed the body camera footage, according to the court documents.

The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office said police shot Hale after they tried to question her together with another person she was with about the vehicle they were traveling in and its possible use in a robbery.

She was rushed to hospital after suffering serious injuries but was in a stable condition. The man she was also taken in by medics on an unrelated medical issue

Cops said a gun was recovered from near the car. The two officers involved were put on administrative leave

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Andy Bell expressed doubts to KCUR radio over claims Hale might be pregnant

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Andy Bell expressed doubts to KCUR radio over claims Hale might be pregnant.

He reaffirmed the reason for Hale's apprehension, namely that the vehicle, description and license plate matched that of a car used in a Kansas City, Kansas, robbery.

On Wednesday, In a tweet the Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, Quinton Lucas expressed his gratitude for the prosecutor's statement and release of the image.

'Body cameras have been a positive addition to reaching the truth in public safety investigations. We will continue to work hard to get the whole truth out on issues as fast as we can,' he wrote.

Little is known about Hale, who has an undated mugshot for an unknown crime, but police said her last known address was in Topeka.

According to her Facebook account she is the mother of a young daughter and her bio reads: 'Leonna don't take NO SH** from ANYONE first off and also I snap easily and fast.'
Former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany slammed Republicans for celebrating Johnny Depp's court victory against his ex-wife Amber Heard.

On Wednesday actor Johnny Depp won his libel case against Amber Heard after a jury ruled in favor of all three of Depp's defamation claims against Heard, finding that she had falsely accused him of domestic abuse.

The actor was awarded $15million - $10million in compensation and $5million in punitive damages.

Following the verdict, the official account of the GOP House Judiciary Committee posted a GIF of Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in celebration of his victory.

But Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany was quick to point out that Depp is no friend to the GOP and said neither Depp or Heard ended up on top following the messy case.

'These are two people that were in a toxic relationship and are both very flawed. They both have problems, that was evident in both of their testimony,' she said on Fox News on Thursday.

'And look, I know that there was a verdict of that was 15 million against Amber Heard, $2 million against one of Johnny Depp's agents. But let's be clear. There are no winners here. Not a single person in this case is a winner. We heard about their personal life, intimate details.'

The former press secretary under Trump also reminded her co-hosts of Depp's call to assassinate the former president in 2017.

Former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany (pictured) slammed Republicans for celebrating Johnny Depp's court victory against his ex-wife Amber Heard

Following the verdict the official account of the GOP House Judiciary Committee posted a GIF of Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in celebration of his victory

'And I think that those who are celebrating Johnny Depp are a bit misguided, in my view. I remember Johnny Depp as being the actor who said, and I'll read it directly, "When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?" that's when President Trump was president. I see some Republicans celebrating him, I don't think that this is your guy,' she said.

Depp made the assassination remark during a 2017 appearance at the UK music festival Glastonbury.

Heard won just one of her three countersuit claims, which related to statements made by Depp's lawyer suggesting she and friends had trashed their apartment before calling the police out.

She was awarded $2million in compensatory damages out of the $100million she was seeking in her countersuit against her ex-husband and received zero dollars in punitive damages.

The judge later reduced Depp's $5million punitive damages award to the Virginia maximum of $350,000, reducing Depp's total to $10,350,000  minus the $2million he was ordered to pay Heard.

On Wednesday Johnny Depp won his libel case against Amber Heard after a jury ruled in favor of all three of Depp's defamation claims against Heard

Depp made the assassination remark during a 2017 appearance at the UK music festival Glastonbury

McEnamy said if the GOP were to stand up for anyone facing false accusations, they should stand up for Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who faced allegations of sexual assault

The call to assassinate a sitting US president was just one of many anti-Trump comments the actor made.

Earlier that year Depp had suggested that Trump was so unpopular and disliked that he threatened to stamp out the presidency.

In May of 2017 Depp even offered to carry on Alec Baldwin's beloved Saturday Night Live impersonation of the president should he stop performing it.

He previously concocted his own Trump impersonation in a 2016 Funny or Die sketch

McEnamy said if the GOP were to stand up for anyone facing false accusations, they should stand up for Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who faced allegations of sexual assault during his confirmation hearings.

'If you're looking for someone and I totally absolutely believe in due process and people should be heard, look at Brett Kavanaugh, not Johnny Depp,' she said. 'That's just my view, but the jury has decided and we respect the opinion of the jury.'
Britain is to arm Ukraine with precision-guided rockets that have a range of up to 50 miles to help match Russias artillery arsenal.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has confirmed the delivery of an unspecified number of M270 launchers.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has demanded heavier weapons to counter Russias artillery. Germany and the US have also pledged long-range weapon systems.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has confirmed the delivery of an unspecified number of M270 launchers

Moscow has been able to make gains in the east by using the superior reach of its weapons to flatten towns before sending in its infantry.

Mr Wallace said: As Russias tactics change, so must our support to Ukraine. These highly capable rocket systems will enable our Ukrainian friends to better protect themselves against Russias brutal use of long-range artillery.

The Kremlin reacted with fury to the moves and threatened to step up attacks in western Ukraine.

This pumping of Ukraine with weapons will bring more suffering to Ukraine, which is merely a tool in the hands of those countries that supply it with weapons, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has demanded heavier weapons to counter Russias artillery. Germany and the US have also pledged long-range weapon systems

But Mr Zelensky has called for even more heavy weapons, decrying the fact that the occupiers control almost 20 per cent of our territory.

He said Russia had fired 15 cruise missiles in the past day and used a total of 2,478 missiles invading Ukraine.

Russian forces continued to pound the eastern city of Severodonetsk yesterday where they are said to control around 80 per cent of the city.

Military analyst Zhdanov noted that after the fierce fighting in and around Sievierodonetsk, Russian forces will be exhausted, and military leaders will need to replenish their both their troops and weaponry.

Ukraine will try to use this pause to accumulate Western weapons, form a strategic reserve and prepare a counteroffensive, he said.

The only other city in Luhansk province that the Russians have not yet captured, Lysychansk, is still fully under Ukrainian control, the governor said, but is likely to be the next target.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at the Cross Hall of the White House in Washington, DC, June 2, about the recent mass shootings and urges Congress to pass laws to combat gun violence. AFP-Yonhap



Declaring "Enough, enough!" U.S. President Joe Biden urged Congress to ban assault weapons, Thursday, expand background checks and implement other sensible gun control measures to address a string of mass shootings that have struck the United States.



Speaking from the White House, in a speech broadcast live in primetime, Biden asked a country stunned by the recent shootings of school children in Texas, at a medical building in Oklahoma and at a Buffalo, New York, grocery story how much it would take to change gun laws in America.



"For God's sake, how much more carnage are we willing to accept?" Biden asked.



The president, a Democrat, called for a number of measures historically opposed by Republicans in Congress, including banning the sale of assault weapons, or, if that were not possible, raising the minimum age to buy those weapons to 21 from 18, and repealing the liability shield that protects gun manufacturers from being sued for violence perpetrated by people carrying their guns.



"We can't fail the American people again," Biden said, pressing Republicans to allow bills with gun control measures to come up for a vote.





Flowers and photographs are seen at a memorial dedicated to the victims of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on June 2, in Uvalde, Texas. AFP-Yonhap



The United States, which has a higher rate of gun deaths than any other wealthy nation, has been shaken in recent weeks by the high-profile mass shootings at a grocery story in upstate New York, an elementary school in Texas that killed 19 children, and a medical building in Oklahoma.



Lawmakers are looking at measures to expand background checks and pass "red flag" laws that would allow law enforcement officials to take guns away from people suffering from mental illness. But any new measures face steep hurdles from Republicans, particularly in the U.S. Senate, and moves to ban assault weapons do not have enough support to advance.



Despite the political challenges, Biden urged Congress to act.



"After Columbine, after Sandy Hook, after Charleston, after Orlando, after Las Vegas, after Parkland, nothing has been done," Biden said, listing high-profile mass shootings over the past decade. "This time that can't be true."



Gun safety advocates have pushed Biden to take stronger measures on his own to curb gun violence, but the White House wants Congress to pass legislation that would have more lasting impact than any presidential order.



A U.S. House of Representatives committee was working on a bill Thursday aimed at toughening national gun laws, though the measure has little chance of passing the Senate.





Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., right, embraces Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Ga., as the House Judiciary Committee passes the Protecting Our Kids Act, a series of Democratic gun control measures in response to mass shootings in Texas and New York, at the Capitol in Washington, June 2. AP-Yonhap
Woolworths will gradually phase out its 15c reusable plastic bags over the next year.

The supermarket giant announced it will soon only sell 20c paper or 99c fabric bags across all its stores in Australia.

Managing director Natalie Davis said 80 per cent of customers were already bringing in their own bags to carry groceries.

'We've seen a huge shift in shopping habits since we stopped giving out single-use plastic bags, with eight out of 10 customers now bringing their own bags from home,' she said.

Woolworths will gradually phase out its 15c reusable plastic bags over the next year

'The reusable plastic bags have played their part and now it's time to do away with selling plastic shopping bags at our checkouts for good.'

Light-weight plastic bags will still be available to package fruits and vegetables.

Ms Davis said supermarkets would also raise signs encouraging customers to bring their own shopping bags to cut down on plastic waste.

'Ultimately, we want to sell less bags,' she said.

'We know the change may be an adjustment for some customers and that's why we're phasing this change in over the coming year.

'We'd like to thank them in advance for their support as we all work together to create a better tomorrow.'

Woolworths stopped providing single-use plastic bags in 2018.

Western Australia stores will be among the first in the country to introduce the massive overhaul with a statewide ban on plastic bags coming into effect in July.

'This change will see more than 30 million plastic bags removed from circulation in WA every year  which is a big win for the health of our oceans and waterways,' Woolworths state general manager Karl Weber said.

The supermarket giant announced it will soon only sell 20c paper or 99c fabric bags across all its stores in Australia

'While our paper bags will continue to be available, the most sustainable bag you can use is the reusable one you bring from home.'

Environment minister Reece Whitby said Western Australia was leading the way on banning single-use plastics across the country.

'Western Australia has a strong track record on reducing single-use plastics in the environment, and was named the top jurisdiction in the country two years in a row by WWF Australia, for the work that is being done,' he said.

'The WA community has shown overwhelming support for this  and I would like to thank everyone, including Woolworths, who have embraced these important changes.'

More to come
Biden makes a passionate plea for gun control Renew assault weapons ban or at least raise age of purchase from 18 to 21 Ban high-capacity magazines Expand background checks Red flag laws Addressing the mental health crisis Repeal liability shield protecting gun manufacturers from prosecution, Urges Congress to 'do something' and calls Republican reaction 'unconscionable' Tells Americans to make gun control a central issue in the midterms Said the Second Amendment is 'not absolute' Advertisement

President Biden pushed for sweeping gun control beyond even what the House is negotiating as he demanded Congress 'do something! For God's sake, do something!'

Still he insisted: 'This is not about taking away anyones guns. It's not about vilifying gun owners. We believe we should be treating responsible gun owners as every gun owner should behave.'

But, Biden added, 'The Second Amendment is not absolute.'

Biden praised the House for taking up a sweeping gun control package, as he said supported the more narrow, bipartisan efforts led by Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, in the Senate.

He tore into Republicans who stood in the way of tightening restrictions.

'My God, the fact that a majority of Senate Republicans don't want any of these proposals to even be debated ... I find unconscionable.'

The president then made the matter an election year issue, imploring voters to make the matter of gun control 'central to your vote.'

His calls went beyond what the House package would do, calling for an outright ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, strengthening background checks and requirements for gun owners to properly store their firearms.

Biden admitted the likely defeat on an assault weapons ban, but said that the minimum age for such weapons should at least be raised from 18 to 21. The House is currently marking up a bill that would raise the purchasing age of semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21.

The president targeted much of his ire at gun manufacturer immunity. 'The gun industry special protections are outrageous. It must end.'

'We should repeal the liability shield that often protects gun manufacturers are being sued for the death and destruction caused by their weapons,' Biden said.

'They're the only industry in this country that has that kind of immunity. Imagine, imagine if the tobacco industry had been immune from being sued where we'd be today.'

Of the 1994 assault weapons ban, Biden again blamed the GOP. 'Republicans let the law expire in 2004,' he said. 'Those weapons were allowed to be sold again. Mass shootings tripled.'

Biden noted that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had recently found gun violence to be the number one killer of children in the U.S.

President Biden pushed for sweeping gun control beyond even what the House is negotiating as he demanded Congress 'do something! For God's sake, do something!'

The president targeted much of his ire at gun manufacturer immunity. 'The gun industry special protections are outrageous. It must end'

Rows of white candles line the carpet as Biden walks in for his speech. The 56 candles represent the 50 states and 6 territories affected by gun violence

'Over the last two decades, more school-aged children have died from guns than on-duty police officers and active duty military combined. Think about that.'

On the heels of another mass shooting in Tulsa, Okla., Vice President Kamala Harris insisted earlier there are 'no more excuses' not to act.

'No more excuses. Thoughts and prayers are important, but not enough. We need Congress to act,' the vice president said in remarks Thursday.

Biden has said there is little left for him to do from the executive branch and urged Congress to take up measures that would ban assault weapons and strengthen universal background checks.

Meanwhile, a manhunt is underway for an unidentified gunman who shot five family members on Thursday as they attended the funeral for a man who was shot and killed by a police officer last month.

On Wednesday a gunman opened fire at a Tulsa hospital, killing four people with an AR-15 he purchased three hours before the attack. The shooting came just over a week after a gunman mowed down 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, using an AR-15 he'd purchased days earlier for his 18th birthday, which came just after a white gunman opened fire in a Buffalo grocery store, killing 10 black shoppers.

Biden is set to deliver a plea for gun control Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m. ET on the heels of another mass shooting in Tulsa, Okla

'No more excuses. Thoughts and prayers are important, but not enough. We need Congress to act,' the vice president said Thursday

Bloodshed rocked the nation over Memorial Day Weekend - 150 died as a result of gun violence.

Earlier on Thursday the House Judiciary Committee held a markup session for the 'Protecting Our Kids Act,' which combines eight pieces of legislation in the latest Congressional gun control push.

The bill would raise the purchasing age of certain semiautomatic centerfire rifles from 18 to 21 - as the shooters in Buffalo and Uvalde were both 18. It also goes after high-capacity magazines, ghost guns and bump stocks and mandates certain requirements for firearms storage on residential facilities.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi also promised to have a hearing and markup of the assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has also set a vote for next week for red flag legislation offered by Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Ga., whose son was a victim of gun violence a decade ago.

Republicans remained firm in their resistance and the eight-piece measure is unlikely to make it through the Senate after the House passes it. But a bipartisan group of senators led by Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, are working on a slimmed-down gun control measure that focuses on on state-based red flag programs, school safety and mental health programs. Nineteen states currently have red flag legislation, which allows law enforcement to take away firearms from those who are deemed by a cour to be a threat to themselves or others, on the books.

As the president visited Uvalde over Memorial Day Weekend, he expressed optimism that legislation could pass by claiming Republicans are 'getting more rational.'

Biden specifically called Cornyn and Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell 'rational,' though he said he didn't know the status of the talks.

Asked if he had his own responsibility to act, Biden replied: 'I cant dictate this stuff.' He implied the onus was on Congress to enact lasting change.

'I can do the things Ive done, and any executive action I can take, Ill continue to take. But I cant outlaw a weapon. I cant change a background check. I cant do that,' the president said.

Republican Rep. Greg Steube of Florida argued that the law limiting high-capacity magazines would have unintended effects - and he held up his own guns to demonstrate, while participating in the hearing virtually.

Republican Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado argued that AR-15s, the gun style of choice in most recent U.S. mass shootings, had practical purposes.

'In rural Colorado, an AR-15 is a gun of choice for killing raccoons before they get to our chickens,' Buck said. 'That is the gun of choice for killing a fox.'

The bill lawmakers are debating does not ban AR-15s.

Police tape outside of the Natalie Medical Building in Tulsa as police respond to a shooting that killed four people

Two people hug outside at Memorial High School where people were evacuated from the scene of a shooting at the Natalie Medical Building Wednesday, June 1

Family members hug as they are reunited at Memorial High School after being evacuated from the scene of a shooting at the Natalie Medical Building

Pictured: A map showing the states that saw the highest number of gun violence deaths over the weekend, that saw more than 150 people killed in total across the United States

Republican Rep. Tom McClintock of California suggested that 'woke district attorneys' aren't using the laws already on the books - bringing up a favorite GOP punching bag, first son Hunter Biden.

'Hunter Biden illegally acquired a handgun despite being an admitted drug addict. A handgun that ended up being taken out of a public trash can 500 feet from a school. He also lied on his firearms application,' McClintock said. 'Nobody's prosecuting him.'

McClintock was referring to Biden answering no on a 2018 firearms permit to the question, 'Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?'

Biden had already been discharged from the Navy Reserve over his cocaine use.
It's a bittersweet day for billionaire James Packer after authorities finally agreed to allow his former company Crown Resorts to open its Sydney casino.

The deal, made with NSW's Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) and expected to ratified by state cabinet on Monday, will allow Crown to start gaming in the huge glass Crown Towers, which preside over the city waterfront district of Barangaroo.

A highly-conditional licence was agreed to by the ILGA, which, if the conditions are met and maintained for up to two years, will then turn into a regular licence.

Under the licence, Crown would be allowed to open the VIP gaming floor to high-rollers.

The regulator has also greenlit the $8.9billion sale of Crown to US investment firm Blackstone.

Mr Packer is due for a $3.3billion windfall for his majority 37 per cent stake in the company, ending his 20-year relationship with Crown Resorts' gaming arm.

Crown majority stake holder James Packer will be relieved that the Sydney casino looks set to open despite an official inquiry finding the company unfit to hold a gaming licence in NSW

A man walks past the Crown Sydney hotel resort where the company may finally be able to commence casino operations after a regulator recommended a two-year conditional licence

A new independent and expanded regulator is expected to oversee the Sydney casino's operations under strict conditions to prevent money laundering, an accusation dogging Crown's other casinos in Melbourne and Perth.

The decision comes despite the NSW Bergin Inquiry finding in early 2021 that the company was not fit to hold a gaming licence.

The inquiry was set up in response to Crown's 2017 sale of an almost 20 per cent stake to companies associated with Macau gambling magnate Stanley Ho, who was under an official ban because of alleged Triad organised crime connections.

Crown was also accused of partnering with Asian crime syndicates to organise gambling junkets.

In 2016, Crown staff were arrested in China for illegally promoting gambling.

Crown Towers dominates the skyline in the inner Sydney waterfront district of Barangaroo but the company's casino operations have been dogged by claims of illegal activities

On Tuesday, Crown was hit with an $80m fine from the Victorian regulator for money laundering in its Melbourne casino.

Crown aided Chinese guests to avoid their country's currency restrictions by allowing money transferred on a bank card to be used for gambling, which breached Australian law.

The amounts being gambled were disguised by Crown as payments for hotel services.

Victoria's regulator, which was set up to oversee the casino after an earlier inquiry found Crown was unfit to hold a licence, said the company 'benefited handsomely from its illegal conduct'.

Melbourne's Crown casino has been handed an $80million fine for allowing bank cards to be illegally used to finance gambling and falsely claiming transfers were for hotel services

In May, a Western Australian commission also found Crown's Perth casino engaged in similar activities making the company unfit to hold a gaming licence there.

However, Crown has been given two years to demonstrate it can run cleanly.

The Melbourne and Perth casinos are also facing money laundering court action from financial monitoring agency AUSTRAC.

Crown has admitted what it called 'historic failings' in abetting illegal use of bank cards for gambling but insists the company is reforming itself.

Star casino, which is Crown's main gaming rival in Sydney, is currently the subject of an inquiry into its fitness to hold a gaming licence as it stands accused of allowing $1billion worth of illegal transactions on debit cards.
Airlines could be forced to give holidaymakers automatic refunds for travel disruption under plans being considered by ministers.

At present, travellers must apply for a refund manually and some who struggle to get them are forced to hire claims management companies.

Some operators have claimed cancellations or delays are not their fault, and so they are not liable to pay a refund.

However, automatic refunds will not be in place this summer because it will take months for legislation to pass through Parliament.

UK consumers currently have to apply manually to their airline for compensation if their flight is delayed or cancelled

Whitehall sources said officials were looking at how automatic refunds could be brought in to bring aviation into line with the rail industry

It comes as thousands of half-term travellers have endured chaos at airports, with hundreds of flights cancelled or delayed in recent days.

There are also fears of chaos this summer if travel bosses don't get to grips with a staff shortage crisis within the next six weeks. This is when the peak summer season begins.

Whitehall sources said officials were looking at how automatic refunds could be brought in to bring aviation into line with the rail industry.

Travellers in recent weeks have complained that some operators are claiming cancellations or delays weren't their fault, and are therefore not liable to pay a refund.

They have reported waiting weeks for refunds after some operators became swamped with requests. A new system would aim to override this.

Last month a report by the Commons transport committee recommended forcing operators to pay automatic compensation.

The report said: 'Even when airline passengers are entitled to a refund, they can struggle to secure the refunds that they are owed.

EasyJet is just one of multiple airlines which has cancelled swathed of flights this week

'Those challenges apply to both individual passengers and travellers who book flights through third parties.

'Accessing refunds from airlines has been a long-standing challenge for consumers, pre-dating the coronavirus pandemic.

'Therefore, consumers sometimes hire claims management companies (CMCs) to secure refunds that they are entitled to.

'The Government must introduce a mechanism to ensure that when entitled to a refund by law, airline passengers are granted automatic compensation, eliminating the need for customers manually to apply for a refund.'

Rocio Concha, policy director at consumer champion Which?, said: 'Poor treatment of passengers by some airlines has become routine - as we saw with carriers ignoring their legal obligations on refunds, rerouting and passenger rights during the pandemic and recent chaos at our airports.

'There is much work to be done to restore consumer trust and the government must deliver reforms that work for passengers.'
A 16-year-old girl who was stabbed in the back is now afraid to venture outside her Brooklyn apartment as cops continue to search for the 20-year-old suspect.

Dagean Wilson, 16, walked into Urban Juice Bar and Grill near her house in Brownsville to get some ice at around 6pm on May 22, when she was stabbed.

Security footage shows the man carrying a water bottle and raising a black knife and stabbing her once in the left shoulder without saying a word before he walked away.

The suspect has since been identified as Osie Lewis, 20, who remains on the loose.

Wilson told the New York Post she did not even know Lewis at the time, and does not know why he would stab her.

She said she now gets 'anxious' whenever she has to leave her home, and her mother, LaRonda Hicks, is now making sure one of her sisters is with her at all times whenever she does leave.

Hicks also told CBS News they are now planning to move out of the Big Apple, as the city's crime wave continues - with major crimes up nearly 40 percent from last year.

'[We] gotta escape the city,' she said. 'There's too much killing.'

Shocking video showed the moment a man stabbed 16-year-old Dagean Wilson as she entered the Urban Juice Bar and Grill in Brooklyn on May 22

The suspect could be seen running up to Wilson as she enters the store

Security footage shows the man carrying a water bottle and raising a black knife and stabbing her once in the left shoulder without saying a word before he walked away

Wilson was brought to Brookdale University Hospital, where she was treated and released

Wilson said she didn't even realize she was stabbed when she walked into the juice bar on May 22, telling the Post: 'I felt a sharp pain. It didn't feel like I got stabbed or anything, so I just went into the store and two men came in and told me that I had been stabbed.

'They said they saw him do it,' she continued. 'They walked me home, and I told my mom what happened.'

Once she returned to her house, Hicks told PIX 11 it was a 'deeper wound' than she expected, and confirmed that it looked like she had been stabbed.

At that point, Hicks said, Wilson started 'freaking out' and crying.

She was later brought to Brookdale University Hospital, where she was treated and released.

But in the aftermath, Wilson said she is afraid to leave her Brooklyn apartment.

'I just keep looking over my shoulder,' she told the Post. 'I just keep looking to the side. It's a bit scary to go outside now.

'I'm really anxious,' she explained. 'It still plays in the back of my head.'

Police are now continuing to search for Lewis, who was seen in the security footage wearing a black T-shirt with a picture of a white lion on the back, gray sweatpants and white sneakers.

He was described by authorities as medium complexion, about 150 pounds with a thin build, and having black hair and goatee.

They are asking anyone with information about his whereabouts to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

Wilson said that in the aftermath of the stabbing she is afraid to leave her Brooklyn apartment

The suspect was identified as Osie Lewis, 20 (pictured) who remains on the loose

While murders and shootings are down 9 and 6.5 percent respectively from 2021, overall crime in the Big Apple is up 38.42 percent so far in 2022

The shooting comes amid skyrocketing crime in the five boroughs, with the New York Police Department reporting that overall crime in the Big Apple is up 38.42 percent from last year.

And while murders and shooting are down 9 and 6.5 percent respectively from 2021, the number of grand larcenies so far this year is more than double what it was at the same time last year.

Robberies are also up 39.3 percent from last year, while felony assaults are up 18.4 percent and rapes are up 16.1 percent.

On Tuesday, Jose Gonzalez, 35, was also found disemboweled inside his New York City apartment, and cops believe a drunken brawl led up to the gruesome killing.

He was found facedown on his bed and covered in his own blood. and police said they suspect he may have been killed by his new roommate, with whom he would like to drink.

The NYPD detailed how Gonzalez was stabbed in the neck, shoulder, arms and stomach with wounds running so deep his intestines were found hanging out of his body. His face and abdomen were also covered in dried blood.

Jose Gonzalez, 35, was found disemboweled in his bed on Tuesday evening

Police declared the man's death to be a homicide on Wednesday morning

And on Friday, an Asian man was brutally beaten in a New York City subway station after he was anonymously accused of attempting to molest a girl on the train.

Video shared online over the weekend shows the man, who has not been identified, being restrained and pummeled by a group of men at the Fulton Street station in Manhattan.

It was presented as a racist attack by some advocacy groups online because the victim is Vietnamese, during a time assaults on Asians have skyrocketed.

But the narrative shifted after the person who recorded the viral video described it as vigilante justice.

The videographer, who asked to remain anonymous, told the New York Post that he saw the Asian man being restrained and asked, 'Why are you holding that guy?'

The holder said he'd pulled the 'victim' off onto the platform because he'd just tried to sexually assault a woman in a subway car. They were waiting for police to come arrest him, but officers didn't arrive for almost 20 minutes, the man told the Post.

In video of the incident, a person can be heard shouting at the man: 'You touching girls, you touching girls  little sisters and all that, moms and everything. You filthy, son.'

'I got a daughter,' another man could be heard saying before slapping the man. 'If the cops lock me up, I'm paying my own bail.'

Police have released photos of the alleged attackers and are asking the public's help in locating them. Police have received no reports of an alleged sexual assault, police sources told DailyMail.com Tuesday night.

Video shows the Asian man being restrained and pummeled by a group of men at the Fulton Street station in Manhattan on Friday afternoon

The attack was depicted as vigilante justice after he was anonymously accused of attempting to molest a girl on the train

But New York City Mayor Eric Adams had campaigned on a platform of cracking down on crime.

In January, New York City Mayor Eric Adams unveiled a comprehensive plan to combat surge in crime. That included increased foot patrols as well as the revival of a plain clothes unit named Neighborhood Safety Teams.

He also launched his subway safety initiative in April, sending about 1,000 officers into the city's busy transit system to weed out crime and vagrancy.

And on Thursday, Adams appointed Andre Mitchell as his 'gun violence czar.' In that position, he will co-chair a new anti-violence task force with Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright aimed at ending the city's gun epidemic.

The group will be comprised of Adams deputy mayors, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell and Schools Chancellor David Banks.

'Everyone that impacts or touches the lives of the young people will be part of the solution of dealing with gun violence because we cant continue to believe that because you made an arrest, you solved the problem,' Adams said in a news conference.

'We want to make sure we give the resources to the people that need it thats on the ground. Were going to do more.'
The specific type of cladding used on Grenfell Tower has finally been banned, five years after its use contributed to the fire that claimed the lives of 72 people.

The Government has announced the cladding will no longer be allowed on buildings of any height in England, after years of calls for it to be banned by campaigners.

The metal composite material panels with unmodified polyethylene core, known as MCM PE, are the same type that were on London tower block when it caught fire in June 2017.

Investigations later revealed that the make-up of the cladding, which was on the outside of the 24-storey tower block, contributed to the tragedy by acting as a chimney allowing the fire to spread.

Smoke billows from Grenfell Tower on June 14, 2017, as firefighters try to get the fatal blaze under control. Investigations would later find the type of cladding on the outside of the building contributed to the tragedy

A total of 72 people were killed and another 74 injured in the blaze, which took more than 250 firefighters and 70 fire engines to bring under control.

The new ban comes after the Government issued new fire safety guidance on Wednesday, tightening the rules on the cladding which had previously only been banned from use on buildings higher than 11 metres.

The Government will also restrict the types of cladding material used on buildings between 11 metres and 18 metres in height, to prevent their construction with combustible materials.

Housing Minister Lord Greenhalgh said: 'We have introduced the biggest improvements to building safety in a generation, under the Building Safety Act.

'These changes will support our tough new regulatory regime - ensuring fire safety measures are incorporated into new high-rise homes and all new residential buildings meet the same safety standards.

A memorial wall on he grounds of Kensington Aldridge Academy with Grenfell Tower in the background. Following the tragedy campaigners called for the cladding used in the building to be banned

'It does not end here and I urge the industry act quickly to update their practises in line with these new rules.'

Under the measures announced by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, all new residential buildings over 11 metres will have to include a secure information box that will give fire services access to important details about a building in the event of a fire.

New residential developments over 18 metres will also have to incorporate an evacuation alert system to help firefighters inform residents of a change in evacuation strategy, during an incident.

The scope of a ban on using combustible materials on buildings higher than 18 metres has also been extended to include hospitals, hotels and boarding schools.

The Government has now announced the same type of cladding used in the tower will be banned from all buildings in England

The National Fire Chief's Council (NFCC) Protection and Business Safety Committee chair, Gavin Tomlinson, said: 'NFCC especially welcomes the introduction of emergency evacuation alert systems in new buildings over 18 metres.

'We also support the inclusion of Secure Information Boxes in buildings over 11 metres, which will give fire and rescue services access to important details about a building and its residents in the event of a fire.

'On the changes to building regulations, we are encouraged that unsafe MCM PE cladding panels are banned on all buildings and that the government has promised stronger safety standards for the use of combustible materials on external walls.'

Despite the ban, earlier this week it was reported that more than 50 high-rise buildings in the UK still have the same highly-flammable cladding as Grenfell Tower.

In total, 486 buildings over 18 metres tall were found to contain the aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding identified by the Grenfell Inquiry as the leading cause of the 2017 tragedy.

Work is still to be completed on 111 of them while it has not even begun on 31 buildings and 58 still have the cladding intact.

This is despite a Government target that all dangerous cladding materials should be removed by June 2020.

A memorial to the people who lost their lives in the Grenfell Tower fire. Earlier this year it was announced the Government would make developers pay to replace dangerous highly-flammable cladding from high-rise buildings

Plans to remove the cladding from buildings where it had already been installed hit a roadblock as leaseholders in some of the affected buildings were required to pay for the repairs themselves.

This left many of them stuck in a Catch 22  unable to afford the repairs and unable to sell their properties because of the work required.

Now a deal has been done with Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, for 45 homebuilders to pay 2 billion to fix the unsafe cladding.

With that, the Government and industry will fully fund the replacement of the cladding, not leaseholders, and firms such as Intelligent FS say they will expand their capacity five-fold to help sort out the problem.

Construction firms such as Altrincham-based Intelligent FS led Adam Gallagher (left) and Rob Williams (right) say they will expand their capacity five-fold to help sort out the problem

Their Executive Director Adam Gallagher said: 'We believe we have a moral duty to ensure all residents who live in tall buildings can go to sleep at night safe in the knowledge that, in the event of a fire breaking out, their home is fitted with fireproof cladding.

'With a large number of buildings still featuring unsafe facades, we want to work with the Government and developers to help ease the burden.

'That's why we are expanding our operations five-fold to gear up for this necessary work.

'We are keen to start conversations with Ministers, developers, leaseholders and any other parties who would like to take this forward.

'People's safety is our number one priority - that's why we need all UK high-rise buildings to be fitted with the correct cladding.'
Gynaecology waiting lists are up 60 per cent as doctors dismiss women's problems as 'benign', a health leader warns.

Dr Edward Morris, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said conditions such as endometriosis, prolapse and heavy bleeding are termed 'benign', but can be life-limiting and progressive.

He told the Guardian: 'We have to change the language. We have to call it what it is.' Waiting lists in this area have increased more than in any other over the past two years.

The number waiting more than a year for care in England rose from 66 to nearly 25,000, with 1,300 waiting two years.

The UK government is set to launch a new women's health strategy later this year aimed at addressing gender health inequality

Dr Morris' comments come ahead of the launch of the government's women's health strategy for England, expected later this year, which ministers say will aim to redress 'decades of gender health inequality'.

The strategy is expected to include a focus on gynaecology problems, fertility and menopause.

Dr Morris called for it to include the establishment of specialist gynaecology clinics across the UK  the equivalent of GP surgeries, but dedicated to women's health.

Analysis by College revealed that gynaecology waiting lists across the UK reached more than 570,000 women as of December last year  just over a 60 per cent increase on pre-pandemic levels and the biggest percentage increase of all elective specialties.

Conditions such as endometriosis, prolapse and heavy bleeding are termed 'benign', but can be severely life-limiting

Dr Morris said: 'There is a perception in many areas of the NHS that if there is a benign gynaecology surgery list, that's a list that can be cancelled.

'No one with cancer is going to suffer as a result.'

However, if left untreated, conditions such as endometriosis and prolapse can become worse, have a severe impact on quality of life and affect fertility.

Dr Morris, a consultant gynaecologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University NHS hospital trust, said his own hospital no longer used the term 'benign gynaecology' and instead organised teams according to the type of surgery performed, such as endometriosis surgery, laparoscopy and urogynaecology.

He is urging other trusts to do the same.

Gynaecologists have raised concerns about an apparent increase in emergency admissions, including women with heavy menstrual bleeding requiring blood transfusions for severe anaemia, women with ruptured cysts, and those suffering acute pain.

Some women, while waiting for surgery that needs to happen before fertility treatment, have gone past the age limit for IVF on the NHS.

Dr Morris said there also needs to be more funding for research into women's health issues, such as the biology underlying menopause symptoms.

'There is a fundamental lack of research in women's health,' he said.

'Because there's a bit of shame, stigma and silence on some gynaecological conditions, that spills over quite a bit into some of the research.'
A judge denied bail Thursday evening for rapper Young Thug, who was arrested last month and accused of being the 'top dog' in street gang Young Slime Life that committed multiple murders.

The Georgia judge said there was a 'significant concern' the Atlanta rapper, 30, will be a danger to the community.

Young Thug was accused of conspiracy to violate Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and participation in a criminal street gang.

Fulton County Judge Ural Glanville handed down the ruling saying he has significant concerns about the entertainer, whose real name is Jeffery Lamar Williams, being a danger to the community, news outlets reported.

Prosecutors argued Williams is the head of a violent street gang called Young Slime Life that he cofounded.

Young Thug performs on day four of the Lollapalooza Music Festival on Sunday, August 1, 2021, at Grant Park in Chicago. The Atlanta rapper, whose name is Jeffery Lamar Williams, was arrested Monday, May 9, 2022, in Georgia on conspiracy to violate the state's RICO act and street gang charges, according to jail records (Photo: Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

Rap star Young Thug was been arrested on gang-related charges. He is pictured in a mugshot taken by the Fulton County Sheriff's office (Photo: Fulton County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Young Thugs home in #Buckhead was reportedly raided this afternoon. #FreeThugga pic.twitter.com/IRwrVR4h0W  ATL Uncensored - Atlanta News (@ATLUncensored) May 10, 2022

The gang committed multiple murders, shootings and carjackings over roughly a decade and promoted its activities in songs and on social media, prosecutors allege in an 88-page indictment that charges him, rapper Gunna - whose real name is Sergio Kitchens - aspiring rapper Christian Eppinger and 24 others with racketeering.

Eppinger was already in jail, accused of shooting an Atlanta police officer six times in February.

Young Thug, prosecutors said Thursday, is 'the top dog, the most dangerous man here, because he doesn't have to get his hands dirty, he has others to do his business,' Atlanta station WXIA-TV reported.

The rapper could be seen being walked to a police car in handcuffs on Monday in Buckhead

A photojournalist from Atlanta station WSB-TV captured this image of authorities taking Young Thug into custody earlier on Monday

Several police cars were seen lining what would otherwise be a quiet residential Atlanta street

Other video showed the rapper being walked to waiting patrol car with his hands in zip ties

Williams has been in custody since his arrest last month at his home in an upscale neighborhood north of downtown Atlanta.

His attorneys presented several witnesses to counter the image prosecutors painted, pointing to the musician's community involvement.

Music executive Kevin Liles testified that Williams was 'like a son' and he was willing to put up his own wealth and business behind a bond.

Young Thug appeared in court via videolink from Fulton County Jail, Atlanta

A Rappers Young Thug and Gunna, right, were both arrested. The pair are pictured during an album release party in Atlanta, Georgia in February 2019

Gunna, left, and Young Thug, right are seen arriving at Jimmy Kimmel Live in March 2019

The rapper, he said, 'is not just an artist - he's an influencer, a person I think was put here to change the people around him' and a 'contributing citizen to this world.'

Young Thug co-wrote the hit 'This is America' with Childish Gambino, making history when it became the first hip-hop track to win the song of the year Grammy in 2019.

An expected trial date, the judge said, would be January 9, 2023.
A man claiming to be one of the seven jurors in Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's defamation trial has lifted the lid on their deliberations - saying they felt Heard was unreliable and a gaslighter and describing her as the 'instigator' of the marital violence.

The alleged juror began his TikTok video by saying he wanted to remain anonymous. The names of jurors have been sealed for a year following the trial but jury members are allowed to come forward voluntarily and share their own experiences.

He then proceeded to explain the jury deliberations, describing Heard as a poor witness and saying they found Depp far more credible.

'What would you say was the moment that you were like NOPE.. if she's lying about this she's lying about everything?' asked one TikTok user.

He replied: 'I would say the donation/ pledge to charity.'

Heard had promised to donate half of her $7 million divorce settlement from Depp to the ACLU, but Terence Dougherty, ACLU chief operating officer and general counsel, testified that she had failed to do so.

When pressed about the lie, Heard claimed that she used the word 'donated' and 'pledged' synonymously - a comment that was met with incredulity from Depp's lawyers and, according to the juror, the jury.

The anonymous TikTok user posted clips to social media claiming to be a member of the jury, the day after the verdict was reached

Amber Heard is seen on the witness stand on May 4, breaking down in tears as she testified about the first time Johnny Depp hit her. The juror said he did not find her credible

Depp is pictured on April 25, giving his side of the story. The jurors found his account more authentic

The blockbuster defamation trial between feuding exes Johnny Depp and Amber Heard captivated the nation after it kicked off in April

The TikTok user heaped praise on Depp's lawyer, Camille Vasquez - saying she 'did a great job' - and was critical of Heard's sister Whitney, who testified for Amber.

'She seemed to be supporting her sister out of obligation and manipulation to me,' the supposed juror said.

'Didn't seem like she wanted to be there.'

Asked if the jury 'hated' Heard, the juror replied: 'Not hate, but most didn't empathize.'

The jurors, in Fairfax, Virginia, spent six weeks listening to the evidence and then 12 hours weighing it up before reaching their verdict on Wednesday afternoon.

'So today was my last day of being a juror on the Amber Heard-Johnny Depp trial,' the juror begun, in his first TikTok clip.

'And I wish to remain anonymous, but I thought I would give some insight about my thoughts about the trial.'

He said he was not especially informed about either the Texan actress, 36, or Depp, 58 before the trial began.

'So Amber Heard was awarded two million dollars in this case for a couple of different reasons,' the juror explained

'I don't follow pop culture too much so I haven't really been a fan of Johnny Depp or Amber Heard, so I feel like I can be pretty unbiased about the whole thing,' he said.

'But from the very beginning, when Amber Heard was testifying, everything just seemed so off with how she kept making eye contact with me, and it made me extremely uncomfortable - to the extent where I would no longer look over at her, when she was giving her answers.

'I would just listen intently, and everything she was saying came off like bulls***.'

He said that, after the trial ended, he scrolled through TikTok and 'it blows my mind how every single person seemed to be commenting on how weird' her eye contact was.

'That was my gut feeling, after all the information in the trial,' he said.

'But, Amber Heard. What a crazy woman.'

One TikTok user commented: 'It was killing me to know if the jury was uncomfortable with Ambers stare down.

'I was uncomfortable just watching it on tv. I felt bad for you guys.'

He replied: 'Couldn't even look at her anymore.'

In a second video, he was asked how he felt about Heard's lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, 'basically accusing all you jurors of not following the rules?'

The juror replied: 'I'm trying to view this from a place of empathy and understanding.

'I'm not sure if you guys noticed how much Amber Heard was gaslighting Johnny Depp.

'She could never admit she was wrong.

The TikTok user answered questions posed by curious social media users on his page

The juror said they felt that Depp's lawyer Camille Vasquez (pictured) did a 'good job'

Depp's lead attorneys Camille Vasquez and Benjamin Chew are seen outside of the courtroom after Depp's victory

'You can even tell with how she spoke to him in the recordings - she never admitted to him she did anything.

'And she carried that on to the trial.

'And I feel like we as humans naturally take our own personal truths to the grave when we can't admit that we are wrong.

'So I feel that that is what her team is doing now. Doing a smear campaign, to not admit that they were guilty. Because if they were just to cower down, and accept the verdict, in a way to the public eye it can be seen as an admission of guilt.

'So I think this is just their way of trying to claw and tooth their way into trying to save dignity, in some form, for Amber Heard.'

One TikTok user asked if he was informed by personal experience.

'Yes, she reminded me of my ex how she used to gaslight,' he said.

'I trusted my gut.'

He was then asked in detail how the other four men and two women came up with the compensation amount.

Depp was suing for $50 million in lost earnings following the publication of a 2018 Washington Post op-ed which he said damaged his career; Heard counter-sued for $100 million.

The jury awarded him $15 million - $10 million in compensatory damages, which is compensation for libel, and $5 million in punitive damages, which is the penalty for libel. Under Virginia's statute, Depp's punitive damages are limited to $350,000  making the total he'll be awarded just over $10 million.

Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages.

'So Amber Heard was awarded two million dollars in this case for a couple of different reasons,' the juror explained.

'If you remember, she was also suing Johnny Depp in this trial for defamation, due to the statements made by Johnny's lawyers. Who were stating that Amber roughed up the apartment to make it look way worse for police.

'Unfortunately the fact of her doing that, or not doing that, could not be proven.

'But it could prove that it did defame her, in ways, due to those statements made by Johnny's lawyers.'

Over six weeks at the court in Fairfax, Virginia, Depp called 38 witnesses while Heard called 24. Depp and Heard met on the set of the 2011 movie The Rum Diary, turning up on the red carpet together for its London premiere in 2011

He further explained why they wanted to issue awards to both, rather than just doing the calculations and making one award.

'So you might be wondering, why not just award Johnny $13 million instead of $15 million, and giving Amber $2 million?' he said.

'Well, it just comes down to accountability, and holding both parties accountable for what was done wrong.'

Asked why they did not award Depp the full $50 million, he replied: 'Unrealistic amount and not all the jurors agreed on amounts. Found a happy medium.'

He added: 'Many jurors wanted to award the 50 million, sometimes in life we have to compromise.'

Another TikTok user asked: 'Where the jurors all on Johnnys side or did you guys have to find a compromise?'

'Found a compromise,' he replied.

Asked whether anyone believed Heard, he replied: 'Wouldn't say believed her. But saw it as they thought both were guilty of defaming each other.'

He said that almost everyone felt Depp was more credible.

Asked if they all felt the same way, he replied: 'Most everyone yes. It wasn't completely unanimous at the beginning of deliberation. But all did agree she was more guilty than Johnny.'
A former Marine went viral after he posted a video of himself turning in his AR-15 to Oregon police following last month's mass shooting in Texas.

Last week former Marine Ben Beers, 37, posted himself handing over his rifle and handgun to the Hillsboro Police Department in Oregon the day after the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

'Today I'm turning in my weapons to the Hillsborough Police Department, both my AR-15 and my 9MM handgun, I no longer want them,' he starts off the TikTok.

'Today I'm turning in my weapons to the Hillsborough Police Department, both my AR-15 and my 9MM handgun, I no longer want them,' Ben Beers says in his TikTok

Beers showed his weapons in his trunk before he gave them up for good following the Uvalde shooting

Mourners are seen placing flowers on crosses with the names of children killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas

'I know this will not change legislation or anything to do with gun culture in America but hopefully it'll be a form of symbolism and hopefully America can wake up because no other country has the problems that we do with gun culture and ideation and gun violence like we do,' Beers added.

Beers went on to call for an amendment to the constitution and legislation and then showed his weapons in his trunk before he headed into the police station and police paperwork listing his seized weapons.

Beers says he was inspired to give up his guns after 18-year-old Salvador Ramos opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 students and two teachers before authorities shot and killed him

'I was up all night, tossing and turning, crying and shaking,' Beers told KGW.

The former Marine said despite owning and selling guns for years, the Texas tragedy was his breaking point.

'I just want to turn them in, have them destroyed,' he said.

Beers he hopes his video, which has garnered nearly 200,000 views, can inspire others to give up their weaponry.

Beers showed off his guns before he headed into the police station and police paperwork listing his seized weapons

President Biden pushed for sweeping gun control beyond even what the House is negotiating as he demanded Congress 'do something! For God's sake, do something!'

Police tape outside of the Natalie Medical Building in Tulsa as police respond to a shooting that killed four people

'Hopefully, soon we can all wake up and realize this needs to be done this is an idea. Guns are not as precious to us and nor are my Second Amendment rights as the lives of my children in school,' he told KGW.

Gun violence has continued to soar across the country as more than 150 people were killed across America during Memorial Day weekend.

There were at least 14 'mass shootings' across the US over the weekend, from early Friday morning to late on Monday, according to the Gun Violence Archive, an institute tracking shootings in the country.

At least nine people were killed in the mass shootings and more than 60 people were injured, according to the Archive, which defines mass shootings as an incident where at least four people are shot and injured or killed, not including any shooter.

The latest mass shooting came on Wednesday where at least five people, including the gunman by self-inflicted gunshot, were killed in the shooting at Natalie Building at St Francis Hospital in Tulsa.

On Thursday night president Biden addressed the country, declaring 'Enough, enough' and called on Congress to ban assault weapons, expand background checks and implement other gun control measures.

'For God's sake, how much more carnage are we willing to accept?' Biden asked.

Biden described visiting Uvalde, Texas, where the school shooting took place. 'I couldn't help but think there are too many other schools, too many other everyday places that have become killing fields, battlefields, here in America.'

The president, a Democrat, called for a number of measures opposed by Republicans in Congress, including banning the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, or, if that were not possible, raising the minimum age to buy those weapons to 21 from 18. He also pressed for repealing the liability shield that protects gun manufacturers from being sued for violence perpetrated by people carrying their guns.

'We can't fail the American people again,' Biden said, pressing Republicans particularly in the U.S. Senate to allow bills with gun control measures to come up for a vote.

Biden said if Congress did not act, he believed Americans would make the issue central when they vote in November mid-term elections.
Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, leave after the National Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral as part of celebrations marking the Platinum Jubilee of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, in London, Britain, June 3. Reuters-Yonhap



Prince Harry and his wife Meghan were greeted with cheers and some jeers as they joined the royal family at a thanksgiving service on Friday for Queen Elizabeth, their first public appearance together in Britain since quitting royal duties.



Harry, 37, and Meghan, 40, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, joined other senior royals at the service at London's St Paul's Cathedral, the latest event in Platinum Jubilee celebrations marking the queen's 70 years on the throne.



The couple moved to the United States two years ago to lead a more independent life, and live in a mansion in California with their two young children Archie and daughter Lilibet, who was named after Queen Elizabeth, her great-grandmother.



Harry and Meghan have become divisive figures in Britain, with some Britons and many media outlets pouring scorn on their move and their commercial activities, such as striking a deal with global streaming service Netflix, though others regard them as a breath of fresh air for the tradition-bound monarchy.



There were loud cheers and some boos as they arrived at the cathedral on Friday, while the eyes of the congregation were fixed on them as they walked to their seats.





Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, left, arrive to attend the National Service of Thanksgiving for The Queen's reign at Saint Paul's Cathedral in London on June 3, as part of Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee celebrations. AFP-Yonhap
A man, 21, broke into the an art museum and destroyed $5million worth of irreplaceable ancient Greek artifacts after a fight with his girlfriend.

Brian Hernandez, 21, was apprehended by security guards during his Wednesday night rampage at Dallas Museum of Art, Texas.

He later told Dallas police he's decided to destroy the priceless ancient artwork because he was 'mad at his girl.'

Hernandez destroyed at least three ancient Greek artifacts that had survived 2,500 years before he came along.

He also destroyed a contemporary Native American piece, a Greek cup from about 540 BCE, and the glass front door of the museum.

Early estimates of Hernandez wrath were $5,153,000.

Brian Hernandez, 21, was apprehended after smashing up to $5million worth of art and ancient artifacts inside the Dallas Museum of Art

Two of the items destroyed by Hernandez, both dating back to 6th century BCE ancient Greece. The pair alone could be worth up to $5million

The rampage started at about 9:40pm on Wednesday night, when Hernandez smashed open the glass front door of the museum with a metal chair.

Police say surveillance footage shows Hernandez using a stool to smash apart two display cases, and numerous pieces of ancient art. Two of those pieces were a pair of pots valued at $5million together.

At one point he picked up a contemporary piece of Native American ceramic effigy worth $10,000 and slammed it to the ground where it shattered into pieces. He also massacred an ancient Greek cup worth $100,000.

'The items inside of the display cases that were destroyed are rare ancient artifacts that are extremely precious and one of a kind,' police said in an affidavit.

Black-figure kylix destroyed by Hernandez worth $100,000, dating back to the 6th century BCE

A contemporary Native American effigy bottle worth about $10,000. Security footage shows Hernandez lifting the item up and smashing it on the ground

In addition to the artifacts damaged, Hernandez wrought havoc upon a telephone, a computer, and a bench.

A security guard found Hernandez on the museum's main concourse after a motion detecting sensor went off. When the guard asked Hernandez what he was doing, he said he responded that 'he got mad at his girl so he broke in and started destroying property.'

Police say that Hernandez also called 9-11 on himself from inside the museum. Police arrived on the scene around 10:10pm.

Hernandez was arrested and confessed his crimes to officers, according to police.

Museum director Agustin Arteaga said in a statement on Thursday that the museum is working with insurers to asses the damage, and that the estimate could be lower than the initial $5million figure.

'We anticipate the real total could be a fraction of the original $5 million estimate' he said.

The museum was open on Thursday, while some of the sections Hernandez damaged remained closed as the investigation continues.

Dallas police outside the Dallas Museum of Art after Hernandez broke in and destroyed the art and artifacts
Matthew McConaughey and his wife have launched a fundraiser to support the families and friends of the 19 children and two teachers who were shot and killed at an elementary school last week.

McConaughey, 52, was born and raised in Uvalde, Texas and his mother, Kay, was a teacher at St. Philip's Episcopal School just a mile away from Robb Elementary School, where 18-year-old Salvador Ramos opened fire last Tuesday.

Following the shooting, the Academy Award-winning actor issued a statement calling for gun control, and on Friday, he and his wife, Camila, made their way south from their home in Austin to the small town to help comfort the community as they start burying the young children.

By Thursday, the celebrity couple announced the launch of their Just Keep Livin' Foundation's Uvalde Relief Fund.

'Matthew and Camila McConaughey have been on the ground in Uvalde for the last few days since the mass shooting, the loss is tragic,' read a statement on the foundation's Instagram page.

'While the spirit of the community is in pain, the unanimous support of families to families and strangers to locals is beautiful,' they wrote, adding: 'After the initial shock, the town has now begun the funerals and the grieving process, which will continue for the surviving children, families and the entire community.

'The community will need ongoing grief counseling and support on the long road ahead of them,' they continued, asking for donations to support the grief counseling and help families with burial costs as well as 'other immediate and other long-term needs of the community.'

Dazed and Confused actor Matthew McConaughey and his wife, Camila, have launched a fundraiser to support the families and friends of the 19 children and two teachers who were shot and killed in Uvalde, Texas last week

In a statement posted to Instagram on Thursday, the McConaugheys announced the launch of the Just Keep Living Foundation's Uvalde Relief Fund to help with grief counseling, costs associated with burial services and 'other immediate and long-term needs of the community'

McConaughey, center, visited Uvalde - his hometown - on Friday, just four days after the mass shooting. He is pictured here with Uvalde school officials

McConaughey has previously called for gun control in the immediate aftermath of the devastating shooting - after he was besieged by tweets asking him to speak out.

In a statement last Tuesday, the actor wrote: 'As you all are aware there was another mass shooting today, this time in my home town of Uvalde, Texas.

'Once again, we have tragically proven that we are failing to be responsible for the rights our freedoms grant us.'

'The true call to action now is for every American to take a longer and deeper look in the mirror, and ask ourselves ''What is that we truly value? How do we repair the problem?

'What small sacrifices can we individually take today, to preserve a healthier and safer nation, state, and neighborhood tomorrow?''

'We cannot exhale once again, make excuses, and accept these tragic realities as the status quo.'

He then called on all Americans to 'renegotiate our wants from our needs,' adding that 'we have to rearrange our values and find a common ground above this devastating American reality that has tragically become our children's issue.'

'This is an epidemic we can control, and whichever side of the aisle we may stand on, we all know we can do better. We must do better.

McConaughey has previously called for gun control following the mass shooting last week

The Uvalde, Texas community is still reeling from the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School - where 19 children and two teachers died. A mourner seen here paying his respects to the victims on Wednesday

The community came together on May 27 to light candles and lay flowers for the victims

In his statement Thursday, McConaughey noted that the community has received 'unanimous support of families to families and strangers to locals.' Residents and family members are seen here linking hands around a makeshift memorial to pray for those who lost their lives

The front of Robb Elementary School was littered with crosses and flowers for the victims

'Action must be taken so that no parent has to experience what the parents in Uvalde and the others before them have endured.

'To those who dropped their loved ones off to school not knowing that today was goodbye, no words can comprehend or heal your loss, but if prayers can provide comfort, we will keep them coming.'

He further said 'it's time we re-evaluate, and negotiate our wants form our needs' and that a common ground needs to be found 'above this devastating American reality that has tragically become our children's issue.'

McConaughey concluded his statement by calling mass shootings 'an epidemic we can control' and 'to those who dropped off their loved ones today not knowing it was goodbye, no words can comprehend or heal your loss, but if prayers can provide comfort, we will keep them coming.'

He did not, however, provide any practical solutions to end the attacks - and has previously towed the line defending the Second Amendment while also decrying gun violence.

In a 2018 March for Our Lives event in Texas, McConaughey gave an impassioned speech about his support for some gun control.

But just one month later, he shared his fears one month later that the youth-led movement will be 'hijacked' by those hoping to eliminate all guns in the United States.

'I've got a lot of friends who are gun owners. I've got a lot of friends who are NRA. I grew up hunting. We had responsible gun ownership, but I was taught the right way to respect that tool,' McConaughey said at the time.

McConaughey has since described himself as 'aggressively centrist,' and even mulled a run for governor last year before announcing he would not be on the ballot against incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott.

Still, McConaughey said he was honored to be considered for the highest position in Texas state politics.

'It's a humbling and inspiring path to ponder,' he said in a video posted to his Twitter in November. 'It is also a path that I'm choosing not to take at this moment.'

He said he would instead continue to support 'entrepreneurs, businesses and foundations that I believe are leaders' and 'creating pathways for people to succeed in life.'

McConaughey, though, has not yet ruled out a run for governor in the future.

To donate to the Uvalde Relief Fund, visit www.jklivinfoundation.org/uvalde.
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An escaped inmate who has links to the Mexican Mafia has been killed in a shootout with police after three weeks on the run in Texas.

Gonzalo Artemio Lopez, 46, was shot dead by Leon County Sheriff's Office after breaking out of a prison bus in the area.

Officers said the vicious thug was 'captured and deceased' in the San Antonio area after a huge manhunt following a brutal murder.

The convict was accused of killing a family of five at their rural weekend cabin near Houston before stealing their truck and continuing on the run last month.

But he was tracked by cops when the vehicle was spotted in the San Antonio area before a shootout ensued and he was killed.

Officers said he was carrying an AR-15 and a handgun during the fighting, which were believed to have been stolen from his victims.

Lopez (pictured) was serving a life prison sentence for a 2006 conviction of murdering a man along the Texas-Mexico border

Following an intense manhunt, authorities confirmed that 46-year-old Gonzalo Artemio Lopez was 'captured and deceased' on Thursday

Lopez was killed after a vehicle he was suspected of stealing was located in San Antonio and a 'law enforcement interaction with the truck took place'

Lopez was being taken in a a caged area of the bus from a prison in Gatesville to one in Huntsville for a medical appointment on May 12.

Yet the killer broke out in rural Leon County between Dallas and Houston, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said.

Officials said he somehow freed himself from his hand and leg restraints, cut through the expanded metal of the cage and crawled from the bottom.

He then attacked the driver, who stopped the bus and got into an altercation with Lopez, and they both eventually got off the bus.

A second officer at the rear of the bus then exited and approached Lopez, who got back on the bus and started driving down the road.

The officers fired at Lopez and disabled the bus by shooting the rear tire, the department said. The bus then traveled a short distance before leaving the roadway, where Lopez got out and ran into the woods.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice confirmed that 46-year-old Gonzalo Artemio Lopez (pictured) was shot dead by police three weeks after escaping a prison bus

A wanted posted for the vicious thug is pictured along with the $50,000 reward for information leading to his capture, before he was shot dead by cops

Deputies in Leon County, Texas, issued a shelter-at-home warning to residents in the area as they searched for Lopez

Since then the convicted murderer has been the subject of an intensive search and on Thursday authorities said they found the bodies of two adults and three children at a weekend cabin along Texas Route 7 west of Centerville.

The family, which was from the Houston area, was thought to have arrived Thursday morning at the cabin, which they owned, TDCJ spokesman Jason Clark said.

On Thursday afternoon authorities said the family's white 1999 Chevrolet Silverado with damage to the driver's side and the Texas license plate DPV4520 was missing and they believe Lopez stole the truck and was armed.

The five are believed to have been killed Thursday afternoon and had no link to Lopez, he said. Authorities warned Lopez was extremely dangerous and police were working to apprehend him immediately.

'I would just say Lopez is a person that does not care. He is an individual that has obviously killed, and has just killed.

'And so I think law enforcement will take all the precautions necessary to bring him into custody and bring him to justice,' Clark said at a late-night news conference.

Lopez's 2005 mugshot after the murder of Jose Guadalupe Ramirez. He was ordered to kill the indebted money by a drug cartel

Local authorities set up a perimeter in the area of Highway 7 in Leon County to search for the suspect

Lopez was locked up in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Alfred Hughes Unit before his escape on Thursday

In March 2005, Jose Guadalupe Ramirez, 37, was kidnapped from his home by two men, one of them being Lopez, who killed the victim with a pickaxe.

Lopez was later arrested and identified after one of the victim's relatives recognized him, according to Valley Central.

After his arrest, Lopez confessed the location of Ramirez's body to police. He also told them he was ordered to kill him for a drug cartel the victim owed money to. He was given a life-sentence for his role in the murder.

In 2004, Lopez was involved in an attempted murder of a deputy who was part of the Webb County Sheriff's office.

He was convicted on Wednesday of attempted capital murder after several hours of deliberation and was handed another life-term behind bars, according to KGNS TV.

Other prisoners in Texas have also escaped transport vehicles over the years.

Among the most recent was in 2019 when an MMA fighter suspected of killing two people fled from a van and was missing for nine hours. Authorities said he was eventually found hiding in a trash can.

A former Alabama jail official also went on the run with a murder suspect she was accused of helping escape. Vickey White, 56, shot and killed herself on Monday as authorities caught up with the pair after more than a week of searching, officials said. The inmate she fled with, 38-year-old Casey White, surrendered.
Australia's fifth case of monkeypox has been diagnosed.

Victorian health authorities confirmed on Friday afternoon the state's second case had been found in a man aged in his 30s who recently returned to Melbourne from Europe.

He is isolating at home and is experiencing mild symptoms. Close contacts will be asked to monitor symptoms.

It comes after a third victim of the potentially lethal disease was detected in Sydney.

Now contact tracers are desperately trying to track down the source of the infection in the five separate cases which have no known links to each other.

The latest case in Sydney is in a man in his 50s who recently returned to the NSW capital, but NSW Health did not reveal from where.

It follows yesterday's monkeypox case in a Sydney man in his 40s who had returned from Queensland, and the first infected Sydney man who had been in Europe.

None of the cases are known to have any connection with each other, or the first case in Melbourne which was also diagnosed two weeks ago

Australia's fifth unconnected case of monkeypox has been diagnosed, after a second victim of the potentially lethal disease was detected in Sydney within 24 hours

The infection often starts with small bumps that scab over and are contagious

On Friday, NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant praised doctors for spotting the symptoms of the virus despite it never having been seen locally until last month.

'Monkeypox does not present a transmission risk to the general community, and has until recently not been an infection most clinicians in NSW would have been looking for or concerned about in their patients,' she said.

'However, a local GP has once again identified the signs of this virus, and we thank them, and their colleagues, for staying up to date with the latest clinical information to provide care to their patients.'

Yesterday's case was detected after the man became ill several days after arriving home and the disease - which can kill up to one in 10 people - was confirmed by urgent testing.

'The man is currently being cared for in hospital,' said NSW Health on Thursday. 'He lives alone and investigations to date have identified no high-risk contacts in NSW.

'Several people who had other lower level contact with the case are being contacted to advise to monitor for symptoms.'

On Friday, NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant praised doctors for spotting the symptoms of the virus despite it never having been seen locally until last month

But health chiefs have yet to find the cause of the initial infection and are now working with Queensland health to trace where it came from.

Dr Chant said there was no cause for concern, insisting it was 'a rare viral infection that does not spread easily between people'.

The case comes two weeks after Australia's party scene was put on high alert after the nation recorded two cases of monkeypox which were believed to be sex-related.

Two of the men from Sydney and Melbourne had returned from Europe infected with the rare tropical disease, but are not linked to the newest cases.

The first Victorian case was known to have been in the UK where there are currently 207 cases, which are mainly among men from the gay and bisexual community, with just two women infected.

Worldwide, WHO this week reported 550 confirmed or suspected cases in the unprecedented outbreak.

Dr Chant last month warned gay men in particular to watch out for symptoms - which include unusual rashes - and seek immediate help if worried.

'We know it's transmitted by that close skin to skin contact - you can be infectious and that close droplet contact in a very sort of close prolonged way,' Dr Chant said.

'We're particularly urging men who are gay or bisexual, or men who have sex with men, to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions and to contact by phone a sexual health clinic or GP without delay if they have any concerns.'

Australian health authorities are on high alert over fears a global outbreak of deadly monkeypox could arrive Down Under after the UK was rocked by a string of cases

A Sydney man in his 40s developed a mild illness several days after arriving home and his GP found the tell-tale monkeypox symptoms of blisters and rashes.





Another case in Victoria has also now been reported in a man in his 30s who had been on a trip to the UK and developed symptoms after his return on May 16.





Urgent testing identified the Sydney man has been infected with a probable case of monkeypox and medics are now conducting follow up tests for final confirmation.

The Australian cases come after new cases were detected in Italy and Sweden, just days after nine cases were found in the UK.

The Italian patient tested positive at a hospital in Rome after returning from the Canary Islands and the Swede was diagnosed in Stockholm.

The latest cases bring the number of countries outside of Africa with confirmed or suspected cases to eight.

Patients with confirmed monkeypox have now also been recorded in the UK, US, Spain and Portugal, while Canada is probing potential cases.

Experts fear the known cases are the tip of the iceberg, with the majority of patients not linked to each other, suggesting it is spreading more widely.

NSW health minister Brad Hazzard said the disease may currently be spreading like wildfire through Europe and the US as a result of the current warm weather party season.

'In Europe and North America, they've come out of COVID and there's a lot of partying going on.' he said.

'This virus is something which particular groups in the community are more likely to have and to convey as a result of the close associations that occur with people during this partying season in Europe.'

On Friday, NSW's chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant sent out the urgent warning for gay men in particular to watch out for the symptoms and seek immediate help if worried

Dr Chant added: 'It is important to be particularly vigilant if you returned from overseas from large parties or sex on premises venues overseas.

'You can imagine that some settings, such as sex on premises venues or other events and gatherings may lead to sort of what we've seen as super spreading events.

'It is important that people who have recently returned from Europe who attended such parties be particularly alert given the worldwide case reports today.'

The outbreak has been described as 'unusual' by experts because person-to-person transmission of monkeypox was thought to be extremely rare.

One in ten of those infected can die from the rare African-originated disease which leaves victims pockmarked with painful, ugly blisters and rashes over their body.

It's highly infectious between people in close proximity but can only be spread through bodily fluids or very close face-to-face contact in droplets of breath.

In the UK and Spain, the virus outbreak appears to have been confined to gay or bisexual men - but none of the latest cases had a direct connection with Africa.

Until now, it had never been found to be transmitted sexually.

But it was known that it could be passed on through close contact with the likes of body fluids, respiratory droplets and lesions  meaning it was theoretically possible to transmit through sex.

Nurses and doctors are being advised to stay 'alert' to patients who present with a new rash or scabby lesions (like above)

Dr Chant said NSW Health has taken steps to ensure it identifies and reacts to any potential cases, including alerting sexual health clinics.

'NSW Health has issued a clinician alert to GPs and hospitals across the state,' she said, 'We will be speaking with GPs about this issue again today.

'Cases are occasionally reported in non endemic countries in returning travellers or their close contacts, or in owners of imported pets.

'The infection is usually a mild illness and most people recover within a few weeks.'

NSW Health said it will continue to work closely with colleagues throughout Australia to monitor for cases and ensure the best clinical response if any are identified.

There is no vaccine or treatment for monkeypox, but anti-viral drugs have shown some effectiveness and NSW Health said they were exploring those as a treatment.

The smallpox vaccine has been found to be 85 per cent effective against the disease, but it is in short supply across the world after the disease was eradicated globally 40 years ago and smallpox jabs were no longer required.

Pharmaceutical firm Bavarian Nordic plans to release a monkeypox version of a modified smallpox vaccine, but it will not be available before 2023.

The US has placed an initial $170 million order for the prospective long-life freeze-dried vaccine, with an option for another $255million order, for a total of 13 million doses, costing around $30 a dose.

MONKEYPOX: Strain 'spreads sexually' and is as deadly as the original Wuhan Covid variant - but a jab exists What is monkeypox? Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which people usually pick up in the tropical areas of west and central Africa. It is usually spread through direct contact with animals such as squirrels, which are known to harbour the virus. However, it can also be transmitted through very close contact with an infected person. Monkeypox was first discovered when an outbreak of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research in 1958. The first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the infection has been reported in a number of central and western African countries since then. Only a handful of cases have been reported outside of Africa until now and they were confined to people with travel links to the continent. How deadly is it? Monkeypox is usually mild, with most patients recovering within a few weeks without treatment. Yet, the disease can prove fatal. However it can kill up to 10 per cent of people it infects. The milder strain causing the current outbreak kills one in 100  similar to when Covid first hit. Monkeypox shuts down some aspects of your body's ability to fight infections. Because of the presence of other viruses and bacteria which your body can't fight off, in the worst cases patients can succumb to a lethal shock throughout the body and blood poisoning. Death is more likely to occur in younger patients. The skin lesions are painful and disfiguring, and can be the source of further infections. Health chiefs have warned monkeypox, a virus endemic in parts of Africa and is known for its rare and unusual rashes, bumps and lesions, could also spread to some pets and become endemic in Europe. Undated handout file image issued by the UK Health Security Agency of the stages of Monkeypox Is there a cure? Because monkeypox is closely related to the virus that causes smallpox, jabs for smallpox can also protect people from getting monkeypox. One vaccine, Imvanex, was shown to be around 85 per cent effective in preventing monkeypox infection. Antivirals and pooled blood from individuals vaccinated against smallpox can be used to treat severe cases. How does it spread? Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted infection by nature, though it can be passed on by direct contact during sex. Contagious lesions, through which infections are most likely to be passed on, can appear on any part of the body. The infection can also be passed on through contact with clothing or linens used by an infected person. Until now, monkeypox had only ever been detected in four countries outside of Africa - the UK, US, Israel and Singapore. And all of those cases had travel links to Nigeria and Ghana. Are gay men at greater risk? Most of the British and Spanish cases are gay or bisexual men, which officials say is 'highly suggestive of spread in sexual networks'. The sexuality of patients in other countries has not been disclosed. Health chiefs in the UK have issued a direct plea to men who have sex with men, telling them to come forward if they develop a rash on their face or genitals. What are the symptoms? Initial symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. But its most unusual feature is a rash that often begins on the face, then spreads to other parts of the body, commonly the genitals, hands or feet. The rash changes and goes through different stages before finally forming a scab, which later falls off. What do I do if I have symptoms? Anyone worried that they could be infected with monkeypox is advised to make contact with clinics ahead of their visit. Health chiefs say their call or discussion will be treated sensitively and confidentially. Advertisement

Until now, monkeypox cases were confined to travellers and their relatives returning from western and central Africa, where the virus is endemic.

Initial symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.

A rash can develop, often beginning on the face, then spreading to other parts of the body including the genitals.

The rash changes and goes through different stages, and can look like chickenpox or syphilis, before finally forming a scab, which later falls off.

Monkeypox has an incubation period of up to 21 days, meaning it can take three weeks after an infection for symptoms to appear.

Positive cases and their contacts are being made to isolate for 21 days. Monkeypox can kill up to one in ten people who get it but the new cases have the West African variant, which is deadly for around one in 100.

Macquarie University Emeritus Professor Peter Curson warns that it will be very difficult to prevent the spread of monkeypox

Sydney's Macquarie University Emeritus Professor Peter Curson told Daily Mail Australia the virus is very difficult to screen for.

'It's certainly a serious viral infection once it's broken out and it would be very difficult to screen for it.

'We really do not fully understand what it is, how it is or what we should do.'

'We're really not fully apprised of how to control it or what drugs to use, or indeed, perhaps, to recognise some of the symptoms early on.

'You can go and visit a place like the Congo or Nigeria, be exposed to an infection, and a week or two later, get a flight to Australia showing no symptoms.

'And yet within a week or two after that you can go down with an interesting viral infection.'

He said the Covid pandemic had shown medical science was still in a life or death battle with disease.

'We do honestly believe that we have beaten have won the fight against infectious diseases, but nothing can be further from the truth as Covid demonstrated,' he said.

'Given the tremendous movement of people around the world - and the quickness one can return home having been exposed while showing absolutely no symptoms - how does one control the spread of an outbreak of new infectious diseases?

'It will be very difficult.'

Australian medics have been told to watch out for symptoms which can be confused with less dangerous conditions like chickenpox, measles, syphilis or shingles

The announcement the virus has arrived in Australia comes as nine people have been diagnosed with monkeypox in the UK.

Two are known to each other but have no connection to any of the previous cases, in a sign the virus is spreading in the community for the first time.

All seven UK cases have tested positive for the West African strain of the virus, which is believed to be milder than other versions.

Health authorities in the UK have now launched an urgent investigation to discover the source of the new infections.

The initial case of the UK outbreak is believed to have been brought into the country by a victim who contracted the disease while travelling through Nigeria, where the virus is endemic.

Sexual health clinics in London have now reportedly introduced strict social distancing rules in waiting rules in a bid to avoid any further infections.

Although 10 per cent of victims can die from monkeypox, most recover within a few weeks after suffering the painful lesions and flu-like symptoms.

Unusually though, studies in Africa found the incurable disease was more deadly in younger people.

The tropical disease is carried in the wild by monkeys, rats, rabbits, squirrels and other small mammals.

An outbreak in the US in 2003 was traced to the importation of exotic pets into the country from Africa.

It can spread to humans through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or lesions of an infected animal, or eating under-cooked meat of infected animals.

It is potentially far more infectious than Covid-19, with the World Health Organisation saying its R number is 2, compared to the various strains of Covid which has seen R numbers range from 0.6 to 1.6.

However in practice, monkeypox symptoms are far more obvious and the disease is more easily contained, limiting its real world spread.

An outbreak in the US last year saw more than 200 people being tracked for symptoms after a Texas man returned from Nigeria with the disease. A second case was later found in Maryland.

A 2020 WHO report said human-to-human transmission of the virus is rare and that the longest chain of cases appears to only have been six people before it ended.

The report said: 'The epidemic risk for humans is considered to be small.'
A mother and son accused of concealing the body of a pedestrian fatally struck by a vehicle near Darwin have faced court.

The Aboriginal woman's leg was dismembered in the Monday night collision and later discovered on the Northern Territory's Stuart Highway, triggering a police investigation.

Joshua Gary Mason, 23, is accused of hitting the woman with a car on the busy highway, in Darwin's outskirts.

His mother, Deborah Karen Mason, 50, then allegedly helped move and conceal the woman's body in bushland 15km south of the collision site.

The pair briefly appeared in the NT Local Court in Darwin on Friday on a slew of charges, including misconduct with regards to a corpse, destroying evidence and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Defence lawyer Peter Maley said Joshua Mason would likely plead guilty to the charges, along with the additional allegation of hit and run.

'Likely resolution. It's going to resolve sensibly,' Mr Maley said.

He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody.

Joshua Mason is accused of hitting the woman on the Stuart Highway on Monday night

Deborah Mason will reappear later on Friday to apply for bail.

The deceased woman's partial leg was discovered on the Stuart Highway on Tuesday morning in the rural suburb of Coolalinga, 30km south of the city centre, triggering a massive police investigation.

Her body was later found concealed in scrub on Jenkins Road in Bees Creek on Wednesday night after the Masons were arrested earlier in the day.

'Investigations are ongoing but at this stage we believe the body of the victim was removed from the scene by the driver and his accomplice after the collision,' Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Morrissey said when the details of the charges were released earlier on Friday.

'To fatally strike someone with your vehicle and then (allegedly) go to great lengths to cover it up is reprehensible behaviour.'

Police have not released details of the victim's identity or her age.

A forensic pathologist who examined the partial leg on Tuesday determined she was either a teenager or an adult.

Police found the woman's body obscured in bush on Wednesday, two days after the leg was discovered

Det Sen Sgt Morrissey previously said her injuries were consistent with being struck by a vehicle.

A traveller driving on the four-lane highway linking Darwin to Alice Springs and Adelaide spotted the partial leg.

Investigators were initially unsure if its owner was dead or alive, leading to a fruitless search of the NT's hospitals and medical clinics.

It is understood the lower section of the leg had a foot attached.

Joshua Mason was arrested at a home in Palmerston near the accident site, while his mother was arrested at a property in the Darwin suburb of Winnellie.

Police allege Deborah Mason helped her son move the woman's body away from the highway in an attempt to conceal the crime.

It was the 11th pedestrian fatality on NT roads in the past 18 months.

All were Indigenous and six involved hit and run incidents, according to NT police.

Joshua Mason is scheduled to reappear in the same court on July 27.
Photos from inside Queensland's $200million 'Wellcamp' Covid-19 quarantine hub show it completely deserted.

The state-of-the-art, privately-owned accommodation and medical complex near Toowomba has just 14 guests after Queensland dropped isolation rules for international arrivals on April 28.

The facility is currently being used for Queenslanders who test positive to Covid, but do not have a suitable place to isolate, such as the homeless or domestic violence victims.

Others who have stayed at the facility after travelling rules were dropped include flood victims and refugees.

'Without (Queensland Regional Accommodation Centre), some of the most at-risk individuals in the community would not have a safe place to stay whilst dealing with COVID-19,' a spokeswoman for Deputy Premier Steven Miles told The Australian.

One family took photos that were supplied to Daily Mail Australia, showing the 1000-bed Queensland Regional Accommodation Centre (QRAC) is a ghost town.

Photos from inside Australia's biggest white elephant, the '$200million' Wellcamp Covid-19 quarantine hotel, show it immaculate but completely deserted

One family took photos which were supplied to Daily Mail Australia, showing the 1000-bed quarantine project is basically a ghost town

The state-of-the-art, pirvately-owned accommodation and medical complex has just 14 guests after Queensland dropped dropped isolation rules for international arrivals on April 28

The family also shared a review of their neat and healthy airline-like meal packs

The family shared images of the empty alleys between the hundreds of unused bungalows along with a review of their neat and healthy airline-like meal packs.

One meal consisted of a herb omelette with a side of watercress and half a tomato, with a white bread roll and an unsweetened Greek yoghurt.

Another showed whole baby carrots with mash, broccoli and roasted pork, with gravy and more cress, plus tasty-looking chocolate and strawberry tartlets.

Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie claimed the Queensland government had lost the plot spending $200million on a quarantine facility housing so few people

One healthy quarantine meal consisted of a herb omelette with a watercress garnish and half a tomato, with a white bread roll and an unsweetened Greek yoghurt

Another showed whole baby carrots with mash , broccoli and roasted pork, with gravy and more cress, plus tasty-looking chocolate and strawberry tartlets

There was also a Mexican salad with a dozen tortilla chips, and dips, and a dozen grapes.

'Food and services better than expected,' the family said of their food.

The huge facility, west of Brisbane has had an average of 41 guests a week since it opened in February.

That number dropped to 23 when the state relaxed rules for foreign visitors.

The huge facility, located near Toowoomba west of Brisbane has had an average of 41 guests a week since it opened in February

The Palaszczuk government wouldn't reveal how much was spent on the privately-owned project, but the Queensland opposition claimed it was $200million

The Palaszczuk government wouldn't reveal how much was spent on the privately-owned project.

But Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie claimed the virtually deserted facility would cost $200million in its first year of operation.

'The state government has completely lost the plot if they think it's acceptable to spend over $200m on a facility that has seven people in it, Mr Bleijie said.

The government has since added another seven guests.

'[It] is so bare, some of the bedrooms have never been unlocked or bedsheets washed,' Mr Bleijie said.

The state government is locked into a contract with the facility's private owner Wagner Corporation, which owns the nearest airport, until next February.

Construction is understood to have cost $48.8milloon and $40million was spent on a medical company's services, documents obtained by The Australian revealed.

Mr Miles said the facility is still being used for 'at risk' people, such as homeless or domestic violence victims, who test positive for Covid.

'The primary purpose of the QRAC remains an isolation facility for COVID-positive, but otherwise well individuals without suitable alternative accommodation,' his spokesperson said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia.

'We plan to maintain a contingency of beds in the event that we have another COVID outbreak.'

The spokesman added that the Queensland government 'is exploring the potential for alternative uses for the facility' but decisions are 'subject to commercial negotiation'.

Mr Bleijie wrote to the state's Auditor-General Brendan Worrall requesting the secret Wellcamp deal be audited to examine the use of taxpayers money.

A spokeswoman for Mr Worrall said the audit office was still seeking information from government departments.

The audit office said it would consider further action once information has been assessed.

Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the state would build the facility itself after the Morrison government blocked requests for federal funding in an eight-month stalemate.

'This will include identifying the various costs, understanding the procurement process, and reviewing leases and other agreements including the use of confidentiality provisions,' a spokeswoman for Mr Worrall said.

'We will consider further actions once we have obtained and assessed this information.'

Queensland's state premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the state would build the facility itself after the Morrison government blocked requests for federal funding in an eight-month stalemate.

'Scott Morrison failed to act, and we now have a dedicated quarantine facility for whatever may happen in the future,' she said.

'Following countless leaks from the nation's hotel quarantine system, it's clear there is an urgent need for alternative facilities in Australia,' Mr Miles said last year in justifying the project.

'This facility will help Queensland to continue to open up and avoid expensive lockdowns.'

Opposition leader David Crisafulli, meanwhile, has criticised the leasing arrangements with Wagner.

'The lease expires at the start of next year, and the government has already flushed millions of dollars down the drain on a facility that Queenslanders will never own.'
Australians are being forced to wait up to nine months for their new cars to be delivered as a result of global component shortages and the conflict in Ukraine.

Sales were down more than six per cent in May as the sector continued to grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and a shortage of microprocessors which has impacted the availability of new vehicles across the globe.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries said 94,383 vehicles were sold across Australia last month, down 6.4 per cent on the same month last year.

Australians are being forced to wait up to nine months for their new cars (pictured, Hyundai vehicles) to be delivered as a result of global component shortages and the conflict in Ukraine

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Chief Executive Tony Weber said 'pandemic interruptions continue to impact manufacturing and conflict in Ukraine (pictured) has disrupted vehicle component supply'

'The global automotive industry continues to be plagued by a shortage of microprocessor units and shipping delays,' FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber said.

'This issue is not unique to Australia. Car makers continue to report high demand across dealer showrooms and online marketplaces.'

'Pandemic interruptions continue to impact manufacturing and conflict in Ukraine has disrupted vehicle component supply.'

The fall in sales in May left the market for the first five months of 2022 down 4.1 per cent at 437,884 (pictured, Kia vehicle)

'Monthly sales figures are also dependent on shipping arrivals which continue to be uncertain.'

'We do not expect supply chains to stabilise until these issues are resolved.'

The fall in sales in May left the market for the first five months of 2022 down 4.1 per cent at 437,884.

Toyota was the top-selling company last month with 22,813 ahead of Kia on 7307, Hyundai on 7063, and Mazda on 6474.

The Toyota Hi-Lux (pictured) was the best-selling vehicle with 5178 retailed ahead of the company's RAV4 on 3925 and the Ford Ranger on 3751

The Toyota Hi-Lux was the best-selling vehicle with 5178 retailed ahead of the company's RAV4 on 3925 and the Ford Ranger on 3751.

Demand for electric cars continued to be strong with 925 sold for the month, taking sales to the end of May to 8543, more than four times the level at the same time in 2021.

However sales of Tesla's Model 3 were down sharply from 52 in April to 12 last month.

The shortage of new vehicles has seen the price of used vehicles soar, as impatient buyers look for a way to get a car immediately.

Four-year-old Toyota LandCruisers are now being listed on Carsales with six-figure price tags.

Chris Emerson, a data specialist with NRMA's parent company IAG, said buyers should not overpay even with the greater competition to secure cars.

'Your budget should include the maximum initial price that you're willing to pay, as well as the ongoing costs of ownership,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Datium Insights head of product Tanim Ahmed said buyers, frustrated with strong demand for three-year-old LandCruisers, were turning to a four-year old version.

'There's more sales happening for older Landcruisers now compared to younger ones which is likely due to these supply shortages we're having,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'Basically they're depreciating much less over time than they used to.'

Average used car prices in Australia have soared by 37 per cent since the start of Covid, data from Moody's Analytics and Datium Insights showed.

Mr Emerson said that made it even more important for car buyers to shop around.

'Car prices and willingness to haggle can vary between dealers, so don't be afraid to check and visit a few dealerships before making your purchase,' he said.

CommSec chief economist Craig James said the overseas holiday travel ban caused rich Australians to put their money into cars instead.

'Aussie consumers continue to treat themselves,' he said.
Plans to improve Victoria's pet rehoming sector will improve the quality of life for thousands of cats and dogs, animal welfare groups say.

A state taskforce led by Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick made 17 recommendations to the government, which could lead to a mandatory rehoming policy for suitable cats and dogs used in research and teaching.

A review of regulations, specifically focused on a retirement age for those animals, was also endorsed.

The taskforce also called for protections to minimise the use of euthanasia for animals with treatable or manageable health conditions.

Plans to improve Victoria's pet rehoming sector will improve the quality of life for thousands of cats and dogs, animal welfare groups say

The recommendations are designed to establish consistent standards of care for rehoming, Melbourne-based animal rights group the Australian Animal Protection Society said.

That group also wants to see regulations go further.

'I would love to see people have a licence to own a pet,' the society's general manager Megan Seccull said.

'If you have to go through some sort of education program to understand exactly what's involved in having a pet, that will then cut out impulse buying.'

RSPCA Victoria made submissions to the inquiry, leading to a number of recommendations in the report.

'As a socially conscious shelter, RSPCA Victoria believes transparency, including animal fate data reporting, collaboration and continuous improvement of standards are vital to ensure all animals are treated humanely,' chief executive Liz Walker said.

'RSPCA Victoria supports the regulation of rehoming groups to help ensure all animal care organisations are transparent and adhere to the same standards.'

A state taskforce led by Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick made 17 recommendations to the government, which could lead to a mandatory rehoming policy for suitable cats and dogs used in research and teaching

The Lost Dogs Home, which rehomed 4,758 pets last year, also welcomed the support.

There is still much to do with the help of donors, supported and dedicated staff and volunteers, a spokeswoman said.

Last month's budget included $18.6 million for animal welfare initiatives.
The Tory revolt against Boris Johnson is threatening to descend into chaos as MPs squabble over Brexit and how soon to launch a coup.

Speculation over a confidence vote in the PM has been reaching fever pitch in the wake of the Partygate scandal, with Conservative critics racking up.

Concerns could have been fuelled by apparent booing for Mr Johnson as he arrived for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee service this morning - although there were also cheers.

But the rebellion does not appear to be well coordinated, and anti-Boris factions are split on how soon to make their move.

Some MPs fear that Mr Johnson will win easily if the threshold of 54 no-confidence letters is hit on Monday or Tuesday, triggering a full ballot. Instead they are urging colleagues to hold off until after two crunch by-elections on June 23.

Meanwhile, ringleaders are embroiled in bitter infighting after former minister Tobias Ellwood suggested the UK should rejoin the EU's single market, even if it means accepting the free movement of people.

Foreign Affairs committee chair Tom Tugendhat, who has openly said he wants to be the next leader, quickly distanced himself from the stance.

There was apparent booing for Boris Johnson as he arrived with wife Carrie for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee service this morning - although there were also cheers

Speculation over a confidence vote in Boris Johnson (pictured in his constituency yesterday) has been reaching fever pitch in the wake of the Partygate scandal, with Conservative critics racking up

Foreign Affairs committee chair Tom Tugendhat, who has openly said he wants to be the next leader, quickly distanced himself from Tobias Ellwood's stance on the EU single market

How could Boris Johnson be ousted by Tory MPs? What is the mechanism for removing the Tory leader? Tory Party rules allow the MPs to force a vote of no confidence in their leader. How is that triggered? A vote is in the hands of the chairman of the Tory Party's backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady. A vote of no confidence must be held if 15 per cent of Tory MPs write to the chairman. Currently that threshold is 54 MPs. Letters are confidential unless the MP sending it makes it public. This means only Sir Graham knows how many letters there are. What happens when the threshold is reached? A vote is held, with the leader technically only needing to win support from a simple majority of MPs But in reality, a solid victory is essential for them to stay in post. What happens if the leader loses? The leader is sacked if they do not win a majority of votes from MPs, and a leadership contest begins in which they cannot stand. However, they typically stay on as Prime Minister until a replacement is elected. Advertisement

'Tobias is wrong. The Single Market puts the EU in charge,' he tweeted. 'We need a deal British people control not foreign laws with no say.'

Ex-chief whip Mark Harper, who has himself submitted a letter calling for Mr Johnson to face a confidence vote, also dismissed the idea.

'The UK voted to leave the EU. That meant leaving the Single Market and putting an end to freedom of movement. The end,' he tweeted.

Mr Ellwood, who has been touring television and radio studios to denounce the Prime Minister on an almost daily basis, acknowledged yesterday that there should be a period of silence while the country marks the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

The Bournemouth East MP said: 'I think perhaps we should have a pause maybe, leave this until [next week], when we will return.'

Under Conservative party rules, Mr Johnson will face a confidence vote amongst Tory MPs if 54 write to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 committee, demanding one.

While only around 20 MPs have publicly indicated they have sent letters, many more have been critical. Some might have .

Sir Graham famously never reveals the numbers until the threshold is reached.

If a confidence vote is called, the PM's opponents would need more than half of the party's MPs to back removing him - a very high bar, although anything short of an overwhelming victory could inflict terminal damage.

In theory if Mr Johnson wins be any margin he cannot be challenged again for a year.

Allies of Mr Johnson have dismissed suggestions the rebels have the numbers.

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said on Wednesday he did not believe a vote will be triggered next week as he 'doubts' there are even 40 letters in.

Conservative MPs are a notoriously duplicitous electorate. There was a much more organised revolt against Theresa May, and the ringleaders still struggled to keep track of how many were genuinely calling for a confidence vote.

Mr Ellwood, chair of the Commons defence committee, yesterday bristled at suggestions from the PM's allies that those plotting against him are 'self-indulgent, narcissistic and contemptuous'

How many MPs have sent no-confidence letters? Tory MPs are notoriously regarded as the most duplicitous electorate in the world. One veteran joked that the recent ballot for the Environment Committee chair had been perfect for them. Because it was conducted under a system of AV - where candidates are ranked in order - they could truthfully assure every hopefully they were voting for them. Given the habits of MPs, it is hard to gauge accurately how close we are to the threshold of 54 no-confidence letters sent to the 1922 committee. That is the number that would trigger a full vote. Some have publicly announced sending a letter - although even that does not guarantee they really have. Others have been heavily critical, or even called for Mr Johnson to resign, without confirming letters. Then there are thought to be letter-writers who have not spoken out. And two of the MPs declared as having sent letters are urging Mr Johnson to have a vote to clear up speculation, rather than saying he should definitely be ousted. At least one MP who previously submitted a letter - Charles Walker - has since withdrawn it. Here are the MPs who have definitely sent a letter: Caroline Nokes - 'I have not withdrawn the letter... I wrote months ago... because to do so would be letting down all of those people who spent the pandemic doing the right thing.' Andrew Bridgen - resubmitted the letter he previously withdrew following 'further revelations over the past week'. Aaron Bell - 'I wrote my letter following PMQs on 12 January, when I could not square the prime minister's words from the dispatch box with his previous statements to the house before Christmas.' Peter Aldous - 'I have therefore written to the Chairman of the 1922 Committee of Backbench Conservative MPs, advising him that I have no confidence in the Prime Minister.' Steve Brine - 'All I can do as a backbencher is seek to trigger that process and (some time ago actually) I have done that.' Elliot Colburn - nothing 'has convinced me that my decision to submit a letter to the 1922 Committee (which I did some time ago) was the wrong one'. Tobias Ellwood - 'You can't ignore the fact that our party lost its way.' Roger Gale - 'I have already indicated publicly that I have submitted a formal letter to the Chairman of the 1922 Committee calling for a Leadership Election.' Nick Gibb - 'We need to face up to hard truths. To restore trust, we need to change the Prime Minister.' Stephen Hammond - 'All I can do as a backbencher is speak out and submit a letter I have said for several months I already have done all I can as a backbencher.' Mark Harper - 'I have formally submitted a letter of no confidence in the prime minister to Sir Graham Brady MP. Anne-Marie Morris - 'Given my increasing displeasure with the ongoing events in the latter part of 2021, I submitted a letter of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady before Christmas.' Anthony Mangnall - 'His actions and mistruths are overshadowing the extraordinary work of so many excellent ministers and colleagues.' Bob Neill - 'With a heavy heart, I submitted a letter of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady.' John Stevenson - 'The only option is for Conservative MPs to facilitate a vote of confidence. I have already taken the appropriate action.' Gary Streeter - 'I cannot reconcile the pain and sacrifice of the vast majority of the British public during lockdown with the attitude and activities of those working in Downing Street.' Advertisement

One of the main issues for the would-be coup is the lack of an obvious successor.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak, previously the favourite, also received a fine over Partygate and has been damaged by the cost-of-living crisis.

Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, Mr Tugendhat and trade minister Penny Mordaunt have been mooted as potential replacements for the PM.

From the current cabinet, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace are also seen as being in the running.

However, there has been strong backing for Mr Johnson from his existing team.

Mr Ellwood, chair of the Commons defence committee, yesterday bristled at suggestions from the PM's allies that those plotting against him are 'self-indulgent, narcissistic and contemptuous'.

'I do worry about where it's descending,' he told Times Radio. 'The party itself must work together, whatever happens, wherever the party goes.'

Mr Ellwood's admission the public does not want to hear from him and his fellow plotters over the Jubilee weekend came after Home Secretary Priti Patel yesterday urged her Tory colleagues not to overshadow the celebrations with rows over leadership.

'Events like this are about celebrating our country, our nation, our values, and our monarchy. This is about Her Majesty the Queen, I think that's where all the focus should be,' she said.

Lord Evans, chairman of the independent Committee on Standards in Public Life, yesterday said 'questions' must been raised over whether proper standards are being upheld in Mr Johnson and his minister.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he called for ethics rules to be overhauled so the Prime Minister no longer has a veto over whether alleged breaches of the ministerial code can be investigated.

Mr Johnson said earlier this week that quitting over the 'miserable' partygate scandal would be irresponsible, and denied suggestions he is an 'habitual liar'.

He cited 'huge pressures' on the economy, the war in Ukraine and his 'massive agenda which I was elected to deliver' as his reasons for remaining in post and not seeking to 'abandon' ship.

In an interview with Mumsnet released on Wednesday, he was told he was considered to be a 'habitual liar'.

The Prime Minister replied: 'First of all, I don't agree with the conclusion with the question asked or the premise of the question.'

Told a teacher would have lost their job if they had broken the law and asked why the same did not apply to him, Mr Johnson replied: 'If people look at the event in question it felt to me like a work event, I was there for a very short period of time in the Cabinet Office at my desk and, you know, I was very, very surprised and taken aback to get an FPN but of course I paid it.

'I think that on why am I still here, I'm still here because we've got huge pressures economically, we've got to get on, you know, we've got the biggest war in Europe for 80 years, and we've got a massive agenda to deliver which I was elected to deliver.

'I've thought about all these questions a lot, as you can imagine, and I just cannot see how actually it'd be responsible right now - given everything that is going on simply to abandon a) the project which I embarked on but b)...'

At this point, Mr Johnson was interrupted and told some believe he has lost the trust of the people, to which the Prime Minister replied: 'Let's see about that and, yeah, I'm not going to deny the whole thing hasn't been a totally miserable experience for people in Government and we've got to learn from it and understand the mistakes we made and we've got to move forward.'

However, Simon Fell, elected Conservative MP for Barrow and Furness in 2019, was the latest to be reported to have raised concerns and criticised the 'corrosive culture and a failure of leadership' that allowed the incidents to happen.

Mr Johnson's own ethics adviser also slated his handling of Partygate, with Lord Geidt suggesting Mr Johnson's fixed penalty notice (FPN) may have breached the ministerial code.

Lord Geidt, the independent adviser on the ministerial code, said a 'legitimate question' had arisen as to whether the FPN might have constituted a breach of the 'overarching duty within the ministerial code of complying with the law'.

Mr Johnson yesterday attended Trooping the Colour alongside his wife Carrie. He is due to give a reading at a thanksgiving service for the Queen at St Paul's Cathedral today and they will both attend the concert outside Buckingham Palace tomorrow evening.
High school students have claimed they're getting detentions over the length of their skirts because they are 'distracting' male teachers.

A number of Victorian schools have rules for the girls' uniforms but not for the boys' - with punishments for female students on the rise for their short skirts.

Female students also complained they were being forced to have their skirt lengths checked including making sure they hadn't been rolled up to look shorter.

Girls from two Victorian high schools claimed they were told to not wear short skirts by school staff because it would make male teachers uncomfortable

One year 11 girl in a school in Melbourne's east told the Herald Sun she was slapped with a detention for wearing a skirt that was too short after being pulled out of her class.

'I was told the reasoning was because it's ''distracting to the male staff and students''. Then when mum had something to say about it, they told her, ''I can assure you that was never said'',' she said.

She also said teachers have been turning up winter skirt hems and inspecting tops of girls' skirts to check if they have been altered.

A student from another school in the east of Melbourne said a relief teacher told her the length of her skirt was distracting male teachers, causing them to feel uncomfortable.

'I told them they shouldn't be looking but I still got detention,' she said.

One student teacher at a school in Melbourne's north called out the college for the 'sexism' she experienced after she said the outfit she wore drew unwanted attention.

One student claimed teachers have been turning up winter skirt hems and inspecting tops of girls' skirts to check if they have been altered or rolled up

Three different schools in Victoria have skirt length rules for female students, but no short length regulation for boys.

A Department of Education and Training spokesperson stated to Daily Mail Australia on behalf of one Melbourne school that policies regarding uniforms for government schools are determined by school councils.

'They must be consistent with department policies and developed in consultation with school communities,' their statement read.

DET policy says it is paramount that schools 'clearly and regularly communicate uniform policies and expectations to students and families, and how these policies and expectations will be enforced'.

It also states female students at all Victorian government schools have the option to wear pants and shorts to school throughout the year.

The criticism came after a Brisbane Catholic school copped flack after students claimed it enforced a strict dress code at its recent Year 12 formal.

Students were outraged when the Mary MacKillop College requested photos of the girls' gowns to be approved prior their big formal night.

The school also issued a formal booklet stating strict attire rules and had photographic examples of appropriate and inappropriate dresses.

Plunging necklines, low backs below the waist and high slits were among the banned outfits.

Yet since then online commenters have shown overwhelming support for the dress regulation, saying conservative dresses have more class than ones that look like 'swimwear'.
A British ex-cop weaved a web of lies and deceptions to gain multiple high-paying roles across government organisations in Victoria, a court has heard.

The former Sussex policeman, Peter Ravenscroft, 56, pleaded guilty to perjury and multiple charges of obtaining financial advantage by deception in the County Court on Tuesday.

The father-of-four lied about both his experience and education in 'staggeringly transparent fabrications' to score roles in the Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance and the Victorian Ombudsman.

He also worked for the Frankston Council where he earned more than $456,000.

Peter Ravenscroft (pictured right) will be sentenced on June 8 after pleading guilty to multiple obtain financial advantage by deception charges

Ravenscroft had earlier worked for the Sussex police and at the Victorian Office of Police Integrity until 2012.

Ravenscroft, known 'professionally' as 'Peter Murphy' took out the role of Senior Investigations Officer at the Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance in 2012, the court heard, The Herald Sun reported.

The ex-cop claimed to have been a UK National Crime Squad detective inspector, and said he'd studied at 'Guildford University', a school which the court heard was not real.

Peter Ravenscroft appeared before the County Court (pictured) after he fabricated multiple qualifications and previous positions on his resume

From his role at the department Ravenscroft earned $67,631 before he hopped into another position as Frankston Council's compliance and safety manager in 2013.

On top of his fraudulent qualifications he cited earlier, Ravenscroft added a University of Leeds fellow, diplomas from the Master Builders Victoria and the Australian Institute of Management.

Between January of 2013 and November 2015, he raked in some $456,038 from the council before making yet another career switch to Assistant director of the Victorian Ombudsman's Strategic Investigations.

Despite the numerous and fraudulent inclusions in his resume Ravenscroft seemingly forgot to inform the Ombudsman he had been under investigation at his previous job.

The former Frankston Council chief executive Dennis Hovenden told investigators Ravenscroft had been stood down at the council while a thorough investigation into his conduct was being conducted.

Mr Hovenden also said inclusions made by Ravenscroft on his resume for the Ombudsman gig made 'it appear that he was in a more senior role than he actually was' at the council.

Ravenscroft had also included referee 'Dr John Marshall' who was contacted during Ravenscroft's application process, and had said he was Ravenscroft's direct supervisor at the council.

Investigators on the case however established no one by the name of Dr John Marshall had ever been employed by the council.

Ravenscroft went on to make $196,857 at the Ombudsman between January 2016 and February of 2017, he was later arrested in December, 2020.

A former colleague of Ravenscroft's, Sussex Policeman Anthony Pike said the applications his former workmate had made to the treasury, Frankston Council, and the ombudsman included 'staggeringly transparent fabrications'.

Ravenscroft, who works as an HR consultant, will be sentenced on June 8.
Royal fans have questioned disgraced Prince Andrew and his 'convenient' absence from the St Paul's thanksgiving service today after the Queen pulled out due to her ongoing mobility issues.

The Duke of York tested positive for Covid-19 and will therefore no longer attend the Queen's service at St Paul's Cathedral today.

He is understood to have seen his mother the Queen in the last few days but she has tested negative - and he has not seen her since testing positive.

Andrew, 62, was expected to join his royal relatives at the Service of Thanksgiving in London today despite him no longer being a working member of the family.

However, social media users today posted a fresh wave of memes, mercilessly mocking the duke following the 'convenient' news he has been diagnosed with coronavirus.

One particularly cutting post from Twitter user, Con Murphy, read: 'Does anyone really believe Prince Andrew has Covid? Or maybe they don't want the despicable embarrassment involved.'

Another posted a meme, with the Queen seemingly appearing to draw a line on a lateral flow test, giving the appearance of a positive result.

The duke was pictured riding a horse in Windsor on Wednesday, and appeared to be fit and healthy before the shock diagnosis was announced.

The Duke of York tested positive for Covid-19 and will therefore no longer attend the Queen's service at St Paul's Cathedral today - the one event during the Platinum Jubilee that Andrew was set to attend

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said on Thursday afternoon: 'After undertaking a routine test The Duke has tested positive for Covid and with regret will no longer be attending tomorrow's service.'

Andrew was not on the Buckingham Palace balcony at the Trooping the Colour ceremony for the flypast after the Queen limited those appearing alongside her to working members of her family.

However, Andrew had been expected to attend St Paul's tomorrow along with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who were also not allowed to stand on the balcony.

Andrew was cast out of the working monarchy and no longer uses his HRH style after Virginia Giuffre, who was trafficked by Epstein, accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17. The Duke has always strenuously denied the claims.

Prince Andrew is pictured riding in Windsor yesterday on the eve of the Jubilee celebrations

Members of the Royal Family - not including Prince Andrew - join the Queen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace yesterday to view the Platinum Jubilee flypast as the celebrations begin

Before the Jubilee festivities, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby - who also now has Covid and had to pull out of the service - had suggested Andrew was 'seeking to make amends', adding: 'I think that's a very good thing.'

Andrew took a central role in escorting his mother to the Duke of Edinburgh memorial service in March.

It came as a surprise change to the planned arrangements - only weeks earlier he had been banished from royal public life and paid to settle his court case.

The move was taken as a sign of the monarch's support for her son.

He is the latest in a long line of royals to catch Covid, including the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of Cambridge and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

Princess Michael of Kent, who is married to the Queen's cousin Prince Michael of Kent, suffered severe symptoms when she was struck down with Covid-19 in November 2020.

Meanwhile, the Queen has met her great-granddaughter Lilibet for the first time after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had lunch with the monarch and senior royals behind closed doors as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are flying over from the US with Lilibet and her brother Archie (pictured last December)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are seen being driven in a car in London yesterday during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations

Prince Harry speaks to the Duke of Kent with Meghan Markle as they attend Trooping the Colour in London yesterday

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced their daughter to the Queen, who was nicknamed Lilibet as a child, yesterday at Windsor in one the Royal Family's private events after Trooping the Colour at Buckingham Palace.

Harry and Meghan are expected to remain mostly low-profile over the four-day Jubilee weekend, with no sign of the Netflix cameras that followed them around at the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in April. But they will attend today's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral - their first joint royal engagement in two years.

Prince Charles will officially represent the Queen at the service in London today after she was forced to pull out last night.

The Sussexes, who are staying at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor while visiting from California, were not allowed on the Buckingham Palace balcony yesterday and instead watched proceedings from Horse Guards Parade.
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Western brands have pulled out of Russia leaving shopping malls in Moscow and St Petersburg to become 'ghost towns' with high street locations sitting empty.

Brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior and Zara have shut in protest over war in Ukraine which began on February 24.

The changes have been prompted by Western sanctions and a massive, unprecedented pullout of Western businesses that had become entrenched in the landscape of Russia's daily life over three decades.

Dozens of foreign and international companies have withdrawn from the country, leaving behind half-empty malls and closed doors in places that once buzzed with customers.

Popular clothing brands, both luxurious and affordable, coffee and fast-food chains became unavailable to many Russians.

Few visitors pass inside the GUM department store with lots of boutiques closed due to sanctions in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 1, 2022. As Russia's military operation in Ukraine is entering its 100-day anniversary, life in Moscow and St. Petersburg remains largely normal, even as many Western retailers have left Russia

A woman walks at an almost empty shopping center with many shops closed due to sanctions. Dozens of foreign and international companies have withdrawn from the country, leaving behind half-empty malls and closed doors in places that once buzzed with customers

A woman sits looking at her smartphone in front of shops closed due to sanctions in a mall. Popular clothing brands, both luxurious and affordable, coffee and fast-food chains became unavailable to many Russians

A visitor looks at an empty 'Samsonite', suitcases and bags shop closed due to sanctions in a store in St. Petersburg. Luxury brands such as France's Chanel and Louis Vuitton have announced they are suspending operations in Russia, adding to the country's economic isolation imposed by the West in response to the invasion

A food delivery man rides a bicycle along the GUM department store with a Cartier boutique closed due to sanctions in Moscow. Prada, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Fendi were among those to clear their shelves in the luxury shopping malls of the Russian capital

Luxury brands such as France's Chanel and Louis Vuitton have announced they are suspending operations in Russia, adding to the country's economic isolation imposed by the West in response to the invasion.

The Spanish fashion retailer Inditex, which owns Zara, halted trading in Russia in March, closing its 502 shops and stopping online sales.

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Prada, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Fendi were among those to clear their shelves in the luxury shopping malls of the Russian capital as sanctions begin to bite.

American food and beverage giants including Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Starbucks have paused or closed operations in Russia in the face of western sanctions.

Corporations from British energy giants Shell and BP to French carmaker Renault have pulled out of Russia, taking a hit to their bottom lines as they seek to sell their holdings there.

Yum Brands, which operates the brands KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, The Habit Burger Grill, and WingStreet worldwide, said that it is suspending all investment and development of new restaurants in Russia, and that it will donate all profits from operations in Russia to humanitarian efforts.

Other major US companies that have recently announced their intention to leave Russia include Nissan, Levi jeans, Visa and Mastercard.

McDonald's in March closed all of its 850 restaurants in the country - where it says it employs 62,000 people - including its iconic Pushkin Square location, the latest company to pull its business in Russia amid Western sanctions.

The company said it would seek to have a Russian buyer hire its employees and pay them until the sale closes. It didn't identify a prospective buyer. McDonald's said it plans to start removing golden arches and other symbols and signs with its name.

As part of the exit, McDonald's expects to record a non-cash charge of about $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion.

'The humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, and the precipitating unpredictable operating environment, have led McDonald's to conclude that continued ownership of the business in Russia is no longer tenable,' it said in a statement.

The first McDonald's in Russia opened in the middle of Moscow more than three decades ago, shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Estee Lauder and IBM also decided to abandon Russia - but major international companies such as Reckitt, Unilever and British American Tobacco are staying put.

Estee Lauder and IBM also decided to abandon Russia - but major international companies such as Reckitt, Unilever and British American Tobacco are staying put

Other companies have also decided to stay, with some facing blowback.

HSBC has a small presence in Russia with 'no plans to change anything at the moment', while pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca said its role in helping medics deliver essential care was 'more urgent than ever'. Rival GSK said it will also stay.

Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlo will remain in Russia because its boss believes 'clothing is a necessity of life', while Stella Artois owner AB InBev said it will continue to operate via a local subsidiary.

And earlier in the year, French automaker Renault announced it had handed over its Russian assets to the government in Moscow, marking the first major nationalization of the economic disentanglement.

Russian authorities said they were ready to nationalize foreign assets - as happened with Renault - and some officials assured Russians that their favorite brands would have domestic alternatives.

Officials in Moscow have sought to downplay the gravity of the Western sanctions, promising that Russia will adapt and take steps to stop the flight of foreign currency and capital.

Visitors walk past a Nespresso shop closed due to sanctions in a shopping mall. Nestle, which owns the Nespresso brand, recently announced that it would cut out supplies to Russia in an official statement on March 11

St. Basil's Cathedral and the Spasskaya Tower are reflected in a window of an almost empty and dark Burberry boutique, closed due to sanctions, inside the GUM department store. Burberry has temporarily shuttered its three stores in Russia

People walk past a Zara shop closed due to sanctions in a shopping mall in St. Petersburg. The Spanish fashion retailer Inditex, which owns Zara, halted trading in Russia in March, closing its 502 shops and stopping online sales

A notice on the glass-door warns that the store is closed due to technical problems. Officials in Moscow have sought to downplay the gravity of the Western sanctions, promising that Russia will adapt and take steps to stop the flight of foreign currency and capital

A visitor walks inside the GUM department store with a Dior boutique closed due to sanctions in Moscow. Along with Dior, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Fendi were among those to clear their shelves in the luxury shopping malls of the Russian capital as sanctions begin to bite

A young man plays guitar as other applicants to the Moscow Art Theatre School wait for their turn at an admission exam gather in front of a closed due to sanctions Starbucks street cafe, closed, in Moscow

Pedestrians walking in a street are reflected in a window of the GUM department store with a Louis Vuitton boutique closed due to sanctions in Moscow
Russian state TV has mocked Britains 'opulent' celebration of the Queen's platinum jubilee, claiming the event is a distraction from Downing Street parties and a general decline in living standards brought about by its sanctions against Vladimir Putin.

'The UK, which as a consequence of its sanctions against Russia is bracing for power cuts, has found the money for an opulent celebration of the Queen's platinum jubilee,' said the evening news on Kremlin-controlled Rossiya-1 channel in a report from London.

'The reign of Elizabeth II has seen the final collapse of the British empire.'

Russian state TV mocked Britains celebration of the Queen's platinum jubilee in a broadcast from London

'The reign of Elizabeth II has seen the final collapse of the British empire,' said the broadcast

Rossiya-1 said former colonies in the Caribbean now wanted to ditch the queen as head of state and were markedly anti-British, with demands for apologies and reparations for slavery.

A 'greater threat to the realm' was Sinn Feins election victory, said the report, suggesting this paved the way for a united Ireland.

'The imperial functions of the Anglo-Saxon world long ago passed to the United States, even though Boris Johnson is trying to revive British influence on the European continent by actively interfering in events in Ukraine,' stated the sour report.

'[The aim is to] deflect attention from domestic problems like Downing Street parties during lockdown and a general decline in living standards.'

The comments on power cuts were made in reference to UK government sources quoted saying that up to six million homes could see their electricity rationed for a number of months under a worst-case scenario.

Although the UK uses very little oil or gas from Russia, it would be competing with other European countries for supply if Putin blocked all exports to the continent.

A No10 spokesperson made clear that the government was examining a range of scenarios and that electricity rationing was unlikely.

The threat has prompted Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng to ask Britain's coal-fired power stations to delay their planned closures.

Sinn Feins election victory paved the way for a united Ireland, said the Rossiya-1 channel

The report said the jubilee was an attempt to deflect attention from Downing Street parties and a general decline in living standards

Russian state TV regularly attacks and threatens the UK with military action.

On Wednesday, Russian state TV talking heads said World War Three had already begun and warned that Britain and the US will be made to 'pay a heavy price' for interfering in the war with Ukraine.

Russia One's Olga Skabeyeva effectively declared war on the UK, US and NATO and advocated for a fresh Russian military campaign extending beyond Ukraine's borders.

Bombastic Kremlin-controlled propaganda broadcasts are designed to inspire patriotism in Russian citizens and turn the narrative against the West.

Firebrand television anchorman Vladimir Solovyov - known as 'Putin's Voice' - has threatened to use nuclear Zircon missiles to bomb Britain.

He also said that Moscow will only stop its military push when its forces reach Stonehenge.

Vladimir Solovyov - aka 'Putin's Voice' - who has previously threatened to used nuclear Zircon missiles to bomb Britain back to the Stone Age, suggested that Russia will invade the UK

The news comes amid ongoing fighting in the city of Severodonetsk, now largely under Russia control. Capturing it entirely would put Putin's forces on the cusp of taking Luhansk province, one of his key war aims.

Ukrainian forces in the region are taking heavy losses, with President Zelensky recently admitting Ukraine is loosing up to 100 troops a day in the Donbas region. But the fighting is taking a huge toll on Russian forces as well.

Though their tactics have improved since the botched effort to take Kyiv, Putin's generals are facing Ukrainians who are better armed and prepared than they were in the opening weeks of the war.

Western officials briefing journalists on Wednesday estimated that Russian forces have been ground down to around half the strength they had before the war started - when between 150,000 and 190,000 troops were massed on the border.

More than 1,000 tanks have been destroyed by Ukraine, the West believes, which Russia is struggling to replace as sanctions deprive the country of key components needed to build more.

Ukrainian troops sit on an armoured vehicle as they move back from the front line near the city of Slovyansk in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas

Russia is pushing to capture the eastern city of Severodonetsk which will put Putin's forces on the cusp of taking the Luhansk region, while Ukraine is counter-attacking to the south

Russian forces are expected to keep advancing through the next days and weeks - targeting the city of Lysychansk after Severodonetsk falls, which is located just a few hundred yards away across the Donets River.

If they are able to take Lysychansk then the next targets will be Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, located some 35 miles to the West.

A fresh counter-attack is currently underway in the south, towards the city of Kherson which has been occupied since the early days of the war.

Ukrainian tanks and armoured personnel carriers have been filmed crossing the Inhulets River in recent days, and have pushed Russian defenders back from several small towns on the other side.

Ukraine has shown the ability to mount successful counter-attacks in areas where Russia is weak, such as around Kyiv just before Putin withdrew his troops and to the north of Kharkiv last month - pushing Russia back to its own border.
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Royal biographer Angela Levin today questioned whether Harry and Meghan's decision to wind down their window to greet crowds yesterday was consistent with their fears about their security and an alleged promise to keep a low profile when in the UK.

Ms Levin, a royal commentator and author of several biographies of senior members of the family, hit out at the couple during an interview on Talk TV.

She said she was 'very angry' when the couple were seen with their window down as they travelled through crowds near Buckingham Palace. Meghan was seen briefly waving as they passed by onlookers.

Ms Levin said they had 'fought for more security' but seemed happy to 'wind down the window and wave'.

The couple have been denied 24/7 armed protection from British Police after stepping down as working royals. Harry is taking legal action against the Home Office over the decision.

Harry has since claimed he does not feel safe when bringing his family to the UK and was 'unable to return home' over fears it is too dangerous. He had even offered to pay for British police bodyguards himself - but the Met said that their officers cannot be paid for.

However, the Queen did send a car and a security detail to collect Harry and Meghan and their children Archie and Lilibet when they landed at Farnborough Airport earlier this week after flying from their home in America.

The Duchess of Sussex, 40, was in high spirits as she gazed and waved out of the window, with a more reserved Harry, 37, peeking over her shoulder.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly told the Queen before their arrival in the UK earlier this week that they would keep a low profile and stick to appearing only at public engagements.

The couple did not have a place on the Buckingham Palace balcony with senior members of the Royal Family yesterday because they are no longer working royals.

Instead, they were pictured enjoying the scenes from a balcony on Horse Guards Parade.

Royal biographer Angela Levin today slammed Harry and Meghan for greeting crowds from the window of their car yesterday, amid the ongoing row over their personal security

The couple made a low-key appearance at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations and did not have a place on the Buckingham Palace balcony with senior members of the Royal Family because they are no longer working royals. Instead, they were pictured enjoying the scenes from a balcony on Horse Guards Parade. Above: The couple speak to the Duke of Kent, the Queen's cousin, from the balcony where they watched celebrations

Ms Levin said: 'I felt when I saw them what are you doing here you are irrelevant.

'Why are you here. I was very angry when they wound the window down of their car.

'They are people who fought for more security, the utmost security yet they were happy to wind the window down and wave. Why're they doing that?

'Harry said he felt like he was in a zoo [when he was a working royal] so what he was doing waving to all the people. Why would you want to do that?'

Ms Levin also took aim at Meghan, who she claimed had 'absolutely trashed the royal family'.

'She has made it very very difficult for the senior members who have the discipline not to fight back in public,' she added.

'My instinct was that what are you doing here. I don't think you can trash someone and then turn up with smiles.'

However, Meghan Markle's friend Omid Scobie, who penned the Finding Freedom biography about her and Prince Harry, insisted that the couple wanted to be as 'low profile as possible' during their trip.

Speaking to the BBC today, he said: 'It is almost hard to believe, but I think that yesterday at Trooping the Colour was a great example. We didnt really catch sight of them on TV cameras.

'There were a few grainy photos of them in existence online but that is about as far as it goes.'

The video of the couple emerged as the Queen was spotted arriving back at Windsor Castle on Thursday afternoon, after kicking off her Platinum Jubilee and joining senior royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

Building manager Emily Sevenoaks, 28, said she had no idea it was the Sussexes when she decided to start filming on Cleveland Row in St James, central London.

'I Honestly had no idea it was them,' she told MailOnline, 'I heard police escorts and flew over with the camera ready and then I realised mid filming... I was very lucky!'

She said the black Audi and police escort had come out of the gated Stable Yard road, which allows access to Clarence House and St James's palace.

The Duchess of Sussex, 40, was in high spirits as she gazed out of the window, with a more reserved Harry, 37, peeking over her shoulder while they travelled through throngs of royal fans near Buckingham Palace at around 12.20pm

The Duchess of Sussex, 40, was in high spirits as she gazed and waved out of the window, with a more reserved Harry, 37, peeking over her shoulder

The couple were believed to be on their way to Buckingham Palace ahead of the historic flypast, which featured 71 aircraft.

Social media users were quick to comment on the clip, with one Twitter user declaring: 'Her smile says 'I'm baaaackk b*****s.' [Sic].

Others said Harry looked 'stressed', while another added: 'Harry is already on high alert. Look at his face.'

Tougher critics mocked Meghan for rolling the window of the car down after Harry recently claimed he was 'unable to return home' from Los Angeles because the UK was too dangerous.

One Twitter user jibed: 'When you are petrified about security issues but still choose to pull the window down for a photo-op in the Queen's procession.'

The Audi car that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were in with blacked out windows as they drove down the Mall in London with two police protection offices in it followed by another three close behind

The car that followed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as it travelled down The Mall contained three Met police officers

The Sussexes were not allowed on the Buckingham Palace balcony yesterday, following Megxit, but did join other royals in the Major General's Office overlooking Horse Guards Parade in central London for Trooping the Colour.

An animated Meghan appeared to playfully 'shush' a group of young royals as they stood at a window overlooking the parade, while Harry was later seen mimicking the gesture in a separate photo.

Though their appearance ended months of speculation on whether the Sussexes would attend the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, there was no sign of their children Archie and Lilibet, who are also believed to be in the UK.

Today, the couple are set to attend the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.

It will be the first time they have attended an event together with other senior royals - including Prince Charles, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge - since 2020's Commonwealth Day service, which was their last official engagement.

Harry did attend Prince Philip's funeral last April and then united with his brother Prince William to unveil a statue of their mother Princess Diana at Kensington Palace.
Scottish civil servants could be offered a four-day work week with reduced pay to tackle the nation's soaring public sector bill.

The plans were published alongside a spending review by the Scottish Government, which aims to plug an estimated 3.5billion blackhole, on Wednesday.

The move presents an 'opportunity' to reduce spending on salaries, officials said  but the Scottish Conservatives branded it a 'fantasy'.

It comes after Boris Johnson warned Britain's civil servants they must endure the same cost-cutting as families up and down the country as he defended his pledge to axe 91,000 of their jobs.

Scottish civil servants could be offered a four-day work week with reduced pay to tackle the nation's soaring public sector bill. Pictured: Nicola Sturgeon during First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday

The plans were published alongside a spending review by the Scottish Government, which aims to plug an estimated 3.5billion blackhole. Pictured: St Andrew's House, Edinburgh, where around 1,400 civil servants work

The Scottish Government said it is looking into developing 'non-pay benefits', including the four-day week.

It said: 'In the longer term, this could be an opportunity to limit the cost burden of pay awards to employers.'

Critics said reducing Scottish public sector workers' hours would see a 20 per cent cut in capacity for Scotland's public services.

Unions previously campaigned for a four-day work week that maintains pay levels, arguing reduced hours would increase productivity.

Cat Boyd, the national officer for the PCS union, said the new plans to reduce pay in line with hours are 'ill-considered and frankly insulting'.

She told the Daily Telegraph: 'Our members shouldered the burden of austerity in 2010.

'Now, were seeing threats of further pay cuts for the workers who helped keep Scotland running during the pandemic.

'Any proposal which includes a further loss of pay coupled with a cut in hours represents more broken promises from the Scottish Government when it comes to their own staff.'

Around 30,000 of 585,400 public sector jobs in Scotland will have to be cut to return to pre-pandemic levels, according to estimates.

Kate Forbes, the SNP finance secretary, said is is 'not sustainable' to continue increasing public sector staffing.

Scotland has already pledged 10million pounds to private companies trialling four-day weeks where workers retain their pay levels.

A similar public sector scheme is set to be rolled out later this year, with details not yet published.

But Liz Smith, the finance spokeswoman for the Scottish Tories, described the plans as 'cavalier economics' that would derail public services post-pandemic.

She said 'SNP ministers are determined to press ahead with this nonsense', which would further increase the spending black hole.
Four people have been injured including a fire chief who suffered a heart attack after a blaze broke out at a Moscow business centre today.

Flames and smoke engulfed the ten-storey Grand Setun Plaza building in Moscow's Kuntsevo district, prompting 1,000 people to evacuated.

Sergei Zheltov, head of the Russian Emergencies Ministry's Moscow branch, had to be taken to hospital after suffering a heart attack while tackling the blaze as one other fireman and two civilians were also hurt.

Meanwhile, another blaze broke out at warehouses in Naberezhnye Chelny, near the central Russian city of Kazan, in the early hours of the morning as 90 firefighters were sent to tackle it.

Emergency crews did not give a cause for either fire, which come amid a series of mystery blazes across Russia - sparking suspicions of a sabotage campaign being directed out of Ukraine.

A fire broke out at the ten-storey Grand Setun Plaza business centre in the Moscow suburb of Kuntsevo on Friday morning

Four people were injured in the fire, including the chief of the Moscow emergency ministry who suffered a heart attack clearing the building

A huge blaze also broke out at a warehouse in the Russian city of Naberezhnye Chelny which was still burning several hours later

Firefighters said the blaze began in an area housing plastic and rubber waste around 4am before spreading to the warehouse

In a possible sign of nerves among Russia's elite about the fires, Major-General Alexander Kurenkov, Putin's former bodyguard turned emergencies minister, went to the scene of the Moscow fire to oversee the rescue operation.

As of Friday afternoon the fire had been extinguished and no deaths had been reported, the emergency ministry's Moscow deputy said.

Meanwhile flames were filmed raging through a 1,100sqft set of warehouses in central Russia.

The blaze had started shortly before 4am in an area of waste plastic and rubber products nearby before spreading to the warehouses, local media reported.

At least 90 crews and 30 vehicles were dispatched to tackle the fire, which was still burning three hours later. No cause was given.

Moscow has been at the epicentre of the mystery blazes, including one two weeks ago which consumed the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute in the outlying city of Zhukovsky.

The fire began at a power substation supplying the institute, 43 miles southeast of Moscow, which has been crucial to the development of aircraft such as the Su-27, MiG-29, and MiG-31 fighters which are in use in Ukraine.

Two chemical plants with links to the defence industry suffered fires, one at Kaprolaktam, in Dzerzhinsk, which once made chemical weapons, on 4 May, the other two weeks earlier at the Dmitrievsky plant in Kineshma.

It is not yet clear how the fire started, but it comes amid a series of mysterious blazes at buildings with links to the Russian government and military

Rescue efforts are being overseen by Alexander Kurenkov, Putin's former bodyguard appointed to the role last week after his predecessor fell to his death from a waterfall

Firefighters extinguish a blaze that broke out at a business centre in Moscow today, the latest in a series of fires amid suspicion of a sabotage campaign directed out of Ukraine

Firefighters help douse flames at the Grand Setun Plaza business centre in Moscow, after it was engulfed by fire in the early hours of Friday

Another fire raised questions of sabotage was at a Russian missile design institute in Tver in which 22 weapons officials and designers died.

The blazes may have been sabotage attacks by Ukraine aimed at 'dissuading [Putin's] weapons of mass destruction brinkmanship', says a US expert.

Professor Douglas London, of Georgetown Universitys School of Foreign Service, and a retired 34-year CIA operations officer, told Foreign Policy that some recent incidents may have been sabotage linked to the war.

'US and allied enabling of a Ukrainian sabotage campaign inside Russia telegraphs a significant and escalating cost Putin can ill afford,' he said.

Russias leading independent gun-maker urged the Russian authorities to be more suspicious of sabotage over the wave of fires.

Vladislav Lobaev said: 'The Dmitrievsky chemical plant in the city of Kineshma burned down.

'It is the largest Russian manufacturer of chemical solvents used in a variety of industries.

'Separately, the building of the defence research Institute in Tver burned to the ground

'It was at this institute that the Iskanders and the S-400 were developed.'

He warned: 'It is hard to believe in such coincidences, especially with large or such iconic enterprises.

'In wartime, it is necessary to work out the version of sabotage more actively.'

Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze burning at a business park in a suburb of Moscow

Four people, including two civilians, were injured in the fire which broke out Friday morning

Firefighters at work after a fire broke out at the Grand Setun Plaza business center in Moscow

Firefighters at work after a fire broke out at the Grand Setun Plaza business center in Moscow

A series of mysterious fires has broken out across Russia, largely at sites with links to the government or military amid suspicions of Ukrainian-backed sabotage
A fried chicken takeaway owner has become the first company director to be disqualified for abusing the Covid furlough scheme and East Out to Help Out.

Ifraz Nabi, 41, wrongly claimed 50,000 emergency pandemic support for his shop New York Krispy Fried Chicken in Manchester.

Mr Nabi is banned from running companies for seven years after claiming 20,000 from the furlough and 30,000 from the Eat Out to Help Out initiative.

After the company went into liquidation in November 2020, an investigation the Insolvency Service found he could not support the claims.

Ifraz Nabi, 41, wrongly claimed 50,000 emergency pandemic support for his shop New York Krispy Fried Chicken in Manchester (pictured)

The investigation found Mr Nabi did not keep 'adequate accounts and financial records' to support the claims.

The restaurant was claiming furlough support  which was supposed to help closed businesses  while also benefitting from East Out To Help Out  a scheme for open restaurants.

Eat Out To Help Out was also only supposed to help restaurants with indoor seating.

New York Krispy Fried Chicken had some indoor seating but relied on takeaway orders for the vast majority of its income.

Nina Cassar, deputy head of investigations at the Insolvency Service, told The Times: 'One of the main purposes of the disqualification act is to ensure that company directors adhere to minimum standards.

'Ifraz Nabi failed not only to maintain the accounting records of his company, he failed to register and pay his business taxes and furthermore abused Covid-19 support schemes designed to support businesses in genuine need.

'This disqualification should serve as a reminder that the Insolvency Service will take action against those who abuse their position and do not take their obligations seriously.'

The Government's 69billion furlough programme helped support the 11.7million jobs at the start of the pandemic  a third of the workforce.

HM Revenue and Customs estimates suggest more than 6billion has been lost in fraud and error.

There have been 143 disqualifications because of abuse of Covid support as of April this year.

Mr Nabi is the first company director to be disqualified for the abuses.
Three men suspected of raping a young mother on board a moving train have been arrested in Pakistan.

The incident sparking outrage across the country happened on May 27 when the ticket inspector came to the victim's carriage to ask if she wanted to move to a part of train with air conditioning.

The ticket checker lured the 25-year-old mother of two into the first-class compartment of the train headed from Multan to Karachi where other railways staff were waiting to rape her.

Pakistani paper Dawn said the men threatened her when she tried to escape.

Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Inspector General of Railway Police Faisal Shahkar said the company should have run a background check on the employees before hiring them.

File photo: Pakistani protestors march during against an alleged gang rape of a woman

After the Bahaudin Zakaria Express arrived, the woman sat on the platform bench without moving, without anyone to meet her.

A railway police officer on duty asked her if she needed help, said Pakistani paper MM News. Railway police later brought her to the police station help centre where she reported the incident.

Police registered the case and took DNA samples, sending out teams to arrest the suspects.

Pakistani officers managed to contacted the young woman's sister, who travelled to collect her.

The suspects had turned off their phones and fled into Punjab after the attack, which police said made it difficult to locate them.

But on Monday, police arrested two suspects and apprehended a third the following day. DNA samples are being taken to see if they are a match.

'I wish to see those behind this cruel act hanged by their throats,' a man told Pakistani broadcaster Geo News.

The woman, a resident of Orangi Town, has been taken to Jinnah Hospital Karachi for medical treatment while further investigation is ongoing.

She was travelling from her in-laws house to meet her husband in Karachi.

File photo: Welfare Trust hold placards during a protest against an alleged gang rape of a woman, in Karachi

'Criminal and administrative action will be taken against the owner of the private company who was running the train,' said the Railways police chief in a statement.

Sexual violence against women is common in Pakistan.

In April, an 18-year-old girl was repeatedly raped and impregnated by locals at gunpoint in the Khawajgan neighborhood of Gujrat.

More than 14,000 women have been raped in Pakistan in the past year, equating to nearly 11 per day, but fewer than three per cent of cases led to convictions.

'This figure might be a tip of the iceberg because most cases arent reported,' the National Bureau of Police told Al Jazeera.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis moved to ban transition therapies for children and revoke Medicaid support for trans adults' treatments.

The Republican state leader backed a letter sent by state surgeon general Joseph Lapado, who DeSantis appointed to his post in February.

In a letter obtained by NBC News, Mr Lapado urged Florida's Board of Medicine establish a new 'standard of care' for treating minors considering a transition.

Governor DeSantis - pictured yesterday with lawmakers, holding the state's record $100billion state budget - backed a letter sent by the state surgeon general he appointed in February

That includes suspending access to 'puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries'.

Mr Lapado wrote: 'While some professional organizations [...] recommend these treatments for gender affirming care, the scientific evidence supporting these complex medical interventions is extraordinarily weak.

'The current standards set by numerous professional organizations appear to follow a preferred political ideology instead of the highest level of generally accepted medical science.

Lapado branded trans therapies for children 'politics-based medicine' (image from May)

'Florida must do more to protect children from politics-based medicine. Otherwise, children and adolescents in our state will continue to face a substantial risk of long-term harm.'

A 46-page report by Florida Medicaid further argued scientific evidence in favour of such treatments is of either 'low quality or very low quality'.

Contradicting federal guidance - and, campaigners claim, the Affordable Care Act's clauses on discrimination - the report states: 'This report does not recommend sex reassignment treatment as a health service that is consistent with generally accepted professional standards.'

Such treatments for adults and minors alike are backed by the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association.

Gender reassignment surgery in the United States is largely restricted to over-18s.

The Affordable Care Act requires states offer 'gender transition services', a recent update detailed.

Tampa-based psychologist Gary Howell, who treats transgender youth and adults, told NBC that DeSantis is stripping the rights of parents with transgender children.

He said: 'Its unconstitutional for the government to step in and deprive youth  and especially trans youth  of getting the necessary medical care they need.'

The letter from the surgeon general to Florida health leaders described transition therapies as 'politics-based medicine'

The Governor has taken up a series of culture war issues as he is rumoured to seek his party's nomination for the presidency in 2024.

In March, DeSantis trolled trans swimmer Lia Thomas by naming cisgender competitor Emma Weyant 'the real winner' of their race in which Thomas took gold.

DeSantis has also won national notoriety - and adoration - for the state's so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill.

The controversial Parental Rights in Education bill bans teachers from discussing gender and sexuality in the classroom through sixth grade.

It prompted Disney to speak out on behalf of its LGBT+ employees in Florida - and resulted in DeSantis seeking to revoke the company's protected status in the state.

Meanwhile the surgeon general courted controversy during the Covid pandemic for his opposition to quarantines, face masks, and even vaccinations.

Mr Lapado was a signatory of the Great Barrington Declaration, which in late 2020 called for a laissez-faire approach toward infections in favour of 'herd immunity'.

He also spoke out in March against vaccinating 'healthy children' against Covid, advice ex-White House press secretary Jen Psaki described as 'deeply disturbing'.
Elon Musk has bitten back at Australian tech billionaire Scott Farquhar after he told the Tesla magnate his demands for staff to return to the office was like 'something out of the 1950s'.

Mr Musk on Tuesday emailed his staff to say everyone must work in the office for a 'minimum of 40 hours per week or depart Tesla' in an email which was then leaked to the public.

The charged-up Tesla tycoon then doubled down on his threat, sending out a second email in which he wrote 'if you don't show up, we will assume you have resigned'.

Laid-back Aussie billionaire Scott Farquhar (pictured right) took the opportunity to point out how working-from-home set-ups were assisting his company in attracting 'talent'

An unamused Elon Musk (pictured) hit back at the Atlassian co-founder, threatening the recession would 'cleanse' the economy, implying Atlassian would be caught in such an event

Co-founder of Australian tech giant Atlassian, Mr Farquhar, who is ranked as Australia's third richest man, blasted Mr Musk's email in a series of Tweets.

'News from (Elon Musk) & (Tesla) today feels like something out of the 1950s: ''Everyone at Tesla is required to spend a minimum of 40 hours in the office per week''. Very different approach to what we are taking at Atlassian and here's why,' he tweeted.

The Aussie mogul then took the opportunity to boast of his company's evolving remote working possibilities.

He said Atlassian takes its staff from all over the world, before leveling a tongue-in-cheek jab at Mr Musk's EV company.

'We're setting our sights on growing Atlassian to 25K employees by FY26. Any Tesla employees interested?' he said.

The irritated multi billionaire levelled a strange threat at Atlassian co-founder, Scott Farquhar

The Tesla CEO fired back in the thread, writing: 'The above set of tweets illustrate (sic) why recessions serve a vital economic cleansing function.'

In the past Mr Musk has vehemently supported draconian work requirements and criticised Americans' work ethic, speaking affectionately of Chinese workers instead.

'They (Chinese workers) won't even leave the factory type of thing, whereas, in America, people are trying to avoid going to work at all,' Musk told the Financial Times.

Commenters on the thread also criticised the outspoken tech boss.

'Results-oriented as opposed to time-oriented. Makes too much sense. More time & more restrictions does not and has not ever equalled (sic) more/better results,' one user weighed in with.

Australian billionaire Scott Farquhar made a tongue-in-cheek offer to a Tesla's employees on Twitter

'You realised to get value out of good hiring/ smart/capable/competent people is to trust them. The rest comes naturally. (Elon Musk) is hardworking and thinks by forcing talents to work more, he can extract more value which proven to be wrong with modern employees. It won't last!' said a critic.

'Minimum of 40 hours???? No one should work more than 38. Dont you guys have unions in the states? Work/life balance? So glad Im in Australia 38 hour week, 4 weeks paid holiday, 2 week sick leave, 3 months paid parental leave,' wrote an Aussie worker.

Others leapt to the defence of the multi-billionaire.

'Isn't 40 hours like a normal work week? So then you're asking for at the minimum a normal work week and then option for overtime by the sound of it. What's wrong with that?' wrote one.

'If you find someone at Tesla who works 40 hrs, your (sic) dreaming. Or SpaceX. But when your leader gets down in the weeds with you, and does 100hrs... It's part of the mission,' said another Musk follower.

Musk's full second email reasserted his commitment to statements made in the previous message - and seemed to take a shot at woke Silicon Valley companies for their remote policies in the process.

'The office must be where your actual colleagues are located, not some remote pseudo office,' it reads, reiterating assertions from the prior email, which stated staff would only be allowed to work from home if they worked 40 hours a week in-office.

Musk then declared: 'If you don't show up, we will assume you have resigned.'

Outspoken CEO Elon Musk has now sent out a second email to Tesla staff, clarifying a previous assertion sent to execs saying they will be fired unless they return to the office full time

'Everyone at Tesla is required to spend a minimum of 40 hours in the office per week,' Musk wrote in a second email sent to staff hours after the first, which was leaked and widely shared

The email proceeds to clarify statements made by Musk - whom has been vocal of his opposition to remote work in the past - in the previous email, which was sent to the carmaker's senior staff at 1:19 pm, screenshots show.

'The more senior you are, the more visible must be your presence,' Musk wrote.

'That is why I lived in the factory so much - so that those on the line could see me working alongside them. If I had not done that, Tesla would long ago have gone bankrupt.

'There are of course companies that don't require this,' the CEO wrote - adding, 'But when was the last time they shipped a great new product? It's been a while.'

'Tesla has and will create and actually manufacture the most exciting and meaningful products of any company on Earth.'

Mr Musk added: 'If there are particularly exceptional contributors for whom this is impossible, I will review and approve those exceptions directly.'

Responding to a question on Twitter from a follower about whether he has a comment to 'people who think coming into work is an antiquated concept,' Mr Musk sniped: 'They should pretend to work somewhere else.'

The message was sent hours after this leaked email sent to workers with the miss-spelt subject line 'remote work is no longer acceptable.' Musk wrote that any executive staff who wish to work remotely must be in the office for a minimum of 40 hours per week 'or depart Tesla'

Elon Musk doubled down on his new, leaked work-from-home ultimatum sent to Tesla staff Tuesday in the new message, and seemed to take a shot at woke Silicon Valley companies such as Google and Apple for their lax remote-work policies in the process

In April, staff at Tesla's Gigafactory were made to sleep at work when production resumed after a three-week shutdown.

The factory started operating as a 'closed loop system to avoid further shutdowns caused by China's strict Zero Covid policy.

Workers were given a sleeping bag and mattress and part of the factory floor to camp out on.

Responding to a question on Twitter from a follower about whether he has a comment to 'people who think coming into work is an antiquated concept', Musk wrote back: 'They should pretend to work somewhere else'

Food of around $63 a day was provided to each employee but they were expected to work 12 hours a day, with one day off every six days.

Before the temporary measures were imposed, staff reportedly worked eight-hour shifts with four days on and two days off.

Before Shanghai's lockdown on March 28, the Gigafactory produced 2,000 cars a day and made half of the vehicles the company delivered worldwide last year.

Last month, Mr Musk, who is currently in negotiations with Twitter over buying the social media giant, seemingly took aim at the company's lax remote working policies.

He said he asked his Twitter followers if he should transform the company's Silicon Valley headquarters into a homeless shelters 'since no one shows up anyway'.
A bride-to-be has shared the moment her fiance got down on one knee in the middle of a pokies room to ask her to marry him.

Taryn Edgar was blindfolded as she sat at a poker machine believed to be at the Dural Country Club in Sydney's northwest when her boyfriend Ethan Raymen suddenly pulled out a ring.

Mr Raymen also treated his future wife to a long island iced tea and $40 pre-loaded into the gaming machine, as the pair shared a kiss and a cuddle after Ms Edgar said 'yes'.

Mr Right: Ethan bought his fiancee a long island iced tea with ribbons and frills, and put $40 into his girlfriend's poker machine before popping the big question (Ethan and Taryn pictured together)

The fiancee wrote she was ecstatic her partner had proposed to her, especially in her 'happy place', captioning the video 'my dreams came true', and 'I'm now engaged to my best friend and soulmate'.

The video has had more than 63,000 views on TikTok and while the couple may have hit the jackpot, many weren't sold on the location of the proposal.

'Congratulations! But seriously at the pokies of all places!' one wrote.

'What a houso (one who originates from a housing commission) proposal' said a blunt commenter, accompanied by another who said: 'surely you could have thought of a better place than this, come on man.'

Hit the Jackpot: Boyfriend Ethan made his girlfriends night when he got down on one knee in the gaming room of their local (the pair pictured together)

'Honeymoon in the smokers lounge,' another joked.

Ms Edgar said she loved the fact her partner popped the question at the pokies, adding 'it's exactly how I wanted it'.

Many others supported her and congratulated her on the news.

'I wanna be proposed to the same way,' someone said.

'Man she couldnt have said yes quicker, regardless of where it is, happy for you guys!!' wrote one happy fan.

'Love this mate, something special, different, and romantic,' another said.

'This is unironically really sweet though. Wishing you both the best, grats!!!' said a well-wishing viewer.
An Indian woman has announced that she will marry herself in what has been dubbed the country's first 'sologamy' but which critics have denounced as little more than an attention-grabbing publicity stunt.

Kshama Bindu, a sociology graduate and 'digital creator' from the western state of Gujarat, is set to marry herself in a traditional Hindu ceremony attended by family and friends in the city of Vadodara on June 11.

The 24-year-old says the marriage will be 'a deep act of self-acceptance' and she will dedicate herself to a life of 'self-love', before taking herself for a two-week honeymoon around the southern state of Goa.

Kshama Bindu, 24, a bisexual 'digital creator' and sociology graduate from Gujarat, India, will marry herself in a traditional Hindu ceremony on June 11

Bindu says her family and friends will attend the ceremony - at a temple in the city of Vadodara - during which she will commit herself to a life of 'self-love'

But experts say the marriage will not be legal, as others accused her of being an 'attention seeker'.

'You can live with yourself without marrying yourself, You are just an attention seeker, & you played well,' one Twitter user wrote.

'Woke, a Joke!' wrote another, while a third added: 'As crazy as it can get.'

The 24-year-old said she decided on the ceremony to show other women they can be self-sufficient

Speaking to India's NDTV, Bindu said: 'I realised that I don't require a prince charming because I am my own queen. I want the wedding day, but not the next day.

'That is why I have decided to marry myself on June 11. I will dress up like a bride, take part in rituals, my friends will attend my wedding and then I will come back to my house instead of going with the groom.'

In an interview with the BBC, she added that celebrations will begin early on June 11 with a traditional Haldi bath - in which tumeric mixed with oil and water is applied all over the body as a blessing for a good marriage.

Sangeet, another traditional ceremony featuring music and dancing, will also take place the same morning.

Bindu will then have her hands painted with henna and her hair marked with vermilion powder before going to the temple.

Once there, she will light a sacred fire and take seven steps around it - a tradition usually undertaken by both partners - alone.

After returning home, she will head off to Goa for two weeks of holiday by herself.

After marrying herself, Bindu will then take off for a two-week honeymoon to the southern Indian state of Goa

Bindu said the wedding ceremony will feature traditional rituals and be blessed by a priest, but experts say the law defines marriage as between two people so the 'union' will not be valid

Bindu, who identifies as bisexual, said she has the approval of her father - an engineer from South Africa - and mother - also an engineer, from Ahmedabad - for the 'groom-less' ceremony.

'I have already booked a priest to solemnise my marriage,' she added.

'I have observed that unlike in the West, self marriages are not popular in India.

'Hence, I have decided to start this trend and inspire others. People may not like my idea, butI am confident that I am doing the right thing.'

But Krishnakant Vakharia, a lawyer at India's High Court, said the law stipulates that it takes two people to make a marriage - and that 'sologamy' would not be recognised as legitimate.

Chandrakant Gupta, another senior lawyer, added: 'The Hindu Marriage Act uses the terminology 'either of the spouse', which simply means that there must be two persons to complete the marriage.

'Sologamy will never stand up to legal scrutiny.'
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Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie were today joined by five previous Prime Ministers as they attended the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.

Carrie opted for a bright red Sandro dress, an AJ Gretton Millinery hat and Dune shoes for the historic occasion.

She was pictured walking hand in hand with Mr Johnson up the steps of the Cathedral before the pair took their seats.

Mr Johnson's predecessor Theresa May arrived with her husband Philip, whilst David Cameron - who stepped down after the Brexit referendum in 2016 - was pictured with his wife Samantha.

Also attending was Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah, along with Tony and Cherie Blair.

The two men had a fraught relationship when Mr Blair was Prime Minister and Mr Brown was his Chancellor but the pair were pictured smiling as they spoke to each other inside St Paul's. Mr Brown succeeded Mr Blair as PM in 2007.

Inside St Paul's, Mr and Mrs Blair sat next to Mr Brown and his wife, whilst Mr and Mrs Cameron were to her left.

Mr Johnson and Carrie were seated two rows in front of former Conservative PM John Major, who left Downing Street after five years in office in 1997 following his General Election loss to Mr Blair's New Labour.

Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie were today joined by five previous Prime Ministers as they attended the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral. Seated two rows behind them was former Prime Minister John Major

Mr Johnson's predecessor Theresa May arrived with her husband Philip, whilst David Cameron - who stepped down after the Brexit referendum in 2016 - was pictured with his wife Samantha

David Cameron - who stepped down after the Brexit referendum in 2016 - was pictured with his wife Samantha. Above: The pair arrive at St Paul's

Inside St Paul's, Mr and Mrs Blair sat next to Mr Brown and his wife, whilst Mr and Mrs Cameron were to her left

Mr Blair and Mr Brown had a fraught relationship when Mr Blair was Prime Minister and Mr Brown was his Chancellor but the pair were pictured smiling as they spoke to each other. Mr Brown succeeded Mr Blair as PM in 2007

Prince Charles is officially representing the 96-year-old monarch at the service in London this morning, which is also being attended by Harry and Meghan for their first joint royal engagement in more than two years.

But the Queen will miss the event following a last-minute decision announced by Buckingham Palace at 7.30pm yesterday after she experienced 'discomfort' during Trooping The Colour events earlier in the day.

There will also be no appearance at St Paul's from Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus. The Queen will be watching the service from her Berkshire residence, and it will be broadcast nationally on BBC One.

Political guests arrived ahead of the royals, with Cabinet ministers Sajid Javid, Liz Truss and Priti Patel also in attendance.

Soon after, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon arrived with her husband, and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. Members of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force lined up on either side of the Great West Door.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have seats in the second row of the congregation, with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands, and Lady Sarah Chatto, the daughter of Princess Margaret, and her family.

Harry and Meghan are seated behind the Earl and Countess of Wessex who are in the front row with their children, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Viscount Severn, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Across the aisle, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, who have ornate chairs, have seats alongside them for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Tim Laurence.

Earlier, a member of the Royal Air Force in the military guard of honour lining the steps to St Paul's collapsed, but was able to get to his feet and was helped away. Then, a second member of the military personnel also collapsed, but was also able to get to his feet and was helped away on foot, despite a stretcher being brought out.

The Queen is understood to have had episodic mobility issues yesterday  and, in a statement, Buckingham Palace revealed the Queen 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

Tony Blair arrives with his wife Cherie for today's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral. The pair sat next to Mr Brown and his wife Sarah

Gordon Brown arrives with his wife Sarah at today's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral. The couple sat next to Mr and Mrs Blair

Mr and Mrs Johnson sat next to Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who had Home Secretary Priti Patel - dressed in a bright pink outfit - to her left

Mrs May, accompanied by her husband Philip, arrives to attend the Service of Thanksgiving for The Queen's reign at Saint Paul's Cathedral

Mr Cameron and his wife Samantha inside St Paul's today. Her Majesty was not able to attend the service after suffering 'discomfort' following yesterday's celebrations

British Prime MinisterA Boris Johnson arrives for the National Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral

Carrie opted for a bright red Sandro dress, an AJ Gretton Millinery hat and Dune shoes for the historic occasion. She was pictured walking hand in hand with Mr Johnson up the steps of the Cathedral before the pair took their seats

Looking both ways: Mrs Johnson is seen looking beyond her husband during the service at St Paul's Cathedral. In another shot, the PM looks past his wife at Ms Truss

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

It is understood the decision ahead of the service, which begins at 11.30am today, was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.

Senior members of the monarchy attending this morning also include the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who will be joined by the extended royal family.

Tributes will be paid to the Queen's '70 years of faithful and dedicated service' in front of 2,000 people including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Cabinet ministers, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and former prime ministers.

Public service is the theme at the heart of the religious event, with 400 people who are recipients of honours, including NHS and key workers who were recognised for their work during the pandemic, invited.

The Archbishop of York, the Most Rev Stephen Cottrell, will deliver the sermon to the congregation after stepping in at the 11th hour after the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, contracted Covid-19.

Hundreds of people gathered outside St Paul's, some wearing Union flag hats and others hanging flags and bunting over the railings on the approach to the cathedral - and many guests had their photographs taken outside the Great West Door, where members of the Royal family are also due to enter the cathedral for the event.
A murdered woman's fiance has revealed his heartache after learning his glamorous partner was allegedly shot dead while he was locked up in a jail cell.

Mitchell White's partner Feebie McIntosh, 25, was allegedly shot in the head at a home in Dicky Beach on the Sunshine Coast on May 27 - and died later after being rushed to hospital.

Bradley Ian Cotten of Narangba and Brandon Grant of Wurtulla, both 30, have been arrested and charged with her murder.

Mr White was informed of his fiance's death while incarcerated at Borallon Correctional Facility in Ipswich and was 'shattered' to hear the news.

Mitchell White and Feebie McIntosh (pictured together) had posted on his social media the clear feelings he had for his partner, saying 'this feeling you've given me is a feeling I didn't know even existed. It's real alright and I know you feel it too'.

A mourner on social media, Angela Coman, spoke on behalf of Mr White on Thursday.

'I talked to Mitch White today and he's absolutely devastated as we all are but he's holding together,' she said.

Ms Coman said Mr White had been approved for leave from the correctional facility to attend his partner's funeral but indicated the incarcerated man would need financial help.

Friends have started a fundraising event that hopes to garner enough for the police escort cost of $1,527.50, 'to say goodbye to his fiancee, the women he loves'.

Tributes came through on social media dedicated to Ms McIntosh (pictured) calling her a 'wicked, wicked funny girl' as they felt 'gutted' lamenting their loss

Mr White had posted lovestruck messages on Facebook last November of how happy he was with Ms McIntosh.

'Feebie McIntosh, you've made me feel an emotion I've never felt before,' he wrote on his social media page.

'I can't get enough of you and the person I've become being with you. This feeling you've given me is a feeling I didn't no even existed. It's real alright and I know you feel it too.'

Tributes came through on social media dedicated to Ms McIntosh calling her a 'wicked, wicked funny girl' as they felt 'gutted' lamenting their loss.

'My darling girl, if only you could see how much you are loved,' said one mourner.

'The world will be forever changed without that smile and your vivacious energy.'

Mr White had posted lovestruck messages on Facebook last November of how happy he was with Ms McIntosh

'I'll miss you darling girl,' said another on Tuesday. 'Shivers keep running down my spine, I still can't believe you're gone and how close to home [the alleged murder] is.'

Meanwhile police are seeking witnesses who may have been on Nicklin Way - a main thoroughfare near the home Ms McIntosh was allegedly murdered that morning.

Authorities are also looking into finding witnesses who were around a group of shops in Mountain Creek, 20km north of the horror shooting in the late morning.

Police said they are seeking dashcam footage or witness accounts from those locations relating to the behaviour and movements of a man in the area who may be able assist authorities.

He is described as solid build, dressed in black, carrying a black duffle bag and walking along the road.

The men charged have both been refused bail to face Maroochydore Magistrates Court on July 29.
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Boris Johnson and wife Carrie were met by a chorus of competing boos and cheers as they arrived at St Paul's Cathedral this morning for a service to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

The Prime Minister, who gave a reading of Philippians Chapter 4, verses 4-9 from the New Testament at the National Thanksgiving Service, appeared was met with a mixed reaction as he left his car with Carrie and walked up the steps of the cathedral.

Observers at St Paul's disputed the level of booing, with some claiming that a round of cheers preceded some retaliatory booing among members of the public watching the PM arrive - while others said most of the crowd noise was jeering.

The audio of the several live feeds from the event carried differing volumes of boos and cheers. While Sky's feed carried isolated cheers followed by a round of booing, the BBC audio had much louder levels of jeers.

According to Sky News, the PM was hit by a mixture of boos and answering cheers - though the BBC reported Johnson was 'widely booed'.

His appearance comes amid growing uncertainty about his future, with a potential no-confidence vote on the horizon.

The PM wore a black jacket with a grey waistcoat, while Carrie opted for a long red dress, after stepping out in a vibrant pink outfit yesterday.

The mother-of-two teamed a Sandro dress with red pointed heels from Dune, and a white hat with a spray of red feathers from AJ Gretton Millinery.

Johnson and his wife later took their seats in the cathedral, where they were joined by ex-Prime Ministers including David Cameron and Tony Blair, as well as current politicians including Keir Starmer and Sadiq Khan.

It comes after months of controversy for Johnson and the Tory government following a number of rule-breaking Number 10 parties during lockdown.

The PM, Carrie, and the Chancellor all apologised in April after the Metropolitan Police handed them fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for the party in the Cabinet Room on June 19 2020.

In her recent report, senior civil servant Sue Gray also found boozy drinks parties were held at the heart of Government on April 16 2021, the eve of the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral - albeit not attended by the PM himself.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

The Prime Minister gave a reading of Philippians Chapter 4, verses 4-9 from the New Testament at the National Thanksgiving Service

Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson attend the National Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral

Boris and Carrie were joined by other politicians including Liz Truss and Prit Patel as they took their seats at St Paul's Cathedral

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie arrive for a service of thanksgiving for the reign of the Queen

Carrie teamed a Sandro dress with red pointed heels from Dune, and a white hat with a spray of red feathers from AJ Gretton Millinery

Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie were pictured arriving at St Paul's Cathedral for a memorial service for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

The PM wore a black jacket with a grey waistcoat, while Carrie opted for a red colour scheme, after stepping out in a vibrant pink outfit yesterday

Prime Minister Boris Johnson ahead of the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral

As part of their investigation into lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street and Whitehall, the Metropolitan Police deemed that coronavirus restrictions were breached ahead of the funeral.

However, the force did not specify which events led to fines being received.

At the time, socialising indoors with people from other households was not allowed and meeting others outdoors was limited to groups of six people or two households.

An increasing number of Tory MPs have publicly urged the Mr Johnson to stand down - although not all have revealed whether they have submitted letters to the 1922 Committee calling for a confidence vote to decide his future.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has told Tory MPs pushing for the Prime Minister to resign to 'forget it', that writing letters of no-confidence in Boris Johnson was a 'sideshow', and the party should be focused on 'real challenges that we have to find solutions to'.

This week, the Prime Minister again came under criticism from the standards watchdog after he refused to give his adviser on the rules for ministers the freedom to launch his own inquiries into potential breaches.

Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair and his wife Cherie, Sir John Major and other ex-prime ministers Gordon Brown, Theresa May and David Cameron, and their spouses were all spotted arriving at the service. Cabinet ministers Sajid Javid and Liz Truss are also present.

Soon after, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was pictured arriving with her husband, and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. Members of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force lined up on either side of the Great West Door.

The Queen is watching on television from Windsor Castle after she was forced to pull out last night.

Prince Charles is officially representing the 96-year-old monarch at the service in London this morning, which is also being attended by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for their first joint royal engagement in two years.

Boris Johnson's New Testament Reading in full Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. Advertisement

But the Queen will miss the event following a last-minute decision announced by Buckingham Palace at 7.30pm yesterday after she experienced 'discomfort' during Trooping The Colour events earlier in the day.

There will also be no appearance at St Paul's from Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus. The Queen will be watching the service from her Berkshire residence, and it will be broadcast nationally on BBC One.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have seats in the second row of the congregation, with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands, and Lady Sarah Chatto, the daughter of Princess Margaret, and her family.

Harry and Meghan are seated behind the Earl and Countess of Wessex who are in the front row with their children, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Viscount Severn, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Across the aisle, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, who have ornate chairs, have seats alongside them for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Tim Laurence.

Earlier, a member of the Royal Air Force in the military guard of honour lining the steps to St Paul's collapsed, but was able to get to his feet and was helped away.

Then, a second member of the military personnel also collapsed, but was also able to get to his feet and was helped away on foot, despite a stretcher being brought out.

The Queen is understood to have had episodic mobility issues yesterday  and, in a statement, Buckingham Palace revealed the Queen 'greatly enjoyed' her birthday parade and flypast but 'did experience some discomfort'.

It said: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.'

The order of service for today's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London which begins at 11.30am today

Former prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral today

Ex-prime minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today

Crowds gather before a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul's Cathedral in London today

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

It is understood the decision ahead of the service, which begins at 11.30am today, was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.

Senior members of the monarchy attending this morning also include the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who will be joined by the extended royal family.

Tributes will be paid to the Queen's '70 years of faithful and dedicated service' in front of 2,000 people including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Cabinet ministers, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and former prime ministers.

Public service is the theme at the heart of the religious event, with 400 people who are recipients of honours, including NHS and key workers who were recognised for their work during the pandemic, invited.

The Archbishop of York, the Most Rev Stephen Cottrell, will deliver the sermon to the congregation after stepping in at the 11th hour after the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, contracted Covid-19.

Hundreds of people gathered outside St Paul's, some wearing Union flag hats and others hanging flags and bunting over the railings on the approach to the cathedral - and many guests had their photographs taken outside the Great West Door, where members of the Royal family are also due to enter the cathedral for the event.
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Scientists are training rats to find earthquake survivors while wearing tiny backpacks with inbuilt microphones so rescue teams can locate and speak with them.

Research scientist Dr Donna Kean, 33, from Glasgow, has been working in Morogoro, Tanzania over the past year for non-profit organisation APOPO on the project titled 'Hero Rats'.

The team is constructing specialist backpacks with in-built microphones, video gear and location trackers able to be fitted on to rats to allow rescue teams to communicate with survivors during real earthquakes.

Currently, scientists are sending them into mock debris to simulate a rescue response to a natural disaster.

Scientists are training rats to find earthquake survivors while wearing tiny backpacks with inbuilt microphones so rescue teams can locate and speak with them

The rats will soon be sent to Turkey, where they will get the chance to work in the field, with search and rescue team GAE agreeing to trial the rat squad

Kean said: 'Rats would be able to get into small spaces to get to victims buried in rubble.

'We have not been in a real situation yet, we have got a mock debris site.'

The rodents are trained to respond to a beep, which calls them back to the base.

'When we get the new backpacks we will be able to hear from where we are based and where the rat is, inside the debris,' she said.

'We have the potential to speak to victims through the rat,' Kean added.

One of her colleagues, a seamstress, is making the backpacks.

So far seven rats have been trained, with the scientists needing only two weeks to get them up to speed.

The rats will soon be sent to Turkey, where they will get the chance to work in the field.

The country is prone to earthquakes, with search and rescue team GAE agreeing to trial the rat squad.

Dr Donna Kean is pictured with Jo the rat. Donna has been based in Morogoro, Tanzania, East Africa, for one year, working with non-profit organisation APOPO for the project 'Hero Rats'

Kean, who studied ecology at Strathclyde University before going on to do an MA at the University of Kent and a PhD at Stirling University, said she was originally interested in primate behaviour

'They are so agile, they are so good at moving through all kinds of different environments,' said Kean. 'They are perfect for search and rescue-type work. They can live off anything'

Venance Kiria, left, Jo the rat , and Dr Donna Kean, right, are pictured. The team is constructing specialist backpacks with in-built microphones, video gear and location trackers able to be fitted on to rats to allow rescue teams to communicate with survivors during real earthquakes

But the project is expanding, training rats for evermore complex tasks.

Problems the researchers believes trained rats can help with include landmine clearing, tuberculosis, and detection of brucellosis, an infectious disease which impacts livestock.

Rats are nimble and light enough that they are unlikely to set off a landmine.

Kean, who studied ecology at Strathclyde University before going on to do an MA at the University of Kent and a PhD at Stirling University, said she was originally interested in primate behaviour.

She said it is a misconception that rats are unhygienic, describing them as sociable creates which can be quickly trained to help save lives.

'They are so agile, they are so good at moving through all kinds of different environments,' said Kean. 'They are perfect for search and rescue-type work. They can live off anything.'

TAPOPO is the only organisation working with rats, with other groups focusing on training dogs.

Rats have an advantage over dogs due to their small size and flexibility.

'We hope it will save lives, the results are really promising,' she concluded.

So far seven rats have been trained, with the scientists needing only two weeks to get them up to speed

Food reward syringes are used to feed the rats about to be sent into earthquake zones
Sadiq Khan was this morning questioned about his time travelling abilities after he posted gushing praise of how the Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving had gone - 39 minutes before it took place.

Mr Khan - one of many dignitaries at the St Paul's ceremony - was accused of 'obvious insincerity' - over the now-deleted Twitter message at 10.51am.

The Thanksgiving Service starts at 11.30am, leaving Londoners scratching their heads as to how their Mayor could have foreknowledge of how it went.

His post - sent from his 3.2million-follower Mayor of London account - was not shared on his second identity on the site, which is just under his own name.

A source told Mailonline: 'The tweet was a genuine error and it has now been deleted.'

Mr Khan, 51, said on the platform just after 10.50am: 'It was an honour to attend the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's London today, where people from all faiths and none came together to celebrate the Queens reign.

'It highlighted not only the Queens deep faith, but also the many aspects of her varied and remarkable life.'

Followers of his Mayoral account reacted with horror at the mistake and questioned his sincerity.

Sadiq Khan attends the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral this morning

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and his wife Saadiya arrive for a service of thanksgiving today

The tweet in the past tense described the service but was sent 40 minutes before it happened

Reaction to it from his followers criticised the timing and even accused him of insincerity

One called Stephanie wrote 'Er. A bit premature?' while Iain referenced the Back to the Future time traveller when he quizzed 'Are you Marty McFly?'.

Others were less charitable, with Tony fuming 'Past tense? It hasnt started yet. The obvious insincerity of a mis-posted message speaks volumes about you.'

Morris raged: 'Oh was it really? I understand the service itself starts at 11.30 and your Tweet appeared on my timeline at 10.51. ARE YOU TELLING A BLATANT LIE?'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen arriving at St Paul's Cathedral for the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen, who is watching on television from Windsor Castle after she was forced to pull out last night.

Prince Charles is officially representing the 96-year-old monarch at the service in London this morning, which is also being attended by Harry and Meghan for their first joint royal engagement in more than two years.

But the Queen will miss the event following a last-minute decision announced by Buckingham Palace at 7.30pm yesterday after she experienced 'discomfort' during Trooping The Colour events earlier in the day.

There will also be no appearance at St Paul's from Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus.

The Queen will be watching the service from her Berkshire residence, and it will be broadcast nationally on BBC One.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

The Queens granddaughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall attend the thanksgiving service at St Paul's today

Prince Charles and Camilla arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

Political guests arrived ahead of the royals, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie, former prime minister Sir Tony Blair and his wife Cherie, Sir John Major and other ex-prime ministers Gordon Brown, Theresa May and David Cameron, and their spouses. Cabinet ministers Sajid Javid and Liz Truss were also there.

Soon after, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon arrived with her husband, and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. Members of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force lined up on either side of the Great West Door.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had seats in the second row of the congregation, with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands, and Lady Sarah Chatto, the daughter of Princess Margaret, and her family.

Harry and Meghan were seated behind the Earl and Countess of Wessex who are in the front row with their children, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Viscount Severn, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Across the aisle, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, who have ornate chairs, had seats alongside them for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Tim Laurence.
A man who was allegedly lured to his ex-lover's house, bound with cable ties, and threatened with a knife said he feared he was going to be sold into the sex trade.

The victim was allegedly lured to the home of Eli James Seymour Robinson in Oaklands Park, Adelaide in October, 2020 by his ex-girlfriend Sarah Jane Powell, 22.

Once there he was told to strip and was tied up before allegedly being told to hand over his bank details.

Co-accused Sarah Jane Powell (pictured), 22, allegedly lured the victim to the house where her new boyfriend, Joshua Ross Ecclestone Elmsly, 26, allegedly waited

'During the incident I felt that I was going to die or be sold into the sex trade,' the victim said in a statement at the Adelaide District Court on Thursday, reported The Advertiser.

'I felt humiliated and terrified, demoralisedI felt as if I were in a horror movie.

'I recently had an invite to a friend's birthday to go to and had to check with three friends before attending to make sure it was for real and not another set up.'

Mr Elmsly (pictured) has pleaded not guilty to his alleged involvement in the abduction of the victim

Robinson has pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, claiming he was bribed with drugs to participate in the ordeal.

The co-accused Powell, 22, allegedly lured the victim to the house where her new boyfriend, Joshua Ross Ecclestone Elmsly, 26, was allegedly waiting.

Powell has pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including a charge of detaining a person to commit an indictable offence and theft, and will be sentenced later in the month.

Other co-accused, Mr Elmsly, will face his trial in September after he pleaded not guilty to his alleged part in the abduction.

It has been alleged that around $2,400 was transferred from the victim's bank account to Mr Elmsly's.

Mr Elmsly allegedly found out the victim had gold in a safe at his home.

The victim said he would call his mother to drop the key off to the safe, meanwhile Mr Elmsly allegedly threatened to stab him.

The victim's mother and stepfather had called police who then arrested Robinson when he went out for the key.

The lawyer for Robinson said the accused had shown kindness for the victim in offering him a glass of water, and had no idea what Powell and Mr Elmsly were planning on doing.

Robinson will be sentenced later in the month.

Mr Elmsly will face trial in September.
CWU secretary said: 'Our members do not want to be in this situation'

Post Office workers are to go on strike over the jubilee weekend in a dispute over pay - promising a mounting hell for Londoners facing a Tube strike on Monday.

Members of the Communication Workers Union at Crown Post Offices - the larger branches often sited on high streets - will walk out on Saturday and in administration and supply chain networks on Monday.

The strikes follow industrial action earlier this month.

The union said Post Office management is insisting on a pay freeze for 2021-22 and a 'marginally improved' pay offer for 2022.

CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey said: 'Our members do not want to be in this situation, but they won't accept humiliation either.

'Our members worked hard to deliver an excellent annual profit for the company - affordability isn't management's problem here.

'Frankly, their degrading excuse for an offer has only hardened members, who won't tolerate a collapse in their living standards.

'We thank the public for their understanding and support, and we urge Post Office to get round the table and thrash out a real settlement that treats key worker heroes with the respect they deserve.'

Post Office workers are to go on strike over the jubilee weekend in a dispute over pay

News there could be strikes on the first day of the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend prompted fury

Around 3,500 union members are involved in the dispute.

A Post Office spokesperson said: 'We want to assure our customers that the vast majority of our branches are unaffected by CWU strike action on Saturday.

'There are 114 branches, typically in city centres, that are directly managed by Post Office.

'Over two thirds would normally only be open between 9am and 12.30pm on a Saturday. We apologise to any customers who are inconvenienced by a closure.'

On Wednesday union leaders demanded face-to-face talks with London Mayor Sadiq Khan in a bid to avert a 24-hour Tube strike.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union are set to walk out on Monday, threatening travel chaos immediately after the Jubilee weekend.

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch has demanded face-to-face chat with Mayor Sadiq Khan

The union is protesting over job cuts and a 'looming threat' to pensions.

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said: 'We are demanding a direct face to face meeting with Mayor Sadiq Khan to sort this mess out.

'There's no point in our union continuing to sit opposite management representatives who have neither the inclination nor the authority to negotiate a settlement, when the power lies with the Mayor.

'The Mayor of London has tax-raising powers. Just four banks made a profit of 34bn last year and are set to pay out over 4bn in bonuses to London traders. A windfall tax on those profits would more than adequately fund London's transport network.

'Mayor Khan must choose either the take on the Tory government and demand a just funding deal for Londoners or attack loyal Tube workers who keep the capital moving day in day out.'

Members of the RMT union are set to walk out for 24 hours on Monday, June 9.

Workers will also be taking part in 'action short of a strike' across next month, including Queen's Platinum Jubilee this weekend.

The action, over pensions, jobs and conditions, could see station staff refuse to work overtime or rest days from Friday June 3 to Sunday July 10.

TfL chiefs have warned some services may be affected by this and say short-notice station closures are possible.
Eric Adams is standing by his controversial mask mandate on kids under five, as the summer fast approaches and the school year looms.

Speaking to reporters this week, the New York City mayor gave no timetable as to when the city will nix the controversial guidance, which affects students aged two to four in city public schools.

Adams agreed to lift the mask rule on April 4, when he did away with mandates for the rest of students, but canceled after cases began to increase again across the city.

Since then, the city has seen infection rates and cases plummet - and parents are slamming the former NYPD police captain for refusing to nix the guidance.

Mayor Eric Adams has revealed that he is standing by his controversial mask mandate on kids under five, as the summer fast approaches and the school year looms

Parents are demanding Adams and his health commission nix the stay on mask mandates for children under five

'I want to remove masks and see our babies faces as quickly as possible,' Adams, 61, said when pressed on the matter by The New York Post Wednesday,

'We are prepared, not panicked, as we move into the next phase of the pandemic,' the mayor told the paper.

'My team of health experts and I continue to evaluate the data, day after day, and we will continue to communicate with New Yorkers with additional updates.'

The age group is not eligible to receive a COVID vaccine and the World Health Organization has never recommended masking young children.

Adams has said the kids - whom are for the most part in preschool - are being forced to continue with the coverings because they are too young to be vaccinated.

Adams, meanwhile, has been pictured out and about without a mask, rubbing shoulders with public figures and celebrities, while the children are forced to persist with the Draconian rule - much to the frustration of parents.

Bronx mom Danielle Pollack, whose three-year-old daughter two-year-old son fall into the affected age group, told The Post that she is disappointed in the mayor's inaction, despite supporting him in last year's election.

'As a New York resident, I voted for Adams because his whole platform was that he would get things back to normal,' she said. 'Its just been really frustrating, because it seems like Mayor Adams is doing nothing about it, [and] wont even give a timeline.'

Meanwhile, the last day of classes, June 27, is rapidly approaching - putting further pressure on the former police captain to come to a decision.

Adams, seen here with anti-gun activist Andre T. Mitchell Thursday, has been pictured out and about without a mask, rubbing shoulders with public figures and celebrities, while the pre-school aged tikes are forced to persist with the guidance

Adams, who was sworn into office in January, has vowed to restore the city to its prepandemic state. However, as cases continued to fall, the mayor has failed to address the tot mandate

The city has seen infection rates and cases plummet after seeing a spike at the beginning of the year. Parents are slamming Adams for his inaction

'It feels like theres no movement at all from Mayor Adams or [Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin] Vasan,' Pollack told the paper. 'Theres been no update about what there will be in the summer, and as a parent its very frustrating, and it makes me question whether New York City is the right place to raise my family.'

'My daughters been in a mask the entire time shes been in school,' she went on to reveal. 'My son is going to be starting in the same school in the fall, and I never wouldve thought it would be a question of if he has to wear a mask.'

In a statement last month, Adams said he would be willing to lift the mandate only when 'the science says it is safe to do so' - despite studies showing kids under five are not at a serious risk to COVID, and the recent decrease in cases seen across the country.

'My team of health experts and I will continue to evaluate the data, day after day, and we will continue to communicate with New Yorkers with additional updates,' he said at the time - not commenting on the policy since.

Parents like Pollack are now asking to be briefed what exactly the city is doing in regards to that decision, as the school year comes to a close.

Adams was poised to lift the last restriction on toddlers on April 4, but chose to extend the order and sought an appeal against a judge to ruled the mandate 'unenforceable.' Adams (right, at the Met Gala on May 2) continues to party instead of meeting with parents

Tara Murphy, a mother and former preschool teacher in the West Village, says parents want a clear response from the city - instead of continuing to be ignored.

'The time is now - every little day counts,' Murphy told the last month, noting her four-year-old daughter 'will have no memory of preschool without a mask.'

'It has become clear that we are masking our children like they are dogs wearing muzzles,' she added. 'The only thing they seem to prevent is kids from biting one another.'

Part of the frustration stems from the fact that the toddlers are the only group facing the mask mandates in schools, as those 5 and up were free to remove their masks since April.

Last month, toddlers were allowed to remove their mask outdoors, including in public parks and field trips, but the masking in school restriction remains intact.

Adams was poised to lift the rule on April 4, but the mayor instead extended the order as COVID-19 cases saw a slight uptick in the city during its winter months, which tapered down almost immediately after he

Hundreds of parents rallied to call for the end to the toddler mask mandate. A large demonstration outside City Hall in March (pictured) appeared to put on the pressure to axe the restriction until Adams decided to keep it in place amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases

A state judge immediately struck down the indefinite mask rule, calling it 'arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable' and therefore 'void and unenforceable.'

Adams, however, successfully requested a stay on the mandate to pursue an appeal on the judge's ruling.

More than 200 parents infuriated parents have since sought answers from Adams, signing a letter in May demanding the mayor and his health commissioner, Ashwin Vasan, hold a sit-down with them to discuss the mandate.

Adams, however, has avoided any such meetings and has deflected questions from the press regarding the ongoing guidance - despite attending a plethora of social events maskless himself, including a party with Cara Delevingne at the new One Vanderbilt skyscraper, and a trip to see Sarah Jessica Parker and her husband Matthew Broderick appear in Broadway play Plaza Suite.

In the letter, parents demanded answers as to the mayor's plans on the mandate.

'We want to review the city's analysis of how the benefits of covering the faces of babies who are still in diapers outweighs the harms,' read the letter. 'We want to know why our young children continue to be masked even as every other resident of this city is given the option to unmask, regardless of vaccination status.'

The kids are still having to wear masks to preschool in New York despite a federal ruling that the coverings are not required on transport

And while Adams' partying and inaction only fueled parents ire, City Health Commissioner Vasan has also drawn backlash for backing the mayor's restriction policies and claiming in April that the toddler mask mandate will stay 'indefinitely.'

The comment caused more than 100 parents to protest outside City Hall while dozens of others held demonstrations outside Vasan's home where they allegedly hurled death threats at the health commissioner.

The clash over lingering mask mandates comes as New York City continues to see a a decrease in COVID -19 cases, after seeing a slight uptick in recent months.

The city's weeklong COVID case rate has tumbled every day for the past two weeks, dropping to its lowest level in more than a month, the governor's office said Tuesday. On Wednesday the city reported a new low of just under 2,700 cases a day.

The figure serves as the lowest amount of cases in the Big Apple since early April, when Adams went back on losing the mandate.

Meanwhile, Pfizer-BioNTech announced Wednesday it has asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize the use of its COVID-19 vaccine for young children under five - giving hope to parents and tots dealing with the restrictions.

Pfizer is recommending two doses be given to the ignored age group, administered three weeks apart. Those shots would be just three micrograms each - one-tenth the dose given to adults.

Its advisory group, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, is already scheduled to meet on June 15 to offer guidance on pediatric doses - and if the group recommends the use of the vaccine on the young children, the FDA could clear the way for doses within a few days.

The FDA will now consider both requests, NBC News reports, and will review the applicable data. It could grant the emergency authorization later this month.

However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would still need to sign off on the doses before they could be administered.

The White House's chief Covid coordinator said Thursday that the jabs for the kids could be available as early June 21 if applications for the shots are approved by regulators in the coming weeks.

COVID cases, meanwhile, remain mild in young children.

Multiple studies have shown young children are not at serious risk from Covid-19.

Data from from American Academy of Pediatrics shows children accounted for about 19 percent of all COVID cases, but less than 0.26% of cases resulted in death.

A study from October found that around half of pediatric Covid cases are asymptomatic, and that was before the more mild Omicron variant became dominant in the U.S.

Hospitalizations of pediatric COVID patients are also rare.

A study in February, found the Pfizer vaccine was only 12% effective at preventing Omicron in five- to 11- year-olds.

The main argument in favor of vaccinating children is to prevent them from spreading the virus but researchers from University of Berlin found, on average, children release less Covid particles into the air.

Experts believe people who release lower amounts of aerosol particles when speaking have smaller viral loads, which also means they do not spread the virus at the same level.
Thai police believe a Russian model who plunged 80ft to her death from an apartment in Phuket may have been pushed after they discovered a clump of hair in her hand.

Webcam performer Evgenia Smirnova, 37, suffered fatal head injuries and a broken leg after a fall from an eighth-floor balcony at one of the Patong resort's residential complexes.

The Russian woman is known to have operated multiple social media accounts under different names and regularly live-streamed on an adult site until shortly before her death.

Local authorities are now carrying out a forensic analysis of the hair sample that was clasped in Smirnova's hand to identify whom she may have grabbed onto as she fell.

Russian citizen Evgenia Smirnova, 37, who died after falling from balcony in Phuket

The webcam model suffered fatal head injuries and a broken leg after a fall from an eighth-floor balcony at one of the Patong resort's residential complexes

Smirnova is known to have operated multiple social media accounts under different names and regularly live-streamed on an adult site until shortly before her death

Smirnova was originally from Nizhny Novgorod, but moved to the Russian capital Moscow as an adult.

She arrived in Phuket on Saturday May 25, while her body was found earlier this week in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

In the wake of the incident in the infamous Patong nightlife zone, another Russian woman Natalia Kosenkova, 35, was detained along with two men apparently on suspicion of drugs use, according to the Bangkok Post.

The detainees were named as American Jamaal Antwaun Smith, 38, and Jordanian Ahmad Radi Mustafa Alatoom, 28.

The Jordanian was held after seeking to board a flight out of Thailand following Smirnova's death.

Reports citing police said there was evidence of a 'sex, drugs and alcohol party' at the Emerald Terrace condominium complex in Patong from which Smirnova fell.

Kosenkova, a model and DJ who also worked as a dental assistant, claimed today she had been released, and said Smirnova's death was an 'unfortunate incident' but did not give further details.

'The case is not complicated because we are not guilty,' she said, adding her lawyer had instructed her not to talk in detail about the case.

'The only thing I can say is that this was an unfortunate incident, but it was not a murder, and none of the people involved are to blame.'

She said: 'We were held in a cage, but they let us go.'

Natalia Kosenkova, 35, also a Russian citizen, was an eyewitness of Evgenia Smirnova's tragic fall

Kosenkova (pictured) a model and DJ who also worked as a dental assistant, claimed today she had been released, and said Smirnova's death was an 'unfortunate incident' but did not give further details

Kosenkova said she had only met fellow Russian Smirnova on the night of the incident.

And she denied reports in the Thai media that the party involved sex and drugs, amid claims that condom wrappers and cannabis had been found by police.

'I didn't know Evgenia until that evening.

'I didn't know the girl, she just came to the party where we were.

'And she called her friend [Ahmad Radi Mustafa Alatoom], who came, too, and behaved inappropriately.

'I can say that me and my friend [Jamaal Antwaun Smith], who I have known for a long time, behaved with dignity and decency.

'The police trust us. The police say they are not worried about us.'

The incident took place in the infamous Patong resort in Phuket, Thailand, which is known for its red-light district (file photo)

She added: 'I am just a tourist here I'm an ordinary tourist.

'It was a regular boozefest - someone dies here every day.'

Thai reports citing Police Major General Sermphan Sirikhon said his officers are looking at three theories - an unfortunate accident, suicide or murder.

Earlier Police Lieutenant Colonel Chomphunuch Anantayakun had said: 'We believe that the woman might have accidentally fallen from the balcony while looking out at the view.

'However, it could be a homicide resulting from an argument.

'We are in the process of interrogating the people involved.

'The hair in the woman's hand will go through DNA testing to find who it belonged to.'
Tony Blair's old private school Fettes College has paid out 400,000 to a former pupil who claimed he was beaten and sexually abused by a teacher.

The school was sued by a man, known as Frank, who gave evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry.

It settled damages out of court, in the first known legal victory against the prestigious Edinburgh school where boarding fees can reach 36,500.

Some 20 former pupils have raised actions for damages with more than a dozen naming the same former master and payments could total more than 15 million.

Frank claims he was 'beaten and sexually abused' from the age of 12 by an former-maths teacher now living in South Africa, known as Edgar.

Former pupil Frank attended Fettes Junior School and Fettes College as a day student between 1975 and 1981 and says abuse happened in the classroom.

Fettes College in Edinburgh, Scotland, has paid out 400,000 to a former pupil who claimed he was beaten and sexually abused by a teacher

Frank, now 67, raised a personal damages action reportedly for 1 million at the Court of Session against the Governors of the Fettes Trust which manages the school.

His claim has now been settled out of court while the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) attempt to extradite the teacher at the centre of the claims from South Africa.

Frank said: 'It has never been about the money.

'Fettes had the opportunity back in 2005 to do the right thing but they tried to bury things rather than do right by the pupils who were in their care..'

It is claimed that Edgar, who was married, singled Frank out as he showed signs of starting puberty earlier than other children.

The alleged attacks started with Frank being grabbed by the hair as he sat at his desk then having his neck whipped back.

The violence allegedly escalated and became sexual assaults.

Frank claimed: 'He'd molest me while I stood at his desk as he marked my class work and one day when I was kept back at end of class he pinned me against a door frame and assaulted me.

'It was terrifying and I was frozen - I could even hear people walk past outside.

'At that time teachers had a supreme authority - it was like a totalitarian right-wing command structure where pupils were expected to obey regardless..'

Frank and his mother reported their allegations to the school and Edgar was sent on a one month sabbatical then reinstated.

The college counts former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair among its alumni

During the decades that followed Frank suffered from PTSD, flashbacks and depression.

He left Fettes with poor qualifications which impacted his ability to secure a career.

In the mid-2000s Frank reported his claims to the school and Police Scotland but no action was taken.

He is one of a number of the former pupils who say they were the victims of physical and sexual assaults at Edgar's hands.

The COPFS initially refused to extradite Edgar citing a time-bar on certain historic abuse crimes, the age of the accused and delays to the extradition process being exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It later reversed that decision and extradition procedures are now under way.

The allegations against Edgar were first publicly aired at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry last November.

It heard that Fettes College sent Edgar to be treated at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and he returned to the school for a further three-and-a-half years.

The accusations were not reported to police by then headmaster Anthony Chenevix-Trench.

A witness, named only as Michael, who was the headmaster of Fettes Junior School at the time, said the alleged abuse came to light when Frank told his mother that Edgar had touched him in spring 1975.

He told the inquiry: 'Edgar did not deny he had touched that boy. In my view Edgar admitted his offence, he never said that he did not do it.'

Fettes College is a private coeducational independent boarding and day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, with over two-thirds of its pupils in residence on campus

Edgar later returned to the school and continued teaching for three-and-a-half years until more allegations followed in 1979 along with similar claims in South Africa dating from the late 60s.

Fresh allegations followed and Edgar was sacked - but given a glowing reference by Mr Chenevix-Trench who described his as 'definitely a thoroughbred'.

The reference also stated that Edgar 'came out of a good stable' and was 'a good games player'.

Frank hopes his case will prompt further legal actions and see the report of all abuse concerns to the police made mandatory.

He added: 'I know I am not the only survivor of abuse at Fettes and I don't believe my attacker was the only teacher.

'Many children were beaten - some until they were unconscious - and sexually abused and I would urge anyone to come forward as the shame is not yours.

'It's about time the door was closed on organisations being able to quietly investigate allegations of abuse quietly 'in house'.

'A mandatory requirement to report all abuse concerns to the police is the only way to detect predators and bring them to justice.'

Kim Leslie, Partner at Digby Brown Solicitors, said: 'Frank's strength in speaking out is matched only by his strength in taking those responsible to court.

'Many abuse cases have been raised against Fettes but I believe Frank's victory is the first that's publicly known to be successful.

'I hope survivors may take hope from this result as they consider their own route to justice to get the damages and recognition they deserve.'

Fettes also counts actor Tilda Swinton, a string of high court judges, UK Government cabinet ministers and captains of industry among its alumni.

In a statement to the SCAI, Fettes made a 'full and unreserved apology'.

It said: 'While words of apology may have limited worth, we fully accept and recognise in the past there was sexual, physical and emotional abuse of pupils while at Fettes College.'
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At least four people are dead and dozens more injured after a train carrying 'many' schoolchildren derailed in the German Alps today.

The train was heading north from the Alps to Munich around 12.15pm when several carriages rolled off the tracks and overturned at Burgrain, near the resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Four people have been killed while 60 more have been injured including at least 16 who are in a serious condition, police have said.

'Many school-children' are said to have been on the train, according to local newspaper Bild, who were making a getaway for the holidays after final classes today.

At least four people are dead and dozens more have been hurt, 16 of them seriously, after a train derailed in the German Alps

Survivors of the train crash scramble to safety after at least four carriages derailed and rolled down a grass bank

At least 60 people have been injured in the accident, including 16 who are in 'serious' condition, police have said (pictured, rescue crews help evacuate a wounded person on a stretcher)

The train was on the way from southern Germany to Munich when it came off the train around 3.30pm, causing four of the carriages to roll over

'Many school-children' were said to be on board the train, heading away for the holidays after a final day of classes today

'All age groups' are among the injured, police told local news site BR24, with 'people being pulled through windows' to safety.

It was not immediately clear exactly how many people were on the train at the time of the crash or what caused the crash to happen.

Six rescue helicopters have been scrambled to the scene in addition to dozens of ambulances, fire engines, cranes, and other rescue vehicles.

The line between Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Oberau, north of the accident site, has been closed while the rescue is carried out.

Pictures on social media showed carriages of a double-decker regional train stuck between tree branches and rolled down an embankment, as well as people being carried away on stretchers and standing around on the tracks.

A major emergency services operation was still under way, police said, and the rail line was currently completely closed.

Regional trains have seen higher passenger numbers since June 1, when a ticket allowing Germany-wide travel came into effect.

One train carriage lays on its side and another sits up off the rails after an accident in southern Germany on Friday

Six helicopters have been sent to the scene along with dozens of ambulances, fire engines, at least one crane and other pieces of rescue equipment

People of 'all ages' are among the victims of the crash, police said, with people being 'pulled through the windows' to safety (pictured)

At least four train cars rolled over as they left the track and slid down an embankment, though it is not clear what exactly cause them to derail

Dozens of fire engines, a crane and ambulances fill the road next to the accident site as a major rescue operation takes place

The accident happened just north of the resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the German Alps, on Friday

Popular mountain resort Garmisch-Partenkirchen and its surrounding regions are gearing up to host the G7 summit of world leaders later this month.

From June 26-28, the heads of state and government including US President Joe Biden are due to meet at Schloss Elmau - about 11 kilometres (seven miles) from Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Police and soldiers who had been deployed to prepare and secure the site ahead of the summit have now also been diverted to help in the rescue operation.

Three helicopters from Austria's Tyrol region have been scrambled to the scene to provide first aid, according to media reports.

Germany's deadliest rail accident happened in 1998 when a high-speed train operated by state-owned Deutsche Bahn derailed in Eschede in Lower Saxony, killing 101 people.

The most recent fatal crash took place on February 14, 2022, when one person was killed and 14 others injured in a collision between two local trains near Munich.

In 2017, a collision between a passenger train and a stationary freight train near the western city of Duesseldorf injured 41 people.

Fire engines, a crane and other emergency vehicles sit beside the wreckage of a train which derailed in Germany today

Rescuers search overturned carriages for survivors and victims after a train derailed in the German Alps today
Sharon Osbourne said that Prince Harry 'must regret what he did' after he and Meghan Markle were separated from the rest of the Royal family and even booed as they left St. Paul's Cathedral in London amid celebrations marking Queen Elizabeth II's 70-year reign.

The pair were among the attendees at the Service for Thanksgiving for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Following the service, the couple did not attend the official function and were seen and heard leaving the cathedral to a chorus of boos from the crowd.

It was a rare high-profile appearance for the couple in the UK, since they announced their intention to step back from royal duties in 2020.

The couple also sat down for an infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey, and sought to capitalize on their celebrity by signing major deals with streaming giants Spotify and Netflix.

Osbourne, 69, joined the Fox News Channel's coverage of the celebrations alongside Piers Morgan and Fox News hosts Ainsley Earhardt and Martha MacCallum.

The former 'The Talk' co-host told Fox News: 'The Royal Family has always been like a Shakespearean play for me. I have to tell you when I saw them earlier on - I felt sorry for them. And the way that they were parted from the family.'

Sharon Osbourne said in her Fox News appearance that Harry 'must regret' leaving the Royal Family

Kate and William were seen talking to Prince Charles and Camilla inside the cathedral, but Harry and Meghan were seated in a different section with cousins and behind his aunt and uncle.

Osbourne, a London-native, said that her mother was a huge fan of the Royal Family throughout her life.

'I do feel sorry for him [Prince Harry] because I think that there must be a huge part of him that regrets,' she said in reference to Meghan and Harry's outspoken criticism of the Royal family and their very public split.

In that bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, Markle made a series of claims, including that an unnamed member of the Royal family was concerned over the skin tone of their yet unborn child, Archie.

'I mean, can you imagine how he felt yesterday with the whole family in that procession and he would have normally been there on one of those horses with his uniform and everything,' Osbourne said in reference to the June 2nd Trooping of the Color procession.

Prince William's wife, Duchess of Cornwall Kate Middleton, joined her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, in the procession that began the Queen's jubilee celebrations.

It was followed by the family joining the Queen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as members of the Royal Air Force did a fly past. Harry and Meghan were not invited to the balcony.

Osbourne thought that was particularly striking, because Prince Harry must have been thinking: 'My children are not going to grow up with their cousins. It's got to have an effect on you when they don't have any cousins, aunts, uncles.'

Osbourne expressed the opinion that: 'The Royal Family has always been like a Shakespearean play for me'

Osbourne, a London-native, said that her mother was a huge fan of the Royal Family throughout her life

Osbourne and Morgan also discussed how they both lost their jobs in the wake of Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview.

Morgan walked away from his hosting job on 'Good Morning, Britain, following his criticism of the interview while Osbourne was unceremoniously dropped from 'The Talk' after she defended Morgan.

Morgan joked: 'Sharon was on a show called 'The Talk and when she talked, she got fired!'

Osbourne said that in the wake of her firing and allegations that she was a racist, she had been seeing a therapist and getting mental help.

During Osbourne's appearance on Fox News, her and Morgan discussed how they both lost their jobs in the wake of Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview

Osbourne said that losing her job on 'The Talk' was 'life-changing'

Osbourne said that it was 'life-changing.'

'I'm not a victim but it was very hard on my family,' she said.

Morgan chimed in: 'It's disgusting what happened to you. I'll take the blame but Sharon is a good friend, we go back a long way.'

Osbourne reiterated that her criticisms of Markle had nothing to do with her background, it was just about her actions.

Morgan brought up one of Markle's claims during the couple's Oprah interview in which she said that she married the prince in a secret ceremony officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury a few days before their official ceremony.

Markle said in the interview: 'You know, three days before our wedding, we got married. No one knows that. The vows that we have framed in our room are just the two of us in our backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury.'

A few days after the interview aired, a spokesperson for the couple conceded that the pair had merely exchanged 'personal vows' that did not constitute a marriage.

Morgan said: 'You know that secret wedding? That was completely untrue. She just says all of this stuff.'

Osbourne also expressed her 'shock' that Johnny Depp won his legal battle with former wife Amber Heard

Morgan compared Markle's comments in the couple's interview with Oprah Winfrey, to some of Amber Heard's recent testimony in her legal battle with Johnny Depp.

During the defamation trial, Heard said that she never fulfilled her pledge to donate $7 million to charity because Depp filed a lawsuit against her.

Morgan argued that these remarks undermined both Markle and Heard's credibility with the public.

Osbourne admitted that she is friends with Depp and said that: 'I was surprised that he actually won. I was. I mean, I'm happy he won but I was shocked.'

Osbourne said that she was surprised that the jury didn't side with Heard as she had been so emotional during the trial

She said that she assumed that because Heard was so emotional during the trial, the jury would side with the actress.

Osbourne said the couple's marriage was 'very volatile. Listen, I've been through it. I know that behavior. It was ugly. The whole thing was very ugly.'

On June 1, a jury in Fairfax County, Virginia, awarded Depp more than $10 million in damages after the judgement was capped by the judge.

Both Morgan and Osbourne are back on TV as hosts on separate shows on the recently launched British station, TalkTV.

Morgan said: 'My message to Meghan is nice try, we are back. Meanwhile, they are being booed this morning outside of some cathedral.'

In another section of the interview, Osbourne expressed her admiration for Prince Charles saying that heir-to-the-throne has 'had a really hard time.'

Osbourne said: 'People always go back to Diana and all of that but that was a Shakespearean tragedy. You could not write that story. He does not get the respect that he deserves.'
Mikhail Baryshnikov, one of the world's most famous ballet dancers who defected from the Soviet Union to the West in 1976, said true Russian values will live on in spite of Putin

Mikhail Baryshnikov, the ballet dancer who defected from the Soviet Union to the West, has said Putin's Russia 'will die from its fears' in an open letter to the president.

The dancer and artistic director slammed the Russian's 'world of fear' and said true Russian values will live on 'despite all your bans'.

'People like us brought more honour to the Russian world than all your not-very-precise precision-guided munitions,' the iconic dancer, who famously defected to Canada in 1974, said in the letter.

'Your Russian world, the world of fear, the world in which they burn Ukrainian textbooks, will not live on as long as there are people like us - the true Russians immunised against this plague in our childhood,' he added.

'And our world will live on despite all your bans,' said 74-year-old Baryshnikov, who was born in Latvia to Russian parents.

Baryshnikov, one of the world's most famous contemporary dancers, was granted citizenship for extraordinary merits by Latvia in 2017.

Mikhail Baryshnikov wrote an open letter to Putin, saying: 'People like us brought more honour to the Russian world than all your not-very-precise precision-guided munitions'. Baryshnikov in March launched a fundraising charity in support of Ukraine called 'True Russia', the website is blocked in Russia

The dancer and TV star wrote to Putin: 'Your Russian world, the world of fear, the world in which they burn Ukrainian textbooks, will not live on as long as there are people like us - the true Russians immunised against this plague in our childhood'

Speaking of his upbringing in Latvia, then part of the Soviet Union, he wrote: 'As before, when in my childhood your thin-necked predecessors assigned me, the son of a Russian officer in Latvia, the role of an occupier, it did not stick.

'I learned Latvian, and since the age of 26, having forever rejected the roles assigned by your teachers, I have been living as a person of the free world for almost half a century!'

Along with detective fiction writer Boris Akunin and prominent economist Sergei Guriev, Baryshnikov in March launched a fundraising charity in support of Ukraine called 'True Russia'.

Baryshnikov posted the letter after Moscow blocked the website of True Russia last month.

The project has already fund-raised more than 1.2 million euros.

Baryshnikov was 26 in 1976, when he finished a performance with the Leningrad-based Kirov Ballet in Toronto, evaded his KGB handlers, and disappeared into the crowd outside.

The dancer had secretly arranged the defection through friends, running to a getaway car outside the theatre.

Baryshnikov was 26 in 1976, when he finished a performance with the Leningrad-based Kirov Ballet in Toronto, evaded his KGB handlers, and disappeared into the crowd outside.

Baryshnikov, right, is pictured in action with Patricia McBride. The dancer maintained that his defection was an artistic choice, not a political one

He hid from publicity until he was officially granted political asylum in Canada, later receiving asylum from the US.

'Fans are waiting for me outside the stage door, and I walk out and I start to run, and they start to run after me for autograph,' he told People's Magazine. 'They were laughing, I was running for my life. It was very emotional moment, I tell you.'

The dancer maintained that his defection was an artistic choice, not a political one.

'When I was in Toronto, I finally decided that if I let the opportunity of expanding my art in the West slip by, it would haunt me always,' he said.

After dancing with the American Ballet Theatre, he joined the New York City Ballet as a principal dancer, where he later became artistic director.

He starred in several films, and landed a recurring roles in the final season of Sex in the City.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were met by a mixture of boos and cheers on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral as they attended a thanksgiving service for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee today.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were reunited with the royal family at the service - though they were kept apart from Prince William, Kate, Prince Charles and Camilla.

It was their first joint official Royal engagement since they quit the Royal family and the first time they have been greeted by the British public.

Their arrival caused a stir, with audio from the two live video feeds of the service at St Paul's showing boos mixed with cheers from members of the public gathered outside.

Sky's Kay Burley said she wasn't sure if there were 'more cheers or more jeers' while MailOnline's man on the ground reported both cheers and whistles.

However, AFP video of the couple leaving the service carried some audible boos alongside more supportive noises.

Others noted that the cheering for Prince William and Kate was 'the biggest of the day by some margin'.

Royal correspondent Richard Palmer noted: 'There was a loud reaction from the crowd to the arrival of Harry and Meghan: a mix of boos and cheers.

'Our correspondent outside says what sounded like a mixed reaction had turned into a clear cheer by the time the Sussexes had reached the top of the steps.'

ITV Royal Editor Chris Ship, who was outside St Paul's, suggested the crowd's reaction was 'majority cheers with some booing'.

Sky News commentator Rhiannon Mills, also at the scene, said: 'We were debating how many boos, how many cheers but I think also when you compared it to later arrivals there was a mixed reaction to them.

'Despite the fact they have stressed they have a huge amount of respect for the Queen, they are still in contact with her, the Queen has constantly stressed they are much loved members of the family, the assemble crowd clearly had mixed feelings about them being here.'

One royal fan said: 'I'm not sure what all the fake news is about. Prince Harry and Meghan got a mix of boos and cheers at St Paul's Cathedral. It wasn't an extreme of either side.'

Journalists outside St Paul's from Reuters and the Associated Press also reported a mix of cheers and jeers.

The mixed reaction to Harry and Meghan was mirrored in comments by members of the crowd outside St Paul's Cathedral.

Communications cellphone worker Natalie Mahoney, 32, from Stoke, told MailOnline: 'I am glad they showed up.

'They are outsiders as far as most people are concerned, but family is family. They did a good thing by coming here today.

'They have shown respect to the Queen and that is what matters most.'

AFP video of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leaving St Paul's Cathedral showed audible boos mixed in with cheering

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave St Paul's Cathedral after the Service of Thanksgiving for the Platinum Jubilee today

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London this morning

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex walk into St Paul's Cathedral in London for the service of thanksgiving this morning

Prince Harry and Meghan arrive to attend a Service of Thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II this morning

Prince Harry and Princess Beatrice smile ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the Queen this morning

But Christopher Matthews, 56, a retired engineer from Knutsford, Cheshire, said: ' I believe they came here to suit their own purposes. And that is to be part of the Royal household when they prefer.

'Aren't they meant to be making a documentary? I am sure they won't be able to resist talking about it.

'They could have done a lot of damage to the Royal family by their decision to opt out, but thankfully her Majesty skilfully kept everything together.'

Asked if The Queen would have preferred the couple not to come, he said: 'Never complain, never explain is her way. Only she knows. But Harry and Meghan will never be seen the same.'

Mel Quash from Cheshunt, added: 'Family is family no matter what. So it's good to see them here.

'There has been a lot of unfair things said about them and people don't really know them.

'Harry and Meghan have taken part in an historic day and shown they are still part of the Royal Family even though they live in America.'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were at St Paul's Cathedral for the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, but were stage-managed by royal aides to sit on the other side of the aisle to William and Kate.

Buckingham Palace officials took great care in trying to avoid a repeat of the frosty scenes when the Sussexes and Cambridges sat near each other and left together at their last joint event in March 2020 at Westminster Abbey.

And aides would have been delighted that today's service in front of 2,000 special guests passed without any such incident or negative 'optics' given the attempts to ensure today was about the Queen and her 70-year reign.

Kate and William chatted to Prince Charles and Camilla inside the cathedral, but there was no sign of the same rapport with Harry and Meghan who sat in between Lady Sarah Chatto and Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank, and were under strict instructions to keep a low profile during the event.

Harry and William have had a long-standing feud, while Harry has accused his father Charles of cutting him off financially and Meghan claimed an unnamed royal made a comment about Archie's skin tone before he was born  with the Sussexes having a war of words with the Palace following last year's bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview.

Today, Charles officially represented the absent 96-year-old monarch at the service in London which began at 11.30am. The Queen missed the historic event following a last-minute decision announced by Buckingham Palace at 7.30pm yesterday after she experienced 'discomfort' during Trooping The Colour events earlier in the day.

There was also no appearance at St Paul's by Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week. The Queen watched the service from her residence of Windsor Castle, and it was broadcast on BBC One.

Harry and Megan walked down the aisle of St Paul's hand-in-hand after the service, joined by other members of the royal family and following Charles and Camilla and William and Kate - but did not appear with them outside.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (left) and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (right) outside St Paul's Cathedral today

Prince Charles and Camilla speak with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after arriving at St Paul's Cathedral today

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (left, circled) sit across the aisle from the Sussexes (right, circled) at St Paul's today

Prince Charles and Camilla lead the royal departures from St Paul's Cathedral after the service this afternoon

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave after attending the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral today

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall outside the Service of Thanksgiving for the reign of the Queen today

The Sussexes turned to talk to Lady Sarah Chatto, who had been sat next to Meghan, and her husband Daniel Chatto. Senior clerics waited to bid the congregation goodbye and Meghan shared a joke with the Archbishop of York and touched Harry's arm as he joined the conversation. The trio then laughed before the Sussexes moved on.

Members of the crowd outside St Paul's sang the National Anthem while they waited for the Royal Family to leave at the end, before Charles and Camilla were the first to walk out as the bells began to toll at the end of the service.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge followed, with Kate waving cheerily to the crowds while chatting to her husband. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex left holding hands and were seen chatting to Zara Tindall and her husband Mike. Both Harry and Meghan shook hands with the Lord Mayor before getting into a car.

The Sussexes are not expected to attend a reception at the nearby Guildhall which featured a series of other Royal Family members and senior politicians including Prime Minster Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall arrived at the reception and were greeted by the former lord mayor Sir David Wootton and Colonel Simon Duckworth. They were then followed by William and Kate.

Other royals attending include the Earl and Countess of Wessex, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands. The Wessexes arrived with their children Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Viscount Severn.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid and former prime minister Theresa May were also among the attendees enjoying refreshments at the reception. Canapes at the Guildhall event include smoked Norfolk duck breast, smoked salmon and dill, beetroot shortbread and cocktail sausages.

There were a range of dishes from the buffet - among them coronation chicken with grapes and rice salad. A selection of drinks such as English sparkling wine and wines from Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, as well as some non-alcoholic beverages including a cranberry bellini were on offer.
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Worn and wielded by Her Majesty on dozens of occasions throughout her reign, the Crown Jewels have a central place in the history of the English Royal Family.

Dating back to the 17th-century, the collection of jewels - which include more than 23,000 diamonds, sapphires and rubies - can only be viewed by the public from behind toughened glass at the Tower of London.

But now, a new BBC documentary which airs tonight is set to reveal the jewels in the most detail that they have ever been seen by ordinary people.

The programme, fronted by presenter Clive Myrie, was given permission to film the jewels using ultra-high quality cameras.

One stunning clip shows the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross - one of two that have been used at coronations since the restoration of the monarchy in 1661. Her Majesty wielded it at her own Coronation in 1953.

It boasts the world's clear cut white diamond, which weighs nearly four ounces (106 carats).

Also covered in the programme is the Imperial State Crown - worn once a year by the Queen at the State Opening of Parliament - and St Edward's Crown, which Her Majesty has only worn once - at her Coronation.

Possibly the most controversial jewel in the collection is the 108-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond, which is set in the Crown of the Queen Mother.

The gem, which came into British hands during the colonial era, is the subject of a historic ownership dispute and has been claimed by at least four countries, including India.

Worn and wielded by Her Majesty on dozens of occasions throughout her reign, the Crown Jewels have a central place in the history of the English Royal Family. Above: The Imperial State Crown. A new BBC documentary is set to reveal the jewels in the most detail that they have ever been seen by ordinary people

One stunning clip shows the Sovereign's Sceptre with Dove - one of two that have been used at coronations since the restoration of the monarchy in 1661. Her Majesty wielded it at her own Coronation in 1953

Possibly the most controversial jewel in the collection is the 108-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond, which is set in the Crown of the Queen Mother. The gem, which came into British hands during the colonial era, is the subject of a historic ownership dispute and has been claimed by at least four countries, including India

Her Majesty is seen at her Coronation holding the Orb and Sceptre with Cross and wearing St Edward's CrownSeen in the background is her smiling husband Prince Philip

There are nearly 3,000 precious stones in the Imperial State Crown, including sapphires, emeralds and rubies.

The crown was made for Queen Victoria in 1838. It contains more than 3,000 precious stones, including 2,700 diamonds.

The most historically significant stones in it include the Sapphire of Edward the Confessor, which was taken from the coronation ring of Edward.

With Edward having been crowned in 1042, it is the oldest stone in the entire royal collection.

The crown also boasts the Stuart Sapphire and the Black Prince's Ruby, along with pearls that are believed to have belonged to Queen Elizabeth I.

St Edward's Crown, which is made from gold, is only ever worn at coronations because of the fact that it weighs five pounds (2.26kg). The crown was made for Charles II, who was crowned in 1661.

The crown is filled with purple velvet that is known as the Cap of Maintenance.

The diamond on the sceptre - the Cullinan 1 - was cut from the largest rough diamond ever found. It was discovered in a mine in South Africa in 1905.

It weighed 3,106 carats (1.37pounds). Nine major stones were made from it, and 96 smaller ones.

The Koh-i-noor diamond rests in the Queen Mother's Crown and its name means 'Mountain of Light' in Urdu.

The controversial diamond was first recorded in 1306. A Hindu text at the time said: 'Only God or woman can wear it with impunity'.

Rulers fought over it for centuries before Britain took it as part of the Treaty of Lahore, when it took control of the Punjab, in 1849.

The jewel was seized by the Empire's East India Company as one of the spoils of war and presented to Queen Victoria in 1850.

Another post-revolution addition to the Crown Jewels was the Sovereign's Orb, which acts as the symbol of Godly power within the monarchy

The Black Prince's Ruby is seen on the front of the Imperial State Crown, which is worn once a year by the Queen at the State Opening of Parliament

Close-up of The Stuart Sapphire. The stone is another that features in the Imperial State Crown, which is only worn by Her Majesty once a year

The hilt of the Jewelled Sword of Offering. The sword is one of the objects that Her Majesty was invested with at her Coronation. It dates from 1820

Prince Albert ordered the diamond, then weighing 186 carats, be recut to improve its brilliance before it was reduced in weight by 42 per cent and cut into an oval brilliant weighing 109 carats.

The Koh-i-noor was then mounted into Victoria's crown among 2,000 other diamonds.

It passed to consorts Queen Alexandra in 1902 and Queen Mary in 1911 for their coronation crowns and then to the late Queen Mother in 1937, being set in a Maltese Cross.

The diamond is the third largest in the Crown collection, behind the Cullinan 1 and 2 jewels cut from the Cullinan diamond - the largest rough diamond ever found. They are set in the Sovereign's sceptre with cross and the Imperial State Crown.

Indian and Pakistani authorities have long demanded the diamond's return.

In 1976, prime minister Jim Callaghan refused a request to hand it back saying: 'I could not advise Her Majesty the Queen that it should be surrendered.'

Other objects that make up the Crown Jewels include the Ampulla, an eagle-shaped vessel of pure gold. It held the holy oil which used for the anointing of the Queen in 1953.

The Anointing Spoon, which dates back to the 14th-century, is used to hold the oil poured from the Ampulla.

After the execution of Charles I in 1649, Oliver Cromwell melted down the original English Crown Jewels. Any objects that could not be melted down were sold off.

It was only because of the survival of records detailing what the original jewels looked like and which objects were sold off that they were able to be faithfully recreated when the monarchy was restored in 1660.

Another post-revolution addition to the Crown Jewels was the Sovereign's Orb, which acts as the symbol of Godly power within the monarchy.

The item was made for Charles II's coronation in 1661 and is a 30cm-wide hollow gold sphere with a crucifix above it, adorned with nine emeralds, 18 rubies, nine sapphires, 365 diamonds, 375 pearls, one amethyst and one glass stone.

The cross remaining above the orb represents the dominion of Christ over the world with the monarch holding it as God's representative on Earth.

The oldest part of the collection is the Scottish Crown Jewels, which date from the early 1500s. They are held at Edinburgh Castle.

The Queen is seen posing in the Imperial State Crown and wielding the Sceptre with Cross and the Orb in a photo taken by Cecil Beaton

The history of the Crown Jewels was covered by the Daily Mail in 1953 as part of a 60-page supplement that was produced for the Queen's Coronation

A new BBC programme to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee will dive into the history of the famous jewels

BBC News anchor Clive Myrie will look into the famous jewels and their sometimes controversial history in the special

Also covered in the programme is the Imperial State Crown - worn once a year by the Queen at the State Opening of Parliament

To celebrate the Queen's Coronation in 1953, the Daily Mail produced a 60-page special supplement that delved into the history of the occasion

They were kept out of Cromwell's clutches by being hidden in Dunnottar Castle in Kincardineshire.

When Cromwell's forces besieged the castle, the jewels were smuggled out and buried under the floor of Kinneff Old Church.

The jewels were then returned to their previous home at Edinburgh Castle after the monarchy was restored.

Before the Restoration, some of the Crown Jewels had been kept at Westminster Abbey. But under the rule of Charles II, the newly-made jewels were placed in the Tower and began to be exhibited to the public.

They were famously nearly stolen in 1671 by renegade Anglo-Irish officer Thomas 'Colonel' Blood.

He disguised himself as a parson to fool the jewels' guard, 77-year-old Talbot Edwards, and only failed in his attempt when the guard's son unexpectedly appeared.

A gun battle followed and Blood was taken into custody but was spared execution when he demanded a meeting with King Charles II and the monarch pardoned him.

The Crown Jewels came under threat again in 1841 when a fire broke out in the Tower of London. They were only saved because they were carried out by the then Keeper of the Jewels and some assistants.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme this morning ahead of the airing of his documentary, Mr Myrie said: 'You've got a whole bunch of objects that symbolise the monarchy, symbolise power, symoblise status.

'Within those objects you've got over 23,000 precious stones, diamonds and rubies and sapphires and that is what comprises the collection.'

The Crown Jewels airs tonight on BBC One at 7.30pm.
In 2004, with the Taliban making gains against international forces in Afghanistan, Washington's leaders made a fundamental shift in policy - putting the Pentagon in charge of overseeing the nation's new police forces.

The result was a disastrous 'militarization' of the Afghan police, with brutal warlords put in charge of security and ensuring they received millions of dollars in U.S. funding despite human rights abuses, according to a damning new report.

Among them was Abdul Raziq, celebrated by American commanders for bringing security to the Taliban-hotbed of Kandahar, even as he and his men were accused of murder and torture.

The report describes how the U.S. focus on counter-terrorism meant that the Afghan police was pressed into service fighting the Taliban and al-Qaeda rather than tackling crime.

'The result of this policy shift was that the Afghan police force became increasingly militarized, and its focus became fighting insurgents rather than arresting the common criminals and gangsters  many of whom were members of or closely affiliated with the Afghan government  who threatened the everyday lives of Afghan citizens,' writes John Sopko, the Congress-appointed Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

'This militarization, along with the U.S. focus on counterinsurgency operations, ended up empowering and supporting warlords-turned-police chiefs who were tactically proficient in fighting, but who were also known to be human rights abusers and criminals.'

General Abdul Raziq, police chief of Kandahar, is pictured in 2017. U.S. commanders praised his performance in fighting the Taliban but a new watchdog report details how they turned a blind eye to allegations or murder and torture under his brutal leadership

In a new report John Sopko, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, says the U.S. militarization of the Afghan National Police Force empowered warlords and undermined ordinary Afghans' faith in the new institution to tackle crime

The new report is the latest in series of 'lesson learned' investigations into U.S. policy

Sopko concludes that ordinary Afghans quickly lost faith that the police force would protect them.

'For over a decade, that post-2001 Afghan police force operated with near-total impunity,' he writes.

'The Afghan government and international community did not hold Afghan police officers, especially those with political connections, accountable for numerous acts of corruption and human rights abuses: extortion, arbitrary detention, torture, and even extrajudicial killings.

'This rapidly diminished the populations hope that the new Afghan government would serve their interests.

Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction John Sopko

'Over time, the Taliban exploited that lack of trust to reestablish inroads in Afghanistan.'

His findings come in the latest of a series of 'lessons learned' reports, examining how the U.S. spent trillions of dollars to rebuild Afghanistan over 20 years.

His conclusions represent the deepest dive yet into how the U.S. ultimately failed in its objectives and had to race for the exit as the Taliban closed in on the capitol Kabul in August last year.

In May, he accused both the Trump and Biden administrations of pulling the rug from under the Afghan government and its armed forces, by first doing a deal with the Taliban and then pushing through with the withdrawal.

Taliban fighters celebrated before storming into the Kabul International Airport after U.S. troops had left, securing their hold on the country last year as Afghan forces melted away

Last month Sopko said the collapse of the Afghan armed forces should have been predicted once U.S. support was withdrawn, despite officials saying it was impossible to forecast

'Many Afghans thought the U.S.-Taliban agreement was an act of bad faith and a signal that the U.S. was handing over Afghanistan to the enemy as it rushed to exit the country; its immediate effect was a dramatic loss in A.N.D.S.F. morale,' he wrote, using an acronym for the country's defense and security forces.

His latest report examines international efforts to build a police force and why it failed to protect the country's population despite $21 billion in international funding.

It focuses on the way the U.S. turned a blind eye to the activities of commanders such as Raziq, who were on the frontline of the war against the Taliban.

His forces were even trained by U.S. special forces, as well as contractors with Dyncorp and Xe (formerly Blackwater.

Yet concerns were raised almost as soon as the local militia leader were coopted into the police, with allegations that his troops settled a family score by attacking 16 traveling Pakistanis and claiming they were Taliban.

'Following Raziq's promotion, Kandahar became a hotbed for systematic torture and enforced disappearances,' says the report.

A U.N. survey found more than 90 percent of prisoners reported torture including 'having water forcibly pumped into the stomach, having their testicles crushed with clamps, being suffocated to the point of losing consciousness and having electric current applied to their genitals.'

More than 90 percent of people held in Raziq's prisons reported torture, according to a United Nations survey, including 'having their testicles crushed with clamps'

Raziq's brutal reign time as police chief of Kandahar ended when he was assassinated in 2018

Another account described how one of his commanders would force people violating Kandahar's one-person-to-a-motorcycle rule to kneel on the ground and kiss the hot exhaust pipe.

Raziq always denied allegations of brutality, insisting that bodies with injuries consistent with summary execution were actually the result of firefights with the Taliban

'For years, the U.S. military looked the other way while Raziq engaged in corruption, drug trafficking, and gross human rights violations,' writes Sopko.

The reason was simple. 'U.S. officials publicly praised the combat prowess of Raziqs fighters, and Raziq was transformed into a folk hero,' for his efforts against insurgents, although the U.S. stopped transferring prisoners to his jails.

He operated with impunity until his assassination in 2018.

Abuses should have meant that U.S. funding was shut off under the Leahy Laws - a set of Congressional legislation.

'Yet SIGAR found in June 2017 that [the Department of Defense] was unwilling to stop funding Afghan allies that engaged in torture, extrajudicial killing, and other gross violations of human rights when they were deemed indispensable to the counterinsurgency,' the report says.
A mother has been left with a broken nose, two black eyes and a concussion after she stepped in when a gang of teen girls turned up at her home looking to fight her daughter.

Michelle Audo, 48, confronted the group of 14-year-olds when they arrived at her house at night in Blue Springs, Missouri, on May 14.

They had allegedly been there to attack her 16-year-old girl but she stepped in before they got the chance.

Audo revealed how she was repeatedly punched during the assault, suffering a broken nose, two black eyes and a concussion.

The brutal onslaught only came to an end when her oldest daughter, 18, and husband stepped in.

Michelle Audo, 48, suffered a broken nose, two black eyes, and a concussion when two 14-years-old showed up at her home looking to fight her 16-year-old daughter and was attacked

By the time police arrived the teen assailants and their driver had already fled in a white four-door sedan.

A third person was behind the wheel of the getaway car. According to Missouri law, 16-years-old is the legal driving age.

Later, one of the 14-year-old's took to Snapchat to boast about the disturbing incident.

A photo of Audo with her husband, who used a cane to thwart off one of the assailants during the unprovoked attack

She allegedly wrote: 'Imagine letting ur mom get her ass beat' and 'Tell yo mom to come clean her blood off my window.'

The two teenage suspects names were not released because they are juveniles confirmed to be 14-years-old.

Police charged them with simple assault and will face charges in Juvenile Court, Jennifer Brady, PIO with the Blue Springs Missouri Police Department said.

'We are waiting for the investigation to be completed before the charges are filed,' Brady said.

'The girls have not been arrested. One is looking at assault charges so far. It is not determined if the other teen will face charges.'

It was unclear the relationship of the girls and whether the attended the same school.

Brady told DailyMail.com that the girl listed as the offender is from the suburb of Greenvale located on the border of Blue Springs.

And the other teen is from Blue Springs and is in two different school districts. 'We take everything serious with every case we do,' she said.

Audo said her daughters, ages 16 and 18, woke she and her husband up when a 'carload of girls,' drove up to their home, Kansas City Star reported.

A photo of the Blue Springs, Missouri home where the three alleged assailants drove to in search of Michelle Audo's 16-year-old daughter they claimed they wanted to fight

Blue Springs, a suburb of Jackson County, is located approximately 19 miles east of downtown Kansas City.

Audo said the girls demanded to see her 16-year-old daughter, the Star reported.

The protective mother told the bullies that there was no way her daughter was going to come outside.

When they threatened that they would then come inside her home to get her daughter. The mother said, 'No, you're not.'

Seconds later, two of the teens jumped out of the car and started beating on the mother.

As one of the girls allegedly punched Audo in the face, as the second girl joined in.

The fight escalated where all three landed on the ground with the two teens on top of Audo, the Star said.

As this disturbing attack was taking place, Audo's 18-year-old daughter jumped in pulling on each of the teen thugs, as Audo's husband using a cane fought off one of teens who was about to punch his wife again, the news outlet reported.

After the harrowing ordeal, the 14-year-olds ran off and into a four-door white sedan before driving off.

Shortly after, one of the female attackers reportedly went on Snapchat to boast about the attack writing: 'Imagine letting ur mom get her ass beat' and 'Tell yo mom to come clean her blood off my window.'

When police caught up with the teen assailants, they claimed that they hit Audo after she 'came to the side of the car and swung' at them, according to the police report The New York Post reported.
A British man wanted in Denmark over a 1.7 billion dollar (1.3 billion) tax scheme, one of the country's largest-ever fraud cases, has been arrested in Dubai and is set to be extradited.

The arrest of hedge fund trader Sanjay Shah came after Danish officials signed an agreement in March allowing for extradition between the United Arab Emirates and Denmark.

Shah has maintained his innocence in interviews with journalists while living in Dubai over the last few years on the city-state's manmade Palm Jumeirah archipelago, but never appeared in Denmark to answer the accusations.

Danish authorities say the scheme ran for some three years beginning in 2012.

It was not immediately clear if Shah, 52, had a local lawyer in the Emirates, but MailOnline has approached his last known representative for comment.

Shah has maintained his innocence in interviews with journalists while living in Dubai over the last few years on the city-state's manmade Palm Jumeirah archipelago, but never appeared in Denmark to answer the accusations

Sanjay Shah poses for a photograph on the Palm Jumeriah in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in Sept. 29, 2020. Dubai police said Friday, June 3, 2022, they arrested and planned to extradite Shah, a British national, to Denmark

A court date did not appear to have been immediately set in Dubai, the commercial capital of the seven-sheikhdom federation of the UAE.

Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday, the start of the Emirati weekend.

The hedge fund manager had run a centre for autistic children in Dubai that shut down in 2020 amid the attempts by Denmark to extradite him.

He also ran the British-based charity Autism Rocks, which put on shows by major performers to raise money.

In a statement, Dubai police Brigadier General Jamal Al Jallaf said the emirate received an international arrest warrant from Denmark for Shah.

Brig Gen Al Jallaf said Shah was accused of a fraud that allegedly saw foreign businesses pretend to own shares in Danish companies and claim tax refunds for which they were not eligible.

'The fraud scheme, known as ''cum-ex'' trading, involved submitting thousands of applications to the Danish Treasury on behalf of investors and companies from several countries around the world in order to receive dividend tax refunds,' Brig Gen Al Jallaf said.

In a joint statement, Denmark's justice and foreign ministries praised Dubai's arrest of Shah, whom they described as a target of the country's prosecutors since 2015.

Shah is one of several suspects in the tax scheme sought by Danish authorities, described as one of the largest fraud cases in the country's history.

The trader previously had had his 14.7million Hyde Park mansion seized by Denmark after being accused of the fraud.

Danish authorities in 2020 announced they had expropriated the property following the exposure by news outlets in continental Europe of the owner's huge tax fraud scheme.

A spokesman for Shah at the time called Denmark's move 'gesture politics'.

Papers filed to London's High Court (pictured) on behalf of Denmark's tax authority in 2018 described Shah as 'the primary individual said to be responsible for the fraudulent scheme'. Shah's lawyers rejected the allegations in a 204-page defence

Denmark's tax authority Skat claims that it had been tricked into paying multiple refunds to British agents between 2012 and 2015, with around 800million ending up in Shah's then-operating hedge fund, Solo Capital.

Papers filed to London's High Court in 2018 described Shah as 'the primary individual said to be responsible for the fraudulent scheme'.

Shah's lawyers rejected the allegations in a 204-page defence, arguing: 'Solo Capital Partners provided clearing services for clients to engage in lawful and legitimate trading strategies that were conducted at all times in accordance with Danish law: doing so was neither dishonest nor unlawful.

'This case has caused significant embarrassment to Skat and to the Danish government generally, particularly because dividend arbitrage trading is a widely known and wholly legitimate trading strategy.

'Other European governments have taken steps to limit such trading activity.

'Skat is attempting retrospectively to amend Danish fiscal law and to cover up or remedy Skat's earlier failure to limit such trading activity and thereby attack the defendants, who have done nothing dishonest nor illegitimate.'

Mr Shah's spokesperson said that he would not return to the UK to give evidence.
The bodies of three miners were removed Thursday from the northeast Colombia mine where they were killed this week.

At least 11 other miners remain trapped underground since Monday's explosion in La Zulia, Norte de Santander.

One of the dead miners who was pulled out has been identified as Giovanny Celis.

Miner Fabio Caceres died Tuesday at a local hospital from the second and third degree burns he suffered to at least 85 percent of his body.

Aerial view of the La Mestiza coal mine in El Zulia, Colombia, where four miners were killed and 11 others remain trapped after Monday's explosion.

Members of the Red Cross walk outside a mine after an explosion in El Zulia, Colombia, on Tuesday. The mining authority said the explosion was generated by 'methane and coal dust, whose flame and pressure fronts caused landslides and high concentrations of carbon monoxide.'

Colombian authorities say 11 miners are still trapped at least 650 feet below the ground surface at the La Mestiza coal mine in the northeast city of El Zulia

The mining authority said the explosion was generated by 'methane and coal dust, whose flame and pressure fronts caused landslides and high concentrations of carbon monoxide.'

'This is the most painful moment,' said Norte de Santander mining secretary, Jhon Olivares, as quoted by RCN Radio. 'Several psychosocial support teams with the families because it is a very tough moment.'

Rescue workers are continuing the search for the 11 miners, who are said to be trapped about 650 feet below ground at the La Mestiza mine.

Giovanny Celis is among the four miners who were killed in Monday's coal mine blast in El Zulia, Colombia. Rescue worker were able to remove his body as well as two others on Thursday

Fabio Caceres is one of the four miners who were killed in the Colombia coal mine explosion Monday. He died Tuesday at a local hospital from the second and third degree burns he suffered to at least 85 percent of his body.

Aerial view of the La Mestiza coal mine in El Zulia, a city in the northeastern Colombian department of Norte de Santander where four miners were killed following Monday's explosion. There are 11 other miners currently trapped inside the pit

A family member of one of the miners trapped at the La Mestiza coal mine breaks down in tears as mining authorities tend to other people searching for information regarding their loved ones

Members of Civil Defense to save the miners still trapped in a coal mine in the Colombian municipality of El Zulia

However, their efforts have been slowed because the rescue team has been inhaling carbon dioxide and methane gas.

'Waiting for a miracle from God to see what happens, if anyone is alive,' said Luis Bayona, whose brother is among the trapped miners.

The La Mestiza mine was shut down in 2021 because of high level of gases and reopened May 19, according to the National Mining Agency.

Accidents in coal and gold mines are frequent in Colombia. So far in 2022, 45 emergencies have been registered, causing the death of more than 30 miners, according to official data.
A holidaymaker who lost her luggage on a flight to Spain finally found her family's missing belongings 1,300 miles away in Manchester.

Laura Simpson, 35, took a TUI flight to Menorca during the travel chaos that has seen thousands of Britons left stranded after last minute cancellations.

But when Ms Simpson, from Warrington, Cheshire, arrived at the Spanish island, her family's luggage  including a vital asthma inhaler  was nowhere to be seen.

Her original direct flight from Manchester Airport to Menorca on May 27 was diverted via Ibiza, and the seven suitcases did not turn up at their intended destination.

The nine family members were left without clothes, toiletries or medication for the entire six-day holiday  which was rearranged for three times because of Covid.

Two days in to the trip, she spotted the suitcases in a video on social media  but they were back at Manchester Airport.

Laura Simpson, 35, from Warrington, Cheshire, who lost her luggage on a flight to Spain finally found her family's missing belongings 1,300 miles away in Manchester

Ms Simpson told the Manchester Evening News: 'The flight took off about an hour-and-a-half late. When we got to Ibiza everyone got off and the 25 of us going to Menorca remained onboard.

'Passengers started getting on who were going back to Manchester, who were then told wed be diverting via Menorca

'It was all over the place. By this point wed already waited for two hours on a hot plane. We finally got to Menorca and waited an hour for our luggage and then someone came out and said it hadn't arrived at the airport.'

Before spotting the bags in the video, she had tried calling TUI everyday but was not given any updates on the bags' location.

Two days in to the trip, she spotted the suitcases in a video on social media (pictured)  but they were back at Manchester Airport

She said the company gave her 25 (21) a day to get by without her belongings but could not

After she spotted the bags in the video, she informed the company  but has still heard 'nothing from them', she claims.

A TUI spokesperson said: 'Were aware that some customers have been impacted by baggage delays at Manchester Airport and wed like to thank customers for their patience and understanding at this exceptionally busy time.

"Were working closely with airport staff, baggage handlers and our teams in resort to ensure customers receive their luggage as soon as possible.

'Well be in direct contact with customers once we have more information to share.'

Ms Simpson's travel pains come amid a storm of travel chaos affecting British holidaymakers across the country.

Britons returning from their holidays have complained of 'three hour delays' at baggage reclaim across UK airports and 'abandoned' luggage 'left in stacks' at Heathrow this morning.

Travellers have also said 'their luggage has been diverted to another airport', while others have reported their baggage missing altogether.

TUI customers have been left furious by 'awful service' after their flights landed at 3am this morning at Manchester Airport, forcing families to put their children to sleep on the floor as the crisis continues to cause disruption.

The reason for the ongoing chaos has been due to a aviation staffing crisis, which is seeing passengers advised to arrive much earlier than normal for their flights because they are facing long queues.

While many businesses in the aviation sector are struggling to rehire staff after many were let go during the pandemic, high levels of staff sickness for those who are still employed is also having an impact.
Former House Speaker Paul Ryan blasted his fellow Republicans for not impeaching former President Donald Trump over his role in January 6, as he endorsed a South Carolina House member the ex-president is targeting.

'There were a lot of people who wanted to vote like Tom but who just didn't have the guts to do it,' Ryan said Wednesday, speaking about Rep. Tom Rice, who was one of 10 House Republicans to vote in favor of Trump's second impeachment.

In February, Trump endorsed South Carolina state Rep. Russell Fry in the race to oust Rice, as several Republicans are challenging the 10-year incumbent.

'Congressman Tom Rice of South Carolina, the coward who abandoned his constituents by caving to Nancy Pelosi and the Radical Left, and who actually voted against me on Impeachment Hoax #2, must be thrown out of office ASAP - and we have just the man to do it!' Trump said in Fry's endorsement email.

South Carolina's primary is June 14.

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan (left) blasted his fellow Republicans for not impeaching former President Donald Trump over his role in January 6, as he endorsed a South Carolina House member the ex-president is targeting

South Carolina Republican Rep. Tom Rice (left) is being targeted by former President Donald Trump (right) over his impeachment vote. Trump backed Rice challenger state Rep. Russell Fry in February

On Wednesday, Ryan - who retired from politics in 2019 - traveled to Florence, South Carolina, to vouch for Rice, who he got to know from their time serving together on the House Ways and Means Committee.

Myrtle Beach's Sun News reported that Ryan called Rice a 'man of conviction.'

'There are a lot of people who say they're going to vote their conscious, they're going to vote for the Constitution, they're going to vote for their convictions, but when it gets hard to do that they don't do it,' Ryan said. 'Tom Rice is the kind of person you want in Congress.'

The former House speaker characterized Rice as a 'work horse' and suggested his party had been overrun by show ponies.

'This is just such a crystal clear case where you have a hard working, effective, senior member of Congress who deserves reelection vs. people who are just trying to be celebrities who may be trying to help Trump with his vengeance,' Ryan said.

'Thats not who voters want, voters want people focused on their solutions not on Trumps vengeance and that to me is a really clear cut case here,' he added.

GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who voted in favor of Trump's second impeachment, vouched for his colleague saying 'this is a fact. I talked to some,' after Rice said 'a lot' of Republicans were for impeaching Trump

Rice characterized Ryan as a fellow 'nerd.'

'This guy right here, he's a nerd like me,' the congressman said of his former colleague. 'He wants to solve problems.'

Rice also received the backing of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who at one-time was a Trump ally, but has gone back to criticizing him.

Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger, another impeachment backer who is retiring from Congress instead of trying to overcome a MAGA primary, shared Ryan's comments about 'a lot' of Republicans quietly supporting impeachment - saying they were true.

'This is a fact. I talked to some,' Kinzinger tweeted on Thursday.

In the House, Trump's biggest impeachment backer to take out is the formerly No. 3 House Republican, Rep. Liz Cheney, who will be on Wyoming's primary ballot in August.

He's had a mixed record on 2022 endorsements thus far, with his pick for Ohio Senate, J.D. Vance, easily advancing to the general election, while his pick in Pennsylvania, Dr. Mehmet Oz, still stuck in a recount against opponent David McCormick.

Trump's choice for governor of Nebraska, Charles Herbster, lost his GOP primary to Jim Pillen, a hog farmer and University of Nebraska Regent who had the support of the state's outgoing Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts.

Herbster had been plagued with serial groping allegations from at least eight women in the run-up to election day, with Trump backing him anyway.
Five of New York City's largest LGBTQ advocacy groups will boycott Mayor Eric Adams' Pride Month event at Gracie Mansion after he hired two Christian pastors for senior roles despite their previously vocal anti-gay marriage views.

The Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, Stonewall Democrats of NYC, Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens, and Equality New York issued a statement together on Thursday calling for a boycott of Adam's June 7 event for what they said was his failure of committing to gay rights.

'We will not celebrate Pride with him,' the groups wrote.

The four groups slammed the mayor for appointing former City Council member Fernando Cabrera as his senior faith adviser and Erick Salgado as his assistant commissioner of immigrant affairs earlier this year, both of whom stood against gay marriage but have since apologized for their past remarks.

The organizations also called on the mayor to end city wide raids of homeless encampments and to rescind bringing back the NYPD's plain clothes officers unit.

Following the group's statement, The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, also announced they were boycotting the event to voice their disapproval of Adam's appointments.

The Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, Stonewall Democrats of NYC, Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens, and Equality New York issued a statement together on Thursday calling for a boycott of Mayor Eric Adam's June 7 Pride Month event

The groups have called on Adams (pictured) to fire his senior health adviser Fernando Cabrera and assistant commissioner of immigrant affairs Erick Salgado, as well as to end police raids on homeless encampments and decision to bring back the NYPD's plainclothes unit

Pastors Erick Salgado (left) and Fernando Cabrera (right) had sparked protests from the LGBTQ community when they were appointed by Adams last month due to their past remarks against gay marriage. The two have since apologized to the community

In a lengthy statement, the four groups criticized Adams for his two appointments, ignoring protests from the city's LGBTQ community in February.

'Local LGBTQ leaders rallied outside City Hall in February and demanded his office rescind their appointments,' the groups said. 'He instead affirmed their roles in his administration.'

They've called on the mayor to fire Cabrera and Salgado, as well as to change his policing policies regarding homeless individuals and the plain clothes division, which Adams plans to bring back after the controversial unit that was shut down in 2020 following criticisms that the officers mainly targeted people of color.

'Mayor Adams has tested the boundaries of the LGBTQ community to see where he can overstep  including who he can afford to disregard for the sake of his own interests. Mayor Adams' only interests are his own and prioritizing the needs of the policing and surveillance institutions in the city at the expense of investment into education, mental health, community health and LGBTQ services,' the groups wrote.

Allen Roskoff, founder of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, said his group was joining the others in the boycott to avoid giving the impression that they approve of Adams and stand against their colleagues.

'If I go, people will think that I approve of the mayor, and I don't approve of the mayor's anti-gay hires,' Roskoff told New York Daily News. 'I can't give people the wrong impression.'

'This is a warning to him. I doubt he's going to be able to show his face at Pride Month events without getting booed unless some of these issues are resolved.'

Fabien Levy, a spokesman for Adams, said the mayor has been listening to the groups concerns and said he is committed to gay rights.

'We're excited to have already taken action to support priorities of the community and look forward to making additional announcements during Pride and in the months ahead,' Levy told the NY Daily News.

'Our team is committed to serving all New Yorkers equally and fairly, regardless of who they love or how they identify, and is excited to host a Pride celebration at Gracie Mansion next week.'

The groups posted a list of demands for Adams to show is commitment to the LGBTQ community

Last month Adams erected five billboards in Florida to criticize the state's so-called 'Don't Say Gay Bill,' encouraging people to move to New York.

'Come to the city where you can say whatever you want,' read one of the ads, surrounded by the word 'gay ' in various font sizes and colors.

Another one simply proclaimed, 'When other states show their true colors, we show ours,' on a plain black background.
A British man has been found guilty of killing a fellow club promoter in a drunken fight in Ibiza.

Mitchell Andrew Loveridge, 26, went on trial on Monday for fellow Brit Harry Kingsland's murder and was warned he faced up to 25 years behind bars if convicted.

But a jury today acquitted him of deliberately killing the 21-year-old from Shirley, Solihull, convicting him instead of manslaughter after nearly two days of deliberations.

A state prosecutor and a private prosecutor acting for Harry's family said that they were now seeking a maximum four-year prison sentence for Loveridge, from Llwynpia in the Rhondda, following the delivery of the verdict this afternoon.

The defence lawyer urged the judge, who has reserved sentencing for a later date, to sentence his client to a minimum one-year term.

No date has yet been set for the sentence, which will be delivered in writing rather than in open court, as is normal in Spain.

Mitchell Andrew Loveridge, 26 (pictured), went on trial on Monday for fellow Brit Harry Kingsland's murder and was warned he faced up to 25 years behind bars if convicted

Prosecutors insisted that Loveridge mercilessly attacked Kingsland, 21 (pictured), from Shirley, Solihull, as he lay on the ground after knocking him out with a punch to the head in a violent attempt to stop him separating two other rowing Brits in the flat they were in

Harry died in the second floor apartment above The Ship Inn in San Antonio, Ibiza

Loveridge, 26, took the stand on the first day of the trial to insist he had hit Harry in 'self-defence' on July 18, 2018 during a drunken altercation at a flat in the Ibizan party resort of San Antonio after being attacked.

He also denied assaulting him as the former Tae Kwon Do champion lay convulsing on the floor.

At the end of the lawyers' closing speeches on Wednesday, he again took the stand to apologise to his victim's parents for what had happened.

State prosecutors had sought an 18-year prison sentence for Loveridge before the start of the trial, while private prosecutors acting for Harry's grieving parents had indicated they wanted him jailed for 25 years if he was convicted of murder.

Both insisted in pre-trial indictments and opening court speeches he mercilessly attacked Harry as he lay on the ground after knocking him out with a punch to the head in a violent attempt to stop him separating two other rowing Brits in the flat they were in.

Loveridge, arrested after jumping out of the second-floor apartment after fatally injuring the Brit, was remanded in prison in Spain for more than six months before his January 30, 2019 release on bail.

He was briefly remanded again in custody last year but bailed before the start of Monday's trial.

Harry, one of seven siblings and a martial arts world champion at the age of ten, was enjoying his first spell living and working away from home after taking up a club promotions job in San Antonio.

He worked as a bricklayer to raise funds for his trip.

Loveridge is led away by police officers following the death of Harry Kingsland in San Antonio, Ibiza

Harry was a former Tae Kwon Do world champion and was working as a club promotor in Ibiza

Former Benefits Street star White Dee - Deirdre Kelly - was among those who paid tribute to him after his death.

She revealed she had met him twice while he worked as a dancer for a friend's company, describing him as a 'happy-go-lucky young man with a zest for life.'

She added at the time: 'It's absolutely tragic for this to happen to anyone, let alone someone so young.'

Victoria Cox, a lawyer for Slater and Gordon which has been supporting Harry's family including his devastated parents Gene and Julie, said last September when the trial was suspended before being rescheduled to the start of this week: 'It's been more than three years since Mr and Mrs Kingsland lost their son in the most tragic of circumstances,

'They are desperate to move on with their lives and are grateful that the Spanish criminal process is now moving forwards.

'We often find that people who have lost loved ones will only really start to grieve their loss when court cases are over so they are keen for a trial to be held and the person responsible for Harry's untimely death to be held to account.'

A small memorial was laid in San Antonio at the site of Harry's death at the time of the killing. He was described as a 'lovely lad' by his friends and family

Harry's mum Julie added at the time: 'Harry was a happy go-lucky, ambitious young man whose muscles, love of sport and charming nature landed him friends wherever he went.

'He was so excited to be moving to Ibiza, it was his first experience of working abroad and he had dreams of many more to come.

'He had always wanted to work abroad and worked two jobs to raise the money to go to Ibiza, his favourite, happy place. For the trip to have ended in such tragic circumstances is indeed heart-breaking.

'It has been a long few years but we are so grateful to the Spanish authorities for doing all they can in proceeding with a criminal case.

'We will attend the trial where we hope we will get some closure to this horrific pain we are living through.'

Loveridge confessed during questioning after his arrest to hitting Harry during a 'tussle.'

His defence lawyer insisted at the start of his client's murder trial any conviction should be for manslaughter and carry a maximum two-year prison sentence.

Under Spanish law private prosecutions - led by the relatives of crime victims - run separately but parallel to any state prosecution.

Loveridge will remain a free man at least until sentencing occurs.

In Spain jail sentences of two years or less are normally suspended for first-time offenders.
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A murder investigation has been launched after a man was stabbed to death during a fight at a party in the early hours of this morning.

A man believed to be in his 30s was repeatedly knifed at a venue when a brawl broke out just after midnight in Woodford Green, east London.

Paramedics rushed to the area and found the man suffering from stab wounds. They tried to save the victim, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

No arrests have yet been made and the area around the party is still cordoned off, the Met Police said.

The murder happened on Chigwell Road in Woodford Green just after midnight this morning

Detectives launched a murder investigation and a post-mortem is due to be held to determine the official cause of death.

Police said a large number of revellers were at the event in Chigwell Road when the fight broke out at around 12.10am.

Detective Chief Inspector Laurence Smith of the Met Police today called for anyone who saw what happened to come forward.

He said: 'This man was attacked at a party and we know that a large number of people would have been in attendance.

It happened on Chigwell Road, pictured, when the fight broke out at around 12.10am today

'I would urge anyone who is yet to speak with us to come forward and let us know what you saw.

'It is possible that events leading up to the stabbing, and perhaps the murder itself, were captured on people's phones.

'Please take a look and call us. It is vital that we establish what happened.'

Officers are still trying to track down the victim's family to tell them about the tragedy, the Met Police added.

Anyone with information can contact the police incident room on 020 8345 3985 or via 101 quoting reference CAD 66/03Jun or anonymously call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
President Joe Biden on Friday dismissed Tesla CEO Elon Musk saying he had a 'super bad feeling' about the U.S. economy.

'Lots of luck on his trip to the moon,' Biden scoffed.

He told reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware where he saw encouraging signs.

'Well let me tell you, while Elon is talking about that Ford is increasing their investment overwhelmingly,' Biden said. 'I think Ford is increasing in building new electric vehicles, 6,000 new employees - union employees, I might add, in the Midwest.'

'The former Chrysler Corporation, Stellantis, they are also making similar investments in electric vehicles,' Biden continued. 'Intel was adding 20,000 new jobs for making computer chips.'

Musk tweeted moments later, 'Thanks Mr President!' and shared a NASA press release announcing SpaceX had won the contract to take American astronauts back to the moon.

President Joe Biden on Friday dismissed Tesla CEO Elon Musk saying he had a 'super bad feeling' about the U.S. economy. 'Lots of luck on his trip to the moon,' Biden scoffed

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said a leaked memo Thursday that he had a 'super bad feeling' about the U.S. economy and wanted Tesla's workforce cut by 10 per cent

Musk tweeted moments later, 'Thanks Mr President!' and shared a NASA press release announcing SpaceX had won the contract to take American astronauts back to the moon

As part of Musk's dire prediction, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO told top Tesla executives to slash jobs at the car company by 10 per cent, according to a memo from Musk that was leaked Thursday.

Musk made public remarks in mid-May predicting a recession.

'I think we are probably in a recession and that recession will get worse,' he said addressing a Miami Beach conference virtually.

Earlier this week Musk also made headlines by demanding Tesla employees show up in-person for work.

'Everyone at Tesla is required to spend a minimum of 40 hours in the office per week,' he wrote in a message to employees Tuesday night. ''The office must be where your actual colleagues are located, not some remote pseudo office.'

'If you don't show up, we will assume you have resigned,' the CEO added.

Biden was addressing reporters on the heels of a better-than-expected May jobs report.

A journalist in the room brought up Musk's comments and those made by Jamie Dimon, the chairman and chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, who earlier this week described the challenges facing the U.S. economy as a 'hurricane.'

'America is in a stronger economic position today than just about any other country in the world,' Biden said at the top of his remarks. . 'Independent experts have projected that the US economy could grow faster than China's economy this year. That hasn't happened since 1976.'

The president is at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware home for a long weekend, as First Lady Jill Biden's 71st birthday is Friday.
Eighteen people have been killed in twenty mass shootings since the Uvalde school massacre last week.

Just ten days after Salvador Ramos killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary in south Texas, America hit yet another grim milestone for gun violence.

The killing of two doctors, a receptionist and a patient at a medical center in Tulsa, Oklahoma Wednesday is the twentieth mass shooting since the school horror in Uvalde last Tuesday (May 24).

More than 250 Americans have been killed in gun violence since Uvalde, with 18 slain in mass shootings specifically.

Twenty mass shootings have taken place since Uvalde on May 24, with seventeen slain

According to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), a mass shooting involves four or more people being hit, including survivors.

Since the start of June, only one mass shooting - Tulsa - has taken place.

But 97 have been shot and killed across America.

In Texas, ten have died by gun violence since the beginning of the month.

The figure for California is nine, followed by Illinois, where seven have been slain.

Police walk near the family members of victims in the Tulsa, Oklahoma mass shooting on June 1

In an impassioned address Wednesday, President Biden begged GOP legislators to back gun control measures.

He said Senate Republicans' opposition to the measures was 'unconscionable', but cautioned he did not want to 'take away' guns or 'vilify' their owners.

Within moments of the end of Biden's speech, another shooting saw three killed in Ames, Iowa.

Five dead at medical center in Tulsa, Oklahoma

An aggrieved patient stormed into a hospital on Wednesday, June 1 planning to kill his doctor, who he blamed for back pain.

Michael Louis, 45, murdered target Dr Preston Phillips before shooting dead Dr Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn and patient William Love.

Cops attend the grim scene at St Francis Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma Wednesday

He then turned the gun on himself.

Cops said Mr Love was holding the door for others to escape when he was killed He was a retired US Army veteran.

Receptionist Amanda Glenn was a devoted mother-of-two. Dr Stephanie Husen was a well-respected orthopedic surgeon.

And Dr Phillips was a Harvard graduate who travelled the world providing surgeries to underprivileged kids.

Four hurt in Waco, Texas housing block incident

The Tulsa shooting followed the wounding of four in Waco, Texas Tuesday evening.

Three men and one woman were found at a housing block with gunshot injuries.

The woman remains in serious condition.

All three men are in stable condition, according to local police.

Authorities believe the incident to be isolated and no arrests have yet been made.

Texas crime stoppers are rewarding anyone with useful knowledge $2,000.

Ten shot at Charleston, South Carolina front yard party

It's a minor miracle no one was killed when gunfire described as 'mad' by the mayor resulted in ten people hit - including three members of law enforcement.

Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said the Memorial Day rampage was 'mad'

Four remain in hospital in critical condition.

Police arrested three in the immediate aftermath of the May 31 rampage, but said none of the pinches were related to the shooting.

The incident began when an officer responded to a noise complaint at a vacant lot on South Street, cops said.

'The crime scene spanned many blocks, many blocks. So we've been out all night,' police chief Luther Reynolds said.

Mayor John Tecklenburg said: 'Im fed up. And I concur with many of our citizens here and across this country that enough is enough.'

Eighth mass shooting in Philly alone leaves teen dead

Two were killed when a shooting in Port Richmond, Philadelphia took place May 30.

A 16-year-old girl and a 21-year-old woman were killed in the violence at a party.

A girl, 14, and a 21-year-old man are recovering in hospital.

Philadelphia is the scene of eight mass shootings so far this year alone (accident memorial, PA)

Philadelphia PD said: 'A 14-year-old female was dropped off at the hospital by a private vehicle, shot in the shoulder, and a 21-year-old male was found a block away, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds to his leg.'

Police say theyre now looking for two people.

It's the eighth mass shooting in Philadelphia this year alone.

Seven shot outside Michigan liquor store in early hours

One was killed when a gunman opened fire at 2.20am in Benton Harbor, Michigan on May 30.

Cops said all victims were taken to Lakeland Hospital - but one victim, Marlon Bowman, 19, was pronounced dead.

No one has come forward with information about the killing at Ajay's Lounge and A & D Liquor store on Pipestone Street.

Houston shooting sees hurt victim fatally hit biker

In the melee after four people were shot in Willow Springs, Houston on May 30, one of the wounded fatally hit a motorcyclist.

The shooting victim was rushing to hospital and accidentally hit the biker.

Little else is currently known about the incident in Texas.

Chicago man shoots four, killing one, before SWAT hits

A violent domestic incident saw a man shoot four people in a Humboldt Park home, Chicago, before barricading himself in a room.

One of his victims died of their wounds.

The man was then fatally shot by a SWAT team who attended the scene.

One killed and eight wounded at Memorial Day festival

Memorial Day celebrations in Taft, Oklahoma's Old City Square wouldn't appear to be the prime spot for a violence.

But things turned ugly on May 29, with 26-year-old Skyler Buckner injuring eight.

He then turned himself in, having killed 39-year-old woman Sharika Bowler.

A youngster is among those injured.

A 39-year-old woman, Sharika Bowler, was killed by Skyler Buckner, 26, in Taft (site pictured)

Seven shot on the highway, causing lengthy closure

None were killed when gunfire hit seven people on US Route 95 in Henderson near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Six were rushed to hospital by paramedics, with two listed in critical condition.

Police shut Horizon Drive from Pacific to Highway 95 in both directions and said the suspect was still at loose.

The seventh victim had non life-threatening injuries, they said.

Drivers were urged to use alternative routes.

Six shot at Phoenix, Arizona house party

The third mass shooting to strike Phoenix, Arizona so far this year, six people were shot at a house party in the city on May 29.

Police spokesperson Sgt Vincent Cole said the shooting occurred around 3:30am.

It is not clear if all the victims were nursing gun wounds, nor what led to the shooting.

Four shot, one fatally, at early-hours party in California

A rowdy house party in Fergus, California had a tragic ending when one person died.

Four were shot at the northern California address on May 29.

The circumstances of the mass shooting remain unclear.

Five wounded, including a teen, in Chicago

A 16-year-old girl was among those seriously wounded when a crowd gathered to mark the anniversary of another teenager's killing in Chicago on May 28.

A police source said three different types of bullets were used in the crossfire, including a caliber used in AK-47s.

The wounded are aged 16 to 33 and gathered outside a home in West Garfield Park.

The teenage girl was shot in the back, police said.

Nearly 100 evidence markers were found on the scene within minutes of the gunfire.

Four shot during illegal Memphis car show

Four were shot and another person was injured when a mass shooting erupted at the same time as an impromptu car show between Hollywood and Hyde Park, Memphis.

Cops heard the shooting just after 11pm on May 28.

Robb Elementary School, Uvalde was the site of the worst school shooting since Sandy Hook

Two were taken to the hospital in private cars.

One more was taken to the hospital with cuts and bruises.

Memphis police said: 'Shooting victim Vincent Billingsley was arrested and charged with Convicted Felon in Possession of a Handgun.

'The investigation is ongoing.'

Teenagers' fight at house party escalates with four shot

A scuffle between two teens at a Florida house party resulted in the shooting of four last Saturday night.

Officers were promptly at the scene shortly before midnight after hearing gunfire which followed two men arguing, police said.

The four individuals, who ranged from 15 to 18, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Boy killed and three teens wounded in Fresno, CA

A 17-year-old boy was killed and three more teens were wounded in a mass shooting in Fresno, northern California.

Jovham Portis died of multiple gunshot wounds.

Tulsa shooting victim Dr Preston Phillips worked with underprivileged patients abroad

Two 16-year-olds and a 15-year-old were also hit.

They were all taken to hospital and expected to survive.

Portis has gang ties, police said, but they added it was unclear whether that was a motive for the shooting.

Six injured in crossfire at tourist riverfront district

The riverfront at Chattanooga, Tennessee is another unlikely spot for a mass shooting.

But on May 30, six teenagers were seriously injured in gunfire.

Chattanooga's police chief said two victims were in 'very, very critical' condition.

Police said two victims were 15-year-old girls, while three 15-year-old boys and one 13-year-old boy were also shot.

No arrests have been made.

Four shot, one fatally, in bar parking lot rampage

Colorado Springs was the scene of its fourth mass shooting so far this year on May 28 after a 1am shooting outside 'Woody's Bar and Grill'.

One man died at the scene and three women were rushed to hospital with injuries.

Business owners told KKTV the shots were fired from a moving vehicle.

Colorado Springs has been the site of no fewer than four mass shootings this year alone

Man kills wife and kids before non-fatal suicide attempt

A man shot his wife dead and murdered his step-children before non-fatally shooting himself in the head in Austin Township, Michigan on May 27.

The three victims, all under ten, were named by cops as Katelynn Gillard, Ronald Gillard and Joshua Gillard.

Their mother was Dawn Gillard.

The mans name is being withheld until he is formally arrested and charged, police said.

Six people including teens shot at Alabama graduation

More than 150 people aged 14 to 20 were in attendance at an Anniston, Alabama graduation which became the scene of a mass shooting on May 26.

Multiple vehicles were hit by stray bullets.

Somehow, no one was injured in the cross-fire.

Cops said shell casings and firearms were recovered from the scene and are processed.

Four shot, including two teens, on their way to prom

The first mass shooting to take place after the Uvalde, Texas massacre involved more youngsters journeying to their high school prom.

The West Philadelphia teens were randomly attacked by a man on a mountain bike, who began firing shots at the crowd.

West Philadelphia (pictured) is the scene of a spate of shootings and stabbings this year

The apparent target, a 19-year-old boy, was shot in the side.

His date, also 19, was shot along with her 34-year-old mother and a 60-year-old man.

They were all taken to a nearby hospital, where the boy remains in critical condition.

Chief Inspector Scott Small told CBS. 'The male, in all dark clothing with a hooded sweatshirt and he was wearing a white mask covering his face.'
Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin has fired five generals and a police colonel as his military continued to suffer massive losses, it has been reported.

Tens of thousands of Russian troops have been killed and Moscow has failed in its bid to capture Kyiv, instead now focusing on the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine.

This week, Putin is said to have fired five of his top brass as he dismissed Major Generals Alexander Laas, Andrey Lipilin, Alexander Udovenko and Yuri Instrankin as well as Major General of Police Vasily Kukushkin.

It came as the Kremlin says it will press on with its military operations in Ukraine until its goals are met.

Asked how the Kremlin views progress in Ukraine 100 days into the war on Friday, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian troops have succeeded in their main task of protecting civilians in areas on Ukraine's east controlled by Moscow-backed separatists.

Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin (pictured today) has fired five generals and a police colonel as his military continued to suffer massive losses

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov (pictured) said Russian troops have succeeded in their main task of protecting civilians in areas on Ukraine's east controlled by Moscow-backed separatists (File image)

Peskov said that Russian forces have 'liberated' many areas in Ukraine from the 'pro-Nazi' Ukrainian military and nationalist units, adding that 'this work will continue until all the goals of the special military operation are achieved.'

Speaking during a conference call with reporters, Peskov was evasive when asked whether Russian authorities are planning to hold referendums in those areas to join Russia, saying that it will depend on how the situation evolves. Peskov and other Russian officials have said repeatedly that it will be up to the residents of those regions to determine their status.

Britain's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said: 'Russia's assault into northern Ukraine ended in a costly failure.

'Russia failed to implement its own principles of war.

'With the limited combat readiness of many units, it spread its forces too thinly without enough support from artillery and combat aircraft.

'Above all, it was based on wildly optimistic assessments about the welcome Russian troops would receive in Ukraine.

'Russia has now adopted a 'strategy of attrition' and is achieving slow and costly gains in the Donbas.'

It's not the first time Putin has sacked his top generals.

Vladimir Putin previously fired eight generals and was said to be raging at his FSB secret service over the failures during early fighting in Ukraine (File image)

In March the deranged despot was said to be 'raging' at the FSB after failed intelligence and poor strategy saw his troops handed a series of embarrassing defeats in the opening days of the war in Ukraine.

At the time, Ukrainian security council chief Oleksiy Danilov said 'around eight' Russian commanders had been fired since the start of the conflict as Moscow scrambled to change strategy after its attempted 'shock and awe' blitz fell flat.

Putin was also said to be infuriated with commanders of the FSB security service - which he used to run - for handing him intelligence suggesting that Ukraine was weak, riddled with neo-Nazi groups, and would give up easily if attacked.

1/2 Russias assault into northern Ukraine ended in a costly failure. Russia failed to implement its own principles of war. With the limited combat readiness of many units, it spread its forces too thinly without enough support from artillery and combat aircraft. pic.twitter.com/wujUf41NXd  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) June 3, 2022

Meanwhile it has now been 100 days since Russian tanks rolled across the border and into neighbouring Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

A torrent of gut-wrenching images and clips have emerged since that fateful day: Civilian corpses in the streets of Bucha; a blown-up theatre in Mariupol; the chaos at a Kramatorsk train station in the wake of a Russian missile strike, to name a few.

But those images tell just a small part of the overall picture of Europe's worst armed conflict since World War II.

More than 100,000 Russian troops massed on Ukraine's borders in the days leading up to February 24, but many analysts and commentators dismissed the notion that Russia would launch a full scale invasion into its European neighbour.

Those who did predict such a conflict warned Putin's troops, superior in numbers and equipment, would sweep to victory in a matter of days.

More than three months later and Ukraine's armed forces, driven by a duty to protect their homeland and reinforced by Western supplies and weaponry, have successfully repelled Russia's soldiers from Kyiv and are still fighting their invaders fiercely throughout the Donbas.

Destroyed military equipment of the Russian army in the city of Bucha close to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv

The body of a serviceman is coated in snow next to a destroyed Russian military multiple rocket launcher vehicle on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 25, 2022

An explosion tears a hole in the side of an apartment building after a Russian tank fired a rocket in Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 11, 2022

In this photo taken on April 02, 2022 bodies of civilians lie on Yablunska street in Bucha, northwest of Kyiv, after Russian army pull back from the city

A view shows the building of a theatre destroyed in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict, as a word 'children' in Russian is written in large white letters on the pavement, in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 10, 2022

The remains of a large rocket with the words 'for our children' in Russian is pictured next to the main building of a train station in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, that was hit by a rocket attack killing at least 35 people, on April 8, 2022

Russian state media, which from the beginning portrayed the conflict as a 'special military operation' designed to 'demilitarise and de-nazify' Ukraine, was asked by Putin's administration ahead of the 100th day of war 'not to propagate the theme of the operation' and 'not to draw attention to its duration', multiple sources told Russian-Latvian news organisation Meduza.

Britain's MoD said that Putin's forces 'failed to achieve their initial objectives to seize Kyiv and Ukrainian centres of government' and declared 'in order for Russia to achieve any form of success will require continued huge investment of manpower and equipment and is likely to take considerable further time.'

And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared today: 'Victory will be ours,' vowing to expel the Russians from the Donbas region altogether.

Yet the armed conflict has wrought utter havoc and Russia's painstakingly slow but steady progress in seizing more land in eastern Ukraine means there is no end in sight.

Mariana Vishegirskaya stands outside a maternity hospital that was damaged by shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, March 9, 2022

Bodies of civilians in plastic bags lay in a mass grave in Bucha city, which was the recaptured by the Ukrainian army, Kyiv (Kiev) area, Ukraine, 04 April 2022. More than 410 bodies of killed civilians were carried from the recaptured territory in Kyiv's area for exgumation and expert examination

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the press in the town of Bucha, northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, after seeing scores of corpses of Ukrainian civilians slaughtered by withdrawing Russian troops

A woman learns how to use an AK-47 assault rifle during a civilians self-defence course in the outskirts of Lviv, western Ukraine, on March 4, 2022

A woman reacts as she stands in front of a house burning after being shelled in the city of Irpin, outside Kyiv, on March 4, 2022

A man with his bicycle walks between debris outside the destroyed Retroville shopping mall in a residential district, after a Russian attack on the Ukranian capital Kyiv on March 21, 2022

A view of the city of Mariupol on June 2, 2022, amid the ongoing Russian military action in Ukraine

Nobody knows how many combatants or civilians have died, and claims of casualties by government officials and armed forces staff - who are likely to be exaggerating or lowballing their figures in an attempt to favourably shape the narrative of the conflict - are all but impossible to verify.

Foreign government officials, U.N. agencies and independent organisations who carry out the grim task of counting the dead are unable to gain access to many places where people have been killed.

And the Kremlin has released scant information about casualties among its forces and allies, giving no account of civilian deaths in areas under its control.

But even with all those caveats, 'at least tens of thousands' of Ukrainian civilians have died so far, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday in comments to Luxembourg's parliament.

Mayor of Mariupol Vadym Boichenko recently estimated more than 21,000 civilians had died in his city alone after suffering months of constant bombardment, brutality at the hands of Russian occupiers and drastically reduced supplies of food and water.

Severodonetsk, a city in the eastern region of Luhansk that has become the focus of Russia's offensive, has seen roughly 1,500 civilian casualties just in the past few weeks of fighting, according to the city administration chief Oleksandr Striuk.

Ukraine's Armed Forces have not released a death toll for its servicemen and women, but Zelensky said this week that 60 to 100 Ukrainian soldiers are dying every day along the eastern front amid bitter close-quarter fighting in urban centres, with about 500 more wounded.

The Kremlin has only once released official figures for troop deaths, when a general told state media on March 25 that 1,351 soldiers had been killed and 3,825 wounded.

But the Land Forces of Ukraine, which have kept a running tally of Russian losses throughout the war, say more than 30,000 of Putin's soldiers have been killed so far, while Western estimates given in late April put the number at more than 15,000.

Zelensky declared recently that Moscow has lost 'more troops in three months than the Soviet Union lost in 10 years of the war in Afghanistan' - more than 15,000 Soviets were killed between 1979-1989.

Speaking on condition of anonymity Wednesday to discuss intelligence matters, a Western official said Russia is 'still taking casualties, but in smaller numbers.' The official estimated that some 40,000 Russian troops have been wounded.
Former Trump advisor Peter Navarro was indicted by a federal grand jury Friday for contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a subpoena from the Jan. 6 committee and says he was put in handcuffs and leg irons as he was arrested ahead of his first court date.

Navarro has been charged with two counts of contempt, one for failing to appear for a deposition before the committee and one for failing to produce documents. The former Trump trade adviser was approached by an FBI agent while trying to board a flight to Nashville for a TV appearance ahead of his court appearance in Washington, D.C. Friday afternoon for the charges.

Navarro told the court the FBI agent approached him and told him he could not contact anyone as he arrested Navarro.

'I actually live right next to the FBI. It's like a 100-yard walk to my door. What did they do instead of that? They let me get all the way to the airport, try to board the plane, come at me, put me in handcuffs, not let me use my phone, take me down, and put me in a jail cell,' he told reporters outside the courthouse.

'Who are these people? This is not America,' Navarro, pictured outside court on Friday, said. 'I was a distinguished public servant for four years!'

'Who are these people? This is not America,' Navarro said. 'I was a distinguished public servant for four years!'

Navarro told reporters he'd been locked up in Ronald Reagan shooter John Hinckley's cell. 'They seemed to think that was like an important historical note.' He said he'd been shackled in handcuffs and leg irons.

Navarro called the manor of his arrest 'terrorism' and akin to 'Stalinist Russia.'

He then went after the House Minority Leader: 'Shame on Kevin McCarthy.' Navarro claimed McCarthy had not done enough to push back on the select subcommittee.

During the hearing he insisted the Jan. 6 committee was a 'sham committee' and prosecutors were 'playing hardball' and 'despicable.'

Navarro was assigned a court-appointed defense attorney but said he would represent himself in a large capacity.

'I don't want to spend my retirement savings on lawyers,' he said.

Navarro is expected back in court later this month for an arraignment from Judge Amit Mehta, an Obama appointee. He was released from custody and told to limit travel.

Late last month Navarro launched legal action against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the committee, claiming that they have no legal right to hold him in contempt of Congress for refusing to give evidence.

The Justice Department noted that each charge has a minimum of 30 days and maximum of one year jail time, as well as a fine of up to $100,000.

Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro was indicted by a federal grand jury Friday for contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a subpoena from the Jan. 6 committee and is reportedly in custody pending a court appearance

Steve Bannon: First Trump adviser to be indicted by a grand jury Nov. 12, 2021- Bannon indicted for contempt of Congress Two charges of contempt of Congress were filed against Bannon, a former White House staffer, over his refusal to appear before Congress and give up documents in the probe A judge issued an arrest warrant and he is expected to surrender in Washington D.C. on Monday to appear in court, 26 days after the House voted to send his criminal referral to the Justice Department Bannon is the first person in Trump world to be indicted for Jan. 6. He was handcuffed and taken into court. 'This is going to be the misdemeanour from hell for Merrick Garland, Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden,' he said after his first court appearance. Advertisement

Navarro is the second Trump trade adviser to be indicted after Steve Bannon.

The House last month voted to forward the case to the Department of Justice.

But in an 88-page legal filing shared with DailyMail.com, Navarro argues that President Joe Biden had no authority to waive former President Donald Trump's executive privilege or his former adviser's 'testimonial immunity.'

The committee countered that many of the topics it wanted to discuss with him he had already written about in great length in his book.

And he said the courts must intervene to protect the separation of powers, and ensure that lawmakers were not getting into matters of justice.

'Repeated abuses by partisans and political score settlers like those on the Committee have institutionalized a partisan weaponization of Congress' investigatory powers that now threatens the delicate balance and separation of powers between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of our government,' he says in a filing to be lodged at the District of Columbia district court.

Navarro is among those of Trump's closest allies who have refused to give testimony or hand over documents to the January 6 committee, which is investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol building last year.

It issued a 34-page report detailing how he and Dan Scavino, another key aide, were involved in efforts to keep Trump in power after he lost the 2020 election.

Navarro also wrote and circulated a report claiming the election had been stolen.

'There was a couple of times I walked over to the Oval  both times after I finished a report  and personally handed him one and briefed him on it,' he told Rolling Stone, adding that Trump then made arrangements to share it more widely.

While other officials have complied with the requests for information from the committee, a handful has refused, insisting that investigators cannot ask them to provide information about confidential conversations with a president.

Former Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro is launching legal action against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the January 6 committee over its investigation

Navarro is seeking a jury trial as he hits back at a contempt of court ruling after he refused to submit to subpoena seeking evidence about the events of January 6, 2021

The 88-page suit also takes aim at members of the House January 6 committee

Last month, the House voted 220 to 203 - mostly along party lines - calling for prosecutions of Navarro, a trade adviser to Trump, and Scavino, former deputy chief of staff.

'We have two people who are flagrantly, brazenly defying the authority of the House of Representatives of the United States,' Rep. Jamie Raskin, Democrat of Maryland and a member of the committee, said at the time.

Now Navarro is asking for a jury trial to overturn the subpoena, the report and the contempt of Congress vote on the grounds that lawmakers are acting as a branch of the judiciary.

The House last month voted 220-203 to hold Trump insiders Navarro and Dan Scavino in contempt of Congress, a referral that will now be sent to the DOJ for possible criminal charges

Former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani (r) met with the House Jan. 6th Committee on May 20

'The committee's members along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over a more than five year period have been engaged in a 'repeatable strategic game' of 'gotcha' and punishment that threatens to reduce the institutions of executive privilege and testimonial immunity to ping pong balls of partisan politics,' he says.

'In this strategic ping pong game, whichever party controls both the House of Representatives and White House will effectively weaponize Congress's investigatory powers in ways designed to: (1) punish political rivals and (2) deny individuals the opportunity to effectively run for political office or serve in government.'

Meanwhile, the committee has been closing in on big names around Trump as it prepares for a series of public hearings.

Former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani was grilled by the Jan. 6th Committee for nine hours recently

The panel had long wanted to bring in Giuliani, who spoke at the Jan. 6th 'Stop the Steal' rally in a speech where he called for 'trial by combat.' He said at the time he would stake his reputation on being able to find 'criminality' in the election.

However, the session had been delayed as the two sides worked out ground rules.

And last month Trump's daughter spoke to the committee days after her husband Jared Kushner appeared before lawmakers for six hours.
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The romantic interest of Johnny Depp's star attorney Camille Vasquez has now been revealed as a British WeWork executive who lives in London.

Vasquez, 37, and her boyfriend Edward Owen, 38, were spotted together on Thursday leaving a Ritz-Carlton hotel in Virginia, not far from the Fairfax County courthouse where she helped Depp secure a blockbuster $10.35 million verdict in his defamation suit against Amber Heard.

During the six-week trial, the high-powered lawyer's tender interactions with Depp in the courtroom spurred rampant speculation that the relationship might run deeper than attorney-client -- and Vasquez only fueled the rumors by chuckling coyly when asked.

All along, however, sources say she has been quietly dating Owen, a successful Cambridge-educated senior director at WeWork, where he is in charge of real estate for Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

A source familiar with the matter confirmed the romantic link, and told DailyMail.com that the couple met in London in November, at an upscale gastropub The Cow.

Camille Vasquez, 37, and her boyfriend Edward Owen, were spotted on Thursday leaving a Virginia hotel near the Fairfax County Courthouse

The romantic interest of Johnny Depp's star attorney Camille Vasquez has now been revealed as Owen, a British WeWork who lives in London. They are seen together following the trial

Owen earned a degree in history from Cambridge in 2005, followed by a master of philosophy in real estate in 2006. He is also a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Vasquez and Owen (left) are seen preparing to head to the airport after the trial concluded

Vasquez has been quietly dating Owen (left and right), a successful Cambridge-educated senior director at WeWork, where he is in charge of real estate for Europe, the Middle East and Asia

'It's quite a new relationship but Edward is smitten with her,' another source said. 'He has visited Camille in the US since this trial started and she plans to visit him in the UK as soon as the case is over.'

'It's long distance and they're both high flyers in their respective careers, but they're hoping to make it work,' the person said.

Vasquez did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday, and Owen could not be reached for comment.

Owen earned a degree in history from Cambridge in 2005, followed by a MPhil in real estate in 2006. He is also a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Prior to joining WeWork in 2017, Owen spent eight years working for international developer titan Swire Properties, with postings in China, Hong Kong and Miami.

During his time in Miami, he attended swanky events for art exhibitions and business awards. In 2018 he was one of the guest speakers at a business networking event in Ibiza, and the following year he was photographed at the CEEQA Gala in Warsaw, Poland.

Vasquez (center) is seen at exclusive Mayfair club 5 Hertford Street on a trip to London last fall. It is thought to be the same visit on which she first met Owen, sparking their long-distance relationship

A source familiar with the matter confirmed the romantic link, and told DailyMail.com that the couple met in London in November, at upscale gastropub The Cow

It's unclear whether Vazquez and Owen planned a getaway following the verdict, but it seems he wanted to be on hand to congratulate her after she won a massive verdict in her client's favor

Vasquez won a massive online following after 'grilling' Amber Heard during cross-examination, demonstrating her skill as a fierce trial attorney. She is seen above embracing her client Depp in court

Depp and Vasquez appeared very close and at times affectionate during trial, spurring rumors of a romance

Exchanges between Vasquez and Heard were at times tense in the $100M defamation trial. Amber is pictured in court

It's unclear how Owen may have reacted to the rampant speculation that his new girlfriend Vasquez was romantically linked to Depp.

During trial, a TMZ reporter asked Vasquez: 'The people want to know, are you dating Johnny Depp? It's all over the internet. Can you set the record straight, yes or no?'

The California litigator declined to answer as she laughed, brushed her hair aside and waved to the throngs of fans gathered outside.

As the trial progressed, Depp's fan lavished praise on the lawyer for her work defending the Pirates Of The Caribbean actor, tweeting out pictures of themselves wearing 'I heart Camille Vasquez' T-shirts and memes portraying her as the Nordic god of thunder and Marvel character Thor.

They even made TikToks set to romantic pop songs of Depp and Vasquez exchanging glances, holding hands and talking closely.

Vasquez, a native Spanish speaker, is an associate in the legal firm Brown Rudnick, and one of many lawyers on Depp's team in his defamation suit against Heard.

Reports are that everyone on Depp's legal team grew close to their A-list client as they led the way to a successful verdict - both as a professional relationship and a friendship.

A source says that Vasquez and Owen first met in London in November, at an upscale gastropub The Cow (above)

Vasquez is seen in social media pictures on a trip to London last fall, believed to be the same visit where she met Owen

Vasquez (right) is seen posing for a selfie as she leaves her northern Virginia hotel on Thursday

The fluent Spanish speaker went to Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles from 2007 to 2010. Above, she is pictured left with her mother and sister

Vasquez was born in July 1984 to parents Leonel and Marilia Vasquez, who are of Colombian descent.

They live in a $1 million home in Buena Park, according to public records.

Her father once owned a UPS Store in Anaheim. The location has been a FedEx store for the past 10 years, an employee told DailyMail.com.

Vasquez graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in arts, communications and political science in 2006 magna cum laude, Newsweek reports.

She went to Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles from 2007 to 2010 and worked at one law firm before joining her current practice, Brown Rudnick LLP, as an associate.

And she is aptly living up to her billing as 'One to Watch' by The Best Lawyers in America for 2021-2022.

She focuses on 'plaintiff-side defamation suits, with additional experience litigating contract disputes, business-related torts, and employment-related claims,' according to her bio on the law firm's website.

She's also listed as having 'extensive experience handling parallel reputation management and crisis communications issues arising from these engagements.'
More than half of police forces in England and Wales have received more corruption and sexual misconduct complaints relative to their size than the Met, it has been revealed.

Despite Scotland Yard taking the brunt of the furore over incidents of misconduct among the police in the UK, figures suggest the problem is much more widespread.

An analysis of data from the Independent Office for Police Conduct found that forces such as Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and West Yorkshire Police (WYP) all received more complaints per 1,000 employees than the Met.

The statistics cover complaints made in the seven years leading up to March 2020.

They revealed that when taking into account the number of employees each force has, some smaller forces saw a greater proportion of complaints, the Financial Times reports.

This sees the likes of Leicestershire Police, Lincolnshire Police and Gwent Police seeing a higher amount of specific types of complaints relative to their size than the likes of the Met and GMP.

When comparing the four largest police forces, GMP is shown as having more corruption, discrimination, non-sexual assault, and sexual conduct or sexual assault complaints than the Met per 1,000 employees.

Data from the Independent Office for Police Conduct shows seemingly widespread issues with police misconduct (stock image)

These forces are all known as 'peer' forces, because they are classified as policing areas with similar social, economic and crime-related demographics.

While comparisons can be drawn between different forces based on the data, experts say the data may be influenced by the different ways forces record complaints and how easy they make it to complain.

While the number of complaints might be higher among larger forces, when these are looked at based on the number of employees in the organisation, it highlights issues at smaller forces.

For example, while the Met Police saw 17.1 corruption allegations per 1,000 employees, Leicestershire Police saw 62 complaints of corruption per 1,000 employees.

Regional forces such as North Wales (52.5), Northumbria (42.9) and Gwent(34.6) all saw more corruption claims relative to larger forces such as GMP (32.8).

This also extended to complaints of sexual assault or sexual conduct, with Gwent Police facing 21 allegations per 1,000 employees, compared to the Met which faced 5.5.

Wiltshire (11.1), Dyfed Powys (10.4) and Nottinghamshire (10), all saw more allegations of this nature per 1,000 people than GMP, which saw 9.6.

Data shows that smaller police forces have received more complaints per 1,000 employees than some of the larger forces

Non-sexual assault claims made up the highest proportion of complaints submitted to police forces over the seven year period.

Among these Midlands forces in Lincolnshire (263.7) and Nottinghamshire (237.3) saw the highest amount of complaints per 1,000 employees.

This was followed by Northumbria (235.5), GMP (231.6) and Merseyside (212.8).

Police forces in southern England saw the highest proportion of discrimination claims, with Bedfordshire leading the way with 90.8 complaints per 1,000 staff.

This was followed by Hertfordshire (85.2), Surrey (77.6), City of London (72.3) and WYP (63.3).

These allegations do not include complaints from police staff against their colleagues, while allegations can refer to the same employee multiple times.

Sue Fish, former chief constable of Nottinghamshire Police, told the Financial Times the data shows 'policing has a really significant problem'

She added that forces need to address the culture within their organisation, saying: 'Its still seen as the bad apple or monster scenario, when actually, there are very few monsters. Theres an awful lot of men who do bad things. Many of those are police officers.'

When contacted by the Financial Times about the findings, police forces said they are taking the issues very seriously.

Nottinghamshire said the high number of complaints it received was a reflection on how comfortable alleged victims in its area felt about coming forward.

Bedfordshire said its small number of employees and the diverse population in the area it covers could have influenced its figures.

Hertfordshire and GMP noted that a direct comparison between police forces might not be reliable as different forces record complaints in different ways.

Wiltshire and Dyfed Powys did not respond to requests for comment from the Financial Times.
Mrs Russell and her children Megan, six, and Josie, nine, were ambushed in Kent

A report will say Michael Stone, who is serving a life sentence, was responsible

And he made a confession this year claiming he also committed the 1996 killings

Bellfield is serving life for murdering student Milly Dowler and two other women

Bellfield did not murder Lin and Megan Russell, a review is set to conclude

Serial killer Levi Bellfield did not carry out the murders of Lin and Megan Russell, an official review is set to conclude.

Bellfield, who is serving life for murdering schoolgirl Milly Dowler and two other women, made a formal confession earlier this year claiming he also committed the horrific 1996 hammer killings.

But a forthcoming Criminal Case Review Commission report is set to say former drug addict Michael Stone, who is serving a life sentence for the Russell murders, was responsible.

After five years of exhaustive inquiries, the CCRC has found no forensic evidence to suggest Bellfield or anyone else was involved in the crime, sources say.

Serial killer Levi Bellfield (pictured in around 2003) did not carry out the murders of Lin and Megan Russell after making a confession earlier this year, an official review is set to conclude

Mrs Russell and her daughters Megan, six, and Josie, nine, were ambushed as they walked down a country lane in Chillenden, Kent, in July 1996, while returning from a swimming gala.

They were tied up and repeatedly bludgeoned with a claw hammer, but Josie miraculously survived.

Stone's lawyer Paul Bacon, who has spent 15 years trying to prove his innocence, submitted copies of Bellfield's four-page written confession, made in February from his cell. But evidence has emerged that casts doubt on its credibility.

In comments to inmates and guards, the narcissistic killer dismissed his confession, suggesting he sees his correspondence with Mr Bacon as a game.

Lin Russell, 45, and her two daughters, six-year-old Megan and nine-year-old Josie (all pictured), were tied up and savagely beaten with a hammer in the brutal attack in 1996

Experts from the CCRC promised to 'thoroughly analyse' Bellfield's confession and make 'appropriate inquiries' to assess if he was telling the truth.

A bootlace found at the scene of the murders has also been subjected to extensive forensic analysis after going missing for 14 years in police storage.

It was hoped that a knot in the lace could contain DNA yielding the killer's identity, but no trace was found of DNA from Bellfield, Stone or any potential suspect, sources told the Mail.

Since 2017, when the CCRC was asked to look at the case, Bellfield has been preoccupied with the Russell murders, making admissions to fellow prisoners but then denying responsibility in other correspondence.

He has given a lurid account of the attack, claiming to have kept a hair scrunchie as a macabre souvenir,

A forthcoming Criminal Case Review Commission report is set to say that Michael Stone (pictured), who is serving a life sentence for the Russell murders, was responsible

Those who have investigated Bellfield point out that a previous Scotland Yard probe concluded there was no evidence to link the former nightclub bouncer to the case.

Bellfield's then-girlfriend Jo Collings told police he was at a party in south-west London on the day of the murder  nearly 100 miles away from the attack.

In his statement, Bellfield also admitted to the murder of a woman called Judith Gold in north London in 1990.

If true, it would make him responsible for at least six murders, making him one of Britain's worst serial killers.

Bellfield, now known as Yusuf Rahim, is serving a whole-life sentence for murdering Milly, 13, French student Amelie Delagrange, 22, and Marsha McDonnell, 19, between 2002 and 2004.

Mrs Russell and her daughters Megan (both pictured), six, and Josie, nine, were ambushed as they walked down a country lane in Chillenden, Kent, while returning from a swimming gala

He was also convicted of the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy in 2004. The CCRC review is now in its final stages with a decision expected to be made public within months.

If no other evidence emerges, sources say the team will conclude that there is insufficient evidence for Stone's conviction to go to the Court of Appeal.

The petty criminal and former heroin addict was found guilty of two murders and attempted murder in 1998 despite a lack of forensic evidence.

He successfully appealed but was found guilty at a second trial in 2001 based partly on a confession he is said to have made in prison.

It is the second time that Stone has applied to the CCRC. In 2020 experts decided not to refer it to the Court of Appeal after a four-year review.

Bellfield, who is serving life for murdering Milly Dowler (pictured) and two other women, made a formal confession earlier this year, claiming he also committed the 1996 hammer killings

Josie Russell has declined to comment on the review, but the extraordinary length of time the various inquiries have taken is said to have been traumatic for the family.

Kent Police has already said it has no intention of re-investigating the murders.

In February it said that the CCRC 'has had access to all forensic evidence, documentation and exhibits from the original investigation, the review by Hampshire Police, details of the two Crown Court trials and appeals to the High Court'.

Yesterday Stone's lawyer Mr Bacon said: 'We are expecting something this month. But they have not been in touch with their report and we don't have any information about it.'

A CCRC spokesman said: 'We have no further comment to make other than the case is still under review.'
Donald Trump's attorney general Bill Barr said that his former boss is not up to the task of winning the 'transformative' 2024 election and should not again seek the presidency.

The former attorney general said that 2024's presidential election required a Republican who could usher in a new era as Ronald Reagan did in 1980, and said focusing on the 2020 election is not a winning strategy.

'I'm all for a new era. That's what I'm all about, is restoring the greatness of this country. And the principle threat is this progressive agenda. The only way to do that is not to speak about some other election and continue this trench warfare but instead a breakthrough election that will create and usher in an era just like Reagan did,' Barr told the Washington Examiner.

'I don't necessarily want to take a shot at Trump, but Trump is not that man,' he added.

'If you believe in the MAGA agenda, we've already punched the other guy in the nose. Now, how do we actually go about methodically restoring the United States?' Barr questioned.

Donald Trump's attorney general Bill Barr said that his former boss is not up to the task of winning the 'transformative' 2024 election and should not again seek the presidency

Barr, a longtime Trump acolyte, said that his former boss fired him on the spot when he disputed Trump's election fraud claim

Barr said that Republicans needed to win a wide and decisive victory. 'And you don't do that by starting a civil war in the party and calling everyone who doesn't believe that the election was stolen a RINO.'

The interview did not touch on who Barr felt would be best suited to run as the GOP contender.

Recent polling has shown that Republicans would rather see Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis than Trump at the top of the ticket.

A recent poll of Wisconsin state GOP convention-goers found that more Republicans want DeSantis to be the nominee than Trump.

Viewing a potential 2024 field, 38 percent of convention-goers wanted DeSantis, 32 percent favored Trump and 7 percent wanted former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.

Not wanting to commit to challenging a former president, potential 2024 contenders have so far been stuck in limbo waiting on Trump to publicly commit one way or another on whether he'll run. Trump has been testing his 'kingmaker' status within the party over a series of spring primary races that pit Trump-backed candidates against a number of his incumbent foes who refused to deny the results of the 2020 election.

The nation's former top law enforcement officer also said he believes Trump could easily won the 2020 election with only a 'minor adjustment to his behavior.'

Barr, a longtime Trump acolyte, said that his former boss fired him on the spot when he disputed Trump's election fraud claims.

Barr has for months been promoting his recently released memoir, One Damn Thing After Another: Memoirs of An Attorney General.

In the Washington Examiner interview Barr touched on wide-ranging subjects such as how he found community through bag piping and his parents forcing him to drink a glass of Guinness each day as a child.

'I was a scrawny kid, picky eater, and I was walking to kindergarten one day, and I collapsed, I passed out. And so they took me up to St. Luke's Hospital, which is in the Upper West Side of New York,' Barr said.

Still, this week Barr called the Russia probe a 'dirty' trick and says there was 'seditious activity' in explosive new comments while promoting a memoir where he writes that Trump 'cared only about one thing: himself' during the 2020 election overturn effort.
The Scottish census deadline has been delayed for a second time after 'dire' figures revealed the lowest-ever response rate with around 400,000 households yet to fill it in.

The census was scheduled to take place in 2021 and went ahead in the rest of the UK, but the Scottish government ruled to delay it by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But it is now struggling to encourage residents to contribute to the survey, despite a further delay and the threat of a 1,000 fine to any household which does not.

Scottish Labour has branded the census a 'shambles' which is 'dire' and 'humiliating' for the SNP, that party that holds a majority in the Scottish Parliament.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's government decided to delay the Scottish branch of the UK census by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic - a factor which is now being blamed for the poor response rate

The Scottish census was pushed back to 2022 before the May 1 deadline has since been delayed

The government will now accept responses for another 10 days, including those delivered after June 12, a deadline which had already been extended from May 1 due to the low response rate.

Around 87.5% of Scottish households have so far taken part which would amount to a record-breaking low - and would fall 10% short of the UK's national target.

At the last census in 2011 around 94% of households participated, but so far just five of Scotland's 32 councils have recorded census completion rates of more than 90%.

It is believed after taking into account the two delays the Scottish census will have cost in the region of 150 million.

Every household in the UK has a 'legal responsibility' to complete the census within the allotted deadline and the SNP has already been criticised over the disparities in data given England, Wales and Northern Ireland all carried out the survey last year.

Theoretically any household which does not complete the census could be fined 1,000.

Labour MSP for the Lothian region Sarah Boyack said the poor census figures should 'worry us all' and are 'humiliating' for the ruling SNP

Although 300,000 additional households have filled out the audit since the end of April, a further 400,000 still face the threat of the hefty fine at this point.

Meanwhile experts from statistical bodies such as the ONS say census data which misses a large chunk of the population is as good as 'useless.'

Following the news the government will now accept responses after June 12 Scottish Labour tweeted: 'This census has been a shambles from start to finish.

'The SNP should stop trying to spin this mess and start trying to fix it.'

Labour MSP for the Lothian region Sarah Boyack told the Telegraph: 'These dire figures are humiliating for the SNP but they should worry us all.

'This botched exercise has wasted millions of pounds of taxpayer money and left us with a census that is not credible. Worst of all, the poorest communities stand to be robbed of vital resources for years to come because of this farce.

'The SNP must stop burying their heads in the sand about the severity of this shambles and explain how they will fix the mess they have made.'

Donald Cameron MSP for the Scottish Conservatives echoed Labour's denunciation of the census as a 'shambles', adding: 'By rejecting the chance to be part of a successful UK-wide promotion campaign, the SNP seriously damaged the response rate.'

Professor James Brown, head of the 'Steering Group' behind the census, acknowledged the low turnout but said results still give Scotland a 'solid basis' to work on.

He said: 'While the overall return rates are lower than originally planned, NRSs [National Records of Scotland] extension has improved consistency and returns across the country.

'With this solid foundation it is now time to move to the next phase and conduct a high quality coverage survey. The coverage survey, combined with innovative use of administrative data, will allow NRS to estimate the size, shape and characteristics of the population as planned.'
Les membres du cabinet ont pris note de la promulgation de la Maritime Zones (Economic Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2022, Social Contribution and Social Benefits (Industrial Injuries) Regulations 2022, de la fermeture de certaines routes pendant la soiree dans le cadre de la ligne Rose-Hill/Reduit du metro.

1. Cabinet has agreed to the promulgation of the Maritime Zones (Economic Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2022. Any activity involving the use of marine renewable energy would be prescribed in the list of economic activities under the Maritime Zones (Economic Activities) Regulations. The terms deep sea water energy conservation and production technologies would be replaced by technologies for energy conversion and production from marine renewable energy resources. This would allow an activity that uses proven innovative technologies and contribute to energy conversion using thermal and other properties of the sea water as well as production of energy from tides, waves, winds and currents.

2. Cabinet has taken note that the Social Contribution and Social Benefits (Industrial Injuries) Regulations 2022 would be promulgated. The Regulations would provide for:

(a) the employee and/or employer, including self-employed individuals, to furnish to the National Pensions Officer, information and relevant documents, related to industrial injuries sustained and circumstances of these injuries;

(b) the terms and conditions to effect payment of benefits; and

(c) the rates of benefits payable in respect of:

(i) expenses incurred  transport, first aid required;

(ii) Constant Personal Attendance Allowance;

(iii) Dependents Benefit; and

(iv) other benefits incurred  medical, surgical attendances, physiotherapy.

The Regulations shall be deemed to have come into operation as from 01 September 2020 and on 01 September 2021 insofar as it relates to a self-employed person.

3. Cabinet has taken note of the performance of the Export-Oriented Enterprises (EOE) Sector over the period January to March 2022, as compared to the corresponding period in 2021. With regard to the performance of the EOE sector over the year 2021, EOE exports stood at around Rs42.66 billion, as compared to some Rs37.29 billion in 2020. Currently, over the period January to March 2022, EOE exports revolved at around Rs10.93 billion, as compared to some Rs9.38 billion during the corresponding period in 2021.

4. Cabinet has taken note that a Ministerial Committee chaired by the Prime Minister has been set up to look into the development of a High-Tech Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industry in Mauritius. The Committee would address all technical and regulatory issues.

5. Cabinet has agreed to the draft Schedule of Commitments of Mauritius in the context of the ongoing Trade in Services negotiations under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The AfCFTA Council of Ministers agreed in January 2022 to extend the deadline to complete the negotiations in the five priority sectors, namely business services, communication services, financial services, transport services and tourism services to 30 June 2022. Mauritius has scheduled commitments in new sub-sectors including Legal Services, Taxation Services, Medical and Dental Services.

The draft Schedule of Commitments would be verified by the AfCFTA Secretariat prior to submission to the 9th meeting of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers scheduled on 01 and 02 July 2022.

6. Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius adhering to the Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The aims of the Declaration are to ensure an open and transparent environment for international investment and to encourage the positive contribution multinational enterprises can make to economic, social and environmental progress. The benefits for Mauritius to adhere to the Declaration include the following:

(a) improved transparency of its investment regimes, which would give comfort to both domestic and foreign investors;

(b) entitlement to participate along with other adherent countries and the European Commission in the work of the OECD Investment Committee;

(c) taking advantage of the OECD diagnosis and benchmarking exercises in the course of the review process of the investment climate of Mauritius; and

(d) improved access to global supply chains.

7. Cabinet has taken note that Mauritius would host the 27th Session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission during the second week of May 2023.

8. Cabinet has taken note that the forthcoming joint re-evaluation of the Mauritius Accreditation Service (MAURITAS) by the African Accreditation Cooperation and the Southern African Development Community Cooperation in Accreditation would be carried out from 13 to 17 June 2022 in Mauritius. The first evaluation exercise was carried out in May 2018 and enabled MAURITAS to achieve international recognition by becoming a signatory member of the Multilateral Recognition Arrangement of the International Accreditation Forum and of the Mutual Recognition Arrangement of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation in October 2018.

The exercise would be conducted in the presence of international organisations such as the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation and the International Accreditation Forum which are the two supreme authorities in accreditation at the global level.

9. Cabinet has taken note of actions being taken with regard to the implementation of a Strategy and Action Plan for a New Solid Waste Management and Resource Recovery system in Mauritius, following the feasibility study funded by the Agence Francaise de Developpement.

The Strategy includes, among others, the setting-up of source segregation of wastes and the setting-up of the regional composting plants and sorting units to be carried out on a Public-Private Partnership basis.

A Request For Proposal is expected to be launched in September 2022 to invite potential project proponents to submit their bids for the setting-up and operation of composting plants and sorting units in the Western and Northern regions of Mauritius on a Design-Build-Own-Operate basis.

10. Cabinet has taken note that in the context of the Metro Express Project Phase 3 from Rose Hill to Reduit, major construction works would be undertaken near the Ebene Recreational Park Roundabout. Consequently, a traffic diversion scheme would be put in place as follows:

(a) the Rose Hill  Trianon Road (A14) would be closed daily, at night, from 19 30 hours to 05 00 hours; and

(b) the existing Roundabout near Ebene Recreational Park would be replaced by a cross junction with traffic lights.

The works are expected to start as from Monday 06 June 2022 and would last for six months. The necessary traffic signs would be set up to inform and guide road users.

11. Cabinet has taken note of the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic prevailing across the world. Some 533.6 million cases have been reported globally, of which 504.6 million persons have been successfully treated.

With regard to Mauritius, as at 01 June 2022, there were 158 active cases of COVID-19, out of which 13 were admitted at the New ENT Hospital. Over the period 26 May to 01 June 2022, one death was attributed to COVID-19.

Cabinet has also taken note of progress in the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, including the administration of the booster dose and paediatric dose in the Republic of Mauritius.

12. Cabinet has taken note that three suspected cases of Monkeypox had been recorded on 01 June 2022. The swabs have been sent to South Africa for testing purposes. Protocols have been worked out in respect of entry at the Airport and the Port as well as for treatment of cases of Monkeypox. Regulations would be made to declare Monkeypox as a notifiable disease.

13. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of two workshops organised and delivered by the Human Rights Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat from 23 May to 26 May 2022. The workshops were on Human Rights and Youth Engagement and Business and Human Rights, respectively. Both workshops were facilitated by Dr Shavana Haythornthwaite, Human Rights Adviser and Head of the Human Rights Unit of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

14. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent mission of the Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance to Ghana where he participated in the 2022 Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group. The Minister participated in various meetings including the Boards of Governors, the Southern Africa Group 1 Constituency, the SADC Ministers with the AfDB President, the Senior management of the AfDB and bilaterals. The 2022 Annual Meetings were attended by over 2,000 participants. The theme of the 2022 Annual Meetings was Achieving Climate Resilience and a Just Energy Transition for Africa, and was aligned with preparations for the United Nations global climate summit (COP27), scheduled to be held in November 2022.

Mauritius has been appointed in the subsidiary organs of the Board of Governors, namely the Joint Steering Committee and the Governors Consultative Committee, and would chair the Constituency meetings.

The Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance met the Vice-President as well as the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of Ghana and discussed ongoing cooperation between the two countries.

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A Florida driver nearly had his penis bitten off by a woman giving him oral sex after he 'lost control' of his car in a head-on collision.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue responded to an accident on North Ocean Boulevard and 19th Street on Thursday after the unidentified man crashed his vehicle into a FedEx van, according to The Star.

Authorities told Local 10 News that the man 'lost control' of the vehicle around 7pm after becoming distracted by his girlfriend's sexual acts.

The couple was found half-naked in their SUV and can be seen in photos laying on the ground.

A Florida driver nearly had his penis bitten off by a woman giving him oral sex after he 'lost control' of his car in a head-on collision

A man (left) almost had his penis bitten off after hitting a FedEx van head-on after he lost control of the vehicle because he was distracted by his girlfriend (right)

The FedEx drivers appeared to be sitting casually on the sidewalk after the crash and sustained mild injuries

The man appears to be in pain as officers gather around him while he laid on his back. The woman, who had her jeans around her ankles, laid face down on the pavement in nothing but her underwear and a white tank top.

The driver sustained injuries in his groin area, but otherwise was fine. The woman was said to have sustain mild injuries on impact, according to The Star.

The two passengers in the FedEx vehicles were said to be fine and sustained mild injuries. In photos, it appears the two were casually lying on the sidewalk as they waited for authorities to deal with the crash.

So far, no one has been charged in the accident and police have not released names.

DailyMail.com has contacted the Fort Lauderdale authorities for comment.

The couple's black SUV and the FedEx van appeared to have it's hood completely crumpled after colliding on North Ocean Boulevard and 19th Street on Thursday evening

Photos of the crash show significant damage to both vehicles, with black SUV's hood complete crushed.

The white commercial van also had significant damage to its hood and it appears the airbags were deployed.

It is not know how fast either driver was going at the time of impact.
Sandberg shared the following in a Facebook post on June 1:

'Today, I am sharing the news that after 14 years, I will be leaving Meta.

'When I first met Mark, I was not really looking for a new job  and I could have never predicted how meeting him would change my life. We were at a holiday party at Daniel L Rosensweig's house. I was introduced to Mark as I walked in the door, and we started talking about his vision for Facebook. I had tried The Facebook, as it was first called, but still thought the internet was a largely anonymous place to search for funny pictures. Mark's belief that people would put their real selves online to connect with other people was so mesmerizing that we stood by that door and talked for the rest of the night. I told Dan later that I got a new life at that party but never got a single drink, so he owed me one.

'Many months later, after countless  and I mean countless  dinners and conversations with Mark, he offered me this job. It was chaotic at first. I would schedule a meeting with an engineer for nine o'clock only to find that they would not show up. They assumed I meant nine p.m., because who would come to work at nine a.m.? We had some ads, but they were not performing well, and most advertisers I met wanted to take over our homepage like The Incredible Hulk movie had on MySpace. One was so angry when I said no to her homepage idea that she slammed her fist on the table, walked out of the room, and never returned. That first summer, Mark realized that he had never had a chance to travel, so he went away for a month, leaving me and Matt Cohler in charge without a ton of direction and almost no ability to contact him. It seemed crazy  but it was a display of trust I have never forgotten.

'When I was considering joining Facebook, my late husband, Dave, counseled me not to jump in and immediately try to resolve every substantive issue with Mark, as we would face so many over time. Instead, I should set up the right process with him. So, on the way in, I asked Mark for three things  that we would sit next to each other, that he would meet with me one-on-one every week, and that in those meetings he would give me honest feedback when he thought I messed something up. Mark said yes to all three but added that the feedback would have to be mutual. To this day, he has kept those promises. We still sit together (OK, not through COVID), meet one-on-one every week, and the feedback is immediate and real.

'Sitting by Mark's side for these 14 years has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime. Mark is a true visionary and a caring leader. He sometimes says that we grew up together, and we have. He was just 23 and I was already 38 when we met, but together we have been through the massive ups and downs of running this company, as well as his marriage to the magnificent Priscilla, the sorrow of their miscarriages and the joy of their childbirths, the sudden loss of Dave, my engagement to Tom, and so much more. In the critical moments of my life, in the highest highs and in the depths of true lows, I have never had to turn to Mark, because he was already there.

'When I joined Facebook, I had a two-year-old son and a six-month-old daughter. I did not know if this was the right time for a new and demanding role. The messages were everywhere that women  and I  could not be both a leader and a good mother, but I wanted to give it a try. Once I started, I realized that to see my children before they went to sleep, I had to leave the office at 5:30 p.m., which was when work was just getting going for many of my new colleagues. In my previous role at Google, there were enough people and buildings that leaving early wasn't noticed, but Facebook was a small startup and there was nowhere to hide. More out of necessity than bravery, I found my nerve and walked out early anyway. Then, supported by Mark, I found my voice to admit this publicly and then talk about the challenges women face in the workplace. My hope was to make this a bit easier for others and help more women believe they can and should lead.

'I am beyond grateful to the thousands of brilliant, dedicated people at Meta with whom I have had the privilege of working over the last 14 years. Every day someone does something that stops me in my tracks and reminds me how lucky I am to be surrounded by such remarkable colleagues. This team is filled with exceptionally talented people who have poured their hearts and minds into building products that have had a profound impact on the world.

'It's because of this team  past and present  that more than three billion people use our products to keep in touch and share their experiences. More than 200 million businesses use them to create virtual storefronts, communicate with customers, and grow. Billions of dollars have been raised for causes people believe in.

'Behind each of these statistics is a story. Friends who would have lost touch but didn't. Families that stayed in contact despite being separated by oceans. Communities that have rallied together. Entrepreneurial people  especially women and others who have faced obstacles and discrimination  who have turned their ideas into successful businesses.

'Last week, a friend saw a post about a mutual friend of ours having a baby and told me that she remembers how before Instagram, she would have missed this moment. When the women in Lean In's global Circles community couldn't meet in person, they used Facebook to encourage each other and share advice for navigating work and life during the pandemic. At an International Women's Day lunch, a woman told me that her Facebook birthday fundraiser generated enough money to provide shelter for two women experiencing domestic abuse. Just last month, I heard about how in India, the Self Employed Women's Association connects over WhatsApp to organize and increase their collective bargaining power. I've loved traveling the world (physically and virtually) to meet small business owners and hear their stories  like Zuzanna Sielicka Kalczynska in Poland, who started a business with her sister selling cuddly stuffed animals that make white noise to sooth crying babies. They began with a single Facebook post in 2014 and have gone on to sell in more than 20 countries and build a workforce mostly made up of moms like them.

'The debate around social media has changed beyond recognition since those early days. To say it hasn't always been easy is an understatement. But it should be hard. The products we make have a huge impact, so we have the responsibility to build them in a way that protects privacy and keeps people safe. Just as I believe wholeheartedly in our mission, our industry, and the overwhelmingly positive power of connecting people, I and the dedicated people of Meta have felt our responsibilities deeply. I know that the extraordinary team at Meta will continue to work tirelessly to rise to these challenges and keep making our company and our community better. I also know that our platforms will continue to be an engine of growth for the businesses around the world that rely on us.

'When I took this job in 2008, I hoped I would be in this role for five years. Fourteen years later, it is time for me to write the next chapter of my life. I am not entirely sure what the future will bring  I have learned no one ever is. But I know it will include focusing more on my foundation and philanthropic work, which is more important to me than ever given how critical this moment is for women. And as Tom and I get married this summer, parenting our expanded family of five children. Over the next few months, Mark and I will transition my direct reports and I will leave the company this fall. I still believe as strongly as ever in our mission, and I am honored that I will continue to serve on Meta's board of directors.

'I am so immensely proud of everything this team has achieved. The businesses we've helped and the business we've built. The culture we've nurtured together. And I'm especially proud that this is a company where many, many exceptional women and people from diverse backgrounds have risen through our ranks and become leaders  both in our company and in leadership roles elsewhere.

'Thank you to the colleagues who inspire me every day with their commitment to our mission, to our partners around the world who have enabled us to build a business that serves their businesses, and especially to Mark for giving me this opportunity and being one of the best friends anyone could ever have.'
Our country is in turmoil. There is palpable anxiety and fear over when -- not if -- the next mass shooting or, God forbid, school shooting will occur.

There is no rational person who feels this is okay -- that this is somehow the tradeoff that Americans must endure if they want to live in society free of senseless tragedy while retaining their Second Amendment rights.

No matter what pundits on television and Twitter tell you, there is no rational Republican who thinks that the murder of innocent children and civilians is anything other than an abject tragedy.

But for a myriad of reason, America has not been able to move forward on this difficult and divisive issue. It is obvious that we are in desperate need of leadership.

Unfortunately, in his prime-time address on gun violence and mass shootings on Thursday night, President Joe Biden failed  yet again -- to deliver.

Out of respect for the victims and their families, I have never felt right discussing my politics in the immediate wake of shootings, but I feel that it is now necessary to raise my voice, as the debate  yet again  spirals out-of-control.

The mainstream media always finds it easier and more convenient to paint all gun owners with a broad brush after maniacs go on killing sprees.

The reality is that people who abide by gun laws, use firearms safely and responsibly, and keep guns in their homes for personal protection don't matter to the talking heads in moments like these.

Why the president thinks that he can bring that country together on this issue is a mystery to me. Honestly, I think this lifelong political animal just couldn't resist the limelight.

Time and again they resort to a caustic and visceral reaction. They scream at Second Amendment supporters to DO SOMETHING! DO SOMETHING!

The critics and the politicians who echo them act as if there is a simple answer that we have all somehow been avoiding. Deep down, however, the ugly truth is there is nothing simple about this problem and there is no simple solution.

Biden was vice president when the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting happened. At the time, Democrats controlled the White House and Senate and even then they could not pass major gun reform legislation.

Ignoring this reality is nearly as bad as ignoring the problem itself.

Right now, a small bipartisan group of senators are at work  trying to reach compromise legislation that will pass Congress and hopefully inch the country towards new laws to address the scourge of mass shootings.

Among the issues potentially being addressed are federal legislation to encourage more states to pass 'red flag' laws that enable law enforcement to seize the weapons of potentially dangerous people and an expansion of background checks.

I am a proud gun-owner and Second Amendment supporter and I support both proposals. So do most Americans.

But last night, Biden made the senators' jobs even harder.

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows the president's approval rating at 42%, with only 32% of independents and 12% of Republicans approving of his handling of the job.

No matter what pundits on television and Twitter tell you, there is no rational Republican who thinks that the murder of innocent children and civilians is anything other than an abject tragedy.

Why the president thinks that he can bring that country together on this issue is a mystery to me. Honestly, I think this lifelong political animal just couldn't resist the limelight.

This week, Biden repeated the false claim that, 'You couldn't buy a cannon when the Second Amendment was passed. You couldn't go out and purchase a lot of weapons.'

That's not true  yet he keeps saying it.

Then he suggested banning 9mm handguns, which are among most commonly-owned weapons in America.

And of course, the president could not resist pointing the finger of blame at Republicans on Thursday night, calling the objections of many GOP Senators to new gun control measures 'unconscionable'.

The fact of the matter is that gun owners and Second Amendment supporters do not see the president as credible on this issue.

When a gun owner hears President Biden say that 'the Constitution and the Second Amendment was never meant to be absolute' all they hear is: 'Even if you obey the law and present no threat to others, we're going to take your guns.'

Biden was vice president when the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting happened. At the time, Democrats controlled the White House and Senate and even then they could not pass major gun reform legislation.

When New York Congressman Mondaire Jones commits to packing the Supreme Court, repealing the Senate filibuster, and amending the Constitution to limit gun ownership, they think that he speaks for a significant part of the Democratic Party.

When perennial-candidate Beto O'Rourke goes on a debate stage screeching 'Hell yes, we want to take your guns,' he sounds like the far-left extremists that gun owners know cannot be trusted.

One of the anxieties the gun owners have is that when Democrats call for reform they really want America to be Australia and ban guns altogether.

Here is what I am sure of, President Biden can't do this alone, and this administration gains nothing by vilifying legal gun owners and Republicans.

All the rhetoric does is push each side further and further into their ideological corners.

In the same way that Republicans and Second Amendment supporters need to be responsible with their language and rhetoric during such heated times, so do Democrats and the president.

At a time like this, Biden should be focused on bringing people together  not pushing them apart.
A Michigan man has been arrested at the U.S. Capitol with a fake badge, a BB gun, body armor, high capacity magazines and unregistered ammunition.

Jerome Felipe, 53, a retired cop from New York who now lives in Flint, was arrested just after 5am on Friday after parking his 2017 Dodge Charger outside the Capitol.

He had a fake badge with 'Department of the INTERPOL' printed on it and said he was a 'criminal investigator, with the made-up agency, officers said.

Felipe gave officers permission to search his vehicle.

A Michigan man has been arrested at the U.S. Capitol with a fake badge, a BB gun, body armor, high capacity magazines and other ammunition

Jerome Felipe, 53, a retired cop from New York who now lives in Flint, was arrested just after 5am on Friday. Pictured above his the ammunition police found

The officers discovered a BB gun, two ballistic vests, several high capacity magazines, and other ammunition in the car.

But no real guns were found.

Investigators are still working to determine the reason Felipe was parked near the U.S. Capitol, police said.

Felipe is facing charges for Unlawful Possession of High Capacity Magazines and Unregistered Ammo.

The latest incident at the Capitol follows an increase in threats and attacks.

U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said last year that there were 9,000 threats against members of Congress in 2021 alone.

It also comes off the back of a series of high-profile mass shootings and just a few hours after President Joe Biden called for a ban on high-capacity magazines.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Capitol Police for more information.

A NYPD spokesman told the New York Post Felipe retired from the force in 2018.

The vests, BB gun and bag full of papers Felipe brought to the scene are laid out on the Capitol parking lot. It follows an increase in threats and attacks on Congress in recent years
Reporter Maggie Haberman's book is published in October

Just 24 hours before an angry mob attacked the U.S. Capitol, Mike Pence's chief of staff told the Secret Service that President Donald Trump was about to turn on his vice president over the 2020 election result and that his security would be at risk, according to a forthcoming book.

Pence had to be hurried to safety on January 6 last year as crowds of Trump supporters chanted: 'Hang Mike Pence.'

The actions of the mob confirmed the fears of Marc Short, the vice president's chief of staff.

A day earlier, he had summed the lead agent responsible for Pence's safety to his West Wing office.

Short told Tim Giebels that he did not know what form the threat would take, according to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman.

But in her forthcoming book - 'Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America' to be published in October - she reveals that Short expected Trump to turn publicly against Pence, creating a possible risk to the vice president.

In the event his fears were well-founded.

Marc Short, Mike Pence's chief of staff, raised concerns about threats to the vice president on the day before a mob attacked the U.S. Capitol and chanted: 'Hang Mike Pence'

As vice president, Mike Pence had a key role in Senate proceedings to certify the results of the electoral college and confirm Joe Biden's victory. That made him the focus of the mob's anger

Days of tension exploded into the open on January 6, when Trump delivered a string of tweets demanding that Pence use his position to prevent Congress certifying his election defeat to Joe Biden.

Pence had already told the president he had no such power.

'We want to be so respectful of everybody,' Trump said in a defiant speech on the morning before the riot.

'And we are going to have to fight much harder.

'And Mike Pence is going to have to come through for us, and if he doesn't, that will be a sad day for our country. Because you're sworn to uphold our Constitution.'

Shortly afterwards his supporters marched on the Capitol.

A mock gallows was set up outside the building and protesters chanted: 'Hang Mike Pence.'

Their words came to symbolize the split between Republicans who were loyal to the Constitution and those who had sworn blind loyalty to Trump.

And it has proved to be a dividing line between a president and a vice president who had been loyal through the previous four years in office.

The fresh reporting also reveals other areas of friction that had made the Pence team anxious about the way the president was treating his vice president.

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows reportedly told Short that the president was withholding a pot of funding for Pence to establish an office after leaving power.

President Donald Trump addressed supporters just before they attacked the Capitol. On Jan. 6, he repeatedly called for Pence to help him reject the 2020 election results

Protesters built a gallows outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan 6 last year as they went on the rampage. Some chanted: 'Hang Mike Pence,' because they blamed him for failing to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election

Trump went after his own VP in a tweetstorm even though Pence had told the president that he did not have the power to block or delay the certification of Joe Biden's win

And, with tensions rising, in the days before the certification date Short asked the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner for help defusing a looming clash. But Kushner said he was too busy with Middle East negotiations.

On the day itself, White House aides were left with the impression that Trump was unworried about the anger directed at Pence.

Leaked testimony to the House committee investigating the events of that day now suggests that Trump complained that his vice president was being taken to safety.

At one point Mark Meadows, his chief of staff, left the dining room off the Oval Office and suggested to other aides that the president had said something along the lines of perhaps Pence should indeed be hanged, according to the New York Times.

The comments will be seen as another example of the depth of the split between president and vice president - both possible contenders for the 2024 Republican nomination - over the 2020 election results.

The details were provided by at least one witness, according to two people familiar with the work of the January 6 committee as it prepares a timeline of the president's day.

The newspaper said it was confirmed by Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to Meadows.

This week, fresh details emerged of how Trump's allies hoped Pence would step aside on Jan. 6 to allow the election results to be rejected.

An attorney working with Donald Trump's legal team devised a plan for Vice President Mike Pence to recuse himself from presiding over the certification of electoral college votes on January 6 last year so that a senior Senate Republican could refuse to count votes from states won by Joe Biden.

Trump aide Peter Navarro is INDICTED on contempt of Congress charges for defying his January 6 subpoena and in custody before court today after he claimed the probe is 'partisan weaponization'

and

Rob Crilly, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

By Morgan Phillips, Politics Reporter For Dailymail.Com

Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro was indicted by a federal grand jury Friday for contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a subpoena from the Jan. 6 committee and is reportedly in custody pending a court appearance.

Navarro has been charged with two counts of contempt, one for failing to appear for a deposition before the committee and one for failing to produce documents. The former Trump trade advise has been taken into custody according to NBC News and is due to appear in court in Washington, D.C. Friday afternoon for the charges.

Late last month Navarro launched legal action against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the committee, claiming that they have no legal right to hold him in contempt of Congress for refusing to give evidence.

Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro was indicted by a federal grand jury Friday for contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a subpoena from the Jan. 6 committee and is reportedly in custody pending a court appearance

Steve Bannon: First Trump adviser to be indicted by a grand jury Nov. 12, 2021- Bannon indicted for contempt of Congress Two charges of contempt of Congress were filed against Bannon, a former White House staffer, over his refusal to appear before Congress and give up documents in the probe A judge issued an arrest warrant and he is expected to surrender in Washington D.C. on Monday to appear in court, 26 days after the House voted to send his criminal referral to the Justice Department Bannon is the first person in Trump world to be indicted for Jan. 6. He was handcuffed and taken into court. 'This is going to be the misdemeanour from hell for Merrick Garland, Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden,' he said after his first court appearance. Advertisement

The Justice Department noted that each charge has a minimum of 30 days and maximum of one year jail time, as well as a fine of up to $100,000.

Navarro is the second Trump trade adviser to be indicted after Steve Bannon.

The House last month voted to forward the case to the Department of Justice.

But in an 88-page legal filing shared with DailyMail.com, Navarro argues that President Joe Biden had no authority to waive former President Donald Trump's executive privilege or his former adviser's 'testimonial immunity.'

The committee countered that many of the topics it wanted to discuss with him he had already written about in great length in his book.

And he said the courts must intervene to protect the separation of powers, and ensure that lawmakers were not getting into matters of justice.

'Repeated abuses by partisans and political score settlers like those on the Committee have institutionalized a partisan weaponization of Congress' investigatory powers that now threatens the delicate balance and separation of powers between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of our government,' he says in a filing to be lodged at the District of Columbia district court.

Navarro is among those of Trump's closest allies who have refused to give testimony or hand over documents to the January 6 committee, which is investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol building last year.

It issued a 34-page report detailing how he and Dan Scavino, another key aide, were involved in efforts to keep Trump in power after he lost the 2020 election.

Navarro also wrote and circulated a report claiming the election had been stolen.

The House in April voted 220-203 to hold Trump insiders Navarro and Dan Scavino in contempt of Congress, a referral that will now be sent to the DOJ for possible criminal charges

'There was a couple of times I walked over to the Oval  both times after I finished a report  and personally handed him one and briefed him on it,' he told Rolling Stone, adding that Trump then made arrangements to share it more widely.

While other officials have complied with the requests for information from the committee, a handful has refused, insisting that investigators cannot ask them to provide information about confidential conversations with a president.

Last month, the House voted 220 to 203 - mostly along party lines - calling for prosecutions of Navarro, a trade adviser to Trump, and Scavino, former deputy chief of staff.

'We have two people who are flagrantly, brazenly defying the authority of the House of Representatives of the United States,' Rep. Jamie Raskin, Democrat of Maryland and a member of the committee, said at the time.
Would-be Ronald Reagan assassin John Hinckley Jr has said it is 'now time to rock and roll' after being released after 41 years.

Hinckley Jr, who tried to kill the president in a bizarre attempt to impress Jodie Foster, continued to promote his upcoming music tour this week.

The 67-year-old also thanked his fans on Twitter for backing him and buying tickets for his sell out 'Redemption' tour next month.

Hinckley Jr, who spent decades in a mental institution for the attempted murder, was granted unconditional release by a federal judge on Wednesday.

From June 15 the convicted felon turned musical artist will no longer be held to his remaining court-imposed restrictions and will be a free man.

The aspiring artist, who plays guitar and sings, has been uploading his music to YouTube and has amassed about 27,000 subscribers

U.S. Marshalls escort John Hinckley Jr. (pictured center) as he returns to a marine base via helicopter in Quantico, Va. on Aug. 8, 1981

John Hinckley Jn: Would-be assassin who turned to music John Hinckley Jr became infamous after trying to kill the president by shooting him in the lung in 1981. The attack was part of a bizarre bid to impress actress Foster, who he had become infatuated with - even writing a love letter to her about killing Reagan.

He then waited outside The Washington Hilton for Reagan who had just finished giving a speech there. Hinckley fired six shots that hit the president as he exited the hotel. James S. Brady, the White House press secretary; Timothy J. McCarthy, a Secret Service agent; and Thomas K. Delahanty, a police officer were also injured. In 2014, Brady died of his injuries. In 1982, a jury found Hinckley not guilty by reason of insanity. He was sent to a psychiatric hospital in Washington and confined for more than two decades. He was 25 at the time. Advertisement

In a string of tweets this week, starting Wednesday, Hinckley posted: 'A big thank you to everyone who helped me get my unconditional release.

'What a long strange trip it has been. Now it's time to rock and roll.' He continued on Thursday: 'What this world needs is peace, love and understanding.'

And he added on Friday: 'I will be singing 17 songs at my show in Brooklyn, NY. on July 8. All originals.'

Hinckley Jr, who plays guitar and sings, has been uploading his music to YouTube and has amassed about 27,000 subscribers.

His first show as a free man is slated for July 8 at The Market Hotel in Brooklyn and has already sold out.

Hinckley Jr became infamous after trying to kill the president by shooting him in the lung in 1981.

The attack was part of a bizarre bid to impress actress Foster, who he had become infatuated with - even writing a love letter to her about killing Reagan.



He then waited outside The Washington Hilton for Reagan who had just finished giving a speech there.

Hinckley fired six shots that hit the president as he exited the hotel.

James S. Brady, the White House press secretary; Timothy J. McCarthy, a Secret Service agent; and Thomas K. Delahanty, a police officer were also injured.

In 1982, a jury found Hinckley not guilty by reason of insanity.

After exiting the hotel, Hinckley fired six shots, hitting the president; James S. Brady, the White House press secretary; Timothy J. McCarthy, a Secret Service agent; and Thomas K. Delahanty, a police officer.. Brady died of his injuries in 2014

President Ronald Reagan had just given a speech at The Washington Hilton on March 30, 1981

President Ronald Reagan, center, is shown being shoved into the President's limousine by secret service agents after being shot

In 1981, Hinckley wrote a letter to Jodie Foster detailing his plan to kill the president. He then waited outside the Washington Hilton for Reagan who was giving a speech there.

He was sent to a psychiatric hospital in Washington and confined for more than two decades. He was 25 at the time.

Attorneys for John Hinckley Jr. argued that Hinckley was 'no longer a threat', and that he should not be held to a series of court-imposed restrictions that were put in place after he was released from a 35-year stint in a Washington mental hospital in 2016.

Hinckley was allowed to move to a gated community in Virginia with his mother - who has since passed away - while adhering to a series of stipulations set in place by the court and being subjected to constant supervision by doctors and therapists.

The heinous act was a desperate and misguided bid by Hinckley to 'impress' actress Jodie Foster

In July, Hinckley - who plays guitar and sings and has shared his music on a YouTube channel - plans to give a concert in Brooklyn, New York. Appearances in Connecticut and Chicago for what he has called the 'John Hinckley Redemption Tour' have been cancelled

Before he was granted permission to produce work under his name, Hinckley said: 'No one can see my art. I have these other aspects of my life that no one knows about... I'm a musician. Nobody knows that. They just see me as the guy who tried to kill Reagan.' Pictured is his signature at the bottom of a painting

The shooting paralyzed Reagan press secretary James Brady, who died in 2014. It also injured Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty - who each took a bullet for the president, likely saving his life.

The then-president was also wounded in the attack, with a bullet piercing the head of state's lung, and ending up lodged near his heart

In the 2000s, Hinckley began, with the judge's approval, making visits to his parents home in Williamsburg, Virginia. His father died in 2008, but in 2016 he was given permission to live with his mother full time.

Still, he was required to attend individual and group therapy sessions, was barred from talking to the media and could only travel within a limited area. Secret Service would also periodically follow him.

Hinckley's mother died in 2021. He has since moved out of her home. In recent years, Hinckley has made money by selling items at an antique mall and by selling books online.

Hinckley has said on his YouTube channel that he has started a record label, Emporia Records, and that his first release will be a 14-song CD of his music. He also promotes his music on Twitter.

Entries from Hinckley Jr.'s diary reveal he occasionally 'regretted' his 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan, but he felt 'accomplished and satisfied' that he tried.
Uvalde School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo reportedly did not have his radio on him when he arrived on the scene at the Robb Elementary School shooting, where 21 people were killed, including 19 children.

That may have caused delay in Arredondo communicating with police dispatchers, according to the New York Times, citing a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation.

He instead used a cellphone and called a landline for the district police telling the dispatchers the gunman had an AR-15. He then, incorrectly at the time, said that Salvador Ramos was contained.

The president of the association for the state's school district police department chiefs also noted that it was odd that Arredondo, nor any of his men, had a key to get into classrooms and instead had to use one from a janitor.

'All my people carry keys,' said Chief Solomon Cook

It continues the theme of the story regarding the Uvalde School District Police's attempts to stop the shooter shifting, including a teacher initially blamed wrongly to have left a door open that allowed Ramos to get in. It has since been confirmed by the Texas Department of Public Safety that he entered via an unlocked door.

It was revealed last week that the Uvalde Schools Police Department ignored several protocols from their own active shooter training drills, which they had practiced just two months ago.

Arredondo has spoken to the Texas Rangers, who are handling interviews on behalf of the state's department of public safety investigation into the massacre.

The Rangers, the U.S. Department of Justice and the local district attorney's office are all investigating

During a bombshell presser in the wake of the shooting, Texas Department of Public Safety head Steven McCraw slammed Chief Pete Arredondo for failing to engage 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, mistakenly believing the teen had finished his killing spree and was hiding out from cops.

Uvalde School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo reportedly did not have his radio on him when he arrived on seen at the Robb Elementary School shooting, where 21 people were killed, including 19 children.

He instead used a cellphone, the Times reported, and called a landline for the district police telling the dispatchers the gunman had an AR-15. He then, incorrectly at the time, said that Salvador Ramos (pictured) was contained

'With the benefit of hindsight, from where I'm sitting now, of course it was not the right decision. It was the wrong decision, period,' McCraw said.

The assertion from the state safety official comes as the the school district's police force continues to face scrutiny for their handling of the shooting.

McCraw revealed that 911 calls had been made by students while locked in the classroom with Ramos, as Arredondo and his men waited outside the room for more than an hour.

Eventually, Border Patrol agents who rushed to the scene after hearing the incident unfold on scanners, breached the locked classroom door, with one fatally shooting Ramos.

According to a law enforcement official who anonymously spoke to The New York Times, the agents had been puzzled as to why they were being told not to enter the school and engage the gunman.

Video footage from the scene shows angry parents pleading with officers parked outside the school to enter the building, as they wondered as to the fate of their children

McCraw asserted that Arredondo, identifying the district chief by title and not by name, made a miscalculation assuming the active shooter situation had become a barricade event.

Arredondo, 50, become the focus of backlash from parents wondering if their children could have been saved.

Arredondo, who was born in Uvalde and was elected to city council just days before the massacre, has had an unremarkable career as a cop.

He started his law enforcement career as a 911 dispatcher for Uvalde's town police department in 1993, and over the course of the next 20 years, worked his way up to eventually assume the role of assistant police chief at the department in 2010.

Afterwards, he worked various roles at Webb County Sheriff's Office in Laredo - a small Texas town a little more than 100 miles from Uvalde. He then moved to the city's school district police force, United ISD, which is comprised of 88 sworn peace officers.

In March, during the early days of the pandemic, Arredondo got the chance to return home, when he was offered the position of school district police chief in his native Uvalde.

'It's nice to come back home,' Arredondo, who has family in the small, rural town, told the Uvalde Leader News upon accepting the gig.

The department, which only presides over the town's school seven-school district, is comprised of four officers, one police chief, and a detective.

Law enforcement are seen at the scene of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday

Arredondo, who was born in Uvalde and was elected to city council just days before the massacre, has had an unremarkable career as a cop, starting out as a 911 dispatcher in the town's police force in 1993 before accepting the school police chief gig in March 2020

'All four of us are on a group text,' Arredondo said at the time, adding 'they are very knowledgeable, and I encourage them to give ideas.'

He went on to assert: 'Of course, my title is important, but having a good group is also important,' Arredondo said, adding, somewhat prophetically, 'If not, you can surely fail.'

During Friday's presser, state director McCraw corrected information released by Arredondo's department Thursday that the gunman entered the building unimpeded, contradicting prior assertions that one of their officers exchanged fire with Ramos before the gunman entered the building.

In fact, police now say that the officer had actually passed by Ramos while rushing to the scene, as the gunman crouched behind a vehicle outside of the building.

Arredondo was not at the press conference to answer questions and it remains unconfirmed if he was even inside the school at the time of the shooting.
A former Disney executive said Johnny Depp may be called to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow as fans have a 'huge appetite' to see it happen.

The former executive, who was not named, told People he thought Depp, 58, may return as the swashbuckling rogue pirate, because of the promise of a huge potential payday for everyone involved.

'I absolutely believe post-verdict that Pirates is primed for rebooting with Johnny as Captain Jack back on board,' the executive told People. 'There is just too much potential box-office treasure for a beloved character deeply embedded in the Disney culture.'

The former Disney insider predicted that after the huge success of Paramount Pictures' 'Top Gun: Maverick,' Disney would be looking to bring back their own beloved franchise.

'There is [a] huge appetite for bringing back bankable Hollywood stars in massively popular franchises,' the executive told People.

Despite the insider's confidence that Disney could bring back the franchise, he's not too sure the actor would be up for it.

A former Disney executive believes Johnny Depp (left, in character, with Orlando Bloom on right) could reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates franchise as there is a 'huge appetite' from fans and from Disney to 'bring back bankable Hollywood stars'

Depp testified in court that he didn't plan on reprising his role as Sparrow due to feeling like he was 'guilty until proven innocent' by Disney executives

During his defamation trial with ex-wife Amber Heard, 36, the actor told the jury he would not work with Disney again after he was scrubbed from the sixth Pirates movie.

His legal team claims Depp lost out on a $22 million payday after Heard published her Washington Post op-ed in 2018 that didn't identify Depp, but clearly branded him as a domestic abuser.

Depp said he felt as if he was 'guilty until proven innocent' with Disney executives.

Though his former agent testified in court that it was actually Depp's 'unprofessional behavior,' which caused studios to be 'reluctant' to hire him.

Depp also had to step down from his role as Grindelwald in the Harry Potter franchise after losing his UK libel suit against The Sun, which he sued for labeling him a 'wife-beater.'

'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' would go on to be the worst-performing movie in the franchise.

A different insider, who had previous worked on Pirates sets, told People that he didn't 'believe' Depp would pass up on the role if offered due to 'his money troubles' and the fact that Pirates is a 'billion-dollar global franchise.'

The actor sued his ex-wife Amber Heard (pictured) for defamation after she published a 2018 op-ed saying she was abused

A Hollywood agent believes Depp's career will 'flourish' as his fans are 'very loyal and vocal and all know he is far from perfect' (pictured: Depp waving to fans outside the courthouse)

Super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer told the Sunday Times in May that producers were 'developing two Pirates scripts' that did not involve Depp.

Bruckheimer said Depp was 'not at this point' cast in the role of Jack Sparrow, but the 'future is yet to be decided.'

Actress Margot Robbie, 31, is rumored to be under consideration for her star turn in the franchise.

The unnamed insider told People that a seventh movie would 'likely' be released in 2025 and they believed producers would 'make Robbie [Depp's] daughter and likely have a cameo of him as a test.'

Lastly, a Hollywood agent told People he believed Depp's career would 'flourish,' despite the messy public trial.

'His fans are very loyal and vocal and all know he is far from perfect,' the agent told People.

Depp appears in the cast list when one searches 'Beetlejuice 2' in Google. Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder starred in the original Beetlejuice film in 1988

Depp said he the jury 'gave me my life back' after winning the blockbuster trial against his ex-wife.

'Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed.'

'And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled,' he wrote in a statement.

Whether Jack Sparrow sees the big screen again or not, rumors have been swirling that Depp may be cast in Tim Burton's long-rumored sequel to 'Bettlejuice.'

Depp, who has not been in a major movie since 2018, now appears in the cast list for 'Bettlejuice 2' alongside stars Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder, in Google searches for the movie.

The film's IMDB page has also recently been updated with a synopsis and release date of 2025.

In February, Deadline fueled speculation that the film franchise would be revitalized after reporting that Brad Pitt's production company, Plan B, would be helming the project, and saying that it was in early development at Warner Bros.
For 100 days, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken to the Ukrainian people every night, rallying them to fight against Vladimir Putin's men.

A new collection of images show Zelensky speaking to his fellow citizens during his nightly video address from Kyiv - in daily reminders that he has not fled, that Ukraine remains defiant in the face of Russia's invasion.

As Zelensky has said, when Russia invaded Ukraine days ago, no one expected his country to survive. World leaders advised him to flee.

'But they didn't know us,' he said in a late-night video address in April when the war hit its 50th day. 'And they didn't know how brave Ukrainians are, how much we value freedom.'

And 100 days on, and the Ukrainian forces are still fighting back against Putin's men. Zelensky on Friday used his speech to mark 100 days of war to declare that 'victory will be ours'.

A new collection of images show Zelensky speaking to his fellow citizens during his nightly video address from Kyiv - in daily reminders that he has not fled, that Ukraine remains defiant in the face of Russia's invasion

Zelensky's response to Russia's invasion has been forceful - and compellingly public. He has led his country in mounting an unexpectedly fierce resistance.

Every night, he rallies Ukrainians to the fight with a video address on social media. There have been 100 so far - one for each day of the war.

His actor-trained voice can be soothing, a deep, confidential almost-whisper as he looks directly into the camera. Or forceful, rising in moral outrage as he condemns the most recent Russian atrocities and insists that those responsible will be punished.

As the days and weeks have ticked by, his unshaven face has grown a dark beard. He has lost his boyish looks. The puffiness from sleepless nights as Russian troops marched on the capital was replaced by new resolve when the invasion stalled.

From the start of the war he has dressed in various shades of army green, appearing most often in a simple T-shirt. The impression he leaves is clear: He's fresh from the fight and about to get back to it.

A tireless and skilled communicator, Zelensky has spoken by video link to the United Nations, British Parliament, U.S. Congress and about two dozen other parliaments around the world, as well as to the Cannes Film Festival and America's Grammy Awards.

Rarely if ever has a man without a tie addressed so many VIPs. He also has given interviews to journalists. He held a news conference in the safety of the Kyiv subway.

But his nightly video address has been his favoured channel for informing and inspiring his fellow citizens.

DAY 1: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks from Kyiv in a video address on the first day of Russia's invasion. As the days and weeks have ticked by, his unshaven face has grown a dark beard. He has lost his boyish looks

Zelensky often begins with an exuberant greeting to Ukrainians as 'the free people of a brave country' or 'the invincible people of our great country.' He invariably ends with a defiant 'Glory to Ukraine.'

He tells them of the world leaders he has spoken with during the day and his efforts to get those leaders to send more and better weapons, to inflict ever more punishing sanctions on Russia.

He speaks to his fellow Ukrainians' anger and pain from the devastation of the country, the untold deaths. 'My heart breaks from what Russia is doing to our people,' he said on March 16 after Russian bombs killed hundreds sheltering in a theater in Mariupol.

He salutes their courage and says he never gets tired of thanking all those fighting to determine the future of Ukraine. That the country did not fall within days as Russia expected, he said on April 14, was because millions of Ukrainians 'made the most important decision of their life - to fight.'

DAY 50: As Zelensky has said on April 14 (pictured), when Russia invaded Ukraine days ago, no one expected his country to survive. World leaders advised him to flee. 'But they didn't know us,' he said in a late-night video address in April when the war hit its 50th day. 'And they didn't know how brave Ukrainians are, how much we value freedom.'

He also has tried to reach a Russian audience, as on April 1 when he switched from Ukrainian into Russian to urge Russians to keep their sons away from the war.

'We do not need new dead people here,' he said. 'Take care of your children so they do not become villains, do not send them to the army. Do whatever you can to keep them alive. At home.'

In his video address Friday on the war's 100th day, Zelenskyy said many words and numbers are now associated with the war, but 'there are three words for which we have been fighting for 100 days after eight years: 'peace,' 'victory,' 'Ukraine.' Glory to Ukraine!'

He added: 'Our team is much larger. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are here. Most importantly, our people are here.

'We have defended Ukraine for 100 days already. Victory will be ours!'

DAY 100: The Ukrainian forces are still fighting back against Putin's men. Zelensky on Friday (pictured) used his speech to mark 100 days of war to declare that 'victory will be ours'

In justifying the February 24 invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was saving Ukraine from the 'drug addicts and neo-Nazis' of Zelenskyys government. He has since ignored Zelenskyys calls for a meeting.

Back in June 2019, shortly after Zelenskyy was elected president, Putin was asked why he hadnt congratulated the new Ukrainian leader. In a condescending response, Putin seemed to write off the actor-turned-president.

'Well, it's one thing to play someone and another to be someone,' Putin said. 'The important thing is to have the courage and the character to take responsibility. He hasnt shown his character yet.'

For 100 nights, that character has been shown to Ukrainians and the world. And to Putin.
San Antonio officers shot and killed a 13 year-old boy driving a stolen vehicle that he used to ram into a cop car on Friday morning.

Officers said they arrived near the 5100 block of War Cloud Street at 1 a.m when they approached a red vehicle that callers had described in regards to gunfire in the area.

Capt. Jesse Salame said that when the 13-year-old driver, who has yet to be identified, spotted one of the approaching police cars, he threw the stolen car in reverse and struck the cops.

'When he sees the other police car behind him, it looks like he veers in and crashes into that (police) car purposely on the driver's side,' Salame told NBC News.

An officer from another patrol car then fired once, wounding the teen in the abdomen, who was riding with two other boys and died after being transported to the hospital.

San Antonio officers were responding to gunfire on Friday morning when a 13-year-old driver slammed a stolen car into one of the police's vehicles

Officials said one of the officers believed the teen was going to ram his car into his colleagues again when he made the decision to open fire, striking the boy in the abdomen

Salame said that while it wasn't immediately clear if the driver was armed, officers had feared for their safety after one of the cars was hit.

'He thought the other officer was going to be struck (again),' Salame told NBC about the mindset the cop who fired.

San Antonio Police added that the two juvenile boys riding along with the 13-year-old were taken into police custody.

The officer who fired his weapon, who has not been identified yet, was placed on administrative leave while the shooting is under investigation, as per police protocol.

The fatal shooting took place less than three hours after another shooting in the area that left an 18-year-old in critical condition.

The teen was declared dead at a nearby hospital and two other boys in the car were arrested

San Antonio police said suspects drove up to the victim on Thursday at 10 p.m. and fired several shots, striking him more than three times, KSAT reported.

The teen was taken to a nearby hospital and reported in critical condition. Police have yet to identify the victim.

No arrests have been made and police did not say whether the two shootings, which occurred just 5 miles from each other, were related.
The House Oversight Committee has organized a hearing for next week on the spree of deadly national gun violence that will feature dramatic testimony from a fourth grader who survived the Uvalde, Texas school shooting just days ago.

The hearing, on 'The Urgent Need to Address the Gun Violence Epidemic,' features testimony from family members and victims of the May 24 mass shooting at Robb Elementary as well as the shooting at a Buffalo supermarket last month that left 10 dead.

It was organized by panel chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), who has previously used her committee's broad jurisdiction to probe gun sales and other matters related to gun violence.

According to a committee release, a first panel of witnesses includes Miah Cerrillo, the fourth grader who said after the horrific shooting that she had covered herself in blood to try to fool the shooter into thinking she was dead.

Cerrillo, 11, will be attending the Capitol hearing, where witnesses are taking part both in person and virtually.

Miah Cerrillo, 11, is scheduled to testify at a House Oversight Committee hearing on the gun violence epidemic

She described the horrific incident in an interview, telling of how she covered herself with a deceased friend's blood in an effort to play dead when the gunman went to an adjoining classroom.

She also sought to stop the carnage by placing a 911 call using a teacher's phone, pleading to police: 'Please come ... we're in trouble.'

The committee announced the hearing as police conduct continued to be under scrutiny, and the latest revelation that the sheriff who arrived on the scene to take charge of the incident did not have a radio.

Also appearing will be Zeneta Everhart, the mother of Zaire Goodman, who was injured in the attack on a Buffalo supermarket. Both events helped prompt yet another national conversation on gun violence and a new push by Democrats for gun control measures.

Roy Guerrero, M.D., the only pediatrician in Uvalde, and Felix Rubio and Kimberly Rubio  the parents of Lexi Rubio, 10, who died in the shooting  also will participate.

The Rubios made pleas for new gun restrictions following the shooting that took their daughter.

Cerillo and her family recounted how she covered herself in the blood of a deceased classmate and friend to protect herself during the shooting

Felix and Kimberly Rubio, the parents of Alexandria "Lexi" Rubio, have called for gun control measures following the shooting that took the life of their daughter

Zaire Goodman, a supermarket employee, was helping a shopper outside when he was wounded by a gunman. His mother Zeneta Everhart, is scheduled to testify

'We live in this really small town in this red state, and everyone keeps telling us, you know, that it's not the time to be political, but it is  it is,' Kimberly Rubio told the New York Times following the shooting. 'Don't let this happen to anybody else.'

Felix Rubio has called for a ban on AR-15 assault rifles of the kind used in the massacre.

'After 19 innocent children and two teachers lost their lives in Texas just ten days after the mass shooting in my home state of New York, Im turning my anger into action,' Maloney said in a statement announcing the hearing.

'Our hearing will examine the terrible impact of gun violence and the urgent need to rein in the weapons of war used to perpetrate these crimes,' she continued.

'It is my hope that all my colleagues will listen with an open heart as gun violence survivors and loved ones recount one of the darkest days of their lives. This hearing is ultimately about saving lives, and I hope it will galvanize my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation to do just that.'

President Joe Biden issued an impassioned plea for gun control and other measures in a prime time speech Thursday. A House Judiciary hearing on on gun legislation Thursday featured angry clashes, with one GOP lawmaker, Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) whipping out three firearms and gun magazines while zooming into the hearing from home.

Guerrero, the only pediatrician in the town, also once attended Robb Elementary, and described the experience of treating the wounded on the Today Show.

'The most horrible part, I guess, was just seeing parents I knew outside screaming, asking me to look for their kids. You never really get that out of your head,' he said.
Private parking firms were branded 'bullies' last night after starting legal action against ministers over their plans to slash maximum fines from 100 to 50.

Several parking giants have launched judicial review cases against a new code of practice aimed at better protecting drivers from 'cowboy' operators, the Daily Mail can reveal.

It means the proposal to slash the cap on fines by half may now be thwarted. Plans to ban debt collectors from hounding motorists who do not pay within a time limit may also not go ahead after the government backed down following the legal challenges.

But other measures, such as a compulsory ten-minute grace period before firms can issue a fine to drivers whose tickets have expired, will go ahead.

UK motorists have been waiting years for reforms to car parking enforcement rules which were finally announced in February - but the latest legal action could see them substantially watered down

Parkingeye and Euro Car Parks are two of the UK's largest private car parking companies but the exact firms protesting the government's plans are unknown

So too will plans to create a simpler and fairer independent appeals process to give more drivers the benefit of the doubt in cases involving honest mistakes, such as keying in the wrong vehicle number plate at a ticket machine.

But the prospect of 'Wild West' parking firms continuing to issue fines of up to 100 is a big blow for motorists amid the cost of living crisis.

The changes are also bad news for the thousands who refuse to pay fines after protesting that they were treated unfairly, only to find themselves hounded by debt collectors.

Motorists have been waiting years for the reforms, which were announced in February.

Parkingeye, Britain's biggest parking firm, and Euro Car Parks are thought to be among the companies seeking judicial reviews. Both were contacted for comment.

Whitehall sources confirmed that officials have 'conceded' to parking firms' arguments on capping fines and banning debt collectors.

The planned reforms include measures such as defences for motorists who accidentally enter the wrong number plate number and 10-minute grace periods after a parking time limit expires

The firms said the legal case for the measures was not strong enough.

The Government will now consult more widely on the measures in the hope that the legal case can be strengthened and they can go ahead.

Parking firms have also argued that the current cap should be increased to 120. They claim reducing it to 50 would lead to more drivers flouting parking rules because a ticket, if paid at a discounted rate within 14 days, would be cheaper than paying for parking.

AA president Edmund King said: 'For too long, private parking enforcement has been allowed to degenerate into a Wild West where cowboy operators have been able to ride into a town and set their own rules and punishments.

'The judicial reviews are a setback but the Government must hold firm and restore order among those who like to bully motorists.'

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: 'If the private parking industry had been as willing to progress these important reforms as it is to issue tickets we'd probably have the new system up and running by now.'

A Government spokesman said last night that the new code would still deliver for motorists even if the fines cap and debt collector ban were not introduced.

'We will continue to work with industry and consumer groups to introduce the code as quickly as possible,' he said.
A woman from Alaska is being hailed a hero in Brooklyn after calmly removing an opossum that ran amok in a bar.

The unusual event unfolded last week at Temkin's Bar in Greenpoint, where video shows a crowd of horrified patrons looking on as Anchorage native Sarah Fulton picks up the opossum.

Fulton told WNBC-TV that she and a friend were hanging out on the sidewalk outside the bar when they saw a creature dart inside through the open door.

'We just were like, 'Was that a dog? Is that a rat?'' recalled Fulton. 'We both looked at each other and were like, 'That was too big to be a rat! It has to be an opossum.''

Anchorage native Sarah Fulton is being hailed a hero in Brooklyn after calmly removing an opossum that ran amok in a bar

'Hold my phone, I'm from Alaska,' declared Fulton before calmly handling the intruder

Inside the bar, pandemonium erupted as patrons jumped up from their tables screaming to escape the unexpected vermin.

'I mean everybody just lost their minds, we couldn't believe it was happening,' bartender Rachel Bessemer told the NBC affiliate.

'I grabbed my phone, didn't know who to call, I was like, 'this is not what people do.''

Fulton, who grew up in the Alaskan wilds but now lives in New York, took control of the situation, declaring 'hold my phone, I'm from Alaska' -- a spur of the moment catchphrase that she is now selling on T-shirts.

'I'm from Alaska and I used to go camping with black bears hanging out at my campsite,' she said.

'I think it was just instinctual, I just like went up to him and I was like, 'hey I know you're afraid' ... and I was like 'alright, I think I'm just gonna scruff you and take you out because that would be the least painful for you.''

Fulton marches out to the sidewalk carrying the opossum and releases it safely

A week after the incident, Temkin's celebrated seven days opossum-free with a cheeky sign

Video shows Fulton picking up the creature by the scruff of its neck and lifting it in front of her as it hisses and claws at the air.

As the other bar patrons look on, shrieking in amazement, she then marches out to the sidewalk carrying the opossum and releases it safely.

'They're like 'you're a hero, you're a celebrity.' I'm like, what? No,' Fulton recalled.

'For me, it's just a wild animal. But I have to realize I'm not in Alaska, and that's not something you see everyday.'

Bessemer, the bartender, said that as grateful bargoers bought Fulton round after round to celebrate her, the whole affair 'turned into a party'.
Five people were taken into custody in Colombia on Friday for their alleged role in the assassination of a Paraguayan prosecutor, who was shot dead in front of his wife while they were celebrating their honeymoon on a Colombian beach last month.

Marcelo Pecci, 45, was executed on Isla Baru outside the Caribbean coastal city of Cartagena on May 10.

The gang members were reportedly paid $120,000 to carry out the hit, Colombian newspaper El Tiempo reported.

Attorney General Francisco Barbosa said in a video statement that the suspects were arrested in Medellin as part of an operation involving Colombian and Paraguayan law enforcement agencies.

Paraguayan prosecutor Marcelo Pecci (left) wed journalist Claudia Aguilera (right) in April and the paired traveled to Colombia for their post-nuptial celebration in May. Pecci was shot dead May 10 on a private beach near their hotel. On Friday, authorities arrested five people linked to the execution.

A Venezuelan man is among the five people who were taken into custody in Medellin, Colombia, on Friday for their role in the murder of Paraguayan prosecutor Marcelo Pecci on May 10. He allegedly rented a jet ski that was used to approach Pecci on a private beach before he shot him dead

Among those who were apprehended is a Venezuelan national, who was spotted on camera returning the jet ski that was used to carry out the murder moments before he shot Pecci, Colombian newspaper El Tiempo reported.

'We have captured all of those presumed to be involved, including the material author of the murder of prosecutor Marcelo Pecci,' Duque, who is on a visit to the United States, said in a video message.

'This is an intelligence operation, meticulous work which has allowed us to reach this criminal structure.'

One of the suspects arrested in connection to the murder of Paraguayan prosecutor Marcelo Pecci is led in handcuffs by police in Medellin

Suspects involved in the killing of Paraguayan prosecutor Marcelo Pecci are escorted by authorities in Medellin following their arrest Friday

Pecci and his wife, Claudia Aguilera, had revealed on Instagram that they were expecting their first child moments before the couple was approached by two men at the private beach near the Decameron Hotel.

They had married April 10 in Asuncion, Paraguay.

Aguilera, a journalist in Paraguay, told authorities that one of the men shot Pecci once in the face and once in the back.

Just hours before the assassination the couple had revealed they were expecting their first child and posted on Instagram a photo of them embracing on a beach in Isla Baru with pair of baby sneakers in the sand

Paraguayan prosecutor Marcelo Pecci (left) was celebrating his honeymoon with his wife Claudia Aguilera (right) in the island of Baru near the Colombian city of Cartagena when a man shot him dead May 10

El Tiempo learned that four of the suspects, including a woman, traveled from Medellin to carry out the assassination of Pecci, who was known for prosecuting organized crime cases.

One of the men and the women paid $715 for a two-night stay at the hotel where Pecci and Aguilera spent their honeymoon.

They provided information on couple's movements to a male suspect who rented an apartment in the area and relayed the information to the shooter and his accomplice.

Authorities are still investigating whether mastermind behind Pecci's killing is linked to the Colombia-based Gulf Clan cartel and a criminal organization in Paraguay that it's associated with.
Thirteen people have been rushed to hospital after a horror bus crash near Cabazon Outlets in California.

The passengers were whisked away from the scene after a crash involving a Greyhound bus carrying 33 people eastbound from Los Angeles to Phoenix.

The vehicle suffered what California Highway Patrol Officer Jason Montes told DailyMail.com was a 'catastrophic' front left tire failure.

The bus, traveling at about 60-65 miles per hour, veered to the left and collided with a Mitsubishi Outlander SUV in the next lane over before colliding with the road's center divider and coming to a rest.

One of the bus passengers was transported with what CHP called a 'major but non-life threatening' injury.

Twelve other people from both the bus and the Mitsubishi were taken to local hospitals with 'minor to moderate' injuries.

The passengers were whisked away from the scene after the Greyhound smashed into other vehicles and the center divider on the I-10 E Freeway

One of the bus passengers was transported with what CHP called a 'major but non-life threatening' injury. Twelve other people from both the bus and the Mitsubishi were taken to local hospitals with 'minor to moderate' injuries

According to California Highway Patrol logs, the crash was reported at around 11 a.m. near Malki Road in Cabazon

According to California Highway Patrol logs, the crash was reported at around 11 a.m. near Malki Road in Cabazon

The remaining uninjured passengers were taken to a local tribal hall in Cabazon.

According to California Highway Patrol logs, the crash was reported at around 11 a.m. near Malki Road in Cabazon.

The crash happened just shy of the Desert Hills Premium Outlets in the town.

A Sig Alert was issued with the expectation of stop-and-go traffic that could cause delays of up to an hour in the area.
Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman admitted Friday that he 'almost died' after suffering a stroke just days before the commonwealth's primary.

'The stroke I suffered on May 13 didn't come out of nowhere,' Fetterman said in a statement. 'Like so many others, and so many men in particular, I avoided going to the doctor, even though I knew I didn't feel well. As a result, I almost died.'

Fetterman said the stroke was a result of a heart condition first diagnosed in 2017.

'Back in 2017, I had swollen feet and went to the hospital to get checked out. That's when I learned I had a heart condition. Then, I didn't follow up. I thought losing weight and exercising would be enough. Of course it wasn't,' he said.

Fetterman said he was prescribed blood thinner but 'didn't do what the doctor told me.'

He said his May 13 stroke would have been 'completely preventable' had he just stayed on the medication. Instead he was fitted with a pacemaker on election day.

'My cardiologist said that if I had continued taking the blood thinners, I never would have had a stroke,' Fetterman said.

'But I won't make that mistake again,' the current lieutenant governor pledged.

Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman, in a recent picture with his kids, admitted Friday that he 'almost died' after suffering a stroke just days before the commonwealth's primary

His campaign also released a letter for Dr. Ramesh Chandra, who was the one who diagnosed the Democrat in 2017 with atrial fibrillation

Fetterman's campaign also sent along a doctor's note from Dr. Ramesh Chandra, who was the one who diagnosed the Democrat in 2017 with atrial fibrillation.

'John did not go to any doctor for five years and did not continue taking his medications,' Chandra confirmed.

The doctor said Fetterman also has a condition called cardiomyopathy, which is why his medical team in Lancaster inserted the pacemaker.

'The prognosis I can give for John's heart is this: if he takes his medications, eats healthy, and exercises, he'll be fine,' Chandra continued. 'If he does what I've told him, and I do believe he is taking his recovery and his health very seriously at this time, he should be able to campaign and serve in the U.S. Senate without a problem.'

Fetterman and his doctor's statements came after reports out of the state suggested Democrats were getting jittery about his chances to win one of the year's most important Senate races, as he's still not indicated when he'll return to the campaign trail.

He's running to fill the seat occupied by retiring Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey - one that Democrats think they can flip in an otherwise tough year.

Fetterman and his doctor's statements came after reports out of the state suggested Democrats were getting jittery about his chances to win one of the year's most important Senate races. Fetterman with wife Gisele the day he left the hospital after his stroke

He also joked in a tweet Friday that he couldn't be the wanted 'Pierogi burglar.' Pierogies are a Polish delicacy, popular in Western Pennsylvania

NBC News quoted an elected Pennsylvania Democrat for a story Thursday who said, 'A lot of Democratic Party types are very nervous about it.'

That official said that Fetterman needed to be transparent about what was going on with his health.

Recent tweets showed Fetterman and his wife Gisele stopping in Somerset, Pennsylvania on May 22 en route home to Braddock from the Lancaster-area hospital he'd been since his May 13 stroke.

He also joked in a tweet Friday that he couldn't be the wanted 'Pierogi burglar.' Pierogies are a Polish delicacy, popular in Western Pennsylvania.

'Don't look at me, my alibi is rock solid. I've been resting + recovering at home in Braddock,' he wrote.

But for state Democrats, the situation had gotten so worrisome that some were refreshing their knowledge of state ballot-replacement law, NBC reported.

That deadline is in August.

'Doctors have told me I need to continue to rest, eat healthy, exercise, and focus on my recovery, and that's exactly what I'm doing,' Fetterman said Friday. 'It will take some more time to get back on the campaign trail like I was in the lead-up to the primary.'

'It's frustrating  all the more so because this is my own fault  but bear with me, I need a little more time. I'm not quite back to 100 per cent yet, but I'm getting closer every day' he continued.

'This race is so important for Pennsylvania and for the country. Im going to be ready for it, and I cant wait to get back on the trail,' Fetterman added.

Fetterman will be on the general election ballot against either Dr. Mehmet Oz or David McCormick, as a recount continues on who the Republican winner is in that race.
Seventy years have passed since Elizabeth became our Queen and two years since George Floyd was killed by a brutal policeman with his unrelenting knee on the black mans neck at a street corner in Minneapolis.

Two anniversaries with nothing in common, you might think. But consider this. Floyds death spurred the rise of Black Lives Matter (BLM) and with it the spread of cancel culture and associated wokery, which instructed us to see everything through the prism of race.

When we did that, the zealots argued, we would see that institutional racism was everywhere, race still determined outcomes, previously revered white historical figures had to be besmirched, their statues toppled or removed from public gaze and privileged whites (defined as all whites) had to bend the knee and ask forgiveness for benefiting from, and still perpetuating, a great evil.

Even a glance at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations these past two days suggests we are nowhere near as racist and divided as the BLM acolytes would have us believe

Yet even a glance at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations these past two days suggests we are nowhere near as racist and divided as the BLM acolytes would have us believe.

Instead, we see an increasingly diverse society remarkably at peace with itself, united in celebration and thanks for the Queens seven decades of unstinting public service.

Yesterday morning on Sky News a young Muslim woman outside St Pauls Cathedral explained, in a clear Scottish accent, how excited she was to have a speaking role in the Jubilee Thanksgiving service about to begin, her brown face beautifully framed by her hijab.

The camera then cut to a middle-aged white woman and a black woman with a lilting Caribbean voice, echoing each other about their admiration for the Queen and how excited they were to be so close to the cathedrals entrance.

These brief snippets of television, I thought, tell us more about the real state of Britain in 2022 than the relentless self-loathing and aggressions of those who push the BLM agenda.

They are reflected in the celebrations up and down the land involving folks of all colours and backgrounds, waving Union flags, proud to be British, enthusiastic about an institution which defines our Britishness across the globe.

The Jubilee has brought us together in a way that defies race-obsessed woke activists, for whom a society racially at ease with itself is their worst nightmare, because it takes away their very purpose.

Of course, we still have a long way to go to reach a colour-blind society. Knuckle-dragging racists are still amongst us, peddling their poison, though mercifully far fewer than before.

Discrimination still exists, even as we work to banish it and deal harshly with those who are bigoted when it comes to race. Some ethnic groups are trapped in poverty because of their colour and, sometimes, religion. But the problems we still need to overcome should not blind us to the progress we have made.

In many areas it is quite remarkable. Consider our overall attitude to diversity. Only a decade ago, more than half of us thought that a variety of backgrounds and cultures undermined British culture and sense of identity. Today, according to a report from the think tank British Future, around 75 per cent of us are comfortable with our growing diversity and see it as an integral part of our culture. It is a sea-change in opinion which bodes well for the future.

Some 84 per cent have no problem with the idea of an ethnic-minority prime minister; only 10 per cent think this would be a bad thing, a percentage bound to diminish even further as the years go by.

Politics is only one of many areas where those of recent immigrant stock have done well. Boris Johnsons first cabinet had more ministers from ethnic minorities than all other British cabinets in our history put together (admittedly a low bar but also a sign of how quickly things can change for the better).

So we should be celebrating how far weve come. Yes, on average, a Bangladeshi Brit will have an income 20 per cent lower than a white Brit. Black Britons earn, on average, 9 per cent less. But British Indians earn 12 per cent more than whites and Chinese Brits 30 per cent more.

These statistics  and Im grateful to Fraser Nelson, my colleague at The Spectator magazine, for them  suggest that skin colour alone cant explain differential performance between the races.

There are differences even within races. Black Brits from African backgrounds are twice as likely to go university as those from a Caribbean heritage.

On average around 35 per cent of black Brits go to university, which is pretty much the national average for all ethnicities. But half of young Asians go to university and an incredible 68 per cent of young Chinese  versus only 30 per cent of young whites, which is below the national average. Poor white boys are the worst performing ethnic group in the UK.

Clearly many complicated factors are at work here, involving history, culture, attitudes to education and the strength (or not) of the family unit. Yet to bring up any of that is to incur the wrath of the woke, who have a single explanation for everything: racism.

Of course, we still have a long way to go to reach a colour-blind society. Knuckle-dragging racists are still amongst us, peddling their poison, though mercifully far fewer than before

Martin Luther King, the great American civil rights activist, wanted a society for his children in which the content of their character would matter more than the colour of their skin. Amen to that. But for BLM and other woke activists colour clearly matters more than character.

Their simplistic (and factually wrong) analysis is no longer confined to a few race warriors on the campus. It has taken hold of the intellectual, cultural and power elites which control all our great institutions in the public and private sectors.

From the civil service to our museums and universities through even to the boardrooms of our major corporations, an absurd obsession with race and wokery has taken hold.

Art galleries are auditing their collections with a view to identifying works that were donated by those with links to the slave trade. Museums are decolonising their collections, as if our imperial past never happened or is only something to be ashamed of.

The Crown Prosecution Service has appointed a trans diversity tsar (naturally), while even the Bank of England has removed paintings the woke mob deem offensive.

Publishing houses are awash with posh woke-types just out of university who refuse to work on books that offend their sensibilities. A night at the theatre, whatever the play, is no longer an enjoyment but an indoctrination in the latest woke obsessions from non-binary weddings to fat-positive messages.

Captains of global industry vie to outdo each other at their annual gathering in Davos in the rarefied Swiss mountains with expressions of support for diversity and wokery, in a nauseating outpouring of virtue-signalling from people who somehow remain pretty undiverse themselves.

Much of this nonsense is imported from America, which has long been a major exporter of nonsense. Those who rushed to embrace the BLM mantra in the wake of Floyds terrible killing did not question if the American experience with race was relevant for Britain.

America was home to the most appalling black slavery for almost 250 years. Britain was not. Black people were taken in their millions to America in chains against their will. Britains ethnic migrants have come of their own volition.

After slavery was nominally abolished in 1865, American blacks endured terrible discrimination and segregation for a century afterwards, until the civil rights movement had its victories in the 1960s.

Even at its racist worst, Britain never came close to what was happening in America with, until relatively recently, its whites-only public places and the regular, unpunished lynching of black people well into the 20th century.

The truth is that George Floyd was killed in a country very different from ours. Yes, we have problems and issues still to resolve but our racial troubles have never been on the scale or intensity of Americas, which means we need our own solutions and not import irrelevant or unsuitable narratives from across the Atlantic.

We are in a much better position than America. We need to build on that. Yet when Kemi Badenoch, a black Tory minister of Nigerian heritage, opined that Britain was one of the best places in the world to be black she was excoriated by BLM types, whose purpose would be over if they embraced the truth.

It is healthy that, these days, we increasingly value diversity and are on our guard against racism. I rather like the new prevalence of ethnic minorities in our TV commercials because it speaks to a racially-diverse society at ease with itself. But for many it does create a false impression of the size of our ethnic population.

A YouGov poll reveals that we think 20 per cent of the population is black. In fact, it is 3 per cent. We think 15 per cent of us are Muslim versus 4 per cent in reality.

We believe British Asians make up 17 per cent of the population; its 7 per cent.

There is no need, for example, to shy away from our record on slavery. Britain played a disgraceful role in what was, in effect, the industrialisation of slavery

As the author Lionel Shriver wrote in a newspaper this week, if you add up our false estimates, it means we think 52 per cent of the country is from an ethnic minority when the truth is 13 per cent.

We think only 65 per cent is white whereas it is 87 per cent (interestingly only 65 per cent of America is white).

Outside London and other big cities we are not that diverse at all. It is perhaps one reason why theres a growing gulf between our major cities on the one hand and towns and rural areas on the other. But its also why we are a more harmonious society than America: our ethnic numbers are modest and our increasing diversity steady.

As in so many areas, the Queen has set the standard here. The modern Commonwealth, the worlds greatest multi-racial collection of nations covering one-third of the globes population, is largely of her making, for which she has worked tirelessly.

She has been a seminal figure in turning the British Empire, a creation of colonialism, into a voluntary association of independent nations which even countries that were not former colonies are keen to join.

Yesterday the Guardian (where else?) carried a story reporting that there wasnt much Jubilee celebration in the Commonwealth. Yet buried towards the end was the fact that 600 lunches were planned in 80 countries with beacons being lit across the Commonwealth and even non-Commonwealth countries. Quite a non-celebration!

The Queens enthusiasm for the Commonwealth has helped bridge our past with our present and even our future. There are those, over-represented at the top of our institutions, who think we should only be ashamed of our imperial past.

Those celebrating the Jubilee know better: real patriots are proud of their country while always aware of its darkest passages.

There is no need, for example, to shy away from our record on slavery. Britain played a disgraceful role in what was, in effect, the industrialisation of slavery, in which millions were carried across the Atlantic in chains, many dying on the way, those making it enduring a life of unpaid servitude. It was inhumanity on a massive scale and we can never escape our culpability.

But it needs also to be remembered that we were in the forefront of abolishing the slave trade and that, even as Napoleon threatened our very survival, we devoted a substantial part of the Royal Navy to hunting down and destroying the slave traders. Many British ships and lives were lost in the process.

The one right does not make up for the other wrong. But it does show that British history has many stories and that being ashamed should not always be our default position. I believe those joyously thronging The Mall and other places of national celebration this Jubilee understand that very well.

Britain has been a beacon for many things over the centuries, some good, some bad. In the 21st century, thanks in no small measure to the Queen, we have it within us to be a beacon for diversity and racial harmony. That way lies strength, prosperity and proper pride. Well need more flags!
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Royal aides are said to be taking a 'bookend' approach to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations as they prioritise getting the monarch on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Sunday's show-stopping finale pageant.

It comes after the 96-year-old head of state was forced to pull out of two key events after suffering 'discomfort' related to her mobility issues - Friday's thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral and Saturday's Epsom Derby.

The Queen has been forced to cancel a string of engagements in recent months and most recently missed the State Opening of Parliament in May. Her son, Prince Charles, and grandson, Prince William, stood in for her.

A senior royal source told the Daily Mail that while the Queen enjoyed the opening day of festivities 'immensely', the 'episodic mobility issues' she had suffered since last autumn 'were experienced during the course of the day'.

Royal aides stressed that it had always been Her Majesty's 'hope' to attend rather than a firm commitment.

Buckingham Palace said it will confirm whether she will attend other events over the next two days as soon as possible.

It is thought royal aides may be trying to help her rest to ensure she will be able to make an appearance at Sunday's closing Platinum Jubilee Pageant.

'It seems the palace are taking a 'book-end' approach, allowing her to attend at the start and finish without taxing her too much in between,' a source said.

It is thought royal aides may be trying to help the Queen rest to ensure she will be able to make an appearance at Sunday's closing Platinum Jubilee Pageant. (Pictured: Queen on balcony on Thursday)

Royal aides are said to be taking a 'bookend' approach to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations as they prioritise getting the monarch on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Sunday's show-stopping finale pageant. (Pictured Thursday at Buckingham Palace, from left: Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, Princess Anne, Camilla, Prince Charles, the Queen, Prince Louis, the Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William and Sophie, Countess of Wessex)

The Queen will not attend the Epsom Derby Saturday, Buckingham Palace announced. The news came after Her Majesty was forced to pull out of Friday's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral

The head of state is a passionate horse owner and breeder and would have been looking forward to seeing her horse running on Saturday during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Above: Hukum ridden by Jim Crowley wins the Dahlbury Coronation Cup on Ladies Day during the Cazoo Derby Festival 2022 at Epsom Racecourse today

The news comes after Her Majesty was forced to pull out of today's Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, with Buckingham Palace saying she was suffering from 'discomfort' following her appearances yesterday. Above: Her Majesty during yesterday's flypast

The Queen approaches the Commonwealth Nations Globe to start the lighting ceremony at Windsor Castle on Thursday evening, despite suffering from 'discomfort'

As the sovereign placed her finger on the globe, bright white lights raced along the Quadrangle towards Windsor's famous Round Tower

Her Majesty, pictured here reviewing mounted troops at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, has a well known love of horses

On Thursday it emerged that the Duke of York, who has had contact with the Queen recently, had Covid, meaning he would be a no-show at any future Jubilee event.

On Friday, the Duchess of Cambridge revealed that the Queen had a 'lovely' time at the opening Platinum Jubilee celebrations, but had found the day 'very tiring'.

Her Majesty made three memorable public appearances on Thursday, including the lighting of the Principal Platinum Jubilee Beacon ceremony at Windsor Castle, but had experienced 'some discomfort'.

Her attendance at the Epsom Derby had been considered one of the high spots of the weekend's events, particularly for royal herself.

It is the only one of the 'classics' she has never won in her long career as a racehorse owner.

The Jockey Club had spent the past few months making extensive plans to facilitate her attendance, including allowing her car to drive right up the course and pull up outside the Queen Elizabeth stand where the Royal Box is located.

But on Friday afternoon Buckingham Palace announced that she had decided not to attend, and would instead watch the racing on television at Windsor Castle.

Princess Anne is now expected to represent her mother at Epsom and is likely to be accompanied by her family.

No other senior royals will be there as many have engagements on behalf of the Queen elsewhere or will be preparing for Saturday night's Party at the Palace concert.

Phil White, London regional director for The Jockey Club, said: 'It is a rare occasion that the Queen is unable to join us at Epsom, but we are delighted she plans to enjoy Derby Day on television.

'We have big plans to celebrate Her Majesty's contribution to horseracing and the nation, and these will continue in full.'

The plans include many of the Queen's former jockeys, such as Willie Carson, forming a guard of honour in her distinctive racing silks.

Friday's service at St Paul's was attended by more than 2,000 guests, including senior royals and politicians.

Harry and Meghan Markle were kept apart from Prince William, Kate, Prince Charles and Camilla, with royal aides ensuring they sat on the other side of the aisle - and they later left separately.

Straight afterwards, Charles, Camilla, William and Kate arrived for a reception the nearby Guildhall.

The Duchess of Cambridge is said to have told an attendee the Queen is 'fine' but had found the day 'very tiring'.

Gill Smallwood, from Bolton, spoke with Kate and asked how the Queen was doing.

Ms Smallwood said of the conversation: 'She [Kate] said 'yes, she was fine, it was just very tiring yesterday, and she (the Queen) had had a lovely, lovely time'.'

Buckingham Palace officials took great care to try to avoid a repeat of the frosty scenes when the Sussexes and Cambridges sat near each other and left together at their last joint event in March 2020 at Westminster Abbey.

And aides would have been delighted that today's service passed without any such incident or negative 'optics' given the attempts to ensure today was about the Queen and her 70-year reign.

The Queen smiles as Prince Louis covers his ears during the flypast over Buckingham Palace in London on Thursday afternoon

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at St Paul's Cathedral (left) and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Guildhall (right) on Friday

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London on Friday morning, with the Queen noticeably absent

Prince Harry and Meghan arrive to attend a Service of Thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II

Prince Charles and Camilla speak with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after arriving at St Paul's Cathedral Friday

The announcement about Her Majesty missing the Epsom Derby is the latest sign of the problems caused by the monarch's advancing age.

In May, she was forced to miss the State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years, due to what her spokesman described as 'episodic mobility problems' which they said she was continuing to experience.

The only other times she had missed the hugely important occasion were in 1959 and 1963, when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward respectively.

In her place, Prince Charles, who was accompanied by Prince William, read her speech for the first time as the Queen watched on TV from Windsor Castle, but the Sovereign's Throne in the House of Lords remained symbolically empty.

It came after she had to skip the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in mid-March due to her physical struggles and also did not attend the traditional Maundy Thursday service at Windsor Castle.

The Queen's health took a turn for the worse after her husband Prince Philip's death last April.

In October 2021 - after working ten of the previous 20 days - she spent a rare night in hospital that forced her to miss a visit to Northern Ireland.

But she was back at her desk within hours of being discharged, despite having to cancel an appearance at the Cop26 summit in Glasgow.

In February, she tested positive for Covid-19 which prompted her to cancel a series of engagements, including virtual audiences. She suffered from what were described as 'mild, cold-like symptoms'.

The Queen, who in recent weeks has used a walking stick - including at yesterday's events - was told by doctors to rest for three months.

She gave a hint about her health when she remarked during an audience at Windsor Castle in February: 'Well, as you can see, I can't move.'

She later admitted that covid had left her exhausted.

Her Majesty's hopes of winning on Epsom Derby day have already come to an end after her only runner was pulled out of a race.

Just Fine had been entered to feature in the penultimate race, the World Pool Northern Dancer Handicap, staged over the full Derby course and distance of one mile and four furlongs.

However, it was removed at Thursday's 48-hour declaration stage.

In May, her horse Reach For The Moon, who was among the favourites, and two others were withdrawn.

The Jockey Club announced the three thoroughbreds were among a large number who had been 'scratched' from the entry list.

Thoroughbreds owned by the Queen have won four out of the five flat racing classics - the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, the Oaks and the St Leger - with only the Derby eluding her.

Phil White, London regional director for The Jockey Club, said today: 'We would like to wish Her Majesty The Queen a wonderful Platinum Jubilee.

'It is a rare occasion that the Queen is unable to join us at Epsom Downs but we are delighted she plans to enjoy Derby Day on television.

'We have big plans to celebrate Her Majesty's contribution to horseracing and the nation, and these will continue in full tomorrow.

'The Derby is a unique race and we are looking forward to welcoming people in their thousands to help us create a spectacular carnival atmosphere.'
A 68-year-old former judge has been shot and killed at his home in rural Wisconsin by a man with a hit list 'related to the judicial system'.

John Roemer served as a Juneau County judge from 2004 until 2017. He had previously spent 12 years as assistant district attorney, and had worked as an assistant state public defender in Baraboo, Wisconsin.

His identity was confirmed by two sources who spoke to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, as well as neighbors.

All the other people on the 'hit list' have been located alive and well, and are under protection, authorities said. Local media said they included Governor Tony Evers.

Police were called to the house in New Lisbon at 6:30am after another person fled the home, and reported hearing two gunshots.

John Roemer, 68, was shot and killed at his New Lisbon, Wisconsin, home on Friday, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported

Police are seen outside the home in New Lisbon, Wisconsin

Negotiators then attempted to talk to a person inside, but entered the property at 10:17am and found the man neighbors identified as Roemer dead.

A 56-year-old was found in the basement with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and was treated at the house before being taken to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.

'There were two individuals found inside the property, one was deceased, and one had a self-inflicted gunshot wound,' said Attorney General Josh Kaul.

'The individual who is the suspect appears to have had other targets as well that appear to be related to the judicial system.

'At this point, we are not aware of any evidence indicating that there is any active danger to other individuals. Those who may have been other targets have been notified of that.'

Attorney General Josh Kaul said on Friday that a 68-year-old man had died and a second person was found inside the home with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. The second person remains in hospital, in a critical condition

Kaul said a caller early on Friday said there was 'an armed person, and two shots fired'.

He added: 'I can't provide further information about the caller. The caller exited the home, and called law enforcement from a nearby home.'

Police were stationed in the area from 7:30am on Friday, Channel3000 reported.

Kaul was asked about others on the 'hit list'.

'I can't speak to what any individuals or their protection details are doing,' Kaul said.

'But what I can say is that we have been in touch with those on the list, and are working to protect their security.'

He said law enforcement secured the scene, and there was no danger to the public.

Roemer is seen in court, before his 2017 retirement. On Friday he was murdered by a 56-year-old man

Donna Voss, who lives next door, told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel she was shocked.

'One of my neighbors called and said what's going on, what's going on,' she said.

'It was really surprising something like this would happen around here. I still can't comprehend it.'

She said she heard police telling the person inside: 'Come out with your hands up.'

Voss added of Roemer: 'He was such a nice guy. Church goer. It's terrible.'

Jackie, a former teacher who lives nearby, said she knew Roemer through two of his children, who were students of hers.

'He walks his dogs all the time,' she said.

'He's friendly, a nice enough guy.'
New York Rep. Rep. Chris Jacobs announced that he won't seek reelection to his suburban Buffalo seat just days after crossing powerful interests and party leaders by voicing support for gun control measures in the wake of a mass shooting.

Jacobs, first elected in a special election in June 2020, came out for an assault weapons ban following the mass shooting that killed 10 people at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo.

He told reporters he has decided to retire instead of facing what he said would be 'an incredibly divisive election,' just days after voicing support for for a ban, similar to one that was enacted in 1994 but expired.

'The last thing we need is an incredibly negative, half-truth-filled media attack funded by millions of dollars of special interest money coming into our community around this issue of guns and gun violence and gun control,' he said, the Buffalo News reported.

'Therefore today I am announcing I will not run for the 23rd Congressional District.'

Rep. Chris Jacobs, R-N.Y., announced he won't be seeking reelection, days after announcing support for banning assault weapons and getting political pushback

Jacobs said last week that he would vote for an federal assault weapons ban if he had a chance, sparking backlash among state conservatives. He also said he was working with New York Democrats on a bill to prevent civilians from buying body armor.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she plans to bring a gun control bill to the House floor for a vote next week, and President Joe Biden is demanding new action in response to mass shootings, including one May 24 at Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

'I want to be completely transparent of where I am in Congress. If an assault weapons ban bill came to the floor that would ban something like an AR-15, I would vote for it,' he said, according to Spectrum News 1.

Short-timer: Congressman Chris Jacobs, R-N.Y., center, poses for a photo with his daughter Anna, 1, during a ceremonial swearing-in on Capitol Hill, July 21, 2020, in Washington.

A crowd gathers as police investigate after a shooting at a supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y. after a mass shooting there

Jacobs said he believed it was 'perfectly reasonable' to raise the age limit to purchase semi-automatic weapons to 21, and is working with Democrats on banning civilian purchases of body armor. The alleged Buffalo shooter is 18 and was wearing body armor

He also said he believed it was 'perfectly reasonable' to raise the age limit to purchase semi-automatic weapons to 21.

The Buffalo and Uvalde shooters were both younger than 21.

Jacobs currently represents New Yorks 27th Congressional District, but had been running for the newly redrawn 23rd District, which includes large swaths of new voters.

Gerard Kassar, who chairs the New York State Conservative Party, welcomed Jacobs' decision in a statement, saying the party had been 'perplexed' by Jacobs' 'recent stance on Second Amendment rights, a position well outside the mainstream of the Republican Party, the Conservative Party, and the voters of NY 23.'

'We agree that it's the best interest of all three - and of Congressman Jacobs himself - that he forgoes a run for reelection and returns to civilian life. We wish him only the best in his future endeavors,' he said.

Failed candidate for governor Carl Paladino indicated he might run for an open seat before Jacobs' announcement.

Even as a handful of Senate Republicans are seeking compromise legislation with Democrats, Jacobs suffered a collapse in his political support after his statement.

'This obviously arises out of last Friday, my remarks, statements on being receptive to gun controls,' Jacobs told the Buffalo News. 'And since that time, every Republican elected (official) that had endorsed me withdrew their endorsement. Party officials that supported me withdrew, most of them, and those that were going to said they would not. And so obviously, this was not well received by the Republican base.'

'I truly believe that I could win this, but it would be an incredibly divisive race for our party, for the district,' Jacobs claimed. 'There's a high likelihood that there would be a lot of outside money coming in, so it would make this gun issue the issue. And that divisiveness not good in any effort to move this discussion forward in a productive way.'
Is this set to be the raunchiest Love Island EVER? Contestants reveal their biggest turn ons and favourite body parts in racy new promo clip (and sex is still on the menu in the villa!)
A frog species forms 'boy bands' that sing in unison to woo females into their pools, a new study shows.

Researchers have recorded wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) at ponds in New Hampshire to learn more about individual contributions to a frog chorus.

Findings indicate that females are generally attracted to songs in lower frequencies  likely because they indicate bigger bodies and good physical health.

Males, meanwhile, time their songs to other chorus members and may even be choosy about singing with certain other males to enhance their breeding success.

In this way, they're akin to boy bands choosing the right bandmates to enhance their appeal to the ladies.

Researchers have recorded wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) using advanced recording technology to see how individual songs in amphibian choruses may influence mating

THE REMARKABLE WOOD FROG Wood frogs, which have a broad range over North America, breed in temporary pools rather than permanent water bodies like ponds or lakes. The species is known for its remarkable adaptation to withstanding sub-zero conditions. During the winter, wood frogs stop breathing and their hearts stop beating. Their bodies produce a special antifreeze substance that prevents ice from freezing within their cells, which would be deadly. Ice does form, however, in the spaces between the cells. When the weather warms, the frogs thaw and begin feeding and mating again. Source: NWF Advertisement

A frog chorus is made up of individual calls of various frogs, creating a cacophony of bizarre quacking or gobbling sounds.

'A chorus of wood frogs can sound a lot like the chaotic gobbling from a group of rowdy turkeys,' said study author Ryan Calsbeek at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.

'No one has figured out a way to extract the voice of one individual from a chorus to understand how membership in a group influences that individuals chance at getting a mate.'

Wood frogs, which have a broad range over North America, breed in temporary pools rather than permanent water bodies like ponds or lakes.

The species is known for its remarkable adaptation to withstanding sub-zero conditions during the winter.

After emerging from their winter hideouts in early spring, wood frogs move to the thawing pools to breed.

Hundreds of male frogs group together in 'armies' in the pools and sing in large choruses with the hope of attracting females.

Once a female enters a pond, males compete to determine mating pairs.

It's thought that females seeking a mate associate certain male body types with low or high-pitched songs  for example, a larger frog with a lower-pitched song.

To learn more about the individual contributions to a chorus, researchers stationed an acoustic camera  a device used to locate sound sources  at ponds near Hanover and Norwich in Vermont.

Researchers used an acoustic camera positioned in front of the pond (pictured) to separate individual frog songs from their choruses

Acoustic cameras consist of a group of microphones from which signals are simultaneously collected and processed to form a representation of the location of the sound

SIX OF THE WORLD'S SMALLEST FROGS ARE DISCOVERED IN MEXICO Six new species of frog  some smaller than the diameter of a 1p coin  have been identified by scientists. The amphibians were spotted living across a variety of habitats in Mexico and have only just been described because they bear a striking resemblance to other close relatives. Experts who helped to identify the six new Craugastor species say they should be classed as endangered. Read more Advertisement

It consists of a hula hoop-like antenna on a pole that holds directional microphones that can pinpoint the source of individual songs.

Prior to now, no one had figured out a way to extract the voice of one individual from a chorus, according to the team.

'The camera allowed us to analyze individual calls as well as group dynamics,' said study author Laurel Symes at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

'This is the audio equivalent of picking out the trees from the forest.'

The experts then overlayed heat maps of the sounds onto videos of breeding ponds and matched them against the locations of eggs as an indicator of breeding success.

Results showed that female frogs aren't so interested in individual male songs, but they do seem to be attracted to group choruses featuring low-pitch collective 'voices'.

Because male body size determines audio frequency, more variable choruses should tell females that there is more variety in the size of males in that group.

Interestingly, males may choose whether to sing with frogs of similar or different body types depending on how that might influence their ability to find a mate, the results suggest.

The species (Rana sylvatica) is known for its remarkable adaptation to withstanding sub-zero conditions

'It seems that the chorus calls are used to attract the female wood frogs to a breeding site,' said Calsbeek.

'The individual songs play a role in positioning the male frogs within that site, but it then becomes a physical showdown to decide who mates.'

Factors such as environmental conditions and predation require further study to fully determine the connection between singing on mating decisions, the team say.

Their new research has been published in the journal Ecology Letters.
NASA is set to launch its 'CAPSTONE' spacecraft mission later this month to orbit around the moon, in preparation for a new lunar space station.

The craft, which is around the size of a microwave oven and weighs just 55 pounds, will blast off from the Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand some time between June 13-22.

It will test the stability of a halo-shaped orbit around the moon before this is used by Lunar Gateway, NASA's planned lunar outpost.

Lunar Gateway will one day serve as a 'staging area' for landing humans on the moon and potentially as a jumping point for missions to Mars.

Pictured is an artist's impression of CAPSTONE in orbit around the moon with the Earth in the background. The spacecraft is set to launch this month, sometime between June 13 and 22

CAPSTONE over the lunar North Pole: After arriving at the moon, the craft will begin a six-month-long mission to validate a special type of orbit

CAPSTONE: Key stats Type: CubeSat Size: 13 x 13 x 25 inches Weight: 55 pounds Orbit: Near rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) Launch site: Mahia, New Zealand Launch date: June 13-22, 2022 Advertisement

The CAPSTONE launch was this week delayed again to 'no earlier than June 13', having been previously set for June 6.

Prior to this, the mission was scheduled for May 31, before being pushed back for undisclosed reasons.

Rocket Lab, which will send the satellite into space on its Electron rocket, said on Twitter that extra time was needed 'to support final launch and Photon readiness checks'.

When it is eventually ready, the small satellite will blast off from Rocket Lab's Mahia Peninsula launch site, on New Zealand's North Island.

CAPSTONE is an abbreviation for 'Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment'.

It is unique in that it will travel on an elongated halo-shaped orbit, which will bring it as close as 1,000 miles and as far as 43,500 miles from the lunar surface.

It will use its propulsion system to travel for approximately three to four months before entering into orbit around the moon. One orbit will occur every seven days.

While it usually takes a few days for a spacecraft to reach the moon, CAPSTONE will take much longer as it's travelling at a slower speed and has to take a longer route to gear itself for an unusual oval shape.

US company Rocket Lab will send the CAPSTONE satellite into space on its Electron rocket (pictured)

CAPSTONE will blast off on Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from the company's Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand

Rocket Lab said on Twitter this week that extra time was needed 'to support final launch and Photon readiness checks'

NASA is going to miss its moon landing target date by 'several YEARS,' watchdog report says A report from NASA's inspector general said the U.S. space agency will miss its target for landing humans on the moon in late 2024 by 'several years,' just days after it pushed back its initial target date to 2025, citing cost overruns and lawsuits. 'Given the time needed to develop and fully test the HLS and new spacesuits, we project NASA will exceed its current timetable for landing humans on the Moon in late 2024 by several years,' the IG wrote in its report. The report also notes that NASA is not properly estimating all costs for the Artemis programme and could spend as much as $93 billion between fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2025, when taking into account the $25 billion needed for missions beyond Artemis III. 'Without capturing, accurately reporting, and reducing the cost of future [Space Launch System]/Orion missions, the Agency will face significant challenges to sustaining its Artemis programme in its current configuration,' the report added. Advertisement

The strange-shaped orbit, officially called an near rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO), has never before been tried in space.

The orbit's route is located at a precise balance point in the gravities of the Earth and moon, meaning less energy is expended.

'The stability of this orbit will allow CAPSTONE to behave almost like it's held in place by the gravity of Earth and the moon,' Elwood Agasid at NASA's Ames Research Center told The Next Web.

'It requires little energy for station-keeping or to maneuver into other cislunar orbits [those between the earth and the moon].'

CAPSTONE will orbit this area around the moon for at least six months to understand 'the characteristics of the orbit', according to NASA.

The space agency said: 'It will validate the power and propulsion requirements for maintaining its orbit as predicted by NASA's models, reducing logistical uncertainties.

'It will also demonstrate the reliability of innovative spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation solutions as well as communication capabilities with Earth.'

The first parts for the Lunar Gateway are not set to launch until November 2024 at the very earliest, giving NASA plenty of time to assess the results from CAPSTONE.

Described as a 'vital component of NASA's Artemis programme, the Lunar Gateway will be a small space station orbiting the moon, acting as a 'multi-purpose outpost'.

The official word is that NASA's Artemis programme will land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2025, although this could be pushed back again, NASA Investigator General Paul Martin recently suggested.

Lunar Gateway, pictured here above the moon in an artist's impression, is described as a 'vital component' of NASA's Artemis programme

NASA's original date for landing humans on the moon again was 2024, but last year it delayed the date, largely blamed on litigation from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' firm Blue Origin.

Also this year, NASA will be sending manikins to space as part of the Artemis I mission in August 2022.

Artemis I will pave the way for crewed flights  Artemis II, which will launch in May 2024 and fly by the moon without landing on it, and Artemis III, which will actually touch down on the lunar surface.

Artemis III, which will launch 'no earlier than 2025', will be the first to land humans on the moon in more than 50 years, since Apollo 17 in December 1972.
Spanish giants Barcelona have revealed their home kit for the 2022/23 season, with fans on social media lapping up the strip boasting Spotify's logo on the front.

The Catalan club showed off their new strip for next year with the tagline 'The Flame Lives On' - indicating that the design pays homage to the 1992 Olympic Games held in Barcelona.

Fans on social media were quick to praise their new home kit, with one user going as far to say that it's 'one of the best kits' in the club's history.

Barcelona showed off their new strip that pays homage to the 1992 Olympic Games in Spain

The strip, boasting the traditional blue and garnet stripes we've come to expect, not only pays homage to the 30th Anniversary of the Olympics held in Barcelona - but also displays next year's sponsors Spotify on the front in golden writing.

A statement on the club website said: 'The kit launch campaign is also designed to reflect the spirit of Barcelona 92, whereby the different graphic elements include a similar typography to the one used at the time, and includes the different messages that were used in the posters of 30 years ago.'

Twitter users were not shy to show their love for the new kit, with one fan boldly claiming: 'We are winning the Treble next season'.

Another fan said: 'Getting this beauty for sure', whilst one user asked the club to announce the signing of Robert Lewandowski so that he can get order a shirt with the Polish forward's name on the back.

Barcelona fans on social media react to the new kit announcement on Friday morning

Barcelona confirmed in March their iconic stadium will be renamed the 'Spotify Nou Camp' from next season, after securing a 237million sponsorship deal.

This marks the first time in the stadium's 65-year history that Barcelona's home ground will be rebranded - with the deal will also seeing the Spotify logo appear on the front of both the men's and women's team shirts for the start of next season.

The partnership will see Spotify and Barcelona work together to create a greater platform for artists around the world to showcase their music, potentially even holding events at the Nou Camp.
Liverpool are enraged by the constant barrage of false claims being promoted by the French government and have vowed to prove how badly treated their fans were at the Champions League final.

Billy Hogan, Liverpool's chief executive, has been in contact with Florentino Perez, his counterpart at Real Madrid, to compare stories of what happened to supporters outside the Stade de France before and after Saturday's game.

Video footage has emerged of fans being crushed and mugged by local youths, with eye-witness accounts saying the gangs numbered around 1,000. Yet still French interior minister Gerald Darmanin continues to say Liverpool fans were responsible for the disorder that erupted.

Billy Hogan (left) has hit out at Gerald Darmanin for promoting fake claims about Liverpool fans

Amelie Oudea-Castera and Darmanin again blamed Liverpool fans for the chaos at the Champions League final

French police fired tear gas and pepper spray at Liverpool supporters outside the stadium

They said 40,000 fake tickets were in circulation, although official figures show only 2,589 were scanned

Mayhem outside the Stade de France saw fans with tickets having to wait in huge queues

French President Emmanuel Macron is said to be privately furious with Darmanin's response

An incredulous Hogan said: 'As I said earlier in the week, is just one of disbelief frankly. Folks are probably aware that the senate committee meeting yesterday was three hours, so there's still quite a bit for us to unpack in all of it.

'But, overall, given the body of evidence through video, photographs, personal experiences - and this is not just from Liverpool fans but from all fans that attended the match; media; English politicians; folks who travelled from literally all corners of the world to be at this match - which people have seen now across social media and other media channels. It's just utter disbelief.

On the claims that there were huge numbers of ticketless fans, Hogan added: 'In regard to the accusations again that the numbers - 30 to 40 thousand fans - turning up at the stadium, this is the reason why we just keep asking for an open and transparent investigation into the details.

'I said this earlier in the week, people are talking about details which haven't been shared.

'We haven't had the opportunity to have that open investigation. And I just don't think it's appropriate for people to be making accusations until we've got all the facts.'
Explore the cobbled streets of Castiglione della Pescaia before hitting the family-friendly beaches nearby

Check into the glamorous Hotel Il Pellicano, perched above the Tyrrhenian Sea in Porto Ercole

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It's late afternoon on Bagno Carducci beach and, all around, bronzed Italian families are beginning to pack up their raffia bags. Tuscany may be loved by the Brits for its cypress-topped hills and glorious sunflower fields, but for the Italians it is Versilia Riviera, just a short drive from Pisa and Lucca, that is the star attraction.

And taking pole position is Forte dei Marmi, a resort town perched at the top of the coastline where Bagno Carducci is just one of its many beaches.

Attracting well-heeled Italian families as well as fashion royalty  the billionaires Miuccia Prada and Giorgio Armani both have holiday homes nearby  Forte dei Marmis swish seaside heritage stretches back to the early 1900s when it became one of Italys first holiday destinations.

Italians love Tuscany for its Versilia Riviera, which is just a short drive from the Tuscan hot spots of Pisa and Lucca (pictured)

With calm waters, golden sands and a scenic backdrop framed by the Apuan Alps, its no surprise that the tiny town has been nicknamed Fabulous Forte. The resorts chic reputation was cemented in the 1960s when the worlds glitterati would decamp here for the summer.

These days the town has a manicured yet modest feel, unlike Europes other, more showy hotspots, of, say, Saint Tropez or Marbella.

In the centro storico, the old town, you can buy a stracciatella ice cream (vanilla with fine flakes of chocolate) at one of the many artisan stores, as well as browse the petite outposts of designer brands. Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and Gucci all have shops there.

Above is Forte dei Marmi, a resort town along the coast that's known for its calm waters, golden sands and a scenic backdrop framed by the Apuan Alps

Don't miss Forte dei Marmi's Wednesday market at Piazza Marconi (pictured), with vendors selling locally made cashmere, ceramics and linens

For shopping which wont break the bank, however, the Wednesday market at Piazza Marconi, with locally made cashmere, ceramics and linens, is unmissable.

To feel fully immersed in la dolce vita, the hotel Principe Forte dei Marmi is the place to check in. The 28 bedrooms have a slick, modern feel, and theres the bonus of the private Dalmazia Beach Club. Here you can people-watch from the stylish beach gazebos and enjoy authentic Tuscan dishes at the alfresco restaurant.

Rooms cost from 300 per night (principefortedeimarmi.com).

To feel fully immersed in la dolce vita, the Hotel Principe Forte dei Marmi (pictured) is the place to check in

Enjoy authentic Tuscan dishes at the alfresco restaurant at Hotel Principe Forte dei Marmi's Dalmazia Beach Club

The 28 bedrooms at the Hotel Principe Forte dei Marmi, pictured, have a slick, modern feel

Carved out of an Art Nouveau villa, Hotel Byron, on the other hand, dates from the late 18th Century and was named after the English poet who adored Tuscany.

Regulars keep coming back for its beachside location and Michelin-starred restaurant.

Guests can take excursions to nearby artists studios in the ancient town of Pietrasanta  known for its marble heritage  as well as boat trips to the villages of Cinque Terre.

With Hotel Byron as your base, take an excursion to nearby artists studios in the ancient town of Pietrasanta (pictured)  known for its marble heritage

Vibrant: Above is Vernazza, one of the colourful fishing villages in Cinque Terre that can be explored by boat tour

Rooms cost from 383 per night (hotelbyron.net).

For the full-on Italian beach experience, however, theres nothing like the buzz of Viareggio. Be warned: if youre seeking peace and quiet, book in hand, this is the wrong place. Its miles of sandy beaches are dominated by the Milanese and Romans playing volleyball, watersports and, of course, chatting effusively.

The early evening passeggiata  the Italian tradition of a stroll with friends and family  is practically an institution here and is taken along the seafront promenade.

Make a pitstop for an Aperol spritz at the Gran Caffe Margherita, which was once the favourite haunt of opera composer Giacomo Puccini, the regions most famous son. For opera fans its well worth a visit to Torre del Lago, where Puccini lived and wrote many of his operas. His mansion, carved out of an old watchtower overlooking Lake Massaciuccoli, is now a museum, while the open-air theatre by the lake hosts a summer festival celebrating his work.

For the full-on Italian beach experience, theres nothing like the buzz of Viareggio (pictured)

Opera fans will love Lake Massaciuccoli (pictured) - the composer Giacomo Puccini lived by the water and wrote many of his operas here

Plaza e de Russie, built in 1871, is the oldest hotel in Viareggio. Found on the seafront, it is the perfect base for experiencing the towns lively beach clubs, as well as its carnival, which takes place over a number of weekends each February and March.

Rooms cost from 238 per night (plazaederussie.com).

If the northern coastline has all the fizz of a Fellini film, then southern Tuscany exudes the complexity of a Giovanni Fattori oil painting, where the smudgy greens of olive groves merge with the turquoise hues of the sea.

South of the port town of Livorno, the coastline becomes wilder, the crowds drop away and it seems like a forgotten corner of Italy.

When you travel south of the port town of Livorno, pictured, you'll notice that the coastline becomes wilder

This is the Maremma region of Tuscany, a timeless destination where tiny bays, accessible only on foot or by boat, are trimmed with pine groves and beaches are strewn with driftwood.

Much of this stretch of jagged coastline sits within the Bandite di Scarlino protected nature reserve, and the beaches have an other-worldly feel, surrounded by oak forests and scrubland. While wild boar roam the hinterland and egrets swoop above, you can bathe in wonderful clear water.

Italys most unspoilt beaches are found here  such as Cala Violina, poetically named because of the musical sound that the sand emits as you walk over it.

Above is picturesque Cala Violina, one of Italys most unspoilt beaches, which lies in the Maremma region

Adding to Maremmas wild appeal are the butteri, or cowboys, who have worked this land since Etruscan times, farming the distinctive-looking longhorn cattle.

Agriturismo a Gelsomino has a riding school which offers horseback treks with butteri along the coast and through the surrounding hills (ilgelsomino.com).

One of the jewels of the Tuscan Riviera is Castiglione della Pescaia. The small fishing town is overlooked by a 15th Century castle and still has its medieval walls intact. You can meander around its narrow, cobbled streets before exploring the family-friendly beaches nearby.

One of the jewels of the Tuscan Riviera is the small fishing town of Castiglione della Pescaia (pictured)

Spiaggia Fertilia beach is renowned for its kitesurfing and windsurfing, and is also a great spot for little ones to hunt for shells and sea urchins in its necklace of rock pools.

A short drive inland will take you to the romantic LAndana Resort. The Medici villa-turned-hotel was where Grand Duke Leopold and his court used to decamp during summers in the late 19th Century. Found in a 1,200-acre wine estate, it still offers a regal Tuscan appeal. As well as a lavish spa, a highlight is the Michelin-starred La Trattoria Enrico Bartolini overlooking the vineyards.

B&B costs from about 375 per night based on two sharing (andana.it).

The regal LAndana Resort, pictured, was where Grand Duke Leopold and his court used to decamp during summers in the late 19th Century

Found in a 1,200-acre wine estate, LAndana Resort offers a regal Tuscan appeal. Pictured is a Superior Suite

B&B at LAndana Resort costs from about 375 per night based on two sharing. Above is a Prestige Suite

Highlights at LAndana Resort include a lavish spa and the Michelin-starred La Trattoria Enrico Bartolini

Go further south still and youll reach the Monte Argentario peninsula, linked to the mainland by three strips of land, one of which cuts through the Orbetello Lagoon.

These 4,000 acres of marshland are inhabited by grebes, rare migratory birds and some 4,000 pink flamingoes.

The two main towns on the promontory are Porto Santo Stefano, dominated by a magnificent fort, and Porto Ercole, which has a charming old town and harbour.

Along the waterfront at Porto Ercole, seafood restaurants and artisan workshops are carved out of old fishermens huts. Theres nothing better here than a bowl of the local tagliolini with shrimp, clams and zucchini.

In Porto Santo Stefano, Trattoria a Casa Paolo e Rosita offers a further dip into local cuisine, which naturally focuses on an abundance of seafood, as well as seasonal ingredients such as wild mushrooms, boar and chestnuts.

Porto Santo Stefano, pictured, is one of two main towns on the Monte Argentario peninsula and is dominated by a magnificent fort

Seafood restaurants and artisan workshops are carved out of old fishermens huts along the waterfront at Porto Ercole (pictured)

The Orbetello Lagoon (above) is inhabited by some 4,000 pink flamingoes

Those in the know hire villas in Monte Argentario for the summer to enjoy blissful, tranquil days.

LAgrumento DellIsola Villa is a two-bedroom, pink-painted stone farmhouse surrounded by olive, orange and lemon trees. As well as a pool, its blessed with access to its own secluded beach. It sleeps four and costs from 2,108 for one week, from September 24 (tuscanynowandmore.com).

You can spend your days here with a hike up the highest peak of Punta Telegrafo, take a glass-bottomed boat trip out to the nearby islands of Giglio and Montecristo, or cycle along Via Panoramica, a road that gives cinematic views over the archipelago.

LAgrumento DellIsola Villa is a two-bedroom, pink-painted stone farmhouse surrounded by olive, orange and lemon trees

LAgrumento DellIsola Villa sleeps four and costs from 2,108 for one week, from September 24

As well as a pool, LAgrumento DellIsola Villa is blessed with access to its own secluded beach

Take a glass-bottomed boat trip out to the islands of Giglio and Montecristo (pictured)

Divers can explore the shipwrecks around the tiny, crescent-shaped island of Giannutri, such as the Roman ship Punta Scaletta, and see the stunning vertical walls of multi-coloured corals and sponges, as well as a kaleidoscope of sea life in the form of barracuda, scorpion fish, dolphins and fin whales.

For a legendary coastal stay, it gets no better than Hotel Il Pellicano in Porto Ercole  arguably the most glamorous hotel in Tuscany (if not Italy), which originally opened in 1965.

It has a breathtaking setting perched above the Tyrrhenian Sea. Guests can also access a seriously hip beach club by taking a lift that plunges you down the cliffside.

Divers can explore the shipwrecks around the tiny, crescent-shaped island of Giannutri (pictured)

Glamour: Above is the clifftop pool at Hotel Il Pellicano in Porto Ercole, which is arguably the most glamorous hotel in Tuscany (if not Italy)

Pictured is Hotel Il Pellicano's Pellicano Suite. The legendary hotel originally opened in 1965

Guests at Hotel Il Pellicano can access a seriously hip beach club by taking a lift that plunges you down the cliffside

At the hotels Bar AllAperto, start your evening with a Pellicano martini, made with a hint of the local mandarin liqueur.

Michelin-starred chef Michelino Gioia oversees the main restaurant, Il Pellicano, where he elevates the copious amounts of local produce on offer to stellar levels.

A five-night trip to the Tuscan Riviera, including flights, car hire, two nights at Hotel Il Pellicano and three at Hotel Byron, B&B, costs from 5,400pp (blacktomato.com).

Perhaps above all, Hotel Il Pellicano has mastered the art of what the Italians call sprezzatura  meaning it oozes a certain nonchalance about its obvious appeal.

In other words, much like the Tuscan Riviera itself.
Leelee Sobieski had a very enviable career in Hollywood with hit films year after year.

The New York native - born Liliane Rudabet Gloria Elsveta 'Leelee' Sobieski - worked with all the hot leading men in the film business including Tom Cruise in Eyes Wide Shut, Josh Hartnett in Heaven On Earth and Paul Walker on Joy Ride.

But 11 years ago the blonde beauty - who is now 38-years-old - left it all for a career as a painter. Her impressive Night Ride exhibition is currently on display in Shanghai until June 25.

Star power: Leelee Sobieski had a very enviable career in Hollywood with hit films year after year. The New York native - born Liliane Rudabet Gloria Elsveta 'Leelee' Sobieski - worked with all the hot leading men in the film business including Tom Cruise in Eyes Wide Shut, Josh Hartnett in Heaven on Earth (pictured) and Paul Walker on Joy Ride

She has also had shows in Aspen and Paris, and sells regularly on Sothebys.

According to a 2018 MutualArt article, her art work can sell for up to $37,500 but has likely climbed higher in recent years.

The beauty, who goes by Leelee Kimmel after marrying fashion designer Adam Kimmel in 2010, shows off her paintings on Instagram.

Her background screams art: She majored in visual arts at Brown University and her father Jean Sobieski, is a famous painter.

'I thought that because of my past, my work would be judged harshly,' Leelee admitted to artnet News in 2018.

Great work: But 11 years ago the blonde beauty - who is now 38-years-old - left it all for a career as a painter. Her Night Ride exhibition is currently on display in Shanghai until June 25

Still quite the stunner: The artist attended the New Museum 2019 Spring Gala at Cipriani Wall Street in 2019 in New York City

'I had to make sure that if everybody really hated them, I would still feel good about it. This is really whats inside of me, and Im not trying to be anybody else. It was almost like coming out of the closet or something!' she added.

The star also shared: 'I kept working fervently in secret. Painting was always my goal; I just kept getting distracted with work things and paying bills.'

She does not act anymore but paints full time as she raised her two children Louisiana and Martin.

A smash hit: The beauty with costar Elijah Wood in the 1998 disaster movie Deep Impact

A small but impactful scene: She also wore lingerie to appear in the Tom Cruise movie Eyes Wide Shut in 1999 from director Stanley Kubrick

So much love here: And she is seen here with Chris Klein in Heaven On Earth in 2000

Her last movie was made when she was 27.

But Leelee does not regret working as an actress in her young years.

'I had a really happy childhood, and had a lot of fun, and did some work that I feel good about. I feel blessed I was able to have these experiences that seem to other people to be very desirable,' she said.

'In my paintings theres a lot about energy and vibrations and the whole world being connected, Kimmel explained, contrasting that sense of control to the experience of being on a film set. If youre on a crew and 150 people are pushing for you to fall in love with somebody else, everybody is rooting for it. Thats the energy of a lot of people, but its fake.'

Another big movie: In the thriller film The Glass House in 2001 with Trevor Mogan

And unlike acting, painting gives her real experiences.

'Actors end up going from one role to another with all this energy behind them, and you just become emptier and emptier and emptieryou end up having no real experiences,' she shared.

'To cry, you end up drawing on the experiences of another character you played.'

She certainly had on screen charisma: And in 2002 she came out in the film Joy Ride

And she does not want to star in romances: 'I dont want my children to look at Netflix and see me on screen in the arms of someone whos not their dad.'

Kimmel makes assertively abstract paintings, and yet nonetheless her work engages in a playful yet conceptually investigative manner with issues of 'hidden,' surreptitious, or cryptic representation, according to Almine Rech.

'She is committed to the formal adventure of abstraction, but abjures any comforting illusions about purity or purgative rigor. Kimmel works in painting, sculpture and virtual reality.

She had some very serious parts too: In the 1999 film Joan of Arc as Joan D'Arc

'Her paintings have been exploring themes of creation and destruction. Personal signage popping off of and invading the canvas in multilayered oil, oil stick and acryli.

'It's the macro and the micro, the human soul, spy vs spy,' it was added on the Rech website.

In her last Instagram post from Thursday she shared an image of a big canvas. 'Night Rider, 76 x 108 inches, 2020-2021, Oil, Oil stick and Acrylic on canvas,' she wrote in her caption.
The Glass Menagerie (Duke of York's Theatre, London)

Verdict: Semi-enchanted

Rating:

Amy Adams is the actress who found fame falling to Earth as the princess-in-waiting in the 2007 Disney film Enchanted. Now she's fallen to Earth again  this time landing with a bump  in the West End revival of Tennessee Williams's autobiographical drama The Glass Menagerie.

As in the film, where she grapples with the hostilities of New York City while wearing a glittery princess dress, Adams enjoys decidedly mixed fortunes, thanks to Jeremy Herrin's glumly undistinguished production.

Her role is that of Amanda Wingfield, the single mother of burgeoning writer Tom (the Williams character) and his painfully shy, disabled sister Laura, in the St Louis of the 1930s.

'Perhaps initially inhibited by a frumpy brown frock that might better serve as a carpenter's apron, Adams, in her West End debut, never quite manages to press her personality on the situation'

'Herrin's production feels stubbornly immune to the play's melancholy poetry, which evokes such gorgeous images as 'eyes like wood smoke in autumn''

Adams' role is that of Amanda Wingfield, the single mother of burgeoning writer Tom (the Williams character) and his painfully shy, disabled sister Laura

Abandoned by her husband and fearful for the future of her children, Amanda's quietly desperate hectoring needs to take charge of the stage  especially in her frantic mission to find a husband for Laura.

Perhaps initially inhibited by a frumpy brown frock that might better serve as a carpenter's apron, Adams, in her West End debut, never quite manages to press her personality on the situation. Nor does she generate the claustrophobia against which Tom eventually rebels.

She's too easily dominated by Tom Glynn-Carney as the fiery son who is fed up with his dead-end job at a local shoe warehouse. It's not until Adams gets to wear a fairytale Southern belle dress in the second half that she seems set free to weave her charms  twirling her gown and flirting with her daughter's 'gentleman caller'.

BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE HAMLET Glyndebourne's 2017 production of Brett Dean's operatic version of Hamlet is, tomorrow, broadcast live to UK cinemas from the Met in New York, with British tenor Allan Clayton in the title role. Saturday, 5.55pm, metopera.org Advertisement

Until then, Herrin's production feels stubbornly immune to the play's melancholy poetry, which evokes such gorgeous images as 'eyes like wood smoke in autumn'.

The most magical feature of Vicki Mortimer's set is the museum display cabinet for Laura's titular zoo of animal figurines. Otherwise, the stage is besieged by a clutter of lights and furniture, beneath a huge screen showing clunky projections of symbolic images including a lovers' crescent moon. One particular faux pas even has the fastidious Amanda sitting on her kitchen table  and that ungainly prop is, anyway, a charcoal-black cage, later relieved by a linen cloth.

Adams faces competition from Lizzie Annis's unusually vigorous Laura, who, despite being a shrinking violet, towers over her mother as if about to swallow her up.

Annis, who has cerebral palsy, is also making her West End debut, and is the first disabled actor I've heard of playing this role in a major production. And a very assured debut it is, too. Racked by acute embarrassment, she is sweetly teased from her shyness by Victor Alli as the gentleman caller. It's a lovely intimate scene, where they seem briefly made for each other as Alli's warm condescension allows her  and us  to dream for a moment.

As Laura's brother, Glynn-Carney is angry, boozy and less forgiving in his boorish treatment of his mother. Yet it's a role where we also need to feel his character's guilt. Thankfully, Paul Hilton secures the play's sentimental through-line as the older Williams who, acting as narrator, patrols the stage like a vagrant and seems to conjure up the action.

Hilton also has a subtler feel for the agonies of Williams's dreamy vernacular  including one line about how 'time is the longest distance between two places'. That one always chokes me up.

Hail, Nero! A spinning top of rage and reason

Britannicus (Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith)

Verdict: Lofty talent showcase

Rating:

Agents and acting scouts should head to Hammersmith, to behold a fine selection of emerging talent.

The occasion is Timberlake Wertenbaker's adaptation of Jean Racine's French tragedy Britannicus, about the Roman Emperor Nero's infatuation with his brother's lover, Junia. A prototype Ryan Giggs, you might say.

Told in a daisy chain of lofty rhetorical speeches over one hour and 40 minutes (without an interval), it's certainly a challenge to modern attention spans, demolished by TikTok.

There is, however, a stunning turn by William Robinson that put me in mind of a young Derek Jacobi. His Nero, clad in designer sportswear, is a specialist in unhinged mood swings, oscillating between reason and tantrums without ever lapsing into parody.

'His Nero, clad in designer sportswear, is a specialist in unhinged mood swings, oscillating between reason and tantrums without ever lapsing into parody'

There are great performances, too, from Sirine Saba as Nero's power-crazed mother Agrippina, who starts as a cold wind and erupts into a full-blown tempest.

And as the object of Nero's ardour, Shyvonne Ahmmad invests her character's virginal purity with emotional ferocity.

The other star is director Atri Banerjee, whose ceremonial production combines a water cooler, palatial carpet and huge tapestry of the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, suckling on a she-wolf. Designer Rosanna Vize is another name to watch.

Rattling movements performed by the cast between scenes, as if trapped on a dangerously rickety train, are a little outre. And the severe tone of the play may be seen as insufficient reward for our patience. But there's also much to admire.

Girl On An Altar (Kiln Theatre, London)

Verdict: Strong meat

Rating:

Similarly hard work is Girl On An Altar in Kilburn. Inspired by the first part of Aeschylus's ancient Greek revenge drama, The Oresteia, it tells of the warrior Agamemnon returning home from Troy where his wife Clytemnestra is waiting to kill him, for sacrificing their daughter Iphigenia.

Reliably bleak Irish writer Marina Carr has got hold of this and turned it into an absorbing two-and-a-half-hour dirge, imagining how Agamemnon and Clytemnestra must have felt about it all. It's a very modern question that's a long way from the ancients' world interest in barbarous moral dilemmas.

Immersed in a black dungeon of a set with angular lighting, there is nonetheless a primal force underpinning Annabelle Comyn's earnest, blood-spattered production. In particular, Eileen Walsh's Clytemnestra is sinuous and proud, more desolate with grief than vengeful.

As her husband, Agamemnon, David Walmsley is an impressively ripped Scouser  a kind of Wayne Rooney with gravitas.

We know whodunit. But Poirot is a surprise

Murder On The Orient Express (Chichester Festival Theatre)

Verdict: Catch this train!

Rating:

We all know whodunit on the Orient Express. So why do it again?

Possibly because Agatha Christie's 1934 novel has never before been staged, so it is an excuse to treat the good burghers of Chichester to a lavish, old-fashioned period piece with costumes to die for.

Director Jonathan Church and stage adaptor Ken Ludwig have another intention: the reinvention of the famous little Belgian detective as not just 'a walking brain' but a man with a soul.

This production begins with a little girl being tucked up in bed by her devoted nanny. Aww! Then the figure of a man appears in her room and her chilling screams turn your blood to ice.

Cut to Istanbul where passengers are gathering in the railway cafe, failing to recognise Hercule Poirot, dismissing him as a 'funny little man' with a 'silly moustache'.

Designer Robert Jones has turned magician: tablecloths are whisked away to reveal stacked suitcases; huge luggage trolleys become dining cars.

'We all know whodunit on the Orient Express. So why do it again?'

'At the end, having solved the mystery, Goodman's Poirot weeps and wonders aloud if he did the right thing'

We are all aboard the legendary luxury train racing through a snowstorm, getting to know the suspects. In the past, the unmistakable moustache has been unforgettably sported by Albert Finney, Peter Ustinov and David Suchet. Henry Goodman's dapper Poirot wears his well.

His Poirot also undoubtedly has the piercing instinct for truth and lies required for solving 'the most difficult' case of his career.

Indeed, a stranger to self-deprecation, he cheerfully proclaims his own genius and seizes every opportunity to display his intimate knowledge of Shakespeare's plays. 'The time is out of joint,' he declares, sniffing a tension in the air.

But, much more significant, Goodman's Poirot has an intense moral sensibility. 'Angels and ministers of grace defend us!' he says, again quoting from Hamlet while also revealing his own faith and troubled soul.

At the end, having solved the mystery, Goodman's Poirot weeps and wonders aloud if he did the right thing. Wrestling with his conscience makes sleep impossible. A haunting reinterpretation, handsomely done.

After Chichester, the Orient Express will call at the Theatre Royal, Bath, from June 9 to 25 (theatreroyal.org.uk).

GEORGINA BROWN

The Dance Of Death (Ustinov Theatre, Bath; then touring)

Verdict: Till death us do part

Rating:

'HATRED and love! The same source of energy,' wrote the thrice-married playwright August Strindberg. In The Dance Of Death, his portrait of marital hell, these burning passions appear to be so tightly entwined they cannot be separated.

Failed army captain, Edgar, and Alice, an actress before she became his wife (played by real-life married couple Hilton McRae and Lindsay Duncan, in perfect synchronicity) live in not so splendid isolation on an island, hating and hated by their neighbours and servants. Outside, waves lash and lighting strikes. It's like a permanent Covid lockdown.

Rebecca Lenkiewicz's new adaptation begins with relatively playful comedy as Edgar and Alice banter like an acidic Darby and Joan. 'Pleasure? What's that again?' wonders Alice. 'I've no idea,' sighs Edgar.

They consider opening some wine. 'What we have got?' asks Edgar. 'F**k all,' replies Alice. 'Is that a French region?' jokes her husband. 'We'll be dead soon,' he adds gloomily. 'Do you promise?' she says, with a teasing smile. So they play cards instead.

They have some things in common: foul mouths, which sound jarringly contemporary in a nineteenth-century sitting room, and a bitterly cruel sense of humour, which have fuelled the marriage for 30 long years.

With the arrival of Alice's stern, odd cousin, Katrin (Emily Bruni), the island known as Little Hell becomes a weirdly demonic inferno. A momentary erotic charge between and Alice and Katrin flares into a bizarre vampiric embrace while Edgar frequently falls into near fatal fits, only to miraculously revive for another round of mutual torment.

The marital war games played by Albee's Martha and George and Coward's Amanda and Elliot are more compelling and much funnier.

In Mehmet Ergen's stiff and disappointingly bloodless production, Strindberg's duo have a near ghostly quality, going through the motions of this deathly dance with a soulless precision and control, leaving their emotions locked up elsewhere.

GEORGINA BROWN
Emily Ratajkowksi put on a jaw-dropping display while running errands in New York City on Thursday afternoon.

The 30-year-old model, who gave birth to her first child some 15 months ago, flashed her toned midriff in a sexy low-rise lilac skirt and a bright patterned crop top.

Ratajkowski stopped by her Manhattan office, before enjoying a stroll down the sidewalk.

Jaw-dropping: Emily Ratajkowksi put on a jaw-dropping display while running errands in New York City on Thursday afternoon

Ratajkowski opted to wear a pair of dark gray sneakers, as she carried a small black Miu Miu purse under her right arm.

She styled her dark brown tresses long and flowing a number of inches past her shoulders with a part in the middle.

Even though the sun was hidden behind some ominous clouds, the in-demand model decided to wear a pair of stylish sunglasses.

Snapping back: The 30-year-old model, who gave birth to her first child some 15 months ago, flashed her toned midriff in a sexy low-rise lilac skirt and a bright patterned crop top

Sporty flair: Ratajkowski opted to wear a pair of dark gray sneakers, as she carried a small black Miu Miu purse under her right arm

The mother-of-one eventually made her way to a nearby vehicle so she could make several more stops around the city.

While she's keenly aware of what she eats and has strict portion control, Ratajkowski has previously revealed that she's 'just not a crazy fitness person.'

In an interview with Four Nine, she disclosed that her go-to steps to maintaining such a fit figure include drinking plenty of water, good sleep, and long walks and hikes.

After a brief chat with the driver, she eventually made her way into the vehicle and they drove off.

Brunette: She styled her dark brown tresses long and flowing a number of inches past her shoulders with a part in the middle

On the go: The mother-of-one eventually made her way to a nearby vehicle so she could make several more stops around the city

Once inside the vehicle and on her way to the first destination, Ratajkowski shot a quick selfie video of herself and posted it on to Instagram.

Forever the fashionista, the I Feel Pretty star color-coordinated her outfit by adding a string of pink bunny images, via a popular app, that lined the frame of her face.

It appears Ratajowski left her one-year-old son Sylvester with a babysitter, or a family member, while she was out and about across Manhattan on Thursday.

She shares her boy with her husband Sebastian Bear-McClard, whom she married just over four years ago.

Working it: Once inside the vehicle, Ratajkowski shot a selfie video and posted it on Instagram

Fashionista ways: The cloths designer color-coordinated her outfit with a string of pink bunny images, via a popular phone app, that were placed around the frame of her face
Tim Robards has confirmed he will return to Neighbours for its star-studded finale.

The long-running Aussie soap is being axed after 37 years on the air after its British broadcast partner, Channel 5, said it would no longer bankroll the production.

The former Bachelor, 39, revealed on Hit100.9's Dan & Christie he jumped at the chance to come back because he felt his character never truly got closure.

Reunion: Tim Robards has confirmed he will return to Neighbours for its star-studded finale

Comeback: He revealed on Hit100.9's Dan & Christie he jumped at the chance to come back because he felt his character never truly got closure. (Pictured with co-star Christie Hayes)

Tim played Pierce Greyson on the soap for two years from 2018.

His role was meant to last through 2020, but was cut short because his wife, Anna Heinrich, became pregnant with their first child and he struggled with the weekly commute from his home in Sydney to Melbourne, where Neighbours is filmed.

The chiropractor told the radio show: 'It was like a break up and not having closure.

'It was nice to get back and have some closure and see everyone again, say a proper goodbye and kind of finish off that character which I never got to do.'

Return: The former Bachelor, 39, played Pierce Greyson on the soap for two years from 2018

Tim also shared details of what it was like to kiss his co-star Christie Hayes, who played Pierce's love interest, Ebony Buttrose.

He revealed: 'Christie would always go, "I'm so sorry I just ate a curry," or something, you know, constantly apologising for how bad her breath would be!

'It was never that bad.'

Change of plans! Tim's role was meant to last through 2020, but was cut short because his wife, Anna Heinrich, became pregnant with their first child and he struggled with the weekly commute from his home in Sydney to Melbourne, where Neighbours is filmed

Speaking about his acting career in March, Tim said he was going to leave soaps behind him and focus on finding success in Hollywood.

'Id love to be James Bond. I also love everything that Christian Bale does,' he told The Sunday Telegraph's Stellar magazine.

'Neighbours is a soap so its a certain format. Everyone is larger than life so it isnt necessarily the most realistic acting and storylines, so Im really looking forward to doing stuff where I can bring it down a little bit, and its not so soapy.'

A handful of stars from yesteryear will be returning for the Neighbours finale, including Olympia Valance (Paige Smith), Kylie Minogue (Charlene Mitchell) and Jason Donovan (Scott Robinson).
A TV reporter's blunt remark that the Queen will 'inevitably' die soon during a segment on her Platinum Jubilee left Today show host Allison Langdon horrified.

Four days of parties and parades in the United Kingdom began on Thursday to celebrate the monarch and her 70-year reign.

But Channel Nine sportscaster Tony Jones decided the historic milestone was the perfect time to comment that the Queen 'won't be on the throne forever'.

Shocked: Today host Allison Langdon (centre, with Charles Croucher), was left horrified on Friday when sportscaster Tony Jones (right) said 'it's inevitable' the Queen will eventually die

'I love the Royal Family. I think they're terrific. Long may she reign. At 96, obviously the inevitable is coming,' Jones, 60, said.

Langdon, 43, scoffed: 'Oh, T.J!'

Jones continued: 'I'm not being rude by that, but I think it's inevitable at 96 that she's not going to be on the throne forever.'

He made the observation in response to Langdon asking whether it was time for Australia to 'ditch' the monarchy and become a republic.

Jones said he was an 'unashamed monarchist' and praised the Queen for inspiring pro-Royal sentiment in Australia despite the efforts of republican lobbyists.

'I know she had Prince Philip there as her rock, but her children didn't do a whole lot in terms of warmth and wanting us to remain a monarchy,' he said.

'But the grandchildren and the great-grandchildren have just reinvigorated the whole Royal Family, and I think they're great.'

Jones' comments come after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appointed Sydney MP Matt Thistlethwaite as 'assistant minister for the republic' in the hope of building support to ditch the monarchy if he wins government again in 2025.

Mr Thistlethwaite said during a series of interviews on Thursday that the death of the Queen would signal an appropriate time to move towards a republic.

'Do we want King Charles or are we mature enough or independent enough to look to appoint one of our own as our head of state,' he told Sky News.

In a further interview with ABC radio, Mr Thistlethwaite said: 'As the Queen comes to the twilight of her reign, we should pay respect for her for the wonderful job she's done, but I think Australians are beginning to think about what comes next for our nation.'

'It's time we start the serious conversation once again...and looking to have one of our own as our head of state, to recognise that independence and maturity going forward.'

Australia's Queen: Four days of parties and parades in the United Kingdom have begun to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and her 70-year reign on the British throne

Gaffe: 'I love the Royal family. I think they're terrific. Long may she reign. At 96, obviously the inevitable is coming,' Jones, 60, said. Langdon, 43, scoffed: 'Oh, T.J!'

Mr Albanese was criticised for making the appointment just before the Queen's Jubilee - a special extended four-day bank holiday weekend of pomp, pageantry and star-studded festivities.

Nile Gardiner, a former aide to Margaret Thatcher tweeted: 'A sad and reckless move by Australia's new left-wing Govt. Sends completely the wrong message.'

Jack Barton, from the University of Queensland Monarchists League called it a slap in the face to those Down Under loyal to Queen Elizabeth.

'I think it's absolutely ridiculous, it's come at the worst possible time with an utter show of disrespect to the Queen and the Crown.

Poll SHOULD AUSTRALIA DITCH THE QUEEN? YES NO SHOULD AUSTRALIA DITCH THE QUEEN? YES 440 votes

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'Labor has a disregard for any of the people in Australia who want to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee.'

Mr Albanese will rename an island in the Queen's honour to celebrate her platinum jubilee despite his republican views.

The new Prime Minister announced on Thursday that Aspen Island in Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin will be renamed Queen Elizabeth II Island.

Mr Albanese said he would be honoured to rename Aspen Island in a ceremony on Saturday.

'Today I have the great privilege of lighting a beacon as part of The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Beacons and to commence Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Australia,' he said in a statement.

'Australia will honour and pay tribute to the remarkable dedication and service of Her Majesty The Queen over the course of the Platinum Jubilee official celebrations.

'I look forward to officially renaming Aspen Island to Queen Elizabeth II Island later this week as a mark of Australia's appreciation and respect for Her Majesty.'

The ceremony to open the island will include a 21-gun salute, and a Royal Australian Air Force flypast.

Mr Thistlethwaite (left with Governor General David Hurley) was sworn in as Assistant Minister for the Republic

The new Prime Minister has announced that Aspen Island (pictured) in Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin will be renamed Queen Elizabeth II Island

The Governor-General and his wife are in London representing Australians at the jubilee celebrations.

A contingent from Australia's Federation Guard is also in London to participate in the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on Sunday.

The Queen has with 'great reluctance' pulled out of Friday's Platinum Jubilee thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace announced.

The monarch, who has been suffering with mobility issues, is said to have experienced 'discomfort' during Thursday's events.

However, the head of state will still make an appearance at Friday night's lighting of the beacons event at Windsor Castle.

The Palace said: 'The Queen greatly enjoyed today's Birthday Parade and Flypast but did experience some discomfort.'

In a full statement, a spokesperson added: 'Taking into account the journey and activity required [to] participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty with great reluctance has concluded that she will not attend.

'The Queen is looking forward to participating in tonight's Beacon lighting event at Windsor Castle and would like to thank all those who made today such a memorable occasion.'
They have been inseparable since being matched on Married At First Sight in 2019.

And Michael Brunelli and Martha Kalifatidis did not shy away from public displays of affection as they took a dip in their hotel pool in Italy on Thursday.

Martha, 33, took to Instagram to post a raunchy video of her and fiance Michael, 31, heavily making out.

PDA: Michael Brunelli and Martha Kalifatidis do not shy away from public displays of affection whilst taking a dip in their hotel pool in Italy

Views: Martha also posted a snap of her in the pool, presumably taken by Michael, with the stunning views in the distance

Martha also posted a snap of her in the pool, presumably taken by Michael, with the stunning views in the distance.

The MAFS star looked stunning as she wore a blue and green bikini paired with a diamond necklace from Armans and a full face of glam.

Her brunette locks were slicked back from the water after splashing around in the hotel pool.

The couple have planned to travel across Europe for a few months this year.

After Michael mistakenly told people they would be leaving Australia permanently Martha clarified the situation during an interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

Martha explained that there were work engagements in place resulting in travel to Europe.

Jewels: The MAFS star looked stunning as she wore a blue and green bikini paired with a diamond necklace from Armans and a full face of glam

Martha is attending Cosmoprof beauty expo in Italy with her business partner, and Michael has meetings set up in the UK for his Tru Fit workout app.

These plans coincided with a 'mould issue' at their home in Bondi Beach, which meant they had to move all of their belongings into storage.

Because they both had European trips planned, Martha decided, 'Why don't we just go over and stay [there] for a little bit because the timing's perfect?'

'Then we come home, obviously,' she clarified, before adding: 'We're not moving anywhere. We're just on a little break.'

After Michael mistakenly told people they would be leaving Australia permanently Martha clarified the situation during an interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show
The 1996 classic film about remaking a film becomes a remake itself in the first trailer for the new HBO Max series Irma Vep.

Alicia Vikander stars in the series as Mira, an American actress who signs on to star in a remake of the silent film Les Vampires.

The meta remake is based on the 1996 film by Olivier Assayas, who writes and directs the new series, streaming on HBO Max starting June 6.

First trailer: The 1996 classic film about remaking a film becomes a remake itself in the first trailer for the new HBO Max series Irma Vep

Actress: Alicia Vikander stars in the series as Mira, an American actress who signs on to star in a remake of the silent film Les Vampires

The trailer begins with Mira in character pointing a gun at her co-star and firing it at him as he falls to the floor.

Director Rene Vidal (Vincent Macaigne) then instructs her to, 'shoot him again,' which she does as the man groans and Rene pumps his fist with a victorious, 'Yes!'

Then he directs her to jump on him with both feet, as she's seen jumping up and down near his head... but he wants her to actually jump on the actor, which causes Mira to break character and turn to the director.

Gun: The trailer begins with Mira in character pointing a gun at her co-star and firing it at him as he falls to the floor

Yes: Director Rene Vidal (Vincent Macaigne) then instructs her to, 'shoot him again,' which she does as the man groans and Rene pumps his fist with a victorious, 'Yes!'

Near: Then he directs her to jump on him with both feet, as she's seen jumping up and down near his head... but he wants her to actually jump on the actor, which causes Mira to break character and turn to the director

'Rene, I have heels on. I can't jump on him,' she says, as the filmmaker insists, 'No no no, he's dead. He doesn't feel nothing.'

Mira is seen exiting a vehicle while signing autographs for fans on the red carpet, while a reporter asks if the rumors are true about her shooting a remake of a French silent film.

'That is true. I'll be Irma Vep. Rene Vidal is directing,' she tells the reporter, while another shot shows Mira talking to another woman who tells her, 'Rene is nuts.'

Good way: 'He's nuts in a good way,' Mira insists, while another scene shows two male characters turning over a body in shallow water while standing in a boat

'He's nuts in a good way,' Mira insists, while another scene shows two male characters turning over a body in shallow water while standing in a boat.

Rene is not impressed, adding, 'It has to be scary. I wasn't scared. The episode is called The Severed Head. We need to see that.'

Mira is seen riding in a car when she tells someone, 'I am so sick of being the superhero,' as we see a promo shoot of her pointing a fake gun and posing for photos in an outlandish outfit.

Scary: Rene is not impressed, adding, 'It has to be scary. I wasn't scared. The episode is called The Severed Head. We need to see that'

Superhero: Mira is seen riding in a car when she tells someone, 'I am so sick of being the superhero,' as we see a promo shoot of her pointing a fake gun and posing for photos in an outlandish outfit

Mira adds, 'I don't need a hit. I need a good movie,' as the trailer shifts to another character named, who's asked by two interviewers if he's gay.

'I was but not anymore. I got bored with gay culture. They're all communists,' he says while another shot sees Mira running into her ex-girlfriend Laurie (Adria Arjona).

Another scene shows another one of Mira's exes, Eamonn (Tom Sturridge), who tells her, 'I loved you, and you cheated on me with Laurie.'

Character: Mira adds, 'I don't need a hit. I need a good movie,' as the trailer shifts to another character named, who's asked by two interviewers if he's gay

Party: 'I was but not anymore. I got bored with gay culture. They're all communists,' he says while another shot sees Mira running into her ex-girlfriend Laurie (Adria Arjona)

Gottfried (Lars Eidinger) says that Laurie, 'played you like a puppet' adding 'she ended up getting what she wanted,' as Laurie is seen with Herman (Byron Bowers).

Mira and Laurie are having a private conversation outside of the party they ran into each other at, as Mira says she, 'must have been the last person to find out about you and Herman.'

Between drags from her cigarette Laurie answers, 'Because you're scary and you scared me,' as Mira is seen donning an all-black catsuit.

Puppet: Gottfried (Lars Eidinger) says that Laurie, 'played you like a puppet' adding 'she ended up getting what she wanted,' as Laurie is seen with Herman (Byron Bowers)

Last: Mira and Laurie are having a private conversation outside of the party they ran into each other at, as Mira says she, 'must have been the last person to find out about you and Herman'

Scary: Between drags from her cigarette Laurie answers, 'Because you're scary and you scared me,' as Mira is seen donning an all-black catsuit

Mira asks Rene if she's really that dangerous, and he replies, 'You are. You're Irma Vep for me. So yes, you are dangerous.'

Mira is seen saying, 'This is not my world. Paris. Rene. Irma Vep,' as she's seen walking along the rooftops in her catsuit.

Rene is seen talking to some sort of executive, asking if he thinks he should finish the film, but the executive says, 'If I may, it's a series,' though Rene disagrees.

Dangerous: Mira asks Rene if she's really that dangerous, and he replies, 'You are. You're Irma Vep for me. So yes, you are dangerous'

Long: 'No. It's a film, admittedly a bit long, divided into eight pieces,' Rene says, as the executive just nods and says, 'If you say so'

'No. It's a film, admittedly a bit long, divided into eight pieces,' Rene says, as the executive just nods and says, 'If you say so.'

Another scene from the film/series shows an actor being hung, as Mira says she feels 'unfocused' and Laurie says, 'I have you wrapped around my finger.'

Mira's agent Zelda (Carrie Brownstein) says, 'Irma Vep is not happening,' while a frustrated Rene screams, 'I'm done with this film!'

The trailer ends with Mira saying, 'I have to be Irma Vep,' as another character counters, 'No, you have to let Irma Vep be you.'

Wrapped: Another scene from the film/series shows an actor being hung, as Mira says she feels 'unfocused' and Laurie says, 'I have you wrapped around my finger'
Hailey Bieber's effortlessly chic style was on full display as she rocked two different looks in New York City on Thursday.

The 25-year-old model donned a plunging nude dress as she headed to lunch at the Dumbo House before slipping into a trendy ensemble comprised of a crop top, a leather jacket and trousers for an event at the One Hotel.

The runway star went bra-less as she showcased her cleavage in the clingy midi dress which featured a deep V drawstring neckline.

Fashion-forward: Hailey Bieber's effortlessly chic style was on full display as she rocked two different looks in New York City on Thursday

The semi-sheer off-the-shoulder dress had a back slit and long bell sleeves.

Hailey accessorized with large gold hoops earrings and oval-framed brown sunglasses.

The catwalk queen sported chunky black heels from fellow model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's collaboration with shoe brand Gia Borghini as she walked across the sidewalk in Brooklyn.

Switching it up: The 25-year-old model donned a plunging off-the-shoulder nude dress as she headed to lunch at the Dumbo House before slipping into a trendy ensemble comprised of a crop top, a brown leather jacket and khaki-colored trousers for an event at the One Hotel

The brunette beauty wore her long locks down in loose waves around her shoulders.

She had on a natural palette of makeup which included a pink lipstick and a rosy blush

Later in the day, the Arizona native showed off her taut midriff in a black V-neck top which she left partially unbuttoned.

Sexy: The runway star went bra-less as she showcased her cleavage in the clingy midi dress which featured a deep V drawstring neckline, pairing it with Gia Borghini heels

Hailey layered a brown leather jacket over her crop top and wore baggy khaki-colored trousers which she wore low on her hips.

The socialite completed her look with black leather Dr. Martens and dark oval-framed shades.

A bodyguard held an umbrella over the star's head as she strolled out of the hotel on the rainy day in Brooklyn.

The entrepreneur was seen holding a small blue gift bag that was emblazoned with the name of her makeup brand Rhode, which is set to launch this summer.

Earlier in the day, Hailey had taken to her Instagram Story to share some fun videos in which she was seen playing around with Instagram filters.

She was joined by Danielle Priano in one of the videos as the two laughed over the celebrity hairstylist's pronunciation of Benedict Cumberbatch's name.

Layers: Hailey layered a brown leather jacket over her crop top and wore baggy khaki-colored trousers which she wore low on her hips

"What did you call him?' Hailey asked with a smile, using a filter in which she sported horns and blood dripped out of her nose.

'Benjamin Cumberback,' Danielle replied as the pair giggled.

'She's trying to say Benedict Cumberbatch,' the model wrote on the video, tagging Danielle.

Hailey and her husband Justin Bieber were spotted jetting into the Big Apple on Wednesday.

Filter fun: Earlier in the day, Hailey had taken to her Instagram Story to share some fun videos in which she was seen playing around with Instagram filters

Good times: She was joined by Danielle Priano in one of the videos as the two laughed over the celebrity hairstylist's pronunciation of Benedict Cumberbatch's name
She may have broken her ankle in April, but Jo Woods didn't let that stop her from attending her daughter Leah's art exhibition on Thursday.

The 67-year-old ex-wife of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood looked in good spirits as she headed out on a scooter to see the show at Zebra One Gallery in London.

The model and presenter looked glamorous in a black jacket with a floral pattern which she teamed with a black top which had a plunging neckline.

Roller ready: Jo Wood , 67, was in good spirits as she headed out on a scooter in London on Thursday after suffering a broken ankle last month

She opted for a black pair of trousers to match her top and carried a box purse in one hand.

Jo accessorised with a gold necklace and wore lashings of make-up to highlight her pretty facial features.

Leah, 43, was seen posing alongside her mother at the One Planet One Chance exhibition which was in support of the Cool Earth and Sea Shepherd UK at Koppel Project.

The artist looked stylish in a long black dress which she teamed with a pair of tall heels covered in a silky blue material.

Hysterics: She flashed a broad smile as she scooted up to the One Planet One Chance private view at Zebra One Gallery to see her daughter Leah's exhibition

In style: The model and presenter looked glamorous in a black jacket with a floral pattern which she teamed with a black top which had a plunging neckline

Whizzing about: Jo suffered her broken ankle after falling down a staircase at Ronnie's home in Ireland but found a solution to get about by kneeling on her scooter

Jo broke her ankle after falling down a staircase at the ex-husband's home in Ireland in April.

She told The Daily Mail's Richard Eden at the time: 'I'm in agony! It's all due to me falling down a stone staircase holding my little nephew and breaking my ankle at Ronnie's. And, no, I wasn't drunk!

'I want to get better so I can see the Stones in Hyde Park this summer.

'I want to say "hello" to Keith and [his wife] Patti  and limping along on one leg in an orthopaedic boot is not a rock 'n' roll look!'

Family affair: Leah, 43, was seen posing alongside her mother at the event which was in support of the Cool Earth and Sea Shepherd UK at Koppel Project

Smashed! Jo suffered her broken ankle at her ex-husband Ronnie Wood's Irish home after falling down the stairs but insisted she had not been drinking

Jo wed Ronnie in 1985 and the exes have two children together, Leah and Tyrone.

Her marriage to Ronnie, 73, ended in divorce in 2009 when he cheated on her with Ukrainian waitress Ekaterina 'Katia' Ivanova.

He went on to marry theatre producer Sally Humphreys, 39, with whom he has four-year-old twin daughters.
Kaia Gerber has had a meteoric rise to fame after making her runway debut in 2017.

But on Thursday the model attempted to go incognito as she headed out on a shopping run to an Erewhon Market in West Hollywood.

Opting to take a safer approach amid the still present COVID-19, Gerber made her way into the store wearing a black protective mask over her mouth and nose.

Revealing: Kaia Gerber, 20, flaunted her toned waistline by wearing a light green crop top during a shopping trip in West Hollywood on Thursday

She further achieved some anonymity by rocking a pair of sunglasses with her mask.

As for her outfit, Gerber bared her toned midriff in a green cropped tee and a pair of black pants.

She completed the effortless look with a pair of black and white Adidas sneakers.

Moving around the grocery store with ease, the daughter of legendary supermodel Cindy Crawford was able to be efficient in finding what she needed to buy.

With a brown leather purse over her left shoulder, the American Vogue covergirl made a quick purchase or two and then headed back out to her parked vehicle.

Safety first: Opting to take a safer approach amid the still present COVID-19, Gerber made her way into the store wearing a black protective mask over her mouth and nose

Since delving into the modeling industry at the age of 16, Gerber has been on the fast-track to making a name for herself in fashion.

Mind you, it doesn't hurt when your mother is among the very few catwalk queens who helped put the super moniker in supermodel in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Since achieving star status, Gerber has dated some high-profile men, including model Wellington Grant, actor and comedian Pete Davidson and Euphoria star Jacob Elordi.

Currently, Gerber is romantically linked to Elvis star Austin Butler.

It couple: Kaia Gerber and beau Austin Butler were among the toasts of the Cannes Film Festival, due to the rousing reception the new Elvis biopic received after a screening last week; Butler plays legendary rocker Elvis Presley in the latest work from director Baz Luhrmann

The new couple, who have been an item since around December 2021, were among the toasts of the Cannes Film Festival, due to Butler's acclaimed performance as the King of Rock and Roll in Baz Luhrmann's new biopic.

The hot and handsome duo lit up the red carpet as a sea of photographers snapped photo after photo of Gerber decked out in an elegant red dress and her leading man in a black suit and bow tie.

In a sign that the film could be a massive hit with fans, the audience at the screening of Elvis stood up and gave a 10-minute standing ovation, according to Deadline.
Jana Pittman appeared to have her hands full on Thursday when she arrived at Sydney airport.

The 39-year-old was seen carrying her three-month-old twins Quinlan and Willow as she walked through the airport with her mother, Jackie.

The proud mother-of-six had one baby cradled in her arm and the other in a baby carrier on her chest.

She's got her hands full! Olympian Jana Pittman carried both her three-month-old twins as she touched down at Sydney airport with her mother on Thursday

Close by: The proud mother-of-six had one baby cradled in her arm and the other in a baby carrier on her chest

The former Olympian's outfit was perfect for the airport with comfort and practical being the key.

Jana wore dark jeans with a blue top and blue long line puffer jacket with a bold red lining.

Both herself and her mother were Covid conscience wearing disposable face masks.

Comfortable: The former Olympian's outfit was perfect for the airport with comfort and practical being the key

Jana and her husband Paul Gatward share four other children including, Charlie, 19 months, Emily, seven, and Jemima, five, and Cornelis, fifteen.

When Jana announced her pregnancy in October last year she was shocked she'd have six children and joked about the 'logistical nightmare'.

In an interview with New Idea magazine in December, Jana - who now works as a doctor - said she chooses to spend any free time she has with her children.

Motherhood: In an interview with New Idea magazine in December, Jana - who now works as a doctor - said she chooses to spend any free time she has with her children

'I love that my spare time is with my kids,' she said, adding that she finds it 'refreshing' to be with them.

She admitted that while being a working mum-of-six comes with its challenges, she wouldn't change a thing.

'Don't get me wrong, they yell and scream, and sometimes you feel like you're going to go bonkers, but most of the time they're just such a pleasure to be around - that youthful energy is just such a blessing,' she said.
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On Thursday, Oscar nominee Kristen Stewart reunited with Cannes Palme d'Or winner Lea Seydoux for the New York City premiere of their controversial new film, Crimes Of The Future.

The 32-year-old Los Angeles native and the 36-year-old Frenchwoman serve as brand ambassadors for French fashion houses Chanel and Louis Vuitton, respectively, which they both contractually repped.

Kristen took the plunge in a Chanel black-sequin jumpsuit and matching heels selected by stylist Tara Swennen.

Black-clad duo: On Thursday, Oscar nominee Kristen Stewart (L) reunited with Cannes Palme d'Or winner Lea Seydoux (R) for the New York City premiere of their controversial new film, Crimes of the Future

Ooh la la! The 32-year-old Los Angeles native (L) and the 36-year-old Frenchwoman (R) serve as brand ambassadors for French fashion houses Chanel and Louis Vuitton, respectively, which they both contractually repped

Stewart accessorized her sparkly onesie with a striking diamond rose necklace as she posed outside the Walter Reade Theater in Manhattan's Upper West Side neighborhood.

The Spencer star wore her highlighted locks in a piecey ponytail and she brought out her hazel eyes with brown shadow and defined brows.

Kristen portrays National Organ Registry investigator/surgeon Timlin in the critically-acclaimed dystopian horror - which prompted walk-outs over its gory, pseudo-sexual scenes.

'Everyone loves to talk about how his movies are difficult to watch and it's fun to talk about people walking out of Cannes screenings,' Stewart told Insider on May 24.

Karl Lagerfeld muse since 2016! Kristen took the plunge in a Chanel black-sequin jumpsuit and matching heels selected by stylist Tara Swennen

Minimalist: Stewart accessorized her sparkly onesie with a striking diamond rose necklace as she posed outside the Walter Reade Theater in Manhattan's Upper West Side neighborhood

Pretty: The Spencer star wore her highlighted locks in a piecey ponytail and she brought out her hazel eyes with brown shadow and defined brows

Explicit content: Kristen portrays National Organ Registry investigator/surgeon Timlin in the critically-acclaimed dystopian horror - which prompted walk-outs over its gory, pseudo-sexual scenes

Stewart told Insider on May 24: 'Everyone loves to talk about how his movies are difficult to watch and it's fun to talk about people walking out of Cannes screenings. But every single gaping, weird bruise in his movies, it makes my mouth open. You wanna lean in toward it. And it never repulses me ever. The way I feel, it is through really visceral desire and that's the only reason we're alive. We're pleasure sacks'

Rubbing noses! On Thursday, the Twilight alum got extra close to filmmaker David Cronenberg (L) on the red carpet, and she still 'can't believe' that she got to star in Crimes of the Future

Group shot! Kristen and the Canadian 79-year-old happily posed alongside actors (from L-R) Viggo Mortensen, Nadia Litz, Scott Speedman, and Lea

'But every single gaping, weird bruise in his movies, it makes my mouth open. You wanna lean in toward it. And it never repulses me ever. The way I feel, it is through really visceral desire and that's the only reason we're alive. We're pleasure sacks.'

On Thursday, the Twilight alum got extra close to filmmaker David Cronenberg on the red carpet, and she still 'can't believe' that she got to star in Crimes of the Future.

Kristen and the Canadian 79-year-old happily posed alongside actors Viggo Mortensen, Nadia Litz, Scott Speedman, and Lea.

And while Crimes of the Future marks Kristen's first collaboration with Seydoux (born Clausonne), she is no doubt a fan of her iconic 2013 lesbian drama, Blue Is the Warmest Color.

Sapphic connection: And while Crimes of the Future marks Kristen's first collaboration with Seydoux (born Clausonne), she is no doubt a fan of her iconic 2013 lesbian drama, Blue Is the Warmest Color

Leggy lady: The Deception stunner looked chic in a white blouse beneath a Louis Vuitton LBD and matching knee-high boots selected by stylist Alexandra Imgruth

Short hair, don't care! Lea wore her dark blonde pixie cut sideswept for the film festivities

Ready for her close-up! Seydoux's baby blues had a bit of gold shimmer and she gave a pop of color to her polished look with a bright red lip

Team: The No Time to Die actor portrays performance artist Caprice in Crimes of the Future, in which she surgically removes artificial organs from partner Saul Tenser (Mortensen) and tattoos them

Lea told IndieWire on May 27: 'That was crazy, but it's also why I love this job. You have to adapt yourself all the time. I didn't understand [the script at first]. I didn't know what I was doing. But I had to make the choice and I think that worked'

The Deception stunner looked chic in a white blouse beneath a Louis Vuitton LBD and matching knee-high boots selected by stylist Alexandra Imgruth.

Lea wore her dark blonde pixie cut sideswept for the film festivities.

Seydoux's baby blues had a bit of gold shimmer and she gave a pop of color to her polished look with a bright red lip.

The No Time to Die actor portrays performance artist Caprice in Crimes of the Future, in which she surgically removes artificial organs from partner Saul Tenser (Mortensen) and tattoos them.

Return of the king! Three-time Oscar nominee Viggo Mortensen - who plays performance artist Saul Tenser - looked every bit the silver fox in a navy suit and white button-up sans necktie

Most likely Hugo Boss: Grey's Anatomy heartthrob Scott Speedman - who plays Lang Daughtery - wore a brown checkered suit, matching dress shoes, and a navy-collared top

'And so it begins!' Nadia Litz - who plays Dani Router - bared her collarbone in a vintage black YSL dress and white pumps for the premiere

At the helm! Cronenberg - who penned the Crimes of the Future screenplay over 20 years ago - wore a baggy grey blazer over a black top and pants

'That was crazy, but it's also why I love this job. You have to adapt yourself all the time,' Lea told IndieWire on May 27.

'I didn't understand [the script at first]. I didn't know what I was doing. But I had to make the choice and I think that worked.'

Three-time Oscar nominee Viggo Mortensen - who plays performance artist Saul Tenser - looked every bit the silver fox in a navy suit and white button-up sans necktie.

Grey's Anatomy heartthrob Scott Speedman - who plays Lang Daughtery - wore a brown checkered suit, matching dress shoes, and a navy-collared top, which were most likely Hugo Boss.

Gents: Also attending the premiere were The Moodys actor Francois Arnaud (L) and Action Royale star Nicholas Hamilton (R)

Coming soon to Umbrella Academy! Free Guy actress Britne Oldford channeled Grace Jones in a black hooded maxi-dress

Kinky: Influencer Ashley Rous - whose Instagram handle is @Best.Dressed - paired an off-white slip dress with black PVC opera gloves

Beige and blue looks! Other ladies glamming up for the red carpet ceremony were (from L-R) Titans star Conor Leslie, Betty actress Dede Lovelace, and Halston star Rebecca Dayan

Nadia Litz - who plays Dani Router - bared her collarbone in a vintage black YSL dress and white pumps for the premiere.

And Cronenberg - who penned the Crimes of the Future screenplay over 20 years ago - wore a baggy grey blazer over a black top and pants.

Also attending the premiere were The Moodys actor Francois Arnaud and Action Royale star Nicholas Hamilton.

Free Guy actress Britne Oldford channeled Grace Jones in a black hooded maxi-dress.

Influencer Ashley Rous - whose Instagram handle is @Best.Dressed - paired an off-white slip dress with black PVC opera gloves.

Other ladies glamming up for the red carpet ceremony were Titans star Conor Leslie, Betty actress Dede Lovelace, and Halston star Rebecca Dayan.
Below Deck Down Under has become embroiled in a bullying scandal.

Jamie Sayad, the show's bosun, has accused deckhand Brittini Burton and chief stewardess Aesha Scott of 'bullying' him by repeatedly calling him a 'b***h' on the series, despite his many requests that they stop.

Jamie took to Instagram this week to post a seven-minute video about the incident, which has become a major storyline on the yachting show.

Broken: Below Deck Down Under's Jamie Sayad (pictured) has accused deckhand Brittini Burton and chief stewardess Aesha Scott of 'bullying' him by repeatedly calling him a 'b***h'

'Two of these people decided to bully me,' he said, referring to Brittini and Aesha.

'These people have now since taught me that I can't trust them as much as I was hoping,' he continued.

'Brittini and Aesha used it on me in a bullying way and I don't accept that, especially after I've told them, I've set a boundary and said, "Please don't use that on me."

'It doesn't matter what it is, I've set a boundary. And I thought they were going to respect that. It made me feel uncomfortable and it hurt me to know that it was coming from Brittini and Aesha, two people I had confided in.'

First time: Jamie (left) was furious after Brittini (right) jokingly called him a 'b***h' while they were out drinking together at a bar

The conflict has played out over the last few episodes of Below Deck Down Under, and started when Brittini jokingly called Jamie a 'b***h' during a wild night out.

'Don't call me b***h again,' he snapped at her sternly.

After Brittini told Aesha about the incident, Aesha later called Jamie the B-word while he was eating alone in the crew mess.

'Yo, b***h!' she called out, prompting an unimpressed Jamie to look up and say: 'I don't like that.'

'You're a bit sensitive towards that,' Aesha responded in a condescending tone.

'Yo, b***h!' After Brittini told Aesha about the incident, Aesha later called Jamie a 'b***h' while he was eating alone in the crew mess

Rude: 'You're a bit sensitive towards that,' Aesha told Jamie in a condescending tone

Aesha and Brittini later laughed about it in a taxi while heading to a bar to meet the rest of the crew, when Aesha turned to stewardess Magda Ziomek and told her to call Jamie a 'b***h' when they arrived.

'Yes, b***h, Jamie!' Magda screamed in Jamie's direction as Brittini laughed, which infuriated him.

'Okay, Magda. Call me that again and I'll never talk to you again,' he said.

'He's so stupid,' said Brittini, before a furious Jamie confronted her.

Instigating: Aesha and Brittini later laughed about it in a taxi while heading to a bar to meet the rest of the crew, when Aesha turned to stewardess Magda Ziomek and told her to call Jamie a 'b***h' when they arrived

Hilarious? Brittini and Aesha laughed hysterically after Jamie told Captain Jason Chambers to ask them to stop calling him the slur

'You know exactly what I'm talking about, Brittini!' he said. 'Don't f**k around. I've told her, and now I've told her, that's three chicks, not to call me that.'

Speaking to producers in a confessional, Aesha admitted it was 'childish' of her to 'egg Magda on' to call Jamie a 'b***h', even though he'd asked her not to.

The next day, Jamie reported the name-calling to Captain Jason Chambers, who then had a word to Brittini and asked her to stop.

Upset: 'These people have now since taught me that I can't trust them as much as I was hoping,' Jamie said in a video on Instagram

Complaining to producers about Jamie telling on her to the captain, Brittini said: 'Like, now who's being a b***h? That was a b****y b****h move.'

Brittini and Aesha then laughed about it together, with Aesha saying: 'He's such a b***h!'

Despite Jamie making his feelings about the incident clear on Instagram, deckhand Benny Crawley has since come out with a video of his own to defend Brittini and Aesha.

No remorse: Speaking to producers in a confessional, Aesha admitted it was 'childish' of her to 'egg Magda on' to call Jamie a 'b***h', even though he'd asked her not to

He also criticised Jamie's leadership as a bosun, and said he was put in unsafe situations and had his work ethic unfairly criticised by Jamie throughout the show.

'I love Brittini and I love Aesha. They haven't got a bad bone in their body,' Benny said.

'We did throw that word around on deck quite often, in the interior, it was always said endearingly. It's a famous quote or saying and it was used fairly often.'

What bro code? Deckhand Benny Crawley (pictured) has since come out with a video of his own to defend Brittini and Aesha against Jamie

'I just wanted to clear that up and make sure the girls had some support there,' he added.

Aesha commented on the post, writing: 'Ohhhh Benny I love youuuu thank you so so much. And you are an amazing human being, that locker IS dangerous, never loose your shine.'

Below Deck Down Under is available to stream on hayu in Australia
Actress Millie Bobby Brown has been making the press rounds to promote the new season of her hit Netflix series Stranger Things, which has brought her to the wildly popular web series Hot Ones... which lead her to flip off host Sean Evans.

The 18-year-old actress, who plays Eleven on Stranger Things, made her Hot Wings debut in a new episode debuting Thursday, and she was even joined by her co-star Noah Schnapp for the first wing.

The actress discussed everything from her favorite snack on the set to taking a 'hot lap' with F1 racer Lewis Hamilton and much more.

Flip off: Actress Millie Bobby Brown has been making the press rounds to promote the new season of her hit Netflix series Stranger Things, which has brought her to the wildly popular web series Hot Ones... which lead her to flip off host Sean Evans

Surprise: The 18-year-old actress, who plays Eleven on Stranger Things, made her Hot Wings debut in a new episode debuting Thursday, and she was even joined by her co-star Noah Schnapp for the first wing

Brown fared quite well throughout the show, but when they got to the eighth of 10 hot sauces - infamously known as 'Da Bomb,' Evans described it as, 'like a prank,' which worried Brown.

The actress took her first bite and almost immediately reached for the chocolate milkshake next to her and started coughing before flipping Evans the middle finger.

'That's not even normal,' Brown said, adding, 'that made me want to stop breathing,' as she said she was, 'doing so well' before Da Bomb.

Host: Brown fared quite well throughout the show, but when they got to the eighth of 10 hot sauces - infamously known as 'Da Bomb,' Evans described it as, 'like a prank,' which worried Brown

Not normal: 'That's not even normal,' Brown said, adding, 'that made me want to stop breathing,' as she said she was, 'doing so well' before Da Bomb

She kept drinking from the milkshake as they dubbed that a 'Hot Mess Moment,' as she admitted she needed an, 'ice cube in my mouth' and the sauce was 'on my gums' while claiming her 'hair is falling out.'

She added, 'Why are you doing this to me? I'm only 18, I'm only small,' adding that it was 'not getting better' as she kept drinking her milkshake.

The actress asked if the next wing would be worse and she said she couldn't trust him again as she grabbed the ninth wing and told him her face doesn't feel like her face.

Hot mess: She kept drinking from the milkshake as they dubbed that a 'Hot Mess Moment,' as she admitted she needed an, 'ice cube in my mouth' and the sauce was 'on my gums' while claiming her 'hair is falling out'

Only small: She added, 'Why are you doing this to me? I'm only 18, I'm only small,' adding that it was 'not getting better' as she kept drinking her milkshake

During the recurring Hot Ones segment called Explain That Gram, Evans asked about a photo of her and F1 superstar Lewis Hamilton at the Circuit of America.

'I got to do a hot lap with him and we got to go around the racetrack and it was amazing, it was a really cool experience, very terrifying, almost as terrifying as this one, 'Brown explained.

She explained that the photo taken was, 'when we were about to get in the car and you can see I'm a bit nervous.'

Hot lap: 'I got to do a hot lap with him and we got to go around the racetrack and it was amazing, it was a really cool experience, very terrifying, almost as terrifying as this one, 'Brown explained

Nervous: She explained that the photo taken was, 'when we were about to get in the car and you can see I'm a bit nervous'

She also revealed that her favorite snack on the set, a sandwich she dubbed the 'McCod,' as she explained to Evans how to make one.

'So what we do is we get a piece of lettuce and we get cut-up ham, peppers and sriracha and we cover the whole kind of sandwich in it,' Brown explained, with the lettuce serving as the 'bread' of the sandwich.

She also explained that craft services, 'usually make me like six of them and that's what keeps me going on set. It's the best ever.'

Snack: She also revealed that her favorite snack on the set, a sandwich she dubbed the 'McCod,' as she explained to Evans how to make one

She explained that the sandwich is named after, 'the guy who made it,' who she called 'Crafty Dave.'

Brown also discussed the new season of Stranger Things, which she had described in interviews as, 'the hardest one' she ever filmed.

'I mean, mostly because we filmed for three years,' Brown began, referring to the show's lengthy production schedule that was impacted by COVID-19.

Hardest: Brown also discussed the new season of Stranger Things, which she had described in interviews as, 'the hardest one' she ever filmed

Three years: 'I mean, mostly because we filmed for three years,' Brown began, referring to the show's lengthy production schedule that was impacted by COVID-19

'We were filming in three different places, Lithuania, New Mexico and Atlanta and it was difficult, yeah,' she added.

The actress also said that she was proud to bring to the forefront the 'bullying aspect that Eleven is going through' in the new season.

'I feel really proud to represent that kind of story line because that's a very real thing, people do deal with that,' she added.

Bullying: The actress also said that she was proud to bring to the forefront the 'bullying aspect that Eleven is going through' in the new season

Proud: 'I feel really proud to represent that kind of story line because that's a very real thing, people do deal with that,' she added

Since the show is set in the 1980s, Brown and the rest of the young cast was given 'homework' to watch a slew of 80s movies, with Brown singling out one that meant the most to her: E.T.

'E.T. reminds me of Eleven a lot because E.T. is this kind of this thing that's come down from another planet and it feels like Eleven's come down from this planet and doesn't know anyone,' she said.

The actress even threw some shade towards Marvel actor Tom Holland at the halfway mark, saying that she's still 'feeling' the heat, 'but it's not making me cry like Tom Holland.'
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Emma Roberts looked every bit the fashionista as she joined the likes of Tallulah and Scout Willis at the grand opening of the BY FAR store in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

BY FAR is a 'designer accessories brand' co-founded by sisters Valentina Ignatova, Sabina Gyosheva and Denitsa Bumbarova that offers bags, shoes and belts in 'reinvented modern silhouettes.'

For the star-studded event, Emma was decked out in a cheetah print blouse that she tucked into a pair of flared blue jeans.

Arrivals: Emma Roberts looked every bit the fashionista as she joined the likes of Tallulah and Scout Willis at the grand opening of the BY FAR store in Los Angeles on Wednesday night

The 31-year-old actress left her blouse slightly unbuttoned and she strolled the street in a pair of black slingback heels.

Her waist was cinched in with a black leather belt and she toted her essentials in a tiny black purse with a gold handle.

The American Horror Story star's bright blonde tresses were parted to one side and flowed down her back in straightened strands.

Some of her hair was tucked behind her ear and secured in place with a couple bobby pins.

Wild at heart: For the star-studded event, Emma was decked out in a cheetah print blouse that she tucked into a pair of flared blue jeans

Chic: The 31-year-old actress left her blouse slightly unbuttoned and she strolled the street in a pair of black slingback heels

As for makeup, Emma sported a dramatic flush and drenched her plump pout in a berry toned lip stain.

The We're The Millers actress oozed confidence as she was captured rolling up to the event in her fashion-forward ensemble.

Scout Willis flashed her toned midriff in a bright orange corset top styled with a pair of spliced black and white pants.

Sister act: Scout Willis flashed her toned midriff in a bright orange corset top styled with a pair of spliced black and white pants. Meanwhile, her younger sister Tallulah (left) sizzled in a skimpy white bra top layered under a fuzzy green sweater

Accessorized: Her short dark brown hair was decked out with a gold barrette and she toted her belongings in an off white crocodile purse

The 30-year-old stunner slipped her feet into a pair of vibrant slingback heels and tucked a black leather handbag under her arm as she posed for snaps.

Her long hair, which was recently dyed blonde in the front, was parted down the middle and slowed down her back in straight strands.

She had arrived to the invite-only soiree with her younger sister Tallulah in a psychedelic sweater, but decided to ditch the garment for her solo red carpet snaps.

Double denim darling: Former Victoria's Secret Angel, Elsa Hosk, put on a stylish display in a trendy double denim set

Barbie girl: Layered beneath her jacket was a bubblegum pink graphic tee that matched her chic handbag and sandals

Tallulah sizzled in a skimpy white bra top layered under a fuzzy green sweater.

The 28-year-old actress finished off her look with a pair of silky light blue trousers and some funky tiger print slip-ons.

Her short dark brown hair was decked out with a gold barrette and she toted her belongings in an off white crocodile purse.

Former Victoria's Secret Angel, Elsa Hosk, put on a stylish display in a trendy double denim set.

Stunner: The event also drew model Charlotte McKinney, 28, who stunned in a gorgeous blue coord with a thigh slit on the shirt

Blonde bombshell: The Carl's Jr queen's bright blonde hair was teased at the root and flowed down her chest in wavy strands

The 33-year-old beauty slipped her supermodel figure into a pair of high-waisted jeans and a matching oversized blazer.

Layered beneath her jacket was a bubblegum pink graphic tee that matched her chic handbag and sandals.

The event also drew model Charlotte McKinney, 28, who stunned in a gorgeous blue coord with a thigh slit on the shirt.

The Carl's Jr queen's bright blonde hair was teased at the root and flowed down her chest in wavy strands.

Groovy: Rachael Leigh Cook looked groovy in a patterned green, yellow and orange blouse and matching silky trousers

Fashionistas: Delilah Belle Hamlin cut a trendy figure by stepping out in high-waisted jeans and a pair of strappy heeled sandals. Maria Bakalova took the plunge by leaving her magenta top unbuttoned to expose her decolletage

She beamed for shutterbugs as she enjoyed the festivities with fellow attendees.

Rachael Leigh Cook looked groovy in a patterned green, yellow and orange blouse and matching silky trousers.

The She's All That actress accessorized with a muted green purse and a pair of light pink heeled sandals.

Jaimie Alexander looked radiant in a satin floor-length slip dress and a trendy oversized black blazer.

Auburn beauty: Her flowing auburn hair was styled in beachy waves and she added some extra glamour to her look by layering gold chains around her neck

Retro: Maria Bakalova threw on a pair of matching flared pants and some brown platform boots. As she moved about the party, Maria made sure to pose for a snapshot with BY FAR Co-founder and Creative Director, Denitsa Bumbarova

The Blindspot star's jaw-length brunette hair was curled away from her flawless face and she fastened a pendant chain around her neck.

Maria Bakalova took the plunge by leaving her magenta top unbuttoned to expose her decolletage.

The 25-year-old Bulgarian actress threw on a pair of matching flared pants and some brown platform boots.

Her flowing auburn hair was styled in beachy waves and she added some extra glamour to her look by layering gold chains around her neck.

Radiant: Jaimie Alexander looked radiant in a satin floor-length slip dress and a trendy oversized black blazer

Flawless: The Blindspot star's jaw-length brunette hair was curled away from her flawless face and she fastened a pendant chain around her neck

As she moved about the party, Maria made sure to pose for a snapshot with BY FAR Co-founder and Creative Director, Denitsa Bumbarova.

Delilah Belle Hamlin cut a trendy figure by stepping out in high-waisted jeans and a pair of strappy heeled sandals.

The model completed the look with a black tank top bodysuit and a collared pale yellow jacket.

Say cheese! Rachael Leigh Cook and Nora Zehetner flashed wide smiles as they posed for snaps during the event

Rockstar: Maya Rudolph and her Prince cover band, Princess, delivered a show-stopping performance during Wednesday's starry gathering in West Hollywood. The SNL alum showed off her toned legs in a sparkly black sequin mini dress and a pair of black leather knee-high boots

Maya Rudolph and her Prince cover band, Princess, delivered a show-stopping performance during Wednesday's starry gathering in West Hollywood.

The SNL alum showed off her toned legs in a sparkly black sequin mini dress and a pair of black leather knee-high boots.

Her hair was meticulously straightened and she sported a generous amount of glittery eyeshadow on her eyelids.

Sparkly: Her hair was meticulously straightened and she sported a generous amount of glittery eyeshadow on her eyelids
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Kaley Cuoco looked radiant upon her arrival at the 18th Annual Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards, which were held at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills on Thursday night.

The 36-year-old star of HBO Max's The Flight Attendant strolled the red carpet in a ruffled black floral print dress with a sexy halter neckline.

She was joined at the event by the likes of Saturday Night Live alum Amy Poehler and her Capital One commercial co-star William Shatner.

Radiant: Kaley Cuoco looked radiant upon her arrival at the 18th Annual Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards, which were held at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills on Thursday night. The 36-year-old star of HBO Max's The Flight Attendant strolled the red carpet in a ruffled black floral print dress with a sexy halter neckline

Kaley styled her stylish patterned number with a pair of classic black kitten heels.

Her flowing golden blonde hair was parted down the middle and styled in loose curls.

As for makeup, the Big Bang Theory actress kept things natural with glowy complexion products, a sheer peach toned lip gloss and a generous amount of pink blush.

She decked out her hands with dainty silver rings and opting for some understated stud earrings.

Blonde beauty: Her flowing golden blonde hair was parted down the middle and styled in loose curls

Effortless: Amy Poehler looked effortlessly cool in a purple patterned button up shirt and a pair of matching wide-legged trousers

Amy Poehler looked effortlessly cool in a purple patterned button up shirt and a pair of matching wide-legged trousers.

The comedian layered up her look with a black fitted blazer and fastened a pair of shiny gold hoops to her ears.

The Walking Dead actress Sonequa Martin-Green cozied up to her hunky husband of over a decade, Kenric Green, during their time on the red carpet.

Sonequa stunned in a fitted striped suit styled with a chunky gold chain choker and a soft glam makeup look.

Cozy: The Walking Dead actress Sonequa Martin-Green cozied up to her hunky husband of over a decade, Kenric Green, during their time on the red carpet

Sophisticated: Sonequa stunned in a fitted striped suit styled with a chunky gold chain choker and a soft glam makeup look

Nancy O'Dell oozed glamour in a black one-shoulder gown that clung to her every curve.

The TV personality's long, lightened tresses were parted down the middle and worn in sleek strands that flowed down her chest.

Maury Povich suited up for the occasion and brought along his longtime wife Connie Chung, who wowed in a satin off-the-shoulder gown.

Glamour: Nancy O'Dell oozed glamour in a black one-shoulder gown that clung to her every curve

Longtime love: Maury Povich suited up for the occasion and brought along his longtime wife Connie Chung, who wowed in a satin off-the-shoulder gown

Last but not least, Star Trek's William Shatner paired a black suit jacket with some grey slacks for the evening.

The actor, 91, completed his suave look with a black button down shirt and a pair of stylish dress shoes.

The annual Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards recognize 'a select group of television professionals who have demonstrated the highest degree of excellence in their field,' according to Deadline.

This year's honorees included TV host Maury Povich, comedian Amy Poehler, screenwriter Alex Kurtzman, actress Whoopi Goldberg, actor William Shatner, as well as Warner Bros Television Group chairman Channing Dungey and producer/ media investor Jeff Sagansky.
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Khloe Kardashian stepped out in West Hollywood with her mother Kris Jenner and younger half-sister Kendall Jenner on Thursday night, wearing a longer version of her sister's iconic nude latex dress.

And the 37-year-old Good American founder stole the show as she went braless in the sexy number by Atsuko Kudo that highlighted her ample chest and very slim physique.

While Kim wasn't there, the trio grabbed dinner at the celebrity hotspot Craig's, which is frequented by the likes of Paris Hilton and pop star Katy Perry.

Scene stealer: Khloe Kardashian looked trim when she wore a nude latex dress to Craig's in LA on Thursday night with her sister Kendall and mother Kris Jenner - the number was just like one her sister Kim wore in 2015

Khloe's ultra sexy dress came in a muted shade of pink and stopped at her ankles. The sleeveless design allowed the mother-of-one to put her sculpted arms on display.

She strolled out of the restaurant in a pair of transparent kitten heels and with a fuzzy pink Fendi bag in hand. She also appeared to be carrying a small gift bag.

Khloe's long bleached blonde hair was swept to one side and cascaded down her back and chest in crimped strands.

Kim wore a version of the dress back in 2015 and has worn various versions of the number throughout the years.

Daring dress: Khloe's ultra sexy dress by Atsuko Kudo came in a muted shade of pink and stopped at her ankles. The sleeveless design allowed the mother-of-one to put her sculpted arms on display

Blonde bombshell: Khloe's long bleached blonde hair was swept to one side and cascaded down her back and chest in crimped strands

If it ain't broke: Kim also wore this version of the number in June 2016 when she attended an energy drinks launch in Nashville

She shielded her eyes from the flashbulbs with a pair of large tortoise shell sunglasses.

The KUWTK alum rocked a set of dramatic white acrylic nails that coordinated with her pedicure.

Following in tow was Khloe's supermodel sister Kendall, who kept things casual for her night out with the family.

The 26-year-old runway maven gave a peek at her sculpted abs in a cropped white tank top and a pair of high-waisted straight leg jeans.

She layered up the look with a vintage leather jacket and slipped on a pair of black loafers.

Kendall's brunette hair look sleek as she wore her hair in a bun and amplified her already gorgeous features with a light application of makeup.

Different vibes: Following in tow was Khloe's supermodel sister Kendall Jenner, who kept things casual for her night out with the family

Signature style: Her signature raven pixie cut was styled with gel and a pair of glitzy hoops hung from her ears

Kris looked jovial as she exited the restaurant with two of her five daughters while sporting a stunning black Gucci suit.

The Kardashian-Jenner matriarch, 66, pounded the pavement in a pair of Gucci loafers and she gave her getup a pop of color with a bright red purse.

Her signature raven pixie cut was styled with gel and a pair of glitzy hoops hung from her ears.

Missing from the action were Kris' daughter Kim, 41, and Kourtney, 43, as well as her only son Rob, 35.

She shares Kim, Kourtney, Khloe and Rob with her late ex-husband Robert Kardashian, who passed away in 2003 after losing his battle with esophageal cancer.

Social butterflies: As they dined at Craig's on Thursday, Khloe and Kendall shared some snaps from the evening to their respective Instagram Stories. Khloe uploaded a brief video of a close pal blowing out the candles on her birthday cake at a nearby table, while Kendall shared a glimpse at the Craig's menu and a cocktail

Booked: Before heading to dinner with Kendall and Kris, Khloe swung by her pal and hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons' launch party for his brand Andrew Fitzsimons Hair. She cozied up to Andrew for a snap on the event's red carpet, which she shared to her Instagram Story

Kris also shares daughters Kendall and Kylie Jenner, 24, with ex partner, Caitlyn Jenner. The couple split up in 2013 after 22 years of marriage.

The businesswoman has been dating 41-year-old business exec Corey Gamble for years.

As they dined at Craig's on Thursday, Khloe and Kendall shared some snaps from the evening to their respective Instagram Stories.

Khloe uploaded a brief video of a close pal blowing out the candles on her birthday cake at a nearby table, while Kendall shared a glimpse at the Craig's menu and a cocktail.

Inside look: Along with sharing bits of their lives to social media, the Kardashian-Jenner ladies have been giving fans a candid look at their love lives, home lives and business ventures on the family's new Hulu series The Kardashians

Before heading to dinner with Kendall and Kris, Khloe swung by her pal and hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons' launch party for his brand Andrew Fitzsimons Hair.

She cozied up to Andrew for a snap on the event's red carpet, which she shared to her Instagram Story.

Along with sharing bits of their lives to social media, the Kardashian-Jenner ladies have been giving fans a candid look at their love lives, home lives and business ventures on the family's new Hulu series The Kardashians.

The show premiered its first season on the streaming platform in April, less than a year after the family decided to end their long-running series Keeping Up With The Kardashians on E!

New chapter: The show premiered its first season on the streaming platform in April, less than a year after the family decided to end their long-running series Keeping Up With The Kardashians on E!; Kim, Kendall, Kris, Kylie, Kourtney and Khloe pictured

Wedding: Kris, Khloe, Kim, Kendall and Kylie all recently returned to Los Angeles after attending their eldest sister Kourtney Kardashian and her husband Travis Barker's lavish wedding in Portofino, Italy

Kris, Khloe, Kim, Kendall and Kylie all recently returned to Los Angeles after attending their eldest sister Kourtney Kardashian and her husband Travis Barker's lavish wedding in Portofino, Italy.

Kourtney and Travis, who began dating in late 2020 and were engaged by October 2021, officially tied the knot at a court house in Santa Barbara before venturing overseas for their designation wedding.

Kourtney's three children, Mason, 12, Penelope, nine, and Reign, seven, were also in attendance, along with Travis' son Landon, 18 and daughter Alabama, 16.

Noticeably absent from the ceremony was Kourtney's ex and baby daddy Scott Disick, as well as her stepfather Caitlyn Jenner.
Married At First Sight star Tamara Djordjevic has no desire in joining OnlyFans.

The blonde bombshell told Yahoo Lifestyle on Friday that she can't imagine herself signing up for the adult website, unlike her co-stars Olivia Frazer and Domenica Calarco.

'I don't think OnlyFans is for me. I think my dad would kill me, I think my brother would kill me,' the 30-year-old revealed.

Will she or won't she? Married At First Sight star Tamara Djordjevic (pictured), 30, revealed on Friday whether she would ever join adult website OnlyFans

However, Tamara said it's not a definite no, hinting at potentially joining OnlyFans in the future.

'Like I said on the show, it's not for me. I mean, never say never, but I don't think I'll be going down that path.'

It comes after Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed last week that co-star Olivia has set up her own OnlyFans account, and her bold move is already paying off.

A no for now: 'I don't think OnlyFans is for me. I think my dad would kill me, I think my brother would kill me,' the blonde bombshell told Yahoo Lifestyle. 'Like I said on the show, it's not for me. I mean, never say never, but I don't think I'll be going down that path,' she continued

The former teaching assistant, 28, earned a whopping $10,000 in the first 12 hours of her profile going live early last week.

In addition to her income from subscribers, the blonde is open to personal requests and has been sending images to fans privately.

She has started with softcore content and initially planned to get her boyfriend Jackson Lonie in on the action eventually, prior to his cheating scandal.

Having the last laugh: It comes after Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed last week that co-star Olivia Frazer (pictured) has set up her own OnlyFans account, and her bold move is already paying off

Queen of MAFS: The former teaching assistant, 28, earned a whopping $10,000 in the first 12 hours of her profile going live early last week

'I'll start with lingerie photos and videos and then some couple photos with Jackson because he wants to make his OnlyFans debut!' she told Daily Mail Australia last week.

Olivia is charging subscribers $14.99 per month, which is on the pricey side for OnlyFans. Twelve-month packages can be purchased for $126.

The former reality TV villain isn't offering any free previews, instead telling curious fans to 'come find out' by opening their wallets.

Pushing the boundaries: In addition to her income from subscribers, the blonde is open to personal requests and has been sending images to fans privately

In addition to OnlyFans, Olivia is also selling personalised shout-outs on Memmo.

It comes days after her MAFS rival Domenica Calarco reactivated her own OnlyFans account with a monthly subscription fee of $10.99.

Fans will remember the two brides clashed over OnlyFans during filming last year.

Racy: Olivia has started with softcore content but initially planned to get her boyfriend Jackson Lonie in on the action eventually, prior to his cheating scandal. (Pictured at the Shepherd Centre Gala Dinner in Sydney on May 21)

Domenica was outed as an OnlyFans model at the couples' retreat after Olivia's friends found one of her raunchy photos doing the rounds on Twitter.

While the distribution of the image remains the subject of a police investigation, Olivia addressed a few rumours about the scandal in an Instagram Q&A last month.

She made four main points: firstly, she insisted she never 'sl*t-shamed' Domenica by sharing her nude photo among the cast.

What a coincidence! It comes days after her MAFS rival Domenica Calarco (pictured) reactivated her own OnlyFans account with a monthly subscription fee of $10.99

Secondly, she alleged she didn't send the image to anyone electronically, and simply showed her co-stars the picture on her phone.

Thirdly, she claimed the photo at the centre of the scandal was not from behind an OnlyFans paywall and had actually been posted by Domenica on her public Twitter account.

And lastly, she speculated that producers were aware of Domenica's OnlyFans and related social media profiles and wanted the other participants to discover them.

Olivia also admitted the whole saga was ultimately a drunken mistake.
Poppy Jennings has kept a low profile since appearing on Married At First Sight's seventh season in 2020.

But the single mum has now re-emerged with a glamorous new look after undergoing a dramatic makeover.

Recent photos show the 41-year-old looking dramatically slimmer with completely different hair and makeup compared to her time on the show.

Brand new me! Former Married At First Sight star Poppy Jennings has re-emerged with a glamorous new look after undergoing a dramatic makeover (pictured)

In one image, Poppy shows off her trim figure in a semi-sheer dress with a corset bustier.

'Well behaved women rarely make history,' she captioned it.

The post was flooded with comments, with one fan writing: 'You're looking smoking hot Poppy.'

Before and after: Recent photos show the 41-year-old looking dramatically slimmer with completely different hair and makeup compared to her time on the show

Her former co-star Mishel Karen wrote, 'Wow you look amazing!!! Looks like you all had a great time x.'

The Wollongong mum was one of the first people to leave the experiment in season seven.

Poppy, who was portrayed as sulky and ungrateful during her season, said she faced online abuse from around the world because MAFS is syndicated in multiple territories, including America, the UK and the Netherlands.

Backlash: Poppy, who was portrayed as sulky and ungrateful during her season, said she faced online abuse from around the world because MAFS is syndicated in multiple territories, including America, the UK and the Netherlands

She publicly criticised Nine and production company Endemol Shine while her season was airing.

She claimed she'd been unfairly edited and that the real reason for her unhappiness on screen was not revealed because it was 'too controversial'.

Poppy also made a series of wild accusations about her 'husband' Luke Eglin, which cannot be published for legal reasons.
Courteney Cox cut a casual figure on Thursday as she headed out for dinner with director Will Speck.

The 57-year-old actress sported a pair of blue denim jeans, as she paired a tucked in taupe shirt with the look.

She dressed the ensemble up with a chocolate brown pinstripe blazer, adding a black and gold detailed belt.

Casual: Courteney Cox, 57, cut a casual figure as she headed out for dinner with Will Speck at Nobu Malibu on Thursday evening

The Friends actress chose comfort as she opted for a pair of black trainers with an orange sole.

She added a black and gold chain strapped handbag to finish the look, accesorising with a chunky gold chain.

Courteney's raven locks were left to fall freely in a brushed out wave, while she kept her makeup look subtle.

High spirits: She was designated driver for the evening, as pal Will took the passenger seat while the pair enjoyed a giggle

She was designated driver for the evening, as pal Will took the passenger seat while the pair enjoyed a giggle.

Seemingly in high spirits, the director donned a white T-shirt paired with a black jacket on top.

Courteney enjoyed the outing without her boyfriend of eight years, Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid.

And it comes after the Northern Irish musician told MailOnline that she can't understand his accent and 'hasn't got a clue' what he is saying.

Funny: Courteney enjoyed the outing without her boyfriend of eight years, Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid, who recently told MailOnline that she 'can't understand a word i'm saying' due to his accent

He jested: 'Well my partner is American and she hasnt understood a word Ive said in eight years. She hasnt got a clue!'

The couple began dating in 2013, after being introduced by mutual friends, they got engaged in 2013 and although they called off the wedding in 2015, they rekindled their relationship the following year.

Back in September, Courteney paid tribute to her longtime beau as they celebrated eight years of dating.

The Friends actress shared two snaps of the couple to Instagram - one from when they first met back in 2013, and a steamy current-day photo of the pair in bed.

Looking just as youthful as she did eight years ago as she snuggled up to the Snow Patrol star and captioned that he's 'still got it'.

Loved-up! Back in September, Courteney paid tribute to her longtime beau as they celebrated eight years of dating
Iain Stirling has revealed a major Love Island plot twist - for the first time ever coupling up on Love Island will be decided by the viewers.

The voice of the dating show will return to his quick one-liners on Monday as a new group of sexy singletons enter the villa in Mallorca to try and find love.

The 34-year-old told Lorraine host Christine Lampard: 'I'm coming at you now with a big fat exclusive. We're mixing things up this year I can tell you.

Exciting: Iain Stirling has revealed a major Love Island plot twist - for the first time ever coupling on Love Island will be decided by the viewers

Iain announced: 'This year, for the first year ever we want you guys at home to play Cupid, and you will have your say on which boy couples up with which girl.

'All you have to do is go over to the Love Island app right now and decide who you want to couple up with who.

'The poll is live right now, and the poll will close again tomorrow morning at 9am. It's a fantastic poll, where you get to decide who's being coupled up with who.'

Long hot summer: The voice of the dating show will return to his quick one-liners on Monday as a new group of sexy singletons enter the villa in Mallorca to try and find love

Christine then asked: 'So we hold all the power for this week at least?'

The narrator replied: 'I feel like the viewers at home, yeah, you get to look at all the Islanders, get a vibe, see who you think suits who, or maybe who isn't suited to who and put them together and we can watch the fireworks fly'

Asked by Christine if this year was the sexiest Love Island ever, Iain said: 'It's sexy. Look at me, I've even got a white shirt on - I'm sexy this year, it's unbelievable.

He jokingly ended the interview with: 'I'd nearly undone this button but I was told I wasn't allowed to, it was too early in the morning.'

Iain announced: 'This year, for the first year ever we want you guys at home to play Cupid, and you will have your say on which boy couples up with which girl

It comes after Laura Whitmore and her husband Iain kept a low profile as they touched down in Palma De Mallorca on Thursday ahead of Love Island hosting duties.

The presenter, 37, cut a casual figure in a denim jacket as she joined her partner as they prepare for the new series starting on Monday.

She stood out in a pair of quirky blue trousers, teamed with a black t-shirt and Nike trainers while loading her luggage into a car.

Exciting: Laura Whitmore and her husband Iain Stirling kept a low profile as they touched down in Palma De Mallorca on Thursday ahead of Love Island hosting duties

Iain kept his look low-key in an all black ensemble, teamed with a pair of fresh white trainers as he pulled his suitcase along.

The narrator - set to return to the show along with his wife - admitted he hasn't yet seen the villa but is certain this will be the 'sexiest' series yet.

The comedian told OK! magazine: 'I know it's got a fire pit because I talked about that in the trailer and I imagine if there's more working out space it'll be the sexiest series we've ever had.'

Love Island starts at 9pm Monday 6th June on ITV2 and ITV Hub. Episodes are available the following morning on BritBox.
Kim Hartnett is expecting her second child.

The former Love Island Australia star will welcome a baby with her Bachelor In Paradise star boyfriend Matt Whyatt, 27, in just eight weeks.

The 26-year-old shared the good news with her Instagram followers on Friday, posting a video in which she showed off her positive pregnancy test.

Soon: Kim Hartnett (right) is expecting her second child. The former Love Island Australia star will welcome her baby with her Bachelor In Paradise star boyfriend Matt Whyatt (left) in just eight weeks

'Can't believe we get to meet you in only eight weeks. Mum, Dad and your big brother are all here waiting for you to come change our world for ever,' she wrote.

In the clip, Kim documented her journey, including sharing her ultrasound and footage from her gender reveal party.

The former reality star has not shared the sex of her unborn child as yet.

Happy day: The 26-year-old shared the good news with her Instagram followers on Friday, posting a video in which she showed off her positive pregnancy test

Celebrations: In the clip, Kim documented her journey, including sharing her ultrasound and footage from her gender reveal party

'Can't believe we get to meet you in only eight weeks. Mum, Dad and your big brother are all here waiting for you to come change our world for ever,' she wrote

Kim, who has a son from a previous relationship, Braxton, six, rose to fame on season one of Love Island Australia in 2018.

The blonde beauty told Daily Mail Australia in 2020 that her relationship with her hunky beau Matt is 'stronger than ever now'.

Kim continued: 'We make each other laugh from the minute we wake up to when we go to bed. Everything just works.'

Fame: Kim, who has a son from a previous relationship, Braxton, six, rose to fame on season one of Love Island Australia in 2018

Love: The blonde beauty told Daily Mail Australia in 2020 that her relationship with her hunky beau Matt is 'stronger than ever now'

She confirmed the romance in August that year by sharing a vlog titled 'New Boyfriend' to YouTube of the couple's romantic trip to Queensland's Magnetic Island at the time.

'[This was our] first proper holiday together and we have plans to go back up north in two weeks time and will definitely be planning more,' she said.

'We make each other laugh from the minute we wake up to when we go to bed. Everything just works.'
ALISON BOSHOFF: It can now be revealed that the BBC actually twice offered Robinson her old job back, but she said no. She didn't want to change the show into the kindly new version that the Beeb wanted.
Amber Dowding enjoyed a day at the beach on Thursday as she continues her holiday to Spain with pal Millie.

The former TOWIE star, 28, sported an orange bikini as she took a dip in the sea, showing off some very prominent looking tan lines.

Amber showed off her figure in the bikini, which featured a V-shaped bottom and a scooping neckline top, with a cross back design.

Time for a dip: TOWIE star Amber Dowding, 28, (left) lapped up the Spanish sunshine in an orange bikini on Thursday, alongside a friend

Amber had her balayaged brunette locks pulled away from her face in a high bun as she took a dip.

While she was seemingly makeup free for the appearance, accesorising with a multi-chain necklace and matching stacked bracelets.

The reality star's prominent side tattoo was on display during the outing, as she sported some painful looking sunburn and tanlines on her bottom.

Ouch! The reality star sported some painful looking sunburn and tanlines on her bottom

Cooling off: Amber took a dip in the sea with pal Millie as they kept to the shore

Bright: Amber showed off her figure in the bikini, which featured a V-shaped bottom and a scooping neckline top, with a cross back design

She chatted with friend Millie as they tipped their legs in the sea, as the brunette contrasted Amber's bright look with a black tie bikini.

They seemed in high spirits as they giggled in the water and squatted down further into the water.

Away from the water, the pair set up shop on the sand - laying down two towels as they prepared to laze in the sun.

Out of the way: Amber had her balayaged brunette locks pulled away from her face in a high bun

Inked: Amber showed off her long tattoo, which sprawled across her side and hip

Natural: She appeared makeup free for the day out, as she and Millie had set up shop on the sand

Catching rays: Getting ready for some sunbathing, Amber sat on a towel as the pair stripped off

Ambers boyfriend Jamie Enver appeared to be on the trip too alongside another male, as two became four away from the sand.

Covering up her bikini earlier, Amber added a white crochet mini skirt to her look - while holding a canvas crochet handbag.

While Millie sported black hotpant shorts, adding gold trimmed sunglasses to her monochrome look.

Quartet: Ambers boyfriend Jamie Enver appeared to be on the trip too alongside another male, as two became four away from the sand
Gordon Ramsay made the most of his bank holiday weekend on Friday after venturing out for a drive through picturesque Cornwall with daughter Holly.

The celebrity chef, 55, shared Instagram videos of the pair as they navigated the coastal roads close to his 4.4million holiday home, used by the family after they escaped London at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ramsay has been a divisive presence in Cornwall since fleeing the capital for the refuge of his alternative property, not least because of his apparent flouting of national lockdown policies as COVID-19 crippled the UK.

Fun in the sun: Gordon Ramsay made the most of his bank holiday weekend on Friday after venturing out for a drive through picturesque Cornwall with daughter Holly

But he appeared to be nonplussed by any assumed transgressions while taking to the narrow, tree lined roads on the second day of this Platinum Jubilee celebration.

Ramsay was in the driving seat of a smart white Porsche as he put foot to pedal, the roof down and daughter Holly, 22, by his side on another gloriously warm day across England's south-west.

Holly has previously alerted social media followers of her day out with the fiery TV chef by sharing a shot of the car parked close to the Cornish coastline, with the caption: 'Fun in the sun.'

Here we go: The celebrity chef shared Instagram videos of the pair as they navigated the coastal roads close to his 4.4million holiday home

Ramsay previously admitted he regrets not defending himself after locals criticised the family for relocating to their seaside home from London during the first COVID lockdown in 2020.

The TV chef spent much of 2020 in his 4.4 million holiday home with wife Tana and their five children Megan, 23, Holly and Jack, both 22, Tilly, 20, and Oscar, two.

But the family came under fire from locals who accused them of flouting government rules at the time and 'bringing the virus from London'.

Close: Ramsay with daughter Holly, who shared videos of their country drive on Friday

In an interview with Radio Times, Gordon admitted he is still baffled as to why they were criticised so heavily.

He said: 'God knows why we took so much s**t from the Cornish. We lived down there; we just hadn't been down there for a long time.'

'We didn't sneak down there at all. We got there at an appropriate time, and had an absolutely amazing time.'

The successful chef and TV star added that he relished the quality time with his family during lockdown, explaining: 'A time like that  we'll never get back again.

'When the kids started disappearing again, I didn't want it to end  as a dad, not a chef.'
Airport star Jeremy Spake looked worlds away from his former self when he returned to television screens after 17 years recently.

The 52-year-old Heathrow worker found fame in the 1990s BBC documentary which followed the chaos at London's busiest airport.

And fans were shocked recently to see a now more mature Jeremy without his spectacles, goatee beard or combed chestnut locks.

New you: Airport's Jeremy Spake looks totally different 17 years after becoming fan favourite on the BBC documentary (pictured left in 2022, right in 1999)

As the broadcaster caught up with staff in Airport: Back To the Skies the still smart star showed off a clean shaven face and bald head.

The airline employee, who was an instant hit with fans, spoke about the aviation industry's attempts to recover after the COVID pandemic.

Continuing to wear a suit and tie Jeremy also donned a reflective jacket on the show.

Working hard: The airline employee, who was an instant hit with fans, spoke about the aviation industry's attempts to over come the COVID pandemic

Fluent Russian speaker Jeremy climbed the ranks to be the services manager of Moscow based Aerflot airline before becoming the deputy director of Isle Of Man Airport - before retuning to his beloved Heathrow.

With his jolly personality Jeremy moved from aviation full time into television as he fronted many of his own shows.

The star hosted Toughest Job in Britain, Holiday, and City Hospital, though now it appears he has returned to his first love.

Back in action: Fluent Russian speaker Jeremy climbed the ranks to be the services manager of Moscow based Aerflot airline before becoming the deputy director of Isle Of Man Airport - before retuning to his beloved Heathrow (pictured in 2022)

Big time: The star hosted Toughest Job in Britain, Holiday, and City Hospital, though now it appears he has returned to his first love (pictured in 1999)

The airline industry has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons recently as staffing problems cause issues around the UK.

And it was reported that Love Island bosses were ready to 'adapt' their travel plans at a moments notice.

As new Islanders are set to arrive throughout the show's run, as contestants are dumped from the Island.

Star turn: Jermey starred on many shows as he had his 15 minutes of fame (pictured in 2000 with Fern Britain and Jilly Goolden on Celebrity ready Steady Cook)

With shocking scenes from around the country in recent weeks have shown holidaymakers stuck in huge queues with some forced to sleep on the floor of airports amid long delays.

Despite this, The Sun has claimed that ITV bosses are ready to deal with the issue.

A source told the publication: 'Its less than ideal but the team is ready to adapt if they need to.'

Earlier this week, executive producer Mike Spencer called the series 'such a reactive show' that can adapt quickly.

High alert: Love Island bosses are reportedly ready to 'adapt' at a moment's notice, if the recent travel chaos interferes with their planned flights to and from Majorca

MailOnline have contacted reps for Love Island for comment.

Last year was also fraught with difficulties, as Covid-19 restrictions made travelling difficult.

Laura branded travelling to Majorca in 2021 a 'logistical nightmare', saying: 'I have to be in London every Sunday as part of my Love Island contract. I need to host Love Island: Aftersun, which I love. It's just so much fun, I love live telly.

Queues: Shocking scenes from around the country in recent weeks have shown holidaymakers stuck in huge queues with some forced to sleep on the floor of airports amid long delays

'But that's another logistical nightmare, that we need to make sure that I'm always back in time for that. If I could, I'd probably just move into the villa, I mean who wouldn't?'

It comes as Brits are facing a summer of airport chaos amid chronic staffing shortages and IT glitches.

Industry chiefs have pointed the finger at mass layoffs during the pandemic which saw staff let go because of the collapse in demand for travel during the various lockdowns.
Temperatures may well be soaring across the UK, but Lisa Armstrong was dreaming of other destinations as she took to Instagram on Friday.

The ex-wife of TV presenter Ant McPartlin is back home after enjoying a sunshine break in Croatia, and her mind was clearly still on the Adriatic coastline as she reminisced about her latest trip.

Sharing a handful of holiday snaps across social media, Lisa, 45, appeared to be in a wistful mood after returning to London from Dubrovnik ahead of The Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Take me back: Lisa Armstrong appeared to be in a wistful mood while sharing photos from her current trip to Croatian capital Dubrovnik with boyfriend James Green on Friday

In one image the Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist stood arm in arm with boyfriend James Green, the ocean visible behind them as they took a tour of the city's Unesco-listed old town.

The break appeared to have worked its magic on Lisa, who looked fresh and vibrant in a bold red summer dress while standing alongside the 39-year old electrician, her first serious romance since finalising her divorce.

In a second picture Lisa lets her hair down with close friend Zoe Osborne, who joins her for an afternoon tipple as they bask in the sun.

Don't mind if I do: In one image Lisa lets her hair down with close friend Zoe Osborne, who joins her for an afternoon tipple as they bask in the sun

James is also pictured with beer in hand while seated alongside Zoe's husband Anton, while other images capture the stunning Dubrovnik coastline.

Captioning the posts, Lisa summed up her wistful mood while acknowledging her friends, writing: 'Take me back!!'

She and ex-husband Ant confirmed their separation in 2018 following his stint in rehab, where he sought help for acute alcohol and painkiller addiction the previous year.

Good times: A grinning James is also pictured with beer in hand while seated alongside Zoe's husband Anton

Lovely location: Other images from the latest post capture the stunning Dubrovnik coastline

Old times: Lisa and ex-husband Ant McPartlin finalised their divorce in 2020, two years after confirming their separation

Upon leaving treatment, Ant took a year out from TV and he and Lisa soon parted ways, with their divorce finalised in April 2020.

Last month Lisa revealed she and beau James had opted for matching tattoos, showing off their identical designs in an Instagram post.

She is understood to have started dating James at the beginning of 2020 and went public with their relationship last August, shortly after he separated from his wife Kirsty.
Australian actor Sam Worthington has largely called America home for some years.

But there are some iconic Aussie delicacies the Avatar star misses when he's stateside.

Speaking to The Project on Friday, the 45-year-old listed off his favourite snacks that he loathes to be without.

Snacks: Australian actor Sam Worthington (pictured) has called America home for some years. But there are some iconic Aussie delicacies the Avatar star misses when he's stateside

'I miss Bubble O' Bill, Chokito, and spearmint milk, simple things,' he said when asked what he misses about Australia.

Bubble O' Bill is an ice cream that has been popular with Australian children since the 1980s.

It is a blend of strawberry, chocolate and caramel ice cream, with a bubblegum nose.

'I miss Bubble O' Bill, Chokito, and spearmint milk, simple things,' he said. Bubble O' Bill is an ice cream that has been popular with Australian children since the 1980s

Tasty: Chokito, a chocolate bar from Nestle, has a caramel fudge center, a milk chocolate coating and crisped rice on the outside

Yum: Spearmint milk is a sweet, minty flavoured dairy drink, with the Masters brand a popular choice in Australian supermarkets, and some takeaway stores offering a milkshake version

Chokito, a chocolate bar from Nestle, has a caramel fudge center, a milk chocolate coating and crisped rice on the outside.

Spearmint milk is a sweet, minty flavoured dairy drink, with the Masters brand a popular choice in Australian supermarkets, and some takeaway stores offering a milkshake version.

Sam and his wife Lara spent much of last year in Australia after living in New York for several years.

Moves: Sam and his wife Lara (left) spent much of last year in Australia after living in New York for several years. The pair have now returned to the Big Apple with their children

The pair have now returned to the Big Apple with their children.

Lara and her husband of eight years share three young sons, Rocket, six, Racer, four, and River, one.

The fiercely private couple tied the knot in December 2014 in a low-key ceremony, saying 'I do' in front of just 10 people at a private house in Melbourne.
Joy Corrigan flaunted her pert derriere while grabbing a hot beverage in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The model, 27, stepped out in metallic skintight spandex shorts and a matching top that hugged her impressive curves nicely. She also had on high-heeled boots that seemed to clash with her workout look.

The Victoria's Secret model also posted images from her outing on Instagram explaining that she was not drinking coffee but rather hot water with lemon.

Cheeky: Joy Corrigan flaunted her pert derriere while grabbing coffee in Los Angeles on Wednesday

Corrigan's top ended just above her waistline, revealing a small sliver of her toned stomach.

She crossed the street in a pair of black leather boots that extended up to her shins.

The Massachusetts native's luscious blonde locks were parted in the middle and fell straight down the sides of her face.

Futuristic: The model, 27, stepped out in metallic skintight spandex shorts and a matching top that hugged her impressive curves nicely

Showing some tummy: Corrigan's top ended just above her waistline, revealing a small sliver of her toned stomach

Gorgeous makeup: Corrigan rocked dark mascara, and she painted her lips a vibrant pink for her afternoon out

Corrigan rocked dark mascara, and she painted her lips a vibrant pink for her afternoon out.

Her futuristic outfit was designed by Alexander Wang.

She posed for a few pictures on the sidewalk that she later posted to her Instagram. Corrigan showed off long slender legs while turning every which way for the camera.

Posing: She posed for a few pictures on the sidewalk that she later posted to her Instagram

Two buddies: The Victoria's Secret model was joined on her afternoon out by her close friend and fellow model Taylor Justine

The Victoria's Secret model was joined on her afternoon out by her close friend and fellow model Taylor Justine.

Her counterpart, 24, wore a black leather jacket over a white t-shirt, black shorts that didn't even reach the middle of her thighs and a pair of knee-length leather boots.

She protected her eyes from the harsh California sun with dark glasses and her long blonde tresses were tied back into a ponytail.

Corrigan captioned her post, 'Hot water with lemon is my favorite drink [cup emoji, lemon emoji, grandma emoji] What's yours.'
Jessika Power is head over heels in love with her boyfriend Connor Thompson.

On Friday, the former Married At First Sight star paid tribute to her British love, posing alongside him in an Instagram post as the couple holidayed in Spain.

'The actual definition of a 'relationship glow up'. I thank god every day for this man,' the 29-year-old wrote in her caption.

Sweet: Jessika Power is head over heels in love with her boyfriend Connor Thompson. On Friday, the former Married At First Sight star paid tribute to her British love, posing alongside him in an Instagram post as the couple holidayed in Spain. Both pictured

In the image, the reality star and her beau cosied up together while at a restaurant.

Earlier, Jessika revealed that the couple are in Moraira, Spain, enjoying an idyllic getaway.

The blonde relocated to Manchester, England, from her home in Queensland last year, after falling for British star Connor when she appeared on his Erasing the Bar podcast multiple times.

'The actual definition of a 'relationship glow up'. I thank god every day for this man,' the 29-year-old wrote in her caption

Lovely: Jessika revealed that the couple are in Moraira, Spain, enjoying an idyllic getaway

Holiday mode: She posed for several Instagram photos in a bright yellow dress

She recently revealed she and Connor will soon take the next step in their romance as she plans to introduce him to her family in Australia in September.

It comes after news that the former Married At First Sight bride is in talks to take part in a travel-style program similar to The Simple Life, the show which catapulted Paris Hilton to international fame in the 2000s.

'I think I should get my own show now, I surely do. Somebody should just give me my own show, I am hilarious,' she told The Herald Sun.

Love: The blonde relocated to Manchester, England, from her home in Queensland last year, after falling for British star Connor when she appeared on his Erasing the Bar podcast

Jessika has become a surefire Reality TV ratings winner with successful stints on Big Brother Australia and the UK's Celebs Go Dating.

Closer to home, Jess revealed she would also like to star on a season of I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here Australia.

The buxom blonde rose to fame on season six of Married At First Sight Australia in 2019.
Kim Kardashian paid a visit to Beverly Hills celebrity plastic surgeon Dr Ashkan Ghavami for skin tightening treatments.

The 41-year-old reality TV star shared videos to her Instagram Story on Thursday in which she was seen standing next to Dr. Ghavami as they discussed the Potenza radiofrequency (RF) microneedling treatments that she would be receiving.

'Alright, I'm in Dr Ghavami's office today,' Kim told her 315 million followers as she captured the video on her iPhone from the doctor's clinic.

In the expert's hands: Kim Kardashian paid a visit to celebrity plastic surgeon Dr. Ashkan Ghavami for skin tightening treatments on Thursday

Dr. Ghavami said, 'It's all about skin tightening.'

He looked up at the camera as he joked, 'She's actually doing skin tightening on me.'

'Yeah, right,' the television personality said with a laugh.

'I'm obsessed so we are going to do what? Potenza?' she asked.

Dr Ghavami replied, 'We'll do Potenza, we're going to do some RF and we are going to do some secret RF that no one knows about yet.'

Treatment: The 41-year-old reality star shared videos to her Instagram Story in which she was seen standing next to Dr. Ghavami as they discussed the Potenza radiofrequency (RF) microneedling treatments that she would be receiving

Skin tightening: Potenza Radio Frequency Microneedling is said to aid in 'tightening and improving the appearance of blemishes on the skin, through regeneration of elastin and collagen production,' according to Cynosure

What is Potenza? * Microneedling to 'tighten and improve the appearance of blemishes on the skin' * The treatment assists in 'regeneration of elastin and collagen production' * Ultra fine needles and radio frequency energy is used to 'puncture the top layer of the skin' * This 'triggers the body's natural healing process' and 'stimulates new collagen and elastin production' * The procedure can cost around $2,300 USD (1,670) Source: Cynosure Advertisement

The video concluded as the celebrity plastic surgeon pointed his finger at the camera and Kim flashed a peace sign.

In the clips, The Kardashians star bared a sliver of her taut midriff in a form-fitting cropped gray tank top that she paired with black Adidas sweatpants.

Kim completed her casual ensemble with black sandals. The beauty pulled her platinum locks back into a bun with several loose strands framing her face.

She wore a glamorous palette of makeup that included bold brows, shimmery gold eyeshadow and a nude lipstick.

Potenza Radio Frequency Microneedling is said to aid in 'tightening and improving the appearance of blemishes on the skin, through regeneration of elastin and collagen production,' according to Cynosure.

Ultra fine needles and radio frequency energy is used to 'puncture the top layer of the skin'. This 'triggers the body's natural healing process' and 'stimulates new collagen and elastin production'.

Last August, the SKIMS founder revealed that she was undergoing Potenza treatments on her face to treat 'sun spots'.

In a video filmed inside Dr. Ghavami's office, the mother of four said she's 'excited' to show off the results of the treatment which can cost on average $2,300 USD (1,670).

With the plastic surgeon by her side, who has been visited by stars including Iggy Azalea and Amber Rose, Kim revealed why she sought his services.

Sun damage: Last August, the SKIMS founder revealed that she was undergoing Potenza treatments on her face to treat 'sun spots'

Excited: In a video filmed inside Dr. Ghavami's office, the mother of four said she's 'excited' to show off the results of the treatment which can cost on average $2,300 USD (1,670)

Concerns: 'I'm so excited because I do have sun spots and dark spots, and it really takes it all away. So I'm really excited to continue my treatment. I know I have makeup on now, but I will take it off and we will get a treatment started,' Kim told her legion of followers

'I'm so excited because I do have sun spots and dark spots, and it really takes it all away. So I'm really excited to continue my treatment. I know I have makeup on now, but I will take it off and we will get a treatment started,' she told fans on Instagram.

Kim has always been honest with fans, particularly when it comes to setting the record straight on claims she's gone under the knife.

In 2019, the reality star spoke candidly about the appearance of her nose while getting her makeup done by Mario Dedivanovic at The Master Class in Los Angeles.

'I never had my nose done,' she said. 'Everyone thought I did, and I said, "Wait until I have kids because your real features come out".'

Mario explained that Kim has a 'small bump on her nose,' but he uses a contouring technique to hide it.

While she strongly denies ever having a nose job, she agrees with some of her fans that her face does look different.

Honest: Kim has been honest with fans, when it comes to setting the record straight on claims she's gone under the knife. 'I never had my nose done,' she said in 2019. 'Everyone thought I did, and I said, "Wait until I have kids because your real features come out"'

Younger years: Kim is pictured during her much younger years with sisters Khloe (centre) and Kourtney Kardashian (right)

'Pictures, I swear, I look at them and would be like, "Wow, the bump looks so much bigger in some pictures than in others",' she admitted.

The public has watched Kim's every move for more than a decade, so it's no surprise she has faced ongoing speculation about the changes in her appearance.

Kim has long denied getting butt implants to give her famous backside a boost. She was so adamant about shutting down the rumours that she had an X-ray done in season six of Keeping Up with the Kardashians to prove her critics wrong.

Natural: Kim has long denied getting butt implants to give her famous backside a boost. She was so adamant about shutting down the rumours that she had an X-ray done in season six of Keeping Up with the Kardashians to prove her critics wrong

However, her curvaceous backside has inspired a legion of fans to get Brazilian butt lifts, a procedure in which fat from other areas of the body is transferred to the derriere to make it fuller.

She is widely considered the driving force behind the upswing in the procedure in recent years, but she has never admitted to having one.

Kim has also spent more than a decade denying claims that she has had a breast augmentation, a procedure that her sister Kourtney has openly spoken about having when she was just 21.

Kim is known for using gaffer tape to give her chest a boost when she can't wear a bra, but she has firmly denied ever having a boob job.

'I have not ever had plastic surgery. I hope after seeing this you guys will never ask me a plastic surgery question again!' she wrote on her now-defunct blog in 2008.

The businesswoman went on to point out that she has had large breasts from a young age, explaining: 'I have had a size C since I was 11 years old.'

However, she noted that she wasn't entirely opposed to giving her breasts a boost after she had children.

'One day I will definitely get a lift, but I am waiting until after I have kids,' she said. 'Until then, I rely on a great supportive bra!'
Mama June's ex Geno Doak is wanted in Alabama for failure to appear at his community corrections program, Macon County Sheriff Andre Brunson said.

Geno, who attempted suicide in September with 90 blood pressure pills, is said to have missed the program because he is in rehab.

The sheriff informed TMZ that the authorities do not believe that Geno, 46, is deliberately shirking his commitments.

As a result, no orders have apparently been given for him to be seized from the treatment center and taken into custody.

The way they were: Mama June's (left) ex Geno Doak (right) is wanted in Alabama for failure to appear at his community corrections program, Macon County Sheriff Andre Brunson said

He was sentenced to the community corrections program after he and June were infamously arrested with crack cocaine outside a gas station in 2019.

Sheriff Brunson asserted to TMZ that he has been in phone contact with Geno, whom he said is cognizant of his responsibilities to the program.

While Geno completes his treatment, he and the authorities in Alabama are purportedly discussing how to proceed with his legal commitments.

Mama June finally broke up with Geno in September 2021 after a turbulent three-year relationship scarred by drug abuse.

As seen last year: Geno, who attempted suicide in September with 90 blood pressure pills, is said to have missed the program because he is in rehab

Upon their arrest in 2019, they were both charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.

Geno was also faced with a domestic violence charge that June later intervened to have dropped - a decision she recently told TooFab she regrets.

Her reality show Mama June: From Not To Hot had its subtitle changed to Family Crisis in 2020 as it followed her loved ones desperately searching for her when she went missing with Geno for months on end.

June broke up with Geno late last year, alleging on reality TV: 'For the first time, I walked away from an abusive relationship.'

Details: Sheriff Brunson asserted to TMZ that he has been in phone contact with Geno (pictured in 2018), whom he described as being cognizant of his responsibilities to the law

Around the time of their split, Geno tried to kill himself by taking an overdose of 90 blood pressure pills that he washed down with a liter of Jagermeister.

However he insisted to TMZ: 'My attempted suicide definitely did not have anything directly related to June or anything that she had done to me or anything like that.'

He maintained that his troubles had 'been building up for over a year,' and that June was in fact crucial in helping him find treatment after the suicide attempt.

Over: Mama June finally broke up with Geno in September 2021 after a turbulent three-year relationship scarred by drug abuse

She assisted him in securing a spot at a rehab in South Carolina - landing him in legal trouble in Alabama for violating his sentence by leaving the state, per TMZ.

It emerged this week that June, 42, has secretly tied the knot with her boyfriend Justin Stroud, 34, after just a few months of dating.

The duo embarked on a no-frills honeymoon in the Florida Panhandle right around the time news broke that June had lost custody of her younger daughter Honey Boo Boo, 16, to her older daughter Pumpkin, 22.

The honeymooners: It emerged this week that June, 42, has secretly tied the knot with her boyfriend Justin Stroud, 34, after just a few months of dating

Justin was arrested in February when the police found him and June at a gas station in Florida, according to The Sun.

He had allegedly spent months eluding law enforcement after a warrant for his arrest was issued in Alabama this past October because he reportedly violated his probation on burglary and drug charges.

Meanwhile Geno has been to jail twice and has an extensive rap sheet dating back to 1996, with felonies including theft, burglary and criminal damage to property.
Sienna Miller packed on the PDA with her model beau Oli Green as the pair watched the French Open together on Friday.

The actress, 40, appeared bashful as her boyfriend, 25, excitedly leaned in for a kiss while they enjoyed the semi final match between Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev.

They were also spotted sharing longing glances, holding hands, and cuddling in the stands while Sienna put on an animated display as the tense match unfolded.

Loved up: Sienna Miller, 40, cosied up to her model beau Oli Green, 25, as the pair watched the French Open together on Friday

Sienna was the epitome of chic in a white Lacoste V-neck and black jeans, collecting her honeyed locks in a wavy updo.

She showed off her dewy, youthful complexion with some simple make-up and accessorised with a pendant necklace.

The star teamed the look with a white handbag and leather Gucci loafers.

Cheering on: The actress appeared excited as she watched the match between Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev with her beau

Eager: Sienna appeared bashful as her boyfriend excitedly leaned in for a kiss while they enjoyed the tournament in the stands

Model pair: Oli rocked a double denim ensemble as Sienna matched his casual vibe with a Lacoste sweater and black jeans

Cute: The couple appeared to enjoy each other's company immensely as they eagerly watched the tournament

Looking cosy: The pair packed on the PDA with kisses and loving looks as they observed the match in France

Burberry model Oli rocked a double denim ensemble, with matching jeans and a shirt.

He paired the chic tournament ensemble with a white undershirt and donned a golden bracelet and necklace, wearing his gorgeous chestnut locks in curls.

The pair watched the dramatic tournament excitedly, often seen cheering and clapping.

Rafael Nadal made the French Open final in sad and dramatic fashion when his opponent Alex Zverev was taken from the court in a wheelchair after suffering a severe ankle injury.

Fashionable couple: Sienna was the epitome of chic in a white Lacoste V-neck and jeans, collecting her honeyed locks in a wavy updo

PDA: She and Oli were snapped looking very cosy as they held hands and watched the match together

Exciting: The couple looked taken by the events in the tournament as they watched the dramatic semi-final match unfold

Stylish: She showed off her dewy, youthful complexion with some simple make-up and accessorised with a pendant necklace

Zverev, who fell just yards from the courtside box in which Sienna Miller was seated, was immediately taken off in a wheelchair and the match officially abandoned.

Nadal is now through to yet another Roland Garros final  a stage of the tournament at which he has never lost.

In April, Sienna broke her silence on her split with her former fiance Lucas Zwirner, 30, after she called off plans to marry him last year.

Cheering: Sienna and beau Oli looked loved up and cosy as they watched the French Open together

Dramatic: Rafael Nadal made the French Open final in dramatic fashion when his opponent Alex Zverev was taken from the court in a wheelchair after suffering a severe ankle injury

Observant: The pair looked immersed in the match as they watched the tournament, both dressed in chic ensembles

Speaking candidly in an interview with DuJour magazine, she said: 'I obviously have a lot of experience of kind of becoming well-known at a time when the tabloids really had all the power and the individual had very little.

'Anybody could really write anything. It was a real frenzy. A fever pitch of craziness.'

The Hollywood star split got engaged to her third husband-to-be, Lucas, in January 2020 after a just year of dating - however things soon went south.

Loving: The pair was full of loved-up looks for one another as they enjoyed a day in the stands together

Adorable: Sienna gently brushed at Oli's hair as they cute couple enjoyed a day out together, both looking stylish

High fashion: Burberry model Oli rocked a double denim ensemble, with matching jeans and a shirt

She continued: 'I've dealt with very public heartbreak. I was never somebody who dreamt of getting married. I've been engaged a few times, but I've never been married.'

Showing off her sense of humour, the BAFTA nominee quipped: 'It's better than three divorces, I think.'

Sienna stepped out with her new man Oli back in February at a New York Knicks game, seemingly confirming their romance.

Joy: The adorable new pair looked excited as they enjoyed the French Open in the stands on Friday

French Open Chic: Sienna teamed the ensemble with a white handbag and leather Gucci loafers

The rising star has been modelling for much longer and was the face of a Burberry 2018 campaign and has also modelled for high street retailer GAP.

Sienna split from her ex-fiance, Lucas, in September 2020 before being spotted looking cosy with her longtime pal Archie Keswick last summer.

Sienna was famously in a relationship with actor Tom Sturridge from 2011 to 2015. The friendly exes co-parent their nine-year-old daughter Marlowe.

Split: Last month, Sienna broke her silence on her split with her former fiance Lucas Zwirner, 30, after she called off plans to marry him last year (pictured together in May 2019)

Sienna previously got engaged to her Alfie co-star Jude Law on Christmas day in 2004 - and they were in an on and off relationship until they split for good in 2011.

The pair had struggled with the revelation that Jude had an affair with his children's nanny, Daisy Wright, in July 2005, with Sienna calling off their engagement.

They later reconciled, but then in October 2005, Law learned that Sienna had a fling with his close friend, Daniel Craig.
Jamie Lee Curtis shared a heartfelt tribute on her Instagram account in honor of her late father, Tony Curtis, earlier today.

The post was meant to celebrate what would have been her father's 97th birthday. Tony Curtis, one of Hollywood's top actors of all time, was born on June 3, 1925.

He had a legacy in Hollywood as he worked with massive stars like Marilyn Monroe (on Some Like It Hot) and Natalie Wood (on The Great Race) and his career in the industry spanned for decades.

Birthday wishes: Jamie Lee Curtis, 63, posted a birthday tribute to her famous father, Tony Curtis , on what would have been his 97th birthday

His daughter, Jamie Lee, followed in his footsteps, and has starred in numerous successful films.

The photo uploaded onto the star's Instagram showed Tony, his wife Janet Leigh (who was also a major movie star thanks to Psycho), and their two daughters, Jamie Lee and Kelly Curtis.

The actress typed out a caption that showed her love for her father in remembrance of his birthday.

'Born this day......Tony Curtis who then went on to marry Janet Leigh who then bore my sister and me. The circle of life. And now I am a mommy with two married daughters. As James Taylor said, "The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time."'

A true star: Curtis married famous actress, Janet, lead actress from Hitchcock's film, Psycho (1960). Together they had two daughters together, Jamie Lee and Kelly Curtis

Tony had a successful career in Hollywood, starring alongside a number of A-list actors of his time.

One of his most famous and iconic films was Some Like It Hot (1959) with Marilyn Monroe and John Lemmon.

The comedic film follows Curtis and Lemmon who disguise themselves as women after witnessing a murder in order to escape the city. The two join an all-female jazz band, where Curtis' character falls for Sugar, played by Monroe.

Curtis was in the spotlight for years, working alongside other famous actors like Natalie Wood, Laurence Olivier and Cary Grant.

Power duo: Curtis and Marilyn Monroe in one of the iconic scenes from Some Like It Hot (1959)

Old Hollywood: Tony and Marilyn photographed together in 1959

Although Tony and Janet Leigh separated when Jamie Lee was only three, the love for her father and mother was always strong.

In an Instagram post earlier this year, the Knives Out actress discussed the hardships of living through many parent separations and divorces.

'There are only a couple reminders to me that I was born from love and not resentment, competition, jealousy and rancor which are the cornerstones of any unpleasant divorce.'

Father daughter: Tony holds his daughter, Jamie Lee in an adorable father daughter photo

Family: Jamie Lee is photographed in 1991 with her mom, Janet, and father, Tony

Jamie Lee has had her round of success in Hollywood, starring in true classics such as the Halloween franchise and True Lies.

The love and respect that she has for her parents continues to live on, and she sets positive examples for her own daughters and family.

Tony passed away 12 years ago on September 29, 2010 in Nevada. He was 85 years old.

Although he is no longer on this Earth, his legacy still lives on, and Jamie Lee is just one of many that still look up to him.
Ryan Thomas has shared the first heartwarming snap of himself with his new baby daughter.

The actor, 37, and his reality star fiancee Lucy Mecklenburgh, 30, announced they'd welcomed the latest addition to their family on Tuesday.

On Friday, he took to Instagram to share a picture of himself holding his new daughter in his arms, writing: 'Lucky is an understatement.'

In love: Ryan Thomas, 37, has shared the first heartwarming snap of himself with his new baby daughter

The former Coronation Street star sat with the arm over the shoulder of his daughter Scarlett, 13, from his relationship with Tina O'Brien.

Lucy looked stylish in a white floral print dress as she sat with their son Roman, two, on her lap.

Former The Only Way Is Essex star Lucy announced she had given birth on Tuesday but is yet to reveal the name of her newborn.

The actor, 37, and his reality star fiancee Lucy Mecklenburgh, 30, announced they'd welcomed the latest addition to their family on Tuesday

She shared a black and white image of the little girl's hand on her Instagram page.

Taking to her Stories, she added: 'She's here.'

Lucy previously told HELLO! Magazine that she was convinced she was pregnant with a girl, and was delighted when a scan confirmed her suspicions.

Congratulations: Lucy and Ryan announced the arrival of their baby daughter with a sweet Instagram post on Tuesday - pictured with son Roman, two

'I had an inkling that I was having a girl, but I was a bit more unsure than with Roman. With him I just knew  I don't know why but even before we found out, I said: "I know, one hundred per cent, it's a boy", Lucy said.

The couple also revealed in the interview that they were struggling to come up with names for their daughter, explaining how they had a long list of 15 picked out but would wait until she was born to decide,

Back in March, Lucy updated fans on her son Roman's health, revealing he has fluid in his lungs.

She previously told how their little boy spent a week in intensive care last September after Lucy found the two-year-old 'blue in his cot.'

Even though Lucy and Ryan were allowed to take him home a week after he was admitted, Roman has since been having regular check-ups, and results flagged that fluid has been entering the tot's lungs whenever he drinks.

Love: Lucy is pictured during her second pregnancy with Ryan

Admitting it was a conclusion she felt 'really weird about', she continued: 'I'm sad for Roman. Now, from Monday, when we pick up the thickener, he can't have any thin fluids for quite a long time - potentially years.

'So no lollies and ice-creams, no water or juice. Everything has to be a really thick consistency to stop it entering his lungs.

'But we have an answer. Maybe it's not the full picture, I don't know yet because we've not seen his consultant, but it's something.'

If too much fluid builds up and presses on the lung it can be difficult for the lung to expand fully. In some situations, part, or all, of the lung will collapse.

She concluded: 'It's a step forward and is something we can deal with and is something that will hopefully stop him getting so sick. It's a positive in a way, because we've got a little bit closer to the answer.'

This is not the first time Lucy has provided a candid health update as last November, Lucy broke down in tears as she reflected on her son Roman's terrifying stint in hospital.

Speaking on the Sweat, Snot & Tears podcast Lucy said: 'I heard sort of grumbles at 3am and like I think we all do, if they're not sounding like it's a big scream and they're in pain, you think, 'Oh well they're just having a little dream.'

She revealed that when she checked the baby monitor an hour later that something 'didn't feel right':

'He was moving very slowly, side to side, and I thought, 'This doesn't feel right and I want to go and see him.''

It was then when she found Roman 'blue in his cot' and he was rushed to Basildon Hospital and St Mary's in London.

Speaking about the staff, Lucy got emotional as she said: 'They absolutely were wonderful and I need to thank them and the ambulance service for arriving so promptly, for keeping my son here and it's quite emotional actually, talking about that.'

Her son was diagnosed with a 'viral induced wheeze' and now requires an inhaler twice a day.
Matthew Perry was seen visiting friends for a couple of hours in Los Angeles on this week.

The 52-year-old Friends actor wore a loose-fitting light blue polo shirt and navy trousers for a casual look. He walked in a pair of comfy black sneakers and wore thin reading glasses.

The star was holding on to a take out cup of iced coffee.

Casual look: Matthew Perry looked clean-cut and relaxed after visiting friends for a couple of hours in Los Angeles on Saturday, May 28

The Fools Rush In star's messy gray hair was slicked back out of his face as he stepped off the curb to get to his car.

Perry's rare appearance out came as he's preparing for the release of his memoir titled Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing.

Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing will follow Perry's life through his high profile relationships with Julia Roberts, Yasmine Bleeth and Neve Campbell.

Loose-fitting: The 52-year-old actor wore a loose-fitting light blue polo shirt and navy trousers

Messy hair: The Friends star's messy gray hair was slicked back out of his face as he stepped off the curb to get to his car

Telling his story: The actor's memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, will be out in November

In it, the star will also discuss his highly-documented addictions that he's had to overcome.

'So much has been written about me in the past,' the star wrote in an Instagram post revealing the book's cover.

'I thought it was time people heard from me. The highs were high, the lows were low. But I have lived to tell the tale, even though at times it looked like I wouldnt. And its all in here. I apologize its not a pop up book.'

Perry broke off his engagement with to literary manager Molly Hurwitz in June 2021.

'Sometimes things just don't work out and this is one of them. I wish Molly the best,' he said in a statement to PEOPLE at the time.

Past romances: Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing will follow Perry's life through his high profile relationships with Julia Roberts, Yasmine Bleeth and Neve Campbell

Love life changes: Perry broke off his engagement with to literary manager Molly Hurwitz in June 2021

Perry and Hurwitz began dating in 2018 and confirmed their engaged in November 2020.

Last year the actor sparked concern after his appearance on HBO Max show Friends: The Reunion, a one-off retrospective that saw the cast reunite for the first time since 2004, when the sitcom ended its 10-year run.

Fans noticed Perry's slurred speech in promos, which was later addressed as due to an 'emergency tooth procedure' performed on the day of filming.

The Massachusetts-born, Ottawa-raised actor's confessions on the program lead Emmy winner Lisa Kudrow  who played Phoebe Buffay  to respond with concern that the cast 'never knew that.'
Playing to 50,000 screaming Take That fans in stadiums around the world is all in a days work for Gary Barlow.

But theres nothing quite like coming home to bring you down to Earth  and so it proved for the pop star who admitted that a gig this week in the market town where he grew up felt like the biggest of his life.

Barlow, 51, took his one-man show back to his roots in Frodsham, Cheshire, and performed on a tiny community centre stage in front of an audience of only 216.

Rule the World: Playing to 50,000 screaming Take That fans in stadiums around the world is all in a days work for Gary Barlow (pictured)

The fact that his mother Marjorie  munching pick n mix sweets  was in the audience might have contributed to his nerves, or the expectations of local fans, who snapped up every ticket on the Frodsham leg of his UK tour within minutes.

Indeed such was their fervour that the 38.50 seats were soon trading hands for ten times as much online.

A Different Stage details Barlows life to date  including his struggles with bulimia following the break-up of Take That in 1996, the still-birth of his daughter Poppy and the death of his father Colin in 2009  and is interspersed with hits from his 32-year career.

Shine: But theres nothing quite like coming home to bring you down to Earth (Take That perform live at the opening night of their Wonderland tour at the Manchester Arena in 2017)

They include A Million Love Songs, which he wrote in his bedroom in Ashton Drive, a few streets away from the community centre, aged just 15.

After the Platinum Jubilee got under way, Barlow revealed on Thursday night that one of his most vivid memories was of the Silver Jubilee in 1977, when his parents organised a street party.

Barlow said that it was then, aged just six, that he first realised the power of music to make things better for everyone.

The audience lapped up his local references, cheering loudly each time he mentioned a shop, hairdressers or bakery.

Back for Good: Barlow, 51, took his one-man show back to his roots in Frodsham, Cheshire, and performed on a tiny community centre stage in front of an audience of only 216 (pictured: Frodsham Community Centre)

Relight My Fire: Superfans (L-R) Rachel Beeken and Claire Bond arrive for the Gary Barlow gig at his home town

One fan, who has seen the show several times before, said Barlow stumbled over his words occasionally and appeared more nervous than usual.

They added: Maybe he just wanted it to go well because it was the first in front of his local fan base.

Super-fan Amanda Wilkins, 50, who went to Frodsham High School with Barlow, said it was lovely of him to return to perform for the community.

She added: A lot of people were disappointed that they couldnt get tickets.

Greatest Day: Superfans (L-R) Amanda Wilkins, Carol Dutton and Leanne Webster

Carla Pastore, 44, said she had been determined to get tickets for the hometown gig, despite having seen the show elsewhere nine times previously.

This is the smallest place that we have seen the show, she added. To see it where he is from will make it that little bit more special. Its going to mean a lot to him.

Following the two-hour gig, about 30 fans waited patiently outside in the rain to catch a glimpse of their idol, who walked over and thanked them for attending.

Barlow, who is performing four gigs in the town, later tweeted: What an amazing night weve had in Frodsham  wow  what an audience xxxx.
Deborah James has shared her anger amid her incurable bowel cancer battle and admitted that she finds the pressure of 'making memories' difficult to deal with.

The podcaster, 40, was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in December 2016 and is receiving end of life care at her parents' home in Woking, Surrey, after being told she may not live beyond five years.

Speaking about her cancer battle, Deborah admitted she has been 'consumed by anger' across the last week as she heartbreakingly said she doesn't want to die.

Struggles: Deborah James (pictured with husband Sebastien) has shared her anger amid her incurable bowel cancer battle and admitted she finds the pressure to 'make memories' hard

She told The Sun: 'Dying is really hard, I've been consumed by anger this week, in all honesty, I've been a real b***h.'

Deborah, who shares her children Hugo, 14, and Eloise, 12, with her husband Sebastien, admitted she keeps shouting at her loved ones and pushing them away due to her anger at her disease.

The campaigner candidly spoke about the trials of her terminal illness, saying she struggles to deal with the pressure to make memories because she isn't always able to when she is 'exhausted, sick and in pain'.

'Making memories is really, really hard when you don't have the physical capacity,' she explained.

Cancer: Speaking about her cancer battle, Deborah said she has been 'consumed by anger' over the last week as she is supported by her husband Sebastien and kids Hugo and Eloise

Deborah and her family are instead focusing on the small moments, including hosting an impromptu sleepover party last week.

The mother-of-two, who recently made the difficult decision to only spend time with her family and not see her friends, admitted she spent a lot of the slumber party in tears but described it as 'so special'.

The radio host said she doesn't think she will ever come to terms with her incurable diagnosis, saying she finds it heartbreaking to see her body change as she battles the illness.

She said she also finds it difficult that people don't speak openly about death, saying she hopes she can give others comfort by talking about her own experiences.

Deborah, who was awarded a damehood by Prince William last month, has been busy campaigning and has raised more than 6.6million for Cancer Research UK through her BowelBabe fund.

Quality time: She said she struggles to deal with the pressure to make memories, so instead focuses on the small moments, including having a sleepover party with her family (pictured)

Addressing why she has decided to fundraise, including selling her Rebellious Hope T-shirts, Deborah candidly said it has given her purpose during her end of life care.

Former deputy head teacher Deborah also penned her second book How To Live When You Could Be Dead, which was released in April and details her life after getting an incurable bowel cancer diagnosis.

As she receives support at her parents' home, Deborah said she finds it important to get dressed and put make-up on everyday so she can feel more like herself.

Detailing how she is spending her days, she said she sits in the conservatory in her wheelchair as she puts on her make-up, does crafts and cooks for her family, which she said she enjoys despite not having much of an appetite herself.

Speaking about how her loved ones have supported her, Deborah tearfully admitted that she has become much closer with her siblings over the past few weeks and described her parents as 'amazing'.

Struggles: She said she doesn't think she will ever come to terms with her terminal diagnosis, saying she is finding it heartbreaking to see her body change as she battles the illness

Deborah said her husband Sebastien has also been a huge support for her, and said she has enjoyed spending time with her children, though she admitted she finds it difficult for them to see her unwell.

Her comments come after she took to Instagram to share sweet photos from a 'girls night in' sleepover with her mother, sister and daughter Eloise.

She said her family managed to 'put a smile on her face' after spending 'most of yesterday in tears' with the impromptu party.

Adorable photos showed Deborah with her family in matching pink satin pyjamas and face masks, on futons covered with pink sheets and dozens of teepees.

Writing on Instagram today alongside a collage of sweet family photos she wrote: 'Making memories can be hard why you are dying! Oh the pressure!!.

Family: Dame Deborah (centre, with husband Sebastien Bowen, left, and children Eloise, 12 and Hugo, 14) was awarded a damehood by Prince William last month

'I'm now only getting some very grabbed hours between the sleeping and side effects, but this girly sleepover managed to put such a smile to my face having spent most of yesterday in tears!

'I'm getting less and less able to leave the house, or bed really now, so was feeling pretty down about it. Or do anything for that matter!

'But my sister suggested a party sleepover! She managed to call a very local Woking company (Teepee Vibe Tribe), that morning, who said, yes we'll come and help and make the whole thing so easy and enjoyable all within 3 hours notice.

'I was feeling awful after a bad day, so didn't watch the set up of anything.

'Actually I just cried over my leaking drains next door! But with the help of my sister and bro, managed to calm down and then they wheeled me into the room last night and yes I cried over the fairy lights! Good tears! It was just perfect!

'I went from staying in my wheelchair to ending up everyone helping to get me into an actually Tee pee to watch Cinderella with the gang and sit their like a 5 year old with a huge Cheshire Cat smile on my face next to my daughter and sister!

Fun times: Her comments come after she took to Instagram to share sweet photos from a 'girls night in' sleepover with her mother, sister and daughter Eloise

'We booked the experience as regular customer but they refused payment so have donated it to Bowel Babe Fund instead.

'But I wanted to give a big shout out to Teepee Vibe Tribe because they were local, just so good and made something that meant a a lot to me just so effortless. Today I sleep! But with another memory and a smile.'

Deborah was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in December 2016, and was told early on that she might not live beyond five years - a milestone that passed in the autumn of 2021.

She shared an Instagram post earlier this month revealing that 'nobody knows how long she has left'.

She wrote: 'The message I never wanted to write. We have tried everything, but my body simply isn't playing ball.

Illness: She is receiving hospice care at her parents' home in Woking, to spare her children the difficult memories of her spending her final days at the family home in London

'My active care has stopped and I am now moved to hospice at home care, with my incredible family all around me and the focus is on making sure I'm not in pain and spending time with them.'

She is receiving hospice care at her parents' home in Woking, to spare her children the difficult memories of her spending her final days at the family home in London.

The news comes days after she told The Sun that she was 'scared to fall asleep' because she does not know how long she has got left.

She added she had felt a 'deep love' from her family, saying: 'I think my family are knackered, they have all been incredible - going above and beyond to look after me and nurse me.'

And speaking of her end of life care recently, she added: 'I feel very strongly that I don't want my kids to see me agitated and distressed. I want to make sure they see me when I'm having a good days.'
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has removed the names of 32 010 deceased people from the voters roll in line with provisions of the Electoral Act.

The list of the deceased persons was published in the Government Gazette under General Notice 1197 of 2022 by the chief elections officer, Mr Utloile Silaigwana.

Apart from publishing the names of deceased persons, Mr Silaigwana also published the constituencies, wards and polling stations they were registered under.

The names of those persons will be removed from the voters roll unless notice of appeal is given to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. By means of this notice, notification is made to any voter on the First Schedule who may be alive to lodge an objection at the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Mahachi Quantum, 1, Nelson Mandela Avenue, corner Kaguvi Street and Jason Moyo Avenue, Harare, and at the respective Commission Provincial Offices, to the inclusion of his or her name in the First Schedule using the form prescribed in the Second Schedule no later than seven days from the date of publication of this notice, Mr Silaigwana said.

In an interview, ZEC spokesperson Mr Jasper Mangwana said the electoral body adheres to its constitutional mandate and always removes names of dead people from the voters roll.

The commission has always been gazetting names of the deceased persons to ensure that if there is any objection to the removal of these people from the voters roll it is brought to the attention of the Commission.

He said this is a continuous process that the commission has always been doing when it receives a list of deceased persons from the Registrar General.

We then check for those that are on the voters roll and we then advertise that if there is any objection considering that these days there are issues of identity theft. If someone objects to the removal of the deceased persons from the roll because they are alive, that is corrected.

This is just the process the Commission does after the gazetting. If theres no objection then the Commission will proceed to remove this person from the voters roll.

With such due diligence followed, Mr Mangwana said issues around ghost voters are merely sideshows.

How do they vote if they are not alive? Who is going to approach a polling station if they are dead? So the process is very clear and promotes the integrity of the voters roll.

However, there are challenges for the Commission because not everyone is interested in obtaining a death certificate, thus in some instances the names of deceased persons might not be struck off from the voters roll.

The Commission is allowing other stakeholders or relatives to bring to our attention deaths of individuals that can assist us to have a clean roll, said Mr Mangwana. Herald
Visually impaired children had to walk 200 to 300 metres to go to the toilet which did not have even have a door. (Photo:DC)

HYDERABAD: The Government Boys School for the Blind at Darul Shifa is still in a bad shape, nearly six weeks after the Telangana High Court, on April 12, directed the state government to provide required facilities in the hostels within four weeks. The government was asked to submit a compliance report by June 6, but still a lot of works remain to be completed.

The court direction came on a taken-up petition based on a Deccan Chronicle report which highlighted among other problems that visually impaired children had to walk 200 to 300 metres to go to the toilet which did not have even have a door. The ventilation in classrooms and hostels was not adequate, and Braille sheets were not provided. There was no doctor and no facility to take the children to hospital in an emergency. The cots were rusted and the bed sheets torn and dirty.

The High Court had appointed senior advocate L. Ravichander to visit the school and file a report. Ravichander highlighted the dilapidated and unhygienic conditions that prevailed at the school.

This reporter found on Friday that galvanised iron sheets had been put up on the top floor of the hostel/classroom block and at one of the washroom blocks. A hostel building is being constructed since 2019. As of Friday, only outer layer painting, electrification and wiring had been done. The construction restarted a week ago, sources said. There is a pending bill of nearly Rs 27 lakh for the new hostel.

Despite several complaints, the GHMC has not cleared the debris. Sources said, "The government has asked the workers to complete the work by June 12 and make the school ready by the time of its reopening. However, the tender of approximately Rs 35 lakh was issued to the contractor only in the last week of May. Officers of education and department of disabled promised funds, but they were not released.

The sources said the priority was to just paint the classrooms and the toilet block.

Much work was needed to construct compound walls, a cafeteria, a pathway for students from one block to another and more, sources said, adding that the process of issuing funds was lengthy. The tender issued to construct the hostel block in 2019 was around `2 crore. That money will not be enough as the price for all the materials have gone up, said sources.

Sources added, It would easily take at least two months to finish all the construction. None of the officials is bothered about the facilities being provided to students. The staff do not maintain the place well. A lot of debris has to be cleared by the workers. Also the residents of the buildings beside the school are very careless. They throw liquor bottles on the school premises.

At the Government High School for girls, located at Malakpet, the High Court had ordered better facilities for the students including cosmetics, mosquito nets, proper ventilation in classrooms, sanitary napkins and more. Sources mentioned that nearly Rs 25 lakh was yet to be paid to the contractor. The school management said all the facilities were provided. Sources added that no tender or notice was given to the contractor for revamp the school.
New Delhi: Hours after US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken named India as one of the countries where "religious freedom and the rights of religious minorities are under threat," India fired back, saying that "racially and ethnically motivated attacks, hate crimes, and gun violence" on American soil are a source of concern for New Delhi. Urging Washington not to base its assessment on motivated inputs and to avoid biased views, New Delhi averred that the US should not play "vote-bank politics in international relations."

The controversy was triggered after the US State Department released a "Report on International Religious Freedom 2021" that was critical of India and several other nations. Late on Thursday evening (early Friday morning IST), in an embarrassment for New Delhi, Mr Blinken, releasing the report in Washington, said, "The report documents how religious freedom and the rights of religious minorities are under threat in communities around the world. For example, in India, the worlds largest democracy and home to a great diversity of faiths, weve seen rising attacks on people and places of worship."

The US government report was prepared by a team headed by the US Ambassador at Large for International Freedom, Rashad Hussain, who also accused "some officials" in India of "ignoring or even supporting rising attacks on people and places of worship."

The US report stated, "Attacks on members of religious minority communities, including killings, assaults, and intimidation, occurred throughout the year. These included incidents of "cow vigilantism" against non-Hindus based on allegations of cow slaughter or trade in beef... According to the United Christian Forum, the number of violent attacks against Christians in the country rose to 486 during the year from 279 in 2020."

Drawing heavily from media reports to list attacks on religious minorities in various states in India, the US report said, "Ten of 28 states have laws restricting religious conversions. Four state governments have laws imposing penalties against so-called forced religious conversions for the purpose of marriage, although some state high courts have dismissed cases charged under this law... Christians and Muslims were charged during the year under laws restricting conversions and some state governments announced plans to strengthen existing legislation or develop new legislation."

The report will be submitted by the US state department to the US Congress.

Hitting back on Friday evening, India said, "We have noted the release of the US State Department 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom and ill-informed comments by senior US officials. It is unfortunate that vote bank politics is being practiced in international relations. We would urge that assessments based on motivated inputs and biased views be avoided. As a naturally pluralistic society, India values religious freedom and human rights. In our discussions with the US, we have regularly highlighted issues of concern there, including racially and ethnically motivated attacks, hate crimes and gun violence."

The report also lambasted both China and Russia for what it said was a severe crackdown on religious freedom and referred to Chinas treatment of its ethnic Muslim minority, the Uighurs, and also Tibetan Buddhists.

Pakistans record was also criticized. Mr Blinken said, "In Pakistan, at least 16 individuals accused of blasphemy were sentenced to death by Pakistani courts in 2021, though these sentences are yet to be carried out."

On Afghanistan, the report noted that "religious freedom conditions in Afghanistan have deteriorated since the Taliban seized control, (and that) the Taliban regime and rival militant group ISIS-K have detained, intimidated, threatened and attacked members of religious minority communities."
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is understood to be considering staying away from the Presidential election in July in the event of failing to build consensus among regional parties on fielding a joint candidate against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), according to sources in the TRS.

Chandrashekar Rao has been attempting to convince regional parties to field a joint Opposition candidate. He personally met leaders of regional parties over the past few months by visiting states such as Delhi and Karnataka.

Chandrashekar Rao met JD(S) leaders H.D. Deve Gowda and H.D. Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru, AAP president and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Delhi, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemanth Soren in Ranchi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddav Thakeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai and RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav in Hyderabad.

He also spoke to Trinamul president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and DMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin over phone to discuss the Presidential election.

The BJP-led NDA, on the other hand, already initiated talks with regional parties including YSRC in Andhra Pradesh and the BJD in Odisha to seek their support for the NDA in the Presidential election. Indications are that both YSRC and BJD were keen to sail with the NDA.

The NDA already has an edge in the Presidential election and the support of YSRC and BJD will make this election a cakewalk.

Against this backdrop, Chandrashekar Rao reportedly had lost hopes of giving a tough fight to the NDA. In the previous Presidential election in July 2017, the TRS supported NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

Kovind's five-year tenure is set to end on July 25 and with only a month left to contest the election, Chandrashekar Rao wants to make a final attempt by visiting West Bengal and Bihar to meet Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar and attempt to field a joint candidate.

Although Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) is in alliance with the BJP, there is a track record of Nitish Kumar supporting rival parties in Presidential elections. In 2012, Nitish, despite being a part of the NDA then, had supported UPAs Presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee. In 2017, Nitish Kumar had supported the NDA's Kovind despite being a part of UPA then.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah interacts with Union Minister for Culture G. Kishan Reddy during an event organised to celebrate the Telangana Formation Day, at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, in New Delhi, Thursday, June 2, 2022. (PTI Photo)

HYDERABAD/NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Home Amit Shah on Thursday advised Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao to speak the truth at least once on just how much Telangana has received from the Narendra Modi government at the Centre over the past eight years.

Shah said I am reiterating what I said in Hyderabad recently. The Modi government has provided Rs 2,52,202 crore to Telangana since 2014. I have accounts for every single paisa of this. Had you (Chandrashekar Rao) responded in time, this amount would have been more than Rs 3.5 lakh crore. But you did not cooperate.

Shah said: I have only an appeal to the Chief Minister. Tell the people the truth. If not all the time, at least once. Sometimes the truth should be spoken.

The Union Home Ministers attack on the Telangana government and the Chief Minister came at the Telangana Formation Day celebrations, organised by the Ministry of Culture in New Delhi as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

Shah, who paid rich tributes to the history and culture of Telangana, made it clear that the Narendra Modi government has not adopted a step-motherly attitude towards Telangana, or any other state.

I want to say one thing with certainty. We never looked at whether a government is of the BJP or of some other party in the states. Modi believes that the development of states is what results in the development of the nation. We religiously follow Centre-State relations, Shah said.

Without referring to the absence of the Chief Minister in Hyderabad on May 26 when the PM visited the city, of which the BJP has taken a dim view of, seeing it as a snub to the Prime Minister, Shah said, Anytime any Chief Minister came to Delhi, we have treated them with honour.

Shah complimented Union Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Development of North Eastern Region G Kishan Reddy, saying he was happy to see that Telangana has been made a part of the national celebrations of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. This is not a BJP programme. This festival is for Ma Bharati and setting the tone for the future of India. This is to pay homage to our Independence heroes, honour our national spirit, he said.

While the entire country is celebrating the festival, we are not getting cooperation from Telangana, for these celebrations, Shah said.

Shah also made it clear that the Telangana government was ignoring one of the most important dates in its history, that of liberation of Hyderabad state and its merger into the Indian Union. Paying homage to the more than 1,200 youths who gave up their lives in the agitation for a separate Telangana state, Shah said the BJP had, back in 2004, promised Telangana state but till 2014, its demand was rejected.

Telangana, with its rich history, culture, cuisine, and arts, is the youngest state of India. On its Formation Day, I sincerely wish that it develops and grows rapidly, he said.

Shah then said the sacrifices of Kumrum Bheem, Ramji Goud, Suravaram Pratap Reddy, Ramanand Theertha, Dasarathi, or PV Narasimha Rao who all stood up for India, should not be forgotten. Sardar Patel freed the now Telangana, parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra from the tyrnanny of the Nizams. Without the Police Action, the map of India today would have been different, he said.

I am saddened that even today, Hyderabad Liberation Day is not celebrated. In future, the government will change (in Telangana). Have no doubts about this. We will celebrate that day, he said.

Referring to the funds released by the Centre, Shah listed out moneys sent by the Centre under various heads to the state over the last eight years. Telangana, he said, received Rs 1800 crore for backward districts development, Rs 6400 crore for fertilizer factor in Ramagundam, Rs 1200 crore for AIIMS, Rs 1200 crore for ESIC medical college and hospital in Hyderabad, Rs 2500 crore for Jal Jeevan mission, and Rs 43,000 crore for 12 lakh beneficiaries under the Mudra loans scheme. CM garu, I can go on reading this list and if I go through the entire list, for I have the account for every paisa sent, I will go on till the counting of votes in the next election, he said.

Kishan Reddy said the TRS government was levelling baseless allegations and spreading falsehoods about the PM and the central government. The state government has launched a poisonous campaign against the Centre. I reiterate that the Modi government is committed to the development of the state, and will be too in the future.

The Government of India this year is spending Rs 26,600 crore for paddy procurement in Telangana, up from Rs 3,400 crore in 2014. Are we against farmers in Telangana? They level baseless allegations against us and come to Delhi to hold dharnas, he said.
The Rajya Sabha elections for 57 seats to be held next Friday, June 10, has shown the jostling for space in a new light. The Samajwadi Partys decision to back Kapil Sibal, the Supreme Court lawyer and a famous Congress dissident till a few months ago who is contesting as an Independent, as well as Rahstriya Lok Dal president Jayant Chaudhary instead of Akhilesh Yadavs wife Dimple Yadav; or the BJP deciding to support media baron and Independent Subhash Chandra, or another media owner from Haryana, Kartikeya Sharma, reveals the thinking of the party bosses, whose hands could be tied much more in a Lok Sabha or a state Assembly election by caste and regional factors. Akhilesh Yadav has shown a spirit of generosity, which is part of a good political strategist. In the case of the BJP, the move to support Mr Chandra seems to be the tactic of torpedoing the chances of a Congress candidate.

The Rajya Sabha election has also turned out to be a way to offer space for talented individuals who can speak out but who do not stand much of a chance in a popular election. So, we have the BJP renominating finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and commerce, industry and railway minister Piyush Goyal, and the Congress picking former finance minister P. Chidambaram and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh to go to the Rajya Sabha. The BJP sent Jyotiraditya Scindia to the Rajya Sabha when the Congress could not because of internal party tussles, and in the bargain Mr Scindias exit from the Congress with his followers brought the BJP back to power in Madhya Pradesh.

So, politics of fairly high stakes are being played out by various parties in choosing candidates for the Upper House.

The Narendra Modi government over the last eight years had been rather frustrated by the lack of a majority for the party in the Rajya Sabha. It is only now that it has secured the numbers and therefore has the privilege of being in the majority in both Houses of Parliament. It will thus not be dependent on other parties to get various bills passed.

However, the focus of interest in this years Rajya Sabha elections has been on how the Congress would deal with the unrest in party, as the people who became dissidents and who led the G-23 were members of the Rajya Sabha, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Kapil Sibal. Mr Sibal has found his way back with the help of Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh. There had been speculation that Mr Azad and Mr Sharma might also be accommodated. But it was not to be so. The Gandhi familys seal of disapproval is evident in the denial of tickets to Mr Azad and Mr Sharma, who had functioned as leader and deputy leader of the party in the House. It can only be speculated that the Congress has now closed the chapter of dissidence by snubbing Mr Azad and Mr Sharma. But dissidence has a way of raising its head, and the Gandhis cant hope to have completely ended it, especially when the party is not in power in the vast majority of states in the country, and it is in a bad shape in both Houses of Parliament.

What is the message that the BJP is sending by not renominating the long-time Muslim in the party, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, minister for minority affairs? The BJP has shown that it doesnt have to play the Congress card of accommodating a member of the religious minority, and that it can win elections without a Muslim. It has proved so in the last two Lok Sabha elections. It appears that by dropping Mr Naqvi, it is almost declaring that it is a party only of the majority community. And it also seems to believe that the interests of the Muslim community can be served by other communities, a dangerous trend despite its apparently benign intent.

However, the BJP is very sensitive on the representation of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). It tried to attract members of these groups as a way of establishing its foothold in these segments in the country at large.

Former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia, a senior BJP leader in her own right, was supposed to have found a place in the Rajya Sabha list, but did not. This is being read as a snub. This time around the party is looking to find a new chief ministerial face for the Assembly election in Rajasthan next year and, given Mr Modis penchant to look for surprise replacements, Ms Scindia stands to lose out. Mr Modis style has been a ruthless one of dropping the old guard and picking new ones. So, as part of this policy, Prakash Javadekar, who has had a good run in New Delhi since he came in 2003 from Maharashtra, seems to have come to a dead end as well, along with Mr Naqvi. So has been Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, chairman of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), and a man with strong RSS connections. Mr Modi is looking for ways of minimising the presence of not just the old-timers but also the upper castes as part of his social engineering, which has been an ongoing process in the party for decades, something that former BJP ideologue Govindacharya had championed in the 1990s. Mr Modi seems to be quietly, and often not so quietly, bringing forward SCs, STs and OBCs. The RSS has been doing this for a long time, and Mr Modi, like a good RSS preacher, is carrying forward the evangelical work with greater zeal.

Given the populist propensities of most political parties, it seems that they find the Rajya Sabha a useful place, but they fail to recognise its constitutional importance as a House of Elders, which is meant to keep a critical eye over legislation passed by the Lok Sabha. Political leaders, especially those in power at the Centre, want the Rajya Sabha to simply rubber-stamp all that the Lok Sabha passes without any scrutiny. But unintentionally and unconsciously, they send members to the Rajya Sabha who perform a critical role without saying so, though very rarely do bills passed by the Lok Sabha actually get sent back to the Lower House for reconsideration.
India on Thursday moved to expand its defence cooperation with Israel, as its dependence on Russia for supply of military hardware of late came under international scrutiny with the United States and other western nations tightening sanctions on the former Soviet Union nation for its aggression against Ukraine.

The defence ministers of India and Israel, Rajnath Singh and Benjamin Gantz, met in New Delhi and adopted a joint vision document outlining scopes for future collaboration. They discussed strategic global challenges, military cooperation, defence industrial cooperation and joint research and development, according to a press release issued by the Embassy of Israel in New Delhi.

Discussed key issues pertaining to defence cooperation and global & regional scenarios during the bilateral meeting. We place great value on our Strategic Partnership with Israel, Singh tweeted after hosting the defence minister of Israel.

Warm and productive meeting with the Defence Minister of Israel, Mr. Benjamin Gantz in New Delhi. Discussed key issues pertaining to defence cooperation and global & regional scenarios during the bilateral meeting. We place great value on our Strategic Partnership with Israel. pic.twitter.com/83b92V97MT  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 2, 2022

Gantz noted that India and Israel shared similar and common challenges, including border security and fighting terrorism. By working together, we may increase our capabilities and ensure the security and economic interests of both countries, said the defence minister of Israel.

They also discussed a cooperation agreement signed between the Indias Defence Research and Development Organisation and Israels Directorate for Defence Research and Development. The agreement would enable the expansion of technological collaboration and development between the two countries.

Singh and Gantz discussed partnerships within the government-to-government framework, military training and technological cooperation with a focus on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and defensive capabilities. They declared their intention to further develop defence cooperation between the countries in a manner that harnesses Israels technological advance and operational experience, together with Indias extraordinary development and production capabilities.

The meeting between the two ministers also saw the exchange of a Letter of Intent on enhancing cooperation in the field of futuristic defence technologies, according to a press-release issued by the Ministry of Defence in New Delhi.

India moved to deepen its defence cooperation with Israel amid uncertainty over supply of defence equipment and spares from Russia in the wake of the continuing conflict between the former Soviet Union nation and Ukraine.

India's dependence on Russia for military hardware was built over decades. Russia, followed by Israel and the US, has been the largest supplier of arms to India.

India refrained from joining the US and other nations in condemning Russia for its aggression against Ukraine.

A 2020 report by the Stimson Centre based in Washington DC estimated that 90 per cent of defence equipment, weapons and platforms presently used by the Indian Army had originated from Russia. Nearly 86 per cent of the defence equipment currently in military service in India had origins in the former Soviet Union nation.

Gantz also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who encouraged Israeli defence companies to benefit from opportunities of co-development and co-production in India.
Tamil Nadus principal opposition, AIADMK, on Friday spoke in two voices on the issue of party leaders criticising ally BJP on its functioning in the state.

While coordinator O Panneerselvam termed senior leader C Ponnaiyans remarks that BJP was trying to grow at AIADMKs cost as his personal view, joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami tore into a BJP leader for his comments that the AIADMK was ineffective as an opposition party inside and outside the Assembly.

They (Ponnaiyans) comments have to be considered as his personal view, Panneerselvam told reporters in response to a query. Palaniswami, who was next to Panneerselvam, did not take questions on Ponnaiyans statement but punched holes in the comments of V P Duraisamy, TN BJP vice-president, by calling him a party hopper.

It all began on Tuesday when Ponnaiyan while addressing a closed-door meeting of party cadres, said AIADMKs ideology was diametrically opposite to that of the BJP and asked the cadre to get more active on social media to counter the narrative being set that the saffron party was playing the role of the opposition in the state.

As a video clip of Ponnaiyans speech went viral on social media, the senior AIADMK leader spoke to the media on Wednesday. In his interactions with various media outlets, Ponnaiyan said the BJP cannot grow in the state unless it changes its ideology and stands on sensitive issues like Cauvery, and Hindi imposition.

In response to Ponnaiyans statement, Duraisamy, a former DMK man, criticised him and the AIADMK for failing to perform the role of the opposition inside and outside the Assembly. Palaniswami said on Friday that the entire state knew how the AIADMK was raising issues concerning people in the assembly.

We dont need any certificates from Duraisamy. AIADMK has been functioning as an effective opposition party. People know who the opposition is. We are doing our job in the right earnest, Palaniswami said.

To another question on Duraisamys comments, Palaniswami replied: We all know where he came from. We dont need any conduct certificate from him. We are committed to one party. I have been in AIADMK since 1974.

Ponnaiyans comments, senior leaders told DH, reflected the sentiments prevailing among cadres in the AIADMK. While many leaders voiced the same opinion in an indirect way, Ponnaiyan was explicit. He didnt mince words. Cadre feels that the partys leadership was not efficient enough in preventing BJP from taking the center stage. Ponnaiyans statement was made at the right time, a senior leader told DH.

Another leader said that the party cadre wanted the AIADMK leadership to be more visible in public events. I think many others will raise the issue of the need to be proactive during the General Council meeting later this month, he said.
Sinn Fein Councillor Paul Fleming has appealed for attacks on the Strathfoyle play park to stop immediately.

He made his comments after the latest vandalism incident at the playpark, during which new play equipment for children with disabilities was set on fire.

Cllr Fleming insisted that the attacks cease and that if anyone had any information as to who is committing the acts of vandalism, that they contact the police.

He said: It is deeply disturbing to hear today that the play park in Strathfoyle has been vandalised and that the Fire Service who were responding to the incident were also targeted.

Councillor Paul Fleming

It took many years to get this play park opened and it provides a great facility for local families. The last thing we want to see is it being targeted by a very small anti-community element.

Sadly this isn't an isolated case . There have been other incidents in the area over recent times which have caused great upset to local residents.

I would urge anyone who sees people vandalising the park or other facilities to contact the police, elected representatives and local community organisations.

The play park at Strathfoyle was opened in October 2017 at a cost of 50,000 following a community campaign for one to be built.

It had been closed at the beginning of last April to allow for the installation of new play equipment which included a roundabout, trampoline, a spinning dish and a new safety surface.

However, as has been the case this week, not long after the repair work was carried out, the closure was extended thanks to vandals who damaged the new equipment.

At spokesperson for the Counci at the time said: Strathfoyle play park is currently closed to the public to allow for the installation of new inclusive play equipment including a roundabout, trampoline and a spinning dish as well as a bound safety surface.

Unfortunately due to acts of vandalism some of the equipment has been damaged and the repair works will have to take place prior to the opening of the facility. The repair works will have to take place prior to the opening of the facility.

We would encourage everyone to be respectful of play facilities which are there for the use and benefit of the whole community."

Back in April, community group, Enagh Youth Forum said it was a minority of young people who were carrying out this type of behaviour.

This vandalism is unacceptable, a spokesperson said. This will result in a further period of closure.

If you see who it is doing this please try and notify their parents or guardians or contact the community safety wardens. This is a minority of young people doing this.

Other young people have fought long and hard and campaigned for council to invest in this new equipment for a very long time. To those responsible, please think about the impact of your actions on the wider community and have some respect.

Parents please have these conversations at home.
Following the new Indian cybersecurity norms from Govt. of Indias CERT-In department, the leading global VPN (Virtual Private Network) provider ExpressVPN is shutting down its servers operating in the country. It calls out the new VPN regulations by our government to be counter-intuitive to the core reasoning behind using a VPN solution. Lets understand what the new VPN policies of the center are and how it impacts the VPN business and the end-user.

What are the new VPN rules of India?

On April 28, 2022, CERT-In issued a press release titled, Directions relating to information security practices, procedure, prevention, response and reporting of cyber incidents for Safe & Trusted Internet.

CERT-In for the uninitiated, stands for Computer Emergency Response Team that oversees protection of cybersecurity. Coming the the issue at hand, it warns of certain gaps in the cybersecurity rules that are apparently hindering incident analysis.

It notes its new rules try to address the directions cover aspects relating to synchronization of ICT system clocks; mandatory reporting of cyber incidents to CERT-In; maintenance of logs of ICT systems; subscriber/customer registrations details by Data centers, Virtual Private Server (VPS) providers, VPN Service providers, Cloud service providers; KYC norms and practices by virtual asset service providers, virtual asset exchange providers, and custodian wallet providers. These directions shall enhance the overall cyber security posture and ensure safe & trusted Internet in the country.

Simply put, Government wants VPN companies with domestic servers must keep records of user data like names, mobile numbers, email IDs, IP addresses, etc for at least 5 years. This is said to be for tackling cybercrime that are relying on VPNs.

Why is ExpressVPN discontinuing its Indian servers?

There is the aforementioned CERT-In rule. But also it is as Minister of State for Electronics and Information and Technology Rajeev Chandrashekhar had cautioned the VPN brands. He had said,"If youre a VPN that wants to hide and be anonymous about those who use VPNs and you dont want to go by these rules, then if you want to pull out (from the country), frankly, that is the only opportunity you will have. You will have to pull out.

So in reaction to this ExpressVPN remarked, The law is also overreaching and so broad as to open up the window for potential abuse. We believe the damage done by potential misuse of this kind of law far outweighs any benefit that lawmakers claim would come from it.

The company thinks this would limit the Internet freedom and blames the new Indian cyber laws to be incompatible with the purpose of VPNs, which are designed to keep users online activity private.

How do the Indian Cyber rules and ExpressVPN quitting its servers affect users?

ExpressVPNs Indian subscribers can still use the VPN through virtual India servers set in the UK and Singapore.

Assuring its Indian users, ExpressVPN says, We will never collect logs of user activity, including no logging of browsing history, traffic destination, data content, or DNS queries. We also never store connection logs, meaning no logs of IP addresses, outgoing VPN IP addresses, connection timestamps, or session durations.

As for other news, reviews, feature stories, buying guides, and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.
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Mold, vermin and people camping in the building's indoor common areas are cited in the lawsuit.



PORTLAND (AP)  Residents of an Oregon affordable housing complex say their living conditions are inhospitable and they want their rent back.

Tenants at the Allen Fremont Plaza in Northeast Portland gathered in the courtyard of the three-story complex Wednesday, describing mold, vermin and people who don't live there camping in the building's indoor common areas, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.





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By CALEB JONES and STEFANIE DAZIO

Associated Press







HONOLULU (AP)  A high school prom in Hawaii where masked dancers weren't allowed to touch. A return to virtual city council meetings in one Colorado town after the mayor and others tested positive following an in-person session. A reinstated mask mandate at skilled nursing facilities in Los Angeles County after 22 new outbreaks in a single week.





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SEATTLE  A triangular commercial building at 4029 E. Madison St. sold for over $4.1 million, according to King County records.

The seller was Northwest Psychoanalytic Building Partnership LLP, which had owned the property for decades.





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DSM to sell its engineering materials business to Advent and Lanxes

Dutch bioscience and foods company DSM on Tuesday announced the sale of its engineering materials subsidiary for an enterprise value of 3.85 billion ($4.13 billion) to private equity firm Advent International and German chemicals company Lanxess.

The proposed transaction marks the conclusion of DSMs review of strategic options for its two materials businesses and, following the agreement to sell DSM Protective Materials to Avient Corporation in April, the transformation of DSM into a focused science-based leader in health, nutrition and bioscience.

The announcement came shortly after DSM said it intended to merge with Swiss peer Firmenich.

Advent and Lanxess plan to combine DSM's engineering materials business with Lanxess' high performance materials business under a joint venture in which Advent will own a 60 per cent stake and Lanxess a 40 per cent stake.

"We are forging a strong global player in the field of high-performance plastics," said Lanxess CEO Matthias Zachert in a statement. "The portfolios, value chains and global positioning of the two businesses complement each other perfectly."

DSM has been in the process of selling its materials division since September. DSM co-chief executive Geraldine Matchett had said at a press conference early on Tuesday about the Firmenich merger she expected more news on the engineering subsidiary "soon".

The DSM engineering division manufactures high-density polyethylene thermoplastics used in food packaging to electronics.

DSM Engineering Materials represented 1.5 billion of DSMs total annual net sales and 334 million of DSMs total Adjusted EBITDA for 2021. DSM expects to receive about 3.5 billion net in cash following closing, after transaction costs and capital gains tax.

This will create a new global specialty materials company with the focus and investment that can drive the development of customer-focused innovation, in particular for industrys transition to bio-based and circular solutions. The transaction will create a platform for further growth for DSM Engineering Materials and its people. Completion of the transaction, which is subject to the customary conditions and approvals, is expected in H1, 2023.

In reviewing possible futures for DSMs materials businesses, we have found tremendous new homes where they will be core to each new owners growth ambitions We are certain Advent International and Lanxess will be good new owners in a transaction that is strategically attractive for all parties as we focus DSM on improving peoples health and well-being. DSM has a track record of successful transformation over the past half century, and we are well underway in another such moment of strategic change, Geraldine Matchett and Dimitri de Vreeze, Co-CEOs of DSM, commented.

At Advent International, we are very excited to contribute our deep chemical industry expertise and experience to this joint venture and we are looking forward to working with the outstanding people at DSM Engineering Materials. Together we will create a global engineering materials industry leader, Ronald Ayles, managing partner at Advent International, said.

With the new joint venture, we are forging a strong global player in the field of high-performance plastics In Advent, we have a strong and reliable partner with profound experience in the chemical industry and our customer industries, Matthias Zachert, CEO of Lanxess, stated.

Advent International, which has extensive investment experience in the global chemical sector with a proven track record in transforming companies from corporate carve-outs into industry-leading players, will be the majority owner of the newly created joint venture. Advent also fosters the growth and market position of portfolio companies through further acquisitions and organic investments.

DSM had said it considered the operations non-core as it plans to focus on health and nutrition business.
On the occasion of Design Week, BASE Milan will host this year's IKEA Festival, a rich programme of events and immersive experiences to tell the future of retail and design. The aim of the event, which will take place from 6 to 12 June, will be to investigate how peoples relationship with their homes has evolved, showing how it is possible to improve everyday life by living domestic spaces in a conscious way.



The different days will be dedicated to previews of upcoming collections and meetings in the company of designers and long-standing collaborators. This years event will feature, among others, Fredrika Inger, Global Range Manger at IKEA of Sweden, Design Manager Johan Ejdemo, and interior designers Mikael Axelsson and Friso Wiersma.
Dublin Airport officials have said they are confident that passengers will not miss flights this weekend if they arrive at the airport at the recommended time.

It comes after Dublin Airport made international headlines last weekend after long queues stretched outside the airport terminals and over 1,000 people missed their flights.

Dalton Philips, CEO of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), told the Oireachtas Transport Authority on Wednesday that these delays happened due to a rostering error.

Mr Philips also conceded that the aviation sector had recovered quicker than had been anticipated, and that 248 security staff should not have been offered voluntary redundancy last year, during travel restrictions introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking on RTE Radio, media relations manager with the DAA Graeme McQueen said that if people adhere to the recommended arrival times were confident that we can get you through in plenty of time this weekend.

Passengers are advised to arrive at least 2.5 hours before short-haul flight departures, and 3.5 hours before long-haul flights depart. An extra hour is needed if they are checking in a bag.

What were trying to do here is get the flow of passengers back to the way we want it so that we can get people through in a nice orderly manner, Mr McQueen said.

He said that it is currently taking under an hour for passengers to get through the terminal, with around 46,000 passengers expected to fly out on Thursday.

Mr McQueen said that holding zones for passengers that arrive before the recommended times would only kick in if they absolutely have to in order to ensure people did not miss flights.

If we need, at really busy times, to segment people into holding zones, we will do that. We will either check your boarding card or your booking confirmation.

Were very very confident in the operation that weve got in place for this weekend that were going to get everyone through and that there will be no missed flights.
Ardee Municipal District Annual Meeting took place on Thursday 2nd June in the Dermot OBrien Room of Ardee Civic Offices.

The order of business of the Annual Meeting saw a new Cathaoirleach and Leas Cathaoirleach elected by Ardee Municipal District Elected Members as required under Section 36 of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended.

The outgoing Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Jim Tenanty opened the meeting and advised it had been his privilege to carry out the role of Cathaoirleach.

Cllr. Tenanty took the opportunity to thank his fellow members for the courtesy extended to him throughout the year; the Leas Cathaoirleach John Sheridan for his assistance; the Press for their fair reporting; the Meeting Administrator Grainne Tuomey for her attendance and reporting of meetings, the Director of Service Joe McGuinness for his advice and wise words, the Chief Executive for her guidance and help, and all the Staff of Louth County Council both indoor and outdoor, and including those who provided reports and showed up at meetings when requested.

He particularly thanked his family who not only had a year of COVID to cope with but also had to put up with him as Cathaoirleach.

He said he had enjoyed his time as Cathaoirleach and was happy to serve the Municipal District.

A particular highlight was representing Ardee Municipal District in the New York Parade.

Cllr. Tenanty then called for nominations for his replacement and following election Cllr. Paula Butterly was called to the chair of Ardee Municipal District.

Cllr. Jim Tenanty vacated his seat to make way for the next Cathaoirleach Paula Butterly.

Cllr. Butterly thanked the outgoing Cathaoirleach for his fabulous work as Cathaorleach during the year and called for nominations for Leas Cathaoirleach which saw Cllr. Dolores Minogue elected as Leas Cathaoirleach of Ardee Municipal District.

All Members complimented Cllr. Tenanty on his efforts, advice and good humour particularly in a COVID year.

The necessary change of locations for Cllr. Tenanty from County Hall where meetings were hosted online, to Ardee Court House to enable social distancing, back to the Dermot OBrien Room in the Civic Offices with restrictions lifted was commented on.

Cllr. Butterly was welcomed to the role of Cathaoirleach, by Members, and commented that she was the second female to wear the chains of a Municipal District, both she and Cllr. Minogue were wished the best in the coming year.

On behalf of the Chief Executive and Staff of Louth County Council, Joe McGuinness Director of Services congratulated the Cathaoirleach and Leas Cathaoirlech to the chair, and offered assistance when wanted.

He thanked Cllr. Tenanty for his cooperation and work during the year.
The EU official in charge of energy policy has said dependency on Russian oil has left Europe open to blackmail.

Kadri Simson, European commissioner for energy, appeared before an Oireachtas committee to take questions amid the backdrop of an energy crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine.

This week, the EU forged a compromise that will see the body move to block most Russian oil imports.

Ms Simson told the Oireachtas Energy and Climate Committee that the war in Ukraine is causing us to reconsider Europes energy security.

She added: The war in Ukraine has changed things when it comes to energy.

We are forced to confront the fact we are too dependent on imports from Russia and it is being a tool for blackmail.

This is something that we cannot tolerate.

Discussing the drastic shift in EU energy policy, Ms Simson said: Doubling down even further will take commitment and effort across the whole society.

She also praised Irelands potential as a source of off-shore renewable energy.

Ms Simson said: There are few places in the world that are better suited for off-shore renewables than Ireland, sitting here on the edge of the windy Atlantic gives you a great potential to build more renewable energy.

Some politicians raised the concerns of climate campaigners about EU policy on climate change, in particular the recent shift to liquefied natural gas (LNG) sparked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The EU is aiming to be climate-neutral by 2050.

Sinn Fein climate spokesperson Darren ORourke said: Everybody, hopefully, is moving in the same direction. But of course that puts challenges on capacity to deliver at scale, at a European level.

How do you prioritise within that and at a time where youre pulling from those resources to deliver LNG?

Ms Simson replied: In the long run, well see that if our member states will achieve everything that is proposed under the Fit for 55, then by 2030, Europe will consume 30% less natural gas than we consumed 2020.

The 3 issues dominating #energy at the moment are sustainability, affordability & security. It might be #EU wide, but every Member State is unique. Good discussion w/ Oireachtas Committee on Environment & Climate Action. Happy to hear your views on current state in energy. pic.twitter.com/i22HFYRlH5  Kadri Simson (@KadriSimson) June 2, 2022

So yes, this extraordinary time and huge pressure before this heating season, but in the longer run we will decarbonise and we will replace also significant shares of our gas consumption with this clean gas.

Similar concerns were flagged by Senator Alice Mary Higgins.

She said: To simply say that in 2050 were suddenly talking about net zero, but not having a genuinely strong emission path up to that is the real danger and in fact, really, Europe and the EU in particular does not have 28 years given our disproportionate responsibility for driving climate change.

That we in fact should be, you know, leading ahead of the curve in terms of decarbonisation, as our fair share will be exhausted before that.

Ms Simson said that while member states were committed to climate neutrality by 2050, some this year would need emergency investments to get rid of Russian imports.

She added: This is not easily doable to replace them with renewables in such a short term.

This is behind the flexibility that offers some landlocked countries a window where they can use their own recovery funds to co-finance pipelines, but mainly they will be financed against the market.

Speaking yesterday morning (Thursday June 2), Ms Simson said that she and Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan discussed the challenges that Europe faces and proposals on how to scale up renewable energy sources.

She said: We discussed how to scale up and to accelerate renewable deployment in Europe, we will negotiate that with our member states in the Energy Council that takes place at the end of June, and I do hope that we will find a common understanding that investments in renewables are the best practices how we can get rid of Russian imports, because this is a dangerous dependency that we face right now.

So lots of work ahead of us, a challenging heating season ahead of us, but we do have a plan how to secure supply for our consumers and how to tackle high energy prices.

This was Ms Simsons first visit to Ireland in her capacity as the EUs Energy Commissioner.

Ireland is one of the member states not dependent on Russian energy, she said.

Ms Simson said that the EU could only partially replace the gas supply levels that it received from Russia last year, but would aim to double its biogas production, which she said may be of interest to Irish farmers.

It will be a very big challenge to replace Russian gas fully, she added.
TELL us a little bit about yourself and your work:

My name is Eddie English and I run SailCork in Cobh, along with my wife, Jo, and our team of instructors. We train people in sailing, powerboating, and navigation. I have been teaching since finishing college in UCC the guts of 50 years ago!

I grew up in Cobh, where all the family were into boating and sailing.

We are lucky enough to live on East Hill, in Cobh, overlooking Cork Harbour, from where I broadcast the weather forecast on Facebook every morning. Our two children, Aisling and Eamonn, help out in the sailing school when not at college or school and we enjoy family trips on our yacht, Holy Grounder.

We get to most events in the harbour and the next big one is the Ocean to City race, part of Cork Harbour Festival on Saturday, June 4. I will be running the safety side of things on the day, with a great team of over 100 volunteers afloat and ashore. The race starts in Crosshaven with nearly 500 rowers and paddlers.

They have a tough course to row the 15-mile course or one of the shorter courses to the centre of Cork City. Hopefully, they will be encouraged, as usual, by spectators in Crosshaven, Cobh, Monkstown, Rushbrooke, Passage, and Blackrock, before the grand finish at Lapps Quay in Cork.

A previous Ocean To City race. The event takes place tomorrow.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

Friday night, I love a couple of pints after the week .........but not too many, as we are usually working on Saturdays.

Lie-ins or up with the lark.. which is it for you?

Normal get up time is around 07.30, but if we are sailing on a yacht it could be around 06.00.......especially if we are teaching on one of our Sunshine Sailing Holidays in Spain, Croatia, or the Caribbean: That way, we make most of the day.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

We usually have work at the weekends: It might be a yachting course or a powerboat course, or maybe a navigation course or a fun sailing course for junior sailors.

If money were no object, where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

I have never been to Vienna or Bordeaux  these are tops on my list  and I would revisit Lisbon, a beautiful city. I would bring my wife, Jo, who is a great traveller, and we enjoy similar places.

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

There are great places on the Great Island to connect with nature, but my real escape is Baltimore and the Islands.

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

During the winter, we love to have friends to dinner and during the summer it is great to meet friends afloat on Cork Harbour.

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

I still do some racing on yachts and I love to watch rugby matches, especially when Munster are playing.

Entertain or be entertained? If its the latter, do you have a signature dish?

I used to do a lot of cooking, but Jo is so much better than me... and she has lots of signature dishes!

We have so many places to eat out in Cork, where are your go to spots for coffee/lunch/special meal?

The Long Valley for lunch, the Oar, in Crosshaven, for seafood, or al fresco at the Quays in Cobh, or top of the list: Ballymaloe.

Sunday night comes around too fast.. how do you spend it?

In the winter, family dinner and sit around the fire and, in the summer, nothing beats a barbecue overlooking Cork Harbour!

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

Action time at 07.30.

Anything else you are up to...?

Preparing for the summer onslaught of pupils to the sailing school and final preparations for An Ras Mor, the Ocean to City race, tomorrow, Saturday, June 4, which is part of Cork Harbour Festival.

See https://oceantocity.com/
A 40-YEAR-OLD man who was arrested and charged in Cork, arising from a cybercrime investigation by An Garda Siochana in Ireland and the FBI in America, has been remanded in custody until June 15.

Judge Olann Kelleher adjourned the case until that date against Suleman Mazhar, who was previously of Moneygourney, Douglas, Cork, on the application of state solicitor, Frank Nyhan.

The accused appeared by video link from prison at Cork District Court. His solicitor, Joseph Cuddigan, consented to the adjournment application. The next court appearance by Mazhar on June 15 will be by video link from prison again.

Sergeant Wesley Kenny objected to bail when the matter first came before the court. He said it was believed by the prosecution that if the accused was released on bail he would go directly to a computer, close down websites and effectively destroy evidence being gathered against him.

The accused, who is from Pakistan, came to Ireland in 2002 and has Irish citizenship and an Irish passport.

He said he was unemployed but had worked in finance and in computers in Ireland.

The charges alleged that he had a smart card reader to make false financial instruments at a house at Railway Street, Passage West, County Cork, that he had 52 plastic cards embedded with smart chips and magnetic strips and a final charge of alleged money-laundering between August 2020 and July 2021.

Sgt Kenny said their investigation into alleged transfers of crypto-currency had seen the accused allegedly involved in over 2,000 transactions involving $346,000 in a one-year period.

The accused gave evidence of buying five bitcoins at 109 each, and their value going to a high of 62,000 each.

He said he was on Jobseekers Allowance and would turn up for his case if granted bail.
Renowned American travel journalist Peter Greenberg will showcase Cork and Ireland in a new travel programme which is set to air during prime time on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) later this year to millions of people across the United States.

Tourism Ireland invited Mr Greenberg to film at a range of locations around the country for the one-hour programme entitled Hidden Ireland.

As well as PBS, the programme will also air on a number of online streaming platforms and digital channels  including Amazon Prime, Apple TV and YouTube.

Off the south-west coast of Cork, Mr Greenberg and his crew have been shooting content on Cape Clear Island and filming has also been taking place in Cork city.

Filming for the project is supported by Failte Ireland.

During his time in Ireland, Mr Greenberg is also recording a three-hour radio show, called Eye on Travel, which will air on CBS Radio.

Tourism Ireland has arranged for him to interview a range of personalities for the show  including artists, actors, chefs, historians, storytellers and tourism industry operators.

"Tourism Ireland was delighted to invite respected American travel journalist Peter Greenberg to come and film his new travel programme, Hidden Ireland," Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Irelands head of North America, said.

"The programme will be seen by millions of people across the United States and is a wonderful opportunity to shine a spotlight on some of the many things to see and do in Ireland."

Ms Metcalfe said the radio show, Eye on Travel "is also another great way to highlight Ireland to listeners across the US".

"Publicity and broadcasts like this are a key element of our programme of activity, to encourage travellers in the United States to put Ireland on their holiday wish-list for this year and beyond," she continued.
A 19-year-old woman who arranged to stay with a 36-year-old old-man over a weekend at a B&B in Kerry claimed that he raped her and later locked her in the room for a period of hours.

The woman, who is now 27, said there was no consent and that the accused, who is now 44, had vaginal and anal intercourse with her.

The accused pleaded not guilty to both charges stating that there was not any act of anal intercourse. He said that there was consensual vaginal intercourse over that weekend in April 2014.

Now at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork, a jury of seven men and five women has returned with verdicts of not guilty on both counts.

The accused mans relief was clearly visible from his reaction in the dock. The complainant wept and was comforted by her mother and a garda liaison officer.

Mr Justice Michael MacGrath thanked the jurors and excused them from jury service for ten years.

While charged with those two counts of rape, the evidence from the complainant was of being raped four times.

Cross-examination

Cross-examining, defence senior counsel, Ray Boland, said of her allegations, He raped you four times and then left you in the room and locked the door. If that happened, would he not expect you to call the guards? The complainant replied, Yes but in a scenario like that you dont think logically. It is easy to say eight years later if only I had called, if only I had squeezed out that window.

Mr Boland SC said that when the accused returned to the room, he unlocked the door and she did not run out. The complainant replied, It is easy to look at it from outside the scenario and say, you should have done this, you should have done that.

Mr Boland said that the language the complainant used to the accused at the time did not amount to an accusation of rape: You said, You practically raped me That is akin to saying You almost raped me, like, you practically ran me off the road, but in fact you didnt.

The accused said there was sexual intercourse twice - once the night before, once in the morning, and that it was vaginal and consensual. The complainant said, I disagree.

When interviewed by gardai about the complaints against him, the accused said to them, I thought everyone was OK. I did not rape this girl. I want you guys to know that. I am getting accused of something I did not do.

Mr Boland SC questioned the complainant making an unrelated rape complaint against another person from when she was much younger: You said you were raped previously. You clarified to guards (afterwards), you were not in fact raped.

Evidence from complainant

The complainant said in evidence, It was from an incident in childhood when there was some exploration between me and a cousin. I realise now it was not rape. It was something innocent that happened between kids.

The complainant told the judge and jury she regarded herself as bi-sexual when she was a teenager but when she went to college and had some sexual experience she began to identify as a lesbian. She said she met another young woman through the internet and on a night out in Cork she met some housemates of that other young woman and they included the accused man. The complainant said she and this man arranged to meet for a weekend in Killarney a few months later when the disputed events occurred.

Describing the alleged vaginal rape, the complainant said, I told him no. I felt my own voice was not strong enough. I felt it was a weak kind of no I said no, stop. He shushed me.

She said he left and locked the door of the room. I was locked in the room. I couldnt leave. I believe I was there for several hours. She said he returned with pizza for them.

Later she left and as she was going he pulled her arm and guided her back and said they should talk.

I said, I need to leave. I said what is there to talk about?  you practically raped me. He said, that is not how I meant it to be. I said, that is how it felt for me.

Witnesses saw the two parties kiss twice when they were dancing on a dance floor when they first met in Cork months earlier. The accused said the complainant initiated the kissing. She said he did and that she brushed him off. From that night she had his number but he did not have hers, and months later she contacted him and they exchanged texts until the weekend away was arranged.

The accused man said, Why would I force myself on her One thing led to another and we ended up making out Nothing was said. We just started kissing.

He said he was an absolute gentleman to her. He was infuriated and upset at the allegations against him, he said, adding that none of what she said, did occur.
The Alps, the most extensive and tallest mountain range located entirely within Europe, are a symbol of natural beauty and famous for winter sports. But, as the planet warms up due to climate change, the iconic white-capped peaks of the Alps are steadily turning green.

A study of high-resolution satellite data from 1984 to last year has revealed that areas with vegetation above the treeline in the Alps have increased by 77 percent since 1984, according to a press release from the University of Basel.

The scale of the change has turned out to be absolutely massive in the Alps, said lead author of the study professor Sabine Rumpf of the University of Basel, as reported by The Guardian.

The growing season has been lengthened by increased temperatures and rainfall, with plants spreading as they become taller and thicker. An increase in high-altitude vegetation could pose a threat to specialist Alpine plant species, Rumpf said, as they have adapted to the extreme conditions but arent extremely competitive and are at risk of being pushed out by more aggressive plants commonly found at lower altitudes.

The unique biodiversity of the Alps is therefore under considerable pressure, Rumpf said in the press release.

The study by a team of European researchers, From white to green: Snow cover loss and increased vegetation productivity in the European Alps, was published in the journal Science.

For the study, forests, glaciers and areas below 1,700 meters were excluded by the researchers, the press release said. But in nearly ten percent of the remaining area there was a marked decrease in snow cover, which the researchers said was concerning.

Previous analyses of satellite data hadnt identified any such trend, Antoine Guisan, one of the studys two senior authors, said in the press release. This may be because the resolution of the satellite images was insufficient or because the periods considered were too short.

The satellite images show snow cover, but dont offer information on snow depth.

For years, local ground-based measurements have shown a decrease in snow depth at low elevations, said study author Gregoire Mariethoz of the Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, the press release stated. This decrease has already caused some areas to become largely snow-free.

As more of the Alps transform from white, snow-covered wonderland to verdant landscape lush with vegetation, less sunlight will be reflected, leading to greater warming.

Greener mountains reflect less sunlight and therefore lead to further warming  and, in turn, to further shrinkage of reflective snow cover, Rumpf said in the press release.

As warming increases, it will speed up the thawing of permafrost and glacial melt. Rumpf also pointed out that ice and snow from the famous mountain range provides drinking water, as well as the basis for tourism and recreational activities.
President-elect Joe Biden announced Thursday that he picked New Mexico Representative Deb Haaland to serve as Secretary of the Interior.

If confirmed by the Senate, Haaland would be the first Native American to hold a cabinet secretary position. However, her appointment as head of the Department of the Interior is especially significant, since the department has historically committed injustices against Indigenous Americans and currently is the agency most responsible for their welfare. A voice like mine has never been a Cabinet secretary or at the head of the Department of Interior, Haaland tweeted Thursday. Growing up in my mothers Pueblo household made me fierce. Ill be fierce for all of us, our planet, and all of our protected land. I am honored and ready to serve. Haaland hails from the Pueblos of Laguna and Jemez, Indian Country Today reported. She made history in 2018 as one of the first two Indigenous women to be elected to Congress. In the House, she currently acts as the vice chair of the Committee on Natural Resources and chair of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. As head of Interior, Haaland will oversee the department that manages around 500 million acres of public lands, including national parks, habitat for endangered species and oil and gas drilling sites, The New York Times reported. The department also manages the Bureau of Indian Education and the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration, which controls funds held in trust for Native Americans, making it the most impactful department for the nations 1.9 million Indigenous people.

Haalands appointment is a continuation of generations of Indigenous activism for more control over a department that has historically been party to their displacement and oppression. For example, in 1972 around 500 Indigenous activists occupied the departments Washington, D.C. headquarters demanding it honor treaties and improve living standards, The New York Times reported. It could not have been in our forefathers dreams to have an actual Indian be appointed at the Cabinet level in the agency that is meant to oversee their absorption, Lakota Peoples Law Project attorney and Indigenous activist Chase Iron Eyes told The Washington Post. If confirmed, Haaland will be tasked with reversing Trump administration Interior policies hostile to both Indigenous people and the environment, such as the shrinking of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah, according to The New York Times. She will also carry out Bidens agenda of banning fracking on public lands. Plus, Haaland has pledged to shift the departments emphasis from championing oil and gas development to boosting renewable energy. I come from New Mexico. Its a big gas and oil state. And I care about every single job, Haaland told The Washington Post in a recent interview. We dont want to go back to normal, right? We dont want to go back to where we were because that economy wasnt working for a lot of people. The Biden-Harris transition team announced Haalands appointment with a slate of climate-focused picks, including North Carolina environmental regulator Michael Regan to run the Environmental Protection Agency and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm to run the Department of Energy.
By Anthony Richardson, Chhaya Chaudhary, David Schoeman, and Mark John Costello

The tropical water at the equator is renowned for having the richest diversity of marine life on Earth, with vibrant coral reefs and large aggregations of tunas, sea turtles, manta rays and whale sharks. The number of marine species naturally tapers off as you head towards the poles.

Ecologists have assumed this global pattern has remained stable over recent centuries  until now. Our recent study found the ocean around the equator has already become too hot for many species to survive, and that global warming is responsible.

In other words, the global pattern is rapidly changing. And as species flee to cooler water towards the poles, its likely to have profound implications for marine ecosystems and human livelihoods. When the same thing happened 252 million years ago, 90% of all marine species died.

The Bell Curve is Warping Dangerously If you look at each line in this chart, you can see a slight dip in total species richness between 1955 and 1974. This deepens substantially in the following decades. Anthony Richardson, Author provided This global pattern  where the number of species starts lower at the poles and peaks at the equator  results in a bell-shaped gradient of species richness. We looked at distribution records for nearly 50,000 marine species collected since 1955 and found a growing dip over time in this bell shape.

So, as our oceans warm, species have tracked their preferred temperatures by moving towards the poles. Although the warming at the equator of 0.6 over the past 50 years is relatively modest compared with warming at higher latitudes, tropical species have to move further to remain in their thermal niche compared with species elsewhere. As ocean warming has accelerated over recent decades due to climate change, the dip around at the equator has deepened. We predicted such a change five years ago using a modeling approach, and now we have observational evidence. For each of the 10 major groups of species we studied (including pelagic fish, reef fish and molluscs) that live in the water or on the seafloor, their richness either plateaued or declined slightly at latitudes with mean annual sea-surface temperatures above 20. Today, species richness is greatest in the northern hemisphere in latitudes around 30N (off southern China and Mexico) and in the south around 20S (off northern Australia and southern Brazil).

This Has Happened Before We shouldnt be surprised global biodiversity has responded so rapidly to global warming. This has happened before, and with dramatic consequences. 252 million years ago At the end of the Permian geological period about 252 million years ago, global temperatures warmed by 10 over 30,000-60,000 years as a result of greenhouse gas emissions from volcano eruptions in Siberia. A 2020 study of the fossils from that time shows the pronounced peak in biodiversity at the equator flattened and spread. During this mammoth rearranging of global biodiversity, 90% of all marine species were killed. 125,000 years ago A 2012 study showed that more recently, during the rapid warming around 125,000 years ago, there was a similar swift movement of reef corals away from the tropics, as documented in the fossil record. The result was a pattern similar to the one we describe, although there was no associated mass extinction. Authors of the study suggested their results might foreshadow the effects of our current global warming, ominously warning there could be mass extinctions in the near future as species move into the subtropics, where they might struggle to compete and adapt. Today During the last ice age, which ended around 15,000 years ago, the richness of forams (a type of hard-shelled, single-celled plankton) peaked at the equator and has been dropping there ever since. This is significant as plankton is a keystone species in the foodweb. Our study shows that decline has accelerated in recent decades due to human-driven climate change.

The Profound Implications Losing species in tropical ecosystems means ecological resilience to environmental changes is reduced, potentially compromising ecosystem persistence. In subtropical ecosystems, species richness is increasing. This means therell be species invaders, novel predator-prey interactions, and new competitive relationships. For example, tropical fish moving into Sydney Harbour compete with temperate species for food and habitat. This could result in ecosystem collapse  as was seen at the boundary between the Permian and Triassic periods  in which species go extinct and ecosystem services (such as food supplies) are permanently altered. The changes we describe will also have profound implications for human livelihoods. For example, many tropical island nations depend on the revenue from tuna fishing fleets through the selling of licenses in their territorial waters. Highly mobile tuna species are likely to move rapidly toward the subtropics, potentially beyond sovereign waters of island nations. Similarly, many reef species important for artisanal fishers  and highly mobile megafauna such as whale sharks, manta rays and sea turtles that support tourism  are also likely to move toward the subtropics. The movement of commercial and artisanal fish and marine megafauna could compromise the ability of tropical nations to meet the Sustainable Development Goals concerning zero hunger and marine life.
This Saturday, June 6, marks National Trails Day, an annual celebration of the remarkable recreational, scenic and hiking trails that crisscross parks nationwide. The event, which started in 1993, honors the National Trail System and calls for volunteers to help with trail maintenance in parks across the country.

The American Hiking Society (AHS) promotes the event. Last year, the AHS launched a campaign to set a world record to have the most people helping improve trails in one day. This year is a very different story, due to recent developments like social distancing from COVID-19 and the nationwide protests of systemic racism. While National Trails Day will continue on a local level, AHS has canceled all of its promotions and activities lest it detract from the Black Lives Matter movement.

The official page for National Trails Day is now titled In Solidarity, AHS Suspends Promotion of National Trails Day 2020. It goes on to advocate for equal access to the outdoors: In its quest to be an ever-stronger ally, so as not to take space from the very important discussions and protests around racism in America and, in particular, around police brutality of Black bodies, American Hiking Society will suspend its promotion of National Trails Day this year. Instead, we will be taking allyship actions, including: amplifying Black voices in the outdoor community; sharing resources on racism in the outdoors that will link back to publications and content authored by people of color; and urging our supporters to call on Congress to pass legislation that provides equitable access to quality natural spaces for ALL . We thank our partners who have supported this decision to re-focus our efforts where we feel they are needed most at this time.

While calls to improve trails have mostly been suspended so people can keep a safe distance from each other, hiking trails across the country have seen an uptick in visitors as other activities have been closed to them. During the COVID-19 quarantines, more and more people have been discovering the mental and physical benefits of getting outside in their neighborhoods, to the point of a 200 percent increase in trail usage in cities across the country, according to an AHS statement.

On Marthas Vineyard, in Massachusetts, the Sheriffs Meadow Foundation and the Marthas Vineyard Land Bank Commission canceled its annual cross-island hike, even though attendance on trails has been up, according to the Marthas Vineyard Times. Weve noticed a surge in use of all of our trails and sanctuaries, and also of the TrailsMV app, said Adam Moore, executive director of Sheriffs Meadow Foundation, to the Marthas Vineyard Times. Even though there may not be an organized group hike, I think there may be more people out hiking than ever. Its been an extraordinary time for trails, for peoples enjoyment of them, and for our need to keep them up and maintain them.

On the other side of the country, in Spokane, Washington, the Evergreen East organization is asking for volunteers to help complete a mountain bike trail in a conservation area. According to The Spokesman-Review, trail project leaders will be on hand for instruction and to ensure that current social distancing guidelines and safety precautions are followed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In Lyme, Connecticut, students from a local high school practiced safe social distancing all spring to groom three trails that are ready to open the public on National Trails Day, according to Lyme Line. In Portland, Maine, the South Portland Land Trust is releasing a new map of five trails just in time for National Trails Day. Now more than ever, trails and open space are critical to the mental and physical well-being of the city, the land trust said in a release, as the Portland Press Herald reported. While some beaches and other parks are closed, land trust trails all over the state, including South Portland, are providing a relief valve.
In a troubling sign for the future of the Italian Alps, the snow and ice in a glacier is turning pink due to the growth of snow-melting algae, according to scientists studying the pink ice phenomenon, as CNN reported.

The algae will make the snow melt faster. The salmon-hue that has tinged the snow is from algae that carry carotenoid pigment, which reflects the distinctive color. While most algae thrive in warm freshwaters, these are known as cryophilic, meaning they thrive in colder temperatures, where they create the watermelon snow effect, according to Salon. The concern is that the algal bloom on the snow will accelerate the effects of the climate crisis. As Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported the plant, known as Ancylonema nordenskioeldii, is often found in Greenlands so-called Dark Zone, where the ice is also melting. Normally ice reflects more than 80 percent of the suns radiation back into the atmosphere, but as algae appear, they darken the ice so that it absorbs the heat and melts more quickly, according to AFP.

Everything that darkens the snow causes it to melt because it accelerates the absorption of radiation, said Biagio Di Mauro of Italys National Research Council to AFP. We are trying to quantify the effect of other phenomena besides the human one on the overheating of the Earth. He noted that the presence of tourists could also have an effect in weakening the snow. Di Mauro told CNN that the spring and summer had very little snowfall high in the Alps, which has seen higher than average temperatures. This creates the perfect environment for the algae to grow, he added. Di Mauro emphasized that the algal bloom is particularly bad news for the glaciers, which may see a rapid melting. That would be in line with glaciers around the world that are starting to fade away as global heating continues to push up atmospheric temperatures.

A classic reminder of how uncertainty is not our friend, said Dr. Michael E. Mann, a distinguished professor of atmospheric science at Penn State University, to Salon by email. In this case, were seeing an amplifying feedback wherein biological darkening (due to Algae growing on the surface of melting ice), leads to more solar absorption by the ice and even faster melting. We call this a positive feedback but it is anything but positive. It reflects a process which is leading to faster melting of the glaciers than our simple models predict. As CNN noted, Di Mauro has come across cold temperature algae before. He has previously studied the Morteratsch glacier in Switzerland, where an algae called Ancylonema nordenskioeldii has turned the ice purple.
Rider arrested on Mountain Road for driving against one-way system

Police have arrested a visiting rider who did a u-turn on Mountain Road and began riding in the opposite direction to the one way system at Hailwoods Rise.

The rider who is Dutch was stopped by police towards the Bungalow this afternoon.

The Roads Policing Unit said motorists had to take avoiding action and the road was immediately closed during the incident.

The Mountain Road is one way between Ramsey and the Creg ny Baa.
Queen's Platinum Jubilee: Beacons lit around Isle of Man

Beacons were lit across the Isle of Man last night to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Last night, Douglas Borough Council hosted an event at St Ninian's Church Tower.

Celebrating the Queens unprecedented 70 years on the throne, beacons were lit in each of the capital cities of the Commonwealth with the Principal Beacon lighting held at Buckingham Palace.

Beacons were also lit at private events in Port Erin, Ballasalla, Douglas Head and Slieau Lhost.
Thursday afternoon, Microsoft's president and vice chair Brad Smith penned a blog post outlining four "principles" the company would be adopting in response to the recent wave of union efforts in the US. Admittedly it's surprising for a company this size in the tech industry to  in word or deed  strive for anything less than the complete destruction of any organizing effort. But Smith's post contains precious little substance.

Let's begin with the bolded line right past the preamble: "Our employees will never need to organize to have a dialogue with Microsofts leaders." Anyone who has ever been involved in an organizing campaign will recognize this as a gentler version of the typical management talking point that a company "prefers a direct relationship" with its employees. The reason being, of course, that without an observer or weingarten rep present, a boss or human resources staffer is free to intimidate an employee or bury a complaint. Even in less sinister scenarios, while a one-on-one meeting might feel equitable on its face, it isn't: a boss has the force of the company behind them; a worker lacks that, and is dependent on that same company for their livelihood. The entire purpose for voicing complaints as a group, legally recognized as a union or not, is to limit that vast disparity in power.

This same line of thinking is restated in Smith's first principle:

We believe in the importance of listening to our employees concerns. Our leaders have an open door policy, and we invest in listening systems and employee resource groups that constantly help us understand better both what is working and where we need to improve. But we recognize that there may be times when some employees in some countries may wish to form or join a union.

Once again, the implication veers strongly towards a preference for dealing with workers individually. And the linguistic turn that those interested in joining or forming a union are only "some employees" in "some countries" reads as an attempt to undermine such efforts as the work of a vocal minority.

We recognize that employees have a legal right to choose whether to form or join a union. We respect this right and do not believe that our employees or the companys other stakeholders benefit by resisting lawful employee efforts to participate in protected activities, including forming or joining a union.

The first half of principle two, reproduced above, could be just as easily restated as "we are committed to obeying the law." It doesn't matter whether Microsoft "recognizes" that the NLRA exists any more than it "recognizes" it can't write whatever it wants on its SEC disclosures. This is simply how things are. Of course, understanding workers have the right to organize hasn't stopped other tech companies (most notably Amazon) from engaging in anti-union actions that have often been found to be in contravention of the NLRA.

Where things get interesting is the second half of this principle, which sounds an awful lot like a promise of non-interference. Certainly, members of the tech press have interpreted it that way. But saying Microsoft might not "benefit" from resisting a union campaign and stating plainly that it will not work against such a campaign are not the same. This particular phrasing also does not claim an anti-union campaign would be actively harmful either, meaning shareholders likely wouldn't have recourse to sue the company if it chooses to take that approach down the line.

We reached out to Microsoft to ask if it will agree not to hold captive audience meetings or engage union-avoidance law firms to carry out similar actions on its behalf; we also asked if it will agree to voluntarily recognize union drives within its ranks. A spokesperson for the company told Engadget that "Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn't have anything further to add at this time beyond what's included in Brad's blog."

We are committed to creative and collaborative approaches with unions when employees wish to exercise their rights and Microsoft is presented with a specific unionization proposal. In many instances, employee unionization proposals may open an opportunity for Microsoft to work with an existing union on agreed upon processes for employees to exercise their rights through a private agreement. We are committed to collaborative approaches that will make it simpler, rather than more difficult, for our employees to make informed decisions and to exercise their legal right to choose whether to form or join a union.

If this isn't de facto an undermining of the union process I don't know what is. Rather than accept a "specific union proposal," Microsoft is saying, quite clearly, it prefers to do something other than agree to that proposal  and in the form of a "private agreement" to boot. (Collective bargaining agreements, which govern the relationship between an employer and it unionized employees, are typically public.) Likewise, anyone should feel a deep suspicion in Microsoft's claim that it can help its workers make "informed decisions" on the kind of workplace they'd prefer to have while also representing its own interests as a business.

Building on our global labor experiences, we are dedicated to maintaining a close relationship and shared partnership with all our employees, including those represented by a union. For several decades, Microsoft has collaborated closely with works councils across Europe, as well as several unions globally. We recognize that Microsofts continued leadership and success will require that we continue to learn and adapt to a changing environment for labor relations in the years ahead.

Principle four is almost entirely fluff. It contains no explicit promise on how Microsoft will comport itself differently. Presumably, a company cannot help but maintain a "close relationship" with the people who comprise that company. But it also recalls one of the few instances in which a Microsoft-associated company did successfully organize. In 2014, bug testers who were contracted through an outside firm, Lionsbridge, managed to form a union; within a few years, all 38 of them were laid off. Workers filed a complaint with the NLRB regarding the mass layoffs and Microsoft reportedly spent four years attempting to stall the process and convince the agency it should not be considered a joint employer. While Microsoft's Phil Spencer has more recently voiced support for the group of recently-organized quality assurance testers at Activision Blizzard (which Microsoft is in the process of acquiring), that could just as easily be read as an attempt to twist the arm of the FTC: allow this $69 billion anti-trust nightmare to go through and we won't try to crush the first union within a North American AAA games studio.

While some research has indicated unionizations can lead to a temporarily more frigid response from Wall Street and a small reduction in overall profits, other studies indicate a unionized workforce is just as productive, happier and incurs less turnover  presumably the sorts of qualities a mature business like Microsoft would want to foster. Microsoft could very easily help set an industry-wide precedent by committing to meaningful, well-defined policies: not principles, or goals or a corporate ethos, but actual policies which executives could be held accountable for failing to follow. If and when that time comes it will be a cause for celebration, but it isn't today.
Mozilla has created a translation plugin for Firefox that works offline. Firefox Translations will need to download some files the first time you convert text in a specific language. However, it will be able to use your system's resources to handle the translation, rather than sending the information to a data center for cloud processing.

The plugin emerged as a result of Mozilla's work with the European Union-funded Project Bergamot. Others involved include the University of Edinburgh, Charles University, University of Sheffield and University of Tartu. The goal was to develop neural machine tools to help Mozilla create an offline translation option. "The engines, language models and in-page translation algorithms would need to reside and be executed entirely in the users computer, so none of the data would be sent to the cloud, making it entirely private," Mozilla said.

One of the big limitations of the plugin as things stand is that it can only handle translations between English and 12 other languages, according to TechCrunch. For now, Firefox Translations supports Spanish, Bulgarian, Czech, Estonian, German, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian Bokmal and Nynorsk, Persian, Portuguese and Russian.

Mozilla and its partners on the project have created a training pipeline through which volunteers can assist out by helping train new models so more languages can be added. They're looking for feedback on existing models too, so Firefox Translations is very much a work in progress.

For the time being, though, the plugin can't hold a candle to the 133 languages that Google Translate supports. Apple and Google both have mobile apps that can handle offline translations as well.

On the surface, it's a little odd that a browser, which is by definition used to access the web, would need an offline translation option. But translating text on your device and avoiding the need to transfer it to and from a data center could be a boon for privacy and security.
New York lawmakers have passed a bill that would temporarily ban new bitcoin mining operations. Early on Friday, state senators voted 36-27 to pass the legislation. It's now bound for the desk of Governor Kathy Hochul, who will sign it into law or veto the bill. The law would come into effect immediately after it's signed.

An attempt to enact similar legislation last year hit a wall when the New York State Senate passed it but Assembly members did not. The latest bill passed the Assembly in April.

The legislation seeks to establish a two-year moratorium on licenses for cryptocurrency mining operations that use power-hungry proof-of-work authentication methods for validating blockchain transactions. Right now, bitcoin and ethereum (the two largest cryptocurrencies) fall under that category, though the latter is shifting to a different setup .

The moratorium only covers mining operations that run on carbon-based power sources. Any that harness entirely renewable energy sources or an alternative to proof of work that requires less power won't be affected. Existing operations and those already going through a permit renewal process won't be impacted either .

While the moratorium is in place, New York will carry out a study into the environmental impact of proof-of-work authentication methods, per the bill. As CNBC notes, New York has ambitious climate goals that require the state's greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced by 85 percent by 2050 under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

New York became a hotbed for crypto mining operations in part due to its plentiful hydroelectricity, low electricity prices and cooler climate than other areas of the US (which means less energy is needed to cool mining hardware).

Some mining companies have threatened to leave New York due to regulatory uncertainty and set up shop in more crypto-friendly states. Even so, crypto proponents have suggested that, given New York's status as a legislative leader, other states could follow suit with similar regulations.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration is working on a policy regarding bitcoin mining. The White House is looking into the impact of such technology on greenhouse gas emissions.
New York has just passed the digital fair repair act (Assembly Bill A7006B), making it one of just a few states in the US to do so. The bill, which was introduced in April 2021, passed the senate on June 1st and passed assembly today. It's now headed to the governor for signing (or veto), and will take effect a year after it becomes law.

The act, titled "Digital Fair Repair Act," will require OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to "make diagnostic and repair information for digital electronic parts and equipment available to independent repair providers and consumers if such parts and repair information are also available to OEM authorized repair providers." That means companies can no longer dictate where you can bring your devices to get them repaired by limiting the access to components or diagnostic information.

If a part is no longer available to the OEM, it will not need to make the same part available to everyone. For things that require security-related locks or authorizations, the OEM has to, "on fair and reasonable terms," supply the tools or documentation needed to access or reset such devices "through appropriate secure release systems."

The amended version of the bill also states that the proposed requirements will apply to "products with a value over ten dollars" and that OEMs or authorized repair providers don't have to make available any parts, tools or documentation if the intended use is for modification of the products. It also excludes public safety communications equipment and "home appliances with digital electronics embedded within them" from the act. Given the way companies have been trending towards making smart fridges, washing machines and more, this could potentially be an enormous loophole or at the very least exclude a large number of products.

Massachusetts previously passed its own Digital Right to Repair Act, which covered parts or machines containing microprocessors. The state has recently expanded that to include connected automobiles. Meanwhile, the California state Senate introduced its own right to repair bill in February, which appears to have bipartisan support.
Some classical economists who believe in a harmonious order of the society and envisioned a growth-based capitalism have been labelled as optimists.

Others theorised a conflict-ridden society in capitalism and have been termed as pessimists. This article discusses the validity of these labels.

Classical political economists of the 18th and 19th centuries have had different views of the society. Some economists have put forward the thesis of a harmonious society, promoting the policies of laissez-faire. The core belief behind this understanding is that if everybody pursues their self-interest, then the society would operate in a harmonious fashion (Kirzner 1989). Some others have focused on the conflicts between classes in the capitalist society, lending economics the name of a dismal science (Skousen 2007). While the former have been labelled as optimists, the latter have been commonly called pessimists (Schumpeter 1954; Hicks 1966; Popescu 2007). The optimists are enthusiastic about the growth prospects of capitalism, while the pessimists are critical about the same (Alvey 2003; Schumpeter 1954).

This article attempts to argue that such a dichotomy is erroneous and that it is an incomplete understanding to limit these thinkers to definite categories. The article will examine this by restricting the discussion to the works of Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Jean-Baptiste Say, and Karl Marx. To begin with, the article tries to understand these labels, defining the optimism and pessimism as understood commonly. We shall discuss whether the nomenclature does justice to the work of these economists.

Self-interest and Harmony

Adam Smith: Smith was a classical economist who focused on long-run economic growth with his analysis centred around a self-interest maximising individual. Smiths (1776) An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations was concerned with increasing the overall national income of a country. This was to be brought about by the division of labour that would stimulate capital accumulation, increase productivity of the workers, and increase national output, and consequently, the wealth of nations would be augmented.

One of Smiths popular concepts is the invisible hand, which he borrowed from Bernard de Mandeville (1714). The implication is that the self-interested actions of every individual would culminate in public welfare and the competitive forces in the economy would constantly work to harmonise society as a whole (Viner 1927). In The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith (1759) states that by spending their surplus wealth, rich people unknowingly contribute to making a distribution of the necessaries of life equally among the people of the society. Similarly, in The Wealth of Nations, he asserts that when individuals pursue their own advantages, it collectively leads to public benefit.

Smith has often been touted as the prophet of capitalism. He wrote that the history of human beings has passed through four major epochs: the age of hunters, the age of shepherds, the age of agriculture, and the age of commerce; and this history has culminated into the age of commerce where freedom, civilisation and self-preservation, and consequently happiness, reached its highest form (Alvey 2003). He has, therefore, been labelled as the great optimist (Skousen 2007: 37) on account of his enthusiasm towards the prospects of economic growth in the commercial age, and his belief in the rationality of the individual, which will drive towards the general betterment of the society (Viner 1927; Bishop 1995). Through free trade, division of labour and capital formation, Smith further envisaged the progress of a nation under the domain of the unrestricted spread of the market economy through laissez-faire (Skousen 2007).

Jean-Baptiste Say: Say is often considered the French successor of Smith with respect to his optimism and promotion of laissez-faire and free trade. In fact, Skousen (2007: 50) writes,

Adam Smiths optimistic vision was never in more capable hands than those of the French devotees of laissez-faire. Short of the marginal analysis, they carried the doctrine of the invisible hand and the natural harmony of the market system to its zenith.

Influenced by Smiths work, Say was associated with the doctrine of laissez-faire. Say built on Smiths writings, focusing on the centrality of self-interest, and extending the idea of an invisible hand that guides social interests (Forget 2001). He was enthusiastic about the role of the entrepreneur, one who is responsible for the creation of new products and services using the right combination of resources (Forget 2001). In his work, A Treatise on Political Economy (1836), Say talks about how trade protectionism hurts consumers in all countries and actively propagates free trade.

Say introduced a pro-production model of economic growth, where production is the source of demand. Since, in general, demand is equal to the production of goods, overproduction could not occur. Hence, the production of a good creates its potential demand. This implies that during times of depression, it was prescribed to wait for the market to take its course as it would rectify the imbalances in the long run (Formaini 2006). Thus, Say put prime importance on self-interest and its corrective mechanism, asserting that social processes and institutions adhere to some natural law independent of the foresight of administrators (Forget 2001).

Belief in Natural Order

The analysis of the likes of Smith and Say has been associated with the theory of harmony. This theory favours laissez-faire policies with minimum intervention of the state and institutions, such that the interests of every individual in the society are at harmony with each other (Kirzner 1989). One interpretation of the theory of harmony is of a society where there are no conflicts among the various agents and everybodys interests can be met jointly (Mises 1949). An associated interpretation is the idea of a spontaneous order, which implies that markets generally mend themselves in an orderly fashion as a result of the self-interest maximising behaviour of various agents, and that this behaviour is also responsible for the unplanned and progressive evolution of social institutions over centuries (Forget 2001). In fact, Bishop (1995: 169) states that scholars in business ethics and economists like Milton Friedman and Allan Gibbard endorse amorality in the executive suit since the invisible hand would take care of justice and morality, and thereby justifies the profit-seeking behaviour of firms, where pursuing ones self-interest would necessarily lead to the overall welfare of the society.

Say is most famous for what is known as the Says law, the simplest understanding of which states that the supply creates its own demand. This law fundamentally came as a criticism of the physiocratic doctrine and has been used by classical economists (Roncaglia 2017). The central thesis of Says law was to restate Smiths theory insofar as technological development can improve production and living standards of population, and growth is driven by savings and investment rather than consumption (Roncaglia 2017). Moving to the interpretation of the Says law, we see that it has often been misunderstood, most notably by Keynes (Beraud and Numa 2019). He inferred that Say claimed that supply creates its own demand, and alleged that Say was stating the economy would always be in full employment.

Pessimists: An Impending Doom?

David Ricardo: Ricardo was influenced by Thomas Malthus (1798) who posited that the population would outgrow natural resources and the society would ultimately reach a situation of misery and vice. Ricardo (1815) formalised the model by incorporating the assumption of diminishing marginal returns and asserted that a stationary state, where the profit rate falls to zero, was inevitable in the economy. At the stationary state, larger class of the population would survive only on subsistence and would put pressure on the limited resources, while small proportion of landowners would extract the profit. Thus, the sustainability of economic growth was a prime concern for both Malthus and Ricardo (Ucak 2015).

Ricardo also directed attention to class conflict, asserting that the interest of the landowners is always opposed to the interest of every other class in the community (Ricardo 1815: 7). Through his iron law of wages, he stated that the wages of the worker will fall down to the subsistence wage in the long run. Additionally, economic progress, while consistently driving down profits, would simultaneously raise land rents. Ricardo also states how the substitution of workers by machines would displace workers and cause unemployment and intensify class conflicts (Kurz 2010). This brings to the fore a class conflict between the landlords and the capitalists. Class conflict, instead of harmony, was a central feature of Ricardos economic analysis (Mitra 1977).

Joseph Schumpeter (1954) alleged that economists like Malthus and Ricardo lacked imagination because their primary focus was on the struggles and problems of the people despite living through the progress of the industrial revolution. Ricardo was pessimistic about the long-run economic trend and was accused of underestimating technical progress (Roncaglia 2017). Ricardo has been classified as a technological pessimist, with a strong focus on diminishing returns in agriculture (Kurz 2010). However, this perceived pessimism of Ricardo, Malthus and John Stuart Mill appeared to take the optimistic laissez-faire world into desperate straits (Skousen 2007).

Karl Marx: The reasons behind labelling Ricardo as a pessimist are intensified with Marx. Marx borrowed from Ricardo and took those ideas forward. He theorised an antagonistic view of the society where there is a conflict of interests between the two major classesthe capitalists and the proletariat. Marx (1867) highlighted the exploitative nature of capitalism through alienation of labour, and extraction of surplus value of the workers. The introduction of machinery in capitalism displaces labour, and creates a reserve army of labour in the form of excess population, which pushes wages downwards (Kurz 2010).

In his dialectic view, there is a continuous contradiction between dynamic forces of production and the historical social relations of production, and between the economic base and the social structure. He stated that the profit rate in capitalism will tend to fall with the progress of capitalism. These contradictions culminate in class conflicts, which would ultimately lead to the demise of capitalism (Marx 2007). Capitalism that was perceived to be mutually beneficial and naturally harmonious by Smith and Say is now theorised to be alien, exploitative and self-destructive (Skousen 2007: 65).

By revealing the exploitative nature of Smiths age of commerce, and the prediction that the system would be responsible for its own demise, Marx has been labelled a pessimist by some commentators (Skousen 2007; Ucak 2015).

Justified Labels?

As mentioned earlier, the metric of laissez-faire and enthusiasm is used to define the limits of using the term optimism, which finds resonance in its more common usage. This has led to this categorisation as optimists and pessimists. However, does such labelling do justice to the work of these thinkers?

Pessimism of the Optimists

Adam Smith: Smith is associated with the theory of harmony, one interpretation of which entails the absence of conflict across the interests of individuals (Kirzner 1989). However, Smith had himself discussed the issues of conflict and power structure within the economy (Samuels 1977). He had mentioned that when the land of a country becomes private property, the class of landlords will try to extract rent off the land through the labour of the workers. Further, in the chapter, Of the Wages of Labour in The Wealth of Nations, Smith identified the contradiction between the workers and the employers in the manufacturing sector. He placed these contradictions on the difference in interest of the two classes. While the employers are interested in lowering the wages, the workers interests lie in increasing the same. In this conflict, the employers and workers do not have the same bargaining power because of the legislative power and higher savings that the former possess (Viner 1927). As a result, the employers interests generally prevail. Smith, therefore, had introduced not only class contradictions, but also the topic of class antagonism in his economic analysis (Mitra 1977).

A detailed reading of Smith would reveal that he was doubtful about the long-run benefits of technological progress. Although the productivity of workers would increase, they are not expected to benefit from this, as the stock of capital would accumulate in a few hands. In fact, a situation might arise where rent and profit eat up wages and the two superior orders of people oppress the inferior one (Smith 1776: 438). The conflict among classes observed here goes against the common perception that Smith believed self-interested individuals to bring about societal harmony.

Similarly, although Smith was favourable towards the policies of laissez-faire, it would be incorrect to invoke Smith to argue for minimum government intervention. Smith had stated that the government should help in the removal of barriers to choose occupations, undertake public activities in education, hygiene, progressive taxations, protect private property and regulate the currency (Letiche 1960). The government also had to be responsible for reducing the harmful effects of economic progress and introducing laws to secure justice and security (Forget 2001). Therefore, opening up markets would not necessarily entail the potential for progress. There is a need to mitigate the conflicts of interest in the society in which the government plays a crucial role. So, here again, we find that Smiths optimism in market mechanisms to maintain social harmony is restricted to a considerable extent.

The often-cited instance of the invisible hand also comes along with its cautions from Smith himself. He had stated that if the market is left to itself, greed of some people may hamper any sort of development, and private property owners would end up accumulating a lot of wealth (Viner 1927). His prescription of a division of labour might lead to damage the intelligence and creativity of the workers. In fact, he was critical of the persuasion of self-interest of merchants as that would not lead to any public well-being but rather may lead to oppression and deception of the public (Bishop 1995). Thus, the claim that one can pursue self-interest and solely depend on the sense of justice and equality of the invisible hand appears to be flawed from Smiths own point of view.

As mentioned before, Smiths optimism stems from the advent of the advanced age of commerce. However, where Smith predicts the inevitability of the age of commerce in human history, he also provides a caveat that the terrain and climate prevents the advent of the age of commerce in some parts of the world (Alvey 2003). Further, the persistence of slavery in the modern commercial age points at its failure to ensure a harmonious natural order (Alvey 2003).

Jean-Baptiste Say: We have briefly discussed how Say was misinterpreted by Keynes. Says postulates do not imply that supply is necessarily equal to demand and that the economy is always in full equilibrium (Formaini 2006; Beraud and Numa 2018). His primary focus was on production and not on supply. Despite the conventional understanding of Says law stating supply creates its own demand, he only meant that selling products would increase an individuals personal money holding, which could potentially, but not necessarily, enable the buying of other goods (Beraud and Numa 2018). Thus, the universality of supply creating demand according to Say does not necessarily always hold.

Moreover, although Say has often been clubbed among the economists who favour the natural order of things with minimum interference of the government, he recognised the role of the legislature for the smooth functioning of the economy (Forget 2001). Say identified that there may be conflicts in interests among the various classes in the economy. He assigned the role to the legislator to take care of the consumption of the different classes, providing education and public goods, and address the problems of workers during the course of technological improvement (Forget 2001). Public benefit would not occur naturally until the intervention of a capable legislator.

Thus, the postulates of Smith and Say are not universally optimistic. Both have expressed their doubts regarding the unhindered and therefore natural order of the economy and have put sufficient stress on the functions of the government. The few pursuing their self-interest might very well lead to the oppression of the majority, thereby causing conflicts among the different classes in the society instead of ensuring harmony among them. Thus, the basis of looking at these economists as optimists is therefore flawed and incomplete.

Optimism of the Pessimists

Hollander (1977) addresses how Schumpeters charge of pessimism against Ricardo is misleading and unfounded. Ricardo stressed on how efficient organisation can promote the growth of the British economy (Letiche 1960). Hollander (1977) furnishes evidence that documents Ricardos speeches in the British parliament, and correspondences about his views about the future growth prospects in Britain. Letiche (1960) states that labelling Ricardo as a pessimist is irrelevant; he should instead be labelled as over-optimistic about the long-term growth prospects of Britain. In fact, Ricardo was enthusiastic about the technological progress in both agriculture and manufacturing (Hollander 1977). The diminishing returns that Ricardos pessimism focused on would be overcome by technological progress (Rostow 1990). Although Ricardo did predict a downward trend in profit rate, he did not attach much weight to this, as his theoretical growth model predicted dynamism of the British economy (Hollander 1977).

In the third edition of On the Principles of Political Economy (1821), there is no longer the mention of the barrier to profit that comes up in Ricardos original argument: if technological progress is furthered by continuous accumulation, then the barriers to capitalist growth can diminish (Davis 1993). Introduction of machinery can, in fact, increase rents, which should make him an optimist spokesperson for capitalism (Davis 1993). Technological innovations in forms of introduction of machinery and international trade can get rid of the negative effects of a stationary state (Ucak 2015).

Marx was undoubtedly critical about capitalism and its effects on the society. However, he did note how the advent of capitalism, according to him, would do away with feudal and patriarchal structures and get rid of any pre-capitalist divisions of labour (Marx and Engels 1848). The progress of capitalism, according to him, would destroy the sexual division of labour within the family, and the women would no longer be financially dependent on the men of the family (Hartmann 1979). When more and more women would join the labour force, they would eventually be emancipated from the patriarchal constraint (Engels 1884). Marx has also noted the huge increase in productivity that capitalism would bring about with itself. Marx and Engels (1848) state how capitalism has massively increased productive forces by controlling all the natures forces. Marx has noted how capitalism has utilised science in order to systematically increase productivity of the society, and the introduction of machine-based manufacturing has improved productivity among people more than ever before (Rosenberg 1974). Because of its own motives of profit accumulation, capitalism introduces newer technical innovations, and abandons older techniques (Okishio 1977). Marx acknowledged the immensely growing British industry and attributed it to the convergence of a unique system of incentives, availability of scientific knowledge, and special technology (Rosenberg 1974). Capitalism is indeed perceived to be a system that was detrimental to the working class, but Marx acknowledged how the advent of capitalism would be a necessary precondition for breaking up the pre-capitalist social hierarchy, and the immense productive capacity that it brough along with it.

Conclusions

From the discussions above, it can be understood that labelling the economists as optimists and pessimists is incomplete and incorrect. Smith and Say, the suggested optimists, were not unconditional prophets of natural order of the economy and harmonious order of society. They also talk about conflicts among groups of people, when people follow their self-interests without any government intervention.

Similarly, the so-called pessimists too had prospects that they were enthusiastic about. Ricardo was optimistic about the advent of capitalism on account of the technological progress that it would bring about. Marx was enthusiastic about the technological benefits of capitalism.

One probable reason for the continued misunderstanding of these thinkers is that these interpretations are largely influenced by the power and ideology prevailing in the discipline (Samuels 1977). It is a political convenience to pigeonhole these economists in linear boxes and invoke Smith every time someone needs to defend the wrath of the free market and is useful in defending the conventional paradigm of economist today. However, it is imperative to undertake a detailed reading of these thinkers, to prevent the perpetuation of orthodox dogmas in the name of these thinkers.

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Holy Science: The Biopolitics of Hindu Nationalism by Banu Subramaniam, University of Washington Press, Orient Blackswan, 2019; pp xv + 290, $95, `945 (hardcover).

Arecent calendar published by a department at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur presented ancient and religious knowledge as being modern and scientific.1 Stretch back a few years and we have sessions within the annual Indian Science Congress titled the Neuroscience of Yoga and Engineering Applications of Ancient Indian Botany.2 Even in the midst of a pandemic, there was no dearth of pseudoscientific claims valorising traditional practices.3 The scientisation of religion has long been a feature of the Indian society. Meera Nanda adopted the term reactionary modernism4 to argue that Hindu nationalists have often appropriated the benefits and outcomes of science and simultaneously suppressed egalitarian values that inform the scientific world view (universalism, secularism, equality, and democratisation) (Nanda 2005).5 A broad range of social reformers, rationalists, scientists, and progressive political forces6 have argued that this suppression has been a historical presence in the Indian society. This view argues that the cultivation of egalitarian values (precursors to the scientific world view) serves the sectional interest of those purporting religious dogma (in particular, the caste system in India). They further argue that science and values underlying it hold emancipatory potential for the Indian society.

However, a third view, which emerged in the 1970s, is that one can and should preserve the unique India assemblage of science and religion whilst being critical of Hindu nationalism and Western models of science. It is in this context that Banu Subramaniams book Holy Science: The Biopolitics of Hindu Nationalism is to be understood. The objective of the book is (to explore) the enduring relationship of science and religion in India as both forged practices and ideologies that resist gender and caste transformations (p 8). The book itself is an ode to the third view mentioned in the introduction. While doing so, the book draws its theoretical framework from postcolonial theory, feminist science, and technology studies as well as Michel Foucaults biopower and bio-nationalism (Donna J Haraway, Helen Longino, Sandra Harding, and Foucault).

Scientisation and Hindu Nationalism

The book can be read as two distinct and related sections. The bulk of the book is devoted to five case studies on how science and religion inform various debates on caste, race, gender, sexuality, ecology, and history in India. The authors fluid writing style and the use of thick case studies trace contemporary debates from their precolonial and colonial origins. They also contain a rich review of literature on each of these debates. Each contemporary debate also presents a snapshot of statements made by various prominent members of the Bharatiya Janata Party that helms the central government.

Chapter 1 examines how Indian nationalism (albeit with a more inclusive imagination) shares with Hindu nationalism the idea that science and technology-led development would usher in a new age for the people of India. Further, it explains that the latter often reinforces its claims of the past by using the tag of scientific. The primary example of this is the claim that vastu shastra constitutes both a modern and ancient science. Chapter 2 deals with questions of sexuality and hyper-masculinist notions of nationalism. It is argued that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code institutionalised unequal rights for different citizens by tautologically defining sexual practices as criminal. This draws from the Western scientific notions of sexuality and Christian world views of sexual practices and is redrawn by Hindu nationalists in their own hyper-masculine imagination. Chapter 3 demonstrates how certain strands of environmentalism closely resemble Hindu nationalism. It begins with a description of the controversy surrounding the Sethusamudaram Shipping Canal Project and critically reviews studies in the Indian ecology. It demonstrates that Indian ecology has often shared with Hindu nationalism the view that Indias ecological past was more sustainable. In particular, the chapter critically examines how the work of ecologist Madhav Gadgil and his collaborators valorised the environmental benefits of caste in India.

Chapter 4 looks at the historical debate on the Aryan migration theory to examine how genomics reinforces positions on caste and race. It also describes how different national and international groups use genomics as a battleground on which old debates are being waged anew (p 148). It describes for instance how some international Dalit activists have used the distinction between the Ancestral North Indian (ANI) and Ancestral South Indian (ASI) genomes to argue that caste is a form of race that must be adjudicated at international forums.7 It ends with the description of ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, unani, siddha, and homoeopathy as a tool to rebrand traditional and indigenous practices of medicine and knowledge systems of the body. Chapter 5 examines the debate on surrogacy and reproductive rights in the Indian context and how Hindu nationalism conflates biological sciences with the idea of bodily control.

Complementing these book chapters and interspersed across them are short fictional narratives (nine in total). These stories represent a creative attempt to describe what an imaginative and progressive confluence of religion and science in India should look like (p 8). These stories take place in a fictional planet called Karicreated by divine beings and connected to a central Avatar Lokam (a land of lost dreams and souls). There are periodic life cycles on planet Kari for carbon-based life forms. Each story proposes the evolution of more empathetic human-like life forms and cosmic entities (creation, time, knowledge, and empathy) that work with each other in a seamless manner. Heavily drawing from the notions of Hindu

mythology then, part of the book serves largely as an analogy for syncretic practices within the Indian society where science and religion are not oppositional but are symbionts, partners, and syncretic collaborators (p 42).

A Middle Path?

A common thread present across these chapters is the claim that we can imagine a counter to the dominant narratives of gender, caste, race, religion, ecology, and science (read Western). However, none of the chapters actually go far enough to explain what this view would constitute in practice.

For instance, Chapters 1 and 5 make no attempt to describe the work of various historians who have painfully explained what was scientific and what was mythological within ancient Indian science (Wujastyk 2003; Chattopadhyaya 1978).8 Chapter 2 notes that the opposition to Section 377 was brought about by political mobilisation within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community in India and greater visibility of queer politics in the public discourse. But by the end of the chapter, it collapses this view as one of the many opposing hyper-masculine sexualities in India (including Hindu mythological stories and spiritual leaders calling for a decriminalisation of homosexuality).

Similarly, Chapter 3 highlights how a sustainable precolonial past was constructed by valorising resource distribution under the caste system. It calls for imagining a more just, non-human-centric ecology but never provides a description of what this entails in practice. Chapter 4 does not explain how historians have cautioned against the reading of contemporary social divisions onto the objective analysis of prehistoric populations (Thapar 2000; Joseph 2013).

In great detail, the book identifies the sources of Hindu nationalism within religious and traditional practices. Yet within these practices, the book highlights the idea of syncretic pragmatism and even cautions in some places against the romanticisation of a precolonial past. However, the same treatment is not accorded to its assessment of the scientific world view and its practice. Holy Science: The Biopolitics of Hindu Nationalism does not highlight how universalism, equality, and democracy also inform science and its practice. In fact, it does not attempt to explain how these values oppose the views of a fractured and hierarchical traditional society.9 These shortcomings stem from the position that it is

dedicated to the belief that we do not have to choose between binary logics  instead [we can] embrace science and religion  to imagine worlds that defy imperial Western logics and nativist religious nationalisms. (p XIII)

Is science (its values, methods, and practice) largely defined by its cultural context or does it have a universal import? Why has there been a historical opposition to the adoption of science by dogmatic beliefs not only in India but also in other parts of the world? Further, why does chauvinist nationalism seek to oppose the values that inform the scientific world view? On these questions, the author-proposed third view remains inadequate.

These questions are important because we live in a society where obscurantism is used to justify exploitation and discrimination based on caste, gender, and religion. Many have opposed this at the cost of their lives, while a culture of impunity allows the perpetrators to be untouched.10 If science is thought of as an activity that provides an explanation to the world around us, then it is also an activity that is purposive and social in nature. It is achieved through the physical and intellectual labour of workers, technicians, scientists, and other individuals in society. It is affected by various social, economic, and political institutions but is also distinct from other forms of knowledge about the world. The task that falls on the social sciences is to investigate these aspects of science in practice without shying away from describing how various sectional interests (socio-economic and political) have used science to perpetuate unjust means and ends. Such studies can also effectively challenge various regressive political ideologies present in the Indian society. In the Indian context, it is not a matter of choosing the best of both worlds but one of explaining which of these world views should be the basis of a more just society.

Notes

1 The calendar was made by researchers at the Centre for Excellence for Indian Knowledge Systems at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. See more at https://scroll.in/article/1013976/iit-kharagpur-2022-calendar-on-ancient-india-is-an-exercise-in-propaganda-not-knowledge-production.

2 See descriptions of various seminars held at the Indian Science Congress at https://frontline.thehindu.com/science-and-technology/article26004777.ece.

3 To list out a few, that certain sounds and lights could drive away the COVID-19, that an untested ayurvedic tablet could prevent infection from COVID-19, and the bigoted belief that the virus itself originated from some ethnic minorities.

4 Originally coined by Jeffery Herf (1981) to describe the use of science to glorify Nazism in Germany before World War II.

5 The use of science, technology, and development to bolster religious world views (through pseudoscientific claims) is not unique to India; evidences of this can be found in the past and present within the developed and developing world (Aramesh 2017; Mugaloglu 2014;

Ahmad 2013).

6 This includes progressive social reform movements in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, the All India People Science Network (AIPSN), the Kerala Shastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP), and the works of Narendra Dhabholkar, Govind Pansare, and M M Kalburgi to name a few.

7 This refers to the 2001 United Nations World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance where some Dalit activists made the claim that caste in India should be seen as a form of race-based discrimination and exploitation. See more at https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine

/nation/story/20010903-india-confronts-contentious-issue-of-dalit-atrocities-at-durban-conference-on-racism-774118-2001-09-03.

8 The author, in fact, very briefly acknowledges the contribution of Debiprasad Chattopadhyay to this literature in the introduction but does not refer to a bulk of this work in the chapters that refer to ancient Indian science.

9 Such a position is also opposed by certain forms of communitarian ethics as well as the ethics of care (which has its origin in biomedicine and feminist epistemology). These viewpoints argue that while universal principles cannot be applied as the normative basis of all action, they can and must inform them (Gilligan 1982; Taylor 1994).

10 This refers to the assassinations of Pansare, Dhabholkar, and Gauri Lankesh. It was also widely reported that the assassinations were linked to the same perpetrators and no tangible action was being taken against such organisations. The Supreme Court even entertained the idea of a common investigation to the same. See more at https://www.barandbench.com/news/sc-mulls-common-probe-into-deaths -of-dabholkar-pansare-kalburgi-lankesh.

References

Ahmad, I A D (2013): Science, Technology, and Religion IV: The Trouble with the New, Islamic Science, New Atlantis, pp 89100.

Aramesh, K (2017): Biopolitics, Pseudoscience, and Bioethics in the Global South, American Journal of Bioethics, Vol 17, No 10, pp 2628.

Chattopadhyaya, D (1978): Science and Society in Ancient India, Vol 22, Netherlands: John Benjamins Publishing.

Gilligan, C (1982): In a Different Voice, Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.

Herf, J (1981): Reactionary Modernism: Some Ideological Origins of the Primacy of Politics in the Third Reich, Theory and Society, Vol 10,

No 6, pp 80532.

Joseph, Tony (2013): The Early Indians: The Story of Our Ancestors and Where They Came From, New Delhi: Juggernaut Books.

Mugaloglu, E Z (2014): The Problem of Pseudoscience in Science Education and Implications of Constructivist Pedagogy, Science & Education,

Vol 23, No 4, pp 82942.

Nanda, M (2005): Postmodernism, Hindu Nationalism and Vedic Science, pp 22136, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Taylor, C (1994): Can Liberalism be Communitarian? Critical Review, Vol 8, No 2, pp 25762.

Thapar, R (2000): Hindutva and History, Frontline, Vol 17, No 17, pp 1516.

Wujastyk, D (ed) (2003): The Roots of Ayurveda: Selections from Sanskrit Medical Writings, Penguin.
Pagrhi Sambhal Lehar to Samyukt Kisan Morcha: A Century of Punjab Kisan Struggle 19072021 by Ronki Ram, Chandigarh: Unistar, 2022; pp 129, `595.

The repeal of the three farm laws marks the victory of one of the longest struggles of peasantry in the age of neo-liberal capitalism in India. It is a significant milestone in the history of pro-people social movements in many respects. First, it has boldly challenged the authoritariancorporate nexus that desires to bring the agriculture sector and, in a way, food sovereignty under the control of corporate capital. Second, it has set an example for other social movements that aim to push back neo-liberal forces. Last but not the least, the victory of peasantry over the anti-peasantry laws is a major setback to the unregulated growth of imperialism that seeks to control the production and distribution system of food and land use in the third world countries. In the light of these facts, the significance of the book under review lies in the attempt by its author to historically contextualise the 202021 peasant struggle. The authors attempt to draw parallels between the 202021 peasant struggle and major peasant agitations of the 20th century in Punjab brims with insight and telling details.

Why Protest?

The protest by Punjabs farmer unions against the three ordinances, dealing with agricultural produce, sale, hoarding, marketing, and contract farming promulgated by the Government of India on 5 June 2020, began in east Punjab on 6 June 2020. Despite their continuous resistance against these ordinances, the central government, on 27 September 2020, turned these controversial farm ordinances into bills. The fundamental objective of these three acts was to open up agricultural production and distribution for private corporate capital (EPW Editorial 2020). The author has meticulously traced the intervening period between the passing of the central farm ordinances and their enactment as acts/laws. When the central government unilaterally pushed ahead the passage of the three farm bills in a manner that fell short of the democratic procedure, farmers of Punjab and Haryana started dharnas, blocked roads, and began a pakka morcha (indefinite sit-in) outside the residence of Parkash Singh Badal, the former chief minister of Punjab, chief of Shiromani Akali Dal, and an ally of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) since 1998. A strident opposition was gradually built up in Punjab against the central government farm laws by galvanising varied kisan organisations of the state (pp 78). The peasant unions soon sensed that the central government is in no mood to withdraw the farms laws. Further, the fear of losing the minimum support price (MSP) and Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) system and the freedom to cultivate crops as well as the fear of land grab by the big corporations played an important role in the mobilisation of peasants by the unions against these laws.

The farmers and agricultural labourers unions of Punjab took the lead to shift their protest base to the periphery of Delhi, which was immediately supported by the farmer unions of Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. The march was held under the leadership of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM)a united front formed by the 32 farmer unions of Punjab, which was subsequently supported and joined by the unions from the other states and other pro-people national and international organisations. During the year-long protest, more than 700 protesting farmers lost their lives. The author has discussed many other incidents that reveal the governments agenda to derail the non-partisan peaceful protest at all costs. One such incident that dented the movement was the unfortunate one at the Red Fort on 26 January 2021. Despite the governments nefarious attempts to brand this confrontation as an anti-national act, the farmer unions showed great patience and jointly convinced the protesting farmers to remain peaceful and focused on the cause of their protest.

The 202021 farmers protest has proved that peaceful, but persistent resistance, against the anti-democratic whims of a government under the influence of neo-liberal forces can be challenged even during the rule of majoritarian political regimes. The author has further argued that the unique features of the protest (including but not limited to common kitchens, libraries at protest site, health facilities, participation by women students, etc) as well as its unity and commitment for justice call for an in-depth exploration of the movement. The author undertakes this exploration by contextualising the farmers protest within the rich heritage of peasant struggle in both pre-partition undivided Punjab and post-independence Indian Punjab.

Historical Roots

In Chapters 3 and 4, the author has reviewed some of the major peasant struggles of Punjab that have bequeathed a rich legacy for later generations of farmers of this region. After the annexation of Punjab in 1849, the British Raj put the entire land of the state under meticulously devised legal control. The canalisation of large tracts of barren land had given way to the development of irrigation facilities that not only propelled the high-yielding varieties of crops but also gave rise to the residential colonies of farmers around the newly dug canals. Further, many farmers of this region joined the British Army, which led to a social and political awakening among the newly established canal colonies in western Punjab that eventually played a catalytic role in the peasant movements of Punjab. The author contends that

farmers struggle of 1907 is the pioneer of peasant movement in Punjab, which provides clues to understand what sustained the vigor of 202021 farmers protest at the borders of Delhi. (pp 3536)

He has highlighted that a good number of agro-related actsthe Punjab Land Alienation Act, 1900, the Punjab Loans Limitation Act, 1904, the Transfer of Property Act, 1904, the Punjab Pre-emption Act, 1905, the Court of Wards Act, 1905, and the Punjab Land Alienation Amendment Bill, 1906 had been passed by the provincial government to bring agriculture under the command of the British Raj. These acts were passed without any resistance from the landowners. However, the Punjab Land Colonisation Act, 1906, which stated that if a new settler died without gaining occupancy rights, the land lapsed to the government, had prompted the landowners to rise against the provincial government.

When the landowners of Punjab felt that the act threatened their ownership of the land, they turned hostile. The increase in water rate by the government further aggravated the crisis. In order to resist, the landowners first united under yeoman grantees of the Bar Zamindar Association and then under the revolutionary leadership of Ajit Singh (uncle of Shaheed Bhagat Singh) who with the support of the Bharat Mata Sabha (an underground organisation) fought the Punjab Land Colonisation Act, 1906. Here, the author has made an important analogy between the 1907 and 202021 peasant movement; the laws passed by the governments then and now were perceived by the farmers as a threat

to their land.

The 1907 movement has played an important role in cultivating consciousness among the peasants about their rights of land cultivation. In addition to this movement, the author has discussed a series of other movements, which were generally against the feudal lords, or the laws of the state to protect and extend the feudal system of land tenure. One such movement named Nili Bar da Morcha began in 1938 with the strike of 50,000 muzara (tenant peasants/sharecroppers) under the leadership of Punjab Kisan Sabha (PKS) formed on 23 March 1937. The significance of this morcha was highlighted by the author as the beginning of Kirti Partys movement against feudalism in the Punjab. Other important pre-partition struggles discussed by the author include the Anti-Bandobast (land settlement) agitation of Amritsar in 1938 against the unjust increase in land revenue, the muzara struggle of Gurdaspur, the Charkit Morcha, the Korotana struggle, the Lahore Morcha of 193839, the Harsha Chhina Mogha Morcha (1946), and the Tanada Urmar Morcha (194647) against the anti-peasant policies of British rule and/or feudal lords that were either restricting or undermining the land or cultivation rights of the tenant peasants.

Like in the pre-partition times, the post-independence Indian Punjab also witnessed many peasant struggles to safeguard the land rights of the farmers. From independence to the 1970s, the majority of movements were anti-feudal in nature led by the left-wing leadership/forces. Among the pre-green revolution movements, the Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) muzara movement of 194851 is the most prominent. The PEPSU movement was a continuation of the muzara protracted struggle against the biswedars (big landlords/absentee landlords). The Praja Mandal leaders, Akalis, and leaders of the communist-led kisan unions stood with the muzaras in their tirade against the biswedars who had no legitimate right to land which had been theirs for generations (Mukherjee 2004).

The muzara movement of Patiala state compelled the maharaja to make a royal proclamation on 11 March 1947 to the effect of guaranteeing proprietorship rights to tenants, though only on a portion of land. The tenants did not accept the proclamation and remained steadfast in their resolve to realise the return of their hereditary land (p 59). The author claims that the muzara movement touched new heights with the entry of the Lal Communist Party Hind Union, led by Teja Singh Swatantar, on 5 January 1948. After a long struggle, the PEPSU Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act together with the PEPSU Abolition of Ala Malkiyat Rights Act brought the muzara agitation to its successful conclusion.

It is interesting to note here that the present governments intentions to permit private corporate capital into the agriculture sector were seen by the peasantry as a revival of the muzara system. The farmers fear of land grab by big corporate capital can be seen as an important trigger for their movement against the statecorporate nexus. Another intriguing link with past that the author brings to the fore is the Mehatpur Byet (Anti-betterment Levy Agitation) muzara movement. This movement locally known as KhushHasiyati Tax morcha of 1959 was led by PKS against the levy of tax to cover the construction cost of Bhakra Canal System. The author has rightly highlighted that like the contemporary peasant struggle, the Anti-betterment Levy Agitation

brought together volunteers from across divides of castes, class (poor, middling, rich landowners and landless agricultural labourers), gender, age, religion, political affiliations (congressities, Akali and Communists) and both urban and rural. (p 66)

The farmers protesting at Delhi borders were accused of being Khalistanis and supported by urban Naxals just as the peasants of the Mehatpur Byet muzara movement who were allegedly accused of being supported by Naxalities, and resultantly, subjected to brutal oppressions of the state but ultimately both emerged victorious due to their innate strengths.

Shifting Phenomenology

Moving on, the book takes us through the shift in leadership and objectives of the Punjab peasant movements after the introduction of the green revolution technology. Prior to the 1970s, these movements essentially aimed at striking against the state and zamindars who were exploiting the tenant peasants. However, after the 1970s, particularly after the introduction of the green revolution technology, the rich peasantry who benefited from this technology gradually hijacked the peasant organisations. The Chandigarh Morcha is an apt example of these changes. The author has argued that with the formation of Punjab Kheti Bari Zamindara Union in 1972 that was later transformed into the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) in 1980, a major shift occurred in the nature and politics of farmers movement in Punjab (pp 7273). Till the mid-1970s, all farmers struggles were waged under active leadership of the communists, but with the formation of the BKU, the centre of gravity of the Punjab farmers union politics shifted to affluent farmer leaders with no communist background. The BKU leadership has since its inception been monopolised by the rich farmers but even small and marginal farmers joined it. The first major kisan agitation launched by the BKU started on 20 January 1983 with the non-payment of electricity bills. Since then, the farmers movements of Punjab have shifted to the issues of remunerative prices, input subsidies, etc. Consequently, the unions backed by the communist parties gradually lost all ground in Punjab. Even in the present movement, leaders of many left-oriented unions have hesitated to openly declare themselves as communists. The fundamental reason behind this shift is the incessant attempts of mainstream political parties and the mainstream BKU leadership to brand communists organisations as stalking horses for the communist movement.

In the last chapter of the book, the author has raised some important concerns that he hopes the pro-people intellectuals will address in the near future. It is of grave importance to understand how the question of farmers welfare through the state initiatives in the form of the public investment, building the rural infrastructure and strengthening the cooperative rural network, extending MSP support for other crops other than wheat and paddy has been effectively substituted with the interests of big corporate capital and imperialism. There is also a dire need to understand the changing role of the state in response to the agrarian crisis. The government has built a compelling narrative about the necessity of big private corporate capitals intervention into the agriculture sector to promote the welfare of the farmers (Singh 2021). But what are the implications for statesociety relationship in the near future. Overall, this book is an important contribution to understand the long-standing tradition of peasant movements in Punjab. It is a significant source for those who want to further explore the relationship between peasantry, state, corporate capital, and imperialism in the past, present, and future. It is also helpful to understand the various aspects of the peasant movement of 202021. However, there is a need to go beyond the narrative built by the author by meticulously applying theoretical understanding of the victory of peasant movements to gauge the future of social movements in the neo-liberal phase of capitalism.

References

EPW Editorial (2020): Imposing New Inequalities, Economic & Political Weekly, Vol 55, No 40.

Mukherjee, M (2004): Peasants in Indias Non-violent Revolution: Practice and Theory, New Delhi: Sage Publication.

Singh, P (2021): Neoliberal Capitalism and Misery of Small Peasantry and Agricultural Labourers in India, Human Geography, 7 October.
Wild and Wilful by Neha Sinha, Noida: HarperCollins Publishers, 2021; pp 232, `599.

Policies and practices aimed at conservation in India increasingly grapple with a new realitythat of nature operating outside human borders (Rangarajan et al 2014). On the one hand, habitats promised to non-humans in India (and the majority world) keep shrinking, their borders being

redrawn to accommodate interests of unequal growth. On the other, a technobureaucratic hubris seeks to contain non-humans within administrative boundaries. What problematises this approach further is that non-humans produce their fluid geographiesmigratory corridors, evolutionary ley lines, and criss-crossing dominionsthat continually question and challenge human-imposed borders. The question is, how do human and non-human relations get reconfigured when nature spills over? Is humananimal conflict an inevitable outcome of such dissolution or is it possible to manage conflict in a crowded country experiencing high levels of wealth inequality? Can an intimate understanding of the non-human world replace conflict with conviviality? What kind of beliefs and practices do humans need to transgress to shape such a relationship?

In Wild and Wilful, with a collection of 11 articles, dedicated to 15 iconic Indian species, Neha Sinha sets out to engage with some of these questions. Each chapter not only brings home the unfamiliar from the distant wild but also seeks to familiarise the reader with the wild that exists in their everyday lives. This explains why, apart from Indias iconic wild species, such as the Indian tiger, Asian elephant, Indian leopard, and the Ganges river dolphin, Sinha also includes species that penetrate urban everyday existence, namely rhesus macaque, rosy starling, and tiger butterfly. By placing the great Indian bustard, an endemic and endangered bird of which barely a hundred remain in the world, alongside the migrant amur falcon, whose numbers, thankfully, have begun to thrive in response to conservation action, Sinha balances lament and anguish with hope and triumph.

Taking a cue from the animated superhero television seriesCaptain PlanetSinha organises the book into four sectionsEarth, Sky, Water, and Heart. This organisation subtly intersects with terrestrial, avian, and aquatic species, but wilfully perhaps, the great Indian bustard and the white-bellied heron find a home on earth and not in the sky.

HumanAnimal Conflict

In the opening section titled Earth, Sinha draws attention to the issue of humananimal conflict by discussing five key speciesthe Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca), the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), the spectacled cobra (Naja naja), the king cobra (Ophiohagus hannah), the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), and the Indian tiger (Panthera tigris tigris). Each of these species inspires love, affection, fear, and loathing. Some, such as the rhesus macaque and the Asian elephant, enjoy the status of Hindu gods (Hanuman and Ganesh, respectively) while the spectacled cobra and the king cobra are part of Hindu ritual worship. And yet, as Sinha shows, reverence does not necessarily lead to conservation.

This paradox where an enigmatic species transforms from protected to pestilential is most vividly described in the opening section on the Indian Leopard, which has increasingly become an archetype of humananimal conflict in India. Such conflict registers on closed-circuit television footage that frequently captures leopards hunting pet dogs from urban premises with meticulous stealth. The other involves their brutal lynching, where angry mobs take group selfies over a bloodied carcass. Sinha foregrounds her own experience of engaging with a relocation of a leopard found inside the Yamuna Biodiversity Park in Delhi. The retelling of her experience provides insights into how politicians and administrators prioritise paranoia over wildlife science in their response to humanwildlife conflict. As Sinha shows, disregard for science is not limited to elected representatives, as Indias premier wildlife sciences institute ends up falling prey to the same paranoia when a leopard is spotted inside its idyllic campus. Sinha passionately argues that relocationa panacea in the case of humananimal conflictserves to amplify the problem. As the confused and frightened animal continually attempts to return home, it ends up cutting across more human boundaries. Sinhas vivid description of a captured leopard, bashing its head against the steel bars of its cagean act of self-harmbecomes symbolic not only of rage and rebellion but also of the struggle of non-humans to break free from human confines.

A similar fate shadows the rhesus macaque and the Asian elephant, both venerated and vilified. Sinha concludes that every time animals behave differently or appear in a place, which they were excluded from, they become pestilential. This argument closely resonates with Krithika Srinivasans (2019) recent theorisation of unintentional naturesanimals living outside the realm of human control. Though Srinivasan mostly refers to her research on street dogs in urban India to problematise how notions of the valued and pestilent is constructed in conservation debates, Sinhas stories showcase how such theorisation can even apply to iconic species, such as the leopard or the elephant, as they begin showing up in towns and villages. Interestingly, the reverse penetration of stray dogs and cows inside wildlife habitats shows how unintentional natures continually upend conservation zoning. Furthermore, if leopards venture outside wildlife sanctuaries into urban areas to hunt for street dogs and tigers do the same for stray cattle, then unintentional natures not only emerge out of the dissolution of borders that separate humans and non-humans but also the artificial separation of non-humans through categories such as wild or domestic. Conservation science and practice, therefore, has to contend with such ontological messiness while making sense of nature operating outside protected areas.

Conviviality

In Sky and Water, Sinha celebrates stories of conviviality. The story of the conservation of the amur falcon (falco amurensis) in Pangti village in Nagaland has now become part of the conservation folklore. Sinha draws on her own experience of being part of a campaign that metamorphosed mass hunting of the winged visitors into a community conservation success fostered through ecotourism. To her credit, she does not shy away from reflecting on the political struggle of Nagalanda state in the north-east region of India that has witnessed decades of economic neglect, ethnic conflict, and military oppression. She elegantly illustrates that community-based conservation is not only about conviviality between humans and non-humans but also between different social groups where trust emerges as an operative word.

In the story of Sitaram Das, popularly known as Babaji, in the Kotmi Sonar village in Chhattisgarh, Sinha sketches an intimate portrait of how selfless love shapes humananimal relationship. The septuagenarian temple priest lost one of his arms to a female mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) who was protecting her eggs and perceived him to be an intruder. Surviving such a near-death experience instilled an undying love in Babaji for conserving mugger crocodiles. His lifelong mission to serve the very species that maimed him for life is an extraordinary tale of compassion. This story stands out in the collection as it chronicles a spiritual and empathetic relationship between the human and non-human world existing outside the neo-liberal calculus of win-win conservation.

Radical Empathy

Sinha vividly describes how human ignorance and antipathy towards the non-human shapes conflict between the two. As a result, farmers in West Bengal who pelt elephants with firebombs to keep them from entering a village acquire sharper focus. So do people who try to film themselves kissing cobras for TikTok videos. In comparison, the political economy of limitless growth that drives non-human extinction tends to get blurred. It is not that Sinha stays away from such debates. In her narration, the great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) and the white-bellied heron (Ardea insignis) become impediments to green growth and progress as their habitats become coterminous with renewable power projects. However, while Sinhas emotive prose generates radical empathy for the non-human world and critical enquiry into human prejudice, it does not necessarily examine the current paradigm of economic growth embedded in the everyday consumption that has locked the non-human and the human world into inevitable conflict. One encounters this in Sinhas enchanting description of the flight of a common grass yellow butterfly from her car while stuck in traffic in Delhi. Sinha shifts the readers attention to the butterfly as a lively celebration of urban nature after a fleeting personal reflection on the grim reality of Delhis polluted air, substantively fuelled by the exhaust fumes of privately owned automobiles.

Imbued with scientific knowledge and insight and written with a deep sense of compassion, Wild and Wilful is a powerful exhortation for reimagining our relationship with the non-human world. In his recent article, Against Nature Writing, writer and philosopher, Charles Foster (2021) expressed his anguish that language keeps falling short of describing the non-human world in its own terms. In his words, Language wants to clutch, corral, and fence; to constrain, tame, and neaten the tangled wild (Foster 2021). In Wild and Wilful, Sinha has used language as an intimate intermediary between the human and non-human world. Her writing emerges as a counterpoint to Fosters argument, generating empathy and wonder for each of the species she writes about, while at the same time, deftly dismantling the arrogance that scaffolds anthropocentrism by showcasing that intelligence, memory, imagination, kindness, and love are not qualities exclusive to humans but are distributed and dispersed across all species.

References

Buscher, Bram and Robert Fletcher (2020): The Conservation Revolution: Radical Ideas for Saving Nature Beyond the Anthropocene,

London: Verso.

Foster, Charles (2021): Against Nature Writing, Emergence Magazine, https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/against-nature-writing/.

Rangarajan, Mahesh, M D Madhusudan and Ghazala Shahabuddin (eds) (2014): Nature Without Borders, New Delhi: Orient Blackswan.

Srinivasan, Krithika (2019): Remaking More-than-Human Society: Thought Experiments on Street Dogs as Nature, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, Vol 44,

No 2, pp 37691, https://doi.org/10.1111/tran.12291.
HELSINKI, Finland, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Valmet Oyj's press release on June 3, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. EEST

Valmet has progressed in reviewing its operations in Russia and implementing its exit plan.

Already in the spring, the company decided not to make any new sales projects in Russia. In addition, it canceled EUR 70 million of its order backlog on March 31, 2022.

During the latter part of the spring, the evaluation of the options related to the withdrawal has progressed, and the company has initiated employee reductions, which will result in a 50 percent reduction in the number of employees in Russia in this first implementation phase.

Valmet will withdraw from Russia completely and will continue to implement the withdrawal in stages as the review of implementation options is fully completed.

Approximately 2 percent of Valmet's total net sales came from its Russian operations in 2021. In the spring of 2022, Valmet had a total of approximately 140 employees in Russia, working primarily in sales, engineering, maintenance and financial administration. Valmet does not have production in Russia.

VALMET Corporate Communications

For further information, please contact: Anu Salonsaari-Posti, SVP, Communications and marketing, Valmet, tel. +358 50 453 4262, media@valmet.com

Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. With our automation systems and flow control solutions we serve an even wider base of process industries.

We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers. Our 17,000 professionals work close to our customers and are committed to improving our customers' performance  every day.

The company has over 220 years of industrial history and a strong track record in continuous improvement and renewal. In 2022, a major milestone was achieved when the flow control company Neles was merged into Valmet. The combined company's net sales in 2021 was approximately EUR 4.5 billion based on the respective company figures.

Valmet's shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and the head office is in Espoo, Finland.

Follow us on valmet.com | Twitter | Twitter (IR) | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram |

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https://news.cision.com/valmet-oyj/r/valmet-s-withdrawal-from-russia-is-progressing,c3580059
100 days of war 100. days of russian 3-days military operation that began 8 years ago and actually lasts for 3 centuries. 100 days of the biggest collapse of russia. The country which didnt have a single peaceful year in the modern history - at last made the world sick of its militaristic policy. And received a response. 100 days of the real russian culture - raping children, murdering civilians, looting.
Jerry Lara / San Antonio Express-News

The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in San Antonio hit $4.36 on Friday, the highest on record for the city, AAA Texas said.

Drivers were paying 16.5 percent more Friday than a month ago. In the past year, prices have risen 68 percent from about $2.60 per gallon.
Buc-ees is such a popular travel destination that the city of Luling and Caldwell County will likely fork over millions of dollars to increase the local footprint of the chain.

However, specific details about how much taxpayers will be on the hook for are unclear.

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What is clear is that Caldwell County will cough up 50 percent of sales tax revenue for a proposed expansion of the Luling travel center along Interstate 10, according to an agreement approved by elected officials in April.

The 20-year agreement ensures that the county will refund Buc-ees half of its sales tax revenue for everything sold at what is anticipated to be one of the worlds largest convenience stores, records show.

The city of Luling in April also approved a similar economic development agreement with Buc-ees for the company to build a new 74,000-square-foot travel center at the same I-10 location. A portion of Luling is in Caldwell County and is about 58 miles northeast of San Antonio.

Michael Miller/San Antonio Express-News

In May, Caldwell County denied an Express-News public records request for economic impact statements related to Buc-ees expansion in Luling, citing an exception in the states open records statute that allows governments to withhold records related to discussion in an executive session, which is closed to the public.

You might also like: What Buc-ee's travel centers looked like before they were built

Luling and Caldwell County elected officials also did not respond to requests for comment.

Jeff Nadalo, Buc-ees general counsel, declined to disclose sales figures or financial details for the Luling expansion.



Similar tax incentives approved for Buc-ees in other communities in Texas are worth more than $8 million.

Millions in tax incentives

Buc-ees, which boasts 35 Texas travel centers around the country, opened its first location in Luling in 2001. The store has been renovated several times in recent years and there are plans for it to double its current size.

Generous tax incentives for Buc-ees are nothing new. Communities across Texas and the U.S. often salivate at the prospect of new jobs, further economic development and increased tax revenue that a Buc-ees could bring to their communities.

The Buc-ees agreement with Caldwell County is similar to economic development agreements signed in Hill County and the city of Hilsboro for a proposed location along Interstate 35.

You might also like: Land lawsuit involving Loves Travel Stop halts Buc-ees western expansion in Texas

The company often seeks a sales tax rebate worth half of a citys normal take over the stores first few decades.

These agreements are necessary, Nadalo said, because they help offset the cost associated with building and expanding within communities.

In return, the stores are going to generate high quality jobs, substantial sales tax revenue that will go to the local community and generate incremental sales taxes from drivers passing through the city of Luling, Nadalo said.

The city of Amarillos agreement for a smaller Buc-ees, for example, mirrors that of Caldwells. The 20-year agreement yielding 50 percent of its tax revenue is estimated to be valued at $4.5 million.

Michael Miller/San Antonio Express-News

S.A. VOTES Voter Guide: What to know for the Texas runoff election A breakdown of key state and local races and candidates in the May 24 primary runoff.

The city of Denton paid $8.1 million in tax incentives to get a Buc-ee's along I-35 east, Texas Monthly reported.

In February, elected officials in Springfield, Missouri, approved $8.5 million in city tax incentives in February to bring a Buc-ees there, according to the Springfield Daily Citizen.

Buc-ees is a tremendous, tremendous draw for the region, especially in the southern part of Caldwell County, said Jason Giulietti, the president of the Greater San Marcos Partnership, which is the economic development group that works alongside the city and county to help attract businesses to the area.

Also on ExpressNews.com: Nearly half of homes sold in Bexar went to investors in 2021; at 28%, state rate was highest in U.S.

And for a city such as Luling, which has a population just over 6,000, it is one of the regions top producers of sales tax revenues, Giulietti said.

The use of these incentives overall helps solidify and mitigate the risk that companies take on behalf of expansion and growth, he said. Companies inherently take on a significant amount of risk to ensure theres demand for their product or their service, Giulietti added.

So often incentives are kind of the last piece of the puzzle, Giulietti said. Its helping provide a short-term mitigation. This is not a long-term play by any means. These incentives are short-term plays to help minimize that risk upfront or at least share the risk with other parties.

Of the sales tax agreement with Luling and Caldwell County, Giulietti said: For us, anything we can do to generate more opportunities for the residents here to have strong paying jobs is a worthy investment.

timothy.fanning@express-news.net
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Shoppers across much of the United States will soon be able to buy 15 varieties of Whataburgers famous condiments and food products  ranging from ketchup and mustard to salsa, buttermilk ranch dressing and pancake mix  from their local supermarkets.

The San Antonio-based fast-food chain said it inked distribution agreements with 16 grocery brands, including H-E-B, Kroger and Walmart. The deals allow its products to be sold in 18 states  beyond even the 14 where the chain has restaurants.

Whataburger began offering its sauces in grocery stores in 2013, when it introduced its Fancy Ketchup, Spicy Ketchup and Original Mustard condiments at H-E-B supermarkets in Texas. Since then, its revenue from such sales has increased more than 500 percent, it said.

The chain expects its grocery sales to increase further as its grocery product distribution expands with its restaurant footprint, according to a news release. This spring, Whataburger announced that it was expanding into the Atlanta metro area, one of the few areas of the Sun Belt where it did not have a presence.

On ExpressNews.com: Expanding the footprint: Two years in, Whataburgers new owner works on recipe for expansion

Our original recipes have been taste-tested to perfection over generations in our restaurants, said Rich Scheffler, the chains executive vice president and chief marketing officer. As we enter new markets like Atlanta, Kansas City, Nashville, Memphis and Colorado Springs, were expanding our fan base through both our more than 890 restaurants and 3,500-plus grocery stores.

Whataburgers products will be sold in more than 2,000 Walmart supermarkets across 18 states, ranging across most of the southern U.S. from California to Florida and as far north as Colorado, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

S.A. VOTES Voter Guide: What to know for the Texas runoff election A breakdown of key state and local races and candidates in the May 24 primary runoff.

The products will also be sold in these grocery chains: Albertsons, Albertsons Market, Amigos, Brookshire Brothers, Brookshires Food & Pharmacy, H-E-B and its Central Market brand, Kroger, Market Street, Mi Tienda, Randalls, Tom Thumb, United Supermarket, Walmart, Walmart Mexico and Winn-Dixie.

Along with its sauces, Whataburger sells its Original Pancake Mix and Original Pork Sausage in many grocery stores. It also sells many of its condiments, and the pancake mix, from its online store, which it has named the Whatastore.
A convicted Texas killer who was on the run after escaping from a prison bus last month was shot dead by Atascosa law enforcement after killing a family of five and stealing their truck.

Gonzalo Lopez, 46, was killed Thursday in Jourdanton, about 35 miles south of San Antonio, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Lopez, a former member of the Mexican Mafia, was serving a life sentence for a 2006 murder conviction for killing a man near the Texas-Mexico border.

Atascosa County law enforcement located the stolen vehicle with Lopez inside about 10:30 p.m. They were able to disable it with spike strips and a gun battle between Lopez and police ensued where Lopez was fatally wounded, said Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jason Clark.

RELATED: San Antonio officer shoot man after he crashes stolen vehicle into police cruiser

Officials said Lopez killed the Houston family at their cabin near Centerville hours before the shootout. Police did not say how Lopez obtained a weapon.

It is believed that Lopez was hiding near the cabin when officers received a request to conduct a welfare check at the cabin after someone was concerned about not hearing from an elderly relative, Clark said. When officers arrived at the cabin, they found the bodies of one adult and four minors, the AP reported.

Texas law enforcement had been intensely searching for Lopez after he escaped from his prison bus on May 12. He was being transported in the caged bus from Gatesville to Huntsville for a medical appointment when he escaped in Leon County between Dallas and Houston, the AP reported.

During the drive, Lopez managed to free himself from his restraints and cut through the metal cage before attacking the bus driver. The two got into an altercation, exiting the bus. Lopez managed to get back on the bus and drive down the road before officers shot and disabled the bus.

He got off the bus and ran into the woods.

Lopez managed to stab the bus driver during the altercation, who was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening wounds.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP)  A Virginia woman who worked as a nurse in North Carolina has been sentenced to more than four years in prison after investigators said she injected herself with opioids intended for surgical patients and replaced them with saline solution, authorities said.

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of North Carolina said in a news release that Emilee Kathryn Poteat, 32, of Danville, Virginia, pleaded guilty last December to tampering with a consumer product. She was sentenced on Wednesday.
An innocent cheerleader, a silly and loving softball player and a smart and shy tom boy with a love for the outdoors were laid to rest Thursday as part of Uvaldes prolonged period of mourning over the May 24 massacre at Robb Elementary.

The three fourth-graders were among the 19 children killed along with their teachers, Irma Garcia and Eva Mireles, when an 18-year-old gunman burst into their classroom after firing shots outside the building and entering through an unlocked door.

Thursdays grief was private, the ceremonies quiet and heavily guarded by police. A somber mood had seeped into every facet of the small south Texas community.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

MOURNING THE VICTIMS: In Uvalde, a town florist prepares for daunting task of remembering the shooting victims

Every child I see in HEB, I want to hug, said Francisca Baron, a longtime resident of Uvalde who lived down the street from the bustling funeral home, Rushing-Estes Knowles Mortuary. Its so bad.

Around 11 a.m., a crowd of about 100 mourners gathered at Rushing-Estes to remember Eliahna Torres, the softball player, described in her obituary as a Tik Tok-loving 10-year-old with a beautiful smile and a knack for making people laugh. Later in the day, at the same funeral home, families reflected on the life of Maranda Mathis, the shy tomboy whose imagination shined through her love of unicorns and mermaids.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer Floral wreaths are brought out at the conclusion of the funeral service for Eliahna A. Torres at Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary in Uvalde on Thursday, June 2, 2022. (Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer) Floral wreaths are brought out at the conclusion of the funeral service for Eliahna A. Torres at Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary in Uvalde on Thursday, June 2, 2022. (Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer)

And then there was Nevaeh Bravo, the cheerleader whose funeral was held at Sacred Heart Memorial Church. She had just turned 10 in January. Her name was heaven spelled backwards, a cousin said on Facebook. She could put a smile on everyones face, the cousin said, according to the Washington Post.

Less than a mile away, people who had traveled from around Texas and other states dropped roses and teddy bears around a growing memorial that surrounded a large fountain in the center of town. Some people were simply there to lend a hand, like UPS supervisor Anthony Piper, who had been handing out water and filling in for local UPS workers who needed to attend funerals and grieve.

Another man, Tony Dickey, a chaplain who helps families deal with loss after a disaster, had just returned from Buffalo, N.Y., where a gunman killed 10 people days before the Uvalde massacre.

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS: Texas police union calls for Uvalde authorities to cooperate with mass shooting inquiries

In Buffalo, you have a group of elderly citizens killed, and here you have a group of innocent children getting killed  both innocence, he said. And its a national tragedy.

Journalists were not allowed access to the funeral ceremonies. Many locals declined to speak to the press after a days-long barrage of media attention. Emotions were still fresh.

Fire trucks and a fleet of police officers from Uvalde and cities across Texas, including Allen, Pearland, Conroe and Lubbock, created blockades and threatened to arrest reporters for stepping near the property.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

They were assisted by dozens of bikers who were members of at least three clubs  Guardians of the Children, Thin Blue Line LEMC and Marines MC. The bikers physically obstructed cameras within designated media areas, followed reporters and harassed them as they walked closer toward the ceremonies. One member of Guardians of the Children, who declined to give her name, said the group was working with the police.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer A biker group arrives before the funeral service for Eliahna A. Torres at Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary in Uvalde on Thursday, June 2, 2022. (Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer) A biker group arrives before the funeral service for Eliahna A. Torres at Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary in Uvalde on Thursday, June 2, 2022. (Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer)

Outside the funeral for Torres, another unidentified biker club member said, We just want to give the families a safe and peaceful space.

julian.gill@chron.com
San Antonio police shot and killed a 13-year-old who they said purposely crashed into a police vehicle during a pursuit early Friday.

According to police, officers responding to reports of shots being fired in the 4900 block of War Horse Drive on the far Southwest Side just before 1:30 a.m. spotted a stolen vehicle that was reported to be involved in the shooting driving down the street.
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In late April, Elizabeth and James Weller stuck the week 17 ultrasound photo to their fridge, inside the four-bedroom Kingwood home they planned to fill. The young couple had already bought Houston Astros onesies and dark blue paint for the space-themed nursery, eagerly awaiting Theodora Rosario Wellers due date in October.

But on May 10, at 18 weeks pregnant, the 26-year-old Elizabeth returned from a jog and saw blood leaking out of her vagina. Then her water broke.

Later, in the Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital emergency room, she learned she had lost a dangerous amount of amniotic fluid, which is essential for fetal development. She faced an increased risk of infection and other life-threatening complications. Doctors presented her with two devastating options: Wait until Theodora becomes viable around 24 weeks and deliver her, only to watch her die or live with a severe disability, or induce labor now and effectively terminate the pregnancy.

In my mind, the only rational thing to do, on top of the only emotionally merciful thing to do, would be to choose (termination), to save her from going through this type of suffering, said Elizabeth, a political science graduate student at the University of Houston. I couldnt justify putting her through that.

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Elizabeth agonized over her choice. Then she realized she didnt have one. The hospital did not approve her for immediate induction, a Houston Methodist spokesperson said, because she did not meet the standards set forth in the states highly restrictive abortion laws, which create civil penalties for terminating a pregnancy when there is a detectable fetal heartbeat.

The newly amended Texas Health and Safety Code only allows a termination when the pregnant woman is in danger of death or a serious risk of substantial impairment of a major bodily function  vague terminology that is open to a range of interpretations. A violation opens providers up to lawsuits, fines and, if Roe v. Wade is overturned, a felony charge.

Elizabeths story illustrates the collision between medical ethics and legal ramifications that healthcare professionals and institutions face when termination is a medically appropriate option. Now dealing with a high-risk pregnancy, she and James processed their tragedy in a state of limbo, from which their only escape was a flight out of Texas or signs of an infection.

Theres never been a hell  worse than hoping my wife gets sick, for the sake of our grief and for us to move on, said James Weller, an 8th grade math teacher. Its just terrible.

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

A grim outlook

At first, Elizabeth questioned whether termination would be the right choice if the baby had a chance to survive. She has Erbs palsy  weakness in one arm  and would not end her pregnancy based on disability alone.

At the hospital, Elizabeth was officially diagnosed with PPROM, or preterm premature rupture of membranes, which affects about 1 percent of women before the fetus reaches viability. Her prognosis was grim, and solutions were complicated.

She could try to wait about six weeks to deliver the child, but she risked developing a severe infection or heavy bleeding. Both scenarios would force doctors to induce labor to save her life.

Even if she made it to a live birth, only about 26 percent of babies like Theodora survive the hospital, according to the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine. Surviving babies can develop clubbed feet and other severe limb deformities. But more commonly, the baby dies from extreme prematurity or pulmonary hypoplasia, in which underdeveloped lungs impede heart function and overall development.

When they considered this reality, James cried over Elizabeths belly as they began to say goodbye to Theodora.

Elizabeth stayed at Methodist overnight and told her OBGYN, Dr. Erica Chapman, about her decision the following day. Chapman strongly advocated for her induction, Elizabeth said, but the hospital had their hands tied behind their backs. Elizabeth wasnt yet experiencing severe symptoms or showing any signs of an infection, and her babys heartbeat was strong.

Chapman, who is affiliated with Houston Methodist The Woodlands and Kelsey-Seybold, declined an interview for this story.

Doctors put Elizabeth on a management plan to monitor her symptoms. Chapman advised her that the best thing for me was to get discharged, otherwise I would be running up a bill, she said.

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Waiting

Back home in Kingwood, temperature checks became an obsession for Elizabeth and James.

They hoped to see a number at or above 100.4 on the thermometer dial, or for yellow and foul-smelling vaginal discharge that signaled a worsening condition. Elizabeth had seen only a faint yellow discharge without a strong smell.

While she waited for her body to break down, she became depressed. She woke up on Thursday, May 12, with the song You Are My Sunshine stuck in her head. She felt the urge to look up the full lyrics and sobbed at the first verse.

The other night dear, as I lay sleeping

I dreamed I held you in my arms

But when I awoke, dear, I was mistaken

So I hung my head and I cried

All I wanted was for (Theodora)  and Im so ashamed to say this  but all I wanted was for her to just leave because it was so nightmarish for me, she said.

It was Friday, May 13, when the couple visited Kelsey-Seybold to check the babys heart. It was still beating, and Elizabeth asked not to hear it.

Chapman told the couple she tried calling other Texas Medical Center hospitals, looking for a doctor who could induce her, but no one took up her plea.

Elizabeth and James began discussing flights to Colorado, where abortion is legal in all stages of pregnancy. When they returned home later that day, Elizabeths vaginal discharge had turned to a vibrant yellow color. She retched at the smell and asked herself, is this the sign she needed?

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Ethical challenges

As they hoped for a conclusion, James and Elizabeth also felt angry at politicians who created laws that compounded their grief.

You expect a greater understanding of what's going on inside of a woman's body, Elizabeth said.

The ambiguity of both Senate Bill 8 and Senate Bill 4  the two pieces of legislation that frame the states abortion laws  creates an ethical dilemma for providers that could lead to devastating consequences for others in Elizabeths position, said Dr. Bryn Esplin, a bioethicist and assistant professor of medical education at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth.

There are notable examples of women who died from pregnancy complications after initially being denied an abortion on legal grounds.

You would hope the law would be such that it supports a provider making an assessment in the patients best interest, versus putting them at risk for liability, Esplin said.

Texas Right to Life Legislative Director John Seago pushed back on the assertion that the law is ambiguous. For him, the language is clear: any elective abortion is an injustice.

When we look at fetal abnormalities and these kinds of tragic situations, it is still unethical to go and to cause the death of the child, he said. There are other positive life-affirming responses  to give the child the best perinatal outcomes.

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Relief

There was no positive outlook for James and Elizabeth.

On Friday, she wiped her yellow discharge with toilet paper, placed it in a Ziploc bag and again set out for the Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital emergency room, hoping the evidence was enough to encourage the hospital to act.

When she and James arrived, she reported worsening abdominal pain, in addition to her discharge. The couple also learned that an ethics committee had taken up her case, and on Friday night, Chapman called to tell them the good news:

The ethics committee had approved her for induction.

It was a moment of just sheer happiness, Elizabeth said. But in retrospect, it's horrible. At no point did I want this to happen for my baby But to have some definitive answer that there was a clear path ahead of me was comfort in its own right.

She delivered Theodora in the early-morning hours of Saturday and let the lifeless, bright red baby  barely bigger than her hand  lie on her chest as long as she could bear.

The whole event remains fresh for the couple. Its hard to look at the baby clothes, the nursery, the ultrasound photos. But they talk openly about their trauma, hoping that their experience will spark conversation among lawmakers and create positive changes for other parents in their situation.

That's really all a parent can want for their kid, right? That they do something great. They create a change Elizabeth said through tears. And I know some people might think, you know, You're not a mom. But she did everything for me to make me feel like one.

julian.gill@chron.com
WASHINGTON  With every vote counted in a fiercely contested South Texas Democratic primary runoff, longtime Congressman Henry Cuellar was 281 votes ahead of progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros.

Cuellar declared victory last week, after coming in 177 votes ahead of Cisneros on election day. The remaining uncounted ballots expanded his lead by another 104 votes, final results from each county in the district showed.

As I said on election night, the margin will hold  and it has not only held but grown, Cuellar said in a statement.

Cuellar called for those who voted against him in the runoff to back him in the general election, when Republicans hope Cassy Garcia, a former staffer for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, will flip the long blue district.

While we may differ on certain positions, we share a common ground on many issues to improve our communities and strengthen families, Cuellar said.

Background: Rep. Henry Cuellar declares victory against Jessica Cisneros, who doesnt concede

Billy Calzada, Staff / Staff photographer Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer On the left: Henry Cuellar and House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn look at their gifted Spurs jerseys during a campaign rally in San Antonio. (Billy Calzada) Right: Congressman Bernie Sanders Jessica Cisneros hug after a voting rally in San Antonio. (Kin Man Hui) On the left: Henry Cuellar and House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn look at their gifted Spurs jerseys during a campaign rally in San Antonio. (Billy Calzada) Right: Congressman Bernie Sanders Jessica Cisneros hug after a voting rally in San Antonio. (Kin Man Hui)

The final tally is still well within the bounds of a possible recount, however. Texas law allows candidates to request one if the vote difference is less than 10 percent of the leading candidates vote total; Cuellar finished with 22,895 votes.

Cisernos campaign, which did not immediately comment on the final tally, has spent the last week raising money for a recount fund and telling supporters that a recount is looking more and more likely.

The third bout between the 17-year incumbent and the 29-year-old immigration attorney  both from Laredo  drew national attention and millions of dollars after emerging as a key proxy battle between House Democratic leadership and the progressive wing of the party.

Over the course of the last two elections, radical special interest groups spent over $10 million in an attempt to push their out-of-touch, New York values on Texans, Cuellar said. But you, the voters, stopped them. I am an American, Texan, then a Democrat  in that order  and I will continue to fight for Texas values and not let coastal elites bring their failed agenda to our communities.

ben.wermund@chron.com
The Texas House of Representatives is forming a new committee to investigate last weeks shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, adding to the growing number of official probes into the circumstances surrounding the massacre that left 21 dead.

House Speaker Dade Phelan said he is establishing the committee to gather as much information and evidence as possible to help inform the Houses response to this tragedy and deliver desperately needed answers to the people of Uvalde and the state of Texas.

State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, will chair the three-member group. The other two members are state Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, and former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman.

The fact we still do not have an accurate picture of what exactly happened in Uvalde is an outrage, Phelan said in a release. Every day, we receive new information that conflicts with previous reports, making it not only difficult for authorities to figure out next steps, but for the grieving families of the victims to receive closure.

The committee has the power to issue subpoenas and gather testimony and evidence, and plans to release a report detailing its findings.

THE LATEST: Funerals for children killed in mass shooting continue in grieving Uvalde

State and local enforcement officials have faced heavy backlash for their communication in the days after the shooting. Top officers repeatedly have revised their timeline and walked back key details about the incident, including whether the gunman was confronted by a school police officer before entering the school last Tuesday.

The latest reports indicate the shooting began in the late morning, after the teenage gunman crashed his grandmothers pickup outside Robb Elementary School. He walked into an unlocked door, armed with an AR-15-style rifle and began attacking in a classroom.

He killed 19 children and two teachers, as police officers waited more than an hour to confront him. People inside the classroom were making repeated calls to 911 and loved ones as law enforcement stalled.

Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw later said it was the wrong decision not to breach the classroom.

IN-DEPTH: Inside the delays and discrepancies of the Uvalde shooting police response

Phelan made the announcement on Friday, two days after Gov. Greg Abbott asked him and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to create new legislative committees to evaluate school and gun safety. Phelan did not create a separate group to address that request, instead issuing new charges to the existing committees on youth health and safety and homeland security and public safety.

Those committees will explore proposals that would enhance firearm safety, evaluate interagency coordination during mass violence events and review the school safety package passed by the Legislature in 2019, among other tasks.

Phelan also appointed seven new members to the youth health and safety committee, six of whom represent areas that have previously been affected by mass shootings. They include state Rep. Tracy King, the Batesville Democrat who represents Uvalde, alongside Reps. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood; Mary Gonzalez, D-Clint; John Kuempel, R-Seguin; Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa; and Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth.

The last appointee is Rep. Drew Darby, the San Angelo Republican who previously chaired a select committee on mass violence prevention.

In the Senate, Patrick formed a new group  the Committee to Protect All Texans  to discuss legislative solutions after the shooting. State Sen. Robert Nichols, a Jacksonville Republican, is leading those efforts.

Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a San Antonio Democrat who represents Uvalde, was left off that committee. He called the decision a slap in the face.

cayla.harris@express-news.net
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UVALDE  Three more young lives cut tragically short were memorialized Friday in a town overwhelmed with grief  and yet the funerals for Uvaldes 21 victims were not even half over.

Two were cousins: Jayce Carmelo Luevanos and Jailah Nicole Silguero. Jacklyn Jaylen Cazares also was laid to rest.

Jailah, 10, the youngest of four siblings, loved to dance. In the photo used for her obituary, she posed in thick-framed glasses and a cheerleading uniform, with one hand on her hip and a pink lei around her neck.

She was a delighted, energetic, lovely little girl that loved to make Tik-Tok Videos for friends and family, family friend Nancy Salazar wrote on a GoFundMe pitch for the family.

Jayce, also 10, and his mother lived with his grandparents, and the boy would make a pot of coffee for the adults every morning, leaving messages like I love you, Grandpa, his grandfather Carmelo Quiroz recalled in an interview with USA Today.

Jacklyn, 9, loved to sing and wanted to be a veterinarian  her four dogs were her world, her family obituary said.

Her cousin Annabell Rodriguez, 10, was also killed in the shooting; her funeral was held Wednesday.

A heavy police presence allowed the public access to the funerals, but officers continued to prevent news media from coming closer than five blocks and positioned their vehicles to block the line of sight to the church sanctuary from their cameras.

Josie Norris, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

A sizable presence of motorcycle club members again was present, but unlike Thursday, they stayed across the street from the area designated for news crews and did not personally harass reporters and photographers.

In the town square, a memorial continued to accumulate teddy bears, flowers, wreaths and gifts, swelling with the immense display of love and condolences spanning from as close as Dilley, an hour away, to the Rio Grande Valley, and even as far as sister-city-in-tragedy San Bernardino, Calif.

Mourners from similarly widely dispersed areas visited to pay their respects and drop off tributes, braving the humidity and blazing direct summer sun.

One man sat in an outdoor chair and played a ranchera-style This Little Light of Mine on an acoustic guitar. A police K-9 therapy dog was on site to console the bereaved.

MORNING OF CHAOS:

Several people held a hand to their mouths or their hearts and released their tears as they read the names of each victim on crosses, as well as the heartbreaking notes left for children who will forever be frozen in time as playful fourth-graders.

San Antonio resident Samantha Acuna came with her sister to show the community their support.

Its beautiful; its overwhelming at the same time, Acuna said of the memorial. Everyones coming together just to let the families know theyre not by themselves.

Just as a blanket of grief has befallen Uvalde, so has it in San Antonio and beyond, she said.

Its everywhere, she said. Theyre like our babies, too.  Were grieving, too, with the families.

Nearby, a dozen teachers and community members from Dilley Independent School District about an hour southeast of Uvalde, were passing out free water bottles, stuffed animals and snacks.

The majority of us are parents, (and) were also teachers, so it affects us double, said Ana Hernandez, a kindergarten teacher. We want to be here for the community. We want to show them that we support them, that we are here for them. Everybody working together makes us stronger.

Earlier Friday, a little girl approached the pile of stuffed animals and, at Hernandezs questioning, pointed out her favorite, a pink teddy bear. She could keep it, Hernandez told her.

Josie Norris, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

It made me happy that I saw a smile on her face, Hernandez said, adding that shes seen firsthand how the tragedy has affected children.

Her two high school-age sons were afraid to go to school for the last two days of the school year, and I know the majority of students feel the same way, she said. Even as teachers, too, were also having thoughts, like, OK, are we actually safe? Is our (school safety) plan OK? Do we have to come up with another plan so we can make sure everybody feels safe on campus?

Rafaella Cortez took photos of the memorial on her phone. She and her husband had come up from Weslaco with their pastor to pray with the community. Cortez said she had lost a child herself and there are no words you can tell a mother when they lose their son or daughter.

Yesterday was a year ago, and only God can comfort me. Hes the only one.

Taylor.Goldenstein@express-news.net
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Bexar County officials stood together Friday in a determined, unified call for a special legislative session to take action on gun regulation in the wake of the horrific May 24 mass shooting in Uvalde.

When is enough enough? asked Bexar County Nelson Wolff, who was joined by other county leaders and gun safety advocates at a news conference calling for immediate, meaningful action in the gun-loving state following the deadliest school shooting in Texas history.

Time and time again, the answer of politicians is to let things cool down, hope people will forget and then do nothing. We cannot let that happen again, Wolff said. A special session needs to be called now because in less than three months away, the fall school semester will begin.

On ExpressNews.com: State senator says pleas for help were relayed to lead officer in Uvalde

Specifically, Wolff pointed to five actions the Legislature should take immediately:

 Raise the minimum age from 18 to 21 for the purchase of semi-automatic weapons

 Approve a red flag law enabling judges to order the temporary seizure of firearms from anyone who poses a credible danger

 Require training to obtain a license to carry firearms

 Mandate criminal background checks on all gun sales, closing loopholes on gun shows and private sales

 Provide state funding for school security upgrades and trauma emergency planning

If state leaders do not want to take action on gun violence, then call an election on these five issues and let the peoples voice be heard, Wolff said.

Bexar County commissioners are slated to vote Tuesday on a $14 million mental health funding package that will help identify residents who pose a threat and get them help, possibly averting future tragedies, officials said. Commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores, a former teacher, said shes disgusted by the way the Uvalde shooting has been politicized. She joined Wolff and others in a call for action out of respect for the 19 children and two teachers whose lives were cut short.

Their blood cries out for change, she said.

Commissioner Justin Rodriguez, a former state legislator who has joined Clay-Flores on mental health initiatives, agreed with Wolff that Gov. Greg Abbott should call a special session. The governors announced plans to form a committee to study the issue issue in preparation for next years regular session is shameful and disrespectful to the families and the victims, Rodriguez said.

On ExpressNews.com: Remembering the lives lost in Uvalde

To prevent criminal and accidental gun deaths, the county prohibits gun shows at Freeman Coliseum and other county facilities. It also plans to fund a $1 million gun safety education and outreach program and provide $100,000 worth of gun locks through local distribution centers.

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, discussed efforts in Congress to pass a federal red flag law and other regulations being discussed in negotiations with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and others. But he said Texans and Americans have a right to be angry about whats going on.

Greg Abbott has the power to change things and to act, said Castro, who has called for an FBI investigation into the local police response to the Uvalde shooting. We cannot let him off the hook. So far, he is doing nothing.

Joe Gonzales, the countys district attorney, said his office is stepping up efforts to destroy weapons used in cases that have been successfully prosecuted and is cracking down on converting semiautomatic weapons to fully automatic.

Were tired of replaying this over and over and over, he said of mass shootings. But were not just tired. We are angry.

shuddleston@express-news.net
A 10-year-old girl who was injured in the May 24 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde remains in serious condition at University Hospital, University Health officials said Friday.

Shes one of four patients recovering in San Antonio trauma hospitals  seven were initially brought here from Uvalde  after a gunman killed 21 people and injured 17 others at or near the school last week.

Also still recovering in the Bexar County-owned hospital are a 9-year-old girl and the gunmans 66-year-old grandmother, Celia Gonzales, who goes by Sally. Both are listed in good condition.

Gonzales was shot in the face at her home. According to a GoFundMe account created by her daughter, she has undergone at least four major surgeries and is scheduled for more.

On ExpressNews.com: Morning of chaos: A reconstruction of how the Uvalde massacre unfolded

A University Health spokeswoman said Friday that the victims and their families are requesting privacy and do not want to talk to the media at this time.

Two children with gunshot wounds were treated and released this past week from San Antonio facilities  one from University Hospital and one from Methodist Childrens Hospital.

One of two adult patients admitted to Brooke Army Medical Center has been discharged, while the other is in good condition, a hospital official said Friday.

There are many ways to help the Uvalde community, including sending online donations to crowdfunding sites. One such fund operated by VictimsFirst has collected $5.7 million.

University Health Foundation established a Uvalde Victims Relief Fund to support the four patients who were sent to University Hospital, including unpaid medical expenses and other needs identified by the systems social workers.

laura.garcia@express-news.net
A man arrested in March in connection with the fatal shooting of his romantic interest in 2019 has been indicted on a murder charge.

The case involving Rogelio Mujica, 36, was among the 207 felony indictments handed down this week by two Bexar County grand juries, the District Attorneys Office said in a statement Friday.

Mujica is accused of fatally shooting Annette Juarez, 37, on March 3, 2019. On that day, authorities answered a call for an injured person at about 1:51 p.m. in the 100 block of U.S. Highway 90 on the West Side, where they discovered Juarez in the passenger side of her car, about a mile from her home. She had been shot in the head and died at the scene.

On ExpressNews.com: Man arrested in connection with 2019 slaying on U.S. 90

Investigators said in an affidavit supporting Mujicas arrest that the incident was a deadly conclusion to an on-and-off-again relationship. The document stated that Juarez filed several police reports accusing Mujica of assaulting her.

Courtesy Bexar County Sheriff's Office

When authorities contacted Juarezs son and daughter, they told detectives that their mother was last seen speaking with Mujica outside their home at about 6:30 p.m. the day before she was found shot.

The son told police that the pair left together. Juarezs daughter said that was the last time she saw her mother.

The affidavit stated that footage from an unidentified convenience store security camera captured Juarez entering the establishment at about 7:17 p.m. on March 2, 2019, to buy items that included a six-pack of beer. She then was seen re-entering the passengers side of her car, which left with Mujica at the wheel.

On ExpressNews.com: Suspect arrested in connection with deadly shooting at North Side apartment

Juarezs daughter told authorities she tried to call her mother at about 11 p.m. that day but that she did not answer. The document stated that Mujicas vehicle, not identified in the affidavit, was parked outside the home.

Security camera footage located later by investigators showed Mujicas vehicle driving away from Juarezs home at 12:37 a.m. on March 3, 2019.

The next day, detectives interviewed Mujica, who said he picked up Juarez the evening of March 2 and drove around with her for about three to four hours. At that time he told police that they had an on-and-off-again relationship for about four years, and that she would never fully commit.

According to the affidavit, Mujica used methamphetamine and was paranoid, believing he was being followed regularly, and he accused Juarez of working with the feds and having specific information on him.

A search of Mujicas vehicle revealed an empty gun holster in the back pocket of the passengers seat.

Two spent shell casings found at the crime scene were linked to ammunition recovered from Mujicas home, the affidavit said. Investigators later determined that the live ammunition and the spent casings had been cycled through the same firearm, citing unique markings made by the weapon.

Mujicas case is being prosecuted by the DAs Family Violence Division in the 437th District Court. If convicted, Mujica faces five to 99 years or life in prison.

The Docket: Local crime and courtroom news, delivered to your inbox weekly

In another indictment, Kyle Steffan Jones, 35, is charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Jerome Johns, 26, in February at a North Side apartment complex.

Bexar County Sheriff's Office

San Antonio police answered a call about a shooting on Feb. 21 at the Coronado Apartments at 9525 Lorene Lane. When they arrived, they found Johns in the street with a fatal gunshot wound.

An affidavit supporting Jones arrest said a woman who witnessed the shooting told police that Johns and Jones had a verbal dispute before she saw Jones fire a gun at Johns. The woman said she did not know that Johns had been wounded until she checked on him and called 911.

She told authorities that Jones was staying at a nearby apartment.

Jones case is being prosecuted by the DAs Criminal Trial Division in the 399th District Court. If convicted, Jones faces up to life in prison.

Staff writers Jacob Beltran and Taylor Pettaway contributed to this report.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
A Robb Elementary School teacher and the father of a student killed in the May 24 mass shooting at the school both have signaled their intent to sue the manufacturer of the assault-style rifle the gunman used in the massacre.

In separate documents, lawyers for the teacher and the father seek details from Daniel Defense about how the Georgia company markets its firearms  and whether that marketing is geared to teens and young adults  and other information.

Alfred Garza IIIs 10-year-old daughter, Amerie Jo Garza, was one of 19 students gunned down by Salvador Ramos. Two teachers also were killed during the 18-year-olds rampage.

My purpose for being now is to honor Amerie Jos memory, Garza said in a news release Friday. She would want me to do everything I can so this will never happen again to any other child.

Garza is represented by prominent San Antonio trial lawyer Mikal Watts, Dallas attorney Charla Aldous and Connecticut lawyer Josh Koskoff, who represented the families of nine victims of the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

In February, the plaintiffs in the Sandy Hook case agreed to a $73 million settlement with Remington, the maker of the AR-15-style Bushmaster rifle used in that massacre. It was believed to be the largest payout by a gun-maker in a mass-shooting case.

The settlement was notable because the plaintiffs legal team devised a way around a 2005 federal law that shields gun companies from civil liability. They did so by arguing that Remington violated Connecticut state consumer law by marketing the weapon to unstable young men.

Teachers trauma

Don Flanary, a lawyer representing teacher Emilia Marin, filed a petition late Thursday asking a state district judge for permission to gather more information about Daniel Defense in anticipation of a lawsuit. The request includes permission to depose, or interview under oath, company officials.

Petitioner seeks to obtain the deposition testimony and evidence from Daniel Defense to investigate potential claims by the petitioner, the filing states. The subject matter of the potential claim is the conduct of Daniel Defense, which was a cause of the injuries and damages suffered by Emilia Marin.

Marin has worked for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District for about 25 years.

She was the teacher first identified by the San Antonio Express-News as the one whod propped open a Robb Elementary door as she carried in food from a vehicle  but then closed it after seeing the gunman heading toward the school. Her lawyer said the door was supposed to lock but that it didnt, and the gunman  and later police  entered the school through that entrance.

Steve McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said during a May 27 news conference that a teacher  whom he did not identify  had left the side door propped open. But he didnt say the teacher had returned to close the door as Ramos approached. This week, DPS confirmed that she had.

At a minimum, she has suffered severe and lasting psychological trauma. She is currently being treated for her condition associated with the violence inflicted upon her and others, Flanary said in an interview. She is definitely not the only survivor who will suffer these effects for the rest of their lives.

The petition seeks information regarding the AR-15-style rifle sold to Ramos  as well as information about four AR-15-style rifles found in the hotel room of the mass shooter who killed 60 people in Las Vegas in 2017. It also seeks information about how Daniel Defense markets its firearms.

State police have said Ramos bought the Daniel Defense DDM4 V7 online. Though it was one of two assault-style rifles Ramos bought in the days after his 18th birthday, that was the firearm found next to his body when he was killed by storming Border Patrol agents more than an hour after he went into the school and gunned down his victims.

Daniel Defense is among the largest privately held U.S. manufacturers of firearms and accessories. But it is small compared to Remington, Smith & Wesson, Colt and others. Marty Daniel is its founder and CEO, and Cindy Daniel, his wife, is chief operating officer.

The company has adopted an online sales model and allows customers to pay over time. The company is known for provocative online ads and the use of pop culture references or characters that appeal to youths.

After buying the rifle online  at a cost of more than $2,000 after taxes  Ramos picked it up at Oasis Outback in Uvalde, the gun store that submitted his application for a federal background check to complete the sale. McCraw has said Ramos used a debit card to order the rifle and other guns.

Approaching wave?

Marins civil filing comes as the city of Uvalde girds itself for other potential lawsuits stemming from the school shooting.

The city has reached out to the Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool for advice, City Manager Vince DiPiazza said Wednesday. The pool insures municipalities around the state.

The city hasnt received notice of any lawsuits yet. But litigation could be costly and severely affect the citys general fund for government operations, which was budgeted at about $11 million this year.

The Uvalde Police Department joined forces with the Uvalde school police and deputies in the initial response to 911 calls at Robb Elementary. But for more than an hour, officers were not allowed to storm into two connected classrooms where Ramos killed his victims and was holed up behind locked doors. Border Patrol agents ultimately entered the classrooms and killed him.

guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | pdanner@express-news.net
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NEW BRAUNFELS  Gayle Tremblay and Anthony Mcbride hooked reusable water bottles onto bright blue tubes, excited to float the Comal River for their second time ever.

The couple moved from Michigan to San Antonio two months ago, so tubing in New Braunfels is fairly new to the couple. Tremblay, 39, said she had been when she was in Michigan, but Mcbride didnt try it out until moving to San Antonio. Tremblay prefers tubing in the Hill Country, partly because of the warmer weather.

But the atmosphere at the Comal River is especially enjoyable, Tremblay said.

Everyone just seems happy, Tremblay said. Its like everyone just left their cares from the world elsewhere.

On ExpressNews.com: Things to do this weekend in San Antonio: Van Gogh, Memorial Day celebration, Nina Diaz, cowboy art

Mcbride, 38, and Tremblay were two of likely thousands slathering on thick coats of sunscreen and lugging tubes through New Braunfels streets to take a dip in the cool river waters this weekend.

The smell of barbecue and sounds of laughter and music filled the air at Hinman Island Park as the couple made their way into the water.

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start to tubing season and typically draws thousands looking to cool off. Comal County Sheriff Mark Reynolds told the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung that he was preparing for one of the largest Memorial Day weekends ever.

On ExpressNews.com: Memorial Day weekend means start of tubing season

New Braunfels is home to the Guadalupe and Comal rivers, which both see tubers from all over each year.

One thing to keep in mind if youre planning to go tubing in New Braunfels: While floating through New Braunfels city limits, tubers cant use any disposable food or beverage containers, according to the city website. But reusable containers are allowed as is one cooler of 30 quarts or less per person. The coolers are required to have a latching mechanism.

Christi Oswalt, 33, was visiting from Florida. She said she went to San Antonio for a relatives graduation on Friday. By Saturday afternoon, she was riverside with her San Antonian sister Kim Oswalt, 29, waiting for their full party of 10 friends and family to join them for tubing.

Christi Oswalt said going tubing was high on her list of things to do while in the area for a couple days.

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I wanted to be here and experience the river again in Texas because its not like this everywhere else, she said.

Paula Santos and her niece Amanda Martinez soaked their feet on the river as they waited for their loved ones to finish up the barbecue they were preparing for lunch. After that, the group of 15 was planning to hop in their tubes to cool down.

Santos said she usually goes to New Braunfels to float twice per year. This weekend was Martinezs first time at the river but wouldnt be her last; the 21-year-old said she already had plans to return with friends next week.

Father and son Bryce and Jayce Falgiani tossed a red Frisbee to each other, never straying very far from tubes that they planned to use later in the day. It was 6-year-old Jayces first time tubing, but something Falgiani, 25, has been doing for the past two decades.

On ExpressNews.com: Landa Park in New Braunfels: What to know before you go

Falgiani said hitting the river this weekend was all about being with his son.

You dont get time back, he said, so time is important to me and being able to spend it with him.

San Antonians Eric Sam and Josh Olaes were back on the river for the first time since before the pandemic. Olaes, 28, said he has been a few times before, while Sam, 29, said he had gone a few times every year before the pandemic shifted the plans.

I was looking for something relaxing to do on Memorial Day weekend, Sam said. It seems like chilling on the river and drinking a little bit is the most relaxing thing to do.

megan.rodriguez@express-news.net
Investigators are trying to understand why Uvaldes schools police chief was unaware of crucial 911 communications while in command of officers assembled at an elementary school where 18-year-old Salvador Ramos killed 19 children and 2 teachers.

A state senator said Thursday that as the tragedy unfolded, the police chief, Pedro Pete Arredondo, did not receive 911 dispatches that indicated children were still alive in the classroom at Robb Elementary School and were begging to be rescued.

Why Arredondo did not receive those communications  given that numerous officers from various agencies were at the scene, many of them with radios  is a key focus of a state investigation into the tragedy.

One state official told the Express-News he had been told Arredondo did not have his police radio with him. Other police sources cannot say for certain if he had one, but they said he did make phone calls to the Uvalde Police Department to get information and may have missed 911 calls from desperate students inside  something that would later prove costly.

Related: A reconstruction of how the Uvalde massacre unfolded

UCISD

Another source close to the inquiry said investigators with the Texas Department of Public Safety were still trying to determine whether Arredondo had a radio or was near an officer who did.

To that end, investigators are trying to determine precisely where in the school Arredondo was  in the hallway outside classrooms 111 and 112, along with 19 officers from various police agencies, or elsewhere in the school.

Video from a hallway security camera could prove key to answering that question, but the quality is poor, and the FBI is trying to enhance it, sources said.
UVALDE  In the initial aftermath of a mass shooting that continues to defy words, law enforcement wrongfully blamed a teacher for propping open a door, allowing Salvador Ramos to enter Robb Elementary and murder 19 students and two teachers, and wound 17 others.

On ExpressNews.com: Preyor-Johnson: Scene in Uvalde a nightmare that wont end

In response, Texas teacher Julianne Knott posted a Facebook message on Memorial Day that resonated with educators.

To the teacher who propped the door open, weve all done it, Knott wrote. Its not your fault. Schools shouldnt have to be locked down like a prison.

Ive done it. When I was a yearbook and journalism teacher, students took photos outside and we sometimes propped the door open. It was against school policy. I would never do it again.

But weve since learned the Robb Elementary teacher, Emilia Marin, didnt leave the door propped open. Her attorney later shared a timeline that contradicts the Department of Public Safetys earlier account. Marin saw the shooter and ran back inside, kicking aside the rock keeping the door open, DPS confirmed. She closed the door and called 911 to report that Ramos, armed with an assault rifle, was shooting at the school. But the doors automatic lock malfunctioned.

That she was blamed is unjustifiable.

On ExpressNews.com: Lawyer: Uvalde teacher did not leave door open that gunman used to enter Robb Elementary School

Overworked and underpaid, teachers in Texas were quitting before the Uvalde massacre  nearly 500 in six months. The ones who stayed were exhausted from teaching in a pandemic. The Uvalde school massacre  the second-deadliest school shooting in America  wont make the situation better.

On ExpressNews.com: Preyor-Johnson: Texas offers lesson in devaluing teachers

Instead of calling a special session, Gov. Greg Abbott announced a special legislative committee, which doesnt meet this awful moment. He also directed the Texas School Safety Center and the Texas Education Agency to do random access control inspections at schools. Not only would that be ineffective, but it could further traumatize students and teachers.

Many in the GOP have called for teachers to carry guns to school. This is risky, and many teachers dont want to do it.

Our governor and Legislature must take action to ensure teenagers cant purchase assault rifles. They must also bolster mental health and school safety measures  immediately.

Teachers in Uvalde and beyond are heroes. As others left, they stayed. And now they are reminded that their lives are at risk when they report to work each day, amid the myriad other challenges they face.

Three days after the shooting, I met Mercedes Salas, a Robb Elementary fourth grade teacher, at a makeshift memorial in the town square. She cried out as she stood at each of her students crosses. Theyre my babies! she wailed in Spanish.

Media from all over the world swarmed. A local pastor prayed. She spoke of having nightmares and said the shooter was too young to drink alcohol and shouldnt have been able to purchase a gun.

Teachers are haunted. Instead of blame and excuses, they urgently need action and support.

Another Robb Elementary teacher recalled her classrooms escape from the shooter.

She also spoke of the betrayal she felt when she saw news reports blaming a teacher for propping open the door. She said she didnt believe it because no one ever used that door.

I hate the finger-pointing in any direction other than that shooter, she told me. Only the teachers and students in that district, in that hallway, on that day could, in my opinion, say where the weaknesses were.

The teacher said her warning was gunshots outside her window. Every teacher in that building did everything they could, with the tools we are given, to protect those babies.

She said she put her arms around her students and they prayed  very softly.

They were so good, she said. The quietest theyve been all year.

Two officers pulled them out of their classrooms.

The peace my kids and I felt when two officers entered our room to guard us  those two classroom didnt get to experience that, and that breaks my heart, she said. The accounts of these babies and my friends will haunt me forever.

Nancy.Preyor-Johnson@express-news.net
Demographers and pundits have speculated about the accuracy of Texas population in the 2020 census  whether there was an undercount.

There is no more need for conjecture. Last month, the U.S. Census Bureau released data from the Post-Enumeration Survey, or PES, indicating the degree of undercount and overcount in the 2020 census. The PES is a survey of the populations of 10,000 sampled blocks; every person living in those blocks is matched back to the 2020 census enumeration. The data from the PES enable the Census Bureau to determine who was missed and who was counted more than once.

The PES data indicated 36 states, along with the District of Columbia, did not have a statistically significant undercount or overcount. But eight states had statistically significant overcounts, and six states, including Texas, had statistically significant undercounts. Joining Texas in the undercount ledger are Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Mississippi and Tennessee. All these states, with the exception of Illinois, are led by a Republican governor.

It is estimated the Texas population was undercounted by 1.92 percent in the 2020 census, meaning almost 548,000 Texans were missed, a number a little larger than the population of the city of Tucson, Ariz. More people were missed in Texas than in any other state. Almost 1 in every 50 Texans was missed in the 2020 Census. Why?

RELATED: Editorial: Americans counting on census chief, an S.A. native

Starting in 2018, President Donald Trump and his administration attempted to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census, and they also tried to exclude undocumented people from the census count. Trump also tried to halt early the actual process of the census enumeration. These efforts sought to discourage Latinos from being counted. These efforts, we believe, worked in Texas.

But why did these exclusionary attempts not have an impact in most other states? Because the governors elsewhere developed in 2018 and 2019 state-level outreach and awareness programs that were focused on counting all the people in their states.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom devoted more than $187 million to a Be Counted California campaign, designed to make sure all California residents were counted in the 2020 census. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who leads a state with a population of just more than 5 million people, smaller than the population of the metropolitan area of Houston, devoted several million dollars to an Alabama Counts, 2020 Census campaign. According to the new PES data, there were no population undercounts in California or Alabama.

And these are only two examples. For the most part, states that developed complete count campaigns early did not have significant numbers of residents undercounted.

What happened in Texas? Abbott and his Republican colleagues largely opposed state-level funding to get a complete count of the Texas population, perhaps sensing that the hard-to-reach people would be disproportionately those who do not vote Republican.

With just a month from the close of the census, when an estimate of the states enumeration looked dismal, Abbott made an 11-hour effort to promote a better census count, chipping in $15 million in CARES Act funds. Abbott contributed 8 cents in funding for every $1 California spent to get a complete count of his states population. Abbott got what he sowed. In fact, the outcome would have been worse for Texas were it not for some cities, including San Antonio, investing funds to get an accurate count of their populations.

What are the consequences?

MORE LIKE THIS: Nearly 380,000 Texans werent counted in 2020 Census, new study finds

For one, Texas was projected to gain three U.S. congressional seats but received only two new seats. Minnesota received the last seat in the 2020 apportionment of the House. Had 267,000 more Texans been counted, Texas would have received that last seat.

In addition, the undercount of 548,000 Texans will cost the state dearly in an economic sense. Every year the U.S. allocates to the states $1.5 trillion in federal funds, distributed to the states on the basis of their population, for a host of federal programs. Based on its 2010 census count, over the past decade Texas has annually received more than $100 billion in federal funds. We estimate that Texas, owing to its undercount of 548,000 people in the 2020 census, will end up losing more than $19 billion in federal funds between now and 2031.

Texas, its counties and cities will not get the federal funds that should have come their way if everyone had been counted. The state will feel the painful pinch when it comes to education, health care, roads and highways, Medicaid and Medicare, housing support, elderly services, mental health care  the list goes on. Children, adults and older Texans, Republicans and Democrats, those in urban and rural areas will all feel the shortage of funds. But even more gnawing, the $19.18 billion that Texas will lose over the next 10 years does not go back to the U.S. Treasury. Those funds will go to states with more accurate counts  such as California.

Abbott has saddled us  the more than 29.1 million Texans counted in the 2020 census, plus the 548,000 not counted  with a census tax of $19.18 billion over the next 10 years. This means that owing to Abbotts inactions, every person in Texas will end up paying a $646 census tax.

Abbott has made his own political future and his standing among the far right his priority rather than the Texas people. Abbott is costly to your wallet. Have you paid your share of the Abbott census tax yet?

Dudley L. Poston Jr. is an emeritus professor of sociology at Texas A&M University. Rogelio Saenz is a professor of demography at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Saenz is a member of the Census Scientific Advisory Committee. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect those of this committee.
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UVALDE  One week after the shock of our nations second-deadliest school shooting, this small rural city now makes room for the despair and agony of funeral after funeral.

The death of one child is one too many. The murders of 19 children and two teachers is beyond comprehension. It is overwhelming, all-consuming and impossible to fully capture in words. Spanning more than two weeks, there are too many visitations, rosaries and funerals. Too many final goodbyes. We mourn the children, two teachers and a teachers husband, who died of a broken heart. And we grieve for this deeply connected town, now torn apart by death and a failed police response.

Makeshift memorials, at the school, at the town square and other places, overflow with items from local residents and people from across Texas and beyond. Media, from all over the world, have descended here as President Joe Biden, the first lady, actor Matthew McConaughey, a Uvalde native, and Meghan Markle, wife of Britains Prince Harry, have paid their respects.

Before the first funeral, which was held Tuesday, San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, who has been meeting with families and helping with Masses in this predominantly Catholic city, tweeted about this newest step in their terrible journeys.

On ExpressNews.com: Preyor-Johnson: Scene in Uvalde a nightmare that wont end

Our Nation is called to pray for peace, Garcia-Siller tweeted. Let us take a move towards peace.

He has echoed these words in a related guest column in these pages.

Father Eduardo Morales, who grew up in Uvaldes Sacred Heart Catholic Church, has been the churchs pastor for six years. Morales and Garcia-Siller have preached peace instead of anger and hate, a challenging message given the murders of children and a shifting timeline in which police waited about 80 minutes to enter the two adjoining classrooms at Robb Elementary School.

There is an overabundance of culpability here. From our lax gun laws to the failed law enforcement response, this massacre could have been prevented, or at least mitigated. These children and teachers should be alive, celebrating summer.

On ExpressNews.com: Morning of chaos: A reconstruction of how the Uvalde massacre unfolded

The first funeral was for Amerie Jo Garza, who turned 10 three weeks before and has posthumously received the Girl Scouts Bronze Cross, an honor for trying to save others. Amerie was murdered while trying to call 911.

Funerals are often called celebrations of life, but there is nothing to celebrate in Uvalde; these lives should be ongoing. While families remember what made them proud of their loved ones  their unique personalities, dreams, spirits, ambitions for their lives  the devastation is overwhelming. Mourners, some wearing black, the favorite colors of their loved ones or remembrance T-shirts, fill funeral homes.

On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: Governor, call a special session on guns

As we remember the lives lost, lets not lose sight of the other victims  those who were injured physically and emotionally. Long after the funerals, the children and teachers who survived the Robb Elementary School massacre will join other survivors of school mass shootings. Others will join them, again and again  until lawmakers establish peace and unite around reducing gun violence.

Wednesday, Garcia-Siller tweeted: The suffering increases in Uvalde. ... This little City needs healing. Let us pray for peace!

We bear witness to Uvalde and how its people endure this unending nightmare. Our hearts are with them.
There are thousands of laws on the books across the country that limit the owning or using of firearms. Laws that have not stopped madmen from carrying out evil acts on innocent people and peaceful communities.

Greg Abbott, in a prerecorded message at the National Rifle Association, May 27

Do we expect laws to come out of this devastating crime? The answer is absolutely yes. And there will be laws in multiple different subject areas. ... We need to have a discussion and pass laws to make sure that our schools are safer, and the people of Uvalde, but the people of Texas, deserve it.

Greg Abbott, speaking at a press conference in Uvalde, May 27

These words, delivered just days after 19 children and two teachers were murdered in Uvalde on May 24, are not as contradictory as they perhaps appear. They are, in fact, entirely consistent with Gov. Greg Abbotts past inadequate responses to mass shootings.

So often, its what is not said that matters most.

To the people of Uvalde and Texas, Abbott has only promised laws, not gun safety laws, in response to the nations second-deadliest school shooting. And to recent NRA convention attendees, he has made clear he views gun safety measures as an ineffective and unnecessary response to gun violence. He is a guardian against gun safety reforms, even after an unspeakable tragedy. Taken together, his comments signal there very well may be laws that emerge after Uvalde, but there almost certainly will not be any new gun safety laws in Texas despite the murders of children and teachers.

In a position to meaningfully change our broken political discourse around gun safety, as mass shootings ravage our nation, Abbott has, time and again, opted to not only maintain but enhance a failed status quo. It is a political tragedy seemingly born from political calculus.

It doesnt have to be this way. Few Americans have the power to change our intractable politics over guns  but Abbott does. As a Republican governor of a ruby-red state, a man often discussed as a 2024 presidential contender, Abbott could model a Republican and bipartisan response to Uvalde that embraces gun safety measures. One that could expand to other red states and break this shameful national sorrow. He could, but he has chosen not to go this route.

Polls have repeatedly shown Texas voters support universal background checks for all gun purchases, as well as red flag laws. Beyond this, one obvious measure that would have prevented the massacre in Uvalde, where an 18-year-old gunman legally purchased two AR-style rifles, would be raising the age to purchase such weapons from 18 to 21.

Such a small reform is hardly an outlier or an extreme response to what should be an unfathomable tragedy.

Lets remember that weeks after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., then-Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, signed legislation that raised the minimum age to purchase rifles from 18 to 21.

But for Abbott, such a measure is anathema.

As he said to reporters at that May 27 press conference in Uvalde, It is my understanding that ever since Texas has been a state, an 18-year-old has had the ability to buy a long gun, a rifle. And since that time, it seems like it has only been in the past decade or two that we have had school shootings. So, for a century and a half, 18-year-olds could buy rifles, and we didnt have school shootings, but we do now. Maybe were focusing our attention on the wrong thing.

Along these lines, he expressed no interest in rolling back lax gun laws such as permitless carry: No law that I signed allowed him to get a gun.

And he threw shade on universal background checks. Look at what happened in the Santa Fe shooting, a background check had no relevancy whatsoever because the killer took the gun from his parent, he said. Look at what happened in the shooting in Sutherland Springs. There was a background check that was done. It was done in a flawed way that allowed the killer to get a gun.

This isnt an accurate statement about Sutherland Springs. As Texas Public Radio reported, a background check would have worked.

Yet at the same press conference, Abbott also said, The status quo is unacceptable. This crime is unacceptable.

As an alternative to gun safety laws, Abbott has repeatedly emphasized improving mental health care. And while we are fully on board with improving mental health care in Texas, this, too, rings hollow given the states failure to expand Medicaid and dead-last ranking among the states for mental health care access by Mental Health America. Beyond this, why is this discussion either/or?

We focus on mass shootings because the death tolls are so staggering and the killing is so random. When these massacres involve children, the pain is unbearable. We focus on mass shootings because they can happen to any of us at any time.

In Midland-Odessa, where seven people were killed and 22 were injured in 2019; at Santa Fe High School in 2018, when 10 people were killed and 13 others were injured; in nearby Sutherland Springs in 2017, when 26 people were killed and 22 others were injured; in El Paso in 2019, when 23 people were killed and 23 others were injured.

But mass shootings are only one part of gun violence. In 2020, there were 4,164 firearms deaths in Texas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicides. Domestic violence. Accidental shootings. Heated disputes. All tragedies. That same year, there were more than 45,000 firearm-related deaths nationally, and gun-related incidents are now the leading cause of death for children and adolescents.

To meaningfully prevent gun violence means responding directly to Uvalde  at the very minimum, raise the minimum age to purchase assault weapons, and add extensive training and licensing, or, better yet, ban them but also enacting broad policies with the understanding that while such reforms might not prevent one particular individual shooting, they have the potential to reduce the overall rate of gun violence.

New York and California, states Abbott has highlighted as exemplars of the impotence and pointlessness of gun safety laws, had significantly lower rates of firearm deaths in 2020 than Texas, CDC data show.

In a letter Wednesday to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, Abbott requested special committees to study ways to prevent future school shootings. The topics under consideration include school safety, mental health, social media, police training, and, yes, firearm safety.

But special committees lack the urgency of a special session, and as weve shown, Abbotts rhetoric belies any serious consideration of gun safety measures.

This past week we have seen 10-year-old Tess Marie Mata posthumously become the viral TikTok star she yearned to be. My sweet baby girl. She was taken from us because of a senseless act in a mass shooting, her mother wrote in the caption for this video of her dancing child, once so alive. I never allowed Tess to post her videos because she was so young. But today I want to celebrate her by trying to fulfill her wish by becoming TikTok famous. #uvaldestrong.

And the Girl Scouts honored 10-year-old Amerie Jo Garza, murdered while trying to call 911, with the Bronze Star for trying to save the lives of others.

In his prerecorded comments to the NRA on May 27, Abbott said: Just as laws didnt stop the killer, we will not let his evil acts stop us from uniting the community that he tried to destroy. Im in Uvalde this afternoon working to heal the brokenhearted. We will bind up the wounds of the people of Uvalde and once again restore the luster to a community known for its warmth, its friendship and its values.

But some wounds  the death of a child  can never be bound. Some fractures cannot be united. Some broken hearts cannot be healed.

Yes, the status quo for mass shootings is unacceptable  it is infuriating  but Abbott reinforces this status quo with his fealty to Texas lax gun laws. With all his power, he does nothing.
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A grant application to expand San Antonios police force by up to 50 officers divided City Council on Thursday over how best to reduce crime in a fast-growing city.

City officials will apply for as much as $6.25 million from the U.S. Department of Justice, which would be distributed over three years.

Council approved the application 7-2, with first-term Council members Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and Teri Castillo voting no. District 7s Ana Sandoval and District 8s Manny Pelaez were absent for the vote.

McKee-Rodriguez and Castillo have consistently rallied against increasing the police departments size. They say the city should spend more tax dollars instead on addressing root causes of crime.

We keep adding police officers and our crime statistics continue to rise. It is beyond time to pursue additional options to preventing crime, said McKee-Rodriguez, who represents District 2 on the East Side. We cannot do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result.

Texas law bars San Antonio and other cities from cutting police resources.

City officials have pledged to maintain public safety spending below 66 percent of the general fund. The grant requires a match from the citys budget.

The city also would have to employ the officers for at least a year after the grant ends. However, City Manager Erik Walsh said the new officers would be kept on the payroll indefinitely.

McKee-Rodriguez balked at committing to future budget increases, questioning whether the city could afford the officers when the grant runs out. Castillo, who represents District 5 on the West Side, said she worried about cutting city services in the future because of the increased expense.

But Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez said San Antonios five-year financial forecast included the grant matches and still showed a balanced budget that keeps public safety spending below 66 percent.

San Antonio has fewer police officers than cities of comparable size. The city has a rate of 1.6 officers per 1,000 residents, Police Chief William McManus said. Nationwide, cities averaged 2.4 officer per 1,000 citizens, according to a 2017 federal report.

Even with other crime prevention tactics at play, San Antonio needs more police officers to speed up response times, McManus said.

Others council members have been vocal about wanting to increase the citys police force as San Antonio faces an increase in homicides similar to the rest of the country.

District 6 Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda, who represents the far West Side, said she hears from residents who want more police presence.

As the citys population booms, crime follows, said Clayton Perry, who represents the Northeast Side.

You need more patrols out there  you need more law enforcement to get out there and keep the bad guys off the streets, Perry said.

The addition of up to 50 new police officers isnt all city leaders need to prevent crime, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said. Walsh said the citys Ready to Work job training program, child care assistance and public parks also are important to crime prevention.

District 1 Councilman Mario Bravo, who sometimes votes on the side of McKee-Rodriguez and Castillo, questioned the budget and impact of new officers, although ultimately he voted for the grant application.

Every single member on this council has it as a personal priority to make our community as safe as possible, Bravo said. The only reason were having this conversation is because some of us are questioning whether more handcuffs in jails is going to best achieve that outcome.

megan.stringer@express-news.net

Twitter: @megstringers
U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw physically applauded calls by a former top Trump administration official Thursday night to impeach President Joe Biden if Republicans regain the majority in November and was even more committed to impeaching Bidens Homeland Security secretary.

The Houston Republican said at a meeting in Montgomery County that Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has deliberately violated the law by not enforcing immigration laws, resulting in a historic surge in border crossings.

I think you can make the same argument for impeaching Biden, Crenshaw said in an interview.

But Crenshaw was quick to add that politically its probably not a good idea because Vice President Kamala Harris would then become president.

While fringes of the Republican Party have been calling for Bidens impeachment since his first day in office, Crenshaws comments show that there is growing acceptance of the idea with other Republicans, even if political hurdles remain.

BACKGROUND: Rep. Dan Crenshaws fundraising powerhouse could be gateway to more power in Washington

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., three times has filed legislation to impeach Biden, including on the day after he took office. In September, Rep. Randy Weber, R-Friendswood, filed his own impeachment legislation, and later he and Rep. Brian Babin, R-Woodville, signed onto another bill to impeach Biden.

With Democrats in control of the U.S. House, none of those bills will see the light of day. But if Republicans regain the majority in November, it could open the door to more impeachment bill filings and hearings.

The Biden administration has said it inherited a broken immigration system from the Trump era and that it is expanding border resources to handle asylum-seekers.

In April, during an interview on Fox News Sunday, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy of California didnt sound like he was itching to call for impeachment but blamed Democrats for setting the stage.

Look, the one thing we learned that the Democrats did, is they used impeachment for political reason, McCarthy said. We believe in the rule of law. Were not going to pick and choose just because somebody has power.

Polling shows why Republicans might be talking about it more. Nearly 70 percent of Republican voters in a University of Massachusetts Amherst poll released last month said the House should impeach Biden if Republicans regain the majority in the November midterm elections.

Crenshaws comments about impeaching Mayorkas came during a nearly two-hour meeting on border security issues he organized in New Caney that included Tom Homan, the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under former President Donald Trump, who wholeheartedly called for impeaching Biden.

We had the most secure border ever in my career and this president  President Biden  unsecured it on purpose, which I think are grounds for impeachment from day one, Homan said as Crenshaw and a crowd of more than 150 people clapped.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Homan, who has worked in border enforcement since the 1980s, and other speakers blasted the Biden administration for ending construction of the border wall, for stopping the Remain in Mexico policy that had asylum-seekers camped in Mexico while their status was being considered, and for trying to lift Title 42, the pandemic-based health policy that has blocked asylum-seekers from coming into the United States.

Crenshaw said that since Biden took office his border policies have resulted in the Border Patrol having more than 2.7 million encounters with people crossing  a dramatic increase from Trumps four years in office.

At a fiery hearing before Congress in April, Mayorkas defended the Biden administration by saying it was handed a broken and dismantled system that is already under strain.

Mayorkas said that to deal with the surge of migrants, officials were speeding up the processing of new arrivals and evaluating asylum requests more quickly. In addition, he said, they are increasing personnel on the border.

Crenshaw is seeking a third term representing the 2nd Congressional District in November. The newly redrawn district runs from Spring to Humble and stretches into Montgomery County to pick up areas such as The Woodlands and New Caney that had previously been represented by retiring Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands. Democrat Robin Fulford, of The Woodlands, is Crenshaws opponent in November.

jeremy.wallace@chron.com
These five restaurant and special menu launches will add more deliciousness to the gastronomic scene in Bengaluru



Images: Vinayak Grover



Record Room Opens On Magrath Road

Indias first craft beer and vinyl bar, Record Room promises a variety of craft beers on tap to the backdrop of the joys of vinyl in a distinctive space. With over 200 vinyls across genres, customers can browse and listen to music while enjoying some of the citys best craft beers, currently from local favourites Geist and Toit, while Punes Great State Aleworks will soon be joining the ranks  a first for Bengaluru. Also on the menu are signature cocktails selections, a choice of wines and a curated coffee menu, made using artisanal coffee sourced from multiple Indian roasters.





Image: Shamanth Patil





Expect an eclectic line-up of international dishes with a signature Indian twist. Perfect for sharing, the bar snacks and small plates complement the craft beers. Try the Biryani Crisp Balls (seasoned biryani rice is paired with parmesan, deep-fried and served with a side of mint sauce  a play on arancino), and end with a selection of desserts, from profiteroles to almond tuiles, panna cotta to an assortment of pastries to pair with coffee.



More: Record Room, 2nd & 3rd Floor Ram Kunj, 16/3, Magrath Road (opposite Garuda Mall), Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru 25. Average meal for two (with alcohol): Rs 2,500 + taxes
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Adivi Sesh's performance in the highly anticipated film Major, which traces the inspirational journey of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and his bravery and sacrifice in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, has won hearts across the country.

The actor, who has been touring the country for special screenings of the film, has left audiences in tears with his sensitive and impactful performance in the film, which pays tribute to one of the country's greatest heroes. It was recently shown to 312 commandos and their families at a screening for the National Security Guard in Mumbai. At this screening, Adivi was honoured with an honorary medal from the Black Cat Commandos for his riveting performance in the film.


Samrat Prithviraj, starring Akshay Kumar, was released in India today to much fanfare, but the film will not be released in Kuwait or Oman, according to reports. The film about the warrior king has been banned by the governments of both countries, according to a tweet shared by trade analyst Girish Johar.

He revealed, "In a development, Govt of Kuwait & Oman have banned #SamratPrithviraj  they will not be released there! @akshaykumar @SonuSood @duttsanjay @ManushiChhillar @yrf #DrChandraprakashDwivedi"







The film, directed by Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi, was previously declared tax-free in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. A special screening of the film was held for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.





According to one source, the film's ban in certain international markets is unfortunate. "It is highly unfortunate that a film that is based on our glorious Hindu Samrat Prithvirajs life and courage has been banned in some international markets like Kuwait and Oman. It seems that these countries have taken this stand in the run-up to the films release," they said.





In a note a day before the film's release, Akshay revealed in a note, "The entire team of Samrat Prithviraj, a film that gloriously celebrates the life of one of Indias bravest kings Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan, has taken four years to create a visual spectacle that we are all extremely proud of. Since its an authentic historical there are many facets of Samrats life that are lesser known to the people of our country, especially the youth. This is our sincere request to everyone watching the film from tomorrow, to not give out spoilers that reveal several aspects of our film that are designed to be awe-inspiring."









Because of the pandemic, Samrat Prithviraj has been in the works for four years. Manushi Chhillar makes her film debut with the film, and Sonu Sood and Sanjay Dutt play pivotal roles.




Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 2, 2022) - Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc. (CSE: VEGI) (OTCQB: VGGIF) (FSE: 77I) ("Boosh" or the "Company") a premier plant-based brands in the in health food sector, announces today changes to its leadership team. Connie Marples, founder and president of Boosh Plant Based Brands Inc has been named interim CEO. Jim Pakulis has stepped down from the position and as a member of the board. Boosh wants to thank Mr. Pakulis for his entrepreneurial leadership and guidance, and a bonus of 500,000 shares will be issued to Mr. Pakulis, each share having a deemed value of $0.25 per share and subject to a four month and one day hold period ending on October 3, 2022 in accordance with the policies of the CSE.

This weekend Boosh Plant-based Brands will be exhibiting at Canada's largest Vegan show, Planted Expo June 4 and 5th at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre and will be selling and sampling a variety of Beanfields Chips as well as Boosh Chili, Sloppy Joes and Mushroom Soup.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Connie Marples

Founder/President

connie@booshfood.com

Telephone: 778 840 1700

www.Booshfood.com

About Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc.:

Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Boosh Food (www.booshfood.com), offers high quality, non-GMO, gluten free, 100% plant-based nutritional comfort foods for the whole family. Through a separate subsidiary, Beautiful Beanfields, the Company owns Beanfields, a plant-based chips brand sold in over 7,000 stores throughout North America. Boosh, good for you and good for planet earth.

The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, the Company's expectations concerning the size of the Financing, its ability to close the Financing in whole or in part or at all and its plan for the proceeds of the Financing. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126358
The podcast, created in collaboration with London Business School Alumni Energy Club (the 'AEC') will be hosted by United Renewables Founder Chris Caldwell

DOUGLAS, Isle of Man, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Renewable energy developer United Renewables is today announcing the launch of a new podcast and videocast series, Conversations on Climate, to explore the wide range of solutions to the global climate crisis through interviews with leading experts in their fields.



Made in collaboration with the AEC, the first series will feature United Renewables Founder Chris Caldwell sitting down with some of the London Business School's leading thinkers, researchers, builders and makers who are tackling the issue of climate change from a range of perspectives.

Showcasing new solutions to the climate crisis

Working with his business United Renewables, Caldwell has been developing renewable energy projects for over 12 years, seeing firsthand the challenges involved in driving meaningful change in energy and sustainability.

With experts drawn from the London Business School community from fields as diverse as business research to technology development, legislation to behavioural psychology, Conversations on Climate seeks to show how solutions can work together holistically to solve the challenge before us.

Caldwell says: "It's been clear to me for some time that solving climate change is going to take significant efforts across every part of our societies and economies, from finance to food, planning to politics. That's why I've been speaking to as many experts from as many fields as possible to find where our hopes for the future may lie and showcase the sheer diversity of options that are out there that we need to support."

"We need to move the conversation on from solar vs wind, or veganism vs new GMOs. The reality is that this is a crisis and we need all hands on deck. I'm proud to be learning from inspiring thinkers in every field as I expand my own horizons and hopefully do the same for our audience."

The podcast is targeted at business leaders and entrepreneurs looking to find ways to make a meaningful impact in their careers, as well as anyone interested in the cutting-edge of sustainable innovation and thinking on this generation defining issue.

Where to find Conversations on Climate

The inaugural episode will launch on 3rd June 2022 and will feature Michael G Jacobides, the Sir Donald Gordon Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at London Business School, where he is Professor of Strategy and a world-renowned expert in ecosystems and business management. Professor Jacobides discusses amongst other areas:

How we harness business ecosystems by challenging existing practices and rethinking how labour is organized and divided in the renewables sector;

Who is best placed to orchestrate the sustainability ecosystems of the near future;

What role firms and governments can play in driving change.



The videocast will be available on YouTube and the podcast will be available on all major platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with new episodes released every two weeks.



Contact details: United renewables Website: https://unitedrenewables.co.uk/resources

Contact name: Isabella Hawke

Telephone: +447624457139

Email: hunterandhawke@gmail.com

Address: 26 Old Castletown Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 5AW

Media Department (freelance marketer for United Renewables)



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/47d014f7-b9d9-448d-a278-3a6534c0a413
Singapore, June 3, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - The Asia Video Industry Association was finally able to host its annual Satellite Industry Forum in-person in Singapore on 31st May 2022 after a two-year hiatus, bringing together over 120 delegates from around the world and some of the satellite industry's most foremost leaders.Opening the Forum this year was keynote speaker, Steve Collar, Chief Executive Officer, SES, to address the issue of where future growth was coming from and kicked off the session with his views on demand and supply in the market. As platforms were getting longer to get built and become operational, it showed how difficult it was to get launches done, and how much the industry overestimated supply. Collar added that SES had always been a champion of multi-orbit, and not just having both MEO and GEO satellites, but also constructing a global network for customers to move seamlessly from one to the other to maximize the benefits of both. Collar also shared his excitement on demand, and the new applications and new services that could be run, with a sweet spot being the high throughput and high connectivity services which represented a significant market for SES.Access to space was also what made the industry exciting, as technology continued to develop both in space and on the ground. However, he also highlighted that space sustainability was critical, with the industry having a duty and moral obligation to treat space in a sustainable way. "Our job is to make sure that space will be used by future generations, and the access to space is equivalent to what we enjoy today and hopefully more in the future," said Collar.COVID also saw the resurgence of the linear broadcast, with video having done very well over the last two years. Collar remained committed and excited on the long-term aspects of the video business, particularly in Asia. And while it was not going to be the source of growth, it was still overwhelmingly the source of cashflow.This sentiment was also shared by some of the largest satellite operators in the region during the Satellite Operators' Roundtable. Terry Bleakley, Regional Vice President, Asia Pacific, Intelsat, talked about the importance of satellite to video and how long-term agreements were still being signed with satellite operators. In terms of advertising in Asia Pacific, by 2024, $43.5 billion would come from broadcast and linear television, whereas OTT was only going to bring in $30 - 33 billion, hence linear was still generating more money. Patrick French, Executive Vice President, Global Business Development and Strategy, ABS, added that video still had a long lifetime ahead, and the core of Asia for the longer term. Software defined satellites were also going to be addressing all market segments and would de-risk the business case going forward.From the manufacturer's perspectives, Vaibhav Magow, Vice President, International Division, Hughes Network Systems, also said this was the most exciting time for the satellite industry, as software defined satellites could change and swap the configuration of what was being offered to the customers, and easily adapted to the change of demand. Joe Bogosian, Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing, Boeing Commercial Satellite Systems International, also agreed that software defined satellites were going to drive much higher utilisation of CAPEX that was going up, and multi-orbits were going to enable more efficient use of this CAPEX and were able to serve different applications more efficiently for LEO and GEO.Closing off the Forum was Bill Carlin, Senior Manager, Global Sales, AWS Aerospace & Satellite Solutions whose interest in space and satellite was on the vast amount of data that was being collected and created from space, and soon in space, with a future view of launching data centers on the moon and even on Mars. "I see the ability of moving the cloud to space. If we move high speed computing to space, we can do all the things that we do on earth that require high volumes of computing, storage or analytics," said Carlin.The Satellite Industry Forum is generously sponsored by AsiaSat, AWS Aerospace & Satellite, Gilat, Hughes, Kymeta, Marsh, MEASAT, Milbank, SES, SpaceBridge, SpaceLogistics and Thaicom.About the Asia Video Industry Association:The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) is the trade association for the video industry and satellite ecosystem in Asia Pacific. It serves to make the video industry stronger and healthier through promoting the common interests of its members. The AVIA is the interlocutor for these industries with governments across the region, leads the fight against video piracy through its Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) and provides insight into the video industry through reports and conferences aimed to support a vibrant video industry.For media enquiries and additional background, contact:Charmaine KwanHead of Marketing and CommunicationsEmail: charmaine@avia.orgWebsite: www.avia.orgLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/asiavideoiaTwitter: @AsiaVideoIASource: AVIACopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Recover, a leading materials science company and recycled cotton fiber producer, reaffirmed its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as it actively participated in the United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network Annual Meeting yesterday, held at the United Nations Headquarters, New York.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220602005659/en/

Considering the significant impact of the fashion sector on societies and the environment, the meeting joined together key industry stakeholders, media, Governments, and United Nations system entities to showcase and enable collaborations that accelerate the implementation of the SDGs in the industry.

In an exclusive fireside chat, Alfredo Ferre, CEO at Recover, highlighted the importance of recycled cotton in achieving these goals, and in scaling its production to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable fashion industry. As a global producer of recycled cotton fiber and cotton fiber blends, Recover is an important actor within the supply chain to drive change and the company aims to be the first in its space to scale its high-value technology globally.

The company has already shown its commitment to taking actions that benefit the wider community and allow the scaling of the traceable and resilient circular supply chains needed to achieve climate targets. It recently formalized its membership to the largest initiative in Social Responsibility in the world, the United Nations Global Compact, and its strategy is strongly aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the 17 SDGs. The company has registered its commitments to sector change on the United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network.

Alfredo Ferre stated: "Throughout our 75-year history, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals have been ingrained into our DNA and strategy at Recover, and we are proud to support the United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network Annual Meeting to help engage the fashion industry to accelerate action in achieving them. By collaborating with these global stakeholders, we hope to scale our impact further to help brands and retailers meet their sustainable goals."

Kerry Bannigan, Co-Founder, UN Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network and Executive Director, Fashion Impact Fund added: "Thank you to Recover for supporting and joining our convening to showcase solutions for sector wide change and champion how our network commitments are mobilizing expertise, innovation, technology, and resources towards a responsible and inclusive COVID-19 recovery, with the Sustainable Development Goals as a guiding framework."

The United Nations Conscious Fashion Campaign and Lifestyle Network is a joint initiative of the United Nations Office for Partnerships, the Division for Sustainable Development Goals United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Fashion Impact Fund. The online platform supports solutions for sustainable innovation, and this meeting is one of the key periodic events held by the platform, aimed at driving innovation, connecting industry leaders, facilitating new partnerships, and enacting social change.

About Recover

Recover is a leading materials science company and global producer of low-impact, high-quality recycled cotton fiber and cotton fiber blends. Its premium, environmentally friendly, and cost-competitive products are created in partnership with the supply chain for global retailers and brands, offering a sustainable solution to achieve circular fashion for all. As a fourth-generation, family-owned company with over a 70-year history in the textile industry, Recover is on a mission to scale its proprietary technology to make a lasting positive impact on the environment and partner with brands/retailers and other change-makers to meet the industry's sustainability targets.

For more information, visit www.recoverfiber.com and follow @recoverfiber on social media.

About Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network

The Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network is a United Nations (UN) hosted online platform for industry stakeholders, media, Governments, and UN system entities. The network showcases and enables collaborations that accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The UN Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network is a joint initiative of the United Nations Office for Partnerships, the Division for Sustainable Development Goals United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Fashion Impact Fund. The leading entities of the network convene periodic events aligned with key meetings on the UN calendar and publish reports on the network's achievements.

https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/action-networks/conscious-fashion-and-lifestyle-network

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220602005659/en/

Contacts:

Hannah Wesselby

Manager Manager

Hannah.wesselby@recoverfiber.com
Kinarus AG / Key word(s): Merger

Perfect Holding Completes Reverse Takeover Transaction with Kinarus



03.06.2022 / 07:00





MEDIA RELEASE - Ad hoc Announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR (PDF)

Successful completion of Perfect Holding's (PRFN) acquisition of Kinarus by way of a share exchange

Listing and commencement of trading on SIX Swiss Exchange of the new Perfect Holding shares issued to the former Kinarus shareholders as from 3 June 2022

The combined company plans to change its name to Kinarus Therapeutics Holding AG, its domicile to Basel, Switzerland and its ticker symbol to KNRS as of 9 June 2022

Lausanne, Switzerland - 3 June 2022. Perfect Holding SA ("Perfect Holding") announced today the completion of the reverse takeover transaction (RTO) with Kinarus AG ("Kinarus"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of viral, respiratory, and ophthalmic diseases.

Perfect Holding acquired Kinarus by way of a share exchange. Kinarus shareholders representing 95.3% of its share capital have tendered their shares in exchange for newly issued shares of Perfect Holding, and such new shares have been admitted for listing and trading on the SIX Swiss Exchange as from 3 June 2022.

In the coming days, Perfect Holding will complete the RTO process with a change of its name to Kinarus Therapeutics Holding AG and a move of its domicile to Basel, Switzerland. The ticker symbol will also be changed from PRFN to KNRS as of 9 June 2022.

The Parties were supported by Raiffeisen Switzerland (listing agent) for this RTO transaction and listing on SIX Swiss Exchange. Kinarus was also supported by Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd (legal counsel) and Ventac Partners (corporate development), while Perfect Holding was assisted by Bar & Karrer (legal counsel). A fairness opinion regarding the terms of the share exchange was provided by The Corporate Finance Group.

Perfect Holding SA, Avenue de Florimont 3, 1006 Lausanne (CH), Tel +41-21-552.60.16, www.perfect.aero

Kinarus AG, Hochbergerstrasse 60C, 4057 Basel (CH), Tel +41-61-633.29.71, www.kinarus.com

Disclaimer

This communication does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities of Kinarus AG. This publication may contain certain forward-looking statements and assessments or intentions concerning the company and its business. Such statements involve certain risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Readers should therefore not place reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any contract or investment decision. The company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, assessments or intentions.

End of Media Release


Major agreement signed with Energoatom to supply all nuclear fuel to the Ukrainian installed fleet

Additional agreement increases planned AP1000 plant fleet from five to nine units

Energoatom and Westinghouse agree to establish a Westinghouse Engineering Center in Ukraine in support of the planned AP1000 plant projects, as well as Energoatom's current operating fleet and future decommissioning efforts

Westinghouse Electric Company and Energoatom, the state-owned nuclear utility of Ukraine, have signed expanded agreements for Westinghouse to supply all nuclear fuel for the Energoatom operating fleet in Ukraine and increase the number of AP1000 plants Energoatom intends to build from five to nine units. The two companies also affirmed their intention to establish a Westinghouse Engineering Center in Ukraine to support the planned AP1000 reactor projects, as well as Energoatom's operating fleet and future decommissioning program.

Petro Kotin, President of SE NNEGC Energoatom, and Patrick Fragman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Westinghouse, signed the agreements at the Khmelnytskyi NPP (KhNPP) site where the first two AP1000 reactors will be constructed. Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko and Swedish Ambassador to Ukraine Tobias Thyberg witnessed the signing of this historic agreement and participated in the site tour.

Building off existing agreements, Energoatom selected Westinghouse to fully supply nuclear fuel for its installed fleet based on a strong partnership and shared commitment to energy security. The fuel will be supplied out of Westinghouse's fabrication site in Vasteras, Sweden,with continued localization of fuel assembly component production in Ukraine. Atomenergomash, a subdivision of Energoatom, is currently completing qualification to manufacture top and bottom nozzles for Westinghouse fuel.

During the visit, Westinghouse and Energoatom also confirmed their intent to implement the previously signed agreement to deliver AP1000 plant technology for new nuclear power plants in Ukraine and expanded the number of committed AP1000 plants from five to nine. The AP1000 plant is a proven Gen III+ reactor featuring unique fully passive safety systems, modularized standard design, and industry-leading operability performance and load following capability. The design and build of the AP1000 plants will leverage significant US-Ukraine industrial cooperation, featuring content from supply chains in both countries.

"Even during this challenging time, we continue to work actively with Westinghouse, our strategic partner. We will expand the areas and scope of cooperation and are confident that together, we will not only write a new chapter in the history of Ukraine's nuclear energy, but also make an important contribution to the energy independence of Europe," said Kotin.

"Westinghouse is proud to sign these agreements to fully support Ukraine's current operating fleet with our industry-leading fuels and services and to increase the number of committed new AP1000 plants from five to nine. We greatly value our long-standing partnership with Energoatom and look forward to the work ahead to help advance Ukraine's carbon-free future," said Fragman.

Westinghouse Electric Company is shaping the future of carbon-free energy by providing safe, innovative nuclear technologies to utilities globally. Westinghouse supplied the world's first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 and the company's technology is the basis for nearly one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. Over 135 years of innovation makes Westinghouse the preferred partner for advanced technologies covering the complete nuclear energy life cycle. For more information, visit www.westinghousenuclear.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220602005908/en/

Contacts:

Cathy Mann

Media@Westinghouse.com




June 3, 2022 - release at 8:30 am CET

Sophia Antipolis, France







Nicox SA (Euronext Paris: FR0013018124, COX), an international ophthalmology company, convenes an extraordinary shareholder meeting on Monday July 11, 2022 at 2:00 pm CEST in the offices of BuroClub - Drakkar 2 - Batiment D - 2405 route des Dolines - 06560 Valbonne Sophia Antipolis - France.







The documents mentioned in articles R.22.10-23 of the French Code de commerce, including a proxy voting form, will be sent to the shareholders upon written request. These documents will also be made available to shareholders at the headquarters of the Company and on its website (www.nicox.com (http://www.nicox.com)) by June 20, 2022.







Shareholders may vote by proxy, by internet or by attending the shareholder meeting in person. A guide explaining how to vote, and notably how to vote by internet, will be posted on Nicox's website by June 20, 2022. Shareholders may also contact the Company's Investor Relations team at ag2022nicox@nicox.com (mailto:ag2022nicox@nicox.com) for any question on the voting process.







In the event the quorum is not reached on first call, Nicox will convene an extraordinary shareholder meeting on a second call on Thursday July 28, 2022 at 2:00 pm CEST in the offices of BuroClub - Drakkar 2 - Batiment D - 2405 route des Dolines - 06560 Valbonne Sophia Antipolis - France.
Data presentations provide key updates on the portfolio, including Botulinum Toxin, Belotero, Radiesse and Ultherapy

Merz Aesthetics today confirmed its commitment as a global leader in medical aesthetics at the 2022 International Master Course on Aging Science (IMCAS) World Congress, with the presentation of data from its medical aesthetics portfolio and a clear focus on addressing the aesthetic needs of a diversifying society and a younger patient base. IMCAS, held from Friday, June 3 to Sunday, June 5, 2022, will take place in a hybrid format, enabling participants to attend the conference in person in Paris and/or virtually. Merz Aesthetics is a diamond sponsor of the global industry congress.

"This year's IMCAS Congress is an opportunity to reunite with our partners and leading experts in dermatology, plastic surgery and aging science to bridge our respective fields and drive innovation in aesthetic medicine forward," said Frank Brandt-Pollmann, President EMEA, Merz Aesthetics. "We exist to fuel confidence by helping people look better, feel better and live better, and we're proud to present research across our portfolio that reinforces the need for diverse and expansive experiences for every patient."

Merz Aesthetics continues to embrace the diversified and unique needs of aesthetic patients and practitioners, recognizing the personal journey for each patient and partnering with experts to meet those needs. As patients are starting their aesthetic journey earlier in their lives, Merz Aesthetics stands for a long term and responsible view on how patients are treated.

Merz Aesthetics is organizing a program led by esteemed medical aesthetic experts, participating in various IMCAS sessions and presenting new data throughout the course of the meeting.

Merz Aesthetics Symposium Beautification Embracing Uniqueness, Advanced aesthetic strategies for the needs of diverse generations Dr. Gabriela Casabona, Dr. Daria Voropai, Dr. Raj Aquilla, Sunday, June 5, 2022 10:30 12:30h CEST

Dr. Gabriela Casabona, Dr. Daria Voropai, Dr. Raj Aquilla, Sunday, June 5, 2022 10:30 12:30h CEST Merz Aesthetics support of IMCAS Cadaver Workshop with anatomist Prof. Dr. Thilo Schenck and Live Injector: Dr. Fouad Belfkira Friday, June 3, 2022 10:30 11:00h CEST

with anatomist Prof. Dr. Thilo Schenck and Live Injector: Dr. Fouad Belfkira Friday, June 3, 2022 10:30 11:00h CEST Product Analysis Session "Emerging Toxins", Andy Curry, Assoc. Med. Director, Merz Aesthetics Friday, June 3, 2022, 8:30 12:00 h CEST

Andy Curry, Assoc. Med. Director, Merz Aesthetics Friday, June 3, 2022, 8:30 12:00 h CEST Innovation Tank, Dr. Samantha Kerr, CSO, Merz Aesthetics, Friday, June 3, 2022, 8:30 -12:00h CEST

Dr. Samantha Kerr, CSO, Merz Aesthetics, Friday, June 3, 2022, 8:30 -12:00h CEST IMCAS Economic Tribune Round Table, Bob Rhatigan, CEO Merz Aesthetics, Saturday, June 4, 2022, 16:00 18:00h CEST

E-Poster Presentations

Virtual posters will be available for viewing on site for the duration of the congress and displayed on the virtual E-poster platform with detailed abstracts.

Botulinum Toxin

Study Design of LONG RUN: A longitudinal evaluation and real-world evidence of uniquely purified incobotulinumtoxinA in treatment naive participants. Presenting author: Andy Curry, Merz Aesthetics USA, Terrence Keaney, MD USA, Karyn Siemasko, PhD -USA

IncobotulinumtoxinA Demonstrates Safety and Prolonged Duration of Effect in a Dose-Ranging Study for Glabellar Lines: Final Study Results. Martina Kerscher, MD PhD Germany, Sabrina Fabi, Md USA, Tanja Fischer, MD PhD Germany, Presenting author: Michael Gold, MD USA, John Joseph, MD USA, Welf Prager, MD Germany, Berthold Rzany, MD ScM Germany, Steve Yoelin, MD USA, Susanna Roll, PhD Germany, Gudrun Klein, PhD Germany, Corey Maas, MD PhD USA.

Belotero and Radiesse

A Hybrid Filler: Combining Calcium Hydroxylapatite and Hyaluronic Acid Fillers for Aesthetic Indications, Presenting author: Jonathan Kadouch, MD, PhD Netherlands, Nabil Fakih-Gomez, MD-Lebanon.

Comparative Histomorphological Evaluation of the Injectable Cohesive Polydensified Matrix Hyaluronic Acid and Calcium Hydroxylapatite Combination. Presenting author: Yana Yutskovskaya, MD Russia, Evgenia Kogan, MD PhD Russia, Alla Y Koroleva, MD Russia.

Technical evaluation and comparison of calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) containing dermal fillers, Sarah Backfisch, Radia El-Banna, Presenting author: Cleiton Kunzler, Roland Stragies, and Nadine Hagedorn, Merz Aesthetics GmbH Germany.

Increased hyaluronic acid concentration enhances the local tissue lifting capacity in an ex vivo human skin model, Kay Marquardt, Christian Hartmann, Christina Wollenburg, Tristan Gesing, Presenting author: Thomas Hengl, Merz Aesthetics GmbH Germany.

Animal study indicates importance of distance between microspheres for neocollagenesis, Bartosch Nowag, Nils Warfving, Presenting author: Thomas Hengl, Merz Aesthetics GmbH Germany.

About Merz Aesthetics

Merz Aesthetics is a medical aesthetics business with a long history of empowering health care professionals, patients and employees to live every day with confidence. We aim to help people around the world look, feel and live like the best versions of themselves-however they define it. Clinically proven, our product portfolio includes injectables, devices and skin care treatments designed to meet each patient's needs with high standards of safety and efficacy. We are known for building unique connections with customers who feel like family. Our global headquarters is in Raleigh, N.C., USA, with a commercial presence in 36 countries worldwide. Merz Aesthetics is part of Merz Group, a family-owned business founded in 1908 and based in Frankfurt, Germany. Learn more at merzaesthetics.com.

Copyright 2022 Merz Aesthetics GmbH. All rights reserved. MERZ, MERZ AESTHETICS and the MERZ logo are registered trademarks of Merz Pharma GmbH Co. KGaA.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220603005010/en/

Contacts:

Merz Aesthetics GmbH

Communications EMEA

Eckenheimer Landstrae 100, 60318 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Diana Trojanus

media@merz.com
BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Germany's exports rebounded at a stronger than expected pace in April despite sanctions imposed on Russia dampening trade in Europe. Exports advanced 4.4 percent on a monthly basis, in contrast to the 3.0 percent decline posted in March, data from Destatis showed on Friday. Shipments were expected to grow only 1.5 percent. At the same time, imports moved up 3.1 percent on month. Although growth was slightly slower than March's 3.2 percent increase, the rate far exceeded economists' forecast of 0.2 percent. As a result, the trade surplus rose to a seasonally adjusted EUR 3.5 billion from EUR 1.9 billion a month ago. The expected level was EUR 1.6 billion. Year-on-year, exports growth improved to 9.2 percent from 8.5 percent. Likewise, growth in imports climbed to 25.2 percent from 22.6 percent in the prior month. The unadjusted foreign trade balance showed a surplus of EUR 1.3 billion in April compared to a EUR 15.3 billion surplus in the same period last year. Exports to the Russia decreased 10.0 percent to EUR 0.8 billion in April, because of the sanctions imposed against Russia as a result of the war in Ukraine, further measures to restrict exports, and unsanctioned behaviour of market participants. Imports from Russia were down 16.4 percent to EUR 3.7 billion in April. Meanwhile, shipments to EU member countries grew 4.2 percent and imports from those countries gained 2.4 percent annually. A surprise surge in April exports softens fears of a contraction of the entire German economy in the second quarter, Carsten Brzeski, an ING economist, said. However, exports are still facing several headwinds. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
The "Spain Construction Equipment Market Strategic Assessment Forecast 2022-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Spain Construction Equipment Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.19% during 2022-2028.

The report considers the present scenario of the Spain construction equipment market and market dynamics for the forecast period 2022-2028. It covers a detailed overview of several growth enablers, restraints, and trends in the market. The study includes the volume and value sales with a segment analysis of the Spain construction equipment market.

The Material Handling segment is the largest in Spain construction equipment market, followed by earthmoving and road construction equipment. Forklifts and Excavators have been the fast-growing segments. The demand for excavators and forklifts is expected to rise due to various government investments in infrastructure development, growth in renewable energy, and the country's construction industries.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS IN THE REPORT

Spain is the largest market for Forklift in the world; the equipment is extremely flexible, cheaper, and can be used to lift and move various materials over short distances, which makes it extremely popular in the Spain construction market.

Various civil engineering works and residential projects prompt demand for telematics in excavators in the market. The real estate and affordable housing projects support the demand for large tower cranes in Spain.

The infrastructure investment in 2021 will drive the construction industry's growth. The government's focus on renewable energy resources for power generation is attracting major FDI inflows in 2021.

As per January 2022, the Ecological Transition Ministry is processing 697 renewable energy projects, including 467 solar parks, 211 wind farms, 2 hydro-electric proposals and 17 hybrid plants. These increasing projects are expected to increase the demand for earthmoving equipment in the renewable energy sector.

The surge in infrastructure development projects across Spain such as Punta Norte Residential Complex ($220 million), Palencia-Aguilar de Campoo High-Speed Railway Line Palencia Norte-Amusco section ($114 million), Sinova Wastewater Treatment Plant ($72 million) and Sabinar Photovoltaic Complex 252 MW ($213 million). The Hydraulic infrastructures had an investment of $740.1 million in 2021, to which $102.5 million will be added in 2022, which will be invested through public entities and state-owned companies.

As per the State Budget contemplates, the water quality infrastructure for the Hydrographic Confederations and National Parks as an investment of $785.6 million had increased its budget by 11%, with a forecast of $44 million for 2021.

VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Komatsu, Caterpillar, Kubota, Hitachi construction equipment and Volvo Construction Equipment are market leaders which accounted for nearly ~33% of overall construction equipment market share in 2021.

Key Vendors

Caterpillar

Volvo CE

Komatsu

Liebherr

Kubota

Other Prominent Vendors

XCMG

SANY

JCB

Kobelco

Zoomlion

Hitachi Construction equipment

Hyundai construction equipment

Distributors

LVP Cranes

Centrocar

ITT Bobcat OF

AURTENECHE MAQUINARIA

SUR KOMAT MAQUINARIA

Finanzauto

Key Topics Covered:

Section 1 Introduction

Market Snapshot

Executive Summary

Section 2 the Market Overview

Economic Scenario, Foreign Direct Investment

Section 3 Spain Construction Equipment (Type Application)

Spain Construction Equipment Market by Type (Volume Value)

Earth Moving Equipment

Excavator

Backhoe Loader

Motor Grader

Other Earth Moving Equipment (Other Loaders, Bulldozer, Trencher, Etc.)

Road Construction Equipment

Asphalt Paver

Road Roller

Material Handling Equipment

Crane

Forklift and Telescopic Handler

Aerial Platform (Articulated Boom Lifts, Telescopic Boom Lifts, Scissor Lifts, Etc)

Spain Construction Equipment Market by Application (Volume Value)

Construction

Mining

Manufacturing

Others (Power Generation and Utilities, Municipal Corporation Etc)

Section 4 Market Dynamics

Market Drivers, Restraints, Trends, Key Economic Regions in Spain, Advantage Spain, Fdi in Spain, Import/Export Trend Analysis, Supply Chain, Covid-19 Impact

Section 5 Technology Development

Advent of Technology

Section 6 Competitive Landscape

Competitive Landscape Overview

Major Vendors Caterpillar Komatsu Xcmg Sany Hyundai Construction Machinery Volvo Construction Equipment Hitachi Construction Machinery Jcb Liebherr Kobelco Kubota Zoomlion

Distributors Profile

Section 7 Quantitative Summary

Section 8 Report Summary

Key Insights

Abbreviations

List of Graphs

List of Tables

Section 9 Report Scope Definition

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/r001q1

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220603005170/en/

Contacts:

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



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OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - Krispy Kreme Inc., Dunkin', Tim Hortons U.S. and more food chains are offering free donuts to celebrate National Donut Day on Friday. Krispy Kreme, the doughnut company and coffeehouse chain, has come out with two offers. Customers can get any doughnut of choice free on the doughnut special day. They can also enjoy a $1 Original Glazed dozen with the purchase of any dozen or 16 ct minis in store and online for pickup & delivery. In a tweet, the company said, 'In shop only at participating US & CAN shops while supplies last on 6/3. Limit one per person.' At Dunkin', customers can get a free donut with any beverage purchase. Dunkin' tweeted, 'feel like offices should be closed on Friday for National Donut Day tbh' Meanwhile, Tim Hortons U.S. Introduced National Donut Week from May 30 - June 5, noting that donuts deserve more than one day of appreciation. During this period, Tims Rewards Members who purchase a donut via the Tim Hortons App or online will receive a free donut offer to redeem on their next order. Among others, the Dapper Doughnut offers a free box of powdered and cinnamon doughnuts with any purchase, while Duck Donuts visitors can get a free cinnamon sugar doughnut Friday. Carl's Donuts Las Vegas offers a chance to win classic dozen doughnuts a week for a year with the purchase of any piece of Carl's merchandise in store. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.




SINGAPORE, June 3, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - Moonstake is excited to host a staking contest with our partner, FIO, with a prize pool of 100,000 FIO tokens. This competition will run from June 1 - June 15 and there will be 108 prizes for users who stake the most as well as lucky draw rewards.Moonstake and FIO became strategic partners in February 2022 to integrate support for FIO tokens on Moonstake Wallet, and Moonstake became an official Block Producer for the FIO Network in the same month. Since then, Moonstake and FIO have collaborated extensively to host various successful community programs to promote adoption of the FIO and Moonstake ecosystems, including staking launch, educational quiz, and now, a staking contest to boost awareness and participation.Below is the detailed information of the FIO staking contest:Reward details:- First place: 1 prize of 20,000 FIO tokens. Must stake a minimum of 200,000 FIO tokens.- Second place: 2 prizes of 10,000 FIO tokens each. Must stake a minimum of 100,000 FIO tokens.- Third place: 5 prizes of 4,000 FIO tokens each. Must stake at least 40,000 FIO tokens.- Lucky draw prizes: 100 randomly selected participants will share a total prize pool of 40,000 FIO Tokens. To be selected for this pool, you must have a minimum of 1,000 FIO tokens staked.How to participate:- Download the Moonstake wallet-- iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/moonstake-wallet/id1502532651-- Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.moonstake.wallet- Stake FIO tokens- Follow FIO ( https://twitter.com/joinFIO ) and Moonstake ( https://twitter.com/moonstake ), retweet the staking tournament announcement ( https://twitter.com/moonstake/status/1531885942675763200 ).- Fill out this Google form: https://forms.gle/tfxenikw9LCvVh91ANotes1. Only the staking amount staked during the duration of this campaign is eligible.2. You must keep this staking amount staked during the entire period of the campaign to qualify for the reward.3. We will choose the stakers with the highest staking amount as the winner of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes.4. Rewards will be distributed within 14 working days after the end of the staking tournament.5. The FIO team and the Moonstake team reserve the right to interpret the above event at their sole discretion.Please also check out the blog article of our partner FIO about this campaign: https://tinyurl.com/fio-blogMoonstake is committed to providing the most secure and user-friendly experience for users worldwide to promote crypto staking, and this staking contest is an important joint initiative by us and our partnered coin to accelerate growth and adoption of our staking ecosystems.About MoonstakeMoonstake is the world's leading staking service provider that develops and operates decentralized wallet services for businesses and individuals.Since its launch in April 2020, Moonstake has partnered with 27 leading platform providers, including Cardano's constituent Emurgo, developer of the Polkadot-connected blockchain Astar Network Stake Technologies, and the TRON Network with over 50 million users. In May 2021, Moonstake further enhanced its corporate credibility by becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of OIO Holdings Limited, a company listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.Using blockchain technology, Moonstake aims to progress toward a world where anyone can easily make use of highly secure and reliable digital asset management tools. https://www.moonstake.io/About Moonstake's staking businessFor the staking industry, which has grown into a 630-billion dollar market as of September 2021, Moonstake provides a decentralized staking service that does not require user deposits, and supports nodes around the world in addition to its own validator nodes. Moonstake currently supports the staking of 12 blockchains. With a total staking assets of 1.8 billion USD and a global user base, the company ranked third out of more than 10,000 providers worldwide in June of the same year.About FIOFIO, the Foundation for Interwallet Operability, is a decentralized consortium of blockchain organizations and community members supporting the ongoing development, integration, and promotion of the FIO Protocol. The protocol is an open-source, decentralized usability layer solution that works across all blockchains, and uses human-readable Crypto Handles to replace the complexity, risk, and inconvenience that comes with blockchain-based transactions using public addresses.Source: MoonstakeCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
OSCEOLA, AR / ACCESSWIRE / June 3, 2022 / Envirotech Vehicles, Inc. (OTCQX:EVTV), a provider of new zero-emission, purpose-built electric vehicles (the "Company"), has announced a partnership with Arkansas-based Olympus Construction to renovate the Company's state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Osceola. Located at 1425 Ohlendorf Road in Osceola, Ark., Envirotech's manufacturing facility is approximately 580,000 square feet. The total cost of this industrial renovation project is an estimated investment of more than $80Million to update the facility and to purchase machinery and equipment required to increase production capacity and efficiency.

Phillip Oldridge, CEO of Envirotech Vehicles, commented, "We could not be more thrilled to partner with the experts at Olympus Construction to renovate our first U.S.-based manufacturing facility. Throughout 2022, we are making tremendous progress in pushing the transportation industry forward towards innovation. As we make this progress, we are fully committed to supporting local vendors, nonprofits and community organizations. Since announcing our relocation to Arkansas in February of 2022, the Company has spent in excess of $100,000 a quarter supporting local businesses and community organizations. We at Envirotech are continuing to stand behind our promise to the community: Work Here, Live Here, Invest Here. This partnership is just the beginning as we continue to bring greener technologies and opportunities to Arkansas."

Olympus Construction was established in 1981 as a full-service, family-owned construction company. The company's experience covers a wide range of projects, serving Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee. In February, the Company announced that it purchased the facility from the city of Osceola to utilize the plant to handle the final outfitting and shipment of its imported vehicles. The Company now plans to move forward with converting the plant into a full manufacturing operation.

"Throughout the years, our dedication to investing in cutting-edge digital technologies and our community has played a vital role in us establishing a successful record as contractors across the state," said Tony Pardew, President and Owner of Olympus Construction. "Envirotech Vehicles continues to show this same deeply rooted commitment to both technology and community service. We are proud to partner with a company that is focused on bringing innovative technology and services to Arkansas, creating a better future for local communities across the state and positioning us as leaders in a growing industry"

"We believe that this is the first of many partnership announcements to come as the Company continues to select local vendors to partner with across the state," stated Susan Emry, Envirotech's Executive Vice President. For updates on the Company, its manufacturing facility and other news, visit EVTVUSA.com.

About Envirotech Vehicles

Envirotech Vehicles, Inc. is a provider of purpose-built zero-emission electric vehicles focused on reducing the total cost of vehicle ownership and helping fleet operators unlock the benefits of green technology. We serve commercial and last-mile fleets, school districts, public and private transportation service companies and colleges and universities to meet the increasing demand for heavy-duty electric vehicles. Our vehicles address the challenges of traditional fuel price cost instability and local, state and federal environmental regulatory compliance. For more information visit www.evtvusa.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Statements made in this press release that relate to future plans, events, financial results, prospects or performance are forward-looking statements. While they are based on the current expectations and beliefs of management, such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in this press release, including the risks and uncertainties disclosed in reports filed by Envirotech Vehicles, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which are available online at www.sec.gov. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including statements containing the words "planned," "expected," "believes," "strategy," "opportunity," "anticipated," "outlook," "designed," and similar words. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, Envirotech Vehicles undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, changed circumstances or unanticipated events.

Contact Information

Investor Relations Contacts:

IMS Investor Relations

John Nesbett/Jennifer Belodeau

Telephone: (203) 972-9200

Email: jnesbett@imsinvestorrelations.com

Arkansas Press Inquiries

Kristen Nicholson, APR

Telephone: (501) 350-3658

Email: knicholson@mhpteamsi.com

Envirotech Vehicles

Susan Emry, Executive Vice President

Telephone: (951) 407-9860 ext. 1207

Email: sue.e@evtvusa.com

SOURCE: Envirotech Vehicles, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/703809/Envirotech-Vehicles-Partners-with-Olympus-Construction-for-Renovation-of-State-of-the-Art-Manufacturing-Facility-in-Osceola
2021 Phase I Exploration Program yields results comparable to early prospecting samples which returned up to 3.8 g/t gold

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 3, 2022 / Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE:ELEM)(OTC PINK:ELMGF)(FSE:7YS) ( "Element79 Gold" , the " Company ") today announced an update on the results of its 2021 Phase I Exploration Program (the "Work Program") on the Dale Property, located within the Swayze Greenstone belt of the Abitibi Subprovince.

The Work Program, consisting of bedrock trenching and soil sampling, was designed to follow up on several prospecting samples taken by the vendor of the Dale Property which indicated the presence of elevated gold, and was completed over several weeks in the fall of 2021.

Highlights of the Work Program:

Largely reproduced earlier prospecting results by the Vendors of the property which returned up to 3.8 g/t gold (Au); Samples yielded up to 2.6 g/t Au

East-west trending mineralized deformation zones with elevated gold values appear to be common across the property; Potential to form an economic mineral resource

Results of the Work Program warrant an extensive mapping, prospecting and soil sampling program over the Dale Property to identify additional mineralized shear zones

"The first phase of exploration on the Dale Property yielded highly-valuable data on its underlying geological trends and mineralization, supporting the team's initial expectations based on early prospecting samples," remarked James Tworek, President and CEO of Element79 Gold. "Results affirming prospective mineralization in such an established gold mining territory merit a more expansive Phase II exploration program to further solidify the Company's ongoing development strategy at the Dale Property."

Figure 1. Trench 3 Geology Map and Grab Sample Locations and Grades in ppb (parts per billion)

Results of the Work Program

Utilizing the high-resolution data obtained from the drone-based magnetic survey completed by Element79 Gold in 2021, the Work Program consisted of trenching, channel sampling, prospecting, mapping, and soil sampling, following up on historic prospecting by the vendors of the property which has yielded up to 3.8 g/t Au, including several highly anomalous samples grading greater than 0.1 g/t Au, with assay results pending (see news release dated August 16, 2021, available on SEDAR). A total of 5 trenches were excavated, with a total of 83 rock samples and 49 soil samples which yielded results comparable to earlier reconnaissance prospecting, returning up to 2.6 g/t Au from Trench 3, the location of the highest gold assay provided by the vendor, and expanding the original outcrop, leading to a better understanding of the controls on mineralization. Five other grab samples returned > 0.2 g/t Au, with soil samples additionally returning anomalous values up to 54 ppb Au in 8 of 49 samples, suggesting soil sampling is an effective exploration tool on the Dale Property.

Figure 2. Dale Property, Trench Location Map

Mineralization Data, Potential Economic Mineral Resource

4 out of 5 trenches were exposed on east-west striking shear zones that cut through massive unaltered granodiorite of the Dale stock. These shear zones are composed of gabbro dykes with enclaves of foliated metagranodiorite (rafted country rock). Mineralization and alteration are confined to these local shear structures and do not penetrate in the undeformed host metagranodiorite of the Dale stock. This leads to the conclusion that this was a late stage mineralizing event that exploited pre-existing structural weakness in the Dale stock. Though narrow (0.01-3m wide), these east-west trending mineralized deformation zones seem to be common across the property and have elevated gold values. An area with sufficient densities of these shears with more intense alteration could have the potential to form an economic mineral resource.

Figure 3. Simplified Regional Geology of the Dale Property surrounding area, showing nearby significant deposits and producing mines

Additional Exploration Program, Increased Land Package

The results of the Work Program warrant an extensive mapping, prospecting, and soil sampling program over the Dale Property to further expose the east-west mineralization/deformation zones that cut the Dale stock grandiorite to see if they can be exposed over a large area. Element79 Gold intends to pursue an Induced Polarization survey to identify areas of increased pyrite alteration within these shears, which appear to correlate with increased gold mineralization.

On January 12, 2022, Element79 Gold announced it had staked an additional 245.5 hectares directly adjacent to the Western and Northwestern borders of its existing claims, bringing the total land package to 1980.5 hectares (see news release dated January 12, 2022, available on SEDAR).

Annual General Meeting and Connection Details

Element79 Gold is also pleased to announce details of its upcoming Annual General Meeting ("AGM"). The AGM, which is scheduled to take place at the offices of Clark Wilson LLP at 900 - 885 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 10:00 A.M. PDT, will additionally be available via webcast and conference call via the connection details below.

The Company will be conducting a hybrid meeting that allows registered shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders to participate both online and in person. The Company is offering a virtual format in order to provide shareholders with an equal opportunity to attend and participate at the AGM, regardless of the particular constraints, circumstances or risks that they may be facing as a result of COVID-19.

Participants may register in advance for the AGM at:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0NwKnGDKSsWllx-4r5UGrg

Following registration, a confirmation email will be sent containing the toll free number and information about joining the meeting.

For further details explaining how to attend, and communicate at the AGM please see the Company's Management Information Circular dated May 20 th , 2022 filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at https://www.sedar.com . Shareholders who have questions about voting their shares or attending the AGM may contact Investor Relations by email at investors@element79.gold .

About Element79 Gold

Element79 Gold is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mining properties for gold and associated metals. Element79 Gold has acquired its flagship Maverick Springs Project located in the famous gold mining district of northeastern Nevada, USA, between the Elko and White Pine Counties, where it has recently completed a 43-101-compliant, pit-constrained mineral resource estimate reflecting an Inferred resource of 3.71 million ounces of gold equivalent* "AuEq" at a grade of 0.92 g/t AuEq (0.34 g/t Au and 43.4 g/t Ag)) with an effective date of Feb. 4, 2022. The acquisition of the Maverick Springs Project also included a portfolio of 15 properties along the Battle Mountain trend in Nevada, which the Company is analyzing for further merit of exploration, along with the potential for sale or spin-out. In British Columbia, Element79 Gold has executed a Letter of Intent to acquire a private company which holds the option to 100% interest of the Snowbird High-Grade Gold Project, which consists of 10 mineral claims located in Central British Columbia, approximately 20km west of Fort St. James. In Peru, Element79 Gold has signed a letter of intent to acquire the business and assets of Calipuy Resources Inc., which holds 100% interest in the past producing Lucero Mine, one of the highest-grade underground mines to be commercially mined in Peru's history, as well as the past producing Machacala Mine. The Company also has an option to acquire 100% interest in the Dale Property which consists of 90 unpatented mining claims located approximately 100 km southwest of Timmins, Ontario, Canada in the Timmins Mining Division, Dale Township. For more information about the Company, please visit www.element79.gold or www.element79gold.com

Contact Information

For corporate matters, please contact:

James C. Tworek, Chief Executive Officer

E-mail: jt@element79gold.com

For investor relations inquiries, please contact:

Investor Relations Department

Phone: +1 (604) 200-3608

E-mail: investors@element79gold.com

Qualified Person

The technical information in this release has been reviewed and verified by Neil Pettigrew, M.Sc., P. Geo., Director of Element79 Gold and a "qualified person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

Technical Disclaimer

This news release and related maps contain information about adjacent properties and properties with similar characteristics on which the Company has no right to explore or mine. Readers are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties or properties that share similar characteristics are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company's properties. Readers are also cautioned that this news release contains historical technical information which is based on prior data prepared by previous property owners. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to confirm such information; significant data compilation, re-drilling, re-sampling and data verification may be required to do so.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" under applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance, business prospects or opportunities that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management made in light of management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the Company's business strategy; future planning processes; exploration activities; the timing and result of exploration activities; capital projects and exploration activities and the possible results thereof; acquisition opportunities; and the impact of acquisitions, if any, on the Company. Assumptions may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Consequently, forward-looking statements cannot be guaranteed. As such, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, assumptions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "forecast", "potential", "target", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements".

Actual results may vary from forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to materially differ from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the duration and effects of the coronavirus and COVID-19; risks related to the integration of acquisitions; actual results of exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; commodity prices; variations in ore reserves, grade or recovery rates; actual performance of plant, equipment or processes relative to specifications and expectations; accidents; labour relations; relations with local communities; changes in national or local governments; changes in applicable legislation or application thereof; delays in obtaining approvals or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities; exchange rate fluctuations; requirements for additional capital; government regulation; environmental risks; reclamation expenses; outcomes of pending litigation; limitations on insurance coverage as well as those factors discussed in the Company's other public disclosure documents, available on www.sedar.com . Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included herein should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws.

Sources

Element 79 Gold makes no warranty as to the completeness, accuracy, verifiability, or suitableness of any of the information contained on the following third-party links and expressly undertakes no obligation to update the following links.

1. Technical Report for MNDM Assessment, Element79 Dale Gold Property by Ryan A. Hrkac, Fladgate Exploration Consulting Corporation, January 2022

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Element79 Gold Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/703814/Element79-Gold-Reports-Results-of-2021-Dale-Property-Phase-I-Exploration-Program-Announces-Annual-General-Meeting
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Oil prices fell on Friday after Saudi Arabia and other OPEC+ states agreed to bring forward oil production rises to offset Russian output losses because of Western sanctions. The downside, however, remained capped by signs of tight global supply and expectations of increased demand as China eases its COVID restrictions. Benchmark Brent crude futures dropped 0.7 percent to $116.75 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 0.8 percent at $115.92. The oil exporters' cartel said it would increase supply by 648,000 barrels per day in July and August, 200,000 barrels per day more than scheduled under a supply agreement with other producers, including Russia, known as OPEC+. The planned production increase comes at a time when the demand outlook is clouded by many uncertainties. Recession warnings are coming thick and fast, with Jamie Dimon, chairman and chief executive of JP Morgan Chase, describing the challenges facing the U.S. economy as akin to a 'hurricane' down the road. In focus later today will be U.S. employment data for May. It is believed that weak data could sway the Fed towards a less aggressive policy path. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.


Demand Side Management Awards Ceremony

TOKYO, June 3, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems, Ltd. (MHI Thermal Systems), a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has received commendations in two categories of the 2022 "Demand Side Management Awards" sponsored by the Heat Pump & Thermal Storage Technology Center of Japan (HPTCJ), an organization that promotes the adoption of heat pumps and thermal storage systems through presentation of awards recognizing especially outstanding technologies that contribute to power load leveling. The "MSV2" series of high-efficiency air-cooled heat pump chillers adopting an "e-3D scroll" compressor(1) received the HPTCJ Chairman's Award in the Machinery & Equipment category, and the innovations in energy savings of the company's factory heating and cooling system using an aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system(2) received the HPTCJ Promotion Award in the Integrated Systems category.The MSV2 heat pump chillers, which were launched in Japan's domestic market to respond to increasing refrigeration load demand, were highly acclaimed by HPTCJ for their contribution to power load leveling. Because they can be installed in multiple units through modular connection, outstanding energy-saving proposals can be offered to accommodate diverse thermal loads. Earlier, the MSV2 received the 2020 Energy Conservation Grand Prize sponsored by the Energy Conservation Center, Japan (ECCJ) and supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.The ATES system, an air-conditioning system that makes use of unutilized stored geothermal heat, won high accolades for its significant proven energy savings and its potential environmental performance for maintaining an underground heat balance of zero on a full-year basis. The system is in operation at the MHI Thermal Systems Kobe Works, located on the grounds of the MHI Kobe Shipyard & Machinery Works. The HPTCJ award marks the system's third commendation, following receipt of the 2019 Japan Society of Civil Engineers Environmental Award and the 2021 ECCJ Energy Conservation Grand Prize.MHI Thermal Systems is a leader in the air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment market, with products and technologies matching contemporary needs. The Company's prominence was demonstrated again last year with receipt of a total of four awards for innovative technologies that contribute to energy conservation and environmental protection. Now, with the addition of the two HPTCJ awards, we renew our strong commitment to develop products and technologies that will help the world save energy. By drawing on our collective technological capabilities enabled by our groupwide product synergies, we will strive ever more vigorously to achieve optimal thermal solutions to meet the diverse needs of our customers.(1) For further information:www.mhi.com/news/191225.htmlwww.mhi.co.jp/technology/review/pdf/e572/e572140.pdf(2) ATES enables use of sustainable unutilized heat energy. For further information:www.mhi.com/news/211222.htmlAbout MHI GroupMitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world's leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.Source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Monument Mining Limited (TSX-V: MMY and FSE: D7Q1) "Monument" or the "Company" today is pleased to announce that on May 26th 2022 the Company was honored to receive the inaugural visit of the Crowned Prince of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah ibni Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah ("The Prince") to its wholly owned Selinsing Gold Mine in Pahang State, Malaysia. The Prince is a member of Pahang Royal Family and currently reigning as Regent and 4th Crown Prince of Pahang State. He is Acting Sultan of Pahang during the term when his father Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah of Pahang remains as the King of Malaysia.

Figure 1: Royal Visit at Selinsing Gold Mine is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d16e7ee7-7cfd-42ff-a076-1323c809f90b

Among the group accompanying the Prince were VIPs and Government Department Representatives including: Chief Minister Dato' Sri Wan Rosdy Bin Wan Ismail, Member of Parliament Dato' Ramli Bin Dato' Mohd Nor, State Secretary Dato' Sri Dr. Sallehuddin Bin Ishak, State Financial Officer Dato' Indera Nazri bin Abu Bakar, State Executive Councillor Dato' Sri Ir. Haji Mohd. Soffi bin Tan Sri Abd. Razak, Pahang State Development Corporation CEO Dato' Mohd Faizal Bin Jaafar, Pahang Mining Corporation CEO Ahmad Rizal Ali, Mineral & Geoscience Department Director Nurul Huda Bin Romli, Lipis and District Officer Dato' Mohd Hafizi Bin Ibrahim.

Figure 2: Selinsing Employees with the Prince and Government Officials is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0bde9eea-c52d-432b-97ba-b3a9eccac2d8

The Royal visit showcased the Selinsing Mine operation. A welcome speech and brief introduction of Selinsing Gold Mine was given by Jimee Shah Bin Saleh, VP Finance and Administration of Selinsing on behalf of Cathy Zhai, CEO of Monument, Moses Bosompen, General Manager Operation of Monument, and Charlie Northfield, General Manager of Selinsing Gold Mine and the Selinsing staff. The Prince toured a Selinsing display showroom, the mine pit area, the processing plant, and observed a gold pour. The Prince asked many questions about the operations at Selinsing during the visit including geology and gold mineralization, processing rate, gold bullion production, tailings storage and rehabilitation. The Selinsing Gold Mine is at the leading edge of the gold industry in Malaysia, a corporate citizen in Pahang State, and has been a strong contributor to Pahang's economy.

President and CEO Cathy Zhai commented: "We are honored to have hosted the Prince and Government Representatives at the Selinsing Gold Mine. This Royal visit strengthens the relationship the Company has with the state government and I thank the Prince and Government representatives for visiting us to learn more about our development and growing plans. We are looking forward to having continuing honorable support from the Pahang State to Selinsing and the mining industry in Pahang."

Figure 3: Selinsing Process Manager Azman bin Taib giving the Prince an overview of the processing plan is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/36c917a6-201d-4194-8a59-0143dd0ea1b2

Figure 4: The Chief Minister with the Prince Holding Gold Bar is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6e6033dc-fe63-4ed3-9029-228846e2314c

Additional photos of the Prince's visit can be found at the Company's website) under the photo gallery section.

About Monument

Monument Mining Limited (TSX-V: MMY, FSE: D7Q1) is an established Canadian gold producer that 100% owns and operates the Selinsing Gold Mine in Malaysia and the Murchison Gold Project in the Murchison area of Western Australia. It has 20% interest in Tuckanarra Gold Project jointly owned with Odyssey Gold Ltd in the same region. The Company employs approximately 200 people in both regions and is committed to the highest standards of environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighboring communities.

Cathy Zhai, President and CEO

Monument Mining Limited

Suite 1580 -1100 Melville Street

Vancouver, BC V6E 4A6

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION visit the company web site at www.monumentmining.com or contact:

Richard Cushing, MMY Vancouver T: +1-604-638-1661 x102 rcushing@monumentmining.com

"Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release includes statements containing forward-looking information about Monument, its business and future plans ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are statements that involve expectations, plans, objectives or future events that are not historical facts and include the Company's plans with respect to its mineral projects and the timing and results of proposed programs and events referred to in this news release. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". The forward-looking statements in this news release are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and certain other factors include, without limitation: risks related to general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; uncertainties regarding the results of current exploration activities; uncertainties in the progress and timing of development activities; foreign operations risks; other risks inherent in the mining industry and other risks described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Company's projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Material factors and assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements in this news release include: expectations regarding the estimated cash cost per ounce of gold production and the estimated cash flows which may be generated from the operations, general economic factors and other factors that may be beyond the control of Monument; assumptions and expectations regarding the results of exploration on the Company's projects; assumptions regarding the future price of gold of other minerals; the timing and amount of estimated future production; the expected timing and results of development and exploration activities; costs of future activities; capital and operating expenditures; success of exploration activities; mining or processing issues; exchange rates; and all of the factors and assumptions described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Company's projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
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Highlights of the report:

Value of digital payments in India to increase three-fold from US$3 trillion today to US$10 trillion by 2026

to increase three-fold from today to by 2026 Digital payments will constitute nearly 65% of all payments by 2026, up from 40% today

UPI adoption will surge from 35% in FY 21 to 75% in the next five years

7x growth in digital merchant payments - from US$ 0.3 -0.4 trillion today to US$ 2.5 -2.7 trillion by 2026

BENGALURU, India , June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PhonePe, India's leading digital payments company, in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), today unveiled a report titled, "Digital payments in India: A $10 trillion opportunity". The report leverages BCG's industry expertise in payments and the fintech domain, along with PhonePe's deep insights and expertise as the market leader in Indian digital payments and its extensive Pulse database to look at top digital payments trends in India.

India's digital payments landscape has witnessed a phenomenal growth over the past five years. As per the report, India's digital payments market is at an inflection point and is expected to increase more than threefold from the current US$3 trillion to US$10 trillion by 2026. As a result of this unprecedented growth, digital payments (non-cash) will constitute 2 out of 3 payment transactions by 2026.

The report also talks about how the digital payments ecosystem has been positively disrupted by the entry of multiple new players with diverse offerings driving digital payments adoption at scale. Leading global and Indian fintech players have been key drivers of UPI adoption in India among end users, aided by buildout of a large QR-code based merchant acceptance network, and further supported by user-friendly interfaces, innovative offerings and an open API ecosystem.

The report goes on to list the levers for further growth of digital payments in India which include - simplified customer onboarding, continued push for consumer awareness, expanding merchant acceptance, merchants getting greater access to credit, infrastructure upgrades and the setting up of a financial services marketplace driving growth in underpenetrated regions. It also talks about how IoT, 5G & CBDC will provide further impetus to growth.

Commenting on the launch, Karthik Raghupathy, Head of Strategy, and Investor Relations, PhonePe, said, 'We are excited to partner with BCG to release Digital payments in India: A $10 trillion opportunity. The report is an in-depth commentary on the growth of digital payments in India and looks at factors and enablers that will help unlock the massive growth potential going forward. This report is part of the PhonePe Pulse initiative, which was launched last year, in our effort to give back to the Fintech ecosystem. PhonePe Pulse has been very well received by all the key stakeholders in the ecosystem and has emerged as India's go to destination for insights and trends on digital payment in the country.

Karthik further added, "'As India's largest Fintech platform we have seen the growth of UPI over the last few years. UPI has supercharged India's transition to non-cash payments when it comes to both person-to-person (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions. Not surprisingly, UPI saw about 9x transaction volume increase in the past 3 years, increasing from 5 billion transactions in FY19 to about 46 billion transactions in FY22: accounting for more than 60% non-cash transaction volumes in FY22. This indicates that digital payment has truly gained ubiquitous acceptance across the country. While Tier 1-2 cities have witnessed high acceptance of digital payments, penetration in Tier 3-6 cities shows headroom for growth. The next wave of growth will now come from Tier 3-6 locations, as evidenced in the past two years wherein Tier 3-6 cities have contributed to nearly 60-70% of new customers for PhonePe."

Prateek Roongta, Managing Director & Partner, Boston Consulting Group said, "India is set to become a digital payment economy as source of payments invert with 65% transactions being done digitally by 2026, as opposed to 40% transactions today. Merchant payments will emerge as the most powerful driver of this growth, especially in the offline segment due to growing QR code deployments. We expect that merchant payments will soon outpace person-to-person fund transfers."

Prateek further added, "We will increasingly observe digital payments get embedded in all forms of commerce, we will also witness the progression from embedded payments to embedded finance. As more and more merchants begin to accept digital payments, it will unlock a significant change in access to credit for small merchants due to the creation of a digital transaction trail."

To download the report, visit: pulse.phonepe.com or https://www.bcg.com/en-in/publications/2022/future-of-digital-payments-in-india

About PhonePe:

Founded in December 2015, PhonePe has become a homegrown success story, with its meteoric growth powered by India's emerging digital ecosystem, particularly in the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) space. The company builds products and offerings tailored for the Indian market and has emerged as India's largest payments app, enabling digital inclusion for consumers and merchants alike. With 380 million registered users, one in four Indians are now on PhonePe. The company has also successfully digitized over 30 million offline merchants spread across Tier 2,3,4 and beyond, covering 99% pin codes in the country. PhonePe is proud to help lead India's country-wide digitization efforts and believes that this powerful public-private collaboration has made the Indian digital ecosystem a global exemplar.

About PhonePe Pulse - Trends and insights on digital payments in India:

To demystify data on the Indian digital payments landscape and in an effort to give back to the ecosystem, PhonePe Pulse was launched in September 2021. Pulse is a novel interactive platform that is India's go-to destination for accurate and comprehensive data on digital payment trends. As the market leader in Indian digital payments, PhonePe's data is representative of the country's payment habits. With its rich repository of trends, insights, and in-depth analysis, Pulse showcases India's beat of progress in the digital payment landscape.

About Boston Consulting Group (BCG):

Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders-empowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact. Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fuelled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1832284/PhonePe_BCG_Report.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1832286/PhonePe_Logo.jpg
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 3, 2022) - Empatho Holdings Inc. (CSE: EMPH) (formerly, Shane Resources Ltd.) ("Empatho" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has qualified for trading on the OTCQB Market (the "OTCQB") in the United States operated by the OTC Markets Group Inc. The Company's common shares will commence trading on the OTCQB under the symbol "EMPHF" as of the opening of the market today. Empatho's common shares will continue to trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol "EMPH".

"Listing Empatho on the OTCQB is a first step to provide easier access and trading capability in our shares for both institutional and retail investors. Trading on OTCQB will contribute to our strategy to continue to enhance our share liquidity and broaden the reach and awareness of our technology and ultimately drive value for our shareholders," stated Yan Namer, CEO & Director of the Company.

The OTCQB offers investors transparent trading in entrepreneurial and development stage U.S. and international companies. To be eligible, companies must be current in their reporting and undergo an annual verification and management certification process. The OTCQB quality standards provide a strong baseline of transparency, as well as the technology and regulation to improve the information and trading experience for investors. Investors can find real-time level 2 quotes and market information at: https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/EMPHF/overview

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Market and the Pink Open Market for 11,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, the OTC connects a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. The OTC Markets Group Inc. enables investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors.

To learn more about the OTC Markets Group Inc., visit www.otcmarkets.com. OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.

About Empatho

Empatho Holdings Inc. is a virtual well-being firm focused on a smart solution powered by proprietary PsychAI artificial intelligence (AI), that strategically guides users to achieve individualized or personalized well-being goals. The Company provides a data-driven mobile application using advanced technology to engage individuals in the management of their own health, helping individuals become more productive and uncovering potential efficiencies and cost savings for employers.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Yan Namer

Chief Executive Officer

E-mail: yan@empatho.com

Cautionary Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements.

Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". The forward-looking information and forward- looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, comments regarding: the efficacy of the Company's proprietary applications and the commencement of trading of the Company's shares on the OTCQB.

Forward-looking information in this news release are based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Company's ability to continue as a going concern and the continued approval of the Company's activities by the relevant governmental and/or regulatory authorities.

These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: risks associated with general economic conditions, adverse industry events, marketing costs, loss of markets, future legislative and regulatory developments, the inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms, income tax and regulatory matters, the ability of the Company to execute its business strategies, the inability of the Company's proprietary applications to carry out the enumerated functions and risks associated with the Company's common shares trading on the CSE and OTCQB.

Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126302


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Joe Biden has called for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. He suggested that if it is not possible, the age to purchase them should be raised from 18 to 21.



Biden made the call while addressing the nation after a series of mass shootings shook the nation recently.



Four people were killed and several others wounded when a gunman opened fire at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wednesday. The assailant was armed with a rifle and a handgun.



The latest incident of gun violence in the U.S. comes just a week after an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 students and two teachers in a shooting spree at an elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.



The teenage shooter, who was carrying a handgun and an AR-15 rifle, was killed by law enforcement at the scene.



Biden proposed a number of rational, commonsense measures' to tackle the menace; Strengthen background checks; Enact safe storage laws and red-flag laws; Repeal the immunity that protects gun manufacturers from liability; Address he mental health crisis deepening the trauma of gun violence and as a consequence of that violence.



The President said the country should reinstate the assault weapons ban and high-capacity magazines that the Congress passed in 1994 with bipartisan support in and the support of law enforcement. Nine categories of semi-automatic weapons were included in that ban, like AK-47s and AR-15s.



Biden noted that in the 10 years since the law was implemented, mass shootings went down in the U.S. But after Republicans let the law expire in 2004 and those weapons were allowed to be sold again, mass shootings tripled, he said.



Biden proposed that a limit should be set on how many rounds a weapon can hold.



He stressed the need to have national red-flag laws, which are currently in force in 19 states and the District of Columbia.



In his opinion, red-flag laws could have stopped the shooters in Fort Hood, Texas, and Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing about 30 people.



Biden also called for repealing the liability shield that often protects gun manufacturers from being sued for the death and destruction caused by their weapons.



He said the House of Representatives is planning more gun-control measures next week such as safe storage requirements, banning of high- capacity magazines, raising the age to buy an assault weapon to 21, Federal red-flag law, codifying the ban on ghost guns that don't have serial numbers and can't be traced, and tougher laws to prevent gun trafficking and straw purchases.



But Biden said even if the Bills are passed in the Housein 'in order to get anything done in the Senate, we need a minimum of 10 Republican senators.'



Biden said that he finds it unconscionable that the majority of the Senate Republicans don't want any of these proposals even to be debated or come up for a vote.



Progress in the Upper House is seen as unlikely, as the Senate Republicans say access to guns is a constitutional right.







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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 3, 2022) - YORK HARBOUR METALS INC. (TSXV: YORK) (OTC PINK: YORKF) (FSE: 5DE0) (the "Company" or "York") is pleased to announce that it is increasing the size of its previously announced brokered private placement offering (the "Offering") for gross proceeds of up to $10,000,000. The Offering is being conducted by Research Capital Corporation and Red Cloud Securities Inc. as joint bookrunners, together with Haywood Securities Inc. as co-lead agents, on behalf of a syndicate of agents (collectively, the "Agents"). The Offering consists of a combination of:

a) units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $1.00 per Unit. Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant");

b) flow-Through Units of the Company (the "FT Units") at a price of $1.20 per FT Unit. Each FT Unit will consist of one Common Share that will qualify as "flow-through shares" within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act") and one-half of one Warrant; and

c) flow-through units of the Company to be sold to charitable purchasers (the "Charity FT Units") at a price of $1.50 per Charity FT Unit. Each Charity FT Unit will consist of one Common Share that will qualify as "flow-through shares" within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Tax Act that will be issued as part of a charity arrangement and one-half of one Warrant.

Each Warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share (a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of $1.50 per Warrant Share at any time up to 24 months following the Closing (as defined herein).

The Agents will have an option (the "Agents' Option") to offer for sale up to an additional 15% of the number of Units, FT Units and Charity FT Units sold in the Offering, which Agents' Option is exercisable, in whole or in part, at any time up to 48 hours prior to the closing of the Offering.

It is expected that the proceeds from the sale of Units will be used for exploration and development of the Company's York Harbour Project located in Newfoundland and for general working capital purposes. The gross proceeds from the sale of the FT Units and Charity FT Units will be used to incur Canadian Exploration Expenses (CEE) and will qualify as 'flow-through mining expenditures' under the Tax Act.

The Company will renounce such CEE to the purchasers of the FT Units and Charity FT Units with an effective date of no later than December 31, 2022.

In connection with the Offering, the Agents will receive an aggregate cash fee equal to 6% of the gross proceeds from the Offering, including in respect of any exercise of the Agents' Option, subject to a reduction for certain purchasers on a "president's list". In addition, the Company will grant the Agents, on date of Closing, non-transferable compensation warrants (the "Compensation Warrants") equal to 6% of the total number of Units, FT Units and Charity FT Units sold under the Offering, including in respect of any exercise of the Agents' Option, subject to a reduction for certain purchasers on a "president's list". Each Compensation Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one Unit at an exercise price of $1.00 per Unit for a period of 24 months following the Closing.

The Offering is scheduled to close on or about the week of June 20, 2022, or such other date as agreed upon between the Company and the Agents (the "Closing"). Completion of the Offering is subject to final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and a day from the date of distribution.

The Units, FT Units and Charity FT Units to be issued under the Offering will be offered by way of private placement in each of the provinces of Canada. The Units will also be offered to such other jurisdictions as may be determined by the Company and the Agents, in each case, pursuant to applicable exemptions from the prospectus requirements under applicable securities laws.

The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

About the Company

York Harbour Metals Inc. (TSXV: YORK) (OTC PINK: YORKF) (FSE: 5DE0) (formerly Phoenix Gold Resources and TSXV: PXA & OTCPK: PGRCF) is an exploration and development company focused on the 100%-owned York Harbour Copper-Zinc-Silver Project, a mineral property located approximately 27 km from Corner Brook, Newfoundland. The Company plans to continue drilling the strike and depth extents of Main Mine area and test the other massive sulphide targets, like the No 4 Brook showing, while focusing on gaining access to the 400-level and Sea Level adits.

For more information on York Harbour Metals please contact the CEO at info@yorkharbourmetals.com, Tel: +1-778-302-2257 or visit the website www.yorkharbourmetals.com for past news releases, media interviews and opinion-editorial pieces by management.

On Behalf of The Board of Directors,

Andrew Lee

CEO, President, and Director



Telephone: 778-302-2257 | Email: andrew@yorkharbourmetals.com

Website: www.yorkharbourmetals.com

1518 - 800 Pender Street W, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6C 2V6

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.



Forward-Looking Statement



This news release may contain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All information contained herein that is not historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements herein include but are not limited to statements relating to the prospects for development of the Company's mineral properties, and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126373
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 3, 2022) - VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) ("VIVO" or the "Company"), a leading provider of medical cannabis products and patient services, and holder of licenses under the Cannabis Act through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Canna Farms Limited ("Canna Farms"), ABcann Medicinals Inc., today announced results from its first study investigating how medical cannabis impacts anxiety and depression outcomes. The publication, entitled "Medical cannabis use in Canada and its impact on anxiety and depression: A retrospective study" was published in the peer-reviewed journal Psychiatry Research and was completed by VIVO's Harvest Medicine Inc ("HMED") subsidiary. To the Company's knowledge, it is the largest study to date of its kind, examining the impact of medical cannabis using longitudinal data and completed validated questionnaires for anxiety (GAD-7) and depression (PHQ-9) in 7,362 Canadian patients. Analyses were conducted for three different timepoints: 3-6 months, 12-18 months, and 24 months or greater.

The study was led by HMED's team of prescribing clinicians and physician support staff. Patients using medical cannabis for anxiety and/or depression saw statistically significant improved outcomes between baseline and follow-up scores. This study provides some evidence to support the effectiveness of medical cannabis as a treatment for anxiety and depression.

"Since 2017, Harvest Medicine has been an industry-leading, high volume cannabis clinic network, and our team has worked hard to share these clinical insights in an effort to contribute to the medical cannabis literature and to reduce stigma amongst health care professionals," said Carole Chan, RPh, President of Harvest Medicine. "We are committed to further research and advancing patient outcomes with an evidence-informed approach to patient care."

About VIVO Cannabis

VIVO Cannabis is recognized for trusted, premium cannabis products and services. Through its Canna Farms and ABcann business units, VIVO holds production and sales licences from Health Canada and operates world-class indoor cultivation facilities. VIVO has a collection of premium brands, each targeting different customer segments, including Canna Farms, Beacon Medical, Fireside, and Lumina. Harvest Medicine, VIVO's patient-centric, scalable network of medical cannabis clinics, has serviced over 200,000 patient visits. VIVO is pursuing several partnership and product development opportunities and is focusing its international efforts on Germany and Australia. For more information visit: www.vivocannabis.com

For further information:

VIVO Investor Relations

Michael Bumby, Chief Financial Officer

ir@vivocannabis.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivo_cannabis/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vivo-cannabis-inc/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vivocanna/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vivo_cannabis

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information



Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, which are statements that are not purely historical, including statements regarding the beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions of VIVO and its management regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are urged to consider these factors carefully along with the more extensive risk factors included in the Company's most recent management's discussion and analysis available on SEDAR, in evaluating the forward-looking statements contained in this news release and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126374


ANKARA (dpa-AFX) - Turkey has officially changed its name to Turkiye. The United Nations accepted a request from the Turkish government on Wednesday to recognize the change.



In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu wrote: 'I would like to inform you that, in line with the Presidential Circular ... dated December 2, 2021, on the use of the word 'Turkiye' in foreign languages and the subsequent branding strategy, the Government of the Republic of Turkiye, henceforth will start using 'Turkiye' to replace the words such as 'Turkey,' 'Turkei' and 'Turquie' that have been used in the past to refer to the 'Republic of Turkiye.'



The campaign to rebrand as Turkiye began in December, when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, 'Turkiye is the best representation and expression of the Turkish people's culture, civilization, and values'.



At the same time, Erdogan issued a circular calling for exports to be labeled 'Made in Turkiye.' The circular also stated that in relation to other governmental communications 'necessary sensitivity will be shown on the use of the phrase 'Turkiye' instead of phrases such as 'Turkey,' 'Turkei,' 'Turquie,' etc.



The reason given in the circular for preferring Turkiye was that it 'represents and expresses the culture, civilization, and values of the Turkish nation in the best way'. According to Turkish state broadcaster TRT World, it was also to avoid a pejorative association with turkey, the bird, traditionally associated with Christmas, New Year or Thanksgiving.



As part of the re-branding, 'Made in Turkiye' will reportedly feature on all products exported from the country.



Most Turks already know their country as Turkiye. However the anglicized form Turkey is widely used in global platforms.



Turkey is a transcontinental country located mainly on Anatolia in Western Asia, with a portion on the Balkans in Southeast Europe. It is officially known as a European country having membership in the European Union and NATO.







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Aidro, a pioneer in the volume production of next-generation hydraulic and fluid power systems through metal additive manufacturing (AM) and a subsidiary of Desktop Metal (NYSE: DM), has become a qualified supplier of aluminum flight parts for leading aerospace, defense, and security company Leonardo through its helicopters division. Aidro is one of only two suppliers to receive the Declaration for Qualification of Process for Additive Layer Manufacturing with Leonardo.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220603005122/en/

Aidro has become a qualified supplier of aluminum flight parts for leading aerospace, defense, and security company Leonardo through its helicopters division. The aerospace industry is the ideal sector to take advantage of the benefits of additive manufacturing, including opening up possibilities for lightweighting and more compact and complex components. (Photo: Courtesy of Leonardo Helicopters)

"We are proud to be selected by Leonardo Helicopters as a qualified supplier of 3D printed aluminum flight parts," said Tommaso Tirelli, CEO and VP of Business Development of Aidro. "The components we are producing for Leonardo are parts that require extensive knowledge in managing fluids and fluid power, which has always been Aidro's main competence. This is a great opportunity for our company to demonstrate how end users like Leonardo can leverage additive technologies to achieve significant weight savings and reduce the number of components."

Leonardo offers an extensive range of modern helicopters for the commercial, public services, security and defense industries deployed in more than 150 countries worldwide. The company manages all stages of research, design, development, production, customer support and training for its advanced vertical flight solutions from the 1.8-ton single-engine category to 16-ton three-engine aircraft to enable operators to carry out their missions efficiently and safely.

"Leonardo is committed to introducing and expanding the use of additive manufacturing on its rotorcraft products, taking advantage of the opportunities offered by its unique capabilities," said Dario Bonanno, Industrial Engineering Manager for Leonardo. "The availability of a qualified supply chain is a fundamental requirement to support the industrial sustainability of the Company's technological road map."

The aerospace industry is the ideal sector to take advantage of the benefits of additive manufacturing, including opening up possibilities for lightweighting and more compact and complex components. In the highly-regulated aerospace industry where safety is paramount, metal AM requires qualification prior to use. Aidro achieved its AS/EN9100 certification in 2018, thereby gaining access to the aerospace industry and allowing the business to entertain collaborations with a range of companies of the sector.

"In addition to supporting Leonardo with design, Aidro also organizes training sessions and knowledge-sharing on additive manufacturing with its employees," said Valeria Tirelli, President and CEO of Aidro. "This joining of forces and continuous process of mutual learning becomes essential in such a fast-changing environment to be able to design, create and recreate products of high value. With our shared roots in Northern Italy and the combined expertise of our teams, we truly believe the sky's the limit with Leonardo."

For more information on Aidro, please visit www.aidro.it.

About Aidro

Aidro s.r.l., founded in 1982 and headquartered in Italy, is a pioneer in design and production of components for hydraulic and fluid power systems via additive manufacturing, including binder jetting and laser powder bed fusion technologies. Aidro offers innovative and custom solutions that leverage the benefits of additive manufacturing including lightweighting, assembly consolidation, and performance improvements, to customers across sectors such as oil gas, industrials, agriculture, aerospace, and mobile and industrial machinery, among others. Aidro is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Desktop Metal, Inc. For more information, visit www.aidro.it.

About Desktop Metal

Desktop Metal, Inc., based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is accelerating the transformation of manufacturing with an expansive portfolio of 3D printing solutions, from rapid prototyping to mass production. Founded in 2015 by leaders in advanced manufacturing, metallurgy, and robotics, the company is addressing the unmet challenges of speed, cost, and quality to make additive manufacturing an essential tool for engineers and manufacturers around the world. Desktop Metal was selected as one of the world's 30 most promising Technology Pioneers by the World Economic Forum, named to MIT Technology Review's list of 50 Smartest Companies, and the 2021 winner of Fast Company's Innovation by Design Award in materials and Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech Award for sustainability. For more information, visit www.desktopmetal.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks, uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this document, including but not limited to, the risks and uncertainties set forth in Desktop Metal, Inc.'s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Desktop Metal, Inc. assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220603005122/en/

Contacts:

Media Relations:

Lynda McKinney

lyndamckinney@desktopmetal.com

(978) 224-1282

Investor Relations:

Jay Gentzkow

jaygentzkow@desktopmetal.com

(781) 730-2110
Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - June 3, 2022) - Washington DC and Virginia-based childhood development center, Communikids, is increasing bilingualism among US children. 43% of the world's population can speak more than one language, whereas less than a quarter of Americans are bilingual. Communikids offers classes, camps, and preschool teaching that revolve around enhancing children's language skills, which makes becoming multilingual significantly easier.

Studies have found a clear correlation between the age at which a child is exposed to a new language and the success that child will have in becoming fluent in that language. Since being founded in the early 2000s, Communikids is the only childhood development center of its kind that has built its philosophy around bilingualism and multilingualism.

"There's no better time to start learning a second language than when you're in preschool - children find it much easier to become bilingual than adults. You cannot teach a young child a quadratic equation, but you can teach that same child to speak Spanish or Mandarin, and they'll take to it much quicker than if they start in elementary school," outlines Communikids Co-Founder and CEO, Raul Echevarria.

It has repeatedly been shown that having an additional language in your linguistic arsenal can have various cognitive, social, and emotional benefits. For instance, multilingualism or bilingualism can help children enhance their problem-solving, multi-tasking, and creativity. Furthermore, becoming multilingual from an early age can improve children's working memories and increase children's capacity for flexible thinking, self-control, and attention.

It is thought that this could be linked to the fact that babies are born to differentiate between the sounds of any language in the world, but that this ability diminishes from around eight months. This is why Communikids is keen to emphasize to parents that the earlier their children start learning a language, the better.

The Washington DC and Virginia centers, which offer classes in Spanish, French, and Mandarin, base their curriculum on the 'Early Childhood Second Language' approach that is unique to Communikids. This is underpinned by the idea that, in order for children to have a well-rounded education, they need to be able to speak more than one language. In a society that is becoming more and more multicultural, being bilingual or multilingual enables children to thrive. Part of the Communikids approach is fully immersing the students in the culture of countries that speak the target language, giving them an appreciation of the food they eat, the music they listen to, and the prayers they pray, for example. This fosters an ability and a willingness to connect with people with different backgrounds of their own.

Communikids is in the 8% of preschools that have been awarded with the prestigious National Association for the Education of Young Children Accreditation. It is also partnering with Washington's District of Columbia to provide three and 4-year-old residents with preschool services for free.

Given that around 67% of Germans can speak at least one foreign language, and over half of EU citizens are either bilingual or multilingual, the US has some catching up to do, with only 23% of Americans being bilingual. Communikids seek to close the gap between these linguistically diverse nations and make it as easy as possible to learn another language by starting the process early.

Media Contact:

Name: Raul Echeverria

Email: raul@communikids.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126384
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 3, 2022) - Talent Infinity Resource Developments Inc. (CSE: TICO), the "Company" or "Issuer"). The Company is also pleased to announce that it has formed an Advisory Committee of uniquely qualified individuals to provide specialized consulting to the the board to facilitate the company's growth and development. Initially, it will consist of the following five members: Grand Master Yin Liang (Chairman), Mr. Chris Hung, Mr. Richard Haslinger, P. Eng., Kristian Whitehead, P.Geo., Mr. Jordan Romano, MIRHR., J.D., and Mr. Ron Ozols.

Grand Master Yin Liang (Chairman) has over 40 years of experience in education specializing in Buddhist philosophy. He has been sought out as an advisor in special situations for his unique and holistic approach to solving difficult problems for many people. His sensitivity, attention, understanding and caring for all sentient beings has allowed him to provide guidance to many in finding a solution that uniquely works for that individual in dealing with emotional, financial, investment, career, and spirituality issues. He is an advocate for promoting social welfare policies dedicated to elderly care and mental health. Grand Master Yin Liang is a respected philanthropist who has devoted his life to service and charity.

Mr. Chris Hung is a capital markets and corporate finance professional with more than two decades of investment banking experience. He has served as an officer of an investment bank and has extensive experience in handling a wide variety of international mergers and acquisitions transactions.

Mr. Richard Haslinger is a professional geological engineer with over 35 years of experience in the exploration industry. Richard has managed multi-disciplinary exploration and deposit delineation projects at sites located in Canada, the USA, and South Africa. He provided exploration guidance and drill program management of approximately $80 million and over 250 km of drilling as Vice President of Exploration for Keegan Resources (now Galiano Gold Inc.) on the discovery and delineation of the now producing Esaase gold deposit in Ghana, West Africa.

Mr. Kristian Whitehead is currently the Vice President of Exploration for 1111 Exploration Corporation and serving as QP and consulting geologist for NEW Target Mining Corporation both junior exploration companies with a focus on BC copper gold porphyry exploration targets.

Kristian was formerly the VP of Exploration for Eureka Resources Corporation, former Senior Project Managing Geologist for Hunter Dickinson Inc. & Taseko Mines and Consulting Project Geologist for Kootenay Silver Inc.'s flagship Promotorio mine located in Sonora, Mexico. Kristian has over 19 years of professional geological experience where he has managed and implemented numerous globally based strategic exploration and production projects with multi-million dollar operational budgets. In addition, Mr. Whitehead is the President, Founder & Sole owner of Infiniti Drilling Corporation which has and continues to provide the geological industry with local and remote global diamond drilling, exploration, mining and project management support since 2005.

Mr. Jordan Romano is a securities lawyer with his practice focusing primarily on the resource industry and emerging markets. Mr. Romano works with clients in the Canadian junior equity markets assisting with pre-seed financing rounds through to IPOs and M&A exits. Prior to receiving his J.D. from the University of Western Ontario, Mr. Romano completed his masters and undergraduate degrees at the University of Toronto. Mr. Romano has also worked extensively as a legal advisor for the start-up incubator programs at the University of Toronto and Sheridan College.

Mr. Ronald Ozols has been involved in the media industry for over 35 years, first with Southam Inc. from 1979 to 1996, Hollinger Corporation from 1996 to 2003, and Canwest News Services from 2003 to 2010. and eventually with the Postmedia Group. In addition Mr. Ozols has been involved in financing and serving on the boards of both private and public reporting companies.

Talent Infinity Resource Developments Inc.

Contact: Derrick Gaon, CEO

Email: derrickgaon@gmail.com Telephone: (416) 904-1478

About TICO

Talent Infinity Resource Developments Inc. is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of critical mineral properties. The Company is based in Vancouver, B.C. and holds an option over the Wildcat Property located in British Columbia.

Disclaimers

This news release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results. Such statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to revise or update such statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators which is posted on www.sedar.com. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described stateherein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. No regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The Company does not undertake to update this news release unless required by applicable law.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126386
Marc Jacobs Fragrances, a division of Coty [NYSE: COTY], today announced it will continue its advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community through partnerships with US-based NGO The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender Community Center (The Center) and UK-based charity akt. The brand will support and drive awareness for The Center and akt through Pride-focused TikTok campaigns in both countries

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220603005096/en/

Image Credit: Juergen Teller

"Pride it's not acceptance or tolerance. It's self-love. It's an appreciation. It's self-respect. It's allowing myself to feel everything and allowing myself to be all the things that I am. Sometimes, it's just feeling the joy for having that self-love," says Marc Jacobs.

The Perfect Marc Jacobs fragrance, launched in August 2020, is inspired by Marc Jacobs' personal belief that we are all perfect as we are and is symbolized by the word 'perfect' tattooed on his wrist. To celebrate self-expression and spread love and positivity during Pride, Perfect Marc Jacobs will launch the TikTok PerfectPrideMovement hashtag challenge in the US between June 4th-June 6th in an effort to drive awareness and build support for The Center and its mission. In the UK, TikTok creator partners will enable in-app donations for akt beginning July 2nd to coincide with London Pride. Additionally, a Perfect Marc Jacobs branded effect will be available to all TikTok users in both countries to celebrate Pride during June and July.

The Center is a non-profit organization in New York City that advocates for and supports the LGBTQ+ community of all ages by providing programs for health and wellness, community connection, arts culture, and economic advancement. Akt is the national LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity in the UK, that supports young people aged 16-25 who are experiencing homelessness or living in a hostile environment by finding them safe homes and employment, education, or training.

This Pride marks a second year of Marc Jacobs Fragrances support for The Center and the launch of an ongoing partnership with akt. Marc Jacobs Fragrances has also committed to continuing support for both non-profit organizations in June 2023.

"At Coty, we believe in equality and inclusion and stand together with those fighting for freedom, justice, and safety for all," remarks Coty CEO, Sue Y. Nabi. "We are eager to use the power of our brands to support the LGBTQ+ community by working with The Center and akt, and by continuing to promote self-love and authenticity with the new Perfect Marc Jacobs Pride campaign. This unconventional fragrance finds beauty in its diversity and inclusivity, which has resonated globally."

This June, Perfect Marc Jacobs fragrance will also introduce a new Pride campaign in-store and across digital featuring various talents such as Amber Later, Koi King, Leo Xander Foo, Ladyfag and Skin, among others.

About Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs is a global brand that produces womenswear, accessories, kidswear, jewelry, watches, and fragrances. Started in 1986, Jacobs is one of the most celebrated American designers to date. Marc Jacobs International is committed to giving back to the communities where they have stores and beyond. They have been involved with hundreds of charities worldwide and the ongoing support of many of these charitable projects-as well as new collaborations-continues to be a top priority.

About Coty

Founded in Paris in 1904, Coty is one of the world's largest beauty companies with a portfolio of iconic brands across fragrance, color cosmetics, and skin and body care. Coty serves consumers around the world, selling prestige and mass market products in more than 130 countries and territories. Coty and our brands empower people to express themselves freely, creating their own visions of beauty; and we are committed to making a positive impact on the planet. Learn more at coty.com or on LinkedIn and Instagram.

About The Center

Established in 1983 as a result of the AIDS crisis, New York City's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender Community Center has grown and evolved over the last four decades, creating and delivering services that empower people to lead healthy, successful lives. We currently operate in-person and virtually, providing recovery and wellness programs, economic advancement initiatives, family and youth support, advocacy, arts and cultural events, and space for community organizing and connection. For more information, please visit gaycenter.org.

About akt

akt is the national LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity, providing safe homes and better futures for LGBTQ+ young people. Almost one quarter of all young people facing or experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQ+, and 77 per cent of those cite rejection or abuse from their families as what has led them to being so. The charity was set up in Manchester in 1989 has since opened its doors in London, Newcastle and London. In just over 30 years, akt has provided more than 250,000 nights off the street and supported over 50,000 LGBTQ+ young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. To learn more about how akt is serving the community during this time, please visit www.akt.org.uk/

Editorial Credit: Perfect Marc Jacobs

Image Credit: Juergen Teller

Social Media: PerfectPrideMovement, PerfectAsWeAre, MJPerfect, tiktok.com/@marcjacobsfragrances, instagram.com/marcjacobsfragrances, facebook.com/marcjacobsfragrances

gaycenter.org, facebook.com/lgbtcenternyc, instagram.com/lgbtcenternyc

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220603005096/en/

Contacts:

Marc Jacobs Inc.

Michael Ariano

Global Director Public Relations

646 880 2265

m.ariano@marcjacobs.com



Coty

Ariel Dunne

Senior Director Global Public Relations

212 389 3653

ariel_dunne@cotyinc.com



The Center

Helen Buse

Communications Manager

646 652 6120

hbuse@gaycenter.org



akt

Carrie Reiners

Deputy CEO

020 7831 6562

carrie@akt.org.uk
Little Rock, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - June 3, 2022) - Inuvo, Inc. (NYSE American: INUV), a leading provider of marketing technology, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that serves brands and agencies, today announced that Wallace Ruiz, Chief Financial Officer of Inuvo, will be presenting at the LD Micro Invitational XII which is being held on June 7- 9, 2022, at the Four Seasons Westlake Village, California.

Mr. Ruiz is scheduled to present on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at 3:30 P.M. PT / 6:30 P.M. ET. The presentation will be webcast live and available for replay at ldinv12.mysequire.com. Management will also be available for one-on-one meetings with qualified investors throughout the conference.

About Inuvo

Inuvo, Inc. (NYSE American: INUV) is a market leader in Artificial Intelligence built for advertising. Its IntentKey AI solution is a first-of-its-kind proprietary and patented technology capable of identifying and actioning to the reasons why consumers are interested in products, services, or brands, not who those consumers are. To learn more, visit www.inuvo.com.

Safe Harbor / Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including, without limitation risks detailed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), and represent our views only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date. You are urged to carefully review and consider any cautionary statements and other disclosures, including the statements made under the heading "Risk Factors" in Inuvo, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 as filed on March 17, 2022, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and our other filings with the SEC. Additionally, forward looking statements are subject to certain risks, trends, and uncertainties including the continued impact of Covid-19 on Inuvo's business and operations. Inuvo cannot provide assurances that the assumptions upon which these forward-looking statements are based will prove to have been correct. Should one of these risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements, and investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of this date. Inuvo does not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Inuvo further expressly disclaims any written or oral statements made by a third party regarding the subject matter of this press release. The information, which appears on our websites and our social media platforms is not part of this press release.

Inuvo Company Contact:

Wally Ruiz

Chief Financial Officer

Tel (501) 205-8397

wallace.ruiz@inuvo.com

Investor Relations:

David Waldman / Natalya Rudman

Crescendo Communications, LLC

Tel: (212) 671-1020

inuv@crescendo-ir.com

# # #

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126359
DGAP-News: Ameramex International

AmeraMex International Appoints Brian Hamre to the Position of President



03.06.2022 / 14:10

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





AmeraMex International, Inc. (OTCQB: AMMX), a provider of heavy equipment for logistics companies, infrastructure construction and forestry conservation, announced that it has appointed Brian Hamre to the position of President effective July 1, 2022. This appointment comes as a part of the Company's strategy to strengthen its management team and further accelerate its growth and scalability.

Brian has 36 years of experience in the heavy equipment marketplace. He began his career with AmeraMex International and spent 22 years with the company before taking a position with Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers, the world's largest industrial auctioneer, where he spent 14 years.

"Brian has a proven track record of revenue growth and department productivity with both AmeraMex and Richie Brothers," said AmeraMex CEO Lee Hamre. "His leadership skills range from developing and mentoring employees to identifying and executing revenue growth potential. He is walking in the door game-ready with years of industry experience and an excellent network within the marketplace, especially the construction/transportation industries.

"Over the past several years the Company has segued from sales of new and used forklifts into the container handling equipment for ports. Now, with growth in infrastructure and commercial construction, we are expanding into heavy construction equipment to balance out our product line. This just happens to be Brian's area of expertise."

"This is a perfect time to rejoin AmeraMex, said Hamre. "I joined the Company's Board almost three years ago and have been impressed with its significant growth and market expansion into new industries, especially heavy equipment for construction. For the past 14 years I have been emersed in the construction equipment industry which is enjoying tremendous growth. I am please to bring this experience and expertise back to AmeraMex as the Company is strategically expanding into areas that will shape its future. I look forward to being a part of that momentum."

About AmeraMex International

AmeraMex International sells, leases and rents heavy equipment to companies within multiple industries including construction, logistics, mining, and lumber. AmeraMex, with a US and international customer base, has over 30 years of experience in heavy equipment sales and service. Follow AmeraMex on Twitter @ammx_intl and visit the AmeraMex website, www.AMMX.net or www.hamreequipment.com for additional information and equipment videos.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "potential," "continue" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, and there are key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Investors are encouraged to review the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects the Company's current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if added information becomes available in the future.

McCloud Communications LLC

Marty Tullio

+1 949-632-1900

marty@mccloudcommunications.com

https://www.ammx.net

03.06.2022 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.dgap.de


ByDesign and Retail Success launch Wayroo as their first joint product

TAMPA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 3, 2022 / ByDesign Technologies, the premier provider of software and solutions for the direct selling and direct-to-consumer industries, today announced the launch of its social commerce solutions. The new solutions showcase Wayroo, a fully integrated point-of-sale mobile app delivering inventory management, comment selling, customer invoicing, and payment processing.

Wayroo is the first product ByDesign and parent company - Retail Success - have jointly developed to deliver significant innovation to companies that sell direct-to-consumer. Under the umbrella of social commerce, the company's solutions include:

 Affiliate & influencer programs

 Customer referral & loyalty programs

 Direct selling & MLM solutions

 Party plan solutions

ByDesign's social commerce offering blends Ecommerce, in-person or online retail shopping, and social media into a single consumer experience. Anywhere a consumer can interact and shop with someone like them is a social commerce channel. The platforms for social commerce include social media, virtual events, and in-person social experiences.

The company will unveil its new suite of social commerce solutions at the Direct Selling Association annual meeting, June 3 - 7, at Florida's Boca Raton Resort & Club. In addition, ByDesign CEO Daryl Wurzbacher will be on the panel of the DSA's workshop on Compensation Plan Trends, held on Tuesday, June 7th, 10:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. During the workshop he will be covering key details direct selling companies need to know about affiliate programs and compensation plans.

To learn more, visit the ByDesign team at booth 33 at the DSA Annual Meeting, or visit bydesign.com.

About ByDesign Technologies

ByDesign Technologies, a Retail Success company, is a technology solutions company serving the direct-to-consumer corporate market, including affiliate, influencer, social retail, and the direct selling industries. Since 2000, ByDesign has launched nearly 1,000 clients, programed 2,700+ unique compensation plans, processed $7b+ in bonus payments, developed 9,400+ unique promotion conditions, and completed more than 2 million direct selling parties.

About Retail Success

Retail Success, a Kansas City-based Fintech company leading the way in the omnichannel shopping experience, was founded in 2005 by brothers - Scott and Shannon Maher. From marketing and loyalty to eCommerce and payments, our software solutions allow greater accessibility and more convenience for both businesses and customers, giving retailers big and small the power to connect and sell to the world. These robust solutions include National Merchant Alliance, POSIM, Wayroo, Boutique Window and ByDesign Technologies. Learn more at RetailSuccess.com, or follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Linda Gulla

ByDesign Technologies

Linda.Gulla@bydesign.com

813-253-2235

SOURCE: ByDesign Technologies

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/703800/ByDesign-Technologies-Unveils-New-Social-Commerce-Solutions-at-DSA-2022-Annual-Meeting
CT Corporation experts will discuss how commercial transaction laws in the U.S. compare to other legal systems across the world

An increasingly complex regulatory landscape may challenge even the most experienced attorneys or paralegals as they work to devise and execute global due diligence strategies for cross-border transactional work. Wolters Kluwer CT Corporation will provide tips for handling the global lien searches and document retrievals essential to those transactions during a CLE webinar "Effective Strategies for Global Lien Searches and Global Document Retrievals" to be held on June 15 at 1 PM ET.

Devlin Fisher and Robert McHugh, Global Sales Support Managers with CT Corporation, will with an emphasis on Canada and Mexico discuss how the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) and other laws governing commercial transactions in the U.S. compare to various legal systems across the world. Topics will include the challenges that legal professionals may encounter while executing international lien searches, as well the documents companies should order to perform standard transactions in countries where the majority of international deals take place.

"Organizations undertaking the complex process of due diligence should consider leveraging the experience of a trusted advisor," said John Weber, President and CEO of Wolters Kluwer CT Corporation. "At CT Corporation, we have the knowledge, expertise and technology necessary to help clients successfully manage their UCC workflows from end-to-end."

Fisher consults with CT Corporation's global law firm and corporate customers on matters related to global due diligence, compliance, and global corporate entity formation and dissolution. He also regularly presents on emerging trends in international corporate law for an audience of national law firms and professional associations.

McHugh is responsible for supporting CT Corporation's account management and global service teams in addition to consulting with law firm customers on complex transactional and managed services projects. He has an extensive range of experience in matters of international corporate compliance and governance that includes assisting Fortune 100 clients with multi-jurisdictional and post-acquisition projects.

For nearly 130 years, Wolters Kluwer CT Corporation has been the leading provider of registered agent services, incorporation services, and legal entity compliance. It is part of Wolters Kluwer's Governance, Risk Compliance (GRC) division and has a global reach into over 150 countries. More than 75 percent of Fortune 500 companies, 95 percent of AmLaw 100 law firms, and 350,000 small businesses trust CT Corporation to handle their compliance needs.The other legal services business of Wolters Kluwer GRC is Wolters Kluwer ELM Solutions -aglobal provider of enterprise legal spend and matter management, contract lifecycle management and legal analytics solutions.

About Wolters Kluwer Governance, Risk Compliance

Governance, Risk Compliance is a division of Wolters Kluwer, which provides legal and banking professionals with solutions to help ensure compliance with ever-changing regulatory and legal obligations, manage risk, increase efficiency, and produce better business outcomes. GRC offers a portfolio of technology-enabled expert services and solutions focused on legal entity compliance, legal operations management, banking product compliance, and banking regulatory compliance.

Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the healthcare; tax and accounting; governance, risk and compliance; and legal and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2021 annual revenues of 4.8 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,800 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220603005050/en/

Contacts:

Media Contacts for Wolters Kluwer GRC

(including Wolters Kluwer CT Corporation, Wolters Kluwer ELM Solutions, Wolters Kluwer Compliance Solutions and Wolters Kluwer Finance, Risk Regulatory Reporting)

Paul Lyon

Senior Director, Global Corporate Communications: Global Marketing, Communications Planning

Governance, Risk Compliance Division

Wolters Kluwer

Office +44 20 3197 6586

Paul.Lyon@wolterskluwer.com

Frank Ready

Senior Specialist, Corporate Communications, Legal Services

Governance, Risk Compliance Division

Wolters Kluwer

Office 717-205-3647

Frank.Ready@wolterskluwer.com
India's Jakson Group has developed a 70 MW solar project with engineering, procurement and construction done in-house. The plant will supply electricity to Assam Power Distribution.From pv magazine India Noida-based Jakson commissioned the 70 MW Amguri project in the Indian state of Assam. It is located in Sivasagar district and was launched by the chief minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma. Jakson developed the project on a build-own-operate basis, with engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) also done in-house. Assam Power Generation developed the solar park and provided plug-and-play ...

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Perth, Western Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 3, 2022) - American West Metals (ASX: AW1) invites you to visit them at Booth #3304 at The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) on Monday June 13 to Wednesday June 15, 2022.

About American West Metals

AMERICAN WEST METALS LIMITED (ASX: AW1) is an Australian company focused on growth through the discovery and development of major base metal mineral deposits in Tier 1 jurisdictions of North America.We are a progressive mining company focused on developing mines that have a low-footprint and support the global energy transformation.Our portfolio of copper and zinc projects include significant existing resource inventories and high-grade mineralisation that can generate robust mining proposals. Core to our approach is our commitment to the ethical extraction and processing of minerals and making a meaningful contribution to the communities where our projects are located.Led by a highly experienced leadership team, our strategic initiatives lay the foundation for a sustainable business which aims to deliver high-multiplier returns on shareholder investment and economic benefits to all stakeholders.

About PDAC

The World's Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading convention for people, governments, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. In addition to meeting more than 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 23,000 attendees in person in 2020, participants could also attend programming, courses and networking events.

The annual convention is held in Toronto, Canada. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the world's mineral industry. From 2021 it is also offered as an online event.

For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention/registration.

We look forward to seeing you there.

For further information:

American West Metals

Dave O'Neill

+61 457 598 993

doneill@aw1group.com

https://www.americanwestmetals.com/site/content/
London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - June 3, 2022) - Digital fintech company Scallop, has defied the odds to become the first DeFi company to reach the top of the world; Mount Everest. This feat was accomplished thanks to Kenton Cool, a renowned mountaineer, and Jay Kolhatkar, who reached the top of Mount Everest and hoisted the Scallop flag on the 12th of May for Jay, and 14th of May for Kenton.





Kenton Cool, a record-breaking mountaineer, and Jay Kolhatkar made history when they hosted the Scallop flag to the highest peak on Earth, Mount Everest.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8650/126425_12690cd544acabe5_001full.jpg

Cool is famously the only non-sherpa that has reached the top of Everest 16 times and proudly posed with the Scallop flag when he and his partner got to the peak.

Reaching this altitude of 8,849 m is in line with Scallop's DeFiTheOdds campaign and its mission to help the DeFi sector reach the top of the financial industry. But the company isn't stopping at just Everest alone and has bigger ambitions.

"It's never easy but always worth it. We've already reached the tallest peak Everest; we're definitely aiming for the moon next!" says Raj Bagadi, the CEO of Scallop.

So far, Scallop's plan to do this is by giving users the best of both worlds.

This includes offering the interest and staking rates associated with DeFi while also giving the same level of security and support as centralized institutions. Based on the Cosmos blockchain, Scallop users can manage their fiat and crypto in one single platform.

In essence, Scallop works to act as a bridge between the DeFi and fiat world, saving customers from having to choose one or the other. Through a combination of anti-money laundering measures and know-your-customer structures, it also makes sure that all its users are protected and on the right side of regulations.

Having seen over 100,000 sign-ups in its first month alone, Scallop is looking to further expand on its products and just like its flag, take its customers to the top of the world.

About Scallop

Scallop is the world's first regulated DeFi fintech company. Acting as a bridge between the DeFi world, Scallop lets users manage both their crypto and fiat finances from a single app and offers the benefits of the burgeoning blockchain world as well as the security of traditional finance.

Press Links

Website: https://scallopx.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/scallopdefibank

Telegram: https://t.me/Scallop_official

E-Mail: marketing@scallopx.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126425
CombinedGeneral Meeting of June 3rd, 2022

Voting results and dividend for financial year 2021

Paris-La Defense, June 3rd, 2022, 17.35p.m (CET) - Assystem S.A. (ISIN: FR0000074148 - ASY), confirms that its Combined General Meeting was held today, at the Centre de conferences Etoile Saint Honore located at 21-25 rue Balzac, 75008 Paris, chaired by Mr. Dominique Louis, Chairman and CEO.

The quorum was 86.47 % and the General Meeting approved all resolutions submitted to vote except for the fifth one (Approval of related-party agreements).

In particular, the General Meeting:

approved the parent company and consolidated financial statements for the year ended on December 31 st , 2021

, 2021 and also decided the payment of a dividend of 1.00 per share for the 2021 financial year with the following schedule: 6 July 2022: ex-date, 7 July 2022 (after market closure): record date, 8 July 2022: payment date.







The results of votes are available on the Company's website).

ABOUT ASSYSTEM

As one of the world's leading independent nuclear engineering companies, Assystem's main mission is to help accelerate energy transition. In the Group's 13 countries of operation, the skills of more than 6,000 Assystem experts are being put to the service of developing the production and use of carbon-free electricity (nuclear and renewables) as well as green hydrogen.

With over 50 years' experience in highly regulated sectors subject to stringent safety and security constraints, the Group provides engineering and digital services and solutions to optimise the cost and performance of its clients' complex infrastructure assets throughout their life cycles.

To find out more visit www.assystem.com / Follow Assystem on Twitter: @Assystem

CONTACTS

Philippe Chevallier

CFO & Deputy CEO

Tel.: +33 (0)1 41 25 28 07









Attachment
Regulatory News:

Pierre Vacances Center Parcs Group (Paris:VAC):

Following the announcements made by the Company on March 10, April 22 and May 25, 2022 regarding the progress of the Group's restructuring process, the Company announces the convening of its shareholders and creditors on July 8, 2022 for the purpose of approving the transactions provided for in the agreement entered into on March 10, 2022 (the "Restructuring Transactions

By judgment dated May 31, 2022, the Commercial Court of Paris approved the Company's request and opened an accelerated safeguard procedure to its benefit. As a reminder, this procedure only affects financial creditors directly concerned by the Restructuring Transactions, to the exclusion of any other partner, notably lessors or suppliers.

In this context, the Board of Directors of the Company has decided to convene a general meeting of its shareholders and a special meeting of those shareholders holding double voting rights in order to vote on the resolutions necessary for the implementation of the Restructuring Transactions.

The court-appointed administrator of the accelerated safeguard procedure, SCP Abitbol et Rousselet, represented by Frederic Abitbol and Joanna Rousselet, has convened the classes of parties affected by said procedure in order to obtain their approval of the draft accelerated safeguard plan.

Each of these meetings will be held on Friday July 8, 2022. Those notices of meeting which are subject to legal publication were published, inter alia, in today's BALO (Bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires) and are available on the Company's website (www.groupepvcp.com) in the "Finance Publications Restructuring" section.

To date, the target date for settlement of the Restructuring Transactions remains September 16, 2022.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220603005360/en/

Contacts:

Pierre Vacances Center Parcs Group
In accordance with article L233-8 of commercial law, Wavestone informs its shareholders that as of

May 31, 2022, its capital was composed of 20,196,492 shares representing 32,517,065 voting rights according to article 223-11 of the AMF.

About Wavestone

In a world where knowing how to drive transformation is the key to success, Wavestone's mission is to inform and guide large companies and organizations in their most critical transformations, with the ambition of a positive outcome for all stakeholders. It's an ambition anchored in the firm's DNA and embodied in the signature "The Positive Way."

Wavestone draws on about 4,000 employees across Europe - where it is a leading independent player in consulting, the United States and Asia.

Wavestone is listed on Euronext Paris and recognized as a Great Place to Work.

Wavestone

Pascal IMBERT

Chief Executive Officer

Tel.: +33 (0)1 49 03 20 00

Benjamin CLEMENT

Financial communication

Tel.: +33 (0)1 49 03 20 00 Actus

Financial news

Mathieu OMNES

Analyst & investor relations

Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 92

Nicolas BOUCHEZ

Press relations

Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 74

------------------------

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Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-74863-wavestone_declaration-amf_220603-en.pdf
Regulatory News:

EUROAPI (Paris:EAPI) announces the launch of its first employee share plan entitled "EUROAPI Action 2022". The subscription period will be open from June 10 to June 24, 2022, in 7 countries and aims to foster employees' ownership and more closely associate them to the Group's success and long-term development.

FRAMEWORK OF THE OFFERING

On May 6, 2022, the Company's Board of Directors has decided the principle of a share capital increase reserved for eligible employees of the companies that have adhered to the EUROAPI Group Savings Plan, under the framework of the 23rd decision of the sole shareholder of EUROAPI of March 30, 2022. On this occasion, the Board of Directors has decided upon the main terms and conditions of the Offering and delegated to the Chief Executive Officer the powers to implement the offering.

On June 3, 2022, the Board of Directors has set the subscription price at 10.76 euros, by applying a 20 discount to the reference price1

The share capital increase will be limited to a maximum of 0.56 of the share capital of EUROAPI, i.e. 522,600 shares.

The newly created shares will be entitled to any shareholder rights (voting rights and dividends) upon issuance.

CONDITIONS OF THE SUBSCRIPTION

Beneficiaries of the share capital increase reserved for employees

The beneficiaries of the offering are employees of EUROAPI or the companies in which EUROAPI holds directly or indirectly more than 50% of the share capital and which have adhered to the EUROAPI Group Savings Plan.

The beneficiaries must also meet a minimum employment condition of two months on June 3, 2022.

They will still have to be employed in the EUROAPI Group at the end of the subscription period.

Subscription price

The subscription price has been set by the Board of Directors. It is equal to the average of the volume-weighted average price of a EUROAPI share on Euronext Paris during the 20 trading days preceding the date on which the subscription price is set, minus a 20 discount.

Terms and conditions of the subscription

Under the "EUROAPI Action 2022" Offering, employees will be able to subscribe up to 2,500 shares, within the limit of 25% of the employee's gross annual compensation estimated for 2022.

For each share subscribed, EUROAPI's employees will benefit from a company matching contribution in the form of one free share. This company matching contribution will be limited to 25 free shares per subscriber.

Depending on their country of residence, employees will be able to subscribe for EUROAPI shares either through a French collective employee shareholding vehicle (FCPE) or directly.

Voting rights

The voting rights attached to the EUROAPI shares shall be exercised during the general shareholders' Meetings of EUROAPI, either directly by the employees or by the elected members of the FCPE's supervisory board representing employees, depending on their country of residence.

Lock-up period

All employees' investments, including any free matching shares, are subject to a lock-up period of 5 years, until May 31, 2027 (inclusive), during which the Euroapi shares cannot be sold, except in case of early exit events.

In case of over-subscription

If the total number of subscriptions exceeds the limit of 522,600 EUROAPI shares, the highest requests (including the company matching contribution) will be capped so that the total number of shares subscribed is equal to the total number of shares offered.

INDICATIVE TIMELINE OF THE OFFERING

The share capital increase is expected to occur on July 21, 2022.

LISTING

The admission of the newly issued EUROAPI shares to trading on Euronext Paris (ISIN code: FR0014008VX5) will be requested upon completion of the share capital increase.

About EUROAPI

EUROAPI is focused on reinventing active ingredient solutions to sustainably meet customers' and patients' needs around the world. We are a leading player in active pharmaceutical ingredients with approximately 200 products in our portfolio, offering a large span of technologies, while developing innovative molecules through our Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) activities.

Taking action for health by enabling access to essential therapies inspires our 3,350 people every day. With strong research and development capabilities and six manufacturing sites all located in Europe, EUROAPI ensures API manufacturing of the highest quality to supply customers in more than 80 countries. EUROAPI is listed on Euronext. Find out more at www.euroapi.com.

___________________

1 The Reference price is equal to the average of the volume-weighted average price of a EUROAPI share on Euronext Paris over the 20 trading days preceding the date on which the subscription price is set.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220603005394/en/

Contacts:

Media Relations:

Laurence Bollack

Mob.: +33 (0)6 81 86 80 19

mr@euroapi.com

Investor Relations:

Guillaume Rosso

Mob.: +33 (0)6 49 51 59 78

ir@euroapi.com
Article L. 238-8-II of the French commercial Code and article 223-16 of the AMF (French Financial Markets Authority) general regulation

Regulatory News:

Corporate name of the issuer:

Veolia Environnement (Paris:VIE)

21 rue La Boetie

75008 PARIS

FRANCE

(ISIN code: FR0000124141-VIE)

Information closing date Total number of shares forming the share capital Total number of voting rights May 31, 2022 700,571,716 Total number of theoretical voting rights (1): 739,881,204 Total number of voting rights that may be exercised (2): 727,283,662

Inclusion in the Veolia Environnement Articles of Association of a clause requiring a reporting obligation of the declaration of crossing a shareholding threshold, complementary to the one relating to the thresholds provided by the French law and the regulations in force (article 8).

(1) Number of theoretical voting rights after taking into account the number of shares with double voting rights as of May 31, 2022 (39,309,488 shares) and the number of treasury shares held as of May 31, 2022 (12,597,542 shares).

(2) Number of voting rights that may be exercised number of theoretical voting rights (or total number of voting rights attached to shares) shares without voting rights (number of treasury shares held as of May 31, 2022).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220603005415/en/

Contacts:

Veolia Environnement
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 3, 2022) - Aurelius Minerals Inc. (TSXV: AUL) (OTCQB: AURQF) (the "Company" or "Aurelius") announced today that senior management will take part in a live Virtual Non-Deal Roadshow hosted by Renmark Financial on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at 2:00 PM EDT. Aurelius welcomes all stakeholders, investors and other individuals to register and attend this live event.

The presentation will feature Mark N.J. Ashcroft, P.Eng, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director and Jeremy Niemi, P.Geo, Vice President, Exploration. Discussion will focus on the Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate on the Company's Aureus East Project, announced recently in Aurelius' Press Release dated May 26, 2022. The presentation will be followed by a live Question and Answer session. Individuals interested in participating in this event will need to register using the link below. As a reminder, registration for the live event may be limited but access to the replay will be available on the Investors' section of Aurelius' website.

REGISTER HERE:

https://www.renmarkfinancial.com/live-registration/renmark-virtual-non-deal-roadshow-tsx-v-aul-otcqb-aurqf-2022-06-07-120000

To ensure smooth connectivity, please access this link using the latest version of Google Chrome.

Qualified Person

Jeremy Niemi, P.Geo., is the Qualified Person for this release, as defined by NI 43-101, and has reviewed and approved the technical information in the presentation.

About Aurelius

Aurelius is a well-positioned gold exploration company focused on advancing its recently acquired and renamed Aureus Gold Properties, including Aureus East and West, the Tangier Gold Project and the Forest Hill Gold Project located in Nova Scotia and described in detail in the Company's four Technical Reports filed SEDAR on June 1, 2020 and November 5, 2020.

Aurelius is also advancing two district-scale gold projects in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt in Ontario, Canada, one of the world's most prolific mining districts; the 968-hectare Mikwam Property, in the Burntbush area on the Casa Berardi trend and the 12,425-hectare Lipton Property, on the Lower Detour Trend.

The Company's management team is experienced in all facets of the mineral exploration and mining industry, and will be considering additional acquisitions of advanced staged opportunities in Nova Scotia, the Abitibi and other proven mining districts.

About Renmark Financial Communications Inc.

Founded in 1999, Renmark Financial Communications Inc. is North America's leading retail investor relations firm. Employing a strategic and comprehensive mix of exposure tactics; Renmark hosts Virtual Non-Deal Roadshows as well as in-person corporate presentations and maintains daily communications with thousands of brokers and money managers across Canada and the United States. Renmark empowers its publicly-traded clientele to maximize their visibility within the financial community and strengthen their investor audience.

On Behalf of the Board

AURELIUS MINERALS INC.

For further information please contact:

Aurelius Minerals Inc.

Mark N.J. Ashcroft, P.Eng.,

President and CEO

info@aureliusminerals.com

Tel.: (416) 304-9095

www.aureliusminerals.com

Renmark Financial Communications Inc.

Steve Hosein: shosein@renmarkfinancial.com

Tel.: (416) 644-2020 or (212) 812-7680

www.renmarkfinancial.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" under the provisions of applicable Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Aurelius. All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to Aurelius within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements with respect to the Company's planned drilling and exploration activities, the anticipated benefits of the Acquisition and the development of the Aureus Gold Properties, the future price of gold, the estimation of Mineral Resources, the realization of Mineral Resource estimates, success of exploration activities, permitting time lines, currency exchange rate fluctuations, requirements for additional capital, government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, title disputes or claims and limitations on insurance coverage. Generally, this forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" , "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" , "believes", or variations or comparable language of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performances or achievements of Aurelius to be materially different from future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which Aurelius will operate in the future, including the price of gold, anticipated costs and ability to achieve goals.

Certain important factors that could cause actual results, performances or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking information include, among others, gold price volatility, mining operational and development risks, litigation risks, regulatory restrictions (including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability), changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and/or change in the administration of laws, policies and practices, expropriation or nationalization of property and political or economic developments in Canada, delays, suspension and technical challenges associated with projects, higher prices for fuel, steel, power, labour and other consumables, currency fluctuations, the speculative nature of gold exploration, the global economic climate, dilution, share price volatility, competition, loss of key employees, additional funding requirements and defective title to mineral claims or property. Although Aurelius believes its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions and has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the Mineral Resources will be converted to Mineral Reserves. Inferred Mineral Resources are based on limited drilling which suggests the greatest uncertainty for a resource estimate and that geological continuity is only implied. Additional drilling will be required to verify geological and mineralization continuity and it is reasonable that most of the Inferred Mineral resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources. There is no certainty that a Preliminary Economic Assessment will be completed.

The Company provides forward-looking information for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Aurelius to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks related to difficulties in executing exploration programs at the Mikwam, Lipton and Aureus Gold Properties on the Company's proposed schedules and within its cost and scheduling estimates, whether due to weather conditions, availability or interruption of power supply, mechanical equipment performance problems, natural disasters or pandemics in the areas where it operates, the integration of acquisition; risks related to current global financial conditions including market reaction to the coronavirus outbreak; competition within the industry; actual results of current exploration activities; environmental risks; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future price of gold; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; mine development and operating risks; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining approvals or financing; risks related to indebtedness and the service of such indebtedness, as well as those factors, risks and uncertainties identified and reported in Aurelius' public filings under Aurelius' SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although Aurelius has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Aurelius disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126446
Presentation will be held on Tuesday June 7th at 10:00 AM PT

Westlake Village, California--(Newsfile Corp. - June 3, 2022) - Sabio Holdings Inc. (TSXV: SBIO) (the "Company" or "Sabio"), a leading provider of Connected TV ("CTV") software solutions, validated by performance, is pleased to announce it will be presenting at the 12th Annual Invitational on Tuesday, June 7th at 10:00 AM PT on Track 4. The event is being held at the Four Seasons Westlake Village. This three-day investor conference is expected to feature around 200+ companies.

Aziz Rahimtoola, Founder & CEO will be giving the presentation. Investors attending the conference can schedule a one-on-one meeting with Sabio's management, please contact your LD Micro representative or register here.

Event: LD Micro Invitational

Date: Tuesday, June 7th

Time: 10:00 AM PT - Track # 4

Register to watch the virtual presentation here.

"We are proud to be hosting our 12th annual installment of the Invitational at a new and fantastic venue no less. I want to build on the incredible momentum generated from last October and cannot wait to host the patrons and execs who have supported us through thick and thin. For the past 15 years, LD has proven that you can go to an investor conference and actually have a great time," said Chris Lahiji, Founder of LD Micro."

The LD Micro Invitational is a three-day, investor conference expected to feature approximately 200 companies presenting in half-hour increments, as well as private meetings.

"We look forward to presenting at the LD Micro conference next week and having the opportunity to share with the investment community our accomplishments and the role that we are playing in the fast-growing Connected TV digital advertisement market" stated Aziz Rahimtoola, Founder & CEO of Sabio.

About Sabio

Sabio Holdings Inc. is a technology provider in the high-growth advertising areas of connected TV ("CTV") and over-the-top ("OTT") streaming, where viewership in 2022 is expected to rise to over 221 million users in the United States CTV market alone[1]. Sabio's full CTV/OTT technology stack and services enable global distribution and monetizes and provides analytics for content creator CTV/OTT apps and the brands and agencies that want to partner with them. Sabio's wholly owned subsidiary, Vidillion Corp. ("Vidillion"), is a CTV/OTT technology pioneer (whose business was acquired subsequent to year-end 2021) that creates and distributes ad-supported CTV/OTT apps on platforms such as Roku, Vizio, Amazon Fire, Disney + and others. In addition, the Company's wholly owned Sabio, Inc. subsidiary works with major brands and agencies, through its propriety Demand Side Platform (DSP) and ad server, to provide targeted campaign solutions to top agencies and the brands they represent by filling the ad slots in Vidillion and other non-Vidillion CTV/OTT apps. Lastly, its wholly owned AppScience, Inc. ("App Science") subsidiary, powered by its App Science Data Management Platform ("DMP"), has pioneered a privacy compliant, non-cookie cross screen household graph of 55 million validated homes that connects insights between mobile apps, CTV/OTT apps and podcast data, along with other data points designed to better understand consumer behaviors at scale.

For more information, visit: sabioholding.com

About LD Micro

LD Micro aims to be the most crucial resource in the micro-cap world. Whether it is the index, comprehensive data, or hosting the most significant events on an annual basis, LD's sole mission is to serve as an invaluable asset for all those interested in finding the next generation of great companies. http://www.ldmicro.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information: Sabio Holdings Inc., Joe Camacho, Chief Global Expansion Officer - investor@sabio.inc, Phone: 1.844.974.2662

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126495
LaunchNotes, a San Francisco, CA-based personalized, automated, and secure way to connect teams and users to the product development lifecycle, raised $15M in Series A funding.

The round was led by Insight Partners, with participation from Atlassian Ventures, The New Normal Fund, Essence VC, and existing investors Cowboy Ventures and Bull City Venture Partners.

The company intends to use the funds for expansion of from a product change communication solution to a full platform for Product Success.

Cofounded by CEO Tyler Davis and COO Jake Brereton, LaunchNotes provides a suite of tools for targeted announcements, feedback collection, roadmap sharing, and more, to enable product teams to keep their customers, colleagues, and other key stakeholders connected to the product development cycle. LaunchNotes is serving product teams across the SaaS industry, including Loom, Hopin, Drata, Flatfile, Amplitude, MURAL, and many others.

LaunchNotes co-founded the company after working at Atlassian in senior roles across Engineering, Product, and Marketing.

FinSMEs

03/06/2022
RealWear Navigator 500 is the companys latest industrial strength assisted reality wearable with a revolutionary modular design

RealWear, a Vancouver, Washington-based provider of assisted reality solutions for frontline industrial workers, closed a $23.5M Series C funding.

The round was led by Foundry Group with participation from Qualcomm Ventures, Kopin and Columbia Ventures Corporation.

The company intends to use the funds to grow a unified software and services platform across its human-centric wearable products.

Led by Andrew Chrostowski, Chairman and CEO, RealWear is a provider of assisted reality wearable solutions that engage, empower, and elevate the modern frontline industrial worker to perform work tasks with precision. The company gives these workers real-time access to information and expertise, while keeping their hands and field of view free for work. At the end of last year, RealWear launched its next generation assisted reality device, RealWear Navigator 500, which is the first commercially available head-worn device with a modular design. The company has shipped wearable devices to thousands of enterprise customers worldwide in a range of industries, including Energy, Manufacturing, Food & Beverage, Automotive, and Telecommunications. Customers include Shell, Goodyear, Mars, Colgate-Palmolive, and BMW, who use it to improve workplace safety while delivering unprecedented ROI.

RealWear also has local offices in the United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, Australia, the Netherlands, and Japan, along with a new customer experience center in Dubai.

FinSMEs

02/06/2022
Transition Bio, Inc., a Cambridge, MA- and Cambridge, UK-based provider of a microfluidics-driven drug discovery platform using biophysical sciences and artificial intelligence tools to map and modulate biomolecular condensates, raised $50m in Series A financing.

The round was led by Northpond Ventures and joined by Taiho Ventures, Bristol Myers Squibb and Magnetic Ventures. Lifeforce Capital, the lead investor from the seed financing, also participated and was joined by other existing seed investors.

Led by Greg Miller, chief executive officer, Transition Bio is a provider of a microfluidics-driven drug discovery platform that utilizes microfluidics to drive high-throughput generation of proprietary data to enable machine learning-guided condensate target identification and drug discovery.

The funding allows rapid expansion of the technology by scaling up the platform and translating the science across a variety of targets and disease areas.

In addition, Shilpi Arora, Ph.D., joined Transition Bio as senior vice president of discovery research and brings extensive experience in leading multiple aspects of drug discovery, target identification and validation, pharmacology and translational sciences from previous roles in both academia and the biotech industry. Prior to joining Transition Bio, Shilpi was vice president of discovery and translational biology at Exo Therapeutics and previously held roles at X-Chem Pharmaceuticals, Constellation Pharmaceuticals and the Translational Genomics Research Institute.

Transition Bio also announced updates to its board of directors. Shaan C. Gandhi, M.D., D.Phil., director and head of the biotechnologies group at Northpond Ventures, has been appointed to the Companys board. In addition, Alfred W. Sandrock, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer of Voyager Therapeutics and former head of research and development at Biogen, has been appointed to the board as an independent director. Co-founders Kelly Martin and Samuel Cohen, Ph.D., will continue to serve on the board as executive chairman and director, respectively.

FinSMEs

02/06/2022
Not Happy

I ordered a new F-350 Lariat back in October. Finally 7 months later on May 13th it arrived at the dealer which was great as we were to head to Michigan the end of May pulling our Fifth Wheel. It did not come with the Spray in bedliner or the Fifth Wheel prep that I ordered. Not a big deal as I can get that added. As I was driving the truck that week trying to get the 1000 miles on it before we tow there was a slight humming noise coming from under the truck when I got above 60 mph. Anyway I took it back to the dealer and they have now had it for 2 weeks waiting on parts. They are saying that they have to order some kind of bearing for the driveshaft and rebuild the rear end. I am sick. I traded in a perfect 2017 F-350 with only 40,000 miles on it. When I told them that I want my old truck back it turns out that it has sold. I paid $81,000 for this truck and the dealer has had it more than I have. Sorry about the Rant!
Corvallis and Albany students and teachers are being recognized for their youth-led suicide prevention work, in which students encourage their peers to focus on multiple sources of support when they need help.

The nationwide program  Sources of Strength  has been growing throughout Oregon for the past couple of years, and promotes help-seeking behaviors by connecting students with trusted and caring adults.

Its very important to have trusted adults, reach out and get whats needed at the time, said Gigi Sims, health and wellness coordinator for the Corvallis School District. Its about talking about and taking care of our mental health.

Sources of Strength is based on the strength wheel  a color-coded circle divided into eight slices that identify a different source of strength: family support, positive friends, mentors, healthy activities, generosity, spirituality, physical health and mental health.

Sources of Strength is a class offered at several middle and high schools throughout the nation, including some schools in Corvallis and Greater Albany Public Schools. Each class has an adult adviser and peer leader, and students spread messages of hope, help and strength through words, art, music, influence and activities.

At Corvallis High, adult adviser Lorin Reed and sophomore peer leader Kaylee Pickering have led several campaigns this year to spread the word about Sources of Strength, especially during May, which was Mental Health Awareness Month.

Theyre living it, Reed said about his students. Theyre trying to change the stigma around mental health for everybody.

The program is growing at CHS, from 18 students enrolled in the fall class to 30 enrolled in the spring. The ninth- through 12th-grade students have decorated their school with positive messages through chalk art, posters, paintings, buttons and a heart mural, in which each heart has a strong emotion on one side and a way to cope on the other.

Life is a rollercoaster, Reed said. Youre going to have high highs and low lows.

The key, however, is making sure students have people to connect with during those low lows.

Reed and Pickering were both honored as leaders at the 2022 Sources of Strength Showcase on Thursday, May 26. Margo DeYoung from Calapooia Middle School was also honored at the showcase, as were Melina Young and Joyce Lebengood from South Albany High School.

Reed started as an adult adviser at CHS in 2019, and he and the students kept up the work even remotely during the pandemic. The students created messaging outside of the school and ensured their peers were well connected through a time of spiking mental health issues nationwide.

They just kept going, Sims said. Its all for a positive culture change. Its about creating a sense of belonging, equity and inclusion.

Sources of Strength is more than suicide prevention, Sims said. It also helps to prevent violence and addiction by talking about big emotions, including anger, anxiety and depression, and tapping into multiple strengths from the wheel to build resilience.

It works, she said. The model works.

In fall 2020, students at CHS surveyed faculty members to see which songs help them through emotionally challenging times. They received over 40 responses and created a playlist, called What Helps Us, and shared it with the community.

While the program is student-led, the messaging is meant to help adults as well as kids.

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.

Pickering said she plans to continue being a student leader at CHS, spreading the word about Sources of Strength and spearheading positive messaging campaigns.

I feel like Im always reaching out to people, so when I heard about the class I thought it would be perfect for me, Pickering said. I felt like it was an opportunity to do something bigger.

Joanna Mann (she/her) covers education for Mid-Valley Media. She can be contacted at 541-812-6076 or Joanna.Mann@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter via @joanna_mann_.

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TORONTO, June 02, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- European Residential Real Estate Investment Trust (TSX: ERE.UN) (ERES) announced today that, at its Annual and Special Meeting of Unitholders held today, each of the items of business referred to in its management information circular dated April 13, 2022 (the Circular) were passed by a vote held by ballot.



A total of 197,941,194 units representing 85.47% of ERES issued and outstanding units (on a non-diluted basis but including units issuable in exchange of the issued and outstanding class B limited partnership units of ERES Limited Partnership) were voted in connection with the meeting. The voting results for each item of business are as follows:

Election of Trustees :

Nominee Votes

For % Votes

For Votes

Withheld % Votes

Withheld Jan Arie Breure 197,440,335 99.79% 418,639 0.21% Harold Burke 197,278,443 99.71% 580,531 0.29% Phillip Burns 189,002,818 95.52% 8,856,156 4.48% Gina Parvaneh Cody 197,274,634 99.71% 584,340 0.29% Ira Gluskin 196,909,711 99.52% 949,263 0.48% Michael Stein 181,261,551 91.61% 16,597,423 8.39%

All nominees proposed in the Circular were elected as trustees.

Re-appointment of Auditors

Votes

For % Votes

For Votes

Withheld % Votes

Withheld PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, Chartered Accountants 197,867,713 99.96% 73,481 0.04%

Approval of Restricted Unit Rights Plan

Votes

For % Votes

For Votes

Against % Votes

Against Approval of Restricted Unit Rights Plan 176,445,794 89.18% 21,413,180 10.82%

About ERES

ERES is an unincorporated, open-ended real estate investment trust. ERESs Units are listed on the TSX under the symbol ERE.UN. ERES is Canadas only European-focused, multi-residential REIT, with a current initial focus on investing in high-quality, multi-residential real estate properties in the Netherlands. ERES owns a portfolio of 158 multi-residential properties, comprised of 6,901 suites and ancillary retail space located in the Netherlands, and owns one office property in Germany and one office property in Belgium.

ERESs registered and principal business office is located at 11 Church Street, Suite 401, Toronto, Ontario M5E 1W1.

For more information, please visit our website at www.eresreit.com .

For further information:
English French

Le francais suit



VICTORIA, British Columbia, June 02, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadas unions celebrate an important milestone today as a new law in British Columbia, to return automatic certification to the province, received royal assent.

Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, was in the B.C. legislature to witness the legislation becoming law.

Signing a union card is the best way for workers to improve their working lives. I am delighted to be here in Victoria to welcome this critical piece of labour legislation as it officially becomes the law, said Bruske. Congratulations to Premier John Horgan for his governments leadership on empowering and supporting working people.

Bruske pointed out that for decades, governments have moved to ban automatic certification, even in cases where 100 percent of the workers in a bargaining unit demonstrated their support by signing union cards. These moves have coincided with a troubling decline in unionization rates.

Employers routinely pressure workers not to join a union, threatening to close the business, lay-off employees or withhold promotions and other opportunities, continued Bruske. The reality is, showing your support for a union by signing a membership card is democratic. If you have majority support, theres no reason you should be forced to repeat the process and give employers more time to unduly pressure workers.

Bruske added that it is critical for workers to have the support of a union and a collective voice at their workplace. This leads to better health and safety, higher morale and less employee turnover.

Being part of a union and having a collective agreement means stability, predictability and better conditions for workers. This strengthens our communities and benefits our economy, concluded Bruske. We urge provincial governments across the country to follow B.C.s lead and pass laws that make the process fairer for workers to join unions.

To arrange an interview, please contact:

CLC Media Relations

media@clcctc.ca

613-526-7426
DOUGLAS, Isle of Man, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Renewable energy developer United Renewables is today announcing the launch of a new podcast and videocast series, Conversations on Climate, to explore the wide range of solutions to the global climate crisis through interviews with leading experts in their fields.



Made in collaboration with the AEC, the first series will feature United Renewables Founder Chris Caldwell sitting down with some of the London Business Schools leading thinkers, researchers, builders and makers who are tackling the issue of climate change from a range of perspectives.

Showcasing new solutions to the climate crisis

Working with his business United Renewables, Caldwell has been developing renewable energy projects for over 12 years, seeing firsthand the challenges involved in driving meaningful change in energy and sustainability.

With experts drawn from the London Business School community from fields as diverse as business research to technology development, legislation to behavioural psychology, Conversations on Climate seeks to show how solutions can work together holistically to solve the challenge before us.

Caldwell says: Its been clear to me for some time that solving climate change is going to take significant efforts across every part of our societies and economies, from finance to food, planning to politics. Thats why Ive been speaking to as many experts from as many fields as possible to find where our hopes for the future may lie and showcase the sheer diversity of options that are out there that we need to support.

We need to move the conversation on from solar vs wind, or veganism vs new GMOs. The reality is that this is a crisis and we need all hands on deck. Im proud to be learning from inspiring thinkers in every field as I expand my own horizons and hopefully do the same for our audience.

The podcast is targeted at business leaders and entrepreneurs looking to find ways to make a meaningful impact in their careers, as well as anyone interested in the cutting-edge of sustainable innovation and thinking on this generation defining issue.

Where to find Conversations on Climate

The inaugural episode will launch on 3rd June 2022 and will feature Michael G Jacobides, the Sir Donald Gordon Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at London Business School, where he is Professor of Strategy and a world-renowned expert in ecosystems and business management. Professor Jacobides discusses amongst other areas:

How we harness business ecosystems by challenging existing practices and rethinking how labour is organized and divided in the renewables sector;

Who is best placed to orchestrate the sustainability ecosystems of the near future;

What role firms and governments can play in driving change.



The videocast will be available on YouTube and the podcast will be available on all major platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with new episodes released every two weeks.



Contact details: United renewables Website: https://unitedrenewables.co.uk/resources

Contact name: Isabella Hawke

Telephone: +447624457139

Email: hunterandhawke@gmail.com

Address: 26 Old Castletown Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 5AW

Media Department (freelance marketer for United Renewables)



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/47d014f7-b9d9-448d-a278-3a6534c0a413
United Kingdom, 3 June 2022

RAK Petroleum plc, the Oslo-listed oil and gas investment company, today gave notice that its Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday 29 June 2022 at 10:00 am, British Summer Time, at 4 St Jamess Square, London, SW1Y 4JU, United Kingdom.

The notice of the Annual General Meeting is attached. Please see the company website ( www.rakpetroleum.uk ) for additional documents and information.

For further queries, please contact:

Kevin Toner Managing Director RAK Petroleum plc

Email: kevin.toner@rakpetroleum.uk

About RAK Petroleum plc

RAK Petroleum plc is an Oslo Stock Exchange listed oil and gas investment company established under the laws of England and Wales as a public limited company. Its principal holdings are 44.94 percent of DNO ASA and 33.33 percent of Foxtrot International LDC held through Mondoil Enterprises, LLC. DNO ASA is a Norwegian oil and gas operator focused on the Middle East and the North Sea. Founded in 1971 and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, DNO holds stakes in onshore and offshore licences at various stages of exploration, development and production in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Norway, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Ireland and Yemen. Foxtrot International LDC is a privately-held company active in West Africa whose principal asset is a 27.27 percent interest in and operatorship of Block CI-27 offshore Cote d'Ivoire.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

Attachment
Investors can contact the law firm at no cost to learn more about recovering their losses

LOS ANGELES, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises shareholders of Li-Cycle Holdings Corp. f/k/a Peridot Acquisition Corp. ("Li-Cycle" or the "Company") (NYSE: LICY) of a class action securities lawsuit, if they purchased the Company's shares between February 16, 2021 and March 23, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period") Shareholders have until June 20, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in the securities class action lawsuit.

Investors are encouraged to contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy, by phone 844-767-8529 or email: lesley@portnoylaw.com, to discuss their legal rights, or click here to join the case via www.portnoylaw.com. The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors options for pursuing claims to recover their losses.

The filed complaint alleges that defendants made false statements and/or concealed that: (1) Li-Cycle's largest customer, Traxys, is not actually a customer, but merely a broker providing working capital financial to the Company while Traxys tries to sell Li-Cycle's product to end customers; (2) the Company engaged in highly questionable related party transactions; (3) the Company's mark-to-model accounting is vulnerable to abuse and gave a false impression of growth; (4) a significant portion of the Company's reported revenues were derived from simply marking up receivables on products that had not been sold; (5) the Company's gross margins have likely been negative since inception; (6) the Company will require an additional $1 billion of funding to support its planned growth (which is a figure greater than the Company raised via the merger); and (7) as a result, Defendants' public statements were materially false and/or misleading at all relevant times.

Please visit our website to review more information and submit your transaction information.

The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims against caused by corporate wrongdoing. The Firms founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Lesley F. Portnoy, Esq.

Admitted CA and NY Bar

lesley@portnoylaw.com

310-692-8883

www.portnoylaw.com

Attorney Advertising
CALGARY, Alberta, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Benevity, Inc., a leading provider of global corporate purpose software, today announced the winners of its Corporate Goodness Awards, also known as The Goodies, celebrating the inclusive and creative ways brands are making a difference in the world through their corporate purpose programs. The 2022 Goodies Awards winners were announced at the corporate purpose event of the year, Benevitys annual Goodness Matters conference, held June 1-3 in San Diego, CA.



The winners were assessed on criteria that included how bold and innovative their programs were, program participation, program impact on employee engagement and employee net promoter score, how holistic their programs were in working with nonprofits to solve specific issues and how the company used best practices such as giving employees a choice on which causes to support.

The Goodies winners are inspirational in their approaches to their corporate purpose programs, addressing some of the worlds most pressing issues and building strong, inclusive and purpose-driven cultures while also driving business value, said Kelly Schmitt, Benevitys Chief Executive Officer. This years winners are an incredible group whose passion for purpose drove amazing impact for their people, cultures, communities and nonprofits. We are honored to be partnered with these progressive changemakers.

Companies who were selected as Goodies finalists contributed more than $145 million in donations and $69 million in grants and tracked more than 2 million volunteer hours through the Benevity platform in 2021.

Benevitys Goodies Finalists and Winners

The Bestie Award

The Bestie Award recognizes the company with the best-in-class approach to corporate purpose, driving impact for their nonprofits, communities and employees.

F5



The Moonshot Award

The Moonshot Award recognizes the company that developed a creative, bold and impactful corporate purpose program and continually optimized the program to drive greater participation and impact.

Gibson Energy (WINNER)

Adobe

Intel

National Australia Bank

Sun Life



The People Power Award

The People Power Award recognizes the company that builds a culture powered by its people and creates significant impact by putting the power of goodness in the hands of employees to address critical issues.

Atlassian (WINNER)

Blue Shield of California

Delta Dental of California and Affiliates

F5

ServiceNow



The BeCause Award

The BeCause Award recognizes the company that finds unique, successful ways to go beyond community impact to drive change at scale within the charitable sector.

PagerDuty (WINNER)

Bell

Cognizant

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Spin Master



The NewB Award

The NewB Award recognizes new Benevity clients that created significant impact through a best-in-class corporate purpose program launch.

2021

Subaru (WINNER)

Allscripts

Hootsuite

Pfizer

Western Midstream



2020

National Australia Bank (WINNER)

CSAA Insurance Group

Mortenson

PagerDuty

Unity Technologies



The Community Hero Award

Community Hero Award recognizes the company that took a progressive approach to community investment to create greater impact with their nonprofit partners.

CITGO (WINNER)

Enbridge

FTI Consulting

Lowes

NewRez



The Buzz Award

The Buzz Award recognizes the company that brought their corporate purpose programs to life through communications and storytelling, working cross-functionally across the organization to promote goodness.

Hootsuite (WINNER)

Fiserv

TELUS



Employee Catalyst Award

Employee Catalyst Award recognizes a passionate employee who goes beyond their day-to-day job to engage employees and community members in opportunities to do good, helping to fuel a culture of purpose.

Sushima Assi  Archivist at Spin Master



The Buffy Award

The Buffy Award celebrates outstanding individuals who exemplify passion, innovation, imagination and leadership in the corporate purpose space.

Bree Vopelak  Senior Manager, Global Citizenship & Sustainability at Abbott

M.K. Racine  Social Responsibility Manager at Mortenson

Karen Bergin  Senior Director of Employee Engagement at Microsoft



About Benevity

Benevity, a certified B Corporation, is a leader in global corporate purpose software, providing the only integrated suite of community investment and employee, customer and nonprofit engagement solutions. Recognized as one of Fortunes Impact 20, Benevity offers cloud solutions that power purpose for many iconic brands in ways that better attract, retain and engage todays diverse workforce, embed social action into their customer experiences and positively impact their communities. With software that is available in 22 languages, Benevity has processed more than $8 billion in donations and 43 million hours of volunteering time to support 326,000 nonprofits worldwide. The companys solutions have also facilitated 530,000 positive actions and awarded 1.2 million grants worth $12 billion. For more information, visit benevity.com.

Media Contact:

Lauren Stewart

Senior Manager Public Relations

403.560.6968

press@benevity.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1bb50f2a-daac-4849-9c9f-94542b129fc4



https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/49fb5626-647d-4f48-a267-14553d6a54cd

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/630fa8d8-5288-47fd-bb8a-cf3e9a58710c




VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blender Bites Ltd. (the Company, Blender Bites or Blender), (CSE: BITE, FWB: JL40, WKN: A3DWAM), a Canadian company that develops and markets a line of organic and plant-based pre-portioned frozen functional foods, is pleased to announce the appointment of Cole Orobetz to the Companys Advisory Board, effective immediately.



Orobetz, a native of Calgary, Alberta, is the co-founder and current CEO and CFO of Alpha Foods Inc., a California plant-based meal solution company founded in 2015 to make a positive impact on animal welfare, planet health and human health, the companys sustainability pillars. In only six years, Alpha Foods has grown to become a leading plant-based meal solution platform offering a wide array of options familiar to all eaters, and is currently found in over 9,000 stores across North America including Costco, Kroger, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Albertsons Safeway and Walmart.

Cole holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from the University of Calgary, and is a Chartered Professional Accountant, with a specialization in Corporate Finance. Prior to founding Alpha Foods, Orobetz started his career at Ernst & Young LLP and spent a number of years in food and agriculture venture capital as Investment Director with Aviro Capital. Cole is a founding member of The Angel Group, a growing community of industry professionals who invest in companies with promising consumer packaged goods, and exceptional clean label products in high-growth categories. Cole has a proven history of building businesses along side entrepreneurs from the onset of their journey, extensive experience in originating, negotiating, and closing equity-structured investments, and providing strategic and financial advice to entrepreneurs and seasoned senior executives.

Coles experience in building a successful frozen food company in the United States and Asia, as well as his acumen in business strategy and development, will be extremely beneficial to Blender Bites as we look to accelerate the Companys growth aggressively into International markets. I look forward to working closely with Cole on our 2022 expansion plans, and believe his appointment will bring highly relevant expertise and insights to the Blender Bites team. On behalf of the entire Blender team, I would like to welcome him to the Advisory Board, stated Chelsie Hodge, Founder of Blender Bites.

ABOUT BLENDER BITES

Blender Bites is an award winning Canadian company involved in the development and marketing of a line of premium frozen food products with a focus on functionality. Blender Bites was founded in 2016 and was first to market in Western Canada with a pre-portioned easy smoothie product that is free of any unnecessary inner plastic packaging. Blender Bites products are certified organic, vegan, non-GMO, gluten free, dairy free and soy free. They contain no added sugars and are made in Canada. Blender Bites products are distributed internationally across Canada and the US, and are currently sold in over 900 stores, including Sobeys, Loblaws, Safeway, Save on Foods, Real Canadian Superstore, Whole Foods Market, Buy-Low/Nesters, IGA, Thrifty and Fresh Street.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Blender Bites Limited

Chelsie Hodge, Chief Executive Officer

For further information, contact Blender IR Team at:

Email  investors@blenderbites.com

Telephone  1-888-997-2055

CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties, and uncertain capital markets. Readers are cautioned that actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
English Estonian

The Management board of AS Tallinna Vesi (hereinafter the Company) convened the Annual General Meeting of shareholders with the proposal for the resolutions set out below to be adopted by shareholders. The notice about convening the Annual General Meeting was published in the stock exchange information system and on the Companys website on 11 May 2022 and in the daily newspaper Eesti Paevaleht on 12 May 2022.



Votes were submitted by a total of 24 shareholders of the Company, whose votes represented 15,333,221 of the 20 million votes represented by shares of the Company, i.e. 76.67% of all votes represented by shares.

On 03 June 2022, the shareholders of the Company adopted the following resolutions:

Resolution no 1

To approve the consolidated 2021 Annual Report of the Company as submitted to the General Meeting.

The resolution was adopted by a majority vote of 99,99%

Resolution no 2

The net profit of the Company in 2021 is 16,165,000 (sixteen million one hundred and sixty five thousand). To distribute 13,000,000 (thirteen million) of the Companys retained earnings of 77,408,000 (seventy seven million four hundred and eight thousand) as of 31/12/2021, incl. from the net profit of 16,165,000 (sixteen million one hundred and sixty five thousand) for the year 2021, as dividends, of which 0.65 (zero point sixty-five) per share shall be paid to the shareholders. The rest of retained earnings will remain undistributed and no allocations will be made from the net profit to the reserve capital.

Based on the dividend proposal made by the Management Board, the Supervisory Council proposes to the General Meeting to decide to pay the dividends out to the shareholders on 29 June 2022. The list of shareholders entitled to receive dividends will be established as at 21 June 2022 at the closure of business day of the settlement system. Consequently, the day of change of the rights related to the shares (ex-dividend date) is set to 20 June 2022. A person acquiring the shares from 20 June 2022 onwards shall not be entitled to receive the dividends determined by this decision.

The resolution was adopted by a majority vote of 100%

Resolution no 3

To approve the Remuneration Principles for the Management Board of the Company as submitted to the General Meeting.

The resolution was adopted by a majority vote of 98.72%

The Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of shareholders will be made available on the Companys website.





Laura Korjus

Head of Communications

Tallinna Vesi

(+372) 626 2271

laura.korjus@tvesi.ee
Pune,India, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global meal vouchers & employee benefits solutions market size was valued at USD 208.34 billion in 2021. The market is projected to grow from USD 214.36 billion in 2022 to USD 320.68 billion by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period. This information is published by Fortune Business Insights, in its report titled, Meal Vouchers & Employee Benefits Solutions Market, 2022-2029.

COVID-19 Impacts:

Conclusion of Restaurants during COVID-19 Pandemic to Hinder Market

The COVID-19 bestowed lockdown limitations have compelled restaurants, food courts, and hotels to shut down their business. As a consequence, working experts have found it difficult to find meals in restaurants and cafeterias. This reason has notably influenced the companies revenues from such services and the market of meal vouchers & employee benefits solutions observed a slowdown in revenue generation.

Get a Sample PDF Brochure:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/meal-voucher-and-employee-benefit-solutions-market-104412

Meal Vouchers & Employee Benefits Solutions Market Report Scope & Segmentation:

Report Attribute Details Market size value in 2021 USD 208.34 billion Revenue forecast in 2029 USD 320.68 billion Growth Rate CAGR of almost 5.9% 2022-2029 Base Year 2021 Historic Years 2018 - 2020 Forecast Years 2022 - 2029 Segments Covered By Product Type, By Region Forecast Units Value (USD Billion), and Volume (Units) Quantitative Units Revenue in USD million/billion and CAGR from 2022 to 2029 Regions Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa, and Rest of World Countries Covered U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, GCC Countries, and South Africa, among others Number of Companies Covered Edenred SA (France), Sodexo Group (France), Circula GmbH (Germany), CIRFOOD (Italy), Monizze NV SA (Belgium), Spendit AG (Germany), Alelo Brasil (Brazil), Axis Bank Ltd (India), Rakuten Group Inc. (Japan), Unum Group (U.S.), Cinqo Group (Bahrain) Report Coverage Market growth drivers, restraints, opportunities, Porter's five forces analysis, PEST analysis, value chain analysis, regulatory landscape, market attractiveness analysis by segments and region, company market share analysis, and COVID-19 impact analysis. Customization Scope Avail customized purchase options to meet your exact research needs.

Fortune Business Insights lists out all the meal vouchers & employee benefits solutions market companies that are presently striving to reduce the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the market:

Edenred SA (France)

Sodexo Group (France)

Circula GmbH (Germany)

CIRFOOD (Italy)

Monizze NV SA (Belgium)

Spendit AG (Germany)

Alelo Brasil (Brazil)

Axis Bank Ltd (India)

Rakuten Group Inc. (Japan)

Unum Group (U.S.)

Cinqo Group (Bahrain)

Report Coverage:

The report presents a systematic study of the segments and thorough analysis of the market overview. A thoughtful evaluation of the current market trends as well as future opportunities is offered in the report. Moreover, it presents an exhaustive analysis of the regional insights and how they help to boost the market growth. COVID-19 impacts have been discussed in the report to assist investors and business owners with a better understanding of the possible threats present in the market. The report further discusses the key players and their prominent strategies to stay in the dominating position.

Browse Detailed Summary of Research Report with TOC:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/meal-voucher-and-employee-benefit-solutions-market-104412

Drivers and Restraints:

Financial Advantages for Employees to Aid Market Growth

The meal voucher system is profitable to both employees and employers owing to its fiscal advantages. The employers' social insurance variations are waived by offering a voucher, and the employee gains tax benefits as a type of social benefit. Additionally, such programs have been witnessed to augment employee productivity as superior quality meals and other benefits such as discounts on train/bus tickets or offering gift vouchers and holidays. Consequently, employers conduct a vital role in spurring employee engagement in establishments and presenting benefits that assist in the meal vouchers & employee benefits solutions market growth.

However, the high prices of meal vouchers & employee benefits solutions primarily restrict its demand among small-sized organizational groups. Furthermore, data security concern in digital meal vouchers is anticipated to restrict the demand for meal voucher solutions.

Regional Insights:

North America to Lead Stoked by Amplified Alertness among Employees

North America is estimated to hold a considerable meal vouchers & employee benefits solutions market share on account of the augmented existence of company authorities and higher awareness of employee benefits. Better alertness that enhances employee quality of life and leads to the global growth of the employer's business makes a significant contribution to the region's dominance in the global market.

Europe is anticipated to display a notable presence in the market as corporations gain tremendous support from their governments.

Asia Pacific is predicted to display fundamental growth, owing to numerous corporate businesses employing millions of people in their workplaces.

Segments:

Employee Benefits Segment to Lead the Global Market

The employee benefits solutions segment is expected to hold a lions share in the global market due to significant business organizations' demand for the employee benefits solutions to satisfy needs in improving purchasing power and the motivation level of their employees.

The global market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Competitive Landscape:



Lucrative Ideas Launched by Prime Players to Boost Market Growth

The fundamental players adopt numerous tactics to bolster their position in the market as dominating companies. One such prime strategy is procuring companies to bolster the brand value among users. Another vital strategy is intermittently launching innovative products with a detailed study of the market and its target audience.

Inquire Before Buying This Research Report:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/queries/meal-voucher-and-employee-benefit-solutions-market-104412

Detailed Table of Content:

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Overview of the Parent/Related Markets Value Chain Analysis Market Ecosystem Vendor Landscape and Customer Landscape Porters Five Forces Analysis COVID-19 Impact on the Global Market, Trends & Insights

Global Meal Vouchers & Employee Benefits Solutions Market Analysis, Insights, and Forecast, 2018-2029 Key Findings / Summary Market Size Estimates and Forecast By Product Type (Value) Meal Vouchers Book Card Digital Card Employee Benefits Meal Gift Travel Others By Region (Value) North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa



Key Industry Developments:

October 2021: In Edenred Benefits, a dominating meal vouchers & employee advantages solutions in the U.S for meal cards and mobility solutions, unveiled Edenred Guaranteed Rides, a program to offer employees with transportation choices.

Inquire Before Buying This Research Report:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/queries/meal-voucher-and-employee-benefit-solutions-market-104412

Have a Look at Related Research Insights:

Medicine Skin Care Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, and Regional Forecast, 2022-2029

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Dublin, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Ethyl Pyruvate Market, By Type, Application & By Region - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global ethyl pyruvate (CAS 617-35-6) market was valued at USD 2.16 Billion in 2021, and it is expected to reach a value of USD 3.19 Billion by 2027, at a CAGR of more than 6.70% over the forecast period (2022 - 2027).

The rising demand for agrochemicals is expected to drive the Ethyl pyruvate market. Ethyl pyruvate is a solvent used in the production of agricultural chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides. Ethyl pyruvate can also be used to improve the solubility of pesticides like neonicotinoids, which are not water-soluble.

It is used as a starting material in the synthesis of other chemical compounds such as ethylene diol, pentaerythritol, and synthetic pyridine derivatives. The market is expected to be driven by the increasing use of Ethyl pyruvate in pharmacology. It's often used in treating burns and burn infections, cardiac surgery, inflammatory disorders (unspecified), ischemic reperfusion injury, sepsis, and septicemia.



Government laws and regulations requiring compliance with modern environmental standards could pose a significant threat to the market. The basic materials required for industrial ethyl pyruvate manufacturing are readily available in low-cost countries such as China. China is in charge of the majority of global supply delivery and production of Ethyl pyruvate. However, the Chinese governments increased focus on environmental management, as well as the closure of factories that use environmentally unsustainable processes, has had an impact on global Ethyl pyruvate supply, with many downstream companies experiencing inconsistency from their Chinese suppliers.



The report provides market sizing and forecast across five major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Latin America (LATAM), and Middle East & Africa (MEA). In this report, the year 2016 to 2020 is considered a historical year, 2021 is the base year, 2022 is the estimated year, and years from 2022 to 2027 are considered the forecast period.



Aspects covered in this report

Based on Type, this market is segmented into 98 % PURITY, 99 % PURITY, and Others.

Based on Application, this market is categorized into pharmaceuticals, Agrochemicals, Flavours and Fragrances, Electronics Solvents, and Others.

Based on region, this market is categorized into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa.

The Major players operating in this report study include Toray Industries Inc., Zhonglan Industry Co. Ltd., Jinon Pharma (Wuhan) Co. Ltd., Jiangyin Kangda Chemical Co. Ltd., Musashino Chemical Laboratory, Ltd., Sigma-Aldrich, Guangzhou Reullei Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Jinli Biotech Co. Ltd.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary



2. Market overview

Exhibit: Executive Summary - Chart on Market Overview

Exhibit: Executive Summary - Data Table on Market Overview

Exhibit: Executive Summary - Chart on Global Market Characteristics

Exhibit: Executive Summary - Chart on Market by Geography

Exhibit: Executive Summary - Chart on Market Segmentation

Exhibit: Executive Summary - Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

3. Key Market Insights

Demand Side Trends

Supply Side Trends

Price Trend

Historic

(Exhibit: Data Analysis on Historic Price, 2016 - 2020, $)

Current

(Exhibit: Data Analysis on Current Price, 2021 ($))

Forecast

(Exhibit: Data Analysis on Forecast Price, 2022-2027 ($))

Technology Analysis

(Exhibit: Data Table: Name of technology and details)

Patent Analysis

(Exhibit: Data Table: Name of Patents and details)

Trade Analysis

Key Exporting and Importing Countries

(Exhibit: Data Table: Import Data, 2016 - 2021)

(Exhibit: Data Table: Export Data, 2016 - 2021)

Value Chain Analysis

(Exhibit: Detailed Value Chain Presentation)

Ecosystem Of the Market

Exhibit: Parent Market Ecosystem Market Analysis

Exhibit: Market Characteristics of Parent Market

4. COVID Impact

Introduction

Impact On Economy - scenario Assessment

Exhibit: Data on GDP - Year-over-year growth 2020-2027 (%)

Revised Market Size

Exhibit: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2020-2027 ($ Billion)

Impact Of COVID On Key Segments

Exhibit: Data Table on Segment Market size and forecast 2020-2027 ($ Billion)

COVID Strategies by Company

Exhibit: Analysis on key strategies adopted by companies

5. Market Dynamics and Outlook

Market Dynamics

Exhibit: Impact analysis of DROC, 2021

Drivers

Opportunities

Restraints

Challenges

Regulatory Landscape

Exhibit: Data Table on regulation from different region

Porters Analysis

Competitive rivalry

Exhibit: Competitive rivalry Impact of key factors, 2021

Threat of substitute products

Exhibit: Threat of Substitute Products Impact of key factors, 2021

Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit: buyers bargaining power Impact of key factors, 2021

Threat of new entrants

Exhibit: Threat of new entrants Impact of key factors, 2021

Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit: Threat of suppliers bargaining power Impact of key factors, 2021

Special insights on future disruptions

Technical Impact

Economic impact

Social Impact

6. Global Ethyl Pyruvate (CAS 617-35-6) Market by Type

Market segments

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Data table on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

98% PURITY

Market Estimates & Forecast, 2021-2027

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

99% PURITY

Market Estimates & Forecast, 2021-2027

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Others

Market Estimates & Forecast, 2021-2027

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

7. Global Ethyl Pyruvate (CAS 617-35-6) Market by Application

Market segments

Exhibit: Chart on Market share Analysis 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Data table on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Pharmaceuticals

Market Estimates & Forecast, 2021-2027

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Agrochemicals

Market Estimates & Forecast, 2021-2027

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Flavours and Fragrances

Market Estimates & Forecast, 2021-2027

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Electronics Solvents

Market Estimates & Forecast, 2021-2027

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Others

Market Estimates & Forecast, 2021-2027

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

8. Market Size by Region

Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2027 (%)

Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2027(%)

North America

Chart on Market share by country 2021-2027 (%)

Data Table on Market share by country 2021-2027(%)

USA

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Canada

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Europe

Chart on Market share by country 2021-2027 (%)

Data Table on Market share by country 2021-2027(%)

Germany

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Spain

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

France

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

UK

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Rest of Europe

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Asia Pacific

Chart on Market share by country 2021-2027 (%)

Data Table on Market share by country 2021-2027(%)

China

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

India

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Japan

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

South Korea

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Rest of Asia Pacific

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Latin America

Chart on Market share by country 2021-2027 (%)

Data Table on Market share by country 2021-2027(%)

Brazil

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Rest of South America

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Middle East & Africa (MEA)

Chart on Market share by country 2021-2027 (%)

Data Table on Market share by country 2021-2027(%)

GCC Countries

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

South Africa

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

Rest of MEA

Exhibit: Chart on Market share 2021-2027 (%)

Exhibit: Market size and forecast 2021-2027 ($ Billion)

9. Key Company Profiles

Competitive Landscape

Total number of companies covered

Top companies market positioning

Top companies market Share

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ag7yxj

Attachment
Dublin, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Nurse Call Systems Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Technology, By Equipment Type, By End User, By Application, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2021-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Global Nurse Call Systems Market size is expected to reach $2.8 billion by 2027, rising at a market growth of 8.0% CAGR during the forecast period.



A nurse call system is a piece of equipment that allows a patient to contact or alert a caretaker about any health concern. The patient has a nurse call button that allows them to request assistance or help by pressing a button. The nurse call system aids in the management of healthcare personnel's workloads. Nurse call systems provide patients with immediate access to care. A medical practitioner is expected to have a precise alert with the ward and the number of patients, making it convenient for the staff to treat or take care of the patient.



In the field of healthcare, technology is becoming increasingly essential. In addition, patients' access to various technological tools and solutions within hospitals has substantially increased the quality of care accessible to them. The technological advancements made possible by fiber optic technology have benefited the nurse call system deployed in hospital rooms in particular.



Nurse call systems are deployed in hospitals in order to help healthcare personnel manage their workload and provide prompt assistance to patients. In an emergency, the nurse call system is critical since it delivers a timely signal as well as the patient's exact locations in the hospital premises. In healthcare organizations, these solutions have eliminated communication issues and improved nurse workflow. In addition, this system has enhanced nurse-patient interaction by providing real-time notification of a patient's health status and making it easier to respond to a patient's request.



Moreover, a nurse call system can send a text message or an audio message to advise nurses of important information. For instance, these systems can send out a 'Code Blue in Room 145' message in an instant. When a call system is linked to a heart monitor or any other medical device, it can also provide nurses with real-time patient data. They can use this information to detect significant changes in body temperature as well as heart rate. Nurse call systems are low voltage consuming devices as well as these systems meet all the stringent regulations of the healthcare sector. The nurse call systems also comply with the strict security guidelines within the healthcare industry.



COVID-19 Impact Analysis

The COVID-19 outbreak led the world economy to a steep downfall. Due to the advent of the novel coronavirus in many countries all over the world, numerous businesses were significantly demolished. In addition, governments across the world were forced to impose country-wide lockdowns, due to which, various companies and manufacturing units were temporarily shut. This factor caused a major disturbance to the worldwide supply chain of various goods, due to which, the supply of various necessary goods was hampered. However, the nurse call systems market observed increased demand amid the pandemic.



The pandemic has wreaked havoc on healthcare systems around the world, with clinics and hospitals becoming overloaded as the number of patients rises. Temporary hospitals were also built to deal with the rising number of diseases. The expanding demand for remote care and COVID-19 has led to the rapid growth of the worldwide healthcare infrastructure and a requirement for better communication networks.



Market Growth Factors:

Rising prevalence of chronic diseases

The number of chronic diseases that are existing across the world is rapidly increasing. In addition, according to the World Health Organization's Global Burden of Disease Study, there were 251 million cases of COPD worldwide in 2016. Rapid technology advancements across mobile technology as well as apps, greater mobile applications, new prospects for mobile health deployment along with operation nurse call systems, and ongoing development in wireless mobile network coverage are the factors that are facilitating people in early detection of these diseases. COPD fatalities account for more than 90% of all deaths in low- and middle-income countries. CVDs caused a total of 17.9 million individual deaths in 2016, accounted for 31% of all fatalities worldwide. Heart attacks and strokes account for about 85% of these deaths.



Incorporated with advanced technologies

Many workers in a variety of professions and industries, including nurses, have found that integrating technology has made their lives easier. Nurse call systems can handle patient and staff flow difficulties in novel ways, allowing patients to receive better care. Nurses can also effectively manage their workload and collaborate with others to assure that all functions run well. Patient-to-staff voice interactions, integration of electronic health records, real-time locating systems (RTLSs), and patient admitting, discharge, as well as transfer records, are all examples of technology integration. Additionally, nurses who communicate with others can more efficiently handle the rush while also attending to other patients.



Marketing Restraining Factor:

The high installation cost of the system

The software, hardware, and staff training levels of a healthcare facility affect the effectiveness of the nurse call system. As a result, end-users must invest extensively in these areas in order to deploy and utilize nurse call systems effectively. In addition, in the development, design, as well as the implementation of an effective nurse call system deployment plan, cost-benefit analysis is also critical. The effectiveness of a nurse call system is determined by various aspects in a healthcare facility, including hardware, software, and staff training levels. This factor increases the requirement for significant capital investment in clinics, hospitals, and home care environments in order to efficiently utilize this equipment.

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Market Scope & Methodology



Chapter 2. Market Overview

2.1 Introduction

2.1.1 Overview

2.1.1.1 Market Composition and Scenario

2.2 Key Factors Impacting the Market

2.2.1 Market Drivers

2.2.2 Market Restraints



Chapter 3. Competition Analysis - Global

3.1 Publisher Cardinal Matrix

3.2 Recent Industry Wide Strategic Developments

3.2.1 Partnerships, Collaborations and Agreements

3.2.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions

3.2.3 Acquisition and Mergers

3.3 Top Winning Strategies

3.3.1 Key Leading Strategies: Percentage Distribution (2017-2021)

3.3.2 Key Strategic Move: (Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements: 2017, Aug - 2021, Aug) Leading Players



Chapter 4. Global Nurse Call Systems Market by Technology

4.1 Global Wired Systems Market by Region

4.2 Global Wireless Systems Market by Region



Chapter 5. Global Nurse Call Systems Market by Equipment Type

5.1 Global Button-Based Systems Market by Region

5.2 Global Integration Communication Systems Market by Region

5.3 Global Mobile Systems Market by Region

5.4 Global Intercom Systems Market by Region



Chapter 6. Global Nurse Call Systems Market by End User

6.1 Global Hospitals Market by Region

6.2 Global Ambulatory Surgical Centers & Clinics Market by Region

6.3 Global Nursing Homes & Assisted Living Centers Market by Region



Chapter 7. Global Nurse Call Systems Market by Application

7.1 Global Emergency Medical Alarms Market by Region

7.2 Global Wanderer Control Market by Region

7.3 Global Workflow Support Market by Region

7.4 Global Others Market by Region



Chapter 8. Global Nurse Call Systems Market by Region



Chapter 9. Company Profiles

9.1 Ascom Holding AG

9.1.1 Company Overview

9.1.2 Financial Analysis

9.1.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.1.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.1.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.1.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.1.5.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.2 Austco Healthcare Limited

9.2.1 Company Overview

9.2.2 Financial Analysis

9.2.3 Regional Analysis

9.2.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.2.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.2.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.2.5.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.3 CORNELL Communications, Inc.

9.3.1 Company Overview

9.4 Jeron Electronic Systems, Inc.

9.4.1 Company Overview

9.4.2 Recent strategies and developments:

9.4.2.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.4.2.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.5 Vigil Health Solutions, Inc. (ASSA ABLOY Group)

9.5.1 Company Overview

9.5.2 Financial Analysis

9.5.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.5.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.6 Ametek, Inc.

9.6.1 Company Overview

9.6.2 Financial Analysis

9.6.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.6.4 Research & Development Expense

9.6.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.6.5.1 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.6.5.2 Acquisitions and Mergers:

9.7 Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc.

9.7.1 Company Overview

9.7.2 Financial Analysis

9.7.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.7.4 Research & Development Expense

9.7.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.7.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.7.5.2 Acquisitions and Mergers:

9.8 Honeywell International, Inc.

9.8.1 Company Overview

9.8.2 Financial Analysis

9.8.3 Regional & Segmental Analysis

9.8.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.8.5 SWOT Analysis

9.9 Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (Stanley Healthcare)

9.9.1 Company Overview

9.9.2 Financial Analysis

9.9.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.9.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.9.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.9.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.10. Johnson Controls International PLC

9.10.1 Company Overview

9.10.2 Financial Analysis

9.10.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.10.4 Research & Development Expense

9.10.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.10.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/clqs47

Attachment
Dublin, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Wi-Fi as a Service Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Component, By Organization Size, By Location, By End User, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2021-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Global Wi-Fi as a Service Market size is expected to reach $11.6 billion by 2027, rising at a market growth of 19.0% CAGR during the forecast period.



Wi-Fi as a service is a cloud-based management system that enables enterprises with lesser IT resources to provide safe, reliable, and quick WLAN access over multiple locations. WaaS deployment is simple and quick because no cable installation is necessary, and it can be controlled through a network operating center, allowing smaller businesses to have a reliable and fast data network. Also, WaaS is perfect for temporary locations, heritage structures, and office relocations. In addition, WaaS includes advanced analytic capabilities that aid in the analysis of customer and employee behavior. WaaS also has an automatic system upgrade feature and it can offer secure guest access.



The expansion of smart cities, as well as the reduction in tariff rates for Wi-Fi equipment for organizations, ensures an efficient performance for the market. The rising demand for high-speed internet and comprehensive network coverage is expected to give fuel to the overall market expansion over the forecast period.



Companies are now considering it as a crucial part of their operations, and they're not seeking for outsourced suppliers to ensure the elimination of risks and errors in the service quality. Wi-Fi has even penetrated into the domain of infrastructure overhead for some businesses, with IT staff opting to delegate control to professionals so they can emphasize on more strategic initiatives and operations.



WaaS was formerly called Managed Network Service. Wi-Fi-as-a-Service is a service that provides full turnkey design, management, and installation of all IT assets, including routers, servers, switches, firewalls, and others, to provide a Wi-Fi solution. WaaS can be used to meet a wide range of business requirements. It can also be utilized by enterprises with no existing Wi-Fi network as well as those with a network but are searching for a managed solution for a guest internet-only Wi-Fi network.



COVID-19 Impact Analysis

The COVID-19 outbreak is expected to have a significant influence on the expansion of the Wi-Fi as a service market. Due to the lockdown imposed across the world, the demand for Wi-Fi services has surged in most nations, owing to the growing tendency of people working from home. This has made a substantial contribution to the Wi-Fi industry's continued revenue generation, resulting in increased market growth.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, the IT and telecom industries are playing a critical role in supporting governments' digital infrastructure around the world. Individuals and governments at all levels, such as federal, state, central, municipal, and provincial, have been in continual contact to provide and receive concurrent information on COVID-19. The healthcare, telecommunications, utilities, and government entities work tirelessly to stabilize the situation and provide essential services to all citizens.



Market Growth Factors:

Rapid digital transformation

Connected devices, digital solutions, and IoT systems are on the rise as a result of rapid technological breakthroughs. The increased acceptance of digital solutions is playing a major role in the development of wi-fi as a service sector. In addition, the increasing availability of smartphones is expected to also play a role in the growing utilization of WI-FI as a Service. As the number of smartphone users grows, more people will be able to utilize their phones to interact with each other remotely for business purposes. Organizations all over the world are willing to deploy technologically advanced apps across their verticals in order to engage customers in new and engaging ways, necessitating the use of high-quality wireless network connections, such as Wi-Fi.



Growth of various smart city projects

The rise of smart cities provides opportunities for suppliers of various technology and providers of related services. Increased government activities and growing public awareness of environmental issues have led to the creation of new solutions based on urban infrastructure development and design conceptual models. Smart city projects are becoming increasingly reliant on IoT, which includes new technologies, cloud, mobility, including data transmission, and sensors. Rapid and continual technological breakthroughs have enhanced internet connectivity, paving the way for the full development of these smart cities.



Marketing Restraining Factor:

Data and privacy-related risks

For businesses, maintaining the security and privacy of corporate data is crucial. Due to this, companies are hesitant to migrate their data and information to the cloud and rely on the conventional Wi-Fi network. Another important issue is natural or cyber-attacks that might destroy data centers, resulting in internet connectivity loss and thereby, disrupting numerous company processes. Data hackers can cause significant losses to organizations irrespective of their sizes. Due to the fact that WaaS is a cloud-based wireless internet service with increased connection delay, backups may take longer than with an in-house solution.

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Market Scope & Methodology



Chapter 2. Market Overview

2.1 Introduction

2.1.1 Overview

2.1.1.1 Market Composition and Scenario

2.2 Key Factors Impacting the Market

2.2.1 Market Drivers

2.2.2 Market Restraints



Chapter 3. Competition Analysis - Global

3.1 Publisher Cardinal Matrix

3.2 Recent Industry Wide Strategic Developments

3.2.1 Partnerships, Collaborations and Agreements

3.2.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions

3.2.3 Acquisition and Mergers

3.3 Top Winning Strategies

3.3.1 Key Leading Strategies: Percentage Distribution (2017-2021)

3.3.2 Key Strategic Move: (Product Launches and Product Expansions : 2017, Sep - 2022, Feb) Leading Players



Chapter 4. Global Wi-Fi as a Service Market by Component

4.1 Global Services Market by Region

4.2 Global Wi-Fi as a Service Market by Services Type

4.2.1 Global Managed Services Market by Region

4.2.2 Global Professional Services Market by Region

4.3 Global Solution Market by Region

4.4 Global Wi-Fi as a Service Market by Solution Type

4.4.1 Global Access Points Market by Region

4.4.2 Global WLAN Controllers Market by Region



Chapter 5. Global Wi-Fi as a Service Market by Organization Size

5.1 Global Large Enterprises Market by Region

5.2 Global Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) Market by Region



Chapter 6. Global Wi-Fi as a Service Market by Location

6.1 Global Indoor Market by Region

6.2 Global Outdoor Market by Region



Chapter 7. Global Wi-Fi as a Service Market by End User

7.1 Global Service Providers Market by Region

7.2 Global IT & Telecom Market by Region

7.3 Global BFSI Market by Region

7.4 Global Healthcare Market by Region

7.5 Global Travel & Hospitality Market by Region

7.6 Global Retail Market by Region

7.7 Global Others Market by Region



Chapter 8. Global Wi-Fi as a Service Market by Region



Chapter 9. Company Profiles

9.1 Cisco Systems, Inc.

9.1.1 Company Overview

9.1.2 Financial Analysis

9.1.3 Regional Analysis

9.1.4 Research & Development Expense

9.1.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.1.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.1.5.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.1.5.3 Acquisition and Mergers:

9.2 Fortinet, Inc.

9.2.1 Company Overview

9.2.2 Financial Analysis

9.2.3 Regional Analysis

9.2.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.2.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.2.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.2.5.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.2.5.3 Acquisition and Mergers:

9.3 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)

9.3.1 Company Overview

9.3.2 Financial Analysis

9.3.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.3.4 Research & Development Expense

9.3.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.3.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.3.5.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.4 Telstra Corporation Limited

9.4.1 Company Overview

9.4.2 Financial Analysis

9.4.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.4.4 Recent strategies and developments:

9.4.4.1 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.5 Juniper Networks, Inc.

9.5.1 Company Overview

9.5.2 Financial Analysis

9.5.3 Regional Analysis

9.5.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.5.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.5.5.1 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.5.5.2 Acquisition and Mergers:

9.6 Extreme Networks, Inc.

9.6.1 Company Overview

9.6.2 Financial Analysis

9.6.3 Regional Analysis

9.6.4 Research & Development Expense

9.6.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.6.5.1 Acquisition and Mergers:

9.7 ADTRAN, Inc.

9.7.1 Company Overview

9.7.2 Financial Analysis

9.7.3 Regional and Segmental Analysis

9.7.4 Research & Development Expense

9.7.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.7.5.1 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.8 CommScope, Inc.

9.8.1 Company Overview

9.8.2 Financial Analysis

9.8.3 Regional and Segmental Analysis

9.8.4 Research & Development Expense

9.8.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.8.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.8.5.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.9 Tata Communications Limited (Tata Group)

9.9.1 Company Overview

9.9.2 Financial Analysis

9.9.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.10. D-link Corporation

9.10.1 Company Overview

9.10.2 Financial Analysis

9.10.3 Segmental Analysis

9.10.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.10.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.10.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.10.5.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/rxo60

Attachment
English French

MAISONS DU MONDE

Societe anonyme

Au capital de 146.583.736,56 euros

Siege social : Le Portereau - 44120 Vertou

793 906 728 RCS Nantes

ISIN FR0013153541

SHARES IN THE CAPITAL AND VOTING RIGHTS

(Article L.233-8 French commercial code and articles 221-1 and 223-16 of the AMF General Regulations)

MAISONS DU MONDE shareholders are informed that the total number of shares in the capital and voting rights, on May 31st, 2022, was as follows:

31 May 2022 30 April 2022



Shares in the capital



45,241,894



45,241,894



Gross total of voting rights



45,241,894



45,241,894



Net total of voting rights



42,500,407



42,468,113





Attachment
New York, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Healthcare Nanotechnology Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06282665/?utm_source=GNW

, Sanofi SA, Taiwan Liposome Companyltd, GE Healthcare, Mallinckrodt plc, and Leadiant Biosciences.



The global healthcare nanotechnology market is expected to grow from $242.49 billion in 2021 to $276.41 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.99%. The market is expected to grow to $478.94 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 14.73%.



The healthcare nanotechnology market consists of sales of healthcare nanotechnology solutions by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) which refers to the area of science that combines nanotechnology with drugs or diagnostic molecules to improve the performance of specific cells or tissues. These materials are produced on a nanoscale level and are safe to inject into the body.



The main types of healthcare nanotechnology include organic, inorganic and carbon based.Healthcare nanotechnology is used for various diseases such as cardiovascular, oncological, neurological, orthopedic, and infectious diseases.



The main applications of healthcare nanotechnology include drug delivery, biomaterials, active implants, and tissue regeneration.



North America was the largest region in the healthcare nanotechnology market in 2021.Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



Increasing cancer disease cases are expected to propel the growth of the healthcare nanotechnology market.Nanotechnology is a promising mode of cancer treatment.



This improving field of medical research can be used to discover better-personalized treatments for many diseases, including cancer.Globally, the prevalence of cancer is increasing.



For instance, according to Globocan, in 2020, the global cancer cases increased to 19.3 million cases and 10 million cancer deaths. Therefore, the increasing cancer disease cases are driving the growth of the healthcare nanotechnology market.



Strategic collaboration between companies is a key trend gaining popularity in the healthcare nanotechnology market.Companies involved in healthcare nanotechnologies are undergoing partnerships and collaboration to develop new technologies and products.



For instance, in July 2020, Nanowear, a US-based developer of a nanosensor technology for medical conditions and chronic disease, announced a partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health Systems.Their aim is to monitor confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients with Nanowears cloth-based nanosensors which can find physiological and biomarker changes.



Hackensack Meridian Health Systems is a US-based health care chain specializing in academic centers, acute care facilities, and research hospitals.



In October 2020 Johnson and Johnson a US-based healthcare company that develops and manufactures various pharma products, announced the acquisition of Momenta Pharmaceuticals for $6.5 billion. With this acquisition Johnson and Johnson aims to further advance patient care in autoantibody-driven diseases. Momenta Pharmaceuticals is a UK-based company involved in biotechnology with an innovative scientific platform focused on discovering and developing novel biologic therapeutics.



The countries covered in the Healthcare Nanotechnology market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.





Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06282665/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________
Raipur, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stratview Research, a leading market research firm has added a new report titled Aerospace and Defense Condition Monitoring System Market to its library, which provides an in-depth analysis of the market dynamics, current and emerging trends, industry forecast, and competitive landscape.

Click here to download the free sample pdf: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/Request-Sample/2582/aerospace-and-defense-condition-monitoring-system-market.html#form

How is the Report Helpful?

The report has been compiled using a variety of analytical methodologies and contains analysed data on the key players, market scope, and much more. The researchers at Stratview Research have studied the historic and present situation of the top players in the Aerospace and defence condition monitoring system Market. The report includes highly reliable and vital data that can be beneficial for the key decision-makers and strategists.

This report focuses on key aspects including leading companies, insights into the market trends, impact of COVID-19, etc. The report encompasses several factors that have contributed to the growth of the market in recent years.

Key Features: The report covers 

Market Size and Revenue

Production rate

Covid19 impact on the market

Import/export data

Supply/demand analysis

Market share, CAGR, etc.

What is a Condition Monitoring System?

A condition monitoring system is a predictive maintenance tool, made up of data acquisition units and sensors that sample, monitor, and store data from major systems and components. The condition monitoring system is the process of periodically measuring or continuously monitoring aircraft systems in one or more parameters in order to detect significant changes that are usually symptomatic of a failure in progress.

This enables the system operator to devise predictive maintenance strategies aimed at avoiding failures and their repercussions. Several parts especially rotating machinery, such as fans, compressors, pumps, and combustion engines, are frequently subjected to continuous condition monitoring.

Market Segmentation:

According to the report, the Global Aerospace and Defence Condition Monitoring System Market is segmented by the following ways which fulfil the market data needs of multiple stakeholders across the industry value chain 

Aircraft Type  Commercial Aircraft, Regional Aircraft, General Aviation, Helicopter, Military Aircraft, UAV and Spacecraft.

Monitoring Technique Type  Vibration Analysis, Thermography, Oil Analysis, and Others.

Product Type  Router-based System, Portable System, and Sensor-based System.

Deployment Type  Cloud and On-premises.

Region-Wise  North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World.

View the Report Scope and Table of Contents:

https://www.stratviewresearch.com/toc/2582/aerospace-and-defense-condition-monitoring-system-market.html

Market Segment-wise Analysis 

Based on the aircraft type 

Among the aircraft types, commercial aircraft is expected to remain the dominant as well as the fastest-growing aircraft type in the market during the forecast period.

Based on the monitoring technique type 

Vibration analysis is likely to maintain its dominance in the market during the forecast period. Vibration analysis performs a critical role, in measuring the vibration characteristics of spinning critical components during the flight.

Based on the product type -

Sensor-based condition monitoring devices are dominant in the market as they aid in the provision of real-time data to aircraft operators, resulting in a higher adoption rate as compared to the other products.

Which region is the largest market?

North America is expected to remain the largest market for aerospace & defense condition monitoring systems during the forecast period in the wake of its supremacy in the production of commercial and military aircraft.

Key Players

The competitive landscape of the A&D condition monitoring market is different than other end-use markets. The A&D industry demands an extraordinary track record in order to develop and serve it, a key reason not all companies' manufacturing condition monitoring systems are not serving the A&D industry.

The following are some of the key players in the aerospace & defense condition monitoring system market:

Meggitt PLC

Siemens

Baker Hughes Company

Eaton

SKF

Emerson Electric Co.

PARKER HANNIFIN CORP

Related reports which might be useful:

About Stratview Research 

Stratview Research is a global market research firm that offers reliable market reports, market entry strategies, strategic growth consulting, and more. The market experts compile high-quality market information to help users obtain granular level clarity on current business trends and expected future developments. Stratview Research also offers customization of the reports. Reach out to the analysts to customize the given report according to your priority/requirement.

Stratview Research has also launched 'Composights', an online portal that offers free thought leadership reports, whitepapers, market report synopsis, and much more for Composites and allied industries, worth US$ 20,000 every year.

Click here to sign up (No costs involved):
Dublin, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Cosmetic Surgery And Procedure Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Type (Invasive, Non-invasive), Region (North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, Latin America, Europe), and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global cosmetic surgery and procedure market size is expected to reach USD 145.7 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 9.6%. Technological developments, growing use of social media, and increasing disposable income are some of the factors likely to drive the market during the forecast period.



The substantial increase in the volume of cosmetic procedures can be attributed to the popularity of digital photography, rising demand by consumers to boost self-esteem, the introduction of self-monitoring apps, and the increasing affordability of cosmetic surgeries in developing countries. Furthermore, risk associated with cosmetic surgery has decreased due to technological developments and the presence of skilled surgeons.



It was observed that the volume of both surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures has increased in the past few years. This can be attributed to increasing disposable income, increasing safety of surgical procedures, growing faith of patients on such surgeries, and growing medical tourism.



Cosmetic Surgery And Procedure Market Report Highlights

The rising volume of cosmetic surgeries due to increasing demand from emerging countries is expected to boost the market.

The cosmetic surgery or surgical procedure segment accounted for the maximum share in 2016 due to increasing affordability of cosmetic procedures, increasing the safety of surgeries, the growing reliance of patients on surgeries to achieve positive outcomes, the presence of skilled surgeons, and long-lasting results.

The non-surgical cosmetic procedure segment is likely to witness the fastest growth in the coming years due to higher awareness and lower risk in comparison to surgical procedures. Furthermore, nonsurgical procedures are more economical and a large number of relevant service providers are easily available.

Geographically, North America dominated the cosmetic surgery and procedure market in 2016. It is anticipated to maintain its dominant position during the forecast period due to increased awareness about aesthetic procedures, higher healthcare expenditure as compared to other developing countries, and greater adoption of procedures by both men and women..

The cosmetic surgery and procedure industry in Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth over the next decade owing to the growing medical tourism, improving healthcare infrastructure, and availability of high-quality services..

People from developed countries travel to India, Brazil, Mexico, Malaysia, and South Korea for affordable cosmetic procedures. Hence, the market is expected to witness strong growth in developing countries.

Some of the key players operating in the market are ALLERGAN; Merz Pharma; Nestle; Cutera; Cynosure, Inc.; Ipsen; Sientra, Inc.; Alma Lasers; and Johnson & Johnson.

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope



Chapter 2. Executive Summary



Chapter 3. Cosmetic Surgery & Procedure Market Variables, Trends & Scope

3.1. Market Lineage outlook

3.1.1. Parent market outlook

3.2. Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping

3.3. Market Dynamics

3.3.1. Market Driver Analysis

3.3.1.1. Increasing adoption of minimally invasive treatments

3.3.1.2. Growing population aged between 25 and 65 years

3.3.2. Market Restraint Analysis

3.3.2.1. Lack of reimbursement coverage

3.3.2.2. Stringent regulatory framework

3.4. Cosmetic Surgery & Procedure: Market Analysis Tools

3.4.1. Industry Analysis-Porter's

3.4.2. PESTEL Analysis

3.4.3. Major Deals & Strategic Alliances Analysis



Chapter 4. Cosmetic Surgery & Procedure Market: Segment Analysis, By -Procedure Type, 2018-2030 (USD Million)

4.1. Definitions & Scope

4.2. Procedure type market share analysis, 2021 & 2030

4.3. Global Cosmetic Surgery & Procedure Market, By Procedure Type, 2017 to 2030

4.4. Market Size & Forecasts and Trend Analyses, 2017 to 2030 for the following

4.4.1. Invasive procedures

4.4.1.1. Breast Augmentation

4.4.1.2. Liposuction

4.4.1.3. Nose Reshaping

4.4.1.4. Eyelid Surgery

4.4.1.5. Tummy Tuck

4.4.1.6. Others

4.4.2. Non-invasive Procedure

4.4.2.1. Botox Injections

4.4.2.2. Soft Tissue Fillers

4.4.2.3. Chemical Peel

4.4.2.4. Laser Hair Removal

4.4.2.5. Microdermabrasion

4.4.2.6. Others



Chapter 5. Cosmetic Surgery & Procedure Market: Regional Market Analysis, By Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million)



Chapter 6. Cosmetic Surgery & Procedure Market-Competitive Analysis

6.1. Company/Competition Categorization (Key innovators, Market leaders, Emerging players)

6.2. Vendor Landscape

6.2.1. List of key distributors and channel partners

6.3. Key companies profiled

6.3.1. Evolus, Inc.

6.3.1.1. Company Overview

6.3.1.2. Financial Performance

6.3.1.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.1.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.2. Cynosure.

6.3.2.1. Company Overview

6.3.2.2. Financial Performance

6.3.2.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.2.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.3. Revance Therapeutics, Inc.

6.3.3.1. Company Overview

6.3.3.2. Financial Performance

6.3.3.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.3.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.4. Galderma S.A.

6.3.4.1. Company Overview

6.3.4.2. Financial Performance

6.3.4.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.4.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.5. Alma Lasers

6.3.5.1. Company Overview

6.3.5.2. Financial Performance

6.3.5.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.5.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.6. AbbVie

6.3.6.1. Company Overview

6.3.6.2. Financial Performance

6.3.6.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.6.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.7. Solta Medical

6.3.7.1. Company Overview

6.3.7.2. Financial Performance

6.3.7.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.7.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.8. Lumenis

6.3.8.1. Company Overview

6.3.8.2. Financial Performance

6.3.8.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.8.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.9. Syneron Candela

6.3.9.1. Company Overview

6.3.9.2. Financial Performance

6.3.9.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.9.4. Strategic Initiatives

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4flz9n

Attachment
HOLLYWOOD, Fla., June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After assisting with evacuations from Ukraine, Kingsman, the Miami-based non-profit wing of USPA Nationwide Security, has refocused its efforts on locating and rescuing missing women and children in the United States. "We have seen success with our efforts in Ukraine, but we understand that there are still too many missing women and children right here in our own communities," stated Dan Manning, CEO of USPA Nationwide Security. Manning, who took over for USPA founder Michael Evans, has continued with Evans' charitable giving initiatives, donating over $35,000 of his company's profits over the last few months.

Recently, Kingsman assisted in the investigation of a missing South Florida girl. Kingsman Intelligence Operators conducting open-source investigations into missing women and children came across the case and within one hour of finding it, Manning was on the phone with the girl's father offering service. "One question we always get asked is, 'Why are you doing this?' in an almost skeptical sense, Manning said. "Our response is simple: we want to do good in this world and are fortunate enough to have the capabilities to do it."

Manning had already deployed two USPA security professionals who work as Kingsman Kidnap Recovery Agents before hanging up with the girl's father. The Agents immediately began scouring the area while literature offering a reward of up to $5,000 was circulated through various social media channels. Michael Evans, Kingsman Founder/Director and Kidnap Recovery Agent, also reached out to the girl's father for a more in-depth interview, searching for any lead that could be followed up on. "As a father, I can't imagine the anguish he is feeling," stated Evans. "That's why I've been doing this as long as I have: to try to reunite these parents with their loved ones," he continued.

Kidnap Recovery Agent Trainee Jeannete Lobbe worked throughout the night in southern Florida, learning the ins and outs of working missing teen cases. "One minute we're searching websites for possible trafficking and the next, we're on the street, following up on leads. It's fast-paced work and, at times, tedious, but I love it."

"The reward money and any operational costs come straight from the donated profits of USPA Nationwide Security," Manning said. "USPA will continue to give everything it is able to, but receiving donations from the private sector would allow us to greatly increase the volume of our operations. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of people who need to be reunited with their families," he continued.

Kingsman utilizes the large network of security agents that USPA has compiled since its inception in 2005. Kidnap recovery agents include United States Special Operations veterans, retired United States Military officers, retired law enforcement officers, and highly trained and highly skilled private security contractors from across the United States.

Kingsman Philanthropic Corp. is a non-profit, 501c3 entity that funds close protection services for women and children, a branch of USPA Nationwide Security since 2005.

Press Contact:

Sondae Esposito, VP

Email: sondae@therealkingsman.org

Web: www.therealkingsman.org

Tel: (800) 214-1448

Related Images











Image 1: Kingsman Kidnap Recovery Agent





Jeannette Lobbe, Kingsman Kidnap Recovery Agent, searches a South Florida area for a missing teen girl









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CHICAGO, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gain & Co and HowToRobot today announce the appointment of Stuart ("Stu") Shepherd as Chief Strategy Officer for both companies. In this role, Shepherd will oversee a comprehensive strategy for transforming U.S. manufacturing with automation through independent consultancy.

"In my experience, a lot of companies still don't know how to start with automation and what to do. I'm excited to join Gain & Co as we give companies a roadmap of how to automate - without being tied to any product or technology," said Stuart Shepherd.

Stu's career spans more than 40 years in automation, including roles at General Motors, FANUC Robotics, Shepherd Solutions (a boutique automation business consulting firm), KUKA Robotics, Gudel AG, and Universal Robots A/S.

Sister companies Gain & Co and HowToRobot were founded in Denmark and recently expanded to the U.S. to make automation broadly accessible to large enterprises and SMEs alike.

"We are happy to welcome Stu to our family of businesses. America urgently needs automation for reshoring production, and with his experience and reputation, he can help us connect the industry with the right opportunities," said Sren Peters, CEO of Gain & Co and HowToRobot.

Based near Detroit, Michigan, Stu joins Gain & Co and HowToRobot to offer his deep experience ranging from large corporations to SMEs in markets including Aerospace, Automotive, Logistics/Material Handling, Metal Fabrication and Machining, Medical, Packaging/Palletizing, and more.

Stu is also a Past Chairperson and Board Member of the Robotic Industries Association (RIA), Past Chairperson of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), and long-time member of the American Welding Society. Lastly, Stu is an active member of the AWS D-16 Robots and Automatic Welding Committee and Safety Sub-Committee.

###

About Gain & Co

Gain & Co are vendor-independent advisors helping businesses succeed with robotics and automation. Gain & Co is working with Fortune 500 companies and other businesses globally on outlining their automation strategy, planning investments, sourcing robot solutions, overseeing implementation and reviewing their performance. Learn more at www.gainco.us.

About HowToRobot

HowToRobot is the world's leading matchmaking platform for robotic automation, connecting businesses with over 16,000 robot and automation suppliers globally (over 1,100 in the U.S.) and a range of services for quotes on robots, business case calculations, and much more. Learn more at www.howtorobot.com.

For all press inquiries: Jordani Sarreal: jordani@mtmatre.com | (310) 439-9213

Related Images











Image 1









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Attachment
Dublin, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Pet Care Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Pet Types (Dog, Cat, Fish, Bird), by Type (Products, Services, Food), by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global pet care market size is expected to reach USD 232.14 billion by 2030. The year 2020 was not very promising for most industries, but it has been a boon to the pet care industries due to repeated lockdowns and the work from home culture, which led people to take better care of their pets. This has stipulated the demand for pet services and products a significant rise in the market.



Moreover, the growing awareness about pet humanization, and increasing purchasing power of the consumers, coupled with a rise in the demand for premium pet care products, are driving the growth of the market. Due to urbanization people have been living in smaller residential spaces, this has, however, increased the adoption of smaller pets such as dogs, fish, hamsters, cats, and so on. Consumers are looking to plug the familial gap with their pet companion.



Premium pet care products are natural and of higher quality, and safer than regular pet care products. With the increase in demand for premium pet grooming products globally, several companies are trying to occupy the majority of shares in this segment. For instance, in 2020, BASF Care Creations in North America launched 3 formulations for the dog grooming segment: Creamy Co-Wash for Dogs, Fresh Obsessed Dry Shampoo Mist, and Micellar Dog Shampoo. Similarly, in 2021, Pure and Natural Pet, a U.S.-based pet care company added new USDA-certified products to their line of pet grooming and health essentials.



According to Pet Biz Marketer, pet food makes up about 3/4s of all pet industry sales. There has been a noticeable increase in the trend of pet food brands gaining market share via niche pet foods. One of the fastest-growing niche food categories is freeze-dried dog food, it is a dog food that's freeze-dried to extend shelf life. Petfoodindustry.com reports that sales for non-traditional pet food formats are growing faster than traditional pet food.



Pet Care Market Report Highlights

During the forecast period, the dog pet type segment is expected to account for the largest market share. The growth is attributed to an expected considerable rise in dog adoption in the future years as a result of changing lifestyles and growing knowledge of the benefits of dog companionship.

The pet care services segment is projected to register growth at a 5.2% CAGR during the forecast period. Innovation in products such as moisturizers, creams & lotions is likely to propel the segment growth.

North America contributed a majority of the revenue share of global revenue in 2021. During the forecast period, the rising demand for natural and premium goods is expected to drive the regional market growth.

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope



Chapter 2. Executive Summary

Chapter 3. Pet care market Variables, Trends & Scope

3.1. Market Introduction

3.2. Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping

3.3. Impact of COVID-19 on the Pet Care Market

3.4. Industry Value Chain Analysis

3.4.1. Sales/Retail Channel Analysis

3.4.2. Profit Margin Analysis

3.5. Market Dynamics

3.5.1. Driver Impact Analysis

3.5.2. Restraint Impact Analysis

3.5.3. Industry Challenges

3.5.4. Industry opportunities

3.6. Business Environment Analysis

3.6.1. Industry Analysis-Porter's Five Forces

3.6.1.1. Supplier Power

3.6.1.2. Buyer Power

3.6.1.3. Substitution Threat

3.6.1.4. Threat from New Entrant

3.6.1.5. Competitive Rivalry

3.7. Roadmap of Pet Care market

3.8. Market Entry Strategies



Chapter 4. Consumer Behavior Analysis

4.1. Demographic Analysis

4.2. Consumer Trends and Preferences

4.3. Factors Affecting Buying Decision

4.4. Consumer Product Adoption

4.5. Observations & Recommendations



Chapter 5. Pet care market: Pet Type Estimates & Trend Analysis

5.1. Pet Type Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2022 & 2030

5.2. Dog

5.2.1. Market estimates and forecast for dog, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

5.3. Cat

5.3.1. Market estimates and forecast for cat, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

5.4. Fish

5.4.1. Market estimates and forecast for fish, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

5.5. Bird

5.5.1. Market estimates and forecast for bird, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

5.6. Others

5.6.1. Market estimates and forecast for others, 2017-2030 (USD Million)



Chapter 6. Pet care market: Type Estimates and Trend Analysis

6.1. Type Movement Analysis and Market Share, 2022 & 2030

6.2. Products

6.2.1. Market estimates and forecast by products, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

6.2.2. Pet Litter

6.2.2.1. Market estimates and forecast by pet litter, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

6.2.3. Pet Grooming Products

6.2.3.1. Market estimates and forecast by pet grooming products, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

6.2.4. Fashion, Toys and Accessories

6.2.4.1. Market estimates and forecast by fashion, toys and accessories, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

6.3. Services

6.3.1. Market estimates and forecast by services, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

6.3.2. Pet Boarding

6.3.2.1. Market estimates and forecast by pet boarding, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

6.3.3. Over-The-Counter/Supplies

6.3.3.1. Market estimates and forecast by over-the-counter/supplies, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

6.3.4. Pet Training

6.3.4.1. Market estimates and forecast by pet training, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

6.3.5. Veterinary Care/ Medical Care

6.3.5.1. Market estimates and forecast by veterinary care/ medical care, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

6.3.6. Pet Grooming Service

6.3.6.1. Market estimates and forecast by pet grooming service, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

6.4. Pet Food

6.4.1. Market estimates and forecast by pet food, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

6.4.2. Dry Food

6.4.2.1. Market estimates and forecast by dry food, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

6.4.3. Wet/ Canned Food

6.4.3.1. Market estimates and forecast by wet/canned food, 2017-2030 (USD Million)

6.4.4. Treats/snacks

6.4.4.1. Market estimates and forecast by treats/snacks, 2017-2030 (USD Million)



Chapter 7. Pet care market: Regional Estimates and Trend Analysis



Chapter 8. Competitive Analysis

8.1. Key global players, recent developments & their impact on the industry

8.2. Key Company/Competition Categorization (Key innovators, Market leaders, Emerging players)

8.3. Vendor Landscape

8.3.1. Key company market share analysis, 2021



Chapter 9. Company Profiles

9.1. Ancol Pet Products Limited

9.1.1. Company Overview

9.1.2. Financial Performance

9.1.3. Product Benchmarking

9.1.4. Strategic Initiatives

9.2. Blue Buffalo Co., Ltd.

9.2.1. Company Overview

9.2.2. Financial Performance

9.2.3. Product Benchmarking

9.2.4. Strategic Initiatives

9.3. Champion Petfoods LP

9.3.1. Company Overview

9.3.2. Financial Performance

9.3.3. Product Benchmarking

9.3.4. Strategic Initiatives

9.4. Hill`s Pet Nutrition, Inc.

9.4.1. Company Overview

9.4.2. Financial Performance

9.4.3. Product Benchmarking

9.4.4. Strategic Initiatives

9.5. Mars, Incorporated

9.5.1. Company Overview

9.5.2. Financial Performance

9.5.3. Product Benchmarking

9.5.4. Strategic Initiatives

9.6. Nestle Purina PetCare

9.6.1. Company Overview

9.6.2. Financial Performance

9.6.3. Product Benchmarking

9.6.4. Strategic Initiatives

9.7. Petmate Holdings Co.

9.7.1. Company Overview

9.7.2. Financial Performance

9.7.3. Product Benchmarking

9.7.4. Strategic Initiatives

9.8. Saturn Petcare GmbH

9.8.1. Company Overview

9.8.2. Financial Performance

9.8.3. Product Benchmarking

9.8.4. Strategic Initiatives

9.9. Tail Blazers

9.9.1. Company Overview

9.9.2. Financial Performance

9.9.3. Product Benchmarking

9.9.4. Strategic Initiatives

9.10. The Hartz Mountain Corporation

9.10.1. Company Overview

9.10.2. Financial Performance

9.10.3. Product Benchmarking

9.10.4. Strategic Initiatives



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qqfdsd

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NEW YORK, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virtual Investor Conferences, the leading proprietary investor conference series, in partnership with KCSA Strategic Communications (KCSA), today announced the agenda for the upcoming KCSA Cannabis Virtual Investor Conference to be held on June 7th. Individual investors, institutional investors, advisors, and analysts are invited to attend. The program begins at 9:00 AM ET on Tuesday, June 7th.



REGISTER NOW AT: https://bit.ly/3t52L7p

It is recommended that investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates. There is no cost to log-in, attend live presentations and schedule 1x1 meetings.

Our 17th virtual cannabis investor conference on June 7th will include a number of industry leading companies giving their corporate highlights and offering insights into the second half of 2022, stated Phil Carlson, Managing Director of KCSA Strategic Communications. For this event, we have partnered with OTC Markets Group and ATB Capital Markets and look forward to the upcoming presentations and fireside chats as we aim to drive awareness to the investor community.

June 7th Agenda:

To facilitate investor relations scheduling and to view a complete calendar of Virtual Investor Conferences, please visit www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

About Virtual Investor Conferences

Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

About KCSA Strategic Communications

KCSA is a fully integrated communications agency specializing in public relations, investor relations and social media, with expertise in financial and professional services, technology, healthcare, digital media and cannabis. Since 1969, the firm has demonstrated strategic thinking and program execution that drives results for its clients in the ever-changing communications and digital landscape. The firm's clients are its best references. For more information, please visit www.kcsa.com.

Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc. +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com

Virtual Investor Conferences Contact:

John M. Viglotti

SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access

OTC Markets Group

(212) 220-2221

johnv@otcmarkets.com

KCSA Contact:

KCSA Strategic Communications

Phil Carlson

Managing Director

(212) 896-1233

pcarlson@kcsa.com
English French

TORONTO, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society of Canada applauds the tabling of legislation to create a Canada Disability Benefit, intended to provide income support to Canadians who live with a disability.



The MS Society launched a digital petition in March in support of the Canada Disability Benefit. Within 24 hours of launch, the petition had close to 10,000 signatures from all over Canada, signaling the widespread support for the government to introduce this benefit as soon as possible. In May, for MS Awareness Month, MS Society representatives met with more than 60 Parliamentarians to discuss key policy priorities important to the MS community. The meetings emphasized the importance of a quick introduction of the Canada Disability Benefit and ensuring that such a benefit would include people who live with episodic disabilities as defined in the Accessible Canada Act.

We received an incredible amount of support from Members of Parliament and Senators about the need to provide income support to Canadians living with MS during our Day on the Hill meetings, said Benjamin Davis, Senior Vice-President, Mission at the MS Society of Canada. We look forward to continuing our advocacy work with the federal government as this legislation moves through the legislative process to ensure that this benefit is inclusive of episodic disabilities.

The MS Society is committed to ensuring that Canadians impacted by MS can participate fully in all aspects of life. More than 90,000 Canadians live with MS, with 12 Canadians diagnosed every day. MS impacts all Canadians  not just the people who live with MS, but their family, friends, and community. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges faced by people living with MS has only heightened, and the need for information, resources and supports are as urgent and critical as ever. To keep up to date as the bill moves through the legislative process, click here to join our MS supporter network.

About multiple sclerosis and the MS Society of Canada

Canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the world. On average, 12 Canadians are diagnosed every day. MS is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord). It is considered an episodic disability meaning that the severity and duration of illness and disability can vary and are often followed by periods of wellness. It can also be progressive. Most people are diagnosed with MS between the ages of 20 and 49 and the unpredictable effects of the disease will last for the rest of their lives. The MS Society provides information, support and advocacy to people affected by MS, and funds research to find the cause and cure for the disease, bringing us closer to a world free of MS. Please visit mssociety.ca or call 1-800-268-7582 for more information, to get involved, or to support Canadians affected by MS by making a donation.



Join the conversation and connect with the MS community online. Find the MS Society on Twitter, Instagram or like our page on Facebook.

CONTACT:

Faisal Ikram

MS Society of Canada

faisal.ikram@mssociety.ca

(647) 362-8529
BERLIN, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arbitrage is a technique used by publishers to get low quality website visitors to click on high value adverts. According to Trey Vanes, Chief Marketing Officer at cybersecurity firm Polygraph, arbitrage is similar to click fraud.



Advertisers pay an ad network like Bing Ads to display their adverts on publisher websites. Every time the ads are clicked, the advertisers pay fees to Bing Ads, and Bing Ads shares these fees with publishers. Click fraudsters are taking advantage of this system by creating scam publisher websites and generating huge amounts of fake clicks on the ads. This earns them hundreds of thousands of dollars each month, and can be devastating to advertisers, as the ad clicks are worthless, and never result in any sales, said Vanes. Arbitrage is very similar to click fraud. The publishers use click bait ads to send low quality traffic to their websites where the visitors are forced to view seemingly random adverts, and out of confusion, a percentage of these visitors click on the ads, earning money for the arbitragers and draining the ad budgets of advertisers.

Unlike click fraud, arbitragers do not force the visitors to click on the ads, however by purposefully targeting naive internet users with click bait ads, and then directing these visitors to unrelated, but high value, adverts on the publishers website, some of the visitors end up clicking on the ads, not fully understanding they are clicking on an advert.

The arbitragers entire scheme targets unsavvy internet users who dont fully understand what theyre clicking on, said Vanes. By using purposefully terrible ads to attract visitors to their websites  think of adverts such as One weird trick, youve probably wondered why these ads exist  the arbitragers attract naive internet users who end up on a website which has nothing to do with the advert they clicked on. Unsure of what to do next, a percentage of these visitors click on whatever is in front of them  in this case, its a high value advert.

The main problem with this is these visitors offer little to no value to advertisers, so the end result is the advertisers pay for the clicks, and the ad network and publishers get paid. Its a problem.

Unlike click fraud, which is illegal and sometimes results in criminal prosecution, arbitrage is legal and encouraged by many ad networks. Weve spoken to people who used to work for arbitrage websites, and they told us the goal was to fleece advertisers. To make matters worse, the ad networks recommended which high value adverts they should use, ensuring maximum profits for the ad network and arbitrager, and losses for the advertisers, added Vanes.

Polygraph monitor the activities of click fraud gangs, learning the techniques they use to defraud advertisers, and how to prevent click fraud. Arbitrage offers a new challenge, since it is legal and encouraged by many ad networks, however Vanes has advice for worried advertisers. Most ad networks let you block specific websites from displaying your ads. Advertisers can use this tool to block arbitrage websites. Be aware that arbitrage companies try to get around this system by changing their website addresses and subdomains, so its important you continuously update the list as new arbitrage websites are exposed.

Polygraph can help advertisers prevent click fraud and arbitrage websites from stealing their ad budgets. For more information, please visit https://polygraph.net

About Polygraph

Established in Berlin, Germany in 2021, Polygraph monitors the activities of click fraud gangs, including how they operate, who they target, the techniques they use, and how to detect their fraud. We go far beyond bot detection to ensure your ad budget is not stolen by cyber-criminals.

Contact Details:

114A Friedrichstrasse Berlin, BE 10117, Germany

Trey Vanes, Polygraph

+49 (030) 2204 4851
Johnstown, PA, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Environment, Safety, and Infrastructure (SAF/IEE) has awarded a contract modification worth $5.6 million to Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC).

For more than a decade, CTC has provided policy, guidance, and oversight support to SAF/IEEs energy and water portfolio. Under this program, CTC delivers proven program management processes along with subject matter expertise and advanced performance in facility energy, climate resilience, water and utility management, mission assurance, strategic communications, and statutory and legislative affairs. In addition to energy and water, this contract modification also covers safety, environment, and infrastructure. CTC is supported by two subcontracting partners who provide additional technical expertise.

We are honored SAF/IEE has continued working with CTC and our talented employees to bring technical expertise and innovative solutions to the complex challenges facing the Department of the Air Force, said Edward J. Sheehan, Jr., CTC President and CEO. We look forward to maintaining our strong partnership and share SAF/IEEs desire to develop solutions to enhance mission assurance.

CTCs work is led by Richard RB Brill, Director of CTCs Air Force Strategic Advisory Program. We remain committed to providing the analytical and technical resources SAF/IEE needs to realize their mission and navigate a very broad portfolio, said Brill. This award recognizes our teams track record for bringing the knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm to tackle energy, environmental, and infrastructure challenges head on.

Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) is an independent, nonprofit, applied scientific research and development professional services organization. CTC collaborates with its technology transition affiliate, Enterprise Ventures Corporation, to leverage research, development, test and evaluation work to provide transformative, full lifecycle solutions. To best serve our clients needs, we offer the complete ability to fully design, develop, test, prototype and build. We deliver robust, technical, and innovative solutions that safeguard our national security, retain U.S. technological advantage, and ensure the primacy of American manufacturing. For more information about CTC, visit www.ctc.com.

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CRANBURY, N.J., June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeurologyLive and the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) today announced the inaugural class of Giants of Multiple Sclerosis inductees. Giants of Multiple Sclerosis is a premier neuroscience award that celebrates pioneers, innovators and future generations of leaders selected by their peers for their remarkable achievements in multiple sclerosis.

The award ceremony, supported by Atara Bio and Bristol Myers Squibb, took place on Thursday, June 2, 2022, during the CMSC Annual Meeting at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md.

Launched in 2021, the Giants of Multiple Sclerosis program recognizes individuals who have reached landmark successes within the field of multiple sclerosis. Out of many nominations, the steering committed selected only nine multiple sclerosis health care professionals to join the prestigious 2022 inaugural class.

The Giants of Multiple Sclerosis steering committee is a group of health care professionals  all giants in their own right  who came together to provide guidance to NeurologyLive on the development of this new recognition initiative. The steering committee selects the finalists and, ultimately, the inductees in each category from the nominations submitted late last year.

Wed like to congratulate each and every single member of this years class of inductees on this enormous honor, said Mike Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences, the parent company of NeurologyLive. It is no surprise that these health care professionals were recognized for their contributions to multiple sclerosis and dedication to this vital practice. They are all pioneers and leaders within the multiple sclerosis community.

The 2022 honorees by award category are as follows:

Global Impact: Victor M. Rivera, MD, FAAN - Baylor College of Medicine

Mental Health: Frederick W. Foley, PhD - Yeshiva University/Holy Name Medical Center

Neuroimaging: David Li, MD, FRCPC - University of British Columbia

Neurology: T. Jock Murray, OC, ONS, MD, FAAN, MACP, FACPC, FRCP, FCAHS - Dalhousie University MS Research Unit

Nursing: Valerie Stickel-Diehl, RN, MS, MSCN - Ruan Neurology at MercyOne Hospital

Patient Care: Ellen S. Lathi, MD - The Elliot Lewis Center for Multiple Sclerosis Care

Pharmacy: Nancy Ross, PharmD, BCACP, MSCS, CSP - The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta

Research: Peter A. Calabresi, MD - Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Rehabilitation: Kathleen Brandfass, MS, PT - UPMC/Centers for Rehab Services



The Giants of Multiple Sclerosis steering committee, NeurologyLive and CMSC also honored two individuals for their contributions:

The Giants of Multiple Sclerosis Legacy Award: The late Susan E. Bennett, PT, DPT, EdD, NCS, MSCS - Bennett Rehabilitation Institute/University at Buffalo/DYouville University; accepted by Lacey E. Bromley, PT, DPT, PhD, NCS, on behalf of Dr. Bennett

The Giants of Multiple Sclerosis Visionary Award: June Halper, MSN, APN-C, MSCN, FAAN - The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers

About NeurologyLive

NeurologyLive delivers direct access to practice-changing news and expert insights directly from top medical conferences and researchers to improve the lives of patients with neurological diseases such as dementia, epilepsy, headache and migraine, movement disorders, multiple sclerosis, neuromuscular diseases, stroke and more. The NeurologyLive platform offers an in-depth look at the hundreds of new treatments in development with ever-expanding mechanisms of action, all during an unprecedented time of growing demand for neurology expertise.

The NeurologyLive platform also connects visitors with the most up-to-date clinical trial results, Food and Drug Administration approvals, practice-changing research and expert insights. NeurologyLive is a brand of MJH Life Sciences, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America, dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.

About Giants of Multiple Sclerosis

Giants of Multiple Sclerosis is a premier neuroscience award program that celebrates pioneers, innovators and future generations of leaders who have been selected by their peers for their remarkable achievements in multiple sclerosis. Started in 2021, the program was established to recognize those participating in the care of patients with MS who often go unrecognized across several disciplines.



NeurologyLive Media Contact

Carl Baus

1 (609) 433-6301

cbaus@mjhassoc.com



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e4543c16-9c8d-4a79-ad76-d49e1b30ec98
Fort Myers, Florida, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLS (FCS) physicians are presenting the outcomes of 33 clinical trials, the majority being Phase 1, at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting being held June 3  6 in Chicago, Illinois. This years meeting marks the first time in over two years that the international conference is being offered in person. With over 120 abstract sub-categories, attendees have the opportunity to learn about the most advanced treatments, research and innovation in oncology care at a global scale.

FCS operates three Phase 1 Drug Development Units where many of the featured studies originated. Additional abstracts presented at the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting include late-phase studies from clinical trials conducted at several FCS clinics located throughout Florida. Studies will highlight a diverse range of cutting-edge treatments.

Having the majority of newly approved oncology drugs and therapies in the United States originate from clinical trials conducted by FCS physicians, it is imperative that we share these advances in medical oncology with our peers so that we can continue to evolve cancer care, said FCS Director of Drug Development Manish R. Patel, MD.

FCS Scientific Director of Clinical Research Lowell L. Hart, MD, FACP first-authored a poster discussion for a study on metastatic breast cancer, is also a co-author on a second poster presentation for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.

FCS Associate Director of Drug Development Shekeab Jauhari, MD is the lead author for a poster presentation of an immunotherapy-based study for solid tumors and co-author for a phase 1 study for advanced renal cell carcinoma and ovarian tumors that will be presented orally.

FCS Director of Drug Development Manish R. Patel, MD is lead author for a phase 2 study poster discussion on advanced gynecologic malignancies, co-author of five additional phase 1 trials in poster and oral presentations and one published study for non-small cell lung cancer.

FCS medical oncologist Cesar Augusto Perez, MD is the lead author for a poster presentation of a first-in-human study for breast cancer. He is also the co-author of five poster presentations covering primarily phase 1 and phase 2 trials for molecularly targeted agents, melanoma and skin cancer, and head and neck cancer.

FCS Chief Medical Officer of Therapeutics and Analytics Lucio N. Gordan, MD is the lead author for a publication covering community oncology biomarker testing rates for non-small cell metastatic lung cancer of which FCS hematologists and medical oncologists Anjan J. Patel, MD and Matthew A. Fink, MD served as co-authors. Dr. Gordan also co-authored two studies on care delivery for lung cancer patients that will be featured at the conference.

The following FCS physician investigators will present research results during poster presentations/discussions:

Additionally, the following FCS physician investigators will present research results during oral presentations:

FCS hematologist and medical oncologist Daniel L. Spitz, MD, FACP - molecular based treatment for endometrial cancer

FCS Associate Director of Drug Development Judy S. Wang, MD - immunotherapy

Several committees were formed to plan for the extensive research presented at the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting. Faithlore Gardner, MD, Lowell L. Hart, MD, FACP, Manish Patel, MD, Cesar Augusto Perez, MD and Judy Wang, MD were involved in committees to develop the program.

It makes me incredibly proud, knowing that our patients have access to the most cutting-edge oncology therapies and treatments, said FCS President & Managing Physician Michael Diaz, MD, especially since we are able to provide such advanced levels of care in a community-based setting, which is a large contributing factor to the success we see in our research  being able to treat patients close to home.

Our physicians continue to be leaders in the oncology community, spearheading innovative approaches to cancer care on a global scale. Their efforts both in our clinics and in the research presented at ASCO speak volumes to the high-level patient care we provide at FCS and the entire oncology ecosystem, remarked FCS Chief Executive Officer Nathan H. Walcker.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO) represents nearly 45,000 oncology professionals who care for people living with cancer. Through research, education, and promotion of high quality and equitable patient care, ASCO works to conquer cancer.

###

About Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

Recognized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) with a national Clinical Trials Participation Award, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) offers patients access to more clinical trials than any private oncology practice in Florida. Over the past 5 years, the majority of new cancer drugs approved for use in the U.S. were studied in clinical trials with Florida Cancer Specialists participation.* Trained in such prestigious medical schools and research institutes as Duke, Stanford, Harvard, Emory, MD Anderson, and Memorial Sloan Kettering, our physicians are consistently ranked nationally as Top Doctors by U.S. News & World Report.

Florida Cancer Specialists has built a national reputation for excellence that is reflected in exceptional and compassionate patient care, driven by innovative clinical research, cutting-edge technologies, and advanced treatments, including targeted therapies, genomic-based treatment, and immunotherapy. Our values are embodied by our outstanding team of highly trained and dedicated physicians, clinicians, and staff.

*Prior to approval

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NEW YORK, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The following Notice of Change of Date relates to the proxy statement (the Proxy Statement) of Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC (the Company), dated May 11, 2022, furnished to shareholders of the Company in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of the Company for use at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the Annual Meeting) that was originally scheduled to be held on Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, but that was adjourned due to lack of sufficient votes. This supplement is being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is being made available to the shareholders of the Company on or about June 3, 2022.



THIS NOTICE SHOULD BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PROXY STATEMENT

NOTICE OF CHANGE OF DATE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

TO BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2022

To the Shareholders of Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC Annual Meeting of Shareholders originally scheduled for May 31, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time was adjourned due to lack of sufficient votes. The date of the Annual Meeting of Shareholders has been rescheduled to July 20, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

The location of the Annual Meeting of the Shareholders will be held in a virtual meeting format only. There is no in-person meeting for you to attend. As described in the proxy materials for the Annual Meeting previously distributed, you are entitled to participate in the Annual Meeting if you were a shareholder as of the close of business on April 1, 2022, the record date.

To attend the Annual Meeting, you must register in advance, using your control number and other information at www.proxypush.com/greenbacker prior to the deadline of July 18, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Upon completing your registration, you will receive further instructions via email, including your unique link that will allow you to access the Annual Meeting and vote online during the meeting. You will also be permitted to submit questions at the time of registration.

The meeting will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time. We encourage you to access the meeting prior to the start time. Online access will open at approximately 8:45 a.m. Eastern Time, and you should allow ample time to log in to the meeting and test your computer audio system. We recommend that you carefully review the procedures needed to gain admission in advance.

There will be technicians ready to assist you with any technical difficulties you may have accessing the virtual meeting. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the virtual meeting during check-in or during the meeting, please call the technical support number that will be listed on the email you will receive after completing your registration.

Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge you to vote and submit your proxy in advance of the meeting by one of the methods described in the proxy materials for the Annual Meeting. The proxy card included with the proxy materials previously distributed will not be updated to reflect the change in location and may continue to be used to vote your shares in connection with the Annual Meeting. The Companys Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting and the Annual Report sent to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 are available at www.greenbackercapital.com/greenbacker-renewable-energy-company.

Sincerely,

Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC

About Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company

Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC is a publicly reporting, non-traded limited liability sustainable infrastructure company that acquires and manages income-producing renewable energy and other energy-related businesses, including solar and wind farms. We seek to invest in high-quality projects that sell clean power under long-term contract to high-creditworthy counterparties such as utilities, municipalities, and corporations. We are long-term owner-operators, who strive to be good stewards of the land and responsible members of the communities in which we operate. We believe our focus on power production and income generation creates value that we can then pass on to our shareholderswhile facilitating the transition toward a clean energy future. For more information, please visit www.greenbackercapital.com.

Greenbacker media contact

Chris Larson

Senior Writer & Media Communications

847.313.9035

c.larson@greenbackercapital.com
NEW YORK, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Best Companies Group today announced that Biz2Credit was named to the list of 2022s Best Places to Work in Financial Technology. The awards program was created in 2017 and is a project of Arizent and Best Companies Group.

Biz2Credit is honored to be recognized as one of the best places to work in financial technology by Best Companies Group, said Biz2Credit CEO Rohit Arora, one of the nations leading experts in fintech and small business finance. It shows how the culture we have created in the company inspires innovation and creates a great workplace for our people.

Best Companies Groups annual survey and awards program is designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best employers in the financial technology industry. Companies recognized on this years list operate in and serve companies and customers in a wide range of financial services including banking and mortgages, insurance, payments, and financial advisory. Biz2Credit is a small business financing platform that serves business owners nationally, providing small business funding options that range from $10,000 to $6 million.

The 2022 list included the top 50 fintech companies in the country and was published by Arizent brands, the publisher of some of the leading financial industry news outlets, including American Banker, Accounting Today, National Mortgage News, PaymentsSource, Financial Planning, and Digital Insurance.

The fintech community continues to grow and provide job opportunities for data scientists, developers, managers and creative thinkers, said Penny Crosman, executive editor, technology at American Banker. Best Places to Work in Financial Technology offers a look at fintechs that lead the pack in areas like human resources policies, perks and culture, which can help people understand which companies might be a fit for them.

To be considered for participation, companies must provide technology products, services or solutions that enable the delivery of financial services. Companies must also have been in business for at least one full year and employ at least 15 people in the U.S. Both Biz2Credit and its Biz2X subsidiary were singled out in the 2022s Best Places to Work in Financial Technology list.

Companies from across the U.S. entered a two-part survey process to determine Arizents Best Places to Work in Financial Technology. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process, analyzed the data, and determined the final ranking.

Biz2Credit has recently been named a Great Place to Work for 2022 and was also named to Built Ins list of Best Places to Work in 2021. The company has won numerous other fintech awards, including being named to Inc. 5000s Fastest Growing Private Companies, Deloittes Fast 500, and Finovates Excellence in Pandemic Response award.

To learn about fintech job opportunities at Biz2Credit, visit Biz2Credit.com.

About Biz2Credit

Founded in 2007, Biz2Credit has arranged more than $7 billion in small business financing. The company is expanding its industry-leading technology in custom digital platform solutions for banks and other financial institutions, investors, and service providers. Visit www.biz2credit.com or Twitter @Biz2Credit, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
TORONTO, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ontario Federation of Labour says workers are ready to hold Fords Conservative government to account, following Thursday nights election results. The re-election of Fords Conservatives comes at a time when Ontarians are facing a skyrocketing cost of living, and urgently need measures to address affordability.



Fords playbook of buddying up to big businesses and backtracking on bad decisions isnt going to cut it this time around, said Patty Coates, Ontario Federation of Labour President. We know what workers need, and we will continue to fight for it.

In the lead-up to the election, the Ontario Federation of Labour called for a workers-first agenda, which included a $20 minimum wage, decent work, affordable housing, permanent paid sick days, well-funded public services, livable income support for all, climate justice, and an end to racism and oppression. These demands were the cornerstone of a province-wide day of action on May 1.

Ford spent his election campaign touting support for workers. If Fords Conservatives truly want to work for workers, their first action will be the immediate repeal of Bill 124 and implementation of the workers-first agenda demands, added Coates.

Ontarians once again elected the Ontario NDP as the Official Opposition. NDP MPPs have repeatedly held Fords Conservatives accountable in the Ontario Legislature. As Official Opposition they have championed workers rights.

Fords re-election also comes at a time of unprecedented strike action in the province, according to the Ontario Federation of Labour. Workers have raised expectations about what they should earn for their work. They will be demanding more at the bargaining table, and from their government, said Coates.

The Ontario Federation of Labour will hold a virtual election debrief on Wednesday, June 8 at 6:00 p.m. For more information visit ofl.ca/election-debrief-2022.

The Ontario Federation of Labour represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information, please contact:

Melissa Palermo

Director of Communications

Ontario Federation of Labour

mpalermo@ofl.ca l 416-894-3456

cj/ COPE 343
Aurora, Colo., June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Saturday, June 4, Colorado State University Global (CSU Global) will celebrate 1,307 undergraduate and graduate students earning their degrees at Spring 2022 Commencement. To be inclusive of graduates across the globe, CSU Global is hosting both an in-person event in Broomfield, Colorado, as well as a virtual ceremony for those who are unable to travel.

The ceremony will honor graduates from Spring 2019 through Spring 2022, ensuring those who did not have a chance to walk in person during the pandemic can celebrate this milestone.

CSU Globals own Dr. Michael Skiba, Program Director of Criminal Justice, will serve as emcee at the ceremony, and the keynote address will be given by Dr. James Rouse, accomplished author, speaker, naturopathic doctor, and entrepreneur. In addition, the ceremony will feature a special speech from 80-year-old graduate Mary Kay McCarty, who earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Social Sciences with CSU Global in 2021. McCarty began her college career in 1959 at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, and nearly 60 years, five children, 10 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild later, she transferred those credits to CSU Global and completed her degree.

It was one of the proudest days of my life and, at my age, Ive had a lot of days to choose from, said McCarty. I am so grateful and thankful to CSU Global for making it possible to achieve my life-long dream of completing my college degree. When I started back to college, I was determined to finish before I turned 80. Last summer, my family had a combination graduation and eightieth birthday party which was such a fun celebration. In fact, I havent stopped celebrating yet.

McCarty and her fellow graduates, many of whom are nontraditional learners  adults working a full-time job and earning their degree at the same time, parents, first-generation students, or military service members  will walk the stage in recognition of their dedication, perseverance, and success in achieving their dreams of earning a college degree.

We are so proud of our graduates and look forward to watching them take this next step in their lives, said CSU Global President Pamela Toney. We are thrilled to be back in-person for the first time since 2019. Seeing our students walk across that stage and being a part of the celebration with their families and friends is truly an honor. It is a special day for the entire CSU Global community.

Saturdays in-person ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. MT at the 1STBANK Center, and the virtual ceremony will stream simultaneously at CSUGlobal.edu/Commencement.

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About Colorado State University Global

Colorado State University Global (CSU Global) offers career-relevant bachelors and masters degree programs for working adults and nontraditional learners. As the first 100% online, fully accredited public university in the United States, CSU Global is focused on student success as its number one priority. Embracing the land grant heritage as part of the Colorado State University System, CSU Global sets the standard for quality and innovation in higher education through its expert faculty who are recognized as industry leaders and trained in working with adults in an online learning environment. CSU Global offers accelerated eight-week courses that start every four weeks. Visit CSUGlobal.edu to learn more.
Seattle, Washington, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Washington State Wine Commission is proud to announce Rocky Reach as Washingtons 20th American Viticultural Area (AVA). Today, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) published the final rule for Rocky Reach AVA to officially define it as a designated wine grape-growing region.

We are extremely pleased to have the Rocky Reach AVA approved, said David and Michelle Dufenhorst, who own Rocky Pond Winery and two vineyards located within the AVA. This is an essential step towards recognizing what weve known for some timethat this is a remarkable place to grow and produce top tier grapes and wines.

Located between Chelan and Wenatchee, Rocky Reach straddles the Columbia River and is wholly contained within the larger Columbia Valley. The AVA covers 32,333 total acres, though the Columbia River and Rocky Reach Reservoir make up approximately a quarter of the area. There are currently eight commercial vineyards covering 117 acres.

The AVA takes its name from the Rocky Reach Dam and the Rocky Reach Reservoir, though the name originated from steamboat captains in the late 1800s who used the term to describe the rapids within a stretch, or reach, of the Columbia River.

To qualify as an AVA, a wine grape-growing region must have distinguishing features. According to Kevin Pogue, Professor of Geology at Whitman College, who wrote the AVA petition for Rocky Reach, its defining characteristics are its geology, soils, topography, and climate:

Geology: Rocky Reach is unique from almost all other appellations in the Columbia Valley in that it has predominantly granitic bedrock, a feature it shares with only Lake Chelan.

Soils: While the area has the windblown sand and silt (loess) that is ubiquitous throughout the Columbia Valley, in Rocky Reach, these soils overlie cobblestones and gravels.

Topography: Rocky Reach is located on an area of the Columbia River where the river has eroded a deep canyon. Within this canyon are flat-topped terraces along both sides of the river near the valley floor, ideally suited for viticulture and other agriculture.

Climate: Rocky Reach is located at low elevations within this valley. These lower elevations are considerably warmer and have a longer growing season relative to the surrounding mountains and plateaus.

Rocky Reach represents an important milestone as our states 20th AVA, further signifying the continued growth and development of our wine industry, said Steve Warner, President of the Washington State Wine Commission.

Beginning on July 5, 2022, wineries may submit a Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) request to the TTB for a label using Rocky Reach AVA as the appellation of origin.

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INDIANAPOLIS & LAS VEGAS, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AMI Global LLC, a rapidly growing industrial IoT solutions provider, is pleased to announce a deepening of the strategic partnership with Peerless Pump Company, a wholly owned company of the Grundfos Group and a global leader in design and manufacture of UL-listed and FM-approved fire pump systems. The partnership has enabled IoT connectivity and condition monitoring to fire pump systems around the world with the Peerless FireConnectTM system for the past three years.

Peerless Pump and AMI Global are once again revolutionizing the fire protection industry with the launch of the new Peerless FireConnect Sentry monitoring solution in conjunction with the hardware release of the Peerless FireConnect Jockey Controller (FCJC).

"The release of FireConnect Sentry paired with the FCJC ushers in an exciting new chapter of fire pump system monitoring," says Travis Montembeault, Director - FireConnect for Peerless Pump Company. "Our customers now have the luxury of choice with a simplified hardware package and the ability to select amongst multiple tiers of monitoring and alerts."

Building on the original system architecture of Peerless FireConnectTM, Sentry will open additional commercial opportunities by providing differing tiers of monitoring and alerts, while still delivering more than just code-mandated alarms. Real-time fire pump system information is available 24/7, ensuring fire pump systems are always ready to act, while also adding new functionality that assists in sustainability efforts, such as leak monitoring and detection, all without having to physically access the pump room.

"Having critical system information at your fingertips provides peace of mind to building owners and occupants that their fire protection system is ready and operational. In the event of a fire, real-time system data can enable better decision making and improve safety," said Scott Patterson, Vice President - Digital Innovation for Peerless Pump Company. "We continue to listen to our customers' use cases and respond by adding functionality to the FireConnect user interface. Our strategic partnership with AMI provides us with the agility needed to make a significant and positive impact for our customers."

"We are excited to further strengthen the Peerless partnership as we continue to build the power of the FireConnect platform for their customers, said Henrik Laursen, CEO at AMI Global. "AMI's digital solution created for Peerless underscores our firm's capabilities to rapidly deploy hardware and software solutions for mission-critical applications like FireConnect."

For more information on Peerless FireConnectTM, visit www.peerlesspump.com.

About Peerless Pump

Peerless Pump is one of the largest manufacturers of pumps and systems for Fire Protection with nearly 100 years of progressive design, engineering and manufacturing of pumps proven with thousands of installations around the world.

About AMI Global

AMI Global is an Industrial (IoT) technology company providing end-to-end remote connectivity solutions for equipment manufacturers to add condition monitoring, device control, and data analytics capabilities to industrial equipment, including pumps, motors, and variable speed drives. The firm is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, with offices in Denmark and Israel. For more information visit www.amiglobal.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Noah J. Sabich, Partner, Cimbria Capital

217.720.5865 | ns@cimbriacapital.com

Traci Thomas, Marketing Manager, Peerless Pump Company

513.218.3004 | tthomas@peerlesspump.com

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This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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City of London, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- City of London, England -

Knowledge Train has announced the launch of its PRINCE2 Agile online certification courses at both Foundation and Practitioner levels. PRINCE2 Agile forms both professional guidance and a certification scheme from PeopleCert. It offers guidance about combining PRINCE2 (a project management methodology) with Agile methods and frameworks. Combined, the PRINCE2 Agile online training courses offer a powerful way to manage Agile projects.

Agile is a set of values and principles that are, usually, applied to the domain of software development though they have also found use in other industries as well. The Agile practice takes the best and most applicable lessons from several lightweight software development frameworks such as Rapid Application Development (RAD), Scrum, Extreme Programming (XP), Feature Driven Development (FDD), and more. The core tenets of the methodology were solidified in a document called the Manifesto for Agile Software Development that was created in 2001. Since then, due to the productivity boost that the method offers software developers and its ability to get an MVP off the ground faster than older monolithic software development methods (such as the waterfall method), it has gained a lot of traction in the realm of software development and its advocates swear by its benefits.

The Agile methodology is based on four core values - individuals and interactions over processes and tools; working software over comprehensive documentation; customer collaboration over contract negotiation; and responding to change over following a plan. These values are translated into 12 principles that ensure that the progress on the project is incremental and iterative. Today, Agile methodologies have been adapted for several software development frameworks such as Scrum, Lean Startup, Kanban, Agile Unified Process, and more.

Though these guiding values seem self-explanatory, the process that needs to be followed to achieve this outcome is hard to implement and effectively emulate without prior hands-on experience or dedicated training. Professional practitioners of Agile methodologies are in great demand as newly founded startups, as well as established software service providers, recognize the value of the Agile-based methodologies on their ventures ability to deliver quality products faster and to uplift the companys overall bottom line. LinkedIn even listed Scrum Master as one of the top promising jobs of 2019.

Knowledge Trains PRINCE2 Agile online training courses are accredited by PeopleCert, a global leader in the assessment and certification of professional skills, that partners with multi-national organizations. PRINCE2 is a software development methodology that predates the Agile Manifesto. The PRINCE2 Agile course combines PRINCE2 with Agile to create a more powerful approach that offers the flexibility of Agile while still retaining the authority, strength, and governance of PRINCE2. The course is perfect for program managers, project managers, project support staff, those with project governance responsibilities, and students who already hold any one of these qualifications: PRINCE2 Foundation, PRINCE2 Agile Foundation, Project Management Professional (PMP)*, Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), and IPMA Levels A, B, C and D (Certified Projects Director). Students can opt for the Foundation and Practitioner course or either of the courses by themselves.

https://youtu.be/RrN6-ZfWxe8

Simon Buehring, the Managing Director for Knowledge Train, commented on his companys introduction of the PRINCE2 Agile courses by saying, We are delighted to offer customers our new PRINCE2 Agile online certification courses. Students can now gain their PRINCE2 Agile Foundation or Practitioner certification entirely online. This is a great alternative to classroom training because busy professionals can learn at their own pace in their own time. Our PRINCE2 Agile online courses are built with the most modern learning technology tools and run on the most modern learning management systems. Students only require an internet connection, and a computer with audio to learn about PRINCE2 Agile and gain their professional certification. The exams are also taken online. PRINCE2 Agile combines a world-class project management methodology (PRINCE2) with the flexibility and responsiveness of agile. It is ideally suited for people already familiar with PRINCE2, or for agile team members wanting to step up and start managing agile projects.

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For more information about Knowledge Train, contact the company here:



Knowledge Train

Jay Gao

442071485985

info@knowledgetrain.co.uk

20 Old Bailey,



London,



EC4M 7AN,



England,



United Kingdom.
City of London, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- City of London, England -

UK based Knowledge Train is pleased to announce the launch of their PRINCE2 online training courses. The organisation focuses on helping their community develop the skills to improve workplace performance, thereby developing their career in turn.

Knowledge Train Managing Director Simon Buehring states, We are pleased to be able to launch our new online courses for PRINCE2, which meet almost all WCAG guidelines at the highest AAA level. This will guarantee our students will get the optimum experience when studying online. The revised courses provide an even better experience for students with disabilities and for users on all screen sizes  especially mobile  so people can learn whilst on the go. More specifically, the courses fully meet 70 out of 77 WCAG 2.1 guidelines at level AAA (optimal compliance). They also partially meet a further 4 guidelines.

Buehring adds, All courses come bundled with the online PRINCE2 exam and manual, so students have everything needed to gain certification in a 100% online experience. Previously, Knowledge Train was known for its ability to offer bespoke in-house training and mentoring at various businesses and institutions, helping their community improve on both an individual and organisational level. From now on, much of this education can be sought via their online courses, including PRINCE2.

According to Knowledge Train, PRINCE2 is intended to improve a specific, vital area of business: project management. The courses have been developed based on modern project management best practices as well as the experiences of project management practitioners around the world, and students will be taken through all the stages of a projects life cycle learning how to apply a common foundation and organisational language to any project they contribute to in the future. Knowledge Train says the PRINCE2 certification will enable them to bring the tools they learn about to projects of any size and complexity. It is principles-based, describing who should take what decisions about a project (and when).

PRINCE2 is also a globally recognized certification, opening corridors to employment overseas (especially given that courses are available in more than 150 countries as well as 18 languages). It covers a broad range of roles and sectors, giving students greater exposure to the potential applications of the tools they learn about.

One crucial aspect many will be able to take advantage of with Knowledge Trains PRINCE2 online courses is the fact that students can prepare for the PRINCE2 exam at their own pace. All PRINCE2 courses available online also come with online PRINCE2 exams, and they work on virtually every device a student may care to use. This includes desktop computers, tablet devices and smartphones.

Since PRINCE2 is largely meant for working professionals, its online availability drastically widens how many students can now pursue this certification without making compromises in their personal or professional lives. While certain organisations may proactively give their employees paid leave to further their education, this is not the case everywhere. Freelancers, contractors and similar parties are also unlikely to be able to afford such an arrangement. Thanks to Knowledge Trains online courses, however, this has all changed  all they need is a compatible device and an internet connection to study on the go.

Those who have already signed up with Knowledge Train generally have exceedingly positive comments to share regarding their experience and progress. Many on the companys Google profile, for instance, express appreciation for how interactive and intuitive the online courses are, and some mention that the trainer for the in-house course is effective at helping students get through exams. Furthermore, given that learning institutions are supported by administrative staff who play no small role in helping students stay on top of their courses, it is notable that the team supporting Knowledge Trains efforts also receives praise from the community. All inquiries and concerns are addressed as promptly as possible thanks to their diligence, and students report feeling satisfied with how easy it is to track both the practical and educational aspects of their time with Knowledge Train (such as fees, dates and so on).

https://www.youtube.com/embed/0f-HFbvdLEo

Knowledge Train offers more insight on the specific PRINCE2 courses being offered on their website. Jay Gao of Knowledge Train can also be reached for further details about the online PRINCE2 courses.

###

For more information about Knowledge Train, contact the company here:



Knowledge Train

Jay Gao

442071485985

info@knowledgetrain.co.uk

20 Old Bailey,



London,



EC4M 7AN,



England,



United Kingdom.
Bangkok, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bangkok, Bangkok -

According to announcements released by AquaOrange Software and Shahan Farid, the business has more than 1000 Google Workspace implementation projects to its credit. Its training, consultancy, and online IT support for Google Workspace have helped its clients in Thailand run their businesses smoothly and also scale up, when required, at low costs.

The company offers four Google Workspace implementations, training tailored to meet the requirements of a business client. The functionality provided by the tools made available through Google Workspace costs less than what competitors deliver. Google Workspace provides a single dashboard for working with many Google apps, including Gmail for business, Google Document, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Chat, and Google Meet.

AquaOrange Software helps customers acquire a Google email (@yourdomain.com) on their companys domain via the Google GSuite Email service. With AquaOrange Software by their side, SMBs and new businesses do not have to invest in an in-house IT service for managing Google Workspace, troubleshooting issues, or communicating via Gmail, even when offline. Google Workspace is a feature-rich set of tools.

Because of its many successful implementations, AquaOrange is able to help its clients extract the maximum benefits from this set of cloud computing apps. Employees of a business can create, edit, or delete documents online or offline and while on the move. Companies that move to the cloud eliminate investments in hardware, such as storage disks and backup facilities.

AquaOrange Software also implements Zoho CRM software, which is in use worldwide. Zoho facilitates marketing automation, analytics, sales management, email management, customer service, etc. A smooth shift to this CRM, as overseen by the experts from AquaOrange Software, enables businesses to achieve growth and stay ahead of the competition.

For more information, go to https://www.aquaorange.co.th/google-workspace.

Shahan Farid of AquaOrange Software said, Big data management may seem too difficult and expensive. Switch to Google Workspace and enjoy up to 5TB of secure cloud storage per user. Relying to Google infrastructure and online 100%. Access files anytime, anywhere. Just connect to the internet. Go beyond introductory email and online storage with Google Workspace and enjoy various online tools - from document creation to integrated calendar and chat. You'll have everything you need to succeed online. Gmail features in Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) include custom business email addresses - @yourcompany.com, unlimited group email addresses, 99.9% uptime guarantee, double the amount of free storage of Gmail, no ads, 24/7 phone and 24/7 support, Google Sync for Microsoft Outlook, and many more.

"These features cannot be purchased separately. Google Workspace is a suite of applications designed to work together. For example, you can save Gmail messages as your calendar events with one click. Changes and comments made to Sheets, Docs, or Slides won't get the attention of your coworkers because everyone gets an email notification. In the Calendar, you can also create meetings. If you are a business with less than 300 employees, you can start online today. Companies with more than 300 employees can contact AquaOrange sales to learn more about our corporate plans.

About the Company:

AquaOrange Software provides a bouquet of services designed to help businesses operate securely and efficiently. It has the expertise and experience to handle Google Workplace implementation projects that have helped its many clients work better and at lower costs. Customers can choose from four different Google Workspace implementation plans.

###

For more information about AquaOrange Software, contact the company here:



AquaOrange Software

Shahan Farid

+662 6863440

sales@aquaorange.co.th
IBERVILLE, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National nonprofit organization Endeavors is thrilled to begin assisting residents of Louisiana with long-term hurricane recovery. The Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOSEPH) has granted Endeavors one of the contracts to operate the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Disaster Case Management Program. Through this contract, Endeavor will assist individuals and families still recovering from Hurricane Ida, which hit the Gulf Coast Region in late August of 2021, devastating communities across Louisiana.

Endeavors will be assisting individuals and families by providing customized Disaster Case Management (DCM) plans and connecting survivors with the resources to achieve full disaster recovery. DCM plans empower and uplift disaster survivors who are unable to recover themselves by connecting them to services and funding they may not be aware of, and securing donations for home repairs or rebuilds, new furniture and appliances, clothing and pantry items.

We are honored to have been chosen to provide Disaster Case Management Services in Louisiana, Regional Director Dominique Stephenson shared. Were committed to assisting survivors in healing and building resiliency following the devastation of Hurricane IDA, and were pleased to collaborate with Emergent Method, a Louisiana-based organization that, like us, has a passion for providing compassionate care to those in distress.

Endeavors DCM plans empower and uplift disaster survivors with unmet recovery needs by connecting them to services and funding they may not be aware of. Based on each individual clients needs, DCM plans could include securing donated labor and materials for home repairs or rebuilds, replacing damaged furniture and appliances and outfitting the client with basic necessities like clothing and pantry items. The service organization also assists individuals who may have had their claims denied and connects them with additional financial and recovery resources. To qualify for DCM assistance, survivors must provide proof of impact and lack of resources to recover themselves.

While Endeavors has served Louisianans since 2021 as the Fiscal Agent for the Louisiana Housing Corporations CARES Act program, this will be the first Louisiana-based disaster recovery project for Endeavors, which has helped communities recover from natural disasters in Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Puerto Rico. The nonprofit will be establishing offices in Louisiana to serve individuals and families with proof of impact, lack of resources and unmet needs. The program will serve Iberville, Assumption, St. James, Jefferson, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes.

When providing recovery assistance to communities, Endeavors also seeks to create jobs within the local community and will be hiring local professionals to help execute the recovery operation, including Administrative Assistants, Disaster Case Managers, Supervisors and Program Management Leads. Employment opportunities are listed on the organizations website.

ABOUT ENDEAVORS

Endeavors is a national service organization that has been assisting vulnerable populations since 1969. Endeavors offers an array of services and programs supporting children, families, Veterans and those struggling with mental illness, disabilities, disasters or emergencies. Endeavors serves people in crisis with personalized services. For more information, visit www.endeavors.org

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Charleston, South Carolina, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education has approved two new majors for the College of Charleston. Beginning in the fall 2022 semester, students will be able to earn a Bachelor of Science in software engineering and a Bachelor of Science in statistics.

Building out the College of Charlestons portfolio of technical degree programs is essential to supporting the current and future workforce needs in the Lowcountry and in South Carolina more broadly, says Sebastian van Delden, dean of the School of Sciences and Mathematics. The addition of these two new majors is an important milestone in the College of Charlestons trajectory to becoming the primary provider of engineering, computer science, data science and statistical analysis talent in the state of South Carolina.

Software Engineering

The new software engineering degree program will be the only such degree offered in South Carolina. In a partnership between the School of Languages, Cultures and World Affairs and the School of Sciences and Mathematics, the new degree will require students to complete computer science coursework, software engineering courses and a minor in foreign language/cultural studies.

Renee McCauley, chair of the Department of Computer Science, says this new degree will help graduates better adapt to the ever-changing workplace.

Most computing graduates become software engineers when they enter the workforce. This is one of the most common types of careers, but traditional computing degrees do not necessarily fully prepare students for such a career  making the onboarding process more lengthy, says McCauley. Having a degree program specifically in software engineering adds a new dimension of instruction that targets this key career pathway, differentiating the Department of Computer Science as a leader in this space.

According to a recent report by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, software development positions are expected to grow by 22% in the next eight years. Currently, there are over 400 open positions for software engineers in South Carolina with over 80 of those jobs in the Charleston area.

Statistics

The Department of Mathematics will house the new degree in statistics.

The new degree will be the retooling of the departments longstanding statistics concentration to establish a stand-alone statistics major. The new major will consist of the current existing courses, with the addition of a capstone requirement.

Department of Mathematics Chair Elizabeth Jurisich says creating a stand-alone major in statistics will greatly enhance the College of Charlestons ability to market this program and grow the technical workforce pipeline for the Lowcountry and beyond.

For students who choose the B.S. in statistics as their major, their specialty will be communicated more clearly to potential employers, research and internship supervisors, and graduate programs, says Jurisich. This will make it easier for students to combine the major with various complementary minors including economics, data science and biology, to name a few.

A recent report finds that statisticians are currently one of the fastest growing occupations in the United States. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 34% increase in statistics jobs over the next eight years.

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ORLANDO, Fla, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immune Therapeutics, Inc. (OTC:BB IMUN), a specialty pharmaceutical company involved in the development, commercialization, distribution and marketing of novel, patented therapies to combat chronic, life-threatening diseases through the activation and modulation of the bodys immune system, today announced that it will expand its Board of Directors from two to five members.

Joining the Board effective May 31st, 2022, will be Dr. Stephen Wilson, Dr. Clifford Selsky, and Mr. Robert Wilson who were appointed for interim terms until such time as an annual meeting of shareholders can be organized to provide a formal vote on the candidates.

Dr. Stephen Wilson. Dr. Wilson is a trained immunologist with more than 25 years of experience in biomedical research and executive management. He is the Chief Innovation Officer of Statera Biopharma, Inc. and an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California, San Diego. Prior, he served as Chief Operating Officer at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology; during his tenure the Institute grew from $14M in annual R&D to become a global leader in immunology research with nearly $1B in total operations as well as ranked #1 place to work in the world by The Scientist magazine. His original research has been published in high impact journals, and he has served as principal or co-principal investigator on more than $75M in competitive grants and awards, most recently developing the 2021 X-Prize winning rapid CoVID-19 diagnostic test. Dr. Wilson has served as an advisor to elite medical research organizations, served on national boards and is a founding scientist and board member of Invivoscribe Technologies, Inc., a leading molecular diagnostics and oncology therapeutics company. Dr. Wilson earned his doctorate from the University of Arizonas College of Medicine in Immunology, and was a fellow of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Selsky has been a practicing pediatrician in Central Florida for the past twenty years. He is the founder of the Childrens Center for Cancer and Blood Disease at Florida Hospital cancer institute, which he established after training in pediatrics at Yale New Haven hospital and completing a pediatric hematology and oncology fellowship at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Selsky is board certified in Pediatrics, Pediatric hematology and oncology and Palliative medicine. Currently, he is a pediatrician at Family First Pediatrics which he established in 2013.

Also, an accomplished scientist, Dr. Selsky obtained his PH.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He then did DNA repair research studies at the radiobiology laboratory at Harvard School of Public Health and the biophysics laboratory at Stanford University.

Mr. Wilson has spent more than 25 years building and launching companies. As a business strategist, retail marketer and content developer, Robert is experienced is assessing business situations, conducting research, creating strategic plans, recommending solutions to management, monitoring competitors, and measuring the results of marketing strategies. Robert has been involved in securing more than $150 million in early round and angel funding, developing launch and pivot strategies, and identifying growth opportunities for more than two dozen public companies ranging from the energy sector and electric vehicles to healthcare and lifestyle brands.

Note: Dr. Stephen Wilson and Mr. Robert Wilson are not related.

Kevin Phelps, CEO commented; We are pleased to welcome our new members to the Board. The Company is at an inflection point in development of its strategy and the experience and skills of these individuals will be invaluable moving forward. We are fortunate to be able to attract such talent.

Terms under which the Board Members will be compensated have not been finalized, but new members have requested deferment of their compensation until the Company has attained strategic funding and operational objectives.
Los Angeles, California, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- All journalists and other readers should disregard the news release, SorBabes Expands to PNW Costco Stores issued June 1, 2022, over GlobeNewswire.
Stellantis and LG Energy Solution announced NextStar Energy Inc. as the official name of its battery joint-venture company. (Earlier post.) Danies Lee has been appointed chief executive officer (CEO) of the new company. NextStar Energy will be Canadas first large-scale lithium-ion battery production plant.

Stellantis and LG Energy Solution committed to invest more than $5 billion CAD ($4.1 billion USD) to establish automotive battery operations in Windsor, Ontario, with support from the municipal, provincial and federal levels of the Canadian government.

The manufacturing facility is targeted to have an annual production capacity in excess of 45 gigawatt hours (GWh) and will create an estimated 2,500 new jobs in Windsor and the surrounding areas. Plant construction activities are expected to begin later this year with production operations planned to launch in the first quarter of 2024.

NextStar Energy will play an important role in the Stellantis Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, which aims to have more than 50% BEV sales in North America by the end of the decade.

Lee has held a series of global and regional sales and marketing roles for the promotion of lithium-ion batteries at LG Chem since 2001. He was responsible for US market sales and was based in San Jose, California, from 2015 to 2018. Most recently, he oversaw the sales and program management of key EV battery programs for the North American market. Lee will be moving to Windsor, Ontario, in the coming months. He holds a masters degree in international studies from Korea University, as well as an MBA from Duke University.

The closing of the battery joint-venture company is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
SafeAI, a global leader in autonomous heavy equipment, announced a collaboration with Siemens today to create an autonomous, zero emission heavy vehicle fleet for Obayashi Corporation. SafeAI and Siemens will work with Obayashi Corporation, a Japan-based global leader in construction, to create smarter, safer, more sustainable and productive construction sites.





SafeAI and Obayashi originally announced their partnership in October 2020, beginning with a pilot site in Cupertino. Together, the two companies set out to address common pain points across constructionincluding unsafe working conditions, labor shortages and rampant inefficiencieswith autonomous solutions. Since then, they have successfully tested and deployed an articulated autonomous dump truck to complete more than 580 load-haul-dump cycles.

SafeAI and Siemens signed an agreement in May 2021 to work jointly on retrofitting off-road heavy vehicles for autonomy, zero-emission and connected applications, due to the increasing convergence of these three mega-trends in vehicles. SafeAI brings its powerful, scalable AI-powered retrofit autonomy to the collaboration, while Siemens provides its industry-leading hardware and software capabilities in zero-emission powertrains, and the necessary infrastructure to operate these vehicles.

Earlier this year, a fleet of 300 construction trucksranging from 45 - 65 tons and operated by Obayashi Corporationwas identified to be retrofitted for autonomy and zero-emission. In May 2022, the companies began retrofitting the first 45 ton vehicle, which is expected to be ready by the end of 2022. The collaboration will continue scaling across the entire fleet over a three year period.

Unlike passenger cars, full electrification of heavy vehicles is still at a nascent stage. However, with improving maturity of technology, total cost of ownership, government incentives and regulations, there will be more than four million zero emission heavy vehicles deployed by 2030.

Beyond the zero-emission benefit, electric vehicles also offer improved performance, negligible maintenance costs and longer uptime and life, improving productivity and reliability while lowering costs. For this project, it is estimated that the total cost of ownership for the retrofitted electric vehicle will be 15-30% less than that of the original internal combustion engine vehicle.

Heavy vehicle retrofit for autonomy and zero emission is an innovative yet cost-effective solution that will fast-track adoption of sustainable technologies for heavy vehicles. Not to forget, retrofit is a form of reuse or recycle and hence in line with circular economy principles to better meet net zero goals. Combined with creative financing models and rigorous focus on safety, there could be as many retrofitted zero emission heavy vehicles as newly built zero emission heavy vehicles by 2030. Theres a tremendous opportunity ahead for companies across industries like construction, mining, harbor and agriculture to reduce their carbon footprint, all while improving operations and lowering costs. In partnership with pioneers like SafeAI and Obayashi Corporation, we can imagine a more sustainable future for these industries. Zubin Sarkar, Head of Strategy, Business Development and Marketing at Siemens Commercial Vehicles

The project also incorporates unique features from Siemens such as an autonomous-pantograph to enable automatic charging and an autonomy analytics suite to ensure a wide array of reliable and safe applications.

Simulytic, a new Siemens AG venture, has been established to help accelerate the deployment of autonomous vehicles by offering a trustworthy platform accessible to regulators, government, insurance, tech developers and operators alike.

By creating a digital replica of the autonomous vehicle in its deployment environment, we can use our simulation technology to provide independent safety and performance analytics for both SafeAI and Obayashi. Andy Gill, Chief Operating Officer at Simulytics

The retrofit project will be engineered by a system integrator known for its expertise in electrification and mechatronics of trucks, AVIA Engineering.

This partnership follows on the heels of a year of significant growth for SafeAI, including expansion into Australia, Canada, Japan and India, the release of its industry-first operating system, the SafeAI Autonomous Framework (SAF) and a game changing partnership announcement with MACA, Ltd and Position Partners to deploy 100 autonomous vehicles.
Stellantis N.V. and Controlled Thermal Resources Ltd. (CTR) signed a binding offtake agreement for CTR to supply battery-grade lithium hydroxide for use in Stellantis North America electrified vehicle production.

CTRs Hells Kitchen Project in Californias Imperial County (earlier post) will recover lithium from geothermal brines using renewable energy and steam to produce battery-grade lithium products in an integrated, closed-loop process, eliminating the need for evaporation brine ponds, open pit mines and fossil-fueled processing.

CTR will supply Stellantis with up to 25,000 metric tons per year of lithium hydroxide over the 10-year term of the agreement. Stellantis announced in late 2021 a similar supply deal to support its European vehicle production.

As part of the Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, Stellantis announced plans to have global annual battery-electric vehicle sales of 5 million vehicles by 2030, reaching 100% of passenger car BEV sales mix in Europe and 50% passenger car and light-duty truck BEV sales mix in North America. Stellantis also increased planned battery capacity by 140 GWh to approximately 400 GWh, to be supported by five battery manufacturing plants in Europe and North America, together with additional supply contracts.

CTR will produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate along with geothermal energy in Imperial County, California, with a resource production capacity in excess of 300,000 metric tons per year.
Toyota Motor is introducing the O-Uchi Kyuden System, a home storage battery system based on its electrified vehicle battery technology. Pre-orders for the system have started, and sales in Japan will begin in August through home builders and general construction companies.

The O-Uchi Kyuden System uses electrified vehicle battery technology such as Toyotas battery control to provide a rated capacity of 8.7 kWh and a rated output of 5.5 kWh. This ensures safety and provides a supply of electricity to the entire home not just in normal situations, but even during power outages caused by natural disasters.





O-Uchi Kyuden System and sample installation.

In addition, by linking with a photovoltaic system, it can supply the appropriate amount of electricity based on customer needs throughout the day and night. Toyota believes that using this system will encourage the use of solar power.





O-Uchi Kyuden System configuration diagram

The system supports supplying power from electrified vehicles (HEV, PHEV, BEV, FCEV) at 100V AC, and can use electricity stored in electrified vehicles as a backup power source during power outages.

In addition, future moves to IoT using a wireless LAN router connected to a hybrid power conditioner allow for storage capacity, operation mode, and other settings to be viewed and set in real-time from a dedicated app on a smartphone or tablet (as of now, only available in Japanese).
GREENWICH  A year after Public Consulting Group released a critical review of the special education services in the Greenwich Public Schools, the firm returned to the district with an optimistic progress report.

GPS has made a strong, public commitment to improving education services and supports in the district, to positively changing the experience that students with disabilities have in school, and to developing genuine partnerships with parents. This is evidenced by the time and financial commitment GPS has made not only to seeing the Action Plan through to completion but by the ambitious goals it set and the progress already made, the report said in a brief overview.

PCG tracked the districts steps toward meeting 28 of its priority recommendations, which the department placed into its 2021-24 action plan.

The 2021-22 school year report rates the implementation of the recommendations as beginning, emerging, partially implemented, consistent or fully implemented. PCG labeled all 28 of the recommendations as at least emerging, with 21 partially implemented or better.

Stacey Heiligenthaler, the districts chief officer of special education and student supports, presented a summary of the report and next steps during Thursday nights Board of Education meeting.

A lot of this school year was setting the foundation, so next year is moving forward with more school-based implementation. A lot of the things weve talked about and that weve done are district-based but setting up what are the expectations  so that we can move to a more school-based implementation next year, Heiligenthaler told the board.

A committee has been crafting a new multitiered system of support (MTSS) manual  which Heiligenthaler said is soon to be complete. MTSS is a process of providing assistance to students who are beginning to struggle in class.

PCG said the MTSS recommendations are partially implemented, with steps taken to create the new system, which includes committee members testing parts of the draft.

Heiligenthaler spoke about intentional professional development practices. This year, educators were required to attend workshops; in the past, they were given optional access, the report says with a consistent rating.

Im very impressed with the professional development that has been done  that stuff that we have been asking and asking and asking for our general education teachers, school board member Karen Hirsh said.

There are no staff members in the district who are certified to train others who have no background knowledge of physical management training, a method for deescalating behavioral issues. Heiligenthaler said they focus on deescalation and not restraints, a controversial strategy in special education.

Behavioral staff will be certified to train others in the district, avoiding the otherwise necessary trip to Middletown, Heiligenthaler said.

General education teachers will also receive training to benefit special education students, but it will be on Universal Design for Learning, or a framework for creating a classroom that works for a variety of learners, she said.

The district is planning other steps to benefit students with learning disabilities in the general education classroom as well as a group called twice exceptional, meaning they have a learning disability and are honors students.

Heiligenthaler said an internal committee will be formed and begin working on a manual that explores best practices for twice exceptional students.

Each of Greenwich High Schools houses, or student groups, will receive an additional special education teacher to support academic labs. Heiligenthaler said the shift in student population, which includes moving a teacher from a middle school, allowed the department to staff the positions.

The newest roles, announced earlier this year, are a department-wide inclusion specialist, reading lab teacher, kindergarten and first-grade co-teachers and a teacher for the unique-learner-program classroom. The unique learner program is a dedicated classroom to students the state gives an alternate set of goals, often surrounding life skills.

School board member Laura Kostin asked about the interest in the co-teaching classes and the unique learner program, all which will be in Cos Cob School.

The incoming kindergarten classroom is full, but parents have been more hesitant to leave other school campuses to enroll their students in the first-grade class, Heiligenthaler said. The unique learner program classroom also has a small roster.

I think theres interest but also hesitation, which I can totally understand. You cant see it; you cant visit it. Were in the process of hiring, she said. I think once we have hired the teacher, that makes it a little bit easier because then theres a person to meet.

School board member Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony inquired about the expansion of co-teaching, continuing his support for the method since the district introduced the program.

I think the conversation that we still have to have around PCG is what do we mean when were talking about expanding our continuum of services, particularly around co-teaching, he said. On the one end is co-teaching a specific program for a very small niche of students or is it our primary service delivery model, like in other districts?

He suggested looking at other districts in Connecticut and in Westchester County for examples.

Despite questions that pushed for growth, he first complimented the work of Heiligenthaler, Superintendent Toni Jones and their colleagues.

If you go back and look at the public comments from meetings three years ago, four years ago, if you listen to the justifiable anger and grief that so many in our community had in talking about where our special education programs were, this report signifies how much weve done since then, he said.

I definitely, when going through the (PCG) audit process last year, did not expect to see so much positive change in such a short window of time, Hirsh said. And yes, were not done. We have more to go.

The Special Education Advisory Committees report, presented May 19, also lauded the progress made but expressed a desire for more.

annelise.hanshaw@hearstmediact.com
The EU has been trying to get makers of smartphones and other portable electronics to standardize on a common charger port since the microUSB days. Eventually most of the industry settled on USB-C, except for one black sheep  Apple. Cupertino has been arguing against a common port for years now, but the battle may end just days from now.

EU lawmakers and representatives of EU countries are expected to make the final decision on June 7 (Tuesday), reports Reuters. Insiders say that smartphones, tablets and wireless headphones will be required to use a USB-C port for charging. Note that this is for the port on the device itself, the loophole of providing an adapter will no longer apply.

Some decisions are yet to be finalized  certain lawmakers are pushing for laptops to be included in the regulations as well. Many laptops already use USB-C, but there are plenty that still use a basic barrel plug as well. This requirement would impact certain manufacturers (ironically, not Apple), so there is opposition.

A USB-C to Lightning cable

The next battle will be over wireless charging  the EU may demand support for a common standard by 2025. However, some countries and the EU Commission are asking for a longer transitional period for technical reasons. Anyway, its not clear what rules the EU has in mind. These days most phones that support wireless charging can fall back to Qi (but prefer to use faster proprietary tech).

Analysts are already reporting that Apple has begun testing iPhones with USB-C, which are set to come out in 2023 (this years models will stick to Lightning). Some reports claim that Apple is also preparing an adapter that will allow consumers to continue using their old Lightning accessories with the upcoming USB-C packing iPhones. That might be available separately, but is unlikely to be included in the retail package  the iPhone 5 didnt come with a 30-pin to Lightning adapter, for example.

Source | Via
The first beta of One UI 4.5 is now out for the Samsung Galaxy Watch4

Samsung recently announced the first ever public beta program for its Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic smartwatch ranges, and today the first beta build has gone out to those who've enrolled their wearables. This is labeled One UI Watch 4.5, based on Wear OS 3.5 (up from 3.2). Enrollment to the beta program may only be available in South Korea and the US.

If you want to partake, you need to go into the Samsung Members app on a Samsung phone linked to the watch, and be signed into the same Samsung account on the phone and the watch. Then if you're in an eligible region, you'll see a banner inside the Members app, advertising the beta program to you. From there it's as easy as registering and waiting to be let in. Once you are in, you'll get the first beta build as a software update for your watch.



New watch faces in One UI Watch 4.5 for the Galaxy Watch4

This release comes with a user interface for dual-SIM functionality, improved notifications with subtext field support, as well as enhancements to the built-in keyboard, including for voice input and handwriting support. There are also more options for setting alarms.



Even more new watch faces for the Galaxy Watch4

Above you can see the new included watch faces. It's unclear how long this beta program will last before Samsung decides to send out a similar update to all devices. There may or may not be further beta builds before that, it's all a mystery at this point, but what's clear is that, in the near future, your Galaxy Watch4 or Watch4 Classic will get some new and improved features.

Source 1 | Source 2 | Via
Xiaomi India today announced leadership changes for the next phase of growth as it reinforces its commitment to the Indian market.

Xiaomi has announced the appointment of Mr. Alvin Tse as the General Manager of the Indian branch, who previously led the company's business in Indonesia, which will now be headed by Mr. Wentao Zhao.

Dear @XiaomiIndonesia friends & fans, today marks the end of my Indonesia chapter & the beginning of a new chapter in India. Post my transition, I will join hands with @xiaomiindia leadership team & continue to deliver amazing products at honest pricing to everyone pic.twitter.com/ihfJa72sun  Alvin Tse (@atytse) June 3, 2022

Tse is the founding member of Xiaomi Global and Poco, and post his transition, he will join hands with Xiaomi India's current leadership team comprising Mr. Muralikrishnan B (Chief Operating Officer), Mr. Raghu Reddy (Chief Business Officer), and Mr. Sameer BS Rao (Chief Financial Officer).

The trio has been leading the company's Indian business since Mr. Manu Jain - former Managing Director of Xiaomi India - transitioned to a global role as the Group Vice President and is currently responsible for Xiaomi's international strategy, including marketing and PR.

This leadership rejig also marks the return of Mr. Anuj Sharma to Xiaomi India as its Chief Marketing Officer, who moved to Poco in 2020 to lead its business in India.

Many of you have asked me about my current role. Hope this clarifies.



I moved abroad ~one year ago to assume a global role within the group. Exciting new journey.



Congratulations to Alvin @atytse! And all the best to the @XiaomiIndia team. Onwards to the next level of growth! https://t.co/vRsB1QuWgu  Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) June 3, 2022

These organizational changes at Xiaomi India come at a time when the brand is under scrutiny by the Indian government for breaching foreign laws. The country's Enforcement Directorate had also put Manu Jain under investigation and seized Xiaomi India's assets worth INR55.5 billion ($715 million at current exchange rates) in connection with the illegal outward remittances made by the company.

In response, Xiaomi India said that all their "operations are firmly compliant with local laws and regulations," and they are "committed to working closely with government authorities to clarify any misunderstandings."
Hinemoana Baker, Maori and Pakeha poet and performer will be teaching poetry workshops as part of Humanities Guahans Sangani i Taotao ni Estoria-ta, Telling Our Stories: Contemporary Pacific Writers in a Global World
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Steven Kasperbauer, Alupang Beach Club president, addresses members of the local media as he and other Guam Travel & Tourism Association directors hold a press conference at the Tumon Sands Plaza May 24, 2022.
Guam is seeing a small uptick in locally reported cases this past week, according to Department of Public Health and Social Services officials.

Territorial Epidemiologist Ann Pobutsky said during a media briefing on Friday that the current average number of cases is 40 per day, and about 7.5% of COVID-19 tests come back positive per week. The recent uptick is in comparison to last weeks report of 30 cases per day and a 6% positivity rate per week.

Its what we expected to see after all the graduations and the holiday weekend, said Pobutsky, adding that due to the rise in cases, testing slightly increased over the past week.

On Friday, Public Health reported 62 new cases of COVID-19 from 641 specimens. Nine of the cases were from the Department of Defense. There were also nine people hospitalized with COVID on Friday. Seven of those were vaccinated, and two were not.

While there is an increase in cases from all age groups, the recent highest count comes from those ages 18 to 39. The majority of those cases continue to be asymptomatic.

Pobutsky said the rise in this age group is a concern because they are the majority of working adults and are most likely to spread the virus throughout the community.

Dr. Bob Leon Guerrero, Public Healths acting chief medical officer, said the virus mostly impacts those over 50 years old but that this population, does not live in a vacuum.

They (50-year-olds) have a lot of contact with younger individuals who are asymptomatic. You may not know it, but you may be passing it to one of your elderly relatives who can get sick and may be hospitalized, Leon Guerrero said.

There was a slight increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations since mid-May, however, the number of people in the intensive care unit had not gone up, Pobutsky said.

Leon Guerrero added that the community needs to continue practicing the COVID safety guidelines.

The situation is not as bad as when the pandemic first started, but cases are starting to go up again, so people need to practice the three Ws and those who are not vaccinated get vaccinated, and if you are, get your booster shot, said Leon Guerrero.

There have been a total of 49,324 officially reported cases on Guam, and there are 387 active cases, according to the Joint Information Center.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero on Thursday extended the public health emergency for another month, until July 4.
Officer negligence  rather than problems with the prison facility  has been involved in most of the escapes from the Department of Corrections, according to Director Robert Camacho.

We can have the best facilities and we can have the best policies in place but what it all boils down to is officer responsibility, Camacho said at a press conference Friday.

On Thursday morning two detainees, Joluo Soiken and TK Umulap escaped from the quarantine unit at DOCs Mangilao facility. Umulap was recaptured at Dairy Mart in Mangilao less than 30 minutes after being out, while Soiken spent a little more than 24 hours out before being taken back into custody at the Hagatna Boat Basin Friday morning.

Although the escape is under investigation by both DOC and the Guam Police Department, Camacho said Soiken and Umulap were two of three inmates in the quarantine facility with one officer on guard.

Camacho added the men are in maximum level confinement and could be facing criminal charges from the Office of the Attorney General.

Escapes

Since November 2021, four detainees have escaped from the quarantine facility.

In November 2021, Anthony Luis Parteko Camacho escaped the facility after guards reportedly watched TikTok and made false logbooks to account for the prisoners. Camacho was captured about six hours later with his brother.

Two corrections officers, Makino James and Jeremy Flores, were fired after the escape. They are appealing with the Civil Service Commission.

In April, detainee KD Arason escaped, and another officer will be facing disciplinary actions.

Camacho said there was also a recent escape attempt.

A couple of weeks ago we had another attempted escape, however the officer found that individual climbing the fence and he was captured beforehand, so he did not escape, so it all again boils down to officer responsibility, Camacho said.

Solutions

Camacho said he wants to make changes to the quarantine facility, which is located outside of the main prison and surrounded by barbed wire.

We might have to consider looking at moving that COVID facility inside, Camacho said.

The prison is also expecting to have more guards complete their training, which Camacho emphasized as a priority for preventing future escapes.

If you dont lock the gate, if you dont do the checks, if you dont monitor the fence line, those are the critical points we need to make, and we do a lot of intensive training, so its not like we dont provide the proper training, Camacho said.

Majority of our officers are very strong and will do their jobs professionally, but unfortunately we have some that become complacent and it gets very easy to do when youre on 12-hour shifts.
Five of the six men charged in connection to the shooting and machete attacks at Paseo de Susanas east parking lot have been released from confinement and one has had the charges against him dropped.

After several videos captured men carrying handguns, wielding machetes and damaging vehicles last Friday night in the Hagatna park, six men were arrested, charged and confined at the Department of Corrections.

Evin Pangelinan, 20, Kyle Topasna, 20, Marson Kintin, 23, Karey Willey, 18, were placed on conditional release. If they dont follow the conditions of release, which include not contacting codefendants and victims or possessing drugs, alcohol and firearms, the men will be subject to paying personal recognizance bonds and possibly be put back in jail, court documents state.

Handerson Sony, 28, was released from confinement after Magistrate Judge Jonathan Quan dismissed the charges without prejudice due to lack of probable cause.

The sixth man, Narson Marsian, 23, remains confined on charges connected the Paseo incident, along with a terrorizing case from this year and a felony and misdemeanor case from 2020.

According to charging documents, Topasna and Pangelinan fired shots into the air with a gun from Willey after seeing men carrying machetes and damaging vehicles.

Marsian, Sony and Kintin were charged in connection to wielding machetes they used to damage vehicles and chase people after hearing shots were fired, documents state.

Parking closed

Due to the criminal activity that occurred, Department of Parks and Recreation Director Roque Alcantara said in a mews release that the parking lot will be closed 6 p.m.-6 a.m. from Friday evening to Sunday morning.

According to a release from acting Guam Police Department spokesman Sgt. Paul Tapao, the investigation remains open and ongoing. He couldnt indicate how many more arrests there could be.
Prosecutors want to exclude police reports deemed as evidence in the case involving a former prison deputy director accused of felonious restraint.

On Friday, attorneys argued over a motion filed in the case of former Department of Corrections Deputy Director Joey Terlaje in Superior Court.

Assistant Attorney General Leonardo Rapadas asked that 11 Guam Police Department reports dated between 2001 and 2015 be taken out of evidence. The reports, according to the motion, mentioned an anonymous individual, J.S., who had never been prosecuted in connection to the reports.

Rapadas said because the individual was never prosecuted, the GPD reports should have been automatically expunged from their record and not be used in future cases.

Both Judge Alberto E. Tolentino and Terlajes attorney Joaquin Jay Arriola said that just because someone is not prosecuted does not mean reports are gone from their record.

I wonder if youve ever seen automatic expungement without a court order and that something disappears or is automatically wiped off the face of the earth when its been reduced into writing and so forth. Isnt it a requirement that a court order the expungement? Tolentino asked Rapadas.

Arriola joined in on Tolentinos reasoning, but also added J.S. was accused of being present at the 2017 barbecue that is central to Terlajes case.

J.S. is alleged to have been present during the alleged felonious restraint, said Arriola.

Now if J.S. is maybe just as culpable as Mr. Terlaje in this case, then this evidence is all relevant because it is exculpatory as to whether Mr. Terlaje committed the offense, Arriola added.

After hearing arguments, Tolentino decided to review the documents himself to decide whether they should be used.

Terlajes next hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
In an effort to increase the retention of law enforcement officers, a plan to standardize ranks for Guam officers will be moving forward with the Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission.

Standardizing the rank structure is the first step toward dealing with pay disparities that cause officers to leave.

The POST Commission unveiled a proposed Guam Law Enforcement Officer General Force Structure Leadership Tier on Friday and is aiming to come up with a final draft toward the end of June, said chairperson and Chief of Customs Vince Perez.

The plan is to come up with standard ranks, one through 15, based on training and authority, which the POST Commission will then slot officers from each agency into.

You have a multitude of different law enforcement agencies, with their own rank structure, Perez said.

When youre looking at the duties and responsibilities, in addition to what they learned in their training centers, you can kind of come up with a general standard across the board and say that this (rank) should kind of equate to this. But in quite a few cases, the duties and responsibilities dont really seem to match up as far as pay is concerned.

For example, a lieutenant working for one agency might have the same level of responsibility as a sergeant in the Guam Police Department, he said, but still hold a higher rank.

The new structure is based on how ranks are handled in the military, where each branch has a different mission but standardized ranks.

Roadblock

But while a new standardized force structure can be ironed out, the POST Commission doesnt have the resources to finalize a new pay structure on its own, Perez said.

A comparison done last year found that starting pay for an officer at GPD was $11.87 an hour, while officers at the Guam Airport Authority and Customs & Quarantine Agency began at $13.44. Officers at the Guam Port Authority, the highest paying entry-level agency on island, started at $18.19 an hour.

Law enforcement did see an 18% increase in base pay at the start of this year, but the increase was across the board.

Sorting out how to handle that issue was a tall order, Perez said. The POST Commission, which has three members, no full-time staff, and has not been able to hire a full-time executive director, does not have the resources.

The authority for them to create a new force structure and a standardized pay structure was granted in the budget law for fiscal year 2022, and gave them until this October to complete the task.

In order to develop a pay structure, we really need to hire somebody to do it, he said, but there was no funding available for the commission to do so.

Cooperation, career advancement

Theres also a need for standardized ranking in a world where law enforcement agencies are cooperating more and more due to new federal mandates, Perez said.

Many years ago it was compartmentalized, the police department does its own, customs does its own, corrections does its own but if you take a look around we have task forces that operate collectively, Perez said.

Beyond that, the plan is also an opportunity for the POST Commission to standardize education and training requirements for entry-level officers to move up through the early ranks. The current requirements for advancement through law enforcement agencies on Guam are often unclear, and vary from agency to agency, according to Perez.

Making it clearer is meant to incentivize new officers to learn the basics of their job more thoroughly, and set a clear path for career advancement.
This years Shieh Su Ying Scholar Athlete finalists, from left: Emily Walton of Harvest Christian Academy; Thomas Moylan of Father Duenas Memorial School; Bridgette Oh of Guam Adventist Academy; Mark Imazu of John F. Kennedy High School; Jadyn Palomares of St. Johns School; Makayla Atoigue of Notre Dame High School; and Coleman S.K. Pool of Harvest Christian Academy.




Haiti - Politic : D-3, The Crisis in Haiti on the agenda of the USA at the Summit of the Americas





As part of the Summit of the Americas to be held in Los Angeles (USA) from June 6 to 20, 2022, the United States will discuss the Haitian crisis with the leaders of the region confirmed Brian A. Nichols, Undersecretary of Deputy State for Western Hemisphere Affairs.



He said that the United States is focusing on several elements that can benefit the Haitian people, among which he cited access to health and migration issues "Access to health is part of these issues, changes in our way of approaching certain economic issues, obviously migration, which is an area in which we must do more to support and engage Haiti, there are many interesting things in this area," Nichols said at a press conference called by the US State Department.



Regarding the presence of Venezuela and Cuba at the Summit, Brian A. Nichols clarified that the list of invitees was not yet closed and that he would announce the final list very soon, which includes not only presidents, but also observers and other leaders. Note that Acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry was officially invited to this Summit.



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Imminent intervention against gangs ?

According to government officials, trade unionists and civil society leaders in the South, an intervention against the armed gangs of Martissant is imminent.



Voodoo : New ATI at the head of the KNVA

King Augustin Saint-Clou has been appointed as the new ATI at the head of the "Konfederasyon Nasyonal Vodou Ayisyen" (KNVA). He replaces Carl Henry Desmornes in this position



The Great South replaces the strike by an ultimatum

The indefinite strike announced for Thursday June 2 in the Great South has been canceled by the unions, which have given the Government a 15-day ultimatum to resolve the problem of insecurity in Martissant.



PNH : kidnapping foiled, kidnapper killed, accomplices injured

An individual who was trying to kidnap a citizen at Nazon earlier this week was fatally injured in exchanges of fire with police officers from Delmas who were nearby. During these clashes, several other of his accomplices were injured but managed to flee in their vehicle. The Police recovered an assault rifle in this intervention.



The PM will go to the Summit of the Americas

While doubts hovered over the participation of the Head of Government in the Summit of the Americas scheduled for June 6 to 10 in Los Angeles, Prime Minister Ariel Henry was finally invited. The information was confirmed by the summit's national coordinator, Kevin O'Reilly, during a hearing before the US Senate. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36820-haiti-politic-d-3-the-crisis-in-haiti-on-the-agenda-of-the-usa-at-the-summit-of-the-americas.html



Reopening of 2 schools in Martissant

On May 30 Bruno Maes Representative of UNICEF in Haiti accompanied Nesmy Manigat, the Minister of National Education for the reopening in Martissant, of the Republican School of Peru and the National School of Application of Martissant, closed for nearly a year due to insecurity "Every child not attending school in Haiti is at risk of being exposed to abuse and violence," recalled the UNICEF Representative.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















By William Schwartz | Published on 2022/06/02

Lee Mu-saeng, Kim Jae-hwa, Yum Jung-ah, Jeon So-min and Na In-woo

On June 2nd JTBC held a press conference for "Cleaning Up" which will begin in the timeslot which "My Liberation Notes" recently vacated. Director Yoon Seong-sik was in attendance, as well as all five of the listed primary cast members. This includes Yum Jung-ah, Jeon So-min, Kim Jae-hwa, Lee Mu-saeng, and Na In-woo. The story deals with cleaning ladies who scheme to get rich off of stock trading based on their inside knowledge of the trading area where they work.

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Director Yoon Seong-sik commented that "Cleaning Up" was unusual compared to his previous works, which include "Bridal Mask" and "Hwarang" among many others, in that the characters are common people with no real stake in society. They have nothing to lose, which results in a fundamentally different kind of conflict. All they have to protect are their own people. As the lead character is drawn into crime, so too is the viewer led to her sadness, loneliness, and joy.

Director Yoon Seong-sik also described "Cleaning Up" as a crime caper helmed chiefly by women, and said that for this reason he thought many people had high hopes for it. In comparison to the British drama on which "Cleaning Up" is based, director Yoon Seong-sik said that his version has more of a lighter touch. Yoon Seong-sik says that rather than just being a descent into crime, emotion and humor is also critical to both tone and tension, and that his leading lady Yum Jung-ah is more relatable by contrast.

Yum Jung-ah, for her part, likewise described her character in sympathetic terms, noting that she works twenty five hours a day to provide for her two daughters as a single mother. Yum Jung-ah noted that for her character, the premise is not illegality, but opportunity. Yum Jung-ah claimed that she went for a naturalistic tone along these lines, in part because Yum Jung-ah felt that in her own life as well she had moments similar to those of her character.

Elsewhere, Jeon So-min spoke of her character, a food truck operator. Kim Jae-hwa plays a character whose work has promoted a very persuasive skill set on her part. All three female leads work together to form a strategy, while Lee Mu-saeng plays a more mysterious character and Na In-woo plays the doctorate seeking son of Yum Jung-ah's character. "Cleaning Up" will begin airing on JTBC on June 4th at 10:30 in the evening, running for Saturdays and Sundays thereafter.

Written by William Schwartz

___________

"Cleaning Up" is directed by Yoon Seong-sik, written by Choi Kyung-mi, and features Yum Jung-ah, Jeon So-min, Kim Jae-hwa, Lee Mu-saeng, Na In-woo, Jang Shin-young. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2022/06/04~Upcoming, Sat, Sun 22:30 on JTBC.
Published on 2022/06/02 | Source

Actress Kim Sae-ron, who caused the drunk driving accident, conducted a blood collection test and found that the blood alcohol concentration at the time was at the level of license cancellation.

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Her agency Gold Medalist said on the 1st, "First of all, we apologize for causing concern about Kim Sae-ron", adding, "We have not received the results of the blood collection test from the police. If the investigation schedule is set according to the test results, it will be faithfully received. Once again, we're sorry".

The Gangnam Police Station in Seoul was notified of the results of Kim Sae-ron's blood collection test by the National Forensic Service the previous day. The blood alcohol concentration exceeded 0.08%, which was the level of license cancellation. The police are coordinating the attendance schedule for Kim Sae-ron and her passenger, and will send her to the prosecution after further investigation. Kim Sae-ron is known to have appointed a lawyer.

On the 18th, Kim Sae-ron crashed into guardrails and trees along the street several times while driving in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

As a transformer broke down due to the accident, the electricity supply to 57 nearby stores was cut off for about three hours.

At the time of the accident, Kim Sae-ron tested positive for a breathalyzer test, and refused to measure the blood alcohol concentration, so she returned home after a blood collection test at the hospital.

Kim Sae-ron dropped out of the SBS drama "Trolley" which was about to be filmed soon. The Netflix series "Bloodhounds" which has finished filming Kim Sae-ron, has not dropped her out yet, but it is discussing whether she will be edited or released.
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(This article is also available in German.)

The summer issue 2022 of the "We Are Developers!" magazine is included in the current issue of c't as well as the upcoming issue of iX. Additionally, it is available for download as a free PDF version. It targets an audience of professional software developers and covers a broad range of topics  from the future of web frameworks to possible attacks on machine learning systems and expert opinions on the state of Java. It also contains a tutorial for the programming language TypeScript.

The magazine is created by heise Developer in cooperation with the Vienna-based IT job platform WeAreDevelopers. For the first time, the magazine is published in English and includes articles by international authors. The summer issue is arriving in the run-up to the WeAreDevelopers World Congress on June 14 and 15 in Berlin, where some of the authors will be present.

Future Prospects for Web Development, Java, and Machine Learning

Nine interview partners and six authors share their knowledge on 42 pages. The most exciting developments in the Java world are highlighted in a detailed interview: Experts on the programming language give insights into their experiences with the upgrade to the LTS (long-term support) version Java 17, what they find interesting about the latest release, Java 18, and what features they would like to see implemented in the future.

The limitations of current web frameworks in the face of increasingly complex websites are also discussed in this issue, as well as the resulting demand for a new generation of web frameworks. As far as the future of machine learning is concerned, another article is dedicated to the question of how attacks on neural networks  so-called adversarial attacks  are designed and what defense methods exist. The authors use the example of autonomous driving to show which dangers may await and how developers can take this into account when training a model.

A Broader View

The international issue also features first-time authors who take a look at the bigger picture. One author shows how web developers can actively contribute to reducing CO 2 emissions by choosing energy-efficient programming languages or switching to green data centres. Another author explains the advantages of increasing gender diversity in the DevOps sector, which is currently very low, and possible ways to achieve this.

Free PDF Version

Subscribers to c't will receive the summer issue of the "We Are Developers!" magazine in issue 13/2022, subscribers to iX in issue 7/2022. The iX download area provides a free PDF version.

Based on the idea "Young Professionals Write for Young Professionals," the editorial team is open for submissions. In addition to the English-language summer issue, the "We Are Developers!" magazine is published in German twice a year as a Spring and a Fall edition.

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Funeral home business buys Shepherd property, plans to open there

Jimmy Altmeyer goes over paperwork with foreclosure sale trustee Jennifer Belter Formichella after the sale of the Shepherd property.

The Thos. Shepherd & Son Funeral Directors property will most likely reemerge from the ashes of a sensational business collapse to serve the community as a funeral home once more.



That looks to be the outcome of the forced sale of the South Church Street property on May 16 after the lender foreclosed. First Bank had initiated foreclosure in May of 2021 when Melody and Thomas R. Tom Shepherd stopped making payments on a $793,358 loan they took out against the property in March 2018. At the court-ordered sale of the prime downtown real estate, James E. Jimmy Altmeyer Jr., president of Altmeyer Funeral Homes & Crematory, outbid a commercial real estate investor after 24 volleys. Altmeyers bid of $2,025,000 stood after no one filed an upset bid within 10 days.

Were working hard to get it all renovated, Altmeyer said Friday from his home office in Virginia Beach, Va., where he had returned after spending the week in Hendersonville. Were going to paint and carpet and get it all spruced up so we can get it reopened as soon as possible.

He said he expects the renovations will take at least three months because in this day and age remodeling takes a little bit of time. He was talking to contractors this week and hoped to have one signed on soon for the work.

Were looking at hiring some people to operate the funeral and crematory business.

So that will be good for the community because he expects to hire local people. Altmeyer is making plans to appear before the N.C. Board of Funeral Service, which must approve the opening of a new funeral home. It would seem unlikely that the board would object to Altmeyers application, given its long history in the business and the fact that it already operates in North Carolina.

Founded in 1917 in Wheeling, West Virginia, Altmeyer Funeral Homes and Crematory operates funeral homes in that state and in Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida. The company owns Shuler and Forest Lawn funeral homes in Hendersonville and Mountain View Cremation & Funeral Care in Arden.

The reopening of the Church Street location as a funeral home and chapel is likely to be a comfort for families that have known and respected the Shepherds for generations and expected to have a funeral service in the stately brick building. When the Board of Funeral Service shut down Thos. Shepherd & Son Funeral Directors last December after finding numerous business violations, it seized around 600 preneed contracts. After first offering the contracts to Jackson Funeral Service, which turned them down, the board then trasnferred them to Shuler. (Consumers who have bought preneed contracts are allowed under the law to move the agreements to another funeral home at any time for any reason.)

They will definitely be given the opportunity to choose the building they want to use, Altmeyer said of the families that had purchased preneed contracts from Thos. Shepherd & Son.

The company hasnt settled on a name yet but will need to choose one before it appears before the Funeral Services Board to apply for a license, Altmeyer said.

My No. 1 goal right now is to get the building in condition to open, he said. Obviously, the funeral home has been in business for well over a hundred years and people have a family tradition and family history with it and were looking forward to offering outstanding service.

Its not clear what becomes of the balance between the sale price and the amount owed the lender. Not counting any attorney fees, court costs or other indebtedness against the property, the difference in the sale price and First Bank debt is $1,197,220.

Efforts to reach Melody Shepherd, who was widowed by Tom Shepherd's death on Dec. 31, and her attorney, Michael Edney, were not successful on Friday.

I just wish the best for Mrs. Shepherd, whatever her future might be, Altmeyer said. All I wish for her is a positive outcome.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - A total of 84 migrants of various nationalities who were heading for the European coastline on board a sinking inflatable boat were Friday rescued by Libyan coastguards
JERE BRITTAIN: Film documents Brysons' role in restoring elk to Chattaloochee

Ramona and Ray Bryson helped restore elk to the Cataloochee Valley.

Recently I received a phone call from my friend, neighbor and cousin, Lynn Bryson, inviting me to be an extra in a documentary her son Rick was creating for a competition sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Tourism.

Ricks entry would feature the role of the Brysons and others of Mills River in restoring elk in Western North Carolina. Part of the project involved reenactment of building the holding pens in Chattaloochee Valley in the Smokies. This segment was filmed at Lynns beautiful woodlot in South Mills River.

The filming session concluded with a delicious chili lunch served by Lynn and Ramona Bryson and provided an opportunity to meet some key members of the Smoky Mountain Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF). Joe Treadway, past chairman of RMEF led efforts to organize the local chapter. He said that the Smoky Mountain Chapter has raised more than two million dollars over the past twenty years, mainly through annual banquets and membership subscriptions.

Ray and Ramona Bryson of South Mills River are elk hunters who have played a leadership role in the successful restoration of elk at Chattaloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. They credit Kim Delozier with originating and implementing the bold plan to restore elk in the Smokies twenty years ago. Delozier, renowned for his knowledge of black bears, was head biologist for the Smoky Park during the re-introduction process. He led the complex negotiations with state and federal agencies to obtain permits for transporting the first 25 elk from Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky and Tennessee in 2001 and the second group of 27from Canada in 2002.

Before their release from the holding pens, each elk was fitted with a tracking collar for monitoring by students from the University of Tennessee. During the first calving season, only three out of eight calves survived due to depredation by bears. The second season, cow number 18 wandered seven miles away, as if to avoid the bears, and showed up a few days later with a healthy calf. At one critical point, biologist Delozier trapped and relocated several bears, enhancing the survival rate of calves. The current population is estimated to have grown to more than 400 head, spreading as far as Cherokee.

About fifteen years ago, grandson John and I were invited to join the Bryson and Sorrells families on a camping trip to Chattaloochee Valley. I can still vividly recall the thrilling sound of the bull elk mating bugle, something I never expected to hear in Western North Carolina. Thanks to the Brysons of Mills River and others who made this happen through hard work and stubborn belief that it could be done.

Journeying On 
City Council OKs 460 dwellings on farmland overlooking Jackson Park

The Hendersonville City Council Thursday night authorized a high-density development on the former Bo Thomas farm overlooking Jackson Park, turning back concerns of neighbors who urged the council to reject the development for traffic, environmental and scale reasons.

The developer sought the rezoning to build 300 apartments and 160 single-family homes on 162 acres between Forest Lawn Memorial Park and Jackson Park. The project had drawn opposition from neighboring homeowners during previous public hearings and residents on Thursday night implored the council to reject the rezoning. In a 3-2 vote, the council granted the request. Those who voted in favor said the need for housing and the developer's willingness to address concerns neighbors raised overrode concerns about traffic. Mayor Barbara Volk and council members Jennifer Hensley and Lyndsey Simpson voted in favor of the development; Jerry Smith and Debbie Roundtree cast no votes.

Project highlights included:

The developer plans to expand the right-of-way on Wilmont Drive from 30 to 70 feet.

The development would be made up of 13 apartment buildings of three stories and three-two split  270 two-bedroom units and 30 three-bedroom units  and would include a clubhouse and pool.

The project would address the shortage of both owner-occupied homes and rental housing, a staff report said.

"This site has been identified and valued for its natural resources for some time," the staff report said.

The developer agreed to sell six lots to Housing Assistance Corp. for $40,000 per lot for affordable homes.

Neighbors have raised concerns about flooding, traffic congestion, incompatibility with the current use and loss of farmland.

Internally, the plan includes sidewalks on both sides of all streets.

Endorsed by the Planning Board in a 4-2 vote, the Tracy Grove Road project was proposed by Mike Washburn.

"We're aware there is a severe shortage of housing in the area," he told the council. "The proximity to the town, it's amazing. It's a quick commute and that makes it very attractive as well as it's going to be walkable and bicyclable" via Jackson Park. "As far as affordability, we are working with Housing Assistance so they'll be able to build some affordable housing in there as well." The developer has been working with Conserving Carolina to preserve a large green space adjacent to Jackson Park.

About a mile east of downtown, the 62-acre site is mostly pasture with a large pond plus wetlands that the developer plans to preserve, the project's civil engineer said. The project's landscape architect said the plan would preserve 86 percent of the total acreage and save 62 percent of the trees and net 190 trees based on the number that will be cut down and the number of trees planted to replace them. A traffic impact study projected the development would generate 3,200 vehicle trips a day. The developer would have two access points  Wilmont Drive and a second drive near Forest Lawn.

Tom Fanslow, land protection director for Carolina Conservancy, said the conservancy has been interested for years in preserving the area around the "Four Seasons swamp" and the Bat Fork corridor. Fanslow said it's up to the council to decide whether the upland should be developed. "But this is the first time we've had the opportunity to restore and enhance the flood plain community," he said. Washburn offered to partner with Conserving Carolina on preservation of the land; he even suggested at first donating all the floodplain land but dropped that because he then could not have gotten approval for the density he wanted on the upland property. If it wins a grant it's applied for, Conserving Carolina would remove non-native species and plant native species, Fanslow said.

"We don't know if the upland development is a good idea or a bad idea but we do know that what we've been discussing with regard to the floodplain is a very good idea and will be very good for the property downstream," he said.

Brian Gulden, an Asheville attorney who specializes in land-use law, said under state law the council must look at whether the development is consistent with the city's comprehensive land-use plan and whether it's "reasonable." The city's comp plan, he said, encourages "a wide range of housing" types and price points, promotes safe, walkable neighborhoods and encourages environmental protection and green space. "What we're planning on doing here is bringing (housing) all back into to town" instead of expanding into suburbs, he said. The developer, he noted, has committed to paying for a right turn lane on Dana Road at Tracy Grove Road and one at the development entrance.

Opponents pointed out that the council has just approved 263 units at the Waterleaf apartments on South Allen Road, adding to traffic from BRCC, and so far this year has authorized hundreds more units, one homeowner said. "I don't think current residents are being looked after," she said, "and I don't know how much you want to saturate this area."

Julie Conner, of 106 Boyd Hill Drive, asked about street lights. "Are we going to know if it's night or day if it's really bright, along with Jackson Park" lights, which she said "are really bright."

Stephanie Sawyer, of 223 Wilmont Drive, said a large multifamily development is not compatible with the 1950s single-family homes on Wilmont. She described the woods on the Washburn property as a white squirrel sanctuary. "How are we protecting them if we're going to build on them," she said. "We cannot do that."

"We have about 35 cars a day that go through because it's only 20 residences," she said. Adding "at least 900 to a thousand" trips a day is not realistic, she added. She implored the council to read a letter from a paralyzed neighbor who uses an electric scooter to walk his dog. "How is he going to do that with this influx of traffic?" she asked. "How's anybody gonna live or walk? ... I am totally against this project. I don't think it's in the right place. I think it's the wrong place. I think this land needs to be preserved. I just think that Bo Thomas's legacy is very important."

Council member Jerry Smith said the development is neither consistent with the city's comp plan nor reasonable.

"This is not development," he said. "This is overdevelopment. ... It is unreasonable what they have proposed to do. It cannot be safely supported by the existing transportation network. There have been umpteen projects approved by this council so with regard to the housing problem, we have more than adequately addressed the housing problem."

Debbie Roundtree also explained her vote against the rezoning.

"A white squirrel habitat, a continued flood plain, traffic patterns," she said. "Yes, we need housing but we need affordable housing and I know the history of this farm and have worked this farm for Mr. Bo Thomas, a former senator of North Carolina," who she said "did a lot for Hendersonville and Henderson County."

Hensley and Simpson spoke in favor of the rezoning request. Hensley pointed out that there is a great need for housing in all price ranges and Simpson said the developer had created the best possible plan for the property and had made concessions to accommodate the traffic.
Police Department recognized for risk management

The Hendersonville Police Department has been recognized for completing the Law Enforcement Risk Review Process performed by the N.C. League of Municipalities.

NCLM Public Safety Risk Manager Matthew Selves recognized the Police Departments efforts in completing the Law Enforcement Risk Review Process during the Hendersonville City Councils regular meeting Thursday night. He presented a plaque to Chief Blair Myhand for his departments adherence to recognized industry standards related to risk reduction.

I am happy to accept this on behalf of the police department. However, Monica Howard was the most instrumental person at the department who helped us get to this point, Myhand said. Howard, who serves as an administrative assistant for the Hendersonville Police Department, led the department through the risk review process.

This important initiative was developed with the assistance of Leagues Police Chiefs Advisory Committee and is supported by the N.C. Association of Chiefs of Police. The Leagues Risk Review process is a voluntary program for police agencies and is being utilized by departments across North Carolina.

Chief Myhand demonstrates a high level of commitment to the community and takes risk management seriously, Selves said. The Chief and the staff members that assisted, were very professional and demonstrated a high level of public service.

The Law Enforcement Risk Review Process is designed to assess an agencys adherence to best practices, court decisions, and policies and procedures related to high liability activities in law enforcement. The goal of successful completion is enhanced public safety and validating that critical areas of the departments are meeting industry standards.

The North Carolina League of Municipalities is a membership association of 540 municipalities, representing nearly every municipality in the state. The mission of the League is to enhance the quality of life in municipalities by promoting excellence in municipal governance.




A MOUNTAINEER from Henley has climbed Mount Everest in what he believes was a record time, writes Albert Tait.

Garth Miller, 48, claims the three weeks he took to travel from London to the summit of the worlds highest mountain and back is the fastest anyone has ever managed.

He flew from Gatwick airport to Kathmandu on May 2 and returned to his home in St Andrews Road on Monday, May 23.

Mr Miller said: An Everest expedition is typically nine to 10 weeks but I looked at a couple of different ways I could make my expedition stand out.

One of those ways was speed  I wanted to do it as quickly as possible. Three weeks door to door is as quickly as it has been done as far as I know. It was a lightning ascent.

I could have done it a couple of days quicker but the weather didnt play ball.

Mr Miller, who lives with his wife Ashleigh and their children Amelie, nine, and Archie, three, was born in Australia and moved to Britain when he was 10.

He studied at Queens University Belfast and Cambridge before joining the Royal Gurkha Rifles.

In 2004, he tried unsuccessfully to climb Everest, turning back around 200m from the top of the 8,849m mountain due to an oxygen failure.

Mr Miller said he had learned from his mistakes.

Youve got to have tactical patience and ascend slowly, he said. Young people tend to bomb up, whereas older guys are more moderated.

Thats the mistake I made when I tried it before. I was young and super-fit but fell into that trap.

This time I used technology with a thing called Hypoxico, which is simulated altitude training. It involves using a machine that literally sucks the oxygen out of the air, simulating being at high altitude.

Mr Miller, a captain for British Airways, arrived at Everest base camp on May 6, where he spent nine days organising equipment, going on acclimatisation hikes and waiting for a weather window.

He was finally able to start his ascent on May 15.

Mr Miller and his Sherpa Pasang decided to take the south-east route up Everest, following in the footsteps of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first climbers to reach the summit of Mt Everest in May 1953.

This involved crossing the Khumbu icefall, which Mr Miller described as a crazy, tumbling glacier that is constantly moving and collapsing.

The pair reached base camp one before going on to base camp two at the bottom of a steep kilometre of ice known as the Lhotse face, where they had to wait for two days due to poor weather conditions.

Mr Miller said: We spent two days recovering, resting and eating. I was in the Gurkhas so I speak the language and it was very easy to build a quick relationship with Pasang.

Once conditions had cleared, the pair were able to climb to camp three, about halfway up the mountain, and then continue to camp four, the launch point for a summit attempt.

At 1.45am on May 20, they began their final ascent.

Mr Miller said: You first have to climb the Hillary step, which is a very difficult part as its steep and the route is awkward.

Youre wearing oxygen, a massive suit, crampons on your boots and goggles, which means its difficult to see your feet. Its unusual if you havent practised climbing like that before.

We managed to get over that and then you walk across this thing called the cornice ridge. There are lots of false summits but eventually you run out of up and youre on top.

The pair reached the summit at 10.45am.

Mr Miller said: It was a relief but I had known when we set out that morning that nothing would stop us getting to the top.

The winds had died down and the weather was good. I felt rested, Id slept and eaten and I was hydrated. I knew the only thing that would stop me was giving up and I wasnt going to do that.

Happily, there were no crowds, so I had the mountain to myself for a few minutes, which was a powerful emotion. You feel on top of the world.

You can see the peaks of other surrounding mountains but everything else is under a blanket of cloud. I spent about 45 minutes taking it all in.

There was a massive sense of relief, having failed before and setting the goal of trying again. It feels like it changed everything.

Climbing Mt Everest wasnt enough for Mr Miller, who decided to attempt The Double as part of his descent.

He said: We left the summit and went across to Lhotse, which is the fourth highest mountain in the world. We went back to camp four, slept for a few hours and then set off to climb it.

I wanted to do a couple of things to make my Everest expedition stand out. One was the speed and one was climbing Lhotse, which is called doing The Double. Its really difficult.

I wanted to try it but I kept it quiet before I left as I wasnt sure it was possible for a non-mountain professional.

The best thing about Lhotse is the view you get of Everest. Thats the only downside of Everest  you cant see it while youre climbing it.

Mr Miller reached the top of Lhotse 24 hours after Everest.

He then descended to base camp, which he reached on May 22. From there he took a helicopter to Kathmandu airport and then flew back to Britain.

He said: It has all been a whirlwind since I came back. I havent even unpacked yet. Everyone has a different experience climbing the mountain, even if they are climbing the same route on the same day. For me, it was hard but there were no surprises. Everything went according to plan.

It feels much better to be the guy who climbed Everest rather than the guy who turned back 200m from the top. Ive been that guy for the last 18 years.

In the months before his expedition, Mr Miller had visited local primary schools to talk to children about achieving their dreams and he now plans to return to tell them how his climb went.

He said: Ill talk to them about resilience, perseverance, determination and teamwork. I want to encourage them to set goals. They dont have to be mountaineering goals, they can be anything.

Hopefully, this will encourage them to figure out their own way through difficulties.

Mr Miller has one unwanted souvenir from his expedition.

He said: Ive still got a terrible Khumbu cough. Its something you get from being up the mountain where the air is super dry.

It can sometimes be bad enough to break ribs but mine isnt quite that bad. Its just irritating.
A HENLEY restaurant has vowed to keep the pavement outside its premises cleaner.

Cote, on the corner of Bell Street and Hart Street, was responding to a resident who complained that it was leaving out rubbish for collection that stained the paving.

Steve Ludlow, of Station Road, reported the restaurant to South Oxfordshire District Council, calling on its environmental health officers to take action.

In a letter to this weeks Henley Standard, he says: The main crossroads of our beautiful town is being used by the Cote restaurant to dump its waste and bottle bins for collection.

The pavement has been badly stained by what looks like cooking oil.

The overall effect is absolutely disgusting. No other business in Henley would ever think of dumping its bins on the public pavement to await collection, especially not a restaurant. This is Henley-on-Thames, not some downmarket suburb in the sticks.

Restaurant manager David Wilkins said the business, which opened on January 31, had been experiencing difficulties with its daily rubbish collections due its waste contactor Biffa having a shortage of drivers.

This meant that plastic bins containing glass and food waste and bags with general waste were not collected sometimes.

He said: We do not have a back entrance so we have to put our bins out the front. We try to put them out last thing and they should be picked up first thing but we have been having so many issues with waste collections.

We always chase them but if they do not have drivers, its very difficult  its a lose-lose situation.

We do not want to pollute the town at all and will continue to do all we can to solve the problem. We want to be part of the community and good neighbours.

Mr Wilkins said that this week the pavement had been jet-washed and specially cleaned with chemicals to remove the worst of the stains.

A district council spokesman said its enforcement team had investigated and found the business was placing its bins out for collection by its contractor properly. He added: As such, no further action taken will be taken.

Town centre manager Laurie-Jane Cann said: Cote have done everything in their power to relieve a situation that is beyond their control.

A Biffa spokesman said: "We are really sorry if we haven't achieved our usual high standards in this instance. We will be in touch with the customer to see how we can resolve this to their satisfaction.
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Pacers wing Lance Stephenson underwent surgery on his right knee in Chicago sometime after the teams season ended in April, league sources tell Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. According to Agness, the procedure removed a few loose particles from the knee.

Stephensons exact recovery timeline is unclear, but hes already back on the floor taking shots, Agness says, so it sounds like the veteran should be ready to go by the time training camp rolls around in the fall, barring any setbacks.

Following a 10-day stint with Atlanta in December, Stephenson signed a series of 10-day contracts with Indiana in January, then finalized a rest-of-season deal with the club in February. The 31-year-old appeared in a total of 40 games for Indiana, averaging 9.3 PPG, 3.9 APG, and 2.8 RPG on .458/.310/.795 shooting in 18.6 minutes per contest.

Stephenson will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but he and the Pacers have mutual interest in a new deal, sources tell Agness. The former second-round pick has had three separate stints with the Pacers and has become a fan favorite over the years in Indiana. A report in April suggested hed like to spend the rest of his career with the team.
Wyndham's pairing of these segment-leading brands supports extended-stay demand, provides enhanced amenities for guests, and streamlines operations for developers; the inaugural La Quinta and Hawthorn Suites dual-brand hotel opened today in a suburb of Austin.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) - the world's largest hotel franchising company with over 8,900 hotels across 95+ countries - announced today the opening of the first La Quinta and Hawthorn Suites dual-branded hotel concept in Pflugerville, one of Texas' fastest-growing suburbs. This first-of-its-kind pairing enables owners to reach guests seeking both extended-stay and leisure and business transient accommodations. This dual-brand concept offers thoughtful amenities and friendly service to deliver an exceptional guest experience and value.

This new brand pairing has contributed to 48 hotels in Wyndham's now record-setting development pipeline of over 1,500 hotels, that include key markets across the country such as Orlando, Florida; Charlotte, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas and Yuma, Arizona. La Quinta and Hawthorn Suites target different types of travelers, and this launch provides an opportunity to attract both short and long-term guests for the owners of these new hotels.

The new Pflugerville property has a combined 103 rooms, with 73 featuring La Quinta's award winning Del Sol prototype guest-room and 30 with the Hawthorn Suites new room design. The Hawthorn room design includes modern, fully-equipped kitchens to bring extended stay guests the comfort and the conveniences of home, while the La Quinta Del Sol prototype features a fresh, stylish, and innovative design, providing guests with comfort and convenience while enabling productivity. The dual-hotel concept is smartly designed to streamline development and operation costs, and includes a shared lobby, spacious modern great room, fitness center, bar, amenities, and back of house all while appealing to the multiple types of travelers that have an affinity for these brands.

Ideally situated in Pflugerville's Stone Hill Town Center, the pet-friendly hotel offers visitors easy access to hometown hotpots such as Typhoon Texas Waterpark, North East Metropolitan Park, and Lake Pflugerville. Just 15 miles northeast of Austin, guests can easily explore the state's Capitol with a visit to the Austin Zoo, kayak on Lady Bird Lake, ghost hunt through the streets of Austin, or stroll through McKinney Falls State Park. While on property, guests can enjoy the heated outdoor pool and hot tub, visit the 24-7 fitness center, delight in complimentary hot breakfast, and find conveniences such as the business center, convenience store, and laundry facilities.

Hotel website
With over a decade of experience in group sales and hospitality, Amanda Santiago will direct the team to deliver top-line revenue while preparing and executing innovative and refreshed sales and marketing strategies for Sagamore Pendry Baltimore. Prior to joining the team, Santiago was with the Mandarin Oriental, bringing refocused sales objectives and improving employee buy-in, ownership, and engagement.

Sagamore Pendry Baltimore

Baltimore, Maryland

United States Website
Hilton Columbus Downtown has named globally-renowned Chef Sebastian La Rocca, as Executive Chef of Restaurants for FYR, Spark, and Stories on High, the three-anchor food and beverage concepts set to open this fall as part of the hotel's second tower expansion. Hilton Columbus Downtown will be the largest hotel in Ohio, with 1,000 rooms.

Born in Argentina with Italian roots, Chef La Rocca's illustrious background includes working with some of the world's most distinguished chefs at Barbecoa London by Jamie Oliver and Zodiac UK by Michael Roux. During Chef La Rocca's tenure, both restaurants were each awarded two AA Rosettes and the Michelin guide distinction.

Chef La Rocca will bring his unique Latin American culinary style and flair to the wood-burning grill at FYR. Accessible from High Street, FYR will provide a spirited affair of dishes and complementing cocktails. The majority of the menu at FYR will be cooked over a wood-burning oven, as fire is the oldest and arguably most meticulous method of cooking. FYR will feature an approachable American menu with Latin influence and a monthly, chef-driven tasting menu that will include suggested drink pairings alongside locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. The specialty cocktail program at FYR will feature brighter notes and ingredients that pair perfectly with the smoky flavors found in each dish. The wine program will center around highly curated selections, while the beer program will range from lighter to more elevated options and offer a heavy representation of local brews.

In addition to overseeing FYR and Stories on High, Chef La Rocca will oversee Spark, located on the lobby level, featuring a Midwest-driven menu with classic cocktails and local brews, ideal for an after-work drink or quick bite following a meeting at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

Most recently, Chef La Rocca was chef and owner of the Eat Gastro Group in Costa Rica, featuring four distinct restaurants. Botaniko, anchored by a wood-burning grill similar to FYR, was recognized by San Pellegrino in 2021 as one of The World's 50 Best Discoveries, a first in Costa Rica. It also received the honor of being named part of the Top 19 Restaurants in Central America by the New Worlder Guide, and among the top 10 percent of restaurants worldwide by TripAdvisor. His extensive background also includes his work as a chef at distinguished international properties, including Four Seasons Costa Rica, El Mangroove Autograph Collection Costa Rica, Faena Hotel Buenos Aires, and Hanbury Manor by Marriott Hertfordshire UK.

Working alongside Chef La Rocca at Hilton Columbus Downtown will be Executive Banquet Chef Todd Goodwin and Pastry Chef Brian Wildroudt. Chef Goodwin has served in his position at Hilton Columbus Downtown for three years where he brought a seasoned culinary background to his role, previously serving as an executive chef in some of Columbus' most well-known kitchens. Chef Wildroudt also brings a background of pastries into his role, previously having served as an executive pastry chef at Tupelo Donuts in Columbus.
The special One Planet Forum was hosted by the One Planet Secretariat (UNEP) in association with the Stockholm +50 International Conference, to mark 50 years of global environmental action. Important commitments were made to shift business behaviour and promote circular economy and investments in sustainable consumption and production during plenary discussions on Investments in people and nature.

The catalytic role of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism was highlighted  reaching 600 signatories in 6 months - by UNWTO Executive Director, Ms. Zoritsa Urosevic. Visit Finland announced its signature to the Glasgow Declaration and Mastercard reiterated its support to help make tourism destinations more sustainable and inclusive by co-developing new digital solutions.

Finland's tourism product is sensitive to the effects of the warming climate. It is important to secure the business opportunities and jobs within the industry. The development of low-carbon travel options, experiences and destinations must be secured. The Finnish tourism industry is committed to a common goal and has joined forces. Today, 60 travel organizations from Finland have signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism., said Kristiina Hietasaari, Senior Director, Visit Finland.

In 1972, there were 189 million international tourism arrivals, and this grew almost tenfold up to the start of the pandemic. Today, international tourism arrivals are at the levels of 1992 precisely the time where the Rio Conventions on Climate Change and Biodiversity Protection were adopted, guiding our sectors environmental action.

Tourisms contribution to sustainable development has been recognized in the Sustainable Development Goals. As the sector recovers from the pandemic, there is a growing uptake by tourism stakeholders to scale-up environmental action and inclusiveness.

But how will the new consumers trends stimulate change? During the workshop on Green nudges for increasing the circularity of plastics, organized jointly by the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme and the Sustainable Lifestyles Programme in collaboration with the government of France and UNEP, tourism stakeholders explored the application of behavioural science to implement environmental policies at destination level. The report A Life Cycle Approach  Key messages for tourism businesses to address single-use plastics, produced within the framework of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, was also released in all UN Languages.

UNWTO Secretary-General, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili will address the plenary of Stockholm+50 on Friday, to be opened by UN Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, on 3rd June.

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About The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations specialized agency fostering tourism as a vehicle for equal, inclusive and sustainable development. Working with its Member States, international organizations and the private sector, UNWTO promotes safe and seamless travel for all. UNWTO also works to make tourism the foundation of trust and international cooperation and a central pillar of recovery. As part of the wider UN system, UNWTO is at the forefront of global efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including through its ability to create decent jobs, promote equality and preserve natural and cultural heritage.

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Notwithstanding the dampened buyer sentiment in the residential market, Hong Kongs real estate investment market witnessed a surge in en-bloc hotel transactions. While 2021 was considered an active year for hotel investment, 2022 is set to become substantially more dynamic. In the first five months of 2022 alone, two en-bloc hotel deals have been closed, while three others are reportedly underway.

Figure 1: Total consideration of en-bloc hotel transactions between 2020 and 2022 YTD

Source: The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, Market Sources, JLL Photo by JLL

What drew investors attention?

On the one hand, asking prices of hotel properties have fallen to what appears to be deemed appealing levels given the current market environment. The overall occupancy of hotels in Hong Kong dropped to 59% by the end of March 2022, compared to the annual average of 91% in 2018 (before social unrest in 2019 and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic). Meanwhile, the average room rate also declined by 22.3% in the same period. In addition, the absence of a concrete time schedule for the re-opening of Hong Kongs international border as well as the citys border with mainland China renders a weak business sentiment in the short to medium term.

On the other hand, the demand for housing remains strong, especially in urban areas. According to the Immigration Department, student visas demonstrated an uptrend, although disrupted by the global COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. As most local universities resumed face-to-face teaching in 2021, the number of student visas rebounded to a level above the previous peak in 2019. The growing population of incoming students made up one of the major tenant groups for residential properties such as co-living facilities. Given inherently strong housing demand, this rising population will further lure investors interest in small-size units in prime urban areas.

Figure 2: Student visas in Hong Kong between 2017 and 2021

Source: Hong Kong Immigration Department, JLL Photo by JLL

Besides, the conversion of hotels into co-living facilities does not require major alterations to the premises. With minimal capital and time input required for the pursuit of these value-add opportunities, more investors are keen to seek suitable assets for such conversion.

Case study and outlook

The first successful en-bloc hotel deal to kick off 2022 was the Hotel Sav acquisition by AEW Capital Management-led joint venture (90%-AEW Fund; 10%-Crystal Investment). The deal was completed at HKD 4.2 million per room or a unit price of HKD 13,480 per sq ft. The 24-storey hotel covered a site area of 10,204 sq ft and a total GFA of approximately 122,108 sq ft. A portion of the property was converted into a co-living facility to improve occupancy by accommodating students and long-term tenants. As of end-Sep-21, the six-month average occupancy rate of the hotel reached 61%, although still below the citys overall monthly average of 65% during the same period. Adjacent to The Hong Kong Polytechnic University campus, the property is now being converted into student accommodation, looking to become the largest non-university operated student accommodation in the city.

We expect hotels to continue to be one of the most sought-after sectors for investors targeting value-add opportunities. Total considerations of en-bloc hotel transactions at HKD 3.7 billion in 2022 YTD have already exceeded last years HKD 3.3 billion. It will be no surprise that 2022 sees a substantial bounce in transaction volume. Most of these properties will likely switch to co-living, indicating substantial industry expansion. In the coming years, the market may see increasing new entrants as existing players continue to expand to secure market share.

About JLL

JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. JLL shapes the future of real estate for a better world by using the most advanced technology to create rewarding opportunities, amazing spaces and sustainable real estate solutions for our clients, our people and our communities. JLL is a Fortune 500 company with annual revenue of $19.4 billion, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 100,000 as of March 31, 2022. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com.

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Business travelers made up 52.5% of the room revenue for the hotel industry in 2019. Such a number was projected to hit 43.6% only, according to the AHLAs 2022 State of the Industry report (AHLA, 2022). That is a $21 billion gap (estimated $69 billion in 2022 vs. actual $90 billion in 2019) (Tanzi, 2022). The recovery of the lodging industry is primarily driven by leisure travelers now, some of whom have become the new bleisure (business + leisure) travelers.

NYCs business-travel revenue gap between 2022 and 2019: -$2.5 billion

Traditionally, metropolitan markets were the top destinations for corporate events and large conventions, but that was also the sector that got hit the most by the pandemic. The work-from-home trend could possibly encourage more bleisure travelers to stay/work in a hotel for a stretched weekend. Still, bleisure travelers are different from those attending large corporate events or conventions. They do not need any boardrooms or convention spaces during their trips.

In New York City alone, it is projected a $2.5 billion business-travel revenue gap between 2022 and 2019 (down from $4.5 to $2 billion). Other metropolitan areas across the nation, such as Washington D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco, are not doing any better, with a projected revenue gap of $1.5 billion ($1.3 vs. $2.8), $1.2 billion ($1.3 vs. $2.5), and 1.7 billion ($0.765 vs. $2.4) respectively. Such losses cannot be easily covered by leisure travelers alone.

The glass is half empty and half full, depending on whom you ask

STR surveyed close to 500 global business travelers in February 2022 about their likelihood to travel for business, right after the surge of Omicron cases in the U.S. (Klauda, 2022). The results were not optimistic, with 43% saying they would be less likely to travel but only 12% indicating they would be more likely to travel post-pandemic. Moreover, only 30% of them agree or strongly agree that business travel would return to the pre-COVID level, whereas 48% disagree or strongly disagree.

On the contrary, corporate travel managers are more optimistic about the outlook for business travel. According to TRIPBAM, a firm that tracks corporate bookings, the overall trend for business travel has gone upward since 2021, although with some vibrations when the Delta and Omicron variants hit. Entering February 2022, the pace of bookings has been quickly picking up.

Are you feeling hopeful? Will hotels begin seeing more business travelers soon?

Linchi Kwok

Associate Professor

CAL Poly Pomona

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WASHINGTON - Since their emergence more than a decade ago wind and solar energy developers have often operated at odds with oil and gas lobbyists here, as the two sides battled over tax credits and research funding perceived as critical to determining the future of the energy sector.

But show up at a congressional hearing in 2022, and its not uncommon to see the rival sectors arguing for the same policies, whether its speeding the federal governments years-long process to permit new infrastructure or developing a domestic hydrogen industry - with oil companies supplying the natural gas, and wind and solar companies the electricity.

Theres still plenty on which the two sides disagree. But as the wind and solar energy industries look to rapidly expand in the decades ahead to help meet national climate targets and oil companies try to reduce their carbon footprints, they are increasingly finding themselves on the same side of policy debates in Washington.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Democrats seek to speed up infrastructure, supply chain build out to aid climate change

The challenges these industries are having right now are very similar to those of their peers on the other side, said Steve Everley, a managing director at the consulting firm FTI, who represents clients in both sectors. Renewable energy developers are increasingly having to deal with disputes over land use, permitting issues, regulatory hurdles, just as oil companies have for decades. Theres a lot we have common.

Top of the list right now is the National Environmental Policy Act - better known as NEPA - a 1970s era policy designed to ensure infrastructure projects like bridges, power lines and roads dont damage wilderness or areas of cultural or historic significance. With each passing decade, the standards have become more stringent, to the point a NEPA review stretches close to 5 years on average.

The Trump administration ordered that timeline be cut to two years, drawing fire from environmental groups that argued it was not enough time to take into account the implications of pipeline, transmission and other infrastructure projects that often stretch hundreds of miles.

When President Joe Biden came into office last year, he promised to reverse the policy. He has already rescinded some Trump-era provisions, while his administration works on a larger NEPA overhaul. But over the past 18 months, a coalition of interests from farmers and manufacturers to railroads and oil companies, along with members of his own party, have urged him not to entirely throw out Trumps reforms, arguing that if the nation is to meet its clean energy target, the administration must speed up permitting for infrastructure.

Joining them are wind and solar developers represented by the trade group American Clean Power, which is led by Heather Zichal, who served as deputy assistant to the president for energy and climate change during the Obama Administration.

If youre serious about meeting clean energy goalsand you need about two to three times the amount of transmission we have now by 2050, NEPA reviews can hold up achieving these goals, said Gene Grace, general counsel at American Clean Power. Our members dont mind going through a robust NEPA review. Its the undue time that it takes that can kill projects timely coming online.

Formidable industry

Over the past decade, wind and solar energy have grown into formidable industries, with renewable energy accounting for more than 20 percent of the electricity generated last year, according to the Department of Energy.

But to keep growing, they need transmission lines, and lots of them. A study by Princeton University in 2020 forecast that the United States would need to increase its power transmission system by 60 percent by 2030 and potentially 300 percent by 2050.

That need has created a point of common ground with industry at large, in particular oil and gas companies, which have long lobbied the federal government to ease permitting regulations hindering the construction of oil and gas pipelines, which have been routinely blocked by Democratic states along the East Coast.

What Biden is hearing more and more is that (Trumps changes to NEPA policy) did a lot for us and let's not go back to the 1970s, said Chad Whiteman, a vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Energy Institute. NEPA is impacting everything from forest management to oil and gas to highways to broadband to bridges and ports.

As wind and solar energy industries grow, they also find their businesses more deeply intertwined with oil and gas. In Texas, oil and gas companies are partnering with clean energy developers on a host of projects to reduce emissions.

Along the Gulf Coast, oil companies are looking to develop a low-carbon hydrogen industry to one day fuel trucks and other heavy industry, requiring large amounts of renewable energy to keep their carbon footprints in check.

In West Texass Permian Basin oil field, where high power prices have become common in recent years, oil and gas producers, including Exxon Mobil and Occidental Petroleum, are building solar farms and signing power deals with wind developers to both lock in power prices and reduce their carbon footprints.

We want to be the electricity provider to the oil and gas industry, said Jeff Clark, president of the Austin-based Advanced Power Alliance, which represents wind and solar developers. Anything we can do to get costs down is going to be good for all our industries.

Still, even when the two sides generally agree, the relationship is not entirely harmonious.

How much?

In the debate around NEPA, both the oil and clean energy sectors want permitting accelerated. But they disagree how much of Trumps policy should be maintained.

Asked why American Clean Power and other clean energy groups were not part of the Chamber of Commerces infrastructure coalition, Whiteman attributed it to, tension with environmental groups. Those groups are an important part of the Democratic base, which have been adamant that Trumps NEPA reforms be fully rescinded.

And in Texas last year, legislation that would have changed state regulations to speed up the construction of power lines - something Texas industries supported  never got a vote in the state Senate following complaints from some oil and gas companies that the policy would advantage wind and solar farms, Clark said.

A few of them still think its advantageous to stop renewables, he said. But the smart ones dont.

james.osborne@chron.com
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Houston mother Rebecca Hetrick had been breastfeeding her daughter, Hannah, until the girls allergy to cows milk forced her to switch to a specific type of baby formula.

Now, with that formula in short supply across the nation, Hetrick doesnt have the option of returning to breastfeeding. She tried to eliminate dairy from her own diet, but breast milk was still interfering with her daughters growth and causing vomiting and blood in her stool.

Instead, Hetrick, a pediatrician in training, spent most of her Memorial Day weekend calling manufacturers and wholesalers, looking for more formula for her nearly-4-month-old daughter. She still has a four-week supply of Hannahs brand, but is worried shell run out before shes able to find more.

I had every intention of breastfeeding. I really wanted to, Hetrick said. It was really disappointing and disheartening.

The reality is that there are a variety of reasons many parents and guardians dont have the option of switching to breastfeeding. Suggesting they should is not productive, and it could be distressing for them, said Suzanne Juel, a lactation consultant who founded the Greater Houston group practice Bayou City Breastfeeding.

I think its traumatizing for a lot of moms, Juel said. A lot of moms have tried to breastfeed. Theyve really tried. And they werent able to be successful.

Even families who do rely on breastfeeding often use formula to supplement their supply. In Texas, just 45.8 percent of babies are exclusively breastfed at three months and just 23.9 percent are exclusively breastfed at six months, according to 2018 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For many families, medical conditions make it difficult or impossible to rely on breastfeeding, said Dr. Amy Hair, the program director of neonatal nutrition at Texas Childrens Hospital. Women with breast cancer will be unable to breastfeed if theyre undergoing chemotherapy, or may be unable to breastfeed if theyve had a mastectomy.

Other conditions, such as diabetes, thyroid conditions or the use of certain medications, such as immune system suppressors and those given to organ transplant recipients, could also affect milk supply or leave women unable to breastfeed, Juel said.

In some cases, it might be the baby who has difficulty breastfeeding or is unable to do so. Some babies, like Hetricks daughter, are unable to breastfeed due to a medical condition.

Other times, a baby may struggle to latch onto the breast to feed, in which case the mother will need time to pump. That can be particularly difficult for working mothers who may not have enough time during a break, or access to somewhere private where they can pump, Hair said.

Across our entire population of women and moms, its not feasible for them to pump at work, she said.

Breastfeeding also may not be an option for same-sex couples or adoptive parents, Hair and Juel noted.

We really do these families a disservice when we assume that everyone can breastfeed, and when we focus so much on exclusive breastfeeding, Juel said. That sets a lot of people up for failure.

Even families who would like to resume breastfeeding amid the formula shortage may have difficulty doing so. The process, known as relactation, involves frequent stimulation of the nipples through pumping, hand expression or nursing.

However, the process is time-consuming and theres no guarantee it will be a success, Hair said. It could take weeks or even months to resume milk production, depending on how long its been since the mother was lactating. She recommended that women considering relactation contact an OB/GYN or a lactation consultant for advice.

It can happen. Its a lot of work, Hair said. It may not get the milk back to where it was.

The formula shortage began in February, when manufacturer Abbott Laboratories recalled several defective brands and shut down its Sturgis, Mich. factory after at least four babies were hospitalized with bacterial infections and at least two died.

Abbott and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reached a deal to reopen the factory, and production is expected to ramp up in June. The White House also reached a deal to import baby formula from Europe to help alleviate the U.S. shortage.

However, FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said it could be two months before formula is widely available on shelves.

Until that time, many parents and guardians may be scrambling to find formula. Being told to "just breastfeed" isn't helpful for those like Hetrick who simply don't have that option.

"It's frustrating," Hetrick said. "It just goes to show how little knowledge there is about breastfeeding in general.
H.P. Hyder III had worked at three different school districts around the Greater Houston Area over the course of more than 20 years, serving as principal in Sheldon and Spring ISDs before coming to Spring Branch ISD where he has been the principal of Northbrook Middle School since the start of the 2020-21 school year.

Now, after two years as Northbrook Middle School principal, Hyder will become the principal at Northbrook High School.

H.P. Hyder is an exceptional leader who places student achievement at the forefront of everything he does, said Spring Branch ISD Superintendent Jennifer Blaine. He is laser-focused on literacy and numeracy, both priorities for SBISD, and uses data to drive all instructional decisions. We are very excited to welcome Dr. Hyder to Raider Nation!

Class of 2022: A look at some of the photos from the Spring Branch ISD graduation ceremonies

Hyder takes over as NHS principal for Mark Smith, who has served as interim principal since March 2022. Smith will serve as interim principal of Spring Woods Middle School next school year.

Shortly after finishing the initial interview for the position, Hyder received a phone call from Spring Branch ISD Community Superintendent Bryan Williams where Williams shared that people had been impressed with Hyders interview and invited him to continue with the interview process, which consisted of additional interviews and meeting with additional people.

When it was finally official, I was extremely excited, said Hyder.

He said that he was excited for multiple reasons. One being that, while he had been an elementary school principal and a middle school principal, he had never been a high school principal, and he was excited to learn new things in that position and take on new challenges.

While Hyder said that leaving Northbrook Middle School is bittersweet because of the relationships with the students and faculty that he had started to build there, he takes comfort in knowing that those students will become Northbrook High School students, and he his excited about being able to witness and make an impression on a larger part of their academic journey, up to and including graduation.

Three new trustees: Alpe, Perez, and Bennett win by large margins for Spring Branch ISD Board of Trustees

Hyder has already begun talking with some teachers and other members of the Northbrook High School community, including Randolph Adami, who served as NHS principal from 2004 to 2019.

While he does not officially become the principal of Northbrook High until July 1, Hyder is starting to take more steps towards the transition now that the school year has ended already spending time on campus and meeting with more people with more meetings planned throughout the summer.

Hyder does not have any major summer plans. He knows there is a lot of work to do and admitted that making summer plans sort of got away from him with everything going on during the school year. He does have the annual cousins trip, a tradition that started last year, where they will get together over a weekend in Dallas. He also plans to take a birthday trip to Panama City, Fla., in late July just before school starts.

I may take a few days now and then between then to get away, but I know I have a lot of work to do at the high school, he said. I have a to-do list, and Im not always as focused on my vacations as I could be.

Hyder wants to really get to know the Northbrook High School culture and to learn from faculty there what has and has not been working.

He wants to work with the team at the school to create a vision for the school saying, when you create that at the very beginning, thats whats going to anchor the work that we do on campus. It keeps us solidified.

He wants to increase school pride as well as to increase the schools alumni base and the connection between the school and its alumni.

I know the school has a tradition of doing great things. It is truly a beacon in the community, said Hyder. So its exciting for me to be able to continue that legacy and to bring new traditions to the school to make it even better.

elliott.lapin@hearst.com
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Catherine Price is certain her aunt Bessie would have wanted her history collection preserved so the stories and photos of the past could be shared with future generations.

My aunt was interested in preserving history all her life as a teacher and as a librarian in Dobbin and Montgomery and would have wanted the material she gathered to be available to anyone interested in it, Price said.

And through the work of the History Taskforce in Montgomery County the extensive collection of Bessie Price Owen has been digitized and will be available online soon at one of the premier genealogical sites worldwide  familysearch.org.

The History Taskforce is a working group of experts who volunteer their time to preserving, and helping others preserve local history. Members of the group are chosen for their special skill sets and included academics and historians, map and LIDAR experts, experts in record research for deeds, will, and other documents, and media/design/public relations experts.

As a native of Montgomery, Owen was an expert on the history of the area and the go to source for those interested in Montgomerys history.

On YourConroeNews.com: Historian seeks artifacts from early Black fraternal organization

Owen was born on the Price farm near Montgomery in September 1913.

She grew up in the midst of an extended farm family with an appreciation for education and an understanding of human nature that led to a long and interesting life, according to her obituary.

She received a degree from Texas Womens University in 1933 and a masters degree from Sam Houston State University.

She married R. Smith Owen, who had a store and ran a cattle operation near the Price farm. She taught English and history and served as a librarian in the Dobbin schools from 1934 to 1949. In 1949, she came to the Montgomery school system where she served until her retirement in 1979. She was also active in the Methodist Church and Eastern Star.

Owen helped to found the Montgomery Historical Society in the city of Montgomery. She was also recognized for her research and worked frequently with the state Texas Historical Commission to gain recognition for the numerous historic homes and buildings in Montgomery that bear State Historical markers and plaques. She was also instrumental in the development of Cedar Brake Park in the city.

Over her lifetime of research, she amassed an extensive collection of history with documents, photos, pieces of historic currency and more. Of interest among the collection is also documentation for the Price cattle brand.

According to the documentation, it is believed the brand pre-dates the Civil War. The document explains that Dr. James H. Price came to Houston in the spring of 1837 fresh out of the University of Nashvilles Medical School. Price practiced medicine in Houston and married Elizabeth Ann Morgan in 1842. They moved to Montgomery soon after their marriage and its estimated the Price farm and ranch was at its peak in the 1870s.

After Owens passing in August 2004 at age 90, her collection was passed on to her niece, Catherine, who followed her aunts path and is also a retired teacher.

With the history of the Price family in the Montgomery area, Cathrine Price said she too was consumed by the river of history that runs through her family.

As a girl she carefully listened as the elders told about the way it was in their time and how they got through things like the Great Depression.

On YourConroeNews.com: Post office ledger gives glimpse of early Montgomery history

With so many fragile pieces in the collection, Price asked the Taskforce for assistance in digitizing these documents and finding a home for the electronic version of this work where it would be preserved.

She has given permission for Family Search to make the collection available online from their site at www.familysearch.org.

According to Ann Meador, coordinator of the Taskforce, Family Search will maintain the collection and make it available free from any computer to anyone who wants to look at it. The cataloging of all these documents will take several months before they are available online.

Items in the collection which filled 12 large boxes included family histories, wills, copies of documents from the Republic of Texas and early statehood, histories of local churches and schools, and personal letters that talked about life in early Montgomery. Owen interviewed many people who have since died who were able to give detailed information about the area. Audio tapes of interviews she conducted from the 1970s and 80s were also digitized by converting them to MP3 files.

There were also a number of pictures of the city and its founding families included in the collection.

The digitizing of this large number of documents, supervised by Cindy Cheney, required using a special computerized camera from the LDS library in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Family Search is headquartered. The process of digitizing took about eight weeks with much of the work being done at the Charles B. Stewart Branch Library in Montgomery.

Volunteers working on this project were Kirsten Beard of Montgomery, Rod Hansen of Montgomery and Ann Meador of Cut and Shoot. Mat Wilson and the staff of the Stewart Branch of the Montgomery County Library provided a location and assistance during the project.

For more information on Montgomery history, visit https://www.mhs-tx.org/.

shernandez@hcnonline.com
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Journalist, founder, and community volunteer are just a few of Katrina Machettas growing number of titles.

The award-winning poet has spoken at Houston City Hall, museums, and Astros games.

She helped launch nonprofit and service organizations that give others a voice, and bridge gender and generational gaps.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Spring Early College Academy valedictorian motivated to aid underserved communities

Her journalism has appeared in several publications, including the newspaper she led as editor-in-chief.

And the 17-year-old is just getting started.

With her sights set on a career in broadcast journalism, the recent summa cum laude graduate heads to the University of Pennsylvania this fall to double major in business and communications.

Thinking back on her busy schedule during high school, the former Klein Collins student admits it was a balancing act. However, the trick to making the most of high school isnt complicated. Her advice to peers: embrace opportunity.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Cypress Creek High School graduate gets head start on teaching career

Take an active role every day in every class you take and every club that you do, she said. Nothing is too small. Everything will make a difference in your life, and you have to be able to get out of your comfort zone and go out there and find opportunities.

Changing the world

Machettas love of writing began at a young age.

She carried that passion with her through high school as the president of the Klein Collins creative writing club, poet-in-residence for the Heritage Society, senior reporter for Youth Journalism International, and editor-in-chief of her schools newspaper, Legacy Press.

I believe that stories go beyond being informative, Machetta said. They have the power to shape peoples lives, drive social thought, and change our world for the better.

Machetta was inspired by a report she saw years ago on Good Morning America. Several people had fallen victim to an insurance scam. The story garnered national attention and resulted in the people getting their money back.

It showed me that one report can change so many lives, she said. So, every article that I do and every photograph that I take, its more than just reporting; its changing peoples lives and I knew that I wanted to do it for the rest of my life, she said.

Now, as co-founder of the online magazine Auteur, Machetta is helping other journalists and artists effect change through their work.

Auteur Magazine launched during the pandemic as a place where students may share writing, photography and art related to issues affecting their communities.

I oversee chapters in over 10 countries. Through this outlet, I want to give them a safe place where they feel loved and respected to write about whatever they would like, she said.

Bridging gaps

Auteur was not Machettas first experience with starting an organization.

Witnessing Hurricane Harveys widespread devastation, Machetta felt compelled to help bring a sense of hope and camaraderie back to the community.

As a result, she founded Crafting Connections.

Its a service organization where I have partnered with five school districts, over 10 schools and over 25 assisted living facilities, Machetta said. I bring youth to these different assisted living facilities and nursing homes for different poetry workshops and poetry seminars.

During weekly visits, the group also enjoys activities such as bingo, dancing, and sharing stories. The organizations mission blends several of Machettas passions.

Not only did I want to bring hope and love back to the community and alleviate the generational and age gap between the young and the old people in our community, I also wanted to combine my passion for writing and journalism because I know that poetry can be a transcending power of healing and expression, and so I wanted to use that as an outlet to bring people together as well, she said.

Machetta plans to expand the organization to Philadelphia by continuing her efforts in college.

Her work through Crafting Connections was among the reasons Machetta was named a Yale Bassett Award winner. She was one of only 20 people nationwide to receive the prestigious award.

Her role as poet-in-residence for the Heritage Society also contributed to her selection as a recipient.

As resident poet, Machetta has recited poetry at several city and cultural events, including the U.S. premiere of the Nelson Mandela exhibition at the Holocaust Museum and the Juneteenth commemoration at Emancipation Park.

Being able to speak to so many people and through the transcending power of poetry, to help them through whatever it is they need, and to be able to educate them and inform them about social justice issues, and to be able to give them a voice  I believe its so importantand poetry is one of the many outlets where people can use this platform to have their voices heard, she said.

Machetta is also working to expand opportunities for underrepresented groups through Miss STEM International  a nonprofit she co-founded with her sister Irissa who is a rising junior at Harvard University.

Research has said that marginalized groups and women are less able to go into STEM fields and always are less represented in STEM careers, Machetta said.

The organization provides resources to support the pursuit of science, technology, engineering, and math.

Through Miss STEM International, we create different STEM panels, provide different mentorship opportunities and research opportunities. We go to different churches and different research expos throughout the country where we are able to bring women and people of different underrepresented groups to give them the experience and community that they need to be able to excel in STEM fields, Machetta said.

Finding community

Her efforts throughout high school have merited numerous accolades.

However, Machetta said one of her greatest accomplishments cant be found on a resume: her relationship with her family. Losing loved ones during the pandemic taught her the value of time with family and friends.

You need to understand the preciousness of every second of every day, she said.

Another piece of advice Machetta offers to fellow students is that its OK to be undecided on a career path. What is important is to find your community.

From the first day she entered Benignus Elementary School through her last day at Klein Collins, Machetta said shes found support from Klein ISD educators who were not only teachers, but also mentors and friends.

Find the people that will support you no matter what and find a teacher who will always be there for you  who will be able to write recommendation letters, but also will be able to be there for you 10 years down the road, she said.

The class of 2022 faced several challenges during their K-12 careers  from Hurricane Harvey to COVID-19. But Machetta sees challenges as opportunities for growth and credits her faith as being an anchor through hardship.

I have Jeremiah 29:11 embroidered on my letterman jacket to always remind me that no matter what challenge may come my way, I will always have a great future awaiting me.

mfeuk@hcnonline.com
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

W. Joseph Campbell, American University School of Communication

(THE CONVERSATION) The Napalm Girl photograph of terror-stricken Vietnamese children fleeing an errant aerial attack on their village, taken 50 years ago this month, has rightly been called a picture that doesnt rest.

It is one of those exceptional visual artifacts that draws attention and even controversy years after it was made.

In May 2022, for example, Nick Ut, the photographer who captured the image, and the photos central figure, Phan Thi Kim Phuc, made news at the Vatican as they presented a poster-size reproduction of the prize-winning image to Pope Francis, who has emphasized the evils of warfare.

In 2016, Facebook stirred controversy by deleting Napalm Girl from a commentary posted at the network because the photograph shows the then-9-year-old Kim Phuc entirely naked. She had torn away her burning clothes as she and other terrified children ran from their village, Trang Bang, on June 8, 1972. Facebook retracted the decision amid an international uproar about the social networks free speech policies.

Such episodes signal how Napalm Girl is much more than powerful evidence of wars indiscriminate effects on civilians. The Pulitzer Prize-winning image, formally known as The Terror of War, has also given rise to tenacious media-driven myths.

Widely believed  often exaggerated

What are media myths?

These are well-known stories about or by the news media that are widely believed and often retold but which, under scrutiny, dissolve as apocryphal or wildly exaggerated.

The distorting effects of four media myths have become attached to the photograph, which Ut made when he was a 21-year-old photographer for The Associated Press.

Prominent among the myths of the Napalm Girl, which I address and dismantle in my book Getting It Wrong: Debunking the Greatest Myths in American Journalism, is that U.S.-piloted or guided warplanes dropped the napalm, a gelatinous, incendiary substance, at Trang Bang.

Not so.

The napalm attack was carried out by propeller-driven Skyraider aircraft of the South Vietnamese Air Force trying to roust communist forces dug in near the village  as news accounts at the time made clear.

The headline over The New York Times report from Trang Bang said: South Vietnamese Drop Napalm on Own Troops. stated the napalm [was] dropped by a Vietnamese air force Skyraider diving onto the wrong target. Christopher Wain, a veteran British journalist, wrote : These were South Vietnamese planes dropping napalm on South Vietnamese peasants and troops.

The myth of American culpability at Trang Bang began taking hold during the 1972 presidential campaign, when Democratic candidate George McGovern referred to the photograph in a televised speech. The napalm that badly burned Kim Phuc, he declared, had been dropped in the name of America.

McGoverns metaphoric claim anticipated similar assertions, including Susan Sontags statement in her 1973 book On Photography, that Kim Phuc had been sprayed by American napalm.

Hastened the wars end?

Two other related media myths rest on assumptions that Napalm Girl was so powerful that it must have exerted powerful effects on its audiences. These myths claim that the photograph hastened an end to the war and that it turned U.S. public opinion against the conflict.

Neither is accurate.

Although most U.S. combat forces were out of Vietnam by the time Ut took the photograph, the war went on for nearly three more years. The end came in April 1975, when communist forces overran South Vietnam and seized its capital.

Americans views about the war had turned negative long before June 1972, as measured by a survey question the Gallup Organization posed periodically. The question  essentially a proxy for Americans views about Vietnam  was whether sending U.S. troops there had been a mistake. When the question was first asked in summer 1965, only 24% of respondents said yes, sending in troops had been a mistake.

But by mid-May 1971  more than a year before Napalm Girl was made  61% of respondents said yes, sending troops had been mistaken policy.

In short, public opinion turned against the war long before Napalm Girl entered popular consciousness.

Ubiquitous? Not exactly

Another myth is that Napalm Girl appeared on newspaper front pages everywhere in America.

Many large U.S. daily newspapers did publish the photograph. But many newspapers abstained, perhaps because it depicted frontal nudity.

In a review I conducted with a research assistant of 40 leading daily U.S. newspapers  all of which were Associated Press subscribers  21 titles placed Napalm Girl on the front page.

But 14 newspapers  more than one-third of the sample  did not publish Napalm Girl at all in the days immediately after its distribution. These included papers in Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston and Newark.

Only three of the 40 newspapers examined  The Boston Globe, the New York Post and The New York Times  published editorials specifically addressing the photograph. The editorial in the New York Post, then a liberal-minded newspaper, was prophetic in saying:

The picture of the children will never leave anyone who saw it.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/50-years-after-napalm-girl-myths-distort-the-reality-behind-a-horrific-photo-of-the-vietnam-war-and-exaggerate-its-impact-183291.
SHAFTER, Calif. (AP)  A jail guard was arrested on suspicion of possessing and being under the influence of methamphetamine while on the job at a Southern California lockup, authorities said.

The 42-year-old detentions deputy with the Kern County Sheriffs Office was taken into custody Tuesday while on duty at the Lerdo Jail Complex near Bakersfield, sheriff's officials said.
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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  At least some of the five South Carolina Democrats seeking their party's gubernatorial nomination are expected to debate, just more than a week before the state's primary elections.

The South Carolina Democratic Party announced Friday that it had sanctioned the production of the debate, to be co-hosted by South Carolina Educational Television and The Post and Courier newspaper of Charleston, for June 10. That's a day before South Carolina's Democrats are expected to assemble in Columbia for this year's state party convention.

Whether or not any of the gubernatorial candidates would debate before the June 14 contest had long been up for debate itself.

A broadcast event had been scheduled for June 1, but former U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham's refusal to commit to it prompted state Sen. Mia McLeod to issue a debate challenge via Twitter, so she and Cunningham could give the people what they want."

Cunningham responded by saying that he welcomed a fair debate but balked at participation in the forum, which was to have been sponsored by the South Carolina Democratic Partys Black Caucus. Cunningham's concern was that the chair of that caucus is listed as someone paid by McLeod's campaign.

A review of McLeod's expenditures lists chairman Brandon Upson as having been paid $900 by the campaign, remuneration Upson has said was tied to the campaign's purchase of a list of about 100,000 names to be used for fundraising.

A Cunningham spokesman told The Associated Press the former congressman would be there with bells on when asked about the June 10 debate. A spokesman for McLeod said she is planning to be there.

During the last gubernatorial election, the three candidates seeking the Democratic nomination debated three times ahead of their primary.

The potential face-off comes with early voting in South Carolina already underway. Thanks to a measure passed by state lawmakers this year, South Carolina now has true early voting for the first time, with voters able to cast their ballots in person at locations across the state in the two weeks leading up to the primary election.

Both Cunningham and McLeod have been largely running their campaigns against Gov. Henry McMaster, the Republican incumbent expected to sail to his party's nomination in his pursuit of a third full term in office. Neither of the Republicans challenging McMaster have been able to attract significant fundraising.

Republicans have controlled South Carolina's Governor's Mansion for 20 years. If he wins reelection, McMaster  who served out the remaining two years of Nikki Haley's second term before winning his own election in 2018  would become the longest-serving governor in the state's history.

Cunningham  who in 2018 became the first Democrat to flip a South Carolina congressional district from Republican hands, before losing his 2020 reelection bid  has led the Democratic pack in fundraising since launching his campaign in May 2021. As of the first quarter of this year, Cunningham had reported more than $1.7 million.

McLeod, the first Black woman to seek South Carolina's top office, entered the race a year ago. McLeod had raised about $492,000 in total, according to a pre-election filing from May 29.

There are three other Democrats seeking their party's nomination.

Neither Carlton Boyd nor Calvin McMillan has reported raising any money for their campaigns, although McMillan has made a personal contribution of $40 to his effort. William Williams has received nearly $6,000 in fundraising, according to state records.

___

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  John Fetterman, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, who is recovering from a stroke, said Friday that he almost died from the episode after ignoring warning signs for years and a doctor's advice to take blood thinners.

Fetterman spoke in a statement released by his campaign, and has remained out of public view as he recovers ahead of the fall general election in what is expected to be one of the nations premier Senate contests.

The stroke I suffered on May 13 didnt come out of nowhere, Fetterman said, and as a result, I almost died. I want to encourage others to not make the same mistake.

In a separate statement released through his campaign Friday, Fettermans cardiologist disclosed that Fetterman has cardiomyopathy, in which the heart muscle becomes weakened and enlarged. Cardiomyopathy can impede blood flow and potentially cause heartbeats so irregular they can be fatal.

The acknowledgment was the first public comment by a doctor for Fetterman since the candidate first took to social media on May 15 to disclose that he had a stroke.

Fetterman, 52, easily won the Democratic nomination in a four-way race while in the hospital four days after the stroke and just hours after undergoing surgery to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator.

The stroke has raised questions about Fetterman's fitness to campaign for the office, including what continuing effects he might have from the stroke.

Already, attack ads are flying in the race, even as the Senate Republican primary contest is bogged down in a statewide recount, more than two weeks after the election.

On Friday evening, former hedge fund CEO David McCormick conceded that race to celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, as he acknowledged the recount wouldnt give him enough votes to make up the deficit. The Associated Press has not yet declared a winner because of the recount.

Fetterman, Pennsylvanias lieutenant governor, has not said when he will return to the campaign trail and did not show up to preside over floor sessions of the state Senate last week.

Fetterman said doctors have told him to continue to rest, eat well, exercise and focus on his recovery, and thats exactly what Im doing.

Fetterman acknowledged that he ignored warning signs after visiting the doctor because of swollen feet in 2017 and learning that he had a heart condition.

The cardiologist, Dr. Ramesh Chandra, told him that he never would have had a stroke had he continued taking blood thinners, Fetterman said.

Chandra said Fetterman will be fine if he eats healthy foods, takes prescribed medication and exercises.

Fetterman has been open about his push to lose weight in the past. At 6 feet 8, he weighed in at over 400 pounds before losing nearly 150 pounds in 2018, when he ran for lieutenant governor.

He said he had thought  wrongly  that losing weight and exercising would be enough.

Fetterman has said that his stroke was caused by a heart condition called atrial fibrillation and that doctors implanted the pacemaker May 17 to manage it.

Doctors removed the clot in Fettermans brain through a thrombectomy procedure, his campaign said. That means extracting it by inserting a catheter through a big artery, usually in the groin.

However, Fetterman had not answered questions about why doctors implanted a defibrillator along with it  until Friday.

Chandra said the defibrillator, which delivers corrective shocks when it senses life-threatening irregular rhythms, was implanted because of Fetterman's cardiomyopathy.

Fetterman has not made a public appearance, other than a couple of brief videos of him posted on social media speaking at the hospital May 15 and leaving it a week later.

On Wednesday, Fetterman saw his neurologist, campaign spokesperson Joe Calvello said.

The neurologist was impressed with Fetterman's progress and said that cognitively, John is perfect, and well on his way to a full recovery, Calvello said.

Fetterman does not have paralysis from the stroke, and is up, walking around, running errands and having calls with staff, Calvello said.

Fetterman's neurologist has not spoken with reporters.

Most stroke patients experience some sort of physical impairment, according to Dr. Matt Starr, associate director of UMPC Stroke Institute.

Long-term physical symptoms of stroke range widely, from minor muscle weakness to muscle stiffness and spasms to complete paralysis, typically on one side of the body.

When stroke does cause physical impairment, the greatest recovery happens in the first three months after the stroke, said Dr. Mitchell Elkind, a Columbia University neurologist and immediate past president of the American Heart Association.

Most stroke patients do show at least some signs of recovery, and full recovery is possible, Elkind said.

___

Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics. Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/timelywriter.
POCATELLO, Idaho (AP)  An Idaho man accused of shooting two police officers with a semi-automatic rifle last month has been released from the hospital and jailed on a $1 million bond.

Todd Vernon Brewer, 45, of Pocatello, was charged with two counts of felony aggravated battery and using a weapon during the commission of a felony in connection with the shooting on May 5. Both officers survived.

The Idaho State Journal reported that Brewer, who was also shot, was released from the hospital late last month and taken to the Bannock County Jail. He is expected to make his first appearance in court next week.

Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei said police were sent to a Pocatello home during the early morning hours of May 5 because of a report of domestic violence.

Authorities have released few details, but during a press conference after the shooting Schei said Brewer was armed with an AR-15 rifle and a shotgun and that he raised the rifle when officers ordered him to drop the weapons. Schei said the officers shot at Brewer, who returned fire.

Officer Mackenzie Handel was shot in the abdomen and Officer Demetrius Amos was in the abdomen and in the face. Amos' hand was injured by gunfire, but Schei said it wasn't clear if the wound was caused by a third bullet or from one of the other two shots.

Handel has returned to limited duty police work and Amos is recovering at home, Schei said.

Brewer has not yet had the opportunity to enter a plea and online court records do not show if he has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
EATONTON, Ga. (AP)  Lawyers for a Georgia prisoner on trial for murdering two prison guards admit that Ricky Dubose killed the pair aboard a prison bus but say an abuse-filled childhood left him mentally ill.

Ricky Dubose is guilty and intellectually disabled, defense attorney Gabrielle Amber Pittman said in an opening statement. Ricky Dubose is guilty and mentally ill. We are asking you to find Ricky guilty and intellectually disabled.

The trial of Dubose began Wednesday in Eatonton, news outlets report. He could be executed if convicted in the fatal shooting of Sgt. Christopher Monica and Sgt. Curtis Billue while escaping from a prison transfer bus southeast of Atlanta in June 2017.

Dubose and Donnie Rowe escaped together and were arrested in Tennessee days later. Rowe was convicted last year of murder in the guards' death. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole by a judge after jurors could not achieve the unanimity required to recommend a death sentence in Georgia.

Dubose is accused of firing the gun that killed the officers after he and Rowe slipped out of handcuffs and burst through an unlocked gate. Prosecutors say Dubose grabbed one of the officers pistols and shot Monica, the guard, and then Billue, the driver, both in the head. Security cameras on the bus recorded the violent escape and roughly 30 other prisoners witnessed the killings.

Prosecutors disagree with the defense on Dubose's mental capacity, and the lawyers have argued over psychologist reports expected to be presented during trial. Jurors were chosen in coastal Brunswick over a period of more than three weeks and bused to Eatonton because of extensive pretrial publicity. The trial could last weeks.

District Attorney T. Wright Barksdale III described Dubose as a predator and an intelligent, calculated criminal, whose actions were swift and decisive.

Retrieves a Glock 9, loads it, shoots Christopher Monica, shoots Curtis Billue, kicks a window out of the bus, all of that ladies and gentlemen takes a mere 40 seconds, Barksdale said.

If jurors find Dubose guilty but with intellectual disability or guilty but mentally ill," Dubose would not be subject to the death penalty.

No matter what the state may allege, Pittman told the jury, Ricky Dubose wasnt a criminal genius who was planning and plotting an escape in the weeks leading up to the crime.

Officials say Dubose and Rowe stole at least three different cars while on the run, broke into a home, tied up the couple who lived there and hid out. Barksdale said Dubose asked the woman detained in the Tennessee home for makeup to disguise facial tattoos that include devil-like horns.

Pittman said Dubose followed Rowe into making serious, terrible decisions with tragic consequences."

Dubose, 29, was serving a 20-year sentence for a 2015 armed robbery and assault in Elbert County when he escaped. He had been in prison earlier, as well.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  Marijuana would be legalized for medical use in North Carolina with a physician's prescription and purchased through dozens of tightly regulated dispensaries in a measure receiving initial approval Thursday in the Senate.

The legislation, which received strong bipartisan support, could help people facing more than a dozen different debilitating medical conditions in which their doctor declares the health benefits of smoking or consuming cannabis outweigh the risks.

The bill's chief sponsors, however, focused on giving relief to patients with terminal illnesses that bring unbearable pain and suffering, while preventing them from having to act illegally.

It is our duty as lawmakers to pass legislation that helps people who need our help, said Brunswick County Republican Sen. Bill Rabon, a cancer survivor who has worked on this legislation for five years. It is not going to make them ashamed or reluctant to seek help if it is recommended to them by their physician.

Seventeen of the 25 Republicans and all but two Democrats present Thursday cast votes for the bill, which passed 35-10 and needs one more affirmative vote next week before it heads to the House.

Many House Republicans have been suspicious about legalizing cannabis in any form. Speaker Tim Moore said Thursday he believed medical marijuana would have to wait until 2023. Legislative leaders are aiming to adjourn this year's work session around July 1.

Still, the Senate's affirmative vote, which included a "yes" from chamber leader Phil Berger, shows how far political and public sentiment has come in the Bible Belt state on medical marijuana. Rabon has said that polls show support is strong for the idea across all population groups, including among evangelical Christians.

The bill worked its way through several committees last summer before resurfacing this week. Senators have heard from impassioned speakers with severe illness who say marijuana can ease pain or help them lead more normal lives.

Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia allow the medical use of cannabis products, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The time for action in North Carolina is now, said Democratic Sen. Wiley Nickel of Wake County, who recalled how his father used marijuana unlawfully three decades ago as he was dying of cancer. Marijuana for recreational use would remain illegal.

Bill opponents have said the health benefits of marijuana remain uncertain and the health risks are great.

We spent billions of dollars ... to stop people from smoking (and) were now voting on a new version of Big Tobacco, said Sen. Jim Burgin, a Harnett County Republican who voted no.

Under the bill, other qualifying conditions that could lead to legal marijuana access include epilepsy, Crohns disease, HIV/AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and post-traumatic stress disorder. An advisory board could add to that list. Physicians initially would have to receive 10 hours of training to offer a cannabis prescription.

A new Medical Cannabis Production Commission would award licenses to 10 entities that would grow cannabis, process it and sell it.

Each licensee could open eight medical cannabis centers across the state. They could sell up to 30-day supplies of marijuana or cannabis-infused products to patients or their caregivers, who would have to obtain registration cards from the state Department of Health and Human Services. The licensees would have to send 10% of their monthly revenues to the state.

People could face felonies if marijuana at cannabis centers or production facilities is sold unlawfully. Registered patients who smoke pot in public or near a school or church could face $25 fines.

Sen. Julie Mayfield of Buncombe County offered a floor amendment that would have directed the commission to recommend a system that she said would help in-state growers and retailers participate.

Language in the measure otherwise would leave the licenses to multistate corporations, she said, leaving small businesses on the sidelines. Republicans used a parliamentary maneuver to derail a vote on the amendment. Mayfield was one of the two Democrats to vote against the full bill Thursday.
Vernors is adding a temporary addition to its lineup this summer to be offered almost exclusively in Michigan: Vernors Black Cherry.

Photo provided/Keurig Dr Pepper

"Vernors Black Cherry Ginger soda will be launched exclusively in Michigan and surrounding Toledo, Ohio, this summer," Elizabeth Hensen, market development manager for Keurig Dr Pepper, said in a statement.
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Members of a north Houston family were the apparent victims of an escaped prisoner who authorities believe killed four boys and their grandfather on Thursday at their weekend home in Centerville.

LOPEZ ESCAPE: Texas prisons cancel visitation following escape

The inmate was killed after a shootout with police south of San Antonio.

Gonzalo Lopez, 46, went missing May 12, staying in the Leon County area until Thursday when he likely ambushed a man and his four grandsons at their weekend getaway near Texas 7 in Centerville. Tomball ISD put out a statement Friday morning that four students from the district and their grandfather were killed Thursday.

From there, once police discovered the family around 6 p.m., police across Texas were on the lookout for a missing pickup.

Hours later, around 10 p.m., police in Jourdanton, 10 miles south of San Antonio in Atascosa County, spotted the truck and began trailing it, said Jason Clark, chief of staff for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. After a brief pursuit and police deploying spikes to puncture the trucks tires, Clark said Lopez crashed into a tree. He jumped from the truck with a rifle and pistol and after a briefly turning to flee shot at the police closing in on him.

Those officers swiftly shot and killed Lopez, Clark said.

LOPEZ ESCAPE: Texas inmate who escaped bus got out of restraints, cage

No officers were shot, he said, though Lopez was able to fire several rounds. Officials said the shooting would be investigated by the Texas Rangers, along with the details of Lopezs escape from a prison bus.

The end of the long manhunt happened swiftly, after days of failing to find him, but at the heavy cost of the grandfather and his grandsons. Officials did not identify them, other than to confirm they are from the Houston area and likely arrived at their weekend home on Thursday. A relative worried because they had not heard from the family.

Lopez is a killer, Clark said about an hour before his capture. He has a disregard for human life, we know that.

Clark said authorities were still assessing the Centerville home, and were unsure if Lopez was in the home when the family arrived, or entered later once they were present.

Lopez had been the subject of an intensive search since his escape from the prison bus. He was being transported from a prison in Gatesville to one in Huntsville for a medical appointment when he escaped in Leon County, close to the familys cabin, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has said. Because he was considered to be a high-risk prisoner, he was confined to a cage in the bus.

The department has said Lopez somehow freed himself from his hand and leg restraints, cut through the expanded metal of the cage and crawled from the bottom. He then attacked the driver, who stopped the bus and got into an altercation with Lopez, and they both eventually got off the bus.

A second officer at the rear of the bus then exited and approached Lopez, who got back on the bus and started driving down the road, the department said.

The officers fired at Lopez and disabled the bus by shooting the rear tire, the department said. The bus then traveled a short distance before leaving the roadway, where Lopez got out and ran into the woods. At some point during the escape, Lopez stabbed the driver, whose wounds werent life-threatening, the department said.

Clark said he likely lived for days in the woods and around the home eluding capture.

Lopez was a former member of the Mexican Mafia criminal enterprise with ties to the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio areas, police said.

Officials do not believe Lopez had any connection to the family. They suspect the weapons Lopez had likely came from the familys home.

He was serving a life sentence from a 2006 conviction for capital murder and aggravated kidnapping in Hidalgo County. He was also given a life sentence following a 2007 conviction for attempted capital murder in Webb County.

We are breathing a sigh of relief Lopez will not be able to harm anyone else, Clark said.

dug.begley@chron.com

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A man was fatally shot early Friday morning in southwest Houston, according to authorities.

Officers responded around 1 a.m. to the intersection of Beechnut Street and Club Creek Drive and found the man  described as in his 30s  with gunshot wounds, according to the Houston Police Department. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

"When we got here he wasn't talking much just saying someone shot him," HPD Lt. Ronnie Willkens said, adding investigators found a handful of casings near where the man located. "He was starting to fade in and out."

More on Crime: Escaped inmate killed, but not before suspected of preying on Houston family, authorities say

There is currently no suspect or motive in the incident as homicide investigators process the scene.

Anyone with information on the shooting is encouraged to contact HPD's Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

No other information is available at this time.

Joel.Umanzor@chron.com
The sun swept romance between a federal agent and a suspected terrorist  with episodes in Dubai, Greece and Hawaii  could make a hit series. If only it were fictional.

Instead the high-stakes saga of the special agent and the Syrian businessman will begin a fresh chapter Friday when a Houston jury learns of the governments allegations that the agent hindered the FBIs investigation of her love interest as a possible terrorist.

Leatrice De Bruhl, a 48-year-old career officer with U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service or NCIS, has been free on bail at her mothers home in Charlottesville, Virginia for the past three years. She is on trial in federal court for the next week on 13 charges, including allegations she lied, tampered with evidence, meddled with witnesses, bribed public officials and outright impeded justice to protect the man she was so deeply attracted to that the thought of him kept her awake for days, according to a text admitted as evidence.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Federal agent indicted after romantic involvement with terror suspect

That man, Nadal Diya, 49, who threw the special agent a lavish birthday party in Dubai and helped her pay for a Greek vacation, has pleaded guilty to traveling with a fake Guatemalan and Argentinian passport and is set for sentencing in July. He is expected to give evidence for the prosecution and likely will ask for leniency in sentencing based on his cooperation.

Defense lawyers told the jurors they have yet to decide if De Bruhl will take the stand. The public defenders on her case declined comment prior to trial.

De Bruhl has been on indefinite suspension with NCIS and does not have access to secure material, an agency spokesperson said at the time of her indictment. For years prior, NCIS officials considered De Bruhl-Daniels an exemplary employee, according to documents. She previously worked for as an investigative specialist for the FBI.

De Bruhl met Diya in 2016, while she was stationed in the United Arab Emirates as a special agent with the NCIS. During their affair, she provided him warnings that he was being investigated as a possible terrorist and could be arrested for involvement in an illegal oil shipment, according to court documents.

Colleagues warned her not to interfere. On a secure video call in 2017, Homeland Security and a Commerce Department agent in Houston warned her again. She did not tell them that by then she had a personal relationship with him, according to their accounts.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Ex-flight attendant sentenced after flying with United under fake name

He spent thousands on a birthday party for her. She promised to work on fixing his visa situation, investigators said. They were headed off to Greece where she said they would have the best time ever, according to documents.

She later warned him he likely was being monitored, according to officials.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com
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A Houston-area grandfather and his four grandsons walked into a fatal ambush Thursday at the hands of a convicted murderer who escaped from a prison bus three weeks earlier and had broken into the familys weekend getaway home in Centerville, leaving friends and relatives beyond devastated.

Gonzalo Lopez, 46, escaped the bus on May 12, prompting a three-week search that only ended after he killed 66-year-old Mark Collins, 18-year-old Waylon Collins, 16-year-old Carson, their younger brother Hudson; and their cousin, Bryson Collins, both 11, officials said.

The loss is unbearable, the grandfathers brother-in-law wrote on Facebook.

In a statement, the Leon County Sheriffs Office said Lopez entered the residence sometime on Thursday and gained access to several firearms on the property before killing five people.

LOPEZ ESCAPE: Texas inmate who escaped bus got out of restraints, cage

Tomball ISD confirmed that all four boys were students in the district this school year.

Police, alerted by a relative that had not heard from the grandfather, discovered the five bodies around 6 p.m. Immediately suspecting Lopez and with details of a pickup missing from the residence  and possibly missing firearms  police sent out a statewide alert for the 1999 Chevy Silverado.

Identifying the truck and warning that Lopez had ties to San Antonio and the Rio Grade Valley is what allowed police to eventually close in. An investigator and deputy sheriff from Atascosa County, south of San Antonio, spotted the truck on Texas 16 a few miles north of Poteet and matched the license plate to the Leon County alert, said Atascosa County Sheriff David Soward.

These officers were instructed not to alert the suspect and to tail him until backup officers could get to the Jourdanton area, Soward wrote in a statement prepared by his office.

Family photos

The Jourdanton Police Chief laid spike strips across the highway, which Lopez drove over, puncturing all of the trucks tires, Soward said. From there, Soward said Lopez tried to flee but numerous police had begun a dogged pursuit that at one point led Lopez to cut through a field and then back onto Texas 16.

As he entered the city limits of Jourdanton, Soward said Lopez stuck a semi-automatic rifle out the truck's window and fired shots at pursuing officers, before he drove into a utility pole, lost control and plowed through a chain link fence.

Lopez then emerged from the truck armed with a rifle and a handgun and began firing at officers. Four county police, three from the sheriffs office, returned fire, killing Lopez. None of the officers were struck, with Soward saying the only direct hit by Lopez was to a patrol vehicles windshield.

The shootout ended a three-week search for Lopez, who was able to cut his way out of restraints and a cage on a prison bus to stab a bus driver for the corrections department. The two tussled as Lopez tried to run away, while a second corrections officer exited the back of the bus and headed toward the front.

At that moment, Lopez leaped back onto the bus and drove away. The corrections officers were able to incapacitate the bus, but could not catch Lopez before he ran into the surrounding woods.

Over the days, numerous police agencies including the U.S. Marshals Service canvassed the area, assuming Lopez remained in Leon County, said Jason Clark, chief of staff for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. They warned residents he should be considered extremely dangerous.

Lopez is a killer, Clark said about an hour before his capture. He has a disregard for human life, we know that.

Clark said authorities were still assessing the Centerville home, and were unsure if Lopez was in the home when the family arrived, or entered later once they were present.

He was able to stay within the woods, get into the residence for food and water and perhaps change his clothes, Clark said, adding it was likely he was on the property for days and perhaps went in and out of the home.

Lopez was a former member of the Mexican Mafia criminal enterprise with ties to the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio areas, police said.

Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

Officials do not believe Lopez had any connection to the family. They suspect the weapons Lopez had likely came from the familys home.

He was serving a life sentence from a 2006 conviction for capital murder and aggravated kidnapping in Hidalgo County. He was also given a life sentence following a 2007 conviction for attempted capital murder in Webb County.

We are breathing a sigh of relief Lopez will not be able to harm anyone else, Clark said.

dug.begley@chron.com
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For the last two decades, Jesse Espinosa instructed generations of Houston ISD student musicians.

During his tenure at Waltrip High School, the Roaring Red Ram Band played district concerts, Super Bowl 51 events in town and ceremonies marking the second inauguration of former President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C. The band won praise and awards.

Throughout that time, Espinosa said he scraped and scrapped to keep the band competitive. Students wore tattered uniforms and some played instruments held together with duct tape and rubber bands. The band always needed more funding and resources, Espinosa said. It relied on fundraising and others donations  including help from elected officials  to make it to some of the biggest stages they have played.

FOLLOW THE MONEY: New portal lets you see how Houston ISD is using $1.2 billion of federal COVID-19 relief money

I would always be asking for bread and water and at any given time, he said recently, I would get one or the other. Never both, all these years.

Espinosa said he is done scraping. He will leave HISD after the current school year for a job at another Houston school system. He used two words he said he hated using to describe how he felt: Burned out. The band will play a farewell show Saturday.

Its not about making me happy, Espinosa said. Its about giving the kids what they need to be successful and putting a teacher in a position where they dont feel like its them against the world just to make something happen for their classroom.

In recent years, educators have left HISD for various reasons, exit surveys show. Data from last years surveys show nearly 30 percent of the 328 responding teachers left for another district in the Houston area.

Espinosas relationship with music traces back to his childhood when the son of a construction worker and secretary really wanted to be an athlete. He was kind of a small kid back then, he said, so his mother put him in the school band instead. He picked up a trumpet and stuck with it.

It was not until he got to Waltrip, where he met longtime band director Charlie Stevens, the man who would become his mentor, that Espinosa realized he wanted to teach music, ideally at HISD.

At Waltrip, Stevens spoke to him about how music had helped him in life, and taught him it was OK to open up and share his feelings.

More from Alejandro Serrano: 5-year HISD audit finds $300 million surplus as teacher pay continues to rank below other districts

Espinosa joined the Army with a dream of one day following in Stevens footsteps. After his discharge, Espinosa was pushing shopping carts in a northwest Houston Sams Club a hot August day 20 years ago when he got a call from HISD saying the district needed an assistant band director at Lamar High School.

Espinosa said he jumped at the chance.

Fundraising needed

Representation mattered to me because I had not been taught by a Latino music educator up until that point, said Eric Jimenez, one of Espinosas first students at Lamar who now is the assistant director of bands at Prairie View A&M. I remember doing auditions for a solo in the marching show or auditions for leadership and he just had this way of making it significant and memorable. Even if you knew you didnt have the talent yet  or the capability  he was the type of person that would say, Hey, just give it a shot. At least you can be aware of what to expect for next year.

At the end of that first year of teaching at Lamar, an assistant band director at Waltrip left.

That was an easy decision, Espinosa said with a smile.

He served as Stevens assistant for nearly a decade before taking over the program, he said. By then, Espinosa said, he already thought the fine arts were not well-supported at HISD.

Around that time, another Waltrip alum who happened to be working on the production of Obamas second inauguration saw the band was in the middle of a long application process to play in some of the celebratory events in Washington, Espinosa said.

The band received an invitation, but needed $150,000 for the trip. Students held fundraiser after fundraiser  car washes and popcorn sales  but remained about $40,000 short seven days before the deadline.

Their efforts garnered the attention of local media, including the Chronicle, which ran a feature that included a quote from a student saying: Maybe, everybody could send a dollar.

Everybody, it seemed, did just that, Espinosa said. After the story ran, he received envelopes from all over with donations. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee found donors for the rest of the money.

MORE ON WALTRIP: Its Washington, D.C., or bust for the Waltrip High School Ram Band

I had only heard of something like that before, Espinosa said, likening it to a film. That was year one. From there, it was like what do you next?

A lot, it turned out.

Interest in the band grew, but support did not keep up, according to Espinosa and some members at the time.

As a student, James Elam, who went on the first Washington trip as a freshman and another as a senior, said he could not understand why.

There would be a lot of issues where me or my fellow classmates at the time would have instruments start breaking or things stop working, and I would be the one that ends up fixing the instruments. And Im the one thats in high school, said Elam, now an assistant band director under Espinosa at Waltrip. Its still the same issues, they have just tried to pass blame around.

Hope in equity push

There is some hope things will change for the district of nearly 200,000 students, 79 percent of whom are considered economically disadvantaged and 61 percent at-risk.

When new Superintendent Millard House II went on a listening tour last fall, educators and parents frequently told him the district needed wider support for the arts, as well as librarians and nurses. The feedback was supposed to help guide the districts first strategic plan in years.

Houses plan, unveiled in February, called for centralizing the funding of 11 positions  including an art or music teacher  as well as various programs, including fine arts, at every school in an effort to make the district more equitable.

SOUND OFF: Houston ISDs superintendent wanted input from the community. Hes getting an earful.

Under the most recent iteration of the proposed budget for the upcoming year, fine arts would be centrally funded but campuses will have to hire the teachers. The board is scheduled to vote on the budget this month.

HISD has ordered uniforms and instruments for students across the district, officials said at a Thursday night board meeting.

Espinosa said he liked Houses proposed plan, but knew the superintendent would have a very tall mountain to climb.

I dont think it should be 100 percent centralized, he said, but I think 100 percent decentralization is not good. Theres too much evidence of where those silos of success are here and there and then there is a lot of distress and undeserved areas of our district.

The current system, which grants principals wide discretion over their budgets, let him pick up what Stevens had created and mold the program further to what it has become, he acknowledged. He has grown tired, however, explaining the value of his program every time a new administrator arrived, sometimes with a new plan for allocating the schools budget.

He recounted an episode years ago in which he asked an administrator why the band could not get more support.

Can you at least give me a good reason? he remembered asking.

The band has always been good, he said he was told, so why worry?

Espinosa said after he announced his plan to leave HISD, that administrator apologized.

alejandro.serrano@chron.com
A yearlong study into Houston storms kicked into high gear Wednesday, and researchers were immediately treated to two golden days for collecting data.

There were afternoon storms and a sea breeze moving inland from the Gulf of Mexico, which helps drive the formation of clouds and storms.

The summertime in Houston we have the warm, moist conditions that are conducive to getting lots of clouds and storms, said Michael Jensen, principal investigator for the experiment and a meteorologist with the U.S. Department of Energys Brookhaven National Laboratory. So were ramping up our operations. The first two days were great days for what were after out here.

MORE ON THE STUDY: Can tiny particles in the atmosphere create stronger thunderstorms? UH is trying to find out.

University of Houston researchers  plus many others from around the country  are conducting a weather experiment thats examining if soot, dust, smoke and other tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere can cause stronger, rainier thunderstorms. Its a topic of much debate among scientists, who dont fully understand how the size, amount and composition of aerosols can affect storms. There may even be a sweet spot where a certain number of airborne particles would invigorate a storm, but then adding more would reverse that trend.

The researchers hope to settle the aerosol debate and, ultimately, improve computer models used for weather forecasts, air quality conditions and climate predictions. The experiment might even produce data that helps predict how much rain a storm could produce, which could be particularly useful in cities such as Houston that are prone to flash flooding.

The study is known as TRACER, which stands for TRacking Aerosol Convection interactions ExpeRiment. UH is partnering with organizations that include the Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and NASA. There are also roughly 30 universities contributing to this study.

The experiment began Oct. 1 with researchers collecting data from Pearland and La Porte Municipal Airport. Now that Houstons summer thunderstorms are ramping up, the team is adding weather instruments in Guy (a less populated community in Fort Bend County) and Smith Point on the east side of Galveston Bay.

Placing the instruments in a variety of environments should allow researchers to measure thunderstorms interacting with natural aerosols, such as sea salt, and industrial/urban aerosols such as soot from combustion processes at power plants and refineries. The equipment could also detect smoke caused by wildfires in California and Colorado that travels to the Houston area.

Jensen said the team has been surprised at the diversity of aerosols already detected in Houston. They have come from all over the United States (and beyond, with Saharan dust). Right now, he said, the team is detecting aerosols from forest fires in New Mexico.

We need to consider that its not as simple as whats being emitted right here in the city, he said, which I guess we knew. But thats been a bit magnified by actually having the data.

The intensive operational period that began Wednesday also comes with weather instruments on trucks, planes and boats that can get closer to the action (though Jensen said they wont be too close if a hurricane comes ashore). Some of the boats and trucks will release weather balloons, and the mobile platforms will use special radar where software identifies storm clouds and then scans them frequently to watch how they evolve.

HURRICANE SEASON: NOAA forecasts another above average hurricane season, expecting up to 21 named storms

Researchers are also releasing more weather balloons from their permanent locations. They had been releasing four balloons a day from La Porte since October. Now on active storm days, theyll release four more in the afternoon for a total of eight from La Porte. Theyll also release five from Guy on stormy days.

This intensive period will continue through the duration of the study, which ends Sept. 30.

andrea.leinfelder@chron.com

twitter.com/a_leinfelder
Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Uttar Pradesh to participate in the 'Ground Breaking Ceremony @ 3.0' of the UP Investors Summit.

Modi will also visit the ancestral home of President Ram Nath Kovind.

In a series of tweets Prime Minister Modi said, "Leaving for Lucknow, where I will take part in the Ground Breaking Ceremony @ 3.0 of the UP Investors Summit. The foundation stone for various investment projects will be laid which will transform the lives of people in UP."

The Prime Minister noted that in the last five years, Uttar Pradesh has made efforts to draw more investments. "In the last five years, Uttar Pradesh has made numerous efforts to draw record investment in the state. These investments cover diverse sectors. The good business environment in the state augurs well for both investors and the local youth.

"After the programme in Lucknow I will be in Kanpur to attend a series of programmes in the august presence of Rashtrapati Ji. The programmes include a visit to the Pathri Mata Mandir, Dr. BR Ambedkar Bhawan and Milan Kendra, Rashtrapati Ji's ancestral house," the Prime Minister added.

During the 'Ground Breaking Ceremony @3.0', the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of 1,406 projects worth more than Rs 80,000 crore. The projects encompass diverse sectors like agriculture and allied, IT and electronics, MSME, manufacturing, renewable energy, pharma, tourism, defence and aerospace, handloom and textiles. The ceremony will be attended by top industry leaders of the country.
A Robb Elementary School teacher and the father of a student killed in the May 24 mass shooting at the school both have signaled their intent to sue the manufacturer of the assault-style rifle the gunman used in the massacre.

In separate documents, lawyers for the teacher and father seek details from Daniel Defense LLC about how the Georgia company markets its firearms  and whether that marketing is geared to teens and young adults  and other information.

Alfred Garza IIIs 10-year-old daughter Amerie Jo Garza was one of 19 students gunned down by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos. Two teachers also were killed during the teens rampage.

My purpose for being now is to honor Amerie Jos memory, Garza said in a news release Friday. She would want to me to do everything I can so this will never happen again to any other child. I have to fight her fight.

Related: Slap in the face: Uvalde senator slams Abbotts committee in wake of school shooting

Garza is represented by prominent San Antonio trial lawyer Mikal Watts, Dallas attorney Charla Aldous and lawyer Josh Koskoff, who represented the families of nine victims of the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

In February, the plaintiffs agreed to a $73 million settlement with Remington, the maker of the AR-15-style Bushmaster rifle used in the massacre. It was believed to be the largest payout by a gunmaker in a mass shooting case.

The settlement was notable because the plaintiffs legal team devised a way around a 2005 federal law that shields gun companies from civil liability. They did so by arguing that Remington violated Connecticut state consumer law by marketing the weapon to unstable young men.

Don Flanary, a lawyer representing teacher Emilia Marin, filed a petition late Thursday asking a state district judge for permission to gather more information about Daniel Defense in anticipation of a lawsuit. The request includes permission to depose, or interview under oath, company officials.

Petitioner seeks to obtain the deposition testimony and evidence from Daniel Defense to investigate potential claims by the Petitioner, the filing states. The subject matter of the potential claim is the conduct of Daniel Defense which was a cause of the injuries and damages suffered by Emilia Marin.

Marin, who has worked for the district for about 25 years, was the teacher first identified by the Express-News who had propped open a door to the school to get some food as she carried food into the school  but then closed it after seeing the gunman heading toward the school. The door, her lawyer said, was supposed to lock, but it did not, and the gunman  and later police  used the unlocked door to enter the school.

At a minimum, she has suffered severe and lasting psychological trauma. She is currently being treated for her condition associated with the violence inflicted upon her and others, Flanary said Friday. She is definitely not the only survivor who will suffer these effects for the rest of their lives. Countless children, all who were at the school that day, are no doubt experiencing the same horrific damages.

Related: Why 18-year-olds can buy AR-15s in Texas but not handguns

The petition seeks information regarding the AR-15 variant rifle sold to Ramos  as well as information about four AR-15-style rifles found in the hotel room of a mass shooter who killed 60 people in Las Vegas in 2017. It also seeks information about how Daniel Defense markets its firearms.

State police have said Ramos bought the Daniel Defense DDM4 V7 online. Though it was one of two assault-style rifles Ramos bought in the days after his 18th birthday, that was the firearm found next to his body when he was killed by storming Border Patrol agents more than an hour after he went into the school and gunned down his victims.

Daniel Defense is among the largest privately-held U.S. manufacturers of firearms and accessories. But it is small compared to Remington, Smith & Wesson, Colt and others. Its founder and CEO is Marty Daniel, and his wife, Cindy Daniel, is chief operating officer.

The company has adopted an online sales model, and allows customers to pay over time. The company is known for provocative online ads and the use of pop-culture references or characters that appeal to youths.

Ramos ordered the rifle online  which cost more than $2,000 after taxes  then picked it up at Oasis Outback in Uvalde, the gun store that submitted his application for a federal background check to complete the sale. Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, has said Ramos used a debit card to order the rifle and other guns.

Marins civil filing comes as the city of Uvalde girds itself for other potential lawsuits over the fallout. The city has reached out to the Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool for advice, Uvalde City Manager Vince DiPiazza told the Express-News on Wednesday. The pool insures municipalities around the state.

Related: Lawyer: Uvalde teacher did not leave door open that gunman used to enter Robb Elementary School

The city hasnt received notice of any lawsuits yet. But litigation could be costly and severely impact the citys general fund for government operations, which was budgeted at about $11 million this year.

The Uvalde Police Department joined forces with the Uvalde school police and deputies in the initial response to 911 calls at Robb Elementary School on May 24. But for more than an hour, officers were not allowed to storm into two connected classrooms where Ramos killed his victims and was holed up behind locked doors. Border Patrol agents ultimately entered the classrooms in and killed him.

guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | pdanner@express-news.net
If the definition of insanity, as the old saw reminds us, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome, then the Second Amendment absolutists in the Republican Party are overdue for a psychiatric assessment. Whether its Gov. Greg Abbott or Attorney General Ken Paxton, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz or Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Pavlovian response to one mass shooting after another has been, for the longest time, a torrent of thoughts and prayers in lieu of any meaningful action to stop a national sickness that seems to be getting worse. The tired cliche is a politically convenient substitute for doing nothing, a dodge the revered theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer would have recognized as a form of cheap grace.

Patrick seems to be sticking with the knee-jerk thoughts-and-prayers mantra, but other absolutists whove vowed fealty to the National Rifle Association, perhaps embarrassed by the deadening emptiness of that organizations response, have regrouped around mental health as the go-to response to the desperate question, What can this nation, a nation saturated with guns, do about mass shootings? While the lieutenant governor seems to be urging his fellow Texans to pray without ceasing, Abbott has gone mental. His remarks during his second Uvalde press conference were typical.

We as a state  we as a society  need to do a better job with mental health, he said. Anybody who shoots somebody else has a mental health challenge. Period. We as a government need to find a way to target that mental health challenge and do something about it.

And what would that be? Does the governor who vowed during the abortion debate to do away with rapists have any idea what to do about mass killers? After all, this nation has had more than two decades to come up with something. Hes had nearly eight years as governor of a state with a particularly acute gun problem (not to mention more than a dozen years as attorney general).

Two points quickly become obvious:

1. Abbotts record suggests that he doesnt give a fig about mental health.

2. Theres only the most tenuous connection between mental health (or illness) and mass shootings.

Abbotts record

The governors Uvalde bloviations echoed like a tin drinking cup dropped down a well, in large part because just a few weeks ago he diverted nearly $211 million in federal COVID relief funds from the Health and Human Services Commission, the agency that oversees mental health programs in this state. Instead of seriously addressing the mental health needs of his fellow Texans, Abbott preferred wasting the federal COVID relief funds on Operation Lone Star, his billion-dollar border boondoggle. (Talk about insanity.)

During nearly eight years residing in the Governors Mansion, Abbott has presided over a state that ranks last in access to mental health care, according to a 2022 report from the nonprofit Mental Health America.

A three-year-long Chronicle investigation into the status of the states mental health programs reported earlier this year that most Texas schools are in need. They dont have enough counselors, social workers, nurses, psychologists and other mental health care providers to meet the nationally-recommended student-to-staff ratios. Has the governor even noticed?

Abbott resorted to the mental health mantra after the Santa Fe High School shooting in 2018 and the El Paso Walmart shooting in 2019. Aside from signing a few bills that addressed mental health, including legislation meant to provide more mental health training for teachers, he did absolutely nothing to address the scourge of gun violence  except to make it easier for someone like the Uvalde shooter to purchase two military-style weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition just after his 18th birthday.

But what if the governor is serious this time? What if we take him at his word? What would it mean to make a concerted effort to combat an intolerable scourge of gun violence in this state by focusing on mental health?

A mental health agenda

Actually, addressing the states mental health shortcomings is relatively straightforward. It takes money and a commitment to contend with real problems, not concocted culture-war issues designed to keep the political base riled.

If Abbott and his legislative cohorts want to improve the states mental health, they would, first of all, back away from their stubborn refusal to expand Medicaid. Texas is one of a dozen states that does not accept billions of federal dollars to expand a program that not only covers poor and low-income Americans, but also is the countrys single largest payer for mental health services.

A governor serious about meeting mental health needs would make sure that schools, particularly rural and small-town schools like Uvalde, have capable and well-trained counselors, as well as funding for mental health professional development for all school personnel. At a time when teen suicide rates and thoughts of depression are on the rise in the wake of the COVID pandemic, we can think of no other mental health need more urgent.

As education professors David DeMatthews and Carleton Brown noted in a recent Chronicle op-ed, schools in small towns like Uvalde can be an important community hub for health care and mental health support. If they have the resources.

Lawmakers tried to fill some of those gaps in 2019, when they created a consortium of university-based mental health providers who would offer treatment when schools identify a troubled student. But that program  which sounds good in theory  has still not been fully implemented. The Texas Tribune reported Thursday that three years after the Legislature acted, it covers schools in just 300 districts statewide, and leaves out 60 percent of students.

A governor serious about meeting real needs would get creative, and find ways to fund that program fully  and bring similar services to communities all over Texas, and not just to students. That would include mobile health care units ready to respond to crisis  or better yet to mental health needs before they became crises. He would also meet the needs of law-enforcement personnel, who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder at a much higher rate than the general public.

All of these things should be done. They are basic requirements for a healthy society, and Texas for too long has pretended that somehow we dont need that care. We do, and it shouldnt take another spate of shootings to remind us of that.

Clutching at smoke

But theres a dilemma that Abbott and others eager to avoid talking about guns after mass shootings face when they sound the alarm on mental health.

While studies have shown that treatment can reduce violent behavior, trying to link mental illness to mass murder can be like clutching at smoke. Many people who kill are not mentally ill, or not ill enough to be spotted or even diagnosed. And of course, millions of Americans who do suffer from mental illness  some 50 million do, according to a 2020 survey  arent violent at all.

Of course, the governor is right when he said, We as a state  we as a society  need to do a better job with mental health.

Better mental health resources would help build a healthier Texas for everyone, and  who knows  might even deter some future mass killer from carrying out a diabolical plan.

Two choices to stop the scourge

But if were going to truly end the horrific scourge of mass killings in schools, churches and other public places, crying out for better mental health care is not enough.

America can either get serious about self-governance and sweep the absolutists out of office. Or those elected officials who bend the knee to the NRA have to bend to reality about common-sense gun regulation  a reality that a large majority of Americans support.

Red-flag laws, higher age limits on purchasing military-style weapons, universal background checks, safe storage  maybe they wont be enough by themselves either. But theyre a start.

In Uvalde, in Buffalo, in dozens of other communities, the unimaginable has become reality. Americans are dying horrible deaths. Little kids are being cut to shreds, their families forever shattered. For our children at the very least, public officials who truly believe in mental health must be willing to try. Perhaps theyve heard: Faith (and prayer) without works is dead. They have to try.
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After last weeks shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, parents, pundits and politicians all began demanding that school buildings in Texas and everywhere be made safer.

And no wonder, given the maddening news that the shooter was able to enter the building with his small arsenal from a back door that did not lock when a teacher slammed it shut moments earlier. Even in a divided America, one thing we all can agree on is that when an elementary schools back door is shut it ought to automatically lock.

And yet, just how to improve security at schools beyond that no-brainer remains just as tough today as it was before the 18-year-old gunman killed 19 students and two teachers May 24. Its a task made all the trickier thanks to how much trouble the Texas Department of Public Safety has had in getting the basic facts straight about what happened and when.

Those and other details will matter as we all try to find ways to make schools safer without making students feel as if theyre being taught inside of prisons.

We look with caution, for example, at Sen. Ted Cruzs call for schools to adopt protocols used at federal courthouses.

Schools likewise should have a single point of entry, Cruz said during his floor speech at the NRA convention in Houston, Fire exits should only open out. At that single point of entry, we should have multiple armed police officers, or, if need be, military veterans trained to provide security and keep our children safe.

Of course we want to keep the bad guys out  and some of what Cruz and others have called for makes perfect sense, though he was wrong to dismiss common-sense gun reforms. Fire exits should open only from the inside out. Visitors should be required to enter using a single entrance. Doors, obviously, should lock.

A lot of these kinds of changes are already standard for newer schools in Texas.

Nowadays schools are typically built with a glass vestibule monitored by an administrator who must buzz in visitors. During pick-up and drop-off times, designated teachers or security open additional doors, which remain locked to the outside the rest of the day. In case of a fire or other emergency, the doors open from inside and set off an alarm.

Many Texas districts have begun retrofitting older buildings, but its expensive. To cite just one example: Waller ISD estimated the cost of two vestibules at $345,000.

The Legislature needs to prioritize funding for the kinds of improvements that should be made  not just to new school designs but at older schools, too.

After the 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School, the Legislature allotted $100 million to the hardening of schools  less than an average of $12,500 for each of more than 8,000 campuses in the state  a worthwhile but insufficient investment. The Uvalde school district received $69,000 for its campuses and had spent $48,000 on physical security according to a May 2 report.

Lawmakers should also add teeth to a law passed after the Santa Fe shooting that requires every school to have disaster plans that include active-shooter policies. Many districts still lack such plans.

Even so, its just as essential for lawmakers to recognize the limits of these improvements. Active-shooting policy? The Uvalde school district had one that was in compliance, according to the director of the Texas School Safety Center.

The districts plan calls for patrols of secondary schools, perimeter fencing, social media monitoring and locked classroom doors. In July 2020, law enforcement officers from five agencies trained for active shooters at a Uvalde school and on Dec. 17, 2021, the school police chief received an eight-hour active shooter training.

And after all that budgeting and planning and training, and after the teacher slammed the door behind her, the shooter still got in.

Thats why it is so essential that the response to Uvalde takes an all-of-the-above approach. Yes, we need better training and better security at schools, but we also need gun safety reforms and more mental health resources.

We also need to understand that some changes, no matter how reasonable they seem after a tragedy like the one in Uvalde, would only make conditions worse.

Cruzs vision of arming a squad of security guards at the entrance of every school in the nation is not practical. Research suggests it might well do more harm than good as well.

To understand why, take a walk to the elementary school in your neighborhood. Hopefully, what you see are children playing outside during recess. Youll see campuses with multiple buildings, ranging from portable classrooms to gymnasiums and field houses  all with exterior doors. If you can get a pass to go inside, youll see children coming in and out of classrooms to use the bathroom leaving the classroom doors unlocked behind them. At the beginning and end of the day, youll see different grades entering or exiting  hundreds of kids and parents navigating jammed streets with harried teachers directing traffic.

The sight should warm your heart. What other than children playing represents the freedom we cherish  to connect with one another, move under the sun and enjoy our lives.

Whats needed most is both momentum for changes proven to work and wariness of changes that would practically militarize our schools.

Yes, we can take certain steps to harden our facilities but do we really want to make every facility so hard they no longer resemble the institutions they were, Daniel Kornberg, a founding principal of HarrisonKornberg Architects, told us.

The heartache over Uvalde wont end soon, if ever. Nor will the outrage over its door that didnt lock. Cruz and others are right to demand changes, but not with proposals that come at the expense of our childrens well-being. And were all counting on our leaders to have the wisdom to know the difference.
Regarding Editorial: Where were the heroes? Police stood by as Uvalde students died, begged for help, (May 27): It is clear that Uvalde law enforcement made some very bad decisions. But the police have been called cowards for failing to rush toward the gunfire, which may not be entirely fair. The weapon they confronted can fire a bullet through standard police body armor, the body and out the back, and it can do this once per second. Does our GOP leadership really believe that a pimply teenager holding such a weapon should be able to intimidate the police? Because thats what their position on gun regulation has wrought. In any mass shooting, the shooter might be wielding just such a weapon, and if police fail to protect, does the blame fall on them, or on those who gave pretty much anyone access to weapons of war? If the GOP backs the blue, as it likes to say, how can they send police into what amounts to a war zone?

Janet L. Lachman, Austin

Regarding As Uvalde students waited for rescue, police assumed there was no reason to rush in, (May 27): Yet again police responders paused before attacking the mass murderer. I dont know how they could have stood there outside that classroom door hearing the children crying and screaming and suffering. The children were on phones begging the police, just outside the door, to do something. I'm not the bravest person in the world but I would have organized an immediate attack with just three guys.

When three cops arrived, just minutes after the gunman, they did nothing. When more arrived a bit later, they did nothing.

Finally, over an hour later, when at least nineteen cops had gathered, they attacked. Is that how many cops it takes to find a brave one? How could they stand to hear the children suffering for an hour?

They should all be fired and charged with negligent homicide.

Austin Kuder, Seven Hills, Ohio

As we learn more facts about the Robb Elementary School shooting, the story becomes more disturbing. And I can't help but wonder if more children could have been saved if the police had not waited for more than an hour to enter the school. There is no doubt people want answers, but it appears as though the Texas police are attempting to cover up their delayed response. And I would not be surprised if there is a class action suit against the police. Time will tell. But in the meantime, the explanations are murky as the account keeps changing. And I doubt if we will ever know what really happened.

JoAnn Lee Frank, Clearwater, Fla.

What did the gun store owner think an 18-year-old was going to do with two high-powered guns and a bag of ammo? Did it occur to him to ask? How did the shooter pay for his purchases? Cash or credit card? Or just an Ill pay you on Friday when I get my paycheck promise?

Oh no, lets not ask those questions. Lets just make it easy and accuse the police.

Carol J. Rhodes, Texas City

Much has been made regarding the mistakes by law enforcement during the Uvalde massacre. Everyone is hunting for a scapegoat and the Uvalde police have pulled back because they are being demonized for human behavior. What happened in Uvalde has been happening in major aircraft accidents for years. The phenomenon is called lack of situational awareness.

Habit patterns are important in any crisis. This is why flight instructors focus on basics  fly the aircraft, navigate, communicate  always in that order. In Uvalde, the response of the law enforcement was typical of those who do not get training in situational assessment (in aviation this is done through simulators so that bad decisions are just computer images). It is very apparent that no one realized what was going on until the tactical unit stormed the school.

If we are to have an effective response to crises, the first responders need to have not just tactical training, but also perceptive skill development.

James A. Babb, Friendswood
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As a victim of cross-border attacks, India has said it regrets that state sponsors of terrorism are "allowed to go scot-free" for serious violations of international law and urged the international community to make them accountable.

"it is indeed a sad state of affairs that state sponsors of terrorism have been allowed to go scot-free," R.R. Singh, India's Minister of State for External Affairs, told the Security Council on Thursday.

"Any debate on accountability would be incomplete without taking into account the carnage wrought by terrorist forces, particularly those which are backed by State actors for pursuing political objectives," he said.

Calling terrorism "the greatest threat faced by humankind," he said, "the international community should stand firm on its opposition to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reject any attempt to provide any justifications for terrorist acts".

India has suffered the scourge of cross border terrorism for decades losing thousands of lives, Singh added.

Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama, whose country is the President of the Council for this month, presided over the debate on "Strengthening accountability and justice for serious violations of international law".

Rama said even though countries have enacted laws to uphold norms of behaviour, millions have suffered because of violations.

He added that in invading Ukraine, Russia has committed crimes against humanity and should be made accountable.

"All serious violations of international law must be treated with the same level of fairness and determination," he said.

Singh said, "The tools to address the serious violations of international law need to be used judiciously, without any selectivity, in line with principles of the UN Charter."

He stressed that countries should primarily be responsible for prosecuting serious violations of international law.

"The member states have the responsibility and obligation to ensure justice and accountability for gravest violations of human rights and mass atrocities, in line with their national legislations," he added.

The international community should support the member states in ensuring justice for victims through processes based on nationally accepted norms of jurisprudence, Singh said.

"The process should also promote national reconciliation and inclusive future, he added.

"The imposition of universal jurisdictions on alleged acts of atrocities committed in the territory of a sovereign state need to be avoided as well," he said.

Noting that India like many countries is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that set up the International Criminal Court (ICC), Singh added that "hastily" referring cases to it "primarily for political reasons" may not serve the ends of justice.

He asserted that "the acquittals in recent years have also cast a shadow on the credibility of the ICC".

In high-profile cases in 2021, ICC's Appeals Chamber upheld the acquittal of former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and his supporter Charles Ble Goude on charges of crime against humanity committed regarding incidents in their country in 2010.

Michele Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, supported national prosecutors and judges pursuing crimes committed in other countries.

She cited the conviction in Germany of Syrian Colonel Anwar Raslan charged with overseeing torture at a Syrian detention centre as an example of several jurisdictions working together and with other partners to ensure accountability for international crimes.
How Harry Styles Harrys House broke records

Whose house? Harrys house! It took just 72 hours for Harry Styless Harrys House to break the record for the biggest vinyl sales week in the U.S. since data began being tracked in 1991. One reason why: he knows where his fans are  at places such as Target.

by David Deal of Superhype

Vinyl is enjoying a renaissance, reaching $1 billion in sales in 2021, according to the RIAA. MusicWatch says that 25% of those shoppers are aged 13-24; if you factor in the 25-34 age bracket, that figure surges to roughly half. Target is a cultural touchstone for this demographic. Per ClickZ, Gen Z loves Target. And according to C+R Research, college students, the oldest members of Gen Z, love it the most.

Gen Z go on Target runs together. They talk about Target on social (on TikTok, posts with the #Target hashtag have been viewed 12.4 billion times and counting). And theyve made Target Harrys House.

In 2020, his fans triggered a run on Cashmere Vanilla by Targets Threshold candles when a rumor spread that the product smelled like his favorite perfume. Long before Harrys House was available at Target, fans scoured the Target website for clues about the albums release date and cover art. They talked up their findings on social media. When the album dropped  via a translucent yello special edition only available at Target  fans rushed the store and snapped photos of themselves with their merchandise on social, giving new meaning to the term Target Run. Just search for Target and Harry Styles on Twitter to get a taste of the commentary, including:

Think about all this from Targets perspective. By being at the epicenter of culture, Target does more than sell merchandise. Target builds brand loyalty.

Harry Styles is a master of social media, but he also understands offline branding. Target is but one example. His pop-up shops that operated during the weekend of May 20 were packed (my wife and I were at the Chicago store. The line to get in was insane).

By understanding where his audience is, and Harry Styles creates fandom and shapes culture. Target is right there with him.

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The Retired Investor: The Gun Industry Is Doing Just Fine

Despite the carnage caused by firearms, the business of manufacturing, marketing, and selling guns to Americans is thriving. What is worse, it appears that efforts to control and regulate the industry may only increase sales.

During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021), gun purchases accelerated. More than 5 million adults becoming first-time gun owners compared to 2.4 million in 2019, according to a survey published by the Annals of Internal Medicine. Approximately half of all new gun owners were female, and nearly half were people of color. Month after month, sales of guns have surpassed 1 million units for 33 months in a row.

This year (so far), monthly sales of guns have been off slightly. In April 2022, 1.5 million firearms were sold, which was a year-over-year decrease of 20.7 percent, while long guns or rifles fell by 18.8 percent. However, if past behavior is any indication gun sales will likely surge in the months ahead. It is one reason why publicly traded gun stock prices are flat-to-up despite the horrible news of the last two weeks.

The facts are that mass shootings like the ones in Uvalde, Texas, or Buffalo, N.Y., motivate more Americans to buy guns rather than to give them up. Throughout the last several years, the three highest months for gun sales occurred in December 2012, after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December 2015, after the mass shooting in San Bernardino, CA. in March 2020 as a result of the Covid pandemic. There were also gun sale spikes in June 2020 as Black Lives Matter protests erupted after George Floyd's murder.

The most-cited reason for owning a firearm in the wake of high-profile shootings and massacres is personal security. "Self-defense" seems to be an overriding motivator for most Americans. Opponents of this behavior argue that more guns at home only increase the potential risk to the 11 million household members that are newly exposed to lethal firearms, including an estimated 5 million children.

As a Vietnam veteran, I am convinced that guns as a form of self-defense is a fallacy. Unlike hunter safety courses, which teach new gun owners how to safely use rifles or bows in hunting wildlife, Americans (except veterans and law enforcement) have little to no training in the far more deadly skill of killing or wounding another human being.

Learning that skill required, in my case, more than 18 months of sophisticated training using live fire. Even then, repeated firefights were vital in learning how to survive, reduce instances of friendly fire, and accomplish the objective of self-defense or offense.

In my life, I have only met a handful of men and women, who have received and have maintained those skills. My brother, for example, who lives in Delaware, has an arsenal of guns, and has never hunted, and yet enjoys shooting up old cars with his state trooper buddies. I remind him abandoned autos don't shoot back, but he ignores my arguments.

However, there is also another important factor in generating increased gun sales  regulation. As I write this, Congress is once again demanding something be done to reduce gun violence. And as usual, most Republican congressmen and senators display few signs that they will vote for any new gun regulation. Gun control has become a partisan issue, just as important as abortion in many circles.

The more vocal politicians become over limiting or hindering the purchase of firearms, the more gun advocates feel threatened that their second amendment rights might be reduced or taken away entirely. The result is usually a rush to buy and stockpile even more guns "just in case."

Frustrated with the stalemate in Washington, many individual states are attempting to take action where they can to reduce gun violence. Other states are pushing to reverse or strengthen voters' gun rights in response. Roughly three in five state legislatures are Republican-controlled and are determined to make guns even more accessible to their citizens.

For example, one of the country's largest banks. attempted to distance itself from the firearm industry after a mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., which left 17 dead. Texas, in response, passed a new law that bars state agencies from working with any firm that decimates against companies or individuals in the gun industry.

The law requires banks and other professional service firms to provide the state written affirmations that they are complying with the law. Banks could be subject to criminal prosecution if they don't comply. In addition, banks worry about their bottom line, since Texas is one of the nation's largest bond issuers, with $50 million in annual borrowing, generating $315 million in fees last year for financial firms.

The facts are that in a country where one third of Americans own guns, don't blame the politicians for their lack of new regulations on guns and gun violence. They are simply following the wishes of their voters. Just recognize that three out of ten of your neighbors, regardless of whether you live in a blue state or red state, may disagree with additional gun controls.

And don't dismiss gun owners as a bunch of red-neck, no-nothings. There are countless, male and female professionals  doctors, lawyers, financial planners, etc.  that own and collect guns. As such, while my heart breaks for the slaughter that we see perpetrated by Americans with guns on an almost on a daily basis the solution eludes us. One suggestion might be to require insurance when purchasing a gun, like the existing practice of requiring insurance along with the purchase of an automobile. It would avoid the Second Amendment controversary and probably reduce those willing to pay yearly insurance for each firearm they own.
New Owners of Shine Wire Say Company Will Stay in Adams

ADAMS, Mass.  Adams-based Shine Wire has been acquired by ComSonics Product Solutions.

Former Shine Wire owner Greg Shine and John Tayloe, vice president of manufacturing solutions at ComSonics, informed the Board of Selectmen of the merger on Wednesday. Shine, which has operated in Adams since 1989, has about 45 employees and plans to add more in the future.

The electronic contract manufacturer specializes in cable assemblies, wire harnessing, and electro-mechanical assemblies for use in testing, engineering, medical, aeronautics, military and Homeland Security. It operates out of a 30,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in the Adams Corporate Park.

Shine said the business will remain in town and he will continue to be a part of it after the acquisition.

"What really solidified the deal was, when I met with Brett Harrison the CEO and John [Tayloe], was their commitment to the town of Adams, to Berkshire County and, most importantly, to the Shine employees," he said.

Tayloe said ComSonics felt Shine was a good fit for acquisition. He said it would allow the Virginia-based company to expand into Massachusetts.

"Great group of people, I've really really enjoyed getting to know them," Tayloe said about SHINE's employees. "I have a lot of fun with those folks. They are hardworking, they are very skilled people, it's what they do. They take what they do very, very seriously."

ComSonics, Tayloe said, is 100 percent employee-owned and has been since 1985. Shine said the employee ownership aspect of the business was one of the main reasons he decided to sell to ComSonics over other options.

"So all of the former Shine employees are now our employee-owners," he said. "It's something I could never give the employees. I couldn't give them ownership the way it was structured prior. But now, every single employee is an owner, anybody new would be an owner."

ComSonics was incorporated in 1972 originally as an audio design and installation company and has one of the oldest employee stock ownership plans, or ESOP.

In other business, Hank Art, chair of the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership, presented the draft 10-year plan to the board.

The partnership has been constructing a revised plan for several months and is looking for community feedback. Those interested can find the plan on the group's website, where community members can leave feedback.

"We decided we needed to get more feedback from the public and municipalities before we move on rushing into this. We wanted to do it right rather than do it fast ... because this plan is quite different than the original one that was done back in 2015," Art said, noting the partnership intends to approve a new plan in September or October.

Art said the partnership is always searching for potential funding from local, state and federal agencies. The group has not received any annual funds from either the state or federal government.

The board approved adding another warrant to the annual town meeting, which would rescind a garbage disposal requirement bylaw. The bylaw stipulates any new buildings in town have a garbage disposal.

The board approved the FY23 Transfer Station fees, which will remain the same as last year.

The board ratified the contract of Department of Public Works skilled laborer Anthony Fiore. Fiore will begin at the position on June 2.
Pittsfield Man Indicted on 48 Counts in Alleged Steel Building Scam

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Fred Senter, 40, is accused of contracting and accepting down payments from more than 40 victims to build steel structures with no intent to complete the work as owner of Northern Steel Building and Structure, LLC.

Senter allegedly stole more than $400,000 through false pretenses, and Senter allegedly operated the scam in five states between February 2020 and September 2021.

Berkshire Superior Court Court arraigned him on Thursday. Judge Maureen Hogan ordered him detained on $25,000 bail.

According to the DIstrict Attorny's office, the State Police Detective Unit and the Pittsfield Police Department opened investigations into Senter after victims began reporting that Senter accepted their money and ultimately stopped communication, never building the structure.

In February 2020, Senter allegedly signed a contract and accepted $52,967.50 from the Richmond Volunteer Fire Department to construct a new steel building. Senter allegedly provided the Department blueprints and trusses for the project but never completed the work and never refunded the deposit.

Pittsfield Police and Massachusetts State Police then identified private individuals with similar stories throughout Berkshire County and eventually from private residents outside of the county and state. Law Enforcement secured Senter's bank records, identified additional potential victims, and ultimately identified a contractor in Pennsylvania who Senter allegedly scammed into facilitating contracts on his behalf.

The State Police later identified and interviewed potential victims in New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania, all of which reported similar stories of contracting with Senter and Senter later cutting off communication. Police in Acushnet, Bedford, Dalton, Hinsdale, Huntington, Lee, Ludlow, Tweksbury, Gilmanton, N.H., New Durham, N.H., and Columbia County N.Y. Sheriff and the Washington County P.A. Sheriff's Offices assisted in the investigation.

The Grand Jury returned indictments on 30 counts of larceny over $1,200, 12 counts of larceny over $1,200 from a persons over the age of 60, four counts of larceny under $1,200, and single counts of operating as an unlicensed home improvement contractor and common and notorious thief. Berkshire Superior Court scheduled an arraignment for May 31.

Most of the victims are private citizens and include three businesses, a different volunteer fire department, and a church. Some of the victims reported to law enforcement that Senter provided explanations for delays such as material and labor shortages related to the COVID-19 pandemic but ultimately stopped communicating entirely. Many of the victims also reported spending additional money to prepare sites for Senter to build at Senter's direction.

Senter dissolved the business in June 2021 but allegedly continued to collect deposits. The State Police Detective Unit continues to investigate any potential partners and is searching for additional victims.
Responding to Islamabad's attack on New Delhi at the UN Security Council over Kashmir, India has reminded Pakistan of its "shameful history" of committing the genocide of hundreds of thousands of people in Bangladesh for which it has not apologised or even acknowledged.

"The reign of terror unleashed by Pakistan on the population of the then East Pakistan, saw hundreds of thousands killed brutally; several thousands of women were raped," Kajal Bhatt, a counsellor in India's UN mission, said on Thursday.

"Today, we are discussing how to strengthen accountability and justice for serious violations of international law," but Pakistan is going on "like a broken record" spewing "malicious" propaganda against India, she added.

"The irony is perhaps lost on the representative of Pakistan, given their shameful history of committing genocide in what was then East Pakistan, and what is now Bangladesh, over 50 years back for which there has not even been an acknowledgement much less apology or accountability," Bhatt said while exercising the right of reply to Pakistan's statement.

"Innocent women, children, academics and intellectuals were treated as weapons of war in an act of calculated genocide carried out by the Pakistani army what it called 'Operation Searchlight'."

Albania, which is the President of the Council this month, convened the debate on "Strengthening accountability and justice for serious violations of international law".

During the debate, Pakistan's Acting Permanent Representative Aamir Khan accused India of "grave breaches of international criminal law" in Kashmir and of trying to change its demographics from Muslim majority to Hindu majority by cancelling its special constitutional status.

In response, Bhatt said: "The only attempts at demographic changes are being perpetrated by terrorists supported by his country who have been targeting members of religious minorities in Jammu and Kashmir as well as those who refuse to toe their line.

"The only contribution that Pakistan can make is to stop its support for terrorism directed against my country and my people. India will continue to take firm and decisive steps to respond to cross border."

She said that Khan "presents a live example in the Security Council of how a state continues to evade accountability for serious crimes of genocide and ethnic cleansing".

"To ask them to reflect on this is perhaps asking too much, but the least they could do is not sully the dignity of this council."
A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience shows that the expanding hole optical illusion, which is new to science, is perceived by approximately 86% of people.

A large class of optical patterns evoke conscious dynamic sensations of illusory movement, despite being static.

These illusory motions can be described as a variety of changes in shape or space, like drifting, rotating, oscillating, waving, fluttering, contracting, or expanding.

An example of this type of illusion is the expanding hole created by Professor Akiyoshi Kitaoka, a co-author of the study and a researcher in the Department of Psychology at Ritsumeikan University.

Typically, when looking at this pattern, observers subjective reports are characterized by the perception of a gradually expanding central region, occurring over a span of several seconds.

According to several previous studies, illusions of extent or size are a prominent class. However, classic illusions of size do not evoke dynamic sensations of motion like the expanding hole.

The expanding hole is a highly dynamic illusion, said first author Professor Bruno Laeng, a researcher in the Department of Psychology at the University of Oslo.

The circular smear or shadow gradient of the central black hole evokes a marked impression of optic flow, as if the observer were heading forward into a hole or tunnel.

Professor Kitaoka, Professor Laeng and their colleague, University of Oslo researcher Shoaib Nabil, found that the expanding hole illusion is so good at deceiving our brain that it even prompts a dilation reflex of the pupils to let in more light, just as would happen if we were really moving into a dark area.

Here we show based on the new expanding hole illusion that that the pupil reacts to how we perceive light  even if this light is imaginary like in the illusion  and not just to the amount of light energy that actually enters the eye, Professor Laeng said.

The illusion of the expanding hole prompts a corresponding dilation of the pupil, as it would happen if darkness really increased.

In their study, the researchers explored how the color of the expanding hole (besides black: blue, cyan, green, magenta, red, yellow, or white) and of the surrounding dots affect how strongly we mentally and physiologically react to the illusion.

On a screen, they presented variations of the expanding hole image to 50 women and men with normal vision, asking them to rate subjectively how strongly they perceived the illusion.

While participants gazed at the image, they measured their eye movements and their pupils unconscious constrictions and dilations.

As controls, the participants were shown scrambled versions of the expanding hole image, with equal luminance and colors, but without any pattern.

The illusion appeared most effective when the hole was black.

Around 14% of participants didnt perceive any illusory expansion when the hole was black, while 20% didnt if the hole was in color.

Among those who did perceive an expansion, the subjective strength of the illusion differed markedly.

The scientists also found that black holes promoted strong reflex dilations of the participants pupils, while colored holes prompted their pupils to constrict.

For black holes, but not for colored holes, the stronger individual participants subjectively rated their perception of the illusion, the more their pupil diameter tended to change.

The authors dont yet know why a minority seem unsusceptible to the expanding hole illusion. Nor do they know whether other vertebrate species, or even nonvertebrate animals with camera eyes such as octopuses, might perceive the same illusion as we do.

Our results show that pupils dilation or contraction reflex is not a closed-loop mechanism, like a photocell opening a door, impervious to any other information than the actual amount of light stimulating the photoreceptor, Professor Laeng said.

Rather, the eye adjusts to perceived and even imagined light, not simply to physical energy.

Future studies could reveal other types of physiological or bodily changes that can throw light onto how illusions work.

_____

Bruno Laeng et al. The Eye Pupil Adjusts to Illusorily Expanding Holes. Front. Hum. Neurosci, published online May 30, 2022; doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.877249
The Journalists Solidarity Centers, which the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, with the support of the International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) opened in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi, were visited by 196 journalists during 50 days of their work. Most of them represent regional media (78% of appeals) and regions such as Donetsk region, including Mariupol, Kherson region, Kyiv region, and Kyiv.

Among the most actual needs of journalists are financial support, the need for safety equipment and first aid kits, the need to purchase or rent technical equipment, job search, or a place to work. There are also requests for training and education.

The Journalists Solidarity Centers respond to requests from the media workers and provide the necessary support. Thus, 67 journalists received safety equipment and first aid kits, 64 media workers received financial support, and 46 journalists were provided with technical equipment.

The Centers also help with job search and provide the opportunity to work in the office with access to technical equipment and the Internet.

Thanks to the support of the Centers, three media resumed their work. Some colleagues were also provided with clothes, household items, food, etc.

Sergiy Tomilenko, President of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, said: "With the support of the International and European Federation of Journalists, we managed to open the Journalists Solidarity Centers. The centers have office space with workplaces where journalists can communicate and work. Activists of the Union moderate their work, help colleagues who relocated to these regions, solve urgent problems and provide help to them. We invite journalists who have been forced to leave dangerous regions to contact our centers. Because it is not only an opportunity to receive financial or humanitarian aid, it is also communication with colleagues and establishing contacts. We make every effort to ensure that every journalist stays in the profession".

He also emphasized that the Centers have already held several training events, in particular, trainings on medical care, round tables, and meetings in a professional circle.

Anthony Bellanger, IFJ General Secretary, said: "International solidarity with journalists working under bombardment in Ukraine is crucial to continue to inform the world about the devastating consequences of the Russian invasion. Journalists are at the forefront of exposing the real consequences for humanity of this war in Ukraine. The IFJ is proud to have the opportunity to work with the NUJU to create these vital centres to ensure practical solidarity with journalists."

Also, all evacuated journalists can fill out a questionnaire on actual needs.
Want to address inequality in America? Nurture more diverse entrepreneurs.

That's the key recommendation behind the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's new four-part strategy for reducing barriers to entry for entrepreneurship and creating new jobs. The Kansas City, Missouri-based nonpartisan nonprofit that works to strengthen entrepreneurship released the proposal, dubbed "America's New Business Plan for 2022," in mid-May.

Numerous groups have already praised the plan, including U.S. Black Chambers, a Washington, D.C-based organization that works to develop and grow Black enterprises. "Black entrepreneurs continue to face disproportionate challenges in their journey to becoming a business owner," Ron Busby, senior president and CEO of U.S. Black Chambers, said in a statement. Busby continued that the plan "recognizes this fact and proposes state and local coordination to advance Black business ownership around the country."

Here are suggestions in four core areas that the plan seeks to improve:

1. Access to opportunity

Besides systemic issues that prevent underrepresented people from launching startups, red tape and other regulatory requirements can also play a role.

To help address this, the business plan proposes local, state, and federal governments work to expedite the process of starting a business. That could involve trimming paperwork and fees as well as simplifying local processes to obtain permits and licenses.

The plan further suggests expanding access to the digital economy, such as increasing access to broadband networks, which can assist those living in areas without strong internet access.

2. Access to funding

Access to capital remains a common obstacle for entrepreneurs, according to the Kauffman report. Eighty-three percent of entrepreneurs don't have access to bank loans or other forms of capital, like private equity, when first launching a business.

The Kauffman strategy points to a 2020 report from Brookings, which shows that the median net wealth of a White family was $171,000, as opposed to $17,000 for Black families. The plan suggests addressing inequality early on with the creation of a "baby bonds program," where investment accounts are created for newborns by the federal government--the amount of the grant would scale with a family's overall wealth, in which a low-income family would receive a larger grant. The idea here is to start young so that the playing field is leveled for future founders.

Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and minority depository institutions (MDIs) are important resources for new and small businesses--particularly in low-income communities. Removing some of the capitalization challenges faced by CDFIs and MDIs, plus expanding community deposit programs, could spur greater investments in communities.

Ask Congress to make permanent the State Small Business Credit Initiative, a funding program that aims to broaden access to capital for underserved communities. And modernizing the Community Reinvestment Act could also drive entrepreneurship. That law prevents redlining and encourages banks to lend to those of all income backgrounds within their communities. Bank regulators are currently working to reform the law, proposing, among other things, to adapt to advancements within banking (think online and mobile banking) and provide greater clarity for community assessments to ensure banks are meeting their obligations in addressing inequities with credit access.

3. Access to knowledge

A proper business education can pay dividends too.

Kauffman suggests starting with investing in schools (both traditional and trade) to allow students to explore different paths, such as through work-based learning.

Policymakers can step up by providing incentives to mentor resource partners. This could help increase the number of entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds. Mentorship improves the chances of stronger employment and revenue growth for business owners, according to the plan.

4. Access to support
Paleontologists have identified a new species of giraffoid that lived in northern China during the Early Miocene epoch some 17 million years ago. Named Discokeryx xiezhi, the ancient creature had a thick-boned skull with a large disk-like headgear, a series of cervical vertebrae with extremely thickened centra, and the most complicated head-neck joints in mammals known to date. This peculiar morphology was most probably adapted for a fierce intermale head-butting behavior, comparable to neck-blowing in male giraffes. The researchers argue that selection for such combat also played a role in shaping the groups long necks.

The characteristic long neck of the modern giraffe  the tallest land animal and largest ruminant on Earth  has long been considered a classic example of adaptive evolution and natural selection since Charles Darwin first penned the concepts.

Its commonly believed that competition for food drove neck elongation and allowed giraffes to browse for treetop leaves in the African savannah woodlands that were well outside the reach of other ruminant species.

However, others have argued a necks-for-sex hypothesis, suggesting sexual selection driven by intermale competition may have also contributed to neck evolution.

Fossils of ancient giraffe species can help to clarify these evolutionary mechanisms, said Dr. Shi-Qi Wang from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and colleagues from China, the United States, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

The newly-identified giraffoid species, Discokeryx xiezhi, had helmet-like headgear and particularly complex head and neck joints indicative of intense head-butting combat.

Both living giraffes and Discokeryx xiezhi belong to the superfamily Giraffoidea, Dr. Wang said.

Although their skull and neck morphologies differ greatly, both are associated with male courtship struggles and both have evolved in an extreme direction.

Discokeryx xiezhi featured many unique characteristics among mammals, including the development of a disk-like large ossicone in the middle of its head, said Professor Tao Deng, a researcher in the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, and the College of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Moreover, tooth enamel isotope data from Discokeryx xiezhi suggest that the species also likely filled a specific ecological niche in the ecosystem unavailable to other contemporary herbivores.

Stable isotopes of tooth enamel indicate that Discokeryx xiezhi was living in open grasslands and may have migrated seasonally, said Dr. Jin Meng, a researcher at the American Museum of Natural History.

For animals of the time, the grassland environment was more barren and less comfortable than the forest environment.

The violent fighting behavior of Discokeryx xiezhi may have been related to survival-related stress caused by the environment.

According to the authors, the early evolution of giraffes is more complex than previously known, where, in addition to competition for food, sexual combat likely played an important role in shaping the groups long and uniquely adapted necks.

Their paper appears in the journal Science.

_____

Shi-Qi Wang et al. 2022. Sexual selection promotes giraffoid head-neck evolution and ecological adaptation. Science 376 (6597); doi: 10.1126/science.abl8316
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There have been reactions since Johnny Depp won the defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard. The high-profile trial created a lot of buzz on social media. After Amber Heard lost the trial, her lawyer said she "absolutely" plans to appeal the defamation verdict.

Reuters

Amber Heard's attorney Elaine Charlson Bredehoft appeared on Today show after the trial verdict to speak about her client.

Reuters

On Wednesday, a Virginia jury awarded Depp $10,350,000 after concluding that Heard did make defamatory statements about him in her 2018 Washington Post op-ed.

Reuters

Heard, who countersued Depp, was also awarded $2 million for Depp's lawyer calling her abuse allegations a "hoax."



AFP

Talking about the trial, Heard's lawyer Elaine said she "absolutely" plans to appeal the verdict "and she has some excellent grounds for it."

Reuters

When she was asked if Heard would pay a $10.35 million judgment, the attorney clarified, "Oh, noabsolutely not," hinting that her client didn't have enough money.



Slamming Depp's legal team, Bredehoft said attempts were made to "demonize" her client and "suppress" evidence during the six-week trial.

Instagram

She also added that she was kept out of Heard's "very significant" medical records, dating back to 2012, in which she spoke to a therapist about Depp's alleged abuse.



Reuters

Among the evidence, including text messages, was one from Depp's assistant that said, "'When I told him he kicked you, he cried.'"(Johnny Depp maintained a consistent stance in court that he never abused Heard, claiming instead that she was abusive toward him.)

Bredehoft went on to say that the jury must not have believed Heard's testimony, including a claim that Johnny sexually assaulted her with a bottle.

Reuters

She added, "That's because [Heard] was demonized here. A number of things were allowed in this court that should not have been allowed, and it caused the jury to be confused."



She also said that the jury could have been 'heavily' influenced by the media trial and social media outburst of support towards Depp.

Reuters

"There's no way they couldn't have been influenced. And it was horrible. [The coverage] really, really was lopsided" to Depp's benefit. "It was like the Roman Colosseum."

She went on to add that everything was made worse by "cameras in the courtroom," which she "argued against ... because of the sensitive nature of" the case. "But it made it a zoo."



AFP

Talking about her client Heard, she added, "One of the first things she said is, 'I am so sorry to all those women out there. This is a setback for all women in and outside the courtroom. She feels the burden of that."



According to Bredehoft, the jury's verdict sent out a 'horrible message for women' with their verdict against Heard. She said,

Reuters

"It's a significant setback because that's exactly what it means. Unless you pull out your phone and you video your spouse or your significant other beating you, effectively, you won't be believed."



After losing the trial, Amber Heard shared a statement. She wrote:

(To get the latest updates from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.)


The world's largest clone will shock you! A seagrass of Australia's western coast is now the largest clonal organism in the world. How, you wonder? The seagrass continuously cloned itself to make more genetically identical plants.

In fact, the seagrass plant has grown 180 kilometres-long simply by cloning itself. While it's not a surprise that many plants clone themselves, its scale is definitely groundbreaking.

The giant seagrass clone was discovered by Elizabeth Sinclair and team from the University of Western Australia. When the team genetically sequenced a seagrass species called Poseidon's ribbon weed (Posidonia australis) in Shark Bay, they found the giant clone.

Rachel Austin, University of Western Australia

"Its the largest known example of a clone in any environment on Earth," Sinclair told New Scientist. The previous record for the largest clone was also held by another seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) that spanned 15 kilometres in the Mediterranean.

Largest clone on Earth

Of the 10 sites of two Shark Bay inlets that were samples, nine were made up of genetically identical grass belonging to the same plant. It appears that it began growing in one inlet and then spread into neighbouring inlets.

Also read: Climate Change Will Shave Around 60 Hours Of Sleep Each Year By 2099, Study Finds



Unsplash

While researchers didn't estimate the clone's total area, it has a total curved length of 180 kilometres. Scientists think the plant is at least 4,500-years-old and has grown to its massive size because it occupies an undisturbed area.

According to Sinclair, plants that reproduce through clones are considered less resilient than plants that reproduce sexually and mix their genes. Why? It's quite simple - the less genetic diversity a plant has, the less chances it has of surviving environmental changes - the kind that are becoming common due to climate change.

Unsplash

Also read: Human Pee Could Power Our Agriculture In A World Wrecked By Climate Change



What do you think about the largest clone on Earth being a plant? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

References

Klein, A. (2022, June 1). Australian seagrass has cloned itself to cover 180 kilometres of coast. New Scientist.

The Royal Society. (2022). Extensive polyploid clonality was a successful strategy for seagrass to expand into a newly submerged environment.
A visually impaired woman was sexually assaulted by a man in Delhi's Dwarka area. Police have been arrested in the case. According to a PTI report, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Shankar Choudhary said his team had received information regarding the rape of a blind woman from Deen Dayal Hospital in the Dabri police station area.

Case Timeline:

Agencies

The incident took place on May 25, when the said woman alighted at a bus stop on the other side of the road. On the pretext of helping her cross the road, the accused took her to another abandoned street and raped her.



The investigative officer met the rape survivor. Accordingly, a case under section 376 (punishment for rape) was registered at the Dabri police station in Dwarka district, and a probe was initiated.

Police used technical evidence to find the accused. He was later apprehended, arrested, and sent to judicial custody.

Swati Maliwal, Chairperson Delhi Commission for Women, has reportedly met the rape survivor and assured her of all help.

BCCL/Representational image

The PTI report quotes Maliwal as saying, "Is there any limit to human cruelty or not?"



According to Delhi Police data, 1,969 women were raped in the national capital in 2021, a 21.69 percent increase over the previous year.

Representational Image

In 2020, the figure stood at 1618. Apart from a crime as heinous as rape, other crimes against women have increased. The report states molestation of women rose by 17.51 percent and eve-teasing by 17.51 percent.



Delhi Police termed the rise in crime figures as "due to the conscious policy of Fair and Truthful Registration."

Even with stringent laws in place, a proactive approach by Delhi Police, and a high solving rate of rape cases (95.48%), molestation of women cases (90.98%), and an insult to women's modesty (85.75%).

Despite all the efforts and laws in place, the number of crimes against women is nowhere close to declining, and yes, it's a problem. How safe are women in the capital? The statistics say it all.

(With PTI inputs)

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On April 18, 2022, NASAs Ingenuity Mars helicopter made a record-breaking 25th flight. The rotorcraft covered 704 m (2,310 feet) at a max speed of 5.5 m/sec (12 mph).

For our record-breaking flight, Ingenuitys downward-looking navigation camera provided us with a breathtaking sense of what it would feel like gliding 10 m (33 feet) above the surface of Mars at 5.5 m/sec, said Ingenuity team leader Dr. Teddy Tzanetos, a researcher at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The first frame of the video clip begins about one second into Ingenuitys 25th flight.

After reaching an altitude of 10 m, the helicopter heads southwest, accelerating to its maximum speed in less than three seconds.

The rotorcraft first flies over a group of sand ripples then, about halfway through the video, several rock fields.

Finally, relatively flat and featureless terrain appears below, providing a good landing spot.

The video of the 161.3-second flight was speeded up approximately five times, reducing it to less than 35 seconds.

Ingenuitys navigation camera has been programmed to deactivate whenever the rotorcraft is within 1 m (3 feet) of the surface.

This helps ensure any dust kicked up during takeoff and landing wont interfere with the navigation system as it tracks features on the ground.

Ingenuitys flights are autonomous, explained Ingenuitys pilots at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

We plan them and send commands to NASAs Perseverance rover, which then relays those commands to the helicopter.

During a flight, onboard sensors  the navigation camera, an inertial measurement unit, and a laser range finder  provide real-time data to Ingenuitys navigation processor and main flight computer, which guide the helicopter in flight.

This enables Ingenuity to react to the landscape while carrying out its commands.

_____

This article is based on text provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Students in San Jose Rally for Abortion by Reproductive Rights Now



On May 18, students at Lynbrook High School in San Jose marched through campus and into nearby Rainbow Park for reproductive rights.

Khushi Nigam, a junior at Lynbrook High School in San Jose, planned and led a rally on March 18 because they believe that it is important for students to rise up against injustice.



Another student told the school newspaper that students voices often go unheard especially as most are under 18 and cant vote yet. Even though were doing so much on social media, were out there in the public, people dont take the time to look at us. Thats why Im doing this, because I want to make sure our voices are heard and people recognize that students have so much power, they said.



More than 100 people participated in the march and rally including students, staff, parents and community members. Several juniors and a sophomore gave speeches about the importance of reproductive rights.



The students created a QR code to make it easy for students to sign up to join future rallies.



Student group Young and Loud launched as a result of this organizing. The new org is already mobilized with actions planned for this summer.
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The Prime Minister of Sint Maarten Hon. Silveria Jacobs, on behalf of the Council of Ministers (COM) of the Government and of Sint Maarten, expresses its deepest condolences to the family of Leonora Sneek-Gibbs as well as the people and Government of St. Eustatius, on the passing of the former Commissioner and State Secretary.





Sneek-Gibbs was the wife of independent Statia Island Council member Nicolaas Koos Sneek.





Affectionately known as Nora, Sneek-Gibbs, was a shining bright star to the Windward Islands communities, and especially to the people of Statia that she served over the decades. Noras family, friends and close relatives on Sint Maarten, will dearly miss her, Prime Minister Hon. Silveria Jacobs said on Tuesday.





Leonora was also very involved in the business community as operator of the Talk of the Town and the Blue Bead Restaurant.





Sneek-Gibbs served as State Secretary in the government of the former Netherlands Antilles, prior to its dissolution on October 10, 2010.





Besides her business and government interests and involvement, Sneek-Gibbs also served her community in a number of civic organizations such as St. Eustatius Lions Club, Quota International Club, and the St. Eustatius Promotion of International Culture and Education (SPICE) Foundation.





Nora was an exemplary public servant and citizen who discharged her duties with diligence and integrity. To her husband Island Council member Koos Sneek, family, dear friends, and the people of Statia, our heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Government and people of Sint Maarten during this difficult time. May her soul rest in eternal peace, Prime Minister Hon. Silveria Jacobs said on Tuesday.
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The city of Baltimore filed a lawsuit against one of the largest manufacturers of ghost gun kits in the United States on Wednesday, the same day Marylands ban on the untraceable weapons went into effect, news outlets reported.

Mayor Brandon Scott said the suit was filed in Baltimore Circuit Court against Nevada-based Polymer80, which sells kits for customers to assemble themselves, and Hanover Armory, an Anne Arundel County gun store. The suit alleges that Polymer80 intentionally undermines federal and state firearms laws by designing, manufacturing, and providing kits and parts without serial numbers to buyers who do not undergo background checks.

Takedowns are not enough. Legislation is not enough, Scott said during a news conference. We have to crack down on the companies that are profiting off of destruction and death in our communities.

The new state law expands the definition of a firearm to include an unfinished frame or receiver. Anyone who sells or transfers a ghost gun faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. When a second phase of the law takes effect in March 2023, a person who possesses a ghost gun will face two years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Polymer80 President and CEO Loran Kelley Jr. declined to comment to The Associated Press. A person who answered the phone at Hanover Armory declined to comment, news outlets reported. Its unclear whether either business has been served.

The lawsuit was filed by the citys affirmative litigation division, the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and Sanford Heisler Sharp, a national public-interest law firm. It is similar to ones filed by the cities of Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. While the suit doesnt specify what damages it seeks, City Solicitor James Shea said officials are working on an estimate that would be substantial.

City police have said ghost guns have been used in an increasing number of shootings. No ghost guns were seized in the city until 2018, but last year police recovered 324, 14% of all firearms recovered, officials said. So far this year, ghost guns accounted for 19% of all guns seized. Ninety-one percent of ghost guns recovered by police in Baltimore from January 2020 until this April were Polymer80 guns, according to the complaint.

Ghost guns are a devastating menace to the people of Baltimore, Scott said. This lawsuit shines a light on Polymer80 and individuals who routinely create a marketplace for deadly, untraceable weapons.

Topics Lawsuits Gun Liability
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New Jersey resident Shashuna Atwater is still living with the awful smell of sewage that inundated her basement when the remnants of Hurricane Ida struck New Jersey nine months ago, destroying photographs, diplomas and other irreplaceable belongings.

Atwater, of Newark, was one of roughly two dozen people who spoke Wednesday during an event in Trenton calling on federal officials to speed up and improve disaster aid. Atwater said shes given all her information to the Federal Emergency Management Agency but still hasnt gotten the financial relief she said she needs to rebuild. Shes out of luck with her landlord, too, who told her that insurance wouldnt cover the damage.

The aftermath was worse than what you saw when you first looked because here goes the cleaning up part, and youre all alone, Atwater said. We have to do better.

Wednesdays event comes nine months to the day since Idas rains struck New Jersey, leaving 30 people dead in the state, turning roads into waterways, flooding basements and leaving a path of destruction across the state. It also comes at the start of new hurricane season that experts warn could include another round of deadly and costly storms.

FEMA has allocated about $250 million in assistance and approved aid for some 45,000 applications, the agency said in an email. In addition, the Small Business Administration has set aside $248 million for Ida recovery and the Housing and Urban Development Department has earmarked $228 million in aid for Ida relief.

Some of the cash has stalled at the state level as New Jersey officials work to dole it out, though, said Meghan Mertyris, a community organizer for the New Jersey Organizing Project, which bills itself as a grassroots organization representing the states shore region and an advocate for improving disaster funding after Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

The state is required to submit a plan about spending the funds, according to the Organizing Projects executive director Amanda Devecka-Rinear. There will also be hearings scheduled in which people can comment publicly, she said.

Ida survivors can go to those hearings and make comments about the programs and whether or not they will meet their communities needs, she said in an email, adding, This shouldnt take so long.

The group hosted Wednesdays event outside the statehouse annex building.

Democratic Reps. Andy Kim and Tom Malinowski _ both seeking reelection this year after first winning election to Congress in 2018 _ appeared alongside affected residents and organizers. Kim said he was sorry for the federal governments response and that people whose homes were ruined in the storm should have gotten help quickly.

When they turned to those that they needed the help from, they didnt get it, Kim said. For that I apologize on behalf of our country. That is not the way we treat Americans. That is not the way we treat the people that are here. The people here standing with me _ theyre not asking for the moon. Theyre asking for fairness.

Malinowski echoed a refrain President Joe Biden made in September when he visited areas in the Northeast ravaged by Ida, naming climate change as a culprit.

Climate change is here. It is 5, 10 feet of water in your basement. It is your house in the state of New Jersey left in state of complete disrepair, Malinowski said.

Speeding up disbursement would require better communication between the federal government and the public, Kim said. He added that congressional oversight could help with that.

Shirley Eossos basement and garage in Basking Ridge flooded during Ida. She said she got $249.99 from FEMA as well as some assistance through a flood insurance policy she carried. She said she attended the event Wednesday to speak up for people who couldnt afford to take off work.

The process is broken. The money is there. How do we get it to the people who need it? she said.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Hurricane New Jersey
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Governor Phil Scott recently signed legislation (H.515) into law modernizing Vermonts captive insurance statutes, including giving captive insurance companies authority to enter into parametric risk transfer contracts.

Other law changes are aimed at simplifying reporting requirements, improving solvency procedures for sponsored cell captives, and clarifying an inconsistency related to the treatment of affiliated business in sponsored cell companies.

Parametric risk transfer contracts are becoming common place as another form of protection for catastrophic events. A parametric contract pays a sum certain upon the occurrence of certain quantifiable events such as a hurricane of a specific category hitting a specific area, regardless of whether the contract holder incurs a loss. In contrast, a traditional insurance contract requires that the policyholder incur and prove a loss, and the amount is subject to adjustment.

Although purely parametric contracts are not considered insurance due in large part to that distinction, the contract is a useful risk management tool, said Deputy Commissioner David Provost, Department of Financial Regulation (DFR), and there are safe harbor features that can be built into the contract to qualify it as insurance.

According to Provost, organizations use captives for all types of risk management tools, not just insurance, so it will be helpful for companies to have explicit authority for their captive to enter into parametric contracts.

Additional changes in this years captive legislation include:

Simplified Reporting  Removes the requirement that fiscal year filers complete a special calendar year report and now requires a simpler report for premium tax reconciliation on a fiscal year basis. Roughly 15% of Vermonts captives file on a fiscal year basis.

Delinquency Procedures  Improves delinquency procedures for when either a sponsored cell company or an individual cell becomes insolvent. The change authorizes the DFR to efficiently deal with the affected cell without impacting the solvent cells or limiting current authority.

Treatment of Affiliated Business in Cells  Removes inconsistencies in current statute, making it clear that cells may insure the risks of one or more participants, or, subject to Commissioner approval, other parties not affiliated with the participants.

Consolidations  Removes consolidations from 6006a, which is meant to deal only with captive mergers, not consolidations.

Captive insurance, a form of self-insurance, has been a part of the Vermont insurance industry since 1981.

Topics Vermont
BRUSSELS  The European Union on Thursday gave its final approval to new sanctions on Russian oil and top bank Sberbank, after much wrangling with Hungary, as punishment for Russian President Vladimir Putins Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

EU leaders, used to a plentiful supplies of Russian energy, agreed to an embargo on crude oil imports that will take full effect by end-2022. Hungary and two other landlocked Central European states secured exemptions for the pipeline imports they rely on.

[T]he new sanctions also include an immediate ban on insuring ships carrying Russian oil elsewhere, an EU official told Reuters, while existing contracts are to be phased out over six months.

The sixth round of sanctions also included cutting Russias biggest bank, Sberbank, off from the SWIFT international transaction system.

The war brought ties between Russia and the West to new lows and the latest EU sanctions will cut 90% of Russian oil imports to the bloc of 27 nations and 450 million people.

This will reduce Russias capacity to finance its war, the head of the EUs executive Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said of the measures.

European Union Seeks to Coordinate Russian Oil Insurance Ban With G-7 Members

One prominent person who will not be blacklisted despite plans to the contrary, however, is the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, a close Putin ally. Hungarys opposition blocked the necessary EU unanimity.

Hungary escalated demands in recent weeks over the oil embargo. To win Budapest over, other EU countries agreed to water it down by exempting oil delivered by the Druzhba pipeline going to Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Slovakias sole oil refiner, Slovnaft, a unit of Hungarys MOL, said the sanctions would ban oil product exports after eight months to its key markets Czech Republic, Austria and Poland, as well as making it impossible to supply the domestic market.

Apart from banning seaborne imports into Europe, the new sanctions also include an immediate ban on insuring ships carrying Russian oil elsewhere, an EU official told Reuters, while existing contracts are to be phased out over six months.

EU experts say that would complicate Russias efforts to find other markets for its crude.

An EU diplomat vented frustration with Hungary after its opposition to blacklisting Patriarch Kirill only came up after EU leaders met in Brussels on Monday and Tuesday and sealed a deal on the sanctions.

The diplomat, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said the unnecessary stunt might have been a Phyrric victory for Budapest. The country has never before been so isolated on the EU level.

(Witing by Gabriela Baczynska; editing by Nick Macfie)

Topics Russia Europe Energy Oil Gas
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at the broker NFP and homeowners insurer, Openly.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

NFP Appoints Markels Horsman as Head of Canadian National Broking

NFP, the New York City-based property/casualty insurance broker and consultant, announced that Emily Horsman has joined the company as head of Canadian National Broking.

Horsman will lead efforts in building NFPs national broking platform in Canada alongside Canadian broking and business line leaders and underwriting partners.

She will also collaborate closely with NFPs U.S. broking colleagues and lead carrier relations in Canada. Horsman will report to Mark Wiens, head of Commercial Insurance for NFP in Canada.

Horsman has more than 20 years of broking, underwriting and leadership experience. She joins from Markel Canada, where she served as vice president, Alternative Distribution. Prior to this, she served as vice president, broker for Willis Towers Watson.

She worked in a variety of broker and underwriting roles for Aon Reed Stenhouse and ACE INA Insurance. Horsman earned a Fellow, Charter Insurance Professional designation from the Insurance Institute of Canada and a Canadian Risk Management designation from the Global Risk Management Institute.

Horsman will concentrate on NFPs growing mid-market P/C business, while providing support across its Small and Midsize Enterprise and Complex Risk Solution teams, said Wiens in a statement.

***

Insurer Openly Expands Reinsurance Division, Hiring Landi From Everest Re

Openly, the Boston-based homeowners insurance provider, has announced the appointment of Anthony Landi as head of Reinsurance and Capital Management. Landi will lead Openlys reinsurance division and scale up its internal catastrophe management program.

Prior to joining Openly, Landi spent 10 years at Everest Reinsurance, where he most recently established and led the Office of Portfolio Management for the reinsurance division. Previously, Landi held various lead underwriting and strategy roles across U.S. property treaty reinsurance, worldwide direct and facultative (D&F) property reinsurance, and worldwide property retrocession.

Founded by insurance industry veterans Ty Harris and Matt Wielbut, Openly uses next-generation data and technology to offer customer-friendly home insurance policies. Over the past year, the company has achieved 700% growth in in-force premium, 250% growth in independent insurance agents selling on its platform, and has hired more than 100 employees.

Topics Carriers Talent Reinsurance Canada
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On Wednesday June 1st 2022, the Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Omar Ottley had the honor of welcoming the return of COPA airlines to Sint Maarten.





The airline provides a vital service to Sint Maarten by offering direct flights to Central America, which broadens our reach to that market. Today we have two flights resuming weekly from Panama on Wednesdays and Fridays, which from a Ministry of Health standpoint will also make our medical referral process more seamless and ease the burden of travel on our patients.





Minister Ottley expressed gratitude to his colleague Minister Lawrence, the Tourism Bureau, the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) staff and the Copa Airlines team, for their efforts in making it possible to welcome back COPA Airlines to our island.





It is an honor to stand here today, not only as the Minister of VSA but also as acting Minister of TEATT. Today shows that Sint Maarten is on its way back! Our current arrivals are 85% of May 2019 numbers and the addition of Copa airlines can only bring us closer to or pre COVID numbers.Said Ottley.




BRUSSELS  Owners of vehicles equipped with so-called defeat devices have a right to compensation from the vehicle manufacturer, an adviser to the top EU court said on Thursday in a case brought against Mercedes-Benz.

Defeat devices are mechanisms or software that can change vehicle emissions levels, leading to disputes over whether manufacturers use them to mask the true pollution levels of their vehicles. Volkswagen admitted in 2015 to using software to cheat U.S. emissions tests on some diesel engines.

Judges of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) are not bound by advice from their advocates general, but follow them in the majority of cases.

German lawyer Claus Goldenstein, who represents 42,500 clients with interest in the case, said the opinion was significant by including negligent, not just intentional, behavior of companies, which would make enforcement of claims easier.

Advocate General Athanasios Rantos also said it was for EU members to determine methods for calculating compensation, ensuring it was commensurate with the loss or damage sustained.

Mercedes-Benz said it remained to be seen how the court would rule and noted the opinion was not binding.

The case was brought to a German court by the purchaser of a used Mercedes C 220 CDI, whose exhaust gas recirculation system operated within a temperature range. In colder outside temperatures, the recirculation is reduced, leading to increased nitrogen oxide emissions.

The court in Regensburg provisionally established that this constituted an unlawful defeat device.

The German court asked the CJEU whether, under EU law, the purchaser of a vehicle equipped with such a device has a right to compensation against the vehicle manufacturer and how this compensation should be calculated.

In May, Volkswagen said it would pay 193 million pounds ($242 million) as part of an out-of-court settlement to around 91,000 British drivers over its diesel emissions scandal.

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, Riham Alkousaa and Ilona Wissenbach; editing by Mark Potter)

Topics Europe
The risk of foot-and-mouth disease reaching Australian shores has escalated as an outbreak sweeps through cattle herds in Indonesia.

More than 20,000 animals have been infected by foot-and-mouth disease across 16 provinces, according to Indonesias agriculture ministry. Some analysts are concerned the virus will soon reach tourist hotspots like Bali, raising questions over whether Australian travelers should be banned from going there.

Foot-and-mouth is a highly contagious disease that affects cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. It is characterized by fever and blister-like sores on the tongue and lips, in the mouth, on the teats and between the hooves. The virus has not been detected in Australia for more than 100 years, according to the government.

Australias Chief Veterinary Officer Mark Schipp said his department is reviewing a previous risk assessment made last year that put the chances of an incursion within the next five years at 9%, and that the new figure would certainly be higher in light of the growing outbreak in Indonesia.

The situation there is very serious, said Schipp, who recently returned from the Southeast Asian nation, where the disease has spread extensively across the western region. They dont have any vaccine in the country and theyre largely unable to put in place movement restrictions to stop animals being moved about, which is allowing further spread of the disease.

Economic Impact

The disease poses a serious threat to the A$32 billion ($23 billion) livestock industry Down Under. A widespread outbreak would have an estimated direct economic impact of around A$80 billion, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences.

Still, the nation boasts some of the strongest biosecurity laws in the world, and as a result, the risks of that occurring are very well managed, Schipp said.

Since the start of the outbreak in Indonesia, the Australian government has sent support to Jakarta, including an offer of funding for a vaccine, technical assistance to improve on-farm biosecurity and additional capacity to ramp up laboratory and diagnostic capabilities. Last month, Indonesia said it would start producing its own shots for its herds.

The animal health and veterinary services are largely decentralized, Schipp said. You can have vaccine available to a national level, but how it gets into animals at the provincial and district level can be quite challenging.

With around 65 million susceptible animals in the country, foot-and-mouth disease is likely to persist for a number of years in Indonesia, he said.

With assistance from Eko Listiyorini.

Photograph: Red and white hereford cows walking on paddock with eucalyptus trees in the background in Australia. Photo credit: Bigstock

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Australia
A Waukesha, Wisconsin construction and commercial real estate renovation company will pay $140,000 and furnish other relief to settle a lawsuit for racial harassment and retaliation brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

The EEOC said Giertsen Company of Wisconsin, doing business as Giertsen Restoration, violated federal law by creating a hostile work environment for African American employees, including the use of racial slurs and racial comments in the workplace, and wrongfully engaged in retaliation by firing an employee who complained about the racist treatment.

According to the EEOC, Black employees were repeatedly subjected to racial slurs and comments, which managers witnessed and took part in. Although employees complained about the hostile work environment, the company did not address the harassment. Instead, Giertsen assigned one of the employees who complained to more physically demanding work and then fired him as retaliation, the EEOC said.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in the workplace due to race and retaliation against an employee for complaining about the discrimination. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, EEOC v. Giertsen Company of Wisconsin, Civil Action No. 21-cv-1130, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

In addition to obtaining $140,000 in monetary relief for the aggrieved individuals, the settlement provides equitable relief for Giertsen employees, including training and appointment of an equal employment opportunity officer, who will be responsible for handling any future discrimination complaints at the company.

Topics Lawsuits Construction Wisconsin
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A jury sided Wednesday with Johnny Depp in his libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, awarding the Pirates of the Caribbean actor more than $10 million and vindicating his allegations that Heard lied about Depp abusing her before and during their brief marriage.

But in a split decision, the jury also found that Heard was defamed by one of Depps lawyers, who accused her of creating a detailed hoax that included roughing up the couples apartment to look worse for police. The jury awarded her $2 million.

The verdicts bring an end to a televised trial that Depp had hoped would help restore his reputation, though it turned into a spectacle that offered a window into a vicious marriage.

Heard, who was stoic in the courtroom as the verdict was read, said she was heartbroken.

Im even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. Its a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously, she said in a statement posted on her Twitter account.

Depp, who was not in court Wednesday, said the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.

I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up, he said in a statement posted to Instagram.

Depp sued Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. His lawyers said he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.

The jury found in Depps favor on all three of his claims relating to specific statements in the 2018 piece.

Throughout the proceedings, fans who were overwhelmingly on Depps side lined up overnight for coveted courtroom seats. Spectators who couldnt get in gathered on the street to cheer Depp and jeer Heard whenever they appeared outside.

A crowd of about 200 people cheered when Depps lawyers came out after the verdict. Johnny for president! one man yelled repeatedly.

Greg McCandless, 51, a retired private detective from Reston, Virginia, stood outside the courthouse wearing a pirate hat and red head scarf, a nod to Depps famous role as Capt. Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

I do believe that there was defamation, and I do believe that it did hurt his career, McCandless said. I think the jury heard the evidence, and the verdict was just.

In evaluating Heards counterclaims, jurors considered three statements by a lawyer for Depp who called her allegations a hoax. They found she was defamed by one of them, in which the lawyer claimed that she and friends spilled a little wine and roughed the place up, got their stories straight, and called police.

Sydni Porter, 30, drove an hour from her home in Maryland to show support for Heard. She said the verdict was disappointing, but not surprising, and sends a message to women that as much evidence as you have (of abuse), its never going to be enough.

The jury found Depp should receive $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, but the judge said state law caps punitive damages at $350,000, meaning Depp was awarded $10.35 million.

While the case was ostensibly about libel, most of the testimony focused on whether Heard had been physically and sexually abused, as she claimed. Heard enumerated more than a dozen alleged assaults, including a fight in Australia  where Depp was shooting a Pirates of the Caribbean sequel  in which Depp lost the tip of his middle finger and Heard said she was sexually assaulted with a liquor bottle.

Depp said he never hit Heard and that she was the abuser, though Heards attorneys highlighted years-old text messages Depp sent apologizing to Heard for his behavior as well as profane texts he sent to a friend in which Depp said he wanted to kill Heard and defile her dead body.

In some ways, the trial was a replay of a lawsuit Depp filed in the United Kingdom against a British tabloid after he was described as a wife beater. The judge in that case ruled in the newspapers favor after finding that Heard was telling the truth in her descriptions of abuse.

In the Virginia case, Depp had to prove not only that he never assaulted Heard, but that Heards article  which focused primarily on public policy related to domestic violence  defamed him. He also had to prove that Heard wrote the article with actual malice.

And to claim damages, he had to prove that her article caused the damage to his reputation as opposed to any number of articles before and after Heards piece that detailed the allegations against him.

The case captivated millions through its gavel-to-gavel television coverage, including impassioned followers on social media who dissected everything from the actors mannerisms to the possible symbolism of what they were wearing. Both performers emerge from the trial with reputations in tatters with unclear prospects for their careers.

Eric Rose, a crisis management and communications expert in Los Angeles, called the trial a classic murder-suicide.

From a reputation-management perspective, there can be no winners, he said. Theyve bloodied each other up. It becomes more difficult now for studios to hire either actor because youre potentially alienating a large segment of your audience who may not like the fact that you have retained either Johnny or Amber for a specific project because feelings are so strong now.

Depp, a three-time best actor Oscar nominee, had until recent years been a bankable star. His turn as Sparrow helped turn the Pirates of the Caribbean into a global franchise, but hes lost that role. He was also replaced in the third Fantastic Beasts spin-off film, The Secrets of Dumbledore.

Despite testimony at the trial that he could be violent, abusive and out of control, Depp received a standing ovation Tuesday night in London after performing for about 40 minutes with Jeff Beck at the Royal Albert Hall.

Heards acting career has been more modest, and her only two upcoming roles are in a small film and the upcoming Aquaman sequel due out next year.

Depps lawyers fought to keep the case in Virginia, in part because state law provided some legal advantages compared with California, where the two reside. A judge ruled that Virginia was an acceptable forum for the case because The Washington Posts printing presses and online servers are in the county.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Jerry Harwood couldnt collect workers compensation benefits after he was paralyzed when he was struck by a car while trying to cross US Route 66 after leaving his workplace.

But a split decision by the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Wednesday gives him a chance to gain compensation for his injury by suing his employer.

In a 5-4 decision, the high court ruled that the same 2013 reform law that made Harwood ineligible for workers compensation had opened a door that allowed him to pursue a lawsuit.

This is the policy decision expressly chosen by the Legislature when it eliminated parking lot, and other similar, injuries from coming within the course and scope of employment,' the majority opinion, written by Justice Yvonne Kauger says.

Harwoods attorney, John L. Harlan, said he warned state workers compensation commissioners when they denied his clients claim.

I told them that you dont realize what youre doing, he said. You are setting the employer up for tort liability.

Harwood was struck by a car driven by Patrick Thom McLauglan while crossing the four lanes of Route 66 in Sapulpa after finishing his shift at the Ardagh Group glass container factory at about 11:30 p.m. on July 16, 2016.Typically, the crosswalk that employees use to reach their designated parking lot across the highway is illuminated by streetlights and protected by a traffic signal, but those were not functioning on the night of the accident because of a power outage.

Harwood filed a workers compensation claim, but the Workers Compensation Commission denied it because he had already clocked out before the accident. The statute adopted in 2013, part of a large package of reforms designed to save costs, excluded from the course of employment any injuries occurring in a parking lot or other common area adjacent to an employers place of business before or after an employees work shift.

The Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals affirmed the decision.

So Harwood filed a lawsuit against Ardagh and McLaughlan in Creek County District Court. The court granted the employers motion to dismiss it as a defendant, finding that Harwood had failed to state a claim upon which relief could be granted. The Court of Civil Appeals affirmed that decision, but the Supreme Court agreed to review the case this January.

Harlan argued that Ardagh had assumed responsibility for the safety of the crosswalk. He said the company had sent an email to all employees directing them to use the crosswalk to enter their workplace. The company had built railings along a walkway that led employees from the fenced parking lot to the crosswalk, which was protected by a traffic signal. Asdagh had built strobe lights to illuminate the crosswalk when the traffic signal wasnt functioning.

The Supreme Court majority cited decisions dating back to 1965 that held if an organization assumes responsibility for ensuring safety the organization also assumes liability to exercise reasonable care. The court said the decision to dismiss Harwoods lawsuit was premature, but offered no prediction on whether he will prevail.

The courthouse doors are open to the employee, the majority opinion says. Whether or not the actions of the employer were the proximate cause of the injury to the appellant is one for the jury to decide.

Chief Justice Richard Darby and Justices James E. Edmondson, Doug Combs and Noma Gurich concurred with the decision.

Justices Kane, Winchester, Rowe and Kuehn dissented.Kane and Kuehn said in a separate opinion that the city of Sapulpa, not Ardagh, controlled the crosswalk.

While the conditions at the crosswalk were allegedly problematic, they were no more under the control of the employer than they were of the employee, they said. As a result, the employees remedy for injuries sustained is one in negligence against the motorist who hit him as he crossed the public street using the crosswalk  not against his employer for negligence.

Harlan said he is confident that he will be able to prove that Ardagh assumed responsibility for the safety of the crosswalk, and the resulting damage award will be far more than Harwood would have received through a workers compensation claim.

He said Asplagh assigned supervisors to act as crossing guards during shift changes because they knew that motorists on the busy highway frequently ran the four-way stop sign that had been erected to guard the crossing. The crossing guards were gone, however, by the time Harwood tried to cross the highway that night because he had stayed late to take a shower after his shift in the hot room, an area of the plant were glass is heated and shaped, Harlan said.

According to the lawsuit, the company has sent a memo to employees warning them that crossing the lawsuit was the most dangerous part of their jobs.

They knew that this was dangerous as heck, Harlan said.

Topics Lawsuits Commercial Lines Business Insurance Oklahoma
The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers Compensation (DWC) informed workers comp system participants this week of proposals for a second set of amendments to 28 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 127, Designated Doctor Procedures and Requirements, and 28 TAC Section 180.23 to improve the designated doctor (DD) program.

DWC staff evaluated comments from the first informal proposal and made changes to DD qualifications when examining injured employees with certain complex diagnoses. DWC is also proposing a template for the DD report. The template provides a standardized approach to organizing the narrative report, so the parties receiving the report can more easily identify the DD exam findings.

DWC will host a stakeholder presentation on the second set of amendments to Chapter 127 on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at 1:30 p.m., CT, to discuss updated amendments to rule language and feedback from system participants on the first informal proposal.

DWC is requesting comments on the rule text and the proposed template documents. Email your comments to RuleComments@tdi.texas.gov. DWC must receive written comments by 5 p.m., Central time, on Thursday, June 23, 2022.

Source: DWC
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Starting this week, North Carolina homeowners will see insurance premiums rise by an average of almost 8% for new and renewing policies, after a negotiated rate increase took effect June 1.

The North Carolina Rate Bureau had proposed a 24.5% homeowners insurance average rate increase, but state Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey negotiated with bureau for months about it and landed on the 7.9% number.

The higher rates will remain in effect until 2024, Causeys office said. Rate changes by territory can be seen here.

The rate bureau in 2018 had asked for a statewide average hike of 17.4%, but later settled for a 4% increase. In April of 2021, the bureau had proposed an 18.7% average increase in dwelling insurance, for rental and investment properties, but settled for a 7.6% rise after negotiating with the department.

Last month, higher rates for mobile home insurance also took effect. The rate bureau had recommended a 24.9% increase for mobile home fire insurance and an 11.3% hike for casualty coverage. Causeys office engaged in negotiations and reached a compromise of 12.5% and 4.7%, which started May 1.

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Global boron nitride market trend 2025-2029 Hexagonal Boron Nitride is 10 Times Stronger Than Graphene by Newsintegra927

Russian president demanded that exports of Russian gas to "unfriendly" countries be settled in rubles. The demand has raised concerns in Germany about possible supply disruptions and the impact on industry and households if utilities do not pay in robles. Europe gets about 40% of its gas from Russia. Last year, Europe imported about 155 billion cubic meters. Germany, Europe's largest economy, depends heavily on Russian gas.

The chief executive of Germany's E.ON said the German economy would face "significant damage, which should be avoided if possible" without Russian supplies. He also said it would take Germany three years to wean itself off Russian gas.

In the event of a supply disruption, Germany's gas network regulator would prioritize home heating over industrial use, so energy-hungry manufacturers such as steelmakers would be the first to suffer, he said.

The volatile international situations will continue to affect the markets and prices of many commodities like the boron nitride.

Hexagonal boron nitride (H-BN) is a two-dimensional layered broadband-gap insulating material with good heat resistance, chemical stability, and dielectric properties. It is widely used in electronic devices.



Hexagonal boron nitride is structurally similar to graphene, consisting of a planar lattice of atoms arranged in interconnected hexagons. The only difference is that in graphene, all atoms are carbon, whereas, in H-BN, each hexagon contains three nitrogen atoms and three boron atoms.







Carbon-carbon bonds are among the strongest, so graphene is theoretically much stronger than H-BN. The strength and elastic modulus of the two materials are similar, and h-BN is slightly lower in comparison: graphene has a strength of about 130GPa and young's modulus of about 1.0TPa; The strength and modulus of H-BN are 100GPa and 0.8 TPA, respectively.

Despite its excellent mechanical properties, graphene has low crack resistance, which means graphene is brittle.



In 1921, British engineer Griffiths published a theoretical study of fracture mechanics, describing the failure of brittle materials and the relationship between the size of cracks in materials and the force required to make them grow. For hundreds of years, scientists and engineers have used this theory to predict and define the toughness of materials.

In 2014, a study by Professor Jun Lou and his team at Rice University showed that graphene's fracture toughness is consistent with Griffith's theory of fracture mechanics: when the stress applied to graphene is greater than the force holding it together, the cracks propagate, And the energy difference is released during crack propagation.

H-bn is also thought to be vulnerable, given its structural similarity to graphene. However, this is not the case.



The scientists found that H-BN is 10 times more ductile than graphene.

A team led by Prof. Jun Lou of Rice University and Prof. Hua Jian Gao of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore has found that the brittle H-BN is 10 times stronger than graphene in cracking resistance. This finding runs counter to Griffith's fracture theory, and such anomalies have never been observed before in two-dimensional materials. The related research results were published in Nature with the title "Intrinsic Toughening and stable crack propagation in Hexagonal Boron nitride".



Mechanism Behind H-BN's Extraordinary Toughness

To find out why, the team applied stress to the H-BN sample, using scanning electron microscopes and transmission electron microscopes to see as much as possible how the cracks occurred. After more than 1,000 hours of experiments and subsequent theoretical analysis, they discovered the mystery.







Although graphene and H-Bn may be structurally similar, boron and nitrogen atoms are not the same, so there is an asymmetric arrangement of hexagonal lattice intrinsic in H-BN, unlike the carbon hexagon in graphene. That is, in graphene, the cracks tend to go straight through the symmetrical hexagonal structure from top to bottom, opening the bond like a zipper. The hexagonal structure of H-BN is slightly asymmetric due to the stress contrast between boron and nitrogen, and this inherent asymmetry of the lattice causes cracks to bifurcate, forming branches.

And if the crack bifurcates, that means it's rotating. The existence of this steering crack requires additional energy to further promote the crack propagation, which makes the crack more difficult to propagate and effectively enhances the toughness of the material. That's why H-Bn shows more elasticity than graphene.



Due to its excellent heat resistance, chemical stability, and dielectric properties, H-BN has become an extremely important material for two-dimensional electronic and other 2-bit devices, not only as a support base but also as an insulating layer between electronic components. Today, h-BN's toughness makes it an ideal choice for flexible electronics and is important for the development of flexible 2D materials for applications such as two-dimensional electronics.

In the future, as well as being used in flexible electronic textiles, h-BN could also be used as flexible electronic skin and implantable electronics that can be connected directly to the brain.



Boron Nitride BN Powder Price

The price is influenced by many factors including the supply and demand in the market, industry trends, economic activity, market sentiment, and unexpected events.

If you are looking for the latest BN powder price, you can send us your inquiry for a quote. ([email protected])



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For Germany, the largest economy in Europe, the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict on the natural gas market is the most obvious. This also exposed the serious dependence of some German industrial enterprises on Russian natural gas. Some analysts pointed out that the instability of natural gas supply has had a big impact on the German economy and threatened its market competitiveness because alternative energy supplies will not be cheap and difficult to come quickly. Increased uncertainty over natural gas supplies is putting enormous pressure on German manufacturers in sectors ranging from steelmaking to chemical boron nitride for the time being, but the market demand for boron nitride in the future will also change with the influence of various external factors. If you need boron nitride, please feel free to contact us.



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Global Nitinol Powder, Nitinol Powder Overview, Nitinol Powder Application, Nitinol Powder Suppliers, Nitinol Powder Price market trend 2023-2030 Nitinol powder properties by Newsintegra927

Chile's government is considering phasing in a proposed ban on glacial mining to limit projects high in the Andes by some big copper companies. Chile's constitutional assembly has approved a proposal to ban mining in glaciers, protected areas, and areas vital to protecting the country's water system.

Chile's mining minister, Marcela Hernando, said about 20 mines had been identified in protected areas, some close to glaciers, including Codelco's El Teniente and Andina projects and Anglo American Plc's Los Bronces project.

The new measures for glaciers and other protected areas will put about a fifth of Chile's copper Nitinol Powder, Nitinol Powder Overview, Nitinol Powder Application, Nitinol Powder Suppliers, Nitinol Powder Price prices are predicted to increase in the next few days.

Overview of Nitinol Powder

Nitinol, also known as Nitinol, is a metal alloy of nickel and titanium in which the atomic percentages of the two elements are approximately equal. Different alloys are named according to the weight percent of nickel, such as nickel. Nitinol 55 and Nitinol 60. It exhibits shape memory effect and superelasticity at different temperatures. Miron Nitinol powder, Nitinol powder particle size: 15-53 microns Ni:Ti:5:5 or as your request Purity: 99.9%. Sphere Percentage: 99.9% (Min) Production Method: Laser Evaporation.

Nitinol powder properties



1. Shape memory (shape memory) Shape memory is when the parent phase of a certain shape is cooled from above the Af temperature to below the Mf temperature to form martensite, the martensite is deformed at a temperature below Mf, and heated to below the Af temperature, With the reverse phase transition, the material automatically returns to its shape in the parent phase. In fact, the shape memory effect is a thermally induced phase transformation process in Nitinol.

2. Superelasticity The so-called superelasticity refers to the phenomenon that the sample produces a strain far greater than the elastic limit strain under the action of external force, and the strain can automatically recover when unloaded. That is, in the state of the parent phase, due to the action of external stress, the stress-induced martensitic transformation occurs, so that the alloy exhibits mechanical behavior different from ordinary materials, its elastic limit is much larger than that of ordinary materials, and it no longer obeys Hu. Gram's Law. In contrast to shape memory properties, superelasticity has no thermal involvement. All in all, hyperelasticity means that the stress does not increase with the increase of strain within a certain deformation range, and hyperelasticity can be divided into linear hyperelasticity and nonlinear hyperelasticity. In the former stress-strain curve, the relationship between stress and strain is close to linear. Nonlinear superelasticity refers to the result of stress-induced martensitic transformation and its inverse transformation during loading and unloading in a certain temperature range above Af, so nonlinear hyperelasticity is also called transformation pseudoelasticity. The phase transformation pseudoelasticity of Nitinol can reach about 8%. The superelasticity of Nitinol can vary with the heat treatment conditions, and when the archwire is heated above 400C, the superelasticity begins to decrease.

3. Sensitivity to intraoral temperature changes: The orthodontic force of stainless steel wire and CoCr alloy orthodontic wire is basically not affected by intraoral temperature. The orthodontic force of superelastic nickel-titanium alloy orthodontic wire varies with oral temperature. When the amount of deformation is constant. As the temperature increases, the healing power increases. On the one hand, it can accelerate the movement of the teeth, because the temperature change in the oral cavity will stimulate the blood flow in the stagnant blood flow caused by the capillary stagnation caused by the orthodontic device, so that the repair cells are fully nourished during the movement of the teeth, maintain its vitality and normal function. Orthodontists, on the other hand, cannot precisely control or measure orthodontic forces in the oral environment.

4. Corrosion resistance: Studies have shown that the corrosion resistance of nickel-titanium wire is similar to that of stainless steel wire

5. Anti-toxicity: The special chemical composition of nickel-titanium shape memory alloy, that is, it is an atomic alloy such as nickel-titanium, containing about 50% nickel, and nickel is known to have carcinogenic and cancer-promoting effects. In general, the titanium oxide on the surface layer acts as a kind of barrier, making Ni-Ti alloys have good biocompatibility. The TiXOy and TixNiOy in the surface layer can inhibit the release of Ni.

Applications of Nitinol Powder



Nitinol powder can meet the needs of various engineering and medical applications and is an excellent functional material. In addition to its unique shape memory function, memory alloys also have excellent functions such as wear resistance, corrosion resistance, high damping and superelasticity.

The tensile strength of Nitinol can reach 1000 MPa, which means that it takes more than 100 grams per square millimeter to break it. This force is stronger than ordinary steel, and it also has good "memory" properties and corrosion resistance.

Nitinol is 50% nickel and 50% titanium, which means 50% nickel and 50% titanium. The temperature range of the shape memory can be adjusted by the control element. Generally, the higher the nickel content of Nitinol, the lower the working temperature. When it contains 55% nickel and 45% titanium, the memory alloy can work at room temperature.

People take advantage of this property of shape memory alloys to make pearl necklaces and bracelets made of shape memory alloy wires, as well as bras woven from shape memory alloy wires. Wearing these decorations and health products on the body will restore the original curvature and rigid body temperature under the action, thus playing the role of decoration and health care. In addition, you can use Nitinol to make orthodontic wires to straighten deformed teeth according to human oral temperature.

Nitinol can be used to replace traditional actuators (solenoid valves, servo motors, etc.), such as the simple hexapod robot Stiquito.

Nitinol springs are used in fluid thermal valves, where the material acts as both a temperature sensor and an actuator.

Nitinol powder price



The price of Nitinol powder will change randomly with production cost, transportation cost, international situation, exchange rate and supply and demand of Nitinol powder market. Tanki New Materials Co., Ltd. aims to help various industries and chemical wholesalers find high-quality, low-cost nanomaterials and chemicals by providing a full range of customized services. If you are looking for Nitinol powder, please feel free to send an inquiry to get the latest Nitinol powder price.

Suppliers of Nitinol Powder



As a global supplier of Nitinol powders, Tanki New Materials Co., Ltd. has extensive experience in the performance, application and cost-effective manufacturing of advanced engineering materials. The company has successfully developed a series of powder materials (including water-based stearic acid emulsion, water-based calcium stearate, zinc stearate, etc.), high-purity targets, functional ceramics and structural devices, and provides OEM services.

Nitinol Powder Properties Other Names nickel titanium, shape memory nitinol, NiTi, Ni-Ti, nickel-titanium shape-memory alloy (SMA) CAS No. 52013-44-2 Compound Formula NiTi Molecular Weight N/A Appearance Black Powder Melting Point 1300 C Boiling Point N/A Density 6.45 g/cm3 Solubility in H2O N/A Poisson's Ratio 0.33 Specific Heat 0.20 cal/gC Tensile Strength 895 MPa (Ultimate, fully annealed) Thermal Conductivity 0.18 W/cm (austenite), 0.086 W/cm (martensite) Thermal Expansion 11.0 x 10-6/C (austenite), 6.6 x 10-6/C (austenite) Nitinol Powder Health & Safety Information Signal Word N/A Hazard Statements N/A Hazard Codes N/A Risk Codes N/A Safety Statements N/A Transport Information N/A









Overall, the demand for Nitinol Powder, Nitinol Powder Overview, Nitinol Powder Application, Nitinol Powder Suppliers, Nitinol Powder Price is on the rise, and future Nitinol Powder, Nitinol Powder Overview, Nitinol Powder Application, Nitinol Powder Suppliers, Nitinol Powder Price will continue to evolve. Although the prosperity of the brand name has rebounded, there are still many outstanding problems in Nitinol Powder, Nitinol Powder Overview, Nitinol Powder Application, Nitinol Powder Suppliers, Nitinol Powder Price, and the Nitinol Powder, Nitinol Powder Overview, Nitinol Powder Application, Nitinol Powder Suppliers, Nitinol Powder Price will develop steadilyif you need Nitinol Powder, Nitinol Powder Overview, Nitinol Powder Application, Nitinol Powder Suppliers, Nitinol Powder Price please contact us.





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Her contribution to St. Maarten is valued as she fulfilled the role of mother, nurse, teacher, mentor and friend to all who came into contact with her. Her sudden passing under such negative circumstances has shocked, saddened and even angered our close-knit community. All are asked to remember her peaceful and kind nature and seek forgiveness for the perpetrators whose actions have led to her demise. The community is therefore asked to come together to address the social ills that lead to acts such as these while allowing law enforcement to do their due diligence.





On behalf of the Council of Ministers, we extend our deepest condolences to her husband and former Judge, Mr. Wilfred Manning, her family, dear friends, and the wider St. Maarten community. May her soul rest in eternal peace," stated Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs.





It is with great sadness and immense outrage that the Government of St. Maarten learned of the sudden passing of Mrs. Lelia Manning on Sunday, May 29. Mrs. Leila Manning was well known in the community as a kind-hearted, warm-spirited and nurturing person. Her impact has had a generational effect as Founder of the Jack & Jill Playschool which laid the foundation for many.
Flexible work practices and boardroom gender quotas have only gone a small way to redressing workplace inequality for women, says one leading financial advisor.

Joanna Murphy, CEO of Taxback.com, a tax refund and tax return filing specialist, said that Taxback.coms All-Ireland Employee Wellbeing Survey shows significant disparity between how men and women perceive issues around gender pay gaps and access to career advancement.

When asked, 50% of the Irish workforce say they have either seen and/ or experienced the gender pay gap in action. However, when it comes to the experience of male and female workers, the feedback is quite different, with just 36% of men saying they have witnessed this in the workplace, compared to 63% of women.

Joanna Murphy said: From our perspective, if we are serious about being able to empower women in the workplace, we must support gender balance in a more meaningful way. Flexibility in work can be very advantageous for family life.

But for flexibility to work, you would need to see that women taking maternity leave can return to work feeling their career prospects havent been impacted. Is it reasonable for women to step out of the workplace for a year and return to pick up where they left off?

The survey suggests that women say yes, but many men still say no. Joanna says that women are under-represented in senior roles in sectors like technology. The gender gaps are also quite glaring in relation to salaries and board-level representation.

The Wellbeing survey of 1,200 employees, which was conducted in conjunction with Healthy Place to Work Ireland, in SMEs throughout the country also found that 66% of workers support new EU-led quota targets to have females making up at least 33% of board members of publicly listed companies by 2027, believing they are achievable or saying that, in fact, we should be aiming even higher.

Joanna said: According to EU figures, men in Ireland currently earn 11.3% more than women. Our survey exposes the fact that this differential is very much a real and lived experience for many of Irelands female workers, with more than 6 in 10 having witnessed it, and 3 in 10 of those having been directly impacted by it.

It is not surprising that there is a very evident gender bias among those who say they have not experienced with just 37% of women saying theyve never seen nor experienced it, as opposed to 64% of men.

The Taxback.com survey looked at attitudes of workers towards new EU-led gender targets for company boards and non-executive positions, to which Ireland has recently given its backing.

Joanna said: The balance in board rooms is improving, but the stats show that while we are making an impact, things are changing very slowly. The biggest issue for women is that many people dont even see the problem.

If you say you are not aware of the problem, then you are never going to see it. That said, in the last 20 years, there has been a significant attitude shift and you can see some general balance coming through. Board room gender quotas are necessary. They show women that they can have an impact at the top.

Read More Business movers: People starting new jobs in Ireland

Fania Stoney, CEO of Healthy Place to Work Ireland, spoke of the support voiced by employees for the EU directive on board room gender quotas.

There was widespread support for this Directive across the board, and one-third of respondents even feel that these gender targets are too low and that we should be aiming higher, said Fania.

Ireland is already making serious gains in this area, with a new report from Business in the Community recently revealing that women make up 39% of staff in senior management roles and 38% of roles in executive positions in Irelands top 50 companies.

These figures surpass the national average of 30%, which just goes to show how far we have come in terms of gender equality in the workplace. Interestingly, twice as many male workers (25% versus 12% of women) said that they dont believe in gender quotas.

Taxback.com report that the survey revealed a cohort of workers who are less enthused about the EU targets  with 15% believing that the targets are unachievable, and 17% contending that such quotas are unnecessary in the first place.

Joanna Murphy added: From previous research we have conducted on the topic, we have found that amongst the people who do agree that there is a gender pay gap, the most popular explanation has been that men have traditionally always been paid more than women  perhaps up to now there has been almost an acceptance of this in society as a fait accompli.

A lack of investment in womens careers is also a very commonly cited factor. These are long-standing, structural attitudes that have been embedded in the world of employment and work for decades, and despite progress at some levels and a much healthier discourse in general around employment equality, as a nation we have a long way to go.

According to the ESRI, the gender pay gap stood at 14.7% in 2000, so in 20 plus years, there has been relatively little change in the basic wage gap in Ireland.
Monkeypox may have been circulating undetected in Europe since early April, Portuguese health chiefs have warned.

It comes as Britain has called for a concerted international effort to stop the outbreak.

Challenges to contact tracing caused by anonymous sexual encounters by some affected were also highlighted by international reviews published on Friday in the journal Eurosurveillance.

The Portuguese health authority said it has identified 119 cases since May 17.

The epidemic curve shows that most cases were not part of identified chains of transmission, nor were linked to travel or had contact with symptomatic persons or with animals, it said.

Our findings, consistent with results from investigations in the UK, raise the hypothesis of possible undetected spread of MXPV (monkeypox virus) occurring in Europe at least since early April and potential importation into Portugal.

Surveillance and control

In Britain, 225 cases were identified up to Thursday, including two in Northern Ireland.

The British Health Security Agency found monkeypox spreading in Europe in a way not seen before and this has profound implications for surveillance and control.

It urged: While the aim should remain elimination, public health success will require a concerted international effort.

Separating clusters of cases into three incidents, it said contacts for two incidents were mainly on the same plane or healthcare workers. In the third incident, 356 community contacts were identified,

It found many knowledge gaps including around whether or not sexual contact is sustaining the outbreak.

In some instances, identifying the true number of sexual contacts was difficult due to contexts like group sex.

Of the 78 sexual contacts who were reported in Incident 3, only 28% had names or contact details reported. Several cases declined to share personal details of their sexual contacts, or reported multiple anonymous contacts, such as in dark rooms and cruising grounds.

The smallpox vaccine Imvanex is being offered to high-risk contacts across Britain.

A study of one case in Melbourne, where the man had recently travelled to Europe, stated he was admitted to hospital for pain management and evaluation.

Whole genome sequencing found similarities with sequences in Europe and the US.

Not historically associated with sexual contact

They cautioned monkeypox is not historically associated with sexual contact and said establishing links would need larger studies.

The Italian review states the virus is transmitting human-to-human and notes this did not happen effectively during endemic outbreaks across African countries.

It says lesions on patients skin are different to those traditionally associated with this virus. Three of the four patients studied were at the same event on Gran Canaria in early May, and all recovered spontaneously.

In Ireland, six cases were confirmed up to Thursday. The HSE said anyone, regardless of their sexuality, can get monkeypox and urged people to be aware of symptoms.
Yet again questions are being asked about the use of Shannon Airport and its implications for Irish neutrality following revelations about the cargo contained in an Antonov AN-124 which landed there in early May.

The airport has been used as a stopover and fuelling stop for US military for nearly 20 years, with tens of thousands of troops transiting through yearly.

In 2020, around 75,000 troops used the airport. In 2019 the figure was 93,852 and in 2018 it was 86,653.

The use of the airport in America's "War on Terror" has proved a thorn in the side of Irish neutrality, regardless of views on that particular war. However, with Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine a new issue is raised. There are surely few who doubt Ukraine's right to fight back against an invasionary force, nor the right of international allies to arm that effort.

Irish support

Here in Ireland though, that raises the question of how much support we are willing to offer. This is a needle Ireland has had to thread since the beginning of the war in Ukraine when the Government announced this country was giving around 9m to an EU fund, but said we would not put that money towards "lethal" supplies.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin told reporters that the money was to be used for personal protective equipment, medical supplies, and fuel.

He insisted the unprecedented use of the European Peace Facility for weapons is not a breach of Ireland's military neutrality. The European Commission's plan saw around 500m used to help buy air-defence systems, anti-tank weapons, ammunition, and other military equipment for Ukraines armed forces.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said Ireland had been given a right to 'constructive abstention' from the European Peace Facility. Picture: Maxwells

Mr Martin said Ireland had been given a right to "constructive abstention" from the facility.

"When we signed up to the European Peace Facility, Ireland sought an option in respect of having the capacity to have constructive abstention in terms of the use of that facility for lethal force or for the sending of lethal weapons," he said.

Asked about the difference between funding the fuel for a tank instead of a tank itself, Mr Martin said "you can argue one way or the other" but "the bottom line is we're not funding the tanks".

Despite what many commentators will say, and have said, public support for military neutrality in Ireland is over two thirds and only a quarter of people favour ditching it.

However, the question remains as to whether allowing refuelling or transport of troops or weapons is a breach of neutrality in spirit or letter.

For some, the spirit is largely taken on a case-by-case basis. They can look at the US interventions in the Middle East and say that they are not justified but find it hard to quibble with arming a vastly outgunned Ukrainian army. And that is both logically and morally reasonable.

For some though, the case is more cut and dried: Ireland should not be involved in any military conflict, one way or the other.

Writing in this paper in March, Dr Edward Horgan spelled out the idea of "active neutrality".

"Humanitarian reasons for Irish neutrality should be a priority for the Irish people given our history of occupation by a foreign power that committed crimes against humanity against our people, forcing millions of Irish people to seek refuge in other countries," he said.

Irish facilitation of Middle East wars of aggression contributed to the refugee crisis and our Government is failing to promote peace in the Ukrainian conflict.

"The existential reasons for neutrality are highlighted by the risks of nuclear accident or nuclear war due to the present conflict in Ukraine and the possession of and threats to use nuclear weapons by at least nine countries.

"Promoting peace by peaceful means using our positive active neutrality is the only sensible and practical policy for Ireland into the future."

For others, the Taoiseach included, the war in Ukraine raises questions of whether Ireland can remain neutral in a smaller, more closely-aligned world.

National conversation

Mr Martin said in March that once the immediate humanitarian issue has receded, a national conversation could be had about neutrality.

"I don't believe in a knee-jerk response to this in terms of the broader non-alignment issue, but... when this war ends, we should create a forum for a reflection on that, because the world has changed," he said.

"Russia has changed the multilateral order by this war. We've witnessed the growth in cyberattacks, the growth also in terrorist organisations. The whole situation has changed so much that we do need to reflect on all of that."

However, while that reflection remains a future concern, we must have an immediate conversation about what is to be done in Shannon.

Shannon airport has been used as a stopover and fuelling point for US military for nearly 20 years, with tens of thousands of troops transiting through yearly. Picture: Eamon Ward

After 20 years, it is time to grasp the nettle of the airport's use by and for foreign militaries. We are capable of such a conversation and it is imperative that we decide that a have-your-cake approach to military neutrality, in which friendly forces are allowed access to the airport, is not tenable any longer.

Whether this particular plane did or did not carry munitions  we know that it did not have an exemption to do so  the fact that a flight coming from a foreign military base and flying to what is effectively a staging area for a months-long war was not at least subject of a cursory check by Irish authorities raises questions.

This plane sat on the tarmac at Shannon for 24 hours and not one of the relevant authorities felt compelled to carry out a check, the Department of Transport says.

We know that this plane left Amberley Air Base in Australia, flew through Japan to Anchorage in Alaska, and stopped twice in Canada before landing in Shannon.

It is possible that Irish authorities assumed that the governments of Japan, America, and Canada would have ensured the cargo was all ok.

However, even that displays a lack of curiosity at best on behalf of authorities and begs the question of whether a blind eye is being turned.
Few international conflicts start and finish in 100 days, although there are several whose crucial phases are settled within such timescales. The final defeat at Waterloo of Napoleon, after his return from Elba, took 115 days in 1815. The end of the First World War was marked by a relentless surge of victories after four years of bloody stalemate, commencing with the Battle of Amiens in August 1918 and ending with the armistice that November.

The campaign in Ukraine is not going to be like that. Today marks its 100th day. What happens if it becomes a forever war? asked an article by Princeton history professor Harold James in the Irish Examiner this week. It is a pertinent question.

Although Vladimir Putin announced his special military operation to demilitarise and denazify Ukraine on February 24, all the warning signs had been in place for many weeks, just as they were before the invasion of Poland in 1939.

At the start of February, we led our front page on the US sending additional forces to strengthen Nato and then on advice to British and American citizens to leave Ukraine. It looks dangerous, and it is, said our opinion writer.

On February 18, the British ambassador to Ireland, Paul Johnston, told Irish journalists that the forthcoming invasion represented the most dangerous moment for the European security order in our lifetime. So, it is not as if we didnt get the heads-up.

Rubble from the damaged Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theatre sits after the March 16, 2022, bombing in Mariupol. Picture: AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov

And when the Russians went in, we warned that, just as the Americans had found in Vietnam, and the Russians discovered in Afghanistan, getting into a country could be the easy part. Retaining control, particularly if the civilians are hostile, could be impossible.

Since Invasion Thursday, when Russia entered Ukraine from the north, east, and south, a widely distributed attack that led to many problems for what was once the vaunted Red Army, we have become familiar with names with which we once had only a passing acquaintance: Kharkiv, The Azov Sea, Kherson, Chernihiv, and Mariupol; Kyiv, where special forces made two attempts to kill the president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the first day; Bucha, where evidence of atrocities was manifest; and now Sievierodonetsk, the latest target for the Kremlin suppression.

And the totemic moments have been many: Zelenskyy and his cabinet demonstrating, from the first day, a mastery of social media that the Ukrainians have weaponised to rally support internally and externally. Their selfie video from the capital was memorable: We are all here ... our soldiers ... our citizens ... protecting our independence. Then, the message from Snake Island: Russian warship, go fuck yourself.

And much darker memories: The bombing of the Mariupol Theatre; the grim fighting through the Azovstal Steelworks; the sinking of the Moskva Black Sea flagship with a Neptune missile; an old lady on a shaky plank trying to ford a torrent under a destroyed bridge.

The war has created 6.5m refugees; plunged much of the world to the edge of famine; expanded Nato; witnessed the continuing Groznyfication of what was once a neighbour, ally, and friend of Moscow, and precipitated Europe into an energy crisis for which it has yet to develop a cohesive and meaningful strategy. It has also found fault lines in the European Union, which may become dangerously wider the longer the turmoil continues and which will pose challenging questions for Ireland over the next two years.

Changing face of war

It has also changed the face of war. For the first time, drones have had a major impact on the battlefield. Intelligence has been shared in unprecedented ways to identify troop movements and crimes.

Russian armed power has been degraded by at least 4,000 items, including 700 tanks and 400 fighting vehicles. Ukraine has lost 180 and 82, respectively. Russias troop losses are estimated to be 15,000 dead and up to 60,000 wounded, more than a third of the forces originally committed. Ukraine casualties are calculated to be about 60% of those of Russia.

With reservists, the Ukrainians will soon have about 400,000 troops to put into the field, backed by another 600,000 training and integrating into territorial units. Kyiv says it could soon have a million under arms to fight a neighbour that may be 10 times its size but which has a total peacetime roster of just under 300,000. So, without a full mobilisation, and even with ancillary forces from Belarus, Chechnya, the Wagner group of mercenaries, and Syria, Russia may be outgunned by late summer, as long as Ukraine has the weaponry.

Democracies have already warned that there may be power cuts at peak times this autumn and winter to conserve power, if Putin continues to use the oil-and-gas weapon alongside his food blackmail. This will test European unity to its maximum.

In August 1914, a British foreign secretary told a journalist: The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.

That four-year war cost 20m deaths and 21m wounded. It was fought to protect the territorial integrity of small nations and the right to self-determination.

We warned on February 26 that the Russians will only be stopped by will and determination and, at the moment, they have it, and our comfortable and collegiate alliance of nations does not. Much more work needs to be done by the leaders of Europe to demonstrate the resolve that is the only characteristic that Putin holds in regard.
Fighting raged in two key eastern Ukrainian cities on Friday, the 100th day of Russias invasion.

Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said fierce battles continued in Sievierodonetsk, where about 13,000 remaining residents took shelter in basements to escape relentless Russian bombardment.

Mr Haidai said Russian forces also pummelled neighbouring Lysychansk. Some 20,000 residents remain there  about one-fifth of Lysychansks pre-war population  even though Russian shelling has shattered 60% of the residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, authorities said.

A civilian was killed in the shelling there on Friday, Mr Haidai said.

Russian forces have been trying to encircle Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk, the only two cities in eastern Ukraines Luhansk province not controlled by Russian forces or Moscow-backed separatists.

Luhansk and Donetsk provinces make up the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Russia is intent on capturing.

Britains Defence Ministry said Russia now controls more than 90% of Luhansk and is likely to take it over completely in the next two weeks.

Mykola Sunhurovsky of the Razumkov Centre, a Kyiv-based think tank, said that because of Ukrainian resistance, the Russian offensive in the region has started to slow, and they have lost too many forces and need a tactical break.

He said that time is working in Ukraines favour as supplies of Western weapons are increasing, making the Kremlin nervous.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian troops have succeeded in their main stated task of protecting civilians in the separatist-controlled areas.

Russia controls almost one-fifth of the country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week. But Mr Zelenskyy remained defiant in a video message marking 100 days of war.

We have defended Ukraine for 100 days already, he said. Victory will be ours!

In other developments:

 Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted the chairman of the African Union, Senegals President Macky Sall, in talks aimed at how to get grain supplies moving again. Wheat prices have soared because of the war. Russia, the worlds largest wheat exporter, has urged the West to lift sanctions against its shippers so that grain starts flowing freely. Ukraine blamed the growing global food crisis not on the sanctions but on Russias bottling up of the ports Ukraine uses to export grain

 The European Union formally approved an embargo on Russian oil. The 27-nation EU said imports of Russian crude will be phased out over six months, and other refined petroleum products over eight months. Landlocked countries that depend on Russian supplies  like Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia  will get a temporary exemption.
Burma Myanmar Junta Approves Death Sentences for Two Anti-Regime Activists

Ko Jimmy, veteran democracy activist and leading member of 88 Generation Students Group (left) and Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw, former NLD lawmaker (right).

Myanmars junta has approved execution orders for the death sentences handed down to former National League for Democracy lawmaker Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw and veteran democracy activist Ko Jimmy for their anti-regime activities.

A junta source familiar with the case said that the pairs execution orders were approved very recently along with two others.

The Prison Department will now decide when to proceed with the executions, he added.

Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw is 40. Ko Jimmy, who is also known as Kyaw Min Yu, is 53 and a former leading member of the 88 Generation Student Group.

Both men were arrested late last year and given death sentences in January for masterminding armed resistance operations in Yangon.

Ma Nilar Thein, Ko Jimmys wife, is also a democracy activist and is currently in hiding.

If the executions go ahead, Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw and Ko Jimmy will be the first political dissidents to be executed since ethnic Chin student leader Salai Tin Maung Oo was hanged by dictator General Ne Wins authoritarian regime at Yangons Insein Prison in 1976.

Since last years coup, the military regime has handed down death sentences to 113 people for their roles in the armed resistance to the junta.
Burma Myanmar Junta Detains Villagers Following Clash With Arakan Army in Chin State

Paletwa Township in Chin State. / The Irrawaddy

Myanmar junta troops have detained a number of villagers from Abaung Thar Village in Chin States Paletwa Township for interrogation, according to residents.

The villagers were detained on Monday following fighting near the village between junta troops and the Arakan Army (AA) on May 26, said a villager.

We have fled since they [regime forces] came to the village and we still dont know what is happening in the village now. Junta troops are still inside the village and we dare not go back. We heard villagers were questioned and that the village administrator and five villagers were blindfolded and taken to Light Infantry Battalion 289 where they are being interrogated, he told The Irrawaddy.

Abaung Thar Village is located near Mt. Suu Poke some five miles from Paletwa Town, and has over 100 households that are home to Chin and Rakhine people.

An ethnic Chin man from Paletwa said: The village has two parts. One part is occupied by Khumi people of the Chin ethnic group and the other is occupied by Rakhine people. I heard soldiers are deployed in the village and interrogating them. Mainly they are questioning them about the AA. In fact, they know the locations of the AA bases. They dont need to cause trouble to villagers.

Two of the five villagers detained have been released, but three others and the village administrator were taken away by helicopter on Thursday.

Social organizations in Paletwa said details of what happened are unknown as the two released villagers have gone into hiding.

On May 26, a number of junta soldiers were killed and injured when AA fighters ambushed reinforcements from the Kyauktaw-based Light Infantry Battalion 375 heading to the military regime outpost at the base of Mt. Suu Poke, said locals.

Regime soldiers have since surrounded Paletwa Town and imposed strict checks on people entering and leaving the town. The junta has also restricted water transport between Paletwa and Kyauktaw in neighboring Rakhine State, on which Paletwa heavily relies for supplies of food and other commodities.

Military tensions are running high between the regime and the AA as the junta increases its military presence in Rakhine and Chin states. A submarine and other navy vessels arrived recently at Danyawaddy naval base in Kyaukphyu Township.
Analysis Former President and General U Thein Sein Paints While Myanmar Burns

Myanmars then President U Thein Sein listens to representatives of political parties at the Yangon Regional Government Office in Yangon on November 15, 2015. / AFP

While the Myanmar people are drowning in troubled waters in post-coup political turmoil, former President U Thein Sein is living a life of ease in his large Naypyitaw compound, painting, writing and growing trees.

Myanmars people are suffering miseries because of coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who became the military chief just as U Thein Seins government was taking power in 2011. But 77-year-old U Thein Sein has not spoken a word of criticism about the junta leader.

Former general U Thein Sein won widespread praise from world leaders because of the political and economic reforms instituted after he became president. Then US President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Myanmar in 2012 because of those reforms.

However, U Thein Sein has been tight-lipped since the coup. His silence has raised the question of whether he accepts the view that the Myanmar military is always the savior in Myanmars politics by staging coups. U Thein Seins silence since last years military takeover shows that he is just a sham reformer, which is a shame for the international community that rushed to praise his reforms.

A painter and reader

Since handing over power to the National League for Democracy (NLD) in 2016, U Thein Sein has cut himself off from his cohorts and followers. Instead, he has been enjoying his retirement at his mansion in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw, where he lives alongside other former generals, including former dictator Than Shwe, in the so-called Row of Six in Pobbathiri Township.

But he did invite two of his former assistants to his compound recently. U Aung Paing Min, one of them, boasted about his visit on social media. Former corporal U Aung Paing Min was U Thein Seins assistant since he became a general. He accompanied U Thein Sein to the Presidents Office, and resigned when U Thein Sein stepped down.

He calls U Thein Sein Ba Ba Gyi, or great uncle, and said that U Thein Sein was riding a buggy when they arrived at his residence. The former president fed them with mangoes he had grown himself and showed off some of his paintings.

U Aung Paing Min posted photos of the paintings on social media. They were painted in April and May, according to the dates on the paintings, just as junta troops were raiding and torching villages and carrying out airstrikes on civilians.

His paintings are at the amateur level, according to artists. U Thein Sein also gave his former assistants copies of Flowing Ayeyarwady, a collection of short stories that he authored under the pen name Thein Sein Tun. Peace is one of the topics of the book.

He also presented his former assistants with copies of the book Nurturing the Youth for Future Country, written by his former minister U Soe Thane, saying you two should read this.

U Soe Thane, a senior figure in U Thein Seins quasi-civilian government, was once widely praised as a reform-minded minister. However, he revealed his true colors in his book The Second Democratic Government and Myanmar, when he wrote how after five years of NLD rule he was longing for a military takeover in Myanmar.

Thein Sein helps resurrect a dead tiger

U Thein Sein, who Hillary Clinton said looks more like an accountant than a general, had a glorious past before the 2021 coup.

He earned a reputation as a reformist president for initiating a series of reforms, while also maintaining the militarys leading role in politics. It was the roadmap of his mentor, former dictator Than Shwe, and U Thein Sein stuck to it.

Before he did anything during his tenure as president, U Thein Sein always considered if Senior General Than Shwe would like it, U Soe Thane always said in chats with his friends.

But core members of the militarys proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) blamed U Thein Sein for bringing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi back into politics, after Than Shwe had excluded her from parliament. Those USDP members blamed U Thein Sein for resurrecting the dead tiger.

Their concerns were realized when Suu Kyi and the NLD won a landslide victory in the 2015 general election.

Than Shwe did not intervene in the 2014-2015 power struggle between U Thein Sein and Thura U Shwe Mann, the then speaker of parliament, because he was angry that U Thein Sein brought Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD back into politics, wrote U Ye Htut in his book Myanmars Political Reforms and Lost Opportunities.

After the NLD took power in 2016, the generals felt a growing threat to the Myanmar militarys leadership role in politics. To their relief, Min Aung Hlaing seized power last year, so preventing the NLD from governing for another five years after the party won the 2020 general election.

Min Aung Hlaing pays respects to U Thein Sein



Retired generals gathered in Naypyitaw on Armed Forces Day on March 27. Their appearance at the commemoration hosted by the current regime proves that they are all in solidarity with junta leader Min Aung Hlaing.

U Thein Sein was there as Min Aung Hlaing paid respects to retired generals. He was one of the two attendees who gave words of advice to Min Aung Hlaing, his wife and audience. What he said is unknown, but he reportedly did not say a word about the post-coup turmoil.

U Thein Sein was last seen in public on May 14 when he consecrated a pagoda in Naypyitaws Oketarathiri Township.

Ex-president remains a VIP

As an ex-president, U Thein Sein, who lives in a palatial mansion which he inherited from the former junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), continues to enjoy a state-level remuneration package.

Two months before he stepped down as the president after the USDPs defeat in the 2015 general elections, he signed the Former Presidents Security bill into law.

The law is designed to shield ex-presidents from prosecution for crimes committed during their term of office. U Thein Sein is already protected from prosecution under the provisions of the military-drafted 2008 constitution.

Article 445 of the constitution grants immunity to all members of the SPDC, of which U Thein Sein was a senior member.

Under the Former Presidents Security Law, U Thein Sein is guarded by a team of armed personal bodyguards arranged and paid for by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Former presidents and vice-presidents also enjoy a political pension gratuity, a monthly pension and other allowances and entitlements. Living a comfortable life, U Thein Sein is apparently not concerned with what Min Aung Hlaing is doing to the Myanmar people.

The ex-soldier said he has been enjoying Dhamma, and that painting watercolors improves his concentration and helps his meditation.

When his two former assistants visited him, he asked them to take landscape photos for him so that he can paint pictures of them.

This means he will continue to create paintings instead of telling Min Aung Hlaing to stop his violence against the Myanmar people.

You may also like these stories:

Regime Airstrike Destroys Hospital in Lower Myanmar

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Resistance Fighters and KIA Clash With Junta Forces in Northern Myanmar
Analysis Timing of Deadly Yangon Blast Suspiciously Convenient for Myanmar Junta

The aftermath of a deadly bomb blast in downtown Yangon on Tuesday.

Coincidentally or not, weird things happen in military-ruled Myanmar when someone internationally renowned is in the country, especially if theyre visiting at the invitation of the regime.

Remember the strange simultaneous blazes at two military-owned shopping malls in Yangon in April last year, which occurred as anti-regime protesters across the country were attacking every junta target within their reach? The blazes occurred while CNN reporter Clarissa Ward was in the country being given a guided tour by the regime. Interestingly, the fires broke out during curfew hours.

Many people believe the regime itself torched the malls, hoping to convince the networks chief international correspondent that riotersthe militarys euphemism for anti-regime protesterswere trying to destabilize the country. The speculation was fueled by the nightly claims by newscasters on state-run TV that government offices, local level administration offices and police stations were under attack by rioters. When her reports on Myanmar were aired a few days later, sadly for the regime, there was nothing about the fires. Following the blazes, the regime said it had launched investigations but nothing has been heard since then.

On Tuesday, an explosion occurred at a bus stop in downtown Yangon. The regime said one man was killed and nine injured, adding that the fatality was a Peoples Defense Force (PDF) member killed while trying to detonate the bomb. PDF groups, which have been fighting the regime across the country since last year, comprise the armed wing of Myanmars parallel National Unity Government (NUG). Both the NUG and the PDF have been designated as terrorist groups by the regime.

The NUGs Ministry of Defense, which controls the PDFs, denounced the attack, saying its code of conduct prohibits PDFs from threatening or targeting civilians and only the military and their system are legitimate targets.

It added that the regime has a history of committing violence against civilians in order to discredit the resistance, accusing it of trying to blame ethnic resistance groups and revolutionary forces for similar incidents in the past.

The NUGs Yangon Military Command, which oversees the resistance groups that carry out killings and bombings of regime targets in Yangon, said neither the urban guerrilla groups nor the PDFs had anything to do with the blast. Civil Guerrilla Force-YGN, one of the underground resistance groups active in Yangon, said the bombing was conducted by the regime and its affiliated organizations to smear the anti-regime revolution internationally.

Notably, Tuesdays blast occurred following news of a planned visit by UN Special Envoy Noleen Heyzer to the country at the invitation of junta chief Min Aung Hlaing.

Given the juntas well-worn tactic of trying to discredit the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD), the NUG and the PDFs for everything bad that happens in post-coup Myanmar, people have speculated about whether the regime was behind the downtown blast, in one more dirty trick to portray the PDFs as terrorists who kill civilians, presumably to attract the UN envoys attention before her trip as well as to smear the groups on the world stage. Whats more, the explosion occurred following US and Malaysian officials meetings with the NUGs foreign minister during the recent US-ASEAN Summit, from which regime leader Min Aung Hlaing was excluded. The minister is also known to have held clandestine meetings with officials from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.

Many people find it hard to believe the blast was committed by the PDF or guerrilla forces, as nothing in their year-long history suggests they would target ordinary civilians not associated with the regime. Plus, they survive on the peoples support.

The people are well aware that we have even aborted some of our missions against regime targets in the past for the sake of the safety of civilians nearby, Civil Guerrilla Force-YGN said.

The issue of who is responsible for the attack was only made murkier when the Peoples Defense Force-Yangon claimed responsibility in a statement online, while apologizing for the civilian casualties.

Todays bus stop blast was intended to target the regimes mechanism. We feel sorry to learn that there were civilian casualties as collateral damages, it said.

However, a closer look at the statement reveals some irregularities.

First, everyone familiar with the neighborhood where the bus stop is located knows there are no regime targets in the vicinity. Its just another busy downtown area filled with shops and swarming with roadside vendors. No regime soldiers would build a security checkpoint near a busy bus stop, as it would be too risky for them.

Second, suspicions have been raised about the Peoples Defense Force-Yangon, which came to public attention in October last year when it warned that death threats had been made against the legal team that represents Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in court. According to local anti-regime outfits, Yangon only has underground resistance groups set up to carry out guerrilla-style attacks against the regime; PDF groups are active mostly in the countryside, where they conduct military operations against junta troops.

Thirdly, its really strange to see a contact phone number on a statement released by a resistance group; the practice is avoided as it simply helps the junta track such groups down. But in its release, the Peoples Defense Force-Yangon proudly displays a number, as if it were a charity service. When attempts were made to call the number, however, it was dead. It should be noted that no contact number was included in the groups warning to Daw Aung San Suu Kyis legal team last year.

Since the statement was released on Tuesday, the group has been dismissed as a sham created by the regime to undermine the anti-regime movement. The group had made no further comment as of Friday and, unlike other resistance groups, doesnt have a Facebook page. Its statement was first circulated on pro-regime Facebook and Telegram accounts.

The statement doesnt make sense and its too obvious to be true, as they have even put a phone number, said a member of the Civil Guerrilla Force-YGN.

You may also like these stories:

Regime Airstrike Destroys Hospital in Lower Myanmar

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Resistance Fighters and KIA Clash With Junta Forces in Northern Myanmar
Rainy and stormy weekend Friday on tap, and our participating #tasteofkeybiscayne restaurants are serving-up some delicious burger options for you to enjoy, perhaps to go, on this Friday, June 3, 2022.

DUNE Burgers on the Beach

Beachside dining - Ritz-Carlton - Dune - Perfection!

Beach, perfect burger, cold brew and sweet potatoes fries the perfect Friday

DUNE is the stylish, yet casual, beach lounge at The Ritz-Carlton's beach for global appetizers, gourmet burgers & champagne.

Located in the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, 455 Grand Bay Dr, Key Biscayne. You can reach them at (305) 365-4500.

They are open Thursday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

For more information, click here.

Brasas KB

#burgerfriday special ... delicious Half-Pound Hamburger, with one side and a soda, only $10.99 - loaded it up with a fried egg, bacon, cheese and pickles to make it a "completa '' for only $4 more! Can't beat the quality! Unmatched value!

Have you tried our Peruvian Chicken Rotisserie for lunch or dinner that include 2 sides and sauce of your choice: huancaina, aji amarillo, huacatay and olivas negras peruanas.

Open for Outdoor Dining, Takeout or Delivery.

Call (786) 615-2399 to place a takeout order. Open Noon to 8 p.m.

328 Crandon Blvd, Galleria Shopping Center

Tacopolis

Come in this Friday and learn what a LOADED burger is!!!

Tacopolis was born as an idea in Cancun Mexico with the goal of creating a casual and relaxed atmosphere, serving authentic Mexican dishes

Open 7-days a week, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Open for Outdoor dining, Takeout or delivery

Located in the Square Shopping Center at 260 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne.

To place a phone order, call 786) 703-5523 or to order online click here

D'Lite Bistro & Bakery

Who says eating healthy means sacrificing taste and flavor? Not at DLite!

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.

Not in the mood for a burger? Try one of our delicious sandwiches, like our Italian sandwich in a freshly baked baguette

Not in the mood for a burger? Have fun with our signature arepas and add a beer for the soul!

For Meat Lovers - and better than a burger... our grilled picanha is a must try with this delicious Fattoush Salad!

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.

Randazzo by Yesenia

Open for Indoor & Outdoor dining, Takeout or delivery. Reservations recommended

Burgers are nice. but enjoy a change of pace this Friday try Yesenia's Homemade Meatball. What is in it? Ground veal, beef, and pork. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Italian parsley, garlic, served with fresh ricotta cheese.

Please call (305) 456-0480 to order place an order or make a reservation

Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., open until 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. NEW! Now open at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sundays for lunch.

Closed Tuesdays

328 Crandon Blvd Ste 112, Galleria Shopping Center

Delivery service with Postmates or UberEats

32 Degrees by MG

You deserve gourmet meal options that are fast and convenient.

Make it a Meatballs Saturday! Order today, enjoy tomorrow!

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.

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 are open and ready to serve.

What says Burger Friday more than a perfectly cooked burger and fries, enjoyed beachside under the shadows of the Lighthouse?

Outdoor dining is our specialty.

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

Costa Med Bistro

Sometimes all you need is a loaded burger and a lot of fries! A Costa Burger is the solution for this Burger--Friday  and the islands place to see and be seen has the best burger in Key Biscayne

Place your takeout order online by clicking here!

Costa Med, a TripAdvisor Traverlers Choice nominated restaurant, is located in the Square Shopping Center. 260 Crandon Blvd. Offering Indoor & Outdoor Dining with expanded seating, Takeout.

Reservations suggested. Call Antonio or Harold at (305) 361-7575

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

Eat Local. Help Local. Shop Safely. Email us your order! Click here.

Want to treat yourself to something truly uniquely delicious? Try our special Burger! Grilled to perfection while you wait!

Todays menu:

Soups & Creams: Chicken Rice / Minestrone / Tomato Basil

Main Course: Asado Negro (Eye Round) / Chicken Cordon Bleu / Salmon Fillet / Pesto Pasta with Chicken

Side Dishes: Paella / Yellow Rice / Grilled Veggies / Plantain

The Golden-Hog has a complete line of specialty groceries for delivery.

Golden Hog puts safety first, and has taken steps to ensure the safety of employees and customers, investing in shields, masks and gloves for safety, and the store is set up for social distancing. Shop with confidence.

Call (305) 361-1300 to place a delivery or take out order; you can order online here.

Sake Room

This Friday, we are featuring our new Meat Roll! A must try!

Or try us for lunch. Specials starting at $10.99

Open for Indoor & Outdoor Dining, Takeout or Delivery.

Or still enjoy Sake quality at home!

FREE* Crunchy Crab Salad!!!

New hours! 3 p.m. 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

*Offer good on any $50+ order

Kazumi

Open for Indoor & Outdoor seating, Takeout or Delivery!

Make it a Wagyu Beef Slider Friday! We top it off with a fried egg for perfection!

Modern Japanese fusion restaurant, offering creative treatments & creativity in our dishes for takeout and delivery by our own employees. Available for lunch and dinner.

Open Monday through Saturday from Noon to 10 p.m.

Only accepting credit card payments.

To place an order call (305) 361-2675 or order online here.

La Scala

Fridays are Osso Bucco days at La Scala and ours has the reputation of being the best on the island. Guaranteed.

Open for Indoor & Limited Outdoor Dining (reservations recommended) and Takeout

Come in even if just to say hello!. Please wear a mask when coming into La Scala.

The popular Italian Bistro now offers their delicious meals to enjoy at home and thanks you for the great support from the community while they enjoy La Scala cuisine at home.

To place a takeout order call (786) 773-3633 or visit us online by clicking here.

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%
Machine identity management provider Venafi's survey of 1,000 CIOs found that 82% think their organisations are vulnerable to software supply chain attacks.

Increasing incidence and sophistication of such attacks over the last 12 months has brought them to the attention of CEOs and boards, according to Venafi.

Consequently, 85% of CIOs have been specifically instructed by the board or CEO to improve the security of software build and distribution environments, with 84% saying the budget for securing software development environments has increased over the past year.

Of concern is that 87% of CIOs believe software engineers and developers compromise on security policies and controls in order to get new products and services to market faster.

More than 90% of software applications use open source components, with complex dependencies.

CI/CD and DevOps pipelines are typically organised for speed rather than additional security, and the complexity of open source and the speed of development limit the efficacy of software supply chain security controls, according to Venafi.

To improve the situation, 68% of responding CIOs are implementing more security controls, 57% are updating their review processes, 56% are expanding their use of code signing, and 47% are looking at the provenance of their open source libraries.

"Digital transformation has made every business a software developer. And as a result, software development environments have become huge target for attackers," said Venafi vice president of threat intelligence and business development Kevin Bocek.

"Hackers have discovered that successful supply chain attacks, especially those that target machine identities, are extremely efficient and more profitable.

"The reality is that developers are focused on innovation and speed rather than security," Bocek explained. "Unfortunately, security teams rarely have the knowledge or the resources to help developers solve these problems and CIOs are just waking up to these challenges."

He added "CIOs realise they need to improve software supply chain security but it's extremely difficult to determine exactly where the risks are, which improvements provide the greatest increase in security, and how these changes reduce risk over time.

"We can't solve this problem using existing methodologies. Instead, we need to think differently about the identity and integrity of the code we are building and using  and we need to protect and secure it at every step of the development process at machine speed."

Venafi's whitepaper Software Supply Chain Attack Surfaces Expanding is available here, and assessments of the security of a software supply chain plus recommendations on industry best practices are available here.
A federal judge has ordered IBM to pay Houston-based IT firm BMC US$1.6 billion ($2.2 billion) for fraud and contract violations after it swapped its own software while servicing their mutual client, AT&T, according to reports.

BMC sued IBM in 2017 after AT&T dumped BMC's software products in favour of IBM's own software. Such deal was a violation of the careful agreement it made with IBM to work with mutual customers.

US district judge Gray Miller in Houston rejected IBM's claim that it acquired the mainframe software account on one of BMC's core customers, AT&T, legally, according to Bloomberg.

In his final judgement issued on 30 May, Miller wrote the court had found clear and convincing evidence that IBM fraudulently induced BMC into entering the 2015 OA so that it could exercise rights without paying for them, secure other contractual benefits, and ultimately acquire one of BMCs core customers.

Miller declared IBM did this intentionally.

The three companies have an extensive working history in previous years. According to Zdnet, from 2008 to 2017, AT&T was one of BMC's software clients where the former used the latter's software on IBM's servers.

Since 2017, IBM earned more than US$100 million ($139 million) from AT&T.

AT&T has accounted for at least US$1 billion ($1.3 billion) of IBM's revenue.

BMC was pleased with the outcome of the ruling.

IBM told Bloomberg that "the verdict is entirely unsupported by fact and law" and will pursue an appeal.

The decision to remove BMC Software technology from its mainframes rested solely with AT&T, as was recognized by the court and confirmed in testimony from AT&T representatives admitted at trial," it added.

This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 2 June 2022.
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

Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High around 80F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms in the evening, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low near 65F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
A week after a court in Kyiv, Ukraines capital city, released its first verdict for war crimes committed during Russias invasion, a second verdict was issued by a court in Kotelva, some 370 kilometers east of Kyiv, north of Poltava city. On May 31, in the big hall of the courthouse, judge Yevhen Bolybok sentenced two Russian servicemen of the 200th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade to 11 years and 6 month in prison. The prosecution had asked for a 12-year sentence.

Aleksandr Bobykin is a contract serviceman of the armed forces of the Russian Federation. He served as driver-loader of a combat vehicle Grad, a rocket-launcher. Aleksandr Ivanov was a gunner in the same squad.

Both troopers explained that they took part in so-called military exercises in Kursk, in Western Russia. On January 22, they were transferred to Novoaleksandrovka, in Belgorod region, close to the northeastern border of Ukraine. That was the time their brigade was made aware of the forthcoming invasion of Ukraine, they said. On January 23, the brigade of six fully-loaded Grad vehicles, each carrying 40 projectiles, moved to the village Malinovka. On February 24, the Russian military were ordered to open fire.

The arrest

Elements of critical infrastructure and residential buildings in the Ukrainian village of Kozacha Lopan were damaged. Also, an educational establishment of Derhachiv town council was destroyed.

Once reloaded, the Grad convoy commenced movement towards the territory of Ukraine. One kilometer away from the state border, the servicemen fired another three projectiles.

Around 9 oclock in the morning, the military unit of Bobykin and Ivanov was 25 kilometers deep into Ukrainian territory. Around 2 p.m., their military convoy was destroyed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A total of ten vehicles, including six Grad vehicles and three trucks carrying ammo, were annihilated. Bobykin was injured. He was able to hide in a recovery camp for ten days before he decided to surrender.

Volodymyr Kovalchuk, Ivanovs lawyer, commented on the capture of his client: Servicemen tried to sit it out for a while. They were stopped at the checkpoint on their way back to the Russian Federation territory. They couldnt spell out palianytsia [a traditional Ukrainian bread also used as a common word to define infiltrators] correctly, and were arrested.

Aleksandr Bobykin and Aleksandr Ivanov were convicted for the indiscriminate bombing of civilian buildings.  Yehor Rud

The understanding comes later

The prosecution accused the Russian troopers of violation of laws and customs of war, alleging they were fully aware that weapons at their disposal would hit indiscriminately, and that most certainly civil infrastructure, residential buildings, and civilians would be hit.

Prior to the hearings, blogger Volodymyr Zolkin conducted a filmed interview with the two Russian servicemen. Bobykin, in particular, confirmed that he understood that it was volley fire although he did not witness the consequences with his own eyes.

What did you feel when mass killing people? asked the blogger.

The understanding comes later. Do you know how BM-21 fires? People only see the numbers. Aims are not adjusted, they are not coordinated. The commander gets a number via radio transmission, and he tells this number to the gunner. The first launch, honestly, I had no idea where it hit  manpower or not. The second launch, I can say with a 100% certainty that it was aimed at manpower.

An officer of Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) asked Bobykin:

How can you sleep?

I could tell you that I cant sleep. But I dont see what happens after the Grad launch. It does not make its way to my memory. The division chief officer is the one who sees it.

Did you understand that you were firing at people? What were you thinking about? asked the blogger.

What was I thinking about? I refused to aim the first launch. They said wed fire at night, I refused, I said I wouldnt fire, replied Ivanov.

Did someone aim instead of you?

The commander did, replied Ivanov and Bobykin in unison.

I did not partake in the second launch. I was in the medics vehicle, I got sick after the first shelling, added Ivanov.

Did we know we were going to Ukraine? Yes and no. The jokes were circling around but the chief officers put a stop to it, they said we were not going anywhere. There were groups of people who refused to go, they refused to go to war, said Bobykin.

We were not told about Ukraine We were reminded that we were servicemen, and theres an order which is to be followed first, and discussed later, continued Ivanov.

Nobody tried to say Ukraine out loud, said Bobykin. One day, under the tent, we were joking and someone said we were going to Ukraine. Some said they wouldnt go. An officer overheard, burst into the tent and shouted: What kind of nonsense are you talking about? Nobodys going anywhere; we are at military training, we only do a controlled march, and return to places of permanent deployment. Only one guy said he wouldnt go to Ukraine, he had the guts to say you can drag me if you like but Im not going.

Under duress

In court, the defense attorney insisted to consider the fact that his client acted under duress and military duty: My client Ivanov was born in Olenegorsk of Murmansk region. He grew up and is registered in a village Revda. It is a small and depressed village in Murmansk region. The population is around 7,000 people; there are no life prospects, and a job is hard to find. Meanwhile, law enforcement officers and military personnel get social guarantees, housing, and ample financial reward, which attracted an inexperienced, 18-year-old, Aleksandr Ivanov. My clients part in the incriminated offence was minimal. Therefore, I believe that the maximum sentence is too harsh.

Minutes before the sentencing, Bobykin and Ivanov are escorted into the courtroom, handcuffed. The policemen take a stand next to a glass box where the accused are, while guards on duty remain next to the judge. The defense lawyers are absent. The handcuffs are taken off the accused. Both men ignore questions from journalists, and pretend to not see the cameras. A few pictures of the defendants are taken before judge Bolybok enters the courtroom.

It takes 45 minutes for the judge to read out the verdict:

Aleksandr Bobykin is found guilty of charges of the crime committed according to part 2 of the article 28, part 1 of the article 428 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and sentenced to 11 years and 6 months in prison.

An identical verdict is handed to Aleksandr Ivanov. Their time in prison starts on April 6, when the Russian soldiers were put in a detention facility.

The Ukrainian judge pronounced a sentence of 11 years and 6 months against the two Russian soldiers.  Yehor Rud

A short dialogue with journalists

Once the verdict was announced, journalists approached the glass cage. Ivanov listens to the interpreter whilst sitting on a bench. Bobykin answers the questions from the media, yet limits his answers to yes, no or hard to say. He answers with a loud voice, as if in the army.

Will you appeal?

No.

Do you believe the verdict is fair?

Yes.

Would you like to be exchanged?

Yes.

Has your attitude towards Russian government changed?

It has.

Will you return to Ukraine to fight once youve been exchanged?

No.

Do you believe the war in Ukraine is a mistake?

Yes.

Do you believe Putin needs to stop the war and retreat?

Yes.

Do you agree that Vladimir Putin is sick, and is a monster to humanity and Ukraine?

Its a difficult question. I cannot answer.

The conversation ends in abrupt fashion. The police and courtroom security handcuff the Russian servicemen, and escort them out.

The verdict can be appealed within 30 days. As far as I understand, there are mitigating circumstances, namely their sincere repentance, and pleading guilty to all charges, prosecutor Oleh Maksiuk said. He adds that victims among the civilians are yet to be identified, since the territory is under constant shelling and occupation.

This report is part of a series on war crimes, produced in partnership with Ukrainian journalists. It was originally published on the Sudovyi Reporter website.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday his countrys military would fend off the Russian invasion, in a video marking 100 days of Moscows all-out assault on its pro-democracy neighbour.

Victory will be ours, Zelensky said in the video.

It included Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and presidential advisor Mykhaylo Podolyak, recalling an impromptu message they posted outside government buildings at the onset of the war, vowing to remain in the country.

On the 100th day of Russias invasion, fighting is raging across the east, where Moscows forces are tightening their grip on Ukraines Donbas region.

Kyiv earlier had announced Moscow was in control of a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and parts of Donbas seized in 2014.

The mayor of the capital said on Friday that Ukrainians dont want another 100 days of war and called for continued pressure on Putins regime, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Yes we need weapons so that we can defend our common values. But we must wage war on the Russian economy so that Russia will finally leave Ukraine in peace, he said.

We must economically isolate Russia from the world.

Ukraines foreign ministry released a statement in English saying international help for the country was the best investment in peace and sustainable development of all mankind.

The ministry also called for a special court to investigate war crimes in the country, saying, Russian criminals should be brought before the Tibunal in the same way as it was with the leadership of Nazi Germany.

Prime Minister Shmyhal earlier said the war was pushing his country closer to Europe while Russia was moving towards isolation from the developed world.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday his countrys military would fend off the Russian invasion, in a video marking 100 days of Moscows all-out assault on its pro-democracy neighbour.

Victory will be ours, Zelensky said in the video.

It included Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and presidential advisor Mykhaylo Podolyak, recalling an impromptu message they posted outside government buildings at the onset of the war, vowing to remain in the country.

On the 100th day of Russias invasion, fighting is raging across the east, where Moscows forces are tightening their grip on Ukraines Donbas region.

Kyiv earlier had announced Moscow was in control of a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and parts of Donbas seized in 2014.

Former boxer Volodymyr Klitschko, brother of Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko, said Friday that Ukrainians dont want another 100 days of war and called for continued pressure on Putins regime, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Yes, we need weapons so that we can defend our common values. But we must wage war on the Russian economy so that Russia will finally leave Ukraine in peace, Volodymyr Klitschko said.

We must economically isolate Russia from the world.

Ukraines foreign ministry released a statement in English saying international help for the country was the best investment in peace and sustainable development of all mankind.

The ministry also called for a special court to investigate war crimes in the country, saying: Russian criminals should be brought before the Tibunal in the same way as it was with the leadership of Nazi Germany.

Shmyhal earlier said the war was pushing his country closer to Europe while Russia was moving towards isolation from the developed world.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed victory on the 100th day of Russias invasion on Friday, even as Russian troops pounded the eastern Donbas region.

Thousands of people have been killed, millions sent fleeing and towns turned into rubble since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine on February 24.

Russias advance has been slowed by a fierce Ukrainian resistance which repelled them from around the capital and forced Moscow to shift its aims towards capturing the east.

Victory will be ours, Zelensky said in a video address similar to one he posted at the onset of the war outside government buildings in Kyiv.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: certain results have been achieved, pointing to the liberation of some areas from what he called the pro-Nazi armed forces of Ukraine.

The West has sent ever more potent weapons to Ukraine and piled on ever more stringent sanctions, with the European Union also on Friday formally adopting a ban on most Russian oil imports.

Putins alleged girlfriend, former gymnast Alina Kabaeva, was also added to an assets freeze and visa-ban blacklist, along with Russian army personnel suspected of war crimes.

At the same time, the United Nations said it was leading intense negotiations with Russia to allow tens of millions of tons of grain to leave Ukrainian ports to avert a global food crisis.

 No problem to export grain 

I am optimistic that something could give in, something could be made, said Amin Awad, the UN crisis coordinator for Ukraine, voicing hope that we could see a breakthrough.

Putin in a televised interview late Friday said there was no problem to export grain from Ukraine, via Kyiv- or Moscow-controlled Ukrainians ports or even via central Europe.

He said this could be done from the Russian-controlled ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk, or the Ukrainian-held port of Odessa as long as Ukraine cleared the waters around it.

Russian troops now occupy a fifth of Ukraines territory and Moscow has imposed a blockade on the countrys Black Sea ports.

The UN has warned that especially African countries, which imported more than half of their wheat consumption from Ukraine and Russia, face an unprecedented crisis caused by the conflict.

Food prices in Africa have already exceeded those in the aftermath of the 2011 Arab springs and the 2008 food riots.

On Friday, Putin met the head of the African Union, Senegalese President Macky Sall, at his Black Sea residence in Sochi.

Sall told Putin that African countries are victims in the Ukraine conflict.

And after the meeting, Sall said he was very reassured, adding the Russian leader was committed and aware that the crisis and sanctions create serious problems for weak economies.

Frances President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, declared Putin had made a historic and fundamental error in starting the war.

But he said he should not be humiliated so that the day the fighting stops we can pave a way out through diplomatic means.

Putins troops are now concentrating in the Donbas, in the east, where some of the fiercest fighting is centred on the industrial hub city of Severodonetsk.

 Media driver killed 

Fighting continues in Severodonetsks city centre, the presidents office said, adding that the invaders were shelling civilian infrastructure and Ukrainian military.

For 100 days, they have been levelling everything, Lugansk regional governor Sergiy Gaiday said on Telegram.

A driver transporting two Reuters journalists in eastern Ukraine was killed and the two international news agency reporters lightly wounded, a company spokesperson said.

The agency said the group was travelling in a vehicle provided by the Russian-backed separatists and driven by an individual assigned by the separatists.

The French foreign ministry also on Friday said a French volunteer fighter in Ukraine had been killed in combat, following reports that the man died in artillery fire in the neighbouring Kharkiv region.

In areas around the capital Kyiv which Russian troops retreated from at the end of March, some residents are still in desperate need.

At an aid distribution point in Horenka, northwest of Kyiv, a tearful Hanna Viniychuk, 67, said she had come for some basic necessities after losing her home in a Russian bombardment.

Im grateful for this help, she said.

 Nothing to come back to 

Ukrainian troops were still holding an industrial zone, Gaiday said, a situation reminiscent of Mariupol, where a steelworks was the south-eastern port citys last holdout until Ukrainian troops finally surrendered in late May.

The situation in Lysychansk  Severodonetsks twin city, which sits just across a river  also looked increasingly dire.

About 60 percent of infrastructure and housing had been destroyed, while internet, mobile network and gas services had been knocked out, said the citys mayor Oleksandr Zaika.

The shelling is getting stronger every day, he said.

In the city of Sloviansk, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Severodonetsk, the mayor has urged residents to evacuate as bombing intensified with water and electricity cut off.

Student Gulnara Evgaripova, 18, recounted heavy bombardments as she boarded a minibus to leave the city.

The situation is getting worse, she told AFP.

Ekaterina Perednenko, a paramedic, said: I am scared that there will be nothing to come back to.

burs-ah/bp
Netflix teases viewers with more jaw-dropping updates as "Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area" dropped its newest trailer.

The Korean adaptation, which stars Yoo Ji Tae as "The Professor," unveils his plan for the greatest heist of all time.

'Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area' Trailer

In the latest teaser, The Professor gears up his plan to steal 4 trillion won from the Korea Unified Mint.

He began by recruiting only the best of the best, starting with the fearless Tokyo, played by Jeon Jong Seo.

He eventually assembled a top-tier group of bandits with Berlin (Park Hae Soo,) Denver (Kim Ji Hoon,) Moscow (Lee Won Jong,) Rio (Lee Hyun Woo,) Nairobi (Jang Yoon Ju,) Helsinki (Kim Ji Hoon) Oslo (Lee Gyu Ho,) and Seoul (Im Ji Yeon), The Professor explained the main goal of the heist.

"Every Korean was expected to greatly benefit from this, but in reality, only the rich get richer," he said in a voice-over.

The Professor, being the brains of the heist, encounters an unexpected incident that forces them to take hostages.

Meanwhile, the South Korean negotiation specialist Seon Woo Jin, played by Kim Yoon Jin, alongside former North Korean special agent Cha Moohyuk portrayed by Kim Seung Oh, united and formed a team to stop the gang from ransacking the Mint.

Is 'Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area' Worth Watching?

Helmed by "Voice" and "L.U.C.A.: The Beginning" director Kim Hong Seon, alongside screenwriters Ryu Yong Jae, Kim Hwan Chae, and Choe Sung Jun, the highly anticipated "Money Heist: Korea" is slated to premiere on June 23 exclusively on Netflix.

It is an adaptation to the Spanish blockbuster series La Casa de Papel, created and executive produced by Alex Pina.

On the other hand, screenwriter Ryu Yong Jae, who is also a big fan of "Money Heist" tells Variety that he was "intrigued by the premise of the remake" as it highlights the "tension, mistrust, and harmony between North and South Korea,"

The Meaning Behind the Mask

While the original "Money Heist" featured a Dali mask as a symbol of revolution against the system, the Korean adaptation uses Hahoe masks, a traditional mask worn in the Hahoe Pyolshin-gut t'al nori ceremony.

As obtained by a local outlet, Director Kim Hong Sun explained the representation of the traditional mask in the upcoming series.

According to him, it is a "representative mask that all the citizens of Korea know and the joke that the Hahoe mask has suited the project well."

Jang Yoon Joo, who plays Nairobi, also pointed out that the mask exudes "anger and mystery," while Park Hae Soo says that the Hahoe mask also showcases "freedom or the criticism of the classes of power."

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
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For the first time, Eurasian milfoil will be trimmed in Vaseux Lake in the South Okanagan this summer. Permission for the cutting operation was received Thursday by the Okanagan Basin Water Board from the Canadian Wildlife Service.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden talk at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on Thursday, March 24, 2022. Trudeau will be attending next weeks Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles as Biden summons leaders to talk about whats ailing the Western Hemisphere. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
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These changes on the horizon for our country are unlike anything we have ever experienced. We have only experienced an expansion of rights for those who have been denied fair treatment. Going backwards only infringes our ability to pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Future laws that could be overturned include Griswold v. Connecticut, protecting the right of marital privacy against state restrictions on contraception.

As an experienced physician with a strong interest in patient safety, I feel the need to educate our patients about potential changes in their health care because of this possible decision and ask for their partnership in getting out the vote for candidates that would support womens rights. Time is of the essence.

Susan Mann and Haywood L. Brown are obstetrician-gynecologists.

They share their stories and discuss the KevinMD article, Reproductive and abortion care is health care.

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South Africa: Government commits to addressing energy deficit

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, says government is committed to addressing the energy generation shortages in the country.

He was speaking at the signing of agreements of three renewable energy projects procured under the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP).

The programme was designed to allow government to source energy supply from renewable energy technologies in order to plug the country's energy deficit in the short-term.

The signing of these projects carries the full support of government. The RMIPPPP was unique in its approach wherein diverse technologies and their application were allowed to compete. This approach allowed the bidders to tailor-make solutions that would meet the specification to close the energy and capacity gap, as prescribed by Eskom System Operator.

"These projects are expected to add new energy to the grid within 18 months. We did this against the backdrop of load shedding, which hinders our economy and livelihoods.

Government has committed itself to shortening its procurement processes to accelerate the process of adding new energy to the national grid. The process of building generators must also be reviewed. The 18-month period is too long when dealing with [load shedding], Mantashe said.

According to the department, the three projects together have a capacity of 150MW and are expected to create job opportunities, and will furthermore pour billions of rands in investment into the country.

Together, the projects have attracted R16 billion in investment, and will create around 4 968 job opportunities (measured in job years) during construction and operation phases of the projects. The projects are expected to deliver energy within 12 to 18 months from financial close.

The 3 Scatec projects are a first of a kind in South Africa, combining solar PV and battery technologies to contribute 150MW of dispatchable capacity to the national grid. All three projects are located in Kenhardt in the Northern Cape province, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy said.

Eskom Chief Executive, Andre de Ruyter, said the addition of those megawatts is a step in the right direction to addressing the power utilitys 4 000MW generation capacity shortfall.

Eskom is pleased we have arrived at a point we can really bring much-needed additional generation capacity onto the national grid, which is urgently needed at this point. Eskom will continue to do everything we can to assist the DMRE [Department of Mineral Resources and Energy] to facilitate the introduction of further generation capacity in the best interests of the whole country, De Ruyter said. - SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-06-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Minister Catherine Martin visited Kilkenny today to celebrate the revival of the countys arts scene during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Minister Martin was hosted by Green Party Minister of State Malcolm Noonan, who showed the minister around his hometown. They were joined by representatives from the local Green Party, Kilkenny City Councillor Maria Dollard, Piltown representative Benny McDonagh and Bagnelstown representative Liam OBrien.

Meetings and visits in Kilkenny centred around film, heritage, festivals and art, tying in culture and tourism initiatives.

As Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin announced several measures this year to assist the arts sector in their recovery, including the Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme and some 50m to assist live performance, venues and artists.

This included a 1.7m Music Industry Stimulus Package; 335,500 for the Music Capital Scheme, a 15m Live Performance Restart Grant Scheme; and capital grants of almost 540,000 for arts and culture organisations to upgrade and develop their facilities.

After a difficult period for the arts in Ireland, its wonderful to see the culture and creativity of places like Kilkenny not only recover, but flourish," said Minister Martin.

"My Department is committed to supporting the arts, and I want to thank my colleague Minister Noonan for inviting me to meet the people working to bring so many exciting festivals and events to Kilkenny, and the opportunity to see this cultural investment in action.

Welcoming Minister Martin to Kilkenny, Minister Malcolm Noonan said Kilkenny delivers way beyond its size in terms of creative and cultural impact, and our reputation as a hub for the arts is well deserved.

"It was fantastic to be able to introduce my colleague, Minister Martin to some of the local people leading the way for Kilkenny, and discuss development opportunities for the city, the wider region and the sector as a whole," he said.

Green Party Councillor for Kilkenny City Maria Dollard said she was delighted Minister Martin was able to visit.

"Kilkennys festivals are a great opportunity to welcome people from all around the world to our city and demonstrate both our creativity and inclusivity through a broad range of cultural events and activities, she said.
A man has been convicted of sexually assaulting a female employee on his dairy farm.

The man has been given a suspended prison sentence for the sexual assault, following a charge under Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990.

To protect the identity of the woman we are not naming the defendant.

The incident occurred on a farm in Kilkenny, on June 27, 2020. The woman was an employee of the dairy enterprise and had been at work early for milking, getting up at 4.30am. The defendant is the manager and co-owner of the enterprise.

When milking was finished the woman went back to the defendants home, a short distance from the milking parlour, as normal, for breakfast.

After that they had to enter details of heifers on a computer system.

The woman had worked on the farm for some time. She had also travelled to work on a farm in New Zealand, organised by her employer.

When she returned to Ireland the defendant indicated he felt strongly towards her. She had a long term partner and told the defendant she was not interested, he was just a friend.

On the day of the incident the woman fell asleep on the couch as the defendant was working on the computer. When she woke up he was lying beside her. She went to the bathroom and when she came back sat in a different place. She fell asleep again.

When the woman next woke up she could feel pressure on her vagina. The defendant was stroking her, through her clothes. He was kneeling beside her and had his trousers down, masturbating with his other hand.

The woman jumped up and ran out of the room, using some strong words towards the defendant. When she came back he apologised to her and said he was embarrassed. He said he just wanted to give her a hug.

The woman walked back across the fields to the milking parlour to her car, and left.

She drove to a nearby petrol station from where she rang her partner and then her mother to come and collect her because she was upset. She went straight to the gardai.

The following morning gardai arrested the defendant. During interview he said he believed he was in a relationship with the woman. He said she ceased employment on his farm because of the torment she felt because of this.

The woman told gardai under no circumstances was this the case. She was with her partner for four years and they were going through IVF treatment at the time.

The man said the womans allegations were disgusting and denied all allegations.



In October 2020 the woman contacted gardai, very upset and distressed. She said the man had followed her a number of times and that day she had followed her onto her own family farm. She drove into the yard and ran to her father.

The defendant drove up to them and made admissions about what happened. He said he had been trying to make contact with her to apologise.

The garda visited the defendant and he was apologetic. For the first time he made a full admission of what he had done.

He went to the garda station and made a statement accepting the woman had given a correct version of events.

He said he shouldnt have done it. He expressed regret for the way he dealt with the matter, and for the first interview, and accepted what he said was all untrue.

The woman was relieved to hear he had admitted what he had done.

The court heard the man had not come to garda attention before or since.

In court the defendant said he deeply apologised for his actions. The events of that day had lived with him since and he regretted not making an admission in his first interview.

He said he had told his family and his business partner about the matter. He is in a new relationship and all three were with him in court, in support.

He said he would never appear before the court again.

The court heard the man has an agricultural degree and works five to seven days a week, depending on the time of year. His farm has a herd of 300 milking cows.

He has a history of depression but his life is good at the moment. The court heard the man is sorry for the hurt he caused and if he could take back what he had done he would.

The mans barrister said a probation report on his client was positive. The man had also attended counselling.

Judge Catherine Staines convicted the man on the charge of sexual assault.

She said aggravating factors were the mans position of trust and that the woman had made it clear to him she was not interested in him romantically. He took advantage of the woman while she was asleep.

Judge Staines said mitigating factors were the defendants early plea. She noted a doctors report which said the defendant acted on impulse and in an inappropriate manner which he regrets.

The man will now be placed on the sexual offenders register.

Judge Staines imposed a two year prison sentence, to be suspended for three years on conditions the defendant attend all appointments with and follow the directions of the Probation Service, and also that he continue with the psychological and health support services.
Strategic funding of over 1.2 million has been awarded to Kilkenny arts organisations from The Arts Council of Ireland.

Kilkenny Arts Festival will receive 550,000 while the Butler Gallery was awarded 490,000. Young Irish Filmmakers will get 84,420 while KCAT was awarded 88,000.

Maureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council, said, Our strategic funding decisions will enable people of all ages and from all backgrounds to experience the very best of the arts. The recipient organisations range across galleries, festivals, choirs, publishers, studios, theatres and venues and their work will ensure that the public has access to high quality artistic expression in every part of Ireland. 

Chair of the Arts Council, Prof. Kevin Rafter said, Receiving funding of 130m for 2022 has allowed the Arts Council to invest in arts organisations across the country. This funding for 106 organisations means local communities all over Ireland will be able to access great art throughout the year."

"Recipients of strategic funding play a critical part in delivering the policy priorities of Making Great Art Work, the Arts Council's ten-year strategy. They also support the essential infrastructure required to sustain and develop the arts in Ireland. Funding is awarded following an open and competitive application process. The criteria against which applications are assessed are; artistic quality and development of the arts, public Engagement, organisational capacity, the importance of the oganisation in the arts infrastructure and the commitment to Equality Diversity and Inclusion.

"Our strategically funded organisations deliver excellent artwork and / or events and provide excellent opportunities for artists to develop their practice or to be engaged in high-quality, creative work."
The six-year-old boy who died after a swimming pool accident at the Tullamore Court Hotel in Offaly has been remembered as a "happy beautiful boy running around the yard."

Oliver Forde has been named locally as the victim of the tragic accident which occurred last Sunday, May 29. The boy was brought to Childrens Health Ireland at Crumlin where he passed away on Tuesday, May 31.

He will be laid to rest on Friday at St Agnes' Church, Crumlin where he was from. He was the beloved son of Denis and Nina and brother to Jack and Lucas.

In tributes posted to RIP.ie, friends, family and neighbours remembered a vibrant little boy.

One tribute read: "I'm so sorry for the loss of your beautiful baby boy Oliver. He was always such a happy beautiful boy running around the yard. My thoughts and prayers are with you all at this horrible time."

Another said: "There are no words that will make this any easier for you all. An absolute tragedy, may Oliver send you the strength to guide each other through the days and weeks ahead. Heaven has gained an absolute perfect angel. Condolences to each and every one of you affected by Oliver's untimely death. And may he rest in the arms of the Lord. Rip beautiful boy."

Hundreds more tributes were paid:

"Nina, Denis, Jack and Lucas. My heart goes out to you, such a shock, your gorgeous beloved son Oliver, always the superhero, he packed so much into his 6yrs, so full of life, well-loved and that smile. Our thoughts and prayers are with you," one person wrote.

"I will miss his smiles as he skipped past in the yard. Heaven has certainly gained an angel who will watch over you all. Our thoughts and prayers are with you," another shared.

In a statement, a garda spokesperson said: Gardai are investigating the death of a male child, aged 6 years, following an incident at a premises in Co Offaly that occurred on Sunday, May 29, 2022.

The child was taken to Childrens Health Ireland at Crumlin where they later passed. A file will be prepared for the Coroner's Court. No further information is available.

A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) said: I can confirm the HSA are aware of this incident and the relevant enquiries are being made.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low near 60F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low near 60F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Correction This story incorrectly stated the policy was already voted on and implemented. The Moberly Board of Education has not yet voted on the proposed policy. The policy is being considered as part of handbook changes for the 2022-2023 school year. The story has been corrected with a statement posted on the district's website.

MOBERLY  When students return for the 2022-2023 school year in Moberly, they might have to leave their cell phones and smart watches behind.

The Moberly School Board discussed adding a new policy that bans the use of a cell phone during the school day in a special board meeting on May 24, the same day as the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

According to a June 2 post on the Moberly School District website, teachers shared their thoughts on the distractions that cell phones can bring to the classroom during the board meeting.

The post said the board policy pertaining to personal cell phone use is not changing, but the expectations for student cell phone use during the school day are being considered as part of handbook changes for next year.

Moberly's middle school already has the policy implemented, according to the Moberly Monitor.

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If a student has any electronic device in their possession, even if they aren't using it, they could have it confiscated and face even harsher punishments. They must keep the devices in their lockers or cars, according to the policy.

Moberly's proposed policy will give parents the option to call the front office if they need to send a message to their student.

Some parents and students have shown their discontent with the proposed policy on social media and called for different solutions to lower cell phone distractions. Some have commented that students with cell phones are crucial in emergencies.

One high school student said there were cell phone restrictions before the total ban, but that this is an unexpected proposal.

"I don't think they think about it too much because it's a very odd timing that they started banishing phones because of that accident that happened," Ty Rogers said.
The time capsule, which honors mid-Missouri veterans and medical care workers, will be opened in 2072.
Some wedding chapels in Las Vegas are receiving cease-and-desist letters demanding they stop using Elvis' image and likeness in their operations, according to two letters obtained by CNN.




The defense chiefs of South Korea and the Philippines held talks in Seoul on Friday to discuss arms industry cooperation and bilateral ties, Seoul's defense ministry said.







The meeting between Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and his Filipino counterpart, Delfin Lorenzana, came as South Korea strives to expand its presence in the Southeast Asian nation's arms market.







In December 2021, Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering won a 583 billion-won ($470 million) order to build two patrol frigates for the Philippines.







Lorenzana took note of South Korea's role in modernizing the Philippine military and said his country hopes to continue expanding cooperation in the arms industry, according to the ministry.







He reaffirmed Manila's unwavering support for the new South Korean government's efforts to denuclearize North Korea.







The two sides also agreed to promptly normalize regular vice-ministerial defense talks that have been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.







Seoul and Manila, meanwhile, vowed to further bolster their maritime security cooperation on the occasion of the South Korean Marine Corps' first participation in the Philippines-led annual KAMANDAG exercise to kick off in October, the ministry added. (Yonhap)


Angola, IN (46703)

Today

Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will give way to cloudy skies and rain in the afternoon. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Rain showers early with clearing later at night. Low 52F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
HAMMOND  A Gary man is going to prison for his role in a 2019 kidnapping carried out to silence a crime witness.

U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon imposed a 210-month sentence Thursday on Jaron D. Johnson, 23.

Jaron pleaded guilty last year to taking part in a kidnapping that nearly killed a Gary woman.

A federal grand jury indicted Jaron Johnson, 24-year-old Jarod Johnson and their 48-year-old mother, Patricia Carrington, two years ago.

The government alleges the three defendants were trying to locate and silence a woman set to testify against Jarod about his involvement in a 2017 shooting.

The trio hunted down and took captive a female relative of the witness April 14, 2019.

The kidnapping victim told police she was blindfolded, threatened and beaten, but refused to cooperate with her abductors.

The victim said she was driven to an abandoned house in Gary's Glen Park section and one of the defendants shot her several times, wounding her in the face and arm.

She told police she survived the attack by playing dead for about 20 minutes before she found a nearby resident and asked for help.

Police said they found blood, duct tape and four discharged bullet casings outside an abandoned house near 44th Avenue and Mississippi Street.

Defense attorney James G. Vanzant argued in an earlier memo to the court that Jaron played only a minor role in the kidnapping.

Carrington received a 210-month sentence late last year.

A federal jury acquitted Jarod Johnson of the kidnapping charge last year.

The Lake County prosecutors office sought to have him tried under state law for attempted murder, battery and intimidation in connection with the 2019 kidnapping.

A Lake Criminal Court judge threw out the state charges and released Jarod Johnson on grounds a second trial would be double jeopardy.

However, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled earlier this year the new stated charges against Jarod Johnson are different enough to avoid double jeopardy.

The Indiana Supreme Court declined last week take up the case itself, giving the prosecutors office the authority to bring Jarod Johnson to trial.

No new date has been set in his case.
Auburn, IN (46706)

Today

Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will give way to cloudy skies and rain in the afternoon. High 73F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Thunderstorms in the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies overnight. Low 52F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Auburn, IN (46706)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 74F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low near 50F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
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BTS Jungkook is leaving for the United States through Incheon International Airport on May 29.

The group was invited to the White House by the US President Joe Biden to talk about the surge of hate crimes against Asians.

READ MORE HERE: BTS Confesses They Were 'Shocked and Devastated' by Hate Crimes Against Asians
SEVENTEEN's "Face the Sun" has recorded an outstanding first-week sales figure on the Hanteo Chart, which only BTS attained in the past.

Keep on reading to know the exact sales amount of the album.

SEVENTEEN's 'Face the Sun' Records 2 Million First-Week Sales on Hanteo

In the afternoon of June 2, Hanteo Chart announced that SEVENTEEN's "Face the Sun" had exceeded two million album sales, after it arrived on May 27. The studio album reached the mark at approximately 4:20 p.m. KST on that day, earning the group a double million seller title.

SEVENTEEN's first-week sales period for "Face the Sun" ended on June 2 at 11:59 p.m. KST, and the total copies hit 2,067,769 copies, which is nearly twice as much as the group's previous first-week sales with "Your Choice."

To recall, SEVENTEEN almost doubled their first-day album sales with 1,758,565 copies sold on May 27, obtaining their fourth million seller title and breaking their previous first-day sales record of 881,788 copies sold by "Your Choice." This already signaled a new career-high for the group in terms of first-week sales.

Even before the official release of "Face the Sun," high interest of fans was already seen in terms of the stock pre-orders volume. The studio album surpassed two million pre-orders on May 20 - marking the group's highest number of stock pre-orders so far.

With over two million copies sold on Hanteo, "Face the Sun" has made SEVENTEEN the second artist in Hanteo history to cross two million sales in the first week of release.

Other than that, "Face the Sun" is now the K-pop album in history with the fourth-highest first-week sales. It surpassed BTS' "Butter," which only sold 1,975,363 copies in the first seven days.

"Face the Sun" now comes behind BTS' "MAP OF THE SOUL: 7," "BE," and "MAP OF THE SOUL: PERSONA."

Congratulations to SEVENTEEN on their historic first-week album sales on Hanteo with "Face the Sun"!

SEVENTEEN's 2 Million First-Week Sales on Hanteo Becomes Hot Topic Online

After it was revealed that SEVENTEEN's "Face the Sun" reached two million album sales on Hanteo, one netizen took to a Korean online community to share the big news.

Other netizens who saw the post were impressed with the sales figure and congratulated the group on their accomplishment. Some of the comments are, "HYBE did a good job with its boy groups. It's only two groups that sold over 2 million in the first week, BTS and SEVENTEEN," "Congrats on selling over 2 million copies in the first week," "SEVENTEEN is the best," "Wow, I can't believe SEVENTEEN is the second group to surpass 2 million copies in the first week," and "This is awesome. Good job, SEVENTEEN!"

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: SEVENTEEN's Expensive Bill After Eating at BBQ Restaurants Stuns Many

On Twitter, the boy group's fans collectively called CARAT congratulated the boys by trending the hashtag "#FaceTheSun_2MSeller." This hashtag peaked at No. 3 in the trending topics in South Korea and peaked at No. 44 in the worldwide trends.

Meanwhile, on the day SEVENTEEN's "Face the Sun" recorded two million sales on Hanteo, the boy group earned their first trophy for the album's title track "HOT."

On the June 2 broadcast of Mnet's "M Countdown," "HOT" was a first-place nominee along with Kang Daniel's "Upside Down." "HOT" eventually won with a total of 7,718 points.

Joshua said, "Thank you so much Carats, we love you."

Dino also expressed his gratitude, adding, "I also wanted to tell my co-members that they have worked hard. Our family, we love you. Also, thank you, Carats!"

For more K-Pop news, follow and subscribe to KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article

Written by Maria Scott
ARISS contact is scheduled with the Matinecock District Boy Scouts, Suffolk County, New York, USA

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and the Matinecock District Boy Scouts in Centerport, New York.

ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The Boy Scouts of Matinecock District of Suffolk County Council, Boy Scouts of America (BSA), islocated in New York on Long Island, and composed of about 52 units made up of youth ages 5-18 years. In addition to teaching youth outdoor skills, the BSA also puts a strong focus on STEM initiatives in several Cub Scout and Scouts BSA activities dealing with the sciences, robotics, engineering, and exploring all aspects of life. The venue provided for this ARISS contact is the Vanderbilt Museum & Planetarium in Centerport, New York, which has hosted events during the previous year in order to foster interest in space and space exploration for the scouts. During the year leading up to this contact, the scouts have been learning through STEM-based projects about the ISS missions, and amateur radio (including morse code practice).

This will be at elebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of Astronaut Kjell Lindgren, amateur radio call sign KO5MOS. Local Covid-19 protocols are adhered to as applicable for each ARISS contact. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the telebridge station.

The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is in Hollis, New Hampshire, U.S.. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the callsignAB1OC, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for June 4, 2022 at1:56pmEDT (New York)(17:56 UTC, 12:56pmCDT, 11:56am MDT, 10:56 am PDT).

As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. What do you have to study after HS in order to have a career as an Astronaut?

2. Could the ISS ever be self-sustaining and not need care-packages of food/water/oxygen from Earth?

3. Are ISS teams only picked based on skills, or does NASA try to match personalities as well?

4. How does the ISS stay safe from all the "space junk" floating around the Earth?

5. Do you only do experiments in your field of expertise on the ISS or because of limited resources do you find yourself assisting others doing things youre not as comfortable with?

6. Is automated piloting better than manual piloting in terms of flight controls and docking?

7. What one thing did you do as a young adult that you felt was your first significant step to becoming an astronaut?

8. I've heard being in space can change you taste buds. Have you created any interesting or creative recipes to make space food taste better?

9. How do they supply the ISS with constant oxygen?

10. We saw a video of a gorilla suit prank on the ISS a few month ago. Has there been any other funny pranks?

11. What jobs do you have to do on the ship?

12. Do the astronauts get to bring something from home with them to space?

13. I've heard astronauts from different countries will trade food. What country has the most popular dish on the ISS?

14. In your personal opinion, what is the best and least best thing about being on the ISS?

15. Can you swim in space when youre floating?

16. Can you feel the affects being in space has on your body? If so, whats it like?

17. Can you yo-yo upside down in space?

18. Does the ISS have technology installed that could capture Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP)like the US Navy has recently? Have you seen anything up there that you can't explain?

19. What does it feel like to go to space?

20. I read that there was once water on Mars. Where did all the water go?

About ARISS:

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab-Space Station Explorers, Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) and NASAs Space communications and Navigation program.

The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org .

Media Contact:

Dave Jordan, AA4KN

ARISS PR

Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Search on Amateur Radio on the ISS and @ARISS_status.

Check out ARISS on Youtube.com.
Feted as representing the very best, the Geneva Lake West Rotary Club honored 37 Big Foot Union High School Class of 2022 seniors with Rotary Diploma Endorsement Awards at a May 19 recognition luncheon held in their honor at Abbey Springs Country Club in Fontana.

A longstanding tradition for both the Geneva Lake West Rotary Club and Big Foot High School, the Rotary diploma endorsement program is now in its 36th or 37th year according to club officials.

Student honorees enjoyed a linen tablecloth luncheon featuring round of beef with mushroom demi-glace, roast pork with creamy dijon mustard sauce, Caesar salad, wild rice, steamed asparagus, dinner rolls and oatmeal cranberry cookies.

Diploma endorsementsReceiving diploma endorsement certificates and special scarlet and grey Rotary honor cords to wear at their upcoming June 5 commencement were Angelina Anderson, Hailey Bauman, Amanda Bender, Ellyn Blakeman, Joe Brusa, Alexandra Cano, Drew Cronin, Basil Demco, Sara Dominguez, Agustus Foster, Sarah Frederick, Lauren Glos, Carter Gosse, Erik Hereley, Ethan Jackowski, Lacey Klade, Amanda Leek, Ashley Lohse, Natalie Lohse, Valeria Lopez, Sydney Lueck, Alyssa Marsh, Edilene Martinez, Declan McHugh, Lindsey McIntyre, Grace Nisius, Margaret Norman, Dejanira Ortiz Hernandez, Adalynn Quackenbush, Morgan Rego, Ally Ries, Alexander Schmitz, Anthony Soto, Riley Summers, Alexis Swaney, Madison West and Lilah Dean Wojcik.

Presenting the Rotary recognitions were Big Foot principal Jeremy Andersen, Big Foot diploma endorsement advisor Jill Connley, and retired Big Foot High School principal Michael J. Hinske, past president and current board member of the Geneva Lake West Rotary Club.

Others participating in the ceremony were Geneva West Rotary Club president Don Holst and Big Foot district administrator Doug Parker.

This is, and has always been, a very special event for me, both as a Rotarian, and as a teacher and principal, Hinske said in his keynote recognition program address to Big Foot honorees. This is a special day, not only for you as students, but also for our Rotarians. Many Rotarians will tell you that this is one of the most important days of the year, as it provides us with an opportunity to celebrate you, our youth, and your accomplishments over the past four years  Today, I am honored to be able to provide public recognition to you for your accomplishments, as well as share some thoughts about Rotary and our involvement in our communities.

Hinske said Rotary diploma endorsement criteria extended beyond academic performance, with evaluations also including such factors as effort, attitude, responsibility, cooperative work skills and quality of work.

We recognize those of you who have not only excelled in the classroom, but also who have shown habits consistent with being productive members of our society, he noted. The Diploma Endorsement Award is not just given to anyone, It is given to those who exemplify the values of Rotary and society in general. Its not simply about grades, but rather on excellence in the factors that make people successful today and in the future. It is, in essence, about being more than yourself. I think it gets at the soul of being a first class citizen  As adults, community members and Rotarians, we recognize the importance of these skills in the development of future leaders of our communities and country. This class of graduating seniors being recognized has exemplified the ideals of the school and our community.

Addressing the honorees directly, Hinske feted them as the very best of the graduating senior class, asking that they consider taking to heart the four key values of Rotary  the Rotary Four-Way Test  at this momentous turning point chapter in their lives: Is it the truth; is it fair to all concerned; will it bring goodwill and better friendships; will it be beneficial to all concerned.

As you move forward in your lives, we as Rotarians and members of this community hope that you think back to your experiences in high school and here today and ask yourself the four questions from the Four-Way Test, Hinske said. We as Rotarians believe that by your outstanding accomplishments as students, you will take this information and apply it to the remainder of your life. I, and all of our Rotarians, congratulate you on your record of accomplishment  and offer best wishes for a successful future.

A video of the Rotary diploma endorsement ceremony is available online at https://www.bigfoot.k12.wi.us.

About RotaryBased in Evanston, Ill. in north suburban Chicago, Rotary International, founded in 1905, encompasses more than 1.4 million members in more than 46,000 clubs around the world. Rotary is a humanitarian service organization bringing together business and professional leaders to provide community service, promote integrity, and advance goodwill, peace and understanding in the world.

For more information, visit https://www.rotary.org.

Information about the Geneva Lake West Rotary Club is available at https://rotary6270.org/clubinfo/geneva-lake-west-rotary or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GLWRClub/.

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As part of ongoing June Dairy Month celebrations, Gov. Tony Evers made visit June 2 to the Hill Valley Dairy retail store at 510 Broad St. in Lake Geneva.

Hill Valley Dairy received $10,000 in grant funding from the Main Street Bounceback Grant Program, which has helped more than 4,500 small businesses and nonprofits statewide.

We were were eligible for the Main Street Bounceback Grant because we opened up the cheese shop during the window of time that included the [COVID-19] pandemic, said Hill Valley Dairy artisan cheesemaker Ron Henningfeld, who co-owns the business with his wife, Josie. We were able to apply for a grant and received funds which helped us tremendously as a small business. It helped us pay rent and also hire staff and pay wages as we started up this store on one of the main streets here in Lake Geneva.

Since its February debut, Henningfeld said the Hill Valley Dairy retail store has met with a happy and enthusiastic reception from local residents and visitors alike, both existing customers from its area farmers market clientele and other sales outlets, as well as new customers.

As the new cheese shop here in Lake Geneva, theyre pretty excited to walk in the door and check things out and buy some cheese from us and leave with some great cheese, he noted. Our brick-and-mortar store is another extension of our business where we can connect with our customers. Because we are a very small artisan cheesemaker, we are very in contact with our customers. This store gives us open hours where customers can come to us any time they need cheese. For us, it gives us a permanent physical space in the community where we not only offer our good cheese, and cheese made by our friend cheesemakers in Wisconsin, but also a space where, hopefully, we can be a good influence on the community by running a good business ... and being involved in community activities and organizations. This brick-and-mortar gives us a place where we can be anchored out of and hopefully have a bigger impact for our business, for the dairy farm and other cheesemakers we support, and mostly for Lake Geneva.

Dairy farm dates to 1942

Cheesemaker, retailer and wholesale Hill Valley Dairy, founded in 2015, makes its hand-crafted artisan cheese with milk from the Henningfeld Familys multi-generational East Troy dairy farm, currently home to 60 milking dairy cows. The family dairy farm was founded in 1942 by Henningfelds grandparents, Roman and Marion, before passing to his parents, Roman and Carol, and most recently to his brother and sister-in-law, Frank and Colleen.

Were still a small, relatively young cheesemaking company, but small and growing, and this cheese shop is part of our growth, another branch to the business, Henningfeld said. The dairy farm is in the family, weve got the cheesemaking and now we have our main [retail] outlet here.

Henningfeld, a 2007 UW-Madison agriculture and biology alumnus, apprenticed in cheesemaking in 2009 at his alma maters Babcock Dairy Plant in Madison.

It really stems from growing up on the family dairy farm, Henningfeld said of his interest in cheesemaking. In college, this idea of cheesemaking got in my head. I did some home cheesemaking and it seemed really interestingand it was interesting. I got drawn into the idea of cheesemaking to stay connected to the family farm and involved in working with my family, my brother and, of course, the dairy industry here in Wisconsin ... The way I got into cheesemaking was meeting a lot of the other cheesemakers in Wisconsin. I worked for a couple of other cheesemakers for five, six years before starting my own business.

Enjoying great popularity, Henningfeld reported that the fledgling stores strong performance is already spurring an expansion into an adjacent storefront at 512 Broad St., which will house a cheese-tasting bar expected to open later this month.

Itll provide space and seating where people can enjoy cheese on site, where you can get a cheese flight or cheese-tasting board, he noted. We also have the permits where well be able to pair cheese up and sell with wine and with beer, simple charcuterie, things like that.

In addition to its retail store, Henningfeld said Hill Valley Dairy sells its small-batch artisan cheeses through ten different retailers at present, largely in Walworth County but as far afield in southern and southeastern Wisconsin as Madison and Milwaukee. Hill Valley cheeses are also being used by four area restaurants.

Recently, Hill Valley Dairy also received a $20,000 Dairy Processor Grant from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, one of 19 awarded statewide to help dairy company owners improve or expand their operations. Henninfeld plans to use the grant funding to develop a business plan and finance plan to construct a cheese production facility as part of its burgeoning operations. Hill Valley currently rents space at a Milwaukee creamery to produce its small-batch artisan cheeses.

Supporting fledgling small business entrepreneurs like Hill Valley Dairy through initiatives like the Main Street Bounceback Grant Program is an important economic development tool for Wisconsin according to Evers, who said theres been huge interest in the program, which is accessed through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC).

Its one of the most rewarding things that Ive done as governorhaving people being able to reach their dreams, be productive and make our economy better, Evers said, noting 52% of Wisconsin residents are employed by small businesses. Its been a huge investment but a really important one. We have 4,500 new entrepreneurs in the State of Wisconsinfrom Milwaukee to Lake Geneva to Up Norththat are now opening up stores and doing great things. Ive had a chance to visit many of them, including this couple here.

Evers came away from his June 2 visit impressed with the Hill Valley Dairy retail store created by the Henningfelds, who are assisted by cheesemonger Ethan Sherman and store manager Carey Fowler.

Theyre doing a great job, theyve got it all down, Evers said. Theyve got the milk part of it, the cheesemaking part of it and they sell it. Theyre a really great couple that have their heads screwed on right and were able to use this small grant to reach their dreams. Its all good.

Among those joining Evers during his visit at the Hill Valley Dairy retail store was Lake Geneva Mayor Charlene Klein.

I think its a great thing, Klein said of the Main Street Bounceback Grant Program award to Hill Valley Dairy for the development of its retail store. I always want to have support for our small businesses here in town.

Grant program expanded

On May 10, Evers and WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes announced the investment of an additional $25 million into the Main Street Bounceback Grant Program. Including the May 10 announcement, the states total investment in the program stands at $75 million. The additional investment will enable 2,500 more small businesses and nonprofits to fill empty storefronts throughout the state.

A recent analysis of state allocations showed that as a share of federal aid received by states, Wisconsin ranks second in the country for aid directed to economic development and first in the country in aid to businesses.

The impact weve had through our Main Street Bounceback Grant Program over the last year has been tremendous, truly helping small businesses and main streets in every corner of our state, Evers said. Weve heard from folks from across the state about how these funds have helped them take their businesses to the next level. Weve also seen firsthand how these investments have helped support local economies in downtowns and communities that are now filled with unique businesses that otherwise might not be there today. Im proud of our work making strategic investments in small businesses and Im excited that ... well be able to continue our work supporting main streets and communities across Wisconsin.

The Main Street Bounceback Grant Program was first announced in April 2021 and since then more than 4,500 small businesses and nonprofits across all 72 Wisconsin counties have been approved for $10,000 grants to help them move or expand into vacant commercial spaces.

From barbershops to candy stores and from physical therapists to local economic development groups, the businesses and organizations that have received Main Street Bounceback grants vary widely, Hughes said. But what were hearing from all of the communities where these businesses are opening is the send of excitement that they bring. Whether its a new restaurant, a hair salon or an accounting business, theres a feeling that there are new reasons to come to our downtowns and spend a little more time there.

The deadline for grant applications for the Main Street Bounceback Grant Program has been extended to Dec. 31, 2022, and grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis until all the funds are disbursed. WEDC is working with nine regional economic development organizations to quickly disburse grant funding to eligible businesses and nonprofit organizations.

More information about the Main Street Bounceback Grant Program and how to apply is available on the WEDC website at https://wedc.org/programs-and-resources/mainstreet-bounceback-grants/.

About Hill ValleyThe Hill Valley Dairy retail store, 510 Broad St. in Lake Geneva, is open Thursday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sundays and Mondays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The store is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

For more information, call 2620684-9524, email hillvalleydairy@gmail.com or visit www.hillvalleydairy.com.

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RACINE  Multiple people were shot Thursday afternoon during a burial in Graceland Cemetery.

In an alert at 3:47 p.m. Thursday, the Racine Police Department said "At 2:26 p.m., there were multiple shots fired at Graceland Cemetery. There are victims but unknown how many at this time."

Ascension All Saints Hospital, which is treating an undisclosed number of victims from the shooting, is on lockdown "out of an abundance of caution" following the shooting, an Ascension Wisconsin spokesperson said. The cemetery's property abuts the hospital's.

At the hospital

Members of a group who gathered at the hospital afterward told journalists that the shooting occurred during the burial of Da'Shontay "Day Day" King, who died Friday, May 20, after he fled a Racine Police officer and was shot. The state investigation into the fatal police shooting is ongoing.

One woman outside the hospital's emergency room said her daughter had been shot and was being treated inside. "I can't even go to a funeral," the woman said, describing the moments of the shooting as "like a movie."

Another woman said "You can't even bury your loved ones."

Both of those women outside the hospital declined to share their names, for fear of their own safety.

Many children  King was a father of four  were in attendance at the funeral. The mother of one of the children told The Journal Times that three of the children were at the burial and that they all "are OK ... Just shaken up."

The scene

Several streets in the area have been blocked off.

Law enforcement officers could be seen inside the cemetery soon after the shooting, interviewing witnesses and standing near the white casket carrying King's body, resting aboveground near the hole it appears it was supposed to have been placed in. K-9s were also searching the area.

Multiple casings and evidence markers littered Lathrop Avenue, between Haven Avenue and Graceland Boulevard. Evidence markers could also be seen within the cemetery.

Area residents said they heard 20-30 shots. One woman said "it sounded like firecrackers."

Park High School students were released 10 minutes later than normal, due to the nearby crime scene, once law enforcement assured school leaders that it was safe to do so, Racine Unified spokesperson Stacy Tapp wrote in an email.

Mount Pleasant Police officers and Racine County Sheriff's Office deputies have also responded to the scene.

Cops

Following pressure from Racine area Republican legislators, Alderman Henry Perez, himself a retired Miami police officer, called for his fellow City Council members and the mayor to immediately spend federal stimulus funds to increase staffing of the Racine Police Department rather than waiting for voters to possibly approve a $2 million referendum in August.

"Can we wait any longer to fund our police?" Perez wrote on Facebook. "Fund now and use the ARPA money!!! I am calling you out City Council!!!"

City administration says that spending the money now likely wouldn't translate to more officers on the street for at least a year, and there's no guarantee the city could keep those new officers on staff when the American Rescue Plan Act expires at the end of 2024.

Six new RPD officers were sworn in Wednesday, bringing the department's total staffing of active sworn officers to 171, eighteen short of the budgeted cap of 189.

From Jan. 1, 2018-May 20, 2022, more than 80 officers have left the department, including 42 retirements. Eleven of those 42 have come in 2022.

And from Jan. 1, 2018-May 20, 2022, the RPD has hired a total of 61 officers.
GB70U: From Guernsey to space  and back again Platinum Jubilee special event station GB70U is active on the amateur radio QO-100 geostationary satellite transponders



Over the course of the Jubilee weekend GB70U will be hosted and operated by members of the Guernsey Amateur Radio Society.



One station at GB70U is using the Es-hail QO-100 satellite. The station will be operated by Keith GU6EFB and will operate on the narrow band and digital amateur TV (DATV) transponder.



You can listen to live transmissions from QO-100 without the need for any special equipment directly from your computer or device by using the AMSAT-UK/BATC WebSDR hosted at Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall

https://eshail.batc.org.uk/



Read the full post at

https://gb70.co.uk/2022/05/19/gb70u-from-guernsey-to-space-and-back-again/



Follow the Guernsey Amateur Radio Society on Twitter

https://twitter.com/Guernsey_ARS
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 3 (ANI/NewsVoir): Vijaya ENT Care Centre today organized its International Live Revision Otological Surgery Workshop ReVision 2020, to discuss about the various revision otological surgeries at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.

The workshop also conducted a pre-conference live temporal bone dissection demonstration session called 'Temporal Bone-anza'.

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The workshop which revolved around this year's theme, "Revision Otology Surgeries" was conducted by Prof., Dr Vijayendra Honnurappa, Otolaryngologist, Vijaya E.N.T Care Center. The workshop also saw the participation of, Dr Sangeetha R, Consultant, Vijaya E.N.T Care Center, Dr Nilesh Mahajan, Consultant, Vijaya E.N.T Care Center, and Dr. Vinay Vijayendra, Consultant, Vijaya E.N.T Care Center, who was the course director for the Live temporal bone dissection. The conference also honored Late. Dr. A Mahadevaiah, Otolaryngologist/ENT Specialist for his immense contributions to the field of Otology and for providing mentorships to numerous doctors across the nation. The workshop also saw the discussions of many theoretical concepts and live demonstrations of surgeries to educate the delegates.

Speaking on the ReVision 2020 workshop, Prof., Dr Vijayendra Honnurappa, Otolaryngologist, Vijaya E.N.T Care Center said, "Revision surgeries are always complex and tricky and require far more experience which many of us have acquired after working on numerous cases. In many cases, the normal anatomical landmarks are lost, and the details of the previous surgeries may be inaccurate or missing. We, through ReVision 2020 not only taught doctors on how to tackle the complications of a revision surgery, but also the measures which can be taken during the primary surgery in order to prevent recurrences. This will ensure that medical resources are not wasted and at the same time, people do not have to waste their monetary resources on multiple recurrent treatments and surgeries to get cured of their condition."

Also Read | Vikram Ending Explained: Decoding How Suriya's Cameo in Kamal Haasan, Fahadh Faasil and Vijay Sethupathi's Film Expands Lokesh Kanagaraj's Kaithi-Verse (SPOILER ALERT).

Initially planned for March 2020, the workshop had to be postponed due to the COVID pandemic. "COVID-19 was a huge blow to us since we were forced to cancel this big event at the very last moment after all the arrangements had been made. We discussed briefly if we should stick to the same theme this year or choose a new topic entirely. But we all agreed that this is a topic which is vital and cannot be skipped. We also decided to retain the name ReVision 2020, even after 2 years as we wanted to be resilient and finish what we started," added Prof. Dr. Vijayendra Honnurappa.

Speaking on "Temporal Bone-anza", a Live temporal bone dissection, Dr Vinay Vijayendra, Consultant, Vijaya E.N.T Care Center said, "The success of any good otologist can be attributed to their mastery over the anatomy of the temporal bone. The temporal bone, with all the twists and turns, provides a unique challenge to every budding otologist. The demonstration aimed to familiarize delegates, young doctors, and post-graduate students to assimilate the intricacies of various ear surgeries which will help them lay a strong foundation to become wonderful ear surgeons in the future."

ReVision 2020 saw the participation of over 800 participants comprising Senior and Junior ENT Doctors, postgraduate students from all over the country.

Prof. Vijayendra and team also released a high quality oto-endoscopic diagnostic colour atlas entitled "Otology Demystified" during the event. "The book contains an archive of over 10,000 images of all the common and rare ear pathologies collected over the past decade which will be a great asset for every ENT surgeon and will guide them in their diagnosis," he added.

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Srinagar, Jun 3 (PTI) Three soldiers and a civilian were injured in firing during an encounter between militants and security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, police said.

"Encounter has started at Rishipora area of #Anantnag. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow," a police spokesperson tweeted.

Also Read | Union Cabinet Likely to Approve New Military Recruitment Scheme Soon, High-level Meet Tomorrow.

In an update posted three hours later, the official said, "In the initial exchange of fire, three army personnel & one civilian got injured. All the injured were immediately airlifted to 92 base hospital #Srinagar for treatment & are stated to be stable. #Operation going on."

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Chhattisgarh [India], June 3 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to return Rs 17,240 crore given to National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) under the new pension scheme to the state government.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, the CM said that the state government has decided to reintroduce the old pension system (OPS) for the benefit of government officials and employees, and applications have been filed for its implementation.

Also Read | Karnataka: Seven Killed As Goa-Hyderabad Bus Catches Fire After Collision in Kalaburagi District.

According to data available from the state government, Rs 11,850 crore were remitted to the National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) between November 1, 2004, and March 31, 2022. He said the market value of this amount right now is around Rs 17,240 crore.

The state government requested PFRDA on May 20 to repay this amount. However, authorities said in a letter dated May 26 that there is no rule that money paid in the form of both national contribution and employee contributions to the NPS, can be refunded along with accruals.

Also Read | Kanpur: Civilians Injured During communal Clash in Beconjganj Area, 17 Taken Into Custody.

Further, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has written that there is no such specific provision in the agreements made by the state government with NPS Trust and NSDL, which allows the state government to go out of the contract with respect to the new contributory pension scheme and the old pension scheme. In the federal structure, it is the decision of the state government.

"The agreement between the state government and the NPS Trust and the National Securities Depository (NSDL) has no such provision that would prevent the state government from opting out of the new pension system and implementing the old pension system," Baghel said in his letter.

The Prime Minister said that state government officials and employees play an important role in implementing the government's welfare system and that OPS will be implemented for their welfare, requesting the Prime Minister to instruct the amount to be refunded. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], June 3 (ANI): Expressing concern over the rise in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said the use of face masks will have to be made mandatory if the spike continues.

Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded 1,081 cases of COVID-19 infection, the highest daily rise after February 24. On Tuesday, the state had reported 711 cases.

Also Read | Jammu And Kashmir Shocker: One Non-Local Killed, One Injured in Militant Attack in Budgam.

Addressing a press conference here, Pawar said, "The use of face masks will have to be made mandatory if the number of Coronavirus cases continues to grow."

"If COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Maharashtra, the state government will take a decision to make masks mandatory. The Government is keeping an eye. Discussions have been held with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray regarding the COVID-19 situation in the state," Ajit Pawar said.

Also Read | ICMR Releases Guidance Document for Drone Use in Healthcare.

The Deputy Chief Minister highlighted that the state government has withdrawn the liquor home delivery facility, as COVID-19 cases have reduced.

"We have withdrawn the liquor home delivery facility, as COVID cases have reduced. The facility was started as there were restrictions on movement due curtail the spread of COVID-19. Now, the situation is in control and so we have withdrawn the facility," he said.

Pawar informed that the rising number of COVID-affected patients is a matter of concern. He also stated that the state government is aware of the situation and is analyzing the same.

Pawar also spoke about Shiv Sena's prospects in the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls. He said that voting for the Rajya Sabha election will happen through open ballot and hence there was no question of anybody indulging in horse-trading.

"As per the strength of the state legislative Assembly, BJP can get two seats elected, while Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena one seat each. Shiv Sena has fielded one more candidate and NCP's excess votes will go to the second candidate of Sena. Some independents are affiliated to Shiv Sena, some to BJP and some others to NCP. This is the reason for speculation about horse-trading," he said.

Pawar said NCP will move the court to seek permission to allow jailed party leaders - minister Nawab Malik and former home minister Anil Deshmukh to cast their votes in the Rajya Sabha polls scheduled to be held on June 10. (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, Jun 3 (PTI) India and Canada have signed an agreement to increase bilateral cooperation on climate action, environmental protection and conservation.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and his Canadian counterpart Steven Guilbeault signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the margins of the Stockholm+50 meeting.

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The meeting is being held to commemorate 50 years of the Stockholm Conference  the first United Nations conference on environment.

Under the pact, the two countries have agreed to collaborate, exchange information and expertise, and support their respective ambition in a wide range of areas, including increasing renewable energy capacity, decarbonizing heavy industries, reducing plastic pollution, supporting the sound management of chemicals, and ensuring sustainable consumption.

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"Both countries are intent on supporting each other's climate and environmental goals by finding effective, long-term solutions that will also provide opportunities to advance economic growth and job creation," the Canadian government said in a statement.

Canada has several proven clean technologies which could be of interest to India, such as water and waste management systems, clean hydrogen, smart grids, and energy storage, it said.

"The MoU builds on existing cooperation between both countries, such as our common work as members of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, which is advocating for world leaders to adopt a post-2020 global biodiversity framework to conserve 30 per cent of the world's marine and terrestrial areas by 2030 (30  30)," the statament read.

(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, Jun 3 (PTI) India considers healthcare a "Seva" and the country is ready to take a leading global role in providing healthcare services to the world through its trained and competent manpower, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Friday.

"India is at a key inflexion point of not just 'Heal in India' through its vibrant medical value tourism, but also 'Heal by India', where our medical professionals can be used to serve not just our country but at the global level," he said at a virtual event.

Also Read | Telangana Horror: Girl Gang-Raped in Hyderabad; BJP Says, 'Accused From Influential Families'.

Interacting with officials of the regional Press Information Bureau (PIB), Doordarshan (DD), All India Radio (AIR) and various regional health journalists, Mandaviya said, "For a Samruddh Bharat, we need a Swasthya Bharat and for a Swasthya Bharat, we need Swasthya Nagrik. Health has been positioned at the centre-stage by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and several health initiatives are being taken up by the Union government. India is also ready for a leading global role to provide healthcare services through the 'Health in India' and 'Heal by India' initiatives."

He thanked the media for the role it played during the COVID-19 pandemic, a health ministry statement said.

Also Read | Jamia Masjid Row: Karnataka Police To Stop Hanuman Devotees Enroute Srirangapatna.

In such testing times, media persons rose to the occasion in fighting the infodemic by providing factual information, warding off myths and fears, and addressing the dual issues of vaccine eagerness and vaccine hesitancy, the minister said.

Signifying the proactive role played by the officials of PIB, DD News and AIR News and media personnel during the Covid crisis, he said it was not just the government's efforts but 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayaas' that made us execute one of the largest and most successful vaccination programmes in the world, the statement said.

Mandaviya expressed condolences for journalists who lost their lives during this period, it stated.

The online session was attended by more than 150 officers and regional health journalists from all states.

"Democracy's fourth pillar  media  has set a high standard in demonstrating their potential during the pandemic," the minister said.

"We have started the second phase of 'Har Ghar Dastak' to encourage the masses towards full vaccination coverage. I seek your support in carrying the message of full COVID-19 vaccination to the masses," he said.

The Union minister urged the media to support the ongoing efforts of TB elimination, cataract, telemedicine and eSanjeevani and various other initiatives of the ministry at the regional level and to motivate citizens to come forward in large numbers and become a part of these campaigns enthusiastically through Jan Bhagidaari, the statement said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, Jun 3 (PTI) If Europe manages to procure oil and gas from Russia in a way to ensure that the impact on its economy is not traumatic, that freedom should exist for others as well, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday.

His comments at an interactive session during a conference in the Slovakian capital Bratislava came against the backdrop of mounting Western criticism of India's import of discounted Russian oil.

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Today, Europe is buying oil and gas from Russia and new package of sanctions is designed in a way considering the welfare of the people while timelines have been set for reducing Russian energy imports with no immediate cuts, he said.

"People need to understand that if you can be considerate of yourself, surely you can be considerate of other people," he said.

Also Read | Heatwave Returns to Pockets in Central, Northwest India.

Jaishankar was asked about reports of a nine-fold increase in India's import of crude oil from Russia.

"If Europe manages in a way that impacts on the economy is not traumatic, that freedom or choice should exist for other people as well. India is not sending people out 'saying go buy Russian oil', buy the best oil in the market, no political messaging should be attached to this," he said.

Asked about claims of India was involved in the trans-shipment of Russian oil, Jaishankar said he has not heard of anyone in India even thinking of trans-shipment of Russian oil.

"A country like India would be crazy to get oil from somebody and sell it to somebody else. This is nonsense," he said.

To another question on whether India is not funding Russia's war by buying oil, he wondered "if buying Russian gas is not funding the war", an oblique reference to various European nations procuring gas from Moscow.

He also said that if countries in Europe and the West were so concerned, why were they not allowing Iranian and Venezuelan oil to come to the market. "They've squeezed every other source of oil we have and then say, okay guys, you must not go into the market and get the best deal for your people. I don't think that's a very fair approach," Jaishankar said.

Asked about India banning the export of wheat, he suggested that it was done to prevent diversion to high-income countries and to not give those involved in speculative trade open access to the Indian market.

Jaishankar said India has been exporting wheat to several countries. "But what we then saw was a kind of run on our wheat, a large part of it done by international traders based out of Singapore and, maybe to some degree, Dubai and the result was the low-income countries, many of whom were our traditional buyers like neighbours Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal, the Gulf buys regularly Yemen Sudan, low-income buyers were being squeezed out," he said.

Jaishankar said wheat was being stocked for being traded, and, in a way, India's goodwill was being used for speculative trading.

"So we had to do something to stop that. Prevent diversion to high-income countries with a greater possibility to buy like with vaccines," he said.

Jaishankar said the decision was required to not give the speculators open access to the Indian market so that Indian customers and the least developing countries get the supplies.

He said India is still open to supplying wheat to any deserving country.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 3 (ANI): Emphasising the need to improve the government health services in Bengaluru, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has suggested the Health and Family Welfare department to constitute Bengaluru City Health Services Division under the department.

The Chief Minister, who chaired a meeting to review the implementation of budget programmes in the Health and Family Welfare department wanted the officials to open 438 'Namma Clinics' with an objective to offer better treatment facilities for general ailments.

Also Read | Karnataka: College Student Arrested For Attempting To Snatch Gold Chain For Repaying Rs 5,000 Loan in Bengaluru.

Stressing the importance of upgrading the health services in Bengaluru, the Chief Minister said, "The city is growing at a rapid pace. Health Services should keep pace with that. Action should be taken to open 200 'Namma Clinics' in Bengaluru and 238 in other taluks to offer good treatment."

Instructions were also issued for taking up mental health programmes in Dharwad, Haveri and Gadag districts through DIMHANS on the lines of the programme being implemented in Bengaluru, Kolar and Chikkaballapur in association with NIMHANS.

Also Read | Bihar Student Dies After Eating Chocolate in Sonpura Village.

Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma, CM's Principal Secretary N Manjunath Prasad and other senior officials were present. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 3 (ANI): Expressing his pain at the killings in Valley, Kashmir's Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam has said they had been seeking the return of Kashmiri Pandits for three decades and Jammu and Kashmir's main minority community "should not go and stay with us with peace and dignity".

The Grand Mufti spoke strongly against violence as a means of solving any issue, noting that every killing is a heinous crime and people should not allow "miscreants to create an atmosphere of mistrust".

Also Read | Rajkot Shocker: 3 Gangrape 15-Year-Old Girl After Holding Male Friend At Knifepoint; Accused Arrested.

Talking to ANI, the Grand Mufti spoke about the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley.

"They (Kashmiri Pandits) shouldn't go, they should stay here. We've been making lamentable cry about their return for last 30 years. Now they've returned and they should stay with us with peace and dignity," he said.

Also Read | Samrat Prithviraj: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat to Attend Special Screening of Akshay Kumar, Manushi Chhillar Starrer.

There have been targeted killings in Kashmir by terrorists and Kashmiri Pandits have been among the victims.

Last month, two civilians - including Kashmiri Pandit employee Rahul Bhat -- and three off-duty policemen were killed in Kashmir by terrorists. In October last year, prominent chemist M L Bindroo was killed in his shop.

The minority community members have been protesting against targeted killings and some of them have spoken about migrating out of Valley.

The government had informed Parliament in July last year that Kashmiri Pandits have felt "more secure" and over 3,800 youngsters from the community have moved back to Kashmir to take up jobs in various districts under Prime Minister's rehabilitation package.

The Grand Mufti also said Islam and other religions emphasise the security of every human being. Expressing his pain over violence in the Valley, he said that blood of humans and humanity has "become cheap in Kashmir".

"Islam, in fact, every religion, emphasises on the security of every human. If there's an issue, it should be resolved but looking for a solution by spilling blood is against humanity. I think the blood of humans and humanity has become cheap in Kashmir," he said.

The Grand Mufti said spilling the blood of humans and humanity isn't correct under any circumstance.

"Wherever we see the blood of innocent being spilled, we condemn it. It's shameful. There's suspicion among people. They want investigation. I think spilling the blood of humans and humanity isn't correct under any circumstance," he said.

The Grand Mufti emphasised the need to maintain amity and brotherhood between communities and deplored the killings.

"Every killing is deplorable and it's a heinous crime. I feel pain about such killings. I want people to understand that we've to maintain brotherhood between communities. We shouldn't allow miscreants to create an atmosphere of mistrust," Kashmir's Grand Mufti told ANI.

He said the security of people working in the Valley is the responsibility of local residents.

"It (probe) should be done. Until culprits are identified and their intentions are found out...why would they want to do that to a Bihari labourer, besides creating a law and order situation. Their security is our (responsibility)," he said.

"We have to work together to find out who is behind such things. The questions need to be answered," he added.

He noted that tourists have returned to the Valley.

"I don't see complete peace here. Yes, the tourists have returned, normalcy has returned to Kashmir to some extent. But we want to see complete peace and prosperity in Kashmir. But the situation is fragile," he said.There have been targeted killings of innocent civilians in Kashmir and the victims include members of the Kashmir Pandit community, civilians and people in government.

A bank manager, identified as Vijay Kumar, was shot dead outside his office by terrorists in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.

Earlier this week, 36-year-old Hindu woman teacher Rajni Bala, hailing from Jammu's Samba district, was shot dead by terrorists at a government school in Gopalpora, Kulgam.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday held a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and other top officials on security in Jammu and Kashmir.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh also participated in the meeting. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
VK6WIA NewsWest



NewsWest for Sunday 5th June 2022 is the Club Focus edition of NewsWest, and we have news from clubs as well as some excellent discussion topics.

NewWest is produced by WA Amateur Radio News, with all of the work done by volunteers, on their own equipment. The team this week is Roy VK6XV, Andrew VK6AS and Im Bob VK6POP the NewsWest producer.

Our website is vk6 dot net, and there youll find information about us and what we do.

Visit the vk6.net website where you'll find information on how you can hear NewsWest - on air, by download or by podcast. You can also register your callbacks and feedback about NewsWest.

NewsWest invites programme contributions. You can send yours as email attachments to newswest@vk6.net - our editorial policy is that items should be about Amateur Radio, and relating to, or of interest to, Radio amateurs in Western Australia.

Originating in Perth Western Australia, NewsWest is produced by WA Amateur Radio News for listeners on-air, on-line and on-demand.

Whichever way you're listening, whether you're a licensed radio amateur or not, experienced or just a beginner, old or young, thanks for being here and thanks for joining us.

Web: http://vk6.net Email: newswest@vk6.net

Producer: Bob VK6POP
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 3 (ANI): Mumbai Police on Friday detained eight Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers who were allegedly distributing party chief Raj Thackeray's letter over loudspeaker row in the Chembur area here.

In the letter, Raj Thackeray urged people to report to the local police if permissible decibel limits for loudspeakers are violated in the city.

Also Read | National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries Must Have Eco Sensitive Zone of One Km from Demarcated Boundary, Says Supreme Court.

The controversy started after Thackeray on April 12 gave an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, failing which, he warned, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers.

A case was filed against Raj Thackeray when he appealed to people to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers in the areas where loudspeakers are used for 'Azaan'.

Also Read | UP Investor Summit 2022: Uttar Pradesh Will Give Momentum to India's Growth Story, Says PM Narendra Modi.

At the end of the deadline, numerous MNS workers were detained for allegedly trying to put up loudspeakers outside mosques to play Hanuman Chalisa.

Last month, Raj Thackeray wrote to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the issue of removing loudspeakers in mosques, warning him not to test the MNS' patience.

"After I appealed to all the countrymen to remove the loudspeakers from mosques, the Maharashtra government is behaving as if it has become senseless. MNS workers were arrested on May 4, just before the movement to implement the decisions given by the Supreme Court of the country and the High Courts of various states. Preventive notices were issued by the police to 28,000 Maharashtra soldiers, thousands were deported and many were imprisoned," said Raj Thackeray in his letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister.

Raj Thackeray said power is not permanent and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's power is not going to stay forever. He warned Chief Minister Thackeray not to test the patience of MNS.

Notably, a court in Parli in Maharashtra's Beed district has issued a non-bailable warrant against Raj Thackeray in a 2008 case for allegedly making inflammatory speeches. Earlier, on May 3, a Sangli court had issued a non-bailable warrant against Thackeray in the 2008 case. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kota (Raj), Jun 3 (PTI) A special court in Rajasthan's Bundi district on Friday sentenced a 25-year-old man to life imprisonment for raping a Dalit girl and circulating the video of the crime on social media.

Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court-I judge Sabir Badar also imposed a fine of Rs 22 lakh on Sajjan Singh alias Debu Singh after holding him guilty of raping the 15-year-old girl in March 2020 in a village under Basoli police station in Bundi district, Public Prosecutor Rakesh Thakur said.

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Based on the minor's complaint, the police had lodged a case under sections of the Indian Penal Code, POCSO Act, IT Act and under sections of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Singh on March 12, 2020.

He was arrested after initial investigation and has been in jail under judicial custody since then, the public prosecutor said.

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For speedy trial, the police included the case under case officer scheme and filed the charge sheet against Singh on May 26, 2020, he said.

Statements of at least 19 witnesses were recorded during the trial and 41 documents were submitted to the court, Thakur said.

"It is the ninth conviction in case under the case officer scheme this year and the police are committed to bringing those accused of atrocities and crimes against girls and women to book for punishment through speedy trial," Bundi SP Jai Yadav said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ahmedabad, Jun 3 (PTI) A sessions court in Mehsana town in Gujarat has granted bail to Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani and nine others in a five-year-old case of holding an 'azadi kooch' without permission.

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They were granted bail on the condition of not leaving Gujarat without the permission of the court. The judge also asked Mevani and others to submit their passports with the court.

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A month ago, a magisterial court in Mehsana had convicted Mevani and nine others of holding the march without permission and sentenced them to three months' imprisonment. It had also given them bail to file an appeal in a higher court.

While admitting their appeal against the magistrate's order, Mehsana Additional District and Sessions Judge CM Pawar on Friday granted them regular bail till the pendency of their appeal. Granting of bail to Mevani was a routine legal process as he wasn't jailed in the case.

Mevani and nine others and some members of his Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch were held guilty under section 143 of the Indian Penal Code for being part of an unlawful assembly.

The FIR, in connection with the march that took place in July 2017 from Mehsana to Dhanera in Banaskantha, was lodged at Mehsana 'A' division police station in July 2017.

Of the total 12 accused named in the FIR, one had died, while one is still absconding.

The march was organised on July 12, 2017 to protest the flogging of some Dalit youths in Una, and participants were stopped on the outskirts of Mehsana.

Mevani went on to become an MLA in the 2017 Assembly polls from Vadgam.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Amritsar (Punjab) [India], June 3 (ANI): The bullet-hit 'bir' (scripture) of the Guru Granth Sahib has been put on display at the Golden Temple complex in Punjab's Amritsar to mark the 38 th anniversary of Operation Bluestar.

The Sikhs consider a physical copy of the Guru Granth Sahib as a living guru and treat it with the utmost respect. The physical copy is called Saroop or bir in Punjabi.

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The bir which was struck by a bullet during the operation conducted in 1984 has been put on display at the Sri Shaheed Ganj Baba Gurbaksh Singh Gurdwara, located near Akal Takht of the Golden Temple.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has put the bullet-hit bir on display for the second consecutive year for "darshan". Last year, after 37 years, the sangat were given the darshan of the bullet-hit bir for the first time.

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While speaking with ANI, head granthi of the Golden Temple Giani Gurmukh Singh, said that the bir will be put up on display daily from morning 9 am to evening 7 pm till June 5.

"We have put on display the bullet-hit bir, the bullet that had hit the bir, and the remains of the holy pages that were damaged because of it," he said.

Former senior vice-president of the SGPC Surjit Singh condemned the attack and said that these days bring back memories of the deep wounds the then Congress government gave to the Sikh community.

"The then Congress government inflicted deep wounds to the Sikhs by attacking Sri Harmandar Sahib and Sri Akal Takht Sahib in 1984. These wounds have not been, and will never be forgotten. The youth sees and knows the brutal assault carried out by the then government," he said.

Thanking the BJP government for giving the community some justice after the '84 riots killed thousands, Surjit said, "1984 induced riots across India, killing thousands of Sikhs. We were never given justice. The BJP government has helped us achieve some justice by putting a few people behind the bars. We hope to get complete justice."

Meanwhile, the security has been heightened in Amritsar city ahead of the Operation Blue Star anniversary.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Amritsar, Parminder Singh Bhandal said that the paramilitary forces have been deployed in advance.

"We have got two teams of Rapid Action Force and two companies of Central Reserve Police... Check posts have been set up across the city," Bhandal said.

The Indian Army carried out Operation Blue Star in 1984 between June 1 and June 8. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, had ordered the military operation to flush out Sikh terrorists including Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who were accumulating weapons inside the premises of the Golden Temple. (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, Jun 3 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Friday contended before the Delhi High Court that a trial court's order allowing the presence of a lawyer during the interrogation of Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain, arrested in a money laundering case, was contrary to various decisions of the Supreme Court.

The ED has challenged the trial court's May 31 order allowing the presence of a lawyer, at a distance, during Jain's interrogation in its custody from May 31 till June 9.

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Justice Yogesh Khanna, who reserved the order on ED's plea, declined to stay the trial court's direction at this stage even as the agency argued that its petition would become infructuous as Jain's custody with it would come to an end on June 9.

The court said before passing the order, it will first go through the record.

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Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju, representing the ED, contended that the permission granted by the trial court was contrary to various Supreme Court decisions and that an audio-video recording of the interrogation was being done.

He submitted that even though Jain has said he does not want an audio-video recording, the agency has continued doing so despite his objection.

Suppose in a hypothetical case, a person is beaten, his lawyer would say that he was beaten. We would say no. There would be a dispute but if the audio-video recording is there, this cannot happen. It is a better safeguard, he said.

The agency said there is no allegation that the AAP leader was threatened or beaten and that his medical checkup is being done twice a day.

The ED's counsel argued that the lawyer and Jain can make signs to each other and may share information.

Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Jain, opposed the agency's plea and said it was an extraordinary case as the prosecution has filed the petition despite the law being 100 per cent against them.

He said that the Supreme Court has consistently allowed a system where the lawyer is available at a distance but the prosecution was terming them mere orders.

He termed the petition as an abuse of process of law and said that it be dismissed with costs.

They have had a lawyer present during his investigation at a distance for the last few days. It has been going on without any issue. This petition is an abuse of process of law and should therefore be dismissed with costs.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was arrested on May 30 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the trial court on May 31, remanded him to ED's custody till June 9.

While remanding Jain to ED's custody, the trial court had allowed his plea that during the time of enquiry/investigation of the accused, one advocate of the accused shall be allowed to remain present at a safe distance where he can see the accused but not hear him.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, had vehemently opposed this in the trial court.

The ED has challenged the condition before the high court and submitted that the agency had filed a petition in this regard and urgent listing be allowed.

It said that a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court in another case was pleased to reject an identical contention of allowing assistance of a counsel during interrogation.

Aggrieved by the impugned direction in the order dated May 31, 2022, to the extent that the special court has directed that the advocate of the respondent be present during the enquiry/interrogation, the petitioner is approaching this court by way of the present petition, the plea said, adding that the trial court has erred in passing such a direction.

The ED said the special court has erred in allowing the prayer of the respondent qua the presence of a lawyer during interrogation as the same amounts to interfering with the statutory powers.

It said the order permitting the presence of a lawyer within visible but not audible distance is contrary to the statutory mandate.

The plea said the presence of an advocate is not needed as the interrogation is being videographed and the footage will be available therefore there is no possibility of any concern.

The trial court had remanded Jain to ED's custody till June 9, saying that his interrogation was required to unearth the alleged larger conspiracy.

The Solicitor General had argued before the trial court that there was a chequered layer of money and the agency was trying to find out if the accused was laundering somebody else's money and whether there were other potential beneficiaries.

The money has not stopped at Rs 4.81 crore. It is beyond. Some facts we don't have, but the accused is aware, the law officer had said, adding that the likelihood of tampering with evidence could not be ruled out till the agency ascertained the real trail.

Jain's counsel had opposed the ED application, saying the case dated back to 2015 and that the entire allegation was the reproduction of the charge sheet, and that the accused had already been summoned five-six times for interrogation by the agency.

He had said there was no requirement for custodial interrogation in the case.

The agency had earlier provisionally attached assets worth Rs 4.81 crore of Jain's family and companies "beneficially owned and controlled" by him as part of a money-laundering probe against him.

(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], June 3 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for victory in the Champawat bypoll by a margin of over 55,000 votes.

This was a much-needed victory for Dhami to continue to remain as the chief minister as he had lost the state Assembly polls held earlier this year despite the BJP's landslide victory.

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"Congratulations to Uttarakhand's dynamic CM @pushkardhami for the record win from Champawat. I am confident he will work even harder for the progress of Uttarakhand. I thank the people of Champawat for placing their faith in BJP and laud our Karyakartas for their hard work," PM Modi tweeted.

Uttarakhand BJP president Madan Kaushik also congratulated Dhami on the win.

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"Hearty congratulations and best wishes to the Honorable Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Dhamiji on winning the Champawat by-election with huge votes," he said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who campaigned for Dhami ahead of the polling and held a roadshow with him in Tanakpur in the Champawat district, also congratulated Dhami for the "historic" victory.

Adityanath said that this victory is dedicated to the people's welfare policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dhami's leadership and the hard work of BJP workers.

"Hearty congratulations to the successful Chief Minister of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Dhami ji for winning the historic victory in the Champawat Vidhan Sabha by-election. This victory is dedicated to the people's welfare policies of the respected Prime Minister, your developmental leadership and the hard work of BJP workers," said Adityanath, who also hails from Uttarakhand, in a tweet.

Dhami secured 58,258 votes against Congress candidate Nirmala Gahatodi who grabbed only 3,233 votes. Apart from Dhami and Congress' Gahatodi, Manoj Kumar Bhatt from Samajwadi Party and Independent candidate Himanshu Gadkoti were also in the fray. The polling took place on May 31.

Dhami, who had lost the Khatima seat in the State Assembly polls, contested from Champawat to become an MLA. According to the Constitution, he needs to fulfil this requirement within six months of being sworn in to continue as the chief minister.

Dhami lost the Khatima constituency to candidate Bhuwan Chandra Kapri by a margin of 6,579 votes. Later, BJP MLA Kailash Gehtori resigned from the Champawat assembly seat to pave the way for Dhami to contest by-polls. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Puri (Odisha) [India], June 3 (ANI): Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP from Puri, Pinaki Misra on Friday appealed to all the political leaders to stop impeding noble ventures like "Shree Jagannath temple" for personal or political gains.

"Jai Jagannath The Lord has spoken through the voice of the Hon'ble Apex Court. Naveen babu stands vindicated in his earnest attempt to create world-class infrastructure to make Puri a World Heritage site," Misra tweeted.

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He said, "He has always tried to make this apolitical, by taking all parties along every step of the way and inviting all leaders to the foundation stone laying ceremony till date. I fervently appeal to all to stop impeding this noble venture for personal or political gain."

"History will judge us in this hour of reckoning if this decisive legal verdict of the final court is not taken in the right spirit of Odiya glory for the sake of Lord Jagannath and the people of Puri," Puri MP added.

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This came after the Supreme Court today dismissed pleas alleging illegal construction and excavation at Shree Jagannath temple in Puri by the Odisha government and deprecated the practice of filing PILs for publicity or personal interests, wasting the court's time.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Hima Kohli rejected two PILs and imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh each on two petitioners.

The apex court refused to entertain petitions seeking a stay on Jagannath Temple Corridor project work and termed it as a necessity for providing public amenities.

It is observed that the construction activities are meant to provide facilities and amenities to devotees.

The top court was hearing PILs challenging the order of the Orissa High Court refusing to restrain the state government from carrying out excavation work around the Shree Jagannath temple at Puri, Odisha.

The pleas challenged the order of the division bench of Orissa High Court and alleged illegal excavation and construction work by the Odisha government at Shree Jagannath temple.

One of the appeals, filed through advocate Gautam Das said that as per Section 19 of the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains Act, no person can construct any building within a 100 meters radius protected area and the temple was declared a protected area in 1975, hence such construction is happening at a structure called Meghanad Pacheri which is an integral part of the temple.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Pattanaik 2021 had laid down the foundation stone for the Jagannath Temple corridor project wherein the 75-metre perimeter of the temple was sought to be transformed into a heritage corridor to attract devotees. (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, Jun 3 (PTI) AAP's Rajinder Nagar by-election candidate Durgesh Pathak filed the first and second sets of his nomination papers on Friday and said he will file the final set after conducting a roadshow in the constituency on June 6, an official statement said.

The by-election in Rajinder Nagar was necessitated after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Raghav Chadha was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab by the party in March this year.

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AAP candidate Pathak said that he was hopeful that Rajinder Nagar residents will show up for the road show and shower him with their blessings.

"The people of Rajinder Nagar have made up their minds to vote for the candidate belonging to the party in power. I am thrilled to have filed my nomination for the Rajinder Nagar by-election. On Monday, I will host a roadshow and file the official and final set of my nomination," the statement quoted Pathak as saying.

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AAP candidate Pathak has been conducting "Padyatras" in different areas of Rajinder Nagar, appealing to the people to vote for AAP in the by-elections.

The statement said that all the party workers are fully prepared for the by-poll.

Pathak and other AAP leaders and workers will hold a public discussion and address public's concerns.

Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai on Friday convened a review meeting of party workers and directed them to strengthen preparations for the Rajinder Nagar by-election.

Rai, who is AAP's Delhi convenor, said all the workers of the party will have to make foolproof preparations at the ward and the booth level.

He asked AAP workers to meet more and more people in the constituency and disseminate information about Delhi government's development works.

(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, Jun 3 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea alleging illegal excavation and construction work by the Odisha government at the famed Shree Jagannath temple in Puri.

A vacation bench of Justices B R Gavai and Hima Kohli rejected the PIL with costs, and said the construction activity being undertaken is necessary in larger public interest.

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The top court said Public Interest Litigation (PIL) other than being in public interest is detrimental to public interest.

The apex court said there has been a mushrooming growth in PILs in the recent past.

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It deprecated the practice of filing frivolous PILs and said it is an abuse of law.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by Ardhendu Kumar Das and others alleging illegal excavation and construction work by the Odisha government at the temple.

According to the petition, state agencies have been working in gross violation of Section 20A of The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.

The plea alleged that the Odisha government is carrying out unauthorised construction work. This poses a serious threat to the structure of the ancient temple, it had submitted.

(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, Jun 3 (PTI) Union minister Nityanand Rai Friday said some neighbouring enemy countries have fuelled "fanatic" religious and separatist feelings among India's border population that has not been completely integrated into the national mainstream as the people were forced to migrate due to lack of basic amenities.

The minister of state for home affairs said the government was "concerned" over the migration from forward areas and keeping this in mind, the Modi government initiated various schemes for their welfare. The 'Vibrant Villages' programme for the frontier areas, which was announced in Budget-2022, was part of this larger initiative, he said.

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"The over 15,106 km-long Indian border running along seven countries is difficult and inaccessible due to lack of basic facilities like education and healthcare. It has not fully integrated with the national mainstream.

"The level of education in the border population is low. A GoM (group of ministers) on improving national security apparatus had said in its report in 2001 that people living along India's international borders, especially along land borders, are facing a number of problems and are deprived from basic amenities. Not getting adequate facilities, some people from these areas migrate for better lifestyle and employment opportunities and due to this the border population has not been fully integrated with the mainstream of the nation," he said.

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Taking advantage of this feeling of "disparity" among the locals, some of our enemy neighbouring countries, through greed and conspiracy, fuelled hardline religious and separatist feelings, he said.

Some neighbouring countries have done a "big conspiracy" of increasing the strength of the border population on their side...they are doing a number of things for this (increasing population along their borders)..., he said without naming any country.

"We will have to think about this...we have good intentions. We want no one to migrate from any part of our country due to lack of basic amenities.

"Hence, it is important that people living along the Indian borders are integrated with the national mainstream. The border population is very important in order to ensure security of our frontiers," Rai said.

Calling the country's border population "brave and patriotic", Rai said it is also in India's strategic interest that "we connect with them".

He said this while delivering his keynote address during the 'Rustamji Memorial Lecture' organised by the BSF.

The annual lecture is organised in memory of the first chief and founding father of the BSF, K F Rustamji.

The Border Security Force (BSF) was raised in 1965 and it is primarily tasked to guard the Indian frontier with Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Rai said the central government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has "redefined" border management with focus on the local population.

A lot of work has been done in this direction but migration is still taking place and that is a cause of concern, he said.

"Seventy-five years ago, when India got Independence, it was thought that different communities, values, history, language, religion and culture would be nurtured together but that weakened somewhere. But in 2014, when the Modi government came, it initiated the policy of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas' and we are now progressing with the philosophy of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat'," he said.

The minister said economic and social development of the border population is the government's topmost priority.

Apart from the search for a better life and employment opportunities, Rai said some other reasons for the migration of the border population could be attributed to harsh weather and lack of food for livestock among others.

"Even if those who migrated consider returning, a large chunk does not come back to their land," the minister said.

He buttressed his point by quoting a speech by Union Home Minister Amit Shah made in November last year in Gujarat's Kutch saying the border population should get the same benefits as those living in cities.

The minister asked forces like the BSF, which at times is the only government agency in these remote areas, to "identify the problems of the locals and make their lives easier and better".

"The government is very concerned about this issue and the Union home ministry is very vigilant...all agencies should work in a coordinated manner. We will provide all funds for and regular monitoring will be done," he said.

Recounting his recent visit to a border village in Ladakh, Rai said he found that there was no hand pump for the residents.

He said the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, which guards the India-China LAC, got a borewell done and the migration from that village comprising 26-27 houses was stopped.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Champawat (Uttarakhand) [India], June 3 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday thanked the people of Champawat for supporting him after he won the crucial Champawat bypoll.

"I thank the people of Champawat for this big win. This is the victory of Champawat. I will try to return the people's blessing through development works," Dhami told media persons.

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Dhami has won the Champawat bypoll by a margin of over 55,000 votes. This was a much-needed victory for Dhami to continue to remain as the chief minister as he had lost the state Assembly polls held earlier this year despite the BJP's landslide victory.

Congratulations poured in for Dhami from his party leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the poll victory.

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PM Modi expressed confidence that the Uttarakhand CM will work harder for the progress of the hilly state.

"Congratulations to Uttarakhand's dynamic CM @pushkardhami for the record win from Champawat. I am confident he will work even harder for the progress of Uttarakhand. I thank the people of Champawat for placing their faith in BJP and laud our Karyakartas for their hard work," PM Modi tweeted.

Uttarakhand BJP president Madan Kaushik also congratulated Dhami on the win.

"Hearty congratulations and best wishes to the Honorable Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Dhamiji on winning the Champawat by-election with huge votes," he said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who campaigned for Dhami ahead of the polling and held a roadshow with him in Tanakpur in the Champawat district, also congratulated Dhami for the "historic" victory.

Adityanath said that this victory is dedicated to the people's welfare policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dhami's leadership and the hard work of BJP workers.

"Hearty congratulations to the successful Chief Minister of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Dhami ji for winning the historic victory in the Champawat Vidhan Sabha by-election. This victory is dedicated to the people's welfare policies of the respected Prime Minister, your developmental leadership and the hard work of BJP workers," said Adityanath, who also hails from Uttarakhand, in a tweet.

Dhami secured 58,258 votes against Congress candidate Nirmala Gahatodi who grabbed only 3,233 votes. Apart from Dhami and Congress' Gahatodi, Manoj Kumar Bhatt from Samajwadi Party and Independent candidate Himanshu Gadkoti were also in the fray. The polling took place on May 31 and votes were counted today.

Dhami, who had lost the Khatima seat in the State Assembly polls, contested from Champawat to become an MLA. According to the Constitution, he needs to fulfil this requirement within six months of being sworn in to continue as the chief minister.

Dhami lost the Khatima constituency to candidate Bhuwan Chandra Kapri by a margin of 6,579 votes. Later, BJP MLA Kailash Gehtori resigned from the Champawat assembly seat to pave the way for Dhami to contest by-polls. (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, Jun 3 (PTI) Essar Power Ltd on Friday said it has agreed to sell one of its two electricity transmission lines to Adani Transmission Ltd for Rs 1,913 crore.

The sale is a part of deleveraging strategy following which Essar has repaid over Rs 1.8 lakh crore to banks and financial institutions in the last three years - the largest debt repayment in the history.

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In a statement, Essar Power said it "has entered into a definitive agreement with Adani Transmission Ltd to sell one of its two transmission lines for Rs 1,913 crore".

Essar Power Transmission Company Ltd (EPTCL), a unit of Essar Power, has 465-km transmission lines across three Indian states. The asset transacted is an operational 400 kV inter-state transmission line linking Mahan to the Sipat pooling substation.

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The project operates under the CERC regulated return framework.

During the last three years, Essar Power has reduced its debt from a peak level of Rs 30,000 crore to Rs 6,000 crore, the statement said, adding the firm has been in the process of curating a green balance sheet around renewable energy, which is in line with the group's strategy of investing in future-centric businesses that give a superior rate of return within the ESG framework.

Kush S, CEO of Essar Power Ltd said, "With this transaction, Essar Power is rebalancing its power portfolio with the twin objective of deleveraging its balance sheets and investing in green and renewable power, thereby furthering its ESG-oriented future growth".

Essar Power has a current power generating capacity of 2,070 MW across four plants in India and Canada.

It is one of India's first private sector independent power producers.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Lucknow, Jun 3 (PTI) Farmers can now withdraw the money of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme at their homes with the help of the Department of Post.

The postal department is launching a campaign 'Aapka Bank, Apke Dwar' to benefit maximum farmers who get the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.

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"Farmers can withdraw money of Kisan Samman Nidhi at their doorstep with Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) from their Aadahr linked bank account. A postal representative will visit the house of the farmers who wish to withdraw money and give the money with the help of a handheld device that requires the fingerprint of the person," Postmaster General of Varanasi region Krishna Kumar Yadav said.

The campaign will start on June 4 and will continue till June 13, the officer confirmed.

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"Farmers in the village are forced to visit a bank branch or ATMs, which are scarce in rural pockets, to withdraw the money of the Kisan Samman Nidhi. We are trying to simplify it for farmers with help of India Post Payment Bank and Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS)," the official said.

Under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, eligible farmers get Rs 6,000 annually, which is sent to their bank account via direct benefit transfer (DBT). The amount is sent in three tranches of Rs 2,000 each in a year. The recent Rs 2,000 deposit was made earlier this week.

With AePS, a person can withdraw a maximum of Rs 10,000. "A farmer can get the money anywhere he wishes, be it his farm or house, using this facility."

"The system is particularly beneficial for people who live in distant rural pockets, elderly or the specially-abled. Because postal department staff is involved in the process, the transactions are completely safe and secure," Yadav said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, Jun 3 (PTI) Chinese smart devices company Xiaomi on Friday announced a rejig in the top management of the India unit with handing over the charge of the country's business to its global founding team member Alvin Tse.

The development comes at a time when the company has been accused of violating foreign exchange laws by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

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The ED on April 29 passed an order to seize Xiaomi India's funds worth over Rs 5,551 crore over the alleged violation of Foreign Exchange Management Act, which has been stayed by the Karnataka High Court.

Former India operations head Manu Jain was questioned by the ED in the case and Xiaomi alleged in a filing before the Karnataka High Court that its top executives were threatened with "physical violence and coercion" during their questioning by ED investigators in Bengaluru.

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Jain has been elevated to a global role as group vice president and is currently responsible for International Strategy including International Marketing and PR.

He now operates from the UAE.

Since the transition of Jain, Xiaomi India leadership team -- Chief Operating Officer Muralikrishnan B; Chief Business Officer Raghu Reddy, and Chief Financial Officer Sameer BS Rao -- have been leading the India business.

"Alvin Tse, a Xiaomi Global founding team member, POCO founding member, former General Manager of Xiaomi Indonesia, will assume the role of General Manager, Xiaomi India," it said.

Post Jain's transition, Alvin will join hands with the Xiaomi India leadership team and support the company's next phase of growth.

Tse is an Stanford University alumnus.

Besides, Anuj Sharma will be rejoining Xiaomi India as Chief Marketing Officer.

Sharma was with Xiaomi between September 2018 to 2020 and then moved to POCO, a sub brand of Xiaomi.

"In his role, Anuj Sharma will spearhead the advancement and execution of the overall brand and marketing strategy. He will play an instrumental role in bolstering Xiaomi's connect with consumers across the nation," Xiaomi said. PIT PRS PRS

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By Pushpesh Pant

New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI): It was at the turn of this century that Dickson Despommier an American microbiologist and Malaysian architect Ken Yeang jointly coined the term 'Vertical Farming'. What they proposed was an ultra-modern way of urban agriculture. Simply put, it meant stacking 'crop-crates' one on top of another other instead of laying out farm beds horizontally.

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Using hydroponics and taking advantage of augmentation of the incoming sunlight as seen in a greenhouse this process eliminates the need for any chemical pesticides and fertilizers. The keyword in this context is sustainability. Their idea to grow all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and flowers in high-rise towers 20-30 stories tall seemed Utopian two decades back but today it is inspiring and energizing farmers small and big all over the world.

The UN estimates forecast that by the year 2050 another three billion people would be added to the present seven and half billion and approximately 70% of the world's population will be living in already congested cities. Sprawling urbanization would swallow agricultural land and the world would be confronted with a serious food security challenge. Vertical farming, aka urban agriculture in multi-storied high-rise buildings envisions the cultivation and sale of fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants in unused urban spaces reducing the transportation costs dramatically.

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Those advocating vertical farming tell us that a high-rise building 30 stories tall with a basal area of 5 acres has the potential of producing crop yield equivalent to 2,400 acres of traditional horizontal farming. In other words, 1 high-rise farm is equal to 480 traditional horizontal farms!

It is not surprising that the idea of vertical farming has caught the imagination of many concerned citizens in developed nations like Singapore, Japan, the Netherlands, and the US. Governments and real estate developers from Abu Dhabi to Beijing and Bangaluru to Los Angeles are getting interested in vertical/urban farming. It is estimated that approximately US $1.8 billion were invested in vertical farm startups between 2014 and 2020.

India has been admittedly a bit slow in catching up with this emerging trend despite the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) striving to revolutionize Indian agriculture through vertical farming. Though experimental farms set up in Vishwavidhalaya in Nadia Bidhan Chandra Krishi have successfully grown brinjals and tomatoes and in Punjab potato tubers through vertical farming have been produced these are very small steps considering India's size.

State of the art climate-controlled Greenhouses, combined with advanced horticulture and engineering techniques optimize crop production and enhance crop quality and food safety. Hydroponic produce from vertical farms is increasingly popular with consumers favouring organic fruits and vegetables. Others value them for their freshness. Harvested weekly these are delivered from rooftop to thali in hours. For instance, roots are kept intact in the lettuce which is referred to as 'living lettuce'.

Large players in this arena use artificial intelligence and data analytics to monitor their vertical farms all across the globe. They claim to run extensive quality checks, laboratory tests, and traceability techniques to ensure the quality of what they market.

With increasing awareness, some intrepid individuals have decided to take the plunge. Khetify Solutions was founded by Kaustubh Khare and Saahil Parekh both IIT Kharagpur graduates. The startup sought to popularise food sustainability among city dwellers. They estimated that 16,000 square km of rooftop space is being wasted in urban cities in India and the youngsters campaigned tirelessly to develop this space s small rooftop farms. The venture was generating a lot of interest and was gaining traction in the NCR when Covid 19 hit. The heartbroken entrepreneurs had to close shop. However, they continue to dream and are determined to revive Khetify when times change.

Five hundred kilometres away in Sat Rakbe, a village in Uttarakhand, Darban Singh Parihar has discovered that poly-houses can be profitably used to increase the production of seasonal and exotic vegetables. The government is giving a subsidy of up to 90 per cent of the costs of installation. The terrain in hill villages has little space for conventional farming. Cutting out terraced fields is laborious and irrigating these makes the challenge more formidable. Controlled temperature, drip irrigation and scientific application of nutrients make these portable greenhouses an attractive option. Results here and elsewhere have been encouraging.

However, many crucial questions remained unanswered. True, that vertical/urban farming can optimally use land and water resources but can the poor farmers in rural areas find not inconsiderable resources to take up vertical farming. Can all employed in traditional agriculture be accommodated in vertical agriculture? What about crops that can't be grown vertically? The subsidy is tied up in knots of red tape and the relevant know-how isn't easily available. Can we turn a blind eye to the crucial role played by birds and bees in the pollination of crops?

Vertical farming can't be seen as panacea for all that ails Indian agriculture.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above article are that of the writer and do not reflect that of ANI. (ANI)

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Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area, a spinoff of Netflix's hugely popular Spanish series Money Heist (La Casa de Papel), releases its official teaser on Thursday, ahead of its June 24 release date. According to Deadline, the original crime thriller, written by Alex Pina, lasted five seasons and followed a bunch of criminals who carried out a series of heists. Money Heist: Korea  Joint Economic Area: First Look of Yoo Ji-Taes Character The Professor Out (View Pic).

The Korean version, executive produced by Pina, is set against the backdrop of North and South Korea's reunification and focuses on The Professor (Yoo Ji-tae), who approaches Tokyo (Jun Jong-seo) with a plot to steal 4 trillion won from the Korea Unified Mint. The series is directed by Kim Hong-sun and written by Ryu Yong-jae, Kim Hwan-chae, and Choe Sung-jun, and was initially announced in November 2020.

Park Hae-Soo, one of the stars of Netflix's Squid Game, plays Berlin in the series. Squid Game, which is also in Korean, is Netflix's most-watched series of all time; Money Heist's final three seasons occupy three of the top five slots on that list. This isn't Netflix's only Money Heist project in the pipeline. Money Heist: Korea  Joint Economic Area to Premiere on Netflix on June 24! (Watch Video).

Check Out The Trailer Below:

In November, the streaming service authorised a spinoff of the original Spanish series focused on the popular character Berlin, played by Pedro Alonso as Andres de Fonollosa. The programme will premiere in 2023, as reported by Deadline.

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Beijing [China], June 3 (ANI): Xiaomi India announced leadership changes for the next phase of growth as it reaffirms its commitment to the Indian market.

According to GSM Arena, Mr Alvin Tse, who formerly supervised the company's operations in Indonesia, has been appointed as the General Manager of the Indian branch, which will now be overseen by Mr Wentao Zhao.

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Mr Alvin Tse took to Twitter and wrote, "Dear @XiaomiIndonesia friends & fans, today marks the end of my Indonesia chapter & the beginning of a new chapter in India. Post my transition, I will join hands with @xiaomiindia leadership team & continue to deliver amazing products at honest pricing to everyone".

Tse is a founder member of Xiaomi Global and Poco, and after his transfer, he will join Xiaomi India's existing leadership team, which includes Mr Muralikrishnan B (Chief Operating Officer), Mr Raghu Reddy (Chief Business Officer), and Mr Sameer BS Rao (Chief Technology Officer) (Chief Financial Officer).

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Since Mr Manu Jain - former Managing Director of Xiaomi India - switched to a worldwide role as Group Vice President and is now responsible for Xiaomi's international strategy, including marketing and PR, the trio has been heading the company's Indian operations.

This reorganisation also sees Mr Anuj Sharma, Xiaomi India's Chief Marketing Officer, return to the company after leading Poco's Indian operations in 2020.

Mr Manu Jain took to Twitter and wrote, "Many of you have asked me about my current role. Hope this clarifies. I moved abroad ~one year ago to assume a global role within the group. Exciting new journey. Congratulations to Alvin @atytse! And all the best to the @XiaomiIndiateam. Onwards to the next level of growth!".

These organisational changes at Xiaomi India occur at a time when the Indian government is investigating the company for violating international laws. Manu Jain was also investigated by the country's Enforcement Directorate, which confiscated Xiaomi India's assets worth INR55.5 billion ($715 million at current currency rates) in connection with the company's illicit external payments.

In response, Xiaomi India said that all their "operations are firmly compliant with local laws and regulations," and they are "committed to working closely with government authorities to clarify any misunderstandings." (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivering his address on 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom.

New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI): India on Friday responded to what it termed as "ill-informed comments" by senior US officials" on religious freedom in India and said it is unfortunate that vote bank politics is being practised in international relations.

India made these remarks in response to media queries regarding the release of the US State Department 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom.

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed on Thursday that there are rising attacks on people at places of worship in India.

"We have noted the release of the US State Department 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom, and ill-informed comments by senior US officials," External Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

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"It is unfortunate that vote bank politics is being practised in international relations. We would urge that assessments based on motivated inputs and biased views be avoided," he added.

Underlining that India values religious freedom and human rights, Bagchi said India has regularly highlighted issues of concern in the US, including racially and ethnically motivated attacks.

"In our discussions with the US, we have regularly highlighted issues of concern there, including racially and ethnically motivated attacks, hate crimes and gun violence," he said.

Earlier on Thursday, Blinken released the 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom.

"... In India, the world's largest democracy and home to a great diversity of faiths, we are seeing rising attacks on people in places of worship," he said while delivering his address.

The annual Report to Congress on International Religious Freedom - the International Religious Freedom Report - describes the status of religious freedom in every country.

The report covers government policies violating religious beliefs and practices of groups, religious denominations and individuals, and U.S. policies to promote religious freedom around the world.

The US Department of State submits the reports in accordance with the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. (ANI)

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Dili (East Timor), Jun 3 (AP) The foreign ministers of Australia and China were both making their final stops on Friday on what has become an island-hopping diplomatic duel in the South Pacific.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong arrived in Tonga where she met with Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku and other officials including King Tupou VI.

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Her visit came just three days after China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi held similar meetings in Tonga.

Wong and the officials talked about climate change and rebuilding efforts after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit in January. Also on the agenda was the contentious issue of regional security.

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We are not a government or a country that wants to come in and tell you what you should do, Wong said at a news conference in the capital, Nuku'alofa.

She said Australia considered itself part of the Pacific family.

We want regional security to be dealt with, to be the responsibility of the Pacific family, Wong said. And we will continue to engage with our friends, our partners in the region.

Hu'akavameiliku said Tonga was honoured that Wong had decided to visit just two weeks after taking office, following an election in Australia.

This is a clear sign of the Australian government's strong commitment to strengthening our bilateral relations and engagement with our region, the prime minister said.

Meanwhile, Wang met in Papua New Guinea with Prime Minister James Marape and other officials before flying Friday afternoon to East Timor, the final stop on his eight-nation tour of the region and the first outside of the South Pacific. Wang is due to leave East Timor on Saturday.

Wang met his East Timorese counterpart Adaljiza Magno shortly after arriving in Dili, the capital.

The two countries have enjoyed strong relations over the past 20 years, Magno said, adding that her government was grateful for China's assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic and amid flooding last year that left dozens of people in Dili dead.

The two top diplomats signed agreements related to fisheries, water and sanitation. China also agreed to support the development of East Timor's healthcare system, including by building hospitals and sending medical teams there. And China pledged to help support East Timor's defence and education sectors.

During the visit, Wang held separate talks with East Timor's Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak, who is looking to increase infrastructure investment from Australia, Japan and China.

Most government offices in the capital, including the presidential palace and the foreign and defence ministries, as well as major shopping centres, were built with Chinese investment. A commercial port built by a Chinese state-owned company is set to open later this year.

Before returning to Beijing on Saturday, Wang is scheduled to meet with East Timor's newly elected President Jose Ramos-Horta and leaders of the country's two largest political parties.

East Timor, Asia's youngest country, just celebrated its 20th anniversary of independence from Indonesia, which invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975.

Its transition to a democracy has been rocky, with leaders battling massive poverty, unemployment and corruption as the country continues to struggle with the legacy of its bloody independence battle and bitter factional politics that have occasionally erupted into violence. Its economy is reliant on dwindling offshore oil revenues.

Wang had hoped to ink an ambitious multilateral deal with 10 South Pacific nations this week covering everything from security to fisheries. He couldn't find consensus on that deal but has been notching up smaller wins by signing bilateral agreements with many of the countries he's been visiting.

The diplomatic push by China, especially around Pacific security, has caused deep concern among some of the island nations as well as farther afield in Canberra and Washington. Since news of the proposed deal emerged, Wong has made two trips to the Pacific to shore up support for Australia. (AP)

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Karachi, Jun 3 (PTI) Tech giant Google has collaborated with an NGO to launch a suicide hotline in Pakistan to tackle the rising number of suicides and mental health-related issues being reported in the country.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, there are around 130,000 to 270,000 cases of attempted suicide being reported in Pakistan every year.

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Anyone in Pakistan searching for suicide-related queries such as "suicide support" and "how can I commit suicide" will now be directed to the "Umang Pakistan's" helpline," Google said in a statement issued on Friday.

Google Regional Director of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Farhan Qureshi told the media on Friday that the hotline will enable users to get instant help at the top of the search result page when they browse anything related to suicide.

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Recognised by the WHO, Umang is a mental health helpline that offers support to vulnerable Pakistanis contemplating suicide.

As we see from Trends [Google], Pakistanis are looking for answers about their mental health. We understand time is of the essence when searching for help, especially for those who may be facing suicidal thoughts. We hope that this feature aids vulnerable users in finding help in times of need, Qureshi said.

On their collaboration with the tech giant, founder and chief executive officer of Umang, Kinza Naeem said: Mental health is the biggest unaddressed problem of our era, especially at a place like Pakistan where more than 40 per cent of the population is suffering from some degree of mental health issues.

We are grateful to Google for this timely partnership. I am certain that together we will be able to reach out to the maximum number of people in dire need of mental health support and break the taboo around it nation-wide, she said.

The hotline updates will be available on both desktop and mobile (Android/iOS).

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Tehran, Jun 3 (AP) Iran reported the death of another colonel of the elite Quds force of its Revolutionary Guards on Friday, the second in two weeks from the unit which oversees Iran's military operations abroad.

Quoting an unknown official, the early morning report by the official IRNA news agency said Col. Ali Esmailzadeh died during an incident in his residence days ago in city of Karaj, some 35 kilometres northwest of the capital Tehran.

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It did not elaborate but denied reports that the colonel was assassinated.

Other news channels close to the Guard said Esmailzadeh fell from his rooftop or balcony.

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In May two unidentified gunmen on a motorbike shot Col. Hassan Sayyad Khodaei five times in a car in front of his residence in Tehran.

Iran blamed his slaying on the US and its allies, including Israel.

Iran traditionally blames Israel for such targeted killings, including those on nuclear scientists over the past years. (AP)

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Moscow [Russia], June 3 (ANI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit Serbia and Turkey next week, Maria Zakharova, the ministry's spokeswoman, said on Friday.

"On June 6-7, the visit of the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry to Serbia will take place. A meeting with the president of this country [Alexandar Vucic], negotiations with the foreign minister, the chairman of the National Assembly and the patriarch of Serbia are planned," Zakharova told a briefing, as quoted by Sputnik.

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The spokeswoman also said that Lavrov will visit Ankara on June 8 to discuss the situation in Ukraine with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

"It is planned to discuss the state of and prospects for deepening cooperation on a wide range of issues, and of course we are talking about trade and economic cooperation in the context of the illegitimate sanctions against Russia imposed by the West," Zakharova added.

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Lavrov will discuss ways for safe passage of Ukrainian grain during his visit to Ankara.

"Next week, the foreign minister will indeed be in Turkey, he is scheduled to have contacts there. And of course, in continuation of the top-level phone conversation, the issue of Ukrainian grain will be high on the agenda," Peskov told reporters.

This visit comes a day after the European Union officially approved the sixth package of sanctions against Moscow, including a gradual phase-out of Russian oil and desconnection of more Russian banks from SWIFT.

"In light of Russia's continuing war of aggression against Ukraine and Belarus' support to it, as well as the reported atrocities committed by Russian armed forces in Ukraine, the Council decided today to impose a sixth package of economic and individual sanctions targeting both Russia and Belarus," the European Council said in a statement.

The new package includes a ban on "the purchase, import or transfer of crude oil and certain petroleum products from Russia into the EU," with the phase-out of Russian oil set to take "from 6 months for crude oil to 8 months for other refined petroleum products." (ANI)

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North Waziristan [Pakistan], June 3 (ANI): A Pakistani soldier was killed when terrorists targeted security forces in the North Waziristan district of the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

"On night June 1-2, terrorists fired at a military post in general area Datta Khel, North Waziristan District," the statement read on Thursday.

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During an intense exchange of fire, a young soldier who was 28 years old lost his life. Actions had been carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area, said the statement.

Hamid Ali, 28 was a resident of Sargodha city in Pakistan's Punjab province.

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In a similar incident, on May 23, two Pakistani soldiers died in an attack carried out by terrorists at a check post in North Waziristan, a local media reported. "On May 23, terrorists carried out a fire raid on a military post in general area Mir Ali, North Waziristan District. Troops initiated a prompt response," said the ISPR statement.During an exchange of fire, Sepoy Zahoor Khan (20) and Sepoy Rahim Gul (23) died.

Earlier on April 15, seven Pakistan Army soldiers had died after terrorists ambushed a military convoy near the Afghanistan border in North Waziristan.

The military's media wing had said terrorists ambushed a vehicle of security forces in the Isham area of the tribal district on April 14. The troops had promptly retaliated by effectively engaging the attackers. And in the encounter, four terrorists were killed.

Recently, terrorist activities have been increased in Pakistan border areas, especially in the North Waziristan district, according to the country's vernacular media.

The rise in the number of terrorist attacks has been costing the lives of several Pakistani soldiers. Reportedly, these militants have their bases in Afghanistan. They enter Pakistan from Afghanistan and after launching attacks on the former, retreat to their bases in Afghanistan.

Further, terrorist organizations like the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have also been working from the Afghan bases, planning attacks against Pakistan.

Earlier, a total of 105 army personnel lost lives in such terrorist attacks within the first three months of this year, recording 97 soldiers and army officers, according to Pakistan Vernacular Media. (ANI)

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Washington [US], June 3 (ANI): Revealing the true colour of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and throwing light on so-called religious freedom in China, an international report released by the United States has stated that religious minorities including Christians, Muslims, Tibetans in Beijing are not allowed to practise their faith.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday made this assertion as he released the 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom.The report said that Christians, Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners reported severe societal discrimination in employment, housing, and business opportunities in China.

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Blinken made this assertion as he released the 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom.

The Chinese government recognizes five official religions -- Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism. Only religious groups belonging to one of the five state-sanctioned "patriotic religious associations" representing these religions are permitted to register with the government and officially permitted to hold worship services, although other groups reported meeting unofficially.

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According to the report, NGOs and media continued to report deaths in custody and that the government tortured, physically abused, arrested, disappeared, detained, sentenced to prison, subjected to forced labor and forced indoctrination in CCP ideology, and harassed adherents of both registered and unregistered religious groups for activities related to their religious beliefs and practices.

The NGO Human Rights Without Frontiers estimated the government imprisoned 2,987 individuals for exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief as of December 7 last year.

According to Minghui, a Falun Gong-affiliated publication, 101 Falun Gong practitioners died during the year. Both Minghui and the Falun Dafa Infocenter reported police arrested more than 5,000 practitioners and harassed more than 9,000 others, US Report on International Religious Freedom stated.

The annual report of The Church of Almighty God (CAG), authorities arrested more than 11,156 of its members and subjected them to physical abuse, including beatings, sleep deprivation, and being forced into stress positions, resulting in the death of at least nine individuals.

Furthermore, China prohibited private tutors, including those based abroad, from using textbooks "propagating religious teachings" and closed several informal, religiously affiliated schools.

During the year, officials across the country shut down religious venues, removed religious apps from app stores and censored religious content from the popular messaging service WeChat.

Going further, it is reported that Chinese authorities censored online posts referencing Jesus or the Bible and there were continued reports that authorities destroyed public displays of religious symbols throughout the country. (ANI)

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Colombo [Sri Lanka], June 3 (ANI): Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe held discussions on Friday with the Country Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Vimlendra Sharan, and United Nations Development Program Deputy Country Representative, Malin Herwig, regarding the current food situation in the country, according to Prime Minister's Media Division.

In the meeting, Sri Lanka Prime Minister explained that in the view of the food shortage, a food security programme was being compiled by the agriculture department officials. This program is due to be unveiled next month, with the UNDP expressing their support for the initiative.

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According to the release, "He (Ranil Wickremesinghe) stated that the biggest issue currently facing the agriculture sector is the fertiliser and fuel shortage."

The Press release further stated that the Prime Minister also elaborated on the urban agriculture initiative that he had established to try and overcome a potential food shortage.

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"The UNDP explained that they were compiling an innovative farming assistance program which would help the farming community overcome the fertiliser shortage," the release said.

During the meeting, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations explained that the donors had taken a step forward to assist the country in the urban agriculture program. The organization was hopeful that successful implementation would see more financial support provided.

According to the release, "The FAO also stated they were drafting a food crisis response plan that can be enacted in Sri Lanka."

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister explained that within 5-6 months the current agriculture shortages could be salvaged if swift action was taken to address the shortages faced by the farmers.

Meanwhile, PM Wickremesinghe, in a meeting with representatives from the Joint Chambers on Thursday, explained that the Government was targeting USD 5 billion for repayments and USD 1 billion to bolster the country's reserves.

During the meeting, Wickremesinghe elaborated that discussions with the International Monetary Fund are proceeding and was hopeful that the negotiations would end this month.

He further explained that the debt restructuring has already begun, following the appointment of financial and legal advisors.

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister said that any bridging finance to help in alleviating the crisis is dependent on an agreement with the IMF being reached.

Sri Lanka is witnessing an unprecedented economic crisis and political crisis. Large-scale protests have been taking place for months, leading to the ouster of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. (ANI)

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Colombo [Sri Lanka], June 3 (ANI): Sri Lanka's newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, during a meeting with representatives from the Joint Chambers on Thursday, explained that the Government was targeting USD 5 billion for repayments and USD 1 billion to bolster the country's reserves.

During the meeting, Wickremesinghe elaborated that discussions with the International Monetary Fund are proceeding and was hopeful that the negotiations would end this month.

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He further explained that the debt restructuring has already begun, following the appointment of financial and legal advisors.

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister said that any bridging finance to help in alleviating the crisis is dependent on an agreement with the IMF being reached.

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Commenting further, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe stated that talks were continuing with donor nations. He added that relations with Japan had broken down, and it would take a while to repair those relations and regain their confidence.

In regards to the medicine shortage, the Prime Minister explained that former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, who was appointed on May 19 to coordinate the relief efforts for the island nation, was leading the international appeal for urgently needed medical supplies.

Addressing the issue of food scarcity, the Prime Minister explained that securing fertilizer and compiling a food security program were being given equal priority. He explained that in the event of any excess crops, those would be provided to vulnerable groups at a concessionary rate.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Sri Lanka relaxed the import restrictions on 369 items in March and April this year.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies, has issued a gazette notification on the relaxation, the Ministry said in a press statement.

Earlier, those who wanted to import any of the 369 items had to obtain an import licence, and the decision to restrict the import was taken to reduce foreign currency spending on foreign products.

Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens, resulting in massive protests over the government's handling of the situation.

The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a fall in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as reckless economic policies, like the government's move last year to ban chemical fertilizers in a bid to make Sri Lanka's agriculture "100 per cent organic".

Due to an acute shortage of foreign exchange, Sri Lanka recently defaulted on the entirety of its foreign debt amounting to about USD 51 billion. (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, Jun 3 (PTI) Sri Lanka's top political leaders on Friday agreed on some of the provisions of the controversial 21st Amendment to the Constitution aimed at empowering Parliament over the executive president during the second round of meeting with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe's office said a general consensus was reached between parties on some of the proposed provisions. However, the main Opposition SJB had held that the Supreme Court's determination on their version of the 21A must be awaited before the final draft could be agreed upon.

Also Read | Chinese Banks Agree to Refinance Cash-Strapped Pakistan with USD 2.3 Billion Funding: Report.

The 21st Amendment is expected to annul the 20A to the Constitution, which gives unfettered powers to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after abolishing the 19th Amendment that will strengthen Parliament.

The island nation's Parliament is to win back some powers of the president while depoliticising the key institutions.

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The main opposition SJB insists that the 21A must restrict the president from holding any ministry.

On May 27, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe met political party leaders and discussed the draft 21st Amendment. The purpose of the meeting was to allow the party leaders to present their observations regarding the draft Amendment.

However, the final meeting was scheduled for this Friday as the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the main Tamil party, did not attend the meeting.

"The second round of discussions with the Party Leaders was convened today and a general consensus was reached regarding the 21st Amendment. However, the amendment may be subject to revisions based on the Supreme Court determination regarding the SJB constitutional amendment," Wickremesinghe tweeted after the meeting.

The key constitutional reform was a major plank of the agreement between Rajapaksa and Wickremesinghe when he took over the job of the prime minister on May 12. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had also pledged reforms in the Constitution in an address to the nation last month.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Sanaa [Yemen], June 3 (ANI): A truce between the Government in Yemen and Houthi rebels has been renewed for an additional two months, UN Special Envoy for the country Hans Grundberg announced on Thursday.

"By agreeing to implement and now renewing the truce, the parties have provided a rare glimmer of hope to Yemenis that an end to this devastating conflict is possible," he said in a statement.

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The extension comes into effect at 7 pm, local time, and under the same terms as the original UN-brokered agreement, which began on 2 April.

The conflict between Yemeni Government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and the Houthis began in 2015, a few months after the rebels took over the capital, Sana'a. Over the past two months, the country's people have experienced the tangible benefits of the truce, said Grundberg.

Also Read | United Nations Approves Turkeys Request To Change Name to Turkiye.

Civilian casualties have dropped significantly, fuel deliveries through Hudaydah port have increased considerably, and commercial flights have resumed at the main airport in Sana'a, after nearly six years.

Additionally, the parties have been meeting face-to-face under UN auspices for the first time in years to make progress toward opening roads in Taiz and other war-ravaged governorates and implementing nationwide military de-escalation mechanisms.

"I commend the parties for taking these steps, and for agreeing to extend the truce," said Grundberg. "The truce represents a significant shift in the trajectory of the war and has been achieved through responsible and courageous decision making by the parties."

He added that additional steps still need to be taken, particularly on road openings and commercial flight operations.

The UN envoy will continue his engagement with the parties towards fully consolidating all elements of the truce and a sustainable political settlement to the conflict.

"I count on the parties' continued cooperation in good faith to build trust and take meaningful steps towards providing a peaceful future for all Yemenis," he said.

Grundberg was grateful for international support for the implementation and renewal of the truce.

In particular, he mentioned the support of Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the members of the UN Security Council. He also underlined his appreciation to Egypt and Jordan for their support in facilitating the resumption of international commercial flights from Sana'a airport. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Wisconsin [US], June 3 (ANI): Two people were injured in gunfire by a shooter at a funeral in Graceland Cemetery in Wisconsin on Thursday, according to police and local media.

The funeral was being held for a man identified as 37-year-old King who was shot at and killed by a police officer in Racine County in Wisconsin last week

Also Read | Joe Biden Urges US Congress to Ban Assault-Style Weapons, Pass Red Flag Laws, Other Measures to Curb Gun Violence.

"At 2:26 pm there were multiple shots fired at Graceland Cemetery," the Racine police had tweeted.

"There are victims but unknown how many at this time," police originally said, but later confirmed to the Journal Sentinel (a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin), that two adults were struck by gunfire.

Also Read | US President Joe Biden May Visit Saudi Arabia in Late June: Reports.

The shooting occurred at the interment for Da'Shontay L. King Sr., the man fatally shot by Racine police on May 20, King's sister, Natasha Mullen said. "We were at the gravesite trying to get prepared to bury him, and bullets started flying everywhere," she said.

Notably, King, 37, was fatally killed by a Racine police officer during a traffic stop about two weeks ago.

The Racine Police had said they were carrying out a search warrant on a vehicle when King who they said had a handgun and ran from the car. Following this, Zachary B. Brenner, the Racine police officer, shot King. As of now, it is not clear exactly why the police officer shot King.

According to the Racine police, King "took an action" that prompted Brenner to shoot, but the Wisconsin Department of Justice did not mention such an action in a statement.

King's funeral service took place at noon Thursday at the Fellowship of Christian Believers Church, 703 Washington Ave., according to his obituary. His interment at the cemetery was to follow.

Racine Mayor Cory Mason, in a statement, said, "Today's heinous shooting at a cemetery, while a family was already mourning the loss of a loved one, is a new low for these perpetrators of violence in our community." "The violence has got to stop! Revenge is not the answer," Mason added, reported the Wisconsin local media portal on its website.

The Mayor asked the Racine police to enforce a curfew for all people under the age of 18. As a safety measure, the Mayor said that all juvenile residents must be home by 11 pm.

There is a recent upsurge seen in incidents of shootings in the US. Earlier, an 18-year-old gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The death toll in the mass shooting incident at a school in Texas was 21 including 19 children and two adults.

US President Joe Biden condemned the attack on students at a school in Texas saying that gun laws cannot prevent every tragedy but they have a positive impact pointing out that mass shootings tripled after the assault weapon ban expired.

On Thursday, Biden urged US Congress to ban assault-style weapons and expand background checks to curb gun violence in the United States.

The president also called for "red flag" laws and a repeal of the immunity that protects gun manufacturers from legal liability if their weapons are used in violence.

"For God's sake, how much more carnage are we willing to accept?" Biden asked adding, "How many more innocent lives must be taken before we say, 'Enough'?"

The remarks come after the US, in just three weeks witnessed three deadly shootouts and 35 deaths. The most recent one that took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, resulted in five people dead including the shooter at Saint Francis Hospital.

Over half of Americans supported making gun violence laws more strict, The Hill reported citing a poll conducted between the mass shootings that took place this month in New York and Texas.

Fifty four per cent of those surveyed in a CBS News-YouGov poll out said they would like to see stricter laws regulating the sale of guns.

A total of 30 per cent say they want gun laws to remain the same, and 16 per cent said they wanted gun laws to be less strict, the report added. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
How badly do we miss Johnny Depp playing the popular character of Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise? Well, after the iconic Amber Heard verdict, this may happen according to some sources. Yes, Johnny Depp might return to play the iconic character once again. People.com report mentions that a former Disney executive feels that the Hollywood star could return to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise given that the actor's career is expected to bounce back following the case verdict. Amber Heards Lawyer Says She Cant Pay $10 Million in Damages to Johnny Depp.

This means that after clearing his name in the defamation suit, Johnny Depp might get his projects back, beginning with Pirates of the Caribbean. Speaking to People, the executive said, "I absolutely believe post-verdict that Pirates is primed for rebooting with Johnny as Capt. Jack back on board. "There is just too much potential box-office treasure for a beloved character deeply embedded in the Disney culture." How Johnny Depps Lawyer Camille Vasquez Became an Overnight Internet Sensation.

However, during the defamation trial, Johnny Depp was asked if he would return to the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise if he is approached by Disney again? to which the actor's answer was a big No. Fans love for Depp's iconic character might make him think twice on this, we never know.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 03, 2022 03:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Mumbai, June 3: The Punjab School Education Board has finally declared the PSEB Class 8 Result 2022. The Punjab Board Class 8 Result was declared on June 2, however, the result link was activated today, June 3 at 10 am. Students who appeared for the Class 8 examination can visit the official website of PSEB at pseb.ac.in.

As per this year's results, the pass percentage is 98.25 percent. While declaring the PSEB Class 8 Result, officials said that 3,02,558 students passed the exams out of a total of 3,07,942 who appeared for the examinations. WB Madhyamik Result 2022: WBBSE Class 10th Results Declared; Boys Outshine Girls, 86.60% Pass.

Manpreet Singh secured first place in the state in this year's PSEB Class 8th Result. However, girls outshined boys with an average pass percentage of 98.70 while boys managed to earn a 97.86 pass percentage.

Steps to check PSEB Class 8th Result 2022:

Visit the official website of PSEB at pseb.ac.in

Click on the result link on the homepage

Enter your details

Results will be displayed on the screen

Download a copy for future reference

Another highlight of this year's exams was that the transgender students who appeared for the Class 8 exams secured a 100 percent pass percentage. All nine transgender students cleared the examinations.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 03, 2022 11:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Jaipur, June 3: The body of Vijay Beniwal, a resident of Rajasthan's Hanumangarh district who was killed in a terrorist attack in Kashmir, was cremated in his native village Bhagwan on Friday.

The body reached the village from Kashmir on Friday morning.

Beniwal's last rites took place in the village's cremation ground and was attended by hundreds of people. Jammu and Kashmir Civilian Killings: Frightened Kashmiri Pandits, Government Employees Demand Relocation to Home Districts

Around 7 a.m., Beniwal's wife reached Bhagwan village with her husband's body. Seeing the dead body of the son, the father fell unconscious. The last rites were performed shortly afterwards. Vijay had promised to come to the village in July. After marriage, he had not returned to the village. He wanted to change his cadre and also took a test for it.

Bank manager Beniwal was married only about three months back and had taken his wife along with him to Kashmir.

Beniwal's father said, "My son was preparing for the examination so that he could get the job of branch manager elsewhere. We wanted him to come back to Rajasthan."

Officials said that after being shot, he was taken to the hospital, but could not be saved.

CCTV footage of the attack showed a terrorist entering the bank and firing at Vijay Beniwal.

Beniwal was posted as manager in Ellaquai Dehati Bank (EDB) located at Areh Mohanpora in Kulgam district.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday strongly criticised the brutal killing and urged the Central government to ensure security of residents of Kashmir.

"The killing of Vijay Kumar, a resident of Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, working in Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir, by terrorists is highly condemnable. I pray to God to give peace to his soul and courage to his family," he said in his tweet.

Taking the Central government on his radar, Gehlot said, "The NDA government has failed to restore peace in Kashmir. The central government should ensure the safety of citizens in Kashmir. Such killing of our citizens by terrorists will not be tolerated," he added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 03, 2022 06:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Bengaluru, June 3: The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) announced on Friday that students wearing hijab will not be allowed to enter the examination hall to take the Common Entrance Test (CET) for admissions to professional courses.

The students will have to remove hijab before entering the examination hall. The KEA has also clarified that any cloth or dress which symbolises religion is not allowed. Karnataka Hijab Row: 2 Students From Udupi Challenge Hijab Ban, Return Home Without Writing Exam

The CET examination will be conducted on lines of SSLC (10th class) and II PUC exams. CET will be held on June 16, 17, and 18. The students have been asked to attend CET with respective uniforms.

In the backdrop of allegations of rampant corrupt practices in entrance exams to posts of Police Sub-inspectors (PSI) and Associate Professors, authorities have decided to ensure fair conduct of examinations.

Students attending CET are not allowed to wear 'Mangal Sutras', nose ring, earring, gold chain, bangles and other gold ornaments. The students have also been asked not to bring watches, calculators and any electronic device.

The exams will be conducted on lines of NEET exams and jammers and metal detectors have been installed at the exam halls. Around 2.11 lakh students-1.4 lakh boys and 1.7 lakh girls- have enrolled for CET exams.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 03, 2022 07:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Pune, June 3: A 38-year-old man put on ventilator support at his home in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra for treatment of a lung ailment, died as the breathing machine stopped functioning allegedly owing to a power outage, prompting the police to begin a probe.

The incident occurred on Thursday night in Uchgaon village in Karvir tehsil of the western Maharashtra district, around 230 kms from here, police said. Maharashtra: 6 Killed, 7 Injured After Truck Hits Three-Wheeler in Ahmednagar; Driver Arrested.

"The patient - Amesh Kale - was suffering from a lung illness for the past few years. He was kept on a ventilator at his House. However, the electricity distribution company snapped the power supply of the place on May 30 alleging non-payment of bill. After that his family made some temporary arrangement to restore the power supply for his treatment," an official of Gandhinagar police station in Uchgaon said on Friday.

On Thursday night, there was a power outage in the area following rains, due to which the ventilator stopped working, leading to the death of the patient, he added.

Confirming the incident, Kolhapur Superintendent of Police Shailesh Balkawade said, "The police department is conducting an inquiry into the death of the patient due to a power outage."

According to police, following Kale's death, his angry family members and relatives gathered outside a local government hospital, where his post-mortem was conducted, and demanded action against the power distribution company.

It was only after the local police officials gave an assurance to conduct a probe that they took his body into their custody, they said.
New Delhi, June 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Uttar Pradesh to participate in the 'Ground Breaking Ceremony @ 3.0' of the UP Investors Summit.

Modi will also visit the ancestral home of President Ram Nath Kovind.

In a series of tweets Prime Minister Modi said, "Leaving for Lucknow, where I will take part in the Ground Breaking Ceremony @ 3.0 of the UP Investors Summit. The foundation stone for various investment projects will be laid which will transform the lives of people in UP."

The Prime Minister noted that in the last five years, Uttar Pradesh has made efforts to draw more investments. "In the last five years, Uttar Pradesh has made numerous efforts to draw record investment in the state. These investments cover diverse sectors. The good business environment in the state augurs well for both investors and the local youth. PM Narendra Modi Led-Cabinet Allows Procurement by Cooperatives As Buyers on Government E-Marketplace.

"After the programme in Lucknow I will be in Kanpur to attend a series of programmes in the august presence of Rashtrapati Ji. The programmes include a visit to the Pathri Mata Mandir, Dr. BR Ambedkar Bhawan and Milan Kendra, Rashtrapati Ji's ancestral house," the Prime Minister added.

During the 'Ground Breaking Ceremony @3.0', the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of 1,406 projects worth more than Rs 80,000 crore. The projects encompass diverse sectors like agriculture and allied, IT and electronics, MSME, manufacturing, renewable energy, pharma, tourism, defence and aerospace, handloom and textiles. The ceremony will be attended by top industry leaders of the country.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 03, 2022 10:43 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Hyderabad, June 3: Tension prevailed at Jubilee Hills police station on Friday as BJP workers staged a protest demanding arrest of the accused involved in the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl by a group of teenagers.

Workers of BJP and BJYM staged a sit-in at the police station, raising slogans demanding arrest of the accused said to be belonging to politically influential families. Some of the protesters including women barged into police station premises but were stopped and detained by the police. Delhi Shocker: Police Personnel Stabbed, Accused Held

Alleging that the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is trying to shield the culprits, they demanded resignation of Home Minister Mehmood Ali.

BJP leader Chintala Ramachandra Reddy alleged that since the accused belong to families of MIM and TRS leaders, the TRS government is not taking action.

"Though the crime was committed six days ago, the police have not arrested anybody under pressure of MIM," he said.

The victim had gone to a pub for a party and after promising to drop her home ,the accused sexually assaulted her in a Mercedes car.

The shocking incident came to light on Friday. Police reportedly detained two suspects and were questioning them.

The girl was raped in a luxury car in posh Jubilee Hills on May 28 by 3-5 accused.

Police said since all suspects are minor they are proceeding as per rules. A police official told reporters outside Jubilee Hills police station that the investigations were on.

Meanwhile, minister for industry and information technology K. T. Rama Rao has expressed shock over the rape incident.

He requested the home minister, Director General of Police Mahender Reddy and Police Commissioner to take immediate and stern action. "Please don't spare anyone involved irrespective of their statuses or affiliations," tweeted minister KTR

BJP MLA Raghunandan Rao alleged that the accused were part of a bachelors' party organised at the pub ahead of the marriage of the home minister's grandson.

He alleged that as per the information he received, sons of a MIM MLA and Wakf Board chairman were involved in the incident.

Rao said the Mercedes car belonged to the sister of MIM MLA. He wanted police to make CCTV footage public.

The minor girl had gone to a pub along with a friend. As her friend had left early, she befriended a boy during the party. He along with his friends promised to drop her home. About eight boys along with the girl left the pub in two cars.

They stopped at a pastry shop enroute and later parked the car in Jubilee Hills, where 3-5 boys sexually assaulted her in a car. They later dropped her back at the pub.

The incident came to light when the girl's father noticed injuries on her neck and enquired about it. She told him that some boys attacked her after a party at a pub.

On the complaint by victim's father, police on June 1 registered a case under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and took up investigation. It was initially treated as a case of outraging modesty but after recording the statement of the victim police altered the section to 376 of IPC.

Police have constituted four teams to arrest the accused. The teams are also searching for them in other states.

A police officer said they were looking for the accused based on the statement of the victim. The police were also scanning CCTV footage and gathering other technical evidence.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 03, 2022 10:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
"The president will look for opportunities to engage with leaders from the Middle East region," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. Biden plans this month to travel to a NATO summit in Spain and Group of Seven summit in Germany.
Once declared, students can visit the official website at wbbse.wb.gov.in in order to check their WB 10th board exam results.
The #Argentine government has "no doubt" that it will meet the targets agreed upon with the International Monetary Fund (#IMF) for its second technical review, Argentine Presidential spokesperson #GabrielaCerruti said.



Photo: @gabicerru /Facebook pic.twitter.com/WV6KCMImDF IANS (@ians_india) June 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.)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah begins the high-level security review meeting on Jammu and Kashmir, at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in Delhi. ANI (@ANI) June 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.)
Update | In the initial exchange of fire, 3 army personnel & 1 civilian injured. All the injured were immediately airlifted to 92 base hospital in Srinagar for treatment, & are stated to be stable. Operation underway: J&K Police ANI (@ANI) June 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.)
Stockholm, June 3: India and Canada have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish stronger cooperation on environmental protection and climate action.

India's Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav and Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault on Thursday signed the MoU to increase bilateral cooperation on climate action, environmental protection and conservation.

The signing took place on the sidelines of the Stockholm+50 meeting and was made possible thanks to an earlier meeting between the two ministers at COP26 last year.

Under the MoU, both countries have agreed to collaborate, exchange information and expertise, and support the respective ambition in a wide range of areas, including increasing renewable energy capacity, decarbonizing heavy industries, reducing plastic pollution, supporting the sound management of chemicals, and ensuring sustainable consumption. World Environment Day 2022 Date & Theme: Know History, Eco Day Slogan, Objective And Significance of The Global Celebration.

Both countries are intent on supporting each other's climate and environmental goals by finding effective, long-term solutions that will also provide opportunities to advance economic growth and job creation.

Canada has several proven clean technologies which could be of interest to India, such as water and waste management systems, clean hydrogen, smart grids, and energy storage.

The MoU builds on existing cooperation between both countries, such as our common work as members of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, which is advocating for world leaders to adopt a post-2020 global biodiversity framework to conserve 30 per cent of the world's marine and terrestrial areas by 2030.

The environment is also increasingly under threat from plastic waste and pollution. Canada has been tackling this threat by proposing bans on harmful single-use plastics, investing in innovative solutions, and laying the foundation for a circular economy.

Working more closely with India will help the collective interest to move toward a zero-plastic waste future.

"This agreement is a significant milestone for Indo-Canadian relations on some of the most pressing global issues of our time. We are launching a collaborative process between our two governments that will strengthen each of our responses to the challenges we face in dealing with climate action and nature protection," said Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

India is a key partner in addressing climate change and environmental issues.

By 2030, India will become the world's third-largest economy and is currently the world's third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, after China and the US.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 03, 2022 02:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met her husband, Paul Pelosi, while she was still studying at Trinity College in Washington, D.C. They married in September 1963 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore, Maryland, according to Meaww.

The couple first moved to New York and then to San Francisco in 1969. At the time, Paul's brother, Ronald Pelosi, was a member of the City and County of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors.

Paul was born and raised in San Francisco. He now owns and operates Financial Leasing Services, Inc., a real estate and venture capital investment and consulting firm based in San Francisco.

According to reports, Nancy Pelosi and Paul Pelosi found each other compatible and have been together for more than 55 years.

READ NEXT: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Husband Arrested for Driving Under the Influence in Napa, California

Nancy Pelosi and Paul Pelosi's Children

Nancy Pelosi and Paul Pelosi have five children together: Nancy Corinne, Jacqueline, Christine, Paul, and Alexandra. The couple also has nine grandchildren.

Alexandra Pelosi

Alexandra Pelosi is the youngest daughter of the House Speaker and the well-known real estate tycoon. The 51-year-old is known for being an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker and journalist.

According to Hollywood Life, her most recent work is the 2020 Showtime documentary, "American Selfie: One Nation Shoots Itself." The film features New York City during the start of the pandemic in March and April 2020, bringing to the spotlight America's dark moments.

Alexandra earlier said the film's purpose was to make an artifact of how America looks in 2020 so that future generations can look back at the moment.

Paul Pelosi Jr.

Paul Pelosi Jr. is very much like his father, with experience in business and real estate. However, according to Daily Mail, Nancy Pelosi's 53-year-old only son has been linked to different fraud and bribery schemes.

The House speaker's son was reportedly involved in five companies probed by federal agencies before, during, or after his time there. But Pelosi Jr. has never been accused or charged with crimes relating to these cases.

Christine Pelosi

Christine Pelosi is like her mother, who joined the world of politics. The 56-year-old is currently a Democratic Party political strategist from California.

According to The Sun, she was formerly an attorney and has served as HUD Special Counsel in the Clinton-Gore administration and a chief of staff on Capitol Hill.

Christine has also been writing articles for The Huffington Post since 2007. She earlier said that her mom raised five very different children and treated them equally.

Christine is married to Emmy-nominated filmmaker Peter Kaufman. They live in San Francisco with their children, Bella and Octavio.

Nancy Corinne Pelosi

Born in 1964, Nancy Corinne Pelosi is Nancy Pelosi and Paul Pelosi's oldest child. She is married to businessman Theodore Jeffrey Prowda, who runs a real estate and venture capital investment and consulting firm.

After they married in 2008, she changed her name to Nancy Prowda. She has mainly stayed out of the public eye, and little is known about her career.

Jacqueline Pelosi

Jacqueline Pelosi, who was born in 1968, has kept her life the most private out of all of the Pelosi children. According to reports, she currently owns and teaches in an art studio. Jacqueline reportedly has three sons with her husband, Michael Kenneally.

READ MORE: Nancy Pelosi, Kevin McCarthy Urged in a Letter to Pass Bill on Stock Ban Among Congress Members

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Nancy Pelosi - San Francisco and Intro to Politics - From KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco
Law enforcement in Mexico has arrested a suspected serial killer, who was accused of reeling in women through fake Facebook ads for a job offer.

The Guardian reported that the suspect is an alleged serial killer of women, with at least seven cases of women's killings where the person could be involved, according to assistant public safety secretary Ricardo Mejia.

Surveillance camera footage from two states showed the man meeting with the victims in public cases.

Officials said in one case, the victim was driven away on a motorbike.

Mejia said the most recent case involved a 31-year-old woman who was killed in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz after she went for a job interview last month.

The assistant public safety secretary identified the recent victim as Viridiana Moreno, adding that Moreno left her house in Cardel to attend a supposed job interview she got with someone on Facebook.

Mejia said that the 31-year-old disappeared after that.

READ NEXT: Mexican Murderers' El Chino,' 'Monsters of Ecatepec' Among Most Notorious Serial Killers in Mexico

Mexico Serial Killer

Prosecutors noted that the man had a series of aliases he had been using. He had also been sought on rape charges in 2012, according to a CBS News report.

They listed Juan Carlos Gasperin and Greek Roman Villalobos as his two most common aliases.

The alleged Mexico serial killer was arrested with a female companion in the northern state of Queretaro. It was unclear if the suspect had a lawyer.

Authorities said he may also have been involved in cases in the states of Queretaro and Puebla.

Moreno's name was made public by relatives who protested after her disappearance. Her body was found days later and was identified by an ID card found near the scene and by DNA testing.

The same suspect had killed a 22-year-old student looking for work in April, according to prosecutors in the central state of Morelos.

Local activists said that the student was lured into meeting the suspect at a cafeteria in late March by a Facebook ad for a job or articles for sale.

The suspect had taken her to a barber shop, where she was killed. Her body was found three days later, with prosecutors saying she was "beaten, sexually abused, and strangled."

Serial Killer Cases in Mexico

In 2021, authorities apprehended a serial killer with investigators digging under the house of the suspect.

ABC News noted that investigators have found 3,787 bone fragments so far, belonging to 17 different victims.

He was caught after killing his recent victim, a 34-year-old woman who was the wife of a police commander.

The police commander knew that the suspect had accompanied his wife on a shopping trip the day she disappeared.

He then gained access to police surveillance cameras showing that his wife had entered the suspect's street but never left.

The policeman then found his wife's body inside the suspect's home when he confronted the killer.

Investigators found women's clothing, voter IDs, and audio and video tapes, implying that the suspect recorded his victims.

READ MORE: Brian Laundrie Manhunt: Parents of Gabby Petito's Fiance Change the Date of Florida Fugitive's Disappearance

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: No-Go Zones - World's Toughest Places | Tepito, Mexico - from Free Documentary
After the Johnny Depp verdict was released, Amber Heard lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, believes that the jury in the Amber Heard defamation trial was influenced by what they saw on social media.

The high-profile case was widely discussed in both traditional media and social media. Bredehoft claimed that there is "no way" jurors would not have been influenced by what they saw on social media during trial.

The Depp-Heard defamation trial lasted six weeks, with Depp set to receive $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, according to a LAD Bible report.

The punitive damages were later capped at $350,000 by Judge Penny Azcarate.

Bredehoft said that the media coverage of the trial on social media was "horrible." She described the case as like the "Roman Colosseum," when it comes to how the public viewed the whole case.

When asked if Heard is able to pay $10 million in compensation, she replied, "Oh no, absolutely not."

READ NEXT: Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard: Popular Streamer Pokimane Gets Major Backlash for Meme Mocking Domestic Abuse

Johnny Depp Verdict

Amber Heard's lawyer noted in an exclusive interview with TODAY that she believed Depp's legal team worked to "demonize" Heard and was able to suppress "an enormous amount of evidence" during the defamation trial that was won by Depp.

Bredehoft said that a number of things were allowed in the court that should not have been allowed, adding that it confused the jury.

Depp sued the Aquaman actress for $50 million over an op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in 2018, wherein she identified a "public figure representing domestic abuse."

Depp was not named in the story. However, his lawyers argued that it was an "implication" that Depp was an abuser.

Depp released a statement after the verdict, saying that the goal of the case was to reveal the truth, "regardless of the outcome."

Bredehoft said that the verdict was "a horrible message," and a "significant setback." She then cited a verdict with a 2020 case in the United Kingdom, wherein Depp lost a libel lawsuit against the Sun for calling him a "wife-beater."

Amber Heard Defamation Trial

Depp's lawyers asked jurors in closing arguments to give the actor his "life back" after it was "ruined" by domestic abuse allegations from Heard.

Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages but no punitive damages.

Independent news reported that a spokesperson for Heard noted that the actress has decided to appeal the verdict.

A jury determined Heard defamed Depp on all three counts in his lawsuit against her about the 2018 Washington Post op-ed.

Fans of the two have documented the defamation trial, noting every move and mannerism in court, as well as their attorneys' arguments.

Meanwhile, Attorney Lisa Bloom believes that the public has not seen the end of the Deep-Heard trial, adding that the case will be decided on appeal.

Bloom has a list of clients, including Janice Dickinson in her allegations against Bill Cosby and Mischa Barton in a revenge porn lawsuit.

READ MORE: Amber Heard Dating History: Johnny Depp, Elon Musk and Some Latino Men She's Been With

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by Mary Webber

WATCH: Jury sides with Johnny Depp in defamation trial - from CNBC Television
Kim Kardashian's dream of attending Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations with her boyfriend, Pete Davidson, has been dashed by the Buckingham Palace.

Despite her best efforts, Buckingham Palace has reportedly rejected her pleas to attend the Platinum Jubilee party at the Palace on Saturday.

According to Daily Mail, representatives for the 41-year-old reality star asked for tickets. However, officials at Buckingham Palace and publicists at the BBC, which will broadcast the show, reportedly turned the Hollywood couple down.

A source told Daily Mail that Kim was determined to attend the Platinum Jubilee party, so she tried to procure tickets by other means and has even said she does not mind if the tickets were "not VIP."

Sources told the outlet that the SKIMS founder rarely gets turned down to attend any event, making Buckingham Palace's rejection "quite surprising."

They added that Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson love the Royal Family and "really wanted to be part of this special celebration." Queen, Nile Rodgers, and Diana Ross will perform at the event.

David Beckham and David Attenborough will also make appearances. Members of the Royal Family are also expected to attend on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, who will be watching on TV from Windsor Castle.

The 96-year-old queen will miss a national service of thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral in London on Friday after she experienced "discomfort" on Thursday.

READ NEXT: Kim Kardashian Admits She Just Pursued Pete Davidson for Sex After Hearing About His 'BDE'

Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson in London

Kim Kardashian arrived in London with her boyfriend Pete Davidson early this week. According to Harper's Bazaar, the couple was spotted walking around the city holding hands on Monday.

The fashion mogul and the SNL star were also seen enjoying a low-key date at The River Cafe later that night. Kim and Pete's date in London came days after the comedian had his last performance on SNL.

On Tuesday, the pair went jewelry shopping in London's Mayfair. Kim and Pete walked hand-in-hand in Dover Street Market before stepping into Comme des Garcons Jewellery.

Kim was then seen browsing various items on display with the help of a shop assistant. The reality star showcased her famous curves and derriere in metallic gold leggings, which she partnered with a cream Balenciaga zip-up hoody.

It's unclear if the Platinum Jubilee celebrations were among the reasons for the couple's trip to the U.K. A source told Us Weekly that Pete Davidson is now in London for work.

The source added that the 28-year-old comedian will be going to Australia for the movie "Wizards!" in a few months, and he really wanted to hang with Kim Kardashian "as much as possible before then."

Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee

Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday made two appearances on the Buckingham Palace balcony, wearing light blue with her gloved hands resting on a cane, as she watched a military parade.

The palace later announced that the Queen "greatly enjoyed" the parade, which kicked off the celebrations for Queen Elizabeth's 70th year on the throne. However, she did "experience some discomfort," according to Washington Post.

The royal family members joined the Queen on the palace balcony. However, Prince Andrew, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle were not seen. The Sussex couple were only spotted behind the scenes, while the palace announced that Prince Andrew had tested positive for COVID-19.

Across the British Isles, 3,200 beacons were lit to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. Bruno Peek, the pageant master for the jubilee beacons, told the Washington Post that the Queen has become their beacon, "unfailing in her service," so they wished to show her their appreciation.

Kicking off the four-day festivities was the Queen's Birthday Parade. The 260-year-old tradition, also known as Trooping the Color, features 1,400 soldiers in scarlet tunics and bearskin caps marching in precision drills while bands mounted on horses pounded on kettle drums and blew trumpets.

There was also an 82-gun salute at the end of the parade and a "flypast" by the Royal Air Force, featuring 70 fighter planes and helicopters roaring overhead, with some flying in formation to spell the number "70."

READ MORE: Kim Kardashian Divorce Case: Kanye West's Fourth Attorney Quits Amid Legal Battle With the Reality Star

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Kim Kardashian & Pete Davidson Hold Hands In London - From Access
A Laois village that is on the priority list for Irish Water, is to get an upgrade on its leaky pipe network.

Emo village, the home of the national landmark estate Emo Court, will see work start next week to replace leaking water mains pipes.

Irish Water working in partnership with Laois County Council, will replace almost 2kms of old and problematic water mains with modern pipes to provide a more reliable water supply and improve the water quality.

The project represents a significant investment in Emo, which is being prioritised as part of Irish Waters National Leakage Reduction Programme.

Works will involve the laying of new water service connections from the public water mains located within the road to customers property boundaries and connecting it to the customers water supply.

A new and modern pipework installed as part of these improvement works will significantly reduce the high level of leakage and bursts that are impacting houses and businesses.

They say they will be limiting work to short sections to minimise the impact on customers. Works taking place along the R419 will be managed under a stop and go system while the works on L3154 will require a temporary road closure, with details of any diversion routes to be communicated locally.

The works will be carried out on behalf of Irish Water by Ward & Burke Construction and are expected to be completed by the end of August of this year.

Sean Fleming Laois Offaly TD and Minister of State in the Department of Finance has welcomed the news.

"I am very pleased that works are commencing and the residents and businesses in the Emo will benefit from a significant improvement in the supply and quality of their water from this major project. The costs involved in this project is a matter between Irish Water and their contractors," he said.

Joe Carroll is Regional Delivery Lead at Irish Water.

We are very much aware of the water quality issues that are impacting homes and businesses in Emo and this project will significantly improve their water quality.

Replacing old and damaged pipes which have had a long history of leakage, resulting in outages and low pressure to homes and businesses, will ensure the delivery a more reliable water supply for generations to come.

These ongoing projects are part of a significant investment by Irish Water to upgrade the water network across Laois and we would like to thank customers for their continued cooperation and patience while we continue to upgrade and improve the water supply for local communities in the county, Mr Carroll said.

Irish Water is on track to reduce the national leakage rate to 25% by the end of 2030. In 2018 the rate of leakage nationally was 46%, by the end of 2021 it was reduced to 38%. Their customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278
A new support service to assist people dealing with harmful gambling is now available at Portlaoise Family Resource Centre, Laois.

The National Problem Gambling Support Service was officially launched this week by Gambling Awareness Trust. The service is a collaboration between Gambling Awareness Trust and the Family Resource Centre National Forum (FRCNF), which will see Portlaiose and the 20 Family Resource Centres (FRCs) across the country provide professional and confidential counselling services to those experiencing harmful gambling and their families.

Counselling staff with experience in dealing with gambling addiction have been appointed in each of the participating FRCs. It is expected that the service will run for an initial three-year period, with a project evaluation to follow at the end of the final year. The service will be offered at affordable rates based on each persons ability to pay.

Speaking about the service, Pam Bergin, Executive Director of Gambling Awareness Trust, urged people to avail of the help the new service can provide.

I would strongly encourage anyone in Laois who is experiencing harmful gambling to contact their local FRC. Harmful gambling can have serious consequences for peoples mental health, their employment and relationships. International research reports that for every single person identified with a gambling disorder, up to six other people are impacted significantly. Given the estimated prevalence of 55,000 problem gamblers in Ireland this presents a significant number of individuals affected in Irish society and highlights the need for increased services and supports in this area.

The National Problem Gambling Support Service will provide vital community-based support to help those experiencing harmful gambling and their affected others. Through the FRCs, Gambling Awareness Trust wants to end the stigma attached to problem gambling by sending a strong message to those affected that professional and confidential support is available, she said.

Fergal Landy, CEO Family Resource Centre National Forum, added: The Family Resource Centre National Forum is delighted to collaborate with Gambling Awareness Trust to contribute to the development of a National Problem Gambling Support Service for those experiencing harmful gambling and their families.

Given the unique position of Family Resource Centres within communities through Ireland, it is welcome that Gambling Awareness Trust have recognised our capacity to deliver a consistent, high quality, national service, to respond to the very immediate need in this important and underserved area of work. The ability of local Family Resource Centres in Laois, and across the country to offer a therapeutic response through counselling integrated with a community development approach to family support is to fore in how this service will be implemented.

The Gambling Awareness Trust is encouraging people who would like to access the service to visit their website: www.gamblingcare.ie or local Family Resource Centre website for more information.

About Gambling Awareness Trust

The Gambling Awareness Trust (GAT) is an independent charity established in 2018. GAT is a grant-making and distribution body. It works in partnership with other organisations, agencies, and experts to help reduce and prevent gambling-related harm with a specific focus on the areas of prevention, treatment and supports, education and research. GAT is funded by contributions from the retail and online betting industry in Ireland through a social responsibility fund.
People who do not need urgent hospital care over the June Bank Holiday weekend will face "very long waiting times" in Portlaoise hospital if they attended with an non-emergency condition, the HSE has warned.

To avoid this happening, the HSE encouraging the public to look at all options available before attending emergency departments at Portlaoise hospital and to keep the ED available for those who most urgently need care.

In a statement issued on Friday, June 3 the HSE's Dublin Midland Hospital Group said that, as the June bank holiday approaches, the public should onsider all care options before attending Emergency Departments at hospitals in Laois, Dublin, Offaly and Kildare and and elsewhere because EDs need to be kept clear for staff patients who need urgent and emergency care .

This year, the HSE said hospitals have reported record numbers of patients presenting at EDs for care and treatment, including a sharp increase in the number of patients who are seen and treated in the ED and then discharged without requiring admission to hospital. It added that many of these patients could have been treated at other healthcare services such as Injury Units, GP and GP out of Hour services and pharmacies.

The HSE reminded the public that patients who require urgent and emergency will be treated first.

"Patients who attend EDs for routine and non-urgent treatment are being advised that they will experience very long waiting times over the coming weekend and into early next week," it said.

While the HSE said it regrets this delay and it said it is asking all to help staff through a challenging time for our services by:

 Considering all healthcare options before attending ED including Injury Units, GP services and pharmacies

 Dialling 999 or 112 for emergency care if there is concern for serious illness or injury

 Continuing to wear face masks and maintaining good hand hygiene practices when attending hospitals

 Abiding by all infection control measures including visiting restrictions in hospitals and hospitals wards

The HSE advised if someone else is seriously ill or needs urgent emergency care do not delay going to ED or dialling 999/112 for help.

The Dublin Midlands Hospital Group urged the public to use out of hours primary care provided by MIDOC, an appointment only GP service located in the Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath Areas.

It said this service is for patients who need urgent medical attention that cannot wait to be seen by their usual GP.

The HSE said the opening hours are Monday to Friday: 6pm-8am and Saturday/Sunday/Bank Hols: 24 Hours. Telephone: 1800 302 702 or go to www.midoc.ie for more information.

The Dublin Midland Hospital Group oversees hospitals in Portlaoise, Tullamore, Naas and Dublin on behalf of the HSE.
Dublin's M50 closed heading for Dublin Airport due to a fatal road traffic collision as the June Bank Holdiday weekend began.

The Northbound of the busy national route shut shortly before 2pm today between Junction 9 and Junction 7 with diversions in place as Gardai investigate the incident.

Gardai advised all road users to avoid the area if possible as traffic is currently extremely congested.

Gardai are also advising all road users on the N7, intending on travelling on the M50 Northbound to avoid the area or take alternative routes if possible.

Gardai also appealed for any witnesses to this collision to come forward.

"Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) who were travelling on the M50 Northbound before Junction 9 prior to the road being closed or to any road users who may have passed the scene to please make this footage available to Gardai," said a statement.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Lucan Garda Station on 01 6667300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
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Fuel trucks line up in front of storage tanks at the North Jiddah bulk plant, an Aramco oil facility, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 21, 2021. AMR NABIL / AP

The White House announced Thursday, June 2, President Joe Biden has decided to travel to Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks and is expected to meet with the kingdoms crown prince, whom he once shunned for his brutality. The visit is coming together as OPEC+ announced earlier that day it will pump more oil amid skyrocketing energy costs around the globe.

In its Thursday statement, the White House praised Saudi Arabia for its role securing an OPEC+ pledge to pump more oil, while Mr.Biden himself lauded the Saudis for agreeing to a cease-fire extension in its eight-year old war with Yemen (which was also announced this Thursday).

'Recalibrate the relationship with Saudi Arabia'

"Saudi Arabia demonstrated courageous leadership by taking initiatives early on to endorse and implement terms of the U.N.-led truce, president Biedn declared, after the 60-day extension of the cease fire with Yemen was announced.

Those warm words mark a sharp contrast with some of Mr.Biden's earlier rhetoric about the oil-rich kingdom. As a candidate, he pledged to treat the Saudis as a pariah for the 2018 killing and dismemberment of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's brutal ways. U.S. intelligence officials determined that the Saudi crown prince likely approved the killing of the journalist.

White House officials expect criticism from Democratic allies and human rights advocates charging Biden is backtracking on human rights, but suggest that in the long term a credible Middle East strategy without key leaders in the kingdom is not tenable.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a Washington audience on Wednesday, June 1st, that Biden's intent coming into office was to recalibrate the relationship with Saudi Arabia and to make sure that that relationship was serving our own interests as well as our values as we move forward  but also preserving it. And thats largely what weve done, Mr.Blinken added.

An appeal bearing results

Biden administration officials have been working behind the scenes to repair relations, discussing shared strategic interests in security and oil with their Saudi counterparts. The effort has played out as the fallout from the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the world's No. 2 crude exporter after Saudi Arabia, and a Saudi-Russian brokered cap on oil production have raised crude prices and sent prices Americans pay at the pump to record highs.

Besides helping to keep gas prices high for consumers globally, the tight oil supply helps Russia fund its invasion of Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited the Saudi kingdom Tuesday. Biden and Democrats face rising voter anger over the high prices, making the tight oil supply a top political liability.

Appeals from the U.S. and its allies for the OPEC+ group  OPEC nations plus Russia  to boost production more appeared to bear results Thursday. OPEC nations announced they would raise production by 648,000 barrels per day in July and August, offering modest relief for a struggling global economy. Yet, the increase did not appear to ease concerns about tight supply. Oil prices rose after OPEC+ announced the increase.

Le Monde
President Joe Biden speaks about the latest round of mass shootings, from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, June 2, 2022. Biden is attempting to increase pressure on Congress to pass stricter gun limits after such efforts failed following past outbreaks. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) EVAN VUCCI / AP

It is from the East Room of the White House, that American president Joe Biden called on lawmakers to restore limits on the sale of assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, in a plea sought to drive up pressure on Congress to pass stricter gun limits after such efforts failed following past attacks.

How much more carnage are we willing to accept, Mr.Biden wondered. His mandate as a president as been stained with blood, with consecutive shootings happening back to back. Last week's shooting, by an 18-year-old gunman, who killed 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde (Texas); yesterday's attack in Tulsa (Oklahoma), where a gunman shot and killed four people and himself at a medical office ; May 14 terrorist assault in Buffalo (New York), where a white 18-year-old wearing military gear livestreamed with a helmet camera himself, opening fire with a rifle at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood, killing 10 people and wounding three others in what authorities described as racially motivated violent extremism.

A long shot

His Thursday night address coincided with bipartisan talks that are intensifying among a core group of senators discussing modest gun policy changes. Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary declared Mr.Biden is encouraged by congressional negotiations, yet wants to give lawmakers some space to keep talking.

The private discussions in the Senate, which is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, are not expected to produce the kinds of sweeping reforms being considered by the Democratic-led House  which has approved expansive background checks legislation and will next turn to an assault weapons ban.

But even a House package debated Thursday that is less sweeping yet includes a provision raising the required age for buying semi-automatic firearms to 21, faces slim chances in the Senate. Instead, the bipartisan senators are likely to come up with a more incremental package that would increase federal funding to support state gun safety efforts  with incentives for bolstering school security and mental health resources. The package may also encourage red-flag laws to keep firearms away from those who would do harm.

A heavily relayed intervention

All major broadcast networks broke away from regular programing to carry Bidens remarks at 7:30 p.m. EDT, right before the start of TV's primetime shows, after The White House informed them the president would address live tragic mass shootings, and a need for Congress to pass commonsense laws to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is taking lives every day.

Mr. Biden has used national speeches in the past to speak about the coronavirus pandemic and the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. But the president has used such addresses sparingly during his nearly 18 months in office, especially during evening hours.

Le Monde
A TWO-day literary festival in honour of one of Limerick's finest female writers will return later this month, it has been announced.

The launch of the Limerick Literary Festival in Honour of Kate OBrien took place earlier this week at OMahonys Bookshop in Limerick city centre.

The Festival programme for 2022 includes talks, interviews, poetry, an exhibition, and centres around the theme of re-emergence.

Events are slated to take place on Saturday, June 18 in The People's Museum, Number 2 Pery Square and on Sunday, June 19, in the Belltable on O'Connell Street.

The festival will be opened by Professor Kerstin Mey, University of Limerick President and will feature contributions from authors Frank Shovlin, Stephen Kinsella, Mary Coll, Caitriona Clear and previous winners of the Kate OBrien Award Una Mannion and Sue Rainsford.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kate OBrien (@limerickliteraryfestival)

Authors Caitriona Clear and Mary Coll will lead a session entitled Kate OBrien: why would you bother? exploring the reasons why we should still read the novels of Kate OBrien.

Festival highlights will also include a tribute to the late Limerick artist Dave Lilburn.

On Saturday, June 18, a group of Daves friends and collaborators, Tony Curtis, Ciaran ODriscoll and Judith Hill, among others, will come together in a programme to celebrate the late artist.

The tribute will feature a short film made by Mike ONeill in 1994 of Dave, a regular attendee of the festival, at work in his studio as well as a small exhibition of Daves work.

The festival will culminate with a very special event, Wild Wild Erie: A Paul Durcan Celebration Wild Wild Erie, Paul Durcans most recent book, which celebrates artworks in the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio.

On Sunday, June 19, actors Ingrid Craigie and Mark ORegan will perform a series of poems followed by further readings from Wild Wild Erie, which will be accompanied by images of the artworks projected on a large screen.
SHANNON Airport has announced it expects more than 35,000 passengers to pass through its doors over the bank holiday weekend - representing an 87% return on passenger numbers over the same period in 2019.

The bank holiday passenger traffic comes as the airport sees its 26 summer services in full swing, including the latest destinations to Marseille, Malta, and Barcelona-Girona.

On Saturday, the airports seasonal service to Corfu returns, with flights to the popular Greek island running twice weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays until September 27 with Ryanair.

Commenting ahead of the weekend, Niall Maloney, Shannon Airport's Operations and Commercial Director said. We are looking forward to welcoming passengers through Shannon Airport this bank holiday weekend, as well as greeting our inbound tourists who are landing directly into the West of Ireland. There is a great holiday buzz, and that appetite to take a well-deserved break following the impact of the pandemic over the last two years, is evident."

Mr Maloney added that the recent investment in a state-of-the-art screening system means passengers no longer need to remove laptops and liquids from their cabin bags.

"This along with our US preclearance facility, our sensory room, and the short walk from our car parks to the terminal, provides an easy-as-possible journey for our passengers, through the airport," he stated.

Intending passengers are being advised to arrive at Shannon Airport 90 minutes before their flight and two and-a-half hours before transatlantic flights.
RESEARCH by the University of Limerick has revealed the impact of loneliness on antibody response to Covid-19 vaccines.

In a world first, a group of UL researchers have found that lower neighbourhood cohesion is associated with antibody response to Covid-19 vaccines.

This is important as the more antibodies a person makes, the better the level of protection against hospitalisation and death from Covid-19.

The research team have demonstrated in a study published in the prestigious journal Brain, Behaviour and Immunity, that lower social cohesion also made people feel lonelier, and this was an additional factor in reducing COVID-19 vaccine responses.

The authors found that lower social cohesion was predictive of a lower response to a single-shot of the Covid-19 vaccine; that those who felt less connected to their neighbourhood, had lower trust in their neighbours, and felt unsupported or less similar to their neighbours, made fewer antibodies in comparison to those who reported higher social cohesion.

In addition, those who reported lower social cohesion also tended to report that they felt lonelier, and this, in turn, reduced their antibody response.

Professor Orla Muldoon, who was a member of the Irish National Public Health Emergency Team advisory group on behaviour and communication and was a co-author of the paper, said that these results highlight once again the relevance of public trust and social cohesion to the success of our pandemic response.

"Public and neighbourhood trust, social cohesion, and loneliness have all come to the fore during the pandemic, explained Professor Muldoon.

"For example, during the initial lockdowns a sense of being in it together was an oft used mantra. We had clap for carers in the UK, Italians singing from balconies, Dubliners playing bingo in the flats, all of which increased social cohesion and public trust."

Professor Muldoon continued: "These feelings of social cohesion and trust were short-lived; something UK researchers now call the Dominic Cummings effect.

"Similar diminishing levels of trust were also seen in the US during these periods. Along with this, lockdowns brought social risks such as less social interaction and an increased risk of loneliness.

"As well as the findings of this study showing their role in antibody responses, trust and cohesion have also been shown to drive compliance with public health guidelines and vaccine uptake."
THE RUSSIAN parent company of Aughinish Alumina has declined to comment on reports of a partial buyout of the firm by a British politician.

A story published in The Sunday Times suggested Greg Barker, a Conservative member of the House of Lords in London, held talks with Tanaiste and Enterprise Minister Leo Varadkar alongside Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe at government buildings in March.

Two weeks earlier, he had resigned as executive chairman of En+ group, the ultimate owner of Aughinish Alumina in Moscow.

A spokesperson for the En+ Group referred the Limerick Leader to a statement it made in March, as the Russian war with Ukraine broke out, confirming it is considering carving out the international business of Rusal, which operates the bauxite aluminium site in Askeaton.

The group wishes to emphasise that the strategic review is at a preliminary stage and any future course of action will be subject to further consideration as well as discussions with the relevant regulatory bodies and key stakeholders, the statement reads.

While attempts to reach Lord Barker were unsuccessful this week, what is known is that he has been negotiating with a consortium of non-Russian and American investors about buying Rusals European operation, including in Ireland. Its hoped the move would preserve the jobs of the almost 600 staff working at the vast site on the Shannon Estuary.

Last April, Limerick Live reported how the placing of sanctions on Russian billionaire Oleg Deripraska by the EU would not have a direct impact on Aughinish Alumina. Mr Deripaska previously surrendered his majority holding in EN+, the parent of Aughinish owner Rusal, and cant receive any major benefit from his minority holding. Three years ago, Lord Barker helped negotiate the lifting of American sanctions on En+ and Mr Deripaska.

In response to a query from The Sunday Times, a spokeswoman for the Department for Trade, Enterprise and Employment, declined to comment on the meeting between the ministers and Lord Barker.
A LIMERICK man has been awarded a top honour as part of the British queen's platinum jubilee celebrations.

David Quinn, who hails from Castletroy and now lives south of London, has been made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) for his work with Crown Agents, an international development company.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, he led a programme which saw vaccinations and other aid delivered to British Overseas Territories worldwide.

Among these are some of the most remote places on earth, including St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, which lie up to 3,000 kilometres away from mainland Africa in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Mr Quinn, the humanitarian director of the agency, said his reaction upon hearing he had received an MBE as one of "shock".

"I was very humbled," he admitted, "If you look at the list of other people who have received awards, you don't feel you have a place in there."

An MBE is the third highest ranking order of the British Empire award, and is given to someone for making a positive impact in their line of work.

Ed Sheeran, who played two nights at Thomond Park last month, holds the title.

Mr Quinn moved to England during the height of the recession a decade ago, having studied at Sexton Street CBS, Mary Immaculate College and the University of Limerick.

He has been tasked with leading humanitarian responses in Syria, Phillippines and Libya before aiding the British Overseas Territories during the pandemic.

Speaking this Friday, he revealed he actually heard a number of weeks ago he would receive the honour, but was asked to keep it under wraps until the official announcement, which took place on Wednesday.

He will enjoy a trip to London's Buckingham Palace, which is the administrative headquarters of Queen Elizabeth II shortly to be formally be presented with the honour which is being bestowed for services to the global Covid-19 response.

"We kept some of the most remote inhabited places on the planet stocked with Covid-19 treatments, facilities and diagnosis requirements and facilitated the vaccination of the populations after. At the best of times, these are difficult places to get to, but during the Covid-19 pandemic, these are tourist dependent economies and there were not any tourists. The flights going in and out had stopped. Most supply chains came out of the USA, and there was a lot of competition at the height of the pandemic, so their traditional supply routes were not functioning," said Mr Quinn.

As a result of this, Crown set up new routes, competed for stock for these nations and created new supply lines.

"It was about solidarity and making sure they were not forgotten and left behind amid the pandemic. If you are living in an isolated part of the world and all of a sudden, all routes have stopped - there was no vessels docking, no flights coming in, no organised transport - you are starting to feel very threatened and worry what the future holds. Our role was to ensure hospitals remained functional," he explained.

Having not been able to travel back to Limerick and Ireland for almost two years during the pandemic, Mr Quinn admits he is now back on these shores on a regular basis, such is the backlog of christenings and weddings he has been invited to, which were postponed during lockdown.
LIMERICK Chamber has added its voice to calls for a change in government aviation policy amid scenes of long queues at Dublin Airport.

In a strongly-worded statement, its chief executive Dee Ryan said measures must now be put in place to make sure the capital's "monopoly" is broken.

Hundreds of passengers have missed flights out of the hub in the last week, as tailbacks snaked back to in the car park causing major frustration.

It's has been blamed primarily on staffing at the facility, but the Mid-West's largest business group now want to see a working group to review national policy, claiming it's as a result of a national approach which has allowed Dublin to grow without control.

"There must now finally be consensus that our approach to aviation in Ireland is not serving the public, airports, regions or State well," the group said.

Ms Ryan said if anything is to come out of the "chaotic" scenes at Dublin Airport, "it must be to put in place new aviation policy that finally makes Dublin Airport accountable to the wider interests of the State and not just its pursuit of profits."

"What happened last weekend was a direct result of not managing Dublin Airport growth over the past two decades. The laissez-faire approach of the state has allowed Dublin Airport grow to unnecessary scale. Its as if the Department of Transport has been the downtown office of the DAA and has basically allowed it to do what it wanted. Regrettably one of the hallmarks of Dublin Airports expansion has been the ruthless pursuit of passenger growth at the expense of other Irish airports and regions," she said.

Ms Ryan pointed out that ridership in Shannon increased by just 300,000 between January 2013 and December 2019, while in the same period, Dublin Airport grew its passenger numbers by 13.8 million.

"In a year, for example, when Ireland got one million new passengers, 960,000 of those would be for Dublin and 40,000 for our other airports. That is simply not sustainable. It is not possible for our other airports to grow when the dominant one is winning 96% of all new passengers into Ireland," the Chamber boss added.

Ms Ryan said that Limerick Chambers Copenhagen economics report of 2019 noted that in other EU countries where there was an over-concentration on one airport, steps were taken by governments to address the issue and push connectivity to regional airports. And she said that while a short-term fix was needed to make sure there is not a repeat this summer of last weekends events and the associated international reputational damage, the crisis could not be allowed pass without dealing with the underlying problem.

Perhaps half or more of the passengers flying out of Ireland are travelling from the regions, so it also flies in the face of our efforts to tackle climate change for would-be passengers to be spending so much time on our roads. It also flouts the Irish Governments Project Ireland 2040 plan. I have written to Ministers Ryan and Naughton and asked for the establishment of a review group to look at Irish aviation policy once and for all because Dublin Airports market share in Ireland is so out of sync with EU norms," she said, "What we need is clear policy to make sure Dublins monopoly is broken, put passengers and the public first and, with that, we will see growth at other airports and in those regions, she added.
A TEACHER at a Limerick school was honoured at the recent Concern Volunteer Awards for supporting the humanitarian organisation and its efforts across the world.

Patrick Huff, an English teacher at Ardscoil Mhuire in the city, was praised for mentoring his school's Concern Debates team for nearly a decade and for his time spent volunteering as a chief adjudicator for the all-island schools contest.

Commenting after receiving the award, Mr Huff said he is proud of his work as an adjudicator, which facilitates more young people engaging in important conversations on global and other issues within their own communities.

Separately, Mary-Kate Flanagan - a students at Mary Immaculate College, also received an award her work as a debates adjudicator for the past three years.

A total of 31 people or groups were honoured by Concern at the annual event, which celebrates the vital contribution made by the charitys 1,500 volunteers in Ireland.

Concerns Chief Executive, Dominic MacSorley, praised the organisations volunteers for helping them to continue to reach the worlds most vulnerable people in countries like Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria and Ethiopia.

We are deeply grateful to all our volunteers and donors for their continued support, especially in these difficult times, said Mr MacSorley.

Whether its through fundraising walks or climbs, shaking a bucket or adjudicating school debates, the commitment of Concern volunteers has kept a flame of compassion alive in communities across Ireland at a time when the need has never been greater in many parts of the world," he added.

Concerns Volunteer Awards began in 2013 to celebrate the vital contribution made by the organisations volunteers in Limerick and accross Ireland.

More information about Concerns work can be found on its concern.net.
A NASTY build-up of litter in a laneway in Limerick city centre has been criticised after it was highlighted by one concerned citizen.

The privately-owned gated laneway, positioned between two busy businesses on William Street, has suffered from a build up of litter over the past few months.

One passerby, who contacted Limerick Live, described the build up as nasty and called for action to be taken as the rubbish is clearly visible to the public each day.

A spokesperson for Limerick City and County Council told Limerick Live that they have been in contact with both businesses, who use the lane for bin storage.

The local authority stressed that it is not responsible for maintaining the privately owned laneway. We believe that most of the litter is a result of third-party interference with the bins on the lane. Where litter directly relating to a business has been found, litter fines were issued, a council spokesperson said.

The council also confirmed that legal notices requiring the clean-up of the lane have been issued.

All the bins are now secured to prevent future interference, concluded the spokesperson.
FOCUS Housing Association and announced the completion of 16 new apartments in Limerick city, which will deliver sustainable and secure housing for individuals and families currently on the social housing waiting list.

The development, which will provide 12 two-bed and four one-bed apartments, has been delivered by Focus Housing Association with the financial support of Limerick City and County Council, the Department of Housing, Planning, Local Government and Heritage and the Housing Finance Agency.

The multi-storey complex is located in Rhebogue, close to the Parkway Shopping Centre.

Jan Mingle, Director of Property at Focus Ireland, has welcomed the completion of the works. We are delighted to get this ambitious project over the line and look forward to working with Limerick City and County Council to provide the basic security of a home to those on Limericks housing waiting lists, she said.

"We are committed to delivering quality housing across the country and this current homelessness trend reinforces the need to quickly get housing schemes, such as the one we are delivering in Limerick City, on stream, added Jan.

Sarah Newell, Senior Executive Officer in the local authority's Housing Unit, said: It was very much a team effort working with Focus Housing to deliver this project and support the provision of much needed one and two-bed homes in this part of the city. This is one of a number of projects we are working on with Focus Housing and we are looking forward to continuing that partnership to deliver on Limerick's 'Housing for All' targets over the next five years.

Commenting on the homelessness situation in Limerick, Gavin Donaldson, Head of Development in the region for Focus Ireland, said: The number of adults experiencing homelessness in Limerick, is unfortunately on the rise, as we emerge post-Covid, with adult homelessness 27.5% higher in April 2022, compared to April 2021."

According to Focus Ireland, family homelessness in the Mid-West region, which includes Limerick and Clare, has doubled from 28 families in April 2021 to 57 families in April 2022.

Working with local authorities, the Department of Housing, the Housing Finance Agency, and other stakeholders so that we can quickly ramp up our delivery of good quality, sustainable homes is how we can ultimately see an end to homelessness. Focus Housing Association currently manages just over 1,100 homes across the country, and we want to double that by 2025," added Mr Donaldson.
Sanjay Nayar, a KKR Co. adviser in India, is setting up his own venture fund targeting early-stage startups at a time when some of the countrys most-celebrated tech firms are suffering from tanking valuations.

Sorin Investment Management, whose name comes from Romanian word for sun, has raised $125 million from investors including family offices of Nayar and the Banga family of Caravel Group, Nayar said in an interview in Mumbai on Wednesday. The fund plans to back about 10 startups, focusing on sectors including consumer tech, fintech and software-as-a-service.

Nayars fund is scouting for opportunities as titans of venture investing from Tiger Global to SoftBank Group Corp. are nursing quarterly losses following the tech rout. Sequoia Capital had warned the founders of its approximately 250 portfolio companies in May that the good times are not only over for startups, theres no indication when theyll return.

Startups who thought VCs were waiting with a lot of dry powder on the sidelines are proven wrong now, and this funding aberration has come as Indias startup ecosystem reached an inflection point," said Nayar. We will operate in that gap and will be backing companies with capital along with solid advice and global perspectives."

Sanjay Nayar, 62, starts his own fund after spending 39 years in Indias financial circle. He was handpicked from Citigroup Inc. in 2008 by KKRs co-founder Henry Kravis to lead the alternate asset managers India business. Nayar left his role as the private equity funds India chief executive officer in December 2020, though he continues in an advisory role at the firm. Hes also a member of the board of US-India Strategic Partnership Forum.

Nayars family invests in the countrys tech sector as well. It holds more than a 52% stake in Nykaa, formally known as FSN E-Commerce Ventures Ltd., an e-commerce site for beauty products founded in 2012 by his wife, Falguni Nayar. The Mumbai-listed company has a market value of about $9 billion. The family also has a more than 30% stake in fintech startup Flexiloans.

Sorin Investment has an option to scale up later and raise money from other institutional investors. The Mumbai-based fund, with its six-member team, will soon start its hunt for investment targets.

There is a gap to be filled in the early-stage investment ecosystem in the country, and our fund will operate in that gap. We will not be rash or brash about it, but will approach it in a steady manner," Nayar said.
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Under the Banner of Heaven, the grim, century-hopping true crime series of Mormon fundamentalists committing a savage double murder in the name of God, rests its weary soul on June 2. But the music lives on for fans of Pearl Jam, whose bassist and co-founder Jeff Ament was called upon to score the FX series.

In collaboration with screenwriter Dustin Lance Black  the writer of Milk, for which he won an Academy Award for original screenplay  the first-time composer was tasked with recording an equally-atmospheric version of vengeance and misery to soundtrack devout detective Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield) and his battle against good and evil, inside and outside the realm of his faith.

Ament enlisted the bands current second guitarist, Josh Klinghoffer, as well as instrumentalists John Wicks and Josh Evans, to create an oppressive and noisy score while the series was still in production. (Under the Banner of Heaven [Music from and Inspired by the FX Series] Original Score Soundtrack will be released via Hollywood Records on June 10.)

We made the music in the spirit of what we thought the series would be, as we hadnt seen any footage when we started, and wouldnt, really, until near the end and we saw vague dailies, says Ament.

It was incredibly untraditional, adds Black. By the time we got near the end, Jeff had already sent me this whole bed of sound that we explored together. Once there, he had built themes that would help us with our point of view, our sense of place and person.

The tone of Aments score complements Blacks stormy cautionary tale where following ancient rules written by men a long time ago leads to a road to ruin as its author states. The close proximity between Aments haunting score and Blacks haunted, blood-and-biblical-wrath-filled text was no accident.

Jeff dazzled me, and I must confess, I was starstruck during our first meeting, says Black of collaborating with his early 90s college hero. Pearl Jam were like gods to me. And, as we first starting production, Jeff got to work starting with the first phone call as he knew he wanted to experiment  a vibe according to the script, the roughly-cut footage we wound up sending him  often textures that would become part of our visual imagery  and how he going to get to that sound.

Working where each artist could hear and see each other, Black speaks of regularly receiving Aments experiments once they started on the journey to Heaven  frankly beautiful musical interludes that cut into the characters and their setting that the screenwriter created. Interludes that made you feel as if you were entering into a union with the subconscious. This isnt just about a detective looking for information. This is man looking for answers, a deep dive, to questions he didnt dare ask before  what does that sound like?

To that, Black says he received, every few days, transportive 45 minute sheaths of sound from Ament & Co. No sooner than Black pulled off his headphones in his trailer, he would walk out the set and his team would roll camera.

Jeff set a very definitive tone.  By the time we got to the editing room, we were on the same page, working on themes, rhythms, what he wanted to punctuate and not punctuate.  I hope my script inspired him, because the music he sent me inspired what I did next.

What was most crucial for Black about Aments Heaven score was that it not be used in specific scenes  whether those in the 19th Century or its more contemporary 1980s shots  when the series real-life murders took places. I wanted it all to feel immediate, very present as the themes to Heaven are very now, very present, says Black. I didnt want this to have some historical context. To all of this, Jeff offered up the electric guitar as the answer. And I think that nailed it.  presenting some rock-and-fucking-roll that will tie together 1984 and the 19th Century. Thats Jeff. Hes fearless.

For his part, Ament  still recovering from a bout with Covid that shut down Pearl Jams spring 2022 tour earlier than expected  had forever wanted to create music for film, long before meeting Dustin Lance Black.

For 23-years I wanted to make an ambient record as much of the music I listen to at home has that atmosphere, says Ament, immediately crediting Brian Enos Discreet Music as a weekly listening and meditative adventure. I developed this idea of how I would make that record based on tons of research, and utilizing the space that I have at the house in Montana.

Upon getting the gig for Under the Banner of Heaven, Ament knew exactly what to do, as he had planned for this very thing  a meaningful project at that  for nearly 25 years. This was it, the story I get to put music to, finally, says Ament, reliving the excitement. I threw everything at this series immediately.

Ament, a fan of Jon Krakauer and his 2003 nonfiction work, Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith, felt close to the subject due to the bassists own relationship with religion, and the Catholic church. Says Ament: What Lance pulled out of Krakauers story was the unravelling of belief, contradictions and darkness that most religion goes through, where the word is interpreted to benefit their power.  The sort-of historical details that influenced the family at the center of Heaven to become monsters.

No sooner than Ament became part of the process of Heaven, he bonded with Black, and shared long conversations about art, music, movie-making and the visuals that inspired such Terrence Malick-esque landscapes.

I think I hit on things that resonated with Lance, too, says Ament. So I went to work with Josh and John in Montana for 10 days, building loops and tuning the room  building emotion into the room, based on the book and the conversations with Lance.

At the end of this first session, Ament says that he and his team had 40 separate pieces, some one hour long, in varying keys with different instrumentation. Very quiet stuff, says the bassist. There was a little acoustic guitar; some electric guitar and bass; some weird instrumentation; full rock trio stuff.  The music was easy to make once the room was tuned. But remember, we were just making music in the spirit of what it could be as we had not seen anything yet so, as soon as we did see footage, I knew that we had music for whatever they threw at us, and from there, became a back-and-forth between all of us.

Ament, sounding thrilled with the proposition of making music for films, claims that the Under the Banner of Heaven experience had many chefs in the kitchen. But in the very best way, Ament says, laughing. It was truly collaborative. Look, were not rookies to playing music, but we are to this. This brand new to us. This was scoring school.

Referring to favorite movie music, such as Ry Cooders Paris, Texas, and the stuff that Jonny Greenwood and Trent Reznor recorded for films in the last few years, Ament describes his score as fluid and not locked to a grid. Were ebbing and flowing with Lances characters, and getting in-between things on screen, he says. Nothing is perfectly in time.

And mention to Ament Blacks enthusiasm for seamlessly, timelessly and electrically blending the 19th and the 20th Centuries without relying upon cliches, and the bassist admits that temptations ran deep toward replicating the familiar.

We stuck to this sound that we had, this low-end, earthly gravity  this lurching heavy stuff, against the more ethereal, heavenly stuff, which is what Lance says was the balance in his script, but, it was hard not to pick up old instruments when a scene goes back in time, says Ament. Youve got that banjo in the corner, and its just sitting there, staring at us. A lot of that, though, was Lance telling us to insist on being different. That he wanted it to rock more. Lance kept reminding us that Mormons listen to rock and roll, so we had to juxtapose our sweeter, airier sounds against the black metal stuff.

Black himself grew up in a Mormon household, and it has affected the writers aesthetic going back to his days with HBOs Big Love series, the dramedy about fundamentalist, polygamist Mormon families in contemporary Utah which also utilized an alternative musical giant (David Byrne), as its score-maker.

You can connect the dots of my lived experience by the subjects Ive chosen to tackle, and coming up Mormon is a huge part of who I am, says Black. Not just the dots that touch on religion, but, the gay rights things, too, such as Milk and When We Rise. Its all processed through that Mormon youth of mine. I learned how to campaign for aggressive values from the Mormons, from growing up in the South and Texas, and being surrounded by Conservatives who taught me how to stand up for myself, and never expect crumbs. The Mormon church taught me that a promise is a sacred thing. My fighting the Supreme Court for marriage equality is about keeping the promise I made on the Oscar stage when I won for Milk  thats Mormonism. Im not sure that theyre happy about it, but. If somebody tells me that I shouldnt look somewhere, that is a sure sign that I am going to look there, first  whether it was a hired writer on Big Love, or creating Under the Banner of Heaven, a story where Jon Krakauer asked the questions I needed answered, and provided responses that, though disturbing, felt true. I wanted to shine light to the places in my childhoods faith that desperately needed light, needed change.

Jeff Aments ferociously sad score to Under the Banner of Heaven balances Blacks darks and lights eerily and elegantly. There were times where we were too dark, when Lance may have wanted something hopeful and melancholy says Ament. There was much nuance to be had.This is a brand new medium for me, picking up instruments and using the studio in a different way. I hope we get to do something else with film.

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In a speech on Thursday, President Joe Biden called for the ban of assault weapons in the United States following several recent mass shootings, including those in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, N.Y.

On May 24, the shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde resulted in the deaths of 19 students and two children. Just 10 days before, a shooting at a Buffalo grocery store killed 10 people. And on Wednesday, five people were killed at a hospital in Tulsa, Okla. when a gunman opened fire. During his address, Biden spoke about his visit to Uvalde and the message the victims families asked him to communicate: Do something.

Just do something. For Gods sake, do something. After Columbine, after Sandy Hook, after Charleston, after Orlando, after Las Vegas, after Parkland  nothing has been done, Biden said. This time, that cant be true. This time, we must actually do something. The issue we face is one of conscience and common sense. For so many of you at home, I want to be very clear: this is not about taking away anyones guns. This is not about vilifying gun owners. In fact, we believe we should be treating responsible gun owners as an example for how every gun owner should behave. I respect the culture and the tradition and the concerns of lawful gun owners. At the same time, the second amendment, like all rights, is not absolute.

Biden referred to new CDC research that guns are now the No. 1 killer of children in the U.S., topping auto accidents. How much more carnage are we willing to accept? How many more innocent American lives must be taken before we say enough? he asked.

Biden proposed that assault weapons and high-capacity magazines be banned, and urged lawmakers to use common sense instead of voting down party lines.

We need to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, Biden said. And if we cant ban assault weapons, then we should raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21, strengthen background checks, enact safe storage laws and red flag laws, repeal the immunity that protects gun manufacturers from liability, address the mental health crisis.

Watch his full address below.

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Louis C.K. is readying the release of Fourth of July, a new comedy-drama that marks the controversial comedians first feature directorial effort since admitting to sexual misconduct in 2017. The film, which C.K. also co-wrote with Joe List, centers on a recovering alcoholic from New York City who clashes with family on their annual July 4th vacation trip. List stars in the film opposite Sarah Tollemache, Paula Plum, Robert Walsh and Robert Kelly. C.K. also appears in a small role.

According to C.K.s official website, Fourth of July will be getting a theatrical release starting July 1. Showtimes and theater locations have yet to be announced. C.K. will also be touring with the film for one-night only screenings in New York City (Beacon Theater, June 30), Boston (Shubert Theater, July 1) and Chicago (The Vic, July 2). Tickets for these special screenings are available now on C.K.s website. Both List and C.K. will attend these showings and participate in a post-screening Q&A.

While C.K. has toured the country with comedy sets since admitting to sexual misconduct, the Fourth of July release will mark his return to movies for the first time since the 2017 controversy. A couple of months before C.K. was accused of sexual misconduct, he debuted his directorial effort I Love You, Daddy at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. The film starred C.K., Chloe Grace Moretz, Pamela Adlon John Malkovich, Rose Byrne, Charlie Day, Edie Falco and Helen Hunt. Moretz played a teenager who is seduced by an older film director.

Film distributor The Orchard had theatrical rights to I Love You, Daddy but canceled the films New York premiere shortly ahead of The New York Times dropping its report on C.K.s history of sexual misconduct. The distributor then scrapped the films theatrical rollout and dropped the movie. I Love You, Daddy was never officially released.

Watch the trailer for C.K.s Fourth of July in the video below.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made their first public appearance in the U.K. since stepping down as senior royals in March 2020.

The couple, who are now based in California, returned to Britain for the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations marking her 70 years on the throne. Although they kept a low profile during Thursdays Trooping the Color ceremony, they were in full view at Fridays National Service of Thanksgiving at St. Pauls Cathedral, where their entrance drew loud cheers from the gathered crowd outside.

Senior members of the Royal Family congregated at the iconic cathedral for the service, although the Queen was absent after announcing on Thursday evening local time that she had felt discomfort during Thursdays activities and would sit out the service. The monarch has faced mobility issues in recent months and has only appeared at very select public duties, with her children and other royals stepping up to represent her.

Another notable absence from the service is Prince Andrew, who revealed on Thursday that he had tested positive for COVID-19. The Queens third child was not part of his mothers Birthday Parade on Thursday, having stepped away from public duties in the wake of sexual assault claims by Virginia Guiffre. The prince settled the case out of court in February.

In St. Pauls, Prince Harry and Markle, who were all smiles as they spoke to clergy outside the building before entering, sat in the second row with close friends Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands.

Also present at the Thanksgiving service is U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie, whose appearance, along with some cheering, drew considerable booing from the crowd outside. The prime minister has been involved in a number of Partygate scandals in recent months, around parties at 10 Downing Street during the countrys lockdown period.

The Friday mass will pay tribute to the Queens 70 years of service. Around 2,000 people, including senior government figures, are expected to fill the cathedral.

The Queen is believed to be watching the church service on television from Windsor Castle.

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Shaping up as one of the most anticipated movies from Spain this year, Prison 77 (Modelo 77) has an international teaser trailer, which Movistar Plus has shared in exclusivity with Variety.

Modelo 77 marks the third Movistar Plus original film, re-teaming Telefonicas pay TV/SVOD service with director Alberto Rodriguez, co-writer Rafael Cobos and co-producer Atipica Films, the driving forces behind The Plague, Movistar Plus big banner 2017 series.

Sold internationally by Film Factory, Prison 77 will be released in Spanish theaters by Buena Vista International on Sept. 23, the second Friday of Spains San Sebastian Festival, which begs the question as to whether it will feature at the event.

In it, Manuel, a young accountant, played by Miguel Herran (Money Heist, Elite), is sent to Barcelonas legendary Modelo penitentiary pending trial for embezzlement in 1977. The teaser trailer is straight to the point in several ways.

Watch Miguel Herran in Prison 77, but under long curly locks, dont expect him to look like Rio in Money Heist or Christian in Elite. An actor as well as star, he has twinned Netflix shows with an appreciable and varied independent career, which won him a breakout actor Spanish Academy Goya for his first major role, in Daniel Guzmans A Cambio de nada. What he may well channel in Prison 77, which links him to Money Heist and Elite, is a certain noble innocence and large sensitivity which will position him as an audience alter ego.

This is a jailbreak thriller: I want to get out of here, says Manuels cell-mate, ageing con Pino, asking fellow prisoners to stage a riot as a distraction, after the teaser trailer begins with a Bruckheimer-ish thud on its soundtrack and continues cut in the energetic, propulsive manner of an action thriller.

But this is a jailbreak movie based on true events, one of the biggest attempted jail-breaks in Spanish history, in 1977, when 45 inmates attempted to break out from Barcelonas Modelo penitentiary along a tunnel dug from the jails infirmary.

From the teasers opening dialogue, where Manuel is charged 300 pesetas, which he doesnt have, to file a complaint with prison management, this looks like a return by Rodriguez and Cobos to the central theme of their 2015 Goya best picture winning Marshland, its 2017 follow-up Smoke and Mirrors and TV series The Plague, which ran over 2017-19: The push-back and limitations to social progress which has fashioned Spanish history.

Prison 77 take place as Spain passes an Amnesty Law in October 1977, fruit of a massive trade off by Spains ruling regime under dictator Francisco Franco whereby it agreed to give up political power in return for immunity against prosecution for crimes against humanity committed during and after Spains Civil War.

The amnesty was extended to ETA. But no sort of amnesty was offered to common law prisoners. As the prison guard implies at the beginning of the trailer, democracy in Spain, installed by general elections in June 1977, benefitted those with money. Manuel for his part cant even stump up 300 pesetas to register his complaint.

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Courtesy/U.S. Customs and Border Protection

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection supervisor falsely recorded hours in his timesheet to steal close to $6,500, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Alfonso Gozalez, 45, was arrested via indictment on Friday and charged with stealing money from the government. Gonzalez, of Laredo, is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga on Monday.
The Perspective

Atlanta, Georgia

June 3, 2022





Passing on the corruption torch The night is humid and pitch dark. Malaria-carrying mosquitoes are buzzing as if a call to formation. Birthing mothers scream in the distance from deliveries absent anesthesia. Former child soldiers now full-grown men aggressively sharpen their machetes on pavements in preparation for the nighttime exploits. Malnourished citizens tremble behind prison-styled iron barriers in anticipation of a long and eventful night  self-defense murder is the justification that eases the mind of the trapped. The growling of empty stomachs is the only reminder of a life that is soon to be snatched away by hunger, childbirth, disease, and the effects of a kleptocracy. Potbelly government officials feast on roasted pork in massive mansions and drink imported champagne under cool and well-lit conditions, mostly financed with embezzled funds. The contrast between both worlds could not be any sharper!



Monrovians awake to bodies left from the nights encounters, the usual stench from the heap of garbage scattered all on over this shantytown, combined with the free flow of open sewers in the middle of this confused concoction masquerading as a city are mixed and stirred up by the cool ocean breeze. Monrovia is once again spread wide open ready to be vigorously used like an intoxicated prostitute who has agreed to a negotiated price. The entire country is near a climax as if to rapture, not in ecstasy, but in something resembling the Arab Spring! On the other hand, corruption and impunity readorn their crowns and make them ready to continue their misrule over a gullible society! Zon na zon; day na break! The night is humid and pitch dark. Malaria-carrying mosquitoes are buzzing as if a call to formation. Birthing mothers scream in the distance from deliveries absent anesthesia. Former child soldiers now full-grown men aggressively sharpen their machetes on pavements in preparation for the nighttime exploits. Malnourished citizens tremble behind prison-styled iron barriers in anticipation of a long and eventful night  self-defense murder is the justification that eases the mind of the trapped. The growling of empty stomachs is the only reminder of a life that is soon to be snatched away by hunger, childbirth, disease, and the effects of a kleptocracy. Potbelly government officials feast on roasted pork in massive mansions and drink imported champagne under cool and well-lit conditions, mostly financed with embezzled funds. The contrast between both worlds could not be any sharper!Monrovians awake to bodies left from the nights encounters, the usual stench from the heap of garbage scattered all on over this shantytown, combined with the free flow of open sewers in the middle of this confused concoction masquerading as a city are mixed and stirred up by the cool ocean breeze. Monrovia is once again spread wide open ready to be vigorously used like an intoxicated prostitute who has agreed to a negotiated price. The entire country is near a climax as if to rapture, not in ecstasy, but in something resembling the Arab Spring! On the other hand, corruption and impunity readorn their crowns and make them ready to continue their misrule over a gullible society! Zon na zon; day na break!

Consequently, when people have lived with the aftermath of corruption and impunity for so long as in the case of Liberia, it is almost impossible for them to appreciate the adverse effects on their lives or the differential between what constitutes responsible public service and what is outright theft! Every form of morality is lost in this distorted political and economic environment; it becomes expected and, in many cases, normalized to steal and expand the sufferings of the people  it is not unusual for some to call corruption a habit, custom, tradition without any realization that it has conditioned them to think this low of themselves. Corruption has completely dehumanized Liberians to such low levels that they believe their oppressors should be worshipped  it is like Liberians are in an induced stupor.

What is corruption? Why is it important that people understand exactly what seems like an uncontrollable phenomenon? The reason is simple. How can we address something that we do not understand? Think bribery, criminal lobbying, public extortion, cronyism, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf-style nepotism, entrenched pay-to-play backdoor dealings, patronage, multi-national influence peddling, graft, embezzlement, judicial manipulations, etc.

Political monopolization, a weak level of civic participation and the lack of political transparency, unnecessary bureaucracy coupled with ineffective administrative infrastructure, poorly educated press and low economic freedom, and the reluctance of the population to hold their officials to account, are all contributing factors to corruption. The vexing part here is, that the very people who are being exploited will never understand this unless, by some miracle, they blowtorch their way out of this iron bubble that these government thieves have built around the Liberian people!

The list goes on, but they all can be tied back to one of the above-listed reasons. Corruption comes about when people have been denied a sense of self-worth and are reluctant to stand up to their oppressors, are poorly educated; and when citizens cannot self-actualize here at home. Corruption forces them especially women to travel to faraway places where locals naturally hate them, to be brutalized under slave-like conditions. Think Oman, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and nearly every other state in that region. Gullible and exploited people accept and celebrate official theft because they do not know any better; they stray far away from the religious principles, traditions, and customs that held that society together.



Corruption forces people to only think about themselves, not realizing that their true wellbeing lies in the protection of the entire group, especially for those who have been authorized to do just that. Government officials now confuse stealing from the group as a means of increasing their own protection  in actuality, the opposite is truer. What they do not understand is that the group will eventually come for what is truly theirs. The puzzling question is: What has taken Liberians so long to get angry and stand up against their oppressors, stop their suffering, and demand what belongs to them?

Moreover, corruption brings about several immediate consequences to any society that promotes and protects it: It diminishes the value of that society; breaks down every governing institution, keeps away investments and the free flow of capital, hinders foreign trade and limits aid, stagnates official growth, widens inequality and decreases government expenditure while creating a shadow economy where crimes flourish. Consequently, corruption undermines the integrity of institutions and distorts policies and national priorities. It becomes like spreading cancer destroying everything in its wake, damaging the legitimacy of the very government that encourages it; it erodes public trust in public institutions. Corruption is like a two-edged sword; it cuts down both the government and the people.



There are several categorizations of corruption, namely supply versus demand corruption, grand versus petty corruption, conventional versus unconventional, and public versus private corruption. All these forms of corruption affect society in a negative way, howbeit at varying degrees. In the words of Linda Thomas-Greenfield, former Ambassador to Liberia and now the United States Representative on the United Nations Security Council, Corruption steals the future of our kids; it denies Liberia its proper place in history! The root causes of poverty in our country are not just the denial of basic services, however, rather, they bring about inequalities like official discrimination in the administration of public services, poor governance, the lack of responsible oversight, exploitation, increased crimes rates and extremism, poor educational system and higher dropout rates among the most vulnerable, etc. Corruption and impunity create Zogos even in the legislature!



Furthermore, corruption and impunity undermine sustainable development, increase failures in infrastructure development, economic loss, and reduce governance capacity; public and private sector dysfunctionality, including an ineffective judicial system that operates like a crime syndicate. Graft misallocates talents and takes the least prepared and puts them into technical public roles knowing they cannot deliver at said positions thus killing the entire society from within! It forces the country's best and brightest talents to migrate, further weakening the system. Corruption is an art of intentionally compounding chaos and suffering.

Conversely, Liberia is not a poor country. In terms of natural resources, we rank in the top tier of countries that should be one of the richest in the world. From having two types of gold deposits, greenstone, and alluvial deposits to nearly 600 gold occurrences throughout the country. Liberia has a geological formation that is favorable for a wide range of metal and industrial minerals including gold, iron ore, diamonds, base metal bauxite, manganese, fluorspar, kyanite, and phosphate (British Geological Survey).



Our soil was anointed by Gods own hands, capable of growing almost any crop on an industrial scale! A large virgin forest when compared in proportion to any in the world. Our waterways are second to none. With all these blessings, why are we poor, weak, and insignificant? The answer is simple: Corruption, impunity, mismanagement, and the peoples unwillingness to fight back against these vices!

Our leaders are given carte blanche authority to do as they please: steal, rape, murder and destroy everything of meaning without consequence! We are poor because we have chosen to be poor not because we are not a blessed country. We still have time if we choose to get serious about building independent institutions now to protect what we have left; rent-seeking or selling our resources for a small fee has never developed anywhere, and neither will it ever develop our country. Liberia must change this. Read Institutional Governance is the only Hope to Develop Liberia or Close the mines in Liberia  All of Them to learn how institutions can solve most of our societal problems.

See an overview of Liberias mineral graph below. Notice the listed minerals.



Courtesy: British Geological Survey

Liberia is not a failed state by coincidence; its a state that has been pushed towards failure by the very officials who have been entrusted with the authority to protect the interest of the people. The consequences of corruption and impunity do not transpire by happenstance, they are a calculated, criminal design meant to manifest the ills of society commonly seen in the Third World: poor sanitation, low life expectancy, a majority hungry and sick population, low levels of literacy, high infant mortality rates, political instability, high unemployment, etc. These results will still manifest even if the government criminals are not educated enough to be cognizant of what they are doing to their own people.



The outcomes of corruption and impunity do not stop with the current generation who is complacent in them; these vices extend far into the future, affecting every succeeding generation until they are halted by responsible governance. It is like an avalanche that keeps building up and accumulating in strength and debris until its stopped by a stronger, counterforce that is purposeful. The question now becomes: when are we going to muster the strength and collectively fight against this evil that has plagued us for so long? The answer has always been with us: A push back with the full might of the power and will of the people!

Reference:

Marie Chene, 2014, The Impact of Corruption on Growth and Inequality, Transparency International, https://www.transparency.org/files/content/corruptionqas/Impact_of_corruption_on_growth_and_inequality_2014.pdf Paolo Mauro, 1997, Why Worry about Corruption?, International Monetary Fund, https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/issues6/ Sean Fleming, 2019, Corruption Costs Developing Countries $1.26 Trillion Every Year World Economic Forum, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/12/corruption-global-problem-statistics-cost/

About the Author: Mr. Dualu is the author of a series of articles that present solutions to Liberias many socioeconomic problems. Some of those articles include: Common Sense Economics for Liberia, A Guide to Leveraging Liberias Resources to Lift the Pro Poor Agenda, and Restart Liberia and Build a New Foundation. The author works as a financial professional out of Massachusetts.


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After a string of public managers coming and going during the past decade, 15 city employees will begin TAMIUs Certified Public Manager program Friday in order to ultimately receive a certification.

This comes through a City of Laredo Memorandum of Understanding that will see the employees pursue the Texas Certified Public Manager Program.

City and university staff will discuss further details about the programs, employees and the position Friday morning at the Laredo Public Works Department. However, the city outlined that the program is designed to train the employees in the best practices in municipal administration and management. They also emphasized the program is not limited to 15 individuals.

The program will consist of seven courses covering personnel administration, communication, budgeting, information technology, and a capstone practicum, and it will be based on case study analysis and group learning sessions on best municipal practices, the city said in a statement.

Furthermore, the university elaborates those seven tracks will cover personnel administration, communication, productivity and program evaluation, managing for quality, budgeting and finance, information technology, and a capstone practicum. Program delivery will be based mainly on case study analysis and reflections on municipal best practices.

Created in 2019, the CPM program was started to open doors to practitioners who desire skill and knowledge enhancement in the area of municipal management and administration without seeking a full-scale graduate degree.

Currently at the helm, Interim City Manager Samuel Keith Selman was selected this year after an abrupt resignation by former City Manager Robert Eads, who took the role in 2020 after Horacio De Leon retired in 2019 citing the council's vision. Amid the search, Deputy City Manager Rosario Cabello was discussed to replace Eads, but declined the position due to personal reasons.

Selman was selected during a January council meeting, in which a quick call led to his hiring. Selman was previously the No. 2 choice behind Eads in the 2020 search. He is a native Laredoan who worked for the city for 20 years before becoming the assistant city manager at Corpus Christi. He previously told LMT prior to previous search that to foster development and growth, the city would need a cooperative, business-friendly development process.

We need to give continuity to our city projects, and aside from that, we also need to give some stability to our directors, said councilmember Alberto Torres at the time.

While the program starts Friday, it may be a welcomed resource by Laredo residents and city employees who wish to progress into city management.
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Nearly $35,000 worth of ammunition and narcotics were discovered following a vehicle pursuit Wednesday, according to the Webb County Sheriff's Office.

Jose Alonzo Saldana Alaniz is being held at the Webb County Jail in connection with the bust. The 36-year-old man is being held on federal charges for an individual illegally in the country in possession of ammunition.
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A pair of stash houses were shut down in Laredo, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

The USBP said that on Wednesday, Laredo South Station agents performed a residential welfare check along with the Laredo Police Department at a residence on Cielo Drive. Once inside, agents reported over 40 individuals illegally in the country from both Guatemala and Mexico.
Congressional Democrats are accusing Amazon of obstructing their investigation into the companys labor practices during severe weather events.

Members of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform have sent a letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, saying the company has failed to produce materials requested more than two months ago.

The committee, which launched the investigation in late March, gave the Seattle-based e-commerce company a list of materials to hand over by mid-April.

But the company still has not produced any of the key categories of documents identified by Committee staff, let alone the full set of materials the Committee requested in March, said the letter signed by committee chairwoman Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, a Democrat from New York. The letter was also signed by progressives Reps. Cori Bush, of Missouri, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, of New York.

Unfortunately, Amazon has failed to meaningfully comply with the Committees requests, obstructing the Committees investigation, they wrote in the letter made public Thursday, adding that the company has only produced an incomplete set of policies and procedures.

Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, said the company was surprised to receive the letter. She said Amazon began providing materials to the committee two weeks after receiving the initial request and has produced more than 1,500 pages of information.

As we have done from the start, we will continue to work with Committee staff on further document production  which includes the most recent materials we shared on June 1, Nantel said.

The company's labor policies during extreme weather events has been under increased scrutiny since the December collapse of a company warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, where six people died and another was critically injured in a tornado strike.

Last month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration wrapped up its own probe into the incident, concluding that Amazon met minimal federal safety requirements for storm sheltering. But regulators also found safety risks and called on the company to improve its procedures.

The letter said the company has not produced any internal communications related to the Edwardsville tornado to the committee, which is doing its own investigation into the incident.

The committee is also seeking documents showing how Amazon managed its workforce during other natural disasters, including wildfires in California in 2018.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Former Trump White House official Peter Navarro has been indicted on charges that he refused to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, but the Justice Department spared two other advisers, including the ex-president's chief of staff, Mark Meadows, from criminal prosecution.

The departments decision to not prosecute Meadows and Dan Scavino, another adviser to former President Donald Trump, was revealed in a letter sent Friday by a federal prosecutor to a lawyer for the House of Representatives. The move was reported hours after the indictment of Navarro and a subsequent, fiery court appearance in which he vowed to contest the contempt of Congress charges.

The flurry of activity comes just days before the House committee leading the investigation into the riot at the Capitol holds a primetime hearing aimed at presenting the American public with evidence it has collected about how the assault unfolded. The split decisions show how the Justice Department has opted to evaluate on a case-by-case basis contempt referrals it has received from Congress rather than automatically pursue charges against each and every Trump aide who has resisted congressional subpoenas.

The committee's leaders called the decision to not prosecute Meadows and Scavino puzzling. In a statement late Friday, Reps. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said: "We hope the Department provides greater clarity on this matter. ... No one is above the law.

Though the Justice Department has referred multiple Trump aides for potential prosecution for refusal to cooperate, Navarro is only the second to face criminal charges, following the indictment last fall of former White House adviser Steve Bannon.

Navarro, 72, was charged with one contempt count for failing to appear for a deposition before the House committee and a second charge for failing to produce documents the committee requested.

During an initial court appearance, he alleged that the Justice Department had committed prosecutorial misconduct and said he was told he could not contact anyone after being approached by an FBI agent at the airport Friday and put in handcuffs. He said he was arrested while trying to board a flight to Nashville, Tennessee for a television appearance.

Who are these people? This is not America, Navarro said. I was a distinguished public servant for four years!

Each charge carries a minimum sentence of a month in jail and a maximum of a year behind bars.

The Justice Department and Attorney General Merrick Garland had been facing pressure to move more quickly to decide whether to prosecute other Trump aides who have similarly defied subpoenas from the House panel.

The New York Times first reported on the decision to not charge Meadows and Scavino. A person familiar with the decision who was not authorized to discuss it publicly confirmed it to The Associated Press on Friday. The U.S. Attorney's office in Washington, which made the decisions regarding each of the Trump aides, declined to comment Friday.

Meadows, a close Trump adviser seen by House investigators as a vital witness to key events, initially cooperated with the committee, turning over more than 2,000 text messages sent and received in the days leading up to and of the attack. But in December, Meadows informed the committee that he would not sit for a deposition. Scavino was held in contempt in April after declining to cooperate with Congress.

A lawyer for Meadows did not immediately return messages Friday night. Stan Brand, an attorney representing Scavino, said he had not yet received the letter from the U.S. attorneys office, but he'd heard the news through a third party. Im grateful that the Justice Department exercised their discretion to decline prosecution, Brand said.

The indictment against Navarro alleges that when summoned to appear before the committee for a deposition earlier this year, he refused to do so and instead told the panel that because Trump had invoked executive privilege, my hands are tied.

After committee staff told him they believed there were topics he could discuss without raising any executive privilege concerns, Navarro again refused, directing the committee to negotiate directly with lawyers for Trump, according to the indictment. The committee went ahead with its scheduled deposition on March 2, but Navarro did not attend.

The indictment, dated Thursday, came days after Navarro revealed in a court filing that he also had been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury this week as part of the Justice Departments sprawling probe into the insurrection. The subpoena to Navarro, a trade adviser to Trump, was the first known instance of prosecutors seeking testimony from someone who worked in the Trump White House as they investigate the attack.

This was a preemptive strike by the prosecution against that lawsuit, Navarro told Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui during his court appearance. It simply flies in the face of good faith and due process.

Navarro made the case in his lawsuit Tuesday that the House select committee investigating the attack is unlawful and therefore a subpoena it issued to him in February is unenforceable under law. He sued members of the committee, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the U.S. attorney in Washington, Matthew M. Graves, whose office is now handling the criminal case against him.

In an interview with The Associated Press this week, Navarro said the goal of his lawsuit is much broader than the subpoenas themselves, part of an effort to have the Supreme Court address a number of issues that have come with the weaponization of Congress investigatory powers since Trump entered office.

Members of the select committee sought testimony from Navarro about his efforts to help Trump overturn the 2020 presidential election, including a call trying to persuade state legislators to join their efforts.

The former economics professor was one of the White House staffers who promoted Trumps baseless claims of mass voter fraud. Trump, in turn, promoted a lengthy report Navarro released in December 2020, which Navarro falsely claimed contained evidence of the alleged misconduct and election fraud "more than sufficient" to swing victory to his former boss.

Despite the opposition from several Trump allies, the Jan. 6 panel, comprised of seven Democrats and two Republicans, has managed to interview more than 1,000 witnesses about the insurrection in the past 11 months and is now preparing for a series of public hearings to begin next week. Lawmakers on the panel hope the half-dozen hearings will be a high-profile airing of the causes and consequences of the domestic attack on the U.S. government.
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UVALDE, Texas (AP)  The commander at the scene of a shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, was not informed of panicked 911 calls coming from students trapped inside the building as the massacre unfolded, a Texas state senator said Thursday.

Sen. Roland Gutierrez said the pleas for help from people inside Robb Elementary Schoo l on May 24 did not make their way to school district police Chief Pete Arredondo. The Democratic senator called it a system failure that calls were going to the city police but were not communicated to Arredondo.

I want to know specifically who was receiving the 911 calls, Gutierrez said during a news conference, adding that no single person or entity was fully to blame for the massacre.

However, he said, Republican Gov. Greg Abbot should accept much of the responsibility for the failures in the police response.

There was error at every level, including the legislative level. Greg Abbott has plenty of blame in all of this, Gutierrez said.

Nineteen children and two teachers died in the attack at Robb Elementary School, the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade. Seventeen more were injured. Funerals for those slain began this week.

Abbott this week ordered the state to conduct in-person school district security audits and asked top lawmakers to convene a legislative committee to make recommendations on school and firearm safety, mental health and other issues.

The next Texas legislative session is scheduled for January 2023. Gutierrez is among several lawmakers who have urged Abbott, who is running for reelection, to call a special session in response to the shooting.

The gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, spent roughly 80 minutes inside the school, and more than an hour passed from when the first officers followed him into the building and when he was killed by law enforcement.

Since the shooting, law enforcement and state officials have struggled to present an accurate timeline and details of the event and how police responded, sometimes providing conflicting information or withdrawing some statements hours later. State police have said some accounts were preliminary and may change as more witnesses are interviewed.

Much of the focus turned to Arredondo. Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said Arredondo believed the situation had turned into hostage situation and made the wrong decision to not order officers to attempt to breach the classroom as 911 calls were being made to the outside.

Gutierrez said it's unclear if any details from the 911 calls was being shared with law enforcement officers from multiple agencies on the scene.

Uvalde PD was the one receiving the 911 calls for 45 minutes while officers were sitting in a hallway, while 19 officers were sitting in a hallway for 45 minutes Gutierrez said. We dont know if it was being communicated to those people or not.

But, the senator said, the Commission on State Emergency Communications told him school district police chief did not know.

Hes the incident commander. He did not receive (the) 911 calls, Gutierrez said.

Arredondo has not responded to interview requests from The Associated Press since the attack. A telephone message left at the school police headquarters on Thursday was not immediately returned.

Uvalde Police Chief Daniel Rodriguez and a department spokesman have not responded to AP phone messages and emails seeking comment Thursday.

Police communications were also a problem in 2019 when a gunman shot and killed seven people and wounded more than two dozen during a shooting rampage in Odessa, Texas. Authorities said at the time that 36-year-old Seth Aaron Ator called 911 before and after the shootings but a failure in communication between agencies  they were not all operating on the same radio channel  slowed the response. Ator was able to cover some 10 miles before officers shot and killed him.

___

Bleiberg reported from Dallas. Associated Press writer Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report.
The Liberian Peoples Party (LPP), once again, calls on Liberian Lawmakers to prevent President George Manneh Weah's Administration from further violating the Liberian 2009 Public Finance Management (PFM) Law, such as the illegal and controversial use of the USD25 Million from the Road Fund in 2019 for unexplained purposes. The General Auditing Commission (GAC) revealed that the Weah Administration used USD25 Million for unexplained purposes in blatant violation of Section 2.2 of the Act establishing the National Road Fund.

This information is revealed in GAC Audit Report for two fiscal periods, 7/1/2018 to 6/30/2020.

In August of 2021, LPP, in its Press Release published in local newspapers, called on President George Weah to explain why the government reduced public spending by 63%, from USD115 Million in 2019/20 to USD42 Million in 2021, 2022, and 2023; and subsequently increased payments by 170% to the State-owned bank, Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) in the four fiscal periods. LPP added that it accepts the theory and practice that government can cut allocations for priority programs such as allocations for Goods and Services and increase payments to creditors. Yet, the 63% (USD115Million minus USD73Million) cuts in appropriations for Goods and Services in 2021, 2022, and 2023 have affected and will continue to affect both government operations and the economy in general, LPP predicted then and continues to project the same scenario today.

President Weah's Administration, at the Legislative Hearing concerning the transfer of funds from appropriations for Goods and Services to the State-owned bank (CBL), did not provide any reasons until when it appeared on Radio Talk Show to justify the illegal use of the USD25 Million Road Fund.

And the government assertion was that the government was cash-strapped in 2019; therefore, it used the legally restricted Road Funds. On Sunday evening, 22 May 2022, on Spoon FM 107.5 Talk Show, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), Mr. Samuel D. Tweah, stated that the government was broke, and so the government used a portion of the Road Funds to finance public expenditure. The FrontpageAfrica Newspaper quoting Mr. Tweah reported that Tweah noted that it is no secret that 2019 was the toughest year of the Administration of President George Weah...salaries were current in 2018 until the time in 2019salary arrears were piling up, and we began to look for ways to solve the crisis.

The budgetary transactions in 2019 do not support the assertions that the government was broke:

President Weah's Administration received USD65Million from foreign creditors and USD53Million from local commercial banks in 2019. (See page 53 of the 2019 Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) Annual Report). CBL printed LD4.0Billion additional banknotes, according to page 2 of the 2019 Annual Report of CBL. The government reported that its revenue surplus increased from USD 22 Million in 2018 to USD42 Million in 2019. (See page 50 of the 2019 CBL Annual Report). The governments LD16.5 Billion banknotes (i.e., additional cash owned by the government) were infused into the Liberian Economy, according to U.S. Embassy Press Release published on 28 February 2019. President Weahs Administration paid USD35 Million to the Central Bank of Liberia (i.e., state-owned bank) in 2019/2020, evident that the Administration was not cash-strapped as claimed by Minister Tweah (See Page # XVII of the 2019/2020 National Budget). Donors gave about USD584 Million in 2018/2019 to Liberia, which nongovernmental agencies and some governmental agencies spent on government programs. (See page 9 of the Citizens Guide Budget of 2018/2019 prepared by the MFDP).

The lesson from these different budgetary records indicates that President Weah's Administration is not following Liberias 2009 PFM Law. For instance, President Weah's Administration borrowed USD53 Million from commercial banks; however, its 2019/2020 budget did not project any borrowing from domestic sources. (See page XI of the 2019/20 National Budget). Moreover, the Administration is regularly defaulting on redeeming Treasury bonds and Treasury Bills, strangulating commercial banks, in violation of the six-month pay-back requirement, according to Section 46(2) of the 1999 CBL Act amended on 20 October 2020.



The Liberian Peoples Party was not the only entity that pointed out that President Weah's Administration blatantly circumvented the 2009 PFM Law. In June of 2021, under the Topic 2021 Fiscal Transparency Report: Liberia, U.S. Treasury Department stated that the government did not make its budget documentspublicly available in a reasonable period of time significant deviations between projected and actual revenues during the review period undercut the reliability of budget information.



Why transferred USD25 Million from the Road Fund to pay part of the USD37 Million debts owed to the state-owned CBL? Why borrowed USD53 Million from commercial banks to pay USD37 Million debts owed to the state-owned bank, CBL? Why does the government claim to have realized surpluses of USD22 Million in 2018 and USD42 Million in 2019, but argues that it was broke in 2019? In 2020, officials of the Weah Administration were giving different statements about Liberias cash position. For instance, while officials of the Finance Ministry argued that the country was broke, other officials at the Liberian Revenue Authority stated Liberia was generating more revenue than projected.



Lawmakers should revisit the 2022 budget and review significant appropriations.



LPP is pleased to resubmit many of the recommendations outlined by U.S. Officials from the Treasury Department reported in June 2021:

LPP calls upon the Liberian Legislature to:

1) Meticulously review National Budgets and demand answers from the Executive Branch;

2) Publish financial statements of state-owned enterprises, including debt and contingent liabilities;

3) Publish off-budget accounts (i.e., money donated by donors and are managed by non-governmental agencies) and ensure that they are subject to adequate audit and oversight;

and 4), Produce and publish any supplemental budget when actual revenues and expenditures do not correspond to those in the lawful budget.

Thanks,



J. Yanqui Zaza

Chairman

The Liberian Peoples Party

Tel: +231-776491322

Website: Info@liberianpeoplesparty.org

HQ Address: 80 Benson Street, Monrovia, Liberia
Meteorlogist

Clay joined the Local 3 Weather Storm Alert Team as the weekend meteorologist and reporter in June of 2021. He came to Local 3 from WABG Channel 6 in Greenville, Mississippi where he served as the morning meteorologist for 2 years.
Georgias top elections official has testified before a special grand jury investigating whether former President Donald Trump and others illegally tried to meddle in the 2020 election
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U.S. President Joe Biden makes a statement about the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas shortly after Biden returned to Washington from his trip to South Korea and Japan, at the White House in Washington, U.S. May 24, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
The shooting in Uvalde, Texas that left 19 children and two teachers dead, has schools nationwide looking at their security measures.

Lauri Johnson, principal at Hammond Creek Elementary School in Dalton, Georgia, was one of those educators. She looked at what her school has in place, and felt confident the district was on the right track.

"We always have to respond as if there's a threat," said Johnson. "We never can just be like, 'well, what happened?' No, we're in a threat lockdown."

Teachers in Dalton know exactly what that feels like. In 2018, a teacher at Dalton High School fired a gun and barricaded himself inside of a classroom.

Dalton community weighs in on school safety plan after teacher fires gun Throughout the meeting parents recounted their conversations with their children the day of the shooting at Dalton High School. A lot of them still fear the unknown as their children go to school each day.

After that happened, the district took a hard look at its security protocols, and spent millions to upgrade technology.

"There's probably never enough of what you feel like is enough money," said Dalton Public Schools Superintendent Tim Scott. "We're going to make sure we're good stewards of it."

So far, the district has used that money to prepare for the worst case scenario.

In 2019, the district spent millions toward safety. Now, every school has doors that only lock from the inside and every teacher has access to immediate emergency assistance around their neck.

ONE YEAR LATER: Principal, student talk about Dalton HS one year after teacher fired gun in classroom Its been one year since a former teacher at Dalton High School barricaded himself in a room and fired a gunshot out a window.

Staff badges all have a button built into them that can alert to emergency situations.

Press the button three times, and a nurse and a school resource officer will be called to wherever help is needed. That function is used for medical emergencies.

"It alerts only a small group," said Johnson. "So it doesn't disrupt the operations of the entire school the way the lockdown emergency press does."

For a lockdown emergency press, like in the case of an intruder, staff press the button seven times. In that scenario, police are called and the entire school is put in lockdown.

Over the intercom, a machine voice tells teachers and students to lock doors, find a safe space, and turn off lights.

It's a function Johnson said has, so far, only been used in drills and by accident.

"It's happened once or twice," said Johnson. "I'm getting goosebumps just saying it."

It's not a feeling Johnson wants. Instead, she said, she wants to feel uncomfortable to prepare for the worst case scenario.

You could feel Johnson's demeanor shift when she was asked to test out the alert system and show what teachers are expected to do.

She explained to Local 3 News how teachers are expected to shut the blinds, instruct students to quietly stay on the ground, and take attendance.

"Then we'd put student names of who's missing," Johnson explained while writing up a demonstrative alert email. "And if they're red, that means they need medical help."

Police would have been immediately alerted of the threat. The badges dispatch staff and emergency crews to the exact classroom where the button was pressed.

It's something Johnson doesn't ever think would happen at her school, but she knows it's better to be prepared.

She still had a job to do the day after the shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24.

"But I came in and asked the school resource officer to put our flag at half-staff," said Johnson. "We did a moment of silence on the announcements in the morning and we had school."

A school filled with children Johnson is tasked with keeping safe every day, while hoping the bad things outside don't find their way inside.

"That's what we can all hope for in this world that has bad things happen," Johnson said.

Last month, voters in Whitfield County approved an education sales tax. That means Dalton Public Schools will get $52 million more to renovate schools and improve safety measures.
Chattanooga Police have have confirmed 6 people were shot. Four have non-life threatening injuries, and two have life-threatening injuries.
Local News, Health & Wellness

By Chris Boyle Published: June 03 2022

81,720,820 tests out the door since December 2021, with more than 100 million total tests procured by the state.

Governor Kathy Hochul has announced more than 80 million COVID-19 over-the-counter tests have been distributed to date by New York State as part of the administration's ongoing efforts to keep New Yorkers protected throughout the pandemic. At-home rapid tests are being provided regularly to schools and nursing homes in the state.

"Testing remains a critical tool to identify cases of COVID-19 and limit the spread of this virus," Governor Hochul said. "We have already distributed more than 80 million COVID-19 tests to New Yorkers, and we will continue to bolster our preparedness for the future, keep our communities safe, and safely move forward through this pandemic."

While at-home testing continues to play an important role in identifying cases and curbing the spread of COVID, Governor Hochul and Commissioners Bassett and Bray are urging New Yorkers to get vaccinated and boosted as the best method of protection against COVID-19. The State's free vaccine sites remain open and New Yorkers ages 50 and over are encouraged to get a second booster in accordance with the recently expanded CDC guidance.

Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said, "Governor Hochul, the State Department of Health and I continue to urge all New Yorkers to get tested when not feeling well or potentially exposed - including after traveling or being at events - and to contact a health care provider immediately following testing positive to discuss eligibility for treatments. New Yorkers should also complete their initial COVID-19 vaccine series and get boosted when eligible, as vaccination is still the best way to protect against serious illness and hospitalization."

Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, "New York has one of the most robust test kit distribution networks in the country thanks to Governor Hochul's leadership. This is a significant milestone achieved by personnel across the administration working around the clock to deliver tests on behalf of New Yorkers. Together, we are working to limit the spread of the virus and keep New Yorkers safe."

Since late December, 81,720,820 tests have been distributed throughout New York to schools, nursing homes and adult-care facilities, local governments and certain non-profits for wider distribution, as well as the New York City Housing Authority and various food banks. Governor Hochul previously announced more than 100 million at-home tests have been procured for distribution across the State to identify new cases and limit the spread of COVID-19.

Of the over 100 million tests procured, nearly 20 million tests have been stockpiled to help prepare for any potential surges later this year.
Teen Arrested in Westhampton For Threatening to Shoot the School

Crime

By Ls Cohen Published: June 03 2022

He referenced the recent Uvalde, Texas tragedy.

On Thursday afternoon, a 13-year-old student at Westhampton Middle School was arrested after he threatened to shoot the school. Westhampton Beach Police arrested the teenage boy when the violent threats were reported to authorities by school officials.

According to a police report, the teen made the threat because he said that he was annoyed and frustrated with other students. He told other students and officials he was being picked on and this was the only way to solve the problem, referencing the recent Uvalde, Texas shooting.

The incident was reported by school officials to the Westhampton Beach Police School Resource Officer and then investigated by the Criminal Investigations Unit and Southampton Town Police detectives.

The unidentified teenager was arrested at approximately 1:30pm and charged with Making a Terroristic Threat and Aggravated Harassment.

It is anticipated he will appear in Family Court at a later date.

Although there are no other specified threats, Westhampton Beach Police will have increased presence in the school district and have been in constant communication with school administration.

Anyone with more information on this incident, please call Westhampton Beach Police at (631) 702-1569.
(Alliance News) - A Tory former government minister has come under fire for suggesting the UK should rejoin the EU single market to ease the cost-of-living crisis.

Tobias Ellwood, member of Parliament for Bournemouth East, argued there is an "appetite" to make "course corrections" to the current model, claiming recent polling suggests "this is not the Brexit most people imagined".

The chairman of the Commons Defence Committee said "more radical thinking is required if we are to energise our economy through these stormy waters".

"If an Army general, mid-battle, is mature enough to finesse his strategy to secure mission success, then Government should do the same," he added.

He said Brexit in its current form had sparked a number of challenges, including shrinking exports to Europe and issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol, and that these and other problems would "disappear" if the UK chose to rejoin the single market.

But he was met with forceful rebuttals from Tory colleagues, including Commons Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Tom Tugendhat, who said: "Let's plan for the future and stop looking back. This decision is made."

Former chief whip Mark Harper said: "The UK voted to leave the EU. That meant leaving the single market and putting an end to freedom of movement. The end."

Treasury minister Simon Clarke said he was "pleased to reassure Ellwood" that the UK would not be rejoining the single market, as this would "extinguish half the freedoms that make Brexit so important".

Former Brexit minister David Frost appeared to suggest that Ellwood  who has publicly said Prime Minister Boris Johnson no longer has his support  would not be suited to the top job, saying: "Brexit really is not safe in his hands or his allies'."

Writing in The House magazine, Ellwood conceded his suggestion "would require acceptance of some EU regulations", but argued "one common standard" may be better than two for UK industry.

He also acknowledged there are "understandable reservations" about the free movement of people in relation to benefit claims which "would need addressing", but claimed this is "not insurmountable".

"Let's not forget, both Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher endorsed this model, with the view that the potential economic benefits outweigh the drawbacks," he wrote.

"If joining the single market [with conditions] results in strengthening our economy, easing the cost-of-living crisis, settling the Irish problem at a stroke and promoting our European credentials as we take an ever greater lead in Ukraine, would it not be churlish to face this reality?"

Speaking to Times Radio on Thursday, Ellwood described the issue as a "hot potato", but said people should not "shy away" from the subject.

"Joining that single market, I believe, would strengthen our economy because it would remove so much red tape, it would ease the cost-of-living crisis, it would actually settle the difficult Irish problem on the Northern Ireland protocoland finally, it's also to do with boosting our European credentials," he said.

"Because we are now taking a lead in Europe on Ukraine, but the fact that this Brexit issue  particularly on Northern Ireland  is unresolved means, you know, we're pulled back on this."

By Amy Gibbons, PA Political Correspondent

source: PA

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
The Americans have landed in Mallorca.

This morning at 11:45 the first direct United Airlines flight from Newark, New York landed at Son Sant Joan airport.

The 204 passengers, included the vice-president of United Airlines, were greeted with a small gift: a toiletry bag made of Mallorcan cloth with two jars of Mallorcan salt.

The new service from Palma de Mallorca is the first and only flight between Mallorca and the U.S., building on the airlines existing nonstop daily year-round services from Madrid and Barcelona to New York/Newark and seasonal services from Madrid and Barcelona to Washington D.C.

The airline is also set to launch a new nonstop seasonal service from Tenerife to New York/Newark, starting 10 June 2022. United is serving more destinations in Spain than any other North American airline.

As the only airline connecting Mallorca with the United States, we are excited to launch this new service to our New York/Newark hub, said Patrick Quayle, Uniteds Senior Vice President International Network and Alliances.

This new flight further expands our Europe route network and offers our customers a direct link from Palma de Mallorca to the New York area, as well as the possibility to connect via our Newark hub to 90 destinations across the Americas. This new route also provides easier access for U.S. visitors to the pristine beaches of the Balearic Islands.

It is a great milestone for the airport and for the island that we are today receiving the inaugural intercontinental route for the first time in history, operated by United Airlines, which is a result of the effort and collaborative work with local institutions on the island, said Tomas Melgar, Palma de Mallorca Airport Managing Director.

The new United Airlines route opens a window to Mallorca from New York; a direct view to North America to which we want to show the unique elements that the island has to offer, said Catalina Cladera Crespi, President of the Council of Mallorca.

Mallorca is a first-class tourist destination that has adapted to the times, demands and trends over the years thanks to the work and effort of the tourism value chain, a pioneer in the international tourism industry. All of us, public and private sector, are working closely together to continue to be leaders in quality, safety and, today more than ever, in sustainability. I would like to highlight the efforts made in recent months to make this new route possible.

"Today we are taking another important step forward, but our strategy continues, and we will continue to invest efforts to conquer the heart of the American region, to whom we want to show that Mallorca is a unique experience 365 days a year.

The fact that Palma receives 1,500 Americans every week is, without a doubt, a great economic impact for the city that will benefit the entire economic and social productive fabric, said Jose Hila, Mayor of Palma.

It is a great qualitative leap for the promotion of our destination. Palma is the perfect destination for American tourists as it offers everything they expect to find on their trip for the year, an unforgettable experience and a quality product.

The new service between Palma de Mallorca and New York/Newark is part of Uniteds largest transatlantic expansion in its history, in anticipation of a strong recovery in European summer travel. In total, United will launch or resume 30 transatlantic flights from mid-April through to early June 2022.

In addition to Palma de Mallorca, this includes adding new nonstop flights to distinctive leisure destinations no other North American airline serves including Bergen, Norway; Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal; Tenerife in the Spanish Canary Islands and Amman, Jordan. The airline is also launching new nonstop flights from some of Europes most popular business and tourist hubs including London, Milan, Nice, Zurich and Munich.

Uniteds transatlantic route network will be more than 25 per cent larger than it was in 2019. With this expansion, United will serve more transatlantic destinations than every other U.S. carrier combined and will be the largest airline across the Atlantic for the first time in history.
On the 101st anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre,President Joe Biden paid tribute to the hundreds of Black residents killed in one of the worst acts of racial violence in American history.

A white mob descended on Greenwood, dubbed "Black Wall Street," in 1921, and demolished 35 city blocks. At the time, the district had a population of 10,000 people and thrived as a self-contained center of Black prosperity.

In a statement released Wednesday, Biden stated, "This was not a riot; it was a massacre. As many as 300 African-Americans were killed, and nearly 10,000 people were left homeless. There were fires in homes, businesses, and churches. The wealth of a generation of Black people was extinguished."

According to a 2001 report from an Oklahoma commission investigating the riot, Greenwood residents filed over $1.8 million in loss claims, which would be worth over $29 million today.

Last year, a search for the graves of massacre victims began, with nearly three dozen coffins containing possible victims' remains discovered and researchers urging the search to continue.

Four killed in shooting at Tulsa medical building today

According to a police captain who described the scene as "catastrophic," four people were killed in a shooting at a Tulsa medical building on Wednesday.

The shooter, who apparently died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was not among the four people killed, according to Eric Dalgleish, deputy chief of the Tulsa police department.

The cause of the deadly assault was unknown, however, the strange coincidence that it was during the anniversary of "Black Wall Street" has indeed caused suspicion, begin the question if this was a racial motivated attack. During the attack the unidentified gunman used both a handgun and a rifle, according to Dalgleish.

The shooting is the latest act of gun violence in a country still reeling from last week's attack in Uvalde, Texas, which claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers in one of the country's worst school shootings.

A gunman in Buffalo, New York, was accused of fatally shooting ten people at a supermarket just days before. That shooter was charged with domestic terrorism and murder on Wednesday.
AAP to initiate legal action against those peddling false news of recovery from Jain's house 08 Jun 2022 | 1:17 AM By Ashish Srivastava

New Delhi, June 7 (UNI) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is planning to initiate action against social media users, who "falsely" claimed gold and cash worth crores of rupees was recovered from Delhi Minister Satyender Jain's residence during the raid by Enforcement Directorate (ED), Rishikesh Kumar, Additional Standing Counsel (ASC) for Delhi Government told UNI on Tuesday. see more..

Al-Qaeda threatens to carry out terror attacks in India 08 Jun 2022 | 1:15 AM New Delhi, June 8 (UNI) Terror outfit Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) on Tuesday threatened terror attacks in Delhi, Bombay, UP and Gujarat following controversial comments made by former BJP leaders against Prophet Mohammad. see more..

Dutch lawmaker comes out in support of Nupur Sharma 08 Jun 2022 | 12:18 AM New Delhi, June 7 (UNI) Even as Islamic nations have been issuing statements condemning the utterances of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Mohammad, a Dutch lawmaker has come to her defence and said she has spoken the truth about the Prophet and India should not apologise. see more..

India will never accept attempt to unilaterally change status quo on border: EAM 07 Jun 2022 | 11:37 PM New Delhi, June 7 (UNI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said today that India will never accept any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo on the border and a posture that departs from established understandings will evoke its own responses  in a reference to the border row with China. see more..
EU Council further sanctions Russia

Brussels, June 3 (UNI) The Council of the European Union on Friday imposed the sixth package of sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, that has reached its 100th day.

"The Council adopted a sixth package of sanctions, in light of Russia's continuing war of aggression against Ukraine, Belarus' support for it, and the reported atrocities committed by the Russian armed forces," the council said in a statement.

The package includes a ban on imports from Russia of crude oil and refined petroleum products, a SWIFT ban for an additional three Russian and one Belarusian banks and suspension of broadcasting in the EU for three more Russian state-owned outlets.
UP-lead MODI

Kanpur Dehat (UP), June 3 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said it is the power of democracy that a person born in a poor family in a village can become the President, the PM, Governor and Chief Minister, but we need to be cautious against challenges posed by dynasty politics.

Addressing a public function Paraunkh, the ancestral village of President Ram Nath Kovind in Kanpur Dehat district, Modi said, "It is the power of our democracy that a person born in a poor family in a village can reach the post of the President, PM, Governor and the CM, but today when we are talking about this power of democracy then we need to be remain cautious of challenges like dynasty politics standing before it."
Islamabad, June 3 (UNI) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill on Friday said that the security provided to former premiere Imran Khan has been withdrawn.

Gill said in a tweet, "The security provided to the former prime minister by the Islamabad police was withdrawn."

Gill said that all security officials of Islamabad police were called back on Thursday evening.

He lamented that a convict Maryam Nawaz was given prime minister-level security while on the other hand, security has been withdrawn from Imran khan. "These are cheap tactics of the imported government," ARY News quoted Shahbaz Gill as saying.

Earlier, PTI leader Asad Umar said that they have received a threat alert regarding Khan's security.

While talking to the ARY News, Umar said that Khan's life is in danger and they will file a case against the Shehbaz Sharif led-government if something happens to Imran.

UNI VP SHK1859
Tata Projects to build Noida International Airport

New Delhi, June 3 (UNI) Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) has selected Tata Projects Ltd to undertake the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of Noida International Airport (NIA).

The company has been selected from three shortlisted teams with demonstrated experience in the design, procurement, and construction of large infrastructure projects, a statement from YIAPL said on Friday.

Tata Projects will construct the terminal, runway, airside infrastructure, roads, utilities, landside facilities and other ancillary buildings at Noida International Airport.

Noida International Airport will combine Indian culture and hospitality with Swiss technology and efficiency to develop a modern, user-friendly design, inspired by India.

The passenger terminal will encompass parameters such as short and efficient passenger flows, digital services, and commitment to minimal environmental impact. NIA will be a digital airport in India, enabling contactless travel and personalized services for families/the elderly & business travelers.

Christoph Schnellmann, Chief Executive Officer, Yamuna International Airport Private Limited, said, We are pleased to partner with Tata Projects for engineering, procurement, and construction work at Noida International Airport. With the award of this EPC contract, our project enters the next phase, which will witness a rapid increase in the pace of construction activities on site. Together with Tata Projects, were working to deliver a passenger terminal, runway, and other airport infrastructure with a capacity of 12 million passengers annually, by 2024. We are aiming to enable, promote and strengthen the all-inclusive sustainable development of the aviation ecosystem in India. Noida International Airport will bolster employment generation and economic growth in the state as well as the country.

Vinayak Pai, CEO and MD Designate, Tata Projects Ltd, said, We are proud to be entrusted with the EPC works for the greenfield Noida International Airport at Jewar. Tata Projects will work closely with YIAPL to deliver Indias most advanced and environment friendly airport on time. We shall deploy the latest technologies in its construction, while meeting the highest standards of quality, safety, and sustainability.

Tata Projects' work includes the New Parliament Building, Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link, multiple stretches of Dedicated Freight Corridors, and Metro Rail Lines across various cities including Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and Chennai.

UNI AKM GNK
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DETROIT (AP)  Two candidates for Michigan governor, including a business consultant willing to spend personal millions, lost their final appeals Friday and will remain off the ballot in the Republican primary, the result of phony petition signatures that left them short of the 15,000 threshold.

The state Supreme Court was the last stop for Perry Johnson and Michael Markey, who were doomed by forged signatures apparently created by paid circulators without the candidates' knowledge.

After state officials scratched those names, Johnson and Markey didn't have enough valid ones.

Detroit's former police chief, James Craig, is in the same category. The Supreme Court rejected his appeal on narrow procedural grounds, saying he first needed to go to the Michigan Court of Appeals. Nonetheless, he, too, will likely stay off the Aug. 2 ballot.

Today was the statutory deadline for ballots to be finalized. ... They are going to begin the printing process now, said Tracy Wimmer, spokeswoman at the secretary of state.

A message seeking comment was left for Craig's spokesman.

The state elections bureau described widespread evidence of fraudulent signatures, names of dead voters and wrong addresses in a May 23 report  a conclusion that rocked the crowded field of GOP candidates vying to challenge Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Five candidates said they were victims of dishonest petition circulators and deserved to be on the ballot. They also complained that the state declared thousands of suspicious signatures invalid although only a portion were actually compared to signatures in the voter registry.

The Board of State Canvassers last week tied, 2-2, on whether to put them on the ballot. A tie meant they were left off, and lawsuits followed.

There is nothing here meriting our further time or attention, Chief Justice Bridget McCormack said, adding that Johnson can't show that the Board of State Canvassers had a clear legal duty to certify his name to the ballot.

Justice Richard Bernstein, the lone dissenter, said the Supreme Court at least should have heard arguments.

Johnson raises serious concerns about ballot access and whether the current process implemented by the state appropriately balances real concerns about fraud against the possibility of disenfranchising both candidates and voters, Bernstein said.

Johnson, who refers to himself as a business quality guru, began introducing himself to voters with Super Bowl ads and had pledged to spend some of his personal fortune.

There still will be five other candidates in the Republican primary: Tudor Dixon, Kevin Rinke, Garrett Soldano, Ralph Rebandt and Ryan Kelley.

Four of those five appeared at a debate Thursday on Mackinac Island. Dixon earlier in the day picked up an endorsement from Right to Life of Michigan, an anti-abortion group influential in Republican politics.

___

Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez
Dow Chemical Employees Credit Union (DCECU) will shorten its name to Dow Credit Union, effective September 15, 2022.

After its founding in 1937, DCECU initially only served employees of Dow and Dow Corning. Then, over the years, membership eligibility evolved to include many other companies employees and retirees and their family members, as well as members of other organizations.

Simplifying and streamlining our name to Dow Credit Union makes sense for us as we celebrate our heritage and ongoing service to Dow while recognizing the broader base of our membership and our growing role in the Great Lakes Bay Region of Michigan, said DCECU Chief Executive Officer Michael Goad. We look forward to using this name change and brand refresh as an opportunity to reintroduce ourselves to the members and communities we serve.

The credit union paid Member Giveback rebates and rewards totaling more than $13 million for 2021 and has returned more than $261 million to its members since 1980. In early 2022, Credit Union National Association again named DCECU as one of the top credit unions in the country for delivering member value.

When we began discussing the possibility of a name change, one thing was clear: We wanted that name to celebrate our history and ties to the community while simultaneously clarifying that membership is open to a broader population than it was back in 1937, said DCECU Board of Directors Chair Perry Holmon. Ultimately, we determined that simplifying our longstanding name would accomplish both goals and help bring a new energy as we serve our existing members and welcome new ones.

DCECU Board of Directors member and past chair Mark Bachman noted that the name change comes as both Dow and the credit union celebrate notable milestones.

It is a significant anniversary year for both Dow and DCECU: Dow is marking 125 years in business in 2022, and DCECU is celebrating 85 years of service to member-owners, Bachman said. This is a great time to reveal a new name, new logo and refreshed look for the credit union.

Another Midland-based credit union made a similarly motivated name change many years ago when the former Midland County School Employees Credit Union became the current Members First Credit Union after broadening its membership base.
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GENEVA (AP)  One hundred days into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the war has brought the world a near-daily drumbeat of gut wrenching scenes: Civilian corpses in the streets of Bucha; a blown-up theater in Mariupol; the chaos at a Kramatorsk train station in the wake of a Russian missile strike.

Those images tell just a part of the overall picture of Europe's worst armed conflict in decades. Here's a look at some numbers and statistics that  while in flux and at times uncertain  shed further light on the death, destruction, displacement and economic havoc wrought by the war as it reaches this milestone with no end in sight.

THE HUMAN TOLL

Nobody really knows how many combatants or civilians have died, and claims of casualties by government officials  who may sometimes be exaggerating or lowballing their figures for public relations reasons  are all but impossible to verify.

Government officials, U.N. agencies and others who carry out the grim task of counting the dead don't always get access to places where people were killed.

And Moscow has released scant information about casualties among its forces and allies, and given no accounting of civilian deaths in areas under its control. In some places  such as the long-besieged city of Mariupol, potentially the war's biggest killing field  Russian forces are accused of trying to cover up deaths and dumping bodies into mass graves, clouding the overall toll.

With all those caveats, at least tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians have died so far, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday in comments to Luxembourg's parliament.

In Mariupol alone, officials have reported over 21,000 civilian dead. Sievierodonetsk, a city in the eastern region of Luhansk that has become the focus of Russias offensive, has seen roughly 1,500 casualties, according to the mayor.

Such estimates comprise both those killed by Russian strikes or troops and those who succumbed to secondary effects such as hunger and sickness as food supplies and health services collapsed.

Zelenskyy said this week that 60 to 100 Ukrainian soldiers are dying in combat every day, with about 500 more wounded.

Russia's last publicly released figures for its own forces came March 25, when a general told state media that 1,351 soldiers had been killed and 3,825 wounded.

Ukraine and Western observers say the real number is much higher: Zelenskyy said Thursday that more than 30,000 Russian servicemen have died  more than the Soviet Union lost in 10 years of the war in Afghanistan; in late April, the British government estimated Russian losses at 15,000.

Speaking on condition of anonymity Wednesday to discuss intelligence matters, a Western official said Russia is still taking casualties, but ... in smaller numbers. The official estimated that some 40,000 Russian troops have been wounded.

In Moscow-backed separatist enclaves in eastern Ukraine, authorities have reported over 1,300 fighters lost and nearly 7,500 wounded in the Donetsk region, along with 477 dead civilians and nearly 2,400 wounded; plus 29 civilians killed and 60 wounded in Luhansk.

Ukraine's ambassador in Geneva, Yevheniia Filipenko, said for her, the 100-day mark was more about the faces of children who lost parents or homes, or the faces of fleeing mothers than about any particular count.

Its not about the numbers," she said in an interview, "its about the feelings and the sufferings of Ukrainians.

THE DEVASTATION

Relentless shelling, bombing and airstrikes have reduced large swaths of many cities and towns to rubble.

Ukraines parliamentary commission on human rights says Russia's military has destroyed almost 38,000 residential buildings, rendering about 220,000 people homeless.

Nearly 1,900 educational facilities from kindergartens to grade schools to universities have been damaged, including 180 completely ruined.

Other infrastructure losses include 300 car and 50 rail bridges, 500 factories and about 500 damaged hospitals, according to Ukrainian officials.

The World Health Organization has tallied 296 attacks on hospitals, ambulances and medical workers in Ukraine this year.

FLEEING HOME

The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR estimates that about 6.8 million people have been driven out of Ukraine at some point during the conflict.

But since fighting subsided in the area near Kyiv and elsewhere, and Russian forces redeployed to the east and south, about 2.2 million have returned to the country, it says.

The U.N.'s International Organization for Migration estimates that as of May 23 there were more than 7.1 million internally displaced people  that is, those who fled their homes but remain in the country. That's down from over 8 million in an earlier count.

LAND SEIZED

Ukrainian officials say that before the February invasion, Russia controlled some 7% of Ukrainian territory including Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and areas held by the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk. On Thursday, Zelenskyy said Russian forces now held 20% of the country.

While the front lines are constantly shifting, that amounts to an additional 58,000 square kilometers (22,000 square miles) under Russian control, a total area slightly larger than Croatia or a little smaller than the U.S. state of West Virginia.

THE ECONOMIC FALLOUT IN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE ...

The West has levied a host of retaliatory sanctions against Moscow including on the crucial oil and gas sectors, and Europe is beginning to wean itself from its dependence on Russian energy.

Evgeny Gontmakher, academic director of European Dialogue, wrote in a paper this week that Russia currently faces over 5,000 targeted sanctions, more than any other country. Some $300 billion of Russian gold and foreign exchange reserves in the West have been frozen, he added, and air traffic in the country dropped from 8.1 million to 5.2 million passengers between January and March.

Additionally, the Kyiv School of Economics has reported that more than 1,000 self-sanctioning companies have curtailed their operations in Russia.

The MOEX Russia stock index has plunged by about a quarter since just before the invasion and is down nearly 40 percent from the start of the year. And the Russian Central Bank said last week that annualized inflation came in at 17.8 percent in April.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has reported suffering a staggering economic blow: 35% of GDP wiped out by the war.

Our direct losses today exceed $600 billion, Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenskyys office, said recently.

Ukraine, a major agricultural producer, says it has been unable to export some 22 million tons of grain. It blames a backlog of shipments on Russian blockades or capture of key ports. Zelenskyy accused Russia this week of stealing at least a half-million tons of grain during the invasion.

... AND THE WORLD

The fallout has rippled around the globe, further driving up costs for basic goods on top of inflation that was already in full swing in many places before the invasion. Developing countries are being squeezed particularly hard by higher costs of food, fuel and financing.

Crude oil prices in London and New York have risen by 20 to 25 percent, resulting in higher prices at the pump and for an array of petroleum-based products.

Wheat supplies have been disrupted in African nations, which imported 44% of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine in the years immediately before the invasion. The African Development Bank has reported a 45% increase in continental prices for the grain, affecting everything from Mauritanian couscous to the fried donuts sold in Congo.

Amin Awad, the U.N. crisis coordinator in Ukraine, said 1.4 billion people worldwide could be affected by shortages of grain and fertilizer from the country.

This wars toll on civilians is unacceptable. This war has no winner, he told reporters in Geneva via video from Kyiv on Friday. Today we mark a tragic milestone. And we know what is needed the most: An end to this war.

___

Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine.

___

Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (AP)  A federal appeals court has upheld part of a 2020 Connecticut police accountability law that allows public disclosure of state trooper personnel files and internal investigations.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York on Thursday rejected a challenge by the Connecticut State Police Union, which argued the law violates the 2018-2022 troopers' contract by stripping away its exemptions from state freedom of information laws.

The union said Friday that it is considering asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its case.

The contract section in question says troopers' personnel files and documents in internal investigations that end with no finding of wrongdoing are not subject to disclosure.

A three-judge panel of the appeals court upheld a ruling by a judge in a lower court who rejected the union's request to bar the law section from taking effect during its court challenge. Senior U.S. District Judge Charles Haight Jr. in New Haven also said the union's case was not likely to succeed because the law serves a legitimate public purpose in increasing law enforcement accountability and transparency.

Andrew Matthews, executive director of the state police union, said troopers oppose the law because it allows records involving unfounded allegations to become public, possibly tarnishing a trooper's reputation despite no findings of wrongdoing.

If the union asks the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its appeal and justices reject the request, the case would return to the lower court judge who expressed doubt about the union's case. Also, the state police contract expires June 30 and new contract negotiations are underway.

Proponents of the 2020 law said it answered the calls for reform after the police killings of George Floyd and other Black people. It also created a new state inspector general to investigate police use-of-force cases statewide, limited circumstances in which deadly use of force can be justified, and allowed lawsuits in state courts against officers in certain cases.
Last week in Uvalde, Texas, while an 18-year-old man with a gun murdered 19 children and two teachers in an elementary school classroom, the ranking law enforcement official on the scene reportedly kept police officers waiting outside the room for more than an hour.

Panic-stricken parents, overwhelmed with fear, stood outside the school begging the police to do something, some attempting to climb the fence surrounding the school to retrieve their children. One mother was handcuffed, and police allegedly used a Taser and pepper spray on two other distraught fathers.

On May 26, police in Texas admitted their response to the Uvalde school shooting was inadequate, and the U.S Justice Department has announced it will review the law enforcement response to the incident.

Huron County Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson said the outrage and grief surrounding what happened on May 24 is understandable but added all the facts surrounding the Uvalde shooting are still unknown to the public and an incident like that involves countless variables, which makes initial judgments about what happened hasty and uninformed.

"I don't think the dust has quite settled from this," he said.

The confusing and sometimes contradictory information released in the week since the deadly shooting continued Tuesday with the revelation that the exterior door used by the gunman was not left propped open by a teacher, as police previously said.

Even so, Hanson added every one of his deputies undergoes training about responding to active shooters, and that training mirrors official Huron County Sheriffs Office policy, which dictates that deputies immediately engage the gunmen.

An active shooting incident, whether in a school, supermarket or church, usually does not result in a standoff situation, which can play out over several hours and require the use of a negotiator. Police immediately engage with the expectation of one of two usual outcomes: the gunman will either commit suicide when the police arrive or will be killed by responding officers.

Hanson said this strategy is one that was adopted long after he first became a law enforcement officer. Before the Columbine incident in 1999, police arriving on the scene of an active shooting waited for other police to arrive and formulated a plan on how to respond before taking action.

This was likely the initial response to the Uvalde shooting, with the on-scene commander believing the gunman had barricaded himself in the classroom and the incident had turned into a hostage situation.

Responding officers do have to take into consideration the risk of being shot and the safety of anyone still in the building or facility where the shooting is taking place, the sheriff said.

"Not only are you looking for the (shooter), your job is to get people out of there, too," he said.

Hanson added that hes been working with Huron Intermediate School District since a committee was formed shortly after the school shooting at Oxford High School in Oakland County late last year. That committee includes superintendents from Huron County school districts as well as the HISD superintendent and is looking for ways to make area schools safer and more secure.

Hanson said the fact that the committee has brought local law enforcement closer together with area educators has been a very positive thing. Students currently undergo drills on how to react to an active threat in their schools, but the panel has been brainstorming other possible ways to mitigate what an active shooter might do.

"I don't know what the answer is going to be," Hanson said. "We want everybody to get out of the school. Obviously, our last resort is to fight and not give up."
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  Iran reported the death of another colonel of the elite Quds force of its Revolutionary Guards on Friday, the second in two weeks from the unit which oversees Iran's military operations abroad.

Quoting an unknown official, the early morning report by the official IRNA news agency said Col. Ali Esmailzadeh died during an incident in his residence days ago in city of Karaj, some 35 kilometers (19 miles) northwest of the capital Tehran.
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MANISTEE COUNTY  Manistee County has a new head clerk, and it's someone new to the role, but not the office.

Lindsey Marquardt, the long-serving chief deputy to retired county clerk Jill Nowak, was sworn in Wednesday.

She was selected for the interim position by 19th Circuit Judge David A. Thompson.

The new county clerk will fill out the remainder of Nowaks unexpired term, which lasts until Dec. 31, 2024. Marquardt is a candidate to fill the position for its next four-year term.

Marquardt has worked at the county clerks office since May 2005.

I started as a deputy clerk and was hired by (former Manistee County Clerk) Marilyn Kliber two weeks after graduating from West Shore Community College, Marquardt told the News Advocate in an email.

She was appointed chief deputy county clerk by Nowak in January 2012.

The Manistee County Clerk's Office files, stores and retains vital records, including birth, death and marriage records, and makes certified copies of these records available to the public. As county clerk, Marquardt is also responsible for running county elections and training poll workers.

A lifelong resident of Manistee County, Marquardt graduated from Manistee High School in 2002.

My parents grew up here and have been married 49 years this year, she wrote. I am married 15 years this June, with two children who will grow up in the same community just as my husband and I did.

Having worked at the Manistee County Clerks office for just over 17 years, Marquardt says she is prepared to assume her new role and responsibilities.

I have some very big shoes to fill, following the footsteps of not only Jill Nowak, but Marilyn Kliber, as well, she wrote. The team in the county clerks office all have numerous years of experience which will help make this transition a bit smoother. Im lucky to have them. We hope to continue with the public service Manistee County has come to expect from this office.

For more information on the Manistee County Clerk's Office, visit manisteecountymi.gov.
WHITERIVER, Ariz. (AP)  A tribal police officer was fatally shot during a traffic stop on a reservation in Arizona and the suspect was killed in a subsequent shootout that left another officer wounded, officials said Friday.

Adrian Lopez Sr., 35, was identified as the White Mountain Apache Police officer shot and killed Thursday night in the town of Whiteriver on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. He had only been with the department since January, according to the Navajo County Sheriff's Office. Prior to that he served as a federal Bureau of Indian Affairs police officer from March 2021 through December.

Theres no possible way to try to outline the chaotic event that this was, Chief Deputy Brian Swanty said at a news conference.

An altercation broke out after Lopez stopped a car driven by Kevin Dwight Nashio, 25, near the downtown area, authorities said. Nashio, a resident of Whiteriver known to local police, shot Lopez, Swanty said.

Nashio took off in Lopez's marked police vehicle. Several officers pursued him through rugged areas for at least 40 miles (64 kilometers) and a rolling gun battle took place, according to authorities.

Nashio crashed the car into a tree near a lake that is a popular tourist draw. A second gun battle erupted that resulted in Sgt. Lonnie Thompson, 29, getting wounded and Nashio being killed.

The sergeant was airlifted to a Phoenix hospital. Swanty on Friday said his injuries were not considered to be life-threatening but could certainly be debilitating.

The FBI is leading the investigation into the shootings. The agency is gathering information to present to the U.S. Attorney's Office but cannot share any details, FBI Special Agent Sam Davenport said.

Swanty would not elaborate on how Nashio was already known to police. He also said it has not yet been determined why Lopez pulled him over.

Gov. Doug Ducey ordered flags at all state buildings lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Monday.

There is no greater act of selflessness than for one to lay down his life for another, Ducey said in a statement. Officer Lopez will be remembered as a selfless and brave protector.

Meanwhile, tribal Chairman Kasey Velasquez said all flags on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation will be flown at half-staff until further notice. He called Lopez, who leaves a behind a wife and child, a beacon of light, a bulwark against the darkness.

Last night the unimaginable happened. Our hearts are once again broken by the loss of one of our best and bravest White Mountain Apache police officers, Velasquez said.

The eastern Arizona tribe is still mourning the death a young officer from two years ago. White Mountain Apache police Officer David Kellywood, 26, was killed in February 2020 while responding to a report of shots fired outside a casino. He struggled with a suspect who then shot him. A second officer fatally shot the suspect.

Kellywood had only been with the department for nine months.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP)  A West Virginia hospital plans to join the Mountain Health Network under an agreement that calls for $39 million in investments over the next five years, health officials announced.

The agreement announced Thursday is the first step toward Pleasant Valley Hospital in Point Pleasant being acquired by Cabell Huntington Hospital and allowing the 101-bed nonprofit hospital to become part of the health network that also includes St. Marys Medical Center in Huntington, Mountain Health said in a news release.
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SALISBURY  For over 20 years, SOAR Educational Enrichment has been providing after-school opportunities for Salisbury Central School students.

Now, a mural created in collaboration with the American Mural Project of Winsted and Twenty2 wallpaper + textiles of Bantam will celebrate and commemorate the founding of the program in 2020 by Zenas Block.

The program over the years has evolved into the gold standard of enrichment programs in the region, said Linda Sloane, the director of SOAR. Its gone from being a small operation to a fairly big operation. Our mission is to provide enrichment programming beyond the regular school curriculum and to make it affordable.

Michelle Begley, the director of education programming for the American Mural Project, said these kinds of community collaborations are something important to her.

When I was brought in, I really committed myself to community partnerships and outreach into school communities, Begley said.

The key to the mural, she said, was making sure it had the fingerprints of every person in the school on it. Begley said one of their teaching artists, Jessica Jane Russell, took a creative lead on the project.

We wanted to create a project that would resonate with the community and be a hands-on experience for every single child in the building, Begley said. We were determined that everybody would touch this project at least once, if not twice.

The project initially began in 2020, which was the 20th anniversary of SOAR, but the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the process. Eventually, the project was finished, and they were even able to include the works of students who had since graduated from the school in the last two years.

Everybody went above and beyond in ways that are hard to describe, Begley said. It was a true coming together of many communities into this one final project to honor someone who uplifted the Salisbury school community.

For Sloane and the rest of the SOAR program, having a physical mural on the wall acknowledging their work is a big deal.

There never was any physical sense or reminder of SOAR in the school except when classes were happening. Sloane said. This mural really physically puts SOAR on the map. Its a great way to commemorate Zenas spirt. That was important for me, to have a lasting physical presence of SOAR that there never has been.

Sloane said she has enjoyed the reaction people have had as they see the mural for the first time.

The kids were thrilled, Sloane said. Faculty and staff have been talking about how great and unifying and what a great symbol of collaboration it is. It still resonates and makes a lot of people happy everyday.

Salisbury Central School will be hosting its annual student art show on Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m., and the mural will be part of that display  a sign that Sloane said is much needed in these times.

Kids spent so much time apart and being home and being isolated, to suddenly having this big 8-foot high and long mural that has everybodys handprint on it, Sloane said. It was a great community feeling and celebration that everyone really needed. Its kind of a reminder that we are slowly moving out of this dark time. Its a celebration of life and resilience.
NORWALKWith a new South Norwalk elementary school location identified and $76 million allocated for the buildings construction, the city is now searching for a principal to preside over the new school.

In a job opening posted Wednesday, Norwalk Public Schools is seeking a principal for the South Norwalk school for the 2022-23 school year.

We are seeking an inspirational leader who will maintain our rigorous learning environment while being committed to our talented staff and students, while engaging in the deep roots of the community, the summary description read.

NPS Superintendent Dr. Alexandra Estrella said the district plans to have a SoNo Elementary School principal selected by the end of the month.

Earlier this week, the district hosted a community discussion around what the core values should be for the upcoming SoNo school.

We collected some essential features for our new leader coming in and will further formulate what core values and central features of school will be, Estrella previously said. We also left with information needed from the community in really knowing what qualities they wanted from leaders. We are putting posting up today to start search process in trying to identify the leadership for the school with the goal to identify someone by the end of the month.

Once a principal is hired for the new school, they will become integral in helping shape the schools environment, Estrella said.

By that point in time we will have students attending the incubator and students and educators will play an essential role in defining what the actual interior of the building should have that aligns to school. The most important thing is we are in a really positive trajectory forward. SoNos been waiting for this for some time, Estrella said. We are really excited for the work were going to be doing this summer to ensure SoNo students can start going to school in their community and eventually, in two years or so, transition to a new state-of-the-art facility.

Many of the principals tasks will revolve around construction of the new school, including participating in the process for hiring the best qualified and most competent personnel, maintaining records of all building activities and facilitates the routine operations of the school, and establishing relationships with community groups to solicit support for certain activities and programs, according to the job posting.

Requirements for the job include the ability to communicate effectively with parents and staff,.

The position will report to the executive director of leadership development, a title held by both Sandra Kase and Mary-Anne Sheppard, according to the NPS staff directory.

The address listed on the opening is the South Norwalk Community Center, with plans to house the school until construction is completed.

Families in South Norwalk wont have to wait until construction is complete to enroll their children in the new neighborhood school, as the school plans to open this fall at a different facility until the school is constructed.

Norwalk Public Schools plans to start incubating the new school this fall at the Concord Magnet School building on Concord Street that will be left vacant when CMS relocates to the Ponus Ridge campus over the summer.

Incubating the school while the new location is being built allows the school to start establishing its character and academic programs, and makes for an easier transition once the new school building is ready, NPS Superintendent Dr. Alexandra Estrella previously said.

abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com
The Air Force's decision last year to move U.S. Space Command headquarters from Colorado to Alabama was marred by a shoddy and unclear process that could give the impression of bias or lack of credibility, according to a new congressional report.

The long-anticipated findings in the 89-page report, released by the Government Accountability Office on Thursday, showed the suggested move from Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama's Redstone Arsenal lacked important information such as cost considerations for moving the entire command nearly 1,200 miles away.

GAO investigators were also worried about the "significant shortfalls in its transparency and credibility," as well as the "appearance of bias" in the decision, according to the report.

Read Next: Watchdog Validates Decision to Move Space Command But Says Officials Didn't Keep Adequate Records

The report did not comment or analyze whether the decision to ultimately choose Huntsville as the home of the U.S. Space Command was acceptable. But it does validate the concerns of Colorado lawmakers, who requested the GAO look into the move after the announcement of the decision last year.

"While the Air Force initially followed key aspects of its established basing process, Air Force officials acknowledged that they condensed some procedural steps of the established process," the report states. "We also found that some steps were eliminated."

Elizabeth Field, a director in GAO's Defense Capabilities and Management team, told Military.com that the report doesn't discuss whether Redstone Arsenal would be a reasonable location for U.S. Space Command because investigators encountered a lack of clear records and transparent steps showing how the Air Force made the decision.

"One of the things that really sticks out to us is the fact that the Air Force didn't fully consider the cost of the basing decision or relocating infrastructure and personnel at Peterson to somewhere else," Field told Military.com.

The report reviewed the process for how Redstone Arsenal became a finalist and, ultimately, won out over five other finalist locations: Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska; Patrick Space Force Base, Florida; Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado; and Kelly Field at Port San Antonio, Texas.

Peterson, notably, was the original headquarters for U.S. Space Command in 1985 and became the interim home for it when it was reactivated in August 2019, before the Space Force became the military's sixth service branch later that year.

But proper analysis for each of those bases, specifically Peterson, seemed to be ignored.

"A senior U.S. Space Command official similarly told us that renovating the existing building at Peterson Air Force Base would likely allow the command to reach full operational capability sooner than constructing a new headquarters building," the report found.

From December 2018 through early March 2020, the process for narrowing down the possible locations for U.S. Space Command mostly followed an established process, but from early March 2020 through January 2021, the Air Force changed up the steps to analyze the locations, leading to the ultimate selection of Redstone.

Last August, former President Donald Trump stoked concerns that he had short-circuited the selection process when he called into a syndicated radio show that airs in Alabama.

"Space Force -- I sent to Alabama," Trump told the Rick & Bubba Show. "I hope you know that. [They] said they were looking for a home, and I single-handedly said, 'Let's go to Alabama.' They wanted it. I said, 'Let's go to Alabama. I love Alabama.'"

The report does not address whether Trump, or any senior military official, was responsible for the ultimate selection of Redstone Arsenal.

"Although the Air Force documented the general rationale for selecting Redstone Arsenal in an action memorandum and accompanying documents, there was not consensus among the officials we interviewed regarding who ultimately made the decision to name Redstone Arsenal as the preferred location for U.S. Space Command headquarters, including the role of the then-president in making the decision," the report said.

The GAO's report follows a Department of Defense inspector general's report published last month that said the selection process was marred by shoddy record keeping, but the ultimate decision to choose Huntsville was reasonable and the selection wasn't improper.

Colorado's delegation in Washington was alarmed at the move of the command, as well as the loss of 1,400 jobs and millions in funding to Alabama, and had requested the GAO investigation and the Pentagon's inquiry into the selection.

Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, as well as Democratic Rep. Jason Crow and Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn, issued a statement Thursday saying both reports should be reviewed by President Joe Biden and military leaders to reverse course on moving U.S. Space Command.

"We have serious concerns about how this conclusion was reached, which contradicts the military leadership's stated goal of reaching full operational capability as quickly as possible," the lawmakers said in a joint statement. "Our national security should be the deciding factor in basing decisions. With the investigations now complete, the shortcomings of the Space Command basing process are fully available to the Biden administration."

Bennet and Hickenlooper met with Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall on May 17 to voice their concerns, shortly after the Pentagon's inspector general report went public.

Kendall told members of Congress last month that the Department of the Air Force will review the investigations before making any decisions on the U.S. Space Command location.

-- Thomas Novelly can be reached at thomas.novelly@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly.

Related: New Details Emerge in Officer-Involved Shooting at Space Force Base that Left a Man Dead
An Army National Guardsman from Maryland has pleaded guilty after investigators found more than 12,300 depictions of child pornography on his electronic devices, according to the Justice Department.

Daniel Morozewicz, 38, who also served as a police officer in Rockville, Maryland, made the plea Tuesday after being charged with possession of child porn. Law enforcement said that Morozewicz, while working for the National Guard and police department, used the BitTorrent file-sharing network to traffic in the illegal images between September 2020 and January 2021.

"During that time, Morozewicz repeatedly distributed child pornography to undercover law enforcement officers," the Justice Department statement added.

Read Next: Air Force Cut Corners, Couldn't Say Who Decided on Space Command Move to Alabama, Watchdog Says

On March 4, 2021, Morozewicz received a tip from "a commanding officer" that federal law enforcement officers wished to conduct an interview, court documents show. When law enforcement showed up the next day to execute a series of search warrants, Morozewicz was activated as a Guardsman at a vaccination site at the Six Flags America amusement park in Bowie, Maryland.

Among the evidence seized under the warrants, officials say they found a smartphone that had been recently factory reset and erased. The Guardsman "admitted that he discarded his computer in anticipation of a visit from law enforcement," the statement said.

"A forensic examination of Morozewicz's devices revealed that he possessed over 12,300 depictions of child pornography and erotica, including over 200 depicts involving the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, and over 90 child pornographic images involving sado-masochistic conduct," the statement explained.

Court records show that Morozewicz was arrested on May 14, 2021, and released the same day with the conditions that he not leave Maryland; get mental health treatment; and stay away from any minors except his own child, among others. Documents filed with the court also note that prosecutors were hopeful to avoid trial with a plea deal weeks after the arrest.

Morozewicz was assigned to D Company of the 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Regiment. Military.com reached out to a spokesman for the Maryland National Guard for more information about Morozewicz's service history but did not immediately hear back.

According to officials, Morozewicz faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release for his crime. Sentencing has been scheduled for Sept. 8.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: The Navy Has Fired the Leadership Team at Its Lawyer School
The Defense Department would be able to fund or itself provide abortions for service members under a new bill introduced Friday by dozens of House Democrats as the country braces for a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could dramatically curb access.

Female troops must now go off base for abortions in most cases, and similar efforts to expand access have fallen short in the past. But the latest legislation comes as many states pass new restrictive laws with the expectation that the high court will soon overturn Roe v. Wade, the legal precedent that has protected abortion rights across the country for nearly 50 years.

"The fallout for our service members and their families will be catastrophic, as is the threat to our military readiness, morale and unit cohesion," Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., chair of the House Armed Services Committee's military personnel subcommittee, said in a statement Friday. "Our brave service members deserve the same access to basic health care as the people they are fighting to protect."

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Speier sponsored the bill alongside 81 House co-sponsors, all of them Democrats. In the other chamber of Congress, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.; Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who are all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also plan to introduce a version of the bill, according to a news release from Speier's office.

Right now, federal law prohibits Tricare, the military's health insurance, from covering abortions for service members and covered spouses unless the mother's life is in danger or the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest. Military treatment facilities are also banned from providing abortions with the same limited exceptions.

The bill introduced Friday would repeal those prohibitions.

Democrats have been pushing the Pentagon to ensure troops retain access to abortion services since last month, when the draft of an upcoming Supreme Court opinion was leaked to the public. It revealed the court is poised to overturn the 1973 Supreme Court ruling on Roe.

Up to 26 states could ban abortion after Roe is overturned, including 13 that have so-called trigger laws to immediately end abortion after a Supreme Court ruling, according to the pro-abortion rights Guttmacher Institute.

Many of the biggest military bases in the country are in those states, such as Fort Hood in Texas.

Because of the legal restrictions on the military providing abortions, servicewomen must go off base to get one. In light of that, experts and advocates have been warning that overturning Roe could be particularly hard on female troops, who cannot choose where they are stationed, because those based in states that ban abortion will have to ask for leave from their commanders to travel out of state.

In the past, some efforts to expand abortion access and other reproductive care for service members have made it into early drafts of Congress' annual defense policy bill, only to be taken out in the final version that became law because of strong Republican opposition.

For example, in 2010, a Senate version of the defense bill would have removed the restriction on performing abortions in Defense Department facilities, but that provision was stripped from the bill before it became law.

Even efforts to expand contraception access for troops have had trouble becoming law amid fierce Republican opposition, such as a Speier-led amendment to eliminate Tricare copays for birth control and ensure servicewomen can access emergency contraception. That has made it into the House version of the bill several times, only to be stripped during House-Senate negotiations.

The bill introduced Friday comes after eight Senate Democrats wrote a letter pushing the Pentagon to at least make it easier for service members to take leave if they need to travel out of state for reproductive health care.

Military.com reported last month that the Army is drafting a policy that would specify that soldiers can request to move if they feel state or local laws discriminate against them based on gender, sex, religion, race or pregnancy. Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston, the service's top enlisted leader, also told House lawmakers last month that the force is considering some response if Roe is overturned, though it's unclear whether that is separate from the draft compassionate reassignment policy.

-- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel.

Related: Soldiers Facing Discrimination from State Laws Could Request Transfers Under Draft Army Policy
This week, the U.S. military captured photos of troops, veterans and families honoring fallen service members as part of Memorial Day remembrance events across the country. Adm. Linda Fagan made history as the first woman to lead a service branch when she accepted command of the U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. troops trained with NATO allies as Russias continued invasion of Ukraine marked its 100th day on Friday.

7.

A Polish paratrooper jumps from a CH-47 Chinook helicopter following paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne Division onto a drop zone in Bedow Desert, Poland, May 29, 2022. (Sgt. Catessa Palone/U.S. Army)

Related: US Airborne Infantry Troops Arrive in Poland amid Tensions

6.

A military working dog assigned to the 355th Security Forces Squadron, bites simulated perpetrator Senior Airman Gabriel Higuera, 355th SFS MWD handler, during a training scenario at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, June 1, 2022. (Senior Airman Kaitlyn Ergish/U.S. Air Force)

Related: All Military Working Dogs Deserve to Come Home After Service. Too Many Are Being Left Behind

5.

Landing signal officers observe flight operations on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in the Philippine Sea on May 31, 2022. Abraham Lincoln Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Javier Reyes/U.S. Navy)

Related: Top Gun: Maverick Is a Military Movie Miracle

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4.

148th Fighter Wing first responders and 25 partnering agencies participated in an exercise at the Duluth International Airport, Duluth, Minnesota on June 2, 2022. The exercise simulated an aircraft striking a piece of large construction equipment upon touching down on the runway. (Audra Flanagan/Air National Guard photo)

Related: Military Services Lighten Up on Facial Hair and Uniforms in New Policies

3.

A CH-47F Chinook helicopter from the 2nd Battalion, 104th Aviation Regiment, Connecticut Army National Guard, hoists a buoy into the water adjacent to U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Oak (WLB 211) off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, June 1, 2022. Oak, a seagoing buoy tender crewed by 42 personnel, responsible for 144 buoys along the coast from northern New Jersey to the border of Canada, recovered the buoy, which had run ashore on Nantucket, with the help of Army Aviators from the Connecticut Army National Guard. (Sgt. Matthew Lucibello/U.S. Army)

Related: US Coast Guard Returns 223 Migrants Back to Haiti, Cuba. Some Stopped Off Florida Keys

2.

Adm. Linda Fagan relieves Adm. Karl Schultz and becomes commandant of the Coast Guard during a change-of-command ceremony at Coast Guard headquarters June 1, 2022. Fagan is the first woman service chief of any U.S. military service. (Benjamin Applebaum/DHS)

Related: Biden Says 1st Female Armed Services Chief Is 'About Time'

1.

The Indiana National Guard supported the 152nd Crown Hill Memorial Service, May 30, 2022 at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Ind. The ceremony included keynote speaker, retired Marine Cpl. Josh Bleill, a joint-service color guard, the 38th Infantry Division band, a wreath laying ceremony and a 21-gun Howitzer cannon salute. (Sgt. Hannah Clifton/Indiana National Guard)

Related: Memorial Day 2022

-- Drew F. Lawrence can be reached at drew.lawrence@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @df_lawrence.
Receiving the Medal of Honor requires the recipient to commit to an action that risks their life "above and beyond the call of duty." This means no one involved would blame the person for not performing the action.

Sometimes, this means taking on an enemy while outnumbered; sometimes, it means rescuing a battle buddy from certain death. For U.S. Army Staff Sgt. George Hall, it meant both -- only, the person he rescued was himself, and he had to cut off his own leg to do it.

George John Hall was a native of Massachusetts who joined the Army long before the United States entered World War II. He first served in the National Guard in his home state while still a teenager, but he was discharged in 1940 and entered the active-duty Army.

The first part of his Army career was spent training in Panama and then later Fort Hamilton, which is today the only active-duty military installation in the New York City Metro area. Though the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor took Americans overseas by the hundreds of thousands, Hall managed to stay stateside until 1944, in time to take part in the Battle of Anzio on the Italian Peninsula.

The fighting in Italy had the effect of relieving some of the pressure on the Soviet Union in the east, tying up Axis defenders who might be used against the coming invasion of Normandy and causing the overthrow of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

Anzio was part of the Allies' effort to break a stalemate on the peninsula. Allied forces first landed in Italy in September 1943 and fought at a steady pace toward Rome. The Allies were stymied by the tough German defenses at Monte Cassino, the westernmost part of the Gustav Line.

Two U.S. Army soldiers from the 34th Infantry Division walk with an Italian partisan through the town of Rosignano, Italy, May 13, 1944. (National Archives)

To break the stalemate, British and American troops landed at Anzio, behind the Gustav Line, on Jan. 22, 1944. At the same time, Americans under Gen. Mark Clark attempted a breakout of Cassino to add pressure on the Germans -- except the invasion of Anzio almost failed. Within three days, the Allies were surrounded by 40,000 German troops.

The bloody Battle of Anzio lasted for five months. Hall was by then a staff sergeant in the 34th Infantry Division. His division had landed at Salerno and fought the Germans to the Gustav Line. After fighting near Monte Cassino, he and the 34th landed at Anzio, only to be surrounded.

On May 23, 1944, the division launched an offensive to break out of the encirclement, crush the Germans and race on to Rome. Hall was leading Bravo Company across open terrain when the unit suddenly found itself pinned down by enemy machine-gun fire and snipers.

Hall, in the front of the unit and knowing they wouldn't last long under this kind of fire, volunteered to take out all three machine gunners. He crawled along for 60 yards, with the furrows of a farmer's plowed field as his only cover. Despite the steady enemy machine gun, he was able to toss four grenades into the nest and take it out.

Two of the Germans inside the machine gun nest were dead. Four were alive but stunned. Hall took them prisoner and ordered them to crawl back to the Allied lines. The Germans complied. Hall had used all of his grenades assaulting the machine gun, but luckily found a stash of German "potato masher"-style grenades in the nest.

Every time the next machine gun nest fired a burst at him, Hall chucked a few grenades at it. The Germans would throw some of them back, but eventually, Hall threw more than they could handle. With five dead and five more prisoners heading back to the Allied lines, Hall began the low crawl to the third nest.

As he moved, the third Nazi gun nest fired at him frantically in an attempt to stop his rampage. That's when enemy artillery began raining down on Hall as he crawled through the field. One of the incoming shells tore his right leg to shreds and injured his left foot. His right leg was held on by just two tendons.

Knowing he could no longer move to kill the third enemy gun, Hall turned around to crawl the 75 yards back to his original spot in the field, but the pain was overwhelming. He was too far away for a medic to hear his cries for help, and the enemy was still firing at him. He lay there and considered what to do.

He decided the leg would have to go before the enemy came out and finished him off entirely. Hall cut off his leg to relieve some of the pain involved, allowing him to continue crawling to safety. He eventually made it, and Army medics treated him and sent him to a field hospital. Hall's only complaint was that he didn't get the third enemy position.

Army Staff Sgt. George John Hall. (National Archives)

Hall would survive the war and head home, returning to his onetime home in New York City. He would have to return to Massachusetts on April 6, 1945, however, to be presented with the Medal of Honor for his actions that cleared the way for his unit to move forward at Anzio.

Unfortunately, complications from wounds that sent him home from Italy and for which he received the Medal of Honor ended Hall's life in 1946, at just 26 years old.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.

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Reds reliever Justin Wilson underwent Tommy John surgery today, the team informed reporters (including Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer). Cincinnati also reinstated starter Mike Minor from the 10-day injured list to make his season debut, optioning outfielder TJ Friedl to Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move.

Wilson has been on the IL since late April with what the team had called elbow soreness. Cincinnati transferred him to the 60-day IL last week, suggesting he wasnt close to returning, and he unfortunately required a reconstructive ligament repair. Itll obviously end his 2022 season and quite likely cost him the bulk or all of next year as well, given the standard 14-16 month recovery timetable.

The veteran southpaw has typically been a durable and effective middle innings option throughout his career. Hes exceeded 50 frames in six of his 11 big league campaigns. Aside from last season, he hasnt posted an ERA above 4.20 in any season, and hes the owner of a career 3.41 ERA. Wilsons control has waffled at times, but hes typically missed a fair amount of bats and handled hitters from both sides of the plate.

Wilson had the worst season of his career last year, however, allowing more than seven earned runs per nine over 21 first half appearances with the Yankees. The Reds acquired him midseason  assuming the remainder of his salary to incentivize New York to part with Luis Cessa  and he turned things around a bit in the second half. Wilson had a solid 2.81 ERA in 16 innings for Cincinnati, but his strikeout rate was still a few points below his typical level.

The Fresno State product exercised a $2.3MM player option for this season, but he made just five appearances before landing on the shelf. Hell hit free agency at the end of the year. Wilson turns 35 years old this summer and surely wont be ready for next Opening Day, so he seems a likely minor league deal recipient assuming he wants to continue his career. Its not uncommon to see pitchers recovering from a major procedure ink multi-year minors pacts if theyre expected to miss most or all of the first season.

In more fortunate injury news for Cincinnati, Minor is slated to make his first start for the team tonight against the Nationals. The Reds acquired the veteran southpaw from the Royals for reliever Amir Garrett during Spring Training, aiming to backfill a rotation that was dealt a hit when Cincinnati sent Sonny Gray to Minnesota. It was surprising to see the Reds assume around $7.3MM in salary after they subtracted Gray and Wade Miley to cut costs, but the front office clearly felt Minor would be in line for a bounceback after a rough 2021 season.

Unfortunately, Minor was quickly diagnosed with shoulder soreness and wound up missing the first two months of the campaign. His was among a series of early-season injuries for the Reds, contributing to an atrocious start. Cincinnati sits at 18-32, ahead of only the Nationals in the NL. Their 5.91 rotation ERA is MLBs second-worst (again, only better than Washingtons). Minor figures to join Tyler Mahle, Luis Castillo and rookies Hunter Greene and Graham Ashcraft in the starting five for skipper David Bell.
The Mariners have agreed to a minor league deal with outfielder Scott Heineman and assigned him to Triple-A Tacoma, reports the affiliates broadcaster Mike Curto (Twitter link). Hes expected to make his team debut tonight.

Heineman hasnt played with an affiliated club this season, but hes seen big league action in each of the prior three years. The right-handed hitter suited up with the Rangers from 2019-20 and played for the Reds last year. Altogether, hes tallied 173 plate appearances and hit .172/.249/.325 with five home runs and four stolen bases.

The 29-year-old has obviously yet to find much MLB success, but hes a .304/.369/.458 hitter in parts of three Triple-A seasons. That includes a .279/.353/.410 slash in 17 games for the Reds top affiliate in 2021, but Cincinnati granted him his release midseason. Heineman made the jump to Japan, signing with the Yomiuri Giants, but he only played in ten NPB games.

Heineman has experience at all three outfield spots, although hes better suited for work in the corners. The Ms have Jesse Winker, Julio Rodriguez and Taylor Trammell as their primary outfield, with utilityman Dylan Moore seeing occasional work as well. Mitch Haniger and Kyle Lewis are both on the injured list, and Jarred Kelenic was optioned to Tacoma a few weeks ago. Seattle is awaiting the arrival of Justin Upton as he works his way into game shape, and Heineman will an experienced non-roster depth player to the upper minors.
Popular Nollywood actor, Jim Iyke, has reacted to the report of his conversion to Islam.

A report on Wednesday emerged that the actor had embraced the Islamic faith.

Some Muslims had in reaction welcomed him to their religion, according to Dailypost.

But reacting, Jim Iyke in a video on his Instagram page dismissed the report, saying he had no plans of ever converting to Islam.

According to him, the viral photos which triggered the claim were taken from a movie he's currently shooting in Ghana.

Let me quickly address the elephant in the room and go back to what I do best. I feel it is necessary to address the rumour making the rounds lately.

I made a movie in Ghana and it's a movie about religious fanatic, someone took a picture from that movie and claimed I converted my faith.

I respect all religions and I have no intention of ever converting my faith. I'm totally committed to my faith. I don't understand why someone will do this, but there is a certain line that cannot be crossed, he said.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Thursday confirmed a robbery at one of his properties, but denied claims levelled by a former spy chief that he had kidnapped and bribed the thieves.

Former intelligence boss Arthur Fraser late Wednesday accused the president of organising the kidnapping, questioning and bribery of thieves who stole $4 million from his farm north of Johannesburg.

"President Ramaphosa is clear that there is no basis for the claims of criminal conduct that have been made against him," his office said in a statement.

But the presidency confirmed that a robbery took place around February 9, 2020, in which money from a wildlife sale was stolen. At the time, Ramaphosa was attending an African Union summit in Ethiopia.

"On being advised of the robbery, President Ramaphosa reported the incident to the head of the Presidential Protection Unit of the South African Police Service for investigation," the statement said.

Ramaphosa speaks at an African Union summit in Addis Ababa on February 9, 2020. By MICHAEL TEWELDE (AFP)

After a career in intelligence, Fraser became chief of the country's prisons.

It was he who in September ordered the release on medical parole of former head of state Jacob Zuma, just two months into a 15-month jail sentence for contempt following his refusal to testify in a probe into financial sleaze under his presidency.

Zuma was forced to resign in 2018 after a series of corruption scandals.

He was succeeded by his then deputy, Ramaphosa, who came into office pledging to fight graft.

But he too has been called in for questioning in the investigation into alleged looting from state coffers during the Zuma era.
Madam Harriet Thompson, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, and Madam Jasmine Griffiths, Head of Strategic Partnerships and Diaspora, have paid a visit to trail-blazing British-Ghanaian businesses in Ghana to work with them to grow opportunities and partnerships.

A statement issued by the British High Commission in Accra, copied to the Ghana News Agency said the duo have spent the first six months of 2022 visiting some British-Ghanaian movers and shakers working across the country's business community.

They visited the Shell Foundation, a UK charity supporting Freezelink, a Ghanaian temperature-controlled transport and warehousing company founded by Mr Owusu Akoto, and the Library of Africa and The African Diaspora (LOATAD), housing books by writers of African, African American, Caribbean, Black European, Afro-Latin, and Indigenous descent.

The rest were Izzy Obeng at Foundervine, an international training consultancy, which made it onto Forbe's 30 lists of Social Impact 2022; and Zeepay, one of Ghana's fastest growing Fintechs, among others.

The statement said the British High Commission had long championed the work of British-Ghanaians, which increased after Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall visited Ghana in 2018.

It said the Mission worked closely with the Diaspora Affairs Office of the President and the Ministry of Tourism during the Year of Return and Beyond the Return initiative and continued to partner with Diaspora-led events such as Tech in Ghana, Afronation and Afrochella.

GNA
Three NGOs on Thursday filed a lawsuit in a Paris court against French arms producers Dassault Aviation, Thales and MBDA France for alleged war crimes complicity in Yemen. They accuse the companies of having sold weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that were then used against civilians in Yemen.

The compliant, filed by the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), the Mwatana for Human Rights and Sherpa International, comes amid a nationwide truce between a Saudi-led coalition and the Iran-aligned Houthi group went into effect on 2 April.

Rights groups in France have repeatedly attempted to show that Paris's tacit support for the coalition has prolonged and worsened the conflict, which began in 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition intervened against the Houthis after they ousted the government from Yemen's capital, Sanaa.

By targeting Dassault, Thales and MBDA France, the NGOs hope it will keep the subject in the public domain at a time when the United States and its Western allies are seeking to improve ties with Saudi Arabia.

Dassault and MBDA France did not immediately respond to calls or an emailed request for comment. Thales requested questions by email and did not immediately respond.

"The coalition's airstrikes have caused terrible destruction in Yemen. Weapons produced and exported by European countries, and in particular France, have enabled these crimes," said Abdulrasheed al-Faqih, executive director of Yemeni organisation Mwatana for Human Rights.

"Seven years into this war, the countless Yemeni victims deserve credible investigations into all perpetrators of crimes, including those potentially complicit," he said.

French prosecutors are already studying similar complaints filed against Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the French customs authority.

The truce has offered a glimmer of hope in a country where the war and ensuing economic collapse have left millions facing starvation, and could also provide Riyadh with an exit from a costly conflict that is a point of tension with Washington.

(with wires)
Before G20 leaders and experts meet next week for the second health working group meeting under Indonesian G20 presidency, local leaders from several cities across the Asia Pacific region have unitedly called for implementing One Health approach.

"A #OneHealth approach recognizes that the health of humans is closely connected (and inter-dependent) to the health of animals and our shared environment. Successful public health interventions that comprise the human-animal-environment interface require the broad, committed collaboration of individuals, politicians, and technical and policy organizations from all levels of society, said Dr Tara Singh Bam, Asia Pacific Director of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union).

Zoonotic diseases that spread between animals and humans, are a threat to SDGs

Human populations are growing and expanding into new geographic areas, including those that have hitherto been the primary domains of animals. With more and more people coming in closer contact with wild and domestic animals- both livestock and pets- this has increased opportunities for the spread of existing or known (endemic) and new or emerging zoonotic diseases, which include COVID-19, rabies, tuberculosis (TB), and Ebola, among others.

Just recently towards the end of April 2022, China had reported the first-ever human case of H3N8 new strain of bird flu influenza. Such localized disease-outbreaks can spread globally if we do not avert or address them quickly and effectively enough. This warrants agencies, working on human health, animal health, and the environment, to collaborate, coordinate and respond properly. The role of national leaders, especially sub-national leaders, becomes vital in this regard, said Dr H Mohamad Subuh, Chairperson of Association of All Indonesian Health Offices (ADINKES), Indonesia.

Most of the epidemics and pandemics that have (and continue to) threatened the world are of animal origin. Recent examples range from SARS in 2003, the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, Zika in 2016, COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, and Monkeypox. 75% of all emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, said Dr Andre Furco, Technical expert  One Health, World Organization for Animal Health.

These experts were speaking at a special session hosted jointly by Indonesias Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, ADINKES, The Union, World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT).

Local leaders hold the power to translate global promises into transformative changes

"We cannot protect human health without considering the impact of human activities that disrupt ecosystems, encroach on habitats, and further drive climate change", had said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) earlier this year. He had added that, to keep people safe, One Health must be translated into local-level systems.

That is why local leaders from around 80 cities of over a dozen countries in Asia and the Pacific had endorsed a Declaration rooted in One Health approach, at the 6th Asia Pacific Summit of Mayors (6th APCAT Summit) in December 2021, said Professor Tjandra Yoga Aditama, former Director General (Disease Control), Ministry of Health, Indonesia, and former Director (communicable disease control), of the WHO for South-East Asia region.

Dr Andre Furco added: We cannot anymore work in silos, as these diseases are at the interface of human health, animal health and environment. So we need to work together to be able to better respond to them. One Health approach must be applied at the local level with a whole-of-society approach.

Successful implementation can only happen if those who are in the driving seat lead on One Health. That is why the role of Mayors and other leaders is so key, said Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Health, Indonesia. I believe that by strengthening the communication, collaboration, and coordination between the sectors of human health, animal health and environment, we will be able to make an impact.

Dr Paula Fujiwara, who has devotedly worked on lung health since decades, and is currently the Chair, Global Plan to end TB Task Force, and Scientific Advisor, APCAT agreed: Spread of SARS, TB and other microbes are some examples and the result of increased interaction of animals with human spaces. APCAT has shown its success in tobacco control by providing mayors with a shared platform to collaborate, share experiences and best practices, and improve communication among local governmental and non-government stakeholders. APCAT could leverage this experience to accelerate uptake of a One Health approach that would be novel and impactful in addressing health threats.

Local leaders, like Mayors, are often in the best position to design and implement locally tailored solutions that are culturally appropriate and sustainable, for addressing a wide range of health and development challenges, as well as they are key resources for offering ground information and best practices to others. That is why Dr Paula Fujiwara said: You hold the power to develop local One Health legislation, to form and lead relevant and multisectoral One Health Task Forces, to build and implement the action plan for advocacy on One Health approach.

One Health approach is cost-effective too

COVID-19 is a warning to work collectively across human health, animal health, and environment sectors. One Health is a cost-effective and practical approach for improving human health, animal health, and environment," said Khagaraj Adhikari, senior Member of Parliament, and former Health Minister, Nepal, who is also the current Chair of Asia Pacific Parliamentarians Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Parliamentarians).

We must prioritise #OneHealth political advocacy with MPs, Mayors, and other local leaders. We must establish legal and other mechanisms that are needed to implement One Health effectively. We must build local and national capacities, and technical skills. We must invest in local solutions and increase public participation, said Khagaraj Adhikari, whose contribution in advancing tobacco control as Nepals Health Minister is widely respected.

The Indonesian Ministry of Home Affairs also echoed Adhikari's call for an enabling environment so that local governments can fully implement the One Health approach on the ground. Dr Teguh Setyabudi, Director General, Regional Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, Indonesia, said that "One Health documents must be translated into local plans so that budgetary allocations can be made. With proper policy, plans and funding, local government leaders will be able to implement these strategically."

Globally, as WHO is working with governments worldwide for a possible Global Treaty on Pandemic Prevention, Dr Gyanendra Gongal, Regional Advisor, WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, said that it includes, "facilitation of multilateral and trans-sectoral implementation of a One Health approach to pandemic prevention as one of its agendas.

Dr Tara Singh Bam, who is also the Board Director of APCAT, said to CNS (Citizen News Service): APCAT has always believed in leadership, accountability and transparency and delivery. The Mayors' Alliance needs to work together with subnational governments, national governments, donors and all other partners. APCAT will continue to collaborate, build communications, and strengthen capacity for this cause. We believe in the whole of government approach and we believe with this we will be able to translate the One Health approach into concrete actions on the ground.

Can we escape the cycle of panic and neglect?

The recent human health emergencies have exposed fault-lines in health systems, and highlighted key lessons to help us prevent and be better prepared for (and hopefully avert) the next pandemic. Can we escape the cycle of panic and neglect? The cost of inaction is too high for humanity and our planet to bear perhaps.

Shobha Shukla, Bobby Ramakant  CNS (Citizen News Service)

(Shobha Shukla and Bobby Ramakant lead the editorial team at CNS (Citizen News Service). Follow them on Twitter @Shobha1Shukla and @BobbyRamakant)
The Lands and Forestry Committee of Parliament has summoned the sector minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor over the return of state lands to some families and traditional authorities.

The declassification of portions of the Achimota forest as a reserve and matters arising has generated public discourse.

Speaking to the media, Ranking Member on the committee, Dr . Rashid Pelpuo indicated that a crucial meeting will take place next Tuesday.

The authorities concerned about keeping government lands are showing accountability in the usage of the land. We are all aware of the Achimota land issue. Whilst we are still thinking about it, other issues are coming, even with our lands in Kumasi and other Regional capitals.

We have gotten to the point that we think we need to talk about it, and we need to get to the Minister to come before the membership of the committee of Lands and Forestry to explain to us the circumstances under which government is finding it compelling to give out lands that it has acquired years ago.

Widespread media reports indicate that the government has given more than 400 acres of state lands, including a section of the military barracks in Kumasi, to the Asantehene.

The Chief Director of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, Mrs. Emelia Ayebeng Botchway, is reported to have written a letter to that effect on behalf of the Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah.

The letter cites the issuance of Executive Instrument 432 of 2021 by Government in respect of Redevelopment of Sector 18 of Kumasi, which was published in the Ghana Gazette on 31st December 2021.

---Citi Newsroom
The Northern Regional Communications Bureau of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is calling on state security agencies to investigate the 2nd Vice Chairperson of the NPP in the region, Madam Felicia Tetteh.

This comes on the back of her alleged confession to taking some GHS100,000 as her share of Covid-19 funds disbursed to the Sagnerigu Constituency in the run-up to the 2020 general elections where she was a Parliamentary candidate for the ruling government.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have recently intercepted a tape of Madam Felicia Tetteh who was the NPP Parliamentary candidate for the Sagnerigu Constituency and the 2nd Vice Chairperson of the NPP in the Northern Region making claims of how the Covid Funds was distributed to her and other NPP apparatchiks, the Northern Regional Communications Bureau disclosed to journalists at a press conference.

Abdul-Mumin Alhassan who addressed the press conference added, For the avoidance of doubt, Madam Felicia Tetteh in the audio claims that The COVID fund came. My quota was 50,000 as a regional 2nd Vice. I was given another 50,000 because I doubled as the Parliamentary candidate for Sagnarigu. The constituency was given 200,000. MCE was given 30,000. Chairman was given 20,000. Other executives were given 10,000 each.

Expressing displeasure at the revelations, the Bureau says the security agencies in the country must have the interest to look into the issues in the supreme interest of the Ghanaian taxpayer as such public funds must not and should not be utilized in such a bizarre manner.

Read the speech read by the Northern Regional Communications Bureau of the NDC at its press conference:

PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE NORTHERN REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS BUREAU OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS ON THE REVELATIONS OF MADAM FELICIA TETTEH

Ladies and Gentlemen we have extended an invitation to you this day to discuss an important issue of national concern.

Ladies and Gentlemen, you would recall the NDC through the Former President John Dramani Mahama raised serious concerns and questions about how the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia led government expended over GHC 30 billion in the fight against Covid-19 and called for an audit of the Covid expenditures for the Ghanaian public to know how these monies were expended in their name.

The NDC MPs in Parliament have also through Parliamentary process called for an audit of the Covid expenditures.

You would note that the government has deployed every gorilla and opaque tactics to escape accountability in respect of this call for them to account for the huge Covid expenditure.

As we witnessed how Covid relief support which was meant to support hard-hit businesses was dissipated and abused by the government all in an attempt to win the 2020 elections.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have recently intercepted a tape of Madam Felicia Tetteh who was the NPP Parliamentary candidate for the Sagnerigu Constituency and the 2nd Vice Chairperson of the NPP in the Northern Region making claims of how the Covid Funds was distributed to her and other NPP apparatchiks.

For the avoidance of doubt, Madam Felicia Tetteh in the audio claims that The COVID fund came. My quota was 50,000 as a regional 2nd Vice. I was given another 50,000 because I doubled as the Parliamentary candidate for Sagnarigu. The constituency was given 200,000. MCE was given 30,000. Chairman was given 20,000. Other executives were given 10,000 each.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, it is extremely a sad state of governance and an abuse of the trust of the people of Ghana that at a time when Ghanaians and the world were battling a major pandemic that claimed thousands of lives and left many families in agony and pain the government riding on the back of this mobilized money and expended it on winning an election than protecting the lives of the people. Indeed, the government through this revelation prioritized spending to win an election than the lives of Ghanaians.

Ladies and gentlemen, as we are learning from Madam Felicia, each constituency was given GHC 200,000 of the Covid support funds. This money which was meant to be given to businesses that were extremely hit by the ravages of the pandemic was rather distributed to constituencies in this manner. We have 18 constituencies in the Northern Region and by the words of Madam Felicia, each constituency was given GHC 200,000 a conservative estimate will mean GHC 3.6 million was distributed for the purposes of winning an election in the Region rather than using such colossal sums to support business and the fight against Covid-19.

It must be extremely worrying to all of us that a government mindful of the dire ramifications that Covid came with will be expending GHC 200,000 to constituencies of Covid related funds for elections. It stands to reason that based on Madam Felicia Tettehs infamous revelation the government expended over GHC 55 million in this regard. Imagine what GHC 55 million could do for the people of Sagnerigu Constituency? This huge monies shared to party elements can provide electricity for the communities in the constituency without electricity, pay the school fees of over 18,000 tertiary students in the constituency, provide portable water, provide business capital for the teeming unemployment youth in the constituency among others.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Madam Felicia Tetteh also claims that as the second regional vice chairperson of the NPP in the Northern Region, she was given GHC 50,000 and another GHC 50,000 as the Parliamentary candidate. This means that the NPP Parliamentary Candidates were given such amount of the Covid funds meant to support business and fight the pandemic for the purposes of winning their respective seats.

Friends in the media like the sharing of state resources like groundnut to NPP apparatchiks we have witnessed over the last 6years, the constituency and regional executives of the NPP also benefited from this wanton dissipation. Imagine that all constituency, regional and branch executives of the NPP received such colossal sums of monies meant to fight Covid across the 16 regions of this country the drain this puts on the national kitty?

Ladies and Gentlemen, in the 2020 election we drew attention to the monetization of the elections by the NPP. We all saw how the NPP Parliamentary candidates and operatives were sharing money to electorates against the tenets of democracy and good governance. In the Sagnerigu constituency where Madam Felicia was the NPP Parliamentary Candidate much was seen and can be said of how she was sharing money and other goodies to electorates in the constituency all in attempt to buy the votes of the people to become the MP. But the Bulchinima that the good people of the Sagnerigu Constituency are, they showed that money will not buy their conscience and voted decisively for the NDC.

Ladies and Gentlemen we believe that what has been revealed by Madam Felicia is just a tip of the iceberg and theres a lot to how the Covid support funds was expended. The sad and worrying part is that these monies that the NPP government led by Nana Addo/Bawumia dissipated with careless abandon, the Ghanaian taxpayer will be called upon to pay for it when the money was used for the governments selfish and narrow interest of winning an election.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the investigative apparatus of the state must rise up to the occasion and investigate this revelation in the supreme interest of the Ghanaian taxpayer as such public funds must not and should not be utilized in such bizarre manner.

We therefore, welcome the directive of the Speaker of Parliament in asking the Finance Minister to appear before parliament to account for the Covid funds but this is not enough for us to establish the truth of how the monies were spent. We believe a full blown special audit into the Covid related expenditure is the best approach in line with the call by Former President John Dramani Mahamas nationalistic call for a special audit. We call on Parliament and the Auditor General to step up to this call of the Ghanaian people and audit these expenditures.

Thank you

Abdul-Mumin Alhassan

(General Amin)

NRC
Pride Month Celebrated by Ministry of Equality

The 1st June marks the beginning of Pride Month, an event that is celebrated in many countries around the world. Pride month was established to honour those involved in the Stonewall riots in New York on the 28th June 1969.

It is considered one of the most important events leading to the Gay liberation movement.

This year, to commemorate Pride Month, Government will be celebrating in a visually colourful way. Rainbow flags will be hoisted on the 1st and 28th June at the land frontier and at No 6 Convent Place. Rainbow flags will also be flown during Pride month outside St Bernards Hospital, Care Agency and Royal Gibraltar Police Headquarters at New Mole House. The Minster for Equality will also be displaying a flag in her office and at the Ministry of Equality for the duration of the month.

HM Government of Gibraltar has said it is also happy to announce that a Pride march will be held on the 25th June. This is being organised by the LGBTQ+ Committee and supported by Government. The march will start on the morning at Casemates Square. There will also be information stalls from Ministry of Equality, the Gibraltar Health Authority and Care Agency at Casemates. The Government would like to encourage support for this event from our community and advise that they contact the LGBTQ+ Committee for more information in relation to the event via e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Moorish Castle was also brightly lit with the LGBTQ+ rainbow colours on the 1st June to mark the start of Pride month, and again on the 25th June to mark the Pride march.

The Ministry of Equality says it would also like to encourage the public to view and share a video that the Ministry published in 2019 with the aim of raising awareness of LGBTQ+ matters and to promote respect and inclusion for all members of the community, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The video can be viewed on HM Government of Gibraltars Facebook page or on the Ministry of Equality website: www.gibraltar.gov.gi/department-equality

Her Majestys Government of Gibraltar said it is the first to have recognised the rights of LGBTQ+ people of Gibraltar.

Notable achievement since 2011 are:

The Civil Partnership Act in 2014 and Civil Marriage Amendment Act in 2016 not only recognised legal relationships for same sex couples, but also paved the way for adoption by same sex couples

In 2013, legislation was enacted which outlawed homophobic hate crime and speech

In 2015, this protection was further extended for people who undergo gender reassignment.

In February 2021, Gibraltar implemented a surrogacy law. This allows individuals and couples, married or in a civil partnership, unable to conceive, to engage in non-commercial, altruistic surrogacy. The legislation also provides automatic recognition to children of same-sex couples conceived through artificial insemination.

The Ministry of Equality has enhanced the above achievements through community engagement and the introduction of awareness training, in particular to PGCE students, nursing trainees and engaging with the local youth clubs.

The Minister for Equality, the Hon Samantha Sacramento MP, said: In this day and age there are still some people who may not agree or even understand what the LGBTQ+ movement is about. The importance of living and letting others live as they wish is vital in a democratic society. People should be allowed to express themselves as they wish without any fear or concern of reprisal. People should be able to hold hands in public with whomever they want. Therefore, the importance of raising awareness in relation to the LGTBQ+ issues is paramount so that people understand that they should accept that others may want to express themselves differently. If we want to build an outright inclusive society in Gibraltar, we need to work on the issues that cause barriers. The Ministry of Equality is active in this respect in its outreach in the provision of its equality and inclusion training.

Gibraltar is more inclusive today than it has ever been. This Government has pioneered landmark equality legislation for the LGTBQ+ community, but no form of legislation can change hearts and minds. In order to do this, Gibraltarians, irrespective of their own sexual preference or gender identity, must stand together in support of the rights of the LGBTQ+ community to openly be themselves. The month of June is the perfect opportunity to raise awareness because of its symbolic importance and issues need to be brought to the fore with the aim of encouraging debate and a change of attitudes. Join us at the Pride march on the 25th June to celebrate Gibraltars Pride and inclusion.
The European Union (EU) is strengthening the capacity of over 200 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) across Nigeria, in a bid to curtail the trend of money laundering and promote corporate governance in the country.

The EU-funded initiative under the Agents for Citizens-driven Transformation (ACT) programme is targeted at enhancing the capacity of CSOs on regulatory framework relating to their corporate activities.

The Project Lead Facilitator, Prof. Deji Adekunle, while speaking at the opening of a two-day capacity building workshop in Kano, explained that the program specifically targeted the compliance and operations officers, finance managers of CSOs with the aim of building skills in corporate governance and companies regulations.

Adekunle, who identified the components of the training which stretch across corporate affairs regulation, taxation matters, anti-money laundering, and pension regulation, recalled that CSOs are incorporated essential because of their role as agents of citizens-driven transformation.

The lead facilitator explained that participants are being empowered with knowledge and exposed to relevant documentation regarding Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, and CAMA Act. 2020, Pension regulation and other frameworks, CSOs must comply with.

The program is one of the activities of the EU funded projects on Agents for Citizens-driven Transformation (ACT) program and this component of the program is looking at strengthening the capacity of the CSOs who are the main agents of Citizens-driven Transformation, Adekunle said.

The project is implemented by the British council deliberately to build the capacity of operations officers and finance managers of the CSOs on regulations, laws, and framework relating to their activities. Issues on CAC registration, and compliance with CAMA Act. 2020, money laundering tendencies and so on, Professor Adekunle noted.

Assistant director, office of the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Tolulope Sonaike cautioned CSOs against money laundering tendencies while dealing with foreign partners.

Sonaike, who stated that CSOs are required to be familiar with relevant corporate governance policies involved in the registration of entities, emphasised that the federal government monitors cash flows into the country.

He noted that CAC has simplified the registration process and procedure and created an online option to eliminate unnecessary costs and improve the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

EU focal person in Kano, Rabi Adamu said the project targets CSOs in Ten states Kano, Lagos, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Adamawa, Enugu, Rivers, Plateau, FCT Abuja and Ondo.
The Student Representative Council (SRC) of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) has been rendered broke and forced to put on hold major projects.

This according to the SRC is due to the management of the schools refusal to release dues paid by students to the council since 2020.

In a release to keep the students' body updated, the SRC notes that GIMPA Management has not been transparent with funds collected on behalf of the students.

It adds that the management has failed to properly account for the dues and unable to release same to the leadership of various campuses for the operationalisation of the union.

We dare state here with facts, that the GIMPA Management over the period has not being transparent with the students funds, unwilling to transparently account for, and unable to release same to the SRC its operations. And this is not limited only to our dispensation, a release from the SCR signed by its President Nathaniel Kwabena Antiri Amoani.

Due to the non-release of funds, the SRC says major projects it is undertaking have stalled with no indication of when they can be continued and completed.

Due to the situation, the SRC has been forced to cancel this years SRC Week celebration which was to start last Monday and end on Friday, June 3, 2022.

"What is more painful, as widely anticipated by the student body the celebration of the traditional week-long celebration which event takes effect every year as it happens in all other tertiary institutions, (i.e. SRC Week celebration), we regret to inform you that this years activities which was planned and calendared for 30th May 2022 to 3rd June, 2022 has been cancelled indefinitely as a result of lack of funds to carry up the program among other very important projects the administration has in store, the SRC release adds.

The GIMPA SRC amid the frustration is entreating students to remain resolute and stand with the council in unison and in one accord, as it pursue the issue with all the seriousness that it deserves.

Read the full release from the GIMPA SRC below:

Our Ref: SRC/2021/2022/IR01 2ND JUNE, 2022

Your Ref .

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Regrettably, we are displeased to share with you the much unfortunate news regarding the latest developments on the above subject matter.

It will be recalled that we the current Executives following a successful elections took charge of office on the 16th day of November 2021 to carry up the mandate of being the voice and the body to champion the interest and welfare of the general student body of the Institute.

Since the takeover of administration, we have as leaders, done nothing more than pursuing higher interests, which is geared towards the greater good of students of GIMPA.

However, we are pressed to come back to you, our cherished students who form the membership of the council and all other stakeholders who have the interest of the GIMPA SRC at heart, not to complain, but to keep you abreast with the issues of facts, that have set the SRC handicapped to operate within its capacity as per law prescribes and the way forward as the administration coming to an end.

Without fear or favor, we the leadership of the 2021/2022 GIMPA SRC, are stating without any equivocation, that GIMPA Management have not being transparent with funds collected on behalf of the students, failed to properly account for, and is unable to release same to the leadership of various campuses for Operationalization of the union.

It should be noted that since the year 2019 to date, the student dues which is collected by the GIMPA Management on account of the SRC, has been in custody of the institute since the year 2020 until our assumption of office in November 2021, the SRC was not properly constituted to operate in its fullest capacity.

Since the takeover of administration, leadership were faced with difficulty of access to bank account of the SRC as there was an impending litigation between the Former ( 2018/2019 ) SRC President and the GIMPA Management for issues of similar instances.

As an administration, we took the boldest decision and the pain of not requesting for money directly from source (GIMPA Management), until the bank account issues are resolved to ensure proper financial administration. Eventually, same was achieved following the setup of a joint committee composed of the old (2018/2019) and we the current Executives of the SRC.

Again, it is instructive to note that at its 55th sitting on the 24th of March 2020, the Governing Council of the Institute issued a strict directive to Management to regularized the SRC bank account, reconcile funds due the which has in custody of Management and submit a report on same at its next sitting. This was following a petition which was sent to the Chairman of the GIMPA Council for his interventions.

Unfortunately, the GIMPA Management, still have not been able to release funds which by themselves reported to the Governing Council as readily available to the SRC account of various campuses. Upon the numerous follow-ups, nothing worth sharing has turned up other than mere rhetorics, contradictory stories and unimaginable excuses.

These conducts by the GIMPA Management, has caused the SRC in no small measure.

Typically is the renovation of the Students learning room at the GIMPA main campus of which the SRC by its own, having secured a donation of a Five Thousand Ghana Cedis (5,000), made an initial deposit for the supply of learning chairs to enhance usage of the facility. This, was done in anticipation of funds to be released from Management to complete the process. Unfortunately, this is going to cost the SRC some more debts since unable to honor its part of financial obligations timeously.

Again, with the devastating nature of the SRC block, we the leadership took the decision to rehabilitate the offices to fit for purpose as Management has remained adamant of all our calls as well as previous by administrations. Upon request for funds, we were told by Management the rehabilitation would be undertaken by the Management themselves around in no time. It is regrettable to state that till the dying days of our administration, the SRC block still, has further deteriorated to a more devastating state of abys without any show of an attempt by Management to that effect.

What is more painful, as widely anticipated by the student body the celebration of the traditional week-long celebration which event takes effect every year as it happens in all other tertiary institutions, (i.e. SRC Week celebration), we regret to inform you that this years activities which was planned and calendared for 30th May 2022 to 3rd June, 2022 has been cancelled indefinitely as a result of lack of funds to carry up the program among other very important projects the administration has in store.

We have taken this action as a decision by the leadership of the SRC, as at this point it has become abundantly necessary amidst the difficulty and turmoil encountered, to enable the leadership set investigations into what has accounted for the failure of the GIMPA Management and their inability to release funds due the SRC to undertake its projects and programs as a mandate.

As an administration, we deem it right to inform you the students of the Institute, custodians and the main stakeholders of the SRC, how your monies are put to use.

We dare state here with facts, that the GIMPA Management over the period has not being transparent with the students funds, unwilling to transparently account for, and unable to release same to the SRC its operations. And this, is not limited only to our dispensation.

In view of the above, we entreat you our cherished students, to remain resolute and stand with us in unison and in one accord, as we pursue this issue with all the seriousness that it deserves. We are critically mindful of the task ahead, but we believe also, this must be done not for today but for the future.

As leaders we are prepared to implore the use of any appropriate medium to address this unfortunate havoc being meted on the SRC by the institute. In the soon to come days we shall give to you our dear students, further updates with several releases dubbed, LET THE STUDENTS KNOW, informing you on the happenings so far and measures taken to mitigate this canker without any fear of intimidation.

We will leave you now with the popular quote which says, nothing is hidden under the sun.

Thank you all.

Long Live GIMPA SRC

END

Signed:
IITA GoSeed, an early generation seed company, made significant progress in 2021 as sales of improved cassava planting materials averaged $267,277 despite COVID-19 restrictions, the company revealed recently during the annual meeting of the Building an Economically Sustainable Integrated Cassava Seed System, Phase 2 (BASICS-II) today.

Sales were driven primarily by orders from farmers and processors who aim to get higher yields to meet consumers demand, said Dr Mercy Diebiru-Ojo, the Vegetative Seed Specialist of IITA GoSeed.

The sales were achieved despite COVID-19 restrictions that hurt seed supply chains, she added.

A private seed company of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), IITA GoSeed was established as part of the BASICS project to help meet the demand for early generation planting materials with cassava as the first target crop.

Dr. Diebiru-Ojo sees a positive outlook in 2022 as she remarked: We are optimistic that sales and expansion will get better in coming years.

Through its business model, the company established 142 ha of early generation seeds comprising 122 ha of breeder seeds and 20 ha of foundation seeds across 8 states in Nigeria.

We worked with outgrowers to achieve this target while ensuring that women were active participants, she explained.

Although Nigeria is the worlds largest producer of cassava, yield per ha of cassava is low (less than 8 tons per ha) compared to other countries like Thailand, with yield per ha of more than 20 tons. Researchers blame the yield gap partly on the use of local varieties that occupy 40 per cent of the cassava growing areas in Nigeria.

The BASICS-II project was established to address the bottlenecks in the cassava seed system with a view to granting farmers easy access to affordable planting materials in an economically sustainable approach. This led to the creation of GoSeed in IITA and Umudike Seed at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudikeall in Nigeria.

IITA GoSeed is closely linked with breeding programs in IITA. In collaboration with the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), the company ensures that materials going to CSEs are disease-free and of high genetic potential.

Some of the improved varieties that GoSeed is pushing include TME419, Dixon, Ayaya, Farmers Pride, Fine Face, Game changer, Poundable, and Obasanjo-2.

The success of IITA GoSeed attracted other related projects such as the GIZ-GIAE/IITA Cassava & Maize Value Chain Project (funded by GIZ) and other interventions to the cassava seed system. These projects have formed partnerships with the company and have adopted the BASICS modela seed system approach developed by BASICS-II that connects seeds system actors and ensures that farmers access improved varieties in an economically sustainable manner.

Speaking at the meeting, Prof Lateef Sanni, Project Manager of BASICS-II, commended the progress made by IITA GoSeed, noting that the company is a vital node in the cassava seed value chain.

The progress you have made is impressive, and we are proud of you, he said.

For the Technical Advisor to BASICS-II, Dr Alfred Dixon; and IITA Deputy Director General (Partnership for Delivery), Dr Kenton Dashiell, the progress made by GoSeed was a demonstration of farmers desire to rapidly transform the cassava ecosystem. They called on the team to sustain the momentum by not resting on its oars.
Parliament has constituted a bi-partisan committee to look into the death of Augustina Awortwe, a pregnant lady who died in transit from Takoradi to Accra due to the alleged negligence of the National Ambulance Service.

The committee was formed after a debate on a private members motion filed by three members of the minority.

The six-member committee will be chaired by MP for Effiduase-Asokore, Dr Ayew Afriyie.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, expressed the hope that the committee members will set aside their political interests and professionally probe the issue.

This house has accordingly constituted a bi-partisan committee to probe the circumstances leading to the death of Madam Augustina Awortwe who died in an ambulance when she was being transported from Holy Child Catholic Hospital to Korle Bu.

Augustina had to be referred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital due to some complications associated with a caesarean section by doctors at the Holy Child Catholic Hospital.

Her trip was, however, diverted to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital due to her worsening condition.

The staff of the Holy Child Hospital have been blamed for referring the patient to Korle-Bu instead of the nearest referral centre, Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital.

Citi Newsroom
03.06.2022 LISTEN

A Deputy Finance Minister, John Kumah feels the Minority in Parliament is making unnecessary noise over governments 25 million contribution towards the National Cathedral project.

Speaking on the Point Blank segment on Eyewitness News, the Deputy Finance Minister said the ministry has nothing to hide.

He said it is ever-ready to render accounts on the National Cathedral project.

If you file parliamentary questions, you wait in Parliament for the answers and not rush to the media as he [Ablakwa] has done. He also speaks about a scandal. What is scandalous about making legitimate payments? We are prepared to answer any questions they may have.

I don't agree with him that the seed money which we have provided for and informed the nation about towards the contribution of the National Cathedral is scandalous. A scandal is what we witnessed when his government decided to pay Woyome millions of dollars when they didn't even have a contract with government. We have set our priority, which is the building of a Cathedral for the nation, and it is going to be a national monument for the country, he added.

However, the Deputy Finance Minister was unable to readily provide details on how much money has been raised so far for the project.

I don't have the figures now. But I want to assure Ghanaians that there is nothing illegitimate about this. When it is time for us to render accounts, we will do so.

The Deputy Ministers comments come after the Minority in Parliament filed three urgent questions to compel the Minister for Finance to provide details on how much the state has spent on the National Cathedral Project.

The move by the Minority follows the circulation of a letter indicating the release of an additional GH25 million from national coffers for the project as additional seed money.

Over the period, government has indicated that the national cathedral project is to be financed largely by donations from the Christian community.

The National Cathedral project was proposed by the government in March 2017 as a physical embodiment of national unity, harmony, and spirituality.

The $350-million inter-denominational cathedral will have an auditorium capable of seating 5,000 people, as well as chapels, and a baptistery.

It is targeted to be completed in March 2024. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been criticised for his decision to build the National Cathedral in the face of numerous challenges facing the country.

In his defence, the President has said the construction is in fulfilment of a promise he made to God in the run-up to the 2016 election.

citinewsroom
03.06.2022 LISTEN

The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has commended the decision by the Office of the Special Prosecutor to freeze the assets of the late Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John.

In an interview with Citi News, the Programmes Manager for the Ghana Integrity Initiative, Mary Adda, said the decision is well within the remit of the Special Prosecutor.

I believe that from an initial assessment, he [the Special Prosecutor] has the mandate to investigate it, and he would want to definitely look into it to ensure that everything is right.

To do so, we definitely would have to ensure that whatever property he has taken care of are protected for now so that if there is culpability at the end of the day, then the state can also activate the other clauses to ensure we are getting our due, she explained.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor commenced investigations into alleged corruption by Sir John last week.

The investigation is in relation to his alleged improper acquisition of state lands within the Achimota forest and the Sakumono Ramsar site.

This move was part of investigations into the acquisition of state lands that were contained in the will of the late CEO.

Some civil society groups had petitioned the Special Prosecutor and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the acquisition of the state lands.

The will caused public uproar after he bequeathed state lands to some relatives.

It went viral online and sparked anger among many Ghanaians.

The emergence of the will came after the controversial declassification of parts of the Achimota Forest and return to its allodial owners.

Citi Newsroom
Chads interim President Mahamat Idriss Deby has signed a decree declaring food and nutrition emergency.

This decision follows the constant deterioration of the food and nutritional situation this year and taking into account the growing risk to populations if no humanitarian aidis provided, read the decree.

The plea for aid comes before a meeting between African Union chairman Macky Sall and Vladmir Putin to discuss Russian grain supplies.

The United Nations has warned that 5.5 million people in Chad  more than a third of the population  will need humanitarian assistance this year.

The World Food Programme said in March that some 2.1 million Chadians would be severely food insecure during the dry weather season that starts this month.

Source: BBC
Morning show host Captain Smart has revealed that he has in his possession list of former Presidents, Chiefs, and Members of Parliament who own lands at Achimota Forest and other unauthorized locations in the country.

The ace broadcaster announced intentions to expose these dignitaries in the coming days.

Speaking in an interview on the 3FM Drive, Captain Smart echoed that what was seen in Sir John's infamous will is little compared to state properties owned by government officials and chiefs in the country.

I have a list of former presidents, Chiefs, and Kings who own lands there [at Achimota Forest), he said, adding that its there, verified.

He cited how about 12 plots of land and some 4 acres have been sold to chiefs and Members of Parliament for as low as GH1000 in Accra.

The 4-acre land, according to him, was sold in 2008 and is situated behind the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

I know people who bought 4 acres of land here in Accra in 2008 for 1000,. People had 29 plots of land and paid just 4000. I will roll the names on TV and you come out to defend if you dont nt have a land there, Captain Smart shockingly disclosed.

3news.com
Convener for Fixing the Country Movement, Ernest Owusu Bempah has alleged that Oliver Barker-Vormawor wants to hide behind the planned armed demonstration to go through with his coup rhetoric.

Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a convener of the FixTheCountry Movement is one of four persons who wrote to the Ghana Police Service over plans to stage an armed demonstration starting June 4, 2022.

Amid condemnation after the plans of the four individuals came to light, rival group Fixing The Country has issued a press release indicating that the organisers want the disruption of the relative peace in Ghana.

In the release, Convener Ernest Owusu Bempah alleges that Oliver Barker-Vormawor is planning to go through with his coup rhetoric.

Ladies and gentlemen, the leader of this gang, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, an appendage of the John Mahama-led NDC is already facing treasonable charges for threatening a coup detat. He's seeking to use this opportunity to follow through with his coup rhetoric, Owusu Bempah claims.

The Fixing The Country Movement leaders note that his outfit is at a loss at how idiotic these political self-seekers who are mere politicians of fortune and their enablers have been.

He adds that his group is appalled by the reckless behaviour and the lack of respect shown to the countrys institutions by Oliver Barker-Vormawor and the three others; Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah, Captain Smart, and Mensah Thompson.

Let Oliver Barker-Vormawor take heed of advice and listen to these words of wisdom, lest he follows the corpse to the grave like the stubborn fly, Ernest Owusu Bempah concludes in the Fixing The Country Movements press release.

Read more below:

Statement By Fixing The Country Movement At A Press Conference Held On Thursday 02/06/2022 In Accra On June 4 demonstration.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, we are compelled to assemble you here once again to do justice to some pertinent issues.

We have become aware of a letter from the police administration detailing the request made on the state by a group of NDC-aligned elements including Oliver Barker-Vormawor, Mensah Thompson, Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah and Captain Smart.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, what these nation wreckers are seeking to do is to stage demonstrations for four consecutive days with their armed security detail.

They essentially want to demonstrate with their registered weapons and they're prepared to come with their private security, and they are also forcefully demanding to be allowed to address the Nation with their grievances on GTV.

As a matter of fact, these nation wreckers are asking the state to look on while they engage in total madness with guns on the street. In other words, they're calling for total anarchy.

Thankfully, the Police in a clear language have told the group that the PUBLIC ORDER ACT, 1994 ACT 491 does not make room for such prepositions.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, although we recognize the importance of the constitutionally protected rights to assemble and protest, Fixing The Country Movement abhors and rejects the acts that perpetuate systemic violence and undermine institutions of the state.

It is horrific and ultimately tragic to note that there are people in this country who want the disruption of the relative peace that we're enjoying.

The Fixing The Country Movement cherishes the free speech right of the people peaceably to assemble to share their grievances. But that this whole demonstration has nothing to do with "peaceably assemble."

Ladies and gentlemen, the leader of this gang, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, an appendage of the John Mahama led NDC is already facing treasonable charges for threatening a coup detat. He's seeking to use this opportunity to follow through with his coup rhetoric.

This anarchist of an activist pretending to believe in Democracy described our military as "USELESS," and because the "useless" military has abstained from partisan politics and conducted themselves professionally, he will do the coup himself. He also posted a random video of a burning V8 vehicle with the caption "Has the REVOLUTION started?"

And this same guy is asking the police administration to allow him to demonstrate with weapons.

Ladies and gentlemen, how would you describe this recklessness by Oliver Barker-Vormawor and his gangster friends?

For us, we're honestly at a loss at how idiotic these political self-seekers who are mere politicians of fortune and their enablers have been.

We're also appalled by the reckless behaviour of these guys and by the lack of respect shown for our institutions, constitution and our law enforcement.

These so-called Fix the country gangsters are calling for accountable governance but their hearts and minds are stained with impunity.

Oliver Barker-Vormawor is a shameful example of what is wrong in Ghana as a country, he spewed rhetoric that so many believe willingly, that has no basis in fact. He, along with those that support him needs to be held accountable.

Ladies and gentlemen, all over the world, throughout history, the treatment against traitors to a nation has always been the same: arrest swiftly, prosecute vigorously, and sentenced harshly. These gangs should be treated the exact same way.

We must stand togetherregardless of political party or point of viewto condemn this irresponsible behaviour, and to uphold, protect and defend our homeland Ghana.

My father's people have this saying that "no matter how beautiful a coffin looks, no one at the funeral wishes for death."

Oliver Barker-Vormawor and company need to be told in plain words that their conduct warrants psychiatric evaluation. No sane person engages in such recklessness in the name of public advocacy.

Let it be on record that the only legitimate means of changing our government is through the ballot box. The only acceptable form of governance in this 21st century is through democratic elections. It is the only way to install  and the only way to change  an administration. The days of coups and government without votes are over.

Ghana is held in the highest esteem as the first post-colonial country to gain independence and the first African country to hold multi-party elections by universal suffrage. Ghana is the first, true African democracy.

As such, the INVISIBLE GHANAIAN YOUTH are on red alert to protect and defend the constitution and deal with any recalcitrant elements seeking to undermine our democratic gains.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, Martin Luther King Jr., American Baptist Minister, led the struggle against racial discrimination in the 1960s, inspiring supporters with the power of his rhetoric. He advocated the principle of non-violent protest, affirming that opposition should be tackled with compassion rather than aggression.

That's the essence of public advocacy. We engage in advocacy for a positive transformation and not endless whingeing and calls for coup detat.

Citizens are entitled to call for accountable governance and leadership but in doing so, we must watch out for people who have hidden agendas and pretending to be more Patriotic than the rest of us.

In the words of the great French Military and Political Strategist, the man widely considered one of the greatest military generals in history, Napoleon Bonaparte, in politics, stupidity is not a handicap.

He also averred that there are but two powers in the world, the sword and the mind. In the long run, the sword is always beaten by the mind.

Let Oliver Barker-Vormawor take heed of advice and listen to these words of wisdom, lest he follows the corpse to the grave like the stubborn fly.

Enough is Enough.

Signed;

Ernst Kofi Owusu Bempah - Political Strategist and Convener of fixing the country movement.
The Ghana Police Service has confirmed the arrest of seven suspected robbers at their hideout at Wassa Powuako in the Western Region after robbing victims of over GHS42,000 and other items.

According to information put out by the Police, the suspects were apprehended following two separate anti-robbery operations in the region.

Four of the suspects, Shadrack Nyame, Wofa Yaw Boadi, Sampson Attobra, and Kweku Koduah were arrested at their hideout at Wassa Powuako after they had robbed their victims of an amount of GHc 42,360.00 and some mobile phones at a section of the road between Wassa Powuako and Wassa Abenabena.

The other three suspects, Samuel Amuzu, Francis Acheampong, and William Kwifie were arrested for attacking and robbing their victims of various sums of money and some gold ore at Yayaso village near Samreboi.

Items so far retrieved from the suspects include cash of GH 1480, a quantity of gold ore, one pump action gun, 7 AAA live ammunition, and 1 spent cartridge, parts of a post on the Facebook page of the Ghana Police Service reads.

The Police are assuring the public that the suspects are in custody and will be taken through the due process of the law.
From May 16 to 27, May 2022, Members of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) held the 7th meeting of the Sub-Committee on Rules of Origin (RoO) to discuss outstanding issues, the draft AfCFTA RoO manual, and the alignment of Rules of Origin legal texts and related trading documents. The meeting took place in Accra, Ghana. The meeting was organized jointly by the AfCFTA Secretariat and the EU-WCO Programme for Rules of Origin in Africa (RoO-Africa Programme), funded by the European Union. About eighty RoO experts representing 40 Member administrations, the East African Community, ECOWAS and the Community of Sahel-Saharan States took part in the meeting.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Didier Bonyeme, on behalf of the Director of Trade in Goods and Competition of the AfCFTA Secretariat, expressed his appreciation for the support provided by the EU and the WCO on the implementation of the Rules of Origin under the RoO-Africa Programme. He emphasized the importance of continued support being provided to the AfCFTA in order to appropriately implement Annex 2 Rules of Origin of the AfCFTA trade agreement. He further encouraged the delegates to productively work on the outstanding issues during the meeting.

During the meeting, the WCO presented the Rules of Origin for Africa Programme to the meeting. In their submission, they highlighted that the programme will provide direct technical assistance capacity to the AfCFTA Secretariat, training and training assessments, study visits, and many other benefits to all relevant programme stakeholders.

The AfCFTA presented to the Sub-Committee meeting the state of play with regard to the outstanding issues in AfCFTA Appendix IV on Rules of Origin and the draft manual on RoO. The meeting participants had in-depth discussions on outstanding Rules of Origin, especially on the textiles and apparel proposals, in order to find a way forward. In addition, the meeting finalized the AfCFTA RoO Manual and aligned it, for submission to the Committee on Trade in Goods and ultimately to the Council of Ministers.

In conclusion, the meeting welcomed the EU-WCO Programme for Rules of Origin in Africa's support to the AfCFTA and wished for continued cooperation for successful implementation and management of Rules of Origin.
Police have arrested and arraigned a 37-year-old driver, Jacob Kwesi Acquah, for allegedly killing Xiong Yin, a Chinese national in cold blood at Dansoman in Accra.

Acquah, a former employee of the deceased is said to have sneaked into the house of the deceased to demand the phone number of Xiong's house help.

When Xioing went to the house help's bedroom to get the phone for Acquah, he (Acquah) followed her, pushed her onto the bed and strangled her with a pillow, allegedly.

Acquah was also said to have smashed the deceased's head several times on the floor and a metallic sliding door.

He also used the metal part of a shower handle to strike her several times, allegedly.

Two other accomplices: Faustina Otimah, a 21-year-old house help and Memunatu Allotey, a trader, alleged to have facilitated the murder by assisting Acquah, appeared before the Kaneshie District Court.

They are being held for abetment of crime to wit murder.

The court presided over by Ms Ama Adomako Kwakye reserved their plea and remanded the accused persons into Police custody to reappear on June 15.

Narrating the facts of the case, Inspector Apewa Achana, said the complainant, Lin Youji was a Chinese national residing at Dansoman Exhibition in Accra.

Inspector Achana said Acquah resided at Chorkor-Santana.

According to the prosecution, Oyimah, househelp of the deceased, resided at Mpoase and Memunatu, girlfriend of Acquah.

The prosecution said about seven months ago, Acquah was dismissed by the complainant for misconducting himself, but Acquah had been in touch with Otimah.

It said on May 10, 2022, Acquah called Otimah and asked her to alert him on the activities of the deceased and her fellow workers, especially when Xiong (deceased) was left alone in the house and that she should leave the small gate unlocked when leaving the house.

According to the prosecution, Acquah called Otimah 12 times between 0900 hours and 1100 hours to find out whether Xiong was alone in the house.

It said Acquah convinced Otimah to leave the house without informing the deceased and she (Otimah) complied.

The prosecution said Acquah took advantage of the unlocked gate, entered the compound of Xiong and met the deceased in the living room.

It said Acquah called Xiong and pretended to need the contact of Otimah.

The prosecutor said Xiong innocently left Acquah in the corridor and walked towards her bedroom to pick up her phone to get him the number he demanded.

Acquah followed Xiong and attacked her, pushed her onto her bed, covered her face with a pillow on the bed and strangled her.

The prosecution said Acquah on seeing that Xiong was weak, lifted her and sent her to the bathroom and hit her head on the metallic part of the sliding door and against the floor.

It said Acquah further used the metal part of the hand shower to hit the deceased on her head several times, causing the deceased to bleed.

The prosecution said Acquah after killing the deceased went to the living room where a CCTV camera was fixed, removed the CCTV from the ceiling and dumped it in a Water closet with the intention of erasing any trace of evidence that might implicate him.

It said the complainant came to the house after several calls to the deceased went unanswered.

To his surprise, the prosecution said he found both the small gate and main door to the various rooms unlocked.

It said the complainant rushed to open the deceased's door and found it locked with the key in front.

When the complainant opened the door, he found the room ransacked, so he proceeded to the deceased's bathroom where he found Xiong lying in a pool of blood in a supine position.

The prosecution said the complainant quickly rushed to the gate and alerted one Emmanuel Aziati about what he had seen, and both went to observe the body and went to report the matter to the police.

It said the Police went to the scene with the complainant and investigations commenced with pictures taken and the body conveyed to the police Morgue.

The prosecution said on the dawn of May 12, 2022, the Police had information that Acquah was hiding in the house of Memunatu and the Police proceeded to the place but Memunatu kept Acquah in her room and led the Police to a different location.

It said the Police retrieved the information on the memory card of the CCTV Camera that was dumped in the Water closet where Acquah was seen in the footage entering the living room of the deceased.

GNA
Mr Samuel Torbi, the second defence witness in the trial involving Stephen Opuni and two others, says he has been trained with Christian values to always tell the truth.

Mrs Yvonne Attakora-Obuobisa, the Director of Public Prosecution, in a cross examination, said the witness was not truthful to the Court but the witness disagreed.

The DPP said suggested to the witness that the letters being corrected in the passbook regarding his name were R, O, C, K, S, O and an N, which spells Rockson and not the Sampson, as the witness claimed but the witness disagreed.

Dr Opuni and Mr Agongo are facing 27 charges, including defrauding by false pretences, willfully causing financial loss to the State, money laundering, corruption by a public officer and contravention of the Public Procurement Act.

They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on a GH300,000.00 self-recognizance bail each.

On Monday, May 23, 2022, when the case was called, Mr Samuel Codjoe, Counsel for Dr Opuni, informed the Court that he had in his hand another excuse duty issued by the Ridge Hospital on behalf of Mr Torbi.

Mr Torbi was admitted to the Hospital on May 17, 2022, and was discharged on May 20, 2022, and was given a week's excuse duty.

So, the Court asked Dr Opuni to call his third witness to enable Mr Torbi recovery full before, he continues with his further cross examination.

Mr Torbi said it was the Cocoa Purchasing Clerk, who made the mistake in spelling his name and that the Clerk was still alive, and that the Court could verify from him.

The Counsel also put it to Mr Torbi that the passbook did not belong to him because it did not have his signature and again, the name in the book had been altered from Rockson to Samuel but he disagreed.

The witness said it was not true that he altered the name in the passbook because he had one of the biggest Cocoa farms in the Central Region and that around the Assin Fosu District, he might emerge first or second among his peers.

So, l can not collect someone's passbook and make it mine, he added.

Mr Torbi said before the passbook was issued to the Cocoa farmer, the Clerk had sent the name of the farmer to the Head Office before it was issued.

He said passbooks could not be issued from supermarkets or book shops and it could not be changed frequently too, even in the 2019-2022 crop season, there was no issuance of a passbook.

The passbook belongs to me, and it is my property, he emphasised.

At that point, the State ended its cross examination of the third witness.

Dr Opuni at the next adjourned date will call his fourth witness in the person of Ambassador Ohene Agyekum, the former Board Chair of COCOBOD.

The case had been adjourned to June 6, 2022, for continuation.

GNA
Defense counsel for Dr Frederick Mac Palm says Staff Sergeant Sule Awarf, the star witness in the ongoing trial of 10 persons charged with high treason, planted the exhibits in the case at the Citadel Hospital.

He said Sule was the one who led the arresting officers and pointed out to them where he had planted items to be retrieved at the Hospital.

This was during a cross-examination of Detective Chief Inspector Michael Nkrumah of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), the thirteenth prosecution's witness.

In response, Mr Nkrumah, who was part of the investigative team, said it was rather Major General M.P Andoh who led the arresting team and seizure of the items.

The defense counsel put it to the witness that the team neither had an arrest warrant nor search warrant but the witness said he did not know.

Again, the lawyer said it was Sule who arranged for the test fire of the weapons allegedly produced by Donya Kafui but Detective Chief Inspector Nkrumah said he did not know about that, too.

He said his client did not test fire (guns) at any government official, which the witness again said he did not know.

The counsel also said that the said comprehensive report the investigator (witness) did on the audio and video recordings was a fabrication and meant to mislead the court.

That is not correct, it is a true reflection of our investigation conducted, the witness answered.

The counsel asked whether witness could tell the court, which of the videos recorded by Sule at the Next Door Beach Resort captured Dr Mac Palm but the witness said none of them did and quickly added that Bright Alan Debrah, the one who chaired almost all the meetings told the soldiers that he would send their grievances to Mac Palm.

Mr Nkrumah, do you have any evidence before the court, which Mac Palm issued those instructions to Debrah to act on his behalf? Counsel asked.

No but Debrah indicated he will send their concerns to Mac Palm, the witness answered.

He also asked the witness if he knew there were Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras at the Citadel Hospital and that the arresting officers carried the storage devices away as part of the evidence?

The witness said:  I am aware that the officers got some CCTV device but I did not know where they picked them from and they were not used as part of evidence.

I put it to you that the arresting officers are aware that extract from the said CCTV footage would have exposed them that was why they did not make them available to the investigating team and the court, counsel said, with the witness responding that he could not speak to that because he was not part of that team.

Lawyer (L): You told the court that the Military Intelligence and the NIB were monitoring Mac Palm from June 2018.

Witness (W): That is correct.

L: In your evidence-in-Chief you stated that Mac Palm contacted Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr Benjamin Agordzo in November 2018.

W: That is correct.

L: You further added that Mac Palm had conversation with ACP Agordzo on November 8, 2018.

W: I said in their WhatsApp conversation, they agreed to communicate on phone via Skype or WhatsApp.

L: As an investigator did you take the chance to listen to the conversation Mac Palm had with ACP Agordzo?

W: I had not started my investigation during that time, until they were extracted from Mac Palm's phones.

L: If not for the conversation extracted from Mac Palm's phone long after he was arrested, the security agencies would not know the conversation between the two.

W: They knew that Mac Palm was in communication with some senior officers of Police and Military and later detected that Agordzo was the person Mac Palm was communicating with.

L: Do you have any evidence in support of what the security agencies per their monitoring discovered as communication that existed between Mac Palm and Agordzo prior to his arrest?

W: The security agencies gathered the intelligence on that before their arrest.

L: The said intelligence is not in evidence before this Court.

W: The intelligence led to the audio recordings of the accused, discovery of the making of the weapons at the Hospital and same intelligence helped to do the extraction from Mac Palm's phone and their plotting to overthrow the government and all these evidence were found on the phone.

L: All you have said about Mac Palm and Agordzo is based purely on the WhatsApp conversation extracted from Mac Palm's phone.

W: That is correct but before then the agencies had gathered that Mac Palm was in communication with officers of Police and Military to assist in the overthrow.

Mac Palm, Kafui, Debrah, Johannes Zipki, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, Warrant Officer Class II Esther Saan Dekuwine, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Sylvester Akankpewon and Agordzo have denied conspiring, abetting and possessing weapons to overthrow the government.

They are on bail.

GNA
Ghana Health Service (GHS), has said Ghana has so far administered close to 15.45 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines with nearly 10 million persons benefiting from the vaccine.

Dr Kwame Amponsah-Achiano, the Programme Manager, Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), GHS, who made this known, said out of the 10 million, 6.4 persons were fully vaccinated.

So far, we have done about 15.45 million doses and it has benefited nearly 10 million persons so I will say that 10 million people have ever come for a vaccine, whether it is one, two, or three times and out of the 10 million, 6.4 are fully vaccinated, he stated.

Dr Amponsah-Achiano was speaking at a stakeholder's engagement on a draft Vaccine Related Events (VRE) response plan for Ghana.

The VRE's are events related to vaccines that can negatively affect a vaccination programme.

It also offers guidance in training and mobilisation activities for effective vaccine response initiatives in Ghana.

The plan also seeks to provide a well-coordinated national response that defines clear roles and responsibilities of stakeholders at the national, regional, and district levels for effective response to VREs for all types of vaccines in a timely manner.

The EPI Manager, speaking on the significance of vaccines in saving lives, noted that even though the use of vaccines did not guarantee 100 per cent eradication of diseases and illnesses, it was important for the country to have a blueprint, which would serve as a guidance for pre vaccine and post vaccine events.

As we keep on saying, it is not everything that is related to vaccination that is caused by the vaccine.

Sometimes even before the vaccine is delivered you will have a lot of rumours, misinformation about the vaccine, these are all events because we want to get vaccines to as many people as possible who may need it.

If there are events that may disrupt the programme, of course we need to be proactive, so that is the reason for this document so that it guides us in responding to them before vaccination exercises, he further explained.

Dr Amponsah-Achiano said though President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had eased the COVID-19 restrictions, it was important for people to continue adhering to the safety protocols as the fight against the disease was not over.

Dr Mrs Yvonne Adu-Boahen, Head, Clinical Trials Department, FDA, representing the Chief Executive Officer, said the purpose of the meeting was to share and comprehensively review the draft to make the document fit for purpose.

She said there would be a complete document, which all would be comfortable to use to improve communication during vaccination programmes.

That would prevent challenges related to vaccines on its first introduction, Dr Adu-Boahen stated.

Mrs Rhoda Appiah, Head of Communications and Public Education Department, FDA, giving an overview of the document, said the Ghana Vaccine Related Events (VRE) Response Plan was in four phases, including Preparation for a VRE, Detecting VRE for effective monitoring, Responding to VRE, as well as Sustaining/post VRE through feedbacks and evaluation for further policy decision.

She said the programme, since its establishment, had progressively introduced several vaccines such as malaria and COVID-19 into its routine immunisation, mainly among children under five years as well as adults.

Despite some success chalked, the process of addressing VRE had been riddled with inadequate capacity for reporting, low response time, and lack of proper documentation and coordination, she added.

Mrs Appiah said stakeholders played important roles in the process of effective management of VREs and was hopeful that the meeting would make the document fit for purpose.

The event was organised by the FDA in collaboration with the GHS with support from Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

GNA
03.06.2022 LISTEN

By Kofi Ata June 3, 2022

I have been saddened and disappointed by the events of the last three days in Ghana. First, it was the IGPs letter to the British High Commissioner that became public on Monday. That has been followed by an insane, bizarre and irrational demand by the Convenors of the #FixTheCountry Movement to demonstrate and be policed by armed private security as well as be allowed into Ghana Broadcasting House to broadcast to the nation. When I read the police statement on our Perscoba Senior Citizens Political Forum, I assumed it was a joke. It made me ask myself if the authors were under the influence of some substance. This brief article is a discussion of the now cancelled and potential treasonable act that the Convenors of the #FixTheCountry Moment were instigating.

I first heard of Oliver Barker-Vormawor (Oliver) on radio following the Kaka murder and as Convenor of the #FixTheCountry Movement and was impressed by him. For this reason, I googled him and what came up on his Cambridge University profile was exemplary and on seeing his picture, I realised that I might have met him at one of Cambridge University Ghanaian Societys events. His CV was impeccable. He did not disappoint when he appeared on Newsfile and subsequently made contact with him by emailed.

Then followed his now infamous Facebook post about stagging or organising a coup if the E-Levey bill was passed, which led to his arrest, detention and charges in early February 2022 till he was bailed in third week of March 2022. Though I am against future coups in Ghana for whatever reasons in whatever circumstances, I wrote an article expressing concerns over his treatment and abuse of his rights by the state (see, Is Oliver Barker-Vormawor Being Persecuted or Prosecuted, Modernghana, March 2022) Since then, some of his actions and omissions have given me concerns to question his motives. First, he was alleged to have repeated the very Facebook post that landed him in trouble and despite the fact that, he was warned about coups by the judge who granted him bail. He has been arrested for motor traffic offence and was recently reported to have blamed Akans for Agyapa. These and other public utterances are suggestive of someone who is either recalcitrant, rebellious or deliberately seeking a fight with the state. It also dawned on me that either he is careless, clever but not intelligent, a spoilt child; simply, an attention seeker or someone who wants to be martyred.

The last straw for me, was the letter allegedly written by him to the police for permission to be granted a licence for anarchy on the streets of Ghana on June 4, 2022. I assumed that as a consummate lawyer, he ought to and must have known that what he demanded were tantamount to taking the country to ransom. Which country in the world is such stupidity allowed? Even in the US where people are allowed to bear arms, no one in his or her right mind would suggest what he was seeking to do in Ghana. Oliver, for your information, Ghana may have weaknesses in her leadership and governance architecture, but she is a functioning state and not a failed state. What you demanded is what happens in failed states such as Libya, Eritrea, Iraq and others.

Armed private security on the streets of Accra or Ghana to police demonstration because he does not trust Ghana Police Service to protect them. In effect, that is a private army, one of the criteria for failed states. It might be worth asking Oliver to share with the police who are members or employees of the private security who will bear arms to protect them, how many are they, where would they get the arms and where do they keep them? Is the armed-bearing private security registered in Ghana? These are matters of national security that the state ought to be asking him for answers. He claims that was just to shock, surprise or expose police brutalities. Well, for someone who had claimed in the past to wanting to organise a coup, even if he does not have the capacity to do so, making these demands would ring alarm bells in the ears of any proactive security agency.

Let me make it clear that, I am not against protest by citizens because it is a fundamental right, but it does not include arms but rather peaceful protest. What Oliver was seeking to do was anything but peaceful. I also do not disregard police brutalities and abuse by officers of Ghana Police Service. However, the solution does not lie in armed-bearing private security to take the role of Ghana Police Service but either using the civil courts to sue the police or the supervisory ministry to retrain police officers on how to better police citizens to respect and protect their human dignity.

Is Oliver aware that broadcasting to a nation across the world through the national radio or television or both is only limited to heads of states, presidents, prime ministers and selected ministers on special occasions? Therefore, in what capacity was he seeking to speak to the people? It appears he has not learnt any lessons from his experience because seeking to be allowed into GBC to speak to the nation is similar to announcing a coup on air because no one knows what he is capable of saying given the opportunity he was demanding. Who the hell does he think he is?

Oliver-Barker-Vormawor is either deluded to think that he could do whatever he wishes in Ghana, naive or misguided. I have noticed that he has assumed the title, Osagyefo. Is he really a saviour? He does not deserve to bear such an important appellation reserve exclusively for eminent Ghanaians. The real Osagyefo was betrayed by military coup. Therefore, anyone seeking to bear this accolade should have nothing to do with coups, yet, Oliver wants to do a coup. What an irony?

It was disappointing to read that Oliver had been arrested and charged for a traffic offence for a number of reasons. For example, he has become a role model for the youth and brand ambassador for #FixTheCountry. Again, as someone under a bail, among others, he is required to be of good behaviour and any breach of the law could lead to his recall into custody. Last but not the least, he should have known that the state would keep a watchful eye over him, therefore he ought to have been careful with his every step.

Again, for him to blame Akans for the governments decision to bring back the Agyapa Agreement because gold is in Akan areas is very unfortunate. This is either borne out of his lack of understanding of geopolitical nation state in general or that of Ghana. Ghana as a sovereign state is one totality, unitary and indivisible. Gold in any part of Ghana belongs to the whole of Ghana and all Ghanaians and therefore the security and protection of the natural resources is a collective responsibility but not only for those where the resource is found. His irresponsible and accusatory statement is divisive and against nation building and national development.

I believe Oliver has become swollen-headed and lost sight of what his objectives. He must come down from his pedestal, humble himself before its too late. His demands were aberrations, affront to rule of law and insult to Ghanaians. Though he has apologised, his apology should be treated with contempt that it deserves. Unless in the next few months, he can demonstrate that he is not self-seeking, self-centred attention grabber, no one should take him seriously. His action has caused irreparable damage not only to himself but also the brand #FixTheCounrty. He has lost a great opportunity to make a difference. Moreover, he has shown that he is no different from any Ghanaian politician and those of us who initially admired what he began have all been let down.

My unwanted and unsolicited advice to him is, to arrange to return to Cambridge University as soon as practicable to complete his studies, avoid publicity and further blunders that would alienate the public and erode trust in him because this monumental error of judgement is a stain on his character that would take time to recover. As a PhD student, he could remain in Ghana and continue with his academic studies. Until he proves to Ghanaians that he is serious, he would be treated with contempt that he sought to treat Ghana and Ghanaians.

Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK.
Richard Kwadwo Owusu Nyarko

03.06.2022 LISTEN

A self-claimed medical doctor, Mr. Richard Kwadwo Owusu Nyarko, has been directed to pay six members of the Kumasi Club an amount of GH600,000 in legal fees after a Kumasi High Court rejected his defamation lawsuit.

The plaintiff, who was seeking damages of GH5 million against the defendants for defamation, ended up with a fine of GH100,000 to be paid to each of the six defendants, namely Kwabena Brenya, Norman Owusu Barnie, Henry Asumadu, Kofi Owusu Ansah, Andy Arhin and Kojo Sarpong, all trustees of the club.

He was seeking an order from the court, presided over Justice George Krofa Addae, to declare that the defendants had defamed him and harmed his reputation as a medical doctor, claiming damages in a sum of GH5 million in the suit filed on May 26, 2020.

But it turned out during the trial of the case that indeed Richard Kwadwo Owusu Nyarko made a misrepresentation to the members of the Kumasi Club by claiming that he is a Senior Medical Officer at the Patasi South Hospital, among others.

It was the case of the plaintiff that he was a registered licensed senior health practitioner, a member of the European Health Association, a trainee doctor with the Accra College of Medicine and also current Chairman of the Kumasi Club with qualification certificates such as bachelors degree and dual masters degree, among others.

The plaintiff said he acquired a training certificate in occupational health from the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons and started a part-time doctoral degree (PhD) in health care programme with the Ghana Technology College.

According to him, he is also a renowned health research scientist, who published many academic and professional journals, locally and internationally.

But the defendants argued they were justified in calling the plaintiff a fake medical doctor on grounds that he misrepresented himself to them in his application form sent to the Kumasi Club, while applying to join it in 2012.

It was the case of the defendants that the plaintiff, after becoming the chairman of the club, made boastful comments about his qualifications as a medical doctor and wrote letters to change signatories to the club's bank accounts.

The defendants said they became suspicious of the plaintiff's qualification as a medical doctor, by his constant reference to it, and describing himself as the Director of Health Services at Family Tree Medical Centre.

As a result, a section of the members of the club petitioned the trustees to investigate the veracity of the information Owusu Nyarko provided to the club, following which it was established from investigations that he was not a medical doctor.

They stated that the investigations were done at the Kuntenase Hospital where the plaintiff claimed he practised medicine, and at the Ghana Medical and Dental Council.

The defendants indicated that the plaintiffs name could not be traced in the register of the Ghana Medical and Dental Council, adding that it was discovered that the plaintiff was arrested in 2014 by the police and charged with the offence of impersonation, forgery and false pretenses for claiming to be a medical officer.

The defendants said following the outcome of the investigations, the trustees convened a meeting to inform the club members that the plaintiff was not a medical doctor, but a fake one, and that there was the need to remove him as chairman of the club.

According to the defendants, they also called for his membership with the club to be revoked, and accordingly told members not to deal with the plaintiff as a medical doctor.

The court, after hearing both parties, concluded that the plaintiffs use of the title doctor in applying for membership to the Kumasi Club was a misrepresentation.

It contended that whatever words used by the defendants to describe the plaintiff were true because he mispresented himself to them (defendants) and they were justified in the circumstance.

The court, accordingly dismissed the suit and awarded a cost of GH100,000 to each of the defendants.

---Daily Guide
03.06.2022 LISTEN

A known activist and member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dela Coffie has expressed his displeasure with the warrant of arrest issued by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, emphasising that it was reckless.

In a reply to the notice of arrest warrant, the NDC member describes as reckless the conduct of the Special Prosecutor.

He notes that his lawyers have taken up the matter and will face the Special Prosecutor in court.

let me state that the recklessness with which the Special Prosecutor will jump to issue an arrest warrant without any recourse to me as rules of engagement injunct his office to do, will be subjected to appropriate judicial review.

My lawyers have taken the matter up and we will deal with the issues head-on, Dela Coffie has said in a statement.

Defending himself, Dela Coffie says his understanding is that the Special Prosecutor is linking him to a petitioner, who has lodged a petition before his office against former Minister Atta Akyea.

He insists that he is in Ghana and will submit himself to any queries of law enforcement agencies as he has nothing to hide.

On Friday morning, the Office of the Special Prosecutor said it has caused the issuance of a warrant of arrest for Dela Coffie over corruption and corruption-related offences.

Below is the statement from Dela Coffie:

Re: Notice of Wanted Person

My attention has been drawn to a warrant of arrest issued by Special Prosecutor against my person.

Preliminarily, I want to state that I am available right here in Ghana and will submit myself to any queries of law enforcement agencies as I have nothing to hide.

As regards context, my understanding is that the Special Prosecutor is linking me to a petitioner, who has lodged a petition before his office against former Minister Atta Akyea.

However, let me state that the recklessness with which the Special Prosecutor will jump to issue an arrest warrant without any recourse to me as rules of engagement injunct his office to do, will be subjected to appropriate judicial review.

My lawyers have taken the matter up and we will deal with the issues head-on.

Dela Coffie is a law-abiding citizen and ready to fight any concocted allegations geared towards tarnishing my image in the estimation of right-thinking members of society.

Issued by Dela Coffie

3rd June, 2022. Accra
Mr. Kwesi Pratt and company, who wined and dined with the radically extreme left all over the world from Cuba to Bolivia to Iran etc and learned their ways of social and political mobilization for political action - even they never contemplated the idea of an armed demonstration on the streets of Ghana.

Obviously, they understood the mood and acceptably chosen methods of the people in their activism. They were not confused - not even for a second. And thats why they had a massive following, at least, until they faded out on the streets and stationed themselves in the studios.

Political action requires strategic thinking along with the masses of the people. Once there is a confusion about the strategic political goal of a movement, the group is reduced to a vehicle for misguided self-promotional gimmicks.

Arms takes on a different meaning when we want to win the hearts and minds of the people against a tyrannical government.

We need to be armed with conviction of principles. Armed with social and scientific research and investigative tools to be able to know the exact mood of the masses at every point in time and the prevailing ills of the government. We need to be armed with the truth.

We must also be armed with a moral high ground. In other words, the integrity of the leaders of any street protest is more inviting to the masses than guns and bullets. The pen is mightier than the gun. Dont these so-called intellectuals know this? Or they just got confused for a second?

Street protest is a tool for psychological warfare to undermine the psychology and expose the ills of government and to carry the people along in an effort to wake up the spirit and sense of people-power among the masses.

The end game is mass resistance to the establishment. One man's resistance leads to a dead end.

The last time, I and many others were on the street with #FixTheCountry organizers to lend our arms of a collective voice to the mass resistance of the establishment.

There are now doubts in the masses about a clearly misguided leadership after their call for arms on the street. And this is where the group may have to fix itself and come again!

By: SaCut Amenga-Etego

Political Journalist & Activist
Mr. Chairman, the Media, Fellow Scientists and Engineers, Technologists, invited guests, students, ladies and gentlemen:

The Science & Technology Advocacy Renaissance Foundation for Africa (STARFA) is a Ghanaian based non-governmental non-profit making organization with a mission to revolutionize application of science and technology for national development.

The Foundation, therefore, seeks to promote industrial implementation of Science & Technology Research Findings. That is, moving away from the usual talk shop to an era of implementation of Science & Technology research findings; for job creation, reduction in high incidence of diseases or HIV/AIDS menace, road transport accidents and peace restoration to Africa, since lack of employment can lead to conflicts over few opportunities that exist, hence the World Science Day for Peace & Development.

STARFA has chosen to launch its S&T Media programme on the World Science Day for Peace & Development. The multi billion dollar question is why Peace and Development are attributes of science, according to UNESCO? The programme Science In Action Is Technology TV series is geared at technology transfer from the academia to the common man through the media. The involvement of the media in pressing home the need for ensuring application of S&T for human development and economic stability is long overdue, for it is richer to be taught how to fish than to be given fish. In order to ensure total involvement of the Media in promoting application of science and technology for job creation, STARFA has developed a package dabbed Science In Action Is Technology TV series. That is packaging the research outcomes from research and technical institutions for investors attraction and adoption, so as to attract investors to the research institutions and the universities, thereby not only enhancing internally generated funds of the research and technical institutions but also industrial growth.

In order to bridge the gap between the academia, industry, technical and vocational institutions, STRFA involves all levels of education in the country, hence the choice to launch its maiden edition of S&T TV programme in a typical technical institution such as this, for together their expertise will move the nation forward.

Africa still struggles in the quest for scientific and technological development for industrialization and poverty eradication.

Research findings have been gathering dust on the shelves of research institutions in the developing world, Africa, for that matter; contributing to breeding of poverty a recipe for conflicts, wars and destruction, since job creation and innovation are products of application of Science and Technology.

Science and Technology related bills such as the Engineering Bill and others must be passed to enhance application of Science &Technology in high level of standards and safety. Science & Technology professionals such as the engineers, scientists or researchers and technologists should be rewarded for their brainstorming activities. Thus, the need for an annual Science &Technology award scheme like that for the farmers, to encourage research and development as well as to prevent brain drain that affects the industrial capacity of developing countries like Ghana.

STARFA has started vigorous research into this Continental S&T Awarding Scheme under these categories:

Most Outstanding Engineer of the year

Most Outstanding Scientist of the year

Most Outstanding Science & Technology Journalist & Media House of the year

Most Outstanding Science & Technology Promo Company of the year

Most Outstanding Science & Technology Professional Group of the year

Most Outstanding Inventor, Technologist and S&T Research Team of the year: The overall Award.

Most Outstanding Science and Technology Institution of the year

STARFA, therefore, seeks Government collaboration in this direction.

The media, NGOs and other stakeholders in the countrys economic liberation struggle are all entreated to promote Science &Technology related activities as they do for sporting activities, for wealth creation, peace and development.

STARFA hopes the research institutions, private individuals and the media shall put their hands on deck to ensure success of this innovative project.

We appeal to the Presidency for support for the better Ghana agenda. Thank you.
Mr. Alexander Abban

03.06.2022 LISTEN

Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Gomoa West, Mr. Alexander Abban has warned that if care is not taken, drug barons will soon become parliamentarians in disguised.

The former New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP made this comment at a programme organised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Governance (CDD-Ghana) on the topic, Expectations vs Reality  Navigating the Unique Composition of the 8th Parliament.

Sharing his thoughts on the topic, Alexander Abban said although the citizenry managed to make a change through the results of parliamentary elections at the end of the 2020 polls, that did not lead to a change in the mindset of politicians.

He said although for the first time a Speaker of Parliament from the Minority side was approved, that did not also lead to a significant change in the house.

We succeeded in making a change in terms of numbers but we did not succeed in changing the mindset of our politicians. Once that was the case, there was no way things were going to be different in the 8th parliament.

The discussions should not be on the numbers but the motives of the politicians and the mindset of citizens as well, Alexander Abban said.

According to the former Gomoa West MP, things are further deteriorating especially now that monetisation of elections has become a major problem.

Sharing his ordeal, he said he was rejected by his constituents in the last general elections simply because he was not attending funerals.

These days delegates are not doing well to help political parties or the country. You have delegates who will rather vote for people with no ideas but ready to pay money than people who actually have ideas and can help, Alexander Abban shared.

He said for Ghanaians to get better from Parliament, there is the need to ensure the people voted into power have what it takes to get the job done.

I was booted out because I was not attending funerals. We need to do education and let the people understand the work of a parliamentarian. The education must go down well. If not we will always get people who are not qualified to go to parliament and offer nothing.

In the next few years, we will see drug barons taking over Parliament, Alexander Abban added.

On her part, an International Trade Consultant and Global Politics Enthusiast, Maame Awinador-Kanyirige who joined the panel discussion also called for change. She said while the hung parliament has not made a significant change as expected, she is not surprised.

She said it is high time the country relooks at its democracy and engage the youth to inspire development.

People are in parliament that they dont even understand parliamentary democracy. We have to relook at our democracy and unpack it. We need technocrats. In ten years we will sit in a room like clowns to complain about the same things if we do not change.

We need to move beyond dialogue. CSOs must continue advocating, religious bodies must help. Lets engage the young and take action to change the things holding us back, Maame Awinador-Kanyirige remarked.

The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) round-table discussion held on Thursday, June 2, 2022, sought to initiate a conversation that will begin to address the concerns citizens may have about preserving the countrys democracy and its associated implications on development in the face of the exception composition and permutation of parliament both at present and in the future.

It is in response to the challenges arising from the unique composition of the almost evenly-split 8th parliament of the Fourth Republic, which often leads to a stalemate, thus affecting the smooth running of the business in the house and the performance of its functions.

Besides Alexander Abban and Maame Awinador-Kanyirige, former NDC MP Alhaji Inusah Fuseini and Executive Director at CDD-Ghana Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh shared their thoughts on the topic during the panel discussion.
Hundreds of people took to the streets in two cities in the Democratic Republic of Congo this week to protest neighbouring Rwanda's alleged meddling in the country's affairs.

Relations between the neighbouting states  which have long been tense  boiled over last week after the DRC accused Rwanda of backing the resurgent M23 rebel group active in the volatile eastern Kivu region.

Kinshasa suspended flights from Rwanda's national carrier last Saturday as part of the diplomatic spat, and detained two Rwandan soldiers it accuses of trespassing onto Congolese soil before releasing them on Monday.

On Wednesday, hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Rwandan embassy in the Congolese capital.

Bienvenu Matumo, from the Congolese rights group Lucha said: "We have come to demand the expulsion of the Rwandan ambassador and the severing of diplomatic relations, the aggressor country."

Protests in Bukavu

Several hundred people also demonstrated in the eastern city of Bukavu on the Rwandan border, more than 1,500 kilometres from Kinshasa.

Protesters reportedly held banners bearing pro-military slogans, chanting "Rwandans go home" and voicing their support for the ideology of the Colombian FARC rebel group.

The protests come amid fresh clashes between the Congolese army and the M23  primarily Congolese Tutsi group  which spread close to the eastern DRC's economic hub, Goma.

The militia seized the city in late 2012 before the army quelled the rebellion the following year.

However, fighting resumed late last year after accusing the government of failing to respect a 2009 agreement under which its fighters were to be integrated into the army.

Open to dialogue

On Monday, Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya repeated the accusation that Rwanda is backing the group, but added that the Tshisekedi administration remains open to talks.

Rwanda has repeatedly denied backing the M23, and late last month accused the Congolese army of firing rockets into Rwandan territory.

Recent M23-linked fighting in the eastern DRC has displaced at least 72,000 people, according to the United Nations.
Two people in France's north-eastern Alsace region were arrested after police raided a residence of known neo-Nazis, finding 18 legal weapons, 23 illegal weapons and 120,000 munitions.

Two of the four men at the residence, arrested on 31 May, were indicted for arms trafficking and imprisoned, prosecutor Edwige Roux-Morizot said during a press conference on Friday. They face 10 years in prison.

The other two remain free but under judicial supervision, while a fifth person was released without charge.

Roux-Morizot said the men were not planning an attack, but with the large weapons cache there was a fear they would take action, which led to their arrest. Police are monitoring their computer data.

'Impressive' find

Among the weapons were 72 Kalashnikovs, 167 magazines and more than 35 kilograms of gunpowder. The home visit also yielded three machines to make ammunition, a machine to heat casings, a banknote counter, four scales, two silencers and more than 25,000 euros.

The haul amounted to at least 120,000 (rounds) of ammunition of all calibres, but many were intended for weapons of war, said Lieutenant-Colonel Yann Wanson, judicial police chief.

He added that one of the suspects took training courses as a sniper.

Roux-Morizot said the suspects in the small group of neo-Nazis were aged between 45 and 53 and had jobs, noting that they were citizens like any other.

Their neo-Nazi affiliation was confirmed by the literature found in their belongings.

Read also:
Three years after Sudanese security forces attacked a pro-democracy sit-in outside the army's headquarters in Khartoum, killing 130 people, Sudanese protesters are still searching for answers. A promised transition to democracy has still not materialised.

Real change means concrete reform and credible efforts to hold those responsible for serious crimes to account, says Mohamed Osman, a researcher for Human Rights Watch.

Civil society groups say a number of people were forcibly disappeared during the brutal military crackdown on 3 June 2019, their whereabouts still unknown.

Both REDRESS, a London-based group that campaigns against torture and forced disappearances, and Sudanese Archive, a site that documents rights abuses in Sudan, have written a letter to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) in a bid to get more information.

A statement by REDRESS said the groups submitted a joint letter on behalf of these victims of enforced disappearances and their families ... providing additional information about the human rights violations committed in the context of the government crackdown and the prevailing impunity.

Less than a week before the third anniversary of the massacre, the military government announced it was lifting a state of emergency, which civil rights bodies said was being used to orchestrate arbitrary detentions and quash protests.

Some 100 people connected to the protests were released on 29 May, the day the state of emergency was lifted.

Protests

Protesters who went onto the streets of Khartoum on Thursday and were attacked by security services, according to the Sudan Doctors Committee.

They reported on social media that some 13 people were hit by gunfire, including one person who was shot in the head.

Three others were hit on the head with gas cylinders after tear gas was launched by security forces.

According to the Sudan Tribune, the government said it would be closing all bridges except Al-Halfaya and Soba bridges in Khartoum in anticipation of demonstrations planned for Friday.

Regional Diplomacy

The regional bloc Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) held a meeting with the Sudanese military government, along with UN and African Union representatives on 1 June to speak about the transition to a civilian government.

Sudan's Vice President of the Sovereignty Council, Lt General Mohamed Hamdan "Hemeti", Lt General Shamseldin El Kabashi and Lt General Ibrahim Jaber were present.

In a statement released by the UN, intra-Sudanese direct talks are slated to start next week, with a view to reinstating constitutional rule and a democratic transition.

Read also:
03.06.2022 LISTEN

This article is another gift to the youth of this country. In the past few years Ive had the opportunity to counsel some of our young ones who are going through challenges of diverse magnitude, to the extent that some had thought life is not worth living and had wished they were dead and long gone to their graves. And its this heartbreaking issue that has compelled me to attempt to write this motivational essay.

I am not a motivation speaker and I dont want to pretend to be one. I remember a comrade asked me whether Im a historian when I started the Ghana in Retrospect Series and my answer was that, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And I think that is my secret. In this treatise, Im going to be a bit practical and cite real life experiences to support my write-up. Most of these experiences are going to be my own life story, this will not be an attempt to be boastful or show off, but an effort to give hope to our dear young ones who think all hope have been lost.

Many, many people think the only major ingredient for making it in life is money, but I beg to differ; I will choose IDEAS over money because ideas bring money. You can have abundant wealth, but you can lose everything if you lack ideas. I know parents who bequeathed to their children massive wealth but the children are now filthy poor because they lack ideas. To continue, one will ask, How do I get ideas? And my answer is, begin to dream! Folks, I love dreaming. It doesnt cost to dream so please dream some wai. As much as dream is not expensive, all ground-breaking feats and innovations became possible because someone dreamt.

People can now step on both the moon and foreign continents, travel at supersonic speeds for war and pleasure, and to navigate the globe for fun and profit because of the Wright brothers dream of inventing an airplane. We can travel in cars and lorries because two Germans, Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler dreamt of inventing a car. The mobile phone has become an indispensable tool in our lives because of the dreams of Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Watson to invent a phone. The list can go on and on. The above inventors were human beings like us, God created all of us in His image; the Bible talks of the fact that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, so we are also special and can do even more than the inventions I have enumerated above; so dream, and dream big!

Dreaming also has some spiritual benefits and its powerful. What you churn out in your mind is what you get. If you keep on thinking you are poor, youll always remain poor. You may experiment this: assemble a group of people and let them repeat a Bible quotation many times silently in their minds ,and theyll begin to fall down! According to The Fourth Dimension a book written by the Korean Evangelist, Pastor Dr. David Yonggi Cho, you can enter the fourth dimension by dreaming and creating things with your mind because things that stick in the mind has the ability to create. People have criticized Pastor Cho and termed his fourth dimension principle Charismatic Witchcraft. As at 2007, Pastor Chos church, Yoido Full Gospel Church (Assemblies of God) was the worlds largest congregation with membership of one million.

Personally, I dont think the principle is magical or occultic; its Biblical! In Proverbs 23:7, the Bible says that as a man thinks, so is he. I believe you also remember the Story of Jacob in the book of Genesis where Laban cheated Jacob and allowed him to work many years for Rachel for a wife. Hehehehehe, Im sure the Labanese are the descendants of Laban. In Genesis chapter 30 versus 37 to 39, Jacob took fresh-cut branch from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches. He then placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks for the streaked images to register on the minds of the flocks when they went to drink. When the flocks were in heat and went to drink, they mated in front of the branches, and surprisingly, they gave birth to streaked or speckled or spotted young ones!

Pastor Yongi Cho shared an awesome testimony in his book. The husband of one of his church members got himself involved in a serious accident and fell into coma for several days. Doctors declared his condition hopeless, but the wife didnt lose hope. Based on the teachings of her pastor, she launched into the fourth dimension and imagined herself walking to the hospital and seeing her husband on the hospital bed with his eyes opened welcoming her with a smile. She did this for weeks and one day, after entering the ward where her husband was hospitalised, saw her husband with her eyes opened and smiling! I want to issue a caveat here that dreaming is not a substitute for praying; they must go together.

If you look around critically, youll be shocked that there are many things you can make money out of by generating ideas geared towards solving problems of your community. Many years ago, iced water was sold in cups, and it was a common sight to see a seller serving many people with the same cup. Someone identified the health implications in this and came out with the idea of selling iced water in polythene bags. After sometime, it was observed that before the polythene bags could be opened for the water to be put in, one had to blow air mixed with saliva into the bag, and so the idea of sachet water was created and we now have bottled water.

In December 1994, I needed some money to enhance my writing career and also establish a publishing company but didnt have a dime. I started dreaming about something, and my mind came across the severe energy crisis the country was experiencing at that time. Finally, I decided to write a book intended to address the problem by teaching consumers and children how to conserve electricity. Within two weeks, the first draft was ready. I spent another week fine-tuning it. I couldnt afford the services of a professional editor so I gave the draft to friends and family members to look at it, and in another few weeks my script was near perfect. I went to a business centre for my work to be typed; it cost me only GHC50 and that was the beginning of a breakthrough.

I took my manuscript together with a sponsorship letter to the reception of the Electricity Company of Ghana. It was then a corporation, and I was directed to see the Public Relations Officer. He was very unfriendly and told me in the face that they dont waste money on such things; I was very disappointed so I decided to send another copy to the Volta River Authority the following day since it was obvious ECG will not help me. That notwithstanding, I continued praying and applying the fourth dimension principle  I will most often imagine myself roaming the corridors of the company, receiving a cheque and having my book published. Months later, I received a letter from the Customer Service Director inviting me for a meeting. Without hesitation, I went to the head office of the Electricity Company of Ghana and was ushered into the executive boardroom. Directors and managers of the company in suits were already seated waiting for me.

I felt a bit uncomfortable because the blue shirt I was wearing was somehow faded and the heel of my shoe worn-out. I spotted two white men in the meeting whom I was told were energy consultants from France. The government of Ghana had engaged them to help manage the problem of electricity in the country and had recommended my book as part of the solution to the energy crisis. In the same week, I received an invitation from VRA on my proposal; I had two offers to consider but chose ECG because negotiation with them had gone far. To cut a long story short an MOU was signed and I was handed a cheque for 32 million cedis for the publication of 50,000 copies of my book, and that was in 1995. Out of the money, I bought my first car, a Renault 11 at 1.5 million cedis! And that tells you the value of 32 million cedis those days.

How did all these happen? Did the fourth dimension principle work? Yes it did, I was told later that my script wasnt even sent to the registry to be received officially. It was thrown somewhere in the PROs office. One day, the PROs secretary feeling bored picked it up and started reading, she got so excited with it that she sent it home to continue reading it. When she was done she also gave it to her friend who was the secretary of the MD to read.

The secretary after reading passed it on to the MD, Mr. John Kobina Hagan who after reading invited the Directorate of Customer Service for discussion. Mr. Aikins, God bless you where ever you are. So, friends if this is not a divine intervention, I dont know what else it is.

In the same year, this book and another book of mine competed favourably with the works of some academic luminaries including Prof. K. Opoku-Agyemang of the University of Cape Coast, and the Late Prof. J.O. deGraft-Hanson to win a National Literary Award.

Sorrows of Electricity, the book in question has been adopted by the Ministry of Education for use in Ghanaian schools and has fetched well over two hundred thousand dollars after the initial sponsorship by ECG. How do you think this country will be if our young ones decide to use their creative abilities to solve problems of their communities by creating jobs for themselves and others instead of going round looking for non-existent white-collar jobs?

Fasten your seat belts and stay tuned for more; I will take you through a step-by-step approach as to how this could be achieved in the coming editions.

Anthony Obeng Afrane
03.06.2022 LISTEN

WASHINGTON, June 1, 2022  The COVID-19 pandemic has been a key factor in slowing progress toward universal energy access. Globally, 733 million people still have no access to electricity, and 2.4 billion people still cook using fuels detrimental to their health and the environment. At the current rate of progress, 670 million people will remain without electricity by 203010 million more than projected last year.

The 2022 edition of Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report shows that the impacts of the pandemic, including lockdowns, disruptions to global supply chains, and diversion of fiscal resources to keep food and fuel prices affordable, have affected the pace of progress toward the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 7) of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy by 2030. Advances have been impeded particularly in the most vulnerable countries and those already lagging in energy access. Nearly 90 million people in Asia and Africa who had previously gained access to electricity, can no longer afford to pay for their basic energy needs.

The impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on energy have been compounded in the last few months by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has led to uncertainty in global oil and gas markets and has sent energy prices soaring.Africa remains the least electrified in the world with 568 million people without electricity access. Sub-Saharan Africa's share of the global population without electricity jumped to 77 percent in 2020 from 71 percent in 2018 whereas most other regions saw declines in their share of the access deficits. While 70 million people globally gained access to clean cooking fuels and technologies, this progress was not enough to keep pace with population growth, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The report finds that despite continued disruptions in economic activity and supply chains, renewable energy was the only energy source to grow through the pandemic. However, these positive global and regional trends in renewable energy have left behind many countries most in need of electricity. This was aggravated by a decrease in international financial flows for the second year in a row, falling to USD 10.9 billion in 2019.

SDG 7 targets also cover energy efficiency. From 2010 to 2019, global annual improvements in energy intensity averaged around 1.9 percent. This is well below the levels needed to meet SDG 7s targets and to make up for lost ground, the average rate of improvement would have to jump to 3.2 percent.

In September 2021, the United Nations High-Level Dialogue on Energy brought together governments and stakeholders to accelerate action to achieve a sustainable energy future that leaves no one behind. In this context, the SDG 7 custodian agencies, the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the World Bank, and the World Health Organization (WHO), as they launch this report, are urging the international community and policymakers to safeguard gains toward SDG 7; to remain committed to continued action towards affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all; and to maintain a strategic focus on countries needing the most support.

Key highlights on SDG 7 targets

Access to electricity. The share of the worlds population with access to electricity rose from 83 percent in 2010 to 91 percent in 2020, increasing the number of people with access by 1.3 billion globally. The number without access declined from 1.2 billion people in 2010 to 733 million in 2020. However, the pace of progress in electrification has slowed in recent years which may be explained by the increasing complexity of reaching more remote and poorer unserved populations and the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meeting the 2030 target requires increasing the number of new connections to 100 million a year. At current rates of progress, the world will reach only 92 percent electrification by 2030.

Between 2010 and 2020, every region of the world showed consistent progress in electrification, but with wide disparities. Electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa rose from 46 percent in 2018 to 48 percent in 2020, but the regions share of the global access deficit rose from 71 percent in 2018 to 77 percent in 2020, whereas most other regions, including Central and Southern Asia, saw declines in their share of the access deficits. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for more than three-quarters of the people (568 million people) who remained without access in 2020.

Clean cooking. The share of the global population with access to clean cooking fuels and technologies rose to 69% in 2020, an increase of 3 percentage points over last year. However, population growth outpaced much of the gains in access, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, the total number of people lacking access to clean cooking has remained relatively stagnant for decades. Between 2000 and 2010, this number was close to three billion people, or one-third of the global population. It dropped to around 2.4 billion in 2020. The increase was primarily driven by advancements in access in large, populous countries in Asia. In contrast, the access deficit in Sub-Saharan Africa has nearly doubled since 1990, reaching a total of around 923 million people in 2020.

A multisectoral, coordinated effort is needed to achieve the SDG 7 target of universal access to clean cooking by 2030. It is critical that the global community learns from the successes and challenges faced by countries that have attempted to design and implement clean household energy policies.

Renewables. Ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy implies accelerated deployment of renewable energy sources for electricity, heat, and transport. Although there is no quantitative target for SDG 7.2, custodian agencies agree that the share of renewable energy in total final energy consumption (TFEC) needs to rise significantly, even though renewable energy consumption did continue to grow through the pandemic, overcoming disruptions to economic activity and supply chains. While the share of renewable capacity expansion rose by a record amount in 2021, the positive global and regional trajectories mask the fact that countries where new capacity additions lagged were those most in need of increased access. Moreover, rising commodity, energy and shipping prices, as well as restrictive trade measures, have increased the cost of producing and transporting solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, wind turbines, and biofuels, adding uncertainty for future renewable energy projects. Renewable shares need to reach well over 30 percent of TFEC by 2030, up from 18 percent in 2019, to be on track for reaching net-zero energy emissions by 2050. Achieving this objective would require strengthening policy support in all sectors and implementing effective tools to further mobilize private capital, especially in least-developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing countries.

Energy efficiency. SDG 7.3 aims to double the global rate of annual improvement in primary energy intensitythe amount of energy used per unit of wealth createdto 2.6 percent in 201030 versus 19902010. From 2010 to 2019, global annual improvements in energy intensity averaged around 1.9 percent, well below the target, and the average annual rate of improvement now has to reach 3.2 percent to make up for lost ground. This rate would need to be even higherconsistently over 4 percent for the rest of this decadeif the world is to reach net-zero emissions from the energy sector by 2050, as envisioned in the IEA's Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario. Early estimates for 2020 point to a substantial decrease in intensity improvement because of the COVID-19 crisis, as a result of a higher share of energy-intensive activities in the economy and lower energy prices. The outlook for 2021 suggests a return to a 1.9 percent rate of improvement, the average rate during the previous decade, thanks to a sharper focus on energy efficiency policies, particularly in COVID-19 recovery packages. However, energy efficiency policies and investment need to be scaled up significantly to bring the SDG 7.3 target within reach.

International Financial Flows. International public financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy decreased for the second year in a row, falling to USD 10.9 billion in 2019, despite the immense needs for sustainable development in most countries and growing urgency of climate change. The amount was down by nearly 24 per cent from the previous year and may be worsened by the pandemic in 2020. Overall, the level of financing remains below what is needed to reach SDG 7, particularly in the most vulnerable and least developed countries.

The decrease was seen in most regions, with the only exception in Oceania, where international public flows rose by 72 percent. The bulk of decreases were concentrated in Eastern and South-eastern Asia, where they fell 66.2 percent; Latin America and the Caribbean, where they dropped by 29.8 percent; and Central and Southern Asia, where they declined by 24.5 percent.

Although the private sector finances most renewable energy investments, public finance remains key to attract private capital, including for creating an enabling environment for private investments, developing the needed infrastructure, and addressing perceived and real risks and barriers for investments in the energy transition. International public flows to countries that lack the financial resources to support their energy transitions constitute a large part of the international collaboration that will be needed for a global energy transition that would bring the world closer to achieving all SDGs.

Indicators and data for tracking progress. Tracking global progress for SDG 7 targets requires high-quality, reliable and comparable data for informed and effective policymaking at the global, regional, and country levels. The quality of data has been improving through national and international cooperation and solid statistical capacity. National data systems improve as countries establish legal frameworks and institutional arrangements for comprehensive data collection for energy supply and demand balances; implement end-user surveys (e.g., households, businesses, etc.); and develop quality-assurance frameworks. However, after the pandemic hit and disrupted the rate of progress toward Goal 7, more investment in quality statistics is needed to know where we stand and how to get back on track. This is especially important for developing countries, particularly Least Developed Countries, to inform their national energy policies and strategies to ensure no one is left behind.

QUOTES

The shocks caused by Covid-19 reversed recent progress towards universal access for electricity and clean cooking, and slowed vital improvements in energy efficiency even as renewables showed encouraging resilience. Today, Russias invasion of Ukraine has triggered a global energy crisis, driving huge price spikes that are causing particularly severe impacts in developing economies. Many of these economies were already in dire financial straits as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, and overcoming these difficulties to get on track for Sustainable Development Goals will require massive and innovative financial solutions from the international community.

Fatih Birol, Executive Director, International Energy Agency

International public financing for renewable energy needs to accelerate, especially in the poorest, most vulnerable countries. We have failed to support those most in need. With only eight years left to achieve universal access to affordable and sustainable energy, we need radical actions to accelerate the increase of international public financial flows and distribute them in a more equitable manner, so 733 million people who are currently left behind can enjoy the benefits of clean energy access.

Francesco La Camera, Director-General, International Renewable Energy Agency

The 2022 Report finds that advances have been made towards achieving affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, though not in pace for a 2030 fulfillment. Worse yet, two years of pandemic have negatively affected international investment flows to promote renewable energy in developing countries. These are the countries that most need investment to reach Goal 7, including in data collection to help monitor and evaluate sustainable energy policies and strategies.

Stefan Schweinfest, United Nations Statistics Division

"We believe SDG 7 is and remains an achievable goal and we urge governments and the global community to scale up efforts to integrate universal energy access into national energy transition plans, and to focus on the most remote, vulnerable and poorest unserved populations to ensure no one is left behind."

Riccardo Puliti, Infrastructure Vice President, The World Bank

Millions of people are killed through heart disease, stroke, cancer, and pneumonia since they still rely on dirty cooking fuels and technologies which are major sources of air pollution. Women and children are particularly at risk  they spend the most time in and around the home and therefore carry the heaviest burden to their health and well-being. Transitioning to clean and sustainable energy will not only contribute to make people healthier, it will also protect our planet and mitigate the impacts of climate change."

Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, World Health Organization
A young Ghanaian teacher, Madina Adutwumwaa Asare, popularly known as Teacher Ewuraama with the support of Amansie South residents living abroad has donated 17 computers and learning materials to the Nyankomase T.I Ahmadiyya Basic school in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region after the school was raised down by fire.

Reports stated that armed robbers allegedly broke into the office of the school, school the computers and burnt the office.

The headmaster of T. I Ahmadiyya Basic school narrating the incident said when he returned to the school on Monday, March 21, 2022, at 6:45 am, the students reported that the office was burnt due to electrical faults.

As an electrician himself, he said he rushed to the office to trace the electrical fault but found none.

The laptops, computers, printers, photocopy machines, and others he noted, were not found.

Madina Adutwumwaa championed efforts to put the school back in shape with the requisite renovation and the replacement of the lost items with the support of some Amansie South residents living abroad.

Amansie South citizens abroad members helped with the construction of the burnt offices and also donated laptops.

All the efforts were engineered by the father of Teacher Ewuraama who doubles as the financial secretary of the Amansie South citizens abroad.
GCB Bank PLC has held its 28th Annual General Meeting (AGM) via a virtual platform for its shareholders to consider and adopt the Reports of the Directors, Auditors and the Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2021.

The virtual AGM, which was held on Friday, June 3rd, 2022 was in compliance with Imposition of Restriction Act 2020 (Act 1012) and the Registrar Generals Department and Securities and Exchange Commissions directives and guidance on holding virtual Annual General Meetings.

GCB Bank recorded a Profit before Tax of GH831.98 million in 2021 from GH 602 million in 2020, a growth of about 36.2 per cent. Profit after Tax grew 28.5 per cent to GHS 572.28 million after adjusting for a 5 per cent Levy applied following the enactment of the Financial Sector Recovery Act, 2021, Act 1067.

GCB Bank recommended a dividend of GHS 0.50 per share representing a 100 per cent increase of dividend paid in 2020, subject to Bank of Ghanas approval.

Commenting on GCB Banks financial performance, Board Chairman, Mr. Jude Arthur, stated that despite the domestic and global challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the strong financial performance was underpinned by strong internal collaboration among business units and support functions leading to improved efficiency and revenue growth.

He added that other factors including strong cost control measures leading to an improvement in the Banks cost to income ratio, improvement in staff performance management system and the augmentation of the Banks leadership in key areas to implement key elements of the Banks strategy contributed to the sterling performance.

Mr Arthur said the GCB Banks strong performance in 2021 would not have been possible without the measures implemented by the Government of Ghana to combat COVID-19, the professional handling of the pandemic by the health authorities and the observance of the COVID-19 protocols by the public.

The Board Chairman expressed appreciation to Mr. Nik Amarteifio and Mr. Prince Edward Amoatia Younge who retired from the Board during the year under review.

Shareholders participated and voted at the AGM through a dedicated online platform or through an SMS code using a unique token number. The AGM Proceedings was transmitted live on GTV and streamed across GCB Banks social media platforms.

The shareholders congratulated the Bank for the stellar performance despite the ravaging impact of Covid-19 on the economy. Shareholders also raised concerns about the risks posed by cyber security and impairment.

The Bank assured shareholders that it has deployed a comprehensive enterprise risk management system and continues to use world class consultants and internal experts to stay ahead of the threats posed by cyber security.

At the end of the meeting, shareholders adopted the 2021 audited financials and approved all resolutions on the agenda which included the declaration of dividend, re-election of the Board of Directors retiring by rotation, re-election of Directors, ratification of the appointment of two Non-Executive Directors and one Executive Director, remuneration of Directors and the authorization of the Directors to fix the remuneration of Auditors.

The new members of the Board whose appointments were ratified are Mr. Daniel Kwaku Tweneboah Asirifi and Honorable Dr. Stephen Amoah both Non-Executive Directors and Mr. Samuel Kwame Yedu Aidoo, Executive Director in charge of Wholesale and Investment Banking.

Financial Performance

GCB Bank recorded a Profit before Tax of GHS 831.98 million in 2021 from GHS610.83 million in 2020, an increase of 36.2 per cent.

Net interest income increased by 25.6 per cent; from GHS1,508.70 million in 2020 to GHS1,894.84 million. Net fees and commission income also increased from GHS 277.98 million in 2020 to GHS 359.53 million in 2021, representing an increase of 29.3 per cent.

GCB improved its cost to income ratio from 58.0 per cent in 2020 to 52.2 per cent in 2021.

The Bank increased its total assets to GHS 18.40 billion, representing year-on-year growth of 19.1 per cent, driven mainly by 19.2 per cent and 13.3 per cent increase in loans and advances to customers and investment in securities respectively,.

Customer deposits which remain a key balance sheet component grew by 16.2 per cent from 11.96 billion in 2020 to GHS 13.90 billion in 2021.

The Banks equity recorded a growth of 23.3 per cent from GHS 2.19 billion in 2020 to GHS 2.70 billion in 2021.

GCB Banks Capital Adequacy Ratio of 20.9 per cent is significantly above the prudential requirement of 11.5 per cent. An indication that the Bank is sufficiently capitalized.

The Banks Earnings per share increased by 28.6 per cent from GHS 1.68 in 2020 to GHS 2.16 in 2021.

Progress on GCBs Digital Journey

Commenting on the progress of GCBs digital journey, the Board Chairman explained that GCB is focused on accelerating its digital capabilities as a key driver to dominate the industry and create shareholder value.

As a result, the Bank has appointed a Chief Digital and Marketing Officer to lead the Banks digitization efforts. It has also developed a business optimization unit to review and digitalize processes to eliminate human intervention and make the bank nimbler and more responsive.

Other initiatives include the establishment of a data management unit to accelerate the development of relevant and innovative solutions, a Security Operations Center (SOC) to make the Bank more responsive towards cyber security threats and an upgrade of the Banks core banking platform from version 12.0 to 14.3 to enhance service delivery.

He added that the bank will continue to make substantial investments in digitalization to ensure superior service delivery and derive maximum value for the benefit of customers and stakeholders.

Leadership & Talent Development

Mr. Arthur explained that leadership and talent development are an integral part of the Banks strategy to dominate the market. Therefore, a robust framework for a leadership pipeline has been developed to guarantee an adequate flow of talent to fill senior roles as part of the Banks succession management. This includes identifying high potential leaders and implementing tailor-made training and development to enhance their capacity and equip them with the right tools to provide innovative and dynamic leadership.
A protester was shot dead in the Sudanese capital Friday, medics said, as UN human rights expert Adama Dieng urged authorities to "refrain from use of excessive force" against demonstrators.

Thousands took to the streets in Khartoum and other cities to demand justice for scores of pro-democracy protesters killed during the suppression of a 2019 sit-in against now ousted dictator Omar al-Bashir, AFP correspondents reported.

"Blood for blood, we will not accept compensation," protesters in Khartoum chanted. Others urged the military "to go back to their barracks".

Friday's protests marked the third anniversary of the dispersal of the months-long sit-in outside army headquarters, that was swiftly followed by a palace coup by military top brass which put an end to Bashir's three decades in power.

At least 128 demonstrators were killed, according to medics linked to the protest movement. An investigation was launched later that year but it has yet to announce its findings.

Britain, Norway and the United States issued a joint statement Friday "calling for the prompt resolution of the government-appointed investigation into the massacre and disclosure of findings to the public."

Further demonstrations after Bashir's ouster led to the formation of a transitional government but it was toppled last October by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

There have been repeated protests against the coup which have triggered a bloody crackdown in which nearly 100 people have died, according to pro-democracy medics.

UN human rights expert, who is in Sudan on his second visit since last October's coup, had called on the authorities to refrain from the use of excessive force against demonstrators. By Ebrahim Hamid (AFP)

Friday's demonstrations took place as the UN expert on human rights in Sudan visited for the second time since the coup.

The UN, along with the African Union and regional grouping IGAD, have been pushing to facilitate Sudanese-led talks to resolve the crisis.

On Wednesday, military official met with UN, AU and IGAD representatives and agreed on "the launch of direct talks" among Sudanese factions next week.

On Sunday, Burhan lifted a state of emergency in force since the coup to set the stage for "meaningful dialogue that achieves stability for the transitional period".

Since April, Sudanese authorities have released a number of civilian leaders and pro-democracy activists arrested in the crackdown.
The government of Tanzania has approved a budget of about US$1.7million to commence the construction of the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights permanent premises in Arusha.

The Tanzanian government has allocated about 25 hectare land to the African Court in Laki Laki area, on the outskirts of Arusha town, for the construction of its permanent premises. The location is in the vicinity of the UN Mechanism for International Tribunals (ex-ICTR and ex-ICTY).

Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud, President of the African Court has therefore in a paper copied to the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema commended the Government and People of Tanzania for this is big and bold step in ensuring that the African Court gets its permanent premises.

Lady Justice Aboud stated after the Parliament of Tanzania, approved the budget estimates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.

She said the African Continental Court, which has its permanent seat in Arusha, is currently operating from its temporary offices at the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) buildings.

This is a historic move and we are looking forward to its speedy construction, she said, adding that this was yet another demonstration of Tanzanias commitment to the cause of human rights, and generally, its unconditional support for the objectives of the Pan Africanism, the African Court President stated.

The African Court is a continental court established by African countries to ensure the protection of human and peoples rights in Africa. It complements and reinforces the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights.

The Court was established by pursuant to Article 1 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples Rights, (the Protocol) which was adopted by Member States of the then Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in June 1998. The Protocol came into force on 25 January 2004. The Court officially started its operations in July 2006 in Addis Ababa and a year later moved to its permanent seat in Arusha, Tanzania.

The African Court is composed of eleven Judges, nationals of Member States of the African Union elected in their individual capacity, and meets four times a year in Ordinary Sessions and may hold an Extra-Ordinary Sessions.
The Media Coalition against Open Defecation (M-CODe) in collaboration with the World Vision Ghana (WVG), has stormed the Adjen Kotoku Onion Market as part of a holistic advocacy strategy against open defecation across the country.

Mr. Francis Ameyibor, M-CODe Convener expressed concern about the deplorable state of the market especially the inadequate toilet facilities and appealed to the various stakeholders to assist the traders with the necessary facilities as the poor conditions in the market have health implications not only for those there but can roll over to other parts of the country.

He said the M-CODe and WVG tour which was on the theme: Open defecation is one of the most dangerous unhealthy behaviours  lets join forces to end it now, seeks to throw the searchlight on the country, just like all other countries, aspires to provide access to toilets to all its citizens and end open defecation by 2030.

Mr Ameyibor, stated during M-CODe and WVG representative working visit to Adjen Kotoku Onion Market in the GA West Municipality and Dominase Onion Market in the Gomoa East District monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult).

He explained that the working visit was to assess the situation on the ground as well as engage policymakers on the way forward.

He said Ghana has not been able to significantly change the proportion of its population that practices open defecation since 1990, when the open defecation rate was 22 percent, meaning that with the increase in population from about 12 million in 1990 to the current 32 million, the number of people engaged in it has rather increased in absolute terms.

Mr. Ameyibor said the adverse health effects of OD are many: acute effects include infectious intestinal diseases, including diarrheal diseases which are exacerbated by poor water supplies, sanitation, and hygiene.

The M-CODe Convener explained, thats why we must all join forces with all stakeholders to sensitize the public against OD while encouraging policymakers to put in place measures to eliminate the problem.

He said it is against this background that the M-CODe was formed and launched in September 2018, with the support from World Vision Ghana, Kings Hall Media Limited, and Coalitions of NGOs in water and sanitation to help crusade against open defecation in Ghana.

The coalitions principal objective is working to secure greater government commitment, prioritization, and increased investment in sanitation through a more aggressive policy influence and public sensitization.

Mr. Osman Mohammed Sidi, Secretary for the Adjen Kotoku Onion Sellers and Importers Association, during interaction with the M-CODe media team expressed concern about the poor sanitation condition in the market.

He said the over 3,000 traders, haulage truck drivers, and a large cross of the public who patronizes the onion market struggles to use a small toilet facility that has eight compartments for each male and female.

Mr. Sidi said who is also the Public Relations Officer for the association stated that the authorities promised to build enough toilet facilities for them but all to no avail, no we have to attend to nature call in shifts and if you cannot wait, you seek for free-range in the next available bush or drain.

He said as a result of the pressure on the toilet facilities, we have to spend money on toiletries in order to keep it clean.

He added that aside from the toilet facilities not being enough the major problem they were facing was water issues, stressing that water is the major issue we have to deal with and when it happens like that we have to wait for them to bring water.
" " Flame azaleas bloom along the Appalachian Trail in the Roan Highlands at the Tennessee/North Carolina border. Brett Maurer/Getty Images

Many people have heard about the storied Appalachian Trail, one of the first long-distance hiking paths in the U.S.

But relatively few realize that the AT, as it's often called, is part of a select group of 11 National Scenic Trails that wind more than 18,000 miles (28,968 kilometers) across the American landscape.

These trails pass through 31 states and Washington, D.C., showcasing the nation's incredibly diverse terrain: deserts and swamps in the south, massive mountain ranges on the East and West Coasts, and the Great Lakes in the Upper Midwest.

President Lyndon B. Johnson can be credited with spurring the creation of a network of long-distance hiking trails, when in 1965 he charged Congress with preserving the nation's most beautiful outdoor spaces, in part by creating scenic trails across the country.

Congress listened, and in 1968 passed the National Trails System Act, which provided for the creation of four classes of trails:

National Recreation Trails, which provide outdoor experiences in urban areas

National Historic Trails, which trace travel routes of national historic significance

National Scenic Trails, which showcase the significant physical characteristics of various regions

National Side Trails, which provide access to the three previous types of trails

Because the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails were already in existence in 1968, the legislation also designated them America's first two National Scenic Trails.

While "National Scenic Trail" may not be a familiar term to many, that doesn't mean these paths aren't getting any use. "The Appalachian Trail Conservancy estimates that more than 3 million visitors use the Appalachian Trail annually," says Tyler Ray, senior director for programs and advocacy at the American Hiking Society. And the Ice Age Trail Alliance website boasts the Ice Age Trail  another of the 11  attracts 2.3 million users every year. In addition, a 2021 study by the Outdoor Industry Association shows the annual number of hikers has grown from 32.5 million in 2010 to 57.8 million in 2020.

With so many people out trekking, many are inevitably using our National Scenic Trails, Ray says. And I'm one of them. After discovering this select group in 2012, I set a goal of hiking all 11; I'm currently on No. 7. Intrigued? Here's a brief description of each trail, in the order they were designated.

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1. Appalachian Trail

Length: 2,194 miles (3,531 kilometers)

States: Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine

Year Designated National Scenic Trail: 1968

The AT is considered the granddaddy of America's long-distance hiking trails, and the most popular of the 11. Completed in 1937, it unrolls along the Appalachian Mountains from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mount Katahdin, Maine. More than 21,000 people have completed the entire trail to date, either via thru-hiking  hiking it all within 12 months  or section-hiking, which means hiking it over time and in any order. The trail's highest elevation is Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (6,643 feet or 2,025 meters).

2. Pacific Crest Trail

Length: 2,650 miles (4,265 kilometers)

States: California, Oregon, Washington

Year Designated National Scenic Trail: 1968

" " Mountaineer's Camp at Mount Whitney, along the Pacific Crest Trail Galen Rowell/Getty Images

The Pacific Crest Trail tumbles along the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountain Ranges. Completed in 1993, it was little known until the 2012 publication of The New York Times bestseller "Wild," by Cheryl Strayed. To wit: In 2013, 1,879 hiking permits were issued to potential hikers. By 2019, that number had skyrocketed to nearly 8,000. Many hikers make a side trip to summit Mount Whitney while on the PCT; it's the highest point in the continental U.S., at 14,505 feet (4,421 meters).

3. Continental Divide Trail

Length: 3,100 miles (4,989 kilometers)

States: New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana

Year Designated National Scenic Trail: 1978

This National Scenic Trail runs along the Continental Divide or Great Divide, which splits North America's principal drainage, resulting in water flowing either eastbound to the Atlantic Ocean or westbound to the Pacific. The CDT, along with its predecessors the AT and PCT, are known as the Triple Crown trails. Hike all three, and you're eligible for the Triple Crown of Hiking Award. The CDT's highest point is Grays Peak in Colorado (14,278 feet or 4,352 meters). This is considered one of the most rugged trails in the group.

4. North Country Trail

Length: 4,800 miles (7,725 kilometers)

States: North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont

Year Designated National Scenic Trail: 1980

" " Chapel Beach, Lake Superior, Michigan, as seen from the North Country Trail. National Parks Service

The North Country Trail is the longest National Scenic Trail by far, stretching nearly 5,000 miles (8,047 kilometers) from North Dakota to Vermont. It passes through some exceptionally scenic areas, such as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota, Michigan's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and New York's Finger Lakes. Due to its extreme length, only a few dozen people have completed the entire trail to date.

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5. Ice Age Trail

Length: 1,150 miles (1,851 kilometers)

State: Wisconsin

Year Designated National Scenic Trail: 1980

The Ice Age Trail is coiled entirely within Wisconsin  one of just three National Scenic Trails confined to a single state. The path winds around the state tracing the terminal moraine of the last North American glacial ice sheet, which disappeared some 10,000 to 14,000 years ago. Along the way, hikers are treated to glimpses of some of the world's finest glacial remains, including eskers, potholes, drumlins and erratics. The path also passes a wealth of glacial lakes and leads hikers 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) along the Lake Michigan shore.

6. Florida Trail

Length: 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers)

State: Florida

Year Designated National Scenic Trail: 1983

" " This sign at Santa Rosa Beach in North Florida lets people know it is part of the Florida Trail. National Park Service

Like the Ice Age Trail, the Florida Trail lies entirely within one state. While the FT is essentially flat, that doesn't mean it's not challenging. Its southern terminus is Big Cypress National Preserve, and the first 30 miles (48.3 kilometers) northbound take you through Big Cypress Swamp, home to alligators, black panthers, black bears and venomous snakes. After that, you'll experience a wide variety of landscapes, including canals, hardwood forests and the snowy white sand dunes found along Gulf Islands National Seashore. Though thousands of people have visited at least some part of the trail, less than 400 people have thru-hiked it.

7. Potomac Heritage Trail

Length: 750 miles (2,414 kilometers)

States: Virgina, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania

Year Designated National Scenic Trail: 1983

One of the most unusual of the 11, the Potomac Heritage Trail is a multimodal, nonlinear network of trails that traces the history and beauty of the Potomac River corridor. It's also the most urban of the group, as it passes through Washington, D.C., offering access to more than 6 million people. The PHT leads past treasures such as Mount Vernon, George Washington's home; the National Museum of the Marine Corps; and Ball's Bluff, a Civil War battlefield. It also piggybacks on the C&O Canal Towpath and a portion of the Great Allegheny Passage, where you'll cross the Appalachian Trail, Mason-Dixon Line and Eastern Continental Divide. You can hike, bike and even paddle portions of the trail.

8. Natchez Trace

Length: 444 miles (715 kilometers)

States: Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee

Year Designated National Scenic Trail: 1983

" " The Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge in Tennesee is near the end of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Rhonda Stansberry/Getty Images

The other unusual trail in the group is the Natchez Trace. Comprising 65 miles (105 kilometers) of trail split among five sections, it runs along the 444-mile (715 kilometers) Natchez Trace Parkway. Both the trail and parkway follow the path of the original Natchez Trace, an important 19th-century travel route linking Natchez, Mississippi, with Nashville, Tennessee. The scenery here ranges from wetlands and swamps in the south to prairie, hardwood forest and waterfalls in the north. Perhaps the most impressive section is Potkopinu in Mississippi, where you can hike 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) of the Sunken Trace  a portion of the original trail that was so heavily used, it sunk as much as 20 feet (6.1 meters) below the surrounding terrain.

9. Pacific Northwest Trail

Length: 1,200 miles (1,931 kilometers)

States: Montana, Idaho, Washington

Year Designated National Scenic Trail: 2009

The Pacific Northwest Trail is one of the more recent additions to the group. It runs from the Continental Divide in Glacier National Park to Washington's Olympic National Park and the Pacific Ocean. Left largely unmarked for its first decade, efforts are now underway to sign it. While there are currently many road miles along the PNT, its off-road sections offer incredible views along the Rocky, Northern Cascade and Olympic Mountains. Some of its more remote sections require bushwhacking and rock scrambling.

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10. Arizona Trail

Length: 800 miles (1,288 kilometers)

State: Arizona

Year Designated National Scenic Trail: 2009

The third National Scenic Trail that lies entirely within one state is the Arizona Trail, which runs vertically through the state from the Mexican border to Utah. The AZT bills itself as exceptionally tough, thanks to the fact that you have to ascend and descend thousands of feet along mountain ranges such as the Superstitions, Rincons and San Francisco Peaks. One of the most exciting passages leads you rim-to-rim through the Grand Canyon. Finding water on this path is a constant challenge, although volunteers often cache it for hikers.

11. New England Trail

Length: 215 miles (346 kilometers)

States: Connecticut, Massachusetts

Year Named National Scenic Trail: 2009

The New England Trail runs vertically through Connecticut and Massachusetts, from Long Island Sound to the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border. While designated a National Scenic Trail in 2009, the route was in existence for half a century as the interconnected Mattabesett, Metacomet and Monadnock (M-M-M) Trails. The NET is by far the shortest National Scenic Trail, at just 215 miles (346 kilometers). Yet it's still taxing, as it climbs numerous steep mountains such as Mounts Holyoke and Grace. Luckily, the views are worth the effort.

Now That's Impressive One of the most heralded National Scenic Trail hikers is Emma "Grandma" Gatewood, who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail solo in 1955 at age 67. Gatewood, who hiked in Converse high-top sneakers and used a plastic shower curtain for shelter, repeated her amazing feat twice more, with another thru-hike in 1957 and a section-hike in 1964.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) Tema Regional Command has unveiled that illegal electricity connections fuel unwanted fires at homes, markets, shops and other habitations and cautioned traders at the Tema Community One market against contracting the services of unqualified electricians to undertake power connections.

Divisional Officer Grade III, Nancy Amaka of the GNFS Tema Regional Safety Department who gave the advice explained that illegal electricity connections have been a major contributor to fire outbreaks whether domestic or in industrial areas including the markets leading to the destruction of lives and properties.

She said, "illegal connections put pressure on the electric power supply and that if the power supply comes in with pressure, it can also cause fire outbreak".

DOIII Amaka made this known during a Tema GNFS sensitization exercise in some markets, offices, key national installations, public buildings, and restaurants as part of the 2022 National Fire Safety Week which seeks to educate the public on fire safety and precautionary measures, which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema.

She also advised that all sockets and power supply sockets should be switched off before setting off from the market or the office at the close of the day to their various homes and encouraged the traders to purchase fire extinguishers for their shops to serve as the first line of defense to fight fire at the initial stage.

Some of the traders, however, claimed that the unstable power supply from the Electricity Company of Ghana contributed to frequent fire outbreaks in the country.
Mr Alex Adzew and other dignitaries during the handing over

03.06.2022 LISTEN

Mr. Alex Josiah Adzew, Board Chairman of the Tema Lube Oil Company (TLOC) has revealed that as a science and technology-based factory, Lube considers investment in the sector as very critical toward national development.

He said it was important to invest and augment the governments vision of upscaling the teaching and learning of science in schools especially in less endowed schools.

Mr Adzew stated during the handing-over of a refurbished ultra-modern science laboratory to the Chemu Senior High Technical School in Tema as part of the 30th anniversary celebration of Lube Oil Company which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema.

He said the laboratory would also be a befitting legacy from Lube Oil Company to the country.

The Lube Oil Company Board Chairman urged the public to patronize their products which included engine oils, industrial oils, gear oils, hydraulic oils, other machine oils, and others to enable them to provide more of such projects to schools, hospitals, and the communities.

He explained that Lube Oil Company acted upon a request from the management of the school turned two classrooms into a well-equipped science laboratory.

Mr. Adzew indicated that the Company accepted to honour the request of the school as it falls within the thematic areas of health, education, and security of its Corporate Social Responsibility.

Mr. Adzew added that the decision was also based on the sterling performance of Chemu SHTS in academics especially the science even though it has challenges with teaching and learning materials.

Madam Vincentia Kyere Anim-Agyei, Head Mistress of Chemu SHTS said the management wrote to Tema Lube Oil Company to help convert two classrooms into an ultra-modern laboratory to provide holistic science teaching and learning in the 40 years old school.

Madam Anim-Agyei said the school was making great strides to be at par with endowed schools in the country, adding that this was evident in its achievements in recent times as it was still basking in the glory of being the NSMQ semi-finalist 2021.

She appealed to other organizations to assist them with the provision of classroom blocks, and a school bus among others.

Mr. Yohane Amarh Ashitey, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, and Mr. Yves Hanson-Nortey, Member of Parliament for Tema Central and a former student of the school also commended the Company for the gesture and reiterated the importance of science to the development of the country.

The Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, Deputy Minister of Education, commended the Company for taking a bold step in providing the school with the needed science lab as that would help in achieving the governments vision of having a 40:60 ratio in favour of science in the pre-tertiary schools against the current 60 percent of such learners being into the humanities.

Rev. Fordjour said to achieve this, the government was investing massively in science infrastructure in the schools to help develop the needed assertive, critical thinkers and team players.

He said just like other countries that were preparing to solve tomorrows global problems, the government was also eager to strengthen the learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Mr. Joseph Kofi Abu, Greater Accra Regional Veterinary Officer has revealed that the government through Ministry of Finance released GHC44 million as compensation to affected Bird Flu farmers across the country.

Mr. Abu revealed that farmers who were affected during the outbreak from 2015 to December 31st, 2020 have received their compensation package from the government.

Mr Abu stated during a tour various poultry farms affected by Bird Flu by representatives from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Ghana Health Service (GHS), Greater Accra Veterinary Service Unit, and its development institutions have toured some affected poultry farm within the Tema and Kpone Katamanso municipalities.

The visit was to access the situation at the various poultry farms after the Bird Flu outbreak early this year, which was monitored by the Communication For Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Saki, near Kpone.

The Greater Accra Regional Veterinary Officer noted that the Bird flu was still hovering in the system saying that farmers should take precautionary measures to curb any upsurge in the outbreak.

Mr. Abu hinted that government would soon pay the next phase of the compensation package to the recently affected poultry farmers.

About 102 poultry farms were hit by the bird flu outbreak early this year.

Dr. Anthony Akunzule Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) said soliciting firsthand information from the farmers would help to unravel the real course of the outbreak and how to strategically deal with the situation.

He pointed out that poultry farmers needed to adhere to strict security measures to ensure poultry birds were protected from the fatal disease at their farms saying that the bird flu outbreak needed to be managed very well before it causes mortalities.

According to him efforts would be made as a matter of urgency to meet with the affected farmers to sensitize them to ensure good farm practices were observed at all times.
A former Member of Parliament (MP) for Gomoa West, Mr. Alexander Abban has revealed why he lost his seat in the 2020 general elections.

He said his constituents refused to re-elect him simply because he was not attending their funerals.

Mr. Abban represented the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2020 general elections to seek another term but was defeated by Richard Gyan Mensah who contested on the ticket of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Speaking as a panelist at a roundtable discussion put together by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Governance (CDD-Ghana) on the topic, Expectations vs Reality  Navigating the Unique Composition of the 8th Parliament on Thursday, June 2, 2022, Mr. Alexander Abban opened up on what led to his defeat.

I was booted out because I was not attending funerals. We need to do education and let the people understand the work of a parliamentarian. The education must go down well. If not we will always get people who are not qualified to go to parliament and offer nothing, the former Gomoa West MP said.

He bemoaned the growing monetisation of elections in the country, insisting that it is affecting politics.

According to Mr. Abban, if care is not taken drug barons who have money to spend will soon take over parliament disguised as elected MPs.

These days delegates are not doing well to help political parties or the country. You have delegates who will rather vote for people with no ideas but are ready to pay money than people who actually have ideas and can help.

In the next few years, we will see drug barons taking over Parliament, Alexander Abban added.

The NPP politician proposed that to solve the problem, education should be given to the citizenry on the role of parliamentarians.

He said the citizenry must prioritise the quality of people they send to parliament instead of the money they pay to influence voters.
Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Friday donated a cheque for GHC200,000.00 to the Appiatse Support Fund for the reconstruction of the community, ravaged by an explosion in January.

"I felt obligated to support the people of Appiatse because Ghana has given me a lot, and so I share the problem of the society and want to be part of the solution, he said.

He added, "I always say I'm slave to optimism and when all of us come on board we can rebuild the community.

Togbe Afede, also the President of the Asogli Traditional Area, and a business mogul, lauded the Fund Committee for the tremendous work done in mobilising resources for the community's reconstruction and urged every Ghanaian to support it.

"This disaster could have happened anywhere in Ghana and could have affected anybody because fuel tankers ply our roads everyday and we pass by them always, the revered Chief added.

"Imagine the consequences and hardship this disaster has brought on families, losing their loved ones and relatives and property. In fact, it's a terrible experience and we need to support them."

The Reverend Dr Joyce Aryee, Chairman of the Appiatse Support Fund Committee, expressed profound gratitude to Togbe Afede for his good heart, noting that despite having a lot of competing responsibilities towards his people in the Asogli Traditional Area, he also thought about the people of Appiatse.

She said the Reconstruction Implementation Team had made steady progress with the construction of town roads and drainage systems underway.

The Committee had also found temporary accommodation for the affected persons at Odumase and managed to move them from the tents, Dr Aryee said.

She debunked "distorted" media reports that the Committee had run out of funds, explaining that it was the Prestea Huni Valley Municipal Assembly that decided to transport pupils in a bus to school when the disaster happened.

However, the Assembly could not continue with that activity because of the lack of funds.

Dr Aryee said the Committee was tasked purposely to mobilise funds for the reconstruction of an environmentally-friendly community and not necessarily to transport pupils to school.

She appealed to well-meaning Ghanaians to support the reconstruction exercise.

GNA
A protester was shot dead in the Sudanese capital Friday, medics said, as pro-democracy demonstrators rallied to demand justice for those killed in a bloody crackdown three years ago to the day.

Thousands took to the streets in Khartoum and other cities to commemorate the 128 people who medics say were killed when armed men in military fatigues violently dispersed a months-long sit-in outside army headquarters.

The latest demonstrations came as UN human rights expert Adama Dieng visited Sudan and urged authorities to "refrain from use of excessive force".

The protests in 2019 were crucial to pressing the military into sharing power with civilians in the wake of the ouster in April that year of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

But a military coup led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in October last year derailed that fragile political transition, and protesters have returned to the streets at least weekly since then -- often in the face of renewed deadly force.

"Blood for blood," protesters in Khartoum chanted, while others urged the military "to go back to their barracks".

'We want justice'

Amna Behiri, whose son Abdel Salam Kesha was one of the demonstrators killed three years ago, joined one of the rallies Friday wearing a shirt emblazoned with a print of her son's face.

"We want justice before anything else," she told AFP. "Without justice, we can't have a democratic state."

An investigation was launched into the June 2019 crackdown later that year, but even before last year's military power grab, it struggled to make headway and it is still to announce its findings.

"We lost youth who were dear to the people of Sudan," said Diaa Eddine, whose nephew was also killed in the crackdown three years ago. "With this anniversary, God willing, the Sudanese revolution will win."

Britain, Norway and the United States issued a joint statement Friday "calling for the prompt resolution of the government-appointed investigation into the (2019) massacre and disclosure of findings to the public."

A bloody crackdown since last year's coup has killed nearly 100 more people, according to pro-democracy medics.

Dieng's visit is his second since Burhan's power grab.

Burhan has said some security force members have "misused" their weapons during demonstrations since October, but no trials of personnel have been publicly announced.

UN human rights expert, who is in Sudan on his second visit since last October's coup, had called on the authorities to refrain from the use of excessive force against demonstrators. By Ebrahim Hamid (AFP)

On Friday, UN special representative Volker Perthes announced the Security Council had voted to extend by one year the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission Sudan.

The UN, along with the African Union and regional grouping IGAD, have been pushing to facilitate Sudanese-led talks to resolve the crisis.

On Wednesday, military officials met with UN, AU and IGAD representatives and agreed to launch "direct talks" among Sudanese factions next week.

On Sunday, Burhan lifted a state of emergency in force since the coup to set the stage for "meaningful dialogue that achieves stability for the transitional period".

Since April, Sudanese authorities have released a number of civilian leaders and pro-democracy activists.
The Upper West Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, has said Ghana has been spared of terrorism activities because the terrorists had not been able to identify or persuade local collaborators.

Ghanaians are not willing and ready to cooperate with terrorists and that had helped the country to stay safe, he said.

He urged people in the region to put in place measures and attitude that discourages terrorists and be more vigilant to secure their communities from miscreants to ensure lasting peace for development.

Dr. Bin Salih was addressing religious leaders at a terrorism and counter terrorism sensitisation workshop in Wa.

The Regional Coordinating Council organised the forum to sensitise the leaders to help educate their members on terrorism and terrorists' activities to enable them to protect the region.

He said there were terrorists' attacks in Ghana's neighbouring countries, such as Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, which borders the region.

He therefore urged the people not to be complacent but to be more willing to share information on suspicious characters and strange behaviours during congregation and worshipping, to the security agencies.

Dr. Bin Salih used the occasion to caution people in the region to avoid taking the law into their own hands through mob actions when dealing with persons perceived to have committed offences.

He mentioned the recent incident that occurred at the forecourt of the Wa-Naa Palace where two adults seen to be having sex in a video were flogged.

The action of the youth had brought down the good name of the region in this era and age; this age does not expect such acts, he said.

The Regional Minister said the Regional Security Council visited the Wa-Naa Palace and held a meeting with members of the Waala Traditional Council and other opinion leaders in the municipality to discuss the action of the youth.

He said issues of such nature must be left for the Police to handle them, pointing out that, if people stepped on the law, the appropriate authorities mandated to delve into such issues were the Police.

GNA
Nairobi, June 3, 2022 The Committee to Protect Journalists on Friday called on Ethiopian authorities to unconditionally release Bekalu Alamrew and Meaza Mohammed, the latest journalists to be swept up in the countrys recent crackdown on the press.

At around 4 p.m. on Friday, May 27, security officers detained Bekalu, the founder and chief editor of YouTube-based news channel Alpha TV, from his office in the capital of Addis Ababa, according to news reports, his wife Helen Abate, who spoke to CPJ via phone, and a person familiar with his case who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing safety concerns. The following day, around 9:00 a.m. on May 28, police officers arrested Meaza, founder and chief editor of YouTube-based news channel Roha TV, from a colleagues house, according to news reports, her husband Robel Gebeyehu, and Roha TV reporter Misrak Tefera, both of whom spoke to CPJ by phone.

Police brought Bekalu before the Federal First Instance Court, Arada Branch, on May 28 and accused him of incitement to violence through media appearances, according to Helen. She said the court granted police 12 more days to keep Bekalu in custody pending an investigation into the allegations. The person familiar with the case said police did not specify which media appearances and that authorities have not yet filed formal charges against Bekalu.

According to Henok Aklilu, one of Meazas lawyers who spoke to CPJ by phone, Meaza was brought before the same court on May 30 and accused of public incitement to violence via Roha TV and other unspecified media platforms. She has not been formally charged. The court granted police seven additional days to further investigate the allegations. Robel told CPJ that police searched Meazas house and confiscated financial and legal documents unrelated to the arrest.

Meaza and Bekalu are the latest journalists to be detained in Ethiopia. According to CPJ documentation, at least 13 others have been arrested since May 19 amid what the Amhara state government calls a law enforcement operation.

These arrests will undoubtedly have a ripple effect on the broader media community, spreading fear and engendering self-censorship among journalists whove seen far too many of their colleagues thrown behind bars in recent weeks, said CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative, Muthoki Mumo. The governments allegations in court, lacking in specificity and without evidence, ring hollow. Meaza Mohamed, Bekalu Alamrew, and other journalists detained in Ethiopia for their work should be released without further delay, and allowed to continue their work without interference.

Roha TV founder and editor Meaza Mohammed was arrested May 28. (YouTube/Roha TV)

Both Meaza and Bekalu made critical comments on their respective news channels about the Ethiopian governments law enforcement operation in Amhara state, in which at least 4,500 people have been arrested over the last two weeks. Both are detained at Addis Ababa police commission commonly known as Sostegna, according to Henok and Helen. Bekalu is due back in court on June 9 while Meaza is due back on June 6, according to these same sources.

Both journalists have been detained before. Meaza was arrested in December 2021 and held for 39 days without formal charges, according to CPJ documentation and news reports. Bekalu was arrested in November 2020. when he was accused of disseminating false information, and in June 2021, when he was held for weeks without access to family or lawyers, according to CPJs documentation and news reports.

Separately, on Wednesday, June 1, the Ethiopian Federal police announced in a Facebook post that it had identified 111 online media outlets that are in operation without getting a license from the Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority, an industry regulator, in breach of the countrys media law. The federal police said that the sites had engaged in the instigation of religious and ethnic violence. The statement said 10 people from the 111 outlets who are extreme and divisive are in police custody without naming the 10.

In comments sent to CPJ via messaging application on May 28, Ethiopias federal police spokesperson said that no journalists were detained due to their profession, but because they had committed criminal acts. The ministry of justice did not immediately respond to a June 3 email from CPJ requesting comment on the cases of Bekalu, Meaza, and other detained journalists. CPJs calls to Government Communication Service Minister Legesse Tulu and his deputy Kebede Desisa were unanswered and there was no immediate response to requests for comment sent via messaged application and text message.
03.06.2022 LISTEN

Some seven years after the June 3 twin disaster, some victims of the unfortunate incident say they are yet to receive monies promised them by the government as compensation.

On June 3, 2015, heavy torrential rainfall leading to severe flooding in several parts of Accra, coupled with an explosion at a GOIL fuel station at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, resulted in the biggest disaster the country has ever witnessed.

Over 150 persons died and many others were left injured.

Although significant donations were made and money was promised to the victims and the bereaved families, seven years on, some of the victims are saying they have not received the compensation.

At the time of the explosion, people in the area were contending with heavy rain and flooding.

The flooding caused diesel and petrol to flow from the gas station, which was ignited by fire from a nearby house, leading to the explosion.

A victim who spoke to Citi News said I sleep on the streets right behind this bank. Five of the survivors have died. Two of our members have gone mad. Life has been very difficult for us. Most of us lost our means of livelihood. We have nothing to survive on. We plead with government and individuals; it has not been easy for us.

It hasnt been easy for me. We plead with well-meaning Ghanaians to come to our aid. We will appreciate all the support we can get, at least to help us find places to lay our heads, we are suffering another victim appealed.

Meanwhile, the One Ghana Movement has renewed its calls for justice and fair compensation for the victims.

It is our hope that the pursuit of justice will not only result in fair compensation for victims and their families but will, in the end, punish officials found culpable, and drive the sense of accountability and responsibility on the part of citizens, corporate Ghana, and public officials.

Avoidable disasters will not stop when no one is punished for their negligence and dereliction of duty. On June 3, we said never again and yet again there was the La gas explosion, the Atomic explosion, the Takoradi explosion, and more. We certainly cannot go on like this as a country!

The Movement holds that justice delayed for the lives affected is justice denied and a failing of the duty of care owed to our fellow citizenry.

The Movement and the victims, through their lawyers, (Darko, Keli-Delataa & Co.) and (A-Partners @Law), commenced a class action lawsuit in 2018, chasing GOIL, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) for their complicity in the disaster.

---Citi Newsroom
Some parts of Accra have flooded following Fridays heavy rains.

The downpour, which lasted for about two hours, has left portions of the Ofankor Barrier, Taifa Junction, Achimota and other areas inundated.

Citi News Kwaku Aduamah Ansah reported on Eyewitness News that commuters are encountering difficulties having to maneuver through the flood waters.

In areas like Taifa, a number of vehicles have been submerged.

Others have taken to social media to express their frustrations at the level of flooding in the capital city, as it seems to have become an annual ritual.

---Citi Newsroom
03.06.2022 LISTEN

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Joseph Quainoo, the Jaman District Police Commander says Police medical reports must be provided free of charge for victims of violence.

This would facilitate expeditious investigations into cases of assault, rape, defilement and related sexual offences.

He said medical reports served as empirical evidence very essential in the prosecution of cases of violence, regretting that because some victims could not pay for the bills, they were unable to acquire, thereby denying them access to justice delivery.

"When this happened then perpetrators are likely to escape justice for the sin they have committed because the medical form is an expert opinion," DSP Quainoo stated on Friday when he was speaking at a public forum on the Case Tracking System (CTS) and Access to Justice held at Goka, a farming community in the Jaman North District of the Bono Region.

DSP Quainoo said the government must consider either full payment or subsidizing the cost of medical bills ranging mostly between GH300 and GH400 to make it affordable for victims to acquire the medical reports, if the nation was truly committed to enhance her justice delivery system.

The Commonwealth Human Right Initiative (CHRI), a non-governmental organisation with support from MIHOSO International Foundation, its local partners organised the forum to sensitize the residents on the CTS and the Access to Justice delivery.

It was attended by traditional leaders, artisanal workers, market women and traders as well as Assembly Members and food vendors.

DSP Quainoo reminded that a suspect remained a suspect until he or she had been prosecuted by Court and cautioned the public against instant justices meted out to suspects, saying the law would not spare those who engaged in such lawlessness.

He said modern policing and justice delivery remained a shared and collective responsibility and appealed to the public to support the Police in that direction by volunteering information and assured the confidentiality of informants were always guaranteed.

Mr Thomas Benarkuu, the Programmes Director of MIHOSO explained access to justice was a constitutional provision and no Ghanaian should be denied such constitutional right.

He said Article 294 clause two of the nation's constitution clearly outlined people's right to justice delivery and appealed to the government to adequately resource justice sector institutions, particularly the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Legal Aid Commission (LAC).

Mr Benarkuu said offices of CHRAJ and LAC ought to be established and brought to the doorstep of the people at the community levels so that the less privileged, the marginalised and the poor in the society would easily access their services for quality and prompt justice delivery.

Mr Benarkuu said until the presence of the CHRAJ and LAC were well felt at the community levels, it would remain difficult for the poor and the under-privileged in society to access their services and enhance the nation's justice delivery system.

He said CHRAJ and LAC required adequate staffing and logistical support not only to improve their service delivery, but also sensitize the people to understand their constitutional work environment and relevance in society.

GNA
Security forces shot a protester dead in Sudan's capital Friday, medics said, as pro-democracy demonstrators demanded justice for those killed in a bloody crackdown three years ago to the day.

Thousands took to the streets in Khartoum and other cities to commemorate the 128 people who medics say were killed when armed men in military fatigues violently dispersed a months-long sit-in outside army headquarters.

The latest demonstrations came as UN human rights expert Adama Dieng visited Sudan and urged authorities to "refrain from use of excessive force".

The protests in 2019 were crucial to pressing the military into sharing power with civilians in the wake of the ouster in April that year of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

But a military coup led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in October last year derailed that fragile political transition, and protesters have returned to the streets at least weekly since then -- often in the face of renewed deadly force.

Sudanese demonstrators pray before taking the streets in Khartoum on Friday. By - (AFP)

"Blood for blood," protesters in Khartoum chanted, while others urged the military "to go back to their barracks".

The police released a statement accusing demonstrators of attacking police stations, wounding policemen and causing damage.

'We want justice'

Amna Behiri, whose son Abdel Salam Kesha was one of the demonstrators killed three years ago, joined one of the rallies Friday wearing a shirt emblazoned with a print of her son's face.

"We want justice before anything else," she told AFP. "Without justice, we can't have a democratic state."

Protesters took to the streets of Khartoum and several other cities on Friday. By - (AFP)

An investigation was launched into the June 2019 crackdown later that year, but even before last year's military power grab, it struggled to make headway and it is still to announce its findings.

"We lost youth who were dear to the people of Sudan," said Diaa Eddine, whose nephew was also killed in the crackdown three years ago. "With this anniversary, God willing, the Sudanese revolution will win."

Britain, Norway and the United States issued a tripartite statement Friday "calling for the prompt resolution of the government-appointed investigation into the (2019) massacre and disclosure of findings to the public."

A bloody crackdown since last year's coup has killed nearly 100 more people, according to pro-democracy medics.

Dieng's visit is his second since Burhan's power grab.

Burhan has said some security force members have "misused" their weapons during demonstrations since October, but no trials of personnel have been publicly announced.

On Friday, UN special representative Volker Perthes announced the Security Council had voted to extend by one year the United Nations' mission in Sudan.

UN human rights expert Adama Dieng is in Sudan on his second visit since last October's coup, and has called on authorities to refrain from using excessive force against protesters. By Ebrahim Hamid (AFP)

The UN, along with the African Union and regional grouping IGAD, have been pushing to facilitate Sudanese-led talks to resolve the crisis.

On Wednesday, military officials met with UN, AU and IGAD representatives and agreed to launch "direct talks" among Sudanese factions next week.

On Sunday, Burhan lifted a state of emergency in force since the coup to set the stage for "meaningful dialogue that achieves stability for the transitional period".

Since April, Sudanese authorities have released a several civilian leaders and pro-democracy activists.
03.06.2022 LISTEN

Fraud and Security Consultant, Richard Kumadoe, has explained the Special Prosecutor can only freeze up assets of any Ghanaian, dead or alive, only if it can prove the individual was or is involved in any act of criminality.

According to him, grounds on which the Office of the Special Prosecutor froze Sir Johns assets are unclear, and seem to be destroying the dead mans name.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has frozen the assets of the former Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, as it continues investigations into allegations of unlawful acquisition of state lands.

The action affects all assets mentioned in the Will and Final Testament of Sir John.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) says the move is to prevent executors and beneficiaries of the late Sir Johns will from dissipating his assets before investigations were completed.

Addressing the move, Richard Kumadoe said, I dont know the grounds on which the SPO froze the assets of Sir John. Did he freeze all his assets or what? The SPO needs to bring an explanation for this because freezing the assets of Sir John means he was involved in some aspects of criminality, so what are they?

"Out of the will of Sir John, the expert indicates the state lands in there are contestable but what about his other lands and bank accounts? What about his houses and other things? Were there any malfeasance in their acquisition?

He sought to explain that apart from the Achimota forest lands and other state lands in Sir Johns will which are contestable, none of his other properties has been said to be acquired from questionable means. Did he acquire his other properties through drug trafficking, money laundering, embezzlement, bribery and corruption or any ill means? If this is not made known, the SPO will rather promote speculations which will destroy the little image the dead man had.

---happyghana.com
Lead Convener of #FixTheCountry movement, Benjamin Darko, has disclosed some notable names associated with the movement, are actually not leaders of the crusade.

Oliver Barker-Vormawor, Captain Smart, Okatakyie Afrifa-Mensah and other popular names have been cited as conveners of the #FixTheCountry movement, leading and taking part in demonstrations and social commentary in their name.

In a recent letter to the Greater Accra Regional Police Command informing them of a planned demonstration by the group on June 4, 2020, the names Okatakyie Afrifa-Mensah, Captain Godsbrain Smart and Benjamin Darko were signed at the bottom of the letter, with Oliver Barker-Vormawor named as their lawyer.

When I drafted the letter there was a legal rep in there and I think he is a bit popular. When I read the media messages out there I saw all sorts of names. Oliver and co are doing a great job but he (Oliver) is not an organizer so his name shouldnt have appeared on anything of that sort. Yes there are people who form part of the main thing but he is not a part of the main decision making body or a leader of the movement.

"Captain smart is not convener of #FixTheCountry, he is also not an organizer of the movement. They are just organizers of the June 4 demonstration but they are not conveners or organizers of #FixTheCountry. There is nowhere we have stated they are the organizers and conveners of #FixTheCountry, Benjamin Darko told Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show.

According to Benjamin, stories and discussions in the media keep addressing these fellows as who they are not. When we are having core conversations on #FixTheCountry, Captain Smart is not a part of it. Let me reiterate that he (Captain Smart) is not a #FixTheCountry convener.

---happyghana.com
March 03, 2016

Russia Is 'Weaponizing' ... Everything

NATO Commander Breedlove agrees, naturally, with LunaticOutpost.com.

Russia is 'weaponizing' everything: robotic cockroaches, MS Word files, Jedi mind tricks, Soviet history and Syrian immigrants. Whatever one might think of.

Posted by b on March 3, 2016 at 12:46 UTC | Permalink

Comments
January 15, 2019

Putin Asks And Trump Delivers - A List Of All The Good Things Trump Did For Russia

Slate's Fred Kaplan writes:

The Washington Posts Greg Miller reported Sunday that President Donald Trumps confiscation of the translators notes from a one-on-one conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2017 was unusual. This is incorrect. It was unprecedented. There is nothing like it in the annals of presidential history.

Not really. Other U.S. leaders held long private meetings with their counterparts without notes being taken.

When Richard Nixon met Leonid Brezhnev he did not even bring his own interpreter:

George Szamuely @GeorgeSzamuely - 20:57 utc - 14 Jan 2019 Nixon would meet Brezhnev alone, the only other person in attendance being Viktor Sukhodrev, the Soviet interpreter. "Our first meeting in the Oval Office was private, except for Viktor Sukhodrev, who, as in 1972, acted as translator." Nixon on Brezhnev's 1973 visit. RN, p.878 . Therefore, the only "notes" that would exist would be those of the Soviet interpreter. Not sure he would have time to make notes and translate and, even if he did so, whether those notes would be housed in any US archive.

Nixon's White House office was bugged. There are probably tape recordings of the talks. There might also be recordings of the Trump-Putin talks.

At their 1986 Reykjavik summit Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev talked without their notetakers:

Mr. Reagan and Mr. Gorbachev began their second day of talks with a private meeting that had been scheduled to last 15 minutes but ran for nearly 70 minutes, with only interpreters present. They met in a small room in the Soviet Mission, with the Soviet leader seated in a small armchair and Mr. Reagan on a sofa. In the afternoon, they meet alone for a little over 20 minutes and then again for 90 minutes. All told, the two leaders have spent 4 hours and 51 minutes alone, except for interpreters, over the two days here.

The archives of the Reykjavik talks do not include any notes of those private talks.

But, who knows, maybe Nixon and Reagan where also on the Russian payroll, just like Donald Trump is today.

Only that Trump is controlled by Putin can explain why the FBI opened a counter-intelligence investigation against Trump (see section three).

That the FBI agents involved in the decision were avid haters of Russia and of Trump has surely nothing to do with it. That the opening of a counter-intelligence investigation gave them the legal ability under Obama's EO12333 to use NSA signal intelligence against Trump is surely irrelevant.

What the FBI people really were concerned about is Trump's public record of favoring Russia at each and every corner.

Trump obviously wants better diplomatic relations with Russia. He is reluctant to counter its military might. He is doing his best to make it richer. Just consider the headlines below. With all those good things Trump did for Putin, intense suspicions of Russian influence over him is surely justified.

Trump deploys TANKS to Estonia as NATO builds up HUGE army on Russian border - Express, Feb 7 2017

Trump launches attack on Syria with 59 Tomahawk missiles - CNBC, Apr 6 2017

U.S. Rejects Exxon Mobil Bid for Waiver on Russia Sanctions - NYT, Apr 21 2017

Trump to promote U.S. natgas exports in Russia's backyard - Reuters, Jul 3 2017

Trump Urges East Europe to Loosen Russia's Grip With U.S. Gas - Bloomberg, Jul 6 2017

Trump signs bill approving new sanctions against Russia - CNN, Aug 3, 2017

Justice Dept Asks Russia's RT to Register as Foreign Agent - Newsmax, Sep 13 2017

US 'to restrict Russian military flights over America' - Independent, Sep 26 2017

Trump signs into law U.S. government ban on Kaspersky Lab software - Reuters, Dec 12 2017

Trump gives green light to selling lethal arms to Ukraine - The Hill, Dec 20 2017

U.S. Punishes Chechen Leader in New Sanctions Against Russians - NYT, Dec 20 2017

Sputnik Partner 'Required To Register' Under U.S. Foreign-Agent Law - RFERL, Jan 10 2018

Trump says Russia is helping North Korea avoid sanctions - CBSNews, Jan 17 2018

Trump's 'energy dominance' strategy is undercutting Russia's influence and business in Europe - Reuters, Feb 9 2018

Trump looks to deter Russia, China with $686B ask for Pentagon - The Hill, Feb 12 2018

American General In Syria Confirms US Forces Killed Hundreds Of Russians In Massive Battle - The Drive, Mar 16 2018

Trump orders expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats, closure of Seattle consulate - CBS, Mar 26 2018

Trump vows periodical dispatch of US troops to Baltic states, step up air defense - Lithuania Tribune, Apr 3 2018

Trump opposes Nord Stream II, questions Germany - AA, Apr 4 2018

Trump just hit Russian oligarchs with the most aggressive sanctions yet - Vice, Apr 6 2018

Trump orders missile strike on Syria military targets - CBSNews, Apr 9 2018

Aluminum Stocks Jump As Trump Sanctions Target Putin Pal - Investors, Apr 9 2018

Russia deeply disappointed at Trumps withdrawal from Iran deal - Times of Israel, May 9 2018

Trump to NATO allies: Raise military spending to 4 percent of GDP - AlJazeerah, Jul 12 2018

Trump says U.S. ties to NATO very strong - Politico, Jul 12 2018

U.S. to sanction Turkey for receiving S-400 missiles - Ahval, Jul 27 2018

Trump administration to hit Russia with new sanctions for Skripal poisoning - NBC News Aug 8 2018

Space Force Is Trumps Answer to New Russian and Chinese Weapons - FP, Aug 10 2018

US Sanctions Chinese Entity Over Purchase of Russian Fighters, S-400s  Treasury - Sputnik, Sep 20 2018

Trump hints at punitive action against India for buying S-400 from Russia - India Today, Oct 11 2018

Trump Agrees to Boost Pentagon's Budget to $750 Bln in 2019 - Reports - Sputnik, Oct 12 2018

Trump says US will withdraw from nuclear arms treaty with Russia - Guardian, Oct 21 2018

Haley Condemns Outrageous Russian Firing on Ukrainian Ships - Bloomberg, Nov 26 2018

2 Trump Moves Cost This Russian-American CEO $2.3B - Forbes, Jan 14 2019

When one adds up all those actions one can only find that Trump cares more about Russia, than about the U.S. and its NATO allies. Only with Trump being under Putin's influence, knowingly or unwittingly, could he end up doing Russia so many favors.

Not.

---

(Thanks to Erelis in comments for additions to the list.)

Posted by b on January 15, 2019 at 19:12 UTC | Permalink

Comments

next page 
August 13, 2019

The Man Who Weaponizes And Loses Everything

Many news outlets documented that Putin's Russia weaponizes everything, including humor, health information, giant squids, robotic cockroaches, tedium and postmodernism.

At the same time these outlets tell us that Putin is losing many things, or already lost them.

Which bears asking: Is there a causality between weaponizing and losing stuff?

h/t Bryan MacDonald

Posted by b on August 13, 2019 at 12:46 UTC | Permalink

Comments

next page 
An oil market focused on growing supply concerns sent oil prices higher for a sixth consecutive week.

West Texas Intermediate on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose three of four trading days in a week shortened by the Memorial Day holiday. After starting off the week with a modest 40-cent loss, WTI added 59 cents Wednesday and $1.61 Thursday. WTI ended the week rising $2 Friday to close at $118.87, a 3.3 percent gain for the week. Prices were up from $114.67 at Tuesdays close and from $115.07 at last Fridays close. The posted price ended the week at $115.35, according to Plains All American.

Natural gas prices had a more volatile week, rising two of the four trading days. Henry Hub futures on the NYMEX started the trading week off by sinking 58 cents and then regaining 55 cents of that loss Wednesday and then falling 21 cents Thursday. Prices added 4 cents Friday to tend the week at $8.523 per Mcf, up from $8.145 at Tuesdays close but below the $8.727 at last Fridays close.

So far this year oil prices have risen 58 percent and natural gas futures more than doubled.

The invasion is still a major factor and will continue to be, but there are other concerns as well, Economist Ray Perryman told the Reporter-Telegram by email. OPEC and the Basin are stepping up production, but global demand is likely to be very high in the coming months and the new restrictions will likely take more Russian oil off the market as opposed to just shifting it around.

In his daily newsletter, Edward Moya, senior market analyst at Oanda, wrote, Crude prices are consolidating after an OPEC+ hangover and a robust nonfarm payroll report that suggests the consumer is still in decent shape.

He predicted oil prices will be a very choppy trade given bullish exhaustion could be settling in following the modest output boost by OPEC+ that will still keep the oil market tight. Also keeping the oil market tight are an expected strong summer driving/travel season, growing optimism for the demand outlook with Chinas reopening, and as some traders are expecting that President Bidens trip later this month to Saudi Arabia could lead to some relief for oil prices.

This oil market will remain tight throughout this summer, so there should be further upside for oil prices. Unless Biden's trip leads to a breakthrough of more output by the Saudis, oil will head higher as we don't see any significant signs of crude demand destruction, Moya wrote in his newsletter.  

Bloomberg noted that the production increase of 648,000 barrels per day announced Thursday by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allied nations only amounts to 0.4 percent of global demand over July and August.
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BAKHMUT, Ukraine (AP)  Block-by-block fighting raged Friday in two key eastern Ukrainian cities Friday, the 100th day of Russia's war, slowly grinding them to rubble.

Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai said fierce battles continued in Sievierodonetsk, where about 13,000 remaining residents took shelter in basements to escape relentless Russian bombardment. Ukrainian forces reclaimed 20% of city terrain that had been taken by Russian troops, he added later.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that there had been some progress in the battle for Sievierodonetsk but gave no specifics.

Haidai said Russian forces also pummeled neighboring Lysychansk. Some 20,000 residents remain there  about one-fifth of Lysychansks prewar population  even though Russian shelling has shattered 60% of the residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, authorities said. A civilian was killed in the shelling there on Friday, Haidai said.

Russian forces have been trying to encircle Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk, the only two cities in eastern Ukraines Luhansk province not controlled by Russian forces or Moscow-backed separatists. Luhansk and Donetsk provinces make up the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Russia is intent on capturing.

Britain's Defense Ministry said Russia now controls more than 90% of Luhansk and is likely to take it over completely in the next two weeks.

But Haidai said progress made in the past two days shows that Ukraine may be able to hold off the Russian attack for that duration, the timeframe for the arrival of new, advanced Western weapons.

Mykola Sunhurovsky of the Razumkov Center, a Kyiv-based think tank, said that because of Ukrainian resistance, the Russian offensive in the region has started to slow, and "they have lost too many forces and need a tactical break.

He said that time is working in Ukraines favor as supplies of Western weapons are increasing, making the Kremlin nervous."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian troops have succeeded in their main stated task of protecting civilians in the separatist-controlled areas.

Russia controls almost one-fifth of the country, Zelenskyy said this week. But the president remained defiant in a video message marking 100 days of war.

We have defended Ukraine for 100 days already, he said. "Victory will be ours!

In other developments:

 Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted the chairman of the African Union, Senegals President Macky Sall, in talks aimed at how to get grain supplies moving again. Wheat prices have soared because of the war. Russia, the worlds largest wheat exporter, has urged the West to lift sanctions against it shippers so that grain starts flowing freely. Ukraine blamed the growing global food crisis not on the sanctions but on Russia's bottling up of the ports Ukraine uses to export grain

 The European Union formally approved an embargo on Russian oil. The 27-nation EU said imports of Russian crude will be phased out over six months, and other refined petroleum products over eight months. Landlocked countries that depend on Russian supplies  like Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia - will get a temporary exemption.

 The EU also imposed another round of sanctions, these targeting Russian military officers, including top brass accused of war crimes in Bucha and during the siege of Mariupol. Col.-Gen Mikhail Mizintsev, known as the Butcher of Mariupol, was among those on the list.

 German lawmakers approved $107 billion in new spending to strengthen the countrys military, three months after Russias invasion jolted the government into action. Officials say the German military has suffered from years of neglect.

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Associated Press writers Jamey Keaten in Geneva; Lorne Cook in Brussels; and Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this story.
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UVALDE, Texas (AP)  The commander overseeing police during a shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, was not informed of panicked 911 calls coming from students trapped inside and it's unclear who at the scene was aware of the calls as the massacre unfolded, a Texas state senator said Thursday.

Sen. Roland Gutierrez said it was a system failure that word of the pleas for help from people inside Robb Elementary Schoo l on May 24 did not make their way to school district police Chief Pete Arredondo.

I want to know specifically who was receiving the 911 calls, Gutierrez said during a news conference.

His voice often cracking with emotion, the Democrat who represents Uvalde said no single person or entity was fully to blame for the massacre. But, Gutierrez said, Republican Gov. Greg Abbot should accept some of the responsibility for failures in the police response.

There was error at every level, including the legislative level. Greg Abbott has plenty of blame in all of this, Gutierrez said.

Nineteen children and two teachers died in the attack at Robb Elementary School, the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade. Seventeen more were injured. Funerals for those slain began this week.

Abbott on Wednesday ordered the state to conduct in-person school district security audits and asked top lawmakers to convene a legislative committee to make recommendations on school and firearm safety, mental health and other issues.

The next Texas legislative session is scheduled for January 2023. Gutierrez is among several lawmakers who have urged Abbott, who is running for reelection, to call a special session in response to the shooting.

The gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, spent roughly 80 minutes inside the school, and more than an hour passed from when the first officers followed him into the building and when he was killed by law enforcement, according to an official timeline.

Since the shooting, law enforcement and state officials have struggled to present an accurate timeline and details of the event and how police responded, sometimes providing conflicting information or withdrawing some statements hours later. State police have said some accounts were preliminary and may change as more witnesses are interviewed.

Much of the focus turned to Arredondo in recent days after Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said the chief believed the active shooting had turned into a hostage situation, and that he made the wrong decision to not order officers to breach the classroom as 911 calls were being made to the outside.

Gutierrez said it's unclear if any details from the 911 calls was being shared with law enforcement officers from multiple agencies on the scene.

Uvalde PD was the one receiving the 911 calls for 45 minutes while officers were sitting in a hallway, while 19 officers were sitting in a hallway for 45 minutes Gutierrez said. We dont know if it was being communicated to those people or not.

But, the senator said, the Commission on State Emergency Communications told him the school district police chief did not know. Officials at the commission have not responded to a telephone message seeking comment.

Hes the incident commander. He did not receive (the) 911 calls, Gutierrez said.

Arredondo has not responded to interview requests from The Associated Press since the attack. A telephone message left at the school police headquarters on Thursday was not returned.

Uvalde Police Chief Daniel Rodriguez and a department spokesman have not replied to AP phone messages and emails seeking comment Thursday.

Since Wednesday, the Department of Public Safety has referred all questions about the investigation to the Uvalde-area district attorney, Christina Mitchell Busbee. She did not immediately respond to voicemail and text messages on Thursday.

There have been communication breakdowns during other mass shootings in Texas, and experts say smaller, regional dispatch centers are often inundated with calls during a major emergency.

Police communications were a problem in 2019 when a gunman shot and killed seven people and wounded more than two dozen during a shooting rampage in Odessa, Texas. Authorities said 36-year-old Seth Aaron Ator called 911 before and after the shootings but a failure in communication between agencies  they were not all operating on the same radio channel  slowed the response. Ator was able to cover some 10 miles before officers shot and killed him. Fritz Reber, a 27-year veteran and former captain with the Chula Vista Police Department who has studied 911 dispatch systems, said a 911 center typically relays information from callers in writing to a dispatcher, who passes it along to officers in the field over the radio. The process can be slow.

If you listen to all the 911 calls contemporaneous to all the radio traffic, it will be shocking when someone calls 911 how long it takes for that same information to come out over the radio and how different it is than listening to the call, Reber said.

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More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting

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Bleiberg reported from Dallas. Associated Press writer Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas; and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.
Midland received the rain it has needed for a long time Wednesday night.

While the National Weather Service reported 0.81 inch at Midland International Airport, there were rainfall totals from 0.83 inch in southwest Midland to 2.59 inches along the State Highway 349 corridor in north Midland, according to the CoCoRaHS Mapping System -- https://maps.cocorahs.org

Generally, the farther a person went north, the higher the reading with 1.32 inches reported just southwest of the intersection at Midkiff Road and Loop 250. In northwest Midland, more than 1 inch was reported after the first wave of storms soaked the area Wednesday evening.

The soaking rain was needed for an area in the midst of an exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and that had received around half an inch of rain this calendar year. Prior to Wednesday, the National Weather Service reported that 0.68 inch of rain had fallen since Sept. 1.

So, the NWS is reporting more rain fell at Midland International Airport in a two- to three-hour span than during the previous nine months. The NWS also showed that Wednesdays downpours produced the most rain one day going back to July 2, 2021 (1.65 inches).

In addition to rain, gusts up to 60 mph were reported north of Midland International Airport, according to the National Weather Services Twitter account. The NWS showed gusts reached 56 mph at Airpark, according to its 7:55 p.m. report.

MRT

How much of an impact did the rain have?

The Keetch-Byram Drought Index, which helps determine forest fire potential, showed a difference of 37 points inside Midland County in the KBDI scale (from 679 to 642) from Wednesday to Thursday. The decline was 56 points in Ector County and 52 points in Andrews County.

Still, Midland County  like Andrews and Ector counties -- is currently showing a reading that puts the county in the KBDIs highest range (600-800) that is often associated with more severe drought with increased wildfire occurrence. Intense, deep-burning fires with extreme intensities can be expected. Live fuels can also be expected to burn actively at these levels, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

Midland County Fire Marshal Justin Bunch has previously told the Reporter-Telegram that the county will not enact a burn ban until our KBI is at or above 575.

The wet weather also was part of a front that dropped the high temperature to 68 degrees -- 26 degrees lower than the high temperature Wednesday and lower than the typical high for June 2 (93). In fact, the NWS reported that Thursdays high was the lowest high temperature going back to March 30 (67 degrees).

More rain in the forecast

The NWS is calling for a high of 87 on Friday, 96 on Saturday and 100 on Sunday  the first of at least four straight days with triple-digit high temperatures.

There is a 30 percent chance of storms Friday and 20 percent chance Friday night, according to the NWS. That was the last of the rain in the seven-day forecast, published Thursday.
LONDON (AP)  Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, joined other members of Britains royal family on Friday for a church service honoring Queen Elizabeth IIs 70 years on the throne, making their first public appearance in the U.K. since stepping back from royal duties two years ago.

The queen skipped the event at St. Pauls Cathedral in London, which came on the second of four days of festivities marking her Platinum Jubilee. The 96-year-old monarch has had difficulty moving around in recent months and experienced some discomfort after smiling and waving to throngs of supporters from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on Thursday afternoon.

But royal watchers quickly shifted their focus to Harry and Meghan, who held hands as they walked down the long central aisle accompanied only by a military officer in a scarlet dress tunic. Other guests craned their necks to watch the couple take their places in the second row, underscoring their lesser roles as non-working members of the royal family.

Prince Charles, who represented the queen, and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, had special chairs in the front row on the other side of the central aisle. Prince William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge were seated next to them.

Harry and Meghan sparked tensions within the royal family when they moved to California and signed lucrative media contracts. The rift deepened after they made allegations of racism and bullying in the royal household. But they flew back to Britain for the jubilee celebrations, bringing their son, Archie, and daughter, Lilibet, who had never met her great grandmother the queen.

This is, again, Elizabeth II trying to put on a united front, bringing her family together one last time, probably, during her reign, so that ... handing over to the next monarch, she can be seen to have done at least publicly her best to try and unite the divisions that have opened up within the family group over the last couple of years, Ed Owens, author of The Family Firm: Monarchy Mass Media and the British Public 1932-53'' said in an interview before the jubilee.

The service of thanksgiving took place a day after the celebrations opened with the glittering military parade known as Trooping the Color, an event that has marked the sovereigns official birthday for some 260 years.

Following the event, tens of thousands of royal supporters cheered wildly as Elizabeth joined other senior royals on the palace balcony and 70 military aircraft roared overhead in salute.

The queen doggedly appeared later in the evening outside her home at Windsor Castle for the final moments of an international beacon lighting ceremony. Moving slowly and with some difficulty she pressed an illuminated globe that sent a river of lights flooding toward Buckingham Palace, where a sculpture of living trees was lit up.

Though the palace said she had enjoyed the festivities, the queen apparently decided that another trip from Windsor back into London on Friday might be a bit much. Prince Charles again stood in for his mother at the church service, as he has often done of late.

But the queen was still part of the service as participants assumed she was watching on television.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell spoke directly to her in his sermon, playfully riffing on her love of horse racing.

Im afraid I dont have any great tips for the Derby tomorrow, but since the scriptures describe life as a race set before us, let me observe that your long reign reflects the distance of Aintree rather than the sprints of Epsom , he joked. But with endurance, through times of change and challenge, joy and sorrow, you continue to offer yourself in the service of our country and the commonwealth."

Your Majesty, were sorry youre not with us this morning, but we are so glad you are still in the saddle,'' he added. And we are all glad that there is still more to come.

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Follow AP's coverage of Queen Elizabeth II at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  Two U.N. peacekeepers were killed Friday when their armored personnel carrier hit an improvised explosive device in central Mali in the sixth incident in less than two weeks targeting the U.N. mission in the West African nation that has faced a decade-long Islamic insurgency.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the device that killed the Egyptian peacekeepers and wounded one other was planted on a road outside the town of Douentza in the Mopti region.

Their APC was escorting a civilian convoy and was on its way from Douentza to Timbuktu when it hit the device, he said.

The intent is to disrupt the lives of the Malian people, to disrupt transport, to disrupt security, Dujarric said. These roads are used by civilians, civilian trucks, civilian buses, but also by the security forces, whether its the Malian army or U.N. peacekeepers  (who) have been victims over and over again of improvised explosive devices.

It was the sixth incident in which a U.N. peacekeeping mission convoy was hit since May 22 and the second fatal attack on a convoy this week, the U.N. spokesman said.

A U.N. peacekeeping convoy was attacked by suspected terrorists in the northern Kidal region on Wednesday and a Jordanian peacekeeper was killed and three other Jordanians were wounded. Dujarric said the supply convoy came under sustained fire for about an hour from attackers who used small arms and rocket launchers.

Mali has been in turmoil since a 2012 uprising prompted mutinous soldiers to overthrow the president. The power vacuum that resulted ultimately led to an Islamic insurgency and a French-led war that ousted the jihadists from power in 2013. But insurgents remain active and extremist groups affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group have moved from the arid north to more populated central Mali since 2015, stoking animosity and violence between ethnic groups in the region.

Malis current ruling junta seized power in August 2020, and in April the junta leaders said a transition to civilian, democratic rule would take at least two years.

The U.N. Security Council and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned Fridays attack in separate statements and called on Malis transitional government to swiftly identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice. They both underlined that attacks on peacekeepers may constitute war crimes.

The secretary-general pays tribute to the determination and the courage of peacekeepers, who continue to implement their mandates in extremely challenging circumstances in support of the people of Mali, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

The Security Council stressed that involvement in planning, directing, sponsoring or conducting attacks against peacekeepers also constitutes a basis for U.N. sanctions.

Council members expressed their concern about the security situation in Mali and the transnational dimension of the terrorist threat in the Sahel region and urged full implementation of a 2015 peace agreement without further delay.

The U.N. mission says over 255 of its peacekeepers and personnel have died since 2013, making Mali the deadliest of the U.N.s dozen peacekeeping missions worldwide.

The word grateful isnt strong enough to express how we feel towards those member states which continue to provide many peacekeepers around the world, Dujarric said. Egyptians, Jordanians, Chadians and others have given their lives for the people of Mali for the cause of peace and were eternally grateful for their continued support.

The head of the U.N. mission in Mali, El Ghassim Wane, condemned Fridays attack on the U.N. convoy, saying such attacks can constitute war crimes.

He also condemned an attack Wednesday near Kayes in western Mali by gunmen riding motorcycles against a vehicle marked with the Red Cross emblem that killed a worker for the Dutch Red Cross and the cars driver.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Ten Alaska state lawmakers do not plan to seek reelection this year, and eight others are running for other offices.

Fifty-nine of the Legislature's 60 seats are up for election.

Those who do not plan to seek reelection include Republican Senate President Peter Micciche, who previously announced his decision, and Senate Minority Leader Tom Begich.

Begich, an Anchorage Democrat, remains listed as a candidate but told The Associated Press on Thursday he's pretty sure he'll withdraw next week.

In my heart and my mind, I've moved away from the job, Begich said.

He said he spoke with Loki G. Tobin, who has been an aide to him, before Wednesday's filing deadline and told her he may not run again. She filed to run for the seat, for which independent Heather Herndon also has filed.

Begich said he felt a sense of relief in indicating he would not run.

Tobin, a Democrat, said she was excited and caught off guard when Begich called her. She said she's passionate about her community and ready for the opportunity.

Several of the incumbents who opted against seeking reelection cited family considerations, including Micciche and Republican Rep. Sara Rasmussen. Rasmussen said her young family previously relocated to Juneau from their home in Anchorage to be with her during session. But she said her son started kindergarten this year so her family stayed in Anchorage and she commuted back and forth.

I was really on the fence on everything, kind of until the end of session, and I felt like the best thing to do was just to prioritize my family at that point, she said.

This year's regular session ended within the 121-day constitutional meeting limit but prior years have been grueling, marked in some cases by divisive special sessions. There have been 15 special sessions since 2015, four of them last year.

Democratic state Rep. Adam Wool of Fairbanks and Republican state Sen. Josh Revak of Anchorage are among those running for a different office. Both are running for U.S. House. Republican Rep. Christopher Kurka of Wasilla is running for governor. Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy is seeking reelection.

Five House members are running for state Senate, including Democratic Rep. Matt Claman, who is challenging Republican Sen. Mia Costello; Democratic Rep. Geran Tarr, in a race with three other candidates, including Democratic Anchorage Assembly member Forrest Dunbar; and Republican Reps. Kelly Merrick and Ken McCarty. Merrick and McCarty, both from the Eagle River area, are running in the same Senate race.

Two Anchorage state House races feature sitting Democratic lawmakers  Reps. Harriet Drummond and Zack Fields and Reps. Andy Josephson and Chris Tuck, the House majority leader.

The primary is Aug. 16; the withdrawal deadline is June 25.

It was just last week that the political boundaries for this year's elections were set following rounds of litigation over the redistricting process. This also will be the first state elections cycle following a split federal appeals court panel decision last year that struck down several campaign contribution caps.

The Alaska Public Offices Commission has said there are no longer limits on what an individual can give to candidates or to non-party groups.

This year also brings changes to the elections process. Under an initiative passed in 2020, there are no longer party primaries. The four candidates who win the most votes in their primary, regardless of party affiliation, will advance to the general election, in which ranked choice voting will be used.

If there are four or fewer candidates in a primary race, all would move on to the general election, the Division of Elections has said. Nearly all the legislative races have four or fewer candidates. Seven races have just one candidate who has filed to run.

Jason Grenn, executive director of Alaskans for Better Elections, which advocated for the new elections process, said the changes made by the system are intended to help remove obstacles for people who want to run. In the past, for example, a candidate who wanted to run outside the party structure would have to gather signatures to get on the ballot, he noted.

There are other factors involved in one's decision to run, he said, such as relocating to Juneau, leaving one's job or legislative pay.

Our team didnt have expectations that wed see 10 or 12 people in each race, he said. And weve heard from people who have said, Im running because of these changes,' or I can run now because these changes happened.

The August primary also includes races for U.S. House, U.S. Senate and governor.
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UNITED NATIONS  U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday renewed his call for an immediate halt to violence on the 100th day of the war in Ukraine.

The U.N. chief also called for urgent protection for civilians, unfettered access to provide them with humanitarian aid and safely evacuate those trapped in areas where fighting is taking place, and respect for human rights.

The conflict has already taken thousands of lives, caused untold destruction, displaced millions of people, resulted in unacceptable violations of human rights and is inflaming a three-dimensional global crisis  food, energy and finance  that is pummeling the most vulnerable people, countries and economies, Guterres said in a statement Friday.

From the first days of the war, he said the United Nations has been supporting the Ukrainian people trying to deal with its humanitarian impact while also drawing attention to the dangers and long-term implications of continued fighting and potential escalation of hostilities for the country, the wider region and the world.

The secretary-general said the U.N. remains committed to the humanitarian effort, but as I have stressed from the beginning, resolving this conflict will require negotiations and dialogue.

The sooner the parties engage in good-faith diplomatic efforts to end this war, the better for the sake of Ukraine, Russia and the world, Guterres said.

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:

 Deadly secret: Electronic warfare shapes Russia-Ukraine war

 Analysts think Russia may be in Ukraine to stay after 100 days of war

 AP PHOTOS: Russian malls half-empty after Western firms exit

 At 100 days, Russia-Ukraine war by the numbers

 US and allies: Hold Russia accountable for Ukraine crimes

 Russian Orthodox leader skips EU sanctions thanks to Hungary's Orban

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Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

UNITED NATIONS  The United Nations on Friday said humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths had frank and constructive discussions with Russian officials as part of U.N. efforts to reach a deal on agricultural exports amid an escalating food crisis.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Griffiths held meetings with officials in the ministries of foreign affairs and defense on Wednesday and Thursday focused on seeking ways to facilitate the export of grain and other food from Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea to global markets.

His meetings followed a Monday visit to the Russian capital by Rebeca Grynspan, the secretary-general of the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development, who is focusing on getting Russian grains and fertilizer to global markets.

Dujarric said Friday that we have seen a lot of positive comments come from various capitols.

But he said there are a lot of moving pieces in this puzzle and he was not in a position to confirm reports of a possible meeting in Istanbul on June 8 when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visits Turkey, or that there will be an observation mechanism based in Istanbul but run by the U.N. for grain exports from Ukraine.

Dujarric did confirm that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, a close Russian ally, on Friday about export issues.

He would not confirm Belarusian media reports that they discussed the possibility of exporting Ukrainian grain through Belarus in exchange for access for Belarusian products to be exported through ports in Germany, the Baltics and Poland.

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MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday blamed the United States and Europe for the energy problems theyre facing, saying they stoked fears about climate change to boost support for renewable energy but then underinvested.

Speaking on Russian TV, Putin said those countries adopted a short-sighted policies that relied too heavily on renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydrogen.

Those technologies werent yet ready for massive deployment or were too expensive, he said, and Europe and the United States downplayed the role of what they were supposed to replace: hydrocarbons. The result was under-development and under-investment in energy, and an increase in prices, according to Putin.

Exacerbating the problem, in his view, is that Europeans  despite Moscows warnings  declined to maintain long-term natural gas supply contracts with Russia.

The higher natural gas prices also increased fertilizer costs. Natural gas is heavily used in fertilizer manufacturing.

But we warned about that, and its not connected in any way to Russias military operation in Donbass, Putin added.

Several European countries are heavily dependent on Russia oil and natural gas and have been rushing to find alternatives now that they have adopted sanctions  including energy embargoes  against Moscow for its military operation in Ukraine.

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MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday blamed the West for emerging global food and energy crises and repeated his governments offers of safe passage for ships exporting grain from Ukraine if mines are removed from the waters.

Of course, we are now seeing attempts to shift the responsibility for what is happening on the world food market, the emerging problems in this market, onto Russia, he told Russian TV. I must say that this is an attempt, as our people say, to shift these problems from a sick to a healthy head.

As reported by the state-run Tass news agency, Putin also said Western sanctions against Russia would only worsen world markets  reducing the harvest and driving up prices.

He said inflation stemmed from the unprecedented dollar printing press during the coronavirus pandemic and blamed short-sighted European policies for under-investment in alternatives to traditional energy supplies and price increases.

The Kremlin leader said Russia wasnt blocking grain shipments from Ukraine and that the West is using Russia as a scapegoat for its problems.

Putin pledged that if the waters were demined, Russia wouldnt attack grain shipments and suggested they could be made from the Ukrainian port of Berdyansk or other countries, such as Belarus. Berdyansk is under Russian occupation.

We wont take advantage of the situation of demining to undertake any sea attacks, Putin said.

These were Putins most extensive comments to date on the emerging food crisis.

Putins positions on these issues conflict with explanations given by Ukraine and its allies.

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GENEVA  Switzerlands government on Friday said it wont honor a request by Denmark to send nearly two-dozen Swiss-made armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, citing Swiss neutrality law that bans the export of war material to a country at war.

The executive Federal Council confirmed the decision, reported in Swiss media this week, on Friday just as the Swiss government also announced that it would allow the transfer of some military equipment to Germany and Britain as they replenish supplies that the two countries have sent to Ukraine.

The announcement testified to the fine line Swiss authorities are treading to hold to Switzerlands legal requirement to remain neutral as laid out in the War Materiel Act, which bars the transfer of Swiss-made weapons systems, ammunition and other war material to a country involved in an international conflict.

Denmark had requested that Switzerland transfer 22 Swiss-made Piranha III wheeled armored personnel carriers, which Denmark had procured and stored in Germany, to Ukraine.

Previously, the Swiss rejected a German request to send Swiss-made 35mm ammunition for Gepard anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine.

However, the Swiss executive said it would allow the export of some parts for hand-held anti-tank weapons and anti-aircraft weapons components sought by Germany and Italy. It acknowledged those parts could end up in Ukraine, but the parts involved would represent less than half the value of the total weaponrys value.

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REHOBOTH BEACH, Del.  President Joe Biden on Friday said he thinks a negotiated settlement will be necessary to end Russias war in Ukraine.

Asked whether Ukraine should give up some of its territory to Russia in order to end the war and bring peace to the region, Biden said his policy continues to be that the United States will not make any decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine.

He said its their territory and Im not going to tell them what they should and shouldnt do.

But the U.S. leader also said it appears to me that at some point along the line theres going to have to be a negotiated settlement here. He said he does not know what such an agreement would look like but that the U.S. will continue to help Ukrainians defend themselves.

Biden commented from Delaware on Friday, the 100th day of Russias invasion.

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PARIS  A French person was killed in combat in Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.

The ministry did not elaborate in its written response to a journalists question about the death of a French volunteer fighter in the Kharkiv region.

The ministry, which holds electronic written briefings, noted that Ukraine in the totality of its territory is a war zone. France advises anyone against going there whatever the motive.

French are among numerous foreign fighters who headed to Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyys call for volunteers to join an international brigade soon after Russia invaded the country Feb. 24.

The number of French volunteers is not known.

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GENEVA  A Ukrainian ambassador said Russia is playing hunger games with the world by trying to depict sanctions against Moscow as the reason that grain cant transit the Black Sea  and not Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Yevheniia Filipenko, Ukraines envoy to the U.N. office in Geneva, spoke in an interview on the 100-day mark since Russian military forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

As grain exports dry up through Ukraines embattled or captured ports, Filipenko said Russia has sought to pin the blame for the blockage on Ukraine and Western sanctions that have been levied by the thousands against Moscow.

Russia has played hunger games recently to put the blame on Ukraine and others for blocking Ukrainian food exports, she said.

Filipenko said Ukrainian forces were intensely motivated to protect their homeland and would one day win the war. She echoed calls from other top Ukrainian officials for more weapons.

We are fighting for freedom of Europe and the whole world. So the next 100 days will be very busy for all of us, she said.

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BRUSSELS  The European Union says it has targeted Russian military officers linked to atrocities in Ukraine in its latest round of sanctions, including top brass accused of war crimes in Bucha and the siege of Mariupol.

The EU froze the assets of 65 people and imposed travel bans on them. The bloc has now targeted almost 1,160 people, including President Vladimir Putin, pro-Kremlin oligarchs and other top officials over Russias actions in Ukraine since 2014.

The EU said Friday that Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov and Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, known as the Butcher of Mariupol, were among those on the list.

It said Omurbekov was leading the actions of his military unit and nicknamed the Butcher of Bucha due to his direct responsibility in killings, rapes and torture in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv.

It accused Mizintsev of orchestrating the bombardments of the city of Mariupol, killing thousands of civilians, including the shelling of a Mariupol maternity hospital and a theatre, killing hundreds of children.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said there can be no impunity for war crimes.

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CHISINAU, Moldova  Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has paid an official visit to Moldova, which borders Ukraine, in a public show of support for the country witnessing Russias ambitions in the region up close and sheltering thousands of Ukrainian refugees.

Sanchez said Spain would stand up for Moldovas territorial integrity, in a reference to Transnistria and Russias military presence there.

Transnistria is a disputed, Russian-backed breakaway state that borders southwestern Ukraine. Pro-Russian forces broke it off from Moldova in 1992, and Russian troops have been stationed there ever since, ostensibly as peacekeepers.

Sanchez assured President Maia Sandu at a press conference Friday in Chisinau, the capital, that Moldova has Spains resounding support and our commitment to solidarity with the Moldovan authorities and the Moldovan people at a time of great difficulty and international political tension.

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KYIV, Ukraine  A regional governor in eastern Ukraine says intense fighting is continuing in a key town that has faced a massive Russian offensive.

Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai told The Associated Press that fierce battles are continuing in Sievierodonetsk, where about 13,000 residents left in the city are sheltering in basements to escape relentless Russian bombardment.

Haidai said Friday that the Russian forces were also pummeling the nearby city of Lysychansk that has remained under Ukrainian control. Some 20,000 residents, or about one-fifth of Lysychansks pre-war population, have remained in the city which has seen 60% of its residential buildings and civilian infrastructure shattered by the Russian shelling. Haidai said a civilian was killed in the Russian shelling of Lysychansk on Friday.

He told the AP that the Russians have been shelling a key highway linking Lysychansk with Bakhmut, but that it remained under Ukrainian control.

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LVIV, Ukraine  A Ukrainian military analyst says a Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine has slowed down amid staunch Ukrainian resistance.

Mykola Sunhurovsky of the Razumkov Center, a Kyiv-based think-tank, said Friday that the Russians are fighting for every block and every street in the eastern city of Lysychansk, adding that it has deprived them of the initiative. Lysychansk, the administrative center of the eastern Luhansk region has become an arena of fierce fighting this week as it has faced a massive Russian attack.

Sunhurovsky charged that the Russian offensive in the region has started to slow down, they have lost too many forces and need a tactical break.

He noted that time is working in Ukraines favor as supplies of Western weapons are increasing, making the Kremlin nervous, but added that Western supplies have taken time to reach Ukraine, forcing Kyiv to drag out time in the east to accumulate forces for a counter-offensive.
Home > 2022 > Chinas Economic Imperialism in South Asia: Implications for India | (...)

by Karamala Areesh Kumar and Lalitha. S

"There are two ways to conquer and enslave a country: One is by the sword; the other is by debt" John Adams (former American President).

China, the 2nd largest economy in the world, has risen to the status of an economic superpower. Ever since China opened up its economy, it has grown exponentially to become the largest in terms of Purchasing power parity (PPP). This uninhibited growth has emboldened Chinas economic visions for the world to transform the existing international economic order. China has expeditiously expanded its diplomatic, economic, political and security footprint among the developing countries. Under President Xi, China has expanded its areas of engagement into trade, education and culture. According to research by the Pew centre in 2019, developing countries have a positive outlook on the economic stature of China except for a few areas of contention. China is using its economic might to gain a strategic advantage in prominent regions, including South Asia. The rapid growth in its diplomatic ties with the South Asian regions has reshaped the global geopolitical power structure. China is also trying to establish the Chinese School of I.R. Theory" as an alternative to the Western approach based on its ancient philosophy, Maos ideas, tianxia system (all under heaven), Marxism, one-party governance and Chinese socialist economic policy.

In a party meeting, Chinese president Xi Jinping said that China would expand ties with its neighbours in 2017 on the principles of friendship and mutual benefit. South Asian countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Maldives have deepened their diplomatic and economic ties with China. China has crafted a perfect strategic network that seeks to expand its national interest and influence worldwide, starting with its neighbourhood, i.e., South Asia. Chinas ambitious infrastructure and investment projects like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), President Xis pet project, and Chinas foreign policy centrepiece are at the core of Chinas economic ties with South Asia. However, India, a major power in the region, has refused to participate in Chinas BRI due to tensions between the two countries and Indias lack of trust and suspicion of Chinese projects and their intentions.

For India, Chinas intervention in South Asia means geopolitical and strategic encirclement of India from all corners. China is practising what is commonly referred to by the western media as debt-trap diplomacy. All the investment projects taken up by China in South Asia have indebted most of the republics to the PRC and trapping them to serve its geostrategic interests. Chinas lending has exceeded 5% of the global GDP by extending loans with strings attached to financially vulnerable countries. The bigger the debt, the more leverage China gains over the borrowing country.

While borrowing high-interest loans, these countries sign contracts that include debt-for-equity swaps, so when they default on loans or interest payments, they are forced to give up sovereign strategic assets to China. The best example of this debt-for-equity swap is the leasing of Sri Lanka Hambantota Port to China for 99 years in exchange for debt raised in the construction of the port. The Hambantota port is located at a strategic point of the Indian Ocean right in Indias backyard. Several South Asian nations like Pakistan and Nepal have also borrowed vast sums of loans from China. Because of their financial dependency, some countries become client states of China, solely dependent on the goodwill of China for economic and military security. Mired by Chinese debt, Pakistan has given the rights to China to run the Gwadar port for 40 years.

The infamous China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a signature project of the BRI, involves a whooping sum of $46 billion. India has repeatedly raised concerns over the project passing through PoK, an integral part of Indian territory, over sovereignty and security. The CPEC has increased Pakistans already high external debt to 70% of its GDP. Instead of bringing economic growth, the CPEC has destabilized the countrys financial security.

The Belt and Road initiative is crucial for Chinas debt-trap diplomacy. This trap is not exclusive to South Asian countries. Several countries from Africa, Latin America and West Asia are also targets for Chinese loans and investments. By taking over several strategic assets in exchange for debt, China is trying to construct a string of pearls in the Indo-pacific. The Indian Ocean is very strategic to the Chinese maritime silk route as part of BRI. China is directly involved in constructing 13 ports, including Sudan, Djibouti, Gwadar, Karachi, Malacca, Darwin and other major ports across the Indian Ocean. The Chinese domination of the Indian Ocean is a strategic maritime threat to India and the influence India holds in the region. This string of pearls will lead to China encircling India in the Indian Ocean and dominating the trade through the region.

China starts as the economic and trade partner of a country and traps the country with big loans and investments. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has played a significant role in expanding Chinas economic footprint across the Indo-pacific on various infrastructure and investment projects as a foreign policy tool. The existing international financial institutions like the IMF and W.B. are dominated by Western powers like the U.S. and Europe; China and Chinese interests greatly influence the AIIB.

This Chinese economic expansionism is of enormous concern to India. The lack of regional integration in South Asia and regional financial institutions has paved the way for China in South Asia. The BRI appealed to several South Asian countries in terms of economic growth and political influence. However, India is confident that Beijing will leverage the BRI for political influence and dominance in the region. India is concerned about the increasing involvement of China in various port projects across the Indian Ocean as it is a threat to Indias maritime security and national interests in the region. India is actively trying to regain its dominance in the region and wane out the Chinese influence. India has joined the QUAD to thwart China in the Indo pacific. India is also renewing the South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) to counter the BRI and improve regional connectivity in South Asia. India should also develop a regional funding mechanism to reduce the reliance on Chinese loans by South Asian countries. International Institutions should spend more on improving infrastructure and invest in development projects in the developing economies across the world. A joint response by regional and international powers is the only solution to Chinas new neo-colonial ambitions.

(Authors: Dr. Karamala Areesh Kumar teaches International Relations and World Politics at P.G. and Research Centre, St. Josephs College (Autonomous), Bangalore, Karnataka.; Lalitha. S, Research Student, Department of Political Science, St. Josephs College (Autonomous), Bangalore, Karnataka)
ATLANTA (AP)  Georgia's top elections official appeared Thursday before a special grand jury investigating whether former President Donald Trump and others illegally tried to meddle in the 2020 election in the state.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was summoned to the Fulton County courthouse where the special grand jury has been meeting, according to a subpoena obtained by The Associated Press through an open records request. Other subpoenas seek documents and testimony from five other people in his office.

Raffensperger arrived at the courthouse in downtown Atlanta on Thursday morning. When a reporter asked how the day would go, Raffensperger replied hopefully short" as he walked up the steps. That wasn't the case, though. Raffensperger left after more than five hours by another exit, avoiding reporters. It's unclear if Raffensperger's testimony concluded Thursday or if he will be called back.

Trump directed his ire at his fellow Republican after Raffensperger refused to bend to pressure to overturn the votes that gave Democrat Joe Biden a narrow presidential election victory in Georgia. Raffensperger defeated a Trump-endorsed challenger in last month's Republican primary.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said her investigation includes looking into a January 2021 phone call in which Trump pushed Raffensperger to find the votes needed for him to win Georgia. Trump has said his call with Raffensperger was perfect and that he did nothing wrong.

Tricia Raffensperger, the secretarys wife, also testified Thursday, leaving the courthouse after less than an hour. She was present with Raffensperger when he received the Trump phone call. Tricia Raffensperger received death threats during the period after the 2020 election.

Raffensperger wrote in his 2021 book Integrity Counts that he perceived Trump as threatening him multiple times during the phone call, a question that could ultimately be critical to whether some criminal charges could be brought. Raffensperger reiterated in an interview aired Wednesday by WAGA-TV that he felt pressured.

I heard what the president said. And I understand that he has tremendous positional power, Raffensperger told the television station. But I also know that we followed the law and we followed the Constitution.

A Trump spokesman dismissed the Fulton investigation as a politically motivated witch hunt when it became public last February. A number of others have been subpoenaed, including five other people associated with Raffensperger's office. State Attorney General Chris Carr has received a subpoena to appear June 21.

The special grand jury will not issue indictments, but is meant to further the investigation and make recommendations to the district attorney, who then decides whether to seek an indictment from a regular grand jury. Willis said the special grand jury would be able to issue subpoenas to people who have refused to cooperate otherwise. The jury, including 23 grand jurors and three alternates, can serve for up to a year.

Willis has also said investigators are looking at a November 2020 phone call between Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Raffensperger, the abrupt resignation of the U.S. attorney in Atlanta on Jan. 4, 2021, and comments made during December 2020 Georgia legislative committee hearings on the election.

Its not clear exactly what charges Willis could choose to pursue against Trump or anyone else. In a letter she sent to top-ranking state officials last year, she said she was looking into potential violations of Georgia law prohibiting the solicitation of election fraud, the making of false statements to state and local government bodies, conspiracy, racketeering, violation of oath of office and any involvement in violence or threats related to the elections administration.

While the district attorneys office will be steering the investigation, grand jurors can question witnesses who appear before them. If they believe there are other witnesses they would like to hear from or documents they would like to see, they have the power to issue subpoenas.
SEATTLE (AP)  Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell says the police department's low staffing in its sexual assault unit that has led to a backlog of dozens of stalled cases is unacceptable.

Harrell made his comments Thursday following a report by The Seattle Times and KUOW-FM of an internal memo that showed the unit stopped investigating most new sexual assault cases involving adults this year.

Harrell rejected the idea his administration did not prioritize sexual assault cases. But he said the current state of the unit - and its backlog of 48 stalled cases that had not yet been investigated - was not where it needs to be.

Im not happy with where the city is, but we will indeed make sure that we are providing optimal service, both for investigation and victim survivor support here this year, Harrell said.

Harrell suggested recruiting retired detectives to investigate sex offenses, but said he was limited by labor agreements. He also committed to meeting within weeks with concerned victim advocates.

Increased staffing is ultimately needed across the police department, Harrell said.

Advocates for victims of sexual assaults have questioned whether the root cause was staffing, or the department and city leaders priorities.

Riddhi Mukhopadhyay, executive director of Seattle nonprofit Sexual Violence Law Center, said victim advocates said the memo confirms what weve all been seeing.

The police department's "response has always been kind of slow and not as timely compared to other jurisdictions. But its gotten worse, Mukhopadhyay said.

The police memo published by The Seattle Times and KUOW-FM was written by the Seattle police sexual assault and child abuse units Sgt. Pamela St. John and sent in April to interim chief Adrian Diaz this April, the two media outlets reported.

The memo stated that the sexual assault and child abuse unit was so understaffed it had a backlog of stalled sexual assault case and that four detectives remained were in the unit earlier this year, as opposed to 10 to 12 detectives earlier.

The unit has since added an additional detective and plans to add another one this month.

But the understaffing means that fewer sex assault cases are referred to prosecutors, prosecutors and advocates told the news outlets.
The ayatollahs of Iran do not respect or pity weakness. They exploit it. Since the moment Joe Biden entered the Oval Office, he has made one concession to Iran after another. As a result, today we face a regime that is more aggressive and assertive. Further accommodating the worlds largest state sponsor of terrorism would be a disastrous mistake.

Just last year, the Biden Justice Department revealed that Iranian agents attempted to kidnap an American journalist, Masih Alinejad, on American soil. Iranian intelligence assets stalked Ms. Alinejad in New York City, videotaped her family and home, and planned to abduct her and transport her to Venezuela and then Iran, where she would face imprisonment or death for her criticism of the regime. This detestable kidnapping scheme on American soil was an insult to American honor and a gross violation of countless laws and international conventions.

Those facts didnt stop the Biden administration from announcing the same day that the United States would unfreeze billions of dollars in Iranian assets. This one-sided gift was in no way conditioned on good behavior or good faith on the part of the Iranian regime. One can hardly imagine better proof of the administrations unseriousness.

For years, the Iranian military has been actively arming terrorists in Iraq and Syria to kill U.S. service members, including with aerial drones meant to evade U.S. base defenses. An Iranian-backed terror group used one of these drones last year to target and destroy a dining facility used by U.S. service members. Iranian proxies also used these drones to carry out an assault on another U.S. government facility. The situation became so dire that the president ordered airstrikes against two known launching points for these attacks.

Iran is also supplying Hezbollah, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad with massive stockpiles of long-range rockets, which are increasingly precise and deadly. The consequences of Irans arms trafficking were on full display last year when Hamas and PIJ fired more than 4,000 rockets at Israel, our closest ally in the region. This sparked a significant battle that ultimately cost hundreds of lives and threatened to spread into a widespread conflict.

Yet Tehrans growing aggression is but a distant thought to Bidens negotiators. According to reports, the Biden team is prepared to remove almost all sanctions on Iran in exchange for Iran agreeing to even less stringent terms than the 2015 nuclear deal. The 2015 deal includes restrictions on Iran that have either already expired or will expire soon, but this new agreement would do nothing to extend these timelines. Bidens team will likely try to lift sanctions related to Irans terrorism and military activities, which are completely unrelated to Irans pursuit of nuclear weapons. In other words, in addition to giving away the farm, Bidens crack team of appeasers is insisting that Iran take the shirt off our back as well.

We know Iran wont honor this nuclear deal because it didnt honor it last time. As a result of a daring Israeli raid on an Iranian nuclear archive in 2018, the International Atomic Energy Agency discovered multiple undeclared nuclear sites since the 2015 agreement was signed. Despite constant attempts by the Iranians to obstruct access and to destroy evidence, evidence was still found of secret nuclear activity at these sites. Iran didnt tell the truth then, and it is not telling the truth now.

President Biden should immediately end negotiations in Vienna and return to a policy of maximum pressure against Iran. The president should start enforcing Trump-era sanctions on the regime, re-list the Houthis as a terrorist organization, increase support for Israels military so that it can both defend against Irans proxies and prevent a nuclear Iran, and bar Iranian officials from entering the United States for attempting kidnappings and murders on our soil.

We can either allow Irans scourge of terror and oppression to ripple across the Middle East or we can forthrightly confront and thwart its evil ambitions. I urge the administration to change course and confront the regime in Iran, but Im not holding my breath.
Four years after President Donald Trump undermined U.S. national security by withdrawing unilaterally from the Iran nuclear deal for political gain, the United States is still experiencing the consequences.

The deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, blocked Irans path to a nuclear bomb, de-escalating a critical security risk and keeping service members out of harms way. Trumps withdrawal put the threat of a nuclear Iran back on the table and put us in a weaker position to deal with other grave threats.

Thankfully, President Biden is engaged in serious negotiations to bring Iran back to the international agreement. However, a return to the Plan of Action is still under threat by domestic political squabbles.

A case in point: the key sticking point is the status of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps designation as a foreign terrorist organization.

Of all the debates surrounding the deal, the Revolutionary Guard designation is the most peculiar. Its a largely symbolic label. In my career in the U.S. military, I understood that symbolism is important, but I knew substance to be most critical. Tough talk is cheap  and often risky  especially when U.S. security and military escalation are on the line. The foreign terrorist designation should not stand in the way of the United States preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. We need to keep our eye on the ball.

Even if the Biden administration lifts the label, Irans Revolutionary Guard will remain heavily sanctioned. The corps has been designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist since 2017. The Revolutionary Guards foreign special operations arm, the Quds Force, is responsible for Irans most egregious activities and has been labeled a global threat since 2007. Beyond that, Irans government has been listed as a state sponsor of terror by the United States since 1984.

Bottom line: The Revolutionary Guard will remain a global pariah no matter what.

The Revolutionary Guard designation is trivial for our overarching priority: preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon. And it is inconsequential when it comes to other security priorities. The label has had no meaningful effect on curbing terrorism or enforcing human rights sanctions.

The Iran nuclear deal remains in U.S. security interests and the interests of our allies. With Irans nuclear program off the table, we can better address other Iranian threats like the destabilizing activities in the region. Critics argue that the only way to deal with Iran is to withdraw from negotiations and double down on sanctions. But as it stands, the United States has exhausted its leverage under the Trump administrations maximum pressure strategy, which only served to unshackle Irans nuclear program. A negotiated solution to Irans nuclear program is the only reasonable path forward.

This is why it is so disappointing that some senators voted for a non-binding Motion to Instruct that suggests they support hamstringing the president by adding non-nuclear demands to the nuclear negotiations, risking their collapse. The nuclear deal opens opportunities to tackle other issues, but we cannot squeeze every issue into a non-proliferation agreement. We never did that with the Soviet Union, and it does not make sense to do it with Iran.

The decision in front of U.S. policymakers now is whether they will get caught in a sanctions trap set by the chicken-hawks who pushed the U.S. to the brink of war with Iran, and in the process make a diplomatic resolution nearly impossible.

As a military man of 30 years with three children currently serving, I would implore our civilian leaders to put country over politics and do everything in their power to rejoin the nuclear deal. Let us not sanction our way into war. Instead, let us show the courage to choose peace.
North Koreas Kim Jong Un congratulates Queen Elizabeth II View Photo

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea says its leader, Kim Jong Un, sent a letter congratulating Queen Elizabeth II as Britain began a four-day celebration marking her 70 years on the throne.

North Koreas Foreign Ministry said on its website Thursday that Kim sent a letter congratulating the queen and the British people. It didnt provide further details.

North Korea and Britain established diplomatic relations in 2000 and have maintained embassies in each others capitals despite a steady decline in bilateral ties.

North Koreas relations with the West have worsened in recent years as it accelerated its nuclear weapons and missile development in a push to acquire an arsenal that could threaten the United States and its allies in Asia.

North Korea has criticized Britain in recent years for supporting international sanctions against the North over its nuclear ambitions and human rights record, and for participating in a new U.S.-led alliance to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

North Korea has conducted 17 rounds of missile tests in 2022, including its first intercontinental ballistic missile launches in nearly five years, as it pushes brinkmanship aimed at cementing its status as a nuclear power and negotiating economic and security concessions from a position of strength. U.S. and South Korean officials say there are signs North Korea is preparing to conduct its first test of a nuclear explosive device since 2017.
Live updates | UN secretary-general renews calls for peace View Photo

UNITED NATIONS  U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday renewed his call for an immediate halt to violence on the 100th day of the war in Ukraine.

The U.N. chief also called for urgent protection for civilians, unfettered access to provide them with humanitarian aid and safely evacuate those trapped in areas where fighting is taking place, and respect for human rights.

The conflict has already taken thousands of lives, caused untold destruction, displaced millions of people, resulted in unacceptable violations of human rights and is inflaming a three-dimensional global crisis  food, energy and finance  that is pummeling the most vulnerable people, countries and economies, Guterres said in a statement Friday.

From the first days of the war, he said the United Nations has been supporting the Ukrainian people trying to deal with its humanitarian impact while also drawing attention to the dangers and long-term implications of continued fighting and potential escalation of hostilities for the country, the wider region and the world.

The secretary-general said the U.N. remains committed to the humanitarian effort, but as I have stressed from the beginning, resolving this conflict will require negotiations and dialogue.

The sooner the parties engage in good-faith diplomatic efforts to end this war, the better for the sake of Ukraine, Russia and the world, Guterres said.

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:

 Deadly secret: Electronic warfare shapes Russia-Ukraine war

 Analysts think Russia may be in Ukraine to stay after 100 days of war

 AP PHOTOS: Russian malls half-empty after Western firms exit

 At 100 days, Russia-Ukraine war by the numbers

 US and allies: Hold Russia accountable for Ukraine crimes

 Russian Orthodox leader skips EU sanctions thanks to Hungarys Orban

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Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

UNITED NATIONS  The United Nations on Friday said humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths had frank and constructive discussions with Russian officials as part of U.N. efforts to reach a deal on agricultural exports amid an escalating food crisis.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Griffiths held meetings with officials in the ministries of foreign affairs and defense on Wednesday and Thursday focused on seeking ways to facilitate the export of grain and other food from Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea to global markets.

His meetings followed a Monday visit to the Russian capital by Rebeca Grynspan, the secretary-general of the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development, who is focusing on getting Russian grains and fertilizer to global markets.

Dujarric said Friday that we have seen a lot of positive comments come from various capitols.

But he said there are a lot of moving pieces in this puzzle and he was not in a position to confirm reports of a possible meeting in Istanbul on June 8 when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visits Turkey, or that there will be an observation mechanism based in Istanbul but run by the U.N. for grain exports from Ukraine.

Dujarric did confirm that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, a close Russian ally, on Friday about export issues.

He would not confirm Belarusian media reports that they discussed the possibility of exporting Ukrainian grain through Belarus in exchange for access for Belarusian products to be exported through ports in Germany, the Baltics and Poland.

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MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday blamed the United States and Europe for the energy problems theyre facing, saying they stoked fears about climate change to boost support for renewable energy but then underinvested.

Speaking on Russian TV, Putin said those countries adopted a short-sighted policies that relied too heavily on renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydrogen.

Those technologies werent yet ready for massive deployment or were too expensive, he said, and Europe and the United States downplayed the role of what they were supposed to replace: hydrocarbons. The result was under-development and under-investment in energy, and an increase in prices, according to Putin.

Exacerbating the problem, in his view, is that Europeans  despite Moscows warnings  declined to maintain long-term natural gas supply contracts with Russia.

The higher natural gas prices also increased fertilizer costs. Natural gas is heavily used in fertilizer manufacturing.

But we warned about that, and its not connected in any way to Russias military operation in Donbass, Putin added.

Several European countries are heavily dependent on Russia oil and natural gas and have been rushing to find alternatives now that they have adopted sanctions  including energy embargoes  against Moscow for its military operation in Ukraine.

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MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday blamed the West for emerging global food and energy crises and repeated his governments offers of safe passage for ships exporting grain from Ukraine if mines are removed from the waters.

Of course, we are now seeing attempts to shift the responsibility for what is happening on the world food market, the emerging problems in this market, onto Russia, he told Russian TV. I must say that this is an attempt, as our people say, to shift these problems from a sick to a healthy head.

As reported by the state-run Tass news agency, Putin also said Western sanctions against Russia would only worsen world markets  reducing the harvest and driving up prices.

He said inflation stemmed from the unprecedented dollar printing press during the coronavirus pandemic and blamed short-sighted European policies for under-investment in alternatives to traditional energy supplies and price increases.

The Kremlin leader said Russia wasnt blocking grain shipments from Ukraine and that the West is using Russia as a scapegoat for its problems.

Putin pledged that if the waters were demined, Russia wouldnt attack grain shipments and suggested they could be made from the Ukrainian port of Berdyansk or other countries, such as Belarus. Berdyansk is under Russian occupation.

We wont take advantage of the situation of demining to undertake any sea attacks, Putin said.

These were Putins most extensive comments to date on the emerging food crisis.

Putins positions on these issues conflict with explanations given by Ukraine and its allies.

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GENEVA  Switzerlands government on Friday said it wont honor a request by Denmark to send nearly two-dozen Swiss-made armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, citing Swiss neutrality law that bans the export of war material to a country at war.

The executive Federal Council confirmed the decision, reported in Swiss media this week, on Friday just as the Swiss government also announced that it would allow the transfer of some military equipment to Germany and Britain as they replenish supplies that the two countries have sent to Ukraine.

The announcement testified to the fine line Swiss authorities are treading to hold to Switzerlands legal requirement to remain neutral as laid out in the War Materiel Act, which bars the transfer of Swiss-made weapons systems, ammunition and other war material to a country involved in an international conflict.

Denmark had requested that Switzerland transfer 22 Swiss-made Piranha III wheeled armored personnel carriers, which Denmark had procured and stored in Germany, to Ukraine.

Previously, the Swiss rejected a German request to send Swiss-made 35mm ammunition for Gepard anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine.

However, the Swiss executive said it would allow the export of some parts for hand-held anti-tank weapons and anti-aircraft weapons components sought by Germany and Italy. It acknowledged those parts could end up in Ukraine, but the parts involved would represent less than half the value of the total weaponrys value.

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REHOBOTH BEACH, Del.  President Joe Biden on Friday said he thinks a negotiated settlement will be necessary to end Russias war in Ukraine.

Asked whether Ukraine should give up some of its territory to Russia in order to end the war and bring peace to the region, Biden said his policy continues to be that the United States will not make any decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine.

He said its their territory and Im not going to tell them what they should and shouldnt do.

But the U.S. leader also said it appears to me that at some point along the line theres going to have to be a negotiated settlement here. He said he does not know what such an agreement would look like but that the U.S. will continue to help Ukrainians defend themselves.

Biden commented from Delaware on Friday, the 100th day of Russias invasion.

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PARIS  A French person was killed in combat in Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.

The ministry did not elaborate in its written response to a journalists question about the death of a French volunteer fighter in the Kharkiv region.

The ministry, which holds electronic written briefings, noted that Ukraine in the totality of its territory is a war zone. France advises anyone against going there whatever the motive.

French are among numerous foreign fighters who headed to Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyys call for volunteers to join an international brigade soon after Russia invaded the country Feb. 24.

The number of French volunteers is not known.

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GENEVA  A Ukrainian ambassador said Russia is playing hunger games with the world by trying to depict sanctions against Moscow as the reason that grain cant transit the Black Sea  and not Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Yevheniia Filipenko, Ukraines envoy to the U.N. office in Geneva, spoke in an interview on the 100-day mark since Russian military forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

As grain exports dry up through Ukraines embattled or captured ports, Filipenko said Russia has sought to pin the blame for the blockage on Ukraine and Western sanctions that have been levied by the thousands against Moscow.

Russia has played hunger games recently to put the blame on Ukraine and others for blocking Ukrainian food exports, she said.

Filipenko said Ukrainian forces were intensely motivated to protect their homeland and would one day win the war. She echoed calls from other top Ukrainian officials for more weapons.

We are fighting for freedom of Europe and the whole world. So the next 100 days will be very busy for all of us, she said.

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BRUSSELS  The European Union says it has targeted Russian military officers linked to atrocities in Ukraine in its latest round of sanctions, including top brass accused of war crimes in Bucha and the siege of Mariupol.

The EU froze the assets of 65 people and imposed travel bans on them. The bloc has now targeted almost 1,160 people, including President Vladimir Putin, pro-Kremlin oligarchs and other top officials over Russias actions in Ukraine since 2014.

The EU said Friday that Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov and Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, known as the Butcher of Mariupol, were among those on the list.

It said Omurbekov was leading the actions of his military unit and nicknamed the Butcher of Bucha due to his direct responsibility in killings, rapes and torture in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv.

It accused Mizintsev of orchestrating the bombardments of the city of Mariupol, killing thousands of civilians, including the shelling of a Mariupol maternity hospital and a theatre, killing hundreds of children.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said there can be no impunity for war crimes.

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CHISINAU, Moldova  Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has paid an official visit to Moldova, which borders Ukraine, in a public show of support for the country witnessing Russias ambitions in the region up close and sheltering thousands of Ukrainian refugees.

Sanchez said Spain would stand up for Moldovas territorial integrity, in a reference to Transnistria and Russias military presence there.

Transnistria is a disputed, Russian-backed breakaway state that borders southwestern Ukraine. Pro-Russian forces broke it off from Moldova in 1992, and Russian troops have been stationed there ever since, ostensibly as peacekeepers.

Sanchez assured President Maia Sandu at a press conference Friday in Chisinau, the capital, that Moldova has Spains resounding support and our commitment to solidarity with the Moldovan authorities and the Moldovan people at a time of great difficulty and international political tension.

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KYIV, Ukraine  A regional governor in eastern Ukraine says intense fighting is continuing in a key town that has faced a massive Russian offensive.

Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai told The Associated Press that fierce battles are continuing in Sievierodonetsk, where about 13,000 residents left in the city are sheltering in basements to escape relentless Russian bombardment.

Haidai said Friday that the Russian forces were also pummeling the nearby city of Lysychansk that has remained under Ukrainian control. Some 20,000 residents, or about one-fifth of Lysychansks pre-war population, have remained in the city which has seen 60% of its residential buildings and civilian infrastructure shattered by the Russian shelling. Haidai said a civilian was killed in the Russian shelling of Lysychansk on Friday.

He told the AP that the Russians have been shelling a key highway linking Lysychansk with Bakhmut, but that it remained under Ukrainian control.

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LVIV, Ukraine  A Ukrainian military analyst says a Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine has slowed down amid staunch Ukrainian resistance.

Mykola Sunhurovsky of the Razumkov Center, a Kyiv-based think-tank, said Friday that the Russians are fighting for every block and every street in the eastern city of Lysychansk, adding that it has deprived them of the initiative. Lysychansk, the administrative center of the eastern Luhansk region has become an arena of fierce fighting this week as it has faced a massive Russian attack.

Sunhurovsky charged that the Russian offensive in the region has started to slow down, they have lost too many forces and need a tactical break.

He noted that time is working in Ukraines favor as supplies of Western weapons are increasing, making the Kremlin nervous, but added that Western supplies have taken time to reach Ukraine, forcing Kyiv to drag out time in the east to accumulate forces for a counter-offensive.

By The Associated Press
Dubai arrests British man over $1.7B Denmark tax fraud case View Photo

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Dubai police said Friday they arrested and planned to extradite a British man to Denmark, wanted there for allegedly masterminding a $1.7 billion tax scheme, one of the countrys largest-ever fraud cases.

The arrest of hedge fund trader Sanjay Shah came after Danish officials signed an agreement in March allowing for extradition between the United Arab Emirates and Denmark.

Shah has maintained his innocence in interviews with journalists while living in Dubai over the last few years on the city-states manmade Palm Jumeirah archipelago, but never appeared in Denmark to answer the accusations.

It wasnt clear if Shah, 52, had a local lawyer in the Emirates. A court date did not appear to have been set in Dubai, the commercial capital of the seven-sheikhdom federation of the UAE. Prosecutors did not respond to a request for comment on Friday, the start of the Emirati weekend.

A spokesman once associated with Shah, who ran the firm Solo Capital Partners, did not respond to a request for comment. The hedge fund manager had run a center for autistic children in Dubai that shut down in 2020 amid the attempts by Denmark to extradite him. He also ran the British-based charity Autism Rocks, which put on shows by major performers to raise money.

In a statement, Dubai police Brig. Gen. Jamal Al Jallaf said the emirate received an international arrest warrant from Denmark for Shah. Al Jallaf said Shah was accused of a fraud that saw foreign businesses pretend to own shares in Danish companies and claim tax refunds for which they were not eligible.

The fraud scheme, known as cum-ex trading, involved submitting thousands of applications to the Danish Treasury on behalf of investors and companies from several countries around the world in order to receive dividend tax refunds, Al Jallaf said. Danish authorities say the scheme ran for some three years beginning in 2012.

In a joint statement, Denmarks Justice and Foreign Ministries praised Dubais arrest of Shah, whom they described as a target of the countrys prosecutors since 2015.

The Danish Treasury has been cheated for a staggering amount, and of course it should not be possible for suspected perpetrators to hide in the Middle East and thus avoid being held accountable in a Danish courtroom, Justice Minister Mattias Tesfaye said.

Now I am awaiting the legal process in the United Arab Emirates, and crossing my fingers that it will end up that we can get Sanjay Shah on a plane to Denmark, so he can be prosecuted in this country, he added.

Shah is one of several suspects in the tax scheme sought by Danish authorities.

___

Associated Press writer Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report.

By MALAK HARB and JON GAMBRELL

Associated Press
Storm watches posted for Florida as system moves into Gulf View Photo

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  Tropical storm watches were posted Thursday for Florida, Cuba and the Bahamas as the system that battered Mexico moves to the east.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm once known as Agatha in the Pacific Ocean will be known as Alex in the Atlantic Ocean basin.

In Florida, the tropical storm watch extended from Longboat Key on the Gulf Coast across the southern Florida peninsula, including Lake Okeechobee, which is always a danger for flooding. The low-lying Florida Keys were included in the storm watch.

The Cuban government issued a tropical storm watch for the provinces of Matanzas, Mayabeque, La Habana, Artemisa, Pinar del Rio and the Isle of Youth, according to the U.S. National Weather Service.

The watch area also included the northwestern Bahamas.

The Atlantic hurricane season officially began Tuesday. This is an unusually early start to the storm season but not unprecedented for Florida.

The National Hurricane Center predicts that rainfall up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) is possible in places in South Florida from this storm, which is not expected to produce huge winds or major storm surge. Still, flooding is likely and winds could be somewhat strong.

The Hurricane Center said maximum sustained winds from the system as of Thursday afternoon were about 35 mph (55 kph) with higher gusts. Its expected to become a tropical storm sometime Friday, which means higher winds but but not at hurricane levels.

Heavy rains will begin to affect South Florida and the Keys Friday and continue through Saturday, the Hurricane Center said in an online post. Also predicted is storm surge and flooding, the severity of which depends on the timing of tides.

As a Pacific storm, Hurricane Agatha caused flooding and mudslides that killed at least 11 people and left 20 missing in Mexico, officials said. It caused rivers to overflow their banks and swept away people in homes, while other victims were buried under mud and rocks.

This storm is now headed for Florida.

Agatha made history as the strongest hurricane ever recorded to come ashore in May during the eastern Pacific hurricane season since 1949. Climate scientists say tropical systems will become more powerful and destructive because of global warming.

___

An earlier version of this report incorrectly said tropical storm warnings were in effect instead of tropical storm watches.

By CURT ANDERSON

Associated Press
Police say man shoots 2 females, self outside Iowa church

Police say man shoots 2 females, self outside Iowa church View Photo

AMES, Iowa (AP)  A man shot two females to death and then apparently killed himself Thursday night outside a church in Ames, authorities said.

The man killed the two females outside the Cornerstone Church, a megachurch on the outskirts of Ames, Story County Sheriffs Office Capt. Nicholas Lennie told the Des Moines Register. Investigators didnt know the ages of those killed, Lennie said.

The shooter appeared to have then shot himself but his death is still being investigated, Lennie said.

The church is near Interstate 35, about 30 miles (48.28 kilometers) north of Des Moines.

The sheriffs office didnt identify those killed or give details about what led to the shooting. A news conference is planned Friday morning.

The sheriffs office told KCCI-TV that they received multiple calls at 6:51 p.m.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)  Northern Californias Alameda County said Thursday it will reinstate an indoor mask policy as COVID-19 hospitalizations steadily increase in the nations most populous state.

Daily new hospital admissions of patients with COVID-19 have exceeded last summers peak and the mandate is meant to reflect the seriousness of the moment during another surge in coronavirus cases in California, Alameda Countys health officer, Dr. Nicholas Moss, said in a statement.

We cannot ignore the data, and we cant predict when this wave may end. Putting our masks back on gives us the best opportunity to limit the impact of a prolonged wave on our communities, Moss said.

The county with 1.7 million residents just across the bay from San Francisco will require face coverings in most indoor settings starting Friday at midnight.

While some school districts and universities have reinstated mask rules, Alameda is the first county to do so. Californias current surge is most pronounced within the nine-county Bay Area, which last week topped 50 new cases per 100,000 residents, up from 18 per 100,000 a month earlier.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends masks indoors when a county enters the high COVID community level, the most severe in a three-tier system.

Los Angeles County, home to 10 million people, is in the medium tier but could reach the highest level by the end of the month, increasing stress on the health care system, according to Barbara Ferrer, the public health director.

Ferrer on Thursday applauded Alameda County for being proactive on making sure that theyre looking at their community data and making decisions that offer the maximum protection.

Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new coronavirus cases in California has jumped 31%.

Statewide hospitalizations topped 2,500 after falling below 1,000 at the lowest point in April. State models forecast the number will grow to about 5,200 by late June, the highest since February but a far cry from the more than 15,000 in hospitals at the start of the year.
A radio personality who put on a ski mask then walked into a convenience store to buy a pack of gum as part of an on-air prank has been charged with making a terroristic threat.

Police said Dan Chappell, known to listeners of Austin station KHFI as "Lunchbox," walked around the store narrating events on the phone before buying the gum and leaving. Though no verbal threats were made, store clerk Atif Akhlaque said he though he was going to be robbed and pressed the silent alarm.

"People at convenience stores, banks and other places of business are on heightened alert, and some business owners have been known to carry weapons," said police spokesman Kevin Buchman. "Trying to pull off a prank endangered the life of not only himself but anybody else who might have been in the store."

Chappell, 22, was charged with making a terroristic threat, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and up to a $4,000 fine. He was out on bond Thursday. A call left by The Associated Press for Chappell at the radio station was not immediately returned Thursday.

It was the latest in a series of on-air gags by Chappell, who also has had a bikini wax, walked across hot coals and married a listener who was paid $100.

Station manager Dusty Black said in a written statement that the station "does not endorse behavior that may endanger the public or our employees, and we take these matters very seriously."

Akhlaque said he could hear Chappell talking on a cell phone, seemingly narrating the events.

"It was the most immature joke," Akhlaque said in Thursday's online edition of the Austin American-Statesman.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina state regulators would set maximum acceptable levels of forever chemicals  like those discharged for decades into the Cape Fear River  for drinking water in legislation considered Thursday by a state House committee.

The measure also would give the state environment secretary power to order a company responsible for excessive levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, to pay for public water system improvements designed to remove the chemicals or lessen concentrations.

Without naming the company, the legislation would target The Chemours Co., which a state investigation found had discharged a type of PFAS from its Fayetteville Works plant in Bladen County into the air, water and groundwater.

But the measure faced strong pushback from several business and trade groups, and not just Chemours  a signal that it could be set aside for the rest of this year's session.

For years, a little-studied chemical known as GenX flowed down the Cape Fear, which is the primary drinking water source for several hundred thousand residents, including those in Wilmington. Chemours said in 2017 that it would stop discharging the chemicals into the river. Groundwater seepage means high PFAS levels are still showing up downstream.

Leaders of two public utilities in the Wilmington region told committee members they were having to raise rates significantly on water customers to pay for roughly $150 million in aggregate improvements to lower or remove PFAS concentrations. Brunswick County Public Utilities raised rates by 40% in January, director John Nichols told the committee.

Ratepayers should not be responsible for paying for equipment to treat the water contaminated by PFAS, caused by a responsible party, so they can have safe drinking water to give to their customers, bill sponsor Sen. Ted Davis, a New Hanover County Republican, said at a news conference that also included an endorsement from state environment Secretary Elizabeth Biser.

Biser said there are currently no federal drinking water standards for PFAS chemicals. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently working on national standards.

Critics of the measure told committee members it gave too much power to the Environmental Management Commission, which would set PFAS concentration levels that are acceptable for human consumption. The bill says the standards themselves would be exempt from the state's rule-making process, which usually gives the legislature the opportunity to reject executive branch actions.

This bill circumvents the traditional processes for new regulations on job creators, Peter Daniel with the North Carolina Chamber told judiciary committee members. Theres no need for a state-by-state approach when the federal government is leading on the issue with a predictable, national, multifaceted and well-funded approach.

As for Chemours, lobbyist Jeff Fritz told the committee the company had already agreed in 2017 to eliminate all plant-operating emissions to the Cape Fear River and that it was following a 2018 consent agreement with the state.

The company says it has spent or committed to spend $400 million on improvements such as on-site emissions control technology at the plant and remediation.

We have engaged with public utilities and counties in the region and have been, and continue to be, willing to find meaningful solutions," the company said in an emailed statement later Thursday.

Democratic Rep. Pricey Harrison of Greensboro said she was just appalled' by the opposition, saying residents must be protected from dangerous chemicals.

Some research shows high levels of certain PFAS may lead to increased risks for kidney or testicular cancer, increased cholesterol levels and health challenges for children, according to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. GenX is used in industrial processes to make things like nonstick coatings and fire suppression foams.

Emily Donovan of Brunswick County with the group Clean Cape Fear pleaded with legislators to pass the bill, saying Chemours contaminated our water supply" and PFAS concentrations remain high despite the consent order.

The stakes for my family and my community are too high, Donovan said. No one wants to pay to fix something they didnt break."

No committee vote was taken Thursday. Davis said after the meeting that he would be speaking to House leadership about the next steps for the bill. House Speaker Tim Moore said later Thursday the issue could have to wait until the General Assembly session in 2023.
With summertime right around the corner, now is the perfect time to gearing up for those sunny summer afternoon gatherings, such as pool parties, graduation celebrations or simple picnics with your friends. Regardless of your preferred activity  be it indoors or outdoors, with friends or alone  the ability to jam out is sure to improve it.

Bluetooth speakers give you the ability to take, and share, your tunes anywhere. However, the market is filled with speakers that promise booming sound  when in reality theyre barely louder than an iPhone speaker. Thankfully, there are good quality speakers that produce good volume in relation to their price at every price point.

How we selected the loudest bluetooth speakers

We conducted thorough research into a range of bluetooth speakers, which began with manufacturer reported specifications and grew to include everything from consumer reviews on Amazon to in-depth third party sound tests and ratings. Whether its a budget speaker that packs a serious punch or a high-end option from a name brand that will elevate your away-from-home listening experience, each speaker on this list is the result of research, testing and verified customer reviews. When selecting the loudest speakers at each price point we paid special attention to the following criteria:

Volume and Sound Quality: First and foremost, we took the decibel rating into consideration. However, decibels dont account for sound quality, just pure volume, so we made sure to select speakers that are known for maintaining balance at their max volume, which meant factoring in the power supply and peak delivery, which is measured in watts.

Battery Life: Each speaker on this list is entirely portable, and the last thing you want is to invest in a speaker, schlepp it to your destination and then have it turn off after a few hours. Good battery life is essential, and each speaker on this list reflects that.

Value: Speakers, especially those from well-known brands such as Bose, tend to be expensive. However, that doesnt mean you cant get a great value, at both low and high price points. We made sure to include speakers that had a high quality to cost ratio in our judgment.

Technology: Last but certainly least, we considered the technology that each speaker is equipped with. For example, speakers with Bluetooth 5.0 deliver superior sound quality in comparison to previous generations of Bluetooth technology, but that doesnt mean that Bluetooth 4.0 on a budget speaker is a bad choice. The technological aspect of each speaker was factored into its value and sound quality as well.

Loudest budget bluetooth speakers

Anker Soundcore 3 ($50.99)

Quick Take: For $50 you can't beat the Soundcore 3s build quality, battery life and volume.

What youll love: The Soundcore 3 is truly portable thanks to the fact that its less than 1.5 inches in both height and width; you can easily toss it into your backpack or tote for a quick day trip. You wont have to worry about the battery because it has 24 hours of continuous playtime, which is pretty incredible considering its size. Lastly, the Soundcore 3 utilized true titanium drivers, which are much more rigid than the traditional plastic drivers youll find in similarly priced speakers, and therefore provide crisper highs and deeper lows at high volumes.

What you should consider: While this speaker is loud for its size, it cannot compete with significant background noise.

Houl Zallee IPX7 Waterproof Speaker ($79.99)

Quick Take: While theres no big brand behind this speaker, it puts out a big sound and the fact that its waterproof makes it ideal for days on the beach, by the lake or on the banks of a river.

What youll love: This speaker has 32 hours of playtime on a single charge, and 40 watts of power, which means you can use it for outdoor gatherings without an issue. Plus, although this speaker only costs $61, it is equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 and can even be paired with a second one to create a dynamic soundstage that nicely envelopes a given space.

What you should consider: This speaker is quite large, although not too heavy, and has a function-forward look that some may not like.

Loudest mid-level bluetooth speakers

Anker Soundcore Motion Boom ($109.99)

Quick Take: The Motion Boom was designed for the outdoors and is equipped with technology that compensates for the lack of walls from which the soundwaves can continuously reverberate.

What youll love: If youre looking for the latest and greatest in technology but dont want to break the bank, look no further. For a fair price of $110 you get Bluetooth 5.0, true titanium drivers and a companion app that allows you to customize the equalization to match the music that youre listening to. The shock resistant exterior, integrated carry handle and waterproofing are all an added bonus and make this speaker both versatile and capable. To top it all off, this speaker is equipped with Ankers patented Bass Up technology, which automatically analyzes incoming frequencies in real time to ensure that your sound doesnt distort.

What you should consider: There is only one color to choose from.

Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 ($169.99)

Quick Take: As the name suggests, the Megaboom is beloved by bass heads around the world, who appreciate the ability to take thundering sound wherever they go.

What youll love: In addition to the roaring sound, you can choose from a variety of colorways and pair with other Ultimate Ears speakers in the area, allowing you to bring the party wherever you want. Unlike the Anker Motion Boom, the Megaboom 3 utilizes a 360 design that maximizes volume both indoors and outdoors. The Megaboom 3 also comes with a companion app that lets you do more than just toggle the equalizer. In the app you can do everything from remotely control your speaker to set musical alarms for your morning routine.

What you should consider: The bass can be overwhelming, and make certain genres of music sound slightly different, such as rock and roll.

Marshall Acton II ($225.99)

Quick Take: Marshall has earned a reputation for producing some of the loudest, best designed speakers on the market, and the Acton II is evidence that the companies rock n roll roots are still alive.

What youll love: The Acton II has an independent Class D driver for each of the two tweeters and the subwoofer, ensuring that every aspect of your music is being pumped out in the highest possible quality. The Acton II also features Marshall's fan-favorite amplifier-inspired design, making it the perfect complement to any instagrams photos that may follow the festivities.

What you should consider: With a price tag of $225, this speaker is at the high end of mid-range, and you're partially paying a premium for the brand name.

Loudest high-end bluetooth speakers

JBL Boombox 2 ($499.99)

Quick Take: The Boombox 2 is ideal for anyone that doesnt want to compromise on volume or sound quality at all when it comes to their portable speaker.

What youll love: With more than 80 watts of peak power, and the ability to achieve volumes as high as 97 decibels, this speaker is powerful enough for large outdoor gatherings. Also, unlike many other extra-large portable speakers, the Boombox 2 has 24 hours of playtime, which equals or bests most of its mid-sized competitors. To top it all off, you can get a bundle that comes with a sleek carbon fiber patterned carrying case for the same price as the speaker by itself.

What you should consider: This speaker weighs more than 20 lbs, which reduces its portability, especially for longer excursions.

Bose S1 Pro ($549.00)

Quick Take: Few brands are as synonymous with sound quality and prestige as Bose is, and the S1 delivers exactly what you would expect from a portable PA system - huge volume.

What youll love: This speaker more than makes up for its bland looks by pumping out clear audio at high volumes for a fairly reasonable price, considering its Bose. While other speakers struggle to compete with the background noise, the S1 can be clearly heard from quite a distance, even theres a number of auditory obstacles. Also can you be rest assured that this speaker wont distort thanks to the fact that Bose has been perfecting their balancing for decades.

What you should consider: The S1 is quite large and difficult to transport. Its meant to be taken from one place to another and then placed for a while, not to be carried everywhere.
On Monday, May 30, Bloomberg reported that it had obtained documents that showed Elon Musk's Boring Company had pitched eight plans for projects in Texas. The documents, which stretch back over a year, included plans for connecting I-35 and MoPaC; a tunnel between Tesla's Giga Texas factory, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, and downtown; and multiple tunnels in Pflugerville, where the Boring Company is now headquartered.

But a newly obtained document outlines an August 2021 Boring Company pitch for an even more ambitious project: plans to connect Austin and San Antonio via a system of underground tunnels. As of now, it is unclear how far the proposal reached, or which segments of the plan are being actively pursued.

Chap Ambrose, a man who lives next door to the Boring Company test site in Bastrop County, received the document as part of a public information request via the City of Kyle and posted it to Reddit. In the two emails between Boring Company business development lead Brian Gettinger and a Kyle official whose name has been redacted, they discuss involving the suburb south of Austin in its larger plan.

The plan, as outlined by Gettinger, is three-fold:

The Boring Company would "deploy individual systems in San Antonio and Austin."

A connection between the cities, "likely collaborating with TxDOT" would follow I-35

Different city utilities would create segments to connect to the San Antonio to Austin system as follows: Kyle to Austin New Braunfels to San Antonio San Marcos to Kyle New Braunfels to San Marcos



In April, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg expressed his displeasure over a proposed plan to construct a Tesla-exclusive tunnel connecting San Antonio International Airport and downtown.

We have a lot of transportation issues that we want to solve here in Texas and in San Antonio, frankly. That doesnt solve any of them, Nirenberg said on Inside Texas Politics.

When reached for comment, the City of San Antonio referred MySA to Alamo Regional Mobility Authority in Bexar County, noting that a project of this type would fall under its jurisdiction. Alamo RMA, which voted in March to study the viability of the Tesla tunnel, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In the email from Gettinger to a Kyle official, the Boring Company official asks that neither he nor company be implicated in conversations about the plan.

"TBC and I are most useful operating in the background, not in the front of the parade," he writes. Gettinger did not respond to a request for comment.

Ambrose has spoken in front of city officials in his hometown and in Kyle about the opacity with which he believes the Boring Company operates in Central Texas.

"Business as usual for TBC," he tells MySA via text message. "Trying to pull strings in the background. I think theyd catch more fish with transparency."

In a reply less than two hours later, the Kyle official asks for cost specs so that they can find a location and consider funding.

"We would love a connection into downtown Austin AND ABIA," the official writes.

On May 3, Kyle City Council approved a professional services contract to build a railroad pedestrian underpass to connect to its Vybe trail network.

The City of Kyle did not immediately return a request for comment. MySA will update this story.
Alan Diaz/AP

Walmart is adding four new fulfillment centers to its existing capacity, a move that will bring more than 4,000 jobs and make next- or two-day shipping available to more Americans.

The announcement comes at a time when consumers are relying on packages being shipped to their homes more than ever before. While online ordering has continued to increase over the years, the pandemic saw a huge surge in such orders as Americans stayed home during lockdowns and had essential items and other goods delivered to their doors. While coronavirus restrictions have eased, many consumers' online ordering habits remain.
Courtesy illustration

The land set for a long-planned mixed-use development on the Eastside is now up for sale, making the future of the $150 million project unclear. Here's what you need to know.

The 7.7-acre property on the corner of Cherry and Essex streets that was set to become Essex Modern City is up for sale and being marketed by commercial real estate company JLL, the Express-News reported.
Soon, night owls looking for late-night eats will find a reprieve from fast-food and long drive-thru lines in The Night Market. The upcoming Asian street food-inspired restaurant coming to Stone Oak is the new concept by Noodle Tree Chef-Owner Mike Nguyen.

Nguyen, who opened the UTSA-area noodle shop in 2019, says he's aiming for a September opening for his added business, but shortages and construction delays have muddied timelines for projects worldwide. Once open, the space at 22810 U.S. Highway 281, will be a true, reliable stop for food. Noodle Tree will remain open.

"I wanted to have a concept where we have a real, late-night spot," Nguyen tells MySA."Where there's no selling out early, closing early, or mediocre food."

The Night Market will not be open later than bars. Last call at the bars will mirror last call for the kitchen and restaurant will close at 2 a.m., Nguyen says.

Courtesy, Mike Nguyen

Nguyen says the menu will have Asian dishes including bao buns, yakitori, three types of udon noodles, and a sweet and spicy stir fry. He says the fare will have touches of local flair, like Bo ne, which translates to "dodging beef" in reference to how diners have to dodge the hot oil splatters. Nguyen says the protein and eggs plate reminds him of huevos rancheros, a classic San Antonio breakfast. He plans on playing up the similarities at The Night Market.

The atmosphere Nguyen is creating inside the Stone Oak spot will round out the uniqueness of the concept. For example, he's planning on installing a half pipe skateboarding ramp. Though it will not be for use, Nguyen says the piece will lend to the "off the walls" experience.

"Why would I want one? Because I just want one in there," he adds.

He points to the Foot Clan's hideout in the 1990s classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as inspiration for what he's trying to achieve. Though The Night Market is a restaurant, not a bar, Nguyen wants the loud, high-energy vibe a drinking spot would have. There will also be a full bar.

"That's kind of the vibe I want to go with, like controlled chaos," he says. "We're going to take that late night bar atmosphere and inject it into a restaurant."
As another scorching weekend approaches in Central Texas, Austinites looking for reprieve in the form of crisp bodies of water will have to settle for the crowded year-round facilities: Barton Springs, Deep Eddy, Bartholomew, Big Stacy, and Springwoods. June 6 is the target date for municipal pools to unlock their gates citywide, but that may not be possible.

Only 10 additional pools will fully open due to a lifeguard shortage: Balcones, Dick Nichols, Dove Springs, Garrison, Govalle, Montopolis, Northwest, Rosewood, Shipe, and Westenfield. And that's only as long as the city fills its lifeguard shortfall to hit the magic number of 375. It would still leave more than half of its 34 pools shuttered until the city can hire more lifeguards, but at least it would alleviate some of the overcrowding and parking problems at the open pools.

So far, it's unclear if the city will even reach 375 by June 6. A spokesperson for the Austin Parks & Recreation Department (PARD) tells MySA that it has 324 lifeguards ready to work as of Thursday, June 2, with a final tally coming by the end of Friday. To fully open all 34 of the city's pools, the optimal number of lifeguards is 750.

If the city hires fewer than 375 lifeguards, the 10 seasonal pools are still likely to open regardless, but they could have limited hours. That means that on June 6, pools like Rosewood, which serves the East Side, could be open on weekends only, or for just a portion of each day. It also means that the planned phased opening for the remaining pools would be delayed.

The cause of Austin's shortage  part of a larger nationwide trend  depends on who is answering the question. The city says the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted hiring. Austin's lifeguards, led by Barton Springs employee Scott Cobb, blame it on low wages.

Back in April, Cobb spent many of his off-shift hours petitioning for a $22 per hour starting wage, plus other benefits like holiday pay and paid time off for lifeguards. He also met with members of City Council, like Vanessa Fuentes and Chito Vela, to discuss an increase in pay for city employees.

In the intervening weeks PARD raised the starting wage for lifeguards one dollar an hour  from $15 to $16  and on Memorial Day, Barton Springs added Mondays back to the schedule. Lifeguards can also earn up to $1,250 in bonuses depending on the position.

But until the city significantly raises that wage to meet an increased cost of living in Austin, Cobb says that pools will remain understaffed.

"I do think the living wage will likely go up in the next budget, so next spring there will likely not be a lifeguard shortage," he says. "But it will continue this summer."
Robin Jerstad /

With the heat hitting the triple digits in San Antonio, heading to the Hill Country to float down the river is a great way to cool off. But knowing what is allowed could save you some money. In New Braunfels, there is a disposable container ban in the city and visitors can face fines if they are caught with restricted items.

City of New Braunfels media and communications coordinator David Ferguson said the disposable container ban is a city law and is only in place in parts of the rivers that are in the New Braunfels city limits. The disposable container ban was put in place after the 2017 river season in response to the large amount of litter that was left behind by river visitors, he added.
Courtesy of the Seguin Police Department

A man was arrested after writing a threat to shoot his workplace in Seguin. Angel Ivan Barraza, 20, of Seguin, was arrested after admitting to writing a threat directed at the Vitesco Technologies facility on Sunday, May 29, according to a news release.

The Seguin Police Department received a call about a threat that was found inscribed on the facility wall of Vitesco Technologies on Sunday. The threat read, Gonna shoot this warehouse on June 4, 2022." The company is located at 3740 N. Austin Street.
Jerry Lara /Staff photographer

San Antonio postal workers haven't had much luck with the animal considered as "man's best friend." The city was recently ranked among the Top 25 worst places where dog attacks have occurred.

There were over 5,400 postal employees attacked by dogs in the U.S. in 2021, according to a report from the U.S. Postal Service, and 30 of those occurred in San Antonio, ranking the city at No. 12 among the Top 25 worst cities where dogs have attacked postal workers.
A reporter trying to cover the Uvalde families laying their children to rest after the school shooting on May 24 was prevented from going near the cemetery by bikers who claim they were working with police.

On Thursday, June 2, Houston Chronicle health reporter Julian Gill attempted to cover the funeral proceedings in Uvalde when he was met with resistance from a group of bikers, according to a San Antonio Express News report.

Dozens of bikers from at least three clubs  Guardians of the Children, Thin Blue Line LEMC, and Marines MC  were assisting the police and firefighters in creating a boundary to prevent reporters from getting on the property.

The blockade involved police officers and firefighters from Uvalde, Allen, Pearland, Conroe, and Lubbock. They made a perimeter around Rushing-Estes Knowles Mortuary, Sacred Heart Memorial Church, and the Hillcrest Memorial Cemetery and threatened to arrest reporters if they stepped near the cemetery grounds, the report says.

The bikers in attendance physically obstructed cameras within designated media areas, followed reporters and harassed them as they walked closer to the ceremonies, the report states.

Julian Gill/Houston Chronicle

Outside the funeral proceedings for Eliahna Torres, one of the 19 children that were killed in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School, another unidentified biker club members said in the video, "We are out here to provide a little bit of comfort and support for the families, we just want to give the families a safe and peaceful space."

In the video, Gill tells the group that he is just trying to do his job and cover Torres' funeral. The unidentified biker and Gill bump into each other as Gill attempts to walk toward the cemetery. Another biker says, "I just saw him assault you."

Gill tells the bikers he is not trying to disrupt the funeral or ask questions to the families, he just wants to watch the funeral take place.

A biker club member of the group named Guardians of the Children said the club is working with the police in the video. "They asked us to be here," the woman says.

Julian Gill/Houston Chronicle

MySA reached out to the Uvalde Police Department for comment.
Rep. Henry Cuellar appears to have held onto his 28th Congressional District seat after a tight primary race with Democratic candidate Jessica Cisneros. His 281-vote win will carry him on to the November midterm election.

Cuellar expanded his 177-vote election day lead by 104 votes after mail-in and provisional ballots were tallied, the Houston Chronicle reports. In the end, Cuellar finished with a total of 22,895 votes to Cisneros' 22,517. The Texas congressman first announced his victory on election night.

"As I said on election night, the margin will hold, and it has not only held but grown," Cuellar said in a statement to MySA. "With every single vote counted across the nine counties in the 28th district, I have won this election by 281 votes."

Cuellar congratulated Cisneros and urged those who voted for her to support him in the November midterms when he is expected to face off against Sen. Ted Cruz's former staffer Cassy Garcia.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

Cisneros pushed voters last week to call in and check on the status of their mail-in ballots to make sure they were counted. In the end, Cuellar's lead is still less than 10%, and Cisneros still has the opportunity to call for a recount.

Cuellar called for a recount in 2004 that led to him grabbing the lead and beating Ciro Rodriguez. Cuellar took the lead with backing from establishment Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Jim Clyburn. But the 17-year U.S. representative has been under criticism during this election cycle for his anti-abortion stance and an ongoing FBI investigation.

MySA reached out to the Cisneros campaign for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan on Friday announced the creation of a legislative committee to investigate the Uvalde shooting.

The fact we still do not have an accurate picture of what exactly happened in Uvalde is an outrage, the Beaumont Republican said in a statement announcing the committee. Every day, we receive new information that conflicts with previous reports, making it not only difficult for authorities to figure out next steps, but for the grieving families of the victims to receive closure. I established this investigative committee for the dedicated purpose of gathering as much information and evidence as possible to help inform the Houses response to this tragedy and deliver desperately needed answers to the people of Uvalde and the State of Texas.

The investigative committee will have subpoena power for its investigation and be led by Rep. Dustin Burrows, a Lubbock Republican who is an attorney. El Paso Democrat Joe Moody, a former prosecutor, will serve as the committee's vice chair. Former Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, who recently lost a bid to become the Republican nominee for attorney general, will also be a member of the panel.

Phelan said Burrows, Moody and Guzman have "decades of experience in civil and criminal litigation matters" that make them well-equipped to conduct the committee's investigations.

The speaker's latest announcement comes days after he announced his support for ending the "dead suspect loophole" in Texas public records laws, which could impede the public's ability to get answers about the police response to the shooting. Law enforcement agencies often use a statute in the law to shield from public release records related to incidents that don't lead to a conviction, including in cases when the suspect dies before a chance to prosecute.

"Its time we pass legislation to end the dead suspect loophole for good in 2023," he said on social media on Wednesday.

The investigative committee includes six Republicans and three Democrats and will have representatives from each of the major mass shootings that have rocked the state in recent years: Republicans Greg Bonnen, Brooks Landgraf and John Kuempel represent Santa Fe, Odessa and Sutherland Springs, respectively; Democrats Mary Gonzalez and Tracy King represent El Paso and Uvalde.

A similar Senate committee set up to respond to the Uvalde shooting earlier this week was criticized for excluding representatives from El Paso, Santa Fe and Uvalde. State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, said his exclusion was a "slap in the face" to the community.

The House committee will also include Rep. Drew Darby, R-San Angelo, who previously led the House Select Committee on Mass Violence Prevention and Community Safety which was set up after the 2019 mass shootings in El Paso and Midland-Odessa. That committee was charged with issuing a report with legislative recommendations based on its findings. But the committee and a similar one in the Senate stopped meetings after the onset of COVID-19 and never issued their reports.

Phelan said the investigative committee will have power of depositions and will be allowed to initiate discovery. That power could play a key role as initial statements by law enforcement about the shooting have proven inaccurate and state officials have said the police chief responding to the shooting has stopped responding to Texas Rangers investigating the incident. Pete Arredondo, the police chief for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District who led the response, has contradicted those statements, saying he is in communication with authorities.

Phelan also asked the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee and the Select Committee on Youth Health and Safety to look into ways to prevent mass violence and enhance community safety. Those committees appear to be responding to Gov. Greg Abbott's call to look into school safety, mental health, social media's role in mass violence events, police training and firearm safety.

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
My Nashville Post role has evolved since 2000 when I joined the now-defunct The City Paper. TCP became a Post sister publication in 2008 (when I began doing some Post work) and folded in 2013. I have been managing editor of the Post since late 2011.

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KateLynn White graduated from Tennessee State University, where she was an editor of the student newspaper. She interned for The Tennessean and The Tennessee Tribune before joining the Nashville Post in 2022. She also contributes to the Nashville Scene.

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(Natural News) The Anti-Defamation Leagues claims that right-wing extremists are responsible for most extremist-related killings are so completely baseless that even the Washington Post had to call them out on it.

Columnist Megan McArdle says that although there are certainly examples of right-wing political violence in the news, the data just doesnt support the ADLs claims that it is a bigger problem than other types of political violence.

After the Buffalo supermarket shooting last month in which an 18-year-old white suspect killed 10 black people, the press jumped on the right, with the New York Times David Leonhardt describing a violence problem that has no equivalent on the left. Many of the articles that tried to push this narrative cited data from the Anti-Defamation League showing the vast majority of the 443 murders committed by domestic political extremists in the last decade were carried out by those with ties to right-wing groups.

The ADLs data claims that 75 percent of extremist-related murders were the result of right-wing extremism across all movements, while just 4 percent were due to left-wing extremism (including anarchists and black nationalists). Twenty percent were attributed to domestic Islamist extremism, while just 1 percent came from other types of extremism.

However, these numbers are pretty easy to manipulate depending on how you define the term extremist. The ADL did this masterfully, defining all homicides that were committed by members of white gangs (most of which were prison gangs) as being the work of right-wing extremists while not defining Latino or black gangs as being politically motivated.

ADL cherry picked cases to inflate numbers

For example, they included a case in their data in which five people were charged for the murder of a 14-year-old girl in Georgia. Because the suspects were members of a white supremacist prison gang, they counted this as a politically motivated homicide even though the girl was actually shot as she ran away from them during a home invasion.

Another case they counted as a right-wing extremist homicide involved a man who was charged with capital murder for shooting a police officer as part of a car chase; he had fired from the vehicle and had no idea who he was shooting at the time. However, because he had white supremacist tattoos, they decided to use this case to inflate their numbers.

In a different incident they considered right-wing extremism, manosphere member Lyndon McLeod went on a shooting spree in Colorado  but it appears that he was killing people he had known from his local tattoo community for personal grievances that were unrelated to political ideology. Other cases they counted included cases of white supremacists killing their wives and prison gang members participating in pedestrian criminal violence.

According to McArdle, all prison gangs organize largely along racial lines, yet the ADL only coded white gangs as white supremacist groups instead of criminal organizations. Many criminals who do not have a particular racial motivation join these gangs for protection and commit crimes with them that have nothing to do with race, so why are they being considered right-wing extremism?

Even the ADL acknowledged that the data could be skewed in the sense that white supremacist gangs often have prominent visual signifiers like tattoos, which means authorities are more likely to pick up on their associations in any type of crime than someone who, for example, watches Islamic State videos at home and then happens to shoot a family member.

After all those reports on the threat of right-wing violence, any new case with a tenuous link to the alt-right or the Aryan Brotherhood seems like part of a trend meriting wall-to-wall coverage. Meanwhile, a Black man driving into a parade after making anti-White remarks on Facebook is seen as a sick individual, McArdle wrote.

Of course, exaggerating the threat of neo-Nazi extremism in America gives the ADL a nice boost in its push for domestic terrorism legislation to advance their political agenda.

Sources for this article include:

InformationLiberation.com

WashingtonPost.com
(Natural News) During Barack Obamas regime, Glenn Greenwald and a few other investigative journalists associated with him revealed through whistleblower Edward Snowden a complex, widespread  and shocking  National Security Agency operation to literally electronically spy on virtually every American who had an electronic device.

The program involved very sophisticated software tools that were classified at the highest levels. But Snowden, who was a very well-paid NSA contractor at the time, felt like he had to do his civic duty and blow the whistle on the entire operation.

His story rocked official Washington, and politicians from both sides of the aisle demanded a) that the program end; and b) answers from the Obama administration about who was responsible for the program and the extent it was being utilized to target and persecute American citizens (who were paying for it with their tax dollars).

Now, less than a decade later, another bombshell revelation: The FBI has apparently picked up where the NSA left off  that is, if the NSA every really did end its program  according to newly outraged lawmakers who are once again demanding answers and accountability.

The Epoch Times has more:

Top House Republicans are demanding answers from the FBI after court-ordered information came to light showing that the federal agency had collected the information of over 3 million Americans without a warrant.

In a May 25 letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Mike Turner (R-Ohio) asked Wray to explain why his agency had wiretapped and gathered personal information on over 3.3 million Americans without a warrant.

Limited authority to gather foreign intelligence information is granted by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

One section of the law, which was originally passed in 1978, called 702 states that the Attorney General (AG) and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) may jointly authorize the targeting of (i) non-U.S. persons (ii) who are reasonably believed to be outside of the United States (iii) to acquire foreign intelligence information.

But, the provision also grants an expanding circle of potential searches to the FBI and other intelligence agencies that can utilize the authority to target Americans who may have come in contact with foreigners already under surveillance. And its this power that the FBI and NSA thoroughly abused.

Historically speaking, details about how the law has been utilized against American citizens has been shielded from the public, buried in reports that are classified.

But in November 2020, a decision by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, or FISC, which hears secret evidence from U.S. intelligence agencies seeking surveillance warrants, required that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) report on the number of U.S. person queries run by the FBI against Section 702-acquired information.

To comply with the order, ODNIs recently-released Annual Statistical Transparency Report contained information on the frequency of the FBI gathering information on U.S. citizens using Section 702 authorities last year.

In total, queries against U.S. citizens came out to a jaw-dropping 3,394,053 searches. By comparison, only 1,324,057 such queries were made in 2020, representing around a 250 percent increase during President Joe Bidens first year in office, The Epoch Times reported.

According to ODNI more than half of these queriesapproximately 1.9 millionwere part of the larger investigation of alleged Russian attempts to target or weaken U.S. critical infrastructure, the outlet continued.

The intelligence directors office also admitted that on at least four occasions, the FBI did not bother to get FISC approval to access information that was collected under Section 702.

The FBI has been busted for abusing its legal authorities under the section before.

In November 2020, the FISC announced that the government  reported numerous incidents in which the bureau spied on Americans and gathered confidential information without first obtaining a FISC warrant.

But the problem is this: Not enough lawmakers in Congress would vote to substantially strip the FBI and the Justice Department of funding and the corrupt officials who run both know that. They also know theyre never going to be held accountable.

So none of these abuses are going to end.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The ongoing shortage of baby formula in the U.S. has impacted 10 states, particularly low-income families, according to data.

Based on figures from market research firm IRI, the states of Alaska, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia experienced the highest out-of-stock levels for baby formula.

At the national level, 23 percent of powdered baby formula was out of stock in the week that ended on May 22  a two-percent climb from the week that ended on May 15. During the first week of January and prior to the February 17 recall of baby formula produced by Abbott Laboratories, only 11 percent of baby formula was out of stock. Prior to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the normal out-of-stock range of infant formula was between five percent and seven percent.

According to government officials, the families reliant on the U.S. Department of Agricultures Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) are the hardest hit by the baby formula shortage. The program allows the families of eligible infants to purchase infant formula using federal benefits, positioning the federal government as the biggest baby formula buyer. According to the White House, WIC beneficiaries purchase about half of the infant formula sold across the country. (Related: WELFARE NATION: More than half of US-born babies are eligible for WELFARE benefits, including food assistance.)

Abbotts recall of baby formula following the deaths of two infants has impacted the WIC, as its Similac product is the programs most widely used formula brand. Similac is used in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Rival Enfamil  produced by Reckitt  is only used in 11 states, while only five states use Nestle-produced Gerber baby formula.

President Joe Biden pledged to continue efforts to speed up domestic production alongside the importation of baby formula from outside the U.S. during a June 1 virtual meeting with executives from baby formula companies.

We will continue to work around the clock with manufacturers, states, doctors and families, he said.

Representatives from Nestle, Reckitt and private-label manufacturer Perrigo were in attendance at the virtual meeting with Biden. They described the shortage as a crisis and said they increased production capability to meet demand. Interestingly, there was no representative from Abbott during the conference.

Abbott, FDA share equal blame for the shortage

A week earlier, officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and baby formula companies testified before lawmakers during a Congressional hearing. The hearing convened by the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, which is under the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, sought to uncover more about the ongoing infant formula shortage.

Abbott North America President for Nutrition Christopher Calamari was in attendance, alongside two other executives from Reckitt and Nestle. Three FDA officials were also present during the hearing  including FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf.

Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), chairwoman of the House subcommittee, denounced the baby formula shortage as unacceptable. While she put the blame on Abbott for the shortage, she also rebuked the FDA. According to DeGette, the regulator needs additional resources to ensure food safety.

Califf acknowledged the congresswomans remarks, admitting that the FDA did not act fast enough when it became clear that there was a food safety problem at Abbots infant formula production facility. The FDA ordered the closure of its Sturgis, Michigan plant in February after at least two infants died of Cronobacter sakazakii infection from contaminated baby formula  which was produced there.

It was too slow and there were decisions that were sub-optimal along the way. Our oversight is critical, but a return to normal will only occur when Abbott takes the steps to resume production in a safe manner, the FDA commissioner said.

Calamari, meanwhile, extended apologies on behalf of his company for the ongoing crisis.

I want to express our extraordinary disappointment that this situation has occurred and our dedication to ensuring that it is addressed as soon as possible. To all of the families who depend on us for a reliable supply of formula  we let you down. We are deeply sorry and are committed to making sure that a shortage like this never happens again, the Abbott executive said.

Watch Dr. Tau Braun explaining how the baby formula shortage ties in with the Russia-Ukraine war.

This video is from the American Media Periscope channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

FDA, Abbott Labs both to blame for the ongoing baby formula shortage.

Walgreens begins rationing baby formula amid worsening supply chain crunch, forcing new parents to scramble.

White House agrees to reopen Abbott Laboratories Michigan facility following recall of contaminated baby formulas.

HUGE stockpiles of baby formula found at the border, proving the shortage was ENGINEERED by the White House to punish and starve Americas babies.

Sources include:

WSJ.com

UPI.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Believe All Women is officially CANCELED!

(Article by Chris Menahan republished from InformationLiberation.com)

VERDICT REACHED: Jury finds Amber Heard defamed her former husband Johnny Depp.#DeppVsHeard #verdict https://t.co/aYEhwthksB pic.twitter.com/fvO9CKqZqZ  FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) June 1, 2022

From Mediaite, BREAKING: Jury Finds Amber Heard Defamed Johnny Depp With Op-Ed:

The jury has reached a verdict in the blockbuster defamation trial between actors and ex-spouses Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. After spending roughly six weeks in the Fairfax, Virginia courtroom, the jury determined that Heard is guilty of defaming her former spouse in a 2018 op-ed she wrote for the Washington Post. Heard was found guilty on all counts, as the jury determined Depp had proven all elements of his defamation case and that Heard acted with actual malicious.

Depp had sued Heard for $50 million in connection with the op-ed, and the jury awarded him $15 million total. The jury specifically awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million dollars in punitive damages. Heard had filed a $100 million countersuit accusing Depp and Depps former attorney Adam Waldman of orchestrating a smear campaign against her via his lawsuit. In regards to the countersuit, the jury determined that Heard has also proven all elements of defamation. The jury awarded $2 million to Heard in compensatory damages.

As I reported previously, Heards op-ed was ghostwritten by ACLU staffer Robin Shulman after Heard pledged to donate $3.5 million to the liberal activist group.

The aim was to capitalize on the #MeToo movement to both smear Depp and promote Heards new movie.

Its now cost Heard her reputation and some $13 million.

#BelieveAllMen!

UPDATE: Heard rushed out this likely prewritten, ghostwritten statement painting herself and all women as the victim:

The disappointment I feel today is beyond words, Heards statement said. Im heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband. Im even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.

I believe Johnnys attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK. Im sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American  to speak freely and openly.

Truly hilarious!

Depp released the following statement through his spokesperson after the verdict came out:

Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed. All in the blink of an eye. False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me. It had already traveled around the world twice within a nanosecond and it had a seismic impact on my life and my career. And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled. My decision to pursue this case, knowing very well the height of the legal hurdles that I would be facing and the inevitable, worldwide spectacle into my life, was only made after considerable thought. From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that. I am, and have been, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world. I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up. I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven guilty, both within the courts and in the media. I wish to acknowledge the noble work of the Judge, the jurors, the court staff and the Sheriffs who have sacrificed their own time to get to this point, and to my diligent and unwavering legal team who did an extraordinary job in helping me to share the truth. The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun. Veritas numquam perit. Truth never perishes.

Read more at: InformationLiberation.com
(Natural News) Dr. Bryan Ardis believes that all of the known powers driving the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic panic theater are doing so on orders from Pope Francis.

Ardis, a businessman, chiropractic doctor and expert on COVID-19 and the vaccines, made this claim during an interview with The Midnight Sentinel host JD Rucker.

I actually think the Roman Catholic Church and the pope, Pope Francis, is over this entire thing, he said during his interview. And I think hes manipulating, controlling the entire narrative. (Related: Vaticans support for vaccines and mandates makes it COMPLICIT in vaccine deaths.)

Ardis added that he believes Francis holds significant influence over many notable individuals who have a lot of control over COVID-19 policy, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, science advisor to the president and former Director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Francis Collins and President Joe Biden.

I think all of them are being controlled by a division of the Roman Catholic Church called the Jesuits, said Ardis.

The Society of Jesus, more commonly known as the Jesuit Order, is a religious order within the Catholic Church known for its progressive stance regarding a variety of issues, including the LGBT and the COVID-19 vaccines. Pope Francis himself is a lifelong member of the Jesuits and is still considered one, although being the pontiff no longer binds him to any obligations he has made to the order.

Ardis noted that the goal of the Jesuits in America is the destruction of the American Constitution as the one last stronghold of a country that preserves and protects religious freedoms.

I think theyve been plotting this whole time [to destroy the Constitution] in many ways, either through wars, now through famine, now through pandemics, said Ardis. I think it has been a complete attempt of them to destroy the Constitution, the United States from within  to reduce militaries of all countries, demolish all borders of countries so we can create a One World Religion with the pope as One World Leader.'

Pope Francis deposing and sidelining Church officials critical of COVID-19 vaccines

Part of Pope Francis drive for power is to make sure that no leading officials within the Catholic Church question any of his pronouncements, especially regarding COVID-19 vaccines, and to elevate allies to positions of authority.

An incident of the former occurred in early March, when Bishop Daniel Fernandez Torres of the Diocese of Arecibo in northern Puerto Rico was relieved of his duties, with an apostolic administrator appointed by the Vatican taking over Fernandezs responsibilities.

His overthrow came following an incident wherein Fernandez declined to sign a joint statement with other Puerto Rican bishops on the moral duty to be vaccinated against COVID-19, even after he was asked to do so by the islands apostolic delegate, who acts as a diplomat representing the Vatican and Pope Francis on Puerto Rico.

In response, Fernandez wrote that he is certain he was removed from office due to the vaccine issue. The former bishop contended that he has also been sacked for his demand that the Vatican-imposed document be published along with another letter of pastoral accompaniment to those who, in a genuine conflict of conscience, came to be listened to and treated with mercy.

Fernandez wrote: I have never denied that getting vaccinated is not an act of love for others, but neither that those who do not do it for a reason of conscience love their brothers less.

In California, Pope Francis recently named Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego as one of 21 new cardinals. McElroys elevation sent a strong message that he is rebuking Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco over the latters announcement that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would not be allowed to receive communion because of her support for abortion rights.

It should be noted that while McElroy is not himself a Jesuit, he was educated in a Jesuit institution, receiving a theology degree from a Jesuit school in Berkeley and has written extensively for the Jesuit publication America on a variety of progressive issues, including his support for LGBT rights, illegal immigration and open borders.

Watch this episode of The Midnight Sentinel as host JD Rucker interviews Dr. Bryan Ardis about Pope Francis role in the COVID-19 pandemic and the proliferation of vaccines.

This video is from the channel Contrarian on Brighteon.com.

More related articles:

Vatican still requires COVID vaccine passports and face masks.

Pope Francis REMOVES Puerto Rican bishop for opposing Satanic vaccine mandates.

Archbishop Vigano denounces Catholic Churchs endorsement of dangerous COVID-19 vaccines.

SATANS PUPPET: Pope Francis calls getting the abortion-tainted COVID-19 vaccine an act of love.

Catholics outraged after the Vatican avoids using the word God in official coronavirus documents.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

NCROnline.org

PillarCatholic.com

SFChronicle.com
(Natural News) I want to stress a very important point first and foremost, because I dont think the political left and the average gun grabber understands the gravity of the situation and they need to be educated:

(Article by Brandon Smith republished from Alt-Market.us)

Liberty advocates will NEVER give up their guns. Its not going to happen. We have drawn a line in the sand when it comes to the 2nd Amendment and we are not going to move, not even an inch. It does not matter what legislation or executive orders Joe Biden promotes, and it does not matter if there are future criminal events involving firearms. There is no scenario in which we are going to hand over our ability to defend ourselves and rely on the government alone. All the indignant wailing and preaching from anti-gun leftists is for naught; they will get nothing.

Gun rights are integral to a free society because they act as a deterrent to potential government over-reach and authoritarianism. Tyrants might infiltrate politics and take over governments, and they might even THINK they have the ability to oppress the public, but they will never be quite sure they can get away with it as long as the public has the means to reach out and touch them from a distance. They will always have doubts and this is vital for freedom  When tyrants have doubts, liberty prevails.

I covered the issue of incoming gun bans in the latest issue of my newsletter, The Wild Bunch Dispatch, but I wanted to examine here the wider implications of disarmament; including what the consequences will be if we were to comply, and what the establishment should fear when most of us dont.

I have said for many years now that I am certain that anti-gun interests WILL try to disarm the American people before 2030, simply because they must. They cannot achieve the implementation of the Great Reset or the New World Order (their terminology from their own mouths) without first taking away our ability to fight back. They know that if they do not disarm Americans they will eventually fail. Its really that easy to understand; if we keep our guns we will win. If we let our guns be taken, we will lose.

One thing must be made abundantly clear in this debate: Gun crimes are irrelevant to gun rights. They do not matter in terms of the constitution, nor should they matter. Our rights supersede the potential for abuse by bad people, and they supersede the whims of government.

The political left seems to think that gun crime is all that matters. They obsess over every single tragedy not because they actually care about the victims or the families involved, but because they assume that each gun crime is a kind of currency that they can use to pay for the eventual purchase of the 2nd Amendment. They think they can buy the option to erase our gun rights using the lives of shooting victims as a trade.

Im sorry I have to inform them, but thats not how it works. Thats not how it will EVER work. And if they think they can force the issue, then there are millions of us in the liberty movement that will teach them a painful lesson in humility. There will come a day when theyll wish they had been more reasonable and not turned to authoritarianism.

In the meantime, they will try every trick in the book to con the public into thinking that incremental measures or executive orders are needed as a means to save lives. They wont save lives, theyll only lead to the disarmament of the population, making it easier to subjugate us and eliminate resistance. The key to understanding gun control laws is to accept the reality that gun grabbers have NO INTENTION of staying satisfied with common sense gun control; they will only be satisfied with gun confiscation. This is why no quarter can be given to them. No compromises. No diplomacy. Nothing.

Its important to clarify where gun rights advocates are coming from, because leftists dont get it. They are perfectly willing to give up their freedoms in exchange for false security. Let me put it this way:

History shows us that disarmament of any population or subset of a population is eventually followed by the oppression and often genocide of that same population. Statistically, disarmament has led to some of the worst mass murders in the history of humanity. We risk losing far more lives by giving up our guns than we risk by keeping our guns.

By extension, a common argument among gun grabbers is that other western nations have extensive gun restrictions and they dont have tyranny. I beg to differ. As we recently witnessed with the covid mandates and the attempted vaccine passports, many governments from the EU to Australia and New Zealand took the mask off (pun intended) and showed their true totalitarian colors to the point that they even created covid camps where people were locked up without due process.

I would argue that had it not been for the growing opposition among conservatives in the US and in parts of Canada, the covid mandate agenda would still be active today and most of our freedoms would be erased. The opposition in the US is the reason why medical tyranny was scrapped through most of the world. For if we can be free despite the existence of covid, then so can everyone else.

And how were conservatives able to defeat the mandates? Ultimately, its because we have guns.

But what about the deaths of children in Uvalde and elsewhere? Dont they matter? Of course they do, and every pro-gun person out there agrees. What we dont agree on is the idea that government should have a monopoly on security and on force. When government has a monopoly on force, millions of people die instead of dozens.

In reality, the events in Uvalde prove once again that defenders of the 2nd Amendment are right. Reports from the scene of the shooting now indicate that police actually failed to stop the shooter (Salvador Ramos) from entering Robb Elementary School and they were ordered to stay outside and do nothing as the shooter moved freely for over an hour. Ramos was finally stopped by a single Border Patrol agent who went in on his own.

Adding insult to injury, police used force to prevent parents and community members from going in and doing the job they refused to do. I want to point out that the fact that the police were ordered to stay out and keep people out is no excuse  Some orders should be ignored and if you dont ignore them then you are partly responsible for the consequences.

I suggest that two simple solutions could have saved lives in Uvalde without erasing our constitutional rights.

First, if public schools removed their gun free zone status and allowed teachers to conceal carry, then Ramos likely would have been dead before harming a single child. Or, he would have at least faced opposition and been cornered.

Second, if community militias still existed in the US as the Constitution demands, then parents could have organized a much faster response and walked right over any police that refused to go in and do what needed to be done. Parents are allowed to risk their lives for their children, and anyone that says otherwise should be ignored or trampled.

The answer to crime of all kinds (not just crimes that involve guns) is more community involvement and a visible armed presence. We need more people to be armed and more individual responsibility for the security of those that cannot defend themselves.

A gun ban will not protect us from crime, it only encourages tyranny. It also doesnt matter because theres nothing that Biden or the political left can do to take our guns anyway. Other solutions need to be tried, and there is a reason why gun grabbers refuse to acknowledge any alternatives  Because they dont care about protecting the innocent, they only care about eliminating a portion of the constitution that has long prevented them from gaining more power.

Ive said it before and Ill say it again, further encroachments on the 2nd Amendment will lead to war. Leftists might welcome this in the assumption that they have the government and the military on their side. They may not realize that many in the military are also gun rights supporters. They also might have forgotten the results of asymmetric wars in places like Afghanistan, and frankly, many Americans have far better gear and much better training than the Taliban. This will not end well for anti-gun authoritarians.

Read more at: Alt-Market.us
(Natural News) How long can we stare into this carnage of killing without losing part of ones own soul. https://t.me/mod_russia_en/1969

(Article by Amarynth republished from TheSaker.Is)

Missile troops and artillery have hit 128 command posts, 169 firing positions of artillery and mortar batteries, as well as 623 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration. The attacks have resulted in the elimination of up to 200 nationalists,

Operational-tactical, army and unmanned aviation have hit 61 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration. The attacks have resulted in the elimination of more than 140 nationalists,

This is in one day, a snippet from the Russian MoD report, not counting the night.

How long can we stare into the masks falling off the evil and foolish faces of all in the hegemonic declining powers, selling lies.

Moscow Warns Bidens Ukraine Missile Backtrack  Risks Direct Confrontation

Just 24 hours after insisting he wouldnt supply Kiev with long-range missile systems, Joe Biden has flip-flopped and now pledged more advanced anti-tank, anti-aircraft and precision systems after being pressured by officials  including Obamas ambassador to Russia.

Biden claimed the US was not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders and didnt want to prolong the war or enter conflict against Russia, but his move was viewed extremely negatively by Moscow.

And

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told RIA Novosti Wednesday that the supply of missiles and further weaponry would increase the risk of direct confrontation.

And

China Conducts Necessary Military Drills Near Taiwan After US Collusion

Chinese military commanders have confirmed recent seaborne and airborne military drills near Taiwan as a necessary action following what they call collusion between the US and Taipei.

Last week President Biden reiterated American intentions to back Taiwan militarily in the event of an invasion, while Senator Tammy Duckworth arrived for a surprise 3-day visit on Monday.

PLA Commander Shi Yi insisted Washingtons support will push Taiwan into a dangerous situation and the US itself will face serious consequences.

How long can we stare at Zelenski the dick on the televisions and newspapers and internet of the day without remaining nauseous?

How long can we stare at the ludicrousness of Ukie coping while all around are dying.

Paul Gray has been associated with four US Nazi groups, which was left unmentioned in this 6 times he was featured by Fox News. The network took steps to conceal his identity and celebrated him as a hero as he took out Russians with US-made Javelins https://t.co/3zkGHAznhN pic.twitter.com/wcWVaTsmQp  Alex Rubinstein (@RealAlexRubi) May 31, 2022

How long can we stare at the videos of a small girl killed by Ukies, convinced that she is their enemy. https://t.me/EurasianChoice/14503

How long can we stare into this abyss of dead human beings and the continuing supply of weapons.

https://t.me/EurasianChoice/14507

How long can we stare into the projections of the western madness onto Russia, saying Russia did something, while it is their own actions being projected.

How long before people understand that Russia is rebuilding in the footsteps of the SMO, fixing what is broken. First ship leaves port after liberation of Mariupol  Southern Military District https://tass.com/economy/1458209?utm_source=startpage.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=startpage.com&utm_referrer=startpage.com

How long before people stop saying: Russia Should ..

Russia is picking up her own dead and injured and wounded, as well as Ukrainian dead and injured and wounded because the Ukrainians do not even pick up their own dead and injured. Even that! Russia must do for them.

Russia is feeding the people with emergency aid.

Russia is rebuilding areas, farming, villages and cities to a functioning state (Unlike the US NATO and partners in Afghanistan for example).

Russia is the only one that stood up against the odious Nazi ideology and its excesses against humankind, and again is clearing the world of that.

Russia and China are calling out the hypocrisy underneath the ugly and foolish faces of all in the hegemonic declining powers selling lies, by every method that is possible. They mock the evil, they speak against it, they expose it, and they are and will fight against it. That is why the ugly and foolish-faced are running the Cancel Russia campaign because they are being driven into a corner and cannot stand it any longer.

In my email box, I receive interesting solicitations. This one came in from the Ukraine:

Hello,

Please can you help me secure my wife and three kids in your country that are currently in danger here in Ukraine? I have enough money available to perfect the mission!

God bless you and Your help to us will reward you 30%.

Thanks.

Name and Rank (which I will not post).

Spam you say? This is a legitimate High Level Ukrainian commander who was even awarded the title of a Hero of the Ukraine and even on Wikipedia, the details fit. A shallow forensics show up that the IP is correct, there are no spam tracks and without detailed forensics, this looks legitimate. If it is, he is asking Russian oriented people for help! Fancy that! Those brave Ukrainian fighters .

But where is the opposition? We start here  this video is the sitrep for today. Larry took time and recorded a professional video. The most important sentence in there, is: We Have To Stop This and it was a cry from the heart.

This is my cry today. How Long? And We have to Stop This!

More opposition: A little about CELAC, the new and building Latin American organization, that stepped up and are stopping it, in the face of Bidens Summit for the Americas. You all remember the Summit for Democracy?

The hegemon is being shot down, brought down, talked down, financed down, and downing itself. These young people are saying We Have to Stop This!

We dont have to go along with the charades of what they call democracy. We can defend our own project of integration in the region. @AbeMarquez3 hears from @manolo_realengo ahead of next weeks @PeoplesSummit22 pic.twitter.com/Sh3jD07uwj  Kawsachun News (@KawsachunNews) June 1, 2022

To answer the question: How Long? Just a little longer until we start talking about 404-CollectiveWest.

Enjoy your discussion.

Read more at: TheSaker.Is
(Natural News) A labor union representing detectives in the New York City Police Department (NYPD) sued the city to prevent the termination of detectives who refused to get the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

On May 31, the Detectives Endowment Association (DEA) filed a lawsuit against New York City (NYC) seeking to prevent about 30 unvaccinated NYPD detectives from being fired on June 3. The lawsuit mentioned that 38 unvaccinated detectives were given termination letters the week prior.

According to the DEA lawsuit, terminating the 30 unvaccinated NYPD personnel alongside 600 others who still have pending religious and medical exemption requests will eliminate approximately 10 percent of the rank dedicated and trained to combat and investigate the crimes that befall the citizenry of the city on almost a daily basis.

When the city needs detectives the most, in order to deal with and investigate the significant rise in crime, respondents  through the misguided justification of the [vaccine] mandate  seek to eliminate the best crime-fighting force in the city. The need for a well-staffed, properly-trained and seasoned police force is imperative during these troubling times.

The May 31 lawsuit further argued that the NYPD cannot afford to lose experienced detectives, as they are needed to train incoming detectives. It also noted that the force is already under pressure amid a wave of retirements anticipated in the summer.

This brain drain  will exacerbate the existing rise in crime, because the department cannot simply plug in a new number to fill this void, stated the complaint.

Former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio originally imposed an Oct. 29, 2021 deadline for city employees to get the COVID-19 shot. City employees were required to show proof that they received at least one vaccine dose, lest they be placed on unpaid leave. The city said on Oct. 30 that one in six NYC workers turned down COVID-19 vaccination. (Related: 65% of San Diegos police force might quit due to covid vaccine mandate.)

Terminations of unvaxxed NYC workers continue

Numerous courts have already held that the citys vaccine mandate for public employees is lawful and enforceable, said Jonah Allon, spokesman for incumbent NYC Mayor Eric Adams. All city workers  unless they have been granted a reasonable accommodation  have had to comply with this mandate as a condition of their employment. We will defend this in court.

According to an NYPD spokesperson, 91 percent of the department had been injected with the COVID-19 vaccine. The same spokesperson declined to answer specific questions, such as the number of detectives that have yet to be injected and the total number of detectives fired for turning down the shot.

In February, Adams terminated more than 1,400 city workers who refused to get injected with the COVID-19 vaccine. Of the 1,430 city employees axed for noncompliance, 36 were from the NYPD, 25 were from the NYC Fire Department and 914 were from the NYC Department of Education.

City workers served on the frontlines during the pandemic. [By] getting vaccinated, they are once again showing how they are willing to do the right thing to protect themselves and all New Yorkers, said Adams. Im grateful to all the city workers who continue to serve New Yorkers and Get Stuff Done for the greatest city in the world.

The mayor added: Our goal was always to vaccinate, not terminate, and city workers stepped up and met the goal placed before them. Adams mentioned that of the 1,000 new employees hired in August 2021 who were admonished for being unvaccinated, only two  are no longer employed by the city.

However, NYCs vaccine mandate did not sit too well with labor leaders.

Workers should not get fired. There are a lot of people who dont believe in putting this stuff in their bodies, said Harry Nespoli, president of Uniformed Sanitationmens Association  the union that represents sanitation workers in the entire city.

Watch the footage of NYC firefighters and law enforcement officers protesting against the citys COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

This video is from the Russia Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

NYC ends vaccine mandate for retail customers  but not for employees.

Mayor Bill de Blasio sued by business owners over New York Citys vaccine mandate.

Looming NYC vaccine mandates are a threat to freedom and fundamental civil rights.

NYC firefighters need help: 26 Firehouses shuttered due to manpower shortage caused by de Blasios vaccine mandate.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NYPost.com 1

NYPost.com 2

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Member of the Austrian Parliament Gerald Hauser slammed Health Minister Johannes Rauch over the latters admission that health policy competencies are being handed over to the World Health Organization (WHO).

This is a clear abolition of our parliamentary democracy, Hauser said during a recent parliament session.

Hauser said in an interview with Austrian website Wochenblick that the whole thing reminded him of the 137 resolutions in the first few weeks of the lockdown that were passed without an assessment.

The Freedom Party representative does not believe that it is up to the government to outsource health policy to the WHO.

In my view, the government has no mandate to negotiate this. Who gave them legitimacy to negotiate the ceding of our rights, our state, to the WHO? And thus to a supranational institution that was not elected by the people, he said.

The 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) took place from May 22-28 In Geneva, Switzerland. It was clear during the meeting that the WHO wants to create a world government. The national constitutions are to be overturned according to the plans of the elite around Bill Gates.

We are in the middle of negotiations without Parliament even remotely involved. The strategy seems to be that the government presents us with a fait accompli,' Hauser said. (Related: World Health Organizations pandemic treaty spells DOOM for democracy.)

Referring to his extensively researched bestselling book Raus aus dem Corona-Chaos, which he wrote with Dr. Hannes Strasser, Hauser revealed who owns and finances WHO. They include: USA (14.67 percent) and Bill Gates with GAVI (18.15 percent), Great Britain (7.79 percent), Germany (5.68 percent), the United Nations (5.09 percent), European Union (3 percent), World Bank (3.42 percent) and Rotary International (3.3 percent).

The decision-making bodies are made up of the member states. Only these are entitled to vote. In accordance with Article 56 of the WHO statutes, the WHA examines and approves the budget proposal and divides the expenditure among the members according to a key to be determined by the WHO. The key to be determined is based on the rating scale of the United Nations, Rauch said, defending the organization.

Hauser called for the immediate decision of the Parliament on whether or not it gives power to the WHO to decide on the health policy in the future.

We want to retain national sovereignty and we dont want Bill Gates and company to decide on health measures in Austria in the future. The legislative body must remain the Austrian Parliament, Hauser stressed.

Brazil refuses to sign WHO pandemic treaty

Meanwhile, Brazil is also not entrusting the countrys management future health crises to the WHO by refusing to sign the pandemic treaty.

Brazil will not get into this [pandemic treaty]. Brazil is autonomous and will not get into this, you can forget that. Ive already [spoken] to our foreign relations cabinet and if that proposal goes forward, it wont be with Brazil, said Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in an interview on May 20.

He said he was the only statesman that didnt adhere to the lockdown policies.

I said we had to take care of the elderly and people with comorbidities, and todays studies outside of Brazil especially show that I was right, Balsonaro stated. He cited the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo as an example of the utter failure of lockdowns to curb COVID-19.

Bolsonaro also had a confrontation with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus last year about COVID-19 measures. The Brazilian president asked why people are still dying of COVID-19 after the second dose of the vaccine.

In response, the WHO chief chuckled and said: We are still studying it.

Watch the below video to know more about the WHO Pandemic Treaty.

This video is from the Data Dumper channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

WHO Pandemic Treaty will take away government oversight in the event of another pandemic, German MEP says.

Be warned: The World Health Organizations Pandemic Treaty will destroy all remaining freedoms and unleash a global MEDICAL DICTATORSHIP.

WHO using COVID omicron variant to push for global pandemic treaty.

UN whistleblower says World Health Organization is tip of the spear for global tyranny.

Brazils Bolsonaro unchained: If you accept this vaccination passport it will lead to population control.

Sources include:

GlobalResearch.ca

Wochenblick.at

WeLoveTrump.com

Twitter.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) One America News (OAN) host Pearson Sharp slammed the Bidens for financing biological laboratories in Ukraine even before the pandemic started.

Its been confirmed by independent cybersecurity experts that Joe Bidens son Hunter was actually financing biolabs in Ukraine that could be producing biochemical weapons at the request of the Biden crime syndicate, said Sharp.

Furthermore, Sharp said official documents uncovered by investigators revealed that the Department of Defense (DOD) awarded $370,000 to biolabs in Ukraine for Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) research in November 2019, which is nearly four months before the World Health Organization officially declared a global pandemic.

Maria Vladimirovna Zakharova, Russian Federations director of Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said President Joe Biden needs to explain his sons involvement with the laboratories.

We can confirm that the key regime is engaged in military biological programs financed by the United States of America. Its impossible these programs were used to benefit science and peace because they were financed by the DOD. The Pentagon and Joe Biden must officially explain to the global community about the programs in Ukraine, Zakharova demanded.

Hunters firm Rosemont Seneca invested half a million dollars in the San Francisco pathogen research company Metabiota, which is working in Ukraine. Hunter also secured additional funding through other firms like Goldman Sachs. Metabiota is a subcontractor for the DODs engineering firm, Black and Veatch. (Related: Hunter Bidens laptop reveals Biden familys ties to secret biological projects in Ukraine.)

Ben Armstrong agreed with Sharp after playing the OAN clip during the June 1 episode of The Ben Armstrong Show.

It was named in those documents as COVID-19 research proving that this was a biological weapon release. But if theyre going to release a biological weapon, theyre not going to release a harmful one that comes back and kills them, he said.

They destroyed the economy by scaremongering everyone with something they knew wasnt actually deadly. Theyve already practiced this to release a virus so that they could introduce a vaccine. People actually dying of COVID-19 is under one percent. It doesnt qualify as a pandemic at all. And the vaccine would be the bioweapon.

Armstrong also pointed out that Biden had a ton of benefits from COVID-19. He took money from the Ukraine and China through Hunter Biden, who had the labs with COVID-19. Who else is involved in this? Dr. Fauci who hates Donald Trump, he said.

Russia-Ukraine conflict presents another corruption opportunity for Biden regime

Elsewhere in the show, Armstrong reminded the public that during his term, Barack Obama gave a private bank $7 billion, which just disappeared. And the owner of the private bank is the same guy employing Hunter Biden.

So, when Russia attacked Ukraine in February, the current administration thought, we can still take advantage of this,' Armstrong said.

Ukraine is one of the ranked European countries where money laundering is rampant. Based on the Basel AML Index in 2020, Ukraine has a risk score of 5.23, where the weakest area is corruption followed by issues with political and civil rights, media freedom and the judiciarys independence.

Biden announced on March 16 an additional $800 million security assistance to Ukraine, bringing the total U.S. assistance committed to Ukraine to $2 billion since the start of the Biden administration. The assistance took the form of direct transfers of equipment from the DOD to the Ukrainian military.

Theres still money laundering during the war. They werent going to stop. They never let a crisis go to waste, Armstrong noted. Theyre paying off people and the money is going into all sorts of places. But it is not going to help the Ukrainian people.

The host cited the $3 trillion U.S. government spent in Iraq back in 2008. The middle east country looks the same as it did before U.S. spent trillions on the war.

If a country spends $3 trillion in their state, there will be brand new buildings, everything would be brand new, massive. It would be like Dubai, which is one of the richest countries for a small country. However, the money was said to have been used on missiles to blow up people, except most them were small incursions and firefights. There was no massive military battle like it was in World War Two, Armstrong said.

More related stories can be found at BidenCrimeFamily.news.

Watch the June 1 episode The Ben Armstrong Show below.

This video is from the New American channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Bidens new disinformation chief was pleased by censorship of Hunter Biden laptop stories.

Investigation proves Hunter Biden FUNDED the illegal biolabs in Ukraine.

After denying existence of US bio labs in Ukraine, Biden regime warns that Russia could release the bioweapons they contain.

Matrixxx Grooove: Company of Joe Bidens son funded bioweapons labs in Ukraine  Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

OANN.com

Global.ChinaDaily.com.cn

SanctionScanner.com

WhiteHouse.gov

VanityFair.com
(Natural News) The California State Senate has passed a bill that ends mandatory reporting to the police of violent acts or threats made by students.

The bill in question is SB 1273, an act to amend Sections 32210 and 48902 of, and to repeal Section 44014 of, the Education Code, relating to school safety. It was introduced by Democratic State Sen. Steven Bradford and was approved by Californias upper house on May 26 by a vote of 21 in favor and 12 against. Nine Republicans and three Democrats voted against the bill.

The bill passed the state senate just two days after a gunman opened fire on an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 children and two adults.

Before the bill was passed, existing law stated that whenever any school official is attacked, assaulted or physically threatened by any pupil, the employee in question and any other school employee with direct knowledge of the incident are required to immediately report the incident to relevant law enforcement authorities.

School officials who fail to provide law enforcement with testimony regarding the threats and acts of violence made against them or their co-workers could face a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $1,000.

If SB 1273 becomes law by passing in the California Assembly and receiving the signature of the governor, these provisions will be repealed. (Related: Attorney Joseph Tully exposes Californias tarnished justice system in his book, California: State of Collusion.)

In a statement made to the Daily Caller, Bradford justified the change because the existing system supposedly led to students experiencing more harm at the hands of law enforcement officials.

Our existing system has led to alarming disparities in the types of students who are most likely to suffer these harms, he said. Black students, Latinx students, students of color and students with disabilities are disproportionately referred to law enforcement, cited and arrested.

SB 1273 will reduce law enforcement involvement in schools and give teachers and administrators, who are often best suited to determine the appropriate response, the flexibility and power they need to support students, continued Bradford. Teachers and administrators will still be able to call law enforcement if they believe that is the right response to a particular incident, but they will not be required to do so.

SB 1273 leaves school vulnerable to acts of violence

State Sen. Melissa Melendez is one of nine Republicans in the 40-man state senate who opposed the bill. She called it a terrifying policy that would leave schools more vulnerable to acts of mass violence, such as school shootings.

I cant believe that just two days after the heartbreaking events in Texas, the State Senate would pass a measure making our children less safe at school, said Melendez. Requiring teachers to report threats of violence in the classroom may be the only warning law enforcement has to prevent a future violent attack.

As an example, Melendez cited Nicholas Cruz  the person responsible for the Stoneman Douglas shooting that killed 17 people. The process for helping students with their behavioral issues did not benefit Cruz.

The [school district] decided they would use alternative means to deal with Nicholas Cruzs behavioral issues, and the end result is that he killed 17 people, said Melendez.

I dont think that every time a child misbehaves in school, that you should bring the hammer down on them  discretion certainly makes sense in a lot of cases, she continued. However, we have seen an increase in violence at our schools, and in too many cases there are instances where a school and parents or caregivers try their hardest to intervene, to redirect, to use some progressive discipline to get the kid back on track and it doesnt work.

Melendez concluded: The end result is other peoples children die because of it. With this bill, today, you are asking for a repeat of Stoneman Douglas across the state of California.

Learn more stories about California by at CaliforniaCollapse.news.

Watch this episode of Health Ranger Report as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about how people need to prepare for mass shootings to increase as the collapse of Western civilization accelerates.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

A US Army recon plane landed in Uvalde just before the shooting and left just before the shooter was killed.

OUTRAGE: Mother of two who came to Uvalde school was handcuffed after demanding police stop standing around and do something.

Texas cops saved their own kids while tackling and pepper-spraying parents who tried to do the same: Uvalde shooting.

Mass shootings just one sign of the systemic collapse of Western society more hunger, violence, debt and destruction yet to come.

California schools teaching WITCHCRAFT to force critical race theory and BLM indoctrination on students.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com



LegInfo.Legislature.ca.gov

DailyCaller.com

Twitter.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) California is in the middle of its worst drought in recorded history, resulting in mandatory water rationing for millions of people in the state.

Nearly all of California is experiencing either a severe, extreme or exceptional drought. Freak weather patterns left the state with very little rainfall from January to March, when California typically receives half of its annual precipitation. This has caused the state to face its driest ever start to the year. One study even suggested calling the current drought the worst in 1,200 years. (Related: 2 Largest reservoirs in California at critically low levels even before summer.)

The only parts of the state that seem to have been spared from the worst effects of the drought are the areas that depend on the Colorado River for water, although officials have noted that water levels in the river are also unusually low and these places could be brought under conservation measures later in the summer.

State officials and agencies have been calling on California residents and businesses to voluntarily reduce their water consumption. When this plan did not work, Gov. Gavin Newsom called on water agencies in the state to take more aggressive actions to save water.

More Californians to experience restrictions on water use

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) is the largest supplier of treated water in the United States. It is a wholesaler with 26 member agencies that covers nearly 80 cities and communities in the state, with a consumer base of around 19 million people, or 40 percent of the states population.

The MWD previously declared a water shortage emergency in April and its board at the time voted unanimously to curtail water use. It has expanded its restrictions on water use for approximately six million people living in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.

Residents in these counties depend on water provided to them by the State Water Project, a distribution network that brings water from Northern California all the way down to the southernmost areas of the state. But during this ongoing drought, the project delivered just five percent of the water local municipalities had requested as a result of limited snowpack and reservoirs depleted by three years of drought.

Beginning on June 1, residents and businesses from the three above-mentioned counties will have to limit their outdoor water usage to one or two days a week or have water volume restrictions. In addition, all residents of Southern California are being asked to voluntarily cut their water usage even further by 20 to 30 percent.

Metropolitan has never before employed this type of restriction on outdoor water use. But we are facing unprecedented reductions in our Northern California supplies, and we have to respond with unprecedented measures, said Adel Hagekhalil, the MWDs general manager, in a statement.

Some water agencies that fall under the MWD are going even further. The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District and the Los Angeles Department of Water have limited water usage by address, where certain neighborhoods can only water their plants for two eight-minute periods of outdoor watering per week and only during the early morning or evening. Exceptions are given for hand-watering of trees necessary to maintain ecologically important tree canopies.

Using our precious water resources to irrigate thirsty grass that serves no function is wasteful, particularly during this severe drought, said Hagekhalil. Our priority must be to preserve and stretch our limited supplies to ensure we have enough water to meet human health and safety needs.

Local agencies that fail to meet the states water use reduction goals are fined up to $2,000 per acre-foot of water. An acre-foot is equivalent to nearly 326,000 gallons of water. The MWD and other water districts will monitor water usage and if the current restrictions fail to curb water consumption, they could order total bans on outdoor watering in the most affected areas as soon as September.

Learn more about the drought in California at CaliforniaCollapse.news.

Watch this video from Evolutionary Energy Arts as hosts Mike and Cindy talk about how California is shutting off water deliveries to farmers.

This video is from the channel Evolutionary Energy Arts on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Collapsifornia: California Gov. Gavin Newsom to mandate rationing of water, food and energy.

California regulators nix water desalination plant that would provide clean drinking water to citizens are they TRYING to destroy the state?

California water use jumped dramatically despite Governor Newsoms pleas for conservation.

With water running out, California faces grim summer of dangerous heat, extreme drought.

Sierra snowpack falls to one of lowest levels in 72 years, perpetuating California drought.

Sources include:

CBSNews.com

USAToday.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) For several centuries, smallpox was a major problem. Then, in the late 1800s, doctors and scientists began more in-depth research regarding disinfection practices and steam sterilization. Revolutionary surgical instruments (metal and non-metal) were made with smooth surfaces and from materials that could withstand high-heat sterilization. Then, in the 1900s, doctors and scientists began using irradiation, high pressure, ultraviolet light and ethylene oxide to make surgeries much safer and much more often successful.

Plus, environmental health and safety vastly improved in the mid-1900s, including infectious waste management, cleaning services, respiratory protection and air and water handling (including plumbing). There was no longer much need for miracle vaccines to save humanity from infectious diseases, including measles and smallpox.

FAKE Father of Immunology used as catapult for new vaccine religion

The ever-corrupt American Medical Association (AMA) and the fraudulent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wanted to create a different image for modern medicine, a global campaign that would profit in the millions (and billions) for decades to come. One way to accomplish this would be to pretend that Edward Jenner was the Father of Immunology, and create a fake medical hero who would be used as a catapult for the new vaccine religion. All complications of vaccination would be blamed on infectious diseases they were supposed to prevent and/or cure.

So history was altered, and in a big way. It was rewritten and reconstructed to fit a narrative to push vaccines. Edward Jenner (1749  1823) was to be lauded as a medical savior for sparing millions of people from infectious disease, but his crude forms of injection caused horrific problems in and of themselves. Jenner pretended to be a surgeon in Berkeley, yet he never even became a doctor.

In fact, Edward Jenner never even passed a medical exam in his whole life. Since medical examinations were not compulsory, Jenner simply hung a sign over his office that said Surgeon, Apothecary. He later literally purchased medical degrees that he never earned. This is the fraudster and huckster that the entire multi-billion dollar vaccine industrial complex is built upon.

Jenner, the so-called Father of Immunology, saw his son die at 21 after injecting him with several vaccines, including cowpox jab

In the late 1700s, Edward Jenner injected his first-born son with a slew of so-called vaccines only to watch him die at the ripe age of 21 from TB. Jenner avoided injecting his other son with anything after that, and became an anti-vaxxer when it came to his own family using his faked inventions. Jenner stole the vaccine formulas from dairy maids anyway, and never originated any form of medicine himself.

And so the whole faked story of the holy grail of medicine being vaccines was conjured up with an unscientific superstition backed by ZERO scientific evidence and propagated as safe and effective by fraudulent government agencies.

Recorded vaccine failure: Smallpox cases for people who already received the smallpox vaccine in the 1900s continued to be recorded

Smallpox vaccines were causing more damage than good when they were invented, but the carnage was covered up well, just like the carnage from COVID-19 vaccines right now. Jenner helped hide evidence of that health decimation, while the charlatan-based pro-vaccine fanaticism grew and brew like its own virus, and spread across the world like a pandemic.

Later, the CDC and AMA would discover a new fake vaccine hero, Dr. Jonas Salk, the God of cult pharmacology. They claimed he invented a polio vaccine, but all he really did was conduct illegal medical experiments on mental patients. Again, during a time of much healthier living habits, including taking vitamin D for immunity, the highly corrupt medical regulatory agencies gave all the healing credit to faked vaccine research and efficacy. The entire March of Dimes campaign was run on fraudulent vaccine theory and inflated paralysis data to brew fear and promote vaccinations.

The AMA ran a massive fear-based campaign of psychological terror (sounds just like today with Wuhan coronavirus and monkeypox), that conned and coerced millions of people to run out and get jabbed with experimental, unproven toxins called vaccines. In fact, all vaccine sales and marketing are based solely on fear and propaganda, and have nothing at all to do with evidence-based medicine. Edward Jenner and Jonas Salk were nothing more than witchdoctors who pretended they knew what they were doing. This key information is missing from all medical historical publishing, except if you know exactly where to look.

The sad part is that vaccines spread disease more than they prevent it. The polio vaccine is proven to spread polio, including the injected kind and the oral kind. The coronavirus vaccines wreck your immune system with lab-made virus look-a-likes in the form of toxic protein prions that invade and clog the entire vascular system.

Meanwhile, criminal scientists working for criminal pharma giants continue to operate falsified clinical trials while billions of human victims of vaccine violence are abused, permanently injured and/or killed by the very injections that are supposed to prevent disease and death. Go figure.

Do your own research, and do NOT use Google. Try the search engine Brave BETA and get more truth news and real information. Bookmark Vaccines.news to your favorite independent websites for updates on dangerous and deadly vaccines and the FAKE heroes who create them.

Sources include:

FlushingHospital.org

NCBI.nlm.nih.gov

GlobalFreedomMovement.org

TruthWiki.org
(Natural News) Gazprom has cut off gas supply to Denmarks Orsted, as well as to Shell Energy for its contract to supply gas to Germany.

The Russian gas producer announced the move Wednesday, June 1, citing the companies failure to make payments in rubles. It was an obvious response to recent statements by European Union (EU) leaders that they will block most Russian oil imports by the end of 2022 to punish Moscow for invading Ukraine.

Russia has also halted gas supply to Dutch gas traders GasTerra, Bulgaria, Poland and Finland after their refusal to pay in Russian rubles. Gas importers from Germany, Italy and France said they would engage with the Kremlins payment requirement to maintain their supplies. (Related: European gas importers quietly surrender to Russia and begin buying gas in RUBLES while the Wests economic warfare scheme disastrously BACKFIRES.)

Meanwhile, Danish system operator Energinets data showed that the flow of natural gas to Denmark via Germany remained steady as of Wednesday.

The EU gets about 40 percent of natural gas from Russia, which is also the blocs main oil supplier. Some countries are more dependent on Russian fossil fuels than others, so the supply cuts could have varied economic impacts.

Nathan Piper, head of oil and gas research at Investec, warned of the ongoing risk that efforts to reduce Russian oil and gas imports would result in higher oil and gas prices. Russian volumes may gradually be reduced but they are compensated by higher overall prices, he said.

The EU bloc has been filling gas storage sites in preparation for the winter following the threats of cutting the Russian supply. No sanctions on Russian gas exports have been imposed, although plans to open a new gas pipeline from Russia to Germany have been frozen.

Meanwhile, EU leaders have agreed on an immediate ban on Russian oil being transported into the bloc by sea.

In late March, Russia said unfriendly countries would have to start paying for its oil and gas in rubles after Western allies froze billions of dollars it held in foreign currencies overseas.

Under the decree, European importers must pay euros or dollars into an account at Gazprombank, the Swiss-based trading arm of Gazprom, and then convert this into rubles in a second account in Russia. Ninety-seven percent of EU companies gas supply contracts with Gazprom stipulate payment in euros or dollars.

EUs dependence on Russian oil means it is bankrolling the war in Ukraine

EU countries are aware that their dependence on buying gas and oil from Russia means bankrolling the war in Ukraine but they cannot do much about it, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi admitted after a two-day EU summit in Brussels on May 31.

During the summit, EU leaders agreed to a partial embargo on Russian oil.

There is, especially in some countries, an awareness of the impossibility of [not buying Russian energy]. So, it is a very frustrating situation, but it will have to be resolved. It is a very embarrassing situation, Draghi added.

EU also knows, Draghi admitted, that Russia uses the proceeds from energy exports to support its efforts in the Ukraine conflict.

The Russian decree created in March indicates that one account be created in euros or dollars and another one in rubles.

The move was initially rejected by the EU since the transaction could involve the sanctioned Russian central bank. But later, EU revised the guidelines on the issue, which led some companies, including Italys Eni SpA, to allow the payment method.

Draghi said the mechanism left him confused, but stated that Eni legally settled its bills in euros, which allows it to remain compliant with EU sanctions. Eni has said it has opened accounts in both rubles and euros with Gazprombank.

Italy depends highly on the Russian gas supplies, but Draghi said the Italian government is now working on securing new gas deals in Africa and other suppliers elsewhere.

Visit WWIII.news for more news related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Watch the below video about Russia halting gas supply to Finland.

This video is from the Chinese taking down EVIL CCP channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Hungary says no to EUs Russian oil embargo sanction.

Russian Deputy PM: Rejection of Russian oil would lead to catastrophic consequences for global market.

EU committing economic suicide by imposing sanctions on Russia.

Gas storage in Germany hits record lows as Russia halts fertilizer shipments and European continent reels from high heating costs.

Renewables put Europes electrical energy at the mercy of Russia.

Sources include:

TheEpochtimes.com

BBC.com

AA.com.tr

FinancialPost.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Hunter Bidens level of depravity continues to shock most Americans as much as the fact that the disgustingly dishonest deep state media refuses to cover it in a naked effort to protect his Democrat president father  something that would not happen in the slightest if any of Donald Trumps children behaved even remotely similarly.

Earlier this week, a new report detailed even more heinous behavior on the part of the first son: An online search history revealing his zeal for crackhead MILF and incest pornography.

Biden, who dated his late brothers wife Hallie (a disturbing turn of events for which she is equally to blame), was also obsessed with lonely widows and incest fantasies, according to Internet search histories spanning just six days before he took his infamous laptop into a Delaware computer repair shop to be fixed in March 2019.

Also, according to the UKs Daily Mail, Hunter Biden was also a fan of taking videos of himself having sex with prostitutes and then uploading those videos to his own Pornhub account, RHEast, though none of the videos showed his face.

The report also noted that in at least one instance, Hunter Biden texted a Pornhub page to a phone number that was saved in his accounts as Dad on Oct. 22, 2018, though the outlet goes on to say that Joe and Hunter Biden used each others phone numbers alternately at various times so it is not clear if the current president was the intended recipient of the URL.

The report adds:

Hunter, who had a controversial relationship with his brothers widow, also repeatedly searched Pornhub for videos involving widows, including Homemade widow porn, Homemade lonely widow porn and Lonely widow porn.

The Biden son, who was 49 at the time, searched for porn videos involving teenagers according to his browsing history.

Videos he visited included 18 Yrs old and really Good at Riding D***, TEENFIDELITY Country Girl Raylin Ann C****pie and Lucky Foreign Student Stripped & F***ed by Horny Teen Pals.

In addition, he searched for Washington DC Milf Crack Cocaine seven times throughout the week prior to taking the computer in to be fixed  which he later abandoned.

Among the pornography searches is a record of him visiting a 2009 New York Post article regarding his sister, Ashley Biden, and her history of arrests, partying and claimed use of cannabis while she was attending college in New Orleans.

He often searched for results using DuckDuckGo, a much more discreet alternative to Google, especially when he searched for himself a number of times between March 12 and March 17, 2019.

Text messages and videos taken from the hard drive of the laptop show Hunter Biden ordering prostitutes to his hotel rooms in Connecticut and California while also discussing the purchase of crack cocaine with them, as well as taking porn videos with them and then posting them to his Pornhub account.

The profile picture for his account is a photo of two women sitting on him on a bed in a messy room, with a small white dog also perched on the bed in the background, the Daily Mail reports. The videos Hunter filmed on his laptop include one where a woman uses her feet during sex. In another video, Hunter puts his hand around a womans throat while having sex.

Screenshots taken from another very explicit video show the first son left a woman tied up on his bed and her head covered with a red stocking while he left to go out and get pastries. Upon his return, he took a screenshot as he munched on a sandwich and placed a chocolate croissant in front of the woman who was still hooded and trussed.

This is one disgusting, disturbed human being, but of course, he wont be held out as such by a blatantly dishonest mainstream media since his last name isnt Trump.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

ZeroHedge.com
(Natural News) One of the biggest false claims about Donald Trump is not that he was a dupe of Vladimir Putin or that he and the Kremlin colluded to steal the 2016 election from two-time presidential loser, Hillary Clinton, although those are pretty serious.

No, the biggest lie told about Trump by Democrats and the never-Trump political crowdis that he lies.

Everything Donald Trump has said was done to him by the double-crossing deep state has been true:

 He was spied on during his 2016 campaign and beyond;

 Barack Obama did authorize his Trump Tower to be wiretapped  a slang term meaning electronic surveillance;

 He did not collude with Russia in any way, shape, or form;

 He was joking when he said during a campaign speech that Russia probably had Hillarys missing emails;

 He never threatened to withhold military aid from Ukraine until Kyiv agreed to investigate Joe and Hunter Biden.

And so on.

But heres something else: Trump was branded as a liar and a conspiracy theorist when he argued that voting machines during the 2020 election were very likely manipulated, based on eyewitness reports that they were.

Now, it turns out that he was right about that, too.

And none other than CNN is reporting it:

Federal cybersecurity officials have verified there are software vulnerabilities in certain ballot-marking devices made by Dominion Voting Systems, discovered during a controversial Georgia court case, which could in theory allow a malicious actor to tamper with the devices, according to a draft analysis reviewed by CNN.

The vulnerabilities have never been exploited in an election and doing so would require physical access to voting equipment or other extraordinary criteria standard election security practices prevent, according to the analysis from the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

But because the subject is Dominion voting equipment, which has been the target of conspiracy theorists who falsely claim there was large-scale fraud in the 2020 election, federal and state and local officials are bracing for election deniers to try to weaponize news of the vulnerabilities ahead of midterm elections.

While these vulnerabilities present risks that should be promptly mitigated, CISA has no evidence that these vulnerabilities have been exploited in any elections, reads the draft CISA advisory, which was shared in a briefing with state and local officials on Friday.

You see what state-aligned CNN is doing here, nonetheless: While reporting that the machines have been found to be vulnerable to hacking, the fake news network went on to throw cold water on the 2020 election in a weak attempt to claim that there was no hacking in Joe Bidens victory. What a load of manure; the machines are either vulnerable or they arent, and they apparently are, which means, by default, they could have been (and, according to eyewitnesses, were) hacked and manipulated to cheat Trump out of his reelection.

And another thing: There was wide-scale vote fraud in the last election, as the meticulously documented film 2,000 Mules points out; the never-Trumpers and Democrat/left-wing media liars have screamed for 18 months, Wheres the proof??  and yet, when the proof is laid out clearly using official data and video sources, the left still claims there is no proof that Trumps election was stolen. Thats how this game works; it doesnt matter if Joe Biden shot someone on a D.C. street in broad daylight with all the major networks filming at the time, they would find some way to claim it wasnt him.

But theres another reason why CNN is reporting on this now: We have more elections on the horizon and the Democrats are going to take a shellacking thanks to the pitiful, pathetic job Biden is doing. Look for major Republican victories to be blamed on hacked voting machines that they warned us about months ago.

The left is pushing to destroy trust in our electoral system so they can convince enough Americans to allow them to replace it with one that will keep them in power forever.

Sources include:

CNN.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Some of Germanys wealthiest societal dynasties amassed their riches during Adolph Hitlers reign of terror and then used those fortunes to buy up shares in some of todays biggest companies, according to a new book.

Nazi Billionaires by investigative journalist David de Jong unveils the dark histories behind the manner in which Germanys most affluent families  the Quandts, the Flicks, the von Fincks, the Porsche-Piechs  amassed their fortunes and power, mostly by enabling Hitlers murderous Third Reich. In addition, de Jongs book also charts how the families lasting wealth has led to positions of influence among several of the worlds most enduring and biggest brands.

Their legacy lies in ubiquitous consumer goods and car brands beloved around the world like BMW, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, and Volkswagen, Audi, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce, the UKs Daily Mail reports. The ultra-secretive Reimann family owns the majority stake in companies like: Snapple, Dr Pepper, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, Peets Coffee, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Keurig Green Mountain, Panera Bread, and Pret A Manger. They also have their foot firmly in the luxury fashion market with Bally and Jimmy Choo.

The book also reveals that the Oetker empire also takes in the countrys biggest beer brewer, Radeberger, and reveals a portfolio of the globes most exclusive luxury hotels such as Hotel de Cap- Eden- Roc, Le Bristol Paris, and The Brenners Park Spa Hotel in Baden-Baden, Germany.

The report adds:

The book details how a few opportunistic tycoons enriched themselves on corruption, cruelty, and the spoils of virulent anti-Semitism. They expanded their empires by forcibly taking over Jewish-owned assets in a process known as Aryanization and increased profit margins through free slave labor from concentration camps.

In the years since World War II, these elusive German families have ignored their associations to the companies that armed and fed Nazi soldiers, but their service to Hitlers cause continues to afford a life of luxury for their beneficiaries today with castles, boats, private jets, ski chalets, and expensive art.

In Germany, which is widely viewed as a country noted for being a paragon of contrition and remembrance, the names of these dynasties continue to adorn buildings and are associated with foundations, prizes and scholarships.

I am a capitalist, declared Verena Bahslen, 26, the heiress of a biscuit empire, in May 2019. I own a quarter of Bahlsen and I am happy about it too. It should continue to belong to me. I want to make money and buy sailing yachts from my dividend and stuff.

Adding to the insulting tone is a claim by Bahlsen that her company did not have anything at all to be ashamed about, as during Hitlers reign we paid forced laborers the same as Germans and treated them well.

But de Jong noted that Bahslen is but one of several German scions who sidestep a complete reckoning with the dark history that stains their fortunes.

War was lucrative for Germanys industrial bosses who got financially fat underpinning the Third Reich, the Daily Mail reported. Gunther Quandt was Germanys most important arms and ammunition manufacturer, Friedrich Flick controlled the largest steel, coal and artillery conglomerate, [while] Albert Reimann bragged in a letter to Heinrich Himmler, that his chemicals company was a purely Aryan family business that is over 100 years old.'

Following Germanys defeat in World War I, the victorious allies imposed a combination of humiliating conditions on Germany that include war reparations and strict limits on the size of the countrys military. That led to a wave of political and economic discontent that Hitler rode to the chancellorship in 1933.

In the years beforehand, he made inroads with Germanys wealthiest families and businessmen in a bid to promote and shore up the Nazi party. The companies would keep their operating costs low by employing forced laborers from the concentration camps to feed the endless demand for supplies, munitions, uniforms, food and of course, weapons.

Decades later, their service to Hitlers cause continues to afford the lap of luxury for their beneficiaries today with boats, private jets, ski chalets, expensive art collections and homes around the world, the Daily Mail reports, citing de Jongs well-researched book.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The Russian government is continuing its investigation into the United States militarys biological programs in Ukraine, and the conclusion it keeps coming to is that there is more than just research taking place there.

The Convention on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons requires that every state party submit an annual report in the form of a declaration proving compliance with the convention. It turns out that Ukraines reporting contains numerous inconsistencies.

Neither Ukraine nor the United States submitted adequate information on their cooperative biological research and development report in the realm of biological protection. Further, neither Poland nor Germany declared any engagement with Ukraine in their reporting.

Ukraine does claim that its government has not conducted and is not conducting any offensive or defensive activities in the framework of biological research and development programmes. It also says that it does not have any information about the activities of the former USSR in Ukraine since Jan. 1, 1946.

However, these statements directly contradict a May 20, 2022, statement made by Lewis Gitter, the U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the OSCE that assistance to Kiev is aimed at  reducing biological and veterinary risks, as well as securing the illegal stockpiles of biological weapons left behind by the USSR 

In addition, the characteristics of the facility (area of laboratory facilities, number of staff) do not match the information previously submitted by Ukraine, reports The Saker.

The question arises: Why did the U.S. and Ukraines reporting documents to the UN not include work under the joint military-biological projects codenamed UP? Such secrecy is another reason to think about the true goals of the Pentagon in Ukraine.

Will anyone hold the U.S. and Ukraine responsible for this?

It is clear from the official documents that the Pentagon, represented by the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), is organising work with a clear military-biological focus.

The Russian Defence Ministry also identified numerous breaches of safety requirements in Ukrainian laboratories, including several incidents of insufficient staff protection. There were also tests conducted at laboratories without proper biosafety certification.

Only three biolabs in Ukraine are authorized to conduct the type of research that Russian authorities identified taking place all over the country. These are the Odessa Anti-Plague Institute, the Lvov Research Institute of Epidemiology and Hygiene and the Public Health Centre in Kiev.

The Security Service of Ukraine noted the preconditions for the emergence of biological threats due to systematic violations and poor quality of work in the reconstruction of biolaboratories, a report on the subject explains.

Other gross violations include improper storage of microorganisms, lack of access control and management systems, and inadequate ventilation systems.

According to eyewitness accounts of an incident that was reported in 2021, an employee of a biolaboratory removed from the premises a handful of vials containing dangerous microorganisms.

These and other violations occurred during the period of the U.S. biothreat reduction program, it is important to note.

This demonstrates that Washingtons officially declared goals are merely a screen for the implementation of illegal military-biological activities in Ukraine, reports explain.

The neglect of pathogens, the unprofessionalism and corruption of the executive branch, and the destructive influence of U.S. handlers pose a direct threat to Ukrainian and European civilians.

The Russian Defence Ministry claims to have also confirmed the fact that Ukrainian biolabs are connected to a global communicable disease surveillance system.

The backbone of this network, which has been formed by the Pentagon since 1997, is the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (Maryland), reports indicate. It includes land and naval laboratories as well as military bases around the world.

More of the latest news about the Russia-Ukraine conflict can be found at Chaos.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheSaker.is

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Russias nuclear forces have launched fresh drills in the Ivanovo province just northeast of Moscow, with some 1,000 servicemen doing intense maneuvers using over a hundred vehicles  including Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launchers.

Western media reports see the drill as a response and warning to Washington as U.S. President Joe Biden approved more military aid and weapons for Ukraine, longer-range rockets in particular.

One article noted that the Russian report follows the announcement of the U.S. approving another $700 million for security assistance to be sent to Kyiv, which would include helicopters, anti-tank weapon systems and medium-range high mobility artillery rocket systems.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin is issuing new warnings over the U.S. violating red lines, which could lead to the country becoming involved in the Ukraine conflict due to the rocket launcher supplies.

A new consensus also emerged that Russian forces are winning in Donbas, amid the latest gains over the Luhansk province. The final Ukrainian holdout city of Sievierodonetsk is also poised to fall to the Russians. The White Houses move to send in longer-range rockets, which are actually in effect medium-range, seems to be aimed at stalling the Russian gains in Donbas.

The Biden administration previously said it would reject the possibility of sending long-range rockets to avoid rapid escalation with Russia after the Kremlin declared red lines concerning the type of major West-supplied weaponry.

In a New York Times op-ed, Biden outlined what America will do and not do in Ukraine, stressing that while many people are concerned about the use of nuclear weapons, he doesnt believe Russia intends to use them.

We currently see no indication that Russia has intent to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, though Russias occasional rhetoric to rattle the nuclear saber is itself dangerous and extremely irresponsible, Biden said. (Related: Russia claims latest missile attack is ANOTHER false flag.)

Let me be clear: Any use of nuclear weapons in this conflict on any scale would be completely unacceptable to us as well as the rest of the world and would entail severe consequences.

Meanwhile, the U.K said it will also send sophisticated medium-range rocket systems to Ukraine. U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said Britain will send an unspecified number of M270 launchers, which can send precision-guided rockets up to 50 miles.

He added that the decision was closely coordinated with the U.S. decision to send High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems to Ukraine. The two missile systems are similar, although the American one has wheels while the British one, which is also U.S.-built, runs on tracks.

Britain also said that Ukrainian troops will be trained in the U.K. to use the equipment.

Moscow has already warned the West against granting Ukraine the range to fire into Russian territory.

US and allies want to hold Russia accountable for alleged war crimes

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address on Thursday, June 2: We have to defend ourselves against almost the entire Russian army. All combat-ready Russian military formations are involved in this aggression. He added that the front lines of the battle stretched across over 1,000 kilometers or 620 miles. (Related: US military revamping to fight Russia  and maybe China  in the Arctic.)

Zelensky also said Russia had forcibly abducted 200,000 Ukrainian children since the beginning of the war in February, including some from orphanages and those separated from their families, although he did admit that they do not yet have all the information from the territory that is currently occupied.

The U.S. and its allies want to hold Russia accountable for alleged war crimes during its invasion. Since the conflict, the Russian forces have allegedly bombed maternity hospitals, train stations, apartment buildings and homes.

Weve received credible reports of Russian forces torturing and committing execution-style killings of people with their hands bound behind their back, U.S. Undersecretary of State Uzra Zeya said at a United Nations Security Council meeting on strengthening accountability and justice for serious violations of international law.

Follow WWIII.news for more updates about the Russia-Ukraine war.

Watch the video below as Volodymyr Zelensky admits Ukraine is losing the war with Russia.

This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Leaked docs show FBI-funded Ukrainian neo-Nazi Azov Battalion that orchestrated Charlottesville chaos to stoke racial division, destabilize West.

Watch: Ukrainian soldiers film themselves using phones of dead Russian soldiers to call their families and mock them.

ANALYST: Russia has a moral imperative to neutralize Ukraines weapons systems that allowed NATO to threaten Russia with bioweapons.

After denying existence of US bio labs in Ukraine, Biden regime warns that Russia could release the bioweapons they contain.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

Independent.co.uk

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) A large-scale review conducted by The Wall Street Journal on nearly 3,000 Chinese-language clinical reports shows that many Chinese surgeons are harvesting the organs of live patients in order to funnel the high-value body parts into the communist countrys transplant tourism trade.

Published in the American Journal of Transplantation, the Journals review highlights the fact that certifiable murder is taking place in China under the guise of surgery and medicine  and this has been going on since at least the early 1990s.

On March 18, 1994, in Wuhan, China, of all places, eight doctors at the Tongji Medical College hospital traveled 40 miles to harvest a heart from a death row prisoner. Instead of waiting for the individual to be executed, however, the doctors executed him themselves in order to obtain the live heart.

When the chest of the donor was opened, the chest wall incision was pale and bloodless, and the heart was purple and beating weakly, they wrote.

But the heartbeat became strong immediately after tracheal intubation and oxygenation. The donor heart was extracted with an incision from the 4th intercostal sternum into the chest  This incision is a good choice for field operation where the sternum cannot be sawed open without power.

There seems to be very little morality or ethics in communist China

In order for a declaration of brain death to be legitimate, an organ donor must lose the ability to breathe spontaneously and have already been intubated. This, reports the Journal, is the standard by which established medicine operates. And yet this is not what occurs in communist China.

The above example of a live person being organ-harvested, then murdered, is just one of many. Over the three-decade period evaluated by the Journal, more than 300 medical workers at 56 different Chinese hospitals were involved in such procedures where a brain death was declared before intubation.

In the Wuhan cases, intubation did take place before surgery began. However, in many of the other cases looked at, no intubation occurred at all before organs were harvested from patients.

It has long been known that China harvests organs from death-row prisoners and prisoners of conscience as part of a large-scale, lucrative trade, the Journal reports.

To the extent that such religious minorities as Falun Gong and Uyghur Muslims have been targeted, a London-based independent tribunal described it as a crime against humanity and potentially a component of genocide. Yet until now there has been no systematic study of the role of doctors in carrying out the executions themselves.

While the period looked at in the Journal study ends in 2015, the news outlet says it believes that the abuse likely continues. There is no indication that communist China is suddenly cracking down on patient murder, probably because the transplant tourism trade is extremely lucrative.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claims that this horrific practice of murdering live patients for their organs ended in 2015, but nobody else is convinced. A 2019 paper published in the journal BMC Medical Ethics suggests that the CCP is falsifying data and essentially lying about what is really going on in the country.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is defending China in all this, having established an anti-organ-trafficking task force that is corrupt to the core. The WHO has also attacked the Journal for its research proving falsified numbers in the organ trade.

The Chinese states use of medicine as a tool of repression is well known, as seen in the use of psychiatry to repress dissent, conduct forced abortions and more, the Journal warns. Most recently, medicine has been implicated in the genocide of the Uyghurs.

More news stories like this one can be found at CommunistChina.news.

Sources for this article include:

WSJ.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) A new study from Portugals National Institute of Health found evidence that the virus responsible for the spread of monkeypox in Europe, North America and Australia has been heavily manipulated by scientists in a lab. Further evidence suggests that it was released intentionally.

Monkeypox usually begins with a fever before developing a rash one to five days later, usually on the face, before it spreads to other parts of the body. The rash then changes and goes through different stages before forming into a scab that later falls off by itself. A person affected is usually contagious until all scabs have fallen off and the skin is intact.

First identified in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, monkeypox cases have been extremely rare. It wasnt until 2003 that it was reported outside of Africa, with 47 confirmed and probable cases recorded in six U.S. states.

It has never been recorded in multiple countries outside Africa at the same time  until now.

Suddenly, cases of monkeypox are being recorded in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy and Germany.

The U.K. Health Security Agency recorded as many as 172 cases of monkeypox in England as of the week ending on May 29, and has since released new guidance advising anyone affected by the virus to abstain from sex while they are experiencing symptoms and to use a condom for at least eight weeks once the infection has cleared. (Related: Why did the government buy 13 million monkeypox vaccines from a biotech company backed by Fauci?)

Tabletop exercise simulates monkeypox outbreak

What is strange about this years outbreak is that it is happening across developed countries all at the same time.

In March 2021, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) partnered with the Munich Security Conference to conduct a tabletop exercise on reducing high-consequence biological threats.

It examined gaps in national and international biosecurity and pandemic preparedness architectures, which allowed them to explore opportunities to improve prevention and response capabilities for high-consequence biological events.

A scenario they conducted portrayed a deadly, global pandemic involving an unusual strain of monkeypox virus that first emerges on May 15, 2022, in a fictional country called Brinia, which then spread globally. Later in the exercise, the scenario reveals that the initial outbreak was caused by a terrorist attack using a pathogen engineered in a laboratory in another fictional country, Anica, which has inadequate biosafety and biosecurity provisions and weak oversight.

The fictitious terrorist group released the highly contagious and deadly pathogen at a crowded train station in Brinia, which then led to the outbreak of the disease.

The exercise scenario concludes with over three billion cases and 270 million fatalities around the globe.

Coincidentally, the first cases of the actual monkeypox outbreak were reported to the World Health Organization on May 13, 2022, and the study by Portugals NIH suggests that the real-world monkeypox outbreak may be a result of something eerily similar.

The study, which was published on May 23, indicated that scientists collected clinical specimens from nine monkeypox patients for analysis. They concluded that the multi-country outbreak is most likely the result of a single origin of the virus because all sequences so far are tightly clustered together.

They also concluded that the virus came from the West African strain of viruses, but it is most closely related to those that were exported in 2018 from Nigeria to several other countries  the U.K., Israel and Singapore  leading some to believe that the spread may be the result of the virus leaking from a lab. (Related: First case of rare monkeypox virus reported in Singapore  heres what you need to know.)

While the virus resembles those exported from Nigeria in previous years, it is also different with over 50 single nucleotide polymorphisms or genetic variations, indicating that this has been altered.

Vaccine scientist and physician Dr. Robert Malone said the pattern of mutations is consistent with the effects of a natural cellular protein known as APOBEC3, which is associated with cellular resistance to HIV and presumably other retroviruses as well as pox viruses.

Portugals study has essentially uncovered evidence pointing to the outbreak as a result of a heavily manipulated virus. Coupled with the Munich Security Conference simulation conducted in March 2021, it is not difficult to conclude that the world is witnessing a real-life outbreak of yet another virus purposely released from a lab. Otherwise, the coincidence is too uncanny.

Visit Pandemic.news for more updates about the spread of various diseases.

Watch the video below for more evidence proving the monkeypox outbreak was planned.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

New engineered pandemic: US buys millions of vaccines as monkeypox outbreak hits Europe and North America.

Monkeypox just the latest engineered distraction as controlled demolition of human civilization accelerates.

RIGGED: Government spends $119 million for monkeypox vaccines following ONE confirmed case in US.

US developing lethal, new genetically engineered viruses, including MOUSEPOX and MONKEYPOX will these be used to demand MORE JABS in the name of public safety?

Here we go again: MONKEYPOX is the next scariant being unleashed on the world to demand vaccine compliance.

Sources include:

Expose-News.com

NTI.org

Virological.org

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) In another episode of trans-anity, a couple in the United Kingdom is raising their daughter as a boy. They defended their decision as stemming from their child expressing her desire to be a boy when she was two years old.

The notorious Twitter account Libs of TikTok shared the video of couple Matthew Stubbings and Klara Jeynes. The U.K. couple shared their decision to raise their daughter Emerald, aged four, as a boy named Stormy. She was born in 2018 alongside her male twin Arlo.

The first time I realized that Stormy wanted to identify as male was about roughly two and a half [years of age]. Its not really that he said I want to be a boy; [it was] I am a boy, and that is the difference, Jeynes said. Now [the twins are] four years old, and they identify as two boys.

Before I had children, and certainly before the last couple of years, I would have thought this whole thing was ridiculous, Stubbings said. I would have watched me and said: Youre crazy; youre making it up. Youre abusing a child.'

There was that point that I thought this isnt just a phase. Its not a little girl were looking at here. Its a little boy.

According to Stubbings, Stormy started being unhappy and eventually became genuinely upset whenever he wore articles of clothing meant for girls. He added that hair clips were a big no-no.

The girls mother revealed that she asks Stormy every day if she still wants to be a boy, adding that she does not want her daughter to feel trapped in the role of the opposite sex. (Related: Parents in Canada can now be arrested and imprisoned for refusing to go along with the transgender delusions of their own children.)

Enabling transgenderism is child abuse, feminist scholar warns

The transgenderism of Stormy enabled by her parents is tantamount to child abuse, a feminist scholar warned. Camille Paglia, author and professor at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, issued this warning back in 2015.

Paglia, who is a lesbian, said she suffered gender dysfunction as a child. This manifested in her habit of dressing in mens clothing as often as [she] could. Nevertheless, she expressed belief that there are fundamentally two sexes that are biologically determined.

You can define yourself as a trans man, trans woman [or] one of these new gradations along the scale. But ultimately, every single cell in the human body  the DNA in that cell  remains coded for your biological birth sex, said Paglia.

She added that only a very small [and] minute number of people are born with genetic abnormalities that cause ambiguity when it comes to their gender  apparently referring to hermaphrodites.

Paglia rebuked what she dubbed as transgender propagandists for propagating a lot of lies  which I think is not in anyones best interest.

I think that the transgender propagandists make wildly inflated claims about the multiplicity of gender. Even today, sex reassignment surgery with all of its advances cannot, in fact, change anyones sex, Paglia said.

Parents are now encouraged to subject the child to procedures that, I think, are a form of child abuse [such as] hormones to slow puberty [and] actual surgical manipulations. I think that this is wrong [and] parents should not be doing this to their children. People should wait until theyre of an informed age of consent. I think that even in the teenage years, its too soon to be making this leap. People change, people grow, and people adapt.

Watch Camille Paglia denouncing transgender mania in the video below.

This video is from the oneninetyfivenationsrising channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Transgendering children is child abuse, warns feminist scholar.

Parents must protect their children from Netflixs transgender indoctrination.

Parents sound alarm over mad rush toward transgender children (and the progressivism that pushes this distortion.)

Trans-pushing researchers publish fake study claiming that puberty blockers and hormones improve mental health of transgender children.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com 1

LifeSiteNews.com 2

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) The Armed Forces of Ukraine showcased a military patch that featured a unicorn, which purportedly represents LGBT soldiers in its ranks.

A May 31 piece by Reuters elaborated on the unicorn patch worn by LGBT members of the Ukrainian military. The article mentioned that volunteer service members Oleksandr Zhuhan and Antonina Romanova were among those who wore the patch below the standard patch of the Ukrainian flag  symbolizing their unique status as soldiers and members of the LGBT community.

Zhuhan  an actor, director and drama teacher outside the uniform  explained the origin of the unicorn patch. It apparently stemmed from Russias 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, and the propaganda from Moscow claiming that there were no LGBT members in the military.

Lots of people said [that time] there are no gay people in the army. So they [the LGBT community] chose the unicorn because it is like a fantastic non-existent creature, he said.

Zhuhan met Romanova, who identifies as non-binary, through theater work. She moved to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv following her displacement from Crimea in 2014. Both of them initially had no military training, but decided to enlist on the side of Kyiv after hiding in their homes when the war broke out in February.

I just remember that at a certain point, it became obvious that we only had three options. Hide in a bomb shelter, run away and escape or join the Territorial Defense Forces. We chose the third option, recounted Romanova.

She also claimed that their comrades in the Ukrainian military were accepting of their LGBT status: There was no aggression, no bullying. It was a little unusual for the others. But over time, people started calling me Antonina. Some even used my she pronoun.

While initially uneasy, Zhuhans doubts were addressed after one Ukrainian commander made clear his refusal to tolerate homophobia. Another senior officer told him that the only important thing on the front line is to be a good fighter.

However, some Ukrainian members of the LGBT community have tried to take advantage of the confusion over their gender to avoid military duties. A male-to-female (MTF) transgender going to Poland named Judis was ordered to go back to the front lines and fight after Ukrainian border guards determined that she is a man following a physical examination.

Twenty-four-year-old MTF transgender named Alice, who hails from the town of Brovary near the Ukrainian capital, was also refused passage to Poland. Along with her 21-year-old partner Helen, Alice was deemed as male and told to return to the frontlines by border guards.

Hype surrounding unicorn patch follows eschewing of Azov-linked insignia

The Reuters report about the unicorn patch used by Zhuhan and Romanova came a day after the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion dropped the wolfsangel or wolfs hook symbol. The battalion dropped the long-time symbol, which had close ties to Adolf Hitlers Nazi Party, in favor of the golden trident  Ukraines national symbol.

Originally established in 2014 as a volunteer regiment to fight against the republics in eastern Ukraines Donbas region, the Azov Battalion was subsequently incorporated into the National Guard of Ukraine at the behest of former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. The battalion met its end in May after weeks of Russian attacks at the Azovstal steel plant. Several members were killed, while many others surrendered to Russian forces. (Related: Hundreds of Azovstal fighters in Ukraine surrender to Russian forces as Putin shakes up military leadership.)

However, the battalion was purportedly revived  with new Azov recruits sporting the golden trident patches. Maksim Zhorin, the units new commander, said the latest iteration of the Azov Battalion was formed on the same principles and ideological basis as the legendary Azov regiment.

The wolfsangel is a historic heraldic symbol with roots in wolf traps used in medieval Europe. The Nazis under Hitler used it as an insignia, appearing on the uniforms of several Schutzstaffel divisions. Given this link to Nazism, the Azov Battalions use of the wolfsangel on its uniforms helped perpetuate Russian propaganda about Ukraine being in the grip of far-right nationalism, the Times reported.

Russia Today (RT), however, proved that the battalions ties to Nazism were indeed real and not just simply propaganda.

Footage of the surrendering combatants coming out of the [Azovstal steel] plant showed many of them sporting tattoos of swastikas and other far-right symbols. Nazi-related items and literature have also been discovered inside the steel plant, and at Azov bases in the Donbas [region] that have been captured by Russia, RT reported.

Watch this RT report about the Azov Battalions revival and rebranding.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Ukrainian man attempted to exit the country by claiming to be a transgender female, but was instead ENLISTED into military service (nice try.)

Buffalo shooter used same neo-Nazi symbols as Ukrainian Azov Battalion US reportedly trained and armed them.

Washington Post finally admits what role the far-right Azov Battalion is playing in Ukraine.

Sources include:

BlacklistedNews.com

Reuters.com

Guardian.com

RT.com

Brighteon.com
Mental illness affects more people than ever before, with one out of every six adults dealing with symptoms of mental illness at any given time.

From insomnia to libido loss, tearfulness to anxiety, depression can manifest itself in a variety of ways. One company, however, has devised an unusual method of determining whether or not someone is depressed: listening to their voice.

According to research, people suffering from depression produce vowels with a narrower frequency range, resulting in a flatter-sounding voice. Paraverbal features are measurable traits in someone's voice that can also be detected in other mental illnesses, such as posttraumatic stress disorder.

Kintsugi

Kintsugi, a California-based app startup, is attempting to tap into these telltale signs of depression by developing a machine-learning model that, after listening to a speaker's voice, can assess their likelihood of having depression using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales, which rate a patient's depression and anxiety severity on a 0 to 21 scale, respectively.

Users use the Kintsugi app to talk about their emotions regularly, answering pre-set prompts or challenges, and the machine learning AI scores them on these scales with each recording.

Kintsugi users can track their PHQ-9 and GAD-7 depression and anxiety scores in tandem with their journal entries over time, according to the company's website. This allows people to see progress without exerting much more effort than simply discussing current issues.

The National Science Foundation awarded Kintsugi multiple Small Business Innovation Research grants to develop this novel AI software that can detect signs of clinical depression and anxiety from short speech clips. The more people who use the app, the better the machine-learning model gets at detecting mental-health-related traits in voices.

Kintsugi co-founder Rima Seiilova-Olson explained that their neural network model was trained using tens of thousands of depressed voices. Later, he likened their app to a group of psychiatrists, but far more sensitive.

Read also: Exposure to Major Disasters Can Cause Long-Term Mental Health Problems

The Potential

The data from the voice clips, according to Kintsugi, will help patients get diagnoses more quickly, allowing them to be treated more quickly if they need it.

According to a study published in April in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, Cogito and Ellipsis Health have both developed AI systems that analyze the mental health markers of a person's voice. The Ellipsis Health app, on the other hand, shows the feasibility of using voice recordings to screen for depression and anxiety among various age groups.

Prentice Tom, Kintsugi's Chief Medical Officer, stated that real-time data improve a clinician's ability to provide better care and can be easily integrated into current clinical workflows. He went on to say that Kintsugi's voice biomarker tool is a crucial component in moving to a more efficient, quality-driven, value-based health care system.

Kintsugi Voice is a business API that allows applications to communicate with one another. The software, which can be integrated into clinical call centers and remote patient monitoring apps, allows the person on the other end to assess the speaker's emotional state.

The Kintsugi website advertises that by uniquely focusing on how people are speaking versus what they say. This reduces language bias inherent across socioeconomic classes and protects patient privacy by only analyzing features of the voice signal, their website states.

Related article: Breakthrough Study Shows How Gut Microbes Are Linked With Depression
BUCHANTY, SCOTLAND - OCTOBER 22: Migrating salmon are seen leaping at Buchanty Spout on the River Tay in Perthshire on October 22, 2020 in Buchanty, Scotland. The salmon are returning upstream from the sea where they have spent between two and four winters feeding, with many covering huge distances to return to the fresh waters to spawn. (Photo : Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Salmon fisherman have urged for an immediate intervention to conserve Scotland's freshwater fish, following the fewest catch on documentation since the year before.

Lowest Number on Record of Wild Salmon in Scotland

According to the most recent government statistics, fishermen captured 35,693 Atlantic salmon on Scottish streams the year before, the smallest percentage since documentation commenced in 1952 and just 75% of the five-year estimated value.

Ocean fish numbers, which utilize the comparable streams as salmon, were among the poorest on history, at 12,636 and 77 % of the most recent five-year standard.

Covid security measures in mid-2021 hampered from last year harvest statistics, however the result is similar to previous patterns. The native fish harvest established a new historic low of slightly over 37,600 in 2018, the very last calendar year preceding the epidemic. Over 111,400 salmon were taken by fisherman in 2010, as per The Guardian.

Specialists in fishing industry and environmentalists have been worried by the results. Farmed fish and trout are primary producers for many animals and wildlife, and a declining fishing industry hurts other organisms like otter, osprey, and ruffed grouse, causing suffering to the overall environment.

Salmon are extremely susceptible to salinity warmth and cleanliness. Their decrease is regarded as incontrovertible proof that the environmental degradation, contamination, fishery, and rapid industrialization are wreaking havoc on the ecosystem.

Alan Wells, head of Fisheries Management Scotland, asked the Scottish administration to enact specific legislation for improving and maintaining salmon supplies as soon as possible. "The most recent numbers highlight exactly how dire the scenario has gotten." Specialists are pushing the administration to fulfill its current obligations as soon as possible, as well as to go considerably beyond in all sectors where they have the ability to change lives," he added.

According to recent report of The Times, the administration acknowledged in January that the sockeye salmon species was in trouble. It vowed to enhance aquatic environment, examine preservation regulations' implementation, eliminate disputes with anthropogenic sources at ocean and along coastlines, and increase maritime sustainability initiatives.

Fishermen in Scotland have been returning their harvest to the stream ever since 1990s within a cooperative environmental policy that is strictly enforced by fishing industry organizations and ghillie suits, the specialists who accompany fishermen on numerous angling patterns.

Also read: Great White Shark May Be the Culprit For the Extinction of Megalodon

Specialist Ask Scotland Government to Take Action

Simultaneously with dismantling structures and spillways, the nation's local aquaculture committees have committed to planting numbers of native trees throughout long distances of riverside to prevent excessive pressures and torrential rains. "Trees operate as native sunshades," Wells explained.

Several industries have looked at replacing highly desolated waterways with juvenile salmon grown in aquaculture industry from native wildlife sources, but the method is contentious due to uncertainties concerning life expectancies.

Property owners and salmon specialists around the Carron, a watercourse that drains into Loch Carron in Wester Ross, north of Skye, think that reintroducing stocked trout has spared the water's sockeye salmon community from annihilation.

In the late 1990s, a series of exceptionally strong flash or torrent occurrences on the Carron swept off juvenile salmon, ending it with a five-year mean harvest of only 10 fish. By 2020, that figure had risen to 187.

According to Wells, replenishing programs might be effective in certain waterways, however the greatest focus should be placed on improving and protecting waterways and the surrounding ecosystem.

Related article: Despite Being the World's Second-Longest River, Why Are There No Bridges in Amazon?




The northern cardinal has been designated as the official bird of seven different states in the United States. Even inexperienced bird watchers can easily spot bright red cardinals in backyards and bird feeders. Insects, seeds, grain, fruit, and sap are consumed by the birds when they are foraging elsewhere.

Cardinals, also known as "redbirds," do not migrate and have traditionally been found in warmer climates such as the southeast of the United States. In recent decades, however, they have expanded their common range north through the United States and into Canada. This increase in population could be attributed to an increase in winter birdfeeders, as well as the bird's ability to adapt to parks and suburban human habitats.

For some, these brightly colored birds are simply another species with which to share the planet. On the other hand, these red cardinals are thought to have a spiritual underpinning by some.

Cardinals can be associated with strength, transformation, and even manifestation, according to spiritual teacher Alyson Charles. It's important to consider what was going on when the person saw the red cardinal, as with any synchronicity or sign.

The Red Cardinal's Five Spiritual Meanings

1. Transformation

Seeing a cardinal, according to Charles, can indicate a significant change in a person's life. She goes on to say that the Cardinal encourages people to trust evolutionary processes and themselves, believing that they can go right to the heart of the change and embrace it.

2. Root Chakra

The species is known for its brilliant red plumage, which represents the root chakra. According to Charles, it's especially important to stay in one's body, stay connected to one's breath, and be grounded when going through powerful transformations.

3. Self-Expression

Seeing a cardinal, according to Charles, is a reminder to express oneself and open up rather than withdraw. She went on to say that while the transformation can be embarrassing at times, the cardinal encourages the person to be confident instead of hiding.

4. Loyal People

Cardinals are known for their commitment to one partner for life. This connects them to monogamy, loyalty, and partnership. Seeing a cardinal is considered a lucky omen.

Data from National Geographic says that red cardinal groups split into pairs during mating season. Male birds provide food for their monogamous partners while incubating clutches of eggs, which usually number three per season. When defending their territory, males can be aggressive, and they frequently attack other males who intrude.

5. Spirit Realm

Cardinals are frequently regarded as spirit messengers who connect people with spirit guides or deceased loved ones.

Read also: Build a Self-Care Routine You Can Feel Good About in 2022

Why do Red Cardinals Suddenly Appear?

If cardinals continue to appear, the person who sees the bird is likely to receive a message. As Charles explains, any power animal prefers to work with the querent only after receiving an invitation from them. People can invoke it during meditation, a shamanic journey, or just before bedtime to enter during dream time and assist with any messages, medicines, or guidance that will empower a person further, mbg reports.

Related article: 5 Animals That Symbolize Love!




Animal rights activists linked to Extinction Rebellion have been arrested after causing chaos as soon as the platinum jubilee celebrations started. The disruptors stormed the Mall during the Trooping the Colour parade on the day of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

After protesters jumped over barriers lining the Mall and confronted marching Grenadier Guards with leaflets demanding an end to hunting on royal land, Scotland Yard said officers made several arrests.

Animal Rebellion blames the crown's inaction on issues of climate emergency, in addition to their continued support for meat, fishing, and dairy.

Activism via Social Media

The animal rights protesters tweeted calling on Animal Rebels to disrupt the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, demanding that royal land be reclaimed.

The group also tweeted about taking bigger action against the dairy industry during the summer season. In the tweet, the group called for other protesters.

At about 10:10 a.m., as a military band marched along, police dragged a group of protesters out of the way.

Activists were pinned to the ground by police near marching guards taking part in the Trooping the Color parade, according to photos from the incident.

The arrests were made for highway obstruction, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

On Twitter, the Metropolitan Police Department showed their support for the police officers by clapping for them as they returned to their posts after quickly dealing with the incident.

Animal Rebellion splattered red paint on the fountain outside Buckingham Palace last year, claiming the Queen had "blood on her hands." The group opposes the use of crown lands for hunting and animal agriculture, as well as the Queen's efforts to have her land exempted from a carbon-reduction initiative.

Beau King Houston, one of those taking action, stated that the royal family has had decades to lead the way on a just transition to plant-based farming and has failed to do so. He said that this transition is common sense and simple and that everybody wins.

These jubilee celebrations will cost the taxpayer tens, if not hundreds of millions of pounds, according to Robert Gordon, a spokesperson for the group. Gordon added that all of this is happening while taxpayers struggle with the cost of living crisis and families across the country become more reliant on food banks, The Guardian reports.

Read also: Scientists Hold Climate Change Protests Worldwide: Violence and Arrests Reported in Some Cities

Police Duties via Social Media

The police and Royal Parks advised people to avoid the area surrounding Buckingham Palace because the viewing space was limited.

The Royal Parks shared on social media that crowds have flocked to St James's Park for Trooping the Colour and public viewing areas are now at full capacity. They urged the public to enjoy the Jubilee celebrations elsewhere than at St. James's Park.

The Metropolitan Police Events account also tweeted that the viewing areas in central London for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations are already full, adding their recommendation to avoid the said areas to avoid the disappointment of not being able to enter the viewing areas.

Trooping the Colour

Trooping the Colour is when the sovereign inspects British and Commonwealth regiments personally. Trooping the Colour is a military ceremony that translates to "carrying the flag." Soldiers needed to be able to recognize each regiment's color - a military term for the flag - to know who was who on the battlefield.

Related article: Animal Welfare Alliance Calls for Repairing a 'Broken' Animal Welfare System in Australia




In order to safeguard biodiversity, 44% of the Earth 's geographical cover, or 64 million square kilometers (24.7 million square miles), must be saved, according to new study published in the journal Science on June 3.

Dr. James R. Allan of the University of Amsterdam led a team that used powerful geospatial algorithms to find the finest locations throughout the world to rescue terrestrial species and ecosystems.

They also utilized spatially explicit land-use scenarios to estimate how much of this area will be threatened by human activity by 2030.

Earth requires conservation for future generations

The finding has crucial policy implications since nations are presently negotiating a post-2020 global biodiversity strategy under the Convention on Biological Diversity, which will ideally come into force later this year, with new biodiversity objectives and targets, as per ScienceDaily.

This will establish the conservation agenda for at least the next decade, and countries will be required to regularly report on progress toward these goals.

According to co-author Dr. Kendall Jones, Conservation Planning Specialist at the Wildlife Conservation Society, governments set a global goal more than a decade ago to conserve at least 17% of terrestrial areas through protected areas and other site-based approaches for improving biodiversity and ecosystems.

While this is a positive beginning, the research implied that more aggressive objectives and strategies are needed to preserve ecological integrity beyond the 30% target.

If countries are serious about preserving biodiversity and the ecosystem services that support life on Earth, they must rapidly increase the scope and efficacy of their conservation activities.

According to the authors, the study provides critical data for conservation and development planning, as well as guidance for future national and global conservation agendas.

They also stressed that all of the selected lands should be maintained through a variety of species and ecosystem conservation techniques, including other successful area-based conservation measures, rather than being declared as protected areas.

Also Read: People's Perspective on Environmental Conservation May be Linked to Genes

Environmental Conservation

Environmental conservation is the act of people rescuing the environment from extinction and ecosystem devastation, generally as a result of pollution and human activity.

Because we are all dependent on one another for survival, conservation is critical in conserving and aiding both animals and trees.

Trees help humans breathe and respire by converting carbon dioxide generated by industry into oxygen.

The extinction of species would imply that they would be gone forever, unable to be seen by curious eyes or studied by scholarly minds.

Furthermore, such ecological loss or annihilation would disturb the food web, causing the entire ecosystem to malfunction.

Despite their differences, environmental conservation and preservation are sometimes used interchangeably.

Conservation refers to the current and future judicious use of the environment and its resources.

Preservation, on either end, is a more stringent method in which the ecosystem, lands, and environmental assets are left in their natural condition rather than being consumed by humans.

Related article: The Role of Businesses in Environmental Sustainability
Dolphins have long been thought to be calm and gentle toward humans.

However, a recent development showed that an aggressive dolphin off the Texas Coast has been blamed for posing a danger to both human and the animal's safety in the area.

This is according to an advisory and warning issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Aggressive Dolphin: NOAA Warning

During a press release on May 26, the NOAA advised the public to avoid the aggressive dolphin located in the waters around North Padre Island in Texas.

The US agency expressed concern that the marine mammal has shown aggressive behavior towards people in the area.

Based on the NOAA warning, biologists reported that the dolphin intentionally "separates" children from their parents and pets from their owners in the waters.

Despite the ongoing threat, there were no immediate reports of fatalities from the dangerous dolphin.

The NOAA believed that the cause of the violent behavior was the interaction between the dolphin and humans.

Such communication made the dolphin to be accustomed and more sociable, seeking out any people, boats, and any form of interaction, the agency added.

Since 2021, residents, biologists, and law enforcement in the area reportedly warned visitors and other people to stop feeding, interacting, or swimming with the dolphin.

Despite the warnings, some people continued to search for the animal, the NOAA said.

Also Read: Lonely Dolphin Learns To Speak Porpoise For His Friends

Dolphin Attacks

In general, dolphin attacks on humans are relatively rare and these animals avoid human conflict whenever possible, according to both anecdotal evidence and previous research.

Unlike the ferocious great white sharks, dolphins have been portrayed as a friendly animal in pop culture.

However, growing evidence proves otherwise.

According to the animal rights organization World Animal Protection, the tourism industry has decorated dolphins as "smiling playmates" that pose minimal or no threat to humans.

To debunk the myth, the organization cited an incident in March 2019 in Cancun, Mexico, where a group of captive dolphins attacked and wounded a 10-year old British girl, which left her with several bite marks, bruises, and cuts.

Marine Mammal Protection Act

The Marine Mammal Protect Act (MMPA) of the United States seeks to protect marine mammals, including their raw products.

It also regulates the capturing and importing of these animals solely for conservation efforts, as cited by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS).

Under the MMPA, any human interaction with a dolphin that can lead to its injury or change its behaviors is considered as "harassment" and is illegal.

In addition, feeding wild dolphins is also prohibited under the said US law.

MMPA Violations in the US

In April, a dolphin got stranded on a Texas beach, where beachgoers harassed it to death.

The NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement had offered $20,000 reward for any lead that would identify, arrest, or prosecute those involved in the dolphin's death at the state's Quintana Beach, according to NBC News.

The Texas dolphin stranding also followed a related event in Florida where a dolphin was found dead with its head impaled with a spear-like objects on a Fort Myers Beach.

Similar to the Texas case, the NOAA also announced a $20,000 reward for information that would help in the pursuit of legal justice of what transpired in the Florida beach.

The Florida incident involved a dolphin that was in a begging position.

The NOAA said begging is not a natural behavior of dolphins and is mostly related to illegal feeding.

Related Article: Rare River Dolphin Found Hanging Out With Anaconda
Climate change has caused species to shift between the "better" and "worse" areas of their climatic niches, according to an analysis of long-term monitoring data for over 1,500 species in Finland.

These impacts were most severe at higher latitudes.

The shifting climate in Finland

Climate change is occurring at unprecedented rates, especially in the northern hemisphere, posing a serious danger to biodiversity and ecological stability.

Climate change has been shown to cause species to alter their ranges.

We don't know much about how altering climatic circumstances can force species to shift between the "excellent," "optimal," and "bad" areas of their niches, or the conditions that they can tolerate.

A new study conducted by University of Helsinki academics used Finland's unique national treasure trove of long-term monitoring data to uncover the magnitude of climate change's effects.

The researchers analyzed species-specific responses to numerous climatic factors for 1,478 species of birds, mammals, butterflies, moths, plants, and freshwater phytoplankton.

Climate change's many signs raise questions about these ecosystems' long-term viability.

The study's second main author, Benjamin Weigel, explained that if species that rely on one another respond in different ways or to different conditions, it can have an impact on entire groups and ecosystems.

The research sheds light on how climate change is affecting biodiversity.

"Community changes in our study were mostly driven by species being favored or disfavored by climate change, and hence appearing more or less frequently in local species combinations," explains Anna-Liisa Laine, a senior author of the paper, as per ScienceDaily.

Also Read: Scientists Warn Decline in Animal Biodiversity Hints 6th Mass Extinction Has Started

Vulnerabilities of animal biodiversity in Finland

Finland is home to all of Europe's great carnivores, including brown bear, grey wolf, Eurasian lynx, and wolverine, as well as the sole remaining population of the endangered Saimaa ringed seal, as per IUCN.

In 1923, Finland passed its first Nature Conservation Act, which focused on the protection of particular species and natural monuments, as well as the construction of protected areas.

The Nature Conservation Act, as amended in 1997, strived to protect natural variety.

Animals' adaptive potential has definite genetic boundaries.

If a change happens too quickly, not all creatures will be able to adjust, as per Climate Change Post.

As catastrophic climatic events grow more regular and unexpected, animals will likely find it increasingly difficult to adapt.

Finland has a diverse range of game species, including 34 mammalian and 26 avian species.

Elk is by far the most significant, with roughly 60,000-70,000 animals shot annually and a meat value of around EUR 40 million.

The harvest is important in elk population dynamics since the winter population is roughly 120,000.

Elk are not only valuable game animals, but they also cause significant forest damage and traffic collisions.

Warming temperatures and diminishing snow cover will help elk the most. As a result, food will be more readily available, and population management will become even more crucial than it is now.

Several game birds and small animals are expected to find the future winter temperature pleasant, and their populations may rise if big yearly changes are reduced.

Related article: Large Mammals Can Play a Major Role in Reducing Effects of Climate Change
According to information published by the U.S. DoD on June 3, 2022, twenty-six nations, 38 surface ships, four submarines, nine national land forces, more than 170 aircraft, and approximately 25,000 personnel will participate in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise scheduled June 29 to Aug. 4, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

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U.S. Navy Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex and Royal Canadian Navy ship HMCS Winnipeg maneuver during Exercise Rim of the Pacific. (Picture source: US DoD)

As the worlds largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity designed to foster and sustain cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the worlds interconnected oceans.

The first RIMPAC, held in 1971, involved forces from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). Australia, Canada, and the US have participated in every RIMPAC since then.

The theme of RIMPAC 2022 is Capable, Adaptive, Partners. Participating nations and forces will exercise a wide range of capabilities and demonstrate the inherent flexibility of maritime forces. These capabilities range from disaster relief and maritime security operations to sea control and complex warfighting.

The relevant, realistic training program includes amphibious operations, gunnery, missile, anti-submarine, and air defense exercises, as well as counter-piracy operations, mine clearance operations, explosive ordnance disposal, and diving and salvage operations.

This years exercise includes forces from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

On May 23, 2022, President Biden pledged to defend Taiwan militarily in the event of an invasion by China, a departure from the usual strategic ambiguity.
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To follow the unpredictable evolution of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the global sequencing and surveillance capacity for SARS-CoV-2 must be reinforced, as well as multidisciplinary studies of infectivity, virulence, and immune escape.

The World Health Organization (WHO) set up a group to track severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV2) evolution, as well as monitor the characteristics of the emerging variants and their impact on medical and non-medical remedies in June 2020. In November 2021, this group transitioned into the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (TAG-VE), responsible for monitoring the global risk of the SARS-CoV-2 variants.

An article published in the journal Nature Medicine examines the unpredictable evolution of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Study: An early warning system for emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Image Credit: NIAID

Tracking of SARS-CoV-2 variants

TAG-VE was responsible for coordinating information exchange from research studies and global surveillance that would help monitor any early warning signs. Furthermore, it assessed whether public health action was needed against emerging variants. The TAG-VE used a Delphi consensus method to determine which variants must be considered as variants of interest (VOIs) and which as variants of concern (VOCs). Additionally, a naming scheme was adopted that followed WHO guidelines and assigned Greek letters to both VOIs and VOCs.

TAGS-VE first analyzed the viral genome sequences and the associated metadata to identify emerging variants. All the available sequences are compared with the index virus that first appeared in late December 2019 since all current VOIs and VOCs originated from the ancestral variants. Gene mutations encoding the viral spike protein are of a high priority since the spike protein comprises the receptor-binding domain that helps in the attachment of the virus to host cells as well as indicates viral transmissibility. However, other gene mutations have also been found to be crucial.

The mutations impact phenotypic features such as immune escape, transmissibility, susceptibility to treatments, detectability, and disease severity. This mutation list is regularly updated and is of importance because similar mutations arise independently in different lines of SARS-CoV-2. These mutations are indicative of both the virus' adaptation to the human host as well as selection pressure brought on by population immunity. However, certain mutations impact the fitness of the virus rather than being a threat to public health. The TAG-VE assesses several indicators regarding a new emerging variant, such as how quickly it emerges, the geographical area and population it spreads in, re-infection rates, disease severity, and vaccine breakthroughs to determine whether the variant will pose a serious threat.

Acquiring samples

Studies have highlighted that the rate at which new variants spread can outrun the ability of their threat assessment. Although the genomic indicators for increased transmissibility as well as immune escape of VOCs are easy to assess, the comparison of data in real-time is quite challenging. Improvement of physical characterization can be made by working with those viruses that have similar mutations. In this regard, WHO has established a BioHub facility to facilitate the safe, reliable, and transparent exchange of novel biological material among the WHO Member States.

Sequence data analysis

Key challenges include genetic data representativeness, availability, and quality. It is apparent that viral diversification will require sustained, if not increased, investment from governments in reference laboratories to meet public health demands for high-quality sequences and viral characterization for SARS-CoV-2, which can then be used for future threats from infectious diseases.

Analysis of raw reads to verify sequence quality is vital to detect recombination between SARS-CoV-2 genomes. The verified detection of the emerged Omicron VOC has increased mostly since the availability of genomic surveillance has increased along with natural factors. The detection of recombinant forms is easier for Omicron due to many lineage-defining mutations. Additionally, the chances of co-infection and recombination increase on re-infection with immune-escape variants.

Assessment of infectivity and virulence

Infectivity and virulence can be assessed by identifying certain crucial sites and amino acid substitutions which serve as infectivity determinants. Animal models can be useful in the virulence assessment since they can identify specific features and do not take into account the impact of background immunity.

The determination of disease severity in the clinical setting can be challenging, but the interworking of electronic health records, unbiased and systematic collection of epidemiological and clinical data, biological sampling, and virulence characterization are of significant importance in the assessment of the variant threat.

Up until November 2021, the emergence of Delta and Alpha VOCs was associated with heightened transmissibility and modest immunity escape. However, immune escape was found to be the driving force behind the displacement of Omicron VOC over Delta. The increase in population immunity was its selective advantage along with increased transmissibility. Omicron's lesser virulence has been largely attributed to chance. Additionally, hybrid immunity in individuals with breakthrough infections suggests that the continuous evolution of SARS-CoV-2 may be tolerable by population immunity. Nonetheless, because SARS-CoV-2 transmission and virulence are not coupled, it cannot be assumed that the next variant will have the same, or a lower, or a higher virulence than Omicron.

Early warning against emerging variants

According to previous retrospective analyses, some of the key mutations involved in defining variants could have been detected earlier through early warning bioinformatics tools that use globally shared data. In addition, machine learning algorithms are being developed to determine the influence of key mutations. However, epidemiological data and in vivo and/or in vitro experiments are still required to fully assess variants.

It is difficult to predict the future of the pandemic due to factors such as the fact that, unlike other respiratory viruses, SARS-CoV-2 variants do not emerge from the recently dominant circulating virus, chronic viral infections can carry intra-host evolution, animals can function as secondary reservoirs with the potential for reverse zoonoses, and a large percentage of the world's population is not vaccinated.

In light of the uncertainty regarding SARS-CoV-2's trajectory and its continuous evolution, continual monitoring is necessary. The TAG-VE will continue to predict the evolution of future variants and their threat levels. The pandemic is not yet over. It is time to enhance global sequencing capacities and build a global agreement under the leadership of the WHO R&D Blueprint to prevent epidemics and assess the threat that the future variants of SARS-CoV-2 can pose.
Genetically engineered immune cells successfully target the specific cancer cells that may be responsible for relapse of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a type of blood cancer, and proved effective in animal models of the disease, according to a preclinical study by investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine. The new cell therapy, now being tested in phase 1 clinical trials, may ultimately help patients with AML to remain cancer-free.

In the study, published April 28 in Nature Communications, the researchers used an approach in which immune cells known as T cells are directed to produce proteins called chimeric antigen receptors, or CARs, that enable the T cells to recognize specific markers on cancer cells. In this case, the CAR is a receptor that binds to the CD123 molecule on leukemia stem cells, enabling the T cells to seek out and attack the cancer cells.

Leukemia stem cells are a subset of leukemic cells that are resistant to standard chemotherapy drugs and can cause disease relapse. CD123 is a marker found on leukemia stem cells, and my laboratory has been working on designing mouse models to test new CD123-targeted anti-leukemia therapies." Dr. Monica L. Guzman, co-senior author, associate professor of pharmacology in medicine in the Division of Hematology & Medical Oncology and a member of the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine

Although there are effective therapies to treat AML, the disease eventually recurs in most patients even after achieving complete remission. By engineering T cells to express a CAR that targets CD123, Dr. Guzman and her colleagues hope to rid patients of any remaining leukemia stem cells. CAR T cells are an attractive anti-cancer therapy because they can be grown in large numbers in the laboratory.

"The CAR T cells-; called UCART123 cells-; used in this study have several very important features," said Dr. Guzman. "They target a leukemia stem cell marker, they are derived from healthy donors and manufactured to be 'off the shelf' and ready-to-go for patients when needed, they are specially designed to try to minimize toxicity, and they can be eliminated using a drug called rituximab in case of excessive proliferation."

When the team tested the UCART123 cells in a mouse model of AML, they found that the therapy effectively eliminated leukemia cells and prolonged survival. The scientists also designed an ultra-sensitive monitoring strategy to detect any residual cancer cells and to assess the persistence of UCART123 cells. Finally, they demonstrated that UCART123 cells have specificity against leukemia cells, with minimal toxicity to normal blood cells in mice.

The preclinical results have led to a phase 1 clinical trial testing UCART123 in patients with relapsed/refractory AML at several sites across the United States, including NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. "These laboratory data strongly support the ongoing clinical trial," said trial principal investigator and senior co-author Dr. Gail Roboz, director of the Clinical and Translational Leukemia Program at Weill Cornell Medicine and an oncologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

"The results of the preclinical study suggest that UCART123 cells are highly selective and specific in targeting AML, and we anticipate that the techniques developed in Dr. Guzman's lab will help us monitor patients undergoing treatment with UCART123 and optimize their likelihood of success," said Dr. Roboz, who is also professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology & Medical Oncology and a member of the Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine.
A compound, developed by a team including scientists from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, kills a range of hard-to-treat cancer types in petri dishes and animal models by targeting a previously unexploited vulnerability, a new study reports. The findings, published in Nature Cancer, could eventually lead to new drugs to fight these cancers, which currently have few effective treatments.

"We identified a critical vulnerability in multiple cancers and have validated our findings in multiple cancer cell types and animal models," said study leader Ratna Vadlamudi, PhD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UT Health San Antonio and a member of the Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center. "The range of cell lines and xenografts in which the compound has been shown to work is compelling and indicates that it is targeting a fundamental vulnerability in cancer cells." Xenografts are human tumors grown in mouse models for research purposes.

The Vadlamudi lab studies breast and ovarian cancer progression, including in therapy resistance, with a goal to developing small-molecule inhibitors for therapy-resistant cancers. In 2017, he and his colleagues identified a compound called ERX-11 that targets the estrogen receptor (ER), a protein that drives the vast majority of breast cancers. From a screen of chemical analogs of ERX-11, the researchers identified that a compound called ERX-41 not only killed ER-positive cancers in petri dishes, but also readily killed triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), including more than 20 distinct TNBC cell lines. TNBC is a cancer subtype lacking receptors for estrogen, progesterone and human epidermal growth factor 2, and for which there is a paucity of targeted treatments.

The researchers expanded these studies to show ERX-41 had activity against a large number of human tumors grown from several of these cell lines in mouse models. In addition, ERX-41 was potent against patient-derived xenografts, as well, causing shrinkage of these human tumors grown in mouse models without affecting normal breast cells or causing any discernible toxicity in these animals.

The safety profile and high therapeutic index of this compound is particularly notable and bodes well for clinical translation." Dr. Ratna Vadlamudi, PhD, study leader, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UT Health San Antonio

Other experiments showed that in addition to ER-positive breast cancers and TNBC, ERX-41 is also effective against other cancer types with elevated endoplasmic reticulum stress, including pancreatic, glioblastoma and ovarian cancers, which all have few effective treatments. The endoplasmic reticulum is a structure in many cell types that performs assorted functions, including manufacture of proteins.

This work was performed in collaboration with scientists at UT Dallas (led by Dr. JungMo Ahn) and UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (led by Dr. Ganesh Raj). ERX-41 and the related portfolio have been licensed to Dallas-based EtiraRx, which plans to move these drugs into clinical trials in early 2023.

Other researchers from UT Health San Antonio who contributed to this study include Drs. Suryavathi Viswanadhapalli, Mengxing Li, Gangadhara R Sareddy, Uday P Pratap, Zexuan Liu, Hui Yan, Zhenming Xu, Susan E Weintraub and Rajeshwar Rao Tekmal.
Smokers in the United States who received cigarette packs with graphic warning labels hid their packs 38% more often. However, smokers stopped hiding their cigarettes when they returned to regular packs without the graphic labels, reports a multi-institutional group of public health experts led by University of California San Diego.

In a randomized clinical trial, we demonstrated that smokers in the U.S. who received cigarettes in packs with graphic warning labels were less willing to display the packs in public. It has been hypothesized that this behavior could reduce perceptions by teens that it is socially acceptable to smoke, perhaps explaining why mandated graphic warning label packs are associated with reductions in teen smoking." John P. Pierce, first author, Distinguished Professor at the Hebert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at University of California San Diego

In a paper published in the June 2, 2022 online issue of JAMA Network Open, Pierce and colleagues at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, California State University San Marcos and San Diego County Public Health Services manufactured special cigarette packs that incorporated graphic images of a diseased foot, a newborn with a breathing tube, or throat cancer on cigarette packs in Australia (under license from the Australian government).

Study participants included 357 smokers living in San Diego who agreed to purchase their preferred brand of cigarettes from a study website. Participants were randomized to receive their cigarettes in one of three pack designs: a package with a graphic warning label, with a blank pack, or in a standard commercially available U.S. pack. Approximately 19,000 packs were delivered to participants.

Graphic warning labels are used on cigarette packs in more than 120 countries. Despite being mandated by the U.S. Congress in 2009, implementation of graphic warning labels has been held up by legal challenges by the tobacco industry.

"Prior to the study, we found that many smokers in the U.S. were discrete and reported hiding their usual pack in public settings. The packs with graphic warning labels had their main effect on those who were least likely to hide their packs prior to the study," said senior author David R. Strong, professor at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health. "We found no evidence that graphic warning-labeled packs changed smoking behavior over the year-long study."

Individuals continued to smoke as often as they did before and after the study.

During the study, participants were asked, via interactive text messaging, if over the previous four hours they placed their packs where others would not see them. Changes in consumption and smoking status were assessed at the end of the three-month intervention and at the end of the 12-month study.

Participants who received cigarettes in a standard U.S. pack, or in a blank pack that had no marketing, did not change pack hiding behavior. Smokers randomized to the graphic warning label arm reported that they increased pack hiding over the first four weeks of the intervention and continued at the new level until the end of the intervention. After they stopped receiving the packs labeled with graphic warnings, they quickly reverted to baseline pack hiding levels.

When social reactions were queried at the end of the study, the group with graphic warning label packs reported that observers had aversive reactions to the cigarette packs while those in the blank pack group reported that observers expressed a positive interest in the study, said the authors.
Miracle Abbott became pregnant during her junior year at the University of South Carolina Upstate.

She worked a low-wage job and had mounting student debt, so the then-19-year-old turned to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, to get infant formula and food. But after she gave birth, her baby had colic and painful reflux and her pediatrician recommended a special formula not available through the program.

It took four months, three pediatrician appointments, and two meetings at her local WIC office before the program provided her with formula that worked for her daughter. She spent hundreds of her own dollars on formula in the process. That was in 2020, years before an Abbott manufacturing plant in Michigan was shut down over concerns about bacterial contamination. The February shutdown and coinciding recall catalyzed massive infant formula shortages in the U.S.

The ongoing dearth of formula has caused tremendous stress for families nationwide, especially those who rely upon WIC. The federally funded grant program, administered by nearly 90 state, territorial, and tribal governments, accounts for as much as two-thirds of all formula purchases in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs WIC.

For nearly 50 years, WIC has provided food assistance to low-income mothers and children. About half the babies in the U.S.  1.5 million  received benefits from WIC in 2021. That purchasing power drove significant cost savings on infant formula for the federal and state governments that run the program. But the program's massive purchasing also limits choices for families and can make it hard for mothers like Abbott to get formula that is a good fit for their infants.

Those limitations began in 1989 after WIC administrators opted for a policy in which formula companies bid to become the sole provider for each state. States then offer a limited assortment of formulas from the winning manufacturer.

Under the arrangement, the companies give state WIC programs significant rebates for the formula they buy. For every $1 WIC pays to the formula companies, it gets back as much as 93 cents in rebates, explained David Betson, an associate professor of economics and public policy at the University of Notre Dame who has studied the WIC program.

Rebate savings reduced annual program costs by $1.6 billion last year, according to the USDA. In a statement to KHN, it said the rebate system allows states to use their food grants more efficiently and offsets the cost of formula so that more participants can be served without increasing federal funding.

And because of WIC's bidding policies, nearly half of all WIC-supported infants get formula from just one brand: Similac, which is made by Abbott. As a result, over half a million babies possibly had to switch formula after the February recall and plant shutdown.

Many babies do fine on just about any formula, but some parents find that their baby seems to do best on a specific brand and type.

"Parents often have to experiment a little bit and often end up trying three or more formulas to find the formula that keeps their baby comfortable," said Bridget Young, an assistant professor who studies infant nutrition at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

When Jenny Murray, a mom of three in Florida, started getting WIC benefits, the formula her baby had been using was not one of her state's WIC-approved options. The formula WIC selected for her baby made him gassy. Officials at her WIC office told her she needed a note from her doctor to get a different formula, but her doctor said it wasn't medically necessary to switch. So she has stayed with that formula. Now, amid the shortage, she's struggling because WIC allows participants to buy only small cans of formula, and she said those are the hardest to find. (Some states' WIC programs are temporarily changing policies amid the shortage.)

"I didn't even make dinner tonight because I knew were going to be spending the rest of the evening just going from store to store to store to store in hopes that well find some [formula]," Murray said. A few times, she has had to resort to paying about $40 out-of-pocket for a large can of formula because that's all that was available.

The decision for each state to have formula manufacturers compete to serve the WIC program has led to higher prices, Betson said. He found that wholesale formula prices across the board nearly doubled from when WIC implemented its bidding process in 1989 to 2002. Another study found that formula prices increased an additional 30% from 2006 to 2015. Betson said formula companies take a hit on the formula they sell via WIC and make up for it by charging non-WIC customers higher prices.

Other economists, however, say formula companies instead benefit from an increase in sales after winning a WIC contract, and prices for non-WIC customers haven't been affected. (Store-brand formulas, which are made by Perrigo Nutrition, a company that doesnt participate in WIC contracts, are about 40% less expensive than the formula brands that do participate in WIC and have nearly identical ingredients.)

And WIC spends more on formula than on any other food, as the majority of WIC-supported infants, about 88%, get at least some formula through the program. Lower-income families are more likely to use formula because these mothers often face more barriers to breastfeeding. For example, about 25% of low-income individuals have to go back to work about two weeks after giving birth, said Ifeyinwa Asiodu, an assistant professor at the University of California-San Francisco, whose research focuses on infant feeding disparities. Those same parents may also work in jobs that don't have lactation accommodations, and they may be afraid to jeopardize their jobs to ask for them, she said.

Because of the federal program's high rates of infants on formula, WIC administrators have tried incentivizing breastfeeding by giving more food to breastfeeding moms, and some states have tried to limit access to formula for mothers who start breastfeeding. Emeline Pratt, a mother of two who lives in Vermont, said her WIC office required her to meet with a lactation consultant to get formula, even though she explained she had already given up breastfeeding. The uncomfortable appointment left Pratt in tears.

Asiodu, who said she would like more policies that support breastfeeding and enable greater access to human milk from milk banks, also sees a need for more flexibility in WIC.

"I think its really important that we allow families to make the decisions that really best fit their needs, and also provide resources along the way," regardless of what feeding option they choose, she said.

Miracle Abbott said she, too, wishes WIC had more options for formula-feeding moms. Despite having a colicky baby, going to school, and dealing with the problems of the pandemic, she said, "WIC is probably the most frustrating thing weve had to deal with."
Mount Sinai researchers have validated for the first time that a simple blood test called a liquid biopsy could be a better predictor of whether cancer immunotherapy will be successful for a patient with lung cancer than an invasive tumor biopsy procedure. Their study was published in the Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research in June.

The liquid biopsy tests for a biomarker of PD-L1, a protein and target for a type of immunotherapy called checkpoint inhibitors, which helps the patient's immune system attack and kill cancer cells. This study showed that testing the blood of lung cancer patients for the PD-L1 biomarker gave more accurate predictions of the response and survival for patients with lung cancer than testing for PD-L1 in tissue from lung cancer biopsies, the current standard of care.

The biomarker in blood, named EV PD-L1, comes from extracellular vesicles, which are particles shed from tumor cells. A decrease of PD-L1 in extracellular vesicles in blood could therefore become a useful test to predict which patients with non-small-cell lung cancer could benefit from immunotherapy.

These results will have an impact in the search for biomarkers to predict for immunotherapy outcome in patients with lung cancer as no truly reliable biomarkers have been found yet. If validated in larger prospective cohorts of patients, as we are working on now, this protein could complement or substitute for the tissue PD-L1 as the standard of care in these and other types of tumor patients receiving immunotherapy, especially because it is minimally invasive and can be repetitive during treatment, being able to detect changes in the tumor during the treatment in real time." Christian Rolfo, MD, PhD, MBA, Study Senior Author and Professor of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Associate Director for Clinical Research in the Center for Thoracic Oncology at The Tisch Cancer Institute, and President of the International Society of Liquid Biopsy.

Researchers collected blood samples from two cohorts of 33 and 24 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer receiving immune-checkpoint inhibitors before and at the ninth week of treatment. They also included a group of 15 patients receiving chemotherapy as controls. Extracellular vesicles were isolated from blood samples and the protein expression of PD-L1 was measured in each group at both time points.

Researchers also measured imaging scans of patients' tumors before treatment and evaluated them with an innovative imaging technology called radiomics to create a full model for prediction of immunotherapy response.
A new 265,000 study led by the University of Stirling is seeking to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected health visiting services across the UK, with a view to improving them in the future.

Dr Erica Gadsby. Image Credit: University of Stirling

The 18-month project  funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)  will explore the changes that health visiting has experienced over the past two years and provide recommendations to enhance organisation and delivery as part of a strong post-pandemic recovery.

Dr Erica Gadsby, a Senior Lecturer in Public Health from Stirlings Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, is Principal Investigator on the new project, which begins today [June 1] and also involves researchers at the Universities of Oxford and Kent.

She said: Health visiting is a key component in ensuring the health and wellbeing of children across the UK. Following the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, services across the UK had to change and adapt to the situation very rapidly. Many staff changed their roles, some services were scaled back, and others moved to virtual delivery, different professionals worked together in different ways, and everyone had to get used to working with personal protective equipment in all face-to-face contacts.

These are just a few of the ways in which health visiting was affected by COVID-19 and our study is now seeking to understand how we can learn from these experiences to improve service provision as we emerge from the pandemic. Dr Erica Gadsby, Senior Lecturer in Public Health from Stirlings Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport

Health visiting provides vital support and early intervention to families to prevent or reduce risks to a childs health or wellbeing. Across the UKs four nations, devolved government policies and opinions differ as to how services are best organised and delivered, and there is limited research-based evidence to inform what works best where.

The pandemic caused enormous pressure and disruption to child health services, as well as to families and young children, but it also prompted some important innovations in service delivery. The new study will explore how the pandemic affected health visiting services in Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, with a view to understanding how the organisation and delivery of services can be improved for a stronger post-pandemic recovery.

The researchers will undertake a realist review, which is a type of theory-driven review of evidence. They will pull together different forms of information related to what has happened in health visiting services since March 2020 and use that to explore how the pandemic has affected services, service providers and families.

The team includes realist review, health visiting and public health experts, as well as a patient and public involvement lead. A stakeholder group  comprising practitioners, commissioners, policymakers, policy advocates, and members of the public  will advise and provide feedback throughout the project.

Learning lessons

Dr Gadsby said: This research is about learning lessons  both good and bad  from the COVID-19 pandemic, within the health visiting context. We will use our findings to recommend improvements to the organisation, delivery and ongoing post-pandemic recovery of health visiting services in different settings, for different groups.

These improvements will help to make services more efficient and fairer, supporting health visitors and others to deliver the best possible support to babies, young children and their families.

Co-Principal Investigator Professor Sally Kendall, of the University of Kent, said: This is a significant study for health visiting and for children and families that will bring a wide range of evidence together to enable us to understand nationally what we can learn about best and future practice in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The team will work closely with the Institute of Health Visiting and the stakeholder group to ensure the findings of the study are developed into a range of outputs suitable for the various stakeholders and disseminated to the appropriate audience.

Alison Morton, Executive Director of the Institute of Health Visiting, said: Congratulations to the team, led by the University of Stirling, which has been awarded this prestigious NIHR funding.

The last two years have been a period of tumultuous change, with health visiting services facing significant challenges in their efforts to support babies, young children and families. Health visitors responded rapidly with service innovations, but many of these adaptations have not been tested in the health visiting context and their impacts are largely unknown.

This much-needed realist review will help us to gain a greater understanding of the pandemic response in order to learn lessons that can be applied to future emergencies, as well as strengthening the evidence base to support the embedding of new innovations and ways of working.

Dr Gadsby is supported on the project, Realist Review: Health Visiting in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience (RReHOPE), by Professor Kendall; Dr Geoff Wong and Ms Claire Duddy (both of the University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences); and Mrs Madeline Bell (expert by experience).
Scientists from Italy have recently analyzed the effect of the mRNA-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine on the semen quality of adult men. No significant difference in sperm quality and seminal plasma parameters (oxidative stress, inflammation, and electrolyte level) has been observed after vaccination. The study has been published in the journal Andrology.

Background

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative pathogen of the COVID-19 pandemic, is a deadly member of the human Betacoronavirus family. The virus is known to induce a wide variety of symptoms in infected persons, ranging from mild respiratory symptoms to severe pneumonia, respiratory failure, and death. Apart from infecting the respiratory tract, the virus can potentially impair the functions of other organs, including the heart, liver, gastrointestinal tract, kidney, and brain.

A handful of studies have indicated that people infected with SARS-CoV-2 may develop testicular abnormalities, including structural alteration in testicular cells, loss of integrity of the basement membrane and seminiferous tubules, and infiltration of proinflammatory mediators. However, no comprehensive data is currently available to understand the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on reproductive functions.

In the current study, the scientists have assessed the effects of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) on human semen.

Study design

The study was conducted on a total of 47 adult men who had received the two-dose regimen of Pfizer vaccine between February and July 2021. The semen samples were collected from the participants before the administration of the first vaccine dose and 70 days after the second dose.

All semen samples were analyzed to measure sperm concentration, motility, and morphology. In addition, the concentrations of reactive oxygen metabolites, electrolytes, and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were determined using seminal plasma samples.

Important observations

Among all enrolled participants, 10% reported smoking moderately, and 38% reported consuming alcohol socially. None of the participants reported systemic side effects, such as fever, allergy, or lymph node swelling.

No significant changes in semen volume, sperm concentration, motility, and morphology were observed among participants after COVID-19 vaccination compared to before vaccination.

A separate set of experiments was conducted on male participants who presented with low sperm count or reduced sperm motility. In these participants, no significant differences in sperm parameters were observed after vaccination. However, the sperm parameters showed an improving trend in these participants.

Alike sperm parameters, no significant changes in electrolytes (calcium, chlorine, potassium, magnesium, and sodium), reactive oxygen metabolites, and IL-6 levels were observed among participants after vaccination.

Furthermore, no significant correlations were observed between tested sperm parameters and electrolytes and reactive oxygen metabolites, and IL-6.

Study significance

The study findings reveal that the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer) does not have any negative impact on sperm quality. Moreover, the vaccine does not alter the levels of electrolytes (an indicator of good cell membrane activity), reactive oxygen metabolites (an indication of oxidative stress), and IL-6 (an indicator of inflammation).

Overall, the study highlights that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe for use among men. However, the study includes only a small number of men with poor sperm quality who are highly susceptible to deteriorating sperm parameters. Moreover, since the study participants belong to a specific population, the findings cannot be generalized to the global population.
Russia's assault on Ukraine is being felt worldwide, and the U.S. health care system is not immune.

Both Russia and Ukraine are powerhouses in supplying certain commodities  in this case, ammonium nitrate and natural gas. These commodities, after being refined, can produce two gases crucial for the health care system: nitrous oxide, popularly known as laughing gas, and helium. They are used in millions of procedures each day. And crimped supplies could make every root canal that much more painful and every MRI scan that much pricier.

The disruption also represents more turbulence for the U.S. health care system's supply chain.

"The shortages we are experiencing now have been years in the making and are therefore a surprise to no one," said Wally Hopp, a University of Michigan professor who specializes in the medical supply chain. Hopp led a group convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to deliver a March report on securing supplies for U.S. industries.

These problems could've been addressed earlier by government and the private sector, Hopp said. "But now they can only scramble to cope with the crisis with the health of American citizens at stake," he added.

The years since the pandemic began have been punctuated by supply chain problems. The baby formula shortage  which began after a Michigan factory was closed because of contamination concerns  is only the latest. Hospitals are facing a scarcity of contrast dye used in diagnostic scans, the result of a covid lockdown at the Shanghai plant where most of it is produced. As a consequence, hospitals from New Jersey to Washington state have been trying to ration scans for the most serious cases. And early in the pandemic, the scarcity of personal protective equipment for front-line health care workers was a defining characteristic of the unprepared and haphazard response to covid.

Such shortages are among the most-pressing patient-safety problems today, ECRI, a safety organization, said in a January roundup of the top safety concerns of the year. Shortages ranked second. "Unavailability of products could result in an inability to treat patients and protect staff, which could lead to injury, illness, or even death for both patients and clinicians," the roundup said. It noted that many areas have few key suppliers, meaning that a problem in a far-off corner of the world could send dominoes falling into the U.S. health care system.

The impact is being felt in the guts of body scanners and other medical machines.

"Helium is a terrific element for diffusing heat," said Bob Karcher, a contract services executive for Premier, a company that offers group purchasing services to providers. "It's used in large MRIs and CTs, to draw heat away from the source."

Hopp said the helium supply has been constrained for some time and that the war exacerbated the problem.

Russia is now sending relatively smaller amounts of natural gas to Western countries. That has prompted other countries to transport gas to those nations via pipelines, rather than shipping it in liquid form. These decisions affect the helium supply, as converting natural gas into a liquid entails removing trace helium, so shipping by pipeline has the unintended consequence of reducing the amount of helium for industrial use.

Other idiosyncratic factors also negatively affect supply: For instance, a Texas facility that produces helium keeps getting shut down for safety violations.

All of that together means higher costs for providers. Hopp said he had seen estimates that helium costs were about $34,000 per MRI machine in 2019. "Its certainly higher than that now and heading higher," he said. "Worse, Ive seen speculation from health systems that the shortage may get serious enough to force them to shut down MRI machines."

David Facchini, director of radiology at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut, said the effects would likely hurt community hospitals the most. In the long run, he suggested, manufacturers may build machines that don't need helium. But that's "months to years away," he said.

Helium isn't the only gas to run short. Nitrous oxide is used primarily by dental offices during surgeries. About 40% of ammonium nitrate  laughing gas's source  comes from Russia.

Premier is "seeing price pressures, rising costs," said Donna Craft, a senior director. That's likely to hurt dental practices, which generally get an allotment based on normal and customary use. As the country emerges from the pandemic shutdowns, that baseline might be too low for practices seeing more patients or trying to expand.

What's more, Karcher warned, the medical sector might find securing scarce gases to be tough. Suppliers might prefer to shop their wares to higher bidders outside health care.

ECRI says health care providers relied on a "just-in-time" inventory strategy  that is, to purposely keep supplies in low stock to avoid storage costs. That strategy is reasonable when everything's tranquil. It's less tenable when there's a major land war and a pandemic.

Because these snarls are the product of decisions made years ago and solving them requires more than some quick stitch-up work, short-term reactions are "usually too little, too late," Hopp said. "Once a full-blown supply shortage is underway, the options available to the government are narrow."
(Newser)  Update: A New York appellate court on Thursday upheld Harvey Weinstein's rape and sex crimes convictions, Fox News reports. The five-judge panel's ruling was unanimous. Per CNN, Weinstein's rep said his legal team is "disappointed, but not surprised. We are reviewing all of our options and will seek to petition the court appeals and beyond." Weinstein, who is serving a 23-year sentence in the New York case, remains jailed in California, where he was extradited to face trial on more charges in that state. Our original story from April 5, 2021, follows:

Attorneys for Harvey Weinstein demanded a new trial Monday, arguing that their client didn't receive a fair one the first time around. Among other things, they say the judge should not have allowed testimony from women whose accusations never resulted in criminal charges, reports the Wall Street Journal. "Simply put, the prosecution tried Weinsteins character, not his conduct," the lawyers write in their appeal, per the New York Times. Weinstein, now 69, was convicted of two felony sex crimes in a case that helped launched the #MeToo movement, and he was sentenced to 23 years in prison. While more than 90 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct, the trial centered on the accusations of only two. However, the judge allowed three other women to recount their own allegations.

"With a year behind us and emotions subsided, the transcript of the case confirms what we always believed: that Mr. Weinstein did not receive a fair trial," says Weinstein attorney Arthur Aidala. "We have the utmost confidence that the Appellate Division will correct these mistakes and send this case back before a different judge." Prosecutors, who sought to establish a pattern of predatory behavior, say they will respond to the arguments. The appeal also argues that the judge should have booted a juror whose forthcoming novel centered on how "predatory older men" preyed on young women, per the Journal. Even if Weinstein wins a new trial and manages to be acquitted, he's far from in the clearhe faces a separate criminal investigation in California. (Read more Harvey Weinstein stories.)
(Newser)  Another disturbing incident in the skies: A California man has been charged with groping two female passengers on a JetBlue flight out of Los Angeles. Federal prosecutors say Jairaj Singh Dhillon of Modesto, 42, groped the thigh and groin of the woman sitting next to him about 30 minutes into their Tuesday night flight, reports the Modesto Bee. The womanwhose infant was in a car seat in the window seat next to herpressed the button for a flight attendant and called out to her husband, who was seated across the aisle. A woman next to the husbandshe was wearing earphones and unaware of the allegationstood up to allow him to pass, and Dhillon then allegedly groped her as she stood in the aisle.

Crew members arrived and moved Dhillon to a different section of the plane, next to an empty seat, and he was arrested upon arrival at Boston's Logan Airport, per the Washington Post. Dhillon told authorities he took an Ambien soon after takeoff and has no memory of touching the women. The women and the one woman's husband used phrases such as "seemed off" and "not all there" to describe him, per the Bee. Dhillon is charged with two counts of abusive sexual contact while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, according to a release from the US Attorney's Office in Massachusetts. (Read more air travel stories.)
(Newser)  Update: After murky initial reports, police now confirm to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that two people at a cemetery in Racine, Wisconsin, were hit when gunfire rang out during a burial service on Thursday. Sgt. Kristi Wilcox tells TMJ4 that one of the injured individuals was flown to a Milwaukee hospital; that person's condition is unclear. The second injured person, a juvenile, was treated and released, per Wilcox. A family member who was at the funeral told TMJ4 shortly after the shooting that five people had been shot. Despite their official statement, Racine police don't dispute that, noting that not everyone may have reported relatively minor injuries. Police are asking anyone with footage of the incident to come forward, while the city of Racine has imposed a curfew of 11pm through the weekend for anyone under 18. Our original story from Thursday follows:

Gunfire erupted during a burial service at a cemetery in southeast Wisconsin on Thursday, and police said multiple people were shot. "There are victims but unknown how many at this time," a statement by Racine police said, per NBC News. A hospital next to the cemetery said victims were being treated there, the AP reports. A woman who was in a backyard across the street from the cemetery with children and other relatives said she heard 20 to 30 bullets were fired in a barrage, then a handful of single shots. Then, Alissa Miller said, she heard screams. "It was terrified, horrific screaming," Miller said. "It was unmistakable."

The service was for Da'Shontay L. King Sr., who was shot to death by police two weeks ago in a traffic stop, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Racine officer said they had a search warrant for King's car and shot him when he ran away. They said he had a handgun. King's sister was at the cemetery Thursday. "We were at the gravesite trying to get prepared to bury him, and bullets started flying everywhere," Natasha Mullen said. (Read more mass shootings stories.)
(Newser)  Asking Americans "how much more carnage" they're willing to accept, President Biden implored Congress in a nationally televised address Thursday night to take steps in response to the nation's spate of mass shootings. The president said he wants assault weapons and high-capacity magazines banned, the Washington Post reports. "And if we can't ban assault weapons, then we should raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21, strengthen the background checks," Biden said, per the New York Times.

Biden gave his address with 56 lit candles lined up behind him to represent the victims of gun violence in all the states and territories, per CNN. He spoke about his recent trips with his wife, Jill, to Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas, to meet with the families of people killed in mass shootings. "At both places, we spent hours with hundreds of family members, who were broken, whose lives will never be the same," Biden said. "They had one message for all of us: Do something." The damage done to the young students' bodies in Texas, he told the nation, was so horrific that "parents had to do DNA swabs to identify the remains of their children, 9 and 10 years old."

Assault weapons were prohibited for a decade. Mass shootings declined in that period, Biden said. "After Republicans let the law expire in 2004, those weapons were allowed to be sold again. Mass shootings tripled," he said, calling for red-flag laws and other measures as well. A bipartisan group of senators is meeting to discuss possible legislation. But Republicans have blocked any effort to restrict gun sales for years. A House committee approved a package of weapons curbs Thursday night, 25-19. Every Republican on the committee voted no. (Read more gun control stories.)
(Newser)  Ancient art was destroyed when a man smashed his way into the Dallas Museum of Art Wednesday night, but the devastation may not be as bad as initially feared, authorities say. Museum officials, who initially estimated the damage at $5 million, now say the total could be a "fraction of that amount," the Dallas Morning News reports. Police say 21-year-old Brian Hernandez used a metal chair to break into the museum around 9:45pm and started smashing things when he got inside. Hernandez allegedly destroyed three ancient Greek artifactsincluding a 6th century BC amphoraand a Native American ceramic piece before security apprehended him, reports the AP.

Hernandez also allegedly wrecked museum property including display cases and at least one computer. The guard who apprehended Hernandez told police the suspect said "he got mad at his girl so he broke in and started destroying property." Hernandez has been charged with criminal mischief equal to or greater than $300,000. "The items inside of the display cases that were destroyed are rare ancient artifacts that are extremely precious and one of a kind," police said in a statement, per NBC 5.

Police say Hernandez was unarmed and called 911 on himself from inside the museum before he was apprehended. Museum board member Mary McDermott Cook, whose parents donated thousands of items, tells the Morning News she felt "sick to her stomach" after hearing about the incident. "I feel like everything has gone nuts, and this is one thing that went nuts," she says. "But what I also said is, 'Lets face it. It's just things. No person was hurt. And we have the technology and the expertise to put broken things back together.' And thank God for that." (A disguised man threw cake at the Mona Lisa on Sunday.)
(Newser)  Since 2015, Johnny Depp has been the face representing Dior's Sauvage cologne, appearing in the luxury brand's ads and on its website and social media. Support for the actor from Dior hasn't faltered, even during the weeks he spent in court during his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, and fans are now backing both Depp and Dior by opening their wallets. Although Dior itself is staying tight-lipped on sales figures, the Wall Street Journal reports that as of Thursday, Sauvage was the top selling men's cologne on both Ulta.com and Sephora.com, and holding steady in the men's eau de parfum category at No. 4 on Amazon, according to online rankings.

The UK's Metro also reports that between March and April (when the Depp-Heard trial kicked off), Google searches and TikTok views for Sauvage jumped 48% and 63%, respectively. The sales figures don't appear to be just a coincidence, either: The Journal notes that many reviews on the Ulta and Sephora sites for Sauvage explicitly note that support for Depp was a partial driver in the decision to make a purchase. "Getting this for all the males in my life #JusticeForJohnny," one review on Sephora.com read.

The New York Times notes that other celebritiesincluding Sharon Stone, Tiger Woods, and Depp ex Kate Mosshaven't been so lucky with their promotions and endorsement deals after becoming mired in scandals. "[Dior] took a really tough decision throughout to stand by him when no other company would," comms pro Ahmad Fatfat tells the Journal. "If the trial went in any opposite direction, by any chance, they would have been impacted." A spokesperson for Depp says the 58-year-old actor appreciates Dior's "steadfast and unwavering" backing, as well as that of his fans. "He will always be grateful to them and to all those who have supported him through the sales on his behalf," Depp's rep adds. (Read more Johnny Depp stories.)
(Newser)  A convicted murderer on the run since escaping a prison bus after stabbing its driver on May 12 was shot dead late Thursday after he killed a family of five and stole their truck from a rural weekend cabin, a Texas prison system spokesman said. Gonzalo Lopez, 46, was "killed by law enforcement in Atascosa County. He shot at officers who returned fire killing him," Jason Clark, spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said in an email to the Associated Press. The killing site is about 220 miles southeast of Centerville, Texas, about 110 miles north of Houston, near where Clark earlier said Lopez had killed a Houston family of five at their weekend cabin and stole their pickup truck. Lopez was thought to be hiding in the vicinity of the cabin when officers received a call from someone concerned after not hearing from an elderly relative, Clark said.

Officers went to the family's weekend cabin along Texas Route 7 west of Centerville about 6pm Thursday and found the bodies of one adult and four minors, three of them children. Identities were not released. Lopez was believed to have driven off in their white pickup truck, Clark said. "Law enforcement in Atascosa County located the stolen vehicle, disabled it with spike strips, and gunfire ensued," Clark says, per KSAT. Lopez was a former member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang and had ties to South Texas, which is where he met his end. The family, which was from the Houston area, was thought to have arrived Thursday morning at the cabin, which they owned, Clark said. The five are believed to have been killed Thursday afternoon and had no link to Lopez, he said.

Lopez, 46, had been the subject of an intensive search since his escape from the prison bus. He was being transported in a caged area of the bus from a prison in Gatesville, more than 100 miles west of the place where he escaped, to one in Huntsville for a medical appointment when he escaped in Leon County, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has said. Lopez was serving a life prison sentence for a 2006 conviction of murdering a man along the Texas-Mexico border.

(Read more Texas stories.)
(Newser)  President Biden has decided to travel to Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks and is expected to meet with the kingdoms crown prince, whom he once shunned for his brutality. It's a visit that is coming together as OPEC+ announced Thursday it will pump more oil amid skyrocketing energy costs around the globe. Biden's first trip to the Saudi kingdom as president is likely to occur later this month but details have not been finalized, a person familiar with the planning told the Associated Press. The White House on Thursday praised Saudi Arabia for its role securing an OPEC+ pledge to pump more oil and the president himself lauded the Saudis for agreeing to a cease-fire extension in its eight-year old war with Yemen that was also announced Thursday.

"Saudi Arabia demonstrated courageous leadership by taking initiatives early on to endorse and implement terms of the UN-led truce, Biden said in a statement after the 60-day extension of the cease fire was announced. Those warm words mark a sharp contrast with some of Biden's earlier rhetoric about the oil-rich kingdom. As a candidate, he pledged to treat the Saudis as a pariah for the 2018 killing and dismemberment of US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's brutal ways. US intelligence officials determined that the Saudi crown prince likely approved the killing of the journalist.

Biden administration officials have been working behind the scenes to repair relations, discussing shared strategic interests in security and oil with their Saudi counterparts. The effort has played out as the fallout from the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the world's No. 2 crude exporter after Saudi Arabia, and a Saudi-Russian brokered cap on oil production have raised crude prices and sent prices Americans pay at the pump to record highs.

Biden and Democrats face rising voter anger over the high prices, making the tight oil supply a top political liability. The White House is weighing a Biden visit that would also include a meeting of the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countriesBahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emiratesas well as Egypt, Iraq and Jordan, according to the person familiar with White House planning. (Much more here.)
(Newser)  The European Union on Friday formally approved an embargo on Russian oil and other sanctions targeting major banks and broadcasters over Moscows war on Ukraine. EU headquarters says Russian crude oil will be phased out over six months, and other refined petroleum products over eight months, the AP reports. It says that "a temporary exception is foreseen" for landlocked countrieslike Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakiathat "suffer from a specific dependence on Russian supplies and have no viable alternative options." Bulgaria and Croatia will also get "temporary derogations" for certain kinds of oil.

EU leaders say the move means that around 90% of Russias oil exports to Europe will be blocked by years end. The EU imports around 25% of its oil from Russia. Russias biggest bank, Sberbank, plus Credit Bank of Moscow, Russian Agriculture Bank, and the Belarusian Bank for Development and Reconstruction, have also been blocked from using the SWIFT system for international bank transfers. Broadcasters Rossiya RTR/RTR Planeta, Rossiya 24/Russia 24, and TV Centre International have been hit over allegations that they are being used by Moscow "to manipulate information and promote disinformation about the invasion of Ukraine."

The package is the sixth round of sanctions the EU has placed on Russia since the invasion of Ukraine 100 days ago. It also bars insurers from covering shipments of Russian oil, which could thwart Russia's efforts to sell more of its oil to Asia, the Wall Street Journal notes. EU officials say sanctions on Russian natural gas aren't currently being considered. The sanctions package also targets individuals including Alina Kabaeva, the retired Olympic gymnast known as Russia's "secret first lady." (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.)
(Newser)  A customer of a Chinese restaurant in New York City who argued with the manager over extra packets of duck sauce ultimately responded by murdering the restaurants longtime deliveryman, authorities say. Glenn Hirsch, 51, was arrested Wednesday and is accused of following and fatally shooting 45-year-old Zhiwen Yan, "who had no part in his petty spat," reports the New York Daily News. Great Wall restaurant manager Kai Yang previously told the Daily News that Hirsch grabbed all of the duck sauce from a self-serve station when he picked up an order in November, only to return to demand a refund, claiming "you didn't give me enough duck sauce."

"A petty dispute over a takeout order became an obsessive point of contention for the defendant, who began to stalk and harass employees at the restaurant for months," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz says, per the New York Times. Yang says Hirsch confronted him and another employee with a gun, damaged employees' cars and the restaurant's locks, and yelled racial slurs. "He hates Asian people," Yang tells the Daily News. "He said he wanted to kill all of us." Yan in particular had alerted police to Hirsch, Yang adds. Officers were still investigating when Yan, a father of three who'd worked at the Great Wall for more than a decade, was shot in the chest April 30 while riding on his delivery scooter.

Surveillance video showed Hirsch driving past the restaurant seven times before following the deliveryman, prosecutors say, per the Times. Authorities later found eight guns in the home of Hirsch's estranged wife, "where he fled to after the shooting," per CBS News. They believe she was holding the guns for her husband, who doesn't have a license allowing legal ownership, per the Daily News. Hirsch, who was reportedly arrested 10 times between 1995 and 2012, pleaded not guilty to murder, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal mischief, menacing, and stalking on Thursday. Though Yan's widow Eva Zhao has expressed relief at the arrest, a lawyer for the family says there should be hate crime charges as well. (Read more murder stories.)
(Newser)  What's being described as a subtle "rebellion" has taken place at the Chinese University of Hong Kong ahead of the 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. For decades, Hong Kong had marked the anniversary of the June 4, 1989, pro-democracy protest in Beijingwhere soldiers opened fire on hundreds if not thousands of studentswith a candlelight vigil in Victoria Park. Thousands would gather to hear speakers "demand accountability from the Chinese Communist Party," CNN reports. But Beijing has effectively banned the vigil in recent years, citing COVID-19 restrictions.

More than 3,000 riot police were brought in last year to prevent gatherings. Since then, at least 26 pro-democracy activists have been prosecuted for trying to commemorate June 4, and Hong Kong's only museum dedicated to Tiananmen Square has been closed, per Al Jazeera and the BBC. Though COVID-19 restrictions are now lifting, Hong Kong police have warned about "unauthorized assembly in the area of Victoria Park," in what activists see as part of China's efforts to quell political dissent in Hong Kong since pro-democracy protests in 2020. Senior Superintendent Liauw Ka Kei says police will stop and search anyone who appears to incite others to join unlawful gatherings.

While it's still unclear whether a vigil will take place, students at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have been decorating the campus with miniature replicas of the "Goddess of Democracy" statue that stood at the university for 11 years before it was removed in December, along with other monuments. Modelled on the Statue of Liberty, the democracy symbol was first unveiled at Tiananmen Square in 1989, per the BBC. "This is a kind of a rebellion, an organizer tells the Hong Kong Free Press. "The university 'stole' the statue from its students so we've decided to  put it back." Though the act of defiance wrapped up after rumored surveillance from school officials, organizers hope witnesses see "there are still people who haven't given up," per the BBC. (Read more Tiananmen Square stories.)
(Newser)  Just days after he declared that working from home was unacceptable, Elon Musk has decided some Tesla employees don't need to come back at all. In an email to execs seen by Reuters, the Tesla CEO says he is planning to cut around 10% of jobs at the company because he has a "super bad feeling" about the economy." Tesla has around 100,000 employees worldwide, the Guardian reports. It is also currently advertising around 5,000 jobs, though Musk's email was titled "pause all hiring."

Some viewed Musk's remarks on remote working as a shifty way of cutting staff numbers, since staff members responded by pointing out that the company doesn't have space for all employees to be in the office full-time, the Guardian notes. Shares in Tesla have plummeted since Musk announced a deal to buy Twitter, but there has been no drop in sales at the electric automaker. The Telegraph reports that Musk also raised concerns about the economy at a conference in late May, saying the US could already be in recession and "itll probably be some tough going for, I don't know, a year, maybe 12-18 months."

"Musks bad feeling is shared by many people," Carsten Brzeski, global head of macroeconomic research at Dutch bank ING, tells Reuters. "But we are not talking about global recession. We expect a cooling of the global economy towards the end of the year. The US will cool off, while China and Europe are not going to rebound." The Verge notes that large rounds of layoffs are not unusual at Tesla: The company cut 9% of staff in June 2018 and another 7% in January 2019. (In 2019, Musk said jobs were being cut because Tesla's vehicles were too expensive.)
(Newser)  As the dust starts to settle on the Wednesday announcement of Sheryl Sandberg's farewell as chief operating officer of Facebook, now known as Meta, the inevitable "But why, really?" is being bandied about. Sandberg, 52, will remain on the company's board of directors and has said she's simply ready for the "next chapter" of her life, which will include getting married this summer and taking on more philanthropic initiatives. Per the Wall Street Journal's deep dive into her exit, that answer seems to be the sanitized version. The paper describes Sandberg as having become increasingly "disconnected from the mega-business she was instrumental in building," as well as the subject of a company probe. More on her departure:

Troubled times: Sources tell the Journal that Sandberg's relationship with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had become more strained over the years, and that she'd started to become "burned out" and sick of being a "punching bag" for the company. "She sees herself as someone who has been targeted, been tarred as a woman executive in a way that would not happen to a man," one colleague tells the paper.

Sources tell the Journal that Sandberg's relationship with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had become more strained over the years, and that she'd started to become "burned out" and sick of being a "punching bag" for the company. "She sees herself as someone who has been targeted, been tarred as a woman executive in a way that would not happen to a man," one colleague tells the paper. Investigation: Meta has been looking into Sandberg's activities, including alleged misuse of company resources to plan her wedding to consultant Tom Bernthal. That review is ongoing, per the Journal, which also notes two incidents in the past involving one of Sandberg's ex-boyfriends.

Meta has been looking into Sandberg's activities, including alleged misuse of company resources to plan her wedding to consultant Tom Bernthal. That review is ongoing, per the Journal, which also notes two incidents in the past involving one of Sandberg's ex-boyfriends. Meta's response: "None of this has anything to do with her personal decision to leave," a company spokesperson notes.

"None of this has anything to do with her personal decision to leave," a company spokesperson notes. Zuckerberg's take: Recode has the full transcript of comments from the Meta CEO, as well as from Sandberg herself, during a virtual meeting Thursday with its 70,000-plus employees. "I think it's been really unusual for a partnership like this to last so long," Zuckerberg said of her 14-year tenure with the company. "A lot of her legacy is that she just created opportunities for millions of people around the world, and I think she deserves a lot of the credit for what Meta is today."

A more 'complicated legacy': That's how CNN Business frames what Sandberg is leaving in her wake, delving further into the criticism against her. One detractor tells the outlet Sandberg is "responsible for the wholesale destruction of privacy." And on the subject of online safety, another adds: "Sandberg had the power to take action for 14 years, yet consistently chose not to."

That's how CNN Business frames what Sandberg is leaving in her wake, delving further into the criticism against her. One detractor tells the outlet Sandberg is "responsible for the wholesale destruction of privacy." And on the subject of online safety, another adds: "Sandberg had the power to take action for 14 years, yet consistently chose not to." A blow to feminism? Nah: Writing for Gawker, Fran Hoepfner rolls her eyes at the takes deeming Sandberg's departure as the end of the "girlboss era." Hoepfner writes that that phenomenon was never even a thing. "The girlboss era, which didn't exist, was never earnest. It was always ironic and barbed: They had to put 'girl' in front of the word 'boss.'" Most of the women executives labeled as such "left their companies due to labor disputes or toxic leadership," Hoepfner notes. And it's pretty easy to remember the "girlbosses" like Sandberg "because there were so few of them" in the first place.

Writing for Gawker, Fran Hoepfner rolls her eyes at the takes deeming Sandberg's departure as the end of the "girlboss era." Hoepfner writes that that phenomenon was never even a thing. "The girlboss era, which didn't exist, was never earnest. It was always ironic and barbed: They had to put 'girl' in front of the word 'boss.'" Most of the women executives labeled as such "left their companies due to labor disputes or toxic leadership," Hoepfner notes. And it's pretty easy to remember the "girlbosses" like Sandberg "because there were so few of them" in the first place. Lean In: The New York Times takes a closer look at Sandberg's bestselling book and how it's affected the women who've read it. For some, it served as a "bible" and inspiring "road map to corporate life." For others, it's been more problematic, especially on how the book's "individual-focused solutions" apply to the unique, more systemic challenges of low-income women and women of color.

The New York Times takes a closer look at Sandberg's bestselling book and how it's affected the women who've read it. For some, it served as a "bible" and inspiring "road map to corporate life." For others, it's been more problematic, especially on how the book's "individual-focused solutions" apply to the unique, more systemic challenges of low-income women and women of color. Billionaire status: However her legacy or reputation ends up unfolding, Sandberg definitely isn't walking away empty-handed. CNBC reports she's bidding adieu to Meta after more than $1.7 billion in stock sales over the last decademaking her "one of the rare non-CEOs and non-founders to become a billionaire."

(Read more Sheryl Sandberg stories.)
(Newser)  While the two cases are very differentJohnny Depp didn't kill anybody, for a startthe Depp defamation trial has apparently inspired Kyle Rittenhouse to step up his own legal efforts. "Johnny Depp trial is just fueling me, you can fight back against the lies in the media, and you should! " the teen tweeted on Wednesday. He has hired Todd McMurtry, the attorney who helped former Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann sue CNN and other outlets for defamation, Business Insider reports. Rittenhouse fatally shot two men during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, but was acquitted on all counts last year.

"Ive been hired to head the effort to determine whom to sue, when to sue, where to sue," McMurtry tells Fox News. "We're going to look at everything that's been said, determine which of those comments are legally actionable and proceed from there." He says it's "pretty much assured" that there are 10 to 15 "solid" cases against "large defendants." He says major targets will be Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg because the platform designated the shooting as a "mass murder incident."

"To call somebody a mass murderer is seriously defamatory," says McMurtry. He says Facebook also banned Rittenhouse from posting and restricted positive comments about him in what amounted to a "serious effort to destroy his character." Earlier this year, Rittenhouse said he was looking at suing "quite a few politicians, celebrities, athletes," including President Biden, Oprah Winfrey, and LeBron James. (Read more Kyle Rittenhouse stories.)
(Newser)  Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff wasn't sure what was going to happen on Jan. 6, 2021. But he knew President Trump was about to publicly denounce Pence for not trying to block Congress from certifying Joe Biden's electoral victory in the presidential election, and he reasoned that could put Pence in danger, the New York Times reports. So for the only time during the Trump administration, Marc Short warned the lead Secret Service agent on Pence's detail on Jan. 5 that there could be trouble. Short had reason to be concerned.

Trump supporters chanted "Hang Mike Pence" when they stormed the Capitol the next day and set up a mock gallows outside. Inside, agents hustled Pence from the House chamber, through the building, to a hiding place. It's not clear whether the agent, Tim Giebels, took any action based on the warning. Trump later said that he knew of the chants but didn't worry because he knew Pence was well guarded. Information about the warning recently emerged in research by Times reporter Maggie Haberman for an upcoming book. Pence's staff and the Secret Service did not comment.

Pence had already told Trump he didn't think he had the authority to reject the electors' votes and wasn't going to try to. The president tweeted on Jan. 5 that Pence did have that power and pressured him in a conversation. Just before the riot began, Trump told a rally outside the White House: "Mike Pence, I hope you're going to stand up for the good of our Constitution and for the good of our country. And if you're not, I'm going to be very disappointed in you." The split between Trump and Pence has solidified since, with Pence saying in February that the former president was wrong about whether he could throw out the election results. (Read more Capitol riot stories.)
(Newser)  The amount of heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has shot past a key milestonemore than 50% higher than pre-industrial timesand is at levels not seen since millions of years ago when Earth was a hothouse ocean-inundated planet, federal scientists announced Friday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said its monitoring station at Mauna Loa, Hawaii, averaged 421 parts per million of carbon dioxide for May, which is when the crucial greenhouse gas hits its yearly high. Before the industrial revolution in the late 19th century, carbon dioxide levels were at 280 parts per million, scientists said, suggesting humans have significantly changed the atmosphere. Some activists and scientists want a level of 350 parts per million, the AP reports.

Levels of the gas continue to rise, though they need to be falling, scientists say. Industrial carbon dioxide emissions come from the burning of coal, oil, and gas. This year's carbon dioxide level is nearly 1.9 ppm more than a year ago, a slightly bigger jump than from May 2020 to May 2021. "The world is trying to reduce emissions, and you just don't see it. In other words, if you're measuring the atmosphere, you're not seeing anything happening right now in terms of change," said NOAA climate scientist Pieter Tans, who tracks global greenhouse gas emissions. Outside scientists said the numbers show a severe climate change problem.

Without cuts in carbon pollution, University of Illinois climate scientist Donald Wuebbles said that "we will see ever more damaging levels of climate change, more heat waves, more flooding, more droughts, more large storms, and higher sea levels." The pandemic slowdown did cut global carbon emissions a bit in 2020, but they rebounded last year. Both changes were small compared to how much carbon dioxide is pumped into the atmosphere each year, especially considering that carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere hundreds to a thousand years. NOAA said carbon dioxide levels are now about the same as 4.1 to 4.5 million years ago in the Pliocene era, when temperatures were 7 degrees higher and sea levels were 16 to 82 feet higher than now.

(Read more carbon dioxide stories.)
(Newser)  A climate activist wearing a T-shirt with the message "We have 1028 days left" interrupted the French Open men's semifinal Friday between Marin Cilic and Casper Ruud by attaching herself to the net and kneeling on the court. Play was delayed for more than 10 minutes with Ruud serving in the third set while leading 3-6, 6-4, 4-1, 15-all. Both players left while the protester was carried away by four security guards, the AP reports. Ruud and Cilic returned and were given three minutes to warm up before resuming their match. Play has been interrupted in past years at Court Philippe Chatrier, as well. During the 2013 men's final, a shirtless man carrying a fiery flare jumped onto the court. In the 2009 final, a man went up to Roger Federer and tried to put a hat on his head. In the 2003 final, a male streaker hurdled the net.

Ruud won the match 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 and will face 13-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in Sunday's final. Ruud is the first Norwegian man to reach a Grand Slam singles final, per the AP. Nadal's semifinal victory Friday was out of the norm, as well. His opponent, Alexander Zverev, fell during a point three hours into the match, injured his right ankle, and immediately screamed in pain. He left the court in a wheelchair. When he returned several minutes later, using crutches, Zverev said he had to retire from the match. Nadal had won the first set 7-6 (8), and the second set also was headed to a tiebreaker when Zverev was injured.

On the women's side, Iga Swiatek of Poland will face 18-year-old American Coco Gauff in the singles final Saturday. "She's definitely the favorite going into the match, on paper," Gauff said of Swiatek, who's ranked No. 1. Gauff, who hasn't dropped a set in the past two weeks, per ESPN, will be the youngest US woman in a major final since Serena Williams in the 1999 US Open, when she was 17. (Read more French Open stories.)
(Newser)  The school district police chief who took charge of the response to the Uvalde shootings arrived quickly at Robb Elementary, while shots were still being fired inside. But Pete Arredondo didn't have a police radio with him, the New York Times reports. He called a police landline on a cellphone, per the Texas Tribune. Arredondo reported that the gunman had an AR-15 and was contained, calling for backup officers to surround the school. The chief has been widely criticized for waiting for more help instead of following the standard police policy of having his officers charge the classroom in which the gunman was killing students and teachers.

Because he didn't have a police radio, Arredondo might not have known about the 911 calls being placed from inside the school. And he could have had a limited ability in the beginning to talk with dispatchers. The Times found the handling of the police response might have allowed more killings to take place in the school and caused medical help to the wounded victims to be delayed. The Justice Department has announced a review. Officers from at least 14 agencies lingered outside while gunshots could be heard in the building. A group of officers from various agencies eventually ignored orders and charged into the classroom, killing the gunman. (Read more Uvalde mass shooting stories.)
Local_news

Water levels on the Chena River are expected to recede after peaking on Saturday

Photo by Ned Rozell The Chena River is likely to run most of the summer given the amount of snow melt the region experienced this winter. Photo by Ned Rozell

The Chena River is going down after getting within two feet of flood stage over the weekend.

A hydrologist with the National Weather Service said the river that runs through Fairbanks will probably continue to run high all summer, depending on rainfall.

I think that this is going to be a year for people to be very vigilant on this river, Hydrologist Karen Endres said.

Boaters and floaters have been taking to the Chena River in recent weeks with temperatures getting into the 70s.

A message on the river forecasting website states that even though most rivers in Alaska are open, it is still possible for runs of ice and debris to move through as headwaters upstream breakup. Please use caution at all times when attempting to navigate rivers.

As of 1 p.m. on Thursday, the Chena River at Chena Lake Recreation Area was measured at 21.1 feet, according to the Alaska-Pacific River Forecast Center.

Flood stage is 24.5 feet. The river forecast center is predicting water levels to drop down to 19 feet by Monday.

On Saturday, the Chena River peaked at about 22.5 feet.

The last time the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers used the Moose Creek Dam to regulate the flow of the Chena River was on May 11, 2020, after rapid snowmelt had caused rivers to swell. The dam regulated the river to ensure flows did not exceed 12,000 cubic feet per second in downtown Fairbanks.

The devastating 1967 flood in Fairbanks spurred the Army Corps of Engineers to build the Chena River Flood Control Project.

Endres said the Chena River was fairly low last year. While its high this year, its not as high as in 2020, she said.

The hydrologist added that snow is still melting high in the hills.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahraini intellectual Dr Nooh Khalifa praised the solidarity stances of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, with the United States of America during the September 11 terrorist attacks.

He said that King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, took a united stand with the United States of America and expressed his readiness to help, as well as the Bahraini people standing with the American people.

Dr Khalifa added that King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was quick to receive American Ambassador Johnny Young to review the latest developments in the situation and offer condolences to US President George Bush, families and friends of the victims as well as the American people.

The King of Bahrain followed up with US Ambassador Johnny Young at Al Safriya Palace developments of the situation and assured the US Ambassador of Bahrains readiness to cooperate with the United States of America as required by the phase that it went through, stated Dr Khalifa.

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa expressed Bahrains condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist attacks that claimed many innocent lives and affirmed the solidarity of the Bahraini people with the American people.

The Bahraini Kings condemnation of the terrorist attacks and his willingness to cooperate to the extent required at the stage achieved remarkable spread in major newspapers in the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

He added that the spread of the statements issued by the leadership of the Kingdom of Bahrain  led by His Majesty King Hamad  which rose in American and international media proved the strength of the will of the King of Bahrain to confront global terrorism.

He went on to say that the positions of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, were one of the biggest doors for Bahrain entering into a broad alliance with the United States of America and the world in combatting terrorism and extremism.

The position of the King of Bahrain was followed by the statements of his Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa that Bahrain had not received any request for assistance, but when needed Bahrain stands by its friends, added Dr Khalifa.

The Bahraini Foreign Minister at the time  Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa announced Bahrains readiness to participate in an alliance supported by the international community to fight terrorism and punish its perpetrators.



Dr Khalifa indicated that the pace of US recognition of the common goals between Bahrain and the United States of America and the level of Bahrains participation in international efforts to combat terrorism has increased.

He highlighted US President George W Bushs praise of Bahrains King Hamad bin Isas stances at a school celebration in Washington, in which Bahrain participated among six Arab countries in the Friendship through Education initiative.

He also noted President George W Bushs statements regarding the United States intention to continue achieving common goals between Bahrain and America and his appreciation of the strong ties and common values that bind them together.

President George W Bush welcomed every opportunity to consult with King Hamad and share his commitment to combating international terrorism in a reply telegram sent to His Majesty on the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks, added Dr Khalifa.

The King of Bahrain took a global trend in addition to his allied directions with the United States of America in issues of security and peace and achieved a deeper balance by forming a global Bahraini understanding in the face of terrorism.

Dr Khalifa referred to the complementarity of the position of the King of Bahrain, pointing to his immediate move from condolences to his readiness in joining the United States of America to fight terrorism, winning the appreciation of the authorities and the people of America.

He also indicated that King Hamad received a letter of appreciation from New Yorks Mayor and its people which described the positions of Bahrain and a number of countries in the world as a firm reminder that the world shares Americas insistence on creating a future free of fear.

Dr Khalifa concluded by saying that the stances of the King of Bahrain towards the events of September 11 doubled the values and connections that bind Bahrain to the United States of America. He expressed his perceptions that Bahrain possesses the elements to qualify as a regional centre for combating extremism and terrorism in cooperation with the United States.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has highlighted Bahrains pioneering educational achievements spanning more than a hundred years.

He praised the efforts of the Education Ministry and all its affiliates and the development plans and programs it implements to advance the educational process in Bahrain.

His Majesty was speaking as he received, in AlSafriya Palace, Arab Parliament Speaker Adel Abdulrahman Al Asoomi, who introduced to HM the King Jordanian Parliament Speaker Abdulkarim Al Daghmi, Yemeni Shura Council Chairman Dr. Ahmed Obaid bin Dagher, Djibouti Parliament Chairman Mohammed Ali Hamad, Comoros Parliament Chairman Moustadroine Abdou and AP Deputy Speaker, UAE Federal National Council member Mohammed Ahmed Al Yamahi and AP Deputy Speaker, Omans State Council member Dr Hassan bin Ali Al Madhani.

They arrived in Bahrain to attend the launch of the Education Development in the Arab World was held yesterday under the theme: Bahrain Gateway of Education Development in the Arab World.

The ceremony, which was hosted in the Kingdom, was organised by the Arab Parliament, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, in the presence of prominent personalities, heads of Arab parliament and representatives of Arab and international organisations and civil society institutions.

HM the King praised the launch of the document for the development of the educational system in the Arab world, in line with global changes and developments in this vital sector and promoting common Arab interests.

He stressed Bahrains support for all efforts that contribute to promoting joint Arab action and serving the interests of the Arab nation to meet the aspirations of its brotherly peoples for further development and development.
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP)  Bulgaria is sticking to its position blocking North Macedonias accession talks with the European Union despite growing pressures from its Western partners to lift its veto following Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Hours after EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi wrapped up his talks with Bulgarian officials, saying he would return in three weeks to seek Bulgarias yes to the negotiations, Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov on Friday reiterated his position that the government would not do anything based on external pressure.
A former resident at Yale New Haven Hospital was among the four victims killed this week in a mass shooting in Tulsa, Okla.

Dr. Preston Phillips, 59, was a resident at Yales Orthopedic Surgery Residency Training program between 1990 and 1996, hospital officials said Friday.

On behalf of the entire Yale New Haven Health and Yale School of Medicine family, we offer our deepest sympathies to the Saint Francis Health System family over the horrific loss of Preston Phillips, MD and his colleagues, Yale said in a statement.

Tulsa police said Phillips graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1990, and completed two fellowships at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston in 1986 and 1996. Besides his medical studies, Phillips also earned degrees in chemistry, pharmacology and theology from Emory University, police said. He was most recently working as a board-certified orthopedic surgeon for Saint Francis Health System in Tulsa with an interest in spinal surgery, joint reconstruction  including joint replacement and the treatment of fractures, police said.

As an academic health institution and as physicians, we must recommit ourselves to finding a better path forward by bolstering support for behavioral health services as we do everything in our power to eliminate the scourge of gun violence in our communities, Yale officials said in their statement.

Phillips was killed Wednesday after a gunman armed with a semiautomatic rifle and handgun stormed into the Saint Francis medical campus. Three other people were killed in the attack before the gunman died by suicide, according to police.

Police identified the other victims of the attack as Dr. Stephanie Husen, 48, Amanda Glenn, 40, and William Love, 73.

Police said the gunman was unhappy with a back surgery procedure Phillips had performed on him in May. In the days leading up to the attack, the gunman had called to complain about the procedure. Hed been seen by Phillips the day before the shooting, but had called again to complain on the day of the shooting, according to police.

The gunman, identified by police as Michael Louis, purchased the AR-15-style rifle he used in the attack just hours before he carried out the shooting.
BEEKMAN, N.Y.  Local authorities said they have arrested a Danbury, Conn. man, after he allegedly broke into a local residents home with a weapon and sexually assaulting them.

Wilson Oliveros-Romeros, 32, was charged on May 27 with predatory sexual assault, first-degree rape, second-degree burglary and second-degree menacing, the Duchess County Sheriffs Office said in a press release.

On May 21, sheriffs deputies and detectives were called to a home after a reported home invasion and sexual assault, the office said. Oliveros-Romeros was charged after a week-long investigation into the incident.

At this time Mr. Oliveros-Romeros is accused of illegally entering the victims home with a weapon and sexually assaulting them. Mr. Oliveros-Romeros and the victim are known to each other and the attack was not a random act, the sheriffs office said.

The office said the Dutchess County District Attorneys Office, New York State Police, and Dutchess County Family Services also assisted in the investigation.

Oliveros-Romeros was arraigned in court and remanded to the county jail without bail, the office said.

It is believed that this was an isolated incident, however if anyone has any information about this case or similar incidents involving Mr. Oliveros-Romeros they are urged to contact the Sheriff's Office Detective Bureau, the office said.

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at 845-486-3820, or the anonymous tip line at 845-486-2583, or email dcsotips@gmail.com.
OTTAWA, ON, June 3, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - The Government of Canada is working hard to resettle at least 40,000 Afghan nationals as quickly and safely as possible. Canada has now welcomed a total of 14,645 Afghan refugees, with more arriving every week.

As we mark the start of Pride Month in Canada, we celebrate the resilience, spirit and diversity of individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two spirited (LGBTQ2). Canada has a proud history of protecting and helping resettle the world's most vulnerable groups, including LGBTQ2 refugees. To help support refugees fleeing persecution because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, Canada was among the first countries to have launched a special humanitarian resettlement program for vulnerable Afghans, including LGBTQ2 individuals.

In keeping with this commitment, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is working with the Rainbow Refugee Society through the Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership, which encourages Canadians to sponsor LGBTQ2 refugees and strengthens collaboration between LGBTQ2 organizations and the refugee sponsorship community. Initially, this partnership provided 50 cost-sharing spaces per year for privately sponsored refugees. Recently, the partnership was expanded in response to the Afghanistan crisis to provide an additional 150 spaces for Afghan refugees between 2022 and 2024.

Canada recognizes the specific vulnerabilities that LGBTQ2 refugees face and will continue to work closely with the community to help bring them safely to Canada. We are grateful for the ongoing goodwill and support from Canadians from coast to coast to coast as they have welcomed these individuals into their communities. Learn about ways you can help make Canada their home.

Photos of previous arrivals are available in Dropbox for use by media. You can also monitor Canada's progress on welcoming Afghan refugees to Canada.

Quotes

"LGBTQ2 refugees continue to face unimaginable circumstances just for being who they are, and this makes them a target for persecution in countries like Afghanistan. Together, with partners like Rainbow Refugee Society, we can create safe, inclusive, and supportive communities for these vulnerable refugees. We will continue to provide funding to organizations like this so they can deliver crucial services to people seeking refugee protection in Canada."

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

"Rainbow Refugee welcomes the Government of Canada's initiative to expand the number of cost-sharing spaces available to privately sponsor LGBTQ2 refugees from Afghanistan. Persecution based on sexuality and gender identity remains pervasive globally. When armed conflict arises, LGBTQ2 people are particularly vulnerable to violence and face heightened obstacles to crossing borders and accessing protection. Expanding pathways to safety that account for these vulnerabilities is an important step in fulfilling Canada's human rights obligation to humanitarian protection."

 Aleks Dughman-Manzur, Co-Executive Director, Rainbow Refugee Society

Quick facts

Through the Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership, the government provides start-up costs and three months of income support while private sponsors offer nine months of income support.

As of May 2022 , over 170 refugees have arrived through this initiative with the Rainbow Refugee Society.

To be considered for Canada's resettlement program, refugees must be referred by a designated referral organization, such as the United Nations Refugee Agency, or be privately sponsored.

IRCC provides funding to at least 55 service provider organizations (SPOs) that offer support specifically for LGBTQ2 refugees. In addition, IRCC funded a project with five SPOs, who in partnership with local LGBTQ2 groups, developed an information and orientation curriculum aimed at providing targeted and client focused services for self-identified LGBTQ2 refugees in Halifax , Winnipeg , Calgary , and Vancouver .

Associated links

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SOURCE Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

For further information: Contacts for media only: Aidan Strickland, Press Secretary, Minister's Office, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, [email protected]; Media Relations, Communications Branch, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 613-952-1650, [email protected]
Environmental Solutions Innovation Hub to be established

Today, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, or PacifiCan, announced Government of Canada funding of over $1.9 million to support the establishment of the Environmental Solutions Innovation Hub at UNBC.

This new hub will allow for the increased and expedited development and prototyping of new materials and technologies. This will help solve pressing environmental concerns in Northern B.C. in sectors such as water management, mining, forestry and bioenergy.

The hub will connect industries and communities needing sustainable and economically viable solutions with world-class research where solutions can be explored, developed and then commercialized.

This funding will allow the university to procure the advanced analytical instruments and personnel needed to meet the expanded scope of needed services. And the local natural resources industries will have greater support close to home, enhancing environmental performance of their operations.

Investing in clean technologies is a key priority for the Government of Canada. PacifiCan is committed to advancing the commercialization and adoption of clean technologies to increase the green advantage of the British Columbian economy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts.

Quote(s)

"Universities like UNBC are often the birthplace of ideas, such as innovations that leverage the power of clean technology. The Environmental Solutions Innovation Hub will strengthen the local clean technology ecosystem and help local firms tackle grow their green competitive edge."

- The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada

"Canada is committed to supporting the energy transition needed to reach Canada's climate goals by investing in clean energy technology projects that will lower emissions and increase our competitiveness. This Environmental Solutions Innovation Hub will help lead us closer to our net-zero goals."

- The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson

Minister of Natural Resources

" This investment at UNBC will help us not only meet the pressing needs of our region but will help us develop local solutions that can have a global impact as well. Environmental sustainability is at the core of our being at Canada's Green University; supporting a variety of industries and stakeholders with sustainability-focused solutions that strengthen environmental leadership fits well with our commitment to the communities we are honoured to serve. I congratulate the many partners and members of the University community who collaborated in support of this initiative."

- Dr. Geoff Payne, President and Vice Chancellor, University of Northern British Columbia

Stay connected

Follow PacifiCan on Twitter and LinkedIn

Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-9378

TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388

SOURCE Pacific Economic Development Canada

For further information: Contacts: Haley Hodgson, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Economic Development, [email protected]; Ben Letts, Communications Manager, Pacific Economic Development Canada, [email protected]
OTTAWA, TRADITIONAL UNCEDED ALGONQUIN TERRITORY, ON, June 3, 2022 /CNW/ - CrownIndigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in Canada is an ongoing national tragedy. The Government of Canada is working with families, survivors and communities as equal partners towards solutions that will protect vulnerable people and address the root causes of this violence.

Today, on the first anniversary of the release of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of CrownIndigenous Relations, attended a ceremony at the Canadian Museum of History with family members, survivors, members of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, Elders and Grandmothers.

During the ceremony, the Government of Canada reaffirmed its commitment to continue working with families and communities to respond to this national tragedy. The Prime Minister received teachings from Elders and Grandmothers on the importance of continuing this work.

Following the ceremony, the Government of Canada released its report that outlines some of the work undertaken over the last year under the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People. The Federal Pathway is the Government of Canada's contribution to the National Action Plan. The report also acknowledges the significant work ahead to further implement the government's commitments.

A report was also released by contributing partners to the National Action Plan entitled A Progress Report on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. The Government of Canada remains steadfast in its commitment to continue to work in partnership with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous Peoples, families and survivors, and Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQQIA+ organizations to make progress on the National Action Plan and address the tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in Canada.

Addressing the ongoing violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people is a whole-of-government approach, which requires living up to our moral obligations as a country, and all the Calls for Justice. Our work will never cease as long as survivors, families, and communities are enduring this national tragedy. We will ensure our initiatives are trauma-informed and survivor-centric, to put an end to this tragedy  as survivors work towards healing.

Quotes

"On this important anniversary, we reaffirm the Government of Canada's commitment to continue working with Survivors, families and communities to end the tragedy of the missing and murdered. We will never forget those who never came home and we will honour their memories by working tirelessly to build a better future, where everyone is safe from violence. To Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, today, and every day, we are supporting you in reclaiming your power and your place."

The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau,

Prime Minister of Canada

"I want to acknowledge the dedication and devotion of First Nations, Inuit, Metis and 2SLGBTQQIA+ families, survivors, communities, organizations, and leadership in their tireless advocacy. We need your advocacy and guidance; our priority is to work together with you to end the violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. We know there is still much more work to do and we remain committed to seeing this work through."

The Honourable Marc Miller

Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

"Indigenous languages and cultures are at the heart of First Nations, Inuit and Metis community, identity and self-determination. They are critical sources of support, healing, and safety for Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. Canadian Heritage will continue to support initiatives that help Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people reclaim their language and cultural knowledge, and share their own stories in their own words."

The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez

Minister of Canadian Heritage

"In Canada, Indigenous girls and women are significantly more likely to experience gender-based violence than non-Indigenous women. We will continue to fund partners to create and run programs that protect and support First Nations, Inuit, Metis and 2SLGBTQQIA+ families and survivors. Changing a culture that undermines the worth of women is not easy but we will keep at it. Together, we can make Canada safer and more inclusive for Indigenous women and girls."

The Honourable Patty Hajdu

Minister of Indigenous Services

"The Government of Canada recognizes that, although we all have the right to feel safe and protected in our communities, this has not been the case for many Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals. There remains much to be done before this changes. I am committed to continue working with Indigenous partners, communities and organizations, provinces and territories, and others to help end the violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. This includes advancing the unique policing and community safety priorities of First Nations, Inuit and Metis and co-developing federal legislation recognizing First Nations police services as an essential service."

The Honourable Marco Mendicino

Minister of Public Safety

"Today and every day, we reflect on the tireless work and the many voices that shaped last year's release of the 2021 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. Family members and survivors, Indigenous communities and organizations, 2SLGBTQQIA+ leaders, advocates and academics  we hear you, we see you, and we share your pain and grief. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you."

The Honourable Marci Ien

Minister for Women, Gender Equality and Youth

"Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people deserve a justice system that protects, not harms them. We know there is more work to be done and we are committed to ensuring access to a fair, equitable, and inclusive justice system that respects the rights of Indigenous Peoples and protects Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people now and in the future."

The Honourable David Lametti, P.C., Q.C., M.P.

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

"We continue to work together with Indigenous partners, Northern communities and all orders of government to address the root-causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. Our critical investments in infrastructure, violence prevention, and in supports for survivors help meet urgent needs in communities in the North and Arctic. Our government is moving forward in partnership to bring necessary change and to end the enduring violence.."

The Honourable Daniel Vandal, P.C., M.P.

Minister of Northern Affairs

Quick facts

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan including the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People , was released on June 3, 2021 .





, was released on . The Federal Pathway is supported with historic investments of over $2.2 billion in Budget 2021. Budget 2022 provides additional investments towards addressing some of the root causes of this tragedy, including racism, housing, education, mental wellness and health care, and economic development and employment.

Related products

2021-2022 Federal Pathway Annual Progress Report: Summary

Associated links

The Federal Pathway Annual Progress Report

The National Action Plan Progress Report

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan

Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People

Stay connected

Join the conversation about Indigenous Peoples in Canada:

Twitter: @GCIndigenous

Facebook: @GCIndigenous

Instagram: @gcindigenous

You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit www.cirnac.gc.ca/RSS

SOURCE Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

For further information: media may contact: Justine Leblanc, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, [email protected]; CIRNAC Media Relations, Email: RCAANC. [email protected], Phone: 819-934-2302
Substantial support for Acadian and Francophone communities: The governments of Canada and New Brunswick announce significant funding for the Universite de Moncton.

MONCTON, NB, June 3, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that all Canadians can learn in the official language of their choice. The education system, from preschool to post-secondary, plays an essential role. Supporting and encouraging education in a minority language and learning the second official language is a government priority, as this unites us and helps build a more bilingual Canada.

Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, announced more than $27.8 million in financial support for three projects at the Universite de Moncton. This funding is in partnership with the Government of New Brunswick. The minister was accompanied by the Honourable Daniel Allain, New Brunswick Minister of Local Governments and Local Governance Reform, on behalf of the Honourable Trevor Holder, New Brunswick Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, and Dr. Denis Prud'homme, President and Vice-Chancellor of the Universite de Moncton.

Stabilization and capacity building at the Universite de Moncton

The majority of the funding announced today $18.5 million over three years from the Government of Canada and $5.5 million over three years from the Government of New Brunswickis for a project that will allow the Universite de Moncton to maintain and expand its priority program offerings, including online courses, in addition to acquiring the materials and equipment needed to deliver the courses. The project also aims to support continuing education for professors and updates to teaching materials. Lastly, this project will provide new $2,000 scholarships for more than 1,000 students over three years and will support advertising and promotional efforts to recruit students.

Renovations and refurbishment of facilities to access learning and support services at the Universite de Moncton's three campuses

The governments of Canada and New Brunswick are each investing more than $812,000 in new isolated and soundproof study and examination rooms as well as common areas, which will meet the growing accommodation needs of students at the Universite de Moncton. The university will renovate spaces to better meet the needs of students. The university will acquire critical equipment and furniture for various spaces on all three campuses.

Renovations of the technology services facilities and computer equipment upgrades at the Universite de Moncton

Finally, the Universite de Moncton will receive more than $1.1 million over two years from the Government of Canada and $1.1 million over one year from the Government of New Brunswick to replace and modernize computer equipment in laboratories and classrooms at the Moncton, Edmundston and Shippagan campuses. This will allow for new technologies and strengthen the network and cybersecurity infrastructure connecting the three campuses. The project will also renovate technology services facilities in the Pavillon Jeanne-de-Valois at the Moncton campus.

These projects are funded under the Canada-New Brunswick Agreement on French-Language Education and Second-Language Instruction from 2019-2020 to 2022-2023.

Quotes

"As a proud Acadian and graduate of the Universite de Moncton, I am very pleased to be at my alma mater to mark a great day for this premier institution in our community. Support for these three projects will enhance the teaching capacity and quality of education at the Universite de Moncton and promote student success for decades to come. This major investment will allow students and the community to benefit from a modernized university, in addition to promoting our Francophone and Acadian culture."

 The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

"L'Universite de Moncton plays a critical role of ensuring New Brunswick's post-secondary students are able to study in the language of their choice. As the only official bilingual province in Canada, we recognize the importance of ensuring communities that speak both official languages can thrive. That's why we are proud to partner with the federal government on this bilateral agreement, which enables l'Universite de Moncton to access important funds to enhance the delivery of its programs and services."

 Trevor Holder, New Brunswick Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour

"The funding announced today aims to enrich the student experience by providing quality education and services. Part of this support will allow us to update our technological infrastructure, which will improve training, promote collaboration and ensure our programs in the university and post-secondary institutions in minority communities in Canada are complementary. In addition, by funding priority programs, we can train a qualified professional workforce in sectors that are key to the development and vitality of New Brunswick's Acadian and Francophone communities."

 Dr. Denis Prud'homme, President and Vice-Chancellor of the Universite de Moncton

Quick Facts

The Universite de Moncton is Canada's largest French-language university outside Quebec .

is largest French-language university outside . The Universite de Moncton is a post-secondary institution with three exclusively French-language campuses in Moncton , Edmundston and Shippagan . It is recognized for its excellence in teaching and research as well as its significant contribution to the development of Acadian and Francophone society.

is a post-secondary institution with three exclusively French-language campuses in , and . It is recognized for its excellence in teaching and research as well as its significant contribution to the development of Acadian and Francophone society. Budget 2021 included an investment of $121 million over three years (2021-2022 to 2023-2024) to support high quality post-secondary education in a minority language. These new investments will be made primarily through existing intergovernmental collaboration mechanisms to help provinces and territories meet the pressing needs to help stabilize the minority-language post-secondary education sector.

This funding is provided through the Official Languages Support Programs, whose main objective is to enhance the vitality of English- and French-speaking minority communities and promote the English and French languages in Canadian society.

On March 1, 2022, the Government of Canada introduced an improved bill toward a substantive equality of official languages in Canada , which aims to adapt the Official Languages Act to a changing society. Among other things, this bill also aims to remedy the decline of French in Canada , clarify and strengthen the section of the Official Languages Act concerning the promotion of official languages and support official language minority communities.

Associated Links

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

For further information: (media only), please contact: Marianne Blondin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]
GATINEAU, QC, June 3, 2022 /CNW/ - Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and Sephardi Voices are pleased to announce a new exhibition in Ottawa and the donation of the Victor and Edna Mashaal Canadian Collection.

The Victor and Edna Mashaal Canadian Collection was donated to LAC by Sephardi Voices, an international heritage organization. It is a series of nearly 100 interviews in English and French, portraits, documents, and photographs chronicling the life stories of the Canadian SephardiMizrahi community. This online collection is available to the public on the Sephardi Voices website.

In addition, LAC is hosting the exhibition The Forgotten ExodusA Canadian Refuge in Ottawa until the end of June 2022. It tells the story of the last generation of SephardiMizrahi Jews born in North Africa, the Middle East and Iran before one million of them were displaced in the mid-20th century. The photographs were taken by Liam Sharp and the exhibition was curated by Dr. Henry Green, University of Miami Professor of Religious Studies, and David Langer, the Media Director for Sephardi Voices.

Exhibition: The Forgotten ExodusA Canadian Refuge

When: June 3 to 30, 2022

Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Lobby of Library and Archives Canada

395 Wellington Street, Ottawa, ON

A reservation is not required for viewing the exhibition

Current safety measures in place

The exhibition is composed of selected images from the Victor and Edna Mashaal Canadian Collection. Those unable to attend the exhibition in person can find these images and more on the Sephardi Voices website.

Quotes

"We are pleased to accept the Victor and Edna Mashaal Canadian Collection, which was donated by Sephardi Voices. Contributions such as these bring more diverse voices to Canada's documentary heritage, and align with Library and Archives Canada's mandate to include, preserve and share stories from the diverse peoples of Canada for today and tomorrow."

Leslie Weir, Librarian and Archivist of Canada

"The Sephardi Voices' exhibition illustrates how Canadian multiculturalism welcomes all refugees and is a light to others that their voices matter and will be heard."

Dr. Henry Green, Chair and Founder of Sephardi Voices

"It's the story of refugees, who carry in them nostalgia and sometimes painful memories, and all of that beauty is etched in their faces."

Liam Sharp, photographer of The Forgotten ExodusA Canadian Refuge

Quick facts

Canada is home to the fourth largest Jewish community in the world.

is home to the fourth largest Jewish community in the world. Sephardi refers to Jewish diaspora descended from those expelled from Spain in the 15th century, many of whom migrated to North Africa and the Middle East .

in the 15th century, many of whom migrated to and the . Mizrahi refers to Jewish diaspora from North Africa , the Middle East and central Asia .

, the and central . In the decades following the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, close to a million Jews became refugees fleeing their ancestral homelands in the Middle East , North Africa , and Iran .

in 1948, close to a million Jews became refugees fleeing their ancestral homelands in the , , and . Nearly 90 percent of the SephardiMizrahi were forced to seek refuge in new countries.

About Library and Archives Canada

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China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Dai Bing, rejected Western countries' fabrications about the situation in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Thursday.

Chinas deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Dai Bing, rejected Western countries fabrications about the situation in Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Thursday.

Dai made the statements during a high-level open debate on improving accountability and justice for egregious violations of international law before the United Nations Security Council.

The claim of genocide and forced labour in Xinjiang, according to the Chinese envoy, is a century-old fiction.

Dai stated that the United States and the United Kingdom are concerned that their falsehoods about genocide and forced labour will be exposed in front of the international community, therefore they have gone so far as to deceive the international community with further lies about China.

He emphasised that no matter how many lies the US publishes, they will not be able to disguise the fact that Xinjiang is stable and prosperous, and its people live happy and fulfilled lives.

Anyone who has visited Xinjiang would never agree with the US and UKs lies, Dai said, adding that their actions only serve to demonstrate how they have politicised human rights concerns and expose their strategy to restrict China with the Xinjiang issue.

Dai also wondered if countries or individuals such as the United States and the United Kingdom, who shamelessly spread lies and rumours to confuse the public and malign other countries, should be held liable as well.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York lawmakers have passed a milestone environmental measure designed to tap the brakes on the spread of cryptocurrency mining operations that burn fossil fuels.

Both supporters and opponents say that the closely watched bill, approved early Friday by the state Senate, is the first of its kind in the U.S.

If it becomes law, it would establish a two-year moratorium on new and renewed air permits for fossil fuel power plants used for energy-intensive proof-of-work cryptocurrency mining  a term for the computational process that records and secures transactions in bitcoin and similar forms of digital money. Proof-of-work is the blockchain-based algorithm used by bitcoin and some other cryptocurrencies.

Environmentalists are urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign the legislation. They say the state is undermining its long-term climate goals by letting cryptomining operations run their own natural gas-burning power plants.

"We cannot be re-powering fossil fuel power plants for the purposes of private gain in New York, especially as were looking to move away from fossil fuels entirely, said Liz Moran of Earthjustice.

Dozens of fossil fuel plants in New York could potentially be converted into mining operations, she said.

Cryptocurrency advocates complained that the measure singled out the industry without addressing other fossil fuel use. They argue that the legislation would crimp economic development in New York while other states court the burgeoning field.

The message from the bill and the embrace of that kind of policy is not a good one for an industry that really can go anywhere, said John Olsen of The Blockchain Association, an industry group.

Were very hopeful that the governor realizes that the long-term benefits of embracing this industry and this technology far outweigh a potential pause on prospective future emissions, he added.

Hochul, a Democrat, has said she want to make sure any legislation balances economic and environmental concerns

Cryptocurrency mining requires specialized computers that consume huge amounts of energy. One study calculated that as of November 2018, bitcoins annual electricity consumption was comparable to Hong Kongs in 2019, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Some miners are looking for ways to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels to produce the necessary electricity.

A coalition of environmental groups has separately been urging the Hochul administration to deny the air permit renewal for Greenidge Generation in the Finger Lakes, which also produces power for the state's electricity grid. A decision could come at the end of the month.

The moratorium measure, if signed into law, would not affect pending applications, such as the one from Greenidge.

The measure also would require the state Department of Environmental Conservation to perform an environmental impact assessment on how cryptomining affects the states ability to meet its climate goals.

The bill passed the Assembly, the Legislature's lower chamber, in April.

___

Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz contributed from New York City.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  A former West Virginia classroom aide has been sentenced to the maximum two years in prison on battery charges involving a special needs student.

James Lynch was sentenced Thursday in Kanawha County Circuit Court for his guilty plea to two counts of misdemeanor battery, news outlets reported.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A U.S. Capitol Police officer was indicted on federal civil rights charges after he was involved in an unauthorized high-speed chase, crashed into a motorcycle and then tried to cover it up, prosecutors said Friday.

The officer, Thomas Smith, was supposed to be checking on the homes of members of Congress in Georgetown around 11:30 p.m. on June 20, 2020, when he started pursuing two motorcycles. Prosecutors say Smith followed closely behind these vehicles at a high rate of speed before he swerved his marked patrol car into one of the motorcycles, sending the driver flying into the air.

U.S. Capitol Police policy prohibits officers from pursuits outside of the grounds of the Capitol without permission from a supervisor. Smith did not seek any approval and did not alert dispatchers that he was involved in a chase, prosecutors say.

Authorities allege Smith drove around the man, leaving the victim lying in the roadway, and fled from the scene. Prosecutors say Smith knowingly drove away from the scene of the crash without rendering aid, alerting medical authorities, and taking any other reasonable steps to obtain help for the victim.

He then drove back to a Capitol Police parking garage, parked the damaged police sedan, falsified a report to say he had started his shift later and then went inside and got keys for another vehicle, prosecutors said.

The Metropolitan Police Department later contacted Capitol Police about the crash. Smith is accused of later lying to a Capitol Police sergeant and claiming to have no knowledge of the crash, according to prosecutors. He told the supervisor that he had been assigned to and had been driving the USCP SUV throughout his entire shift, an indictment against him says.

Smith, 44, was charged with violating the victims civil rights and obstructing justice. He is expected to be arraigned in federal court in the next week, prosecutors said. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on the allegations.

Capitol Police officials said Smith was suspended immediately after the crash. Officials said he remained suspended without pay pending the outcome of the criminal case and an internal investigation.

The publics trust is critical for any law enforcement agency and integrity is the most important quality for any law enforcement officer, Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said.
A majority of shareholders of Sturm Ruger voted for the company to hire an outside consultant to study the human rights impact of the guns it sells  but with the manufacturer giving no immediate indication whether it will comply with the vote nonbinding.

Ruger shares did not move significantly following the Wednesday vote, trading Friday at just below $70. Ruger stock hit an all-time high of $87.55 in August 2020, as gun sales surged that summer amid protests nationally after the death of George Floyd while being arrested in Minneapolis.

Activists have rallied in the past few weeks for more effective gun control measures, after last months school massacre in Uvalde, Texas. The assailant had bought military-style rifles from a Georgia-based manufacturer called Daniel Defense, which has pledged to cooperate with investigators.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., have been vocal proponents for gun control, with Blumenthal signaling plans to attend a demonstration in Newtown Friday evening to mark National Gun Violence Awareness Day.

Ruger has its headquarters in Fairfield as one of the two largest gun makers selling to the mass retail market, along with Smith & Wesson. Ruger has factories in New Hampshire, North Carolina and Arizona, with a workforce totaling about 1,900 people.

In a filing with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, Rugers board of directors had countered that it viewed the measure as an affront to the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing the right to bear arms, and that it could threaten the financial viability of Ruger.

Asked by an unnamed shareholder during the annual meeting of steps Ruger is taking to help the nation reduce the proliferation of guns, CEO Chris Killoy referred to a 2019 corporate document that he said offers wide-ranging ideas. He said the company will consider additional steps, without making any commitment to a human-rights impact assessment or other possibilities.

We monitor the acquisition and ownership and seek to ensure that not only the products we make are safe, but that we do everything we possibly can to ensure that our owners take their responsibility as firearms owners seriously, Killoy said Wednesday. We have a series of warnings throughout the instruction manual and on our website.

The board of directors had advised shareholders to reject the measure. Chairman Ron Whitaker is a onetime CEO of Hartford-based Colt Industries, and based today in Savannah, Ga. as a corporate turnaround specialist. Other Ruger directors include Killoy and his predecessor Mike Fifer; Sandra Froman, the former president of the National Rifle Association; and retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Becky Halstead.

Halstead has a footnote in history as the first woman graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to make the rank of general, going on to lead the Army Ordnance Center which oversees the procurement of weapons and ammunition.

The Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility and member CommonSpirit Health had pressed for the shareholder vote. Ruger had previously responded to shareholder pressure with the 2019 human-rights policy statement that articulates goals for safer ownership of guns, but does not include data and related outcomes of its current policies.

This assessment will provide vital information that ultimately will safeguard long-term shareholder value, said Laura Krausa, director of advocacy programs for CommonSpirit Health, speaking briefly Wednesday at the annual meeting during a window the company allotted for comments and questions. Ruger first needs to understand where its greatest human rights risks lie.

ICCR and activists nationally point to the ongoing epidemic of mass shootings as justifying far-more stringent curbs on gun sales and ownership. Possible solutions include barring sales to people under age 21, which would likely spark court challenges; expanding background checks and funding for mental health; and exposing people to criminal liability for crimes committed by others with the guns they own, if they do not keep them locked in safes.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York's legislature voted Thursday to ban anyone under age 21 from buying or possessing a semi-automatic rifle, a major change to state firearm laws pushed through less than three weeks after an 18-year-old used one of the guns to kill 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo.

The bill raising the age limit is the most significant part of a package of gun control measures announced earlier this week by Democratic legislative leaders and Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Other new legislation will restrict civilian purchases of bullet-resistant armor, which was worn by the killer in Buffalo, and require new guns to be equipped with microstamping technology that can help law enforcement investigators trace bullets to particular firearms.

The age limit bill passed the Senate along party lines, 43-20, and in the Assembly 102-47, and will now head to Hochul's desk for her signature.

New York already requires people to be 21 to possess a handgun. Younger people would still be allowed to have other types of rifles and shotguns under the new law, but would be unable to buy the type of fast-firing rifles used by the 18-year-old gunmen in the mass shootings in Buffalo and at a Texas elementary school.

Besides raising the legal purchase age to 21, the bill would also require anyone buying a semi-automatic rifle to get a license  something now only required for handguns.

Many Republicans opposed the new gun limitations, arguing they would inconvenience law-abiding firearms owners and could be easily circumvented by people determined to get weapons.

Sen. Gustavo Rivera, a Bronx Democrat, said he had no problem putting up obstacles.

It is meant to be a hassle to those folks who might want to get their hands quickly on something with which they could mass murder people," he said.

The age limit change would largely impact areas outside New York City, which already requires permits to possess, carry and purchase any type of firearm and prohibits most applicants under 21.

New York would join a handful of states  including Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Vermont and Washington - that require buyers to be at least 21 instead of 18 to purchase some types of long guns. Similar legislation has been proposed in Utah.

Legal fights over the legislation are expected. New York's law limiting who can get a handgun license is already the subject of a lawsuit now before the U.S. Supreme Court.

California's attempt to raise the legal buying age for semi-automatic weapons has also been challenged.

On May 11, a U.S. appeals court panel in northern California ruled 2-1 that the states ban on the sale of semi-automatic weapons to adults under 21 is unconstitutional. The two judges who ruled in the majority were part of Republican President Donald Trumps wave of conservative-approved nominees that reshaped the famously liberal court.

The National Rifle Association is also challenging Florida's ban on the sale of rifles and other firearms to adults under age 21, which was passed in the wake of a 2018 shooting that killed 17 students and staff at a high school in Parkland.

Semi-automatic rifles automatically load each bullet after firing, although firing requires pulling the trigger for each round. That makes it possible for mass murderers to kill more people in a short amount of time.

Previously, people as young as 16 could possess long guns like rifles and shotguns without a license in New York, although they had to be 18 to buy one from a federally licensed firearms dealer.

Sen. Alexis Weik, a Republican of Long Island, pointed out that an 18 year old could still travel to another state and buy a semi-automatic rifle.

Sen. Kevin Thomas, a Long Island Democrat and one of the bills sponsors, replied, Are you advocating for federal gun control? Because that whats needed.

New York lawmakers were also passing legislation expanding the list of people who can apply for an extreme risk protection order, a court order that can temporarily prohibit someone from purchasing or possessing a firearm if they are believed to be a danger to themselves or others.

Even as we take action to protect New Yorkers, we recognize that this is a nationwide problem. I once again urge Congress to seize this moment and pass meaningful gun violence prevention measures. We have no time to waste, Hochul said in a statement.
Its not clear whether having mental health care at his school would have helped Charlie Cournoyer. Maybe a professional could have identified the early signs of his mental illness and intervened.

Then again, maybe not.

What is perfectly clear to his mother, Judy Cournoyer, is that theres a need in Killingly for more mental health resources. And if her sons 2009 death can help other students get help, she wants to find a way to make it happen.

So despite fears that taking a stance would harm her business as a real estate agent, and a genuine disdain for politics, she went to a May 25 meeting of the Killingly Board of Education to tell her story during the time reserved for public comment.

As she spoke, she gently placed a black box containing her sons ashes at her side.

But she wasnt the only person with impassioned opinions about school-based mental health care at the meeting. Soon after she spoke, tensions boiled over, and the meeting devolved into a shouting match.

For months, the town has been embroiled in a battle over what would have been a grant-funded mental health clinic available at the high school. The majority-Republican board of education voted down the proposal in March.

Neither side shows signs of budging.

The conversations about the health center have been tinged by political rhetoric  some people characterizing their opponents as an angry mob, others raising concerns about issues of gender identity and abortion. Some board members have wondered if a mental health center would infringe on parents rights. A proposal by a Democratic board member to discuss the health center was voted down.

Meanwhile, the state has launched an investigation into whether the board is violating the educational interests of the state. State officials are reviewing information from attorneys, education commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker said Wednesday during a state board meeting.

The states decision might eventually have an impact on other school districts involved in similar debates. It is coming at a time when officials and advocates say theres a nationwide mental health crisis, and conservative parents and officials are pushing back against school-based mental health supports such as social emotional learning.

But on May 25, Killingly residents were focused on their own town.

Charlie Cournoyers story

Judy Cournoyer spoke to the board before the meeting soured.

Cournoyer said in an interview after the meeting that she started noticing small changes in her son during his junior year of high school. Those small issues built into full-on episodes, and he was eventually diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder.

She recalls the night of his death at the age of 29 in excruciating detail. He had been driving around in the midst of an episode, trying to find his way back home. They had been on the phone off and on, and eventually she and her husband went to look for him.

The car crash was caused by his exhaustion, his parents later learned. Judy Cournoyer remembers seeing a helicopter take off overhead at the scene of the crash, and that the hospital served them juice and crackers when they arrived.

She also recalls that her son had lost too much blood to be an organ donor, something hed always wanted to do. So, if that small piece of good couldnt come from his death, she wanted to find something else.

They launched a scholarship fund for students pursuing careers in mental health or environmental science, a subject Charlie had always been passionate about.

You lose a son, what can you do? she said. You just try to do something good out of it.

Her presence at the May board meeting was a piece of that doing something good, but although shes dedicated to the cause, she left the building feeling like she hadnt been heard by board members.

I just felt like it fell on deaf ears, Cournoyer said of her testimony. Theyve already made up their minds.

Getting personal

Cournoyers feelings echoed the sentiments of several others who have protested and spoken at public meetings in favor of the health center: the town is at a stalemate. Tensions are running high, and some of the arguments are getting personal.

People are getting angrier because they have poured their hearts out, theyve presented facts and data  at the end of the day, its just a big fat no with no explanation, said Christine Rosati Randall, an advocate for the school-based health center.

That was highlighted last Wednesday during a heated exchange between a few members of the public and Kelly Martin, the board of educations recently appointed vice chair. Martin initially voted in favor of the health center but has since voted against proposals to bring the issue back up.

The meeting began to derail when Michelle Murphy, a Republican member of the town council, voiced concerns about the idea of a school-based health center. Shed gone back and forth on the issue, but she said she didnt want therapists who hadnt been vetted by parents to be talking with children.

She then read a list of what she said were news headlines about instances of school counselors molesting children.

Later during the public comment period, Nancy Grandelski, a local social worker and wife of another town council member, objected to Murphys comments.

That kind of scare tactics and crazy talk is what is a problem in this town, she said. And its got to stop.

At the end of the public comment period, Martin, the boards vice chair, said Grandelski had been cruel.

I happen to know Ms. Murphy personally, and I know on many occasions she has tried to have nice conversations with you, Martin said to Grandelski. She always agrees with both sides. She wants to be on both sides. And youve been nothing but cruel to her. And I just want to let you know. Dont look at me like that, you know as well as I do.

The meeting then erupted into chaos, with several members of the audience yelling. Grandelskis husband defended his wife and Martin raised her voice at Grandelski, while chair Norm Ferron banged the gavel several times, telling people to sit down.

Martin apologized to fellow board members later in the meeting for losing her temper.

In an interview later, Grandelski said she thought it was inappropriate that a member of the board would personally call out a member of the public and said Murphys comments were insulting to therapists.

When she was talking about all the counselors that have sexually molested students, I just thought that was pretty outrageous, Grandelski said. To me, it was just sort of insinuating that people at Killingly High School are going to do that to the children there.

Reached by email, Murphy declined to comment for this story.

In an emailed comment Tuesday, Martin said she wanted to encourage respectful discussion, particularly for children in the audience at the meeting. Several students were present, some of whom spoke in favor of the mental health center, and some who were there to be recognized for their achievements on the robotics team.

When mental health is the topic of conversation, speaking badly about other people and trying to humiliate someone who has a difference of opinion is counterproductive to the matter at hand, Martin said in her statement. It serves only to cause more strife and more division in the community.

Members also voted to add Laura Dombkowski to the board of education. Dombkowski filled in the vacant position left by the resignation of Janice Joly, the former chair. Norm Ferron, the former vice chair, was appointed the new chair several weeks ago.

Dombkowski, a Republican, said in an interview that she was against the school health center as its being presented. But, she said, she was prepared to bear the burden that comes with the controversy surrounding it. She wanted to be more involved for her children, who are both students at Killingly schools.

Im ready, she said. Im good.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available by calling 2-1-1 or 1-800-467-3135.
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LONDON (AP)  Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, joined other members of Britains royal family on Friday for a church service honoring Queen Elizabeth IIs 70 years on the throne, making their first public appearance in the U.K. since stepping back from royal duties two years ago.

The queen skipped the event at St. Pauls Cathedral in London, which came on the second of four days of festivities marking her Platinum Jubilee. The 96-year-old monarch has had difficulty moving around in recent months and experienced some discomfort after smiling and waving to throngs of supporters from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on Thursday afternoon.

But royal watchers quickly shifted their focus to Harry and Meghan, who held hands as they walked down the long central aisle accompanied only by a military officer in a scarlet dress tunic. Other guests craned their necks to watch the couple take their places in the second row, underscoring their lesser roles as non-working members of the royal family.

Prince Charles, who represented the queen, and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, had special chairs in the front row on the other side of the central aisle. Prince William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge were seated next to them.

Harry and Meghan sparked tensions within the royal family when they moved to California and signed lucrative media contracts. The rift deepened after they made allegations of racism and bullying in the royal household. But they flew back to Britain for the jubilee celebrations, bringing their son, Archie, and daughter, Lilibet, who had never met her great grandmother the queen.

This is, again, Elizabeth II trying to put on a united front, bringing her family together one last time, probably, during her reign, so that ... handing over to the next monarch, she can be seen to have done at least publicly her best to try and unite the divisions that have opened up within the family group over the last couple of years, Ed Owens, author of The Family Firm: Monarchy Mass Media and the British Public 1932-53'' said in an interview before the jubilee.

The service of thanksgiving took place a day after the celebrations opened with the glittering military parade known as Trooping the Color, an event that has marked the sovereigns official birthday for some 260 years.

Following the event, tens of thousands of royal supporters cheered wildly as Elizabeth joined other senior royals on the palace balcony and 70 military aircraft roared overhead in salute.

The queen doggedly appeared later in the evening outside her home at Windsor Castle for the final moments of an international beacon lighting ceremony. Moving slowly and with some difficulty she pressed an illuminated globe that sent a river of lights flooding toward Buckingham Palace, where a sculpture of living trees was lit up.

Though the palace said she had enjoyed the festivities, the queen apparently decided that another trip from Windsor back into London on Friday might be a bit much. Prince Charles again stood in for his mother at the church service, as he has often done of late.

But the queen was still part of the service as participants assumed she was watching on television.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell spoke directly to her in his sermon, playfully riffing on her love of horse racing.

Im afraid I dont have any great tips for the Derby tomorrow, but since the scriptures describe life as a race set before us, let me observe that your long reign reflects the distance of Aintree rather than the sprints of Epsom , he joked. But with endurance, through times of change and challenge, joy and sorrow, you continue to offer yourself in the service of our country and the commonwealth."

Your Majesty, were sorry youre not with us this morning, but we are so glad you are still in the saddle,'' he added. And we are all glad that there is still more to come.

___

Follow AP's coverage of Queen Elizabeth II at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  Tropical storm warnings were issued Friday for much of the Florida peninsula, Cuba and the Bahamas as a system that battered Mexico moves through the Gulf of Mexico, killing at least two in Cuba and bringing threats of heavy rain and wind for the weekend.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm once known as Agatha in the Pacific Ocean will be known as Alex in the Atlantic Ocean basin, once it reaches tropical storm status.

A Friday evening advisory from the hurricane center said the storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph), just above the tropical storm threshold but it remained labled potential tropical cyclone one because it had few other characteristics that define such storms.

Around 11 p.m., forecasters said the system was about 185 miles (295 kilometers) southwest of Fort Myers, Florida, moving at about 12 mph (19 kph).

A Hurricane Center advisory said the system was expected to develop a well-defined center and become a tropical storm" as it approaches Florida on Friday night and into Saturday.

In Cuba, heavy downpours brought by the system caused landslides and accidents that left two people dead in the capital, Havana, state media reported. A person was also reported missing in Pinar del Rio province after falling into a rain-swollen river. The countrys Civil Defense organization said the main damages so far were to homes and the electricity system. The State electricity company said 50,000 clients were without power.

In Florida, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said most government services, such as bus routes and trains, planned to operate as normal over the weekend. Some events have been canceled, she said, and while there is no widespread anxiety about the storm it might be best to make indoor plans.

If it isn't necessary to go out, it's probably better to stay home, Levine Cava said at a news conference Friday.

The mayor added that canal levels in South Florida have been lowered to minimize flooding from heavy rains.

The storm warning affects both Florida's Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coast, from just below Tampa Bay and Daytona Beach to the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas. Parts of Cuba, including the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, and Mayabeque, and the northwestern Bahamas were also under a warning with tropical-storm-force conditions expected within 36 hours.

The Atlantic hurricane season officially began Tuesday. This is an unusually early start to the storm season but not unprecedented for Florida.

The National Hurricane Center predicts that rainfall up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) is possible in South Florida, including the Florida Keys. The storm is not expected to produce huge winds or major storm surge. But local flooding is likely and winds could be somewhat strong.

Heavy rains will begin to affect South Florida and the Keys Friday and continue through Saturday, the Hurricane Center said in an online post. Also predicted is storm surge and flooding, the severity of which depends on the timing of tides.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the forecast was somewhat unusual in that substantial rains were expected in southwestern Florida on Friday and windy but drier conditions on Saturday. The rain is actually beating the wind instead of the two coming together, he said.

No ones going into emergency posture yet, DeSantis said, but authorities would monitor for a strengthening storm. Weve got to be ready no matter what.

Some cities and counties across Florida's coastal and low-lying areas, including Pembroke Pines and Miami-Dade County, were offering sandbags to residents to shore up their homes Friday morning.

As a Pacific storm, Hurricane Agatha caused flooding and mudslides that killed at least 11 people and left 20 missing in Mexico, officials said. It caused rivers to overflow their banks and swept away people in homes, while other victims were buried under mud and rocks.

Agatha made history as the strongest hurricane ever recorded to come ashore in May during the eastern Pacific hurricane season since 1949. Climate scientists say tropical systems will become more powerful and destructive because of global warming.

___

Anderson reported from St. Petersburg, Florida.
Paul Buckowski / Albany Times Union

WEST HAVEN  The summer carnival scheduled by Saint John XXIII Catholic Parish has been canceled after police had concerns about providing enough security for the event.

The summer carnival, originally planned for June 29 through July 2, was canceled due to legitimate security concerns expressed by the West Haven Police Department, organizers said on Facebook.
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has told a presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bola Tinubu, that politi...





Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has told a presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bola Tinubu, that politics doesnt always respect history.

Sani said this while reacting to the claim by Tinubu, the Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom, that President Muhammadu Buhari would not have emerged as the president in 2015 without his support.

Tinubu had yesterday claimed that without his support, President Buhari would not have won the 2015 election.

Speaking in Ogun State, Tinubu said, If not for me that led the war from the front, Buhari would not have emerged as the president. He contested first, second and third times, but lost. He even said on television that he wont contest again.

But I went to his home in Katsina, I told him you would contest and win, but you wont joke with the matters of the Yorubas.

Since he has emerged, I have not been appointed Minister. I didnt get a contract.

This time, its Yorubas turn and in Yoruba land, its my tenure.

Reacting, Sani wrote on Twitter: Actually, Jagaban has played a leading role in the emergence and victory of PMB in 2015; but politics doesnt always respect or appreciate history.

Recall that President Buhari has appealed to governors of the APC to assist him in picking his successor.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar has reacted to reports that he has picked former Governor of Im...

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar has reacted to reports that he has picked former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha as his running mate.

Reports had emerged on Wednesday that Atiku was set to announce Ihedioha as his choice for Vice President after he emerged flag bearer of the party.

But reacting, his spokesman, Paul Ibe, told Daily Trust that his principal had not chosen Ihedioha or any other person as his running mate.

According to him, the former Vice President would announce his running mate when the time is right.

When we decide to speak on the issue of running mate, it will not be a subject of speculation, we will roll it out. It is not going to be something that will be speculated on social media, online platforms or Whatsapp groups.

So from my own stable, I cannot confirm that to be true. These are the times for all manner of speculations. People should endeavour to wait for the official announcement. But this speculation is unknown to me.
Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi, has approved the reappointment of Ibrahim Kashim as the secretary to the state government (SSG). ...

Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi, has approved the reappointment of Ibrahim Kashim as the secretary to the state government (SSG).

Kashim had recently resigned as the SSG to contest the Bauchi governorship ticket on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in line with section 84(12) of the electoral act.

In May, he clinched the PDP governorship ticket unchallenged after he scored 655 votes.

He, however, withdrew from the race days later.

The former SSG stood in for the incumbent governor, who was contesting the PDP presidential ticket.

But Mohammed lost the PDP presidential primary after he finished fifth position with 20 votes, while the eventual winner, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, scored 371 votes.

The Bauchi governor is reportedly making moves to reclaim the partys governorship ticket after losing the presidential ticket.

Mukhtar Gidado, media aide to the Bauchi governor, in a statement on Thursday, said the reappointment of Kashim as SSG is sequel to his track record of sincerity, loyalty and wealth of experience.

His Excellency, Sen. Bala A. Mohammed CON, Fnipr (Kauran Bauchi), the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, has approved the reappointment of Barr. Ibrahim Muhammad Kashim as the Secretary to the Bauchi State Government, the statement reads.

His re-appointment is informed by his track record of sincerity, loyalty, commitment and wealth of experience in the discharge of assigned responsibilities.

Barr. Ibrahim Muhammad Kashim was the immediate past Secretary to the Bauchi State Government. The appointment takes immediate effect.
Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed August 29 for judgment in a suit seeking to extradite a suspended Depu...





Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed August 29 for judgment in a suit seeking to extradite a suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari to the United States of America for trial in alleged internet fraud.





The judge fixed the date on Friday after taking arguments for and against the suit by the parties involved.





Kyari, whose arguments were presented by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, Nureni Jimoh, asked the court to refuse the extradition request on the ground that he committed no offense to warrant the Federal Government to ferry him to America.





The suspended police officer informed the court that more than a year before his arrest, he had written the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF and the Inspector General of Police, IGP, notifying them that he had opened a channel of communication with a suspected internet fraudster, Ramon Abass.





In the two letters tendered in court, Kyari explained that the purpose was to give confidence to the suspected fraudster and lure him to come to Nigeria where an ambush was already laid for a sting operation by his own strike force.





Besides, he informed the court that American authorities once commended him for the commitment he was exhibiting in the battle against internet fraud.





He further told the court that the wire fraud charge brought against him by the American government is not known as an offence under Extradition Act and therefore, should not be allowed by the court to be used to extradite him.





However, the Federal Government, represented by Mr Pius Akuta, urged the court to discountenance the arguments of the defendant.





He said that conditions precedent for extradition have been met by the American government with the filing of the charge against Kyari and a formal application that he be brought to America to establish his guilty or innocence in his indictment for internet fraud.
President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee. The Head of the Commonw...





President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee.





The Head of the Commonwealth of Nations marks her 70th year amid celebrations in the United Kingdom.





Buhari noted that the Queen is the first British monarch to reach seven decades on the throne.





In his message, the President hailed her milestones including being the youngest ever on the throne, and handling her role with grace.





He described the Queen as a loyal, patriotic, and compassionate leader who works for the people, not as a ruler but as a friend and compatriot.





People never lose trust in Queen Elizabeth. Their firm belief is that she always has the potential to deliver, especially during troubled times.





It is confirmation of the fact that Queen Elizabeth always acts and delivers according to peoples expectations, Buhari said.





The Nigerian leader, on behalf of the government and citizens, wishes her more years in excellent condition of health.
Presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, has faulted claims that the President, Muhammadu Buhari, asked members of the Progressives Govern...

Presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, has faulted claims that the President, Muhammadu Buhari, asked members of the Progressives Governors Forum to pick a consensus presidential candidate for the ruling All Progressives Congress.

He said that contrary to reports, the President only met with the governors and gave them his expectation for the forthcoming presidential primary of the party.

Adesina, who is the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, stated these in a piece titled, Visit to Spain: Lets Buga for Mr President.

Making clarifications on what transpired during the meeting, the presidential spokesperson explained that Buhari never discussed issues bordering on zoning, consensus, or imposition of candidates during his conversation with the governors.

According to him, President Buhari told them of what he would like to see at the APC presidential primary to elect a presidential candidate early next week.

He said, No word about zoning, consensus, or imposition of candidate. He just charged them to let their plans converge, so that the party would put its best foot forward. Shortly after the meeting, we headed for the airport.

A short time into the about five hours flight, I went on social media, to see that all hell had broken loose. Trust some Nigerians. When theres no controversy, they simply create one. They will die of boredom if they dont have something to wail or ululate about.

What were they bellyaching on? Oh, he used the words my successor, instead of APC candidate. That means he wants to rig the election. Otiose.

Oh, he talked about Governors who performed well being given opportunity to get a second term, for continuity. That means he wants to impose someone from within the government to succeed him. Consensus is what he wants. Puerile.

Is consensus not one of the acceptable ways of choosing candidates, according to the Electoral Act? So the party can jolly well decide on the method it wants.

Oh, he didnt talk about zoning. APC wants to give its ticket to the North. Really? Did you see anything like that in the speech?

Read Also

Senate re-amends electoral bill to define mode of primaries

I tell you. When some Nigerians dont see what they expect in a speech or statement, they simply conjure and create their own. And the wailing starts.

Meanwhile, Buhari had while addressing the governors on Tuesday ahead of the partys presidential primary taking place on Monday, stated, The party has successfully established internal policies that promote continuity and smooth succession plans even at the state and local government levels.

For example, first-term governors who have served credibly well have been encouraged to stand for re-election. Similarly, second-term governors have been accorded the privilege of promoting successors that are capable of driving their visions as well as the ideals of the party.

Buhari said he would be seeking reciprocity from the governors ahead of the presidential primary which comes up in the next six days.

In keeping with the established internal policies of the party and as we approach the convention in a few days, therefore, I wish to solicit the reciprocity and support of the governors and other stakeholders in picking my successor, who would fly the flag of our party for election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023, the President added.

He asked the governors to ensure that all interests converge as regards the outcome of the presidential primary. The President added that the person who emerges as the presidential candidate must be one who could give Nigerians a sense of victory even before the polls.

Buhari stated, As we approach the convention, I appeal to all of you to allow our interests to converge, our focus to remain on the changing dynamics of our environment, the expectations of our citizens, and the global community.

Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of a candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections.
A sound engineer, David Imoh, who was killed in an attack in the Lekki area of Lagos on May 12, 2022, had been buried in Lagos on Friday a...

A sound engineer, David Imoh, who was killed in an attack in the Lekki area of Lagos on May 12, 2022, had been buried in Lagos on Friday amidst family and friends.

Imoh was lynched and burnt to death following a misunderstanding ensued over the N100 balance with one of the commercial motorcyclists.

Family, friends, and colleagues had held a service of songs for the sound engineer, who was described as diligent and committed, at the Church of God Mission International in Victoria Island, Lagos.





Photos below:








The Osun State Government has been asked to desist from the politicisation of pension payment and management, which has contributed to the p...





The Osun State Government has been asked to desist from the politicisation of pension payment and management, which has contributed to the pension crisis rocking the State.





This warning was handed down by Senator Ademola Adeleke, the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2022 Osun gubernatorial election on Thursday.





Senator Adeleke, while noting that payment of salaries, pension and gratuities should be a matter of priority for any responsible government, lamented that it took the persistent outcry of the PDP on behalf of pensioners before the State government made a political announcement.





Adeleke explained that the act had allegedly led to the death of many of the pensioners due to untold hardship.





He maintained that it was unacceptable for any government to play politics with the lives of senior citizens or any citizen for that matter.





In his words, Imagine that it took months of advocacy and call out by the opposition leaders before the governor deemed it fit to attend to the pains of pensioners. Even the announcement is clearly a political one designed to save face and lure voters into another trap of four years.





The State government previously lied on recruitment of teachers, on clearance of salary arrears, on university upgrade for Ijeshaland and now on release of funds for pension arrears.





A Governor leading a government that thrives on lies and propaganda cannot be trusted by the citizens. As a confirmation, even APC members are now daily cursing the governor and his close aides. We watch as the Governor supervised the worst rape of democracy through an inconclusive, rigged legislative primaries. The governor has lost the trust and confidence of Osun workers, teachers, public servants, students, artisans and womenfolk. Strangely, even APC members are praying for the defeat of Governor Oyetola come July 16th.





The Osun State Government had earlier on Thursday presented Bond Certificates to retired primary school teachers, local government workers, retired secondary school teachers, civil servants and retirees from the tertiary institutions in the State.





The State governor, Adegboyega Oyetola had also claimed during the presentation of the Bond Certificates that his administration had spent over N43 billion on pensions.
Bashir El-Rufai, son of Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, has made promises of what he would do, if Labour Party presidential flagb...

Bashir El-Rufai, son of Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, has made promises of what he would do, if Labour Party presidential flagbearer, Peter Obi, wins the upcoming 2023 elections.

Bashir tweeted on Friday that he would climb Aso Rock in Abuja as well as the Zuma Rock in Niger State, and write boldly on both rocks Bashir El-Rufai is a goat.

In an earlier tweet, Bashir claimed he was aware of those the President, Muhammadu Buhari, had anointed as presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress, but could not disclose their names as it was classified information.

Another Twitter user, @CJMOOREPLUG, responded to his (Bashir) tweet stating, Even if you dont say it out, its very obvious from the way the person smiles lately on TV. APC and PDP are jokers. Since 1998 nothing [has] changed in Nigeria. [The] 2023 election will be different. It is either Peter Obi or everyone move on, we cant continue like this.

In his response by quote, Bashir stated, If Peter ever becomes President of Nigeria, I promise to climb Zuma Rock and Aso Rock to paint Bashir El-Rufai is a goat.

Itll be on the famous face etched on the rock so everyone can see, and in a font and colour that grasps attention, and at night itll glow in the dark. Save this tweet.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy later in the day. High 69F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 57F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low around 55F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low around 55F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late. High around 70F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with periods of rain after midnight. Low 57F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High near 70F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain after midnight. Low 57F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
It was only a matter of time before the political feud between Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the City Council wound up in court. In a move reminiscent of the Trump administrations refusal to honor congressional subpoenas, Team Cantrell filed suit seeking to void a council subpoena for records relating to Heronners aborted smart city broadband program.

Civil District Court Judge D. Nicole Sheppard, acting as duty judge on June 2, temporarily halted enforcement of the subpoena until June 8, when Judge Sidney Cates IV will take over the case.

The council subpoenaed mayoral chief of staff Clifton Davis and other top Cantrell aides on May 10 as part of its widening investigation into conflicts of interest and possible bid-rigging in the administrations short-lived attempt to launch a smart city broadband project. The subpoena seeks a variety of records relating to the selection of a consortium led by tech giant Qualcomm as the citys preferred broadband provider.

The council subpoena came after Cantrells utilities director, Jonathan Rhodes, admitted under oath to the council that he and mayoral IT adviser Christopher Wolff formed a company that consulted with Qualcomm in Los Angeles prior to the consortiums selection in New Orleans. Wolff and Rhodes, it turns out, played key roles in the local procurement process.

Amid a flurry of council and media scrutiny, Qualcomm pulled out of the consortium. Cantrell then pulled the plug on the smart city program  but the council kept digging.

In addition to seeking more records, council members asked city Inspector General Ed Michel to investigate the procurement process. Last month, Michel seized computers, cell phones and documents from several Cantrell aides.

Davis attorney James Garner argued to Sheppard that the council subpoena would cause irreparable harm to top mayoral advisers and interfere in Michels investigation.

Council attorney Adam Swensek replied that Michel sent the council a letter stating that he had no objection to the councils investigation. Swensek added, The only way there is irreparable harm in this case is if there is something to hide  which is, frankly, how it looks.

Sheppard granted the administrations request for a temporary restraining order, noting that she was doing so purely to maintain the status quo until Cates considers all the issues in the case.

The council then unanimously moved to hold Davis and other mayoral aides in misdemeanor contempt of council, a finding that could trigger financial penalties  and likely wind up in court as well.

In another interesting political and legal twist, Cantrell reportedly hired Garner to sue the council after City Attorney Donesia Turner advised the administration to comply with the council subpoena. Garners firm has contributed thousands to various council members political campaigns in the past decade  and made a bid to serve as the councils chief legal consultant for utility regulation. That ambition would appear to be a nonstarter now.

Then theres the matter of Cantrell not getting council permission before hiring a private attorney, particularly if taxpayers are footing the bill.

That leaves plenty for Cates to unpack on June 8.
WASHINGTON President Joe Biden delivered an impassioned plea to Congress to act on gun control Thursday night in an address to the nation, calling on lawmakers to restore limits on the sale of assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines after a string of mass shootings in the country.

Speaking at the White House, Biden sought to drive up pressure on Congress to pass stricter gun limits after such efforts failed following past attacks.

How much more carnage are we willing to accept, Biden said after last week's shootings by an 18-year-old gunman, who killed 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and another attack on Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a gunman shot and killed four people and himself at a medical office.

And those came after the May 14 assault in Buffalo, New York, where a white 18-year-old wearing military gear and livestreaming with a helmet camera opened fire with a rifle at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood, killing 10 people and wounding three others in what authorities described as racially motivated violent extremism.

All major broadcast networks broke away from regular programing to carry Bidens remarks at 7:30 p.m. EDT, before the start of primetime shows. The White House said the president would address tragic mass shootings, and a need for Congress to pass commonsense laws to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is taking lives every day.

Hes going to renew his call for action to stop the epidemic of gun violence that weve seen in Uvalde and in Tulsa and in Buffalo in just a few short weeks," said press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre ahead of the speech. She said Biden did not plan to announce any new executive actions and that tonights speech is going to focus on what Congress needs to do."

Itll be basically making sure that his voice is out there and calling to action and making sure that the American people know that hes still continuing to speak on their behalf, she said.

Biden has used national speeches in the past to speak about the coronavirus pandemic and the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. But the president has used such addresses sparingly during his nearly 18 months in office, especially during evening hours

Earlier Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about the Oklahoma shooting, saying, All of us hold the people of Tulsa in our hearts, but we also reaffirm our commitment to passing commonsense gun safety laws.

No more excuses. Thoughts and prayers are important, but not enough," Harris said. "We need Congress to act.

Before marking Memorial Day on Monday, Biden told reporters at the White House that there may be some bipartisan support to tighten restrictions on the kind of high-powered weapons used by the gunman in Uvalde. But he also noted that, while he had taken some steps via executive actions, he didn't have the power as president to outlaw a weapon.

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He also said that things have gotten so bad that everybodys getting more rational, at least thats my hope," adding, Theres realization on the part of rational Republicans who realize we cant keep repeating ourselves."

Visiting Uvalde on Sunday, Biden mourned privately for three-plus hours with anguished families. Faced with chants of do something as he departed a church service, the president pledged: We will.

His Thursday night address coincided with bipartisan talks that are intensifying among a core group of senators discussing modest gun policy changes. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said the group is making rapid progress," and Biden has spoken to Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, among those leading their party's efforts on the issue.

Democrats are hoping Biden uses the remarks to encourage the bipartisan Senate talks and build pressure on the Republicans to strike an agreement. Jean-Pierre said Biden is encouraged by congressional negotiations but the president wants to give lawmakers some space to keep talking.

The private discussions in the Senate, which is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, are not expected to produce the kinds of sweeping reforms being considered by the Democratic-led House  which has approved expansive background checks legislation and will next turn to an assault weapons ban.

But even a House package debated Thursday that is less sweeping but includes a provision raising the required age for buying semi-automatic firearms to 21, faces slim chances in the Senate.

Instead, the bipartisan senators are likely to come up with a more incremental package that would increase federal funding to support state gun safety efforts  with incentives for bolstering school security and mental health resources. The package may also encourage red-flag laws to keep firearms away from those who would do harm.

Jean-Pierre suggested Biden would use his speech to call for expanded background checks and red flag laws  as well as a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. She said he would focus on two audiences: congressional negotiators and also the general public.

Any major action is still a long shot. While the Senate approved a modest measure to encourage compliance with background checks after a 2017 church mass shooting in Texas and one in Parkland, Florida, the following year, no major legislation cleared the chamber following the devastating massacre of 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.

__

Associated Press Writer Lisa Mascaro contributed.
Those who cant catch a plane to Greece or Italy to take a popular flying dress photo can plan to strike a pose locally with New Orleans Flying Dress Experience.

New Orleans native Adrian Long has started the company to empower women to take flight during opulent photo shoots set in New Orleans. Long adds New Orleans flair through her interpretation of the trendy, tourists photos that started on the Greek island of Santorini.

New Orleans Flying Dress Experience is about beauty you can see and feel, she said. Most women wear so many hats throughout the day and their lives; but this one hour of time is just about them."

The photos feature luxurious gowns blowing in the wind against a backdrop of beautiful city views. Everything Is provided when booking the luxury photo shoot, including the flying dress and the photographer.

Long also works with clients to determine locations for the shoot. Most of the time all the clients have to do is show up with a beautiful smile for their photo shoot, she said. What we are finding is this experience is giving our clientele a chance to pamper themselves by getting their hair and makeup done, and we take it from there.

Seeking adventure after ending her 25-year radio career, Long turned 50 and wanted to celebrate by staging a flying dress photo shoot in Santorini. It was time for me to drop the mic in radio. My beautiful daughter was off to college, and I was now an empty nester ready to travel the world, she said.

Pandemic-related travel restriction put the travel itineraries on hold, but not her plan. She decided to stage the shoot in her hometown  New Orleans. The missed opportunity to travel to Greece was the catalyst for Long to bring the flying dress experience to New Orleans for others.

One of my best friends suggested I do my flying dress here in New Orleans, Long said. I had a dress made, and The New Orleans Flying Dress Experience was born.

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Initially, she thought the photo shoot would be simple and less complicated since traveling abroad was eliminated.

It was a process because I had to get the dress made and buy an extreme amount of fabric to make one dress and that was the easy part, Long said. Finding a seamstress was a hard task and keeping them was even harder. 

Long has since enlisted local seamstresses to handle the dresses, as well as photographers that she works exclusively with to create the experiences.

The gowns are also available for rental. Clients can book individual or group photo shoots. The dresses are one size fits all and a stylist is included with the experience. All gowns have extended trains enhancing the look of the photos.

It truly is an experience like no other - empowering women to celebrate themselves and not feeling guilty about it, Long said. For the one-hour experience we make sure all our clients have to focus on is feeling beautiful and free.

New Orleans Flying Dress Experience will celebrate its one-year anniversary during Essence Music Festival with a day party on July 2- 3 from noon to 4 p.m. at the 2 OH 9 lounge, 209 Decatur St.

We will have lots of giveaways and you can come register for a chance to win a free Flying Dress Experience, Long said. Some women have described the New Orleans Flying Dress experience to their wedding day when you get to wear the big dress and all eyes are on you; but with New Orleans Flying Dress Experience, you dont need a reason or a wedding to celebrate you.

To book an appointment visit, https://www.neworleansflyingdressexperience.com.
Family members of Linda Frickey, the 73-year-old woman who was carjacked and dragged to her death in March along a Mid-City street, and of the four teenagers accused in her slaying, packed into an Orleans Parish Criminal District Court courtroom Friday for one of the first of many appearances the teenagers will make ahead of their now-scheduled April 2023 trial.

Prosecutors say John Honore, 17, Briniyah Baker, 16, Lenyra Theophile, 15, and MarQel Curtis, 15, forced Frickey from her sport utility vehicle on March 21 on Bienville Street. Frickey, caught in the drivers seat belt, was dragged alongside the vehicle for a city block before she died.

Parents of at least two of the teens turned their children into New Orleans police in the hours after the killing. Each has been charged as an adult with second-degree murder  a charge that, with a conviction, carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

The teens remain in custody on bails of $1 million each.

On Friday, after defense attorneys filed a slate of usual and perfunctory motions in the case and Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge Kimya Holmes set a trial date of April 3, 2023, more than two dozen of the teens family members left the courthouse to be chased down a Tulane Avenue sidewalk by reporters wielding video cameras and microphones, declining to comment.

Moments before, William Boggs, an attorney for Honore, had attempted to apologize for the pain Frickeys family felt. We entered a plea of not guilty and we maintain that plea, he said. But we want to recognize the extreme grief and despair of the family of Linda Frickey.

Boggs was cut off by prosecutors. After the pretrial conference, Frickeys sister, Jinny Griffin, said the apology was empty. Im sorry he killed my sister, Griffin said. Its a wash.

Attorneys for the other teenagers declined to comment.
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry has given the green light to Mayor LaToya Cantrells plan to dole out retention bonuses to New Orleans cops, but she must now win approval from the City Council.

In an opinion issued earlier this week, Landrys office said a Cantrell administration plan to give $5,000 payouts to police officers after every five years of service does not violate the state Constitution.

However, the mayor must secure approval of the pricey plan from a council thats been skeptical of other initiatives. Separately, District B Council member Lesli Harris has put forth her own plan for annual 2% pay bumps, which is also aimed at convincing police to stay on the force.

"Our first responders play a vital public safety role, and this Attorney General ruling in our favor paves the way for the City of New Orleans to adequately compensate them for their heroic efforts," John Lawson, a spokesperson for the Mayor's Office, said in a statement.

Landrys seal of approval

The bonus plan comes as the number of homicides jumped 10% in 2021 and the number of NOPD officers fell by the same percentage. The force hired just 33 new cops while losing 150. Not everyone is convinced that having more police will address the gun violence problem  some say the city should focus on education, the economy and social services instead  but the idea of getting more cops on the beat has drawn broad support from elected officials in City Hall.

Landry, a Republican former sheriffs deputy, has been vocal in his support of law enforcement. But there was no guarantee that his office would lend its seal of approval to a plan from a Democratic mayor. Some critics also argued that it ran afoul of a prior AG opinion stating that retroactive payments are illegal under state law.

Civil Service Commission members were initially hesitant to approve the pay plan because of those constitutional concerns. But after impassioned appeals from Cantrell and Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson at a March meeting, commissioners okayed the idea on the condition that it passed legal muster with Landry.

In its Wednesday opinion, Landrys office said Cantrells plan differs from other bonus payments because it is specifically intended to keep police officers and other public safety workers in government employment at a time of high attrition rates.

The staggered levels of bonus payments  which provide payouts after 5, 10, 15 and 20 years of service  could entice employees to stay on the job, Landrys office noted. Moreover, the bonus payments would only kick in one year after the plan is approved. That creates a reciprocity of obligations instead of mere gratuitous payments, which would be illegal under the state Constitution, Landrys office said.

In addition to police, the bonus plan also covers several other job categories the city has had trouble keeping filled. Juvenile jail counselors would get a $3,500 payment after one year, auto mechanics would get $3,500, EMTs would get $1,500 and paramedics would get $4,500.

Pay plan heads to council

With green lights from the commission and Landry in hand, Cantrells next step will be to pitch her plan to the City Council. Yet while the council is broadly supportive of helping boost the workforce at the NOPD and other city departments, its unclear whether Cantrell currently has the votes.

At-large Council member JP Morrell and District A Council member Joe Giarrusso said Friday they are waiting on more details. Giarrusso chairs the budget committee, which is set to host a discussion of the plans cost before it moves to the full council.

The bonus payments are part of a larger recruitment and retention plan the administration rolled out in February. Back then, officials said the overall plan would come with an $18 million price tag in the first two years and at least $4 million a year afterward.

District E Council member Oliver Thomas said he too wants to hear more about the fiscal impact, but hes broadly supportive of the bonus idea.

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Thomas said he is definitely in favor, especially given what's happening with law enforcement right now. Those guys and gals need to feel good about something, just like this community needs a win.

Thomas said it made sense to focus on keeping the police the city already has, since departments nationwide are in a recruiting arms race to hire new officers. At two public forums in his district that drew hundreds of people, residents said we need to do what we have to do to keep the officers and stop the bleeding, according to Thomas.

Other council members couldnt be reached or didnt immediately comment.

Skeptical voices

The council vote could generate another discussion of the merits of the bonus payouts. Perhaps surprisingly, one of the two largest labor organizations representing NOPD officers is critical of the idea.

That group, the Police Association of New Orleans, warns that the bonuses might have unintended consequences if they wind up acting as a severance package rather than an incentive to stick around.

While PANO supports higher police pay in general, it argues that many of the NOPDs troubles stem from sagging morale rather than stagnating pay. The group points to an internal survey conducted in February 2022, which asked current officers why people leave.

According to a survey conducted by SSA Consultants, of the 271 survey responses, only 101 mentioned pay. A majority of officers, 191, mentioned overly punitive discipline/restrictive policing policies/overreach by the PIB, a reference to the Public Integrity Bureau.

The NOPD has defended its policies as a bulwark against returning to the police brutality and corruption that federal investigators called out after Hurricane Katrina. The Public Integrity Bureaus chief told the council recently that its missteps are rare.

On the bonus payments, the also city notes that PANO is an outlier. The larger police organization, the Fraternal Order of Police, backs the idea along with the Black Organization of Police.

Another proposal

When the bonus plan makes the council agenda, it could draw comparisons to another retention proposal recently floated by Harris. She authored a motion directing the Civil Service Commission to consider creating annual 2% pay increases for police. Harris says her idea is meant to complement, not replace, the mayors plan.

Harriss proposal will go before the commission at an upcoming meeting for a vote, according to Civil Service Department personnel director Amy Trepagnier.

As with the mayors plan, it would also require City Council approval. Harris has not released an estimate of how much it would cost.
A gap in the Mississippi River's banks in the waterway's far southern reaches has widened into a full-blown channel, funneling huge amounts of water through it and prompting the Army Corps of Engineers to move to close it. But state officials wonder if it could also be a blessing from nature.

The Corps has decided to close the entrance to the newly formed "Neptune Pass" with rock on the east bank of the Mississippi River, across from Buras. Its slowing of the water flow downstream is causing navigation issues in the river's main shipping channel, a Corps spokesman confirmed Thursday. At the same time, the state is asking if allowing the pass to continue to funnel water into Breton Sound could help rebuild lost wetlands there.

Sediment carried by the channel is already forming new land lumps in Quarantine Bay, part of the Breton Sound, and quickly filling in the landlocked Bay Denasse, according to Alex Kolker, a coastal research scientist with the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium.

A pleasure boat speeds east near the entrance to the Neptune Pass crevasse from the Mississippi River. The Army Corps of Engineers this week said it would rock closed the entranceway, but likely would still provide access to freshwater, sediment and small boats. (Video courtesy of James Collier, with Paprika Studios, and Plaquemines Parish Councilman Richie Blink, with Delta Discovery Tours)

In a research survey of the new 850-foot-wide waterway last week, Kolker and Dallon Weathers, a surveyor with Delta Geo-Marine, found that as much as 118,000 cubic feet per second of water and sediment was flowing through the channel, which had deepened to 100 feet near its juncture with the river.

The crevasse connecting the river to Quarantine Bay is one of several small distribution channels that have formed along the lower river's east bank in Plaquemines Parish, breaking through low levees and rock put in place to keep most of the river's water flowing south through Southwest and South passes into the Gulf. In 2016, the channel was only 150 feet wide, but it has widened significantly since, possibly the result of repeated years of high river flows and several hurricanes.

The diversion of part of the river's flow east through the widened channel has slowed the flow of water in the river's main channel, which is causing sediment to drop out, posing a threat to oceangoing vessels moving north toward New Orleans, said Corps spokesman Ricky Boyett.

"As of May 25, we measured a little more than 16% of the Mississippi River flow being diverted at this location," Boyett said. "Recently, we identified shoaling just south of the location in an area that we have never had shoaling previously."

The Corps had to have a dredge remove the shoaling from a 7/10th of a mile stretch along the western side of the main navigation channel in mid-May, he said.

"This shoaling means that we are starting to see impacts to the deep draft navigation channel and will need to close the crevasse," Boyett said.

Contractors will lay a rock blanket over the clay base at the river's bankline at the channel mouth, to block further erosion, beginning in July. Then a rock closure will be built in the pass to the east of the riverbank line.

"While the primary purpose of this structure will be to address impacts to the navigation channel, we are considering features that will allow some water, sediment and small vessels to continue to pass through the closure," he said.

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The result could be that the closure will include a 10-foot-deep sill to allow some freshwater, sediment and small boats to continue to use the channel to enter the bay, said Bren Haase, executive director of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.

"We are encouraging the Corps to address this as an opportunity (for coastal restoration through the creation of new land with sediment flowing through the channel), and not just a potential problem for the navigation channel," Haase said.

Part of that discussion should include a review of the numerous other channels that allow river water to flow east into Breton Sound, to see if some of them can be closed to increase water flow in the area where shoaling is occurring, which could allow more water and sediment to flow through the new Neptune Pass, he said.

According to Kolker, the river's flow at Belle Chasse has been measured at 776,000 cubic feet per second by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Mardi Gras Pass, a crevasse that formed 10 years ago near the Bohemia Spillway, siphons off 25,000 cfs to the east. Ostrica Locks, just north of the new Neptune Pass, captures 13,400 cfs, while channels near Fort. St. Philip capture another 104,100 cfs.

That means as much as 36% of the river's flow below Belle Chasse never makes it south of the new pass, which has slowed the water flow and caused the shoaling.

"This, again, highlights the need to move toward a more holistic management of the river, where we are considering maintaining the longevity and resiliency of the navigation channel, but also considering flow control as an ecosystem restoration tool," Haase said, "an opportunity, and not necessarily a problem."

Haase said that while the new channel poses an opportunity for unexpected land growth on the east side of the river, it's too soon to determine if it will result in any changes in the state's broad coastal restoration strategy.

"It certainly is an interesting event, though, to be able to monitor and understand the power of the river," he said. "There are some subaqueous bars forming out there that look very much like we've seen at Wax Lake (on the west side of the mouth of the Atchafalaya River's main river mouth), and in other areas where rivers have created new connections to the coast."

Kolker said it's equally important to look at this crevasse event as part of a broader scientific review of the future of land masses along the river, especially the birdfoot delta at the river's mouth.

"The immediate event is that a structure along the bank failed and the river took advantage, the weak spot," he said. "But was this because the structure wasn't built or maintained correctly, or is this part of a greater delta backstepping?

"Some people think the mouth of the river might be moving backwards as the birdfoot delta sinks, and this could be part of that bigger change occurring in the river's delta," he said.
MIAMI  Nothing drives hurricane experts crazier than the sentiment, Oh, its just a Category 1.

Its not just an annoying attitude, its a deadly one. Hardly a hurricane season goes by without a fresh example of a low-category storm causing more trouble than people expected.

Last year, Hurricane Ida swept from Louisiana to New York, killing 87 people. But more people died in the Northeast  where the remnants of the storm, not even a tropical depression at the time, caused catastrophic flash flooding  than in Louisiana, where Ida hit as a Category 4.

Sixteen years earlier, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in nearly the same spot, cementing its place as one of the most destructive hurricanes in modern history. More than 1,800 people died.

It was only a Category 3.

Scientists have long argued that the familiar Category 1 to 5 system that hurricane watchers are familiar with doesnt do a good enough job explaining the risk of a storm. And theyve proposed all kinds of new ways to categorize them.

If Katrina is a 3 on a 1-to-5 scale, then that scale is broken. We need to do something else, said Phil Klotzbach, a Colorado State University meteorologist.

The main problem is that the scale, developed by Coral Gables civil engineer Herbert Saffir and National Hurricane Center director Robert Simpson in 1973, was only designed to categorize storms based on wind speed. But thats not how the public sees it.

Its effectively morphed not just to be the wind threat but all threats from a hurricane, Klotzbach said.

And there are many. Hurricanes and tropical storms not only can bring devastating strong winds, but also high waves of storm surge, flooding rains and even tornadoes.

With another above-average six-month hurricane season starting June 1, scientists like Klotzbach wonder if a new category system could better explain the tremendous danger these storms carry  and help save lives.

New indexes and scales suggested

The issue some scientists have with the Saffir-Simpson scale is that the wind speeds dont necessarily translate on land. Theyre usually measured thousands of feet in the air with hurricane hunter planes while storms are over the ocean.

Youre never gonna find a 150 mph wind sustained on land, Klotzbach said. The minute that storm goes on land that wind doesnt exist anymore.

And one measurement doesnt speak for the whole storm. Hurricanes arent a single point. They cover a huge swath, with the strongest winds usually on the eastern side of the direction a storm is moving.

Thats where an alternate metric  the Integrated Kinetic Energy scale  comes in. It ranks storms from a 0.00 to a 4.99 based on the energy of a storms entire wind field. Scientists say it offers a more realistic picture of a storms total strength.

Theres also the Cyclone Damage Potential Index, which scores storms 1-10 based on wind speed, size of the storm and how fast its moving. That can be helpful for differentiating between a storm with a high-wind speed that zooms by and a weaker one that lingers in one spot for longer.

Private industry is in with the alternative scales, too. In 2019, Accuweather introduced the RealImpact Scale, a six-point scale that evaluates wind speeds, storm size, flooding potential and the population of the area a storm is expected to strike.

Klotzbach favors a 1-5 scale based on barometric pressure, which drops as a storm strengthens. Hurricane hunters measure pressure by dropping a sensor into the heart of the storm that beams data back to researchers as it falls.

In a 2020 paper, he and other researchers found categorizing storms based on pressure correlated better with damage and deaths than wind speed alone. They also found that this scale matched closely with the real impacts of older storms; it didnt register any powerful storms as weaklings, or vice versa.

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Thats my argument. Simplicity, he said.

The role of rainfall

For Marshall Shepherd, director of the University of Georgias atmospheric sciences program, the biggest problem with the current hurricane ranking system is rain.

He pointed to Hurricane Florence, which came roaring toward the Atlantic coast as a Category 4 but collapsed to a Category 1 before coming ashore in North Carolina. When the category downgrades made news in 2018, some residents decided to ignore earlier evacuation orders and stay put. But rain and storm surge from the weaker storm still caused record-breaking flooding that killed dozens and left hundreds in need of rescue evacuations.

Over a career of research, Shepherd has found that small storms can pack a huge punch in terms of rainfall, one that storm watchers only paying attention to categories may be unprepared for.

We get all geared up as we should for Cat 3, 4, 5 but often the most impactful in terms of rainfall can be a tropical storm, he said. I see debates on Twitter all the time, is it a Cat 2 or a strong Cat 1? And Im saying it doesnt matter, the impacts are the same.

Shepherd and other researchers proposed a metric to address this problem, one that goes alongside hurricane categories. They call it the extreme rainfall multiplier.

Researchers found that historic storms fell between a 1 and a 7 on the scale. Hurricane Florence ranked 5.7 on the day it made landfall, the second highest of any historical storm after Hurricane Harvey.

Shepherd said the scale could be used for all rainstorms, not just hurricanes. People die every year after driving on flooded roads and bridges because they dont understand the danger.

Until we fundamentally amplify the risk of flooding and water in general for rainstorms, thats always a backdrop challenge to conveying hurricane risk as well, he said.

A pretty institutionalized thing

The fact that the Saffir-Simpson scale doesnt accurately convey the danger of a storm is no mystery to the experts at the National Hurricane Center. But its hard to do away with one of the most recognizable scales in the world.

Its a pretty institutionalized thing; even if we choose not to make use of it, people are going to talk about it, said Michael Brennan, branch chief of the hurricane specialist unit at the hurricane center.

In defense of Saffir-Simpson, Brennan said it works well for ships and some of the more mountainous Caribbean islands, where the major threat of a storm is the winds. And besides, theres no main contender for a replacement.

Theres really not any other single scale that would encapsulate all the risks in a way that would be easy to communicate to the public, he said.

Instead, the hurricane centers approach has been to de-emphasize the scale and focus on individual hazards. The center has launched a map that shows the estimated arrival time of hurricane-force winds and another that predicts how much storm surge a community might see.

The hurricane center has also debuted a new set of storm surge watches and warnings alongside its hurricane watches and warnings.

If you tell someone its a letter X storm, what does that person do about that? It doesnt tell them anything about it, Brennan said. How do you get actionable info to people that they take the appropriate action on.

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2022 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
For the second time in two years, Foxconn's facilities operating in Mexico have been breached. A ransomware group known as LockBit has taken the responsibility. The group is demanding that Foxconn fulfill certain conditions by June 11 if the company wants to save its data from being leaked.

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Foxconn, one of the worlds biggest contract electronics manufacturers, has been hit with a ransomware attack on one of its facilities in Mexico. Talking to Bleeping Computer, the company explained, one of our factories in Mexico experienced a ransomware cyberattack in late May. The company's cybersecurity team has been carrying out the recovery plan accordingly.

The affected factory, which is located in Tijuana, serves as a major supply center for California, United States. To ensure production isnt hampered by the hack, Foxconn has decided to adjust the production capacity of the factory. The company has also shared details of the attack with the management, clients, and suppliers.

While Foxconn hasnt officially identified the perpetrators, a ransomware group known as LockBit has claimed responsibility for the breach. The group posted an ultimatum on May 31, that if Foxconn doesnt comply with the demands by June 11, it will publish the files.

Foxconns Mexico factories produce mobile phones, LCD TVs, computers, and set-top boxes. As such the manufacturer may have sensitive documents about unreleased products and production plans which can end up in the wrong hands if LockBit proceeds to leak the files.

This is not the first time that a ransomware group has targeted Foxconns Mexico-based facilities. The companys CTBG MX facility in Ciudad Juarez suffered a similar attack in December 2020 by the DoppelPaymer ransomware gang.

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Community Healthcare System's Acute Rehabilitation Units were recognized as among the top-performing in the country in a national study.

Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation or UDSMR gave the rehabilitation services at St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart and Community Stroke & Rehabilitation Center in Crown Point its Top Performer Award for rehabbing patients after injuries or illnesses.

UDSMR ratings reflect our ongoing commitment to excellence, and the quality of care provided to our patients measures up to the top hospitals in the nation, said Craig Bolda, vice president Acute Rehabilitation Services, Community Healthcare System. Providing quality rehabilitative care is dependent on a whole team of healthcare professionals, who together, share best practices to be on the leading edge of patient care. I am proud of our entire staff and physicians who deliver this high caliber of care every day.

St. Catherine Hospital, St. Mary Medical Center and Community Stroke & Rehabilitation Center ranked in the 90th percentile when compared to more than 850 facilities across the nation. The study looked at self-care, mobility, functional efficiency and other factors with patients who were rehabbed and discharged over the past year.

In providing this analysis, our goals are to recognize facilities that perform at a high level, to work with them to learn how they achieve high performance and then share what we learn with others to elevate the performance of all, said Tammy Schneider, manager, USD-PRO Product and Services.

Community Healthcare System provides a full range of rehabilitation services for stroke, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, traumas, burns and neurological disorders.

We want our patients to achieve the best recovery possible in the shortest amount of time so they can get back to wellness and regain a good quality life, said Bolda. This designation serves as an acknowledgment that we have the processes in place to continue to provide the very best care to the residents of Northwest Indiana and the south suburbs of Chicago.

For more information, visit COMHS.org.

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St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago earned a 5-star rating for quality of care from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The 5-star rating is the best possible, and St. Catherine was one of only 13 hospitals in Indiana and the only one in Northwest Indiana to receive it. The ranking reflects how a hospital treats heart attacks, pneumonia and other conditions, looking at readmission rates and safety of care.

St. Catherine Hospital has attained a 5-star rating from CMS every year but one since 2016.

Our patients are at the center of everything we do and these ratings show that our team is providing the right care for our patients, the right way and for the right reason: to save lives, said Leo Correa, St. Catherine Hospital CEO. It is gratifying to see that the hard work and commitment of our physicians and healthcare professionals has been recognized as being among our nations best.

CMS rates more than 4,000 hospitals across the country on a 5-star scale based on patient reviews, outcomes, infection rates and other measures. The government agency hopes to guide patients about where they can find quality care, assessing performance on safety, effectiveness and timeliness of care.

The ratings reflect mortality rate, patient experience, Medicare spending, efficient use of imaging, efforts to reduce infections and the frequency of readmissions, among other factors.

Rankings about three stars are considered above average. Community Hospital in Munster got three stars and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart received four stars this year.

Three stars was the most common score nationwide. Only 2.2% of hospitals rated got five stars.

We are especially proud of this 5-star rating because it shows that we take quality care to heart, Correa said.

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LOWELL  The investigation continues into a four-vehicle crash in which a trooper narrowly escaped serious injury, but police said impairment may have been a factor.

Indiana State Police said toxicology results are pending in the case.

New details released by ISP state that the crash happened just before 3 p.m. Wednesday when a 2007 Chrysler, driven by a 40-year-old Lake Station woman, was heading east on Interstate 80 near mile marker 10. For unknown reasons, the vehicle ran off the left side of the road, crashing into a barrier wall.

The Chrysler then drove back onto the road, striking a Nissan Altima driven by a 74-year-old Oregon man. This caused the Nissan to lose control, coming to a rest on the left shoulder facing west.

Meanwhile Sgt. Glen Fifield was conducting a traffic stop on the right shoulder near mile marker 10 with his emergency lights activated. He was returning to his vehicle when he noticed the Chrysler barreling toward him.

"I saw it coming and dove over the wall," said Fifield. "I didn't want to get hit or pinned between the cars, so I dove. I hurt my knee and shoulder."

After the vehicle struck Fifield's squad car, the Chrysler came to a stop in the right lane, causing it to be struck by a Chevrolet Cruze driven by a 24-year-old Chicago woman.

Fifield and the Lake Station driver were taken to be checked out at a hospital. Fifield, a 24-year veteran of the ISP, was released in good condition Wednesday afternoon.

The investigation is ongoing and once it is complete, potential charges may be filed with the Lake County Prosecutor's Office.

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HAMMOND  A Crown Point man told a federal magistrate this week he owned sexually explicit images of prepubescent minors.

Robert McMahon, 32, appeared Wednesday before U.S. District Court Judge Magistrate Judge Joshua P. Kolar to change his plea from not guilty to guilty of a felony charge of possession of child pornography.

A federal grand jury indicted McMahon earlier this year. He has been free on bond since his March 18 arrest in Crown Point. He is represented by court-appointed defense lawyers.

McMahon had been facing trial in September and  if convicted  a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment.

McMahon signed a plea agreement last month giving up his constitutional right to make government prosecutors prove the case against him. The U.S. Attorney agreed to recommend he receive a more lenient sentence.

McMahon admitted in the eight-page plea deal that he possessed a number of images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct that he obtained between March 2019 and August 2021.

He states in the agreement that his collection of images included one of a child below the age of 12 years.

He is agreeing to forfeit to government investigators a cell phone associated with his crime, to register as a sex offender and make restitution to his victims.

The magistrate is recommending the court accept McMahons guilty plea as knowingly and voluntarily made. No date has been set for his sentencing.

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CHESTERTON  A car crashed into a Chesterton CVS, causing one person to go to a hospital Thursday, officials said.

At 12:13 p.m. first responders were called to a crash at CVS at 505 East 1100 County Road North, said Chesterton Spokesman Kevin Nevers.

Deputy Fire Chief Rudy Jimenez said the Chesterton Police Department is investigating the incident and limited information was immediately available.

The vehicle that crashed into CVS had two people inside and one person was taken to a hospital as precaution for potential minor injuries.

The crash caused damage to the brick facade on the east side and an interior makeup display buckled from the impact, officials said.

The Chesterton Building Department conducted an inspection to determine the buildings structural integrity.

The electric service was temporarily turned off to the CVS after the crash.

Chesterton police, firefighters and Northwest Health-Porter EMS members worked together at the scene.

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The Indiana Supreme Court ruled Friday that a 2021 state law authorizing the General Assembly to convene itself under certain circumstances, without having to obtain the governor's consent to hold a special session, is unconstitutional.

In a 5-0 decision, the state's high court struck down House Enrolled Act 1123, which authorized a small group of legislative leaders to call all Hoosier lawmakers back to the Statehouse if they decide new laws are needed to respond to a statewide emergency declared by the governor.

Chief Justice Loretta Rush, writing for the Supreme Court, said that under the Indiana Constitution only the governor has the authority to reconvene the General Assembly after the Legislature ends its session on or before the adjournment deadline fixed by law.

She said the new "emergency session" created by the statute usurps the governor's exclusive constitutional authority to "at any time by proclamation, call a special session" by also giving the Legislative Council an opportunity to convene the General Assembly outside its usual meeting dates.

"By allowing the Legislative Council to set an emergency session at a time when the General Assembly is not convened, HEA 1123 infringes on a specific power given only to the governor and is therefore constitutionally infirm absent an amendment," said Rush, who lived in Munster as a child.

At the same time, Rush noted the Indiana Constitution authorizes the General Assembly to fix its annual meeting dates by law, which currently requires the Legislature to adjourn for the year by March 14 in even-numbered years and April 29 in odd-numbered years.

Rush hinted that if the General Assembly wants to meet at other times of the year, or even have the option of doing so, it need only enact a new law changing its fixed meeting dates, as it temporarily did last year when the Legislature was in continuous session, albeit not actually meeting the entire time, from Nov. 17, 2020, through Nov. 15, 2021.

"So long as the General Assembly sets the length and frequency of a session through a properly enacted bill (among other constitutional requirements), it has the constitutional authority to do so," Rush said.

Legislative leaders did not immediately respond to questions asking whether a law authorizing a year-round session potentially is on the table to enable the General Assembly to meet and adjourn in all 12 months of the year without needing to rely on the governor calling a special session.

"I respect the Indiana Supreme Court's opinion on House Enrolled Act 1123, and we'll consider all options moving forward," said House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers.

Senate President Rod Bray, R-Martinsville, said that while he is "disappointed in the outcome of the lawsuit," he respects the high court's ruling.

"We will work collaboratively to find a way forward that serves the best interests of the state of Indiana," Bray said.

Drew Anderson, spokesman for the Indiana Democratic Party, said the entire lawsuit was symptomatic of the ongoing "civil war" between Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and the Republican-controlled General Assembly that's done little to improve the lives of Hoosiers.

"The Indiana Supreme Court has confirmed what more and more Hoosiers see every day: the Indiana Republican Party's extremism and unnecessary purity tests are nothing but a waste of taxpayer money," Anderson said.

"Every year, the Indiana GOP pursues unpopular policies at the Statehouse. Every time, Hoosiers are forced to foot the bill. It's time to elect more Democrats who actually want to solve kitchen-table issues and balance out our government because Republicans have made it clear they have no vision to create a better future for Indiana."

A separate portion of the Supreme Court's ruling rejected the myriad procedural faults Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita, a Munster native who represented the General Assembly in the lawsuit, claimed should have prevented Holcomb from even challenging the emergency session statute in the first place.

In doing so, Rokita said, "the court became a Legislature today by overriding the intent of those who are directly elected by the people."

"The good news is the General Assembly can correct this," Rokita said.

Meanwhile, Holcomb said he's grateful the lawsuit has been resolved so Hoosier leaders can "continue focusing on building a prosperous state full of opportunity for all."

"From the beginning, this case presented important procedural, statutory and Constitutional questions that only the courts could answer. Today, the Indiana Supreme Court has provided clarity and finality on these important issues," Holcomb said.

"I appreciate the patience and humility Speaker Huston and Senator Bray have shown throughout the entire process, of which I always sought to match."

The emergency session statute was enacted April 15, 2021, after state lawmakers successfully voted to override a Holcomb veto by a 59-26 margin in the House and 36-8 in the Senate.

State Sen. Sue Glick, R-LaGrange, said during the veto override debate many lawmakers felt left out of the decision-making process as the governor responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21, imposing unpopular executive orders, including a face mask mandate and temporary business closures, that legislators could not explain to their constituents.

She and state Rep. Matt Lehman, R-Berne, said the law would ensure Holcomb, or any future governor dealing with a statewide emergency, cannot ignore the 150 representatives and senators elected to represent the 6.7 million Hoosiers.

"All this is saying is that, at some point, the peoples' voice must be heard  and the peoples' voice is us," Lehman said.

Holcomb said he repeatedly asked legislative leaders in 2020 whether they wanted him to call a special session on COVID-19 policies only to repeatedly be told no.

Records show the General Assembly also never employed its statutory authority to rescind Holcomb's COVID-19 executive orders or prematurely end Indiana's two-year COVID-19 public health emergency.

Ironically, the strongest support for sustaining Holcomb's veto came from Democrats. They said enacting an unconstitutional law that only will be triggered during a future statewide emergency risks turning one crisis into an unholy mess.

"During an emergency situation, the last thing the people need is multiple people weighing in, delaying a quick response and trying to make decisions that need to be made immediately for the safety of the people," said state Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary.

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HAMMOND  Police broke the windows of a Hammond woman's vehicle, deployed a chemical agent and arrested her after she threatened a Lake County judge, according to Indiana State Police.

According to court documents, Magistrate Robert Vann was presiding over a pretrial hearing in a Child In Need of Services case in the Lake Superior Court, Juvenile Division on Wednesday morning. The hearing was held on Zoom, and 57-year-old Dorothy King was present as the child's guardian. The child had been placed in foster care a few months prior because King was "seriously endangering said child," court documents state.

During the hearing King made multiple threats and said, "I will kill every one of you (expletive)."

A warrant was issued for King's arrest. About 5 p.m. Wednesday, State Police found King sitting in a parked vehicle on Carroll Street in Hammond. King tried to drive away, but Hammond Police and ISP used their squad cars to block her.

The officers deflated all four of King's tires. King still refused to exit the vehicle and became "agitated," according to ISP. Officers then broke the windows of her vehicle and deployed a chemical agent.

After the chemical agent was used, King exited the vehicle and was arrested by Hammond police. According to state police, she has been charged with three counts of intimidation, a level 6 felony and one count of intimation, a level 5 felony.

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INDIANAPOLIS  A former Mike Pence aide seeking to oust Indiana's Republican secretary of state is embracing Donald Trump's lie that the 2020 election was stolen while also fending off criticism about twice leaving jobs in that office after being written up for poor job performance.

Diego Morales' work history has emerged as an issue in his campaign against Secretary of State Holli Sullivan. It's largely happening outside public view as they seek support among roughly 1,800 delegates who will pick the nominee for Indiana's chief elections officer at the June 18 state Republican convention.

Sullivan's campaign sent text messages to delegates in recent weeks with links to documents critical of Morales' job performance in 2009 and 2011. The messages close: "Our elections are too important to hand over to someone who is not ready for the job and has a troubled employment history in the exact office he is seeking to hold."

The secretary of state oversees statewide policies for elections, which are run by county officials.

Morales, 43, dismisses the disciplinary actions as "office politics" and has worked to connect with delegates through frequent appearances at local Republican events.

Sullivan, 49, previously worked in auto plant management and was a state representative from Evansville for seven years before being appointed secretary of state by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb in March 2021 when her predecessor retired.

Sullivan touts her work toward improving cybersecurity for county election offices and adding small printers to thousands of electronic touch-screen voting machines across the state to create a paper trail of each ballot cast.

Morales, meanwhile, has called the 2020 election a "scam" while pointing to unfounded claims Trump and his allies have made about other states. The former president hasn't endorsed anyone in the race, but Morales is trying to attract Trump supporters.

He's pushing voter restrictions that include cutting the state's 28-day early voting period in half, requiring new voters to prove their U.S. citizenship when registering, and creating an "election task force" that would investigate "shenanigans."

As for the disciplinary actions he faced as a junior staff member in the secretary of state's office, he says he's facing a "smear campaign."

"That was disagreement in leadership, disagreements in opinions, probably office politics, office rivalry," Morales, who immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala as a teenager with his parents and sisters, said in an interview. "Obviously, the government bureaucracy at its best."

The disciplinary actions were first reported by The Associated Press during Morales' unsuccessful 2018 run for Congress.

Records obtained under Indiana's public records act showed he was fired in 2009 after eight months in Republican Todd Rokita's office due to "incomplete" work, "inefficient execution" and a "lack of focus. He refused to agree to a work improvement plan and submitted his resignation when he was fired, according to a termination letter.

Two years later, Morales left a different position in the office after refusing to sign a work improvement plan under then-Secretary of State Charlie White, a Republican who was himself removed from office in 2012 following a voter fraud conviction. Morales worked just over a month when he was disciplined for "poor execution" and failing to complete his work, records show.

Morales returned to state government as an aide on the governor's staff when Pence took office in 2013 and remained until Pence left to become Trump's vice president in 2017. Some top Pence governor's office staffers have defended Morales' work and support his candidacy.

Rokita, now state attorney general, wrote a message distributed by the Morales campaign saying, "As far as I'm concerned, Diego left my office on good terms, and I consider him a longtime friend."

Sullivan, a former vice chair of the state Republican Party, said "qualifications and background" are important for the office and that the public documents do not show someone leaving on good terms.

"I think delegates deserve transparency and because it was a public office and he was a state employee, they have those public documents to review," Sullivan said.

Other candidates seeking the Republican nomination are Knox County Clerk David Shelton and Paul Hager, a former Libertarian Party candidate from Bloomington. Sullivan and Morales each raised about $500,000 for their campaigns through the end of March, far ahead of the others.

Destiny Scott Wells, an attorney and Army Reserve intelligence officer, is the only Democrat seeking the nomination at the party's June 18 convention. Libertarian candidate Jeff Maurer will also be on the November ballot.

Complicating Sullivan's candidacy are her links to Holcomb, who despite his landslide reelection win in 2020 has faced conservative criticism over actions ranging from COVID-19 restrictions he imposed to his veto of a bill banning transgender females from girls school sports. Many conservative activists won convention delegate seats in the May primary, even though hard-right challengers to current Republican legislators largely failed.

The attention on Morales' job history could sway delegates who aren't already strong supporters of any candidate, said Steve Shine, who's been the Republican chairman in Allen County, which includes Fort Wayne, for 29 years.

"That also has the possibility of backfiring and working against those who thought it would help because there are some people who are totally turned off by negativism in any race," said Shine, who hasn't endorsed any candidate.

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As development director of those nonprofits he was transformative in the way he not only brought them fiscal strength and security but helped them define and refine their mission and their work, said Randall Bourscheidt, a friend and former colleague who was deputy commissioner of cultural affairs under Mayor Edward I. Koch and later the president of the nonprofit Alliance for the Arts.

Paul William Gunther was born on Oct. 24, 1956, in Rochester, N.Y. His father, Kenneth W. Gunther, was a physicist and an inventor at what became Xerox Corp. His mother, Nancy (Burrows) Gunther, was the town clerk of Penfield, N.Y., outside Rochester.

In addition to Professor Sanders, the principal of JSA/MIXdesign, an architecture and design studio in New York, Mr. Gunther is survived by his mother and a sister, Laurie Gunther Fellows.

He graduated from Yale University with a bachelors degree in art history in 1978 and attended Jesus College at Oxford University for a semester under the auspices of the English Speaking Union.

He went on to work for New York Citys cultural affairs commissioner, Henry Geldzahler, as his special assistant during the Koch administration, from 1978 to 1981. From 1982 to 1986 he was vice president of George Trescher Associates, the fund-raising firm for some of New Yorks top charities and companies.

He became instantly a New Yorker, said Kent L Barwick, the former president of the Municipal Art Society. He was contemptuous about people who didnt treat the city with the respect it deserved.
On a routine April night, a man on a scooter rode away from the Queens restaurant where he worked making deliveries.

What the deliveryman, Zhiwen Yan, did not know as he made the dinner run was that an angry customer, who months earlier had demanded a refund after saying he had not gotten enough duck sauce with his order, was watching him leave the restaurant.

The man followed Mr. Yan to an intersection in Forest Hills, Queens. Then, as Mr. Yan waited at a stoplight, the man who had been trailing him approached and fired a single fatal shot into his chest.

The account of what happened that night was described by prosecutors on Thursday as they announced the indictment of Glenn Hirsch, 51, of Briarwood, Queens, on murder and other charges in Mr. Yans death.
The legislation that now makes the sale of body vests unlawful  except to police officers and other designated people  came after it was revealed that the 18-year-old gunman who killed 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket had worn body armor, an increasingly common feature in mass shootings that is typically loosely regulated.

New York  which already bans military-style assault rifles  will also join a handful of states that have raised the minimum age requirement to 21 from 18 for the purchase of some long guns, the same age as for handguns in New York. New buyers of such weapons will now be required to obtain a permit  which includes undergoing a background check and safety course  before the purchase of a semiautomatic rifle.

On the Senate floor, Daniel Stec, a Republican, argued that the bill does nothing more than hassle lawful gun owners and does very little to fight gun violence.

I want it to be a hassle, replied Senator Gustavo Rivera, a Democrat from the Bronx, adding that he was a gun owner who believed that the new law could prevent future mass shootings.

Ms. Hochul vocally lobbied for the legislation, but it could face legal challenges from the gun industry just as the Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling this month that could strike down a New York law that sharply limits a persons ability to carry a weapon outside the home, a potential win for gun-rights groups.

Overall, I still think a real call to action by the federal government has to happen as well, Carl Heastie, the Assembly speaker, said in an interview. We can do all these wonderful things here in New York that were trying to do, but we need assistance on the federal side.
No matter where you decide to sit, you wont see everything in A Kid Like Rishi, Kees Roordas thrumming documentary play at the Cell Theater, and surely that is very much by design.

The task looks straightforward enough, going in  nothing obvious like columns to obstruct a persons view. The room is deeper than it is wide, and the set consists mainly of a long wooden table and a few microphones, with audience members choosing seats along each wall. Projected feeds from four video cameras show various angles of the space were in, which is not large. We would seem to have the area sufficiently surveilled.

Yet from the start of this gripping, understated drama, which recounts the killing of a 17-year-old boy of Surinamese descent by the Dutch police in 2012, we cant always get a clear perspective. An actors back is to us, or one of the performers is blocking our vantage on another, or the video is too indistinct to show what were looking for. Which, ordinarily, would be maddening.

In Erwin Maass stark production for Origin Theater Company, it becomes instead an exercise in visceral understanding  because our interpretation of events in the world has everything to do with how clear our sightlines are and whats blocking our view, literally or metaphorically. And the people who witnessed Rishi Chandrikasings shooting early one November morning on a train station platform in The Hague  or participated in the police pursuit of him, or passed legal judgment on it, or were left bereft by it  all saw and heard, or believed they saw and heard, very different things in the same lone teenager and the same abrupt execution.
WASHINGTON  President Biden demanded on Thursday that lawmakers respond to communities turned into killing fields by passing far-reaching limits on guns, calling on Congress to ban assault-style weapons, expand background checks and pass red flag laws after massacres in Texas and New York.

In a rare evening address to the nation, Mr. Biden dared Republicans to ignore the repeated convulsions of anger and grief from gun violence by continuing to block gun measures supported by large majorities in both parties, and even among gun owners.

My God, he declared from the Cross Hall, a ceremonial part of the White House residence, which was lined with candles in honor of victims of gun violence. The fact that the majority of the Senate Republicans dont want any of these proposals, even to be debated or come up for a vote, I find unconscionable. We cant fail the American people again.

Mr. Bidens speech came a day after a mass shooting in Tulsa, Okla., that killed four victims and nine days after a massacre in Uvalde, Texas, that took the lives of 19 elementary school children and two teachers. Ten days before that, 10 Black people were gunned down in a grocery store in Buffalo. The list, Mr. Biden said, goes on.
According to new data just released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, guns are the No. 1 killer of children in the United States of America. The No. 1 killer. More than car accidents, more than cancer. Over the last two decades, more school-age children have died from guns than on-duty police officers and active-duty military combined.

Think about that. More kids than on-duty cops killed by guns. More kids than soldiers killed by guns. For Gods sake. How much more carnage are we willing to accept? How many more innocent American lives must be taken before we say enough? Enough.

I know that we cant prevent every tragedy, but heres what I believe we have to do. Heres what the overwhelming majority of the American people believe we must do. Heres what the families in Buffalo and Uvalde, in Texas, told us we must do.

We need to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines. And if we cant ban assault weapons, then we should raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21. Strengthen the background checks, enact safe storage laws and red flag laws. Repeal the immunity that protects gun manufacturers from liability. Address the mental health crisis deepening the trauma of gun violence, and as a consequence of that violence.

These are rational, common-sense measures. Heres what it all means. It all means this: We should reinstate the assault weapons ban on high capacity magazines that we passed in 1994 with bipartisan support in Congress and the support of law enforcement.

Nine categories of semiautomatic weapons were included in that ban, like AK-47s and AR-15s. And in the 10 years it was law, mass shootings went down. But after Republicans let the law expire in 2004, and those weapons were allowed to be sold again, mass shootings tripled. Those are the facts.

A few years ago, the family of the inventor of the AR-15 said he would have been horrified to know his design was being used to slaughter children and other innocent lives instead of being used as a military weapon on the battlefields, as it was designed. Thats what it was designed for.
After Mr. Trump lost in Georgia, he, along with several lawyers and politicians, made unfounded accusations of voter fraud and discrepancies, sued to conduct additional reviews of the vote and ultimately tried to delay final certification of the election, among other actions. The panel has one year to complete its investigation before providing a report to the Fulton County district attorney, Fani T. Willis, on whether to pursue criminal charges.

Mr. Raffensperger was expected to face questions about a January 2021 phone call between his office and Mr. Trump in which the former president asked the secretary of state to find enough votes to flip the election in his favor. The investigation is also expected to scrutinize state officials interactions with several Trump associates, including Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Rudolph W. Giuliani, a former Trump lawyer, and the former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.

Ms. Raffensperger was expected to detail the multiple death threats that she and other members of her family received from far-right groups in the weeks after the 2020 election. They grew so dangerous, Ms. Raffensperger told Reuters in 2021, that the couple went into hiding for more than a week and canceled visits from their young grandchildren.

Last week, Mr. Raffensperger won his primary against Representative Jody Hice, a Trump-endorsed challenger who argued that the secretary of state had not done enough to investigate Mr. Trumps false claims of fraud in 2020. Mr. Raffensperger defeated Mr. Hice by nearly 20 points, delivering a blow to the wing of the Republican Party that still harbors resentment toward election officials they believe were disloyal to Mr. Trump.

In an interview with The New York Times last week, Ms. Willis said she was also considering bringing other charges, including racketeering, that could widen the scope of people who will be subpoenaed in the coming weeks.
More than 200 competitors this year have been eliminated from the 2022 spelling bee.

Heres a sampling of the words that have given some of those spellers trouble, with definitions courtesy Merriam-Webster and sentences from the New York Times archive, where possible. (Example sentences that do not end with a publication date are inventions.)

tektite: a glassy body of probably meteoritic origin and of rounded but indefinite shape. Most geologists have long thought the tektites were terrestrial material thrown into the sky when a comet or asteroid struck earth and streamlined by their flight through the atmosphere while still molten.  Nov. 28, 1989

wirrah: an Australian spotted food fish. If youre heading down near the reefs you might catch wirrah, but folks call it old boot because it tastes about that.

sirtaki: a Greek circle dance similar to a hora. Senator Henry M. Jackson danced the sirtaki at a GreekAmerican gathering in Newton, Mass., after addressing the crowd.  Jan. 25, 1976

impayable: priceless, invaluable. The credit card commercials always ended with a sort of punchline where they would list prices and then say something at the end was impayable.

Micawber: someone who is poor but optimistic. In David Copperfield, the poor, prolix and tragicomically positive Wilkins Micawber is uplifted by a humble gin punch.  Dec. 9, 2016

escharotic: producing an eschar (a scab formed especially after a burn). Under the agonies of the ague, the typhus, or the gout  through the wearisome days and nights of consumption  under the knife or the escharotic, under all assaults of the Imperial Destroyer  we confidingly look to him for recovery or relief.  Oct. 18, 1860

bourgade: a village of scattered dwellings, an unfortified town. Despite the problems caused by dragons, winter monsters and irresponsible feuding lords, the people of Westeros rebuilt one bourgade after another without much of a plan for defense.

chatoyance: the state of being chatoyant (having a changeable luster or color with an undulating narrow band of white light). What I am asserting is that Brigid Brophys fey mannerisms betray her message and her message sinks her showy technique; what should be all restless chatoyancy becomes a fixed light blinking code.  July, 16, 1978

bebung: a tremolo effect similar to a violin vibrato and produced on a clavichord by sustaining a varying pressure on the key. Funnily enough, the score repeatedly notates an ornament that simply cant be achieved on a modern piano: a bebung, which is a form of vibrato.  Jan. 18, 2022

obstropolous: a dialectical variant of obstreperous (being unruly or resistant to control). Longs field mouse scolds, Nonsense! when Thumbelina objects to spending her life underground with the pompous blind mole. Aldersons snaps, Now dont be obstropolous.  April 11, 2010
The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. Sign up to get it by email.

During the weeks I spent with refugees who had just been released after more than eight years in Australias immigration detention regime, I got asked a lot of questions:

How do I use Google Maps? Will I get in trouble if I cross the road without using a pedestrian crossing? How do I get a proof-of-age card? A drivers license? A tax file number? Do you think a Labor victory in the election will be good for us?

Some of them were easy to answer. Others, not so much.

One refugees question was, simply: What should I do? He was talking about his younger brother, deeply traumatized from long years in detention, who had yet to leave their room at their new temporary accommodation, though both of them had been free for two weeks.

The man was trying to coax his brother out by bringing something back whenever he returned  mostly food, takeaway kebab once, a piece of cheesecake from a dinner another time. Trying to introduce the outside world, bit by bit, into the small room they shared. He thought it was working, slowly. But it was hard to tell.

In my recent story about the lives of these men, there wasnt room to include a lot of people and details, like those two brothers, who didnt want to be identified.
LONDON  With regimented lines of Scots and Irish guards, throngs of Union Jack-clad onlookers and waves of aircraft streaking overhead, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated 70 years on the throne on Thursday, earning tributes from world leaders and ordinary people for a reign unmatched in British history.

Shortly before 1 p.m., the queen stepped out onto the balcony of Buckingham Palace to greet a sea of well-wishers, stretching down the Mall. She was among four generations of the royal family, a tableau that captured both the monarchys timeless durability and a modern familys internal stresses.

Three heirs to the throne stood alongside her: her eldest son, Prince Charles; his eldest son, Prince William; and Williams eldest son, Prince George. But Williams younger brother, Prince Harry, was missing, having withdrawn from his royal duties and moved to Southern California with his wife, Meghan, in 2020.

Also missing was the queens second son, Prince Andrew, who has been all but banished from public life because of his association with Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased financier and convicted sex offender. Later Thursday, Buckingham Palace said that Prince Andrew had tested positive for Covid and would miss the remainder of the celebrations.
From its smallest villages to the sprawl of London, Britain lit beacons on Thursday night in honor of its queens 70-year reign.

The queen led the lighting of the principal beacon at Windsor Castle, and her grandson Prince William lit the beacon outside Buckingham Palace as towns, villages and cities renewed a tradition that traces its history to the chains of signal fires once used as tools of communication.

Organizers estimated that more than 1,500 beacons were being lit throughout Britain, in all 54 Commonwealth nations and in overseas territories.
LONDON  Twelve white-robed, veiled brides stand motionless onstage as the curtain rises on Christopher Wheeldons new full-length Like Water for Chocolate, for the Royal Ballet. Slowly the women back away, then turn. Now, they are dressed in black, a row of crones, who sit and begin to knit as the action begins.

Its an arresting, painterly beginning for this three-act ballet, based on the novel by the Mexican writer Laura Esquivel, which opened on Thursday at the Royal Opera House here. In this succinct image, Wheeldon (and the designer Bob Crowley) suggests the intermingling of life and death, of the fantastical and the practical, the magical and the real, that permeate Esquivels much loved story. For a moment, it seems that creating a ballet based on a complicated plot involving cooking, food and magic, isnt necessarily a terrible idea.

Wheeldon is an experienced creator of story ballets (he made Alices Adventures in Wonderland and The Winters Tale for the Royal Ballet) and has directed and choreographed two Broadway shows, including MJ: The Musical, for which he has been nominated for a Tony Award.

Its testament to his skills and his team of regular collaborators that he has succeeded in creating a big-spectacle ballet for this story centered on food and a frustrated-love affair, with excursions into the Mexican revolution, flashbacks to various lost loves, weddings, babies, deaths and ghostly visitations.
While both women live in their own versions of precariousness, forced to rely on their bodies for their livelihoods, Townsends observations of Americans colonialist entitlement abroad is damning. Shannon feels her connection to the African continent  the motherland, after all, she says  when she looks at this small girl who could have come from her own barren body. But, of course, by stealing Sourias child, she is enacting yet another harrowing injustice upon the helpless teenager.

If the abduction itself feels less persuasive than it might, the novels strength lies in the wrenching fallout: for Shannon, Souria and Yu, the child who joins their fates. The ever-changing hues of motherhood and daughterhood, their gifts and losses for each woman and girl, are brought to life in the authors precise, sensuous prose. Townsend is most eloquent when writing about Sourias grief; the despair of her empty arms rendered, unforgettably, in language at once tender and brutal.

Sylvia Wren, the reclusive New Mexico artist who narrates THE CHERRY ROBBERS (420 pp., Harper, $27.99), a riveting, gothic page-turner by Sarai Walker, is harboring a secret that, if revealed, would expose both her real identity and the chilling history she has been hiding from for six decades. When a freelance documentarian starts poking around in her business, fear prompts Sylvia to tell her story, revealing that she is (as the filmmaker suspects) one of the six Chapel sisters, heiresses to a firearm fortune in Connecticut who all mysteriously died in the 1950s  except for one. For the sisters, who grew up isolated in the familys Victorian mansion, nicknamed the wedding cake, the only real means of escape was marriage. The children in the village made up a rhyme about us, Sylvia recalls. The Chapel sisters:/First they get married/then they get buried.

Image

Walker evocatively captures the tempo, languor and decadence of the ivory tower in which the sisters are trapped, Rapunzel-like, by their privilege and the patriarchy. For the most part, the daughters raise themselves. Their father, one of the wealthiest men in New England, is distant, absorbed in his work manufacturing a product that was a bridge to the other side. But it is their mothers emotional absence that the girls feel most keenly: Belinda, tormented by the spirits of her own mother as well as of those killed by Chapels guns, screams through the night and records her ghostly visions in a diary. Though theyre dismissed as the ravings of a madwoman in the attic, Belindas premonitions of marital doom for her children prove eerily accurate. Only Iris survives, by running away at 20 and reinventing herself as Sylvia; still, she cant quite escape the past.

Although thrilling, the drama of each sisters tragedy becomes somewhat familiar over the course of the novel. But Walker creates a dazzling world filled with the scents and colors of flowers that will later become the foundation for Sylvias subversive paintings. Just as subversive is the swirl of voices of the women at the storys center: The Chapel women may be locked away in castles and sanitariums by a series of domineering men, but their unfulfilled longings haunt these pages as powerfully as any family curse.

Aamina Ahmad is the author of The Return of Faraz Ali.
In the early hours after the shooting at a Tulsa medical center on Wednesday, the details were murky. Soon, it became clear that the death toll there was not going to be as nearly as high as the tolls from the recent shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo.

Four people were killed in Tulsa (in addition to the gunman), compared with 21 in Uvalde and 10 in Buffalo. But the Tulsa shooting is nonetheless horrific in its own way  not only for its victims and their families but also for what it says about gun violence in the United States.

Shootings that kill multiple people are so common in this country that they often do not even make national news. They are a regular feature of American life. Tulsa has become the latest example  yet another gun crime that seems almost ordinary here and yet would be extremely rare in any other country as wealthy as the U.S.

To give you a sense of how common these shootings are, were devoting the rest of the lead item of todays newsletter to a list of every documented mass shooting in which a gunman has killed at least three people in the U.S. so far this year. (The Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as any in which at least four people are shot, including survivors.)
Losses on the Russian side have been harder to calculate. In late March, Russias military said 1,351 soldiers had died, but it has not provided an update since. Ukrainian officials estimate at least 30,000 Russian troops have been killed, while a British intelligence estimate suggested that Moscow might have lost 20 percent of its military capacity.

Russia has also been transformed. On the economic front, it has been hit with unprecedented sanctions. Western companies have left in droves, and so have many Russians. Relations have cooled even with once-friendly nations. The head of the Central Bank has warned that tough times lie ahead.

Outside of Russia and Ukraine, the invasion jolted Europe and is reshaping alliances around the world. Finland and Sweden shed decades of neutrality and applied to join a rejuvenated NATO Germany ditched post-World War II hesitancy to build up its military. The notoriously laborious E.U. united to pass six sets of sanctions within three months, including an embargo on most Russian oil.

And where will the war go from here?

Peace talks have stalled, and neither side shows signs of giving up.

After military setbacks early on, Russia now controls one-fifth of Ukrainian territory and Moscow troops are making slow, steady gains in the east. The Kremlin has said that fighting will go on until it reaches its objectives.
Russia controls a fifth of Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces had seized 20 percent of Ukraines territory as the war nears its 100th day. He said that Russia had expanded its control of Ukrainian territory from an area roughly the size of the Netherlands before the invasion to an area now greater than the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg combined.

Zelensky said that fighting raged down the front line, which stretched more than 1,000 kilometers. At the northern end, Russian forces are trying to encircle Kharkiv. Toward the south, Ukraine claimed that a counteroffensive had made gains near Mykolaiv. Here are live updates.

Western officials hope that weapons from the U.S. and Germany could help Ukrainians turn the tide of the war, especially in the east, where Moscow remains focused on capturing Sievierodonetsk, despite fierce resistance from Ukrainians. It is the last city in the Luhansk region that is not under Russian control.

Civilian toll: Zelensky accused Russia of forcibly deporting more than 200,000 Ukrainian children since the start of the war and said that about 14,000 Ukrainian civilians and service members have been killed since the war started.
It also showed the delicate considerations for publishers  an engine of the #MeToo movement since it erupted more than four years ago  when they air those claims. By sharing those stories, both the women and the press assume the considerable risk that comes with antagonizing the rich, powerful and litigious.

For The Post, which was not part of Mr. Depps lawsuit, even appending the editors note carried some legal risk. Because the jury found that Ms. Heards essay was defamatory, updating it with new information could be considered tantamount to republishing it and, therefore, grounds for a lawsuit. When Rolling Stone was found liable for publishing the false account of a woman who said she had been raped at a University of Virginia fraternity, a jury found that the addition of a correction could be used to find the magazine liable for defamation  even though it had no liability for the initial publication itself.

Setting aside the furious back-and-forth over whether Ms. Heard was a credible accuser  Mr. Depps lawyers and his fans insisted she was not  defamation law is intended to make lawsuits by well-known people like him difficult to win. First Amendment experts said Mr. Depp was never in a strong legal position considering that public figures have to prove that the person they accuse of defamation acted with actual malice, or that the person essentially knew he or she was telling a lie. And yet he still won, sending up a warning flare to anyone willing to publish such accusations: The First Amendment may be on your side, but a jury may find otherwise.

The fact that actual malice is a such a high bar, and that he was able to overcome that, is kind of shocking, said Lynn Greenky, a professor who teaches First Amendment issues at Syracuse University.

In the trial, Ms. Heards lawyers argued that her essay published in The Post was protected under the First Amendment. She described herself in the essay as a public face for abused women who had felt the full force of our cultures wrath for women who speak out. Though she did not mention Mr. Depp by name, she implied that he had been her abuser.
The London-born financier suspected of masterminding an elaborate scheme to bilk the Danish tax system of $1.9 billion has been arrested by the police in Dubai for possible extradition to Denmark, authorities in Copenhagen said Friday.

Sanjay Shah, the financier, had been sought by the Danish authorities for what they said was his role in thousands of transactions that involved traders, lawyers and investors across Europe and the United States. Starting in 2012 and ending three years later, these transactions  which were so complicated that they baffled even some financial experts  led Denmarks tax agency to send nearly $2 billion worth of refunds for taxes that had putatively been paid on stock dividends.

The catch: The investors didnt own the stocks and werent owed refunds.

Many of those investors, say Danish prosecutors, were connected to Mr. Shah and the tiny hedge fund he founded in London, Solo Capital. Public outrage about Mr. Shah turned him into a national villain in Denmark, especially when his lifestyle in Dubai  which included a 10,000-square-foot villa and a $1.3 million yacht  became known.

An email to Mr. Shahs spokesman seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Mr. Shah has said he simply took advantage of loopholes in the Danish tax system and never broke any laws. Around the time that Solo Capital was raided by Britains National Crime Agency and closed in 2016, Mr. Shah said he had been unfairly targeted because he didnt have the clout and legal team employed by Wall Street players.
The U.S. division of the carmaker Stellantis has agreed to plead guilty in federal court in Detroit to a conspiracy charge and to pay a $300 million penalty to resolve an investigation of the companys attempts to evade diesel emission standards, the Justice Department said Friday.

The company, which was formed when Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot merged, also agreed to cooperate with federal authorities as part of its plea agreement, a statement released by prosecutors said.

The investigation centered on a claim that Fiat Chrysler tried to evade emission standards for some of its pickup trucks and Jeeps. Prosecutors said the U.S. division, also known as FCA US, had misled customers and regulators for years.

We expect all corporations to deal with regulators and the public openly and honestly, Dawn N. Ison, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, said in a statement. Unfortunately, one of our districts biggest corporations fell far short of that standard, resulting in todays guilty plea.
The deli is a yearlong pop-up that Ms. Williams, 27, and Mr. Faber, 30, decided to open when a space became available in the Old City neighborhood of Knoxville. The couple saw the pop-up as an ideal way to generate income as they plan a modern Ukrainian bistro inspired by their trip. (Supply-chain snags have delayed that opening until 2023. Like Potchke, the bistro will include partners Brian and Jessica Strutz, owners of A Dopo, a wood-fired pizzeria.)

Mr. Faber and Ms. Williams built a following with the babka business she started in their house after losing her restaurant service job at the start of the pandemic. Sales were brisk enough to compel Mr. Faber to quit his job as a pastry chef at Blackberry Farm, the celebrated resort near Knoxville in the Great Smoky Mountains foothills, to help with the baking.

Babkas are on Potchkes short, frequently changing menu, along with refined versions of deli staples like blintzes and lox-topped bialys. Borscht appears on the menu as borsch(t), a mash-up of Yiddish and Ukrainian spellings.

Mr. Fabers matzo ball soup, its flavors sharpened by amba (a pickled mango sauce) and Calabrian chile oil, was a hit with a group of older Jewish women who visited the deli in its early days  or at least he assumed it was, given that the customers asked him to pose for a selfie.
A steady bombardment of coronavirus misinformation during the pandemic has left nearly one-third of American women who are pregnant, or who plan to become pregnant, believing at least one falsehood about coronavirus vaccinations and pregnancy, according to a new study. A higher share were unsure whether to believe the myths.

The research, conducted in May by the Kaiser Family Foundation, considered three widespread false statements about the vaccines and concluded that about six in ten U.S. adults, as well as seven in ten women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, either believed or were unsure about at least one of the false statements.

The studys findings were published last week and based on polling of more than 1,500 American adults, including 900 women, in English and Spanish. More than 600 women ages 18 to 49 participated. Its conclusions were in line with other experts expectations.

Pregnancy is a time where a lot of women are seeking information on a variety of pregnancy-related topics, but many pregnancy forums are filled with misinformation, said Tara Kirk Sell, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, who was not involved in the study. She said that she had done similar online searches before her first pregnancy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified 21 monkeypox cases in 11 states, and the numbers are expected to rise, officials reported on Friday.

Genetic analysis has revealed that while most of the cases appear to be closely related to the outbreak in Europe, two patients  one in Florida and one in Virginia  have versions of the virus that seem similar to the one infecting a patient in Texas last year.

That suggests there have been at least two separate incidents where the virus spilled over from animals into people, the agency said.

Of 17 U.S. patients for whom the agency has detailed information, all but one were men who had sex with men; 14 had traveled to other countries in the three weeks before their symptoms began. Three patients were immunocompromised.
And he totally gets that, but its all superseded by the fact that hes the protagonist in question, and he can never be all things to all people because his own story is so specific. Booster was adopted as an infant and home-schooled by white parents in Plainfield, Ill., before he came out as a teenager, studied musical theater in college and moved to New York to become a stand-up comedian. Even now, his conservative family is barely aware that their son is making gay rom-coms that the entire internet is determined to weigh in on.

So youll have to excuse Booster if he cant take on everybody elses concerns right now  not when hes still got plenty of his own to grapple with.

The night before we started shooting, I was like, This is either going to change my life or its going to be the biggest flop of my career, Booster told me. And I dont think there will be anything in between that.

THE FIRST TIME that Booster and Yang went to Fire Island, it was with a certain amount of trepidation. In those days, both men were still clinging to their day jobs (Booster was the project manager for an internet sock company), and to make the trip economically feasible, they fit 11 impoverished friends into a house with three bedrooms. They knew that the island had a reputation as a haven for rich, white gay men with muscles, but it still unnerved Booster when someone would fix him with a hard stare that all but declared, You dont belong here.

Still, the more time he spent with his friends on Fire Island, the freer he felt. You dont realize the weight you carry every day by just walking around in straight spaces, he said. And even the peculiar prejudices of the island became grist for the mill once Booster read Austens novel and realized that her story of social stratification would map neatly onto his own experiences.
Kuthiraivaal

Stream it on Netflix.

Trying to summarize or describe this spectacularly zany Tamil mindboggler is a fools errand, but Ill make an attempt: Saravanan (Kalaiyarasan), a young bank employee who also calls himself Freud, wakes up in his apartment in Chennai, in South India, and realizes he has suddenly grown the tail of a horse. Dazed and confused, he wanders around the city avoiding curious stares and trying to seek answers from a dream interpreter, a mad mathematician, an astrologer and others. At some point the setting switches to a bucolic village adorned with portraits of the bygone Tamil megastar MGR; at another, the story turns into a murder investigation that draws on Western theorists like Jacques Lacan. Amid all this, Kalaiyarasan walks around with a perpetually confounded face and a pitch-perfect horsetail twitch, and the directors Manoj Leonel Jason and Shyam Sunder play around with psychedelic lights, crazy Dutch angles and dialogue stuffed with riddles and jokes.

Its utter chaos and yet feels somehow perfectly ordered  like a puzzle that evinces a mysterious, alien logic, but a logic nevertheless. Sunder and Leonel Jason are part of a new generation of young, cinephile Tamil auteurs experimenting inventively with audiovisual form. Much of the joy of Kuthiraivaal (horse tail in English) comes from just watching the directors gleefully explore the endless possibilities of the moving image. But like the best of surrealist cinema, the film also evokes, if through mood rather than narrative, a powerful sense of the absurdity of modern life, where the search for meaning feels constant yet pointless.

One in a Thousand

Rent it on Amazon.
He added that his support for the Second Amendment does not mean that I cannot say what is happening here is ridiculous.

A former state senator who has two small children, Mr. Jacobs was first elected to Congress in a special election in 2020 to fill the seat of Chris Collins, a hard-right Republican who resigned after pleading guilty to federal insider trading charges. That election was won with the help of Mr. Trump and his oldest son, who recorded robocalls for Mr. Jacobs. (More recently, Mr. Trump Jr. wrote on Twitter that Mr. Jacobs had caved to the gun-grabbers.)

Mr. Jacobs also had deep pockets and connections in Western New York: His family are the owners of Delaware North, a major gaming, entertainment and hospitality company based in Buffalo.

Mr. Jacobs did vote with the majority of his party on Jan. 6, 2021, to overturn Mr. Bidens election victory in key states. But he later joined Democrats and nearly three dozen House Republicans to vote in support of an independent commission to study the riot that unfolded at the Capitol that day.

Still, Mr. Jacobs was criticized by some fellow Republicans as being too moderate for the district, which included swaths of deep-red rural countryside where the Second Amendment is considered sacrosanct and where 2A voters are a critical bloc for any candidate. Mr. Jacobs had sought to dispel those concerns, branding himself as a someone who stood up for gun owners and would to defend our right to carry.

On Friday, Mr. Jacobs seemed passionate about continuing to work on gun control before and after leaving office, saying that he felt his decision was the right thing to do and that he wanted to help rebuild trust between people on both sides of the issue.

We see this every time theres a tragedy that the rhetoric goes both ways and people go retreat into their camps, he said. It happens over and over and over again. I want to be part of trying to change that cycle.
Which is why it seemed an innocuous subject that day, an unremarkable conversation among comrades.

By the next morning, the memory of that moment would echo ominously.

It was like a dream

Back home in France, Mr. Blanc and Mr. Audebert were in an artist residency program in Toulouse, a city known for welcoming street art. They were new to graffiti as commerce but growing in acclaim as they honed their talents. At exhibits, some of their work sold for a couple thousand dollars.

Known as Jibeone, Mr. Blanc was burly, with an intimidating look that belied his cheeriness. He was a family man, dedicated to his wife and two children, who often visited the studio. After about a decade in the French Army, Mr. Blanc had focused on art, with dreams of showing in museums. With a vibrant and splashy style, he liked to paint on items like refrigerators or lamps or discarded metal signs.

Mr. Audebert, who went by Full1, was his contrast. Slim and with a boyish face, his most recent job was working for a printing company. He tended to be quiet, but he was curious and had a mind that was constantly buzzing. Although he had been a restless child, he could spend hours in the studio without a break. He preferred using stencils and sticking to clean lines and definition.

Their mentor at the residency was Ceet Fouad, 51, a veteran artist who was famous for his murals of cartoon chickens.

Based in Hong Kong, Mr. Fouad had been visiting his son in Toulouse for Christmas in 2019 when he was stranded by the pandemic. The mayor asked him to run the residency program, so he stayed.

Mr. Fouad grew close with the artists and saw himself as an older brother to Mr. Blanc and Mr. Audebert. For all of them, the studio was like a second home where they threw barbecues on the weekends.
An analysis of multiple studies found that the academic benefits of small classes are mixed. Generally, any academic gains for students are linked to relatively tiny classes, much smaller than what is required in the bill.

Mr. Ready said the best evidence supporting smaller class sizes comes from studies in Tennessee and Wisconsin, where the classrooms studied had between 13 and 17 students.

Were talking nowhere close to that in New York, Mr. Ready said, adding that the benefits of class size reduction depend in part on how large the original class sizes are.

The benefits are also sometimes outweighed by the fact that schools may hire lower quality teachers to meet class size reduction goals, according to a 2017 study.

There is no reason to believe that the program itself will have the pedagogical effect that people want, said Andrew Rein, the president of the Citizens Budget Commission, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog. And it might have unintended negative consequences because money has to be shifted from other programs.

David C. Banks, the New York City schools chancellor, said in a statement that the bills multibillion dollar unfunded mandate would force school leaders to shift resources away from programs such as dyslexia screenings, school nurses and summer programming.

Make no mistake, it will lead to large cuts in these critical programs, Mr. Banks said in the statement. This should not be a choice that school leaders have to make.
To Colquhoun, her sexuality becoming public was more damaging than her feminist views.

Being a lesbian has ruined my political career, she said in an interview with the British magazine Womans Own in 1977.

Only many years later did the local party acknowledge her contribution to the debate about the politics of gender.

In the so-called Swinging Sixties, Britons celebrated a heady sexual liberation that rarely extended to same-sex relationships. Indeed, British law came to grips with homosexuality only with great reluctance, even punishing some of the countrys most accomplished public figures, such as Oscar Wilde and Alan Turing, for their sexual orientation.

The political establishment was especially slow to come to terms with the sexual identity of some of its members.

Chris Smith, the first male lawmaker to come out as gay, did so in 1984  17 years after private homosexual acts between consenting adult males had been decriminalized. The first female lawmaker to declare herself voluntarily as lesbian was Angela Eagle in 1997, two decades after Colquhoun was outed.

Unlike male homosexuality, female homosexuality was never explicitly targeted by any legislation, the researcher Steven Dryden wrote in a study for the British Library. Both upper and lower houses of Parliament rejected the creation of discriminatory laws in 1921, he said, due to the fear a law would draw attention and encourage women to explore homosexuality.

It was also assumed, he added, that lesbianism occurred in an extremely small pocket of the female population.
If you want to go shopping, go to the doctor or go to your place of worship without fear of being killed, and if you want to see your child or grandchild go to school without fear of being killed, the only solution is to get the Senate to pass gun control bills. And it appears that the only way to get the Senate to support the will of the people is to vote the Republican senators out of office this fall.

The safety of this country is in your hands.

Kevin Silson

Charlottesville, Va.

To the Editor:

Re These Gun Reforms Could Save Lives. We Can Achieve Them, by Nicholas Kristof (Opinion guest essay, May 29):

Mr. Kristof lists myriad gun safety measures that could save lives but leaves out one promising idea: Take steps to ensure that smart guns, which can be fired only by their lawful purchaser, become a major part of the gun market.

According to a 2019 Justice Department survey, only 10 percent of guns used in crimes were lawfully purchased from a retailer by the criminal. The rest were obtained through the black market, relatives, etc. And of course many teenagers die by suicide with their parents guns. Smart guns would make a big difference.

The technology exists to make smart guns, but U.S. gun manufacturers have been cowed by resistance from the N.R.A. because it fears a smart-gun mandate. Polls show that many people would prefer to buy smart guns, and a number of Midwestern mayors have said they would buy smart guns, if available, for their police forces. If other law enforcement agencies, including the F.B.I., followed suit, there would be a guaranteed market for smart guns, and manufacturers would start making them.

Steve Novick

Portland, Ore.

To the Editor:

Nicholas Kristof offers sensible proposals to reduce gun violence. I would add this: Require that anyone who wants to own a gun must first pass a gun safety course. Not even the N.R.A. should object. After all, teaching gun safety has been one of its missions.
We know how well that statement aged. As the company kept backing away from it  while trying to assess what really happened  it fell to Sandberg to try to smooth out the ripples Zuckerberg made, given that she is as sleek as he is awkward and as diplomatic as he is, well, awkward.

As the extent of the problem came into greater focus, I called Sandberg to tell her that the impact of the companys disinformation problems was going to engulf it and turn out very badly for it.

We are handling it, she assured me in her patented soothing voice of reason, after I pressed her about the importance of directly dealing with the consequences of Facebooks inventions more responsibly. I clearly sounded a little intense, because she tried to calm me down in the weve got this tone that had taken her so far in her stellar business career. But I instead grew more worried, including in my first column for The Times, nearly four years ago, in which I laid it out in pretty stark terms:

Facebook, as well as Twitter and Googles YouTube, have become the digital arms dealers of the modern age  by weaponizing pretty much everything that could be weaponized. They have mutated human communication, so that connecting people has too often become about pitting them against one another and turbocharged that discord to an unprecedented and damaging volume. They have weaponized social media. They have weaponized the First Amendment. They have weaponized civic discourse. And they have weaponized, most of all, politics.

To her credit, Sandberg remained unfailingly cordial to me after that, a contrast to how most men in tech act when criticized. In the face of mounting scrutiny of Facebook  concerning data abuse, its cozying up to President Donald Trump, how Instagram negatively affects teen girls and the mounds of disinformation on the service, covering everything from vaccines to elections  Sandberg morphed into the companys chief defender, often of the indefensible.

That included an extraordinary attempt to deflect blame from Facebook for its role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. These events were largely organized on platforms that dont have our abilities to stop hate, dont have our standards and dont have our transparency, Sandberg said in an interview a week later, even as researchers were turning up evidence it was a key platform for organization and communication for the rioters.

And in that moment, Sandberg lost what remaining credibility she had in Washington, though she had once operated the levers of power there effortlessly. No longer, as she tethered her once pristine reputation to Zuckerberg, taking many more slings and arrows than he.

As much responsibility as Sandberg had as a top executive at the company, Zuckerberg has always been in the drivers seat at Meta, where he is the controlling shareholder. No matter his responsibility, he is unkillable, unfireable and untouchable, and no amount of leaning in by Ms. Sandberg or any other woman in tech is going to change that, I noted in a 2018 column.

Thus, she, not Zuckerberg, needs to go, as Meta now leans into his bet-the-farm effort to dominate the next era via the so-called metaverse. Talented techie though he may be, I am dubious that Zuckerberg can do what needs to be done to make his virtual world a success without another Sandberg type at his side, even while throwing gobs of money at it.
In her 25 years as a journalist for Al Jazeera, Shireen Abu Akleh covered many clashes between Israelis and Palestinians. So when she went to the occupied West Bank city of Jenin in the early morning of May 11 to cover an Israeli Army operation in a refugee camp, she took all the requisite precautions. She wore a helmet and blue body armor marked press in large letters. She stood near the entrance to the refugee camp with a group of other journalists, and her presence was immediately noticed. She was so well known among Arabic-speaking audiences that a crowd gathered to watch her work.

In the course of their reporting, however, the journalists came under fire. Ms. Abu Akleh, an American citizen, was killed by a bullet to the head. Another journalist, Ali Samoudi, who was also wearing a flak jacket marked press, was shot in the back and survived.

More than three weeks have passed since Ms. Abu Akleh was killed. Yet, despite a surge of international outrage and calls by, among others, the U.S. State Department, Israeli human rights organizations, scholars and members of civil society for a thorough investigation of her death and of the allegations that she was killed because she was a journalist, no formal, impartial outside inquiry has been started. The world still knows very little about who is responsible for her death. Ms. Abu Aklehs family, her colleagues and all who care about freedom of the press as a pillar of democracy deserve far more.

The early response to the killing has been alarming. Two days after her death, the results of two preliminary investigations were announced. The Palestinian Authority charged that Ms. Abu Akleh, 51, had been targeted by Israeli soldiers. The Israeli military, for its part, said there is always a risk of noncombatants being hit during an armed clash and said that the fatal shot might have come from indiscriminate Palestinian gunfire or an Israeli sniper. On the day she was shot, a spokesman for the Israeli military implied that journalists were legitimate targets. The Times of Israel reports that the spokesman told Army Radio that Ms. Abu Akleh was filming and working for a media outlet amidst armed Palestinians. Theyre armed with cameras, if youll permit me to say so.
Sophie Freud, who fled the Nazi onslaught in Europe and escaped to the United States, where, as a professor and psychiatric social worker, she challenged the therapeutic foundation of her grandfather Sigmunds theories of psychoanalysis, died on Friday at her home in Lincoln, Mass. The last surviving grandchild of Sigmund Freud, she was 97.

Her daughter Andrea Freud Loewenstein said the cause was pancreatic cancer.

Professor Freud, who taught psychology at Simmons College (now Simmons University) in Boston, devoted her career as a psychosociologist to the protection of children and to introducing feminism into the field of social work.

One of the few surviving members of her family to have known Dr. Freud personally, she was raised in what her mother called an upper-middle-class Jewish ghetto in Vienna in a turbulent household in which her parents led separate lives and her grandparents, aunts and other relatives from all sides mingled.

I was designated as a Freud, a distinction which carried its own problems, Professor Freud wrote in Living in the Shadow of the Freud Family (2007), an amalgam of letters.
Jonathan Harris Gann and Michael Dustin Shankle can recall certain facts about their first meeting. It was through a Craigslist personal ad and the ad writer wasnt seeking a serious relationship. But the identity of the writer is something both said they have forgotten.

Neither seems to care.

As Mr. Gann put it, more memorable than whomever placed the ad was the fact that the two instantly clicked when Mr. Shankle accompanied Mr. Gann on a walk with his dog, Pilot, in October 2012. Before it ended, that get-together  both were reluctant to call it a date  would also include a visit to the 2012 Washington International Horse Show, a meal at a sandwich shop and some time spent with one another at Mr. Ganns condominium in Washingtons Penn Quarter neighborhood.

The 15-minute dog walk turned into a nine-hour meet-up, Mr. Gann said.

When the two met, Mr. Shankle had recently moved to Washington from Boston, hoping to rebuild his life after divorcing his husband. And the pairs immediate connection was not a given, as the two were opposites in certain ways. Jon was a filmmaker with many creative endeavors; I have a science and public health background, Mr. Shankle said.

A graduate of the University of Delaware, Mr. Gann, 56, holds a certificate from the New York Film Academy. He is an independent film producer and director, as well as a multidisciplinary artist who has created works for the National Cherry Blossom Festival and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities in Washington.
Name: Lydia Ourahmane

Age: 30

Hometown: Saida, Algeria

Currently Lives: In a two-bedroom apartment in Barcelona

Claim to Fame: Ms. Ourahmane is an Algerian-British artist known for sprawling installations that defy geopolitical boundaries. A recent work, Barzakh, (it means separation or a barrier between two things in Arabic) recreated her former apartment in Algeria. It involved moving 5,000 personal belongings, including chandeliers and clothing, to the Kunsthalle Basel gallery in Switzerland, as well as the Triangle  Asterides in Marseille, France. Frieze magazine named the show one of the best of 2021. The politics around how objects move around the world interest me, Ms. Ourahmane said.

Big Break: Born in 1992 to an Algerian father and Malaysian mother, Ms. Ourahmane grew up in Algeria during a time of social and political upheaval, before moving to London in 2001. Art consumed her at a young age. I started skipping my business and English lit classes to hide in the art department one block away, she said. She studied art at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she created a sound installation, The Third Choir, made from 20 empty oil barrels from Algeria. It was considered the first artwork to be legally exported from Algeria in the 52 years since the country gained independence from French colonial rule.

Latest Project: Ms. Ourahmanes traveling installation, Barzakh, arrives at the S.M.A.K contemporary art museum in Ghent, Belgium on May 21. So whats it like having gallery visitors snoop through your personal belongings? Theres nothing in my life that Im ashamed of really, because my life is pure, she said.
When Sheryl Sandberg said this week that she was resigning as chief operating officer of Meta, she also reflected on her legacy as a woman in tech.

Im especially proud that this is a company where many, many exceptional women and people from diverse backgrounds have risen through our ranks and become leaders  both in our company and in leadership roles elsewhere, she wrote in an announcement posted on her Facebook and Instagram pages.

Yet even as Ms. Sandberg lauded the progress of women at Meta, the broader reality for female leaders at the top of the tech industry has been far more disappointing. And with her exit this fall, Silicon Valley is losing one of its most visible and outspoken female executives, leaving few  some would say zero  similar peers in her wake.

Ms. Sandberg, 52, was part of a cohort of women at major tech companies who made keynote speeches, rose to the level of founders like Larry Page and Mark Zuckerberg, and had a seat at the table at high-powered business gatherings like the Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. But over the years, many of these women  including Marissa Mayer of Yahoo, Meg Whitman of Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Ginni Rometty of IBM  have departed, often with their reputations in tatters.
Growing up in Puerto Rico, she had learned that being queer meant she had to like men, but I never wanted to be around them, she says laughing. She began writing for pleasure while pursuing a double major in journalism and theater at the University of Puerto Rico. I wasnt dating and really didnt like sports, she explained, so she found solace and unexpected joy in the works of Beckett and Ionesco.

This in turn led to an interest in modern theater, including works like An Octoroon by her future Hunter professor Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. One of her mentors, the Puerto Rican playwright and performer Sylvia Bofill, suggested she should write her own plays.

Upon moving to New York City for grad school in 2017, Velez Melendez found that gay and transgender people were everywhere. There were trans girls on the subway, lesbian couples holding hands in the street, everything felt like a possibility, she said. Soon, she added, she found a safe space among fellow theater-makers and new friends who allowed her to experiment with her gender expression in ways that would have seemed forbidden in Puerto Rico. Once she sat down to write, her sister had begun transitioning, and Velez Melendez wanted to include a trans character as a homage.

Originally, it wasnt Lolita who was trans but the receptionist character. Lolita is inspired by the real-life Puerto Rican nationalist Lolita Lebron, who, in 1954, led an attack in the U.S. Capitol, which resulted in the wounding of several members of Congress. Writing scenes in which Lolita talks to the receptionist about decolonization made the playwright feel horrible.

Its the TERF-iest Ive ever been with myself, she explained, using an acronym for trans exclusionary radical feminists, a term used to describe feminists who are transphobic. Here I was telling this trans character they have to decolonize themselves when they had done it years ago.

Dissatisfied with the draft she presented at Hunter, Velez Melendez said she was shocked by the encouragement she received from her classmates and professor. Jacobs-Jenkins then introduced her to the director David Mendizabal, overseeing the Soho Rep production, who helped the play take a turn by asking, what if it was Lolita who was trans instead?
The water circuit

Leaving the lake the next day, we set out to explore the northern roads of the Diamond Circle, heading first for Dettifoss falls.

As Gullfoss waterfall is to the Golden Circle, Dettifoss is to the Diamond. With a 330-foot-wide pounding curtain of water, Europes most powerful falls sprayed the extensive gorge-side viewing platforms and walkways, icing the paths.

Both Dettifoss and our next destination, Asbyrgi, 20 miles north, are part of the northern branch of Vatnajokull National Park, which includes much more inaccessible wilderness, including the Vatnajokull ice cap in southeast Iceland.

The elliptical canyon was made, according to Norse mythology, by the god Odins eight-legged flying horse, who left a hoof print on earth. Its an apt setting for otherworldly legends. The mossy forest surrounding a spring-fed lake at the end of the canyon seemed a fitting home for the huldufolk or hidden people that many Icelanders believe live here.

From the canyon, the Diamond route continues about 15 miles northwest to the Tjornes Peninsula, skirting fossilized sea cliffs and turning south at Skjalfandi Bay toward Husavik, the oldest settlement in Iceland and, more recently, the whale-watching capital of the country. A wooden church built in 1907 overlooks its protected harbor, filled with tall-masted wooden ships and fishing trawlers, many now run by whale-watching companies. Facing the harbor, the comprehensive Husavik Whale Museum exhibits many of the species that sailors may see, including an 82-foot-long blue whale skeleton.

Rough seas cancelled boat launches that day, and we settled for scanning the horizon for the telltale blowhole sprays of humpback whales from the modern cliff-top Geosea spa just north of Husavik. The spa channels geothermally heated seawater into pools and, like so many baths in Iceland that cater to tourists, has a wade-up bar.

We spent our last morning in the north hiking the jagged Dimmuborgir lava field near our cabin with its castle-like volcanic rock formations  occupied by trolls, according to signage  before leaving Lake Myvatn. Rejoining the Ring Road, we closed the Diamond loop at Godafoss, another jaw-dropping plunge loaded with legends. Here, when the island converted to Christianity around the year 1000, Icelands leader is said to have thrown all his pagan idols into the churning pool created by the semi-circular drop of the Skjalfandafljot river. The betrayal so angered the gods that they split the falls in two.
The possibility that one of the most popular policies in polling could run behind Mrs. Clinton at the ballot box raises important questions about the utility of issue polling, which asks voters whether they support or oppose certain policies. While these questions probably tell us something about public opinion, it may tell us quite a bit less about the political landscape than many assume.

For Democrats, the story is both unsettling and familiar. Progressives have long been emboldened by national survey results that show overwhelming support for their policy priorities, only to find they dont necessarily translate to Washington legislation and to popularity on Election Day or beyond. President Bidens major policy initiatives are popular, for example, yet voters say he has not accomplished much and his approval ratings have sunk into the low 40s.

The inability of Democrats to capitalize on an apparent policy majority has fueled intraparty recriminations about messaging and strategy. These debates often assume that Democrats ought to fare better but that they get in the way of their own popular agenda. Alternately, progressives fear that conservatives  through television and social media  can use scare tactics about socialism and demographic change to sever the connection between public opinion and political outcomes.

All of these theories may have merit, but the results of referendums add another possibility: The apparent progressive political majority in the polls might just be illusory. It simply may not exist for practical purposes. And the tendency for referendum results of all ideological colors to underperform the polls may betray an overlooked dimension of public opinion: a tendency to err toward the status quo.

It would be wrong to say that the results simply prove the polls wrong, strictly speaking. Initiative and referendum results are not a perfect or simple measure of public opinion. The text of the initiatives is different and more complex than a simple national poll question. Some voters who may support a proposal in the abstract may ultimately come to oppose its detail. The context is very different as well. The vote follows a referendum campaign that can shift public opinion.

And the act of voting to enact an initiative into law carries far more responsibility and consequence than a carefree response on a survey. When in doubt, many voters may adopt a lowercase c conservative position in the ballot box. All together, it is no surprise that initiatives and referendums tend to underperform their support in the polls.

But the difference between the poll findings and the gun control referendum results is especially large. It is an order of magnitude larger than on other issues, including other referendums in the same states on the same day on hot-button topics like raising the minimum wage, expanding Medicaid or legalizing marijuana. These initiatives all fared far better in Trump country than background checks, even though they would have been expected to receive less support based on the polls.
Alameda County, the San Francisco Bay Areas second-most populous county, reinstated on Friday a mask mandate in most indoor spaces, which it had dropped in February.

Officials cited growing hospitalizations in Alameda, whose county seat is Oakland, which are up about 35 percent over the last two weeks to a daily average of 129, as of Thursday, according to federal data. Nationally, about 28,000 people were currently in hospitals with the coronavirus, an increase of 17 percent over the last two weeks.

Alameda is the first county in California, and the largest jurisdiction in the United States, to issue a universal indoor mask order since the end of the winter Omicron surge.

Further south, the public health director of Los Angeles County said Thursday an indoor mask mandate could be reintroduced later this month if cases continue to rise. In April, Philadelphia became the first major American city to reinstate an indoor mask mandate in response to rising coronavirus cases, though it was dropped after a few days.
A man smashed his way into the Dallas Museum of Art and damaged three ancient Greek artifacts dating to the 5th and 6th centuries B.C., museum officials said on Thursday.

The man, identified by the Dallas police as Brian Hernandez, 21, seriously damaged four pieces of art, Agustin Arteaga, the museums director, said in an interview. He had broken into the museum by repeatedly striking a glass door with a steel chair around 10 p.m. Wednesday, Mr. Arteaga said.

Mr. Arteaga estimated that the items, which were insured, have a value of $1 million or more, but the true cost of the destruction will not be known until officials and insurers conduct a damage assessment.

There was no intention, from what we can see, of stealing anything, of damaging any work of art in a deliberate way, Mr. Arteaga said. It was just someone who was going through a moment of anger and found this as a way to express it.
Eugene Tetteh, 51, was among the Moore supporters who said in an interview that public safety was a top-of-mind issue, along with education. Mr. Tetteh, who lives in suburban Howard County but does business in Baltimore, said he had been alarmed by how overwhelmed the police seemed in the city. Young people, he said, were especially vulnerable on disorderly and dangerous streets.

There has to be more to it for these kids out there than that, he said.

Todd Scott, 59, a voter at Mr. Moores rally, said he wanted to see the next governor take a comprehensive approach to battling crime and its underlying causes. An official with the state housing department, Mr. Scott said he admired the departing Republican governor, Larry Hogan, who has crusaded for police funding and clashed with local Democrats who resent what they see as his heavy-handed style.

The No. 1 focus in keeping our city and our state where it needs to be at is crime, Mr. Scott said.

He added that fighting crime had to involve more than locking up criminals. Youve got to focus on all the issues that lead our youth to the crime  which is housing, which is education, he said.

The Shadow of Defund

In 2020, Democrats faced a barrage of attacks from Republicans branding them as indifferent to violent crime and tying the party as a whole to a progressive criminal justice agenda that included directing money away from police departments and scaling back prosecution of low-level offenses.

A report compiled in 2021 by three major Democratic interest groups, including the centrist organization Third Way, concluded that Democrats had spent the last election stuck on defense on crime. The party, the report stated, needed to have a proactive story about necessary systemic changes to policing that would stem the violence and still prioritize and provide public safety.

President Biden has highlighted the public safety funding in his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill that allocated huge sums of money for state and local services. Last month, the president held an event with police chiefs urging cities to spend pandemic-aid money on strengthening law enforcement ahead of an anticipated summer spike in crime. And on Thursday evening, he made a direct appeal in a televised address to the nation for Congress to act on gun legislation.
There are some 700 certified farmers markets in the state, so many that it is easy to forget that as recently as the mid-1970s, farmers markets were on their way out in California. Common in the 1930s, they were all but wiped out in the 1950s and 60s by the regulations that helped make California agriculture a phenomenon worldwide.

Sorting, packing, transportation and sales were so thoroughly geared to the mass market that it was all but impossible for farmers to bypass wholesale distributors and packing houses. Small growers were sacrificing much of their profit margins. Tree fruit was going to waste by the ton because it could not be sold unless it conformed to strict standards governing its size, color and ripeness, the better for shipping and supermarket display.

That changed in the 1970s as small farmers, consumer activists and anti-hunger organizations lobbied to move agricultural policy, even if only a little, at the federal level and in California. The states Direct Marketing Act of 1978  signed by Jerry Brown, then in his first stint as governor  was a tipping point as public opinion shifted. Farmers markets took root from San Francisco to Santa Monica.

It was a two-year conversation with the agriculture industry, Ann M. Evans, a former mayor of Davis who worked at the time for the Brown administration, recently told me. Even though it sounds obvious now.
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, the Democratic nominee in what will be one of the hardest-fought Senate contests in the nation, has a heart condition called cardiomyopathy and appeared to have left other heart issues untreated for years, his doctor disclosed in a statement on Friday.

Mr. Fetterman, who suffered a stroke days before the Democratic primary last month, had a pacemaker and defibrillator implanted on the day of the primary, which his campaign at the time described as a standard procedure that would address the underlying cause of his stroke, atrial fibrillation.

His campaign offered few other details about his condition in the days that followed, but doctors questioned the campaigns characterization of the use of a defibrillator, noting that they are not typically used for atrial fibrillation, and are more often used for conditions like cardiomyopathy  a weakened heart muscle.

Yesterday I talked to John about how, while afib was the cause of his stroke, he also has a condition called cardiomyopathy, Ramesh R. Chandra, his doctor, wrote in a note. The prognosis I can give for Johns heart is this: If he takes his medications, eats healthy, and exercises, hell be fine. If he does what Ive told him, and I do believe that he is taking his recovery and his health very seriously this time, he should be able to campaign and serve in the U.S. Senate without a problem.
Los Angeles faces vexing crises over who can live there and how, as its longstanding problems with housing affordability, homelessness and crime have taken on new urgency during the pandemic. And Mr. Caruso, 63, whose malls across Southern California made him a billionaire, has gone directly at voters frustrations with those problems, portraying Los Angeles as a city in deep decay and promising swift action on a law-and-order agenda.

Heading into Tuesdays primary election to replace Mayor Eric Garcetti, who faces term limits, Mr. Caruso has flooded the airwaves with so many ads that he is almost certain to make it into a runoff with his top rival, Representative Karen Bass, who was on President Bidens short list for vice president and has much of the citys Democratic establishment behind her.

But Mr. Caruso has an outside shot at coming away with more than 50 percent of the vote. Under the citys unusual primary rules, that would let him skip the November election and go directly to the mayors office in December.

A victory for Mr. Caruso  a onetime Republican who became a Democrat just before announcing his run  would be a stark shift in this overwhelmingly liberal city, which Senator Bernie Sanders easily carried in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary.
Republicans have fought to enforce the rule, siding with Dr. Oz in the lawsuit.

In the 42-page opinion, Renee Cohn Jubelirer, the courts president judge, directed county election boards to report two sets of tallies to the acting secretary of the commonwealth, one that includes the undated ballots and one that does not. That way, when a final decision is made on whether to accept the ballots, the judge wrote, the vote count will be readily available.

In the opinion, Judge Cohn Jubelirer said there was no question that the contested ballots had been returned by the May 17 deadline.

The court notes that no party has asserted, or even hinted, that the issue before the court involves allegations of fraud, she wrote. The parties have agreed that this election was free and fair.

A campaign spokeswoman for Mr. McCormick lauded the court order in a statement on Friday.

We are pleased the court agrees on ensuring valid Republican votes that were signed and returned on time, as shown by their time-stamp, are counted so the party can get behind a strong nominee in the fall, the campaign spokeswoman, Jess Szymanski, said.

Casey Contres, the campaign manager for Dr. Oz, declined to comment about the decision on Friday.

Judge Cohn Jubelirer wrote that the courts guidance should be uniform, noting that some counties had decided to accept the undated ballots and others had not.
A federal grand jury on Friday indicted Peter Navarro, a White House adviser to former President Donald J. Trump, for failing to comply with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Capitol attack, even as the Justice Department declined to charge Mark Meadows and Dan Scavino Jr., two other top officials who have also refused to cooperate.

The indictment against Mr. Navarro, handed up in Federal District Court in Washington, marked the first time that an official who served in Mr. Trumps White House during the events of Jan. 6, 2021, has been charged in connection with the investigation into the attack.

Prosecutors charged Mr. Navarro, 72, with what amounted to a misdemeanor process crime for having failed to appear for a deposition or provide documents to congressional investigators in response to a subpoena issued by the House committee on Feb. 9. The indictment includes two counts of criminal contempt of Congress that each carry a maximum sentence of a year in prison, as well as a fine of up to $100,000.

The Justice Department has declined to take similar steps against Mr. Meadows, Mr. Trumps final chief of staff, and Mr. Scavino, the deputy chief of staff, according to people familiar with prosecutors decision and a letter reviewed by The New York Times informing the top House counsel of it.
At the end of December, Mr. Pence traveled to Vail, Colo., for a family vacation. While he was there, his aides received a request for him to meet with Sidney Powell, a lawyer who promoted some of the more far-fetched conspiracy theories about flaws in voting machines, and whom Mr. Trump wanted to bring into the White House, ostensibly to investigate his false claims of widespread voter fraud.

The request to meet with Ms. Powell was relayed through Kelli Ward, the chair of the Arizona Republican Party, according to a person familiar with the exchange. Ms. Ward had joined a suit filed by Representative Louie Gohmert, Republican of Texas, that asked a court to say that Mr. Pence could decide whether to accept or reject slates of electors from states during the Electoral College certification.

The suit was asserting precisely what Mr. Pences aides argued he did not have the power to do. Some Pence advisers were suspicious that Ms. Powell wanted to serve the vice president with legal papers related to the case.

Mr. Short objected to Ms. Wards support of the suit. She relayed to him that they would not pursue it if Mr. Trump was uneasy with it. (The proposed meeting with Ms. Powell never happened.) Ms. Powell and a spokesman for Ms. Ward did not respond to emails seeking comment.

There were other points of friction that left the Pence team on high alert about the pressure campaign. Mr. Meadows told Mr. Short that the president was withholding approval of a pot of transition funding for Mr. Pence to establish a post-White House office.

Amid the rising tension, Mr. Short reached out between Christmas and New Years Day to Jared Kushner, Mr. Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser, asking how he could defuse what was becoming an untenable clash between the Pence and Trump camps. Mr. Kushner deflected the outreach, saying he was wrapped up in negotiations in the Middle East.

At one point, John McEntee, the head of presidential personnel, wrote a handwritten note that circulated in the West Wing that seemed to acknowledge that Mr. Pence did not think he could influence the outcome of the election.
HATAY, Turkey  The Alaa Aldin family bakery could have been a casualty of Syrias civil war. Instead, it has become a symbol of what American officials describe as the resilience of refugees trying to survive a conflict that many fear has been forgotten.

The three brothers Ahmad, Iyad and Bassam Alaa Aldin decided to relocate the business in 2013 to escape the violence that has since shattered their hometown, Idlib. With their wives and children, they moved across the border and opened a gleaming new bakery in the southern Turkish city of Hatay, in a neighborhood that now is so teeming with Syrians that it evokes comparisons to Damascus before the war. Their 25 employees are also Syrian refugees.

What this shows to me, and to the world, is that refugees can contribute to a country, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the American ambassador to the United Nations, said this week at the bakery, in front of stacks of pistachio rolls and baklava dripping with honey.

The message they have heard from me is that we have not forgotten Syria, she said as the brothers stood nearby.
If we should have a situation like that, we would go in, handle the situation, stop the kill, and at that point we would probably look to the state or the feds to assist us with the forensics, said Chief Solomon Cook of the Humble Independent School District Police Department, in the suburbs of Houston.

But while the presence of a school district police chief atop the hierarchy at Robb Elementary was not out of the ordinary, other elements of the response in Uvalde struck Chief Cook as concerning. One was the need to use a janitors keys to ultimately gain entry to the classrooms. All my people carry keys, said Chief Cook, who is president of the states association for school district police chiefs.

Another was the uncertainty about whether Chief Arredondo had been receiving messages from police dispatchers about the children still in the classrooms pleading for help.

We have direct communication with the P.D. dispatch, and were about the size of Uvalde, said Chief Bill Avera, who runs a force of four school district officers, including himself, that covers eight campuses in Jacksonville, Texas.

A review of the response in Uvalde shows that the school acted almost immediately after the gunman hopped a fence and approached Robb Elementary after crashing a pickup truck and firing shots outside.

Adam Pennington, an 8-year-old student, was in the front office when the school received what appeared to be the first alert. A phone call came in and said a man jumped the fence holding a gun, said Adam, who said he hurried to shelter under a table.

An employee on the campus used a cellphone to open a district security app, selecting a red lockdown button and a second button warning that there was an active shooter, according to David Rogers, the chief marketing officer for Raptor Technologies, the company that provides the security app.
Of all the places where Queen Elizabeth II remains head of state, the future of the monarchy looks bleakest among the nations of the Caribbean.

Last November, Prince Charles joined Rihanna and other guests at the ceremony in which Barbados dropped the queen as its head of state and became a republic. Now, six other Caribbean nations may follow suit.

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, public sentiment toward the monarchy has soured, and calls for reparations for Britains often brutal role in the slave trade have been rising.

Separate tours of the Caribbean this year by Prince Edward, Charless brother, and by Prince William, the future kings son, were the subject of protests over the monarchy and Britains brutal history with slavery. The protests forced the cancellation of some stops.
ANANTNAG, Kashmir  As hundreds of Hindu families fled the Kashmir region in recent weeks amid a spike in targeted militant attacks, Sandeep Raina, a 38-year-old engineer, resigned himself to his worst fear: that he would have to abandon his home once again.

He had been 8 years old  almost the same age as his son is now  when his family was forced out of the valley by militants in the 1990s. He spent the next two decades moving from place to place before finally returning to Kashmir a decade ago to take up a job, build a home and start a family.

I have spent my whole life in migration. Who would like to be dislocated again and again? he said. But now we cant live here. We will be killed.

The return of minority Hindus to Kashmir, two decades after a huge exodus in the face of militant attacks and threats, has been held up by successive Indian governments as an illustration of how they are bringing normalcy to the restive Himalayan region.
In a country where the justice system is weak, where extrajudicial killings are common, and where forensic pathology is almost nonexistent, Dr. Fortun has a kind of celebrity status. Family members of homicide victims either ring her up at the University of Philippines College of Medicine, where she chairs the pathology department, or track her down on social media.

She is skeptical of the police narrative that many suspects in the drug war were killed because they tried to fight back. She has been critical about the lack of a proper death investigation system in the Philippines that allows the police to handle the evidence, the witnesses and the bodies of victims killed in police shootouts.

Thats how you get away with murder. Easily, she said in an interview in her office. And here I am in my ivory tower, saying: No though, youre wrong. Youve missed this, youve missed that. How do you think they feel about me?

They hate me, she said, chuckling.

Dr. Fortun grew up in Quezon City in a family of lawyers and doctors. As a child, she loved disassembling items, wanting to find out what was wrong with a broken doorknob or car part. She said she gravitated toward pathology, seeing it as the backbone of medicine.
In some countries in the Commonwealth, the global group of former British colonies, the debate over whether to sever ties with Britains royal family has been fierce. In 2020, Barbados decided to remove the queen as its head of state and become a republic, and other Caribbean countries may follow.

Yet in Australia and New Zealand  both of which Britain brutally colonized in the 18th century  questions about whether to keep the monarchy have long been ignored in favor of bread-and-butter political issues.

Its not something a lot of New Zealanders wake up worrying about, said Simon OConnor, a conservative member of Parliament and former chairman of Monarchy New Zealand, a group that encourages New Zealanders to support the monarchy.

However, a change in Australias government and Indigenous calls for constitutional reform have prompted a surge in interest in the role of the monarchy.
LONDON  The most eagerly anticipated guests at Fridays thanksgiving service arrived well before the senior members of the royal family. Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, walked into St. Pauls Cathedral shortly after 11 a.m., turning every head in the vaulting nave as the couple walked, hand in hand, to their seats.

In the meticulous choreography of royal ceremonies, there was nothing accidental about their highly visible arrival. The couple, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were given their own moment, drawing a loud cheer from the crowd gathered outside St. Pauls and the rapt attention of everyone seated inside.
More than 4,000 civilians have been killed since Feb. 24, according to U.N. estimates. Ukrainian officials place the death toll much higher.

The war has also set off the largest exodus of refugees in Europe since World War II. More than 8 million Ukrainians have been internally displaced, and more than 6.5 million have fled to other countries, according to the United Nations.

Half of Ukraines businesses have closed and 4.8 million jobs have been lost. The U.N. estimates the countrys economic output will fall by half this year. Ninety percent of the population risks falling near or below the poverty line. At least $100 billion in damage has been done to infrastructure.

We may not have enough weapons, but we are resisting, said Oleh Kubrianov, a Ukrainian soldier who lost his right leg fighting near the front line, speaking in a raspy voice as he lay in a hospital bed. He still had shrapnel lodged in his neck. There are many more of us, and we are motivated, and convinced by our victory, he said.
Officers began breaking down his door at 6 a.m. as if he were some drug dealer or pimp, he said. Like most defendants, Mr. Novashov was barred by the judge from using the internet or his phone, but he was able to speak to a local podcaster.

It is impossible to keep silent, Mr. Novashov said, while noting ruefully that people around town had mostly reacted to his case with indifference. He added: People have been taught that nothing is going to change, so the less you know, the better you sleep.

In an echo of Stalinist times, the new laws have galvanized people to turn in their fellow citizens. After Aleksei Gorinov, 61, a local politician in Moscow, publicly criticized Victory Day events for children when Ukrainian children were dying, five Russians reported him to law enforcement, said his lawyer, Sergei N. Telnov.

The authorities started the case against Mr. Gorinov on April 25, took him to jail on April 27, and issued an indictment on May 1, Mr. Telnov said, adding that it is super fast. Mr. Gorinov was accused of spreading false information, including calling the conflict a war, since officially it remains a special military operation.

In letters to supporters from pretrial detention  where he said he initially slept on a cement floor in an overcrowded cell with suspected thieves and drug dealers from Central Asia  Mr. Gorinov wrote that Russia had reached a sad state when someone who criticized a war faced 10 years imprisonment.

Supporters on Wednesday flocked to the start of his trial, which was live-blogged by a reporter from Mediazona, a website that covers court cases. A man is judged for his opinion, Mr. Gorinov said, speaking from the metal courtroom cage where Russian defendants are kept. When else will you see this?
LONDON  When Britain started a program this week offering a two-year visa to graduates from some top global universities, Nikhil Mane, an Indian computer science student at New York University, welcomed the news.

I was happy, said Mr. Mane, 23, whose university was on the list. Its a good way to pursue our dreams.

More than 5,000 miles away, Adeola Adepoju, 22, a biochemistry student at Olabisi Onabanjo University in Nigeria, also read the announcement with great interest. But he had the opposite reaction.

I couldnt believe my eyes, Mr. Adepoju said. No university from the third world is ranked.

Britains High Potential Individual visa program allows graduates from 37 top-rated world universities in Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the United States to come to the country for two years even if they do not have a job offer.
RENO, Nev.  President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine called out several American cities for having sister cities in Russia during a video address to the United States Conference of Mayors meeting on Friday.

Mr. Zelensky, who spoke to the gathering of mayors just after Vice President Kamala Harris, criticized Chicago; Jacksonville, Fla.; Portland, Ore.; San Diego and San Jose, Calif., for maintaining sister-city ties in Russia. He said those relationships should be severed.

What do those ties give to you? Probably nothing, Mr. Zelensky said. But they allow Russia to say that it is not isolated.

Chicago announced earlier this year that it was suspending, but not permanently ending, its sister-city relationship with Moscow, which had been in place since 1997. Local outlets in San Jose reported earlier this year that city leaders decided to maintain a sister-city relationship with Ekaterinburg, Russia. As of Friday, websites for the sister-city programs in Portland, San Diego and Jacksonville continued to list Russian partners.
JERUSALEM  After two decades of research and experimentation, Israeli defense officials now say they have a working prototype of a high-powered laser gun that can intercept rockets, mortar shells, drones and anti-tank missiles in flight.

Officials said that the system performed successfully in a recent series of live fire tests in the southern Israeli desert, destroying a rocket, a mortar shell and a drone, and prompting a standing ovation from officials watching the action onscreen.

The government has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to develop the weapon, which Prime Minister Naftali Bennett described this week as a strategic game changer. He has pledged to surround Israel with a laser wall.

Professionals involved in developing the system say it is still several years away from being fully operational in the field, and experts caution that even then it may initially be of limited use in protecting Israel from heavy incoming rocket fire. Israeli officials have not said whether it would be effective against the precision-guided missiles that Israel says Hezbollah is developing in Lebanon.
How Refugees Transformed a Dying Rust Belt Town Since the 1970s, refugees escaping war and persecution have helped to stem the decline of Utica, N.Y., a town that lost industry and population.

At 8 on a recent morning, Pri Paw brought small bowls  of rice and fried salmon with bamboo shoots  to the Buddhist altar in her familys living room in Utica, N.Y. Then she rang a bell, sat on the floor and bowed. Sometimes I do it, sometimes my mom, Ms. Paw, 27, said about the daily ritual. I dont pray, but my mom does. The family had a similar altar in the bamboo hut in the Thai refugee camp, where they lived for 15 years. Ms. Paws father painted a quote by a Burmese monk over the doorway. Its a reminder to be a good person, she explained. Her mother, Ma Cha Pi, had been up for hours. Her father, Priki Dee, works the night shift at a local factory and wakes at about 10 a.m. Mr. Dee, 52, bought the down-at-the-heels house from the city in 2013 for $16,650. Friends and a brother-in-law helped him put together a cash payment; a friend guided him through the paperwork. Another friend who is a contractor helped him renovate it. He wanted more for Ms. Paw, and the house was only part of it. When the family arrived in Utica from the refugee camp in 2009, Ms. Paw was 15, extremely shy and able to speak only Karen, the language of the Karen ethnic group in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Yet she graduated in the top 10 of her high school class and later earned a college degree. It makes them proud when they look at the diplomas, Ms. Paw said about her parents, who still speak only Karen. Its a sign their kids will live a better life than in the camp. In the camp there was no electricity, she said; her older sister, Nu Win, accidentally started a fire when studying by candlelight. In Utica, Ms. Paws bedroom is strung with lights. She has a desk and a tall mirror. Shes applying for jobs as a medical assistant and studying for an insurance certification exam so she can one day sell life insurance.

For refugees building new lives in America, home is safety, comfort  everything. Its a place to try and figure out an unfamiliar world  and make choices. A place to celebrate traditions with family  and embrace new ones. And for many, its a place to begin healing from the trauma of war and persecution.

Ms. Paw and her family are part of a remarkable migration to Utica, helping to turn around a once-fading manufacturing town. Utica had been home to companies like General Electric that provided thousands of jobs. But like in other manufacturing towns across the country, plants started downsizing, and eventually closed.

Uticas population, which stood at 100,000 in 1960, plunged. By the 1990s, arson had destroyed many homes. But Bosnians, who fled the Balkan conflict and arrived with educations and building skills, bought hundreds of the run-down houses in East Utica, which had been predominantly Italian. In the 2000s, there was a surge of refugees from Myanmar  including the Karen, like Ms. Paw and her family, who were persecuted by the Burmese military and fled to camps in Thailand.

The refugees and their families make up about a quarter of Uticas population of about 60,000, according to Shelly Callahan, executive director of The Center, a nonprofit that has resettled about 17,000 refugees in Utica over the past four decades.

The refugees stemmed the decline, Ms. Callahan said. Ukrainians are next, she said.

Many work as housekeepers, custodians and cooks at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, one of the largest employers in Oneida County. Others work at Chobani, the yogurt factory in New Berlin, owned by Hamdi Ulukaya, the entrepreneur who immigrated from Turkey in 1994. Since Uticas housing costs have risen, and refugees need a car to make the 25-minute trip, the casino is building 50 landscaped apartment units nearby. A three-bedroom apartment will rent for $750.

Downtown Utica was dormant for decades; new restaurants, cafes and bars have opened. Todd Heisler/The New York Times

Refugees have been able to carve out new lives, partly because Uticas housing has been affordable, though in recent years, apartment rental prices have jumped. A two-bedroom apartment that cost about $600 five years ago now costs about $800.

The relative affordability comes with an invisible risk lurking in the apartments where many refugees live: Most of Uticas housing stock  as in other Rust Belt towns  was built before 1978, when the federal government banned consumer use of lead-based paint.

Cornhill and East Utica  once home for many Italian immigrants  is now home for many refugees. Todd Heisler/The New York Times

The city has a higher rate of lead poisoning in children than Flint, Mich. In recent years, there has been a push to test very young children and to educate refugees on how to mitigate the lead dangers.

For more recent arrivals, coming from refugee camps, the learning curve has been longer, slower, Ms. Callahan said.

The Somali Bantu  a community of about 2,000 people  werent welcomed with open arms as the Bosnians were. The Bosnians came with resources  and white skin, said Dr. Kathryn Stam, an anthropology professor at SUNY Polytechnic.

Yet, in recent years, the Somali Bantus have made strides. Many now own their own homes, and dozens of their children are now enrolled at Mohawk Valley Community College and other schools.

A Big Kitchen, a Big Sofa When Mohamed Ganiso first saw the run-down house, images sprang into his head: I wanted it to look good for my big family, he said. I wanted a big kitchen, a big sofa. Mohameds sofa is plush and deep brown. Its where he relaxes after a week hauling cargo cross-country. Relatives stop by. His children stream into the living room and sit with him as he watches TV. Each of his nine children  except the 2-month-old baby  has their own room in the rambling two-story house. But when dad comes home, the younger kids sleep downstairs to be near him, his wife, Lul Mohamed, 44, said. Lul Mohamed said she never thought she would have a home like the one she has now. I never had two shoes at the same time. I appreciate everything. The couple, members of the Somali Bantu tribe, have covered the windows, walls and doors with colorful fabric and tapestries. Its a bad habit, Mr. Ganiso said, ruefully. The fabric makes the house darker. All Somali like color. Mr. Ganiso, 42, who owns a small trucking company, bought the two-family house for $55,000 in 2012. He converted it into a single-family home. Its a far cry from the two-room mud hut where he lived with about a dozen relatives in a Kenyan refugee camp. You sometimes wait up to three hours to get water, he recalled about his 11 years in the camps. We used to say, Were in a jail that doesnt have walls.

Putting War Behind Him LuPway Doh said he feels lucky: In 2014, he bought a spacious two-family home in East Utica, once the heart of the Italian American community, for $97,500. His mother and brother live downstairs. The American way, theres more privacy, he said, but less fun, less people to talk to. But he remembers when there was no silence: He was born in the tiny village of Thoo Mweh Hta on the border of Myanmar and Thailand, and when the sounds of bombing and gunfire came close, his family  who are Karen  would run to a Thai village an hour away, crossing the powerful Salween River. When fighting subsided, they would return. His family made it to Utica in 2011. Mr. Doh and his wife, Sandar, met online and married a few months ago. She worked as a caregiver in Singapore and hopes to do similar work once she learns English. Now a college adviser at On Point for College, a nonprofit organization that assists low-income students, he manages to push away memories of war when he hikes on Bald Mountain in the Adirondacks. By the time I reach the top I feel better. When he purchased the house, it was in move-in condition. The other wood frame houses on the block are also well cared for. The block is diverse: Italian American, African American and refugee families. In his backyard, Mr. Doh grows the vegetables of his country: long beans and chili peppers. In his house are bits of nature: He has a fish tank. Two bunnies reside in a hutch; in his village, he kept pet rabbits. A few months ago, his life changed: Mr. Doh, 40, married Sandar, 36, a Karen woman he met online in about 2014; she was working as a caregiver for seniors in Singapore. Her name means moon, Mr. Doh said. Theyre still waiting for her immigration papers to be processed. Wedding pictures now hang on the walls. A large photo shows the couple in traditional clothing, holding hands as they cross a stream. Mr. Dohs niece, Catriona Shee, 8, in his backyard in East Utica.
A Thai man recently underwent emergency surgery to have a spiky fish removed from his throat, after it allegedly jumped out of the water and straight into his open mouth.

It sounds like the plot of a scene in a goofy comedy, but according to Thai news sources that have since been picked up by international media outlets, an angler fisherman almost choked to death after a small fish randomly jumped into his open mouth and got lodged in his throat. The unnamed man was reportedly spearfishing in a river, and just as he came up for a breath of air, a spikey Anabas fish randomly jumped out of the water and straight into his mouth. As he was in the process of inhaling, the fish got all the way into his throat where it became lodged.

The freak accident reportedly occurred on May 22 in Thailands Phatthalung province, and almost cost the angler his life. The small fish made breathing very difficult, but he was lucky to be noticed clutching at his neck by other people who, upon seeing that something was wrong with him, rushed the man to Phatthalung Provincial Hospital.

A team of doctors managed to save the mans life by extracting the blood-covered fish during a one-hour operation. He has since made a full recovery and was eventually discharged.

The chances of this happening are very low. I have never seen this kind of case before, Dr. Sermsri Pathompanichrat told reporters. Our doctors worked hard to minimize the damage to our patients organs. They have successfully saved the patient.

While having a live fish lodged in your throat may not be the most pleasant experience, it definitely beats having one stab you in the neck
Montieth & Company is providing pro-bono PR to support St. Louis' Afghan Resettlement Initiative. It worked with the media to help tell the story of people like Shazia Jamili, who shared with BBC Radio how she barely made it out of Afghanistan, and Inamullah Niazai, who spoke with the Associated Press in May. The initiative is led by Jerry Schlichter, founder of the St. Louis-based non-profit global startup competition Arch Grants in collaboration with the International Institute of St. Louis, the region's leading resettlement organization. "This is an important call to action and we are honored to contribute to a cause that has a tangible impact on people's lives," said M&Co CEO Montieth Illingworth.

Wondersauce and Praytell, which are both part of the Project Worldwide network, launched a marketing collective designed to help brands enter the Web3 space. Wondersauce and Praytell W3 will be led by Wondersauce CEO and co-founder John Sampogna and Praytell head of innovation Nate Jaffee. The collective will work with clients to shorten the Web3 learning curve, identify brand-centric opportunities and execute Web3 concepts. Its services include web and NFT design, frontend and backend development, crisis management and message development. "Our focus is on building bridges between innovation happening natively in Web3 and mainstream adoption," said Jaffee.

Dragon Horse Agency of Naples, FL, opens a Los Angeles area office in Santa Monica's 100 Wilshire Building. The location provides access to LA's creative, marketing, and media-related companies, as well as to "Silicon Beach" with Microsoft, Meta, Google, Activision, E.A. and SNAP. Dragon Horse director of business development Robert Kenney will lead the Los Angeles/West Coast office. "L.A.'s diversity of culture and industry, talent-rich environment, and top universities will allow Dragon Horse to expand and enhance our platform," said Dragon Horse co-founder Patrick Blake Renda.
BGR Group has inked a $2.1M contract to represent the Muslim World League, which calls itself the global voice of moderate Islam.

Saudi Arabia is a leading contributor to the MWL, which is based in the kingdom.

BGRs contract calls for spreading MWLs message, which is clarifying the concepts of Islam in a moderate form that is based on Muslims true religion and values.

The League also is interested in exploring ways of cooperation with some non-governmental religious and social organizations and institutions to establish the concept of religious freedom, community peace, environmental development and sustainable prosperity.

BGRs one-year contract is dated May 30 and can be renewed for another year.

Jeffrey Birnbaum, BGR PR president, and Liz Fontaine, digital director, handle the account.

Qorvis, which is Saudi Arabias go-to PR firm, has been working with the MWL.

In May, it distributed an op-ed by Mohammad bin Abdulkarim al-Issa, secretary-general of the MWL, condemning the January assault on the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, TX.

The FBI shot and killed Malik Faisal Akram, who had taken four hostages, during the attack.

Publicis Groupe owns Qorvis.
New recommendations on caring for patients with diabetes who are approaching their end of life, have been launched jointly by the Midland Regional Hospitals in Tullamore, Portlaoise and The Regional Hospital in Mullingar together with The Community Diabetes Nurse Team covering Longford, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly.

The recommendations are the first of their kind in Ireland. They provide guidance on the principles of high-quality diabetes care for patients who are palliative, by liberalising the goals of care, simplification of treatment and reduction of medication burden.

Mr Michael Cushen, Consultant in Palliative Care Medicine at the Midland Regional Hospitals in Tullamore and Portlaoise said, In Ireland, diabetes care towards the end of life is an area lacking in quality standards and guidance on best clinical practice. In the past we have used UK guidelines to direct care. These new recommendations will place an emphasis on less stringent blood glucose and HbA1c values for glucose approaching end of life, while at the same time avoiding the patient struggling with blood sugars that are too high or too low.

Siobhan Meehan Clinical Nurse Specialist in Diabetes for Longford and Westmeath and Chair of the Diabetes Steering Group said, This important new advice will help us ensure our patients who at palliative have the best quality of life possible. Our goal moves from prevention of long term complications to symptom control, as patients with diabetes approach their end of life. Our key concern, is always whats in the best interest of the patient, at that particular moment.

Demelza Dooner Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Diabetes at Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore said, Being given a terminal diagnosis is usually a seismic shock to patients and their families, and they will need a huge amount of support. We are certain these recommendations will help to make their final days more comfortable, and that they will be able to accept less strict control of their diabetes where appropriate.

Georgina Doyle Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Diabetes at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise said, The aim of the recommendations is to promote a consistent high-quality approach to diabetes care towards the end of life. The new guidelines suggest this should be achieved with the least invasive testing and minimum effective amount of medication.

Mairead Walsh Clinical Nurse Specialist Diabetes, at the Regional Hospital in Mullingar said, We are proud to present these recommendations which we feel will greatly enhance the quality of life of patients with diabetes and a terminal illness, and will also give healthcare professional greater confidence in dealing with such patients.

The recommendations have been produced jointly by the Midlands Diabetes Nurse Specialist Group and the Midland Palliative Care Services.
A palace spokesman said the 96-year-old monarch had decided with great reluctance that she could no longer make the journey from her home at Windsor Castle.
The Russia House in Davos has always sold the Russia story to global investors, but now it's having to tell a rather bitter truth. In the absence of Russians, Ukraine is making sure Moscow's excesses are not forgotten.
Hungary was the biggest stumbling block on the way to agreeing the sixth package of measures, which phase out most oil imports from Russia. The latest sanctions targeting Moscow have now officially taken effect.
Police in the state of Saarland in western Germany said an officer was injured after being shot by a person firing out of a window. The situation has now been described as "stable."
Two German police officers were wounded in the city of Saarbrucken after a suspect shot at them. Authorities said they had been preparing to search the suspect's home.
The UK has pledged to send medium-range rocket systems to Ukraine after the US and Germany said they would equip the nation in its fight against the Russian invasion.
Turkey has made a formal request to the United Nations for its name to be changed to Turkiye.
Kim Kardashian has called for the father of a 10-year-old girl killed in the Texas school shooting to be temporarily released from prison so he can attend her funeral.
Because of their experiences on the front line, some troops are seeking legal advice to avoid being redeployed.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has paid tribute to the Queen on her Platinum Jubilee, describing her as a "quite extraordinary individual."
US President Joe Biden is reportedly considering a visit to Saudi Arabia and meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Biden has been critical of MBS, but faces increasing pressure to tackle rising oil prices.
A prisoner was shot dead by police after escaping from a prison bus, stabbing its driver and killing a family of five, authorities in Texas have said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been calling for heavy weapons to repel the Russian invaders. Several allied nations, including US and Germany, have announced they will supply new military kit.
With Russia controlling 20% of Ukrainian territory after 100 days of the war, Inna Sovsun told Euronews "the Russian appetite will likely not stop there".
Tesla CEO Elon Musk may have a "super bad feeling" about the economy, but President Joe Biden isn't too concerned about the billionaire's feelings.



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"Lots of luck on his trip to the moon," shrugged Biden, literally throwing his hands up in the air, at a press conference on Friday after being...
Samoa's Prime Minister is planning a trip to New Zealand as tensions escalate over China's influence in the Pacific.Newstalk ZB understands a formal announcement confirming the visit will be made today.It would be Fiame Naomi...
An emotional President Biden pleads with Congress on gun control. Some in Uvalde, Texas, support limits on the most lethal firearms. May's jobs report is likely to show a moderate slowdown in hiring.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II triggered the lighting of a chain of ceremonial beacons on Thursday as part of festivities bringing an end to an eventful first day of celebrations for the monarch's Platinum Jubilee.


In 100 days of war in Ukraine, countless lives have been forever shattered, ripped apart, upended. Those who have survived sometimes barely know how to begin picking up the pieces. Nila Zelinska and her husband, Eduard, returned for the first time this week what used to be their home in the village of Potashnya, outside Kyiv.


Watch VideoPresident Joe Biden delivered an impassioned plea to Congress to take action against gun violence in an address to the..

Newsy 03 Jun 2022
The firings come as the Russian assault on Ukraine continues to go poorly, with the Moscow's forces suffering staggering casualty numbers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday his country's military would fend off the Russian invasion, in a video marking 100 days of Moscow's all-out assault on its pro-democracy neighbour.
"In recent weeks more people have been returning to Ukraine than leaving the country," according to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.
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The war in Ukraine reaches an unfortunate milestone of 100 days, as political leaders across the world condemn Vladimir Putin for his attacks.


Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

Deerfield Management, a venture capital firm based in New York, has launched Deerfield Private Design Fund III, an investment fund designed to provide flexible private financing to healthcare companies.

According to a press note from the investment firm, the fund has approximately $1.6 billion in committed capital.

"The mission of Deerfield Private Design III is to advance all aspects of medicine and human health. Like Deerfield's two previous private funds, the new fund will invest in all segments of the healthcare market including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, healthcare services, and animal health," said the release.

It will employ a full range of financing structures including equity, debt, royalty interests, joint ventures, and other structured financing alternatives said the firm.

"The fund is designed to provide customized solutions to private and public companies at all stages of development, ranging from early-stage start-ups to established industry leaders," it said.

In addition to managing approximately $3 billion in public healthcare investments, Deerfield has raised and successfully invested in two prior private healthcare funds.

Deerfield Private Design I invested more than $500 million, and Deerfield Private Design II is in the final stages of committing approximately $1 billion. Each fund has supported a select group of partner companies focused on advancing healthcare.

"Deerf......................

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - 3 JUNE 2022 - Progressive Legal, a leading commercial, trade mark and IP focussed Sydney law firm, today announced the launch of their eCommerce legal services for growing small business, online shops, startups and retailers. The service is intended to help business owners and retailers navigate their way through their legal responsibilities and obligations, while complying with Australian Laws including Consumer Law, Trade Marks Act and the 
In a surprise announcement, and almost three months ahead of schedule, Pope Francis on Sunday called a consistory for 27 August for the creation of 21 new Cardinals, 16 of whom are under the age of 80 and therefore Cardinal-electors in an eventual conclave, plus five who have already reached the age of 80 or will reach it before receiving the red biretta.

Late August is not a traditional time for consistories (which have usually been held in February, June or November), but the list of new cardinals was preceded by the announcement of a meeting between all the worlds cardinals and Pope Francis in order to focus on the new Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia, Praedicate Evangelium, promulgated on 19 March, which will be in force from Sunday, 5 June, the Solemnity of Pentecost.

The consistory for the creation of new cardinals on Saturday, 27 August, will precede the meeting, scheduled for Monday, 29 August, and Tuesday, 30 August.

A look at the list of the new cardinals confirms the line of thinking Pope Francis has followed throughout his pontificate: many of the 16 new Cardinal-electors come as a surprise, not counting the first three who work in the Roman Curia, which are fairly predictable and namely the prefects of the dicastery of Divine Worship and that of Clergy, along with the president of the Governorate of Vatican City.

Once again, the Pope has chosen to associate bishops from all over the world to the College of Cardinals, preferring the peripheries and overlooking those sees that were once traditionally considered cardinalitial.

The three new Curia cardinals come from Europe (Arthur Roche  English; Fernando Vergez  Spanish), and Asia (Lazarus You Heung-sik  Korean).

Two new Cardinal-electors lead dioceses in Europe (the Archbishop of Marseille and the Bishop of Como); five are working on Asias frontiers (one of these, Bishop Giorgio Marengo, the Italian Apostolic Prefect in Mongolia, will become the youngest in the college, at the age of 48).

There are two bishops in Africa and four in the Americas (one in the United States, three in Latin America, with two dioceses in Brazil whose titular bishop gets the biretta). Also of note are the Archbishop of Marseille, who was born in Algiers, and the Bishop of Como, who will become the only cardinal to lead a diocese between Italys northwest and northeast.

Once again, Pope Francis brought into the College of Cardinals five prelates  two of whom are not bishops  who have already passed or are about to pass the age threshold when they can no longer vote in the event of a conclave. In this mini list, the majority is Italian (three out of five), with acknowledgment among others given to Jesuit Father Gianfranco Ghirlanda, former rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University, esteemed canonist, and collaborator with the Holy See.

The number of Cardinal-electors thus expands from the limit of 120 set by Pope Paul VI, as has happened several times before. Currently, the College consists of 208 cardinals, of whom 117 are electors and 91 are non-electors. On 27 August, it will grow to 229 cardinals of whom 132 are electors. Looking at the last three pontificates, the College will consist of 52 cardinals created by John Paul II (11 of whom are electors); 64 created by Benedict XVI (38 of whom are electors); and 113 created by Francis (83 of whom are electors).

Geographically, the cardinals will be distributed as follows: Europe, 107 cardinals, of whom 54 are electors; the Americas, 60 cardinals, of whom 38 are electors; Asia, 30 cardinals, of whom 20 are electors; Africa, 27 cardinals, of whom 17 are electors; and Oceania, five cardinals, of whom three are electors.

Andrea Tornielli
Pope Francis sent his best wishes to Queen Elizabeth II for her birthday and the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne. The message sent on 2 June echoes that of a letter the Holy Father had sent to the Queen on 29 March on the occasion of the Platinum Jubilee Year.

In that letter, the Pope expressed his appreciation for the Queens persevering and steadfast service to the good of the nation, the advancement of its people, and the preservation of its illustrious spiritual, cultural and political heritage.

He accompanied the letter with another special gift for the Queen. To show his appreciation for her commitment to the care of Gods creation, he donated a Cedar of Lebanon to the Queens Green Canopy initiative, which encourages people from across the United Kingdom to plant a tree for the Jubilee celebration. The project will also dedicate a network of 70 ancient woodlands across the United Kingdom and identify 70 ancient trees to commemorate Her Majestys 70 years of service. The Cedar of Lebanon, the Pope explains in his letter, in the Bible symbolises the flourishing of fortitude, justice and prosperity.

A four-day UK bank holiday from 2 to 5 June marks the celebrations culmination. The events kicked off with the Queens birthday parade on Thursday, 2 June. On Friday evening, 3 June, a Service of Thanksgiving for the Queens reign at Saint Pauls Cathedral is scheduled. On Saturday, 4 June, Her Majesty and other members of the Royal Family will attend the Derby at Epsom Downs. After the Derby, some 22,000 people are expected to attend the Platinum Party at Buckingham Palace, which will feature international musicians. The four-day celebration will conclude on Sunday, 5 June, with the Platinum Jubilee Pageant to pay tribute to the Queen.

Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne when she was 25 years old. On 6 February 2022, she became the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.
As the war in Ukraine approaches its 100th day, a statement by Unicef released on Wednesday, 1 June, reports the devastating consequences it has had on children, describing it as being on a scale and speed not seen since World War II. According to the report, three million children inside Ukraine and over 2.2 million children in refugee-hosting countries are now in need of humanitarian assistance. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has verified reports confirming that on average more than two children are killed and more than four injured each day in Ukraine, mostly as the result of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Unicef expressed particular concern for the condition of children in the eastern and southern part of the country where fighting has intensified.

The statement also reports that the infrastructure on which children depend continues to be damaged or destroyed, including at least 256 health facilities and one in six Unicef -supported Safe Schools in the countrys east. Also of serious concern is the acute child protection crisis, as children fleeing violence are at significant risk of family separation, violence, abuse, sexual exploitation, and trafficking.

June 1st is International Day for the Protection of Children in Ukraine and across the region. Instead of celebrating the occasion, we are solemnly approaching June 3  the 100th day of a war that has shattered the lives of millions of children, said Unicef Executive Director Catherine Russell. She warned that without a ceasefire, children will continue to suffer and fallout from the war will impact vulnerable children throughout the world.

As it renews its calls for a ceasefire, Unicef is appealing for full humanitarian access to safely and quickly reach children in need wherever they may be.
Developing a culture of encounter and dialogue, an imperative for rethinking a divided world, a demand more pressing than ever in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine. This is one of the main themes of the conference: The Culture of Encounter: An Imperative for a Divided World held on 27 and 28 May at Villa Malta in Rome, organized by Georgetown University and La Civilta Cattolica. For the occasion, LOsservatore Romano interviewed the president of Georgetown University, John J. DeGioia, who in 2001 became the first lay person to hold that position in the oldest Catholic university in the United States. President DeGioia, before we address the themes of the conference taking place in Rome, I have a personal question: What was it like to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican? Very moving and ...

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  President Joe Bidens special envoy for North Korea said Friday the United States is preparing for all contingencies in close coordination with its South Korean and Japanese allies as it monitors North Korean arrangements for a possible nuclear test explosion that outside officials say could be imminent.

South Korean and U.S. intelligence officials have said they detected North Korean efforts to prepare its northeastern testing ground for another nuclear test, which would be its seventh since 2006 and the first since September 2017, when it claimed to have detonated a thermonuclear bomb to fit on its intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Sung Kim, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, was in Seoul for a trilateral meeting with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts to discuss the growing threat posed by North Koreas nuclear weapons and missiles programs.

The U.S. assesses that the DPRK is preparing at its Punggye-ri test site for what would be its seventh nuclear test. This assessment is consistent with the DPRKs own recent public statements, said Kim, using the initials of North Koreas formal name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

Aside from coordinating with Seoul and Tokyo over contingency planning, Washington is also prepared to make both short- and longer-term adjustments to our military posture as appropriate and responding to any DPRK provocation and as necessary to strengthen both defense and deterrence to protect our allies in the region, Kim said.

Funakoshi Takehiro, Japans director-general for Asian and Oceanian Affairs, said the Norths spate of ballistic tests this year and possible nuclear test preparations underscore the need for a more robust international response and lamented the United Nations Security Council's inaction over the Norths recent tests.

Kim Gunn, South Korea's representative at the nuclear envoy, said North Koreas nuclear weapons and missile development would only strengthen the security cooperation between the United States and its Asian allies and deepen the Norths isolation and economic woes.

That is why it is so important to steer North Korea back towards the paths of dialogue and diplomacy, he said.

Nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019 over disagreements in exchanging the release of crippling U.S.-led sanctions against North Korea and the Norths disarmament steps.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has expanded his ballistic missile program amid the diplomatic pause and a nuclear test would escalate his brinkmanship aimed at cementing the Norths status as a nuclear power and negotiating economic and security concessions from a position of strength.

North Korea has already conducted missile tests 17 different times in 2022, including its first ICBM demonstrations in nearly five years, exploiting a favorable environment to push forward weapons development as the U.N. Security Council remains divided over Russias war on Ukraine.

Russia and China last week vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution that would have imposed additional sanctions on North Korea over its latest ballistic tests on May 25, which South Korea's military said involved an ICBM flown on medium-range trajectory and two short-range weapons. Those tests came as Biden wrapped up his trip to South Korea and Japan, where he reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend both allies in the face of the Norths nuclear threat.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said Washington will still push for additional sanctions if North Korea conducts a new nuclear test.

Kim Jong Uns pressure campaign is unlikely to be impeded by a deadly coronavirus outbreak in his largely unvaccinated autocracy.

Dr. Mike Ryan, the World Health Organizations emergencies chief, said Wednesday that the U.N. health agency assumes the virus situation in North Korea is getting worse, not better, considering the lack of public health tools, despite Pyongyangs recent claims that COVID-19 is slowing there.

While North Korea has so far ignored U.S. and South Korean offers of vaccines and other COVID-19 supplies, the country appears to be receiving help from China, its main ally and economic lifeline.

GAVI, the nonprofit that runs the U.N.-backed COVAX distribution program, said it understands that North Korea has accepted an offer of vaccines from China and has started to administer doses. It isnt immediately clear how many doses of which vaccines the North received or how the country was rolling them out.

Some experts say North Korea, with its supplies limited, would prioritize inoculating certain groups based on economic needs, including workers and soldiers involved in cross-border trade or major construction projects Kim Jong Un considers crucial to his rule.

The North had previously shunned millions of doses offered by COVAX, possibly because of international monitoring requirements attached to those shots.

COVAX has allocated doses to DPRK in several prior allocation rounds, and has always been ready to support Pyongyang should it request our assistance, but so far we have received no formal requests for COVID-19 vaccine support, GAVI said Friday in an email to The Associated Press.

Sung Kim, the U.S envoy, said Washington would continue to support humanitarian efforts to supply the North with COVID-19-related relief.

North Korea says it has so far found 3.9 million people with feverish symptoms, but health officials have confirmed only a handful of cases as COVID-19, likely because of shortages in testing supplies.
MOSCOW (AP)  A massive fire at a Moscow business center led to four people, including a top emergency official, getting rushed to a hospital Friday, Russian authorities said.

Emergency officials engaged 180 firefighters, dozens of vehicles and three helicopters to combat the fire in the west of Russia's capital.
MORLEY  Community members took time out of their Memorial Day celebrations Monday evening to attend a vigil at the Morley Stanwood High School football field for a local family whose lives were taken Friday.

Attendees walked the track and lit candles in honor of a mother and three children, one of whom attended Morley Stanwood Elementary School.

Superintendent Roger Cole address those gathered saying he thought a lot about what to say in and event such as this, and it was difficult to put things into words.

I have not done an event like this, thankfully, he said. I will say this  however this impacts you as you try to wrap your brain around it  dont do it alone. Dont find yourself alone and feeling dark. Look how many people are here right now, and there are far more of us around. There are lots of people to reach out to. That would be the first big take away.

A common question in an event like this is How do things like this happen? he continued, adding he didnt think that was something anyone should try to figure out.

I dont think it is a how? or a why? Cole said. It is more of a things do happen and what do we do with it next? That would be my message to people  this is extremely disruptive in every aspect  and you can lose yourself in the why and how, but dont get stuck in things that there are no answers to right now or maybe ever.

He also advised that people not to get caught up in thoughts about what they might have done to prevent the tragedy from happening.

Dont spend hours or days saying you wish you would have, because that doesnt solve anything, he said. Rather, think about what you can do going forward. Reach out to someone. Change your mindset to I think I will instead.

MORE PHOTOS For more photos of the vigil at Morley Stanwood High School, visit bigrapidsnews.com. See More Collapse

He thanked everyone for coming saying it means a great deal because he has always considered the school a family, and he encouraged everyone to reach out to neighbors and friends, or school leaders if they feel they need someone to talk to.

Pastor Gary Bondarenko of Northland United Methodist Church, added words of encouragement, echoing what Cole said  dont go it alone.

If you need something, go to one of the people around here or myself or Roger, Bondarenko said. There are a lot of people that are willing to help. The Morley Stanwood community is closely connected, and they (the victims) were a part of it. If you are going through the tears, the sadness, remember there is somebody here you can reach out to.

Some may be wondering where God is in all of this, and I have one verse to share, he continued. Psalms 34:18, The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Know that God is not far off, he is near, he added. We are here for you, as well.

Cole said in a letter to the community following the tragedy that school officials wanted to give the Mohawk family and greater community a time and place to mourn, to weep, to pray and to begin healing."
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BANGKOK (AP)  The United Nations' humanitarian relief agency says the number of people displaced within strife-torn Myanmar has for the first time exceeded 1 million, with well over half the total losing their homes after a military takeover last year.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says in a report that an already critical situation is being exacerbated by ongoing fighting between the military government and its opponents, the increasing prices of essential commodities, and the coming of monsoon season, while funding for its relief efforts is severely inadequate. Its report covers the situation up to May 26.

The military has hindered or denied independent access to areas not under its control, hampering aid efforts.

Myanmars army in February last year seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering widespread peaceful protests. When those were put down with lethal force by the army and police, nonviolent opposition turned into armed resistance, and the country slipped into what some U.N. experts characterize as a civil war.

OCHA says that fighting has recently escalated.

The impact on civilians is worsening daily with frequent indiscriminate attacks and incidents involving explosive hazards, including landmines and explosive remnants of war," the report says.

It says that more than 694,300 people have become displaced from their homes since the army takeover, with thousands being uprooted a second or third time, and an estimated 346,000 people were displaced by fighting before last years takeover  mostly in frontier regions populated by ethnic minority groups who have been struggling for greater autonomy for decades.

The report also says about 40,200 people have fled to neighboring countries since the takeover and more than 12,700 civilian properties, including houses, churches, monasteries and schools are estimated to have been destroyed.

As of the end of the first quarter of this year, humanitarian assistance reached 2.6 million people in Myanmar, or 41% of the 6.2 million people targeted, OCHA says. The country's total population is over 55 million.

But it warns this years Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan is only 10% funded so far, falling short by $740 million.

An official of the military government's Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement said Wednesday at a news conference in Myanmar's capital Naypyitaw that the government distributed humanitarian aid to more than 130,000 displaced people from May 2021 through May 27 this year.

The official, whose testimony was broadcast but who was not identified by name, said 1,255 houses and five religious buildings were burned or destroyed in fighting between the army and local resistance militias, and consequently received government aid for rebuilding.

U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said last month that the number of people worldwide forced to flee conflict, violence, human rights violations and persecution has crossed the milestone of 100 million for the first time on record. That's more than 1% of the global population and comprises refugees and asylum-seekers as well as people displaced inside their own countries by conflict.

Violence and conflicts in countries including Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Nigeria, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo had driven the total to almost 90 million by the end of last year. The war in Ukraine pushed the number past the 100 million mark.

The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, an independent Geneva-based non-governmental organization, said 53.2 million people were displaced within their countries as a result of conflict and violence as of Dec. 31.
TO THE EDITOR:

Biden's big show of taking away guns is ridiculous. He knows it would never fly. Not only does he know its against the Constitution, it would mean a likely civil war in this country. If magically, tomorrow all the guns in this country disappeared,what would that do?

Two to 3 million people are coming across the open southern border this year, we cannot stop that. The last statistic Ive seen is theres 1,000 people dying a day of fentanyl overdose, 80 to 85% of the fentanyl comes across the open border. Nobodys being able to stop that. How would they keep weapons from coming in? Biden never mentions, who he's going to take the guns away from, or how. Maybe hell go to the Jewish population and ask them to give up their guns, and Im sure the Black population, will readily give up their guns. His big show of taking away guns is like his critical race theory, and the destruction of our oil and gas industry. Its just another socialist step from his handlers and American universities to bring Socialism to this country.

I have a Black grandson and son-in-law. I need teachers to teach my grandson, who is very smart in math and the sciences, not to perpetuate the hate thats in this country. We used to be energy independent, now they want us to get oil from countries they dont produce it as clean as we do, or there oil gas is not as clean as ours. Most of our problems, if thought through, could be dealt with in a rational manner, but Biden's socialist agenda and our controlled press will see to it that doesnt happen. There has to be something else he can think of that will divide us even more and help with the destruction of this country. It's hard to see what, but hell come up with it. And whatever happens, it wont be his fault.



Praying for the people of Uvalde.

PHILIP WALKER

Sanford
Paducah, KY (42003)

Today

Thunderstorms likely in the morning. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 83F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable.
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The Red Cross Society of Mali has condemned in the strongest terms an attack by unidentified armed men on Wednesday in which two of its workers on a humanitarian mission were killed
Photo: (Photo : SANKET WANKHADE/AFP via Getty Images)

A British dad who lost the use of his two hands to a rare disease has had them both replaced in a world-first operation. Steven Gallagher suffered from scleroderma, a medical condition where the skin hardens and tightens.

The 48-year-old was in horrendous pain as his fingers and hands started curling into fists, leaving Gallagher unable to pick things up or even get dressed for that matter. A lot has changed since he underwent a double hand transplant back in December, though, with the dad of three now able to turn on a tap and fill a glass of water as well as stroke his dog.

The 12-hour operation using a donor's hands is believed to be a world-first for someone with scleroderma. Gallagher can't hide his delight with his new body parts, telling the BBC that his hands are amazing and from the moment he woke up from the operation, he could move them.

Gallagher given a new lease of life after double hand transplant

Gallagher added that it has given him a new lease of life. He said that the pain before the operation forced him to be on so much pain relief. Gallagher said he now has no pain at all.

The Dreghorn, North Ayrshire native was diagnosed with scleroderma 13 years ago. The autoimmune disease causes scarring of internal organs and the skin. The condition affected the Scot's hands, nose, and mouth and seven years ago his fingers started curling in.

Gallagher said that it got to the point where his hands were basically two fists and they were both unusable. He said that he could not do a thing apart from lifting things with two hands. Gallagher said he could not grab anything and it was a struggle to get dressed and things like that.

Gallagher was referred to Professor Andrew Hart, a consultant plastic and hand surgeon based in Glasgow. He was the one who first raised the possibility of a double hand transplant for Steven, according to the Guardian.

After further conversations with Hart, Gallagher also talked to Professor Simon Kay, a consultant plastic surgeon at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust who led the United Kingdom's first double hand transplant operation in 2016.

Read Also: Murder Mystery in South Carolina as 4 Teens Shot Dead Within Hours in Small City of Newberry

Gallagher's operation involved a 30-strong team

Both Hart and Kay outlined the risks involved to Gallagher, with the two of them saying that he could lose his hands altogether. Gallagher talked to his wife and came to an agreement that he should go for it.

Gallagher, who has three daughters aged 27, 24 and 12, had to undergo psychological evaluation to ensure he was prepared for the hand transplant. His operation involved a 30-strong team of professionals from many disciplines and was carried out in a Leeds hospital over a long 12-hour period in December 2021 after a suitable donor was found.

According to the New York Post, Gallagher hopes to be back on the job after giving up his work as a roofer because of his condition.

Related Article: New York Mom Prepares to Bring Home Miracle Baby After 12 Years of Heartbreak With 6 Miscarriages
Photo: (Photo : Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

A Washington graduation ceremony will include an empty seat meant for a student who died by suicide in February 2021, but the move has been called an "empty gesture" by the deceased's parents.

Caelan Chastain was a junior attending Hanford High School who was supposed to graduate in June 2022. Instead, his parents, Jim and Miriam Chastain, had been mourning his passing for over a year after the 17-year-old took his own life.

To honor his memory, the school district decided to have an empty seat for Caelan at the graduation. However, there will be no mention of his name nor photos of his face on the seat.

Jim said in his statement to Tri-City Herald that those who will be at the Washington graduation ceremony would not know the story behind the empty seat if it remained bare. The father believes that the school district has to do more to acknowledge their son.

Read Also: Parents Confused After Daughter Completes High School Early But Wasn't Allowed to Walk in Graduation Rites

Raising Awareness About Teen Suicide

The Chastain family isn't asking the school to discuss suicide at the graduation since the occasion is a celebration of the students' achievements. However, Jim said that not allowing to say Caelan's name is like he's being erased in the school's history.

An anonymous petition on Change.Org has been set up by Caelen's classmates to convince the school to agree to place a family photo of the Chastains on the empty seat or at least announce his name among the graduates. As of press time, the petition has reached more than 1,800 signatures.

Mom Miriam said their school community in Richland county had lost many kids to suicide since the pandemic. The family said it would help raise awareness about the struggles of teenagers and the importance of mental health if the school district were to recognize the deceased graduating students openly.

Unfortunately, some school districts have unwritten policies about deaths by suicide, even as this is the second leading cause of death among teenagers, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Washington's youth suicide rate is higher than most states in the U.S.

Ty Beaver, the spokesperson for the school district, said that they had weeks of discussion with the officials of Hanford High School about the empty seat. The school officials insisted that there should be no mention of his name because they wanted the event's focus on the graduates.

Instead, the principal will read a statement in "recognition of all the losses the Class of 2022 has experienced," whether this is a student, teacher, parent, or someone from the school community, per KEPR.

De-Stigmatizing Suicide in Teens

Caelan's parents said they are skipping the Washington graduation ceremony, which will take place on Friday, June 10, if the school won't recognize their son. The father said that it "would be worth that pain" if their son was remembered the proper way at their school.

The family has received support from other parents whose children's suicide were not acknowledged in schools as well. One mother told the Chastains in the petition that it looks like school officials do not understand this mental condition if they are being "hurtful and prejudicial" towards the loved ones left behind. They want suicide to be de-stigmatized.

For those who may need help or advice, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline via 800-273-TALK or 800-273-8255.

Related Article: Student Walkout Staged After Oklahoma School Rejects Mom's Request to Memorialize Dead Son at Graduation
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On Wednesday Patently Apple posted a TrendForce analytical report on smartphone shipments for calendar Q1 2022 (Apples Fiscal Q2-22). Today, Counterpoint posted their analysis for the quarter which slightly differs from TrendForces while presenting a detailed infographic with a clear breakdown of shipments by market region and more.







In late February Bloombergs Mark Gurman dreamt of a $199 iPhone SE. Weeks later Apple introduced their new iPhone SE at $429. If Apple is ever to crack Latin America and challenge Samsung, the current runaway leader in that market, the iPhone SE will have to drop to the $329 range (if not $299) to make a difference. The dream of a $199 iPhone, however, is likely not in the cards anytime soon.
In May we reported that back in September 2021 we reported that the EU Commission decided to enforce the use of USB-C connectors on all digital devices and chargers and so It's not surprising to learn today that Apple is testing USB-C connector for next-gen iPhones, iPads and more starting in 2023 at the earliest.

Last month Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported "Apple Inc. is testing future iPhone models that replace the current Lightning charging port with the more prevalent USB-C connector, according to people with knowledge of the situation, a move that could help the company conform with looming European regulations.

Its now being reported in Europe that a key lawmaker told Reuters that EU lawmakers and member states could clinch a deal on a common charging port for mobile phones, tablets and headphone by the end of the year. A deal by the end of the year is doable. This is our ambition.

Half the chargers sold with mobile phones in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, while 29% had a USB-C connector and 21% a Lightning connector, according to a 2019 Commission study.

While the EU Commissions list is only focused on connectors for mobile phones, tablets and headphones, Alex Agius Saliba, a Maltese politician, Member of the European Parliament for the Labor Party, is pushing for a broader scope that is likely to impact Samsung and Huawei and other device makers and a shorter timeline than the Commissions draft. Saliba noted that this would be a totally missed opportunity if we only focus on smartphones.

Saliba is proposing that e-readers, low-powered laptops, keyboards, computer mice, earbuds, smart watches, and electronic toys to have a single mobile charging port. Saliba hopes that the Commission could aim to harmonize wireless charging systems by 2025 and that the legislation should come into force six months after it is adopted, by which time companies will have to adapt their devices, instead of two years.

For now, the focus is USB-C connectors on all digital devices and chargers. The EU Commission has been working on this proposal for at least a decade. Will it finally pass in Europes Parliament or will heavy lobbying derail it once again?
The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, (GIPC) has revealed that there are a lot of investment opportunities in the Upper West Region that remain untapped and could be profiled and marketed to the investment market both locally and internationally.



If you look at the various resources that the region has, I believe there are a lot more that have not been captured, and it is important for us to let the world know what is bound in the region, the GIPC said.



Mr Edward Ashong-Lartey, the Director of Investor Services at the GIPC, revealed this in Wa on Tuesday during a sensitisation for the general public, business community and the Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) in the region on the activities of the GIPC and ways in which the centre could support their businesses to grow.



The GIPC is carrying out a nationwide public sensitization to enable the business community and the public to understand the mandate and operations of the centre as well as to identify business opportunities that could be marketed for investment.



About 120 people including businesses, representatives of the various MDAs and members of the public participated in the sensitization.



Mr Ashong-Lartey indicated that in spite of the many businesses and investment potentials in the region, only five businesses had registered and benefited from the GIPC since 1994.



He observed that the centre was responsible for the promotion and coordination of both foreign and local investments in the Ghanaian economy.



He encouraged the businesses to engage with the business development specialists at the GIPC to enable them profile specific business opportunities, which they could market to the investment community.



There is a lot of enthusiasm among the business community in the region, the resources are there and there are willing entrepreneurs here, so together we can work to promote what the region has to offer, Mr Ashong-Lartey observed.



Mr Mohammed Abdul-Mumin, the Upper West Regional Director of the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA), said the GIPC mostly supported limited liability businesses and said most businesses in the region were sole proprietorships hence their inability to benefit from the GIPC.



For businesses to grow, they go beyond one persons capabilities. You need to open up for other people to partner with you. The partnership will also increase employment and national incomes, he explained.



Mr Abdul-Mumin urged the businesses and people in the region to maximize the business development opportunity the GIPC was presenting.







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
. . . .Supports Thought-Leadership On AfCTA





Universal Merchant Bank (UMB), a leading indigenous Ghanaian bank, today announced its collaboration with the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (G.A.A.S) Public Forum for 2022.



The 3-day forum, on the topic The African Continental Free Trade Area- Challenges and Prospects has been structured by GAAS to offer an expert academic analysis on the challenges and prospects of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with a specific assessment of its impact on economics and the law.



The 2022 edition is headlined by eminent speakers including Dr. Ernest Addison  Governor of the Bank of Ghana; Prof. Appiagyei-Atua  UG; and Mrs . Beatrice Chytor AfCTA and other leading luminaries from academia.



AfCFTA is a trade agreement by 54 of the 55 African Union states which has created the largest free trade area in the world. This agreement covers a market of 1.2 billion Africans with a combined GDP of US$2.5 trillion and has the potential of increasing intra-African trade by up to 52.3%. Ghana scored a diplomatic coup in July 22, 2019 when it secured the establishment of the AfCTA Headquaters in Accra.



The GAAS, established in 1959, is a strictly learned society, charged with the advancement of knowledge in Ghana. Its public forums are designed to bridge the gap between the Academy and the general public, through joint deliberations on topical issues in society.



Speaking on the collaboration, Nana Dwemoh Benneh, CEO of UMB said, UMB was initiated as a policy bank by the State of Ghana in 1972. I daresay it is these sort of deliberations that laid the conceptual foundation for the establishment of our Bank. Therefore, we have always been interested in supporting the basic research and thought leadership, especially in banking, finance and economics in Ghana. This sponsorship continues in a long line of thought leadership activity, including the Merchant Bank -ISSER Policy Dialogues in the early 2000s. 



Adding to the explanations offered by the CEO, Madam Belinda Boamah, Executive Director -Strategy at the Bank said  Our sponsorship of the event is part of the events to mark our 50th Anniversary.



As we mark this milestone, we are looking forward to the next frontiers of growth for ourselves and the industry. AfCTA presents these opportunities and as an indigenous bank, we are eager to learn from experts on a viable path forward in reaching new markets and potential. A good example here would be on the question of trans-Africa payments 

The GAAS Public Forum 2022 - https://gaas-gh.org/fellowship/public-forum/ is scheduled from the 6th of June, 2022 through to the 8th of June, 2022.



UMB is a leading indigenous bank reputed for bringing a uniquely Ghanaian perspective to banking, since 1972. Headquartered in Accra and licensed by the Bank of Ghana, the bank operates out of 35 branches across Ghana. Its strategic aspiration is to become a digital 1st, SME focused bank. The bank has pioneered several innovations in this market, including SPEEDAPP, one of the best performing agnostic banking apps in the sub-region.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Ogilvy Africa has appointed internationally experienced communications professional Delna Sethna as Chief Creative Officer, to head up its creative offering for groups Sub-Saharan Africa network from its Nairobi office starting 1st August.



Sethna has more than 20 years experience in the creative and marketing space. She comes to Ogilvy from Red Fuse Communications, also part of the WPP group.



We are really excited to welcome Delna as our new chief creative officer for Africa, says Ogilvy EMEA CCO Stephan Vogel. She has led dozens of innovative, exciting campaigns, and been recognised with a slew of industry-leading awards. We look forward to working with Delna, learning from her across clients and across our business.



The role of Chief Creative Officer is a newly created position at Ogilvy Africa, as the agency gears towards further strengthening its position in the region.



Delnas cross functional experiences as a creative leader make her a rare breed of ambidextrous creatives whos created successes playing at the intersections of marketing disciplines. Shes a valuable addition to our leadership team as we continue building world-class solutions, which are made in Africa. Delighted to welcome her as my creative partner in this journey, Says Vikas Mehta Ogilvy Africa CEO.



Sethna served as executive creative director at WPP/Redfuse, where  among her other successes  she helped successfully relaunch the Palmolive brand to the Indian market.



After working as a filmmaker in the early part of her career, Sethna entered the marketing sphere, where she rose rapidly through the ranks at several leading agencies, including Lowe, JWT & Burnett and Saatchi & Saatchi.



Among the creative accolades she has received have been at Cannes, D&AD, the #FemvertisingAwards, Spikes, Kyoorius and the Effies. She has also served on many industry awards juries and has been listed among the Women Whove Changed the Face of Media. She was named among Indias 50 Most Influential Women two years in a row.



I am thrilled to be embarking on this new challenge at Ogilvy Africa, says Sethna. I am passionate about finding creative solutions to help clients achieve their strategic objectives. Being able to do that in a region as dynamic as Africa is a dream come true.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Zipline, the global leader in instant logistics, today completed the first drone deliveries in Nigerias Kaduna State. These initial flights mark the final stage of integration with the local health systems and validation with the regulatory authorities. Zipline and the Kaduna State Government expect to deliver medical supplies to hundreds of health facilities to help create a more agile, responsive and accessible health system, subject to final regulatory approval.



Zipline has a proven track record of health system transformation, said Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai.



Today, were making our first flights to pave the way toward bringing this proven service to Kaduna State. We are proud to be the very first state in Nigeria to adopt this innovative supply chain to support our efforts in healthcare delivery. Ziplines system is a powerful next step in Kaduna States ongoing efforts to create a smarter, stronger health system that better serves everyone in our state.



Zipline will operate three distribution centers across the state, covering an area of 46,000 square kilometers and delivering to approximately 500 health facilities serving millions of people. The company will begin by delivering more than 200 different medical products, including medicines and routine vaccines, with plans to expand to more soon. Zipline will bring its proven COVID-19 vaccine distribution model to Nigeria. The company and its partners pioneered this model with the Government of Ghana; to date, they have successfully delivered more than 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccines across the country.



Investment in the supply chain makes health systems more efficient, effective and equitable, said Amina Mohammed Baloni, Health Commissioner of Kaduna State. Todays flights are an important step toward ensuring people across Kaduna State have access to the care they need, precisely when and where they need it to drive better health outcomes and foster healthier communities.



Today marks Ziplines first deliveries in Nigeria, home to both the largest economy and population on the continent. Its operation will begin with test flights delivering medical supplies to health facilities as part of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authoritys final approval process. Regular commercial operations in Kaduna State are expected to begin later this month, and the company has also signed agreements with a number of other states that it plans to launch later this year.



Instant logistics enables governments and health systems to optimize their supply chains and reimagine how care is delivered, said Daniel Marfo, Senior Vice President of Africa at Zipline. Todays flights mark one more step toward unlocking these benefits for millions more people, and bringing us one step closer to effective, agile systems that better serve all people.



Zipline has a demonstrated track record of working with governments and health systems to transform health supply chains to be more efficient, accessible and sustainable. A recent independent study, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, showed Ziplines instant logistics system has significantly increased the availability, reliability and range of inventory at health facilities in Ghana by addressing supply chain challenges.



With more than 315,000 commercial deliveries worldwide, Zipline has built an impressive record of safe, reliable, impactful service, said Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, Lifetime Goodwill Ambassador of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and former President of ICAO Council. Soon, the company is expected to bring this game changing service to millions more people, and bring us one step closer to a world where anyone can get whatever they need, whenever and wherever they need it.



Todays flights were made possible through Zipline and Kaduna States collaboration with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and the International Civil Aviation Organization. Nigeria marks Ziplines third country of operation in Africa following national-scale operations in Ghana and Rwanda, and its fifth globally. For more information, visit www.flyzipline.com.



About Zipline



Zipline is the global instant logistics leader. Our purpose is to inspire possibility, transform systems and serve all people equally. We design, manufacture and operate the worlds largest automated on-demand delivery service, which to date has made more than 315,000 commercial deliveries containing more than five million units of vaccines and other medical products, reducing delivery emissions up to 98 percent compared to traditional methods. Zipline is the trusted partner for governments, global brands and leading health care systems. For more information, visit flyzipline.com.



About the New Service



The revolutionary new service is part of the Government of Kaduna States bold vision of using instant aerial logistics to establish universal, seven-days-a-week access to lifesaving and critical medicines for most of its citizens over the coming years. Zipline drones will make on-demand and emergency deliveries of blood products, vaccines, and life-saving medications.



The Government of Kaduna States vision is for Zipline to establish three distribution centers, which are capable of covering most parts of the state. The government's goal is to put almost all of its citizens within minutes of a lifesaving medical delivery by drone.



THE PROBLEM



Throughout the world, access to life-saving and critical health products for billions of people is hampered by the last-mile problem: the inability to deliver needed medicines and vaccines due to lack of adequate transportation, communication, or supply chain infrastructure. Too often this results in unequal access to healthcare and healthcare outcomes, avoidable stockouts, and costly product waste across healthcare systems.



A NEW SOLUTION



To increase access and reduce medical waste, key stock of blood products, vaccines and life-saving medications will be stored at Ziplines distribution centers for just-in-time delivery. Health workers will place orders by text message or call and promptly receive their deliveries exactly when and where they need them in 30 minutes on average.



The drones both take off from and land at Ziplines distribution hub, requiring no additional infrastructure or manpower at the clinics they serve. The drones fly autonomously and can carry 1.8 kilos of cargo, cruising at 110 kilometers an hour, and have a round trip range of 160 kilometers - even in high speed winds and rain.







Deliveries are made from the sky, with the drone descending to a safe height above the ground and releasing a box of medicine by parachute to a designated spot at the health centers it serves.







HOW ZIPLINE WORKS



Each week, a single Zipline distribution center - a combination of medical fulfillment warehouse and drone airport - is capable of the micro-targeted delivery of more than two tons of temperature-controlled medicine to any point across an almost 20,000 square km service area.



Each aircraft can fly 160 km round trip, in strong winds and rain, day or night, to make on-demand deliveries in 30 minutes on average. Ziplines drones have flown 18 million autonomous miles to deliver millions of doses of vaccines, units of blood, and critical and life saving medications to thousands of health facilities serving more than 25 million people across three countries.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Zipline, the global leader in instant logistics, today completed the first drone deliveries in Nigerias Kaduna State.

These initial flights mark the final stage of integration with the local health systems and validation with the regulatory authorities.



Zipline and the Kaduna State Government expect to deliver medical supplies to hundreds of health facilities to help create a more agile, responsive and accessible health system, subject to final regulatory approval.



Zipline has a proven track record of health system transformation, said Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai.



Today, were making our first flights to pave the way toward bringing this proven service to Kaduna State. We are proud to be the very first state in Nigeria to adopt this innovative supply chain to support our efforts in healthcare delivery. Ziplines system is a powerful next step in Kaduna States ongoing efforts to create a smarter, stronger health system that better serves everyone in our state.



Zipline will operate three distribution centres across the state, covering an area of 46,000 square kilometres and delivering to approximately 500 health facilities serving millions of people.



The company will begin by delivering more than 200 different medical products, including medicines and routine vaccines, with plans to expand to more soon.



Zipline will bring its proven COVID-19 vaccine distribution model to Nigeria.



The company and its partners pioneered this model with the Government of Ghana; to date, they have successfully delivered more than 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccines across the country.



Investment in the supply chain makes health systems more efficient, effective and equitable, said Amina Mohammed Baloni, Health Commissioner of Kaduna State.



Todays flights are an important step toward ensuring people across Kaduna State have access to the care they need, precisely when and where they need it to drive better health outcomes and foster healthier communities.



Today marks Ziplines first deliveries in Nigeria, home to both the largest economy and population on the continent. Its operation will begin with test flights delivering medical supplies to health facilities as part of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authoritys final approval process. Regular commercial operations in Kaduna State are expected to begin later this month, and the company has also signed agreements with a number of other states that it plans to launch later this year.



Instant logistics enables governments and health systems to optimize their supply chains and reimagine how care is delivered, said Daniel Marfo, Senior Vice President of Africa at Zipline. Todays flights mark one more step toward unlocking these benefits for millions more people, and bringing us one step closer to effective, agile systems that better serve all people.



Zipline has a demonstrated track record of working with governments and health systems to transform health supply chains to be more efficient, accessible and sustainable. A recent independent study, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, showed Ziplines instant logistics system has significantly increased the availability, reliability and range of inventory at health facilities in Ghana by addressing supply chain challenges.



With more than 315,000 commercial deliveries worldwide, Zipline has built an impressive record of safe, reliable, impactful service, said Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, Lifetime Goodwill Ambassador of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and former President of ICAO Council. Soon, the company is expected to bring this game-changing service to millions more people, and bring us one step closer to a world where anyone can get whatever they need, whenever and wherever they need it.



Todays flights were made possible through Zipline and Kaduna States collaboration with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and the International Civil Aviation Organization. Nigeria marks Ziplines third country of operation in Africa following national-scale operations in Ghana and Rwanda, and its fifth globally.







Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
John Kumah, a deputy Finance Minister, has chastised the Minority in Parliament for making baseless allegations regarding the release of 'additional seed money' for the National Cathedral project.



According to him, all the noise by the Minority over a supposed GH25 million to build a house for the Lord is like someone of crying wolf where there is none.



Speaking on Joy FMs Top Story on Thursday, June 2, 2022, Dr. Kumah said, it is the misinterpretation and the spin that Minority is putting on it [National Cathedral] that is creating the issues.



This GH25 million contribution is also a payment to the priority project of government and they [Minority] dont determine what is priority for President Akufo-Addo and his government.



A letter circulating and signed by the Finance Minister shows that the government of Ghana under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has granted the release of GH25 million to the National Cathedral Secretariat as additional seed money for the construction of the National Cathedral.



The money was to be credited to RIBADE Limited for part payment of outstanding claims, according to a letter signed by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to the Controller and Accountants General.



But the Minority has reacted upon sighting this letter. In a press briefing, the Minority spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the letter comes as a surprise to them, especially since there was no allocation of money to the cathedral in the 2022 budget.



MPs have not approved all of these colossal sums of money that are being released to companies we are seeing for the first time. We are not even aware of the procurement processes that were followed for these companies and these consultants who are today receiving hundreds of millions of Ghana cedis.



[The] lack of sincerity, duplicity and the deception especially since the President has said on numerous occasions made it clear the National Cathedral project was "a personal pledge, Ablakwa stated.



Reacting to the demands of the Minority, John Kumah said, there is nothing illegal about the letter signed by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.



He explained, government has already been transparent and accountable to the people of Ghana on all occasions when this National Cathedral had come up. Government has stated its seriousness about that project and that it remains a priority to the government and that we are committed to build and we will do so in partnership with the private sector.



This is in contrast with what the Finance Minister said when he read the budget. He stated that, Mr Speaker, the President is determined that the building of the National Cathedral will not put undue financial burden on the State.













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
Lead Convener of #FixTheCountry movement, Benjamin Darko, says they had no intention of embarking on the three-day demonstration starting on 4th June 2022.



In a letter addressed the Greater Accra Regional Command, conveners of the #FixTheCountry movement said; We will hold be holding a three-day demonstration starting on 4th June 2022 from 6am in the Morning.



The Day June 4th Marks a significant turning point in our political history where the Military government was overthrown to prepare the country for the return to democratic governance in 3 Months.



It is a date significant for the emphasizing the values of ethical political leadership and for demanding probity and accountability at a time when such values had dimmed in Ghanaian political life.



In the letter, they also indicated; we will bring our own security company to provide protection to demonstrators. All weapons held by demonstrators or by the contracted security personal will be for personal protection only; and all weapons will be duly permitted in accordance with the Arms and Ammunitions Act, 1972 (NRCD 9).



In an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show, Benjamin Darko revealed, We have no intention of going on a demonstration or demonstrating with armed private security personnel. It was just a way of striking a conversation and it was misconstrued. If the wording was wrong sincerely apologize but we had no intention to do that.



The movement consider the letter a soft way of protesting the Police using live rounds during demonstrations. It was to protest the fact that in civil agitations the first line of crowd control used by the Police is live ammunition. It was to highlight the fact that we cannot entrust our lives into the hands of the Police when we are protesting.



He reiterated that although the letter was a way of protesting, the group is not holding any demonstration on June 4, 2022.



With the ban on noise making in some portions of Accra, the group would have had a difficult time in organizing a vibrant demonstration on the said date.



There have been a series of demonstrations in Ghana that resulted in trigger happy Police Officers shooting at and killing protestors. The Police instead of maintaining peace at these demonstrations seem to be first rampaging and shooting innocent civilians.



The idea was not to embark on a demonstration and I want to use the opportunity to apologize again. It is false we want to embark on an armed demonstration, he repeated













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 National Energy Transition team took their stakeholder engagement event to the doorstep of our fisherfolks at Tema Fishing Harbour on Thursday 2nd June 2022.



Speaking on behalf of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister for Energy, Hon. Andrew Mercer, Deputy Minister for energy explained to the gathering the reasons necessitating the transition and the need to collect views and inputs from their association to form part of the draft policy by the government. He also stated the relevance of the engagement with the fisherfolk as the main source of fuel used for the fishing operations is carved from fossil energy.



They expressed their gratitude to the committee and the sector Minister for recognizing their association as a key stakeholder in the National Energy Transition agenda as well as extending the same to other key stakeholders to solicit opinions for a national transition plan.



The leadership of the Association declared their readiness to support the government through the transition process by disseminating the message to other fisherfolks across the coast of the nation.



In his closing remarks, Hon. Mercer underscored that the transition is not an event but a progressive plan which is targeted at achieving a net-zero future meaning, the amount of carbon produced into the atmosphere should be equal to the amount of carbon taken out.



The deputy minister who is also a member of parliament for Sekondi assured the gathering of the ministrys gratitude for all the inputs which were made.



The delegation was led by Deputy ministers for Energy and Transport, Hon. Andrew Mercer and Hon. Frederick Obeng Adom respectively.



The energy transition committee after this engagement will proceed with other key stakeholders such as the civil society organisations, and diplomatic communities, amongst others.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Minister for National Security, Hon Albert Kan-Dapaah has led a high-powered security delegation comprising the Upper East Regional Minister and Head of the Regional Security Council, Hon. Stephen Yakubu, the Deputy National Security Coordinator, Hon Edward Kwaku Asomani, Chief of the Army Staff, Maj Gen Thomas Oppong- Peprah and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Frank Hanson on a visit to the 11 Mechanised Battalion Area of Operation including Bawku and Mognori Detachments in the Upper East Region.



The visit was necessitated by the emerging threats of terrorism along the northern frontiers of the country and the national efforts to ward off these terrorists.



It would be recalled that the Ghana Armed Forces with sister security services had embarked on several counter-terrorism training exercises and operations with the collaboration of their international partners in recent years to deter and rid the country of any terrorist element or threat while protecting the citizenry and national assets. These exercises were Exercise Eagle Claws, Exercise Burning Arrow and Operation CONQUERED FIST among others.



The delegation visited Pulmakom Detachment to ascertain at firsthand, the bare facts as regards force protection, boundary issues with neighboring countries and the total welfare of troops. They also visited the Mognori detachment in the Bawku Municipality.







The Commanding Officer, 11 Mechanised Battalion, Lt Col Minta-Agyemang briefed the Minister and his entourage on the operations, training, and logistics matters in his Area of Operation.



In a Durbar with troops at both detachments, the Minister commended the Soldiers for the good work done so far. He noted that personnel of the Unit had stayed true to their constitutional mandate to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ghana at all times.





Hon Kan Dapaah said Government was aware of the challenges personnel faced and efforts have been made to deliver the necessary resources to enable them to work effectively and efficiently.



The Minister, therefore, encouraged them to remain professional, hardworking, and vigilant in order to continue to protect the northeastern frontiers of the country.



Other members of the delegation included the General Officer Commanding Northern Command, Brig Gen Moses Aryee, Heads of Security Services in the Upper East Region, and Staff Officers from Army Headquarters and Northern Command.







Source: Ghana Army PR Department









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Featured Video
A motor rider who allegedly robbed a 58-year-old woman of her handbag containing two mobile phones and GHS60.00 cash at Dansoman has been remanded into prison custody by an Accra Circuit Court.



Paul Addico, 26, has been charged with robbery.



Yaw Danso, a barber who allegedly bought one of the victim's mobile phones at the cost of GHS400.00, has been charged with dishonestly receiving.



Addico and Danso have pleaded not guilty to the charges.



They are expected to reappear before the Court presided over by Mr Emmanuel Essandoh in two weeks time.



Narrating the facts of the case, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Maxwell Oppong said Bernice Naa Adjeley Quaye, a 58-year-old trader was the complainant in the matter. Madam Quaye resides at Kaneshie



ASP Oppong said Addico and Danso resided at Chorkor in Accra.



The Prosecutor said on May 22, this year, the complainant attended church service at International Christina Liberty Centre in Dansoman Exhibition.



Prosecution said after the church service, she decided to visit her parents who lived a few meters away.



While walking to the house at about 3:40pm, Addico who was riding a Royal 125 motorbike bypassed the complainant, went some distance ahead, and turned directly towards the direction of the complainant.



Prosecution said the pillion rider jumped down from the motorbike attacked and snatched the complainant's handbag containing one Samsung Galaxy A23 mobile phone valued at GHS1,700 and a Nokia 101 mobile phone also valued at GHS1,500, two notebooks, a pen, and GHS60.00 cash.



The Prosecutor said Addico waited for his accomplice and after snatching the complainant's bag, they sped off.



Prosecution said luck eluded them when a CCTV Camera captured their nefarious acts.



According to prosecution, on the same day, Addico sold the complainant's Samsung A23 Galaxy mobile phone to Danso at Chorkor for GHS400.



It said on May 23, this year, at about 4:00pm, personnel of the National Police Intelligence Directorate (NPID) supported by a team of Police personnel from Dansoman Division undertook a special operation and the accused persons were arrested.



The Prosecution said the complainants Samsung mobile phone was retrieved from Danso.



It said efforts were being made by the Police to arrest the third accomplice (pillion rider).





Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan has castigated British High Commissioner, Harriet Thompson over her tweet on the arrest of Oliver Baker-Vormawor, the convener for FixtheCountry Movement.



In the tweet, she said Oliver Barker Vormawor, convener of #FixTheCountry movement, arrested again, I understand for a motoring offence on his way to court. Ill be interested to see where this goes



But the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Dampare Akuffo has warned her to stay clear off the country's internal matters.



In a strong-worded statement, the IGP told Miss Harriet Thompson to learn to keep within the limits of what concerns you".



"Ordinarily, the Ghana Police Service would not have responded to comments such as yours, obviously made from either a biased or uninformed position. However, we have learnt from previous, painful experience that it has not been helpful to ignore such misguided, unwarranted and biased comments intended to tarnish the reputation of the Ghana Police Service and that of our country.



"For the moment, we would recommend a Ghanaian saying that might guide you in your diplomatic engagements. The saying goes: 'di wo fie asem'  it means learn to keep within the limits of what concerns you.



"What is more, we consider your tweet a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 which enjoins diplomatic missions not to interfere in the internal affairs of their host country", excerpts of the statement read.



Reading the tweet on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme, Kwamena Duncan found it "very irritating" and cautioned her to remain in the boundaries of her diplomacy.



"My goodness! British High Commissioner; a diplomat!! I'm sure she doesn't have a good understanding of what she is here for", he said.



Kwamena believed the British High Commissioner lack understanding of her mandate, so sought to educate her saying "you are a diplomat. First and foremost, you must understand what it is to be a diplomat...A diplomat has all kinds of immunities. They have what they even call the diplomatic bag; a country has no power even to search the diplomatic bag. All kinds of immunities, that is what the world has agreed on, then the reciprocal is that you don't go and meddle. That is the reciprocal that, giving you all these things, you don't go and poke your nose into the internal affairs of the receiving country. You don't do that".



As if to borrow the words of the IGP, Kwamena asked Miss Thompson to stop poking her nose in the internal affairs of the country.



"What this tweet, what it meant was that the Police institution was being lawless. That how could they go ahead and arrest an individual who was already in the jaws of the law?...Apart from it offending us, which was imperialist, neo-colonialist and unacceptable; she sought by that tweet to bring the entire institution down."





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Deputy Seneral Secretary of the New Patriotic Party Nana Obiri Boahen has joined the opposition NDCs call that government renders account for the COVID-19 funds.



He says it is only in n Africa that it becomes a crime for somebody to render accounts for monies expended on a project.



The Minority in Parliament has indicated that it will re-file a motion for a probe into COVID-19 expenditure.



The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, indicates that this has been strengthened by a viral audio from a regional executive of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that suggests that COVID funds were distributed to party functionaries.



Haruna Iddrisu said, this is just a tip of the iceberg. We were here when our Foreign Affairs Committee reported how monies adding up to about GH66 million were spent on behalf of the ministry. Since when has the Ministry of Finance begun a procurement entity for the Ministry of Foreign affairs?



Nana Akufo-Addo is presiding over the gigantic spending and disbursement of COVID-19 expenditure. We will renew our position. We will refile the motion.



Speaking on Okay fms Ade Akye Abia program, he stood surety for the fact that the NPP conducted due diligence with the various donations and grants received during the COVID 19 pandemic, and that its only proper for the government to heed to the NDCs call and give detailed account on how the funds were disbursed.



"The NDC, as a responsible opposition for me, is doing the right thing and I support their call. At least this is not one of their propagandist activities, they are ensuring value for money.



"I also believe that if government does render accounts to the good people of this country on how the COVID-19 cash was used, it will clear the minds of individuals who may have doubt about how the money was expended," he added.



Watch Video Below





Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Managing Director of the State Transport Corporation (STC) and a former Communications Director of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akomea don't believe in the party's agenda to break the '8'.



The ruling party intends to set a new record by handing over to itself in 2025 with an agenda to break the '8'.



However, Nana Akomea speaking on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo' says every election has its own dynamics and that victory will depend on achievements and promises fulfilled.



" . . we are all aware of 'Breaking the 8' agenda, meaning that there's something special about this election, but I don't believe there's any 8 to break. I believe every election is different. Previously, if you were not called John you can't be President of this nation but in the 2016 election, the story changed," he said.



Meanwhile, he says the fact that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is the Vice President doesn't mean he will automatically become the running mate of the party.



Many political pundits are predicting Dr Bawumia as a possible flagbearer of the party and Alan Kyerematen as running mate.



However, Nana Akomea says all will depend on discussions held and understanding between all parties involved.



Listen to him in the video below





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Former NPP Member of Parliament(MP) for Manhyia North, Collins Owusu Amankwah has taken a swipe at organizers of the planned June 4th demo over their requests to the Police for permit to carry weapons and use private security during the demonstration.



The organizers sent a letter to the Police stating, "we will bring our own security company to provide protection to demonstrators. All weapons held by demonstrators or by the contracted security personal will be for personal protection only; and all weapons will be duly permitted in accordance with the Arms and Ammunitions Act, 1972 (NRCD 9) e) Proposed route and destination: We expect that the Demonstrators will gather at Circle".



They also demand to go to the State-owned media to address the nation.



The procession will move from Circle to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, where the Protestors will make a demand a slot on GTV to speak directly to the Nation and lay out our grievances, in accordance with Article 55(11), which guarantees fair opportunity to Ghanaians to present their programmes to the public through equal access to the state-owned media," the organizers namely Captain Smart, Okatakyie Afrifa and FixtheCountry Movement leader, Oliver Baker-Vormawor specified in their letter.



Touching on the issue on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" Thursday morning, Collins Owusu Amankwah believed the organizers are harboring ulterior motives, as such, their demands should not be countenanced.



Whiles noting his love for peaceful demonstration, the NPP MP doubted if the organizers of the planned June 4th protest really want peace.



Hon. Owusu Amankwah, in a state of shock, questioned the motivation behind the organizers' audacious demands.



"You want to go to GBC; you want to speak to the country. Are you a President? President Baker-Vormawor, such arrant nonsense! Can you imagine? You want to speak to who?" he asked.







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former Attorney General, Martin Amidu has said both the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party connived to capture the Achimota forest land.



According to him, the consummation of the state capture by a bi-partisan political elite of the natural resources for private profit is the only rational reason acreages of land were released to the said owners  the Owoo Family.



In an article by Martin Amidu, he explained that political elite in both the NDC and NPP are involved in these corruption-related offenses from 2006 to date.



According to him, the Owoo family suddenly emerged some almost 6 years after the Rawlings government handed over to the New Patriotic Kufuor government, to petition them for a lease of portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve to the famiy.



Mr. Amidu also said that the success of this initial state capture resulted in an agreement to release 90 acres to the family and subsequently emboldened the political elite and their Owoo Family collaborators to continue with their petition to the 3rd and 4th NDC governments.



The only rational reason for which Three Hundred and Sixty-One point Five Zero acres(361.50 acres) or One Hundred and Forty-Six point Three Zero hectares (146.30 ha) of the Achimota Forest Reserve lands were purportedly released to a phantom Owoo Family under the Forest (Cessation of Forest Reserve) Instrument, 2022 (E.I 144) and the Forest (Achimota Firewood Plantation Forest Reserve) (Amendment) Instrument, 2022 (E.I. 154) by the Akufo-Addo Government is the consummation of the state capture by a bi-partisan Ghanaian political elite of the natural resources of Ghana for private profit of the political elite and their collaborators.



This is a transaction disgustingly tainted with suspected commission of corruption and corruption-related offences by the political elite in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Governments from 2006 to date, the statement read in part.



The former Special Prosecutor also said that the leakage of the Will of former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John), was an act of God to expose the political elites looting of natural resources for their private profit.



The emergence of the last Will and testament of the late former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, appointed by the Nana Akufo-Addo NPP Government was simply an act of God to expose to the Ghanaian public the opacity of the way the bi-partisan political elite corruptly loot the nations natural resources for their private profit. I have read the ten (10) page press statement signed by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and listened to his argument on radio on 28 May 2022. They reinforce my belief that the Minister did not appreciate what he was doing when he purported to seek executive presidential approval for the transactions and purported to sign Executive Instruments which could only legitimately be signed by the President himself under the law, he added.

















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Dr. Smart Sarpong, a Senior Research Fellow of the Kumasi Technical University, has advised Ghana Police and the relevant security agencies not to take the June 4 demonstration for granted as the letter written by the organizers is of grave concern to Ghanaians.



The organizers of the demonstration, Captain Smart, Okatakyie Afrifa and the FixtheCountry Movement leader, Oliver Baker-Vormawor expressed intention to embark on a protest in the capital city on Saturday, 4th June and ahead of their demonstration, they wrote to the Police making demands.



They requested permit to use private security instead of Police guard and also demanded they should be allowed to wield guns.



Letter



Excerpts of the letter read; "We will bring our own security company to provide protection to demonstrators. All weapons held by demonstrators or by the contracted security personal will be for personal protection only; and all weapons will be duly permitted in accordance with the Arms and Ammunitions Act, 1972 (NRCD 9) e) Proposed route and destination: We expect that the Demonstrators will gather at Circle.



"The procession will move from Circle to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, where the Protestors will make a demand a slot on GTV to speak directly to the Nation and lay out our grievances, in accordance with Article 55(11), which guarantees fair opportunity to Ghanaians to present their programmes to the public through equal access to the state-owned media."



Confusion Rocks June 4 Demo



However, some of the leaders of the Movement have backtracked as they tell Ghanaians they have nothing to do with the letter.



Also in a statement, issued on Thursday, June 2, 2022, the FixtheCountry Movement seemingly rendered an apology describing their approach to be flawed.



We unreservedly apologize to the public, especially our supporters. We wish to reiterate that #Fixthecountry is a movement committed to peaceful democratic accountability, the conveners wrote.



In this moment of clarity, we wish to recommit to actively ensuring that our activities and all attendees will be kept safe. We also recommit to continue fighting for victims of Police brutality who we intend to keep at the centre of our work, they added.



Stay On Alert



Dr. Smart Sarpong takes the organizers' apology with a pinch of salt and admonishes the Police not to grant them the right to stage their protest just because they have retreated from their earlier position.



He noted that, although it's a constitutional right for people to embark on demonstrations, it is however incumbent on the Police to block any kind of protest that seeks to undermine Ghana's democracy.



"We should not be allowed to do things the way we want. When granting the rights, grant it carefully and make sure that everyone falls within the remit of the law."



"They should carefully grant some of these rights. Even if you are granting rights without guns and they even promise that they won't take guns along with them, the fact that they sent that signal, you should go to sleep and think we have settled with them not to bring guns; so we are granting . . . Still be on the alert. Who knows? One or two people might ignore the warnings and bring along their guns . . . We have to be very, very careful in granting that right to demonstrate. We are not saying we should cancel it but if we are granting, we should grant it careful, especially from a group like Fix The Country," he said while speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Media personality, Nana Aba Anamoah is worried about recent happenings in the country, especially with respect to politics and politicians.



According to her, political expediency had replaced common sense and the selfish interests of the political class were reigning supreme.



In a June 2, 2022, Twitter post, the GHOne TV General Manager further lamented how politicians had eroded the desire of citizens to defend the country.



"Common sense has been sacrificed on the altar of political expediency. Ghana plays second fiddle to the selfish interests of politicians.



"No pride in [the] nation. No desire to defend the colours. No common front. What Ghana represents to them is a field to be ploughed rent-free," her post read.



It is not known the immediate motivation for her post.



Nana Aba Anamoah has serially used her social media handle to speak on major national issues.



Others like actresses Lydia Forson and Yvonne Nelson have often posted tweets making demands from the president specifically or the government in general.



Actor John Dumelo and musicians Sarkodie and Shatta Wale have also used Twitter to direct messages on the general cost of living and other topical issues, to the president.























Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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This bike, belonging to Mckay Vezina, is running a 27.5" rear wheel, but that ample clearance suggests the flip-chip can be used to accommodate both wheel sizes. While the shorter-travel Giant Trance does have a flip-chip, it provides 10 mm of BB-height adjustment which isn't enough to change wheel sizes without some change to the geometry.
The bike industry supply chains are already maxed out.

Every Specialized shop is concerned with their recent moves and overstep in their asks. How we each handle our relationship with Specialized is different. Whether we say it we are concerned and upset. That being said our shop philosophy is wait and see. We are going to do the best we can with what we have. They do make very good bikes. Arguably the best ebikes on the market. As a dealer there is no one brand that offers the breadth of products and categories that Specialized offers. We would be VERY challenged with trying to cobble together an ebike presentation. No one else can supply the quantity of bikes that Specialized does. As challenging as they've always been to partner with, they've never been so odious that I'd seriously consider ending the relationship.  An anonymous Specialized shop representative

Long term, Specialized is going down a path that will continue to erode dealers' trust. Specialized grew to where it is today by partnering with dealers, but now they are treating dealers like a necessary evil. The lack of trust is self-fulfilling. Treat dealers poorly & dealers will not be happy and will shift energy to other brands.  An anonymous Specialized shop representative

Specialized has done nothing new to make dealers feel good about their relationship. All brands have reduced margin, and other benefits, but it still hurts.  An anonymous Specialized shop representative

The consumer direct frankly sucks. Specialized already directs and reserves inventory for Specialized.com. It limits the available inventory for independent Specialized bike shops. Specialized owned shops are being built and will further reduce the available bikes. Since there is no transparency to how inventory is allocated it does generate suspicion and ill will. We have customers that are waiting months to a year for a bike that I can't give an expected delivery date for. Compounded by the fact that the bike might show up on Specialized.com many months before the projected delivery date to us.  An anonymous Specialized shop representative

Then, of course, there's the human element. All the brands understand that - that's why there are sponsored athletes. It's tough to replace that part of the experience with a webpage.

[Pon brands struggling to get enough retailers to carry their products] speaks to the business model Ive long called Bike 3.0. The strategy of the top three bike companies - Trek, Specialized and Giant, but especially Trek and Specialized - has been to try to control the market by locking down floor space with top retailers, preventing competing bike brands from establishing a significant sales volume with those dealers.  Rick Vosper

There are still plenty of reasons to go into a shop: like to drink beers or to try on some fancy ballet slippers like these ones.

As e-bikes gain traction, we'll likely (hopefully) see them become more easily serviceable... which means there will need to be people to service them.

Specialized made headlines in late January when it announced that it would begin selling directly to consumers, an announcement that had many speculating about the implications of that decision for local bike shops and for the industry as a whole  in which Specialized plays a massive part.The direct-to-consumer move has industry experts and couch pundits alike tossing out everything from valid concerns (that life will now become harder for independent bike shops) to catastrophic accusations that Specialized is singlehandedly corrupting the bike industry. (Its not that simple. It never is.)Specializeds decision to sell directly to consumers is another move in a series of interconnected bike industry happenings: a proxy turf war in which Specialized, Trek, and other players such Pon Holdings try to establish themselves geographically with strategic retail shop purchases; Specialized entering its next phase of life marked by a new CEO after 48 years led by Mike Sinyard; and the Covid bike boom and resulting parts shortages as a backdrop to all of that, adding record-high levels of cash flow but even higher levels of uncertainty and stress to the bike industry.The concerns are obviously grounded: one of the largest bike brands on the planet selling directly to consumers may leave retailers high and dry. In a time when bikes are in short supply, too, having Specialized increase its online sales makes stocking bikes even tougher than it already is, since an allotment of Specialized bikes is now being held for online sales only.I wanted to hear some opinions directly from those affected, so I reached out to a scattering of Specialized dealers all across the US. For obvious reasons, the shop employees who are unhappy about the shift requested anonymity, but below are a selection of their comments.Trust was a common thread among the responses. More than one dealer said it felt as if the rug was pulled from under them - that they'd counted on Specialized to continue being a substantial part of their sales, and the shift in Specialized's business model made them very, very nervous. They don't feel as if they were considered in the move or given enough heads up to plan for a change in their Specialized sales (though, to be fair, there have been numerous changes in sales all across the bike industry without anyone's knowledge or consent in the last two years).One shop said that to sidestep the awkwardness of having bikes become available online before they become available to shops, the shop recommends that its customers sign up to be notified when Specialized stock becomes available online because the shop itself can't get them. At least then, if a customer finds the bike they want online, they can order it for click-and-collect at the shop. Another shop owner said they believe some retailers are buying bikes online from Specialized to fulfill customer orders because it's better than keeping their customers waiting for months while their bikes appear available online. Its embarrassing, a shop representative told me, to have customers come into the shop looking to purchase a bike they saw available online and have no means of getting it into the shop anytime soon.Everyone I spoke with said it's too soon to know how Specialized's direct sales will affect the brick-and-mortar dealers.Still, some shops that had strong relationships with Specialized prior to the move have maintained their positive relationships. Kyle McKendree, General Manager of Absolute Bikes in Flagstaff, AZ, said that the direct-to-consumer shift will be tougher for small shops than for large ones to weather. "In our industry, it seems the bigger you are, the easier it has been to adapt to supply issues and the changing demands of suppliers," he explained. "With Specialized having different dealer tiers, large dealers like us have benefited while my friend's smaller store has had to get really creative to survive. Different markets are also going to be affected differently."For small shops, losing access to an amount of product could be devastating, though, interestingly, Ian Hughes of Vielo voiced an almost opposite take in a chat with CyclingIndustry.News. The bottom line is that we don't really know how this will play out.For all shops, small and large, the change represents the evolving role of bike shops in general. The employees at Absolute Bikes, which has a shop in not only Flagstaff but in the ultra-touristy Sedona, are used to helping customers they've never met and with whom they have no existing relationship. As sales shift online, increasing numbers of customers will rely on shops only when they need hands-on service, and shops will have to adapt to that new normal."It adds another level of complexity as we are expected to take care of every Specialized customer. Having shops in destination locations means this is not new to us. We are constantly helping customers that we have never met before. Sometimes it's easier and other times it's not," McKendree said. "But when we can make or break a customer's vacation we try our best to help. It will be no different with D2C customers. If we give them exceptional service it will grow our business one way or another."It's tough to boil the complex problem down enough to say which sales channels are best for consumers, but some valuable pieces of that problem include availability of bikes (where direct-to-consumer sales shine thanks to geographic flexibility), access to service (yet another reason we need bike shops to stay around), price (self-explanatory - things will typically be less expensive online), and the overall experience of paying for bike-related goods and services (as some riders love to visit their shop friends while others may avoid the bike shop scene at all costs.) In some cases, the benefits for companies like Specialized of direct-to-consumer sales will be passed on to the consumers in the forms of stock availability and pricing, largely because the direct sales channels grant companies more accurate forecasting data and the ability to invest more specifically in what their customers will actually want.Another reason it may be - no, definitely is - strategic for Specialized to go direct-to-consumer is the increasing scarcity of brick-and-mortar shops through which a bike brand can sell. Securing a business relationship with a shop isn't as simple as sending an email, becoming buddies, and selling some bikes, especially considering how much competition is out there among bike brands for retail dominance. It's a cutthroat world, baby. But actually. Selling online, directly to consumers, sidesteps the geographic dominance issues and creates an alternate channel to the retailer buyout battle.Rick Vosper, in an analysis piece on our sister site Bicycle Retailer, explained the situation as such:And while many retailers are rolling with the punches and sticking with Specialized, there have already been some notable instances of retailers cutting ties with the company - and some examples of it happening the other way around, with Specialized deciding to part ways with former shops.Alpha Bikes, a major German retailer that has operated a Specialized Concept Store since 2008, recently announced that it will switch to selling Giant products this July, spurred by Specialized's direct-to-consumer change.Another case study of an interesting Specialized situation happened last fall with Mike's Bikes, a Northern Californian behemoth bike retail chain thatdefinitively one of the top 10 independent bike dealers in the US.However, Mike's Bikes sold to Pon Holdings, the Dutch parent company of numerous bike, mobility, and auto brands including Santa Cruz, Cervelo, and - as of last October's $810 million deal - the Dorel Group, which owns Cannondale, GT, Schwinn, and much more. Though its hard to know where to draw the boundaries around these company conglomerates, Pon may well be the largest bike group in the world, beyond even the scale of Specialized and Trek. Here's where the story becomes a little chaotic. In response to the Mike's Bikes sale, Specialized pulled its brand from Mike's Bikes stores, slashing its San Francisco Bay Area S-Works dealers by a full third. In an email sent to inform its customers of the change, Mike's Bikes wrote of Specialized, "They later notified us that they would also be canceling the orders of over 400 customers who had bought and paid for their bikes in advance. They further informed us that as of October 31, they will no longer provide manufacturer warranty support through Mikes Bikes for the many thousands of Specialized bikes that weve sold."Meanwhile, Pon said in a statement, "The acquisition of Mike's Bikes aligns with Pon's strategy to expand its retail operations in North America by acquiring premier specialty retail brands in top markets," which seems like quite the acknowledgment of the geographic competition with Specialized and Trek. (It's also rumored , but unconfirmed, that Specialized tried to buy Mike's Bikes and was turned down.)For a bit of context, Pon deals largely in the automotive industry and can claim more than 20% of the Dutch personal vehicle market share, according to its website , and has long been a leading importer and exporter of vehicles including Volkswagen and Audi. In 2017, Pon bought a chain of 10 luxury car dealerships in the US that sell - you guessed it - Volkswagen and Audi, among other brands. History repeats itself once in a while, and if we're to learn to read the patterns, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Pon strategically buying out retail shops and, eventually, crowding out the other brands those shops carry as it instead encourages them to focus on Cannondale and Santa Cruz. Which brings us back to Mike's Bikes.Soon after the split from Specialized, Mike's Bikes reached an agreement with Giant that it would carry Giant bikes going forward. But with Pon having acquired the Mike's BikesDorel Sports (Cannondale et al.), Giant, in Vosper's words, should be "very, very nervous." And Specialized has definitely lost some ground.Even if nothing happens to sour the business relationship between Specialized and a given shop, the battle for shop space and the ebb and flow of all the confounding variables mean that there's lots of flux, and nothing seems particularly secure.One example of such business shifts is in the case of the shop formerly known as Roseville Cyclery, now Mike's Bikes of Roseville. Until this winter, Roseville Cyclery was a leading click-and-collect seller for Specialized in Northern California. The shop always had a positive relationship with Specialized that began when shop owner Oliver Bell bought his first mountain bike, a Specialized Hardrock, in 1987. "I've been a huge proponent of the brand for as long as I can remember," Bell said. He and his wife opened their shop in 2013 and thrived by carrying predominantly Specialized and Santa Cruz. Then, the pandemic hit. Although by many counts his shop flourished - business rose 86% from 2019 to 2020 - the constant stress of managing unprecedented demand became overwhelming and exhausting, and he began to consider selling the shop last summer.He sold it to Mike's Bikes, which he said gives the shop access to more inventory and stronger infrastructure than ever before. "We're going to be the same but better," he said.However, the shops business relationship with Specialized - which had nothing to do with the sale - was caught in the crossfire, and as soon as Bell notified Specialized of the sale, Specialized removed itself from the shop. It's only business, but still a loss, arguably, for all parties.On a somewhat related note, Specialized recently bought an office building in Auburn, CA, roughly a 20-minute drive from Mikes's Bikes of Roseville. It appears likely that there's a new Specialized branded store on the way.Situations like the Mike's Bikes story - business relationships ending not only because of the bike shop turf war but because of widespread and omnipresent upheaval throughout the bike industry thanks to the pandemic and its influx of new riders - plus the intense growth of direct-sales brands like Canyon, which plans on even more growth if we're to judge from the fact that Canyon recently brought on a former Nike executive as its new CEO , have meant that the writing's been on the wall about Specialized changing its sales model, some say. Throw in massive supply chain disruption and pressure to keep prices competitive with direct-sales brands Specialized is a corporation, and god forbid, its singular reason for existence is to sell bikes. Its doing what it takes to sell those bikes."Not a single manufacturer has been handling the supply and demand problems the same," McKendree said. "So at the IBD level we have had to adapt to each one of them. Its easier with some than others, but all are challenging. So it makes sense that Specialized wants to be able to control how they get product to the consumer. This ensures that at least part of their business will continue under their control. Being diversified in any business venture makes sense."Still, were unlikely to see many (or any) of the other establishment brands follow suit, at least right now.Right after Specialized announced that it would start selling directly to consumers, Giant took a very different approach: the Giant Group USA sent a pointed email to its retailers, according to CyclingIndustry.News, that opened with a statement of the importance of local bike shops and strongly denounced Specialized's decision."We believe strongly that no one understands a local cycling community more so than your local independent bicycle retailer," the email reads, before skewering direct-to-consumer brands as never having had their customers' backs and emphasizing that the customer service experiences and bike shop relationships will fall by the wayside for brands that go direct-to-consumer.In response, along with possibly prioritizing brands like Giant that have pledged to stick with the retail model, we'll likely see retailers shift their focus onto their offerings that cannot be found online: namely, service. The role of bike shops is evolving, and the relationships between bike shops and customers will increasingly rely on mechanical work, trail advice, and community support - in fact, the same things that the Big S critics say Specialized is killing. The key is what Bell calls "de-Amazoning," or offering an in-store experience that far surpasses anything customers will find online.I'm just speculating here, but with the increasing prevalence of e-bikeswith mechanical service representing a proportionally larger part of what shops do, labor prices may rise. After all, car mechanics are paid at least double what bike mechanics make, even though the jobs aren't all that different. If we claim to value brick-and-mortar shops enough to spark this much outrage at Specialized going direct-to-consumer, maybe we should spare some money for where our mouths are and pay bike shop employees as we would pay any other luxury vehicle expert.Perhaps paying bike mechanics real currency would serve them better than our paying lip service to our principles.
An important piece of local history has been saved from the wrecking ball, thanks in part to alumni who stepped in to save it and to students in the School of Construction who helped local contractors rebuild it.

In 1951, the Carver League  named after the great educator, innovator, and botanist George Washington Carver  purchased a plot of land just north of the campus and began construction of the Carver League Building.

The purpose: to provide a place for social activities for Black students and Black residents who were denied membership in many community groups and organizations.

It was there, at 1007 S. Elm, that they held picnics, game nights, hot dog roasts, lectures, and movie screenings. They also participated in charity work.

We called it the Kool-Aid Shack, recalled PSU graduate Donna Campbell Brice (BS 68). All Black PSU students spent time there at parties, sorority, and fraternity meetings.

Members aged, the times changed, the building closed.

In 2009, an all-class reunion was held, the highlight of which was visiting the Carver League building for a brief party hosted by the PSU Office of Student Diversity.

Senior age alumni became 20 years old again and some of them had tears of happiness and memories, Brice said. We had members of four Black Greek organizations  Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Alpha Phi Alpha, and Kappa Alpha Psi.

The building had become dilapidated after a few decades of non-use and back taxes were owed. After the reunion, a graduate paid them. Then, more years passed, more taxes accrued, and it was set to be sold by the county last summer.

Brice campaigned to save it, and Chris Godwin and Stacy Butcher (both Class of 2002), eventually joined by Ishmael Elkamil (BBA 12), began coordinating the effort.

Photo / Morning Sun

Donors from the community stepped up to fund it, and the School of Construction signed on. Professor Jim Otter found the perfect project manager: Zachary Bures, a senior in Construction Management.

All seniors take on capstone community-based projects, but this one was much more extensive, Otter said.

The project

His project would span two semesters rather than the usual one semeseter, and would mean overseeing numerous subcontractors on a top-to-bottom renovation of the building.

Bures was excited by the challenge. Work on the floor, roof, electrical, plumbing, concrete work, dry wall, and more got underway, funded privately and completed by local tradesmen.

We had to stabilize the structure, do $28,000 worth of block work... we added a patio, a sidewalk, installed new doors, new windows, Bures said. In the end, it was much more complicated than a new build. We also were mindful that we had to stay true to the original building.

Students in the PSU Chapter of the Associated General Contractors  Bures was the president  volunteered their time and talent.

"It was a good learning opportunity," Bures said. "The more experience you can get, the more it's going to help you when you graduate, get to the real world, and take on real projects."

By late May, the project was nearing completion; Bures graduated and crews began a final cleaning and the installation of cabinetry.

Bures was offered a job to be a project manager at Icon Structures in Manhattan, Kansas, and will start there this month.

He is an exceptional young man who had the right approach to a challenging project, Otter said. We need more like him.

The future

Now, Brice and other alumni are happy and grateful.

It is an important part of Black history in Southeast Kansas, Brice said. I want us acknowledged in Southeast Kansas that back in the day, when the only place to meet was in the Black churches, they took the bull by the horns and made lemonade from their lemons of life and built a community center.

I am grateful to so many. It was a win-win for the Carver League and Zachary for his senior project; it will definitely be a real asset on his resume  a real-life experience as well as giving back to the community.

Godwin agreed.

I went to a birthday party there as a kid, and I remember going to a Christmas program, too, he said. We wanted to revitalize it, to find a way to tie it back in to the community, and to make it sustainable.

Godwin, Butcher, and Elkamil have formed a board to ensure the history is preserved moving forward and to choose its next use.

He and the others are pleased, he said, with the local contractors and with Bures.
NecroJack Wins Big With Huge 888poker XL Spring Weekend Looming

June 03, 2022 Matthew Pitt Editor

A lot of the poker community's attention is fixated on the 2022 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas but there is an exciting poker tournament series happening right now in the online poker world: the 888poker XL Spring Series.

Three more of the series' events crowned their champions on June 2 as the festival marches towards a thrilling conclusion. All three of the events completed on June 2 were six-handed progressive knockout tournaments that attracted solid crowds to the 888poker virtual felt. Here is how things went down.

XL Spring #27 - $25,000 PKO 6-Max ($109 buy-in)

The $25,000 PKO 6-Max event drew in a crowd of 124 players who were all outlasted by "NecroJack." The final table was set when Malta's "Its0kay" busted in seventh place. Its0kay has gone deep in several of the series' tournaments and some may say is overdue a victory.

Sixth place and $1,286 went to "konvlo" of the Ukraine, which was more than the $982 collected by "goatshooting" collected thanks to the bounty element of the tournament.

"Panxetilo" and "FoldyNorman" won almost identical prizes of $2,315 and $2,314 after their demise in fourth and third place, respectively. The elimination of Ireland's FoldyNormal left NecroJack heads-up against "RX450h" in a battle for the largest bounty payment of the evening.

NecroJack defeated their final opponent and added a $2,965 bounty to their $2,866 main prize pool payout, meaning a total prize worth $5,832. The runner-up reeled in $4,282 for their efforts.

Place Player Country Prize Bounties Total prize 1 NecroJack Moldova $2,866 $2,965 $5,832 2 RX450h Mexico $2,866 $1,415 $4,282 3 FoldyNorman Ireland $1,786 $550 $2,314 4 Panxetillo Andorra $1,197 $1,118 $2,315 5 goatshooting Armenia $882 $100 $982 6 konvlo Ukraine $661 $625 $1,286

888 Ambassador Ian Simpson Hit the Post Again in the XL Spring Series

XL Spring #28 - $20,000 Mini PKO 6-Max ($55 buy-in)

Some 417 players bought into the XL Spring #28 - $20,000 Mini PKO 6-Max and fought it out for the largest slice of the $20,850 prize pool. All but two of the finalists earned themselves a four-figure sum. "callmebluff" and "Yzw42_" were cast aside in fifth and sixth place and won $973 and $688 respectively.

The surviving four players became three when "Snake131" was left without any chips to continue playing. Snake131 snatched a $1,096 payout. Three became two when "lavittotial88" vacated the tournament in third, a finish good for $1,656.

This left "leon_dies10" of Argentina against "Alboz83" of the United Kingdom. Either player would have made a worthy champion but the very nature of poker tournaments means there is only ever one winner. leon_dies10 was that winner and recipient of $4,051, which resigned the runner-up to a $2,477 consolation prize.

Place Player Country Prize Bounties Total prize 1 leon_dies10 Argentina $1,892 $2,159 $4,051 2 Alboz83 United Kingdom $1,892 $585 $2,477 3 lavittorial88 $1,198 $457 $1,656 4 Snake131 United Kingdom $834 $262 $1,096 5 callmebluff Ireland $625 $348 $973 6 Yzw42_ Romania $417 $271 $688

XL Spring #29 - $10,000 Late PKO 6-Max ($22 buy-in)

Canadian "DanielZgranu" left 614 opponents in their wake in the $10,000 Late PKO 6-Max event. First place in this tournament, with bounties taken into consideration, weighed in at $2,159, which is a solid return for a $22 investment.

DanielZgranu defeated Kazakhstan's "BlueLag00n" heads-up to clinch the title. BlueLag00n consoled themselves with $1,324, the tournament's only other four-figure sum.

Place Player Country Prize Bounties Total prize 1 DanielZgranu Canada $1,070 $1,089 $2,159 2 BlueLag00n Kazakhstan $1,070 $254 $1,324 3 JJOKER13 United Kingdom $676 $57 $734 4 abit23 Germany $467 $230 $697 5 20inchwonder Ireland $341 $83 $425 6 TOMA188288 Armenia $218 $102 $321

"BeGamble888" Denies Tom Hall an XL Spring Series Title

Upcoming XL Spring Series Events

There are some massive XL Spring Series tournaments taking place over the weekend of June 3-5. Among the busy schedule are four Day 1s for the $250 buy-in $500,000 guaranteed XL Spring Series Main Event.

A handful of Day 1s have already concluded with 506 players having bought in and contributed $118,910 to the prize pool. However, the $500,000 guarantee seems quite some distance away, which could make this Main Event exceptional value. Be sure to check out the XL Spring Series Main Event satellites if the $250 buy-in is putting you off competing this weekend.
The graduation celebrations continued Thursday for Midland Valley High School, Ridge Spring-Monetta High School and North Augusta High School.

Aiken County Public School District Superintendent King Laurence told the students about a streaming series called "The Chosen" where one character said time was lost, while the other said it has only been rearranged. He compared this to the seniors school experience being disrupted.

"(People) have described it as lost time and lost money," Laurence said. "I don't agree, time and learning have just been rearranged. Your resilience and perseverance helped you to make the most, and even thrive during your usual journey through high school you have accomplished much. Now the world is open to you. Sometimes your way will be easy, often it will be difficult. But I believe a strong predictor of future success is previous accomplishment. All of you have accomplished something special. When things do get hard, think about this day. Think about the years of study and work that have brought you to today. Remind yourself that you have what it takes to succeed. You have proven it and will prove it again many, many times in years to come.

School board member Dwight Smith spoke at the Midland Valley High School graduation and told the seniors to be proud of all they've accomplished and to not forgot where they came form.

Emma Troup, the MVHS valedictorian, told her fellow classmates that the title of valedictorian is just that, a title that describes her four years in high school. Each student there has a title that described their time at Midland Valley, but that time is almost up and a new chapter of their life is about to begin.

"We will be alumni of Midland Valley, no longer high school students," Troup said. "So what will your new chapter look like? Some will go onto college and pursue degrees of higher education, some will dedicate their lives to our country by serving in the military, and others will dive straight into the civilian workforce and learn how to provide for themselves.

Troup then said it does't matter what the students do in the future, they need to remember what gives life meaning, and that's relationships with people and remember how important it is to surround yourself with supportive people.

For the graduates at Ridge Spring-Monetta High School, school board member Cameron Nuessle spoke to the seniors and gave them some words of advice.

Show up," Nuessle said. "Half the battle is showing up, being present, getting involved in getting things done. I think the world is out there for you to take. I highly encourage you to get involved. The second thing is as you go out into the workplace or college or other places, embrace failure. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Because you're going to continue to learn as you go out into the world and mistakes are some of the best learning experiences you'll ever have. Be confident in who you are and embrace those mistakes and learn from them and move on.

RSM valedictorian Vy Bussey told her fellow classmates to remember how their words can affect them and to remember who they are.

You are everything that you say you are," Bussey said. "The sentences and statements that roll off your tongue are your story. You aren't who your teachers say you are, you aren't who your parents say you are, you aren't who your friends say you are, you are not what society makes you out to be. Do not let others dictate your life. When you finally start going hard for yourself and your goals, you will lose everyone around you before you realize you didn't need them."

North Augusta High School was the last to hold its graduation ceremony Thursday.

USC Aikens Convocation Center welcomed the 321 graduating NAHS seniors for a slightly delayed 8 p.m. ceremony.

Valedictorian Katie Beth Cannon and salutatorian Andrew Towner each had some words of wisdom for their peers.

And keeping with tradition, this years Paul Knox Scholars were also announced Thursday.

The scholarship award is named for local educator (and North Augusta middle school namesake) Paul Knox. It is awarded each year at graduation to a number of NAHS seniors who have demonstrated academic achievement, good character and the promise of a bright future.

Ten scholars each were awarded $3,000 scholarships.

Elizabeth Hustad contributed to this story.
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 87F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Variable clouds with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly overnight. Low near 70F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Georgia residents have some extra money coming to them if they haven't received it already.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed House bill 1302 into law in March that allows for a one-time additional refund of income taxes from 2020 thanks to a revenue surplus, according to the Georgia Department of Revenue.

If a person was a single filer or a married couple filed separately, they could receive up to a $250 refund. Filers who are heads of household could receive a maximum of $375, and married couples who filed jointly could receive a maximum of $500. The amount will be based on the tax liability of the individual.

I want to commend the entire team at DOR for their hard work and diligence in issuing these refunds in a timely manner to hard working Georgians, said State Revenue Commissioner Robyn Crittenden.

+2 State budget plans may impact Aiken County teacher raise Due to differences in budgets between the House and Senate, teachers with the Aiken County Public School District might not see the $4,000 rai

Individuals who are eligible for the refund must have been a full-year resident of Georgia in 2020 and 2021, and must also have filed a Georgia tax return for 2020 and 2021.

In a press release sent out on May 11, DOR said the refunds have started being issued, but due to the mass of refunds it will take some time before all the refunds are processed. But, the DOR expects most of them to be issued by early August for residents who filed their taxes by April 18, 2022.

This one-time refund will not be issued until the 2021 tax return has been processed for the individual.

+6 Aiken County school board discusses Redcliffe Elementary School traffic issues The COVID pandemic created many issues with schools, but one unexpected problem involves traffic.

Refunds will come in a check form to the address used on the 2021 return or will be direct deposited if banking information was provided for a 2021 refund, DOR said. The refunds will be sent to taxpayers directly and not to tax preparers.

For more information, visit dor.georgia.gov.
An owner of several Charleston-area restaurants is suing the U.S. Small Business Administration claiming that the federal agency violated his civil rights.

John Keener, who is White, alleged in the suit that SBA gave preference to women and minorities when processing applications for a pandemic-related grant program aimed at helping the nation's restaurant industry. He wants a judge to award him unspecified actual and punitive damages for violations of his due process and equal protection rights.

An SBA spokeswoman said the agency does not comment on ongoing litigation, but added the grant process followed the direction of Congress which approved the Restaurant Revitalization Fund as part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan passed in 2021.

The agency has not filed a response to Keener's lawsuit. No court date has been scheduled.

The $28.6 billion restaurant grant program "provided desperately needed relief to more than 100,000 restaurants and other food and beverage businesses across the nation with significant funding going to our hardest-hit, underserved businesses," SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman said in a written statement.

Keener  whose restaurants include Charleston Crab House, AW Shuck's Seafood Shack and the Seafood Oyster House  said in court documents that he applied online for an SBA restaurant grant on May 3, 2021. He received a notification from the SBA that the agency will accept applications from all eligible applicants, but only process and fund priority group applications during the first 21 days of the program.

The SBA's website identified those in the priority group as being women, veterans, socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and members of a group that has been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias, the lawsuit states.

Keener claims he sent an email to the SBA on May 4, 2021, stating that because he is a White male, he will not have the same privileges as other non-White and female restaurant owners.

"It's crazy the way they did it," Keener told The Post and Courier. "It was pure discrimination."

Keener said he did not receive a grant through the SBA's program. All of his five restaurants shut down for several months during the pandemic, affecting about 200 employees.

Federal courts have already ruled against the SBA in similar discrimination lawsuits, including three filed within days of the program's start. That forced the agency to rescind nearly 3,000 grants that had already been awarded to priority groups during the first three weeks of the program. In a Tennessee case filed in May 2021, an appeals court ruling stated that "when the government promulgates race-based policies, it must operate with a scalpel. The ruling went on to say that the SBA's scattershot approach was unconstitutional.

The Restaurant Revitalization Fund program was overwhelmed with applications  more than 360,000 businesses applied seeking $75 billion, or nearly three times what Congress had allocated, according to a report by The New York Times.

Keener said the 21-day period put his application at the bottom of the pile, and funds ran out before his was considered.

"It's not fair at all for the government to say you can't be a White male and qualify," said Sandy Senn, a Charleston lawyer who represents Keener. "Every person is entitled to equal protection under the law."

Many of the women- and minority-owned businesses whose grants were rescinded wound up getting nothing because funding ran out.

The SBA hosted a call with those restaurant owners last year. In a statement the agency said it wanted, "to express our frustration and to explain that we remain committed to doing everything we can to support disadvantaged businesses in getting the help they need to recover from this historic pandemic and restore livelihoods."

About 101,000 applications received grants through the program, with the average award totaling $283,000. Earlier this year, Congress voted down a proposal to fund a second round of grants.
COLUMBIA  Built-to-rent neighborhoods, a new residential real estate trend, could be coming to one of Columbia's major retail corridors.

If approved by city government, developers plan to break ground on 91 duplexes, a total of 182 units, as early as the end of the year.

But rather than being built with homebuyers in mind, the project called Trinity Townhomes would cater just to renters.

Realtor and developer Graeme Moore submitted plans for the development on 25 acres behind Lowe's on Garners Ferry Road, between Trinity Drive and Caroline Road, to the city Planning Commission. The two-story duplexes would each have three bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a garage. They will rent for about $1,800 to $2,100 a month.

Built-to-rent homes make up roughly 6 percent of all new homes built across the country annually, real estate consulting firm Hunter Housing Economics told the Wall Street Journal last June, with construction starting on 95,000 of these homes last year.

The firm predicts that number will rise to 160,000 annually by 2025, resulting in tens of billions of dollars of investment each year.

"There's a huge demand for folks needing rental property," Moore said.

But not all renters want to live in apartment complexes. Moore said he wanted Trinity Townhomes to look like the average residential neighborhood with a community feel. That's why the development will include walking trails, a dog park, a fishing pond with a dock and a pavilion with a fireplace.

He said the location is also convenient, close to downtown Columbia but also near to Fort Jackson Army base.

The built-to-rent trend, has been born out of change in housing preferences, with many young professionals shying away from mortgages and the maintenance that come with owning. It's also an alternative for families as the rising cost of homebuilding has priced many first-time buyers out of the market.

These rental communities have not come without opposition. Homebuilders across the country seeking to develop such neighborhoods have seen pushback from local governments and from homeowners concerned about property values, even though the units being built are single-family homes.

A similar project was turned away by the town of Lexington in May 2021.

Tennessee-based JCF Living had proposed building what it called "housements" with 256 units of single or duplex-style homes on 52 acres along Augusta Road near Interstate 20.

Columbia's Planning Commission will give initial consideration to Trinity Townhomes at its next meeting on June 9.
WEST COLUMBIA  Sumter School District Superintendent Brenda Hafner will take over at Lexington County School District Two, weeks after the previous superintendent resigned unexpectedly after less than a year on the job.

Hafner was a Lexington Two superintendent finalist in 2020 when the 8,600-student district covering Cayce and West Columbia chose Nicolas Wade, who was working in Illinois.

The school board voted 6-1 to hire Hafner after she was interviewed behind closed doors during its June 2 meeting. Hafner's contract terms are still being negotiated, a Lexington Two spokeswoman said.

Three weeks ago, Hafner accepted a job as Dorchester County School District Two's deputy superintendent after being a finalist to run the state's seventh-largest district. Dorchester Two picked Kershaw County School District Superintendent Shane Robbins to lead the district covering Summerville.

"Dr. Hafner has several strong characteristics that will be valuable to our school district," Lexington Two board chairwoman Christina Rucker said in a written statement. "She is passionate about her work, and we are looking forward to what she will bring to Lex-2."

Hafner comes from Sumter, where she was a top lieutenant since 2018 at a district with nearly twice as many students as Lexington Two. She was named acting leader of the Sumter district in February, when the board sought to let go the superintendent who had accepted another job. A judge overturned the board vote in March.

"I am very excited to have the opportunity to join the Lexington Two team," said Hafner, a former principal at Blythewood High School in Richland County. "I feel very strongly that if we work together to identify our priorities and hone in on best practices, nothing will be out of reach for the students of Lexington Two."

Hafner arrives after the still-unexplained departure of Wade. School board members on May 12 voted 4-3 to accept his resignation.

Barry Bolen, a former Lexington Two superintendent from 2001-08, served as acting superintendent after Wade's resignation.

Hafner will have to contend with the district leadership's opposition to the arrest of a Brookland-Cayce High School assistant principal accused of body slamming a student to the ground last month.

A district lawyer said in court that the student tripped while the assistant principal was breaking up a fight. Cayce police released a video allegedly showing the assistant principal throwing the student to the ground after the fight was over.

Lexington One School District also is looking for a new superintendent with the departure of Greg Little to work with the S.C. Technical College System.

The state's sixth-largest district appointed former Charleston County School District Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait, who received a $500,000 payment to leave, as interim superintendent.

Hafner said Robbins was supportive of her decision to accept the Lexington County job. Because she was a finalist for the Dorchester Two top post, she said district officials knew her desire was to be a superintendent.

Efforts to reach Dorchester Two district officials were unsuccessful.

"This is a wonderful opportunity here in Columbia, in my backyard," Hafner said, adding that her first priority is to build trust with district employees and school leaders. "They're the backbone of the district."
ORANGEBURG  Former South Carolina State University President James Clark, who was ousted from his position last year, says he was wrongfully fired and is owed almost $2 million in punitive damages and back pay, according to two lawsuits he filed June 2.

Clark claims the chairman of the school's board of trustees and the president of S.C. States alumni association led a meritless campaign designed to either force him to resign or give the board a reason to fire him, which the board ultimately did in July 2021.

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Clark filed his suits against the university's board of trustees and its chair, as well as the university's foundation board and its head, saying hes owed pay for the remaining year on his contract and back pay owed by the universitys foundation.

They knew that they should have paid this man, whether youre a fan of James Clark or not, Clarks attorney Donald Gist said.

Gist said the lawsuit is a last resort after months of unsuccessful negotiations with the university over the money Clark says he is owed. Clark is seeking $195,000 from the university for the remaining year on his contract, $570,136 in back pay and $1.2 million in punitive damages.

S.C. State spokesman Sam Watson said university officials could not comment on the litigation. John Funny, the alumni association president, did not respond to requests for comment.

S.C. State was put on probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges in 2014 because the school was deeply in debt and couldn't make payroll. State legislators fired all of the university's trustees and appointed an interim board on which Clark, a businessman with a masters degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was appointed to serve.

The newly appointed board then fired the school's president and named Clark to the position. It was a controversial decision and criticized because the board didnt conduct a search before choosing Clark.

Clark took over as president just as the university regained good standing with its accreditors and legislators agreed to forgive $12 million of the school's loans.

During his presidency Clark was generally credited with stabilizing the universitys finances but was criticized for not doing more to address declining enrollment.

Under Clark, the school's enrollment showed modest gains before falling. The university is now the states second-smallest four-year-college.

Gist said trustees were pleased with Clarks work until the campaign to discredit him started.

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He was hired on a four-year contract through June 30, 2020, according to the lawsuit. The contract called for half his $390,000 salary to be paid by the university and half by the S.C. State University Foundation  a similar arrangement to past presidents contracts.

During his first year Clark donated the foundations half to S.C. State because of the universitys financial woes. But even though the foundation owed him approximately $195,000 for each of the successive four years he was employed, it only paid him a total of $49,846.

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Gist said Clark was repeatedly given assurances by trustees that he would be paid and kept working out of his respect for the university and its students.

In May 2020, the universitys trustees voted to extend Clarks contract by two years  evidence, Gist says, that Clark was doing his job well.

Funny, the alumni associations head, was opposed to the renewal and lobbied trustees to find a new president at a meeting. The lawsuit says Funny encouraged alumni to withhold donations to the foundation that would have helped pay Clark.

Support for Clark eroded further in fall 2020 after some of the appointed board members were replaced. In September 2020, Rodney Jenkins became the chairman of the board and immediately began questioning Clark's performance, according to the lawsuits. The following month, Jenkins presented Clark with a revised employment contract that did not include the money the foundation was supposed to pay Clark for that year.

Clark signed the new contract in February 2021 because he was given assurances he would be given the back pay the foundation owed him.

The board fired Clark in July because of the declining enrollment numbers and named an interim successor who has since been named to the position permanently.

Gist acknowledged enrollment was an issue but said the COVID-19 pandemic created enrollment problems for colleges nationwide, especially HBCUs like S.C. State.

James Clark was not fired because of low student enrollment, Gist said. This was an orchestrated attempt by a few people who decided they were going to terminate him and in a very malicious way malign him.

He said Clarks firing, and the back pay hes owed, is another example of mismanagement by the universitys trustees. Two of the last three presidents before Clark also sued for breach of contract after they were removed. The school settled in both cases.
A restaurant that is nearly two years in the making is opening soon on Johns Island.

Minero, the former East Bay Street restaurant that reached cult-favorite fame before closing in 2020, will open June 9 in a newly renovated space that was previously occupied by Fat Hen.

Located at 3140 Maybank Highway, Minero  one of six Neighborhood Dining Group restaurants  can seat up to 175 people indoors and outside on its covered patio. Delaney Oyster House executive chef Shamil Velazquez will double his workload and lead the kitchen at the forthcoming Johns Island restaurant.

Ahead of its opening, Velazquez and Minero introduced the restaurant to Johns Island with pop-ups at Low Tide Brewery and Estuary Beans & Barley, outings that raised nearly $10,000 for local charities.

Neighborhood Dining Group President David Howard described Minero 2.0 as having a light, bright, uncluttered atmosphere.

It was an older building, so we needed to do extensive renovation and change the footprint, Howard said. Its basically the Minero that everyone knows and enjoys, and weve expanded options to give more variety.

New dishes will highlight the Lowcountrys seafood, Velazquez said. Diners can expect oysters, ceviche and fresh grilled fish alongside staples from the original Minero that caught on over the years.

The burrito, catfish and cauliflower tacos, trio of salsas and wings tossed in Valentina hot sauce will all be on Mineros opening day menu, he confirmed.

All the fan favorites are definitely on the menu, Velazquez said. I will not touch those or remove those.

A defining characteristic of the Johns Island restaurant will be its house-made flour and corn tortillas; the latter will be made using local corn from Marsh Hen Mill.

I think were investing a lot of our time and effort into the tortilla itself, Velazquez said. Being able to give the guest the option between flour and corn is very special.

Behind the bar, General Manager Kevin Kings beverage program includes Mexican lagers, craft beers from nearby breweries Estuary Beans & Barley and Low Tide Brewing, frozen drinks and several margaritas, including the one from the original Minero. Drinks will be sweetened with agave rather than simple syrup.

Its going to be bigger and better. The beverage menu is a little bit more expanded, King said. Well definitely have plenty for all audiences.

Starting June 9, Minero will open for dinner from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday and 4-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Happy hour specials will be offered from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday, with lunch service to follow in the coming weeks.

Howard said the restaurant  equipped with 100 parking spaces  will need to add more employees before opening for lunch. Minero will open with about 30 team members, and Howard said they are looking to hire another 15 in order to offer lunch.

These are challenging times with staff recruitment, Howard said. But just because you sail into a storm doesn't mean you quit sailing.

A new program could bring more employees to Minero. Next Day Pay will provide all employees who opt in with 75 percent of their pay the day after their shift, with the rest hitting their bank account at the end of the two week pay period.

Howard said he is testing the program out at Minero first before potentially implementing it at some of the groups other restaurants.
SPARTANBURG  SCANA Corp. shareholders were awarded $63 million in a settlement related to the coverup of the failed V.C. Summer nuclear project and the company's subsequent merger with Dominion Energy.

The settlement concluded two lawsuits SCANA investors filed in the wake of the $9 billion debacle. The first, filed in 2017, asserted that the SCANA board and executive team owed the shareholders, as owners of the company, damages for tanking the value of the utility, previously South Carolina's largest Fortune 500 Company, through fraud.

The second suit was filed in 2019 in response to Dominion absorbing SCANA. That complaint alleged that the larger company paid far less for SCANA than it would have if not for the misconduct of its leadership, shortchanging the shareholders.

Both are part of a series of lawsuits that followed the collapse of the V.C. Summer nuclear project.

Defendants named in the suits include former SCANA CEO Kevin Marsh, CFO Jimmy Addison and president Steve Byrn, as well as members of the company's board of directors.

After several years of legal maneuvering, the suits both ended June 2 when Circuit Court Judge Mark Hayes approved the settlement at the Spartanburg County Courthouse.

Prior to the collapse of the nuclear project, SCANA was working with partner utility Santee Cooper in an effort to add two nuclear reactors to the one-reactor V.C. Summer plant in Fairfield County, a plan intended to create thousands of new jobs and expand South Carolina's ability to produce energy. But as leadership presented a rosy picture of the plan's progress and upped power bills to cover the cost, the project was dogged for years by supply chain problems, flaws in the design and budget issues.

Those problems were hidden until the project was abandoned in 2017. Electric customers will continue to pay for the failure through their power bills for decades.

In the class-action suits settled June 2, shareholders said SCANA leadership misled them about the health of the company through fraudulent means and undercut the value of their investments.

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Ellen Gusikoff Stewart, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs, said her firm had identified roughly 21,000 people eligible to receive a portion of the settlement. The process of distributing the funds will likely take months.

Of the $63 million, $33 million stems from the 2017 suit and the remaining $30 million comes from the 2019 complaint related to the merger with Dominion. One third of that will go toward attorney fees and the remaining $42 million will be divided among the shareholders, divvied up depending on how much stock each individual owned.

Attorney Mark Chappell, representing the plaintiffs, said in court the settlement is among the top 15 highest ever in a merger case.

Attorneys representing the plaintiffs determined it would be best to seek a settlement when it became clear that bringing the case to court would be a complex, drawn out and costly process. All parties involved agreed to a settlement about a year ago but the mediation process only concluded recently.

The hearing brought a crowd of attorneys to the Spartanburg County courtroom. The six attorneys representing the plaintiffs sat at one table while more than a dozen lawyers representing the defendants filled the other side of the room.

Before approving the terms of the settlement June 2, Judge Hayes said the lawsuits and subsequent proceedings were important in fleshing out the details in one of South Carolina's largest financial disasters.

"The factual questions as to what happened with the nuclear power plant, and SCANA being merged with Dominion, and what all happened in that series of events, needed to be asked," he said. "This lawsuit, and similar cases, needed to be brought for, if nothing else, to shed sunlight on these issues."
South Carolina Baptists plan to make organizational changes to better protect congregants and to respond to claims of abuse from church leaders following a report commissioned by the Southern Baptist Convention that found SBC officials treated sexual abuse victims over the past two decades with hostility and resistance.

The proposed changes come as the national convention prepares to meet this month in California to consider recommendations at a broad level just weeks after the report found more than 700 pastors or staff members, including at least 30 in South Carolina, had been credibly accused of sexual abuse.

Some were still in ministry. Others, the SBC failed to track as they moved from state to state.

Most troubling to South Carolina pastors in leadership roles were the repeated failures of members of the SBC Executive Committee to handle reports of sexual abuse correctly. Simpsonville First Baptist Church Pastor Wayne Bray, president of the S.C. Baptist Convention, said he was shocked by the reports finding that past leaders and heroes of his had failed miserably to make correct decisions to protect victims from further abuse and instead chose hostility toward those who reported abuse.

Its just unbearable sometimes to think about people youve looked up to whove made terrible decisions, Bray said. Beyond the pain of the victims and survivors, probably the hardest thing for me was seeing people that I respected lose their respect.

Johnny Hunt, a former SBC president, was credibly accused of sexual assault, according to the report. He resigned May 13 as senior vice president of evangelism and leadership at the North American Mission Board, the SBC's domestic missions agency.

The report specifically named one South Carolina pastor, Frank Page, who pastored Taylors First Baptist Church  one of the states largest churches  before he served as SBC president and then on the Executive Committee. The Guidepost investigators found that Page stonewalled victims and didnt seek solutions when they brought accusations of abuse and requests for the convention to keep a list of those accused of abuse.

Page resigned from his SBC post in 2018 following an affair with a woman at a church he had served in as an interim pastor, according to the Guidepost report. Page returned to the pastorate in 2020 and now pastors Pebble Creek Baptist Church in Greenville. He also works as the associate vice president for development at Anderson University.

Page declined to discuss the reports findings when reached June 3.

I choose not to reply, Page said.

As the SBC commissioned the independent report by Guidepost Solutions in 2021, Baptists in South Carolina created a task force to respond and make recommendations upon the reports release.

Now, that state task force made up of pastors and lay people is beginning to meet to discuss ways to make individual churches safer.

Grief, calls for change

Bray said Baptists shouldnt try to minimize the reports findings but should grieve now and seek changes to protect the broader church family.

Were just going to express our broken hearts and our grief over the abuse and the pain thats been caused, and then were going to move forward to do anything possible to minimize the likelihood that anyone would be abused by someone who is a minister or is a youth leader or a lay worker in a South Carolina Baptist church, Bray said.

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Last year, as the SBC weighed whether to commission the report, a group of 25 South Carolina pastors that included Bray as state president penned a letter to urge the SBC to commission the investigation and to waive attorney client privilege in creating the report, Bray said.

I feel like the leadership in South Carolina has been instrumental from the beginning and has been pushing for truth, Bray said. We had no idea the details.

The South Carolina task force is expected to make recommendations at the state convention this fall.

D.J. Horton, chair of the South Carolina Baptist Sexual Abuse Task Force and pastor of Church at the Mill in Spartanburg, said the work has just begun as they process the report and draft recommendations for changes that could be made. Those recommendations would be voted on this November at the convention.

The report has created momentum to make necessary changes in churches across the state to protect vulnerable churchgoers from abuse, Horton said.

Database, background checks

The report listed 17 recommendations for changes within Southern Baptist churches. Some of those will be addressed at the national level during the convention June 14-15. Others may be considered by various state conventions, Horton said.

I think every pastor is asking What does our church need to do to be more faithfully prepared? Horton said.

Bray said mandatory background checks for anyone working with children or in ministry may be recommended at the state level. Many churches already require it, but some newer or smaller ones dont.

We want to partner and link arms with organizations and groups that arent Baptist and that arent Christian necessarily to prevent abuse, because I think its evil to all of us, Bray said.

The state convention may also discuss creating its own database of those credibly accused of sexual abuse even as the SBC weighs that same idea.

Marshall Blalock, pastor of First Baptist Church in Charleston, served as vice president on the SBC reports task force. He said in the S.C. Baptist Courier that one of the reports main findings was the revelation of a secret database of more than 700 pastors or church workers who had been accused of sexual abuse.

Many of those pastors were arrested and convicted of their crimes and named in various media reports. But the existence of a secret database, which SBC leaders had previously said couldnt be created or shared within the convention, was a shocking revelation, Blalock said.

One of the main motions before the convention in June will be a vote to establish a database to give churches information so that perpetrators will be unable to move quietly from church to church, Blalock said.
Greenville, SC (29601)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. High 83F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Be prepared: Lowcountry families need to be ready for all emergencies
When sales tax collections go up so does property tax relief across much of South Carolina, and that's happening again this year in Charleston County.

Like more than half the counties in the state, Charleston County has a local option sales tax, an extra 1 percent sales tax voters approved to fund property tax relief.

Strong consumer spending in stores and online, and a resurgence in tourism will result in larger property tax credit this year. If property tax rates remain the same  and Charleston County's will  a larger LOST credit means a smaller property tax bill in October.

That's included in Charleston County's new budget plan, which also calls for an increase in Emergency Medical Service fees and an increase in the minimum wage for county employees, to $15 per hour.

The county's LOST credit will be even higher than rising sale tax collections would justify because the county is still returning to taxpayers extra funds that exceeded expectations previously.

Were looking at the credit being about $7.5 million higher than what we are anticipating collecting," said Deputy County Administrator of Finance Corine Altenhein.

It's not easy to anticipate the amounts in advance, because the county must craft a budget long before knowing how sales tax collections will turn out. During the 2020-21 budget year, amid the uncertainty and economic dislocations driven by COVID-19, South Carolina's sales tax collections end up more than a quarter-billion dollars higher than anticipated, for example.

Things are so weird out there that it is really hard to estimate it," said Altenhein. If consumers just decide they are sick of prices going up, and are going to go back to basics, that could fall off."

Unemployment spiked and the stock market plunged in March 2020 when the pandemic arrived, but consumer spending came roaring back and much of it shifted from services to goods because people were spending more time at home. South Carolina's ability to directly tax online sales, following a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision, added to windfall collections.

This would be the second year of higher-than-expected property tax relief. Last year, the LOST property tax credit amounted to about $87 for every $100,000 of property value in Charleston County, and about $8 of that was due to higher sales tax collections.

This year, it's expected to jump to $109 per $100,000. That means someone with a home worth $300,000 would get an additional $66 off their county property tax compared to last year.

Charleston County accounts for only a portion of the tax bill that property owners receive. The school district, county park system, Trident Technical College, special purpose districts and municipal governments also account for portions.

Towns and cities in local-option counties should also have more money for property tax relief, which would come in addition to the county's. The sales tax funds are collected by the state and then distributed based on where the purchases were made, in person or online.

While the county's property tax will be lower this year, EMS fees are proposed to rise significantly. Charges that now range from $375 to $550, depending on the medical services provided by the medical crews, would rise to between $447 and $1,285.

"The cost of operating EMS continues to increase," read a staff analysis provided to County Council. The fees were last increased in 2009.

With the proposed increase Charleston County's EMS fees would be similar to Dorchester County's, which range from $400 to $1,285, but higher than Berkeley County's, currently between $447 and $689.17.

Each county charges the lowest rate for Basic Life Support, more for Advanced Life Support, and the most for a second category of Advanced Life Support. A patient's condition and services needed determine the billing category, and then counties also charge a per-mile fee for transport to a hospital.
SUMMERVILLE  The estate of a family who had three members die in a car accident on Nexton Parkway in 2020 has filed a lawsuit against Berkeley County.

The three family members  Chad Freeman, 49, Andrew Freeman, 48, and Meredith Freeman, 74,  were killed Oct. 11, 2020 when a vehicle driven by Joshua Wensell collided with theirs on the parkway at the intersection of Brighton Park Boulevard.

Wensell, 18 at the time, was charged with three counts of reckless homicide. His criminal case is pending.

A lawsuit filed May 31 by the Freeman family estate contends unsafe driving conditions and negligence from the county led to the fatal crash. The suit is seeking unspecified actual and punitive damages.

We contend that Berkeley County failed to maintain the intersection in a safe manner, said Christopher C. Romeo, the attorney representing the Freeman family. Visibility is a major factor for cars driving in either direction along Nexton Parkway. There are residents that have described it as a pray and go intersection.

County officials declined to comment on the lawsuit filed in state court.

Residents in the Del Webb Nexton neighborhood had complained to county officials for months about the intersection. At the time of the collision, the intersection did not have a traffic light and had palmetto trees and vegetation that obstructed the view of oncoming vehicles, Romeo said.

If you are turning left from Nexton Parkway onto Brighton Park Boulevard, the trees and grass obstructed your view, Romeo said. The county knew there was a problem and did nothing about it. There was no traffic signal, no round-about to slow anyone down coming off of Interstate 26. It was only a matter of time before something like this was going to happen.

The trees and vegetation were removed following the accident. A traffic light was installed at the intersection in March, almost 18 months after the incident.

It shouldnt have taken the death of three family members for the county to finally act, Romeo said. You cant put aesthetics over people and safety. The foundation for all decisions should be safety first and that didnt happen here.

The suit claims the county failed to maintain appropriate standards concerning roadway safety, traffic visibility, sight distances, and roadside landscaping and that the county had the opportunity to correct it and did not.

State transportation officials have reported more than 25 accidents at the intersection since 2018.

Obviously, this is a very important case for the family, but we are also doing this to help prevent future accidents like this one, Romeo said. There are intersections like this all across the Lowcountry. We hope by bringing this to light that government and private entities will correct these issues now instead of waiting until three family members die.

Romeo said a second lawsuit will be filed against private companies in the coming months.

Del Webb Nexton and the nearby Carnes Crossroads and Cane Bay neighborhoods are all a part of what is referred to as the megadevelopment where around 30,000 homes are expected to be built. A more than 900-acre Summerville development is also slated to be built across from Nexton Parkway.

It will run along I-26, Drop Off Drive and Linda Way. Though the new development wont connect to the Nexton community, it is expected to bring hundreds of cars and residents to the area.
COLUMBIA  From the marshy lowlands of the South Carolina coast to the rocky peaks of the Upstate mountains, the Palmetto Trail will eventually meander more than 500 miles.

Hikers might run across the remnants of an old liquor still in a Lowcountry swamp, an old water wheel built during the Depression in the mountains or the Braille trail next to the S.C. School for the Deaf and Blind in Spartanburg.

They'll trek through Revolutionary War battlefields, tiny towns tucked away off more traveled paths, and across the grounds of the Statehouse, which still bears the scars of shelling from Sherman's troops during the Civil War.

Cascading waterfalls, fields of wildflowers and shady dirt lanes will treat day-trippers out for a leisurely jaunt or backpackers roughing it through the wilderness on longer journeys.

Newly built boardwalks, suspension bridges and old train trestles lead hikers across rock-strewn streams, murky creeks and lazy rivers, all heading east to the Atlantic Ocean.

From within a mile of the highest point in the state of more than 3,550 feet at Sassafras Mountain, accessible via the Foothills Trail, to just a few feet above sea level at the Palmetto Trail's eastern terminus north of Charleston, the ribbon of nature winds around steep gorges, rolling hills and piney flatlands.

But it's not all connected. Hikers can't pass through roughly 120 miles in disjointed sections because of for-now impassable waterways, privately owned strips and government restrictions.

Missing links

At Lake Marion, the old U.S. Highway 301 bridge beside Interstate 95 has been shut down since the solar eclipse in 2017. The state Department of Transportation feared it would attract too many people and deemed it a safety threat.

On the northern edge of Columbia, numerous public and private property owners haven't acquiesced to requests by the trail-parent, Palmetto Conservation Foundation, to allow hikers to pass from Riverfront Park north of U.S. 176 to a Broad River crossing at the small town of Peak about 20 miles upstream.

In Union County, there's no bridge over the Tyger River at the proposed trail crossing. Hikers can't get from the Blackstock Battlefield Passage to the Glenn Springs Passage on the river's northern side without taking a roughly 10-mile detour along roadways, which trail developers try to avoid.

In Croft State Park south of Spartanburg, a 65-foot footbridge over Fairforest Creek washed away a couple of years ago during a flood. Workers soon will replace it with a fiberglass span built higher than before over the rocky stream.

Five sections aren't completed in the mountains, and geopolitics means hikers now have to bypass part of the Fort Jackson Passage in the Midlands after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February.

Still, nearly 30 years after a mountains-to-the-sea walking trail was first envisioned, its leaders soldier on.

National Trails Day is June 4, and while people will be outside on the completed sections of the cross-state path enjoying fresh air, sunshine and the great outdoors, barring rain, officials at the Palmetto Conservation Foundation will continue to try to bridge the gaps.

"It's all very doable," said Mary Roe, executive director of the Columbia-based nonprofit group overseeing the trail, its upkeep and its eventual completion. "It just takes time and money."

An act of Congress

As a case in point, shortly after the turn of the century, trail officials were having trouble gaining access to an abandoned railroad trestle in the Wateree River flood plain south of the state capital.

It took an act of Congress to overcome the hurdle.

Outdated laws that remained on the books required that a swing bridge at the site be operational, even though it had not opened since 1913.

It took a rider in the federal budget, attached by the late Sen. Fritz Hollings of South Carolina, to recognize that the river is unnavigable at the point where the 390-foot-long trestle crosses. The move allowed trail officials to install wooden decking for a trail bed along the old train track.

From the coast to the capital, including the Wateree trestle crossing, the trail's 215 miles in the eastern half of the state are almost completely connected.

A 12.5-mile section south of Fort Jackson is awaiting signatures from property owners to allow hikers to pass through, while the biggest obstacle on the southern half of the statewide trail is the closed bridge across Lake Marion at Santee.

+2 350 years ago, Charleston's 1st settlers sought right piece of land; choices abound still From the minute the first settlers arrived in Charleston Harbor 350 years ago on the sailing vessel Carolina, they looked for the right piece 

"To our standards, it's walkable," Roe said. "To DOT's standards, it's not. If there are repairs needed, it needs to be done."

One of the foundation's three trail coordinators takes it a step further.

"If we can't get across the lake, that just knocks our whole trail out," Furman Miller, the trail's Midlands coordinator, said.

Coe said the lack of the lake bridge crossing would require a 40-mile reroute of new trail.

A fix in the works

The state Department of Transportation received $1.6 million last fall as part of the funding in the state budget to make the bridge passable for pedestrians and bicyclists, according to Buddy Jennings, a lobbyist for the Palmetto Conservation Foundation.

The work will encompass repairing, replacing and painting railings, fixing cracked decking, removing overgrown vegetation and placing bollards that will restrict motor vehicle access, according to DOT.

"The contract will go out for bids this fall," DOT spokesman Pete Poore said. "We expect to have the repairs completed by the spring of 2023."

Vehicles will not be allowed on the bridge when it reopens.

"We are so close to getting the trail completed all the way from Columbia to Awendaw, and this bridge is very important," Jennings said.

North of Columbia, trail connections hinge on permission from public and private property owners, crossing a river and navigating rugged terrain.

The largest gap is on the capital city's northern edge, a roughly 17-mile stretch from Columbia to Peak along the eastern side of the Broad River.

"That's our biggest challenge," Roe said. "There are so many landowners and a railroad track."

Still, she is confident a solution can be found, though it might cost a few million dollars.

"There is a way," Roe said. "We just have to work it out."

Miller believes running the trail along utilities' rights-of-way with the owners' permission will extend the walking path another seven miles, leaving about 10 miles owned by a slew of public and private interests.

"That will probably be the last section we complete," he said.

Trail developers know all too well the challenges with private property owners.

In 2003, property owners near the small town of Peak, northwest of Columbia, sued the foundation to stop it from allowing hikers to use 11.5 miles of an old railroad bed from Peak to Prosperity. They maintained that when the railroad took up the rails in 1995, the old rail bed and its 200-foot easement reverted to private landowners along the railway.

U.S. District Judge Henry M. Herlong ruled otherwise in 2004, saying Norfolk Southern never officially abandoned the railroad when it stopped using it, and the foundation had a legal right to use the land it bought from the railroad for $25,000.

"That section is now one of the most heavily hiked trails in the state," Miller said.

Another small railroad-related section near Prosperity and Newberry is not connected.

"We don't have the rights-of-way to about four to five miles," Roe said.

Trail leaders hope to cut a deal with Norfolk Southern Railroad to complete the short passage so hikers won't have to walk along roadways.

"When possible, Norfolk Southern continues to work with local organizations to find renewed use for inactive rail lines as part of our commitment to sustainability," said railroad spokesman Connor Spielmaker.

At the Tyger River, Roe believes a suspension bridge would be better than a fixed structure. Whichever method is decided, it will be costly and funds will have to be raised to help pay for it.

Another eight miles north of the University of South Carolina at Spartanburg is missing from the trail.

"It revolves around easements and private property owners," Miller said.

Climbing mountains

Several unconnected sections in the mountains pose different problems. It's rugged terrain with lots of switchbacks, but an Upstate group already operates a trail through part of the state's northwest corner.

"We are hoping our friends at the Foothills Trail will let us use their trail," Roe said.

"Our biggest challenge is getting the easements and getting the funding to put the trail in," Miller said.

Upstate trail coordinator Rob Achenberg echoed Miller.

"It's time and money," he said.

He oversees 11 completed sections in some of the most scenic areas across the mountainous northwest corner of South Carolina. But five other passages remain unfinished, mainly because of topography and many of the same issues in other parts of the state.

One of the biggest challenges is the unconnected section of several miles between Keowee-Toxaway State Park off scenic S.C. Highway 11 and Oconee State Park near Mountain Rest.

"The plan is to get to Devil's Fork State Park on Lake Jocassee and work with the Department of Natural Resources to get to Oconee," Achenberg said. "We either have to build the trail around Lake Keowee or we have to figure out a way to get across (S.C.) Highway 11 to connect everything."

Roe believes one option to continue the trail across Lake Keowee is to work with DOT to install a traffic warning signal on Highway 11 where it crosses the lake to alert drivers that hikers could be walking along the side of the bridge.

While Achenberg points out the mountains are beautiful and popular for hikers, they also present unique challenges.

"People say, 'You are just building a path through the woods. How difficult can it be?'" Achenberg said. "It involves contracts and materials and labor. We try to eliminate the amount of drops and climbs with a hiker-friendly grade and avoid switchbacks as much as possible."

Trail leaders also have to get permission from landowners.

"We are fortunate up here that the vast majority of the property is publicly owned, whether it be federal or state," Achenberg said.

He won't make a guess on when the entire trail will be completed.

"My crystal ball is in the shop," he said with a laugh.

Roe is optimistic all of the obstacles can be overcome within 10 years to finish the monumental endeavor from one end to the other.

Trail's end

When it is, the Palmetto Trail will extend across the entire state from the Atlantic Ocean to the Appalachian Mountains, connecting Awendaw and Walhalla, two tiny towns with very distinct names.

The estimated cost to build the trail is a moving target, and Roe believes it will take another $15 million to complete the state-long path.

When finished, millions of dollars will be invested either through tax funds, grants, individual and corporate contributions and in-kind services from forestry officials and many others.

AmeriCorps volunteers have been one of the biggest contributors to the construction of the trail.

Among them is Cole Stilwell of Lexington.

Stilwell, 19, hiked about 150 miles of the Palmetto Trail while in high school and wrote an outdoor recreation column for his hometown newspaper.

When he graduated, he wasn't ready to go to college, so he volunteered for the AmeriCorps program.

While helping other volunteers hoist old telephone poles into place to create a boardwalk over a frequently flooded part of the trail near Awendaw in April, Stilwell said volunteering was a way to get some hands-on experience before he enters Clemson University in the fall to study parks, recreation and tourism.

"I enjoy it," he said. "I've hiked a lot of the trail so this is a way to give back."

AmeriCorps worker Kylie Sheahan of Waterford, Conn., helped pack down crushed rocks recently on a raised section of the Awendaw Passage prone to water intrusion.

"I wanted to do something with the environment, and I wanted to travel," the 23-year-old said. "It gave me time to think about what I want to do with my life.  It's very far out of my comfort zone, but it's very rewarding and I've learned a lot."

'A gift to the people'

Their work and that of countless others help to bring of bit of outdoor recreation to thousands of people each year.

Miller estimates 75,000 people use the most popular sections annually. They include the Peak to Prosperity Passage northwest of Columbia, the Awendaw Passage near Charleston and the Blue Wall Passage north of Greenville.

Among those recently enjoying a less-traveled section was Chip Stanley of Columbia.

While taking a spring hike along the Lake Marion Passage at Sparkleberry Landing, Stanley called the trail one of the state's "underutilized assets" that could be incorporated into an educational experience.

"A lot of children in urban areas don't have an outlet for this kind of experience," Stanley said. "It would be a real eye opener."

Out for a day hike as well was Sarah Moffly of Awendaw.

She looked out over a carpet of greenery masking the brown of winter among the cypress and other hardwoods on the edge of a Lowcountry swamp and said, "It's really beautiful. It's good to get out and see some of nature."

Miller loves to see people enjoying the fruits of all of the hard work and money that has gone into the nearly 30-year-old endeavor, but he realizes it's a work in progress.

And even when it's completed, it will still require maintenance.

"There will always be something to do to keep the trail open by removing a fallen tree or fixing a section in disrepair," Roe said. "But it's free and open to the public, and it's a gift to the people of South Carolina."
The State Law Enforcement Division will exhume the remains of housekeeper Gloria Satterfield as part of its investigation into her death at the Murdaugh familys home in 2018.

The agency said June 3 it had received permission from the woman's family to remove her remains.

The announcement marks the probes most significant development in months.

SLED offered scant detail about the status of the investigation, except to say that it was ongoing and that exhuming Satterfields body would be time-intensive.

This is a complex process that will take weeks, not days, spokeswoman Renee Wunderlich said in a statement, followed by an assertion the probe is continuing and "no additional information from SLED is available at this time."

Satterfield, 57, who worked for disgraced Hampton County lawyer Alex Murdaugh for more than two decades, reportedly died in 2018 after falling at the Murdaugh familys home. The circumstances surrounding her death came under scrutiny after Murdaughs wife and son were killed in 2021, setting into motion several investigations into Murdaughs conduct.

They include an investigation into alleged financial crimes that occurred after Satterfield died.

Among other schemes he now stands accused of, state police have charged Murdaugh with allegedly diverting millions of dollars from a death settlement intended for her sons and using it for his benefit.

Murdaughs insurance agreed to pay $4.3 million; after lawyers' fees, Satterfield's sons were due to receive more than $2.7 million. According to a lawsuit they filed in 2021, they received nothing; they didnt even learn that Murdaughs insurance policy had paid out until they heard about it on the news.

After her death, Murdaugh urged Satterfields relatives to file against him in order to get an insurance payout for her death. According to the familys lawsuit last year, he also introduced them to Beaufort attorney Cory Fleming, who he said could represent them. The family did not know Fleming was Murdaughs college roommate and godfather to one of his sons.

Murdaugh and Fleming have both been suspended from practicing law in South Carolina.

Murdaugh has agreed to award a judgment to the Satterfield family, essentially giving them a place in line as his assets are distributed.

SLED opened its investigation into Satterfields death at the request of the Hampton County coroner, who said an autopsy was not conducted and that her office was not notified of the death.

Whats more, her death certificate indicated that she died of natural causes, which the coroner said was inconsistent with her reported trip-and-fall injuries. Satterfield died at Trident Medical Center in North Charleston, weeks after the fall.

SLED also said its decision to investigate was influenced by information it gleaned in its other investigations involving Murdaugh.

Murdaugh is currently being held at the Richland County jail on his criminal charges.
Its not like the cops werent warned. I told them  again and again and again. A .223-caliber semiautomatic weapon, though, tends to focus the attention.

The Memorial Day shooting on South Street that left 10 people wounded  the difference between the wounded and the dead often being a matter of inches  never had to happen. We need to know why it did.

To be clear: The criminals with the guns are the people responsible for the mayhem. They need to be found, given a fair trial and sent to prison. The sooner, the better.

But the city and the cops bear some responsibility, too, for that bloody night.

The South Street shootings were shocking, but for those of us who live on the East Side not surprising. That block between Hanover and America streets has long been owned and operated by the drug dealers. The cops make arrests, and the guys are back on the street the next day courtesy of our broken justice system.

I like the East Side because its a village, and I spend a lot of time walking around talking to my neighbors, black and white. And you hear stuff  like in April talk of a big block party on South Street. This worried me.

On Friday, April 29, I emailed Police Chief Luther Reynolds: Are you aware there is a block party on South Street Saturday? I included a digital flyer promoting the event.

Deputy Chief Dustin Thompson replied the same day, saying he had forwarded the information to our analyst for review" and promising that "We will make sure we have resources there if this does occur.

The party the next night was huge. According to a video and a person who was there, the block was often impassable for traffic. There was a pool table set up, dice games, people dancing on cars, lots of drinking and drugging. It stretched into the early morning.

By coincidence, I and two other neighborhood residents had an appointment to see Chief Reynolds that Monday to discuss South Street. The block party was suddenly Topic A.

Capt. Dale Middleton and Lt. Timothy Dasher, who oversee the East Side, said about 200 people were at the party. There was no violence, and it was handled appropriately, they said, even though it violated a city ordinance requiring a permit for street parties. We pushed back, and eventually, Reynolds acknowledged we could have done better. Middleton and Dasher sat silent.

Then I started hearing about another party coming up for the Memorial Day weekend, maybe at Hampstead Mall on the East Side. I alerted Reynolds and the others again. Then I sent them a digital flyer for a Big Ass Pool Party, maybe on Sullivan's Island. The tickets were $30; shuttle will be provided.

The pool party was a week ago, not on Sullivan's Island but on Isle of Palms. The towns police chief, Kevin Cornett, said there were 200 people at the beachfront house on Palm Boulevard when his officers arrived. Guests were being shuttled in on buses; there was armed security. The smell of marijuana was everywhere. The police called the property management company, and the party was shut down at 9.

The party then moved back to South Street. As the crowd grew, I called and emailed the cops. Dasher wrote back at 11:11 p.m.: We have officers responding to assess whats taking place at that location. Thanks for the information. The fun continued uninterrupted until early in the morning.

The next morning, I asked Dasher what happened. Our officers monitored the party with no issues to report, he wrote back. This was the same crowd that was shut down Saturday on Isle of Palms.

Then Monday night came. As the crowd and the noise again grew, many East Side residents started dialing the cops. Some couldnt get through. I emailed Reynolds and his deputies three times. Something is going to happen, then what? I wrote at 10 p.m..

Now we know what. Reynolds says the shooting started when an officer arrived at 11:40 p.m. to answer a noise complaint, bullets hitting his cruiser twice. We are lucky we dont have a dead cop, he said.

Policing, never easy, is even more complicated in the post-George Floyd era. The city and the police were betting that as long as there was no violence, the parties, while not ideal, as one beat cop told me, were worth the price of peace. They got away with it twice; their luck ran out on Monday night. The result: Ten people shot, two cops injured.

The hands-off approach in the East Side stands in sharp contrast to last month when Hampton Park Terrace residents wanted to have a block party on President Street. They planned a jump castle for the kids. Residents say the city wanted the neighborhood to hire three cops, have liability insurance and pay a fee. The bill would have come to more than $1,000 for a three-hour party. The event was canceled.

Mayor John Tecklenburg now says the city will enforce an ordinance requiring a permit for any event where more than 25 people are in the public right of way. The question, of course: Why didnt the city enforce it before?

Another question: After 10 people are shot, where does the buck stop?

Steve Bailey can be reached at sjbailey1060@yahoo.com.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. High near 85F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 74F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
COLUMBIA  The five Democrats competing for the chance to challenge Gov. Henry McMaster in November will face off in a televised debate June 10, four days before the primary.

South Carolina ETV is partnering with The Post and Courier to host the one-hour debate aired live starting at 5 p.m. on the public broadcaster's statewide network. It will also be available on SCETV's website, as well as its Facebook page and YouTube channel.

The debate will be played again at 8 p.m. June 13, the night before precinct polls open. Early voting is already underway statewide.

All five candidates have been invited to participate: former U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham of Charleston; state Sen. Mia McLeod, Carlton Boyd and Calvin "CJ Mack" McMillan, all of Columbia; and William "Cowboy" Williams of Florence.

"Through this partnership with The Post and Courier, we're excited to have the opportunity to host and broadcast this debate, helping the citizens of this state be informed as they head to the polls," said SCETV President Anthony Padgett.

The details come a day after the state Democratic Party approved the pairing and sanctioned the media outlets to come up with the participation guidelines and format to which each candidate must agree.

The format includes each candidate having one minute to give an opening statement and one minute to respond to each question.

The debate will be moderated by Gavin Jackson, host of SCETV's "This Week in South Carolina," along with SC Public Radio reporter Thelisha Eaddy and The Post and Courier's Nick Reynolds.

There will be no audience participation. No general admission is allowed.

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The debate will be held ahead of the state Democratic Party's Blue Palmetto Dinner, which starts at 7 p.m. at the Columbia Convention Center. It will honor former Gov. Dick Riley, who in 1982 became the state's first governor elected to a second, four-year term after voters approved changing the state constitution. The dinner's official after party with U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn will follow at 8 p.m. at Edventure Children's Museum.

The Democratic Party convention will be June 11.

The debate's planning follows a spat between the frontrunners of the gubernatorial contest.

McLeod, a legislator since 2010, accused Cunningham of bowing out of a debate tentatively set for June 1. The former 1st District congressman explained he would not participate in a debate organized by people being paid by her campaign.

Cunningham suggested in a tweet June 2 that they debate ahead of the convention, since all candidates will be in Columbia then, and she agreed in her response.

This week, Cunningham picked up the endorsement of former Charleston Mayor Joe Riley, who retired in 2016 after 40 years, making him one of the nation's longest-serving mayors. McLeod received endorsements from fellow Sens. Marlon Kimpson of Charleston and Margie Bright Matthews of Walterboro, as well as Reps. Marvin Pendarvis of North Charleston and J.A. Moore of Goose Creek.

South Carolina has not had a Democrat in the Governor's Mansion since Jim Hodges lost his re-election bid in 2002 to Republican Mark Sanford.
Obie Award-winning playwright and performer Dael Orlandersmith has gained top honors for her ability to channel a vast, yet intimate spectrum of characters that come together in the American experience.

In past works including her breakthrough "Beauty's Daughter," "Monster," which debuted at New York Theatre Workshop, and "Yellowman," which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the artist has time again demonstrated her deft hand documenting the fissures in American society and her versatility as a performer.

"Until the Flood," a New York Times critic's pick, brings together eight residents of Ferguson, Mo., following the shooting of teenager Michael Brown, which The Times said "brings the questions, the pain and even the unspeakable thoughts of hundreds, if not millions, to life," calling the play "an urgent moral inquest.

Here, the artist shares her process, her intention with the work  and a bit about her South Carolina roots, too.

What compelled you to tackle the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson?

The late Steve Woolf contacted me in September of 2014. Michael Brown was shot in August of 2014 in St. Louis, which at that time was the third most segregated city in the U.S. Also during that time nine other Black men were killed by police.

Until the Flood involves several members of the community exploring the events in Ferguson. What role do you think community plays in both causing, and possibly resolving the ongoing violence and division in cities across America?

When any community is very closed, the rest of the world is not let in and it causes ignorance. One can live the way one chooses, but lack of awareness is very dangerous. Steve wanted to use theater as a means to create conversation, to create a start towards healing.

What has the process been like for you both as a writer and a performer? How have your artistic collaborators impacted your perspective?

I was asked by Steve Woolf, but also as someone of color, as a human, I wanted to do the piece. I never interviewed people  Anna Devere Smith does this and she's a master. The play is a composite of people and I learned about the hurt, confusion and beauty within people.

Were there any characters you created that were particularly challenging to bring to life?

The Dougray character was difficult. I did not want him to be the typical beer-bellied redneck. I wanted to see what created his thinking. He is a very complex man and I wanted to delve in and understand why he thinks the way he does. The link goes back to childhood.

Until the Flood was invited by Spoleto after garnering a Fringe First award in Edinburgh in 2019. How has the work weathered the disruption of COVID?

I think the piece is more valid now than ever.

How do you feel about presenting your work in Charleston?

Presenting the work here does make me nervous. My mother was from here, her family. I remember the stories she told me. As a child I visited South Carolina in the summer. I have my own memories as well.

Is there anything in particular youre looking forward to while in town?

I am going to visit my mother's grave which I haven't seen for 30 years.

What are you hoping audiences take away from Until the Flood?

I hope "Until the Flood" brings about conversation, and with that an openness on all sides.
For the second installment of the popular First Citizens Bank Front Row Series, Spoleto Festival USA welcomed the radiant force that is Allison Russell to the Cistern.

On the heels of her groundbreaking debut solo release, Outside Child (2021), the Montreal native is blazing her own valiant trail, having earned three Grammy nominations and wide acclaim for an album that celebrates radical vulnerability at its core.

Emblazoned with words as arrows, a banjo as her bow and her clarinet as an extension of her voice, Russell unapologetically wields the wind of her lived experience of violent abuse, sheer survival and remarkable redemption. The result is mesmerizing.

From the stage she is the center of a formidable ring of six very different women  a circle of goddesses, as she declared  a sight to behold, if not simply for its visual impact, and as a welcomed departure from what the majority of the festival programming offers.

Each woman, an exceptional musician in her own right, brings an empowered voice to the mix, making for a celebration in sisterhood. SistaStrings, actual sisters by blood, are the Milwaukee-born, Nashville-based duo featuring violinist Chauntee Ross and cellist Monique Ross.

Rounding out the string section and contributing to orchestrations is Larissa Maestro, based in Nashville by way of Ithaca, N.Y. The rhythm section featured the heartbeat on drums and percussion, Los Angeles-based Beth Goodfellow while Mandy Fer, of the indie folk band Sway Wild, held her own on her powder blue Fender Stratocaster guitar and sparkly bell bottom pants. All contributed to breathtaking backing vocals, providing for stunning arrangements and a visceral performance.

The mood was ethereal, with an ambient opening overture transitioning into a richly harmonized vocal intro for the first song of the set, Hy-Brasil, a tune just as enigmatic as the mystical island in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Ireland. Russells voice soared on a cloud of drone-like strings.

Her lyrics sailed atop a hypnotic sea on a singular drumbeat and waves of soft-mallet cymbal rolls. She swung between grit and grace as she sang the line Ill fly home today.

Just as she did mid-song between instruments, Russell moved assuredly between selections, infusing poetic interludes and beautifully accompanied monologues throughout her show. Whether offering complementary melody lines with a tasteful whistle or clarinet lick, or moving seamlessly between English and French, her voice possessed a mix of exquisite anguish, reminiscent of Lucinda Williams, Edith Piaf and Etta James, with its emotive, twangy grit, brutal truth and timely vibrato.

As a survivor of physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse, Russell is a voice of many. She is open and honest, raw and real. Her lyrics are piercing and healing. She is poetry in motion. In a world that clings to omniscient deities, she believes in nature and a world beyond explanation.

She is openly agnostic, expressing: The only way I know how to pray is through songs. And it is through her songs that we bear witness to the sacred space of her most personal of prayers.

As an activist, she seized the opportunity to issue an impassioned reminder of the United States of Americas other pandemic: gun violence. Specifically, she thinks of her 8-year-old daughter in relation to the recent and unnecessarily tragic events at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, a massacre leaving 19 children and 2 teachers murdered and many others critically injured and forever changed.

She issued a call to action, begging each one in the audience to demand reform. As she dedicated her penultimate song, Poison Arrow, to the victims, she sang: Go in peace, be not afraid/Roll em easy, Namaste/All you sad and broken travelers, come on.

Allison Russell lends a soulful, nuanced approach to music defined as folk and Americana  an approach that is necessary and right on time. Beloved author Alice Walker called on us to transform the moment, writing: we are the ones weve been waiting for. Russell eloquently answers the call and inspires others to do the same.

She proves that music is that compulsory force; her song, her prayer and her spirit, unbreakable. While the gravity of Russells personal history is sobering, the levity of her voice is naturally hopeful. She is a beacon of light for the individual and collective transformation we aspire to be, and as she sings, she is the melody and the space between.
On a spare black stage with a table and dangling cafe chairs overhead, two friends meet over a "cuppa," as they might call a tea or coffee around Ireland.

We eventually glean from references to places like Grafton Street and Neary's pub and the Jervis Shopping Centre that they are in contemporary Dublin.

They are Anna and Cora, friends from school who once shared an apartment. They chat lightly of weaknesses for figure-challenging chocolate and crisps and of shedding a half-stone of weight. Cora admires a bracelet worn by Anna, who tells her where she got it: Weir & Sons, a high-end Dublin jewelry store.

Then they wade into the topic of their classmate Emily and her tragic fate.

"Remember the sandals?" Anna says. Cora responds with a knowing look. We aren't given the details on those sandals.

It is as if you were eavesdropping from a nearby shopping mall table, ferreting meaning from the details and their intonations rather than exposition. You know, like in life.

The friends then shift to more treacherous terrain, the subject of Denise, Anna's sister, who is the source of deep anger for her.

The same transpires in the next scene when we meet Denise, who is grousing about her kitchen renovation before delving into the murkier stuff of lost love and checkered grief.

Such is the lay of the land in Irish playwright Mark O'Rowe's "The Approach," a deftly wrought work involving three Irish women whose bonds and betrayals are moving targets, whose shared confidences and glaring omissions we see from our all-knowing perch as we piece together the slippery truths of their lives and their love.

O'Rowe, who also directs the production, is most known for applying his fastidious exacting use of language to Dublin-set plays that shiver with a substantially more overt chill. In "Howie the Rookie," two criminals named Howie share their craven acts. In "Terminus," one character is a serial killer, and we learn about his misdeeds in monologue delivered in verse.

On the other hand, O'Rowe has also recently gained attention for his work writing "Normal People," the hit television drama series in Ireland centered on two Trinity College Dublin students contending with clashes of class through burgeoning love.

In "The Approach," O'Rowe's previous penchant for carnage may not make the plot, but there are plenty of minefields among the three. As they revisit past wounds and cop to their genuine feelings about them we discover their face-value assertions of feelings belie far more complex psychological impulses.

And there's another wrinkle, too.

As O'Rowe layers truths and lies, character is frequently revealed not by what these women say about themselves but through the lies they tell about themselves. The facts of their dynamics cross over like words on the crossword puzzles each reference.

This intricate world demands supple, restrained performances, which are delivered with deceptive ease by the cast.

As Anna, Aisling O'Sullivan shifts from benign niceties to flash with rage over Denise's betrayal, then shifts again to glow over her new relationship.

As Denise, Derbhle Crotty deploys a palpable charm and warmth that gloss over an inner circumspection about her life and loves.

And as Cora, Catherine Walker is a master class in unvoiced pain, her pleasantries and her gentle mediation masking a deep longing that casts the emotional landscape in a sharper, graver light.

As the three circle more closely around past events, the sisters reflect on a life that doesn't involve a relationship with a man, and the very foundation of their own discord shape-shifts, too.

In the capaciousness of the Dock Street Theatre, I couldn't help but wondering how the production would play out in a more intimate setting. The language and performances are so fine and nuanced, I venture to guess the closer the vantage the more you detect.

Case in point is the play's enthusiastic reception when it was livestreamed in 2021, an effort that made a compelling case for continuing such initiatives.

As the three women reflect on Emily, their friend who once took to a mountain, suffering in solitude by the light of a fire, we see that remote soul in each of them.

It is O'Rowe that shines light on their plights, flashes of recognition over a cuppa among women.
A Post-Native Perspective

This past weekend the seniors in my district walked the stage to receive their diplomas. I was reading over some of their thoughts about compl Read more
I have always bristled at descriptions of the Republicans as the stupid party (as opposed to Democrats who are the evil party). But, to be fair, there have been plenty of times when the stereotype fit. These days, however, the Republicans are fighting a spirited and often creative battle against the worst administration since James Buchananscoincidentally, another Democrat.

I have no idea who Tommy Pigott isit might even be a nom de guerrebut I get emails from him every day, on behalf of the Republican National Committee. And they generally are very good. Today I received two that are worth highlighting, both because of their sharp content and because they suggest that the Republican Party may finally be getting smart.

The first has to do with gas prices, about which the Democrats are hopelessly conflicted. The truth is that they want energy costs to rise so as to facilitate their transition to wind and solar energy. That is much like the transition of a car that drives off a cliff from the road above to a rocky ravine below, with attendant casualties. But the Democrats havent figured that out yet.

At the same time, they understand that voters want to be able to fuel their cars and heat their homes, so most of the time they dont admit that they are trying to drive prices higheralthough sometimes they doand if gasoline prices dip they are happy to falsely claim credit. That gave rise to this email from Tommy P.:

Happy 6 month anniversary to this tweet that was so bad it would be hilarious if not so pathetic.



That is pretty funny.

Lets check in on how gas prices are going so we can give Biden his due.

Yikesand its not just the DCCC who stepped in it. Biden has officially stopped claiming he is making progress on gas prices. Instead hes saying there is nothing he can do to bring down the #BidenGasHike. If only Biden hadnt attacked American energy from day one. We agree with the DCCC on one thing: we all have Biden to thank for gas prices.

You have to admit, that is pretty darn good. Now on to todays second Pigott email, on infant formula. But first, I note that while the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan started Bidens collapse in public esteem, the formula fiasco might be the blunder that cements Democratic losses in the midterm elections. The current shortage is entirely an artifact of bad federal government policy, as we noted here. Nevertheless, the shortage came as a surprise to those who created it.

The indomitable Tommy Pigott was on top of the issue today with not one, but two emails. I will highlight this one, with subject heading Biden insults mothers by claiming progress.' The email has copious links, which I have omitted here. Every statement is documented:

The Biden White House literally put out a website today BRAGGING about their response to the baby formula crisis. On the websites homepage, there are no resources for mothers, just the administration touting the progress theyve made as mothers desperately search for food for their children. According to Datasembly, baby formula out-of-stock rates have risen from below 5% in January 2021, to 43% at the beginning of last month, to 70% last week.

That graphic is crushing.

That is not progress. That is a complete and utter failure. As even CNN notes, they should have seen this coming. Biden is engaged in the most disastrous crisis response since Afghanistan  a desperate airlift is not a sign of success.

Call me an optimist, but I think the GOP may be on its way to being the Smart Party. And Tommy Pigott deserves some credit. If you are not yet getting these emails and would like to receive themevery day!I think you can sign up by emailing tpigott@GOP.COM. Hopefully thousands of our readers will follow up. And maybe we will have Tommy himself on a VIP Live show or a PL Podcast before long. We like to promote effective Republicans.
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights has filed a 72-page charge of discrimination over a period of 10 years against the Minneapolis Police Department. I commented critically on the charge along with a link to the charge itself in Who will speak for the MPD?

We have yet to see any of the 480,000 pages of documents and other evidence gathered by the department in the course of its investigation. The department denied my request for access to it. Even more absurdly, the department has denied the request of the City of Minneapolis to see it. This is not the way the adversary system is to work.

Media reports on the charge have frequently referred to it as a report. The Star Tribune refers to it as a report in todays Star Tribune story by Andy Mannix today.

Get a clue. Its not a report. Its a charge.

The city cant wait to sell out the police department, but it cant do so without a look at the underlying evidence. The Office of the City Attorney has therefore reiterated its request for a peek. I have embedded a copy of the letter below requesting access below.

Taylor Putz (Pronouns: He/Him/His) is the departments spokesman. He denied the citys request. He denied my request. He denied the Star Tribunes request. The Star Tribune quotes Putz today in the story linked above: MDHR is reviewing the letter and looks forward to productive conversations moving forward.

Letter to Commissioner Lucero 05-27-2022 (1) by Scott Johnson on Scribd
Watching President Biden rattle on last night  the White House has posted the transcript here  I thought it was time to get serious about gum control. Yes, its time for Biden to quit flapping his gums with the usual dynamics ranging from a whisper to a shout in the deranged old-man style to which we have become accustomed.

Biden himself appeared to have gum control in the back of his mind as he spoke: For so many of you at home, I want to be very clear: This is not about taking away anyones guns. Its about vili-  not about vilifying gum [sic]  gun owners. That [sic] was inserted by the official White House Bracketologist, not by me.

Is there anyone among his minders in the daycare operation at the White House who believe he is an effective advocate of any public policy proposal? I think Bidens statement requires translation. Hes saying: This is about taking away your guns.

Biden rattled on about assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. He wants to ban them. That is his first choice. He harks back to the golden age of the assault weapons ban that ran from 1994-2004:

We should reinstate the assault weapons ban and high-capacity magazines that we passed in 1994 with bipartisan support in Congress and the support of law enforcement. Nine categories of semi-automatic weapons were included in that ban, like AK-47s and AR-15s. And in the 10 years it was law, mass shootings went down. But after Republicans let the law expire in 2004 and those weapons were allowed to be sold again, mass shootings tripled. Those are the facts.

Are those the facts? I hate to turn to a Washington Post fact-check on this point late last week, but this is too handy not to use. Despite their notoriety, Glenn Kessler writes, mass shootings  as defined by criminologists  generally do not happen often enough for detailed data analysis. Moreover, there are at least eight databases of mass shootings, including one maintained by The Washington Post, with different definitions and parameters.

Kessler noted that Biden appears to be relying on a study of mass shooting data from 1981 to 2017, published in 2019 in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery by a team led by Charles DiMaggio, a professor of surgery at New York Universitys Langone Medical Center, and adds that the study has been disputed.

Kessler turned to an upcoming paper for the Justice Department, written by a team led by James Alan Fox of Northeastern University, Grant Duwe of the Minnesota Department of Corrections and Michael Rocque of Bates College. It attempts to craft a common definition: A mass public shooting is any event in which four or more individuals, not including the assailant(s), were killed by gunfire in a public setting within a 24-hour period. Mass shootings associated with criminal activity are excluded. According to this study:

The new mass-shooting database shows that there were 31 mass shootings in the decade before the 1994 law, 31 in the 10 years the law was in force (Sept. 13, 1994 to Sept. 12, 2004) and 47 in the 10 years after it expired. As noted, some of that increase stems from population growth.

In short, we may fairly question whether mass shootings decreased during the 10 years of the assault weapons ban and whether they tripled after it expired. Determining the efficacy of the assault weapons ban is complicated at best.

In lieu of a return to the golden age, Biden wants to raise the age of lawful purchasers from 18 to 21. As Kevin Williamson observes, however, it is probably untenable to have an explicitly guaranteed constitutional right denied to people who are old enough to vote under the 26th Amendment. Of course, he adds, well have to do something about all those child soldiers in our military, with the median age of new Marines hovering around 19.

Biden cannot be trusted on even the most elementary points that he makes. Should gun manufacturers be liable to suit for flawlessly designed and manufactured products? He thinks that their legal immunity is outrageous, which suggests that he wants to put them out of business. This is about taking away your guns.

Well, how about spending more government funds to foster mental health? Listening to Biden is driving me out of my mind, so there is that, and Im a Support mental health or Ill kill you kind of a guy.

Others who know more about the vagaries of the definition of assault weapons, the pretenses of gun control, and the relevant research will weigh in. You are crazy, however, and may well be in need of mental health services yourself if you take anything Biden says at face value.

UPDATE: Kevin Williamson comments on Bidens speech:

Id love it if we would start enforcing a few of the gun laws we already have in place. For instance, we could follow through and prosecute people who commit fraud on the ATF forms needed to purchase a firearm. But, I suppose President Biden doesnt want to send Hunter to the penitentiary. What he does want to do is set the stage for a gigantic wealth transfer from U.S.-based manufacturers to Democrat-aligned interest groups via dishonest litigation. At least the Democrats are consistent: It doesnt matter how many Americans have to die, theyre going to make sure they get paid.

Whole thing here.
On Thursday, Cynosure Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, a popular Lagos cosmetic clinic, tightened its security and shut its gates to visitors after being called out by a lady over the alleged death of their client.

Christabel, a Port-Harcourt-based socialite, allegedly died at the hospital after an unsuccessful bum and breast surgery.

The news, which stirred several reactions on social media, was posted by a Twitter user identified as @poshcupcake_1, who claimed to be Christabels closest friend.

Her friend claimed on Twitter that before Christabels death, she complained to the clinic that did her surgery that she was bleeding.

The friend claimed the clinic told Christabel it was an average post-surgery experience and the bleeding will stop. Sadly, it proved fatal.

She said when friends didnt hear from Christabel for days; they searched at the hospital where she went for the surgery, and the hospital allegedly gave them a letter showing that her body had been deposited at the morgue.

The friend said the hospital did not contact any of Christabels relatives to let them know of her death until they went to the hospital.

Accusing the hospital of alleged medical negligence, she emphasised that neglecting her no care whatsoever! Are you sick! The most annoying part here is that this gal died days ago without anybody knowing, and the Hospital did not find it needful to contact any of her relatives.

The first fame on their page is actually her! They have blocked all the comment, because her friends where commenting and seeking for justice, for days now the hospital have not released any letters on their page about her, because they dont want the public to know about it.  MISS POSHA PROUDLY IGBO (@poshcupcake_1) June 1, 2022

I want to bring this to the public. A friend just died at this hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, a few days ago. Where she underwent surgery. Now Im not against anybody that wants to enhance their body or anything as such, is your body life and choice, So do want your love -

Sharing videos of the doctor who conducted the surgery and the hospitals Instagram and contact, she identified an Instagram post on the hospitals handle as the body of her late friend.

The first fame on their page is her! They blocked all the comments because her friends commented and sought justice. The hospital has not released any letters on their page about her for days because they dont want the public to know about it.

I want to bring this to the public, A friend friend just died at this hospital in Lagos Nigeria, few days ago. where she underwent surgery. Now Im not against anybody that want to enhance their body or anything as such, is your body life and choice, So do want you love  pic.twitter.com/DIdv4CJz4u  MISS POSHA PROUDLY IGBO (@poshcupcake_1) June 1, 2022

Investigations

PREMIUM TIMES visited the hospital at 7 Okunola Aina street, inside Oasis Estate, Mende, Maryland Lagos State.

Cynosure Aesthetic Plastic Surgery is acclaimed for having a team of highly skilled and professional plastic surgeons with experience in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Europe, Hong Kong and the USA.

This newspapers reporter arrived at the hospital at 1: 20 pm. The clinic is a minutes walk from the estates gate in a residential area.

Upon the reporters arrival at the hospital, there was no access to the hospital.

There was no access to the bungalow building of the hospital, painted grey with blue roof sheets.

The black gate, which is the entrance to the hospital, was locked.

However, the hospital is enclosed by a dwarf fence, giving passersby a glimpse of the hospital compound, which was deserted.

After knocking on the gates, the security personnel refused our reporter access to the hospital. He said that the hospital is not currently receiving visitors.

Our reporter called the two numbers on the hospitals signpost but got no reply initially.

After several attempts to contact the hospital had proven fatal, the reporter tried one more time on a different line, and he got a response from the hospital.

The hospital refused to grant this paper an interview but assured our reporter that it would release a statement soon.

Clinics Press Statement

After monitoring the hospitals Instagram for hours, the domestic clinic released an official press statement on its page on Thursday, at about 5:30 pm.

The statement explains the hospitals position about the death of the patient, who had been in the hospital since May 24.

It reads in part,  it has been a horrible period for the management of Cynosure Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Clinics as we mourn the death of our dear client.

The client had surgery with it seven days ago.

The management wrote that the client was investigated correctly pre-surgery.

Her blood level was adequate, and her renal and liver function were normal.

According to the clinics statement, she was seen walking around, fully ambulatory. The clinic also claims to have shared the video where she was seen walking around with her family.

The clinic said she was due for discharge on the fourth day after the surgery.

It further stated, On the fourth day during the ward rounds, it was observed that she was systematically anaemic despite earlier attempts to prevent that, which included an initial blood transfusion on post-OP Day 2, which went successful without any incident.

According to the clinics report, she had a blood transfusion on Monday.

The clinic stated that the patient developed complications after the transfusion.

The clinic said, She suffered an infrequent acute blood transfusion reaction evidenced by the dark coloured urine produced and findings on chest examination.

According to the clinics report, she was promptly attended to with life-saving intervention and was observed to be clinically improving.

As the day progressed, she took a turn as her lung function was no longer clinically improving.

The clinic noted that the complication started on Tuesday and lasted till Wednesday when the patient died.

The clinic said they contacted the patients next of kin but could not reach her because of a wrongly copied phone contact.

However, the clinic broke the news to the patients family on Wednesday.

Authorities reactions

This paper contacted the Head of Public Relations at the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Ondaje Ijagwu, who said the commission is investigating the matter.

We just got the news today, and the commission is already investing in this matter, and we would let the public know about our findings, He said.

A similar incident occurred in November 2020, when Dr Anu Adepoju was suspended from the medical profession in Nigeria following multiple claims of malpractice and botched surgeries at her plastic surgery clinic, Med Contour.

Several women who went to Med Contour for cosmetic surgery complained about having complications that they still suffer. A particular patient was rushed to LUTH and eventually died after being operated upon by Dr Anu.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
Famous Nollywood actor and politician Yul Edochie has revealed why he married his on-screen lover, Judy Austin Muoghalu.

In April, the 40-year-old actor threw his fans, colleagues and social media into a frenzy after sharing pictures of his baby boy and new wife on his Instagram page.

The actor said it was high time the world met his son, Star Dike Munachimso Yul Edochie, whom he loves much as his other children.

However, the actor posted a nine-minute video on his Facebook page on Friday titled, Why I married a second wife.

He said: Its been an amazing period of my life; ever since the news that I married a second wife, it has been crazy.

The actor said he has been receiving calls and messages from fans worldwide since the controversy in his marriage broke out.

Yul, who started his acting career 17 years ago, said his fans, family and colleagues deserve to know why he married a second wife.

In the video, the father-of-four said he married a second wife because he could not let go of his colleague-turned-wife.

According to him, a man can love two women.

He also said he could not let go of her because of the impact she had made on his life

He said: At this stage in my life, I think it is possible for a man to love two women because two women can contribute differently to the mans life.

Someone cannot come into your life and make so much impact, and you just cannot let this person go. Of course, many people would say, as a married man, why did you allow a woman to come into your life. I said I was wrong and took the blame for that.

These things happen. Lets be honest. I realised that I could not let an incredible woman leave my life.

These are very wonderful women in town. They bring different things to the table. You can really love two women at the same time. I thought it was not possible, but now I realise that it is possible.

Yul married his first wife, May, at the young age of 22, in 2004, after dating for six years.

The couple celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary in October 2021.

Background

Judy and Yul started working together when she produced and played the lead role in the Native Girl cinema movie.

It was the first time she would direct or make a film. In the movie, she played the timid wife of Yul, an international businessman.

Aside from acting and directing, she also said Yul supported the project financially. She said it cost N4 million to produce the film.

In 2017, Oros luxurious French Fragrances unveiled the couple as brand ambassadors

Judy was in the habit of celebrating Yul on her page, but people assumed it was all about a junior colleague doing the needful for a superior.

The working relationship soon metamorphosed into marriage.

Amidst the drama currently ravaging Yuls marriage, his equally famous father Pete Edochie, through a statement written by his elder brother, has disassociated from Yuls second wife.

Yul, who graduated from the University of Port Harcourt, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Arts, followed in the footsteps of his father, a veteran Nigerian actor.

His brother, Uche, an accomplished Nigerian Postwar and Contemporary painter revealed that Yul informed them of his decision to marry a new wife, and they strongly advised him not to.

He also said the family is as shocked as Nigerians on social media.

Yul and May have four children- Three boys and a daughter. Their names are Danielle, Kambi, Karl, and Victory.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday, met with the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, and five governors of the ruling party.

The meeting, according to sources, started at about 7 p.m.

However, the identity of the governors is currently unknown.

The meeting took place in Aguda House, the official residence of the vice president.

Laolu Akande, the spokesperson to the Vice President, did not pick up calls placed to his number.

Mr Osinbajo is in the presidential race under the APC alongside 22 others with the special convention to elect a candidate fixed for June 6-8.

Over the week, the presidential race of the ruling party became intriguing after the meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari, APC governors and the national chairman of the party.

In keeping with the established internal policies of the Party and as we approach the Convention in a few days, therefore, I wish to solicit the reciprocity and support of the Governors and other stakeholders in picking my successor, who would fly the flag of our party for election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023, Mr Buhari had told the governors.

He departed for Spain on a state visit after the meeting.

On their part, the APC governors have held several meetings to deliberate on an ideal candidate but failed to reach an agreement so far.

Tinubus outburst

Earlier on Thursday, Bola Tinubu, a former Lagos State Governor and presidential aspirant of the APC, during a meeting with Ogun State delegates, narrated how Mr Osinbajo emerged as the vice president.

He said Mr Osinbajo, an indigene of the state, would not have emerged as the vice-presidential candidate in 2015 without his support.

This is me telling you between my life and God Almighty, Buhari called me to be his Vice President. He said because the first time he contested, he picked Okadigbo, a flamboyant Catholic, but Nigerians didnt vote for him.

The second time, he picked another Igbo, Ume-Ezeoke, Nigerians didnt vote for him. He knows that even if he goes to bring the Pope to run as his vice, Nigerians wont vote for him. So he said, you, Bola Tinubu, you have six governors, you have never lost an election before, come and be my vice.

He knew all the calculations then favoured us, that was why he wanted me as his vice, but I told him to let us build the party first.

I told them that I have a candidate that is a Christian that I can nominate so that the party will not break. That was how I nominated Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. I surrendered my right to him (Osinbajo).

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone its presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria if it hopes to retain the presidency in 2023.

Mr Akeredolu, who doubles as the chairman of the Southwest Governors Forum, was on Wednesday announced as the Chairman of Security and Compliance for the APC Special Convention. The convention, where the party will elect its presidential candidate, holds from June 6 to 8.

In a short message via his personal Facebook page on Thursday, the governor re-echoed the position of his colleagues in the Southern Nigeria Governors Forum that power should be rotated to the South.

He explained that the APC must be ready to rotate power so as to retain the presidency.

APC must work to retain power. We must rotate power to retain power!!! Rotate to the South. Shikena, he wrote.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Akeredolu and other APC governors from the South have insisted that the presidential candidate of the party should be from that part of the country.

This is despite President Muhammadu Buharis announcement to the governors that he should be supported to pick his successor. The president did not, however, name who he wanted as his successor.

Mr Buhari travelled to Spain immediately after his Tuesday meeting with the APC governors.

The governors have since been meeting among themselves to nominate candidates for the president to select from.

However, their meetings have been deadlocked, mainly over the issue of what part of the country the candidate should come from.

While some northern governors argue that only a northern candidate can defeat Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, the southern governors have unanimously insisted that the presidency should be zoned to the south.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
Union Bank Nigeria Plc has announced the dissolution of its board and a new chief executive officer.

The new CEO is Titan Trust Banks managing director, Mudassir Amray, according to a note to the Nigerian Exchange Limited.

The decisions came after Titan Bank concluded the takeover of Union Bank, Nigerias second oldest bank.

The bank has also appointed a new chairman and three directors.

They are Farouk Gumel, chairman, and Andrew Ojel, Abubakar Mohammed and Lawrence Mackombo, directors.

Titan Trust Bank purchased 93.4 per stake of Union Bank. With the new acquisition, 10 of 13 members of Union Bank have exited the company.

The appointment of Mr Amray will take effect from June 2.

Mudassir Amray

Mr Amray, a seasoned banker with well-rounded exposure of over 25 years in senior management roles, will replace Emeka Okonkwo.

Prior to being appointed the Chief Executive Officer for Union Bank, Mr Amray led the establishment of Titan Trust Bank Limited and Mr Amray became the Banks pioneer CEO in October 2019, the notice said.

Mr Mudassir holds an MBA from the University of Santo Tomas and a Bachelor of Commerce from National College, University of Karachi.

Farouk Gumel

Mr Gumel holds the position of Executive Group Director for TGI Group also, Chairman, Board of Directors at Wacot Rice Ltd, a subsidiary company of TGI Group, and Non Executive Chairman at the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).

Mr Gumel was a partner at PwC and Head the West African Advisory/Consulting business, covering Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Angola.

Mr Gumel holds a BSc. in Materials Technology (Leather) from the University of Northampton and an MSc, in Clean Technology from Newcastle University.

He is also a chartered accountant with Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, it said.

Andrew Ojel

Mr Ojel brings his over 21 years of experience in financial service as he sits as a director on the board of the company.

The Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and Fellow and Council Member of The Institute of Credit Administration of Nigeria was previously an Executive Director of Zenith Bank Plc in charge of Enterprise Risk Management.

Mr Ojel attended the University of Lagos where he obtained a BSc. in Accounting and the Enugu State University of Science and Technology for an MBA.

He has also attended courses at Wharton School of Business, Harvard Business School and Lagos Business School. He is also a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at INSEAD, the notice said.

Abubakar Mohammed

Mr Abubakar is an entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience managing and leading businesses across the country.

He serves as the Managing Director of Syndicated Investment limited, a construction firm, and Chairman/CEO of GP Impex Limited, a security, contracting and trading company.

Lawrence Mackombo

Mr Mackombo brings his 25 years of experience working on public and private projects in various capacities-design, construction, and community development to improve the banks productivity.

Mr Mackombo has a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Houston, Texas; an MSc in Real Estate Development from Columbia University, New York; and a Master of Architecture in History, Design and Theory from the University of Houston, it said.

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Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and his Anambra counterpart, Charles Soludo, have entered the frame as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, continues his search for a running mate.

Mr Abubakar won the PDP presidential primary at the national convention of the party held on Saturday in Abuja.

Mr Wike came second in the contest that involved 10 other candidates after Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal stepped down for Mr Atiku just before the delegates began voting.

The Rivers State governor was bitter over the manner of his loss, especially with the organisers of the convention for allowing Mr Tambuwal to announce his withdrawal after earlier taking his turn at the podium to canvas for votes from the delegates.

He stormed out of the convention after realising from the sorting of votes that he had lost and refused to congratulate the winner until after Atiku visited him at his Abuja residence on Monday.

Mr Wike returned the gesture on Wednesday by visiting Atiku at home in Abuja, just as the candidate intensified the search for his running mate for the 2023 election.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt on Thursday that Mr Wike is one of the four prospects to which Atiku has recently turned his searchlight.

According to our sources, some party leaders and associates of Atiku believe that having Mr Wike on the ticket would facilitate total reconciliation in the party and help the PDP to go into the election as a united party.

Atiku is obliged to pick a southerner as his running mate. Mr Wike is from the South-South region and drew strong support from many parts of the country in his failed bid for the ticket of the party.

Those pushing for his selection are referencing the structure he has built across the country as put to use at the primary, and also his deep pocket which they said would be a big asset for mounting a strong campaign for the election.

But some party leaders have continued to dissuade Atiku against picking Mr Wike, saying he lack the temperament, maturity and comportment for a vice presidential office.

However, some other party leaders have been rooting for Mr Soludo who only this year assumed office as Anambra State governor.

Although Mr Soludo was a member of the PDP for several years and served as economic adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo who later appointed him as the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, he was elected last year to his current job on the ticket of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

But those pushing for his nomination are arguing that, as an economist, he would be most suitable for the role of Chairman of the National Economic Council, a position assigned to the vice president by the Constitution.

They also argued that his professional knowledge and experience will be useful to the president and the country in rebuilding the economy, which they said will be one of the greatest tasks awaiting the next president.

They also believe that his nomination would appease the South-East and stem the growing animosity towards the PDP in the region for ignoring the agitation for Igbo presidency.

It is, however, not clear whether Mr Soludo was aware that his candidature was being canvassed and whether he would be willing to give up his job in Awka for a new one in Abuja.

He could not be reached to comment for this story. He did not answer multiple calls made to his known telephone number. He also has yet to reply to a message sent to him.

His nomination may also rile PDP leaders in his home South-East and expose him to the same hostility from among them as faced by one of his predecessors as Anambra governor, Peter Obi, after Atiku also nominated him as his running mate for the 2019 presidential election.

Mr Obi last week left the PDP after being screened for the partys presidential primary and has been nominated as the candidate of the Labour Party.

Atiku is also considering the duo of Governors Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State as he frantically seeks a running mate.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
PREMIUM TIMES has obtained fresh details of how a former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, allegedly conspired with embattled Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, in an alleged N84 billion fraud currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Investigators looking into the case are also scrutinising disclosures that Mr Yari spent at least $700,000 of the N20billion he received from the problematic deal on a recent trip to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj.

Messrs Idris and Yari are being investigated for allegedly diverting N84 billion in public funds between February 2021 and November 2021. The former accountant-general was released on bail on Wednesday night while Mr Yari remains in detention as his interrogation continues.

Those familiar with the matter have now told PREMIUM TIMES that the diverted funds were part of the 13% derivation funds meant for payment to eight oil-producing states.

But rather than use officials at his office to compute payments due to each of the nine states, Mr Idris allegedly awarded an N84 billion consultancy to a certain Gbenga Akindele, said to be the managing director of Westgate Projects Limited.

In executing what anti-graft officials described as high-wired fraud, Mr Idris colluded with Mr Yari, some officials of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and some officials of the affected states who combined to share the corrupt proceeds of the bogus consultancy.

Our sources said after Mr Akindele was paid N84 billion for the suspicious consultancy, he proceeded to distribute it to his backers.

PREMIUM TIMES cannot immediately reach Mr Akindele for comment as his company does not appear to have an official website.

Also, an Internet search for the firms social media accounts or those of its workers was unsuccessful as the company has nearly zero digital footprints.

But findings showed that the firm is not a stranger to Nigerias contracting system.

In fact, Mr Akindeles Westgate Project Limited was one of those invited in 2016 by the House of Representatives during investigations into some failed railway contracts.

Sharing of the Money: Yari and Co.

According to sources, Mr Akindele kept one per cent of the money to himself while passing N22 billion to the accountant-general.

Mr Yari reportedly got N20 billion while some officials of RMAFC received N16billion. A yet-unknown amount of money was passed to some officials of the affected states.

Our sources said investigators are trying to determine that some top former and current officials of government also benefited from the loot.

Mr Yari received his own share of the money through one Anthony Yaro, said to be affiliated with an Abuja-based company, Finex Professionals Services. Officials of the EFCC believe Mr Yaro fronted for the ex-governor.

Meanwhile, investigators said Mr Yari spent $700,000, which amounts to N290 million of his own loot, on flights, hotels and other miscellaneous costs for this years lesser hajj to Saudi Arabia.

The former Zamfara Governor reportedly travelled to Middle Eastern country with tens of aides and cronies for the religious event, EFCC sources familiar with the investigation said.

However, the spokesperson for Mr Yari, Mayowa Oluwabiyi, declined to comment for this story when contacted on Thursday by our reporter.

Since the EFCC is still investigating the matter, I would not speak further, Mr Mayowa said.

This newspaper reported how EFCC agents arrested Mr Yari, a former chairperson of the Nigeria Governors Forum, on Sunday at his residence in Abuja.

The former governor was nabbed a few days after he won APCs ticket for Zamfara West senatorial election scheduled to hold next year.

Mr Yari: A regular EFCC customer

Mr Yari came under EFCC lenses again about a year after he was repeatedly held and questioned by the anti-graft agency over allegations he diverted billions in Zamfara funds kept in a bank.

Mr Yari was governor of Zamfara State, an impoverished Nigerias northwestern state, between 2007 and 2019. Under his reign, terrorist outlaws, commonly called bandits, started ravaging communities.

Mr Yaris arrest on Sunday comes barely two months after he faced several hours of questioning by the agencys operatives over corruption allegations in February.

PREMIUM TIMES reported in February that Mr Yari faced a long interrogation session with detectives at the Lagos office of the EFCC over an alleged attempt to illegally move N300 billion from a corporate account in a new generation bank.

13 per cent derivation fund

Since Nigerias Fourth Republic began in 1999, the eight oil and gas producing states have received over N9 trillion under the derivation principle sanctioned by the nations constitution.

The Nigerian constitution stipulates the payment of 13 per cent of oil revenue from the Federation Account to the states as a derivation fund.

In the last three years (2018-2020), in total, the oil-producing states have received N1.5 trillion from the Federation Account under the derivation principle, a PREMIUM TIMES analysis of data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed.

The analysis, however, reveals that intervention activities and physical developments in the oil-producing communities do not reflect the derivation fund received by their states due to mismanagement of funds.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Screening Committee has disqualified 10 presidential aspirants of the party.

The Chairman of the committee, John Odigie-Oyegun, disclosed this on Friday while submitting its report to the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu.

He did not, however, disclose the names of the aspirants disqualified.

The committee screened the 23 presidential aspirants on Monday and Tuesday.

Mr Oyegun disclosed that all the aspirants passed the basic constitution requirement, however, the panel had to shortlist some aspirants.

He applauded the youth that participated in the process, stating that the panel was very impressed with their performances.

And on that basis (Constitution) every single member or aspirant that presented himself qualified because it was basic and simple. But we are in the governing party and we are keen on continuing the process of replacingat a proper timeour president with another member of the party.

It is on that basis that we made our final shortlist. I dont want to read the names which I think would leave to you (Chairman) but we have a shortlist. We brought the number severely down to 13.

We could have cut it a little shorter but we wanted deliberately the younger elements to surface for them to be seen, for them to be noticed and no noise. We would hand them over to the party and it is for the party to decide whom their candidate will be.

Consensus candidate

Mr Oyegun disclosed that 22 aspirants agreed with the consensus arrangement, except one of the aspirants, who insisted that it must be either him or a contested primary.

We engaged every aspirant on the issue of consensus and it was a pleasant surprise that 99 per cent agreed that the party is supreme and whatever the party finally decides, with proper consultations, they were likely to accept. There is only one person that said I will accept consensus as long as it is based on me.

So, I think it is a point I need to emphasise on it. That gives you a way in the hours ahead to trim down even more drastically. But finally, we think we should not be afraid of the contested primary if anybody insists on the contest, he said.

Those screened were a former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu; a cleric, Tunde Bakare; Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa; former governor of Ogun, Ibikunle Amosun; former governor of Zamfara, Sani Yerima and Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of Transportation.

Others were a former Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; Felix Nicholas, a pastor; the only female presidential aspirant, Uju Ken-Ohanenye; a senator, Ajayi Boroffice; former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani and Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State.

The governor of Cross Rivers State, Ben Ayade; Senate President Ahmad Lawan; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State; Tein Jack-Rich; former Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu; former Minister of Information, Ikeobasi Mokelu; former Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, were also screened.

Aspirants with challenges during screening

During its assignment, the committee received a petition against Mr Tinubu over discrepancies in his educational qualification.

Sagir Mai Iyali had asked the screening committee to disqualify the former governor of Lagos, Bola Tinubu, from the presidential race.

Mr Iyali, who claimed to be a member of APC Kano, wrote a petition dated May 17 and addressed it to the National Chairman of the APC, Abdulahi Adamu.

Also, a former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, attended the screening while under investigation over misappropriation of funds.

Mr Okorocha almost missed the screening as he was in EFCC custody until his N500 million bail was perfected.

Mr Okorocha moved to the venue of the screening directly from EFCC custody after he was granted bail.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
A presidential aspirant of Nigerias ruling party. APC, reportedly told the partys screening committee that he would only accept the option of a consensus candidate if he is the one selected.

John Odigie-Oyegun, the chairperson of the screening committee, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja Friday.

All the other 22 presidential aspirants reportedly agreed to the consensus candidacy option if there was proper consultation.

We engaged every aspirant on the issue of consensus and it was a pleasant surprise that 99 per cent agreed that the party is supreme and whatever the party finally decides, with proper consultation, they were likely to accept.

There is only one person that said I will accept consensus as long as it is based on me.

So, I think it is a point I need to emphasize on it. That gives you a way in the hours ahead to trim down even more drastically. But finally, we think we should not be afraid of the contested primary if anybody insists on the contest, the committee chairman said.

Mr Odigie-Oyegun did not mention the aspirant who took the stance although some Nigerians would believe it is the former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu.

Mr Tinubu and his supporters have repeatedly insisted on a transparent primary exercise to elect the APC presidential candidate.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Tinubu, on Thursday, elaborated on the reason he believes it is his turn to be Nigerias president on the APC platform. He outlined his contributions to the party and how he helped President Muhammadu Buhari to power.

Mr Tinubus comments came a few days after President Buhari told APC governors that he wanted to pick his successor.

At his press briefing on Friday, Mr Odigie-Oyegun also said his committee disqualified 10 APC presidential aspirants. He, however, did not name those his committee disqualified.

Details later

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
The member representing Sandamu/Daura/Maiadua Federal Constituency in Katsina, Fatuhu Muhammad, has threatened to destroy the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and then join the New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP as a protest against the injustice meted out to him during the just concluded primary elections of his party.

Mr Muhammad, a nephew to President Muhammadu Buhari, was defeated by Aminu Jamo. Mr Jamo got 117 while Mr Muhammadu got 30 votes.

In a phone conversation that has now gone viral, Mr Muhammad threatened to reclaim his stolen ticket or leave the party.

In the six minutes, twenty-two seconds audio reviewed by PREMIUM TIMES, the lawmaker was heard telling someone he referred to as Ranka ya dade, (meaning: Sir) that he would destroy APC in Katsina State.

He said he was not going to participate in a fresh election if the party decides to do one as he is the rightful winner of the primary election held last week.

They cant do any election (primary) because I won this one while they broke the law. They should just give me back my ticket, or we meet in court or else I destroy the party and bring a new one (party), he said.

I can even go and bring the party with fruits (NNPP) and they will just see Kwankwaso party in Daura. Yes, I can do it because everyone is fighting for himself. They should come and tell the poor people what they have done for them. Ill also say what Ive done for the poor people and well see who the (poor) will go for, he said.

Mr Muhammad said he would destroy the party not only in the presidents home town, Daura but the state in general.

I swear, Ill destroy the APC in Katsina state because as its now, in Funtua and other places, Nura Khalil (NNPP governorship aspirant) and his people are waiting for me but I asked them to wait for a little. Why then should I allow anyone to frustrate me in my ancestral home? If its a monarchy system, who would take over from the president if not me because Im from the fathers side.

Some of them that are not even related to him (President Buhari) in the real sense cant come and be claiming they are the real Buhari people here just because were shying away from addressing them as who they are, he said.

While assuring the other speaker at the other end that he (Mr Muhammad) would not be violent in reclaiming his ticket, he said he is nobodys political boy and therefore cant be coerced into abandoning his ticket.

He, however, didnt explain how he was robbed of the ticket by those he described as his enemies in the phone conversation.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
Obinna Igbokwe, a Nigerian man, on Thursday committed suicide after shooting his wife, Tangela, and grandmother in Texas, USA, reports have said.

According to Independent UK, the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office, in a release, said Mr Igbokwe shot the two women and left home with his three-month-old son, after getting into an argument about custody on Wednesday.

He later dropped the infant off in a hotel where the police found him.

Though the wife is critically injured and hospitalised, her grandmother died from the injury.

When the police was alerted of his presence in the area, the suspect shot himself and died from the injury.

A statement from the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office on Thursday read, On June 2, 2022, at about 12:00 am Detectives with the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office were contacted by the Corsicana Police Department and advised they had Mansa Igbokwe in their care.

According to the Corsicana Police Department, a male dropped off the child in a car seat at a local hotel and said he would be right back, but never returned.

Since the male did not return, the Corsicana Police Department was contacted and learned the male left in a white passenger car, which they believed to be Igbokwe.

Additional alerts were sent out to local Ellis and Navarro County law enforcement agencies alerting them that Igbokwe was in the area.

Chiamaka Okafor is a reporter at PREMIUM TIMES in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
The Ondo State government on Thursday said that its Free School Shuttle Bus Scheme was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the free shuttle buses were used to convey pupils of public primary and secondary schools to and from schools in the state to reduce the amount parents spend on the transportation of their wards.

The free shuttle bus project was initiated by the immediate past administration of Olusegun Mimiko in 2012 to ease the movements of the pupils across the 18 local government areas of the state.

Tobi Ogunleye, Special Adviser on Transport to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who stated this at a news conference in Akure, explained that the scheme was not cancelled.

Mr Ogunleye also said the buses were not used for the political ambition of Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, the wife of the state governor, as being speculated in some quarters.

We suspended it as a result of the pandemic in 2020 because the government could not afford the conditions by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The NCDC asked us to reduce the number per bus from 100 to 30 students boarding the bus. This is not economically wise; no responsible government can sustain that.

The NCDC also said that we should be fumigating the buses at least four times in a week.

They said that disposable nose masks should be provided for the students. When we weighed the options, we decided to suspend the scheme.

We did not disband it; we did not cancel it and we did not move the buses to Imo State as being speculated or rumoured.

You can see them(buses) in our premises. They were 90 buses but four were burnt during the EndSARS crisis at Okitipupa.

The buses cannot be used for other purposes nor being commercialised, he said.

Mr Ogunleye noted that the state government would reintroduce the scheme with a stipend to be paid by beneficiaries.

We are trying to reintroduce it but we cannot just jump into it. The last meeting we had with Parents Teachers Association (PTA), N100 was agreed to be paid by each beneficiary to and fro because the scheme cannot be sustained free any longer.

But with the economic reality of today, N100 cannot sustain the scheme. Price of diesel has jumped up. That is why we will have a robust and holistic meeting with stakeholders next week, to decide on a realistic fee.

We will still do a thorough overhauling of the buses and other work because they have been there for almost two years.

The new innovation cant bring hardship to anybody. We are not wicked nor mischievous. We have not sold any of them nor being given to any other purpose, he said.

According to him, the scheme is not a right but a privilege.

Mr Ogunleye said that the reintroduced scheme would cut across 18 local government areas of the state.

(NAN)

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
The Labour Party (LP) in Ekiti has described Tuesdays defection by its former Caretaker Chairman, Banji Omotosho, as an attempt to distract the partys attention from the June 18 governorship election.

Mr Omotosho and some members of the party defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday.

Reacting to the defection, LPs secretary, Vincent Adesua, stated in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday that the story about it was misleading.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Omotosho had listed chairmen and secretaries of LP in the 16 local government areas of the state as those who defected with him.

Mr Adesua advised the defectors to stop parading themselves as former LP members.

He added that Mr Omotosho was appointed as the Caretaker Chairman, but seized to occupy the seat since January 2021 when the partys headquarters terminated his appointment on January 14, 2021.

Mr Adesua described the defectors as mere meddlers sponsored to distract the LP and the general public from the partys political ideologies.

He stated that the party was strategising and campaigning for Gbenga Daramola and his running mate, Ibrahim Onile, toward the June 18 governorship election.

Mr Adesua warned that if the alleged impersonation by Mr Omotosho and others were not checked, the party might be forced to apply legal means to redress the issue.

He noted that their defection was announced on the eve of the presidential primaries of the party at Asaba, where LP stakeholders across the country picked a candidate to fly its flag in 2023.

He also refuted Mr Omotoshos claim that he left the LP with all the 16 local government chairmen and secretary and other executive members.

He added that those Mr Omotosho listed were in Asaba as delegates to elect the partys presidential candidate.

Mr Adesua stated that the LP had come to stay and no amount of campaign of calumny would distract the principles of the party under the national chairmanship of Julius Abure.

He urged party members and the general public to discountenance Mr Omotoshos claim of defection, but to continue with their campaign moves to ensure victory for the party at the governorship election.

Reacting to the statement, Mr Omotosho insisted that he had left the party with his loyalists and nothing would change their stand.

(NAN)

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A Jigawa State High Court sitting in Birnin Kudu has sentenced Ibrahim Abdullahi to life imprisonment for sodomising a six-year-old schoolboy in Dutse, the states capital.

The court also sentenced another person, Aliyu Suleiman, to life imprisonment for raping a 12-year-old girl in Birniwa Local Government Area.

The spokesperson of the states Ministry of Justice, Zainab Baba-Santali, stated this in a statement on Friday.

Mrs Baba-Santali said Mr Abdullahi, 27, a resident of Garu community in Dutse, committed the crime in February 2021.

The judge, Musa Ubale, on Thursday, found Mr Abdullahi guilty of sodomy punishable under section 284 of the penal code cap.P3 Laws of Jigawa State 2012 (as amended), the statement said.

Mrs Baba-Santali said Mr Abdullahi was found to have lured the little boy (name withheld) on his way to school to his house, and forcefully violated him through anal sex.

Subsequently, the official said while the victims teacher was passing by, he saw the victim in an abnormal movement and the suspect was coming out of his room trying to tie his trouser.

Mrs Baba-Santala said the schools management became suspicious, and upon enquiry, the victim narrated what the defendant (suspect) did to him.

She said the suspect was later arrested and the matter was investigated and was thus charged with the offence of sodomy.

In his effort to prove the charge, the state counsel Yahaya Abdullahi Esq (Deputy Director Citizens Right) for the prosecution, called four witnesses, tendered two exhibits (statement of the defendant and medical report) and finally closed his case.

While the defendant testified in his own defence and called two other witnesses who also testified for him then closed his case. Both counsels filed written addresses at the conclusion of the trial.

The Court while delivering its judgment held that, the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, thereby convicted and sentenced the convict to life imprisonment, the official statement said.

Meanwhile, in a similar incident, Mrs Baba-Santala said the states High Court sitting at Hadejia presided by Ado Yusuf,

on 31st May, sentenced Mr Suleiman to life imprisonment for raping a 12-year-old girl (names withheld).

Mr Suleiman, 22, is from Bakin Kasuwa Birniwa Town and was found guilty of the offence of rape punishable under Section 283 of the Penal Code Law of Jigawa State, the statement said.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
Godswill Akpabio, a presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has promised to transform Nigeria to enviable heights if given the partys ticket and eventually emerged as the president in 2023.

Mr Akpabio, a former Governor of Akwa Ibom and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, made the promise on Friday while addressing the APC delegates from Oyo State APC in Ibadan.

Mr Akpabio was received by Teslim Folarin (APC-Oyo Central) and the state governorship candidate of the party and the state executive members led by the Chairman, Isaac Omodewu.

On Thursday, Mr Folarin told another APC presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu, that all the delegates from the state belong to him.

Mr Akpabio said his little effort transformed Akwa-Ibom into an enviable state, adding such was his vision for a greater Nigeria.

The aspirant recounted his achievements as the governor of Akwa-Ibom and Minister of Niger Delta, saying that replication of such in Nigeria would put the country in good stead.

My little effort in Akwa-Ibom as a governor transformed the state into an enviable state among states in Nigeria. These efforts in Akwa-Ibom cut across all sectors.

I followed the footprint of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo on education by declaring free education in Akwa-Ibom.

I spent N100 per term per child in the primary and N300 per term per child in the secondary, he said.

The former governor, while acknowledging the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari- led administration on security, pledged to tackle insecurity if given the mandate.

I will involve the traditional institution and other relevant stakeholders in achieving this.

We must give traditional rulers and other stakeholders roles to play in tackling insecurity, he said.

Mr Akpabio said he would ensure national integration and promotion of moral ethos toward fostering unity, as well as discipline in the country.

According to him, I remain a Nigerian and hope to bequeath Nigeria to my children.

The presidential aspirant urged the delegates to consider integrity, credentials, antecedents, and achievements in picking the partys presidential candidate.

Aliyu Modibbo, a former minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said the choice of who becomes the president of the country was very important.

Mr Modibbo said it was important because there is the need to enthrone people with electoral value and vast experience like Akpabio.

He said Mr Akpabio was one of the most experienced of the aspirants, having served as a commissioner, senator, minister, and governor.

In his remarks, Mr Folarin said he had asked Mr Akpabio to visit Oyo State delegates in Ibadan.

We have 99 delegates, the third-highest in the country, so those who need our votes come here to see us.

For us, those aspirants who are wooing delegates through newspapers are not serious.

Among all the aspirants from outside South-West who have visited us, we will support you, he said.

NAN reports that Mr Akpabio was accompanied by former Governor Garba Umar of Taraba; Garba Audu, a retired General; and Sylvester Okonkwo.

(NAN)

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
A group, the Goodluck Nigeria Ambassadors (GNA), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to make former President Goodluck Jonathan the consensus candidate of the ruling party.

The group made this known during a procession at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja on Friday.

Mr Jonathan neither participated in the screening exercise of the party nor submitted the presidential nomination forms procured in his name.

During the screening exercise earlier in the week, Mr Jonathan was in Milan, Italy, attending a high-level advisory board meeting of the European Corporate Council on Africa and the Middle East (ECAM Council).

The party screened 23 aspirants and barring any last-minute changes, it will hold its presidential primary from June 6 to 8.

Umar Waja, one of the coordinators of the group, dismissed the just concluded screening of the 23 presidential aspirants of the party, stating that what matters most is the adoption of Mr Jonathan by Mr Buhari.

Mr President has made it clear that as far the governors are concerned, they have adopted their own concept of bringing out their successors. So they should also allow him to bring his successor. Th.at is why we want Mr President to bring in Jonathan as the consensus candidate.

At this crucial time, we know Jonathan will lead this country very well. If Jonathan is the consensus candidate, he will win the election convincingly.

Mr Waja added that the ex-president has a lot to offer the country.

We saw what he did during the last six years when he was piloting the affairs of this country. We need him at this crucial time because Nigeria needs to be united and we believe that he will be the only person that will unite this country so that he will take us to the promised land where we ought to be and where we should be, he said.

Since President Muhammadu Buhari told governors that we will pick his successor, different groups have been pushing for different aspirants.

Also, governors have been meeting to find a suitable candidate they can present to the president.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has approved the reappointment of Ibrahim Kashim, as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) with immediate effect.

This was contained in a statement by Mukhtar Gidado, special adviser on media and publicity to the governor, on Thursday in Bauchi.

According to Mr Gidado, the reappointment of Mr Kashim was informed by his track record of sincerity, commitment and experience in the discharge of responsibilities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the development came a few days after Mr Kashim relinquished his governorship ambition on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) citing personal reasons.

Mr Kashim had earlier resigned his position, joined the PDP governorship race and won the partys primaries with 655 votes while Mr Mohammed sought the presidential ticket of the party.

As a sequel to the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as PDPs presidential candidate, the governor returned to the state to seek re-election for a second term in the upcoming 2023 general elections.

The PDP subsequently fixed June 4 for a fresh governorship primary election with Mr Mohammed as the sole aspirant.

(NAN)

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
The governor of Borno State, Babaganda Zulum, has asked his supporters to ignore the critical comment about his administration made by the governorship candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mohammed Ali Jajeri, saying he is a nobody.

In a report published by PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday, Mr Jajeri accused Mr Zulum of running a nepotic government where contracts are awarded to only cronies and family members.

Reacting to the development, Isa Gusau, the spokesperson of the governor, said neither he nor his principal would honour the oppositions candidate. Mr Gusau described Mr Jajeri as an unknown governorship candidate.

Mr Gusau said the governors supporters should resist the temptation of responding to any of the spurious allegations coming from an unknown governorship candidate (UGC) of the PDP in Borno State.

Let me as always, start by once again conveying Governor Babagana Umara Zulums profound gratitude to every one of you using social media platforms to consistently promote the developmental activities of the state government. You share in Professor Zulums undivided efforts to speed up Bornos ongoing recovery from the catastrophic impact of over 12 years of insurgency.

As you may have observed, in recent days, an unknown governorship candidate of the PDP in Borno State has been granting all sorts of political interviews, releasing a series of political articles targeting Governor Zulum ahead of the 2023 governorship election.

On the surface, it would seem that the unknown governorship candidate wants to square up but from our experiences with such personalities, the man simply wants us to respond so that he will eventually become popular.

Fact is that he is not quite known even within the PDP stakeholders in Borno State, Mr Gusau said.

Mr Gusau said he has been involved in politics in the state for more than 18 years but has never heard of Mr Jajeri. He said even members of the PDP did not know their governorship candidate.

From my inquiry, many stakeholders of the PDP in Borno State, still do not know the man (Jajeri).

He is an unknown governorship candidate. A UGC.

Apparently, the man has realized this and is doing everything possible to attract our media reactions, hoping to gain from Zulums God-given publicity that is both nationwide and global.

The unknown governorship candidate (UGC) wants us to respond to his spurious allegations to make him popular.

He then asked the supporters of the governor to be focused and continue highlighting the achievement of his principal rather than responding to Mr Jajeri.

Focus your energy and time towards continued highlighting of Zulums developmental activities that are touching lives.

Mr Gusau said even if they feel compelled to respond, he instructed them to simply showcase videos and photos of relevant schools with evidence of locations.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, slated August 29 for judgement in a suit seeking to extradite Abba Kyari to the United States of America to face fraud charges.

Nigerias Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, filed the extradition proceedings against Mr Kyari, seeking the courts approval to surrender him to the United States government.

Mr Kyari, a suspended deputy commissioner of police, is wanted by the American government over pending fraud charges filed against him and others at the Central District Court of Central District of California.

U.S. prosecutors accuse him of complicity in the $1.1million international fraud spearheaded by Abbas Ramon, popularly known as Hushpuppi. Hushpuppi is a former Nigerian Instagram celebrity, who now awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to the scam and other criminal activities.

Closing arguments

After taking final arguments from lawyers to the federal government and Mr Kyari, on Friday, the judge, Inyang Ekwo, said judgement will be delivered in the case on August 29.

Earlier, Mr Kyaris lawyer, Nureni Jimoh, asked the court to refuse the extradition request on the grounds that he committed no offence to warrant the Nigerian government to ferry him to the U.S.

I know as a fact that the specified offences are of a political character and were in fact made for the purpose of prosecuting and punishing the Respondent on account of his race, nationality and was not made in good faith nor in the interest of justice, the defence lawyer said.

Mr Jimoh, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), informed the judge that more than a year before Mr Kyaris arrest, he had written the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police, notifying them that he had opened a channel of communication with a suspected Internet fraudster, Ramon Abass.

In the two separate letters tendered in court, the defence lawyer, explained that the purpose of opening the communication line with Hushpuppi was to give confidence to the suspected fraudster and lure him to come to Nigeria where an ambush was already laid for a sting operation by Mr Kyaris strike force.

The request for the extradition is not supported by any document or verifiable evidence, the lawyer argued.

The request is directed to undermine the crackdown on various crime gangs by the Respondent in Nigeria and internationally and has political undertone.

The request is for purposes of persecuting or punishing the Respondent on account of his defence for the country.

The Respondent is confronted with series of charges to break him down because of his achievements and various National honours. A copy of the charge framed against the Respondent by the NDLEA is herewith attached as Exhibit 2.

The offences are trumped up and the Respondent is seriously committed to defending himself.

The Application for extradition processes clearly shows allegation of crimes committed on Nigeria soil. A copy of the alleged charge framed against the Respondent by the US Government is herewith attached as Exhibit 3.

The Respondent has undergone administrative inquiry which is still ongoing and has not been completed to date on the same matter.

Mr Jimoh informed the court that American authorities once commended his client (Mr Kyari) with the zeal and professionalism he was exhibiting in the battle against Internet crime.

The respondent (Mr Kyari) has equally been decorated by the US Authorities

The Respondent is a Deputy Commissioner of Police in the employment of the Nigeria Police who is highly decorated with meritorious service/excellent awards for outstanding service to the nation and has nowhere to run to.

He further told the court that the wire fraud charge brought against Mr Kyari by the American government is not known as an offence under Extradition Act and therefore, should not be allowed by the court to be used to extradite him.

Having regards to all the circumstances thereof, it will be unjust, oppressive and improper to surrender the Respondent to the USA.

We also further submit that the alleged extradition offences are not listed and cannot be imported into it. For any offences to be extradition offences, it must carry the twin head of being listed in the extradition Treaty and has similar or analogous offence in Nigeria, he contended.

Nigerian govt counters Mr Kyaris defence

But, the federal governments lawyer, Pius Akuta, urged the court to disregard Mr Kyaris arguments.

Mr Akuta said that conditions precedent for extradition have been met by the American government with the filing of charge against Mr Kyari and a formal application that he be brought to America to establish his guilt or innocence in his indictment for Internet fraud.

In a court document, the AGF said his office was in receipt of Extradition request vide a diplomatic channel for the extradition of the respondent fugitive wanted to stand trial in the USA.

That the AGF is satisfied that there is no bar to the extradition application.

The federal governments lawyer argued that Mr Kyaris separate, ongoing trial for drug trafficking in Nigeria would not stop the court from approving his extradition.

Mr Akuta explained that surrending Mr Kyari to the U.S. government could be postponed by the AGF till the conclusion of his trial in Nigeria.

In conclusion, this Honourable Court is respectfully urged to resolve that the Applicant has placed suffficient material before this Honourobte Court to grant the application for extradition order and the extradition of the fugitive and his remand to await the Surrender Order of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation at determination of the criminal charge against him, the court paper revealed.

Background

The case seeks to extradite Mr Kyari at the request of the American government to face trial in his indictment in Internet fraud masterminded by Hushpoppi.

The suit, titled: Application for the Extradition of Abba Kyari to the U.S., was dated and filed on March 2.

Mr Kyari was the head of the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

The application was filed under the Extradition Act, as part of the Nigerian governments approval of the request by the U. S. for Mr Kyaris extradition.

Meanwhile, Mr Kyari, while on suspension over his alleged roles in the Hushpuppi case, was indicted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a 25kg cocaine deal earlier this year.

The formerly celebrated police officer and four members of his police unit, who are being held at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, pleaded not guilty to the drug-related charges.

But two other men Chibuna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne accused of importing the illegal drug into Nigeria through the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, in January, have pleaded guilty.

On March 14, the judge, Emeka Nwite, also of the Federal High Court in Abuja, turned down the bail application filed by Mr Kyari and others.

U.S. extradition request

Earlier, the Diplomatic Representative of the U.S. Embassy in Abuja had in its request to Mr Malami, noted that a warrant for Mr Kyaris arrest issued by a U.S. District Court remains valid and executable to apprehend Kyari.

According to the request, On April 29, 2021, based on the indictment filed by the grand jury and with the approval of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, a deputy clerk of the court issued a warrant of arrest for Kyari.

The arrest warrant remains valid and executable to apprehend Kyari for the crimes with which he is charged in the indictment.

Kyari is wanted to stand trial in the United States for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, and identity theft.

Kyari is the subject of an indictment in case Number 2:21-cr-00203 (also referred to as 2:21-MJ-00760 and 2:21-CR-00203-RGK), filed April 29, 2021, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Mr Kyari, along with five other defendants, face three charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.

U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) alleged that Mr Kyari and co-conspirators were part of a scheme spearheaded by Hushpuppi to defraud a businessperson in Qatar between November 2019 and April 2020.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
The Nigerian government spent $13 million on bitumen imports in 2020 despite the nations huge deposits, the director-general of the Mining Cadastre Office, Simon Nkom, has said.

Mr Nkom disclosed this at the ongoing Nigeria-Africa Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit in Abuja on Thursday.

Nigeria is blessed with 42.47 billion metric tonnes of bitumen reserves yet untapped, he said.

Bitumen is located in Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa. Despite being blessed with this Natural mineral in abundance, Nigeria spent $13 million on importation in 2020.

Bitumen is a black viscous mixture of hydrocarbons obtained naturally or as residue from petroleum distillation. It is used for road surfacing, roofing, adhesives, and insulation and is found in Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Edo States.

After repeatedly failing in the past to harness its bitumen reserves, the government in April announced it would grant concessions of bitumen blocks to prospective local and international companies in a bid to end the importation of the mineral deposit in the country.

It consequently appointed PriceWaterhouseCoopers as its transaction advisor in November 2021.

Untapped Resources

Mr Ikom said on Thursday that Nigeria is ranked 6th in global bitumen deposit as demand for the mineral in Nigeria is high due to high road construction.

Nigeria has more than 160, 000 kilometres of roads to be tarred while only 60,000 are already tarred, he added.

He noted that the current global bitumen market was $42 billion and could increase to $66 billion by 2027 due to its high demand.

This shows that there will be a rise in the value of the bitumen market by 2027, that is why Nigeria should look into bitumen exploration that will bring development to the country.

Nigeria can conserve its foreign exchange when it starts exploration on the mineral and this will bring a boost to our economy, he said.

Also speaking at the event, Cyril Azobu, the Partner/Mining Leader, PriceWaterhouseCooper said Nigeria is endowed with a good quality of untapped bitumen.

Bitumen is a big demand all over the world, Nigeria can serve as a hub for local supply of bitumen or asphalt for export in sub-Saharan to other countries, he said.

The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, issued a letter of award on November 11, 2021, to PwC to act as its Transaction Advisor and Programme Manager for the concession of the bitumen block to potential investors.

Programmes had been lined up for the successful take for bitumen concession to the right investors, noting that hopefully it will be concluded before the end of this year.

He added that the ministry in collaboration with PwC will embark on a sensitisation workshop and an investor conference will be held soon to ensure judicious exploitation of the nations bitumen deposits.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
Former Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Ben Nwoye, Friday, said he withdrew his governorship ambition and returned over N73 million donations to his supporters ahead of the partys governorship primary.

The former APC chairman stated this while speaking on, Political Voice, a programme on Dream FM radio station in Enugu.

I was supposed to run for governor. Do you know that I received a little over N73 million from people who wanted me to run?

I even got N5,000 from a young entrepreneur based in Nsukka to contribute for me to buy the N50 million form. Even retired principals, retired teachers sent money to me to buy form and run, he said.

Mr Nwoye, however, said he withdrew from the race and decided to return the money to the individuals who had donated the money to support his governorship ambition in the state.

He said the decision was based on his realisation that the outcome of the governorship primary had been decided by the party leadership before it was held, describing it as a pre-determined contest.

But at the end of the day, I found out that there was a candidate that was already pre-crown. Even though I got about N75 million donated by people, I said No. In good conscience, I cannot do it (run for governorship) because it was not going to be a contest.

Yes, it is not my money. People donated money to me. I said I was going to return the money to them and I did. Even people from the United States, who thought I should run, I returned all their money. Yesterday, I returned the last batch of it.

There was no contest because someone said he has a friend in Enugu State and was going to anoint his friend to become the next governor of Enugu State and he has all the money to do it. I cannot compete to be governor. I cant, he explained.

Like other political parties in Enugu State, the APC elected Uche Nnaji as its candidate during the partys governorship primary.

Mr Nnaji, a consensus candidate, was the sole contestant in the exercise.

Abuses: Apology to Chimaroke, Ekweremadu, others

Mr Nwoye condemned alleged verbal attacks and abuses on some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu, by the Chairman of APC in the state, Ugochukwu Agballah.

Mr Agballah had, during a press conference, accused a former governor of Enugu State and lawmaker, representing Enugu East District in the Nigerian Senate, Chimaroke Nnamani, of masterminding the emergence of Peter Mbah, the PDP governorship candidate, as a grand plan to indirectly take over the affairs of the state.

Describing Mr Mbah as a political protege of the former governor, Mr Agballah claimed that Mr Nnamanis previous reign as governor was fraught with sadness, tragedy, and brutalisation of Enugu people vowing that he would foil the ploy to foist what he termed Ebeano political dynasty in the state.

The APC chairman was also said to have made scathing remarks against a former deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu and other PDP leaders in the state.

But Mr Nwoye said the verbal attacks on the PDP leaders were appalling and did not represent the partys ideology and were not the right way of putting up an opposition that will attract people from other political parties.

I sincerely apologise to former governor, Chimaroke Nnamani, for the abuses rained (on him) by Ugo Agballah. I apologise to Ike Ekweremadu. The abuses meted out to him were undeserving. And also, apologise to Peter Mbah. We dont attack (other candidates). We sell our own candidates, Mr Nwoye stated.

He appealed to Mr Agballah to desist from foul language and emulate his (Mr Nwoyes) use of right words when he was the party chairman which resulted in the defection of a former governor, Sullivan Chime, and other high-profile politicians into the party in the state.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
The mercy of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) for his Ummah (nation) was to an extent that he preferred them over himself in the answered supplication that Allah gave him as He the Exalted gave other Prophets before him. He did not limit this supplication to himself and he included his Ummah (nation).

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation. May the salutations of Allah, His peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet, his family, his companions and his true and sincere followers until the Last Day  then to proceed:

Dear servants of Allah! I advise you and myself to have Taqwa (consciousness of Allah), for there is no salvation on the Day of Resurrection except through it. Allah the Most High says:

And Allah will deliver those who are conscious of Him to their places of success (Paradise). Evil shall touch them not, nor shall they grieve. [Quran, 39:61]

He Almighty also says:

He has decreed upon Himself mercy. He will surely assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. [Quran, 6:12]

Dear brothers and sisters! Allahs Mercy to His servants is great and His favour upon them is immense. And His Mercy is complete and does not have any deficiencies. And it is not driven by inability or weakness. It is the Mercy of the Most Merciful the Most Beneficent that encompasses everything with mercy and knowledge.

And the greatest mercy on this Ummah (nation) from the Lord is that he designated for them the Prophet of mercy. Through His Mercy, He honoured this final Ummah (nation) with the best of His creation and sent to them the seal of the Messengers. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) was the most merciful of the Prophets to his Ummah (nation). He (Peace be upon him) was the most compassionate, vigilant, pardoning and forgiving of the Prophets to his Ummah (nation).

And through the Prophet (Peace be upon him), Allah took people out of the darkness into the light. And He the Exalted sent down all kinds of mercies through him. Such that the people of the earth are compassionate through it until the Day of Resurrection. Allah Almighty said:

And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds. [Quran, 21:107]

His message revealed from His Lord the Exalted showered all kinds of mercies upon the creation. The people and the jinn. The believer and the disbeliever. The righteous and the wicked. The young and the old. The strong and the weak. The near and the far. Men and women. The birds and animals. Animals and inanimate objects.

And he (Peace be upon him) came with a Shariah (legislation) all of which is good and mercy for the people. And there is no one on earth from the time that he was sent to our present day until the Day of Resurrection except that will be touched by this mercy that Allah the Most High made reach all the worlds. Therefore, it was narrated in an authentic Hadith that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

Oh people, indeed I am a gifted mercy. [as-Sahihah of Imam al-Albani]

And those with preference and the greatest share of this mercy are those who believe in him, honour him, support him, and follow the light (the Quran) which has been sent down with him. It is they who will be successful. Their success will be in this world and the next. And just as it is indicated in the Quran that the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) is a mercy to the worlds it is also mentioned in the Quran that he (Peace be upon him) is a mercy to the believers in verse 61 of surah At-Tawbah. Allah Almighty says:

(He) believes in Allah and believes the believers and [is] a mercy to those who believe among you. [Quran, 9:61]

And from his mercy for those who believe in him and embraced his religion is that he supplicated for them much. Especially if one considers the state of other Prophets with their Ummahs (nations). His mercy for his Ummah (nation) overtook him and he supplicated for them. As related by Abdullah Bin Amr Bin Aas (may Allah be pleased with them):

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) recited the Words of Allah, the Exalted, and the Glorious, about Prophet Ibrahim who said:

O my Lord! They have led astray many among mankind. But whosoever follows me, he verily, is of me. (Quran, 14:36) and those of Prophet Isa (Jesus) who said: If You punish them, indeed they are Your servants, and if You forgive them, verily, You, only You, are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. (Quran, 5:118). Then he (Peace be upon him) raised up his hands and said, O Allah! My Ummah (nation), my Ummah (nation), and he wept; Allah, the Exalted, said: O Jibril (Gabriel)! Go to Muhammad (Peace be upon him)  and your Lord is most knowledgeable- and ask him: What makes you weep? So Jibril came to him and asked him (the reason of his weeping) and the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) informed him what he had said (though Allah is most knowledgeable). Upon this Allah said: Jibril, go to Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and say: Verily, We will please you with regards to your Ummah (nation) and will never displease you. [Muslim]

The mercy of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) for his Ummah (nation) was to an extent that he preferred them over himself in the answered supplication that Allah gave him as He the Exalted gave other Prophets before him. He did not limit this supplication to himself and he included his Ummah (nation). As Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

Every Prophet had a supplication that was granted by Allah. I dedicated my granted supplication to having intercession for my Ummah (nation) on the Day of resurrection. [Bukhari and Muslim]

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:

Every Prophet had a supplication that was granted, and every Prophet advanced their supplication (in this world). But I reserved my supplication as intercession for my Ummah (nation) on the Day of Resurrection, and it will reach, if Allah wills, those of them who die, not associating anything with Allah. [Muslim]

May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, how great his mercy was for us and how cautious he was over us. Can the believers in him be blamed for loving, honouring and supporting him when he preferred them over himself and designated them for his supplication in a situation of all situations!? By Allah, no one can blame them for that aside for a disbeliever or a hypocrite who is hiding his disbelief or an ignorant person that does not know the virtue of the Messenger (Peace be upon him). Allah Almighty said:

There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you [i.e., your guidance] and to the believers is kind and merciful. [Quran, 9:128]

From the mercy of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to his Ummah is that he selected for them a complete and easy to follow Shariah (legislation). And the most precise and attainable decrees. And Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) described him and she is the closest of people to him:

The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) was never given a choice between two matters but that he chose the easier of the two as long as it did not involve sin. If it was sinful, he was the furthest person from it. [Bukhari and Muslim]

He (Peace be upon him) used to leave a deed that he wanted to do and was able to handle as a mercy for his Ummah (nation) fearing that it would be obligated and the majority of them would not be able to handle it. And whoever views his Sunnah can see that. And how many times did he (Peace be upon him) say: If it was not a hardship for my Ummah (nation) I would have commanded them with such and such or if it were not a hardship for the people I would have commanded them with this. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said:

The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) would give up a deed that he liked to perform, fearing that the people would follow suit and it would be obligated upon them. [Bukhari and Muslim]

Dear brothers and sisters! Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him) was afflicted for the sake of Allah Almighty, like no one else has been afflicted. He (Peace be upon him) said:

Indeed I have feared for the sake of Allah, such that no one has feared, and I have been harmed for the sake of Allah, such that no one has been harmed. [Tirmidhi]

Be conscious of Allah Almighty and obey Him. And know that affliction in religion and worldly matters is the path of the Messengers of Allah (Peace be upon them). And that steadfastness through affliction is the way of the successful servants of Allah. Allah Almighty said:

Did you think that you would enter Paradise even though Allah has not yet seen who among you strove hard in His way and remained steadfast? [Quran, 3:142]

There were periods when the Prophet (Peace be upon him) was deeply grieved due to his people denying him, and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) being tormented and killed. And for his loss of supporters among mankind. And due to the hardship and harshness of life. And many instances of his grief were recorded in his fragrant biography after the start of his mission.

And the first grief that befell him (Peace be upon him) after start of his mission and the most intense and the greatest was due to the pause in receiving revelation after he received it for the first time. Waraqah Bin Nawfal (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

No man has come with what you brought without being harmed. And if your day comes while I am alive, I would support you strongly. But after a few days Waraqah died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while and the Prophet (Peace be upon him) became sad. [Bukhari]

And every believer who has a day in which he does not recite anything from the Quran must grieve. Because the Prophet (Peace be upon him) grieved at the pause in the revelation in spite of it being out of his control. So what about the one who is able to recite the revelation at every moment to nourish his heart, guide his soul and rectify his condition, but falls short in that regard and does not grieve over his shortcomings?!

And when the Prophet (Peace be upon him) invited his people to Iman (faith) they denied him. So he grieved deeply over them due to his knowledge of the fate of those who denied. And because he wanted for them Iman (faith) and a conclusion of success and great triumph. Allah Almighty addressed him to lighten his grief:

We know that you, [O Mohammad], are saddened by what they say. And indeed, they do not call you untruthful, but it is the verses of Allah that the wrongdoers reject. [Al-Anam 33]

Rather, his grief over his peoples denial of him nearly destroyed him, until Allah Almighty prohibited him from devastating himself through extreme grief. Allah Almighty said:

Then perhaps you would kill yourself through grief over them, [O Mohammad], if they do not believe in this message, [and] out of sorrow. [Quran, 18:7]

That is, perishing out of grief and sorrow for them. And that is because your reward is due from Allah Almighty and if Allah the Most High knew that there was good in them, He would have guided them. But He knew that they are only suited for the fire. Therefore he forsake them, and they were not guided. So occupying yourself with grief and sorrow for them is of no benefit to you.

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) was the most sincere in advice to his Ummah (nation) and had the highest compassion for them. He almost perished regretting the misguidance of those among Quraish who went astray, and they hurt him and tortured his followers!

And every believer should grieve over the disbelief of the disbelievers, and the hypocrisy of the hypocrites and the disobedience of the sinners. Because he desires good for all mankind and hates evil for them. And there is no good better than Iman (faith). It is happiness in this world and the biggest success in the hereafter. And there is no evil greater than disbelief and hypocrisy. For it is misery in this world and eternal torment in the hereafter. For people of Iman (faith) know the truth and have mercy on creation.

A believer benefits from the prohibition of Allah Almighty to His Prophet (Peace be upon him) to not grieve to the point of destroying himself or Impeding him from working for the religion of Allah Almighty and calling to it. Just as the accusations of the disbelievers and hypocrites against the people of faith do not weaken their strength or resolve. This and more happened to the Prophet and he armed himself with patience in facing their false claims and slander. And not being deceived by the prominence of the disbelievers and their lead in worldly matters despite their stubbornness and arrogance towards the truth. Indeed, this is from the trial of Allah  the Most High  of them. Allah Almighty said:

And do not extend your eyes towards that by which We have given enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [its being but] the splendour of worldly life by which We test them. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring. [Quran, 20: 131]

And if the caller to the truth is saddened by peoples painful reality and their distance from Allah Almighty, know that the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) was saddened over that before them. And if they are saddened by the words of the disbelievers and hypocrites and their plotting, know that the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) was saddened about that before them. And if they are saddened by the worldly prominence of the disbelievers and hypocrites, know that the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) was saddened about that before them. However, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) prevailed and the disbelief, disbelievers and their plotting vanished. And Islam was honoured and spread. And the call of the Prophet spread all over the earth. And Allah Almighty was most knowledgeable and wise when he forbade his Prophet (Peace be upon him) from having intense grief.

May Allah the Exalted reward him (Peace be upon him) for his Ummah (nation) with the best reward that a Prophet was given for his Ummah (nation). And we ask Allah the Exalted to grant him the intercession and favour, and the high eminent level, and raise him to the honoured station that Allah promised him. May Allah make us among those who love and support him. And we ask Allah to resurrect us in his group and that we enter paradise with him. Indeed Allah is the All Hearing, Answering.

I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet, as your Lord commanded:

Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace. [Quran, 33:56]

O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.

O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good.

Servants of Allah! Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.

Remember Allah, the Great  He will remember you. Thank Him for His favours  He will increase you therein. And seek forgiveness from Him  He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him  He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.

All praises and thanks are due to Allah alone, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true and sincere followers.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumuah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okenes Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761.

This Jumuah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today, Friday, Dhul-Qaadah 03, 1443 AH (June 03, 2022).

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
 true leadership is all about being strong, decisive and even ruthless where necessary and cultivating the political will to do the right and proper thing, no matter whose ox is gored or how hard that thing may appear to be.

The late General Sani Abacha, who was our head of state from 1993 till 1998, did something that I will always respect him for.

He ordered the execution of a small group of religious bigots and fanatics who orchestrated the beheading of a Christian trader from Benue State by the name of Gideon Akaluka, in Kano, for allegedly desecrating the Koran. It was later discovered that Akaluka did no such thing.

The conspirators and orchestrators were nine in number.

A few days after Abacha gave his orders, eight of them were apprehended and summarily executed and only one managed to escape, after which he was hidden away.

Abacha thought that all nine had been killed. Sadly, he was wrong. They misled him. The ninth killer has not only lived on for many years but he also later became a leading banker and a traditional ruler.

Another man after my heart is General Halilu Akilu, who was director of Military Intelligence, director of Defence Intelligence and director of National Intelligence respectively during the Babangida administration from 1985 till 1993.

Akilu was a young officer in 1980 when he personally led a daring, valiant and utterly gallant assault against the dreaded and notoriously violent jihadist, fundamentalist Maitatsine cult in Kano, killing its leader Mohammed Marwa, and putting a stop to their unprecedented fanaticism and barbaric atrocities, which included the slaughter of thousands of innocent people.

The third and final individual that I believe is worthy of mention is the courageous Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, who was appointed military governor of Kaduna State by General Ibrahim Babangida in 1985.

During his tenure there were numerous attacks on members of the Christian community in the State and there were series of violent sectarian clashes.

All three would have been effective in the fight against Boko Haram, ISWAP, the foreign invaders, the killer bandits, the terrorist herdsmen, the bloodthirsty kidnappers and the unknown gunmen.

Umar put a stop to these things swiftly and decisively and he reiterated the fact that Nigeria was a country in which Christians and Muslims were equals before the law.

He did not brook any form of religious intolerance or fundamentalism and wherever it raised its head, he crushed it.

How I wish we still had leaders like Abacha, Akilu and Umar in Nigeria today.

They would have protected the lives of people like Deborah Yakubu, who was so cruelly cut short by a rampaging and wild mob of fanatics in Sokoto and they would have brought to justice ALL those that callously took her life.

They would have done the same for the pregnant Northern woman, who was murdered in cold blood together with her four children, by unknown gunmen in Anambra State.

They would have done the same for the married couple who were members of our Armed Forces that were beheaded in the East as well.

They would have saved many lives and brought the terrorists to justice.

All three would have been effective in the fight against Boko Haram, ISWAP, the foreign invaders, the killer bandits, the terrorist herdsmen, the bloodthirsty kidnappers and the unknown gunmen.

Like General Kamal Attaturk, the father of modern-day Turkey, who eliminated religious fundamentalism in his country and turned it into a secular state, they knew precisely how to deal with the sociopaths, homicidal maniacs, religious fanatics and terrorists that plagued the system, threatened the stability of our country and that sought to undermine and destroy the unity of our nation.

It is about putting Nigeria and Nigerians FIRST and not tribe or faith and about cultivating the determination to confront anyone or anything that seeks to destroy us or threaten our peace and unity.

They also defended and reiterated the secularity of our multi-religious state and secured and protected the rights of the adherents of all the major faiths to practice their religion freely.

The irony is that all three of them were practising Muslims.

This proves that true leadership is all about being strong, decisive and even ruthless where necessary and cultivating the political will to do the right and proper thing, no matter whose ox is gored or how hard that thing may appear to be.

Most important of all it is about finding the courage to do it.

It is about putting Nigeria and Nigerians FIRST and not tribe or faith and about cultivating the determination to confront anyone or anything that seeks to destroy us or threaten our peace and unity.

We achieved this a number of years ago but things have since gone awry.

Can we do it again in Nigeria? Only time will tell.

Yet we still yearn for the days when men were men and when evil was confronted with an iron fist.

Femi Fani-Kayode is a former Nigerian minister of Aviation and the Sadaukin Shinkafi.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
As the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) will begin the process of selecting who will fly its flag in the 2023 presidential election within the next few days, Amaechi will be in a position to re-evaluate his many years of political investment. But whatever the outcome, one thing is clear; among the many opportunity costs of this unbridled profligacy by the occupants of Brick House, are the lives lost while waiting on a food line at the Port Harcourt Polo Club.

On Saturday, May 28, a group of ravenous gyps called party delegates, gathered at the expansive velodrome of Moshood Abiola stadium in the nations capital, Abuja. Dubbed a PDP Dollarfest by one commentator, it was an egregious show of shame where Nigerias future was traded and auctioned off to the highest bidders.

It was showtime and many party men who came from all over the country, were seated and ready to cast their votes in order to select a candidate from the thirteen presidential aspirants. The aspirants were reported to have come loaded with bags of crisp dollars and they competed in the splash of thousands on the delegates. Each of the seven hundred and seventy-four delegates were rumoured to have pocketed up to $50,000 in raw cash. Although in the end, a former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, prevailed, while Ezenwo Nyesome Wike, the Rivers State governors team was a sight to behold.

Often described as zestful, bold, and controversial, Governor Wike stormed the convention venue in an intimidating convoy of over thirty branded buses.

His boys were rambunctious and his election war chest was so heavy, many believed he was unstoppable. At last, he came to the shocking realisation that despite his unmatched spending power, the North would not let him buy his way to victory. The big question, however, was how Wike and these other men with no thriving businesses outside of politics, came up with the billions to compete in what Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, one of the aspirants who later dropped off prior to voting, described as an obscenely monetised primary.

But while PDP was auctioning off Nigeria at the Abuja stadium, 640 kilometres away in Wikes Rivers State, the mood was not as upbeat. In fact, it was a black Saturday as a stampede at a church charity event, organised by the Kings Assembly Pentecostal Church in Port Harcourts Polo Club, left 31 people dead and seven injured. The dead included a pregnant woman and many children. One man was inconsolable and narrated, amidst a river of tears, how his son was crushed beyond recognition, while his daughter was also missing.

Last Saturdays charity programme was supposed to begin at 9 a.m. on that fateful day, but as early as 5 a.m. thousands had already gathered at the club venue, way before security teams assigned for the event arrived. The goal of the early birds was to secure a vintage spot before the place got filled up with people. But alas the crowd swelled up quickly and, somehow, the locked gate that led into the arena was breached and people started trooping in and pushing through, which led to the stampede.

In 2014, Kings Assembly Pentecostal Church in Rivers State started what it described as a benevolent and outreach programme called Shop-for-Free. The purpose of the charity event was to share gifts provided by members of the church, friends and partners with the struggling and less privileged members of the society. Such occasions have become so commonplace in Nigeria, where according to a World Bank data, 43 per cent of the people (89 million people), live below the poverty line, while another 25 per cent (53 million) are vulnerable.

Last Saturdays charity programme was supposed to begin at 9 a.m. on that fateful day, but as early as 5 a.m. thousands had already gathered at the club venue, way before security teams assigned for the event arrived. The goal of the early birds was to secure a vintage spot before the place got filled up with people. But alas the crowd swelled up quickly and, somehow, the locked gate that led into the arena was breached and people started trooping in and pushing through, which led to the stampede.

Following the incident, the distraught organisers of the event explained that the sheer magnitude of this years turnout was like no other; it was unprecedented and absolutely unanticipated. Of course, this has become an all too familiar story in Nigeria in recent years. Just last year, seven women were trampled to death during an aid agencys food programme in Borno State. That said, one would have hoped, however, that Rivers States famed oil wealth would spare its citizens of this extreme level of poverty that led to the preventable tragedy.

Port Harcourt is the main hub of the oil sector in Nigeria. Rivers, alongside Lagos and Ogun States, are the top three with the most internally generated revenue (IGR) in the country. It also receives one of the highest federal allocations, in comparison to other states in the federation. Paradoxically, the State also has one of the worst unemployment numbers of the states in Nigeria. According to one data credited to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the unemployment rate in Rivers State is 43.7 per cent, which means that almost one in every two citizens of the State is without a job. But you couldnt tell that by the actions of those occupying the Brick House in Port Harcourts old GRA, over the past several years.

When, early in 2021, Sokoto central market was gutted by fire, Governor Wike quickly flew to Sokoto, where he pledged N500 million in donation, in what he said was the River State governments support to the market rebuilding efforts, as well as to provide assistance to affected traders. There is nothing wrong with helping victims of such tragedy but on whose back? This was a time when Wikes government was allegedly owing many years of pension and gratuities to Rivers State pensioners but all of a sudden, His Excellency couldnt stand the sight of suffering victims of the Sokoto fire.

from Peter Odili to Rotimi Amaechi and now Nyesom Wike, every governor of Rivers State since 1999 has been accused of wasting the States funds in sponsoring wasteful presidential bids. It didnt work for Peter Odili who, despite all his largesse to PDP, Obasanjo bypassed and to his greatest surprise, picked the duo of Umaru Musa YarAdua and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan instead.

Despite the governors desired optics, many believed that Wike was tactically sowing political seeds he planned to harvest at the right time, using the resources of his State, rather than engaging in one random act of kindness. The man, like most misguided politicians from the South, believed that his political fortune began and ended with kowtowing to the interests of the Hausa-Fulani power structure, hoping that someday, he would cash out big time. Now he knows better.

Wike often brags about how in 2011, he was single-handedly responsible for the emergence of Aminu Tambuwal as speaker of the Federal House of Representatives and how he supported the latter heavily as a candidate in the October 2018 PDP presidential primary. But as events unfolded last weekend at the Moshood Abiola stadium, it was clear that those investments were wasted funds that neither favoured Wike nor the people of Rivers State, many of whom continue to live in utter misery in the midst of plenty, as played out at the Port Harcourt Polo Club last Saturday. But Wike is not the only one.

In a recent interview, Governor El Rufai talked about how in 2011, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), one of the three political parties that later merged to form todays ruling party, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), didnt have the money to host a convention. Rotimi Amaechi as a PDP governor of Rivers State at the time, picked up the tab, just like that. Its also no secret that as the director general of the Buhari Presidential Campaign Committee in both the 2015 and 2019 elections, Mr Amaechi was alleged to be one the highest donors to the campaigns. We all know that Amaechi is no Dangote.

And so, from Peter Odili to Rotimi Amaechi and now Nyesom Wike, every governor of Rivers State since 1999 has been accused of wasting the States funds in sponsoring wasteful presidential bids. It didnt work for Peter Odili who, despite all his largesse to PDP, Obasanjo bypassed and to his greatest surprise, picked the duo of Umaru Musa YarAdua and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan instead.

As the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) will begin the process of selecting who will fly its flag in the 2023 presidential election within the next few days, Amaechi will be in a position to re-evaluate his many years of political investment. But whatever the outcome, one thing is clear; among the many opportunity costs of this unbridled profligacy by the occupants of Brick House, are the lives lost while waiting on a food line at the Port Harcourt Polo Club.

Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
As a first step, Governor Soludo may create a Government of the Whole in Anambra State, by working more closely with civic groups, leaders of faith, transport unions, artisans, farmers, traders, industrialists, traditional leaders, and the youth When the people feel that they constitute the centre of gravity of the administration, the governor will find it easier to mobilise an unstoppable communal revulsion against organised crime in the State.

One of the most infamous voice votes in human history occurred in the court of the Pontius Pilate, over two thousand years ago.

Jesus, an innocent man, had been framed by the Pharisees, and sentenced to death for sorcery, and for making false claims.

But there was another fellow in court that day, Barabbas, a convicted criminal. Indeed, all the synoptic gospels acknowledge Barabbas as a notorious arsonist, bandit and murderer.

It was time for the feast of Passover and Pontius Pilate had arrived in court to grant the ceremonial clemency to prisoners.

But when Pilate asked the crowd which of the prisoners they wanted him to set free, Jesus or Barabbas, the response was wincingly unanimous: The crowd wanted Barabbas freed.

Barabbas was then set free to wild and raucous applause, while Jesus was shackled and taken away to be killed.

To this day, the paradox of the triumph of Barabbas remains an inscrutable subject for priests, public administrators, judicial officers and experts in crowd psychology.

For thousands of years since that incident, Barabbas has become a metaphor for criminality, anarchy, and a warning about the dangers of the jurisprudence of the street.

Here in Nigeria, we can see versions of the ideology of Barabbas at work in the form of the reign of criminal gangs, arsonists, kidnappers and violent extremists.

We see them almost everywhere. They steal children from schools, operate a sophisticated human trafficking syndicate, and demand ransom.

In the North, Boko Haram, the terrorist group, has created what looks like a differentiated habitat of brutal sovereignty. It beheads men, women and children in captivity, and imposes taxes on farmers.

Governor Soludos open and consultative approach to governance, so far, is a refreshing departure from the exclusionary and arrogant model often adopted by the Nigerian political class But his efforts to end the self-defeating sit-at-home order imposed on the people every Monday of the week, is now being resisted by known and unknown criminal gangs.

In the Eastern region, a few months ago, Professor Charles Soludo, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, was inaugurated as the elected governor of Anambra State, after a bloody and treacherous political campaign.

In the run up to the election, Soludo himself had escaped an assassination attempt that claimed the lives of some of his closest aides.

In fact, the Labour Party candidate for governor in that election, Mr Obiora Agbasimalo, was kidnapped in broad daylight and remains missing, months after the polls.

But from all indications, Soludos resounding victory at the polls was also clearly the peoples victory.

His expansionary vision of economic diversification, good governance, and buy local industrial rhetoric has wide resonance in Anambra State, and across the country.

From his first hour in office, Governor Soludo appears to be moving quickly to break old habits, by taking government to the people in a practical and impactful way.

Governor Soludos open and consultative approach to governance, so far, is a refreshing departure from the exclusionary and arrogant model often adopted by the Nigerian political class.

But his efforts to end the self-defeating sit-at-home order imposed on the people every Monday of the week, is now being resisted by known and unknown criminal gangs.

The brazen insistence by criminal gangs to maintain such a ruinous lock down on Anambra and the entire Eastern region means that anarchy, arson and wanton murder, may once again win the voice vote over peace, development and the prosperity of the people.

In his Easter Message in April, Governor Soludo lamented the spate of criminality in Anambra by declaring that Whatever it is that makes the people choose Barabbas over and above Jesus must stop in our time.

But to defeat the foul ideology of Barabbas, Governor Soludo cannot be left alone in helpless perplexity, as criminal gangs behead citizens for sport, and levy war against the people.

the governors of the States of Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Abia, must foster a new governance model for the region that prioritises accountability, shared prosperity, and creates opportunities for young people.

Governor Soludo needs the moral and logistical comradeship of Ndi Anambra, the Federal Government, and all Nigerians.

The cancer of organised banditry must not be allowed to metastasise into a fatal pathology in the East, Nigerias most inventive and trading hub.

As a first step, Governor Soludo may create a Government of the Whole in Anambra State, by working more closely with civic groups, leaders of faith, transport unions, artisans, farmers, traders, industrialists, traditional leaders, and the youth.

When the people feel that they constitute the centre of gravity of the administration, the governor will find it easier to mobilise an unstoppable communal revulsion against organised crime in the State.

Secondly, the governors of the States of Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Abia, must foster a new governance model for the region that prioritises accountability, shared prosperity, and creates opportunities for young people.

For too long, government in Nigeria has been de-linked from the people it is meant to serve. Everywhere in the open, the people seem to encounter the government only as a predatory dispenser of grief.

This has created an implacable platoon of angry and disoriented citizens who see no hope of living a meaningful life in their own country.

In the East, this anger has taken a virulent and insurgent turn that has been hijacked and remastered by criminal demagogues.

In his novel, Arrow of God, Chinua Achebe warns about the perils of bringing ant-infested faggots home.

It is time to heed Achebes incessant warnings.

The only way to defeat the ghost of Barabbas is to return the government to the people.

Austin Tam-George is a communication consultant. Email: attamgeorge@gmail.com.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, has explained the reasons behind his refusal to inaugurate the area council chairmen and councillors months after election.

The inauguration was initially scheduled to hold on May 19.

Mr Bello, at the 40th media briefing organised by State House journalists in Abuja on Thursday, denied having a political agenda when he suspended the inauguration of the recently elected FCT councils executives a day before the event

He said he only honoured a court judgment, a case he played no role in instituting.

With regards to the Area council elections that took place and the court cases. I want to emphatically say that obviously, for those of you who know me, I follow the rule of law. And this government is a government of rule of law. So you can be rest assured that the FCTA had nothing to do with the court case at all.

It doesnt make sense for us to superintend over an electoral process that was adjudged very transparent and we were commended because during that area council elections we lost some, we won some, he explained.

Not less than 400 candidates across 14 political parties were on the INEC ballot as residents went to the poll on February 12 to elect their preferred chairman and councilors in Abuja.

At the end of two days voting exercise, the FCT six chairmanship seats and 62 councillors positions were filled as candidates of the ruling APC and main opposition, PDP, got three area councils each.

While APC candidates won in Gwagwalada, Abaji and Kwali LGAs, the PDP candidates emerged in Kuje, Bwari and AMAC, the city centre which hosts most of the government agencies.

The hopes of the elected candidates were dashed in May when Mr Bello suspended their inauguration.

In his defense on the subject among other issues peculiar to the FCT, the minister argued that Nigerians have often than necessarily been unfair to him in the assessment of his performance.

He slammed Nigerians who only ascribed his performance to demolition of buildings, an activity he argued were borne out of residents illegality.

Why we wont stop demolition

The minister said it has become mandatory for his administration to pull down structures as developers and residents constantly flout the city plans.

Maybe, I need to clarify my comment on demolitions and put it in the proper context. What I was saying is that its unfair for the general public to rate ministers based on destruction and demolition of property. So that is the main context as I said and I was bashed because I was not demolishing.

But having said that, of course, we demolish and we will continue to demolish. As a matter of fact, as we are seated here, a team is demolishing somewhere already today. And these things will continue because no matter how you try, they are those who still would not want to follow regulations, he said.

Speaking on the unoccupied estates littering the FCT, Mr Bello argued that some of the developers lack the idea of what sells in most cases as they erect super structures in areas that need something lesser.

He admitted that uncompleted buildings have contributed to the growing rates of insecurity in the city but explained that his administration has made efforts in identifying the buildings in question and engaging their owners.

In defence against speculations that some terrorists group have started building ceils across the FCT, Mr Bello said the city remains the safest in the country.

About security, I want to tell you, the FCT is the most secure part of Nigeria today. Yes, we have insecurity here and there, it is a reality and it is a phenomenon that affects not just Nigeria but even our sub region.

But what I do know is that the security agencies in the FCT are doing extremely well. Because I will say it again for every incident that you read in the papers or you see on social media or illicit on the radio. I tell you 10 to 15 cases have been nipped in the bud that are not out there in the public, he said.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
The Senate South-east caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has nominated Anambra senator, Uche Ekwunife, as the new minority leader.

Senators from the region made this known in a letter to the party chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

The letter dated June 1, was signed by Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu East), Theodore Orji (Abia Central), Ike Ekweremadu (Enugu West) and Sam Egwu (Enugu North).

Other signatories were Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi Central), Onyewuchi Francis (Imo East), Michael Nnachi (Ebonyi South) and Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu North).

Ms Ekwunifes nomination by the caucus comes about a week after Abia senator and former minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, dumped the PDP.

Mr Abaribe, who cited shameful display of illegality, impunity and undemocratic decision of the party as his reason for leaving, also withdrew from the Abia state governorship race.

He had also written a letter to Mr Lawan informing the latter of his decision to resign as minority leader.

The PDP South-east senators, in their letter, requested that Mr Ayu accepts Ms Ekwunifes nomination and write the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to officially inform him of Mr Abaribes replacement  Ekwunife  as minority leader.

Wenominate Uche Ekwunife as a replacement for Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe as the position was zoned to the South East, the letter read.

The lawmakers recalled that after the defection of former Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba South) to the APC in February, the North-east minority caucus met immediately and nominated Shuaibu Lau (Taraba North) from the same zone as the new deputy minority leader.

They also said when Sahabi Yau (Zamfara North) defected to APC in July, Ibrahim Danbaba (Sokoto South) was immediately nominated to replace him as the deputy minority whip of the Senate.

We humbly request that you kindly forward the name of Uche Ekwunife to the Senate president, as the Senate minority leader.

Despite the wave of defections that has hit the PDP in the past months, the party claims to be more united and focused than before.

Leaders of the party have referred to the success of last weeks national convention as proof of the partys unity and readiness to take over power, come 2023.

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
Teslim Folarin, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, says the 99 delegates from the state belong to Bola Tinubu, one of the Presidential aspirants.

Mr Folarin made the assertions while receiving the presidential aspirant at the Ibadan Civic Centre on Thursday in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Folarin, along with the state party executives led by Isaac Omodewu, welcomed Mr Tinubu to the state.

Mr Folarin said the state has 99 delegates, assuring that all the delegates would support Mr Tinubu in the June 6 presidential primary of the party.

Your Excellency, you are not new to us. You have done a lot in building the APC in Nigeria. We have so much respect for you as a leader and we are going to support you, he said.

Mr Folarin said that they have started reconciliation of the aggrieved party members in the state, promising that the party leadership would not relent in ensuring victory at all levels.

He recalled the gesture extended to him by Mr Tinubu in 2003, saying that he could not deny such gesture, irrespective of when it happened.

Earlier, Mr Omodewu said the state chapter of the party was awaiting Mr Tinubus directive, adding that Oyo would comply with his directive.

The state chairman said that Mr Tinubu had done a lot and contributed immensely to the emergence of their late former governors, which some of them were benefitting to date.

He lauded him for his leadership role, which had positioned the party in good stead, assuring him of their support.

In his remarks, Mr Tinubu said that he was in Ibadan to seek the support of the delegates for his presidential bid, soliciting support for the children of three late former governors of the state.

He endorsed the candidature of Adedapo Lam-Adeshina, Olamiju Alao-Akala, and Idris Abiola-Ajimobi.

According to him, their fathers are my political associates. They have contributed immensely to the development of our party and the state.

Speaking on the crisis in Oyo APC, Mr Tinubu called on the warring factions in the party to unite toward building a formidable team ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

Mr Tinubu admonished Mr Folarin to commence reconciliation efforts toward uniting all warring factions, promising to support him where necessary.

The party is divided and attaining the position of a state governor requires more work as well as cohesion. We must ensure unity of purpose to deliver Folarin as Oyo Governor.

You are all expecting me to endorse Folarin today. Dont worry, I will come back to raise Folarins hands. We have a lot to do in bringing all members together, he said.

Mr Tinubu urged Mr Folarin to embark on door-to-door reconciliation of leaders, contenders, and other aggrieved members of the party.

Before I come back to raise the hand of Senator Teslim Folarin, he must go all out and beg people.

He must go and beg the leaders, his contenders, and other aggrieved members of the party.

You can only win an election with a united House. We will join in resolving the crisis rocking the party in Oyo.

We invite all the warring groups to Abuja and see how we would resolve the issue. All I know is that Folarin will go out, beg and win,  he said.

Among those who accompanied Mr Tinubu were governors Abdullahi Ganduje and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Kano and Lagos states, respectively; senators Kassim Shettima, Tokunbo Abiru, Adesoji Akanbi, and Abdulfatai Buhari.

Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker of the Lagos Assembly, was also part of the delegation.

(NAN)

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023
Equips partners with technical, sales, and marketing support to help security teams and developers shift left risk remediation with context across the software supply chain

TEL AVIV, Israel and NEW YORK, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Apiiro, the leader in Cloud-Native Application Security, today announced the Apiiro Partner Program, which provides comprehensive support for technology, consulting, and reseller partners across the Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) ecosystem.

In the era of cloud-native application development, the remediation lifecycle is getting longer and more complex because risks are distributed across the design, code, open source packages, infra-as-code, containers, Git and CI/CD servers, and cloud infrastructure.

In addition, the shift in responsibilities and the use of a multitude of tools, each addressing only a small subset of cloud-native application risks has reduced the overall efficacy with noisy alerts and false-positives due to the lack of context. Context from cloud infrastructure to code and Software Bill Of Materials visibility (SBOM) are instrumental for the remediation process across the software supply chain.

Partners like Alacrinet, Defy Security, Google Cloud, HashiCorp, NetSPI, NXGN, Parabellyx, and Trace3 from the cloud-native application security, DevOps, cloud infrastructure security, and other cybersecurity industries are joining the Apiiro Partner Program to work together to help customers remediate cloud-native application risks across the software supply chain. Partners will benefit from the Apiiro Risk Graph technology and enabling resources to speed customer adoption and success with a contextual shift left risk remediation technology.

"Our customers aren't just modernizing their cloud-native application security - they're reinventing the way they develop, build, and deploy cloud-native applications across the software supply chain. By uniting in the Apiiro Partner Program, Apiiro and our partners can collectively ensure cloud-native applications are developed and delivered in a secure manner," said John Leon, VP of Business Development at Apiiro.

Program benefits include training materials and sales resources, access to technical evaluation demos and documentation to enable go to market and joint promotion opportunities. By enrolling in the Apiiro Partner Program, partners can increase their value to customers by delivering contextual shift left risk remediation before releasing to the cloud.

Apiiro has quickly gained momentum and recognition in the cloud-native application security market:

To learn more about or join the Apiiro Advantage Program, please visit: https://partners.apiiro.com/English/.

Apiiro Partners:

Alacrinet

"Securing the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and the development infrastructure is a complex endeavor given the pace of code development and micro-serviced deployment models (Ops). Security teams need to be equipped with context to identify and remediate the risk in code changes, in the deployment of code to the cloud, and throughout the overall software supply chain. Alacrinet focuses on helping clients align with innovative technologies, backed by experienced teams, for the purpose of keeping our clients ahead of the threat curve."

- Daniel Duhaime, CRO, Alacrinet

Defy Security

"Our just-in-time economy has software teams seeing significant demands to move fast in deploying new products and features to cloud environments that drive new business and reduce costs. Defy Security sees security is sometimes an afterthought with software teams as security teams are scrambling to move at the same pace. We are excited to partner with Apiiro to provide security at the earliest point in an application development process that adds value by securing at the speed of business while providing visibility into potential risks. The benefits to both software and security teams are clear, without adding complexity."

- Russell Wurth VP, Marketing and Partner Alliances, Defy Security

Google Cloud

"We're pleased to have Apiiro available on Google Cloud Marketplace and provide customers the solutions and expertise they need to secure their software supply chain and remediate critical risks in cloud-native applications, while simplifying the cloud software procurement process."

- Dai Vu, Managing Director, Marketplace & ISV GTM Programs, Google Cloud

HashiCorp

"We are excited to partner with Apiiro. Enterprises benefit from secure software supply chains, both at the application and the infrastructure level. We look forward to continued collaboration with Apiiro on helping customers secure their cloud-native applications earlier in the development lifecycle."

- Asvin Ramesh, Sr. Director, Alliances, HashiCorp

NetSPI

"We value our relationship with Apiiro. Through our strategic partnership, Apiiro's customers have access to NetSPI's full suite of offensive security services  pentesting, attack surface management, and adversary simulation  and our customers can leverage Apiiro to better detect and fix critical risks in cloud-native applications. Together, Apiiro and NetSPI bring risk-based, context-aware application security testing capabilities to mutual customers."

Alex Jones, Chief Revenue Officer, NetSPI

NXGN

"The NXGN Team is proud to be a charter member in the Apiiro Partner Program and to have Apiiro in our Application Security and DevSecOps Program that we have been building and critiquing with customers since 2016. The Apiiro solution is one that will enable our customers, wherever they are in their Application Security lifecycle, to be able to assess and identify risks in their code base. Our engineers got their hands on the tool last year and were very impressed with both what it was able to detect, and, arguably more importantly, how the tool was able to visualize and prioritize the findings for the developers and security champions. Bringing this tool to our customers is going to provide them with a tremendous leg up in this continuous security battle!"

- Jimmy Merlo, VP Customer Advisory Services, NXGN.io

Parabellyx

"The lack of application security expertise and ability to prioritize the issues has been impeding the adoption of software development security, putting organizations and their customers at risk. Luckily, Apiiro's solution overcomes the scarcity of cybersecurity expertise among application developers and provides clients complete visibility into the software components and the supporting ecosystem, allows intelligent prioritization of security issues, and simplifies communication of these to developers. It leads to a better and more secure code, higher maturity of the software development process and better communication between security and application teams!"

- Alexander Poizner, CEO, Parabellyx

Trace3

"Our enterprise clients come to Trace3 looking for best of breed and innovative technology to solve complex challenges. A good DevSecOps solution focuses on empowering developers to identify, prioritize, and fix flaws that matter early in development without slowing them down. We find that Apiiro is one of the innovators in this solution space that aligns with this approach very well."

- Jimmy Xu, Practice Director, DevSecOps, Trace3

About Apiiro

Apiiro helps security and development teams proactively fix risk across the software supply chain, before releasing to the cloud. Backed by Greylock and Kleiner Perkins. www.apiiro.com.

Contact:

Amy McDowell

Offleash PR for Apiiro

[email protected]

SOURCE Apiiro
Research shows stress leading oncologists to consider leaving the field, retiring or selling their practice

DUBLIN, Ohio, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 90% of oncologists said they experience emotional exhaustion at work, and more than two-thirds said they experience additional symptoms of burnout, such as cynicism, detachment and feeling unaccomplished or ineffective, according to new research released today from Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions in the eleventh edition of Oncology Insights, a biannual research-based report series analyzing the views of oncologists nationwide.

This edition features perspectives from more than 170 U.S. oncologists on the impact of burnout on oncologists, as well as changing value-based care models and patient access barriers to specialty medication.

More than half (56%) of participating oncologists said they are experiencing higher levels of stress than prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While 55% say they are able to manage stress effectively, 60% require 4 or more additional hours per week to complete their work responsibilities, with one-third reporting they require 7 or more additional hours weekly. Nearly one-third of respondents (30%) say they have considered retiring early as a result of increased workplace stress. These findings on the state of oncologists' mental health show that increased levels of stress and persistent pressures, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, could potentially lead to oncologists leaving the field.

"Our research shows a stark contrast between oncologists' reported ability to manage stress and the actual impact it is having on their well-being, which certainly warrants closer evaluation and monitoring," said Bruce Feinberg, DO, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions.

"Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions offers expert guidance and services that enable physicians to meet the increasing demand for oncology care. These research findings, coupled with the recent Surgeon General's advisory noting a projected physician shortage by 2033, shine a light on the need to address the high levels of stress among oncologists," said Heidi Hunter, President of Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions. "In line with the Surgeon General's recommendation, we will continue developing solutions to help reduce administrative burdens, so oncologists can have more time for their patients and their personal well-being."

In addition to findings on workplace burnout, the report also examines oncologists' views on patient access barriers and their perspectives on what's next for value-based care after the Oncology Care Model (OCM) is phased out in June 2022. Key findings include:

Nearly 90% of respondents noted prior authorizations as a significant barrier when starting patients on new medications, with 80% saying this process has a negative impact on patient outcomes.

Nearly 75% of participating oncologists said they are unsure if they will join the yet-to-be-defined program that will replace the OCM.

The full report is available for download at cardinalhealth.com/oncologyinsights.

Cardinal Health understands the importance of mental health support and has invested nearly $2.6 million in suicide prevention and increased access to mental health services. Cardinal Health has also launched a global mental health initiative for its employees called Mind Matters.

About Cardinal Health

Cardinal Health is a distributor of pharmaceuticals, a global manufacturer and distributor of medical and laboratory products, and a provider of performance and data solutions for health care facilities. With 50 years in business, operations in more than 30 countries and approximately 44,000 employees globally, Cardinal Health is essential to care. Information about Cardinal Health is available at cardinalhealth.com.

Contacts

Media: to request a copy of the report, please contact Victor Scott, [email protected] and (847) 887-1393.

SOURCE Cardinal Health
Nina West is a native to Columbus, Ohio, the home of Dearfoams, making this a treasure to the brand's community. Nina has performed in thousands of shows giving generous time and talent and is passionate to giving back. As a part of the brand's collaboration  Dearfoams donated to the Nina West Foundation, a platform to lift and support LGBTQ+ organizations which has raised over two million dollars for local and national charities.

Nina details the collaboration with Dearfoams stating, "I am thrilled to be partnering with a truly iconic Columbus, Ohio based brand known for comfort. This line is fabulous! It celebrates living your life loudly in lush comfort while supporting a wonderful organization. Thank you Dearfoams for making this dream a reality."

The collection is available on dearfoams.com ranging from $36-$85.

Collection and campaign imagery HERE.

Media Contact: Melissa Nicholls, [email protected]

SOURCE Dearfoams
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 18; Released: March 2022

Executive Pool: 761

Companies: 120 - Players covered include Allergan Plc; SkinMedica, Inc.; Biopelle, Inc.; Clinique Laboratories, LLC; Cutera, Inc.; Emerson Ecologics, LLC; iS CLINICAL; Jan Marini Skin Research, Inc.; La Roche-Posay Laboratoire Pharmaceutique; Neutrogena Corp.; Obagi Medical Products, Inc.; SkinCeuticals; Stiefel Laboratories, Inc. and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Product Type (Skin Care, Hair Care, Eye Care, Other Product Types); Distribution Channel (Hospital Pharmacies, Retail Pharmacies, Other Distribution Channels)

Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Spain; Russia; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Australia; India; South Korea; Rest of Asia-Pacific; Latin America; Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; Rest of Latin America; Middle East; Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; UAE; Rest of Middle East; Africa.

Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry

ABSTRACT-

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Physician Dispensed Cosmeceuticals estimated at US$18 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$25.9 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 8.7% over the analysis period. Skin Care, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 9.9% CAGR, while growth in the Hair Care segment is readjusted to a revised 8.3% CAGR for the next 7-year period. Physician dispensed cosmeceuticals are medicated aesthetic products that are prescribed by trichologists, dermatologists, and cosmetic surgeons. With a growing focus on appearance and beauty and increased awareness about anti-aging, such physician-dispensed cosmeceuticals continue to grow in popularity. Consumers are inclined towards physician-dispensed cosmeceuticals as they are considered safer and address specific consumer skincare problems such as acne or age spots. Physician-dispensed cosmeceuticals work on the skin below the stratum corneum. Consumers are more inclined to buy them on account of their efficacy and safety. These products are dispensed at beauty and wellness centers, hair and beauty clinics, and select retail outlets. Cosmeceuticals have gained in popularity on account of their several therapeutic effects. The skincare, eye care, and hair care products must meet the needs of the prospective customers and address their beauty problems. They are being promoted through physicians who have turned entrepreneurs. Such cosmeceuticals and topical formulations must be cost-effective to appeal to beauty-conscious consumers.

The cosmeceuticals industry is rapidly growing as it is promoted by dermatologists and a rapidly-aging population prefers these products. The skincare segment to treat dermatological conditions is the most popular section in the global physician-dispensed cosmeceuticals market. Anti-aging formulations and procedures are the most popular segment of the physician-dispensed cosmeceuticals market. Older persons and young adults are increasingly opting for cosmetics that can retain their youthfulness. Dermal fillers and injectable botox are a popular beauty trend. The market for injectable Botox and dermal fillers is expected to grow in the coming years. The changing lifestyles and value systems of the population have influenced the growth of the anti-aging skincare cosmeceuticals market. This has led to lucrative opportunities for beauty brands offering anti-aging products. The market for physician-dispensed cosmeceuticals is highly competitive and there are several governmental regulations regarding their sale, which can inhibit the growth of the global market for physician-dispensed cosmeceuticals.

Skincare products account for a major share of the global physician dispensed cosmeceuticals market. Physician-dispensed skin care products are designed to target the root cause of various skin problems, thus ensuring comprehensive and long-term benefits. Such products typically include high-concentrations of active ingredients, when compared to over-the-counter products or mass products, thus playing a vital role in enhancing their overall effectiveness. These products can be used either alone or in combination with other treatments (aesthetic) for enhancing results. The segment's substantial share is also due to the growing demand for effective cosmeceuticals for use in the treatment of various dermatological conditions. There is especially opportunity from the expanding elderly population, due to the increasing instances of skin conditions in this demographic group. Rising consumer demand for cosmeceuticals from emerging economies also presents growth potential for the skincare products market.

The market is expected to continue gaining momentum in the coming years driven by the advent of innovative ingredients and products, and the increased willingness of consumers to spend on cosmeceuticals. The steady rise in number of physicians prescribing cosmeceuticals to support beauty and health also favors segment growth. With non-prescription skin care products failing to provide the desired results, consumers are showing preference for physician-dispensed products. Rising consumer awareness about the potential health implications of using topical skincare products is also leading them to take a re-look at the type of personal care products being used.

Demand for physician branded skincare products in aesthetic medical practices is experiencing strong growth, led by the rising interest in specialty products that meet specific needs of customers opting for cosmetic procedures. These products are being considered to not only help enhance profit margins, but also to improve patients' loyalty. The products help improve the treatments which clients receive in the physician's office, as they include a high percentage of active ingredients, than found in products available in mass market. Basic private label companies, custom line and the proprietary line are the three options available to physicians for procuring their products. While private label companies offer existing product lines that enable the physician to choose from a range of products that fulfils specifications, the custom line enables the physician to work with a developer to include specific ingredients into the products or alter an existing product line. The proprietary line, on the other hand, enables the physicians to own unique ingredients or products.

Within the physician-dispensed skin care products market, growth will be fueled by the physician-dispensed skin lightening and anti-aging products. Demand for physician-dispensed scar products will be driven by the advent of new products and growing awareness about their effectiveness. The huge existing market for over-the-counter scar products is likely to foster demand for physician dispensed scar products. Given the large unmet needs of the scar prevention market and the absence of effective innovations in this space, the development of an innovative and effective product could have favorable impact on the market. Demand for physician dispensed scar repair products is expected to increase in future, backed by the growing awareness of the efficacy of these products and new products launched in the market. However, a saturated market, a well-established OTC market for scar products and societal acceptance of scars as normal, are the key factors restricting higher gains in this segment.

North America, the leading market for physician dispensed cosmeceuticals, is a relatively mature market. The region's dominant share is due to its technological superiority compared to other geographic markets. Despite being the largest region, growth in the North American physician dispensed cosmeceuticals market will be curbed by saturating conditions and high level of product discounting offers, specifically through online retail channels. The United States represents the largest market for physician dispensed cosmeceuticals in the region. Europe on the other hand will grow led by growing awareness among consumers about the advantages of physician-prescribed cosmeceuticals when compared to surgical treatments.

Asia-Pacific and China are forecast to post high growth through the analysis period. Growth will be driven by the increasing willingness of the elderly and the mid-income consumer category to spend on skincare and beauty products, which in turn enhances the demand for high-quality cosmeceuticals.

Given the region's tropical climate and the expanding teen population, Asia-Pacific witnesses high consumer affinity for skin whitening, hyperpigmentation and acne treatment products, thus providing growth opportunities for the physician dispensed cosmeceuticals market. Asia-Pacific market for physician-dispensed cosmeceuticals is poised to grow on account of the changing cultural attitudes, lifestyle patterns, and a growing consumer base. Lifestyle patterns, pollution, and stress wreak havoc on the eyes, skin, and hair. This has led to a demand for cosmetic products to treat several dermatological conditions. Consumers are now more aware of premium international brands and have the purchasing power to buy these products. Other emerging markets across Latin America Middle East and Africa, including countries such as Brazil, UAE, Saudi Arabia and South Africa, are also witnessing strong growth in physician dispensed cosmeceuticals market. More

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Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

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Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
VANCOUVER, BC, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HPIL Holding (the "Company") (OTC: HPIL) announces that it will be having a shareholders meeting on June 9th at 2:PM PST to give the shareholders a complete in depth explanation and plan on the current business status and its moving forward plans. The discussions will be about the following:

Apogee Dynamics status update and its new plans in the EV market. Humm Token www.hummtoken.com and its confirmed launch date along with its ongoing business model. World Gaming Group and the launch of "Solomons Revenge" www.solomonsrevenge.com this month along with discussing its future plans on new game development. World Gaming Group and "ZIPPA" www.zippa.gg and why the delay that will ultimately separate itself from any competition and its confirmed launch date. Explaining the legal settlements that are now complete. Future funding. What the growth plans are for 2022-2023.

"We continue to Wait for the responses from the OTC in regards to when Pink Status will occur as we have done all we can including having all the filings up to date and this has been the toughest of all trying to explain to the shareholders why so long and I understand the frustration, however it is out of our hands", said Stephen Brown CEO.

HPIL next conference call will be on June 9th, 2022 Conference call link: https://www.hpilholding.ca/ Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (The "Act"). In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "pleased," "plan," "confident that," "believe," "expect," or "intend to," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act and are subject to the safe harbor created by the Act. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any of the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, general acceptance of the Company's products and technologies, competitive factors, the ability to successfully complete additional financings and other risks described in the Company's SEC reports and filing.



For more information:

www.hpilholding.ca

Contact: Stephen Brown, CEO, [email protected], Ph: (778) 819-1956

SOURCE HPIL Holding
According to J INTS BIO, 'JIN-A02' not only showed robust inhibitory activities against NSCLC cancers with triple mutations (Ex19Del or L858R/T790M/C797S) involving EGFR C797S mutations, but also on double mutations (Ex19Del/C797S or L858R/C797S) with C797S, Ex19Del/T790M and L858R/T790M mutations in in vitro studies. In addition, 'JIN-A02' also effectively reduced tumor volume in a dose-dependent manner, compared to Osimertinib, in mouse model harboring EGFR Ex19Del/T790M/C797S triple mutation cancers and exhibited high brain penetrance with efficacy against intracranial tumor.

A company official added that 'JIN-A02' demonstrated a favorable safety profile with a low propensity for cardiotoxicity and did not show significant toxic effects such as weight loss and cytotoxicity in animal models at therapeutic dose levels. It is therefore expected to become a highly valued new drug in the armamentarium for the treatment of NSCLC.

Meanwhile, J INTS BIO announced that it plans to conduct a global clinical study with sequential IND submissions in Korea, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Australia, following the US FDA IND submission.

SOURCE J INTS BIO
DALLAS, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Level5 Events by The Expo Group has added Jessica Miller as Associate Vice President, Strategic Initiatives. In this newly created role, Jessica will co-author strategic brand activations with higher education clientele as well as guide the augmentation of internal operations that allow Level5 Events to provide frictionless support to its higher education partners.

Jessica Miller joins Level5 Events by The Expo Group

Jessica formerly served as Associate VP, Campaign and Board Operations for Rutgers University Foundation where she led university campaign operations and provided strategic oversight and direction in support of the Foundation President. She also revamped the university board's recruiting process while creating comprehensive resource toolkits to ensure constituent engagement. Jessica also managed campaign initiatives and communications for The University of Florida Advancement where she served on the Campaign Executive Committee and Campaign Communications Coordinating Council.

"Level5 Events offers a unique blend of skills for powerful storytelling and unforgettable experiences for higher education and businesses," said Jessica. "I am thrilled to be able to apply my background in higher education to contribute to the amazing projects that Level5 Events is known for."

"We're excited about the deep knowledge that Jessica adds to our team," said Gary Wokas, Executive Vice President and General Manager for Level5 Events. "We take pride in our expertise of bringing dreams to reality for higher education institutions and Jessica's unique experience gives us even more insights to help us deliver beyond expectations."

About The Expo Group

The Expo Group serves as architects for connecting communities through the design and management of personalized, unforgettable tradeshows and events. The company helps its clients reimagine events by leveraging behavioral science to deliver customized brand experiences with valuable content, connections, and commerce. It has headquarters near Dallas with offices in Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando and Washington D.C. For more information, visit theexpogroup.com or contact [email protected].

Media Contact

Michael Guillory

[email protected]

2148829499

SOURCE The Expo Group
Leigh McMullan, Michael Phillips, and Jim Leonard Honored

PHILADELPHIA, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NetDiligence, a leading provider of cyber risk readiness and response services, yesterday announced the winners of its 2022 Toby Merrill Awards at the company's Cyber Risk Summit in Philadelphia. NetDiligence presents these awards each year honoring the late Toby Merrill, an icon in cyber insurance. The Toby Merrill Award for Excellence is given to a seasoned cyber insurance thought leader, the Rising Star Award is given to an emerging insurance professional, and the Community Spirit Award acknowledges an individual who fosters camaraderie and community within the cyber insurance industry.

2022 Toby Merrill Award Winners

2022 Award for Excellence  Leigh McMullan , Crum & Forster

Leigh McMullan serves as a Senior Vice President of Crum & Forster (C&F) Executive Risk Division, where she manages the Management, Professional, and Cyber Liability businesses. Leigh is a noted expert on matters in executive risk and professional liability and speaks regularly on topics impacting the insurance marketplace. She is the former President of the Board of the John Street Insurance Association (2017-2018) and previously served on the Professional Liability Underwriting Society's Eastern Chapter steering committee (2013-2017). Prior to joining Crum & Forster, Leigh worked at Valiant Insurance Company, and began her insurance career at ACE USA. She was named one of the "Elite Woman" in insurance by Insurance Business America in 2019.

2022 Rising Star Award  Michael Phillips , Resilience Cyber Insurance Solutions

Michael Phillips is the Chief Claims Officer of Resilience Cyber Insurance Solutions. He also serves as the Co-Chair of the Ransomware Task Force convened by the Institute for Security & Technology. He previously served as the Head of Cyber, Media, and Technology Claims for North America at Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, and as a cyber claims leader at Beazley. Michael was previously a litigator in private practice at the global law firm of Clyde & Co, representing international insurers in disputes before US federal and state courts and before a diverse array of arbitral institutions. He was twice named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers, and recently concluded his tenth year on the executive board of the New York American Inn of Court.

2022 Community Spirit Award  Jim Leonard , Kroll

Jim Leonard is an associate managing director in the Cyber Risk practice of Kroll, based in Nashville. Jim has more than 20 years of experience helping organizations develop proactive strategies and resolve challenges relating to crisis management, investigations, data breach investigations, response, and cyber liability risk.

"I have had the great fortune to personally know each of these award recipients for several years. They are all true cyber leaders," commented Mark Greisiger, president of NetDiligence. "Just as important, they all possess the thoughtfulness, knowledge, and leadership qualities that made Toby Merrill so special. Each of them truly deserves their Toby award."

These Toby Merrill Awards are once again sponsored by Chubb. Chubb and NetDiligence also actively support the Toby Merrill Scholarship Fund, which financially supports the educational advancement of students who reflect the qualities of leadership, kindness and strength that Toby epitomized.

Media Contact :

Heather Osborne

Director of Global Events & Programming

610.896.9715

[email protected]

About NetDiligence

NetDiligence specializes in Cyber Risk Readiness & Response services. With 20 years of experience in cyber, NetDiligence is an award-winning provider of innovative cyber risk management software and services to the insurance industry, including QuietAudit Cyber Risk Assessments, the eRiskHub cyber risk management portal, and Breach Plan Connect, a securely hosted solution designed to help senior managers plan and execute their organization's response to a cyber incident, and which also includes a free mobile app for convenient access and alternative means of communication if company systems are compromised. NetDiligence publishes an annual Cyber Claims Study and traditionally hosts Cyber Risk Conferences in Philadelphia, Santa Monica, Toronto, Florida, London, and Bermuda. For more information, visit https://netdiligence.com.

About Chubb

Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company and the largest commercial insurer in the United States. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at www.chubb.com.

About Toby Merrill Scholarship

The Toby Merrill Scholarship was created to change the lives of children and make a difference through education. Toby's vision was to develop a lasting legacy by awarding financial assistance to students seeking to attend college, with the goal of empowering those deserving children to reach their full potential and experience the joys of life that Toby achieved. Scholarship recipients excel in areas of academics, athletics and leadership, and demonstrate high character traits such as kindness and strength during times of adversity. For more information or to contribute to the scholarship fund, please visit http://tobymerrillscholarship.org.

SOURCE NetDiligence
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- From his passion for his alma mater to his devotion to family, friends and community, Ryan Marchiori forged a lifetime of strong bonds in 33 years.

On Thursday, more than 140 people from the Marchiori family and St. Bonaventure University community honored his memory with the dedication of the Marchiori Pavilion.

The Marchiori Family outside the new Marchiori Pavilion at St. Bonaventure University The new Marchiori Pavilion is dedicated and blessed, in memory of Ryan Marchiori

Located on the north side of campus in front of iconic Devereux Hall, the pavilion is available to the community for nearly year-round use. It features two natural gas fire pits, a large gas grill and ample seating. Marchiori was a dedicated Bonnie and devoted member of his community. This space will allow for his memory to be forever shared.

"You know how we honor Ideal Bonaventure Students in their senior year? Well, Ryan was the Ideal Bonaventure alumnus in the time since he graduated," said Dr. Jim Mahar, associate professor of finance who served as emcee for the dedication.

Marchiori passed away after a car accident in the fall of 2019. His family established a memorial fund that allowed for a donation to the Warming House with the remaining funds leading to the creation of the pavilion and fire pit. The senior class gifts from the classes of 2020 and 2021 were specifically donated to this project along with contributions from friends and alumni.

Marchiori held a love for the outdoors. The pavilion offers a beautiful gathering space for students, alumni and the surrounding community to enjoy.

"This is a place for community," said Dr. Joseph Zimmer, acting president of St. Bonaventure.

Ryan's father, Gary, and brother, Luke, classes of '11, '12, thanked the more than 200 donors who contributed to the project  "The generosity has been overwhelming," Luke said  and Jared Smith, director of Facilities Operations at St. Bonaventure, for his vision on the project. The initial idea to honor Ryan was a memorial bench, but that didn't feel adequate. "When I thought big, Jared thought bigger," Gary said.

Fr. Dan Riley, ofm, formally dedicated the pavilion and assisted Luke in blessing the structure. Gary talked about the significant impact that Bonaventure had on Ryan. "This place shaped him as a person and developed him into a leader," Gary said. "Bonaventure set a moral compass for my son. I'll never forget that."

Marchiori earned a bachelor of business administration degree with a major in finance in 2008 and an MBA in 2009 from St. Bonaventure. After graduation, he joined the leadership team of EnergyMark, a local supplier of electricity, natural gas and renewable energy based in Williamsville, New York.

About Saint Bonaventure University

The nation's first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. St. Bonaventure was named the #5 regional university value in the North in U.S. News and World Report's 2022 college rankings edition.

About EnergyMark, LLC

EnergyMark is a local supplier of electricity, natural gas, and renewable energy, operating in New York since 2002 with offices in Buffalo and Rochester. EnergyMark has supplied natural gas, electricity, and risk management solutions for over 15 years to more than 15,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers throughout Western New York and Northwest Pennsylvania. EnergyMark is the official energy supplier to the Buffalo Bills.

Media Contact:

Gary Marchiori, President

Office: 716.632.1800

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE St. Bonaventure University
ANCASTER, ON, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SIB Corp., operating as StoneRidge Insurance Brokers ("SIB"), a leading independent provider of insurance and consulting services, whose platforms include an insurance brokerage, MGA/MGU, group benefits and an adjusting firm, has partnered with K5 Insurance Inc. ("K5"), expanding its personal and commercial insurance presence in Manitoba and into Saskatchewan.

K5 is a full-service insurance brokerage servicing clients throughout the prairies since 1967. With three locations, K5 provides a suite of personal and commercial offerings with the goal of providing the information and products needed for a customer to make informed decisions at competitive prices.

"We are excited to be a part of the StoneRidge family  this new beginning for K5 will provide us access to additional markets, products and resources. We believe being part of StoneRidge will allow us to meet our customers' needs and offer competitive premiums to achieve the right solution," said Mike Klassen, President of K5.

"We are extremely lucky to have Mike and K5 as part of the SIB family. This transaction demonstrates our continued focus on becoming a national broker. SIB has completed three transactions so far in 2022, with another three transactions expected to close in the next 60 days" said Ted Puccini, SIB's CEO and President.

K5 is the twelfth investment that SIB has made since partnering with CIVC Partners, LP, a private equity firm ( www.civc.com) , in November 2019. SIB continues to actively seek additional partnership and acquisition opportunities and is committed to growing organically and through investments across Canada.

About SIB

For more information on SIB's partnership and investment approach, please visit

www.stoneridgeinsurance.ca/partnerplatform .

Press Contact

Trevor Cruise 416-894-6429

SOURCE StoneRidge Insurance Brokers
ChenMed places at top of Hospitals and Health Systems category

MIAMI, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ChenMed has been awarded a Top Workplace in South Florida 2022 honor by The Sun Sentinel, placing fifth in the large company category. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization: including alignment, execution, and connection, just to name a few.

"During this very challenging time, Top Workplaces has proven to be a beacon of light for organizations, as well as a sign of resiliency and strong business performance," said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. "When you give your employees a voice, you come together to navigate challenges and shape your path forward. Top Workplaces draw on real-time insights into what works best for their organization, so they can make informed decisions that have a positive impact on their people and their business."

According to Simoukda Farina, regional vice president of ChenMed, "Validation by our team members a great complement and testament to the culture we strive so hard to create. Our team members are passionate about changing healthcare and serving our seniors and we are proud to celebrate accomplishments with them."

The Sun Sentinel also presented ChenMed with an award for its values  Love, Accountability and Passion  and how they're embedded in company culture.

Avianne Hospedales, regional chief medical officer of ChenMed, added, "When our employees are happy with their workplace it shows in the positive ways they interact with patients. And when patients feel loved, they are more likely to follow doctors' orders ultimately leading to positive outcomes."

About Chenmed

ChenMed, headquartered in Miami, is a privately owned medical, management and technology company that delivers the high-touch and personalized primary care Medicare-eligible seniors need to enjoy better health. The company operates nearly 100 senior medical centers in 12 states. Named a Fortune 2020 "Change the World" company , a "Most Loved Workplace" by Newsweek Magazine, and a certified Best Place to Work by the Best Place to Work Institute, ChenMed brings concierge-style medicine and better health outcomes to the neediest populations. ChenMed brands include Chen Senior Medical Center, Dedicated Senior Medical Center and JenCare Senior Medical Center. Thanks to its nimble and growing software entity, Curity, ChenMed also was recently named "A Best Place to Work in IT" by IDG's Insider Pro and ComputerWorld.

About Energage

Making the world a better place to work together.TM

Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 14 years of culture research and the results from 23 million employees surveyed across more than 70,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.

SOURCE ChenMed
During this week (June 1-7), celebrated in the U.S. as National CPR & AED Awareness Week , the Richardson family and their Texas Children's Heart Center care team are proud to share Garrett's inspiring, life-saving story to ensure others with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) also can be saved.

On Jan. 11, 2013, Garrett  a sixth-grade student at Immaculate Conception Cathedral School in Lake Charles at the time  challenged his classmate to a race up the school's three flights of stairs. When he reached the top, he collapsed directly in front of a Saint Therese statue, an unexpected victim of SCA. Without the immediate intervention of his teacher and former nurse Suzy Solari, Garrett never would have seen his 14th birthday. Instead, with an automatic external defibrillator (AED) on the wall within two arm's lengths from where he fell, Solari performed cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and shocked Garrett's heart with the AED, saving his young life. He traveled by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was stabilized before being transferred to Texas Children's in the Texas Medical Center.

Notably, Garrett never experienced a single symptom prior to his cardiac arrest.

"When my husband and I first arrived at the school following Garrett's cardiac arrest, we watched as paramedics loaded his stretcher into a waiting ambulance," said Monique. "Humbled and grateful, we immediately thanked God that his school had an emergency action plan in place  including trained teachers and access to an AED  for just such an unexpected, terrifying event. Our next thought was, 'We're taking him straight to Texas Children's Hospital.'"

Texas Children's care team first diagnosed Garrett with Long QT Syndrome  a rare condition that can cause an irregular heartbeat  when he was 2 years old. Following Garrett's near-death experience as a teenager, Dr. Jeffrey J. Kim, Director of the Arrhythmia and Pacing (Electrophysiology) Service at Texas Children's Hospital, and Professor of Pediatrics-Cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine, helped stabilize his heart rhythm and surgically placed an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in his young patient's heart to help prevent future sudden death events.

"I am incredibly grateful for the training and quick thinking of Ms. Solari," said Dr. Kim. "Without her awareness of how to respond in this scenario, and her ability to perform CPR and use an AED, the world would've lost an incredible young man who has so much to contribute to life."

Now, with a good prognosis, Garrett is a junior at the University of New Orleans, where he is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree with the goal of becoming a professor. He continues to return to Texas Children's every six months to meet with Dr. Kim, with whom he shares a special friendship.

Both Dr. Kim and the Richardson family continue to collaborate with the Sudden Arrhythmia Syndromes (SADS) Foundation to increase awareness about SCA and the importance of CPR and AEDs in saving the lives of individuals with abnormal heart rhythms. Dr. Kim, who received the first SADS Foundation Courts K. Cleveland Jr. Young Investigator Award in 2008, is organizing the SADS Foundation's 2022 International Conference for medical professionals at Texas Children's in November, where they will continue to educate the next generation of physicians on diseases that cause sudden death in children.

"Genetic cardiac arrhythmias like Long QT Syndrome are among the primary causes of sudden cardiac arrest in young people  but they're treatable conditions," said Alice Lara, President and CEO of the SADS Foundation. "Over 7,000 children and young adults are affected by SCA each year, but with increased access to AEDs and CPR training, sudden cardiac arrest doesn't have to be fatal."

For more information about Texas Children's Heart Center, please visit https://www.texaschildrens.org/departments/heart-center. For more information about the SADS Foundation, visit http://www.sads.org.

About Texas Children's Hospital

Texas Children's Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children's hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children's has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women's health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children's care for communities north of Houston. The organization also created Texas Children's Health Plan, the nation's first HMO for children; Texas Children's Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children's Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that's channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children's Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.

About the SADS Foundation

The Sudden Arrhythmia Syndromes (SADS) Foundation exists to save the lives and support the families of children and young adults who are genetically predisposed to sudden death due to heart rhythm abnormalities. For more information, visit https://www.sads.org.

SOURCE Texas Children's Hospital
DUBLIN, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "UCC Investment Priorities for 2022 and Beyond" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

In the 2022 Unified Communications and Collaboration Industry Outlook, the publisher's Connected Work research team keeps its fingers on the pulse of IT decision makers (ITDMs) across regions, industries and organization sizes. We surveyed thousands of ITDMs about their current unified communications and collaboration technology adoption status, business goals, challenges and future investment plans. This report details those results.



The vast majority of ITDMs state that they expect their 2022 IT/telecom budgets to increase or remain the same compared to 2021. They will likely have the financial resources to advance on their technology and digital transformation initiatives. These include adopting digital business models, particularly in the areas of digital commerce, sales and marketing automation, and other digital tools that end customers increasingly expect from the organizations they conduct business with.



This study also gauges the current prevalence of remote and hybrid work, and expected plans to support these practices as the hybrid work era further solidifies. The hybrid workforce and changing work styles are having a profound impact on technology investments, communications solution positioning, as well as end-user organization technology investment stakeholders' expectations.

Hybrid work is driving new challenges and opportunities in how formal office spaces are designed and organized, as well as driving initiatives that organizations are undertaking to enhance employee engagement, ensure worker connections and strengthen cultures of equity and inclusion.

ITDMs and their respective technology partners will need to account for the needs of an increasing array of technology investment stakeholders and influencers spanning line-of-business, human resources, facilities, security teams and more as they strive to develop holistic programs to address emerging technical and non-technical challenges in their markets and the workforce.



These points, as well as certain inconsistent ITDM responses regarding their goals, challenges and investment priorities open opportunities for candid conversations with UCC providers. Overall, ITDMs indicate that they need more guidance about what actions to take and when to take them amid recent and ongoing uncertainties.

Realistic roadmaps co-created by UCC providers with in-depth ITDM input are needed. A consultative approach, flexibility, openness and a willingness to meet customers where they are today, and to take them at their own pace, whether via traditional on-premises, private cloud or pubic cloud deployment, are critical for technology and services provider success, as ITDMs must have it their way. As a result, UCC providers must be selective in their customer engagements to ensure the right fit for both parties.



This wide-ranging study represents the first in a planned series of reports that variously dissect the publisher's extensive ITDM survey data, with future content planned this year to be published in the areas of communications platform as a service (CPaaS), frontliner solutions, meeting rooms, office space utilization, and various industry verticals.

Market participants - enabling technology developers, service providers, resellers, IT/telecom decision makers and others--can leverage the findings of these studies to develop sustainable growth strategies. Further discussions with the FConnected Work team may be needed to customize takeaways and strategic implications for each market participant.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Research Objectives

Research Objectives

2. Research Methodology and Structure

Research Methodology

Survey Respondent Demographics by Country

Survey Respondent Demographics by Region

Survey Respondent Demographics by Organization Size

Survey Respondent Demographics by Industry Sector

3. The Future of Enterprise Communications and Collaboration

Unified Communications and Collaboration in a Post-COVID-19 World

4. IT Decision Maker Business Goals

Business Goals Highlights

Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility

Attracting and Retaining Talent

Automating Business Processes

Promoting Digital Commerce

Improving Business Continuity Plans

Improving Customer Experience

Accelerating the Pace of Innovation

Expanding to New Markets

Shifting Supply Chains

Improving Brand Equity

Data Analytics and AI to Make Business Decisions

Top Business Goals

5. Digital Transformation Priorities

Digital Transformation Highlights

IT/Telecom Departments Face Multiple Challenges

Obstacles to Meeting or Exceeding Digital Transformation Objectives

Measuring Digital Transformation Success

COVID-19 Impact on Digital Transformation

Digital Transformation Priorities as a Result of COVID-19

6. Current Technology Adoption Status

Current Technology Adoption Highlights

Technology in Use Today

Enterprise Mobility Management Plans

Digital Commerce Plans

Communications and Collaboration Upgrade and Investment Plans

Data Analytics Plans

Digital Marketing Plans

Customer Experience Management Plans

Cybersecurity Plans

Business Process Management Systems Plans

Sales Automation Plans

Technology Plans Summary

7. Cloud Migration Challenges

Cloud Migration Challenges Summary

Moving Applications to the Cloud

Cloud Initiative Challenges - Migrating Applications or Data

Cloud Initiative Challenges - Keeping Pace with New Technology/Services

Cloud Initiative Challenges - Support from Business Leaders and Stakeholders

Cloud Initiative Challenges - Managing Costs

Cloud Initiative Challenges - Deployment Across Multiple IT Environments

Cloud Initiative Challenges - Refactoring/Modernizing Legacy Applications

Cloud Initiative Challenges - Insufficient Expertise

Cloud Initiative Challenges - Implementing Resiliency/Backup Plans

Cloud Initiative Challenges - Ensuring Compliance/Security

Cloud Initiative Challenges - Developing a Technology Roadmap

Top Initiative Cloud Challenges

8. Employee Work Styles

Employee Work Styles Summary

Desk Workers Currently Working Remotely

Desk Workers Working Remotely in Two Years

Technologies Provided for Remote Worker Productivity

Remote and Hybrid Work Impact on Office Space and Real Estate

Benefits of Remote and Hybrid Work

Employees' Challenges When Working Remotely/from Home

Remote Worker Access to Data and Applications

Maintaining Security and Compliance for Remote Workers

Supporting Employee-owned Technology for Remote Workers

User Training for Remote Workers

Monitoring and Managing Remote Workers

Deploying and Provisioning Technology for Remote Workers

Technical Support for Multiple Remote Users

Least Difficult Aspects of Supporting Remote Workers

Planned Technology Investments for Remote and Hybrid Workers

9. Workforce Engagement Initiatives

Employee Engagement Summary

Workforce and Scheduling Management

Flexible Work Locations/Remote Work

Employee Training and Development Programs

Employee Career Growth

Work Environment/Corporate Culture

Empowering Employee Decision-making

Employee Time Off for Community Service

Competitive Pay/Monetary Incentives

Voice of the Employee Analytics

Top Employee Engagement Initiatives in 2022

10. Future Investment Plans

Future Investment Plans - Highlights

IT/Telecom Budget Changes in 2022

Percent IT and Telecom Budget Increases in 2022

Communications and Collaboration Investment Drivers

Enterprise Communications Environments in Two Years

Top Factors Influencing Communications and Collaboration Solution Purchases

Preferred Channels to Purchase Communications and Collaboration Solutions

11. UCC Provider Growth Opportunities

Technology and Service Provider Growth Opportunities

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lheosj



Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets
The New Region is Exclusively Home to Rocky Pond Estate Winery's Rocky Reach Vineyard

ORONDO, Wash., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rocky Pond Estate Winery, the Washington producer crafting wines from their breathtaking sustainably farmed riverside and lakeside vineyards in the Columbia River Valley, recently received good news when their Flagship Double D Vineyard and Rocky Reach Estate Vineyard received approval by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Rocky Reach will be Washington's twentieth AVA.

Rocky Pond Estate Winery and the New Rocky Reach AVA

"We are extremely pleased to see this return on our efforts," stated Owners and Founders David and Michelle Dufenhorst. "This is an essential step towards recognizing what we've known for some time  that this is a remarkable place to grow and produce quality vines and wines."

The Rocky Reach AVA will encompass over 32,333 acres (50 square miles) along the Columbia River. The AVA takes its name from the Rocky Reach Dam and the Rocky Reach Reservoir (also known as Lake Entiat). Steamboat captains first applied the name "Rocky Reach" to the region in the late 1800's, to describe the rapids within a stretch, or "reach", of the Columbia River. This new AVA will follow the Columbia River from Wenatchee north to Lake Chelan. Unlike its surrounding wine region, however, Rocky Reach possesses a unique combination of topography, soils, and climate  all of which call for a singular AVA designation.

These characteristics derive from a fascinating geologic history. Rocky Reach AVA consists of crystalline basement rocks which are silica rich due to the mica and quartz minerals. This is in contrast to the existing Columbia Valley AVA which is 95% basalt.

The soils were formed from wind-deposited sand and silt overlying cobblestone gravel and sand deposited by ice-aged floods. The prolific, stony surfaces warm quickly, and the hot stones radiate and retain daytime heat to the vines and promote faster and more complete ripening. The gravels within Rocky Reach were deposited approximately 18,800 years ago by gigantic floods. The new AVA envelopes several gently sloping terraces, but hovers below the surrounding highlands at elevations of no more than 1,600 feet.

Unlike the areas upstream in the Columbia Valley, Rocky Reach was never glaciated. Rocky Reach contains no glacial till nor erratic rocks and its landforms have not been shaped by erosion of ice.

David Dufenhorst believes that this area is an undiscovered gem in the state of Washington. The unique amalgam of climate and geology within Rocky Reach is ideal for grape growing, bolstered by a long growing season of more than 150 days on average and lower riverside elevation. The Rocky Reach AVA officially recognizes the outstanding capacity of such a rare combination of characteristics.

Rocky Pond operates two tasting rooms - one in Chelan and the other in Woodinville - for wine, culinary, travel enthusiasts and members looking to experience their high-quality wines and impeccable service. Reserve a table today at www.rockypondwinery.com.

About Rocky Pond Estate Winery:

Rocky Pond Estate Winery was established in 2013 by David and Michelle Dufenhorst. The winery itself takes its name from the tumbled granite stones found on their estate vineyards located in one of the most awe-inspiring regions of the Columbia River Valley.

Regionally, Rocky Pond Estate Winery is making a name for itself as a high-quality Washington winery that is focused on producing Bordeaux and Rhone-style wines that showcase the truly unique terroir of their sustainably farmed riverside estate vineyards deeply rooted in the soils of the geographic wonder that is the Columbia River Valley.

Interviews and high-resolution photography are available upon request.

CONTACT: John Ware | Rocky Pond Estate Winery | (425) 949-9044 x 7

[email protected]

SOURCE Rocky Pond Estate Winery
DUBLIN, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Cosmetic Surgery And Procedure Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Type (Invasive, Non-invasive), Region (North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, Latin America, Europe), and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global cosmetic surgery and procedure market size is expected to reach USD 145.7 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 9.6%.

Technological developments, growing use of social media, and increasing disposable income are some of the factors likely to drive the market during the forecast period.



The substantial increase in the volume of cosmetic procedures can be attributed to the popularity of digital photography, rising demand by consumers to boost self-esteem, the introduction of self-monitoring apps, and the increasing affordability of cosmetic surgeries in developing countries. Furthermore, risk associated with cosmetic surgery has decreased due to technological developments and the presence of skilled surgeons.



It was observed that the volume of both surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures has increased in the past few years. This can be attributed to increasing disposable income, increasing safety of surgical procedures, growing faith of patients on such surgeries, and growing medical tourism.



Cosmetic Surgery And Procedure Market Report Highlights

The rising volume of cosmetic surgeries due to increasing demand from emerging countries is expected to boost the market.

The cosmetic surgery or surgical procedure segment accounted for the maximum share in 2016 due to increasing affordability of cosmetic procedures, increasing the safety of surgeries, the growing reliance of patients on surgeries to achieve positive outcomes, the presence of skilled surgeons, and long-lasting results.

The non-surgical cosmetic procedure segment is likely to witness the fastest growth in the coming years due to higher awareness and lower risk in comparison to surgical procedures. Furthermore, nonsurgical procedures are more economical and a large number of relevant service providers are easily available.

Geographically, North America dominated the cosmetic surgery and procedure market in 2016. It is anticipated to maintain its dominant position during the forecast period due to increased awareness about aesthetic procedures, higher healthcare expenditure as compared to other developing countries, and greater adoption of procedures by both men and women..

dominated the cosmetic surgery and procedure market in 2016. It is anticipated to maintain its dominant position during the forecast period due to increased awareness about aesthetic procedures, higher healthcare expenditure as compared to other developing countries, and greater adoption of procedures by both men and women.. The cosmetic surgery and procedure industry in Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth over the next decade owing to the growing medical tourism, improving healthcare infrastructure, and availability of high-quality services..

is expected to witness the fastest growth over the next decade owing to the growing medical tourism, improving healthcare infrastructure, and availability of high-quality services.. People from developed countries travel to India , Brazil , Mexico , Malaysia , and South Korea for affordable cosmetic procedures. Hence, the market is expected to witness strong growth in developing countries.

, , , , and for affordable cosmetic procedures. Hence, the market is expected to witness strong growth in developing countries. Some of the key players operating in the market are ALLERGAN; Merz Pharma; Nestle; Cutera; Cynosure, Inc.; Ipsen; Sientra, Inc.; Alma Lasers; and Johnson & Johnson.

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope



Chapter 2. Executive Summary



Chapter 3. Cosmetic Surgery & Procedure Market Variables, Trends & Scope

3.1. Market Lineage outlook

3.1.1. Parent market outlook

3.2. Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping

3.3. Market Dynamics

3.3.1. Market Driver Analysis

3.3.1.1. Increasing adoption of minimally invasive treatments

3.3.1.2. Growing population aged between 25 and 65 years

3.3.2. Market Restraint Analysis

3.3.2.1. Lack of reimbursement coverage

3.3.2.2. Stringent regulatory framework

3.4. Cosmetic Surgery & Procedure: Market Analysis Tools

3.4.1. Industry Analysis-Porter's

3.4.2. PESTEL Analysis

3.4.3. Major Deals & Strategic Alliances Analysis



Chapter 4. Cosmetic Surgery & Procedure Market: Segment Analysis, By -Procedure Type, 2018-2030 (USD Million)

4.1. Definitions & Scope

4.2. Procedure type market share analysis, 2021 & 2030

4.3. Global Cosmetic Surgery & Procedure Market, By Procedure Type, 2017 to 2030

4.4. Market Size & Forecasts and Trend Analyses, 2017 to 2030 for the following

4.4.1. Invasive procedures

4.4.1.1. Breast Augmentation

4.4.1.2. Liposuction

4.4.1.3. Nose Reshaping

4.4.1.4. Eyelid Surgery

4.4.1.5. Tummy Tuck

4.4.1.6. Others

4.4.2. Non-invasive Procedure

4.4.2.1. Botox Injections

4.4.2.2. Soft Tissue Fillers

4.4.2.3. Chemical Peel

4.4.2.4. Laser Hair Removal

4.4.2.5. Microdermabrasion

4.4.2.6. Others



Chapter 5. Cosmetic Surgery & Procedure Market: Regional Market Analysis, By Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million)



Chapter 6. Cosmetic Surgery & Procedure Market-Competitive Analysis

6.1. Company/Competition Categorization (Key innovators, Market leaders, Emerging players)

6.2. Vendor Landscape

6.2.1. List of key distributors and channel partners

6.3. Key companies profiled

6.3.1. Evolus, Inc.

6.3.1.1. Company Overview

6.3.1.2. Financial Performance

6.3.1.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.1.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.2. Cynosure.

6.3.2.1. Company Overview

6.3.2.2. Financial Performance

6.3.2.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.2.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.3. Revance Therapeutics, Inc.

6.3.3.1. Company Overview

6.3.3.2. Financial Performance

6.3.3.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.3.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.4. Galderma S.A.

6.3.4.1. Company Overview

6.3.4.2. Financial Performance

6.3.4.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.4.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.5. Alma Lasers

6.3.5.1. Company Overview

6.3.5.2. Financial Performance

6.3.5.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.5.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.6. AbbVie

6.3.6.1. Company Overview

6.3.6.2. Financial Performance

6.3.6.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.6.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.7. Solta Medical

6.3.7.1. Company Overview

6.3.7.2. Financial Performance

6.3.7.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.7.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.8. Lumenis

6.3.8.1. Company Overview

6.3.8.2. Financial Performance

6.3.8.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.8.4. Strategic Initiatives

6.3.9. Syneron Candela

6.3.9.1. Company Overview

6.3.9.2. Financial Performance

6.3.9.3. Product Benchmarking

6.3.9.4. Strategic Initiatives

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/le7stb

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets
Released by Virgin Records on October 3rd, 2011, Sinners Never Sleep reached No. 3 in the U.K. album chart on its release, selling over 182,000 copies and cementing You Me At Six as one of the most important and influential bands in U.K. alternative rock. Songs like "Loverboy" and "Bite My Tongue" (ft. Oli Sykes) proved transcendent and genre-shifting classics. Created when You Me At Six were barely out of their teens, "Sinners Never Sleep" was applauded for and fuelled by heroic hooks and towering choruses, lauded as the heaviest album they had ever made both sonically and lyrically at this point in their career.

You Me At Six are one of the most successful alternative rock bands in Britain. Their 15-year career has seen two U.K. Number 1 albums, four U.K. Gold Records, six Top Ten Albums in the U.K., and 17 consecutive A-List singles on BBC Radio One. In addition, they've sold out multiple U.S. headline tours, with a Number One rock song in the U.K., Australia, and Top Five Rock Radio track in North America.

Following the release of their 2021 U.K. No. 1 album, SUCKAPUNCH, You Me At Six continue to play shows & work on new music.

Sinners Never Sleep 10th Anniversary Tracklisting

LP1:

SIDE A:

Loverboy Jaws On The Floor Bite My Tongue This Is The First Thing No-one Does It Better Little Death Crash

SIDE B:

Reckless Time Is Money Little Bit Of Truth The Dilemma When We Were Younger

LP2:

SIDE A:

Loverboy (Acoustic Version) No One Does It Better (Acoustic Version) Moonchild (Bonus Track) Takes One To Know One (Bonus Track) Brother (B-side)

SIDE B:

Lost (B-side) Lover Boy (Alternative Mix) Bite My Tongue (Alternative Mix) No One Does It Better (Alternative Mix) Reckless (Alternative Mix)

LP3: Live at Wembley

SIDE A:

The Swarm Loverboy Little Death The Dilemma Jaws On The Floor Crash

SIDE B:

Reckless When We Were Younger Stay With Me Bite My Tongue Underdog

Follow You Me At Six:

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE | SPOTIFY

SOURCE Universal Music Enterprises
Retailer's Ninth Evolution Store Features Laredo Taco Company, Specialty Coffee Drinks, Mobile Checkout and More

IRVING, Texas, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 7-Eleven, Inc. has announced the opening of its fifth Evolution Store in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and ninth in the country. Located at the corner of Preston Road and Alpha Road in Dallas, this new location boasts customizable beverage options, a premium cigar humidor and the latest digital innovations in addition to Laredo Taco Company a popular south Texas restaurant concept known for its authentic flavors of the Texas and Mexico border.

7-Eleven, Inc. has announced the opening of its fifth Evolution Store in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and ninth in the country

Laredo Taco Company is famous for its authentic tacos served on fresh-made flour tortillas as well as its signature salsa bar with a wide selection of salsas and toppings including salsa roja, salsa verde, creamy cilantro, habanero, and more. Specialties include authentic fajitas, chorizo, carne asada, carnitas and breakfast tacos made with fresh-cracked eggs. And unlike other Laredo Taco Company restaurants, this location features an extended covered patio for customers looking to enjoy outdoor seating, frozen margaritas, and beer on tap.

"We're excited to unveil the next iteration of the 7-Eleven Evolution Store in Dallas, offering an assortment of curated products, services and features that are customized to the neighborhood and customers we serve," said Molly Long, 7-Eleven Vice President of Store Evolution and Design. "The customer is getting the convenience they expect from 7-Eleven  coupled with a delicious restaurant-quality dining option and unique and innovative beverages. These lab stores give us an opportunity to test, learn and scale successes into our new store standards which ultimately allows us to continuously improve the experience for all our customers."

As the OG To-Go since 1964 coffee destination, 7-Eleven continues to deliver high quality coffee at a great value  and this store is no different, featuring a second self-serve espresso machine where 7-Eleven will test specialty items including Cold Foam, Caramel Macchiato, Dirty Chai (a Chai Tea Latte with added double shot of espresso), White Mocha and Horchata Latte. In addition to custom espresso drinks and cold brew coffee, customers can also enjoy refreshing organic smoothies and shakes, vitamin infused sparkling water, and even a Wine Cellar with an enhanced and expansive selection of wine. These innovations are available alongside 7-Eleven's iconic products like Slurpee drinks, Big Bite hot dogs, Big Gulp fountain beverages and more.

Located at 13635 Preston Road in Dallas, Texas, the store also offers an array of digital innovations providing customers with added convenience, including mobile checkout and delivery. With 7Rewards , the loyalty program found in the 7-Eleven app, in-store customers can skip the checkout counter and pay for their purchases directly from their phone. The 7NOW delivery app also lets customers order more than 3,000 of their favorite foods, beverages, groceries and household products to be delivered straight to their door.

7-Eleven's Evolution Store concept continues to set a benchmark for convenience retailing, serving as an experiential testing ground for customers to try the brand's latest products and innovations. And while all Evolution Stores include a restaurant concept, no two locations are exactly alike as the retailer continues to tweak the design and product mix based on customer feedback and shopping habits.

The retailer's expansion in the Dallas-Fort Worth area also means new jobs. Approximately 10 to 12 full- and part-time store associates are employed by each 7-Eleven store in the U.S. For more information about jobs with 7-Eleven, visit careers.7-eleven.com or inquire at the store.

The 7NOW delivery app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play , or by visiting 7NOW.com or 7Rewards.com .

About 7-Eleven, Inc.

7-Eleven, Inc. is the premier name in the convenience-retailing industry. Based in Irving, Texas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 13,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to 7-Eleven stores, 7-Eleven, Inc. operates and franchises Speedway, Stripes, Laredo Taco Company and Raise the Roost Chicken and Biscuits locations. Known for its iconic brands such as Slurpee, Big Bite and Big Gulp, 7-Eleven has expanded into high-quality sandwiches, salads, side dishes, cut fruit and protein boxes, as well as pizza, chicken wings and mini beef tacos. 7-Eleven offers customers industry-leading private brand products under the 7-Select brand including healthy options, decadent treats and everyday favorites at an outstanding value. Customers can earn and redeem points on various items in stores nationwide through its 7Rewards loyalty program with more than 50 million members, place an order in the 7NOW delivery app in over 2,000 cities, or rely on 7-Eleven for bill payment service, self-service lockers and other convenient services. Find out more online at www.7-Eleven.com.

SOURCE 7-Eleven, Inc.
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 17; Released: March 2022

Executive Pool: 15234

Companies: 123 - Players covered include Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks SAS; Ciena Corporation; Fujitsu Limited; HMN Technologies Co., Ltd.; Infinera Corporation; Kokusai Cable Ship Co., Ltd.; LS Cable & System, Ltd.; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; NEC Corporation; Norddeutsche Seekabelwerke GmbH; NTT World Engineering Marine Corporation; Orange Marine; S. B. Submarine Systems Co., Ltd.; Seaborn Networks LLC; SubCom, LLC; Xtera, Inc. and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Segment (Submarine Optical Fiber Cables)

Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Rest of World.

Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry

ABSTRACT-

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Submarine Optical Fiber Cables estimated at US$18.3 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$25 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 10.7% over the analysis period. Approximately 99% of international data is transmitted by subsea fiber optical cable networks, which traverse deep terrains to carry and deliver valuable information to various continents and countries. Undersea cable systems are undergoing seemingly endless series of upgrades, and the latest upgrades include addition of 100 Gbps wavelength capabilities. Such upgrades generally help operators keep pace with bandwidth demand. In addition, about 40 submarine cable systems are being built and/or planned in the near future. However, the emergence of new requirements and a set of new players with new builds are not likely to result in overcapacity. The factors that were responsible for investment into submarine capacity over the past several years include an overall rise in bandwidth demand, a desire to meet the requirements of financial services institutions, and the emerging influence of webscale content providers including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook. Market growth continues to be driven by upgrades in technology and capacity, especially in the transatlantic route. The submarine communications industry of today is well-informed and innovative, implementing practical and versatile solutions in markets that are increasingly demanding as regards cost-efficiency, connectivity, and reliability. Continued advancements in technology, with capacity and affordability as the major aspects, are expected to play critical roles in the industry's future growth. The industry is now in the process of putting into operation 100G wavelengths across almost the entire transoceanic route, and this ensures that the future would be one of connectivity based development.

Submarine cables are designed for ultra-high speed real-time transfer of data across continents, countries and cities, and are essential for transmitting data and voice communications across the world, presently carrying about 99% of all voice traffic, and virtually all Internet traffic across continents. Submarine optical fiber cables dominate international voice and data traffic, due largely to the advantages offered in terms of high reliability, security and capacity, cost-effectiveness on major routes. The growing prominence of Cloud and Big Data also necessitates high degree of investments into data centers dispersed across the world. For cloud and big data concepts to be realized, telecom sector requires strong connectivity between these data centers, thus further raising importance of submarine optical fiber cables. Submarine communications industry is well-informed and innovative, implementing practical and versatile solutions in markets that are increasingly demanding as regards cost-efficiency, connectivity, and reliability. Continued advancements in technology, with capacity and affordability as the major aspects, are playing critical roles in the industry's future growth. The emergence of new applications such as the Internet of Things, 5G, self-driving cars, and machine learning are further enhancing the need for greater bandwidth, which can be enabled by subsea fiber optic cables. Future growth in the market is also emerging from unserved routes and rapid rise in capacity specifically in Pacific Ocean and Africa.

The global submarine cable network is being rebuilt by the new players in the market using the latest technologies and methods. The OTT content providers are installing a new transoceanic network over the existing global submarine cable network. The new network is expected to have unprecedented capacities due to the use of spatial division multiplexing (SDM), which led to an increase in the fiber counts, from 12 pairs to 24 pairs, with more fiber counts re expected in near future. Apart from fiber counts, the overall capacity has also increased from 100 Tbps to 200 Tbps within a few years. Additionally, the modern global network has truly served the global community by connecting almost all relevant places of Earth, which is in contrast to the earlier global network that served only a few large cities. Submarine cables have been recently deployed in the Amazon River Basin, as well as in the remote inhabited small islands in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Currently, initiatives are ongoing to extend the network to polar regions, with several projects have been proposed in the Antarctic and the Arctic.

The growing demand for high speed Internet due to the increasing internet usage has led to a rapid surge in the demand for higher bandwidth globally. This growing demand for more bandwidth has been one of the major factors driving the growth of submarine fiber cable market. Other factors that add to the market growth include large scale deployment of cables in oil and gas industry, increasing use of smart devices, and growing fiber connectivity in developing regions such as Asia and Africa. These factors have been driving the demand for submarine fiber cables. The growing number of private project developers has led to an increase in the optical cables' length that are being laid. Growing efforts to improve the bandwidth enables several countries to raise their economic growth by developing submarine systems. The demand for higher bandwidth will pave way for new submarine fiber cable projects. The advanced technological improvements have reduced the manufacturing costs and the installation costs have increased. The costs involved in laying cables can be reduced if the cable laying vessels are embedded with advanced technologies that help in laying the cables correctly without errors.

The submarine optical fiber cable systems market has over the years been significantly impacted by the rapid advancements in fiber optical technology, which has led to considerable improvements in system design capacity as well as network efficiency. The rise in capacity has been mainly attributed to the development of Wavelength-Division Multiplexing (WDM), which was first implemented in the SEA-ME-WE 3 system. With this technique, it was possible for cable systems to transmit multiple optical wavelengths through a single fiber pair, thus cutting down the need for fiber and hence reducing overall cost of new systems. Since the 2000s, wavelength capacity has also recorded significant increases, with 100 Gbps wavelength emerging in 2010s from 10 Gbps in 2003. This increase in wavelength capacity thus contributed considerable to the growth of bandwidth available for the world. In addition, significant developments have been witnessed in terms of system upgrades. For instance, during mid-2000s, system owners could swap components in SLTE (Submarine Line Terminal Equipment) for increasing capacity as against building a new cable system. In fact, system upgrades have emerged as a cost effective means to add new capacity in a particular submarine cable system/route in less time compared to deployment of an altogether new system. With optical fiber approaching Shannon Limit, there is increased focus on new technologies for overcoming the ceiling. In this regard, SDM or Spatial Division Multiplexing is one approach that could enable vendors to resolve the issue. The SDM technique makes use of parallel spatial channels for simultaneous transmission of multiple independent optical signals. Furthermore as the system complexity continues to grow, the role of Artificial intelligence management systems is also expected to significantly improve the capability and efficiency of the network.

Asia-Pacific is expected to witness a rise in commissioning and installation of new submarine communication systems as the demand for bandwidth has increased across Asia-Pacific with growing Internet traffic. Moreover, the rising penetration of the Internet in the Middle East and Africa is anticipated to increase underwater communication cable commission and installation in the next few years. North America has retained the largest share in the international submarine communications cable market owing to the higher rate of technological innovations, growing demand for advanced technologies, and increasing focus of countries to strengthen information ties with other nations. Additionally, the replacement of a large section of existing aging submarine communications cable systems is also driving the growth of the market in the region. In Asia-Pacific, the submarine communications cable market is forecast to witness the highest growth in upcoming years due to new submarine communications cable installation projects. For instance, Nexans, an optical fiber and cable firm, has recently announced to supply 250 km of undersea fiber optic cable to establish a connection between Malaysia and Indonesia. These initiatives are expected to provide reliable Internet access to the rapidly growing Internet users in the region. More

MarketGlass Platform

Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide.

Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android

About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR

Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years.

CONTACTS:

Zak Ali

Director, Corporate Communications

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

www.StrategyR.com

Email: [email protected]

LINKS

Join Our Expert Panel

https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp

Connect With Us on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./

Follow Us on Twitter

https://twitter.com/marketbytes

Journalists & Media

[email protected]

SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 17; Released: March 2022

Executive Pool: 3897

Companies: 97 - Players covered include Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering; ID Quantique SA; MagiQ Technologies, Inc.; Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.; Nucrypt LLC; Oki Electric Industry Company Ltd; QuintessenceLabs, Inc.; Raytheon BBN Technologies; SK TELECOM CO., LTD.; Toshiba Corp. and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Component (Solutions, Services); End-Use (Government & Defense, BFSI, Retail, Healthcare, Other End-Uses)

Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Rest of World.

Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry

ABSTRACT-

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Quantum Cryptography estimated at US$128.9 Million in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$291.8 Million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 20.8% over the analysis period. Solutions, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 18.3% CAGR, while growth in the Services segment is readjusted to a revised 24.7% CAGR. The global market is predicted to display an impressive growth rate in the coming years on account of rising frequency of cyber-attacks, increasing focus on cyber-security and evolution of sophisticated wireless networks. Quantum cryptography technology leverages quantum physics for securing symmetric encryption key distribution. These solutions help users in ensuring reliable and more secure communication and data transmission in comparison to conventional options. Quantum cryptography is gaining attention due to increasing digitalization and the resulting surge in cyber-security risks and other threats such as data security and breach. Industries across different verticals are facing increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber-attacks due to proliferation of the Internet, connected devices and online services.

The market growth is favored by high reliance of organizations and customers on computer networks for transactions and communication, which is leading to the demand for advanced technology to safeguard sensitive data. While increasing cyber-security funding and high uptake of advanced security solutions are augmenting the market growth, increasing penetration of the IoT and cloud technologies is expected to create new growth avenues. In addition, the market growth is buoyed by increasing implementation of next-generation wireless network technologies. These factors are poised to bolster the demand for quantum cryptography solutions intended to thwart emerging cyber-attacks and mitigate cyber-security concerns. Furthermore, ongoing efforts by various countries to support R&D related to quantum cryptography solutions are anticipated to supplement overall growth of the market in the coming years.

The market is receiving a strong contribution from the network security segment that is predicted to exhibit the fastest growth rate in the coming years. Organizations are increasingly implementing quantum cryptography solutions to boost network and application security. The network security process relies on software and hardware technologies to ensure desirable level of usability and integrity of data and network. The approach focuses on various risks and prevents malware and other malicious components from entering into the system to bolster security. The pressing need to protect the network from various vulnerabilities is driving an increasing number of industries like BFSI, defense, government, healthcare, automotive and retail to embrace quantum cryptography solutions. The trend is providing a notable impetus to expansion of the network security segment.

The quantum cryptography market is slated to witness new opportunities owing to increasing uptake of these solutions in the government and BFSI verticals. Participants in these verticals are paying attention to advanced solutions to improve security and make transactions more secure. The increasing shift of banking institutions towards online platform and surge in transactions has created a pressing need for organizations to ensure secure and authenticated transactions, which is poised to bolster the demand for quantum cryptography solutions. Financial institutions providing their customers with online banking and transactions services are paying increasing attention to sophisticated quantum cryptography solutions to ensure payment security while protecting proprietary and consumer data. On the other side, government organizations are using these solutions to ensure security of massive volumes of confidential information transmitted globally. The data is highly susceptible to cyber-attack risk and drives the adoption of quantum cryptography for key generation and secure crypto operations like digital signatures, secure access and user authentication. These solutions enable government organizations and agencies to safeguard sensitive data and achieve the desirable encryption layer. These demand patterns are anticipated to create new growth opportunities for providers of quantum cryptography solutions.

The quantum cryptography market is driven by the BFSI sector that is estimated to maintain its strong position through 2027. Companies in the industry maintain a consistent focus on implementation of sophisticated solutions to protect proprietary and consumer data from cyber-attacks. The increasing transition of the BFSI vertical towards online transactions and banking has created an urgent need for companies to ensure secure payments. These factors are playing an important role in driving the uptake of quantum cryptography solutions within the BFSI sector.

North America is projected to dominate the global quantum cryptography market and account for the leading revenue share due to an extensive customer base, increasing incidents of cyber-attacks and rising investments in R&D. The proliferation of encryption-based applications in the region has resulted in dramatic surge in frequency of sophisticated cyber-attacks, requiring companies to secure networks and applications with implementation of quantum cryptography solutions. The market growth is also propelled by increasing requirement for data security and privacy along with rising investment in R&D activities and evolution of sophisticated wireless networks. In addition, various countries in the region, primarily the US, are making significant investment to come up with advanced quantum cryptography solutions that are anticipated to find broader uptake in the coming years. The European market for quantum cryptography is predicted to post an impressive growth in value terms. The regional market is expected to be buoyed by rising uptake of encryption-based applications and the resulting increase in cyber-attack risk. On the other side, the Asia-Pacific market for quantum cryptography is forecast to exhibit significant growth rate in the coming years. The regional market is anticipated to witness increasing efforts by providers of quantum cryptography services and solutions to join hands with clients to boost overall sales and market presence. More

MarketGlass Platform

Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide.

Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android

About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR

Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years.

CONTACTS:

Zak Ali

Director, Corporate Communications

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

www.StrategyR.com

Email: [email protected]

LINKS

Join Our Expert Panel

https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp

Connect With Us on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./

Follow Us on Twitter

https://twitter.com/marketbytes

Journalists & Media

[email protected]

SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Abbott is designing a first-of-its-kind biowearable that will enable people with diabetes to continuously monitor glucose and ketones in one sensor

Device promises to redefine care for people with diabetes who are at risk for developing a life-threatening complication called diabetic ketoacidosis

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced it's developing a new biowearable that will continuously monitor glucose and ketone levels in one sensor. The system has secured breakthrough device designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is designed to expedite the review of innovative technologies that can improve the lives of people with life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating diseases or conditions.

"Abbott revolutionized diabetes care with FreeStyle Libre technology, which is the number one continuous glucose monitor used by 4 million people around the world," said Jared Watkin, senior vice president of Abbott's diabetes care business. "We're designing our glucose-ketone monitoring system with superior sensing technology that will pair with industry-leading insulin pumps to create a best-in-class solution. We're optimistic that this will be the next big advancement in diabetes tech and a breakthrough for people with diabetes, especially those who are at risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis."

The glucose-ketone sensor will be the same size as Abbott's FreeStyle Libre 3 sensor, the world's smallest and thinnest1,2 continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensor, and will connect to Abbott's digital ecosystem, including personal and caregiver mobile apps and cloud-based data management software for remote monitoring by healthcare professionals.

Need for Continuous Glucose-Ketone Monitoring

A continuous glucose-ketone monitor is especially important for people with diabetes who may be at higher risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a potentially life-threatening condition when ketone levels rise to dangerous levels in the blood.

DKA is a growing concern globally.3 In the U.S. alone, there are hundreds of thousands of emergency room visits and hospitalization for DKA each year.4 Yet today, few people with diabetes are regularly monitoring their ketones because the current methods of testing  typically through blood or urine  are costly5 and burdensome.6 Adding continuous ketone monitoring to a continuous glucose monitoring system eliminates the need for a separate ketone test.

Recent studies show continuous ketone monitoring (CKM) could help prevent DKA.3 With continuous monitoring, rising ketone levels can be detected early, as a warning of impending ketoacidosis, and inform care so that DKA does not develop. Leading diabetes experts have called for expansion of ketone monitoring, including its integration with CGM technology in a single sensor.7,8 Unchecked ketone levels can pose serious risks for people with diabetes, especially children and young adults with type 1 diabetes.7

"In my practice, I've seen numerous cases of DKA in teens and children, which could have been prevented with continuous ketone monitoring," said Dr. Kurt Midyett, pediatric endocrinologist and medical director at Midwest Pediatric Specialists in Overland Park, Kansas. "Bringing people with diabetes the ability to continuously monitor both glucose and ketones in a single, intuitive device is an important step forward in diabetes care, as it will allow patients to detect rising ketone levels and intervene before full-blown DKA develops."

"DKA remains a critical issue for too many people with type 1 diabetes. We applaud Abbott for tackling this issueone that JDRF is also committed to addressing," said Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D., chief executive officer of JDRF. "JDRF supports the development of CGM/CKM systems like the one Abbott is developing. CGM/CKMs will be key to reducing DKA incidence in the diabetes population. Additionally, CGM/CKM devices that can warn of impending DKA will be critical to enabling the broader adoption and safe, effective use of sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT) inhibitors. SGLT inhibitors improve blood glucose and are expected to improve heart and kidney outcomes for people with type 1 diabetes but have been held back because they increase the risk of DKA."

Availability and Interoperability

Abbott is already conducting clinical studies on the glucose-ketone monitoring system. Pivotal trials will take place in 2023 with regulatory submissions to follow thereafter.

Abbott plans to partner with leading insulin pump manufacturers to make the dual monitoring system interoperable with insulin delivery systems.

Abbott currently has the world's most widely used CGM9. Abbott's FreeStyle Libre portfolio has already changed the lives of approximately 4 million people across 60 countries9 by providing breakthrough technology that is accessible and affordable.10

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 113,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews.

1Data on file, Abbott Diabetes Care.

2Among patient-applied sensors.

3Cherubini, V., Grimsmann, J.M., Akesson, K. et al. Temporal trends in diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis of paediatric type 1 diabetes between 2006 and 2016: results from 13 countries in three continents. Diabetologia 63, 15301541 (2020).

4National Diabetes Statistics Report 2020, Estimates of Diabetes and Its Burden in the United States (2020). https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pdfs/data/statistics/national-diabetes-statistics-report.pdf. Accessed May 5, 2022.

5Albanese-O'Neill A, Wu M, Miller KM, et al. Poor Adherence to Ketone Testing in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2017;40(4):e38-e39.

6Dhatariya K. Blood Ketones: Measurement, Interpretation, Limitations, and Utility in the Management of Diabetic Ketoacidosis. Rev Diabet Stud. 2016;13(4):217-225.

7Nguyen KT, Xu NY, Zhang JY, et al. Continuous Ketone Monitoring Consensus Report 2021. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. October 2021.

8Lee MH, Paldus B, Krishnamurthy B, et al. The Clinical Case for the Integration of a Ketone Sensor as Part of a Closed Loop Insulin Pump System. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2019;13(5):967-973.

9Data on file, Abbott Diabetes Care. Data based on the number of users worldwide for the FreeStyle Libre portfolio compared to the number of users for other leading personal use, sensor-based glucose monitoring systems.

10Based on a comparison of list prices of the FreeStyle Libre portfolio versus competitor CGM systems available worldwide. The actual cost to patients may or may not be lower than other CGM systems, depending on local reimbursement, if any.

SOURCE Abbott
LIMASSOL, Cyprus, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AdTech Holding , an international company headquartered in Cyprus, creating prosperous startup ecosystems and innovation labs for AdTech and MarTech projects, today announced its attendance at the following upcoming conference, the iFX EXPO International 2022 .

From June 7th to 9th top representatives in online trading, financial services, and fintech will meet in Limassol, Cyprus for a two-day networking event to discuss how to develop their businesses successfully.

AdTech Holding to participate in iFX EXPO 2022

iFX Expo's efficacious experience in connecting businesses across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East makes it one of the flagship conferences trusted by the tech community and industry leaders.

"After two immensely challenging pandemic years, we finally have an opportunity to discuss business in person at one of the leading financial expos out there," says Arnis Augstmanis, AdTech Holding's Chief Marketing Officer. "We look forward to meeting the fintech industry leaders and showcasing the MarTech solutions and AI technologies we've been working on. AdTech Holding has lots to offer in terms of collaboration and achieving marketing objectives."

The AdTech Holding's team of experts will be glad to see everyone who's interested in collaboration at booth #50, answer all the questions regarding projects, and tell how to start a beneficial partnership.

About AdTech Holding

AdTech is a hub for IT projects that are used by hundreds of thousands of clients worldwide, and this number is growing annually. The Holding is a starting point for an array of advertising, affiliate marketing, and martech companies.

The top projects are:

- PropellerAds is a performance ad platform making digital advertising effective and reliable both for the advertisers and traffic suppliers

- Adex is an anti-fraud solution with 2 million traffic events analyzed every minute

- Notix is a push notifications service made for excellent audience engagement

-To book a meeting with AdTech's representatives at iFX EXPO, contact [email protected].

CONTACT:

Mari Yash

+35795989881

[email protected]

SOURCE AdTech Holding
NEW YORK, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Republic of Germany honored American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO David Harris with the prestigious Stern/Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit. It is the highest tribute Germany can pay to individuals for services to the nation.

German Ambassador to the United States Emily Haber presented the award to Harris as "a worthy recognition of your lifelong commitment to the Jewish community and the relationship between Jews and Germany." The ceremony took place last evening at the residence of German Consul General David Gill in New York.

Harris, the son of Holocaust survivors, has spearheaded the positive evolution of the special relationship between AJC and Germany since he became AJC CEO in 1990. In doing so, he has built on the groundbreaking achievements of his predecessors at the helm of AJC. The global Jewish advocacy organization was founded in 1906 by Jews of German descent.

The excruciatingly difficult decision of AJC leaders in the late 1940s, very soon after the Holocaust, to reengage Germany set AJC, uniquely among international Jewish organizations, on a journey that has yielded a range of productive partnerships with the German government and civil society. AJC was the first global Jewish organization to commit itself to Germany's renewed sovereignty, as well as to the reestablishment of Jewish life in Germany.

Under Harris's leadership, following the fall of the Berlin Wall, AJC was the first major Jewish organization to support German unification. In 1994, he helped conceive and launch the unique partnership between AJC and the German armed forces. And in 1998, AJC became the first international Jewish organization to establish a permanent presence in Germany, the AJC Berlin Lawrence and Lee Ramer Institute for German-Jewish Relations.

AJC and Germany: History in the Making 1945  2020 details the special relationship between Germany and AJC, and Harris's role at pivotal moments over the past 32 years.

Harris has been honored more than 20 times by foreign governments for his international work. Indeed, he is the most decorated Jewish organizational leader in American history.

He previously received two major German awards. In 2004, German Defense Minister Peter Struck presented Harris with the Gold Cross of the German Armed Forces, for "ten years of partnership between the German Armed Forces and the American Jewish Committee." In 2000, German Federal President Johannes Rau presented the Das Grosse Verdienstkreuz (Grand Cross of Merit) to Harris for "contributions to German-American and German-Jewish relations."

SOURCE American Jewish Committee
CHICAGO, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Americas Medium-Voltage Cables Market by Insulation (XLPE, EPR, HEPR), Voltage (Upto 5 kV, 5-15 kV, 15-30 kV, 30-60 kV, 60-100 kV), Application (Underground, Overhead, Submarine), End User (Industrial, Commercial, Renewable) and Region - Forecast to 2027", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Americas Medium Voltage Cables market size will grow to USD 14.2 billion by 2027 from USD 11.1 billion in 2022, at a CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period.

The increase in renewable energy generation, the rapid pace of industrialization and urbanization, and the rising need to modernize legacy power infrastructure are driving the Americas Medium Voltage Cable market. The use of medium-voltage cables to supply power from a mobile substation to areas affected by weather-related accidents, natural disasters, and unpredictable power outages also propels the growth of the market. The strong focus of governments in the Americas on achieving the goal of net-zero carbon emissions and the increased participation of private players in the production of renewable energy are likely to boost the growth of the medium-voltage cables market in the US. Favorable government-led wind policies attract many large wind farm developers toward the regional market. The developments in technologies used in wind and solar farms, such as efficient cabling infrastructure, have led to the installation of new wind and solar farms in the region, thereby providing several opportunities for the Americas Medium-Voltage Cables Market.

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The cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) segment, by insulation type, is expected to be the most significant Americas Medium Voltage Cables market during the forecast period.

Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation has the largest share of the Americas Medium-voltage cable Market. XLPE insulation performs at both high and low temperatures. Due to its structure, XLPE is extremely resistant to abrasion and other wear and tear. It also boasts resistance to high-voltage electricity, chemicals, and other hazardous materials. Cross-linked polyethylene insulation is also a more affordable option. The North American region is contributing to the highest market share of Americas medium-voltage cables during the forecast period.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Americas Medium-Voltage Cables Market"

153  Tables

61  Figures

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By Voltage, the 60-100 kV segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

By voltage, the Americas Medium-Voltage cable market has been segmented into the upto 5 kV, 515 kV, 1530 kV, 3060 kV, and 60100 kV segments. The 60100 kV segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period. These types of cables consist of stranded copper or aluminum conductors, clean cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation, and a polyethylene jacket with emitting insulation systems and are mainly used by utilities for transmission and distribution networks. The growth of the segment is due to an increase in utility projects in North America and South America.

South America is expected to be the fastest Americas Medium-Voltage Cables Market

South America is expected to dominate the Americas Medium-Voltage Cables Market during the forecast period. Brazil is the largest renewable market in the South America region, hydro and wind are two of the major sources of renewable power generation. The increasing investments in renewable energy sources are expected to be the major factor driving the demand for the medium-voltage cable market in South America.

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Some of the major players in the Americas Medium-Voltage Cables Market are Prysmian Group (Italy), Southwire Company (US), Nexans (France), NKT (Denmark), LS Cable & System (South Korea), TFKable (Poland), Sumitomo Electric Industries (Japan), and HELUKABEL Group (Germany). The major strategies adopted by these players include acquisitions, sales contracts, product launches, agreements, alliances, partnerships, and expansions.

Browse Adjacent Markets: Energy and Power Market Research Reports & Consulting

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Submarine Cable Systems Market by Application (Communication Cable and Power Cable), Component (Dry Plant Products and Wet Plant Products) Offering, Voltage, Type (Single Core and Multicore), insulation, End User and Geography (2021-2026)

Submarine Power Cable Market by Type (Single, Multicore), Voltage (Medium, High), Conductor Material (Copper, Aluminum), End-User (Offshore Wind Power Generation, Inter-Country & Island Connection, & Offshore Oil & Gas), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023

Cables and Accessories Market by Voltage (Low, Medium, High), LV by Installation (Overhead (Conductors, Accessories), Underground (PVC, XLPE, Terminations, and Joints)), LV by End-User (Industrial, Renewables), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022

High Voltage Cables & Accessories Market by Installation (Overhead, Underground, Submarine), Products (MI, XLPE Cables, Terminations, Joints, Conductors, Fittings & Fixtures), Voltage (72.5, 123, 145, 170, 245, 400 kV & Above) & Region - Forecast to 2022

Medium Voltage Cables & Accessories Market by Installation (Overhead, Underground, Submarine), Products (MI, XLPE Cables, Terminations, Joints), Voltage (1-5, 6-13, 23, 34, 45, 69kV), End-User (Industrial, Infrastructure, Renewables) - Forecast to 2022

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American Girl to Screen in the Presence of Director Fiona Feng-I Roan and Producer Clifford Miu

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LOS ANGELES, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Asian World Film Festival will be holding a special Taiwan Film Day this Sunday, June 5 at the Landmark in Westwood, together with the Taiwan Academy of the Taipei Economic Office and Cultural Office in Los Angeles and with the Asia Society Southern California. The event will feature a screening of American Girl at 4pm followed by a reception and Q&A with the film's Taiwanese director Fiona Feng-I Roan and producer Clifford Miu, winner and nominee at numerous major film festivals.

Director Feng-I Roan, Producer Clifford Miu. Photos courtesy American Girl

The award-winning family drama, set against the outbreak of the SARS virus in 2003, centers around 13-year-old Fen, who is uprooted from her life in Los Angeles when her mother is diagnosed with cancer. As Fen struggles to adapt to her new life and school in Taipei and reconnects with her long-separated father, her turbulent relationship with her mother worsens.

The film, which stars award winners Caitlin Fang, Karena Lam and Kaiser Chuang, was an official selection in the 2021 Tokyo International Film Festival's Asian Future

Competition section and has won five Golden Horse Awards, including Best New Performer (Caitlin Fang), Best New Director, Best Cinematography (Giorgos Valsamis), Audience Choice Award and the FIPRESCI Prize. The film has also received 12 nominations at the 24th Taipei Film Festival and is one of the representatives of Taiwan in this year's international new director competition.

American Girl is being screened as part of Taiwanese American Heritage Week (TAHW) which since 2000 has been hosted by the Taiwanese American Heritage Week Committee as one of the three major events of the Taiwan Center of Greater Los Angeles. The main purpose of TAHW is to honor and recognize the contribution of Taiwanese Americans to the diversity and prosperity of American society. Through the events of TAHW, we share and celebrate Taiwanese heritage with fellow Taiwanese Americans and the local community.

Connect with AWFF:

https://asianworldfilmfest.org/

@asianworldff

RSVP FOR THE EVENT HERE

PRESS CREDENTIALS:

Press wishing to attend the event should RSVP to [email protected]

MEDIA CONTACT:

Rick Markovitz

Weissman/Markovitz Communications

[email protected].com

m 818-421-3334

SOURCE Asian World Film Festival
"This award is tremendously meaningful as the Booth School of Business is one of the nation's top ranked business schools," said AskBio Co-Founder and CEO Sheila Mikhail. "The award is a reflection of the accomplishments that could not be possible without the support of a world-class team at AskBio as we continue to advance our research, clinical candidates and manufacturing capabilities."

Ms. Mikhail earned a JD with honors from Northwestern University, a finance MBA with honors from the University of Chicago, and a BS with highest honors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She co-founded AskBio in 2001 with Dr. R. Jude Samulski, who is considered one of the leading pioneers for AAV gene therapy technology. Since co-founding AskBio, and under the leadership of Ms. Mikhail, the company, including its manufacturing facilities, has grown to employ over 700 biotech professionals operating in five countries.

Eighteen months after closing a series A funding round of $235 million in April 2019, Ms. Mikhail orchestrated a $4 billion acquisition by Bayer AG in October 2020. Under Ms. Mikhail's leadership, AskBio is flourishing with an expansive gene therapy technology toolbox, three state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in San Sebastian Spain and a robust therapeutic pipeline, all at various clinical stages, to treat Pompe Disease, Limbe Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple System Atrophy, Congestive Heart Failure, Huntington's Disease, and Parkinson's Disease.

"In my view, Sheila is one of the most accomplished Biotech executives in the industry," commented Dr. Samulski, AskBio's Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer. "The recognition by University of Chicago Booth School of Business is a testament of her unparalleled business acumen combined with her significant command of genetic science"

The Distinguished Alumni awards are only available to graduates of Chicago Booth. The Entrepreneurial Award is given to a person who has demonstrated professional achievement of the highest caliber in the management and formation of a successful enterprise and is recognition by colleagues and peers for outstanding leadership and administrative abilities.

About AskBio

Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG acquired in 2020, is a fully integrated gene therapy company dedicated to developing life-saving medicines that cure genetic diseases. The company maintains a portfolio of clinical programs across a range of neuromuscular, central nervous system, cardiovascular and metabolic disease indications with a clinical-stage pipeline that includes therapeutics for Pompe disease, Parkinson's disease, and congestive heart failure. AskBio's gene therapy platform includes Pro10, an industry-leading proprietary cell line manufacturing process, and an extensive capsid and promoter library. With global headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and European headquarters in Edinburgh, UK, the company has generated hundreds of proprietary capsids and promoters, several of which have entered clinical testing. Founded in 2001 and an early innovator in the gene therapy field, the company holds more than 750 patents in areas such as AAV production and chimeric and self-complementary capsids. Learn more at www.askbio.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability, and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2021, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 44.1 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 5.3 billion euros. For more information, visit www.bayer.com.

AskBio Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will," "intends," "potential," "possible" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include without limitation statements regarding AskBio's pipeline of development candidates, manufacturing technology and process. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond AskBio's control. Known risks include, among others: AskBio may not be able to execute on its business plans and goals, including meeting its expected or planned regulatory milestones and timelines, its reliance on third-parties, clinical development plans, manufacturing processes and plans, and bringing its product candidates to market, due to a variety of reasons, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, possible limitations of company financial and other resources, manufacturing limitations that may not be anticipated or resolved in a timely manner, potential disagreements or other issues with our third-party collaborators and partners, and regulatory, court or agency feedback or decisions, such as feedback and decisions from the United States Food and Drug Administration or the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Any of the foregoing risks could materially and adversely affect AskBio's business and results of operations. You should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. AskBio does not undertake any obligation to publicly update its forward-looking statements based on events or circumstances after the date hereof.

SOURCE AskBio
DALLAS, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) is once again ranked as one of the most diverse law firms in the country, ranking #1 among all firms for our percentage of Asian attorneys and #2 for Hispanic attorney representation, according to The American Lawyer's 2022 Diversity Scorecard.

"We take pride in steering the legal industry toward greater diversity, and we're thrilled to lead in the representation of Asian and Hispanic attorneys," said BAL Partner Frieda Garcia, who manages the firm's West Coast operations. "Our diverse legal team enables us to better serve clients from every corner of the globe. We look forward to continuing to grow our DE&I initiatives to provide even more leadership opportunities for legal professionals of color."

More than half, 55%, of BAL's 169 attorneys identify as people of color, and diversity is integral to the firm's leadership52% of attorneys in supervisory roles are minorities and 38% of the firm's equity partners are minorities.

"We have always known that it's our diverse cultures and experiences that make BAL such a phenomenal place to work," said Jeremy Fudge, BAL's Managing Partner. "We want to welcome more minority partners and promote diverse rising stars, which will expand all of our perspectives. We are redoubling our efforts in minority recruiting with specific and unique programs to increase and sustain opportunities for African American and Black lawyers. It's an ongoing effort and we're in this for the long haul  in the coming years, we fully expect to lead the industry in every DE&I metric."

BAL's ranking reflects the firm's intentional efforts to create an inclusive workplace cultureleadership renewed its commitment to those efforts following the national racial reckoning in the summer of 2020. Through more than 40 DE&I initiatives such as creating a DE&I board, adding affinity groups, engaging in firmwide focus groups, and increasing minority and HBCU recruiting efforts, BAL has cultivated a culture where diverse employees feel welcomed and empowered to pursue career and personal growth.

BAL won The Best Company for Diversity in 2021 by Comparably, based solely on employee ratings. Minority employees at BAL give the firm an "A+" in rating their team, manager and compensation.

"When we recruit diverse employees, we ensure that our firm is greater than the sum of its very talented parts," said Partner Rob Caballero, who manages BAL's Houston and Austin operations. "Drawing from our unique backgrounds, we learn from and inspire each other as we make a positive difference in people's lives around the world."

About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL)

BAL, the world's leading corporate immigration law firm, is singularly focused on meeting the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in ways that make immigration more strategic and enable businesses to be more successful. Established in 1980, BAL has consistently provided immigration expertise, people-centered client services, and leading technology innovation. BAL's Cobalt digital immigration services platform won the 2020 CODiE Award for Best Legal Tech Product, the prestigious CIO100 award for Innovative Use of Intelligent Automation in Immigration Services, and Legalweek's Most Innovative Law Firm Operations Team of 2021. In 2018, BAL entered into a first-of-its-kind strategic alliance with Deloitte U.K. to create the world's first global immigration service delivery model. BAL has ranked #1 on multiple industry rankings for diversity, equity and inclusion, including #1 on the Diversity Scorecard by The American Lawyer (2020 and 2021), Law360's Diversity Snapshot (2020 and 2021), and the #1 Law Firm for Women according to the National Law Journal (2019, 2020 and 2021). BAL and its leaders are highly ranked in every major legal publication, including Best Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and Who's Who Legal. See website for details: https://www.bal.com.

SOURCE Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP
CBD Oil Market: Segmentation Analysis

Technavio market research report segments the CBD oil market by Product (Marijuana-derived CBD oil and Hemp-derived CBD oil) and Geography (North America, South America, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East and Africa).

The CBD oil market share growth in the Marijuana-derived CBD oil segment will be significant for revenue generation. Marijuana-derived CBD oil products are only sold to consumers with a doctor's prescription as CBD oils are psychoactive and can cause nausea and dizziness. Marijuana-derived CBD oil products usually contain 3%-15% THC. Factors such as the increasing number of countries that are legalizing marijuana and the rising number of organized retailing outlets offering CBD oil-based products are estimated to drive the growth of this segment during the forecast period. The report provides an accurate prediction of the contribution of all the segments to the growth of the CBD oil market size and actionable market insights on each segment.

To know about the contribution of each product segment - Download a sample now!

The competitive scenario provided in the CBD Oil Market report analyzes, evaluates, and positions companies based on various performance indicators. Some of the factors considered for this analysis include the financial performance of companies over the past few years, growth strategies, product innovations, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Don't wait, Make a strategic approach & boost your business goals with our CBD Oil Market Forecast Report - Buy Now!

CBD Oil Market: Growing Millennial population in key cannabis markets to drive growth

The key factor driving growth in the CBD oil market is the growing millennial population in key cannabis markets.

The usage of cannabis products, especially for recreational purposes, is quite popular among millennials. Also, the increased use of cannabis products among millennials is attributed to the fact that they are relatively more enthusiastic about trying out new variants when compared with older generations.

For Instance -In July 2019 , millennials (aged 23-38 years 2019) numbered 72.1 million in the US. The US comprises the largest legal cannabis market in the world due to its liberal laws on marijuana.

To know about more drivers along with the challenges - Download a sample now!

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CBD Oil Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 26.43% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 3.97 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 25.16 Performing market contribution North America at 38% Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Aurora Cannabis Inc., BIOTA Biosciences LLC, CannazALL, Canopy Growth Corp., CBD American Shaman LLC, CV Sciences Inc., Elixinol Wellness Ltd., Endoca BV, Folium Biosciences, Gaia Botanics, Green Roads of Florida LLC, Happie Hemp Pvt. Ltd., Isodiol International Inc., Kazmira LLC, Leafly Holdings Inc., Medical Marijuana Inc., NuLeaf Naturals LLC, Pharmahemp, Silver Shadow Ventures LLC, and Tilray Inc. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for forecast period, Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Content

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Product



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 09: Parent market



Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 12: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers - Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers - Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants - Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes - Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry - Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by Product

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 24: Chart on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 25: Data Table on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Product

Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Product



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Product

5.3 Marijuana derived cbd oil - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Marijuana derived cbd oil - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Marijuana derived cbd oil - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Marijuana derived cbd oil - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Marijuana derived cbd oil - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Hemp derived cbd oil - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Hemp derived cbd oil - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Hemp derived cbd oil - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Hemp derived cbd oil - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Hemp derived cbd oil - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Market opportunity by Product

Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Product ($ million)

6 Customer Landscape

6.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 37: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 38: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 40: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Geographic comparison

7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 42: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 43: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 44: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 45: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.4 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 47: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 48: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 49: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.5 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 51: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 52: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 53: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.6 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 54: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 55: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 56: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 57: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 59: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 60: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 61: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 62: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 63: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 64: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 65: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.9 Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 67: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 68: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 69: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.10 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 72: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.11 France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 75: Data Table on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 76: Chart on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 77: Data Table on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.12 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 78: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 79: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 80: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 81: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 82: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 83: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

8.4 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 84: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 85: Overview on factors of disruption

9.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 86: Impact of key risks on business

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 87: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 88: Matrix on vendor position and classification

10.3 Aurora Cannabis Inc.

Exhibit 89: Aurora Cannabis Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 90: Aurora Cannabis Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 91: Aurora Cannabis Inc. - Key offerings

10.4 Canopy Growth Corp.

Exhibit 92: Canopy Growth Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 93: Canopy Growth Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 94: Canopy Growth Corp. - Key news



Exhibit 95: Canopy Growth Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 96: Canopy Growth Corp. - Segment focus

10.5 CBD American Shaman LLC

Exhibit 97: CBD American Shaman LLC - Overview



Exhibit 98: CBD American Shaman LLC - Product / Service



Exhibit 99: CBD American Shaman LLC - Key offerings

10.6 CV Sciences Inc.

Exhibit 100: CV Sciences Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 101: CV Sciences Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 102: CV Sciences Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 103: CV Sciences Inc. - Segment focus

10.7 Elixinol Wellness Ltd.

Exhibit 104: Elixinol Wellness Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 105: Elixinol Wellness Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 106: Elixinol Wellness Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 107: Elixinol Wellness Ltd. - Segment focus

10.8 Endoca BV

Exhibit 108: Endoca BV - Overview



Exhibit 109: Endoca BV - Product / Service



Exhibit 110: Endoca BV - Key offerings

10.9 Gaia Botanics

Exhibit 111: Gaia Botanics - Overview



Exhibit 112: Gaia Botanics - Product / Service



Exhibit 113: Gaia Botanics - Key offerings

10.10 Isodiol International Inc.

Exhibit 114: Isodiol International Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 115: Isodiol International Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 116: Isodiol International Inc. - Key offerings

10.11 Medical Marijuana Inc.

Exhibit 117: Medical Marijuana Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 118: Medical Marijuana Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 119: Medical Marijuana Inc. - Key offerings

10.12 NuLeaf Naturals LLC

Exhibit 120: NuLeaf Naturals LLC - Overview



Exhibit 121: NuLeaf Naturals LLC - Product / Service



Exhibit 122: NuLeaf Naturals LLC - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 123: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 124: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 125: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 126: Research methodology



Exhibit 127: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 128: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 129: List of abbreviations

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Read the 120-page report with TOC on "Ceramic Tiles Market in GCC Analysis Report by Product (Ceramic floor tiles, Ceramic wall tiles, and Others) and Geography (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Rest of Middle East), and the Segment Forecasts, 2022-2026". Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders. Track key industry opportunities, trends, and threats. Information on marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales, and supply functions. https://www.technavio.com/report/report/ceramic-tiles-market-industry-in-gcc-analysis

Ceramic Tiles in GCC: Drivers

The key factor driving the ceramic tiles market growth in GCC is the expanding construction sector, fueled mostly by government-backed investments.

Oil-based economies are quickly diversifying their economies to minimize their reliance on oil. With increased investment in construction, various other businesses such as banking, hospitality, and tourism are also thriving. Over USD 3 trillion worth of projects is now under development or in the design and planning stages, according to estimates. Despite regional political upheaval that has shaken investor confidence, the construction industry is rising at a rate of more than 5% year on year (YoY). As a result, the construction sector is expected to drive the ceramic tiles market in GCC during the forecast period.

Ceramic Tiles in GCC: Trends

Online retailing of tiles is one of the key ceramic tiles market trends in the Gulf Cooperation Council that is expected to impact the industry positively in the forecast period.

is one of the key ceramic tiles market trends in the Gulf Cooperation Council that is expected to impact the industry positively in the forecast period. The growing number of Internet users through smartphones, laptops, tablets, and others are providing retailers with an opportunity to venture into e-retailing. Vendors can sell their products through third-party e-commerce platforms or their online stores. Different home building materials such as paints, wallpapers, electricals, and tiles are now being made available on e-commerce platforms such as Wall and Tile as well as Mineral Tiles. The online stores provide all the details of ceramic tiles such as colors, design, texture, dimensions, and their application for either floor, wall, or ceiling. This provides users with the convenience and flexibility of shopping. Therefore, online shopping for tiles will further support the growth of the ceramic tiles market in the GCC in the coming years.

Ceramic Tiles in GCC: Challenges

The key challenge to the ceramic tiles market growth in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is the volatile raw material prices .

. Tile manufacturing is a very energy-intensive operation, like electricity, gas, and transportation costs are the major cost-related challenges affecting the industry. Power and fuel availability at reasonable rates must be consistent for the ceramic tile sector to thrive. Volatile markets have considerable negative implications, the majority of which are experienced by industrial businesses. Furthermore, raw materials such as silica sand, kaolin, feldspar, and bentonite utilized in the production of ceramic tiles have price volatility, which raises the capital required for the complete ceramic tile production process. Thus, in turn, the fluctuation of prices of raw materials may hamper the growth of the market focus during the forecast period.

For additional information on drivers, trends & challenges - Download a sample now!

Some of the key Ceramic Tiles in GCC Players:

The ceramic tiles market in GCC is fragmented and the vendors are deploying growth strategies such as M and A activities and marketing to compete in the market.

Arabian Tile Co Ltd.

AI Anwar CERAMICS Tile Co SAOG

Al Khaleej Ceramics

Al Maha Ceramics.

Al-Omran Group

Focus Technology Co. Ltd.

Future Ceramics

GranitiFiandre S.p.A.

Grespania SA

GRUPPO CERAMICHE RICCHETTI SpA

Kajaria Ceramics Ltd.

Mosa Holding BV

NI Cermaics

Norcros Plc

PORCELANOSA Grupo AIE

Porcellan

RAK Ceramics PJSC

Riyadh Ceramics

Saudi Ceramic Co.

Seedal Ceramics

ARABIAN-CERAMICS.COM

Jaquar Middle East.

To know about the key offerings of market players - Download a sample now!

The competitive scenario provided in the Ceramic Tiles Market in GCC report analyzes, evaluates, and positions companies based on various performance indicators. Some of the factors considered for this analysis include the financial performance of companies over the past few years, growth strategies, product innovations, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Don't wait, Make a strategic approach & boost your business goals with our Ceramic Tiles Market in GCC Forecast Report - Buy Now!

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share is projected to increase by USD 1.45 trillion by 2026 at a progressive CAGR of 15.66%. The vinyl flooring market share in Saudi Arabia is expected to increase by USD 136.24 million from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 5.47%. Download a sample now!

Ceramic Tiles Market in GCC Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 6.3% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 1.86 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 6.13 Performing market contribution GCC at 100% Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Arabian Tile Co Ltd., AI Anwar CERAMICS Tile Co SAOG, Al Khaleej Ceramics, Al Maha Ceramics., Al-Omran Group, Focus Technology Co. Ltd., Future Ceramics, GranitiFiandre S.p.A., Grespania SA, GRUPPO CERAMICHE RICCHETTI SpA, Kajaria Ceramics Ltd., Mosa Holding BV, NI Cermaics, Norcros Plc, PORCELANOSA Grupo AIE, Porcellan, RAK Ceramics PJSC, Riyadh Ceramics, Saudi Ceramic Co., Seedal Ceramics, ARABIAN-CERAMICS.COM, and Jaquar Middle East. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period, Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Content

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Country Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Product



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 09: Parent market



Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 12: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 13: Chart on Middle East - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 14: Data Table on Regional - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Chart on Middle East : Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 16: Data Table on Regional - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by Product

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 24: Chart on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 25: Data Table on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Product

Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Product



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Product

5.3 Ceramic floor tiles - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Ceramic floor tiles - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Ceramic floor tiles - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Ceramic floor tiles - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Ceramic floor tiles - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Ceramic wall tiles - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Ceramic wall tiles - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Ceramic wall tiles - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Ceramic wall tiles - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Ceramic wall tiles - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 36: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 37: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 38: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.6 Market opportunity by Product

Exhibit 40: Market opportunity by Product ($ million)

6 Customer Landscape

6.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 41: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 42: Chart on Market share by geography - 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 43: Data Table on Market share by geography - 2021-2026 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 44: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 45: Data Table on Geographic comparison

7.3 Saudi Arabia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on Saudi Arabia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 47: Data Table on Saudi Arabia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 48: Chart on Saudi Arabia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 49: Data Table on Saudi Arabia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.4 United Arab Emirates - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on United Arab Emirates - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 51: Data Table on United Arab Emirates - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 52: Chart on United Arab Emirates - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 53: Data Table on United Arab Emirates - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.5 Qatar - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on Qatar - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 55: Data Table on Qatar - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 56: Chart on Qatar - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on Qatar - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.6 Kuwait - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Kuwait - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 59: Data Table on Kuwait - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 60: Chart on Kuwait - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 61: Data Table on Kuwait - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.7 Rest of Middle East - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on Rest of Middle East - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 63: Data Table on Rest of Middle East - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 64: Chart on Rest of Middle East - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 65: Data Table on Rest of Middle East - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.8 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 66: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 67: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

8.4 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 68: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 69: Overview on factors of disruption

9.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 70: Impact of key risks on business

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 71: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 72: Matrix on vendor position and classification

10.3 AI Anwar CERAMICS Tile Co SAOG

Exhibit 73: AI Anwar CERAMICS Tile Co SAOG - Overview



Exhibit 74: AI Anwar CERAMICS Tile Co SAOG - Product / Service



Exhibit 75: AI Anwar CERAMICS Tile Co SAOG - Key offerings

10.4 Al Maha Ceramics.

Exhibit 76: Al Maha Ceramics. - Overview



Exhibit 77: Al Maha Ceramics. - Product / Service



Exhibit 78: Al Maha Ceramics. - Key offerings

10.5 Al-Omran Group

Exhibit 79: Al-Omran Group - Overview



Exhibit 80: Al-Omran Group - Product / Service



Exhibit 81: Al-Omran Group - Key offerings

10.6 Focus Technology Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 82: Focus Technology Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 83: Focus Technology Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

10.7 Grespania SA

Exhibit 84: Grespania SA - Overview



Exhibit 85: Grespania SA - Product / Service



Exhibit 86: Grespania SA - Key offerings

10.8 Jaquar Middle East.

Exhibit 87: Jaquar Middle East. - Overview



Exhibit 88: Jaquar Middle East. - Product / Service



Exhibit 89: Jaquar Middle East. - Key offerings

10.9 Kajaria Ceramics Ltd.

Exhibit 90: Kajaria Ceramics Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 91: Kajaria Ceramics Ltd. - Key offerings

10.10 Norcros Plc

Exhibit 92: Norcros Plc - Overview



Exhibit 93: Norcros Plc - Product / Service



Exhibit 94: Norcros Plc - Key offerings

10.11 RAK Ceramics PJSC

Exhibit 95: RAK Ceramics PJSC - Overview



Exhibit 96: RAK Ceramics PJSC - Business segments



Exhibit 97: RAK Ceramics PJSC - Key offerings



Exhibit 98: RAK Ceramics PJSC - Segment focus

10.12 Saudi Ceramic Co.

Exhibit 99: Saudi Ceramic Co. - Overview



Exhibit 100: Saudi Ceramic Co. - Product / Service



Exhibit 101: Saudi Ceramic Co. - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 102: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 103: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 104: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 105: Research methodology



Exhibit 106: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 107: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 108: List of abbreviations

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
MEXICO CITY, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Comision Federal de Electricidad ("CFE" or the "Company"), a productive state enterprise of the Federal Government of the United Mexican States ("Mexico"), announced today the early tender results of its previously announced tender offer to purchase for cash its notes of the series set forth in the table below (all such notes, collectively, the "Notes" and each a "series" of Notes), for an aggregate purchase price, excluding accrued and unpaid interest, of up to US$1,000,000,000, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the offer to purchase dated May 19, 2022 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the "Offer to Purchase") and subject to (1) the maximum per series consideration for the 4.875% Notes due 2024 set forth in the table below, (2) the acceptance priority level of each series of Notes, and (3) possible proration, each as described herein and in the Offer to Purchase.

The following table sets forth certain information relating to the Offer, including the principal amount of Notes tendered on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on June 2, 2022 (the "Early Tender Date"):

Title of Security CUSIPs ISINs Principal Amount

Outstanding Acceptance

Priority Level Maximum Per Series Consideration Principal Amount

Tendered on or prior to the

Early Tender Date 4.875% Notes due 2024 200447 AD2;

P30179 AM0 US200447AD28;

USP30179AM09 US$1,250,000,000 1 US$500,000,000 US$380,312,000 6.125% Notes due 2045 200447 AE0; P30179 AR9 US200447AE01; USP30179AR95 US$700,000,000 2 N/A US$81,692,000 5.750% Notes due 2042 200447 AC4; P30179 AK4 US200447AC45; USP30179AK43 US$750,000,000 3 N/A US$186,429,000 4.677% Notes due 2051 200447 AJ9;

P29595 AE8 US200447AJ97; USP29595AE80 US$800,000,000 4 N/A US$187,273,000 4.75% Notes due 2027 200447 AF7; P29595 AB4 US200447AF75;

USP29595AB42 US$1,000,000,000 5 N/A US$185,032,000 3.348% Notes due 2031 200447 AH3; P29595 AD0 US200447AH32; USP29595AD08 US$1,200,000,000 6 N/A US$208,866,000

On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, CFE intends to accept for purchase all Notes validly tendered on or prior to the Early Tender Date promptly after the determination of the tender consideration payable per each US$1,000 principal amount of each series of Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn on or prior to the Early Tender Date (the "Early Tender Consideration"). Promptly after 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) tomorrow, June 3, 2022, CFE expects to issue a press release announcing, among other things, (i) the aggregate principal amount of Notes accepted in the Offer, (ii) the Early Tender Consideration payable for each series of Notes accepted in the Offer, and (iii) the aggregate purchase price, excluding accrued and unpaid interest, expected to be paid for each series of Notes accepted in the Offer.

Withdrawal rights for the Offer expired at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on June 2, 2022. The Offer will expire at 11:59 p.m. (New York City Time) on June 16, 2022, unless extended by CFE in its sole discretion.

All conditions described in the Offer to Purchase that were to be satisfied or waived on or prior to the Early Tender Date have been satisfied.

* * *

CFE has retained BBVA Securities Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Mizuho Securities USA LLC to act as dealer managers in connection with the Offer (the "Dealer Managers"). Any questions or requests for assistance regarding the Offer may be directed to the Dealer Managers at their contact information set forth below.

BBVA Securities Inc.

1345 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10105

United States of America Attn: Liability Management Toll Free: +1 800-422-8692 Collect: +1 212-728-2446 Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street, 4th Floor Trading

New York, New York 10013

United States of America Attn: Liability Management Toll-Free: +1 800-558-3745 Collect: +1 212-723-6106 Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. 1 Columbus Circle New York, New York 10019 United States of America Attn: Liability Management Group Toll-Free: +1 855-287-1922 Collect: +1 212-250-7527 Mizuho Securities USA LLC

1271 Ave. of the Americas

New York, New York 10020

United States of America Attn: Liability Management Toll-Free: +1 866-271-7403 Collect: +1 212-205-7736

Copies of the Offer to Purchase may be obtained from Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the tender agent (the "Tender Agent") and the information agent (the "Information Agent") for the Offer, at +1 (855) 654-2015 (toll-free) or +1 (212) 430-3774 (collect).

Disclaimer

This press release must be read in conjunction with the Offer to Purchase. This announcement and the Offer to Purchase contain important information which must be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Offer. If any holder of Notes is in any doubt as to the action it should take, it is recommended to seek its own legal, tax, accounting and financial advice, including as to any tax consequences, immediately from its stockbroker, bank manager, attorney, accountant or other independent financial or legal adviser. Any individual or company whose Notes are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee or intermediary must contact such entity if it wishes to participate in the Offer. None of the Company, the Dealer Managers, the Tender Agent and the Information Agent and any person who controls, or is a director, officer, employee or agent of any such person, or any affiliate of any such person, makes any recommendation as to whether holders of Notes should participate in the Offer.

The Offer to Purchase has not been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, nor has it been filed with or reviewed by any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority of any country. No authority has passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the Offer to Purchase, and it is unlawful and may be a criminal offense to make any representation to the contrary.

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN AND IN THE OFFER TO PURCHASE IS EXCLUSIVELY CFE'S RESPONSIBILITY AND HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED OR AUTHORIZED BY THE MEXICAN NATIONAL BANKING AND SECURITIES COMMISSION (COMISION NACIONAL BANCARIA Y DE VALORES, OR THE "CNBV"). CFE HAS NOT FILED AND WILL NOT FILE WITH THE CNBV A REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION OF THE OFFER. THE OFFER DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A PUBLIC OFFERING (OFERTA PUBLICA) OF ANY KIND (INCLUDING AN OFERTA PUBLICA DE ADQUISICION) IN MEXICO AND IT MAY NOT BE PUBLICLY DISTRIBUTED IN MEXICO. THE OFFER MAY ONLY BE MADE AVAILABLE IN MEXICO TO INVESTORS THAT QUALIFY AS INSTITUTIONAL OR ACCREDITED INVESTORS (INVERSIONISTAS INSTITUCIONALES OR INVERSIONISTAS CALIFICADOS), SOLELY PURSUANT TO THE PRIVATE OFFERING EXEMPTION SET FORTH IN NUMERAL I. OF ARTICLE 8 OF THE MEXICAN SECURITIES MARKET LAW (LEY DEL MERCADO DE VALORES). IN MAKING A DECISION AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER ANY OF THEIR NOTES, ALL HOLDERS MUST RELY ON THEIR OWN REVIEW AND EXAMINATION OF THE TERMS OF THE OFFER. CFE WILL NOTIFY THE CNBV OF THE RESULTS OF THE OFFER FOR INFORMATIONAL AND STATISTICAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND THE FILING OR RECEIPT OF SUCH NOTICE BY THE CNBV DOES NOT IMPLY ANY CERTIFICATION AS TO THE INVESTMENT QUALITY OF THE NOTES, CFE'S SOLVENCY, LIQUIDITY OR CREDIT QUALITY OR THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION SET FORTH HEREIN.

The Offer is being made solely on the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase. Under no circumstances shall this press release constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell the Notes or any other securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. The Offer is not being made to, nor will the Company accept tenders of Notes from, holders in any jurisdiction in which the Offer or the acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdiction.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are information of a non-historical nature or which relate to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. No assurance can be given that the transactions described herein will be consummated or as to the ultimate terms of any such transactions. CFE undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or for any other reason.

SOURCE Comision Federal de Electricidad
PARIS, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --

ADA 2022 - On the occasion of the 2022 American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions, Diabeloop, a leader in therapeutic AI applied to insulin delivery and SOOIL Development Company, leader in superior diabetes therapy announced today that they entered into global development and commercial agreements.

Technical integration to be pursued and expanded

With these agreements, Diabeloop and SOOIL Development Company re-establish their commitment to work together by combining their technologies and expertise.

The cooperation between the two companies was initiated in February 2020 with the launch of a large clinical study, including 9 University hospitals and 184 patients using DBLG1, Diabeloop's i-controller and SOOIL's DANA-i ACE pump. The study was unfortunately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the companies have continued to forge ahead with their respective product development roadmaps. Combining forces has enhanced the evolution of their business opportunities in a global manner.

Diabeloop, pioneer in therapeutic artificial intelligence applied to diabetes management and SOOIL Development Company, one of the leading established players in the insulin pump therapy market, announce today global development agreements which will address four key areas of collaboration.

"We are addressing a fast-moving market, asking us to make constant adaptations. Our products have received outstanding feedback from patients and doctors alike, while demonstrating fast growth across Europe. Our reinforced partnership with SOOIL Development Company is one of the ways to make our products available to patients beyond Europe. These agreements offer high-potential perspectives and a promising international collaboration for our two companies," comments Erik Huneker, CEO and co-founder of Diabeloop.

Pursuing the technical integration of the Dana-i pump within DBLG1 System will be the entry point of this newfound collaboration between the two companies.

Set up for clinical trials and commercial collaborations in the US, Europe and Korea

The extended partnership with SOOIL Development Company will enable Diabeloop to continue its international expansion beyond Europe and support its sustained growth. This strategy will help drive towards the following main business objectives:

1) Entering the American market with an approved Automated Insulin Delivery solution is an important goal for both companies. A clinical trial will be performed to meet the requirements of the US health authorities, allowing the two partners to submit an application for Diabeloop's DBLG1 AID solution with SOOIL's Dana-i insulin pump to the FDA.

2) The companies plan to make DBLG1 System with the Dana-i pump available in the European market. Obtaining the CE marking under the European Medical Device Regulation (MDR) will be the first main step. Not only does this follow the interoperability strategy of Diabeloop, it aligns with a firm belief that having a choice matters for people living with diabetes as well as health care professionals.

Diabeloop and SOOIL Development Company also will target their respective home markets:

3) In France, reimbursement of DBLG1 hybrid closed-loop system with the Dana-i insulin pump will be pursued, leaning on Diabelooop's existing reimbursement pathway.

4) In Korea, obtaining approval from the Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA), may require an explanation of technical and usability improvements, as well as clinical studies, positioned accordingly, as per existing national guidelines.

"SOOIL Development Co Limited has the longest history  42 years of proudly manufacturing insulin pumps, leading technology and bringing joy to people with diabetes. DANA insulin pumps are intended for interoperability and this collaboration with Diabeloop will help provide people affected by diabetes more options and choice," said Soo Bong Choi, owner and founder of SOOIL Development Co Ltd.

Diabeloop and SOOIL Development Company are considering further opportunities to expand their partnership and enable the highest number of patients possible to access their products via new innovative products and additional geographic areas of distribution.

About Diabeloop

Diabeloop's mission: Making innovation accessible to people living with diabetes, improving clinical results while relieving them of their constant mental burden.

Created in 2015, Diabeloop is a high-growth company that offers AI-based, personalized solutions to improve clinical outcomes for people with diabetes while relieving them of their constant mental burden. DBLG1 System, Diabeloop's first medical device for automated insulin delivery (AID) and DBL-hu, its solution for highly unstable Type 1 diabetes management, are both CE-marked and being deployed in Europe.

Diabeloop just completed its Series C financing round, securing 70 million euros, to accelerate its commercial roll-out, support its sustained growth strategy and its high-impact projects.

Today, Diabeloop gathers the personality, passion, and skills of over 160 talented individuals who work hard to improve the quality of life for every person living with diabetes.

Press contact:

Stephanie JEGU

[email protected]

SOURCE Diabeloop
Highlights of the report:

Value of digital payments in India to increase three-fold from US$3 trillion today to US$10 trillion by 2026

to increase three-fold from today to by 2026 Digital payments will constitute nearly 65% of all payments by 2026, up from 40% today

UPI adoption will surge from 35% in FY 21 to 75% in the next five years

7x growth in digital merchant payments - from US$ 0.3 -0.4 trillion today to US$ 2.5 -2.7 trillion by 2026

BENGALURU, India, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PhonePe, India's leading digital payments company, in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), today unveiled a report titled, "Digital payments in India: A $10 trillion opportunity". The report leverages BCG's industry expertise in payments and the fintech domain, along with PhonePe's deep insights and expertise as the market leader in Indian digital payments and its extensive Pulse database to look at top digital payments trends in India.

Digital payments in India projected to reach $10 trillion by 2026: PhonePe Pulse and BCG release report on digital payments

India's digital payments landscape has witnessed a phenomenal growth over the past five years. As per the report, India's digital payments market is at an inflection point and is expected to increase more than threefold from the current US$3 trillion to US$10 trillion by 2026. As a result of this unprecedented growth, digital payments (non-cash) will constitute 2 out of 3 payment transactions by 2026.

The report also talks about how the digital payments ecosystem has been positively disrupted by the entry of multiple new players with diverse offerings driving digital payments adoption at scale. Leading global and Indian fintech players have been key drivers of UPI adoption in India among end users, aided by buildout of a large QR-code based merchant acceptance network, and further supported by user-friendly interfaces, innovative offerings and an open API ecosystem.

The report goes on to list the levers for further growth of digital payments in India which include - simplified customer onboarding, continued push for consumer awareness, expanding merchant acceptance, merchants getting greater access to credit, infrastructure upgrades and the setting up of a financial services marketplace driving growth in underpenetrated regions. It also talks about how IoT, 5G & CBDC will provide further impetus to growth.

Commenting on the launch, Karthik Raghupathy, Head of Strategy, and Investor Relations, PhonePe, said, ''We are excited to partner with BCG to release Digital payments in India: A $10 trillion opportunity. The report is an in-depth commentary on the growth of digital payments in India and looks at factors and enablers that will help unlock the massive growth potential going forward. This report is part of the PhonePe Pulse initiative, which was launched last year, in our effort to give back to the Fintech ecosystem. PhonePe Pulse has been very well received by all the key stakeholders in the ecosystem and has emerged as India's go to destination for insights and trends on digital payment in the country.

Karthik further added, "'As India's largest Fintech platform we have seen the growth of UPI over the last few years. UPI has supercharged India's transition to non-cash payments when it comes to both person-to-person (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions. Not surprisingly, UPI saw about 9x transaction volume increase in the past 3 years, increasing from 5 billion transactions in FY19 to about 46 billion transactions in FY22: accounting for more than 60% non-cash transaction volumes in FY22. This indicates that digital payment has truly gained ubiquitous acceptance across the country. While Tier 1-2 cities have witnessed high acceptance of digital payments, penetration in Tier 3-6 cities shows headroom for growth. The next wave of growth will now come from Tier 3-6 locations, as evidenced in the past two years wherein Tier 3-6 cities have contributed to nearly 60-70% of new customers for PhonePe."

Prateek Roongta, Managing Director & Partner, Boston Consulting Group said, "India is set to become a digital payment economy as source of payments invert with 65% transactions being done digitally by 2026, as opposed to 40% transactions today. Merchant payments will emerge as the most powerful driver of this growth, especially in the offline segment due to growing QR code deployments. We expect that merchant payments will soon outpace person-to-person fund transfers."

Prateek further added, "We will increasingly observe digital payments get embedded in all forms of commerce, we will also witness the progression from embedded payments to embedded finance. As more and more merchants begin to accept digital payments, it will unlock a significant change in access to credit for small merchants due to the creation of a digital transaction trail."

To download the report, visit: pulse.phonepe.com or https://www.bcg.com/en-in/publications/2022/future-of-digital-payments-in-india

About PhonePe:

Founded in December 2015, PhonePe has become a homegrown success story, with its meteoric growth powered by India's emerging digital ecosystem, particularly in the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) space. The company builds products and offerings tailored for the Indian market and has emerged as India's largest payments app, enabling digital inclusion for consumers and merchants alike. With 380 million registered users, one in four Indians are now on PhonePe. The company has also successfully digitized over 30 million offline merchants spread across Tier 2,3,4 and beyond, covering 99% pin codes in the country. PhonePe is proud to help lead India's country-wide digitization efforts and believes that this powerful public-private collaboration has made the Indian digital ecosystem a global exemplar.

About PhonePe Pulse - Trends and insights on digital payments in India:

To demystify data on the Indian digital payments landscape and in an effort to give back to the ecosystem, PhonePe Pulse was launched in September 2021. Pulse is a novel interactive platform that is India's go-to destination for accurate and comprehensive data on digital payment trends. As the market leader in Indian digital payments, PhonePe's data is representative of the country's payment habits. With its rich repository of trends, insights, and in-depth analysis, Pulse showcases India's beat of progress in the digital payment landscape.

About Boston Consulting Group (BCG):

Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholdersempowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact. Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fuelled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1832284/PhonePe_BCG_Report.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1832286/PhonePe_Logo.jpg

SOURCE PhonePe
BANGALORE, India, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Digital Publishing Market is Segmented by Type (Text Content, Video Content, Audio Content), by Application (Smart Phones, Laptops, PCs): Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20222028. It is published in Valuates Reports under the Printing & Publishing Category.

The global Digital Publishing market size is projected to reach USD 226070 Million by 2028, from USD 104950 Million in 2021, at a CAGR of 11.4% during 2022-2028.

Major factors driving the growth of the Digital Publishing market are:

The expansion of mobile internet access, the recent Covid-19 outbreak, rising acceptance of OTT and other video streaming platforms, and the expanding number of mobile and streaming devices are projected to propel the Digital Publishing market forward.

Because of methods like sharing ad revenue with content creators, online content consumption is on the rise. Furthermore, the e-publishing market is likely to be fueled by rising demand for short video content, e-books, and vlogs.

Get Your Sample Today: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-20F2180/Global_Digital_Publishing

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF DIGITAL PUBLISHING MARKET

The adoption of OTT standards is a crucial element fueling the growth of the digital publishing market. The proliferation of over-the-top (OTT) applications has been unprecedented in the communications business. OTT uses the Internet to deliver video and audio data without the interruption of service providers. Operators are attempting to integrate OTT into set-up boxes by experimenting with new technology and revenue streams (STBs). Consumers can access OTT video services using their mobile devices, which are capable of doing so. Netflix and other OTT applications are getting more popular among consumers than TV apps. During the forecast period, the worldwide digital publishing industry is expected to expand.

Impact of COVID-19: Due to the use of virtual textbooks and teaching/studying materials, the current COVID-19 pandemic epidemic and the closure of schools and other educational institutions in the region has favorably impacted the growth of the digital publishing sector. Schools and institutions across the region have adopted distant learning through virtual classrooms and online tests and evaluation tools as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. As a result, both video and textual information are in high demand. This, in turn, is projected to propel the Electronic Publishing market forward.

SVOD providers are looking for methods to alter the value proposition in their favor in order to retain more subscribers. The most direct method may be to offer flexible pricing options. The choices that allowed people to watch advertising in exchange for cheaper costsor for freewere the most popular among consumers in all five nations surveyed. Streaming services can also use gated content to create different pricing tiers for their users. Some businesses are experimenting with premium access to everything for a greater fee, as well as lower-cost choices with less content. This in turn is expected to drive the growth of the Digital Publishing market.

The growing popularity of ebooks and audiobooks is predicted to fuel the expansion of the digital publishing market. Thousands of bookstores were forced to close as a result of the global pandemic, and people began to buy ebooks online. Furthermore, consumers prefer e-books to books due to the fragility of books, their need for proper maintenance, and their expensive cost. The digitization of books and their accessibility over the internet is projected to create an innovative ecosystem that will provide readers with a real-time experience.

Furthermore, the digital publishing market is projected to be fueled further by short video content combined with a powerful AI recommendation algorithm. The ability of social media platforms and other OTT sites to sustain viewer interest is achieved by accurately recommending material based on user interest.

Browse The Table Of Contents And List Of Figures At: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-20F2180/global-digital-publishing

DIGITAL PUBLISHING MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS:

Based on type, Video content is expected to be the most lucrative segment. The digital publication goes well beyond text-based interaction. We can anticipate a trend away from text-based information and toward video and voice-based content in 2022. You can use videos to enhance your content's engagement and better communicate your brand's image. People all throughout the world will increasingly rely on video, from educational information to social media live streams.

Based on region, APAC is expected to be the most lucrative segment. This is attributed to the rapid expansion of the digital publishing industries in the APAC region.

Inquire for Regional Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/QYRE-Auto-20F2180/Global_Digital_Publishing

Key Companies:

Alphabet

Amazon

Apple

Comcast

Netflix

You Tube

TikTok

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Digital Publishing Market Report Covers

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SIMILAR REPORTS:

- The global OTT market size was valued at USD 121.61 Billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 1,039.03 Billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 29.4% from 2020 to 2027.

- The global video analytics market size was valued at USD 4,102.0 Million in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 21,778.0 Million by 2027, registering a CAGR of 22.7% from 2020 to 2027.

- The global video streaming market size was valued at USD 38.56 Billion in 2018, and is projected to reach USD 149.34 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 18.3% from 2019 to 2026.

- The global Subscription and Billing Management Software market size is projected to reach USD 11920 Million by 2028, from USD 4021 Million in 2021, at a CAGR of 16.6% during 2022-2028.

- The global eBook market size is projected to reach USD 38560 Million by 2026, from USD 16100 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 15.7% during 2021-2027.

- The global Visualization & 3D Rendering Software market size is projected to reach USD 3083.9 Million by 2027, from USD 1295.3 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 12.7% during 2021-2027.

- The global SVOD market size is projected to reach USD 115,153.76 Million by 2028, from USD 62,812.48 Million in 2021, at a CAGR of 9.16% during 2022-2028.

- The global Digital Educational Publishing market size is projected to reach USD 14580 Million by 2027, from USD 8324.5 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 7.9% during 2021-2027.

- The global Captioning and Subtitling Solution market size is projected to reach USD 441.7 Million by 2027, from USD 261 Million in 2020, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.7% during the forecast period 2021-2027.

- The global Music Publishing market size is projected to reach USD 7883.2 Million by 2027, from USD 5225 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 6.1% during 2021-2027.

- The global Digital Content market size is projected to reach USD 241650 million by 2027, from USD 161540 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 5.9% during 2021-2027.

- The global Internet Publishing market size is projected to reach USD 163620 Million by 2028, from USD 129560 Million in 2021, at a CAGR of 3.3% during 2022-2028.

- Global Digital Publishing for Education Market Insights and Forecast to 2028

- Global Digital Music Publishing Market Insights, Forecast to 2028

- Global Publishing and Subscriptions Software Market Insights and Forecast to 2028

- Global E-reader Publishing Market Insights and Forecast to 2028

- Global Newspaper Publishing Market Insights, Forecast to 2028

Click here to see related reports on Digital Publishing Market

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SOURCE Valuates Reports
WASHINGTON, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the Securities and Exchange Commission about the lawsuits SEC v. Elon Musk, No. 18-cv-8865 (S.D.N.Y.) and SEC v. Tesla, Inc., No. 18-cv-8947 (S.D.N.Y.).

Those who purchased or acquired Tesla common stock, listed on a U.S. Exchange and registered with the Commission and traded under the symbol TSLA (the "Securities") during the Relevant Period (between 12:48:16 p.m. EDT on August 7, 2018 and 4:00 p.m. EDT on August 8, 2018), may be eligible for a distribution from the Fair Fund.

On September 27, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC" or "Commission") filed a civil action against Elon Musk ("Musk") alleging violations of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder in connection with certain false and misleading statements by Musk.

On September 29, 2018, the Commission filed a related civil action against Tesla, Inc. ("Tesla") alleging violations of Exchange Act Rule 13a-15, also in connection with Musk's false and misleading statements.

The two complaints alleged that Musk, the Chief Executive Officer of Tesla, made a series of materially false and misleading statements about Tesla on his Twitter account in August 2018, and that Tesla failed to implement adequate procedures or controls for determining whether to disclose the information Musk disseminated on Twitter in its filings.

Musk and Tesla (the "Defendants") paid a total of $40 million to the Commission. By Order entered February 26, 2020, the Court established a Fair Fund, so the civil penalties paid by the Defendants can be distributed to harmed investors.

To receive a payment from the Fair Fund, you must satisfy the following: 1) You must have purchased or acquired Tesla common stock, listed on a U.S. exchange and registered with the Commission and traded under the symbol TSLA, during the Relevant Period; 2) Your approved transactions must calculate to a Recognized Loss Amount pursuant to the Plan of Allocation and the Distribution Payment must equal or exceed $10.00; and 3) You are not an Excluded Party as defined in the Plan of Distribution (the "Plan").

You can file an online Claim Form or obtain a physical Claim Form by visiting www.SECvTeslaFairFund.com. To submit a Claim Form by mail, you must submit it to SEC v Tesla Fair Fund, c/o Rust Consulting, Inc., Distribution Agent  7329, P.O. Box 44, Minneapolis, MN 55440-0044. All Claim Forms are due by September 17, 2022.

For more information:

Copies of the Plan, the Plan Notice, and the Claim Form are available at www.SECvTeslaFairFund.com as well as background information. You may also call 1 (877) 576-9981 or email the Distribution Agent at [email protected].

SOURCE U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
SALVATION ARMY NATIONAL COMMANDER DISCUSSES HISTORY AND CONNECTION WITH SWEET TREATS

*National Donut Day is Friday, June 3*

ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --

BACKGROUND:

On the first Friday in June, Americans celebrate all the gooey goodness of donuts. But this beloved American treat doesn't just taste good, donuts actually have their roots in doing good. National Donut Day was established in 1938 to honor the work of nearly 250 Salvation Army officers known as "Donut Lassies" who traveled overseas to provide emotional and spiritual support as well as fried confectionary, clothes, and supplies to troops in World War I. For more than a century, the organization has continued to provide a wide range of essential services to the most vulnerable and the men and women serving on the front lines of need.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9050451-the-salvation-army-national-donut-day-2022/

Commissioners Kenneth and Jolene Hodder, National Leaders for The Salvation Army, share details on National Donut Day and how the holiday is rooted in Salvation Army history, giving it a deeper meaning than you might expect.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Salvation Army in Chicago celebrated the first National Donut Day in 1938 to help those in need during the Great Depression and to commemorate the work of the "Donut Lassies," who served donuts to soldiers during World War I.

celebrated the first National Donut Day in 1938 to help those in need during the Great Depression and to commemorate the work of the "Donut Lassies," who served donuts to soldiers during World War I. In 1917, The Salvation Army began a mission to provide spiritual and emotional support for U.S. soldiers fighting in France during World War I. Nearly 250 Salvation Army officers traveled overseas and set up small huts near the front lines where they could give soldiers clothes, supplies and, of course, donuts.

during World War I. Nearly 250 Salvation Army officers traveled overseas and set up small huts near the front lines where they could give soldiers clothes, supplies and, of course, donuts. The "Donut Lassies" fried donuts in a small pan to boost morale of U.S. soldiers and are credited with popularizing the donut in the United States when troops returned home from war.

when troops returned home from war. The original century-old recipe is still being used today and can be found on The Salvation Army's website.

For more information, please visit: www.salvationarmyusa.org/

Interview provided by: The Salvation Army

Media Contact: Mary Newsome, Public Relations ([email protected])

SOURCE The Salvation Army
JACKSON, Miss., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- EastGroup Properties, Inc. (NYSE: EGP) ("EastGroup" or the "Company") announced today that it is scheduled to present at the Nareit REITweek: 2022 Investor Conference. EastGroup's presentation is scheduled for Wednesday, June 8, 2022, at 12:30 p.m., Eastern Time. The Company's presentation will be available at https://video.ibm.com/embed/24616606.

During the conference, EastGroup executives may discuss the Company's transaction activity, leasing environment, market trends and conditions, financial matters and other business that may be affecting the Company. Presentation materials that may be referenced during the EastGroup presentation are available on the "Investor Relations" page of the Company's website at www.eastgroup.net.

EastGroup Properties, Inc. (NYSE: EGP), a S&P Mid-Cap 400 company, is a self-administered equity real estate investment trust focused on the development, acquisition and operation of industrial properties in major Sunbelt markets throughout the United States with an emphasis in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and North Carolina. The Company's goal is to maximize shareholder value by being a leading provider in its markets of functional, flexible and quality business distribution space for location sensitive customers (primarily in the 15,000 to 70,000 square foot range). The Company's strategy for growth is based on ownership of premier distribution facilities generally clustered near major transportation features in supply-constrained submarkets. The Company's portfolio, including development projects and value-add acquisitions in lease-up and under construction, currently includes approximately 54.1 million square feet.

EastGroup Properties, Inc. press releases are available at www.eastgroup.net.

SOURCE EastGroup Properties
SUMMIT, N.J., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ECP has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Sendero Midstream Partners, LP ("Sendero") to Crestwood Midstream Partners LP, an affiliate of Crestwood Equity Partners LP (NYSE: CEQP) (collectively, "Crestwood") for an enterprise value cash purchase price of $600 million, plus/minus adjustments for working capital.

Sendero is a premier gas gathering and processing business located in Eddy County, New Mexico, one of the most actively developed counties in the Permian Basin. Through ECP's ownership, Sendero has developed 350 MMcf/d of gas processing capacity and 140 miles of natural gas pipelines.

"I would like thank the entire Sendero team for their unwavering commitment to developing a first-class gathering and processing system in the Permian Basin and for repositioning the business for growth and success coming out of the 2020 downturn," said Pete Labbat, Managing Partner at ECP. "We are excited for Sendero to partner with Crestwood, a premier midstream operator, and are confident that the company will benefit from Crestwood's strong track record."

"We are proud of our partnership with ECP, one of the leaders in the energy infrastructure space, and appreciate the team's engagement and support in growing the business into what it is today," said Joe Griffin, Chief Executive Officer of Sendero. "I would like to thank all of our incredibly hard-working Sendero employees and I am grateful to have worked with such a special group."

The transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act and other customary closing conditions, is expected to close in July 2022.

About Sendero Midstream

Sendero Midstream is a private energy company that provides full-service, innovative midstream solutions throughout the Northern Delaware Basin. Sendero currently operates two cryogenic processing plants with a combined capacity of 350 MMcf/d and associated gathering and compression facilities in the Northern Delaware Basin in Eddy County, New Mexico.

About ECP

ECP, founded in 2005, is a leading investor across energy transition, electrification and decarbonization infrastructure assets, including power generation, renewables and storage solutions, environmental infrastructure and efficiency & reliability assets facilitating the energy transition. The ECP team, comprised of 61 people with 500 years of collective industry experience, deep expertise and extensive relationships, has consummated more than 60 transactions over the last 10 years, representing more than $45 billion of enterprise value. For more information, visit www.ecpgp.com.

Contact:

Jonathan Keehner / Woomi Yun / Kara Brickman

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

212-355-4449

SOURCE ECP
NUTLEY, N.J., June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Haruo Naito, "Eisai") announced today a total of seven poster presentations including the latest data on its in-house discovered orexin receptor antagonist lemborexant (product name: DAYVIGO CIV) will be given at the 36th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (SLEEP 2022), to be held from June 4 to June 8, 2022, in Charlotte, NC.

Major poster presentations include the results of a subgroup analysis of the Phase III 304 clinical study on the effect of lemborexant treatment in older adults with insomnia and objectives of short sleep which is characterized by sleeping fewer than six hours (Posters #171 and #172).

"DAYVIGO continues to serve as an important asset to Eisai's neurology portfolio and we look forward to presenting the findings from several analyses at this year's SLEEP Meeting," said Ivan Cheung, Eisai Inc., Senior Vice President, President Neurology Business Group, Eisai Co., Ltd. "Insomnia can lead to daytime consequences; fatigue, difficulty concentrating and irritability, 1, 2 and causes distress or impairs functioning in social and occupational settings.3 Eisai remains committed to our pursuit of helping people suffering from insomnia to help address unmet medical needs."

SLEEP 2022 Presentations

Asset in Product, Topic, Session, Time (Eastern Time) Title, Presenter Lemborexant Poster presentation Poster #168 Monday, June 6, 6:15 PM  7:15 PM Oral presentation session: O-31 Wednesday, June 8, 3 :15 PM Subjective Sleep Outcomes with Lemborexant Among Subjects with Insomnia and Clinically Meaningful Decreases on the Insomnia Severity Index Authors: Dr. Thomas Roth, et al Presenter: Dr. Margaret Moline Lemborexant Poster presentation Poster #169 Monday, June 6, 5:15 PM  6:15 PM Correlations Between Sleep Parameters and ISI Total Score in Subjects with Moderate to Severe Insomnia Treated with Lemborexant Authors: Dr. Margaret Moline, et al Presenter: Dr. Margaret Moline Lemborexant Poster presentation Poster #170 Monday, June 6, 6:15 PM  7:15 PM Effect of Lemborexant on Early Morning Awakening in Subjects with Severe Problems with Waking Too Early Authors: Dr. Margaret Moline, et al Presenter: Dr. Elizabeth Pappadopulos Lemborexant Poster presentation Poster #171 Monday, June 6, 5:15 PM  6:15 PM Oral presentation session: O-31 Wednesday, June 8, 4:45 PM Effect of Lemborexant Treatment on Polysomnographic Sleep Measures in Older Adults with Insomnia and Objective Short Sleep Authors: Dr. Andrew D. Krystal, et al Presenter: Dr. Margaret Moline Lemborexant Poster presentation Poster #172 Monday, June 6, 6:15 PM  7:15 PM Oral presentation session: O-31 Wednesday, June 8, 5:00 PM Lemborexant Treatment of Older Adults with Insomnia and Objective Short Sleep: Rates of Response and Remission Authors: Dr. Jack D. Edinger, et al Presenter: Dr. Jack D. Edinger Lemborexant Poster presentation Poster #173 Monday, June 6, 5:15 PM  6:15 PM Lemborexant Exposure is Independent of Race Authors: Dr. Sumit Rawal, et al Presenter: Dr. Margaret Moline Lemborexant Poster presentation Poster #174 Monday, June 6, 6:15 PM  7:15 PM Response to Lemborexant in Older Subjects with Insomnia Disorder and Comorbid Pain at Baseline Authors: Dr. Alan Kaplan, et al Presenter: Dr. Alan Kaplan

Please note, the poster presentation time is 5:15 PM  7:15 PM on Monday, June 6 with odd numbered poster presentations taking place from 5:15 PM  6:15 PM and even numbered poster presentations from 6:15 PM  7:15 PM.

Media Inquiries:

Public Relations Department,

Eisai Co., Ltd.

+81-(0)3-3817-5120

Eisai Inc. (U.S.)

TEL: +551-305-0050

[email protected]

Investor Contact:

Eisai Co., Ltd.

Investor Relations Department

TEL: +81-(0)70-8688-9685

[Notes to editors]

About Lemborexant (product name: DAYVIGO)

Lemborexant, an orexin receptor antagonist, is Eisai's in-house discovered and developed small molecule that inhibits orexin neurotransmission by binding competitively to the two subtypes of orexin receptors (orexin receptor 1 and 2). Fast on/off receptor kinetics of lemborexant to orexin receptors may influence lemborexant's potential to facilitate improvements in sleep onset and maintenance with minimal morning residual effects. It has been approved for the treatment of insomnia in over 10 countries including Japan, the United States and countries in Asia.

About Eisai Co., Ltd.

Eisai Co., Ltd. is a leading global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan. Eisai's corporate philosophy is based on the human health care (hhc) concept, which is to give first thought to patients and their families, and to increase the benefits that health care provides to them. With a global network of R&D facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to realize our hhc philosophy by delivering innovative products to target diseases with high unmet medical needs, with a particular focus in our strategic areas of Neurology and Oncology.

Leveraging the experience gained from the development and marketing of a treatment for Alzheimer's disease, Eisai aims to establish the "Eisai Dementia Platform." Through this platform, Eisai plans to deliver novel benefits to those living with dementia and their families through constructing a "Dementia Ecosystem," by collaborating with partners such as medical organizations, diagnostic development companies, research organizations, and bio-ventures in addition to private insurance agencies, finance industries, fitness clubs, automobile makers, retailers, and care facilities. For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit https://www.eisai.com.

About Eisai Inc.

At Eisai Inc., human health care (hhc) is our mission and is the shared purpose that connects us to those we serve creating a network of powerful relationships that enables us to identify, understand and work to address the needs of people throughout their lives. We boldly push past the boundaries of science and aim to deliver life-changing therapies and health-related solutions that matter to people and society. We bring together science, technology and real-world expertise to pursue a world free from cancer, Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Everything we do is guided by the simple principle that patients and their families come first, and we have a responsibility to listen to and learn from them.

Eisai Inc. is the U.S. pharmaceutical subsidiary of Tokyo-based Eisai Co., Ltd. The company's presence in the U.S. includes three discovery centers as well as commercial, clinical development and global demand organizations. To learn more about Eisai, please visit us at www.eisai.com/US and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. For more information on our work in neurology, please visit the Eisai U.S. Neurology LinkedIn page.

INDICATION FOR DAYVIGO

DAYVIGO (lemborexant) is an orexin receptor antagonist indicated for the treatment of adult patients with insomnia, characterized by difficulties with sleep onset and/or sleep maintenance.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

CONTRAINDICATIONS

DAYVIGO is contraindicated in patients with narcolepsy.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressant Effects and Daytime Impairment:

DAYVIGO can impair daytime wakefulness. CNS depressant effects may persist in some patients up to several days after discontinuing DAYVIGO. Prescribers should advise patients about the potential for next-day somnolence.

Driving ability was impaired in some subjects taking DAYVIGO 10 mg. Risk of daytime impairment is increased if DAYVIGO is taken with less than a full night of sleep remaining or at a higher than recommended dose. If taken in these circumstances, patients should not drive or engage in activities requiring mental alertness.

Use with other classes of CNS depressants (e.g., benzodiazepines, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, alcohol) increases the risk of CNS depression, which can cause daytime impairment. Dosage adjustments of DAYVIGO and concomitant CNS depressants may be necessary when administered together. Use of DAYVIGO with other insomnia drugs is not recommended. Patients should be advised not to consume alcohol in combination with DAYVIGO.

Because DAYVIGO can cause drowsiness, patients, particularly the elderly, are at a higher risk of falls.

Sleep Paralysis, Hypnagogic/Hypnopompic Hallucinations, and Cataplexy-Like Symptoms: Sleep paralysis, an inability to move or speak for up to several minutes during sleep-wake transitions, hypnagogic/hypnopompic hallucinations, including vivid and disturbing perceptions can occur with DAYVIGO. Prescribers should explain these events to patients.

Symptoms similar to mild cataplexy can occur with DAYVIGO and can include periods of leg weakness lasting from seconds to a few minutes, can occur either at night or during the day, and may not be associated with identified triggering event (e.g., laughter or surprise).

Complex Sleep Behaviors: Complex sleep behaviors, including sleep-walking, sleep-driving, and engaging in other activities while not fully awake (e.g., preparing and eating food, making phone calls, having sex), have been reported to occur with the use of hypnotics such as DAYVIGO. Events can occur in hypnotic-naive and hypnotic-experienced persons. Patients usually do not remember these events. Complex sleep behaviors may occur following the first or any subsequent use of DAYVIGO, with or without the concomitant use of alcohol and other CNS depressants. Discontinue DAYVIGO immediately if a patient experiences a complex sleep behavior.

Patients with Compromised Respiratory Function: The effect of DAYVIGO on respiratory function should be considered for patients with compromised respiratory function. DAYVIGO has not been studied in patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Worsening of Depression/Suicidal Ideation: Incidence of suicidal ideation or suicidal behavior, as assessed by questionnaire, was higher in patients receiving DAYVIGO than placebo (0.3% for DAYVIGO 10 mg, 0.4% for DAYVIGO 5 mg, and 0.2% for placebo).

In primarily depressed patients treated with hypnotics, worsening of depression and suicidal thoughts and actions (including completed suicides) have been reported. Suicidal tendencies may be present in such patients and protective measures may be required. Intentional overdose is more common in this group of patients; therefore, the lowest number of tablets that is feasible should be prescribed at any one time.

The emergence of any new behavioral sign or symptom of concern requires careful and immediate evaluation.

Need to Evaluate for Comorbid Diagnoses: Treatment of insomnia should be initiated only after careful evaluation of the patient. Reevaluate for comorbid conditions if insomnia persists or worsens after 7 to 10 days of treatment. Worsening of insomnia or the emergence of new cognitive or behavioral abnormalities may be the result of an unrecognized underlying psychiatric or medical disorder and can emerge during the course of treatment with sleep-promoting drugs such as DAYVIGO.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

The most common adverse reaction (reported in 5% of patients treated with DAYVIGO and at least twice the rate of placebo) with DAYVIGO was somnolence (10% for DAYVIGO 10 mg, 7% for DAYVIGO 5 mg, 1% for placebo).

DRUG INTERACTIONS

CYP3A Inhibitors: The maximum recommended dose of DAYVIGO is 5 mg no more than once per night when co-administered with weak CYP3A inhibitors. Avoid concomitant use of DAYVIGO with strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitors.

CYP3A Inducers: Avoid concomitant use of DAYVIGO with moderate or strong CYP3A inducers.

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

Pregnancy and Lactation: There is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women who are exposed to DAYVIGO during pregnancy.

Healthcare providers are encouraged to register patients in the DAYVIGO pregnancy registry by calling 1-888-274-2378. There are no available data on DAYVIGO use in pregnant women to evaluate for a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes.

There are no data on the presence of lemborexant in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. Infants exposed to DAYVIGO through breastmilk should be monitored for excess sedation.

Geriatric Use: Exercise caution when using doses higher than 5 mg in patients 65 years old.

Renal Impairment: Patients with severe renal impairment may experience an increased risk of somnolence.

Hepatic Impairment: The maximum recommended dose of DAYVIGO is 5 mg in patients with moderate hepatic impairment. DAYVIGO is not recommended in patients with severe hepatic impairment. Patients with mild hepatic impairment may experience an increased risk of somnolence.

DRUG ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE

DAYVIGO is a Schedule IV-controlled substance.

Because individuals with a history of abuse or addiction to alcohol or other drugs may be at increased risk for abuse and addiction to DAYVIGO, follow such patients carefully.

For more information about DAYVIGO, see full Prescribing Information.

References:

1. Ferrie JE, et al. Sleep epidemiology  a rapidly growing field. Int J Epidemiol. 2011;40(6):14311437.

2. Roth T. Insomnia: definition, prevalence, etiology and consequences. J Clin Sleep Med. 2007;3(5 Suppl):S7S10.

3. National Institute of Public Health. Sleep disorders practice guidelines - for the proper usage of sleeping medications and the withdrawal: insomnia medical manual aiming for breaking through (available in Japanese only).

SOURCE Eisai Inc.
Once operated as an illegal hotel, Park 79 will now house seniors and formerly homeless New Yorkers who would otherwise be priced out of the city; non-profit Project FIND will provide on-site services for seniors

Park 79 provides seniors with a home in a walkable, vibrant neighborhood, steps away from Central Park and cultural institutions including the Museum of Natural History

NEW YORK, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fairstead, a purpose-driven, vertically integrated real estate company committed to sustainable development and the creation and preservation of high-quality housing, the NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD), and Project FIND today announced the launch of Park 79's housing lottery on the City's NYC Housing Connect website. Through HPD's Senior Affordable Rental Apartments (SARA) program, the 100% affordable housing development will provide 77 residences to seniors earning at or below 50% area median income (AMI), including 24 homes for formerly homeless individuals. All of the homes will be supported by a project-based Section 8 contract, under which residents pay only 30% of their income in rent. The lottery will run through August 5, 2022 and the building is expected to be completed this summer. Photos of apartments can be downloaded here.

"Park 79 brings deeply affordable senior housing and critical supportive services to formerly homeless households in the Upper West Side, through our Senior Affordable Rental Apartments (SARA) program. We encourage seniors to apply for these apartments through Housing Connect or contact our Housing Ambassadors for help," said HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrion, Jr. "Thank you to Fairstead, Project FIND, all our partners, and our team at HPD for their work in transforming an illegally operated Single Room Occupancy building into an affordable development that will now allow seniors to age with dignity and the support they deserve."

"We're proud to partner with HPD and Project FIND to launch the lottery for Park 79 and support some of our most vulnerable community members," said Brett Meringoff, Managing Partner, Development at Fairstead. "Park 79 aligns with Fairstead's core philosophy of providing affordable housing in high opportunity areas and providing residents with support services to enhance their lives. At Park 79, that means ensuring seniors have the care they need to continue living independently in a neighborhood they love. Having started this project in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, Park 79 demonstrates Fairstead's creativity and innovation to see opportunity in a distressed property, as well as its commitment to addressing our nation's affordable housing crisis."

"Project FIND is thrilled to partner with Fairstead and serve as the nonprofit owner and service provider of Park 79," said Project FIND Associate Executive Director Mark Jennings. "The launch of the housing lottery brings us one step closer to reaching our goal of providing additional affordable housing opportunities to our deserving older adults. For more than 50 years, Project FIND has assisted thousands of the areas low and moderate income and formerly homeless individuals with a variety of impressive programs so they may live independently. Our dedicated, professional team is poised to assist Park 79 residents so they may age in place, develop new friendships and enjoy the activities and beauty of the Upper West Side."

"Park 79 could not open at a better time for countless seniors on the West Side who are aging in place and want to be able to continue to live in their community but need support to do so. As the price of housing continues to skyrocket across the City, seniors who are living on low, fixed incomes are desperate to find safe, stable and affordable housing; my office has been working with many of them. Under the leadership of David Gilchrist, Project FIND has expanded senior housing options across the West Side and beyond, and I am proud to represent this new development in the New York State Assembly. Park 79 should serve as a model for the city: when the will is there, we have the ability to transform former hotel into units of 100% affordable and supportive housing for low-income and formerly homeless seniors," said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan), Chair of the Committee on Social Services.

"I commend Fairstead, Project FIND, and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development for bringing this important project to life. As rates of seniors experiencing homelessness and housing instability increase, we must do everything in our power to develop deeply affordable housing," said Council Member Gale A. Brewer (D-06). "I was proud to support this project as Manhattan Borough President by successfully advocating for a variety of public funding sources. I look forward to welcoming seniors into the newly renovated building."

The building was a Single Room Occupancy (SRO) zoned for permanent residential use that the previous owner used illegally as a hotel. The Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement (OSE) issued multiple violations in 2015, and in 2016, Fairstead acquired the property and took on major renovations.

"OSE strives to ensure building owners comply with City and State regulations designed to keep housing available and affordable for New Yorkers, and is proud that its enforcement has once again turned an illegal hotel operation back into permanent housing," said OSE Executive Director Christian Klossner. "OSE applauds the efforts of HPD, Fairstead, and Project FIND in creating high-quality, affordable housing for everyday New Yorkers in need."

The newly renovated development includes 77 studio units, indoor and outdoor common areas for residents as well as space for Fairstead's neighborhood nonprofit partner, Project FIND, which will provide on-site services with two social workers. All the apartments are electric-powered.

Residents will also have access to programming at Project FIND's Hamilton Senior Center on West 73rd Street.

Seniors can apply for Park 79 on the Housing Connect website or request a paper application by sending a self-addressed envelope to: Fairstead Management c/o: Park 79, 560 Lenox Avenue, New York, NY 10037. Those in need of application assistance can work with HPD's Housing Ambassadors, community-based service providers in New York City who help people prepare and apply for Housing Connect affordable housing lotteries.

Park 79 is one of several residential buildings cited for illegal use by the City and consequently earmarked for affordable housing, most recently at neighboring Upper West Side building 258 West 97th Street, part of a $1.1 Million Settlement between the City and an illegal hotel operator.

Fairstead is a purpose-driven vertically integrated real estate developer specializing in creating sustainable, high-quality housing. The firm's national footprint includes more than $6 billion in assets and identified pipeline. With offices in New York, Maryland, and South Carolina, Fairstead's team manages 90+ communities across the country and runs its comprehensive real estate platform, which includes acquisitions and development, venture capital investments in prop tech, design and construction, energy and sustainability, property management, marketing, and leasing. The firm also administers one of the industry's most proactive community impact programs to provide on-site support services to residents. For more information, visit www.fairstead.com.

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is the nation's largest municipal housing preservation and development agency. Its mission is to promote quality housing and diverse, thriving neighborhoods for New Yorkers through loan and development programs for new affordable housing, preservation of the affordability of the existing housing stock, enforcement of housing quality standards, and educational programs for tenants and building owners. For full details visit nyc.gov/hpd and for regular updates on HPD news and services, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @NYCHousing.

Project FIND's mission is to provide low- and moderate-income and homeless seniors with the services and support they need to enrich their lives and live independently. Today Project FIND operates three supportive housing residences that are home to about 600 people and four older adult centers with over 3,000 members. Our members and residents range from the healthy and active to the frail and homebound to the homeless. For all of these men and women, Project FIND is a critical resource, providing housing, meals, and programs that help individuals navigate the challenges of aging by encouraging community engagement and healthy living.

Media Contacts

Fairstead: Jovana Rizzo, [email protected] & C.J. Mayer, [email protected]

HPD: [email protected]

Project FIND: Kathleen Fitzgibbons, [email protected]

SOURCE Fairstead
SILVER SPRING, Md., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an update on additional steps it has taken that will lead to more infant formula available in the U.S. under the agency's recent increased flexibilities.

Company (Product Origin): Nestle (Mexico)

Product(s): Gerber Good Start Gentle

Type of Formula: General

Estimated Quantity: About 1.3 million cans (about 2.2 million pounds or nearly 33 million full-size, 8-ounce bottles)

Availability: Expected beginning in July through October - the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is evaluating options for getting the products to the U.S. as quickly as possible.

More Information and Where to Find the Products: Expected to be sold on Gerber.com and through key retailers.

The FDA is exercising enforcement discretion for the importation of the infant formula products listed above following the review of information provided pertaining to nutritional adequacy and safety, including microbiological testing, labeling, and additional information about facility production and inspection history.

The agency is leveraging a number of flexibilities to bolster the supply of products that serve as the sole source of nutrition for many infants while ensuring the infant formula can be used safely and provides adequate nutrition. The FDA remains in further discussions with manufacturers and suppliers regarding additional supply to ensure there's adequate infant formula available wherever and whenever parents and caregivers need it.

The FDA issued guidance on May 16 that outlined a process by which the agency would not object to the importation of certain infant formula products intended for a foreign market or distribution in the U.S. of products manufactured here for export to foreign countries. This guidance also may provide flexibilities to those who manufacture infant formula products domestically and may be able to increase further the quantity of domestically produced product for the U.S. market. The agency has posted a webpage that will be updated with information about additional products headed to the U.S.

Ongoing FDA Steps to Increase Availability of Safe, Nutritious Infant Formula

The agency's around-the-clock work as part of the all-of-government efforts has already begun to improve supply and availability. The agency expects that the measures and steps it is taking, and the potential for Abbott Nutrition's Sturgis, Michigan, facility to safely resume production in the near-term, will mean more and more supply is on the way or on store shelves moving forward.

The FDA continues to advise against making infant formulas at home or diluting formula. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to work with their child's health care provider for recommendations on changing feeding practices, if needed. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also has additional information available at HHS.gov/formula, including information to help families find infant formula.

The agency also monitors online marketplaces for fraudulent products and works with major online retailers to remove violative and harmful products offered for sale on their sites. Additionally, since many of these fraudulent products originate overseas, the agency targets and examines these products at ports of entry. The FDA also monitors and follows up on various external signals such as consumer complaints about potential counterfeit and fraudulent products.

The FDA will continue to dedicate all available resources to help ensure that safe and nutritious infant formula products remain available for use in the U.S. and will keep the public informed of progress updates.

Additional Information:

Media Contact: FDA Office of Media Affairs, 301-796-4540

Consumer Inquiries: 888-723-3366

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Current Frontera Board Member Rene Burgos Diaz Appointed As Frontera's New CFO

Alejandro Pineros Leaving Frontera Effective June 3, 2022

CALGARY, AB, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Frontera Energy Corporation (TSX: FEC) ("Frontera" or the "Company") announced today that Mr. Rene Burgos Diaz, who was until today a director of the Company, has been appointed the Chief Financial Officer of the Company effective June 3, 2022. He replaces Mr. Alejandro Pineros, who is stepping down as Chief Financial Officer effective June 3, 2022, to pursue other career opportunities.

"I am pleased to announce that Rene Burgos has been appointed as Frontera's new CFO. We are fortunate to have such a qualified candidate in Rene to fill this important executive leadership role. Rene's two plus years as a key member of Frontera's Board of Directors, including his participation in the Company's Audit Committee and Compensation and Human Resources Committee has helped give him key insights into the Company and its financial structure and approach and will allow him to seamlessly excel in this critical role. Rene clearly understands the shareholders' perspective and will continue to work with the Board of Directors and the Company to unlock value," said Gabriel de Alba, Chairman of Frontera's Board of Directors.

"On behalf of Frontera's Board of Directors, Management and shareholders, I thank Alejandro for the many contributions he made to the Company including ensuring Frontera's financial health during the financial downturn brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic and more recently helping steward the refinancing of the Company's debt in 2021. Alejandro has had a lasting impact on the positive turnaround the Company has made since he joined Frontera in 2017. We wish him well in his future endeavours and look forward to continuing to build on the positive contributions he made," said Orlando Cabrales, Chief Executive Officer of Frontera.

Mr. Burgos is a financial markets executive with over 20 years of experience in investment management, leveraged financing, restructuring and financial advisory expertise across multiple industries and geographies, specifically Latin America. Most recently, he served as the Head of Private Credit for Latin America and Portfolio Manager for the Latin America Private Credit Opportunities fund (LAPCO) for Compass Group, a LatAm-based asset manager. Prior to joining Compass Group, Mr. Burgos held various roles within financial firms with a focus in Latin America including Carval Investors LLC, Deutsche Bank and Bank of America. Mr. Burgos holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting and Finance from the Universidad de Puerto Rico.

In order to assume the position of Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Burgos resigned from the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") immediately prior to his appointment as Chief Financial Officer of the Company on June 3, 2022, and stepped down as a member of each of the Audit Committee and Compensation and Human Resources Committee (the "CHRC") of the Board at the same time.

Board member Mr. Luis Fernando Alarcon replaces Mr. Burgos on the Audit Committee and Board member Veronique Giry replaces Mr. Burgos on the CHRC. Reflecting these changes, effective June 3, 2022, the Audit Committee is comprised of three directors (Mr. W. Ellis Armstrong (Chair), Mr. Russell Ford and Mr. Alarcon), each of whom meets the criteria for independence and financial literacy set forth in National Instrument 52-110  Audit Committees, and the CHRC is comprised of three directors (Mr. Gabriel de Alba (Chair), Mr. Ford and Ms. Giry), each of whom meets the criteria for independence set forth in National Instrument 58-101  Corporate Governance.

About Frontera

Frontera Energy Corporation is a Canadian public company involved in the exploration, development, production, transportation, storage and sale of oil and natural gas in South America, including related investments in both upstream and midstream facilities. The Company has a diversified portfolio of assets with interests in 34 exploration and production blocks in Colombia, Ecuador and Guyana, and pipeline and port facilities in Colombia. Frontera is committed to conducting business safely and in a socially, environmentally and ethically responsible manner.

If you would like to receive News Releases via email as soon as they are published, please subscribe here: http://fronteraenergy.mediaroom.com/subscribe .

Corporate Presentation

See Frontera Energy's corporate presentation at: https://www.fronteraenergy.ca/reports-presentations/

Social Media

Follow Frontera Energy social media channels at the following links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fronteraenergy?lang=en

Facebook: https://es-la.facebook.com/FronteraEnergy/

LinkedIn: https://co.linkedin.com/company/frontera-energy-corp.

Advisories

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information relates to activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding changes to the management team of the Company and the composition of its Audit Committee and CHRC. All information other than historical fact is forward-looking information. Forward-looking information reflects the current expectations, assumptions and beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to it and considers the Company's experience and its perception of historical trends. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be placed on such information. Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. The Company's annual information form dated March 2, 2022, its management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2021, and other documents it files from time to time with securities regulatory authorities describe the risks, uncertainties, material assumptions and other factors that could influence actual results and such factors are incorporated herein by reference. Copies of these documents are available without charge by referring to the company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. All forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

SOURCE Frontera Energy Corporation
The move signals FTX's continued global expansion of its industry-leading products and services

TOKYO, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- FTX Trading Ltd.("FTX" or "the Company"), a leading regulated global cryptocurrency exchange, today announced that it has launched FTX Japan to service Japanese customers. FTX Japan, operating via FTX Japan K.K. ("FTX Japan"), is a licensed Japanese crypto-asset exchange services provider and Type 1 Financial Instruments Business license holder. Formerly known as Quoine Corporation, FTX Japan K.K. was renamed following the acquisition of its parent company, Liquid Group Inc., by FTX earlier this year.

Sam Bankman-Fried, CEO of FTX and currently serving as Interim CEO of FTX Japan, commented on the news, Completing this acquisition earlier this year is a key step in achieving our goal of providing a global investor base with access to digital asset markets through a regulated entity. "The acquisition not only gives us a technological advantage, but also allows us to work directly with Japanese regulators in a transparent, constructive and positive manner."

The launch of FTX Japan will allow FTX to provide the Japanese crypto community with industry-leading products and services, including spot trading and perpetuals for a wide range of digital assets such as BTC, ETH, SOL, FTT, and more. FTX Japan also supports fast deposits and withdrawals of Japanese Yen for local customers.

Mr. Bankman-Fried concluded, "Japan is a highly regulated market with a potential market size of almost $1 trillion when it comes to cryptocurrency trading. With the launch of FTX Japan, we will be able to bring additional products to this market, such as our perpetuals and spot crypto trading. We look forward to further revolutionizing the Japanese digital asset ecosystem through FTX Japan."

FTX Japan

FTX Japan is headquartered in Tokyo and holds a licensed Japanese crypto-asset exchange services provider and Type 1 Financial Instruments Business license holder approved by the FSA. The company will offer Japanese customers a platform for spot and derivatives trading.

To learn more about FTX Japan, please visit: ftx.com/jp

Media Contact

Peter Padovano

M Group Strategic Communications (On behalf of FTX)

646.859.5953

[email protected]

SOURCE FTX Japan
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 11; Released: March 2022

Executive Pool: 33598

Companies: 101 - Players covered include 3M Company; Aeroqual Limited; Awair Inc.; Camfil AB; Daikin North America LLC.; Emerson Electric Co.; Horiba, Ltd.; Lennox International Inc.; Panasonic Corporation; Siemens AG; Teledyne Technologies Incorporated; Testo SE & Co. KGaA; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.; Trane Technologies plc; Trion, Inc.; TSI Incorporated and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Product (Fixed Indoor Monitors, Portable Indoor Monitors); Pollutant Type (Chemical Pollutants, Physical Pollutants, Biological Pollutants); End-Use (Government Buildings, Commercial, Industrial, Residential, Other End-Uses)

Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Rest of World.

Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry

ABSTRACT-

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Indoor Air Quality Monitors estimated at US$4.4 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$6 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 8.2% over the analysis period. Fixed Indoor Monitors, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 7.9% CAGR, while growth in the Portable Indoor Monitors segment is readjusted to a revised 8.9% CAGR. Monitoring the air quality to determine the presence of particle matter (PM), carbon dioxide (CO2), and volatile chemicals (VOCs) is becoming an area of importance. For this, the top priority is to understand air quality better. A knowledge of the levels of air pollution would enable making proper adjustments to mitigate the presence of contaminants. Air quality monitors are designed for this purpose. In short, air quality monitoring devices are used to identify and track the pollutant levels in both indoor and outdoor environments that include carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matters. VOC gases arise from diverse sources and the concentration of VOCs is higher in indoor environment compared to outdoor environment.

Air quality monitors are used in a wide range of industrial sectors including oil & gas, food & beverages, power generation plants, and the pharmaceutical sector. The key end-users of air quality monitors are residential and commercial premises, academic institutes, and government agencies. Academic institutes and the government agencies are the segments that dominate the market, driven by the growing number of research laboratories and increased use in government offices. More stringent government regulations related to air quality monitoring in the industrial sector would promote their demand in oil & gas sectors and power generation plants also. As clean air continues to garner interest among all stakeholders, the demand for indoor air quality monitors is expected to grow steadily in future. Air quality monitors are therefore beneficial, as these sensor-based systems have the capability to detect and monitor pollutant levels, such as carbon monoxide, VOCs, nitrous oxide, Sulphur dioxide, in outdoor and indoor settings.

Air quality monitors are available in various models that are affordable and the majority of air quality monitors measure VOCs, particulate matter, and CO2. A few air quality monitors display the current levels of air quality, whereas the other air quality monitors store the readings for longer. Many air quality monitoring devices contain smartphone apps that download, store, and present the data in easily readable screen formats. If tracking the air pollution is the priority, then a PM monitor is considered to be ideal, as several health effects are related to particulate matter and particle levels. Most of the monitoring devices measure and display PM2.5 readings and translate the readings into AQI color scheme and score. PM monitor enables the individuals to decide upon the action of cleaning the indoor air based on the data monitored and suggests turning on the range hood of the kitchen. A separate unit for air filtration has to be turned on if diesel trucks idle frequently outside the home, or in case of wildfire smoke events. The readings of the smaller equipment, however, are often not in conformance with established standards, thus negating their advantages. For instance, many equipment provide reading in percentages or in ppm, making them unsuitable for measuring ambient air quality monitoring. In addition, such equipment is not robust and are unsuitable for long-term outdoor installation. In addition, the installation requirements for such equipment are also complex. For instance, roadside monitoring equipment requires continuous air flow, must be installed at equal distances, and also must be positioned equidistant from the source, thus adding complexities in installation. Coupled with the inaccuracies and the complex installation process, the lower costs are offset by the lower benefits. However, indoor air quality monitoring systems and wearable devices are gaining more traction as they are less prone to the vagaries of harsh external conditions and thus provide a higher cost to benefit ratio.

Indoor air quality monitors market continues to gain traction in healthcare settings including hospitals, diagnostic centers and clinical and lifescience laboratories. IAQ monitors find numerous applications in clinical and research laboratories for the purpose of identifying, quantifying and informing the airborne contaminants, to eventually help the authorities in eliminating the particulate contamination of air and safeguard patients and staff from potential biohazards. IAQ monitors, when deployed in healthcare facilities, can help authorities to considerably reduce the occurrence of asthma and allergic reactions in care delivery and treatment processes. Health complications related to allergies in hospitals are common in several countries. There are several chronic illnesses like Asthma that are caused for polluted air. A majority of the global population suffers from allergies like hives, chronic sinusitis, swollen throats etc., and the main reasons identified for such allergies is the dust in air people breathe. High quality hospital-grade IAQ monitors are therefore required to resourcefully measure the air quality and take necessary actions to remove dust, bacteria, mold spores and other allergens.

The short- and long-term health implications of poor indoor air quality is prompting smart home owners to focus on advanced technologies intended to monitor air quality and take appropriate measures. In the recent years, companies serving smart homes have started coming up with smart solutions for monitoring of indoor air quality in an efficient manner. These solutions are built on sophisticated sensors for monitoring and efficient control over indoor air pollution. Smart devices available on the market are alert homeowners when concentration of an air pollutant exceeds certain level. Smart air quality monitors offered by various brands come embedded with sensors for carbon dioxide, PM2.5, humidity and temperature monitoring. These solutions comply with stringent standards to deliver benefits to individuals with certain medical conditions such as high blood pressure, COPD, asthma and lung cancer. Some of the latest devices come with inbuilt temperature and carbon monoxide sensors as well as connect to smartphones via Bluetooth. The portable and lightweight nature of these devices makes them an effective option for tracking their exposure to pollutants in real-time. In addition to monitoring carbon monoxide and carbon monoxide, some of these smart devices are capable of detecting total level of VOCs including amine, alcohol, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Apart from detecting air quality at specific time intervals, these monitoring devices can also provide information about previous readings.

Smart sensors are garnering increasing attention to monitor indoor air quality in smart homes owing to their compelling advantages over traditional monitoring approaches. Majority of people send a significant fraction of their time indoors, which results in relatively higher level of air pollution in indoor settings in comparison to outdoor levels. There are several factors that affect indoor air quality, such as gas leakage, poor ventilation, presence of air-borne particulate matter and VOCs from household products. Health implications of poor indoor air quality are driving an increasing number of smart homes to implement smart sensors for air quality monitoring. These sensors help homeowners in identifying potential sources of indoor air pollution to take suitable actions. Smart sensors can alert people when indoor air quality becomes a concern owing to the presence of certain pollutants such as carbon monoxide. Smart sensors available on the market rely on different technologies for monitoring VOCs, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Next-generation sensors also leverage emerging technologies such as cloud computing, AI and data analytics for accurate results and enabling people to make informed decisions. More

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Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years.

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Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

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Edition: 8; Released: April 2022

Executive Pool: 1222

Companies: 127 - Players covered include Brunswick Corporation; Hyundai Heavy Industries; Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.; MAN Energy Solutions SE; Mecklenburger Metallguss GmbH; Mercury Marine; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.; MOTH; Nakashima Propeller Co. Ltd.; Rolls-Royce Holdings; Schaffran Propeller + Service GmbH; Schottel GmbH; Teignbridge Propellers International Limited; Veem Ltd.; AB Volvo; Wartsila and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Type (Propellers, Thrusters, Other Types); Application (Merchant Ships, Naval Ships, Recreational Boats, Other Applications)

Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Spain; Russia; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Australia; India; South Korea; Rest of Asia-Pacific; Latin America; Middle East; Africa.



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ABSTRACT-

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Marine Propellers estimated at US$5.0 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$6.1 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 4.5% over the analysis period. Propellers, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 5.2% CAGR, while growth in the Thrusters segment is readjusted to a revised 3.9% CAGR. Maritime transport constitutes the most important component facilitating global trade because around 90 percent of worldwide merchandize (on volume basis) that is traded is carried over the seas. Maritime transport is far less expensive than road or rail transport. Growth of global seaborne trade is therefore one of the important growth drivers for the market for marine propellers. Seaborne trade pushes sales of merchant ships and propellers are required during both building new vessels and for their repairs later on. Capacity of shipbuilding has also been constantly increasing in several fast developing countries like China and South Korea among others.

The shipbuilding industry in China in particular had made rapid strides in the recent years. However, despite the progress achieved in increasing shipbuilding capacity, the Chinese industry is still far behind the global shipbuilding powerhouses in terms of manufacturing and research capabilities in producing value-added and high-tech vessels. Several Chinese shipbuilding companies are therefore on the lookout for opportunities to merge with one another for operating as large units which would enable them to capture greater share of the potential marine industry demand. For instance, China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited merged with China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation to form a single large unit and the newly reorganized corporation is now endowed with a greater number of scientific research institutes, listed companies, enterprises and also employees and assets. The reorganized corporation is currently the largest that based in China, for shipbuilding as well as repair. It is a center with the most advanced capabilities for R&D in the shipping field.

Marine equipment manufactured by this corporation is able to meet global technical standards as well as requirements of international safety conventions. Japan had also been increasing the country's capacity of shipbuilding since the past many years. Another Asia-Pacific-linked growth promoting factor is the increased seaborne crude oil trade, mostly coming from the Middle East to Asian countries. Increasing maritime tourism is also contributing to growth of the market for marine propellers. A major market growth driver has been the increasing naval ships procurement worldwide driven by increasing number of maritime issues. Technical advancements in propulsion systems as well as development of newer materials for manufacturing propeller blades have also been promoting market growth. Shipping operations worldwide consume more than 200 million tons of oil and diesel on a yearly basis and release huge amounts of emissions into the atmosphere. Fuel consumption of these vessels therefore must be reduced for reducing the emissions. Companies developing propeller technologies are currently investing in new technologies development. CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) techniques are being used for designing and testing propellers. Blade profiles capable of increasing efficiency of propellers, ultimately allowing the vessel to consume less fuel, has been invented in recent years. Such technical advancements also enhance growth prospects for the market. 3D printing is also being employed for manufacturing propeller blades.

Furthermore, going forward, electric propulsion technology is anticipated to gain much traction, eliminating clutches and gearboxes. Electric technology also reduces noise of marine engines and provides higher payload because of increased flexibility of components and lesser emissions and fuel consumption among other positive attributes. There are quite a few companies that are currently developing electric propulsion system for instance, in South Korea, The Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering company came up with a unique electric propulsion system for KDDX destroyer and LPX-II LHD projects. Market growth for marine propellers would also be fueled by increased adoption of environment-friendly propulsion systems. The IMO (International Maritime Organization) set limits for maritime emission reductions with an aim to reduce CO2 emissions and for adhering to which, commercial ships have been increasingly using wind propulsion systems. The IWSA (International Windship Association) had also introduced a new initiative called the 'Decade of Wind Propulsion' for speeding up shipping industry decarbonization, which is also anticipated to increase demand for environment-friendly propulsion systems.

The marine propellers are categorized into propellers, thrusters and other types. The propellers segment leads the market, followed by thrusters. Marine propellers are also categorized based on the number of blades as three-, four- and five-blade propellers, with the segment of five-blade witnessing the fastest growth currently as these propellers greatly improve efficiency of propulsion and result in lesser vibration for the vessel. Demand for 5-blade propellers is anticipated to increase due to increasing demand for coast guard, naval, merchant and recreational vessels. Going forward, demand for three-blade propellers, equipped mainly in recreational boats, is anticipated to increase due to increasing use of the boats post-pandemic. Fixed pitch propellers and controllable pitch propellers are the two basic types of propellers used in the marine industry. Working efficiency of controller pitch propellers is considered better. The complete range of speed as well as fan rotation necessitates lesser maintenance. Fixed pitch propeller on the other hand is hard to maintain. However, fixed pitch propellers are more reliable and robust because they do not possess any hydraulic or mechanical subsystems. Manufacturing, installation and operational costs of fixed pitch propellers are also lower compared to controlled pitch propellers, which makes them an ideal choice for naval ships. Lesser wear & tear of blades, better manoeuvrability, and higher NVH performance are a few other benefits offered by fixed pitch propellers. Major organizations in the industry are increasingly adopting rim thrusters, which is one of the major growth promoting factors for the global market for marine propellers. For instance, SCHOTTEL, a key propeller company came up with a unique design for rim thruster, capable of offering increased productivity and lowering maintenance. The new rim thruster can also improve propeller efficiency greatly. More

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Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide.



Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android

About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR

Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years.

CONTACTS:

Zak Ali

Director, Corporate Communications

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

www.StrategyR.com

Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
TORONTO, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- We've all longed for long summer days on the beach but the hot sun can lead to cracked aching feet that the Bona Fide Beauty glass foot smoother can soothe and protect.

Left unattended, cracked aching feet can be extremely uncomfortable, may even bleed, and worse, become infected. Cracked feet look terrible and could even be so painful that you won't have a chance to enjoy hiking and do other fun activities the short summer season has to offer.

"Our glass nail files will make any dad look well-groomed and feel good with healthy nails. Right now, our newly introduced transparent glass nail files are on sale for $8.99. We also have a black and blue glass nail file for dads who prefer more masculine colors," said Padia. "Our foot smoothers make a great gift for dad or any other sun worshiper," said Bona Fide Beauty's head of strategy, brand, and product Toral Padia. "Our smoothers come in two summer colors, including Sunset and Sea Spritz. Currently, you can save $5."

"Our foot smoothers make a great gift for dad or any other sun worshiper," said Bona Fide Beauty's head of strategy, brand, and product Toral Padia. "Our smoothers come in two summer colors, including Sunset and Sea Spritz. Currently, you can save $5."

The gentle foot smoother is made from the finest glass from the Czech Republic and will help dad have better-looking and healthy feet while walking in sandals. This premium Bohemian glass is tempered and toughened to ensure strength, and wear resistance, and is reusable after many uses.

It's an effective way to care for your feet, buff away dead dry skin, and stimulates blood circulation to improve the oxygen supply to your feet. It's also a gentle foot scraper and the answer to silky smooth year-round healthy feet.

The Bona Fide Beauty glass foot smoother is easy to clean and hygienic. Just rinse underwater, air/towel dry, slip it back into its handy safety sleeve and it's travel-friendly and summer-ready for the next use.

"Whether it's at home or on the go, our glass foot smoothers should be a staple to anyone's pedicure kit," said Padia.

For the father who's concerned about their appearance, Padia has another suggestion.

"Our glass nail files will make any dad look well-groomed and feel good with healthy nails. Right now, our newly introduced transparent glass nail files are on sale for $8.99. We also have a black and blue glass nail file for dads who prefer more masculine colors," she said.

The Bona Fide Beauty nail files are also made of the same durable premium Czech 'Bohemian' glass as the foot smoother that's tempered and toughened to ensure strength. Both items are easy to clean, hygienic and 100 percent recyclable.

After regular use, dad will wonder how he survived without it.

He'll never want to go back to harmful files that tear, shred and damage the keratin layers of his nails. The Czech glass files seal the keratin layers together at the nail's edge, leaving nails smooth and healthy with no jagged edges.

Also, these files don't rust, corrode or deteriorate like other files because the glass is wear-resistant and retains the integrity of the filing surface after many uses.

The glass files also come with a hard protective case that's ideal for travel and easy storage. Now it's simple for dad to take responsibility for his nail health and always be prepared for emergency nail snags and accidental chips or breaks.

"Many users have seen stronger and harder fingernails. This reduces the chances of nails splitting, chipping, or peeling. His nails will feel fantastic. Unlike competitors, our glass files shape nails in both directions for speed, efficiency, and easy comfort," said Padia.

Whether you choose our glass nail file or our glass foot smoother both items make excellent gifts for dad or anyone else and are available on Amazon.

For further information or to schedule an interview, contact Toral Padia at (647) 870-7510 or [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Toral Padia

Head of Strategy, Brand, and Product

Bona Fide Beauty

Instagram

Toronto, Canada

Phone: (647) 870-7510

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Bona Fide Beauty
LONDON, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market size is expected to reach USD 5326.8 Million by 2028, registering to accelerate at a 7.1% CAGR, according to the most recent study by Brandessence Market Research & Consulting Pvt ltd.

The Global Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market size was Valued at USD 3295.6 Million in 2021. Increasing geriatric population, rising smokers population, increasing prevalence of fibrotic diseases, and growing demand for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis are some of the major factors driving the growth. "Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market Size, Share, And Trends Analysis By Drug Type (Nintedanib, Pirfenidone) By Distribution Channel (Hospital Pharmacy, Online Pharmacy, Retail Pharmacy) Based On Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022  2028"

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Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market: Market Scope

The global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market all over the world is going to be growing at a great rate with the world suffering intensively from the chronic lung diseases. There are lung conditions which the world is going to see an increase in and many people in the world will be suffering from it continuously. The term idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis refers to a chronic disease in the lungs or the condition in which the lung tissues become stiff and thick over the period of time. Because of this, there is a thickening of the lung tissues, brain or any other organ.

This results in them not receiving the optimum level of oxygen. These are conditions which cause the scar tissues to be built up in a person's lungs which is going to make the lungs unable to transport any amount of oxygen in a person's bloodstream in an effective manner. The disease has the greatest effect in people who are older. These are lung diseases which involve the inflammation or the lungs being scarred.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market: Segmentation Analysis

The segmentation of the global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market has been done based on the type, distribution channel as well as region. As per the type of drug, this is a market which has been segmented into the nintedanib, pirfenidone and others. When it comes to the distribution channels, the market ha been segmented into hospital pharmacies, online providers and retail pharmacies. The segment which is currently dominating the market is the segment of the retail pharmacies. This is also going to remain the most dominant market in the coming years as a prominent growth rate will be witnessed in the number of consultations that happen with regard to the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This will drive the segment quite a bit particularly in the developed nations.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Competitive Analysis - As the global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market size has grown, many companies have found their pace in the market. The major companies here are the company like Biogen Inc., AstraZeneca Plc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Boehringer Ingelheim, Mission Therapeutics., FibroGen, Inc., Biogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company., Mission Therapeutics, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, AstraZeneca Plc, GNI Group Ltd, Galapagos NV, as well as Shiongi Co Ltd. The market players are making sure that they spread awareness about their products which will be a key to their success as many people are yet unaware about the existence of this disease. Also important is reducing the cost of these diseases.

Recent Developments

News-Bohringer Ingelheim's Latest Diagnostic Treatment Reduced Lung Function In People with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

On May 15th, 2022; Boehringer Ingelheim released Phase II data for BI 1015550, a new test phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B) inhibitor, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The 12-week promising data showing a decrease in lung function in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was presented at the American thoracic society (ATS) international conference breaking news session on May 16 in San Francisco.

Sandoz Launched the First Generic Pirfenidone in the US for Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Growing its Respiratory Portfolio.

On May 12th, 2022; Sandoz, a global leader in generic and biosimilar drugs, announced the US launch of the generic paraphenidone, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the equivalent of Genetek's Esbriet. Prescription Oral Medicine is readily available to patients through a special pharmacy, with a $ 0 co-pay program for eligible patients.

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Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market: Key Drivers

The global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market growth will be dependent on its market drivers. The growth is going to happen in the coming years due to the growth in the demand for the ideal drugs for treatment of the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. What also drive this market is that the reimbursement policies which are provided by the insurance providers and manufacturers in many countries are favorable. There are many other factors which are driving the growth of this market which include the rising prevalence of the fibrotic diseases which needs the treatment from this market.

Another big factor behind the global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market growth is the fact that the geriatric population is growing all over the world. Further, there is an addition or a surge in the demand for the drugs which are cost-effective along with the introduction of treatment options which are advanced in nature and highly developed. This is going to grow the market as it benefits the patients greatly. What does peg the market though is the fact that the treatment is pretty unidimensional. There aren't many options available when it comes to the kind of treatments which are available in the market for this kind of a disease. This is why the treatment options are not going to be available anytime soon. This pegs the global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market back a bit.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market: Key Trends

The global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market trends show that the market was affected negatively by the market. The reason behind this negative growth was the focus that was put on the covid treatment. This also meant that there were lockdowns enforced all over the world and it led to an increase in the social distancing norms and regulations. The disease started spreading rapidly and the patients who were coming in contact with the virus were being affected by it and the disease was spreading continuously.

The virus had many symptoms and mad it difficult to breathe for the people who were affected by it. The virus also affected the geriatric population which created a situation where the geriatric population was afraid of going to get their treatment for the Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis with the fear of contracting the coronavirus. The social distancing was anyway observed to curb the spread. The impact remained negative for the large part of the pandemic period but things are looking upwards for this market.

The global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market 2022 look to be showing great development as people have received vaccines and particularly the geriatric population will now be willing to find a solution to this issue which would have plagued them in the last few years. The developed economies have been more affected by the disease as the standard of livings have been unhealthy and the eating habits have deteriorated with the obesity levels increasing. Further the geriatric population is also higher in these region.

Reginal Analysis:

The global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market has been segmented by region into different markets of which the North American market is the one which is going to show the greatest amount of growth in the market. There are research activities which are going to take place in the market. Another benefit in this region is the developed infrastructure for this disease and the government infrastructure which is going to help in the market development. The other regions which will show growth are countries like Europe where there are manufacturers which assists the growth of the market in the region.

On Special Requirement Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market Report is also available for below region:

North America

U.S, Canada

Europe

Germany , France,U.K., Italy , Spain , Sweden , Netherlands , Turkey , Switzerland , Belgium , Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific

South Korea , Japan , China , India , Australia , Philippines , Singapore , Malaysia , Thailand , Indonesia , Rest Of APAC

Latin America

Mexico , Colombia , Brazil , Argentina , Peru , Rest of Latin America

Middle East and Africa

Saudi Arabia , UAE, Egypt , South Africa , Rest Of MEA

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Phase 2 of Trial Aims to Improve Hearing, Speech Clarity

MILWAUKEE, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today experts at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) are administering the first dose of a potentially groundbreaking investigational medicine that aims to help those with Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL) regrow sensory hair cells within the cochlea to improve hearing.

"There currently are no medications approved for hearing loss, so this trial focuses on addressing the underlying biological causes of SNHL," said principal investigator Michael Harris, MD, Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology at MCW. "Loss of hair cells in the inner ear is a cause of hearing loss, and once we lose those cells, they do not grow back on their own. This trial therapy aims to produce new cochlear hair cells."

MCW is one of approximately 30 sites in the United States participating in a Phase 2b clinical trial sponsored by Frequency Therapeutics. Christina Runge, PhD, CCC-A, and David Friedland, MD, PhD, both Professors of Otolaryngology at MCW, serve on the Frequency Therapeutics Clinical Advisory Board. Dr. Runge is also co-author on a paper describing results from a Phase 1 clinical trial for this therapy, called FX-322, the results of which were published in the peer-reviewed journal Otology & Neurotology.

"We administer the study drug via injection through the ear drum into the middle ear. This procedure is very common for otolaryngologists and is generally well-tolerated with a numbing agent," said Dr. Friedland. "Once injected the active ingredient moves into the inner ear where the hair cells are located to stimulate new growth."

Growth of cochlear hair cells can help restore hearing function and improve clarity of speech, which is a unique approach that differs from existing treatments for hearing loss. Current treatments focus on making sounds louder via assistive devices but are limited in only addressing the symptoms of hearing loss and not the underlying biological cause.

"The earlier clinical trial determined that this treatment had a favorable safety profile, but we were also able to see signs of effectiveness with clarity in speech, which is encouraging," said Dr. Runge. "This is cutting edge technology and treatment brought forth by the expertise at MCW and Frequency Therapeutics and is an important discovery for those with SNHL."

To learn more about this clinical trial, please visit: https://www.clarahealth.com/studies/hearing-study.

SOURCE Medical College of Wisconsin
WARWICK, R.I., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Providence Business News (PBN) named InsureMyTrip Senior Vice President, Suzanne Morrow, the "Professional Services Woman to Watch". The recognition is part of PBN's 2022 Business Women Awards Program which honors the success of women in various industries.

Morrow is among 30 honorees recognized as leading women in various business, government, and nonprofit sectors in Rhode Island.

"I am honored to be named a Woman to Watch among such inspirational and amazing women in business," says Morrow. "In the predominantly male-led insurance industry I am proud to work for InsureMyTrip, a company that values women in leadership roles."

Morrow began her career at InsureMyTrip in 2016 as a Client Services Program Manager. She worked her way up to Director of Product Services, then Vice President of Business Development before being promoted to her current role as InsureMyTrip's first female Senior Vice President.

Providence Business News had this to say about why Morrow was chosen for this honor:

"Leading through challenging times, mentoring others, and clearly communicating travel insurance coverage benefits to travelers through national media has propelled MorrowMorrow is a unique brand of candid, no-nonsense, Generation X businesswoman who doesn't mince words. "No is not in her vocabulary."

InsureMyTrip's President & CEO, Peter Evans echoes that sentiment.

"Suzanne is an exceptional leader," says Evans. "She has played and continues to play an integral role in guiding the firm through and out of the pandemic."

For a complete list of winners, you can visit:

https://pbn.com/event/2022-business-women-awards-program/

Media Contact:

Meghan Kayata

[email protected]

About InsureMyTrip

It's simple. InsureMyTrip finds you the right travel insurance plan, every time. InsureMyTrip is the authority on travel insurance. We are committed to empowering travelers to make the best possible insurance decisions by leveraging our technology, data intelligence, and expertise. InsureMyTrip is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau.

SOURCE InsureMyTrip
Data Show INT230-6 is Well Tolerated and Elicits Both Direct Tumor Killing and Immune Activating Effects in a Variety of Solid Tumors

Patients Receiving a Dose of INT230-6 Alone (n=63) had a Median Overall Survival (mOS) of 361 Days

Combined with Pembrolizumab in a Population Consisting of Patients with Primarily Pancreatic, Bile Duct, Colorectal, and Triple Negative Breast Cancer (n=24), the mOS has not Been Reached with 143 Days of Median Follow Up

Full Set of Results to be Presented at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Both Poster and Podium Discussion Sessions

WESTPORT, Conn., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Intensity Therapeutics, Inc. ("Intensity"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of proprietary, novel immune-based intratumoral cancer therapies designed to kill tumors and increase immune system recognition of cancers, announced that data from its ongoing phase 1/2 clinical trial demonstrating the efficacy and tolerability of INT230-6, either as monotherapy or in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with relapsed, refractory and metastatic solid tumors, will be presented on June 5, at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting being held in Chicago and virtually from June 3-7, 2022.

Abstract Title: Effect of intratumoral INT230-6 on tumor necrosis and promotion of a systemic immune response: Results from a multicenter phase 1/2 study of solid tumors with and without pembrolizumab (PEM) [Intensity IT-01; Merck KEYNOTE-A10].

Presenter/First Author: Jacob Stephen Thomas, MD

Session Type/Title: Poster Discussion Session/Developmental TherapeuticsImmunotherapy

Poster Discussion Session Date and Time: Sunday, June 5, 2022, 12:30 PM  2:00 PM EDT

Location: In-Person & Live Stream | Hall D2

Abstract Number: 2520

Poster: 176 (9:00 am to 12:00 am EDT)

Copies of the presentation materials will also be available on the Intensity Therapeutics website on the publications and posters page, following completion of the live presentation.

"Despite significant innovation in immunotherapeutic and checkpoint inhibitor therapy approaches for cancer treatment, patients with metastatic and refractory disease continue to have poor survival and response rates remain low in most tumor types," stated Jacob S. Thomas, M.D., Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) and an oncologist at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of Keck Medicine of USC. "The active drug agents of INT230-6 remain in the tumor following injection and cause some cancer cell death and tumor shrinkage, as suggested by this study. This effect appears to have some positive impact on the tumor immune microenvironment with increasing levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. While the analysis is exploratory, survival seems to be extended with increased dosing, relative to incoming tumor burden. That said, using the tumor diffusive product, INT230-6, appears to be a new approach in metastatic disease alone and in combination with pembrolizumab."

"We are excited to have had our abstract, 2520, selected for both a poster and a podium discussion at ASCO this year," stated Lewis H. Bender, President and Chief Executive Officer of Intensity Therapeutics. "The biomarker and clinical data generated in this study provide strong proof-of-concept evidence for our approach and underscore the potential of this new, potential treatment. As recent data readout events in the field of oncology have shown, there remains a high unmet need for novel therapeutic approaches. With that in mind, we are planning for later stage studies in order to advance INT230-6 toward potential, future commercialization."

The presentations report the mOS and disease control rate (DCR: CR + PD + SD per the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST)). However, RECIST metrics (sum of longest diameters) to gauge efficacy are only validated for use with systemically delivered therapies. Data suggests that RECIST is inadequate with intratumorally (IT) administered INT230-6. In this study, RECIST response is complicated by the amount of INT230-6 repeatedly injected and retained in the tumors prior to the first radiographic scan. Biomarker findings suggest immune infiltration into the tumor microenvironment that is occurring could also increase tumor size. Additionally, results in a neoadjuvant setting (see ASCO 2022 Abstract Number: 605, Poster: 376) show a single injection of INT230-6 can cause near complete necrosis of the tumor without change in diameter. Finally, data reported shows that tumor volume, when calculated using all three dimensions, can be decreasing, while the longest diameter of the corresponding tumor is increasing or stable. The lack of correlation between longest diameter and actual volume illustrates that RECIST may be unreliable for use as an efficacy endpoint for IT INT230-6.

The presentations report results from 93 patients on the preliminary efficacy and safety of either INT230-6 alone (n=63) or in combination with Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, pembrolizumab (n=30) from Intensity's ongoing open-label phase 1/2 clinical trial. Patients enrolled had over 20 different types of relapsed, refractory metastatic solid tumors and progressed following a median of four prior therapies (monotherapy) and three prior therapies (combination). INT230-6 was administered intratumorally every two weeks for five doses either alone or with 200 mg pembrolizumab dosed every three weeks. Using RECIST criteria, the DCR rate >50 days for monotherapy was 47%; however, the INT230-6 in combination with pembrolizumab DCR was 33.3%.

Survival in phase 1/2 studies can be predicted using the Royal Marsden Hospital Index (RMHI), a validated score that uses 3 incoming enrollment criteria (number of metastatic sites, albumin concentrations, and lactose dehydrogenase levels) to assess a patient's likelihood of survival (Cancer 2012;118:14228). The mOS of historical basket studies, INT230-6 alone all subjects, INT230-6 relative to the subject's reported incoming total tumor burden (TTB), are shown in the table below. The INT230-6 all patients and those receiving a cumulative dose 40% of TTB compare favorable to historical phase 1/2 data (Chau et al. BMC Cancer 10/2011) where the mOS typically is 3 to 6 months for patients with one or more risk factors in mixed cancer populations.

Phase 1/2 studies Historical (Chau) INT230-6 all INT230-6 <40% TTB INT230-6 >40% TTB Median OS 90 to 180 days 361 days 96 days 570 days Confidence Interval - (195, 649) (75, 373) (361, 1488) Sample size

63 18 45

The mOS of the INT230-6 with pembrolizumab combination arm has not been reached with a median follow up of 143 days (n=24). These data are still maturing. Six patients were not included in the combination efficacy analysis after results obtained following enrollment showed that the six patients had not met all required inclusion criteria.

The pharmacokinetic profiles for the individual drug components of INT230-6 (cisplatin and vinblastine sulfate) were measured and indicate that more than 95% of the active agents remain in the tumor. INT230-6, either as monotherapy or in combination with pembrolizumab, was well tolerated. The most common treatment related adverse events (TRAEs) were localized tumor-related pain, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. TRAEs were mild to moderate with 11% grade 3 in the monotherapy group and 13% in the combination with pembrolizumab. There was one Grade 4 (neutrophil decline that resolved) and no grade 5 TRAEs.

About INT230-6

INT230-6, Intensity's lead proprietary investigational product candidate, is designed for direct intratumoral injection. INT230-6 was discovered using Intensity's proprietary DfuseRx technology platform. The drug is composed of two proven, potent anti-cancer agents, cisplatin and vinblastine, and a penetration enhancer molecule that helps disperse potent cytotoxic drugs throughout tumors for diffusion into cancer cells. These agents remain in the tumor resulting in a favorable safety profile. In addition to local disease control, direct killing of the tumor by INT230-6 releases a bolus of neoantigens specific to the patient's malignancy, leading to engagement of the immune system and systemic anti-tumor effects. Importantly, these effects are mediated without the immunosuppression of concomitant systemic chemotherapy.

About Intensity Therapeutics' Clinical Studies

INT230-6 is currently being evaluated in several phase 2 cohorts (NCT03058289) in patients with various advanced solid tumors as part of Study IT-01. In 2019, the Company signed a clinical collaboration agreement with Merck Sharpe & Dohme (Merck) to evaluate the combination of INT230-6, Intensity's lead product candidate, and KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), Merck's anti-PD-1 (programmed death receptor-1) therapy, in patients with advanced pancreatic, colon, squamous cell and bile duct malignancies. In 2020, the Company executed a clinical collaboration agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb to evaluate the combination INT230-6 with Bristol-Myers Squibb's anti-CTLA-4 antibody, Yervoy (ipilimumab), in patients with advanced liver, breast and sarcoma cancers. Intensity is managing the individual combination arms separately with each respective partner via a joint development committee. In 2021 the Company executed agreements with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) and the Ontario Institute of Cancer Research (OICR) to study INT230-6 in a randomized controlled neoadjuvant phase 2 study in women with early stage breast cancer (the INVINCIBLE study) (NCT04781725).

About Intensity Therapeutics

Intensity Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering a new immune-based approach to treat solid tumor cancers. Intensity leverages its DfuseRx technology platform to create new, proprietary drug formulations that following direct injection rapidly disperse throughout a tumor and diffuse therapeutic agents into cancer cells. Intensity's product candidates have the potential to induce an adaptive immune response that not only attacks the injected tumor, but also non-injected tumors. In addition to its clinical collaborations, the Company executed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Vaccine Branch in 2014. For more information, please visit www.intensitytherapeutics.com and follow the Company on Twitter @IntensityInc.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Intensity Therapeutics' plans, future operations and objectives. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual performance or achievements to be materially different from those currently anticipated. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about the initiation and timing of future clinical trials.

KEYTRUDA is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.

Contact Information

Investor Relations Contact:

Rx Communications Group

Michael Miller

917-633-6086

[email protected]

US Media Contact:

KOGS Communication

Edna Kaplan

781-639-1910

[email protected]

SOURCE Intensity Therapeutics, Inc.
A New Collection of Design Driven, Sustainable Sunglasses with a Zero Waste Supply Chain

NEW YORK, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MONTSERRAT New York, the lifestyle brand worn by New York's up and coming "it" crowd is set to unveil their first collection of eyewear on June 3, 2022. Alongside King Children, a sustainable eyewear platform using zero waste 3D printing technology, the two teams worked together to create two debut sunglass designs, each available in three colorways.

The Capri in Off White The Paros in Navy

MONTSERRAT New York's efforts in sustainable luxury began with the use of lab grown diamonds, a process that uses technology to produce diamonds, all without disrupting earth's ecosystems. Upon meeting with King Children and understanding their sustainability efforts to reduce the use of plastic, specifically acetate, within the eyewear space, the team was inspired to partner and build a collection. The partnership stems from both parties' efforts to better the planet.

King Children's design process eliminates waste throughout the entire manufacturing process. The brand's eyewear is made from fine polyamide powder fused together using a 3D printing technology: Selective Laser Sintering. The high-tech material allows for ultimate freedom in design with an incredible and highly desired matte finish.

MONTSERRAT New York's first eyewear collection will launch with two key styles, each available in three colorways: A classic cat eye style - The Capri, and a rounded square style, a nod to the 90's - The Paros. The gold metal accents seen on both styles mimic that of MONTSERRAT's best-selling jewelry. The case includes a cleaning cloth printed with the brand's eye-catching logo; no pun intended. Each detail of the collection was thoughtfully crafted through the MONTSERRAT New York lens.

"This collaboration brings together two brands who turn to technology to reimagine the ways we create product to better our planet. Both of our teams worked together to fuse the architectural notes often seen in our jewelry and the effortlessness felt wearing our clothing into sunglass styles that fit perfectly into the brand and were developed without creating material waste." Gayle Yelon, Co-Founder at MONTSERRAT New York

"We love working with MONTSERRAT New York. For this collection we wanted to create sunglasses that capture their DNA of effortless luxury while taking advantage of King Children's technology in new ways. Through partnering with forward looking brands like MONTSERRAT New York and powering their eyewear offerings we are able to meaningfully move the eyewear industry towards a zero-waste future." - Leslie Muller, Head of Design at King Children

Whether you're wearing sunnies to cover up a Limoncello hangover, or yachting towards the Blue Grotto in the bright Italian sun, this collection of sustainable eyewear is a must for any summer adventure.

MONTSERRAT New York Eyewear Powered by King Children will be available online beginning Friday, June 3 for $195 at montserrat-nyc.com

About MONTSERRAT New York

MONTSERRAT New York fuses the two worlds of founder and designer Carolina Cordon-Bouzan: New York City and Barcelona. Every design is created not only to evoke the unique spirit of each location, but also to transition effortlessly between the events that come with bustling city life and weekend escapes.

Cordon-Bouzan was surrounded by the industry from childhood through her jeweler grandfather who hand-made fine jewelry for Tiffany & Co. and Harry Winston as well as her grandmother's garment factory in Montserrat's Costa Brava. After a formative experience with CFDA/Vogue Incubator-supported brand, WHIT, where she learned the industry's ins and outs firsthand, Cordon-Bouzan further developed her skills before striking out on her own. She partnered with her trusted friend, Gayle Yelon, to make her vision for MONTSERRAT New York a reality. Together, they forge a brand that embodies the strength, sensuality, and style of women that stomp the streets of Manhattan and soak in the rays of the Mediterranean beaches.

MONTSERRAT New York's DNA is rooted in providing customers with high-quality, fashion-forward styles at price points that empower buying new pieces every time they have an event to dress up for. MONTSERRAT New York customers look to the brand for effortless yet elevated jewelry that won't break the bank, all while expecting ethical sourcing as they shop. These new-age consumer shopping expectations and behaviors made it a no-brainer for the brand to offer the highest quality of sustainable luxury to their customers, introducing: lab-grown diamonds. MONTSERRAT New York's diamonds are chemically pure diamonds - they have no measurable nitrogen or boron impurities. They are physically the same as natural diamonds. Lab-grown diamonds are made by grafting a small piece of a diamond and growing it in a high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) machine that mimics the pressure of the earth and the sun. This creates the habitat necessary to grow a lab-grown diamond into any sized carat.

In an effort to decrease their carbon footprint, MONTSERRAT New York has teamed up with Terrapass to calculate their supply chain's carbon footprint and purchase carbon offsets by funding renewable energy and methane capture projects in communities across the country that work in diminishing our impact of greenhouse gas emissions.

About King Children

King Children is a technology platform which was created to rethink how we design, develop and produce the products we buy. It was built from the ground up with the vision of a zero-waste supply chain, with beautiful products that are created for each individual customer.

King Children's unique design process allows them to eliminate waste throughout the entire manufacturing cycle. For each order placed, King Children creates a custom 3-dimensional model for each individual customer. This model reduces physical inventory that would later lead to excess waste. The brand is proud to offer a perfected product that fits every kind of face. This is only possible through a laser-based production system that carefully crafts each frame individually out of aero-space grade nylon. For each frame made, leftover material is repurposed and is used for the next order. Since King Children only produces 7% of CO2 emissions compared to traditional eyewear companies, due to their Zero Waste technology, it is easy for them to offset their entire supply chain's CO2 emissions. King Children is partnered with Lifegate's Zero Impact project to plant trees in Madagascar to minimize the brand's carbon footprint.

Media Contact:

Alyssa Bleakley

[email protected]

609-651-3029

SEQUEL

SOURCE MONTSERRAT New York
Judith von Seldeneck and Ben Franklin Technology Partners provide grants, direct investments to 12 regional businesses

PHILADELPHIA, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The JVS Philadelphia Fund for Women (JVS Fund) and Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania (Ben Franklin) today announced that within five months of launching their partnership, they have made three grants to women-owned businesses, and nine investments in technology-based ventures led by women in the Philadelphia region.

"The talent and potential for women founded businesses in our region is exceptional, and I am thrilled with the level of interest in this fund," said Judith M. von Seldeneck, founder of Diversified Search Group. "Ben Franklin's commitment to partnering with us is proof of what unique opportunities Philadelphia yields for women founders and we hope these grants and investments will promote more successful women business leaders and entrepreneurs in our community in the years to come."

Grants and investments from the $2 million JVS Fund have been made to companies from a wide range of industries ranging from digital healthcare innovation, aviation and landscape architecture. The first round of recipient companies include: CareAlign, GoWell Benefits, AmorSui, Eliksa Therapeutics, Envara Health, Friends LifeCare Consultants, PolyCore Therapeutics, Lluna, and Nexteon Technologies, Addison Bay, Naturaz, and Roofscapes dba Studio Sustena.

Launched in 2021, the JVS Fund deploys capital in two primary methods: through investments in technology-focused ventures in the region that match Ben Franklin's investment criteria, and through grants made to women-owned and led businesses of broader industry and sector focus. The fund operates with three primary goals: 1) to invest capital in women-owned and operated enterprises in the region, 2) to connect their founders and leaders to resources that accelerate growth, and 3) to help these ventures leverage the experience of established women leaders.

"Judee von Seldeneck is a pioneering and visionary leader, and this effort will help the next generation of women founders and business leaders to thrive," said Scott Nissenbaum, President, and CEO of Ben Franklin.

Applicants for grants from the JVS Fund should be women-led/owned enterprises located in Greater Philadelphia with a focus on professional service enterprises and/or product offerings. Companies should be in business for at least two years with demonstrated service or product sales and a path to profitability. Applications are reviewed by an Advisory Board comprised of a number of local high-achieving women leaders and business executives.

The fund will be accepting applications for a second round of grants beginning June 10 until August 1, 2022. For more information about the JVS Philadelphia Fund for Women, please visit: JVSPhilaFund.com, and follow @JVSPhilaFund.

ABOUT BEN FRANKLIN TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS OF SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania (Ben Franklin) is the Philadelphia region's Partners with a Purpose. Nationally ranked among the most active seed and early-stage investors, Ben Franklin helps high-growth innovative enterprises plant and nurture their roots, creating both immediate connections and lasting economic growth. The nonprofit has supported more than 2,000 companies to deliver an impact of more than $5 billion and 32,000 jobs in the Philadelphia region. Whether in tech, life sciences, manufacturing or industries and breakthroughs yet discovered, Ben Franklin works to raise the community of innovation higher, to benefit present and future generations of Pennsylvanians.

Visit us at www.partnerswithapurpose.org, or follow us at @bftp_sep

SOURCE Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania
BATTLE CREEK, Mich., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kellogg Company Chief Sustainability Officer, Janelle Meyers, shares ways that Kellogg is helping to nurture our planet on Kellogg Company's Social K blog.

Kellogg takes action to help nurture the planet

Michigan Farmer Wind Farm Arkansas Irrigation

By Janelle Meyers, Chief Sustainability Officer, Kellogg Company

One of the reasons I love my job is because I get to help create real change that can make a positive impact on our planet and its people.

Our company's founder, W.K. Kellogg, believed that part of running a good business was doing good for society. This promise has guided our company for over a century.

Today, Kellogg is driven by our Better Days environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy to create better days for 3 billion people by the end of 2030. We aim to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across our value chain, and sustainably source and protect the ingredients we use for our foods, while supporting 1 million farmers and workers who help to nurture the planet

This is important to us, because according to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on the mitigation of climate change, greenhouse gas emissions were at their highest levels in human history in the last decade.

The time to act is now.

Kellogg has committed to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 45%, and lessen Scope 3 emissions by 15% by the end of 2030 (against a 2015 baseline). We've also committed to 100% renewable electricity in our facilities by 2050. We'll also continue respecting the natural limits of our planet by conserving natural resources all along our value chain by meeting our science-based climate targets, responsibly sourcing our ingredients, reducing organic waste and providing sustainable packaging that is reusable, recyclable or compostable.

What we're doing right now

We recently completed a three-year collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, which helped farmers in Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska and Arkansas secure funding and technical assistance to adopt conservation practices.

Our company engaged with more than 245 farmers, which represents over 109,000 acres of farmland that was positively impacted. More than 8 billion gallons of water were saved through the installation of 180 irrigation pump timers on Arkansas rice farms. As the timers continue to operate, this will lead to even higher water savings in the coming years.

The farmers also reduced 2,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide through implementing regenerative agriculture practices, such as interseeding cover crops and conservation tillage  the equivalent of removing 600 gas-powered vehicles from the road for one year1. Think about the compounding impact this will have two, five even 10 years from now! I am proud to lead a team that lives Mr. Kellogg's legacy by helping supporting farmers, ensuring the land will be nurtured for generations to come.

Also, we were proud to recently announce that a Texas wind farm is now powering 50% of Kellogg's electricity needs in North America, thanks to a partnership with Enel Green Power. We announced the virtual power purchase agreement last year.

Kellogg purchased the electricity equivalent of 100 megawatts from Enel Green Power's Azure Sky wind farm, which we will continue to do each year. We have committed to 100% renewable electricity in our facilities by 2050.

The big takeaway I hope you have is that Kellogg is full of real people who care about the environment and people and are using our capabilities to protect the planet. And not just during Earth Day or World Environment Day  but every day.

We are a global company that's making bets on our collective future. Despite our company's size, we are agile and can help farmers and other suppliers when trying to implement new conservation practices.

We are in this for the long haul. Creating better days for our planet and people is woven into our company's vision and purpose. Best of all, our people across the company are committed and passionate.

We look forward to sharing more updates with you soon!

1 https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator

SOURCE Kellogg Company
Kolors, a tech and data-driven intercity bus network, announced $26 million in funding led by UP.Partners and others. Tweet this

"Kolors is redefining the experience of intercity travel. We are thrilled to see Kolors advancing in Mexico and bringing its phenomenal service to other parts of Latin America in the coming months this year," said Ally Warson, Partner, UP.Partners. of UP.Partners, "Kolors is thinking about the next phase for intercity bus travel and intends to design an ecosystem that prioritizes the passenger while providing more profitable and climate-friendly outcomes for bus operators."

Kolors doesn't own any vehicles, but they partner with small and medium-sized bus operators where the operator is only responsible for driving the bus and Kolors does everything else (route optimization, virtual stops, scheduling, pricing, marketing, sales, customer service, etc) through its tech, data and customer experience layer.

Kolors will also continue the push toward cleaner energies within the intercity bus industry. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 85% of transportation sector emissions are related to the surface transportation system. The need for an effective strategy and investment to reduce gas emissions must improve the fuel economy and reduce carbon content. Kolors strives for a future of fleet electrification to reduce the dependency on diesel fuel within the industry.

"Kolors is disrupting a mode of transportation that's often overlooked but relied upon by billions of people worldwide," said Jim Adler, Founding Managing Director of Toyota Ventures. "There's a huge opportunity to advance intercity bus travel with higher efficiency, cleaner energy , and superior passenger experience. Kolors is at the forefront of this transformation."

Kolors benefits both bus partners and passengers. Bus partners de-risk their operations and focus on what they do best while increasing their profitability, while passengers experience the first-of-its-kind smart bus platform allowing for optimized routes, safety, virtual stops in shopping malls and hotels, scheduling, and pricing. Passengers are part of the Kolors On-Board Ambassadors Program offering the best passenger experience on every single ride. This partnership model with small and medium-size bus operators (often individually owned and maintained) allows Kolors to focus on the tech, data, and customer experience to operate its ecosystem as an airline-on-wheels.

"We have followed Kolors since the beginning, and considering they started at the height of the pandemic, the growth they've had is astounding. Transporting millions of passengers in such a short period of time speaks volumes about their tenacity and potential as a team and company, said Jake Wieseneck, Principal at Maniv Mobility.

Kolors provides a modern solution to intercity bus transportation and unlocks the potential for generating new solutions in mobility and technology like developing a proprietary method to offer reliable onboard WI-FI services, the sale of snacks and drinks, and soon-enough a completely redesigned in-cabin experience.

"As a third-generation bus operator, I know intercity bus travel is the lifeblood of LATAM," said Rodrigo Martinez, Founder and CEO of Kolors. "The opportunity to provide our passengers with an elevated bus platform will bring a better and affordable travel experience. Our buses run on data and our learnings have already enabled us to devise an effective strategy to address and reduce emissions across the global intercity transportation industry."

For more information on Kolors and its innovative solutions, visit: www.ridekolors.com

About Kolors

Founded in 2020 by experienced mobility entrepreneurs Rodrigo Martinez and Anca Gardea, Kolors is revolutionizing the intercity bus industry through its innovative first-of-its-kind smart-bus-platform. Kolors currently transports millions of passengers and is supported by some of the leading mobility investors around the world.

For more information, visit www.ridekolors.com or get in touch: [email protected]

About UP.Partners

Transportation is the underlying fabric of society. UP.Partners invests in the pioneering entrepreneurs who are creating the key enabling technologies that help move people and goods cleaner, faster, safer, and more efficiently in a multi-dimensional world. UP.Partners with some of the world's most innovative investors and companies including Alaska Airlines, ARK Invest, and Woven Capital, the investment arm of Toyota subsidiary Woven Planet Group. UP.Summit convenes the mobility community's brightest minds each year to help humanity go UP. Together, the UP community is transforming the moving world. For more information, visit UP.Partners or follow on Twitter @UpPartnersVC or LinkedIn .

SOURCE Kolors
INDIANAPOLIS, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) will attend the Goldman Sachs 43rd Annual Global Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. Anne White, senior vice president and president, Lilly Neuroscience, and Mark Mintun, senior vice president, research and development  neuroscience and president, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, will participate in a fireside chat at 1:40 p.m., Eastern time.

A live audio webcast will be available on the "Webcasts & Presentations" section of Lilly's Investor website at https://investor.lilly.com/webcasts-and-presentations. A replay of the presentation will be available on this same website for approximately 90 days.

About Lilly

Lilly unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. We've been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today our medicines help more than 47 million people across the globe. Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world's most significant health challenges, redefining diabetes care, treating obesity and curtailing its most devastating long-term effects, advancing the fight against Alzheimer's disease, providing solutions to some of the most debilitating immune system disorders, and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, we're motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people. That includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world and working to ensure our medicines are accessible and affordable. To learn more, visit Lilly.com and Lilly.com/newsroom or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. F-LLY

SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company
Eleven new products from seven designers

ZEIST, Netherlands and MILAN, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of brands can't wait to showcase their latest and greatest products from their best designers at the 60th edition of Salone del Mobile 2022 (712 June). World-renowned Dutch furniture brand LINTELOO will be there too, naturally. The company is proud of its compelling series of new products by seven highly skilled designers: three Dutch, two Canadian, one French and one German. Each one of the eleven items are consonant with LINTELOO, which is known for its innovative and durable quality without ever losing sight of comfort, aesthetics and durability.

The designers

LINTELOO is proud to work with designers from all over the world. The innovative approach, the powerful signature and the meticulous attention to detail of people like Paola Navone, Marcel Wolterinck and Dan Yeffet continue to amaze and impress us. The result is a collection of designs that stand the test of time.

The collection

Every item in the LINTELOO collection is beautifully designed and crafted. Yet each one is also there to be used, to live with, to enjoy. Traces of use add character, gracing the furniture with visible reminders of a life well lived. At LINTELOO, this concept is known as "perfect imperfection". Just as it is simply fantastic that no two pieces of leather are the same and that the surface veining of marble is different every time. LINTELOO effectively celebrates such differences.

The connection

Within LINTELOO, "connection" is a core value: bringing people together in an environment where they will feel comfortable and safe. In one way or another, each of the designs that will festively and officially become part of the collection on their debut at this edition of Salone del Mobile has "connection" as its theme. The designers who started creating for LINTELOO with this theme in mind are Anthony Guerree, Sebastian Herkner, Roderick Vos, Sjoerd Vroonland and Jan te Lintelo.

CLAMP  Sjoerd Vroonland

While he has had his own label since 2014, Sjoerd Vroonland (b. 1985) also works for other firms. His designs reveal his enduring bond with Rotterdam's HMC, the school where he completed his initial training in woodworking, furniture building and interior design. A true craftsman who works primarily with wood, Vroonland is also a master of innovative construction. For this piece he chose a metal frame with a tabletop consisting of two parts. Vroonland loves to see  and show  how one type of material grips the other. Talk about "making connections"! For example, the metal frame leaves the clamp, to which CLAMP owes its name, in plain view. The buyer chooses the best combination of marble and wood  mainly from residual materials, bearing in mind one of the LINTELOO credos: optimal sustainability. This makes the piece you choose even more one-of-a-kind, completely to your own taste.

MALIBU  Jan te Lintelo

This design by LINTELOO founder Jan te Lintelo (b. 1954) lives up to its name. It refers to the beach town, just outside of Los Angeles, which boasts many architectural highlights. Drawn by its laid-back atmosphere involving sun, sea and beach, numerous movie stars have made it their home. Malibu's nickname "the original Surf City" is entirely fitting. This sofa has the same combination of cool, relaxed and luxurious. With its comfortable central part atop an elegant frame with subtle legs, this sofa seems to float on air. The EASY LIVING sofa, one of Te Lintelo's oldest designs, remains one of LINTELOO's bestsellers. Given the initial enthusiastic response, the MALIBU sofa seems very likely to be headed in the same direction.

BIJOU  Roderick Vos

When LINTELOO went into business in 1993, young Roderick Vos (b. 1965) was one of the first designers whom Jan te Lintelo involved in his company. Vos now has an incredible number of successful designs to his name for a wide range of brands, including his own, Studio Roderick Vos. His coffee / side table BIJOU is yet another jewel on his crown. Lifting or lowering the top of BIJOU enables you to give it the desired height. The simple action is reminiscent of the working of childhood toys, immediately giving the design a timeless character. Linking the present with the past, BIJOU can even be considered a playful nod to Art Deco, like so many other designs by Roderick Vos. There is also a link with Japan, where seemingly simple constructions like this are more common. All of this makes BIJOU a fantastic item to present at the world's largest design fair.

IWA  Roderick Vos

IWA is a Japanese word for stone. For its creator, Roderick Vos (b. 1965), IWA's extremely solid and unadorned design evokes associations with The Flintstones, the 1960s American animated series set in the Stone Age. IWA comes as a coffee table and as a dining table. Both have the same robust undertone, but each also has its own signature. The coffee table is a marvel of innovation in its use of materials: plywood stacked and milled in waves, creating an exciting flame effect. The dining table is simple and pure, almost as a child would draw a table. But the two sets of legs can be placed in different positions and even turned upside down. It is yet another LINTELOO design that allows you, the buyer, to put your own spin on the piece.

BROADWAY  Roderick Vos

Every so often you see something so simple  and so brilliant  that you wonder: "Why hadn't someone thought of this earlier?" At the same time, BROADWAY, designed by Roderick Vos, has something so obvious and familiar that you think: "But this sofa has been around for long time already, hasn't it?" The transitions from the front to the sides and from the sides to the back of this modular sofa are bevelled at a 45 angle. Can a design be both organic and cubist? In the case of BROADWAY, yes it can. It is both substantial and rectilinear, sturdy yet graceful. A powerful silhouette underscored by a thick cord. This distinctive Vos design is sure to cause a furore in Milan.

OFFSET  Anthony Guerree

Before starting his own studio in 2020, French designer Anthony Guerree (b. 1987) had already gained considerable experience, including at the famous Studio Andree Putman. In his designs, he likes to put the beholder on the wrong track. Consider the various coffee tables from his OFFSET series. Aren't those mostly razor-sharp milled puzzle pieces? With a slot in one piece and a slot in the other, just slide them together at a 90 angle and you will have the most stable base and construction you could want. The design is flawless and incredibly crisp, with a sublime finish. These pieces unite two materials with a completely different look and feel  wood and marble  with stunning precision.

TILT  Anthony Guerree

Studying one's illustrious predecessors and drawing inspiration from the past is hardly a weakness. French designer Anthony Guerree (b. 1987) is fond of doing just that. So it's hardly surprising to find unmistakable Art Deco traits in the clear interplay of lines of his TILT armchair. The slant of the seat in relation to the arm and backrest is repeated at the bottom along the front. He achieves the slant  TILT!  in the most imaginative way: a wooden pole running along the full breadth cants both the comfortable armchair and the accompanying pouf ever so slightly. Now there's a thoroughly unique and innovative take on legs! With his TILT and four other superlative designs, Guerree will be making a smashing debut with LINTELOO at Salone del Mobile.

ALTER  Anthony Guerree

The ALTER table by Anthony Guerree (b. 1987) is a practical dining-room table rich in special details. Look at the way the oak veneer divides the tabletop in two, with its two sharp corners and two rounded edges, and notice that playful notch in the tapered leg. So cleverly and boldly conceived by this young French designer. A paragon of a masterpiece that reveals itself somewhat modestly, yet connoisseurs will recognise its class at a glance.

BLEND  Anthony Guerree

The strong connection between LINTELOO and designer Anthony Guerree (b. 1987) stems from a shared love of combining functionality, design and craftsmanship. The BLEND dining-room bench reflects this, being highly practical, a feast for the eyes and amazingly well made. As a modular dining-room sofa, the BLEND leaves room for individuality. Each buyer has the opportunity to choose the BLEND that best connects with the rest of their interior. Guerree is making his debut with LINTELOO in Milan, and with no fewer than five designs, it is bound to make quite a splash.

HEATH  Yabu Pushelberg

HEATH is a series of bespoke, curvilinear designs. The series opened with the armchair, sofa and coffee tables, but now those are complemented by the dining chair. It, too, comes in two different versions: there is a HEATH dining chair with a closed shell that embraces you, but also one with open sides for a lighter silhouette. Each version is a masterpiece in its own right, but they also combine to form a great duo for those who prefer to vary things around a large dining-room table. It is a handsome addition to the other items in the HEATH series by George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg, operating since 1980 in Toronto under the name Yabu Pushelberg.

GILBERT  Sebastian Herkner

With his ARP series for LINTELOO, German designer Sebastian Herkner (b. 1981) has already delivered top-notch seating design. But now there is his GILBERT, an armchair with love-seat allure. The GILBERT lends itself perfectly to creating a 21st-century take on a 19th-century invention: furniture for tete-a-tete, a sofa that lets you sit at an angle to enable a good conversation. Lounging for hours in silence with a good book and your legs tucked beneath you, or snuggling close to the one you love... The GILBERT makes it all possible. It is comfort, flexibility and individuality elegantly merged into one design by Herkner, whose coffee table TERRACE is also in the LINTELOO collection.

LINTELOO will be presenting these collections at its stand at

Fiera Milano

Hall 7, Stand F15

712 June 2022

Open daily from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm

Press is welcome

Coffee with the designers

Tuesday, 7 June 2022

10 am to 1 pm

For press matters, requests for images and interviews, please contact:

Niels Roks

[email protected]

+31 30 212 2110

www.linteloo.com

SOURCE LINTELOO
GOTEBORG, Sweden, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The product tanker market has strengthened significantly during April and May, with market rates at much higher levels than for both Q1 2022 and the full year 2021. At the end of May, average spot market earnings for an MR vessel (clean) was about $36,000 per day*. The time charter market has also strengthened and a three-year contract for an MR tanker is currently $15,000-18,000 per day, depending to some extent on the vessel's design. For a suezmax vessel, average spot earnings are about $22,000 per day**. Volatility in the segment has been high during April and May, with occasional peaks at levels above $60,000 per day.

The VLCC segment is still at historically very low levels, which also imposes an indirect "cap" on suezmax vessels as charterers will combine two cargoes onto one larger vessel if suezmax segment rates become too high.

New trade patterns bring increased transport needs

The stronger product tanker segment is not only due to continuing high demand for oil but also changing trade patterns as Russian oil products are phased out in certain markets. This applies particularly to European diesel imports, which are now increasingly coming from the Middle East, Asia and North America. Overall, the phasing out of Russian oil has resulted in longer transport distances and increased transport efficiency.

The drivers also include structural changes in global refining capacity, where the impact of refinery closures in North America, Europe and elsewhere is now beginning to be felt in earnest. The fact that overall refining capacity has decreased west of Suez but has increased in Asia and the Middle East means longer transport distances, which is affecting the entire tanker market.

High oil prices affect earnings

It should be noted that average earnings are just an average. For both the MR and suezmax segments, earnings vary greatly depending on the type of vessel and geographical trading. By way of example, freight rates in the Atlantic have generally been higher than in Asia. Similarly, clean products have paid better than dirty ones. The difference in earnings is also due to a continuing high oil price. Since early March 2022, the price of Brent oil has been at levels above $100/barrel - and is currently at about $120/barrel. Large differences in bunker consumption between vessels of different age and design have in turn contributed to significant variations in earnings between "standard" vessels, modern ECO-design vessels and/or vessels equipped with "scrubbers***".

Longer distances

Geopolitical instability is also very likely to continue affecting oil and tanker markets going forward. Since the invasion of Ukraine, both the oil and tanker markets have been gradually trying to adapt to the new situation and we have yet to see the end result of this as sanctions continue to be imposed and trade routes are changing. However, increased European imports from more distant producers are likely to continue.

Meanwhile, according to the IEA (International Energy Agency), global oil demand is expected to grow by 3.6 million barrels per day from April to August 2022. The main contributory factors are eased restrictions in China, the US driving season and a continued recovery in aviation fuel demand.

All in all, this promotes a continued "cautiously optimistic" view of product tanker market development for the remainder of Q2 and the rest of 2022.

For our part, as previously announced, our vessels are employed on a five-year charter to Stena Bulk. The base rate is $15,500 per day. There is also the possibility of profit-sharing for freight exceeding the base rate, calculated on the basis of average earnings per vessel per half-year. Stena Bulk employs the vessels on a mix of short and medium-term contracts in both Asia and the Atlantic.

Gothenburg, June 2022,

Erik Lewenhaupt, CEO

* Clarksons Average MR Clean Products Long Run Historical Earnings

** Clarksons Average Suezmax Long Run Historical Earnings

*** On-board exhaust gas cleaning, enabling the vessel to use a cheaper type of bunker/fuel.

CONTACT:

Erik Lewenhaupt

CEO, Concordia Maritime AB

0704-855 188

[email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/concordia-maritime/r/market-update-strong-tanker-market-due-to-sanctions-and-high-demand-for-oil,c3580040

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/1948/3580040/1588675.pdf Concordia Maritime - Market update - 20220603 (PDF)

SOURCE Concordia Maritime
Kansas City and Suisun City Mayors Are Top Award Winners

RENO, Nev., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, during the U.S. Conference of Mayors' 90th Annual Meeting in Reno (NV), twelve mayors will be recognized for their efforts to address the climate crisis as part of the 2022 Mayors' Climate Protection Awards. The top winners are Kansas City (MO) Mayor Quinton Lucas for the city's Zero Fare Transit initiative and Suisun City (CA) Mayor Pro Temp Alma Hernandez for the Citywide Energy Infrastructure and Efficiency Program.

The award winners are the 16th class of mayors to be honored for successful local climate action changing how energy is used and produced in cities, resulting in reduced carbon use and emissions. This annual mayoral awards program is supported through a partnership between The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Walmart.

"Mayors Lucas and Hernandez are showing how to make better use of our nation's existing energy resources and expand our clean energy supplies," said USCM President Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. "These award-winning cities  and others across the nation  are embracing energy innovations, deploying cutting-edge technologies, and developing more renewable energy, making our cities healthier and more prosperous today and in the future."

"As someone who grew up with a single mom who relied on bus transportation for all of our family's transit needs during many periods of my childhood, I know firsthand how vital safe and reliable public transportation is to so many in our community," said Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas. "I am proud Kansas City's first-of-its-kind Zero Fare Transit initiative is being recognized today with the Mayors' Climate Protection Award as we continue our work to increase mobility for all Kansas Citians, all Missourians, and all Americans. Since Kansas City became the first major American city to make all public transportation fare free through Zero Fare Transit, I have spoken with mayors from every corner of the country who are interested in or have begun implementing a similar program in their communitiesputting hundreds of dollars per year back in Americans' hands and reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the same time."

"Suisun City is striving to do its part to make a difference in curbing greenhouse gases and respond to climate change, reminding all of us that the enormity of this problem means all local leaders  large and small cities alike  must do their part," said Suisun City Mayor Pro Tem Alma Hernandez. "We believe the progress we are making in Suisun City is part of a larger all-hands-on-deck response to this challenge and that even small cities can help lead the way. We thank The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Walmart for their support of our leadership in this endeavor."

"We applaud these award-winning mayors for their local efforts to confront the growing climate challenges before us," said Amy Hill, Senior Director for Walmart. "Mayors have been a constant and growing force in curbing harmful carbon emissions, and we are so pleased to be part of this effort to honor their leadership."

"We thank President Joe Biden and leaders in Congress who invested in various energy and climate initiatives as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan (IIJA), especially making new resources available to mayors in support of their climate efforts," said Tom Cochran, USCM CEO and Executive Director. "Investing in local climate action is a good investment, as these award-winning programs demonstrate, and we strongly urge our federal partners to build upon and expand their IIJA commitments to mayors and this local climate action."

LARGE CITY HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles  PoleVolt; Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock  Climate Protection Fund; Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer  Citywide Energy Sustainability Program; Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer -- Cool Roof Incentive Program; and Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser  Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator.

SMALL CITY HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte  Strategic Energy Plan: A Roadmap to 100% Renewable Electricity and Regional Resilience; Littleton Mayor Kyle Schlachter  South Platte Renew; Palo Alto Mayor Pat Burt  Multifamily 'Gas Furnace to Heat Pump Retrofit' Pilot; Redmond Mayor Angela Birney  Climate Vulnerability Assessment; and Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber  Solarize Santa Fe.

Full descriptions of the 2022 Mayors Climate Protection Awards winning programs can be found at: (link inactive) https://www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/2022awards/.

About The United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors
Chief People Officer Gina Cherwin to share her experience as an advocate for working parents and insights on returning to the office with a hybrid model

NEW YORK, June 3, 2022 MikeWorldWide, a leading independent and integrated public relations agency, announced today that Gina Cherwin, who leads the firm's human resources organization as Chief People Officer, has been selected to speak at Ragan's Workplace Wellness Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago on August 17th.

The conference is providing an opportunity for leaders in human resources and communications to share best practices for supporting workplace wellbeing in these very challenging times as America returns to the office.

Cherwin was elevated to the C-Suite just as she was starting a family and will share her experience about creating policies that support employees and drive productivity and positive culture. MikeWorldWide has long championed employee empathy, wellness, and value of diversity as essential to creating a healthy environment that attracts the best talent and clients.

MWW is one of a broad array of voices that will elevate a discourse of these vital issues at the Ragan event.

Under Cherwin's leadership, MikeWorldWide introduced 12 weeks all-parental leave for all new moms and dads. The new benefit was inspired by one employee, an expectant parent in a same-sex marriage who pointed out the unfairness of traditional parental leave policies. As part of the commitment to walking the walk went it comes to employee wellbeing, the firm added seven agency-wide mental health days and one week of Pre-PTO for new hires, online therapy at zero cost to the employee, and monthly health and wellness stipends.

To attend Ragan's Workplace Wellness conference, register here.

To learn more about MWW current professional career opportunities, visit LinkedIn.

About MikeWorldWide

Thirty-five years young, MWW is among the world's leading independent, full-service PR agencies with talent hubs across the US and the UK. It prioritizes CorpSumerTM insights, cultural currency, and earned-worthy impact to create integrated programs that turn brands' reasons to believe into audiences' reasons to care. Because more than ever, Caring Counts.

MWW combines corporate reputation, consumer marketing, crisis & issues management, and public affairs expertise with dedicated strategy, analytics, DE&I, digital, and creative and content teams. MWW continues to grow and attract talent with a people-first culture that supports employees by prioritizing wellness, flexibility and career development to meet current workforce needs. Open positions at MWW can be found here.

To learn more about MikeWorldWide, visit mww.com

CONTACT: Grace Donahue, [email protected]

SOURCE MWW Group
WASHINGTON, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 10 a.m. CDT Tuesday, June 7, to discuss research about intense summer thunderstorms over the central United States and their effects on Earth's atmosphere and climate change. A replay of the call will be posted on the agency's website as soon as possible.

Media are also invited to speak with NASA mission members, who are studying these thunderstorms, at the mission's base of operations at the Salina Regional Airport in Salina, Kansas, on Wednesday, June 8, from 8 a.m.  noon.

NASA and university scientists are studying thunderstorms for the second year in row as part of the Dynamics and Chemistry of the Summer Stratosphere (DCOTSS) mission. Though the storms develop in the troposphere, the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere where we live, intense thunderstorms can punch up into the next layer of the atmosphere, the stratosphere, and inject tiny atmospheric particles called aerosols, as well as water vapor. Mission scientists want to better understand how aerosols from tall, powerful storms affect the chemical makeup of the stratosphere, which is home to Earth's protective ozone layer. In addition, the water vapor these storms inject is a potent greenhouse gas that can affect our changing climate.

Teleconference participants include:

Kate Calvin , NASA chief scientist and senior climate advisor at NASA Headquarters in Washington

, NASA chief scientist and senior climate advisor at NASA Headquarters in Ken Bowman , DCOTSS principal investigator and professor of atmospheric science, Texas A&M University

Media interested in participating in the call should request the dial in-details at least two hours prior to the start of the call. Media interested in interviewing mission members in person in Salina, Kansas, must request access by 7 a.m. CDT Wednesday, June 8. Interested media in either event should send their full name, media affiliation, email address, and phone number to Elena Johnson at [email protected] or Joe Atkinson at [email protected]. For NASA's media accreditation policy, please visit:

https://go.nasa.gov/3GQpoCj

Based at Building 703 of NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, located in Palmdale, California, the ER-2 aircraft will fly as high as 70,000 feet with 12 instruments attached to collect atmospheric chemistry samples that are carried above Earth's surface and into the ozone layer by these intense thunderstorms.

For more information on DCOTSS, visit:

https://www.dcotss.org/

SOURCE NASA
WASHINGTON, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA and SpaceX are targeting 10:22 a.m. EDT Friday, June 10, to launch the agency's next investigation to monitor climate change to the International Space Station. Flying aboard SpaceX's 25th commercial resupply services mission to the orbital laboratory is NASA's Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT).

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to deliver new science investigations, supplies, and equipment for the international crew, including a new climate research investigation.

Live coverage will air on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website, with prelaunch events starting Thursday, June 9.

Dragon will carry more than 4,500 pounds of cargo, including a variety of NASA investigations like EMIT, which will identify the composition of mineral dust from Earth's arid regions and analyze dust carried through the atmosphere from deserts to see what effects it has on the planet, further advancing NASA's data contributions to monitoring climate change.

Other investigations include studying the aging of immune cells and the potential to reverse those effects during postflight recovery, an investigation of how sutured wounds heal in microgravity, and a student experiment testing a concrete alternative for potential use in future lunar and Martian habitats.

Arrival to the station is scheduled for 6:20 a.m. Sunday, June 12. Dragon will dock autonomously to the forward-facing port of the station's Harmony module, with NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines monitoring operations from the station.

The spacecraft is expected to spend about a month attached to the orbiting outpost before it returns to Earth with research and return cargo, splashing down off the coast of Florida.

The deadline has passed for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch. More information about media accreditation is available by emailing: [email protected].

Full coverage of this mission is as follows (all times Eastern):

Thursday, June 9

2 p.m.  Climate Conversation on NASA TV with the following participants:

Kate Calvin , NASA chief scientist and climate advisor

, NASA chief scientist and climate advisor Dr. Kirt Costello , chief scientist, International Space Station Program, NASA

, chief scientist, International Space Station Program, NASA Natalie Mahowald , EMIT deputy principal investigator and professor of atmospheric science, Cornell University

, EMIT deputy principal investigator and professor of atmospheric science, Paula do Vale Pereira, BeaverCube, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

A limited number of seats inside the auditorium at Kennedy will be available to on-site journalists on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional journalists wishing to participate may dial in. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 9, at: [email protected].

3:30 p.m.  Prelaunch News Conference on NASA TV (no earlier than one hour after completion of the Launch Readiness Review) with the following participants:

Joel Montalbano , manager, International Space Station Program, NASA

, manager, International Space Station Program, NASA Dr. Kirt Costello , chief scientist, International Space Station Program, NASA

, chief scientist, International Space Station Program, NASA Benji Reed , senior director, Human Spaceflight Programs, SpaceX

, senior director, Human Spaceflight Programs, SpaceX Arlena Moses , launch weather officer, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's 45th Weather Squadron

A limited number of seats inside the auditorium at Kennedy will be available to on-site journalists on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional journalists wishing to participate may dial in. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 9 at: [email protected].

Friday, June 10

10 a.m.  NASA TV launch coverage begins

10:22 a.m.  Launch

To participate in the teleconference, media must contact the Kennedy newsroom: [email protected] no later than 11 a.m. on Friday, June 10.

Sunday, June 12

5 a.m.  NASA TV coverage begins for Dragon docking to space station

6:20 a.m.  Docking

NASA TV launch coverage

Live coverage of the launch on NASA TV will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, June 10. For downlink information, schedules, and links to streaming video, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

Audio only of the news conferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA "V" circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, -1260 or -7135. On launch day, the full mission broadcast can be heard on -1220 and -1240, while the countdown net only can be heard on -1260 and -7135 beginning approximately one hour before the mission broadcast begins.

On launch day, a "clean feed" of the launch without NASA TV commentary will be carried on the NASA TV media channel.

NASA website launch coverage

Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 10 a.m. Friday, June 10, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the Kennedy newsroom: at 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on our launch blog at:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacexcrs25/

Attend the launch virtually

Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. Registrants will receive mission updates and activities by email. NASA's virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities, and a virtual guest passport stamp following a successful launch.

Watch and engage on social media

Let people know you're following the mission on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtags #Dragon and #NASASocial. You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts:

Twitter: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASASocial, @Space_Station, @ISS_Research, @ISS National Lab,

Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, ISS, ISS National Lab

Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @ISS, @ISSNationalLab

Learn more about NASA's SpaceX resupply missions at:

https://www.nasa.gov/spacex

Para obtener informacion sobre cobertura en espanol en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en espanol, comuniquese con Antonia Jaramillo at: [email protected] or 321-501-8425.

SOURCE NASA
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 20; Released: April 2022

Executive Pool: 1962

Companies: 131 - Players covered include 3M Unitek; Align Technology, Inc.; American Orthodontics; Institut Straumann AG; DENTAURUM GmbH & Co. KG; DB Orthodontics Ltd; Dentsply Sirona, Inc.; G&H Orthodontics, Inc.; Great Lakes Orthodontics, Ltd.; Henry Schein Orthodontics; Ormco Corporation; Rocky Mountain Orthodontics; TP Orthodontics, Inc. and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Product (Fixed Braces, Removable Braces, Orthodontic Adhesives, Accessories); End-Use (Children & Teenagers, Adults)

Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Spain; Russia; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Australia; India; South Korea; Rest of Asia-Pacific; Latin America; Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; Rest of Latin America; Middle East; Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; UAE; Rest of Middle East; Africa.

Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry

ABSTRACT-

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Orthodontic Supplies estimated at US$7.5 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$10.8 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 10.8% over the analysis period. Fixed Braces, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 5.7% CAGR, while growth in the Removable Braces segment is readjusted to a revised 15.5% CAGR. Orthodontic supplies for the oral care industry is a thriving market. Continued technological advancements add more impetus to market growth. Teeth misalignment is witnessing increasing prevalence and this represents one of the major factors driving demand for orthodontic supplies. The expanding pool of patients suffering from dental conditions such as tooth decay or loss, jaw pain and misalignment, malocclusions and bite imperfections are enhancing demand for orthodontic treatments, thus aiding growth of the orthodontic supplies market. Rising awareness about oral health hygiene and malocclusions among people in both developed and developing nations and the trend towards cosmetic dentistry amidst enhanced focus on facial aesthetics are also fostering growth in the orthodontic supplies market. Gains will also be spurred by market-driven factors such as rising consumer disposable incomes in developing countries, increasing per capita spends on appearance enhancing products and solutions, rise in the number of dental clinics, and growing social acceptance of procedures aimed at enhancing facial aesthetic appeal.

The growing volume of orthodontic procedures being performed among adolescents, technological advancements in the orthodontics specialty are also driving demand for a variety of orthodontic supplies. Demand for orthodontic procedures is also attributed to the growing popularity of invisible braces among both adults and teenagers. The expanding dental tourism industry presents another opportunity for the orthodontic supplies market across developing regions. The booming cosmetic dentistry market represents a significant growth driver for the market, as more and more people seek therapies and procedures aimed at enhancing physical appearance by improving alignment of gums, bite and teeth. Cosmetic dentistry continues to gain popularity led by the increasing affluence of people, whereby an increasing proportion of the population is now in a position to avail not just corrective treatment procedures but also cosmetic procedures, presenting considerable opportunities for the orthodontic supplies market. Besides alignment of teeth, focus of cosmetic orthodontic treatment is also on changing the color and shape of teeth. There is high demand for aesthetic orthodontic procedures among adults and teenagers, thus contributing to the rising demand for orthodontic devices and supplies. In particular, teenagers are increasingly opting for corrective dental procedures involving braces and archwires. With the number of patients opting for specialized orthodontic products such as transparent braces during cosmetic dental treatments continuing to growth, demand for orthodontic supplies is expected to witness strong growth over the coming years. Technological advancements are also playing a critical part in cosmetic orthodontic treatments, with products such as transparent brackets, colored brackets and lingual brackets enhancing physical appearance of patients. Driven by the growing desire of individuals to improve facial aesthetics appearance, the demand for orthodontic treatments continues to rise, thus fueling sales of orthodontic supplies.

The rapid increase in DMFT index in developing economies is significantly influencing the orthodontics supplies market. Expanding middle class population and increasing disposable incomes of people, growing access to dental care services, and expanding infrastructure for dental services across emerging economies are enabling patients to seek orthodontic treatments, thus accelerating demand for orthodontic supplies. Developing economies are also beginning to witness growing demand for invisible braces, especially among the teenagers. Developing regions also benefit from the steady growth in dental tourism in countries such as India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, mainly due to the relatively low cost of procedures in comparison to orthodontic treatments performed in developed countries. Emerging economies of Asia-Pacific thus present tremendous opportunities for vendors to expand their operations, given the huge unmet needs for orthodontic treatments in the region along with the increasing popularity of orthodontic treatments in adults and teenagers.

Increasing awareness among people about advanced orthodontic treatments and the development of advanced orthodontic products promising better outcomes are driving demand for orthodontic supplies. Steady pace of technology advancements over the years has been and will continue to be a major growth influencing factor in the orthodontic supplies market. Driven by these advancements, there has been a considerable reduction in the treatment time and associated pain, while treatment outcomes and efficiencies have improved considerably. For example advances in the field of digital X-rays are enabling dentists and orthodontists to make more informed decisions. The increasing use of digital technologies in orthodontics discipline is expected to translate into better outcomes and improved profitability. Among the most notable advancements in the orthodontics market is the launch of invisible clear aligners, in particular Invisalign that is manufactured by Align Technology. The invisible aligners are capable of aligning the teeth without the need to use braces, mini-implants and mini-screws. Another major advancement is in the development of lingual braces, referring to braces that are hidden as they are placed behind the teeth. The significant advantages offered by technologically advanced orthodontic products over traditional products is leading to their wider adoption among orthodontists and patients, thus fueling growth in the orthodontic supplies market. Advancements in materials, procedures and techniques, which pave the way for cost-effective and faster treatment methods, are expected to propel adoption of orthodontic procedures and products. In the US, more than 10,500 orthodontists are engaged in providing orthodontic services. Class I and II malocclusions account for a predominant share of all the case starts. Malocclusions are primarily treated using braces, involving metal wires and brackets, with elastics, headgear and metal bands are used for enhance these braces. With improved aesthetics becoming a major focus of patients, there is increased demand for ceramic and tooth-colored brackets.

The market is however being restrained by the threat of risks and complications, such as discomfort, bruises, gingivitis, tooth root resorption, and white spots on surface, during or after orthodontic procedures. The unfavorable reimbursement policies for orthodontic procedures, lack of adequate insurance coverage for the procedures and high degree of complexity associated with the treatments are also impeding market growth. The general lack of awareness among people about orthodontic procedures to correct malocclusions, especially in developing economies, is also hampering market growth. In developing and low-income nations, there is a lethargic attitude towards dental care, which is also presenting challenges for the orthodontic supplies market. These countries are also characterized by low awareness about dental treatments and limited access to dental healthcare services and inadequate dental facilities specifically in rural areas are preventing adoption of orthodontic treatments. The adoption of orthodontic procedures is also impacted by the cost of advanced orthodontic treatment procedures, which is relatively high for average users. The lack of 'essentiality' could also restrict orthodontic treatments to be restricted only to highly necessary procedures over the coming years. The market is also being impacted by the influx of low-cost products which are threatening sales of offerings of international majors. More

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TOKYO, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Japanese government publishes new articles every month in an official e-magazine, "KIZUNA." Six new articles, published in May, are outlined below.

Logo:

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M107127/202206022026/_prw_PI2fl_W13w7HMJ.jpg

Photo:

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M107127/202206022026/_prw_PI1fl_15A7aJT0.jpg

- Japan Stands with Ukraine: Keeping Education Going for Students



In response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine, Japan is providing wide-ranging support for Ukraine. Here's one example from academia.



https://www.japan.go.jp/kizuna/2022/05/japan_stands_with_ukraine.html?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=05_2022

- 50th Reversion Anniversary: Okinawa's Sustainable Tourism Development and Beyond

Since its reversion to Japan from U.S. control, Okinawa has leveraged its local assets as remote islands for growth.

https://www.japan.go.jp/kizuna/2022/05/50th_reversion_anniversary_of_okinawa.html?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=05_2022

- Touching the Cutting Edge of Quantum Technology in the Homeland of the Superconducting Qubit

A Japanese researcher who made a breakthrough in progress toward practical use of quantum computers talks about the technology's outlook.

https://www.japan.go.jp/kizuna/2022/05/cutting_edge_of_quantum_technology.html?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=05_2022

- The Impact of AI: Anyone Can Be a Skilled Farmer

Japan is accelerating high-level social implementation of artificial

intelligence -- such as AI-based agricultural pest diagnosis.

https://www.japan.go.jp/kizuna/2022/05/anyone_can_be_a_skilled_farmer.html?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=05_2022

- Creating an Innovation Ecosystem in Okinawa

The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University offers hands-on support to researchers and startups.

https://www.japan.go.jp/kizuna/2022/05/innovation_ecosystem_in_okinawa.html?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=05_2022

- The Freedom of Reading a Visually Impaired Man Gained in Japan

Mohamed Omer Abdin, a visually impaired Sudanese man in Japan, has been making efforts to support the world's similarly afflicted.

https://www.japan.go.jp/kizuna/2022/05/the_freedom_of_reading.html?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=05_2022

About "KIZUNA"

Kizuna means the enduring bonds between people -- close relationships forged through mutual trust and support. The kizuna cultivated among countries of the world has the power to deepen cooperation for a better future. By reporting on a wide variety of topics concerning Japan, "KIZUNA" hopes that this publication will provide opportunities for Japan and the rest of the world to connect and build strong kizuna.

https://www.japan.go.jp/kizuna/index.html?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=05_2022

SOURCE Cabinet Public Affairs Office, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of Japan
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 22; Released: April 2022

Executive Pool: 19174

Companies: 354 - Players covered include 3M; A.T. Cross Company; ACCO Brands Corp; Aurora Corp. of America; Ballarpur Industries Limited; Beifa Group Co., Ltd; Brother International Corporation; Canon Inc; Cenveo Worldwide Limited; Deli Company; Dixon Ticonderoga; Domtar Corporation; Faber-Castell; G M Pens International (RORITO); Hamelin Group; ICO; KOKUYO Co, Ltd.; Lyreco UK Limited; Office Depot, LLC; Shanghai M&G Stationery Inc.; Shenzhen Comix Group Co., Ltd.; Staples, Inc.; Veritiv Corporation; Wenzhou Aihao Pen Trade Co., Ltd.; WHSmith PLC and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Product (Computer / Printer Supplies, Paper Products, Stationery / Mailing Supplies, Desk Supplies, Filing Supplies, Binding Supplies, Other Products); Distribution Channel (Offline, Online)

Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Spain; Russia; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Australia; India; South Korea; Rest of Asia-Pacific; Latin America; Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; Rest of Latin America; Middle East; Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; UAE; Rest of Middle East; Africa.

Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry

ABSTRACT-

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Office Stationery and Supplies estimated at US$152.7 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$168.7 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 1.5% over the analysis period. Computer / Printer Supplies, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 2.2% CAGR, while growth in the Paper Products segment is readjusted to a revised 1% CAGR for the next 7-year period. The global market is gaining from the increasing purchases online and the growing trend towards flexible work space systems. Also, the rising number of offices worldwide in various sectors, particularly in emerging countries is driving gains in the market. Businesses in many industries are concentrating on expanding their global footprint by establishing offices in various regions, and this is auguring well for the market. Further, the increasing importance being given to education, and the improving work opportunities worldwide are benefiting the market. Latest office supplies are more portable in nature, given the free address office work style that is being followed in several organizations. Carrying cases (collapsible) that can hold masks, pens, file folders, and disinfectant spray bottles are being offered which can be used for work at homes, coffee shops, or in shared office spaces.

But due to the advent of COVID-19 and the closure of offices across the world as a result, a considerable slump in demand was witnessed in the market. With employees working from home and meetings being conducted online through video conferencing, the need for supplies such as markers, whiteboards, pens, and notepads decreased. But growing set-up of home offices is expected to offer some respite to the market. The market was also negatively impacted by the strict lockdowns, and supply chain disruptions during the pandemic period.

In the last few years, altering demographics have also quickened the decline in the market. At present, there exist over 15000 online competitors and this number is only rising. This poses challenges to companies such as Office Depot and Staples that have considerable infrastructure and significant overhead costs which the online companies do not have. With the traditional product categories such as paper, pens, pencils, toner, and ink registering a decline, focus of companies is now on offering services, as they are expected to offer better margins and differentiation. Considerable investments are also being made in e-commerce in a bid to achieve better growth.

The office stationery and supplies industry is characterized by a dispersed customer base with diverse choices. Despite the influx of computerized electronic devices that enable paperless work and provide digital methods for recording and storing information, stationery products continue to remain a vital part of office processes. Stationery products continue to hold significance in taking notes, marking symbols, drawing pictures, composing messages for correspondence, producing physical documents, or filling other details on a physical surface, typically paper. Though newer technologies such as computers and smartphones continue to gain prominence in office settings, traditional office supplies continue to command a significant share of the overall market.

Over the years, stationery products market experienced structural changes from product lines to distribution channels. Apart from the cyclical nature of the industry, yet another noticeable trend is the strong focus of manufacturers on technology developments and product enhancements as a measure to ward off growing threat from Internet and digitalization. Growing proliferation of computers and mobile electronics such as tablets and smartphones discourage the need for stationery products such as paper and writing instruments. Against the backdrop, increasing focus on innovative products, unique by way of enhanced styling, design and concept is more or less a norm for stationery manufacturers. Environmentalism looms large with 'green' products and private labels are gaining wider acceptance among consumers due to growing environmental concerns. Growth in the global stationery market is also aligned with economic developments, cyclic/seasonal trends, technological innovations, lifestyle changes as well as demographic changes. Periods of economic recession usher in a new era of value driven consumer purchasing patterns with thrifty purchases of stationery among consumers, both enterprise and household consumers becoming the new order. Consumers even trade down to low-cost and even locally manufactured unbranded products as a measure to save expenses.

Expanding enterprise market, increase in number of offices, and growing number of working population are major factors fueling demand for a range of office use stationery products such as markers, files, folders, diaries, binders, organizers, and writing instruments. The number of start-ups and corporate offices emerging is a potential revenue generating opportunity for market participants. Co-working is also gaining acceptance across several countries due to the flexible working environment and savings in terms of operating costs. The flexible working space segment is proving to be a lure for leading companies and start-ups, presenting growth opportunities providers of office supplies. Future expansion of the market is likely to be facilitated by business growth, increasing gains for online platforms and rising demand for customized products. The market is also influenced by green initiatives and the increase in adoption of recyclable stationery products by businesses, with the trend being more prominent in developed countries. Rising awareness about adverse impact of non-recyclable materials such as plastics on the environment is driving the adoption of recyclable commodities. The trend is prompting vendors to offer stationery products made using recyclable materials. Companies such as Amazon.com, Staples and Office Depot have started offering sustainable products including letterhead and office papers. These developments are bound to influence the global market for office stationery and supplies sin the coming years.

By type of office supplies, the declining consumption of paper-based commodities due to rising IT integration and automation presents tremendous growth opportunity for the computer & printer supplies market. In addition, ongoing transition of consumers from tri-color toward ink-cartridges due to their high print quality is anticipated to fuel the demand for printing supplies. By distribution channel, the offline segment commands a significant share of the global office stationery and supplies market. The segment is estimated to retain it strong position in the coming years, although growing at a relatively lower rate due to rising popularity of the online channel. The offline segment will witness driven by increasing purchases of stationery and other office supplies from traditional retail stores. The growing popularity of the online platform is poised to support the office supplies market. With its numerous benefits, e-commerce is driving various vendors to go online without investing in staff and physical infrastructure while covering a broader client base. The online channel is likely to also gain from adoption of automated billing or checkout points along with increasing investment in marketing and advertising activity by retailers. In addition to launching their online portals and offering a comprehensive range of options to customers, vendors are leveraging other online formats including mobile-based apps and social networking platforms to target customers.

The market also faces various challenges. The increasing adoption of smart mobile devices coupled with technologies such as the cloud is reducing consumption of paper for fax machines and photocopiers. Virtual offices and green initiatives are further hindering the demand for paper across corporate offices. The market growth is also affected by declining sale of products at the offline channel, which is credited to growing popularity of online platforms. More

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Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide.

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About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR

Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years.

CONTACTS:

Zak Ali

Director, Corporate Communications

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

www.StrategyR.com

Email: [email protected]

LINKS

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SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Request Latest Sample Report for additional highlights related to market dynamics

Online Financing Platform for SMBs Market 2022-2026: Scope

The online financing platform for SMBs market report covers the following areas:

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Online Financing Platform for SMBs Market 2022-2026: Key Vendor Analysis

American Express Kabbage Inc., Biz2Credit Inc., Fidelity National Information Services Inc., Finastra, Fintech OS Srl, FINTELLIGENCE DATA SCIENCE Pvt. Ltd., Funding Circle Holdings Plc, Kaleidofin, LendingClub Corp., NIYOGIN FINTECH Ltd., Novac Technology Solutions, Numerated Growth Technologies Inc., On Deck Capital Inc., Pave, Prosper Funding LLC, Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. V, Sopra Banking Software, Stripe Inc., UAB HES Europe, and Versara Lending LLC are among some of the major market participants. The key offerings of some of these vendors are listed below:

American Express Kabbage Inc. - The company offers online financing platform such as Kabbage Checking and Kabbage Funding.

The company offers online financing platform such as Kabbage Checking and Kabbage Funding. Biz2Credit Inc. - The company offers online financing platform such as Biz2X Enterprise, Biz2X Pro, and Biz2X AI.

The company offers online financing platform such as Biz2X Enterprise, Biz2X Pro, and Biz2X AI. Funding Circle Holdings Plc - The company offers online financing platform for small business loans.

The company offers online financing platform for small business loans. LendingClub Corp. - The company offers online financing platform to help you reach financial wellness, including our award-winning checking account, and rewards checking.

The company offers online financing platform to help you reach financial wellness, including our award-winning checking account, and rewards checking. NIYOGIN FINTECH Ltd. - The company offers online financing platform that could understand, support and therefore, enhance the potential of these businesses across domains.

For more information about key vendors and their offerings, View a Sample Report

Online Financing Platform for SMBs Market 2022-2026: Segmentation

Application

Equity Financing



Debt Financing

Geography

North America



Europe



APAC



South America



Middle East And Africa

Online Financing Platform for SMBs Market 2022-2026: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2022-2026

Detailed information on factors that will assist online financing platform for SMBs market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the online financing platform for SMBs market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the online financing platform for SMBs market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of online financing platform for SMBs market vendors

Related Reports

Buy Now Pay Later Market by Channel, End-user, and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Foreign Exchange Market by Trade Finance Instruments, Type, and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Online Financing Platform For SMBs Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 16.24% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 9.04 billion Market structure Concentrated YoY growth (%) 15.55 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 41% Key consumer countries US, China, Japan, UK, and France Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled American Express Kabbage Inc., Biz2Credit Inc., Fidelity National Information Services Inc., Finastra, Fintech OS Srl, FINTELLIGENCE DATA SCIENCE Pvt. Ltd., Funding Circle Holdings Plc, Kaleidofin, LendingClub Corp., NIYOGIN FINTECH Ltd., Novac Technology Solutions, Numerated Growth Technologies Inc., On Deck Capital Inc., Pave, Prosper Funding LLC, Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. V, Sopra Banking Software, Stripe Inc., UAB HES Europe, and Versara Lending LLC Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period, Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Application



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 09: Parent market



Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 12: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 18: Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by Application

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 24: Chart on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 25: Data Table on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Application

Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Application



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Application

5.3 Equity financing - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Equity financing - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Equity financing - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Equity financing - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Equity financing - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Debt financing - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Debt financing - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Debt financing - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Debt financing - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Debt financing - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Market opportunity by Application

Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Application ($ million)

6 Customer Landscape

6.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 37: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 38: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 40: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Geographic comparison

7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 42: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 43: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 44: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 45: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 47: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 48: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 49: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 50: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 51: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 52: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 53: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 55: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 56: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 59: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 60: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 61: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 62: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 63: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 64: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 65: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.9 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 66: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 67: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 68: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 69: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.10 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 72: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.11 France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 75: Data Table on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 76: Chart on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 77: Data Table on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.12 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 79: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 80: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 81: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 82: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 83: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

8.4 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 84: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 85: Overview on factors of disruption

9.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 86: Impact of key risks on business

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 87: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 88: Matrix on vendor position and classification

10.3 American Express Kabbage Inc.

Exhibit 89: American Express Kabbage Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 90: American Express Kabbage Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 91: American Express Kabbage Inc. - Key offerings

10.4 Biz2Credit Inc.

Exhibit 92: Biz2Credit Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 93: Biz2Credit Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 94: Biz2Credit Inc. - Key offerings

10.5 Funding Circle Holdings Plc

Exhibit 95: Funding Circle Holdings Plc - Overview



Exhibit 96: Funding Circle Holdings Plc - Product / Service



Exhibit 97: Funding Circle Holdings Plc - Key offerings

10.6 LendingClub Corp.

Exhibit 98: LendingClub Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 99: LendingClub Corp. - Product / Service



Exhibit 100: LendingClub Corp. - Key offerings

10.7 NIYOGIN FINTECH Ltd.

Exhibit 101: NIYOGIN FINTECH Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 102: NIYOGIN FINTECH Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 103: NIYOGIN FINTECH Ltd. - Key offerings

10.8 On Deck Capital Inc.

Exhibit 104: On Deck Capital Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 105: On Deck Capital Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 106: On Deck Capital Inc. - Key offerings

10.9 Pave

Exhibit 107: Pave - Overview



Exhibit 108: Pave - Product / Service



Exhibit 109: Pave - Key offerings

10.10 Prosper Funding LLC

Exhibit 110: Prosper Funding LLC - Overview



Exhibit 111: Prosper Funding LLC - Product / Service



Exhibit 112: Prosper Funding LLC - Key offerings

10.11 Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. V

Exhibit 113: Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. V - Overview



Exhibit 114: Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. V - Product / Service



Exhibit 115: Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. V - Key offerings

10.12 Versara Lending LLC

Exhibit 116: Versara Lending LLC - Overview



Exhibit 117: Versara Lending LLC - Product / Service



Exhibit 118: Versara Lending LLC - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 119: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 120: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 121: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 122: Research methodology



Exhibit 123: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 124: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 125: List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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SOURCE Technavio
TUCSON, Ariz., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Paragon Space Development Corporation (Paragon) is proud to announce that it is part of the Axiom Space team which was awarded NASA's Exploration Extravehicular Activity (xEVAS) services contract, one of two companies to win the award with a potential total value of $3.5 billion across the life of the program. The 10-year contract is to develop the next generation spacesuit which may be used for Artemis missions to the Moon and the International Space Station. The spacesuits developed as part of this program will allow humans to explore the lunar surface, provide new spacewalk capabilities outside the ISS, and will be critical to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon and eventually to explore Mars.

Paragon Space Development Corporation

Paragon's multi-decade experience in designing and developing life support and thermal control systems for extreme environments, as well as its recent acquisition of Final Frontier Design  a leading supplier of spacesuits  make it a strong team member for Axiom. Additionally, Paragon's Portable Life Support Systems (PLSS) experience in design, integration, and operation on such programs as the StratEx Mission (which set three world-records) and the NASA Constellation Spacesuit System (CSSS) with Oceaneering  will be vital to the program.

"With the new capabilities we have acquired  and over a quarter-century of knowledge, design expertise, and operational experience  we at Paragon are highly confident that our contributions to the Axiom team and to NASA on this program will produce the most outstanding spacesuit for NASA" said Grant Anderson, Paragon's President and CEO. "This further demonstrates that Paragon is a major partner in the Moon/Mars expeditions on the horizon for the US space program. We couldn't be more proud of the tremendous accomplishment this announcement represents," added Ron Sable, Paragon's Chairman of the Board.

Paragon is currently expanding its design and production facilities and capabilities in Houston, Texas to support this program in the years ahead.

"To equip a new era of space explorers requires a high-caliber team, that is why we at Axiom Space are excited to work with Paragon to build the next generation of spacesuit that will enable the success of astronauts at the space station, the Moon and beyond," said Mark Greeley, Axiom xEVAS Program Manager. "The xEVAS spacesuits contract not only makes inspiring human spaceflight endeavors possible with added capabilities, it expands opportunities for the commercial space industry to grow and achieve greater accomplishments for more of humanity."

This new NASA contract enables Axiom Space, who is currently building the world's first commercial space station, to work with its partners to build next generation astronaut spacesuits that serve the company's commercial customers, private astroanuts, and future space station goals while meeting NASA's ISS and Artemis lunar exploration needs.

Paragon has been a trusted leader in supporting mission critical operations for space, military, and commercial customers around the world for over 29 years.

For more information and other news, visit www.paragonsdc.com .

Media Contact: Leslie Haas 520-382-4814 [email protected]

SOURCE Paragon Space Development Corporation
Launched in 2020 as part of the company's off-premise dining strategy, P.F Chang's To Go features a smaller footprint and allows more guests in high-density metropolitan communities to experience its elevated Asian cuisine. The convenient To Go format also provides a solution for online ordering, takeout, catering and delivery.

"P.F. Chang's To Go allows guests the ability to enjoy P.F. Chang's Asian favorites in an easy and accessible way that matches their evolving, on-the-go lifestyles," said Art Kilmer, chief operating officer for P.F. Chang's. "We're excited to continue answering consumer demand by bringing P.F. Chang's To Go to the Washington, D.C., community for the first time."

P.F. Chang's To Go Dupont Circle is now open at 1120 20th Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20036. This 1,315-square-foot location offers indoor seating for 12 guests, and hours of operation are 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. The menu features popular items guests know and love, including P.F. Chang's made-from-scratch dishes like Chang's Spicy Chicken, Mongolian Beef and Chang's Lettuce Wraps.

The opening of P.F. Chang's To Go Dupont Circle adds 30 new jobs to the Washington, D.C., community with opportunities in both culinary and hospitality fields. Qualified job candidates interested in a career with P.F. Chang's may apply at jobs.pfchangs.com.

About P.F. Chang's

Founded in 1993 by Philip Chiang and Paul Fleming, P.F. Chang's is the first internationally recognized multi-unit Asian culinary brand to honor and celebrate the 2,000-year-old tradition of wok cooking as the center of the guest experience. With roots in Chinese cuisine, today's menu at P.F. Chang's spans across all of Asia, honoring cultures and recipes from Japan, Korea, Thailand, and beyond. Each item offers a unique exploration of flavor, whether it's a handcrafted cocktail, wok-fired lunch bowl, or celebratory multi-course dinner. Worldwide, P.F. Chang's has more than 300 restaurants in 22 countries and U.S. airport locations, including a growing number of convenient P.F. Chang's To Go locations offering takeout and delivery. For more P.F. Chang's news, visit pfchangs.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @pfchangs.

SOURCE P.F. Chang's
Primary results from the first frontline Phase 3 study of a Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor in MCL to be presented as late-breaking data at the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting and also published in The New England Journal of Medicine

CHICAGO, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson today announced primary results from the Phase 3 SHINE study (Abstract #7502), which demonstrated that the combination of once-daily oral IMBRUVICA (ibrutinib) plus bendamustine-rituximab (BR) and rituximab maintenance significantly reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 25 percent compared to patients who received placebo plus BR and rituximab maintenance in patients aged 65 years or older with newly diagnosed mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).1 This study is one of the largest clinical trials ever conducted in first-line MCL and the first for a Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi).1 The data are being presented in an oral session and featured in a press briefing during the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, and were published in The New England Journal of Medicine today. The data will also be presented as an oral presentation at the 2022 European Hematology Association (EHA) Annual Congress.

MCL is a type of aggressive, rare non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that is incurable and difficult to treat.2 It commonly affects people over the age of 65, who typically cannot tolerate intensive chemoimmunotherapy and stem cell transplantation, resulting in poor clinical outcomes and contributing to the need to develop additional treatment options for these patients.2

"There is an urgent need to improve outcomes for older patients with MCL," said Michael L. Wang, M.D., Professor, Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and principal study investigator. "Given the median progression-free survival of 6.7 years, the ibrutinib combination demonstrated the potential to be a first-line treatment in this population."

The Phase 3 SHINE (MCL3002) study (NCT01776840)  sponsored by Janssen Biotech, Inc., in collaboration with Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company  enrolled 523 patients aged 65 years or older with newly diagnosed MCL.1 All participants were randomly assigned to receive IMBRUVICA (560 mg orally daily until progression or unacceptable toxicities) or placebo plus BR for a maximum of six 28-day cycles; participants with a complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) continued to receive maintenance therapy with rituximab every second cycle for a maximum of 12 additional doses.1 IMBRUVICA or placebo was administered daily until progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity.1

The SHINE study met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS). Key findings from the Phase 3 SHINE study include:

With a median follow-up of 84.7 months, the IMBRUVICA  plus BR and rituximab maintenance combination showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful 2.3-year improvement in median PFS. 1 Median PFS in the IMBRUVICA  plus BR arm was 6.7 years compared to 4.4 years in the placebo plus BR arm (stratified hazard ratio [HR]: 0.75, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.59-0.96; p = 0.011). 1

plus BR and rituximab maintenance combination showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful 2.3-year improvement in median PFS. Median PFS in the IMBRUVICA plus BR arm was 6.7 years compared to 4.4 years in the placebo plus BR arm (stratified hazard ratio [HR]: 0.75, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.59-0.96; = 0.011). Key secondary endpoints included: CR, time-to-next treatment (TTNT), overall survival (OS), and overall response rate (ORR). 1

A CR was achieved in 171 patients (65.5 percent) in the IMBRUVICA  plus BR arm and 151 patients (57.6 percent) in the placebo plus BR arm ( p = 0.057). 1 The rates of objective response were similar between the two arms (IMBRUVICA  plus BR: 89.7 percent; placebo plus BR: 88.5 percent). 1

plus BR arm and 151 patients (57.6 percent) in the placebo plus BR arm ( = 0.057). The rates of objective response were similar between the two arms (IMBRUVICA plus BR: 89.7 percent; placebo plus BR: 88.5 percent).

Median TTNT was not reached in the IMBRUVICA  plus BR arm. 1 The median TTNT was 92 months in the placebo plus BR arm (HR: 0.48, 95 percent CI, 0.34-0.66). 1

plus BR arm. The median TTNT was 92 months in the placebo plus BR arm (HR: 0.48, 95 percent CI, 0.34-0.66).

OS was similar between treatment arms and median OS was not reached in either treatment arm (HR: 1.07, 95 percent CI, 0.81-1.40).1

"More than eight years since its first FDA approval, IMBRUVICA has treated over 250,000 patients globally, fundamentally changing the treatment paradigm for complex B-cell malignancies," said Craig Tendler, M.D., Vice President, Late Development and Global Medical Affairs, Janssen Research & Development, LLC. "The Phase 3 SHINE study reinforces our continued commitment to the development of IMBRUVICA to provide meaningful differences and change outcomes for patients with B-cell malignancies where high unmet medical needs still remain."

The safety profile of the IMBRUVICA plus BR regimen was consistent with known safety profiles of IMBRUVICA as well as BR.1 Across all treated patients, the most common Grade 3/4 Adverse Events (AEs) 5 percent were neutropenia (IMBRUVICA plus BR: 47.1 percent; BR: 48.1 percent), pneumonia (IMBRUVICA plus BR: 20.1 percent; BR:14.2 percent), anemia (IMBRUVICA plus BR: 15.4 percent; BR: 8.8 percent), thrombocytopenia (IMBRUVICA plus BR: 12.7 percent; BR: 13.1 percent), rash (IMBRUVICA plus BR: 12 percent; BR: 1.9 percent), and diarrhea (IMBRUVICA plus BR: 6.9 percent; BR: 3.8 percent).1 Treatment-emergent AEs of clinical interest with BTKis included atrial fibrillation (AF) which was reported in 13.9 percent of patients in the IMBRUVICA plus BR arm and 6.5 percent in the placebo arm; hypertension in 13.5 percent and 11.2 percent; major bleeding in 5.8 percent and 4.2 percent; any bleeding 42.9 percent and 21.5 percent; and arthralgia in 17.4 percent and 16.9 percent, respectively.1

IMBRUVICA is currently approved globally for the treatment of adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one prior therapy.3 Within the U.S., this indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate (ORR). Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial(s).

About IMBRUVICA

IMBRUVICA (ibrutinib) is a once-daily oral medication that is jointly developed and commercialized by Janssen Biotech, Inc. and Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie company. IMBRUVICA blocks the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) protein, which is needed by normal and abnormal B cells, including specific cancer cells, to multiply and spread. By blocking BTK, IMBRUVICA may help move abnormal B cells out of their nourishing environments and inhibits their proliferation.4,5,6

IMBRUVICA is approved in more than 100 countries for at least one indication and has been used to treat more than 250,000 patients worldwide. There are more than 50 company-sponsored clinical trials, including 18 Phase 3 studies, with over 11 years evaluating the efficacy and safety of IMBRUVICA.

IMBRUVICA was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in November 2013, and today is indicated for adult patients in six disease areas, including five hematologic cancers. These include indications to treat adults with CLL/SLL with or without 17p deletion (del17p), and adults with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM), and adult patients with previously treated mantle cell lymphoma (MCL)*, as well as to treat adult patients with previously treated marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) who require systemic therapy and have received at least one prior anti-CD20-based therapy, and adult patients with previously treated chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) after failure of one or more lines of systemic therapy.3

Accelerated approval was granted for MCL and MZL based on overall response rate. Continued approval for MCL and MZL may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), recommends ibrutinib (IMBRUVICA) as a preferred regimen for the initial treatment of CLL/SLL and has Category 1 treatment status for treatment-naive patients without deletion 17p/TP53 mutation and as a preferred treatment for treatment-naive patients with deletion 17p/TP53 mutation. The NCCN Guidelines also recommend IMBRUVICA, with or without rituximab, as a preferred regimen for the treatment of relapsed/refractory MCL, as a Category 1 preferred regimen for both untreated and previously treated WM patients, and as a preferred regimen for relapsed/refractory MZL.7

For more information, visit www.IMBRUVICA.com.

IMBRUVICA IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Hemorrhage: Fatal bleeding events have occurred in patients who received IMBRUVICA. Major hemorrhage ( Grade 3, serious, or any central nervous system events; e.g., intracranial hemorrhage [including subdural hematoma], gastrointestinal bleeding, hematuria, and post procedural hemorrhage) occurred in 4.2% of patients, with fatalities occurring in 0.4% of 2,838 patients who received IMBRUVICA in 27 clinical trials. Bleeding events of any grade including bruising and petechiae occurred in 39%, and excluding bruising and petechiae occurred in 23% of patients who received IMBRUVICA, respectively.

The mechanism for the bleeding events is not well understood.

Use of either anticoagulant or antiplatelet agents concomitantly with IMBRUVICA increases the risk of major hemorrhage. Across clinical trials, 3.1% of 2,838 patients who received IMBRUVICA without antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy experienced major hemorrhage. The addition of antiplatelet therapy with or without anticoagulant therapy increased this percentage to 4.4%, and the addition of anticoagulant therapy with or without antiplatelet therapy increased this percentage to 6.1%. Consider the risks and benefits of anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy when co-administered with IMBRUVICA. Monitor for signs and symptoms of bleeding.

Consider the benefit-risk of withholding IMBRUVICA for at least 3 to 7 days pre- and post-surgery depending upon the type of surgery and the risk of bleeding.

Infections: Fatal and non-fatal infections (including bacterial, viral, or fungal) have occurred with IMBRUVICA therapy. Grade 3 or greater infections occurred in 21% of 1,476 patients who received IMBRUVICA in clinical trials. Cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) have occurred in patients treated with IMBRUVICA. Consider prophylaxis according to standard of care in patients who are at increased risk for opportunistic infections. Monitor and evaluate patients for fever and infections and treat appropriately.

Cardiac Arrhythmias, Cardiac Failure and Sudden Death: Fatal and serious cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac failure have occurred with IMBRUVICA. Deaths due to cardiac causes or sudden deaths occurred in 1% of 4,896 patients who received IMBRUVICA in clinical trials, including in patients who received IMBRUVICA in unapproved monotherapy or combination regimens. These adverse reactions occurred in patients with and without preexisting hypertension or cardiac comorbidities. Patients with cardiac comorbidities may be at greater risk of these events.

Grade 3 or greater ventricular tachyarrhythmias were reported in 0.2%, Grade 3 or greater atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter were reported in 3.7%, and Grade 3 or greater cardiac failure was reported in 1.3% of 4,896 patients who received IMBRUVICA in clinical trials, including in patients who received IMBRUVICA in unapproved monotherapy or combination regimens. These events have occurred particularly in patients with cardiac risk factors including hypertension and diabetes mellitus, a previous history of cardiac arrhythmias, and in patients with acute infections.

Evaluate cardiac history and function at baseline, and monitor patients for cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac function. Obtain further evaluation (e.g., ECG, echocardiogram) as indicated for patients who develop symptoms of arrhythmia (e.g., palpitations, lightheadedness, syncope, chest pain), new onset dyspnea, or other cardiovascular concerns. Manage cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac failure appropriately, follow dose modification guidelines, and consider the risks and benefits of continued IMBRUVICA treatment.

Hypertension: Hypertension occurred in 19% of 1,476 patients who received IMBRUVICA in clinical trials. Grade 3 or greater hypertension occurred in 8% of patients. Based on data from 1,124 of these patients, the median time to onset was 5.9 months (range, 0.03 to 24 months). Monitor blood pressure in patients treated with IMBRUVICA, initiate or adjust anti-hypertensive medication throughout treatment with IMBRUVICA as appropriate, and follow dosage modification guidelines for Grade 3 or higher hypertension.

Cytopenias: In 645 patients with B-cell malignancies who received IMBRUVICA as a single agent, grade 3 or 4 neutropenia occurred in 23% of patients, grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia in 8% and grade 3 or 4 anemia in 2.8%, based on laboratory measurements. Monitor complete blood counts monthly.

Second Primary Malignancies: Other malignancies (10%), including non-skin carcinomas (3.9%), occurred among the 1,476 patients who received IMBRUVICA in clinical trials. The most frequent second primary malignancy was non-melanoma skin cancer (6%).

Tumor Lysis Syndrome: Tumor lysis syndrome has been infrequently reported with IMBRUVICA. Assess the baseline risk (e.g., high tumor burden) and take appropriate precautions. Monitor patients closely and treat as appropriate.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: Based on findings in animals, IMBRUVICA can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with IMBRUVICA and for 1 month after the last dose. Advise males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during the same time period.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

B-cell malignancies: The most common adverse reactions (30%) in patients with B-cell malignancies (MCL, CLL/SLL, WM and MZL) were thrombocytopenia (54.5%)*, diarrhea (43.8%), fatigue (39.1%), musculoskeletal pain (38.8%), neutropenia (38.6%)*, rash (35.8%), anemia (35.0%)*, and bruising (32.0%).

The most common Grade  3 adverse reactions (5%) in patients with B-cell malignancies (MCL, CLL/SLL, WM and MZL) were neutropenia (20.7%)*, thrombocytopenia (13.6%)*, pneumonia (8.2%), and hypertension (8.0%).

Approximately 9% (CLL/SLL), 14% (MCL), 14% (WM) and 10% (MZL) of patients had a dose reduction due to adverse reactions. Approximately 4-10% (CLL/SLL), 9% (MCL), and 7% (WM [5%] and MZL [13%]) of patients discontinued due to adverse reactions.

cGVHD: The most common adverse reactions (20%) in patients with cGVHD were fatigue (57%), bruising (40%), diarrhea (36%), thrombocytopenia (33%)*, muscle spasms (29%), stomatitis (29%), nausea (26%), hemorrhage (26%), anemia (24%)*, and pneumonia (21%).

The most common Grade 3 or higher adverse reactions (5%) reported in patients with cGVHD were pneumonia (14%), fatigue (12%), diarrhea (10%), neutropenia (10%)*, sepsis (10%), hypokalemia (7%), headache (5%), musculoskeletal pain (5%), and pyrexia (5%).

Twenty-four percent of patients receiving IMBRUVICA in the cGVHD trial discontinued treatment due to adverse reactions. Adverse reactions leading to dose reduction occurred in 26% of patients.

*Treatment-emergent decreases (all grades) were based on laboratory measurements.

DRUG INTERACTIONS

CYP3A Inhibitors: Co-administration of IMBRUVICA with strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitors may increase ibrutinib plasma concentrations. Increased ibrutinib concentrations may increase the risk of drug-related toxicity. Dose modifications of IMBRUVICA are recommended when used concomitantly with posaconazole, voriconazole, and moderate CYP3A inhibitors. Avoid concomitant use of other strong CYP3A inhibitors. Interrupt IMBRUVICA if strong inhibitors are used short-term (e.g., for  7 days). Avoid grapefruit and Seville oranges during IMBRUVICA treatment, as these contain strong or moderate inhibitors of CYP3A. See dose modification guidelines in USPI sections 2.3 and 7.1.

CYP3A Inducers: Avoid coadministration with strong CYP3A inducers.

SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

Hepatic Impairment (based on Child-Pugh criteria): Avoid use of IMBRUVICA in patients with severe hepatic impairment. In patients with mild or moderate impairment, reduce recommended IMBRUVICA dose and monitor more frequently for adverse reactions of IMBRUVICA.

Please click here to see the full Prescribing Information.

About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson

At Janssen, we're creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We're the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular, Metabolism, & Retina; Immunology; Infectious Diseases & Vaccines; Neuroscience; Oncology; and Pulmonary Hypertension.

Learn more at www.janssen.com. Follow us at @JanssenGlobal and @JanssenUS. Janssen Research & Development, LLC and Janssen Biotech, Inc. are part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.

Dr. Wang, M.D. has served as a consultant to Janssen; he has not been paid for any media work.

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding product development and the potential benefits and treatment impact of IMBRUVICA (ibrutinib). The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Research & Development, LLC or any of the other Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; manufacturing difficulties and delays; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2022, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in Johnson & Johnson's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. None of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies nor Johnson & Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments.

1 Wang M., et al. Primary results from the double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III SHINE study of ibrutinib in combination with bendamustine-rituximab (BR) and R maintenance as a first-line treatment for older patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. June 3-7, 2022. 2 Lymphoma.org. Mantle Cell Lymphoma. https://lymphoma.org/aboutlymphoma/nhl/mcl/. Accessed June 2022. 3 IMBRUVICA U.S. Prescribing Information, June 2022. 4 Genetics Home Reference. Isolated growth hormone deficiency. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/isolated-growth-hormone-deficiency. Accessed June 2022. 5 Turetsky A, et al. Single cell imaging of Bruton's tyrosine kinase using an irreversible inhibitor. Scientific Reports. 2014;6:4782. 6 de Rooij MF, Kuil A, Geest CR, et al. The clinically active BTK inhibitor PCI-32765 targets B-cell receptor- and chemokine-controlled adhesion and migration in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Blood. 2012;119(11):2590-2594. 7 NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma V2.2022. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Accessed June 2022.

Media Contacts:

Christie Corbett

+1 857-636-0211

Jessica Castles Smith

+1 732-501-8181

Investor Relations:

Raychel Kruper

+1 732-524-6164

U.S. Medical Inquiries:

+1 800-526-7736

SOURCE The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
Dr. Bagiana NASA astronaut for over 15 years, veteran of two Space Shuttle missions, former registered professional engineer, and founding Director of the Center for Healthcare Engineering and Patient Safety as well as the Center for Risk Analysis Informed Decision Engineering at the University of Michigan and member of The Doctors Company Board of Governorswill join moderator David L. Feldman, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Healthcare Risk Advisors and TDC Group, in the webinars.

The series, which highlights leading voices in healthcare, premieres at noon (EDT) June 7 with Dr. Bagian and Rohit Bhalla, MD, MPH, Chief Clinical and Quality Officer, Stamford Health, Stamford, Connecticut, speaking on "Understanding and Preventing Adverse Events." They will discuss reporting systems, advancing transparency, the study of near misses, and what's lacking in root cause analyses. Registration is now open for the free webinar, which also will be available on demand after the live event.

Upcoming webinars will feature:

Rosanne Raso , DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York City , who will join Dr. Bagian in discussing "Engaging the C-Suite in Safety and Quality."

, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, , who will join Dr. Bagian in discussing "Engaging the C-Suite in Safety and Quality." Brijen Shah , MD, Associate Professor, Icahn School of Medicine and Vice President, Medical Affairs, Mount Sinai Health System, New York City , who will converse with Dr. Bagian about "Teaching Safety and Quality."

"Despite more than 20 years of focus on patient safety, many hospitals and healthcare professionals still struggle with advancing the safety and quality agenda in their institutions. Therefore, we are pleased to share the expertise of Dr. Bagian and other leading voices in healthcare with hospital leaders and clinicians nationwide," said Dr. Feldman.

Dates and times for future webinars featuring Dr. Bagian can be found at www.thetdcgroup.com.

About TDC Group

The TDC Group of companies (TDC Group) is the nation's largest physician-owned provider of insurance, risk management, and healthcare practice improvement solutions. Serving the full continuum of care, from individual physicians to academic medical systems, we help healthcare professionals overcome the complexities of today's practice environment. TDC Group ( thetdcgroup.com ) delivers proven solutions constantly refined through tireless innovation. We are defined by our depth of experience, commitment to service, unparalleled product offering, and broad distribution capabilities. With annual revenue of $1 billion, over $6.5 billion in assets, and offices nationwide, TDC Group serves over 100,000 healthcare professionals and organizations throughout the United States.

SOURCE TDC Group
MARINA DEL REY, Calif., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pluto, a free investing platform that makes it easy for stock market traders to enhance their efforts with systematic investing, has closed a $4 million dollar seed round led by at.inc/ Nadav Eylath. The round includes Switch Ventures, and Caffeinated Capital.

Based in Marina Del Rey, CA, the company brings systematic investment approaches to every retail investor. Pluto's app abstracts the programming and execution side of the equation so its users can focus on strategy.

Pluto's Block Editor

With this advancement, retail traders no longer need to develop technical or programming skills or worry about adequate computing systems. Pluto manages the data and servers where all the execution takes place from strategies constructed in their app.

"Our vision is to make institution quality approaches to the market accessible to everyone. Retail investors have not been given adequate access to trade equities well, and Pluto is changing that," said Jacob Sansbury the Co-founder & CEO.

Using NFTs as proof of ownership, Pluto's marketplace is where it gets super interesting. Users have the option to sell or lease their own trading recipes or use professionally architected strategies from marketplace creators. Marketplace creators monetize their deep financial background while protecting their intellectual property. Pluto's marketplace allows anyone to sell or lease time on their strategies while hiding the underlying methodology.

All marketplace strategies are graded via Pluto's grading system which tests strategies for robustness before they can be distributed.

"I see a future where retail invests in strategies from the best minds in the industry to weather bear markets and capitalize on bull markets. I also want to make sure we protect and educate our users to help them make better investment decisions," said Dakota McDaniels, Co-Founder & COO.

Dakota and Jacob, Pluto's founders, have been best friends since middle school. Dakota earned his computer science degree in just 2.5 years while Jacob was building software at Bridgewater Associates, the world's biggest hedge fund, at the age of 18, where he learned from some of the best in the business. They teamed up to start Pluto after having successfully built trading bots for themselves.

Pluto also shares a portion of its revenue back to the community making it not only free and accessible but putting money back into the pockets of its users for simply doing what they already do. More at https://pluto.fi

SOURCE Pluto
XIAMEN, China, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Qudian Inc. ("Qudian" or the "Company") (NYSE: QD), a consumer-oriented technology company in China, today announced that it is notifying holders of its 1.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (CUSIP No. 747798AB2) (the "Notes") that pursuant to the Indenture dated as of July 1, 2019 (the "Indenture") relating to the Notes by and between the Company and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as trustee, each holder has the right, at the option of such holder, to require the Company to repurchase all of such holder's Notes or any portion thereof that is an integral multiple of US$1,000 principal amount for cash on July 1, 2022 (the "Repurchase Right"). The Repurchase Right expires at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Thursday, June 30, 2022.

The Repurchase Right entitles each holder of the Notes to require the Company to repurchase all of such holder's Notes or any portion thereof that is an integral multiple of US$1,000 principal amount. The repurchase price for such Notes will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased, plus any accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, July 1, 2022, which is the date specified for repurchase in the Indenture (the "Repurchase Date"), subject to the terms and conditions of the Indenture and the Notes. The Repurchase Date is an interest payment date under the terms of the Indenture and the Notes. Accordingly, on July 1, 2022, the Company will pay accrued and unpaid interest on all of the Notes through June 30, 2022 to all holders who were holders of record as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, regardless of whether the Repurchase Right is exercised with respect to such Notes. On the Repurchase Date, there will be no accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes. As of May 31, 2022, there was US$47,500,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Notes outstanding. If all outstanding Notes are surrendered for repurchase through the exercise of the Repurchase Right, the aggregate cash purchase price will be US$47,500,000.

The opportunity for holders of the Notes to exercise the Repurchase Right commences at 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on Thursday, June 2, 2022, and will terminate at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Thursday, June 30, 2022. In order to exercise the Repurchase Right, a holder must follow the procedures set forth in the Company's Notice of Optional Repurchase Right to holders (the "Repurchase Right Notice"), which is available through Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas. Holders may withdraw any previously surrendered Notes pursuant to the terms of the Repurchase Right Notice at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Thursday, June 30, 2022, or as otherwise provided by applicable law.

This press release is for information only and is not an offer to purchase, a solicitation of an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell the Notes or any other securities of the Company. The Notes may be repurchased only in accordance with the Company's Repurchase Right Notice dated June 2, 2022 and related documents. None of the Company, its board of directors or its employees has made or is making any representation or recommendation to any holder as to whether to exercise or refrain from exercising the Repurchase Right.

Holders of the Notes should refer to the Indenture for a complete description of repurchase procedures and direct any questions concerning the mechanics of repurchase to the trustee by contacting Reorganization Unit, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas (Email: [email protected]). Holders of Notes may request the Company's Repurchase Right Notice from the paying agent at 5022 Gate Parkway, Mail Stop: JCK01-0218, Jacksonville, Florida, 32256 USA, Attention: Reorganization Unit, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, or [email protected].

HOLDERS OF NOTES AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES ARE URGED TO READ THE COMPANY'S REPURCHASE RIGHT NOTICE BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE REPURCHASE RIGHT.

About Qudian Inc.

Qudian Inc. ("Qudian") is a consumer-oriented technology company in China. The Company historically focused on providing credit solutions to consumers. The Company is exploring innovative consumer products and services to satisfy Chinese consumers' fundamental and daily needs by leveraging its technology capabilities. In March 2022, it launched a ready-to-cook meal business catering to working-class consumers in China.

For more information, please visit https://ir.qudian.com .

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the expectation of its collection efficiency and delinquency, contains forward-looking statements. Qudian may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the SEC, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Qudian's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Qudian's goal and strategies; Qudian's expansion plans; Qudian's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; Qudian's expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, its products; Qudian's expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with customers, business partners and other parties it collaborates with; general economic and business conditions; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Qudian's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Qudian does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China:

Qudian Inc.

IR team

Tel: +86-592-596-8208

E-mail: [email protected]

The Piacente Group, Inc.

Jenny Cai

Tel: +86 (10) 6508-0677

E-mail: [email protected]

In the United States:

The Piacente Group, Inc.

Brandi Piacente

Tel: +1-212-481-2050

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Qudian Inc.
OKLAHOMA CITY, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA

In re SANDRIDGE ENERGY, INC. SECURITIES LITIGATION - This Document Relates To: ALL ACTIONS.

_________________________________________________ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) No. 5:12-cv-01341-G CLASS ACTION SUMMARY NOTICE

TO: ALL PERSONS AND ENTITIES THAT PURCHASED OR ACQUIRED SANDRIDGE ENERGY, INC. ("SANDRIDGE") COMMON STOCK DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN FEBRUARY 24, 2011 AND NOVEMBER 8, 2012, INCLUSIVE (THE "CLASS PERIOD")

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED, pursuant to an Order of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, that a hearing, which the Court may require or permit to be conducted as a telephonic hearing, will be held on October 6, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., before the Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, 200 NW 4th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73102, for the purpose of determining: (1) whether the proposed Settlement of the above-captioned litigation (the "Litigation"), as set forth in the Stipulation and Agreement of Settlement ("Stipulation") reached between the parties, consisting of Twenty-One Million Eight Hundred Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($21,807,500) in cash, should be approved as fair, reasonable, and adequate to the Members of the Class; (2) whether the release by Class Members of claims as set forth in the Stipulation should be authorized; (3) whether the proposed plan to distribute the settlement proceeds (the "Plan of Allocation") is fair, reasonable, and adequate; (4) whether the application by Lead Counsel for an award of attorneys' fees, charges, and expenses and the award to Plaintiffs pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 78u-4(a)(4) in connection with their representation of the Class should be approved; and (5) whether the Judgment, in the form attached to the Stipulation, should be entered.

Please note that the date, time and location of the Settlement Hearing are subject to change without further notice. The Court may require or permit attendance at the Settlement Hearing by telephone. If the Court requires or permits telephonic participation in the Settlement Hearing, the dial-in number for the Settlement Hearing will be posted on www.SandRidgeSecuritiesSettlement.com. Class Members who intend to appear at the Settlement Hearing are advised to visit www.SandRidgeSecuritiesSettlement.com for updates.

IF YOU PURCHASED OR ACQUIRED ANY OF THE COMMON STOCK OF SANDRIDGE DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN FEBRUARY 24, 2011 AND NOVEMBER 8, 2012, INCLUSIVE, YOUR RIGHTS WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE SETTLEMENT OF THIS LITIGATION.

If you have not received a detailed Notice of Pendency and Proposed Settlement of Class Action ("Notice") and a copy of the Proof of Claim and Release form ("Proof of Claim"), you may obtain copies by writing to SandRidge Securities Settlement, c/o Epiq, P.O. Box 6909, Portland, OR 97228-6909, or on the internet at www.SandRidgeSecuritiesSettlement.com.

If you are a Class Member, in order to share in the distribution of the Net Settlement Fund, you must submit a Proof of Claim by mail (postmarked no later than August 19, 2022) or if submitted electronically no later than August 19, 2022, establishing that you are entitled to recovery. Unless the deadline is extended, your failure to submit your Proof of Claim by the above deadline will preclude you from receiving any payment from the Settlement.

If you are a Class Member and you desire to be excluded from the Class, you must submit a request for exclusion such that it is received no later than September 15, 2022, in the manner and form explained in the detailed Notice, referred to above. All Members of the Class who do not timely and validly request exclusion from the Class will be bound by any judgment entered in the Litigation pursuant to the Stipulation.

Any objection to the Settlement, the Plan of Allocation, or the fee and expense application must be mailed to each of the following recipients, received no later than September 22, 2022:

CLERK OF THE COURT

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA

200 NW 4th Street

Oklahoma City, OK 73102

Lead Counsel:



ROBBINS GELLER RUDMAN & DOWD LLP

EVAN J. KAUFMAN

58 South Service Road, Suite 200

Melville, NY 11747

Counsel for Settling Defendants:



LATHAM & WATKINS LLP

STEVEN M. BAUER

505 Montgomery Street, Suite 2000

San Francisco, CA 94111

COVINGTON & BURLING LLP

MARK P. GIMBEL

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE COURT, THE CLERK'S OFFICE OR SETTLING DEFENDANTS REGARDING THIS NOTICE. If you have any questions about the Settlement, you may contact Lead Counsel at the address listed above.

DATED: June 3, 2022

BY ORDER OF THE COURT

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA

SOURCE// Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP

URL// www.SandRidgeSecuritiesSettlement.com

SOURCE Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
MENLO PARK, Calif., June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half (NYSE: RHI) released its Leading with Integrity: Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2021, which details the company's global ESG objectives, progress made and plans for the future. It also includes results from Robert Half's inaugural formal materiality assessment, which provides further transparency into the company's ESG journey.

Robert Half's Leading with Integrity: Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2021

"Our company was founded on the principles of ethics and integrity, and this report shines a light on the progress we've made to deliver on our ESG priorities," said M. Keith Waddell, president and chief executive officer of Robert Half. "We will remain steadfast in our commitment to integrating social responsibility and sustainability throughout our business and in the communities where we live and work."

At a glance, the 2021 report includes information on:

Governance  How Robert Half promotes ethics and integrity in its conduct and operations; structures its board of directors; and builds trust with stakeholders by managing risks associated with maintaining data security, confidentially and integrity

 How Robert Half promotes ethics and integrity in its conduct and operations; structures its board of directors; and builds trust with stakeholders by managing risks associated with maintaining data security, confidentially and integrity People  Work being done across the enterprise to ensure employees are heard and feel valued, which includes understanding and acting on employee priorities and building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone feels valued and supported

 Work being done across the enterprise to ensure employees are heard and feel valued, which includes understanding and acting on employee priorities and building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone feels valued and supported Communities, clients and partners  Robert Half's efforts to shape the future of work through technology and innovation, investments in communities where it operates, and partnerships with suppliers that conduct business in ways that align with the company's values and ESG objectives

 efforts to shape the future of work through technology and innovation, investments in communities where it operates, and partnerships with suppliers that conduct business in ways that align with the company's values and ESG objectives Environment  Recent and ongoing initiatives to contribute to climate action, including working toward carbon reductions and energy efficiency, across all areas of the organization and beyond

2021 Impact Highlights

Results for 2021 underscore Robert Half's commitment to its people and values:

85% of employees said they would recommend Robert Half and Protiviti as a great place to work.

and Protiviti as a great place to work. The company's AI-driven technology provided candidates more than 10 million job recommendations per month.

Robert Half's community investments worldwide totaled $6 million , including contributions to nonprofit partners, matching gifts and employees' volunteer time.

community investments worldwide totaled , including contributions to nonprofit partners, matching gifts and employees' volunteer time. 33% of the organization's U.S. internal workforce were individuals from historically underrepresented groups.

42% of addressable supplier spend in the U.S. was with small and diverse businesses.

Download the report and learn more about Robert Half's ESG accomplishments at roberthalf.com/esg-report.

About Robert Half

Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized talent solutions and business consulting firm that connects opportunities at great companies with highly skilled job seekers. Robert Half offers contract and permanent placement solutions and is the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm. Visit roberthalf.com and download the company's award-winning mobile app.

SOURCE Robert Half
According to the CDC 1 , in the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled as the American population has aged and become more overweight or obese. In addition, one study 2 concluded that 3 out of 10 adults, or about 8 million people, have diabetes but aren't aware of it.

RBGM is an easy way for physicians to monitor patients that may be at risk for diabetes or patients with diabetes by simply providing a device they can take home. The iGlucose from Smart Meter utilizes the 4/5G AT&T IoT fast and secure network so patients and providers can track blood glucose levels in real time. This allows the provider to make an immediate diagnosis and implement a care program to improve outcomes.

A great example of the impact a remote blood glucose monitoring program can have on outcomes was seen at the Leon Medical Centers in South Florida. In 2021, Working with the Rimidi RPM platform, Leon patients who were considered high-risk with A1c levels above 9% were given an iGlucose and instructed by their doctor how often to take their blood-glucose reading. Of the approximately 225 high-risk patients who were enrolled in the program, 84% of those patients saw a reduction in their A1Cs below 9%, a key indicator of better diabetes control.

"In recent years, it's been proven that digitally connecting patients to their doctors between visits improves care and outcomes," said Casey Pittock, CEO, Smart Meter. "The conclusions of the program for Leon Medical Centers' patients are another example of how powerful RBGM can be. By providing these patients with a cellular-enabled iGlucose that transmits results immediately, it eliminated many barriers to reliable data that are seen with Bluetooth devices."

While remote patient monitoring has become more popular in recent years, education about its benefits is still needed. In fact, 45% of respondents in a Smart Meter study3 have never heard of RPM. Those who have heard of RPM programs overall feel it would help them increase their testing frequency.

More than 75% indicated that they would test the same or more often if they knew their results were being sent directly to their healthcare provider

About Smart Meter, LLC

Now working with more than 300 RPM distribution partners, who serve more than 120,000 patients, Smart Meter is the leading supplier of cellular-enabled virtual care technologies that include the iGlucose, iBloodPressure, iPulseOx, iScale, and SmartRPM cloud platform, as well as data, and services. Smart Meter's remote patient monitoring solutions are recognized as the standard for the RPM industry and are regarded for their high patient retention and satisfaction. The unique combination of reliable health data, patient-friendly devices, and platform integrations enable and enhance RPM, CCM, Employee Wellness, Population Health, and Telehealth programs. For more information, visit SmartMeterRPM.com

1 Diabetes Quick Facts | Basics | Diabetes | CDC

2 Nearly 3 in 10 Americans With Diabetes Don't Know It: Study - Consumer Health News | HealthDay

3 Smart-Meter-National-Diabetes-Month-Survey.pdf (smartmeterrpm.com)

Smart Meter, LLC Media Contact

5501 W. Waters Ave., Suite 401 Keith Tolbert

Tampa, FL 33602 [email protected]

813-773-4080 336-509-8024

SOURCE Smart Meter, LLC
DALLAS, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Simmons Bank, as Trustee of the Sabine Royalty Trust (NYSE: SBR), today declared a cash distribution to the holders of its units of beneficial interest of $0.719500 per unit, payable on June 29, 2022, to unit holders of record on June 15, 2022. Sabine's cash distribution history, current and prior year financial reports and tax information booklets, a link to filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission and more can be found on its website at http://www.sbr-sabine.com/. Additionally, printed reports can be requested and are mailed free of charge.

This distribution reflects primarily the oil production for March 2022 and the gas production for February 2022. Preliminary production volumes are approximately 64,786 barrels of oil and 1,037,379 Mcf of gas. Preliminary prices are approximately $94.63 per barrel of oil and $5.19 per Mcf of gas.

This month's distribution is higher than the previous month's due to increased production of oil and pricing of both oil and gas.

The production from the new horizontal gas wells in Panola County, Texas, has contributed approximately $990,000 reflecting February production. They were averaging about 809 Mcf per day per well during February totaling over 182,000 Mcf during this time frame with an average pricing of $5.85 per Mcf. In addition to these proceeds, the additional 8 new wells which were paid upon for the month of February, contributing approximately $260,000, reflecting an average of 230 Mcf per well, per day.

Additionally, another 3 new horizontal wells, also in Panola County, were paid on by another operator for the month of production for March 2022 resulting in approximately 150,000 Mcf of gas, with an average of 1,616 Mcf of gas per well, per day and a net revenue to the trust of about $735,000 for this month's distribution.

As more regular monthly receipts are made in the months to come, additional information will be made available.

The table below compares this month's production and prices to the previous month's:





Net to Trust Sales







Volumes

Average Price



Oil (bbls)

Gas (Mcf)

Oil (per bbl)

Gas (per Mcf)

















Current Month

64,786

1,037,379

$94.63

$5.19

















Prior Month

47,602

1,374,858

$87.42

$4.26



















Revenues are only distributed after they are received, verified, and posted. Most energy companies normally issue payment of royalties on or about the 25th of every month, and depending on mail delivery, a varying amount of royalties are not received until after the revenue posting on the last business day of the month. The revenues received after that date will be posted within 30 days of receipt.

Due to the timing of the end of the month of May, approximately $2,264,000 of revenue received will be posted in the following month of June in addition to normal receipts during June. Since the close of business in May and prior to this press release, $2,211,000 in revenue has been received.

Sabine Royalty Trust, as it does after the end of each year, had a year-end Reserve Report prepared in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission's requirements. This report provides an evaluation of the estimated asset value as of December 31 of each year, which can be used to estimate the remaining life of the Trust.

The estimated net proved reserves, as of January 1, 2022, attributable to the Trust from the properties appraised are approximately 6.0 million barrels of oil and 42.8 billion cubic feet of gas with a future net value of approximately $470,140,000 with a discounted value at 10% of $207,703,000. With these estimated quantities of this year's reserve estimate of 6.0 million barrels of oil and 42.8 billion cubic feet of gas remaining, it could be estimated that the Trust still has a life span of 8 to 10 years. The report is an exhibit to the Trust's Annual Report on Form 10-K that was filed on March 25, 2022 and is available to all unitholders at this time on the SEC website and Sabine's website.

The 2021 Annual Report with Form 10-K and the January 1, 2022 Reserve Summary has been posted on the Sabine website at http://www.sbr-sabine.com/.

SOURCE Sabine Royalty Trust
Florida-based team with over $200 million AUM combines comprehensive planning, fiduciary mindset, and tax expertise for a holistic wealth management experience

INDIANAPOLIS, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanctuary Wealth, home to the next generation of elite advisors, welcomes Praetego Private Wealth, the latest team to leave the world of big banks for Sanctuary's brand of partnered independence. The new firm, based in Trinity, FL, consists of Founding Partners and Private Wealth Advisors Dustin Cali, CFP, and Daniel Ventura, CFP, and Client Associate Thomas Solfio and comes to Sanctuary with more than $200 million in client assets under management.

"As Sanctuary celebrates our fourth anniversary, we're extremely proud to welcome the first team from JP Morgan who has chosen to join Sanctuary," said Jim Dickson, CEO and Founder of Sanctuary Wealth. "We have a tremendously strong pipeline of potential new partners and expect this to be Sanctuary Wealth's most dynamic year to date. We will be making additional announcements as the year progresses."

"We take a holistic approach to our clients' needs that integrates much more than their portfolios into our financial planning," said Dustin Cali, Founding Partner & Private Wealth Advisor, Praetego Private Wealth. "In considering this move, we interviewed dozens of firms, but Sanctuary's open architecture platform was the only one that had everything we were looking for. Sanctuary gives us the ability to leverage public and private investment managers and to integrate many different things into one seamless solution for our clients."

In addition to being Certified Financial Planners (CFP), both Dustin Cali, and Daniel Ventura also earned certification as Enrolled Agents, the highest credential awarded by the IRS. That designation allows the holder to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service for tax issues that include audits, collections, and appeals. They were both previously Private Client Advisors with JP Morgan, having joined in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

"As Certified Financial Planners, we work to integrate all different aspects of financial planning and Sanctuary's open architecture platform allows us to leverage solutions from both public and private investment managers," said Daniel Ventura, Founding Partner & Private Wealth Advisor, Praetego Private Wealth. "We felt that the management team at Sanctuary really understood our business and have the resources to help us do even more with all aspects of our practice."

"Dustin and Daniel have built a great practice at JP Morgan and as independent business owners are well positioned to grow Praetego Private Wealth to even greater heights with the support that Sanctuary brings to the table," said Vince Fertitta, President of Sanctuary Wealth. "At the same time, their collective experience with tax issues will enhance the level of intellectual capital available throughout our network."

About Sanctuary Wealth

Sanctuary Wealth (sanctuarywealth.com/) is the advanced platform for the next generation of elite advisors, who have the entrepreneurial spirit to build and own their own practices and desire the freedom to deliver the tailored service their clients deserve. Sanctuary's ecosystem of partnered independence provides a complete technology and operations platform, as well as support from a community of like-minded advisors and the resources of invaluable affiliated businesses. Currently, the Sanctuary Wealth network includes partner firms across 23 states with over $20.0 billion in assets under advisement. The Sanctuary Wealth Group includes the fully owned subsidiaries Sanctuary Advisors, a registered investment adviser, and the broker-dealer Sanctuary Securities, as well as Sanctuary Asset Management, Sanctuary Insurance Solutions, Sanctuary Global, and Sanctuary Global Tax and Family Office.

CONTACT: Michaela Morales

JConnelly

973 224 7152

[email protected]

SOURCE Sanctuary Wealth
To participate in the Scholastic Summer Reading program, kids will create an account on Scholastic Home Base, where they can:

Read free e-books and enjoy author read-aloud videos. Kids will have access to select e-books in their entirety, which they can read all summer long. Titles include favorite series such as Goosebumps, Puppy Place, and I Survived. In addition, kids can also enjoy a variety of read-aloud videos including The Word Collector and Train .

Kids will have access to select e-books in their entirety, which they can read all summer long. Titles include favorite series such as Goosebumps, Puppy Place, and I Survived. In addition, kids can also enjoy a variety of read-aloud videos including and . Attend virtual author events. Kids will be able to interact directly with bestselling and award-winning authors every month, including Scholastic summer reading ambassadors Claribel Ortega ( Witchlings, Ghost Squad ), Justin A. Reynolds ( It's the End of the World and I'm in My Bathing Suit, Miles Morales graphic novel series), Christina Soontornvat (Diary of an Ice Princess series), and R.L. Stein (Goosebumps series). Each event includes a moderated chat function to encourage questions to the author as well as behind-the-scenes information, and sometimes kids even write a short piece with the authors.

Kids will be able to interact directly with bestselling and award-winning authors every month, including Scholastic summer reading ambassadors ( ), ( graphic novel series), (Diary of an Ice Princess series), and R.L. Stein (Goosebumps series). Each event includes a moderated chat function to encourage questions to the author as well as behind-the-scenes information, and sometimes kids even write a short piece with the authors. Help unlock a donation of 100,000 books. Every consecutive day a child checks into the Summer Zone, creates a Reading Streak, which will help to unlock a donation of new, free print books from Scholastic. Save the Children will distribute the 100,000 books to kids in rural communities throughout the country with limited or no access to books.

Every consecutive day a child checks into the Summer Zone, creates a Reading Streak, which will help to unlock a donation of new, free print books from Scholastic. Save the Children will distribute the 100,000 books to kids in rural communities throughout the country with limited or no access to books. Earn reading milestones and rewards. Over the course of the summer, kids will have the ability to earn trophies, virtual items, and in-game tokens for their Reading Streak progress. Throughout each achievement level, kids will collect new virtual rewards and accessories for their digital avatar.

Over the course of the summer, kids will have the ability to earn trophies, virtual items, and in-game tokens for their Reading Streak progress. Throughout each achievement level, kids will collect new virtual rewards and accessories for their digital avatar. Join a community of readers and create reading circles. Kids can interact with friends and make new companions along the way. The Summer Zone in Home Base provides kids with a social platform centered around reading: book-based games and activities, dance parties, and more. Kids can join and name their own "circles" to track group reading progress connected to the overall book donation, start community conversations, and write and share their own stories, comics, and art, all in their special group Newsfeed.

Kids can interact with friends and make new companions along the way. The Summer Zone in Home Base provides kids with a social platform centered around reading: book-based games and activities, dance parties, and more. Kids can join and name their own "circles" to track group reading progress connected to the overall book donation, start community conversations, and write and share their own stories, comics, and art, all in their special group Newsfeed. Share reading progress. At any point throughout the summer, kids can download and print custom reports to share their individual reading progress with their caregiver and/or educator.

In addition, as part of the summer reading efforts, the Company has partnered with 2,500 retail locations across the country to offer special discounted editions of the first title in select chapter books and middle grade series. The Scholastic Series Summer Reading Promotion features an assortment of 12 kid-favorite series, including New York Times bestsellers Dragon Masters, I Survived, and The Baby-sitters Club.

"At Scholastic, we know the importance of keeping children reading through the summer. We also know that series books in particular have the power to create consistent and healthy reading habits in kids," said Ellie Berger, Executive Vice President and President, Trade Publishing, Scholastic. "We're committed to increasing access to books that will create life-long readers in a variety of ways: through our long-standing partnership with Save the Children, through our value-priced editions that can be found at retail and on our very own digital destination for kids, Scholastic Home Base."

"Children can accelerate learning when they read regularly over the summer. But nearly two out of three low-income kids don't have any books in their homes," said Betsy Zorio, Vice President of U.S. Programs for Save the Children. "Thanks to Scholastic and its summer reading campaign, Save the Children will be able to give books to young readers who need them most, sparking the joy of reading across rural America this summer."

SOURCE Scholastic
CHICAGO, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a research report "Special Mission Aircraft Market by Platform (Military Aviation, Commercial Aviation, UAV), Application (ISR, Command and Control, Combat Support, Air-Launch/Rocket Launch), Payload Type, End-User, Point of Sale and Region - Global Forecast to 2027", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Special Mission Aircraft market is projected to grow from USD 15.9 billion in 2022 to USD 19.9 billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 4.6 %.

Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=23335921

Special mission aircraft are specifically designed or developed to accomplish a specific role by utilization of advanced onboard equipment or specialized trait. Special mission aircraft are used to support and enhance the effectiveness of air, naval, and ground forces engaged in combat operations as well as non-combat operations against the enemy.

The special mission aircraft market includes various platforms such as commercial aviation, military aviation, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The report covers the use of special mission aircraft across commercial and military applications such as ISR, combat support, command and control, emergency services, transportation, air launch/rocket launch, and scientific research and geological survey, among others. It also covers special mission aircraft payloads such as sensors, communication suite, protection suite, and others.

Application segment is estimated to be the largest and fastest growing market

Special mission aircraft are used for various special missions carried out by the military forces such as reconnaissance and surveillance operations. These aircraft are used for either strategic or tactical purposes. The US military is the highest investor military reconnaissance & surveillance aircraft when compared to European countries such as France, Germany, and Russia. The growth of the special mission aircraft market in this segment is driven by the increasing investments in developing efficient and reliable aircraft systems for special missions.

Various federal law enforcement agencies around the world using special mission aircraft expected to result in the segment occupying majority of the special mission aircraft market share

Various federal law enforcement agencies around the world such as the National Security Agency (NSA) (US), Federal Security Service (FSB) (Russia), National Security Council (NSC) (India), and Ministry of State Security (MSS) (China), among others, are using special mission aircraft for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and border protection activities. Special mission aircraft are extensively used by these agencies for critical missions and have resulted in saving countless lives. The increasing threats from terrorist activities have made it imperative to adopt and use special mission aircraft on a wider scale, thus resulting in the growth of the special mission aircraft market during the forecast period.

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North America likely to emerge as the largest special mission aircraft market

The US is leading the special mission aircraft market in North America. Special Mission Aircraft are those platforms specifically developed to undertake an over-battlefield role by utilization of advanced onboard equipment or specialized trait. Examples include Airborne Early Warning (AEW), Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), and Electronic Warfare (EW) platforms. It is a leading contributor to the aerospace industry as it is home to prominent players manufacturing a wide range of technologically improved avionics systems and aircraft components. Leading aircraft manufacturers, such as the Boeing Company and Textron Inc., and major aircraft system and component manufacturers, such as Honeywell Aerospace, Inc., Collins Aerospace, UTC Aerospace Systems, Woodward, Inc., and Moog Inc., are headquartered in the US.

The Boeing Company (US), Lockheed Martin (US), Dassault Aviation SA (France), Textron Aviation (US), and Northrop Grumman Corporation (US) are the key players in the global special mission aircraft market.

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About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

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Storage and Warehouse Leasing Market: Vendor Analysis

The storage and warehouse leasing market is fragmented and the vendors are deploying organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market. The storage and warehouse leasing market report also offers information on several market vendors, including Adwise Realty LLP, Agility Public Warehousing Company KSCP, Avison Young (Canada) Inc., BLT Enterprises, Brookfield Business Partners LP, CBRE Group Inc., Colliers International, CubeSmart LP, Duke Realty Corp., GLP Pte Ltd., HSA Commercial Real Estate, Lee and Associates Licensing, and Administration Co. LP, Life Storage Inc., Mirvac Group, NAI Global, Prologis Inc., Public Storage, Radius Group, SEKO Logistics, and Transwestern Commercial Services LLC among others.

Agility Public Warehousing Company KSCP - The company offers storage and warehouse leasing services that can be used in storage, distribution, processing, assembly, and maintenance.

The company offers storage and warehouse leasing services that can be used in storage, distribution, processing, assembly, and maintenance. To know about the major vendor offerings - Download a sample now!

Storage and Warehouse Leasing Market: Scope

The storage and warehouse leasing market covers the following areas:

Storage and Warehouse Leasing Market: Drivers

The increase in global demand for the warehousing and storage market is one of the key drivers supporting the storage and warehouse leasing market growth.

for the warehousing and storage market is one of the key drivers supporting the storage and warehouse leasing market growth. The storage and warehouse facilities are used to stockpile automotive, chemical, and others. Manufacturers, importers, and exporters, as well as logistics providers, use warehouses to store finished and semi-finished goods. Moreover, the construction of new warehouses and storage facilities is a capital-intensive task. In addition, the high real estate prices further increase the construction cost for the different end-user industries. Therefore, end-user industries prefer leased storage and warehouse facilities to achieve economies of scale. This growth in the demand for warehousing and storage services will support the growth of the global storage and warehouse leasing market during the forecast period.

Storage and Warehouse Leasing Market: Challenges

Increasing warehouse rent driving buyers to invest in storage and warehouse facilities is one of the factors hindering the storage and warehouse leasing market growth.

is one of the factors hindering the storage and warehouse leasing market growth. For instance, in 2021, the vacancy rate of warehouses in the US reduced to 3.9%. Therefore, the low vacancy rate in the US raised the warehouse's rent. Also, land prices in China are expected to increase by more than 5% on average during the forecast period. Land prices in Shanghai are expected to rise by more than 45% from an average price of nearly $130 per square meter during the forecast period. This increase in the land prices and warehouse rent is driving end-users to invest in their own storage and warehouse facilities. Thus, this will restrict the growth of the global storage and warehouse leasing market during the forecast period.

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Storage and Warehouse Leasing Market: Segmentation Analysis

Type (non-climate controlled and climate-controlled)

(non-climate controlled and climate-controlled) Geography ( North America , APAC, Europe , South America , and the Middle East and Africa ).

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The competitive scenario provided in the Storage And Warehouse Leasing Market report analyzes, evaluates, and positions companies based on various performance indicators. Some of the factors considered for this analysis include the financial performance of companies over the past few years, growth strategies, product innovations, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Don't wait, Make a strategic approach & boost your business goals with our Storage And Warehouse Leasing Market Report - Buy Now!

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Storage And Warehouse Leasing Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 7.35% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 88.48 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 6.53 Performing market contribution North America at 43% Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Adwise Realty LLP, Agility Public Warehousing Company KSCP, Avison Young (Canada) Inc., BLT Enterprises, Brookfield Business Partners LP, CBRE Group Inc., Colliers International, CubeSmart LP, Duke Realty Corp., GLP Pte Ltd., HSA Commercial Real Estate, Lee and Associates Licensing and Administration Co. LP, Life Storage Inc., Mirvac Group, NAI Global, Prologis Inc., Public Storage, Radius Group, SEKO Logistics, and Transwestern Commercial Services LLC Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for forecast period, Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Type



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 09: Parent market



Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 12: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)



Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)



Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by Type

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 24: Chart on Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 25: Data Table on Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Type

Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Type



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Type

5.3 Non-climate controlled - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Non-climate controlled - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Non-climate controlled - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Non-climate controlled - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Non-climate controlled - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Climate controlled - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Climate controlled - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Climate controlled - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Climate controlled - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Climate controlled - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Market opportunity by Type

Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Type ($ billion)

6 Customer Landscape

6.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 37: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 38: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 40: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Geographic comparison

7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 42: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 43: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 44: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 45: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.4 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 46: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)



Exhibit 47: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)



Exhibit 48: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 49: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.5 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 51: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 52: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 53: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 55: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 56: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 59: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 60: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 61: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 62: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)



Exhibit 63: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)



Exhibit 64: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 65: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.9 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 67: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 68: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 69: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.10 India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 72: Chart on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.11 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 75: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)

Exhibit 76: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 77: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.12 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 78: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)



Exhibit 79: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion)



Exhibit 80: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 81: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 82: Market opportunity by geography ($ billion)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 83: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

8.4 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 84: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 85: Overview on factors of disruption

9.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 86: Impact of key risks on business

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 87: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 88: Matrix on vendor position and classification

10.3 Agility Public Warehousing Company KSCP

Exhibit 89: Agility Public Warehousing Company KSCP - Overview



Exhibit 90: Agility Public Warehousing Company KSCP - Business segments



Exhibit 91: Agility Public Warehousing Company KSCP - Key news



Exhibit 92: Agility Public Warehousing Company KSCP - Key offerings



Exhibit 93: Agility Public Warehousing Company KSCP - Segment focus

10.4 BLT Enterprises

Exhibit 94: BLT Enterprises - Overview



Exhibit 95: BLT Enterprises - Product / Service



Exhibit 96: BLT Enterprises - Key offerings

10.5 Brookfield Business Partners LP

Exhibit 97: Brookfield Business Partners LP - Overview



Exhibit 98: Brookfield Business Partners LP - Business segments



Exhibit 99: Brookfield Business Partners LP - Key offerings



Exhibit 100: Brookfield Business Partners LP - Segment focus

10.6 CubeSmart LP

Exhibit 101: CubeSmart LP - Overview



Exhibit 102: CubeSmart LP - Product / Service



Exhibit 103: CubeSmart LP - Key offerings

10.7 Duke Realty Corp.

Exhibit 104: Duke Realty Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 105: Duke Realty Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 106: Duke Realty Corp. - Key news



Exhibit 107: Duke Realty Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 108: Duke Realty Corp. - Segment focus

10.8 GLP Pte Ltd.

Exhibit 109: GLP Pte Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 110: GLP Pte Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 111: GLP Pte Ltd. - Key offerings

10.9 HSA Commercial Real Estate

Exhibit 112: HSA Commercial Real Estate - Overview



Exhibit 113: HSA Commercial Real Estate - Product / Service



Exhibit 114: HSA Commercial Real Estate - Key offerings

10.10 Life Storage Inc.

Exhibit 115: Life Storage Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 116: Life Storage Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 117: Life Storage Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 118: Life Storage Inc. - Segment focus

10.11 Prologis Inc.

Exhibit 119: Prologis Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 120: Prologis Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 121: Prologis Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 122: Prologis Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 123: Prologis Inc. - Segment focus

10.12 Public Storage

Exhibit 124: Public Storage - Overview



Exhibit 125: Public Storage - Business segments



Exhibit 126: Public Storage - Key offerings



Exhibit 127: Public Storage - Segment focus

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 128: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 129: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 130: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 131: Research methodology



Exhibit 132: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 133: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 134: List of abbreviations

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Targeted Victory, a digital-first agency built for the mobile age, acquired direct response marketing leader TMA Direct. Tweet this

"Voters are more in tune with what's happening in the political sphere than ever before, but their involvement doesn't just stop and start at the ballot," said Zac Moffatt, CEO, Targeted Victory. "They're motivated by grassroots advocacy and increasingly embracing the role of digital services in their engagement. This acquisition will support our clients' efforts to meet the demands of the modern, digitally forward voter."

TMA Direct CEO Mike Murray will assume the role of Political Chairman at Targeted Victory, where he will play a key leadership role in the expansion of its political division.

"With voters turning out in record numbers, campaigns today demand best-in-class marketing solutions that are powered by data and technology," said Mike Murray, CEO, TMA Direct. "We're excited to build on Targeted Victory's unparalleled success as the industry-leading digital marketing agency on the right to deliver a critical competitive edge for clients."

About Targeted Victory

Targeted Victory is a digital first agency built for the mobile age. Built by digital marketers, we have spent the past seven election cycles honing tactics and leveraging award-winning expertise to build the leading digital marketing and advertising agency on the right. We focus on winning and moving at the speed of politics to provide outstanding, senior-level service intended to scale with our clients.

We have raised our clients more than $1.5 billion in online fundraising, managed over $330 million in digital advertising, delivered over 13 billion emails and 3 billion texts and produce over 10,000 unique creatives each month.

Targeted Victory is the proud recipient of the 2022 Reed Award for Best Employer, 2021 Campaign Tech Award for Best Employer, 2021 Reed Award for Best Employer: Work-From-Home Transition, and 2015 Washington Post Best Place to Work. www.targetedvictory.com

About TMA

TMA is a direct response marketing leader in big data innovation. We combine unparalleled marketing expertise with technology that connects our clients to customers utilizing both traditional and cutting-edge media channels. We build customized data solutions that achieve organizational goals. www.tmadirect.com

Press Contact:

Matt Gorman

[email protected]

SOURCE Targeted Victory
CHICAGO, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Textile Dyes Market by Dye Type (Direct, Reactive, VAT, Basic, Acid, Disperse), Type (Cellulose, Protein, Synthetic), Fiber Type (Wool, Nylon, Cotton, Viscose, Polyester, Acrylic) and Region (APAC, North America, Europe) - Global Forecast to 2027", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global Textile Dyes Market size was USD 11.1 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 14.0 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 4.6%, between 2022 and 2027. The major factor driving the textile dyes market includes the increase in demand from end-use industries such as fashion, construction, and automobile. These textile dyes have been a major part of the textile industry since forever and is a vital part of the textile industry.

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Reactive dye segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Reactive dyes have shown consistent growth and are the most technically advanced segment in the dyeing industry. These dyes are increasing in demand for less demand of water. Reactive dyes are growing at a consistent rate. These dyes contain a reactive group, which forms a chemical bond with the fiber when applied in a weak alkaline dyebath. This bond produces an extremely high wash fastness property for dye materials. These dyes are most compatible with cellulose fibers. Common fabrics for this type of dye include rayon, cotton, and some nylons. Major drivers of this dye type include better environmental performance, low cost, and improved technical properties such as good wash-fastness and a wide range of color compatibility.

Viscose is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

The viscose fiber type segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR due to the high demand in the fast fashion industry, there is huge growth in the Asia Pacific market. Viscose is a flexible fabric that is mostly used for blouses, dresses, and jackets. It is used in the production of upholstery, bedding, carpets, cellophane, and sausage casing, among other things. Viscose is a less expensive alternative to silk, which is why fast fashion behemoths favor 100% viscose fabric garments, which offer a lightweight, shiny finish, and soft feel without a large price tag.

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APAC is estimated to be the largest as well as the fastest-growing textile dyes market

The Asia Pacific textile dyes market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This growth is attributed to the production of fast fashion garments in the region. Leading global players are setting up their production bases, establishing sales offices, and enhancing distribution channels in emerging regions, especially in Asia Pacific, which offers sustained demand, enabling increasing profit margins. Various companies such as Atul Ltd. (India) and Kiri industries (India) are setting up new plants or expanding their existing textile dyes production units in the region. The advantages of shifting production to the Asia Pacific are the low cost of production and the ability to better serve the local emerging markets.

Major vendors in the adhesive tapes market include Atul Ltd. (India), Kiri industries (India), Huntsman Corporation (US), LANXESS AG (Germany), Zhejiang Longsheng Group Co. Ltd (China), Zhejiang Jihua Group (China), Zhejiang Runtu Co. Ltd. (China), Jay Chemicals (India).

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Textile Chemicals Market by Fiber (Natural, Synthetic), Product Type (Coating & Sizing, Colorants & Auxiliaries, Finishing Agents, Desizing Agents, Surfactants), Application (Apparel, Home Textile, Technical Textile) & Region (2022 - 2026)

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/textile-chemical-market-12380328.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Aashish Mehra

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: [email protected]

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In show of confidence, Premise survey of Ukrainians found that most (53%) don't believe Ukraine should negotiate with Russia to end the war

SAN FRANCISCO, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Premise , the innovative platform that democratizes the way data is sourced, analyzed, and applied, recently surveyed 941 Ukrainian adult contributors about the ongoing war in Ukraine. Premise announced the results of that survey today, finding a high degree of confidence among Ukrainians about the outcome of the war.

Those surveyed shared their thoughts on the current state of the war, likely outcomes, what concessions Ukraine should or shouldn't make to end the war, and more. Here are some of the most significant findings:

53% of Ukrainians feel that Ukraine is currently winning the war, and only 6% of Ukrainians feel that Russia is winning. 41% think neither side is winning.

is currently winning the war, and only 6% of Ukrainians feel that is winning. 41% think neither side is winning. Ukrainians are optimistic when it comes to the final outcome of the war.

46% think it will end with Ukraine regaining control of all territory it held before the war and further taking control of some territory previously held by Russia in the Donbas and or Crimea.

regaining control of all territory it held before the war and further taking control of some territory previously held by in the Donbas and or Crimea.

34% think it will end with Ukraine regaining control of all territory it held before the war with no concessions to Russia .

regaining control of all territory it held before the war with no concessions to .

9% think that Ukraine will regain control of all territory it held before the war but makes non-territorial compromises to Russia .

will regain control of all territory it held before the war but makes non-territorial compromises to .

9% predict that Russia will take control of some new territory in eastern and or southern Ukraine .

will take control of some new territory in eastern and or southern .

Only 2% predict an outright victory for Russia and think it will take control of most or all of Ukraine and replace the current Ukrainian government.

and think it will take control of most or all of and replace the current Ukrainian government. More than half (52%) of Ukrainians think the war will last at least another 6 months.

When asked if Ukraine should negotiate with Russia to end the war, even if it meant making concessions to Russia , only 22% of Ukrainians said yes. 25% were unsure and 53% said no.

should negotiate with to end the war, even if it meant making concessions to , only 22% of Ukrainians said yes. 25% were unsure and 53% said no. Of those who said yes or they were unsure, 36% said agreeing to not join NATO was an acceptable compromise and 30% said agreeing to not acquire nuclear weapons was an acceptable compromise.

"These results show that not only is Ukraine united but the will to resist Russian occupation is high in spite of significant devastation to the country," said Maury Blackman, CEO of Premise. "These findings also show that, despite the historical and cultural differences between Eastern and Western Ukraine, Russian President Putin has united the entire country of Ukraine. Even in Eastern Ukraine, which due to its geography has been historically pro-Russia, a vast majority of Ukrainian adults (72%) think Putin should be prosecuted as a war criminal."

For more, see link here: https://www.premise.com/blog/how-do-ukrainians-see-the-war-playing-out/.

Methodology

These results are based on responses from 941 Ukrainian adults aged 18 years and older, surveyed from May 24th to May 27th, 2022. Respondents were randomly chosen to complete the survey based on a stratified random sampling plan incorporating region, age, and gender based on the Ukraine Crisis: Monitoring population displacement through social media activity population estimates and were compensated for their time. Respondents completed the survey in Ukrainian and Russian on the Premise app.

About Premise

Premise is an on demand insights company. Its technology mobilizes communities of global smartphone users to source actionable data in real-time, cost-effectively, and with the visibility needed. In more than 135 countries and 37 languages, Premise finds Data for Every Decision. To learn more, please visit www.premise.com .

Contact: Taylor C. Pearson

[email protected]

202-235-3482

SOURCE Premise
Plane Full of Supplies Organized By Doctors Gennady Bratslavsky and Alex Golubenko, and Charita Shteynberg, Will Be Distributed By American Activist Amed Khan and Swedish Businessman Lukas Lundin

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, June 2nd, a chartered flight containing donated medical supplies with a retail value of over $35 million left the United States for Poland, where the supplies will then be distributed to hospitals across Ukraine. Organized by two Ukrainian doctors, Gennady Bratslavsky and Alex Golubenko, childhood best friends from Kyiv who live and work in New York, the plane is filled with life saving medications including antibiotics, anti seizure, antifungal, and other medications. This generous donation was facilitated by Elena Novikova, provided by Taro Pharmaceuticals, organized by Charita Shteynberg (founder of World of Connections , a liaison service for nonprofit organizations that acquired much of the supplies from hospitals and nonprofits), and accepted under Dr. Bratslavsky's medical license.

As soon as Dr. Bratslavsky and Dr. Golubenko saw their native country attacked, they sprang into action, founding Help Free Ukraine , an organization which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars that contributed to purchasing these medications. In April, Dr. Bratslavsky traveled to Ukraine, where he and Charita Shteynberg personally oversaw the delivery of an initial 140,000 pounds of different medications including those needed for oncologic patients and those with cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, Dr. Bratslavsky and Alex purchased gas masks, satellite phones, ambulances, and individual first aid kits for first responders and Ukrainian hospitals. Bratslavsky personally drove an ambulance full of supplies for 20 hours into Ukraine to ensure delivery. This current flight will be the culmination of this comprehensive initiative.

To manage logistical challenges, American philanthropist and activist Amed Khan chartered the flight alongside his partner, Lukas Lundin, and will assist with distribution on the ground in Ukraine, where he's been working since the invasion three months ago, facilitating thousands of civilian evacuations. Mr. Khan also works closely with Sebastian Kopolovich and Anna Popruga, who have provided enormous logistical support for this operation. Additional organizations and individuals supporting the cause include Blue Rose , a logistics organization facilitating donations, and Dr. Bratslavsky's wife, artist Katya Bratslavsky who has personally donated over a quarter of a million dollars from her art sales to Help Free Ukraine.

"Though we have been grateful for the opportunity to reside and build our lives in the United States for the past few decades, Ukraine remains home to us, and it has been heartbreaking to watch our native city face such a devastating attack," said Dr. Bratslavsky. "Our hope is that these supplies will provide a touch of relief to the hospitals and people who need them most, and that we can achieve additional initiatives in the future with the help of donations. We are in awe of Mr. Khan's generosity and commitment to humanity."

"Over the past few months, I've witnessed firsthand how desperate the need is for hospitals in Ukraine to receive the types of lifesaving supplies that this flight will deliver," said Amed Khan. "I'm endlessly grateful for people like Dr. Bratslavsky, Dr. Golubenko, and Charita Shteynberg of World of Connections, who have dedicated so much of their time to helping push this mission forward."

Khan has a long history of working in battleground zones, helping to evacuate over 1,000 people from Afghanistan since last September and previously supporting refugee efforts in Syria and Iraq. Dr. Bratslavsky serves as the Chairman of Urology at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, while Dr. Golubenko is the founder of Back to Health Physical Therapy in Brooklyn, New York.

Media Contact:

Dini von Mueffling Communications

Lily Seibert

[email protected]

646 299 2491

SOURCE Amed Khan
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

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Edition: 11; Released: April 2022

Executive Pool: 6233

Companies: 11 - Players covered include IBM Corporation; Intel Corporation; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; STMicroelectronics N.V.; Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited; Western Digital Corporation and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Technology (PCM as DRAM, PCM as SRAM, PCM as Flash Memory, PCM as SCM); Application (Enterprise Storage, Other Applications)

Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Rest of World.

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ABSTRACT-

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Phase Change Memory estimated at US$678.5 Million in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$3.9 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 46.7% over the analysis period. PCM as DRAM, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 48.8% CAGR, while growth in the PCM as SRAM segment is readjusted to a revised 46.7% CAGR. The global market is predicted to grow at an incredible rate in the coming years on account of increasing uptake of sophisticated storage technologies and rising demand for mobile devices. Representing an emerging technology, phase-change memory is anticipated to enable high-density, high-speed, high-volume and affordable non-volatile storage on mass scale. Also referred to as chalcogenide random access memory (CRAM), the technology offers a non-volatile random access memory that leverages unique characteristics of chalcogenide glass. When heated, chalcogenide glasses change their state from amorphous to crystalline that allows the memory to store and save data.

Phase-change memory is a suitable option for non-volatile dual-in-line memory modules and solid-state drives holding non-volatile memory. The technology exhibits higher durability in comparison to flash, reduces power usage by servers and leads to space savings. Based on its highly reliable and scalable nature, phase-change memory offers an effective solution for large systems like storage servers. Phase-change memory is a new and budding market that is anticipated to exhibit a phenomenal growth over the coming years. The market expansion is favored by rising consumer demand for advanced mobile devices like laptops, smartphones and tablets with low power consumption. The market growth is facilitated by increasing proliferation of the IoT coupled with ongoing technological advancements. The adoption of sophisticated and novel storage technologies is anticipated to present considerable growth opportunities to the market. Another prominent factor that is positively influencing the phase-change memory market is continuous expansion of the automotive sector. The market growth is favored by increasing uptake of electric vehicles, mainly electric cars. The trend is poised to drive uptake of advanced microcontrollers and bolster the demand for phase-change memory. Future expansion of the global phase-change memory market is likely to be further aided by aggressive efforts by leading players to push share and footprint within the embedded storage domain. On the other side, the global phase-change memory market received a major setback from the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis coerced several organizations and universities to suspend R&D projects, eventually hitting the demand for memory modules. However, the phase-change memory market is anticipated to regain momentum with gradual resumption of industrial and research activities following easing of government restrictions and recovery in the global economy.

The installation of energy-efficient and fast phase-change memory on flexible, mobile devices is anticipated to enable numerous applications, like sophisticated real-time sensors for biomedical and smart home monitoring. Typical sensors hold constraints for battery lifetime while collection and transmission of raw data to the cloud is an inefficient process. Innovative phase-change memory systems with potential to locally process data are expected to allow various IoT applications. Phase-change memory holds significant potential to enable ultrafast computing. Standard computers feature individual chips for memory and computing. Since data computing and storage are performed at different places, the data is required to move back and forth, leading to poor energy efficiency. Advanced phase-change memory can aid in-memory computing to eliminate the gap between memory and computing. The concept of in-memory computing requires a phase-change device featuring different resistance states with memory storage ability. Recent developments have enabled researchers to extend the number of resistant states for phase-change memory from two to four, which is anticipated to bode well for flexible in-memory computing. In addition, novel phase-change memories are expected to be employed in large datacenters to reduce energy consumption. The combination of speed and energy efficiency is likely to pave way for exciting applications related to electronics with extended battery life.

North America (including USA and Canada) is poised to be a highly lucrative market for phase-change memory due to rising demand for mobile devices and technological advances. The regional market is gaining from evolving consumer preferences and the resulting demand for low latency mobile devices with low power consumption, including smartphones, tablets and laptops. Increasing penetration of the Internet of Things (IoT) and ensuing technological advancements are anticipated to open new growth avenues for the market. The region boasts the presence of leading IoT vendors including IBM, Cisco Systems and Intel that are playing a constructive role in the market. Cisco has recently expanded its portfolio of IoT solutions to assist partner service providers in optimizing cellular IoT settings and open new use cases for 5G. The ability of emerging technologies such as 5G and Wi-Fi 6 to support diverse devices and enable new IIoT use cases is expected to help service providers in competing with cellular IoT offerings. These developments are anticipated to further bolster the market growth over the coming years. More

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PINEHURST, N.C., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Veterans Guardian VA Claim Consulting celebrated the Habitat for Humanity of the NC Sandhills Veterans Build home dedication on June 2nd, 2022. As lead sponsor of the build, Veterans Guardian agreed to match every donation made to the Veteran Build, up to $35,000. The goal was exceeded by the generous local community, allowing initial funding for the next Habitat Veterans Build.

Learn more at https://vetsguardian.com/

"We were honored to have such a large part in the funding, planning, and building of the 2021-2022 Veterans Home Build," said William Taylor, COO of Veterans Guardian. "We enjoyed building alongside the veteran homeowner, Jessica Anderson, and watching the local veteran community come to life to support one of their own."

Jessica Anderson, a Navy Veteran, her family, and the local Sandhills community gathered outside the newly completed home on June 2nd to watch the home dedication. Amie Farley, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity of the NC Sandhills, spoke about her appreciation to the community and volunteers for coming out and contributing to the build.

"Habitat for Humanity is more than a non-profit organization; it is a tight-knit community of hardworking and dedicated individuals," said Scott Greenblatt, CEO and Founder of Veterans Guardian. "When Amie came to us with the idea of sponsoring the Veterans Build for Jessica, it was an easy decision to support a fellow veteran. As a veteran-owned and operated organization, we make an effort to support the military and veteran community."

Habitat for Humanity of the Sandhills is part of a global, non-profit housing organization founded on Christian principles with a vision to provide safe, decent, and affordable housing in the Sandhills. Since 1988, this affiliate has served over 300 families in Moore and Richmond Counties through home construction and repairs. They are proud to add Jessica to the list.

About Veterans Guardian

Veterans Guardian is a VA claim consulting firm headquartered in Pinehurst, NC, serving veterans worldwide. The company helps veterans attain the VA Disability benefits that they are medically and ethically eligible for as a result of their honorable service in the United States Military.

SOURCE Veterans Guardian
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

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Edition: 11; Released: March 2022

Executive Pool: 487

Companies: 57 - Players covered include Abracon LLC; Daishinku Corp.; Jauch Quartz GmbH; Maxim Integrated Products Inc.; Microchip Technology Inc.; Microsemi Corporation; Mouser Electronics, Inc; Rakon Limited; TXC Corp. and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Packaging (Surface-Mount Device Package, Chip-Scale Package); Band (MHz, kHz); General Circuitry (SPMO, VCMO, DCMO, TCMO, FSMO, SSMO)

Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Rest of World.

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ABSTRACT-

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for MEMS Oscillators estimated at US$371.8 Million in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$1.4 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 36.4% over the analysis period. Surface-Mount Device Package, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 33.5% CAGR, while growth in the Chip-Scale Package segment is readjusted to a revised 42.8% CAGR. Oscillators refer to electronic circuits utilized to produce electrical signal of a specific frequency using mechanical resonance of vibrating crystals, namely piezoelectric material. The micro electromechanical system (MEMS) oscillators are comprehensive timing systems that relays on programmable architecture. MEMS oscillators, also called silicon oscillators, features electromechanical resonating structure, supplementary electronics and sustaining amps for setting or adjusting output frequencies.

Primarily, MEMS oscillators find applications in management of data transfer, radio frequencies and sequence electronic systems and generate exceptionally stable reference frequencies. In the last couple of years, the MEMS oscillator market experienced strong growth on account widespread adoption in different end-use segments as an alternative to legacy quartz crystal-based oscillator systems. The growth of the MEMS oscillators market is driven by the increasing demand from the automotive industry, electronic wearable, mobile infrastructure and Internet of Things (IoT), growing trend towards electronic device miniaturization, increasing demand for advanced and higher functionality oscillators and growing use of MEMS oscillators in the area of aerospace, avionics, precision GNSS, field and satellite communications including industrial GPS satellites. Standardized supply chain, short lead-time and high ramp rate could also propel the MEMS oscillators market growth.

The key benefits of MEMS oscillators include small size, easy integration, low cost and lower power consumption.

In addition, silicon-based production and packaging methods provides capabilities to amalgamate with diverse circuits across typical semiconductor packages, which makes possible scalable standard silicon production for broader timing technology and resonator. In addition, silicon-based MEMS technologies work in a broad frequencies range and are less vulnerable to frequency jumps owing to high capability to withstand vibration, temperature changes and mechanical temperature. For example, Microchip's DSC1001 provides extremely low stability and jitter performance of up to 10ppm across a broad spectrum of temperatures and supply voltages, for instance 1MHz to 150MHz with 1.8 to 3.3 VDC supply voltages and -40C to 105C temperature range. Factors that are expected to hamper the global MEMS oscillators market growth include additional cost involved in supplementary electronics components, availability of alternatives, for example quartz oscillator and crystal oscillator and the effect of helium on MEMS oscillators. Crystal oscillators are adopted in several industries on account of its low cost and compact size. Crystal oscillators offers superior phase noise and reduced power consumption compared to MEMS oscillators. Nevertheless, the cost-effectiveness of MEMS oscillators over other substitutes is expected to help drive adoption of MEMS oscillators in diverse applications. The MEMS oscillators market however confronts challenges from the widespread availability of substitutes, specifically quartz crystal oscillators. The crystal oscillators are widely used due to compact size and low cost of crystals. Further, crystal oscillators benefit from their low power consumption and better phase noised in comparison to MEMS oscillators.

The Simple Packaged MEMS Oscillator (SPMO) segment represents the leading category in the global MEMS oscillators market, by type of general circuitry. The segment's leading position is attributed to the large number of applications of SPMOs. The market for TCMOs is however forecast to grow at the highest rate through the forecast period, driven by the ability of TCMOs to solve timing problems in networking and telecom sectors. TCMOs benefit from their superior dynamic performance under highly stressful environmental conditions. The segment also benefits from their growing use in applications such as IoT, mobile devices and wearables, which require long battery life and higher accuracy levels.

By type of packaging, surface-mount device package segment accounts for the largest share of the MEMS oscillator market, while chip-scale package segment is poised to witness high growth through the analysis period.

In terms of application, the automotive industry is the largest segment in the overall global MEMS oscillator market and the demand for MEMS oscillators from the automotive sector is expected to increase significantly in the short to medium term. MEMS oscillators are increasingly adopted by the automotive sector in order to enhance reliability of all automotive applications and to carry out different time-critical applications. Major market players that include SiTime Corporation and Microchip are augmenting automotive MEMS oscillators production in order to address the market demand. MEMS oscillators are used by the automotive industry owing to the product's capability to withstand intense vibration and shocks, preserve manufacturing cleanliness level and to achieve correct frequency. Semiconductor (IC) fabrication process is used to manufacture MEMS oscillators consequently the product maintains high cleanliness level, offers 20 times higher reliability and 500 times higher shock tolerance and enhanced vibration resistance compared to crystal oscillator devices. Additionally, MEMS oscillators are capable of addressing other automotive requirements that include smaller packaging and maintaining frequency stability at very high temperatures. Several modern automobiles necessitate specific timing systems for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that include in-vehicle network systems, ultrasonic sensing systems, LiDAR and radar and on-board cameras. The increasing application of ADAS for autonomous or self-driving cars is driving demand for time-synchronizing devices, for example MEMS oscillators.

The rapid evolution of medical technology is leading to integration of MEMS oscillators in medical devices owing to the compact design and low power consumption. Clock signal is critical for smart medical devices and manufacturers are seeking reliable systems to offer appropriate information, in turn driving the adoption of MEMS oscillators. The COVID-19 outbreak led to significant increase in MEMS oscillators demand, as the component is integrated into portable medical devices used to monitor and diagnose respiratory issues in coronavirus infected patients. The steady introduction of new consumer electronics products is also expected to drive MEMS oscillators market growth. MEMS oscillators are used in several consumer electronics applications, for example smartphones and wearables, owing to its compact size, lower power consumption. A regular tablet or smartphone employs up to 5 oscillators. There is significant increase in demand for activity trackers, smartwatches and smart glasses. These devices use MEMS technology to enable simple wireless connectivity and timing solutions. Latest innovation in MEMS timing technology enables to minimize physical space requirement and lower power consumption in wearable devices. Furthermore, the introduction of 5G networks is driving demand for compact, higher frequency and less timing slop-based MEMS oscillators. Additionally, the requirement for extended battery life via lower power consumption in consumer electronics applications is also driving demand for MEMS oscillators. Low frequency, low-power time-keeping devices are increasingly adopted in mobile devices, as the devices remain continuously 'ON' for timekeeping and regulating sleep modes. More

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Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years.

CONTACTS:

Zak Ali

Director, Corporate Communications

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

www.StrategyR.com

Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 18; Released: February 2022

Executive Pool: 4113

Companies: 52 - Players covered include 3M Company; 3M Purification, Inc.; Agilent Technologies, Inc.; Alfa Wassermann Separation Technologies, LLC; Flottweg Separation Technology; GEA Westfalia Separator Group GmbH; GE Healthcare Life Sciences; KNAUER Wissenschaftliche GerAte GmbH; Konik Nanobiotech SL; Merck KGaA; Pall Corporation; Liminal BioSciences Inc.; Sartorius Stedim Biotech; Repligen Corporation; Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.; Tosoh Bioscience, Inc.; YMC Europe GmbH and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Technology (Chromatography, Other Technologies)

Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Spain; Russia; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Australia; India; South Korea; Rest of Asia-Pacific; Latin America; Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; Rest of Latin America; Middle East; Africa.



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ABSTRACT-

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Biopharmaceutical Bioseparation Systems estimated at US$13 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$19.6 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 13.2% over the analysis period. Chromatography, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 12.4% CAGR. Factors such as growing biopharmaceuticals demand, technological advancements in terms of equipment, and government initiatives aimed at increasing awareness are propelling growth in the global bioseparation systems market. Additionally, the growing use of single-use/disposable instruments spurred by slew of regulations and increasing focus on production efficiency and product quality are driving growth in the market. An example is the disposable continuous chromatography. Such single-use systems are designed to be more precise and enable more accurate analysis of data. Furthermore, the new and more efficient systems are also cost effective in addition to being reliable and featuring better functionalities.

Bioprocessing represents an expensive, complex and time-consuming step in the production of biopharmaceutical drugs. Designing downstream processing presents significant challenges, as characterizing the identity and structure as well as measuring targeted components is innately difficult. Development of biological drugs takes several years leaving limited time on market for these drugs to gain returns on investments. Consequently, there is a growing emphasis on evolution of technologies in this area to reduce expenses and make them more efficient. Increasing demand for more efficient, cost-effective and optimized techniques in downstream processing of biopharmaceuticals is driving innovation in this space. Also, upstream cell culture techniques are witnessing significant advances that are creating enormous bottlenecks in downstream separation and purification processes, as purification of such high-level proteins is becoming increasingly difficult. Significant focus is being laid on improving existing techniques and solutions as well as conceiving and developing novel solutions and combinations for downstream processing, some of which are showing promising results. Development of single-use/disposable technologies, or parts of systems, represents a major advancement in this area, conferring significant benefits to various stages of bioprocessing, which include eliminating cleaning steps, minimizing cross-infection risks, improving flexibility and convenience, lowering time to bring facility to operations, and expediting turnaround times. Technologies/techniques themselves are undergoing tremendous advances, such as emergence of alternatives to Protein A based purification in affinity chromatography that is most preferred technique for the purpose yet significantly expensive. These and other developments are expected to drive innovation and contribute to growth in the global biopharmaceutical bioseparations market.

The development of advanced therapeutics is also creating a favorable scenario for demand growth of separation systems. Developments, such as HBs-AG generated by heterologous-expression in yeasts, the first-of-its-kind inhalable insulin powder meant for diabetics, and such others are expected to drive further market growth. Research is also ongoing for the development of recombinant-fusion protein markers targeting infectious diseases. Researchers are trying to identify the impact of host-cell protein in the production of recombinant protein and are also focused on identification and characterization of cold-active enzymes, which have significant potential for several commercial applications, particularly food processing. These and many such innovations that are currently underway are expected to present significant growth opportunities for the bioseparation market in the coming years. Furthermore, growing demand for cell-based therapies and personalized medicines would also create strong demand for bioseparation techniques in the years ahead. These factors would result in increased adoption of novel technology-based bioseparation systems for large scale downstream-processing.

Strong demand is also expected for various bioseparation systems, such as chromatography, membrane filtration, and flow cytometer systems. Over the years, major technological advancements were observed in high performance Liquid Chromatography, Gas Chromatography, supercritical fluid-chromatography, electrophoresis and centrifugation, for separating sensitive and large molecules. However, growth in the market is restrained due to stringent regulations governing bioseparation systems approval, high initial capital cost with respect to bioseparation systems, and the presence of alternative technologies, such as magnetic separation for chromatography.

North America, including the US and Canada, represents the largest market for biopharmaceutical bioseparation systems owing to high biopharmaceutical production capabilities and also higher percapita healthcare expenditure in the countries. Constant launches of innovative products as well as expanding skills base in the region also drive market growth. The North American biopharmaceutical bioseparation systems market is well-established compared to markets in other world regions. Additionally, rapidly evolving R&D in the most dynamic fields including pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology and genomics in the region also contribute to market growth. In the North American market, strong growth exists for automated bioseparation systems capable of handling multiple samples at a time, with greater levels of accuracy. Europe constitutes another lucrative market for biopharmaceutical bioseparation systems owing to the region being at the forefront of drug research. Several reputed biopharmaceuticals companies are based in Europe. Another market growth promoting factor in this region includes higher adoption of advanced treatment options. The European biopharmaceuticals sector also receives immense funds from governments. This combined with the factor of extensive presence of high-quality research infrastructure in the region promotes strong demand growth for biopharmaceuticals bioseparation systems.

Strongest growth in the years ahead however, would be reported in the Asia-Pacific market owing to rising income levels of people and healthcare expenditure and rapidly growing population of countries. Spending on healthcare is especially growing in emerging country markets of China and India. Other market growth promoting factors include increasing urbanization and changing lifestyles of people. Lifestyle changes in particular led to increased prevalence of diseases like diabetes, heart diseases and cancers, opening up avenues for biopharmaceutical sector expansion. Several biopharmaceutical companies based in the West planning to set up their production in the Asia-Pacific countries owing to low labor cost and less stringent norms also contributes to market growth for bioseparation systems in the region.

While various techniques or systems are available for bioseparation, the market for biopharmaceutical bioseparation systems primarily include chromatography systems, centrifuges, and membranes/filters that represent the most commonly used products that find use in various applications of the bioprocessing chain. Of these, chromatography represents the major technique used in downstream processing of biopharmaceuticals. A solute fractionation technique, chromatography involves separation of biomolecules between mobile and stationary phases. Chromatography remains the gold standard technique in certain downstream processing, primarily purification, with limited alternatives that can match the yield and purity levels of the technique. Advancements are underway in terms of product developments and innovations. Significant emphasis is being placed on optimizing and streamlining existing methods.

Biopharmaceutical firms use chromatography method to identify potential drug candidates, ensure drug formulation purity and devise manufacturing techniques. Chromatographic techniques facilitate isolation and separation of bioactive components present in plant compounds. Chromatography methods such as HPLC are extensively used by drug developers during various phases of the drug development process, from identification of drug candidates through ensuring regulatory compliance. The wide range of chromatographic modes and separation columns provide significant analytical possibilities to characterize compounds with diverse physicochemical properties. HPLC is used during the high throughput screening stage of the drug discovery process. The method is also used to determine the bioavailability and release time of novel drug formulations. Bioavailability of a drug plays an important role in determining suitable dosage levels. More

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VANCOUVER, BC, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Zacatecas Silver Corp. ("Zacatecas" or the "Company"), (TSXV: ZAC) (OTC: ZCTSF) (FSE: 7TV) is pleased to announce that it has commenced its work plans to prepare a current resource estimate at the advanced stage Esperanza Gold Project, located in Morelos State, Mexico.

Immediate steps to confirm resource estimate include:

Extensive verification through sampling at least 10% of the historical drill core

New metallurgical test work by SGS Minerals

Additionally, team at Esperanza to commence work to identify and prioritize expansion and exploration targets throughout the project

The advanced stage Esperanza Gold Project has a historical resource estimate of a measured and indicated resource of 34,352,000 tonnes at 0.98 g/t gold and 8.09 g/t silver for 1,083,366 ounces of gold and 8,936,201 ounces of silver and an inferred resource of 718,000 tonnes at 0.80 g/t gold and 15.04 g/t silver for 18,375 ounces of gold and 347,192 ounces of silver (historical measured and indicated resource of 1.22 million ounces AuEq at 1.11 g/t AuEq). See information on the historical resource estimate under "About Zacatecas Silver Corp." set forth below.

Significant core and reverse circulation drilling occurred, prior to this historical resource calculation (98% of the historic resource was in the M+I category), at the Esperanza Gold Project resulting in a total of 389 drill holes for 69,716 metres.

Zacatecas Silver's team is now onsite carrying out an extensive verification resampling program of the historical drill core. Re-sampling will be completed on approximately 10% of the remaining half-cut core, RC chips, and crush and pulp rejects. This data will form the backbone of a remodelled resource estimate.

Zacatecas is also planning further metallurgical test work including grind-size and agglomeration tests and further column leach tests. The Company's geologists will collect several 500 kg composite bulk samples as part of the verification resampling program. Previous metallurgical tests at the Esperanza Gold Project have indicated that recoveries increase with lower crush size. However, in order to maintain permeability and integrity of heap leach pads at finer crush sizes, it is necessary to agglomerate the particles into larger pellets. The test work now commenced seeks to increase previous metallurgical recoveries.

Once a current resource is established, the Company intends to use the resource as the foundation for a Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") on the project. A Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") was previously completed on the project based on a historical (then current) resource.

Dr. Chris Wilson, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Zacatecas , comments "Our technical team is excited to have commenced verification and bulk sampling of historical core and RC chips. The core and RC chips have been stored in a secure facility and is of excellent quality. All original historical drill logs, geotechnical data and sample data is available and is also of a very high standard. Mineralization at the Esperanza Gold Project is associated with an oxidised skarn and some of the highest grade material occurs at, or very close to, the current land surface. The deposit is amenable to open pit mining and heap leach gold-silver recovery. We look forward to moving the project forward towards production."

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Dr. Chris Wilson, B.Sc (Hons), PhD, FAusIMM (CP), FSEG. Chief Operating Officer and Director of Zacatecas Silver, a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101.

About Zacatecas Silver Corp.

Zacatecas is a mineral resource company with the gold focused advanced stage Esperanza Gold Project and the silver focused advanced stage Zacatecas Property. The Zacatecas Property is located in Zacatecas State, Mexico, within the highly prospective Fresnillo Silver Belt, which has produced over 6.2 billion ounces of silver. The Company holds 7,826 ha (19,338 acres) of ground that is highly prospective for low and intermediate sulphidation silver-base metal mineralization and potentially low sulphidation gold-dominant mineralization. On December 15, 2021, Zacatecas Silver announced a mineral resource estimate at the Panuco Deposit consisting of 2.7 million tonnes at 187 g/t AgEq (171 g/t Ag and 0.17 g/t Au) for 16.4 million ounces AgEq (15 million ounces silver and 15 thousand ounces gold) (see Company's news release dated December 15, 2021).

The Zacatecas Property is 25 km south-east of MAG Silver Corp.'s Juanicipio Mine and Fresnillo PLC's Fresnillo Mine. The Zacatecas Property shares common boundaries with Pan American Silver Corp. claims and El Orito which is owned by Endeavour Silver Corp. There are four main high-grade silver target areas within the Zacatecas Property concessions: the Panuco Deposit, Muleros, El Cristo and San Manuel-San Gill. The Zacatecas Property also includes El Oro, El Orito, La Cantera, Monserrat, El Penon, San Judas and San Juan silver-base metal vein targets, and such targets are relatively unexplored and will be the focus of rapid reconnaissance.

The advanced stage Esperanza Gold Project, comprising 14,337.83 hectares, is located in Morelos State, Mexico. To date, significant core and reverse circulation drilling has occurred at the Esperanza Gold Project resulting in a total of 389 drill holes for 69,716 metres.

Alamos Gold Inc. reported in its most recent annual information form a resource estimate of a measured and indicated resource of 34,352,000 tonnes at 0.98 g/t gold and 8.09 g/t silver for 1,083,366 ounces of gold and 8,936,201 ounces of silver and inferred resource of 718,000 tonnes at 0.80 g/t gold and 15.04 g/t silver for 18,375 ounces of gold and 347,192 ounces of silver. The Company considers this to be an historical resource for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. Resource blocks were defined using with dimensions of 10 metres (m) by 10 m by five m. The estimation of grades was performed with the ordinary kriging method on capped composites. An added step in the estimation strategy was the utilization of the dynamic anisotropy technique in Vulcan's unfolding options. This added capability allows for a more realistic outcome of the estimated grade's spatial distribution as it follows the folded shape of the deposit. Assumptions used in the resource include the following metal prices: gold price of $1,400 (U.S.) per ounce (oz) and silver price of $22 (U.S.) per oz. The resource assumed the following economic assumptions: recovery of 60.4 per cent at 0.2 g/t to 71.9 per cent at 1.6 g/t for gold, 25 per cent for silver, $2.60-per-tonne mining costs, 64-cents-per-tonne general and administrative costs, $4.20-per-tonne milling costs and a pit slope of 45 degrees. The Company considers the resource relevant due to its identification and modelling of the Esperanza deposit.

The Company has not done sufficient work to classify the resource as a current mineral resource or mineral reserves and the Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Although the resource estimate is considered reliable, the Company will resample a portion of the drill core for the purpose of carrying out a new resource estimate. Furthermore, additional data verification, including resurveying of select diamond drill holes collars; review of graphic drill core logs, comparison of these logs with remaining half-cut core and a cross check of select geological logs agonist database entries; and a check of original assay certificates against the assays and drill hole database.

On behalf of the Company

Bryan Slusarchuk

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Zacatecas Silver cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by many material factors, many of which are beyond their respective control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Zacatecas Silver's limited operating history, its proposed exploration and development activities on its mineral propertiesand the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Zacatecas Silver does not undertake to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Zacatecas Silver Corp.
You could be forgiven if the emergence of Harbour Energy (LSE:HBR) has passed you by, there were a few distractions in 2020.

Harbour Energy (LSE:HBR) is the biggest UK oil company that youre not quite sure think youve never heard of, but, scratch beneath the surface and youll likely find it to be quiet familiar.

It was created in the wake of the Covid-19 oil price collapse with the merger of cash-strapped Premier Oil and Chrysaor.

The merger solved problems for both companies as the former found the means to refinance and open up a path to repay debt, whilst the formers private equity owners it has created an avenue for divestment.

Producing well in excess of 200,000 barrels of oil per day and valued in London at some 3.5bn it is the North Seas largest independent producer.

Since the combination strong crude oil prices have allowed Harbour to accelerate its deleveraging and right-size its debt pile.

In May, the company told investors that it repaid US$600mln of debt in the first quarter of 2022. Net debt reduced to US$1.7bn from US$2.3bn at the end of December and Harbour said it expects to be debt free in 2023.

Harbour in May highlighted investment plans comprising US$1.3bn of capital spending, the majority of which is earmarked for investments into operations in the UK.

It will include the development and expansion of existing fields  more than 20 development and infill wells are due to be completed before the end of 2022.

The asset base has been accumulated through the acquisition of established mature fields.

Whilst under private equity ownership in late 2017 fields were acquired from Shell PLC (LSE:SHEL, NYSE:SHEL), establishing the company at 17,000 boepd of production, before picking up over 100,000 boepd worth of assets from ConocoPhilips in 2019.

The Premier merger brought the company into the public market and bolstered volumes further.

In 2022, Harbour is expanding with the addition of production from the Tolmount gas field which will yield another 20,000 boepd before the Tolmount East section comes online next year.

Tolmount will increase the UKs gas production by more than 5%.

Internationally, meanwhile, projects in Indonesia and Mexico also bulk out the pipeline for the coming years.

Our increased production reflects the addition of the Premier portfolio, improved operating reliability and increased UK drilling activity, said chief executive Linda Cook said in May.

We continue to invest in high return, infrastructure-led opportunities within our asset base to sustain production while at the same time generating material free cash flow.

Chief executive Linda Cook is an American oil executive who previously ran the Shell Gas & Power subsidiary for Royal Dutch Shell and was chair of Chrysaor prior to the Premier deal.

Analysts at Jefferies rate Harbour as a buy with a 680p price target, suggesting substantial upside to the current price of around 378p.

Jefferies analyst Mark Wilson in April identified Harbour among the London-listed oil firms most levered to higher crude prices.

The analyst upgraded Jefferies forecasts expecting to see Harbour generate some US$1.65bn of free cash flow, for a 28% free cash flow yield.

Tolmounts start-up shows Harbour is starting to deliver the type of operational performance which was missing during 2021 but was arguably only a matter of time given production is principally from ex-IOC (integrated oil company) assets.

As a low-cost, high volume producer Harbour is seeing substantial cash flow in 2022 but is always set to be among the companies hit most by the UK governments new wind-fall tax.

We calculate the new Energy Profit Levy increases Harbour's cash tax charge by US$2bn over the 3.5 year lifespan of the windfall tax, analysts at Barclays said in a note.

While that is a significant dent in 2023-24E free cash flow, the business continues to trade on a 2023E FCF yield >30% and the balance sheet can turn net cash during 2023.

Harbour shares have fallen close to 25% in the past month as calls for the windfall tax grew louder and eventually became government policy.

Under the new regime oil and gas profits are taxed at 65%, up from 40%, though companys were handed newly enhanced tax relief on new investments, with 91p of every 1 invested being available to claim.

Unlike before, when tax relief was claimed once returns on investments were realised with revenue the new scheme allows the relief to be claimed after the point of investment.

The thinking in government was that it would promote new inward investment from international oil and gas companys but it remains to be seen how well executive teams will have taken the abrupt change in taxation.
Hydrix Ltd (ASX:HYD)s Gavin Coote speaks with Proactives Ky Chow about the MedTechs new multi-million deal with Realheart, which is developing the worlds first four chamber total artificial heart, designed to mimic the natural technology. Hydrix will help RealHeart develop the external controller device for the heart. Coote says the agreement affirms Hydrixs global credentials of being at the forefront of frontier technology to manage cardiovascular technologies in the future. Coote also speaks to the sales growth of Hydrixs services business which is starting to get back to pre-COVID levels and the growth coming outside of Australia as well as further milestones subject to regulatory approvals. Coote recently said, Hydrix Services first half year-on-year client revenue growth of +40%, coupled with a healthy qualified sales pipeline and client contract wins such as Scandinavian Realheart, strengthens the companys outlook entering FY2023.
Meteoric Resources NL (ASX:MEI) has executed a legally binding agreement to sell the Juruena Gold Project in Brazil for a consideration of $30 million to Keystone Resources Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alchemist Investments Inc.

The company is now well funded to accelerate the development of its Palm Springs Gold Project in WA while seeking to maximise shareholder value through acquisition and investment in complementary resources projects.

Moving forward, the Palm Springs field team has now mobilised to the site and will commence work with field reconnaissance and geophysics.

Fully funded

Meteoric managing director Andrew Tunks said: We are pleased to announce the sale of our Juruena Gold Project in Brazil for up to US$22,000,000.

I am very proud of the work we have completed in firstly identifying then securing Juruena followed by our successful exploration of the project over the past three years.

During this time the team has produced some truly amazing drilling results ultimately resulting in a substantial mineral resource of 1.9 megatonnes at 6.3 g/t gold for 387,000 ounces.

We consider this the ideal moment at which the pass Juruena to a group far better placed than ourselves to now develop the project, allowing Meteoric to focus on what it does best, which is the identification, acquisition and advancement of projects through high quality exploration focusing on results generated at the drill bit.

The sale price of up to US$22,000,000 means Meteoric is fully funded to accelerate its exploration programs at the Palm Springs Gold Project in WA, while having a substantial cash balance to actively seek complementary investments and acquisitions.

Transaction summary

The obligations of Keystone are guaranteed by Alchemist Investments Inc, both of which are incorporated in Seychelles.

The consideration is in staged payments of:

US$2,500,000 cash upon completion;

US$7,500,000 cash six months after completion;

US$10,000,000 cash twelve months after completion; and

2% gross royalty (capped at US$2,000,000 cash.

The ASX has confirmed that listing rule 11.2 does not apply to the agreement and accordingly there is no need for the company to obtain shareholder approval for the agreement or the sale of the Juruena Gold Project.

Changes to board

Meteoric managing director Andrew Tunks has stepped down from his position into a non-executive director role.

Tunks adds: Having delivered this result for shareholders, I feel this is the right time for me to step down from the position of managing director into a non-executive director role.

I personally would like to thank shareholders and the board for the opportunity to lead Meteoric since 2018.

Commenting on Andrews change in role, Meteoric chairman Pat Burke said: On behalf of the board and our shareholders, I would like to thank Andrew for his excellent leadership over the past four years.

Andrew is equally at home in the field and the boardroom, and is always available to shareholders and investors, a great retail MD.

We will miss his leadership but are very happy he is remaining in a non-executive role.

The board has commenced a search for his successor to lead Meteorics next chapter on the back of this excellent result with the sale of Juruena.

Forward plan

Well-funded from the sale agreement, Meteoric will kick off an induced polarisation (IP) survey over selected targets at Butchers Creek north and west, Golden Crown and Halls Gully.

The company has planned eight lines totalling about 5 line-kilometres for the IP survey.

The characteristics of mineralisation at Butchers Creek and Golden Crown (with up to 10% sulphides) make IP an ideal tool for exploring additional lodes/lenses.

Meteoric anticipates the IP survey will refine its drill planning at Golden Crown. The company believes there are opportunities to grow the current resource while also generating new targets that have never been tested by drilling to the north and west of the old Butchers Creek open pit.

Final optimisation models for a range of mining scenarios at Butchers Creek have been put on hold pending the results of the 2022 exploration season, including the IP and drilling, which are likely to have a significant impact on the global resource and therefore the results of the scoping study.
Stelar Metals Ltd (ASX:SLB) has identified high-grade zinc mineralisation across multiple locations during the first field program after listing at the Linda Zinc Project in South Australia.

The companys portable XRF returned high-grade mineralisation values between 10 and 25% zinc in one outcrop for several metres. Additional high-grade readings were also returned for zinc and lead from several other locations.

Additionally, zinc-zap chemical field tests verified the presence of high-grade zinc mineralisation in outcrop.

Encouragingly, Stelars field work has also confirmed that the geological setting at Linda is considered highly prospective for economic carbonate-hosted zinc.

Looking ahead, Stelar is planning to restart follow-up mapping, sampling, and geochemical surveys later this month at Linda.

The markets have welcome the news with shares trading as high as 0.25 cents per share, up 25% from previous close.

Prospective for economic carbon-hosted zinc

Commenting on the results, Stelar CEO Colin Skidmore said: Stelar Metals is very excited about the potential of the Linda Zinc Project after finding high-grade zinc mineralisation with our first field program after listing on the ASX.

The large magnitude of the zinc soil anomaly defined by Stelar Metals' recent survey at Linda also supports our view that the geological setting at Linda is considered highly prospective for economic carbonate-hosted zinc.

Stelar Metals anticipates receiving the sample assays from our recent field work in coming weeks and recommencing follow-up surveys, mapping and sampling at Linda later this month ahead of planning our first drill program at Linda later this year.

CSA Global's fieldwork

In May 2022, Dr Mark Allen from CSA Global, a highly regarded expert in carbonate-hosted zinc mineralising systems, completed a field program and report on the Linda Zinc Project.

CSAs report confirms the presence of zinc and lead mineralisation as dominantly oxide phases interpreted as the in-situ oxidation of primary sulphide mineralisation.

Importantly, Stelar has identified in the field the location of most of BHPs historical drill hole collars and recognised, due to their shallow depth and orientation, that these holes had not been adequately tested as the main target of Linda.

CSA's recent fieldwork and report have also confirmed that the geological setting at Linda is considered highly prospective for economic carbonate-hosted zinc.

The study reports that the Linda Project has elements of Irish-type and MVT mineralisation styles and that the geological setting strongly supports the view that the area is prospective for Kipushi-Beltana-type mineralisation.

Carbonate hosted zinc-lead mineralisation is classified by CSA Global into three principal basin related styles:

Kipushi type: pipe shaped, with cross-cutting mineralisation deposited in diapiric structures  Beltana in the Flinders ranges is a local economic example of this style;

Irish type: dominantly replacement mineralisation with good continuity and strong stratigraphic control; and

MVT: dominantly infill mineralisation, where mineralisation is precipitated into host rock porosity or karstic cavities.

Forward plan

Stelars recent surface samples from Linda have been submitted to laboratories for multi-element analysis and petrology with results expected in four to eight weeks.

The company has leased a permanent base at Wirrealpa Station and is in the process of employing a dedicated geologist to advance this project.

High-resolution orthoimagery and LiDAR have been acquired to assist with ground mapping and logistics.

Exploration work over the coming months, which will start later this month, will include extensive geological mapping of the prospective limestone stratigraphy on EL 6263 to discern favourable grainstone lithologies, map structures and define the character and extent of mineralised outcrops.

Soil surveys will concurrently be undertaken and extended over the entire region with closed spaced infill over anomalous areas.

This data collection will underpin the design of Stelar Metals inaugural drilling program at Linda, scheduled for late 2022.

Furthermore, Stelar Metals is currently negotiating a native title management agreement with the traditional owners and, once this is agreed, will commence heritage clearance surveys and seek drilling approval from the South Australian regulators.
Aurumin Ltd (ASX:AUN) has encountered anomalous lithium and pathfinder elements during its orientation first pass reverse circulation (RC) program targeting lithium-bearing pegmatites at the Mt Palmer Project in Western Australia.

Notably, lithium results for the twelve holes drilled at the Vickers Find South prospect have been received, demonstrating low-level lithium anomalism, up to 370 parts per million (ppm), across multiple holes.

What's more, Aurumin has also completed its initial multi-element analysis using a desktop XRF on selected samples highlighting anomalous pathfinder elements commonly used for targeting lithium mineralisation, including 105 ppm tantalum, 3,612 ppm rubidium and 79 ppm niobium.

Looking ahead, the company aims to target areas in the south and potentially both deeper and down-dip of the current drilling for further exploration, including a diamond drilling program also on the cards to further extend the current drillholes.

Multiple pegmatite units

Aurumin managing director Brad Valiukas said: "For a first pass, we are encouraged to have intersected multiple pegmatite units with an indication of fertility for lithium.

The pegmatites are fractionated, and we are developing the vectors to hone in further.

We have other promising target areas untested with drilling pending as well as targets at depth.

"Environmental works to allow further PoWs (drill permits) are now completed and we expect to be back active on the ground at Mt Palmer in the next couple of months."

Drilling summary

Aurumin drilled twelve holes totalling 1,212 metres along three north-south lines at the Vickers Find South B (VFSB) target.

A review of the drilling indicates a complex geological setting consisting of a combination of pegmatites, pegmatitic leucogranite and leucogranite within a mafic-ultramafic sequence crosscut by late-stage dolerite dykes.

Geological logging showed varying percentages of feldspar (both albite and microcline) and mica (both muscovite and biotite) with minor garnet observed.

This variation in the mineralogy of the pegmatites demonstrates a high degree of fractionation of the original granitic source material interpreted to be located directly to the north.

Notably, highly fractionated pegmatites are a key component in the deposition of lithium mineralisation within LithiumCaesium-Tantalum (LCT) pegmatites.

Rock chip samples.

Forward plan

The depth to which the RC holes were able to be drilled in the orientation program was constrained due to water containment issues and ground conditions in some holes.

Based on this assessment, some of these current holes may be extended by diamond drilling in the next program.

Furthermore, using additional elemental ratios including K/Rb, Mg/Li and Nb/Ta as targeting vectors indicates future exploration to target areas to the south and potentially both deeper (below current drilling) and down-dip of the current drilling.
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The World Health Organization in January 2022 highlighted the high urgency for pan-sarbecovirus vaccines as current vaccines become less effective against evolving variants

BioVaxys Technology Corp has announced that its research collaboration with Ohio State University to jointly evaluate the companys novel approach for a universal vaccine to treat a broad range of sarbecoviruses has reached a new milestone.

The company said Ohio State has completed the preparation of the surrogate virus neutralization assays for the SARS-CoV-2 variants, as well as Pangolin-Cov-GD1 and Bat-CoV-RaTG13 sarbecoviruses.

The next step will be immunizing the test animals with BVX-1021, BioVaxys' "booster" vaccine to be administered with current SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, to target sarbecoviruses.

Sarbecoviruses are a family of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concerns such as Delta and Omicron, SARS-CoV-1, and a broad range of other potentially dangerous zoonotic viruses.

The World Health Organization in January 2022 highlighted the high urgency for pan-sarbecovirus vaccines as current vaccines become less effective against evolving variants.

The ongoing collaboration between BioVaxys and Ohio State evaluates the combination of BioVaxys BVX-0320 and BVX-1012 in a guinea pig model.

The major endpoints of the study are the development of virus-neutralizing antibodies to live virus SARS-CoV-2 and other sarbecoviruses, including bat and pangolin SARS-related coronaviruses.

The presence of neutralizing antibodies in the animal model would strongly suggest that BVX-1021 could confer an additional immune response across all sarbecoviruses in people fully vaccinated for Covid-19 as well as those with natural immunity, BioVaxys said.

Further, the company said recent yields of recombinant SARS-1 protein obtained from an external supplier for the bioproduction of BVX-1021 were determined to contain the presence of a natural protein aggregate by-product in addition to the SARS-1 protein.

BioVaxys president Kenneth Kovan noted that, although it would incur some delay in obtaining study results, the company felt it prudent for scientific reproducibility to re-synthesize a new yield of recombinant SARS-1 protein specifically screening out the extraneous protein aggregate.

The Covid-19 lockdown situation in Shanghai further impacted the lead time for production of the SARS-1 protein by our Shanghai-based supplier, Kovan said.

MilliporeSigma, our contract manufacturer, is now able to begin the bioproduction of new yields of BVX-1021 vaccine for the study. We now anticipate data from the neutralizing antibody study by late August 2022," he added.

Based in Vancouver, BioVaxys Technology is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing viral and oncology vaccine platforms, as well as immuno-diagnostics.

Contact Emily at emily.jarvie@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow her on Twitter @emilyjjarvie
Washington, June 3 : The administration of US President Joe Biden has announced a new round of sanctions targeting Russian political and business elites, in an effort to further punish Russia for its military operation in Ukraine.

The new round of sanctions were announced by the US on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to a fact sheet from the White House, the Treasury Department will impose sanctions on Sergei Roldugin and his family members.

Roldugin, the White House said, is a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a money manager of Putin's offshore wealth.

Also on the sanctions list are the CEO of Imperial Yachts, which the White House said provides services to Putin's inner circle, and the Head of the United Aircraft Corporation, a Russian state-owned company that supports the country's defence industry.

Additionally, the Department of State will sanction a number of Russian individuals, including Maria Zakharova, the Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, and oligarchs God Nisanov and Alexey Mordashov.

Mordashov, whose family members and companies are also being sanctioned, has ties to one of Russia's leading domestic steel producers, the White House said.

Aimed at further limiting the Russian military's ability to obtain technologies and other items needed for sustaining its military operation, the Department of Commerce will add 71 Russia- and Belarus-based entities to the Entity List, "effectively cutting them off from obtaining US-origin items or foreign-made products derived from certain US technology or software," the fact sheet said.

"So far, the United States has added 1,000 parties to Treasury's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List and more than 300 parties have been added to Commerce's Entity List," read the fact sheet.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bucharest, June 3 : The Romanian Coast Guard has intercepted a fishing boat containing dozens of migrants from Turkey.

The boat was intercepted early Thursday morning, Xinhua news agency reported.

The overcrowded boat, which did not have rescue equipment for more than 50 people on board, was in the Romanian territorial waters of the Black Sea, according to the Romanian authorities.

It was six nautical miles from the nearest town to the shore when it was intercepted by a Coast Guard vessel.

The boat was brought to the Port of Constanta, where the migrants are being interviewed by border police.

Romanian authorities have not yet announced the citizenship of the migrants.

Meanwhile, on the western border of Romania with Hungary, 58 migrants from different countries have been found in the last 24 hours. The migrants were trying to escape Romania illegally, hidden in four trucks transporting goods to Schengen Area countries.

According to border police, these migrants include citizens of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Iraq, Nepal, Pakistan, Syria and Turkey.

Romania has become a transit point for migrants to the Schengen area in recent years. They were often smuggled into the country from the Black Sea or the southwestern border with Serbia, and then leave for the Schengen area through the borders with Romania and Hungary.
Kuwait City, June 3 : Kuwait has announced that its oil production will rise to nearly 2.77 million barrels per day (bpd) in July.

Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Oil Minister Mohammad Al-Fares made the announcement on Thursday after participating in the 29th Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting held through video-conferencing.

Al-Fares said that Kuwait's oil production will rise to nearly 2.77 million bpd in July, based on the decision of the OPEC and its allies, a group known as OPEC+, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Minister praised the decision of OPEC+ to raise the monthly production, saying that it would contribute to enhancing the security of supplies in the oil markets.

"This means that the OPEC+ countries will recover a large part of their production quotas in the coming months, close to the levels before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic at the beginning of 2020," he said.

The OPEC+ on Thursday agreed to significantly increase oil output in July amid calls for the alliance to help contain the surging oil prices.
Lucknow, June 3 : A man in state capital Lucknow has been booked for allegedly attempting to disturb communal harmony by posing with an idol of Hindu god at Bada Imambara.

The picture went viral on the social media after which the Chowk police filed a case against a tent worker.

Station House Officer (SHO), Chowk, police station, Prashant Mishra said an FIR was lodged following complaint of one Shamil Shamsi, who alleged that the tent house worker, Nusrat Husain, had come to collect a tent installed at Bada Imambara when he clicked a picture with the idol, hurting sentiments of his community.

Mishra added that during interrogation, Husain told police that the truck by which he came to Imambara to collect the tent was carrying some decorative items and the idols picked by him from a wedding venue.

He claimed that to save the idol from getting damaged, he put it on the Imambara steps, and somebody clicked a photo and posted it on social media and it became viral.

An Imambara is a place or a building with a hall where people assemble for 'Majlis' (mourning congregations) of Imam Husain and martyrs of Karbala.

The SHO said that the matter was being further investigated.
Prayagraj : , June 3 (IANS) The Allahabad High Court has ordered an inquiry into the certificates issued by the Arya Samaj temple.

A division bench of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rajnish Kumar, has directed the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Prayagraj to investigate the manner and methodology of functioning of Arya Samaj at Kydganj in Prayagraj, through its alleged Pradhan, Santosh Kumar Shastri, while issuing a marriage certificate.

The Bench further directed that an inquiry should be conducted as to whether the marriages are being performed or it is just issuing empty certificates of marriage.

Santosh Kumar Shastri has also been directed to produce registers of all the marriages solemnised by him over the last five years, particularly ever since the specific restraint order was passed against him in August 2016.

The inquiry in the matter would be conducted by an officer not below the rank of Circle Officer and the report would be submitted in the court at the next date of hearing.

"The possibility of an organised racket working for extraneous reasons cannot be ruled out, in which involvement/assistance of others are possible," the bench observed.

In the event of the activities of the person not found to be fair and just, it will be open for the authorities to initiate appropriate action, as may be warranted in law, the bench clarified.

The court ordered that the restraint order passed earlier against Shastri and also the Oath Commissioner, who has indiscriminately sworn the affidavit even before the marriage was allegedly performed, as has been noticed in the previous order passed in the petition, shall continue.

The Court passed these directions during the hearing of a petition filed by one Kapil Kumar.

The petitioner, before the court, claimed that he has solemnised marriage with the private respondent and therefore, lodging of FIR against him was unreasonable.
Kabul, June 3 : The Taliban-led Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has vowed to continue acting as a mediator between the Pakistan government and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group aimed at ensuring stability in the region.

"Based on its main and permanent policy of supporting security and stability in the region, the IEA has continued to mediate between the Pakistani government and the TTP and is still continuing its efforts and hopes for good results," TOLO News quoted Inamullah Samangani, a spokesman for the Taliban government, as saying.

After the arrival of more than 50 ethnic leaders from seven Pakistani tribal regions in Kabul, the TTP issued a statement, urging the Islamabad government to withdraw its soldiers to negotiate a ceasefire.

The TTP has also sought the entire liberation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's tribal areas from the Pakistani Army, TOLO News reported.

In recent months, the IEA has often mediated between the TTP and the Islamabad government, but Pakistani tribal elders have stated that their trip to Kabul is intended to agree on an extended ceasefire with the assistance of Afghanistan's Taliban regime.

In the last 14 years, the TTP has consistently asked for the repeal of stringent laws, the release of its members by the Pakistan government and a reduction in military presence in tribal areas.
Bengaluru, June 3 : Karnataka Health Minister K. Sudhakar has tested positive for Covid.

Giving the information on his Twitter handle, he said, "I have tested positive for Covid-19, after being uninfected through 3 waves of pandemic.

"I have moderate symptoms and will home- isolate myself and follow all protocols. Grateful that I am fully vaccinated," he stated on Thursday late night.

He further stated, "Request anyone who has come in contact with me over the last few days, to get themselves tested." Meanwhile, 297 new Covid cases were reported in the state in the last 24 hours. Though no deaths were reported, the positivity rate has increased to 1.45 per cent.

The total active cases in the state are 2,204 and 20,380 tests were conducted. A total of 187 persons have fully recovered. Bengaluru Urban recorded 276 new Covid cases and there are 2,091 total positive cases in the city, according to statistics provided by the health department.

The Karnataka authorities are also concerned over the sudden spike in the Covid cases in neighbouring states of Kerala and Maharashtra.

Karnataka had reported 178 new Covid cases till Tuesday night as per the statistics of the health department. The positivity rate for the day was recorded at 0.89 per cent
United Nations, June 3 : Responding to Islamabad's attack on New Delhi at the UN Security Council over Kashmir, India has reminded Pakistan of its "shameful history" of committing the genocide of hundreds of thousands of people in Bangladesh for which it has not apologised or even acknowledged.

"The reign of terror unleashed by Pakistan on the population of the then East Pakistan, saw hundreds of thousands killed brutally; several thousands of women were raped," Kajal Bhatt, a counsellor in India's UN mission, said on Thursday.

"Today, we are discussing how to strengthen accountability and justice for serious violations of international law," but Pakistan is going on "like a broken record" spewing "malicious" propaganda against India, she added.

"The irony is perhaps lost on the representative of Pakistan, given their shameful history of committing genocide in what was then East Pakistan, and what is now Bangladesh, over 50 years back for which there has not even been an acknowledgement much less apology or accountability," Bhatt said while exercising the right of reply to Pakistan's statement.

"Innocent women, children, academics and intellectuals were treated as weapons of war in an act of calculated genocide carried out by the Pakistani army what it called 'Operation Searchlight'." Albania, which is the President of the Council this month, convened the debate on "Strengthening accountability and justice for serious violations of international law".

During the debate, Pakistan's Acting Permanent Representative Aamir Khan accused India of "grave breaches of international criminal law" in Kashmir and of trying to change its demographics from Muslim majority to Hindu majority by cancelling its special constitutional status.

In response, Bhatt said: "The only attempts at demographic changes are being perpetrated by terrorists supported by his country who have been targeting members of religious minorities in Jammu and Kashmir as well as those who refuse to toe their line.

"The only contribution that Pakistan can make is to stop its support for terrorism directed against my country and my people. India will continue to take firm and decisive steps to respond to cross border." She said that Khan "presents a live example in the Security Council of how a state continues to evade accountability for serious crimes of genocide and ethnic cleansing".

"To ask them to reflect on this is perhaps asking too much, but the least they could do is not sully the dignity of this council."
London, June 3 : The UK's Queen Elizabeth II will not attend the Jubilee service at St Paul's Cathedral after experiencing discomfort while watching the parade at Buckingham Palace the previous day.

The four-day Jubilee celebrations which mark the Queen's 70-year reign began on Thursday.

The 96-year-old monarch appeared twice at Buckingham Palace balcony, flanked by other senior royals, as they watched a military parade and waved at thousands of well-wishers gathered on The Mall, reports the BBC.

Later in the evening, she took part in a beacon lighting ceremony.

Hours after the ceremony, the Buckingham Palace confirmed she would not attend Friday's thanksgiving service, but said she "would like to thank all those who made today such a memorable occasion".

The decision was made with "great reluctance" after considering the "journey and activity required", the Palace added.

The BBC report said that the next Jubilee event the Queen is due to attend is the derby at Epsom race course on Saturday.

But there was no confirmation of her participation yet.

Friday's service will give thanks for the Queen's seven decades as monarch.

The largest church bell in the UK, the 16-tonne Great Paul, will ring continuously for four hours after the service.

Senior royals including the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will all attend, with Prince Charles officially representing the Queen.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have flown over from California, will also join.

It will be Prince Harry and Meghan's first royal event together since leaving the UK two years ago.
New Delhi, June 3 : After veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was refused the Rajya Sabha nomination, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi tried to placate him by offering him the number two position in the party. Sources said the move has failed to pacify Azad, who refused to take the offer.

According to sources after Sonia Gandhi's phone call on Sunday to Azad both met and discussed issues regarding the party.

Sources said Azad was offered the post in the organisation which could be number two in party hierarchy, but the veteran leader refused to accept it.

Azad who was denied Rajya Sabha berth at the last moment is upset with the party affairs. And, has not shown any interest in the organisation and reportedly told Sonia Gandhi that "new people should work as it is a generational shift in the party" Azad and his supporters are also upset with the way party os functioning in his home state of J&K and in recent statewise 'Chintan Shivir' neither Azad nor his supporters participated. This clearly showed that all is not well. His supporters want him to be the face of the party in the state.

Congress in its ten-candidate list for the Rajya Sabha denied Anand Sharma and Azad the berth and instead nominated Imran Pratapgarhi.

Sonia Gandhi reached out to Ghulam Nabi Azad and sources said the move was an effort to douse the fire and cull any discontent.

Azad was one of the prime movers of the G-23 and is one of the vocal voices within the party over reforms.

Tension is also simmering in the party units in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan over outsiders being nominated for the Upper House. The party leaders are questioning the move, but the Chief Ministers have not said anything against the party's choice of candidates. Both states will go to polls next year.

The names of Congress veteran leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Veerappa Moily did not figure in the Rajya Sabha candidate's list, and the trio were hopeful to be nominated, but it was the loyalists who got the tickets.

The loyalists include mostly the GenNext leaders, but Mukul Wasnik and P. Chidambaram did find a place. This has led to discontent within the party and even many in the young brigade too are upset.

Party spokesperson Pawan Khera, who was hopeful from Rajasthan, tweeted, "There may be shortcomings in my penance." Reacting to his tweet, Nagma, a former actress, who has been in the party since long replied, "my 18 years of work fell short of Imran Bhai." Hinting her discomfort, Nagma had tweeted, "SoniaJi our Congress president had personally committed to accommodating me in RS in 2003/04 whn I joined Congressparty on her behest we weren't in power thn.Since then it's been 18Yrs they dint find an opportunity Mr Imran is accommodated in RS frm Maha I ask am I less deserving".
Kiev, June 3 : The Ukrainian Joint Forces Task Force has said that it repelled five Russian attacks in Donbas and are continuing to fight in the separatist eastern region.

In a social media post late Thursday, the Force said: "The occupiers have shelled nearly 30 towns and villages in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and have destroyed or damaged 52 civilian objects, including 42 residential buildings, two factories, administrative premises and equipment of several rescue and fire service stations, and a hangar." The Force also said that five civilians were killed and seven others sustained injuries in the attacks that took place in the last 24 hours, Ukrayinska Pravda reported.

The Joint Forces Task Force has destroyed five Russian tanks, three artillery systems, and two armoured combat vehicles in Donbas.

Additionally, Ukrainian Air Defence Forces shot down three Orlan-10 drones.

Meanwhile, an wartillery strike by the Skhid (East) Operational Tactical Group has destroyed a Russian command and observation post.

Overall in the area, Ukrainian defence forces killed 32 Russian soldiers and destroyed two tanks, one infantry fighting vehicle, one armoured personnel carrier, two artillery systems, one mortar gun, and one drone.

Earlier on Thursday, the UK Ministry of Defence had said that the Russian forces are likely to focus on capturing the entire Donetsk region and a forced crossing of the Siverskyi Donets River, but they will have to make a pause, reports Ukrayinska Pravda.

At the same time, a break in the offensive could thwart Russia's plans, according to the British Ministry of Military Intelligence.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, June 3 : Leading crypto exchange Coinbase, which halted payments via unified payments interface (UPI) mode on its app in India in April, on Friday announced to pause hiring for as long as the global macro-economic factors remain in place.

The company also revoked accepted offers from some candidates who haven't joined it yet.

"After assessing our business priorities, current headcount, and open roles, we have decided to pause hiring for as long as this macro environment requires," LJ Brock, Chief People Officer at Coinbase, said in a statement.

The extended hiring pause will include backfills, "except for roles that are necessary to meet the high standards we set for security and compliance, or to support other mission-critical work", he added.

The crypto exchange paused hiring two weeks back and now, it has become evident that "we need to take more stringent measures to slow our headcount growth".

The company will also rescind a number of outstanding offers for people who have not started yet.

"This is not a decision we make lightly, but is necessary to ensure we are only growing in the highest-priority areas. Limited exceptions apply and will be managed by the same criteria as backfills. All incoming hires will be advised of their updated offer status by email," Brock informed.

Admitting that crypto would be volatile, but that "volatility alongside larger economic factors may test the company, and us personally, in new ways".

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong in May revealed that it quit India operations owing to "informal pressure" from the Reserve Bank of India.

"There are elements in the government there, including at the Reserve Bank of India, who don't seem to be as positive on it. And so they -- in the press, it's been called a 'shadow ban', basically, they're applying soft pressure behind the scenes to try to disable some of these payments, which might be going through UPI," Armstrong told analysts during the company's earnings call.

The crypto exchange reported its first net loss as a public company of $430 million in the first quarter this year.

The exchange had launched its crypto trading services in India on April 7.
New Delhi, June 3 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Uttar Pradesh to participate in the 'Ground Breaking Ceremony @ 3.0' of the UP Investors Summit.

Modi will also visit the ancestral home of President Ram Nath Kovind.

In a series of tweets Prime Minister Modi said, "Leaving for Lucknow, where I will take part in the Ground Breaking Ceremony @ 3.0 of the UP Investors Summit. The foundation stone for various investment projects will be laid which will transform the lives of people in UP." The Prime Minister noted that in the last five years, Uttar Pradesh has made efforts to draw more investments. "In the last five years, Uttar Pradesh has made numerous efforts to draw record investment in the state. These investments cover diverse sectors. The good business environment in the state augurs well for both investors and the local youth.

"After the programme in Lucknow I will be in Kanpur to attend a series of programmes in the august presence of Rashtrapati Ji. The programmes include a visit to the Pathri Mata Mandir, Dr. BR Ambedkar Bhawan and Milan Kendra, Rashtrapati Ji's ancestral house," the Prime Minister added.

During the 'Ground Breaking Ceremony @3.0', the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of 1,406 projects worth more than Rs 80,000 crore. The projects encompass diverse sectors like agriculture and allied, IT and electronics, MSME, manufacturing, renewable energy, pharma, tourism, defence and aerospace, handloom and textiles. The ceremony will be attended by top industry leaders of the country.
London, June 3 : The professional longevity of two of England's legendary bowlers -- James Anderson and Stuart Broad -- has been appreciated the world over, with the two seamers being the all-time highest wicket-takers for their country.

On Friday, Caribbean Premier League (CPL) side Barbados Royals took their 'longevity' to an altogether different level, positing 'images' of the two bowlers -- who share in the vicinity of 1,200 Test wickets among themselves -- in circa 2053 when Anderson would be nearly 70 years old and Broad around 66.

"Year 2053 and these two will still be troubling batters! Absolute legends," tweeted Barbados Royals and posted images of the two having almost completely greyed by then.

Anderson, after being dropped from the three-Test away series to the Caribbean has been brought back into the side for the series against New Zealand, and he made an instant impact for the Ben Stokes-led side, returning superb figures of 4/66 in 16 overs, while Broad -- who too was dropped from the Caribbean tour -- also took a wicket in the 13 overs he bowled for 45 runs.

Anderson is the highest wicket-taker in the world among seam bowlers at 644 scalps, and is third in the all-time list behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (800 Test wickets), and late Australian legend Shane Warne (708 wickets).

Broad is the third highest wicket-taker among seamers with 538 scalps behind Anderson and Australian legend Glenn McGrath, and is sixth in the all-time list.

Together the duo dismissed the Kane Williamson-led tourists for 132 runs on the opening day of the first Test at Lord's on Thursday. England closed the day on 116/7 after New Zealand's strike bowlers Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Kyle Jamieson took two wickets apiece.

England are 16 runs short of the visitors' first innings total going into Day 2.
Los Angeles, June 3 : Filmmakers Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary will launch their first podcast next month on which they'll revisit some of their favourite old B-movies and discover new ones.

According to 'Variety', set to premiere July 19, 'The Video Archives Podcast' will feature the duo rewatching and discussing movies pulled from the actual collection of VHS tapes that they used to recommend to customers when they worked at the original location of the iconic Video Archives movie rental store in California, almost 40 years ago. It's being produced with SiriusXM podcast subsidiary Stitcher.

Tarantino and Avary met at the Video Archives in 1983 where they shared a love of lesser-known films.

Their encyclopedic knowledge of movies made them local celebrities, before they would go on to collaborate on the Oscar-winning screenplay for aPulp Fiction'.

Tarantino acquired the Video Archives in 1995 and rebuilt the store in his home, reports 'Variety'.

The podcast will feature Tarantino and Avary waxing cinematic about movies including 'Dark Star', 'Moonraker', 'Demonoid', 'Messenger of Death' and 'Piranha'.

They'll be joined by podcast announcer Gala Avary, who is Roger's daughter.

In a joint statement, Tarantino and Avary said: "We never imagined that 30 years after we worked together behind the counter at Video Archives, we would be together again doing the exact same thing we did back then: talking passionately about movies on VHS." They continued, "Watching movies was what originally brought us together and made us friends, and it's our love of movies that still brings us together today. So we surrounded ourselves with the original Video Archives collection, where we both worked before we became celebrated filmmakers, and time-travelled ourselves back to the golden age of VHS.

"We love to discuss movies, and we want to welcome you into the Video Archives Podcast to hang with us and Archives' new employee Gala, and discover the hidden VHS gems on our shelves." SXM Media, the combined advertising revenue organization of Sirius XM Holdings Inc., has exclusive global ad sales rights for 'The Video Archives Podcast'.

"Quentin and Roger have made such enduring marks on filmmaking, and it's remarkable to think that it all goes back to a video rental store in Manhattan Beach," commented Scott Greenstein, chief content officer at SiriusXM.
Washington, June 3 : Three people, including the gunman, were killed during a shooting incident outside a church in the US state of Iowa, authorities said.

The incident took place on Thursday evening in Ames, a city in Story County about 50 km north of state capital Des Moines, reports Xinhua news agency.

Taking to Twitter, the Story County Sheriff's Office said they received multiple calls reporting that a male individual had shot two people in the parking lot of the Cornerstone Church.

"There are three people deceased, one of them being the male identified as the shooter," the Office said, adding that the gunman died of a self-inflicted wound.

"There is not an ongoing threat to the community. There will be no further updates at this time," it added.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said the shooting was an "act of senseless violence".

"Tonight's act of senseless violence took the lives of two innocent victims at their place of worship. Kevin and I grieve for the families who have suffered an unfathomable loss," she tweeted early Friday morning.

"And while the investigation continues and we learn more, we ask that Iowans pray for the victims and their families, the members of Cornerstone Church, and the entire Ames community." This incident in Ames follows several high-profile mass shootings.

Ten people were killed at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store on May 14, while 19 children and two teachers were shot dead at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, school on May 24.

On Wednesday, four people were shot and killed at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, medical building.

Earlier on Thursday, President Joe Biden called on Congress to take action on gun violence, including a ban on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, or at least raise the purchasing age from 18 to 21.

So far this year, the US has seen at least 233 mass shootings with more than 18,000 deaths due to gun violence, according to the nonprofit organisation Gun Violence Archive.
New Delhi, June 3 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for winning the Champawat Assembly bypolls by a record margin.

Prime Minister Modi thanked the people of the constituency for placing their faith in BJP.

Dhami won the My 31 Champawat Assembly bypolls by a record margin of 55,025 votes.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi said: Congratulations to Uttarakhand's dynamic CM @pushkardhami for the record win from Champawat. I am confident he will work even harder for the progress of Uttarakhand. I thank the people of Champawat for placing their faith in BJP and laud our Karyakartas for their hardwork." The BJP has created history by becoming the only party to retain power for a second consecutive term in the state since its formation in the Assembly polls held in February this year.

It has won the second term in Uttarakhand by winning 47 seats out of 70 but the incumbent Chief Minister Dhami lost the poll from Khatima.
New Delhi, June 3 : A day after Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi tested Covid-19 positive, her daughter and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi also tested positive for the virus infection on Friday.

Gandhi said that following all the protocols, she has quarantined herself at home.

"I've tested positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms. Following all the protocols, I have quarantined myself at home.

I would request those who came in contact with me to take all necessary precautions", she said in a tweet.

Sonia Gandhi had developed a mild fever on Wednesday evening and tested positive for Covid-19 infection the following day. she has isolated herself as per medical advise.

"Congress President, Smt Sonia Gandhi has been meeting leaders & activists over last week, some of whom have been found Covid +ve. Congress President had developed mild fever & Covid symptoms last evening. On testing, she has been found to be Covid positive", Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had informed in a tweet on Thursday.
Addid Ababa, June 3 : More than 51,000 hectares of land in Ethiopia is pest-infested, an official said.

Belayneh Negussie, plant protection Director at the Ministry of Agriculture, said 51,209 hectares of land across Ethiopia has recently been infested with pests, reports Xinhua news agency.

Negussie said parts of Gambella, Benishangul-Gumuz and Amhara regions have detected pest infestation in their farmlands,.

"Out of the 51,209 hectares of pest-ridden farmland, 23,219 hectares of farmland has been treated with modern and traditional means of pest control," he added.

He also said Ethiopia is facing the worst pest attack in two years, with efforts being undertaken to ensure there are no substantial crop losses in pest-affected areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture is also conducting preparatory works including chemical spraying in other parts of Ethiopia, which are deemed to be vulnerable to pest infestation.

In addition, it is encouraging local communities to undertake traditional pest control measures to mitigate the impact of the pest invasion on farmlands.
New Delhi, June 3 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been issued a fresh summon by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to join the investigation in connection with the National Herald case.

He will have to record his statement before the ED officials on June 13.

Earlier, he was summoned to appear before the probe agency on June 2.

Rahul had requested the probe agency to give him some time to join the investigation as he was abroad.

Soon after receiving the summon, Rahul wrote to the ED saying he won't be able to join the probe on June 2. He had sought time from the centre agency.

The ED had summoned both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to join the probe.

Sonia Gandhi was summoned for June 8 whereas Rahul was summoned for Thursday (June 2). Now, he has been summoned again.

The ED wants both of them to appear before the probe agency to record their statements.

The sources have said that both have been asked to appear before ED's Delhi headquarters.

The case has been lodged against several Congress leaders, including the Gandhis for allegedly misappropriating National Herald funds.

Initially, the case was lodged with the Central Bureau of Investigation and the ED case is based on the CBI's case.
Toronto, June 3 : Six Indo-Canadians, all Punjabis, were elected to Parliament in Canada's Ontario province.

All the winners are from the ruling Progressive Conservative Party (PC) which retained its majority by winning 80 seats in the 124-member provincial Parliament.

Prabhmeet Sarkaria, 31, who became the first turban-wearing Sikh Cabinet minister in Ontario four years ago, retained his seat from Brampton South. He was president of the Treasury Board in the outgoing Cabinet of Premier Doug Ford.

Sarkaia's family moved to Canada from Amritsar in the 1980s.

Parm Gill, 48, who hails from Moga and was Minister for Citizenship and Multiculturalism in the outgoing ministry, was re-elected from Milton on the outskirts of Toronto.

Nina Tangri, who is Ontario's Associate Minister of Small Business & Red Tape Reduction, also romped home from Mississauga-Streetsville. Nina's family hails from Jalandhar.

Amarjot Sandhu of the ruling PC also retained his seat from Brampton West, as did Deepak Anand from Mississauga-Malton. They both come from Punjab.

However, federal New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh's brother Gurrattan Singh lost his seat in Brampton East to Hardeep Grewal of the ruling PC.

Other prominent Indo-Canadian losers were Dipika Damerla and Harinder Malhi, both former ministers and from the Liberal Party; and Sara Singh of the NDP.

There were 22 Indo-Canadian candidates in the fray this time -- seven each from the New Democratic Party and the Liberal Party, five from the ruling Progressive Conservative Party (PC) and three from the Green Party.

In the last elections in 2018, seven Indo-Canadians, all Punjabis, were elected to the provincial Parliament.

But Gurrattan Singh and Sara Singh lost this time.
New Delhi, June 3 : For the campaign of his all-new bridge-to-luxury brand, JJV, designer collaborates with Lenskart, an eyewear brand to bring forward trend-specific product offerings.

"For 3 wonderful decades, JJ Valaya has been a part of people's weddings and celebrations and indeed, there is no greater feeling! This year, as we celebrate our 30th year in fashion as a luxury occasion wear brand, we take a step further into our world with the launch of our all-new bridge-to-luxury brand, JJV and there couldn't be a better fit than Eyewear designed by Lenskart for our debut campaign. In keeping with the vision to keep style effortless, accessible yet bold enough to make a statement that reflects individuality, the collaboration worked beautifully", adds a representative for the House of Valaya.

Lenskart aims to tap into a trendy audience to reframe eyewear from a functional product to a form of personal expression, in keeping with its mission to transform the way people see and experience the world.

Sasha Chhetri, AVP, Marketing at Lenskart said, "We're thrilled to announce our collaboration with JJ Valaya as it is the perfect first step towards highlighting the design-first aspect of our products. Along with technology, fashion is our key focus towards providing our audience with a stylish product range, that is diverse in nature so that each person can flaunt their personality through our eyewear." (N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe can be contacted at lothungbeni.h@ians.in)
Mumbai, June 3 : Bollywood actor Rohit Saraf is in a happy place following the announcement of his film 'Ishq Vishk Rebound', which is a spiritual sequel to the 2003 Shahid Kapoor-starrer 'Ishq Vishk'.

The actor will be stepping into the shoes of Shahid for his part in the upcoming film.

Sharing his excitement, Rohit said in a statement, "Today, as I share what I've known for a few months, with the world, I realise no matter how hard I try, my imagination could've never done justice to every emotion I feel at this moment (sic)." "It is the most beautiful place I've ever been in - reassuring, empowering, incredibly happy - and I'm never leaving! Thank you to every single one of you, who have loved, supported and held me as I crawled and took baby steps the past 8 years", he added.

Produced by Ramesh Taurani and Jaya Taurani of Tips Films Limited, 'Ishq Vishk Rebound' stars Rohit Saraf, Hrithik Roshan's cousin Pashmina Roshan, Jibraan Khan and Naiala Grewal. The film, which has gone on floors, is being directed by Marathi writer-actor-director Nipun Avinash Dharmadhikari, who also hosts the satirical talk show 'Casting Couch' on Marathi YouTube Channel Bharatiya Digital Party.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, June 3 : Ashirvad Pipes is now embarking on adopting big data analytics on the AWS cloud as a key enabler that is expected to be a significant competitive advantage for the commercial organisation, says Sankar K., CIO, Ashirvad Pipes in an interview.

Q: The pandemic compressed the digital transformation journeys of many enterprises. What were the key strategic pillars on which you built your digital strategy over the last two years? A: In the last two years, the focus at Ashirvad has been to digitally enable all areas of business, both internally on the operations side, and externally in our customer and partner ecosystem. We have four pillars around which our efforts are centered - digital for customers and partners, supporting internal efficiency, supporting new business development, and big data.

Our business model involves working with a wide network of distributors, dealers, and also on-field skilled plumbers. One of the digital initiatives we rolled out was Sparsh 2.0 for our distributors and channel partners. Sparsh 2.0 is a distribution management system that serves as a common platform for primary order management, secondary billing, schemes, returns, credit management, inventory management, and more. It offers transparency and ease of working with Ashirvad, making ordering, claims, and inventory management smoother and simpler.

Ashirvad Experts Club is another; it is an influencer engagement program run primarily through a mobile app, for plumbers that was piloted in January 2021 and scaled up in August 2021. It has been rolled out in 39 cities across 9 states in its first phase. In November 2021, it reached a milestone of 2000+ influencers, who enrolled through the Ashirvad Experts Club mobile application. As on date, more than 45,500 plumbers have been enrolled on this mobile platform.

Perhaps our greatest success has been the sustained adoption of digital ways of working. We have deployed digital processes across HR, communications, finance, supply chain, production, and sales.

Our Employee Digital Engagement platform, an AI Chatbot DilSe was invaluable in helping us remain connected with and provide the necessary support to employees through the Covid months. The Dil Se platform is also extended to report, record, and resolve near-miss incidents under the Health and Safety initiative at Ashirvad. Users can use Dil Se to report any near-miss incidents with pictorial evidence in the form of photographs through a mobile interface, WhatsApp, etc.

An important digital project we undertook was tail spend outsourcing to the enable team to focus on high-value purchases. Tail spend was a 5 per cent spend that accounted for 82 per cent of the transactions. With this project, Ashirvad SCM has reduced the number of vendors, POs, saved time and resources on non-value-added services, and enabled real-time tracking of orders.

Q: What are the big disruptions that we can expect in the Indian water management industry over the next decade? What will this landscape look like? A: As a precious and life-sustaining earth resource, water is a primary concern for every industry, city, and community. A NITI Aayog report shows that while India had enough drinking water for everyone in 1947, we have seen a 75 per cent decline since then. Overdrawing of groundwater with inadequate rainwater harvesting, and insufficient wastewater treatment are leading to water shortage and contamination of water sources.

There is a growing awareness of the need to act responsibly toward making our water systems sustainable. There are schemes from the Centre such as Amrit Sarovar, which envisage creating water bodies in each district. However, water is a State subject, so it is important for industry and State governments to work together to address this issue.

The focus rightly is on preserving water through rainwater harvesting and water catchments. There will also be the need to measure and monitor water consumption, which many industries and building complexes are already doing. The most important is the need to protect and provide clean drinking water to citizens across the country. We already see various projects from government and industry on all these fronts. We see the application of new technologies playing a role in this conservation effort - underground smart storage tanks, water quality management, water metering, blockchain for water, and smart and portable sewage treatment plants. We will also see developments on the product side, towards products that are sustainable and better for health such as lead-free, phthalate free, etc. There will also be the usage of more recyclates, products benefiting the health of the user.

Q: Water is the next oil. India needs innovative solutions pertaining to source water purification, smart distribution, and storage provisions. Tell us more about how you are supporting the government's Jal Jeevan Mission? A: Clean drinking water challenges are universal in nature and the best ideas can come from anywhere and this needs to be encouraged so that no idea is left unexplored. In line with the Jal Jeevan Mission, Ashirvad is working in partnership with the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, and The Nudge Institute to accelerate progress towards achieving 'Clean Drinking Water for All'.

'The/Nudge Prize - Ashirvad Water Challenge' is a call to startups, social entrepreneurs, and innovators working on developing a solution with the potential to make clean drinking accessible to every Indian household. The prize will provide funds and expertise to develop disruptive solutions in water management including clean water access, storage etc. This initiative involves the entire ecosystem of academia and researchers, institutes, investors and incubators on the topic of water sustainability.

Ashirvad has funded this 27-month initiative to support enterprising startups working on solutions that address population-scale challenges in water. Ashirvad will also provide advisory support, granting access to subject matter experts, and help innovators to bring their solutions to market. Among the judges for this are Yugal Kishore Joshi, Director, Jal Jeevan Mission, Vedika Bhandarkar, COO, Water.org, VK Madhavan CEO, WaterAid India, and Prof Asit K. Biswas, Renowned Water Expert. We are expecting interesting and impactful solutions to emerge from The/ Nudge Prize - Ashirvad Water Challenge program.

On the product side, Ashirvad has a long history of innovation, focusing on the unique applications of water management products and the specific environments they function in. For example, agricultural pipes need to be resilient in a variety of tough terrains, water management in industrial systems may require resistance to heat, etc. Our Research & Development Centre in Bangalore focuses on new technologies that are geared towards environmental sustainability and water conservation, based on consumer insights and market requirements. We have experts who are looking into areas like design engineering, material engineering, process engineering, computational analysis, predictive engineering, testing and validation, digital technology, and artificial intelligence.

Our range of products includes water management infrastructure for fresh water and wastewater solutions right from the source to usage and to disposal. Freshwater supplies include OPVC and HDPE with jointing technologies such as electrofusion and for last-mile MDPE and CPVC along with compression fittings. For storage, we provide modular tanks and for sewage, we offer DWC pipes, sewage treatment plants, portable STPs/ Hollowcore, solid core pipes, and others. We recently launched a range of bathroom and kitchen fittings for households, so now we have complete tank-to-tap solutions which are sustainable.

Q: What did cloud technology enable you to do that you couldn't do before? A: Ashirvad is one of the early adopters of the cloud. Our ERP and several other business-critical applications are hosted on the cloud. AWS has been a preferred cloud hosting service for our SAP. In addition to this, AWS forms a key component of hosting when it comes to Sparsh 2.0 and other critical solutions used by Ashirvad. With the focus on digital enablement, we have recently initiated a move to adopt a Big Data Lake solution. With this approach, we have been able to focus on our core and use cloud and cloud services through partners to achieve the desired results.
Chennai, June 3 : The Tamil Nadu health department has written to directors of all the international airports in the state to isolate overseas travellers with monkeypox symptoms.

In a letter to the directors of the airports in Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchi, Salem, Madurai, and Tuticorin, the department said that travellers landing from international destinations with symptoms like fever, headache, muscle ache, or exhaustion must be isolated and their samples taken for testing.

The Director of Health Services in the letter said that these samples, such as fluids in vesicles, blood, and sputum, would be sent to the ICMR-NIV laboratory in Pune through the state public health laboratory for PCR tests.

The department called upon the deputy directors of health in all districts of the state to ensure that strict protocols are followed for the isolated people once they reach home.

While India has not reported any monkeypox cases as of now, countries like the US, Australia, Canada, and Europe have reported the virus.

The department has called upon the health workers to be prepared to deal with the monkeypox disease and to gather proper information on its treatment and prognosis.

Latest updates on Monkeypox Virus Outbreak
New Delhi, June 3: After witnessing bombings, massacres and even blasphemy charges, the Shias of Pakistan are now battling Pakistan's latest epidemic of "enforced disappearances". In Sunni-dominated Pakistan, even Muslims sects are looked upon as kafirs or infidels -- and this includes the Shias.

Earlier this week, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) swung the spotlight on "enforced disappearances", a highly-sensitive issue in Pakistan. Enforced disappearances is a euphemism for State-sponsored kidnappings wherein Pakistani military and intelligence 'pick up' youth from ethnic minorities in regions like Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh. They are not produced before the court and hardly any of them comes back dead or alive.

Now this list of ethnic minorities is becoming longer.

In April, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) for Shia Missing Persons and families of people kidnapped by the State warned of a countrywide protest if the "enforced disappearances" persons were not returned by the authorities.

At a press conference on April 24, a number of Shia leaders expressed concern over the non-recovery of Shia missing persons. Levelling serious allegations against the government, Allama Iqbal Rizvi of the JAC said: "This is not limited to the forced disappearance or their recovery, only there are reports that some of them have been killed".

Today in Karachi, families of Shia missing persons stopped the procession of Youm e Ali for a while and protested against enforced disappearances. At least 30 Shias are said to be missing. Shia clerics say they have footage showing Rangers personnel taking them into custody.

The South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) says that around 2,693 Shias have been killed till June 2018, while 4,847 were injured in targeted attacks and bomb blasts. Estimates about the disappeared Shia youth range between 140 to 300.

The community finds itself vulnerable to the hatred of Sunni radicals as well as suspicions of their own government.

Pakistan is petrified that many Shia youth are travelling to Syria and Iraq to fight with pro-Shia groups in the Middle East. Then there are others who go on pilgrimages to Shia shrines outside Pakistan. Security forces believe that Shia youth from Karachi, Parachinar and Gilgit Baltistan are fighting for Iran-backed mercenary groups in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

They also fear that many have been recruited by the Zainabiyoun Brigade -- a secretive militia group created by Iran. To keep itself out of trouble, Iran has recruited Shias from other countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan, provided them money and training before pushing them off to Syria.

After the Pakistani intelligence crackdown on Shia youth through the 'enforced disappearances' route, Shia groups have started to protest. For the families of the people who have been kidnapped by the forces, it is an endless search in police stations, hospitals and even mortuaries.

The community feels that it is being targeted by radical Sunnis also. Now terms like "Shia Genocide" are being levelled against Pakistan.

Year 2020 saw massive anti-Shia demonstrations across Pakistan. The protests continued for two days and sent shockwaves not just across Pakistan but also across the world as tens of thousands of Sunni protesters flooded the roads in five cities including capital Islamabad. The protests were held for two days during which dozens of blasphemy cases were registered against the community.

The Shias have also been targeted by the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), earlier called Anjuman Sipah-e-Sahaba (ASS), a Sunni group in Punjab. It has been at the forefront of bombings and killings of the Shia community.

Faced with a spate of enforced disappearances, the Shias are coming together in solidarity. They sat on a month-long protest in front of Pakistan President Arif Alvi's residence in Karachi in April 2019 demanding the release of their disappeared members. The families of missing persons are demanding that the victims of enforced disappearances be produced in courts otherwise they should be released immediately.

They also protested in front of the Karachi Press Club in December 2021 where the families of Shia missing persons even said that the Shias are a patriotic community of Pakistan and follow the rule of law.

Many of these protests are being led by Rashid Rizvi, head of the Shia Missing Persons Committee in Karachi. Rizvi has not only been leading the protests but also filing cases in courts on behalf of the families of Shia youth who have disappeared. In 2020, Rizvi was arrested under the anti-terrorism act for mounting pressure on Pakistan to release the missing persons.

Pakistan has steadily increased the ambit of enforced disappearances to include more communities. In Balochistan, often the missing persons are found tortured and dead in the province's deserts and mountain areas.

Commenting on the dangerous issue of enforced disappearances, an editorial in the Daily Times said: "Last month's protest by crestfallen Shia families as they stood under the blazing sun in their pursuit of the whereabouts of their dear ones (some gone invisible a decade ago) could have been easily dismissed amid the heated hullabaloo over who got to press the big red button of power".

The editorial is trying to say that even the judiciary and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are powerless when it comes to addressing the epidemic of missing persons.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, June 3: Russia said on Thursday that the European Union's decisions to phase out Russian oil and oil products, as well as banning the insurance of Russian merchant ships, will ultimately backfire, provoke further price increases, destabilise energy markets, and disrupt supply chains.

Reacting to the results of the extraordinary EU summit held in Brussels on May 30-31, Moscow said that the main elements of the next package of anti-Russian unilateral restrictions, "agreed under the slogan of combating dependence on Russia", will have a "self-destructive effect" for the European Union.

"Russia will adequately withstand the consequences of the EU's unilateral restrictive measures and remain a reliable trading partner in the international arena. The entire responsibility for the risks of exacerbation of global food and energy problems provoked by the illegitimate actions of the European Union will lie solely with Brussels and its political sponsors in Washington," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement today.

The European leaders, during their two-day special meeting in Brussels, had agreed on the sixth package of sanctions against Russia which will cover crude oil, as well as petroleum products, delivered from Russia to member states. The 27-nation bloc decided to stop importing 90 per cent of Russian oil by the end of 2022.

Highlighting that it took Brussels almost a month "to force the member countries to this decisive demonstration of solidarity", Russia said that such actions will backfire, undermine the economy and energy security of the EU and accelerate the looming global food crisis.

"It is obvious to an unbiased observer that the illegal unilateral restrictions of Brussels are not only futile, but also harm, first of all, the inhabitants of the EU countries, aggravating their already difficult socio-economic situation. Against this background, the EU calls for third countries to support anti-Russian sanctions, regardless of the interests of their population, sound frankly cynical," insists the Vladimir Putin government.

The Kremlin believes that the EU is losing its independence and the peaceful unifying pan-European agenda that the founding fathers of the "united Europe" invested in.

"EU leaders again did not say a word about the scenario for a peaceful negotiated settlement of the situation in Ukraine, which, as you know, is blocked by Kyiv. On the contrary, the European Union is purposefully pushing Kiev ever closer to the edge of the abyss. It supports its militant ambitions with vague promises of EU integration, deliveries of deadly weapons and promises of money," the statement added.

Russia's response to the EU summit comes as the United States, Germany and even Slovakia announced supply of more sophisticated weapons to Ukraine.

Washington's latest package of equipment for Ukraine includes four M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), five counter-artillery radar systems; two air-surveillance radars; 1,000 Javelins and 50 command launch units; 6,000 antiarmour weapons; 15,000 155-mm artillery rounds; four Mi-17 helicopters; 15 tactical vehicles; and additional spare parts and equipment.

"What the HIMARS will allow them to do is to get greater standoff. Right now, the Howitzers we provided them have about a 30 km range; the HIMARS have more than twice that, which will allow them - even with fewer systems - greater standoff," said Colin Kahl, the US Under Secretary of Defence for Policy, during a briefing at the Pentagon last night.

Germany will be supplying Ukraine anti-aircraft missiles and radar systems while Slovakia today confirmed that it will deliver 8 self-propelled howitzers Zuzana 2 to Ukraine.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War

Latest updates on Global Food Crisis

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New York, June 3 : In bad news for Bitcoin and Blockchain lovers, the New York State on Friday passed a bill to halt new permits for certain fossil fuel power plants to be used in Bitcoin mining.

The measure establishes a two-year moratorium on new permits for cryptocurrency mining operations that use proof-of-work (PoW) authentication methods to validate Blockchain transactions.

The measure also initiates a study on the environmental impact mining facilities are having in New York state.

The Senate voted 36-27 in favour of the new bill.

It now goes to the desk of Governor Kathy Hochul, who could sign it into law or veto it, reports The Verge.

Hochul reportedly received a $40,000 donation last month from a chief executive of a company that runs a former aluminium plant turned crypto-mining facility.

The bill was passed by the NY state Assembly last month.

It would impose a moratorium on any new PoW mining projects powered by carbon-based fuel in the state.

However, existing crypto mining operations undergoing the permit renewal process would be allowed to continue.

According to Coindesk, mining companies based in New York have threatened to leave the state if the moratorium is passed.

The bill "is a grim day for blockchain technology, effectively shutting the door on a nascent industry," said Clark Vaccaro, acting president and chief strategy officer at industry trade organisation BaSIC.

"The regulatory environment in New York will not only halt their target -- carbon-based fuel proof of work mining -- but will also likely discourage new, renewable-based miners from doing business with the state due to the possibility of more regulatory creep," John Warren, CEO of institutional-grade bitcoin mining company, GEM Mining, told CNBC.

Bitcoin (BTC) mining is a very electricity-intensive process. A recent study has shown that a single Bitcoin transaction consumes about 2165 kWh of electricity which a regular household in the US would use in 74 days.

One of Botcoin's core features, its proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism, is every miner's headache. PoW requires them to solve complex equations for a share of newly-mined coins.

PoW has also come under criticism for its environmental footprint and critics hold that it is a wasteful and unsustainable crypto for the universe.

Studies have shown its carbon emissions to match those of entire nations.

One of the studies estimates that Bitcoin emits nearly 114 megatonnes of CO2 annually, a value comparable to Czech Republic's.
New Delhi, June 3: On Tuesday, another milestone, another historical event unfolded in the region as Israel and UAE signed a free trade agreement; Israel's first within an Arab country.

Celebrated as an historic and important moment for the state of Israel, it is indeed the most important economic fallout since the normalisation of relations between the two countries, known for their antagonistic relations in the past, since September 2020.

The agreement was signed by Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE's Minister of economy and his Israeli counterpart Orna Barbivai, Israeli Minister of Economy and industry in a ceremony held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Economy in Dubai.

The free trade agreement excludes 96 per cent of the goods that generate about 99 per cent of the export revenues from custom duties immediately or gradually, giving a significant boost to economic relations between the two signatories. It envisions stepping up non-oil trade to about US$ 10 billion in the next 5 years. The agreement tagged as the comprehensive economic partnership agreement is the second that the UAE has concluded, following a similar agreement that was signed with India that entered into force in early May.

UAE has been one of the most important investors in India and according to the statement minister of economy; has invested more than US$12 billion by the end of 2021. He added that India accounted for more than 25% of the total non- Arab Asian investment in the Emirates.

The Emirates seeks to become a global trade Centre. Consequently, it had announced in September last year a programme of 50 projects aimed at enhancing its global trade network with its major trading partners following a series of comprehensive economic partnership agreements with 8 countries of regional strategic importance. The goal is to double the national economy to reach 3 trillion Dirham (about US$ 810 billion) by 2030 and to stimulate post Covid economic recovery.

In the signing event, the Emirati minister said: "UAE and the State of Israel will create a new model for constructive cooperation between the countries of the region, based on the premise that building flexible and sustainable economies of growth requires cooperation, integration, partnership and openness in light of the challenges the world is currently witnessing." He further emphasised that, "This agreement also proves that cooperation and dialogue are the best way to turn challenges into opportunities, noting that trade and investment relations between the UAE and the State of Israel have witnessed rapid growth since the signing of the Abrahamic Peace Agreement in September 2020, as intra-non-oil trade recorded about $2.5 billion since then until the end of March 2022, while it recorded $1.06 billion during the first quarter of this year, which is 5 times what was recorded in the same period last year".

The comprehensive economic partnership agreement underscores the Emirati vision to use trade and investment as the drivers for sustainable growth for the national economy as well as linchpin for forging robust foreign relations.

The agreement also provides a platform for small and medium industries in both the countries to expand their international presence through cooperation, client networks, and would enhance mutual trade flows in the backdrop of robust growth in both the economies.

Dubai, through which bulk of the UAE export and imports takes place had braced early on to benefit from the normalisation of ties with Israel.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry conducted a study, immediately after the signing of the Abraham Accord, estimating the value of potential trade between Dubai and Israel to touch US$ 4 billion. It identified metals, precious stones, plastics and its components, oils, mineral fuels, iron and steel, and machinery, electronics as among the top 10 listed items that Dubai and Israel export and import globally and could figure in bilateral trade.

There are as many as seven categories of products that could be re-exported from UAE to Israel. Dubai potentially constitutes a nodal centre for the Israeli exports to the Asian and African markets, while Israel can serve as a gateway for the Emirati exports to the European and American markets.

Food security, collaboration in hi-tech industry and logistics have been identified as important drivers of economic engagements that could bring immense benefit to the private sector and small and medium scale enterprises. Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry identified about 80 start-ups specialising in shipping technology in Israel that can enhance operations of UAE ports. The private sector in Dubai is looking to benefit from this collaboration given this strong presence in the food sector and is also the major partner in national space strategy.

Director General of the Dubai Chamber, Hamad Buamin talks of seeking to benefit from Israeli expertise in aeronautics and micro-space industries. The Emirate seeks to make forays into space industries (including space tourism) as a leading sector in the future economy.

The region with enduring conflicts grabbing the headlines has also begun to show its propensity to rapid change and seriousness in constructive engagements. The speed, the scale and the scope of events after the Abraham Accord are taking its sceptics by surprise. Noteworthy aspect of the Israel -- UAE free trade agreement is that it is being tagged to a vision of promoting peace, progress and prosperity in the region.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
Hyderabad, June 3 : Telangana Congress leaders on Friday visited Bhagya Lakshmi temple abutting Charminar amid a temple-mosque controversy at the historic monument.

A day after state BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar attacked Congress over the signature campaign launched by one of its Muslim leaders for re-opening of the mosque at Charminar, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, senior leader V. Hanumantha Rao, MLA Seethakka and others visited the temple to offer prayers.

The Congress leaders said they offered prayers for speedy recovery of their party chief Sonia Gandhi, who has tested positive for Covid-19.

They dismissed Bandi Sanjay's allegation that Congress has secret understanding with Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and they along with All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) were trying to remove the temple from Charminar.

Vikramarka told reporters that they had been offering prayers at the temple even before Bandi Sanjay started coming here. "This temple is not an asset of BJP or Bandi Sanjay," he said.

The Congress leaders alleged that the BJP leader was trying to gain political mileage by creating a controversy.

A row erupted after a Congress leader launched campaign for re-opening of the mosque at Charminar for Muslim to offer prayers.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee secretary Rashed Khan says that Muslims used to offer Namaz at the 16th-century monument till two decades ago. He recalled that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) closed the mosque on top floor of the monument after a family of four had committed suicide by jumping down.

He started a signature campaign requesting the ASI and the ministry of tourism and culture to re-open the mosque for prayers. He also plans to make a request to Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in this regard.

The Congress leader said that Bhagya Lakshmi temple is an illegal construction as clearly stated by ASI in one of the reports. He said since prayers were being allowed in the 'unauthorised' temple, the authorities should allow Muslims to offer prayers in the mosque which has been there since Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah built Charminar in 1591.

However, the Congress leader's demand angered BJP which alleged a conspiracy to target the temple. Some BJP leaders even demanded Khan's arrest for trying to create trouble.

Bandi Sanjay, who is a Member of Parliament, warned against any attempt to touch the temple. "Why the demand for Namaz at Charminar now? Just because we started offering prayers at Bhagya Lakshmi temple, you are making this demand," said Sanjay, who last year launched his padyatra after offering prayers at the temple.

He alleged that Congress has secret understanding with TRS and they along with AIMIM were trying to create a problem for the Muslim votes.
Lucknow : Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses during Ground Breaking Ceremony of the UP Investors Summit in Lucknow on Friday, June 03, 2022.(Photo:IANS/Twitter Video Grab) Image Source: IANS News

Lucknow : Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses during Ground Breaking Ceremony of the UP Investors Summit in Lucknow on Friday, June 03, 2022.(Photo:IANS/Twitter Video Grab) Image Source: IANS News

Lucknow : Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses during Ground Breaking Ceremony of the UP Investors Summit in Lucknow on Friday, June 03, 2022.(Photo:IANS/Twitter Video Grab) Image Source: IANS News

Lucknow, June 3 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that Uttar Pradesh will give momentum to India's growth story.

He said the youth of Uttar Pradesh have the ability to give wings to the dreams of corporates and businessmen.

"Your dreams will be realised by the commitment and passion of the youth," he stated.

Addressing the Third Ground Breaking Ceremony here, the Prime Minister said, "We are the fastest-growing nation among other G-20 countries. Our government followed the mantra of reform, perform and transform." He said that policies were now being made with a vision for the future and added, "In the past eight years, we worked to strengthen the digital revolution. We brought in policy stability and erased irrelevant laws." The Prime Minister said that the next 25 years would be 'Amrit Kaal' where new goals and new efforts would propel the country towards higher heights.

He said that the investment in Uttar Pradesh would benefit the new generation the most. "The investment of Rs 80,000 crore will bring thousands of job opportunities for the youth and write the growth story of the state," he added.

The Prime Minister further said the global scenario was bringing new opportunities and India was emerging as a dependable friend because it has the capabilities. He added that India's potential and performance was being appreciated.

He said that after a gap of almost 37 years, people had re-elected a government in Uttar Pradesh which speaks volumes about the performance of the Yogi government.

The Prime Minister said that the government had decided to develop five kilometres on the banks of the Ganga River as a corridor for organic farming.

He asked the investors to focus on agriculture and food processing sectors which would bring massive opportunities.

"We got rid of unnecessary laws," he said, adding the double-engine government of the BJP has accelerated the growth of the state.

Lauding the state government, the Prime Minister said that as an MP, he had interacted with the state bureaucracy and found them to be able and work-oriented. "My faith in them has increased and I congratulate all government employees for their work," he added.

The Prime Minister also invited the investors to visit Varanasi which is his parliamentary constituency.

"You must visit Kashi and see the new look of the city that has preserved its heritage," he said.

Earlier, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath thanked the Prime Minister for his vision and guidance that has given wings to Uttar Pradesh.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the state had changed during the regime of Yogi Adityanath and the guidance of the Prime Minister.
South Africa: Amendments of Child Justice Act regulations approved

The National Assembly (NA) has approved the amendments to the regulations of the Child Justice Act and adopted reports on two Private Members Bills during its hybrid plenary on Thursday.

The proposed amendments to the regulations include the increase of the minimum age of criminal capacity from 10 years to 12 years, retention of the rebuttable presumption for children who are older than 12 years, but younger than 14 years.

The regulations also include the removal of the requirement that prosecutors must consider the cognitive ability of children when determining whether to prosecute a child and that the criminal capacity of the child will only be addressed during a plea and trial in a child justice court and not during the preliminary enquiry, and for diversion purposes, among others.

Having considered the proposed amendments, the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services recommended that the National Assembly approve them in terms of section 97(2) of the Child Justice Act, 2008. The House approved the committees recommendations, Parliamentary spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo, said.

National Health Amendment Bill

On the reports on the two proposed Private Members Bill -- the National Health Amendment Bill and the Disaster Management Amendment Bill -- it was recommended that the House not proceed with them due to their undesirability.

The National Health Amendment Bill, which was tabled and referred to the Portfolio Committee on Health on 3 September 2018, sought to amend the National Health Act, 2003 (Act No.61 of 2003), in order to provide that clinics in the public sector must operate and provide health services 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

Mothapo said after due deliberation, a motion of desirability on the subject matter of the Bill was placed before the committee, as required by the NA Rule 286(4)(i) to vote on.

The committee rejected the motion on desirability of the Bill, citing that, amongst others, there are primary health facilities that are already operating for 24 hours, without being legislated, and the committee is currently processing the National Health Insurance Bill, which might impact on the proposed legislation. The National Assembly has adopted the committees recommendation, Mothapo explained.

Disaster Management Amendment Bill

Tabled and referred to the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on 10 February 2021, the Disaster Management Amendment Bill seeks to constrain the perceived power of the Executive in relation to the duration of a state of disaster by means of affording Parliament, Provincial Legislatures and Municipal Councils the exclusive power to extend the duration of a national, provincial and local state of disaster, respectively, as well as allow for the Legislatures to exercise greater oversight in respect of the management of disasters.

Having deliberated on the Bill, the committee - by majority vote - did not agree with the desirability of the proposed Bill on the basis that the current accountability and oversight mechanisms provided in the Constitution are adequate to address the gaps identified in the Bill, and therefore decided to not proceed with the proposed Bill. The National Assembly adopted the committees recommendation, Mothapo said.

Report on African Charter on Statistics approved

The House also approved the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administrations report on the African Charter on Statistics.

The committee, having considered the request for approval by Parliament of the African Charter on Statistics, tabled in terms of section 231 (2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, recommended that the National Assembly approve the agreement.

The African Charter on Statistics was adopted at the 11th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 3 February 2009.

The purpose of the historic step by the Executive Council of the African Union to call for the development of the Charter was to address the huge gaps that have, in spite of efforts that have been taken, still exist between the supply and demand for statistical information needed for the development and for the African integration agenda, Mothapo said.

Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material amendments approved

The House has further approved amendments to the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.

The Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy, having considered the amendments to the Convention and the accompanying Explanatory Memorandum - tabled in terms of section 231 (2) of the Constitution 1996 on 22 March 2022 - recommended that the House approves the Convention, said Mothapo.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-06-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The Expedition 67 crew is taking a well-deserved day off following a busy few weeks of commercial crew and private astronaut missions.

Meanwhile, the next cargo craft to resupply the International Space Station stands ready to launch from Kazakhstan on Friday morning.

The seven orbital residents are relaxing today following an intense period that saw three different SpaceX Crew Dragon vehicles come and go, as well as the arrival and departure of Boeing's Starliner crew ship. Axiom Mission 1 arrived first at the station on April 9, aboard the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour for a two-week stay. Following that, Crew-4 docked to the station inside the Dragon Freedom on April 27. On May 5, Crew-3 ended its six-month mission after undocking aboard the Dragon Endurance. Finally, the station crew welcomed NASA's and Boeing's Orbital Flight Test-2 for a five-day mission when it docked on May 20.

Three tons of food, fuel, and supplies are packed inside the Progress 81 cargo craft destined to replenish the station residents on Friday. The Progress is counting down to a liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 5:32 a.m. on Friday. After just two orbits, the space freighter will approach the Zvezda service module's rear port for an automated docking at 9:03 a.m. The Progress 79 cargo craft undocked from Zvezda early Wednesday ending its 214-day stay.

Commander Oleg Artemyev and Flight Engineer Denis Matveev will be on duty Friday morning monitoring the space freighter's arrival. The duo from Roscosmos has been reviewing approach and rendezvous procedures as well as practicing manual docking techniques with Zvezda's tele-robotically operated rendezvous unit, or TORU. NASA TV begins its live Progress 81 launch coverage at 5:15 a.m. on NASA's app and website.

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Lucknow, June 3 : Top business tycoons who attended the third ground breaking ceremony here on Friday, lauded the vision and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the implementation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath which is helping in the emergence of 'New India'.

Speaking at the function, Gautam Adani of Adani group, pointed out: "The Prime Minister is building a new India and trying to restore the lost glory of the nation. He is building a nation that takes centre stage on global platform. He is the architect designing the aspirations of 135 crore people."

Kumarmangalam Birla of Birla group said that his group was investing Rs 40,000 crore in projects that bring jobs for 35,000 youths.

He said that UP had emerged as a much-favoured investment destination which had been helped by the single window system.

Niranjan Hiranandani of the Hiranandani group, said that Uttar Pradesh was moving ahead at the speed of a bullet train.

"I have been in the construction business for almost 40 years but I have never seen this speed of business before," he said and complimented the state government for cooperation and assistance being extended to businessman.

-- Syndicated from IANS
Lucknow, June 3 : The 49th birthday of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be celebrated on Sunday by his supporters with a 5100-kg cake.

The huge cake will be 14 feet high and will have a diameter of 12 feet.

According to reports, nearly five lakh people in various cities, including Ayodhya, will recite the Hanuman Chalisa on the occasion.

The celebration will be done on a massive scale since the chief minister has worked for the return of the BJP to power for the second consecutive term in Uttar Pradesh.

Sources close to Yogi Adityanath said that the chief minister has never celebrated his birthday and is not even aware of the preparations being done for the occasion.

In the past five years as chief minister, he has shunned celebrations and has only accepted greetings from his political colleagues and bureaucrats.
Mumbai, June 3 : Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan cheered for his former wife Sussanne Khan for her new venture, on social media.

Hrithik shared Sussanne's Instagram post where she had announced about her new gig.

She worte: ""Energy never lies.... surround yourself with people who have good radiant energy and watch your world light up...#AboutLastNight #Chivas18 #sussannekhan #limitededition #thecharcoalproject." Hrithik commented on her post by writing: "Huge congratulations Sussanne this was amazing!"

He then also shared an Instagram story wrote: "So so proud of Sussanne! You are a superstar." The two chose separate lives in 2014 after being married for 13 years. Hrithik and Sussanne share two children.

On the work front, Hrithik will be seen in 'Vikram Vedha', the Hindi remake of the Tamil superhit film by the same name. Hrithik will play Vedha in the film, a role enacted by Vijay Sethupathi in the original.
New Delhi/Bengaluru, June 3 : In a bid to understand edtech startups mission and support their innovation while taking a deep dive into their key problems, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Intel hosted 'EdTech CXO Mixer' in New Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru recently.

The event brought edtech founders, CEOs, CTOs and CXOs, including those who use AWS to deliver their edtech solutions in India and the world, to meet and learn about each other's business and best practices.

The founders discussed their startup missions and motivations to be in the edtech business and dived deep into their edtech business's key problems.

"The single point agenda for us is to get the whole community together to solve common problems. We want to take this opportunity to hear from all of you on the key issues you are facing and collectively solve these problems," said Rahul Sharma, President-Public Sector, AWS India and South Asia, AISPL, at the Gurugram edition of the event.

"Our focus is to help you with meaningful information, tangible resources, and the network to be able to invest in your innovations equally and enable you to succeed," he told founders and CXOs.

Anuj Kumar, CTO at Adda 247, a leader in government exam preparation, said that they have been totally on AWS since inception, leveraging multiple services.

"The AWS team has provided continuous support in integrating all the services and help with everything required to optimize and make the most of those services," he told the audience.

In Delhi, the 'EdTech CXO Mixer' saw participation from 50 edtech founders, CEOs, CTOs and CXOs.

According to Mohit Jindal, Head of Engineering at Yellow Class, a fast-growing platform for kids to learn different hobbies, skills, and stuff beyond school,, they started the journey on Zoom classes.

"But due to the sheer volume of the users that started to come onto our platform last to last year in November 2020, we realised that we needed to build our product, and that is when we got great input and support from the AWS team, including the credits to start with," he noted.

The platform expected at least a 2x jump in traffic during summer break, "but to our surprise, the jump we saw was close to 10x, but everything went smooth, and it has been a great journey for us", said Jindal.

In Bengaluru, the 'EdTech CXO Mixer' also saw participation from over 50 edtech founders, CEOs, CTOs and CXOs.

"We strongly believe in getting the community together through different gatherings like these, hearing from all of you on the key issues you are facing, and joining forces to solve those problems. We are excited to see the great ideas that founders in the edtech community are working on. We always want to be there to empower the community through relevant information and such learning and networking opportunities," said PP Sunil Acharya, South Asia Lead: Education, Space & NPO at AWS.

"We are excited to see the great ideas that founders in the edtech community are working on," Acharya told the gathering.

According to Hemant Sahal, Founder and CEO of CollPoll, a popular OS for higher education institutions, they have been working with the AWS team since day one.

"AWS has offered much more than cloud servers and has been an amazing partner. I look forward to continuing this journey of partnership with them," Sahal said.

Edukemy has been an early partner with AWS.

"We see that the infrastructure is impeccable as we have so far faced no issues. We believe they are true partners as the assigned account managers work with us extremely closely and help us scale and optimize as we scale the business forward," said Chandrahas Panigrahi, Co-founder of Edukemy, one of the leading UPSC test prep platforms.

AWS and Intel share more than 14 years of a relationship dedicated to developing, building, and supporting cloud services designed to manage the cost and complexity, accelerate business outcomes, and scale to meet current and future computing requirements.

"We have been on the AWS platforms since almost the beginning. We have been operating for the last ten years and scaling up significantly. Many of our deployments are in India, but we have recently started deployments on the US and other international servers. We are extremely happy with AWS, especially for the continuous support we get from them," said Manoj Chawla, Chief Business Officer of Tribyte Technologies, a future-ready learning management system (LMS).

After witnessing positive feedback, AWS is now planning to bring such meetings for edtech founders in different regions across India to support innovation in the edtech ecosystem continuously.
Kochi, June 3 : Uma Thomas, the Congress candidate on Friday won the bypoll in Kerala's Thrikkakara Assembly seat by securing 25,016 votes, which is the highest ever margin in the constituency.

Uma led in all of the 12 rounds of counting and at no stage did the CPI-M candidate Joe Joseph come near. Contrary to the claims of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who had assured the audience at his first election rally in the constituency that Joseph would be the new legislator representing Thrikkakara.

At the end of the counting while Uma secured 72,770 votes, Joseph came second with 47,754 and BJP veteran A.N. Radhakrishnan came a poor third with 12,957.

Emerging from the counting centre, Uma was all smiles and said this electoral battle was not one between Uma and Joe, but between Pinarayi Vijayan and his team and others.

"I dedicate this victory to P.T. Thomas and am extremely thankful to each and every Congress worker who helped me in my campaign and above all to all the people in my constituency," said Uma.

State Industries Minister P. Rajeev, the local man who spearheaded the Left campaign on his party's behalf said they accept the verdict.

"In our preliminary assessment what we have found out was that there has been a consolidation of votes towards the Congress from various quarters. The BJP candidate got fewer votes than the last time. We will make out a detailed assessment," said Rajeev.

Uma's late husband P.T. Thomas won the April 2021 Thrikkakara Assembly polls with a margin of close to 14,500 votes, but on Friday she recorded the highest ever margin of victory surpassing the 22,406 votes which Congress candidate Benny Behanan got in 2011, when the constituency first came into being.

State Congress president K. Sudhakaran said that the 'Captain' (that's what the CPI-M cadres call Vijayan) has been floored.

"It was no one else but CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan who said that the verdict in Thrikkakara bypoll would be an assessment of the Vijayan government. And now that the verdict has come, it is best that Vijayan should quit. What Vijayan should understand is that the people of Kerala do not think on the lines of development that he and his party thinks," said Sudhakaran.

Former Defence Minister A.K. Antony after campaigning at Thrikkakara said that the electorate will give a shock treatment to Vijayan.

"The voters have done it and they have given a shock treatment to the arrogance and rudeness of Vijayan," said Antony.

Two-time former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, despite his failing health, was the star campaigner for Uma. He was in the constituency for most of the days concentrating only on family meetings.

"This is a huge win for the Congress and the prime reason is that there was absolute cooperation among the entire UDF and all worked with total discipline. Vijayan and the CPI-M's hashtag of development was never going to be a clincher as people in Ernakulam know that they played spoilsport for each infrastructure project which came up here. The electorate knew that and voted for us," said Chandy.

CPI-M candidate Joe Joseph, an interventional cardiologist, said that he congratulated the winner.

"I accept the people's verdict and the CPI-M will look into what happened," said Joseph, who often during the campaign used to say he will win by hitting a sixer and help the CPI-M -led Left to a century of legislators.

Meanwhile, angry Congress workers vented out their ire against turncoat former Congress veteran K.V. Thomas, who left the party to teamup with Vijayan. The workers burned his effigy. The Congress workers were seen distributing a particular fish, which is often referred to as something that Thomas used to gift to top Congress leaders in Delhi for getting his things done.

Ernakulam CPI-M district secretary C.V. Mohan termed the development "unexpected". "We never expected this, but we humbly accept the people's verdict. With the kind of efforts we put in this should not have happened. We have to analyse where we went wrong," he said.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had reportedly led the campaign at Thrikkakara accompanied by his cabinet ministers, while his 75 legislators had campaigned at the constituency.

Mohan, however, gave a clean chit to the chief minister saying that he never led the campaign.

"The Chief Minister never leads an Assembly by-election and it was the district party which do it. This verdict cannot be an assessment of the Vijayan government, as this is the only one constituency and not a state-level election," said Mohan.

As soon as Mohan said this, TV channels started airing CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's earlier statement that they have no qualms in saying that this would be an "assessment" of the Vijayan government.

Meanwhile, the CPI-M top brass, including Vijayan and Balakrishnan, and others were closeted at the state party headquarters in the state capital.

The election was necessitated after the sudden demise of two-time Thrikkakara's Congress legislator P.T. Thomas in December last year.
New Delhi, June 3 : Shares of Aether Industries made a relatively firm debut on the exchanges against recent listings on the exchanges.

Started in 2013, the Surat-headquartered Aether Industries focuses on producing advanced intermediates and speciality chemicals involving complex and differentiated chemistry and technology core competencies and its products find application in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, material science, coating, high performance photography, additive, and oil and gas segments of the chemical industry.

On Friday, the company's shares got listed with a premium of about 10 per cent above its issue price of Rs 642. It listed at Rs 706 on the BSE and at Rs 704 on the NSE, data showed.

At 1.03 p.m., the shares rose further and traded over 20 per cent higher at Rs 774 on the NSE.

"The company's good listing can be attributed to a recovery in market sentiments, outstanding growth prospects of the company, and a good response from the investors. The company is one of the fastest-growing specialty chemical companies in India, having a high focus on d R&D, relying on differentiated chemistry and technological core competencies, and a robust product selection process," said Santosh Meena, Head of Research at Swastika Investmart on the company's listing.

The Indian chemical industry is witnessing a structural change due to the shift of manufacturing activities from China to India and the focus on green chemistry, Meena said.

"Those who applied for listing gains can maintain a stop loss of Rs 675. New investors can buy for the long term and existing investors are recommended to stay invested in the company." The company's initial public offering was subscribed over six times.

The portions set aside for retail investors and employees were fully subscribed, as per reports.

The relatively firm listing of the Aether Industries comes close on the heels days after a weak listing of much-anticipated Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).

Paradeep Phosphates and Delhivery too made their debut on the exchanges recently, but with a mild premium.

Earlier this week, digital signature solution provider eMudhra made its debut on the exchanges with a premium of nearly 6 per cent above the issue price.
New Delhi, June 3 : Hybrid terrorism in Kashmir is emerging as a major challenge for the security agencies and the local populace. No one is gaining anything and people of Kashmir can end up as the biggest losers.

The hybrid terrorists are being provided with the small arms like pistols and grenades by their handlers to carryout target killings to create fear psychosis and send a message that terrorism is far from over in Kashmir. Pakistan is avenging its defeat by turning young Kashmiri boys into dreaded terrorists.

The hybrid terrorists in the past three months have killed 16 civilians in targeted attacks. The slain include 10 Kashmiri Muslims and six Hindus.

On March 2, 2022, a Panch identified as Mohammad Yaqoob Dar of Kulpora Srandroo, Kulgam was shot dead at his residence.

On March 6, two persons Mohammad Alsamand Rafiya Jan were killed in a grenade attack in Amira Kadal Srinagar.

On March 9, a PDP Sarpanch Sameer Bhat was killed at Khonmoh in Srinagar outskirts.

On March 11, Sarpanch identified as Shabir Ahmed Mir from Audoora Kulgam was killed near his residence.

On March 21, a civilian Tajamul Mohiudin was killed in Gotipora, Budgam.

On March 27, a student Umar Ahmad Dar was killed along with his SPO brother at his residence in Chadibugh, Budgam.

On April 13, Satish Kumar Singh, a Kashmiri Rajput man was shot dead inside his home in Kulgam's Kakran area.

On April 15, an independent Sarpanch Manzoor Bangroo was killed by terrorists in Pattan area of Baramulla district.

On May 12, a Kashmir Pandit Rahul Bhat working in the Revenue Department was killed by militants in tehsil office Chadoora Budgam.

On May 15, Ranjit Singh, an employee at a liquor shop in Baramulla was killed when a grenade was lobbed inside the shop.

On May 26, TV artist Ambreena Bhat of Hushroo Chadoora was killed in her house, while her 10-year old nephew sustained bullet injuries in the attack.

On May 31, a Hindu teacher Rajini Bala from Samba was gunned down by ultras in Gopalpora, Kulgam.

On June 2, Vijay Kumar a bank manager at Ellaquai Dehati Bank hailing from Rajasthan was killed inside his office in Kulgam. Hours after Kumar's killing a non-local labourer Dilkhush Kumar was shot dead by terrorists in Central Kashmir's Chadoora area.

In the past five months three civilians have been killed in grenade attacks, while 13 others have been shot dead using pistols.

Besides killing unarmed civilians terrorists have targeted unarmed policemen also. On April 18, 2022, ultras shot dead a Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and critically injured another outside Kakapora railway station in Pulwama in south Kashmir. The Head Constable Surinder Singh died on the spot while Sub Inspector Devraj succumbed to the injuries a few days later.

On May 7, 2022, a police constable Ghulam Hassan Dar, was fired upon near Aiwa Bridge at Dr Ali Jan Road in Srinagar in the morning. He succumbed to his injuries at a hospital later in the evening.

On May 24, 2022 a policeman, Saifullah Qadri was shot dead and his 9-year-old daughter was injured in a terror attack that took place in Soura area of Srinagar.

Hybrid terrorists choosing soft targets The hybrid terrorists are on a killing spree in Kashmir. They are choosing soft targets to spread terror and fear among the people and the new face of Pakistan sponsored terrorism has shocked everyone in Kashmir. No one knows who can be the next target as the hybrid terrorists are highly radicalised and have turned into professional murderers.

The hybrid terrorists after carrying out the attacks return to their normal lives. They don't have any police record as they are unknown faces. After completing the given assignment they wait for their next task making it difficult for the law enforcing agencies to track them. They are radicalised to an extent that they carry out a terror strike and then slip back into the routine life. They are usually used by their handlers after intervals to prevent detection. The hybrid terrorists, who were arrested in the recent past, had no information about the other groups that are operating in Kashmir. They operate in small groups. One or two of them transport weapons while two or three others carry out the attack.

On May 23, 2022, security forces recovered 15 pistols, 30 pistol magazines, 300 rounds along with one silencer in the Chanapora area of Srinagar from two hybrid terrorists.

Earlier on April 20, the security forces recovered a huge cache of pistols and grenades in north Kashmir's Kupwara which included 10 pistols, 17 pistol magazines and five grenades. In January this year, two similar consignments with silencers were seized in Kashmir. In the past few months the security forces have recovered nearly 150 pistols. But there are reports that terrorist handlers have distributed nearly 200 pistols in Kashmir to carry out the target killings. In the first five months of 2022, the security forces have neutralised more than 85 terrorists and more than 40 hybrid terrorists have been arrested.

Hybrid terrorism grim reminder of dark days The hybrid terrorism is once again pushing Kashmir back into dark days as the security agencies firmly believe that these terrorists cannot operate and survive without the support of locals. Most of the hybrid terrorists are local youths who have been indoctrinated by their handlers to such an extent that they are killing anyone on the directions of their bosses sitting across the Line of Control (LoC).

The guns provided by Pakistan turning towards a common man, including Muslims and Hindus, has exposed the real face of terror. The senseless killings are pushing Kashmir towards uncertainty and chaos. If the people don't raise their voice against the cold blooded murders of the innocents, Kashmir can never come out from the quagmire of uncertainty. People of Kashmir need to understand that peace is prerequisite for development and their prosperity.

Pak out to label every Kashmiri Muslim as terrorist After August 5, 2019 -- when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate J&K's special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories -- the government has worked sincerely to empower the people of Jammu and Kashmir. New employment avenues have been created for youth, tourists are arriving in hordes and the big business houses have already started to invest in J&K.

The hybrid terrorists are out to ruin everything. Killing innocent non-local labourers and employees of minority communities is maligning the image of Kashmiris. It appears that Pakistan is out to label every Kashmiri Muslim as a terrorist to ensure that he finds no acceptance in any part of the world.

Pakistan and the terrorists sponsored by it are once again making desperate attempts to vitiate peace in Kashmir. Security forces are on toes. They are not allowing the terrorists to raise their heads but the people need to understand that they can't act as mute spectators. The monster of terrorism is knocking at their doors again and the emergence of hybrid terrorism can once again push Kashmir into oblivion. The Centre has reposed trust on people of Kashmir and now it's up to them to ensure that the trust is not shaken.
New Delhi, June 3 : The National Health Authority (NHA) on Friday announced the integration of eSanjeevani, the telemedicine service of the Union Health Ministry, with its flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

The integration allows the existing users of eSanjeevani to easily create an Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) and use it to link and manage their existing health records like prescriptions and lab reports, among others.

The users will also be able to share their health records with doctors on eSanjeevani which will help in better clinical decision making and ensuring the continuum of care.

Speaking about the significance of this integration, Dr. R.S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said: "ABDM aims to build digital highways to bridge the gaps in existing digital health solutions and stakeholders in India. The integration of eSanjeevani with ABDM is one such example where 22 crore ABHA holders can link and store their health records created via eSanjeevani directly in the health lockers of their choice." The users can also share their previously linked health records with the doctors on eSanjeevani making the entire consultation process paperless, he said.

eSanjeevani service is available in two variants. The first one is eSanjeevani Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centre (AB-HWC) -- the Doctor-to-Doctor telemedicine service through which the beneficiaries visiting a HWC can virtually connect to doctors and specialists.

The second variant, eSanjeevani OPD is serving patients across the country, connecting them directly to doctors from the comforts of their homes.

Both versions have been integrated with ABDM platform.
Seoul, June 3 : A coalition of consumers on Friday filed a police case against Google's top executives, including CEO Sundar Pichai, for the tech giant's in-app billing system that forces domestic app developers to pay hefty commissions.

According to The Korea Times, Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty (CUCS) has filed a complaint against Pichai, Google Korea CEO Nancy Mable Walker and Google Asia-Pacific President Scott Beaumont at Gangnam Police Station in Seoul for allegedly violating the country's Telecommunications Business Act.

"The enforcement of Google's in-app payment policy has raised costs, burdening consumers and damaging creators," a representative from the consumer group was quoted as saying.

"App developers have no choice but to accept the request from Google, which accounts for 74.6 per cent of the app store market share," the representative added.

South Korean companies have raised charges for paid content services on Google as the US tech giant prepares to remove apps with external payment links circumventing Google's in-app payment system.

Google started enforcing the controversial billing system in Korea from June 1.

Currently, many app developers on Google's Play store directed users to external links for payment to circumvent Google's billing policy, which takes a hefty 15-30 percent commission from in-app purchases, reports Yonhap News Agency.

In March, South Korea's Cabinet approved a revised bill that would ban app store operators from forcing developers to use their own in-app payment systems.

Still, Google required in April all app developers selling digital goods and services to use its billing system and to remove external payment links. Non-complying apps were not able to offer updates, and Google warned to remove such apps from the Play store on June 1.

Since Google's announcement, in-app charges for a wide array of content services, including webtoons and digital books, have seen 15-20 per cent hikes on the Play store in the past two months.
New Delhi, June 3 : Congress leader Vivek Tankha, who himself is a Kashmiri Pandit, on Friday questioned the government's inability to stop targeted killings and the movement of Pandits out of the Valley.

Addressing a press conference, Tankha said, "The government should ensure there should be no killing now and everyone should feel safe." He alleged that the government offices were not safe and the terrorist were targeting the officials. "The gory pictures of people leaving the valley, which have come out, are scary," he said.

Advising the government to take into confidence all the stakeholders, the Congress leader said that in 1990, "We were caught unawares, but now the government must act." Vijay Kumar from Rajasthan, who was a manager in a regional rural bank (Ellaquai Dehati Bank), was shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district on Thursday.

Kumar was working as the manager of a regional rural bank (Ellaquai Dehati Bank) in Areah village branch of Kulgam district.

On May 31, militants killed Rajni Bala, a non-local teacher in the same district. She belonged to Samba district of Jammu division.
Bengaluru, June 3 : Global tech company Xiaomi on Friday announced a major rejig at the very top, appointing Alvin Tse as General Manager, Xiaomi India. After seven years in India, Manu Kumar Jain has been transitioned to a global role as Group Vice President.

Alvin, a Xiaomi Global founding team member, a POCO founding member and former General Manager of Xiaomi Indonesia, will join hands with the Xiaomi India leadership team and support the company's next phase of growth, the company said in a statement.

Since the transition of Jain, Xiaomi India leadership team now has Muralikrishnan B, Chief Operating Officer; Raghu Reddy, Chief Business Officer, and Sameer BS Rao, Chief Financial Officer.

"They have been leading the India business fairly independently and will continue to be a strong driving force behind the brand," said the company.

To further strengthen the India leadership team, Anuj Sharma will rejoin Xiaomi India as its Chief Marketing Officer.

In his role, Sharma will spearhead the overall brand and marketing strategy.

He will play an instrumental role in bolstering Xiaomi's connect with consumers across the nation.

Being a British national, Alvin has helped Xiaomi expand successfully into many global markets.

Educated at Stanford University and having worked across four of the largest smartphone and internet markets in the world, "Alvin enjoys bridging markets, people, and opportunities," said the company.

Xiaomi led the India smartphone market in Q1 2022 (January-March) with a 23 per cent shipment share.

The brand reached its highest ever retail ASP, registering 24 per cent YoY growth, according to Counterpoint Research.
Los Angeles, June 3 : Derek Berry, who has brought the world television nostalgia pop-ups 'Good Burger' and 'The Peach Pit', will now be creating an officially licensed and immersive homage to the iconic TV classic 'The Golden Girls'.

'The Golden Girls Kitchen' will be officially debuting in Los Angeles this July, and will be a fully functioning restaurant and bar. It will bow as a fast-casual restaurant with an emphasis on desserts, reports 'Deadline'.

Tickets for the experience will be available exclusively through Bucket Listers, who recently hired Berry as their newly created director of experiences. Ticket on-sale date will be announced soon, and fans can follow along on social or sign up for an email waiting list to be notified first.

"Bringing Golden Girls to life has always been a dream of mine" said a statement from Berry.

"Our team is confident that both die-hard fans of the show and first timers alike will leave with a deeper appreciation for the show's lasting legacy." The restaurant will be located in Beverly Hills.

The purchase of every ticket will include a reserved seat and guaranteed window of time to dine, choice of an entree, and most importantly, cheesecake.

Menu items will include 'Sophia's Lasagna' (meat or vegan) and 'Blanche's Georgia Style Cookies', plus the 'Dorothy: A Miami Style Sandwich'.

A full beverage menu is available, including the 'Tea Arthur' and 'Rose on Rose'. Additional items and local delivery will also be available for a la carte purchase.

The pop-up will come complete with a variety of iconic photo moments for fans to play in the world of Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sofia. Cozy up to the kitchen table, grab some sun on the lanai, or snap a selfie in front of everyone's favourite palm print.

Take a spin through Shady Pines on your way to the pop-up store, featuring an exclusive range of brand new Golden Girls merchandise, not available anywhere.

Fans can also expect a rotating assortment of special events, local chef collaborations, panels, and additional merch drops throughout the duration of the pop-up's run.
Ahmedabad, June 3 : Former Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Bharatsinh Solanki has decided to take a short break from active politics.

Though he is yet to decide on the duration of the break, possibility of the former Union Minister of State resuming work before the issuance of notification for the state Assembly elections cannot be ruled out.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of allegations of his extra marital affairs. Three days ago, a video clip was in circulation on social media showing Solanki's wife Reshma raiding his house and catching him with a young girl. Since the last few months, there has been a slugfest between the couple in public about their personal life.

Solanki, while announcing the break, clarified that he will continue to work for society, tribals, Dalits, OBC, Thakors and other communities.

In other words, he will not be using the party platform, but will engage in social service.

His action will make things tough for his political opponent within and outside the party.

Referring to his opponents without taking names, Solanki said for the past seven to eight months, repeated attempts are being made to tarnish his public image, as they find him "challenging and politically powerful, who can change the political trend and win people's hearts.

Returning to his personal life, Reshma happens to be his second wife whom he married after divorcing the first wife, but since the last 12 to 15 years, they are having a troubled marriage.

He also suspects that his second wife is acting on behalf of his political opponent. Solanki has expressed doubts that his political strategies are leaked to opponents and so he cited one piece of advice, "If family secrets are leaked to outsiders, it is not advisable to live under the same roof or house." The Congress leader has moved a divorce petition before the Anand family court and the first hearing on the petition is scheduled on June 15. He is expected to produce evidence against his wife before the court. He has alleged that his second wife is more interested in his movable and immovable property.

Solanki is ready for a third marriage, once he gets divorce from his second wife. He questioned if would be wrong to marry a third time after divorcing the first two wives.
San Francisco, June 3 : Autonomous vehicle venture Cruise, which is a majority-owned by General Motors, announced that it has received a green light for commercial driverless taxi service in San Francisco.

The company said that in February it began welcoming members of the public to experience the service and now it is going commercial.

"Today, we received the first-ever Driverless Deployment Permit granted by the California Public Utilities Commission, which allows us to charge a fare for the driverless rides we are providing to members of the public here in San Francisco," the company said in a blogpost.

The company mentioned that Cruise will be the first and only company to operate a commercial, driverless ride-hail service in a major US city.

"Now with this approval, we will begin rolling out fared rides gradually, expanding in alignment with the smoothest customer experience possible. As always, our focus is on delivering a magical and safe service for our riders," the company said.

According to CNBC, the company's cars are fully electric and battery-powered, which is also a potential win for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases that cause climate change.

The company told CPUC in an April 2021 letter that it aims to make California roads safer and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Earlier, the California Department of Motor Vehicles approved autonomous vehicle deployment permits for both Cruise and Alphabet's Waymo, the report said.

Cruise was already offering nighttime rides to the public in San Francisco in its driverless cars, although it had not yet required passengers to pay a fare.

Police previously pulled a Cruise driverless vehicle over in San Francisco, and a video of the incident went viral.

The California DMV told CNBC that, despite that incident, as of late April the department had yet to issue a traffic ticket to any driverless vehicle operator.
Puducherry, June 3 : Work for expansion of Puducherry airport's runway is on and the Airport Authority of India (AAI) is preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the same.

Puducherry Civil Aviation minister Lakshminarayanan while speaking to IANS said, "A technical team of the AAI had visited the Union Territory in January 2022 and had assessed the details of the land requirement and a master plan has been prepared as a follow up of this visit." He said that there would be land acquisition in two phases involving 30 acres of land in Union territory of Puducherry and 395 acres in Tamil Nadu in two phases.

In the first phase, 150.5 acres of land will be acquired, of which 30 acres is in Puducherry while the remaining 120.5 acres is in Tamil Nadu.

During phase two expansion, 273.5 acres of land will be acquired in Tamil Nadu and the state government has already allocated Rs 300 crore for this land.

Sources in the Union Territory government told IANS that of the 30 acres of land required from the Puducherry government, 28.5 acres have been identified.

Of this, 20 acres is with the Puducherry government while the balance 8.5 acres is with private owners and government sources told IANS that there are around 60 buildings in this 8.5-acre landed property.

According to officials, the present runway is 1500x30 m and is capable of handling smaller ATR48/72 aircraft and Q400 type of aircraft.

The land to acquire, according to officials, is a low-lying area and has to be filled for around 60 feet to make it at par with the existing runway.

The total amount required for acquiring the land is around Rs 425 crore as per the present estimate, officials of the Union territory informed IANS and added that the entire amount will be funded by the Union Government.
Jaipur, June 3 : Anurodh Dadarwal, a 36-year-old cardiologist from Jaipur, has brought laurels to the country by presenting his research paper at the EuroPCR 2022, the annual conference of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), held in Paris last month.

Dadarwal was the only cardiologist from India to be selected for the PCR talent session at the conference. He also presented a complicated coronary case in the same conference.

His study was centred around the theme "Randomised comparison of distal and proximal radial access for coronary procedures".

Speaking to IANS, Dadarwal said, "It was a big achievement for me. In fact, it was an exciting moment when I presented my study in front of Ferdinand Kiemeneij, the father of coronary interventions by radial access." Dutch doctor Ferdinand Kiemeneij is a pioneer in this technique.

Coronary procedure by distal radial access is a very important study. In India, nearly all centres do coronary intervention either by proximal radial access or femoral access. Distal radial access is used very infrequently.

"It decreases the rate of radial artery occlusion which is the most important complication of proximal radial access. It is very important to prevent this complication for future procedures. Other advantages of distal radial access are early discharge, early resumption of activity just after procedure by that hand, less discomfort in patients of chronic joint pain, and it is very safe.

"Although the successful distal radial access is not easy, by experience, it can be learnt soon. We are performing the coronary procedures by distal radial access in most of the patients. The results are encouraging, as shown in our study." His study had enrolled a total of 320 patients.
Washington, June 3 : NASA aims to buy from SpaceX five additional crewed flights to the International Space Station.

SpaceX is currently NASA's only certified commercial crew transportation provider.

In a statement, NASA said that it may need the additional flights "as early as 2026 to ensure dissimilar redundancy, maintain safe space station operations".

NASA announced a "sole source modification" as part of its existing Commercial Crew Transportation Capabilities (CCtCap) contract with SpaceX.

While the agency has not disclosed the expected value of the modified contract, it adds on to a $3.5 billion contract awarded to SpaceX in February for three additional astronaut missions with its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule: Crew-7, Crew-8 and Crew-9. NASA had at the time said that it may order more flights from SpaceX.

"Our goal has always been to have multiple providers for crewed transportation to the space station. SpaceX has been reliably flying two NASA crewed missions per year, and now we must backfill those flights to help safely meet the agency's long-term needs," said Phil McAllister, director, commercial space at NASA, in a statement.

SpaceX will fly its sixth rotational mission for NASA in the spring of 2023.

NASA, however, needs "additional missions from SpaceX to implement our strategy of having each commercial provider flying alternating missions once per year," McAllister added.

In 2014, NASA had awarded the CCtCap contracts to Boeing and SpaceX through a public-private partnership as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Programme.

Boeing's recent Orbital Flight Test-2, which went well, gives hope to certify the Starliner system for future missions, NASA said.

"The recent success of Boeing's uncrewed flight test is helping to solidify NASA's long-term goals," said Steve Stich, manager, NASA's Commercial Crew Programme.

"It's critical we complete Starliner's development without undue schedule pressure while working to position both Boeing and SpaceX for sustainable operations in the years ahead," he noted.
Panaji, June 3 : Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said that it is unfair to blame the government when tourists drown off Goa's coast, calling for a sense of collective responsibility to make the state India's best tourist destination.

"It is the responsibility of both tourists, the public, and the government. Otherwise it is not possible," he said, while launching the Beach Vigil App.

"Be it beach cleaning, or road safety, we are directly blaming the government. Even if someone drowns, then also the government is held responsible," Sawant said.

He said that a beach vigil app will be useful in monitoring good and bad things happening at the seashore. "This will help us upgrade the system. By using new technology, we can develop the tourism industry." Around eight million tourists visit Goa, and majority of them visit the beaches. Hence, the government had announced the concept of "clean and safe" beaches.

About Information Technology and startups, Sawant said that there is a need to create an ecosystem in the area. "We need to motivate those migrating to other states in search of opportunities." "It is good that the medical fraternity has also ventured into startups. We don't want to compete with any one, but we want to grow in the state," he said.
Jaipur, June 3 : Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra has returned a Bill which was presented in the Assembly to change the qualification requirements for the Vice Chancellor's post at the Haridev Joshi Journalism and Mass Communication University here.

According to information received, the Raj Bhavan has sent back the Bill saying that it needs to be re-examined keeping in mind the provisions of different regulatory bodies and the minimum experience required.

This was the third Bill of the Ashok Gehlot-led government which was returned by the Raj Bhavan.

The state government had introduced the Journalism University Bill during the Assembly session. Under this Bill, a person having experience of 20 years in journalism in the public or private sector is allowed to become the Vice Chancellor of a journalism university. Till now, to become the Vice Chancellor in all universities, it was necessary to have a professor's experience of 10 years, but the government wanted to amend it.

In the last one-and-a-half years, this was the third Bill of the state government that was returned by the Raj Bhavan.

Before this, the Advocate Welfare Amendment Bill was returned by the Governor. Another bill, The Rajasthan Compulsory Marriage Registration Bill, was returned as the state government itself demanded it back after several objections were raised on it by different groups of people.
Hyderabad, June 3 : Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has expressed shock over the ghastly road accident that claimed lives of seven from Hyderabad in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district on Friday and announced ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh each to their families.

A private bus coming to Hyderabad from Goa caught fire after a head-on collision with a DCM van near Kamalapur Friday morning.

According to reports reaching here, the bus fell into a ditch after the collision and caught fire. Twenty people were injured in the accident and they have been admitted to a hospital at Gulbarga.

A group of people from Secunderabad here had gone to Goa for a tour last week and were returning home when the tragedy struck them.

KCR has condoled the death of people and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members.

He announced Rs 3 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured. He also directed Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar to take necessary steps in this regard.

The chief minister has directed ministers Harish Rao and Srinivas Yadav to take steps for transportation of the bodies and for best possible treatment to the injured.

Earlier, soon after coming to know of the incident, the Chief Minister alerted the government administration and instructed them to take up rescue operations immediately. He directed the authorities to coordinate with Karnataka government officials and provide the required medical treatment to the injured persons in the accident.

The chief secretary asked the district collector of Sangareddy to coordinate with counterpart of Karnataka and arrange to shift the bodies and injured.
New Delhi, June 3 : Welcoming over 12,000 millionaires in 2019, Australia has emerged as the most preferred migration destination for high net-worth individuals worldwide.

Australia has one of the most conducive environments in the world to do business and has a very strong and robust economy.

Queensland, Australia, is emerging as the preferred destination for migrants due to its excellent handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and opportunities in the education, minerals, renewable, and agriculture sectors.

The interim Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement further boosts the strong relationship between the two countries. The agreement will eliminate tariffs on over 95 per cent of the goods and services on Indian exports to Australia.

Australia will also gain sizeable market access in India, with tariffs being eliminated on more than 85 per cent of the Australian goods and services exports to India.

At the end of June 2019, 6,60,350 Indian-born people were living in Australia, more than twice the number (307,590) as on June 30, 2009, and this is further expected to increase. This makes the Indian-born population the third largest migrant community in Australia.

Abhinav Bhatia, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner -- South Asia, Trade & Investment Queensland, addressed the audience, including senior business leaders, at a seminar organised by Phoenix Business Advisory.

Explaining the decision-making factors during migration and why Queensland is the preferred choice, he stated, "With a growing economy and excellent quality of life, Queensland is a choice many immigrants and Australians are making to put down roots. Due to the Queensland government's successful handling of the Covid- 19 pandemic, Queensland has seen the highest interstate migration in the last 20 years.

"Brisbane (the capital city of Queensland) being the host city for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympic Games, has provided a catalyst leading to various developmental projects and business opportunities in many industries. Furthermore, Queensland has closer ties with India than other Australian states, contributing 60.7 per cent to national export value in 2021. These factors and proactive support by Migration Queensland make us the ideal choice for Indian investors and innovators." The event offered a platform for interested individuals to interact, which guided entrepreneurs with information about important policies, visas, and migration procedures to set up their business.

Being well connected with the rest of the world, Queensland provides an excellent opportunity for the Indian business community. Moreover, migrants can access top-quality education and healthcare by making the state their home.

Under the Queensland Business Nomination programme, innovators and investors can apply for migration to Queensland by exploring the various business opportunities.
New Delhi, June 3 : In a major announcement, the Jindal Global Law School (JGLS) under the OP Jindal Global University (JGU) has instituted over 500 scholarships for students joining the law school in the upcoming academic year 2022-23.

Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar, the Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) and Founding Dean of Jindal Global Law School (JGLS), said, "The University has decided to award over 500 scholarships to meritorious students in the upcoming academic year 2022-23 who join JGLS with high merit in the entrance exam and whose annual parental income is less than the limit prescribed by the University." He added, "During the last 13 years, O.P. Jindal Global University has awarded over Rs 250 crore in scholarships and almost half of the students who studied at JGU in the past have received some form of scholarships or other." Professor Raj Kumar, who was himself a Rhodes Scholar from Oxford University and received full scholarship to study at the Harvard Law School in the late 90s, explained the importance of instituting substantial scholarships at Jindal Global Law School this year.

He said, "Our law school and university has always been known for supporting a good number of students with scholarships and fellowships who otherwise might not be able to afford the cost of high-quality legal education at our law school. This is important to ensure equity and access while maintaining the highest standards of excellence in legal education in our country." Professor Kumar added, "All scholarships at the law school are based on merit-cum-means. No student whose annual parental income exceeds Rs 30 lakh in a year can receive any scholarship at the University. The merit to award the scholarship is determined by the national level entrance exam, LSAT-India Test. We strictly implement an income criterion to ensure that the scholarships reach to only those who need it the most." Professor Anand Prakash Mishra, Director of Law Admissions whose office is responsible for admissions and financial aid in the law school, provided more details about the scholarships.

He said, "Our law school offers the widest range of academic programmes in law including the five-year and three-year LLB, one-year LLM and four unique three-year undergraduate B.A. Hons degrees in legal studies, human rights, criminology, and gender studies. There are over 10 specialised LLM programmes offered at JGLS which are highest in any law school in the country. These 500+ scholarships are available in each of the 10 academic programmes." Professor Mishra further explained the entrance exam cut-off required for scholarship awards and said, "Only students securing LSAT-India ccore above 90 percentiles can apply for scholarships in five-year BComLLB, BBALLB and BALLB programmes. Whereas students applying for scholarships in other programs like three-year LLB, one-year LLM and three-year BA Honours in Legal Studies/ Human Rights/ Criminology/ Gender Studies programmes must secure 80 percentile score to be eligible to receive scholarships." He concluded by saying, "Every student whose annual parental income is less than Rs 30 lakh must explore the scholarship opportunities to study at JGLS. Also, no law aspirant should miss taking the prestigious LSAT-India 2022 Test organised by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) as this Test is critical not only for admission but also for scholarships at the law school.

"Scholarships at the time of admission are important as one may receive it for all 5/3 years of study. The scholarships at JGLS are subject to University Rules and renewable every year based on academic performance, they can be revoked or reduced if students fail in the exams or debarred from the examination due to attendance shortage or found guilty in disciplinary committee proceedings."
Panaji, June 3 : Amid a sudden spike in Covid-related cases in Goa, coastal state's top health official on Friday said that all the samples sent for genome sequencing have tested positive for the Omicron variant.

Dr. Geeta Kakodkar, Director of the state Health Services department, also said that no new mutation of the Covid virus was traced in the state, amid a surge in cases over the last two days when 47 and 50 new Covid cases were reported on Thursday and Friday respectively.

"Over the last few days, cases are increasing. There were 47 cases yesterday, today there are 50 cases. Even if the rise is not steep, there is definitely a rise," Kakodkar said.

"This is not a new variant. We had sent 68 samples to the genome sequencing lab for testing. And all 68 cases are the BA.2 variant, which is Omicron. No new variant is traced. Originally the first wave was the Covid virus, after that there was the Delta variant, after that we had the Omicron variant which is in circulation. We have no evidence of mutation or a new variant," she added.

The official also said that the state government's expert committee had predicted a rise in Covid cases in the state in the months of June and July, while adding that it was too early to dub the recent surge in cases as a "fourth wave". "We can only say that there is a rise in cases in Goa," Kakodkar said.
Chennai, June 3 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday called upon officials, including bureaucrats, to adopt new strategies for the benefit of the people and to replicate the good work done in other parts of the state.

Speaking to officials while chairing a review meeting on government schemes here, Stalin said that the government was stepping into the second year after overcoming a tough situation during the pandemic period and had announced several schemes for the benefit of the people of the state.

The Chief Minister told officials that some of the schemes announced earlier were implemented and thanked the officials profusely for implementing the government schemes for the benefit of the people.

He, however, also told the officials that in certain cases, there were delays in executing schemes and called upon those responsible to weed out the root cause of the problems and to issue orders for the benefit of the people.

Stalin said, "Officials in each department should be well aware of the targeted population and implement the schemes to benefit them to the optimum level." He also called upon the officials to expand his pet project 'Naan Mudhalvan' and asked the officials to ensure employment opportunities for the young people in the state.

The Chief Minister also called upon officials to implement rural schemes through Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department and other departments that work among our people.
New Delhi, June 3 : A special CBI court here on Friday turned down the anticipatory bail applications of Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, and others in a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate, linked to an alleged Chinese visa scam.

Apart from the Congress leader, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi also dismissed the anticipatory bail applications moved by other accused persons in the case including his chartered accountant S Bhaskar Raman and Vikas Makharia, the associate Vice President of thermal power plant Talwandi Sabo Power.

On May 30, the court of Special CBI judge M.K. Nagpal had reserved the order and posted the matter for Friday.

In the last hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that the alleged transaction is from 2011 and the ED registered the case after a lapse of a long time.

He pointed out that there was no investigation all these years. Counsel also argued that the value of the alleged transaction is Rs 50 lakh, which is less than one crore and in view of this fact, he should be granted bail.

According to the FIR, the Mansa (Punjab)-based private Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd took the help of a middleman and allegedly paid Rs 50 lakh to get the visa issued for Chinese nationals to complete a project before the deadline.

"The payment of said bribe was routed from the Mansa-based private company to said private person of Chennai and his close associate through a Mumbai-based company as payment of false invoice raised for consultancy and out of pocket expenses for Chinese visas related works, whereas the private company based at Mumbai was never in any kind of work relating to visas rather it was in an entirely different business of industrial knives," as per the case.

Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Minister P. Chidambaram and the Lok Sabha member from Sivaganga, denied all the allegations and said that he "did not facilitate a single Chinese national" and the case was bogus.
New Delhi, June 3 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed deep grief over the loss of lives due to a road accident in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district in the early hours on Friday.

"Saddened by the mishap in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones due to this tragedy. I hope that the injured recover at the earliest. The local administration has been helping those affected," the Prime Minister was quoted as saying by his office.

At least seven people were charred to death after a Hyderabad-bound sleeper bus from Goa caught fire after a head-on collision with a DCM van near Kamalapur in Kalaburagi.

According to reports, the bus fell into a ditch after the collision and caught fire. The injured have been admitted to a hospital in Gulbarga.

A group of people from Secunderabad had gone to Goa for a tour last week and were returning home when the tragedy struck them.
New Delhi, June 3 : The Supreme Court on Friday imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on a petitioner, whose lawyer argued for over twenty minutes in a matter, which was termed as "luxury litigation" by the court.

A vacation bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and Hima Kohli told counsel, appearing for a petitioner, that the matter is nothing but a luxury litigation between two warring factions attempting to take control over an educational institution.

"We will impose exemplary costs. Party has to pay Rs 1 lakh to the SCAORA (Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association) and Rs 1 lakh to the SCBA (Supreme Court Bar Association)," it said.

As counsel submitted before the bench that the plea had merit, the bench told the counsel: "We warned you of costs", and pointed out that despite its warning, he argued the case for 22 minutes. The bench said the cost imposed was justified, as it strongly objected to the practice of filing "luxury litigation".

Earlier in the day, the same bench imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh while junking petitions that alleged illegal constructions and excavation at Shree Jagannath temple in Puri by the Odisha government, saying the petitioners unnecessarily made a hue and cry.

The top court said: "In the recent past, it is noticed that there is a mushroom growth of public interest litigations. However, in many of such petitions, there is no public interest involved at all. The petitions are either publicity interest litigations or personal interest litigation." "We highly deprecate the practice of filing such frivolous petitions. They are nothing but abuse of process of law. They encroach upon a valuable judicial time which could be otherwise utilised for considering genuine issues. It is high time that such so-called public interest litigations are nipped in the bud so that the developmental activities in the larger public interest are not stalled."
Karachi, June 3 : Sidra Amin notched up just the second century of her ODI career as Pakistan sealed series win with a thumping 73-run win over Sri Lanka at Southend Club on Friday.

After Sidra's commanding batting performance of 123 took Pakistan to 253/2, young pacer Fatima Sana took four Sri Lankan wickets while conceding 26 runs in her ten overs in restricting the tourists to 180/9 in 50 overs.

Sri Lanka were never quite in the hunt of the 254-run target. Openers Hasini Perera and captain Chamari Athapaththu were sent back with only 31 runs on the board in 12.1 overs. The visitors failed to break the shackles and lost wickets as they attempted to up the scoring rate.

Hansima Karunaratne and Prasadani Weerakkody couldn't get going in the middle overs while Kavisha Dilhari, who scored an unbeaten 49 in the first match, made 32 off 35 balls. But her departure in the 39th over drew curtains on Sri Lanka's efforts. The visitors kept losing wickets as the lower-order succumbed to probing bowling by Pakistan bowlers.

Fatima, who had accounted for Perera in her opening spell, dismissed Oshadi Ranasinghe and Sachini Nisansala off successive balls in the 42nd over. With the dismissal of Nilakshi de Silva for 17, Fatima finished with 4/26 in a spell where she bowled three maidens while Omaima Sohail took 2/35 and Nida Dar had figures of 1/29.

Earlier, for the first time on the tour, Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof won the toss and opted to bat first. Sidra and Muneeba Ali combined to post Pakistan's first-ever century plus opening-stand in 50-over format.

The two were involved in a 158-run partnership which comfortably beat the previous best of 96 between Javeria Khan and Nahida Khan against England at Kuala Lumpur in 2019.

The left-handed Muneeba registered the second fifty of her ODI career but she was dismissed by Oshadi Ranasinghe for 56 off 100 balls. Her fall didn't deter Sidra from reaching the second century of her ODI career on the 137th ball of her innings.

After scoring 76 in the first match, Sidra produced another dazzling display to dominate the Sri Lankan attack, going past her previous best score of 104 before falling for 123, laced with eleven fours. Sidra added 74 runs for the second-wicket with Bismah and has now joined Javeria as Pakistan's most prolific ODI century scorer, at two centuries.

Bismah remained unbeaten on 36 off 43 balls and went past Javeria's tally of 2885 runs to become Pakistan's highest run-getter in the ODI format. Nida scored 10 off seven including a four off the last ball to help the hosts get past the 250-run mark. The third and final ODI will be played on Sunday.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 253/2 in 50 overs (Sidra Amin 123, Muneeba Ali 56; Kavisha Dilhari 1/43, Oshadi Ranasinghe 1/44) beat Sri Lanka 180/9 in 50 overs (Harshitha Madavi 41, Kavisha Dilhari 32; Fatima Sana 4/26, Omaima Sohail 2/35) by 73 runs
Bengaluru, June 3 : The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) announced on Friday that students wearing hijab will not be allowed to enter the examination hall to take the Common Entrance Test (CET) for admissions to professional courses.

The students will have to remove hijab before entering the examination hall. The KEA has also clarified that any cloth or dress which symbolises religion is not allowed.

The CET examination will be conducted on lines of SSLC (10th class) and II PUC exams. CET will be held on June 16, 17, and 18. The students have been asked to attend CET with respective uniforms.

In the backdrop of allegations of rampant corrupt practices in entrance exams to posts of Police Sub-inspectors (PSI) and Associate Professors, authorities have decided to ensure fair conduct of examinations.

Students attending CET are not allowed to wear 'Mangal Sutras', nose ring, earring, gold chain, bangles and other gold ornaments. The students have also been asked not to bring watches, calculators and any electronic device.

The exams will be conducted on lines of NEET exams and jammers and metal detectors have been installed at the exam halls. Around 2.11 lakh students-1.4 lakh boys and 1.7 lakh girls- have enrolled for CET exams.
New Delhi, June 3 : The Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police's Special Cell has busted a fake helicopter ticket booking module and arrested four persons in this connection, an official said on Friday.

The accused were identified as Deepak Thakur, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, and Jeki Prasad Kahar, Pappu Singh, and Vikash Kumar Bhagat -- all three residents of West Bengal.

Furnishing details, DCP (IFSO) KPS Malhotra said a complaint was received at Cyber Crime regarding some unknown persons who cheated the complainant, on the pretext of booking helicopter tickets for visiting Mata Vaishno Devi temple shrine, Jammu.

During the enquiry, the NCRP (National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal) was analysed and about 112 complaints were found linked to the same syndicate, in which innocent people were cheated by the alleged persons through the same modus operandi.

"On technical analysis, the locations of suspected persons were located in Bihar, West Bengal and Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh," the DCP said.

Subsequently, a police team was constituted which conducted simultaneous raids in Firozabad, UP, Bihar and West Bengal and arrested the four accused persons.

"More than 100 complaints with the same modus operandi were analyzed and after analysis, the suspected phone numbers/bank account details of the mastermind i.e website developer were traced from Firozabad, UP and a huge number of hard disks and two laptops and 5 mobile phones were recovered," the official added.

During interrogation it was revealed that the accused were all part of an organised gang headed by accused Deepak Thakur (website developer) who is a B.Tech student and designed the websites for cheating innocent religious travellers and for siphoning off the cheated amount they used many fake bank accounts.

The modus operandi of this gang was that they used to make a fake website for helicopter ticket booking which seemed similar to the government authorised agents' websites and they received the booking amount in bank accounts which they opened under.

They kept the cheque books and ATM cards of aforesaid bank accounts with them to immediately withdraw the cheated amount.
New Delhi, June 3 : The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has refuted the US State Department's 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom, and said that India values religious freedom and human rights.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: "We have noted the release of the US State Department's 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom, and the ill-informed comments by senior US officials. It is unfortunate that vote bank politics is being practised in international relations. We would urge that assessments based on motivated inputs and biased views be avoided.

"As a naturally pluralistic society, India values religious freedom and human rights. In our discussions with the US, we have regularly highlighted issues of concern there, including racially and ethnically motivated attacks, hate crimes and gun violence." The US State Department's report describes the status of religious freedom in every country. The report covers government policies violating religious belief and practices of groups, religious denominations and individuals, and US policies to promote religious freedom around the world.

Releasing the report, US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said, "For example, in India, the world's largest democracy and home to a great diversity of faiths, we've seen rising attacks on people and places of worship; in Vietnam, where authorities harass members of unregistered religious communities; in Nigeria, where several state governments are using anti-defamation and blasphemy laws to punish people for expressing their beliefs."
Bengaluru, June 3 : Social activists have urged Karnataka police to treat sex workers in the state with dignity in the backdrop of the Supreme Court order in this regard.

Addressing mediapersons here on Friday, the President of Sadhana Mahila Association, Geetha, stated that the apex court last week passed an order in favour of sex workers.

"The court has clearly stated that atrocities which endanger the freedom and dignity of sex workers should not take place," she said.

Sex workers are constantly harassed and suffer at the hands of police, and even face police brutality. The order has particularly identified the factor of police brutality, Geetha pointed out.

She maintained that it is a crucial step by the Supreme Court to direct the police to take care of sex workers in terms of healthcare, and that their health status should not be used as evidence against them.

She appealed to the state government to implement the recommendations of the apex court in letter and spirit to protect the honour of sex workers in Karnataka.
Mumbai, June 3 : With 7 candidates in the fray for 6 seats, the stage is set for elections to the Rajya Sabha from the state amid apprehensions of 'horse-trading' being voiced in different quarters, here on Friday.

The ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to agree on withdrawing the so-called 'extra' candidate for the 6th seat, paving the way for the polls, scheduled on June 10.

A delegation of MVA comprising Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Sunil Kedar and Anil Desai met Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis to explore and ensure unopposed election for the 6 candidates as has been the tradition for over two decades.

However, after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended this afternoon, 7 candidates are left in the race who will compete for the 6 seats in the polls.

The main contest will be between Shiv Sena's Sanjay Pawar and BJP's Dhananjay Mahadik -- both from Kolhapur -- and would be a test of credibility and strength for both sides to get their respective nominee elected.

Given the current arithmetic of the state legislative assembly, the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress can easily get one elected and the BJP -- which had three earlier, can get 2 elected.

With the help of Independents, smaller parties and the excess votes of their allies, both Sena and BJP are hoping to get their candidate elected for the 6th seat which is now being contested.

Sena's Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut expressed regrets that the BJP did not honour the proposal to drop its nominee Mahadik to ensure unopposed elections, declared that the MVA will ensure all its four nominees are elected without any hassles.

BJP state president Chandrakant Patil also was confident of getting their third nominee (Mahadik) contending that the seat 'belongs to the BJP' and asked the Sena should withdraw its candidate.

NCP's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Sena and Congress leaders slammed the BJP for 'forcing' an election for the 6 Rajya Sabha seats rather than honouring the old norms of unopposed elections to the Upper House of Parliament.

"We are hearing that the BJP is preparing to throw money and threaten legislators with Central agencies to ensure their supporta That's their style of politics, but we are fully confident of getting all our 4 candidates elected," Raut said.

Patil denied the charges and said that they are not contacting any legislators from the ruling side, and claimed the BJP would overcome the requirements of around 10 votes needed to ensure Mahadik's victory.

At one point, Patil urged the Sena to give up the RS seat since BJP is a national party and needed it more than a state party (Sena) which should focus on the upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council elections where the BJP could give one seat in return.

It may be recalled that a royal scion from the Kolhapur throne, Yuvraj Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje had announced plans to contest the 6th Rajya Sabha seat as an independent, but after failing to get any commitments from either side, withdrew from the race last week.
Bhopal, June 3 : Due to the scorching summer heat, accessing potable water has become a challenge for people across Madhya Pradesh. This summer, people are witnessing unprecedented water shortage in the state, including in the capital city of Bhopal.

In Madhya Pradesh, water shortage is a recurring issue every summer.

On Thursday, a video surfaced on social media showing some women scaling the wall of a deep well to fetch water in a village in Dindori district.

A more drastic incident has occurred in Narsinghpur district where two people died and many fell ill after reportedly drinking contaminated water on Thursday.

As per official reports, around 30 people were admitted to a government hospital after they complained of stomach ache due to consuming contaminated water.

A senior doctor at the hospital where these people are being treated told IANS, "There was a rush of complaints of stomach pain and it came to be known that it occurred due to contaminated water. The district administration has ordered a probe into the matter.

"Around 30 people were admitted to the hospital, of which two persons have died while the others are undergoing treatment. A health team has been deployed in the village from where this incident was reported," said a doctor posted in the Narsinghpur district hospital.

Last week, after a review meeting of Jal Jeevan Mission, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said that in a span of two years, the mission has registered a stupendous rise from 17.5 lakh to more than 50 lakh tap water connections in the state.

The state government has fixed a target of 1.22 crore rural families for supplying tap water connection under the Jal Jeevan Mission by 2024. The government's reports claimed that schools and anganwadis operating in the rural areas are also being provided tap water connection under this mission.
New Delhi, June 3 : The Supreme Court on Friday said it has time and again emphasised that there is need for minimal judicial interference by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) and the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in the framework of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

A bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and Hima Kohli said: "When 90 per cent and more of the creditors, in their wisdom after due deliberations, find that it will be in the interest of all the stake holders to permit settlement and withdraw CIRP (Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process), in our view, the adjudicating authority or the appellate authority cannot sit in an appeal over the commercial wisdom of CoC (committee of creditors)." It noted that the top court has consistently held that the commercial wisdom of the CoC has been given paramount status without any judicial intervention for ensuring completion of the stated processes within the timelines prescribed by the IBC.

The bench added that it has been held that there is an intrinsic assumption, that financial creditors are fully informed about the viability of the corporate debtor and feasibility of the proposed resolution plan.

They act on the basis of thorough examination of the proposed resolution plan and assessment made by their team of experts, it said.

The bench also observed that this court has found that if the CoC arbitrarily rejects a just settlement or withdrawal claim, the NCLT and thereafter, the NCLAT can always set aside such a decision under the provisions of the IBC.

The top court made these observations while hearing appeals to the common judgment passed on January 28 by the NCLAT's Chennai Bench, in a company appeal.

It had dismissed the appeals filed by the resolution professional (RP) challenging two orders of the NCLT, passed in August last year, rejecting the application filed by the RP under Section 12A of the IBC, 2016, read with Regulation 30A of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Insolvency Resolution Process for Corporate Persons) Regulations, 2016, for withdrawal of the application filed under Section 7 of the IBC in view of the settlement plan submitted by the appellant.

The bench said it is thus clear that the decision of the CoC was taken after the members had due deliberation to consider the pros and cons of the settlement plan and took a decision exercising their commercial wisdom.

"We are therefore of the considered view that neither the learned NCLT nor the learned NCLAT were justified in not giving due weightage to the commercial wisdom of CoC," it said.

The bench noted that in the present case, the proceedings of the 13th, 14th and 15th meetings of CoC would clearly show that there were wide deliberations amongst the members of the CoC while considering the settlement plan as submitted by the appellant.

It said that as per the directions of the NCLT, on April 1, 2021, the 17th meeting of the CoC was reconvened, wherein the settlement plan was approved by 94.23 per cent votes.

The bench said: "Whereas under Section 30(4) of the IBC, the voting share of CoC for approving the Resolution Plan is 66 per cent, the requirement under Section 12A of the IBC for withdrawal of CIRP is 90 per cent." It said the interference would be warranted only when the adjudicating authority or the appellate authority finds the decision of the CoC to be wholly capricious, arbitrary, irrational and de hors the provisions of the statute or the rules.

The top court set aside the orders passed by the NCLAT and the NCLT and allowed the application by the RP before the NCLT for withdrawal of the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process.
Bhopal, June 3 : An administrative official of Additional District Magistrate (ADM) rank has been appointed to investigate the Guna killings, in which three police personnel were shot dead last month by alleged poachers in Madhya Pradesh.

Guna district collector Frank Noble A. has authorised Aditya Singh (ADM) to probe the matter. As per official sources, the investigation will be conducted focusing on various angles, including the role of police, forest department etc.

Other subjects like who gave tip-off about the presence of poachers in the forest area to the police, whether the forest department was informed before the police team went to the forest and what response the team received etc. will be part of the investigation, sources told IANS.

Inspector General (IG) of the Gwalior-Chambal division, Anil Sharma, was removed from his post within 24 hours of the incident for not reaching the spot on time. Later, Guna Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajeev Kumar Mishra was also transferred to the police headquarters in Bhopal.

On the intervening night of May 13-14, three cops were killed by alleged poachers in a forest area in Guna district. The cops who were on night patrolling were killed after a group of poachers opened fire on them.

One poacher was also killed in the same encounter while another was killed in an encounter that took place later on the same day.

A third poacher was killed in an encounter a few days later. Later, two other accused, who were arrested, were shot in the legs after they allegedly tried to escape from police custody.

The incident had sparked a political controversy in the state, and both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress had accused each other of association with the alleged poachers.

The deceased policemen were sub-inspector Rajkumar Jatav, principal constable Neeraj Bhargava and constable Santram Meena.
Kolkata, June 3 : A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here on Friday awarded life imprisonment to Islamic State (IS) terrorist Md. Masiuddin a.k.a. Musa, officials said.

Besides IS, Musa was also closely associated with Jamaat-ul- Mujahideen Bangladesh. This is for the first time that any IS terrorist was handed punishment by a court in West Bengal.

To recall, on July 5, 2022, the sleuths of Criminal Investigation Department (CID of West Bengal police arrested Musa from Burdwan station in East Burdwan district in West Bengal. Later, he was sent to the custody of the NIA.

Musa is a resident of Lavpur in Birbhum district of West Bengal. When he was imprisoned, Musa had hit the headlines a number of times for attacking the jail wardens and prison guards.

In December 2017, he attacked a prison officer, Gobindo Chandra Dey with a sharp object, targetting his neck.

He had even once thrown shoes towards a judge within the courtroom.

Even the sleuths from the American security agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) came to Kolkata to question him.

Musa was accused by NIA of plotting an attack at Mother House in Central Kolkata to kill the foreign visitors there to pay homage to Nobel laureate, Mother Teresa.

According to the NIA, Musa was mainly responsible for making IS recruits from West Bengal.
New Delhi, June 3 : In wake of the recent targeted killings in the Kashmir Valley, Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu and Kashmir Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Army Chief Gen. Manoj Pande also attended the meeting.

A Home Ministry official said Amit Shah reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. A discussion on the security arrangements for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra was also held in the meeting.

The security review meeting came after recent targeted killings in the Kashmir Valley. Last month, Shah had held a meeting to review the preparedness of Amarnath Yatra, and the overall security in Jammu and Kashmir.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh and senior officials from intelligence and security agencies also attended the meeting.

It was learnt that Shah also had an informal meeting with L-G Sinha and few other senior officials.
New Delhi, June 3 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said that they have attached proceeds of crime in the form of immovable assets worth Rs 20.96 crore belonging to IFFCO Managing Director Udai Shanker Awasthi in its ongoing investigations against Directors of IFFCO and Indian Potash Ltd (IPL) and others.

The attached properties include residential houses at New Delhi which includes the residential property located at Hauz Khas Enclave which the accused had got transferred to himself from IFFCO, Gurugram, and Himachal Pradesh.

The attachments were conducted on June 2 under Section 5 of the PMLA act.

Earlier, the ED had attached movable assets, FDRs, of Rs 27.79 crore in the name of Amarendra Dhari Singh, $475,4606 (approx Rs 36.55 Crore as per prevailing exchange rate) lying in the Swiss bank accounts of Atrium Holdings Ltd and Artistic Holdings Ltd (both beneficially owned by Pankaj Jain) and residential and commercial properties worth Rs 54.11 lakh belonging to Jain in this case.

Thus, the total attachment in this case comes to about Rs 86 crore so far.

The ED initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of the CBI's FIR lodged against various suspects including Awasthi, Jain, Promoter of Jyoti Trading Corporation and Rare Earth Group, Dubai, Amarendra Dhari Singh and others.

They were accused by the CBI for allegedly hatching criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal misconduct.

The ED learnt in the investigation that Awasthi and others in IFFCO generated proceeds of crime and layered it through various unrelated entities and part of PoC was then transferred to the entities controlled by them.

The ED had also filed a prosecution complaint (charge sheet) in 2021 against six accused.

The court had held that all accused persons knowingly assisted and involved in acquisition of proceeds of crime.
New Delhi, June 3 : Enthused by India's Food Security Act (FSA) 2013 through the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme, and Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) providing food security to millions, a delegation from Nepal is in India to study the world's largest food safety net.

The high-level delegation facilitated by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Nepal and India in collaboration with the Embassy of Nepal comprises members of Nepal's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), National Planning Commission (NPC), and WFP officials. Dil Bahadur Gurung, Member, NPC, is also part of the visiting team.

"India is a pioneer in institutionalizing the Right To Food approach in the fight against hunger through its Food Security Act. With extensive experience in the implementation of the Act through diverse programmes and policies, India makes the most suitable destination for the Government of Nepal to study and learn various aspects of food safety nets," said leader of the delegation, Mahendra Ray Yadav, Nepal's Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development.

"This exchange of knowledge and learning that the mission is geared towards embodies the spirit of South-South and triangular cooperation that WFP and India are committed to. The study mission will directly feed into policy processes aimed at improving the food security and nutrition situation in Nepal, contributing to the 2030 agenda of Zero Hunger," said Bishow Parajuli, Representative and Country Director, WFP in India.

"Another highlight of the study visit is the opportunity for Nepalese delegation to engage with India's Ministry of Agriculture on India's growth story that enables food self-sufficiency and support for the Right to Food for two third of India's population," Parajuli added.

"The Covid-19 pandemic, economic, and climate shocks have highlighted the importance of robust public policy framework and social safety nets. The implementation mechanisms that India has developed over the years for ensuring food security through its three flagship schemes have tremendous regional and global relevance. The study visit by Nepal's Agriculture Minister and its planning commission will contribute to regional food security efforts," said Suman Bery, Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog.

From June 2 and 9, the mission will hold high-level ministerial and thematic meetings on TPDS, MDM (PM-POSHAN), and ICDS in New Delhi and Odisha. The delegation will also be visiting Fair Price Shops to witness the process for distribution of subsidised food grain under the public distribution system and school feeding programme, and ration card management system in Odisha.

Nepal promulgated the 'Right to Food and Food Sovereignty Act' in 2018. The delegation will take back observations and recommendations to improve the implementation of the act and establish linkages with stakeholders including UN and development partners to implement food system pathways and strategic or game-changing solutions, a statement from the WFP said.
New Delhi, June 3 : A 22-year-old college student has been arrested for harassing a woman by creating her fake social media account and posting an obscene description on her profile, a Delhi Police official said on Friday.

The accused, identified as Ankit Kumar, is a student of BCA (Computer Science) and permanent resident of Bihar. He was residing in a rented accomodation at Uttam Nagar.

DCP Shankar Choudhary said a complaint was lodged by a woman at Cyber Police Station Dwarka alleging that on April 1, she received several vulgar calls from different people. When she discussed this incident with her friend, she came to know that a fake Instagram account was created by using her name and photographs. Her mobile numbers along with obscene descriptions have also been posted by the offender on the fake Instagram account.

Based on the woman's complaint, the police registered an FIR under section 354 D and 292 of the Indian Penal Code at the Cyber Police Station Dwarka.

During investigation, the details of the fake Instagram account were obtained and analysed and with the help of all technical evidence the police zeroed in on the location of the accused at Uttam Nagar and apprehended him.

On interrogation, the accused disclosed that his girlfriend and the complainant were fast friends, which the accused didn't like. The accused had on March 30 got into a heated argument with the victim and the complainant insulted him in front of his girlfriend, due to which he devised the whole plan to take revenge and created her fake Instagram profile.
New Delhi, June 3 : Raising concern over spike in the number Covid-19 cases in some states, the Center on Friday wrote to Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala to continue monitoring the spread of the infection.

The Centre has advised these five states in separate letters to undertake the required steps for prompt and effective management of the pandemic.

"A sustained and significant decline in the number of Covid-19 cases has been observed in India over the past 3 months. However, from past 1 week, a slight upsurge in cases is being noticed with 15,708 cases reported in week ending May 27, 2022 rising to 21,055 cases reported in week ending June 3, 2022," the Health Ministry said.

The ministry also raised concern over rising positivity rate.

"Also, there is a rise in weekly positivity from 0.52 per cent in week ending May 27, 2022 to 0.73 per cent in week ending June 3, 2022," said Rajesh Bhushan, Health Secretary.

Bhushan said that there are a few states which are reporting a higher contribution to India's cases indicating the possibility of a localised spread of infection.

"There is, therefore, a need to follow a risk assessment-based approach on the public health responses without losing the gains made so far in the fight against the pandemic," he added.

The Centre has advised the states to continue implementation and monitoring of necessary measures for prompt and effective management of Covid-19 and to ensure compliance with various advisories issued by the ministry.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Patna, June 3 : A Class 7 student in Bihar's Bhojpur district died after eating chocolate, police said on Friday.

The incident was reported in Sonpura village under Udwantnagar police station. The victim is identified as Subham Kumar Shah, and his father Santosh Shah alleged that a neighbour, who is running a grocery shop, killed his son with the poisoned chocolate.

In a dying statement, Subham said that he was playing with other children on Thursday evening when a woman who is running a grocery shop, gave him chocolate. When he ate it, his health started deteriorating.

"We immediately rushed to Sadar hospital, Arrah but he succumbed on the way," Shah said.

In a statement to the police, Santosh said: "Shubham was having a verbal duel with the children of the accused woman. She may have taken revenge for it and deliberately gave chocolate with bad intentions." "When Subham's health deteriorated in the village, I immediately went to the shop of that woman but she shut it up and went on the rooftop of her house. As saving the life of my child was important at that time, I took him to Sadar hospital in Arrah where he died on the way," he said.

Following the incident, a team from the town police station reached Sadar hospital and had a post-mortem examination conducted. The cause of death appeared to be a poisonous substance.

"We have registered an FIR in this matter and transferred it to Udwant Nagar police station for further investigation of the case," said an investigating officer of the case.
New Delhi, June 3 : Capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on Friday passed its final order in the IIFL group front-running case, finding the group's equity dealer Santosh Singh guilty of wrongfully using his knowledge of impending orders of its group entities.

Front-running is the practice of dealing on advance information provided by their brokers and investment analysts, before their clients have been given the information is called front running.

The SEBI also found his friend Adil Suthar guilty, thereby penalised the accountholders whose accounts were used by the duo for placing those front running trades.

Additionally, Singh and Sutar would be barred from 5 years, while slapped with Rs 10 lakh and Rs 8 lakh penalties, respectively, which must be paid within 45 days time.
Kolkata, June 3 : A political slugfest broke out after West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, on Friday afternoon, inaugurated a railway bridge at Kamarkundu railway station under Singur block in Hooghly district.

Incidentally, Singur was the venue of the erstwhile Nando project of Tata Motors and Banerjee's movement against land acquisition for the project played a key role in her becoming the Chief Minister of West Bengal in 2011, ousting the 34-year long Left Front rule in the state.

Soon after she inaugurated the railways bridge, Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari slammed the Chief Minister for inaugurating the bridge without inviting Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

He pointed out that the railway bridge was constructed in joint collaboration of the Railway Ministry and the state government, where the former had borne 60 per cent of the total cost of Rs 46.86 crore. Apart from that, Adhikari said, the railways has spent an additional Rs 5 crore for constructing a subway there.

"Despite the Railways having borne the majority of the cost, neither the Railways Minister or anyone from the Railways department received invitation at the inauguration on Friday. The Chief Minister, who often speaks of the federal structure of the country, herself insulted that structure on Friday. Today, the Chief Minister has proved again that she is unparalleled and unmatched in the sphere of devious politics," he said.

However, Trinamool Congress's state Vice President, Jaiprakash Majumdar, has rubbished Adhikari's claims. "The Union government spends money from the tax they collect from the common people. The people of West Bengal have provided the money and so the Chief Minister of the state inaugurated that. There is no politics involved with that," he said.

--IANS src/vd

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Mandya : , June 3 (IANS) Karnataka police personnel have been stationed to stop Hanuman devotees and activists, who are planning to conduct prayers at the Jamia Masjid in Srirangapatna, enroute the historical town on Saturday.

The district authorities have already issued prohibitory orders with effect from the evening of June 3 till June 5 morning to avoid any untoward incident in the town.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal have given call to all activists to gather in Srirangapatna on Saturday. They plan to enter the Jamia Masjid and conduct prayers there.

This call was given in the backdrop of the district administration not responding to their demand of getting a survey of the mosque done, on the lines of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi.

Sriram Sena founder Pramod Muthalik has also extended support to the 'Srirangapatna Chalo' movement to protest the delay in getting the mosque surveyed.

Sources said the police have informed that they will stop the Hindu devotees and activists from entering Srirangapatna. However, they will be allowed to pray and sing bhajans up to a certain point beyond which they will not be allowed. In case of any resistance, arrests will be made.

Punith, a VHP leader, said that in the wake of the prohibitory orders, they have dropped plans of entering Jamia Masjid.

"We will gather peacefully and sing bhajans. We have sought permission from the district authorities in this regard," he told IANS.

"The authorities will have to come to the spot and clarify when the survey of the mosque will be carried out. Otherwise we will proceed legally," he added.

Jamia Masjid was built by the erstwhile ruler of Mysuru, Tipu Sultan. But Hindu activists claim that the mosque was built after razing a Hanuman temple.

The mosque, also called the Masjid-i-Ala, is located inside the Srirangapatna fort. It was built in 1786-87 during the rule of Tipu Sultan. The mosque has three inscriptions that mention nine names of Prophet Muhammad.
Islamabad, June 3 : Key Pakistan government officials deliberated over going ahead with filing treason charges against PTI Chairman Imran Khan and the chief ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan over PTI's May 25 'Azadi March' during a special committee meeting of the cabinet, media reports said.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Interior, the cabinet's special committee meeting was chaired by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Geo News reported.

During the meeting, the interior minister, interior secretary and Islamabad IG briefed the participants on PTI's 'Azadi March' held on May 25.

The participants deliberated over filing a case under the charges of sedition against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and the chief ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mahmood Khan, and Gilgit-Baltistan, Khalid Khursheed, a statement read.

"However, the committee postponed the meeting to deliberate over the matter further till June 6 to present its final recommendations before the federal cabinet," the statement read, Geo News reported.

During the meeting, Sanaullah urged the committee to recommend that the federal cabinet file a treason case against Imran Khan.

While briefing the committee, the interior minister said a plan was made to siege and invade the capital with an armed force on May 25.

"With planning, around 2,500 miscreants were already sent to Islamabad and they tried to capture D-Chowk before the arrival of Imran Khan," he said.

Sanaullah further said that Imran Khan had violated the Supreme Court's order and asked workers to reach D-chowk.

The interior minister told the committee that a group of armed people not only attacked the police, Rangers and FC personnel, but also set trees and a metro station on fire.
Hyderabad, June 3 : Tension prevailed at Jubilee Hills police station on Friday as BJP workers staged a protest demanding arrest of the accused involved in the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl by a group of teenagers.

Workers of BJP and BJYM staged a sit-in at the police station, raising slogans demanding arrest of the accused said to be belonging to politically influential families. Some of the protesters including women barged into police station premises but were stopped and detained by the police.

Alleging that the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is trying to shield the culprits, they demanded resignation of Home Minister Mehmood Ali.

BJP leader Chintala Ramachandra Reddy alleged that since the accused belong to families of MIM and TRS leaders, the TRS government is not taking action.

"Though the crime was committed six days ago, the police have not arrested anybody under pressure of MIM," he said.

The victim had gone to a pub for a party and after promising to drop her home ,the accused sexually assaulted her in a Mercedes car.

The shocking incident came to light on Friday. Police reportedly detained two suspects and were questioning them.

The girl was raped in a luxury car in posh Jubilee Hills on May 28 by 3-5 accused.

Police said since all suspects are minor they are proceeding as per rules. A police official told reporters outside Jubilee Hills police station that the investigations were on.

Meanwhile, minister for industry and information technology K. T. Rama Rao has expressed shock over the rape incident.

He requested the home minister, Director General of Police Mahender Reddy and Police Commissioner to take immediate and stern action. "Please don't spare anyone involved irrespective of their statuses or affiliations," tweeted minister KTR BJP MLA Raghunandan Rao alleged that the accused were part of a bachelors' party organised at the pub ahead of the marriage of the home minister's grandson.

He alleged that as per the information he received, sons of a MIM MLA and Wakf Board chairman were involved in the incident.

Rao said the Mercedes car belonged to the sister of MIM MLA. He wanted police to make CCTV footage public.

The minor girl had gone to a pub along with a friend. As her friend had left early, she befriended a boy during the party. He along with his friends promised to drop her home. About eight boys along with the girl left the pub in two cars.

They stopped at a pastry shop enroute and later parked the car in Jubilee Hills, where 3-5 boys sexually assaulted her in a car. They later dropped her back at the pub.

The incident came to light when the girl's father noticed injuries on her neck and enquired about it. She told him that some boys attacked her after a party at a pub.

On the complaint by victim's father, police on June 1 registered a case under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and took up investigation. It was initially treated as a case of outraging modesty but after recording the statement of the victim police altered the section to 376 of IPC.

Police have constituted four teams to arrest the accused. The teams are also searching for them in other states.

A police officer said they were looking for the accused based on the statement of the victim. The police were also scanning CCTV footage and gathering other technical evidence.
Bhubaneswar, June 3 : Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Alaka Mohanty won the by-election to Brajrajnagar Assembly seat with a margin of over 66,122 votes over her nearest rival, Kishore Patel of the Congress.

As per Election Commission data, a total of 1,53,398 votes were polled during the by-poll held on May 31. Mohanty got 93,953 votes while Patel got 27,831 votes, and BJP fell to the third position in the election as its candidate Radharani Panda got only 22,630 votes.

Panda, who won the seat in 2014 and 68,153 votes in 2019, lost her deposit in this by-election.

This is the first time since the 2019 elections that the BJP fell to the third spot, with the Congress came second spot. In byelections held for Bijepur, Balasore, Tirtol and Pipili MLA seats in recent past, the BJP had secured the second position.

Congratulating Mohanty, BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik thanked the people of Brajrajnagar for reposing love and faith on his party. "This victory has further strengthened our commitment to serve," Patnaik said in a tweet.

The new MLA-elect said she will try for a holistic development of the assembly segment within the short span of time.

Congress candidate Patel said he never thought of such a dismal result. He alleged that the ruling party has utilised huge funds and indulged in booth rigging to win the election.

BJP candidate Panda also alleged that the ruling party has used its financial & muscle power and administrative machinery to win the election.

The by-poll was necessitated by the death of sitting lawmaker Kishore Mohanty, the husband of the BJD candidate, in December last year.
Panaji, June 3 : Goa Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho on Friday said that the proposed viewing gallery on the upcoming bridge on Zuari river in the state will be better than the Eiffel Tower in France.

"The Central government has helped Goa by sanctioning Rs 25 thousand crore to build better connectivity of roads. The new Zuari bridge is being built at the cost of Rs 2,500 crore. The iconic viewing towers on this new bridge will be better than the Eiffel Tower in France, which will attract tourists," Godinho said while addressing a press conference here.

He said that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has also spoken about this unique project in parliament, mentioning it will be better than the Eiffel Tower in France.

Godinho said that 'Atal Setu bridge' in Panaji and Mopa airport are big examples of developmental works taking place in coastal state.

"All round development of Goa is taking place under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Godinho said.

"Narendra Modi is a world leader. He is welcomed everywhere. Indian Diaspora staying in various countries also welcomes him," he said adding the nation is in safe hands and strong hands.
Bhubaneswar, June 3 : Bhaskar Chandra Nayak, an NRI Odia doctor, has promised to donate Rs 1 crore for the construction of a Jagannath temple near his native village in Jajpur district of Odisha.

Nayak, who has been is serving as a doctor at different hospitals in New York City for the past 43 years, is a devotee of Lord Jagannath. While Nayak will provide Rs 1 crore for building the temple, locals have donated land for the temple at Jagatpur village under Beruda panchayat in Jajpur district.

Nayak and his wife Indrajita performed a 'Bhumi Puja' for the temple on June 1 in the presence of the villagers.

"My father was a big devotee of Lord Jagannath. He wished to have a Jagannath temple in our locality. The people of Jagatpur also wanted to build the temple. So we laid the foundation stone for the temple," Nayak said.

With the support of all, the temple will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.5 crore, he added.

Srinivas Panda, a native of Jagatpur village, said, "The temple will be built under the leadership of Bhaskar Nayak. All the villagers are with him and joined the Bhumi Puja programme." Soon after the rainy season, the construction work will begin and a target has been set to complete the work within a year, the villagers said.
Srinagar, June 3 : A soldier was killed in a blast in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, the Army said on Friday.

An Army official said that based on specific intelligence, a cordon and search operation was launched in the general area Patitohalan in Shopian on Thursday.

"During the move to the target area, an explosion took place in a civil hired vehicle, being used for the operation, resulting in injuries to three soldiers. The injured personnels were immediately shifted and given first aid at District Hospital, Shopian and thereafter evacuated to 92 Base Hospital, Srinagar. Naik Praveen who was grievously injured was further transferred to Command Hospital, Udhampur where he succumbed to his injuries.

"Keeping with the highest traditions of the Indian Armed Forces, Naik Praveen made the supreme sacrifice for the nation. The fallen soldier belongs to Tehri Garhwal region of Uttarakhand and is survived by his wife and six-year-old son. The nation will remain indebted to his valour and bravery," he said.

The army said the mortal remains of the soldier were taken to his native village after wreath laying ceremony at Udhampur on Friday.
Patna, June 3 : Four armed men looted a gold finance company in Patna on Friday evening and took away around 8 kg gold jewellery worth more than Rs 5 crore, police said.

The massive loot took place in Saket Vihar under Gardanibagh police station around 6.30 pm. The robbers came on bikes, barged into the company office, and held all the employees at gunpoint before fleeing with the gold.

The officials of the gold finance company claimed that they have looted around 8 kg gold. Though, the exact weight and worth of gold is under calculation.

The SHO, Gardanibagh said that the matter is under investigation.

He also said that another loot incident took place in a jewellery shop in Gardanibagh area.

"We are investigating both the incidents of loot. The process of scanning CCTV cameras is currently underway and we have some leads about the accused," he said.

The incidents of loot are frequently taking place in Bihar these days. This was the fourth gold robbery in the state since Thursday. On Thursday, unidentified robbers looted Rs 1 crore gold from Sri Krishna jewellers in Patepur under Mahua police station in Vaishali district and a similar incident happened in Gopalganj on when robbers looted gold worth Rs 5 lakh.
Colombo, June 3 : Clearing the diplomatic confusion over the halting of a Russian airplane carrying nearly 200 passengers on Thursday, Sri Lanka said on Friday that the government was not involved in grounding the Russian aircraft.

A Russian Aeroflot Airbus SU 289 from Moscow, which landed on Thursday with 191 passengers and 13 crew members onboard, was stopped from leaving the Colombo International Airport following an order obtained from the Colombo Commercial High Court by Irish aircraft leasing company, Celestial Aviation Trading.

The court order to ground the Russian passenger aircraft was obtained over a commercial dispute with the Irish aircraft leasing company which leased the aircraft to Aeroflot. The passengers and the crew had been diverted to local hotels.

Following tough Western sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, Russia's flagship carrier had suspended all international flights in March but had resumed operations to Colombo in April. With the sanction, Russia had instructed its airlines operating rental planes registered in foreign countries cease flights abroad, to avoid the seizure of the planes in connection with the sanctions.

When the case resumed on Friday, Sri Lanka's Attorney General through Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sumathi Dharmawardena informed the court that the Sri Lankan government had no direct connection with the civil suit between the Russian and Irish companies, and it was not involved in grounding of the aircraft.

ASG Dharmawardena informed the court that the enjoining order was not against Sri Lanka's Airport and Aviation Services which was made a defendant in the case. The ASG complained that the Irish company had obtained the order to ground the Russian flight, misleading the courts.

Aeroflot told the court that the issue had already created a serious national and international embarrassment with foreign media reporting it. It stated that the issue came up at a time when Sri Lanka has given an assurance and there is a state guarantee to Russia that its aircraft could be flown to the country.

The Russian national career told the court that the grounding of its flight cost it nearly $1 million in daily costs with Special Drawing Rights (SDR) amounting to $5600 per passenger per day.

While European Union leaders are in talks to impose fresh round of sanctions against Russia over the attacks on Ukraine, Sri Lanka, facing a power crisis with the worst ever post-independent economic crisis, is in talks with Russia to obtain fuel.

The island nation is awaiting a 90,000-tonne consignment from Russia to restart the country's only oil refinery, which has been closed since March 25 with no oil.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
New Delhi, June 3 : A 9-year-old girl was allegedly raped on Friday while she was playing on the street close to her house in east Delhi and the accused has been arrested, police said.

The official said the police have identified the accused as Mohd. Shajid (46), a resident of Bihar's Begusarai.

According to the official, a PCR call was received at Seelampur police station around 11.15 a.m. informing that a girl aged 9 years has been raped at New Seelampur.

"Immediately the police team reached the given location and the victim girl was shifted to JPC Hospital for medical examination, which confirmed the rape," the official said.

The police registered a case under section 376 AB, 376 (2) (l) of the Indian Penal Code and section 6 of the POCSO Act.

Even as the girl was shifted to hospital, the police was working to solve the case and zeroed in on the accused, who works in a small factory located very close to the residence of the victim and was known to her.

"Today while the victim girl was playing on the street, the accused lured her and committed the rape in the factory," said the official.

During preliminary investigation it has also emerged that the girl has been suffering from mental diseases since her childhood. Further investigation of the case is in progress, the official added.
New Delhi, June 3 : Is it possible to say that 'mistakes' by former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral and Communist leader Indrajit Gupta -- incidentally both deceased -- have created today's 'mess' in Naga peace parleys? Around 1998-99, at one point even L.K. Advani as Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Home Minister was stunned to note that unlike his predecessor H.D. Deve Gowda, Gujral never met the NSCN-IM leaders.

But the ceasefire initially only for six months was announced between NSCN-IM and the government in July-August 1997 when Gujral was the Prime Minister. The announcement made on July 25, 1997 in the Parliament came into effect from August 1.

Could a suave and expert hand in foreign policy -- famous for his 'Gujral doctrine' -- commit such a lapse or was it one of those oversights? Gujral admitted certain things were secret and certain things were not discussed.

Army officials said the truce was confined to the state of Nagaland only. The then Nagaland Chief Minister, S.C. Jamir, addressed the media shortly after Gujral spoke in the Parliament, but he too had no details.

In 1998-99, when the Vajpayee government was in power, senior officials used to often say that one big demerit of the 1997 Naga ceasefire was that it "lacked clear definition".

One senior official had said: "There were no written terms and conditions and it was merely an understanding." Today, that confusion has actually opened a Pandora's Box. The NSCN-IM militants are negotiating for peace and at the same time they want a separate flag and a Naga Constitution.

Curiously again, no government after Gujral's thought it would be wise to review the clauses of the initial agreement.

On October 17, 2020, former Mizoram Governor Swaraj Kaushal had said, "The symbols of sovereignty namely, separate constitution, flag, currency, defence and foreign affairs are sacrosanct and never negotiable." Kaushal was also one of the interlocutors in Naga peace matters around 1998 when Vajpayee became the Prime Minister for the second term.

While one talks of the Naga peace parleys having started under two United Front Prime Ministers, Deve Gowda and Gujral, we tend to forget that under both the PMs, comrade Indrajit Gupta was the Home Minister.

A hardcore Communist, Gupta did not have the administrative pulse in his grip always. Babus were trusted and given 'extra powers'.

K. Padmanabhaiah as the Home Secretary belonged to that period. Of course, he became an interlocutor in the peace parleys under the Vajpayee government and allegedly even declined to visit Nagaland.

His favourite meeting place(s) allegedly used to be Bangkok or even Paris and Zurich in Europe.

Deve Gowda had met two NSCN-IM leaders formally at Zurich in February 1997.

Both Deve Gowda and Gujral must have got their hands in so many other challenges and hence the Naga peace talks were left to the Home Ministry and some senior officials.

As the in-charge of the Home Ministry (MHA), in retrospect, it is being argued today that Indrajit Gupta should have done his part well. The homework was ignored.

When members in the Parliament and outside it sought 'more details' on the ceasefire from Prime Minister Gujral, they were requested not to press for it. Whatever was agreed in writing then and the so-called Competencies to the Framework Agreement inked in 2015 (during PM Narendra Modi's tenure) have been kept under the carpet.

As a result of this, even the Core Committee of Nagaland MLAs and ministers and elected Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio are not aware of the details of the parleys between NSCN-IM and the Centre even today.

Sources close to Chief Minister Rio said, "Yes, the Chief Minister does not have the details. These have made things difficult at times." Naga intellectuals and even voluntary organisations are annoyed over this 'lack of transparency'.

"Our stand and deal is open and transparent... The status paper is clear. The NNPG had to steer through the precipitates strewn out from the protracted long years of peace talks. The Government of India also hardened its stand at times. It was a tough task to bring matters on plane where both sides, the Nagas and the Government of India, have equal stance and position," said NNPG convener N. Kitovi Zhimomi.

This umbrella organisation is not insisting on flag and Constitution, saying all such issues can be discussed later as what is of paramount importance now is peace and an early solution.

But in the event of perceived 'secrecy' in talks between the NSCN-IM and the Centre, even the NNPG and some Naga intellectuals and retired civil servants are confused and also unhappy.

Retired IAS officer Khekiye K. Sema wrote in an angry piece in a local newspaper that the NSCN-IM led by Thuingaleng Muivah is "spearheading the negotiation with the government and trying to decide the fate of the Nagas of Nagaland without letting us know exactly what our future is going to look like".

The NNPG had said in a statement last week that the NSCN-IM leaders are "extorting our people and utilising much of Nagaland's money to buy and develop farmlands in Dimapur, Chumukedima and Peren districts".

It said mansions have come up in Ukhrul, in other parts of India and also abroad.

"With such grandiose luxury accumulated over three decades, it is very easy to hide behind powerful slogans like greater Nagalim, flag, Constitution etc. to soak in the wealth of Nagaland for a few more decades," NNPG said.

All these now have raised other sorts of concerns. Neutral observers in Dimapur and Kohima - government servants and businesspeople - say things are moving towards possibilities of some 'communal feuds' and media war and blame game have become the order of the day.

The locals-outsiders angle has a dangerous connotation in the northeast and in states like Nagaland.

If this is not stopped at this juncture, things may become uncontrollable.

Various other organisations have also expressed similar concerns.

In a statement, the Ao Students' Conference of a major and highly-educated tribe said: "For decades, Naga citizens have quietly endured extortion of national workers, but we have been denied the Naga solution. For how long will the Naga citizens be kept in the dark?" But all these take us back to 1997. Statesmanship demanded that leaders like Deve Gowda, Gujral and Indrajit Gupta had envisioned all these.

The present situation is a baby of the past. But with regard to Naga talks, may be the day is not far when the United Front dispensation -- led by two Prime Ministers, supported from outside, ostensibly only to prevent the BJP from coming to power, may have to shoulder some blame.

The Naga hills need not burn again.

(Nirendra Dev is a New Delhi-based journalist. He is also the author of the book 'The Talking Guns: North East India'. The views expressed are personal)
Chennai, June 3 : Multiple cases have been filed across Tamil Nadu against BJP state President K. Annamalai over a recent "derogatory" Twitter post.

A case was filed against him in Tirunelveli after VCK functionary Murugan requested the Police Commissioner to register a case against him. TPDK leaders have also filed a case against him at Coimbatore.

However, police have yet to register FIRs in both cases.

Murugan, in his complaint, said that Annamalai had used the term 'Pariah' in a tweet he made on May 30 and that the term was used to represent oppressed people worldwide. He said that it was earlier used in a derogatory way to refer lower caste groups, who were earlier called untouchables.

The BJP president has in his tweet on May 30 said: "From hopelessness to Hope. From parochial mindset to nation first, From dilly-dallying to Conviction, From one-sided to Holistic Development. From a pariah to ViswaGuru. From Dark to Light, 8 years and counting with Shri@narendramodi avl as our first servant #8yearsOfSeva".

Murugan said that Annamalai was a former IPS officer and that he was well aware of the society and law of the land. He said that Annamalai had posted a derogatory comment against one particular community on social media platforms even after being in a responsible position as the state BJP President.

In his complaint to the Police Commissioner, he said that this would only encourage caste and social disharmony, and Annamalai must be booked under the SC/ST(Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

In Coimbatore, the TPDK complaint against the BJP leader called for the police to act against him under the SC/ST Act.

TPDK leader Ramakrishnan in the complaint said: "While celebrating Modi's eight years, Annamalai has said that "From hopelessness to hope" for the community and these words are used because he thinks that they are oppressed and of the thought that they are below some and that is why he used the word, Pariah. If that word is used then SC/ST Act should be used against the person. The way Annamalai had used it is like insulting the community." However, Annamalai responded to this and clarified his stand and said that he has used the word pariah "which was not equal to the word Paraiar which denotes the highly respected Sambava Hindu community".

"I am fully aware that the name 'Yanaiyerum Perum Paraiar' is the title Hindu Sanatanadharma gave to this great community which has civilizational and foundational contributions to Bharat that is India. So that I used the term 'Pariah' to demean the community is wrong and mischievous".

The BJP state president is also facing stiff opposition from within the party and rumblings have already begun in the party over his style of functioning. A senior party leader told IANS that Annamalai "is not understanding the ground realities it seems and this is not policing but politics, and several leaders have been sidelined in the party which does not augur well for the future of BJP in the state".

The party ally and the main opposition party, the AIADMK are also unhappy over the functioning of the BJP and its Organisation Secretary and former minister, C. Ponnayian has already fired the salvo against the BJP a couple of days before.
Patna, June 4 : The RJD on Friday said it decided to publish the "report card" of Nitish Kumar government's one and half year current tenure on June 5.

Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav claimed that the Nitish Kumar government has failed on every count, and hence, the RJD has decided to publish a report card on Sampoorna Kranti day on June 5.

"The report card will comprise the point wise issues NDA had promised during the 2020 Assembly election. NDA leaders have promised 19 lakh jobs for the youth of Bihar. We have asked the Nitish Kumar government to publish data about the job it has given so far," he said.

"When we asked questions, the leaders of ruling parties used to tell lies in the house. They do not give proper answers to our questions," he said.

Reacting to the Congress' comments, Tejashwi Yadav said that the RJD was friendly with Congress till the last moment. "The way the leaders of the Congress gave statements against us was unbelievable. They (Congress leaders) claimed that they have the strength to contest elections alone. This is good for them. What can I say about it?" he said.
Agartala, June 4 : In his around three-decade-long political career, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha for the first time would contest a direct election in the June 23 by-polls as he is not a member of the state assembly.

Political pundits say that the by-elections in four assembly seats will be a multi-cornered contest between the ruling BJP, and the CPI-M-led Left Front, the Congress, and the Trinamool Congress and these by-polls are considered as a semi-final before the next year's general elections to 60-seat Tripura assembly.

BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharjee told IANS that Saha, who assumed office on May 15, a day after Biplab Kumar Deb's resignation from the top post, would contest from the Town Bordowali constituency, which along with three other assembly constituencies -- Agartala, Surma (SC) and Jubarajnagar -- would go to by polls on June 23.

The 69-year-old Congress-turned-BJP leader would contest against Congress' candidate Ashish Kumar Saha and Raghunath Sarkar of Forward Bloc.

Manik Saha, currently a Rajya Sabha member and state BJP President, and Ashish Kumar Saha, have had close relations for several decades but both changed their political platforms on a number of occasions.

Though the BJP's central leaders would announce their candidates on Saturday, Saha's candidature is confirmed for obvious reasons, Bhattacharjee said.

The opposition Congress would also announce the names of the candidates on Saturday or Sunday, though, party sources confirmed that Ashish Kumar Saha would contest from Town Bordowali seat and Sudip Roy Barman would contest from his old seat Agartala constituency.

The Trinamool Congress on Friday announced their candidates -- Panna Deb (Agartala), Neel Kamal Saha (Town Bordowali), Arjun Sarkar (Surma) and Dr Mrinal Kanti Dev (Jubarajnagar).

Both ruling and opposition parties started their campaign immediately after the Election Commission announced the schedule of the politically important by-elections on May 25.

According to the EC's schedule, the last date of filing of nomination is June 6, the scrutiny will be done on the next day and the last date of withdrawal of nomination is June 9.

The votes will be counted on June 26.

The CPI-M-led Left Front announced their candidates on May 30 and their all four candidates have already submitted their nomination.

Few other smaller parties are also likely to contest the elections.

The by-polls were necessitated after the resignation of three BJP MLAs, and the death of CPI-M legislator Ramendra Chandra Debnath.

Amid open resentment by a section of BJP legislators against then CM Deb, three MLAs, Roy Barman (Agartala), Ashish Kumar Saha (Town Bordowali), Ashis Das (Surma), quit the BJP and the Assembly.

Roy Barman, also a former BJP minister, and Saha joined the Congress in February this year while Das joined Trinamool Congress last year.

Elected from the Jubarajnagar constituency six times, Debnath was Assembly speaker multiple times.

He passed away on February 2 in Kolkata due to kidney failure.
Vadodara, June 4 : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia said here on Friday that he is ready to face investigation by any agency.

The issue was raised after AAP leader and Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a PMLA case.

"I am not afraid of any agency. In the past, I faced CBI investigation, but they could not find anything against me," Sisodia said.

On Thursday, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had said in a press conference that the central agencies are likely to arrest Sisodia next, citing intel he received from his 'sources'.

Sisodia was in Gujarat for a two-day visit to attend a convention of education ministers.

In Vadodara, Sisodia interacted with teachers and principals of schools on the quality of education and infrastructure.

Sisodia claimed that Delhi government is providing quality education, which it has achieved in just five years.

But the BJP has been in power in Gujarat for the last 27 years and yet it has not been able to provide proper and adequate infrastructure for education, Sisodia said.

He also demanded an inquiry into the 'dilapidated' conditions of the primary schools in the rural areas of Gujarat.
Patna, June 4 : An 80-year-old woman in Bihar's Siwan district and a key witness in a major case appeared before the MP-MLA court of Muzaffarpur on Friday and informed the judge that she is alive though the CBI had declared her dead.

Badami Devi, who is the main witness in the murder of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan in Siwan on May 13, 2016, claimed that the CBI had filed her death report in the court on May 24.

"When I learnt that the CBI had filed my death report in the court, I went into shock. It was disheartening and painful for me. Then, I appeared before the court with a voter identity card, Pan card and Aadhaar card," she said.

Badami Devi appeared before judge Puneet Kumar Garg and following her appearance, the court has issued a show cause notice to CBI and asked to file a clarification on what grounds it has submitted the death verification report in the court.

Her lawyer Sharad Sinha said: "In the murder of Rajdeo Ranjan, the FIR was registered against 8 persons including late MP Mohammad Shahabuddin. According to the FIR, Shahabuddin's close associate Laddan Mian is said to be given the contract to kill Rajdeo Ranjan." "The accused were eyeing the house of Badami Devi. They wanted to forcibly grab her property and Rajdeo Ranjan was the journalist who raised this issue through a Hindi newspaper. He was the bureau chief of that newspaper of Siwan. Due to a series of coverage in the newspaper, the accused conspired against him and killed on the station road in Siwan on May 13, 2016," he said.

"Badami Devi is the key witness of this case and the CBI which is considered as the premier investigating agency submitted her death report in the court without verification. It is a clear and deep conspiracy of accused persons and investigators of CBI helping the accused through such a false death report. After the appearance of Badami Devi, the court slammed the CBI. It has issued a show cause notice to CBI to file the clarification. The show cause notice is served to all officers of CBI who are involved in the investigation of this case," Sinha claimed.

"I have given a submission before the court that every person including state and central governments, the Prime Minister believes in the CBI but it has submitted a mess of investigation report and declared dead an alive woman who is a key witness in such an important case..," he added.
New Delhi, June 4 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested a person named Isha Khan, a resident of West Bengal, in connection with the bomb explosion at Nimtita railway station in Murshidabad district in 2021.

The case pertains to the explosion at the Nimtita railway station on February 17, 2021, in which 22 persons were injured, including then state minister Jakir Hossain.

Initially a case in this respect was lodged with the Azimganj GRPS. Later, the case was handed over to the NIA.

"Investigation has revealed that Isha Khan was involved in supplying explosives to accused Sahidul Islam, which were used in the blast," an NIA official said.
United Nations, June 4 : The UN Security Council has urged all domestic armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to lay down their arms.

"The Security Council urges all domestic armed groups to immediately cease all forms of violence, permanently disband and lay down their arms, and participate in the Demobilization, Disarmament, Community Recovery and Stabilization Program," according to a president statement of the council.

"The Security Council calls all armed groups operating in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to participate unconditionally in the inter-Democratic Republic of the Congo dialogue initiated by His Excellency President Felix Tshisekedi and His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta," the statement was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

The council welcomed "the recent positive political developments" in the DRC and the region and the convening of the second Regional Heads of State Conclave on the Democratic Republic of Congo in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 21.

According to the statement, the council expressed concern over the increase of armed group activity in the eastern provinces of the DRC and reiterates its condemnation of all armed groups operating in the country.

The council further urged all foreign armed groups in the DRC "to disarm and return unconditionally and immediately to their respective countries of origin." On other issues, the council encouraged continued consideration of the needs and experiences of women and youth as well as the protection of children's rights as an integral part of those processes.

"The Security Council reaffirms its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo," it said.
Ulgit Airport, Ulgit, Mongolia [ ULG / ]

If you are planning to travel to Ulgit or any other city in Mongolia, this airport locator will be a very useful tool. This page gives complete information about the Ulgit Airport along with the airport location map, Time Zone, lattitude and longitude, Current time and date, hotels near the airport etc... Ulgit Airport Map showing the location of this airport in Mongolia. Ulgit Airport IATA Code, ICAO Code, exchange rate etc... is also provided.

Ulgit Airport Info:

Ulgit Airport IATA Code: ULG Ulgit Airport ICAO Code: Latitude : 48.967 Longitude : 89.967 City : Ulgit Country : Mongolia World Area Code : 751 Airport Type : Small Timezone : Asia/Ulaanbaatar Ulgit Airport Timezone : GMT +08:00 hours Current time and date at Ulgit Airport is 15:09:22 PM (+08) on Wednesday, Jun 8, 2022

Looking for information on Ulgit Airport, Ulgit, Mongolia? Know about Ulgit Airport in detail. Find out the location of Ulgit Airport on Mongolia map and also find out airports near to Ulgit. This airport locator is a very useful tool for travelers to know where is Ulgit Airport located and also provide information like hotels near Ulgit Airport, airlines operating to Ulgit Airport etc... IATA Code and ICAO Code of all airports in Mongolia. Scroll down to know more about Ulgit Airport or Ulgit Airport, Mongolia.

Ulgit Airport Map - Location of Ulgit Airport Load Map Mongolia - General Information Country Code MN Capital Ulaanbaatar Tel Code +976 Top Level Domain .mn

Nearest Airports to Ulgit Airport Closest airports to Ulgit, Mongolia are listed below. These are major airports close to the city of Ulgit and other airports closest to Ulgit Airport. Nearest airport to Ulgit Airport and Ulgit is Khovd Airport - (165.76 Km / 103 Miles) Following are the nearest airports to Ulgit and Ulgit Airport. Distance between the two airports is given in bracket. Ulaangom Airport - (189.1 Km / 117.5 Miles)

List of 19 airports in Mongolia along with Mongolia airport codes 

This page provides all the information you need to know about Ulgit Airport, Mongolia. This page is created with the aim of helping travelers and tourists visiting Mongolia or traveling to Ulgit Airport. Details about Ulgit Airport given here include Ulgit Airport Code - IATA Code (3 letter airport codes) and ICAO Code (4 letter airport codes)

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ULG - Ulgit Airport IATA Code
Kagua Airport, Kagua, Papua New Guinea [ AGK / ]

If you are planning to travel to Kagua or any other city in Papua New Guinea, this airport locator will be a very useful tool. This page gives complete information about the Kagua Airport along with the airport location map, Time Zone, lattitude and longitude, Current time and date, hotels near the airport etc... Kagua Airport Map showing the location of this airport in Papua New Guinea. Kagua Airport IATA Code, ICAO Code, exchange rate etc... is also provided.

Kagua Airport Info:

Kagua Airport IATA Code: AGK Kagua Airport ICAO Code: Latitude : -6.33333 Longitude : 143.833 City : Kagua Country : Papua New Guinea World Area Code : 804 Airport Type : Small Kagua Airport Address / Contact Details :

Kagua (AGK), Papua New Guinea Timezone : Pacific/Port_Moresby Kagua Airport Timezone : GMT +10:00 hours Current time and date at Kagua Airport is 17:09:23 PM (+10) on Wednesday, Jun 8, 2022

Looking for information on Kagua Airport, Kagua, Papua New Guinea? Know about Kagua Airport in detail. Find out the location of Kagua Airport on Papua New Guinea map and also find out airports near to Kagua. This airport locator is a very useful tool for travelers to know where is Kagua Airport located and also provide information like hotels near Kagua Airport, airlines operating to Kagua Airport etc... IATA Code and ICAO Code of all airports in Papua New Guinea. Scroll down to know more about Kagua Airport or Kagua Airport, Papua New Guinea.

Kagua Airport Map - Location of Kagua Airport Load Map Papua New Guinea - General Information Country Formal Name Independent State of Papua New Guinea Country Code PG Capital Port Moresby Currency Kina (PGK)

 1 PGK = 0.281 USD

 1 USD = 3.562 PGK

 1 PGK = 0.263 EUR

 1 EUR = 3.804 PGK

 More PGK convertion rates Tel Code +675 Top Level Domain .pg

This page provides all the information you need to know about Kagua Airport, Papua New Guinea. This page is created with the aim of helping travelers and tourists visiting Papua New Guinea or traveling to Kagua Airport. Details about Kagua Airport given here include Kagua Airport Code - IATA Code (3 letter airport codes) and ICAO Code (4 letter airport codes)

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Radisson Hotel Group to announce the debut of its luxury lifestyle Radisson Collection brand in Croatia, with the opening of Grand Hotel Brioni Pula, A Radisson Collection Hotel. This follows an extensive 30 million repositioning of the legendary Hotel Brioni, one of Croatias best-known hotels, by Radisson Hotel Groups partner PPHE Hotel Group and its Croatian subsidiary Arena Hospitality Group.

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Hines has secured Nike at The Trinity Quarter in Copenhagen, marking the world-renowned brands first new store opening in Denmark.

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IHG Hotels & Resorts announces the opening of its second voco hotel in Italy, voco Venice Mestre - The Quid, in partnership with HNH Hospitality. Located close to the bypass that connects Mestre to Venice Marco Polo airport and the areas main train station, Venice-Mestre, voco Venice Mestre - The Quid is a convenient choice for those travelling for both business or leisure, said IHG.

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Giorgia Gasparini, General Manager, voco Venice Mestre - The Quid commented: voco Venice Mestre - The Quid is a great example of how the voco brand has been brought to life and we are excited to be hosting our very first guests. The hotel offers guests the perfect place to work, relax and be themselves  whether that means having some me time in a tranquil and serene bedroom or spent socialising with friends, family and or colleagues in our great onsite bar.



The voco Venice Mestre - The Quid has 128 guest rooms, a restaurant, a fitness room and spacious Congress Centre made up of five meeting rooms with a capacity of 10 to 170 people. The new Venice hotel is IHGs second voco hotel in Italy, following the opening of voco Milan-Fiere in 2021. As IHG Hotels & Resorts fastest growing brand, since launching in 2018, voco now has 35 open hotels around the world, with a further 36 hotels in the pipeline, due to open in the next 3-5 years.
Page Content

Sometimes we find ideas in our own backyard. Other times they come across the ocean or halfway around the world. Increasingly, post-acute and long term care leaders are finding physicians, nurses, frontline workers, and other staff in numerous countries. While immigration isnt a panacea, its one promising solution to the workforce shortage.



Over several years, Jody Knox, chief executive officer of Lakeview Christian Home, Carlsbad, N.M., and her team have brought in nurses from nine different countries, most from the Philippines. They are all RN-trained and have brought stability to our workforce. They are kind and caring and have made us a better community; theyve become like family, said Knox.



Access to these nurses always had a positive impact, but even more so when COVID hit. During the pandemic, we didnt have to bring in traveling nurses, but we struggled horribly with frontline staffing shortages. We decided to have some nurses handle care such as bathing and feeding. That may sound like an expensive use of nursing staff, she said, but it would be more expensive to use agency certified nursing assistants (CNAs). Knox added, Were not sure how this will work down the road. But it has changed who we are. She added, Having bachelor-prepared nurses is a big deal. They provide quality skilled care.



There definitely has been an increased interest in international staffing in the health care sector, particularly for registered nurses, partially due to the increasing need for nurses and a more long-term strategy of employers. Sherry Neal, an employment-based immigration attorney in Cincinnati, Ohio, says, We have seen the ebb and flow of international nursing throughout the past two decades, but the demand has significantly increased since the pandemic. The nursing need is serious, and health care organizations know its not getting better any time soon. A decade ago, some hospitals and health care organizations shied away from international hiring because of the 12- to 18-month processing time for an immigrant visa. Now more and more organizations are realizing that although international hiring is not a quick fix; its part of the long-term strategy to help alleviate the shortage.

American Adjustment

There needs to be a balance between giving immigrants the means and opportunities to celebrate their native cultures and helping them understand American ways of working and living. For instance, Knox said, We have to teach them about American medicine and how we look at things like death and dying. This is different from what is believed in some countries.



Providing help to get new workers acclimated is essential. This means efforts such as helping them find and retain affordable housing and transportation, arranging for cell phones, and securing services such as childcare.



Language barriers may exist, but this is typically not a problem for international registered nurses. Neal says, As part of the immigration process for a registered nurse to obtain a green card to work in the U.S., a nurse has to pass an English proficiency exam as well as other credentialing requirements. Usually, for instance, the only language adjustment for Filipino nurses is becoming familiar with American slang.

All Together Now

From the early days of this country, immigrants were sometimes demonized and ostracized instead of celebrated. So it is essential to help staff embrace their immigrant colleagues. The ease of this may be surprising. As Knox said, We are a rural facility and have a large Hispanic population. We have long experienced people speaking multiple languages. At the same time, we try to teach people to be respectful and mindful. She added, We have nine different languages being spoken here, but we teach people to be courteous to others, for example, by not speaking another language in front of residents or staff who dont understand it.

Policies that Promote Immigration

American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) and other organizations are working to help ensure that organizations that want to bring in practitioners and workers from other countries have that opportunity. The processing of immigrant visa applications has been backlogged due to the pandemic and reduced staffing at U.S. embassies and consulates. Many international health care professionals with job offers from long term care facilities in the U.S. with approved immigrant petitions have been waiting a year or longer for visa interview appointments. Neal says, There has been progress the last six months as consulate appointments have begun to increase, yet processing times have always been slower than desired. Even before the pandemic, employers had to expect a typical processing time of at least a year.



Dana Ritchie, senior director of not-for-profit and constituent services at AHCA/NCAL, said, We are pleased about the recent announcement from the U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services regarding new actions to reduce the significant legal immigration backlogs and encourage further actions along these lines. We also have been working closely with national refugee organizations, noting our center doors are open to those new to our country who would like to pursue a career in long term care. She stressed, AHCA/NCAL strongly supports immigration reform.



Elsewhere, Rajeev Kumar, MD, CMD, FACP, chief medical officer for Symbria in Warrenville, Ill., recently drafted two resolutions regarding immigration that passed the AMDAThe Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine House of Delegates in March 2022. He said, These resolutions stemmed from a conversation our board had about struggling with the workforce issue. I also thought about my experiences when I first came to this country and did my training.



In short, the resolutions are:



Undocumented Noncitizens for Post-Acute and Long Term Care (PALTC). This calls for AMDA and like-minded organizations to advocate for legislative action to create a pathway to immigration for undocumented noncitizens in the U.S. who show their commitment to their intended homeland by working as Certified Nursing Assistants and/or nurses in PALTC settings for a minimum of five years.

Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and Medically Underserved Area (MUA) Designations for PALTC. This calls for AMDA and like-minded organizations to advocate for designation of all PALTC communities, irrespective of their geographic location, as HPSAs and/or MUAs to facilitate professional recruitment/retention.



Its Complicated

No doubt, immigration is complicated. Positions like professional nurses and physical therapists are U.S. Department of Labor Schedule A workers. This means that employers dont need to get a foreign labor certificate when hiring these individuals. Instead, you must agree to sponsor the employee for permanent residence in the U.S. Schedule A nurse recruitment can be effective for helping to address nurse shortages. However, there are limitations and barriers. For instance, depending on the country of origin, it may take a year or more to process the petition.



Elsewhere, the TN Visafor Mexican and Canadian Citizensis a nonimmigrant visa, which is for temporary employment. However, it can be extended in three-year increments.



The most common temporary visa option in professional occupations is the H-1B. However, although registered nurses are professionals, they rarely meet the standard for H-1B. The H-1B is reserved only for occupations that require a bachelors degree. Even if a nurse has a bachelors degree, thats not sufficient as the position/occupation itself must require a bachelors degree. Since most registered nurse positions in the U.S. can be filled by a nurse with an associate degree or diploma, its hard to overcome the U.S.

Citizenship and Immigration Service perception that registered nursing is not a specialty occupation for H-1B, unless the employer can show the nurse is filling a more specialized or complex nursing role where the employer does require its other nurses in that area to have at least a bachelors degree.



A pitfall, said Steve Flatt, chief executive officer of National HealthCare Corporation in Murfreesboro, Tenn., is that this is a very slow process, and its tedious, especially the interview process at the embassy level. Im hoping that the process will pick up speed, but right now it is slow and cumbersome. However, facilities dont have to go it alone or start from scratch. Flatt said, Its helpful to engage a third party that focuses on bringing international workers to the U.S. Theyre adept at completing the paperwork and following through the process. They also know how to clear the hurdles that can make it cumbersome.

He noted that this can cost money, and providers need to be prepared for that. He added that while bringing nurses from other countries can be pricey, it can be a bargain compared to the costs of hiring agency nurses. He said, You get full-time staff who will be with you day-in and day-out and provide continuity of care, which always leads to better quality.



Moving forward, immigration will likely continue to play a significant role in addressing long term care workforce shortages. President Biden has announced a commitment for the U.S. to take in 100,00 Ukrainian refugees, and AHCA/NCAL is already working with facilities across the country to offer thousands of jobs for these individuals. Of course, many will not have the ready credentials to work in some health care occupations, but some may be able to obtain the additional training or education in a fairly short time or can fill other positions within the sector. Participating facilities will also offer refugees training, relocation assistance, and support for their integration into local communities. Flatt said, This is not the cure-all to our workforce issues, but it should be considered a major part of solving this challenge for the foreseeable future.



Joanne Kaldy is a freelance writer and communications consultant based in New Orleans.
Launch of 1-800-CASHOUT aims to address growing homeowner demand for mortgage products that convert home equity to cash. Our goal is to present a range of options for homeowners to convert their home equity to cash.

Strong Home Mortgage LLC, a veteran-owned and consumer-direct mortgage lender, today announced the launch of 1-800-CASHOUT and 1-800-CASHOUT.com.

The toll-free number and domain name are promoted under Strong Home Mortgages brand, led by CEO Roger Jones and President Mike Peoples. The company was founded in 2018.

According to the Federal Reserve, American homeowners are sitting on $23.6 trillion in home equity, with $2.6 trillion gained just in the last year alone. Additional research estimates that homeowners have gained $67,000 in tappable equity during 2021.

For the 44% of Americans now considered equity-rich, Strong Home Mortgage LLC offers more ways for homeowners to access their home equity.

Our goal is to present a range of options for homeowners to convert their home equity to cash, says Peoples. Funds can be used to pay-off high-interest credit cards, renovate a home, or create a safety net for the unexpected. There are no restrictions on how homeowners can use the cash.

Strong Home Mortgage offers traditional cash-out refinances, home equity lines of credit (HELOC), and home equity loans (HELOANs). There are even ways for homeowners to cash out while keeping their current low-rate mortgage intact, says Jones.

A national broadcast media campaign highlighting Strong Home Mortgages 1800CASHOUT domain and product offering begins June 6th in select markets.

About Strong Home Mortgage LLC

Strong Home Mortgage is a veteran-owned, consumer-direct lender licensed in 46 states and Washington D.C. Borrowers enjoy single point-of-contact communications during the home mortgage process with fewer handoffs, more availability, better dialogue, and smoother closings. The company averages 4.8 stars across 6,000+ reviews. This includes 97% recommended on Lending Tree where Strong Home has been recognized with a "Top 10 Lender in Customer Satisfaction" badge for three quarters running [Q3/Q4 2021, Q1/2022].

Strong Home Mortgage LLC| NMLS # 1675638|nmlsconsumeraccess.org| Equal Housing Lender| RI Licensed Lender MA Lender License # ML-1675638 AZ Mortgage Banker License # 0950815 Licensed by NJ Dept. of Banking and Insurance| CA loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Financing Law License

Sources:

 FRED Economic Data, St. Louis Fed. Households; Owners Equity in Real Estate, Level, 2022

 Black Knight, Inc., 2021 Sees Record $2.6 Trillion Tappable Equity Gain, 2022

 Attom Data, Homeowner Equity Grows Again Across U.S. in First Quarter, 2022
HSO, a leading business transformation partner with deep industry expertise and global reach, announced the availability of the 2022 Spring release of their projects360 industry solution for Microsoft Dynamics 365. The latest quarterly update features significant feature enhancements based on user feedback.

Chosen by leading professional services firms around the globe, projects360 provides enhanced functionality throughout Dynamics 365 to help professional services organizations gain a 360-degree view of their finances, projects, clients, and people in a single, integrated cloud platform.

The 2022 Spring release introduces a series of new features that include:



Extended mobile time management capabilities, including project searching, copy functions, and overtime handling

Enhanced time and expense workflow approval capabilities to expedite the review and approval of timesheets and expense reports

AR collections enhancements that improve communication between Project Managers and Project Accountants

Simplified fee management processes around revenue recognition and adjustments

Additional billing features to further streamline the invoice review and backup file generation process

We continue to invest heavily in our projects360 solution, explained Paramesh Rajan, Vice President, Technology with projects360. With over 60% of our new features coming directly from client feedback and suggestions, we have selected the top features that professional services firms need to help drive their business forward. Several of the features center around the mobile app extending the capabilities of a mobile workforce. As we continue to expand our user base, this feedback loop is directly impacting our product direction and helping to maximize the value our clients receive with Dynamics 365 and projects360.

The projects360 2022 Spring release is now available exclusively through HSO.

For more information about projects360 or to request a personalized demo, please visit http://www.hsoproserv.com.

About HSO

HSO is a Business Transformation Partner with deep industry expertise and global reach that leverages the full power of Microsoft technology to transform the way people work and how organizations operate, driving improvements in their business performance.

HSO takes an industry-first approach to helping companies modernize business operations, adopt intelligent automation, deliver real-time performance insights, and connect the enterprise  accelerating the impact of digital transformation.

HSOs Professional Services industry team specializes in delivering solutions to professional services and other project-driven organizations to help them find and win more work, more effectively deliver, and account for their work, and optimize their HR and talent management practices. Learn more about HSOs offerings for the professional services industry at http://www.hsoproserv.com.

Founded in 1987, HSO has more than 1,200 professionals throughout Europe, North America, and Asia. It is one of the worlds top business solution and implementation partners and a member of Microsofts elite Inner Circle representing the top 1 percent of partners worldwide. To learn more about the company, visit http://www.hso.com.
FosterClub, the national network for young people in foster care, has announced its Outstanding Young Leader Award winners for 2022. This year there were thirty-two (32) recipients of the award. The award recognizes young people who have experienced foster care for their service to communities and their efforts to improve the foster care system; each recipient will receive a scholarship award. Their stories have been featured on FosterClubs website and social media channels throughout the month of May, National Foster Care Month.

These young leaders have persevered through challenging circumstances and are now finding different ways to give back to their community, says Celeste Bodner, FosterClubs Executive Director. For more than twenty years, FosterClub has worked with thousands of young people, empowering them to tell their stories and providing a forum for their voices to be heard. This group of Outstanding Young Leaders is an inspiration to their peers, and especially to other young people who have experienced the foster care system.

Passionate organizations like FosterClub are the reason I am able to attend college today and strive for a brighter tomorrow, says Richard Liu, from the state of New Jersey and recipient of this years Outstanding Young Leader Award. I know that one day I will be able to pay it forward to the next generation.

According to data from the federal Childrens Bureau, there are over 400,000 children in the U.S. foster care system (Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System / AFCARS FY 2012 data). While the total number of children and youth in foster care has steadily decreased over the past decade, the number of young people who age out or become too old to qualify to stay in foster care without finding a permanent family to live with has been on the rise. According to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), over 23,000 foster children will transition out of foster care in 2022. These young people face difficulty defining a successful path for themselves as they enter adulthood, evidenced by statistics of high rates of homelessness and unemployment and low rates of high school and college completion. Additionally, these individuals also have higher rates of medical and mental health issues than their non-foster peers.

As the national network for young people who experience foster care and in partnership with Lived Experience Leaders, FosterClub drives change in the child welfare system and provides direct support to children and youth. While foster care provides a critical safety net in our society for children and youth, we know that being in foster care can be a very difficult experience for a young person. FosterClub believes when young people have the support they need and opportunity to drive change in their life, they become self-determined and do better. FosterClub also believes when the system listens to young people, it does better.

According to former FosterClub Outstanding Young Leader Ashley Papias of California, Receiving the Outstanding Young Leader award has helped me feel supported in achieving a higher education at UC Berkeley. I had a community who had my back and helped me feel confident and motivated throughout my first semester of college.

There are many ways to support foster youth, but often the best way to help is by providing the means to an education, which will support us for our entire lives, says 2022 Outstanding Young Leader Maimunah Qureshi of Massachusetts.

The story of each of this year's 32 Outstanding Young Leaders can be read at http://www.FosterClub.com. Interested individuals can learn how to support children and youth in foster care at FosterClub.com or by contacting FosterClub at 503-717-1552.
To be placed on such a prestigious list alongside so many great companies, and doing so with 100% of our revenue being services-based, is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of everyone at Network to Code to transform the entire networking industry.

Network to Code, the leading provider of Network Automation services for enterprise and service provider organizations worldwide, today announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Network to Code to its 2022 Solution Provider 500 list for the first time.

CRNs annual Solution Provider 500 ranks North Americas largest solution providers by revenue and serves as the gold standard for recognizing some of the channels most successful companies. With a combined revenue of more than $434 billion, this years list represents an impressive amount of influence and impact wielded by these companies on todays IT industry and the technology suppliers they partner with.

Network to Code placed 5th on the 2021 CRN Fast Growth 150 list and has now been propelled onto CRN's Solution Provider 500 List. "I am extremely proud of the entire Network to Code team for placing on CRN's Solution Provider 500 list," said John Marchese, CEO of Network to Code. Marchese continued and stated that "Network to Code's growth provides confirmation that large enterprise organizations have a critical need for network automation and NetDevOps solutions to help transform the way their teams manage, operate, and consume increasingly complex, global networking infrastructure and architectures. To be placed on such a prestigious list alongside so many great companies, and doing so with 100% of our revenue being services-based, is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of everyone at Network to Code to transform the entire networking industry.

The Solution Provider 500 list from CRN serves as the benchmark for the top technology integrators, strategic service providers, and IT consulting firms, making it an invaluable resource for technology vendors seeking to partner with todays top-performing IT solution providers, said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. My congratulations go out to each of these companies for their extraordinary contributions to the continued growth and success of the IT channel.

CRNs 2022 Solution Provider 500 list is available online at http://www.CRN.com/SP500 and a sample from the list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine.

About Network to Code

Network to Code (NTC) is a Gartner-recognized network automation solutions provider helping clients around the globe accelerate their network automation journey. Network to Code is laser-focused on transforming how its clients build, manage, and monitor networks on a day-to-day basis.

NTC provides a full suite of network automation services and solutions, from assessment, strategy, and recommendations, to professional and managed automation services accelerating the pace of production network automation. NTC automates its clients' networks to enable digital transformation and to ensure that operations align with their digital transformation and business agility goals.

Network to Code is the sponsor of Nautobot, an open source Network Source of Truth and Network Automation Platform with a growing ecosystem of integrations and partners. Nautobot is the leading Network Source of Truth for Enterprises looking to adopt a data-driven approach to network automation and a platform that complements any network automation journey.

Network to Codes vendor agnostic and disruptive technology-enabled services model is the ideal partner for Enterprises looking at a holistic and vendor-neutral approach to re-define how they think about network automation.

Follow Network to Code: Twitter and LinkedIn.

Network to Code Contact:

Kristee Trelli

Network to Code

+1 (844) 638-2886

info (at) networktocode (dot) com

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. http://www.thechannelcompany.com

Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

 2022 The Channel Company, LLC. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

The Channel Company Contact:

Jennifer Hogan

The Channel Company

jhogan (at) thechannelcompany (dot) com

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Business hierarchies enable lenders to see revenues across multiple business locations and online channels. For our decision-making, its critical that we get the full picture of a multi-location business, including online revenue, in one view, says Pieter Van Ispelen, VP of Decision Science at Divvy. These new capabilities will be valuable for our team.

Enigma, a data science company that provides comprehensive intelligence about the financial health and identity of every U.S. business, today announced the release of new features to give customers a holistic view of small business revenues.

Customer feedback was a driving force in delivering these new capabilities. While some customers want to pinpoint the health of a single business location, others want a portfolio view of all related businesses. Newly released features include:



Business hierarchies: Customers can now see the relationship between a business and all of its individual locations. Queries on an individual location or URL will display total card revenue data for all related locations of that business, whether the presence is physical or online.

URL matching: Customers can now query Enigmas data with a URL.

For our decision-making, its critical that we get the full picture of a multi-location business, including online revenue, in one view, says Pieter Van Ispelen, VP of Decision Science at Divvy. These new capabilities will be valuable for our team.

Enigma can provide card revenues for 8090% of U.S. card-accepting businesses. The business hierarchies and URL matching features join the growing list of recent product enhancements and releases, like the newly available Discover and Enrich products for marketing and sales teams.

Our data product is a combination of unique data partnerships and a standard set of evaluation processes, says Charles Zhu, VP of Product at Enigma. We are continuously improving those processes and always looking for new sources of data to deliver a product with accuracy, quality and coverage that keep getting better.

ABOUT ENIGMA

Enigma provides comprehensive intelligence about the identity and financial health of every small and medium business across the United States. By engineering better data from hundreds of public and third-party sources, they aim to tell the complete story of every business, so that companies of every size can access the financial services they need to grow and thrive. Financial organizations from the world's largest banks to tomorrow's unicorns use Enigma's data to better serve their small and medium business customers. To learn more visit https://enigma.com.
Patti Burch, Real Estate Advisor with Engel & Volkers Amelia Island Im excited to join a truly global real estate company. The additional exposure to 31 other countries will help me grow my business and satisfy the evolving needs of my market.

Engel & Volkers Florida today announced Patti Burch has left Amelia Island Plantation Real Estate to join Engel & Volkers Amelia Island as a real estate advisor. Burch brings with her more than 10 years of experience in real estate, specializing in oceanfront condominiums and luxury homes throughout Nassau County.

Im excited to join a truly global real estate company, said Burch. The additional exposure to 31 other countries will help me grow my business and satisfy the evolving needs of my market. In order to continue providing the best service to my clientele, I needed access to more advanced technology and luxurious marketing collateralwhich I found at Engel & Volkers.

Although Burch isnt an Amelia Island native, she relocated to the area almost 30 years ago after graduating from Florida State University. She is well known in the community due to her volunteer work with the Fernandina Beach High School Foundation and Micah's Place, where she serves on both Board of Directors. Her first year in real estate was a remarkable one, earning her Nassau Countys Rookie Realtor of the Year award in 2013. Since then, she has consistently remained amongst the top 5-percent of local real estate agents. In 2021, she represented over $45-million in sales volume.

I couldnt be happier to have Patti join our brokerage, said Corey Hasting, License Partner of Engel & Volkers Jacksonville. She is the exact advisor we want to build our brokerage around as we launch our presence into the Amelia Island market. Patti is not only a top 5 producer in the entire AINCAR MLS, but shes an even better person. Her clientele and work ethic paired with the global exposure and marketing of Engel & Volkers will be something special to watch. I cant wait to see the success she has.

Engel & Volkers Amelia Island is one of Hastings 4 real estate brokerages that he collectively refers to as Engel & Volkers Jacksonville, which serve the greater northeast Florida market; the others are located in Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and St. Johns. Engel & Volkers He oversees 95 real estate advisors, who together are on track to close $1-billion in sales by the end of 2022. Recently, the Jacksonville Business Journal ranked Engel & Volkers Jacksonville sixth on the 2021 Top Residential Real Estate Brokerages list out of over 1,700 companies in the northeast Florida region.

Its an honor to have Patti join us at Engel & Volkers after many other brokerages have unsuccessfully tried to recruit her over the years, said Peter Giese, CEO of Engel & Volkers Florida. She has a proven track record for her market expertise and will further strengthen our growing presence in the northeast Florida market. In turn, she will benefit from our brand's unmatched global exposure and expertise in the luxury segment of the real estate industry.

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Press contact:

Linzee Werkmeister, Junior Vice President, Marketing & Franchise Support

Email: Linzee.Werkmeister(at)evrealestate.com

Tel: (239) 348-9000

About Engel & Volkers:

Engel & Volkers is a global luxury real estate brand. Founded in Hamburg, Germany in 1977, Engel & Volkers draws on its rich European history to deliver a fresh approach to luxury real estate in the Americas with a focus on creating a personalized client experience at every stage of the home buying or selling process for today's savvy homeowner. Engel & Volkers currently operates approximately 263 shop locations with 5,000 real estate advisors in the Americas, contributing to the brand's global network of over 15,000 real estate professionals in more than 30 countries, offering both private and institutional clients a professionally tailored range of luxury services, including real estate, yachting and aviation. Committed to exceptional service, Engel & Volkers supports its advisors with an array of premium quality business services; marketing programs and platforms; as well as access to its global network of real estate professionals, property listings and market data. Each brokerage is independently owned and operated. For more information, visit http://www.evrealestate.com.

About Engel & Volkers Florida:

Engel & Volkers Florida is the Master License Partner of the global luxury real estate brand Engel & Volkers in the state of Florida. Recognized for uniquely recruiting, training and equipping some of the top professionals in the real estate industry, Engel & Volkers Floridas exclusive business model positions its franchisees at the top of the premium market to gain market share and support their bottom line. The company represents franchise locations in 42 markets: 30A Beaches, Amelia Island, Belleair, Boca Raton, Bonita Springs-Estero, Cape Coral, Clermont, Delray Beach, Destin, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers Downtown, Gainesville, Islamorada, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Jupiter, Madeira Beach, Marco Island, Melbourne Beachside, Melbourne Central, Melbourne Downtown, Miami Coconut Grove, Neptune Beach, Ocala, Olde Naples, Orlando, Orlando-Winter Park, Palm Beach, Palm Coast, Pompano Beach, Sarasota, South Tampa, St. Augustine, St. Pete, St. Pete Beach, Stuart, Tampa Water Street, Venice Downtown, Vero Beach, Wellington, and Windermere.

Engel & Volkers Florida is continuing to strategically strengthen and expand its presence in premium real estate markets across the state of Florida. If you would like to know more about the Engel & Volkers brand or how to join its global networkwhich is known for demonstrating competence, exclusivity and passion, feel free to call our corporate office, located at 633 Tamiami Trl N, Suite 201, Naples, FL 34102 USA. Tel: +1 239-348-9000. For more information about Engel & Volkers Florida, please visit http://www.florida.evrealestate.com
Aberdeen Memory Care of Tulsa, a Sagora Senior Living community, has been awarded a zero-deficiency score on its annual state survey conducted by the Oklahoma Department of Health.

A zero-deficiency score is the highest grade that can be awarded to a community. It indicates that the community was in complete compliance with the state regulations that govern residential care, residential services, and the overall community environment.

The rigorous review process involves a community inspection, observation of daily activities, associate interviews, and an evaluation of community records. On average, these reviews find 7.5 deficiencies per Oklahoma assisted living community, meaning Aberdeen Memory Care of Tulsa is in elite company.

Aberdeen Memory Care of Tulsa offers specialized care for those with Alzheimers and dementia. Individualized, adaptive care focuses on providing residents with a sense of peace, comfort, and dignity while allowing them to remain active for as long as possible. Special programs include Dining With G.R.A.C.E., and the Cherished Memories Collection, which aim to promote stimulation, recognition and relaxation.
The University of La Verne and Adventist Health White Memorial share a vision for meeting the health care needs of Southern California

Adventist Health White Memorial, Los Angeles, has committed more than $720,000 to the University of La Verne to establish a scholarship fund within the universitys new College of Health and Community Well-Being.

The Adventist Health White Memorial Scholarship Fund will support students in the universitys Bachelor of Science in Nursing: RN to BSN program, which is now accepting applications for fall 2022 and spring 2023. The scholarship will cover up to $20,000 toward the cost of attendance for 12 to 15 admitted students per year, in addition to other benefits.

Southern California has a pressing need for more highly-skilled nurses, said Devorah Lieberman, president of the University of La Verne. We are proud to partner with Adventist Health White Memorial to help meet this need, and to provide opportunity for hardworking registered nurses to further their careers and enhance their leadership skills through the University of La Vernes online degree program.

The University of La Vernes College of Health and Community Well-Being will officially open on July 1. The collegethe cornerstone of the universitys 2025 Strategic Visionwill be a hub for high-quality education, research, and innovation in health and the social determinants of health. It will also provide a pipeline of qualified graduates to support the Southern California regions growing need for healthcare professionals.

Programs offered by the college include the online Bachelor of Science in Nursing: RN to BSN, which provides a path for licensed registered nurses (RNs) to earn their bachelors degree in nursing.

The program explores how inequities and social determinants impact health and well-being outcomes at individual, systemic, and community levels. This is a differentiated and marketable skillset that will enable graduates to perform at a more holistic and beneficial level with their patients, employers, and communities.

Adventist Health White Memorial is a 353-bed, nonprofit, faith-based teaching hospital, providing a full range of inpatient, outpatient, emergency and diagnostic services to communities in and near downtown Los Angeles. As a major teaching hospital, Adventist Health White Memorial also plays an important role in training physicians, nurses and other medical professionals.

"Adventist Health White Memorial is pleased to support the University of La Verne's Bachelor of Science in Nursing program for registered nurses who aspire to advance in their careers, said John Raffoul, DPA, FACHE, president of Adventist Health White Memorial and University of La Verne trustee. I have dedicated my career to building strong working relationships with community partners such as the University of La Verne to better serve the needs of the patients we care for. As a university board member, I'm also dedicated to working even more closely with this especially important program. Together, our partnership will bring and inspire dedicated nurses to meet the needs of our community.

Eligible students for the Adventist White Memorial Scholarship include RNs from Adventist Health White Memorial, the hospitals parent company Adventist Health, and current RNs within White Memorials service area. Applicants to the program will be automatically considered for the scholarship upon admission and submission of proof of employment.

In addition to providing financial support, Adventist Health White Memorial will also allow scholarship recipients to complete the clinical rotation portion of the curriculum at the hospital.

The University of La Verne and Adventist Health White Memorial share a vision for meeting the health care needs of Southern California, said Sherri Mylott, vice president of university advancement. We are extremely grateful for this support and partnership, and delighted by the wonderful outcomes it will bring.

Anyone interested in learning more about how to support the University of La Vernes College of Health and Community Well-Being or its nursing program can contact Mylott at 909-448-4990.
Imran Qadeer, MD, president, AGH Its an incredible honor and privilege to be part of an organization and a hospital that truly believes in and achieves its charitable mission by always putting its patients and communities first, said Dr. Qadeer.

Allegheny Health Network (AHN) today announced that Imran Qadeer, MD, has been named the president of Allegheny General Hospital (AGH). Dr. Qadeer had been serving as interim president of AGH since the beginning of 2022. AGH is AHNs flagship academic medical center, its highest-volume hospital, and its hub for leading-edge cardiovascular surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, organ transplantation and cancer research, among other advanced, specialized services.

Dr. Qadeer is an exceptionally talented clinician and physician leader who has a deep understanding of and appreciation for the vital, historic role that Allegheny General Hospital plays in the health and well-being of our region, said Cynthia Hundorfean, president and CEO, AHN.

AHN conducted an extensive national search for the presidents position. Given Dr. Qadeers track record of success in the areas of clinical quality and patient experience, and his proven commitment to AGH and its people, we quickly realized that he was the ideal candidate to lead AGH in its next chapter of growth and innovation, Hundorfean said.

Dr. Qadeer joined AHNs Academic Hospitalist Medicine staff in 2009 and has served in a host of leadership roles since then, including AGHs chief medical officer, medical director of AGH, AHN lead chief medical officer, lead physician advisor, and chief quality officer for the AHN Medicine Institute. He also has been a pivotal member of AHN and Highmark Healths COVID-19 pandemic response team over the past two years, and he was the physician lead of AHNs widely praised COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign.

Dr. Qadeer was born in Karachi, Pakistan, and moved to Brooklyn, New York in 1992. He obtained his medical degree with honors at Saba University School of Medicine and completed his residency at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and its affiliated Elmhurst Hospital in New York, where he served as a chief resident.

Its an incredible honor and privilege to be part of an organization and a hospital that truly believes in and achieves its charitable mission by always putting its patients and communities first, said Dr. Qadeer. I am excited about the opportunity to play an even bigger role in helping AGH sustain that legacy of clinical excellence and innovation and look forward to working with the leadership of AHN and Highmark Health, and alongside AGHs many talented and dedicated caregivers, as we continue to transform health care and create remarkable experiences and outcomes for our patients.

AHN also announced today the appointment of Allan S. Philp, MD, as chief medical officer for AGH. He has served as associate chief medical officer for the hospital since February.

Dr. Philp is a highly respected and skilled trauma specialist and physician leader who serves as director of Trauma/Acute Care Surgery for AHN, medical director of AGHs trauma program, and the hospitals chief trauma surgeon. Since 2019, he has also served as the chief quality officer for the AHN Surgical Institute. Dr. Philp joined AHN in 2011 from Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospitals trauma division.

Under Dr. Philps leadership, AGHs busy trauma surgical program has excelled in providing our region with outstanding, life-saving care for critically injured patients, and we look forward to him bringing that same passion and commitment to clinical excellence across all of AGHs services in his expanded role as chief medical officer, said Don Whiting, MD, chief medical officer, AHN.

Dr. Philp earned his medical degree at Vanderbilt University and completed a surgical residency and fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

###

About Allegheny Health Network

Allegheny Health Network (AHN.org) is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is composed of 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, an employed physician organization, home and community-based health services, a research institute and a group purchasing organization. The Network provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, cardiovascular disease, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, womens health, diabetes and more. AHN employs approximately 21,000 people, has more than 2,600 physicians on its medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.


Brooke Chism, a lifelong animal lover and resident of Southern Californias Kern County who works as an officer administrator, has completed her new book Theos Day at the Dog Park: a charmingly illustrated childrens book that will appeal to dog lovers of all ages.

Join Chandlers boys, Larry and Theo, for Theos first day at the dog park! These two loving hounds are playful, positive, and prepared to take on a crew of bullying crows to keep the dog park the happy place they know it to be.

Theyll make friends, play games, and even find a stick worth saving. Its a first-day-at-school experience from a dogs perspective that any child is sure to relate to.

Published by Page Publishing, Brooke Chisms engrossing book is a delightful addition to any childrens library.

Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase Theos Day at the Dog Park at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing understands that authors should be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Fr. Greg. Udo Njoku CSSp, who was ordained as a priest in 1982 by Pope John Paul II in Nigeria, has completed his new book Children's Upbringing in Today's Modern Society (Parenting Now in Crisis): (An Ar-se-nal for Mass Construction and Repairs of Diverse Issues in Human Life Today): a guide to navigating the ever-changing landscape of rearing children. Tackling modern issues head on, Njoku raises solutions for problems that he finds most common amongst the youth of today.

When we consider the amount of time, money, materials, effort, and innumerable resources that parents invest into the rearing of their children in our modern society, one begins to wonder why all that effort seems to be yielding poor results in many cases! writes Njoku. Many parents spend so much time and money on taking their children to counselors, getting them into and out of juvenile justice courts, and visiting them in jails. Many children and teens today have problems with the law in one form or another and with their community and society. They also have problems with their schools from where they are frequently sent home on suspension for their inappropriate behaviors. So many teens are plagued with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), suffer from depression, are addicted to drugs and alcohol, and so on, unable to go through college successfully. Only two words answer the above problemsupbringing and environment. In other words, the family and society have a crucial role to play to remedy the dysfunctions in family life, the malfunctions in human behavior, and the distortions and perversions of morals in society today.

Published by Page Publishing, Fr. Greg. Udo Njoku CSSps writings tackle a myriad of issues and expertly lays out ways that parents can better raise their children to become fully functioning adults within society and find a return on their investment with their children.

Readers who wish to experience this poignant work can purchase Children's Upbringing in Today's Modern Society (Parenting Now in Crisis): (An Ar-se-nal for Mass Construction and Repairs of Diverse Issues in Human Life Today) at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Hermogenes Perez de Arce has completed his new book History of the Chilean Military Revolution: 1973-1990: a gripping and potent work that highlights the surprising fact that the Chilean revolution, which restored both the countrys democracy and its economy, had to bear the cost of the Western countries taking sides with its enemies, imposing an extra burden on its defense against totalitarianism.

Author Hermogenes Perez de Arce was born in Santiago, Chile, in 1936. He studied at Saint Georges College then went to law school and earned a postgraduate degree in economy and finance at the University of Chile. He is married with four sons and fourteen grandsons. He was an editorial writer and columnist of El Mercurio in Santiago from 1962 to 2008, except between 1977 and 1981 when he was editor in chief of La Segunda. He was co-founder of Que Pasa weekly magazine and did radio comments on politics and the economy in Radio Agricultura and Radio Mineria in the seventies. He was elected congressman for Santiago in 1973 under the National Party.

A teacher in Catholic, Finis Terrae, and Los Andes Universities until 2009, Hermogenes was also a member of the Organic Laws Commission and of the IV Legislative Commission between 1984 and 1989. He was defeated as a candidate to the Senate in 1989 by the former president of Chile, Sebastian Pinera, and has since written fifteen books on political and sociological matters, among them an autobiography and a novel.

Author Hermogenes Perez de Arce introduces his work, writing, As an eyewitness and habitual commentator regarding the events in Chile that culminated on September 11, 1973, and of the events in the subsequent government that held until March 11, 1990, I have been astonished over the last twenty-seven years by versions that have predominated in the country and the rest of the world that are distant of what actually happened during those sixteen and one-half years. Indeed, it seems that slogans have prevailed widely over historical facts.

Published by Page Publishing, Hermogenes Perez de Arces detailed work shares meaningful insight about this time in history.

Readers who wish to experience this informative work can purchase History of the Chilean Military Revolution: 1973-1990 at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Jordan Zlotolow, a Southern California native who has been writing stories all his life, has completed his new book Dragon Dance: Part 3 of the Dragon Talisman Trilogy: a riveting and spellbinding last stand against past enemies as the balance of an entire realm hangs in the balance.

Things have largely settled in the magical land of Calladrin over the last fifteen years, writes Zlotolow. The various kingdoms, factions, and tribes have retreated to their strongholds to live their separate lives, and the super continent is at peace. King Jalen and Queen Summer Bloom have ruled their people fairly through this entire prosperous period. Prince Ralius, having returned to Los Angeles to study English, has become a professor of literature at the lovely beach side Pepperdine University. All seems right with life while Ralius, going as Dr. Foley now, teaches his classes and lives his happy yet somewhat lonely life with Ramses, his cat. His days are full of sunshine and the never-ending work of a university professor until, one day during lecture, the past comes back to haunt Dr. F. Being in the middle of a lecture about the Red Death, Dr. F is surprised by an old foe returning to settles cores. Like any good teacher, Dr. Fs priority is to his studentsTJ or Telemachus Jones, the athlete; Amy, the pacifist; Akim, the clown; and Bianca, a foreign exchange student and former model. Caught up in the struggle for supremacy over Calladrin, Dr. F has no choice but to take his university students with him back to Calladrin in order to keep them safe and to check on Mom and Dad. What follows is the final adventure in a series of mystical discoveries and epic battles as we greet familiar friends and make new ones, culminating in the third and final installment of the thrilling Dragon Talisman Trilogy.

Published by Page Publishing, Jordan Zlotolows inventive tale creates an unforgettable experience for readers who take a journey into the world of Calladrin. Expertly paced and full of unique characters, each surprising twist and turn will leave readers on the edge of their seats, ready to find out what happens next in the battle for peace and harmony.

Readers who wish to experience this gripping work can purchase Dragon Dance: Part 3 of the Dragon Talisman Trilogy at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
These results will have an impact in the search for biomarkers to predict for immunotherapy outcome in patients with lung cancer as no truly reliable biomarkers have been found yet, said senior author Dr. Christian Rolfo.

Mount Sinai researchers have validated for the first time that a simple blood test called a liquid biopsy could be a better predictor of whether cancer immunotherapy will be successful for a patient with lung cancer than an invasive tumor biopsy procedure. Their study was published in the Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research in June.

The liquid biopsy tests for a biomarker of PD-L1, a protein and target for a type of immunotherapy called checkpoint inhibitors, which helps the patients immune system attack and kill cancer cells. This study showed that testing the blood of lung cancer patients for the PD-L1 biomarker gave more accurate predictions of the response and survival for patients with lung cancer than testing for PD-L1 in tissue from lung cancer biopsies, the current standard of care.

The biomarker in blood, named EV PD-L1, comes from extracellular vesicles, which are particles shed from tumor cells. A decrease of PD-L1 in extracellular vesicles in blood could therefore become a useful test to predict which patients with non-small-cell lung cancer could benefit from immunotherapy.

These results will have an impact in the search for biomarkers to predict for immunotherapy outcome in patients with lung cancer as no truly reliable biomarkers have been found yet, said senior author Christian Rolfo, MD, PhD, MBA, Professor of Medicine (Hematology and Medical Oncology) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Associate Director for Clinical Research in the Center for Thoracic Oncology at The Tisch Cancer Institute, and President of the International Society of Liquid Biopsy. If validated in larger prospective cohorts of patients, as we are working on now, this protein could complement or substitute for the tissue PD-L1 as the standard of care in these and other types of tumor patients receiving immunotherapy, especially because it is minimally invasive and can be repetitive during treatment, being able to detect changes in the tumor during the treatment in real time.

Researchers collected blood samples from two cohorts of 33 and 24 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer receiving immune-checkpoint inhibitors before and at the ninth week of treatment. They also included a group of 15 patients receiving chemotherapy as controls. Extracellular vesicles were isolated from blood samples and the protein expression of PD-L1 was measured in each group at both time points.

Researchers also measured imaging scans of patients tumors before treatment and evaluated them with an innovative imaging technology called radiomics to create a full model for prediction of immunotherapy response.

This study, led by Dr. Rolfo, included collaboration of experts in radiomics and medical oncology from the United States, Mexico, and Italy.

About the Mount Sinai Health System

The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest academic medical system, encompassing eight hospitals, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai advances medicine and health through unrivaled education and translational research and discovery to deliver care that is the safest, highest-quality, most accessible and equitable, and the best value of any health system in the nation. The Health System includes approximately 7,300 primary and specialty care physicians; 13 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 415 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and more than 30 affiliated community health centers. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked on U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of the top 20 U.S. hospitals and is top in the nation by specialty: No. 1 in Geriatrics and top 20 in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Neurology/Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology/Lung Surgery, Rehabilitation, and Urology. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked No. 12 in Ophthalmology. Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital is ranked in U.S. News & World Reports Best Childrens Hospitals among the countrys best in four out of 10 pediatric specialties. The Icahn School of Medicine is one of three medical schools that have earned distinction by multiple indicators: ranked in the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report's "Best Medical Schools," aligned with a U.S. News & World Report "Honor Roll" Hospital, and No. 14 in the nation for National Institutes of Health funding. Newsweeks The Worlds Best Smart Hospitals ranks The Mount Sinai Hospital as No. 1 in New York and in the top five globally, and Mount Sinai Morningside in the top 20 globally.

For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Kate and Pav Templeton of Rare Bird Emporium in Murphy, North Carolina learned how to open their coffee shop from Crimson Cup. Coming from never having a business like this to creating a business plan and knowing that it was a proven concept reassured me we could do this." - Kate Templeton, Owner, Rare Bird Emporium

Want to learn how to open a coffee shop in North Carolina? Get insider secrets on starting a thriving business in the Tar Heel state from the coffee shop startup experts at Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea.

Through its 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program, Roast magazines 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year has taught over 300 entrepreneurs in 30 states how to open a coffee shop.

Now, the companys 7 Steps coffee shop startup consulting team has added to its series of state-level coffee shop startup guides with, How to Start a Coffee Shop in North Carolina.

North Carolina is a land of opportunity for many types of small businesses, and coffee shops are no exception, said Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert. In fact, North Carolina ranks 40th among the states in the number of coffee shops per capita, with fewer than one coffee shop for every 7,307 North Carolina residents.

That leaves a lot of North Carolina coffee lovers without a local coffee shop.

He noted that the company supports eight independent coffee shops in North Carolina cities and towns, with more on the way.

These entrepreneurs learned how to open their shops through Crimson Cups 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program.

The program is based on Uberts book, Seven Steps to Success: A Common-sense Guide to Succeed to Specialty Coffee, which he wrote initially to help struggling coffee shop customers master all aspects of successful coffee shop operations.

We help entrepreneurs with little or no coffee experience become owners of thriving coffee shops serving their local communities, he said. From choosing a terrific location and writing a strong coffee shop business plan to buying and laying out equipment, hiring and training staff and more, our team is here to guide you.

To hear about the book in Uberts own words, download a free recorded introduction on Soundcloud.

As a coffee roaster and coffee business consultant, Crimson Cup believes our company only succeeds when our customers do, Ubert said. As a result, we support coffee shop owners at every step, from concept through opening day and beyond.

As a one-stop shop for independent coffee shops, Crimson Cup supplies award-winning coffee, the best coffee shop supplies in the business, and ongoing support to help coffee businesses thrive.

After operating a gift shop called In with the Old for a few years, Crimson Cup customers Kate and Pav Templeton decided it was time for an upgrade. They remodeled a new location using repurposed materials such as a grain silo and wood from their old shop.

The couple designed their new shop, Rare Bird Emporium, as a community gathering place for their town of Murphy and surrounding Cherokee County.

Of course, nothing brings people together like coffee! Kate said.

Kates uncle Martin Mann suggested the new shop needed a beverage upgrade  offering specialty coffee drinks instead of self-serve java in air pots. The owner of Jitters Coffee House in Millersburg, Ohio, Martin recommended Crimson Cup, his long-time coffee partner.

The Templetons found Crimson Cups expertise invaluable in opening their business. Coming from never having a business like this to creating a business plan and knowing that it was a proven concept reassured me we could do this, Kate said.

Pav said he'd advise other owners to work with Crimson Cup from the very beginning. "We didnt end up saving money doing it ourselves, because we had to go back and redo a lot of things. There were mishaps we could have avoided by having their guidance from day one.

Besides the North Carolina guide, Crimson Cup recently published guides on How to Open a Coffee Shop in Texas and How to Open a Coffee Shop in Ohio.

About once a week for the next year, the roaster will post a state-level coffee shop startup guides on its website. Next up: a guide on how to start a coffee shop in Michigan.

Although the fundamentals of coffee shop operation remain the same from state to state, the economic opportunities, business formation and licensing requirements vary widely, Ubert said. Were excited to share information and resources to help entrepreneurs expedite their startup journey.

He invited anyone who is thinking of opening a coffee shop in any state to call Crimson Cup for guidance.

If you run into any roadblocks or just want to discuss your vision with a coffee expert, you can reach our startup team by calling 1-888-800-9224.

About Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea

Founded in 1991, Crimson Cup is at the forefront of the coffee industry. Its attentive roasting, startup support and global partnerships are consciously designed for the greater good of communities around the world. Among other national recognitions, the company has earned 2020 and 2017 Good Food Awards, the 2019 Golden Bean Champion for Small Franchise/Chain Roaster and Roast magazines 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year.

Crimson Cup travels the world searching for the perfect cup  driven by meaningful relationships, honesty and a shared vision for the future. Its Friend2Farmer initiatives foster respect and decency through mutually beneficial collaboration across local and global communities.

Through its 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program, the company teaches entrepreneurs how to open and run independent coffee houses in their local communities. By developing a coffee shop business plan, entrepreneurs gain insight into how much it costs to open a coffee shop.

Crimson Cup coffee is available through over 350 independent coffee houses, grocers, college and universities, restaurants and food service operations across 30 states, Guam and Bangladesh. The company also owns several Crimson Cup Coffee Shops and a new CRIMSON retail flagship store. To learn more, visit crimsoncup.com, or follow the company on Facebook and Instagram.
Get Pre-Approved for Automotive Financing at Dan Cava Toyota World.

Automotive financing might not be as easy as it sounds for everyone. People from different walks of life have varied credit histories, which affect the approval of their loan applications. Dan Cava Toyota World, an automotive dealership in Fairmount, West Virginia, now offers pre-approval for auto loans. Interested parties can visit their official website and fill in a basic application form to get started with the process.

The finance team at Dan Cava Toyota World is well-experienced in finding the perfect auto loan for most of their customers, irrespective of their financial situation. They have tie-ups with multiple financial institutions and lenders across the country, enabling them to help their customers with online pre-approval for automotive financing. Customers have to fill in a few basic details like personal info, address info, income info, and vehicle info in the online application available on the dealerships website. Once the application is submitted, a member from Dan Cava Toyota Worlds finance team will reach out to the applicant to guide them through the remaining process.

Drivers are recommended to visit Dan Cava Toyota World, located at 2510 White Hall Blvd, Fairmont, West Virginia, 26554. Interested customers can also reach out to the dealerships customer care team at 304-366-2720 for any further information.
The Toyota College Graduate Program helps college students save money on a car

Downeast Toyota offers the Toyota College Graduate Program to drivers in Brewer, Maine. Recent college graduates living in the Bangor area are encouraged to take advantage of this offer, which saves them $500 on any new unlicensed Toyota vehicles. In order to take advantage of the offer, college graduates must finance or lease their new Toyota model through Toyota Financial Services.

Eligible graduates include any individual who has graduated in the past two calendar years or anyone who will graduate within the next six months. In order to qualify, drivers will need to show proof or graduation and proof of current employment. The offer is only toward new Toyota vehicles and does not include Toyota Certified Used Vehicles.

Recent graduates will qualify for the Toyota College Graduate Program if they have graduated from an accredited four-year college or nursing program, an accredited two-year college or technical college, an accredited two-year trade program or an accredited graduate school. Proof of graduation can be in the form of a copy of their diploma, a letter from the colleges office stating the date and type of degree earned, a copy of their final transcript confirming graduation date and type of degree earned or a copy of a current transcript that confirms enrollment in a graduate degree program.

Drivers who are interested in this rebate can learn more about the program and the dealership on the Downeast Toyota website, downeasttoyota.com.
Ambassador (ret.) Robert A. Sherman, senior counsel in the Litigation Practice of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, was unanimously elected to the board of directors of The New England Council.

According to the organization, The New England Council is a non-partisan alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations throughout New England formed to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the New England region. Members of its board of directors help identify issues and policies for the organization to engage with, shape the councils policy positions, and develop programming for its membership.

Sherman is a founding member and former co-managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurigs Boston office. From 2014-2017, he served as the United States Ambassador to Portugal, having been nominated by President Barack Obama and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. As Ambassador, he focused heavily on bilateral economic development and international security issues, such as cybersecurity, refugees, narcoterrorism, and NATO. In recognition of his work in the country, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa decorated him with the Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator in March 2017. At Greenberg Traurig, Sherman focuses his practice on government and regulatory investigations and litigation, internal corporate investigations - with an emphasis on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance  as well as consumer protection and class action defense.

About Greenberg Traurigs Boston Office: Established in 1999, Greenberg Traurigs Boston office is home to more than 80 attorneys practicing in the areas of bankruptcy and restructuring, corporate, emerging technology, energy, environmental, financial services, gaming, governmental affairs, intellectual property, labor and employment, life sciences and medical technology, litigation, public finance, real estate, and tax. An important contributor to the firm's international platform, the Boston office includes a team of nationally recognized attorneys with both public and private sector experience. The team offers clients the value of decades of helping clients in complex legal matters and hands-on knowledge of the local business community, supported by the firm's vast network of global resources.

About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2400 attorneys in 43 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm, often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono, reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021. The firm is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, NLJ 250, and Law360 (US) 400. On the debut 2022 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard, it is a Top 15 firm. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com.
As I Get Older, I Must Not Forget: a sweet message of Gods love for young readers. As I Get Older, I Must Not Forget is the creation of published author Jonathan Brown, a loving father and passionate advocate within the human services field. Brown carries degrees in chemical dependency and in community human resources.

Brown shares, This book comprises good teaching moments that Jonathan was taught at an early age. Jonathan remembers that, as he gets older, he must not forget some essential teachings in his everyday life about God. In this book, there are thought-provoking ideas and situations that will captivate the target audience. This book targets elementary-age children and younger. The style of this book will benefit all Christian households because it implements Christian practices. Parents are also reminded to continue teaching their children about God daily.

Do you have teachings that you were taught that you must not forget?

Will you remember to be kind and love everyone?

Join Jonathan on his adventure through his godly thoughts of what he must not forget!

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Jonathan Browns new book will encourage and reassure young believers that God is always there.

Brown shares a powerful message of faith based on his own struggles as a young child that led him to a deep and affirming connection with God.

Consumers can purchase As I Get Older, I Must Not Forget at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about As I Get Older, I Must Not Forget, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.


EnsoData and its impactful technology represent an opportunity to improve the experience of treatment for patients and providers and accelerate big-picture shifts by opening greater access to diagnosis."

EnsoData, the leading AI health care company helping clinicians uncover disease while patients sleep, today announces the closing of a $20 million Series A extension led by Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE: INSP) ("Inspire"), with participation from existing investors including Zetta Venture Partners, Venture Investors, Supermoon Capital, Colle Capital, HealthX Ventures, M25 Ventures, Board members Justin Mortara, Fred Robertson, MD, and other investors. The company is also expanding its leadership team with the appointment of Justin Mortara, PhD, as President. Coupled with funding and new partnerships, EnsoDatas latest additions to its senior leadership team will be essential as the company quickly scales to accelerate the adoption of AI technology across healthcare.

This news comes on the heels of EnsoData winning Inc. Magazines Best Workplaces award for the second year in a row.

One of the most widely used and adopted AI technologies clinically used today, EnsoData has experienced tremendous growth over the past year, driven by demand from customers seeking to enable faster and more accurate diagnoses and improve patient outcomes in the communities they serve. EnsoData is unlocking the role of sleep in human health and disease through the implementation of its novel AI solution and is laying the groundwork for a future in which some of healthcares most intractable problems  access and affordability for patients and clinician burnout  can be addressed through AI.

With its AI solution helping to diagnose patients with obstructive sleep apnea  a disease that goes undiagnosed in 80-90 percent of the population  EnsoDatas proven technology lays the foundation for expanding access and reach across health systems and clinics, payors and employers, and medical device and therapy companies in order to help improve health outcomes. Through partnerships with more than 100 leading provider organizations' 500+ clinics across the U.S., over 500,000 patients have already benefited from EnsoDatas technology, and the company is helping 32,000+ new patients each month.

In the past year, EnsoData received its second FDA clearance, doubled its team in size, expanded partnerships with leading providers worldwide, and extended further support for virtual and at-home diagnostics. EnsoDatas world-class team has been recognized repeatedly for its culture of innovation, with its founding team being featured on Forbes 30 Under 30 in Healthcare list, and winning both the 2021 Wisconsin Inno Fire Award for health technology and the 2021 Wisconsin Innovation Award for Health IT.

With this new funding, EnsoData will rapidly scale multinational expansion and commercial distribution partnerships, continue building out its world-class team, and expand its product offerings to address new customer use cases and features to enable more accurate, affordable, and accessible care globally.

EnsoData is among the leading healthcare startups at the forefront of the digital shift in healthcare. The healthcare industry as a whole is at a major inflection point as trends like the overnight shift to telehealth in response to COVID-19 pandemic and the broad consumerization of healthcare have forced the industry to rapidly adopt novel technologies to catch up with the digital-first world. With a focus on increasing access and overall quality of care, EnsoData is uniquely positioned to help redefine the way service providers and health care systems address the multidimensional challenges facing the industry today  including a shrinking workforce, rising care costs, and poor compliance. EnsoDatas new partnership with Inspire represents a natural collaboration between two of the fastest-growing companies in the sleep and healthcare industry and will serve to help patients navigate their treatment journeys.

As President, Mortara will support EnsoDatas vision by preparing the company for scale in its next stage of growth - expanding EnsoDatas team, advancing its commercial strategy, and identifying new strategic opportunities. He brings 20 years of experience as a proven executive leader, innovator, and investor across digital health and life sciences. Previously he spent over 20 years at Mortara Instrument, a leading provider of diagnostics for cardiovascular disease, where as CEO he led the company to over 10x growth and market leadership, culminating in its acquisition in 2017 by Hillrom (Baxter) for $330m. Prior to joining in this role, Justin was EnsoDatas Executive Chairman and also managed a portfolio of early-stage healthcare investments spanning devices, tech-enabled services and life sciences.

Launched in 2015, EnsoData is among the earliest and largest in scale of real-world adoption and clinical use of AI across medicine today. With the first two FDA clearances on AI for Sleep, it represents one of the fastest, most accurate, and most interoperable AI technologies available to analyze and help diagnose diseases from data collected while people sleep. EnsoDatas proven technology is trained on the worlds largest sleep database, including more than 1,000,000 patient sleep studies and over 7,000,000 hours of resulting health waveform data.

Executive Quotes

-- Chris Fernandez, CEO and Co-Founder of EnsoData, said: EnsoData and its impactful technology represent an opportunity to improve the experience of treatment for patients and providers and accelerate big-picture shifts by opening greater access to diagnosis. Our proven, clinically validated technology has generated real demand and traction and as we continue to scale our team and growth. With this confluence of new funding, new partnerships, and the addition of industry veterans like Justin to our team, were even better positioned today to continue our upward trajectory and to successfully navigate the evolving state of healthcare.

-- Justin Mortara, President of EnsoData, said: Ive had the great pleasure to advise Chris and the EnsoData team for the last two years. During that time I have come to appreciate their culture, passion, and tremendous innovations in sleep. Drawing on my experience in cardiology, I see enormous potential for further growth and I am excited to start this next chapter as President.

About EnsoData

EnsoData is a Waveform AI healthcare technology company that performs complex and time-consuming data interpretation and analysis. Our FDA cleared, AI-assisted sleep scoring solution, EnsoSleep, automates the scoring of studies, and reduces the time sleep clinicians otherwise spend working through hours of sleep data . This time savings provides clinicians with opportunities to expand patient care, improve outcomes and treat more patients. EnsoSleeps additional products include EnsoViewer, an FDA cleared, web-based, interoperable sleep study reviewing, editing, and reporting software, and EnsoTST, which enables measurement of Total Sleep Time through more commonly available data found in home sleep apnea tests (HSATs).

For more information, visit https://www.ensodata.com/.

About Inspire Medical Systems

Inspire is a medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative and minimally invasive solutions for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Inspires proprietary Inspire therapy is the first and only FDA-approved neurostimulation technology that provides a safe and effective treatment for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.

For additional information about Inspire, please visit http://www.inspiresleep.com.

Press Contact:

Tess Pawlisch

ensodata (at) thekeypr (dot) com
Noodoe CEO Jennifer Chang Noodoe is excited to play a part in boosting regional tourism in New South Wales by providing convenient access to EV charging stations throughout the area

Noodoe EV, a global leader in EV charging technology, is now on the approved vendor list for government funding of EV charging stations in New South Wales. The announcement was made by company CEO Jennifer Chang. Both Noodoe hardware and software is now eligible for $20M in grants made available in the interest of electrifying the State, located on the east coast of Australia.

Noodoe is excited to play a part in boosting regional tourism in New South Wales by providing convenient access to EV charging stations throughout the area, says Chang. EV charging facilities are just one more way to enhance a visitors experience at motels, wineries, natural attractions, parks and restaurants. Noodoe EV equipment and Noodoe EV OS are certified to meet the standard requirements for this grant.

First round of funding totaling $7 million is available now until Friday, September 23rd. Multiple funding rounds will follow well into 2024 to support the continued development of EV destination charging network across the state. Eligible businesses include varied businesses with no more than one existing installed EV charger.

About Noodoe Inc.

To accelerate the worlds transition to electric vehicles, Noodoe provides the mission-critical network operating system, Noodoe EV OS, that runs the EV charging networks for their operators.

Noodoe EV OS is one of the most advanced cloud-based operating platforms today; it is a charging networks central brain that runs all the charging stations across multiple locations and automates the entire operation of the EV charging network.

What makes Noodoe EV OS different is the core technology that empowers extreme automation, which enables the operators to achieve the lowest possible operating cost. Controlling and running all EV charging stations, Noodoe EV OS fully automates everything  24/7 charging service delivery, automatic peak-hour price adjustment, automatic transaction billing, automatic payment processing, automatic bank transfer, automatic infrastructure diagnostics, and intelligent energy management. Its so automated that the network operators practically can generate revenue automatically and continuously.

Noodoe provides products and services that are used in 110 countries worldwide.

http://www.noodoe.com

###
Our study determined that CAL may still be a new technique, but its promising results, through the prism of multiple isolation systems, highlight the great potential for use in clinical practice, says Dr. John Anastasatos.

Dr. John Anastasatos is a well-respected, board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, CA, who recently co-authored the peer-reviewed article titled, Cell-Assisted Lipotransfer in Breast Augmentation Surgery: Clinical Outcomes and Considerations for Future Research, which was published on March 2, 2022. Autologous fat transfer is a widely used surgical technique for breast augmentation surgery, but it has been associated with various complications, including post-surgical fat resorption. In the article, Dr. Anastasatos contributes his knowledge on state-of-the-art methods used to harvest, process, optimize and utilize fat for breast augmentation and reconstruction purposes and techniques to optimize fat grafting longevity and increase survival of the fat where it is placed. Dr. Anastasatos study explores a novel technique, referred to as cell-assisted lipotransfer, or CAL, and how it has shown promising results in terms of reducing fat resorption. The informative article explores the ways in which cell-assisted lipotransfer is different from the autologous fat transfer, as well as how and why adipose-derived stem cells may contribute towards limiting fat resorption.

Link to Article: Cureus | Cell-Assisted Lipotransfer in Breast Augmentation Surgery: Clinical Outcomes and Considerations for Future Research

Our study determined that CAL may still be a new technique, but its promising results, through the prism of multiple isolation systems, highlight the great potential for use in clinical practice, says Dr. John Anastasatos.

More about Dr. John Anastasatos:

At Los Angeles Plastic Surgery, Dr. John Anastasatos is highly regarded for his extraordinary skill in cosmetic, reconstructive, and revision procedures, including gold-standard facelifts, breast augmentations, body lift procedures, liposuction and non-surgical treatments. Raised in the United States but with family roots in Athens, Greece, Dr. Anastasatos attended Brown University and was accepted to their medical school. He then completed general surgical training at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital, an affiliate of Columbia University. After finishing his cosmetic and reconstructive residency at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, he completed a fellowship in hand surgery, upper extremity, and microsurgery. During this time, Dr. Anastasatos served as an attending surgeon at UAB Hospitals, The Childrens Hospital, and VA Hospital. He established his own practice in Southern California in 2007 and opened a second location in Athens, Greece. To schedule a consultation with Dr. John Anastasatos or for more information about his practice locations in Beverly Hills, CA, or Athens, Greece, please call (310) 888-4048, or visit his website http://www.LosAngelesPlasticSurgery.com.
The creators of the controversial Metabirkin NFT collection are bringing NFT culture to real life with their brick-and-mortar boutique, Terminal 27. This 3,000 square foot store is becoming a social hangout and gathering place for the Metaverse and crypto communities to party and promote their newest digital fashion projects.

Little stirs the pot more consistently, or generates more buzz, than a serial agitator. The digital fashion NFT community now has its very own enfant terrible in Mason Rothschild. The coolest, most fashionable digital NFT wearables are symbols of identity, just as luxury items are in the real-world. The Metabirkin NFTs from duo Mason Rothschild and Ericka del Rosario certainly have people talking, and in some cases, even suing.

As brands like Gucci, Rimowa, Givenchy, Bulgari, Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, and many others, continue to tap into the increasingly mainstream appeal of the crypto market by minting their own luxury NFT pieces, the luxury fashion house Hermes has itself refrained from entering into the burgeoning space. The 185-year-old French luxury fashion brand has indicated it has zero immediate plans to enter the NFT or metaverse market, proudly proclaiming that they value the tangible expression of handcrafted physical objects.

Which is why the MetaBirkin NFT from Mason Rothschild and Ericka del Rosario is so controversial. The popular digital collection consists of 100 virtual renderings of the iconic Birkin bag. Hermes has spoken out against the offering, which has total sales of around $1 million, saying that they do not consent to the commercialization or creation of the NFTs, and the company is taking legal action to protect its intellectual property and trademark rights.

The MetaBirkins collection is actually the second time Rothschild has used NFTs to play on the well-established reputation of the Hermes bag. His first collaboration, with fellow digital artist Eric Ramirez was dubbed the Baby Birkin and was a 1 of 1 edition of an NFT Birkin Bag adorned with a stylized 40-week-old fetus. Rothschild was able to argue then that the Baby Birkin NFT was protected on the basis of parody and satire.

Still, Mason Rothschild isnt letting the legal trouble get to him. He and Ericka del Rosario recently hosted an NFT launch party in collaboration with artist Amber Park at their fashion boutique in Beverly Hills, Terminal 27. The 3,000 square foot store doesnt just sell cutting-edge clothing, but is also becoming a social hangout and gathering place for the Metaverse and crypto communities to party and promote their newest digital fashion projects.

Terminal 27  8271 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048

+++

This article originally appeared in the PSFK iQ report, Fashioning Virtual identity.
Author and YouTube cosplay sensation Xiran Jay Zhao took their debut middle grade novel Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor on tour in mid-May for a chance to connect with audiences. The fantasy follows 12-year-old gamer Zachary Ying who, after his mother is attacked and the fate of her soul is left in the hands of demons, discovers he is the descendent of the first Chinese emperor destined to help with a special mission.

Zhao made five official stops in the U.S. and Canada, as well as virtual visits and signings at bookstores, promoting their latest title. Weve gathered a selection of photos from the events.

Zhao at their hometown launch stop at Indigo Metrotown in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Zhao in conversation with author Jeff Kinney at An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Mass.

Barnes & Noble Union Square in New York City welcomed Zhao for a signing on May 13.

Also in NYC, Books of Wonder hosted Zhao and fellow author Claribel Ortega (r.).

The book tour went digital when Zhao made a virtual school visit at JoAnn Leleck Elementary School at Broad Acres in Silver Spring, Md., hosted by Loyalty Bookstore in partnership with An Open Book Foundation.

Zhao visited Yu & Me Books in Manhattans Chinatown for a stock signing.

On May 14, Zhao made an appearance at BookPeople in Austin, Tex., where they held a q&a and signed copies of their book.

Zhao made their final stop at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego, where they appeared in conversation with author Kiersten White.
Library groups this week joined with booksellers, publishers, and public advocacy groups in sounding the alarm over a lawsuit in Virginia in which two popular authors and their publishers have been ordered to defend their works against obscenity charges.

The legal action was filed last month by Virginia Beach lawyer and delegate in the Virginia Assembly Tim Anderson (on behalf of local plaintiff and congressional candidate Tommy Altman), citing an obscure state obscenity law. It alleges that two books for sale in a Virginia Beach Barnes & NobleMaia Kobabes popular graphic memoir Gender Queer (Oni Press) and A Court of Mist and Fury (Bloomsbury) by bestselling author Sarah J. Maasare obscene for unrestricted viewing by minors.

Most adults feel uncomfortable having these words read aloud, Altman told the Virginian Pilot last week, repeating an oft-cited theme amid the current nationwide wave of book bans. This is not about book banning," he told the Pilot, Its about restoring parental rights.

According to the Virginia Mercury, the little-utilized state law allows any citizen to ask a court to weigh in on books alleged to be obscene. And in a development that has shocked observers, a local judge on May 18 found there was probable cause the books could be deemed obscene and ordered the authors and publishers to defend the books later this month.

According to the Mercury, the judge who issued the order, Pamela Baskervill, is a retired Petersburg-area judge, who is handling the case because all other judges in Virginia Beach recused themselves.

The courts order raises the possibility that the court could issue a restraining order barring the books from public display and restraining booksellers and libraries from selling or loaning the books to minors without parental consent. In a Facebook post, Anderson hailed the judges order as a major legal victory and laid out the playbook for those seeking to restrict access to materials they find objectionable: Suits like this can be filed all over Virginia, Anderson wrote. There are dozens of books. Hundreds of schools.

In a statement issued this week, freedom to read advocates say the intent of the obscenity action is clear: to prevent readers from making a personal choice to read these books, and as a means to criminally prosecute librarians, booksellers, and publishers for making materials they disapprove of available to the public.

If persons like the petitioners obtain similar orders every time they have objections to a book, it will chill the freedom to read and stifle the voices of authors and publishers, the statement reads. The undersigned organizations strongly urge Virginiansand all Americansto stand against any attempt to use government action to dictate what we can read and how to think about what we read. Prohibiting the sale and distribution of books is an affront to our democratic values and threatens each person's and each family's individual liberties. It is contrary to our principles of democracy to allow anyone, regardless of their beliefs or political position, to determine what other Americans can read.

 If persons like the petitioners obtain similar orders every time they have objections to a book, it will chill the freedom to read and stifle the voices of authors and publishers. 

The statement is signed by the ACLU, the ACLU of Virginia, the American Booksellers for Free Expression, the American Library Association, the Association of American Publishers, the Authors Guild, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, the Freedom to Read Foundation, the National Coalition Against Censorship, the National Council of Teachers of English, PEN America, the Virginia Association of School Librarians, and the Virginia Library Association.

The statement also notes that a book has not been declared obscene by a court in more than 50 yearsand suggests that finding the books in question are in fact obscene would be an extraordinary outcome.

The Supreme Court has established a narrow test for obscenity that requires that the text as a whole, even if it references sex or nudity, lack serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value, the statement points out. Neither of the books challenged in these cases comes remotely close to meeting the Supreme Courts long-established criterion for a finding of obscenity.

Kobabes Gender Queer is an award-winning coming of age story that has become a focus for book banning efforts around the country, and is the most challenged book in the ALAs recently released top 10 list. But despite some explicit content, the statement insists that suggestions that a few depictions of sexual experience render the entire 240-page book obscene are, quite simply, false.

A Court of Mist and Fury, meanwhile, is a bestselling novel widely praised work with serious literary and artistic value, the statement notes, with strong reviews and praise for its portrayals of mental health struggles, female empowerment, and the dynamics of romantic relationships.

Reps for Kobabe's publishers, Oni Press, declined comment at this time. Reps for Maas have not yet responded to requests for comment.

A report in the Virginian Pilot last week noted the case could be "a longshot," based on the opinions of local attorneys. You cant just have government officials and law enforcement officers deciding on an ad hoc basis what they do and dont like, one local attorney told reporters. The expression slippery slope has been overused over the years, but it certainly fits.
Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, appears to know that his attempt to run the American economy, and to inflict his personal preferences on society from company headquarters, are at very least too obvious. And so he has been retreating from his grandest claims, at least rhetorically. His confused explanations as he withdraws from the van of the march, however, have simply underscored how untenable his position remains, and how large is the gap between his assertions and the truth.

The 2021 version of his annual letter to American CEOs read as a royal decree, complete with instructions to those CEOs about how they were to understand American politics and society:

Several months into the year, the pandemic collided with a wave of historic protests for racial justice in the United States and around the world. And more recently, it has exacerbated the political turmoil in the U.S. This month in the U.S., we saw political alienation  fueled by lies and political opportunism  erupt into violence. The events at the U.S. Capitol are a stark reminder of how vulnerable and how precious a democratic system can be.

No ambiguity here, and no nuance. You, CEOs, are to understand the seizure of downtown Seattle and the gutting of Kenosha as noble and peaceful demonstrations for justice, while a bunch of people walking mostly inside of velvet ropes in the Capitol after having the doors opened for them  thats treason.

This was hardly subtle. Fink was telling American corporations that if they wanted BlackRock investments, they had to sign up for the hard-left worldview.

Then the country began to wake up to woke, and Fink discovered that his self-crowning, like Napoleons, had been both noticed and contemned. And so by the 2022 letter Larry had fallen back to an insistence that his demands on CEOs are neither woke nor partisan.

Stakeholder capitalism is not about politics. It is not a social or ideological agenda. It is not woke. It is capitalism, driven by mutually beneficial relationships between you and the employees, customers, suppliers, and communities your company relies on to prosper. This is the power of capitalism.

As has been discussed before in this space, Finks version of stakeholder capitalism is a very funny sort of capitalism, in that its whole purpose is to ignore the interests of the genuine capitalists (the people who invest in BlackRock, whose capital Larry is using) in favor of forcing his own politics on American corporations. And its a funny kind of unwoke, given that his continuing demands are the two highest woke priorities: equity-based discrimination and politicized carbon-elimination schedules that have already imperiled Europe and, if followed, will bankrupt the West for no possible climate-related purpose.

Now Fink is retreating even further, again rhetorically. His current claim, put forth at BlackRocks annual shareholder meeting last week, is that hes not pushing equity, decarbonization and the other  whoops!  demands of the woke fringe on his own behalf at all. No, rather hes just doing it because BlackRocks investors are demanding it. He reverted to the claim that hes somehow acting for all shareholders by offering the non sequitur that companies must embrace equity-discrimination and political decarbonization because BlackRock had an up year in 2021: Our voice is resonating with all our stakeholders, evidenced by our record 2021 business and financial results.

Now, Larry Fink has founded a company that invests $10 trillion in assets, and has made himself a billionaire. He cant be so dumb as to think that the fact that he makes money in any given year validates every decision hes made in that year, far less the self-evidently absurd claim that companies must discriminate by race and sex and must endanger their future profitability and the survival of the world  and particularly the West, as we have seen in 2022  because he made money last year. He must have heard of dependent and independent variables. We can therefore conclude that he still thinks either that the rest of us are very stupid indeed or that hes still the self-crowned emperor, but simply must be ever-so-slightly less obvious about it.

In his next breaths, Fink himself underscored the fundamental fraud of his current position. About his seizure of his investors voice for his political purposes, he then said, it is ultimately [investors] choice. It is their choice where to allocate the money into what index, into what style, and we as a fiduciary will carry on their wishes.

But wait. He and a colleague who spoke later repeatedly reaffirmed that BlackRock not only votes its investors proxies in favor of his personal policy preferences, whatever label he gives them, but that he and BlackRock also engage with other corporate executives outside of the proxy process to make sure that those companies adopt his policy preferences. Every syllable of that discussion revealed that when they engage in efforts to coerce other executives to adopt Fink and BlackRocks deeply partisan policy goals, they do not negotiate on behalf of the fraction of BlackRock investments that are explicitly labeled ESG. No, they do it with the force of all $10 trillion of BlackRocks investments. This seems to obviate his claim that he is respecting those choices by investors.

Fink later suggested that he really wishes that he could let all investors vote their own proxies, as hes doing for his biggest investors, but that there are significant regulatory and logistic hurdles to achieve this at the moment, and we encourage changes in this regulation so we can adapt this across all investors. Ok. Well, what are those regulatory hurdles, so that we as investors can help you fight against them? What specifically are you doing to fight against them? (Heaven knows youre not usually reticent when you wade into political and social controversies for all stakeholders.)

Most importantly: why in the world dont you refrain from voting the proxies of those who still cant vote their own, instead of using them to advance your favorite causes? Thats certainly within your power. And why dont you make it clear each time you speak to a corporation to try to change its behavior that the majority of our investors appear not to wish to see ESG developments at your company enough to make ESG-specific investments, so understand that were making these claims only on behalf of a minority of investors, and if we were honest wed also and with more volume advocate the opposite, because thats the preference that, so far as we can tell, most of our investors have expressed.

While youre at it, Larry, how can you use logistical impossibility as an excuse for not offering all investors the chance to vote their own proxies, by, say, 2024. Sure, it might not be possible, but neither are your decarbonization goals, certainly not without crushing the poor and middle class. As you yourself admitted at the shareholder meeting, you try to push decarbonization in a technologically feasible way where possible, but you do it regardless. After all, as you can see, Im very passionate about net-zero carbon. Just so.

Finks story keeps changing, while his and BlackRocks behavior appears to stay the same. But with every rhetorical retrenchment, the incoherence of his position becomes clearer.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 06/03/2022



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RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE: BEFORE THE 90 DAYS' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)

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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

alum Mike Youngquist has put his house and farm in Washington up for sale following his split from estranged wife Natalie Mordovtseva Mike's property in Sequim, WA, is listed for $675,000, according to real estate listing information.Mike, 36, has lived in a single-family home with two bedrooms and one bathroom that sits on 27.45 acres of land.Around the home is a pond filled with fish, a covered gazebo, outbuildings for storage, two separate pastures nearby recreational trails for hiking and horseback riding, and timber.The listing, for sale by the owner, has been posted for a month.Mike's house was featured on Seasons 7 and 8 of as well as Season 6 of : Happily Ever After?.Natalie, 37, moved into Mike's residence once she moved to the United States from Kyiv, Ukraine, but the couple endured a tumultuous relationship and appeared to split in early 2021.Mike dished about his dating life post-Natalie on a May episode of 90 Day Diaries, according to In Touch Weekly."I live in Sequim, Washington but I am currently in Seattle right now during the week, Monday through Thursday, and I go back home on the weekends," Mike explained in a confessional.And during the Tell-All special for 90 Day: The Single Life that aired in February, Mike, a branch manager at a construction supply company, reportedly revealed he was splitting his time between Seattle and Sequim.It's unclear, however, if Mike plans to move to Seattle permanently once his house sells.On , Mike and Natalie seemed to fall in love at first sight, but as they got to know each other better, they discovered some major differences -- such as the fact Natalie is a religious vegetarian and Mike is an atheist meat-eater.Natalie also struggled with jealousy issues and mistrust. She once accused Mike of hooking up with his best friend Sarah, which Mike and Sarah totally denied.Once Natalie moved to America on a K-1 visa, she was shown struggling to feel comfortable in Mike's "cold" home in Sequim in the middle of the woods. She apparently hated being a "basic housewife" and lashed out at Mike when she felt ignored or he worked too much.Natalie once called Mike overweight and a "low-class drunk," and Mike in turn felt constantly disrespected. He even told Natalie at one point that her beauty was "ugly" if she fails to act beautiful on the inside.Although Mike initially had cold feet about marrying Natalie and called off their wedding, they ended up tying the knot in April 2020.After their wedding, Mike felt like nothing he could do for Natalie was ever enough.Natalie also felt Mike's mother Trish hated her, and she eventually started spending a lot of time with a girlfriend named Julia and stopped sleeping at Mike's house.Natalie broke up with Mike because she claimed she was "suffering" and their relationship was "toxic," but Mike wasn't ready to throw in the towel and get a divorce, although he was starting to believe that Natalie never really loved him.On: Happily Ever After?'s sixth-season Tell-All event, Natalie confirmed, "We're not together. I moved. I'm not in Washington anymore. I am in Florida."Natalie also claimed Mike was work-obsessed and never gave her the attention she needed."I was feeling unworthy and terrible, and [I was] not wanting to live," Natalie confessed. "I don't want to stay on antidepressants." Jovi Dufren and Yara Zaya then called Natalie out for bringing another man to New Orleans. Natalie insisted he's from the "Russian community" and was just a friend, but no one was buying the story she was selling."She has my bank card," Mike announced. "Still, to this day... I plan on filing [for divorce]."Mike explained, "She lives on the other side of the United States and has no desire or interest to come back to Washington. I cannot just quit my job and change my whole life."Mike was prepared to leave the door open for reconciliation, but he confirmed on Part 2 of the Tell-All special their relationship was over for good."I say to him, 'Thank you, God bless you. All the best,'" Natalie told the Tell-All host Shaun Robinson . "Where am I going to live? I don't know. Maybe I'll move to Ukraine. Maybe I find way to stay here."Mike's Uncle Beau told In Touch in late March 2021 that Mike and Natalie had broken up and she hadn't been home "for a couple of months now.""She can stay away for all I care," he noted.When asked if he believes Mike and Natalie's relationship is over for good, Beau replied, "I'm really hoping so. I pray to God, yes."Uncle Beau then drove home that Mike was single in May of last year, when he told the magazine, "Mikey and I are having fun again now that I'm single too. That's right, well there's more fish in the sea."And Instagrammer John Yates reported in June 2021 that Mike was spotted out with a different blonde woman.In mid-June, Natalie actually revealed that she dumped and left Mike "abruptly and permanently" because their marriage had apparently reached the point where he was annoying her."I don't understand how you can kiss a man if you don't want him anymore; if everything within your soul has cooled to the point you feel nothing when he looks at you," Natalie wrote on Instagram at the time.Mike proceeded to spark new dating rumors in September 2021 when he was spotted with former Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels contestant Marcia "Brazil" Alves.Mike and Marcia posted a selfie while partying at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa at the time. Marcia also posted a slideshow of photos in which she and Mike were being playful and flirtatious with each other in a pool.Mike's Instagram account, however, doesn't feature any women on it and so he appears to still be single.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
An uncrewed Russian Progress 81 spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station's Zvezda service module at 9:02 a.m. EDT, two orbits after launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan earlier today.

Progress is delivering almost three tons of food, fuel and supplies to the International Space Station for the Expedition 67 crew.

On-Orbit Status Report

81 Progress (81P) Launch and Dock: Today at 4:32 AM CT, 81P launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying food, fuel, and supplies to the ISS. The spacecraft performed a two-orbit rendezvous to the ISS, and completed automated docking to the SM Aft port at 8:02 AM CT.

Payloads:

AstroPi: A video was recorded showing the AstroPi infrared (IR) running student-developed code. Two augmented Raspberry Pi computers (called AstroPis) were flown to the ISS and are both equipped with the mighty Sense Hardware Attached on Top (HAT) that measures the environment inside the ISS, detects how the station moves through space, and picks up the Earth's magnetic field. Each AstroPi is also equipped with different types of cameras: one has an IR camera, and the other has a standard visible spectrum camera.

Biological Experiment Laboratory in Columbus (Biolab): In preparation for later experiment activities, the crew removed the reference Experiment Containers (ECs). BioLab is a multiuser research facility located in the European Columbus laboratory. The facility is used to perform space biology experiments on microorganisms, cells, tissue cultures, small plants, and small invertebrates. BioLab allows scientists to gain a better understanding of the effects of microgravity and space radiation on biological organisms.

Cold Atom Lab (CAL): A crewmember performed a visual inspection of the CAL Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) Jumper to check for leaks and reported the observed leakage. The MTL Jumper has been susceptible to a small leak and periodic crew monitoring has been implemented while the ground assesses future remediation options. The CAL produces clouds of atoms that are chilled to about one ten billionth of a degree above absolute zero (much colder than the average temperature of deep space). At these low temperatures, atoms have almost no motion, allowing scientists to study fundamental behaviors and quantum characteristics that are difficult or impossible to probe at higher temperatures. In microgravity, researchers may be able to achieve even colder temperatures than what is possible on the ground and observe these cold atom clouds for longer periods of time.

Combustion Integrated Rack/Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (CIR/ACME): Obsolete ACME hardware was located, consolidated, and prepared for trash. The obsolete hardware consisted of ACME experiments which have been performed and the ACME insert previously removed from the CIR to make room for the currently installed experiment insert known as the Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction (SoFIE). CIR includes an optics bench, combustion chamber, fuel, and oxidizer control, and five different cameras for performing combustion investigations in microgravity.

European Physiology Module (EPM): As a continuation of the troubleshooting efforts, the crew set up a laptop and initiated a test link configuration with the EPM Facility Control Computer (FCC). The EPM is designed to investigate the effects of short and long-duration spaceflight on the human body and includes equipment for neuroscientific, cardiovascular, and physiological studies.

Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG)/Transparent Alloys: In a continuation of the Columnar-to-Equiaxed Transition in Solidification Processing-1 (CETSOL-1) series of experiments, the crew exchanged the sample cartridge and data disk. Transparent Alloys consists of numerous experiments including the study of various growth and solidification processes in alloys. CETSOL, the current experiment series, is designed to identify growth regimes (columnar or equiaxed or mixed) and physical mechanisms in dependence of the experimental parameters (solidification velocity, temperature gradient) for diffusive heat and mass transport and without gravity effects.

Muscle Tone in Space (Myotones): The Myotones Echo ultrasound scans which could not be performed earlier this week were performed today. The Myotones investigation observes the biochemical properties of muscles (e.g., muscle tone, stiffness, elasticity) during long-term exposure spaceflight environment. Results from this investigation can provide a better understanding of the principles of human resting muscle tone. This could lead to the development of new strategies for alternative treatments for rehabilitation on Earth as well as for future space missions.

Systems:

Water Process Assembly (WPA) Catalytic Reactor Stowage Activities: The crew performed several activities today following this week's WPA Catalytic Reactor Remove and Replace (R&R). To prepare the failed Catalytic Reactor unit for stowage and return, the crew removed the reactor's top cover and dried the free water present. Next, the crew reinstalled the Urine Transfer System (UTS) to the NOD3D5 rack and completed an Activation and Checkout (ACO) of the Treadmill 2 (T2) to return Node 3 to a nominal configuration. Finally, the crew restowed tools and parts used during maintenance on the WPA Catalytic Reactor.

Robotic Refueling Mission 3 (RRM3) Payload Xenon Venting: Wednesday evening, ground controllers completed Xenon venting from the RRM3 fixed assembly tank. The RRM3 successfully vented 1 kg of Xenon which was desired prior to the upcoming RRM3 relocation from ExPRESS Logistics Carrier 1 (ELC1) to ELC3.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT2) Exam: The crew completed routine Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) eye exams today. OCT is an imaging technique analogous to ultrasound imaging that uses light instead of sound to capture micrometer-resolution, two- and three-dimensional images of tissue; in this case, the objects of interest are the crewmembers' eyes. Eye exams are performed regularly on-board to monitor crewmembers' eye health. Eyesight is one of the many aspects of the human body that may be affected by long-duration stays in a microgravity environment.

Completed Task List Activities:

None

Today's Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Secondary Power System (SPS) Power Down

Deactivation of the Four Bed CO2 Scrubber

Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS) Node 3 Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Activation

Look Ahead Plan

Saturday, June 4 (GMT 155)

Payloads:

ISS Ham Pass (x2)

Payload NAS Vent Clean

XROOTS

Systems:

Crew Off-Duty Day

Sunday, June 5 (GMT 156)

Payloads:

NutrISS

Systems:

Crew Off-Duty Day

Monday, June 6 (GMT 157)

Payloads:

Astrorad

CAL MTL Jumper Check

ISS HAM Pass

LIDAL Relocate

LSG LLC Power R&R

MERLIN Desiccant Swaps

NutrISS

Wanted Poster MSPR Muffler

Systems:

SpaceX-25 Dragon Rendezvous Review

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Loop Scrub

EMU Water Sample

Treadmill 2 System (T2) Monthly Inspection

LAB DZUS Repair

Today's Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

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The young stars of the new Disney Channel sitcom, The Villains of Valley View, said they loved flipping the script and exploring what might happen if a family of super-powered evildoers went into hiding in a quiet Texas suburb.

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Debuting Friday, the show stars Isabella Pappas as Havoc, a teen troublemaker who prompts the fish-out-of-water scenario when she stands up to the head of the League of Villains and endangers her loved ones. Also trying to disguise their powers and pretend to be normal in their new hometown are her siblings Chaos (Reed Horstmann) and Flashform (Malachi Barton), and their parents Surge ( Lucy Davis ) and Kraniac ( James Patrick Stuart ).

"We've been seeing the stories of superheroes told for as long as I've been around, but to see the stories told from the perspective of villains is super-interesting," Horstmann told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.

"This show grapples with the idea of good and evil and where the lines are kind of blurred and how the Maddens are maybe not in one spot. They kind of move and their actions change over the course of the show to figure out where they stand. Do they want to be true villains or maybe are they drawn elsewhere?"

The actors think the show is something that will entertain viewers of all ages.

"The Maddens are super-relatable because they have to learn to work together and also be their unique selves," Barton said.

Horstmann added, "I think kids will absolutely watch the show with their parents because a huge part of the show is the family dynamic."

"As villains, maybe the family didn't really rely on each other that much. They acted selfishly because they were villains. But now that they are trying to live normal lives, they learn to trust each other more and the loyalty is strengthened and the love is strengthened, especially between the siblings."

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The stars also enjoyed exploring characters forced to evolve to survive their circumstances.

"Jake, formerly known as Chaos, used to love living the life of a supervillain with super strength; that was the way he loved to be," noted Horstmann.

"Now, living in Valley View, in hiding, he's kind of taking on this mission to become a better person. Why that is, we don't know yet, but it's interesting to see him kind of set apart from the rest of his family."

Barton described his character, now called Coby, as a "super-adventurous kid."

"He loves to hang out with his family and have fun," the actor said. "He is your average teenage boy and while he is dealing with the average teenager stuff he is also dealing with the fact he is part of a supervillain family. He is learning to live life without his superpowers."

The costumes went a long way to helping the actors embody their characters.

"Those costumes are absolutely insane. The process of getting them? There were a ton of sketches and mockups that they had to do," said Barton.

"When I first got to see the sketch of my supervillain suit I kind of lost it! I was like: 'What the heck? This is really, really cool!' My first-ever fitting, when I got to try on the final pieces, I was like: 'Whoa! I am Flashform!'"

Horstmann agreed, explaining cast members "grew with" their suits through multiple fittings and design changes.

"You start with the base layer and you are like, 'OK, I can kind of see what this could become.' But then I remember on the day when we shot the pilot episode and we are in the lair and Chaos is lifting this giant train axle, I remember thinking to myself, 'I am Chaos!'" he said.

"There is this whole new confidence when you wear the whole thing. There is a different way you stand, a different way you walk. It all comes together in a way you are not ready for."

Villains of Valley View also sends a message that "normal" means different things to different people and it isn't necessarily an undesirable thing to be. This is best exemplified by Havoc's new friendship with human Hartley (Kayden Muller-Janssen).

"Hartley -- heart is in her name -- and Hartley really brings this family together. She is kind of the catalyst for this whole thing," Horstmann said.

"Just because she doesn't have powers, she is still powerful," he added. "Without her, the family wouldn't be put in the situations that they are put into where they grow closer together. While she may not be related to the Maddens, she still is part of the family in her own right. Honestly, I don't think the Maddens could do what they do without her."
Porterville, CA (93257)

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Sunny along with a few clouds. High 96F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

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A few clouds from time to time. Low 63F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Members of the American Legion and the VFW on Monday, May 30, 2022, visit memorials and cemeteries in Brattleboro, Vt., on Memorial Day, to honor the lives of soldiers that have died.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

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Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 79F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

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Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies and rain later during the night. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Partly cloudy. High 79F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming cloudy with periods of rain after midnight. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
BRATTLEBORO  A sunny spring afternoon tends to lead people to their favorite fishing spot as they go out to enjoy the weather. For many, it g
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WEST HARTFORD  A Hall High School graduates short film will have its premiere at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on June 12.

Mischa Dani Goodman and her creative partner Caitlin Simpson had their film Unbridaled accepted into Dances With Films, an independent film festival in Los Angeles.

For Goodman, this is a mark of success shes been striving for since she got her start performing at the Mandell JCC.

When I was a young child, I was watching my sisters do these productions at the JCC and watching these video tapes of my sister, said Goodman, who graduated from Hall in 2008. I loved watching them. When I got into third grade I wanted to do it. From there on, I just kept doing the JCC plays.

Her performing career in West Hartford continued as a jazz dancer in Hall High Schools Pops n Jazz production.

I had a great foundation of the arts in West Hartford, Goodman said. I loved it so much and felt like at the time it was the only thing I could ever do with my life.

Goodman met Simpson, a London native, when the two were both enrolled in the same acting school in New York, where they both currently live.

As Simpson tells it, the two immediately became friends.

Mischa was a few years ahead of me, so I thought she was pretty cool, Simpson said. I so badly wanted to be her friend. I had just moved to New York. We became friends and fairly quickly became close.

The idea for Unbridaled, a comedy about a bachelorette party gone wrong, came from the two friends own relationship with weddings. Goodman and Simpson star in the film together.

We were sitting in my tiny, tiny shoe-box apartment, it was the very beginning of wedding season, and we were thinking about the money wed be spending on weddings over the next few months, Simpson said.

For them both, there was some anxiety around the societal expectations of settling down and getting married.

We were in our later 20s and it was just very overwhelming to go to these events and be in a bridal partywe both deal with this pressure in different ways, Goodman said. As we started thinking about doing the project together, this kept coming up, this wedding anxiety.

Simpson said: Thats how we came to this idea. Its a pair of sisters who have felt this societal, familial pressure, and have responded to that pressure in two vastly different ways, and how that conflict creates comedy.

The movie, which clocks in at just under 15 minutes, has been in the making since 2018, which is when they started raising money to produce the movie. Filming began in November of 2019 and proved to be quite a fruitful challenge.

Working on this with Caitlin, Ive worn so many hats, Goodman said. Ive learned editing from this process, and now I do narrative and commercial editing on the side. Everything was an obstacle for us. We stopped getting worried about those obstacles. It was so hard at every single step, that it became normal when it was hard. We became malleable to the process and learned more and were able to handle more when we moved forward.

Those obstacles, and the challenges they overcame, are even more reason why the two are proud of their film being accepted into Dances With Films.

It feels pretty incredible, Simpson said. To get this kind of recognition - the first time this will be shown publicly is on the screen on the Chinese Theatre - thats the kind of achievement that means something to us. When were talking about people outside of the industrythat's something that people understand. My parents really understand that. It means something. Thats really important to me.

Its validating as an artist, because the festival is so highly regarded, Goodman said. Its validating as people because we put so much work into the film. We just figured it out. We always had each other, which speaks to our partnership. Weve been best friends for seven years. We definitely could not have done this without each other.
DEEP RIVER  The Connecticut State Police Hate Crimes Unit is investigating after the agency said a vulgar, racist message was affixed to a sign board Wednesday morning.

The state police barracks in Westbrook was notified around 6:50 a.m. that the message had been posted on a board at Devitt Field. State police said the board has removable letters that can be fixed to the sign.

The complainant contacted the police when they realized the original message had been altered, state police said.

A photo of the board sent to Hearst Connecticut Media showed the text on the board had been altered to read in part Trump 2024 above a line with racial epithets.

Stacey Sobel, the regional director of the Anti-Defamation League in Connecticut, said the organization was notified of the incident late Wednesday.

We commend the town of Deep River and the Office of the First Selectman on their prompt response, Sobel said in a statement Thursday. They immediately took action to remove this abhorrent language from the town sign, and are now beginning the process of healing.

Sobel added that youth groups, the interfaith clergy and others in the Deep River, Essex and Chester area will start conversations regarding education and programming to affect change.

There is no place for racism and hate in Connecticut, Sobel said. Everyone must take a stand and speak up against hate wherever it appears.

State Rep. Christine Palm, D-Chester, condemned the altered sign in a statement Thursday.

This is hate-speech, and I support town officials and the police in taking this very seriously, Palm, a Democrat whose district includes Deep River. Weve seen a rise in incidents like this across the country in recent years. That trend has only deepened the resolve of those of us who know diversity strengthens every community.

Like any cancer, racism must be stopped early, Palms statement continued. Whether this was a youthful prank or the cowardly act of an adult, it has no place in our town. I know my fellow residents of the 36th District will not stand for this and join me in condemning this despicable act of hate.

State Sen. Norm Needleman, D-Essex, also denounced the messages on the sign.

This is reprehensible behavior that has no place in the Deep River community, or for that matter, any community, Needleman said. I denounce the messages left and the horrid beliefs they represent. Unfortunately, this is not the first incident of hate speech our region has seen. We must work toward a future where it doesnt happen again.

He went on to say: Hatred has a real cost and exacts a heavy toll on our communities, especially when used to intimidate and hurt others. We must work together to find common solutions and togetherness, leaving those intending to divide and harm to languish in condemnation.

State police said the investigation into the incident is active and ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the State Police Hate Crimes Unit at Hate.Crimes@ct.gov or Troop F Westbrook at 860-399-2100.

Staff writer Liz Hardaway contributed to this report.
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NEW HAVEN  The case of Qinxuan Pan, accused of the slaying of Yale graduate student Kevin Jiang, was continued again during a short hearing Thursday, with plans to either hold a probable cause hearing or move forward with the matter.

Judge Gerald Harmon set Sept. 6 as a date for the hearing during brief court proceedings on Thursday.

Attorney Kevin Smith, representing Pan, agreed to the date, saying the legal team would inform the court if they planned to waive their clients right to the hearing.

Pan, arrested in May 2021, has not yet entered a plea to the murder charge levied against him in connection with Jiangs death.

A potential probable cause hearing has been put off multiple times over with Harmon granting Pan and his attorneys further time to review the evidence.

Jiang was shot to death on Lawrence Street in the citys East Rock neighborhood Feb. 6, 2021.

Born in Seattle and raised in Chicago, Jiang served as an environmental scientist/engineering officer and tank operator in the U.S. Army and National Guard. He graduated from the University of Washington before coming to Yale. He was a certified fitness trainer and ran his own studio after serving in the military.

Those who knew Jiang have described him as a person of faith and energy, including his parents, speaking during his funeral at Trinity Baptist Church in New Haven.

Jiang lived full-heartedly, enthusiastically, like a ray of sunlight, his mother, Linda Liu said.

Jiang became engaged to Zion Perry, also a graduate student at Yale, about a week before his slaying. Photos later emerged online appearing to show Perry and Pan together at a Massachusetts Institute of Technology dance in 2020. Perry and Pan were friends on Facebook, where she posted about the engagement.

New Haven police obtained a warrant charging Pan with Jiangs slaying in February 2021. The department had named him as a person of interest in the case Feb. 10, 2021.

Affidavit: The guns, cars and DNA that led police to arrest Qinxuan Pan in slaying of Yale grad student

Pan allegedly stole a GMC Terrain on Feb. 6, 2021 and changed his cellphone number before coming to Connecticut, according to a police report from Mansfield, Mass.

North Haven police stopped Pan that evening as he drove onto railroad tracks near Sims Metal Management.

According to an affidavit from that community, North Haven officers had received a different description for the New Haven homicide suspect, so they let Pan go.

On the day after the interaction with Pan, North Haven police were called to the Arbys at 267 Washington Ave., where employees reported finding a bag containing a firearm and ammunition, along with other items, according to the North Haven affidavit.

In a request for a search warrant to obtain OnStar data from the Terrain, Detective David Zaweski wrote in the New Haven affidavit that Pan had rented, and kept overnight, a different vehicle on the day of each shooting associated with the cartridge casings found at the scene of Jiangs death.

The Ruger was not connected with the shell casings found at the scene of Jiangs death. Police still were searching for the firearm used in the slaying when the affidavit was written.

Fingerprints determined to match Pans were found on the Ruger, according to the New Haven affidavit. Residue consistent with gunfire was found on a yellow coat found at Arbys, the affidavit stated.

Pan, formerly a graduate student at MIT, was not arrested until May 13, 2021 in Montgomery, Ala., following a search by U.S. marshals and others.

His bail was set at $20 million on May 20, 2021 as he was arraigned on a charge of murder.

Pan subsequently filed a petition for the Connecticut Supreme Court to review his bond, arguing it was disproportionately high. A review of the bond remains ongoing, Pans attorneys said.

Under the state constitution, defendants have the right to be released on bail upon sufficient security. The justices considered the meaning of that phrase during a Sept. 8 hearing.

During that hearing, defense attorney Norm Pattis raised the example of Peter Manfredonia, accused of two killings, kidnapping, home invasion and other crimes, in which bail initially was set at $5 million.

The Pan family wonders whether this is Yale, the shadow of Yale, cast on the criminal courts, Pattis said. Every case involving Yale seems to acquire a special gravitas.

Senior Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Sugrue argued that the court should uphold the bond, which he said took into account the totality of factors, including nature of the alleged crime, the likelihood of flight and the possibility of harm coming to the community, as well as Pans alleged resources.

The state is obligated to offer some bond to the defendant, Sugrue said, but in this case believes there is no amount that reasonably could assure he would reappear in court if released from custody.

If hes out, hes gone, Sugrue said. Hes a serious and acute flight risk.

william.lamber

t@hearstmediact.com
Wuhan-based activist Zhang Hai, who has campaigned for redress after his father died in the early days of the pandemic, has had restrictions placed on his bank account, RFA.



Zhang, who has been an outspoken critic of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) since the pandemic prompted a city-wide lockdown in Wuhan and killed his father, said he believes the move is a form of official retaliation.



Zhang was recently asked to submit additional proof of ID in recent transactions via his account at the Bank of China Nantou branch in the southern city of Shenzhen, where he currently lives.



Similar restrictions have been placed on several of his bank cards since the beginning of this year, he told RFA, while online banking transactions often fail to go through, he said.



"The card I have is an ordinary bank card, which is linked to my mobile phone," Zhang said. "All of the cards under my name are restricted, meaning that I can't do online transactions using payment services like WeChat Pay and Alipay, only cash."



"The way things are in China right now, so many places rely on those services to accept payment, and some places don't want cash at all, even if I offer it," he said.



Staff at the Nantou Bank of China branch initially said the restrictions were requested by the Wuhan city police department, Zhang said.



"The first time I went, they said that the Wuhan police had me under investigation, and had placed the restrictions," Zhang said.



"I went there yesterday, and they told me the bank card had been flagged by their own risk control mechanism, which made me feel as if they were just trying to inconvenience me," he said.



"They wanted me to submit further proofs, but then they said all of my cards were under investigation by Wuhan police," he said.



Zhang filed a lawsuit suing the Wuhan municipal government and a hospital over the wrongful death of his father in 2020, who died of COVID-19 after visiting a doctor in the early days of the pandemic, when the authorities hadn't warned anyone about the virus.



He has also given many interviews to foreign media outlets in recent years.



"I have been called in to 'drink tea' by the local state security police," he said. "The Wuhan city government is furious with me, and have used all of their power to deal with me."



"The entire service sector in China, including banks, has to take orders from the government," he said.



Similar restrictions



Rights attorney Ren Quanniu, whose lawyer's license was revoked by the authorities last year, said his bank card had been placed under similar restrictions last year.



"My Bank of Communications card was restricted some time ago. I went to the bank to report it, and they said it was under investigation," Ren said. "I asked by which department, and they said that was confidential."



"But it wasn't the police or a court, so it's my guess that it was the state security police," he said.



He said the bank should honor the terms of its contract with customers in the absence of any judicial proceedings.



"The bank has no right to inquire about customers' transactions or how they use the funds," Ren said. "So the problem with his account is clearly some action behind the scenes."



"If there is a problem, the department should issue a document saying the account-holder is suspected of law-breaking and then the account will be frozen or restricted openly," Ren said.



"But there has been no document issued [regarding Zhang], nor any result from any investigation," he said.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Speakers at a Nikkei conference argue over the roles of China and the U.S. in resolving the conflict

Members of the foreign volunteers unit which fights in the Ukrainian army look on, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk region Ukraine June 2, 2022

Russias invasion of Ukraine has brought to the fore U.S.-China frictions with no end in sight, analysts warned, while a former Asian leader cautioned about the risk of a new world war.

"I am afraid that wars have a habit of beginning small and then grow into world wars," former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said at the Future of Asia conference hosted by Nikkei Inc. last week.

Mahathir served as Malaysia's prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020. He was 20 when World War II ended.

Meanwhile, Chinese and U.S. analysts present at the conference traded accusations against each others countries and their roles in trying to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

Bonnie Glaser, Director of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said that China and Russia share a common interest in weakening U.S. global influence and they seek to change the international order.

She reminded the audience at the conference that before the Russian invasion of Ukraine it was reported that the U.S. shared intelligence with China about Russias military plan and urged Beijing to intervene to prevent the war, only for China to share that intelligence with Moscow.

This underscores how much mistrust is there between the U.S. and China, Glaser said.

In response Jia Qingguo, professor at the Peking Universitys School of International Studies, said the difference between China and the U.S. is that the U.S. is seeking an ideological world order while China is seeking a secular one based on national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

It is the U.S. that has been trying to contain China, Jia said.

China does not endorse Russias military attack against Ukraine but is sympathetic to Moscow being pushed by NATOs possible expansion, the Beijing-based professor said, adding: Never push a country, especially a big country, to a corner, however benign the intentions are.

"Countries should respect each other," Jia said.

Regarding that statement, the German Marshall Funds Glaser argued that China has been showing double standards when it comes to the definition of respect.

"When countries have put their own interests ahead of Chinese interests, that has been interpreted by Beijing as disrespect, she said.

China-U.S. rivalry

As the war drags on, rather than be a strategic partner for China, Russia will become a burden, predicted Glaser.

One possibility is that the U.S. will be freed up to some extent to focus even more intently on the competition with China and on cooperation with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region, the American analyst said, pointing out that officials in the Biden administration believe that is the most likely outcome.

Veteran diplomat Bilahari Kausikan, who is a former permanent secretary to Singapores Foreign Ministry, said the key issue at present is U.S.-China relations.

China has been put in a very awkward situation. It has no other partner of the same strategic weight as Russia anywhere in the world, he said.

Speaking from the perspective of Southeast Asian countries, Kausikan said geopolitics are "moving in the direction of the West but if you insist in defining this conflict as a fight between totalitarianism and democracy youll likely make that support more shaky and shallow.

Not every country in this region finds every aspect of Western democracy universally attractive. Nor do they find every aspect of Chinese authoritarianism universally unappealing, he argued.

Former Malaysian PM Mahathir seemed to echo the Chinese governments stance when describing the attitude of the U.S. as "always to apply pressure to force regime change."

"When people do not agree, the U.S. would show that it may take military action," he said. "That is why there is a tendency for tension to increase whenever it involves the U.S."

But its not easy to contain China, Kausikan said.

China and the U.S. are both parts of the global economic system. Theyre linked together by supply chains  Like it or not, theyre stuck together, the Singapore analyst said.

Competition will be very complicated, he added.

An Arleigh-burke class guided missile-destroyer USS Barry transits the Taiwan Strait during a routine transit, Sept. 17, 2021. Credit: US Navy.





Taiwan question

Experts at the Tokyo conference also discussed the possibility of a conflict involving Taiwan, which China considers a breakaway province that should be reunified with the mainland.

Jia Qingguo stated that there should be no comparison between Ukraine and Taiwan.

No country has the right to support some residents of another country to split the place in which they live away from that country, he said.

China has every right to make sure that Taiwan will not be split from China.

Glaser said Chinas military is, without doubt, following the war in Ukraine closely.

There are some differences between Taiwan and Ukraine and its not a perfect analogy but there are lessons to be drawn.

Russia has far greater military capabilities than Ukraine but the Ukrainian resistance has been fierce and I wonder if the PLA has actually anticipated a possibility of facing a fierce resistance in Taiwan, Glaser said.

She said she hoped Taiwan would also draw some lessons from the conflict in Ukraine and develop its own defense capabilities in the face of security threats from China.
In the first part of this two-part essay, Bao Tong, a former political secretary to late, ousted Chinese leader Zhao Ziyang, comments on then Premier Li Peng's accounts of the events leading up to the June 4, 1989 bloodshed by the People's Liberation Army that put an end to weeks of student-led protests on Tiananmen Square. An English-language version of the diary was published in 2010 as "The Critical Moment  Li Peng Diaries." Zhao was later removed from office and spent the rest of his life under house arrest at his Beijing home, dying in early 2005. Bao, who before the events of 1989 worked as director of the Office of Political Reform of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, served a seven-year jail term for "revealing state secrets and counter-revolutionary propagandizing." The 89-year-old Bao, a long-time contributor of commentary on a wide range of Chinese and international issues for RFA Mandarin, including a column titled "Under House Arrest," remains under close police surveillance in Beijing.



This article is addressed to those working in the free press and to researchers.



Let's start with a few key events from the spring and summer of 1989:



April 15, 1989: Hu Yaobang dies. He had been one of the best-loved Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders because of his commitment to reversing millions of miscarriages of justice from the days of the Cultural Revolution, and for his advocacy of free thinking, and because his ouster at the hands of Deng Xiaoping in early 1987 elicited widespread public sympathy.



April 16, 1989: Li Jing asks then general secretary Zhao Ziyang what the official line should be on the students' mass mourning for Hu on Tiananmen Square. Zhao answers, in front of the entire Politburo standing committee and Deng Xiaoping's secretary: "It's fine. Yaobang was our leader. If we mourn him ourselves, then how can we forbid the students from doing the same?



April 19, 1989: Deng Xiaoping tells Zhao Ziyang he should still go on his scheduled trip to North Korea.



April 22, 1989: As the official memorial service for Hu Yaobang concludes, Zhao announces that he will leave for North Korea on the following day.



"I have three things to say about the students," he says.



"1. The mourning period is over, and the students should be told to go back to class. 2. There is to be no deployment of the police or military unless there is smashing and looting. 3. We should seriously study the students' demands and resolve this through consultation and dialogue with all sectors."



All of this was endorsed by the entire Politburo standing committee, and by Deng himself. These three points were effectively a resolution by the standing committee. Zhao also told me at the time that, with regard to political reform, we should focus all of our efforts on achieving dialogue and consultation, because that in itself was a kind of reform.



I was present for all of the above, and I take responsibility for authenticating it. As the events described below, I have no knowledge of them other than via the account provided in "Li Peng: June 4th Diary."



Beijing youths chant as they drive to Tiananmen Square to lend their enthusiastic support to striking university students, May 19, 1989, Beijing, China. Credit: AP Two Li Pengs

Regarding the events of April 23, we see two Li Pengs described by Li in his diary.



Let's look at the afternoon Li Peng first. That Li Peng accompanies Zhao to the railway station, where he will take a train to North Korea, and asks him if there are any other instructions. Zhao replies: "No. Just get it done."



Li returns to CCP headquarters in Zhongnanhai, immediately seeks out then National People's Congress (NPC) chairman Qiao Shi, and they send out the communique together. That was the Li Peng we see in the afternoon.



Now let's look at the evening Li Peng. Li writes that Yang Shangkun, president of the People's Republic of China, told him to go and see Deng, that Li asked if Yang would come too, and that Yang agreed. So, did Yang and Li actually go visit Deng that evening? If so, what did they talk about? What actually happened? What made Li, Yang and Deng feel the need to meet up the moment Zhao's back was turned? The diary doesn't say they actually went, but neither does it say they only talked about going, but wound up not going. There's nothing in Deng's official annual report about any meeting, planned or actual, with Li and Yang that night. It claims that Deng didn't meet with Li and Yang to hear their reports until the following morning, on April 25. This is entirely understandable, as Deng's annual reports are CCP records that are kept confidential within the party.



To find out the truth of the matter, we need to go back to Li Peng's diary and take a closer look at what Li Peng was doing and thinking on the evening of April 23. I believe with 100 percent certainty that Li Peng had figured out what Deng Xiaoping was prepared to do to quash the student protests by the evening of April 23. Because there must be a reason for Li Peng's apparent transformation starting from that evening. Because Li wasn't the same premier after that point, the premier who had been in such a hurry to send out documents conveying general secretary Zhao Ziyang's three-point opinion earlier the same day. Instead, he singlehandedly rejects this important communique from general secretary Zhao Ziyang that had already been endorsed by the entire Politburo standing committee.



According to his diary, Li was worried that the students would bring back the chaos of the Cultural Revolution to China. So he decided to instruct the Beijing municipal party committee to make a report on the student unrest to the standing committee immediately. He also took unusual care to prime Wen Jiabao, then head of the General Affairs Office that coordinates the workings of the party and its leaders, not to say anything about the extraordinary meeting at which the Beijing party committee made this report to me, despite the fact that it was my bounden duty as sole political secretary to attend all meetings of the Politburo standing committee, whether scheduled or extraordinary.



Wen Jiabao told me four days later, just before the standing committee met again on April 28, that it was Li Peng who had taken the decision not to have me at the meeting on the evening of April 24. I'm grateful to Wen Jiabao for his kindness, but such an authoritative and secret plan is far more likely to have come from Deng Xiaoping and Yang Shangkun than Li Peng.



According to Li's diary, it was Deng's secretary who called up Li and Yang late in the evening of April 24, telling them to present themselves to Deng on the morning of April 25, to relay to him what happened at the standing committee meeting. DEng took a hard line at this meeting, claiming that "the students of Beijing are in uproar!"



This was followed with the famous editorial that appeared in the April 26 edition of the People's Daily on behalf of the CCP Central Committee, which talked about the students as "creating turmoil," and spreading revolutionary momentum all around the country. The biggest protest march in Chinese history followed on April 27, with not just students but regular citizens taking part.

Beijing's Tiananmen Square is filled with thousands of student strikers and sympathizers, Tuesday, May 16, 1989 in Beijing. Credit: AP Key omissions by Li and Deng

All of this shows us that on the evening that Zhao Ziyang left Beijing, Deng, Li and Yang must have had some kind of contact they couldn't tell anyone about, be it direct or indirect. Why else would both Li Peng's diary and Deng Xiaoping's annual report both omit what actually took place on that historically important evening of April 23?

Deng was lauded throughout the CCP media as the savior of both party and nation. But were the students really the issue that was bothering Deng? Li's diary states that, on May 21, Li Peng was anxious for a meeting with Deng as soon as possible to "resolve the matter of Zhao Ziyang."



Deng's secretary, primed by Deng's Machiavellian instincts, told Li that such a meeting couldn't take place until the People's Liberation Army had entered Beijing, "so as to be more sure of things."



And there you have it. They couldn't be sure of the outcome of the meeting without a few bayonets as back-up. So, we see that the crux of the matter for both Deng and Li wasn't so much what to do about the students but what to do about Zhao Ziyang.



We must now explore a whole new question. Did Deng Xiaoping describe the student protests as "turmoil" in a bid to stop them, or was it deliberately intended to irritate students who had already shown they weren't afraid to take to the streets?



Imagine for the sake of argument that the students just gave up, and life went back to normal. What would have transpired after that? Would Deng and Li still have had enough justification to hold an extraordinary meeting to deal with Zhao Ziyang? Why would the party or nation even need a savior?



I should point out that while Zhao might have been seen as an adversary by Li Peng at the time, he had never been a natural enemy of Deng Xiaoping. According to the May 28 entry in Li Peng's diary, Deng's card-playing buddy Ding Guangan, who knew much of Deng's internal processes, told Li Peng that Deng had been warned as early as 1988 by then president Li Xiannian that he would have to get rid of Zhao Ziyang. Deng had replied then that the time wasn't yet ripe. Deng pondered this heavily, but didn't get up the resolve to actually do it until May 1989. Deng wasn't receptive to Li Xiannian's roundabout warning because Zhao was the Great Wall upon which Deng was relying at that time, so Li Xiannian could dream on! But Deng's answer meant that the moment Zhao innocently expressed his support for the student memorials for Hu Yaobang, he could hardly fail to secretly criticize Deng after his death, hardly fail to bring up all of the miscarriages of justice righted by Hu Yaobang, and hardly fail to become China's Khruschev.



But was Deng Xiaoping really that petty? Hu Yaobang knew it better than anyone. He found that Deng would readily approve any injustices that had been the work of Mao Zedong, but it was well-nigh impossible to overturn any cases in which Deng himself had a hand. The cases of Gao Xiao and Liu Bocheng were a case in point. Even though 99.999 cases brought during the Anti-Rightist movement of the 1950s have been overturned, that movement was still regarded as "necessary" by Deng Xiaoping. The reason is that Deng Xiaoping headed the Anti-Rightist leadership group, back in the day.



From left: Deng Xiaoping, Li Peng and Zhao Ziyang. Credit: AP Zhao brushed off by Deng

But this article will stay away from matters of personal integrity. The entry for the afternoon of May 13 in Li Peng's diary is rather cryptic. It reads: "Xiaoping told president Yang Shangkun to hurry over and tell me (Li Peng) that Deng is a little deaf today, and that he didn't hear anything of what Zhao Ziyang had told him this afternoon. Who can decipher the meaning of this mysterious message? I happen to know what Zhao Ziyang told Deng Xiaoping on the afternoon of May 13, and I also happen to know what Deng was referring to when he replied: "All agreed. Deng told Zhao Ziyang that afternoon, in the presence of Yang Shangkun, that he agreed with all of Zhao's proposals for dealing with the student protests. No sooner had Zhao left than Deng turned to Zhao had told him to tell Li Peng that Deng was deaf, and had heard nothing of Zhao's plan, thereby invalidating his apparent agreement to it.



How do I know this? Because Zhao had been seeking a meeting with Deng Xiaoping to discuss the student movement ever since he had gotten back to Beijing on April 30, and been brushed off on a daily basis by Deng. Eventually, he got a phone call on the morning of May 13 informing him that Deng would see him that afternoon. Zhao Ziyang was very pleased that day. Zhao had been working flat out during the previous 13 days, in consultation with all kinds of people about how best to engage in dialogue and consultation within the framework of democracy and the rule of law. He had also begun implementing some preliminary reforms of administration and governance among high-ranking officials, and had basically achieved a consensus at meetings of the Politburo standing committee on May 8 and at the plenary Politburo meeting on May 10. So he was anxious to hear Deng's thoughts. I was also really excited, and spent the entire afternoon in Zhao's personal office, which was empty.



Ziyang got back just before dinnertime.



"So what did Comrade Xiaoping have to say?" I asked him.



"Yeah, he agreed with all of it," Zhao replied slowly, as was his way.



So I went straight over to the think-tank and told the researchers that Deng had agreed with all of it.



In this April 23, 2014 photo, Bao Tong, aide to the late reform-minded former Communist Party general secretary, Zhao Ziyang, holds up a photo of Zhao as he speaks from his home in Beijing, China. Credit: AP Backpedaling on reforms

Deng Xiaoping was a little deaf, but not very. Besides, he had all kinds of people reporting back to him on a daily basis, through a variety of channels, what Zhao was up to. He backpedaled on Zhao's plan precisely because he knew all too well what it entailed. He was afraid Zhao would call a meeting to tell everyone about it. Why did Deng feel the need to conspire in this way? Far be it from me to stray from the official line, but it had nothing to do with clearing up a misunderstanding. If there had been one, he would have sent Yang to talk to Zhao. Why send his soldier-messenger off in such a tearing hurry to convey a secret order to Li Peng, who wasn't even involved?



The first item in Zhao Ziyang's package of measures was the formal withdrawal of the April 26 People's Daily editorial, that had been issued in the name of the Politburo standing committee. I think that this was probably the focus of his briefing to Deng on the afternoon of May 13, because during the 13 days that elapsed when Deng was refusing him a meeting, Zhao had talked several times to Yang about the plan, and asked Yan Ming and Xu Jiatun to recommend it to him as well. It was Zhao's belief that the editorial had struck the wrong tone, and was hurtful to the students, who were patriotic. But this wrong could only be righted by the person who had caused it in the first place. This was unavoidable. They would have to admit that the April 26 editorial was wrong, if they wanted to start a dialogue with the students. Without that sign of good faith, any dialogue would be pointless. And only such a show of sincerity would have the power to unite students and citizens and turn them into partners in the process of negotiation and reform.



But Yang had all along kept his views about Zhao's plan to himself, just telling him not to rush things, to take it more slowly. That's why I believe that this was the most important topic of discussion when Zhao finally got his meeting with Deng on May 13.



It's highly unlikely that it wasn't included in the "all" that Deng was referring to when he responded: "All agreed."



I think my suppositions are well-founded, but I can't be totally certain of them. I can only hope that a recording of this May 13, 1989 meeting between Deng and Zhao still exists, and hasn't been destroyed.

Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
North Korea says the rate of new cases has declined but are keeping a quarantine in place.

This picture taken on May 17, 2022 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 18 shows a doctor promoting epidemic prevention measures to stop the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus in Pyongyang.

A Chinese delegation of medical experts who last month traveled to North Korea to advise on COVID-19 containment strategies has returned to China, sources in both countries told RFA.

RFA reported last month that the 13 doctors and medical technicians were in Pyongyang to help train North Korean medical personnel.

The Chinese medical experts left Pyongyang by train on the morning of May 29 and arrived in Dandong in the afternoon, a North Korea related source, in the city on the Chinese side of the border, told RFA Wednesday on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

They passed on the experience and technology that China has gained about quarantine and response to the coronavirus to North Korea, the source said.

The Chinese health experts conducted training on the use of vaccines and testing at a bio-research center in Pyongyang, and discussed their clinical experience with staff at four Pyongyang hospitals, according to the source.

The North Korean quarantine authorities expressed their gratitude for their help in containing the spread of coronavirus in Pyongyang. Cooperation between the two countries regarding the COVID-19 quarantine will continue in the future, the source said.

State-run media this week reported that the COVID situation had improved in North Korea, after the country declared a maximum emergency last month due to a wave of outbreaks. The World Health Organization disagreed with that assessment, saying on Wednesday that the coronavirus situation in North Korea is getting worse, not better.

Authorities still say an ongoing quarantine should continue, a source in the northwestern province of North Pyongan told RFA on condition of anonymity to speak freely.

Currently, they are doing a project to raise the skill level of hospital doctors in provincial areas, the second source said.

In Pyongyang, technical training has already been conducted for medical staff at central hospitals.  Now in the provincial areas, preparation for receiving clinical education on coronavirus testing, medicines and treatment methods are in full swing through an online education system operated by Pyongyang Medical University, the second source said.

Doctors in all areas are working really hard. Doctors have always been respected by the residents, but the popularity of doctors is increasing due to the recent Omicron outbreak, the source said.

North Korean authorities said on Thursday that the number of new suspected coronavirus cases remained below 100,000 for three consecutive days.

North Koreas state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that from 6 p.m. on May 31 to 6 p.m. on June 1, there were about 96,610 new fever cases and about 108,990 patients had recovered, while no deaths were recorded.

About 3.8 million people have been hit by outbreaks of fever, 70 of whom have died, according to data based on the most recent reports from North Korean state media published by 38 North. Around 3.7 million are reported to have made recoveries, while around 165,390 are undergoing treatment.

Translated by Leejin J. Chung. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
At least 115 people have been sentenced to death in Myanmar since last years military coup.

Phyo Zeyar Thaw (L), a lawmaker with the deposed National League for Democracy party, and activist Ko Jimmy (R), a leader of the 88 Generation Student group, were both sentenced to death for violating the Myanmar's Anti-Terrorism Law.

Myanmars junta-led courts have rejected appeals by a deposed lawmaker and a prominent former activist of their death sentences on terrorism charges, an official told RFA, while a young man became the latest of dozens sentenced to death since the coup last year and the first ordered to die by hanging.

The failed appeals and new verdict come amid a surge in death sentences under martial law in Myanmar, where the military has transferred the authority to try cases of civilians to special or existing military tribunals, resulting in what rights groups say are summary proceedings with no chance of appeal.

The last execution in Myanmar  that of student leader Salai Tin Maung Oo  was known to take place in 1988, during the time of the late Gen. Ne Win, according to London-based rights group Amnesty International.

Former National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker Phyo Zeyar Thaw, 88 Generation leader Ko Jimmy, and two others lost appeals of their death sentences, junta deputy minister of information, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, said Friday, adding that their executions would be carried out in accordance with prison rules.

Once the death penalty is imposed, there are procedural steps to follow. An appeal must be made. When the appeal is turned down and the sentence upheld, the death penalty will be carried out, he said.

These steps are all complete. Therefore, as the death penalty has been confirmed, we will continue in accordance with the procedures.

According to the junta, Phyo Zeyar Thaw and Ko Jimmy maintained contact with Myanmars shadow National Unity Government (NUG), Committee Representing the Peoples Parliament (CRPP), and other organizations labeled terrorist groups by the military regime and had carried out acts of violence.

The two men were charged under Section 49 (a) of the Anti-Terrorism Law and sentenced to death by a military tribunal on Jan. 21.

The two others whose appeals were rejected are Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw, who were sentenced to death in Yangon regions Hlaing Tharyar township on charges of murder.

A veteran lawyer who spoke to RFA on condition of anonymity said that executions typically take place within 45 days of a ruling to uphold a death sentence.

When all channels are exhausted, the [regional] commander has to give the execution order, he said. At this stage, the chief of the military tribunal and the prison authorities must work together to set a date for the execution.

Aik Sai Main, an ethnic Wa, who was sentenced to death by hanging. Credit: Citizen journalist Death by hanging

Meanwhile, sources confirmed to RFA on Friday that a 24-year-old man has been sentenced to death by hanging by the Tachileik District Court in Myanmar's eastern Shan State.

Aik Sai Main, an ethnic Wa from Waine Kyauk Ward, Tachileik city, was arrested by police along with 21-year-old Htin Lin Aung on suspicion of bombing a pro-military rally on Feb. 1 this year.

Four months later, the junta-run Tachileik District Court sentenced him on Wednesday to death by hanging under Section 54 of the Anti-Terrorism Law and Section 368 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code, according to a source familiar with the court proceedings who did not want to be named for safety reasons.

It is true that he was sentenced to the death penalty by hanging. We investigated that in the District Court, the source told RFA. Family members could not come to the venue. They will be so upset. We ethnic groups are saddened by the juntas arbitrary arrests and verdicts without any evidence.

Htin Lin Aung was sentenced to seven years in prison on Thursday under Section 52 (a) of the Anti-Terrorism Law.

The bomb blast near a military rally in Tachileik on Feb. 1 killed four people and wounded more than 30 others. The bombing came exactly one year after a military coup against an elected civilian government that prompted mass protests and then escalating violence across the country after the military used extreme force to quell the protests.

In the past, the death penalty imposed by the junta has been based mainly on anti-terrorism laws. This is the first case of its kind since the coup to include Section 368 (a) of the Criminal Procedure Code, which imposes death by hanging.

Section 54 of the Anti-Terrorism Law, which was handed down at the trial, provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum sentence of life imprisonment or death.

Section 368 (a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure stipulates that when the death penalty is given the person must be executed by hanging.

A lawyer who declined to be named for security reasons described the verdict as a harsh sentence, noting that Section 368 (a) of the Criminal Procedure Code allows an appeal.

It gives the right to appeal to the Supreme Court within seven days, whether the sentence is death or death by hanging. Even if the family does not appeal, the prison authorities can appeal on behalf of the victim. Section 368 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure stipulates that the death penalty must be imposed by hanging until death.

Junta Deputy Minister Zaw Min Tun told a press conference in the capital Naypyidaw on Wednesday the death penalty was a just punishment.

Surge in death sentences

Legal experts have criticized the junta for threatening the public with unfair executions.

A total of 115 people, including Aik Sai Main, were sentenced to death between Feb. 1, 2021, and May 19, 2022, according to data compiled by RFA based on figures released by the military regime.

Last month, Myanmars junta sentenced seven youths to death in Yangon region after a secret military tribunal found them guilty of murder, a junta newspaper reported.

In its latest annual report covering the judicial use of the death penalty for the period January to December 2021, Amnesty International found that dozens of people were arbitrarily sentenced to death by Myanmars military tribunals, several without the defendants being present, in what was widely perceived as a way to target political opponents and protestors.

The group said that prior to February 2021, Myanmars known death sentences were sporadically imposed for murder and usually commuted through mass pardons. However, the yearly average for the years 2017-2020 had remained lower than 10.

Bo Bo Oo, chairman of the NLD in Yangons Sanchaung township, told RFA that the junta is not a legitimate government and therefore has no authority to enforce the death penalty.

It is not legal to do this. The prison court handed down the sentences without a public trial, he said. Under international law, a de facto government cannot carry out an execution. This junta has no authority to do such things.

According to Thai-based rights group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), 13,926 people have been arrested between the start of the coup and June 2 this year. It says 10,870 people are still being held in detention while 3,035 have been freed and 21 released on bail.

The group, founded by exiled former political prisoners, says 1,087 people were sentenced in person and 72 of those, including two children, were sentenced to death. Another 120 people were sentenced in absentia with 41 receiving the death penalty.

Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Parents are deciding that their childrens education cant wait for a political settlement in war-torn country.

Myanmars junta reopened basic education schools across the country for the 2022-2023 academic year on Thursday with student enrollment levels surpassing those from a year earlier, when the pandemic and a teacher boycott of the military regime kept kids at home, according to parents and residents.

In the commercial capital Yangon, the number of students attending primary schools saw a noticeable uptick, residents said, while security at the citys educational centers was tighter than the previous year.

Yangon taxi driver Than Win estimated that around 50% of the children went to school on the first day of classes, based on what he had seen driving through five of the citys townships Thursday morning.

Very few were in school uniforms  maybe 20% or so, he told RFAs Burmese Service, suggesting they didnt want to be seen as supporting junta rule.

I didnt see security guards in the morning but in the afternoon, there were five or six security guards posted at some of the more prominent schools.

Parents said more children are attending school this year than last. Schools were closed in 2021 due to coronavirus restrictions and the militarys Feb. 1, 2021, coup, which prompted many teachers to leave their jobs and join the anti-junta Civil Disobedience Movement.

Wai Wai, a mother from Yangons Twante township, told RFA that her 7-year-old daughter attended her first day of kindergarten classes on Thursday.

I thought thered be no one at school but many people came  all the kids were wearing their white and green school uniforms. Last year, the children did not dare to wear white and green, she said. One teacher told me she had only three students in her class last year, but today she had 30.

The junta announced that 5.6 million students had enrolled nationwide for the current academic year, most of whom are based in Yangon region, the capital Naypyidaw and Mon state.

An anti-coup protester splashes red paint on student uniforms hung outside a school during a demonstration against the re-opening of the school by the junta in Yangon, April 27, 2021. Credit: AP Photo NUG-run classes

Despite the increase in enrollment, many parents said they would continue to boycott junta-run schools. The countrys shadow National Unity Government (NUG) recently said it is working to provide classes for school-age children of parents led by CDM teachers.

Mon Mon, a resident of Magway regions Yezagyo township, told RFA her 7-year-old son will attend NUG-run classes this spring instead of school.

Theres no school for my son this year because we dont want to support the junta's education system, she said.

I plan to send my son to classes run by the Spring Revolution NUG. We will find a school where CDM teachers teach. Another reason [he wont attend] is that we feel sorry for children in war-torn areas who cannot go to school and sympathize with them.

The junta invited CDM teachers to return to work with no repercussions by May 31 and recently extended its offer to June 7.

Kyaw Min Khant, an official with the All Myanmar Teachers Federation, confirmed to RFA that enrollment in schools in many of the countrys regions and states is around 50% higher than last year.

We have seen a significant increase in enrollment over the past year, he said.

Many parents have realized that they need to keep their children in school.  They know that their kids will be much older if they wait for the country's political stalemate to be solved before they return, so they are willing to separate their politics from their childrens education.

According to Kyaw Min Khant, 11 million children were eligible to attend school nationwide in 2021, while the number had increased to around 13 million this year, with some 80% in attendance.

Translation by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Chinese authorities forced the relatives of detained Uyghurs in the town of Ghulja in Xinjiang to attend political study sessions while monitoring their contact with others during a recent visit to the region by the U.N. human rights chief, a local officer police said.

Michelle Bachelet, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, visited China on May 23-28 with stops in the coastal city of Guangzhou and in Urumqi (Wulumuqi) and Kashgar (Kashi) in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). It was the first visit to the country by a U.N. rights chief since 2005.

Before her trip, Chinas state security police warned Uyghurs living in Xinjiang that they could suffer consequences if their relatives abroad spoke out about internment camps in the region, a reflection of the governments sensitivity to bad press about its forced assimilation campaign that has incarcerated as many as 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in the name of vocational training.

Bachelets itinerary didnt include a stop in Ghulja (in Chinese, Yining), the third-largest city in the XUAR and the site of a protest by Uyghurs against religious repression 25 years ago that left as many as 200 hundred people dead.

But, given the citys history, Chinese authorities there are sensitive to signs of popular unrest, and they redoubled the surveillance and indoctrination programs imposed on the 12 million Uyghurs across Xinjiang, a territory the size of Alaska or Iran.

A village police officer said the political study session for the family members of detainees began in mid-April, and that authorities kept a tight rein on their work and social lives. As a result, those residents have been incommunicado with others in their community.

The ones whose fathers or mothers or other relatives were detained, came to the sessions and spoke at the political and legal meetings organized by the village, he told RFA.

During the sessions, the Chinese government enforced a rule for Uyghurs to immediately attend sessions whenever a bell sounded and to leave them when the bell sounded a second time, the police officer said. The attendees gathered in the morning on street corners or at residents committees to wait for the signal.

They come with a sound of a bell and leave with another sound of a bell, he said. We hold these meetings from 8 a.m. in the morning.

Organized by the villages 10 family leaders or police, the attendees had to express their gratitude to the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government and had to promise that they would help protect national security by not sharing any sensitive information with outsiders.

The family members of detained Uyghurs were warned against accepting international calls to ensure that no state secrets  meaning in this case the detention of Uyghurs or other measures to repress them  were released.

We told them not to make phone calls or take phone calls from abroad, the police officer said. We told them not to directly tell [people] if they asked on the phone about their detained relatives. We warned them to first ask where they are calling from and why they need to ask for the information. We told them not take those phone calls from abroad in order to keep state secrets.

The residents were instructed as to how not to expose information on their detained relatives to the outside world and were told how to give standard answers to questions raised by anyone visiting from outside China, he said.

Furthermore, if the residents were visited by relatives or friend from other cities, they would be summoned to the police station and asked about what they had discussed with their guests, he said.

If anyone came to [see] their family for a visit from other cities such as Kashgar, we would take them to the police station and investigate who the visitors were, why are they were here and what they talked about, the policeman said.

The mandatory political study sessions ended when Bachelet and her team left the region, he said.

Translated by RFA Uyghur. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
A Vietnamese journalist is in failing health after serving two years of a prison sentence for criticizing the countrys one-party communist government, RFA has learned. Prison authorities have rejected requests he be allowed to seek medical treatment outside his jail.

Le Huu Minh Tuan, a member of the Vietnam Independent Journalists Association, was arrested on June 12, 2020, on a charge of conducting propaganda against the state, and is now serving an 11-year term at the Bo La Detention Center in southern Vietnams Binh Duong province.

Tuan had been held first at another detention center in Ho Chi Minh Citys Binh Thanh district, where harsh conditions behind bars caused his health to deteriorate, his sister Na told RFA after speaking with Tuan on May 26 in the first family visit allowed to him since his arrest.

My brother is in very bad health. I couldnt recognize him, Na said, describing Tuan as emaciated and hard of hearing. He has scabies, and hes also malnourished as the food and living conditions where hes being held are so tough.

Detention center officials have refused Tuans request to get medical care at an outside facility, though family members are allowed to send medicine to him inside the jail, Na said.

Tuan had been kept in his cell all day while serving the first two years of his sentence at the Phan Dan Luu Detention Center in Binh Thanh, but now is allowed outside for 15 to 30 minutes each day at his new jail in Binh Duong, Na said.

However, the food there is horrible and has no nutrition at all, she said. They feed him only rice and a poor quality of soup without salt or other spices, and the rice itself is only half-cooked and mixed with sand.

The number of family visits allowed to prisoners at the Bo La Detention Center is restricted, and relatives can bring in only limited amounts of food, Na said. For example, when Tuan ran out of milk and wanted to have some fruit, I went to the prison cafeteria to register to buy some for him, but was told I couldnt do it, she said.

Tuans family had heard no news of him for the first two years following his arrest, not knowing whether he was alive or dead. They were finally told that he had been sent to the Bo La facility in Binh Duong on April 14, Na said.

Now we feel relieved, because we know we can visit him occasionally from now on.

Vietnamese independent journalist Pham Doan Trang is shown in an undated photo. Photo: icj.org

Mother of jailed writer accepts award

Another jailed Vietnamese writer, Pham Doan Trang, this week was awarded the 2022 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, with her mother, Bui Thi Thien Can, accepting the honor in Geneva, Switzerland, on her behalf.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Can said she was proud of her daughter, who is now serving a nine-year sentence in Vietnam for spreading propaganda against the state.

[Trang] has been determined and persevering in pursuing a path that she fully understands is a dangerous and arduous journey, Can said. She has dedicated herself and fought tirelessly for democracy and human rights in Vietnam and for the freedom and happiness of the Vietnamese people.

Accompanying Can to Geneva were Tran Quynh Vi  codirector of the California-based NGO Legal Initiatives for Vietnam and owner of Luat Khoa (Law) Magazine  and democracy activist Will Nguyen.

Independent journalists in Vietnam are still working but face massive challenges, Vi said in remarks following the award ceremony.

The good news is that in spite of Ms. Trangs arrest, our newspapers are still published regularly and we have more and more contributors, she said. And the more they prohibit us, the more we want to work in the area.

Also speaking in Geneva, activist Will Nguyen called on citizens of Switzerland and other developed countries to alert their lawmakers and diplomats to Vietnams ongoing abuses of human rights.

I think we have a lot of leverage, said Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American who was arrested for taking part in public protests in Vietnam in 2018 and then deported from the country by a Ho Chi Minh City court.

The more we look into this issue, the more likely it is that the Vietnamese government will treat its citizens with more respect, he said.

A prominent human rights activist and blogger, Trang was arrested on Oct. 6, 2020, and sentenced to nine years in prison on Dec. 14, 2021, on a charge of disseminating anti-state propaganda.

The indictment against Trang also accused her of speaking with two foreign media outlets  Radio Free Asia and the British Broadcasting Corporation  to allegedly defame the government of Vietnam and fabricate news, according to a letter sent by 25 human rights groups calling for her release ahead of her trial.

In addition to the Martin Ennals Award, Trang has also received the 2017 Homo Homini Award presented by the Czech human rights organization People in Need, and the Press Freedom Prize in 2019 from Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders.

Translated by Anna Vu for RFAs Vietnamese Service. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Anh T.L. was handed over to German authorities on Wednesday following his arrest in the Czech Republic

Trinh Xuan Thanh was taken to court in Hanoi on January 22, 2018

A suspect in the 2017 Berlin kidnapping of former Vietnamese oil and gas official Trinh Xuan Thanh has been extradited to Germany from the Czech Republic.

The Vietnamese national, identified as Anh T.L., was handed over to German authorities on Wednesday after his arrest in Prague earlier this year, news agencies reported citing a statement from the German Federal Prosecutor's Office.

Anh faces charges including espionage and is accused of stalking the victim and driving the getaway van.

On July 23, 2017, former Trinh Xuan Thanh was abducted in a Berlin park and thrown into a van with a woman, identified as Thi Minh P.D. He was allegedly smuggled back to Vietnam for trial.

A Hanoi court charged Thanh with causing loss of state assets and mismanagement at PetroVietnam Construction Joint Stock Corporation. He was sentenced to two life terms on corruption charges.

At the time of his abduction Thanh was seeking refugee status in Germany. The kidnapping strained German-Vietnamese relations and prompted Berlin to expel two Vietnamese diplomats.

A year after the kidnapping, a Vietnamese citizen, identified as Long N.H., was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison by a Berlin court on charges of espionage and assisting Vietnamese secret service agents in entering German territory to kidnap people.

"The kidnapping was carried about by members of the Vietnamese secret service and employees of the Vietnamese embassy in Berlin as well as several Vietnamese nationals living in Europe, among them Ahn T.L.," the German public prosecutor general at the Federal Court of Justice said in a statement seen by news agencies.

Vietnam claims Thanh returned voluntarily to face charges.

Compiled with reporting from Reuters and Agence France-Press.
Czech President Milos Zeman said Russia's invasion of Ukraine was "a cold shower" for him and many others who misjudged Moscow, and he argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin should face a "war [crimes] court" and Russian justice over his actions.

A longtime critic of international sanctions to punish Russia's unrecognized annexation of Crimea and its support for armed separatists in eastern Ukraine, the 77-year-old head of state said the intensified war on Ukraine "is truly and ultimately a war against the whole of the West and Western democracy."

"It is a war against the world order as we know it, and it affects us," Zeman said on June 2, in written responses to questions from RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service.

He added that "there is much more to Ukraine than 'just' Ukraine."

The Czech Republic, a NATO and EU member of around 10 million people, has emerged as one of the most active suppliers of weapons and diplomatic support for Kyiv since Russian tanks and troops rolled into Ukraine on February 24.

Ukrainian banners and flags are ubiquitous on trams and other public places as well as private balconies and windows in the capital, Prague.

More than 300,000 Ukrainians have entered the Czech Republic since the outbreak of war, according to the UNHCR, although there are current efforts to scale back some avenues of official support.

Zeman called the Czech public's response one of "unprecedented solidarity" and he said he was "in complete agreement" with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala "on a principled approach to Ukraine."

Fiala accompanied his Polish and Slovenian counterparts to Kyiv by train just three weeks into the war in a risky show of international support for President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Ukraine's military and civilian defenders.

"While the historical parallel that 'Prague is being fought for in Kyiv,' which is often repeated these days in connection with the unfortunate events in Ukraine, has been somewhat exhausted and become an empty phrasethe war on Ukraine is truly and ultimately a war against the whole of the West and Western democracy," Zeman told RFE/RL.

Zeman's televised speech to the nation on the first day of the invasion surprised Czechs who had become accustomed to a more accommodating stance from the former dissident economist and his advisers urging unfettered diplomatic and economic ties with Russia.

Zeman suggested in the months after Moscow invaded and annexed Crimea and began supporting armed separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014 that Ukraine was enduring a "civil war." Three years later he said Russia's annexation of Crimea was a "fait accompli."

On February 24, Zeman admitted he had been wrong in thinking that "Russians aren't crazy and won't attack Ukraine," calling it a "crime against peace."

In early March, Zeman awarded Zelenskiy with the Czech Republic's highest state honor, the Order of the White Lion, for "his bravery and courage in the face of Russia's invasion."

In his written responses to RFE/RL, Zeman compared his desire for good relations with Moscow with policies by the German and French governments, saying that treating Russia "like a normal country" was "completely natural and all the relevant European and world statesmen did it."

"However, the situation changed fundamentally the moment of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, and when the situation changes, so does your opinion," he said.

He called Putin's war "clear...aggression against a sovereign state."

"The attack on Ukraine was a cold shower for many people in Russia and elsewhere, and I'm one of them," Zeman admitted.

He likened his previous approach to Moscow to those of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron in trying to promote their countries' national interests, saying it is "simply absurd" to avoid dialogue with the leader of "a country that occupies one-sixth of the world."

But he was critical of Putin, who along with Russian commanders and troops has faced international accusations of war crimes against civilians and even "genocide" from some critics.

"Today, I think Putin truly belongs before a war [crimes] court, and at the same time before a Russian court for everything he has been willing to do with Russia," Zeman said. "Putin decided to invade Ukraine despite knowing what would follow -- that is, the unavoidable retaliatory measures in the form of economic and political sanctions that would hit Russia hard."

He said Putin had "decided to isolate Russia and Russians."

Zeman said his statement in Strasbourg in 2017 about Russian control of Crimea was an effort to address "the elephant in the room" at the time and added that "the question that I tried to open still persists: What will become of Crimea?"

But he acknowledged that "yes, it was somewhat undiplomatic and today I wouldn't speak so candidly about" the Crimea question.

An economist by training, Zeman has been a vocal opponent of economic sanctions in the past.

He and another economically oriented postcommunist Czech leader, Vaclav Klaus, spent decades clashing publicly with the face of then-Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution, Vaclav Havel, over the role of moral and rights imperatives in shaping foreign policy.

Now, Zeman told RFE/RL, the "resolute and unprecedented" imposition of more than 6,000 sanctions around the world against Russia is merited, "and the level of unity is admirable."

"You know, I've never been in favor of economic sanctions. But in this case, it's one of the functional tools that we as Europe still have. And they have an impact on the Russian economy, as evidenced by many economic indicators."

But he noted that the ruble has stabilized since an initial shock and Russia's ongoing sales of oil and gas allow Moscow to continue the war effort.

"Above all, the Russian leadership needs to be shown that such conduct is unacceptable," Zeman said. "Aggression has no place in 21st-century Europe."

Zeman said that in addition to other economic and financial measures, "we should...continue to open the European market to Ukraine and vice versa, of course."

Kyiv has formally applied for fast-tracked EU membership since the invasion began, a step similarly taken by nearby Georgia and Moldova, both of which have Russian troops on their territory against their governments' wishes.

Zelenskiy has consistently pressed NATO countries for greater military support and more advanced weaponry. Prague has already provided more than 3 billion crowns ($130 million) in military supplies to Ukraine, Zeman said.

He said that while "you can't fight the aggressor without weapons," he understands that the supply of some kinds of weapons and military equipment is unacceptable to some NATO allies.

"In short, I believe weapons to Ukraine, yes, but certainly with a dose of common sense," Zeman said.

He was cautious about any effort to add Ukraine to the current list of 30 NATO member states, a possibility that Putin last year described as a "red line" for Moscow.

Zeman said the topic is likely to arise again, since it has reportedly come up in discussions between the Ukrainian and Russian sides.

"Generally speaking, it's clear that any enlargement of NATO takes place within a geopolitical context that it's necessary to take into consideration in a sober and in-depth way," Zeman said. "We have to think in a broader context and with a long-term perspective in mind."

Historically neutral Sweden and Finland have vowed to join NATO since Putin's invasion of Ukraine, although their bids have met with an unexpected obstacle from member Turkey's leadership.

Zeman said predictions about the Ukrainian conflict are difficult and expressed pessimism at the current course of the war, saying, "It seems that we're still pretty far from any diplomatic reconciliation."

"I fear that the most likely scenario currently appears to be the so-called war of attrition," he said.

He also acknowledged it is difficult to know whether Russian military strategists envisage any attack on states west of the Ukrainian border.

"But I know one thing: If Russia were to attack a NATO member state, that would mean surrendering its own existence," Zeman said. "This would most certainly be followed by a retaliatory strike by the North Atlantic alliance and, unfortunately, nuclear war. Russia would thus have unleashed a tragedy not only for itself but for the whole world."
The killing of a senior officer in Irans powerful Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in broad daylight in the capital, Tehran, is rare.

But the deaths of two senior members of the IRGC, the elite branch of Irans armed forces, inside the Islamic republic in the space of two weeks is unprecedented and has raised eyebrows.

Iran's official government news agency, IRNA, reported the death of Ali Esmailzadeh on June 3. IRNA said the IRGC colonel died in an accident and authorities had launched an investigation.

The IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency said Esmailzadeh died after falling from a terrace in his house in the city of Karaj, near Tehran, around a week ago.

The reports by Irans state-controlled media came hours after the London-based Iran International television station reported that Esmailzadeh had been assassinated by Iranian intelligence over suspicions that he was involved in the May 22 killing of another IRGC colonel.

Colonel Hassan Sayad Khodaei was killed by gunmen outside his home in Tehran. Iranian authorities blamed regional foe Israel for the killing and vowed revenge. Tehran offered little information about Khodaei. Israeli media reported that he headed a unit of the IRGCs overseas arm, the Quds Force, that planned attacks on Israelis abroad.

Iran International reported that Esmailzadeh was a close colleague of Khodaei. Following Khodaeis killing, Iranian intelligence investigated possible security leaks inside the IRGC and became suspicious of Esmailzadeh and decided to eliminate him, it added, citing unnamed sources.

Iran International added that Iranian intelligence made his alleged assassination look like a suicide. IRGC officials told Esmailzadehs family that he took his own life due to psychological problems caused by his separation from his wife and that he had left a suicide note, it added.

IRNA, quoting an unnamed source, dismissed Iran Internationals report, and described it as false news.

Iran International is funded by a firm with close ties to the Saudi Arabian government, another of Tehrans regional rivals, according to Britains Guardian newspaper. The station has denied the allegation.

Khodaeis killing was the most high-profile inside Iran since November 2020, when Irans top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated outside Tehran.

Khodaeis killing is part of a series of incidents, including assassinations and sabotage and cyberattacks, that Tehran has blamed on Israel. Tel Aviv is believed to have been behind the assassinations of at least four Iranian nuclear scientists in the past decade. The assassinations have raised questions about the possibility of foreign intelligence agencies penetrating Iran's security apparatus.

Assassinated

A day before Tehran confirmed Esmailzadeh's death, the hard-line Telegram channel Ammariyoun reported that another member of the IRGCs Quds Force had been assassinated. The news channel quickly deleted the post and said that Esmailzadeh had died by suicide by jumping off his balcony.

Irans Sabereen News, which is believed to have ties to the Quds force, reported the suspicious death of Esmailzadeh on June 2, adding that he had died after falling off his balcony.

In a Twitter post, Sabereen News said that an investigation has been launched and his assassination has not been confirmed.

A memorial service for Esmailzadeh was held on June 2 at a mosque in the western city of Hamedan, according to a notice posted online.

The notice called him a defender of the shrine, which refers to members of the Quds Force. It also described him as a janbaz, a reference to disabled war veterans. The notice did not disclose the cause of Esmailzadehs death.
Ukraine will fight to recover all its territory that has been occupied by Russian forces, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said as Ukrainian forces struggled to hold on to the eastern city of Syevyerodonetsk.

The Ukrainian military reported that during the day on June 7 in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Russian troops fired on more than 16 settlements, killing one civilian and injuring six.



Ukrainian defenders repulsed 11 enemy attacks, and fighting was still going on at two locations, the military said. Ukrainian forces claimed to have destroyed three Russian tanks, five artillery systems, several vehicles, and three ammunition depots.



Air-defense units shot down two drones in the skies over the Donbas, the Ukrainian military said. None of the claims could be independently verified.

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.

Zelenskiy said earlier that Ukrainian forces were still holding out in Syevyerodonetsk despite being outnumbered and outgunned by the Russian military.

He said intense house-to-house fighting and the Russians' indiscriminate shelling had turned Syevyerodonetsk and its twin city of Lysychansk into "dead cities."

Regional head Serhiy Hayday said on June 7 Ukrainian forces were finding it hard to stave off Russian attacks in the center of Syevyerodonetsk, but Moscow's forces did not control the city. Hayday also said Russian troops were constantly shelling Lysychansk, which lies across the Severskiy Donets River.

If captured, the two strategic targets that are still in Ukrainian hands would deliver Russian forces the entire eastern Luhansk region.

The Ukrainian armed forces said in a morning update on June 7 that Russia's "main efforts" remain focused on Syevyerodonetsk and on nearby Bakhmut, where another counterattack had been launched.

The Russians' advance last month toward Popasna, some 50 kilometers south of Syevyerodonetsk, stalled last week, Britain's Defense Ministry said on June 7 in its daily intelligence bulletin.

The bulletin said that Moscow will "almost certainly" need to achieve a breakthrough either in Popasna, or north of Syevyerodonetsk, in the Izyum area if it wants to achieve "success and progress towards its political objective of controlling all of Donetsk Oblast."

Zelenskiy said in his nightly address on June 6 that there may be more than 2,500 prisoners from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol now detained by the Russians in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine.

Zelenskiy said the Russians' intentions regarding those prisoners were changing constantly. Moscow-backed separatist officials in Donetsk have spoken of putting some of the Azovstal defenders on trial for alleged human rights abuses in Ukraine.

The bodies of some Ukrainian troops killed during the siege of Azovstal have been returned by the Russian forces to Ukraine, the Association of Families of Azovstal Defenders said.

The association said forensic examination of the bodies may take up to three months. Relatives of the victims are participating in identification procedures.

The Ukrainian military said the Russians had handed over 210 bodies of Ukrainian fighters, most of whom who died defending the city of Mariupol from Russian forces at the vast steel works.



Mariupol residents have been facing a growing humanitarian crisis, compounded by acute shortages of food and water.

A Ukrainian official said June 6 that contamination from decomposing corpses and rubbish had sparked a cholera outbreak -- prompting a citywide quarantine.

"We are seeing the city get closed off," Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the city's mayor, told the media.

Zelenskiy also said the country is hoping to create secure corridors that would allow its ships to export grain from Black Sea ports blocked by the fighting.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on June 7 arrived in Turkey for talks on unblocking grain exports from Ukraine.

Turkey has offered to escort maritime convoys from Ukraine's Black Sea ports, which have been blocked by Moscow's forces.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on June 7 said Poland was in the process of signing a wide-ranging treaty for the delivery of weapons to Ukraine.

The deal is "one of the biggest, if not the biggest weapons export deal of the last 30 years," Morawiecki said after visiting a Polish armaments company. He said the weapons would be critical in helping Ukraine drive out the Russian invaders.

He did not provide specifics on the kinds of weapons to be transferred or other details of the deal, but during a presentation at the company, he and Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak posed in front of self-propelled gun systems.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said radiation detectors in the exclusion zone around Ukraine's defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant are back online for the first time since Russia seized the area on February 24. Radiation levels are normal, the UN nuclear watchdog said.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, CNN, BBC, dpa, and AP
Kazakhstan is holding a referendum to amend the country's constitution amid criticism the proposed changes wouldn't reform the nature of the authoritarian regime despite government attempts to present the overhaul as bringing democratic reforms.

Kazakh activists have called on President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev to postpone the June 5 plebiscite, saying people were not given enough time to study the 56 proposed changes they will vote on.

Others said the referendum should be canceled altogether and the money needed for the vote spent on the poor.

Toqaev has said the amendments pave the way for Kazakhstan to shift from a super-presidential form of government to a presidential republic with a strong parliament.

But the proposed changes dont remove any significant power that the president's office currently holds.

The changes would bar the countrys president from being a member of a political party while holding office. Perhaps even more importantly, relatives of the president would not be allowed to hold any key positions in the public sector.

That measure is seen as an attempt to prevent the incredible depth of nepotism that occurred under former President Nursultan Nazarbaev.

The number of Senate members appointed by the president would be reduced from the current 15 to 10.

But the president would maintain the right to appoint the prime minister, the cabinet members, the prosecutor-general, the security chief, the heads of the national bank, and the central election commission along with several other key posts.

The chief executive would also retain the power to appoint provincial governors and the mayors of cities, including the capital, despite widespread calls from public activists for governors and mayors to be elected by voters.

The right to appoint powerful regional governors is seen as an important political tool for the president as governors can be used to swing an election by controlling the voting process in the authoritarian country where international observers say free and fair elections are not held.

The one who stands to lose the most if the referendum is approved is Nazarbaev, who led Kazakhstan from 1990 until 2019 and enjoyed significant political sway as ex-president until the bloody nationwide unrest in January that left at least 238 people dead.

The revised constitution removes all references to Nazarbaev as "Elbasy" (leader of the nation) which would cement his fall from grace that began with demands by anti-government protesters to end his family's grip on the countrys politics and riches.

Many of Nazarbaevs wealthy influential cronies were removed from important posts and some were imprisoned following the January uprising.

Nazarbaev, 81, and his close relatives would also lose their lifelong immunity from prosecution if the referendum is approved.

Nazarbaev handpicked Toqaev to be his successor after he resigned in 2019. The referendum is seen as an attempt by Toqaev, 69, to formalize Nazarbaevs retirement and ensure his departure from the political scene.

No Time For Debates

The constitutional overhaul would reduce the number or lawmakers in the Mazhilis, or lower house of parliament, to 98 from the current 107 members.

The Senate would also lose its power to make new laws but would vote on bills passed by the Mazhilis and as well as vote to confirm nominations for prosecutor-general, security chief, and other key positions submitted by the president.

Activists and political experts say the people were not given enough time to study the proposed changes, as the package of reforms was only made public on May 5 -- just a month before the vote.

Even some pro-government experts have acknowledged that many of the proposed changes are too complicated even for specialists to understand.

The voters will respond with a simple "yes" or "no" to the only question on the ballot asking them whether they agree with the proposed amendments.

The authorities havent explained to people exactly what changes would be made to the constitution. There have been no explanations whatsoever on what the amendments mean, and people do not quite understand what they are being asked to vote for, activist Zhumamurat Shamshi told RFE/RL.

Activists in Almaty called on Toqaev to postpone the referendum for at least three months to allow time for debate and discussion.

Others say the vote should be scrapped and the $38 million allocated for the referendum spent for projects like public housing or to increase social security benefits.

Esengazy Kuandyk, a political activist in Almaty, criticized the proposed changes as empty words that dont represent anything concrete.

If the authorities really want to move away from a super-presidencythey must disperse the current Mazhilis that was elected in [rigged] elections. That would have been a real political reform. What were getting now are empty words, he said.

Orynbasar Zhanibekov, an activist in Nur-Sultan, told RFE/RL that he doesnt expect any real political changes from Toqaev, a protege of Nazarbaev.

Before being handpicked for the presidency, Toqaev had worked in top government jobs for 20 years. What reforms did he achieve during all of those years? None! Similarly, there are no reforms in [this referendum] either, Zhanibekov told RFE/RL.

State-backed pollsters say more than 75 percent of respondents in recent polls supported the proposed reforms and that nearly 70 percent said they will vote in the referendum.
Finland and Swedens historic moves to join NATO following Russias invasion of Ukraine currently face opposition from Turkey, which is threatening to veto the enlargement of the military alliance.



The Turkish resistance stems from accusations launched by Ankara that both countries are harboring people linked to groups it deems terrorists, including the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), and has taken issue with Helsinki and Stockholms decisions to halt arms exports to Turkey in 2019.



All 30 NATO allies must approve any enlargement of the security bloc and, ahead of a June 29 summit for the alliance in Madrid, Turkish officials have stepped up their calls for Finland and Sweden to halt their support for the PKK and other groups, bar them from organizing events in their countries, extradite those sought by Turkey on alleged terrorism charges, and lift all restrictions on arms shipments.



Finland and Sweden are currently negotiating with Ankara and other NATO members have said they believe a solution can be found.



Meanwhile, the Ukraine war -- the catalyst that set off Helsinki and Stockholms NATO applications -- continues to grind on, with Russian forces making incremental gains in the eastern Donbas region.



To find out more about how Finland and Sweden in NATO could change European security and whats next for the battles ahead in Ukraine, RFE/RL spoke with Kjell Engelbrekt, a military expert and professor at the Swedish Defense University in Stockholm.



RFE/RL: Both Finland and Sweden have applied for NATO membership, but Turkey is currently threatening to block their membership bids. In your view, whats behind this move from Ankara and how can it be resolved before the NATO summit in Madrid on June 29?



Kjell Engelbrekt: I think it's unlikely that it will be resolved before the Madrid summit later this month.



As far as I can assess how the diplomatic process is going, it doesn't seem like the Swedes in particular are able to resolve this issue with Turkey on their own. When it comes to what is actually behind this, I think it's very difficult for anybody outside of [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan's inner circle to know exactly what their calculation is, but there appear to be a few main things.



One part is Kurdish-Turkish politics. There are a number of Kurdish political exile groups in Sweden and Scandinavia as a whole, and because we have very liberal freedom of expression laws, they are able to operate very freely. Some Kurdish politicians have also become Swedish politicians and they're operating in the Swedish political environment. I think some of this is an annoyance and a worry for the Turkish government and President Erdogan in particular. I think they want to make this known to the Swedes that they see all of this as a problem in bilateral relations and that they want them to provide much less political support for the Kurds.

The second part is Sweden's reluctance to export certain products in its arms industry to Turkey. Separate but related to that, we also have Erdogan wanting NATO countries -- but the United States in particular -- to resume exports to Turkey, especially around the issue of getting F-35 [fighter jets] or a deal for new F-16 [fighter jets]. As far as I understand, that is being discussed and examined more intensely in the U.S. Congress right now and there seems to be some progress between the American and Turkish sides. So right now, this puzzle may be resolved, but it will probably take longer than the Madrid summit.



RFE/RL: So do you think NATO is going to be able to declare that Sweden and Finland are on track to become members at the summit, even if they cant fully accept them then?



Engelbrekt: As far as we understand, that may be a bit too far in terms of the formal process. But I think there will be some expression of support at the summit. We've seen it already from the U.S. side, and I think there will be more countries also coming out in [support of their applications in] Madrid.



Perhaps there'll be separate press briefings with basically all European Union countries expressing support, which in turn will put additional pressure on Turkey to back down. So that's what I envisage as the most likely scenario, but I would be surprised if they can resolve this before the summit.



RFE/RL: To summarize, we shouldnt assume that this is a done deal?



Engelbrekt: Done deal is probably putting it a bit too strongly, but I'd expect that this gets resolved later this year.



RFE/RL: Looking ahead to a potential future where Finland and Sweden are both NATO members, how does that change things around the Baltic Sea and with each countrys relationship with Moscow?



Engelbrekt: In terms of the security situation, I'll quote what an American colleague told me some 10 years ago, which is that we're tired of planning around Sweden.



I think it becomes much easier for the NATO countries to plan and to have some form of consolidation in the security environment around the Baltic Sea with Finland and Sweden joining. What military planners tell me is that Sweden and Finland have been doing much of their planning in a kind of north-south manner because of the geography of those two countries. Now, the whole Nordic-Baltic region can shift to doing east-west military planning, which eases up a lot of different things for how you operate, from patrolling borders with combat aircraft to securing strategic depth for any kind of deployment of military troops.



RFE/RL: And what about political fallout from Moscow for Helsinki and Stockholm?



Engelbrekt: It's no surprise to observers in the region that the Finns were able to flip around much quicker than the Swedes. Military nonalignment was imposed on Finland by the Soviet Union after the end of the Second World War. So they weren't committed to military nonalignment, let alone neutrality. But for us Swedes, it's a longer history, with the country being militarily nonaligned for 200 years. So that's even part of the identity of many Swedes and that makes it more difficult to change quickly.

Sweden used to have an argument that it should not join NATO because it would add to the geopolitical and geostrategic pressure on Finland from Russia. Now, the argument is flipped around: If we don't join them in NATO membership, we are actually weakening the security of Finland. So now the view is that we should join not just for our own sake, but also for Finland's sake.



In terms of the foreign policy experiences of the past, I think the best-case scenario is that the Finns and President Sauli Niinisto will still continue to be able to talk straight with the Russians. I also think that it's in the interest of Sweden, Finland, and also Russia to keep the Nordic area as a relatively low-tension region. There is no interest for Sweden or Finland to set up a number of military bases or move heavy military equipment close to the border. On the Russian side, they should feel the same way.



Right now, the Russians are being a bit ambivalent about this. [President Vladimir] Putin himself said that as long as additional military equipment or bases weren't placed on Swedish or Finnish territory, there could continue to be a relatively normal coexistence.



A few days after that, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that there would be 12 new military postings opening in Russia's Western Military District. I think it remains to be seen how those postings will be equipped and if it's more of a formality to open them or if they will be used to augment the security situation.



RFE/RL: Changing the subject now to Ukraine, whats your assessment of where things currently stand? Russia is making some steady gains in the Donbas, but can they hold these new areas and should we expect some Ukrainian counteroffensives at some point?



Engelbrekt: I think it's a matter of priority for the Ukrainian side.



Russia announced in February before it invaded that it would formally recognize the administrative areas of the two so-called people's republics in Donetsk and Luhansk and they would try to capture them. So if I were in Kyiv right now I might give higher priority to consolidating my positions in the south and if I do counteroffensives, I'd do them there. So it's a matter of priorities -- military and political -- for the Ukrainian side.



Looking ahead, manpower issues loom large for both Kyiv and Moscow. Troops in each army are exhausted, but the morale on the Ukrainian side still appears to be very high. So I think it will be possible for the Ukrainians to train fresh troops and move them in. But that looks to be a more difficult challenge for the Russians, especially in the longer term. I think morale is really low on the Russian side. If there are continued deliveries of Western military equipment to the Ukrainians, they may at some point have the wherewithal to challenge Russian positions.



But again, I think it's an issue of priorities for them. They would probably try and mop up the Russian forces in the north and then they would want to move in and around Kherson in the south before they make a move on Luhansk and Donetsk, where it seems like there is also a deep political commitment from Moscow to capture and hold those positions.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Things dont seem to change in Turkmenistan, and if they do, its never for the better.

Throughout its entire post-Soviet history, the country has been ruled by eccentric dictators. It has long been at the bottom of international rankings on press freedom and civil liberties. Most of the population scrapes by, even though the state is rich in gas and oil. Corruption is rife. And the government controls most aspects of life.

The new president -- Serdar Berdymukhammedov -- took over in March from his father, Gurbanguly, who had ruled for over 15 years. And he seems determined to continue his fathers repressive course.

For ordinary citizens, life has become even harder since the start of the coronovirus pandemic despite the fact the Turkmen authorities declared the country COVID-free.

In a live discussion on June 2, hosted by RFE/RL, Bermet Talant spoke with Gozel Khudayberdieva, a reporter with RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, and Ruslan Myatiev, an editor with Turkmen.news, about subsidized food rations, border closures, new restrictions on women, and more.

Some key takeaways:

There are no official bans or regulations on paper. But if you show up, you are told that you need some kind of permission, and they will not explain to you why or where its written. And you can do nothing with it. Even if you want to buy bread, youll be given only two or three loaves on that day, and you cant buy more and nobody can explain why, said Gozel Khudayberdieva.

In total dictatorships, things can be unpredictable. On the surface, it seems to be a stably run state. Inside, it is far from that. So the boiling point can be anything, said Ruslan Myatiev, answering the question of how much more Turkmen citizens could put up with.

Nobody expected that, in the summer of 2020, dozens of Turkmen citizens abroad would march on the streets and scream anti-government, anti-president things. The past two years have shown that there are activists who cant cope with these things. Some of them have become already so prominent. If they continue this way, their number of supporters in Turkmenistan could grow. We also see movements inside Turkmenistan. There have been anti-government leaflets after a devastating hurricane hit two regions in April 2020, he said.

Listen to the full conversation here:

Read more from RFE/RL on this subject:

Beauty Ban: Turkmenistan Puts Severe Restrictions On Women's Appearance, Ability To Travel



Turkmen Consumers Face Jail Time If Caught Buying Too Much Bread



Subsidized Food Rations Cut In Turkmen Capital Amid Shortages, Price Hikes

Think Turkmenistan Is Funny? Think Again

Follow @RFERL on Twitter so as not to miss our regular conversations on life and social change in Central Asia every Thursday at 8 pm. local time in Bishkek (3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. EST).
Ukrainian marine Oleksandr Pykuy lost both his lower arms in the battle for Mariupol. He was evacuated to the Azovstal steel plant from where the Ukrainian military flew him out by helicopter. On returning to safety, he married his girlfriend, Tetyana.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has marked 100 days since Russia's unprovoked invasion by vowing victory even as Moscow tightens its grip on the Donbas with the aid of fierce bombardment that has turned much of the region to rubble.

The Kremlin said Russian troops liberated many areas in Ukraine from the Ukrainian military, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov claiming on June 3 that this work will continue until all the goals of the special military operation are achieved.

But Zelenskiy, in a brief but defiant video message, said Ukrainians have been successfully defending their country for 100 days against Russian aggression and will continue to do so.

"The armed forces of Ukraine are also here...the people of our nation are here. We're defending Ukraine for 100 days already. Victory shall be ours," Zelenskiy said.

The video highlighted Ukrainian unity, with Zelenskiy flanked by some of his closest allies as they stood in front of the Ukrainian presidential office. Zelenskiy and his team appeared in a similar video in the same location on February 25 -- a day after Russia launched its invasion.

Back then, Zelenskiy had just declined offers by the West to be evacuated from Kyiv, saying, "I need ammunition, not a ride."

On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces have managed to stave off Russia's furious offensive in the key eastern city of Syevyerodonetsk, Zelenskiy said in a message late on June 2.

"We have some success in the battles in Syevyerodonetsk, Zelenskiy said, adding, But it's too early to tell. He said that overall, the situation remains "very difficult."

Britain's Defense Ministry said in its daily intelligence bulletin on June 3 that compared to Russias original plan, none of Moscow's strategic objectives have been reached.

"Russian forces failed to achieve their initial objectives to seize Kyiv and Ukrainian centers of government," the British intelligence bulletin said. "Staunch Ukrainian resistance and the failure to secure Hostomel airfield [near Kyiv] in the first 24 hours led to Russian offensive operations being repulsed."

House-to-house fighting continued in Syevyrodonetsk, which officials have said is controlled 80 percent by Russian forces, as Ukrainian forces struggle to hold off Russian troops while they await the arrival of the advanced weapons that Washington has pledged.

Ukrainian troops said on June 3 that they made significant progress during an offensive against Russian positions in the occupied southern region of Kherson. The Territorial Defense AZOV Dnipro unit said its forces liberated 8 kilometers of occupied territory.

British intelligence estimated in its bulletin that Russia now controls more than 90 percent of the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine and is likely to complete control of the region in the next two weeks.

But the bulletin cautioned that Russia's recent tactical successes have come at significant cost in terms of resources and that trend will likely continue.

"In order for Russia to achieve any form of success will require continued huge investment of manpower and equipment, and is likely to take considerable further time," the British intelligence concluded.

In Washington, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the conflict has become a war of attrition."

Wars are by nature unpredictable and therefore we just have to be prepared for the long haul," Stoltenberg told reporters after meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House.



In Moscow, African Union head Macky Sall on June 3 urged President Vladimir Putin to take into account the suffering in African countries from food shortages caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Putin hosted Sall, who is the president of Senegal and currently chairs the African Union, at his Black Sea residence in Sochi, with global food shortages and grain supplies stuck in Ukrainian ports high on the agenda.

Sall asked Putin to "become aware that our countries, even if they are far from the theater (of action), are victims on an economic level" of the conflict.



Putin did not mention grain supplies but said Russia was "always on Africa's side" and was now keen to ramp up cooperation.



Putin has said Moscow is ready to look for ways to ship grain blocked in Ukrainian ports but has demanded the West lift sanctions.



Cereal prices in Africa, the world's poorest continent, have spiked because of the slump in exports from Ukraine.
(gjepc.org) - During an analyst call earlier this year, North American jewellery-conglomerate, Signet Jewelers, said that 80% of the companys sales take place inside its 2,800+ physical stores, however 65% of customers visit at least one of the companys digital sites during their shopping journey. Customers researching online and then buying in-store, is an example of what the downstream refers to omni-channel retail, essentially an integration of the digital and physical shopping experience. Signet management has described this approach as a way to stay close to our customers (at all times), which became especially relevant during the pandemic-related lockdowns in 2020 and 2021.
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A stack of two-inch-thick textbooks near the door of Cati Garcias classroom are more than educational tools; theyre potential weapons.

In the event a school shooter penetrates the classroom, students should look for ordinary objects to defend themselves, Garcia told her class during an active-shooter drill last week.

If there were 20 of us throwing books at him, chances are we would be able to take him, Garcia said, adding, I would spray the fire extinguisher at him.

The drill at Valley High School, a continuation campus for the Escondido Unified High School District, introduced students to the new run, hide, fight protocol that some schools are adopting in defense against school shootings.

That strategy, developed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, trains teachers and students to seek the safest way off campus, or into hiding, in the event of a school shooting. And it prepares them to defend themselves in the worst-case scenario, by taking action to disarm or incapacitate a shooter. Its an expansion of the existing lockdown protocol, with added options.

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If the shooter is on the opposite side of campus, or the students are already outdoors at lunch or recess, evacuating the area and fleeing to a safer place may be the best choice, officials said.

When there isnt a clear route to safety, they should use lockdown or shelter in place procedures to hide in classrooms. They should also barricade doors and windows to make them harder targets. If those strategies fall short, the plan prepares them to confront a shooter.

The main difference is, we are given the option to run or to fight back, Garcia said. Before it was just lockdown, and youre sitting ducks.

Once the drill began, Garcia asked students to slide a file cabinet against the door, use a chain or belt to jam the hinge, and secure a safety bolt. They need to know not only how to hide, but also how to barricade the space.

Students dimmed the lights and took cover behind desks and cabinets. It it were safe to escape, she would lead them out, she told them. If not, they should plan for an unlikely, but potentially deadly, confrontation with a shooter, she said.

If your classroom was breached, what would you do? she asked students.

Fight, some kids answered. Throw a chair. Staplers, scissors and the flagpole are other classroom objects that could double for self-defense, students added. Those items arent a match for gunfire, but could disorient or distract the shooter, or even knock him out.

Im totally fine with you throwing Chromebooks if they would save your life, if someone comes in here with a gun, Garcia said.

When teachers first discussed the strategy at an assembly with students the previous week, some of them didnt take it seriously, or didnt want to participate, Garcia said. So she brought it closer to home.

This could be your little brother or sister, she told them. Think of Florida. This could be 15 of your classmates murdered. Then it clicked.

After the drill, some students said it opened their eyes to possible tactics for a school attack.

My option, to save our lives, would be to fight for out lives, said Jose Armenta, 18. My first option would be to throw a chair or a book. If we hit him he might drop. Then he would be without his weapon.

 Active shooter drill at Valley High School in Escondido. Escondido Union High School District conduct a student drill of its now run, hide, fight active shooter protocol at Valley High School, the districts continuation school. The system calls f

San Diego has had its own school tragedies. In 1979, Brenda Spencer shot eight children and killed a principal and custodian at Cleveland Elementary School. Charles Andrew Andy Williams killed two students and wounded 13 at Santana High School in Santee in 2001. And in 2010, Brendan ORourke injured two second-graders when he shot into a crowd of students at Kelly School in Carlsbad.

Around 2008, the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies started studying ways to improve the odds in those emergencies, said Bob Mueller, director of student attendance, safety, and well-being for the County Office of Education.

In 2013, the federal government introduced run, hide and fight in its school emergency guide, he said. The San Diego County Office of Education worked with local law enforcement on a plan for options-based responses to school attacks.

This is allowing us to have another level of safety that students are trained on, so they can reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim, said Escondido Police Chief Craig Carter, president of the San Diego County Police Chiefs & Sheriffs Association, which has endorsed the strategy.

Escondidos elementary and high school districts, along with Vista Unified School District, have adopted the plan and started training staff. At Escondido high schools, students are integral to the system.

Thats not the case in all districts.

Some experts recommend explaining the plan to students, but not practicing it, warning that the exercise itself could traumatize youth who have watched school shootings on the news. Such attacks are devastating, but statistically unlikely, they say, so heightening students awareness of those events could do more harm than good.

In Vista, officials wont drill students, but will train teaches and other staff to take the lead in emergencies.

That makes sense for younger kids, but high school students are young adults and should be involved in the process, said Rich Watkins, director of Pupil Services and Interventions for the Escondido Union High School District.

Knowing that its okay to fight, it gives them some confidence, he said. Not only that, they know well fight with them. We explained to them that their actions could save them and others.

Students had mixed reactions to the drill, questioning whether the barricades would work and worrying that evacuation could be too slow, or police might mistake a kid for the shooter. However, several said they were encouraged by the chance to fight back.

Elian Gaona, 17, said he felt fairly confident after reviewing the plan.

The options that we had were pretty good, he said. We had students barricading the door he came in, had students ready to fight, and had an exit. But in the moment, you dont know what you will do.

Michelle Ramos, 17, said shes been anxious about school safety since the Florida shooting, but said she would do her best in the worst situation.

The fact that we had to have this drill makes me feel sad and uneasy at school, she said. Im not that strong, but I think I would try to fight, because I think about my sisters and my family.

The school has gone on lockdown before because of emergencies in the surrounding area, Principal Daniel Barajas said. He thinks his students would rise to the occasion if an attack occurred on campus.

I do believe that instinct will take place and kids  and any of us  will do what they need to do to survive, he said.

deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan
Prosecutors who oppose Californias three strikes law  such as George Gascon of Los Angeles and, to some extent, Chesa Boudin of San Francisco  are still required to charge sentence-lengthening strikes when a defendant has serious previous convictions, a state appeals court ruled. But the court said the prosecutor could then seek dismissal of strikes in the interests of justice, a decision for the trial judge.

The ruling by the Second District Court of Appeal in Los Angeles was a mixed verdict for the states 1994 law and prosecutors who want to roll it back. In a separate case Thursday, the same court said a law providing sentencing increases of up to 10 years for the use of a gun in a violent crime was not mandatory and could be rejected by a judge, at the prosecutors request, under the same interests-of-justice standard.

Three strikes, passed by the Legislature and approved by the voters, imposes sentences of 25 years to life in prison for defendants convicted of a third serious or violent felony. Convictions for a second such felony carry twice the usual sentence.

The three-strikes law, and other measures substantially lengthening sentences for repeated or violent offenders, led to huge increases in Californias prison population, court orders to reduce overcrowding in the disease-plagued prison system, and the emergence of prosecutors like Gascon and Boudin, who advocate scaling back mandatory-sentencing systems.

Gascon, elected in Los Angeles County in 2020 after eight years as San Franciscos district attorney, opposes three strikes in all cases. Boudin, his elected successor in San Francisco, has said he would seek three-strikes sentences only in extraordinary circumstances; spokesperson Rachel Marshall said Thursday the office has a presumption against filing them but evaluates each case individually.

Gascons policy has drawn an in-house rebellion by the 800-member Los Angeles Deputy District Attorneys Association, which accuses him of siding with criminals and interfering with prosecutors traditional authority. A judge in Los Angeles largely sided with the association in February 2021, ruling that the three-strikes law requires prosecutors to file charges based on a defendants record and argue for the increased sentences.

On Thursday, the appeals court agreed that Gascons office, in any felony case, must charge all strikes in the defendants criminal record.

In 1994, the voters and the legislators created a duty ... that requires prosecutors to plead prior serious or violent felony convictions to increase punishment for repeat offenders, Justice John Segal said in the 3-0 ruling. He noted that the three-strikes law said it shall be applied in every case in which a defendant has a past conviction for a serious or violent felony.

But the court said the law does not require the district attorney to prove a strike  that is, to argue for an increased sentence in all cases. While the D.A. cannot require office prosecutors to oppose three-strikes sentences in every case, Segal said, the office can argue in individual cases, based on a defendants record and other factors, that a third-strike term would be excessive.

In the second case, Segal, in another 3-0 ruling, ordered another Los Angeles judge to decide, in the interests of justice, whether to dismiss gun-use allegations that could add decades to the sentence of Rehan Nazir, charged with kidnapping and other crimes. Gascon opposes such sentencing increases, but the judge had agreed with the prosecutors group that they were required by state law if Nazir was convicted.

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Attorney Nathan Hochman, who argued against Gascons policy in the three-strikes case and is a Republican candidate for state attorney general in Tuesdays election, said the ruling in his case was a victory.

Hopefully today marks the first in a series of defeats for King Gascon and other district attorneys who have chosen to put their politics above their obligation to follow the law and protect their constituents, Hochman said.

But Gascons office said in a statement that the ruling maintains the district attorneys discretion and authority as an elected constitutional officer. The court affirmed his ability to pursue his policy goals in the furtherance of justice.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
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In a nearly 500-page report, Californias reparations task force detailed how slavery, despite never being technically legal in the state, serves as the bedrock for systemic inequalities that Black residents endure today.

The report, which the task force spent a year crafting and released Wednesday, makes an extensive case for reparations. It also achieves something else:

Woven through its pages of exhaustive research are dozens of examples of stomach-turning racist episodes in the Bay Area, some of which have been documented before. But when viewed as a whole, they expose the region for what it really was  and pretended not to be.

This report pulls back the curtain on San Francisco, said Rev. Amos Brown, the vice chair of the task force and president of the San Francisco chapter of the NAACP. It also tells the truth about the nation because San Francisco is a reflection of America.

California joined the Union as a free state with an anti-slavery Constitution in 1850. But when the Gold Rush attracted slave-owning whites from the South, the state did little to interfere with their human trafficking. If anything, lawmakers strengthened the rights of migrating slave owners.

In 1852, the California Legislature expanded the fugitive slave law to include any enslaved person who arrived before California officially became a U.S. state ... but refused to return to the en-slaving states with their enslavers, the task force report states.

According to the report, conservative estimates show anywhere from 500 to 1,500 enslaved Africans Americans living in California that year. Around three-quarters of the enslaved people trafficked to California were younger men or teenaged boys who ended up working as gold miners.

The violence these enslaved residents faced was often brutal and sometimes public. The report shares an 1850 story from the Daily Alta California, a San Francisco newspaper, that illustrates one such scene: A slave owner beat a slave for disobeying him in the town square of San Jose. Both the slave and the slave owner were arrested, but because the slave was considered property, the owner wasnt found guilty of assault.

Fleeing San Francisco

Peter Lester came to loathe living in San Francisco.

Lester moved to the city from Philadelphia with his wife and five children in 1850, the same year California achieved statehood. A bootmaker by trade, Lester and a partner opened a shoe store the next year, and quickly found success during the early days of the Gold Rush.

But Lester was Black and recoiled at the loopholes in the states anti-slavery Constitution. He also slammed up against other ways the state actively disenfranchised its Black residents. When two men entered his store, throttled him with a cane and stole some shoes, Lester had no recourse. Because he was Black, the state law did not allow him to testify in court, preventing him from pressing charges.

In 1858, Lesters 15-year-old daughter became the focus of a local controversy. A pro-slavery local newspaper printed an anonymous letter demanding her removal from an otherwise all-white school, which Lester acceded to after weeks of racist backlash.

Lester ultimately gathered up his family and moved to British Columbia  much of the above account comes from the BC Black Awareness History Society  joining the roughly 200 Black families who left California in a mass exodus to British colonies in what is now Canada during the 1850s, the task force report states.

Discriminated against by both the laws and those who would break (them), many Black Californians ... left the state, the report reads.

At the time, the large outflow of families represented a significant proportion of the 4,000 Black people who had settled in California between 1850 and 1860, frustrated and appalled by the states legalized protections for slave owners and legalized hostility toward them, in laws that stated, No Black, or Mulatto person, or Indian shall be allowed to give evidence for or against a White person.

The story came full circle for Lester, the BC Black History Awareness Society noted. In 1860, he became the first Black person to sit as a juror in British Columbia, serving a civic duty that California forbade him.

S.F. expands exclusion

Twenty-five years after the U.S. Congress abolished slavery through the 13th Amendment in 1865, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to move all Chinese residents to an isolated neighborhood. This 1890 decision marked what the report called the first known attempt by an American city to segregate on the basis of race.

But the local political body already had a history of targeted racist policies. From 1870 to 1883, city supervisors voted to bar Chinese people from government jobs and passed more than a dozen ordinances intended to harm Chinese-owned businesses.

The modern-day Board of Supervisors acknowledged these and other past atrocities earlier this year when it adopted a resolution formally apologizing to its Chinese community.

Sundown towns

A popular Jim Crow-era racial segregation tactic was the creation of sundown towns. These all-white communities used city ordinances, violence and threats of violence to keep nonwhite people outside their borders.

The term itself conveys an inherent threat: It isnt safe for a person of color to be in town when the sun goes down.

Sundown towns were a widespread phenomenon in California during the early 1900s. At one point, the state had more sundown towns than there were in the entire South, and most of San Franciscos suburbs were considered sundown towns.

S.F.s KKK west

The popularity of 1915s The Birth of a Nation propelled Americas oldest hate group to a strong second act thanks to the silent films depiction of the Ku Klux Klan as heroic. In California, the KKK franchise actually started in San Francisco.

The KKKs emerged in the city shortly after the films release, the report shows, making San Francisco the first city in the state with an established KKK presence  but not the last. Chapters of the violent white supremacist organization soon appeared in Los Angeles, where The Birth of a Nation was filmed, as well as Oakland, Fresno, Riverside, Sacramento, Anaheim and San Jose, the report states.

Klan culture so permeated Bay Area culture back then that public parades drew thousands of spectators and the KKKs influence shaped local policies restricting Black homeownership.

While San Francisco is where the Klan gained its California foothold, it found a Northern California epicenter in Oakland. The East Bay city was home to at least 2,000 members by 1924, had a KKK vigilante group that worked with federal law enforcement officers, and successfully put forth political candidates for county sheriff and city commissioner that same decade, the report states, crediting research by historian Chris Rhomberg.

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The Klans infiltration of civic life in the 1920s also permeated the local law enforcement profession: At least 25 police officers in San Francisco belonged to the Klan, the task force wrote.

Urban renewal

Established by the Housing Act of 1949, urban renewal was dressed-up policy guidance directing cities to redevelop their impoverished areas. In reality, it meant decimating Black communities, including one of Californias most vibrant Black neighborhoods.

San Franciscos Fillmore district was the center of the Black cultural experience on the West Coast, known as the Harlem of the West. Black-owned bars and jazz clubs lined the streets, frequented by the mixed-class Black residents living in the area. But the Fillmore didnt stand a chance against urban renewal.

The citys redevelopment agency deemed the Fillmore a blight and through eminent domain, forced thousands of residents to leave. In the 1950s through 1970s, the agency made hollow promises that a better neighborhood would emerge after the razing of the old. But after the din of wrecking balls and bulldozers was gone, redevelopment efforts stalled for decades.

According to the report, San Franciscos redevelopment plan closed 883 businesses, displaced 4,729 households, destroyed 2,500 Victorian homes, and damaged the lives of nearly 20,000 people mostly in the Fillmore and the greater historically Black Western Addition.

More than 70 years later, the Fillmore is still struggling to reclaim its earlier glory, and disagreeing with the city about how to do so.

Reverse migration

Escaping the harsh economic climate and segregationist laws of the rural South, upward of 6 million Black people migrated to the West, Midwest and North between World War I and 1980. Those who came to California often faced the kind of employment and housing discrimination they thought they left behind.

San Francisco didnt employ any Black teachers, police officers, firefighters, streetcar conductors, bank tellers, bus drivers or cab drivers before 1940, the report states.

The Ford Motor Co. moved from Richmond to a plant in Milpitas in 1953. But the city of Milpitas made it clear it didnt want Fords Black workers there. According to the report, when the Ford Motor Co. labor union attempted to build housing for Black workers in Milpitas, the city responded by rezoning the site where the housing could have gone for industrial use, and banned more affordable apartment buildings through a zoning ordinance.

The fruits of that inhospitable climate fanned a reverse migration pattern in the modern era, the task force argues: In the past three decades, about 275,000 Black Californians have left expensive coastal cities to move inland or to other states. This coincided with huge decreases in the number of Black people living in San Francisco and Oakland. Both cities saw their African American populations plunge at least 40% over the past few decades.

For Brown, Wednesdays sobering report provides the public with an accessible if difficult tour through a side of California  and Bay Area  history that is rarely told.

What weve done is given people the facts, Brown told The Chronicle. The question now is what San Francisco  and the rest of California  will do with those facts.

Justin Phillips and Raheem Hosseini are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com, raheem.hosseini@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips, @raheemfh
A probable case of monkeypox has been identified in a San Francisco resident amid a recent rise in cases in the United States and across the globe, public health officials announced on Friday evening.

Information about the San Francisco individual with the probable case could not be released for privacy reasons, but public health officials said that the person traveled to a location with an outbreak in cases. A California Department of Public Health laboratory in Richmond confirmed the probable case on Friday. The case will now be sent to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention for final confirmation, public health officials said.

San Francisco health officials revealed the probable case Friday night after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 20 cases of monkeypox have been identified in 11 states, including four in California. The San Francisco case was not counted among the 11.

Until the San Francisco case is confirmed by the CDC, it will be considered to be a probable case of monkeypox. The individual did not report any close contacts in San Francisco during the time period where they could have spread the infection to others, public health officials said.

We were really pleased that this person remained aware and did seek medical attention, said San Francisco health officer Dr. Susan Philip, who added that the person and their medical provider sought a prompt evaluation.

Philip said Friday that while most monkeypox cases resolve themselves, cases can be serious in rare cases and we want to prevent further spread in the community.

San Francisco is prepared for this case and others, should more occur, Philip said. We want to emphasize that this is not a disease that spreads easily through the air like COVID-19, however we do want people who might have been exposed to watch out for symptoms and to see a medical provider immediately if they develop symptoms for an evaluation.

None of the U.S. cases have resulted in deaths, and the overwhelming majority are among people who recently traveled internationally in a time frame that suggests their exposure happened there, said Capt. Jennifer McQuiston, incident manager for the CDCs monkeypox response, during a media briefing Friday.

The other patients may have had contact with a known case or were identified through contact tracing. But at least one person did not travel and the source of infection is unknown  suggesting the virus may be spreading in the U.S., CDC officials said.

Ongoing investigation suggests person-to-person community transmission, and CDC urges health departments, clinicians, and the public to remain vigilant, institute appropriate infection prevention and control measures, and notify public health authorities of suspected cases to reduce disease spread, CDC scientists wrote in a report released Friday that analyzed U.S. monkeypox cases.

The risk to the public is still low, McQuiston said. Officials expect the number of cases to rise as more testing and contact tracing is done. In California, three confirmed cases have been detected in Sacramento County and one in Los Angeles County.

Monkeypox is a type of orthopoxvirus, the same family of viruses that includes smallpox, though monkeypox is less contagious and less severe. Monkeypox symptoms include rash and skin lesions that become raised and fill with fluid as they progress.

There are two federally approved vaccines for orthopoxvirus  Acam2000 and Jynneos  that are now being deployed for monkeypox, and one antiviral treatment.

Acam2000 is to be taken after exposure, and Jynneos can be taken before or after exposure. The antiviral  tecovirimat, also known as Tpoxx  was originally licensed for smallpox but can be administered for monkeypox under a federal protocol that allows some drugs to be used for purposes other than those tested in clinical trials when there are no better alternatives available.

Federal health agencies have sent 1,200 doses of vaccine and 100 courses of treatment to eight states, said Dr. Raj Panjabi, who is coordinating the White Houses monkeypox response. He did not specify which states have received them. The California Department of Public Health on Friday said the state has received 200 doses of the Jynneos vaccine to use as preventive treatment for people who have been exposed to monkeypox.

Federal officials on the call would not say how many doses of vaccine or treatments are currently in the national stockpile. But there is more than enough vaccine available and they have been pre-positioned around the country, said Dawn OConnell, assistant secretary of emergency preparedness at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The good news is we already have the vaccines and treatments needed to respond, OConnell said.

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Monkeypox can spread from person to person from close physical contact, including sexual contact, through infected sores, body fluids or respiratory droplets.

Health officials in Europe, where several countries are reporting outbreaks, recently indicated that most or all cases have been in men, and many reported having multiple sex partners before contracting the virus.

The CDC report released Friday analyzed 17 U.S. patients with confirmed monkeypox infections as of May 31, and found that 14 of the 17 people had traveled internationally during the 21 days before symptom onset. Sixteen out of the 17 identified as men who have sex with men. In many cases, the rash began in the genital area.

Were focusing efforts to raise awareness within the LGBTQ-plus community, McQuiston said.

Globally, there have more than 700 cases reported in at least 28 countries where monkeypox is not endemic. Monkeypox, a zoonotic disease that exists most commonly in rodents and can pass to humans, is endemic in several Central and West African countries.

The last outbreak U.S. outbreak was in 2003, when about 70 cases were detected. Investigators traced the outbreak to a shipment of pet prairie dogs imported from Ghana.

The CDC urged health care providers to be on the lookout for monkeypox symptoms and to test patients if they suspect it.

Catherine Ho (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho
The ex-boyfriend of Alexis Gabe, an Oakley woman who was last seen in January under suspicious circumstances, was fatally shot on Wednesday by federal law enforcement in Washington when he charged with a knife at detectives who were trying to arrest him on a warrant for Gabes murder, authorities said Thursday.

The killing of Marshall Curtis Jones, 27, of Antioch, comes more than four months after Alexis Gabe, 24, was last seen at his home on Benttree Way on Jan. 26., and just days after the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office filed a murder charge against Jones for Gabes homicide.

Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard said that Oakley and Antioch police officials believe Jones killed Gabe at his home in Antioch on or around Jan. 26.

Members of the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force tried to arrest Jones Wednesday at one of his associates residences in Kent, a suburb of Seattle, Beard said. Detectives from Oakley and Antioch police departments were at the scene.

Marshall Jones responded by coming out of the front door with a knife and he charged those officers, Beard said. Marshall Jones was shot because of his deadly and threatening actions.

U.S. Marshals Service officials shot Jones, according to a police statement.

While Jones is the sole suspect in Gabes killing, Beard said, investigators believe that he had help along the way and said it is possible other individuals could be charged.

We do hope that somebody who has knowledge of Alexis whereabouts will now feel more empowered to come forward without having to feel a negative responsive from Marshall Jones, Beard said.

Over the course of the four-month investigation into Gabes disappearance, Beard said Jones had been very uncooperative with detectives and repeatedly refused to speak with investigators. Within days of Gabes disappearance, Beard said, Jones left California to Washington, where he had a small network of relatives and associates but returned to California for a short period of time in May before returning to to the Pacific Northwest.

During a search in Antioch, Beard said, crews discovered Gabes cell phone case  a distinct case with an illustration of rapper Tupac Shakur  near Jones home. Investigators found Jones DNA on the case, Beard said. Jones was also seen on surveillance footage on the path from where Gabes Infiniti G37 was abandoned in Oakley all the way back to his home in Antioch, Beard said, including the 8-second surveillance video that was widely shared in April. Gabes vehicle, which is outfitted with GPS technology, also traced the vehicles movements directly from Jones home to where the vehicle was abandoned, its keys still in the ignition, on Trenton Street in Oakley.

Beard said investigators are working to recover several of Jones electronic devices in Washington for further examination in California. Detectives are still working to determine a motive in Gabes killing, Beard said.

Gwyn Gabe, Alexis father, was flanked by his wife Rowna Gabe and their two sons at a press conference Thursday during which officials announced that Jones had been killed, and said that his death was tragic and unexpected. The family didnt want him dead, Gwyn Gabe said, instead they wanted him arrested to pay for his sins.

My wife cried so hard upon hearing of his passing. He was our daughters first love. They were together for three years, Gwyn Gabe said, his voice cracking. He got along well with the two brothers and her cousins. He became part of our family. We had no idea he was capable of doing something like this to her.

Gwyn Gabe added that the family wanted to look at Jones in the eye and ask him, Why? Ask him, Where is Alexis?

I know the police are saying that our daughter is gone, but our daughter will remain alive in our minds and in our hearts, he said. We will continue to search for her until we find her.

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Gabes parents last saw Alexis on Jan. 26, Gwyn Gabe told The Chronicle during a Zoom interview in early May. That afternoon they saw Gabe video-chatting at the familys Oakley home with a friend. After a brief phone call with a brother, her parents said, she stepped out.

I usually wait up for her every night when she comes home, but that night we were sick and fell asleep early, Gwyn Gabe said, adding that he texted Gabe around 7 p.m. asking if she would be home for dinner, but she did not reply.

It wasnt until around 8 a.m. the next day that the parents saw that Gabe hadnt taken her 15-year-old brother to school as she usually did. Calls to Gabes cell phone went straight to voicemail, Rowna Gabe said. It was uncharacteristic for Gabe to not respond.

Gabes parents described her as a bubbly, loyal daughter and friend, and a creative person who found happiness in drawing, watercolor painting and photography. She graduated as an EKG technician from Contra Costa Medical Career College in 2018 and most recently was working at Closets by Design in Hayward.

The investigation into Gabes killing is still ongoing, police said.

A $10,000 reward is still available for anyone who provides information leading to Gabes whereabouts. Anyone with information about this case should call 925-625-7009 or email alexistips@ci.oakley.ca.us.

Lauren Hernandez (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByLHernandez
While California awaits a final decision on the legality of its ban on holding immigrants in private prisons, a federal appeals court ruled Friday that migrants can sue a major operator of those prisons for making them work for little or no pay to clean restrooms and kitchens and take out the trash.

The class-action suit was filed in 2017 by two former inmates of California prisons owned by CoreCivic, which has contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold immigrants while awaiting deportation hearings. Although the court said CoreCivic has 24 such contracts nationwide, the company said Friday it now operates only 13 detention facilities for ICE, including one in California, the Otay Mesa facility in San Diego.

ICEs policies for the prisons say detainees should not be required to do any work except for personal housekeeping, such as making their bunk beds and keeping debris off the floor, and should be paid at least $1 a day for taking part in voluntary work programs. But the inmates, one of whom was held from 2005 to 2015, said in their lawsuit that CoreCivic required them and others, in its formal policy, to do general cleanup work around the prison for either $1 a day or nothing at all.

They said they were ordered each day to remove trash, sweep, mop, clean toilets, clean sinks, clean showers, and clean furniture and other areas, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a ruling allowing the case to proceed as a class action.

Those who disobeyed a cleaning order could be placed in solitary confinement, the inmates said. They provided a statement from a CoreCivic senior manager that the policy was binding on the companys immigration prisons nationwide.

Such reports were among the reasons California lawmakers approved, and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed, legislation in 2019 to end the states contracts with private prisons when current contracts expire, or by 2028 at the latest. The authors of the measure said conditions at the private facilities were often worse than those in state prisons and they were more difficult to inspect or regulate.

In a suit by President Donald Trumps administration and GEO Group, another private prison contractor, a Ninth Circuit panel ruled 2-1 last October that the state law, as applied to immigration prisons, interfered with federal authority to regulate immigration and to decide where immigrants should be held. But in April, a majority of the 29-member appeals court voted to set that ruling aside and ordered a new hearing before an 11-judge panel, scheduled for June 21.

The suit against CoreCivic claims violations of California laws against forced labor and federal laws against human trafficking, and was filed on behalf of immigrants held in California as early as 2006, and in facilities elsewhere since December 2008.

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Upholding a federal judges decision in 2020 that allowed the case to proceed as a class action, the appeals court said in a 3-0 ruling Friday that two former detainees had offered evidence that CoreCivic required all inmates to work under rules that appeared to conflict with the personal-housekeeping limits announced by ICE. The court said, however, that CoreCivic could attempt in future proceedings to limit the class action to inmates who were in custody in 2010 or later.

Asked for comment, Ryan Gustin, a spokesperson for CoreCivic, said, All work programs at our ICE detention facilities are completely voluntary and operated in full compliance with ICE standards, including federally established minimum wage rates for detainee volunteer labor.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
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An anti-discrimination group says it has settled its case against owners of an apartment complex in Marin County who had refused to offer any of their 646 units to anyone in the Section 8 program, which provides financial aid to low-income renters.

Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California said it was contacted in 2020 by a woman who said she had wanted to rent an apartment at Bon Air Apartments in Greenbrae but had been told by the owners, Greenbrae Management, that they did not accept vouchers under Section 8, which are subsidized by the federal government. Such refusals are permitted by federal law but are prohibited by California law, which since 2019 has barred housing discrimination based on the source of a renters income.
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An anti-government militia member from Santa Cruz County was sentenced to 41 years in federal prison Friday for gunning down a federal security officer during George Floyd protests in Oakland in 2020.

The infamous shooting became an early example of resurgent far-right extremism before the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and last months racist mass shooting by a white supremacist in Buffalo. Steven Carrillo, then an active-duty Air Force sergeant, was a member of the Grizzly Scouts, a small militia made up largely of Bay Area devotees to the far-right Boogaloo movement. Supporters often wear Hawaiian shirts, tote big guns and say they intend to be on the front lines when the war starts to overthrow the government.

Carrillo, who pleaded guilty in the case, initially hoped nearby Black Lives Matter protesters would be blamed when he opened fire on a guard shack with an AR-15-style rifle, killing David Patrick Underwood, 53.

Federal prosecutor Jonathan Lee said Carrillo had attempted to foment a second Civil War.

Carrillo also faces murder charges in Santa Cruz County where he allegedly shot and killed Santa Cruz sheriffs Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38. In that case, Lee said his understanding is Carrillo could likely be sentenced to life without parole.

Robert Justus, who drove Carrillo to the Oakland shooting, hasnt pleaded guilty and is awaiting trial.

The 41-year prison term was a compromise between the government and Carrillos defense. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Roger accepted the plea.

The decision in San Francisco federal court came after tearfully raw statements from Underwoods family, who described him as a hero who lived to help people and was happy on the last day when he left for work.

Im Uncle Pats niece, said Trinity Jacobs. My uncle meant everything to me. Now hes gone. And the situation is beyond words, its beyond sadness.

She turned to Carrillo. He sat in a red jailhouse jumpsuit with black hair slicked back, listening.

Jacobs told Carrillo, whod been a decorated veteran, that he threw his life away when he took her uncles life. I feel sorry for you, she said.

Defense attorney James Thompson said Carrillos life had spiraled after his last deployment, which was to Kuwait, and the suicide of his wife in 2018. Carrillo blamed himself and attempted suicide, Thompson said.

Carrillo signed up to a Facebook group, which led him to meet members of the Grizzly Scouts. Four other members have been charged with destroying evidence of their chats, during which they often spoke of killing police, court records say.

After Carrillos arrest, he was diagnosed with a mental illness by jail staff, Thompson said, without disclosing the name or type of trouble. Medication started to help, and within weeks, Carrillo was asking to plead guilty and expressing remorse, the attorney said.

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The judge, who initially said she wondered if 41 years was long enough, said she decided to accept the deal, rather than rejecting it and possibly forcing a trial, because a perfect storm of misfortune and mental illness were factors in Carrillos crimes.

Whatever motivated him, the pain is the same for Underwoods family.

His sister Angela Underwood Jacobs still wonders about her brothers last seconds.

Was he afraid? Did he know he was dying? she said. Were our ancestors and the people before us waiting for him? Did he see God?

The questions keep repeating.

Joshua Sharpe is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: joshua.sharpe@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joshuawsharpe
UPDATE: Third Culture Bakery is reevaluating mochi muffin trademark after intense backlash.

The backlash was swift and fierce for Third Culture Bakery, a popular Berkeley business thats been flooded with criticism and calls for boycotts following a Chronicle article detailing the owners trademark of mochi muffin.

Outrage exploded on social media, particularly in food communities, at the idea of a bakery trademarking a common term and demanding other businesses stop using it. Third Culture employees started fielding harassing calls and messages on Wednesday, co-owner Wenter Shyu said. Yelp pages for Third Cultures locations in Berkeley and Walnut Creek were flooded with so many negative reviews that theyve been temporarily frozen because of increased public attention, reads a standard Yelp alert. People unearthed mochi muffin recipes that predated Third Cultures founding, while social media feeds filled with appeals to boycott the business.

Totally fine to trademark something to defend yourself from encroaching corporatism. Its another to weaponize it against smaller, single owner businesses, tweeted Australian actor Desmond Chiam.

Shyu did not respond to further questions for this article. Since obtaining the trademark to Third Cultures most popular baked good in 2018, the business has been sending cease-and-desist letters to bakeries and food bloggers across the country to prevent them from using the words mochi muffin.

The debate has struck a chord in the Asian American community. Customers who appreciated Third Cultures reputation as an inclusive, outspoken and community-minded business  one thats proudly queer owned and distributed thousands of free safety kits after six Asian women were killed in the Atlanta spa shooting last year  were shocked that the same company would send cease-and-desist letters to small, Asian-owned businesses.

Josie Lepe/Special to The Chronicle

Its left a bad taste in the mouth of customer Alice Hsueh. For years, Hsueh would drive from her South Bay home to Berkeley specifically to visit Third Culture. She loved their baked goods as much as the fact that the owners spoke out about anti-Asian violence and social justice issues.

She decided to stop frequenting Third Culture, and has been urging friends who live in Berkeley to do the same. I feel like thats actually going against their messaging, she said.

David Menino, a Berkeley resident and former customer who grew up eating mochi baked goods in his native Hawaii, was shocked by the trademark.

Mochi isn't theirs. Muffins aren't theirs, Menino said. Asian American fusion foods have existed in Hawaii for a long time.

Meanwhile, CA Bakehouse in San Jose, one of the bakeries that received a cease-and-desist letter, was unexpectedly overwhelmed with messages of support on Wednesday. Online posters wrote that they plan to buy CA Bakehouses renamed mochi cakes instead of Third Cultures mochi muffins. But the owners took to Instagram to urge people against demonizing Third Culture, particularly on Yelp.

We definitely didnt want this to negatively impact another local business, the post reads. Its hard work to start a restaurant/bakery and their stance on the trademark should be kept separate.

Many of the Yelp reviews reference the trademark and not an actual experience at the bakeries. (When this happens, Yelp temporarily disables reviews and later removes ones that arent legitimate.) Kat Lieu, founder of Facebook group Subtle Asian Baking, where outrage over the trademark spread in recent weeks, urged members against leaving dishonest Yelp reviews.

Subtle Asian Baking does not and has never encouraged cancelation culture or any of our members to leave 1-star reviews, Lieu wrote in an email to The Chronicle.

Celeste Noche/Special to The Chronicle 2019

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She started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for businesses that incur costs from renaming or legal fees, and has crowdsourced a national list of small businesses that sell mochi baked goods to encourage support.

The Third Culture controversy also spilled over into a local food-focused Facebook group, Bay Area Eats, where administrators quickly removed divisive posts. Comment threads spiraled into negative sentiments like Asians hating on Asians, said administrator Ken Ko.

Since East Bay resident Vania Chens first bite of a Third Culture mochi muffin in Berkeley in 2019, she became a super-fan. She stopped in to buy several boxes of muffins every few months. She raved about the bakery to friends and out-of-town visitors.

Now, she feels conflicted.

Its the morality of all this, she said. As much as I love their products and sweet employees, I dont think I can bring myself to go back anymore.

This story was updated to include another customer perspective.

Elena Kadvany is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany
No other Bay Area county appeared poised to immediately follow Alameda Countys lead Friday in deciding to reinstate indoor masking mandates amid a rise in new cases.

Starting midnight Friday, masks will be required in most indoor public settings across Alameda County.

And at least for now, the county may stand alone.

Public health officials in eight of the Bay Areas other nine counties who responded to inquires from The Chronicle on Friday stressed they were not planning to reinstate masking mandates, though all strongly recommended masks to protect against infection, especially in higher-risk settings and those who are at highest risk for serious illness.

Most of the counties that responded to The Chronicle either did not disclose what specific measures they would use to make the decision to re-mask, or said the metrics would depend based on the region and their particular concerns.

Representatives from San Mateos health department said they would continue monitoring data about case rates and hospitalizations and evaluate all potential measures for protecting public health. The county was not considering issuing a local health order to require masking in indoor public spaces, the representative said.

Spokespersons from the Marin County public health department said that they were not keen on issuing any new mandates, and suspected any new mandate would come from the state.

They added that the metric they would look closely at would be an extreme rise in hospitalization rates, which they are not seeing. Six people throughout the county are currently hospitalized with COVID-19.

Each surge and each variant brings with it unique characteristics relative to our neighborhoods and communities specific conditions, said a spokesperson for the state health department. Therefore, instead of laying out specific thresholds or triggers, California will continue to evaluate the data quickly and nimbly to determine how to best handle future changes in the behavior of the virus.

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Public health officials in Contra Costa County echoed the same sentiments, and said that while they had no plans to reinstate a masking order, they continue to recommend face coverings and are keeping an eye on hospitalizations as an important metric.

While we are seeing a surge in cases, hospitalizations remain relatively stable at the moment and well below the peaks we saw during earlier waves, a public health spokesperson for Contra Costa County said. By way of comparison, we had 333 hospitalizations at the peak of the original omicron surge in January; we currently have 77 people in the hospital, which our local health system can handle.

Officials in Napa, San Francisco, Santa Clara and Sonoma counties said they had no plans to reinstate masking mandates. Solano County health officials said they would defer to the states guidance.

Annie Vainshtein (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avainshtein@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @annievain
Regarding Principals Use of racial epithet angers (Bay Area & Business, May 27): My first thought as a white person was why should the principal be pilloried for trying to do the right thing. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that for a Black person, the use of the N-word is an epithet unacceptable under any circumstances. Would Principal Carol Fong have used any of our other English four-letter epithets under the same or similar circumstances? Doubtless not.

That said, might it not have been better for the offended parent to have approached Fong directly? She could have explained just how inexcusably offensive that epithet is, even when uttered with the best of intentions, instead of reporting Fong to the school district?

We all still have a lot to learn about racism in this country, and we need to be open to teachable moments from those best in a position to do so, as I am sure Fong would have been.

Michael Wilmar, San Francisco

Burning b ridges

Regarding Pope skips over S.Fs Cordileone for cardinal (Bay Area & Business, May 30): When Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone told The Chronicle last year that he was dubious that Pope Francis allowed President Biden to receive Holy Communion despite Bidens support of abortion rights, I thought to myself, oh boy, not a good career move. It turns out that I was right.

Elizabeth Manning, Novato

Pesticides are a worry

Regarding Judge orders stop to pesticide spraying (Bay Area & Business, June 1): I was dismayed and disappointed to learn that our state may have sprayed harmful pesticides on public and private land in my county, among many others.

Dismayed, because the judge agreed with the plaintiffs that the states 2014 environmental impact report used to authorize the spraying program was seriously inadequate. Not only did the report contain assertions regarding the lack of harm, the use of a statewide report to justify spraying in varying local areas with very diverse environmental impacts makes no sense.

Disappointed, because I like to believe that our state government truly supports the health of our planet. Disappointed, because my hope that California can serve as a proving ground for environmentally responsive projects that are models for other states is undercut by the pesticide programs lack of scientific basis.

As a Contra Costa County resident, I thought that the particulates emitted by local refineries were the major environmental concern to our community. I now know that I need to add pesticide spraying to that list.

Illana Weisman, Walnut Creek

Stanfords savior

Regarding Was Jane Stanford murdered? (Insight, May 29): Its good that two preeminent Stanford University professors, Richard White (Who Killed Jane Stanford?) and the late Dr. Robert Cutler (The Mysterious Death of Jane Stanford) have finally put to rest the myth that persisted for nearly 100 years that Jane Stanford died of heart failure rather than the reality that she died of strychnine poisoning at the hands of someone who literally got away with her murder.

Stanford was so much more than a murder victim.

While she may have made a few enemies, she had and continues to have far more admirers who appreciate her strategic efforts to build and save Stanford University.

Most likely, she was simply too powerful for her own good.

Jane Stanford is having a moment for all the right reasons, and it is long overdue. It is an indisputable fact that Stanford University simply would not exist today had it not been for the life and heroic sacrifices of Jane Lathrop Stanford.
Honey Mahogany is officially seeking election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, setting up a November political showdown against District Six incumbent Matt Dorsey, who was appointed last month by Mayor London Breed.

Mahogany was the chief of staff to former Supervisor Matt Haney, who vacated his seat on the board after winning the April special election for state Assembly. Breed considered appointing Mahogany  at the urging of Haney  but ultimately passed her over in favor of Dorsey, a former San Francisco police spokesperson whom the mayor viewed as a stronger ally on public safety issues.

If Mahogany defeats Dorsey and is elected to a four-year term in November, she would be San Franciscos first transgender supervisor. The district she is hoping to represent includes the South of Market, Mission Bay and Treasure Island neighborhoods. The Tenderloin used to be part of District Six but was recently moved to District Five during the citys contentious redistricting process.

Mahoganys candidacy is no surprise  she said she would run for the seat even if she was not appointed to finish Haneys term. She enters the race with the immediate support of Haney, who plans to urge his supporters to help Mahogany win as well. Mahogany will also benefit from widespread name recognition. Shes well known from her years of political work, her involvement in local nightlife and her 2013 stint on the TV show RuPauls Drag Race, where she rose to prominence as the first contestant from San Francisco.

In an interview, Mahogany, 38, described herself as a practical progressive who wants to bridge the citys political divides. She plans to run as a pro-housing candidate who prioritizes the construction of affordable homes but wants to see new residential development of all types throughout San Francisco. On public safety, she pointed to her past advocacy seeking alternatives to law enforcement  including her support for deploying unarmed Urban Alchemy workers to address street issues.

We as a district have been saying yes to so much, Mahogany told The Chronicle. Weve been saying yes to (shelter-in-place) hotels, weve been saying yes to permanent supportive housing and yes to safe injection sites and sobering centers and all of these things that the city needs. But if were going to do that, then we have to adequately staff our streets.

City records show Dorsey filed papers to run in the November election about two weeks ago. Mahogany filed Wednesday.

Im a big-d Democrat but Im a small-d democrat first, and I think voters are always better served by having competitive elections, Dorsey said. I look forward to making my case for a District Six that is safer, cleaner and more equitable, and I welcome other candidates to share their visions as well.

Some differences between Mahogany and Dorsey are clear. Mahogany, for example, opposes the recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin; Dorsey recently said he supports Boudins removal from office. Dorsey has said he supports the proposed charter amendment backed by Breed that would streamline housing production; Mahogany has not decided whether she supports that measure or an alternative proposal recently introduced by Supervisor Connie Chan.

The way that we produce housing in San Francisco needs to change, Mahogany said. I want to take some time to review those measures and take a good look at them and have conversations with people.

Mahogany said some kind of measure to accelerate development is likely necessary for the city to build the amount of housing that we need.

She started her campaign with a show of political force Thursday, gathering dozens of allies from local politics, organized labor, LGBTQ nightlife and the broader community at the Crossing, a privately run park at Folsom and Main streets where the temporary Transbay terminal was once located.

Mahogany appeared to take a thinly veiled shot at Dorsey during remarks she gave to her supporters.

Here is where I think my opponent and I really differ: I believe that city departments need to do their jobs, she said in her speech. My job as supervisor is to stand up for the people of my district, not to stand up for City Hall insiders or department heads that arent doing their jobs, and certainly  certainly  not to spin excuses for them.

Mahogany said she wanted to begin her campaign at the Crossing because it was surrounded by thousands of units of new housing that she helped bring to fruition while she worked for Haney. Her work on housing was one of the reasons Bilal Mahmood, who unsuccessfully ran for Assembly against Haney, decided to endorse her and attend the launch of her campaign.

It really puts a wedge in the notion that progressives cant be pro-housing, Mahmood told The Chronicle. Breed also considered him for the District Six appointment after Haney won the Assembly race.

Mahogany is a social worker by training and San Francisco native who grew up in the Outer Sunset and went to high school at St. Ignatius College Preparatory. She is currently the chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party and has for several years been a co-owner of the queer bar the Stud, which closed its SoMa location in 2020 but plans to reopen elsewhere someday. Mahogany also co-founded the citys transgender cultural district that spans part of the Tenderloin and SoMa.

Haney told The Chronicle he sees Mahogany as the best candidate to represent District Six because of her track record working in his office. He said she took the lead on budget issues and on Proposition B, the ballot measure Haney backed to split up the Public Works department and create a new city agency dedicated to street cleaning. The ballot measure passed, but the department breakup hasnt been implemented so its too soon to tell whether it will result in cleaner streets.

Mahogany also worked to move District Six homeless residents into hotel rooms when the pandemic started and was Haneys lead staff member on the proposed Stevenson Street housing project at the site of Nordstroms valet parking lot, he said. A majority of the Board of Supervisors shot down the project last year, helping Mahogany see what it looks like when people choose to block, rather than build, housing, Haney said.

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Mahogany said she continues to support building housing on the Stevenson site.

I cant imagine someone more qualified to be a supervisor for a district that has such big challenges, Haney said. District Six needs someone who will get people off the streets and inside, who will build more housing and who will support small businesses. Honey has done all of those things and will be able to deliver for the district.

Haney said his former field director, Han Zou, will help with Mahoganys supervisorial campaign.

I expect that the strong pro-housing, pro-labor, pro-real solutions, not rhetoric coalition that stood with me will stand with Honey. Im already seeing that thats the case, Haney said.

Had Breed appointed Mahogany to the board last month, she would have been able to vote on the mayors recently introduced budget proposal that envisions hiring 220 police officers to fill expected vacancies. The budget plan would also provide retention bonuses to police officers  to the tune of $10.5 million per year  and raise officers entry-level pay.

Mahogany said she is a little dubious the San Francisco Police Department will be able to fill those vacancies, given the current difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff. She said its important to be fiscally responsible when allocating large amounts for police funding. The mayors budget would give the department $708 million next fiscal year, a $50 million increase. Much of the larger budget is because of contractually obligated wage increases, but some is due to new proposed spending to recruit and retain officers.

As supervisor, I am definitely interested in hiring new officers who are ready to get to work and do what we need to do to retain good officers, Mahogany said.

She believes the Police Department needs to be held accountable for reports of officers failing to intervene while crimes are happening, among other concerns.

Their job is to solve crimes. Their job is to keep the public safe, and they havent been doing that, Mahogany said. Crimes are going unsolved. We want to make sure that our officers who are out there on the street are doing what theyre getting paid to do.

J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris
The San Francisco District Attorneys Office, which recently filed a motion to review the life sentence of a man convicted of a rape and attempted murder committed when he was a 17-year-old in 1980, suddenly withdrew the request before a hearing Thursday.

The motion could have led to the resentencing and release of Clyde Jackson because of a California law that passed in 2014 and gives second chances to people serving life sentences for crimes they committed as children or as young adults up to age 25.

Jacksons attorney said she and her client were blindsided by the move.

Mr. Jackson is hearing about it for the very first time on record this morning, said Danielle Harris of the San Francisco Public Defenders Office.

Kasie Lee, head of the district attorneys juvenile unit, didnt offer an explanation during the hearing. Lee said the victim had given her position on Jacksons release in a hearing last week, but the prosecutor didnt disclose the victims opinion.

A district attorneys spokesperson said the office has decided not to explore resentencing for Jackson.

Our offices process for resentencing is to thoroughly review all relevant documents and information and then determine what relief, if any, should be sought. Based on this review, our office does not believe resentencing is appropriate in this case, Rachel Marshall said in an email.

The move by prosecutors comes five days before District Attorney Chesa Boudin faces a recall election, a bruising contest set into motion by opponents who argue he hasnt been tough enough on crime and shows too much leniency. Boudin, for his part, campaigned on a platform of decreasing incarceration and increasing alternatives, such as treatment and diversion programs.

Boudins office doesnt charge children as adults. The rationale is that the brain, including portions that control reasoning and impulsiveness, continues developing into early adulthood.

Jackson, along with three other teens, was convicted of abducting a Golden Gate University student on Oct. 6, 1980, as she walked to her car. The 24-year-old woman testified in the 1981 trial that the group raped her over the course of four hours, shot her twice and tried to run her over.

I was in fear for my life, she testified.

A then-recent change to state law made teenagers eligible for prosecution as adults if they had a record, failed at rehabilitation efforts and the crime was sufficiently grievous.

During deliberations, jurors agonized over convicting the defendants on charges that could send them away for life, according to the San Francisco Examiner. Some jurors cried. Others screamed. At one point, they asked a bailiff to take the group on a walk to cool down.

Some (jurors) thought the defendants were not totally responsible because of society, their families and their backgrounds, one juror said after the trial. All four were Black teens who lived in the Sunnydale public housing development.

In the end, the jury convicted the four on 50 of 52 counts.

Jason Williams, associate professor of justice studies at Montclair State University in New Jersey, said such cases present a complex challenge because a person may have caused great harm but then no longer be dangerous.

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He said research has consistently shown that people are less prone to crime the older they get, particularly during long periods of imprisonment. Many of them have had time to actually think through the harms that they pose as well as become better person, he said.

In 2017, one co-defendant in this case, Michael Brown, who was said by his lawyers to be intellectually disabled, was paroled due to legislation requiring the board to give special consideration to people who were underage when their crime occurred.

Many cases across the state are resentenced without much notice, but Browns release was opposed in 2017 by both Gov. Jerry Brown and Boudins processor George Gascon.

The victim experienced a night of horrors at the hands of Mr. Brown and his co-defendants, the then-governor wrote in a letter opposing Michael Browns release. Im not convinced Mr. Brown has confronted how he came to commit such a heinous crime.

Gascon said the man could endanger the public, but parole officials stuck to their decision, allowing Michael Browns release.

Co-defendants Larry Shepard, who was 17 at the time of the crime, went up for parole this March but was denied for at least three years, according to state prison records. Damont Miller, who was 16, has a parole suitability hearing on June 22.

Judge Roger Chan set a June 23 hearing for argument over the states request to withdraw the motion for Jacksons resentencing.

Joshua Sharpe is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: joshua.sharpe@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joshuawsharpe
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The best way for government officials to avoid confusion and skepticism about their work is to be transparent about what they are doing.

Thats not whats happened at the Tenderloin Center  formerly known as the Linkage Center  in United Nations Plaza since Mayor London Breed hastily opened the service facility in January as part of her pledged crackdown on crime and drugs in the Tenderloin. The center, obscured behind tents and a tarp-covered fence, provides basic needs including showers and food, while aiming to connect people to services and housing.

On Thursday, after months of requests, Breeds Department of Public Health finally flung open the centers doors to members of the media  sort of. It provided a brief tour, but only before the facility opened to guests.

So journalists could see the offices, furniture, computers and harm reduction supplies, but they were unable to observe any interactions between staff and people in need.

And thats too bad, because a lot of good work appears to be happening inside the Tenderloin Center. City officials and nonprofit workers should be proud of what the center is trying to accomplish instead of secretive about it.

They should also understand that the public demands accountability over how money is spent dealing with the citys most crucial and high-profile challenges and whether the city is successfully connecting people to long-term care.

The center, which seems to be staffed by well-intentioned people offering valuable help, is not the problem. The problem is Breed, the police and the rest of city government providing an inadequate response to the miserable street conditions prompting so many people to need the center in the first place.

As I interviewed staff outside the center Thursday after the brief tour, a barefoot, filthy woman hustled down the sidewalk, sobbing. Another woman screamed threats at the top of her lungs. Drug dealing, fencing of stolen goods and fentanyl smoking went on as usual in the plaza as people rushing to work tried to ignore the devastation.

Heres what I can tell you: The center is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day  except Thursday, when it doesnt open until 11 a.m. for staff meetings. Visitors enter on Market Street, where they briefly check in at a front table, telling a staff member their preferred name, what theyre seeking and whether theyre housed.

They can leave their belongings safely monitored and then visit the rest of the building, no questions asked. They can eat healthy food, do laundry, take showers and talk to counselors.

Theres a row of offices where city staff can connect people to housing and treatment, as well as contact their probation or parole officers. Theres also a living room with couches, art supplies and computers.

Outside, in a patio surrounded by tarp-covered fencing and covered in tents, sits an area thats garnered controversy: a circle of plastic chairs where people can use drugs, as well as 10 plastic tables where people can inject drugs. Boxes for the safe disposal of needles sit on the tables, and a cart full of harm reduction supplies rests to the side.

When the center opened, the city didnt share publicly that there would be a drug-use area. It was only discovered when Michael Shellenberger, an author-turned-gubernatorial candidate who has criticized the center, jumped the fence and spread the word.

City officials would have been far smarter to follow the lead of New York City and open a real supervised consumption site indoors and in a clinical setting. At the sites in New York, the first two in the country, journalists, neighbors and others can tour the sites and talk to anyone whos willing to share their stories.

After all, saving lives is something to be proud of  not something to be hidden away. The Tenderloin Center, too, is saving lives  and reports reversing scores of overdoses, which is essential in a city that sees a body or two taken to the morgue every day, struck down by drugs.

Donna Hilliard, executive director of Code Tenderloin, one of the nonprofits staffing the Tenderloin Center, said city officials should be more open with the media and the public about whats going on at the center. She said shes frustrated by the secrecy and wished the media could see the center when its open and serving guests.

Asked why its taken city officials so long to grant such a limited tour, she said, I dont know, but its been driving me crazy! Just let them in! Then theyll see whats going on.

So what is going on? As Hilliard described it, a lot of heart-breaking, yet essential, work.

She said about 500 people use the center each day, many of them staying for several hours. She described the patio as loud, but not chaotic, and a place where people can discard shame about their drug use and form connections with staff who can help them.

Shes seen people of all ages and races use the space, as well as veterans, seniors, disabled people and women who are victims of human trafficking. She said that in a city with far too few treatment beds, emergency room doctors are releasing people with mental health issues and drug addictions to the center in hospital gowns and bracelets.

She said shes seen women arrive at the center naked after being raped on the streets or fleeing their pimps. Others show up in extreme distress after not sleeping or eating for days.

While Hilliard doesnt have a problem with the fact that people are using fentanyl, heroin, meth and crack cocaine on the patio, she said she doesnt understand why city officials take such a hands-off approach to the open-air drug markets dotting the area, with dealers occupying corners 24/7.

You can travel anywhere else in the world, and you dont see it like you see it in San Francisco, she said. Its crazy.

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While its easy for fentanyl dealers to prey on people with addictions, its much harder to connect people to help. In the centers first five months, more than 49,000 visits have taken place, but there have been just 53 connections to substance-use treatment. And just 21 connections to mental health services. Its unclear if theres overlap in those groups.

Services include methadone treatment, psychiatric care, therapy, crisis stabilization beds and other forms of help, said Alison Hawkes, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Health. The center doesnt track whether the connections are successful and long-term.

The center has also made 900 placements into shelters and 150 placements into permanent supportive housing, said Emily Cohen, a spokesperson for the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. That doesnt mean 1,150 people have received beds, Cohen pointed out, since some people might get multiple short-term shelter placements in the course of five months or receive a shelter bed and then a permanent room.

Almost all of the visitors have received basic necessities like food, showers, laundry and a place to rest.

Also squishy is just how much this center costs. The Chronicle has tried for weeks to nail down an exact figure, but even the city controllers office hasnt been able to definitively provide one. On Thursday, Hawkes said the mayors new budget includes $10.6 million to fund the center for the second half of this year. Its still unclear how much the first six months cost.

Supervisor Hillary Ronen, chair of the boards budget committee, said the board has approved a $75,000 monthly lease on the space through the end of 2022, but hasnt yet approved funding the services. She said shes glad so many people are accessing basic services, but she hasnt yet seen proof that will lead to long-term help for drug addictions and mental illness.

She said shes worried the money and attention has been pulled from Mental Health SF, legislation passed three years ago to reform the citys broken mental health care system that included a far more robust treatment center. That center still doesnt exist.

I feel like we have a problem in this city that we dont just create a vision and stick with it and fully implement it, she said. Were constantly changing directions.

Krista Gaeta, interim director of the center, said it takes time to build relationships to move beyond providing meals and showers to something more life-changing. But she thinks the Tenderloin Center will get there.

Its about giving people hope theres something on the other side, she said.

I could see hope inside the center. Its the despair on the other side  past the tarp-covered fence  that needs fixing.

Heather Knight is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf
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An old maxim of mountaineering goes like this: Getting to the summit is optional, getting down is mandatory. Its a mantra of self-preservation, a reminder that bagging a peak isnt worth risking your health or jeopardizing the safety of your fellow climbers.

Two weeks ago on Mount Shasta, one of my climbing mates, a 50-something ultrarunner from Texas, recited the saying as I rested on a rock in the afternoon sun and stared across a snowy expanse at Shastas rocky summit pinnacle. We were about 14,000 feet above sea level, and I was wrestling with a debilitating hollowness in my stomach.

By then, the five in our climbing party  four novice mountaineers and our guide  had spent nine hours slogging about 5,000 vertical feet from the base of the steep West Face. We paused to regroup atop Misery Hill, a mile-long, morale-busting slope high on the mountain near Shastas summit, for our final push. Another two climbers in our party, a husband and wife from Reno, had turned back with our other guide several hours earlier after one had experienced a bad bout of altitude sickness.

We acclimatized at our 9,200-foot-high base camp in Hidden Valley for most of a day before beginning our climb. Id felt strong and steady on the ascent until Misery Hill. But there some new force fastened around my insides, causing me to double over several times on the hills brutal switchbacks, feeling empty and fatigued.

Gregory Thomas / The Chronicle

As the other climbers shed their packs for the last short pitch, I doubted whether Id have the energy to descend safely after summiting. Shasta sees its share of search-and-rescues and helicopter evacuations every season, and theres also about one fatality there a year. This was the highest Id ever climbed, and the last thing I wanted was to burden or endanger another person with my own poor judgment.

Our guide, Sam Kieckhefer, stood over me to check in, as he had several times on Misery Hill. He surmised I might be exhibiting a symptom of acute mountain sickness, a common high-altitude ailment marked by headache, dizziness, muscle aches and nausea.

I told him I was thinking about staying back to rally for the descent. He was supportive. We both felt confident Id be fine on my own for the half hour itd take for him to lead the other three climbers to the summit and back. Wed be in sight of each other the whole time.

Sam handed me a sack of snacks to munch on in hopes of regaining my energy while I waited. I wished the other climbers good luck and watched them march off toward the summit pile while I sat on my rock, spent.

Oddly, I wasnt disappointed.

Summit fever, as its known, refers to an exhilarating form of tunnel vision that can overcome climbers determined to score a conquest in head-swirling altitude. It affects mountaineers everywhere but can be especially pronounced in paying clients who feel entitled to a trophy for their trouble.

When youre a customer, there can be this mentality of weve paid for this summit, Sam said. Thats something were constantly trying to combat because these trips are about experiencing the mountains. We dont guarantee a summit.

Before a trip, guide companies are careful about preparing clients psychologically for a possible letdown on summit day. Variables like inclement weather, high winds and altitude sickness come with the territory, and guides are entrusted with making difficult calls to keep climbers safe  sometimes in emotionally charged situations.

Theres a weird dynamic in climbing culture: The things we celebrate are summits. But turning around in the mountains is honorable, Sam said.

Provided by Gregory Thomas/The Chronicle

Honor wasnt the sensation coursing through me as I watched Sam and my fellow climbers head to the top while I curled up weakly on my rock.

I knew I was displaying good sense in hanging back to gather myself. I felt something like pride or satisfaction knowing that I wasnt holding my fellow climbers back from their shared goal  that my compromise wouldnt be theirs, too.

I thought about my wife and 2-year-old daughter at home, whom Id missed intensely even after just a couple of days away, and felt secure in my obligation to them by not pushing my limits any further. I was a stones throw from the mountaintop, and that felt like enough.

Self care was the theme of my little respite, and I spent my half hour on the rock fortifying my body for the trip back to base camp. First, I patched up a pair of blisters that had started to form on my heels  not a quick fix when you have brittle fingers and need to remove gaiters and crampons.

Next, I forced down small bites of cheese, nuts and chocolate. But the food just made me feel nauseated.

Lastly, I laid back and tried to relax.

Wed been alone on our ascent up the West Face. But a constant stream of climbers from the more popular Avalanche Gulch route nearby funneled up Misery Hill, and I was never alone on the rock. Later, Sam told me hed kept constant watch of me from a distance to make sure I wasnt behaving strangely or in need of help.

Gregory Thomas/The Chronicle

I feel certain I could have achieved Shastas summit if it were the most important thing to me that day. But it wasnt.

Another maxim that pinged around my mind during this climb comes from long-distance backpacking: Hike your own hike. Its a reminder to be true and accountable to yourself, to go at your own pace and keep sight of your personal margins, especially in circumstances youre not accustomed to.

Sam had assured me that Id start feeling better as soon as we started descending, which I couldnt imagine at the time. But about halfway down Misery Hill, my energy began to return.

The warm afternoon sun had baked the crusty West Face into a giant plain of sticky snow, and after booting our way down the first thousand feet, the four of us sat on our butts, leaned back and glissaded, or performed a controlled slide, single-file most of the way back to camp, carving a deep luge in the mountainside. The distance it had taken us nine hours to climb we covered in less than three on the way down.

The next morning, our group packed up camp and hiked the few miles back to the trailhead, loaded up our cars and exchanged goodbyes. Driving away, I called my wife and daughter to tell them I was coming home, that Id had an unforgettable mountain experience.

I have no regrets about my decision. But during the five-hour drive back to San Francisco I couldnt escape feeling like Id passed up an incredible opportunity, even though I knew Id made the right decision.

I texted Sam, Cant believe I gave up (on) the summit. He replied gamefully: Were going back!!!

Thats the thing about the mountains: Theyll be there, whenever were ready for them.

Gregory Thomas is The Chronicles editor of lifestyle & outdoors. Email: gthomas@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @GregRThomas
As Californias fire seasons have grown more devastating, a once-obscure term  red-flag warning  has become a frighteningly regular part of the Northern California vernacular, particularly in the late summer and early fall.

The National Weather Service issues red-flag warnings when meteorologists believe that forecast weather conditions are ripe to turn a small fire, even a spark, into one of the fast-spreading conflagrations that have become all too familiar in Northern California.

Red-flag warnings are most common in the fall, when vegetation has had a full summer to bake in the sun and the winds tend to shift to an offshore direction and become gusty  a condition thats become known in Northern California as Diablo winds.

But this spring, after months of negligible rainfall, the National Weather Service in Sacramento issued a record number of unusually early red-flag warnings  signifying extreme fire danger  for a wide swath of Northern California, including a corner of the Bay Area.

California and the rest of the West and much of the country are experiencing more critical fire weather days, said Daniel Swain, a UCLA climate scientist. And the early red-flag warnings are an example of that.

The Sacramento office of the National Weather Service, which covers the Sacramento Valley, the northern San Joaquin Valley, the western slope of the Sierra Nevada and Solano County, issued the earliest spring red-flag warning on record in April. In May, three red-flag warnings  the most in at least 16 years  were issued.

The early warnings dont necessarily indicate that a record number of red-flag alerts will continue through this summer and fall. But meteorologists say the hot, dry and windy weather means grasses, brush and other vegetation are prematurely parched even before the state enters the typically rainless days of summer.

I do think its a portent of what may prove to be a very bad fire season in California, Swain said. And I dont even know what a bad fire season even means anymore, with every fire season being worse than the one before. Were in this new fire regime.

The National Weather Service has guidelines for issuing red-flag warnings, and theyre primarily driven by high winds and low humidity. Winds provide a fire with oxygen, causing it to burn more rapidly, dry out vegetation and carry embers, spreading the fire. Low humidity sucks water reserves from vegetation, making it easier to burn.

Also part of the equation are high temperatures, which further strip grasses, brush and other fuels of moisture and exhaust firefighters.

But the threshold for declaring red-flag warnings varies by location, Swain said, making it an imperfect tool for measuring increasing fire risk. So does the human factor  the role that the judgment of meteorologists plays in deciding if a red-flag warning is warranted.

Thats a metric that is very people-driven, said Jan Null, a veteran Bay Area meteorologist who runs Golden Gate Weather Services. An individual is looking at this broad range of parameters, mainly wind and relative humidity, and decides whether to issue a warning.

While some wildfires can be beneficial and reduce the chance that future blazes ignite, many turn disastrous when dry, built-up vegetation ignites and burns hot and fast, spreading into towns and destroying communities.

Given the growth in such dangerous wildfires, fires and fire weather are getting a lot more attention, Swain said, and that may result in more warnings.

Thirty years ago, there was not so much concentration on fire weather, he said. Now, in this era of increased fire dangers and fire catastrophes and everyone paying attention, its a big focus of their work.

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At the same time interest is rising, Swain said, so is fire danger in the Western U.S. He cites a recent analysis from Climate Central, a nonprofit climate science news organization, that looks not at red-flag warnings but at wind, humidity and temperature.

The organization analyzed data from 225 sites in 17 Western states back to 1973 and found that parts of California are experiencing twice as many dangerously hot, dry and windy days as they were in the early 1970s.

While the early red-flag warnings may not presage a summer full of them, they are a sign that vegetation is drying out a month or more ahead of schedule. So is the spate of smaller early-season fires, including this weeks Old Fire in Napa County, said Warren Blier, science officer for the National Weather Services Bay Area office in Monterey.

Its certainly a fire weather season of concern, he said, That concern is highlighted by these unusual early red-flag warnings and some of those smaller fires weve already seen. With such a record dry period in terms of precipitation so far, things are drying out fast. There really hasnt been much rain in a long time.

Scientists and meteorologists are considering and experimenting with expanding the red-flag system to add a level that warns of extreme fire danger when wind and humidity forecasts are particularly grievous and vegetation is bone-dry  a change that Swain said he would support. But Null worries that it could cause people to disregard normal red-flag warnings.

But regardless of the warnings, Null said, Californians need to be on alert for a dry and dangerous fire season.

Things are dry, he said. We dont need a red flag for there to be fires.

Michael Cabanatuan (he/him) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
SFUSD schools like Everett Middle School benefitted from a $4.5 million federal grant, but academic performance dropped after the funding dried up. A new charter amendment on the November ballot aims to avoid the rapid rise and fall that comes with short-term school funding.
The Goddess of Democracy in Portsmouth Square in Chinatown is a 10ft tall bronze statue with granite base built in 1994 by sculptor Thomas Marsh. It is a replica of the original Goddess of Democracy statue, which was made of foam and paper mache during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 where many lost their lives under a Chinese military crackdown.
FILE - A sign advises shoppers to wear masks outside of a store Monday, July 19, 2021, in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles.
A Chevron in the coastal village of Mendocino was charging $9.60 a gallon for regular on Friday afternoon. That's more than $3 a gallon above the state average of $6.25, according to AAA.

Judy Schlafer owns Schlafers Auto Body & Repair in Mendocino and said her last load of 8,880 gallons of gas, which has to be paid off in 10 days, cost about $50,000. Three months ago, she said she paid about $20,000 less for the same size load. Schlafer said that if she didn't charge $9.60, she'd be out of business.

"Im going to be lucky if I make the year with all the fees, the regulation, the payroll fees," she said. "If it continues the way it is, Mendocino wont have a gas station next year."

Schlafers is the only station in the picturesque town that's popular with tourists, and it has gotten a lot of attention for its high prices amid soaring gas prices across the country in the past year. The station repeatedly gets called the most expensive gas in the country in the media.

Schlafer doesn't believe this and said gas is just as expensive in other places.

SFGATE called some stations in remote areas such as Mono County and Big Sur and couldn't find anything more expensive than Mendocino.

"Without much of a doubt it's the most expensive gas in the country," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at Gas Buddy.

The cost of crude oil drives prices at the pump. Supply is currently limited and this means high prices. The supply issues started in the COVID-19 pandemic when demand for oil plummeted. Demand quickly rebounded, but production and supply are struggling to keep up.

"Refinery capacity has diminished due to COVID," De Haan said. "We don't have as much ability to refine as much fuel as the market is consuming. Prices continue to climb, it's absolutely amazing to see how high prices currently are."

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also impacted the price of crude oil as the U.S. and other countries imposed sanctions on Russia, removing millions of barrels from the global supply.

The average price of gas in California is $2 more than what it was a year ago. In the past week alone, the average price of gas in California went up about 17 cents a gallon.

"Prices continue to go up," De Haan said. "I don't know when they will go down."
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KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  On Ukraines battlefields, the simple act of powering up a cellphone can beckon a rain of deathly skyfall. Artillery radar and remote controls for unmanned aerial vehicles may also invite fiery shrapnel showers.

This is electronic warfare, a critical but largely invisible aspect of Russias war against Ukraine. Military commanders largely shun discussing it, fearing theyll jeopardize operations by revealing secrets.

Electronic warfare technology targets communications, navigation and guidance systems to locate, blind and deceive the enemy  and direct lethal blows. It is used against artillery, fighter jets, cruise missiles, drones and more. Militaries also use it to protect their forces.

Its an area where Russia was thought to have a clear advantage going into the war. Yet, for reasons not entirely clear, its much-touted electronic warfare prowess was barely seen in the wars early stages in the chaotic failure to seize Ukraine's capital, Kyiv.

It has become far more of a factor in the current fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine, where shorter, easier-to-defend supply lines let Russia move electronic warfare gear closer to the battlefield.

A Ukrainian intelligence official called the Russian threat pretty severe when it comes to disrupting reconnaissance efforts and commanders communications with troops. Russian jamming of GPS receivers on drones that Ukraine uses to locate the enemy and direct artillery fire is particularly intense on the line of contact, he said.

Ukraine has had some success countering Russias electronic onslaught. It has captured important hardware  a significant intelligence coup  and destroyed at least two multi-vehicle mobile electronic warfare units.

Ukraine's own electronic warfare capability is hard to assess. Analysts say it has markedly improved since Russia seized Crimea and instigated a separatist revolt in eastern Ukraine in 2014. Ukraine has also made effective use of technology and intelligence from the United States and other NATO members, helping it sink the battle cruiser Moskva. Allied satellites and surveillance aircraft help from nearby skies, as does Elon Musks Starlink satellite communications network.

Electronic war has three basic elements: probe, attack and protect. First, intelligence is gathered by locating enemy electronic signals. On attack, white noise jamming disables and degrades enemy systems, including radio and cellphone communications, air defense and artillery radars. Then there is spoofing, which confuses and deceives. When it works, munitions miss their targets.

Operating on a modern battlefield without data is really hard, said retired Col. Laurie Buckhout, a former U.S. Army electronic warfare chief. Jamming can blind and deafen an aircraft very quickly and very dangerously, especially if you lose GPS and radar and youre a jet flying at 600 miles an hour.

All of which explains the secrecy around electronic warfare.

It is an incredibly classified field because it is highly dependent on evolving, bleeding-edge technologies where gains can be copied and erased very quickly, said James Stidham, a communications security expert who has consulted for the U.S. State and Homeland Security departments.

Ukraine learned hard lessons about electronic warfare in 2014 and 2015, when Russia overwhelmed its forces with it. The Russians knocked drones out of the sky and disabled warheads, penetrated cellphone networks for psychological ops and zeroed in on Ukrainian armor.

One Ukrainian officer told Christian Brose, an aide to the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., how Russian info warriors tricked a commander into returning a wireless call from his mother. When he did, they geolocated him in mid-call and killed him with precision rockets, Brose wrote in the book The Kill Chain.

In the current war, electronic warfare has become a furious theater of contention.

Russia has engaged in GPS jamming in areas from Finland to the Black Sea. A regional Finnish carrier had to cancel flights on one route for a week as a result. Russian jamming has also disrupted Ukrainian TV broadcasting, said Frank Backes, an executive with California-based Kratos Defense, which has satellite ground stations in the region.

Yet in the wars early days, Russias use of electronic warfare was less effective and extensive than anticipated. That may have contributed to its failure to destroy enough radar and anti-aircraft units to gain air superiority. Some analysts believe Russian commanders held back units fearing the units would be captured. At least two were seized.

Russian commanders may have also limited the use of electronic warfare early in the conflict out of concern ill-trained or poorly motivated technicians might operate it poorly.

What were learning now is that the Russians eventually turned it off because it was interfering with their own communications so much, said retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, a former U.S. Army commander for Europe. The problems were evident with many Russian troops talking on insecure open radio channels, easily monitored by outsiders.

Russias Defense Ministry did not respond to questions for this article.

Its unclear how much of an edge its electronic assets may now offer. Ukraines forces are now more concentrated, which could make them easier to target.

Much depends on whether Russias battalion tactical groups are configured in reality as they are on paper, said James Rands, of the Janes military intelligence think tank. Each group is supposed to have an electronic warfare unit. The Pentagon says 110 groups are in Ukraine.

The Kremlin also claims to have more than 1,000 small, versatile Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles it uses for reconnaissance, targeting, jamming and cellphone interception.

The U.S. and Britain are providing jamming gear. How much it helps is unclear. Neither country has offered details.

Musk's Starlink is a proven asset. Its more than 2,200 low-orbiting satellites provide broadband internet to more than 150,000 Ukrainian ground stations. Severing those connections is a challenge for Russia. It is far more difficult to jam low-earth orbiting satellites than geostationary ones.

Musk has won plaudits for at least temporarily defeating Russian jamming of those ground stations with a quick software fix. But he has warned Ukrainians to power them down when possible  they are vulnerable to geolocation  and worried on Twitter about redoubled Russian interference efforts.

___

Bajak reported from Boston. AP correspondent Lolita C. Baldor contributed from Washington.
Sheryl Sandberg is leaving her position as chief operating officer at Facebook parent company Meta.

Serving as second in command to the social media giant's co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg since early 2008, Sandberg has helped transform Facebook from pure social media site into an advertising behemoth over the years. Recently rebranded as Meta, the company is increasingly ramping up its efforts to enter the metaverse, and it remains one of the biggest players in tech today.

Related: Facebook Officially Changes Its Name to Meta

In the fall, Javier Olivan, the company's chief growth officer, will assume the role of COO.

Why is Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg stepping down?

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Sandberg said that she'd only planned to be at the company for about five years, though she ended up there for 14 years.

She told the Times that her departure from Meta will allow her to focus on her personal philanthropy and her foundation, Lean In, and that she plans to marry television producer Tom Bernthal.

Two of Sandberg's employees told the outlet that the decision to leave the company was her own, and that she called Zuckerberg over the weekend to inform him of it.

In a Facebook post, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote, "Sheryl architected our ads business, hired great people, forged our management culture, and taught me how to run a company," adding that her departure marked "the end of an era."

Sandberg will continue to serve on Meta's board.

Related: The House Where Mark Zuckerberg Created Facebook (Now Meta) Just Hit the Market for Millions

What is Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg's net worth and how did she make her money?

Sandberg received her AB at Harvard University and her MBA from Harvard Business School. She went on to serve as chief of staff to Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers under President Bill Clinton, and she built a reputation for herself in Silicon Valley by helping Google expand its targeted ads business.

At Facebook, Sandberg helped develop the social media giant's advertising formats for desktop computers and, ultimately, built out the company's mobile advertising strategy.

In 2013, Sandberg published feminist book Lean In, a guide for working women, and in 2017, she co-published Option B, with Wharton professor Adam Grant. Option B explores the aftermath of the sudden death of her husband Dave Goldberg in 2015.

Per Forbes, Sandberg has a net worth of $1.6 billion.

Related: 21 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Sheryl Sandberg

Who is Sheryl Sandberg's fiance Tom Bernthal and what does he do?

Sandberg has been married twice before, to businessman Brian Kraff from 1993-1994 and to businessman Dave Goldberg from 2004-2015, with whom she had two children.

Sandberg was introduced to Bernthal by her brother in law Rob Goldberg in 2019. During the pandemic, Bernthal and his three children moved from Southern California to Sandberg's Silicon Valley home.

In a Facebook post announcing her departure from the company, Sandberg noted that while she's not entirely certain what her post-Meta future holds, she and Bernthal will get married this summer and parent their five children together.

Related: Sheryl Sandberg, Lean In 2.0 and Corporate Gender Bias

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We have our first (and likely only) poll of California voters ahead of the June 7 primary election, and it's great news for Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Alex Padilla and Attorney General Rob Bonta, the three incumbents in the state's three most high-profile races.

Under California's primary rules, the top two vote-getters regardless of political party will advance to the general election. Newsom will undoubtedly finish first in the governor's race, so the only remaining question is whether his November opponent will be Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle, endorsed by the state GOP, or author Michael Shellenberger, a no-party-preference candidate.

As we wrote earlier this week, if Dahle advances, the general election will likely not be competitive no matter how large the "red wave" is nationally. Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 in California, and the national Republican Party is toxic to most California Democrats. In the last major red wave year (2010), former Gov. Jerry Brown easily defeated Republican Meg Whitman in the general election, and California has only gotten more Democratic in the time since.

Newsom so clearly prefers to run against Dahle he's running ads boosting Dahle's name recognition, and the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll showed the governor has a good chance of getting his wish of running against the Republican. The poll found Newsom leading the pack with support from a whopping 50% of survey respondents, Dahle in second place with 10% support and Shellenberger in third with 5% support. Nineteen percent of respondents backed other candidates on the ballot with none having more than 3% support. Sixteen percent of respondents said they were undecided.

If the poll's findings are accurate, Shellenberger will need to win a large portion of remaining undecided voters if he wants to advance. The poll found that 9% of Democrats, 24% of Republicans and 16% of independents were undecided, so that's the well Shellenberger must draw from.

Dahle likely advancing wasn't the only good news for Newsom. While Shellenberger  without the albatross of an "R" next to his name on the ballot  makes him a more challenging opponent for Newsom than Dahle would be, the poll suggests Newsom may not need to sweat the author too much.

The poll found that Newsom has support from 83% of California Democrats and 46% of independents. If Shellenberger wants to dethrone Newsom, he'll need to drive both of those figures down. It's not an impossible task for Shellenberger, but Newsom is clearly popular among most California Democrats and will have a massive fundraising advantage over whomever his general election opponent may be.

In addition to the governor's race, the poll brought great news for Padilla in the Senate race and Bonta in the attorney general's race.

The poll found that Padilla will likely square off against Republican Mark Meuser in the the general election. For the same reasons Newsom is all-but-assured to wallop Dahle, Padilla is all-but-assured to wallop Meuser.

In the attorney general's race, Bonta's supporters have been running ads boosting pro-Trump Republican Eric Early, and it looks like that strategy will be successful. Bonta leads with 46% support and is followed by Early at 16% support, CAGOP-endorsed Nathan Hochman at 12% and no-party-preference candidate Anne Marie Schubert at 6%.

Schubert, the well-funded Sacramento County district attorney, could have been a formidable opponent for Bonta given poll numbers showing voter dissatisfaction with crime.

You can read the full poll findings from the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies.
More than 2 million votes have already been cast in the run-up to Californias primary election on Tuesday, but county elections officials are anticipating millions more will need to be counted before the election is officially certified in the coming weeks.

SFGATE reached out to California's 12 most populous counties  Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Clara, Alameda, Sacramento, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kern and San Francisco  and asked how election administrators will count and report ballots. Riverside was the only county that did not respond to repeated inquiries.

Based on the answers we received, whether voters have a good idea of who is advancing to the general election largely depends on how many ballots arrive on or after Election Day. Turnout numbers so far indicate there may be more late-arriving ballots than normal.

Here's what each county said about how it will be counting votes, ordered by population after San Francisco. We listed San Francisco first not because we at SFGATE have a San Francisco bias, but because San Francisco's Chesa Boudin recall election is of national interest and some readers may want it listed first.

San Francisco

San Francisco will release its first batch of results at 8:45 p.m. That batch will contain all mail ballots received before Election Day.

The county will post a second batch at 9:45 p.m. That batch will contain some of the votes cast in-person at polling places. Another batch of such results will be released at 10:45 p.m. That will be the last batch released until all polling places have reported, at which time the county will release a final summary report.

From there, the county will update results every day at 4 p.m. until there are no more votes left to tabulate.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles will release its first batch of results around 8:15 p.m. That batch will contain results for all mail ballots received before June 7. A second batch released around 8:30 p.m. will contain all in-person votes cast at voting centers during the countys 10-day early voting period.

From there, a spokesperson said roughly two batches of Election Day in-person votes will be released every hour until all votes are counted. The spokesperson said that may conclude as late as 3 a.m. Wednesday.

As for mail ballots received after June 7, the county will release updated results every Tuesday and Friday around 4 p.m. until all votes in the county have been tabulated.

San Diego

San Diego said its first update will contain both mail ballots and early in-person votes, and will be released shortly after polls close on election night.

For Election Day in-person votes, officials said those ballots must be driven in from 228 voting locations across the county, so they might not appear in results updates until early Wednesday morning.

Mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, as well as provisional ballots, will be counted afterward.

Orange

The first update from Orange County will come at 8:05 p.m. That update will contain all mail-in ballots received through 12 p.m. on June 7.

The second will come at 9:30 p.m., and will contain the first batch of in-person results from the states early voting period as well as in-person Election Day votes. Another batch of in-person vote results will be released at 10 p.m., and the final batch of in-person results released on election night will come at 10:30 p.m.

From there, elections officials will update results every week day at 5 p.m. until there are no more votes left to count. Those results will contain more in-person votes, as well as mail-in ballots that came in after 12 p.m. on June 7.

San Bernardino

San Bernadino has begun already counting all mail ballots received between May 9 and May 31. Those figures will be posted at 8:30 p.m. on election night.

From there, results from in-person votes cast on Election Day will be posted every two hours until all regular ballots cast at polling places have been counted, a county spokesperson said in an email.

Although the first release of unofficial election results will include the majority of mail ballots received prior to Election Day, the [county] traditionally receives a significant portion of its voted mail ballots on Election Day, the spokesperson said. We will continue to process and count additional ballots in the weeks following the election with regular updates of election results posted on our website.

Santa Clara

Santa Clara will begin posting election results at 8:01 p.m. on June 7. From there, they will post results in regular 45-minute intervals until 12:30 a.m. Wednesday at the latest. Those results will be a mix of mail ballots and in-person votes cast on Election Day.

From there, the county will post more results each day at 5 p.m. until there are no more votes left to tabulate.

Alameda

Alameda plans to release results for all mail ballots received before June 7 right at 8 p.m. on election night.

We will continue hourly as votes are available until all Election Day votes are processed, a spokesperson said in an email. We will assess the remaining votes received to develop a plan for posting the remaining votes in the days following Election Day.

Sacramento

Sacramento started the tabulation process of mail ballots after the write-in candidate list was finalized. Elections officials expect the vast majority of ballots to come through the mail, as Election Day in-person voting is typically very limited in Sacramento County. Officials estimate that just 6% of votes are cast in-person at voting centers.

That means any results posted shortly after polls close on June 7 likely wont change much as in-person votes are counted in the following days.

Contra Costa

Contra Costa will release its first batch of results just after polls close on June 7. That batch will contain all mail ballots cast before June 3, as well as all early in-person votes cast before June 6.

From there, the county will release results in regular 30-minute intervals until all mail ballots and in-person votes received on or before June 7 are counted. A spokesperson for the county elections office expects the final batch of results to be posted around midnight.

Just like other counties, Contra Costa will tabulate all mail ballots received after June 7 and will post those results at 5 p.m. each day until there are no more votes to count.

Fresno

Fresno began tabulating mail ballots on May 23. A county spokesperson said elections officials expect to receive 40% of all votes cast in this election on June 7, and hope to have 60% of the election results tabulated and released by the end of that day.

Results for the remaining 40% of ballots will be released in the following days.

Kern

A spokesperson for Kern County said mail ballots account for roughly 40% of all votes in their elections, and officials expect about half of those ballots to be dropped off on Election Day. County staff wont begin counting those ballots until June 8.

That means the county hopes to have roughly 80% of all results tabulated by the end of election night.
MARSEILLE, France (AP)  A permanent virtual exhibit of one of Frances most famous prehistoric sites, the undersea Cosquer Cave, is set to open its doors as concerns grow that it could be completely inundated as a result of rising tides driven by climate change.

As of Saturday, visitors to the port city of Marseille will be able to see the Cosquer Mediterranee, a replica of the over 30,000-year old site. The visual and audio experience features copies of the prehistoric paintings that made the cave internationally famous.
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LOS ANGELES (AP)  Jennifer Lopez will be honored for her film and television achievements at the MTV Movie & TV Awards.

The network announced Friday that Lopez will receive the Generation Award on Sunday in Santa Monica, California. The award celebrates actors whose diverse contributions in both film and television have turned them into household names.

Previous recipients include Scarlett Johansson, Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Tom Cruise, Sandra Bullock, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Pratt, Will Smith and Reese Witherspoon.

Jennifer embodies everything about the Generation Award, executive producers Wendy Plaut and Vanessa WhiteWolf said in a statement. As a woman who does it all  in the acting, singing, dancing, producing, fashion and beauty realms  Jennifer Lopez is a timeless icon whos made a lasting impact on film, TV, music and culture.

Lopez's first breakthrough came as a dancer on the 1990s sketch comedy series In Living Color. She pursued an acting career and landed a leading role in Selena in 1997. She would go on to appear in such films including Anaconda, Out of Sight, The Wedding Planner, Hustlers and her latest, Marry Me.

The 52-year-old actor will release a new Netflix documentary called Halftime on June 14. The project focuses on the second half of her career and she reflects on her milestones and evolution as an artist.

As a singer, Lopez has had success on the pop and Latin charts with multiple hit songs and albums. She released her multi-hit debut On the 6 in 1999 and topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart with songs like If You Had My Love, All I Have and the remixes of Im Real and Aint It Funny.

And in 2020, Lopez performed during the Super Bowl halftime show alongside Shakira.

Spider-Man: No Way Home enters the awards show as the leading nominee with seven nominations. HBOs Euphoria earned six nods, and The Batman followed with four nominations. Vanessa Hudgens will host the awards, which will air live from the Barker Hangar. The nominations include 26 gender-neutral categories.

Jack Black will receive the Comedic Genius Award.
Caniacs, rejoice! Raising Cane's, the popular Louisiana-founded fast food chain, finally announced its first East Bay location will debut in Oakland at 8430 Edgewater Drive on July 14, as first reported by KRON 4.

For those new to the cult of Cane's and its self-proclaimed Caniacs, Raising Cane's restaurants originally opened in 1996 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where its simple menu of seasoned chicken tender meals has since grown to 600 stores across the U.S. and internationally. In January, SFGATE culture reporter Amanda Bartlett described the deliciousness one can expect once a box of well-seasoned, crispy chicken tenders is opened:

Phillip L./ Yelp

"A typical combo order is served in an appropriately greasy takeaway box with three compartments, perfect for dining alone in your car," Bartlett wrote. "You can order your chicken tenders in quantities of three or six (or go for a chicken sandwich if thats your thing, I guess). They boast a distinctive flavor and I would argue theyre a step above most fried fare youd get at a Popeyes or KFC."

Raising Cane's sides include coleslaw, crinkle-cut fries and a piece of sesame seed-dotted Texas toast. But the real winner: the Cane's sauce. Although most orders come with two containers of the sought-after dressing, many Cane's fanatics order extra sides of the creamy, orange-hued dip  or else suffer the moment when your last tender is left with no avenues for extra flavor-dipping.

Were beyond thrilled to bring Raising Canes to The Town and cant wait to share our ONE LOVE with local Oakland Caniacs, Raising Canes area leader of restaurants Chris Esteban in a statement. Canes is launching a wave of expansion in the Bay Area this next year and Oakland is the first scheduled, so theres a lot of excitement around our grand opening. Were seeking an incredible Crew to join us in serving this amazing Community!

Nick Kindelsperger/TNS

Besides a bustling Raising Cane's location in Vacaville, the Bay Area is set to receive two additional stores in Berkeley at 2580 Bancroft Way and in Hayward at 26231 Mission Boulevard sometime in 2022. The new Oakland store will be the 73rd in California and includes a drive-through and an outdoor patio and is only about a 5-minute drive to the Oakland Coliseum. With its grand opening set for July 14, Caniacs can now make a game plan to line up for a taste of Louisiana-style fried chicken tenders just in time for summer.

According to KRON4, Raising Canes will hire about 200 local crew members for its Oakland location, starting at $16 per hour. An ongoing job fair started Thursday, June 3, and continues until July 2 at the Hilton Oakland Airport at 1 Hegenberger Road. Job interviews are held every day from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit Raising Cane's for more information.





Editor's Note: This article was updated on June 6, 2022 to reflect that Raising Cane's first Bay Area location opened in Vacaville.
In most cases, a $20 price tag on a cocktail is enough to send me running out of an establishment.

But for what some call San Franciscos adult Rainforest Cafe, I made an exception. Yes, Im talking about the Tonga Room.

Somehow, despite living in the Bay Area for eight years, Ive never made it to the famous tiki bar in the basement of the opulent Fairmont Hotel. But rumors of dizzyingly strong drinks and a $1,000 fine lobbed at anyone drunk enough to jump into the bars iconic swimming pool have kept my imagination running wild.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Scenes from the Tonga Room, in San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel, including a warning not to jump in the pool, upper right, and a glimpse of the cocktail menu, lower left. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE) Scenes from the Tonga Room, in San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel, including a warning not to jump in the pool, upper right, and a glimpse of the cocktail menu, lower left. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)

Walking into the bar around 6 p.m. on a Friday evening, I expected the Tonga Room to be a zoo of tourists. But it wasnt  at least not yet. My colleague Doug and I immediately nabbed a table by the bar, and then, the thunder sounded.

As if the blue lagoon centerpiece wasnt enough, there are thunderstorms  sheets of rain and all  that erupt every half hour at the Tonga Room. Most nights, the establishment's official band, The Island Groove, serenades the crowd on a thatch-covered stage that floats around the pool. A dance floor made from the planks of a lumber schooner is also available for those feeling loose after a few Mai Tais.

Taking it all in, I couldnt help but crack a smile  its just so earnestly over-the-top. And I hadnt even ordered a drink yet.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

I quickly fixed that by selecting what felt like the most classic option: a 1944 Mai Tai ($20), which the menu proudly declares was invented in Oakland. Doug ordered a Hurry Kane ($28), an even more startlingly expensive tribute to a classic tiki cocktail.

Lots has been written about tiki bars being problematic, built on colonial nostalgia and the misuse of Polynesian iconography. While the Tonga Room hails from another era  1945  tiki was already beginning to be seen as regressive by the late 1960s.

However, tiki experienced a revival in the 1990s, and yet another more recently, when the desire for escapism abounded in the wake of the pandemic. Tiki bars are more popular than ever in San Francisco, with modern establishments tending to defend the theme as a tribute to a retro design aesthetic (and a highly influential cocktail movement) rather than a case of cultural appropriation.

Say what you will about the Tonga Room, but 77 years has crowned it a historic San Francisco institution. Many adore it and will defend it to the death; when it was threatened with closure in 2009, a Facebook group of 4,000 banded together to save it.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Most Tonga Room visitors arent thinking critically about tiki bars when they visit, anyhow. From the moment my Mai Tai arrived in a ceramic tiki statue-shaped cup, a little sprig of mint and a lime wedge sticking out festively, I felt my head go empty.

Mmm  a sweet, tart, fruity drink. Nothing complicated here, but it was extremely drinkable. Five sips in, I was tipsy. By the time I was halfway through the drink, I can confidently say I was drunk. I guess a $20 cocktail isnt so bad when you only need to buy one to feel the effects.

Id heard rumors about Tonga Room cocktails being sickeningly sweet, but I dont think thats been the case for about 10 years. The menu got a makeover in 2013, replacing prepackaged mixers with fresh citrus  and I can attest they are better for it.

These are dangerous, Doug declared. His drink was even stronger.

I got so hammered from my singular cocktail, in fact, that I attempted to sign the check before I even gave the server my credit card. Yep, beginning to see what inspires people to jump in the pool.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

As we left around 7:30 p.m., the band had just started to play, regaling the crowd from their floating barge with a cheesy Norah Jones cover. The paper lanterns strung between the faux palm trees cast a soft glow over the blue lagoon. An elderly couple swayed on the dance floor. Finally, a buzzing line had formed outside the entrance.

The Tonga Room may be a bar that caters to tourists, and it also may not be particularly hip with the times. And its expensive (if you stick around to watch the band, thatll be another $15). But its definitely a San Francisco bucket list item for both locals and tourists alike  if for no other reason than the possibility of witnessing some bozo get fined $1,000 for daring to take a dip.

I think I finally understand what once compelled Anthony Bourdain, a mischievous glint in his eye, to declare the Tonga Room "the greatest place in the history of the world.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  An attack by two wolves panicked a flock of sheep and 143 died after they ran into a steep gully where they were crushed and suffocated, Idaho wildlife officials said Thursday.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Department of Agricultures Wildlife Services each confirmed the sheep deaths in mid-May in southwestern Idaho in foothills near Boise.

The foothills north of the city are popular for recreation such as mountain biking and hiking, and also have deer, elk and large predators such as bears, mountain lions and wolves. Wildlife Services typically kills five to 14 wolves annually in the foothills in response to livestock depredation.

This sadly exemplifies why wolf management in Idaho can be so challenging, Fish and Game Director Ed Schriever said in a statement. People cherish the Foothills for its diversity of wildlife, along with the opportunities for grazing, recreation and other activities. In this instance, a pair of wolves caused a significant loss of sheep for a rancher, and despite our efforts as a department to reduce or prevent this, it can still occur, and we regret that rancher Frank Shirts and his herders had to deal with this loss.

Fish and Game requested Wildlife Services kill the two wolves, but officials said they couldn't be found. It's not clear if the wolves are part of a larger pack.

The Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission, a state agency that has among its goals to promote public support for Idahos livestock industry, was the first state agency on Thursday to report the sheep deaths. In a morning news release, the commission said that Shirts reported that the attack took place during daylight.

The wolves scared the hell out of (the sheep) and pushed them into that little canyon and piled them in there, Shirts told the resources commission. They didnt consume anything. The sheep just suffocated in the pileup and died. We work to make things good for those sheep every day, so its a shame to lose them.

The resources commission reported that two sheepherders who stay with the sheep 24 hours a day chased off the wolves. The commission said two Great Pyrenees guard dogs avoided the wolves and weren't injured.

Shirts said it's the worst incident of wolf predation he's experienced since wolves were released into central Idaho in 1995. He said hell seek compensation for the sheep through a depredation program.

Fish and Game said Idaho's wolf population is about 1,600 in the spring when pups are born and then drops to below 900 during late winter due to hunting, trapping and other wolf mortality causes.

Idaho lawmakers last year approved a law, backed by ranchers, greatly expanding wolf killing in what some lawmakers stated could reduce the wolf population by 90%. But wildlife managers have said a 90% reduction is unlikely. Backers said expanding wolf killing would reduce the wolf population and attacks on livestock while also boosting deer and elk herds.

Fish and Game said that since Jan. 1, Idaho hunters have killed 49 wolves statewide, while trappers have killed 81 and Wildlife Services another 31 wolves that were involved in killing livestock.

Last year, Fish and Game said, Idaho hunters and trappers killed 427 wolves, and 43 more were killed following livestock depredation by wolves. From 2017 to 2021, Fish and Game said, 324 wolves have been killed for preying on livestock.
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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)  Northern California's Alameda County said Thursday it will reinstate an indoor mask policy as COVID-19 hospitalizations steadily increase in the nations most populous state.

Daily new hospital admissions of patients with COVID-19 have exceeded last summer's peak and the mandate is meant to reflect the seriousness of the moment during another surge in coronavirus cases in California, Alameda County's health officer, Dr. Nicholas Moss, said in a statement.

We cannot ignore the data, and we cant predict when this wave may end. Putting our masks back on gives us the best opportunity to limit the impact of a prolonged wave on our communities," Moss said.

The county with 1.7 million residents just across the bay from San Francisco will require face coverings in most indoor settings starting Friday at midnight.

While some school districts and universities have reinstated mask rules, Alameda is the first county to do so. Californias current surge is most pronounced within the nine-county Bay Area, which last week topped 50 new cases per 100,000 residents, up from 18 per 100,000 a month earlier.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends masks indoors when a county enters the high COVID community level, the most severe in a three-tier system.

Los Angeles County, home to 10 million people, is in the medium" tier but could reach the highest level by the end of the month, increasing stress on the health care system, according to Barbara Ferrer, the public health director.

Ferrer on Thursday applauded Alameda County for being proactive on making sure that theyre looking at their community data and making decisions that offer the maximum protection.

Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new coronavirus cases in California has jumped 31%.

Statewide hospitalizations topped 2,500 after falling below 1,000 at the lowest point in April. State models forecast the number will grow to about 5,200 by late June, the highest since February but a far cry from the more than 15,000 in hospitals at the start of the year.
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP)  The state of Alaska has sold the ferry named Malaspina to a business group in a deal aimed at giving the ship a new life and preventing it from being scrapped.

The Malaspina, built in 1963, was one of the original ferries in the state's ferry fleet. It was moored in late 2019 after the state transportation department said the vessel wouldn't sail as part of the fleet again because of its age and the cost of needed repairs.

Businessmen John Binkley and David Spokely on Wednesday signed paperwork to buy the ship for $128,250, the Ketchikan Daily News reported.

Binkley is president of the M/V Malaspina LLC, a subsidiary of the Spokely and Binkley families joint business entity, the Ward Cove Dock Group LLC. The purchase was made by the subsidiary.

John Falvey, the ferry system's general manager, in a statement said the transportation department "didnt want just any future for the Malaspina, and we certainly did not want her sold for scrap metal. This gives her a retirement we can be proud of. The ferry system falls under the transportation department.

Binkley, in a March letter of intent to purchase the vessel, said the hope is to create a museum onboard the ferry to showcase the history of the state ferry system. He wrote that his partners would plan to explore ways that the ferry could be used by students working toward maritime careers.

Binkley, in an email to The Associated Press on Friday, called the Malaspina a beautiful ship and we feel privileged to be the caretaker for the next chapter in her storied life.

He said the ferry fits in with the broader development he and his partners have been involved with in the area where the Malaspina is located, including construction of a cruise ship dock and refurbishment of an old pulp mill.

Earlier this year, the state opened a bidding process for the ferry's sale.

Applicants were asked to submit, among other things, documentation demonstrating that you are technically and financially capable of relocating, refurbishing, operating and maintaining the vessel, and any considerations to preserve the vessels historical value and positively promote the Alaska Marine Highway System.

The state limited the request to U.S. buyers that intend to retain the ship in Alaska, and said letters of interest that propose scuttling the vessel are not being considered at this time.

The Malaspina is the fifth ferry system vessel sold by Alaska officials over the past 20 years.

The state in 2018 sold the ferry named Taku to a Dubai-based company for about $170,000. The company ultimately had it dismantled for scrap metal.
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NEW YORK (AP)  A New York City restaurant patron has pleaded not guilty to killing a delivery worker after months of threatening the eatery because of a quarrel over a condiment, and his lawyer said his client is innocent.

Glenn Hirsch, 51, was arraigned Thursday on murder, weapon possession, menacing and other charges stemming from the death of Zhiwen Yan.

A petty dispute over a takeout order became an obsessive point of contention for the defendant, who began to stalk and harass employees at the restaurant for months, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a release. The tragic end result was the murder of a hard-working employee.

Yan, 45, was gunned down on a Queens street April 30, while riding a scooter to make a delivery.

He worked for more than a decade for Great Wall, a Chinese restaurant where Hirsch felt he didn't get enough duck sauce with an order in November, prosecutors said. He was given more of the sweet-and-sour condiment but demanded a refund and called police when he didn't get one, according to prosecutors.

Authorities say that over the months that followed, Hirsch damaged a Great Wall worker's car, made threatening remarks to employees, including Yan, and pulled a gun on one of them.

On April 30, surveillance cameras captured Hirsch driving by Great Wall seven times in about two hours and then following Yan, according to prosecutors.

Hirsch's lawyer, Michael Horn, told reporters that he believes authorities arrested the wrong man.

He said Hirsch had an argument with Great Wall's manager in November, but nothing more.

He had no quarrel over any deliveryman, and he has not done anything to harm any deliveryman, the attorney said.

Yan's widow, Eva Zhao, said he was a loving and kind husband, father, son, friend and community member.

We are all relieved that someone has been arrested, she said in a statement.
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HENDERSON, Nev. (AP)  A shooting that authorities say involved rival Hells Angels and Vagos motorcycle gang members on a Las Vegas-area freeway may have been retaliation for the killing of a man several weeks ago in Southern California, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Danielle Pieper Chio, a chief deputy Clark County district attorney, revealed the possible link during the arraignment in suburban Henderson of three alleged Hells Angels members in the Memorial Day weekend shooting. Police say one is the Las Vegas chapter president and the other two were Hells Angels recruits.

Outside court, Pieper Chio cited the April 23 shooting death of James Vincent Dickson, 32, during a heavy metal concert at a bar in the California city of San Bernardino. News reports said four other people were wounded, including a member of the band that was playing at the time. Pieper Chio said Dickson was a Hells Angels member.

The allegation is that Vagos hit a Hells Angels member (in San Bernardino), the prosecutor said, and that makes this possibly a retaliatory shooting.

San Bernardino police, including detectives assigned to Dicksons slaying, declined Thursday to comment about their investigation and the possible link between Dicksons death and the gunfire near Las Vegas. No arrests have been reported in the San Bernardino case.

Henderson police said six Vagos members were wounded and Pieper Chio said a seventh person who showed up at a hospital with gunshot wounds attributed to the mid-day Sunday shooting was a Hells Angels member.

Pieper Chio did not say whether that man's wounds were inflicted by Vagos members. No Vagos members have been charged with a crime in the shooting.

Richard John Devries, 66, and club recruits Russell Smith, 46, and Stephen Alo, 26, were arraigned Thursday on multiple attempted murder, conspiracy, battery and weapon charges that could get them decades in prison.

Henderson Justice of the Peace David Gibson kept bail for each man at $380,000 pending another court appearance June 14.

In court, Pieper Chio cited retaliation as a possible motive and said the Vagos members were riding motorcycles back to Las Vegas after stops at the Hoover Dam, in Arizona, and at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City.

A person police identified as an anonymous witness provided video showing three men wearing Hells Angels attire riding up to the Vagos members before shots were fired, according to police reports.

Pieper Chio said more than a dozen shots were fired on U.S. 95 in Henderson, and stray bullets struck a nearby Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building and a parked vehicle. Police said spent bullet casings were found strewn for more than a mile (1.6 kilometer) along the freeway.

Devries attorney, Richard Schonfeld, declined outside court to confirm whether his client leads the Hells Angels in Las Vegas. Schonfeld told the judge that Devries is a military veteran with no criminal record, and there was no evidence that he fired a weapon. The attorney said he intends to file documents seeking to reduce Devries bail to an amount he can post.

Defense attorney Thomas Pitaro, representing Smith and Alo, also sought lower bail, saying he doubted they could raise $380,000.

Gibson cited the stray shots and said he felt the three defendants posed a danger to the community.

I am fearful that something is going to happen, the judge said, noting the gunfire took place on a freeway I take, in a neighborhood that I live.

Henderson police on Thursday issued a public request for witnesses to the shooting to contact investigators.

Schonfeld and Pitaro have represented Hells Angels members in previous cases in Las Vegas including state and federal criminal cases stemming from a deadly casino brawl with rival Mongols motorcycle gang members at a Laughlin casino during a biker rally in April 2002.

Vagos members also have faced federal prosecution in Nevada in recent years, but the group avoided being branded as an international criminal enterprise following the killing of a rival Hells Angels leader in a 2011 casino shootout in the northern Nevada city of Sparks.
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  California is spending $11 million on education programs promoting wider use of red flag laws that are designed to temporarily take guns away from people who are deemed at risk of harming themselves or others, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday.

The money was included in the state budget he approved nearly a year ago, but the programs are now getting underway.
BERLIN (AP)  China has blocked efforts to step up protection of emperor penguins that are increasingly threatened by the effects global warming is having on their natural habitat in Antarctica, officials said Friday.

Dozens of countries had backed giving the world's largest penguins special protection status at a 10-day meeting in Berlin of parties to the Antarctic Treaty. The treaty was forged in 1959 to ensure that the continent remains the preserve of science, and free of arms.

An overwhelming majority of parties held the opinion that there is sufficient scientific evidence for the species to be put under the special protection, the German government, which hosted the May 22-June 2 meeting, said in a statement Friday.

While a formal decision was blocked by one party," it said that most countries attending the meeting planned nevertheless to put in place national measures to protect emperor penguins.

Chinese officials couldn't immediately be reached for comment. But delegates attending the meeting, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Beijing had made clear it wanted more time to consider the implications of upgrading the protection status of the penguins.

The meeting was partly overshadowed by the war in Ukraine, with many countries speaking out against Russias attack on the country.

Russia, which like Ukraine is active in Antarctica, was represented at the meeting by an official from its embassy in Berlin, with other delegates participating remotely by video link.

Despite differences with Beijing over the penguins and the deep diplomatic discord between Moscow and the West over Ukraine, the meeting was able to adopt by consensus a package of conservation measures for Antarctica. These included moves to designate four new protected areas in the future and limit tourism to the frozen continent.

___

Follow AP's coverage of climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
After nearly a year of partisan battles, number-crunching and lawsuits, the once-a-decade congressional redistricting cycle is ending in a draw.

That leaves Republicans positioned to win control of the House of Representatives even if they come up just short of winning a majority of the national vote. That frustrates Democrats, who hoped to shift the dynamic so their success with the popular vote would better be reflected by political power in Washington. Some Republicans, meanwhile, hoped to cement an even larger advantage this time.

But both parties ultimately fought each other to a standstill. The new congressional maps have a total of 226 House districts won by Democrat Joe Biden in the last presidential election and 209 won by Republican Donald Trump  only one more Biden district than in 2020. Likewise, the typical congressional district voted for Biden by about 2 percentage points, also almost identical to 2020.

Its almost perfect stasis, said Nicholas Stephanopoulos, a Harvard law professor who follows congressional redistricting. If you compare the maps we had in 2020 to the maps were going to have in 2022, theyre almost identical in terms of partisan advantage, he added.

The specific lines of congressional districts have, of course, changed, as some states added new ones  or lost old ones  to match population shifts recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2020.

Redistricting is the once-a-decade adjustment of legislative lines to match the Census' findings. It is typically an extraordinarily partisan process, with each major party trying to scoop up enough of its voters to guarantee wins in the largest number of districts. This cycle was no different, but the end result is virtually no change to the overall partisan orientation of the congressional map.

That leaves the map tilted slightly to the right of the national electorate, since Biden won the presidency by more than 4 percentage points. In a typical year, Democrats would have to win the national popular vote by about 2 percentage points to win a House majority, while the GOP could capture it, theoretically, with just under 50%.

Republicans pointed to that as a victory.

If we're fighting to a draw on a map that everyone agrees is good for Republicans, that's good for Republicans, said Adam Kincaid, executive director of the National Republican Redistricting Trust, which coordinates redistricting for the party.

Democrats noted that's still a far better place than where they were after the last round of redistricting in 2011, fresh off a GOP sweep of statehouses that allowed them to draw a far more slanted series of congressional maps.

We are in a stronger position than in 2020 and in a way stronger position than in 2012, said Kelly Ward Burton, executive director of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.

The assessment became possible this week, after New Hampshire became the final state to adopt a congressional map on Tuesday. On Thursday, Florida's Supreme Court ruled it wouldn't consider a Democratic challenge to a map pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis before the November election, ending the last significant legal uncertainty over the maps this year.

The odds are the national map will improve for the GOP after November, however.

If Republicans do well in the election  as is widely expected  they could capture seats on state supreme courts in North Carolina or Ohio that'd allow them to redraw more slanted maps previous courts rejected. Similarly, if the GOP seizes power in some other state legislatures or governor's mansions, the party could redraw new maps in those states in 2023 that would be implemented for the coming decade.

And the U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority has indicated it will reconsider some of the guidelines that govern legislative line-drawing nationally next year, which could open the door to even further Republican gains.

It's a reversal from earlier this year, when Democrats were poised to lessen the partisan bias of the congressional map, at least in 2022.

But the centerpiece of that effort  an intensely pro-Democratic map in New York state  was ruled an illegal partisan gerrymander by the state's Democrat-appointed top court, and the court's redrawn map favored the party less. A similarly pro-Democratic map in Maryland was replaced by a more equitable map. But Florida's strongly pro-GOP map, which DeSantis pushed the Republican-controlled legislature into adopting, was not overturned by its majority-GOP-appointed high court, bringing the national partisan pendulum back to the center.

Democrats were already fighting on an uneven playing field during this round of redistricting. They only controlled the drawing of maps in states representing 75 House districts, while Republicans held the pen in ones with 187 districts. That's partly because of GOP statehouse gains in 2010 lingering, partly because many Democratic-controlled states like California, Colorado and New Jersey ceded their power to draw lines to independent commissions to take partisan politics out of redistricting.

The Democratic Party has embraced that approach nationally, pushing for it in all 50 states as part of its voting overhaul that floundered in the Senate earlier this year amid unanimous GOP opposition. But some members of the party have questioned whether it amounts to unilateral disarmament in the partisan cage match of redistricting.

After this cycle, Stephanopoulos said, there's no longer much debate. If all the blue states reform and all the red states run wild, that's not a good outcome, he said.

Though the map's partisan lean didn't change, the number of competitive House seats diminished. That's partly because Republicans, who maximized their gains in the post-2010 redistricting cycle, focused on packing as many GOP voters as possible into the districts of some of their incumbents who had tough re-election campaigns.

The number of House seats decided by a 10-point margin or less dropped from 89 to 76, largely by the GOP changing 14 of its competitive seats into safe ones, Kincaid said.

Advocates of sweeping changes in redistricting warn the loss of competition is dangerous for democracy.

Partisan balance is one thing, but it's much more important to think about how gridlock and extremism is driven by the fact that the only competition is in primaries, said Joshua Graham Lynn, founder of the group RepresentUS, which pushes for changes in redistricting.

Currently, 10 states have independent commissions that draw lines for congressional districts. Some reformers fear there are few places left to push new ones, because it can almost only be done through ballot measures rather than asking legislators to write laws to give up their own power. Only Ohio and Florida, two states that already have voter-backed prohibitions against partisan redistricting, remain as possible targets for ballot measures to create new commissions.

But Stephanopoulos noted that redistricting changes are now a durable part of the Democratic Party's agenda after their sweeping voting overhaul bill died during a Republican filibuster in the Senate. He compared it to former President Bill Clinton's botched effort to implement national health care reform in 1992, which lit the fire for Democratic activists to pass the Affordable Care Act once they again had control of congress and the presidency under President Barack Obama.

At some point, Democrats will have partisan control again, Stephanopoulos said. It may be 2025, or 2035. Until then, we're going to have more incremental change."
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Dubai police said Friday they arrested and planned to extradite a British man to Denmark, wanted there for allegedly masterminding a $1.7 billion tax scheme, one of the country's largest-ever fraud cases.

The arrest of hedge fund trader Sanjay Shah came after Danish officials signed an agreement in March allowing for extradition between the United Arab Emirates and Denmark.

Shah has maintained his innocence in interviews with journalists while living in Dubai over the last few years on the city-state's manmade Palm Jumeirah archipelago, but never appeared in Denmark to answer the accusations.

It wasn't clear if Shah, 52, had a local lawyer in the Emirates. A court date did not appear to have been set in Dubai, the commercial capital of the seven-sheikhdom federation of the UAE. Prosecutors did not respond to a request for comment on Friday, the start of the Emirati weekend.

A spokesman once associated with Shah, who ran the firm Solo Capital Partners, did not respond to a request for comment. The hedge fund manager had run a center for autistic children in Dubai that shut down in 2020 amid the attempts by Denmark to extradite him. He also ran the British-based charity Autism Rocks, which put on shows by major performers to raise money.

In a statement, Dubai police Brig. Gen. Jamal Al Jallaf said the emirate received an international arrest warrant from Denmark for Shah. Al Jallaf said Shah was accused of a fraud that saw foreign businesses pretend to own shares in Danish companies and claim tax refunds for which they were not eligible.

The fraud scheme, known as cum-ex trading, involved submitting thousands of applications to the Danish Treasury on behalf of investors and companies from several countries around the world in order to receive dividend tax refunds, Al Jallaf said. Danish authorities say the scheme ran for some three years beginning in 2012.

In a joint statement, Denmark's Justice and Foreign Ministries praised Dubai's arrest of Shah, whom they described as a target of the country's prosecutors since 2015.

The Danish Treasury has been cheated for a staggering amount, and of course it should not be possible for suspected perpetrators to hide in the Middle East and thus avoid being held accountable in a Danish courtroom, Justice Minister Mattias Tesfaye said.

Now I am awaiting the legal process in the United Arab Emirates, and crossing my fingers that it will end up that we can get Sanjay Shah on a plane to Denmark, so he can be prosecuted in this country, he added.

Shah is one of several suspects in the tax scheme sought by Danish authorities.

___

Associated Press writer Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report.
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NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  Once a key ally of Ethiopias federal government in its deadly war in the countrys northern Tigray region, the neighboring Amhara region is now experiencing government-led mass arrests and disappearances of activists, journalists and other perceived critics.

More than 4,500 people have been arrested in the Amhara region as of May 23, according to officials, but some activists say the real figure could be much higher. They accuse Ethiopias government of targeting ethnic Amhara people it considers a threat to its authority as it tries to move on from the Tigray crisis.

The arrests are the latest sign that the federal government of Ethiopia  Africas second-most populous country with 115 million people  is struggling to centralize its authority among scores of ethnic groups. The Amhara are the second-largest ethnic group and, along with Tigrayans, the source of many of the countrys leaders  and critics, especially after frustration grew during the war when Tigray forces invaded the Amhara region and attacked civilians.

The federal governments arrests among the Amhara are a pre-emptive action to consolidate their power, which they think is slowly slipping out of their hands, especially in the Amhara region, Yilkal Getnet, deputy chairman of the opposition party Hibir Ethiopia, told The Associated Press. For me, these mass arrests are politically motivated.

The independent Ethiopian Human Rights Council earlier this week said it's not known where most detainees in the Amhara region are being held, alleging that many people were subjected to kidnappings. Separately, the government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission called the unlawful detention of at least 19 journalists a new low.

On Wednesday, federal police announced it had identified 111 online media outlets it called illegal and are attempting to cause a rift between the government and the general public. It said 10 suspects are in custody.

Ethiopias government and Amhara regional officials defend the arrests and say they will continue.

There were attempts to portray the government as weak, and to cause public unrest and violence, regional spokesman Gizachew Muluneh told a press conference on Wednesday. This conspiracy has failed. Anarchism and illegal activities have no place here.

The Ethiopian Government Communication Service, citing requests by the public to ensure law and order, said measures are being taken against groups that pit society against one another.

The mass arrests arent limited to the Amhara region, but its there that outcry has been the loudest. Among those arrested are members of the Amhara militia known as the Fano which was an ally of federal forces when fighting Tigray forces. Fano members, while celebrated in state media, also were accused of some of the wars worst atrocities.

They are now described in state media as an irregular force, and efforts are underway to disarm some of the fighters.

Fano militia strengthened due to the war, and partly the arrests are an effort to bring them under government control, said William Davison, an analyst with the International Crisis Group. However, the broad sweep of the detentions, including multiple journalists, suggests the government is also trying to control the narrative as fears grow among Amhara that their interests will be undermined by federal government efforts to end its conflict with Tigrays authorities.

Three of Ethiopia's largest opposition parties have called on the federal government to stop the arrests.

Journalists, activists, Fano militia members, academicians, political party members and retirees are being abducted in a pretext of a law enforcement operation, the Enat Party, All-Ethiopia Unity Party and Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Party said in a joint statement this week. The government is using this operation to silence dissent, break the morale of the public and snatch the leaders away.

The Amhara Association of America shared with the AP a list of several dozen detainees whom it said were targeted in recent weeks. It also alleged that seven people were killed on May 20 in Motta town in the Amhara region when army and regional special forces fired on a peaceful demonstration against the mass arrests.

The federal government fears Amhara political elites could emerge as its most pointed critics during the current respite from the Tigray war, said Yilkal with the opposition Hibir Ethiopia. The federal government in March declared a humanitarian cease-fire in the conflict that erupted in November 2020, though tensions continue.

Those who coordinated, supported, and led the war are being arrested and chased, Yilkal said. He now fears for his safety, saying his lawyer was arrested in recent days. He said the charge sheet says the lawyer is accused of inciting violence and unrest.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Flooding in northern Minnesota is threatening a renowned environmentalists retreat.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Thursday that flooding is threatening many properties in the Rainy River Basin. Rainy Lake just outside of International Falls is expected to rise another foot in the next few days and break a 1950 record.

Resort, cabin and business owners across the region have been filling sandbags for days. One of the properties is environmentalist Ernest Oberholtzers retreat on Mallard Island.

Oberholtzer lived on Mallard Island until 1957 and lobbied against a series of proposed dams in the northern watershed in the 1920s, an effort that helped establish the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park.

His property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and functions as a public retreat. Caretakers have removed a collection of literature from its library but a piano in another building sits in several inches of water.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. (AP)  Authorities have released the name of a man who was killed in a rock fall and avalanche that also injured two other climbers at Rocky Mountain National Park.

The Boulder County coroner's office identified the victim Friday as 25-year-old Christopher Clark, of Land O Lakes, Florida.
ATLANTA (AP)  Georgia officials have arrested an 18-year-old who they say threatened online to kill a sheriff and his wife over the arrest of rappers Young Thug and Gunna and others.

Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat, alleged to be the target of the threats, announced the arrest Friday. Quartavius Mender was booked into the Fulton County jail last week on 23 counts of making terroristic threats, records show. He's being held without bail. It's unclear if Mender has a lawyer to speak for him.

Local news outlets report Mender threatened to kill Labat, his wife Jacki and the Atlanta school district's police chief on various social media pages if they did not release Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffery Williams.

#freethug or Imma sh00t u and your wife, Mender wrote, according to arrest warrants reviewed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He allegedly wrote on the sheriffs Instagram page a second time hours later, saying, Imma assassinate you.

Among the 28 people charged in the racketeering indictment is Tenquarius Mender. It was not immediately clear Friday if he and Quartavius Mender are related.

We take these kinds of brazen threats seriously, Labat said in a statement. Social media cyberbullying, and hiding behind a keyboard, will not protect someone from criminal prosecution.

Officials allege Young Thug leads the Young Slime Life gang, arresting him and 27 others in a sprawling indictment brought under Georgia's state racketeering law. It charges the gang members engaged in murders, shootings, carjackings and other crimes.

Young Thug was denied bond Thursday after a Fulton County judge expressed significant concerns about letting him go home on house arrest.

Prosecutors said they plan to offer plea deals to some of the defendants in exchange for testimony, but said some witnesses are already being threatened.

Our witnesses in this case are being threatened with violence, serious violence and death," Fulton County prosecutor Don Geary said.

Young Thug's lawyers strongly deny that he participated in any crimes.
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WASHINGTON (AP)  Less than 48 hours after a gunman stormed an elementary school and killed 19 children and two teachers in his home state of Texas, Sen. John Cornyn walked straight from the floor of the U.S. Senate into Republican leader Mitch McConnell's office.

The Texas Republican had just returned to Washington from the scene of the horrific school shooting in Uvalde when he was summoned by McConnell to lead the GOP in fraught negotiations over a potential legislative response to the tragedy. Eager, if wary, he took the job.

I'm not interested in making a political statement, Cornyn said at the time. I'm actually interested in what we can do to make the terrible events that occurred in Uvalde less likely in the future.

Cornyn is at the center of a bipartisan group of senators working furiously to try to strike a compromise over gun safety legislation, a political longshot despite the heartbreaking pleas from the Uvalde community to do something after the massacre.

A four-term senator, Cornyn has been here plenty of times before, a central figure at the forefront of on again, off again talks with Democrats over gun policy changes that almost never make it into law. As gun owners and the powerful gun lobby wield influence, Congress has proven unable to substantively respond even as more gruesome mass shootings rip through communities all across America.

With his previous negotiating partner, Sen. Chris Murphy-D-Conn., Cornyn convened a small group of four senators to meet privately this week, some who are part of a broader Murphy-led group in a desperate search for possible compromise gun safety measures.

President Joe Biden implored Congress  and particularly the Republican senators, who have spent years blocking almost every gun control measure  to act.

This time, its time for the Senate to do something, Biden said in remarks from the White House.

Biden, too, is looking at Cornyn to lead.

I think theres a realization on the part of rational Republicans  and I think Senator McConnell is a rational Republican; I think Cornyn is as well  I think theres a recognition in their party that they  we cant continue like this, Biden said earlier in the week after visiting Texas.

Expectations are low that even the most modest gun control measures could find support among Republicans in Congress, particularly in the evenly-split 50-50 Senate where at least 60 votes are needed to advance legislation past a filibuster.

Senators arent expected to even broach ideas for an assault weapon ban or other restrictions that are popular with the public as potential ways to curb the most lethal mass shootings.

Instead, the bipartisan group is intensifying talks to reach a deal on incremental changes to the nations gun laws, after a decade of mostly failed efforts ever since a gunman killed 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

At most, the senators may be able reach consensus in a few distinct areas  bolstering school security measures; adding more mental health resources in communities; and possibly sending money to the states to encourage red flag laws to keep firearms out of the hands of those who would do harm.

That may be all they can do, said Matthew Bennett, a longtime gun policy advocate at the centrist Third Way think tank.

It's been nearly 30 years since Congress approved sweeping gun safety legislation with the passage of the 1994 assault weapons ban, which has since expired. In 2013, Congress rejected proposals to expand background checks and ban some assault-style rifles and high-capacity ammunition magazines.

One of the only gun-related bills that has become law in the decade since the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre was Cornyns fix-NICS bill  a modest effort he and Murphy developed to encourage states to comply with the recordkeeping of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

Cornyn first pushed the bill forward after another tragedy in his state, the 2017 church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, when the gunman's Air Force record of court-martial for domestic violence had not been sent for inclusion in the federal database used for gun purchases.

The Fix-NICS bill stalled in the Senate, until months later when another gunman opened fire at a Parkland, Florida, high school killing 17 in a massacre on Valentine's Day in 2018.

Lets do what we can and build from there, Cornyn said at the time.

But by then, Democrats and some Republicans were circulating broader proposals and Donald Trump, who was president, suggested raising the legal age for purchasing firearms to 21. But efforts fizzled after Trump had an Oval Office meeting with the National Rifle Association.

The Fix-NICS bill ultimately won approval in Congress not on its own, but after being included in a government funding measure later that spring. It had the NRA's backing.

Cornyn, who has an A+ rating from the NRA's Political Victory Fund for his support of Second Amendment issues, said last week the Uvalde killings may be an impetus for new reforms.

A former judge and member of the Texas Supreme Court, Cornyn, 70, is a member of McConnell's leadership team and widely believed to be a contender to become Republican Senate leader whenever McConnell retires. McConnell tasked him to work with Murphy and also Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, a deal-maker close to Republicans.

An owner of multiple firearms who frequently hunts in Texas, Cornyn did not attend the NRA's convention in Houston alongside Trump and fellow GOP Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the days after the Uvalde shooting, even as he dismissed some of the red-flag laws or broader changes in federal gun policy being proposed.

He is the central figure  or at least one of them  because he has respect among Republicans but is also a critical thinker, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., about Cornyn.

If he really wants to get it done, he will potentially make a critical difference.

Many Democrats are skeptical that Republicans in the Senate will come to the table. Already the Senate has hopelessly blocked two House-passed measures to bolster background checks for firearm purchases online or at gun shows.

Instead, House Democrats are pushing ahead with their own package of gun safety measures, the Protecting Our Kids Act, that includes raising the age limits on semi-automatic rifle purchases from 18 to 21 years old. It has almost no hope of passing the Senate.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  The U.S. Forest Service violated environmental laws in approving exploratory drilling by a Canadian company hoping to build a gold mine in Idaho west of Yellowstone National Park, two environmental groups said.

The Idaho Conservation League and Greater Yellowstone Coalition filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court last week to stop Excellon Idaho Golds Kilgore Gold Exploration Project in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest in Clark County.

The groups site potential harm to grizzly bears, wolverines, lynx, bighorn sheep, whitebark pine trees, Columbia spotted frogs and Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Grizzly bears in the area are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and whitebark pine, a grizzly bear food source, has been proposed for listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Excellon Idaho Gold is a subsidiary of Toronto, Ontario-based Excellon Resources Inc. It acquired the project from British Columbia-based Otis Gold Corporation in 2020.

Otis Gold Corporation said the area contains at least 825,000 ounces of gold near the surface, and potentially more below. It said it was looking at possibly building an open-pit mine if exploration finds that the gold is mostly near the surface, or an underground mine if the gold is deeper. Those types of mines would require additional approval from the Forest Service.

Excellon Idaho Gold on its website says it's too early to determine how the project might develop, but it is committed to open and transparent communication.

The environmental groups filed a similar lawsuit in 2018 to stop exploratory drilling by Otis Gold Corporation and won. The Forest Service in November 2021 approved a new plan involving road building and 130 drill stations put forward by Excellon Idaho Gold. Those operations, according to the lawsuit, are scheduled to start on July 15.

Excellon Idaho Gold is not named as a defendant in the most recent lawsuit. In the previous lawsuit, Otis Gold Corporation intervened on the side of the Forest Service.

The environmental groups in the new lawsuit said the Forest Service opted to approve the project by applying the White House Council on Environmental Quality changes to the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, following an executive order by former President Donald Trump seeking to accelerate the environmental review process.

Although there are several pending cases challenging the 2020 regulations as inconsistent with the core tenets of NEPA, the Forest Service elected to apply the 2020 regulations and ignored the Kilgore Projects likely significant effects, the lawsuit states.

The groups also said the exploratory drilling violates the Forest Service Act of 1897 that includes protections for national forests. Additionally, the groups said the Forest Service should complete an environmental impact statement, a much longer review process than the one the agency used in approving the exploratory drilling.

The U.S. Department of Justice, which defends federal agencies in lawsuits, didn't immediately respond to an inquiry sent through its online portal.

The Idaho Conservation League and Greater Yellowstone Coalition initially sought to reopen the first case and file a supplemental complaint, but that plan was rejected by the court. So the groups filed an entirely new lawsuit starting a new case.

The court in the previous lawsuit ruled that the Forest Service didnt violate environmental laws in determining the exploratory drilling wouldnt overly harm grizzly bears, whitebark pine or Columbia spotted frogs.

But those concerns are taken up again in the new lawsuit, with the groups citing changing conditions from when the initial lawsuit was filed.

The Kilgore Project site is also home to individuals and habitat for numerous special-status and at-risk terrestrial species of wildlife and plants, including grizzly bear, wolverine, lynx, elk, whitebark pine, and others found in the Centennial Mountains, the lawsuit states.

The groups also said grizzly bears travel through the area resulting in important genetic diversity for the population.

The Centennial Mountains are one of the key corridors for (Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem) grizzly to connect with grizzlies from other populations in the Northern Rockies, the lawsuit states.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  The Indiana Supreme Court on Friday threw out a law that gave state legislators increased power to intervene during public health emergencies, agreeing with arguments from Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb that the move violated the state constitution.

The courts unanimous decision settles a legal fight that began more than a year ago when Holcomb sued over a law that was a response to his efforts to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new law gave legislative leaders authority to call the General Assembly into an emergency session if the governor declares a statewide emergency. The GOP-dominated Legislature approved it over Holcomb's veto.

Holcombs lawyers contended that the state constitution allows only the governor to call the Legislature into meetings for consideration of new laws outside of its annual sessions that begin in early January and adjourn by the end of April.

Chief Justice Loretta Rush agreed, writing for the five-justice court that Holcomb's attorneys had satisfied the high burden required to establish that the law is unconstitutional."

Under our Constitution, the General Assembly simply cannot do what the challenged law permits absent a constitutional amendment," Rush added.

Holcomb said in a statement that the battle over the law had raised important procedural, statutory and Constitutional questions that only the courts could answer."

Today, the Indiana Supreme Court has provided clarity and finality on these important issues," he said.

The high courts ruling came after a Marion County judge sided with the Legislature in October.

Legislative leaders never tried to convene an emergency session under the law. Holcomb first issued a public health emergency in response to the pandemic on March 6, 2020, and terminated it this March. He had issued 23 monthly extensions, drawing the ire of many conservatives even though any mask mandates or business restrictions ended in spring 2021.

Under the law, it would be up to the Legislative Council  made up of eight senators and eight House members  to call an emergency session if it determined that the governor had declared a state of emergency with statewide impact and that it is necessary for the General Assembly to address the state of emergency with legislative action.

GOP legislative leaders have maintained that the measure wasnt anti-governor and praised Holcombs handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which health officials say has killed more than 23,000 people in the state.

Republican House Speaker Todd Huston said in a statement that he respected the court's ruling. Well consider all options moving forward," he said.

Republican Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray echoed that, saying in a statement: We will work collaboratively to find a way forward that serves the best interests of the State of Indiana."

Although Friday's ruling found the emergency session" law to be unconstitutional, Rush wrote that the General Assembly does have the constitutional authority to set additional sessions.

While our Constitution authorizes only the Governor to call a special session, the General Assembly can set additional sessions -- but only by fixing their length and frequency in a law passed during a legislative session and presented to the Governor, she wrote.

All of the court's justices were appointed by Republican governors. Only Justice Christopher Goff was appointed by Holcomb, in 2017.

Holcombs lawsuit divided Indianas Republican hierarchy, with Attorney General Todd Rokita siding with legislators. Rokitas office unsuccessfully argued that the attorney general alone had the legal authority to represent the state in court.

Rokita said in a statement that the court's ruling had overridden the intent of those who are directly elected by the people."

But the Indiana Democratic Party called the ruling a repudiation of Republican lawmakers, saying that their extremism and unnecessary purity tests have wasted Indiana residents tax dollars.
JERUSALEM (AP)  Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accused Iran of deceiving the international community about its atomic activities as he met with the visiting head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog on Friday.

Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, paid a brief visit to Israel, which has long accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons and is opposed to any return to the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers.

Bennett expressed Israels deep concern regarding Irans continued progress toward achieving nuclear weapons while deceiving the international community by using false information and lies, his office said in a statement.

He emphasized the urgent need in mobilizing the international community to take action against Iran, using all means, in order to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons."

Israel is widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East but has never publicly acknowledged having such weapons.

Israel was a staunch opponent of the 2015 nuclear deal and welcomed the Trump administrations unilateral withdrawal from the agreement, which caused it to collapse. The Biden administration has been trying to renew the accord, which lifted sanctions on Iran in return for limits to and oversight of its nuclear program.

Iran has always said its nuclear activities are for purely peaceful purposes but has stepped up uranium enrichment after the collapse of the nuclear accord to near weapons-grade levels.

The U.S. and its allies say Iran has failed to answer questions from the IAEA over potential undeclared nuclear activities. The U.S., Britain, France and Germany plan to table a resolution at next week's meeting of the IAEA board of governors to urge full compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

It is essential that Iran does fully comply with its legal binding obligations under the NPT and separately with its comprehensive safeguards agreement with the IAEA without further delay, State Department spokesman Ned Price said Thursday.

Bennett called on the board of governors to deliver a clear and unequivocal message to Iran.

Israel  which is not a party to the NPT  recently accused Iran of stealing classified documents from the IAEA and using them to deceive international inspectors nearly two decades ago. It released what it said were some of the documents. Iran has dismissed the allegations as lies.

U.S. intelligence agencies, Western nations and the IAEA have said Iran ran an organized nuclear weapons program until 2003. Neither the U.S. nor Israel has ruled out the use of military force to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Bennett's office said that while Israel prefers diplomacy, it reserves the right to self-defense and to action against Iran in order to block its nuclear program should the international community not succeed in the relevant time frame.
CHICAGO (AP)  Chicago Public Media on Thursday named Jennifer Kho to be the executive editor of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Kho, the former managing editor of HuffPost and Guardian US, will be the first woman and the first person of color to lead the Sun-Times newsroom.

She will start her new position Wednesday and relocate from Los Angeles in September.

I couldnt be more excited to join the historic Chicago Sun-Times at this pivotal moment, with its new public media ownership, to create a strong sense of connection and community throughout Chicago, Kho said in a news release.

Leaders of Chicago Public Media, which owns the Sun-Times, described Kho as a strategic editorial leader and digital innovator with a record of engaging audiences.

Kho said she would prioritize data-based investigations and coverage of topics such as pollution, crime-reduction efforts, economics and social change.

Kho currently is a digital media consultant. She is vice president of journalism and information equity for DoGoodery, which helps organizations reach their impact goals, and president of the Journalism and Women Symposium.

The Chicago Sun-Times is widely known as the hardest-working newsroom in the country, and Jennifer has that same tenacious spirit, as well as a transformative view of what local journalism means to the community, said Nykia Wright, CEO of the Sun-Times.

Interim Editor-in-Chief Steve Warmbir, a 22-year veteran of the Sun-Times, said he is leaving the paper. The longtime investigative reporter was a candidate for executive editor. The position has been open since the fall of 2020.
BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP)  A Vermont man pleaded not guilty Friday to second-degree murder in the 2019 death of a woman whose remains were found in a gravel pit in Searsburg.

Deven Moffitt, 32, of Bennington, was also charged Friday with drug and gun felonies, according to the U.S. attorney's office. He was arraigned on the murder charge and entered his plea through his attorney, the Bennington Banner reported.

Moffitt was taken into custody Wednesday in the death of Jessica Hildenbrandt, 43, of Ballston Spa, New York, police said. Detectives determined that Hildenbrandt and Moffitt had been in a relationship while Moffitt was incarcerated in Vermont on a previous conviction, police said.

In March 2019, Hildenbrandt reported to the Windsor County states attorneys office and later to state police that she feared for her life if Moffitt were to be released from prison, police said. She ultimately stopped cooperating with the investigation, and law enforcement was unable to pursue the matter further, police said.

In Sept. 17, 2019, a man reported finding what appeared to be a human jawbone at a gravel pit in Searsburg, police said. Police eventually found more remains at the site and last July the remains were identified through DNA analysis and her death was ruled a homicide.

As Moffitt was fleeing police who were trying to arrest him Wednesday, a witness saw him place a bag in a trash container, the U.S. attorney's office said. The bag contained more than 3,000 bags of suspected fentanyl, and distribution quantities of powder and crack cocaine as well as two loaded handguns, prosecutors said. When police caught Moffitt he had more than $16,000 in cash, prosecutors said.

On Friday, Moffitt was charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession of a firearm having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by a prison term of more than a year; and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

A phone message was left with his state public defender. It was not immediately known if hes being represented by a federal public defender on the federal drug and firearms charges.
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP)  A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to 34 years to life in prison in the shooting death of a high school student in 2017.

Jaiden Ciruzzi pleaded guilty in March to reckless second-degree murder in the death of Ian Jewell, 18, who was killed by a single gunshot wound to the chest at a hardware store parking lot in Goffstown. He was a student at Manchester Memorial High School. Prosecutors said the shooting happened after the two met regarding a drug deal.
NEW YORK  On a routine April night, a man on a scooter rode away from the Queens restaurant where he worked making deliveries.

What the deliveryman, Zhiwen Yan, did not know as he made the dinner run was that an angry customer, who months earlier had demanded a refund after saying he had not gotten enough duck sauce with his order, was watching him leave the restaurant.

The man followed Yan to an intersection in Forest Hills, Queens. Then, as Yan waited at a stoplight, the man who had been trailing him approached and fired a single fatal shot into his chest.

The account of what happened that night was described by prosecutors Thursday as they announced the indictment of Glenn Hirsch, 51, of Briarwood, Queens, on murder and other charges in Yans death.

Hirsch pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Thursday in Queens Supreme Court. He was ordered held until a court date later this month. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.

A petty dispute over a takeout order became an obsessive point of contention for the defendant who began to stalk and harass employees at the restaurant for months, Melinda Katz, the Queens district attorney, said in a statement Thursday.

Hirschs lawyer, Michael Horn, said the authorities had arrested the wrong man.

Glenn Hirsch is only guilty of having an argument, according to the police, when his meal order was not made the way it was supposed to be done, Horn said.

Through her lawyer, Yans wife, Eva Zhao, said in a statement that she was relieved that someone has been arrested.

We are grateful to the NYPD and have full confidence that the Queens district attorney will bring justice to Zhiwen Yan, a loving and kind husband, father, son, friend and community member, she said.

In November, months before the fatal shooting, prosecutors said, Hirsch had ordered food at Great Wall, the Queens Boulevard restaurant where Yan worked for over 20 years.

Hirsch was furious that night about not getting enough duck sauce packets with his dinner, prosecutors said. Even after workers handed him extra sauce, he insisted on a refund.

One worker refused, and Hirsch called police. An employee told officers that the restaurant could not take back orders because of concerns about the coronavirus, prosecutors said. Hirsch then stormed out of the restaurant, according to a news release from the district attorneys office.

For weeks after the episode, Hirsch continued to unleash his anger on Great Wall employees, damaging one employees vehicle with a knife in December, prosecutors said. When Yan and his co-workers confronted Hirsch, prosecutors said, he told them, I have a gun and Be careful, this is the last time Im going to tell you.

About a month after that altercation, Hirsch showed up at the restaurant again and pointed a gun at an employee who was shoveling snow, prosecutors said.

Hows your car? Remember me? Hirsch said, according to the news release. I will kill your entire family.

The worker rushed into the restaurant and called police. When he went back outside, Hirsch was gone but the tires on a workers car had been slashed, prosecutors said.

On April 30, Hirsch dropped his wife off at work and then headed toward the restaurant, prosecutors said. He drove past it seven times between 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. before spotting Yan, 45, as he left to make the delivery.

Hirsch followed Yan to an address on 108th Street, where Yan dropped off an order, then to 67th Drive and 108th Street, where Hirsch then fatally shot Yan, prosecutors said.

Yan was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Yan, a father of three children, immigrated to the United States from Fuzhou, a city in southeastern China. He often delivered lunch orders to students at Kweller Prep Tutoring and Educational Services, said the owner, Frances Kweller.

This is literally someone who we saw all the time, said Kweller, who has helped raise over $150,000 for Yans family. This is a man who we trusted for so many years.

This was a family who was trying to live the American dream. Its devastating.

Since her husbands death, Zhao has focused on helping the couples children cope with the loss of their father, said Jennifer Wu, a lawyer who is representing the family.

One of Zhaos most pressing concerns has been how to invest the money friends and strangers have donated. She wants to use the money to help fund her 2-year-old daughters education, Wu said.

It was just heartbreaking to hear, Wu said. Instead of worrying about herself, she just wanted to give everything she had to her daughter.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  A town in Mexico fired a police chief who the U.S. government publicly accused of aiding a drug cartel.

The mayor of the small town of Ameca, Jalisco, said late Thursday he had removed local police coordinator Severo Flores Mendoza.

Mayor Juan Valentin Serrano said he removed Flores Mendoza to remove any doubts, even though he thought he was doing a good job.

I should be clear that this information took me by surprise, because up to now, the numbers and statistics on this issue (security) were acceptable, Serrano wrote in his social media accounts.

The U.S. government announced sanctions Thursday against Flores Mendoza, claiming the police official gave information to Mexicos most violent and powerful gang.

The U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, said Flores Mendoza gave the Jalisco Cartel law enforcement information in exchange for bribes.
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP)  A suburban Detroit man accused of fatally strangling his girlfriend and living with her mutilated corpse for more than seven months has been ordered to stand trial in the killing.

Matthew Lewinski, 38, was bound over to Macomb County Circuit Court on Thursday on charges of first-degree murder, mutilation of a corpse and concealment of a corpse, The Macomb Daily of Mount Clemens reported.

Lewinski remains held without bond. He is charged in the death of Courtney Jerri Winters, whose mutilated body was found in Lewinski's basement in July 2021.

Lewinskis defense attorney, Elisha Oakes, told The Associated Press on Friday that she had no comment on her client being ordered to trial.

Clinton Township District Court Judge Sebastian Lucido suggested Thursday that police should have read Lewinski his Miranda rights when they began to question him in a hospital bed in July 2021, before he made admissions about choking Winters.

But he ruled that even without those statements, enough probable cause exists to advance the case to the trial court. Lucido said he was leaving the decision on the issue of the admissibility of those statements up to the Macomb County Circuit Court judge assigned to the case.

Lewinski was taken to a hospital on July 26, 2021, after he was found wandering in his underwear near his home. Winters' decomposing body was found the next day in Lewinskis basement, and some flesh had been removed from her corpse.

Lewinski told police he fatally strangled Winters during an argument in his home a few days before Christmas 2020 after they had broken up a month or so earlier, according to testimony.
BANGKOK (AP)  A court in Myanmar ruled Friday that state prosecutors have submitted enough evidence for the trial of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi on an election fraud charge to continue, a legal official familiar with the case said.

The army seized power from Suu Kyis elected government in February last year, saying there was widespread fraud in the 2020 general election. Its allegation was not corroborated by independent election observers.

Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party won the election by a landslide, while the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party suffered huge losses.

A conviction in the election fraud case could lead to Suu Kyis party being dissolved and unable to participate in a new election the military has promised will take place in 2023.

Suu Kyi has already been sentenced to 11 years in prison after being convicted on charges of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition and a corruption charge.

The cases are widely seen as having been concocted by the military to discredit 76-year-old Suu Kyi and keep her from actively returning to politics.

A court in the capital, Naypyitaw, is hearing multiple charges against Suu Kyi and several colleagues, including the electoral fraud charge. The penalty for the offense is three years imprisonment. Former President Win Myint and former Minister of the Union Government Office Min Thu are co-defendants in the case.

The charge was filed last November by the state Election Commission, whose members were appointed by the military government. The military dismissed the commissions previous members, who had declared there were no major irregularities in the election.

The new commission accused the defendants, including its own former chairman, of being involved in electoral processes, election fraud and lawless actions.

A legal official familiar with Fridays proceedings said the defendants pleaded not guilty after the court approved the indictments against them and allowed the trial to continue.

The courts decision on Friday was confirmed by a legal official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information. All of Suu Kyis trials are closed to the media and the public and Suu Kyis lawyers have been barred by a gag order from providing details of the proceedings.

According to Myanmar law, a judge can order an end to a trial after the prosecution has presented its case if it doesnt have merit. This first phase is roughly similar to a grand jury process in Anglo-American law. If the judge finds the prosecution case credible, the trial continues into a second phase in which the defense presents its case and a verdict is delivered.

The legal official said the defense lawyers requested that three prosecution witnesses be recalled for re-examination before the court starts to hear the defense arguments.

After last years military takeover, the newly appointed head of the Election Commission said his agency would consider dissolving Suu Kyis former governing party for alleged involvement in electoral fraud. He said the party had worked illegally with the government to give itself an advantage at the polls.

The commission also warned that Suu Kyis party would be disbanded if the party did not submit its financial accounts and expenses for inspection. The commission announced it was examining political parties to see whether they were maintaining and using party funds in accordance with the law.. It has already examined 83 of the 92 political parties.

Khin Maung Oo, a member of the commission, said in April that the examination of the NLDs books would be delayed because some of the partys officers had been arrested and others had gone into hiding.

Officials of Suu Kyis party who have escaped arrest said in a statement last year that the party does not recognize the military-appointed election commission and its statements are illegal.

Suu Kyi is also being tried on a charge of violating the Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years, and 11 counts of corruption, which carry a maximum sentence of 15 years each.

The militarys takeover prompted nationwide peaceful protests that security forces quashed with lethal force, triggering armed resistance that some U.N. experts now characterize as civil war.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Nashville police shot a man Thursday night after officials say a security guard was fatally shot outside a liquor store.

According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, a physical altercation occurred in the parking lot of a Frugal MacDoogal between the 40-year-old unidentified man and 59-year-old Robert Scott Meek, who was the liquor store's security guard.

Meek reportedly encountered man after an attempted shoplift in the liquor store. The two went into the parking lot and eventually engaged in a fight with Meek, according to police. Meek was fatally shot with his own pistol.

The other man retreated into the store with the security guard's gun and refused to surrender when law enforcement arrived. Police say the man shot at the officers before two of them returned fire. As of Friday, he was in stable condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for wounds to his extremities.

Police officers Blake Curry, Steven Luckey and Trevor Taylor responded to the scene and have since been placed on routine administrative assignment. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, at the request of the District Attorney, is now investigating the fatal shooting of Meek and the wounding of the gunman.
PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP)  A New Hampshire man has been convicted of kidnapping and murder in connection with his role in the 2015 death of a woman whose bound and gagged body was found burning beside some railroad tracks in Massachusetts, prosecutors said.

Julian Squires, 48, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was convicted Thursday in Plymouth Superior Court after a 10-day trial and seven hours of jury deliberations, the Plymouth district attorney's office said in a statement.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  Six New Jersey correctional officers are facing assault and tampering charges from a 2020 interaction with an inmate in the state's minimum custody youth prison, the state attorney general said Friday.

Early on April 8, 2020, the officers forcibly removed an unidentified inmate from his cell at the Garden State Youth Correctional Facility in Chesterfield, including by shooting pepper spray at the inmate twice despite his offering to be handcuffed, acting Attorney General Matt Platkin said in a statement.

The officers then filed false reports, Platkin said. One included that the inmate tried to mule kick a shield, but video and photo evidence contradict the report, the attorney generals office said.

An attorney for one of the defendants and the head of the union representing prison guards in New Jersey dispute the charges.

The ordeal, according to the attorney general, left the inmate screaming in pain and covered in blood. He was given an inhaler and oxygen in the infirmary, and was treated for cuts on his face, the attorney general said.

State Department of Corrections policy permits the use of force when it's objectively necessary and reasonable and requires inmates be given an opportunity to comply before a forced cell extraction, the attorney general's office said.

A reason for the cell extraction wasn't given.

Correctional police officers are entrusted with great authority over the inmates in their custody, and when they abuse that power, they must be held accountable, Platkin said in a statement.

Facing charges are Sgt. Michael Emmert, who faces two aggravated assault charges as well as a tampering with records charge. Senior correctional officers Christopher Toth, Raymond Quinones, Michael Gaines, Mark Sadlowski and Michael Ambrozaitis.

Stuart Alterman, an attorney for Sadlowski and counsel to the union that represents correctional officers, said in a phone call his client as well as the others are not guilty.

This is an unfortunate set of events where senior correctional officers were doing their duty and attempting to do their duty and protecting themselves from a very dangerous inmate, Alterman said.

Messages have been left with the other defendants' attorneys as well.

Alterman said the officers are suspended without pay.

William Sullivan, the president of the labor union representing the correctional officers, said in a text message the officers acted professionally and did exactly what was required of them per policy.

This investigation took over two years. They worked everyday and had not one negative interaction at work since this alleged incident, he said.

The Burlington County facility has about 1,000 inmates and operates as a minimum security institution, where they participate in vocational training or academic education, according to the Department of Corrections.
CLEVELAND (AP)  A man was shot and killed by police at a public housing complex in Cleveland during a confrontation in which an officer's finger was bitten off, authorities said.

The shooting at the Union Square apartment complex occurred around 5:45 p.m. Thursday, shortly after Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority police were told Demond Eskridge, 42, of Cleveland, had thrown multiple objects  including a bed frame, a door and chairs  from the seventh-floor balcony of the building.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  Iranian security forces on Friday arrested a young man following an assault on a top provincial cleric in the central city of Isfahan, Iranian media reported. The cleric appeared unharmed in a video broadcast after the attack.

According to the semiofficial Fars news agency, the unidentified man accosted prayer leader Yousef Tababaeinejad as he was talking with some worshipers after Friday prayers and attempted to stab him in the neck with a sharp metal object."
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  The Sacramento City Unified School District suggested that students resume wearing masks Friday as a soft start to a reinstated indoor masking mandate that takes effect on Monday amid a rising tide of COVID-19 in California.

The district announced the move Thursday when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moved Sacramento County into the high level of community transmission.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)  State animal health officials have extended a ban poultry events indefinitely as a bird flu outbreak continues.

The Bismarck Tribune reported the State Board of Animal Health canceled all shows, public sales, swaps and exhibitions of poultry and other birds in March at the North Dakota Turkey Federations request to help slow the disease. The board on Thursday decided to continue the ban until further notice.

Private sales, catalog sales and retail sales are still permitted. The board will review risk factors at its Sept. 7 meeting.

Bird flu has infected 15 flocks in 10 North Dakota counties, including four commercial operations. About 167,000 birds have been destroyed, according to federal data.

Nationwide, the outbreak has resulted in the slaughter of about 37 million chickens and turkeys in 36 states. The outbreak is the worst since 2015, when 50 million chickens and turkeys were killed.
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (AP)  A suburban Chicago police officer fatally shot a man who came at the officer with a hatchet during a traffic stop Friday, authorities said.

The officer was conducting a traffic stop at 11 a.m. when an unrelated vehicle pulled up next to the vehicle the officer had pulled over, the Naperville Police Department said. A man exited the second vehicle and charged the officer with a hatchet in his hand, it said.
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)  The University of Maine System's chief legal officer cited stress as a reason for resigning this week following turmoil over a presidential job search that led to faculty votes of no confidence in the chancellor.

Jim Thelen, who served as vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and chief legal officer, sent a notice of his resignation to colleagues on Wednesday, the Kennebec Journal reported.

He wrote that his stress had become "unbearably intense and acute of late and that his decision was made in consultation with a doctor.

I believe it is necessary that I step down as soon as possible to maintain and preserve my health and wellbeing, he wrote.

The announcement followed an uproar that began over Chancellor Dannel Malloy's failure to notify a search committee that the candidate selected to serve as president of the University of Maine at Augusta had received no-confidence votes in his previous job.

That led three faculty senates to issue their own votes of no confidence in Malloy. The contract for Malloy, a former governor of Connecticut, is due to expire at months end, and trustees have yet to renew it.

Thelen was by Malloy's side when the chancellor addressed faculty on the Augusta campus in a tense meeting.

Despite that, a University of Maine System spokesperson said the resignation was not related to the University of Maine at Augusta presidential search or the actions taken by faculty since then.

Thelen made $249,564 in the past fiscal year and has been with the system since 2015, when he served as a general legal counsel.
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UNITED NATIONS (AP)  Afghanistans Taliban rulers are maintaining close ties with al-Qaida as they consolidate control over the country, and their main military threat is coming from the Islamic State extremist group and guerrilla-style attacks by former Afghan government security personnel, U.N. experts said in a new report.

The experts said in the report to the U.N. Security Council that with the onset of better weather, fighting may escalate as both Islamic State and resistance forces undertake operations against Taliban forces.

But neither IS nor al-Qaida is believed to be capable of mounting international attacks before 2023 at the earliest, regardless of their intent or of whether the Taliban acts to restrain them, the panel of experts said.

Nonetheless, it said the presence of IS, al-Qaida, and many other terrorist groups and fighters on Afghan soil is raising concerns in neighboring countries and the wider international community.

Since their takeover of Afghanistan last Aug. 15 as U.S. and NATO forces were in the final stages of their chaotic withdrawal from the country after 20 years, the Taliban have favored loyalty and seniority over competence, and their decision-making has been opaque and inconsistent, the experts said.

In the report obtained Thursday, the panel monitoring sanctions against the Taliban said its leaders have appointed 41 men on the U.N. sanctions blacklist to the Cabinet and senior positions, and they have favored the countrys dominant Pashtun ethnic group, alienating minority communities including ethnic Tajiks and Uzbeks.

The Talibans primary concern has been to consolidate control while seeking international recognition, to re-engage with the international financial system and to receive aid in order to deal with the growing economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the experts said.

Since taking power, however, there have been many factors creating internal tensions within the movement, leading to perceptions that the Talibans governance has been chaotic, disjointed and prone to reversing policies and going back on promises.," they said.

As the Taliban struggle to transition from an insurgency to a governing body, they have been divided between pragmatists and hardliners who have gained the upper hand and want to turn the clock back to the group's harsh rule from 1996 until December 2001, when they were ousted from power by U.S. forces following the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

To date, their efforts to win recognition and aid from Western nations have floundered, largely because they have not formed a more representative government, and have restricted the rights of girls to education beyond elementary school, and of women to work and travel without a male relative's oversight.

The central dilemma is how a movement with an inflexible ideology can engage with a society that has evolved during the past 20 years, the experts said. Further stresses revolve around power, resources, and regional and ethnic divisions.

Despite these serious issues, the panel said the Taliban appear confident in their ability to control the country and `wait out the international community to obtain eventual recognition of their government.

They assess that, even if they make no significant concessions, the international community will ultimately recognize them as the government of Afghanistan, especially in the absence of a government in exile or significant internal resistance, the experts said.

So far, not a single country has officially recognized the Taliban, and there is growing international anger at its treatment of girls and women and its failure to keep its promise of forming an inclusive government. There are also concerns about the Talibans inability to keep its promise not to allow terrorist groups to operate in Afghanistan.

The panel said the Haqqani Network, a militant Islamist group with close ties to the Taliban, moved quickly after their takeover to gain control of key portfolios and ministries including interior, intelligence, passports and migration. It now largely controls security in Afghanistan, including the security of the capital, Kabul, the experts said.

The Haqqani Network is still regarded as having the closest links to al-Qaida, the panel said, and the relationship between the Taliban and al-Qaida also remains close. The experts pointed to the reported presence of al-Qaidas core leadership in eastern Afghanistan including its leader Ayman al-Zawahri.

To counter the Islamic State, the report quoted an unidentified country as saying the Taliban have created three battalions of special forces called red units.

The emergence of the National Resistance Front and Afghanistan Freedom Front comprising former Afghan security personnel has led the Taliban to adopt aggressive measures against populations suspected of supporting anti-Taliban operations, the panel said.

In April, it said National Resistance Front forces stepped up operations in Badakhshan, Baghlan, Jowzjan, Kunduz, Panjshir, Takhar and Samangan provinces.

The Afghan Freedom Front, which only emerged recently, has also claimed several attacks on Taliban bases in Badakhshan, Kandahar, Parwan and Samangan, the experts said.

Taliban forces may be hard pressed to counter several insurgencies simultaneously, they said.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The United States and its allies vowed Thursday to hold Russia accountable for crimes committed by its forces that invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 and gave strong support to investigations by the International Criminal Court, the United Nations and other bodies.

U.S. Undersecretary of State Uzra Zeya told a U.N. Security Council meeting on strengthening accountability and justice for serious violations of international law that in nearly 100 days the world has seen Russian forces bomb maternity hospitals, train stations, apartment buildings and homes and kill civilians cycling down the street.

Weve received credible reports of Russian forces torturing and committing execution style killings of people with their hands bound behind their back, she said. Weve received reports of women and girls being raped, some publicly, and children taken away into Russia and put up for adoption. And we know that Russian forces continue to deny safe passage to civilians fleeing violence, and to humanitarian organizations trying to reach those in need.

Zeya said the United States is working with its allies to support a broad range of international investigations into atrocities in Ukraine. And she said the Biden administration has a message for Russias political and military leaders: The world is watching you, and you will be held accountable.

Irelands Attorney General Paul Gallagher welcomed the many efforts over the last three months to support calls for justice in Ukraine. He said Ireland was one of 41 countries that quickly referred the situation in Ukraine to the ICC, which has deployed a team of 42 investigators, forensic experts and support staff to investigate Russian crimes and support the country's efforts.

Ireland is also encouraged by the U.N. Human Rights Councils establishment of an Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine and the significant and welcome coordination of investigation efforts, he said.

If we are to achieve justice for victims and survivors, it is essential that we ensure that this momentum is maintained and that these investigations ultimately result in fair and impartial criminal prosecutions where there is evidence to support them, Gallagher said.

Britains deputy U.N. ambassador James Kariuki called Russias unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine a violation of international law and the U.N. Charter.

While Russias veto power has blocked the Security Council from taking action on Ukraine, he said, it has not prevented the international system from taking steps to pursue justice.

Russias U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused Western nations of hypocrisy for suddenly seeking international criminal justice over what Moscow calls its special military operation in Ukraine,

In sharp contrast, he claimed that during NATO attacks in Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria international law was perceived only as an annoying impediment and alleged war crimes went unpunished.

Nebenzia also accused the West of using the ICC as a political tool, claiming that neither the ICC nor the West are bothered about numerous crimes of the Kyiv regime that came to power in 2014 and continues to attack civilians in Ukraines eastern Donbas region.

The Russian military recently launched a major offensive in Donbas and its officials have said Moscows main goal is to liberate the region which is the predominantly Russian-speaking industrial heartland of eastern Ukraine. Russian-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian forces there since 2014, when Ukraines Moscow-friendly president was driven from office by protests.

The Security Council meeting was presided over by Albanias Prime Miniater Edi Rama who spoke more broadly about accountability saying basic values enshrined in the growing body of international law, humanitarian law, international human rights law, and international criminal law continue to be systematically and grossly violated.

Rama, whose country holds the council presidency this month, said that by failing to hold the Syrian regime accountable for its crimes against its own people" during the country's 11-year war we may have encouraged atrocities elsewhere.

He said Russias reprehensible aggression against Ukraine has violated everything this council stands for -- the values, the norms, the law and the respect we owe each other as responsible members of the same community of nations.

Horrible crimes committed are uncovered every day," Rama said. This calls for accountability.

U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet warned that impunity fuels and intensifies many crises and emboldens perpetrators, silences victims and undermines prospects for peace, human rights and development.
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP)  Gov. Phil Scott has vetoed a land conservation bill that supporters say intended to protect biodiversity and improve climate resilience.

The legislation set goals of conserving 30% of Vermont land by 2030 and 50% by 2050.

Scott, a Republican, wrote in his veto message to lawmakers Thursday that the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources testified multiple times against this bill, saying the conservation goals in it are unnecessarily tied to  and unreasonably limited to  permanent protection.

The Agency has repeatedly said that permanent preservation has not been, and cannot be, the states exclusive conservation tool and this bill, intentional or not, would diminish the existing and successful conservation tools we have, Scott wrote.

House Speaker Jill Krowinski and House Natural Resources Chair Amy Sheldon said the act was part of a package of environmental legislation that sought to build on the state's conservation work and help reduce the impact of climate change on communities, and now joins other environmental protection legislation that Scott has vetoed in recent years.

Environmental groups also criticized the move.

The bill would have created a statewide conservation plan, given the current and future development pressures on Vermonts landscape, combined with the historic biodiversity loss and climate change, the Vermont Natural Resources Council said in a statement.

Because of the Governors veto, we are left with no plan to address the increasing fragmentation of our rural and working lands, said Jamey Fidel, the council's forest program and wildlife director.

Last month, the Biden administration detailed steps to achieve an ambitious goal to conserve nearly one-third of Americas lands and waters by 2030.
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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York would make it easier to sue over discriminatory voting policies and require localities with a history of civil right violations to get approval before changing election rules, under legislation that passed the Democrat-controlled Assembly and Senate Thursday.

A spokesperson for Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said she will review the legislation. This year, Hochul has called for this type of state-level Voting Rights Act to protect voters of different races and languages.

New York's bill follows the U.S. Senate's failure in January to pass voting legislation that would have enabled the Justice Department to intervene in states with a history of voter inference.

Under the bill, certain areas, school boards, or local election boards would no longer be able to make changes  like removing people from voter rolls, reducing voting hours or the cutting number of polling sites  without approval from the state attorney generals office or courts.

Communities where minority New Yorkers have disproportionately high arrest rates could also need permission to change election rules.

The legislation would make lawsuits over voter intimidation and suppression easier by laying out an expedited process for New Yorkers or the attorney general to sue over voting violations, including new bans on voter intimidation, deception and obstruction.

Courts could come up with solutions for voter suppression ranging from moving the dates of elections to adding more voting hours or days.

Democrats and civil rights leaders have said Republican-led states are passing laws making it more difficult for Black Americans and others to vote by consolidating polling locations, requiring certain types of identification and ordering other changes.

Parts of New York City once had to seek federal approval for changes to election and voting laws under a key part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in 2013.

Roughly a century ago, New York state passed laws that required English literacy tests to vote and moved election day to Saturday, during the Jewish Sabbath.

Bill sponsors Sen. Zellnor Myrie and Assemblymember Latrice Walker, both Democrats from New York City, said the state's record on voting has improved but still needs work.

Supporters cited U.S. Census data that shows voter registration and turnout rates are lower for Black and Hispanic New Yorkers than non-Hispanic white residents.

In recent decades, New York has also faced criticism of its language assistance programs for minority voters, and allegations of gerrymandering political districts to reduce the power of minority communities.

Since the courts have weakened the federal Voting Rights Act and without action from Congress to strengthen it, we have seen a wave of laws passed across this nation meant to stifle the voting power of minority voters, Walker said. "This legislation sends the message that here in New York, your right to vote is protected.

New York's legislation is similar to a 2021 law in Virginia that empowers voters and the attorney general to sue over voter suppression and requires local election officials to get public comment or pre-approval from the attorney general for voting policy changes.

Oregon lawmakers this year failed to pass a bill that would have required some local communities to get permission for election law changes.
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WEST HAVEN  There will be a vacant spot for a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected military-sized vehicle in the citys municipal lot after Gov. Ned Lamont this week vetoed a bill that would have authorized the transfer of the vehicle from Farmington police to West Haven police.

Farmington obtained two of the MRAP vehicles through the 1033 program, a federal program wherein municipalities can apply for surplus military equipment. West Haven Police Chief Joseph Perno said the city intended to acquire one of the vehicles to aid first responders in the region in major flooding events.

However, a statewide police accountability bill that passed after Farmington acquired the MRAP prohibits Connecticut municipalities from obtaining most equipment through the 1033 program.

Lamont said in a letter accompanying his veto that he believes the transfer of an MRAP between police departments would side-step those police accountability measures.

Public Act 20-1 appropriately prevented acquisition of MRAPs, and I believe it is inconsistent with the intent of Public Act 20-1 and the type of community-focused policing my administration supports to make an exception to this prohibition, Lamont wrote.

Perno expressed disappointment, saying the veto would disadvantage the shoreline city in storms.

During (2013 winter storm) Nemo some of our vehicles were stuck on hills for three to four days. A firetruck was stuck on a hill, he said.

Perno said his department already had taken the vehicle on a drive around the city for testing and evaluation to see if it was something we could use, but paperwork authorizing the transfer had not been completed prior to what the city had hoped would be Lamonts signature in passing the bill.

Senate Bill 258, the bill Lamont vetoed, passed unanimously in the state Senate and by a 129-15 vote in the House, with all members of West Havens delegation voting in favor.

West Havens state delegation and the citys top public safety officials released a statement Thursday afternoon condemning Lamonts decision.

The MRAP was going to be a welcomed asset for our WHEMT to protect our community during all natural and manmade disasters, including noreasters, hurricanes, severe flooding. The versatility of the MRAP is the type of equipment that is essential for successful Emergency Management planning and deployment, the statement said. With all the challenges our state is currently facing it hardly seems plausible that denying West Haven a vehicle that can possibly save lives could necessitate the Governors veto. With two years of work to get this right, including bringing on board some of the strongest voices on police accountability, we as a delegation are shocked and disappointed that the result is a veto. West Haven was well served by the delegation and that work should matter here.

The statement was signed by Rep. Charles Ferraro, R-117; Rep. Dorinda Borer, D-115; Rep. Trenee McGee, D-116; Sen. Gary Winfield, D-10; Sen. James Maroney, D-14; Perno; West Haven Fire Department Chief James OBrien; and Joseph Soto, director of the West Haven Emergency Management Team.

Ferraro said in March when the bill was introduced that the vehicle had been stripped of armaments and had been outfitted with first aid equipment and other supplies that would aid first responders in making evacuations. He said the intent of local officials and legislators was never to further militarize the citys Police Department.

Flooding has been a significant concern in West Haven, as officials reckon with issues of drainage and water erosion as major storm events have become more common in recent years.

Plans to use state bonding money raise Beach Street, a critical road that runs through the citys beachside commercial sector, are ongoing as the city seeks the necessary permits from the state. The City Council also voted earlier this week to enact a proposal by Mayor Nancy Rossi to use federal pandemic recovery funds to purchase a city-owned vaccuum truck  a maneuver that officials expect to free up money and labor over time.

A request for comment from Farmington police was not immediately returned Thursday.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  A Canadian electric school bus manufacturer will begin production at a West Virginia facility in September, officials said.

In January, GreenPower Motor Co. Inc. signed a lease-purchase agreement for a 9.5-acre (3.8 hectares) manufacturing facility in South Charleston. The company announced Thursday that it will take possession of the facility in August and start producing zero-emission buses the following month.

Gov. Jim Justice said at a news conference that his administration will work with the company to demonstrate the electric buses in school districts statewide.

Under President Joe Bidens $1 trillion infrastructure plan, the Environmental Protection Agency will offer rebates to school districts of up to $375,000 toward the purchase of larger electric buses and $285,000 for smaller ones to replace diesel-powered vehicles. An additional $20,000 per bus is available for battery-charging infrastructure, GreenPower spokesman Mark Nestlen said.

In essence, they can almost get those buses for free," Nestlen said.

The buses can run 140 miles (225 kilometers) on a single charge and recharge in as little as 3.5 hours.

Vancouver, British Columbia-based GreenPower plans to hire up to 200 workers initially with the potential to add up to 900 new jobs when full production is reached in two years.
Following Alameda County health officials' information that COVID-19 cases have exceeded last summer's Delta variant wave and are now approaching diagnoses previously seen during the winter 2020-21 spike, AC Transit announced Thursday that face masks will be required on all of its buses beginning Friday.

The reinstatement begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday.

Alameda County Health advises that new patient admissions to county hospitals with COVID-19 have dramatically increased in recent days. Consequently, officials now warn that we are collectively close to reaching the "High Level" as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Community Levels, which tracks data from counties across the nation.

The reinstatement will remain in effect until further notice.

Petaluma police investigators notified the community this week about a potential threat of violence to one of the city's high schools later this month, but it was determined that the reference was made to another school in another jurisdiction.

Investigators were alerted to the potential threat of violence at Casa Grande High School on June 10. Working with the FBI to identify the suspect and evaluate the credibility of the threat and assess the safety of the school, investigators now believe the suspect who made the statement was not in California and the reference to "Casa Grande School" was not Casa Grande High School in Petaluma.

Police investigators notified the law enforcement agency in the appropriate jurisdiction.

A Petaluma police spokesperson said the department understands these are trying times for students, parents and school officials. The department said it understands the complexities of these types of investigations and it wanted to notify the community to ensure residents that police were aware of a potential threat.

A copy of the school's message to their students and parents can be found here https://www.parentsquare.com/feeds/12948731.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that an operation targeting violent street gangs in Stockton was successful and resulted in nearly 90 arrests.

Operation "Hybrid Havoc" targeted gang members who were allegedly responsible for violent crimes, including homicide, drug trafficking and obtaining illegal firearms. As a result, 88 people were taken into custody, according to a news release from the attorney general's office.

The operation in partnership with local law enforcement began May 18 and ended June 1. Over the course of the investigation, authorities executed 24 search warrants and 18 arrest warrants in the north Stockton area. The 88 individuals were arrested on suspicion of felony offenses, and police seized 58 firearms and confiscated various illegal drugs including MDMA, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl.

Prosecutors said two homicides were solved as a result of the investigation.

The San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office will review the cases of all those arrested for potential filing in San Joaquin County Superior Court. The alleged crimes include murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and firearms and narcotics trafficking.

A Sonoma County resident from Penngrove fell to his death in Oregon on Sunday, according to the Curry County Sheriff's Office.

Nam Ing, 56, a photographer, had been hiking with friends when he slipped from the trail and fell nearly 300 feet to the rocks on the shoreline below, authorities said. Ing had been walking at the Natural Bridges Viewpoint, 20 miles south of Gold Beach. The Sheriff's Office said that it is frequently called to that area for rescues due to its beautiful draw but deceptive dangers.

Sheriff's deputies and other first responders arrived at the scene and used a rope system to reach Ing, who was pronounced deceased by an EMT from the Brookings Fire and Rescue Department.

Oregon State Police, Cal Ore Life Flight Ambulance, and Cape Ferrelo Fire also assisted with the recovery, and the U.S. Coast Guard also responded with a helicopter.

The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office is implementing a new immersive virtual reality training system to practice de-escalation, compassionate communication skills, and dealing with different high-stress scenarios such as active shootings.

The VirTra simulator recreates real-world situations on school campuses, malls, courthouses, and more for law enforcement to train with.

Following the recent mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, San Mateo County Sheriff Carlos Bolanos said at a briefing Thursday that "it was perfect timing" to install the simulator and start the training.

The VirTra simulator is a 300-degree experience with five large screens, making the V-300 4K experience immersive for the trainee.

Weidner and Sgt. Philip Hallworth went through an active shooter scenario. The five screens were filled with images of a movie theatre and people started screaming and running past. The two sergeants searched for the shooter moving through the virtual landscape created by the system. The images were taken from real life; VirTra is based in Phoenix.

The system can even take images from the local area. The firearms used are loaded with carbon dioxide to both activate the firearms and the lasers on the screens. It also gives the firearms the proper feeling of weight and feedback of a loaded firearm, so deputies have as close to a real-world experience as possible.

Hallworth and Weidner both described feeling their heart rates up and other signs of stress after the lights came back on and the training had ended. Each scenario lasts about five to 15 minutes. Weidner said that over time it is supposed to become less stressful for the officers.

A 28-year-old Salinas man was sentenced this week to two years in state prison after being convicted of driving under the influence for the sixth time since 2015, Monterey County prosecutors said.

Ulises Rodriguez Santillan pleaded no contest to felony DUI following a crash reported on the evening of April 16, 2021, when officers responded to a non-injury crash of a vehicle into a parked car on Bellehaven Street in Salinas, according to the District Attorney's Office.

A group of people were at the scene when police arrived but no one identified who had been driving. The officers then found footage from a surveillance camera in the area and were able to identify Santillan as the driver and one of the bystanders at the scene, prosecutors said.

His blood-alcohol content was determined to be .26, more than three times the legal limit.

Santillan was sentenced on Tuesday, according to the District Attorney's Office.

The National Weather Service forecast for Friday for the San Francisco Bay Area calls for a mostly cloudy day with highs in the 60s and 70s. Overnight lows Friday morning will range from the upper 40s to upper 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.
By Bay City News

A Sonoma County resident from Penngrove fell to his death in Oregon on Sunday, according to the Curry County Sheriff's Office.

Nam Ing, 56, a photographer, had been hiking with friends when he slipped from the trail and fell nearly 300 feet to the rocks on the shoreline below, authorities said. Ing had been walking at the Natural Bridges Viewpoint, 20 miles south of Gold Beach. The Sheriff's Office said that it is frequently called to that area for rescues due to its beautiful draw but deceptive dangers.

Sheriff's deputies and other first responders arrived at the scene and used a rope system to reach Ing, who was pronounced deceased by an EMT from the Brookings Fire and Rescue Department.

Oregon State Police, Cal Ore Life Flight Ambulance, and Cape Ferrelo Fire also assisted with the recovery, and the U.S. Coast Guard also responded with a helicopter.

"This is such a tragedy and from all of us here at the Curry County Sheriff's Office, we send our condolences to the Ing family," said the department in a statement.

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.
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As investigators dig deeper into the law enforcement response to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, a host of disturbing questions remain about what officers on the scene knew as the deadly attack was unfolding.

Did they know children were trapped in a classroom with the gunman? Was that potentially critical information relayed to the incident commander on the scene? And did officers challenge the commander's decision not to promptly storm the classroom?

Authorities have not released audio of the 911 calls or radio communications but have confirmed dispatchers received panicked 911 calls from students trapped inside the locked classroom with the gunman while officers waited in a hallway outside.

In an apparent breakdown in communications, Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez said Thursday that the commander overseeing police at the crime scene, school district Police Chief Pete Arredondo, was never informed that children were calling 911 from inside the school.

Gutierrez told The Associated Press on Friday that the state agency investigating the shooting determined Arredondo was not carrying a police radio as the massacre unfolded.

Arredondo also has come under criticism for not ordering officers to immediately breach the classroom and take down the gunman. Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said that Arredondo believed the active shooting had turned into a hostage situation, and that the chief made the wrong decision.

Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the attack last week at Robb Elementary, the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade. Seventeen others were injured. The funerals began this week.

Arredondo has not responded to repeated interview requests from The Associated Press, and telephone messages left at the school police headquarters were not returned.

There have been other cases in which officers on the scene of a crime were not relayed critical information by a police dispatcher, often because the dispatcher wasn't following protocols, said Dave Warner, a retired police officer and an expert at the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.

He cited a 2009 domestic disturbance call in Pittsburgh in which a woman told a 911 operator that her son was armed. That information was never relayed to responding officers. When they arrived, the man opened fire, ultimately killing three officers and seriously wounding two.

Its an old case, but its still very relevant today," Warner said.

Protocols for 911 dispatchers handling calls in active-shooter situations also specifically caution against changing a law enforcement response based solely on the amount of time that has elapsed since shots were last heard, Warner said.

Warner said those protocols were developed in part as a result of the 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech, where a student killed 32 people.

In that case, the gunman first killed two people at a dormitory. Police and school authorities thought that the gunman had fled the campus and that the danger had passed. But he instead moved on to another part of campus a couple of hours later and continued his murderous rampage.

Warner said the protocols stress that dispatchers should not think a shooting is over "just because that caller can no longer see the shooter or hear shots being fired."

The protocols also outline key questions for 911 dispatchers to ask callers in active-shooter cases, including the types of weapons involved, the number and location of suspects and whether the caller can safely evacuate the building.

The gunman in Uvalde, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, spent roughly 80 minutes inside the school before law enforcement officers killed him, according to an official timeline.

Since the shooting, law enforcement and state officials have struggled to present an accurate account of how police responded, sometimes providing conflicting information or withdrawing some statements hours later.

Many of those details are likely to become clearer after reviewing 911 calls and police radio communications, said Fritz Reber, a 27-year veteran and former captain with the Chula Vista, California, Police Department who has studied 911 dispatch systems.

Call takers at a 911 center typically relay information from callers in writing to a dispatcher, who then passes it along to officers in the field over the radio.

On the scene of major events, a specific radio channel is typically established so that all local, state and federal agencies can communicate with one another, Reber said. It is not clear whether that was done in Uvalde.

Reber said one reason information may not be relayed by dispatchers to officers on the ground is that dispatchers don't want to overload the channel with details they assume police on the scene would already know.

The assumption is the officers are there and will know more about what's going on than the people calling 911," he said.

Thor Eells, former commander of a 16-member SWAT team in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and director of the National Tactical Officers Association, said another key question is how many people were staffing the 911 call center covering Uvalde.

A lot of 911 calls were being placed, and in my experience that can lead to information overload," he said. When the 911 call center is being overwhelmed, it is extremely difficult to make sure you have a timely flow of information."

There have been communication breakdowns during other mass shootings in Texas, and experts say smaller, regional dispatch centers are often inundated with calls during a major emergency.

Police communications were a problem in 2019 when a gunman shot and killed seven people and wounded more than two dozen during a rampage in Odessa, Texas.

Authorities said 36-year-old gunman Seth Aaron Ator called 911 before and after the shootings, but a failure in communication between agencies  they were not all operating on the same radio channel  slowed the response. Ator was able to cover about 10 miles before officers shot and killed him.

___

Associated Press writer Jake Bleiberg contributed to this report from Dallas.
I am a California Democratic Party Executive Board member, and I support the recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin. I have consistently supported criminal justice reform as a three-time, elected delegate representing San Franciscos Assembly District 17. I feel compelled to speak out because Im sick of Boudins disingenuous campaign, and I believe recalling Boudin will save lives.

As a Democratic delegate, I have put my name on countless reform resolutions. They include removing barriers to education for formerly incarcerated individuals, providing access to permanent housing after release from prison, stronger background checks and psychological testing for police officers, and decriminalizing sex work. Like Boudin, I want us to invest in a society that eliminates foundational causes of crime.

In short, I am a Democrat and criminal justice reformist. This is why it infuriates me to see Boudin call the recall a Republican effort to institute their right-wing agenda. To support his claim, he often points to one donor who has donated to Republicans. His campaign committee sent a mailer telling voters not to trust the recall. It included images of Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson to make you think they are behind the recall. They are not. Importantly, Boudin neglects to mention his own top donor, Chris Larsen, has donated to a whole slew of Republicans, including Tom Cotton. If Boudin wants voters to make their decision based on donors to each campaign, he and his supporters should be honest. The fact is San Francisco Democrats put the recall on the ballot with 83,000 signatures, and a recent poll shows the recall is supported by 64% of San Francisco Democrats.

Personally, I believe Boudin harms our partys goals on criminal justice reform, in part, because people have died and will continue to die as a result of his choices and his policies. We have to hold our own accountable.

Boudin prides himself for using the lesser charge of accessory after the fact when charging fentanyl dealers for selling the highly lethal drug. This charge, which is a lower charge than possession with the intent to sell, results in offenders getting released back into the community repeatedly and continuing to deal. He obfuscates his lack of results by pointing to the war on drugs, the risk of undocumented dealers getting deported, and the possibility some dealers are victims of trafficking. His deflection to the war on drugs is all smoke and mirrors. In Portugal, we have a progressive model that works: decriminalize personal possession, get people suffering from addiction into treatment, and deliver real consequences to dealers. The results are impressive. It is neither persuasive nor solutions-oriented for Boudin to say he will not hold dealers accountable because they may be deported.

Similarly, Boudins claim that many dealers are victims of trafficking does not withstand scrutiny. A former San Francisco prosecutor and current state deputy attorney general said he did not find a single case of a dealer being a victim of trafficking after reviewing hundreds of narcotics cases. Furthermore, five current and former narcotics officers involved in over 4,000 arrests say they have never once heard of a dealer say they were trafficked. Even if some dealers are victims of trafficking, Boudin should prosecute the traffickers and help the victims instead of sending them back into the streets. Boudin has not cited a single example of doing either. Instead, we read about dealers building mansions back in Honduras, and the public continues to see daily deaths by fentanyl overdose, including the recent case of a 14-year-old girl. We want our district attorney to offer real solutions, not platitudes.

In addition to fentanyl dealers, Boudin prioritizes the needs of repeat offenders rather than centering his approach on victims and the public good. With a decadeslong criminal history, Troy McAlister faced 25 years to life after police arrested him on armed robbery charges in 2015. Because he posed a serious risk to the public, progressive DA George Gascon had been holding McAlister for five years pending trial. However, when Boudin took over, he released McAlister for time served, despite the danger McAlister presented. Subsequently, over the next nine months, police arrested Troy McAlister several more times. Still, Boudin did not file new charges even though he should have known McAlisters serious risk to the public.

On New Years Eve, McAlister allegedly killed Hanako Abe and Elizabeth Platt while drunken driving a stolen car and fleeing a robbery. Boudins prosecutor admitted in court that the Defendants pattern of criminality has done nothing but increase over the years, and unfortunately the People missed Defendants out-of-control spiral while on parole. The buck stops with Boudin. These deaths rest on his shoulders, and this alone is enough reason to recall him.

On Feb. 4, 2021, Jerry Lyons allegedly killed 26-year-old Sheria Musyoka while driving a stolen car under the influence. Previously, on Dec. 3, 2020, CHP had arrested him for also allegedly driving a stolen car while under the influence. Lyons was sentenced to 60 days for violating probation. Boudin was waiting on toxicology results to pursue the DUI but released Lyons only 27 days into the 60-day sentence and before getting the results. If Boudin had not released Lyons early, Sheria Musyoka would still be alive, and his 4-year-old son would still have his father.

Police arrested Joseph Williams in January and March 2021 on suspicion of felony domestic violence. Boudin released him both times because he said the victim wouldnt cooperate. That April, Joseph Williams allegedly killed 7-month-old Synciere Williams. Boudin could have prosecuted Joseph Williams in the first two cases without victim cooperation. Evidence-based prosecution is a tactic used to hold abusers accountable when victims are afraid to participate. DAs can prosecute using evidence like 911 call recordings and transcripts, child witness statements, neighbor witness statements, medical records, paramedic log sheets, prior police reports, restraining orders and booking records. Yet, Boudin did nothing, and Synciere Williams died before seeing his first birthday.

Boudin dismisses these examples as mere anecdotes. But Synciere, Sheria, Hanako, Elizabeth and countless other victims are not collateral damage in the name of reform. Their lives matter. They died because Boudin made bad decisions. Like Boudin, I also want to see a reduction in our prison population. But we cannot simply release people without mitigating the risk to our fellow neighbors. Our community members suffering from addiction need help, but they continue to die because Boudins policies keep fentanyl dealers on our streets.

We can have reform without these deaths. There are no better reasons to vote "yes" on Proposition H than to hold Boudin accountable for his choices and to save lives.

Nima Rahimi is an attorney, executive board member of the California Democratic Party and San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commissioner. He also spent six months volunteering as a full-time prosecutor for former San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon.
There's nothing quite like escaping to an island for a much-needed vacation, but imagine a private island of your very own.

If you're in search of the ultimate retreat, Hermit Island in the middle of a lake near Moultonborough, NH, is now on the market for $3,349,000.

"Hermit Island has been in the same family for 40 years, and it's like a secretive island in a sense," says listing broker Corina Cisneros, of eXp Realty. "It offers complete privacy. We call it a unicorn property because there are lots of islands on Lake Winnipesaukee, but it's rare to have one island belong to just one family."

An island and more

It's also a two-parcel offering: the entire island along with a piece of property on the mainland just 200 feet away. The mainland property boasts a garage and boat dock, but (currently) no toilet.

"There is a carriage house above the garage that has the ability to be a layover-type of place," Cisneros adds.

While the three-bedroom home on the isle offers privacy, she notes, it's not exactly sealed off from the rest of the world in true hermit style.

Aerial view Realtor.com

Dock Realtor.com

Waterfront home Realtor.com

Living room Realtor.com

Kitchen Realtor.com

Bedroom Realtor.com

"You can have all of your toys on the mainland that you can get to in a minute and a half," Cisneros says. "The garage on the mainland has sleeping quarters upstairs where you can stay if the weather gets bad and you can't access the island. In the winter, when the lake freezes, you can walk across from the mainland to the island."

In friendlier weather, you can take in the gorgeous lake views from the island's spacious deck or enjoy a walk throughout the private 2.25 acres.

Creature comforts on Hermit Island

The house was originally a modest retreat, but it has been completely renovated. Living room sliders open to a massive deck that overlooks the lake. New flooring was installed, and the kitchen and bathrooms were updated.

The agent also touts the island's private sewage system and high-speed internet via an underwater cable. But even after the improvements, Cisneros says, Hermit Island remains a modest getaway.

"It's not an ostentatious house," she says. "It's meant to be a private retreat where you can go to get away from the world."

For a buyer who doesn't mind sharing, the island can be subdivided into two lots. And to enjoy all that the lake offers, there are four boat slips on the island and three more on the mainland.

According to Cisneros, the appeal is obvious: "It's available for a unique buyer who wants the privacy of living on an island, but with the convenience of getting to the mainland," she says. "I think it will definitely be a second home for someone."

The post No Misnomer Here: Hermit Island in New Hampshire Offers 'Complete Privacy' appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
The Nation's Weather for Saturday, June 4, 2022

_____

NATIONAL SUMMARY

Rain will drench the central and South Florida Peninsula and

the Florida Keys tomorrow. The rain be locally heavy and

wind-swept as an organizing tropical system crosses

south-central Florida throughout the day. Elsewhere, an area

of low pressure and associated cold front will cross through

New England and bring rain to much of Maine. Farther west, a

few thunderstorms are expected to rumble from the northern

and central Rockies to the central Plains. As one system

moves from eastern Washington and Oregon into Idaho and

western and central Montana, a more moisture-laden storm

will approach the West Coast. Rain is forecast to spread

into western Washington and western Oregon. The rain will

become locally heavy and spread farther inland overnight.

The Southwest will be dry and seasonably warm.

SPECIAL WEATHER

No new information for this time period.

WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS

No new information for this time period.

DAILY EXTREMES

National High Friday 99 at Needles, CA

National Low Friday 27 at Bodie State Park, CA

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 3, 2022

_____

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT

Special Weather Statement

National Weather Service Amarillo TX

612 PM CDT Fri Jun 3 2022

...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of western Oldham and

western Hartley Counties through 645 PM CDT...

At 612 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along

a line extending from 10 miles south of Amistad to 11 miles south of

Nara Visa. Movement was northeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around

unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is

possible.

Locations impacted include...

Romero.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio

stations and available television stations for additional information

and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.

LAT...LON 3605 10304 3605 10286 3529 10264 3522 10304

TIME...MOT...LOC 2312Z 230DEG 23KT 3577 10320 3544 10312

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN

MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

The National Weather Service in Corpus Christi has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

West central Calhoun County in south Texas...

South central Victoria County in south central Texas...

Northeastern Refugio County in south central Texas...

* Until 645 PM CDT.

* At 612 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near McFaddin, and

is nearly stationary.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage

to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...

Tivoli.

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM CDT THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Urban and small stream flooding caused by excessive

rainfall is expected.

* WHERE...A portion of north central Texas, including the following

county, Tarrant.

* WHEN...Until 915 PM CDT.

* IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...

- Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated heavy rain

due to thunderstorms. This will likely cause urban and small

stream flooding. Low lying and/or poor drainage areas will

experience minor flooding in the advisory area. Between 1 and

2 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up

to 1 inch are possible.

- Some locations that will experience flooding include...

Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield, Euless, Bedford, Grapevine,

Haltom City, Keller, Hurst, Burleson, Southlake, Watauga,

Colleyville, Benbrook, and Saginaw.

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood

deaths occur in vehicles.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO EL PASO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, June 2, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in El Paso has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Northeastern El Paso County in western Texas...

* Until 700 PM MDT.

* At 620 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near East El Paso,

moving northeast at 15 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage

to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...

East El Paso, Central El Paso, Far East El Paso, Mission Valley,

Hueco Tanks, Fort Bliss, Homestead Meadows, Montana Vista,

Butterfield, Hueco Mountain Estates, Fort Bliss Northeast and Biggs

Field.

This includes Interstate 10 in Texas between mile markers 24 and 32.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO EL PASO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 3, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in El Paso has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

South central Otero County in south central New Mexico...

Northern Hudspeth County in western Texas...

* Until 1100 PM MDT.

* At 1015 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 14 miles north of

Dell City, moving southeast at 45 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage

to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...

Dell City, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Crow Flats, Far

Western Portions of Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Gypsum

Dunes at Guadalupe National Park.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO LAKE CHARLES Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, June 2, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Lake Charles has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Southeastern Jefferson County in southeastern Texas...

* Until 800 PM CDT.

* At 722 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Port Acres,

or near Port Arthur, moving south at 20 mph.

HAZARD...70 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect considerable

tree damage. Wind damage is also likely to mobile homes,

roofs, and outbuildings.

* Locations impacted include...

Port Arthur, Groves, Port Neches, Sabine Pass, La Belle, Port Acres

and Sea Rim State Park.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 3, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Lubbock Texas has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Southern Cochran County in northwestern Texas...

Western Terry County in northwestern Texas...

Southwestern Hockley County in northwestern Texas...

Yoakum County in northwestern Texas...

* Until 1245 AM CDT.

* At 1206 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 9 miles northwest

of Plains, moving east at 30 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...

Levelland, Denver City, Plains, Sundown, Bronco, Tokio and Wellman.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to

flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 3, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Midland has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Southeastern Lea County in southeastern New Mexico...

Southwestern Andrews County in western Texas...

Northwestern Winkler County in western Texas...

Northeastern Loving County in western Texas...

* Until 230 AM CDT/130 AM MDT/.

* At 130 AM CDT/1230 AM MDT/, a severe thunderstorm was located 21

miles west of Jal, moving east at 25 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage

to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...

Jal, Jal Airport and Bennett.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

Very heavy rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to

flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO NORMAN Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, June 2, 2022

_____

FLOOD ADVISORY

Flood Advisory

National Weather Service Norman OK

942 PM CDT Thu Jun 2 2022

...The Flood Advisory is cancelled for the following rivers in

Oklahoma...Texas...

Red River near Burkburnett affecting Wichita, Jefferson, Tillman,

Clay and Cotton Counties.

...FLOOD ADVISORY IS CANCELLED...

The Flood Advisory is cancelled for

the Red River near Burkburnett.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...

- At 8:30 PM CDT Thursday the stage was 7.5 feet.

- Forecast...The Red River is expected to fall to 4.9 feet

Tuesday evening.

- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

The National Weather Service in League City has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Southeastern Brazoria County in southeastern Texas...

* Until 1015 PM CDT.

* At 943 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Oyster Creek,

or 8 miles north of Surfside Beach, moving south at 20 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...

Eastern Freeport, Surfside Beach and Oyster Creek.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 3, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Southwestern Ferry County in northeastern Washington...

* Until 200 PM PDT.

* At 110 PM PDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 15 miles southeast

of Nespelem Community, or 44 miles southeast of Omak, moving north

at 15 mph.

HAZARD...Quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Damage to vehicles is expected.

* Locations impacted include...

Keller.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 3, 2022

_____

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT

Special Weather Statement

National Weather Service Spokane WA

141 PM PDT Fri Jun 3 2022

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northwestern Lincoln

and southwestern Ferry Counties through 215 PM PDT...

At 141 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm

Near Keller, moving northeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around

unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is

possible.

Locations impacted include...

Wilbur and Sherman.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to

localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded

roadways.

This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio

stations and available television stations for additional information

and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.

LAT...LON 4771 11871 4776 11886 4798 11877 4788 11845

TIME...MOT...LOC 2041Z 209DEG 22KT 4778 11874

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN

MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN FERRY COUNTY IS

CANCELLED...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe

limits, and no longer poses an immediate threat to life or property.

Therefore, the warning has been cancelled. However heavy rain is

still possible with this thunderstorm.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement

agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service

Spokane.

...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.

* WHERE...A portion of Southeast Washington, including the following

county, Asotin.

* WHEN...Until 445 PM PDT.

* IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas

including locations in and near the Lick Creek Burn Scar.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...

- At 142 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to

thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin

shortly in the advisory area.

- Additional rainfall amounts up to 1 inch are expected over

the area. This additional rain will result in minor flooding.

- Some locations that will experience flooding include...

Cloverland. Asotin Creek Road, Charley Creek Road, Lickfork

Road, Smoothing Iron Road.

- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood

deaths occur in vehicles.

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL GARFIELD AND

NORTHWESTERN ASOTIN COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 145 PM PDT...

The severe thunderstorm which prompted the warning has weakened.

Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire. Very heavy rain is

still occurring and may lead to flooding concerns.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 3, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Northwestern Nez Perce County in north central Idaho...

Southeastern Whitman County in eastern Washington...

Northeastern Asotin County in southeastern Washington...

* Until 300 PM PDT.

* At 213 PM PDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Clarkston

Heights-Vineland, or near Clarkston, moving east at 15 mph.

HAZARD...Quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Damage to vehicles is expected.

* Locations impacted include...

Lewiston, Clarkston, Clarkston Heights-Vineland, West

Clarkston-Highland, Asotin, Clarkston Heights and Jerry.

People attending NAIA World Series should seek safe shelter

immediately!

This includes the following highways...

U.S. Highway 95 in Idaho between mile markers 305 and 325, and

between mile markers 327 and 328.

U.S. Highway 12 in Idaho between mile markers 0 and 3.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

Large hail and damaging winds and continuous cloud to ground

lightning is occurring with this storm. Move indoors immediately.

Lightning is one of nature's leading killers. Remember, if you can

hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to

flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 3, 2022

_____

FLASH FLOOD WARNING

Flash Flood Statement

National Weather Service Spokane WA

243 PM PDT Fri Jun 3 2022

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR THE BURN SCAR IS CANCELLED FOR EASTERN

OKANOGAN AND SOUTHWESTERN FERRY COUNTIES...

The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a

threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN NEZ PERCE...

SOUTHEASTERN WHITMAN AND NORTHEASTERN ASOTIN COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe

limits, and no longer poses an immediate threat to life or property.

Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

West central Stevens County in northeastern Washington...

East central Ferry County in northeastern Washington...

* Until 315 PM PDT.

* At 243 PM PDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 21 miles west of

Chewelah, or 49 miles northwest of Spokane, moving northeast at 25

mph.

HAZARD...Half dollar size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Damage to vehicles is expected.

* Locations impacted include...

Cedonia, Gifford, Inchelium, Addy and Rice.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

Large hail and damaging winds and continuous cloud to ground

lightning is occurring with this storm. Move indoors immediately.

Lightning is one of nature's leading killers. Remember, if you can

hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to

flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
Welcoming over 12,000 millionaires in 2019, Australia has emerged as the most preferred migration destination for high net-worth individuals worldwide.

Australia has one of the most conducive environments in the world to do business and has a very strong and robust economy.

Queensland, Australia, is emerging as the preferred destination for migrants due to its excellent handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and opportunities in the education, minerals, renewable, and agriculture sectors.

The interim Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement further boosts the strong relationship between the two countries. The agreement will eliminate tariffs on over 95 per cent of the goods and services on Indian exports to Australia.

Australia will also gain sizeable market access in India, with tariffs being eliminated on more than 85 per cent of the Australian goods and services exports to India.

At the end of June 2019, 6,60,350 Indian-born people were living in Australia, more than twice the number (307,590) as on June 30, 2009, and this is further expected to increase. This makes the Indian-born population the third largest migrant community in Australia.

Abhinav Bhatia, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner -- South Asia, Trade & Investment Queensland, addressed the audience, including senior business leaders, at a seminar organised by Phoenix Business Advisory.

Explaining the decision-making factors during migration and why Queensland is the preferred choice, he stated, "With a growing economy and excellent quality of life, Queensland is a choice many immigrants and Australians are making to put down roots. Due to the Queensland government's successful handling of the Covid- 19 pandemic, Queensland has seen the highest interstate migration in the last 20 years.

"Brisbane (the capital city of Queensland) being the host city for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympic Games, has provided a catalyst leading to various developmental projects and business opportunities in many industries. Furthermore, Queensland has closer ties with India than other Australian states, contributing 60.7 per cent to national export value in 2021. These factors and proactive support by Migration Queensland make us the ideal choice for Indian investors and innovators."

The event offered a platform for interested individuals to interact, which guided entrepreneurs with information about important policies, visas, and migration procedures to set up their business.

Being well connected with the rest of the world, Queensland provides an excellent opportunity for the Indian business community. Moreover, migrants can access top-quality education and healthcare by making the state their home.

Under the Queensland Business Nomination programme, innovators and investors can apply for migration to Queensland by exploring the various business opportunities.
Indias digital payments landscape has witnessed phenomenal growth over the past five years.

As per a report titled, Digital payments in India: A $10 trillion opportunity, Indias digital payments market is at an inflection point and is expected to more than triple from the current $3 trillion to $10 trillion by 2026 (excluding large B2B/ G2B payments). As a result of this unprecedented growth, digital payments (non-cash) will constitute 2 out of 3 payment transactions by 2026 with contributions from across India.

The report by PhonePe, digital payments company, in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) also talks about how the digital payments ecosystem has been positively disrupted by the entry of multiple new players with diverse offerings driving payments at scale, and niche players offering financial services such as credit, wealth management and insurance.

Leading global and Indian fintech players have been key drivers of UPI adoption in India among end users, aided by merchants with user-friendly transaction interfaces, and innovative offerings, supported by an open API ecosystem.

The report goes on to list the levers for the growth of digital payments in India which include - simplified customer onboarding, continued push for consumer awareness, merchants getting greater access to credit, expanding merchant acceptance, infrastructure upgrades and the setting up of a financial services marketplace driving growth in underpenetrated regions. It also talks about how IoT, 5G & CBDC will provide further impetus to growth.

Commenting on the launch, Karthik Raghupathy, Head of Strategy, and Investor Relations, PhonePe, said, This report is part of the PhonePe Pulse initiative, which was launched last year, in our effort to give back to the Fintech ecosystem. We have seen the growth of UPI over the last few years. UPI has supercharged Indias transition to non-cash payments when it comes to both person-to-person (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions. Not surprisingly, UPI saw about 9x transaction volume increase in past 3 years, increasing from 5 billion transactions in FY19 to about 46 billion transactions in FY22: accounting for more than 60 percent non-cash transaction volumes in FY22. This indicates that digital payment has truly gained ubiquitous acceptance across the country."

While Tier 1-2 cities have witnessed high acceptance of digital payments, penetration in Tier 3-6 cities shows headroom for growth, he said. The next wave of growth will now come from Tier 3-6 locations, as evidenced in the past two years wherein Tier 3-6 cities have contributed to nearly 60-70 percent of new customers for PhonePe, Raghupathy added.

Prateek Roongta, Managing Director & Partner, Boston Consulting Group said, India is set to become a digital payment economy as source of payments invert with 65 percent transactions being done digitally by 2026, as opposed to 40 percent transactions today. Merchant payments will emerge as the most powerful driver of this growth, especially in the offline segment due to growing QR code deployments. We expect that merchant payments will soon outpace person-to-person fund transfers.

Prateek further added, We will increasingly observe digital payments get embedded in all forms of commerce, we will also witness the progression from embedded payments to embedded finance. As more and more merchants begin to accept digital payments, it will unlock a significant change in access to credit for small merchants due to the creation of a digital transaction trail.

The report leverages BCGs industry expertise in payments and the fintech domain, along with PhonePes insights and expertise in Indian digital payments.
Arun Majumdar, currently the Jay Precourt Provostial Chair Professor, will assume his new position on June 15

REMONT, CA: The inaugural dean of Stanford University's new school specializing in climate change and sustainability is Arun Majumdar, an Indian-American material scientist, engineer, and professor.

According to Stanford News, the university's first new school in 70 years, the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, will open on September 1 to accelerate solutions to the global climate issue. Arun Majumdar, who is now the Jay Precourt Provostial Chair Professor and a faculty member in the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering, as well as a Senior Fellow and former director of the Precourt Institute for Energy, will start his new post on June 15.

Mr. Majumdar, a native of Kolkata, earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay in 1985 and a Ph.D. in 1989 from the University of California, Berkeley. Between November 30, 2011, and May 15, 2012, he was nominated for the post of Under Secretary of Energy in the United States, however, his nomination was canceled. Mr. Majumdar was the vice president of energy at Google after leaving Washington DC, where he created a team to develop innovations and businesses at the convergence of data, computation, and the electricity grid. Mr. Majumdar began his career at Stanford in 2014. He was the first director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and is now the chair of the US Secretary of Energy's advisory board.

In the release, Mr. Majumdar expressed his honor and humbleness to serve as the inaugural dean. Through the leadership of transitions deans, Kam Moler and Steve Graham, we will not only harness the intellectual horsepower of our students, faculty, and staff from across campus, but Majumdar also plans to partner with external organizations around the world to co-develop innovative solutions and identify new insights. Finally, Arun Majumdar concluded that each individual must figure out how to create a future where humans and nature thrive together.
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The top floor office and lounge on the 59th level of Home Southbank is a game changer for new tenants - Meredith Hodson and Jack Gibson.

Like many other young professional couples, they spent much of Melbournes harsh lockdowns cooped up in a small city unit wanting more space. A dramatic, post-pandemic shift to home working only sharpened that need.

Meredith and Jack have just moved into the build-to-rent Home Southbank apartment. Credit:Jason South

The whole of the top floor is set up as an office and lounge, Hodson said. That was a huge tick box for us. Its like an extension of the apartment.

Theyre trying to market it to have that homely feel, said Gibson.
Ribbon of Light illustrates an important aspect of Munros work: he wants it to be a salve for the soul. His dazzling displays are underpinned by ideas and theorems, but he also wants them to lift our spirits; to remind us of beauty and transcendence in a world ravaged by disease and war. Bruce Munros Time and Place - Palm Beach 2020, Australia. Credit:Copyright  2021 Bruce Munro He has always been fascinated by light, he says. As a child growing up in Hertfordshire, Munro was mesmerised by trips to the cinema  the light on the screen was beautiful. At Christmas he would spend hours testing each bulb on the string of lights adorning the tree. When he enrolled to study fine art at Bristol Polytechnic, a career as an artist of some kind seemed inevitable. But Munro, by his own admission, took a long time to find his calling. He dropped out of college for 14 months, resumed his studies, graduated then joined the ranks of young Brits heading to Australia for some fun in the sun. Settling in Sydney, he enrolled in a course run by Saatchi & Saatchi that convinced him he wasnt cut out for advertising. One evening his tutor took him out for a drink and told him he had a butterfly mind. I thought it was f---ing rude at first, but I knew what he meant, he recalls. He suggested I stick to one thing which is when I decided to work exclusively with light. Ive still got a butterfly mind  it goes off in all directions  but nowadays I look at everything through the lens of light.

Sydney fostered his career  he started a commercial lighting company  but the outback made him an artist. Camping at Uluru with his fiancee, now wife, Serena, he was mesmerised. I felt there was something in the air there  not just at Uluru, but the outback as a whole. The rawness of it, the light and this incredible energy. I thought: God, this is like being plugged into the mains. Field of Light, Uluru (2016), by Bruce Munro. Credit:Mark Pickthall It was at Uluru that Munro conceived the work that would make his name: a field of light that bloomed at night like desert seeds drenched by rain. What he didnt know is that it would be 12 years before he realised his vision. Back in Britain, Munro tried to make it as a painter and failed. He was more successful as a designer of bespoke lighting, but the artistic dreams forged in Australia haunted him. When he and Serena bought the farmhouse in Wiltshire, he realised its big field and the contours of Long Knoll  a grass-covered chalk ridge behind the house  were the perfect backdrop for his art. He created the first iteration of Field of Light  the one that dazzled the unwary helicopter pilots  using 15,000 illuminated stems that had been used in a window display he designed for the London department store Harvey Nichols. The venture plunged him into debt. But he convinced Eden Project  a collection of massive biomes in Cornwall housing flora from around the world  to erect Field of Light. The project attracted international attention and his first paid commissions as an artist followed.

The 62-year-old man who greets me in the studios meeting room seems genuinely amazed by his success. When you stick a load of lights in a field you never imagine youll be sitting here talking about it 20 years later. It was a bloody stupid thing to do in retrospect, but something told me I had to do it. Bruce Munros Time and Place - Sunrise Road, Australia. Credit: 2021 Bruce Munro He insists he is still uncomfortable describing himself as an artist. Im not clever enough to be a contemporary artist. Im slightly old-fashioned  Im dealing with feelings and the atmosphere they create. The only part of the art world that really concerns me is someone giving you a job, because that pays the bills and allows me to do another project. Like many people in the creative sector his work dried up at the start of the pandemic. The virus also caused the postponement of Bruce Munro: From Sunrise Road, the first museum exhibition in Australia of his work. The show, originally scheduled to open at Heide Museum of Modern Art in June 2021, will finally make its debut on June 25. Munro insists the long delay was all for the best. In a way it was a blessing that we didnt go ahead [in 2021], he says. It would have been awful to have the exhibition there and then have nobody see it because of a lockdown. That would have been very depressing. The title of his Australian exhibition refers to the street in Sydneys Palm Beach where he and Serena lived in the 1980s. One of the works, Time and Place, is a grid of colour culled from three photographic transparencies Munro captured at the time. He compares it to recreating a memory.

Bruce Munros Ferrymans Crossing, 2021. Credit:Mark Pickthall The exhibitions undeniable centrepiece is Ferrymans Crossing, an evocation of an abstracted luminescent river comprised of more than 4000 CDs. It is inspired by Herman Hesses novel Siddhartha and text from the book will be flashed as morse code onto the surface of the discs. Loading Morse code is also used in Reflections, a series of circular, kaleidoscopic digital light animations projected on the gallery floor. The one Munro shows me on his computer is inspired by Wordsworths poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud. Set to music by Prokofiev, its a slow-moving whirl of daffodil yellow forms; hypnotic and undeniably beautiful. I ask him what unites these works besides the innovative use of light. Its a way of making shorthand of bigger ideas, he ventures. Another answer might be this: they are all the products of a butterfly mind.
AB [INTRA], Roslyn Packer Theatre, June 2. Until June 11

Figures emerge and disappear in a theatrical mist in this work, which uses the latin term for within as its title to refer to the inner thoughts that inspired the mind of its maker, Sydney Dance Company artistic director Rafael Bonachela.

The technical quality of this new generation of dancers is excellent. Credit:Laurent Phillip

It is the most interesting piece he has choreographed for the company, first appearing in 2018 with a group of dancers who had been with SDC for some time and had made their mark as individuals.

This group is mostly a new generation, and their technical quality is excellent, as usual with the SDC. How fortunate we are to be able to say that. But I do miss the originals and the character they brought to the choreography.

This brings the large ensemble together in a variety of ways. Sometimes they move together in inventive clusters. More often, they provide an action jigsaw of movement that frames the duets and solos.
What are your commandments for good cooking? It just needs to taste delicious. In Asian cooking, as a rule, its all about balance. Like in Chinese cooking, you always have steamed greens. A lot of people go, Thats not exciting; it doesnt have the wow factor. But if you have a meal without the greens, its unbalanced. A lot of Asian cuisines build that in.

Sri Lanka is majority Buddhist, with significant Hindu, Muslim and Christian populations. Hindus dont eat beef. Muslims dont eat pork. Many Buddhists dont eat meat at all. How do these considerations manifest in Sri Lankan cuisine? It all comes down to tolerance, a big theme of religion. It can work, you can do it all, as long as youre tolerant of other peoples beliefs. And besides vegetables, you need to serve chicken. And seafood.

Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects were told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics theyre given. This week, he talks to O Tama Carey. The Sydney chef and restaurateur, 42, opened Lankan Filling Station in 2018 in Darlinghurst, focusing on the flavours of her Sri Lankan heritage. Her cookbook is Lanka Food: Serendipity & Spice.

Tell me about a meal youve had that came close to being a religious experience. In Tokyo, we went to this fancy, tiny tempura restaurant. We sat around a little U-shaped table; the tempura chef was in the middle. Everything was just so beautiful and delicious, it was a perfect night. We also went to a restaurant called Faviken in central Sweden, which isnt there any more. We drove for miles to get there. Not only was the food delicious but the manager was very specific about the timing between courses. Every time a little snack came out, hed come in, give a little clap, youd all stop and listen, and hed tell you what it was, then disappear. Everything was timed to perfection and seamless. A magical, beautiful thing.

POLITICS

Youve said youve felt like a fraud when it comes to Sri Lankan food, and have even copped some criticism over the authenticity of your food. Expand on that. There are so many nuances to the notion of authenticity in food, which I find perpetually interesting. I worked at [Kylie Kwongs former restaurant] Billy Kwong for many years and cooked Chinese. Id always love it when I got into taxis and theyd be like, What do you do? And Id be like, I cook Chinese food. Chinese taxi drivers would just laugh at me!

But Kylie Kwong drew on authentic Chinese techniques and recipes while offering an Australian update. Which is why her food is so delicious. Back then, there was no question of whether I, a half-Sri Lankan white girl, should be cooking it. When I worked at Berta [in Sydneys CBD], it was all Italian. I did heaps of research, went to Italy, and no one ever said, Why do you think you can cook Italian food? It wasnt until I started cooking Sri Lankan. I dont know if it was my own insecurities or fears. But I also think because Sri Lankas so small, its cuisine not mainstream, people are protective of the food. But Ive never said Lankan Filling Station is super traditional. There are family recipes, and theres stuff Ive made up using traditional flavours, but approaching them with my background of cooking European and Chinese food and living in Australia, using Australian ingredients.

Can we talk about the double standards between perceptions of European and Asian cuisine? Dont even get me started on this 
Principals across all school sectors say the teacher shortage is getting worse, leading to unprecedented poaching and hitting areas that once had an abundance of staff, such as physical education (PE), English and primary education.

The teacher shortage is biting across Australia and around the world as the need for teachers becomes greater. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show 21 per cent more students will begin school in 2030 compared with 2021.

Private, public and Catholic schools say they are struggling to find teachers. Credit:iStock

The principal of The Scots College in Bellevue Hill Ian Lambert said there was no doubt recruitment was more difficult than in the past. The number of quality candidates for each position is less than in previous years, he said. It is an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Phillip Heath, the principal of Barker College in Hornsby, said recruitment had been challenging with some subjects very lean, he said. Curiously, D&T [design and technology] has dried up.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size I keep thinking about a pear, the lovely green one that I bought at my local fruit shop two weeks ago and put in the fridge with mandarins and some grapes. A week later, it was still there, so I moved it to the benchtop fruit bowl, hoping that visibility would equal edibility: one of the kids would see it, eat it and compost the core. Often that works, but this time it didnt. Day turned to night then to day and the pear stayed put. Tidy green turned to spotty yellow. The stalk listed. One pert pear bum-cheek subsided into the base of the fruit bowl, then split like a bedsore. Nicks appeared by the neck  an incident with a banana? I should cook that, put it in a cake, stew it to serve with muesli, I thought in passing. And then I didnt. As I write this, I have got as far as taking it out of the fruit bowl to sit on the bench, a solo sentinel of profligacy, bad planning, inept parenting, lazy housekeeping, society on the verge of climate collapse. Its there now, just a pear, but also part of a big problem. If food waste was a country, it would be the third-biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions after the US and China, according to the UNs Food Waste Index Report, released last year. When foods like my pear end up in landfill, they slowly rot, generating methane and carbon dioxide. One problem with calculating the scale of the problem is the lack of accurate data and agreed definitions on what counts as waste from the vast majority of the world. The UN estimates that 17 per cent of global food production was wasted pre-pandemic, tallying to almost one billion tonnes a year. Australia is an outsized contributor, producing 7.6 million tonnes of food waste per year, the equivalent of 312 kilograms per person, according to a waste strategy paper released by Food Innovation Australia. Approximately 70 per cent of this is edible  this at a time when one in six Australian adults struggled to access enough to eat in the past 12 months. Australias food waste would fill the MCG 10 times each year, or would fill semi-trailers stretching from Perth to Sydney, says Steven Lapidge, chief executive of the federally funded Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre. We spend billions building better roads, and we dont spend anything like that on trying to reduce food waste and the negative consequences of that wasted food.

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The impact is considerable: food waste accounts for 3 per cent of Australias greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to an average car driving around the world 2 million times. Its costly, too. The average Australian household fritters away up to $2500 a year buying food that isnt eaten, and national food waste costs us about $36.6 billion a year. Its more than what road congestion costs Australia in terms of lost productivity, says Lapidge. But we spend billions building better roads, and we dont spend anything like that on trying to reduce food waste and the negative consequences of that wasted food, which is the significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions it creates. Loading Australia classes such waste as food or drink intended for human consumption that either does not reach the consumer or is thrown away after it does. Discarded seeds, bones and peels are counted as waste to encourage a rethink: grape skins and seeds left over from wine-making can be used as an ingredient for nutraceuticals, for example. Human-grade food thats fed to livestock isnt waste; throwing the dog a bone is, though some argue it shouldnt be. Food rescued by charities is not waste, as long as the food ends up eaten. Compost is considered waste, though its further up the hierarchy than landfill because emissions are greatly reduced by the aerobic breaking-down of organic matter. The counting is complicated, but theres no doubt about whats worst: the most damaging action of all is putting food into the bin. In 2015, the UN laid out the challenge in its Sustainable Development Goals, a blueprint of 17 objectives to remake the world. Goal 12 is to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, with target 12.3 specifically aimed at halving global food waste by 2030. Australia has pledged to work towards this goal under the auspices of a National Food Waste Strategy, a network of initiatives that prioritises industry-led action. But anyone can tackle food waste  its solvable pear by pear. Who are the champions showing us how its done, by being inspiring and innovative, and helping to save the world along the way? Matt Whiley creates cocktails from surplus produce at Sydney bar, Re. Were starting conversations, he says. Credit:Jennifer Soo Canny chefs and bartenders

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Matt Whileys inventory looks completely different from that of the average bar. Our ingredient list might include strawberry tops, lamington offcuts from a local bakery and rescued plums from a greengrocer nearby, says the bartender, standing by the coolroom in Sydneys high-concept Re. The idea behind the cocktail venue and kitchen in Eveleigh is to make a menu out of surplus food and by-products that would otherwise be binned, mostly by other commercial kitchens. The strawberry tops are infused into water thats added to a gin cocktail. Lamington scraps are distilled with spirit, then blended into a coconut cocktail. The plums are reduced to a syrup, then turned into an aromatic liquor. Its rewarding, a really good feeling, says Whiley. When you work in food and drink, you see so much waste. Its almost built around it. I couldnt deal with throwing stuff out any more, so I decided to change things up. Making waste reduction fundamental means Re runs differently to other bars. The team only brings in produce it believes can be turned over quickly. For our first six months, our fridges were always full, says Whiley. Now they are pretty much empty. Thats half the battle: humans over-consume and then things end up in the bin. At Re, every plate is analysed once a customer has finished eating. If a dish constantly comes back unfinished, you know your portion size is off, so you scale it down, order less, and charge a little less. It also has six bins  compost, glass, paper, waste, laundry and soft plastics  and there are notebooks next to the bins. Whenever someone puts anything in the general waste or the compost bin, they have to write down what it was, why its been wasted, and what could be done differently next time, he says. Youve got to hold yourself accountable. If a dish constantly comes back unfinished, you know your portion size is off, so you scale it down, order less, and charge a little less. Whiley is under no illusions about his impact. Were small, he says. If its sunny, our capacity is 86 guests, inside and out. If its raining, its 46. We are highlighting a problem and also showing how to solve it. To say that were making change would be a lie. But we are starting conversations. Were bringing venues together. How can what were doing in Sydney filter into Melbourne, Brisbane, all the towns and cities all over Australia? And then how does Australia take that to the world?

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In Melbourne, chef Dennis Yong was disillusioned by a kitchen culture which saw bins filled every day. If you chuck it away, you dont have to care about it,  he says. Thats the mentality. Cucumber peel or apple peel or leftover rice, you dont use it. Yong didnt grow up like that. In Malaysia, my grandma always put leftovers in the fridge, and she would wash, dry and reuse plastic bags, he says. Poor people dont throw things out. The whole idea of fried rice is that its from the day before: it dries a little and gives it that al dente texture the next day. Dennis Yongs menu at Melbournes Parcs is based on offcuts, seconds, rescued food, and fermentation. Credit:Peter Tarasiuk As a trainee chef, he saw potential dishes scraped into the bin all the time. Cuttings and scraps are full of promise, he says. Hes proving that now at Parcs (scrap backwards), a small city dining room where the menu is based on offcuts, seconds, rescued produce and  crucially  fermentation. Food waste and fermentation are a perfect marriage, he says. If you take scraps and ferment them, you can extend their life for years. He makes kimchi, pickles, kombuchas and preserves, as well as a treacle made from the likes of melon peel, herb stems, onion skin and garlic skin. Rather than making a mirepoix with fresh carrot, onion and celery as the base for a dish, I use whatever scraps I have at the end of the day to make my treacle sauce that does the same job. Yongs creations have also sprung from back-alley trawls and bin-foraging. I would see a whole binful of tomatoes at the Vic Market or a huge bin at Woolies  double my height, I climbed up  that was full of carrots and celery. It was crazy. If you peel the skin, you get a perfect carrot. It was depressing, but then I got inspired. Someone has to do something about this. Dining culture isnt always his friend. With chefs, theres often this idea that fresh produce makes your food better, he says. Does it matter, though? For me, as long as its edible, a carrot is a carrot. I dont think it makes that much difference to the flavour or the finished dish. We need to use the carrot that is going to go bad first and use the new one later on. We need to solve the problem right now rather than create a new problem. Yong makes a treacle from the likes of melon peel, herb stems, onion skin and garlic skin. Credit:Peter Tarasiuk

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Super-mindful suppliers Two years ago, Josh Brooks-Duncan and Josh Ball, mates and business students at Melbournes RMIT University, wandered through the monthly farmers market in seaside St Kilda. We noticed that a lot of the produce didnt look the same as the supermarket, says Brooks-Duncan. It was bent, misshapen, it looked  natural. We started researching and realised that there was a huge issue with food waste due to aesthetics. Up to 25 per cent of Australian produce never leaves farms, according to a 2017 federal government report, because its marked, or non-standard in size or shape, and therefore doesnt meet buyer specifications. That means one-quarter of the water used to grow our food is wasted, too. One that gets me every time is celery, he says. Supermarkets only buy a specific size that fits into standardised tubs, so farmers often rip sticks off the outside of the celery  up to 40 per cent of the plant is discarded. But the outer sticks are the best, crunchiest, biggest, tastiest. And they are ploughed back into the farm or thrown in the bin. The pair saw a chance to make a difference. We learnt that food waste is a huge driver of climate change, says Ball. Throw in a business degree and you have an eye on opportunity. Four months after that day, they launched Farmers Pick, a vegetable- and fruit-box service that puts imperfect produce on consumers doorsteps, initially in Melbourne and now also in Sydney. Josh Ball co-founded Farmers Pick with his friend Josh Brooks-Duncan. Credit:Peter Tarasiuk They work directly with farmers to collect those celery sticks, plus kinky carrots, oversized mushrooms, teeny pumpkins and anything else that doesnt fit the specs. Customers pay 30 per cent less than the same perfect produce would cost in standard retail outlets.

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The challenge for the government is to be seen to be on top of things, while not rushing into precipitate action. Energy Minister Chris Bowen, another minister with extensive experience in government, including as a treasurer, walked that line on Thursday. Bowen has convened a meeting of energy ministers for early next week, and he assured reporters Resources Minister Madeleine King was talking to gas companies and Industry Minister Ed Husic was in discussions with large industrial users. But Bowen pointed out the trigger, even if pulled, couldnt come into force until January.

The government would take whatever action is necessary, but after full briefings and gathering all the information. Loading The next few months will test the governments ability to the limit on economic and energy issues, as it confronts major problems while trying to manage expectations. On the gas crisis, its one thing to eschew, as Bowen said, the knee-jerk reaction; its another to find an appropriate reaction and know when it has to be applied. Then theres the budget. This weeks national accounts showed 3.3 per cent annual economic growth, which was better than anticipated.

Despite this, Treasurer Jim Chalmers  one of the first-time ministers, although he was a chief of staff Wayne Swan when he was treasurer  was negative in his language. Perhaps this is because he is anticipating bringing down what will be a difficult budget. Chalmers performance drew some criticism because of the risks of talking down the economy. What the new government has been talking up is its intention (and ability) to bring a new style and tone to politics. It is setting a high bar for itself because, as the freshness wears off, political behaviour tends to revert to the old ways. The sceptics will say, weve held lofty sentiments before and often they havent come to much. Anthony Albanese in 2016 with former Labor PM Bob Hawke. Now that hes prime minister, Albanese is trying to replicate the late PMs consensus style of leadership. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Albanese invokes the Hawke consensus approach as a model. A major test of this will be the jobs summit the government plans to hold ahead of the October budget. Hawkes 1983 economic summit is the gold standard for summits. Attended by employer, union and community representatives, it ran for a week and enabled a detailed airing of issues. In 1985, Labors tax summit was a much more fractured affair; it laid the path for some important reforms but failed to pull off support for Paul Keatings desired consumption tax.

Kevin Rudds Australia 2020 summit, co-chaired by Glyn Davis, the man Albanese this week announced to head the prime ministers department, was an altogether different gathering. It was an occasion for the free flow of ideas, with an overlay of celebrity. It was criticised for the later outcomes failing to live up to the hype. The new secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Glyn Davis, also fancies himself on a guitar. Credit:Peter Casamento To get the best out of the jobs summit  which is to be followed by a white paper  it should be broad in the issues addressed, but focused, and backed by extensive preparatory research. It should run long enough for detailed discussion. A few hours wont cut it. It should also be public. This has the downside of excessive grandstanding  the usual suspects saying the usual things  and requires careful management. But the upside is it allows voters a (modest) degree of buy-in to the policy process.

The government is also promising to deliver a parliament that behaves and operates better. It is certainly confronting a transformed House of Representatives, in which the crossbenchers have swelled to 16 (including four Greens). Loading This influx would force changes of itself. For example, last term the crossbench had only one question each day  that will naturally increase. Burke, in his role as leader of the house, is open to other changes, but makes it clear there are limits. He is not inclined to supplementary questions (which happen in the Senate). And forget an end to Dorothy Dixers  questions from backbenchers inviting ministers to say what good things the government is doing. Burke thinks thats too valuable a platform to give up.

Will we see less sledging and general bad behaviour in the house? The larger crossbench will promote an improvement. But the conduct will also depend on the strength of whoever Labor puts in as speaker, and how Peter Dutton (a natural headkicker) approaches his role of opposition leader. As well, the tone is likely to worsen later in the term, when contestants are shaping up for another bout at the ballot box. The public want better standards of parliamentary behaviour. But old ways are hard to break, so lets judge in three years time. Another big front on which Albanese has raised expectations is federal-state relations, although he hasnt sketched out detail.

Scott Morrisons national cabinet had a mixed record in the COVID era. Relations between federal and state governments varied from co-operative to fractious, depending on the time and issue. Loading Albanese faces four Labor states, with New South Wales and Tasmania in non-Labor hands. Not that political stripe necessarily determines where a state stands on issues. For example, the GST distribution sees WA set against other states. Two state elections are looming  in Victoria in November, and NSW in March. If the Perrottet government, which is progressive on issues such as climate and tax, was returned, it would likely be anxious to co-operate with the Albanese government on a reform agenda. If there was a new government in Victoria, that state would likely be less co-operative. The experience of the pandemic has profoundly altered the federation, without any formal change of the constitution. The premiers have been empowered and energised. Albanese needs to weld them together to deliver a slate of national outcomes.
Star casinos senior ranks were plagued by a culture of dishonesty, a lack of ethics and a deliberate failure to be transparent with the regulator and the board, lawyers leading a public inquiry have argued.

Failures to manage risk, due diligence and supervision of the lucrative VIP junket business stretched to the top of the organisation, including former chief executive officer Matt Bekier, the inquiry heard.

Counsel assisting the inquiry Naomi Sharp, SC, suggested Stars willingness to prepare sham documentation could amount to a criminal offence of obtaining a financial advantage by deception.

Counsel assisting Naomi Sharp, SC, begins closing submissions to the Star inquiry on Tuesday.

In her final remarks on Friday, Sharp said the slew of executive resignations triggered by the public review of Stars suitability to hold a casino licence could not turn things around.
The pandemic is not going to miraculously end on the 12th of July, Foley said. At the start of this year, about 3000 staff were contracted to COVID-19 Response, the pandemic bureaucracy led until recently by Jeroen Weimar and run out of the Health Departments Lonsdale Street headquarters. As of Friday, about 1560 people were still employed with the response. By June 30, that number will reduce to about 360 people, or 260 full-time-equivalent positions. Throughout 2021, COVID-19 Response Commander Jeroen Weimar led Victorias central pandemic bureaucracy. Credit:Justin McManus The changes coincide with Victorias health system entering another difficult pandemic winter, with a virulent strain of influenza circulating at the same time as more than 500 people are hospitalised with COVID and an average of 20 people are dying each day with the virus. Chief Health Officer Brett Suttons public health team estimates the peak demand on the health system will be felt earlier than normal this winter because of the combination of COVID and flu.

But the timing of the bureaucratic overhaul has less to do with epidemiology than budgetary considerations. Victorias surge workforce was mostly hired on fixed-term contracts that expire at the end of the month. Elsewhere in government, other largely redundant COVID bureaucracies are being disassembled before the end of the financial year. The newly constructed quarantine centre in Mickleham is being reduced to 25 per cent capacity. Credit:Paul Jeffers In the Department of Justice, about 1500 people contracted to industry, engagement and enforcement operations  teams of compliance officers hired last September to enforce COVID restrictions on construction sites and across other industries  will receive their last paycheck before June 30. COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria is being steadily whittled down, with the newly constructed $580 million quarantine facility at Mickelham, formally known as the Centre for National Resilience, to be reduced from 50 per cent to 25 per cent capacity. By June 30, a maximum of 250 beds will be available at the lightly used quarantine centre.

University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely said Victorias population immunity peaked about two months ago following the summer Omicron wave and earlier take-up of third-dose vaccines. But vaccination rates have since fallen. Only two-thirds of eligible adults have had a third dose of a COVID vaccine in Victoria and fewer people received a jab in May than in any month since the start of the vaccination program. South East Public Health Unit director Rhonda Stuart. Credit:Justin McManus Blakely said higher vaccination rates would help immensely to ease pressure on the health system. We can and need to do more on the COVID front to make it easier this winter, he said.

Deakin University epidemiologist Catherine Bennett welcomed the bureaucratic overhaul. She said Victoria didnt need an army of contact tracers and authorised officers for a virus that was too infectious to stop. She said the bureaucracy currently being dismantled was designed for a different stage of the pandemic. The reason they scaled up is because we were managing it through contact tracing. We cant do that any more. Even if we were starting from zero base again, it moves too quickly. That doesnt mean we dont need a health response but it has changed. Opposition health spokesperson Georgie Crozier said a chaotic public health message was creating confusion about Victorias pandemic response. COVID-19 Response will cease to exist from July 1. In its place, a COVID dedicated team will be established within the public health division of the Health Department. It will have four areas of focus: data and intelligence; targeted outbreak management; vaccination and testing; and policy and strategy.

The front line of our pandemic response has already shifted from the Health Department into eight local public health units established at the end of 2020. Loading Rhonda Stuart, the director of the South East Public Health Unit based at the Monash Hospital in Clayton, said her team was working closely with local residential aged care facilities and other high-risk sites to contain potentially dangerous outbreaks. It has been a gradual transition across, firstly for COVID and then for other communicable diseases, Professor Stuart said. By 30 June the majority of things for COVID will be done in the local public health units. What we do now is very different to what we were doing 12 months ago. The reshaping of Victorias pandemic response is being overseen by Department of Health secretary Euan Wallace with input from Sutton and infectious disease experts from the Doherty Institute.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size When Robert Menzies welcomed a 36-year-old Queen to Australia in 1963, she was almost half his age and more than a couple of generations removed. Menzies was born in 1894, during the reign of her great-great-grandmother, Victoria. It was before federation, before universal adult suffrage and before many other civil rights and liberties enjoyed today. So to the Australian prime minister, this young and beautiful woman represented a revolutionary change and he was more than willing to embrace it. Some years earlier hed appointed Enid Lyons as the first woman in a cabinet ministry. The Queen, Prince Philip and the then-prime minister Robert Menzies in 1963. Credit:Fairfax Menzies is now often viewed as a stuffy old relic of a boring age, but he could see that this Queen would long outlive him and oversee a time of enormous cultural change. It would be a second Elizabethan age. Like his contemporary, Winston Churchill, Menzies was devoted to the young, modern monarch and saw her as an opportunity to redefine the future of not only the monarchy but his nations relationship with it.

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At Parliament House in Canberra, Menzies delivered one of his most famous addresses to the young Queen. Mothers will hold their children up to have a look at you as you go by, and they themselves and their husbands will have a look at you as you go by, he said. This must be to you now something that is almost a task. All I ask you to remember, in this country of yours, is that every man, woman and child who even sees you with a passing glimpse as you go by, will remember it with joy, remember it in the words of the old 17th-century poet who wrote those famous words I did but see her passing by. And yet, I love her till I die. Princess Elizabeth had grown up in a world in which Everest was unconquered and to run a mile took man more than four minutes. When she ascended to the throne, a television in the lounge was rare for the masses and was still pretty much pre-rock n roll. Without intending to, she has become the worlds longest-serving television broadcaster, giving speeches since the beginning of the medium. The Queen, pictured here during World War II with her sister Princess Margaret, has been a broadcaster for most of her life. Credit:AP Disposable nappies went on sale just in time for Princess Annes birth in 1950. In 1955, a vaccine for polio was finally made available. It was good news for then seven-year-old Prince Charles and five-year-old Princess Anne.

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The Queen made it known to the press that her children had been immunised. It remains a critical moment in the wider public acceptance of vaccines. In the same year she visited Australia for a second time in 1963, the first episode of Dr Who was aired by the BBC. She is said to have been a big fan from the beginning. Loading Now she reigns in an age of the internet, streaming services, mobile phones and Zoom calls. She has embraced them all. She saw Nelson Mandela jailed, released and elected president of South Africa and witnessed the Berlin Wall rise and fall. She has hosted American presidents ranging from World War II general Dwight Eisenhower to former reality TV host Donald Trump. She has been the one constant in a rapidly changing world, royal biographer Penny Junor says. We see our politicians as chancers, people out for their own benefit. They lie. They disobey the rules, they are narcissistic ... All of these things are part and parcel of politics. The Queen is above all of that.

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In 1954, the Queen had become the first British sovereign to visit Australia, engaging in the most gruelling tour imaginable. With Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, they visited 57 towns and cities during the 58 days of their trip. They traversed the country by plane, train, ship and car from Cairns in the north to Broken Hill in the west to Hobart in the south. It was a high point of royal adulation in Australia. About 75 per cent of Australias then 9 million population said they saw the Queen at least once during her eight-week national tour to all state capitals and many regional centres. Former US president Barack Obama struck on a common modern theme when he paid tribute to the monarch during her platinum jubilee celebration on Thursday. Obama called her a gift to the world and said she reminded him of his grandmother. When youre president of the United States, you meet a lot of remarkable people, and you try under all circumstances to retain your composure, Obama said in his tribute. But thats harder than you think when youre visiting Her Majesty.

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Before I took office, Michelle and I hadnt been to too many palaces, he said. So, we werent sure what to expect on our first trip to Buckingham [Palace]. But we shouldnt have been worried. Her Majesty put us at ease with her grace and generosity. So much so that I walked away thinking she actually reminded me a little bit of my grandmother. In a recent YouGov poll in Britain, the Queen, who had a 75 per cent approval rating with just 10 per cent of those surveyed having a negative view of the 96-year-old monarch, was described as amazing, wonderful, lovely and regal. Eight in 10 Britons (81 per cent) held a positive opinion of the Queen, versus the 12 per cent who saw her negatively  giving the monarch a net score of +69. The Queen currently has a 75 per cent approval rating in the latest YouGov poll, and hundreds of thousands of Britons attended the first day of the Jubilee festivities. Credit:AP In a sign of that deep respect for the monarch personally, even Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle ONeill wrote to the Queen to thank her for her warmth and unfailing courtesy on the occasions when the pair had met and described the value and respect she had for the monarchs contribution to reconciliation. A few decades ago that would have seemed unlikely, to say the least. Perhaps the great love towards her is partly because as Queen she has kept herself unknowable and her views discreet - unlike other members of her family. She also learned from her Diana mistake, when she was accused of misreading the mood of the nation following the death of the Princess of Wales in 1997. The Queen at the shelter provided for those made homeless by the 2017 Grenfell fire. Credit:POOL PA

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Paris: Members of the French diplomatic corps dropped their veil of invisibility to go on a rare strike on Thursday, angered by a planned reform they worry will hurt their careers and Frances standing in the world. It was the second such strike in nearly 20 years.

Between 100 and 200 diplomats dropped the traditional reserve that often defines their work to demonstrate in full view of the imposing Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the home base for the foreign service. In overseas posts, ranging from Tokyo to the Middle East and Washington, numerous diplomats, including some ambassadors, honoured the day-long strike.

Members of the French diplomatic corps dropped their discretion to go on a rare strike in Paris on Thursday. Credit:AP

They want President Emmanuel Macron to scrap a plan to merge career diplomats with a larger body of civil servants, starting in January, or at least hold a dialogue.

The plan, announced by Macron in an April decree, will reportedly affect about 800 diplomats. Opponents claim thats just the beginning.
Washington: Joe Biden is one of the most powerful men in the world, but when it comes to gun violence, he is almost powerless.

In a rare prime-time address to the nation on Thursday night, the US President urged Congress, yet again, to pass stricter gun limits following the latest wave of mass shootings in America: Buffalo, Uvalde, and this week, Tulsa.

US President Joe Biden speaks about the latest round of mass shootings. Credit:AP

Declaring that it was time to finally do something to stop everyday places becoming killing fields, Biden called for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

And if that couldnt happen, the president said, then the minimum age to purchase such weapons should be raised from 18 to 21, and other common-sense reforms should be introduced, such as expanded background checks, safe storage legislation, and red flag laws, which allow courts to remove firearms from those deemed a danger to themselves or others.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Dutch naval vessel HNLMS Groningen intercepted a drug transport on 24 May. In the Caribbean Sea, the patrol ship managed to stop a go-fast and intercept a 300-kilogram load of cocaine.

During a patrol, a plane of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard detected a go-fast with four people northwest of Aruba. After HNLMS Groningen launched the MH-65 Dolphin helicopter of the US Coast Guard, which is currently embarked onboard. After the helicopter made contact by giving stop signals, the go-fast didnt stop. After firing some warning shots the crew surrendered.

Two fast interceptor vessels (FRISCs) of HNLMS Groningen were launched to detain those on board. The boarding was performed by a combined Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) team of the US Coast Guard and the Dutch Fleet Marine Squadron (FMS). After, the crewmembers and contraband were transferred to a US Coast Guard vessel for prosecution in the United States.

HNLMS Groningen is in the Caribbean region from April 2022 for counter drugs operations.
CDC recommends that people who purchased fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo or HEB between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022, and then froze those strawberries for later consumption take the following actions:

Check your freezer for these fresh organic strawberries. If you froze them to eat later, do not eat them.

Throw away any remaining fresh organic strawberries that you froze for later consumption. If you are unsure of what brand you purchased, when you purchased your fresh organic strawberries, or where you purchased them prior to freezing them, you should throw the strawberries away.

If you have eaten these organic strawberries, purchased fresh and later frozen, within the last 14 days, and are not vaccinated against hepatitis A, contact your local health department or health care provider to discuss getting postexposure prophylaxis (hepatitis A vaccine or immune globulin). Getting postexposure prophylaxis within 14 days of exposure can help prevent illness.

CDC recommends that people who purchased fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo or HEB between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022, and then froze those strawberries for later consumption take the following actions:

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. The hepatitis A virus is found in the stool and blood of people who are infected. The hepatitis A virus is spread when someone ingests the virus, usually through close personal contact with an infected person or from eating contaminated food or drink. Hepatitis A can be prevented with a vaccine, which is recommended for all children at age one and adults at risk.

Symptoms of Hepatitis A

Human figure with ache

Symptoms of hepatitis A usually appear 2 to 7 weeks after exposure and can include

Yellow skin or eyes

Not wanting to eat

Upset stomach

Stomach pain

Throwing up

Fever

Dark urine or light-colored stools

Joint pain

Diarrhea

Feeling tired

Not everyone with hepatitis A has symptoms. Adults are more likely to have symptoms than children.

People who get hepatitis A may feel sick for a few weeks to several months but usually recover completely and do not have lasting liver damage. In some people, though, the illness may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.

In rare cases, hepatitis A can cause liver failure and even death. This is more common in older people and in people with other serious health issues, such as chronic liver disease.
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REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP)  President Joe Biden said Friday he hasnt changed his views on human rights despite his administrations praise of Saudi Arabia for getting key oil producers to step up production. As a presidential candidate, Biden had pledged to make the kingdom a pariah over its abuses.

Biden said he wasnt sure whether he was going to Saudi Arabia and has no direct plans at the moment to visit the kingdom. He acknowledged he expects to meet with the leaders of Israel and some Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, at some point.

The comments come as the White House has sounded more definitive about the trip. A person familiar with White House planning said Biden has decided to visit Saudi Arabia as well as Israel, likely adding the stops to an already scheduled trip to Europe for a pair of summits this month, but details have not been finalized. The person was not authorized to comment publicly.

Look, Im not going to change my view on human rights," Biden told reporters after his remarks on the May jobs report, when asked about possible travel to Saudi Arabia. "But as president of the United States, my job is to bring peace if I can, peace if I can. And thats what Im going to try to do.

As a candidate for the White House, he pledged to treat Saudis as a pariah for the 2018 killing and dismemberment of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans brutal ways. U.S. intelligence officials determined that the crown prince likely approved the killing.

Biden, who is spending the weekend at his Delaware beach home, sidestepped questions from reporters about about whether he would meet with the prince, often referred to by his initials, MBS, should he visit the kingdom.

Look, were getting way ahead of ourselves here," Biden said when asked about such a meeting. "What I want to do is see to it that we diminish the likelihood that theres a continuation of this, some of the senseless wars between Israel and the Arab nations, and thats what Im focused on.

The OPEC+ group - OPEC nations plus Russia  announced on Thursday they would raise production by 648,000 barrels per day in July and August, offering modest relief for a struggling global economy that's been impacted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

OPEC, whose de facto leader is Saudi Arabia, had for months resisted pressure from the White House to increase oil supply more quickly. That stance, along with a European Union agreement to end most oil imports from Russia, has pushed prices higher. Gasoline and diesel prices have also been rising due to a lack of refining capacity to turn crude into motor fuel.

Biden on Friday called the move by OPEC+ positive, but said that he did not know if it would be significant enough to help Americans at the pump. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Thursday credited Saudi Arabia for its role in achieving consensus within the oil producers bloc.

In addition to the White House praising Saudi Arabia for its role securing an OPEC+ pledge, the president this week lauded the Saudis for demonstrating courageous leadership by agreeing to a 60-day cease-fire extension in its seven-year-old war with Yemen. The extension was also announced Thursday.

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Madhani reported from Washington. AP writer Darlene Superville contributed reporting.
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HARTFORD  The state Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal filed by Michelle Troconis attorney to obtain transcripts of Dulos divorce proceedings that he claims were improperly sealed.

A Superior Court judge denied attorney Jon Schoenhorns request in January to receive the transcripts, which were of a two-day hearing on a family psychological report that occurred just days before Jennifer Dulos disappeared in May 2019.

Schoenhorn filed an appeal with the state Appellate Court earlier this year, but the state Supreme Court agreed to take up the case in May. No court dates have been set.

I brought this appeal on principle as a regular citizen with a clear constitutional right to attend public court hearings and get certified transcripts from them, Schoenhorn said Friday. Any time a judge ever wants to close a courtroom to the public, it first requires a public hearing and a finding that the right of the public is outweighed by something compelling. None of that happened here.

Fotis Dulos, Troconis former boyfriend, died by suicide on Jan. 30, 2020, about three weeks after he was charged with killing his estranged wife.

Troconis and former attorney Kent Mawhinney are the remaining defendants facing criminal charges in the death and disappearance of Jennifer Dulos, who has been presumed dead by police and her family.

Both have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit murder and a free on bond as they await trial.

Schoenhorn sued Judicial Branch court reporter Melodie Moss in 2021 to obtain a copy of the divorce hearing transcript. The divorce hearing focused on a psychological evaluation report conducted on the Dulos family.

Superior Court Judge David Sheriden dismissed Schoenhorns writ of mandamus that sought to require Moss to provide a copy of the transcript in December, calling it an impermissible collateral attack on the sealing order imposed by Family Court Judge Judge Donna Heller.

Schoenhorn is now asking the state Supreme Court to consider whether Sheriden erred in his decision. Schoenhorn is also asking the Supreme Court to consider if Sheriden also erred by rendering his decision on a part of transcript that was released in documents by Attorney General William Tongs office, which represented Moss in the proceedings.

Schoenhorn contended in his lawsuit against Moss that Heller improperly sealed the proceedings, including the report and any transcripts without a hearing.

He was given the report on the findings of a Dulos family psychological evaluation about a month after he requested the transcript in 2021, but pressed on with the legal challenge on the grounds the transcripts should be public records. The findings of the family psychological report have never been publicly released and remain sealed during the criminal proceedings against Troconis and Mawhinney.

Schoenhorn claimed in the writ that Heller improperly closed the courtroom to the public during a two-day hearing on the Dulos divorce on May 14 and May 17, 2019, by not providing advance notice and a hearing on the closure. Jennifer Dulos disappeared a week after the second hearing date.

But attorneys from Tongs office contend that Heller, who was overseeing the Dulos divorce and child custody proceedings, verbally sealed the hearing, which included the psychological report and any transcripts.

Fotis and Jennifer Dulos were embroiled in a contentious two-year divorce and custody battle when she disappeared. In the months proceeding, Heller had required Fotis Dulos to only see the couples five children during limited court supervised visits.

The hearing on the psychological report was never completed after the psychiatrist who conducted the evaluation, Dr. Stephen Herman, refused to continue to testify.

Police said they believe Fotis Dulos was lying in wait for his estranged wife to return home from dropping off their children at school the morning of May 24, 2019, according to arrest warrants.

Police said Jennifer Dulos was attacked in her garage and is presumed dead based on the blood and other evidence they found, arrest warrants state. While her remains have never been found, the states chief medical examiner said she would not have survived the attack without immediate medical attention.

The night of the disappearance Fotis Dulos and Troconis were captured on Hartford surveillance footage making a series of stops, arrest warrants stated. Fotis Dulos was seen dumping bags, some of which were later recovered and contained his estranged wifes blood and clothing, according to arrest warrants.

Police said they also found Jennifer Dulos blood on the seat of a pickup truck, which belonged to one of Fotis Dulos employees, that they believe was used the day of the crime, the arrest warrants state.

Troconis is expected to indicate that she wants a trial during her next court appearance July 14. Mawhinney has already decided to take his case to trial.
A Rhode Island man pleaded not guilty to more than a dozen offenses earlier this week related to a crash in Northfield, Mass. that injured a group of nine from a Connecticut motorcycle club, according to the Northwestern District Attorneys Office.

Greenfield District Court Judge William Mazanec ordered Ryan OFarrell, 32, to be held without bail. Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Jeremy Bucci made the request, saying that OFarrell poses a danger to others, the District Attorneys Office said.

At the time of the crash, OFarrells license had been suspended in Connecticut. One of two children in OFarrells car also warned him before the incident that he was driving erratically, Bucci said in a statement.

Bucci also said OFarrell had taken three prescription medications that list drowsiness as a side effect, according to the Associated Press.

He should not have been driving, Bucci said in a statement. It is the Commonwealths position that nothing short of incarcerating him would stop him from driving.

The crash took place around 1 p.m. Sunday near Main Street in Northfield, Mass. OFarrell, of Westerly, R.I., was driving an SUV that was pulling a trailer loaded with a motorcycle. While driving south, OFarrell veered into oncoming traffic and struck five motorcycles, according to the District Attorneys Office.

Eight people were taken to hospitals with serious injuries, three via medical helicopters, the District Attorneys Office said. One suffered a broken pelvis, one is facing amputation and one was in and out of consciousness as of Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.

Two children who were in the SUV with OFarrell, ages 11 and 12, were taken to the hospital but appeared to be uninjured. Police arrested OFarrell at the scene, the District Attorneys Office said.

OFarrells lawyer, Alan Rubin, argued for a low bail and said his client is incredibly remorseful for the injuries he caused, the AP said.

OFarrell pleaded not guilty Tuesday to nine counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, seven counts of operating under the influence of drugs causing serious bodily injury, operating under the influence of drugs, two counts of child endangerment, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and operating an unregistered motor vehicle.

OFarrell is scheduled to appear for a pretrial conference on June 29. If OFarrell is allowed to be released on bail due to changing conditions, the judge set bail at $100,000 cash or $500,000 surety.


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The first European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) based in Romania is expecting the letters of financial support from 11 European governments and the funding guide for the Programme for Intelligent Growth, Digitisation and Financial Instruments (POCIDIF) for the implementation of the Danubius RI project.

The Danubius Research Infrastructure (Danubius RI) project aims to create an excellent scientific infrastructure for the international scientific community that analyzes the river-sea systems affected by climate change, with the conclusions of the research to be provided to the authorities from the studied areas as basis for development strategies."We are talking about the creation of Danubius ERIC, an international organization based in Europe dedicated to scientific research, with Danubius ERIC to be the first ERIC based in Romania. In 2020, Romania, as host state, submitted to the European Commission the documentation for the first step and last year, in the spring, we received the opinion of the European Commission, which sent us recommendations for additional documents. There followed meetings with representatives of governments and scientific communities in European countries, and we had a very intense work period, all additional documents having been perfected," the coordinator of the Danubius RI project, the director of the National Institute of Marine Geology and Geoecology, Adrian Stanica, told AGERPRES.As regards the scientific infrastructure in Romania, the Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development (INCDDD) has obtained all the necessary approvals for the development of the project, but the lack of an operational program negotiated by the Romanian Government with the European Commission and a funding guide postpones the continuation of the initiative, according to the project leader for Romania, Manuela Sidoroff."The Danubius project for Romania has its hub in Murighiol and it has 17 research laboratories, an aquaculture area and seven spots in the Delta from where samples will be collected and transmitted to a small data center in the hub, and from here they will be transmitted to the center that processes the data at international level," added Manuela Sidoroff.According to her, Danubius RI should become operational by 2026 and will have 10 super sites in Europe.The Murighiol Center was inaugurated in the autumn of 2015 and cost approximately 800,000 euros, a contribution from the Romanian Government.AGERPRES
The Dimitrie Cantemir Military Collegiate High School of Breaza is a standard military training unit for the Romanian Army, with noteworthy performances in national competitions and in international partnerships, Defence Minister Vasile Dincu told a ceremony on Friday celebrating the 110th anniversary of the learning institution's founding.

"I am proud to be with you today as both the defence minister and a professor. The Dimitrie Cantemir National Collegiate High School is a benchmark for the Romanian Army, with generations of military leaders graduating it. Now, it's your turn to carry on this badge. That is no easy task, but discipline and school curriculum are the most important ingredients of an exceptional military career. And one more argument: throughout its existence, the high school has given the country about 13,500 graduates, whose success confirms and consolidates the value of this military establishment culture and education. I appreciate the fact that the team of the high school, together with the teaching staff, put its own original imprint, whether we are talking about organisational aspects, education programmes or vocational programmes.Let me congratulate you on this occasion, reiterating that you will always find in me a partner for dialogue and support. The results of the students always certify the exemplary management that is done in education, and the Dimitrie Cantemir high school has an impressive track record of participations in national competitions and notable performances under the Erasmus Programme as well as in international partnerships," said Dincu.

He added hat he is proud of the fact that more and more students are choosing a military career and urged young people to continue in this career.

"As the defence minister, I have been concerned since my first day in office about what our military education system can offer our society, and I am proud that more and more students are pursuing military careers. I am in constant contact with commanders of the military education system in order to find solutions adjusted for the educational environment, which is in a permanent change, as society changes every moment, day in, day out, year in, year out. The connection between the generations is the one that gives meaning to the strength of the Cantemir spirit, which is an ever-burning flame, generating young offspring with love for the people and the country. Don't stop on this road, no matter the hardships you may encounter! No one has ever said a career will be easy. But satisfaction in the end is very important and perhaps more important than satisfaction is, as one poet said, the road to performance," the minister added.

Dincu urged the students to pursue their ideal and to build the future they want.

"You need an ideal, you need to pursue a project that you have to do when you are young. That's why the greatest value that you teenagers today have for the rest of us is the dream. It's a dream to become something. Life is complicated and it doesn't give gifts. Don't think that the dream can come true automatically, don't believe that the dream can come true without work and without sacrifice, as our national poet said. It takes involvement, sometimes sweat, sometimes it takes blood. That is why I am urging you to pay attention to your dream, to try to protect your dream; do not push it aside."

Dincu emphasised the importance of values such as identity, belongingness and pride in being Romanian.

"Today, it is no longer fashionable to talk about homeland, about the most important values, which are belongingness, identity, the pride of being Romanian, the pride of doing something for your country, for your homeland. We realise now, given the circumstances of war in the area, how important your own identity, your own homeland is. We see that you have to fight for it. You are extremely fortunate, becuase to you it becomes a vocation what to us, the others, is a duty. All civilians have to fight every day each at their place for their homeland to gain day by day in history, to be more prosperous, to produce more for future generations. (...) Look at the peoples around you and you will understand that the values of our patriotism, perhaps temporarily, for a short time, forgotten, our history, are sources of inspiration for all of us, for each of us. You can distinguish yourself in the future by serving this important value, which is collective solidarity, being with others. (...) You may sometimes feel that your homeland is not grateful for what you do. We are still fighting today for the society to fully recognise the debts it owes to the Romanian Army, it has important debts and the society now understands that it has to pay them. But beyond the debts of society, what you do, what you will do in the future is very important to your own identity."

The Dimitrie Cantemir National Military Collegiate High School of Breaza continues the tradition of the Nicolae Filipescu Military High School at Dealu Monastery, which cornerstone was laid on June 4, 1912.

AGERPRES.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) informs Romanian citizens who are in or intend to travel to/through Hungary that, during the Pentecost holidays, on Sunday and Monday, the local authorities will impose traffic restrictions for heavy trucks (over 7.5 tonnes).

Restrictions are applied on June 5 and 6, from 6.00 to 22.00.

The transport of live animals, perishable goods, fuel and other essential goods is not subject to these restrictions. Humanitarian transport is also exempt from traffic restrictions.

Affected Romanian citizens can request consular assistance at the telephone number of the Romanian Embassy in Budapest, +3613847689, the calls being redirected to the Contact and Support Center for Romanian Citizens Abroad (CCSCRS) and taken over by the call center operators.

Also, the Romanian citizens who are facing a difficult, special situation, with an emergency character, also have at their disposal the emergency telephone number of the Romanian diplomatic mission in Budapest: +36305356912.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends consulting the web pages budapesta.mae.ro, gyula.mae.ro, szeged.mae.ro, www.mae.ro and reminds that Romanians traveling abroad have at their disposal the application "Travel safely", which provides information and travel tips.

AGERPRES.
Deputy commander of the NATO Sibiu Multinational Corps Adrian Ciolponea said on Friday in Medias that 2022 will witness an inflow of NATO forces in Romania who come to support and ensure security.

"Let us hope that the war will end as soon as possible and will not be repeated, although history repeats itself countless times, and we, the humankind, do not learn from the horrors of war. (...) I am here today as deputy commander, I represent NATO, the NATO alliance. The Multinational Corps was established in Sibiu last year and it reached its initial operational capability in June, and of course our goal is to prepare for conflict. You will see in Romania an inflow of NATO forces coming to support and ensure Romania's security, we have soldiers from the US, UK, Portugal, Poland, traditional partners and France, who will be trained in the Medias area for a long time to ensure the peace and tranquility of the citizens of Romania and Europe ,"said Ciolponea.

According to him, all NATO troops arriving in Romania are being trained at the Cincu training centre in Brasov County, located near Medias.

Ciolponea and Deputy Commander for Operations and Instruction of the Romanian Air Force Chief of Staff Iulian Patilea attended on Friday, at the Medias City Hall, events celebrating the day of the city, which was first mentioned in official records on June 3, 1267.

AGERPRES.
The traditional fair of Romanian potters, Cocosul de Hurez, opens its gates again this weekend to lovers of authentic traditional art in a jubilee edition to be attneded by over 130 craftspeople from Romania and abroad.

The Horezu public administration says that they are prepared for this artistic event that celebrates half a century of existence this year, estimating that 30,000 visitors will visit the two-day fair on the Stejari plateau in Horezu.

"In 2019, when the last onsite edition of the Cocosul de Hurez, the Hurez rooster, took place, there were over 28,000 visitors. After two years of a pandemic, we are now expecting the appetite for outings and outdoor meetings to be higher. We are ready and we are inviting tourists to come in large numbers and enjoy authentic art, traditional music performances and other surprises that we have prepared for this jubilee edition. There are pottery masters from most of the ceramic centres of Romania. We even have representatives from Turkey, Portugal and Bulgaria. In total, more than 130 folk craftsmen have announced their presence, with 52 of them being potters," Director of the Horezu Culture Centre Cristi Iovan said on Friday.

The fair will include a creative competition for the attending potters. This year's jury will be made up of Valcea culture workers who also attended the first edition of the event, which story began in the summer of 1970, when organisers of the folklore festival "Cantecele Oltului" (Songs of the Olt River) introduced a special section dedicated to pottery and offered Horezu pottery national and international visibility.

"The members of this year's jury are among those who laid the foundations of this artistic event and contributed a lot to the promotion of this ancient craft. Among the guests are Gheorghe Deaconu and Elena Stoica, former directors of the County Centre for Conservation and Promotion of Traditional Culture, professor Ioan St. Lazar and professor Florin Epure, the current director of the County Directorate for Culture. This year, however, the grand prize will not be awarded, which will be honorary and, as it should be, dedicated to all participating folk potters and craftsmen who, through what they have created and continue to create, contribute to preserving the authentic traditional culture in the areas they represent ," said Iovan.

The creations to take part in the competition, three per each contestant, will be included in the city's collection of ceramic objects, one of the largest in the country that can be seen in the new exhibition hall, over 1,400 sq.m. to open this autumn in the village of Olari.

The official opening of this year's edition of the Cocosul de Hurez will take place on Saturday, at 11:00hrs, EEST. AGERPRES
President Klaus Iohannis will be awarded, on Saturday, the international Charles IV Prize of the Sudeten German Landsmannschaft for the year 2020.

The ceremony will take place in Hof, in the Federal Republic of Germany, the Presidential Administration said in a press release sent to AGERPRES.The Sudeten German Landsmannschaft decided in 2020 to award this prize to President Klaus Iohannis, as "a recognition of his merits in terms of fostering understanding and cooperation between the peoples and countries of Central Europe." The ceremony could not be organized in the context of the pandemic, being rescheduled for June 4, the date on which the Day of the Sudeten Germans is also celebrated.The award is named after Charles IV, German Emperor and King of Bohemia (1316-1378) and aims, according to organizers, to "encourage a just order of the peoples and states of Central Europe." It is awarded annually to personalities and organizations in political, economic or religious life with special merits in fostering understanding and cooperation of the peoples and states of Central Europe.AGERPRES
As many as 404 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were recorded in the last 24 hours in Romania, up 222 from Thursday, in 14,702 RT-PCR and rapid antigenic tests performed, the Health Ministry informed on Friday.

Of the new cases, 44 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 - 80, and in the County of Cluj - 33.As of Friday, 2,910,081 cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus were confirmed in Romania.- Hospitalisations -As many as 490 people with COVID-19, up 6 persons from the Thursday reporting, including 29 children, are hospitalised in Romania at specialist care facilities.Out of the total number of hospitalised patients, 79 patients are in intensive care units.Of the 79 patients admitted to ICU, 71 are unvaccinated against COVID-19.- Deaths -According to the ministry, three Romanian infected with SARS-CoV-2 are reported dead in the last 24 hours, one man and two women, all of over 60, with comorbidities and unvaccinated.Since the beginning of the pandemic, 65,689 people diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 infection have died in Romania.AGERPRES
Thousands of pilgrims are heading down to Sumuleu Ciuc (a neighbourhood in the city of Miercurea Ciuc, Harghita county, Transylvania), where the great pilgrimage of Catholic Pentecost will take place on Saturday, some of them traveling impressive distances to reach the statue of the Virgin Mary.

Pilgrims carry church flags with them and pray all the way.A woman from Hungary set off on April 26 and walked almost 800 kilometers to Sumuleu Ciuc.She was accompanied at first by several people, but some of them gave up and others decided to continue their journey by train, which is why she was left alone. The woman said that she was helped by the people from the localities she went through and she is grateful that she will reach her destination safely.Four pilgrims also came from Austria on horseback, starting from Mariazell, an important place of pilgrimage in this country, from where the Via Mariae begins, the spiritual road that traces a cross on the map of Central Europe and ends with the great procession of Catholic Pentecost in Harghita.Approximately 200 pilgrims on horseback set off for Miercurea-Ciuc and will arrive on Friday evening in the saddle between Sumuleul Mare and Sumuleul Mic. They were joined by Hungarian State Secretary for National Policy Potapi Arpad Janos.This year, a special train, made available on this occasion by the Hungarian railways, will bring pilgrims from Hungary, the trainset traffic being stopped for the last two years, due to the pandemic.The pilgrimage from Sumuleu Ciuc has in the center the statue of the Virgin Mary, located in the nearby Franciscan Cathedral, which is considered a miracle worker, the priests and the faithful believing that its greatest miracle is the very event that originates this pilgrimage.According to the rector of the Franciscan Church of Sumuleu Ciuc, Father Guia Laurean Hugo, in 1567 the prince of Transylvania, Ioan Sigismund, tried to impose the Unitarian religion on the Roman Catholic believers in the Szekler towns of Ciuc, Gheorgheni and Trei Scaune. They fought back and managed to face the prince's much larger army, while the women and children prayed at the statue of the Virgin Mary, in the cathedral of Sumuleu Ciuc, to help them to defend their faith.The Szeklers returned to Sumuleu, decorating their flags with birch branches, and, together with those in the church, prayed to the Lord and the Blessed Virgin in thanksgiving.In memory of this historic event, every year on Pentecost Saturday, Catholics from all over the world come on pilgrimage to the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sumuleu Ciuc, wearing green twigs in their hands, and praying at the miracle-working statue.AGERPRES
BERLIN (AP)  China has blocked efforts to step up protection of emperor penguins that are increasingly threatened by the effects global warming is having on their natural habitat in Antarctica, officials said Friday.

Dozens of countries had backed giving the world's largest penguins special protection status at a 10-day meeting in Berlin of parties to the Antarctic Treaty. The treaty was forged in 1959 to ensure that the continent remains the preserve of science, and free of arms.

An overwhelming majority of parties held the opinion that there is sufficient scientific evidence for the species to be put under the special protection, the German government, which hosted the May 22-June 2 meeting, said in a statement Friday.

While a formal decision was blocked by one party," it said that most countries attending the meeting planned nevertheless to put in place national measures to protect emperor penguins.

Chinese officials couldn't immediately be reached for comment. But delegates attending the meeting, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Beijing had made clear it wanted more time to consider the implications of upgrading the protection status of the penguins.

The meeting was partly overshadowed by the war in Ukraine, with many countries speaking out against Russias attack on the country.

Russia, which like Ukraine is active in Antarctica, was represented at the meeting by an official from its embassy in Berlin, with other delegates participating remotely by video link.

Despite differences with Beijing over the penguins and the deep diplomatic discord between Moscow and the West over Ukraine, the meeting was able to adopt by consensus a package of conservation measures for Antarctica. These included moves to designate four new protected areas in the future and limit tourism to the frozen continent.

Follow AP's coverage of climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
DETROIT  Ford will add 6,200 factory jobs in Michigan, Missouri and Ohio as it prepares to build more electric vehicles and roll out two redesigned combustion-engine models.

The company says it will invest $3.7 billion in the three states between now and 2026. It also will convert about 3,000 temporary workers to full-time status with pay raises and benefits.

A factory in Avon Lake, Ohio, near Cleveland, will be expanded so it can build an unidentified new electric commercial vehicle, with 1,800 new jobs. Ninety more jobs will be added in Lima and Sharonville, Ohio.

A plant in Claycomo, Missouri, near Kansas City, that makes big electric and combustion-engine Transit vans will get a third shift of 1,100 workers to handle increased demand.

In Michigan, Ford Motor Co. plans to add 2,000 jobs at three assembly plants, and another 1,200 at other facilities.

A factory in the Detroit suburb of Wayne that now builds the Ranger small pickup will see investment and jobs to make a new Ranger. A plant in Flat Rock south of Detroit will build a new version of the Mustang muscle car that it now builds. And Fords Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn also will see investment and jobs so it can build more F-150 Lightning electric pickups to meet unexpectedly high demand. The company also will add 600 jobs at a new parts packaging facility to be built in Monroe, Michigan, and another 600 at several component plants in the state.

Its part of Fords plan to be able to make 2 million electric vehicles per year globally by 2026.

Kumar Galhotra, president of Ford Blue, the companys division that makes internal combustion vehicles, said the EV investments are needed in part because Ford underestimated demand for EVs.

As soon as Ford opened reservations for the electric F-150, it began planning to expand the Dearborn plant that makes them, he said. The reservations were so much higher than the (production) capacity that we had put in, Galhotra said. This is the first time in my career that we were expanding the plant before the plant was built.

Ford stopped taking reservations for the F-150 Lightning at 200,000, and its now converting reservations to orders. About two thirds of those contacted so far are converting, but the company said it didnt have an exact number. In addition, the Mach-E and E-Transit vans are sold out for the year, Galhotra said.

Ford wouldnt give details of the commercial EV to be built at the Ohio Assembly Plant by mid-decade. The factory has been on the edge of closure for much of its life but has managed to survive even when building older vehicles.

I think this tremendous investment, both in dollar terms and jobs, and the type of product were putting there, shows that the Ohio Assembly plant and that community have a very bright future, Galhotra said.

Ohio is offering about $200 million in incentives for the Ford investment, while Michigan is contributing about $150 million. Although there will be a small capital investment to add the third shift in Missouri, there are no incentives for this project.

Ford said it already has begun switching the temporary workers to full-time, and its starting to hire the new workers for the plants.

The announcement came a year ahead of when contract talks start with the United Auto Workers union. New product and job announcements normally are part of the negotiations.

Ford also pledged to spend $1 billion over the next five years to improve the work experience at its factories. The company is working with the UAW to determine the needs, which could include better lighting in parking lots for safety and healthier foods in the factories.

Fords decision to build three battery plants and one new assembly plant in Kentucky and Tennessee last year raised questions about the companys manufacturing commitment to its home state and region.

Michigan politicians worked hard to lure General Motors EV assembly and battery plants in January after losing the Ford plants to the southern states.

UAW officials praised Thursdays Ford announcements in a company statement. Ford stepped up to the plate by adding these jobs, President Ray Curry said.

Its likely that Ford will build a fourth North American battery factory in the Great Lakes region in a joint venture with SK Innovation of Korea, but Galhotra said hes not ready to make an announcement yet.

At the pace Ford is moving with EV production, more production will be needed, Galhotra said, pointing to the Michigan site where the electric F-150 is being built and the commercial EV to be built in Ohio. Well have more announcements to come, he said.
David Nicklaus David Nicklaus is a business columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow David Nicklaus 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

In a decade, Andrew Brimer and Abby Cohen have taken their respiratory care company from student project to successful exit.

Along the way they won various honors, including recognition from the White House. They won regulatory approval for Wing, the inexpensive diagnostic device they invented as engineering students at Washington University, and launched a service called Lift, which has provided virtual rehabilitation sessions to more than 2,000 people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. Their entrepreneurial journey ended last month with the sale of their company, Sparo Health, to a better-funded competitor called Wellinks. Terms of the deal werent disclosed, but Brimer and Cohen said theyre excited about being able to help more patients manage their COPD. Both are staying with Wellinks, Brimer as senior product designer and Cohen as senior program manager.

They were introduced to Wellinks by an academic researcher who was gathering data on both companies effectiveness. Both firms were trying to fill an unmet need: COPD is the third leading cause of U.S. deaths from disease, and the fifth most costly chronic condition, but the U.S. has only one rehab clinic for every 18,000 COPD sufferers. Because of distance and disability, those hospital-based clinics are inaccessible for many patients.

The dearth of care was personal for Cohen, whose grandfathers both suffered from COPD. I understand the complexities of the disease, she said. Most of the time COPD coexists with other conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Theyre managing a lot.

Sparo offered preprogrammed online classes, while Wellinks also offers one-on-one virtual therapy sessions. The combined company, Brimer said, will provide a range of solutions that meets patients where they are.

The entrepreneurs both credit St. Louis institutions with making their journey possible. They received a $50,000 Arch Grant in 2013, shortly before graduating from Washington U., and were early tenants of the T-Rex technology incubator downtown. Some of Sparos $3.5 million in funding came from local investors, including the St. Louis Arch Angels and Missouri Technology Corp.

Cliff Holekamp, who taught Brimer and Cohen in a business class called the Hatchery, said the Sparo team definitely stands out among his former students. Their growth is very impressive, he said.

Holekamp also notes that the pair had fortunate timing. They graduated shortly after institutions such as Arch Grants and T-Rex were established to nurture new companies.

Holekamp keeps track of the student-led startups he mentored. Between 2008 and 2012, 51% of them stayed in St. Louis. Between 2013 and 2019, that jumped to 91%. It was a major difference, and the difference was the strength of the St. Louis entrepreneurship community, he said.

By now, Brimer and Cohen are almost senior members of the local startup scene, and they plan to stay in St. Louis. Wellinks is based in New Haven, Connecticut, but at least half of its employees are remote, spread in various parts of the country.

Having built and sold one startup, do they ever envision launching another one?

Both are noncommital. We got to where we wanted to go, Cohen said. Were letting this transition happen and focusing our efforts on that.

Never say never, Brimer echoed, but right now were focused on taking the work weve done with Sparo and integrating it into the Wellinks team.

Holekamp, though, guesses that his former students might have another startup in their future. I dont think they will be able to be contained to only one, he said.

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ST. LOUIS  Union nurses protested outside SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital on Friday morning, calling for the administration to take action to fix chronic understaffing.

The union, National Nurses United, said there are more than 300 staff nurse vacancies at the hospital and that only 12 nurses have been hired in the past three months.

The union said in some cases, nurses are taking care of unsafe numbers of patients. On medical-surgical floors, nurses are taking care of six or seven patients at a time. Before the pandemic, the hospital limited those nurses to five patients. In intensive care units, nurses who normally would take one or two patients are getting up to three at a time.

SSM said in a statement that it is making significant investments in recruitment and is committed to fostering a good work environment.

The staffing problems are not unique to St. Louis University Hospital. Vacancy in registered nurse positions statewide has doubled since 2019, hitting 20% this year, according to a survey by the Missouri Hospital Association. Hospitals across the region are short-staffed.

To fill the gaps, hospitals have relied heavily on travel nurses, who work as short-term contractors. But now, as the rates offered to travel nurses are dropping, there are even fewer available, said Taylor Smith, a nurse who works in a medical surgical unit at St. Louis University Hospital.

Some area hospitals have started using staffing options that are more short-term than travel nurses. In 2020, SSM Health started using a platform called CareRev that allows prequalified health care workers to pick up one-off shifts, and since late last year Mercy has been trialing a gig worker nurse position.

Staff nurses say that while the extra help is appreciated, the nurses hired through ultra short-term programs sometimes arent as familiar with the unit or the hospital.

Its another nurse you didnt have before, but they cant act fully independently, Smith said.

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FRIDAY, June 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Vaccination played a crucial role when Americans were deciding whether to have surgery during the pandemic, a new study finds.

"It's critical to understand what factors affect a patient's decision to have surgery during an infectious pandemic if we want to help reduce deaths and illness. These factors include vaccination status of the patient and hospital staff, the need and length of hospital stay, and [the] urgency of the procedure," said study co-author Dr. Keith Ruskin. He is a professor of anesthesia and critical care at the University of Chicago.

"Our findings are not only relevant to COVID-19, but to future infectious disease pandemics," and having "this knowledge could help guide health care institutions' future vaccine resource allocations and policies for vaccine requirements," Ruskin explained in a university news release.

For the study, the team surveyed just over 2,000 U.S. adults (average age 41) in June 2021 about what factors would influence their decision to have a hypothetical surgery during a pandemic involving an infectious virus.

The urgency of surgery was the top consideration. Respondents considered life-saving surgery more essential than an elective procedure (e.g., a knee replacement) during a pandemic.

The survey also found that people who were vaccinated were more willing to have surgery than those who weren't vaccinated, and that requiring hospital staff to be vaccinated was also important.

Nearly one-quarter (24%) of respondents said they would not have life-saving surgery without universal vaccination (vaccination of both hospital staff and patients), compared to 15% with universal vaccination.

Respondents were more willing to undergo outpatient surgery than inpatient surgery. This is a valid concern, given that the risk of COVID-19 infection increases with hospital length of stay, even though that risk is very small, according to the study published in the June 9 issue of the journal Vaccine.

"Our study reveals that people have real fears about acquiring an infectious disease in the hospital if they need surgery during a global pandemic," said study co-author Dr. Anna Clebone Ruskin, an associate professor of anesthesia and critical care at the University of Chicago. "This suggests a potential opportunity for public education."

More information

The Mayo Clinic explains surgery safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SOURCE: University of Chicago, news release, May 31, 2022

Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  A Tennessee death row inmate is appealing a state trial court's dismissal of his request to be declared intellectually disabled, which would make him ineligible for execution.

Earlier this year, Senior Judge Walter Kurtz ruled that federal courts had previously determined Byron Black was not intellectually disabled and therefore was ineligible to have the decision considered once again.

Kurtz's handed down his decision even though Nashville's top prosecutor and Black's lawyers agreed he should not be put to death due to his intellectual disability.

On Wednesday, Black's attorneys filed a motion asking the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals for a hearing to prove that executing Black would would violate the state's Constitution.

The trial courts refusal to let him prove this under current law, if allowed to stand, would permit the state to knowingly and willfully violate the law by executing someone who is intellectually disabled, said Kelley Henry, Black's attorney, in a statement.

For more than a year, Blacks attorneys have argued the 65-year-old should be spared under a 2021 law that made Tennessees prohibition against executing people with intellectual disability retroactive, pointing out there is a different standard in place now than in 2004  when the court found Black did not meet the now-obsolete definition of mental retardation. Previously, Tennessee had no mechanism for an inmate to reopen a case to press an intellectual disability claim.

Black was convicted by a Nashville court in the deaths of girlfriend Angela Clay, 29, and her daughters Latoya, 9, and Lakesha, 6. Prosecutors said he was in a jealous rage when he shot the three at their home. At the time, Black was on work release while serving time for shooting and wounding Clays estranged husband.

The inmate had been scheduled to be executed in August, but in May, Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee paused all executions through the remainder of the year after he called off a separate execution in April due to an oversight in preparations for the lethal injection. Lee has appointed former U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton to review circumstances that led to the failure, which the state has said included a lack of required testing for endotoxins in the drugs.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
FRIDAY, June 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Graphic images on cigarette packs of diseased body parts and other smoking horrors may not have the desired effect on smokers themselves, a new study finds.

Many smokers kept cigarette packs with gruesome warning images hidden, but the images didn't have a lasting effect on their smoking habits, researchers discovered after presenting thousands of specially designed cigarette packs to smokers in California.

Graphic warning labels are used on cigarette packs in more than 120 countries. They were mandated by Congress in 2009, but have been held up by legal challenges from the tobacco industry.

Prior to the study, we found that many smokers in the U.S. were discreet and reported hiding their usual pack in public settings. The packs with graphic warning labels had their main effect on those who were least likely to hide their packs prior to the study, said study co-author David Strong, a professor at the University of California, San Diego School of Public Health.

We found no evidence that graphic warning-labeled packs changed smoking behavior over the year-long study, he added in a university news release.

For the study, researchers created cigarette packs with images used on cigarette packs in Australia. They showed a diseased foot, a newborn with a breathing tube or throat cancer.

They then had 357 smokers in San Diego buy their preferred brand of cigarette from a study website. The smokers received their cigarettes in one of three pack designs: with a graphic warning label, a blank pack or in a standard pack available in the United States. About 19,000 packs were delivered to the participants.

Those who received cigarette packs with graphic warning labels hid their packs 38% more often, but stopped hiding them when they returned to regular packs without the graphic labels, according to the study. The findings are published in the June 2 online issue of the journal JAMA Network Open.

Those who received cigarettes in a standard U.S. pack or in a blank pack did not change their pack-hiding behavior.

Overall, the participants continued to smoke as often as they did before and after the study.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines the health risks of smoking.

SOURCE: University of California, San Diego, news release, June 2, 2022

Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.
WASHINGTON  A federal rule requiring hospitals to post prices online took effect a year and a half ago, but spotty data and noncompliance have meant the rule has yet to live up to its promise of lowering health care costs, employers and researchers say.

Many hospitals still arent fully following the rule, and the federal government  despite threatening larger monetary penalties for noncompliance  still hasnt issued any fines.

In all, thousands of hospitals are estimated to not be fully complying with a part of the rule requiring they post troves of data online that include information on cash prices for services, rates negotiated with payers, and other information that can be helpful to researchers and people and businesses paying for health care.

The data, which some had hoped would help drive down health care costs, has often been incomplete and difficult to decipher and compare to data from other hospitals.

Among the common deficiencies are blank or missing data fields, not listing rates for all insurers or cash rates paid by the uninsured, providing inaccurate prices or listing payer names and not the associated plan names.

All of our members and many employers have been trying to make use of this and were looking forward to having this information, said Bill Kramer, executive director for health policy at the Purchaser Business Group on Health, which advocates for private and public employers that buy health care.

But at this point, there are very, very few examples of success, he said.

The so-called price transparency rule, which took effect in January 2021 under the Trump administration, was intended to help consumers shop for care, increase competition and drive down prices, especially in heavily consolidated hospital markets.

Partial compliance, but no fees yet

While most hospitals have been willing to follow parts of the rule  namely, a requirement that they post user-friendly lists or tools to help patients shop for services  they have been less compliant with a requirement that they post machine readable files of standard charges  data that experts say would be far more useful in driving down costs.

Its not clear how many of the 6,000 hospitals across the U.S. are following the rules. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which enforces the rule, has been auditing a sample of hospitals since January 2021 and told CQ Roll Call that as of this month, it has issued about 352 warning notices for noncompliance.

CMS has also issued 157 corrective action plan requests to hospitals that previously received warning notices but have not yet corrected deficiencies. Nearly 170 hospitals have received case closure notices after addressing previous citations.

CMS has yet to issue any fines.

To date, each hospital that has come under compliance review has resolved its deficiencies, or is in the process of doing so, said a CMS spokesperson in a statement. Therefore, it has not been necessary for CMS to issue any penalties.

A series of studies of sampled hospitals has demonstrated the low compliance. For example, a March study of 89 childrens hospitals showed 51% omitted payer negotiated rates from their machine readable files, and 40% did not include cash rates, which are typically paid by the uninsured. About 98% of the sampled childrens hospitals were compliant with the shoppable services requirement, which critics say provides little value to consumers because it may not represent what patients end up paying.

Its against their financial interest to disclose the data. Thats why theres such low compliance, said Sophia Tripoli, director of Health Care Innovations at Families USA, a consumer advocacy group that is calling for increased fines and enforcement.

Hospitals with more than 30 beds can be penalized a maximum of $2 million annually for noncompliance, which isnt enough of a fine to motivate providers flush with cash, she said.

Hospital leaders have expressed concerns that releasing data on what various payers are paying for services could give insurers more leverage in negotiations.

Competition concerns

Turquoise Health, which was formed at the end of 2020 to analyze data and help providers and payers become compliant with the rules, has found that about 4,500 of the nations 6,093 hospitals have posted data files.

Marcus Dorstel, vice president of operations for Turquoise Health, said there isnt a pattern showing larger hospitals are less likely to comply. But there are geographic patterns of noncompliance, indicating some hospitals may be reluctant to post data before their competitors do.

In all, about 70% of those 4,500 hospitals have received ratings of four or five stars (out of five) from Turquoise Health for having complete data files.

Eventually, Dorstel said, he hopes the data can be used to standardize prices across markets.

So in a certain region, generally, a specific service should cost within a certain range, versus the wild variation that were seeing today, he said.

Texas 2036, a nonprofit research organization, has built a dashboard analyzing price transparency compliance among the states 644 hospitals, specifically with the machine-readable file requirements. Preliminary data from April shows 33% of the states hospitals are compliant, a slight increase from 27% in August.

The dashboard hasnt launched yet, but the eventual goal is for employers to be able to use the data to get lower rates, said Charles Miller, senior policy adviser for the group.

The data that has been made available by hospitals in some cases has been difficult to analyze.

CMS does not require that hospitals post data in any specific formats other than machine readable, making it difficult for researchers to compare files released by different hospitals.

I dont know why you wouldnt tell people how to do it. You have different hospitals using different formats to essentially say the same thing. It doesnt make sense, said Gary Claxton, director of Kaiser Family Foundations program on the health care marketplace.

Files that are released by hospitals are often missing data, according to a Patient Rights Advocate analysis of 1,000 hospital websites from Dec. 7 through Jan. 28.

The report estimated that 86% of the 1,000 hospitals did not post a complete machine-readable file of standard charges.

A similar rule for insurers takes effect July 1, and Cynthia Fisher, founder and chairman of Patient Rights Advocate, expects that data to be more useful. Most group health plans and issuers of group of individual health insurance will have to post machine-readable files containing in-network rates and out-of-network payments, price comparison tools to help customers understand cost-sharing responsibilities.

This is the year that data gets unleashed, Fisher said.

2022 CQ-Roll Call Inc. Visit cqrollcall.com.
FRIDAY, June 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Adults who get COVID-19 could have antibodies circulating in their blood for nearly 500 days after infection, new research suggests.

"We now have a good estimate of how long antibodies last after a COVID-19 infection," said study author Michael Swartz, an associate professor and vice chair of biostatistics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. "Our research shows that the level of antibodies in those previously infected increases for the first 100 days post-infection and then gradually declines over the next 500 days and beyond."

For the new study, Swartz and his team analyzed data from more than 57,000 volunteers older than 20 enrolled in the Texas CARES survey. It was launched in October 2020 to track COVID-19 antibody status over time.

Most of the volunteers self-reported a COVID-19 infection before October 2020. The researchers examined blood samples collected from participants between Oct. 1, 2020, and Sept. 17, 2021.

While individual results varied based on age, weight, smoking or vaping, and severity of infection, all of the volunteers had a similar decrease in antibodies, according to the report published recently in The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Even though antibodies can last for nearly 1.5 years after COVID-19 infection, Swartz emphasized that vaccination provides the best protection against infection, reinfection and hospitalization.

"We know that the rates of reinfection or hospitalization after being vaccinated are a lot lower than not being vaccinated, especially against other variants like we saw with Delta and Omicron," he said in a university news release. "So, if you haven't been vaccinated, now is the time to do it."

Previous research from Texas CARES showed that children had circulating antibodies for at least seven months after a COVID-19 infection.

More information

For more about COVID-19 antibodies, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCE: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, news release, May 31, 2022

Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  The Idaho Supreme Court will hear arguments in a lawsuit over the state's newest anti-abortion law in August  but probably after the U.S. Supreme Court issues a ruling that could overturn the right to legalized abortion nationwide.

The Idaho Supreme Court announced Wednesday that it would hear arguments on Aug. 3 in the lawsuit brought by a regional Planned Parenthood organization against Idaho's new law banning abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy. That's before most people know they are pregnant.

The law seeks to halt access to abortions while avoiding constitutional court challenges by allowing potential relatives of the fetuses or embryos to sue abortion providers for at least $20,000 in damages within four years of an abortion. The law prohibits rapists from filing such lawsuits, but rapists' relatives could.

In its lawsuit, the group contends the Idaho law is unconstitutional because it violates a individuals' right to privacy and its enforcement mechanism violates the constitutional separation of powers.

The U.S. Supreme Court is likely to issue a ruling in a separate case in June or July that is expected to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, another Idaho anti-abortion law enacted in 2020 will go into effect.

That trigger law makes it a felony to perform abortions or attempt to perform abortions, unless they are done to save a patients' lives or in cases where the pregnancies were the result of rape or incest reported to law enforcement.

In cases of rape or incest, patients must provide a copy of the police report to the physician performing the abortion. Such law enforcement reports can take weeks or months to obtain under Idahos Public Records law because they are legally sealed while criminal investigations are underway.

The Idaho Supreme Court case will likely move forward even if Roe v. Wade is overturned and Idahos trigger law takes effect. Rebecca Gibron, Chief Executive Officer of Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky, said her organization is looking forward to its lawyers arguing the case.

Our claims arise under the state constitution, and therefore will not be affected by the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling," Gibron wrote in an email. "No matter the federal ruling, we will do everything we possibly can to ensure Idahoans can continue to access the care that they deserve, including abortion.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
FRIDAY, June 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- A growing number of U.S. kids are attempting suicide by medication overdose  with the biggest increase seen among preteens, a recent study shows.

Researchers found that between 2015 and 2020, there was a 27% increase in overdose suicide or attempted suicide among U.S. children and teenagers. While teens accounted for most of those incidents, it was 10- to 12-year-olds who showed the biggest spike over time  with cases more than doubling.

The findings come at a time of growing concern over U.S. kids' mental well-being. Recent government studies have pointed to a grim fact: The pandemic has worsened mental health issues that pre-dated it, including rising rates of depression, anxiety and behavioral problems among school-age kids.

A survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than one-third of high school students said they'd suffered poor mental health during the pandemic. Most worrisome of all, nearly 20% said they'd seriously considered suicide, while 9% had attempted it.

"Our kids are really struggling," said Dr. Christine Crawford, associate medical director of the nonprofit National Alliance on Mental Illness.

As the current findings highlight, the problem was "very real" even before the pandemic, noted Crawford, who was not involved in the new study.

"It's hard for adults to imagine that a 10-year-old could be having thoughts of suicide," she said.

But at that age kids often "don't have the language" to understand and describe the emotions they are feeling, Crawford explained. So some turn to actions, including self-harm, to alleviate the pain, she said.

The findings, published recently in the journal Clinical Toxicology, are based on cases reported to U.S. poison control centers between 2015 and 2020. Those reports, which are submitted to centers voluntarily, do not capture all cases of suspected intentional overdose.

"But they allow us to look at trends," said senior researcher Dr. Christopher Holstege, chief of medical toxicology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, in Charlottesville.

Holstege said the study was motivated by what he and his colleagues were seeing at their own medical center: an unusual number of younger kids being treated after attempting suicide by overdose.

"We wanted to see if this was a national trend," Holstege said.

Based on the data, it is: Between 2015 and 2020, poison control centers received reports of more than 514,000 suspected suicides or suicide attempts by 6- to 19-year-olds. Over that period, reports rose by just under 27% overall.

While most of those young people survived, there were 276 deaths  with fatalities rising by 28.5% during the study period.

Suspected suicides and attempts increased among kids of all ages, the researchers found, but the biggest change was for those aged 10 to 12. Cases more than doubled, from just over 3,100 to 6,400.

Most often, kids overdosed on ordinary painkillers, like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil). That's not surprising, Holstege said, since many families have the medications on hand, and kids can easily buy them.

Many kids who overdose may not truly want to end their lives, Holstege noted.

"I think many cases are calls for help," he said.

One question is: What ultimately happened to these half-million kids who overdosed? "What were their outcomes?" Holstege said. "Did they get the mental health care they needed?"

He noted that, in general, pediatric mental health services in the United States are limited and under strain.

As for what parents can do, Crawford said that kids may be depressed when they spend lots of time alone in their room and avoid social activities; lose interest in activities they once enjoyed; develop sleep problems or changes in eating habits; seem generally low-energy and down.

"But sometimes," Crawford noted, "kids having thoughts of suicide appear to be fine."

That's, in part, why she thinks talking to kids about emotions from an early age is important. Crawford recommended parents check in with their kids regularly, asking how they are doing and about their friends.

"You're planting the seed," Crawford said. "You're sending them the message that you're there, and you're a safe person for them to talk to."

In cases where a child is depressed, Holstege also recommended locking away any medications in the house. Over-the-counter drugs may seem benign, he said, but in very high doses they can damage organs or prove fatal.

More information

The Nemours Foundation has advice on helping kids deal with emotions.

SOURCES: Christopher Holstege, MD, chief, division of medical toxicology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville; Christine Crawford, MD, MPH, associate medical director, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Arlington, Va., and assistant professor, psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine; Clinical Toxicology, March 4, 2022, online

Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.
Aisha Sultan Aisha Sultan is home and family editor for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Aisha Sultan 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

Some people form mental pictures  brain movies  when we read.

I never watch television footage of heinous crimes. Its too gruesome for me to bear. But I do read news reports obsessively. The stories from Americas school shootings have imprinted indelible brain movies in my mind.

The events described by 11-year-old Miah Cerrillo to CNN last week should be seared in our collective memory.

Miah was one of the fourth graders trapped in a classroom at Robb Elementary when a gunman rained gunfire on her peers and teachers, killing 21 of them. In order to survive, she placed her hands in the blood of her dead classmate, who was lying next to her. She smeared her friends blood on herself and played dead. She managed to escape death at the hands of the teenager armed with an AR-15 rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. An 18-year-old too young to legally buy a beer was able to purchase the military-style assault weapons.

It hurts to think about what Miah must have experienced in those moments: They had been watching a Disney movie, Lilo and Stitch, before this nightmare began. Then, she watched her teacher and classmates murdered in front of her. This kind of terror has unfolded in American schools over and over and over, but spend a minute thinking about what this little girl endured just to survive and the lifelong trauma she will carry inside her. More than 311,000 children in America have experienced gun violence in school since the 1999 shootings in Columbine, Colorado, according to a Washington Post database.

Thats more children than people in the entire city of St. Louis.

Imagine how the worst moments of Miahs young life were made even worse by feeling abandoned by those who you thought would protect you.

She and a friend managed to get their slain teachers cell phone and dialed 911. Thats what we teach our children to do when they are facing an emergency.

Please come  were in trouble, she told a dispatcher.

No one came. She could hear the police officers outside the door.

Armed officers stood outside that door for more than 40 minutes while children were trapped inside with a madman with his AR-15.

A child called again, begging for help.

Please send the police.

Miah started crying when she remembered hearing officers outside, saying to CNN she just didnt understand why they didnt come inside and rescue them.

I can hear the voice of a terrified child calling 911 again and again.

Please send the police.

We need to sit with that and hear those words in our childrens voices. What would we do to protect them?

The Uvalde Police Department and the Uvalde Independent School District police force are no longer cooperating with the Texas Department of Public Safetys investigation into their delayed response during the massacre. The officers waited for about an hour outside the adjoining classrooms because a commander on the scene wrongly believed the suspect was barricaded and no lives were at risk. The Uvalde police version of events has changed several times.

But this wasnt the first time we saw armed good guys waiting it out while children are murdered inside a school. The school resource officer in Parkland, Florida, stood outside the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School while 17 people were murdered inside by another teenager wielding an AR-15.

Does the chaos and terror during a mass shooting paralyze some good guys with guns? Does a survival instinct override the oath to serve and protect? Is it fear? Is it cowardice? Is it knowing that their weapon is no match for a semi-automatic rifle? And why do we expect teachers to be even braver and more heroic than these good guys with guns?

In fact, police outside Robb Elementary threatened to arrest parents trying to rush in to save their children. The Texas Tribune reported that FBI analysis of 277 gun massacres between 2000 and 2018 in three studies found that so-called good guys with guns interrupted mass shootings 3.9% of the time. By comparison, unarmed civilians interrupted them almost three times more often (11.9%).

Unarmed civilians, like teachers and principals and children, who have sacrificed themselves during school shootings to save other children.

As far as the myth of the good guy with a gun stopping the bad guy?

Bury that for good.

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Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 6:00PM

By Glenn Dunks

The journey from Africa to Europe has been seen many times on screen in both documentary and fiction. Mariner of the Mountains, now available on streaming after screening at last year's Cannes Film Festival, begins with a journey in the opposite direction. Far less common and shown here being committed in relative luxury compared to the dangerous refugee boats often equated with cross-continental Mediterranean journeys.

Director Karim Ainouz is familiar to some audiences for his films like Invisible Life and Futuro Beach that span continents and the way we often go looking for something somewhere else and dont find it. Or struggle to. Or arent sure what it was they were looking for at all...

Its a familiar feeling I am sure to many who venture across seas and land to begin a new life and its something that he explores again in this, his third feature-length documentary. Here, he sets out for his father's homeland of Algeria.

Mariner of the Mountains is something of a travel diaryalthough the editing of Ricardo Saraiva, at times both fluid and yet jaggedoften fights against this non-fiction sub-genres more traditional rhythms. Although his dad is still alive, he has been long absent and so narration is spoken to his late mother, Iracema, who raised him as a single parent in Brazil. We learn of Ainouzs parents own journey that took in Colorado and back to Algeria during its civil war, often as Moon River softly echoes across the soundtrack more than once. When the director arrives in Algeria, he notes that it is the first time he hasnt had to spell his name at the Customs desk.

From there, he meets a variety of people and visits just as many places. There are the younger kids who wish France was still the colonizing power. He crosses the Atlas Mountains and meets a young family and wonderscould they be related? He eventually locates his fathers birthplace and meets relatives thought long-lost.

Mariner of the Mountains is of course about the journey from a strictly narrative standpoint. As a story of point a to point a and back to point a again, a story of familial introspection, it is a lovely work of documentary. But what makes Ainouzs film something altogether more special and unique are its technical ingredients. As well as Saraivas aforementioned editing, which also makes use of historical archive footage, the work of cinematographer Juan Sarmiento G. is of an almost indescribable importance. Predominantly built out of crisply shot digital images and photographs, the film sometimes uses switches to simultaneously shot Super 8 analog that mimcs the evocative, textural beauty of old family movies taken of Ainouzs mother. While in other films this could come across as gimmicky, it actually allows the film to dance a dance of fleeting, fluttering memories that brings generations crashing together. The sound design too, an integral part of its power.

Considering Mariner of the Mountains is so distinctly about memory, its fitting that all of these parts work together to make something that is so, well, memorable. Ainouz infuses his heartfelt passages of love and pain with avant-garde cutaways and inserts. A final visual explosion over the end credits to the sounds of Jimmy Somerville singing his Bronski Beat hit Smalltown Boy is one of many indelibly moments that separately could feel unnecessary or distracting, but when compiled here as they have been in association with every else really does help form a one-of-a-kind picture.

This a picture that allows for the audience to drift in and out of its tonal shifts. Its not necessarily an easy film to watch or engage with if youre not on its wavelength fairly early on. But it does move in waves, like those of the Mediterranean. Its likely each viewer will have a different moment that emerges as one that rises above the rest. With so many options, I would certainly hope it would! Mariner of the Mountains moves like a dream without the sort of filters that our awaken selves so easily put up. Like some sort of Cronenergian device that puts us directly into Ainouzs mind with its flurry of images, ideas, identities, words and memories. Its a sublime work of art that like Ainouzs earlier films, Futuro Beach and The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao will linger long in my own memory.

Release: Streaming as of this week in many countries on MUBI.

Awards chances: Doubtful. This is the sort of thing that probably wont even be submitted given its so far away from what the branch normally goes for. I know some thought The Invisible Life had a shot for the international category several years ago, but I suspect like Yorgos Lanthimos before him, the directors next work (a royal drama with Alicia Vikander and Jude Law) could prove a meeting of sensibilities.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said there was no excuse for a video he watched of the deadly arrest of Black motorist Ronald Greene failing to reach prosecutors for another six months. But he maintained he couldn't have known at the time that the footage had not already been turned over.

The Democrat's remarks in a news conference Thursday offered a preview of his June 16 testimony to a bipartisan legislative committee investigating allegations of a cover-up in Greene's 2019 death in Louisiana State Police custody.

Edwards said there isn't a good explanation for the key video not being promptly turned over but emphasized that he didn't know in October 2020 that he was seeing evidence that wasn't available to the authorities with the power to charge the troopers seen beating, stunning and dragging Greene.

Theres no excuse for it, Edwards said. I didnt know about it.

An Associated Press report last week found that neither Edwards, his staff nor the state police he oversees acted urgently to get the footage into the hands of detectives or prosecutors. That clip did not reach them until April 2021, nearly two years after Greene's May 10, 2019 death that troopers initially blamed on a car crash. Now three years have passed, and despite ongoing federal and state investigations, no one has been criminally charged.

Edwards said he intends to tell lawmakers the truth. The truth, as Ive said all along, is good for me."

At issue is the 30-minute body-camera footage from Lt. John Clary, the highest-ranking trooper to respond to Greenes arrest. It is one of two videos of the incident, and captured events not seen on the 46-minute clip from Trooper Dakota DeMoss that shows troopers swarming Greenes car after a high-speed chase, repeatedly jolting him with stun guns, beating him in the head and dragging him by his ankle shackles.

Clarys video is perhaps even more significant to the investigations because it is the only footage that shows the moment a handcuffed, bloody Greene moans under the weight of two troopers, twitches and then goes still. It also shows troopers ordering the heavyset, 49-year-old Greene to remain face down on the ground with his hands and feet restrained for more than nine minutes  a tactic use-of-force experts criticized as dangerous and likely to have restricted his breathing.

In his news conference, Edwards emphasized contested accounts of whether the Clary video was shown to Greene's family days after the governor and his lawyers saw it, saying this "is another instance of the media reports getting the substance of their report just very wrong.

Greenes family says it was not shown the Clary video after meeting Edwards on Oct. 14, a claim affirmed by prosecutors and several others who attended the viewing in Baton Rouge. State police and the governors office, however, disputed that, previously telling the AP that the Clary video was in fact shown.

The governor highlighted an email from lawyer Phaedra Parks saying she was one of the attorneys for Greene's family present at the viewing and they did see the Clary video. Parks included with her email a copy of handwritten notes from the day of the meeting that include timestamps and details of events shown on Clary's footage.

Another lawyer for Greene's family, Lee Merritt, previously said they were not shown the Clary video, and contemporaneous notes from the then-head of the state police appear to indicate that there were multiple showings on that day, with the family not present for one.

John Belton, the Union Parish district attorney and lead prosecutor on Greene's case, said Friday he remains certain he was not shown the Clary video that day. We would have known we were seeing something different, he told the AP. We didnt see it.

Edwards said he thinks Belton is mistaken.

Bleiberg reported from Dallas, Mustian from Los Angeles.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
EAST ST. LOUIS  A man barricaded himself into a home, reportedly with two other people inside, after shots were fired, drawing police from throughout the area to the scene.

Officers from East St. Louis, the Illinois State Police and the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department responded to the scene on Trendley Avenue, where shots were fired around 7:30 p.m., St. Clair County Capt. Bruce Fleshren said.

The man then fled to his residence nearby, in the 3500 block of Piggott Avenue, and barricaded himself inside, Fleshren said.

Two other people also were in the house and the man was not cooperating with police, he said.

No other information was available, including the identity of the man.
EAST ST. LOUIS  Illinois State Police entered a home here early Friday and arrested a man who had barricaded himself inside with two children for hours.

Police responded to Trendley Avenue, where shots had been fired around 7:30 p.m., police said. A man fled to a home nearby, in the 3500 block of Piggott Avenue, and barricaded himself inside with children.

Around 3 a.m., state police entered the home and arrested the man. Two children were also taken into protective custody. They were unharmed, police said.

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ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis-area man was sentenced Thursday to prison in an online romance scheme to bilk dozens of older women across the country of more than a half-million dollars in cash and electronics.

U.S. District Judge Sarah Pitlyk sentenced Ovuoke F. Ofikoro, 43, to 50 months in prison. He admitted last year that co-conspirators in Nigeria and the U.S. stole the identities of American military officers or created fake officers' identities and tricked women into sending cash or electronics to help them.

After Ofikoro's release, he'll be on supervised probation for two years.

Two others, Bonmene Sibe, 43, of Jennings, and Trenice Hassel, 29, previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced for their roles in the scam.

Prosecutors said the trio collected packages from post office boxes in St. Louis and St. Louis County that had been mailed by victims in 2020.

Okiforo and Sibe are jointly liable for paying more than $844,000 in restitution.

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ST. LOUIS  Longtime Aldermanic President Lewis Reed, Alderman Jeffrey Boyd and former Alderman John Collins-Muhammad were charged Thursday with accepting bribes from a small business owner in exchange for legislation authorizing property tax breaks.

Though speculation had grown in recent weeks that Collins-Muhammad faced federal charges after his sudden resignation from the Board of Aldermen on May 12, citing mistakes and a tough few weeks ahead, the indictment of Reed and Boyd, two of the boards longest-serving and most powerful members, came as a surprise to many.

The charges are likely to upend city politics. Both Reed and Boyd have been key players on the Board of Aldermen for more than 15 years. Collins-Muhammad, a Reed ally who was first elected in 2017, had been among the boards rising newer members.

Reed, 59, is one of the most powerful officials in city government. As president of the Board of Aldermen, a position he was first elected to in 2007, he controls bill assignments to aldermanic committees and presides over the boards weekly meetings. And along with the mayor and the comptroller, he is one of three members of the citys top fiscal body, the powerful three-member Board of Estimate and Apportionment that controls city spending.

Reed faces two bribery-related charges, according to U.S. Attorney Sayler Flemings office.

Boyd, 58, has been an alderman since 2003 and has run unsuccessfully citywide three times  once for mayor and twice for city treasurer.

He currently chairs the Housing, Urban Development and Zoning Committee, which oversees development-related matters, including incentives. Because of that position, he also serves on the board of the St. Louis Development Corp., which oversees tax abatement and the Land Reutilization Authority.

Boyd is facing two bribery-related charges and a separate, two-count wire fraud indictment alleging he fraudulently sought $22,000 from an insurance company for damage to vehicles that he falsely claimed to own.

Collins-Muhammad, 30, was indicted on two bribery-related charges and one charge of honest services bribery/wire fraud.

The three men, all Democrats, entered not guilty pleas at a court hearing Thursday afternoon.

Boyd declined to comment as he left the federal courthouse. Likewise, Collins-Muhammad and his attorney, Matthew Radefeld, also had no comment.

But Reed told reporters after the hearing that he had no plans to resign and that he would continue to be a good steward for the city. An indictment, he said, doesnt mean that youre guilty.

The voters know me, the voters know the 20-plus years that Ive served, they know my record, Reed said. Every major development in this city Ive led for 20 years.

He said he was obviously stressed about the charges, but that he and his legal team were still digesting the indictment to understand what the case is. And at this point, we received the paperwork when you received it.

Do cash rather than checks?

The charges followed a two-and-a-half year investigation from the FBI and U.S. Attorneys Office involving surveillance, hundreds of recorded phone calls and meetings and thousands of text messages and emails, Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith revealed in court.

Goldsmith, who heads public corruption prosecutions, declined to answer questions because the case is pending but said in a statement outside the courthouse that the three defendants accepted cash bribes and other things of value in pay-to-play schemes for the passage of board bills and other official action.

The indictment alleges that Collins-Muhammad and later Reed helped a small business owner obtain a property tax abatement from the city for a new gas station and convenience store on Von Phul Street near Interstate 70 that a businessman was seeking to develop in Collins-Muhammads 21st Ward on the north side.

The business owner is referred to as John Doe in the indictment. But the properties mentioned appear to correspond to sites owned by Mohammed Almuttan that were the subject of federal subpoenas sent to the citys development arm. The subpoenas were released Wednesday to the Post-Dispatch in response to an open records request.

Almuttan co-owns and operates several gas stations and convenience stores in north St. Louis and north St. Louis County. He had been one of 35 people charged in a 2017 cigarette and synthetic marijuana trafficking sting. Many of his charges were dismissed in April as part of a a plea agreement. His sentencing is set for July.

According to a news release issued by prosecutors, Reed is accused of accepting $9,000 in cash from John Doe, the business owner, in relation to tax abatement bills. Prosecutors also alleged that Doe gave Reed $6,000 in cash and $3,500 in campaign contributions for Reeds help in trying to win city contracts for Does trucking company and to obtain city certification for the firm as a minority business enterprise.

Do cash rather than checks? Doe asked Reed, according to one conversation outlined in the indictment.

Thatll work, yeah, Reed responded.

Doe then counted out $2,000 with an automatic money counter.

Thats nice, Reed said.

Right? Doe responded.

Collins-Muhammad is charged with accepting $7,000 in cash, $3,000 in campaign donations, a new iPhone 11 and a 2016 Volkswagen CC sedan in exchange for his help. He sponsored bills to provide property tax abatement for Does proposed gas station on Von Phul Street, a measure Doe estimated could save him $20,000 to $30,000 per year and that finally passed the board earlier this year. Collins-Muhammad began working with Doe on the abatement bill in January 2020, when he accepted an initial $2,500 bribe.

Youre saving me plenty of money, Doe said then.

Thats our job, Collins-Muhammad replied.

Collins-Muhammad also is accused of accepting $3,000 from Doe after setting up a meeting with an unnamed public official who could steer business to the trucking firm. Collins-Muhammad later asked for an additional $2,500 on behalf of the unnamed official but used it to buy a 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV for himself, the indictment alleges.

Very pro-business

The indictment also details a separate scheme related to Does purchase of a commercial property on Geraldine Avenue in Boyds 22nd Ward, also on the north side, from LRA, which owns thousands of vacant lots and abandoned buildings throughout St. Louis.

Boyd said the site could be worth more than $100,000, but he wrote a letter to former LRA director Laura Costello in August 2020 supporting Does $9,000 offer for the property. Doe thanked him.

My pleasure, the alderman replied. Im very PRO BUSINESS.

But LRA staff responded with a $33,500 counter-offer for the property.

The day before a Dec. 16, 2020, LRA board meeting, Boyd told Doe that he had put a little pressure on them and the staff was going to recommend the board accept Does offer of $14,000 for the building.

So, um, I talked to LRA and I convinced them that, um, I need them to support what you put down, Boyd told Doe.

The LRA board approved Does offer.

Boyd then began working with Doe on a tax abatement for the property, accepting cash for the work. At one point, he advised Doe to pump some numbers up on his estimated construction costs. Boyd filled out the tax abatement application for Doe, writing in that he planned to spend $300,000 on the project when Doe told him he estimated just $125,000.

No, that dont sound good, Boyd said in one conversation. Because, for $125,000 you dont need tax abatement.

Boyd, who chaired the committee where many tax abatement bills went through, also helped make sure the Collins-Muhammad bill related to Does gas station made it through his committee during a February hearing.

Itll get out of HUDZ, then itll get to the floor, and only if some of these (expletive) little young white progressives act a (expletive) fool, you know, Boyd said.

Prosecutors said Boyd accepted from Doe a total of $9,500 in cash and repairs worth $2,344 to two vehicles Boyd owned. Collins-Muhammad received an additional $1,000 cash, the indictment says, for introducing Doe to Boyd.

In the separate insurance-related case, Boyd and Doe are accused of agreeing to split the proceeds of insurance fraud related to a January 2021 accident at Does used car lot in Jennings.

After Does insurance company wouldnt cover the damage, prosecutors said Boyd falsely claimed that three of the damaged vehicles were owned by a used car company that Boyd owns. Boyds insurance company ultimately rejected the claim, prosecutors said.

Updated at 8:45 p.m. Thursday, June 2.

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ST. LOUIS  Much has changed since Christmas Eve 2005, when the Rev. Marek Bozek celebrated his first Mass at what is now St. Stanislaus Kostka Polish Catholic Church. Many of the 2,000 people who showed up to celebrate his arrival are no longer in the pews.

National headlines have faded about the excommunicated priest and his scrappy church defying Roman Catholic authority and tradition. Bozek hasnt worn a bulletproof vest in years.

Nobody yells at me anymore because they know what my answers will be, Bozek, 47, said Wednesday during a lengthy interview in the sacristy of the famous red brick church at 1413 N. 20th Street.

But some of his fire has calmed.

I am exhausted, both emotionally and sometimes physically, he said.

Bozek said hes headed home to Poland in the fall. A new shepherd is supposed to arrive this summer. Bozek played down suggestions that hed been pushed out.

Seventeen years in one parish is a long time for a Catholic priest, he said. I feel like I fulfilled my mission. All the things that I dreamt of have been checked off. We are in a good place. I feel comfortable letting them swim on their own, so to speak.

St. Stanislaus is a case study of how things can snowball when a particularly shrewd congregation and a particularly rigid archbishop get into a property dispute. The timely saga drew out strong emotions from the faithful, many who believed the Roman Catholic Church should either modernize or guard age-old practices.

We have been brainwashed not to question church authority, Bozek said. The last question always was and has to be: Is it the just thing to do?

St. Stanislaus was founded in the late 1800s with a mostly lay board of directors, whose mission was to maintain a Polish Roman Catholic church with a pastor appointed by the local archbishop. The arrangement wasnt uncommon, particularly with ethnic congregations.

Over time, pioneer churches in the United States lost some of their clout as the Roman Catholic diocese structure caught up with the growth of its flock. Property deeds were signed over. St. Stanislaus was an exception.

During a St. Louis Archdiocese restructuring effort in 2003, St. Stanislaus still refused to turn over its property. It further fell out of grace in 2004, after the board amended its bylaws so the archbishop lost the power to remove and appoint the pastor and board members. St. Stanislaus has argued that the change was needed to protect its existence in an era of church closings and strained finances as the Roman Catholic Church paid out millions of dollars in sex-abuse claims.

In response, St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke removed the congregations archdiocesan priests. St. Stanislaus was left without a shepherd for months. The congregation eventually asked Bozek, a young, missionary priest in southwest Missouri, to celebrate Mass for them. Bozek said being told no by his superiors in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau made the decision easy for him.

The whole point of being a priest is to offer sacraments to people, Bozek said.

But Burke, who would go on to be a cardinal and prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura under Pope Benedict XVI, declared St. Stanislaus was in schism. Bozek was excommunicated and defrocked for being pastor of St. Stanislaus.

In 2008, the St. Louis Archdiocese and six former members of the congregation sued St. Stanislaus. Plaintiffs alleged that cutting out the archbishops authority meant St. Stanislaus was no longer Roman Catholic and violated the original bylaws signed in 1891.

Four years later, siding with St. Stanislaus, St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Bryan Hettenbach wrote in the 50-page decision: The archbishop may own the souls of wayward St. Stanislaus parishioners, but the St. Stanislaus Parish Corporation owns its own property.

Being inclusive

Though the congregation held onto the rights of their property, many didnt think St. Stanislaus would last as an independent Catholic church.

Even the pandemic, we survived, Bozek said.

He was proud to report that St. Stanislaus has settled into a sustainable, diverse and inclusive congregation of about 250 members. Masses are offered in English, Polish, Spanish and Latin. Assistant pastors at the altar include Mother Annie, a female priest who is married with children; a married heterosexual man; and a married homosexual man.

Roman Catholics have been talking about this for half a century, Bozek said. We just did it.

Bozek is gay but not married.

Its hard to find somebody willing to date a pastor, he said.

Bozek said theres some pushback from within his flock. He said theres a group of about 20 people who want the congregation to follow Roman Catholic traditions more closely.

Its not the people who are oppressed who are angry, its the people who are losing power, Bozek said. They have never gotten over us being such an inclusive community.

While Bozek said he first mentioned to the board in September 2020 that he didnt want to renew his contract at St. Stanislaus, an October petition signed by more than 60 congregants signaled a more complex departure scenario.

It is with great concern we bring to St. Stanislaus Boards attention  a matter of extreme importance, petitioners wrote. The failure on ratifying and extending Father Marek Bozeks pending contract as pastor of St. Stanislaus Church.

The board members were overwhelmingly elected on the platform to support and retain Bozek, the petition says. We all know the sacrifices he has made to become and remain our pastor.

In a Jan. 17 follow-up letter to the six-member board, petitioners again urged approval of a new contract for Bozek, whom they described as the nucleus patriarch of the church. We are speaking out on his behalf and what we consider the future of St. Stans. His ministry, commitment and passion and most of all his leadership to St. Stanislaus is integral to our open and welcoming Catholic community.

If the board voted not to extend Bozeks contract, and he stayed to pastor somewhere else in St. Louis, the majority of petitioners vowed in the letter to follow him.

I dont want St. Stanislaus to become all about Bozek, Bozek told the Post-Dispatch. Its healthy for a church to have a new shepherd. Its not my church. Its the church of the people.

Board Chairman Gene Koziatek said in an interview that Bozek wasnt being forced out.

Hes told the board three times that he wanted to leave, Koziatek said.

Koziatek said the board was split 3-3 on the matter earlier this spring. He said the board ultimately voted 4-2 not to extend Bozek a new contract. He said Bozek had removed himself from the running, rather than campaign against his possible replacement.

It was a hard move, Cynthia Cygan-Piekarski, a board member, said in an interview. I think we all care very much for Father Marek, most of us anyway. We still do. There were just some things we thought needed to be changed. Hopefully, well carry on without him. I voted against him. I love the man. I think hes great, but there were other issues that we looked at.

She wouldnt go into much detail.

Here, everyone is welcome to take communion, she said. There are other things that go on that I just cant say. Its been looked at for quite a few years. We have a split parish who want to go Roman Catholic, others inclusive.

A survey of church members in December 2020 signaled that some members were open to pursuing a dialogue with the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

The Rev. Przemek Cichosz signed a two-year contract to be the next pastor. Hes supposed to take over Nov. 1. Bozek said he knows Cichosz. He said hes an independent Catholic priest from Poland.

They hired a priest who is probably more progressive than I am, Bozek said.

Thankful for Cardinal Burke

Once his current contract runs out Oct. 31, Bozek said hell return to Poland to be close to family.

It could be a good place for me to do nothing, he said. Read. Write. Cool off. See what life brings next.

Bozek does have at least one iron in the fire. Hes a director at New Catholic Community, an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit formed in March by a handful of independent Catholic pastors.

We would like to create some standards and some vision for others who would like to follow and imitate our success, Bozek said.

Among his tips: Congregations need to be built from the bottom up, not the top down.

Successful churches are run and organized by lay people, he said.

He said hard-line views within the Roman Catholic Church will likely lead to the creation of more independent Catholic churches down the road. In that context, he doesnt see Cardinal Burke as his nemesis. He said St. Stanislaus openly prayed for Burke last year when he had COVID-19.

We would not be successful if it wasnt for him, Bozek said. There would be no St. Stanislaus story if it wasnt for Cardinal Burke.

Posted at noon Friday, June 3.

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ST. LOUIS  St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones canceled weekend travel plans, her office said Friday, after the mayor tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week.

Jones tested positive Wednesday afternoon after attending events with regional leaders at her office and at the airport. On Thursday morning, Jones' office said she still planned to attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Reno over the weekend as long as she tested negative before her departure  despite city and federal health agency recommendations to the contrary.

Both the city health department and U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines say those who have tested positive, regardless of symptoms and vaccination status, should isolate for at least five days. If an antigen test is positive on day five, the website says, the individual should isolate for a total of 10 days.

The CDC also says asymptomatic people should not travel until a full 10 days after the date of their positive test.

Nick Dunne, a spokesman for Jones, said Friday afternoon that the mayor was isolating at home.

Mark Schlinkmann of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

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A former high-ranking U.S. ambassador admitted Friday to illegal foreign lobbying on behalf of Qatar after demanding that prosecutors tell him why a retired four-star general who worked with him on the effort has not also been charged.

The dispute involving two Washington power players has highlighted the often-ambiguous boundaries of foreign lobbying laws as well as what prosecutors say were high-level, behind-the-scenes influence dealings with the wealthy Persian Gulf country.

Richard G. Olson, former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan, pleaded guilty Friday in Washington on federal charges that include improperly helping Qatar influence U.S. policy in 2017 -- when a diplomatic crisis erupted between the gas-rich monarchy and its neighbors over the countrys alleged ties to terror groups and other issues.

Olson had recently argued hes entitled to learn why prosecutors arent also bringing charges against someone he says he worked side by side with on Qatar: retired Marine Gen. John Allen, who led U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan before being tapped in late 2017 to lead the influential Brookings Institution think tank.

Allen has denied ever working as a Qatari agent and said his efforts on Qatar in 2017 were motivated to prevent a war from breaking out in the Gulf that would put U.S. troops at risk. A statement from his spokesman to The Associated Press on Thursday said Allen has voluntarily cooperated with the governments investigation."

Olsons lawyers said in court papers that since 2020 he has been seeking to get a lighter sentencing recommendation by extensively cooperating with prosecutors with the express goal of bringing charges against Allen. Olsons lawyers said prosecutors reiterated their belief in the strength of their case against Allen only to apparently drop their pursuit.

But federal prosecutor Evan Turgeon said at a hearing last week that the government has not made a prosecutorial decision as to other persons and disputed how Olsons attorney characterized past discussions. The Justice Department declined to comment on its internal deliberations on Allen.

Olsons lawyers had previously pushed prosecutors to provide copies of Allens communications with U.S. government officials related to his actions involving Qatar. Friday, Olsons attorney Mike Hannon said prosecutors had provided the requested information  the contents of which are not public  and his client was now ready to plead guilty.

Recent filings in Olsons case provide new details about Allens role and what actions prosecutors might view as possible crimes. Allen is not named in those filings but identified as the General or Person 3.

U.S. law prohibits individuals from helping a foreign entity influence U.S. policy without registering with the Justice Department. The law, known as the Foreign Agents Registration Act or FARA, was largely unenforced until prosecutors began taking more aggressive action in recent years.

Typically, FARA violations by themselves do not lead to significant prison time but the laws critics say there are too many unsettled questions about what may constitute a prosecutable offense.

FARA is an exceptionally broad and vague law that ... sets snares for the unwary, even capturing some of the most sophisticated of Washington players, David Keating of the Institute for Free Speech said in comments to the Justice Department earlier this year.

Notably, Olson pleaded guilty to a violation of State Department policy regarding working for a foreign government within a year of leaving government service, not a FARA violation.

Olsons lawyer said in court last week that federal prosecutors made clear that they were pursing a FARA case against Allen.

Olson recruited Allen to join him in providing aid and advice to Qatari government officials with the intent to influence U.S. foreign policy shortly after the Gulf diplomatic crisis erupted in June 2017, prosecutors said in court filings.

That crisis sparked a heavy spending war between Qatar and rivals Saudi Arabia and the UAE in a battle to win influence in Washington during much of President Donald Trumps administration.

Olson was being paid $20,000 a month by Imaad Zuberi, a one-time political donor who is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence on corruption charges and who prosecutors say illegally lobbied for Qatar.

Zuberi also agreed to pay Allen an undisclosed fee for his efforts, prosecutors said in Olsons plea deal. Allens spokesman said the general was never paid.

In mid June 2017, Allen met with Olson and Zuberi at a Washington hotel to explain how he would conduct the lobbying and public relations campaign, prosecutors said.

A few days later, Olson and Allen flew to Qatar -- at Zuberis expense -- to meet with the Qataris ruling emir and other government officials, where the pair explained that they were not representing the U.S. government but noted that they had the connections with U.S. government officials that placed them in a position to help Qatar, prosecutors wrote.

Allen advised the Qataris on what steps to take, including signing a pending deal to purchase F-15 fighter jets and using e a major U.S. military base in Qatar as leverage to exert influence over U.S. government officials, prosecutors wrote.

Qatar signed a deal to purchase the jets four days after that meeting.

After returning to the U.S., Allen sought the help of then-National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster and his staff to support Qatars position in the diplomatic crisis, prosecutors said in court filings.

Allen previously said through a spokesman that McMaster had approved of Allen going to Qatar and offered the assistance of his staff in preparation.

McMaster has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Olson, Allen and a Qatari government representative also met with members of Congress for the purpose of convincing the U.S. lawmakers to support Qatar rather than its regional rivals, prosecutors wrote in court records.

Allens spokesman said previously that the generals work on Qatari issues only lasted three weeks and that it had nothing to do with Brookings.

Qatar has been one of Brookings' biggest donors for the last several years, according to annual reports that don't offer specific figures. A Brookings spokeswoman said Allen decided in 2019 to no longer accept new Qatari funding.

Olson is set to be sentenced Sept. 13.

Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia. Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org or https://www.ap.org/tips/

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South Koreas new president says hell present an audacious plan to improve North Koreas economy if it denuclearizes. Yoon Suk Yeol made the offer during a speech at his inauguration ceremony in Seoul on Tuesday. Yoon says the door to dialogue will be open to resolve North Korean nuclear threats. He says his government will be ready to work with the international community to present a plan that will significantly strengthen North Koreas economy and improve its citizens livelihoods. But North Korea has previously rejected similar offers to provide incentives linked to progress in its denuclearization. Domestically, Yoon vowed to spur economic growth, which he said would heal much of the countrys social problems.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York's legislature voted Thursday to ban anyone under age 21 from buying or possessing a semi-automatic rifle, a major change to state firearm laws pushed through less than three weeks after an 18-year-old used one of the guns to kill 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo.

The bill raising the age limit is the most significant part of a package of gun control measures announced earlier this week by Democratic legislative leaders and Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Other new legislation will restrict civilian purchases of bullet-resistant armor, which was worn by the killer in Buffalo, and require new guns to be equipped with microstamping technology that can help law enforcement investigators trace bullets to particular firearms.

The age limit bill passed the Senate along party lines, 43-20, and in the Assembly 102-47, and will now head to Hochul's desk for her signature.

New York already requires people to be 21 to possess a handgun. Younger people would still be allowed to have other types of rifles and shotguns under the new law, but would be unable to buy the type of fast-firing rifles used by the 18-year-old gunmen in the mass shootings in Buffalo and at a Texas elementary school.

Besides raising the legal purchase age to 21, the bill would also require anyone buying a semi-automatic rifle to get a license  something now only required for handguns.

Many Republicans opposed the new gun limitations, arguing they would inconvenience law-abiding firearms owners and could be easily circumvented by people determined to get weapons.

Sen. Gustavo Rivera, a Bronx Democrat, said he had no problem putting up obstacles.

It is meant to be a hassle to those folks who might want to get their hands quickly on something with which they could mass murder people," he said.

The age limit change would largely impact areas outside New York City, which already requires permits to possess, carry and purchase any type of firearm and prohibits most applicants under 21.

New York would join a handful of states  including Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Vermont and Washington - that require buyers to be at least 21 instead of 18 to purchase some types of long guns. Similar legislation has been proposed in Utah.

Legal fights over the legislation are expected. New York's law limiting who can get a handgun license is already the subject of a lawsuit now before the U.S. Supreme Court.

California's attempt to raise the legal buying age for semi-automatic weapons has also been challenged.

On May 11, a U.S. appeals court panel in northern California ruled 2-1 that the states ban on the sale of semi-automatic weapons to adults under 21 is unconstitutional. The two judges who ruled in the majority were part of Republican President Donald Trumps wave of conservative-approved nominees that reshaped the famously liberal court.

The National Rifle Association is also challenging Florida's ban on the sale of rifles and other firearms to adults under age 21, which was passed in the wake of a 2018 shooting that killed 17 students and staff at a high school in Parkland.

Semi-automatic rifles automatically load each bullet after firing, although firing requires pulling the trigger for each round. That makes it possible for mass murderers to kill more people in a short amount of time.

Previously, people as young as 16 could possess long guns like rifles and shotguns without a license in New York, although they had to be 18 to buy one from a federally licensed firearms dealer.

Sen. Alexis Weik, a Republican of Long Island, pointed out that an 18 year old could still travel to another state and buy a semi-automatic rifle.

Sen. Kevin Thomas, a Long Island Democrat and one of the bills sponsors, replied, Are you advocating for federal gun control? Because that whats needed.

New York lawmakers were also passing legislation expanding the list of people who can apply for an extreme risk protection order, a court order that can temporarily prohibit someone from purchasing or possessing a firearm if they are believed to be a danger to themselves or others.

Even as we take action to protect New Yorkers, we recognize that this is a nationwide problem. I once again urge Congress to seize this moment and pass meaningful gun violence prevention measures. We have no time to waste, Hochul said in a statement.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A CNN reporter correctly confronted the Uvalde, Texas, school district chief of police on Wednesday, refusing to take no for an answer when Chief Pedro Arredondo repeatedly tried to sidestep the reporter and avoid answering crucial questions about last weeks school massacre. Arredondo escaped through a door, after which the school district announced that it would arrest any reporter found on school district property.

These arent the actions of administrators and officers interested in an honest assessment of what went wrong in a school shooting that left 19 children and two educators dead. These are the actions of officials doing their best to evade accountability for the apparent hand-wringing cowardice of a commander who restrained law enforcers from taking action to save precious lives.

The threat to arrest reporters applies not just to Robb Elementary, the scene of the massacre, but any school district property where reporters wait to speak with officials. A video posted on Twitter Wednesday showed four school district officers informing reporters that they were regarded as trespassers and subject to arrest.

The pathetic story of Arredondos inaction, which may have cost the lives of wounded children, seems to get more pathetic by the day. At first, Uvalde law enforcers looked like heroes when stories circulated of alleged heroism in the first minutes of the school attack. But on closer inspection, it became clear that Arredondo behaved like a bumbling, indecisive coward.

U.S. Border Patrol officers, a police SWAT team and others waited anxiously for the order to go in as the shooter continued his rampage. Parents pleaded with officers to stop standing around and take action. One mother broke through a cordon to rescue her child. They handcuffed her. In the shooters presence, children were texting their parents, pleading for help.

But for 80 minutes, Arredondo  the incident commander in charge  held back. Some parents have good reason to believe that their wounded children might have bled out during that waiting period. Its unclear whether additional victims were shot while Arredondo was holding back. Uvaldes mayor, expressing outrage, asked the Justice Department to investigate.

CNN reporter Shimon Prokupecz confronted Arredondo directly at his office  not on school grounds  to ask why Texas Department of Public Safety officials are saying Arredondo wasnt cooperating with their investigation. Arredondo claimed his office was in contact with them, then fell back on the excuse that families are burying their loved ones and, out of respect, he would wait for them to finish grieving before answering questions.

Those families will never stop grieving. They deserve answers. Its too bad that they, like the families whose children were slaughtered in the 2019 Parkland, Florida, school massacre, had to put their trust in a law enforcer who seemed to have lost his nerve when the ability to summon courage might have saved lives.
Regarding Making sense of a mass shooting in the middle of Texas gun country (May 28): I do not understand why the vast majority of Republicans will not even try to make it harder to get a gun or to outlaw assault rifles in an effort to stop, or at least reduce, mass murders. They do seem fond of the National Rifle Association and their campaign donations. Our own Sen. Roy Blunt is one of the associations biggest recipients.
The navies of the United States and China are in a naval arms race as each turns out more unmanned surface and subsurface ships. So far in 2022 China has produced the Zhu Hai Yun, a 2,000-ton ship that carries up to fifty unmanned submarine, surface and airborne vehicles. Zhu Hai Yun is operated remotely to get it out to the high seas, where the ship operates autonomously to carry out a variety of missions it is capable of. China is depending on its AI (Artificial Intelligence) software to effectively carry out its mission and then signal that it is returning. The U.S. Navy has similar but smaller (145-ton) unmanned surface ships that do not carry and operate other autonomous vehicles but can stay at sea for up to sixty days carrying out ASW (Anti-submarine warfare) missions. The navy has also developed larger autonomous cargo ships to move supplies long distances. Smaller armed and unarmed autonomous vessels have been in service for decades to patrol ports and coastal areas. China believes it has a lead in AI control software and the Zhu Hai Yun is an effort to test that. The Americans are depending on less ambitious technologies that have produced impressive results so far and a new Orca autonomous submarine takes those proven concepts further than ever before.

A month before China presented the Zhu Hai Yun, the Americans received the first of 24 Orca 80-ton XLUUV (extra-large UUVs) that can carry and deploy a variety of naval mines and evade enemy detection due to their small size.

Orca was the U.S. Navy solution to the difficulties with deploying offensive mobile naval mines and a robotic submarine in enemy controlled waters, like the South China Sea. Orca could even operate as an offensive weapon against Chinese submarines seeking to block access to the South China Sea and Taiwan. China is considered the major submarine threat in the Pacific and the South China Sea is seen as a major future battleground.

Currently China has about 55 diesel-electric subs of recent design in service versus 42 operated by Japan and South Korea, each with 21. Malaysia and Indonesia each have two and Australia has six. The United States has about 30 nuclear attack subs in the Pacific. The anti-China coalition also has a large array of surface and aerial ASW forces.

To even the odds China has built a network of underwater sensors in the South China Sea that is complemented by ASW aircraft and surface ships. South Korea and Japan have similar technology monitoring their coastal waters. The only nation capable of blocking Chinese subs from moving out of the South China Sea is the United States, which has underwater sensors and a large fleet of ASW aircraft. The problem is defeating the Chinese diesel-electric submarine force. China has been trying to build effective SSNs for decades and that is still a work-in-progress. Chinese non-nuclear subs are another matter and they have become world-class.

The U.S. Navy believes robotic subs carrying mobile mines would be an effective new ASW asset because the U.S. is already developing some of the new ASW technology needed for this. This includes UUVs (Unmanned Underwater Vessels) and mobile mines. Over a decade ago the navy adopted civilian underwater UUVs used for monitoring the oceans and has been using them to do that as well as collect data useful for wartime submarine operations. With a growing number of civilian and military customers, American UUV developers and manufacturers have been coming up with new ocean research UUVs that also have military applications. The latest example of this is the new class of XLUUVs with the ability to go deeper, carry a cargo bay for other research gear to be stored and deployed from, and operate autonomously for up to six months. The first of these XLUUVs was the Echo Voyager, which Boeing developed from a research project and had the first one ready for testing in 2016. The tests were successful and have involved more complex and completely autonomous operations. In 2019 the navy ordered four militarized Orca versions of the Echo Voyager for $11 million each. Both models are diesel-electric powered autonomous subs that are 16 meters (51 feet) long with a payload compartment 9.1 meters long and 2.6 meters (8.5 feet) in diameter and inside the pressure hull. Propulsion is by battery powered electric motors and diesel generators to recharge the batteries when on or near the surface. This XLUUV has no topside sail and can stay underwater for days at a time because there is no crew on board to sustain. While submerged these UUVs can move at 14 kilometers an hour and have sufficient generator fuel to travel 12,000 kilometers. The main difference between Echo Voyager and Orca is that Echo Voyager is built to dive to extreme (3,400 meters/11,000 feet) depths. Orca does without that but adds additional passive sensors and signal processing computers to detect other submarines or surface ships. There is also an underwater communications system for arming the dozen Hammerhead mobile mines Orca is designed to carry and place on the ocean floor in areas like the South China Sea. These Hammerhead bottom mines carry a Mk 54 lightweight torpedo, which is normally carried by ASW helicopters and aircraft. Mk 54 has a range of ten kilometers and a guidance system that is regularly updated. Hammerhead is being used in a similar fashion to a larger version of this used during the Cold War that deployed a larger Mk 48 torpedo. Hammerhead is an encapsulated system equipped with passive sensors to detect and identify submarines and surface ships and attack specific types of targets, like diesel-electric subs larger than Orca.

The first Orca was delivered on time in 2022 and if the system works, a big if for the navy these days, the plan is to buy as many as 24 Orcas and use them for a variety of tasks while trying to avoid Chinese efforts to accidentally capture one.
Two months ago, Yemen and the Arab Coalition (Saudi Arabia and UAE/United Arab Emirates) agreed to another truce with the Shia rebels. This one expired on June 1 st , and what was needed to renew it was agreement on areas where continued Shia violence is a problem as well as ground rules for a final settlement to end the war.

Iran is not participating in these peace talks but pressures the Shia rebels to not surrender anything that will further disrupt Iranian weapons smuggling. Iran wants to continue smuggling in ballistic and cruise missiles, which are brought in broken down, to be assembled under Iranian supervision in Shia territory and then fired at targets in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The Shia rebels have suffered heavy casualties in the past year because of failed efforts to gain more territory as well as defending areas they have long occupied.

The April ceasefire was generally adhered to and that could be measured by the reduction (by more than 50 percent) in civilian casualties. This is not usually the case. Past ceasefires are seen as futile because the Shia rebels violated so many of them and, until recently, showed no interest in change, especially since Iran support is crucial to the maintenance of the Shia military efforts.

The best example of Iranian and rebel disdain for ceasefire agreements was the 2018 agreement to halt the successful government campaign to take control of the Red Sea port of Hodeida. This is the second largest port in Yemen and the main entry point of foreign aid for Yemenis in Shia controlled territory. Despite UN monitoring, Hodeida was also where a lot of Iranian military aid was smuggled in. In 2018, as government forces were about to drive rebel forces from the Hodeida city and port, the rebels appealed to the UN for a timeout (peace talks). The UN persuaded the Yemen government and its Arab Coalition to halt operations and the rebels signed an agreement whereby they would withdraw their forces from the port area so that government troops could replace them. The rebels withdrew some of their forces then moved them back in and attacked the government troops. Rebels accused the government of violating the agreement. By 2020 it was clear that the rebels never intended to withdraw and the ceasefire deal was revealed as yet another ploy to enlist the UN to assist the rebels in avoiding a defeat. Not only did the rebels maintain their control of areas near the port, but increased their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea while denying that they were responsible. More key UN members came to conclude that the Shia rebels and their Iranian backers were intent on maintaining control of northwest Yemen so the rebels could use Iranian cruise and ballistic missiles to attack Saudi Arabia.

The current peace talks are different because the Shia and the Yemeni government both agree that allowing Yemen to be a battleground for the Iranian campaign to replace Saudi Arabia as the leader of the Moslem world is not good for Yemen. Then there is the situation in Iran. Yemeni Shia are aware of significant popular opposition in Iran to the Yemen war. The Saudis and UAE were always reluctant participants in the war but could not withdraw as long as Iran was attacking them from Shia rebel-controlled northern Yemen. This encouraged the Yemen government to seriously consider some kind of Shia autonomy and sufficient guarantees that the autonomy would not later be taken away.

The Yemeni government has also gone through some changes. In April president Hadi was forced to resign because of corruption and general ineffectiveness. Hadi agreed to officially transfer his power to a Presidential Council, whose eight members were selected earlier by the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) in consultation with many prominent pro-government officials. The council is led by Rashad al Alimi, a former interior minister. The other seven members include governors of Marib and Hadramawt provinces, STC (South Transitional Council) leaders, a Suuni tribal leader in the north who has formed an anti-Shia coalition, and several military commanders, including a member of the Saleh family that ruled Yemen before the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings. The council members accurately represent the key pro-government factions in Yemen. All of these members want peace, but without the continued Iranian presence. This new government was able to use the ceasefire to reorganize and upgrade the Yemeni army.

The new Presidential Council made it easier for the Saudis and the UAE to negotiate with Yemeni factions, including many Shia ones, to work out a peace deal. The war has dragged on for eight years mainly because Iran got involved and injected religious issues. For most Yemenis the war was about maintaining the cohesion of the nation. For Iran and the Shia rebels its also about religion. The Iranian religious dictatorship is obsessed with replacing Saudi Arabia as the guardian of Mecca and Medina, the most important religious shrines for all Moslems. Arabs have always controlled these two cities near the Red Sea coast, 780 kilometers north of Yemen Shia territory. Even when the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) controlled the area, they put a proper (descendants of Mohammed) Arab family in charge of Mecca and Medina. The Turks profited from what the many annual pilgrims spent when they arrived. Iran wants to change all that and the Saudis, with the support of most Moslems, oppose Iranian claims.

The main battlefield for control of Mecca has become Yemen, where Iran-backed Yemen Shia rebels began a civil war in 2014 and with Iranian support have survived Saudi efforts to prevent the Shia provinces in northwest Yemen from becoming an Iranian military base area. The Yemen Shia rebels are led by members of the Houthi tribe, which Iran supports because ultimately Shia controlled northwestern Yemen would be ruled by a religious dictatorship with the Houthi tribe providing the hereditary leaders of the Yemeni Shia state.

There are about nine million Shia in Yemen (40 percent of the population) and most belong, like the rebels, to the Zaidi sect that the Houthis dominate. In 2009 only a few hundred thousand Zaidi were up in arms against the government, and not all of them were actively resisting the advancing troops. The Houthi religious leaders, despite their disagreements with Iran over what form of Shia beliefs was superior, accepted Iranian offers of support in regaining self-rule for the Zaidi Shia in Yemen as well as the million Zaidi across the border in Saudi Arabia.

It was difficult for the Shia rebel leaders to realize they had made a mistake accepting Iranian weapons and guidance. The Iranians and the Shia rebels had different goals and priorities. When it became obvious that most Iranians as well as most Yemenis opposed the war in Yemen. At that point it became preferable for the Shia rebels to negotiate with the Yemeni government without Iranian guidance and threats. Long ago the Shia and Sunni in Yemen learned that it was preferable to tolerate each other and unite when Yemen was threatened. That balance was disrupted during the 1990s as Yemen was once again a united country, The Sunni majority refused to address those complaints because many of the united government leaders were Shia. For many Yemeni Shia, those Shia government officials were out for themselves, not the Shia community in Yemen. Now that there is general agreement on that, there is an opportunity to end the war and create a more lasting peace.

June 1, 2022: There was finally an agreement to extend the truce, but only after the government agreed to a compromise on Tabriz, where the Shia rebels have refused to open up all the roads. These roads mainly used to deliver food and other aid to civilians, most of them Sunnis. The locals have a difficult time moving around, even for emergencies, because the rebel roadblocks are still active. The new agreement extends the truce. The Saudis will probably continue their retaliation for the Taiz violations. During the first truce the Saudis, who control the naval and air blockade, were supposed to allow 18 tankers unload fuel at the Red Sea port of Hodeida and a resumption of flights from the Sana airport. The airport use was delayed until May 16 because the rebels insisted the passengers could use passports issued by the Shia rebels. This was unacceptable to the Saudis because the Iran-backed Shia rebels had cooperated with Iran to smuggle people designated as terrorists and banned from any international flying, into and out of Yemen using any means available. As a result, there were only three flights from Sana during the first truce instead of 18. The rebels could eliminate fuel and airport restrictions by doing what they agreed to do in Taiz. For whatever reason the rebels keep traffic from flowing freely through Taiz.

May 31, 2022: Western nations are an important unofficial participant in the current Yemen ceasefire negotiations because Yemen is already a low priority candidate for receiving food and other foreign aid, The Shia rebels stole or diverted foreign aid, particularly food, to assist their war effort. This included depriving hostile groups in areas they controlled of food aid. Iran supported this tactic even though most Yemenis saw it as depriving Yemen in general of foreign aid. The aid groups have changed over the years and learned to prioritize nations requesting aid. That meant areas that were most likely to tolerate aid being stolen or diverted were given less aid because there is a lot more need for aid than there is supply. With the worldwide grain shortage because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there is less food aid available and even though Yemen is one of the nations most in need of this aid, not much is likely until the Yemenis demonstrate that they can distribute it effectively.

The center of such corruption and food aid manipulation is in the southern province of Taiz. This is as far south as Shia rebel control for. Taiz is only 60 kilometers north of Aden, the largest port in Yemen and the temporary capital of Yemen since the rebels took control of Sana, the traditional capital in 2014. From Taiz the rebels could launch cruise missile attacks on Aden and other areas in the south. Government forces have been fighting for years to regain control of Taiz. In 2021 still controlled 30 percent of Taiz. Before the April cease fire began the rebels had lost most of that 30 percent but were still holding key coastal areas and portions of Taiz City that controlled key highways. The terms of the April ceasefire included the rebels allowing traffic to resume on highways they still controlled. While the government made good on its promise to allow rebels access to the Red Sea port of Hodeida and a resumption of flights from the Sana airport, rebels refused to open up all the Taiz roads. A ceasefire renewal wont happen if the rebels refuse to open up the Taiz highways.

May 29, 2022: In the Red Sea port of Hodeida there were three more landmine explosions, killing five civilians and wounding six. The rebels frequently used and rarely remove them or share their location with the Saudi-financed demining operation in Yemen that, since 2018 has cleared over 340,000 mines and unexploded shells, bombs and grenades from Yemen. .

April 25, 2022: In Sana, the rebel-controlled capital, a Saudi UAV (a Chinese made Ch-4) carrying on a surveillance mission at night, was shot down by the rebels using a smuggled missile. The Ch-4 is a 1.3-ton UAV similar to the U.S. Predator but is optimized for sustained (up to 40 hours per mission) surveillance. Max payload 345 kg (761 pounds), which can include guided bombs and missiles. For surveillance missions the payload consists of more sensors and fuel to obtain max air-time. The rebels shot down the Ch-4 while it was over the city, which meant it could crash in a residential area, which it did, killing three and wounding three others. As per the truce, the Saudis halted their airstrikes in Yemen which the rebels did the same with the Iran-supplied cruise and ballistic missile attacks on Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The Saudis will still shoot down any rebel UAV crossing the border because they have no assurance that it is not packed with explosives and on a one-way mission to a target in Saudi Arabia. In contrast, rebel UAVs flown inside Yemen are often used as weapons, not surveillance. In any event, shooting down UAVs does not violate the truce.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE/ June 3, 2022 / The Power Play by The Market Herald has announced the release of a new interview with X-Terra Resources on their latest news.

The Power Play by The Market Herald provides investors with a quick snapshot of what they need to know about the company's latest press release through exclusive insights and interviews with company executives.

X-Terra Resources (TSXV:XTT) diversifies into Lithium exploration



X-Terra Resources (XTT) has acquired three claim blocks totaling over 10,000 hectares, known as the Triple Lithium Project. The project is located in the James Bay region of Quebec. Michael Ferreira, President and Chief Executive Officer of X-Terra sat down with Coreena Robertson to discuss the news.

For the full interview with Michael Ferreira and to learn more about X-Terra Resources, click here

Interviews for The Power Play by The Market Herald are released daily. To learn more about the companies featured in The Power Play or to explore our other interviews visit The Power Play by The Market Herald.

About The Market Herald

The Market Herald Canada is the leading source of authoritative breaking stock market news for self-directed investors. Our team of Canadian markets reporters, editors and technologists covers the entire listed company universe in Canada. We cover over 3,985 businesses, their people, their investors, and their customers. We write the stories that move the Canadian capital markets.

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Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ORA) (Ormat, the Company, we or us) today announced the election at its annual meeting of stockholders, held on June 2, 2022, of Michal Marom and Karin Corfee to the Companys Board of Directors, effective immediately. Ms. Marom will also serve as the Chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Compensation Committee. Ms. Marom and Ms. Corfee will replace the departing Board members Dan Falk and Albertus Bruggink, respectively. With these new additions, one third of Ormats Board of Directors will be represented by women.

Ms. Marom joins Ormats Board of Directors having served in numerous senior executive leadership roles. Ms. Marom currently serves on the Board of Directors and the audit and compensation committees of several publicly traded companies in the U.S. and Israel. From 2011 to 2015, Ms. Marom served as the Chief Financial Officer of Linkury Ltd., an Israeli high-tech company she co-founded. Ms. Marom is a Certified Public Accountant in Israel and acts as a consultant providing strategic advice on business models and financial transactions.

Ms. Corfee brings to Ormats Board of Directors over 30 years of experience in the energy industry. Ms. Corfee currently serves as Vice President, Professional & Advisory Services at Kevala LLC, a power grid analytics company, a position she has held since October 2021. Ms. Corfee is also the founder and CEO of KC Strategies LLC, a business consultancy firm specializing in climate and sustainability services, which she has held since the companys founding in April 2021. Most recently, she served as Partner and Western Team Leader at Guidehouse from October 2019 to April 2021. Ms. Corfee served as Managing Director and Leader of Clean Energy Programs and Sustainability at Navigant Consulting, Inc. Prior to Navigant, Ms. Corfee was the Vice President and West Coast DSM Manager at KEMA Inc., a global energy consultancy company. Ms. Corfee was nominated to Ormats Board of Directors by ORIX Corporation pursuant to its board nomination right under its previously disclosed agreement with the Company.

Doron Blachar, CEO of Ormat, said, We are very pleased to announce the addition of Michal and Karin to Ormats Board of Directors and we look forward to the contributions that both directors will bring to Ormat. Michal brings significant board experience through her time serving as a director for publicly traded corporations, and Karins deep energy industry knowledge and advisory experience, particularly in the field of sustainability, will help guide Ormat as it continues to pursue its growth goals and emerge as the dominant renewable energy player in the United States. We would also like to thank both Dan Falk and Albertus Bruggink for their time as directors and their dedication to the ongoing success of Ormat. We remain excited for the future of our Company under the direction of the new members of the Board of Directors.
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OTTAWA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Avivagen Inc. (TSXV: VIV) (Avivagen or the Company) announces that the TSX Venture Exchange has granted a second extension of up to 30 days for completion of the balance of the Company's previously announced non-brokered private placement of up to $5,000,000 (the Offering) through the issuance of units of the Company (each, a Unit) at a price of $0.20 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (each a Common Share) and one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a Warrant). Each Warrant will be exercisable to acquire one Common Share for a period of 5 years following the date of issuance at an exercise price of $0.30 per share. To date, the Company has completed two tranches of the Offering, raising gross proceeds of $2,064,236 from the sale of 10,321,180 Units (for more details regarding the offering, please see the Companys news releases dated April 28, May 6 and May 31, 2022).

About Avivagen

Avivagen is a life sciences corporation focused on developing and commercializing products for livestock, companion animal and human applications. By unlocking an overlooked facet of carotene activity, a path has been opened to safely and economically support immune function, thereby promoting general health and performance in animals. Avivagen is a public corporation traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol VIV, and is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, based in partnership facilities of the National Research Council of Canada and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. For more information, visit www.avivagen.com. The contents of the website are expressly not incorporated by reference in this press release.

Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Avivagen to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include the possibility for additional closings of the Offering. The closing of the Offering is subject to a number of customary conditions, including the approval of the applicable securities commissions and the TSX Venture Exchange, some of which are outside the control of Avivagen. Purchasers are under no obligation to participate in another closing of the Offering and another closing might not occur. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and Avivagen does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities legislation.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Copyright  2022 Avivagen Inc. OxC-beta is a trademark of Avivagen Inc.

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Avivagen Inc.

Drew Basek

Director of Investor Relations

100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6

Phone: 416-540-0733

E-mail: [email protected]



Kym Anthony

Chief Executive Officer

100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6

Head Office Phone: 613-949-8164

Website: www.avivagen.com

Source: Avivagen Inc.
PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced that the company has withdrawn a supplemental biologics license application (sBLA) for Reblozyl (luspatercept-aamt) for the treatment of anemia in adults with non-transfusion dependent (NTD) beta thalassemia. The Company could not appropriately address the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations questions about the benefit-risk profile of Reblozyl in this patient population based on the current dataset from the Phase 2 BEYOND trial.

While we will not pursue this indication in the U.S., were continuing to evaluate Reblozyl in a broad clinical development program to bring this important therapeutic option to more patients living with the burden of anemia, said Noah Berkowitz, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice president, Hematology Development, Bristol Myers Squibb.

Reblozyl, a first-in-class therapeutic option, is currently approved in the United States, European Union and Canada to address transfusion-dependent anemia-associated beta thalassemia and lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes.

About BEYOND

BEYOND (NCT03342404) is a Phase 2, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter study to determine the efficacy and safety of luspatercept-aamt (ACE-536) versus placebo in adults with non-transfusion dependent beta thalassemia. The study is divided into the screening period, double-blind treatment period (DBTP) and post-treatment follow-up period (PTFP) and randomized 145 subjects at a 2:1 ratio of Reblozyl versus placebo. All patients were eligible to receive best supportive care, which included red blood cell transfusions; iron-chelating agents; use of antibiotic, antiviral, and antifungal therapy; and/or nutritional support, as needed. The primary endpoint of the study is the proportion of subjects who have an increase from baseline 1.0 g/dL in mean of hemoglobin values over a continuous 12-week interval from Week 13 to Week 24 of treatment in the absence of transfusions. Key secondary endpoints include mean change in non-transfusion dependent beta thalassemia-patient reported outcome (NTDT-PRO) Tiredness and Weakness (TW) domain score and baseline hemoglobin (Hb).

About Beta Thalassemia

Beta thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder caused by a genetic defect in hemoglobin. It is one of the most common autosomal recessive disorders, and the total annual incidence of symptomatic individuals is estimated at 1 in 100,000 people globally.1 While beta thalassemia remains a rare disease, its prevalence has increased in the United States by approximately 7.5% over the last 50 years.2 The disease is associated with ineffective erythropoiesis, which results in the production of fewer and less healthy red blood cells (RBCs), often leading to severe anemiaa condition that can be debilitating and can lead to other complications for patientsas well as other serious health issues.3 Treatment options for anemia associated with beta thalassemia are limited, consisting mainly of frequent RBC transfusions that have the potential to contribute to iron overload, which can cause serious complications such as organ damage.1 Non-transfusion dependent beta thalassemia is a term used to describe patients who do not require lifelong regular transfusions for survival, although they may experience a range of clinical complications and require occasional or even frequent transfusions, usually for defined periods of time.4

About Reblozyl

Reblozyl, a first-in-class therapeutic option, promotes late-stage red blood cell maturation in animal models.1 Reblozyl is being developed and commercialized through a global collaboration with Merck following Mercks acquisition of Acceleron Pharma, Inc. in November 2021. Reblozyl is currently approved in the U.S. for the treatment of:

anemia in adult patients with beta thalassemia who require regular red blood cell transfusions, and

anemia failing an erythropoiesis stimulating agent and requiring 2 or more red blood cell units over 8 weeks in adult patients with very low- to intermediate-risk myelodysplastic syndrome with ring sideroblasts (MDS-RS) or with myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm with ring sideroblasts and thrombocytosis (MDS/MPN-RS-T).

Reblozyl is not indicated for use as a substitute for red blood cell transfusions in patients who require immediate correction of anemia.

Important Safety Information

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Thrombosis/Thromboembolism

In adult patients with beta thalassemia, thromboembolic events (TEE) were reported in 8/223 (3.6%) REBLOZYL-treated patients. TEEs included deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolus, portal vein thrombosis, and ischemic stroke. Patients with known risk factors for thromboembolism (splenectomy or concomitant use of hormone replacement therapy) may be at further increased risk of thromboembolic conditions. Consider thromboprophylaxis in patients at increased risk of TEE. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of thromboembolic events and institute treatment promptly.

Hypertension

Hypertension was reported in 10.7% (61/571) of REBLOZYL-treated patients. Across clinical studies, the incidence of Grade 3 to 4 hypertension ranged from 1.8% to 8.6%. In patients with beta thalassemia with normal baseline blood pressure, 13 (6.2%) patients developed systolic blood pressure (SBP) 130 mm Hg and 33 (16.6%) patients developed diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 80 mm Hg. In adult patients with MDS with normal baseline blood pressure, 26 (29.9%) patients developed SBP 130 mm Hg and 23 (16.4%) patients developed DBP 80 mm Hg. Monitor blood pressure prior to each administration. Manage new or exacerbations of preexisting hypertension using anti-hypertensive agents.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity

REBLOZYL may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. REBLOZYL caused increased post-implantation loss, decreased litter size, and an increased incidence of skeletal variations in pregnant rat and rabbit studies. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 3 months after the final dose.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

Beta Thalassemia

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 3.6% of patients on REBLOZYL. Serious adverse reactions occurring in 1% of patients included cerebrovascular accident and deep vein thrombosis. A fatal adverse reaction occurred in 1 patient treated with REBLOZYL who died due to an unconfirmed case of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Most common adverse reactions (at least 10% for REBLOZYL and 1% more than placebo) were headache (26% vs 24%), bone pain (20% vs 8%), arthralgia (19% vs 12%), fatigue (14% vs 13%), cough (14% vs 11%), abdominal pain (14% vs 12%), diarrhea (12% vs 10%) and dizziness (11% vs 5%).

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Grade > 3 (2%) adverse reactions included fatigue, hypertension, syncope and musculoskeletal pain. A fatal adverse reaction occurred in 5 (2.1%) patients.

3 (2%) adverse reactions included fatigue, hypertension, syncope and musculoskeletal pain. A fatal adverse reaction occurred in 5 (2.1%) patients. The most common (10%) adverse reactions included fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, hypersensitivity reactions, hypertension, headache, upper respiratory tract infection, bronchitis, and urinary tract infection.

LACTATION

It is not known whether REBLOZYL is excreted into human milk or absorbed systemically after ingestion by a nursing infant. REBLOZYL was detected in milk of lactating rats. When a drug is present in animal milk, it is likely that the drug will be present in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, and because of the unknown effects of REBLOZYL in infants, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue treatment. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in the breastfed child, breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment and for 3 months after the last dose.

Please see full Prescribing Information for REBLOZYL.

Bristol Myers Squibb: Creating a Better Future for People with Cancer

Bristol Myers Squibb is inspired by a single vision  transforming peoples lives through science. The goal of the companys cancer research is to deliver medicines that offer each patient a better, healthier life and to make cure a possibility. Building on a legacy across a broad range of cancers that have changed survival expectations for many, Bristol Myers Squibb researchers are exploring new frontiers in personalized medicine, and through innovative digital platforms, are turning data into insights that sharpen their focus. Deep scientific expertise, cutting-edge capabilities and discovery platforms enable the company to look at cancer from every angle. Cancer can have a relentless grasp on many parts of a patients life, and Bristol Myers Squibb is committed to taking actions to address all aspects of care, from diagnosis to survivorship. Because as a leader in cancer care, Bristol Myers Squibb is working to empower all people with cancer to have a better future.

About Bristol Myers Squibb

Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

Juno Therapeutics, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. In certain countries outside the U.S., due to local laws, Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are referred to as, Celgene, a Bristol Myers Squibb company and Juno Therapeutics, a Bristol Myers Squibb company.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding, among other things, the research, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products. All statements that are not statements of historical facts are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and uncertainties, including internal or external factors that could delay, divert or change any of them in the next several years, that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, the possibility that Reblozyl (luspatercept-aamt) may not receive regulatory approval for the additional indication described in this release in the currently anticipated timeline or at all, that any marketing approvals, if granted, may have significant limitations on their use, and, if approved, whether such product candidate for such additional indication described in this release will be commercially successful. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many risks and uncertainties that affect Bristol Myers Squibbs business and market, particularly those identified in the cautionary statement and risk factors discussion in Bristol Myers Squibbs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as updated by our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and except as otherwise required by applicable law, Bristol Myers Squibb undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

corporatefinancial-news

References:

Galanello R, Origa R. Beta thalassemia. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. 2010;5(11). Available at: https://ojrd.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1750-1172-5-11. Accessed February 2022. Kattamis, A., Forni, G. L., Aydinok, Y., Viprakasit, V. (2020). Changing patterns in the epidemiology of -thalassemia. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ejh.13512. Accessed February 2022. Rivella, S. (2013). Ineffective erythropoiesis and thalassemias. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3703923/pdf/nihms-490109.pdf. Accessed February 2022. Musallam, K. M., Rivella, S., Vichinsky, E., & Rachmilewitz, E. A. (2013). Non-transfusion-dependent thalassemias. Haematologica, 98(6), 833844. https://doi.org/10.3324/haematol.2012.066845. Accessed February 2022.

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BMS:

Media Inquiries: [email protected]

Investors: [email protected]

Source: Bristol Myers Squibb
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) announced today that Sean Keohane, President and Chief Executive Officer, will present at the Deutsche Bank Global Materials Conference in New York on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 10:30 am (ET).

A live webcast of the presentation, along with the slides and replay will be available on the investor section of Cabots website http://investor.cabot-corp.com and at https://kvgo.com/db-global-materials/cabot-june-2022

About Cabot Corporation

Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) is a global specialty chemicals and performance materials company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company is a leading provider of carbon black, specialty carbons, engineered elastomer composites, inkjet colorants, masterbatches and conductive compounds, fumed silica and aerogel. For more information on Cabot, please visit the companys website at cabotcorp.com. The Company encourages investors and potential investors to consult the Cabot website regularly.

Forward-Looking Statements

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Cabot's business that are not historical facts are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These factors are discussed in the reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), particularly under the heading Risk Factors in our annual report on Form 10-K and in our subsequent SEC filings filed with the SEC at www.sec.gov.

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Steve Delahunt

Vice President, Treasurer and Investor Relations

(617) 342-6255

Source: Cabot Corporation
SANTA ROSA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- California American Waters Larkfield Water Treatment Plant will be undergoing maintenance from Tuesday, June 7 through Thursday, June 9, 2022. During the planned maintenance, supply will be impacted, however Larkfield, Mark West, Wikiup, and Fulton customers will continue to receive high-quality water, without interruptions to service, thanks to California American Waters partnership with Sonoma Water.

During the maintenance period, customers can help reduce demand on the Sonoma Water Aqueduct interconnection by taking additional conservation measures like further reducing outdoor watering, waiting to fill pools, and conserving indoor use of water. Dependent upon the project progress additional request for conservation may occur in the next week. Should that need arise additional communication will be provided.

We are grateful to our customers for conserving water during this drought season and we appreciate those who can make additional cutbacks on water use during the three-day maintenance period from June 7 to June 9, said Audie Foster, Director of Operations for California American Waters Northern Division. Our improvements at the Larkfield Water Treatment Plant will include replacing essential filter components, representing an investment of more than $200k in the Larkfield community.

Proactive capital investments, like the Larkfield Water Treatment Plant filter replacements, are part of California American Waters asset renewal and upgrade strategy to drive modernization, improve efficiency, and increase reliability and resiliency.

Customers with questions about the call for conservation or treatment plant maintenance should contact 707-542-8329.

About California American Water

California American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), provides high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to more than 725,000 people. California American Waters service areas can be found on the companys website www.californiaamwater.com.

About American Water

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,400 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and regulated-like drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people in 24 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to help keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and diversityataw.com. Follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

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Nichole Baxter

External Affairs, Northern California

916-568-4211

[email protected]

Source: California American Water
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

EUROAPI (Paris: EAPI) announces the launch of its first employee share plan entitled EUROAPI Action 2022. The subscription period will be open from June 10 to June 24, 2022, in 7 countries and aims to foster employees ownership and more closely associate them to the Groups success and long-term development.

FRAMEWORK OF THE OFFERING

On May 6, 2022, the Companys Board of Directors has decided the principle of a share capital increase reserved for eligible employees of the companies that have adhered to the EUROAPI Group Savings Plan, under the framework of the 23rd decision of the sole shareholder of EUROAPI of March 30, 2022. On this occasion, the Board of Directors has decided upon the main terms and conditions of the Offering and delegated to the Chief Executive Officer the powers to implement the offering.

On June 3, 2022, the Board of Directors has set the subscription price at 10.76 euros, by applying a 20 % discount to the reference price1.

The share capital increase will be limited to a maximum of 0.56 % of the share capital of EUROAPI, i.e. 522,600 shares.

The newly created shares will be entitled to any shareholder rights (voting rights and dividends) upon issuance.

CONDITIONS OF THE SUBSCRIPTION

Beneficiaries of the share capital increase reserved for employees

The beneficiaries of the offering are employees of EUROAPI or the companies in which EUROAPI holds directly or indirectly more than 50% of the share capital and which have adhered to the EUROAPI Group Savings Plan.

The beneficiaries must also meet a minimum employment condition of two months on June 3, 2022.

They will still have to be employed in the EUROAPI Group at the end of the subscription period.

Subscription price

The subscription price has been set by the Board of Directors. It is equal to the average of the volume-weighted average price of a EUROAPI share on Euronext Paris during the 20 trading days preceding the date on which the subscription price is set, minus a 20 % discount.

Terms and conditions of the subscription

Under the EUROAPI Action 2022 Offering, employees will be able to subscribe up to 2,500 shares, within the limit of 25% of the employees gross annual compensation estimated for 2022.

For each share subscribed, EUROAPIs employees will benefit from a company matching contribution in the form of one free share. This company matching contribution will be limited to 25 free shares per subscriber.

Depending on their country of residence, employees will be able to subscribe for EUROAPI shares either through a French collective employee shareholding vehicle (FCPE) or directly.

Voting rights

The voting rights attached to the EUROAPI shares shall be exercised during the general shareholders Meetings of EUROAPI, either directly by the employees or by the elected members of the FCPEs supervisory board representing employees, depending on their country of residence.

Lock-up period

All employees investments, including any free matching shares, are subject to a lock-up period of 5 years, until May 31, 2027 (inclusive), during which the Euroapi shares cannot be sold, except in case of early exit events.

In case of over-subscription

If the total number of subscriptions exceeds the limit of 522,600 EUROAPI shares, the highest requests (including the company matching contribution) will be capped so that the total number of shares subscribed is equal to the total number of shares offered.

INDICATIVE TIMELINE OF THE OFFERING

The share capital increase is expected to occur on July 21, 2022.

LISTING

The admission of the newly issued EUROAPI shares to trading on Euronext Paris (ISIN code: FR0014008VX5) will be requested upon completion of the share capital increase.

About EUROAPI

EUROAPI is focused on reinventing active ingredient solutions to sustainably meet customers and patients needs around the world. We are a leading player in active pharmaceutical ingredients with approximately 200 products in our portfolio, offering a large span of technologies, while developing innovative molecules through our Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) activities.

Taking action for health by enabling access to essential therapies inspires our 3,350 people every day. With strong research and development capabilities and six manufacturing sites all located in Europe, EUROAPI ensures API manufacturing of the highest quality to supply customers in more than 80 countries. EUROAPI is listed on Euronext. Find out more at www.euroapi.com.

___________________

1 The Reference price is equal to the average of the volume-weighted average price of a EUROAPI share on Euronext Paris over the 20 trading days preceding the date on which the subscription price is set.

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Media Relations:

Laurence Bollack

Mob.: +33 (0)6 81 86 80 19

[email protected]

Investor Relations:

Guillaume Rosso

Mob.: +33 (0)6 49 51 59 78

[email protected]

Source: EUROAPI
ISS, a Leading Independent Proxy Advisory Firm, Supports the Election of Aligned Shareholder Representative Paul Kazarian to the Board of Directors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Saba Capital Management, L.P. (collectively with its affiliates, Saba), a meaningful shareholder of The New Ireland Fund (NYSE: IRL) (IRL or the Fund), today announced that leading independent proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. ("ISS) has recommended IRLs shareholders vote for boardroom change on the GOLD proxy card. In particular, ISS recommends the addition of Sabas highly qualified and independent shareholder representative  Paul Kazarian  to IRLs Board of Directors (the Board) at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders that is scheduled to be held on June 14, 2022.

In its full report, ISS affirmed the case for boardroom change and highlighted Mr. Kazarians qualifications to serve on the Board:1

The fund's results trail those of its peers in nearly all of the five factors most crucial to CEF investorstotal shareholder return, NAV discount, distributions, expense ratio, and corporate governanceand shareholders can reasonably question whether the fund remains a logical investment vehicle for its stated purpose.

Given Saba's history with bank loan CEFs, this contest represents a new asset class for its activism. Its arguments are credible and position meaningful, therefore the contest deserves careful analysis on its merits. The fund's performance regarding TSR, NAV discount, expenses, and corporate governance, has been poor, as the dissident's critique has highlighted, and with which the above analysis concurs. Change on the IRL board is preferable to the status quo.

In this situation, dissident nominee Kazarian's experience as a CEF board member and CEF portfolio manager can provide a useful perspective to the fund, which must confront its viability, shrinking size, and underperformance in relation to peers. As such, support is warranted for Kazarian on the dissident's (GOLD) card.

About Saba Capital

Saba Capital Management, L.P. is a global alternative asset management firm that seeks to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns for a diverse group of institutional clients. The firm, which is a pioneer of credit relative value and capital structure trading, currently invests across four core strategies: Credit Relative Value, Tail Hedge, SPACs and Closed-End Funds. Founded in 2009 by Boaz Weinstein, Saba is privately held by its partnership and headquartered in New York City. Learn more at www.sabacapital.com.

1 Permission to quote ISS was neither sought nor obtained.

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Longacre Square Partners

Greg Marose / Kate Sylvester, 646-386-0091

[email protected] / [email protected]

Source: Saba Capital Management, L.P.
More information available at www.ProtectFujitec.com

HONG KONG & TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Oasis Management Company Ltd. (Oasis) is the manager to funds that own over 9.7% of Fujitec Co. Ltd. (Fujitec or the Company).

Oasis has published its full response to Fujitecs Investigation Report on its website at https://protectfujitec.com/oasisresponse

Far from absolving President Uchiyama, the Fujitec Investigation Report validates the facts raised by Oasis, provides new details about the related-party transactions and governance abuses perpetrated by President Uchiyama, and demonstrates President Uchiyamas efforts to enrich himself at the expense of Fujitec and its other shareholders. Moreover, we are shocked by the speed and superficial nature of the investigation. These new details fill in gaps and paint a picture of poor governance at Fujitec, all stemming from President Uchiyama, and support Oasis assertion that shareholders should vote against President Uchiyama at the next AGM, as he is unfit to be a director of Fujitec after years of corporate governance abuses.

Based on this superficial and flawed investigation, Fujitecs Board of Directors have concluded that there are no legal or corporate governance issues related to Fujitecs related-party transactions. Shareholders should not be as easily fooled, and should vote against President Uchiyama at the upcoming AGM to finally stop the abuses.

To see Oasiss detailed response, including questions for shareholders to ask the company, please visit: https://protectfujitec.com/oasisresponse

Oasis is committed to a better and more profitable Fujitec. We strongly believe the best path forward for Fujitec is a Fujitec free of abuse of power by the Uchiyama family.

All shareholders should vote against President Takakazu Uchiyamas reappointment at the upcoming AGM. For more information and full presentation details in English and Japanese, please see: www.protectfujitec.com.

We welcome all stakeholders to contact us at: [email protected].

About Oasis

Oasis Management Company Ltd. manages private investment funds focused on opportunities in a wide array of asset classes across countries and sectors. Oasis was founded in 2002 by Seth H. Fischer, who leads the firm as its Chief Investment Officer. More information about Oasis is available at https://oasiscm.com. Oasis has adopted the Japan FSAs Principles for Responsible Institutional Investors (a/k/a Japan Stewardship Code) and in line with those principles, Oasis monitors and engages with our investee companies.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this press release (referred to as the "Document") is an information resource for shareholders in Fujitec offered by Oasis, the investment manager to funds that are shareholders of Fujitec (the "Oasis Funds").

The Document is not intended to solicit or seek shareholders' agreements to jointly exercise voting rights with Oasis. Shareholders that have an agreement to jointly exercise their voting rights are regarded as Joint Holders under the Japanese large shareholding disclosure rules and they must file notification of their aggregate share ownership with the relevant Japanese authority for public disclosure under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. Oasis does not intend to be subjected to such notification requirement. The Document exclusively represents the opinions, interpretations, and estimates of Oasis.

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Media

Taylor Hall, [email protected]

Japan Media

Ashton Consulting Limited

Tadashi Shiokai and Yuzo Iwaya

Phone: +81 03-5425-7220

Email: [email protected]

Source: Oasis Management Company Ltd.
VALENCIA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Recover, a leading materials science company and recycled cotton fiber producer, reaffirmed its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as it actively participated in the United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network Annual Meeting yesterday, held at the United Nations Headquarters, New York.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220602005659/en/

Considering the significant impact of the fashion sector on societies and the environment, the meeting joined together key industry stakeholders, media, Governments, and United Nations system entities to showcase and enable collaborations that accelerate the implementation of the SDGs in the industry.

In an exclusive fireside chat, Alfredo Ferre, CEO at Recover, highlighted the importance of recycled cotton in achieving these goals, and in scaling its production to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable fashion industry. As a global producer of recycled cotton fiber and cotton fiber blends, Recover is an important actor within the supply chain to drive change and the company aims to be the first in its space to scale its high-value technology globally.

The company has already shown its commitment to taking actions that benefit the wider community and allow the scaling of the traceable and resilient circular supply chains needed to achieve climate targets. It recently formalized its membership to the largest initiative in Social Responsibility in the world, the United Nations Global Compact, and its strategy is strongly aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the 17 SDGs. The company has registered its commitments to sector change on the United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network.

Alfredo Ferre stated: Throughout our 75-year history, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals have been ingrained into our DNA and strategy at Recover, and we are proud to support the United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network Annual Meeting to help engage the fashion industry to accelerate action in achieving them. By collaborating with these global stakeholders, we hope to scale our impact further to help brands and retailers meet their sustainable goals.

Kerry Bannigan, Co-Founder, UN Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network and Executive Director, Fashion Impact Fund added: Thank you to Recover for supporting and joining our convening to showcase solutions for sector wide change and champion how our network commitments are mobilizing expertise, innovation, technology, and resources towards a responsible and inclusive COVID-19 recovery, with the Sustainable Development Goals as a guiding framework.

The United Nations Conscious Fashion Campaign and Lifestyle Network is a joint initiative of the United Nations Office for Partnerships, the Division for Sustainable Development Goals - United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Fashion Impact Fund. The online platform supports solutions for sustainable innovation, and this meeting is one of the key periodic events held by the platform, aimed at driving innovation, connecting industry leaders, facilitating new partnerships, and enacting social change.

About Recover

Recover is a leading materials science company and global producer of low-impact, high-quality recycled cotton fiber and cotton fiber blends. Its premium, environmentally friendly, and cost-competitive products are created in partnership with the supply chain for global retailers and brands, offering a sustainable solution to achieve circular fashion for all. As a fourth-generation, family-owned company with over a 70-year history in the textile industry, Recover is on a mission to scale its proprietary technology to make a lasting positive impact on the environment and partner with brands/retailers and other change-makers to meet the industrys sustainability targets.

For more information, visit www.recoverfiber.com and follow @recoverfiber on social media.

About Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network

The Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network is a United Nations (UN) hosted online platform for industry stakeholders, media, Governments, and UN system entities. The network showcases and enables collaborations that accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The UN Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network is a joint initiative of the United Nations Office for Partnerships, the Division for Sustainable Development Goals - United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Fashion Impact Fund. The leading entities of the network convene periodic events aligned with key meetings on the UN calendar and publish reports on the networks achievements.

https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/action-networks/conscious-fashion-and-lifestyle-network

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Hannah Wesselby

Manager Manager

[email protected]

Source: Recover
The latest solution powered by pure air enables industries and utilities to reduce environmental impact and optimize maintenance and operations

Schneider Electric showcases the latest addition to its growing family of SF6-free medium voltage switchgear at Hannover Messe

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, showcased its growing portfolio of SF6-free medium-voltage switchgear at Hannover Messe.

The new GM AirSeT is the green and digital primary GIS technology for electrical networks and demanding applications in industrial buildings and critical infrastructure. It represents another milestone of Schneider Electrics commitment to developing a full suite of sustainable, next-generation offers. The company is already working closely with customers  from utilities and industry to buildings and data centers  seeking to advance toward pure air and away from SF6. The first commercial projects incorporating GM AirSeT are underway in Europe.

The timing of this new arrival is well aligned with the EU Commissions April 5th proposal to tighten F-gas regulation. This includes sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), which is the worlds most potent greenhouse gas and is widely used in electrical equipment to power electro-intensive industrial installations, large buildings, and the grid. This urgent policy action is needed to meet climate goals, and details a timeline for the transition to more sustainable power systems. GM AirSeT ends heavy industries reliance on SF6 by combining the latest gas-insulated switchgear with pure air and vacuum technology.

Tighter regulation and the fact that the technology exists to remove SF6 from the climate equation means that time is up. The momentum toward environmental improvements in power systems has never been stronger. And we are ready to support our customers with the highly awarded green and digital technologies, commented Frederic Godemel, Executive Vice President of Power Systems and Services at Schneider Electric.

A suite of award-winning medium voltage innovations

Designed for industry and utilities, GM AirSeT joins other Schneider Electric SF6-free medium voltage solutions contributing to the global fight against climate change, including:

RM AirSeT  a gas-insulated (GIS) Ring Main Unit (RMU) equipping grid operators with a powerful weapon to decarbonize and modernize the grid while enabling electric distribution utilities to improve operational performance and reliability

a gas-insulated (GIS) Ring Main Unit (RMU) equipping grid operators with a powerful weapon to decarbonize and modernize the grid while enabling electric distribution utilities to improve operational performance and reliability SM AirSeT - designed specifically for secondary power distribution applications using air-insulated switchgear

Schneider Electrics technology has been successfully piloted at numerous electric utilities, infrastructure and buildings, by customers such as GreenAlp in France, EEC Engie in New Caledonia and Azienda Trasporti Milanesi in Italy.

It has also received multiple awards and recognitions as an enabler of the green and efficient energy transition. Those include the Industrial Energy Efficiency Award at Hannover Messe, the Top 10 Innovations award from the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum, and an iF Design Award. Additionally, the companys project with E.ON in Sweden won the enerTIC Award for smart grid.

Digital capabilities unlock new customer values

Schneider Electrics pure air MV technology has a full range of data powered native capabilities, which will monitor the performance of electrical distribution applications and will enable preventive condition-based and predictive maintenance.

The embedded smart sensors enable users to monitor all their operations remotely. Data is fed into powerful cloud-based analytics tools such as those offered by EcoStruxure to provide powerful actionable insights.

The native digital capabilities are available on Schneiders future-focused ranges including MCSet Active as well as SM, RM, and GM AirSeT Active.

In large, critical, and industrial buildings and operations  like automotive manufacturing, healthcare facilities and data centers, mining, metals, oil and gas production  digital insights play an important role in anticipating issues. In this way, you enhance operational safety, maximize uptime, increase operational efficiency, and optimize maintenance efforts and cost, said Frederic Godemel.

About Schneider Electric

Schneiders purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On.

Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency.

We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, endpoint to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries.

We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.

https://www.se.com/ca/en/

Discover Life Is On Follow us on: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Blog

Discover the newest perspectives shaping sustainability, electricity 4.0, and next generation automation on Schneider Electric Insights

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Media Relations - Edelman on behalf of Schneider Electric, Juan Pablo Guerrero, Phone: +1 416 875 7173, Email: [email protected]

Source: Schneider Electric
FILE PHOTO: Models of oil barrels and a pump jack are displayed in front of a rising stock graph and "$100" in this illustration taken February 24, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

By Laura Sanicola

(Reuters) - Oil settled higher on Friday, supported by expectations that OPEC's decision to increase production targets by slightly more than planned will not add that much to global supply which should tighten as China eases COVID restrictions.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known as OPEC+, on Thursday agreed to boost output by 648,000 barrels per day (bpd) a month in July and August rather than 432,000 bpd as previously agreed.

Brent crude rose $2.11, or 1.8%, to settle at $119.72 a barrel by 1338 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude advanced $2, or 1.7%, to $118.87. Both benchmarks were up by $3 in after hours trading.

U.S. crude notched a sixth weekly gain on tight U.S. supply, which has prompted talk of fuel export curbs or a windfall tax on oil and gas producers.

"Yesterdays OPEC+ decision and the ongoing acceleration in SPR releases is maintaining crude availability at an ample level especially with demand from the refiners appreciably downsized from a few years ago," said Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates LLC in Galena, Illinois.

The output hike could undershoot the pledged amount since OPEC+ divided the hike across its members and still included Russia, whose output is falling as sanctions have prompted some countries to avoid buying its oil since the invasion of Ukraine.

President Joe Biden publicly acknowledged that he may travel to Saudi Arabia soon, a trip multiple sources said was expected and could include talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The visit would be aimed at bolstering U.S.-Saudi relations as Biden seeks ways to lower U.S. gasoline prices.

As recently as Wednesday, the White House said Biden still felt bin Salman was a "pariah" for what U.S. intelligence says was his role in the killing and dismembering of a political opponent, Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in Turkey in 2018.

Supplies remain tight. On Thursday, a U.S. weekly inventory report showed crude stockpiles fell by a more-than-expected 5.1 million barrels. Gasoline inventories also dropped. [EIA/S]

U.S. energy firms this week left oil and natural gas rigs unchanged at 727 in the week to June 3, Baker Hughes Co BKR.N said in its closely followed report on Friday.

Demand is rising too. China's financial hub Shanghai and capital, Beijing, have relaxed COVID-19 restrictions and the Chinese government has vowed to stimulate the economy.

Oil held gains after U.S. data showed employment increased more than expected in May, signs of a tight labor market.

(Additional reporting by Sonali Paul in Melbourne and Muyu Xu in Singapore; Editing by Kirsten Donovan, Edmund Blair and David Gregorio)
Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced it's developing a new biowearable that will continuously monitor glucose and ketone levels in one sensor. The system has secured breakthrough device designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is designed to expedite the review of innovative technologies that can improve the lives of people with life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating diseases or conditions.

"Abbott revolutionized diabetes care with FreeStyle Libre technology, which is the number one continuous glucose monitor used by 4 million people around the world," said Jared Watkin, senior vice president of Abbott's diabetes care business. "We're designing our glucose-ketone monitoring system with superior sensing technology that will pair with industry-leading insulin pumps to create a best-in-class solution. We're optimistic that this will be the next big advancement in diabetes tech and a breakthrough for people with diabetes, especially those who are at risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis."

The glucose-ketone sensor will be the same size as Abbott's FreeStyle Libre 3 sensor, the world's smallest and thinnest1,2 continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensor, and will connect to Abbott's digital ecosystem, including personal and caregiver mobile apps and cloud-based data management software for remote monitoring by healthcare professionals.

Need for Continuous Glucose-Ketone MonitoringA continuous glucose-ketone monitor is especially important for people with diabetes who may be at higher risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a potentially life-threatening condition when ketone levels rise to dangerous levels in the blood.

DKA is a growing concern globally.3 In the U.S. alone, there are hundreds of thousands of emergency room visits and hospitalization for DKA each year.4 Yet today, few people with diabetes are regularly monitoring their ketones because the current methods of testing  typically through blood or urine  are costly5 and burdensome.6 Adding continuous ketone monitoring to a continuous glucose monitoring system eliminates the need for a separate ketone test.

Recent studies show continuous ketone monitoring (CKM) could help prevent DKA.3 With continuous monitoring, rising ketone levels can be detected early, as a warning of impending ketoacidosis, and inform care so that DKA does not develop. Leading diabetes experts have called for expansion of ketone monitoring, including its integration with CGM technology in a single sensor.7,8 Unchecked ketone levels can pose serious risks for people with diabetes, especially children and young adults with type 1 diabetes.7

"In my practice, I've seen numerous cases of DKA in teens and children, which could have been prevented with continuous ketone monitoring," said Dr. Kurt Midyett, pediatric endocrinologist and medical director at Midwest Pediatric Specialists in Overland Park, Kansas. "Bringing people with diabetes the ability to continuously monitor both glucose and ketones in a single, intuitive device is an important step forward in diabetes care, as it will allow patients to detect rising ketone levels and intervene before full-blown DKA develops."

"DKA remains a critical issue for too many people with type 1 diabetes. We applaud Abbott for tackling this issueone that JDRF is also committed to addressing," said Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D., chief executive officer of JDRF. "JDRF supports the development of CGM/CKM systems like the one Abbott is developing. CGM/CKMs will be key to reducing DKA incidence in the diabetes population. Additionally, CGM/CKM devices that can warn of impending DKA will be critical to enabling the broader adoption and safe, effective use of sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT) inhibitors. SGLT inhibitors improve blood glucose and are expected to improve heart and kidney outcomes for people with type 1 diabetes but have been held back because they increase the risk of DKA."

Availability and InteroperabilityAbbott is already conducting clinical studies on the glucose-ketone monitoring system. Pivotal trials will take place in 2023 with regulatory submissions to follow thereafter.

Abbott plans to partner with leading insulin pump manufacturers to make the dual monitoring system interoperable with insulin delivery systems.

Abbott currently has the world's most widely used CGM9. Abbott's FreeStyle Libre portfolio has already changed the lives of approximately 4 million people across 60 countries9 by providing breakthrough technology that is accessible and affordable.10
ECP has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Sendero Midstream Partners, LP ("Sendero") to Crestwood Midstream Partners LP, an affiliate of Crestwood Equity Partners LP (NYSE: CEQP) (collectively, "Crestwood") for an enterprise value cash purchase price of $600 million, plus/minus adjustments for working capital.

Sendero is a premier gas gathering and processing business located in Eddy County, New Mexico, one of the most actively developed counties in the Permian Basin. Through ECP's ownership, Sendero has developed 350 MMcf/d of gas processing capacity and 140 miles of natural gas pipelines.

"I would like thank the entire Sendero team for their unwavering commitment to developing a first-class gathering and processing system in the Permian Basin and for repositioning the business for growth and success coming out of the 2020 downturn," said Pete Labbat, Managing Partner at ECP. "We are excited for Sendero to partner with Crestwood, a premier midstream operator, and are confident that the company will benefit from Crestwood's strong track record."

"We are proud of our partnership with ECP, one of the leaders in the energy infrastructure space, and appreciate the team's engagement and support in growing the business into what it is today," said Joe Griffin, Chief Executive Officer of Sendero. "I would like to thank all of our incredibly hard-working Sendero employees and I am grateful to have worked with such a special group."

The transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act and other customary closing conditions, is expected to close in July 2022.
The following is being released by the Securities and Exchange Commission about the lawsuits SEC v. Elon Musk, No. 18-cv-8865 (S.D.N.Y.) and SEC v. Tesla, Inc., No. 18-cv-8947 (S.D.N.Y.).

Those who purchased or acquired Tesla common stock, listed on a U.S. Exchange and registered with the Commission and traded under the symbol TSLA (the "Securities") during the Relevant Period (between 12:48:16 p.m. EDT on August 7, 2018 and 4:00 p.m. EDT on August 8, 2018), may be eligible for a distribution from the Fair Fund.

On September 27, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC" or "Commission") filed a civil action against Elon Musk ("Musk") alleging violations of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder in connection with certain false and misleading statements by Musk.

On September 29, 2018, the Commission filed a related civil action against Tesla, Inc. ("Tesla") alleging violations of Exchange Act Rule 13a-15, also in connection with Musk's false and misleading statements.

The two complaints alleged that Musk, the Chief Executive Officer of Tesla, made a series of materially false and misleading statements about Tesla on his Twitter account in August 2018, and that Tesla failed to implement adequate procedures or controls for determining whether to disclose the information Musk disseminated on Twitter in its filings.

Musk and Tesla (the "Defendants") paid a total of $40 million to the Commission. By Order entered February 26, 2020, the Court established a Fair Fund, so the civil penalties paid by the Defendants can be distributed to harmed investors.

To receive a payment from the Fair Fund, you must satisfy the following: 1) You must have purchased or acquired Tesla common stock, listed on a U.S. exchange and registered with the Commission and traded under the symbol TSLA, during the Relevant Period; 2) Your approved transactions must calculate to a Recognized Loss Amount pursuant to the Plan of Allocation and the Distribution Payment must equal or exceed $10.00; and 3) You are not an Excluded Party as defined in the Plan of Distribution (the "Plan").

You can file an online Claim Form or obtain a physical Claim Form by visiting www.SECvTeslaFairFund.com. To submit a Claim Form by mail, you must submit it to SEC v Tesla Fair Fund, c/o Rust Consulting, Inc., Distribution Agent  7329, P.O. Box 44, Minneapolis, MN 55440-0044. All Claim Forms are due by September 17, 2022.

For more information:Copies of the Plan, the Plan Notice, and the Claim Form are available at www.SECvTeslaFairFund.com as well as background information. You may also call 1 (877) 576-9981 or email the Distribution Agent at [email protected].

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/distribution-of-the-tesla-fair-fund-established-by-the-securities--exchange-commission-301551771.html

SOURCE U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) today announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Hitch Works, a skills mapping and intelligence company. Hitch will add a new layer of AI-powered skills insights to the industry-leading Now Platform to help customers address talent gaps by tying employee learning and development to workforce planning. Companies will be able to more effectively match people to projects  all from a single platform.

The employee experience matters more than ever. According to IDC, CEOs in North America believe that managing the talent skills gap is the biggest risk impacting business in 2022.1 Faced with high employee turnover and an accelerated pace of change, companies today are under immense pressure to attract, train, and retain a workforce that can respond to evolving business needs. With Hitchs AI and ML capabilities, managers will be able to identify which employees are best suited for projects based on skills and interests.

If skills are the new currency for business, insight into these skills is critical to driving talent retention and adapting to evolving business needs, said Gretchen Alarcon, vice president and general manager of HR Service Delivery, ServiceNow. But skills management has historically been siloed, with numerous point solutions and fragmented processes that don't work together. With Hitch, ServiceNow will streamline skills intelligence on a single platform to help business leaders match employees with meaningful work.

Hitch was founded by HR-industry veteran Kelley Steven-Waiss, who served as CHRO and CIO of HERE Technologies prior to founding Hitch. The company is led by CEO Heather Jerrehian, a successful serial entrepreneur and one of the founders of the venture capital firm, How Women Invest. Both leaders are expected to remain with ServiceNow post-acquisition.

AI-powered skills intelligence is the foundation for the future of work, said Jerrehian. Joining forces with ServiceNow allows us to scale our skills and talent mobility solutions across a global ecosystem of business leaders, managers, and employees. Together we will make work more meaningful and purpose-driven for employees and deliver better business outcomes for companies.

ServiceNow will build Hitchs capabilities into the Now Platform, beginning with its Employee Workflow solutions, where Hitchs ability to boost employee engagement and productivity across the enterprise is a natural extension. ServiceNow also expects to later expand Hitchs features across its portfolio for customer service, IT, and developers.

A productive and engaged workforce is the greatest asset of an organization, said Steven-Waiss. As we emerge from the pandemic and face the challenges of the Great Resignation, employee experience is the key differentiator to winning 21st century talent. ServiceNow will advance Hitchs vision of creating the next generation of workforce and skills solutions.

Together, ServiceNow and Hitch will help companies provide equal access to work and development opportunities, regardless of who an employee knows or how well they network. This acquisition is another investment ServiceNow is making to enhance employee experiences and power the future of work by unlocking skills intelligence on a single platform within the ongoing flow of work. Over the last year, ServiceNow added new solutions to its Employee Workflow portfolio to support employees at every stage of their career, including Employee Journey Management, which enables employee learning and feedback in the flow of work.

ServiceNow expects to close the acquisition in Q2 2022. To learn more about Hitch and how ServiceNow will deliver skills intelligence and learning systems for the modern workforce, visit the ServiceNow blog.

1 Source: IDC's Worldwide CEO Survey, 2022: The CEO Tech Agenda in a Digital-First World, Part 1  Big Themes, Business Priorities, and Risks, Doc # US48898922, March 2022
FILE PHOTO: The Boeing logo is displayed on a screen, at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., August 7, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

By Aishwarya Nair and Eric M. Johnson

(Reuters) -Boeing Co Chief Executive Dave Calhoun said on Friday the U.S. planemaker has no current plans to tap equity markets, and signaled a wait of at least two years before launching a new aircraft program.

"There is no plan for an equity raise," Calhoun told a conference organized by brokerage Bernstein. "I'm confident on the liquidity front. Cash flow is getting better every quarter. We're at that stage now where we can start to quietly pay down debt."

Calhoun also said Boeing had received a "clear" response letter from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding its 787 Dreamliner certification package submission, but there was always work to do post-application.

Clearing a swollen inventory of twin-aisled Dreamliners and its best-selling 737 MAX is vital to Boeing's ability to emerge from the overlapping pandemic and jet-safety crises, a task complicated by supply-chain bottlenecks and war in Ukraine.

Deliveries of the 787 have been halted for a year as Boeing worked through inspections and repairs in an industrial headache expected to cost about $5.5 billion. Boeing has more than 100 of the advanced composite jets parked in inventory, worth about $12.5 billion.

Reuters reported last month that the FAA had told Boeing it needed to fill in gaps in its submission.

Calhoun also said the company is working to achieve production stability on its cash cow 737 MAX before it would entertain raising production rates.

737 MAX production and deliveries were hit by shortages of a particular wiring connector, Boeing said last month.

The planemaker is also facing an increasingly high-stakes battle to win certification for the largest variant of the 737 MAX before a new safety standard on cockpit alerts takes effect.

Missing the deadline for the 737 MAX 10 could require Boeing to revamp the jet's crew alerting system and mean separate pilot training - raising costs to airlines and putting orders at risk.

Boeing has held talks with some lawmakers about asking for more time, but has not formally sought an extension to address the flight deck issue.

"Let's not get to politics, (let's) work our way through the merits of the airplane with our regulator," Calhoun said. "We are totally committed to these airplanes and we intend to deliver them to our customers."

Calhoun also said it would be "at least a couple of years" before digital manufacturing tools were mature enough to support a new aircraft program vital to closing a sales gap against European rival Airbus SE.

"When that happens, then we design the next airplane," Calhoun said. "Why would I rush?"

Boeing's timing is also wrapped up in a broader calculus on engine technology and other factors.

Boeing shares were down nearly 1.8% on Friday morning as the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 1.0%.

On winning clearance to resume 737 MAX deliveries in China, a vital market cut off by trade tensions between Washington and Beijing, Calhoun said he remained "confident and constructive" but stopped short of predicting a time frame.

"Unfortunately, there's a pause on that," he said.

(Reporting by Aishwarya Nair in Bengaluru and Eric M. Johnson in SeattleEditing by Kirsten Donovan, David Holmes and Matthew Lewis)
By Elizabeth Dilts Marshall and Noor Zainab Hussain

(Reuters) -Citigroup Inc Chief Executive Jane Fraser said on Friday that Europe was more likely than the United States to slip into a recession, as she joined other global bank CEOs this week to warn about the health of the global economy.

Fraser, head of the third-largest and most globally focused U.S. bank, recently returned from a world tour with stops in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, where she said her conversations focused on "the three Rs."

"It's rates, it's Russia and it's recession," Fraser said, speaking at an investor conference in New York.

But Fraser said in Europe, "the energy side was really having an impact on a number of companies in certain industries that are not even competitive right now."

"Because of the cost of electricity and the cost of energy, some of them are shutting down operations. So Europe definitely felt more likely to be heading into a recession than you see in the U.S.," Fraser added.

Fraser said in the United States, the question is more about interest rates than recession.

"It's certainly not our base case that it will be, but it's not easy to avoid either," Fraser added.

On Wednesday, JPMorgan & Chase Co's Chairman and Chief Executive Jamie Dimon described the challenges facing the U.S. economy as akin to a "hurricane," while Goldman Sachs President and Chief Operating Officer John Waldron said on Thursday the current economic turmoil is one of the most challenging he has ever faced.

Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk added to the downbeat sentiment, saying he has a "super bad feeling" about the economy and needs to cut about 10% of jobs at the electric carmaker, in a message sent on Thursday titled "pause all hiring worldwide."

However, Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester told CNBC on Friday that she doesn't see a "hurricane" ahead, but "we have to realize that the risks of recession have gone up."

Major central banks, already plotting interest rate hikes in a fight against inflation, are also preparing a common pullback from key financial markets in a first-ever round of global quantitative tightening expected to restrict credit and add stress to an already-slowing world economy.

"It feels like the ECB is a few months behind where the Fed has been in getting its arms around inflation and without quite the same flexibility that U.S. has," Fraser said, referring to the European Central Bank.

The U.S. job market stayed strong in May, data on Friday showed, with employers hiring more workers than expected and maintaining a fairly strong pace of wage increases. U.S. stock indexes fell on Friday as the solid jobs report supported the view that the Federal Reserve would continue on its aggressive policy tightening path to cool decades-high inflation.

"When we look at what the clients are talking to us about from a macro perspective, I think the confidence is still pretty good amongst the CEOs and the CFOs," Fraser added.

Fraser said she also expects U.S. equity markets to enter a period of less volatility and for the Chinese government to launch a fresh round of fiscal stimulus in the coming months, as that country begins to open up from COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdowns.

In China, Fraser said she "wouldn't be surprised to see action taken on fiscal stimulus."

(Reporting by Elizabeth Dilts Marshall and Noor Zainab Hussain; Writing by Denny Thomas; Editing by Nick Zieminski, Will Dunham and Jonathan Oatis)
FILE PHOTO: A Southwest Airlines commercial aircraft approaches to land at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California U.S. January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Blake

(Reuters) - Southwest Airlines Co said on Friday it reached a tentative agreement with Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) for the carrier's Aircraft Appearance Technicians.

The agreement, the details of which Southwest did not release, covers around 170 of the airline's technicians.

A surge in travel demand has been creating a shortage of pilots, mechanics and other skilled labor in the airlines industry, forcing airline operators to scramble to retain existing staff.

(Reporting by Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adyton Resources Corporation (TSX Venture: ADY) is pleased to report that it has successfully completed a Wardens Hearing for the renewal of Exploration Licence EL 2549. The Hearing, which is a mandatory process step in the renewal for all exploration licenses in PNG, was conducted by senior Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) Mining Warden Mr Kopi Wapa on May 31 2022 at Wapolu village on Fergusson Island with all principal landowners present.

EL 2549 hosts the Wapolu prospect, which together with the nearby Gameta prospect, is a key element to Adytons current commercialization assessment of the Fergusson Island Projects. The Fergusson Island Projects have the stated gold resources tabled below.

Project Indicated Inferred Au(g/t) Tonnes(million) Au(koz) Au(g/t) Tonnes(million) Au(koz) Fergusson Island - Gameta Project 1.33 4.0 173 1.01 10.5 340 Fergusson Island  Wapolu Project - - - 1.06 5.8 200 Fergusson Island total 1.33 4.0 173 1.02 16.3 540

Gameta and Wapolu resources at 0.5g/t gold cut-off 1

Managing Director Tim Crossley said, in PNG the Wardens Hearing is an important, mandatory part of the regulatory process for renewing exploration licences and provides an opportunity for the impacted stakeholders to provide input into the renewal process. The Hearing confirmed strong support by land holders and other stakeholders for Adyton to continue its exploration activities. It was also a good opportunity for me to travel to the Island and meet our principal landowners and other key stakeholders. I am very encouraged by the support the company has to continue with its activities.

_______________________________

1The Fergusson Island Project currently has a mineral resource prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 dated October 14, 2021. See the NI 43-101 technical report entitled NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Fergusson Gold Property, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea (the Fergusson Island Technical Report) dated October 14, 2021 and prepared for Adyton Resources by Mark Berry (MAIG), Simon Tear (MIGI PGeo), Matthew White (MAIG) and Andy Thomas (MAIG), each an independent mining consultant and qualified person as defined in NI 43-101, available under Adytons profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1a9fcd9e-d4f9-4584-b98a-9d1f8be2a652

Tim Crossley, Chief Executive Officer

For further information please contact:

Tim Crossley, Chief Executive Officer Email: [email protected]Phone: +61 7 3854 2389

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

ABOUT ADYTON RESOURCES CORPORATION

Adyton Resources Corporation is focused on the development of gold and copper resources in world class mineral jurisdictions. It currently has a portfolio of highly prospective mineral exploration projects in Papua New Guinea on which it is exploring for copper and gold. The Companys mineral exploration projects are located on the Pacific Ring of Fire which hosts several world class copper and gold deposits. Adytons current gold resource inventory is more than 2M Oz.

Adyton was formed by a reverse takeover transaction completed with XIB I Capital Corporation on February 17, 2021 and commenced trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ADY on February 24, 2021.

Adyton is also quoted on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the code 701:GR.

For more information about Adyton and its projects, visit www.adytonresources.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ae165b3d-bfdf-44c5-87b4-0458563afd52

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been prepared, reviewed, and approved by Rod Watt, BSc Hons (Geo), FAusIMM, Chief Geologist of Adyton, who is a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43 101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43101"). Mr. Watt consents to the inclusion of his name in this release. Mr Watt verified the data disclosed in this press release in accordance with industry standard best practices, including sampling, analytical, and test data underlying the information or opinions contained herein.

Forward looking statements

This press release includes forwardlooking statements, including forecasts, estimates, expectations, and objectives for future operations that are subject to several assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Adyton. Forward looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forwardlooking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. Forward looking statements in this news release include plans for additional drill testing, the intention to prepare additional technical studies, the timing of additional drill results, and the preparation of a resource upgrade in Q3 2021. The forwardlooking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forwardlooking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Such factors, among other things, include: impacts arising from the global disruption caused by the Covid19 coronavirus outbreak, changes in general macroeconomic conditions; changes in securities markets; changes in the price of gold or certain other commodities; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, caveins and flooding); discrepancies between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of and changes in the costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forwardlooking statements. Such forwardlooking information represents managements best judgment based on information currently available. No forwardlooking statement can be guaranteed, and actual future results may vary materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements or information. Adyton Resources Corporation undertakes no obligation to update forwardlooking information except as required by applicable law.

Image 1 Mining Warden Kopi Wapa addresses local Wapolo landowners About Adyton Map showing the location of Adytons Papua New Guinea exploration projects relative to significant PNG gold projects.

Source: Adyton Resources Corporation
/NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES WIRE SERVICES/

CALGARY, Alberta, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EarthRenew Inc. (CSE: ERTH) (OTCQB: VVIVF) ("EarthRenew" or the "Company"), owner of leading regenerative fertilizer producer Replenish Nutrients, is pleased to announce that it has amended the terms of its previously announced offering of units (the Units) of the Company. Under the amended terms, the Company will offer for sale 38,000,000 Units at an offering price of $0.25 per Unit (the Issue Price), for aggregate gross proceeds of $9.5 million (the Offering). The Units will be offered on a best efforts basis by Eight Capital, as lead agent and sole bookrunner, and Raymond James Ltd. (together with Eight Capital, the "Agents"), pursuant to a short form prospectus filed in each of the Provinces of Canada, other than Quebec (the Prospectus).

Each Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Company (a "Unit Share") and one common share purchase warrant (a "Unit Warrant"). Each Unit Warrant will be exercisable to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of $0.32 per Unit Share for a period of 48 months following the date of issuance.

The Company will grant the Agents an option (the "Over-Allotment Option") to sell up to an additional 15% of the Units sold under the Offering. The Over-Allotment Option may be exercised in whole or in part, to acquire Units at the Issue Price, or Unit Shares at a price of $0.198 per Unit Share or Unit Warrants at a price of $0.052 per Unit Warrant, as determined Agents upon written notice to the Company at any time up to 30 days following the closing date of the Offering. If this option is exercised in full, the Company will receive an additional $1.425 million in gross proceeds for total aggregate gross proceeds of $10.925 million.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for the acquisition of equipment for expansion of production facilities in Alberta and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

The Offering is expected to close on or about June 21, 2022, subject to customary closing conditions.

Closing of the Offering is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance as to whether or when the Offering will be completed.

The preliminary prospectus contains important information relating to the Company, the Units and the Offering and is still subject to completion or amendment. The preliminary prospectus is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Companys profile. There will not be any sale or any acceptance of an offer to buy the Companys common shares until a receipt for the final prospectus has been issued.

About Replenish Nutrients

Replenish Nutrients delivers leading regenerative fertilizer solutions to support a farm system that puts healthy soils and grower profitability back on the table. By combining Canadian-sourced nutrients with our proprietary delivery system, we've developed a sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizers that enhances overall soil function and biology while providing valuable plant-available nutrients farmers rely upon for healthy crops. To learn more about Replenish Nutrients products, visit our website at www.replenishnutrients.com.

About EarthRenew Inc.

Replenish Nutrients is a wholly-owned subsidiary of EarthRenew Inc. (CSE: ERTH).

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the use of net proceeds of the Offering; the closing, timing, and size of the Offering, including the satisfaction and timing of the receipt of all required regulatory approvals; and satisfaction or waiver of other conditions to closing of the Offering. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; regulatory risks; other risks of the energy and fertilizer industries and other risk factors disclosed in our public disclosure which can be found under our profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that these risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For additional information, please contact: Keith Driver CEO of EarthRenew +1 (403) 860-8623 Email: [email protected]

Source: EarthRenew Inc.
TORONTO, June 02, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- European Residential Real Estate Investment Trust (TSX: ERE.UN) (ERES) announced today that, at its Annual and Special Meeting of Unitholders held today, each of the items of business referred to in its management information circular dated April 13, 2022 (the Circular) were passed by a vote held by ballot.

A total of 197,941,194 units representing 85.47% of ERES issued and outstanding units (on a non-diluted basis but including units issuable in exchange of the issued and outstanding class B limited partnership units of ERES Limited Partnership) were voted in connection with the meeting. The voting results for each item of business are as follows:

Election of Trustees:

Nominee Votes For % Votes For Votes Withheld % Votes Withheld Jan Arie Breure 197,440,335 99.79% 418,639 0.21% Harold Burke 197,278,443 99.71% 580,531 0.29% Phillip Burns 189,002,818 95.52% 8,856,156 4.48% Gina Parvaneh Cody 197,274,634 99.71% 584,340 0.29% Ira Gluskin 196,909,711 99.52% 949,263 0.48% Michael Stein 181,261,551 91.61% 16,597,423 8.39%

All nominees proposed in the Circular were elected as trustees.

Re-appointment of Auditors

Votes For % Votes For Votes Withheld % Votes Withheld PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, Chartered Accountants 197,867,713 99.96% 73,481 0.04%

Approval of Restricted Unit Rights Plan

Votes For % Votes For Votes Against % Votes Against Approval of Restricted Unit Rights Plan 176,445,794 89.18% 21,413,180 10.82%

About ERES

ERES is an unincorporated, open-ended real estate investment trust. ERESs Units are listed on the TSX under the symbol ERE.UN. ERES is Canadas only European-focused, multi-residential REIT, with a current initial focus on investing in high-quality, multi-residential real estate properties in the Netherlands. ERES owns a portfolio of 158 multi-residential properties, comprised of 6,901 suites and ancillary retail space located in the Netherlands, and owns one office property in Germany and one office property in Belgium.

ERESs registered and principal business office is located at 11 Church Street, Suite 401, Toronto, Ontario M5E 1W1.

For more information, please visit our website at www.eresreit.com.

For further information:

ERES Mr. Phillip Burns Chief Executive Officer 416.354.0167 [email protected] ERES Mr. Stephen Co Chief Financial Officer 416.306.3009 [email protected]

Source: European Residential Real Estate Investment Trust
ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland and Labrador, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlas Salt (the Company or Atlas - TSXV: SALT) is pleased to report that additional results from its ground gravity survey have led to the modelling of a potential second salt dome just 3 km east of the large Fischells Brook Salt Dome deposit (refer to May 26, 2022, news release).

Fischells Brook East is consistent with the increasingly apparent district-scale salt potential of Atlas nearly 200 sq. km land package in western Newfoundland, parts of which will form a strategic near-term spinout aimed at unlocking additional shareholder value.

Highlights:

Geophysical interpretation of the gravity data has modelled a deeply rooted salt dome of vertical cylindrical shape at Fischells Brook East with a diameter of 1.5 km and an average density of 2.35 grams per cubic centimeter;

and an average density of 2.35 grams per cubic centimeter; Fischells Brook East has never been previously drilled. It appears to be a separate structure from the main Fischells Brook deposit but the two structures could potentially be connected at depth - further exploration would be required to confirm this;

Atlas land package, with significant areas still under-explored, hosts varying styles of salt deposits with the potential for multiple opportunities in the commodity space.

Mr. Rowland Howe, Atlas President, commented: The possibility of a second salt dome adjacent to Fischells Brook, suggested by this gravity data, is further evidence of very significant salt accumulations over a broad area of the Bay St. George Basin.

It is rare to see such an advantaged salt asset as Great Atlantic - massive and relatively shallow, high-grade, homogeneous and immediately next to a deep-water port. It is also very exciting to see whats unfolding to the south in the Fischells Brook area, and how these salt domes could help anchor a potential clean energy hub, Mr. Howe concluded.

Spinout Plans

As Atlas progresses toward completion of a Feasibility Study for its flagship Great Atlantic Project approximately 15 km north of Fischells Brook, the Company intends to unlock the value of its non-Great Atlantic salt assets through the creation of a near-term spinout (NEWCO) led by a separate management team with expertise in the clean energy space.

The Company is preparing an application to list NEWCO on a Canadian stock exchange with details regarding a share distribution to Atlas shareholders to be announced shortly.

Image of Gravity Low Bouguer Anomaly at Fischells Brook East

The ground gravity survey was completed by Abitibi Geophysics and shows a second gravity low bouguer anomaly (see image below) approximately 3 km east of the Fischells Brook dome where no previous drilling has occurred. This Fischells Brook East gravity signature is consistent with a domal body of salt approximately 1.78 sq. km in aerial size, a substantial potential salt dome.

PRmediaNow Interview With Rowland Howe & Patrick Laracy

It could be described as Elephant Country for Salt - Atlas Salt President Rowland Howe and CEO Patrick Laracy discuss this news release with PRmediaNows Cyndi Edwards  click on the link below to view.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqViWuW2gC8

Qualified Person

Patrick J. Laracy, P.Geo, and CEO, is the Qualified Person responsible for the technical contents of this news release as defined in National Instrument 43-101.

About Atlas Salt

Bringing the Power of SALT to Investors: Atlas Salt owns 100% of the Great Atlantic salt deposit strategically located in western Newfoundland in the middle of the robust eastern North America road salt market. The project features a large homogeneous high-grade resource. Atlas also owns the Fischells Brook Salt Dome with plans to spin out that asset into a separate company as a potential renewable energy storage opportunity.

We seek Safe Harbor.

For information, please contact:

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This release may contain certain forward-looking statements. Actual events or results may differ from the Companys expectations. Certain risk factors beyond the Companys control may affect the actual results achieved. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available athttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/47194edc-2702-4017-b6a4-05deb89ea99bhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8623c554-198b-48a6-9d03-c4332701aa31

Fischells Brook East Fischells Brook East Atlas Salt in The Bay St. George Basin Atlas Salt in The Bay St. George Basin

Source: Atlas Salt Inc.
TORONTO, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lavras Gold Corp. (TSXV: LGC) will celebrate its launch and new public listing when it rings the bell to open trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Monday, June 6. The Company was spun out of Amarillo Gold Corporation, which was bought by Hochschild Mining PLC earlier this year.

Lavras Golds long-term objective is to unlock the gold mineral endowment of its highly-prospective Lavras do Sul Property in southern Brazil. Its immediate goals are to grow property-wide gold resources to at least one million ounces, drill-test five priority exploration targets, and consolidate its total number of shares outstanding.

This a great way to mark our new start, said Michael Durose, Lavras Golds President and Chief Executive Officer. Its a very busy, exciting time: our share consolidation becomes effective next week and with two drills turning, we have a lot to look forward to.

A recording of the opening will be shared on our YouTube channel after the ceremony.

June 7 webinar on LDS Project, exploration results, and plans

Durose will host a webinar on Tuesday, June 7 at 11:00 AM Toronto time to introduce the LDS Project and review exploration results to date.

Click the following link to register now:https://6ix.com/event/get-to-know-lavras-gold-and-its-exploration-results/

Lavras Gold to participate in Emerging Equities VIP Event

The Company will participate in the Metals & Mining Investor Day at the Emerging Equities VIP Event at the RBC Canadian Open on June 10. High net worth investors, financial professionals, funds, and family offices are all invited to attend.

To learn more or register, visit:https://investor.events/event-details/rbc2022/

Learn more about Lavras Gold at PDAC June 13 to 15

Join Lavras Gold in person at booth 2644 in the Investors Exchange of PDAC from June 13 to 15. The Investors Exchange will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Companys Leadership team will also host one-on-one meetings through the PDAC 2022 One on One Meeting Program of the Precious Metals Summit on June 14 and 15.

Learn more and register for a meeting at the following link:https://www.precioussummit.com/event/pdac-2022-one-on-one-meeting-program/

Lavras Gold: Exploring to realize the potential of a multi-million ounce district in southern Brazil

Lavras Gold (TSXV: LGC) is a Canadian exploration company focused on realizing the potential of the Lavras do Sul gold project (LDS Project) in Brazil. Located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the LDS Project is believed to host an alkaline porphyry gold-copper system. More than 23 gold prospects centred on historic gold workings have been identified on the property, which spans more than 22,000 hectares.

The Companys vision is to maximize shareholder value by applying a sustained systematic and technically-based exploration program to the LDS Project and any other opportunities that may arise.

Follow Lavras Gold on www.lavrasgold.com, as well as on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

Contact information Michael Durose Annemarie Brissenden President & CEO Investor Relations 416-844-6284 416-844-6284 [email protected] [email protected]

DISCLAIMERNeither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATIONThis news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as plan, expect, project, intend, believe, anticipate, estimate, may, will, would, potential, proposed and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions may or will occur. These statements, including statements with respect to planned exploration activities and goals, the proposed Consolidation and the timing thereof, are only objectives and predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided, and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information, including the risks and factors that generally affect exploration and the uncertainty of exploration results and the ability to obtain regulatory approval for the Consolidation. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Companys Managements Discussion and Analysis and Listing Statement recently filed under the Companys profile on www.sedar.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or managements estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Source: Lavras Gold Corp
NORFOLK, VA, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Old Dominion University will create a School of Supply Chain, Logistics, and Maritime Operations, reflecting its commitment to serving as a worldwide leader in maritime studies.

At its June meeting, the Universitys Board of Visitors approved a resolution to create the school effective Oct. 15. The University will next seek approval from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

The school will create a central academic home to coordinate programming on supply chain, logistics and maritime topics that have been studied across the Universitys colleges and through its Office of Research. Supply chain management and maritime operations are inherently interdisciplinary, and recent supply chain challenges have shown logistics professionals need wide-ranging subject matter expertise to address challenges affecting the global economy. Students trained in supply chain, logistics and maritime operations can find experiential and professional opportunities in thinktanks, businesses, health agencies and nonprofits.

The addition of the school will build on the Universitys legacy of maritime-focused initiatives, including the International Maritime, Ports and Logistics Institute created more than 30 years ago in the Strome College of Business. Earlier this year, ODU was ranked by the Asia-Pacific Journal of Operational Research as the top U.S. university in maritime management research.

The school will support the work of the Maritime Consortium, approved by President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D., in November 2021 to better facilitate coordination of the Universitys efforts. The consortium aims to promote and expand ODUs maritime-related resources, and support the workforce and research needs of several industries  naval and defense, shipbuilding and repair, commercial shipping, port and maritime supply chains, offshore wind and more.

Through the development of the consortium and the school, ODU can provide leading-edge data analytics, digital transformation, operational and innovation resources, training and research.

ODU has a demonstrated history of leadership and collaboration in maritime, and weve heard from our industry partners that we can do more, President Hemphill said. With the development of the Maritime Consortium and now, the School of Supply Chain, Logistics, and Maritime Operations, the University is poised to be a global leader promoting economic development, encouraging innovative research and building the workforce of the future.

In November, the Hampton Roads Maritime Collaborative for Growth & Innovation (HRMC) released A Pathway for Maritime Innovation in Hampton Roads, a report prepared by TEConomy Partners that identified opportunities to leverage and expand the regions innovation and workforce support for industry partners. The recommendations included building a sustainable home and brand for maritime innovation in Hampton Roads.

ODU has been instrumental in laying a foundation for supply chain, logistics and maritime research and collaboration, recognizing that the Commonwealth of Virginia has untapped opportunities for economic development, said Wayne Coleman, chairman and owner of CV International, Inc. (CVI) | Capes Shipping Agencies. With the addition of this school, the University will help Hampton Roads enhance its worldwide reputation as a hub for innovation in a broad spectrum of industries all tied to our greatest asset  water.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the demand for workers trained in logistics is projected to increase by 30% from 2020 to 2030. With its proximity to the Port of Virginia, military bases and shipyards, ODU is a key partner in workforce development for the region.

Coordinating our academic and research initiatives through the new school will put ODU in a stronger position to develop a skilled supply chain and maritime workforce while strengthening our collaborations with industry and military partners throughout Hampton Roads, said Austin Agho, ODUs provost and vice president for academic affairs. Through this school, ODU can meet the critical needs of our community.

The school would bring together faculty from across the Universitys academic colleges to build interdisciplinary programs, including but not limited to such disciplines as business analytics, coastal engineering, oceanography, engineering management, systems engineering, information technology, political science, geography, history, management, sociology, data science, cybersecurity and marketing.

With the effects of bottlenecks felt around the world, the pandemic has shown how our maritime and supply chain industries are interconnected, said Brian Payne, vice provost for academic affairs. Students enrolled in ODUs School of Supply Chain, Logistics, and Maritime Operations will learn about issues that have far-reaching impacts and will graduate prepared to anticipate challenges and introduce solutions.

The School of Supply Chain, Logistics, and Maritime Operations will address the growing demand for a skilled logistics workforce by offering maritime and supply chain degrees and just-in-time learning applications through shorter certificate programs. Offerings from ODU will include the current Master of Science degree in Maritime Trade and Supply Chain Management, and new bachelors degree programs will be developed. The school will also foster meaningful relationships with industry and military partners to conduct joint research and build workforce development initiatives promoting economic development in Hampton Roads and throughout Virginia.

Amber Kennedy Old Dominion University 757-683-3278 [email protected]

Source: Old Dominion University
MIAMI, June 02, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Organika Vodka announces another significant alliance with a leading North American distributor of spirits, wine, and beer, Brescome Barton, Inc. In over 70 years of business operations in Connecticut, Brescome Barton has grown to be the largest distributor in the state. By extending its sales and distribution throughout Connecticut, Organika Vodka aims to secure a leading position as the ultra-premium vodka in the United States.

The spirits market is predicted to grow 6% in 2022 and the Organika - Brescome Barton partnership understands its drivers: the trend toward premiumization and emergence of non-traditional and niche luxury categories with flavor as the primary purchase driver. Organika perfectly suits consumer tastes with quality spirits distilled from 100% organic wheat grain, infused with larch herb extract, sagan-daila and white truffle essence. "As we continue to focus on sales and distribution growth, we stay innovative by implementing a consumer-oriented marketing strategy," said Mike Seidov, U.S. Managing Partner at Organika Vodka.

"We value this partnership with Brescome Barton, not only as a substantial opportunity to grow our brand in the state of Connecticut, but for our shared mission of corporate social responsibility," adds Seidov. Organika is dedicated to wildlife conservation by supporting the World Wildlife Fund and contributing over 1% of annual proceeds to the preservation of rare endangered species. The company also follows a roadmap supporting sustainable practices, releasing its product in the first 100% recyclable carton bottle.

Gene Sepe, President of Brescome Barton, declared: "Brescome Barton is excited to have the opportunity to add Organika Vodka to our portfolio of world-class brands. The Organika Vodka brand not only represents quality but fills a strategic position in our vodka portfolio. We are proud to partner with Mike Seidov and his team to represent Organika in the Connecticut market."

About Brescome Barton

Brescome Barton, Inc. is the largest distributor of spirits, wine and beer in the state of Connecticut. For over 70 years, the company has grown significantly through acquisitions and new relationships to represent 370 suppliers and over 10,000 products. They trade with over 4,700 retailers and restaurateurs in the state of Connecticut. Brescome Barton, Inc. is the most efficient and effective distributor of adult beverages in Connecticut, continually meeting and exceeding the expectations of their suppliers and customers, while always being mindful of their social responsibilities.

About Organika Vodka

Organika Vodka is an authentic Polish vodka that is distributed in 19 countries around the world. Organika Vodka supports sustainable practices and is dedicated to the conservation of rare and endangered species of animals. The company contributes over 1% of annual proceeds to partner conservation organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund and the Amur Tiger Center, among many others. As the brand continues to grow, it only hopes to expand its efforts in wildlife conservation as it fulfills one of the missions it took on from its very creation.

Press Contact: [email protected]

Related Images

Image 1

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment

Featured Image for Organika Vodka Featured Image for Organika Vodka

Source: Organika Vodka
MONTREAL, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- React Gaming Group Inc. (React Gaming or the Corporation) (TSXV: RGG, OTCMKTS: ITMZF) is pleased to announce that it has received the approval from the TSX Venture Exchange to amend the exercise price of the existing common share purchase warrants (the Warrants) representing the right to purchase up to 10,007,000 common shares of the Corporation (each, a Share). The Warrants were issued from an automatic conversion of the subscription receipts offering dated as of February 18, 2022 and will expire on February 18, 2023 (the Expiry Date). The Warrants exercise price will be amended from $0.90 per Share to $0.53 per Share until the Expiry Date.

About React Gaming GroupReact Gaming Group (formerly known as Intema Solutions Inc.) (TSXV: RGG) is a publicly traded holding company that stands at the forefront of the esports and iGaming industry. By investing in innovative technologies that enhance tournaments, teams, and wagering, we provide our users with gaming platforms that produce non-stop action, exciting outcomes, and unparalleled enjoyment. Through the use of intelligent data, we also connect our sponsors to robust communities within the rapidly evolving industry, ensuring maximum engagement and substantial reward. For more information, please visit us at reactgaming.ca and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Forward-Looking StatementsThis news release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as may, should, will, could, intend, estimate, plan, anticipate, expect, believe or continue, or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. The Corporation's statements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and conditions, many of which are outside of the Corporation's control, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding the Corporations activities, including: that the Corporation's assumptions in making forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect; general adverse market conditions and competition; the inability to finance operations and/or obtain any future strategic investment necessary to implement new technologies; the inability to build a sustainable, conscientious company with a stronger presence online through new products in esports and gaming; the inability to obtain, or maintain, gaming license(s); and that market conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic may negatively affect the outcome of the business or operations of the Corporation, including its results and financial condition. Except as required by securities law, the Corporation does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CONTACT INFORMATIONREACT GAMING GROUP INC.Laurent Benezra1-514-861-1881[email protected]

Source: React Gaming Group Inc.
Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

Pratteln, Switzerland, June 3, 2022 -- Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) has updated its corporate calendar. The Company will publish its 2021 Annual Report on June 10, 2022 and hold its Annual General Meeting on June 30, 2022.

SIX Exchange Regulation has permitted Santhera to publish its annual report for the year ended December 31, 2021, on June 10, 2022. Following the successful completion of Santhera's financing announced on June 2, 2022, Santhera is in the process of completing the 2021 annual report.

Also, SIX Exchange Regulation has approved the listing of 15,500,000 existing treasury shares of Santhera as of Tuesday, June 7, 2022.

DECISION OF SIX EXCHANGE REGULATION

To allow for the finalization of the annual report, SIX Exchange Regulation has granted an extension for the publication of the 2021 Annual Report. As required by SIX Exchange Regulation, Santhera hereby reprints the following extract of the decision of SIX Exchange Regulation (translation from the German original):

The exemption from the obligations for maintaining listing and thus the deferral of the publication of the annual report for the year 2021 as well as the filing of this report with SIX Exchange Regulation Ltd by June 10, 2022 at the latest is hereby approved subject to the following provision (lit. a) and conditions (lit. b):

a. SIX Exchange Regulation Ltd reserves the right to potentially suspend trading in the securities of Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding Ltd for a certain period of time if it does not publish its annual report for the year 2021 in accordance with the provisions on ad hoc publicity (art. 53 Listing Rules in conjunction with the Directive on Ad hoc Publicity) and submit it to SIX Exchange Regulation Ltd by 23:59 on Friday, June 10, 2022, at the latest.

b. Santhera has to publish a media release regarding the present decision in accordance with the provisions on ad hoc publicity (art. 53 Listing Rules in conjunction with the Directive on Ad hoc Publicity) by 23:59 on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the latest. Such media release

has to include the full text of clause I of the present decision in a prominent place;

must mention the reasons for again postponing the publication and filing of the annual report for the year 2021.

Related documentsJune 2, 2022 Press release Santhera Announces Improved Liquidity Position, accessible here.

Corporate calendarJune 10, 2022 Publication 2021 Annual Report and invitation to the 2022 Annual General MeetingJune 30, 2022 Annual General Meeting

About SantheraSanthera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) is a Swiss specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative medicines for rare neuromuscular and pulmonary diseases with high unmet medical need. Santhera has an exclusive license for all indications worldwide to vamorolone, a dissociative steroid with novel mode of action, which was investigated in a pivotal study in patients with DMD as an alternative to standard corticosteroids. The Company plans to complete the rolling submission of its filing for approval for vamorolone with the U.S. FDA in June 2022. The clinical stage pipeline also includes lonodelestat to treat cystic fibrosis (CF) and other neutrophilic pulmonary diseases. Santhera out-licensed rights to its first approved product, Raxone (idebenone), outside North America and France for the treatment of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) to Chiesi Group. For further information, please visit www.santhera.com.

Raxone is a trademark of Santhera Pharmaceuticals.

For further information please contact: [email protected] orEva Kalias, Head Investor Relations & CommunicationsPhone: +41 79 875 27 80[email protected]

Disclaimer / Forward-looking statements This communication does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities of Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG. This publication may contain certain forward-looking statements concerning the Company and its business. Such statements involve certain risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Readers should therefore not place undue reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any contract or investment decision. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

# # #

Attachment

Source: Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE U.S. NEWSWIRE OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Vancouver, BC, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Trillion Energy International Inc. (Trillion, or the Company) (CSE: TCF) (OTCQB: TRLEF) (Frankfurt: Z62) is pleased to announce that it has filed a preliminary short form prospectus with the securities commissions or similar regulatory authorities in each of the provinces of Canada, other than Quebec (the Canadian Jurisdictions), in connection with a best efforts marketed public offering (the Offering) of units (the Units) of the Company at a price of $0.31 per Unit (the Issue Price) for gross proceeds of up to $12,000,000. Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each a Common Share) and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each full warrant, a Warrant and collectively the Warrants). Each Warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share for an exercise price of $0.50 for period of 36 months following the closing date of the Offering.

The Offering will be conducted by Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. ("Echelon") as lead agent and sole bookrunner, along with a syndicate of agents including Research Capital Corporation (and together with Echelon, the Agents), and is subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of the securities regulatory authorities and the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE).

The Offering will be completed (i) by way of a short form prospectus to be filed in the Canadian Jurisdictions; (ii) on a private placement basis in the United States pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act); and (iii) outside Canada and the United States on a basis which does not require the qualification or registration of any of the Companys securities under domestic or foreign securities laws.

The Offering is expected to close on or about June 24, 2022, or such other date as the Company and the Agents may agree.

The Company has granted the Agents an option to purchase up to an additional 15% of the Units sold under the Offering (the Over-Allotment Option), at the Issue Price. The Over-Allotment Option may be exercised in whole or in part to purchase Units as determined by the Agents upon written notice to the Company at any time up to 30 days following the closing date of the Offering.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to fund the development of the SASB gas fields, and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

The preliminary short form prospectus is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

About

Trillion is an oil and gas producing company with multiple assets throughout Turkey and Bulgaria. The Company is 49% owner of the SASB natural gas field, one of the Black Seas first and largest-scale natural gas development projects; a 19.6% (except three wells with 9.8%) interest in the Cendere oil field; and in Bulgaria, the Vranino 1-11 block, a prospective unconventional natural gas property. More information may be found on www.sedar.com, and our website.

Contact

Art Halleran: 1-250-996-4211 Corporate offices: 1-778-819-1585 e-mail: [email protected] Website: www.trillionenergy.com

Forward-Looking Information

This release contains forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations, estimates, and projections about the Companys business and prospects, as well as managements beliefs, and certain assumptions made by management. Words such as anticipates, expects, intends, plans, believes, seeks, estimates, may, should, will and variations of these words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements speak only as of the date hereof and are subject to change. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update any forward-looking statements for any reason. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the Companys prospectus listing on the Canadian Securities Exchange, the potential impact on the market for its securities, expansion and business strategies, anticipated growth opportunities, and the amount of fundraising necessary to achieve the foregoing. Such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Accordingly, actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. These factors include unforeseen securities regulatory challenges, COVID, oil and gas price fluctuations, operational and geological risks, the ability of the Company to raise necessary funds for development; the outcome of commercial negotiations; changes in technical or operating conditions; the cost of extracting gas and oil may be too costly so that it is uneconomic and not profitable to do so and other factors discussed from time to time in the Companys filings on www.sedar.com, including the most recently filed Annual Report on Form 20-F and subsequent filings for the first quarter of 2022. For a full summary of our oil and gas reserves information for Turkey, please refer to our Forms F-1,2,3 51-101 filed on www.sedar.com, and or request a copy of our reserves report effective December 31, 2021 and or Prospective Resource report effective October 31, 2021.

Source: Trillion Energy International Inc.
As previously disclosed, on June 3, 2022, Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) will host its Investor Day both in person in New York, New York and virtually, beginning at approximately 8:30 a.m. eastern time. During Investor Day, as well as in meetings with investors and analysts over the next several weeks, Cigna officials expect to reaffirm projected full year 2022 consolidated adjusted revenues of at least $177 billion, projected full year 2022 consolidated adjusted income from operations on a per share basis of at least $22.60 per share, and long-term average annual adjusted EPS growth of 10%  13%. This outlook includes the impact of expected future share repurchases, anticipated 2022 dividends, and assumes that the previously announced divestiture of Cignas international life, accident, and supplemental benefits businesses will close in the second quarter of 2022.

Cigna previously discussed its full year 2022 outlook in its press release and investor presentation dated May 6, 2022, and during the related investor conference call. The press release, presentation and the conference call transcript are available on the Investor Relations page of Cignas website located at www.cigna.com. Forward-looking statements in these documents and the related call speak only as of the date they were made.

The Investor Day presentations are expected to begin at approximately 8:30 a.m. eastern time and conclude by 12:15 p.m. eastern time. Investors and analysts are invited to listen to the presentation free over the Internet via webcast by visiting the Investor Relations page of Cignas website located at www.cigna.com. The Investor Relations section of the Companys website also contains materials relating to the Investor Day presentations, including definitions of certain metrics not determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and reconciliations of certain non-GAAP metrics to the most directly comparable GAAP measures.
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Russian internet group Yandex is pictured at the company's headquarter in Moscow, Russia October 4, 2018. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

(Reuters) -Russian internet giant Yandex said on Friday that Arkady Volozh had stepped down as CEO and left the board of directors after the European Union included him on its latest list of sanctions against Russian entities and individuals.

Volozh, who co-founded the Yandex search engine in 1997, was put under EU sanctions on Friday after the bloc accused him of "materially or financially" supporting Russia, which sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Volozh said he considered the European Commission's decision "misguided", but added that while sanctions were in place he was transferring his voting power to the company's board.

Yandex itself is not subject to EU sanctions.

The company said it did not believe Volozh's departure would affect its operations, financial position or relations with its partners.

Moscow-listed shares in Yandex were down 6% at 1,496 roubles ($23.43) as of 1407 GMT.

"The Board continues to function as normal. Yandex has a strong and deep management team that is well placed to take the company to new levels with the ongoing support of the Board," it said in a statement.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special military operation" to disarm and "denazify" its neighbour.

($1 = 63.8500 roubles)

(Reporting by ReutersEditing by Mark Potter)
FILE PHOTO: A logo of low cost carrier Spirit Airlines is pictured on an Airbus plane in Colomiers near Toulouse, France, November 6, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

(Reuters) - The battle to snap up Spirit Airlines is heating up. Frontier Group Holdings Inc has agreed to pay a break-up fee of $250 million in a bid to salvage its $2.9 billion acquisition of Spirit Airlines.

JetBlue Airways Corp, which is locked in a takeover battle for Spirit with Frontier Group, has argued that a deal would help the companies better compete with the "Big Four" U.S. airlines that control nearly 80% of the passenger market in the country.

Below are the key events in the takeover saga:

Date Development

Feb. 7 Frontier makes a cash-and-stock offer of $25.83/share for Spirit

Airlines

Feb. 8 Lawyers from the U.S. Justice Department say Spirit and Frontier's

merger to create the fifth-largest airline in the country would

face close scrutiny

March 10 Several public advocacy groups call on U.S. regulators to block

Frontier's bid for Spirit

April 5 JetBlue makes an unsolicited $3.6 billion, or $33/share, all-cash

bid for Spirit

April 6 JetBlue mounts a vigorous defense of its unsolicited $3.6 billion

bid for Spirit, adding that it is "highly confident" of securing

regulatory approval

April 7 Spirit says that it would enter into discussions with JetBlue on

its $3.6-billion offer as it could likely lead to a "superior

proposal" to the one from Frontier

May 2 Spirit rejects JetBlue's $33/share offer, saying it had a low

likelihood of winning regulatory approval

May 10 Head of Sun Country Airlines throws his backing behind potential

merger in the ultra-low-cost airline sector

May 11 Spirit says it will hold a shareholder meeting on June 10 for a

vote on its proposed merger with Frontier

May 16 JetBlue makes hostile all-cash takeover offer of $30/share and adds

it was ready to "negotiate in good faith a consensual transaction

at $33"

May 19 Spirit Airlines urges shareholders to reject the hostile offer from

JetBlue, saying it was "a cynical attempt to disrupt" its merger

with Frontier

May 31 Proxy advisory firm ISS has urged Spirit shareholders to vote

against a proposed merger with Frontier

June 2 Frontier agrees to pay a break-up fee of $250 million in a bid to

salvage its $2.9 billion acquisition of Spirit Airlines

(Reporting by Nathan Gomes and Kannaki Deka in Bengaluru; Editing by Sweta Singh and Shounak Dasgupta)
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 2, 2022) - Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc. (CSE: VEGI) (OTCQB: VGGIF) (FSE: 77I) ("Boosh" or the "Company") a premier plant-based brands in the in health food sector, announces today changes to its leadership team. Connie Marples, founder and president of Boosh Plant Based Brands Inc has been named interim CEO. Jim Pakulis has stepped down from the position and as a member of the board. Boosh wants to thank Mr. Pakulis for his entrepreneurial leadership and guidance, and a bonus of 500,000 shares will be issued to Mr. Pakulis, each share having a deemed value of $0.25 per share and subject to a four month and one day hold period ending on October 3, 2022 in accordance with the policies of the CSE.

This weekend Boosh Plant-based Brands will be exhibiting at Canada's largest Vegan show, Planted Expo June 4 and 5th at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre and will be selling and sampling a variety of Beanfields Chips as well as Boosh Chili, Sloppy Joes and Mushroom Soup.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Connie Marples

Founder/President

[email protected]

Telephone: 778 840 1700

www.Booshfood.com

About Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc.:

Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Boosh Food (www.booshfood.com), offers high quality, non-GMO, gluten free, 100% plant-based nutritional comfort foods for the whole family. Through a separate subsidiary, Beautiful Beanfields, the Company owns Beanfields, a plant-based chips brand sold in over 7,000 stores throughout North America. Boosh, good for you and good for planet earth.

The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, the Company's expectations concerning the size of the Financing, its ability to close the Financing in whole or in part or at all and its plan for the proceeds of the Financing. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126358
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 3, 2022) - Scryb Inc. (CSE: SCYB) (OTCQB: SCYRF) (FSE: EIY) ("Scryb'' or the "Company"), is pleased to announce a new brand identity for Cybeats cybersecurity, better reflecting its alignment with the global future of software security.

The branding strategy was to provide Cybeats with a stronger presence in the market, and better reflect its operational expansion into the software supply chain security market with the launch of its second commercial product line, SBOM Studio. Significant regulatory compliance aspects that are foundational to the value proposition of the SBOM Studio product led the Company to pursue an identity that encompassed this SBOM, a new and fast-expanding market with increasing regulatory oversight.

"Launching its new brand is a major milestone for the company, and an opportunity for Cybeats to introduce its identity - one that reflects both the opportunity ahead, and the innovative technology powering the advancement of cybersecurity," said Yoav Raiter, CEO, Cybeats.

Software Made Certain



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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The approach to the rebrand aimed to capture the innovative and disruptive nature of Cybeats technology, while also engaging with the Cybersecurity community at large. Cybeats mission has always been to help organizations build certainty into their products, at every step of the product life cycle. The mission has not changed, but Cybeats solutions have evolved to help lead the industry into an SBOM-oriented world, and so its branding must evolve too.

Cybeats has updated its brand appearance and feel. From its logo and colours, to its typeface and design elements, the Company is pleased with the holistic brand transformation. As Cybeats continues to sign new commercial engagements, partnership and other relationships, the new brand identity aims to strengthen current business activities and improve the user experience and interactions with its product lines.

New Brand Logo

The new logo and wordmark uniquely integrates a checkmark - a universal symbol for certainty - to represent the sense of assured confidence and compliance that Cybeats products deliver for its customers. The colour palette was chosen to visually demonstrate the Company's enthusiasm toward the vibrant future of Cybeats within Cybersecurity.

Cybeats New Logo



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Starting today, Cybeats new branding will be rolling out across the Company's website1, collateral and social media. All of the elements help bring to life the bold mission at Cybeats. Cybeats is proud of its history and accomplishments to date, and energized by the exciting journey ahead.

Cybeats Brand Identity



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/952/126433_656690e18409f9a0_003full.jpg

Read more about the Cybeats rebrand on our blog: https://www.cybeats.com/blog

RECENT NEWS: Cybeats recently announced that it is attending RSA conference2 - the world's leading IT security conference and exposition: https://bit.ly/3PVud1l

About Cybeats

Cybeats delivers intelligent security applications for software supply chains and IoT connected devices, autonomously detecting and eliminating cyber risks from design to operation. Cybeats. Software made certain. Website: www.cybeats.com

SUBSCRIBE: For more information, or to subscribe to the Company's mail list, visit: http://scryb.ai

About Scryb

Scryb is a platform that powers businesses and technologies with applied intelligence, real-time analytics, and actionable insights. The platform boasts proven adaptability across diverse markets, from digital health and diagnostics to cybersecurity and manufacturing. The cloud-based platform is composed of crucial elements including sensor technology, IoT, predictive analytics, and computer vision.

For more information, please visit our website at: http://scryb.ai

Contact:

W. Clark Kent

President

Office. 647-872-9982

TF. 1-844-247-6633

Email: [email protected]

Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement

Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the CSE. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the commercialization plans for the technology described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.

1https://www.cybeats.com/

2https://www.rsaconference.com/library/press-release/rsa-conference-2022-moves-to-june

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126433
Company highlights new broad-spectrum fungicide, Curezin fungicide

Aylesbury, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - June 3, 2022) - VM Agritech, LTD to share breakthrough research on Curezin" fungicide at the upcoming Food and Ag Tech conference. The June 8 conference hosted by Investor Summit Group/Harbor Access focuses on revolutionary advances in agriculture technology, sustainable food product & packaging, and nutritional innovation.

The executive vice president of investor relations for VM Agritech, Peter Karos will present an overview of the company and the latest research on its new fungicide formulation, Curezin fungicide. This advancement in fungicide technology has the potential to disrupt the $20B global fungicide market, which is facing disease resistance and toxicity challenges. This VM Agritech development can play a role in alleviating global food shortages, which have only been exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Event: Investor Summit Group/Harbor Access Food & Ag Tech Conference

Date: June 8, 2022 at 1:15 p.m. ET

Location: Zoom, click here to access the link.

One-on-one opportunities are available for qualified investors. The conference is complementary to qualified investors. To register, visit Complimentary Investor Registration.

About VMA Agritech, LTD

VM Agritech has developed a broad-spectrum fungicide, Curezin" fungicide to fight pathogenic resistance significantly affecting the world's food supply. Curezin fungicide has been tested invitro at the University of Exeter and field trial tested at Cornell University. This research has proven both superior efficacy as well as the mode of action of Curezin fungicide. VM Agritech has a significant IP portfolio and its core patent (upon which Curezin is based) has been granted in 56 countries around the world, including the USA, Canada, and the European Patent Area. VM Agritech has initiated the EPA regulatory approval process while extending field trials during the 2022-2024 growing seasons covering all major food crops.

About The Investor Summit Group

The Investor Summit Group alongside Harbor Access is excited to host the virtual Food & Ag Tech Conference: The Future of Food on June 8th. We would like to personally invite you to be a part of this event, which offers 1:1 meeting access to institutional and retail investors as well as a 30-minute recorded live presentation. Food & Ag Tech Company Registration

Revolutionary advances are underway in agriculture technology, sustainable food product & packaging, and nutritional innovation. New technologies are creating big opportunities in the fast-growing global food and agriculture market. At this Food & Ag Tech conference, we will explore the shifts at the intersection of agriculture and science which underpin the four pillars of food security as stated at the World Summit: availability, access, utilization and stability. Meet the innovative companies, from seed through supply chain, shaping the global economic future of food.

About Harbor Access

Harbor Access represents and advises small- and mid-cap companies. Whether you are planning an IPO, contemplating a new stock exchange listing or, a listed multi-national seeking a capital raise, we can help optimize your investment story, raise your visibility and connect you to investors and capital sources in the North American and European Equity markets.

Investor Relations Contact

Graham Farrell, Managing Partner, Harbor Access

[email protected] // O. +1.416.842.9003

Curezin" fungicide is a trademark of VM Agritech, LTD

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126296
FILE PHOTO: Former White House advisor Peter Navarro leaves the West Wing carrying a poster board displaying claims of voting irregularity at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 15, 2021. REUTERS/Erin Scott//File Photo

By Doina Chiacu, David Morgan and Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Peter Navarro, a former top adviser to ex-President Donald Trump, was charged on Friday with contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with the House of Representatives committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

But two other close associates of the former president, Mark Meadows and Daniel Scavino, will not face criminal charges despite a House vote recommending them.

A federal grand jury charged Navarro with one count involving his refusal to appear for a deposition before the Jan. 6 Select Committee and another for his refusal to produce documents in response to a subpoena, the Justice Department said.

Navarro did not enter a plea at his 72-minute hearing before Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The former Trump adviser accused the Justice Department of "prosecutorial misconduct" for arresting him at a local airport as he tried to depart on a trip to Nashville and New York.

Navarro said authorities ignored his request for them to contact an attorney and refused to allow him to make a phone call during his arrest. "I am  disappointed in our republic," he told the judge. His next court appearance was set for June 17.

A longtime China hawk, Navarro advised Trump on trade issues and also served on his COVID-19 task force. He has contended previously that his communications are protected by executive privilege, a legal principle protecting a president's communications.

His indictment came a week before the committee is due on June 9 to hold the first in a series of public hearings on its investigation. And it came two days after Navarro filed a civil lawsuit against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the House committee.

Trump has urged associates not to cooperate with the Democratic-led investigation, calling it politically motivated.

In its subpoena, the committee said it had reason to believe that Navarro, 72, had information relevant to its investigation.

'GREEN BAY SWEEP'

Navarro has said in media interviews and in his book that he helped coordinate an effort - known as the "Green Bay Sweep" - to halt certification of Biden's victory and keep Trump in power.

Navarro faces up to a year in prison on each count, if convicted. He also faces fines but a court-appointed attorney disputed a Department of Justice assertion that he could be fined as much as $100,000 on each count, arguing instead that the maximum penalty should be $1,000.

Navarro argued at length for delaying the criminal proceedings and instead moving forward with his civil suit against the committee, arguing that the case against him stems from collusion between the Justice Department, Congress and the Biden White House.

"The prosecution has put me in an untenable position of conflicting constitutional interpretations," Navarro said. "This is something that needs to get to the Supreme Court."

Navarro is the second prominent Trump adviser to face criminal charges in the investigation.

Stephen Bannon, at one time the chief strategist for the former Republican president, was criminally charged in November for defying a subpoena.

The Democratic-controlled House recommended the contempt charges in April for Navarro and Scavino, a former deputy chief of staff to Trump. In December, the chamber voted in favor of a contempt charge for Meadows, a former House member who became Trump's chief of staff.

The New York Times reported late on Friday that the Justice Department has decided against charging Meadows and Scavino with contempt of Congress.

The leaders of the House committee said the indictment of Navarro was the correct decision but that they found the decision on Meadows and Scavino "puzzling."

"Mr. Meadows and Mr. Scavino unquestionably have relevant knowledge about President Trumps role in the efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the events of January 6th. We hope the Department provides greater clarity on this matter," Representatives Bennie Thompson, the committee's chairperson, and Liz Cheney, its vice chairperson, said in a statement.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia declined to comment.

The Select Committee has conducted more than 1,000 interviews, including many with former White House aides, as it investigates the assault by thousands of Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, as Vice President Mike Pence and lawmakers gathered to certify Democrat Joe Biden's victory in the November 2020 presidential election.

After Trump repeated his false claims at a raucous rally that his defeat was the result of fraud, mobs rampaged through the Capitol, injuring police officers and sending Pence, lawmakers, staff and journalists fleeing for safety.

Four people died on the day of the attack, and one Capitol Police officer who fought with rioters died the next day. Four officers have since taken their own lives.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and David Morgan; Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Writing by Doina Chiacu and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Alistair Bell and William Mallard)
Retailer's Ninth Evolution Store Features Laredo Taco Company, Specialty Coffee Drinks, Mobile Checkout and More

IRVING, Texas, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 7-Eleven, Inc. has announced the opening of its fifth Evolution Store in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and ninth in the country. Located at the corner of Preston Road and Alpha Road in Dallas, this new location boasts customizable beverage options, a premium cigar humidor and the latest digital innovations in addition to Laredo Taco Company a popular south Texas restaurant concept known for its authentic flavors of the Texas and Mexico border.

Laredo Taco Company is famous for its authentic tacos served on fresh-made flour tortillas as well as its signature salsa bar with a wide selection of salsas and toppings including salsa roja, salsa verde, creamy cilantro, habanero, and more. Specialties include authentic fajitas, chorizo, carne asada, carnitas and breakfast tacos made with fresh-cracked eggs. And unlike other Laredo Taco Company restaurants, this location features an extended covered patio for customers looking to enjoy outdoor seating, frozen margaritas, and beer on tap.

"We're excited to unveil the next iteration of the 7-Eleven Evolution Store in Dallas, offering an assortment of curated products, services and features that are customized to the neighborhood and customers we serve," said Molly Long, 7-Eleven Vice President of Store Evolution and Design. "The customer is getting the convenience they expect from 7-Eleven  coupled with a delicious restaurant-quality dining option and unique and innovative beverages. These lab stores give us an opportunity to test, learn and scale successes into our new store standards which ultimately allows us to continuously improve the experience for all our customers."

As the OG To-Go since 1964 coffee destination, 7-Eleven continues to deliver high quality coffee at a great value  and this store is no different, featuring a second self-serve espresso machine where 7-Eleven will test specialty items including Cold Foam, Caramel Macchiato, Dirty Chai (a Chai Tea Latte with added double shot of espresso), White Mocha and Horchata Latte. In addition to custom espresso drinks and cold brew coffee, customers can also enjoy refreshing organic smoothies and shakes, vitamin infused sparkling water, and even a Wine Cellar with an enhanced and expansive selection of wine. These innovations are available alongside 7-Eleven's iconic products like Slurpee drinks, Big Bite hot dogs, Big Gulp fountain beverages and more.

Located at 13635 Preston Road in Dallas, Texas, the store also offers an array of digital innovations providing customers with added convenience, including mobile checkout and delivery. With 7Rewards, the loyalty program found in the 7-Eleven app, in-store customers can skip the checkout counter and pay for their purchases directly from their phone. The 7NOW delivery app also lets customers order more than 3,000 of their favorite foods, beverages, groceries and household products to be delivered straight to their door.

7-Eleven's Evolution Store concept continues to set a benchmark for convenience retailing, serving as an experiential testing ground for customers to try the brand's latest products and innovations. And while all Evolution Stores include a restaurant concept, no two locations are exactly alike as the retailer continues to tweak the design and product mix based on customer feedback and shopping habits.

The retailer's expansion in the Dallas-Fort Worth area also means new jobs. Approximately 10 to 12 full- and part-time store associates are employed by each 7-Eleven store in the U.S. For more information about jobs with 7-Eleven, visit careers.7-eleven.com or inquire at the store.

The 7NOW delivery app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play, or by visiting 7NOW.com or 7Rewards.com.

About 7-Eleven, Inc.

7-Eleven, Inc. is the premier name in the convenience-retailing industry. Based in Irving, Texas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 13,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to 7-Eleven stores, 7-Eleven, Inc. operates and franchises Speedway, Stripes, Laredo Taco Company and Raise the Roost Chicken and Biscuits locations. Known for its iconic brands such as Slurpee, Big Bite and Big Gulp, 7-Eleven has expanded into high-quality sandwiches, salads, side dishes, cut fruit and protein boxes, as well as pizza, chicken wings and mini beef tacos. 7-Eleven offers customers industry-leading private brand products under the 7-Select brand including healthy options, decadent treats and everyday favorites at an outstanding value. Customers can earn and redeem points on various items in stores nationwide through its 7Rewards loyalty program with more than 50 million members, place an order in the 7NOW delivery app in over 2,000 cities, or rely on 7-Eleven for bill payment service, self-service lockers and other convenient services. Find out more online at www.7-Eleven.com.

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SOURCE 7-Eleven, Inc.
Symposium will feature research on genomic analysis and glucose monitoring technologies

NEW ORLEANS, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, findings from two studies funded by the ADA Pathway to Stop Diabetes research program highlight innovative science and the latest diabetes developments on genomic profiling and glucose control. The symposium, 2022 Pathway to Stop Diabetes, will be presented at the 82nd Scientific Sessions held by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in New Orleans, La.

Genomic Profiling & Type 2 Diabetes

The symposium will highlight findings from a new study, Deciphering Longitudinal Cell Type-Specific Defects in Diabetes Pathogenesis, evaluating how type 2 diabetes alters the composition and gene regulatory programs of each cell type in human pancreatic islets using genomic profiling.

In the study, researchers completed genomic profiling of approximately 250,000 cells from 17 non-diabetic, 14 pre-diabetic, and 17 type 2 diabetic individuals, representing the largest single cell genomic analysis to date, both in number of cells studied and number of non-diabetic, pre-diabetic, and type 2 diabetic individuals. Findings showed that islets from type 2 diabetics contained significantly fewer insulin-producing beta cells and identified new genes that are mis-regulated.

"These findings help us to better understand what genes play a role in islet dysfunction, a major contributor to type 2 diabetes. These insights should better inform therapeutic targets so that we can better protect or fix insulin-producing beta cells of type 2 diabetic individuals," said Michael L. Stitzel, PhD, Associate Professor at The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine.

Novel Glucose Management

Findings were also presented from Untethering Diabetes through Innovative Engineering evaluating micro-electromechanical systems, microfluidics and bio-sensing to achieve the goal of a painless, minimally invasive, low-cost, calibration-free, insulin pump-compatible CGM. The author will present a proposed solution for the unmet need fora painless, low-cost, disposable patch that can be adopted by Type I, and Type 2, and pre-diabetic individuals.

"A major goal for diabetes management is to restore seamless glucose control, thus avoiding the dangerous side effects of hypo- and hyperglycemia," said Sumita Pennathur, PhD, Professor in the Department Mechanical Engineering at UC Santa Barbara.

Research presentation details:

Michael L. Stitzel, PhD will present his study Deciphering Longitudinal Cell Type-Specific Defects in Diabetes Pathogenesis during the symposium, 2022 Pathway to Stop Diabetes on Friday, June 3 10:1010:20 a.m. CT.

Sumita Pennathur, PhD will present her study Untethering Diabetes through Innovative Engineering during the symposium, 2022 Pathway to Stop Diabetes on Friday, June 3 10:2010:30 a.m. CT.

For more information, please contact the ADA Scientific Sessions media team onsite at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center from June 37 by phone at 504-670-4902, or by email at [email protected].

About the ADA's Scientific Sessions

The ADA's 82nd Scientific Sessions, the world's largest scientific meeting focused on diabetes research, prevention, and care, will be a hybrid event held June 37, 2022 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA. Leading physicians, scientists, and health care professionals from around the world will unveil cutting-edge research, treatment recommendations, and advances toward a cure for diabetes. We are eager to get back to safely participating in person and networking with colleagues while hearing the latest scientific advances and groundbreaking research presentations. Learn more and register at scientificsessions.diabetes.org and join the Scientific Sessions conversation on social media using #ADA2022.

About the American Diabetes Association

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation's leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For 81 years, the ADA has driven discovery and research to treat, manage, and prevent diabetes while working relentlessly for a cure. Through advocacy, program development, and education we aim to improve the quality of life for the over 133 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes. Diabetes has brought us together, what we do next will make us Connected for Life. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Spanish Facebook (Asociacion Americana de la Diabetes), LinkedIn (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn), and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).

Contact: Daisy Diaz, 504-670-4902 [email protected]

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SOURCE American Diabetes Association
MEXICO CITY, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Comision Federal de Electricidad ("CFE" or the "Company"), a productive state enterprise of the Federal Government of the United Mexican States ("Mexico"), announced today the early tender consideration (the "Early Tender Consideration") payable in connection with its previously announced tender offer to purchase for cash the outstanding notes of the series set forth in the table below (all such notes, collectively, the "Notes" and each a "series" of Notes), for an aggregate purchase price, excluding accrued and unpaid interest, of up to US$1,000,000,000 (the "Maximum Consideration"), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the offer to purchase dated May 19, 2022 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the "Offer to Purchase") and subject to (1) the maximum per series consideration for the 4.875% Notes due 2024 set forth in the table below, (2) the acceptance priority level of each series of Notes, and (3) possible proration, each as described herein and in the Offer to Purchase (the "Offer").

The following table sets forth certain information about the Offer, including the principal amount of each series of Notes validly tendered on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on June 2, 2022 (the "Early Tender Date") and accepted in the Offer and the offer yield and Early Tender Consideration for each series of Notes validly tendered on or prior to the Early Tender Date:

Title of Security CUSIPs ISINs Principal AmountOutstanding Acceptance Priority Level Maximum Per Series Consideration Offer Yield Early Tender Consideration(1) Principal Amount Tendered on or prior to the Early Tender Date and Accepted in the Offer 4.875% Notes due 2024 200447 AD2;P30179 AM0 US200447AD28;USP30179AM09 US$1,250,000,000 1 US$500,000,000 4.098% US$1,011.91 US$380,312,000 6.125% Notes due 2045 200447 AE0; P30179 AR9 US200447AE01; USP30179AR95 US$700,000,000 2 N/A 6.993% US$901.35 US$81,692,000 5.750% Notes due 2042 200447 AC4; P30179 AK4 US200447AC45; USP30179AK43 US$750,000,000 3 N/A 6.993% US$868.07 US$186,429,000 4.677% Notes due 2051 200447 AJ9; P29595 AE8 US200447AJ97; USP29595AE80 US$800,000,000 4 N/A 6.940% US$719.94 US$187,273,000 4.75% Notes due 2027 200447 AF7; P29595 AB4 US200447AF75; USP29595AB42 US$1,000,000,000 5 N/A 5.165% US$982.77 US$185,032,000 3.348% Notes due 2031 200447 AH3; P29595 AD0 US200447AH32; USP29595AD08 US$1,200,000,000 6 N/A 6.357% US$801.69 US$208,866,000

________________________________

(1) Per each US$1,000 principal amount of Notes. The Early Tender Consideration includes an early tender premium equal to US$50.00 per US$1,000 principal amount for each series of Notes accepted for purchase. Holders whose Notes have been accepted for purchase will also receive accrued and unpaid interest ("Accrued Interest") up to, but excluding, the Early Settlement Date (as defined herein). CFE has agreed, subject to specified exceptions and limitations, to pay additional interest to participants in the Offer to cover Mexican withholding taxes on interest payments.

The purchase of all Notes validly tendered in the Offer would cause CFE to purchase Notes with an aggregate purchase price, excluding accrued and unpaid interest, in excess of the Maximum Consideration. In order to accept for purchase all of the Notes validly tendered prior to the Early Tender Date, CFE is increasing the Maximum Consideration from U.S.$1,000,000,000 to U.S.$1,104,423,027.95. As a result, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, CFE has accepted for purchase all of the Notes validly tendered in the Offer on or prior to the Early Tender Date. Because all of the Maximum Consideration has been used to purchase Notes validly tendered on or prior to the Early Tender Date, no Notes tendered after the Early Tender Date and before the Expiration Date (as defined below) will be accepted for purchase. Except as described in this press release, all other terms of the Offer as described in the Offer to Purchase remain unchanged.

The early settlement date on which CFE will pay for Notes accepted in the Offer is expected to be June 7, 2022 (the "Early Settlement Date").

Holders who validly tendered their Notes on or prior to the Early Tender Date and whose Notes have been accepted for purchase are eligible to receive the applicable Early Tender Consideration set forth in the table above, which includes an early tender premium as set forth therein, and to receive Accrued Interest on their accepted Notes up to, but excluding, the Early Settlement Date.

The aggregate purchase price, excluding Accrued Interest, payable on the Early Settlement Date for Notes validly tendered on or prior to the Early Tender Date and accepted in the Offer will be US$1,104,423,027.95.

Notes that have been validly tendered on or prior to the Early Tender Date cannot be withdrawn, except as may be required by applicable law.

The Offer will expire at 11:59 p.m. (New York City time) on June 16, 2022 (the "Expiration Date"), unless extended by CFE in its sole discretion.

CFE has retained BBVA Securities Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Mizuho Securities USA LLC to act as dealer managers in connection with the Offer (the "Dealer Managers"). Any questions or requests for assistance regarding the Offer may be directed to the Dealer Managers at their contact information set forth below.

BBVA Securities Inc. 1345 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10105 United States of America Attn: Liability Management Toll Free: +1 800-422-8692 Collect: +1 212-728-2446 Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 388 Greenwich Street, 4th Floor Trading New York, New York 10013 United States of America Attn: Liability Management Toll-Free: +1 800-558-3745 Collect: +1 212-723-6106 Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. 1 Columbus Circle New York, New York 10019 United States of America Attn: Liability Management Group Toll-Free: +1 855-287-1922 Collect: +1 212-250-7527 Mizuho Securities USA LLC 1271 Ave. of the Americas New York, New York 10020 United States of America Attn: Liability Management Toll-Free: +1 866-271-7403 Collect: +1 212-205-7736

Copies of the Offer to Purchase may be obtained from Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the tender agent (the "Tender Agent") and the information agent (the "Information Agent") for the Offer, at +1 (855) 654-2015 (toll-free) or +1 (212) 430-3774 (collect).

Disclaimer

This press release must be read in conjunction with the Offer to Purchase. This announcement and the Offer to Purchase contain important information which must be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Offer. If any holder of Notes is in any doubt as to the action it should take, it is recommended to seek its own legal, tax, accounting and financial advice, including as to any tax consequences, immediately from its stockbroker, bank manager, attorney, accountant or other independent financial or legal adviser. Any individual or company whose Notes are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee or intermediary must contact such entity if it wishes to participate in the Offer. None of the Company, the Dealer Managers, the Tender Agent and the Information Agent and any person who controls, or is a director, officer, employee or agent of any such person, or any affiliate of any such person, makes any recommendation as to whether holders of Notes should participate in the Offer.

The Offer to Purchase has not been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, nor has it been filed with or reviewed by any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority of any country. No authority has passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the Offer to Purchase, and it is unlawful and may be a criminal offense to make any representation to the contrary.

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN AND IN THE OFFER TO PURCHASE IS EXCLUSIVELY CFE'S RESPONSIBILITY AND HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED OR AUTHORIZED BY THE MEXICAN NATIONAL BANKING AND SECURITIES COMMISSION (COMISION NACIONAL BANCARIA Y DE VALORES, OR THE "CNBV"). CFE HAS NOT FILED AND WILL NOT FILE WITH THE CNBV A REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION OF THE OFFER. THE OFFER DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A PUBLIC OFFERING (OFERTA PUBLICA) OF ANY KIND (INCLUDING AN OFERTA PUBLICA DE ADQUISICION) IN MEXICO AND IT MAY NOT BE PUBLICLY DISTRIBUTED IN MEXICO. THE OFFER MAY ONLY BE MADE AVAILABLE IN MEXICO TO INVESTORS THAT QUALIFY AS INSTITUTIONAL OR ACCREDITED INVESTORS (INVERSIONISTAS INSTITUCIONALES OR INVERSIONISTAS CALIFICADOS), SOLELY PURSUANT TO THE PRIVATE OFFERING EXEMPTION SET FORTH IN NUMERAL I. OF ARTICLE 8 OF THE MEXICAN SECURITIES MARKET LAW (LEY DEL MERCADO DE VALORES). IN MAKING A DECISION AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER ANY OF THEIR NOTES, ALL HOLDERS MUST RELY ON THEIR OWN REVIEW AND EXAMINATION OF THE TERMS OF THE OFFER. CFE WILL NOTIFY THE CNBV OF THE RESULTS OF THE OFFER FOR INFORMATIONAL AND STATISTICAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND THE FILING OR RECEIPT OF SUCH NOTICE BY THE CNBV DOES NOT IMPLY ANY CERTIFICATION AS TO THE INVESTMENT QUALITY OF THE NOTES, CFE'S SOLVENCY, LIQUIDITY OR CREDIT QUALITY OR THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION SET FORTH HEREIN.

The Offer is being made solely on the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase. Under no circumstances shall this press release constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell the Notes or any other securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. The Offer is not being made to, nor will the Company accept tenders of Notes from, holders in any jurisdiction in which the Offer or the acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdiction.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are information of a non-historical nature or which relate to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. No assurance can be given that the transactions described herein will be consummated or as to the ultimate terms of any such transactions. CFE undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or for any other reason.

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SOURCE Comision Federal de Electricidad
Game-changing end-to-end digital technology used to close more than $100B in loan volume

CHICAGO, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2019, Guaranteed Rate Companies launched FlashClose, its game-changing end-to-end digital Fintech tool that enables homebuyers to sign documents and close on their loans remotely from anywhere. The technology became a true digital differentiator during the COVID-19 pandemic and was awarded a coveted HousingWire 2020 Tech100 award.

While this end-to-end digital Fintech tool has empowered buyers to dive into their home purchases digitally and avoid the traditional hassles of the in-person closing table, it has also had a significantly positive impact on the environment. When used to process an entire loan, FlashClose saves borrowers nearly 132 pages of paper, while a hybrid remote closing, which uses the tool to handle much but not all of the paperwork, saves nearly 50 pages.

Since it was launched, FlashClose has been used by Guaranteed Rate Companies to close more than 335,000 loans for a total loan volume of more than $100 billion. The company is thrilled to announce that, in honor of the United Nation's World Environment Day on June 5, that FlashClose has helped the environment by saving more than 17 million sheets of paper. It is estimated that a tree produces approximately 10,000 sheets of paper, which means Guaranteed Rate's end-to-end digital innovation has saved some 1,700 trees.

"We are incredibly proud that our industry-leading, end-to-end digital FlashClose tool has had such a positive benefit on the environment," says Ramesh Sarukkai, Guaranteed Rate's Chief Product and Technology Officer. "It is just one example of the ways our tech team is creating fast, simple and innovative Fintech tools to enhance the lives of our customers."

About Guaranteed Rate Companies

Guaranteed Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, the Guaranteed Rate Companies have more than 10,000 employees in over 850 branches across the U.S., serving all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Guaranteed Rate Companies have helped more than 1 million homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances, with a total loan volume of more than $116 billion in 2021 alone. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates and delivering unparalleled customer service. Honors and awards include: Top Lender for Online Service for 2018 by U.S. News & World Report; Best Mortgage Lender for Online Loans and Best Mortgage Lender for Refinancing by NerdWallet for 2021; HousingWire's 2020 Tech100 award for the company's industry-leading FlashClose technology; No. 3 ranking in Scotsman Guide's 2021 list of Top Retail Mortgage Lenders; Chicago Agent Magazine's Lender of the Year for six consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces list for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.

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SOURCE Guaranteed Rate Companies
PHILADELPHIA, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The United South/Southwest Coalition and Hilco Redevelopment Partners (HRP) today issued a joint announcement of their agreement to postpone HRP's participation in the Coalition's Saturday, June 4th public meeting. The Coalition will still hold a meeting on June 4 at 2 pm in Stinger Square Park for community members to share ideas about how the redevelopment of the former refinery can help promote an equitable and healthy future for South & Southwest Philadelphia residents.

HRP and the Coalition will set a date for a rescheduled joint public meeting in the future to engage in an open dialogue around the future of the former PES refinery site.

HRP is committed to transparency and to ensuring that the community benefits from the redevelopment of the former refinery into The Bellwether District and is eager to hear from neighborhood residents.

The United South/Southwest Coalition is committed to public involvement in the redevelopment planning and a community benefits agreement that meets the needs of all surrounding neighborhoods.

About Hilco Redevelopment Partners (HRP): HRP is a vertically integrated real estate investment and redevelopment company that re-imagines, remediates, and redevelops obsolete industrial sites across the United States with a uniquely holistic approach to development that prioritizes economic, community and environmental sustainability. HRP's redevelopment expertise ranges from modern logistics and distribution facilities to urban, mixed-use projects, and life science ecosystems. HRP strives to transform not only properties, but also the communities surrounding them through a comprehensive approach to community engagement, environmental sustainability, and economic development.

HRP is headquartered in Chicago with offices in Boston, Philadelphia, New Jersey, San Francisco, Alexandria, and Miami. Since inception, HRP has acquired assets now valued in excess of $3.0 billion and its current portfolio includes over 20 million square feet of existing buildings and future redevelopment assets. In addition to its internal capital, HRP also invests external capital through joint ventures with real estate private equity funds, institutional investors, and family offices. HRP is an operating company within Hilco Global (www.hilcoglobal.com). To learn more about HRP, visit hilcoredev.com. For more information about The Bellwether District, please visit thebellwetherdistrict.com or Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About The United South/Southwest Coalition:The United South/Southwest Coalition seeks to develop and achieve a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with Hilco, the company redeveloping the former refinery land. We also seek to monitor and ensure enforcement of CBA terms, and to pursue accountability and transparency for surrounding neighborhoods at every stage of Hilco's redevelopment.

We are united to ensure that Hilco minimizes harm to our communities, including further pollution and displacement of working class residents, and invests according to a community process that allows for the greatest positive impact in our neighborhoods.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hilco-redevelopment-partners-hrp-and-the-united-southsouthwest-joint-statement-301561288.html

SOURCE Hilco Redevelopment Partners; The United South/Southwest Coalition
VANCOUVER, BC, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HPIL Holding (the "Company") (OTC: HPIL) announces that it will be having a shareholders meeting on June 9th at 2:PM PST to give the shareholders a complete in depth explanation and plan on the current business status and its moving forward plans. The discussions will be about the following:

Apogee Dynamics status update and its new plans in the EV market. Humm Token www.hummtoken.com and its confirmed launch date along with its ongoing business model. World Gaming Group and the launch of "Solomons Revenge" www.solomonsrevenge.com this month along with discussing its future plans on new game development. World Gaming Group and "ZIPPA" www.zippa.gg and why the delay that will ultimately separate itself from any competition and its confirmed launch date. Explaining the legal settlements that are now complete. Future funding. What the growth plans are for 2022-2023.

"We continue to Wait for the responses from the OTC in regards to when Pink Status will occur as we have done all we can including having all the filings up to date and this has been the toughest of all trying to explain to the shareholders why so long and I understand the frustration, however it is out of our hands", said Stephen Brown CEO.

HPIL next conference call will be on June 9th, 2022 Conference call link: https://www.hpilholding.ca/ Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (The "Act"). In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "pleased," "plan," "confident that," "believe," "expect," or "intend to," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act and are subject to the safe harbor created by the Act. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any of the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, general acceptance of the Company's products and technologies, competitive factors, the ability to successfully complete additional financings and other risks described in the Company's SEC reports and filing.For more information: www.hpilholding.ca

Contact: Stephen Brown, CEO, [email protected], Ph: (778) 819-1956

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hpil-hpil-announces-shareholders-meeting-301561079.html

SOURCE HPIL Holding
Former Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania set to assume position in late June

Dr. Jayson Boyers, Rosemont College's 14th President, leaving to pursue another opportunity in higher education

ROSEMONT, Pa., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosemont College today announced that its Board of Trustees has unanimously approved the appointment of Jim Cawley as interim President, effective June 21. Dr. Jayson Boyers, who began his tenure as Rosemont College's 14th President in 2020, has resigned to pursue another opportunity in higher education.

"In Rosemont College's 2019-2020 Presidential search after Dr. Sharon Hirsch's retirement, Jim stood out as one of four finalists in a talented and diverse group of more than 75 vetted candidates and hundreds more applicants and nominees. The Search Committee and trustees were impressed with his experience and credentials, and disappointed that he removed himself from consideration at the time due to family reasons. Jim's commitment to public service, his Catholic faith, extensive executive experience, deep ties to the community and the partnerships he's forged with prominent Philadelphia higher education institutions made him an excellent candidate to lead the College and we're thrilled that he is willing to serve," said Maria Feeley, Esq., chair, Rosemont College Board of Trustees and chief legal officer and general counsel, Washington and Lee University.

With deep experience in the higher education, government and nonprofit sectors, Mr. Cawley most recently served as Temple University's Vice President of Institutional Advancement from 2017 to 2021. He spearheaded development efforts that raised over $360 million in four fiscal years and led a staff of 140 employees spread out across 18 different schools, colleges and units. Mr. Cawley was also instrumental in the development of a strategic plan for the University and played a key role in advancing the school's diversity and inclusion efforts. Additionally, he served on the board of Temple University, as well as Bucks County Community College and Manor College.

Prior to his tenure at Temple University, Mr. Cawley was president and CEO of the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey from 2015 to 2017, where he led the organization's efforts to improve education, income and health for the region's most vulnerable populations. There, he led several successful fundraising campaigns and focused the organization's mission to make it more effective.

Mr. Cawley spent the first two decades of his career working in government at the state and local levels. He served as the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania from 2011 to 2015 and as County Commissioner of Bucks County from 2006 to 2011. A native of Bucks County and lifelong resident of the Greater Philadelphia area, Jim is passionate about and well-connected within the region. He received his bachelor's degree and juris doctor from Temple University.

"I'm honored to accept the role of interim President of Rosemont College," said Mr. Cawley. "As a product of Catholic education and a lifelong resident of the Greater Philadelphia area, I'm intimately familiar with and committed to the unique mission and traditions of Rosemont. I look forward to shaping the bright future of this storied institution by working closely with the Board of Trustees, the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus, faculty, staff, students, alumni and the entire Rosemont College community."

CONTACTCarly Colombo[email protected]

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jim-cawley-appointed-interim-president-of-rosemont-college-301561138.html

SOURCE Rosemont College
WASHINGTON, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 10 a.m. CDT Tuesday, June 7, to discuss research about intense summer thunderstorms over the central United States and their effects on Earth's atmosphere and climate change. A replay of the call will be posted on the agency's website as soon as possible.

Media are also invited to speak with NASA mission members, who are studying these thunderstorms, at the mission's base of operations at the Salina Regional Airport in Salina, Kansas, on Wednesday, June 8, from 8 a.m.  noon.

NASA and university scientists are studying thunderstorms for the second year in row as part of the Dynamics and Chemistry of the Summer Stratosphere (DCOTSS) mission. Though the storms develop in the troposphere, the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere where we live, intense thunderstorms can punch up into the next layer of the atmosphere, the stratosphere, and inject tiny atmospheric particles called aerosols, as well as water vapor. Mission scientists want to better understand how aerosols from tall, powerful storms affect the chemical makeup of the stratosphere, which is home to Earth's protective ozone layer. In addition, the water vapor these storms inject is a potent greenhouse gas that can affect our changing climate.

Teleconference participants include:

Kate Calvin, NASA chief scientist and senior climate advisor at NASA Headquarters in Washington

Ken Bowman, DCOTSS principal investigator and professor of atmospheric science, Texas A&M University

Media interested in participating in the call should request the dial in-details at least two hours prior to the start of the call. Media interested in interviewing mission members in person in Salina, Kansas, must request access by 7 a.m. CDT Wednesday, June 8. Interested media in either event should send their full name, media affiliation, email address, and phone number to Elena Johnson at [email protected] or Joe Atkinson at [email protected]. For NASA's media accreditation policy, please visit:

https://go.nasa.gov/3GQpoCj

Based at Building 703 of NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, located in Palmdale, California, the ER-2 aircraft will fly as high as 70,000 feet with 12 instruments attached to collect atmospheric chemistry samples that are carried above Earth's surface and into the ozone layer by these intense thunderstorms.

For more information on DCOTSS, visit:

https://www.dcotss.org/

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SOURCE NASA
NEW DELHI, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NFTICALLY, India's first global Web3 E-Commerce SaaS platform, unveiled its new brand logo as part of the brand's ongoing evolution. The bold all caps-logo defines the company's strength and positions itself as a distinctively unique market leader in the Global NFT ecosystem. The logo is altered to symbolize NFTICALLY's dynamic future in the NFTs, as well as the blockchain & Web 3.0 ecosystem for a unified immersive experience. Along with the logo upgrade, the brand has introduced new features to its website to strengthen the user experience.

First, a new feature which enables 'custom redirection for navigating logo link', has been introduced for NFT marketplace owners. With this feature, NFT Marketplace owners can add a custom link on the logo of their businesses for navigation to a specific page or site.

Furthermore, NFTICALLY has also introduced flexibility to choose wallet options for all the NFT marketplaces for both desktop and mobile for an enhanced experience.

"NFTICALLY believes in becoming the pillar for its Marketplace owners, users and visitors. With re-designing the logo and adding new features, NFTICALLY seeks to help all its stakeholders," said Toshendra Sharma, Founder and CEO of NFTICALLY.

"Our goal is to further establish the company's identity as the industry leader in our ecosystem. The new logo will help to perfectly define the company's vision, and current scope of capabilities as well as signal future growth plans for all stakeholders," Sharma added.

NFTICALLY has enrolled a new feature, "Show Top Collections" and "Show Top Sellers" to grab the attention of visitors for showcasing the top-selling NFTs on the homepage. Making it user centric, NFTICALLY has also enrolled an option to show/hide and browse by category feature for the homepage of NFT marketplaces. This feature is introduced to enhance the browsing experience of the visitors.

Over the span of 8 months, NFTICALLY has enabled over 21K+ NFTs and 8.5K+ listed stores from more than 50 countries across the globe; recording about 138% MoM growth in its users. This number makes up for one of the fastest growths of any platform seen globally.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nftically-unveils-new-logo-strengthens-user-interface-with-striking-new-features-301560887.html

SOURCE NFTICALLY
Donation Presented During Pre-Game Activities at Washington Nationals vs. Colorado Rockies Game

TYSONS, Va., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PenFed Credit Union, the nation's second-largest federal credit union, furthered its commitment to the military community with a $50,000 donation to the Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP) to help veterans thrive through the arts. PenFed Credit Union and PenFed Foundation Board of Directors Treasurer Sandra "Sam" Patricola presented the check to ASAP Executive Director Brian Jenkins during pre-game activities on the field of Nationals Park before the Nats squared off against the Colorado Rockies Sunday, May 29.

The donation will be used to fund ASAP's initiatives, including ASAP's "Combat to Comedy" performance at Caroline's on Broadway in New York City on Thursday, September 15. The night of laughs will feature comedy sets from ASAP military veteran comics, headline comedians and PenFed executives. To date, PenFed has donated over $200,000 to support the over 1,800 veterans in the ASAP community.

"We cannot underestimate the healing power of the arts," said Patricola. "I'm really proud of this partnership and that PenFed can support a community that is not only transforming lives through comedy, improv and storytelling, but saving them."

Graduates of ASAP's programs took part in several Nationals gameday traditions on the field including the ceremonial "Play Ball" announcement, line-up card delivery and holding of the Presidents Race finish line ribbon.

"We're so grateful for PenFed's deep commitment to the well-being of veterans and military families," said Jenkins. "This generous contribution will impact hundreds of veterans' lives, and it's just a part of what PenFed has done to give veterans the opportunity to build skills, grow their confidence, and join a supportive community through ASAP."

Donations to support the military community through ASAP can be made here.

About PenFed Credit Union

Established in 1935, Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) is America's second-largest federal credit union, serving over 2.8 million members worldwide with $35 billion in assets. PenFed Credit Union offers market-leading certificates, checking, credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and a wide range of other financial services. Our mission is to empower members of our community to achieve their financial well-being. PenFed Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA and is an Equal Housing Lender. To learn more about PenFed Credit Union, visit PenFed.org, like us on Facebook and follow us @PenFed on Twitter. Interested in working for PenFed? Check us out on LinkedIn. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

About the Armed Services Arts Partnership

The Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP) is the largest community arts organization serving the military community in the US. ASAP fosters creative communities where veterans and their families thrive through the arts. The nonprofit's free, immersive classes include stand-up comedy, storytelling, improv, creative writing, acting, drawing, and more. Peer-reviewed research demonstrates ASAP participants experience significant, lasting improvements in resilience, belonging, self-esteem, and integration of self. ASAP has served 2,000 veterans in eight years and ASAP alumni have performed for 150,000 audience members. Learn more at asapasap.org.

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SOURCE PenFed Credit Union
During National CPR & AED Awareness Week 2022, Texas Children's celebrates Garrett Richardson's inspiring story

HOUSTON, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Children's Hospital patient Garrett Richardson, 21, is alive today because his quick-thinking teacher was prepared and trained to act within minutes  a blessing his parents, Lake Charles, La. residents Monique and Craig Richardson, remember with gratitude nine years after their son's heart stopped.

During this week (June 1-7), celebrated in the U.S. as National CPR & AED Awareness Week, the Richardson family and their Texas Children's Heart Center care team are proud to share Garrett's inspiring, life-saving story to ensure others with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) also can be saved.

On Jan. 11, 2013, Garrett  a sixth-grade student at Immaculate Conception Cathedral School in Lake Charles at the time  challenged his classmate to a race up the school's three flights of stairs. When he reached the top, he collapsed directly in front of a Saint Therese statue, an unexpected victim of SCA. Without the immediate intervention of his teacher and former nurse Suzy Solari, Garrett never would have seen his 14th birthday. Instead, with an automatic external defibrillator (AED) on the wall within two arm's lengths from where he fell, Solari performed cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and shocked Garrett's heart with the AED, saving his young life. He traveled by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was stabilized before being transferred to Texas Children's in the Texas Medical Center.

Notably, Garrett never experienced a single symptom prior to his cardiac arrest.

"When my husband and I first arrived at the school following Garrett's cardiac arrest, we watched as paramedics loaded his stretcher into a waiting ambulance," said Monique. "Humbled and grateful, we immediately thanked God that his school had an emergency action plan in place  including trained teachers and access to an AED  for just such an unexpected, terrifying event. Our next thought was, 'We're taking him straight to Texas Children's Hospital.'"

Texas Children's care team first diagnosed Garrett with Long QT Syndrome  a rare condition that can cause an irregular heartbeat  when he was 2 years old. Following Garrett's near-death experience as a teenager, Dr. Jeffrey J. Kim, Director of the Arrhythmia and Pacing (Electrophysiology) Service at Texas Children's Hospital, and Professor of Pediatrics-Cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine, helped stabilize his heart rhythm and surgically placed an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in his young patient's heart to help prevent future sudden death events.

"I am incredibly grateful for the training and quick thinking of Ms. Solari," said Dr. Kim. "Without her awareness of how to respond in this scenario, and her ability to perform CPR and use an AED, the world would've lost an incredible young man who has so much to contribute to life."

Now, with a good prognosis, Garrett is a junior at the University of New Orleans, where he is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree with the goal of becoming a professor. He continues to return to Texas Children's every six months to meet with Dr. Kim, with whom he shares a special friendship.

Both Dr. Kim and the Richardson family continue to collaborate with the Sudden Arrhythmia Syndromes (SADS) Foundation to increase awareness about SCA and the importance of CPR and AEDs in saving the lives of individuals with abnormal heart rhythms. Dr. Kim, who received the first SADS Foundation Courts K. Cleveland Jr. Young Investigator Award in 2008, is organizing the SADS Foundation's 2022 International Conference for medical professionals at Texas Children's in November, where they will continue to educate the next generation of physicians on diseases that cause sudden death in children.

"Genetic cardiac arrhythmias like Long QT Syndrome are among the primary causes of sudden cardiac arrest in young people  but they're treatable conditions," said Alice Lara, President and CEO of the SADS Foundation. "Over 7,000 children and young adults are affected by SCA each year, but with increased access to AEDs and CPR training, sudden cardiac arrest doesn't have to be fatal."

For more information about Texas Children's Heart Center, please visit https://www.texaschildrens.org/departments/heart-center. For more information about the SADS Foundation, visit http://www.sads.org.

About Texas Children's Hospital

Texas Children's Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children's hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children's has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women's health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children's care for communities north of Houston. The organization also created Texas Children's Health Plan, the nation's first HMO for children; Texas Children's Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children's Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that's channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children's Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.

About the SADS Foundation

The Sudden Arrhythmia Syndromes (SADS) Foundation exists to save the lives and support the families of children and young adults who are genetically predisposed to sudden death due to heart rhythm abnormalities. For more information, visit https://www.sads.org.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/texas-childrens-hospital-patient-thriving-today-despite-sudden-cardiac-arrest-301560660.html

SOURCE Texas Children's Hospital
Exhibit 10.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this Agreement) is made and entered into as of the 31st day of May 2022, by and between Eagle Financial Services, Inc., a Virginia corporation (the Corporation) and Joseph T. Zmitrovich (Employee). This Agreement amends and restates the employment agreement entered into as of January 10, 2020.

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Corporation is a bank holding company engaged in the operation of a bank;

WHEREAS, Employee has been involved in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation and, therefore, possesses managerial experience, knowledge, skills and expertise in such type of business; and

WHEREAS, the Corporation wishes to retain Employees valuable services in an expanded role and commensurate salary increase, and Employee wishes to make his services available to the Corporation on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

TERMS OF AGREEMENT

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and of the mutual promises and undertakings of the parties as hereinafter set forth, the parties covenant and agree as follows:

Section 1. Employment . (a) Employee shall be employed as Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer of the Corporation and President and Chief Banking Officer of the Corporations wholly-owned subsidiary, Bank of Clarke County (the Bank) and shall discharge such duties and as may be assigned to him by the Corporation or the Bank from time to time.

(b) References in this Agreement to services rendered for the Corporation and compensation and benefits payable or provided by the Corporation shall include services rendered for and compensation and benefits payable or provided by any Affiliate. References in this Agreement to the Corporation also shall mean and refer to each Affiliate for which Employee performs services. References in this Agreement to Affiliate shall mean any business entity that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, is controlled by the Corporation, including but not limited to the Bank.

Section 2. Term and Renewal . The initial term of this Agreement shall end on December 31, 2022 unless earlier terminated as provided herein. However, on December 31, 2022, and each December 31 thereafter, the term of this Agreement shall be renewed and

extended by one year, unless Employee or the Corporation gives notice to the other in writing, at least 90 days prior to the applicable December 31 , that the term shall not be renew ed and extended .

Section 3. Exclusive Service . Employee shall devote his best efforts and full business time to rendering services on behalf of the Corporation in furtherance of its best interests. Employee shall comply with all policies, standards and regulations of the Corporation now or hereafter promulgated and shall perform his duties under this Agreement to the best of his abilities and in accordance with standards of conduct applicable to officers of banks.

Section 4. Compensation and Benefits .

(a) Salary . As compensation while employed hereunder, Employee, during his faithful performance of this Agreement, in whatever capacity rendered, shall receive an annual base salary of $373,000 payable in accordance with the normal payroll procedures and schedule of the Corporation, but no less frequently than monthly. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, may increase Employees base salary during the term of this Agreement. The Corporation shall withhold from such salary payments amounts for state and federal income taxes, social security taxes, and such other payroll deductions as may from time to time be required by law. Except as otherwise expressly set forth hereunder, no compensation shall be paid pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any month or portion thereof subsequent to any termination of Employees employment by the Corporation.

(b) Corporate Benefit Plans . Employee shall be entitled to participate in or become a participant in all cash and non-cash employee benefit plans maintained by the Corporation for its executive officers.

(c) Bonuses . Employee shall receive only such bonuses as the Board of Directors, in its discretion, decides to pay to Employee. The Corporation shall withhold from such bonus payments amounts for state and federal income taxes, social security taxes, and such other payroll deductions as may from time to time be required by law

(d) Expense Account . The Corporation shall reimburse Employee for reasonable and customary business expenses incurred in the conduct of the Corporations business. Such expenses will include business meals, out-of-town lodging and travel expenses and other items identified in written rules and policies of the Corporation. Employee agrees to timely submit records and receipts of reimbursable items and agrees that the Corporation can adopt reasonable rules and policies regarding such reimbursement. The Corporation agrees to make prompt payment to Employee following receipt and verification of such reports. No reimbursement provided under this Section 4(d) during one calendar year shall affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement during another calendar year.

(e) Paid Time Off . Employee shall be entitled to the same paid time off policies as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate for all full-time employees of the Corporation.

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Section 5. Termination .



(a) Notwithstanding the termination of Employees employment pursuant to any provision of this Agreement, the parties shall be required to carry out any provisions of this Agreement which contemplate performance by them subsequent to such termination. In addition, no termination shall affect any liability or other obligation of either party which shall have accrued prior to such termination, including, but not limited to, any liability, loss or damage on account of breach. No termination of employment shall terminate the obligation of the Corporation to make payments of any vested benefits provided hereunder or the obligations of Employee under Sections 6, 7 and 8.

(b) Employees employment hereunder may be terminated by Employee upon thirty (30) days prior written notice to the Corporation, or otherwise at any time by mutual agreement in writing.

(c) This Agreement shall terminate upon death of Employee; provided, however, that in such event the Corporation shall pay to the estate of Employee the compensation including salary and accrued bonus, if any, which otherwise would be payable to Employee through the end of the month in which his death occurs.

(d) (1) The Corporation may terminate Employees employment other than for Cause, as defined in Section 5(e), at any time upon written notice to Employee, which termination shall be effective immediately. Employee may resign thirty (30) days after notice to the Corporation for Good Reason, as hereafter defined, subject to the following. Employee must provide written notice to the Corporation of the existence of the event or condition constituting such Good Reason within ninety (90) days of the initial occurrence of the event or condition alleged to constitute Good Reason. Upon delivery of such notice, the Corporation shall have a period of thirty (30) days during which it may remedy in good faith the event or condition constituting Good Reason, and Employees employment shall continue in effect during such time so long as the Corporation is making diligent efforts to cure. In the event the Corporation shall remedy in good faith the event or condition constituting Good Reason, as determined by the Employees good faith and reasonable judgment, then such notice of termination shall be null and void, and the Corporation shall not be required to pay the amount due to Employee under this Section 5(d) (or under Section 5(i), if applicable.) In the event Employees employment terminates pursuant to this Section 5(d), provided the Executive signs a release and waiver of claims in a form satisfactory to the Corporation, which the Corporation shall provide to Employee no later than the date of termination (the Release), and the Release has become effective within thirty (30) days of Employees date of termination:

(i) Employee shall continue to receive his base salary at the rate in effect immediately preceding such termination, for twenty-four (24) months following Employees termination of employment (the Severance Period) such payments to be made at the times such payments would have been made in accordance with Section 4(a);

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(ii) Employee shall receive a payment in cash, less applicable deductions and withholdings, within thirty (30) days of Employees date of termination equal to the greater of (a) the amount of the highest cash bonus paid or payable to him in respect of any of the three (3) fiscal years of the Corporation prior to the fiscal year in which his employment terminates, and (b) the amount of cash bonus Employee was designated to receive under the Corporations annual incentive plan;

(iii) Employee shall receive a welfare continuance benefit (the Welfare Continuance Benefit) in an amount equal to (x) eighteen (18) times (y) the excess of the premium that would apply as of Employees date of termination for continued health, dental and vision coverage for Employee and his qualified beneficiaries (as defined in Section 4980B of the Code), if COBRA continuation were elected for such coverage, over the amount that Employee paid for such coverage immediately before the termination of his employment. Employee may use the Welfare Continuance Benefit, as Employee wishes, including for payment of insurance premiums. The Welfare Continuance Benefit will be paid in a lump sum cash payment, less applicable deductions and withholdings, within thirty (30) days of Employees date of termination.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary:

(i) If Employee breaches Section 6 or 7, Employee will not thereafter be entitled to receive any further compensation or benefits pursuant to this Section 5(d); and

(ii) If, while he is receiving payments under this Section 5(d), Employee engages in a Competitive Business within the area described in Section 7(a)(i) or otherwise engages in conduct described in Section 7(a) or Section 7(b), such payments will cease and he will not thereafter be entitled to receive any compensation or benefits pursuant to this Section 5(d) even though such conduct occurs after the covenants contained in Section 7 have expired.

(3) Except as set forth in Section 5(d)(2), upon the timely execution and non-revocation of the Release, the Corporations obligation to pay Employee the compensation provided in Section 5(d)(1) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstances, including, without limitation, any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which the Corporation may have against him or anyone else. All amounts payable by the Corporation hereunder shall be paid without notice or demand. Each and every payment made hereunder by the Corporation shall be final and the Corporation will not seek to recover all or any part of such payment from Employee or from whosoever may be entitled thereto, for any reason whatsoever. Employee shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided for in this Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise.

(4) For purposes of this Agreement, Good Reason shall mean:

(i) Requiring Employee to maintain his principal office outside of a 25-mile radius of Clarke County, Virginia unless the Corporation moves its principal executive offices to

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the place to which Employee is required to move;

(ii) A reduction by the Corporation of Employees base salary, as the same may have been increased from time to time;

(iii) The failure of the Corporation to provide Employee with either substantially the same fringe benefits as provided to him at the inception of this Agreement or with in fringe benefits that are as least as favorable, in the aggregate, as fringe benefits provided to him at the inception of this Agreement;

(iv) The Corporations failure to comply with any material term of this Agreement (other than a change in Employees duties or title, which shall not constitute Good Reason); or

(v) The failure of the Corporation to obtain the assumption of and agreement to perform this Agreement by any successor as contemplated in Section 9 hereof.

(e) The Corporation shall have the right to terminate Employees employment under this Agreement at any time for Cause, as defined herein, which termination shall be effective immediately. Termination for Cause shall include termination for any of the following reasons, as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Company: Employees personal dishonesty, incompetence, willful misconduct, breach of a fiduciary duty involving personal profit, intentional failure to perform stated duties of Employees position, willful violation of any law, rule or regulation (other than traffic violations or similar offenses) or final cease-and-desist order, conviction of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, misappropriation of the Corporations assets or those of its Affiliates, a material violation of the Corporations work rules, Code of Ethics or policies, or material breach of any other provision of this Agreement, in each case which is not remedied by Employee (if reasonably capable of remedy) within thirty (30) after the date the Corporation provides written notice to Employee of the issue. The term Cause also shall include the Employees failure for any reason within thirty (30) days after receipt by Employee of written notice from the Corporation to correct, cease, or otherwise alter any action or omission that could materially or adversely affect the Corporations profits, reputation or operations.

In the event Employees employment under this Agreement is terminated for Cause, Employee shall thereafter have no right to receive compensation or other benefits under this Agreement.

(f) The Corporation may terminate Employees employment under this Agreement, after having established Employees disability by giving to Employee written notice of its intention to terminate his employment for disability and his employment with the Corporation shall terminate effective on the ninetieth (90th) day, or at the end of accrued time off (sick, vacation, personal), after receipt of such notice if within ninety (90) days, or the number of available accrued days (sick, vacation, personal), after such receipt Employee shall fail to return to the full-time performance of the essential functions of his position (and if Employees disability has been established pursuant to the definition of disability set forth below). For purposes of this

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Agreement, disability means either ( i ) disability which after the expiration of more than thirteen (13) consecutive weeks after its commencement is determined to be total and permanent by a physician selected and paid for by the Corporation or its insurers, and acceptable to Employee or his legal representative, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or (ii) disability as defined in the policy of disability insurance maintained by the Corporation or its Affiliates for the benefit of Employee, whichever shall be more favorable to Employee. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Corporation shall comply with all requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C.  12101 et. seq.

(g) If Employee is suspended and/or temporarily prohibited from participating in the conduct of the Corporations affairs by a notice served pursuant to the Federal Reserve Act, the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 or the Federal Deposit Insurance Act or the Code of Virginia, each as amended, the Corporations obligations under this Agreement shall be suspended as of the date of service unless stayed by appropriate proceedings. If the charges in the notice are dismissed, the Corporation may in its discretion (i) pay Employee all or part of the compensation withheld while its contract obligations were suspended, and (ii) reinstate (in whole or in part) any of its obligations which were suspended with any such payment made by March 15 following the calendar year in which such charges are dismissed.

(h) If Employee is removed and/or permanently prohibited from participating in the conduct of the Corporations affairs by an order issued under the Federal Reserve Act, the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 or the Federal Deposit Insurance Act or the Code of Virginia, each as amended, all obligations of the Corporation under this Agreement, and Employees obligations under Section 7(a) of this Agreement, shall terminate as of the effective date of the order, but vested rights of the parties shall not be affected.

(i) (1) If Employees employment is terminated without Cause or if he resigns for Good Reason within one year after a Change of Control shall have occurred, then, provided the Executive signs the Release, and the Release has become effective within thirty (30) days of Employees date of termination, then on or within thirty (30) days following Employees last day of employment with the Corporation, the Corporation shall pay to Employee a lump sum cash amount (subject to any applicable payroll or other taxes required to be withheld) equal to the excess, if any, of 299% of Employees annualized includable compensation for the base period, as defined in Section 280G of Code, over the total amount payable to Employee under Section 5(d).

(2) For purposes of this Agreement, a Change of Control occurs if, after the date of this Agreement, (i) any person, including a group as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, becomes the owner or beneficial owner of Corporation securities having 50% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding Corporation securities that may be cast for the election of the Corporations directors other than a result of an issuance of securities initiated by the Corporation, or open market purchases approved by the Board of Directors, as long as the majority of the Board of Directors approving the purchases is a majority at the time the purchases are made; or (ii) as the direct or indirect result of, or in connection with, a tender or exchange offer, a merger or other business

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combination, a sale of assets, a contested election of directors, or any combination of these events, the persons who were directors of the Corporation before such events cease to constitute a majority of the Corporations Board, or any successors board, within one year of the last of such transactions. For purposes of this Agreement, a Change of Control occurs on the date on which an event described in ( i ) or (ii) occurs. If a Change of Control occurs on account of a series of transactions or events, the Change of Control occurs on the date of the last of such transactions or events.

(3) It is the intention of the parties that no payment be made or benefit provided to Employee pursuant to this Agreement that would constitute an excess parachute payment within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and any regulations thereunder, thereby resulting in a loss of an income tax deduction by the Corporation or the imposition of an excise tax on Employee under Section 4999 of the Code. If the independent accountants serving as auditors for the Corporation on the date of a Change of Control (or any other accounting firm designated by the Corporation) determine that some or all of the payments or benefits scheduled under this Agreement, together with any other payments or benefits to which Employee is entitled under this Agreement or otherwise, would be nondeductible by the Corporation under Section 280G of the Code, then the payments scheduled under this Agreement will be reduced to one dollar less than the maximum amount which may be paid without causing any such payment or benefit to be nondeductible. The determination made as to the reduction of benefits or payments required hereunder by the independent accountants shall be binding on the parties.

(j) Effective upon Employees termination of employment for any reason, Employee shall be deemed to have resigned from all positions that Employee holds as an officer, employee, or member of the Board of Directors (or committee thereof) of the Corporation or any of its Affiliates.

Section 6. Confidentiality/Nondisclosure and Return of Property . Employee covenants and agrees that any and all proprietary information maintained as confidential by the Corporation concerning its customers, or its businesses and services of which he has knowledge or access as a result of his association with the Corporation in any capacity, shall be deemed confidential in nature and shall not, without the proper written consent of the Corporation, be directly or indirectly used, disseminated, disclosed or published by Employee to third parties other than in connection with the usual conduct of the business of the Corporation. Such information shall expressly include, but shall not be limited to, information concerning the Corporations trade secrets within the meaning of the Virginia Trade Secrets Act, business operations, business records, customer lists or other customer information. Upon termination of employment for any reason, Employee shall deliver to the Corporation all originals and copies of documents, forms, records or other information, in whatever form it may exist, concerning the Corporation or its business, customers, products or services. This Section 6 shall not be applicable to any information which, through no misconduct or negligence of Employee, has previously been disclosed to the public by anyone other than Employee.

Section 7. Restrictive Covenants.

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(a) During the term of this Agreement and throughout any further period that he is an officer or employee of the Corporation, and for a period of twelve (12) months from and after the date that Employee is (for any reason) no longer employed by the Corporation, Employee covenants and agrees that he will not, directly or indirectly, either as a principal, agent, employee, employer, stockholder, co-partner or in any other individual or representative capacity whatsoever: (i) engage in a Competitive Business anywhere within a fifty (50) mile radius of any branch location or loan production office of the Corporation or the Bank as of the date Employees employment terminates (the Restricted Territory); or (ii) solicit, or assist any other person or business entity in soliciting, any then-active depositors or other then-active customers of the Corporation or the Bank who were depositors or customers of the Corporation or the Bank during Employees employment with the Corporation to make deposits in or to become customers of any other financial institution conducting a Competitive Business anywhere within the Restricted Territory. As used in this Agreement, the term Competitive Business means all banking and financial products and services and any other products and services substantially similar to those offered by the Corporation on the date that Employees employment terminates. Employees obligations under this Section 7(a) shall terminate on the date a Change of Control occurs.

(b) During the term of this Agreement and throughout any further period that he is an officer or employee of the Corporation, and for a period of twelve (12) months from and after the date that Employee is (for any reason) no longer employed by the Corporation, Employee covenants and agrees that he will not, directly or indirectly, either as a principal, agent, employee, employer, stockholder, co-partner or in any other individual or representative capacity whatsoever induce any individuals who were employed with the Corporation or the Bank during Employees employment with the Corporation to terminate their employment with the Corporation or the Bank.

Section 8. Injunctive Relief, Damages, Etc .

(a) Employee agrees that given the nature of the positions held by Employee with the Corporation, that each and every one of the covenants and restrictions set forth in Sections 6 and 7 above are reasonable in scope, length of time and geographic area and are necessary for the protection of the significant investment of the Corporation in developing, maintaining and expanding its business. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that in the event of any breach by Employee of any of the provisions of Sections 6 or 7 that monetary damages alone will not adequately compensate the Corporation for its losses and, therefore, that it may seek any and all legal or equitable relief available to it, specifically including, but not limited to, injunctive relief and Employee shall be liable for all damages, including actual and consequential damages, costs and expenses incurred by the Corporation as a result of taking action to enforce, or recover for any breach of, Section 6 or Section 7.

(b) The covenants contained in Sections 6 and 7 shall be construed and interpreted in any judicial proceeding to permit their enforcement to the maximum extent permitted by law. Should a court of competent jurisdiction determine that any provision of the covenants and restrictions set forth in Section 7 above is unenforceable as being overbroad as to time, area or

8

scope, if consistent with applicable public policy, the court may strike the offending provision or reform such provision to substitute such other terms as are reasonable to protect the Corporations legitimate business interests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties acknowledge and agree that if the provisions of this Section 8(b) are held to be impermissible under applicable law, such provisions shall have no force and effect and the determination shall not affect the validity of the remainder of the Agreement, including any other provision, paragraph or subparagraph.

Section 9. Binding Effect/Assignability . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Corporation and Employee and their respective heirs, legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, but neither this Agreement, nor any of the rights hereunder, shall be assignable by Employee or any beneficiary or beneficiaries designated by Employee. The Corporation will require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business, stock or assets of the Corporation, by agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Employee, to expressly assume and agree to perform this Agreement in its entirety. Failure of the Corporation to obtain such agreement prior to the effectiveness of any such succession shall be a breach of this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, Corporation shall include any successor to its business, stock or assets as aforesaid which executes and delivers the agreement provided for in this Section 9 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by operation of law.

Section 10. Governing Law . This Agreement shall be subject to and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Section 11. Invalid Provisions . The invalidity or unenforceability of any particular provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provisions hereof, and this Agreement shall be construed in all respects as if such invalid or unenforceable provisions were omitted.

Section 12. Notices . Any and all notices, designations, consents, offers, acceptance or any other communications provided for herein shall be given in writing and shall be deemed properly delivered if delivered in person or by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed in the case of the Corporation to its registered office or in the case of Employee to his last known address.

Section 13. Entire Agreement .

(a) This Agreement, as amended and restated hereby, constitutes the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any and all other agreements, either oral or in writing, among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

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(b) This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be considered an original copy of this Agreement, but all of which together shall evidence only one agreement.

Section 14. Amendment and Waiver . This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed by or on behalf of each of the parties hereto. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be valid unless in writing and signed by the person or party to be charged.

Section 15. Case and Gender . Wherever required by the context of this Agreement, the singular or plural case and the masculine, feminine and neuter genders shall be interchangeable.

Section 16. Captions . The captions used in this Agreement are intended for descriptive and reference purposes only and are not intended to affect the meaning of any Section hereunder.

Section 17. Section 409A . This Agreement is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code or an exemption thereunder and shall be construed and administered accordingly. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, payments provided under this Agreement may only be made upon an event and in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code or an applicable exemption. Any payments under this Agreement that may be excluded from Section 409A of the Code either as separation pay due to an involuntary separation from service or as a short-term deferral shall be excluded from Section 409A of the Code to the maximum extent possible. For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, each payment under this Agreement, including each installment payment under this Agreement, shall be treated as a separate payment. Any payments to be made under this Agreement upon a termination of employment shall only be made upon a separation from service under Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation makes no representations that the payments and benefits provided under this Agreement comply with Section 409A of the Code and in no event shall the Corporation be liable for all or any portion of any taxes, penalties, interest or other expenses that may be incurred by Employee on account of non-compliance with Section 409A of the Code.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any payment or benefit provided to Employee in connection with Employees termination of employment is determined to constitute nonqualified deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and Employee is determined to be a specified employee as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(b)( i) of the Code, then such payment or benefit shall not be paid until the first payroll date to occur following the six-month anniversary of the date of termination or, if sooner, the date of Employees death (the Specified Employee Payment Date). The aggregate of any payments that would otherwise have been paid before the Specified Employee Payment Date shall be paid to Employee in a lump sum on the Specified Employee Payment Date and thereafter, any remaining payments shall be paid without delay in accordance with their original schedule.

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Any payment under Section 5 of this Agreement that is determined to constitute nonqualified deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, and that is subject to a releases becoming effective, and that would otherwise be paid in the first 30 days after your termination date shall be paid, if at all, on such 30th day (subject to any required delay under the preceding paragraph) and any remaining payments shall be made in accordance with their original schedule.

Payments with respect to reimbursements of expenses or in-kind benefits shall be paid or provided in accordance with the Corporations applicable policy or benefit plan, but in all events reimbursements shall be paid no later than the last day of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the relevant expense is incurred. The amount of expenses or benefits eligible for reimbursement, payment or provision during a calendar year shall not affect the expenses or benefits eligible for reimbursement or provision in any other calendar year.

Section 18. Regulatory Prohibition . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, it is understood and agreed that the Corporation (or any of its successors in interest) shall not be required to make any payment or take any action under this Agreement if: (i) such payment or action is prohibited by any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries (a Regulatory Authority) because the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries is determined by such Regulatory Authority to be troubled, insolvent, in default or operating in an unsafe or unsound manner; or (ii) such payment or action (A) would be prohibited by or would violate any provision of state or federal law applicable to the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries, including, without limitation, the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations thereunder presently found at 12 C.F.R. Part 359, as now in effect or hereafter amended, (B) would be prohibited by or would violate any applicable rules, regulations, orders or statements of policy, whether now existing or hereafter promulgated, or any Regulatory Authority or (C) otherwise would be prohibited by any Regulatory Authority. If any payment hereunder is found by any Regulatory Authority, after a full and fair opportunity to be heard, to be in violation of the foregoing, any payment found to have been made in violation of the foregoing shall be immediately returned by Executive to the Corporation.

[Signatures on next page]





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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Agreement to be signed by its duly authorized officer and Employee has hereunto set his hand and seal on the day and year first above written.

EAGLE FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. By: Title: President and Chief Executive Officer ATTEST: EMPLOYEE Joseph T. Zmitrovich ATTEST:

40787189v5

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Exhibit 99.1

ZMITROVICH NAMED BANK PRESIDENT AND CHIEF BANKING OFFICER FOR BANK OF CLARKE COUNTY

Contacts: Brandon Lorey, CEO 540-955-2510

[email protected] om

Kathleen J. Chappell, Executive Vice President & CFO 540-955-2510

[email protected]

BERRYVILLE, VIRGINIA (June 1, 2022)  Bank of Clarke County, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eagle Financial Services, Inc., whose divisions include Eagle Investment Group, announced that Joseph (Joe) T. Zmitrovich has been appointed President and Chief Banking Officer for the Bank. In this new position, Joe will head up merger and acquisition strategy to ensure full engagement in acquisition plans related to individual branch expansion, niche business acquisition, and whole bank purchases, while continuing his oversight of commercial lending, retail banking, cash management, loan operations and loan servicing. Mr. Zmitrovich joined the Bank in 2016 as its Senior Vice President and Lending Officer. In 2019, Joe was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer and in 2021, to Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer. Mr. Zmitrovich has over 29 years of banking experience and prior to joining the Bank, Joe served as Market President of the Southern Pennsylvania region for BB&T from 2015 to July 2016. From 2008 to 2015 he served as Senior Vice President and Commercial Executive for Susquehanna Bank. Mr. Zmitrovich currently serves on the Boards of the Loudoun County Chamber and Bankers Title Shenandoah. Brandon Lorey, Bank of Clarke County CEO, stated Given the increased complexity of our organization, this was a natural next step for both the Bank and for Joe. I am thrilled to leverage Joes background and expertise in mergers and acquisitions as we continue to look for acquisition opportunities, grow organically, and enhance shareholder value.

Eagle Financial Services, Inc. is a bank holding company which wholly owns Bank of Clarke County (the Bank). The Bank offers a wide range of retail and commercial banking services, including demand, savings, and time deposits and consumer and commercial loans. The Bank also offers both a trust department and investment services and has 13 full-service branches, two loan production offices, and one drive-through only facility. The Bank serves Northern Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley area, with branches located in Clarke County, Frederick County VA, Loudon County, Fairfax County, Frederick County MD, and the Towns of Leesburg, Purcellville, and Warrenton, and the City of Winchester.
 Quorum . At all meetings of the stockholders, the holders of one third of the votes of the shares of stock of the Corporation issued and outstanding and entitled to vote shall be present in person or by proxy to constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business, except when stockholders are required to vote by class, in which event a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of the appropriate class shall be present in person or by proxy, or except as otherwise provided by statute or in the Corporations Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the Certificate of Incorporation). In the absence of a quorum, the holders of a majority of the votes of the shares of stock present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote, or if no stockholder entitled to vote is present, then the chairman of the meeting, as set forth in Section 6 below, may adjourn the meeting from time to time. At any such adjourned meeting at which a quorum may be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally called.
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant 

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant 

Check the appropriate box:  Preliminary Proxy Statement  Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))  Definitive Proxy Statement  Definitive Additional Materials  Soliciting Material Pursuant to  240.14a-12

BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust

BlackRock Capital Allocation Trust

BlackRock Core Bond Trust

BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust

BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Energy and Resources Trust

BlackRock Enhanced Capital and Income Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Trust

BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust

BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Enhanced International Dividend Trust

BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Trust

BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Floating Rate Income Trust

BlackRock Health Sciences Trust

BlackRock Health Sciences Trust II

BlackRock Income Trust, Inc.

BlackRock Innovation and Growth Trust

BlackRock Investment Quality Municipal Trust, Inc.

BlackRock Limited Duration Income Trust

BlackRock Long-Term Municipal Advantage Trust

BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust

BlackRock MuniAssets Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust

BlackRock Municipal Income Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Municipal Income Quality Trust

BlackRock Municipal Income Trust

BlackRock Municipal Income Trust II

BlackRock MuniHoldings California Quality Fund, Inc.

BlackRock MuniHoldings Fund, Inc.

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund, Inc.

BlackRock MuniHoldings New York Quality Fund, Inc.

BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II, Inc.

BlackRock MuniVest Fund II, Inc.

BlackRock MuniVest Fund, Inc.

BlackRock MuniYield Fund, Inc.

BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc.

BlackRock MuniYield New York Quality Fund, Inc.

BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund II, Inc.

BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III, Inc.

BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund, Inc.

BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust

BlackRock Resources & Commodities Strategy Trust

BlackRock Science and Technology Trust

BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II

BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust

BlackRock Utilities, Infrastructure & Power Opportunities Trust

BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):  No fee required  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials  Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11

June 3, 2022

Dear Shareholder:

A joint annual meeting of the shareholders of the BlackRock Closed-End Funds listed in Appendix A to the enclosed joint proxy statement (each, a Fund) will be held on Monday, July 25, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern time), to consider and vote on the proposal discussed in the enclosed joint proxy statement. Due to the public health impact of COVID-19 and to support the health and well-being of our shareholders, employees and the community, the meeting will be held in a virtual meeting format only. Shareholders will not have to travel to attend the meeting but will be able to view the meeting live and cast their votes by accessing a web link.

The purpose of the meeting is to seek shareholder approval of the nominees named in the enclosed joint proxy statement to the Boards of Directors or Trustees (each, a Board and collectively, the Boards, the members of which are referred to as Board Members) of each Fund. Each Board has unanimously approved the nominees named in the enclosed joint proxy statement on behalf of its Fund (the Board Nominees), subject to approval by the Funds shareholders. The Boards have reviewed the qualifications and backgrounds of the Board Nominees and believe that they possess the requisite experience in overseeing investment companies and that their election is in your best interest.

The Board Members responsible for your Fund recommend that you vote  FOR  the Board Nominees for your Fund. In connection with your vote, we urge you to read the full text of the enclosed joint proxy statement.

You have received this joint proxy statement because you were a shareholder of record of at least one of the Funds listed in Appendix A on May 27, 2022 (the Record Date). Another BlackRock Closed-End Fund not listed in Appendix A will also hold its annual meeting of shareholders on the date stated above, but at a different time. If you were also a shareholder of record on the Record Date of such other fund, you will receive a separate proxy statement and proxy card relating to such fund. Please be certain to vote by telephone or via the Internet with respect to each fund in which you are a shareholder of record or sign, date and return each proxy card you receive from us.

We would like to assure you of our commitment to ensuring that the joint annual meeting provides shareholders with a meaningful opportunity to participate, including the ability to ask questions of the Boards and management. To support these efforts, we will:

 Provide for shareholders to begin logging into the joint annual meeting at 9:30 a.m., Eastern time on Monday, July 25, 2022, thirty minutes in advance of the joint annual meeting.

 Permit shareholders attending the joint annual meeting to submit questions via live webcast during the joint annual meeting by following the instructions available on the meeting website during the joint annual meeting. Questions relevant to joint annual meeting matters will be answered during the joint annual meeting, subject to time constraints.

 Engage with and respond to shareholders who ask questions relevant to joint annual meeting matters that are not answered during the joint annual meeting due to time constraints.

 Provide the ability for participating shareholders who hold Fund shares in their name to vote or revoke their prior vote at the joint annual meeting by following the instructions that will be available on the meeting website during the joint annual meeting. Participating shareholders who are beneficial shareholders (that is if they hold Fund shares through a bank, broker, financial intermediary or other nominee) will not be able to vote at the joint annual meeting unless they have registered in advance to attend the joint annual meeting, as described below.

Your vote is important. Attendance at the annual meeting will be limited to each Funds shareholders as of the Record Date.

If your shares in a Fund are registered in your name, you may attend and participate in the meeting at meetnow.global/MJU4PLZ by entering the control number found in the shaded box on your proxy card on the date and time of the meeting. You may vote during the meeting by following the instructions that will be available on the meeting website during the meeting.

If you are a beneficial shareholder of a Fund (that is if you hold your shares of a Fund through a bank, broker, financial intermediary or other nominee) and want to attend the meeting you must register in advance of the meeting. To register, you must submit proof of your proxy power (legal proxy) reflecting your Fund holdings along with your name and email address to Georgeson LLC, the Funds tabulator. You may email an image of your legal proxy to [email protected] Requests for registration must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) three business days prior to the meeting date. You will receive a confirmation email from Georgeson LLC (through Computershare) of your registration and a control number and security code that will allow you to vote at the meeting.

Even if you plan to attend the meeting, please promptly follow the enclosed instructions to submit your voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet. Alternatively, you may submit voting instructions by signing and dating each proxy card you receive, and if received by mail, returning it in the accompanying postage-paid return envelope.

We encourage you to carefully review the enclosed materials, which explain this proposal in more detail. As a shareholder, your vote is important, and we hope that you will respond today to ensure that your shares will be represented at the meeting. You may vote using one of the methods below by following the instructions on your proxy card or voting instruction form(s):

 By touch-tone telephone;

 By Internet;

 By signing, dating and returning the enclosed proxy card or voting instruction form(s) in the postage-paid envelope; or

 By participating at the meeting as described above.

If you do not vote using one of these methods, you may be called by Georgeson LLC, the Funds proxy solicitor, to vote your shares.

If you have any questions about the proposal to be voted on or the virtual meeting, please call Georgeson LLC, the firm assisting us in the solicitation of proxies, toll free at 1-866-328-5445.

Sincerely,

Janey Ahn

Secretary of the Funds

40 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

FOR FUND SHAREHOLDERS

While we encourage you to read the full text of the enclosed joint proxy statement, for your convenience we have provided a brief overview of the matters to be voted on.

Questions and Answers

Q: Why am I receiving the joint proxy statement?

A: Each Fund is required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders for the election of Board Members. This joint proxy statement describes a proposal to approve the nominees to the Board of the Fund(s) in which you own shares and provides you with other information relating to the meeting. The enclosed proxy card(s) indicate the Fund(s) in which you own shares. The table starting on page 9 of the joint proxy statement identifies the Board Members, including the Board Nominees, for each Fund.

Q: Will my vote make a difference?

A: YES. Your vote is very important and can make a difference in the governance and management of your Fund(s), no matter how many shares you own. We encourage all shareholders to participate in the governance of their Fund(s). Your vote can help ensure that the Board Nominees will be elected.

Q: How do the Boards of the Funds recommend that I vote?

A: The Boards have reviewed the qualifications and backgrounds of the Board Nominees and believe that the Board Nominees possess the requisite experience in overseeing investment companies and are familiar with the Funds and their investment advisers. The Boards have approved the Board Nominees named in the joint proxy statement, believe their election is in your best interest and unanimously recommend that you vote  FOR  each Board Nominee.

Q: When and where will the meeting be held?

A: The meeting will be held on Monday, July 25, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern time). Due to the public health impact of COVID-19 and to support the health and well-being of our shareholders, employees and the community, the meeting will be held in a virtual meeting format only. Shareholders will not have to travel to attend the meeting but will be able to view the meeting live and cast their votes by accessing a web link.

Q: How do I vote my shares?

A: You can provide voting instructions by telephone, by calling the toll-free number on the proxy card(s) or on the Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Joint Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be Held on July 25, 2022 (the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials), or by going to the Internet address provided on the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials or proxy card(s) and following the instructions. If you vote by telephone or via the Internet, you will be asked to enter a unique code that has been assigned to you, which is printed on your proxy card(s) or Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, as applicable. This code is designed to confirm your identity, provide access to the voting website and confirm that your voting instructions are properly recorded. Alternatively, if you received your proxy card(s) by mail, you can vote your shares by signing and dating the proxy card(s) and mailing it (them) in the enclosed postage-paid envelope.

You may also vote at the meeting; however, even if you plan to attend the virtual meeting, we still encourage you to provide voting instructions by one of the methods discussed above. In addition, we ask that you please note the following:

If your shares in a Fund are registered in your name, you may attend and participate in the meeting at meetnow.global/MJU4PLZ by entering the control number found in the shaded box on your proxy card on the date and time of the meeting. You may vote during the meeting by following the instructions that will be available on the meeting website during the meeting.

Also, if you are a beneficial shareholder of a Fund, you will not be able to vote at the virtual meeting unless you have registered in advance to attend the meeting. To register, you must submit proof of your proxy power (legal proxy) reflecting your Fund holdings along with your name and email address to Georgeson LLC (Georgeson), the Funds tabulator. You may email an image of your legal proxy to [email protected] Requests for registration must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) three business days prior to the meeting date. You will receive a confirmation email from Georgeson (through Computershare) of your registration and a control number and security code that will allow you to vote at the Meeting.

Even if you plan to attend the meeting, please promptly follow the enclosed instructions to submit your voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet. Alternatively, you may submit voting instructions by signing and dating each proxy card you receive, and if received by mail, returning it in the accompanying postage-paid return envelope.

Q: Are the Funds paying for the cost of the joint proxy statement?

A: The costs associated with the joint proxy statement, including the printing, distribution and proxy solicitation costs, will be borne by the Funds. Additional out-of-pocket costs, such as legal expenses and auditor fees, incurred in connection with the preparation of the joint proxy statement, also will be borne by the Funds. Costs that are borne by the Funds collectively will be allocated among the Funds on the basis of a combination of their respective net assets and number of shareholder accounts, except when direct costs can reasonably be attributed to one or more specific Funds.

The Funds and BlackRock, Inc. have retained Georgeson, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10104, a proxy solicitation firm, to assist in the distribution of proxy materials and the solicitation and tabulation of proxies. It is anticipated that Georgeson will be paid approximately $107,000 for such services (including reimbursements of out-of-pocket expenses).

Q: Whom do I call if I have questions?

A: If you need more information, or have any questions about voting, please call Georgeson, the Funds proxy solicitor, toll free at 1-866-328-5445.

Please vote now . Your vote is important.

To avoid the wasteful and unnecessary expense of further solicitation and no matter how large or small your holdings may be, we urge you to indicate your voting instructions on the enclosed proxy card(s), and if received by mail, date and sign it (them) and return it (them) promptly in the postage-paid envelope provided, or record your voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet. If you submit a properly executed proxy card but do not indicate how you wish your shares to be voted, your shares will be voted  FOR  the election of the Board Nominees. If your shares of a Fund are held through a broker, you must provide voting instructions to your broker about how to vote your shares in order for your broker to vote your shares as you instruct at the meeting.

June 3, 2022

NOTICE OF JOINT ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

TO BE HELD ON JULY 25, 2022

To the Shareholders:

A joint annual meeting of the shareholders of the BlackRock Closed-End Funds identified below (each, a Fund) will be held on Monday, July 25, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern time), to consider and vote on the proposal, as more fully described in the accompanying joint proxy statement. Due to the public health impact of COVID-19 and to support the health and well-being of our shareholders, employees and the community, the meeting will be held in a virtual meeting format only. Shareholders will not have to travel to attend the meeting but will be able to view the meeting live and cast their votes by accessing a web link.

PROPOSAL 1. To elect to the Board (defined below) of your Fund(s) the nominees named in the accompanying joint proxy statement.

To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments, postponements or delays thereof.

The purpose of the meeting is to seek shareholder approval of the nominees named in the accompanying joint proxy statement to the Boards of Directors or Trustees (each, a Board, and collectively, the Boards, the members of which are referred to as Board Members) of each Fund. Each Board has unanimously approved the nominees on behalf of its Fund (the Board Nominees), subject to approval by the Funds shareholders. The Boards have reviewed the qualifications and backgrounds of the Board Nominees and believe that the Board Nominees possess the requisite experience in overseeing investment companies and that their election is in your best interest.

Your Board unanimously recommends that you vote  FOR  the Board Nominees with respect to which you are being asked to vote.

Shareholders of record of each Fund as of the close of business on May 27, 2022 (the Record Date) are entitled to vote at the meeting and at any adjournments, postponements or delays thereof. A list of each Funds shareholders as of the Record Date will be available electronically for inspection by any record shareholder of such Fund at the shareholder meeting.

For each Delaware Trust, such list will be available for inspection beginning ten days prior to the date of the meeting. Fund shareholders interested in inspecting the list of shareholders for their respective Fund should contact Georgeson LLC at [email protected] for additional information.

If you owned shares of more than one Fund as of the Record Date, you may receive more than one proxy card or voting instruction form. Another BlackRock Closed-End Fund will also hold its annual meeting of shareholders at the place and on the date stated above, but not at the same time. If you were also a shareholder of record on the Record Date of such other fund, you will receive a separate proxy statement and proxy card relating to such fund. Please be certain to vote by telephone or via the Internet with respect to each fund in which you are a shareholder of record or sign, date and return each proxy card you receive from us.

If you have any questions about the proposal to be voted on or the virtual meeting, please call Georgeson LLC, the firm assisting us in the solicitation of proxies, toll free at 1-866-328-5445.

By Order of the Boards,

Janey Ahn

Secretary of the Funds

40 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022

BlackRock Closed-End Funds

Holding Annual Meetings of Shareholders on July 25, 2022

Name of Fund Ticker BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust BFZ BlackRock Capital Allocation Trust BCAT BlackRock Core Bond Trust BHK BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc. HYT BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust BTZ BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. DSU BlackRock Energy and Resources Trust BGR BlackRock Enhanced Capital and Income Fund, Inc. CII BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Trust BDJ BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust BOE BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund, Inc. EGF BlackRock Enhanced International Dividend Trust BGY BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Trust ECAT BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund, Inc. FRA BlackRock Floating Rate Income Trust BGT BlackRock Health Sciences Trust BME BlackRock Health Sciences Trust II BMEZ BlackRock Income Trust, Inc. BKT BlackRock Innovation and Growth Trust BIGZ BlackRock Investment Quality Municipal Trust, Inc. BKN BlackRock Limited Duration Income Trust BLW BlackRock Long-Term Municipal Advantage Trust BTA BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust BIT BlackRock MuniAssets Fund, Inc. MUA BlackRock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust BTT BlackRock Municipal Income Fund, Inc. MUI BlackRock Municipal Income Quality Trust BYM BlackRock Municipal Income Trust BFK BlackRock Municipal Income Trust II BLE BlackRock MuniHoldings California Quality Fund, Inc. MUC BlackRock MuniHoldings Fund, Inc. MHD BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund, Inc. MUJ BlackRock MuniHoldings New York Quality Fund, Inc. MHN BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II, Inc. MUE BlackRock MuniVest Fund II, Inc. MVT BlackRock MuniVest Fund, Inc. MVF BlackRock MuniYield Fund, Inc. MYD BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc. MIY BlackRock MuniYield New York Quality Fund, Inc. MYN BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund II, Inc. MQT BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III, Inc. MYI BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund, Inc. MQY BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust BNY BlackRock Resources & Commodities Strategy Trust BCX BlackRock Science and Technology Trust BST BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II BSTZ BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust BBN BlackRock Utilities, Infrastructure & Power Opportunities Trust BUI BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust BHV

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

July 25, 2022

JOINT PROXY STATEMENT

This joint proxy statement (this Proxy Statement) is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Boards of Directors or Trustees (each, a Board, and collectively, the Boards, the members of which are referred to as Board Members) of each BlackRock Closed-End Fund listed in Appendix A of this Proxy Statement (each, a Fund). The proxies will be voted at the joint annual meeting (the meeting) of shareholders of the Funds and at any and all adjournments, postponements or delays thereof. The meeting will be held on Monday, July 25, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern time). The meeting will be held for the purposes set forth in the accompanying Notice of Joint Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be Held on July 25, 2022. Due to the public health impact of COVID-19 and to support the health and well-being of our shareholders, employees and the community, the meeting will be held in a virtual meeting format only.

The Boards of the Funds have determined that the use of this Proxy Statement for the meeting is in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders in light of the similar matters being considered and voted on by the shareholders of each Fund. Distribution to shareholders of this Proxy Statement and the accompanying materials, or the Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Joint Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be Held on July 25, 2022 (the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials), will commence on or about June 3, 2022.

Each Fund listed in Appendix A to this Proxy Statement is organized as a Maryland corporation (each, a Maryland Corporation), a Maryland statutory trust (a Maryland Trust) or a Delaware statutory trust (each, a Delaware Trust). The Maryland Corporations, the Maryland Trust and the Delaware Trusts are closed-end management investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act). A list identifying each Fund as a Maryland Corporation, a Maryland Trust or a Delaware Trust is set forth in Appendix A.

Shareholders of record of a Fund as of the close of business on May 27, 2022 (the Record Date) are entitled to notice of and to vote at that Funds annual meeting of shareholders and at any and all adjournments, postponements or delays thereof. Shareholders of the Funds are entitled to one vote for each share held, with no shares having cumulative voting rights. Holders of Preferred Shares (as defined below) will have equal voting rights with the holders of shares of common stock or common shares of beneficial interest (collectively, the Common Shares) of the Preferred Funds (as defined below). Holders of Preferred Shares will vote together with the holders of Common Shares as a single class on each nominee to the Board of each Preferred Fund in which they own Preferred Shares, except that holders of Preferred Shares are entitled to vote separately as a class to elect two Board Members for each Preferred Fund in which they own Preferred Shares. With respect to the Preferred Funds (as defined below), the Board Members representing holders of Preferred Shares are Class I and Class II Board Members and only Class III Board Members are standing for election this year. The quorum and voting requirements for each Fund are described in the section herein entitled Vote Required and Manner of Voting Proxies.

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As used herein, the Preferred Shares consist of the variable rate muni term preferred shares (collectively, the VMTP Shares) of each of the Funds identified in Appendix A as having VMTP Shares outstanding (collectively, the VMTP Funds), the remarketable variable rate muni term preferred shares (collectively, the RVMTP Shares) of the Fund identified in Appendix A as having RVMTP Shares outstanding (the RVMTP Fund), and the variable rate demand preferred shares (collectively, the VRDP Shares) of each of the Funds identified in Appendix A as having VRDP Shares outstanding (collectively, the VRDP Funds). The Preferred Funds are collectively defined as the VMTP Funds, the RVMTP Fund and the VRDP Funds.

The number of shares outstanding of each Fund as of the close of business on the Record Date and the managed assets of each Fund on the Record Date are shown in Appendix A. Except as set forth in Appendix H, to the knowledge of each Fund, as of April 30, 2022, no person was the beneficial owner of more than five percent of a class of a Funds outstanding shares.

The Fund(s) in which you owned shares on the Record Date is named on the proxy card(s) or Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials. If you owned shares of more than one Fund on the Record Date, you may receive more than one proxy card or voting instruction form. Even if you plan to attend the meeting, please sign, date and return EACH proxy card you receive or, if you provide voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet, please vote on the proposal affecting EACH Fund you own. If you vote by telephone or via the Internet, you will be asked to enter a unique code that has been assigned to you, which is printed on your proxy card(s) or Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, as applicable. This code is designed to confirm your identity, provide access to the voting website and confirm that your voting instructions are properly recorded.

All properly executed proxies received prior to the meeting will be voted at the meeting and at any and all adjournments, postponements or delays thereof. On any matter coming before the meeting as to which a shareholder has specified a choice on that shareholders proxy, the shares will be voted accordingly. If a proxy card is properly executed and returned and no choice is specified with respect to the proposal, the shares will be voted  FOR  the proposal. Shareholders who execute proxies or provide voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet may revoke them with respect to the proposal at any time before a vote is taken on the proposal by filing with the applicable Fund a written notice of revocation (addressed to the Secretary of the Fund at the principal executive offices of the Fund at the New York address provided herein), by delivering a duly executed proxy bearing a later date, or by attending the virtual meeting and voting at the meeting, in all cases prior to the exercise of the authority granted in the proxy card. Merely attending the meeting, however, will not revoke any previously executed proxy. If you hold shares through a bank, broker or other intermediary, please consult your bank, broker or intermediary regarding your ability to revoke voting instructions after such instructions have been provided.

Another BlackRock Closed-End Fund not listed in Appendix A will also hold its annual meeting of shareholders on the date stated above, but at a different time. If you were also a shareholder of record on the Record Date of such other fund, you will receive a separate proxy statement and proxy card relating to such fund. Please be certain to vote by telephone or via the Internet with respect to each fund in which you are a shareholder of record or sign, date and return each proxy card you receive from us.

If your shares in a Fund are registered in your name, you may attend and participate in the meeting at meetnow.global/MJU4PLZ by entering the control number found in the shaded box on your proxy card on the date and time of the meeting. You may vote during the meeting by following the instructions that will be available on the meeting website during the meeting. If you are a beneficial shareholder of a Fund (that is if you hold your shares of a Fund through a bank, broker, financial intermediary or other nominee) you will not be able to vote at the virtual

2

meeting unless you have registered in advance to attend the meeting. To register, you must submit proof of your proxy power (legal proxy) reflecting your Fund holdings along with your name and email address to Georgeson LLC (Georgeson), the Funds tabulator. You may email an image of your legal proxy to [email protected] Requests for registration must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) three business days prior to the meeting date. You will receive a confirmation email from Georgeson (through Computershare) of your registration and a control number and security code that will allow you to vote at the meeting. Even if you plan to participate in the virtual meeting, please promptly follow the enclosed instructions to submit voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet. Alternatively, you may submit voting instructions by signing and dating each proxy card and voting instruction form you receive, and returning it in the accompanying postage-paid return envelope.

Each Fund will furnish, without charge, a copy of its annual report and most recent semi-annual report succeeding the annual report, if any, to a shareholder upon request. Such requests should be directed to the applicable Fund at 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809, or by calling toll free at 1-800-882-0052. Copies of annual and semi-annual reports of each Fund are also available on the EDGAR Database on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissions website at www.sec.gov.

BlackRock, Inc. (BlackRock) will update performance and certain other data for the Funds on a monthly basis on its website in the Closed-End Funds section of http://www.blackrock.com as well as certain other material information as necessary from time to time. Investors and others are advised to check the website for updated performance information and the release of other material information about the Funds. This reference to BlackRocks website is intended to allow investors public access to information regarding the Funds and does not, and is not intended to, incorporate BlackRocks website in this Proxy Statement.

Please note that only one annual or semi-annual report or this Proxy Statement or Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials may be delivered to two or more shareholders of a Fund who share an address, unless the Fund has received instructions to the contrary. To request a separate copy of an annual report or semi-annual report or this Proxy Statement or Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, or for instructions on how to request a separate copy of these documents or as to how to request a single copy if multiple copies of these documents are received, shareholders should contact the applicable Fund at the Delaware address and phone number provided above.

Please vote now . Your vote is important.

To avoid the wasteful and unnecessary expense of further solicitation and no matter how large or small your holdings may be, we urge you to indicate your voting instructions on the enclosed proxy card(s), and if received by mail, date and sign it (them) and return it (them) promptly in the postage-paid envelope provided, or record your voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet. If you submit a properly executed proxy card but do not indicate how you wish your shares to be voted, your shares will be voted  FOR  the election of the Board Nominees. If your shares of a Fund are held through a broker, you must provide voting instructions to your broker about how to vote your shares in order for your broker to vote your shares as you instruct at the meeting.

3

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT.

PLEASE VOTE PROMPTLY BY SIGNING AND RETURNING THE

ENCLOSED PROXY CARD/VOTING INSTRUCTION FORM OR BY RECORDING YOUR

VOTING INSTRUCTIONS BY TELEPHONE OR VIA THE INTERNET, NO MATTER HOW

MANY SHARES YOU OWN.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR

THE JOINT ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON JULY 25, 2022.

THE PROXY STATEMENT FOR THIS MEETING IS AVAILABLE AT:

https://www.proxy-direct.com/blk-32760

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SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL AND FUNDS VOTING

The following table shows the Funds for which the Board Nominees are standing for election.

Fund Name Ticker Class I Class II Class III(1) Preferred

Shares

Nominees

Standing for

Election(2) BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust BFZ X BlackRock Capital Allocation Trust BCAT X BlackRock Core Bond Trust BHK X BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc. HYT X BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust BTZ X BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. DSU X BlackRock Energy and Resources Trust BGR X BlackRock Enhanced Capital and Income Fund, Inc. CII X BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Trust BDJ X BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust BOE X BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund, Inc. EGF X BlackRock Enhanced International Dividend Trust BGY X BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Trust ECAT X BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund, Inc. FRA X BlackRock Floating Rate Income Trust BGT X BlackRock Health Sciences Trust BME X BlackRock Health Sciences Trust II BMEZ X BlackRock Income Trust, Inc. BKT X BlackRock Innovation and Growth Trust BIGZ X BlackRock Investment Quality Municipal Trust, Inc. BKN X BlackRock Limited Duration Income Trust BLW X BlackRock Long-Term Municipal Advantage Trust BTA X BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust BIT X BlackRock MuniAssets Fund, Inc. MUA X BlackRock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust BTT X BlackRock Municipal Income Fund, Inc. MUI X BlackRock Municipal Income Quality Trust BYM X BlackRock Municipal Income Trust BFK X BlackRock Municipal Income Trust II BLE X BlackRock MuniHoldings California Quality Fund, Inc. MUC X BlackRock MuniHoldings Fund, Inc. MHD X BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund, Inc. MUJ X BlackRock MuniHoldings New York Quality Fund, Inc. MHN X BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II, Inc. MUE X BlackRock MuniVest Fund II, Inc. MVT X BlackRock MuniVest Fund, Inc. MVF X BlackRock MuniYield Fund, Inc. MYD X BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc. MIY X BlackRock MuniYield New York Quality Fund, Inc. MYN X BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund II, Inc. MQT X BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III, Inc. MYI X BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund, Inc. MQY X BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust BNY X BlackRock Resources & Commodities Strategy Trust BCX X

5

Fund Name Ticker Class I Class II Class III(1) Preferred

Shares

Nominees

Standing for

Election(2) BlackRock Science and Technology Trust BST X BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II BSTZ X BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust BBN X BlackRock Utilities, Infrastructure & Power Opportunities Trust BUI X BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust BHV X

(1) The Class III Board Nominees for HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT are Frank J. Fabozzi, Robert Fairbairn and J. Phillip Holloman. For each other Fund, the Class III Board Nominees are Cynthia L. Egan, Robert Fairbairn and Stayce D. Harris. For the Preferred Funds, each of the Class III Board Nominees are voted upon by the holders of Common Shares and Preferred Shares of each respective Preferred Fund voting together as a single class. For Funds other than the Preferred Funds, each of the Class III Board Nominees is voted upon by the holders of Common Shares of each respective Fund voting as a single class. Please see the description herein under PROPOSAL 1  ELECTION OF BOARD NOMINEES.

(2) With respect to the Preferred Funds, Frank J. Fabozzi and W. Carl Kester are currently the Board Members elected solely by the owners of Preferred Shares. W. Carl Kesters term as a Class I Board Member of the Preferred Funds and Frank J. Fabozzis term as a Class II Board Member of the Preferred Funds are scheduled to expire in 2023 and 2024, respectively; therefore, they are not standing for election this year as Preferred Shares Nominees. Please see the description herein under PROPOSAL 1  ELECTION OF BOARD NOMINEES..

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PROPOSAL 1ELECTION OF BOARD NOMINEES

The purpose of Proposal 1 is to elect Board Members for each Fund.

Nominees for each Fund. The Board of each Fund consists of ten Board Members, eight of whom are not interested persons of the Funds (as defined in the 1940 Act) (the Independent Board Members). The Funds divide their Board Members into three classes: Class I, Class II and Class III, and generally only one class of Board Members stands for election each year.

Under this classified board structure, generally only those Board Members in a single class may be replaced in any one year. The Board believes that it is in the best interest of the Funds, as closed-end, exchange traded investment companies subject to extensive regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to have a classified board structure. The Board believes that a classified board structure provides a Fund and its shareholders with important benefits. The Board believes that a classified board structure promotes continuity of experiences and an orderly succession of Board Members by ensuring that at any given time there are experienced board members serving on the Board who are familiar with such Fund, its business, operations and investment and compliance policies, and its relationships with its services providers. Specifically, the Board believes that a classified board structure: (a) creates a more experienced Board that is better able to identify and accomplish long-term objectives in supervising the management of the Funds; (b) enhances the independence of the Independent Board Members from management and from special interest groups by providing them with a three-year term of office, so they are better positioned to make decisions that are in the best long-term interest of the Funds and their shareholders; (c) strengthens the Funds ability to attract and retain qualified individuals who are willing to make multi-year commitments to the Funds and to develop a deep understanding of the Funds; (d) allows new Board Members an opportunity to gain knowledge from experienced Board Members; (e) helps prevent complete changes in control and corresponding changes in fund philosophy or strategies in any one year; and (f) protects against abrupt changes in a Fund based on the short-term objectives of shareholders who may seek to implement an agenda that is contrary to the long-term interest of Fund shareholders.

The Board further believes that the considerations with respect to classified boards in the closed-end, exchange traded investment company context are different than those for traditional operating companies, and in this regard notes that the classified board structure is expressly acknowledged by the 1940 Act, the principal regulatory regime governing the Funds and their operations. The role of a board of a closed-end, exchange traded investment company is different in material respects to the role of a board of directors of a traditional operating company. For example, an investment companys board has the primary responsibility for oversight of the funds service providers and management of conflicts of interest involving the fund, including oversight of the funds investment advisory arrangements. A traditional operating company does not have investment advisers and is not subject to the same types of conflicts of interests that an investment companys board must oversee. Additionally, an investment company registered pursuant to the 1940 Act is subject to extensive regulation with respect to governance and operations that requires independence of its board members and makes them accountable to shareholders. The Board believes that a classified board structure is consistent with good corporate governance, which depends principally on active and independent board members who have extensive business experience and are knowledgeable about critical aspects of the Funds.

The Class III Board Members are standing for election this year. The Class III Board Nominees for HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT are Frank J. Fabozzi, Robert Fairbairn and J. Phillip Holloman. For each other Fund, the Class III Board Nominees are Cynthia L. Egan, Robert Fairbairn and Stayce D. Harris. Each Class III Board Member elected at the

7

meeting will serve until the later of the date of the Funds 2025 annual meeting or until his or her successor is elected and qualifies, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.

With respect to the Preferred Funds, the owners of Preferred Shares are entitled to vote as a separate class to elect two of the Board Members (the Preferred Shares Nominees) for the Preferred Fund in which they own Preferred Shares. This means that owners of Common Shares are not entitled to vote in connection with the election of the Preferred Shares Nominees. However, the owners of Common Shares and the owners of Preferred Shares, voting together as a single class, are entitled to elect the remainder of the Board Nominees. Frank J. Fabozzi and W. Carl Kester are currently the Board Members elected solely by the owners of Preferred Shares. Neither Frank J. Fabozzi nor W. Carl Kester is standing for election this year as a Preferred Shares Nominee. W. Carl Kesters term as a Class I Board Member of the Preferred Funds is scheduled to expire in 2023, and Frank J. Fabozzis term as a Class II Board Member of the Preferred Funds is scheduled to expire in 2024.

With respect to HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT, the Board recommends a vote  FOR  the election of Frank J. Fabozzi, Robert Fairbairn and J. Phillip Holloman. With respect to all of the other Funds, the Board recommends a vote  FOR  the election of Cynthia L. Egan, Robert Fairbairn and Stayce D. Harris. The aforementioned nominees to the Board of each Fund are collectively referred to herein as the Board Nominees. To vote for the Board Nominees, please vote by telephone or via the Internet, as described in the proxy card, or date and sign the enclosed proxy card and return it promptly in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. Each of the Board Nominees has consented to being named in this Proxy Statement and to serve as a Board Member if elected.

Board Members/Nominees Biographical Information. Please refer to the below table which identifies the Board Nominees and any Preferred Shares Nominees for election to the Board of each Fund and sets forth certain biographical information about the Board Members, including the Board Nominees, for all of the Funds. Please note that only the Class III Board Members are standing for election this year. Each Board Nominee was reviewed by the Governance and Nominating Committee (the Governance Committee) of the Board of each respective Fund and nominated by the full Board. R. Glenn Hubbard was selected to serve as the Chair of each Board, and W. Carl Kester was selected to serve as the Vice Chair of each Board. All of the closed-end investment companies registered under the 1940 Act advised by BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the Advisor), including the Funds, are referred to collectively as the BlackRock Closed-End Funds. The BlackRock Closed-End Funds are part of a complex of investment companies advised by the Advisor or its affiliates that also includes open-end non-index fixed-income funds (the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex).

8

Name, Address(1)

and Year of Birth Position(s)

Held with

Funds Term of

Office and

Length of

Time

Served* Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years Number of

BlackRock-

Advised

Registered

Investment

Companies

(RICs)

Consisting of

Investment

Portfolios

(Portfolios)

Overseen** Public

Company and

Other Investment

Company

Directorships

Held

During Past

Five Years*** Independent Board Members/Nominees  R. Glenn Hubbard 1958 Chair of the Boards and Director/ Trustee 2024 for HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT; 2023 for all other Funds;

from 2007 to present Dean, Columbia Business School from 2004 to 2019; Faculty member, Columbia Business School since 1988.





69 RICs

consisting

of 99

Portfolios





ADP (data and information services) from 2004 to 2020; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (insurance) W. Carl Kester 1951 Vice Chair of the Boards and Director/ Trustee 2024 for HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT; 2023 for all other Funds;

from 2007 to present George Fisher Baker Jr. Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School since 2008; Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs from 2006 to 2010; Chairman of the Finance Unit, from 2005 to 2006; Senior Associate Dean and Chairman of the MBA Program from 1999 to 2005; Member of the faculty of Harvard Business School since 1981.





71 RICs

consisting

of 101

Portfolios





None Cynthia L. Egan (4) 1955 Director/ Trustee 2023 for HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT; 2022 for all other Funds;

from 2016 to present Advisor, U.S. Department of the Treasury from 2014 to 2015; President, Retirement Plan Services, for T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. from 2007 to 2012; executive positions within Fidelity Investments from 1989 to 2007.





69 RICs

consisting

of 99

Portfolios





Unum (insurance); The Hanover Insurance Group (Board Chair) (insurance); Huntsman Corporation (Lead Independent Director and non-Executive Vice Chair of the Board) (chemical products)

9

Name, Address(1)

and Year of Birth Position(s)

Held with

Funds Term of

Office and

Length of

Time

Served* Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years Number of

BlackRock-

Advised

Registered

Investment

Companies

(RICs)

Consisting of

Investment

Portfolios

(Portfolios)

Overseen** Public

Company and

Other Investment

Company

Directorships

Held

During Past

Five Years*** Frank J. Fabozzi (3) 1948 Director/ Trustee 2022 for HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT; 2024 for all other Funds; from 2007 to present Editor of The Journal of Portfolio Management since 1986; Professor of Finance, EDHEC Business School (France) since 2011; Professor of Practice, Johns Hopkins University since 2021; Visiting Professor, Princeton University for the 2013 to 2014 academic year and Spring 2017 semester; Professor in the Practice of Finance, Yale University School of Management from 1994 to 2011 and currently a Teaching Fellow in Yales Executive Programs; Board Member, BlackRock Equity-Liquidity Funds from 2014 to 2016; affiliated professor Karlsruhe Institute of Technology from 2008 to 2011; Visiting Professor, Rutgers University for the Spring 2019 semester; Visiting Professor, New York University for the 2019 academic year; Adjunct Professor of Finance, Carnegie Mellon University for the Fall 2020 semester. 71 RICs

consisting

of 101

Portfolios None Lorenzo A. Flores 1964 Director/ Trustee 2023 for all Funds; from 2021 to present Vice Chairman, Kioxia, Inc. since 2019; Chief Financial Officer, Xilinx, Inc. from 2016 to 2019; Corporate Controller, Xilinx, Inc. from 2008 to 2016. 69 RICs

consisting

of 99

Portfolios None

10

Name, Address(1)

and Year of Birth Position(s)

Held with

Funds Term of

Office and

Length of

Time

Served* Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years Number of

BlackRock-

Advised

Registered

Investment

Companies

(RICs)

Consisting of

Investment

Portfolios

(Portfolios)

Overseen** Public

Company and

Other Investment

Company

Directorships

Held

During Past

Five Years*** Stayce D. Harris (4) 1959 Director/ Trustee 2023 for HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT; 2022 for all other Funds;

from 2021 to present Lieutenant General, Inspector General, Office of the Secretary of the United States Air Force from 2017 to 2019; Lieutenant General, Assistant Vice Chief of Staff and Director, Air Staff, United States Air Force from 2016 to 2017; Major General, Commander, 22nd Air Force, AFRC, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia from 2014 to 2016; Pilot, United Airlines from 1990 to 2020. 69 RICs

consisting

of 99

Portfolios The Boeing Company J. Phillip Holloman (3) 1955 Director/ Trustee 2022 for HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT; 2024 for all other Funds; from 2021 to present President and Chief Operating Officer, Cintas Corporation from 2008 to 2018. 69 RICs

consisting

of 99

Portfolios PulteGroup, Inc. (home construction); Rockwell Automation Inc. (industrial automation) Catherine A. Lynch 1961 Director/ Trustee 2023 for HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT; 2024 for all other Funds;

from 2016 to present Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer and various other positions, National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust from 2003 to 2016; Associate Vice President for Treasury Management, The George Washington University from 1999 to 2003; Assistant Treasurer, Episcopal Church of America from 1995 to 1999. 71 RICs

consisting

of 101

Portfolios PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust

11

Name, Address(1)

and Year of Birth Position(s)

Held with

Funds Term of

Office and

Length of

Time

Served* Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years Number of

BlackRock-

Advised

Registered

Investment

Companies

(RICs)

Consisting of

Investment

Portfolios

(Portfolios)

Overseen** Public

Company and

Other Investment

Company

Directorships

Held

During Past

Five Years*** Interested Board Members/Nominees   Robert Fairbairn (2) 1965 Director/ Trustee 2022 for all Funds; from 2018 to present Vice Chairman of BlackRock, Inc. since 2019; Member of BlackRocks Global Executive and Global Operating Committees; Co-Chair of BlackRocks Human Capital Committee; Senior Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2010 to 2019; oversaw BlackRocks Strategic Partner Program and Strategic Product Management Group from 2012 to 2019; Member of the Board of Managers of BlackRock Investments, LLC from 2011 to 2018; Global Head of BlackRocks Retail and iShares businesses from 2012 to 2016.





98 RICs

consisting

of 262

Portfolios





None John M. Perlowski 1964 Director/ Trustee, President and Chief Executive Officer 2024 for HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT; 2023 for all other Funds; Director/ Trustee from 2014 to present; President and Chief Executive Officer from 2011 to present Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2009; Head of BlackRock Global Accounting and Product Services since 2009; Advisory Director of Family Resource Network (charitable foundation) since 2009.





100 RICs

consisting

of 264

Portfolios





None

* Date shown is the earliest date a person has served for the Funds covered by this Proxy Statement. Following the combination of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, L.P. (MLIM) and BlackRock, Inc. in September 2006, the various legacy MLIM and legacy BlackRock fund boards were realigned and consolidated into three new fund boards in 2007. As a result, although the chart shows certain Independent Board Members as joining the Funds Boards in 2007, those Board Members first became members of the boards of other legacy MLIM or legacy BlackRock funds as follows: Frank J. Fabozzi, 1988; R. Glenn Hubbard, 2004; and W. Carl Kester, 1995.

12

** For purposes of this chart, RICs refers to investment companies registered under the 1940 Act and Portfolios refers to the investment programs of the BlackRock-advised funds. The BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex is comprised of 71 RICs consisting of 101 Portfolios. Messrs. Fairbairn and Perlowski are also board members of a complex of BlackRock registered open-end equity, multi-asset, index and money market funds (the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex).

*** Directorships disclosed under this column do not include directorships disclosed under the column Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years.

 Each Independent Board Member will serve until his or her successor is elected and qualifies, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal, or until December 31 of the year in which he or she turns 75. The maximum age limitation may be waived as to any Board Member by action of a majority of the Board upon a finding of good cause therefor.

 Messrs. Fairbairn and Perlowski are both interested persons, as defined in the 1940 Act, of the Funds based on their positions with BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates. Messrs. Fairbairn and Perlowski are also board members of the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex. Interested Board Members serve until their resignation, removal or death, or until December 31 of the year in which they turn 72. The maximum age limitation may be waived as to any Board Member by action of a majority of the Board Members upon a finding of good cause therefor.

(1) The address of each Board Member and Board Nominee is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055.

(2) Class III Board Member and Board Nominee for all Funds.

(3) Class III Board Member and Board Nominee for HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT.

(4) Class III Board Member and Board Nominee for all Funds other than HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT.

The Independent Board Members have adopted a statement of policy that describes the experiences, qualifications, skills and attributes that are necessary and desirable for potential Independent Board Member candidates (the Statement of Policy). The Boards believe that each Independent Board Member satisfied, at the time he or she was initially elected or appointed as a Board Member, and continues to satisfy, the standards contemplated by the Statement of Policy as well as the standards set forth in each Funds By-laws. Furthermore, in determining that a particular Board Member was and continues to be qualified to serve as a Board Member, the Boards have considered a variety of criteria, none of which, in isolation, was controlling. The Boards believe that, collectively, the Board Members/Nominees have balanced and diverse experiences, skills, attributes and qualifications, which allow the Boards to operate effectively in governing the Funds and protecting the interests of shareholders. Among the attributes common to all Board Members/Nominees is their ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Funds investment adviser, sub-advisers, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties as Board Members. Each Board Members/Nominees ability to perform his or her duties effectively is evidenced by his or her educational background or professional training; business, consulting, public service or academic positions; experience from service as a board member of the Funds or the other funds in the BlackRock fund complexes (and any predecessor funds), other investment funds, public companies, or not-for-profit entities or other organizations; ongoing commitment and participation in Board and committee meetings, as well as their leadership of standing and other committees throughout the years; or other relevant life experiences.

13

The table below discusses some of the experiences, qualifications and skills of the Board Members, including the Board Nominees, that support the conclusion that they should serve (or continue to serve) on the Boards.

Board

Members/Nominees Experience, Qualifications and Skills R. Glenn Hubbard R. Glenn Hubbard has served in numerous roles in the field of economics, including as the Chairman of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers of the President of the United States. Dr. Hubbard has served as the Dean of Columbia Business School, as a member of the Columbia Faculty and as a Visiting Professor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, the Harvard Business School and the University of Chicago. Dr. Hubbards experience as an adviser to the President of the United States adds a dimension of balance to the Funds governance and provides perspective on economic issues. Dr. Hubbards service on the boards of ADP and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company provides the Boards with the benefit of his experience with the management practices of other financial companies. Dr. Hubbards long-standing service on the boards of directors/trustees of the closed-end funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex also provides him with a specific understanding of the Funds, their operations, and the business and regulatory issues facing the Funds. Dr. Hubbards independence from the Funds and the Advisor enhances his service as Chair of the Boards, Chair of the Executive Committee and a member of the Governance Committee, the Compliance Committee and the Performance Oversight Committee. W. Carl Kester The Boards benefit from W. Carl Kesters experiences as a professor and author in finance, and his experience as the George Fisher Baker Jr. Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and as Deputy Dean of Academic Affairs at Harvard Business School from 2006 through 2010 adds to the Board a wealth of expertise in corporate finance and corporate governance. Dr. Kester has authored and edited numerous books and research papers on both subject matters, including co-editing a leading volume of finance case studies used worldwide. Dr. Kesters long-standing service on the boards of directors/trustees of the closed-end funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex also provides him with a specific understanding of the Funds, their operations, and the business and regulatory issues facing the Funds. Dr. Kesters independence from the Funds and the Advisor enhances his service as a Vice Chair of the Boards, Chair of the Governance Committee and a member of the Executive Committee, the Compliance Committee and the Performance Oversight Committee.

14

Board

Members/Nominees Experience, Qualifications and Skills Cynthia L. Egan ** Cynthia L. Egan brings to the Boards a broad and diverse knowledge of investment companies and the retirement industry as a result of her many years of experience as President, Retirement Plan Services, for T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and her various senior operating officer positions at Fidelity Investments, including her service as Executive Vice President of FMR Co., President of Fidelity Institutional Services Company and President of the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund. Ms. Egan has also served as an advisor to the U.S. Department of Treasury as an expert in domestic retirement security. Ms. Egan began her professional career at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Ms. Egan is also a director of UNUM Corporation, a publicly traded insurance company providing personal risk reinsurance, and of The Hanover Group, a public property casualty insurance company. Ms. Egans independence from the Funds and the Advisor enhances her service as Chair of the Compliance Committee, and a member of the Governance Committee and the Performance Oversight Committee. Frank J. Fabozzi *** Frank J. Fabozzi has served for over 25 years on the boards of registered investment companies. Dr. Fabozzi holds the designations of Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Public Accountant. Dr. Fabozzi was inducted into the Fixed Income Analysts Societys Hall of Fame and is the 2007 recipient of the C. Stewart Sheppard Award and the 2015 recipient of the James R. Vertin Award, both given by the CFA Institute. The Boards benefit from Dr. Fabozzis experiences as a professor and author in the field of finance. Dr. Fabozzis experience as a professor at various institutions, including EDHEC Business School, Yale, MIT, and Princeton, as well as Dr. Fabozzis experience as a Professor in the Practice of Finance and Becton Fellow at the Yale University School of Management and as editor of the Journal of Portfolio Management demonstrates his wealth of expertise in the investment management and structured finance areas. Dr. Fabozzi has authored and edited numerous books and research papers on topics in investment management and financial econometrics, and his writings have focused on fixed income securities and portfolio management, many of which are considered standard references in the investment management industry. Dr. Fabozzis long-standing service on the boards of directors/trustees of the closed-end funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex also provides him with a specific understanding of the Funds, their operations and the business and regulatory issues facing the Funds. Moreover, Dr. Fabozzis knowledge of financial and accounting matters qualifies him to serve as a member of the Audit Committee. Dr. Fabozzis independence from the Funds and the Advisor enhances his service as Chair of the Performance Oversight Committee.

15

Board

Members/Nominees Experience, Qualifications and Skills Lorenzo A. Flores The Boards benefit from Lorenzo A. Floress many years of business, leadership and financial experience in his roles at various public and private companies. In particular, Mr. Floress service as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Controller of Xilinx, Inc. and Vice Chairman of Kioxia, Inc. and his long experience in the technology industry allow him to provide insight to into financial, business and technology trends. Mr. Floress knowledge of financial and accounting matters qualifies him to serve as a member of the Audit Committee. Mr. Floress independence from the Funds and the Advisor enhances his service as a member of the Performance Oversight Committee. Stayce D. Harris ** The Boards benefit from Stayce D. Harriss leadership and governance experience gained during her extensive military career, including as a three-star Lieutenant General of the United States Air Force. In her most recent role, Ms. Harris reported to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force on matters concerning Air Force effectiveness, efficiency and the military discipline of active duty, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard forces. Ms. Harriss experience on governance matters includes oversight of inspection policy and the inspection and evaluation system for all Air Force nuclear and conventional forces; oversight of Air Force counterintelligence operations and service on the Air Force Intelligence Oversight Panel; investigation of fraud, waste and abuse; and oversight of criminal investigations and complaints resolution programs. Ms. Harriss independence from the Funds and the Advisor enhances her service as a member of the Compliance Committee and the Performance Oversight Committee. J. Phillip Holloman *** The Boards benefit from J. Phillip Hollomans many years of business and leadership experience as an executive, director and advisory board member of various public and private companies. In particular, Mr. Hollomans service as President and Chief Operating Officer of Cintas Corporation and director of PulteGroup, Inc. and Rockwell Automation Inc. allows him to provide insight into business trends and conditions. Mr. Hollomans knowledge of financial and accounting matters qualifies him to serve as a member of the Audit Committee. Mr. Hollomans independence from the Funds and the Advisor enhances his service as a member of the Governance Committee and the Performance Oversight Committee. Catherine A. Lynch Catherine A. Lynch, who served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of the National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust, benefits the Boards by providing business leadership and experience and a diverse knowledge of pensions and endowments. Ms. Lynch also holds the designation of Chartered Financial Analyst. Ms. Lynchs knowledge of financial and accounting matters qualifies her to serve as Chair of the Audit Committee. Ms. Lynchs independence from the Funds and the Advisor enhances her service as a member of the Governance Committee and the Performance Oversight Committee.

16

Board

Members/Nominees Experience, Qualifications and Skills Robert Fairbairn * Robert Fairbairn has more than 25 years of experience with BlackRock, Inc. and over 30 years of experience in finance and asset management. In particular, Mr. Fairbairns positions as Vice Chairman of BlackRock, Inc., Member of BlackRocks Global Executive and Global Operating Committees and Co-Chair of BlackRocks Human Capital Committee provide the Boards with a wealth of practical business knowledge and leadership. In addition, Mr. Fairbairn has global investment management and oversight experience through his former positions as Global Head of BlackRocks Retail and iShares businesses, Head of BlackRocks Global Client Group, Chairman of BlackRocks international businesses and his previous oversight over BlackRocks Strategic Partner Program and Strategic Product Management Group. Mr. Fairbairn also serves as a board member for the funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex. John M. Perlowski John M. Perlowskis experience as Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2009, as the Head of BlackRock Global Accounting and Product Services since 2009, and as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Funds provides him with a strong understanding of the Funds, their operations, and the business and regulatory issues facing the Funds. Mr. Perlowskis prior position as Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Global Product Group at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and his former service as Treasurer and Senior Vice President of the Goldman Sachs Mutual Funds and as Director of the Goldman Sachs Offshore Funds provides the Boards with the benefit of his experience with the management practices of other financial companies. Mr. Perlowski also serves as a board member for the funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex. Mr. Perlowskis experience with BlackRock enhances his service as a member of the Executive Committee.

* Class III Board Member and Board Nominee for all Funds.

** Class III Board Member and Board Nominee for all Funds other than HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT.

*** Class III Board Member and Board Nominee for HYT, DSU, CII, EGF, FRA, BSTZ, BMEZ, BCAT, BIGZ and ECAT.

Board Leadership Structure and Oversight

The Boards consist of ten Board Members, eight of whom are Independent Board Members. The registered investment companies advised by the Advisor are composed of the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex, the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex and one complex of exchange-traded funds. The Funds are included in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex. The Board Members also oversee the operations of the other open-end and closed-end registered investment companies included in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex as directors or trustees.

The Boards have overall responsibility for the oversight of the Funds. The Chair of the Boards and the Chief Executive Officer are different people. Not only is the Chair an Independent Board Member, but also the Chair of each Board committee (each, a Committee) is an Independent Board Member. The Boards have five standing Committees: an Audit Committee, a Governance Committee, a Compliance Committee, a Performance Oversight Committee and an Executive Committee. The Boards have also established an ad hoc Discount Sub-Committee.

17

The Boards currently oversee the Funds usage of leverage, including the Funds incurrence, refinancing and maintenance of leverage and, to the extent necessary or appropriate, authorize or approve the execution of documentation in respect thereto. The Executive Committee of each Fund has authority to make any such authorizations or approvals that are required between regular meetings of the Boards.

The Funds do not have a compensation committee because their executive officers, other than the Funds Chief Compliance Officer (CCO), do not receive any direct compensation from the Funds and the CCOs compensation is comprehensively reviewed by the Boards. The role of the Chair of the Boards is to preside over all meetings of the Boards and to act as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Board Members between meetings. The Chair of each Committee performs a similar role with respect to such Committee. The Chair of the Boards or Chair of a Committee may also perform such other functions as may be delegated by the Boards or the Committees from time to time. The Independent Board Members meet regularly outside the presence of the Funds management, in executive sessions or with other service providers to the Funds. The Boards have regular meetings five times a year, including a meeting to consider the approval of the Funds investment management agreements and, if necessary, may hold special meetings before their next regular meeting. Each Committee meets regularly to conduct the oversight functions delegated to that Committee by the Boards and reports its findings to the Boards. The Boards and each standing Committee conduct annual assessments of their oversight function and structure. The Boards have determined that the Boards leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Boards to exercise independent judgment over management and to allocate areas of responsibility among Committees and the Boards to enhance oversight.

The Boards decided to separate the roles of Chief Executive Officer from the Chair because they believe that having an independent Chair:

 increases the independent oversight of the Funds and enhances the Boards objective evaluation of the Chief Executive Officer;

 allows the Chief Executive Officer to focus on the Funds operations instead of Board administration;

 provides greater opportunities for direct and independent communication between shareholders and the Boards; and

 provides independent spokespersons for the Funds.

The Boards have engaged the Advisor to manage the Funds on a day-to-day basis. Each Board is responsible for overseeing the Advisor, other service providers, the operations of each Fund and associated risks in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act, state law, other applicable laws, each Funds charter, and each Funds investment objective(s) and strategies. The Boards review, on an ongoing basis, the Funds performance, operations, and investment strategies and techniques. The Boards also conduct reviews of the Advisor and its role in running the operations of the Funds.

Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Funds is the responsibility of the Advisor or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk), subject to the supervision of the Advisor. The Funds are subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance, operational and valuation risks, among others. While there are a number of risk management functions performed by the Advisor or other service providers, as applicable, it is not possible to eliminate all of the risks applicable to the Funds. Risk oversight is part of the Boards general oversight of the Funds and is addressed as part of various Board and Committee activities. The Boards, directly or through Committees, also review reports from, among others, management, the independent

18

registered public accounting firm for the Funds, the Advisor, and internal auditors for the Advisor or its affiliates, as appropriate, regarding risks faced by the Funds and managements or the service providers risk functions. The Committee system facilitates the timely and efficient consideration of matters by the Board Members and facilitates effective oversight of compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and of the Funds activities and associated risks. The Boards have approved the appointment of a Chief Compliance Officer, who oversees the implementation and testing of the Funds compliance program and reports regularly to the Boards regarding compliance matters for the Funds and their service providers. The Independent Board Members have engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibilities.

Compensation. Information relating to compensation paid to the Board Members for each Funds most recent fiscal year is set forth in Appendix B.

Equity Securities Owned by Board Members and Board Nominees. Information relating to the amount of equity securities owned by Board Members/Nominees in the Funds that they oversee as of April 30, 2022 is set forth in Appendix C.

Attendance of Board Members at Annual Shareholders Meetings. It is the policy of all the Funds to encourage Board Members to attend the annual shareholders meeting. All of the Board Members of each Fund in office at the time attended last years annual shareholders meeting, with the exception of one Board Member who did not attend.

Board Meetings. During the calendar year 2021, the Board of each Fund met twelve times. Information relating to the number of times that the Boards met during each Funds most recent full fiscal year is set forth in Appendix D. No incumbent Board Member attended less than 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of each Board and of each Committee on which the Board Member served during each Funds most recently completed full fiscal year.

Committees of the Boards. Information relating to the various standing Committees of the Boards, as well as an ad hoc Sub-Committee, is set forth in Appendix E.

Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports. Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) and the rules thereunder require the Funds Board Members, executive officers, persons who own, either directly or indirectly, more than ten percent of a registered class of a Funds equity securities, the Advisor and certain officers of the Advisor (the Section 16 insiders), including in some cases former Section 16 insiders for a period of up to 6 months, to file reports on holdings of, and transactions in, Fund shares with the SEC. Based solely on a review of copies of such reports furnished to the relevant Funds during the relevant Funds most recent fiscal year and representations from these Section 16 insiders, or former Section 16 insiders, as applicable, with respect to the relevant Funds most recent fiscal year, each Fund believes that its Section 16 insiders met all such applicable SEC filing requirements for the Funds most recently concluded fiscal year, except for any late filings disclosed in previous proxy statements and certain inadvertent late filings. For ECAT, there was one inadvertent late Form 4 filed in November 2021 by Richard Rieder, a portfolio manager for the Fund, relating to a purchase of shares of ECAT by Mr. Rieder. For BLE, there was one inadvertent late Form 3 filed in February 2022 by Michael Perilli, a portfolio manager for the Fund, relating to Mr. Perillis initial filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act. For BIGZ, there was one inadvertent late Form 4 filed in February 2022 by Jonathan Diorio, an executive officer of the Fund, relating to six purchase transactions in shares of BIGZ by Mr. Diorio. For BST, there was one inadvertent late Form 4 filed in July 2021 by each of W. Carl Kester and Michael J. Castellano, a Board Member and former Board Member of the Fund, respectively, relating to the exercise of rights by each of Messrs. Kester and Castellano. For BCAT,

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there was one inadvertent late Form 4 filed in November 2021 by Robert Fairbairn, a Board Member of the Fund, relating to two purchase transactions in shares of BCAT by Mr. Fairbairn. For BSTZ, there was one inadvertent late Form 4 filed in February 2022 by Robert Fairbairn, a Board Member of the Fund, relating to a purchase of shares of BSTZ by Mr. Fairbairn.

Executive Officers of the Funds. Information about the executive officers of each Fund, including their year of birth and their principal occupations during the past five years, is set forth in Appendix F.

Your Board recommends that you vote  FOR  the election of each Board Nominee to the Board of your Fund(s).

VOTE REQUIRED AND MANNER OF VOTING PROXIES

A quorum of shareholders is required to take action at the meeting. For BlackRock Investment Quality Municipal Trust, Inc. (BKN), BlackRock Income Trust, Inc. (BKT), BlackRock Enhanced Capital and Income Fund, Inc. (CII), BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (DSU), BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund, Inc. (EGF), BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund, Inc. (FRA), BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc. (HYT), BlackRock MuniAssets Fund, Inc. (MUA), BlackRock Municipal Income Fund, Inc. (MUI), BlackRock MuniHoldings California Quality Fund, Inc. (MUC), BlackRock MuniHoldings Fund, Inc. (MHD), BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund, Inc. (MUJ), BlackRock MuniHoldings New York Quality Fund, Inc. (MHN), BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II, Inc. (MUE), BlackRock MuniVest Fund II, Inc. (MVT), BlackRock MuniVest Fund, Inc. (MVF), BlackRock MuniYield Fund, Inc. (MYD), BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc. (MIY), BlackRock MuniYield New York Quality Fund, Inc. (MYN), BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund II, Inc. (MQT), BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III, Inc. (MYI) and BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund, Inc. (MQY), the holders of one-third of the shares entitled to vote on any matter at a shareholder meeting, either present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for purposes of conducting business on such matter. For the remainder of the Funds, the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote on any matter at a shareholder meeting present in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum for purposes of conducting business on such matter. The affirmative vote of a plurality of the votes cast with respect to a Board Nominee at a meeting at which a quorum is present is necessary to elect each of the respective Board Nominees under Proposal 1 for each respective Fund. Because each Fund requires the affirmative vote of a plurality of votes to elect each of the Board Nominees, withheld votes and broker non-votes, if any, will not have an effect on the outcome of Proposal 1. A plurality vote means that the Board Nominees who receive the largest number of votes cast (even if they receive less than a majority) will be elected as Board Members. Since the Board Nominees are running unopposed, each Board Nominee only needs one vote to be elected if there is a quorum present at the meeting.

Votes cast by proxy or in person at each meeting will be tabulated by the inspectors of election appointed for that meeting. The inspectors of election will determine whether or not a quorum is present at the meeting. The inspectors of election will treat withheld votes and broker non-votes, if any, as present for purposes of determining a quorum. Broker non-votes occur when shares are held by brokers or nominees, typically in street name, for which proxies have been returned but (a) voting instructions have not been received from the beneficial owners or persons entitled to vote, (b) the broker or nominee does not have discretionary voting power or elects not to exercise discretion on a particular matter and (c) the shares are present at the meeting. Preferred Shares of any Fund held in street name may be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum of

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shareholders of that Fund if no instructions are received one business day before the applicable meeting or, if adjourned, postponed, or delayed, one business day before the day to which the meeting is adjourned, postponed, or delayed.

If you hold your shares directly (not through a broker-dealer, bank or other financial institution) and if you return a signed and dated proxy card that does not specify how you wish to vote on a proposal, your shares will be voted  FOR  the Board Nominees in Proposal 1.

Broker-dealer firms holding shares of a Fund in street name for the benefit of their customers and clients will request the instructions of such customers and clients on how to vote their shares on Proposal 1 before the meeting. The Funds understand that, under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, such broker-dealer firms may for certain routine matters, without instructions from their customers and clients, grant discretionary authority to the proxies designated by the Board to vote if no instructions have been received prior to the date specified in the broker-dealer firms request for voting instructions. Proposal 1 is a routine matter and beneficial owners who do not provide proxy instructions or who do not return a proxy card may have their shares voted by broker-dealer firms in favor of Proposal 1. A properly executed proxy card or other authorization by a beneficial owner of Fund shares that does not specify how the beneficial owners shares should be voted on Proposal 1 may be deemed an instruction to vote such shares in favor of Proposal 1.

If you hold shares of a Fund through a bank, broker, other financial institution or intermediary (called a service agent), the service agent may be the record holder of your shares. At the meeting, a service agent will vote shares for which it receives instructions from its customers in accordance with those instructions. A properly executed proxy card or other authorization by a shareholder that does not specify how the shareholders shares should be voted on a proposal may be deemed to authorize a service provider to vote such shares in favor of the proposal. Depending on its policies, applicable law or contractual or other restrictions, a service agent may be permitted to vote shares with respect to which it has not received specific voting instructions from its customers. In those cases, the service agent may, but is not required to, vote such shares in the same proportion as those shares for which the service agent has received voting instructions. This practice is commonly referred to as echo voting.

If you beneficially own shares that are held in street name through a broker-dealer or that are held of record by a service agent, and if you do not give specific voting instructions for your shares, they may not be voted at all or, as described above, they may be voted in a manner that you may not intend. Therefore, you are strongly encouraged to give your broker-dealer or service agent specific instructions as to how you want your shares to be voted.

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Board Members, including a majority of the Independent Board Members, of each Fund have selected Deloitte & Touche LLP (D&T) as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds.

A representative of D&T is expected to be present at the meeting. The representative of D&T will have the opportunity to make a statement at the meeting if he or she desires to do so and is expected to be available to respond to appropriate questions.

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Each Funds Audit Committee has discussed with D&T the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) and the SEC.

Each Funds Audit Committee has received from D&T the written disclosures and the letter required by PCAOB Ethics and Independence Rule 3526, Communication with Audit Committees Concerning Independence, has discussed D&Ts independence with D&T, and has considered the compatibility of non-audit services with the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm.

Each Funds Audit Committee also reviews and discusses the Funds financial statements with Fund management and the independent registered public accounting firm. If any material concerns arise during the course of the audit and the preparation of the audited financial statements mailed to shareholders and included in the Funds annual report to shareholders, the Audit Committee would be notified by Fund management or the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committees received no such notifications for any Fund during its most recently completed fiscal year. Following each Funds Audit Committees review and discussion with the Funds independent registered public accounting firm, pursuant to authority delegated by its respective Board, each Funds Audit Committee approved the respective Funds audited financial statements for the Funds most recently completed fiscal year (each Funds fiscal year end is set forth in Appendix G) for inclusion in the Funds annual report to shareholders.

Appendix G sets forth for each Fund the fees billed by that Funds independent registered public accounting firm for the two most recent fiscal years for all audit, non-audit, tax and all other services provided directly to the Fund. The fee information in Appendix G is presented under the following captions:

(a) Audit Feesfees related to the audit and review of the financial statements included in annual reports and registration statements, and other services that are normally provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements, including out-of-pocket expenses.

(b) Audit-Related Feesfees related to assurance and related services that are reasonably associated with the performance of the audit or review of financial statements, but not reported under Audit Fees, including accounting consultations, agreed-upon procedure reports, attestation reports, comfort letters and internal control reviews not required by regulators.

(c) Tax Feesfees associated with tax compliance and/or tax preparation, as applicable. Tax compliance and preparation include services such as the filing or amendment of federal, state or local income tax returns, and services relating to regulated investment company qualification reviews, taxable income and tax distribution calculations. All of the fees included under Tax Fees in Appendix G relate solely to services provided for tax compliance and/or tax preparation, and none of such fees relate to tax advice, tax planning or tax consulting.

(d) All Other Feesfees for products and services provided to the Fund other than those reported under Audit Fees, Audit-Related Fees and Tax Fees.

(e) Aggregate Non-Audit Fees for Services Provided to Each Fund and its Affiliated Service Providers Pre-Approved by the Audit Committeethe sum of the fees shown under Audit-Related Fees, Tax Fees, and All Other Fees and fees paid by each Funds Affiliated Service Providers to the Funds independent registered public accounting firm.

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Each Funds Audit Committee is required to approve all audit engagement fees and terms for the Fund. Each Funds Audit Committee also is required to consider and approve (i) the provision by the Funds independent registered public accounting firm of any non-audit services to the Fund, and (ii) the provision by the Funds independent registered public accounting firm of non-audit services to BlackRock and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with BlackRock that provides ongoing services to the Fund (Affiliated Service Providers) to the extent that such approval (in the case of this clause (ii)) is required under applicable regulations of the SEC. See Appendix G to this Proxy Statement for information about the fees paid by the Funds, their investment advisers, and Affiliated Service Providers to each Funds independent registered public accounting firm.

The Audit Committee of each Fund complies with applicable laws and regulations with regard to the pre-approval of services. Audit, audit-related and tax compliance services provided to a Fund on an annual basis require specific pre-approval by the Funds Audit Committee. As noted above, each Funds Audit Committee must also approve other non-audit services provided by the Funds independent registered public accounting firm to the Fund and to the Funds Affiliated Service Providers that relate directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Fund. Each Funds Audit Committee has implemented policies and procedures by which such services may be approved other than by the full Audit Committee. Subject to such policies and procedures, including applicable dollar limitations, each Funds Audit Committee may pre-approve, without consideration on a specific case-by-case basis (general pre-approval), certain permissible non-audit services that the Audit Committee believes are (a) consistent with the SECs auditor independence rules and (b) routine and recurring services that will not impair the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm. Each service approved subject to general pre-approval is presented to each Funds Audit Committee for ratification at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting.

For each Funds two most recently completed fiscal years, there were no services rendered by D&T to the Funds for which the general pre-approval requirement was waived.

Fees for non-audit services provided to each Funds Affiliated Service Providers for which pre-approval by such Funds Audit Committee was required for the calendar years ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 were $2,032,000 and $1,984,000, respectively. These fees were paid in their entirety by BlackRock in connection with services provided to the Affiliated Service Providers of each Fund and of other BlackRock open-end and closed-end funds primarily for a service organization controls review and secondarily, a subscription to the Deloitte Accounting Research Tool.

Each Funds Audit Committee has considered the provision of non-audit services that were rendered by D&T to the Funds Affiliated Service Providers that were not pre-approved (and did not require pre-approval) in connection with determining such auditors independence. All services provided by D&T to each Fund and each Funds Affiliated Service Providers that required pre-approval were pre-approved during the Funds most recently completed fiscal year.

The Audit Committee of each Fund consists of the following Board Members:

Catherine A. Lynch (Chair);

Frank J. Fabozzi;

Lorenzo A. Flores; and

J. Phillip Holloman.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

5% Beneficial Share Ownership

As of April 30, 2022, to the best of the Funds knowledge, the persons listed in Appendix H beneficially owned more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the class of the Fund(s) indicated.

Investment Advisor and Administrator

The Advisor provides investment advisory and administrative services to the Funds. The Advisor is responsible for the management of the Funds portfolios and provides the necessary personnel, facilities, equipment and certain other services necessary to the operation of the Funds. The Advisor, located at 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809, is a wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock.

Sub-Advisors

BlackRock International Limited (BIL), an affiliate of the Advisor, acts as the sub-advisor for BlackRock Core Bond Trust (BHK), BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc. (HYT), BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust (BTZ), BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (DSU), BlackRock Energy and Resources Trust (BGR), BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust (BOE), BlackRock Enhanced International Dividend Trust (BGY), BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund, Inc. (FRA), BlackRock Floating Rate Income Trust (BGT), BlackRock Income Trust, Inc. (BKT), BlackRock Limited Duration Income Trust (BLW), BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust (BIT), BlackRock Utilities, Infrastructure & Power Opportunities Trust (BUI) and BlackRock Resources & Commodities Strategy Trust (BCX). BIL is a wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock.

BlackRock (Singapore) Limited (BSL), an affiliate of the Advisor, acts as the sub-advisor for BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust (BTZ), BlackRock Capital Allocation Trust (BCAT), BlackRock Core Bond Trust (BHK), BlackRock Limited Duration Income Trust (BLW), BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust (BIT) and BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Trust (ECAT). BSL is a wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock.

Distributor

BlackRock Investments, LLC serves as the placement agent for the common shares of BlackRock Core Bond Trust (BHK), BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc. (HYT), BlackRock Health Sciences Trust (BME), BlackRock Limited Duration Income Trust (BLW), BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust (BIT), BlackRock MuniAssets Fund, Inc. (MUA), BlackRock Municipal Income Trust (BFK), BlackRock Municipal Income Trust II (BLE), BlackRock Science and Technology Trust (BST), BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust (BBN) and BlackRock Utilities, Infrastructure & Power Opportunities Trust (BUI) through various specified transactions, including at-the-market offerings pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, subject to various conditions. BlackRock Investments, LLC is located at 55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055.

Submission of Shareholder Proposals

A shareholder proposal intended to be presented at a future meeting of shareholders of a Fund must be received at the offices of the Fund, 40 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022, in accordance with the timing requirements set forth below. Timely submission of a proposal does not guarantee that such proposal will be included in a proxy statement.

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If a Fund shareholder intends to present a proposal at the 2023 annual meeting of the Funds shareholders and desires to have the proposal included in such Funds proxy statement and form of proxy for that meeting pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act, the shareholder must deliver the proposal to the offices of the Fund by Friday, February 3, 2023. In the event a Fund moves the date of its 2023 annual shareholder meeting by more than 30 days from the anniversary of its 2022 annual shareholder meeting, shareholder submissions of proposals for inclusion in such Funds proxy statement and proxy card for the 2023 annual shareholder meeting pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act must be delivered to the Fund at a reasonable time before the Fund begins to print and send its proxy materials in connection with the 2023 annual shareholder meeting.

Shareholders who do not wish to submit a proposal for inclusion in a Funds proxy statement and form of proxy for the 2023 annual shareholder meeting in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act may submit a proposal for consideration at the 2023 annual shareholder meeting in accordance with the By-laws of the Fund. The By-laws for each Fund require that advance notice be given to the Fund in the event a shareholder desires to transact any business, including business from the floor, at an annual meeting of shareholders, including the nomination of Board Members. Notice of any such business or nomination for consideration at the 2023 annual shareholder meeting must be in writing, comply with the requirements of the Funds By-laws and, assuming that the 2023 annual shareholder meeting is held within 25 days of July 25, 2023, must be received by the Fund between Saturday, February 25, 2023 and Monday, March 27, 2023.

In order for a shareholder proposal made outside of Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act to be considered timely within the meaning of Rule 14a-4(c) under the Exchange Act, such proposal must be received at the Funds principal executive offices by Monday, March 27, 2023. In the event a Fund moves the date of its 2023 annual shareholder meeting by more than 25 days from the anniversary of its 2022 annual shareholder meeting, shareholders who wish to submit a proposal or nomination for consideration at the 2023 annual shareholder meeting in accordance with the advance notice provisions of the By-laws of a Fund must deliver such proposal or nomination not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which the notice of the date of the meeting was mailed or such public disclosure of the meeting date was made, whichever comes first. If such proposals are not timely within the meaning of Rule 14a-4(c), then proxies solicited by the Board for the 2023 annual shareholder meeting may confer discretionary authority to the Board to vote on such proposals.

Copies of the By-laws of each Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SECs website at www.sec.gov. Each Fund will also furnish, without charge, a copy of its By-laws to a shareholder upon request. Such requests should be directed to the appropriate Fund at 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809, or by calling toll free at 1-800-882-0052. For further information, please see Appendix E  Committees of the Boards  Governance Committee.

For all Funds, written proposals (including nominations of Board Members) and notices should be sent to the Secretary of the Fund, 40 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022.

Shareholder Communications

Shareholders who want to communicate with the Boards or any individual Board Member should write to the attention of the Secretary of their Fund, 40 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022. Shareholders may communicate with the Boards electronically by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. The communication should indicate that you are a Fund shareholder. If the communication is intended for a specific Board Member and so indicates, it will be sent only to that Board Member. If a communication does not indicate a specific Board Member,

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it will be sent to the Chair of the Governance Committee and the outside counsel to the Independent Board Members for further distribution as deemed appropriate by such persons.

Additionally, shareholders with complaints or concerns regarding accounting matters may address letters to the CCO, 40 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022. Shareholders who are uncomfortable submitting complaints to the CCO may address letters directly to the Chair of the Audit Committee of the Board that oversees the Fund. Such letters may be submitted on an anonymous basis.

Expense of Proxy Solicitation

The co
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan  The reported discovery of unexploded ordnance brought traffic on this airlift hub in western Tokyo to a lunchtime halt on Friday. But, in the end, no dangerous materials were found.

An explosive ordnance disposal team arrived on scene at approximately 12:30 p.m. to examine the suspected ordnance and found that there was no explosive material and determined the scene to be safe, 1st Lt. Danny Rangel, a Yokota spokesman, told Stars and Stripes by phone Saturday.

Information about the object that prompted the incident was not available, he said.

The discovery around 11 a.m. near building 208, a dormitory next to the Yujo Community Center and close to the main base chapel, prompted the 374th Security Forces Squadron to shutter all gates. They remained closed while security forces established a cordon around the building at the intersection of Haughton Street and Crabb Avenue, according to a base Facebook post.

Meanwhile, traffic exiting and entering the installation ground to a halt. Anyone on Yokota was asked to avoid the area around the building on Friday afternoon.

Once the scene was determined to be safe, the cordon was lifted and personnel were cleared from movement restrictions, Rangel said on Saturday.

Traffic cones outside the building were removed around 1:40 p.m.

Nikki Jackson, 47, a kindergarten teacher at Joan K. Mendel Elementary School, was headed to the Sunrise Bakery on Yokotas flight line to place an end-of-school doughnut order when she got stuck in traffic, she told Stars and Stripes on Friday.

Jackson said she rerouted toward the bases east gate to exit and circle around the south end and re-enter at the main gate. She found the east gate closed and returned to school, called the bakery, and discovered it had closed because of the alert.

Im hoping to have better luck getting to the bakery tomorrow. I live off base in Hamura and dont usually venture on base on the weekends, Jackson said. I will have to make an exception this time because its for my students and they deserve their doughnut party.
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea  The Republic of Korea-U.S. Combined Division, the only division in the Army composed of soldiers from both countries, celebrated its seventh anniversary on Friday with a ceremony at 2nd Infantry Division headquarters.

The two allies formed the combined army division in 2015 as a deterrent to further conflict in South Korea.

Roughly 12,000 troops are part of the five brigades within the division and they conduct an average of 80 missions each year, including large scale joint military exercises. It also trains with a South Korean mechanized brigade.

Originally based at Camp Red Cloud, the division moved in 2018 to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, where 2nd ID, Eighth Army, U.S. Forces Korea and U.N. Command are also headquartered.

The division will increase the level of mutual trust to become  one team, Deputy Commanding General Kim Nam Hoon said during the anniversary ceremony. Beyond our seven-year history, [the combined division] will be at the center of peace of the Korean Peninsula  70 or 100 years later.

The deputy commander of maneuver, Army Gen. Lance Calvert, echoed Kims remarks and said the creation of the combined division resulted in an intangible contribution for the alliance.

And thats relationship and trust, Calvert said in a speech during the ceremony. The relationship amongst our soldiers at the tactical level, amongst our commanders at each formation and amongst the leaders.

Roughly 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea, the majority of them at Camp Humphreys.
TOKYO  A U.S. Navy officer sentenced to three years in a Japanese prison for a fatal car crash last year is seeking a lesser sentence.

Lt. Ridge Alkonis, 34, is scheduled to go before the Tokyo High Court on Wednesday to appeal the punishment imposed by the Shizuoka District Court on Oct. 18.

Alkonis is seeking to have his three-year prison term reduced to a suspended sentence, said his spokesman Jonathan Franks. A suspended sentence is, in effect, probation.

Alkonis and his family are people who deeply respect the country of Japan and the Japanese people, Franks told Stars and Stripes by phone Friday. His services have been to the benefit of both the Japanese people and the American people in many respects. All theyre asking for is the fair application of Japanese law, and to date, it doesnt feel like hes gotten one.

In Japan, the defense or prosecution may appeal a district court decision to the high court in what is known as a koso appeal. These cases are typically handled by a three-judge panel.

Either side may appeal the high court ruling to the Supreme Court of Japan.

Alkonis was driving with his family on May 29, 2021, when he crashed into pedestrians and parked vehicles at a soba restaurant parking lot in Fujinomiya, about two hours from Yokosuka Naval Base. Alkonis was stationed there as a weapons officer assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold.

A woman, 85, died that day as a result of the crash; her son-in-law, 54, died in a hospital on June 11. A second woman, 53, the daughter and wife of the victims, suffered bruises to her knees and elbows.

Alkonis testified Aug. 24 that a case of mountain, or altitude, sickness caused him to lose consciousness behind the wheel. Alkonis, his wife and their three children were returning from a trip to Mount Fuji when the incident occurred.

However, Shizuoka District Judge Kumiko Maesawa rejected Alkonis defense, and referred to his testimony at his first hearing, in which he said he had felt fine when he left Mount Fuji.

The symptoms of altitude sickness typically improve as a person descends to lower altitude, the judge said in October.

Alkonis appealed Maesawas ruling within two weeks. Franks said the appeal doesnt detract from our deep sympathy for the families of the Japanese victims.

A $1.65 million settlement paid to the victims families is evidence of his sympathy and the deaths will "haunt Lt. Alkonis the rest of his life," Franks said.

Alkonis is free on bail pending the result of his appeal, Franks said. He also remains on active duty, Naval Forces Japan spokeswoman Cmdr. Katie Cerezo told Stars and Stripes by phone on Friday.

At every stage of this process we have provided, and will continue to provide, the Alkonis family with the whole-person care and support they need, as we do for all SOFA members who face criminal prosecution while in Japan, she said.

SOFA is the status of forces agreement, which outlines the rights and responsibilities of those in Japan with the U.S. military.
Adam Conover called his last show Adam Ruins Everything, because thats what he did. He told us weddings are a scam, summer vacation makes us dumber and we have way too many cats.

So what happens when he turns his eye on the federal government?

Maybe not what youd expect. As host of The G Word, his new show on Netflix, he travels the country meeting some of the federal workers who do incredible stuff, like inspecting food or hunting hurricanes.

My belief is that I can use comedy to talk about almost any issue under the sun, he says. People are curious, they want to be informed, and you just have to make it a little bit interesting.

Conover prides himself on his investigative comedy, and this time around, he made it work with a certain power couple named Barack and Michelle Obama, who served as executive producers. But he insists he had the freedom to say what he pleased.

I asked him things Ive wanted to ask him my entire life, Conover says of the former president. When he was elected in 2008, that was a big moment in my political awakening  but I didnt see the change I expected to see.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

CQ-Roll Call: The show is loosely based on The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis, who wrote that when Donald Trump took office, he had no idea what the government does.

Conover: I got a call from my manager saying, The Obamas production company has optioned this book. My pitch was basically, How about I investigate all the ways the government affects our lives, good and bad?

And we make it really real and direct to people, because this is a time when people are losing faith in our institutions, getting more and more cynical.

You went and talked to workers on the ground level.

The government inspects every single piece of meat you eat, and were talking 100 billion pounds a year. And the question that came to my mind was, What is it like to do that job?

USDA employees work cheek by jowl, to use a meat term, with the factory workers on the line. And they have the ability to stop the line at any moment, with a big red button right by their conveyor belt.

This is not an expensive highly paid Washington consultant doing this. We shot at the Cargill beef processing facility in Schuyler, Nebraska. This is someone who lives in Schuyler, next to all the other people who work at the factory.

You flew into the eye of a hurricane. You looked happy, but how did you really feel?

Im not going to say thats my favorite thing I did, but the footage is incredible. First of all, you get bounced around a ton. A normal pilot tries to avoid turbulence as best they can, but this plane flies into turbulence. Its like eight hours of just bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce.

Then you break through the eyewall and its one of the most beautiful things Ive ever seen. The sun is shining, suddenly down from the sky, and you can see all the way down to the ocean, completely clear. But ahead of you is just this mile-high wall of clouds.

I turned to Mark Withee, the officer who joined me and explained everything, and I was like, You see this every day. And he was like, Yeah, it never gets old.

These are folks who live on the Gulf Coast, and they know theyre going to save lives. Sure, theyre also thrill junkies, and they all have the Top Gun attitude, but they could make more money flying private jets. Theyre doing it because it needs to be done.

As nerve-racking as that was, was it also nerve-racking to talk to Lewis after the series came out? What did he think of your adaptation?

We did a story about how tech companies take all the credit for GPS, but it was actually invented by the U.S. government, and they still run it to this day. Apple Maps, Google Maps, Tinder, Uber  none of them would exist if not for those taxpayer dollars.

And Michael Lewis said, That blew my mind. And I was like, Wow, that is a highlight of my career, to be able to blow the mind of a man who has blown my mind so many times.

You went to the base where they still operate these satellites, and one of the operators was 20 years old.

It was crazy meeting him because when I was 20, I was a dumbass. Like, I couldnt do anything. I was barely able to string a joke together, and I was trying to work my way into a theater that would let me do comedy for free, without even being paid.

This guys running satellites. Unbelievable.

Near the end of the series, you eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with Barack Obama, and it gets kind of tense. Were you intimidated?

Our entire final episode, by the way, is disheartening stuff. What do we do when the government is not serving us, or when its hurting or killing us, in the case of our criminal justice system?

Look, this isnt a talk show, right? I cant be Jimmy Fallon and ruffle his hair and say, Oh, geez, so cool to meet you, sir. This is a show hes producing, but I have editorial independence, and I made it very clear I would not be following the Obama party line.

So, we criticize the drone strike program, we criticize the neoliberal turn toward private-sector solutions, especially regarding health care. The conversation I had with him needed to be a little bit prickly, in order for it to be a show that had any kind of integrity at all.
NAIROBI, Kenya  Once a key ally of Ethiopia's federal government in its deadly war in the country's northern Tigray region, the neighboring Amhara region is now experiencing government-led mass arrests and disappearances of activists, journalists and other perceived critics.

More than 4,500 people have been arrested in the Amhara region as of May 23, according to officials, but some activists say the real figure could be much higher. They accuse Ethiopia's government of targeting ethnic Amhara people it considers a threat to its authority as it tries to move on from the Tigray crisis.

The arrests are the latest sign that the federal government of Ethiopia  Africa's second-most populous country with 115 million people  is struggling to centralize its authority among scores of ethnic groups. The Amhara are the second-largest ethnic group and, along with Tigrayans, the source of many of the country's leaders  and critics, especially after frustration grew during the war when Tigray forces invaded the Amhara region and attacked civilians.

The federal government's arrests among the Amhara are "a pre-emptive action to consolidate their power, which they think is slowly slipping out of their hands, especially in the Amhara region," Yilkal Getnet, deputy chairman of the opposition party Hibir Ethiopia, told The Associated Press. "For me, these mass arrests are politically motivated."

The independent Ethiopian Human Rights Council earlier this week said it's not known where most detainees in the Amhara region are being held, alleging that many people were subjected to "kidnappings." Separately, the government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission called the "unlawful detention" of at least 19 journalists a "new low."

On Wednesday, federal police announced it had identified 111 online media outlets it called illegal and are "attempting to cause a rift between the government and the general public." It said 10 suspects are in custody.

Ethiopia's government and Amhara regional officials defend the arrests and say they will continue.

"There were attempts to portray the government as weak, and to cause public unrest and violence," regional spokesman Gizachew Muluneh told a press conference on Wednesday. "This conspiracy has failed. Anarchism and illegal activities have no place here."

The Ethiopian Government Communication Service, citing requests by the public to ensure law and order, said measures are being taken against "groups that pit society against one another."

The mass arrests aren't limited to the Amhara region, but it's there that outcry has been the loudest. Among those arrested are members of the Amhara militia known as the Fano which was an ally of federal forces when fighting Tigray forces. Fano members, while celebrated in state media, also were accused of some of the war's worst atrocities.

They are now described in state media as an "irregular force," and efforts are underway to disarm some of the fighters.

"Fano militia strengthened due to the war, and partly the arrests are an effort to bring them under government control," said William Davison, an analyst with the International Crisis Group. "However, the broad sweep of the detentions, including multiple journalists, suggests the government is also trying to control the narrative as fears grow among Amhara that their interests will be undermined by federal government efforts to end its conflict with Tigray's authorities."

Three of Ethiopia's largest opposition parties have called on the federal government to stop the arrests.

"Journalists, activists, Fano militia members, academicians, political party members and retirees are being abducted in a pretext of a 'law enforcement operation,'" the Enat Party, All-Ethiopia Unity Party and Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Party said in a joint statement this week. "The government is using this operation to silence dissent, break the morale of the public and snatch the leaders away."

The Amhara Association of America shared with the AP a list of several dozen detainees whom it said were targeted in recent weeks. It also alleged that seven people were killed on May 20 in Motta town in the Amhara region when army and regional special forces fired on a peaceful demonstration against the mass arrests.

The federal government fears Amhara political elites could emerge as its most pointed critics during the current respite from the Tigray war, said Yilkal with the opposition Hibir Ethiopia. The federal government in March declared a humanitarian cease-fire in the conflict that erupted in November 2020, though tensions continue.

"Those who coordinated, supported, and led the war are being arrested and chased," Yilkal said. He now fears for his safety, saying his lawyer was arrested in recent days. He said the charge sheet says the lawyer is accused of "inciting violence and unrest."
DILI, East Timor  The foreign ministers of Australia and China were both making their final stops Friday on what has become an island-hopping diplomatic duel in the South Pacific.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong arrived in Tonga where she met with Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku and other officials including King Tupou VI. Her visit came just three days after China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi held similar meetings in Tonga.

Wong and the officials talked about climate change and rebuilding efforts after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit in January. Also on the agenda was the contentious issue of regional security.

"We are not a government or a country that wants to come in and tell you what you should do," Wong said at a news conference in the capital, Nuku'alofa.

She said Australia considered itself part of the Pacific family.

"We want regional security to be dealt with, to be the responsibility of the Pacific family," Wong said. "And we will continue to engage with our friends, our partners in the region."

Hu'akavameiliku said Tonga was honored that Wong had decided to visit just two weeks after taking office, following an election in Australia.

"This is a clear sign of the Australian government's strong commitment to strengthening our bilateral relations and engagement with our region," the prime minister said.

Meanwhile, Wang met in Papua New Guinea with Prime Minister James Marape and other officials before flying Friday afternoon to East Timor, the final stop on his eight-nation tour of the region and the first outside of the South Pacific. Wang is due to leave East Timor on Saturday.

Wang met his East Timorese counterpart Adaljiza Magno shortly after arriving in Dili, the capital.

"The two countries have enjoyed strong relations over the past 20 years," Magno said, adding that her government was grateful for China's assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic and amid flooding last year that left dozens of people in Dili dead.

The two top diplomats signed agreements related to fisheries, water and sanitation. China also agreed to support the development of East Timor's healthcare system, including by building hospitals and sending medical teams there. And China pledged to help support East Timor's defense and education sectors.

During the visit, Wang held separate talks with East Timor's Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak, who is looking to increase infrastructure investment from Australia, Japan and China.

Most government offices in the capital, including the presidential palace and the foreign and defense ministries, as well as major shopping centers, were built with Chinese investment. A commercial port built by a Chinese state-owned company is set to open later this year.

Before returning to Beijing on Saturday, Wang is scheduled to meet with East Timor's newly elected President Jose Ramos-Horta and leaders of the country's two largest political parties.

East Timor, Asia's youngest country, just celebrated its 20th anniversary of independence from Indonesia, which invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975. Its transition to a democracy has been rocky, with leaders battling massive poverty, unemployment and corruption as the country continues to struggle with the legacy of its bloody independence battle and bitter factional politics that have occasionally erupted into violence. Its economy is reliant on dwindling offshore oil revenues.

Wang had hoped to ink an ambitious multilateral deal with 10 South Pacific nations this week covering everything from security to fisheries. He couldn't find consensus on that deal but has been notching up smaller wins by signing bilateral agreements with many of the countries he's been visiting.

The diplomatic push by China, especially around Pacific security, has caused deep concern among some of the island nations as well as farther afield in Canberra and Washington. Since news of the proposed deal emerged, Wong has made two trips to the Pacific to shore up support for Australia.

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Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand.
BANGKOK  China's most advanced aircraft carrier to date appears to be nearing completion, satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press showed Friday, as experts suggested the vessel could be launched soon.

The newly developed Type 003 carrier has been under construction at the Jiangnan Shipyard northeast of Shanghai since 2018. Satellite images taken by Planet Labs PBC on May 31 suggest work on the vessel is close to done.

The launch has been long anticipated, and constitutes what the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank called a "seminal moment in China's ongoing modernization efforts and a symbol of the country's growing military might."

CSIS noted in a report that China often pairs military milestones with existing holidays and anniversaries. It suggested that the vessel could be launched as soon as Friday to coincide with the national Dragon Boat Festival, as well as the 157th anniversary of the founding of the Jiangnan Shipyard.

In the satellite images, the carrier's deck can be clearly seen. In an image taken Tuesday through wispy clouds, equipment behind the carrier appears to have been removed, a step toward flooding the entire drydock and floating the vessel. Pictures earlier this month showed work ongoing.

Cloud cover blocked Planet Labs satellites from capturing images of the shipyard from Wednesday to Friday.

China's Ministry of National Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Though no launch was announced, the state-run Global Times newspaper on Tuesday ran a story quoting reports that it "could be launched soon."

It added that the Chinese navy in April had released a promotional video on the country's carrier program "in which it implied that the country's third aircraft carrier will be officially revealed soon."

Though the U.S. Department of Defense estimates that the carrier won't be fully operational until 2024, first needing to undergo extensive sea trials, the carrier is China's most advanced yet. As with its space program, China has proceeded extremely cautiously in the development of aircraft carriers, seeking to apply only technologies that have been tested and perfected.

Its development is part of a broader modernization of China's military as it seeks to extend its influence in the region. China already has the largest navy in the world in terms of numbers of ships, but not near the capabilities of the U.S. Navy.

Among other assets, the U.S. Navy remains the world's leader in aircraft carriers, with its forces able to muster 11 nuclear-powered vessels. The Navy also has nine amphibious assault ships, which can carry helicopters and vertical-takeoff fighter jets as well.

The expected launch of the new Chinese carrier comes as the U.S. has been increasing its focus on the region, including the South China Sea. The vast maritime region has been tense because six governments claim all or part of the strategically vital waterway, through which an estimated $5 trillion in global trade travels each year and which holds rich but fast declining fishing stocks and significant undersea oil and gas deposits.

China has been far and away the most aggressive in asserting its claim to virtually the entire waterway, its island features and resources.

The U.S. Navy has sailed warships past Chinese-held humanmade islands in the sea, which are equipped with airstrips and other military facilities. China insists its territory extends to those islands, while the Navy says it conducts the missions there to ensure the free flow of international trade.

Once mainly a coastal force, China's navy has in recent years expanded its presence into the Indian Ocean, the Western Pacific and beyond, setting up its first overseas base over the last decade in the African Horn nation of Djibouti, where the U.S., Japan and others also maintain a military presence.

The carrier is China's second domestically developed carrier, following a Type 002 ship that is currently undergoing sea trials. Its other carrier is a modified former Soviet ship bought as a hulk from Ukraine and refurbished over several years as an experimental platform that nevertheless packs considerable combat capability with an airwing of Chinese-built fighters developed from the Russian Su-33.

In addition to being the largest of its three carriers, the new Type 003 class is fitted with a catapult launch system that will "enable it to support additional fighter aircraft, fixed-wing early-warning aircraft, and more rapid flight operations and thus extend the reach and effectiveness of its carrier-based strike aircraft," the U.S. Defense Department said in its annual report to Congress on China's military in November.

"In particular, the PRC's (People's Republic of China's) aircraft carriers and planned follow-on carriers, once operational, will extend air defense coverage beyond the range of coastal and shipboard missile systems and will enable task group operations at increasingly longer ranges," the Defense Department said, adding that the Chinese navy's "emerging requirement for sea-based land-attack systems will also enhance the PRC's ability to project power."

China's existing carriers weigh in at about half the size of the U.S. Nimitz class flattops and displace about 100,000 tons fully loaded.

Experts from the Washington-based CSIS, which has been monitoring the construction for years, said in an analysis Thursday of different satellite images by Maxar Technologies, also taken Tuesday, that a smaller vessel had been moved out of the carrier's way, and that water now partially fills some of the dry dock.

But, they said, more work still needed to be done before the vessel could leave the dock.

"The staircases that workers use to access the carrier  as well as the support structures and other equipment that skirt the ship  will need to be removed," CSIS said. "The caisson, which segments the dry dock and allows work to proceed simultaneously on multiple vessels, will also be opened to allow water to fill the entire dry dock."

The Wall Street Journal first published the Maxar images of the vessel from the CSIS analysis.

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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea  Pyeongtaek city has agreed to compensate its residents with roughly $24 to $48 a month for noise from airfields at two nearby U.S. military bases.

A city noise control committee, during its first meeting in May, approved $9.5 million for over 46,000 residents for noise generated by aircraft at Camp Humphreys and Osan Air Base, according to a city press release on Monday.

Our city will do its best to try to get fruitful compensation materialized by dealing with it more cautiously, Pyeongtaek vice mayor Choi Won-yong said in the release.

Camp Humphreys, the largest U.S. military base overseas and home of U.S. Forces Korea and U.N. Command, is in Pyeongtaek, about 40 miles south of Seoul. The base has a population of 35,500 people and includes an airfield that operates fixed and rotary wing aircraft around the clock.

Osan Air Base, the home of 7th Air Force just a few miles north of Humphreys, is also within Pyeongtaek. The base was initially located in Osan city before construction projects stretched 85% of its boundary into Pyeongtaek. U.S. and South Korean military aircraft operate from Osan.

Residents who moved to designated noise control areas before 1989 and lived there between Nov. 27, 2020, and Dec. 31 will receive a baseline of $24 to $48 a month as compensation, according to the press release and a city official.

South Korea's Defense Ministry will be providing the funds for the program and Pyeongtaek city will disburse them to eligible residents.

South Korean government officials customarily speak to the media on condition of anonymity.

Residents who moved to the designated areas after 1989 but lived there through 2021 will receive 30% of the baseline amount.

Residents will receive annual compensation based on the date they registered their address and their distance from the U.S. bases. Foreigners living in the designated areas will also be eligible for compensation.

The yearly disbursement will be recalculated each year.

South Korea passed the Military Noise Compensation Act in 2020 to offset the noise pollution complaints, which included noise from military shooting ranges.

South Korean citizens living near military bases had complained that the standards for determining eligibility for compensation was too high and that the amount received was too low, according to local media reports.
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CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea  U.S. Forces Korea lowered the health protection condition for its troops on Thursday as COVID-19 infection rates continue to decline across South Korea.

The command is now at Alpha, one level above an everyday health condition, and allowed its personnel, regardless of their vaccination status, to patronize all off-base businesses, according to a USFK news release Thursday.

USFK will continue to monitor the current COVID-19 situation within USFK and South Korea - while balancing mission readiness requirements with the health and well-being of our affiliated community - and will make additional adjustments regarding HPCON levels to protect our mission and community, the release stated.

The command last lowered its health condition on April 21 from Bravo Plus to Bravo, which permitted fully vaccinated personnel to visit local businesses. The command considers a person fully vaccinated 14 days after completing a vaccination series approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

No changes were made to USFKs mask policy. The command did away with its policy on April 25 but allowed garrison commanders the option to require masks in high-traffic areas on their installations. The Brian D. Allgood Army Community Hospital at Camp Humphreys, for example, requires visitors to wear masks.

USFK personnel are still required to adhere to local social distancing directives outside of military bases. South Koreas Ministry of Health and Welfare rescinded its outdoor mask mandate in May but still requires them indoors. People in groups of 50 or more, such as a sporting event, are also required to wear masks.

USFK reported 59 infections in the week ending Monday. The commands weekly case counts are steadily declining. From May 17 to 23, USFK reported 104 cases; in the week prior that that, the command counted 141 cases. USFKs weekly case numbers peaked at a pandemic high of 1,599 cases between Jan. 4 and 10.

Infections across South Korea have also dipped in recent weeks. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency counted 12,542 cases on Thursday, down from a daily record of 621,187 on March 1.

South Korea reached four-month low of 6,139 new cases on Sunday, according to the KDCA report on Monday.

Nearly 88% of South Koreans have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of Thursday and almost 65% received a booster shot.
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YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan  A delegation of South Korean service members, including three general officers, toured U.S. bases in and around Tokyo from Tuesday to Friday, marking a resumption of visits that had been on hold during the coronavirus pandemic.

They stopped at three installations that support the U.N. Commands mission in South Korea: Yokota Air Base, headquarters of U.S. Forces Japan in western Tokyo; Camp Zama, headquarters of U.S. Army Japan; and Yokosuka Naval Base, homeport of the U.S. 7th Fleet.

U.N. Command-Rear, also based at Yokota, supports the movement of personnel, supplies and equipment for nine of 22 nations that have sent forces to South Korea since the Korean War. The member nations also monitor sanctions the U.N. imposed on North Korea to hinder its weapons programs.

The trip aimed to boost the South Koreans understanding of the U.N. Commands work in Japan, British Army Lt. Gen. Andrew Harrison told Stars and Stripes in Tokyo on Thursday. Harrison, the U.N. deputy commander, is based at Camp Humphreys, South Korea.

This used to be routine and so that understanding existed (but) there hasnt been an opportunity to meet face to face for a number of years, Harrison said. We are re-instigating this and allowing South Korean generals and Japanese leaders to talk and understand the role of the U.N Command-Rear in Japan.

Last year 3,944 people, 16 ships and 22 aircraft from U.N. Command sending nations came into Japan to support the commands mission, said Royal Australian Air Force Group Capt. Lyle Holt, who leads the Yokota-based U.N. Command-Rear.

The four-day visit coincides with North Koreas increased pace of weapons development. The communist regime has conducted 16 missile tests so far this year.

The North is testing a range of missile capabilities, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, Harrison said.

Its the most number ever (for a calendar year) and we are only halfway through the year, he said.

The U.S., Japan and South Korea will move rapidly to bolster security cooperation following President Joe Bidens visits to both countries in late May, Kim Hyun-wook, an American studies professor at Korea National Diplomatic Academy in Seoul, said in an email Wednesday.

The U.S. allies have a territorial dispute over a cluster of small islands and disagreements about compensation for forced labor and sexual slavery of South Koreans by Japanese Imperial forces during World War II.

It wont be easy to restore the relationship, even on security cooperation, since the Japanese government still wants South Korea to resolve historical issues first, Kim said.

But there are clear signs of trilateral cooperation getting better, he said.

North Korean provocations are an incentive to cooperate, Kim said. The most likely progress will be trilateral meetings to discuss ways to deter the North, he said.
SEOUL, South Korea  President Joe Biden's special envoy for North Korea said Friday the United States is "preparing for all contingencies" in close coordination with its South Korean and Japanese allies as it monitors North Korean arrangements for a possible nuclear test explosion that outside officials say could be imminent.

South Korean and U.S. intelligence officials have said they detected North Korean efforts to prepare its northeastern testing ground for another nuclear test, which would be its seventh since 2006 and the first since September 2017, when it claimed to have detonated a thermonuclear bomb to fit on its intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Sung Kim, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, was in Seoul for a trilateral meeting with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts to discuss the growing threat posed by North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles programs.

"The U.S. assesses that the DPRK is preparing at its Punggye-ri test site for what would be its seventh nuclear test. This assessment is consistent with the DPRK's own recent public statements," said Kim, using the initials of North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Aside from coordinating with Seoul and Tokyo over contingency planning, Washington is also prepared to make "both short- and longer-term adjustments to our military posture as appropriate and responding to any DPRK provocation and as necessary to strengthen both defense and deterrence to protect our allies in the region," Kim said.

Funakoshi Takehiro, Japan's director-general for Asian and Oceanian Affairs, said the North's spate of ballistic tests this year and possible nuclear test preparations underscore the need for a more robust international response and lamented the United Nations Security Council's inaction over the North's recent tests.

Kim Gunn, South Korea's representative at the nuclear envoy, said North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile development would only strengthen the security cooperation between the United States and its Asian allies and deepen the North's isolation and economic woes.

"That is why it is so important to steer North Korea back towards the paths of dialogue and diplomacy," he said.

Nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019 over disagreements in exchanging the release of crippling U.S.-led sanctions against North Korea and the North's disarmament steps.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has expanded his ballistic missile program amid the diplomatic pause and a nuclear test would escalate his brinkmanship aimed at cementing the North's status as a nuclear power and negotiating economic and security concessions from a position of strength.

North Korea has already conducted missile tests 17 different times in 2022, including its first ICBM demonstrations in nearly five years, exploiting a favorable environment to push forward weapons development as the U.N. Security Council remains divided over Russia's war on Ukraine.

Russia and China last week vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution that would have imposed additional sanctions on North Korea over its latest ballistic tests on May 25, which South Korea's military said involved an ICBM flown on medium-range trajectory and two short-range weapons. Those tests came as Biden wrapped up his trip to South Korea and Japan, where he reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend both allies in the face of the North's nuclear threat.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said Washington will still push for additional sanctions if North Korea conducts a new nuclear test.

Kim Jong Un's pressure campaign is unlikely to be impeded by a deadly coronavirus outbreak in his largely unvaccinated autocracy.

Dr. Mike Ryan, the World Health Organization's emergencies chief, said Wednesday that the U.N. health agency assumes the virus situation in North Korea is "getting worse, not better," considering the lack of public health tools, despite Pyongyang's recent claims that COVID-19 is slowing there.

While North Korea has so far ignored U.S. and South Korean offers of vaccines and other COVID-19 supplies, the country appears to be receiving help from China, its main ally and economic lifeline.

GAVI, the nonprofit that runs the U.N.-backed COVAX distribution program, said it understands that North Korea has accepted an offer of vaccines from China and has started to administer doses. It isn't immediately clear how many doses of which vaccines the North received or how the country was rolling them out.

Some experts say North Korea, with its supplies limited, would prioritize inoculating certain groups based on economic needs, including workers and soldiers involved in cross-border trade or major construction projects Kim Jong Un considers crucial to his rule.

The North had previously shunned millions of doses offered by COVAX, possibly because of international monitoring requirements attached to those shots.

"COVAX has allocated doses to DPRK in several prior allocation rounds, and has always been ready to support Pyongyang should it request our assistance, but so far we have received no formal requests for COVID-19 vaccine support," GAVI said Friday in an email to The Associated Press.

Sung Kim, the U.S envoy, said Washington would continue to support humanitarian efforts to supply the North with COVID-19-related relief.

North Korea says it has so far found 3.9 million people with feverish symptoms, but health officials have confirmed only a handful of cases as COVID-19, likely because of shortages in testing supplies.
KYIV, Ukraine  On Ukraine's battlefields, the simple act of powering up a cellphone can beckon a rain of deathly skyfall. Artillery radar and remote controls for unmanned aerial vehicles may also invite fiery shrapnel showers.

This is electronic warfare, a critical but largely invisible aspect of Russia's war against Ukraine. Military commanders largely shun discussing it, fearing they'll jeopardize operations by revealing secrets.

Electronic warfare technology targets communications, navigation and guidance systems to locate, blind and deceive the enemy and direct lethal blows. It is used against artillery, fighter jets, cruise missiles, drones and more. Militaries also use it to protect their forces.

It's an area where Russia was thought to have a clear advantage going into the war. Yet, for reasons not entirely clear, its much-touted electronic warfare prowess was barely seen in the war's early stages in the chaotic failure to seize the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

It has become far more of a factor in fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine, where shorter, easier-to-defend supply lines let Russia move electronic warfare gear closer to the battlefield.

"They are jamming everything their systems can reach," said an official of Aerorozvidka, a reconnaissance team of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle tinkerers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of safety concerns. "We can't say they dominate, but they hinder us greatly."

A Ukrainian intelligence official called the Russian threat "pretty severe" when it comes to disrupting reconnaissance efforts and commanders' communications with troops. Russian jamming of GPS receivers on drones that Ukraine uses to locate the enemy and direct artillery fire is particularly intense "on the line of contact," he said.

Ukraine has scored some successes in countering Russia's electronic warfare efforts. It has captured important pieces of hardware  a significant intelligence coup  and destroyed at least two multi-vehicle mobile electronic warfare units.

Its own electronic warfare capability is hard to assess. Analysts say it has markedly improved since 2014, when Russia seized Crimea and instigated a separatist revolt in eastern Ukraine. But there are setbacks. Last week, Russia claimed it destroyed a Ukrainian electronic intelligence center in the southeastern town of Dniprovske. The claim could not be independently confirmed, and Ukrainian officials did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine has also made effective use of technology and intelligence from the United States and other NATO members. Such information helped Ukraine sink the battle cruiser Moskva. Allied satellites and surveillance aircraft help from nearby skies, as does billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink satellite communications network.

Electronic war has three basic elements: probe, attack and protect. First, intelligence is gathered by locating enemy electronic signals. On attack, "white noise" jamming disables and degrades enemy systems, including radio and cellphone communications, air defense and artillery radars. Then there is spoofing, which confuses and deceives. When it works, munitions miss their targets.

"Operating on a modern battlefield without data is really hard," said retired Col. Laurie Buckhout, a former U.S. Army electronic warfare chief. Jamming "can blind and deafen an aircraft very quickly and very dangerously, especially if you lose GPS and radar and you're a jet flying at 600 miles an hour."

All of which explains the secrecy around electronic warfare.

"It is an incredibly classified field because it is highly dependent on evolving, bleeding-edge technologies where gains can be copied and erased very quickly," said James Stidham, a communications security expert who has consulted for the U.S. State and Homeland Security departments.

Ukraine learned hard lessons about electronic warfare in 2014 and 2015, when Russia overwhelmed its forces with it. The Russians knocked drones out of the sky and disabled warheads, penetrated cellphone networks for psychological ops and zeroed in on Ukrainian armor.

One Ukrainian officer told Christian Brose, an aide to the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., how Russian info warriors tricked a commander into returning a wireless call from his mother. When he did, they geolocated him in mid-call and killed him with precision rockets, Brose wrote in the book "The Kill Chain."

The U.S. also experienced Russia's electronic warfare in action in Syria, where the adversaries have backed opposing sides in the civil war. In 2018, U.S. Special Operations chief Gen. Raymond Thomas described how U.S. pilots' communications were regularly "knocked down" in Syria in the "most aggressive" electronic warfare environment on the planet. Russia's advanced systems are designed to blind U.S. Airborne Warning and Control Systems, or AWACS, aircraft  the eyes and ears of battlefield commanders  as well as cruise missiles and spy satellites.

In the current war, electronic warfare has become a furious theater of contention.

Aerorozvidka has modified camera-equipped drones to pinpoint enemy positions and drop mortars and grenades. Hacking is also used to poison or disable enemy electronics and collect intelligence.

Ukrainian officials say their electronic warfare capabilities have improved radically since 2015. They include the use of encrypted U.S and Turkish communications gear for a tactical edge. Ukraine has advanced so much it exports some of its technology.

Russia has engaged in GPS jamming in areas from Finland to the Black Sea, said Lt. Col. Tyson Wetzel, an Air Force fellow at the Atlantic Council. One regional Finnish carrier, Transaviabaltica, had to cancel flights on one route for a week as a result. Russian jamming has also disrupted Ukrainian television broadcasting, said Frank Backes, an executive with California-based Kratos Defense, which has satellite ground stations in the region.

Yet in the war's early days, Russia's use of electronic warfare was less effective and extensive than anticipated. That may have contributed to its failure to destroy enough radar and anti-aircraft units to gain air superiority.

Russia's defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment for this article.

Some analysts believe Russian commanders held back units fearing the units would be captured. At least two were seized. One was a Krasukha-4, which a U.S. Army database says is designed to jam satellite signals as well as surveillance radar and radar-guided weapons from more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away. The other: the more advanced Borisoglebsk-2, which can jam drone guidance systems and radio-controlled land mines.

Russia may have also limited the use of electronic warfare early in the conflict because of concerns that ill-trained or poorly motivated technicians might not operate it properly.

"What we're learning now is that the Russians eventually turned it off because it was interfering with their own communications so much," said retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, a former U.S. Army commander for Europe.

The communications problems were evident with many Russian troops talking on insecure open radio channels, easily monitored by outsiders.

It's unclear how much of an edge Russia's electronic assets may now offer. Ukraine's forces are now more concentrated than early in the war, which could make them easier to target.

Much depends on whether Russia's battalion tactical groups "are configured in reality as they are on paper," said James Rands, of the Jane's military intelligence think tank. Each group, comprised of roughly 1,000 troops, is supposed to have an electronic warfare unit. The Pentagon says 110 such groups are in Ukraine.

The Kremlin also claims to have more than 1,000 small, versatile Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles it uses for reconnaissance, targeting, jamming and cellphone interception.

Russia has lost about 50 of its Orlan-10s in the war, but "whatever they lost could be a small portion of what's flying," said researcher Samuel Bendett, of the Center for Naval Analyses think tank.

Ukraine's relative UAV strength is unclear, but Ukrainians have adapted such technologies as software-defined radio and 3D printing to stay nimble.

The U.S. and Britain also supply jamming gear, but how much it helps is unclear. Neither country has offered details. The ability of both sides to disable the other's drones is crucial with the artillery they scout now so decisive in battles.

Musk's Starlink is a proven asset. Its more than 2,200 low-orbiting satellites provide broadband internet to more than 150,000 Ukrainian ground stations. Severing those connections is a challenge for Russia. It is far more difficult to jam low-earth orbiting satellites than geostationary ones.

Musk has won plaudits from the Pentagon for at least temporarily defeating Russian jamming of Ukrainian satellite uplinks with a quick software fix. But he has warned Ukrainians to keep those terminals powered down when possible  they are vulnerable to geolocation  and recently worried on Twitter about redoubled Russian interference efforts.

"I'm sure that the Russians are getting smarter about that now," said Wetzel, the Air Force lieutenant colonel.

___

Bajak reported from Boston. AP correspondent Lolita C. Baldor contributed from Washington.
(Tribune News Service)  Debate erupted Friday over whether some in the crowd outside St. Pauls Cathedral in London Friday booed when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrived for the thanksgiving service in honor of the queens Platinum Jubilee.

During the Sky TV broadcast, presenters said a mix of cheers and jeers accompanied the appearance of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who nonetheless kept their composure and continued to smile as they held hands and climbed the steps at St. Pauls. It was the California-based couples first public appearance with other members of the royal family since the tension-filled Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020, amid their acrimonious departure from royal life just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The jeers apparently were audible enough that Sky News commentator Rhiannon Mills said the negative reaction from some shouldnt be surprising. She mentioned that the couple had become controversial in the U.K., because of the view that they snubbed the queen by not giving her sufficient notice before they went public in January 2020 with their plans to step away from royal duties and move to North America.

For another perspective, Chris Ship, the royal reporter for ITV News, tweeted that it was too hard to hear the crowds reaction over the peeling church bells. But the Daily Beast said the bells only made it difficult to ascertain how many in the crowd had responded negatively to the couple, adding that boos and catcalls were clearly audible on TV news coverage.

Richard Palmer, the royal correspondent for the Daily Express, said that the couple faced a loud reaction and that it came from a mix of boos and cheers.

Palmer later tweeted that the mixed reaction turned to cheers by the time the couple reached the top of the steps.

Palmers Twitter feed was immediately filled with replies from fans of the Sussexes, several of whom said, I just heard cheers. One person suggested that he, as a member of the British media, was eager to present the Sussexes in a bad light.

Sorry but the manipulation isnt working well. The Commonwealth loves them and you cant stop it, the person tweeted.

But others said they definitely heard boos. I could still hear the boos over the bells at home. I was shocked at that, another said.

But still others insisted that the boos actually were intended for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who arrived around the same time as the Sussexes. Very audible jeers erupted when Johnson and his wife Carrie arrived at St. Pauls.

On the other hand, the crowd was clearly jubilant when Prince William, the future king and Harrys older brother, and his wife, Kate Middleton, arrived. Thats the biggest cheer of the day, royal author Andrew Morton said on Sky TV.

For the service on Friday, much was made of the fact that Harry and Meghan and William and Kate would be together at the same event for the first time in two years. Unfortunately, the real star of the event, 96-year-old Queen Elizabeth II, who is celebrating her 70th year on the throne, had to pull out of attending at the last minute due to ongoing mobility issues. Her disgraced second son, Prince Andrew, also backed out at the last minute, saying he had tested positive for COVID-19.

For all the talk about Harry and Meghans reunion with William and Kate, the seating and the order of the service appeared to be arranged so that they was little chance that the feuding brothers and their wives would interact or be photographed together. Harry and Meghan didnt meet with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge outside, and the couples were seated some distance from each other in the church.

Later the Sussexes turn up at the reception at the nearby Guildhall, where various members of the royal family and senior U.K. politicians mingled together in a large reception room, the Daily Mail reported.

They instead headed back to Frogmore Cottage, the home in Windsor Park where they are staying and that was given to them by the queen when they still lived in the U.K. The Daily Mail said they hadnt been expected at the reception, while also reporting that the couple were trying to keep a low profile while in London, so they wont be accused of overshadowing the queens celebrations.

The Daily Beast also reported that the couple privately introduced the queen to their 1-year-old daughter Lilibet Diana for the first time Thursday, during a lunch with the monarch after Trooping the Color. The couple have said they named Lilibet in honor of the queens childhood nickname.

Despite some peoples negative reaching to their presence in the U.K., the Sussexes appeared cheerful and relaxed during Fridays thanksgiving service, smiling and chatting easily with Harrys relatives and sharing a joke and laughing with the Archbishop of York, the Daily Mail reported.

The Cambridges appeared more reserved during the service, although they also seemed to be in good spirits, especially when the crowds cheered them when they arrived at St. Pauls.

In general, both couples managed to get through the service without the drama that beset their last public event together. During the 2020 Commonwealth service, William and Kate reportedly gave Harry and Meghan the cold shoulder, according to Finding Freedom, the sympathetic biography of the Sussexes.

The brothers once close relationship has fallen apart over a range of issues, according to Finding Freedom and The Palace Papers, famed editor Tina Browns new book about the royal family. The issues include Harrys reported jealously over Williams higher status in the monarchy as well as Williams concerns about Harrys whirlwind romance with Meghan, an American former TV actress who later admitted to Oprah WInfrey that she had no idea what she was getting into when she married into the British royal family in the 2018.

At the 2020 service, Harry also was seen glowering. According to Finding Freedom, he was reportedly put out over the decision to cut him and Meghan from a prominent role in the traditional procession with the queen down the aisle.

Since Harry and Meghans move to California, they gave their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, during which they alleged that a member of the royal family said racist things about their future children, Harry said his brother was trapped in his role in the royal family, and Meghan claimed that Kate made her cry before her wedding.

TIna Brown has said that the relationship between the two brothers still isnt good. Im told theres absolutely nothing going on between them at the moment, she told the Telegraph.

Amid tension at the service in 2020 or on Friday, Meghan, more than anyone else, managed to maintain her composure. Its likely shes able to draw on her experience as a former TV actor, which taught her how to hold herself together in high pressure moments and to know where the camera is so that she can flash a megawatt smile.



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Visit at mercurynews.com.

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In the three months since Chris left the United States to join the war in Ukraine, he has fought, he said, in some of its diciest battles, in places like Irpin, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

A former member of the U.S. Armys 75th Ranger Regiment, he went to Ukraine with extensive experience conducting nighttime raids in Iraq and Afghanistan. But until recently, he was unable to employ it against Russian troops because the Ukrainian units with which he has been paired lacked the necessary technology.

In the American military, these kinds of things get provided. The night vision and thermals, those are things I cant afford, said Chris, who spoke on the condition that his full name not be disclosed, citing the sensitivity of his work in Ukraine. Without it, it was just difficult. ... Its pretty terrifying to be at the front and you cant aim your weapons systems about half of the time.

The Washington Post interviewed Chris in May and verified his military credentials through official service records. Hes part of a small, shadowy network of former military personnel and small-scale contractors aiding Ukraines war effort by providing advanced, commercially available combat gear to front-line units engaging Russian forces at close range. Such efforts, they say, enable Ukraine to exploit the vulnerabilities of what is generally a larger, more technologically advanced Russian military by targeting and taking out forces as they approach.

Its a delicate venture, one that involves close scrutiny of U.S. laws governing the sale and distribution of sensitive military equipment, people familiar with the effort say. At least three members of Congress have been approached by groups seeking guidance on how to speed applications for government approval to export materiel that is closely regulated.

While aerial bombardment continues in select parts of Ukraine, the ground campaign in the east has become the central focus now. U.S. defense officials say the fight for Donbas especially has become an artillery war, fueling the trend toward sending heavier, long-range systems to buttress the local resistance. Ukrainian troops, aided by Western weapons and volunteers, have mounted a potent resistance, destroying Russian tanks and aircraft, and taking potentially tens of thousands of troops off the battlefield.

Weapons and other equipment have been flowing into Ukraine in recent weeks from a host of NATO countries. Since the start of the Russian invasion, the U.S. government alone has provided almost $4 billion in security assistance to Kyiv, with billions more authorized for use in the coming weeks and months. According to the Pentagons accounting, the equipment sent to Ukraine includes more than 50,000 sets of body armor and helmets, 2,000 optics and laser range finders, night-vision devices, thermal imagery systems and more.

The Ukrainians have told us repeatedly that they do not need additional small arms from the United States, Navy Capt. Mike Kafka, a Pentagon spokesman, said in response to questions about these private efforts to supplement Ukraines arsenal. We remain in constant communication with Ukraine about their capability needs. ... Once the equipment is delivered to the Ukrainians, how they distribute it inside Ukraine is up to them.

Ad hoc groups working to help the Ukrainians say certain Western military aid is not getting where it needs to be fast enough or in sufficient supply. There is a massive disconnect from the very top to the guy on the front lines, said Ryan Gisolfi, co-founder of Delta Level Solutions, a security firm established this year that is helping move military equipment obtained independently of Western governments to special operations units in Ukraine.

Hunter Ripley Rip Rawlings, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel, went to Ukraine at the start of hostilities and has been working through his group, Ripleys Heroes, and with other foundations and vendors to transfer nonlethal military gear and medical equipment. The military aid packages that are moving through, they are ... not night-vision goggles and theyre not body armor, Rawlings said in an interview from Kyiv. So weve filled a niche - and the niche is large.

Ukraines Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

A few weeks ago, Chris, the former Army Ranger, acquired advanced night-optical devices and thermal-optics devices from one of the groups in Rawlingss network, Project SIRIN. The organization formed this year and counts Chris among its on-the-ground network, helping to identify where there are needs for such equipment.

Project SIRIN is a small group of Americans and Canadians, almost exclusively veterans like Chris with special operations experience, that raises money largely through crowdfunding and donations from other veteran-backed organizations. Neither its business model nor its motivation is unique: In the past three months, several such groups have sprung up in the United States and Europe to source and send materiel to support Ukrainian fighters. They bankroll their efforts through appeals for donations or the sale of Ukraine-themed merchandise.

To date, most groups that have managed to do this work successfully have focused on things like medical supplies, vehicles and communications equipment. Project SIRINs attempt to move military materiel brings a series of extra hurdles. Military-grade weapons are tightly controlled, so while the group waits for the U.S. government to approve its export license, it buys specialized equipment from domestic and foreign distributors, including firms that cater to dedicated hobbyists with high-end gear.

Delivering the goods to Ukraine - which also happens without government sponsorship - depends on personal connections forged through the often cryptic ties that bind the community of special operations troops and veterans. Secrecy is hard-wired into the organizations culture: Despite wanting to draw attention to their work and the need that inspired it, the organizers of Project SIRIN refused to disclose their full names, fearing direct reprisals from Russia and its supporters. The organization is a subsidiary of the Ukraine February Fund, which was registered in Pennsylvania this year and is awaiting approval of nonprofit status. Its officers are not identified in public records.

Patrick, a nonveteran who handles communications for the group, said the decision to focus on night vision and thermal optics came after extensive discussions with special operations units in the Ukrainian military, police and national guard.

We were reaching out to them, going: What are you guys missing right now? And that was the No. 1 answer: night vision, night vision, we need night vision, he said. We all know that antitank and MANPADS have proliferated in this conflict ... and thats been a game changer. It hasnt been the case for NODs. ... Theres just not enough for the number of qualified people.

MANPADS is shorthand for man-portable air-defense systems - or shoulder-fired weapons. NODs are nighttime observation devices.

Chris said the night-vision equipment and thermals, which are used to detect an enemys presence in darkness through its heat signature, have benefited not only the unit to which hes assigned but also those operating nearby. The information on Russian movements they are able to glean with the equipment improves the Ukrainian sides broader ability to conduct strikes accurately and safely, he said.

Having the ability to conduct reconnaissance at night, thats huge, he said, because not every Russian has night capability. He estimated that 1 in 4 people in his unit now have the equipment.

Shipping any military-grade equipment from the United States requires approval from the State Department and adherence to export controls established in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Project SIRINs application is being evaluated, a process that has taken months, even with support from Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., whose staff has advised the group on how to navigate the process, his office confirmed. Kinzinger has also indirectly supported the groups efforts financially, via a donation to Rawlingss group from funds collected through the congressmans political action committee, Country First.

Other lawmakers have been approached by groups seeking help with providing Ukraine night-vision equipment, drones, secured communications equipment, cybersecurity systems and body armor. Thus far, congressional efforts to help expedite the application-review process have been unsuccessful.

For now, those organizations trying to help say they are buying high-end civilian products that mimic the functionality of military-grade equipment, while plumbing European suppliers to source and ship equipment legally through other means.

Project SIRIN organizers say they have given Ukraine nearly a quarter-million dollars worth of gear this way, including 22 night-optical devices, eight thermal-vision units and one drone. Rawlings said he has brought into Ukraine about 60 sets of night-vision goggles and about 20 sets of thermals, relying on U.S., Polish and Ukrainian groups.

Such efforts may change the fortunes of an individual unit, experts say, but theyre not a permanent fix.

As a Band-Aid, this can be helpful. This is not a broad solution, said Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies International Security Program. In any large enterprise, there are always going to be gaps. ... You cant send people down to every platoon or squad to find out what they need and bring it to them.

Long-term, Cancian said, the Ukrainians have to build a system where they can [meet] these needs.

The Washington Posts Alice Crites contributed to this report.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas ended her 16-month governing coalition after weeks of political squabbling, saying shell seek to form a new alliance as the Baltic nation confronts its biggest security threat in decades.

There needs to be a functioning government that has shared values, Kallas, the 44-year-old leader whose popularity has soared with her hard line on Russian President Vladimir Putin, said in an interview in Tallinn on Friday.

The moves comes hours after the Estonian president, who holds a largely ceremonial role, urged the ruling party members to drop their differences or find a new alignment. The standoff had hobbled the ability of the nation of 1.3 million, which shares a border with Russia, to confront the threat posed by the invasion of Ukraine, he said.

Kallas responded by firing her cabinet members belonging to the Centre Party under former Premier Juri Ratas, who had unilaterally sought legislation Kallas rejected. Kallas said shell instead seek to form a majority with Estonias Social Democrats and the nationalist Pro Patria party.

While the Social Democrats immediately expressed interest, a spokesman for Pro Patria said the party was open to all options. The conservative faction could also join a majority with Centre and the far-right EKRE party, which could return Ratas to the top job. Pro Patria leaders will meet on Monday to discuss the way forward.

Ratas called Kallass decision incomprehensible in a statement on Facebook, and signaled she should resign -- a course the premier said she wouldnt take.

Kallas had struggled to end the crisis. During a meeting with European Union leaders this week, she pledged to pull the plug on the coalition if Ratass party pushed through legislation without her consent. That draft bill, on childrens benefits, later cleared a key hurdle -- while Ratass faction rejected a separate bill, mandating Estonian in kindergartens, that had already been agreed on with Kallass Reform Party.

The legislative jousting was too much for Kallas, who said the Centre Party, with whom shes governed since January 2021, had become unreliable.

If I dont know how many votes I actually have in parliament or if the decisions that weve made in government are somehow undermined - you cant govern like that in a security situation, Kallas said in the interview.

The political maneuvering would put off any early election, with the next contest scheduled for 2023 at the latest. But if a vote were held in the near term, polls show Kallass popularity would lift Reform. A June 1 Norstat survey showed 34.7% of voters backing Reform, well ahead of Centre at 16.3%. EKRE would come in second with 19.4%.
WASHINGTON  For some Afghans who were evacuated as their country fell to the Taliban last summer, the journey to the United States has stalled, and perhaps ended, at a sun-baked cluster of tents and temporary housing on an American base in the Balkans.

While more than 78,000 Afghans have arrived in the U.S. for resettlement since August, the future for those who have been flagged for additional security vetting and diverted to Camp Bondsteel, in the small nation of Kosovo, remains up in the air. The U.S. won't force the dozens there to return to Afghanistan, where they could face reprisals.

Their frustration is growing. Some Afghans at the base, which has been shrouded in secrecy, took the unusual step this week of staging a protest, holding up signs with messages such as "we want justice," according to photos sent to The Associated Press.

"They just keep repeating the same things, that it takes time and we must be patient," one of the Afghans, Muhammad Arif Sarwari, said in a text message from the base.

Their complaints open a window into an aspect of the evacuation and resettlement of Afghans that has gotten little attention because U.S. authorities, and the government of Kosovo, have been reluctant to say much about the people sent to Bondsteel.

The base houses a mix of adults and children, because some of the people who have so far failed to get a visa to the U.S. are traveling with family. Sarwari, a former senior intelligence official with the Afghan government, said there are about 45 people there, representing about 20 or so individual visa cases, after a flight to the U.S. left with 27 of the refugees on Wednesday.

The Biden administration won't provide details, but acknowledges that some of the evacuees did not make it through what it calls a "a multi-layered, rigorous screening and vetting process" and won't be permitted to enter the U.S.

While the vast majority of Afghan evacuees have been cleared through this process, the small number of individuals who have been denied are examples of the system working exactly as it should, the National Security Council said in a written statement.

In all, about 600 Afghans have passed through Bondsteel, according to the government of Kosovo, which initially authorized use of the base for evacuees for a year but recently agreed to extend that until August 2023.

Kosovo, which gained independence from Serbia in 2008 with U.S. support, has also provided little information about the Afghans at Bondsteel, citing the privacy of the refugees. Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a statement that the government is proud of its role providing temporary shelter to them.

Afghans are housed in a section of Bondsteel called Camp Liya, named for an Afghan child handed to the U.S. Marines over a fence at the Hamid Karzai International Airport during the evacuation, according to a U.S. military publication.

It was the chaotic nature of that evacuation that led to the need for an overseas facility in the first place. As the Afghan government collapsed, thousands of people made it onto military transport planes with minimal screening before they arrived at one of several overseas transit points.

The people sent to Bondsteel were stopped and diverted for a host of reasons, including missing or flawed documents or security concerns that emerged during overseas vetting by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, officials have said.

At the same time, some in Congress have criticized the administration for what they say has been inadequate vetting of Afghan refugees.

Sarwari made it to Kuwait from Afghanistan in early September with his wife and two of his daughters and says he doesn't know why he's been held up. He was a prominent figure in Afghanistan, serving as the former director of intelligence after the U.S. invasion in 2001. Before that, he was a top official with the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance.

Both positions would make him a target of the Taliban if he were to return.

"The vetting team keeps telling us sorry, Washington is just deciding some political issues," he said.

Sarwari has applied for a special immigrant visa, which is issued to people who worked for the U.S. government or its allies during the war. He has not received a response, according to his lawyer, Julie Sirrs.

"In theory, he is free to leave but it's not clear where he could go," Sirrs said. "He obviously cannot return to Afghanistan. He's clearly in danger if he returns."

He and others live a circumscribed existence on Bondsteel. Although technically not detained, they cannot leave the arid, rocky base and have spent months in tents, which were adorned with handwritten signs during this week's protest. One said "unfair decision," while another said "children are suffering."

The Biden administration says authorities have determined that some  it won't say how many  simply cannot be allowed to enter the U.S. It is working to find other countries that don't harbor the same security concerns and are willing to accept them for resettlement. No one will be forcibly returned to Afghanistan, the NSC spokesperson said.

_____

Associated Press writer Llazar Semini contributed from Tirana, Albania.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  Dubai police said Friday they arrested and planned to extradite a British man to Denmark, wanted there for allegedly masterminding a $1.7 billion tax scheme, one of the country's largest-ever fraud cases.

The arrest of hedge fund trader Sanjay Shah came after Danish officials signed an agreement in March allowing for extradition between the United Arab Emirates and Denmark.

Shah has maintained his innocence in interviews with journalists while living in Dubai over the last few years on the city-state's manmade Palm Jumeirah archipelago, but never appeared in Denmark to answer the accusations.

It wasn't clear if Shah, 52, had a local lawyer in the Emirates. A court date did not appear to have been set in Dubai, the commercial capital of the seven-sheikhdom federation of the UAE. Prosecutors did not respond to a request for comment on Friday, the start of the Emirati weekend.

A spokesman once associated with Shah, who ran the firm Solo Capital Partners, did not respond to a request for comment. The hedge fund manager had run a center for autistic children in Dubai that shut down in 2020 amid the attempts by Denmark to extradite him. He also ran the British-based charity Autism Rocks, which put on shows by major performers to raise money.

In a statement, Dubai police Brig. Gen. Jamal Al Jallaf said the emirate received an international arrest warrant from Denmark for Shah. Al Jallaf said Shah was accused of a fraud that saw foreign businesses pretend to own shares in Danish companies and claim tax refunds for which they were not eligible.

"The fraud scheme, known as 'cum-ex' trading, involved submitting thousands of applications to the Danish Treasury on behalf of investors and companies from several countries around the world in order to receive dividend tax refunds," Al Jallaf said. Danish authorities say the scheme ran for some three years beginning in 2012.

In a joint statement, Denmark's Justice and Foreign Ministries praised Dubai's arrest of Shah, whom they described as a target of the country's prosecutors since 2015.

"The Danish Treasury has been cheated for a staggering amount, and of course it should not be possible for suspected perpetrators to hide in the Middle East and thus avoid being held accountable in a Danish courtroom," Justice Minister Mattias Tesfaye said.

"Now I am awaiting the legal process in the United Arab Emirates, and crossing my fingers that it will end up that we can get Sanjay Shah on a plane to Denmark, so he can be prosecuted in this country," he added.

Shah is one of several suspects in the tax scheme sought by Danish authorities.

___

Associated Press writer Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report.
JERUSALEM  Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accused Iran of deceiving the international community about its atomic activities as he met with the visiting head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog on Friday.

Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, paid a brief visit to Israel, which has long accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons and is opposed to any return to the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers.

Bennett "expressed Israel's deep concern regarding Iran's continued progress toward achieving nuclear weapons while deceiving the international community by using false information and lies," his office said in a statement.

He "emphasized the urgent need in mobilizing the international community to take action against Iran, using all means, in order to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons."

Israel is widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East but has never publicly acknowledged having such weapons.

Israel was a staunch opponent of the 2015 nuclear deal and welcomed the Trump administration's unilateral withdrawal from the agreement, which caused it to collapse. The Biden administration has been trying to renew the accord, which lifted sanctions on Iran in return for limits to and oversight of its nuclear program.

Iran has always said its nuclear activities are for purely peaceful purposes but has stepped up uranium enrichment after the collapse of the nuclear accord to near weapons-grade levels.

The U.S. and its allies say Iran has failed to answer questions from the IAEA over potential undeclared nuclear activities. The U.S., Britain, France and Germany plan to table a resolution at next week's meeting of the IAEA board of governors to urge full compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

"It is essential that Iran does fully comply with its legal binding obligations under the NPT and separately with its comprehensive safeguards agreement with the IAEA without further delay," State Department spokesman Ned Price said Thursday.

Bennett called on the board of governors to deliver a "clear and unequivocal message" to Iran.

Israel  which is not a party to the NPT  recently accused Iran of stealing classified documents from the IAEA and using them to deceive international inspectors nearly two decades ago. It released what it said were some of the documents. Iran has dismissed the allegations as lies.

U.S. intelligence agencies, Western nations and the IAEA have said Iran ran an organized nuclear weapons program until 2003. Neither the U.S. nor Israel has ruled out the use of military force to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Bennett's office said that while Israel prefers diplomacy, "it reserves the right to self-defense and to action against Iran in order to block its nuclear program should the international community not succeed in the relevant time frame."
WASHINGTON  Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg agreed Thursday to prod NATO member nations to contribute their fair share to the military alliance as it confronts a revanchist Russia.

Austin and Stoltenberg said the recommended defense spending guideline for NATO allies  2% of a nations gross domestic product  is a bare minimum that needs to be exceeded. The two met ahead of a consequential NATO summit in Spain later this month that will see the alliance unveil the first major document laying out its priorities since 2010 and consider new membership applications from Finland and Sweden.

We need to make sure that we continue to ensure that NATO allies are investing more, the secretary general said. Across Europe and Canada, we have seen now seven consecutive years of increased defense spending and more and more allies are meeting the 2% guideline."

The U.S. remains the top financial contributor in the 30-member alliance, with just eight NATO members meeting the funding threshold in 2021, according to a March report by Stoltenberg.

Stoltenberg praised the significant role the U.S. continues to play in helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian forces. The White House announced a $700 million military aid package on Wednesday that will arm Ukrainians with highly sought-after rocket systems critical for the long-range fight in the eastern Donbas region.

What has impressed me in not only the magnitude and the scale of the support, but also how swiftly and quickly you were able to act when Ukraine needed our support, Stoltenberg said.

Austin said Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February has changed the international calculus and made NATO stronger. The U.S. surged 20,000 service members to reinforce NATOs eastern flank over the last few months and is poised to decide at the NATO summit on the future force posture in Europe.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to divide NATO and deter Ukraine from joining the alliance but instead he galvanized the world by his actions, Austin said.

NATO in March boosted the number of battlegroups in Eastern Europe from four to eight and traditionally neutral Finland and Sweden made the historic decision last month to apply to join the alliance.

Stoltenberg has expressed confidence that NATO will unanimously agree to expansion even as Turkey voices opposition. Senior officials from Sweden, Finland and Turkey are expected to convene in Brussels in the coming days to address Turkeys complaint that the two Nordic countries support Kurdish militants.

The secretary-generals visit to the Pentagon followed a meeting at the White House on Thursday and a joint news conference with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday.

With the war in Ukraine set to reach its 100th day on Friday, Stoltenberg warned the West on Thursday to brace for a war of attrition.

We just have to be prepared for the long haul, he told reporters after meeting with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

Stoltenberg said NATO remains united in backing Ukraine despite the heavy economic toll of isolating and punishing Russia with sanctions and export controls. European countries have taken drastic steps to wean themselves off the Russian oil and gas imports that fund Putins war machine.

They have a price also for us," Stoltenberg said Wednesday of the measures. But the alternative not to support Ukraine, that will actually enable President Putin to win. That would be dangerous for all of us, and the price wed have to pay will actually be higher than to now invest in the support for Ukraine.

The U.S. imposed its latest round of sanctions against Russia on Thursday, targeting top Russian government officials and elites with close ties to Putin. Topping the list is God Nisanov, an oligarch real estate investor who the State Department called one of the richest people in Europe.

Other sanctions are aimed at Putins money-manager, Sergei Roldugin, and Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. The Treasury Department identified luxury yachts and aircraft linked to Putin or his associates while the Commerce Department targeted 71 Russian and Belarussian entities providing technology and other items for Russias military.

The U.S. has sanctioned 1,000 individuals and more than 300 entities since Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, according to the White House.

The United States will continue to support the people of Ukraine while promoting accountability for President Putin and those enabling Russian aggression, Blinken said Thursday in a statement.
PASCAGOULA, Miss.  An Army veteran who once faked his own death to try to avoid criminal charges has been convicted of sexually assaulting a girl and impregnating her when he was 40 and she was 14.

A jury convicted Jacob Blair Scott of Moss Point, Mississippi, on Thursday. Jackson County Circuit Judge Kathy King Jackson sentenced him to 85 years in prison, saying it is essentially a life sentence. She also ordered him to pay $10,000 in fines.

"The evidence is overwhelming," Jackson said. "It's more evidence than I've probably ever seen."

The Sun Herald reported Scott was emotionless when a jury found him guilty of nine counts of sexual battery, four counts of touching a child for lustful purposes and one count of child exploitation.

Scott, 45, is a military veteran who was awarded a Purple Heart in 2011 for injuries he received while deployed in Iraq, according to the U.S. Marshals Service, which had once listed him as one of its 15 most wanted fugitives.

Scott was supposed to turn himself in to face charges of assaulting the girl, but he faked his death in July 2018 by leaving a small boat with a gun and a suicide note in Orange Beach, Alabama, WLOX-TV reported.

Authorities found little evidence of a suicide but searched for a body for more than a week in the Gulf of Mexico. Scott was captured in early 2020 at an RV park in Oklahoma, where he was living under another person's name.

During the trial, the victim cried as she testified that Scott sexually assaulted her at least 30 times beginning in 2016 and ending in 2017 when she learned she was pregnant. She said she gave birth to the baby.

District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath and Assistant District Attorney Justin Lovorn excoriated Scott for trying to blame his mental state, a failing relationship and even the victim for the sexual assaults.

"This is the first time in my 18 years I have ever seen anything so brazen and so vile," McIlrath said. "This is about blaming the 14-year-old. This whole trial was about humiliating the 14-year-old who had no choice."

Before sentencing, Scott blamed his mental issues, post-traumatic stress and other disorders for affecting his mental state when he committed the crimes. He pleaded with the judge to look at his medical record and how he was heavily medicated and suffering from depression and relationship problems that he said clouded his judgment.

"I was a good man," Scott said "This ain't who I am."

McIrath called Scott's defense a "hail Mary" tactic to try to get leniency. Before handing down the sentence, the judge said she didn't believe Scott.
David C. MacMichael, a disillusioned CIA analyst who accused the Reagan administration of misrepresenting intelligence as part of an effort to overthrow the left-wing government of Nicaragua, claims that foreshadowed the political scandal known as Iran-contra, died May 16 at his home in Linden, Va. He was 93.

The cause was pneumonia, said his wife, Barbara Jentzsch.

A former Marine Corps captain with counterinsurgency expertise and a Ph.D. in history, MacMichael joined the CIA in 1981 as a contract employee, analyzing military and political developments in Central America at a time when the region was considered a key Cold War battleground, home to the leftist Sandinista government in Nicaragua and a growing left-wing insurgency in El Salvador.

Amid fears that the Soviet Union was trying to stir up a communist revolution on the doorstep of the United States, the Reagan administration began funding right-wing Nicaraguan rebels known as the contras, justifying the effort by citing a flood of Soviet weapons that the Nicaraguan government was purportedly providing to Salvadoran guerrillas.

But as MacMichael began studying the situation, he found that the flow of weapons into El Salvador appeared to have stopped in early 1981, soon after Reagan took office. When he questioned his superiors about the lack of intelligence backing the White Houses claims, he was given vague answers. They kept saying we have it, he told the Guardian, but they never showed it to me, even though I was cleared for everything except nuclear matters.

Over time, MacMichael said, he learned that Reagan had approved a CIA plan to create a covert force of 1,500 fighters in an effort to destabilize the Nicaraguan government. The claim that Nicaragua was arming Salvadoran rebels, which the White House repeated in statements to Congress and the public, appeared to be little more than a pretext for backing the contras and pursuing regime change in Managua, the capital.

After MacMichaels two-year contract with the CIA was not renewed, he traveled to Nicaragua on his own expense to examine the situation on the ground. He then met with members of Congress and began working with a lawyer, trying to make sure he didnt run afoul of a secrecy agreement he had signed when he joined the CIA. Fearing that Reagan was moving toward a major military intervention in Central America, he began speaking out in 1984.

The whole picture that the administration has presented of Salvadoran insurgent operations being planned, directed and supplied from Nicaragua is simply not true, he told the New York Times. At a news conference, he went further, saying: There is a point where exaggeration becomes impossible to distinguish from prevarication. If ever a major public policy of the United States has been justified on such flimsy grounds, such patently unprovable claims, I cannot recall it.

Those claims were repudiated by senior officials including CIA Director William Casey and Secretary of State George Shultz, who suggested MacMichael must be living in some other world to deny the transfer of arms from Nicaragua to El Salvador. But his disclosures intensified a debate over whether the U.S. government should support the contras, who were accused of widespread human rights violations, including kidnapping, torturing and executing civilians.

Later that year, Congress voted to cut off funding to the rebels and, effectively, to bar the use of federal money for the contras. Senior officials in the Reagan administration continued to support the group, developing a covert scheme in which arms were sold to Iran in exchange for the release of American hostages held in Lebanon, with some of the proceeds diverted to the Nicaraguan rebels.

When the operation came to light in 1986, it erupted into one of the biggest political scandals in recent decades, leading to more than a dozen indictments and tarnishing the administrations public image.

MacMichael said he had initially hoped he wouldnt have to challenge the official U.S. position on the contras, believing that the lack of evidence for the administrations case and the wild and overstated pronouncements of the president and other top officials would undercut support for the group. He changed his mind, he added, when I realized that people were dying brutally and in large numbers in Nicaragua on the basis of these untruths.

You find yourself in this situation maybe once in a lifetime, he later told author Richard Thieme. You only come to the plate once and had better take your swings. I took my swings. That was my one ethical plus in a lifetime of unethical behavior.

David Charles MacMichael was born in Albany, N.Y., on June 5, 1928, and grew up in Leonia, N.J. His mother was a homemaker, and his father was a concert pianist who later worked for the Heinz food processing company.

After graduating from high school, MacMichael served in the Marine Corps and studied history at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, receiving a bachelors degree in 1952. Returning to the Corps as an officer, he was sent to Korea and severely wounded during an artillery attack in 1953. He spent 19 months recovering at a naval hospital, according to his daughter Alicia Williamson.

MacMichael resigned his commission in 1959 and returned to school, receiving a doctorate in history from the University of Oregon and teaching at Dominican College of San Rafael, now the Dominican University of California.

In the mid-1960s he was recruited to the Stanford Research Institute, which had connections to the Defense Department, and was assigned to work on counterinsurgency projects in Thailand.

MacMichael later testified about his CIA work at an International Court of Justice hearing, after the Nicaraguan government accused the United States of violating international law through its support for the contras. The Reagan administration boycotted the proceedings, saying the court lacked jurisdiction, and the court ruled in favor of Nicaragua, which later withdrew its complaint under a post-Sandinista government.

After MacMichael left the CIA, he worked for the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, a Washington-based research organization focused on Latin America, and co-founded Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, a group of former intelligence officials that protested the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

He also maintained a devotion to physical fitness that he traced back to his years in the Marine Corps. At 65, he walked across the country, starting at Point Reyes in California and finishing near Washington. He later completed the Appalachian Trail and, as recently as last year, chopped firewood for exercise.

His marriage to Martha Ostrander ended in divorce. In 2003, he married Barbara Jentzsch, a German journalist. In addition to his wife, of Linden, survivors include three children from his first marriage, John Francis MacMichael of Portland, Ore.; Williamson of Gaston, Ore.; and Stephanie Kolkka of Redwood City, Calif.; a brother and a sister.

MacMichael told the Guardian that even after he left the CIA, his connection to the agency shadowed his advocacy efforts in Nicaragua, where he sought to volunteer with Witness for Peace, a grass-roots organization, by picking coffee in conflict zones as an expression of solidarity with Nicaraguan workers.

But I couldnt get on any team. Every time they heard who I had worked for, he said, they wanted me to ring a little bell as I came down the road like a leper.
The key factors that make up military life were found to be significant contributors to food insecurity for military families and could hinder the ability of the armed forces to recruit and retain troops if it isnt addressed, according to two reports released this week.

Frequent moves, including to areas with a high cost of living, and high spouse unemployment are two of the factors unique to military life that were found to impact the ability of military families to purchase enough nutritious food. Other factors identified include adding a new family member, unexpected expenses, natural disasters and the rising cost of living, according to reports from the Military Family Advisory Network and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Food insecurity among U.S. veterans and military families is a national security concern: it multiplies stress on active-duty personnel, diminishes well-being among service members and their children  who are more likely to serve in the military as adults  and may hinder recruitment for the armed services, according to the report from CSIS, a Washington-based think tank.

Shannon Razsadin, executive director of Military Family Advisory Network, a nonprofit advocacy group, said its incredibly important to understand its not always a money management issue.

That feels personal for people. That feels like you're doing something wrong. But the reality is, some of these things are really outside of your control, she said. People are sometimes afraid because they don't want to look like they're irresponsible. Were making sure that people recognize that there are things happening here that are outside people's control or are specifically related to military life.

This fear of stigma is especially heightened for troops as they move to a new duty-station and dont want to be seen as problematic in a new unit, Razsadin said.

Both reports offered recommendations on how to combat the issue.

Recommendations from CSIS included reforming the militarys basic needs allowance, increasing flexibility and support during duty-station moves, and improving military spouse unemployment with career programs and affordable child care options.

MFANs recommendations included changing the eligibility requirement for military families to enroll in federal assistance benefits and improving the way that the housing allowance is calculated to match an areas rental market more accurately.

For its research, MFAN conducted phone interviews with 312 families experiencing food insecurity at military bases in Texas and the Tidewater region of Virginia. The majority had between one and three children, Razsadin said.

Food insecurity is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a family with limited or uncertain access to adequate food. To be secure is to have enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle. Its about the quality of the food, not just quantity, and ensuring it meets the nutritional needs of a household.

While the Defense Department has not released a comprehensive study on the prevalence of food insecurity among its service members, an Army Public Health Center and Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service survey conducted in 2019 found nearly 33% of more than 5,600 respondents at a major Army base were marginally food insecure. The CSIS said the coronavirus pandemic, which began a year after the Army survey, has amplified hunger in the military community.

There's a real tie here to the future of the all-volunteer force and military kids and making sure that they are eligible to serve and growing up in a healthy nutrition-rich life, Razsadin said.

The CSIS report noted a similar concern. Researchers said children of current service members are more likely to enlist, so reducing food insecurity among military families can improve physical and cognitive health among future recruits.

Researchers also noted the military is making strides to address the problem. Congress mandated the Defense Department provide it a report on food insecurity in the military by Oct. 1 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2022. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the Pentagon to create a plan to strengthen security across the armed forces.

The most recent NDAA, which sets annual spending and policy priorities for the Defense Department, also mandated an allowance for basic needs. The Defense Department is deliberating the qualifications for and benefits due under the allowance, according to CSIS.

MFAN is continuing this year with food distribution events at military bases, including one later this month at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.

These food distribution events: one, we can't serve everyone, and two, they're not sustainable. They're a Band-Aid, Razsadin said. So much of this is about transition. It's about a move. It's about adding to your family. It's about those points in life where something changes. Its putting those interventions in place, having those conversations and really lessening the stigma.
WASHINGTON - Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine has prompted a major rewrite of the Biden administrations National Security Strategy, according to people familiar with the matter.

Early versions of the text, which is still being finalized, show how the administrations priorities are shifting in response to Putins war in Ukraine and the burgeoning partnership between Beijing and Moscow.

The documents publication, originally slated for this past January, was delayed after U.S. officials came to believe that a Russian invasion of Ukraine was likely. It is now being substantially rewritten to reflect the ways the world has changed since the war began, the people said. Its not yet clear when it will be published, and one of the people emphasized it may still undergo changes.

The new draft emphasizes the importance of both Europe and Asia to U.S. national security interests, a shift from an earlier version that focused more squarely on China and Asia. Rather than downplaying the importance of China, the document argues that events in Europe and Asia are intricately connected, according to the people.

Produced by every administration since Ronald Reagans presidency, the National Security Strategy provides one of the most important windows into the White Houses thinking on foreign policy issues.

The document, mandated by Congress, is designed to help lawmakers evaluate the administrations budget priorities for national security; to clarify U.S. relationships with allies, partners, and adversaries; and to ensure that representatives from across the U.S. national security apparatus speak to foreign counterparts with one voice.

Spokespersons at the National Security Council didnt respond to a request for comment.

Secretary of State Antony Blinkens recent speech on U.S. policy toward China suggests one potential formulation for the way the document will weigh threats from Beijing and Moscow. Russia, Blinken said, is a clear and present threat, whereas China is the most serious long-term challenge to the international order.

More fundamentally, the strategy is likely to argue that neither Russias challenge in Europe nor Chinas in Asia can be dealt with in isolation.

For us, there is a certain level of integration and a symbiosis in the strategy we are pursuing in Europe and the strategy were pursuing in the Indo-Pacific, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters on May 18. President Bidens unique capacity to actually stitch those two together is, I think, going to be a hallmark of his foreign policy presidency.

In particular, Putins invasion of Ukraine has brought Chinas ambitions toward the democratically-governed island of Taiwan into sharp focus for U.S. policy makers. Even before the war began, Biden officials argued that China would likely view Americas response to the Ukraine crisis as a proxy for how it would deal with more aggressive action by Beijing against Taiwan.

Since the war began, American officials have viewed several developments as sending a powerful message to Beijing, including the rapid deployment of sanctions against Russia in partnership with European allies, the bolstering of European defense budgets and the willingness of NATO allies to abandon decades of more cautious policies to aid Ukraine with financial and military support.

The Chinese are going to watch this very, very carefully, Lieutenant General Scott Berrier, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said last month of Putins war in Ukraine. Its going to take some time for them to sort out.

Officials in President Xi Jinpings government have repeatedly rejected accusations that they seek to attack Taiwan, which China views as part of its territory despite never controlling it. At the same time, Xis government has warned that the U.S. is taking a Cold War approach toward Asia. Beijing has sought to counter that by bolstering ties with Pacific Island nations while reiterating its claims to disputed areas of the South China Sea.

The Biden administrations focus on the interconnected nature of Europe and Asia has also been driven by a growing recognition of the partnership between Beijing and Moscow, as well as the willingness of Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea to sanction Moscow over the invasion, the people said.

The result has been a burgeoning U.S. dialog with Asian nations about events in Europe and with European countries about events in Asia, officials say. Whereas discussions with European nations about the Indo-Pacific during the Obama administration were difficult, challenging, often suspicious, they are now deeply productive, White House Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell told the Center for Strategic and International Studies on May 9.

The revised security document is also expected to feature a clearer articulation of the link between emerging transnational threats such as climate change and traditional geopolitical competition, one of the people said. Outer-space, for example, is both a transnational issue as well as a venue where geopolitics plays out, the person said.

The Trump administration published its National Security Strategy, which focused on American sovereignty, in December 2017. The Biden administration published its Interim National Security Strategic Guidance in March 2021, but is yet to publish its full-fledged National Security Strategy.
A former high-ranking U.S. ambassador admitted Friday to illegal foreign lobbying on behalf of Qatar after demanding that prosecutors tell him why a retired four-star general who worked with him on the effort has not also been charged.

The dispute involving two Washington power players has highlighted the often-ambiguous boundaries of foreign lobbying laws as well as what prosecutors say were high-level, behind-the-scenes influence dealings with the wealthy Persian Gulf country.

Richard G. Olson, former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan, pleaded guilty Friday in Washington on federal charges that include improperly helping Qatar influence U.S. policy in 2017  when a diplomatic crisis erupted between the gas-rich monarchy and its neighbors over the country's alleged ties to terror groups and other issues.

Olson had recently argued he's entitled to learn why prosecutors aren't also bringing charges against someone he says he worked side by side with on Qatar: retired Marine Gen. John Allen, who led U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan before being tapped in late 2017 to lead the influential Brookings Institution think tank.

Allen has denied ever working as a Qatari agent and said his efforts on Qatar in 2017 were motivated to prevent a war from breaking out in the Gulf that would put U.S. troops at risk. A statement from his spokesman to The Associated Press on Thursday said Allen has "voluntarily cooperated with the government's investigation."

Olson's lawyers said in court papers that since 2020 he has been seeking to get a lighter sentencing recommendation by extensively cooperating with prosecutors "with the express goal" of bringing charges against Allen. Olson's lawyers said prosecutors "reiterated their belief in the strength of their case against" Allen only to apparently drop their pursuit.

But federal prosecutor Evan Turgeon said at a hearing last week that the government has not "made a prosecutorial decision as to other persons" and disputed how Olson's attorney characterized past discussions. The Justice Department declined to comment on its internal deliberations on Allen.

Olson's lawyers had previously pushed prosecutors to provide copies of Allen's communications with U.S. government officials related to his actions involving Qatar. Friday, Olson's attorney Mike Hannon said prosecutors had provided the requested information  the contents of which are not public  and his client was now ready to plead guilty.

Recent filings in Olson's case provide new details about Allen's role and what actions prosecutors might view as possible crimes. Allen is not named in those filings but identified as "the General" or "Person 3."

U.S. law prohibits individuals from helping a foreign entity influence U.S. policy without registering with the Justice Department. The law, known as the Foreign Agents Registration Act or FARA, was largely unenforced until prosecutors began taking more aggressive action in recent years.

Typically, FARA violations by themselves do not lead to significant prison time but the law's critics say there are too many unsettled questions about what may constitute a prosecutable offense.

"FARA is an exceptionally broad and vague law that ... sets snares for the unwary, even capturing some of the most sophisticated of Washington players," David Keating of the Institute for Free Speech said in comments to the Justice Department earlier this year.

Notably, Olson pleaded guilty to a violation of State Department policy regarding working for a foreign government within a year of leaving government service, not a FARA violation.

Olson's lawyer said in court last week that federal prosecutors made clear that they were pursing a FARA case against Allen.

Olson recruited Allen to join him "in providing aid and advice to Qatari government officials with the intent to influence U.S. foreign policy" shortly after the Gulf diplomatic crisis erupted in June 2017, prosecutors said in court filings.

That crisis sparked a heavy spending war between Qatar and rivals Saudi Arabia and the UAE in a battle to win influence in Washington during much of President Donald Trump's administration.

Olson was being paid $20,000 a month by Imaad Zuberi, a one-time political donor who is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence on corruption charges and who prosecutors say illegally lobbied for Qatar.

Zuberi also agreed to pay Allen an undisclosed fee for his efforts, prosecutors said in Olson's plea deal. Allen's spokesman said the general was never paid.

In mid June 2017, Allen met with Olson and Zuberi at a Washington hotel to explain "how he would conduct the lobbying and public relations campaign," prosecutors said.

A few days later, Olson and Allen flew to Qatar  at Zuberi's expense  to meet with the Qatari's ruling emir and other government officials, where the pair explained that they were not representing the U.S. government but "noted that they had the connections with U.S. government officials that placed them in a position to help Qatar," prosecutors wrote.

Allen advised the Qataris on what steps to take, including signing a pending deal to purchase F-15 fighter jets and using e a major U.S. military base in Qatar "as leverage to exert influence over U.S. government officials," prosecutors wrote.

Qatar signed a deal to purchase the jets four days after that meeting.

After returning to the U.S., Allen sought the help of then-National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster and his staff to support Qatar's position in the diplomatic crisis, prosecutors said in court filings.

Allen previously said through a spokesman that McMaster had approved of Allen going to Qatar and "offered the assistance of his staff in preparation."

McMaster has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Olson, Allen and a Qatari government representative also met with members of Congress "for the purpose of convincing the U.S. lawmakers to support Qatar rather than its regional rivals," prosecutors wrote in court records.

Allen's spokesman said previously that the general's work on Qatari issues only lasted three weeks and that it had nothing to do with Brookings.

Qatar has been one of Brookings' biggest donors for the last several years, according to annual reports that don't offer specific figures. A Brookings spokeswoman said Allen decided in 2019 to no longer accept new Qatari funding.

Olson is set to be sentenced Sept. 13.

Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia. Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.
Local Government New Zealand president Stuart Crosby was in Opotiki this week to persuade the district council to continue its membership with the organisation.

Mr Crosby and LGNZ chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene were at an Opotiki District Council meeting this week, where Mayor Lyn Riesterer had tabled a report recommending the council reduce its membership fee by the amount it paid to belong to Communities 4 Local Democracy.

The reduction would effectively end the councils membership of LGNZ.

The report explained that the recommendation was to provide a forum for discussion on the decision to continue with membership in the organisation given the lack of support from LGNZ to the 31 councils forming the Communities 4 Local Democracy group.

The council has not been satisfied with the stance and actions taken by LGNZ in relation to the Three Waters Reform, it said.

We are feeling quite aggrieved around three waters and the conversation around this, Ms Riesterer told Mr Crosby at Tuesdays meeting.

Mr Crosby began by acknowledging the challenges that all 78 councils around New Zealand - 77 of which are members of LGNZ - are facing.

He said he had never, in the 30-odd years he had been involved with local government as both a district and regional councillor, seen the challenges facing local government and the threats to local government.

What Ive seen in the last 12 months, in particular, is that youve had business as usual you have had to deal with, youve had extraordinary weather events, and then the biggest sweep of reforms any Government has placed on our sector and our communities since 1989. In fact, these are bigger.

A lot of mayors have said quite openly to me  that they dont actually have the time or the capability or the capacity to participate in this change to a level that they should be participating. Theres only so much people can actually do.

He emphasised that councils needed to show a united front as they had much more power together.

"Central Government would really love for us to be divided. We can be a real nuisance to them."

He acknowledged that LGNZ had completely changed the way they did things, and the new stratagem included taking a less adversarial approach toward central Government so that they could ensure the best deal for councils.

We made a deliberate decision  that we wanted to be inside as much as we can, giving your thoughts to those changes. You may have felt that LGNZ was on the side of the Government. I assure you that we are not. We have gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure that in the Governments model, which we have never agreed with and still dont today, that we can claw back as much as we can.

As a result of that, Minister Nanaia Mahuta has made changes. That would not have happened unless we were in that advocacy space right at the beginning. We are constantly looking to get at the front end of those conversations.

I do appreciate that a number of councils are grumpy with LGNZ and the way that we have approached the water reform in particular.

He also said that LGNZ had been grossly misrepresented in terms of its actual work and its actual position and admitted that they had made mistakes.

Because the Government did an appalling job of their own communication of their own policy, that left it to LGNZ to do it. So here we were in the very difficult position of having to explain Government policy that we didnt actually agree with, and then we get accused of being cheerleaders of the policy.

Councillor Barry Howe summed up Mr Crosbys speech.

So, what you are saying is that the Government was going to go through with it hell or high water and from your point of view you were better to sit at the table to get something out of it.

Ms Riesterer thanked Mr Crosby and Ms Freeman Greene for their explanations and said she was happy to drop her recommendations.

-Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
Some teachers are feeling angry and unsafe because of the risk of catching Covid-19 in their classrooms.

Teachers who contacted RNZ to comment on a story about high rates of Covid-19 infection among school staff say too many students were not wearing face masks.

They say the government should not have left schools to decide how they would restrict the spread of the virus.

A relief teacher who worked across several schools said her risk of catching Covid-19 varied from school to school.

"It feels like you're playing Russian roulette with your health because you don't know what you're going to be encountering. Schools are not universally endorsing mask wearing so I've been in some schools where only a handful of staff and students are wearing masks," she says.

"I've been to a school where they've got a pool on which staff member is going to be infected next."

Several teachers said they bought their own KN95 masks because they were safer than those provided by the Education Ministry, and one said he had also purchased an air purifier for his classroom because the school had been supplied with only one.

"I am nervous and a lot of staff are nervous," he says.

"Essentially our future lives, the potential to get disabled through long Covid is in the hands of teenagers or children to decide, because the decisions they make about coming to school, wearing masks and so on and so forth are the decisions that make our risk profile," he says.

Other teachers who contacted RNZ said Covid-19 was having a big impact.

"It's miserable! Very few students are masked and most teachers have given up on wearing them. We have no relievers left and teachers are giving up their free periods to cover sick teachers. A student teacher is doing unpaid relief," wrote one.

Another teacher warned that even when face masks were encouraged, many young people did not wear them.

"Probably around 50 per cent of students wear masks in class. It feels unsafe, probably because it is unsafe. Our protection: we open doors and windows. We wear masks. Students are 'strongly encouraged' to wear masks," they wrote.

One teacher says they resigned because the government removed its mask mandate and another told RNZ they and others were thinking of doing the same.

"There's definitely a group of us at my school who are looking at resigning because we don't feel safe going to work. There is a real split between staff and those who feel unsafe in assemblies etc. where there are not many masks are definitely disadvantaged," they wrote.

Another says Covid had made work much harder.

"Long days, lots of relief teachers, meetings being repeatedly bumped, kids missing heaps of school, trying to plan when we don't know what the heck will happen next, and on top of all of this I'm bloody freezing from the state-of-the-art ventilation system (open windows & doors)," they wrote.

Other teachers said Covid prevention measures appeared to be working in their schools.

"I caught it from my 15-year-old instead of my primary class, because I strongly encourage masks. Surprise! Now that college is back to compulsory masks after a two week shutdown," a teacher wrote.

"At both schools I work at several teachers have gone down with Covid amidst this second wave. I'm thankful that staff at both schools are excellent with their mask wearing. Big ups to the kids too! Teaching with all doors/windows open in winter terms is tricky but worth it," wrote another.

Teachers told RNZ they were worried by the lack of air filters in their classrooms.

They also warned that some schools have trustees who actively opposed measures aimed at controlling the spread of Covid-19 and the government needed to be more active.

Their comments followed an RNZ report on figures indicating teachers were catching the coronavirus at a rate of about 16-17 per thousand per week, compared to about 11 per thousand in the general working age population.

Teachers were in an impossible situation, employment law specialist Jennifer Mills told Morning Report.

There were Covid-19 control mechanisms forming part of an employer's obligations to provide a safe and healthy environment and if these weren't being followed Mills advised teachers to speak up.

"It's been made very difficult for everyone, given the lack of government mandate for students to wear masks. But the question that has been put to me was whether boards of trustees can lawfully and reasonably require employees to return to work now," she says.

"Every employer has an obligation to provide a safe and healthy working environment and to take reasonably practical steps to do so, and in the teaching education environment masking-wearing is best.

"We can ask students to wear masks. Junior school makes it much more difficult because kids are sick of it... as well as washing hands, distancing and of course having doors and windows open, which is not ideal in winter when there are other viruses running amok through the school.

"But teachers have a right to a safe working environment. I would have thought that principals and boards would be supportive of an arrangement where students are asked to wear masks..."

John Gerritsen/RNZ
Bay of Plenty

We are looking for a storeman with an OSH forklift license. You will need to be physically for as the job is about 70% forklift...



View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz
Chef Ben Bayly is heading back to screens this weekend to show off some of Bay of Plenty's growers, in episode four of the second season of A New Zealand food story.

The episode will air Saturday, June 4 at 4.30pm on TVNZ 1, with a replay on Sunday, June 5 on DUKE.

The series showcases the acclaimed Auckland chef travelling the country once again, unearthing fascinating stories behind some of New Zealands finest produce.

The first season of A New Zealand Food Story was filmed as Bayly sought inspiration for the menu at his then-new venture, New Zealand cuisine restaurant, Ahi. After years of cooking French and Italian cuisine, Bayly wondered why he wasnt creating New Zealand food  and asked what was New Zealand food anyway?

The show picked up some international acclaim, screening on National Geographic Asia and Middle East with over 600 million subscribers.

This time around, A New Zealand Food Story 2, screening now on TVNZ 1, DUKE and TVNZ OnDemand sees Bayly meeting more of the people behind all the delicious dishes at the now 18-month-old, award winning restaurant.

These Bay of Plenty growers will be showcased in the upcoming episode:

The Avocado  Athenree Orchard

Ben eats an avocado a day, He loves them and more importantly, loves cooking with them. We meet Kevin Evans, wife Anne-Marie and daughter Rochelle from NZ Avocado. We learn the lifecycle of the avocado  taking 12 months to harvest the fruit. Ben goes high into the trees to pick some avocado. We hear how nutritious this superfood is, (containing 19 different minerals and vitamins) and Ben makes an avocado salsa.

The Truffle - Te Puke

In 2007 Maureen & Colin Binns planted 212 oak and hazelnut trees inoculated with the world-famous black truffle fungi. Now in 202,1 along with their trusted ruffle hunting dog Jed Clampet they have one of the most successful truffle orchards in New Zealand, Te Puke Truffles.

The Vanilla bean - Tauranga

The pod of this precious orchid is the sacred spice of the pastry chef. Woody, musky and fruity flavours of vanilla bring to life many dishes in the Ahi kitchen. Heilala in Tauranga has been voted the world's best vanilla, we visit to learn the history, the processing, and the importance of this ingredient.

Macadamia story

Bay of Plenty is renowned for its fertile soils and horticultural prowess, but few orchards are as special as that belonging to Wyn and Chris Daniell from Harbourside Macadamias in Katikati. The macadamia is an amazing nut and super food, originally from Queensland, Australia. The Bay of Plenty has such a unique terroir for productivity, some of the most phenomenal free draining volcanic soil meeting sub-tropical climate meeting rainfall.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

ACWA Power will continue to support Azerbaijan on its transition path to green energy, the companys Chief Investment Officer Clive Turton said at 27th Baku Energy Forum, Azernews reports.

ACWA Power is pleased to support Azerbaijan on its path to the development of green energy, he said.

Turton noted that rich natural resources and great potential on shelves give Azerbaijan the opportunity to successfully develop in this sector. In this regard, he underlined that ACWA Power will help Azerbaijan reduce carbon emissions, use renewable energy sources for industrial needs, reduce dependence on fossil fuels for electricity generation and expand other potential opportunities.

Masdar aims to expand its presence in Azerbaijan

Masdar's Head of Department for development and investment for Central Asia and Russia Abdullah Zayed stated that the company aims to expand its presence in Azerbaijan in the solar and wind energy sectors.

"We started contacts with the government of Azerbaijan in 2018, and we are very pleased that Azerbaijans Energy Ministry involved us in the work on the solar energy project," he said.

Recalling the Garadagh Solar Power Plant project in Azerbaijan with an installed capacity of 230 megawatts was signed in January 2020, he noted that the implementation of this project will reduce CO2 emissions by 2,000 tons per year and provide electricity to 110,000 residential buildings.

"We are looking to expand our presence in Azerbaijan in the solar and wind energy sectors, also in the production of green hydrogen and other renewable energy sources (RES)," he said.

Azerbaijan plays a big role in global gas production

Speaking at the forum, TotalEnergies Managing Director and Country Chair Regis Agut stated that Azerbaijan will play a big role in global gas production, adding that the country has great potential to expand gas supplies.

Today, gas supplies from Azerbaijan through the Southern Gas Corridor are in the spotlight. The resources in the Caspian Sea are also huge, he said.

Agut stated that the joint project of TotalEnergies with Azerbaijans State Oil Company in Absheron will play an important role in this regard.

Our project with SOCAR also has a very low level of emissions, but even more investment in decarbonization is required, he said.

Azerbaijan demonstrates leadership in achieving ambitious energy goals

International Renewable Energy Agencys General Director Francesco La Camera stated that Azerbaijan has demonstrated leadership on the world stage in achieving ambitious energy goals.

Azerbaijan has achieved great success in the development of renewable energy sources sector, he said.

He added that the agency successfully cooperates with Azerbaijans Energy Ministry.

We are ready to continue to provide all kinds of support to Azerbaijan in achieving its ambitious goals, he said.
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Something to look forward to: We've known for a while that more PlayStation-only games would soon lose their console exclusivity and make their way to PC. Now, Sony has revealed what's coming next: Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered hits the platform this August 12, with Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales landing sometime in the fall.

The announcement was one of the many reveals at Sony's June 2022 State of Play event yesterday. Anyone who played Marvel's Spider-Man when it arrived on PlayStation 4 in 2018 will know it was one of the best reasons to own Sony's last-gen console. The combination of its incredibly fluid, intuitive web-swinging traversal mechanic, Batman: Arkham series-like combat, and the entertaining story and characters made it a must-play for PS4 owners.

Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered is coming to PC! Experience our original Spider-Man story on August 12, 2022 when it launches on Steam and the Epic Games Store.#SpiderManPC #BeGreater pic.twitter.com/69kqPy9O5W  Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) June 2, 2022

A remastered version of Marvel's Spider-Man was released in 2020 as a PlayStation 5 launch title with upgraded graphics, including ray tracing, and all the DLC. That version will be hitting the PC on August 12.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, also a PS5 launch title, will be joining the Remastered version on the PC this fall.

Sony has been talking about more of its formerly exclusive PlayStation games coming to PC for a while. Its net sales on the platform more than doubled in the most recent financial year, which ended March 31, 2022, to $80 million, a feat Sony attributes to the PC releases of Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone, and God of War.

A recent Sony business segment briefing for shareholders revealed that the company expects to make $300 million from its PC business in the current financial year. The two Spider-Man games will undoubtedly contribute to a chunk of that, as will the upcoming Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, though the majority is expected to come from its $3.6 billion acquisition of Bungie.
Video game publisher Sony claims that smartphones could someday surpass the DSLR cameras in terms of image quality. The Japanese tech titan says this during a recent business briefing.

Are the next-gen handhelds the future of photography?

Smartphones Could Make DSLR Camera Obsolete One Day

(Photo : Artem Maltsev from Unsplash)

According to Sony, the smartphone cameras will soon exceed the DSLR Cameras when it comes to photo quality.

According to a report by The Desk, Sony Semiconductor Solutions president Terushi Shimizu said that the modern smartphones could exceed the image quality generated by single-lens reflex cameras within the coming years.

"Around 2019, it was said that the three elements of the battery, display, and camera will evolve in smartphones. While the other two are technically saturated, there are still expectations for the camera to evolve," the company's chief executive added.

The presentation tackled the idea that still images will dominate the camera industry at one point. This could take place to the point that the ILC or the interchangeable lens camera will be beaten when it comes to image quality.

To note, this could potentially take place as early as 2024, according to Shimizu.

Related Article: New Sony Curved Camera Sensors Could Copy Human Eyes! DLSR Maker Says Smartphones Might Also Have It

Sony Continues to Improve Image Sensor Technology

In another story from Channel News, several tech companies, including Samsung and Sony, have been making huge moves when it comes to camera innovation.

The two tech brands have already put a lot of money into improving the image features of smartphones. Sony, for instance, has briefly discussed some information about the "two-layer transistor pixel technology." This one is responsible for incorporating various improvements to the devices, on top of decreasing the low-light noise.

As the technology progresses, many firms have learned how to craft a high-quality set of cameras, even on handheld gadgets. Following the ever-growing quantum saturation and the use of artificial intelligence, it's safe to say that the image sensors for smartphones will become much bigger and more advanced in the next two years.

Sony boasts its technology when it comes to image sensors. As such, the company says that it owns 42% of this technology for the present smartphones as of writing.

Meanwhile, many people are still using DSLR cameras. The biggest names in the industry include Canon and Nikon. While it's appealing to use a high-end camera for photography, it's not as convenient as a smartphone.

Channel News says that the said camera makers admitted that the DSLR technology seems to be a "legacy format." Additionally, both of them acknowledged that this breakthrough is not the future either.

DSLR Cameras Will Eventually Die Out

With that in mind, we could surmise that DSLRs will be phased out faster than smartphone cameras. However, they will still be eye-catchers for collectors and photographers who want to showcase the technology uniquely.

In the future, we could envision that the smartphone's cameras will rule the photography market. If the innovation continuously improves, this possibility will be next to reality.

Read Also: Bright Future for Phone Photography: More Compact, Better Smartphone Cameras Underway

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Written by Joseph Henry

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
China has proposed a special space exploration that will focus on finding a habitable exoplanet. The mission will involve releasing a spacecraft responsible for scanning the wobbling stars.

The Closeby Habitable Exoplanet Survey or CHES will rely on the micro-arcsecond relative astrometry, which is centered on delivering ultraprecise measurements for the movement of the stars.

China Wants to Search For Livable Exoplanet

(Photo : Pawel Czerwinski from Unsplash)

The newly-proposed Chinese mission will be focused on searching for habitable exoplanets across the galaxy.

Space agencies all over the world are now set to hunt a potential foreign planet that could house the living species. According to Space.com, China is the latest nation to plan to launch an exoplanet mission anew.

The astronomers will use CHES to detect various exoplanets in space. They would also determine the distance of these planetary bodies from the orbiting stars.

The European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) are using a similar technique that China is doing right now.

To be specific, ESA utilizes the Gaia space telescope, which is capable of building a 3D mapping of the stars existing across the Milky Way.

Meanwhile, NASA relies on the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, better known as the transit method. This is quite different compared because it focuses on detecting the star's luminosity.

The closest method to CHES is the Gaia. China wants to target hunting down exoplanets around the stars. It should be noted that the Earth-like planets could be 33 light-years away from the Earth.

"The hunt for habitable worlds about nearby sun-like stars will be a great breakthrough for humanity, and will also help humans visit those Earth twins and expand our living space in the future," CHES principal investigator Ji Jianghui said in an interview with Space.com.

Related Article: Wenchang Spaceport Gears Up to Send China's Second Space Station Module Into Orbit

Over 5,000 Exoplanets Discovered and Counting

At the moment, astronomers have already uncovered more than 5,000 foreign planets in existence. Out of those numbers, only 50 of them are considered to be suited for living.

Space.com added in the same report that CHES would start its mission approximately 930,000 miles away from the planet. This exact point is where the James Webb Space Telescope is currently situated.

According to Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency associate professor Elizabeth Tasker, the measure of the masses of the exoplanets orbiting the F and G stars will be an important addition to their data. This would also pave the way to find the habitable worlds out there.

Speaking of this mission, another China-led proposal appears to be competing with CHES. It should be noted that the Earth 2.0 mission will be implemented to monitor millions of stars. This idea will contribute to the exoplanet-seeking mission.

In another report from Phys.org, experts are preparing to train the high-precision spectrographs of the James Webb Telescope on its upcoming trip to the rocky exoplanets.

Read Also: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Set to Release First Science-Quality Images of the Universe on July 12!

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NASA Perseverance Rover was able to capture some dust devils and whirlwinds in the Red Planet. The space vehicle took photos of these Mars weather phenomena on July 20, 2021.

(Photo : Photo illustration by NASA via Getty Images)

In this concept illustration provided by NASA, NASA's Perseverance (Mars 2020) rover uses its drill to core a rock sample and will store them in sealed tubes on the planet's surface for future missions to retrieve in the area known as Jezero crater on the planet Mars. A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology.tion of the Red Planet.

It was also the 148th Martian day of the Perseverance Rover when NASA spotted the air vortexes. The international space union's Mars rover specifically captured three images, with 15 seconds intervals each.

"Perseverance Mars rover used one of its navigation cameras to capture these dust devils swirling across Jezero Crater," said NASA via its official Jet Propulsion Laboratory post.

NASA Perseverance Rover Captures Mars Whirlwinds, Dust Devils

According to Interesting Engineering's latest report, the dust devils and whirlwinds were identified after enhancing the captured images.

(Photo : Photo by NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Cornell University via Getty Images)

In this handout released by NASA, a Mars landscape is seen in a picture taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit January 8, 2003. The circular topographic feature, dubbed Sleepy Hollow, can be seen along with dark markings that could have bee caused by the airbag-encased lander as it bounced and rolled to rest. The rover landed on Mars January 3.

Also Read: NASA Discovers Burning Exoplanet-Too Close From To Its Host Star; Here's How Harsh Its Environment Is

This allowed NASA to maximize its details via color distortion. However, instead of having still images, the international space agency generated GIFs (graphics interchange format).

Aside from showing the dust devils and whirlwinds, the new GIFs also reveal the Red Planet's surface in HD. When it comes to life on Mars, NASA didn't confirm if the air vortexes could hint at the presence of living organisms on Mars.

These weather phenomena can actually happen in non-habitable places, such as deserts, since instabilities and turbulence wind current gradients form them.

This means that the harsher the environment is, the more whirlwinds, dust devils, and other weather activities are expected to take place. You can visit this link to see the actual GIFs generated by NASA.

Other Activities of Perseverance Rover

Aside from capturing photos, the NASA Perseverance Rover is also being enhanced to target space rocks on the Red Planet.

Recently, the vehicle was able to zap two rocks, thanks to its SuperCam instrument.

NASA said that if the Mars rover can continuously pick its own targets, it can easily shoot them easily while it's operating.

Meanwhile, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is about to release its first HD images of the universe.

On the other hand, the NASA Mars Orbiter is still suffering from a serious system glitch.

For more news updates about NASA Perseverance Rover and its upcoming discoveries, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Snaps Haunting Dance of Two Galaxies Linked by Stream of a Dead Galaxy

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Leading experts among 3D printing manufacturers and regenerative medicine company 3DBio Therapeutics have successfully performed a clinical trial of transplanting a 20-year-old female's ear utilizing a 3D-printed iteration made from the same female's cells.

The doctors involved relayed key details surrounding the trial amid a press release, yet had to refrain from fully unearthing all of the secrets behind their efforts with the so-called AuriNovo ear due to proprietary concerns.

The woman treated with the 3D-printed ear implant suffered from a rare genetic birth deformity, called microtia, which either causes one or both ears to not grow at all or grow in an underdeveloped manner.

Nearly 1,500 US children are born with the condition, thus spurring 3DBio Therapeutics to enact a clinical trial involving so far a total of 11 participants with their AuriNovo ear implant.

The 3D printed ear implant relies on the client's own tissue to replace their deformed or missing ear. Usually, such patients suffering from microtia accept grafts taken from their ribs or alternative synthetic materials, but 3DBio Therapeutics does it vastly differently, as the tissue engineering and regenerative medicine company instead opts to leverage the patient's cartilage cells from the existing ear following a biopsy.

Related Article: Pig Heart Transplant Patient Dies, Cause of Death Unknown-Xenotransplantation Not Yet Effective?

From there, the team takes the cells and grows them via 3D printing technology, shaping the newly-formed product into the patient's ear.

Utilizing the patient's own cells ensures that the AuriNovo ear will be less likely to be rejected from the client. Plus, over time, the new appendage will continue regenerating throughout that particular patient's life.

"This is truly a historic moment for patients with microtia, and more broadly, for the regenerative medicine field as we are beginning to demonstrate the real-world application of next-generation tissue engineering technology," says Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of 3DBio Therapeutics, Daniel Cohen, within the press release. "It is the culmination of more than seven years of our company's focused efforts to develop a uniquely differentiated technology platform meeting the FDA's requirements for therapeutic manufacturing of reconstructive implants."

Similar advancements in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have proven to witness astounding growth, evidenced best via a heart transplant initiated in early January of this year, wherein the patient was given a pig heart as substitute for their muscular organ.

Unfortunately, the patient would later die due to a viral pig infection, but does lend credence to the potential of 3D printed heart transplants, and continued tissue engineering efforts in line with stem cell research.

The groundbreaking achievement provided via 3DBio Therapeutics was documented in a New York Times feature, wherein both doctors voiced even more information surrounding their 3D printed ear transplant.

Of those involved in the procedure, San Antonia's pediatric ear reconstructive surgeon Dr. Arturo Bonilla offered the most heartwarming of all considerations on the future of the AuriNovo project:

"This is so exciting, sometimes I have to temper myself a little bit. If everything goes as planned, this will revolutionize the way this is done."

Read Also: Scientists Successfully 3D Print Human Corneas; This Breakthrough Can Be the Solution for Transplant Shortage

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Written by Ryan Epps

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google's Pixel Watch is a new device, and there are no massive spec sheets regarding the wearable technology yet, as it is still an unreleased device from the company. Some reportedly got their hands on the new smartwatch, and they talked about the performance of the new Pixel Watch, particularly with its battery life that reaches 24 hours.

Google Pixel Watch: 24 Hours Battery Life Says Reports

(Photo : Google via YouTube)

Google's Pixel Watch is reported to have 24 hours of battery life, says the latest report from 9to5 Google, and the initial information talks about how long it can stay on from its next charge. The report said that its single full charge could take users up to a day before it needs to recharge, and it is in full use of its functions and capabilities as a watch.

The Pixel Watch brings a battery size of less than 300 mAh, and it is almost the same as other smartwatches available in the world. In comparing it to the Apple Watch Series 7, the Cupertino giant's watch can only last up to 18 hours for its single full charge, and the Pixel Watch can go longer than that.

However, it comes inferior to the Samsung Galaxy Watch Series 4, which can last up to 40 hours before its next charge.

Read Also: Google Pixel Watch Leak Shows A 'Minimalist' Design

Are 24 Hours Enough for a Smartwatch?

Twenty-four hours is how long a day lasts before it comes as the next full rotation of the Earth on its orbit in the Sun's path. That is also the same time as the Pixel Watch's longevity to last before it needs recharging, and it is an adequate time that is available for all, but it would need constant recharging to make it work.

Google's Pixel Watch

There are many leaks regarding the famous Pixel watch from before, especially when it is still a rumor from the company and not an actual release instead of what the public sees now. Some think the device will release by Spring, but it did not arrive during that time, only seeing a release last May's I/O 2022.

The company's I/O 2022 did not disappoint as they got to unveil the first Google smartwatch that brings what it aims to offer for the world to experience, especially now that most smartphone releases have partner watches. Google is known for its Wear OS, a joint venture with Samsung that focuses on everything about smartwatches.

With the Wear OS and its experience with Fitbit that also connects to smartphones, Google is set to create a Pixel-branded smartwatch that will complete its smartphone experience. The Pixel Watch is not yet here, but they're already are reports regarding its upcoming features that may help in completing the smartwatch experience.

Related Article: Google's Pixel Watch has Better Battery Life from Other Tech Wearables, Says Reports

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Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NASA is looking to partner with SpaceX five more times in the coming months, as they bought several new spaceflights for future missions and said that there is a contract with the company. SpaceX is known for its reliability in the different fields and ventures it focuses on, but what made it more famous is its Commercial Crew mission successes.

NASA, SpaceX: Five More Missions for Astronaut Travel to ISS

(Photo : Red Huber/Getty Images)

A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft sits atop a Falcon 9 rocket on launch Pad 39A ahead of the scheduled Axiom-1 launch on April 7, 2022 at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

NASA announced that new Commercial Crew missions are coming soon via its blog post. They will come from SpaceX aboard the company's Dragon spacecraft to transport astronauts to the International Space Station. There would be five more missions that SpaceX will focus on to bring using its Dragon spacecraft to transport crew and cargo.

There are no details regarding the contract's total price, as NASA did not disclose how much it paid for the five new missions that it ordered from SpaceX for the Commercial Crew program. This new contract adds to the last payment made by NASA to SpaceX for the recent $3.5 billion add-ons earlier this year for three additional flights.

Read Also: SpaceX : 10th Anniversary of the COTS 2-Dragon's First Successful ISS Mission

SpaceX Crew Dragon Missions are Coming Soon

Space reports that Crew Dragon missions are coming soon, and it would focus on Crew-10 to Crew-14 flights that will come from the only American institution that carries NASA astronauts towards the ISS. Dragon missions are coming back again, and it goes atop the Falcon 9 rocket to bring it outside the Earth before its detaching.

SpaceX and NASA Missions

In 2020 and 2021, there were many missions that SpaceX focused on that it fulfilled for NASA to bring its astronauts towards the international Space Station, focusing on the many ventures that the space agency is trying to achieve.

One of these missions is with the Crew-1 that first boarded the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and went for the ISS to focus on their mission as set out by NASA. SpaceX continuously did these flights as its partner, Boeing's Starliner, could not complete its tet in time to bring the astronauts as part of their contracts with NASA.

SpaceX is one renowned company for its spaceflights and reusability in their rockets and ships that they use to transport cargo and the astronauts included in the mission.

SpaceX and NASA have worked together on multiple occasions already, and the missions they did brought massive advancements to the world. The commercialization of space is something that not all agree with. Private companies like SpaceX, Arianespace, Boeing, Blue Origin, and more get a chance to dictate their track and ventures on the space landscape.

The only thing is that NASA prefers SpaceX's technology, so it gets to bring its spaceships more often.

Related Article: NASA Human Exploration Splits into Two Departments to Better Focus on Future Flights like the Artemis, and MORE

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Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Unsplash/Joel Moysuh) USPS

USPS, the independent agency that provides postal service in the United States, is going electric. The postal service, which delivers 1.6 million mail every day, has teamed up with Coaster Cycles for its electric cargo bike delivery service.

USPS is Testing its E-Bikes

Several European countries were able to demonstrate the effectiveness of switching away from gas-powered mail trucks, and with USPS' delivery, van ordering scandal in April, using e-bikes for its deliveries is a smart move.

According to Electrek, e-bikes are designed to carry heavy cargo, and they can be modified for different types of commercial e-cargo bike applications.

The small easy-to-maneuver e-cargo bikes look more like a van than a bike. They can better facilitate mail delivery in urban areas that traditional USPS trucks can't access.

The cargo box is located in the rear, and it has 72 cubic feet of space for packages and mail. It can also hold up to 400 lbs. or 181 kg of cargo.

Also Read: USPS Alternatives 2021 and Cheapest Way to Ship a Package in 2021

Despite its smaller size, each battery for the e-cargo bike can operate for 100 km or 62 miles before needing a recharge. It has a hydraulic disc brake that can help stop it safely even with all of the weight on.

The e-cargo bike can run for four hours maximum, and the 500 Wh battery can be swapped at any time with a fully charged one to extend its life.

The bike is equipped with a rear view mirror so the driver can see above the cargo box, and the cockpit has a camera to make it easier for the driver to reverse.

USPS is currently testing the e-cargo bikes. Christopher Jackson, the director of city delivery, told The Postal Record that everything is running smoothly so far. Jackson added that he is hopeful that the postal service will explore more eco-friendly options.

The expected allotted budget for this switch to electric cargo bikes is $2.98 billion, and the postal service is said to order 50,000 of them.

USPS Delivery Controversy

On Apr. 28, several states and labor groups filed lawsuits against the postal service. The lawsuits claim that USPS failed to do environmental assessments before signing a deal with Oshkosh Defense Corp. for 165,000 gas-powered Next Generation Delivery Vehicles or NGDVs.

The controversial deal costs billions of dollars. The original plan was for 10% of the ordered NGDVs to be electric, though USPS increased the percentage to 20% in their initial order of the vehicles.

The lawsuits filed rehash a lot of the recent arguments against this decision, mainly focusing on the postal services' failure to do the much-needed environmental assessments, according to The Verge.

The lawsuits, which were filed by the Northern District of California and the Southern District of New York, argue that the assessment was undertaken after the contract was announced but that the evaluation was deficient in considering the climate impacts and air quality of the plan.

The Northern District of California and the Southern District of New York also pointed out that USPS did not even consider other alternatives to the NGDVs.

Related Article: Are You Using USPS? Here's How to Calculate Shipping Costs

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Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA reported that Tesla owners complained that their vehicles would stop even though they did not step on the brake.

Tesla Vehicle Brake Problem

According to ABC News, a total of 750 Tesla owners brought up the issue, getting the attention of the US safety regulator.

On May 4, the NHTSA sent a letter to Tesla about the brake issue and asked the car company to address it immediately as there are also reports of injuries, crashes, and even deaths because of false braking.

The US safety regulator also wants Tesla to clarify what "Full Self Driving" really is and if the automatic emergency braking system of the vehicle cause accidents.

This is not the first time the NHTSA has investigated complaints regarding Tesla vehicles. In February 2021, the US safety regulator investigated the braking system issue in Models 3 and Model Y after it got more than 354 complaints from owners.

Also Read: Tesla's Video Games to STOP Working While EV is in Motion: NHTSA

The new probe includes a total of 416,000 Models 3 and Model Y vehicles released in 2021 and 2022.

Tesla was given until June 20 to respond to the letter and to submit all of the requirements. If the automaker can't meet the deadline, they can ask for an extension, according to Reuters.

NHTSA Probe

The safety regulator said it would investigate vehicles with automated driver-assist features like Autopilot and adaptive cruise control. These features allow vehicles to brake and steer without the driver's assistance automatically.

Tesla owners who filed the NHTSA complaint said that deceleration happens without warning. The owners added that they are afraid that they may get into an accident while driving.

The NHTSA is looking for the speed for when the vehicles began to brake, the vehicle's final speed, and its average deceleration, according to The Washington Post.

It is also seeking videos of the braking incidents, and it wants to know if the Autopilot detected an obstacle that caused it to brake automatically.

The safety regulator is also asking for the warranty claims that include the names of the Tesla owners and where the vehicles were manufactured. It will also investigate Tesla's sensors and modifications to see if any adjustments need to be made.

The letter is seeking information about Tesla's testing of the automated systems in the vehicles, especially when it comes to shaped curves, oncoming traffic, metal bridges, and more.

NHTSA also wants Tesla to explain how its cameras deal with shadows, reflections, glare, and blockage caused by harsh weather.

Tesla did its own investigation of the braking issue in February. The US safety regulator wants a copy of the said investigation to know what caused the unnecessary braking and the risk it has on the driver.

The safety regulator wants the automaker to clarify if it gives warnings to the driver if defects are occurring or if a component is malfunctioning.

The NHTSA probe is the agency's efforts to understand Autopilot and Full Self-Driving. Despite being marketed as features that let the vehicle operate on its own, it can't really run without any driver inside.

Related Article: Tesla Ordered by NHTSA to Disable Boombox Feature Due to Safety Risks

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
"I worry about what the children will learn" I made a mess in the pension and left as it was
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Blaming rising natural gas costs and lingering expenses from a slew of weather disasters over the last two years, Entergy on Friday said electricity rates for most of its Louisiana customers will rise in June by as much as $25 for an average household.
New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams in his office on Thursday, May 19, 2022. The famous photo taken by Hank Walker showing John F. Kennedy conferring with his brother, Bobby, hangs on the wall above his couch. (Photo by Chris Granger | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The latest fest of super-heroics hits our screens next month, as Chris Hemsworth once again defrosts his Thor. But is a thundering god with an oversized hammer really what we need right now? We asked six local writers and one cartoonist: if you could invent a superhero for our times, what would she look like? Genevieve Novak Having determinedly avoided all Marvel films, never read a single comic book or participated in nerd culture in any way in my entire life, I am uniquely unqualified for any commentary on the requirements of Frankensteining a superhero  modern, Australian or otherwise  but being uninformed has never stopped me from having an opinion before. Here is a broad-sweeping statement sure to furrow the brow or roll the eyes of everyone except my specific audience: the modern Australian superhero is a single 26-to-34-year-old woman. What, exactly, is the difference between Spider-Mans little jumpsuit and the impossibly small, depressingly beige full-body shapewear currently lying limp in every other womans underwear drawer? They both offer smooth lines, structural support, and unrestricted range of motion (necessary in case tonights Bumble disaster requires our heroine to karate chop away a presumptuous hand. Again).

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Avert your eyes, please, as she wrangles herself into it, hoping that shes dehydrated enough to render the crotch gusset unnecessary. Her golden lasso is a skinny belt she cant remember buying. Her boots give her blisters, but theyre so cute. Her armour is the cheapest sauv blanc on the wine list. She needs superhuman strength to keep from zoning out when her nemesis  Justin from Thornbury, and every other boring narcissist with a dating app profile  kicks off about Elon Musk, or Christopher Nolan films, or his thoughts on the #MeToo movement. Could a Hemsworth employ the frankly Herculean restraint to keep from shouting WHO CARES? when he starts explaining NFTs unprompted? No. Whats the difference between Spider-Mans jumpsuit (shown in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) and full-body shapewear? And could Chris Hemsworths Thor employ Herculean restraint? Credit:Sony Pictures Animation, Jay Maidment/Marvel The citizens shes sworn to protect are other young single women. The two hours he nurses a single pour of Japanese whiskey for are two hours hes off the streets, too distracted by the sound of his own voice to send an unsolicited explicit Snapchat to a woman he met once eight months ago. She does this  these awkward, optimism-dissolving first dates every other week  as a public service. Its thankless work. Build a statue in her honour and wrap it in a Reformation dress. And what of her endurance, and her unwavering belief in goodness, and  whisper it  love? Shes not trying to save the world. Shes just looking for someone cool to hang out with for a while. When she finds them, shell pack away her cape (a dry-clean-only dress or teddy coat) and make room for the next wave of impeccably contoured and Flowerbombed twenty-somethings waiting in the wings. Leave the rest of it to one of the Chrises. Genevieve Novaks debut novel, No Hard Feelings, published by HarperCollins, is out now.

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Ellena Savage When my husband first told me about the sin-eaters of the early modern period  freelancers hired to take on the sins of the newly deceased  the picture I imagined was one of a live body sitting atop a corpse; between them, a chocolate cake so wet and rich it looked like a split tongue, or a pulsing organ, or the inside of an overripe peach. The live body  that is, the sin-eater  was in my minds eye gorging on the cake, mouth-first (of course). This Rabelaisian scene could not be further from the austere image of the Welsh sin-eaters I later read about. (Here, the light of my imagination changes from Caravaggian resplendence to a pale, austere sun; work-worn bodies; colour-drained frocks). This iteration of the sin-eater had only to enter the home where the deceased body lay, quickly eat a piece of bread and drink a cup of ale, collect their paltry fee, and be gone, taking with them the sins of the dead. This sin-eater was no demon, but a marked person, a shunned person, a person who really needed that bread. Kirabella from Chadwick models; styling by Ramzy Nawzar; make-up by Sara Morrison. Credit:Simon Schluter There is another sin-eater in the history books I find myself drawn to. Her name is Tlazolteotl. Terms I have seen referring to this Aztec goddess include, she who eats filth, the goddess of filth and the goddess of lechery and unlawful love. Tlazolteotl served an essential function in the life cycle  she was the repository for a lifetimes confessions of every Aztec subject, who was required to unburden themself to pass into the afterlife. The sins she took on were indelibly sexual in nature; Tlazolteotl in turn inspired and forgave the lusts of her sinners. She is often represented with a dark ring around her lips, symbolising the excrement she consumed and purified. The sin-eater, like an earthworm, is the metabolism of the symbolic world. Without her or the Christian sin-eater, Jesus, or the secular sin-eater, the pariah, an object for the society to blame their common blunders on  there is only waste; debris piling up in the moral landscape.

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When I think of superheroes, any of them, really, I think about the function they serve in culture. The anxieties they relieve or manifest. How they embody narratives we like to tell about ourselves: triumphant, no matter what hell we wreak. Flawed, sure, but capable of fortitude, the fortitude of the lone wolf. Superheroes are never earthworms or sin-eaters, and so I humbly suggest that we change the script, and abolish the superhero. The gap left where the superhero once was could better be occupied by the figure of the artist. I dont mean the artist of celebrity, ego or commerce. I mean the artist of filth, the artist with the ring of dirt around her mouth, one who can face our collective detritus, our moral faeces; gorge on the corpse cake of shame, despair, guilt, arrogance and dishonesty, and draw from it new and vital life. Ellen Savages debut essay collection, Blueberries, is out now through Text. Mykaela Saunders My superhero would be a blackfella who has the ability to give the land and water back to its rightful owners so they can manage everything properly again, and to redistribute wealth, resources and political power to those who are disenfranchised by the Australian state. My superhero would understand our world through the fullness of all times. They would be a historian who understands that all problems today have their origins in the past, and they would also be a futurist who knows that all the issues we will come to meet are being seeded right now. This would guide their distributive decisions. Theyd be a cultural, connected, community-based blackfella  not because I think blackfellas are inherently better people than others, but because grassroots people often tend towards caring for country and for the collective rather than protecting the interests of mining magnates and other billionaires. Our people lived this way for millennia, without war, slavery or ecocide, ensuring the bounty of the lands and waters would be enjoyed by successive generations.

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This superhero would either be a collective of people, or a multi-perspectival entity that is an amalgamation of a few people because all people with power and influence need checks and balances. I dont trust lone wolves on heros journeys and I dont think any one person should have that much power. Executive decisions and actions should always be shared by a group of engaged, intelligent and relational people who want the best for everyone, rather than protecting the interests of a self-centred few. Batman (as shown in The Dark Knight) has plenty of fancy gadgets at his disposal. Credit:Warner Bros. My superhero would have grown up poor, not like Batman with all his fancy gadgets. People who know what its like to live in poverty usually have a better sense of the collective and know how to help others, even when they have nothing to share. They would have also worked in community services, because those people are saints; they know the solutions and they literally save lives. If it sounds like Im saying that I think our grassroots community people are superheroes, youd be right. Mykaela Saunders is the editor of This All Come Back Now: An anthology of First Nations speculative fiction, out now through UQP. Mandy Ord Credit: Credit:

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He is also scheduled to perform a second show at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday night and Rod Laver Arenas official account tweeted that fans would get an update as soon as possible about that show while Friday night ticket holders would hear from Ticketek about their options.

Kid Laroi had performed four shows for the Australian leg of his world tour and was due to perform at Rod Laver Arena. However, in an Instagram post on Friday night, he said he was struggling to stand and go to the bathroom despite having treatment all afternoon.

Australian artist Kid Laroi has apologised to fans after withdrawing from his much-anticipated show in Melbourne on Friday night due to illness.

As the night went on, it got worse, to the point where it was hard for me to stand up and go to the bathroom, Kid Laroi said in a message.

I was getting super light-headed and my body felt super heavy.

I promise you with all my heart that I gave everything in me to try and get up on that stage tonight.

This is my first ever tour and I absolutely hate that Ive had to do this, especially at the last minute as it is so unfair on you guys, but at the end of the day I have to put my health first and I would be lying to you if I told you I was OK to perform.

He added he would come back to Melbourne and perform the show for fans but didnt have a date for when that will happen.
Its not often the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal - and listeners - get to hear allegations of the behind-the-scenes practices of a social media star and celebrity cosmetic surgeon, but a hearing this week heard breathtaking stories of Dr Daniel Aronov at one of the countrys biggest cosmetic surgery practices.

Dr Daniel Lanzer (left) and Dr Daniel Aronov Credit:Stephen Kiprillis

At the same time, one of his colleagues Dr Daniel Darbyshire was down the road facing criminal charges over an alleged unprovoked critical injury assault of a 66-year-old man.

But for Aronov, a former senior associate of controversial celebrity doctor Daniel Lanzer, the allegations came thick and fast, including stories of him throwing human body parts around the theatre, a woman screaming in excruciating pain during surgery as Lanzer and Aronov was smiling, laughing and cracking jokes. In another incident a woman was alledgedly given a bedpan after liposuction, not wiped down, then Aronov proceeded with a tummy tuck.

The tribunal was instigated by Aronov who was seeking an easing of conditions on his medical registration imposed six months ago by the national health regulator.
Nurses urge community to mask up to curb virus spread as hospital crisis continues

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There is no question that Elizabeth II, as a figure of stability and dignity, has had a remarkably successful seven decades as head of the British royal family. The monarchy as an institution may have, at times, been tarnished by the actions and words of some within the family, but the Queen has managed to stay above it all.

Across the Commonwealth, to mark the occasion, beacons were lit in each of the capital cities of the 54 member states, including Canberra, where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did the honour after offering some warm remarks reflecting on the Queens long association with Australia, a nation she has visited 16 times.

To kick off the four days of festivities, hundreds of thousands lined Londons streets as the Queen took a salute from the balcony at Buckingham Place for Trooping the Colour, the official birthday event of the sovereign for more than 260 years.

Nobody does pomp and ceremony like the British. The Queens celebration of her Platinum Jubilee  marking 70 years since she ascended to the throne, the first time any British royal has reached such a milestone  bears witness to that.

But this will, quite possibly, be her final grand celebration in her name. Hampered by episodic mobility problems, she had to withdraw from a thanksgiving service at St Pauls Cathedral, citing discomfort following her brief appearance on the balcony. As The Ages Europe correspondent Rob Harris noted, in all likelihood, the sight of her standing alongside her family, including the next three men in line to be king  Charles, William and eight-year-old George  will be the last time we see the Queen in such a public setting.

For many Australians who have greatly admired the Queen, and were never convinced of the need for a republic while she still carried out her duties, it will be a moment to reflect on what the future may hold. Australia is by no means the only Commonwealth nation that has, at times, tested its ties to the British monarch.

A recent tour of the Caribbean nations of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas by Prince William, the second in line to the throne, and his wife, Catherine, was marked by controversy. In a meeting with the prince, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness was adamant that the country was ready to move on and would sever ties with the British monarchy as soon as possible. And a planned visit to a Belize village had to be cancelled after an Indigenous group staged a protest over a long-running land rights dispute.

By the end of the tour, the Duke of Cambridge was candid in his comments, declaring: I know that this tour has brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and the future. He went on to say that who the Commonwealth chooses to lead its family in the future isnt what is on my mind.

While Australias colonial ties with Britain have been steadily curtailed via various legislative and symbolic changes over past decades, efforts to transition our system of government from a constitutional monarchy to a republic have repeatedly failed to gain enough momentum to be realised.
At the very start of Broadway's reopening season, Deirdre O'Connell took center stage at the Lyceum Theatre in Lucas Hnath's solo play, Dana H. On stage for pretty much all of this 80-minute drama, you didn't hear her own voice once. O'Connell lip-synced interviews with the playwright's mother, Dana Higgenbotham, a former prison chaplain who is kidnapped and taken on a journey by a white supremacist.

The unexpected Broadway run was the culmination of a long journey for the play: it premiered at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, went to the Goodman in Chicago, and finally the Vineyard off-Broadway all before the pandemic. Though the Broadway engagement was relatively brief, it made an impact: O'Connell and her collaborators, director Les Waters and sound designer Mikhail Fiksel, all received Tony nominations this year; remarkably, given their extensive and acclaimed bodies of work, it's the first nomination for each of them.

Here, the trio looks back on the experience of building this piece from the ground up.

Mikhail Fiksel, Deirdre O'Connell, and Les Waters

( Tricia Baron/David Gordon)

This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

How did you all get involved with Lucas and this play to begin with?

Les Waters: Lucas came to me five or six years ago and asked if I would interview Dana, and for a couple of reasons, I didn't want to do that. When I joined the production, I think you'd done one workshop in Chicago. Misha will know more than I.

Mikhail Fiksel: We did a week where the first version of the script emerged. In between that workshop and Les joining, I believe Lucas continued to edit, so by the time he came to you, it had gone through a couple iterations. The sense that I got was that there wasn't a certainty that this would be a lip-sync play. None of the people involved in the interview were told that. It was actually quite similar to what's happening right now: it was being recorded for archival purposes. They had a recorder sitting next to them, and it was a step above an iPhone.

Deirdre O'Connell: I came into it when they knew they were going to the Ahmanson and the Goodman. I don't know exactly where you were in the process, but there had been workshops, so they knew that a human could do it. But I didn't know a human could do it. And that this human could do that. I was on my own with the material for a couple of months trying to learn it. That was my job. Because I knew that I would have to know if I could do it way before we started rehearsal. I don't know exactly if there was an a-ha moment, but it gradually got easier. It felt like a new kind of brain-learning. By the time we started rehearsal, I could sit and do it.

Misha, when you first received the audio? What was it like, and how hard was it to put together?

Mikhail: It's an imperfect audio. What's fascinating is how often that became a strength and a dramatic device. We understood that all the artifacts of an imperfect recording are helping to sell the illusion of the lip-sync: the movement of the clothes, the random background noises, the creaking of the chair. All of that was elevating the storytelling. As sound designer, I had a lot of fun parsing that out and creating even more textures and musicality.

The editing was always a little unpredictable. Sometimes, a simple deletion or a small rearrangement was very easy, but sometimes, because of the audio, it would take a very long time to cut an entire section. It was like Jenga. You adjust one piece and then the whole thing begins to teeter in another direction. I appreciated everyone's patience, because sometimes I needed 45 minutes to chisel away at this thing.

Deirdre O'Connell stars in Lucas Hnath's Dana H., directed by Les Waters, at Broadway's Lyceum Theatre.

( Chad Batka)

Were there points in the process where you wish the real Dana Higginbotham had said things in a different way because you thought it would make a better dramatic beat for the storytelling?

Les: Probably. I don't remember them. It just seemed interesting to deal with the material that was in front of us. And surprising. She's not saying a line in the theater sense, but her attitudes on various things would take you by surprise. And I think that's great. It's not what you expect.

Deirdre: Not in terms of that. There were technical things, like, "If only she had said his name right there." She's assuming Steve knows who she's talking about because she's making a gesture. She ran the gamut, and we were so much trying to follow the lead of the thing and see what it was. We didn't know what it was, and didn't want to presume what it was, and that was the whole game. We aren't going to turn this into something that would please us; we're going to find out what it is. That's the bottom line of what Lucas decided to do as an exercise in relation to his mother. That's the thing that makes it so remarkable for me: I don't know if I could do that with my mother, with whom I have a very good relationship. But I was struck by what he was forcing himself to do.

Eventually this play will be done all around the world, non-professionally, professionally, and it will be up to other people to build it. What's the best piece of advice to each person that will be sitting in your seats?

Les: Don't add anything to the play if it's not required. The integrity has to be completely respected. It's deeply strange working on it now at Berkeley Rep, because I keep looking at Jordan Baker and saying, "Why is she speaking with Didi's voice?" Which is the same reaction I had when I met the real Dana. There's a jolt. Didi and Jordan are very different actors and people, but they're connected by this voice, and the attitudes of the voice remain the same wherever you are.

Deirdre: You will learn everything you need to know by following it, and it leads you. It takes a little while to trust that. You don't have time to get angry with yourself for screwing anything up, or to feel a wave of pride for getting anything right. The second you have those emotions, the brain goes out, and it's such a fast-moving thing to do. And it will feel like it's a different story being told from a different point of view every day. Her voice will sound different to you. I couldn't wake up in the morning and say, "I feel sad today, so I'm going to make Dana sad." The second I sat in the chair, it would happen. It wasn't something I had control over, which was so odd, but it was kind of great because you never are bored. Before I understood how it worked, I would ask Misha, like, "What did you do? Did you speed it up?" And he would say "No, that's in your mind," which was helpful, because then I didn't feel like I was losing my mind. You're also going to have to really take care of yourself. You're going to feel sad and alienated and scared.

Mikahil: It will sneak up on you how difficult this material is in the most surprising ways. You're not even going to register that you've been absorbing some atrocious stuff on repeat in very relentless way. So you have to take care of each other and take the time to support each other. Take breaks and acknowledge the things that you are feeling. We're doing this very technical and technology driven thing, but it is ultimately still a very human experience, and that comes with all the pain of being human.

Deirdre O'Connell stars in Lucas Hnath's Dana H., directed by Les Waters, at Broadway's Lyceum Theatre.

( Chad Batka)

What does it mean for you all to be recognized in this way, with your first Tony nominations all around?

Les: I feel quite joyous about it, and to be honest, I'm not a cheery person. I live at the top of a hill in Berkeley, and as I was walking down to work the other day and looking at the Bay, I thought "Oh, this is just great." And the fact that it's Didi and Misha, and there's a ton of people I know who've been nominated this year, particularly in design. It feels good, he said very seriously.

Deirdre: I second that emotion. We didn't have an inkling that this was something that could happen, but because the way the world had been shattered and was getting rebuilt, Broadway felt like the inevitable next step for this thing that we made. I was expecting that the audiences would not be the same as the tightly concentrated audiences I experienced at the Vineyard, where it was remarkable just being in a room where you knew that no one was breathing for an hour and a half, but they just got it immediately. You had 800 people in this state of concentration. On top of that, this experience from the beginning was one made for the purposes of love. That doesn't mean it was easy, but love was the only way you could make it. There was not a cynical moment. It was always just like "We have to do this." So this is just very validating.

Mikhail: There's a complicated relationship with all awards, but on this one, I didn't feel conflicted by any means. I love the work. I knew the work was good. We believed in it. So it felt both validating and a little life-affirming to get that recognition. This being my first nomination, I feel good about the way I've arrived at this work that we would have made anyway. We were committed to this thing, and it's fantastic that other people recognize that.
In Mansa Ra's new play, the character Maxwell Kennedy rattles off three rules when his ailing father, Bartholomew, comes to live with him: Don't be racist, go easy on Maxwell's husband, and don't die. It's that third rule that Bartholomew dismisses quickest. "You're gonna have to take that up with Jesus," he says.

The rules we live by when we live together often end up being less stable than we intend them to be, and sometimes we have to throw them out altogether when they don't work. There's a lot of the latter in Ra's funny and incredibly moving play ...what the end will be, now running in a Roundabout Theatre Company production at the Laura Pels Theatre. In its own small way, ...what the end will be rewrites a lot of the rules about what we should expect from a family drama.

Gerald Caesar and Emerson Brooks in Mansa Ra's ...what the end will be.

( Joan Marcus)

In large part, that's because Ra does something new: He looks at the complex father-son dynamics of three generations of gay Black men, all related and all living under one roof. The head of the household, conservative-minded, career-driven Maxwell (Emerson Brooks), lives with his white husband, Charles (Randy Harrison), in a posh Atlanta home (grand set design by Reid Thompson) and has decided to provide home care for his father, Bartholomew (Keith Randolph Smith), a gay veteran with late-stage bone cancer. Eighteen-year-old athlete Tony (Gerald Caesar) bounds about the house, full of youthful energy, but he's keeping a secret from his dad: He has a boyfriend, Antoine (Ryan Jamaal Swain). Of course, the boyfriend isn't the issue; the kind of boyfriend is. But when Bartholomew makes a surprise announcement, Maxwell is forced to confront his own closeted, secretive life and open himself up to the possibility of change for the sake of his family.

In a play with straight white characters, this set-up (ailing grandparent, old-school dad, rebellious teen wanting to live their best life) would feel at least a little familiar. But Ra puts these tropes in different cultural waters, and the result is fresh and engaging. Brooks delivers a sterling performance as a man caught between his generation's passe edict to hide one's gayness and the social pressures of living under the gaze of white colleagues (and husbands). We see Brooks bring out those contradictions with a smile that quickly turns into a snarl as Maxwell renders judgment on Antoine for dressing and acting too "feminine" (Swain's fabulous attire is by Emilio Sosa, with make-up by J. Jared Janas). Ra turns this standoff between generations into 90 minutes of provocative (and hilarious) theater.

Keith Randolph Smith, Tiffany Villarin, Gerald Caesar, Randy Harrison, and Emerson Brooks in ...what the end will be. Reid Thompson designed the set.

( Joan Marcus)

While Brooks keeps us on edge wondering if Maxwell's clenched jaw is going to grind someone's bones, Smith gives us the show's standout performance as the grandfather who has done more hiding and been through more pain than anyone in the room  he knows what really matters and what doesn't. From the moment Bartholomew whips out his dead lover's boxers and gives them a good sniff, Smith keeps us in stitches throughout most of the play with his impeccable comedic timing, but later on he shows us the suffering behind Bartholomew's stoic smile in a painfully beautiful monologue that didn't leave a dry eye in the house on the night I attended (bring tissues and an extra mask). Ra does not shy away from some overtly sentimental scenes in Bartholomew's visions of his deceased ex (his "sunflower"), but those moments are easy to look past when Smith is giving one of the most powerful performances in New York right now.

Director Margot Bordelon draws terrific performances from the rest of the cast as well. Caesar shows us the perspective of a young jock torn between the repressive, hypermasculine training of his Maker's Mark-swilling father and his own generation's embrace of self-creation and sexual freedom. Meanwhile, Harrison adroitly plays a finger-wagging husband who seems blissfully unaware of his whiteness and the effect it can have on the Black men around him, even if they are family. And in an understated but solid performance, Tiffany Villarin plays the sensible nurse Chloe, who rises above the men's confrontations so that she can focus on Bartholomew and his pain.

Gerald Caesar and Ryan Jamaal Swain in Mansa Ra's new play ...what the end will be.

( Joan Marcus)

Ryan Jamaal Swain (Damon from FX's Pose) deserves a special shoutout for his memorable turn as Antoine. With his confident sashay and a flirtatious smile that lights up the theater like a thousand rainbows, Swain's performance is pitch-perfect, and the chemistry he creates with Caesar has the authentic feel of young love (Jiyoun Chang's lighting design pulls us into the play's charming romantic moments). If only Swain were onstage more, because when he is, he sparkles.

This play sparkles too (despite the occasional mushiness) because it gets to the heart of some shared human experiences that have little to do with race, sexuality, and gender, such as what it takes to let go of your own pain, and what it means to let someone you love let go of theirs  rules be damned. Ultimately, as the play's title suggest, we all know what the end will be ... the ellipsis is how we get there.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

bp has invested $84 billion in the Azerbaijani economy, Executive Vice President for Production and Operations Gordon Birrell has said at the 27th Baku Energy Forum, Azernews reports.

Emphasizing that bp will continue to support Azerbaijan in the development of oil and gas projects, Birrell recalled that this year marks the 30th anniversary of cooperation and investment.

Such a long period speaks of the stability of the country's economy. I would like to note that we have invested in projects such as BakuTbilisiCeyhan pipeline (BTC), Shah Deniz oilfield, and a number of others, he said.

He noted that the factor that serves to ensure the stability of investment in the Azerbaijani economy is the fact that the country's energy infrastructure is developing, extraction of oil and gas resources is permanent, and large-scale projects are being implemented to transit to green energy.

We plan to reduce investments in the energy sector by up to 50 percent and increase them in the sphere of green energy by 2030, he added.

Moreover, bp's Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey Gary Jones stated that it is planned to increase gas exports through the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP) to 27 billion cubic meters per year, of which 9 billion cubic meters go to Italy.

He added that the work is underway to expand gas sources and increase production from existing ones.

"The role of the Southern Gas Corridor will also grow, exports will be increased, and to achieve these goals, work is underway to attract financial institutions and related investments," he said.

Noting that work is underway to build solar stations in Azerbaijan and in particular in the country's Karabakh region, Gary Jones mentioned that the implementation of these projects in Azerbaijan will reduce gas consumption.

"In addition, Azerbaijan has a huge wind potential in the Caspian Sea to generate clean energy, which can also be exported," he said.

He also added that a comprehensive solution to issues on the energy agenda is being carried out in Azerbaijan.

Speaking at the forum, bp's Vice President for Finance Niall Henderson stated that Azerbaijan is able to compete in the renewable energy sector at the global level.

"Azerbaijan can create a flexible smart and digital energy system that integrates renewable energy sources into thermal power and transport," he said.

Henderson also noted that solar and wind energy, landfill gas, geothermal energy, hydrogen-based charging stations, also ultra-fast charging stations can be developed in Azerbaijan and brought to the global level of competition.

He added that the energy transition gives Azerbaijan the opportunity to become fully self-sufficient in the production and supply of its own energy.

"Azerbaijan can decarbonize its economy in a way that ensures significant positive economic growth while ensuring sustainable development," he said.

Additionally, the ceremony of signing an agreement on a cooperation program related to renewable energy sources, between the Azerbaijani State University of Oil and Industry and British Petroleum has been held in Baku on June 2.

The document was signed by bp's Vice President for the Caspian region Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli and Rector of the University Mustafa Babanli.

BP opened its first office in Baku in June 1992 and has since then contributed to Azerbaijans oil and gas sector through operating projects, such as Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG), Shah Deniz, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC), and South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP).
Escaped Texas inmate Gonzalo Artemio Lopez, 46, who escaped a prison bus near Centerville, Texas, on May 12, 2022, as seen in a photo released on May 25, 2022. (U.S. Marshals)

3 Children, 2 Adults Found Dead Inside a Texas Home, Escaped Inmate Believed to Be Connected

The extremely dangerous escaped inmate is still on the run

Investigators have found the bodies of three children and two adults in a Texas home, which authorities believe are connected to a dangerous escaped inmate.

Authorities found the bodies after investigating a call from someone who had not heard from an elderly relative, according to a June 2 notice posted on the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) website.

Authorities believe escaped inmate Gonzalo Lopez is responsible for the five peoples deaths and may be driving a 1999 white Chevrolet Silverado with license plate DPV4520 found missing from the residence.

According to a statement made by the U.S. Marshals on May 25, Lopez escaped custody on May 12 when being transported on a prison bus for high-risk inmates in a rural area near Centerville, Texas.

The Marshals said Lopez escaped his restraints and a metal cage. Lopez then stabbed the prison bus driver and stole the bus. The bus drivers wounds were not life-threatening, Jason Clark, chief of staff for the TDCJ, told CBS News.

No one else from the bus escaped. Lopez was last seen running into the woods off Highway 7.

Hes crafty, Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Robert Hurst told KHOU 11. Hes done this before down in South Texas in Webb County, he hid out for almost nine days.

This is a very dangerous man. Back in 2005, he killed someone with a pickax. In 2004, he shot at an officer. If he has that device, whatever he used to cut through the door and also stab the officer, folks to need to be aware he may still have that on him, Hurst said.

Lopez is affiliated with the Mexican Mafia and has ties to the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio. He should be considered armed and extremely dangerous. Do not attempt to apprehend this fugitive, the May 25 statement by the U.S. Marshals reads.

Authorities are offering a combined reward of up to $50,000 for information leading up to Lopezs capture. Anyone with information on Lopezs whereabouts is urged to contact TDCJ Office of Inspector General CRIME STOPPERS at 1-800-832-8477 or 936-437-5171 or call 911.
Regulators have put different COVID-19 treatments through different degrees of scrutiny, with some relatively safe treatments getting short shrift, while others get an accelerated approval. While vaccines experienced strong and unflinching support, monoclonal antibodies have had a rocky path to sometimes fleeting approvals. Other treatments, like ivermectin, never got approval in the United States but have been widely used elsewhere.

Here is a timeline noting when each COVID treatment came into and out of play with the help of an article on pandemic progression through 2020 from The American Journal of Managed Care, a timeline of Ivermectin-related Events in the COVID-19 pandemic by Mika Turkia in published in Research Gate, as well as a perspective published in Nature Reviews Immunology titled, The first 12 months of COVID-19: a timeline of immunological insights.

The list includes a timeline leading up to the methylprednisolone, ascorbic acid, thiamin, and heparin, melatonin, zinc, and vitamin D3 (MATH+) Protocol for the treatment of COVID-19 from the FLCCC website as well as dates and events from Regeneron and other industry websites involved in monoclonal antibody treatments.

2020

January 9WHO announces the emergence of an illness characterized by pneumonia associated with the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China.

JanuaryMore than 70 monoclonal antibodies are under development in the private and public sector, with multiple candidates in Phase II and III trials in high-income countries.

JanuaryDr. Paul Marik, Founder of FLCCC, Professor of Medicine, and Chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, creates a COVID-19 hospital protocol for his medical school at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia called the EVMS protocol, based on Dr. Mariks safe, effective treatment protocol for sepsis, of intravenous hydrocortisone, ascorbic acid, and thiamine.

March 3The Chinese regimes National Health Commission & State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) releases treatment protocol for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia which includes protocols for oxygen therapy, antiviral therapy, and antibiotic drug treatment for general treatment, and convalescent plasma treatment, blood purification treatment, immunotherapy, and glucocorticoids for severe cases. Recommending traditional Chinese medicine, part of the clinical treatment includes lung cleansing and TCM detoxification.

March 11WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic.

March 17University of Minnesota begins testing hydroxychloroquine.

March 30FDA authorizes an EUA of hydroxychloroquine.

April 5Intensivist colleagues from New York, Italy, and China meet to discuss Dr. Mariks EVMS protocol, focusing on steroid use. FLCCC forms from this meeting.

April 8President Trump says, What do you have to lose? when touting the drug combination of hydroxychloroquine or the related chloroquine with azithromycin as possible treatments for COVID-19.

April 17The American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and the Heart Rhythm Society issue a warning on the safety and efficacy of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in patients with heart disease who contract the virus.

April 23Honduras adopts ivermectin country-wide.

April 29NIH trial announces non-peer reviewed, preliminary results for Gilead Sciences experimental drug remdesivir from a clinical trial that shows remdesivir is better than a placebo in treating COVID-19, despite the drugs original failure to treat Ebola in Africa and a separate placebo-controlled multicenter study published April 29 when researchers found remdesivir offered no benefit to patients with COVID-19.

May 1Remdesivir is given EUA.

May 6The Chinese regimes Central Guidance Team approves traditional Chinese medicine treatment of tai chi, baduanjin (medical qigong), and acupuncture therapy in Wuhan, China.

May 8Peru adopts ivermectin country-wide.

May 21United States and AstraZeneca form an expedited vaccine deal. The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) says it expects the first doses to be available as early as October 2020; Phase III clinical studies are underway this summer.

JuneThe European Medicines Agencys Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommends Veklury (remdesivir) for authorization.

June 1Peru launches new protocol consisting of early outpatient treatment with individually prescribed combinations of paracetamol, azithromycin, hydroxychloroquine, and ivermectin.

June 4The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) retract COVID-19 studies on hydroxychloroquine on the same day after the authors said they could not vouch for the data used. A private database of medical records compiled by a little-known firm called Surgisphere was used in both studies.

June 15Regeneron Pharmaceuticals shows that monoclonal antibody therapies can drive escape mutants of SARS-CoV-2 but that can be avoided by using antibody cocktails.

June 15The EUA for hydroxychloroquine is rescinded except for patients in clinical trials.

June 18WHO ends study into hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19 announcing the data from their Solidarity Trial found the drug did not reduce mortality.

June 20NIH halts a clinical trial examining the safety and effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19. The NIH indicates that the treatment does no harm, but also provides no benefit.

June 22Dexamethasone, a steroid, is shown to be effective in patients with severe COVID-19.

June 29Gilead sets price for remdesivir six vial hospital treatment at $3,120 for people covered with private insurance. Critics of the price point are quick to point out that taxpayers funded the COVID-19 remdesivir trial through the NIH.

June 30Off-label treatment using ivermectin is reported in the Dominican Republic and doctors in Mexico, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Brazil share protocols. Sometime in June, country-wide ivermectin use begins in Bangladesh.

JulyHealth Canada authorizes use of remdesivir.

July 14Moderna, which received a $500 million grant from the federal government to develop a COVID treatment, claims their experimental shot is safe and effective from data collected from phases I and II trials of three groups of 15 volunteers. Three patients in the highest-dose group have severe adverse reactions.

JulyThe city of Cali in Columbia adopts ivermectin based on positive results achieved in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

July 20Japans Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) approves Roches Ronapreve (casirivimab and imdevimab) monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

July 21AstraZeneca and CanSino Biologics, both with large financial support from UK and German governments and agencies, report promising results in vaccine trials. The interim results of AstraZenecas phase I and II trial of the recombinant adenovirus vaccine show that the vaccine was tolerated and increased immune responses against the virus in all participants who were evaluated. All trial participants were in good health, not in the high risk group for COVID, and none were given a true placebo. Instead they were randomly assigned either the AstraZeneca vaccine or the MenACWY (meningococcal conjugate) vaccine. Though researchers deemed no serious adverse events, some participants experienced moderate headaches, chills, fever, and muscle ache. One received a serious reaction from the MenACWY vaccine. In the Chinese company CanSinos randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II trial in Brazil, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the experimental adenovirus vaccine data was reported safe, and induced significant immune responses; however, 72 percent of 503 participants experienced adverse reactions. Severe adverse reactions were reported by 10 percent of the participants.

Late JulyMaddie de Garay, age 12, suffers serious injuries and seizures after her second shot in the Pfizer-BioNTech phase III trial.

July 22HHS and the US Department of Defense (DOD) announce vaccine distribution agreement with Pfizer and BioNTech for a December delivery of 100 million doses of their COVID-19 vaccine candidate, in a deal that could expand to 600 million doses if the vaccine receives approval or an EUA from the FDA, and if phase III clinical trial results confirm that the vaccine is safe and effective.

July 23Antibody levels drop after the first three months of COVID-19 infection according to findings from a research letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers say antibody resistance would be depleted within a year, although experts note that the possibility of being infected again with the virus is very unlikely.

July 23Researchers, including two inventors and patent holders of monoclonal antibodies, publish a Nature study of monoclonal antibodies as promising candidates for clinical development against SARS-CoV-2. They found the antibodies fall into two distinct groups, targeting different regions of the viral spike. Thus, they say, the battle against COVID-19 could be waged on separate fronts, much like those against HIV and some forms of cancer.

July 27Moderna vaccine begins phase III trial, receiving $472 million from the Trump Administration, expanding the trial to 30,000 participants in the United States. The move brings the total investment made by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to $955 million.

August 1The state of Chiapas in Mexico adopts the use of ivermectin.

August 3The United States pays Sanofi and GSK $2.1 billion for vaccines in an effort to scale up delivery of a COVID-19 vaccine.

AugustExperts in Uttar Pradesh, India recommend ivermectin for specific patients.

August 11Trump administration reaches $1.5 billion deal with Moderna despite still waiting on final data in the joint phase III trial.

August 21The influential journal Science publishes a study by Regeneron authors and stockholders, HHS, and others, which find Regenerons monoclonal antibodies correspond to potent and diverse antiviral antibodies. Human trials of monoclonal antibodies are underway.

August 22Capital city of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, India adopts the use of ivermectin.

August 23The FDA issues an EUA, for convalescent plasma from recovered patients as a therapy to fight COVID-19. There is ongoing debate about the treatment. Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany claims it is a therapeutic breakthrough.

August 24Remdesivirs clinical benefits questioned when a global, multicenter study published in JAMA finds that the antiviral drug remdesivir had little effect on patients hospitalized with COVID-19. The findings indicate there were no significant differences in duration of supplemental oxygen or hospitalization between the intervention group given remdesivir and the control group given standard care.

August 27The NIH recommends ivermectin only for clinical trials, and advises against it as a treatment.

September 1The United States opts out of COVAX, the World Health Organizations (WHO) global COVID-19 vaccine effort to develop, make, and distribute COVID-19 vaccine.

September 3Three studies report that inexpensive steroids are the most effective treatment to date for serious COVID-19. Results from the studies find that the use of systemic steroids can reduce the risk of death by one-third in individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 compared with usual care or placebo.

September 3Sanofi and GSK begin a clinical trial of their protein-based vaccine.

September 6State of Alto Parana in Paraguay adopts the use of ivermectin.

September 8AstraZeneca halts phase III vaccine trial for a safety data review following an unknown adverse reaction in a UK participant.

September 10Italy reports of positive results of ivermectin, steroids, and tocilizumab for severe COVID-19.

September 14Pfizer, BioNTech expand phase III trial from 30,000 participants to 44,000 to include adolescents as young as 16 years and patients with HIV, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B.

September 14After AstraZeneca put its phase III trial on hold, the NIH announces it is launching an investigation into the adverse reactions revealed as spinal cord damage.

September 15Argentina reports positive results in mortality outcomes using ivermectin, dexamethasone, enoxaparin, and aspirin.

September 16Trump Administration releases vaccine distribution plan devised by HHS and the DOD that aims to make a COVID-19 vaccine free for all Americans, with the vaccine to be rolled out in January 2021.

September 21Johnson & Johnson begins phase III vaccine trial of its experimental one-shot vaccine.

September 23A new, more contagious strain of COVID-19 is discovered, known as the B.1.1.7 variant (Alpha).

September 29Regeneron announces positive results for monoclonal antibody treatment, a mixture of two monoclonal antibodies.The results from its ongoing phase I/II/III trials found the treatment was linked to quicker recovery, reduced viral load, and the need for fewer medical visits.

September 30The Dominican Republic adopts ivermectin use nation-wide.

October 2President Trump announces that he and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for COVID-19. After experiencing mild symptoms of the disease, Trump was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, out of an abundance of caution, said Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany in a statement.

October 5After three days, President Trump is discharged from the hospital and transported back to the White House, where he would continue to receive treatment for COVID-19 and be monitored. White House physician Sean Conley, DO, said the presidents fever is gone and that his oxygen levels are normal. During his time at the hospital, the Presidents treatment consisted of Regenerons monoclonal antibodies, remdesivir, and dexamethasone (a steroid). The President also received several of the medicines in the MATH+ treatment protocol, including vitamins and zinc, however the media focuses only on the quick recovery with monoclonal antibodies and remdesivir.

October 8Eli Lilly and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation agree to facilitate supply of monoclonal antibodies for low-and middle-income countries as part of the Therapeutics Accelerator initiative.

October 9The Trump administration signs a $486 million agreement with AstraZeneca (which produces Evusheld) to develop an antibody treatment for COVID-19, which would call for HHS and the DOD to work with the company to roll out late-stage development and large-scale manufacturing a combination of two monoclonal antibodies with potential to treat or prevent the disease.

October 10States of Uttar Pradesh and Goa, India adopt early home treatment kits which include ivermectin.

October 12Johnson & Johnson halts recruitment for its phase III trial for its COVID-19 vaccine after a patients unexplained illness. It later resumes the study of its one-dose regimen.

October 12The Ministry of Health of Peru retracts its ivermectin recommendation for hospitalized patients, creating a controversy, as hospitalized patients had been allowed treatments of hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, and ivermectin since May with no harm. Distribution in many outpatient clinics continues.

October 22FDA approves remdesivir as the first FDA-approved drug to treat COVID-19 after three randomized trials found it to decreased the length of hospital stays and reduced the likelihood that patients would require oxygen. None of the trials showed reduced risk of mortality, however, and a WHO-backed study found that the drug had little to no effect on hospitalized patients. October 23AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson announce restart of their COVID-19 vaccine trials.

October 31Off-label use of ivermectin begins in some regions of the United States

NovemberWHO updates its guidance on COVID-19 against the use of remdesivir, citing lack of evidence to suggest that remdesivir affects the risk of mortality or of needing mechanical ventilation.

November 6Argentina politician reports ivermectin protocols are being used in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Venezuela, Columbia, Costa Rica, Honduras, and other countries.

November 6A plea in favor of an ivermectin permit in France is rejected before an administrative tribunal.

November 9Pfizer releases data from its COVID-19 vaccine trial announcing that the shot was 90 percent effective.

November 9FDA issues EUA for Eli Lillys bamlanivimab, a monoclonal antibody treatment that mimics the immune systems response to infection with SARS-CoV-2 and appears to protect high-risk patients with COVID-19 from progressing to more severe forms of the disease. Clinical trials showed reductions in COVID-19related hospitalizations or emergency visits in these patients within 28 days of treatment compared with placebo.

November 16 Moderna announces its experimental mRNA vaccine reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection by 94.5 percent in participants who received it.

November 18Pfizer and BioNTech announce their mRNA vaccine is 95 percent effective for the treatment of COVID-19.

NovemberEUA is revised to clarify Regenerons REGEN-COV monoclonal antibodies should not be used for people who are hospitalized due to COVID-19 or who require oxygen therapy due to COVID-19.

November 20Pfizer and BioNTech submit their COVID-19 vaccine to the FDA for an EUA.

November 20Canada gives interim authorization for the use of Eli Lilly/AbCellaras bamlanivimab monoclonal antibodies for adults and pediatric patients 12 years and older.

November 21EUA is issued for Regenerons REGEN-COV monoclonal antibody cocktail (cairivimab and imdevimab) in the U.S. after a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 799 people found the treatment significantly reduces virus levels within days.

November 23AstraZeneca reports their vaccine is 90 percent effective when administered as a half dose followed by a full dose at least a month later.

November 24The Government of Canada signs an agreement for the supply of Eli Lilly/AbCellearas bamlanivimab monoclonal antibodies to Canada. The companies will supply Canada with 26,000 doses over a three-month period for $32.5 million.

November 30Egypt adopts the use ivermectin nation-wide.

DecemberJapan secures a timely supply of Roches Ronapreve monoclonal antibodies.

December 10University of California San Francisco Institute for Global Health Sciences hosts a digital forum and panel highlighting perspectives from global health experts on the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of monoclonal antibodies to treat COVID-19 in Africa.

December 10An FDA advisory panel endorses the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine. The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) decides the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks for those ages 16 and older.

December 11FDA approves an EUA for the Pfizer vaccine.

December 17The NIH updates prevention and prophylaxis guidelines for COVID-19, recommending against the use of any agents in either pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis, except in clinical trials.

December 17The FDA advisory panel meets and agrees that the Moderna vaccine will benefit individuals 18 years and older.

December 18FDA approves an EUA for the Moderna vaccine.

December 18Belize adopts ivermectin country-wide for serious cases.

December 21New COVID-19 variants circle the UK and South Africa.

December 23The Trump administration announces it will buy an additional 100 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

December 23Macedonia adopts ivermectin nation-wide.

December 23Merck & Co announces $356 million agreement with U.S. government to develop, manufacture, and distribute a biological therapeutic (MK-7110) upon FDA approval or EUA.

December 24A South African newspaper reports import of ivermectin into South Africa is illegal.

December 28Novavax begins a phase III clinical trial for its investigational COVID-19 vaccine in Mexico and the United States.

December 30UK Approves EUA for the AstraZeneca vaccine for individuals 18 years and older.

2021

January 12United States agrees to purchase 1.25 million doses of Regenerons REGEN-COV monoclonal antibodies for $2.625 billion, at $2,100 per dose.

January 24Germany purchases 200,000 doses of Regenerons REGEN-COV monoclonal antibodies for 400 million ($490 million) at 2,000 ($2450)per dose.

February 5JAMA publishes the paper, Monoclonal Antibodies for COVID-19 that mentions some mutations, such as the new UK variant may cause changes in the spike protein that could interfere with the effectiveness of currently available monoclonal antibodies.

February 11NIH issues neutral recommendation on ivermectin, where they found, there was insufficient evidence to recommend for or against ivermectin in COVID-19.

February 12International consortium of 75 practitioners, researchers, specialists, and patient representatives representing 16 countries and most regions of the world met to present the results of a meta-analysis of 18 treatment randomized controlled trials and three prophylaxis random controlled trials. The panel finds evidence to recommend ivermectin for treatment in COVID-19.

February 25EUA given to Regeneron REGEN-COV monoclonal antibodies.

AprilFDA revokes Eli Lilly/AbCelleras bamlanivimab monoclonal antibodies EUA due to clinical trial results that found adverse events and waning effectiveness, however bamlanivimab and etesevimab, administered together, remain available under EUA.

April 28Health Canada issues warning on bamlanivimab monoclonal antibodies about the potential risk of treatment failure identified through global surveillance.

April 30Canadian Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons threaten to delicense any doctor who prescribes non-vaccine health strategies, including vitamin D.

MayEUA given to GSK and Vir Biotechnologys sotrovimab monoclonal antibodies and GSK/Vir makes a $1 billion deal with the U.S. The company also has deals in place with Japan, Australia, and Canada.

May 5The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in India grants EUA to Roche (Genentech) and Regeneron REGEN-COV cairivimab/imdevimab monoclonal antibody cocktail in the country. Roche India partners with Cipla to market the drug in the country.

May 14The Government of India Ministry of Ayush releases COVID-19 prevention and treatment guidelines for Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and homeopathy practitioners which include herbs such as curcumin, quinine, and echinacea as well as lifestyle suggestions such as getting adequate sleep. A global perspective article (Elsevier, March 2021) finds complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) had been used for COVID in more than 25 percent of patients in India, as well as up to 80 percent of the population of Pakistan, as well as Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan, and Maldives. A survey from the same paper found 22 percent of Saudi Arabians used CAM such as chamomile and garlic to prevent COVID-19, as well as 80 percent of the African populations, according to the WHO, and communities in South America, Europe, and North America.

May 25Roche India and Cipla announce Regenerons REGEN-COV monoclonal antibodies will be available in India for 59,750 rupees per dose (about $787 US).

June 9Hoffmann-La Roches casirivimab and imdevimab monoclonal antibody treatment is approved by Health Canada. Doctors in Hamilton, Ontario pilot provinces first monoclonal antibody therapy clinic for outpatients.

June 16UK RECOVERY trial shows Regenerons REGEN-COV monoclonal antibodies reduce mortality by 20 percent in people who dont produce antibodies themselves.

July 9Dr. Rachel Levine, HHS assistant secretary becomes the American spokesperson for monoclonal antibodies, airing an advertisement for the treatment.

July 30Health Canada authorizes GSK/Vir sotrovimab monoclonal antibodies.

JulyThe European Commission announces the purchase of 220,000 doses of GSK/Vir sotrovimab monoclonal antibodies.

AugustUK approves its first monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19. Ronapreve, a combination of casirivimab and imdevimab, reduced the risk of hospital admission or death by 70 percent in high risk patients who had not been admitted to a hospital according to its phase III trial.

August 2Researchers at Baylor Scott and White conduct trials on monoclonal antibodies, finding the antibodies can not only prevent severe illness, but also save lives. The study finds people with mild to moderate illness who get monoclonal antibody treatment early have very good outcomes in avoiding severe illness and death.

August 12Florida expands monoclonal antibody access with new monoclonal antibody centers.

AugustTexas Governor Greg Abbott receives Regenerons REGEN-COV monoclonal antibodies after testing positive for COVID-19.

August 23FDA announces the first approval of a COVID-19 vaccine: the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 16 years of age and older.

August 24Fauci says during a White House briefing, We recommend strongly that we utilize this (monoclonal antibodies) to its fullest, calling monoclonal antibody treatment effective yet underutilized by most physicians treating the early cases of the virus.

August 31An observational study published in The Lancets eClinicalMedicine journal finds a combination of two monoclonal antibody treatments keep COVID-19 patients out of the hospital when infected with mild to moderate disease.

SeptemberPublic Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency sue the FDA, claiming the agency denied its request to expedite the release of COVID-19 vaccine review documents via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

SeptemberIsrael begins to widely administer Regenerons monoclonal antibody treatment. Almost half of the countrys eligible population rejects the introduction of monoclonal antibodies.

September 1Podcaster Joe Rogan announces he took the kitchen sink to treat his COVID-19 infection, including monoclonal antibodies, Z-pac, ivermectin, and prednisone for COVID-19 and a media smear campaign to discredit ivermectin begins, describing ivermectin as a horse dewormer.

September 3In September of 2021, The Highwire featured the piece, Is Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Saving Lives? featuring a doctor who had seen monoclonal antibodies work well in his clinical practice and calls them a game changer.

September 14The United States agrees to purchase an additional 1.4 million doses of Regenerons REGEN-COV monoclonal antibodies, totaling $2.94 billion.

September 22Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Florida State Surgeon General, issues a Standing Order authorizing monoclonal antibodies: Regenerons REGEN-COV (casirivimab and imdevimab), Eli Lilly/AbCellas bamlanivimab, and GSK/Virs sotrovimab for the treatment of COVID-19 in accordance with the EUA, allowing patients to receive the treatment without a prescription or referral if administered by an eligible health care provider. Treatments are available at no cost to patients.

September 24The WHO urges producers and governments to address the high cost of monoclonal antibodies and announces it is working with Unitaid to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower prices for low- and middle-income countries.

October 15Roche Products Ronapreve monoclonal antibodies (casirivimab and imdevimab) is granted provisional approval by Australias FDA, the Therapeutic Goods Administration TGA, for adults and those aged 12 and older, and for those who cannot medically tolerate vaccines, making it the third COVID-19 treatment to receive regulatory approval in Australia. According to Renenerons website, Regeneron and Roche have been collaborating to increase the global supply of REGEN-COV.

OctoberMore than 1.4 million doses of Regenerons REGEN-COV monoclonal antibodies are shipped to the United States.

NovemberThe FDA proposes releasing approximately 500 pages per month of their Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine review documents per month due to the FOIA request by the Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency. This would fulfill the organizations FOIA request in about 55 to 75 years.

November 12Roches Ronapreve (casirivimab/imdevimab) and Regkinora (regdanvimab) monoclonal antibodies become authorized in the EU after a recommendation from the The European Medicines Agencys Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use on November 8.

NovemberThe UK approves Mercks antiviral molnupiravir for vulnerable patients recently diagnosed with COVID-19.

November 24Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) is first reported to the WHO by South Africa.

DecemberThe Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issues a recommendation that prioritizes the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines over the Johnson & Johnson vaccines due to reports of life-threatening adverse events.

DecemberThe UKs Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) authorizes GSK/Virs sotrovimab monoclonal antibodies for high risk individuals older than 12 with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms based on clinical trial data that found sotrovimab reduced the risk of hospital admission and death by 79 percent in high-risk adults with symptomatic COVID-19.

December 6Australias TGA grants provisional approval for the use of Celltrions Regikirona regdanvimab monoclonal antibodies.

December 714Four non-peer reviewed preprints from December 714, written by international researchers supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative assert the Omicron variant may be totally or partially resistant to most currently available monoclonal antibody treatments.

December 7Amid a report that the COVID-19 antibody treatment from Regeneron loses its effectiveness against the omicron variant, GSK and Vir Biotechnology announce that their monoclonal antibody drug is effective against Omicrons full range of mutations. The study was performed in a lab, in vitro, against a synthesized version of the virus and showed that the treatment retained activity against all 37 mutations identified on Omicrons spike protein.

December 8FDA issues EUA for AstraZenecas Evusheld monoclonal antibodies (tixagevimab co packaged with cilgavimab) for the prevention of COVID-19 in certain adults and pediatric individuals aged 12 and older who are immunocompromised or have had a history of severe adverse reactions to a COVID-19 vaccine.

December 20FDA issues updated Health Care Provider Fact Sheet for Regenerons REGEN-COV monoclonal antibodies with specific information regarding expected activity against the Omicron variant.

December 22FDA issues EUA for Pfizers Paxlovid (oral antiviral) for the prescribed treatment of COVID-19.

December 23FDA issues EUA for Mercks molnupiravir (oral antiviral) for the treatment of COVID-19 in certain adults.

2022

January 6GSK in Canada signs agreement with the Government of Canada to supply 20,000 doses of GSK/Virs sotrovimab monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19.

January 17Health Canada authorizes use of Pfizers antiviral treatment Paxlovid.

January 19The NIH publishes an updated version of the statement that the COVID 19 Treatment Guidelines Panel addressed the dominance of the Omicron variant in the U.S.

January 21The FDA expands the use of remdesivir to outpatients and adolescents.

January 24The FDA revises EUA for Eli Lillys bamlanivimab/etesevimab and Regenerons REGEN-COV monoclonal antibodies to limit their use to only when the patient is likely to have been infected with or exposed to a variant that is not the Omicron variant. Providers may no longer administer these treatments within the United States. The State of Florida closes all monoclonal antibody state sites until further notice. The State of Florida makes a public statement that it disagrees with the decision that blocks access to any available treatments in the absence of clinical evidence, noting, As stated in one of the preprint studies on the NIH website, despite observing differences in neutralizing activity with certain mAbs, it remains to be determined how this finding translates into effects on clinical protection against B.1.1.529 (Omicron).

January 24In response to the change, Florida Department of Health releases a statement that all monoclonal antibody state sites will be closed until further notice. The Communications office says, Florida disagrees with the decision that blocks access to any available treatments in the absence of clinical evidence. To date, such clinical evidence has not been provided by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

March 1The FDA turns over more than 55,000 pages of 300,000 pages of documents related to its review of Pfizer-BioNTechs COVID-19 vaccine following a loss in courts months earlier that forced it to make the information available to the public, marking the first of several releases mandated by a court in Texas. The FDA is currently processing approximately 400 other FOIA requests.

April 5 The FDA revises the EUA for GSK/VIrs sotrovimab monoclonal antibody treatment so that it is no longer authorized for use in the U.S. The State of Florida cannot use its currently contracted supply, and is left with only Eli Lilly/AbCelleras bebtelovimab and AstraZenekcas tixagevimab-cilgavimab EvuSheld for the immunocompromised.

April 13Regeneron REGEN-COV monoclonal antibodies are still authorized in Europe.

April 26Denmark suspends its national COVID-19 vaccine campaign after health officials say the pandemic is under control, becoming the first country in the world to do so.

May 5FDA announces restricted use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to adults who cannot receive mRNA vaccines because of the risk of life-threatening thrombocytopenia syndrome, a rare form of blood clotting.
Russian fighter jets drop bombs over the Ashuluk military base in Southern Russia during the "Caucasus-2020" military drills with China and Iran on Sept. 22, 2020. (Mitar Dilkoffl/AFP via Getty Images)

A War Over Taiwan Raises the Threat of Combined China-Russia Nuclear Operations

Commentary

It is all good that Sweden and Finland want to end their neutrality and join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and that President Joe Biden is apparently ready to commit U.S. military forces to the defense of democratic Taiwan.

But as Biden failed to deter Russias invasion of Ukraine, he is not committing to a level of rearmament necessary to defend an enlarged NATO and win a war against China and Russias combined nuclear and conventional forces.

As Biden was engaged in a May 24 Tokyo meeting of the Quad (Australia, India, Japan, and the United States), Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping gave Biden and the Quad leaders a combined nuclear message.

On May 24, four Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Xian H-6K bombers and two Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-95MS bombers conducted the fourth joint China-Russia bomber exercise since 2019. This time, they flew over the Sea of Japan with a lengthy diversion south of the Miyako Strait to a region east of Taiwan, where they could launch potentially nuclear-armed cruise missiles against Taiwan and U.S. bases on Guam.

PLAAF H-6K bombers are armed with six CJ-20 precision-guided land-attack cruise missiles (LACMs) with a range of 930 miles, which can be armed with a tactical nuclear or non-nuclear warhead. In all, the PLA has about 125 H-6K/J/N bombers that can potentially launch salvos of 750 CJ-20 LACMs.

Russian Tu-95MS bombers, likely flying out of the Ukrainka air base in the Amur Oblast, are the latest 1980s-built versions of a four-engine turboprop bomber that first entered service in 1956, with about 60 in Russian service today.

Most carry about 16 1,500-mile-range Kh-55 LACMs or eight of the 1,800-mile-range Kh-101 LACMs that can be armed with nuclear warheads.

China and Russia held previous joint bomber exercises in 2019, 2020, and 2021, with the latter exercise featuring a separate Russian bomber sortie that flew to the west, likely simulating nuclear strikes against U.S. bases in Alaska and U.S. Navy strategic nuclear missile submarines based near Seattle.

These China-Russia bomber exercises are perhaps the most visible indicator that Russia intends to support China should it seek to impose a blockade or even invade Taiwan.

When Russia sent forces to participate in large-scale joint force exercises in China in August 2021, the PLA taught Russian troops how to drive PLA Ground Force ZTL-11 wheeled tanks that would be used in a Taiwan invasion.

In addition, these China-Russia bomber exercises are the most visible indicator they are engaged in some level of offensive nuclear coordination.

Joint exercises with nuclear-capable bombers employed to threaten the leaders of the Quad, and an American president traveling abroad at the time, indicate possible Chinese-Russian coordination of other offensive nuclear weapons like intermediate-range and intercontinental-range ballistic missiles.

China-Russia coordination of offensive nuclear weapons is also indicated by seven years of cooperation in nuclear missile defense. In 2016, 2017, and 2019, China and Russia held simulated command post-level missile defense exercises.

Chinese soldiers stand at attention during Peace Mission-2016 joint military exercises of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Balykchy, Kyrgyzstan, on Sept. 19, 2016. The joint anti-terrorism drill involves more than 1,100 troops from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and China as members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. (VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO/AFP/Getty Images)

According to one Russian source report, these exercises involved coordinating short-range anti-missile systems like the Russian S-400 and the Chinese HQ-9. Still, both militaries are developing anti-missile systems to intercept theater and intercontinental-range nuclear missiles.

A Nov. 20, 2020, Russian report by Russian analyst Alexander Korolev noted a Chinese Ministry of Defense observation about the 2017 missile defense exercise: The main task was to work out joint planning of combat operations when organizing air missile defences, operation and mutual fire support.

Would mutual fire support include the coordination of nuclear warhead armed intercontinental and theater ballistic and cruise missiles?

Then on Oct. 3, 2019, Putin announced that Russia was helping China develop a strategic missile early warning system. He stated: This is a very serious thing, which will radically improve the defense capability of the Peoples Republic of China.

The extent of Russian assistance to Chinas developing long-range strategic missile warning capability is not clear. However, Russian source reports have noted that Russian radar firms have been hired to develop software. Other reports hint that Russia may have offered technology for very large early warning radar and early warning satellites.

In addition, the November 2020 report notes the added advantages of Russia helping China with missile defense:

It opens avenues for the integration of China and Russias early warning systems. When warning stations in Russia and China are merged into a single complex, this increases the speed with which the two countries can be warned of and intercept a potential missile attack  that integration of the two countries early warning systems facilitates further convergence of Russia and Chinas defence strategiesresulting in the formation of a common defence policy.

However, if Russian and Chinese early warning and missile defense capabilities become merged into a single complex, it would facilitate their coordination of offensive nuclear operations, possibly including a massive nuclear first strike against the United States.

A potential combined China-Russia nuclear offensive threat becomes a more serious consideration now that China is sprinting to achieve nuclear superiority over the United States.

A rocket launches from a Pantsir-S air defense system at the Ashuluk military base in Southern Russia during the Caucasus-2020 military drills on Sept. 22, 2020. (Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images)

While the U.S. Intelligence Community has offered the assessment that China could have 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030, a basic counting of 360 new ICBM silos with 10-warhead capable DF-41 derived ICBMs, plus estimated production of submarine-launched missiles, points to a possible early 2030s capability that could exceed 4,000 warheads.

To this, one would add Russias currently acknowledged nearly 1,500 strategic nuclear warheads plus its 2,000 to 10,000 theater nuclear weapons and any growth in Russian nuclear inventories after the 2026 expiry of the extended 2010 U.S.-Russia New START nuclear limitation agreement.

One of Bidens earliest strategic decisions was to extend New START, locking the U.S. strategic nuclear warhead count to about 1,550. The Biden administration just canceled a survivable and much-needed theater nuclear weapon, the nuclear-armed Sea Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM-N).

Suppose Biden is serious about defending Taiwan along with U.S. military allies in Asia. In that case, it is crucial that the United States address the threat of a coordinated China-Russia nuclear capability. This is essential for a credible U.S. extended deterrence to protect U.S. allies and prevent China and Russia from starting a war over Taiwan.

Washington should abandon New START now and replace warheads reduced from U.S. strategic missiles due to this treaty, which would increase U.S. warheads closer to 3,000.

Then the United States should increase its strategic nuclear warhead levels and arm some proportion of new U.S. theater range, medium, and intermediate-range ballistic and cruise missiles with tactical nuclear warheads.

Furthermore, to better match Russian and potential Chinese nuclear escalation challenges, the United States should revive its former Cold War capability in low-yield tactical nuclear artillery shells and deploy them with U.S. Army and Marine units.

Ultimately, an assured deterrence against a combined China-Russia and/or rogue North Korean nuclear threats may require that the United States share some nuclear deterrent technologies with Japan, South Korea, and Australiaa precedent already set by U.S.-UK nuclear weapon cooperation.

A combined China-Russia coordinated nuclear defensive and offensive capability would pose the greatest threat ever to the United States and its allied democracies. Accordingly, it is imperative to prepare for a rapid and decisive American nuclear buildup to sustain deterrence.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
An American Airlines Boeing 737 jet sits at a gate at Washington's Reagan National airport with the U.S. Capitol building in the background on April 29, 2020. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

American Airlines Fuel Cost Warning Eclipses Upbeat Revenue Forecast, Shares Fall

American Airlines Group Inc. shares fell 7 percent on Friday as investors looked past the carriers upbeat revenue forecast and instead focused on its warning of a hit from higher fuel costs and staffing problems.

A steady surge in fuel prices due to geopolitical tensions and a chronic labor shortage are threatening to upset a nascent recovery in the airline industry.

Theres going to be cost pressure. And that will, I think, have an impact on regional carriers and other carriers that rely on lower cost labor, American Airlines Chief Executive Officer Robert Isom said at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference on Friday.

American Airlines said it expected fuel expenses to average between $3.92 and $3.97 per gallon in the second quarter, up from its previous forecast of $3.59 to $3.64 per gallon.

The carrier also said it expected capacity in the quarter to be at the low end of its prior outlook range.

To get more planes in the air and counter job attrition, American Airlines said it was planning to hire 2,000 pilots.

The airline also flagged that it had almost 100 aircraft that were not productive right now.

The Fort-Worth, Texas-based airline said it was expecting revenue for the three months ending June to rise between 11 percent and 13 percent over pre-pandemic levels, compared with its prior view of a 6 percent to 8 percent increase.

That, in turn, should, offset increased costs, it added.

Weve never seen a revenue environment like this, led by the domestic leisure business, Isom said.

By Kannaki Deka
Barr: US Legal System Is Rigged Against Republicans

Former Attorney General William Barr called the Russiagate a dirty political trick against former President Donald Trump and criticized the justice system as rigged to target Republicans.

I thought we were heading into a constitutional crisis, Barr told conservative talk radio host Glenn Beck in a recent episode, after being asked about his return to politics between 2019 and 2020. Barr then brought up the Russia probe against Donald Trump, the second president he served as the attorney general after George H.W. Bush.

Whatever you think of Trump, he explained, the fact is that the whole Russiagate thing was a grave injustice. It appears to be a dirty political trick that was used first to hobble him and then potentially to drive him from office.

He said he believes Hillary Clintons Russiagate scandal was seditious, referencing the scheme that began in early 2016 to vilify Trump as an agent of the Kremlin.

Such remarks, however, were soon followed by the acquittal of Michael Sussmann as a jury on May 31 found him not guilty of lying to the FBI. Prosecutors accused the former Clinton campaign cybersecurity lawyer of not disclosing who he worked for to a top FBI official ahead of the 2016 election.

His tipan alleged link between then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and Russiaalso failed to prove any Russian collusion.

The jury, from a largely Democrat-leaning pool of the nations capital, ultimately rejected the prosecutions claims. Defense Attorney Sean Berkowitz accused Durham, who was appointed by Barr during the Trump Administration to probe the origins of the now disproven Russiagate, of picking evidence to fit a narrative.

I do think there is a degree to which the system had a double standard, and still has a double standard, and is rigged against Republicans, Barr said on the podcast. For an example, while I was Attorney General, no case that was embarrassing to the Democrats was leaked. However, cases that hurt Republicans were leaked.

The Epoch Times has reached out to the Department of Justice for comment.

Barr has praised special counsel Durham and his team for doing an exceptionally able job although failing in getting a conviction. I think he accomplished something far more important, he told Fox News, given that Durham had crystallized the central role that Clintons campaign played in fanning the flames of the narrative against Trumps campaign.

He added that Durham had also exposed really dreadful behavior by the senior ranks in the FBI, who knowingly use this information to start an investigation of Trump and then dupe their own agents by lying to them and refusing to tell them what the real source of that information was.
The Chinese Communist Party is using Iran to strengthen its control over the Hormuz Strait, a key oil route in the Middle East, in order to seize a dominant position in the energy crisis triggered by the Russia-Ukraine war. The map shows the locations of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran, and Oman. (composite/The Epoch Times)

Beijing Joins Iran to Exploit Middle East Oil Routes

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is using Iran to tighten its grip on the Middle Easts major oil routes. The objective is to seize a dominant position during the energy crisis triggered by the Russia-Ukraine war. Oman, at the gateway to the Hormuz Strait, has become a target for Iran to expand its influence in the Middle East. Oman is also a key sea and land logistics intersection in the CCPs Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and an important part of its energy strategy in the region.

The Persian Gulf and its outlet, the Strait of Hormuz, is the route for at least one-third of the worlds oil shipments. Irans coastline dominates the northern shore of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, while the southern shore of the Strait is dominated by Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Part of Oman lies at the apex of this narrow and winding choke pointwhere all ships must slow down to traverse.

According to Iranian media, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi made an official visit to Oman on May 23. This was after a 50-member Iranian delegation visited Oman one week earlier to pave the way for the expansion of trade relations between the two countries.

On May 21, UK-based Amwaj.media noted that Raisis visit follows Irans expanded contacts with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) across the Persian Gulf. Previously, the heads of Saudi Arabia and the UAE refused to take calls from President Joe Biden who was hoping to convince them to increase oil production and drive down soaring oil prices.

During his visit to Oman, Raisi planned to sign a number of cooperation agreements with Oman, including the finalization of a gas pipeline link to Iran, which will enable Iran to significantly increase its gas exports to Oman. Although this project began in 2013, it has not moved forward in earnest.

Author and financial journalist Simon Watkins, suggests the gas pipeline project will enable Iran to increase its influence over Oman and the neighboring countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan. It will link these countries to regional power grids Iran controls through gas export deals, backed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Russia.

Watkins believes an agreement the CCP reached with Iran in 2019 helped to strengthen its control over the Strait of Hormuz. The $400 billion deal allows the CCP to trade for Iranian oil supplies while simultaneously weakening U.S. efforts against the country.

This agreement also allows the CCPs investment to be used to develop Irans oil, gas, and petrochemical industries. Meantime, it provides financial support to terminals in the ports of Chabahar and Jask, which enables Iran to export its energy without going through the Strait of Hormuz. It also helps Iran establish a nationwide network of thousands of surveillance cameras to consolidate its power.

Since President Trump scrapped the nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions in 2018, the CCP has not stopped importing crude oil from Iran. According to a report released in April by Vortexa Analytics, tanker tracking specialists, Iran exported more than 300 kbd (thousand barrels per day) of crude/condensate directly to China during the sanctions period. About 200 kbd of that volume came from Malaysia, Oman, or Iraq.

China is the largest buyer of Iranian crude oil, importing a total of 440 kbd from Iran since June 2015. Thirty percent of the volume was received when Iran was under U.S. sanctions.

On May 18 Reuters issued a report citing Vortexa Analytics data indicating that China received nearly 2 million barrels of Iranian oil that week, with similar magnitude imports received earlier in December and January.

On April 23, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe visited five friendly countries in South, Central Asia, and the Middle East, including Iran and Oman. He emphasized the importance of these two Arab countries to the CCPs global strategy.

CCP Takes Advantage of Omans Fiscal Downturn

The CCP hasnt limited its search for opportunities to just Iran in the Middle East. In 2018, when the Omani governments finances had been weak for several years, the CCP initiated a partnership with the country and signed The Belt and Road Initiative Memorandum of Understanding (p38) (pdf). In June 2020, Moodys further downgraded Omans sovereign credit rating to Ba3 in speculative grading.

Roughly 82.3 percent of Chinas imports from Oman are mainly crude oil (p46). Chinese businesses mainly invest in Omans oil and gas sector, energy and electricity, infrastructure, and information and communications, similar to their investments in Iran. Among the businesses investing in Oman are the telecom giant Huawei and oil companies including PetroChina International Co., China National Grid, and China National Petroleum Company.

The largest Chinese project in Oman is the Port of Duqm Special Economic Zone industrial park. It began in May 2016 with a total investment of $10.6 billion. The funds were used for crude oil smelting, producing natural gas chemicals, and for solar photovoltaic projects and logistics (p50).

Omans Duqm is a major port of call for container ships, general cargo ships, and bulk carriers. It is also an important crossroad for Middle Eastern oil to enter Europe via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

South of the Arabian Peninsula is the worlds main sea route which extends from the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and then to Europe via the Suez Canal. At the entrance of the peninsula, next to the Bab al-Mandab strait, is Djibouti, where the CCP used its BRI to establish a military base in July 2017. The United States, France, Italy, and Japan also have military bases in Oman.

Yemen, on the opposite side of the Bab al-Mandab strait, has become a battleground for geopolitical wrangling. The Iranian-backed Houthis are still trying to confront Arab powers such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE to seize control of Yemens southernmost portion of the strait.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks on China at Jack Morton Auditorium of George Washington University in Washington on May 26, 2022. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Biden Administrations China Policy Views the Communist Regime as Integral to Global Progress

How do you compete with a potential adversary while simultaneously allowing that adversary to steal your most precious technologies? How do you defeat a rival whom you believe to be vital to your own survival?

These are the questions that one is immediately presented with when examining the Biden administrations long-awaited China policy, which was outlined by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on May 26, and during which he reiterated that the nation would not seek to break away from Chinas economy nor to pursue conflict with its communist regime.

Competition need not lead to conflict, Blinken said. We do not seek it. We will work to avoid it. But we will defend our interests against any threat.

The much-anticipated policy, which the administration did not describe at length for 17 months, disappointed many who believed that Blinkens speech merely summarized the actions that the administration had already taken and did not meaningfully present any real change to U.S. policy or strategy regarding China.

Derek Grossman, an Indo-Pacific analyst for the Rand Corporation, said in one tweet that the affair was a missed opportunity, and failed to cover any new ground.

Notably, however, the outlining of the Biden administrations China policy did at least implicitly convey one message: The United States failed to deter both Chinas rise and the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) increasing aggression.

Indeed, Blinken explicitly stated that the United States wouldnt interfere with Chinas ascent to great power status, that it would seek only to ensure that the CCP adhered to international rules, and also that it knew the CCP wasnt adhering to those rules.

The new policy did offer something of a rebrand, which Blinken referred to as the American Model, and described its underlying strategy in the words Invest. Align. Compete. But what do those three concepts really mean?

Invest or Invested?

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the administrations newly minted American Model was its emphasis on using taxpayer monies to invest in select industries while refraining from actually divesting in trade with China.

The United States does not want to sever Chinas economy from ours or from the global economy, though Beijing, through its rhetoric, is pursuing asymmetric decoupling, seeking to make China less dependent on the world and the world more dependent on China.

We will invest in the foundations of our strength here at home, Blinken said, our competitiveness, our innovation, our democracy.

Blinked said that such strategic investments would be made in the realms of education, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum computing, though he did not give any examples of how precisely this investing would be done, in what amount, or to what organizations, or whether or not there a plan.

When he did speak of specific investments to be made under the China policy, Blinken appeared to only speak of two spending bills, both of which were from last year.

The first was the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that was created following the failure of the administration to pass its mammoth Build Back Better legislation. The second was the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, a Senate bill that would increase technology spending by over $100 billion. The House version, the America COMPETES Act, was passed earlier this year, and the two bills are currently before a bicameral conference committee that aims to reconcile the differences between the pieces of legislation.

The administrations decision not to encourage any decoupling between the United States and China also raises some issue with how strategic such investments will be, given the ability of the CCP to simply steal whatever new technologies the United States develops. That decision, however, may have been driven by two interest groups, the first being major U.S. corporations with business ties to China.

There is a fear among major U.S. companies, not that CCP will steal their technology, or coerce them into different business practices, or use slave labor to produce their goodsbut that their investment in China will be lost.

One of the key vulnerabilities that were becoming more and more aware of is the degree to which Wall Street firms and American banks and investment companies continue to see China as this great market or this great investment opportunity, said Arthur Herman, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a Washington-based think tank.

Likewise, one report from the Harvard Business Review last year stated succinctly that No executives weve met want to see the time, effort, and investment theyve put into developing a presence in China go to waste.

Yet another op-ed in Barrons lamented that decoupling could force companies to choose between following Chinese or American laws.

The second force working to stymie the Biden administration from pursuing a more assertive stance with China is, somewhat ironically, the Biden administration itself, and specifically its vocal progressive staff.

One report (pdf) by Michael Sobolik, a fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies at the American Foreign Policy Council, said that there were many in the administration who wanted to take a tougher stance on China, but that their voices were drowned out by the more progressive members of Bidens cabinet, which considers partnership with China to be key to pursuing global climate change initiatives.

In fact, according to Sobolik, the Biden administration failed to enact tough measures that would have clamped down on companies associated with slave labor in Chinas Xinjiang region because of a heated interagency fight  between its national security and climate change team[s].

Sobiliks comments suggested that the Biden administration initially considered a total ban on solar products implicated in forced labor in the region, but ultimately watered that stance down to a ban on imports from one major company, Hoshine Silicon Industry.

The Department of Commerce later added three solar companies to the export list, though those companies could dissolve and reform with a new name to evade hardship.

The message is clear, Sobolik wrote, the Biden administration is liable to think twice about sanctioning foreign entities if doing so either threatens the climate agenda or irritates key allies.

Alignment for Whom?

Concerning international alignment, Blinken acknowledged that China has become increasingly aggressive since the ascension of Xi Jinping as Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader in 2012, but said the United States would work to ensure that the strategic environment around China was favorable to the United States by shaping the environment around it.

We will align our efforts with our network of allies and partners, acting with common purpose and in common cause, Blinken said.

We cannot rely on Beijing to change its trajectory. So we will shape the strategic environment around Beijing to advance our vision for an open, inclusive international system.

In this regard, the United States does have some clout, though it is fading, and the administrations decision not to confront China directly on key regional issues such as the defense of Taiwan could make some nations in the region wary of picking sides between the two superpowers.

Still, some headway has been made.

The administration has helped to increase the importance of the Quadrilateral Security Dialoguean informal grouping between the United States, India, Australia, and Japanin regional affairs, signed the AUKUS agreement to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, and is working to strengthen the legitimacy of ASEAN in the hopes of aligning more Western-friendly nations in Southeast Asia toward a shared pursuit of open markets and security agreements.

It also recently signed the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a 14-nation agreement that aims to grow participating economies through shared supply chain development and climate change policies.

The concept of alignment has historically been something that the United States considered to be a strategic weakness of China which, owing to a strong commitment to its own sovereignty, regularly refuses to change its strategic aims or policies to accommodate other nations.

That has been shifting, however, most notably so with regards to Russia, but also globally.

The CCPs steadfast devotion to Russia throughout the latters ongoing war in Ukraine has proven a contentious point with the international community, and has seen the development of what may be the closest thing to an official ally that China has had under communist rule.

The communist regime also recently attempted to rush a 10-nation Pacific security deal, likely intended to expand its own global military presence and provide it a strategic maritime advantage over the U.S. Navy.

There is also the regimes Belt and Road Initiative, a trillion-dollar infrastructure investment project used to expand its economic and political influence worldwide, and the so-called string of pearls strategy, under which Beijing plans to build a network of several vital ports and military facilities leading from Africa to Hong Kong and which incorporate several choke points for global commerce.

China is monopolizing strategic choke points in the Indian Ocean region by investing in geopolitically important ports from Hong Kong to Sudan, one report from the Institute for Security and Development Policy said. The String of Pearls quite literally encircles neighboring countries, particularly India.

The United States therefore, has already lost no small advantage in its ability to shape the strategic environment of the Indo-Pacific, and the CCPs increasing efforts to subsume the interests of smaller nations into its own plans raise doubt as to how the administration will adequately pursue the third leg of its China policy: Competition.

Is This Competing?

Blinken said that the United States was well-positioned to outcompete China in key areas by using its invest and align tactics but, thus far, there seems to be little evidence that there has been any net gain from the administrations efforts.

The Biden administration has largely continued many of President Donald Trumps China policies, though it is now considering watering down U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. It has also drawn fire for not pushing back more strongly against the regimes rampant industrial espionage efforts, expansionist efforts in the East and South China Seas, and human rights abuses which include genocide.

Moreover, the administration scrapped a Trump-era initiative aimed at combating Chinese espionage on account of accusations of racism, despite a DOJ review that found no evidence of bias in the program.

To that end, Blinken said that the United States would have to counter Chinas repressive one-party state apparatus by demonstrating the validity of the liberal system, which he said was not based on Western values, but global aspirations. Though Blinken also said that the United States open society was being exploited by China in order to undermine it.

Our task is to prove once again that democracy can meet emerging challenges, create opportunity, and advance human dignity, Blinken said. The future belongs to those who believe in freedom.

China Stance Softening for Sake of Global Progress

In all, the strategy of the Biden administration to date might best be described as appeasement. Appeasement to corporate interests, and appeasement to the climate lobby.

But to what end?

Perhaps echoing the sentiments of the progressive members of Bidens cabinet that suppressed national security interests for climate change legislation, Blinken said that the United States simply could not achieve its global ambitions for climate and healthcare progress without the help of China.

To that end, the United States will apparently work with China against its own interests because it is in the perceived interest of the world.

Theres simply no way to solve climate change without Chinas leadership, the country that produces 28 percent of global emissions, Blinken said.

China is also integral to the global economy and to our ability to solve challenges from climate to COVID. Put simply, the United States and China have to deal with each other for the foreseeable future.

Even as we invest, align, and compete, well work together with Beijing where our interests come together, Blinken added. We cant let the disagreements that divide us stop us from moving forward on the priorities that demand that we work together, for the good of our people and for the good of the world.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the recent mass shootings from the White House on June 2, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Biden Urges Congress to Act After Latest Mass Shooting

President Joe Biden has urged Congress to ban assault weapons after the latest mass shootings in America as Democrats position gun control as a central platform of the 2022 midterm elections.

Speaking from the Cross Hall of the White House, the president repeated claims that the Second Amendment was not absolute while urging lawmakers to strengthen gun control laws, and if that fails, for the people to turn their outrage into making this issue central to your vote.

Biden laid out what he called rational, commonsense measures for Congress to consider. However, he noted that Democrats would need at least 10 Republicans on board in the Senate.

We need to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines. And if we cant ban assault weapons, then we should raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21; strengthen background checks; enact safe storage and red flag laws; repeal the immunity that protect gun manufacturers from liability; address the mental health crisis, deepening the trauma of gun violence, Biden said.

The presidents remarks come after a number of mass shootings in Texas, Oklahoma, and New York.

A makeshift memorial at Robb Elementary School is filled with flowers, toys, signs, and crosses bearing the names of all 21 victims of the mass shooting that occurred on May 24, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 27, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

In the last few weeks, gunmen have killed 21 people at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, four people at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York.

Biden said his pitch was not about taking away anyones guns while restating his position that the Second Amendment, like all other rights, is not absolute.

This isnt about taking away anyones rights. Its about protecting children. Its about protecting families. Its about protecting whole communities. Its about protecting our freedoms to go to school, to a grocery store, to a church without being shot and killed, he said.

The president and Democrats are positioning gun control as a platform to take to the 2022 midterm elections, with the top Senate Democrat saying the party will not pursue a doomed test vote on gun control measures.

Gun safety advocates rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court during oral arguments in the Second Amendment case NY State Rifle & Pistol vs. City of New York, N.Y., in Washington, on Dec. 2, 2019. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Biden said that if Congress fails  I believe a majority of you will act to turn your outrage into making this issue central to your vote.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has similarly called on Americans who want more gun control to vote for Democrats in November.

Americans can cast their vote in November for senators or members of Congress that reflect how he or she stands with guns, with this issuethis issueat the top of the voters lists, he said in a statement.

House Republicans have called current gun control legislation making its way through Congress as being ill-advised and ineffective and hampering the ability of law-abiding Americans to defend themselves. Un-American. Political. Waste of time.

The bill is not expected to pass the Senate.

Today, Democrats will push ill-advised and ineffective liberal gun control policies that will hamper the ability of law-abiding Americans to defend themselves. Un-American. Political. Waste of time.  House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) June 2, 2022

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) told House Republicans that they risk turning their backs on their constituents if they vote to pass gun laws.

If you back red flag laws in some reflexive response to some emotion that you have, you betray your voters, you are a traitor to the Constitution, you do nothing to make mass shootings less likely, and you put a target on the back of your constituents, he said.

What the Democrats want is to ensure that the government has the power to take your guns away without giving you due process, he went on to say.

Let the message from this committee hearing to Republican senators be clear: If you back red flag laws, you betray your voters, you are a traitor to the Constitution, you do nothing to make mass shootings less likely, and you put a target on the back of your constituents. pic.twitter.com/OMhoeN7OVn  Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) June 2, 2022
Bidens New Gun Control Proposal Triggers Alarm Among Republican Lawmakers

Several Republican lawmakers expressed alarm about President Joe Bidens Thursday speech encouraging a new assault weapons ban and a ban on high-capacity magazines, with some saying that a slate of recent Democrat proposals would infringe on Americans Second Amendment rights.

During the speech, Biden made reference to recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas; Buffalo, New York; and Tulsa, Oklahoma. The president then said that assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, meaning those that hold more than 10 rounds, should be banned. He did not specify what he meant by assault weapons, a term that conservatives and GOP lawmakers have found contentious and misleading.

If we cant ban assault weapons, then we should raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21, he then said. Meanwhile, the United States needs to strengthen background checks; enact safe storage and red flag laws; repeal the immunity that protects gun manufacturers from liability; address the mental health crisis, deepening the trauma of gun violence, he said.

I want to be very clearthis is not about taking away anyones guns. It is not about vilifying gun owners, Biden remarked, expressing his view that the Second Amendment is not absolute.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said in a Fox News interview after Bidens speech that the presidents proposal to remove so-called liability shields for gun manufacturers is merely a bid to [quickly] put gun manufacturers out of business by allowing what he called frivolous lawsuits.

Democrats are trying to coerce some of the weak-kneed Republicans in the Senate to bite on some of their bills, the lawmaker argued. Democrats arent serious about ending school shootings, but they are serious about taking your guns, he wrote on Twitter.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) wrote on Twitter, Biden wants to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines yet Democrats refuse to prosecute violent crimes in Democrat cities all over the country, and refuse to protect your children at school with armed security. Same Democrats are protected by armed guards daily.

And Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) used his own firearms as an example of how a ban on magazines that contain more than 10 rounds targets common handguns during a House committee hearing.

I was trying to highlight to the American people that this isnt just a magazine ban on rifles, he told Tucker Carlson Tonight on Thursday. He added that every single semi-automatic weapon that takes more than a 10-round magazine would be banned under legislation that passed the House Judiciary Committee earlier in the day.

Three of which I just happen to have, and I showed to make it very clear that a 10-round magazine doesnt fit in it, Steube continued. So by having the magazine ban, you are effectively banning all of these handguns that millions, hundreds of millions of Americans use every single day to defend themselves, [their] families, to protect their homesteads.

Although the House Judiciary Committee advanced their legislation, H.R. 7910, it is expected to fail in the Republican-controlled Senate.

It has been a week since we learned again that gun violence can reach any of our children and grandchildren at any time, and that no number of armed guards can guarantee their safety, Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said Thursday, referring to the mass shooting in Texas. Who knows how long [until] the next one? My friends, what the hell are you waiting for?
A general view of the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, London, on day two of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II on June 3, 2022. (Dan Kitwood/PA Media)

Britain Holds Thanksgiving Service for Absent Queen as Jubilee Celebrations Continue

A thanksgiving service at Londons St Pauls Cathedral on Friday marked the second day of a four-day celebration of Queen Elizabeth IIs record-breaking 70-year reign.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell thanked the head of state for her enduring service to the UK and the Commonwealth, but the 96-year-old queen, who is the first British sovereign to reach her Platinum Jubilee, was missing from the service and watched the event on television from Windsor Castle instead due to ongoing mobility issues.

The queen was previously due to attend the service, but following two appearances on the Buckingham Palace balcony and one at Windsor Castle on Thursday, the palace said she decided not to attend Fridays service with great reluctance considering the journey and activity required.

Queen Elizabeth II arrives to symbolically lead the lighting of the principal Jubilee beacon at Windsor Castle, as part of a chain of more than 3,500 flaming tributes to her 70-year-reign, on day one of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations on June 2, 2022. (Steve Parsons/PA Media)

Her son and heir Prince Charles, 73, represented her, while much attention was focused on her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who were making their first public appearance together in Britain since stepping down from royal duties two years ago.

More than 2,000 people filled the historic church including senior royals, politicians, charity figures, and groups the queen has supported, and honour receipients such as NHS and key workers who were recognised for their work during the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie received both boos and cheers when they arrived at the cathedral.

Wellwishers wait for the arrival of the Royal Family ahead of the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Pauls Cathedral, London, on day two of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II on June 3, 2022. (Aaron Chown/PA Media)

Hundreds of people gathered, some wearing Union flag hats and others hanging flags and bunting over the railings on the approach to the cathedral.

Cottrell stepped in to deliver the sermon after Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby contracted COVID-19.

Paying tribute to the queens long reign, Cottrell said, with endurance, through times of change and challenge, joy and sorrow, you continue to offer yourself in the service of our country and the Commonwealth.

Cottrell said the congregation regrets the fact that the queen was absent but is glad that shes still in the saddle and that there is still more to come.

He also praised the queen for the kind of service she offered, saying, a staunch constancy and a steadfast consistency; a faithfulness to God, an obedience to a vocation that is the bedrock of her life.

After the service, the Lord Mayor of the City of London hosted a reception at the medieval Guildhall that was attended by most of the senior royals, Johnson, and his ministers.

Thursday marked not only the start of the Jubilee, but also the 69th anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth, who became queen on the death of her father George VI in February 1952 and is head of state of 14 other countries including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

She has now been on the throne for longer than any of her predecessors in 1,000 years and is the third-longest reigning monarch ever of a sovereign state. Opinion polls show she remains hugely popular and respected among British people.

Tributes have poured in from across the globe, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un adding his own congratulations to those from the likes of U.S. President Joe Biden and Pope Francis.

PA Media and Reuters contributed to this report.
British Medical and COVID-19 Vaccine Chiefs Given Knighthoods

NHS chiefs and the CEO of AstraZeneca received knighthoods for their contribution during the CCP virus pandemic, along with nearly 150 people who were also honoured particularly for their services during the pandemic.

The UKs Cabinet Office on Thursday published the Queens Jubilee Birthday Honours List (pdf) containing the names of 1,134 individuals, aged from 11 to 104, who were honoured for their services in a range of areas.

The Honours are awarded twice a yearon New Years Day and on the Queens official birthday. Anyone can nominate or be nominated, and private nominations usually take up a quarter of the list while most nominations are made by government departments.

Although the honours are presented by the Queen or members of the royal family, the lists are compiled and finalised by experts and committees and submitted by the prime minister.

Among the newly-knighted on Thursday are NHS England National Medical Director Professor Stephen Powis, who regularly spoke in the governments official COVID-19 briefing during the pandemic; and Pascal Soriot, the French-Australian CEO of AstraZeneca, which developed a COVID-19 vaccine with the University of Oxford.

Professor Aziz Sheikh, chair of Primary Care Research and Development at the University of Edinburgh, also received a knighthood for his services to COVID-19 research and policy. According to the University of Edinburgh, Sheikhs research was vital in demonstrating the real-world effectiveness of the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines and his team was the first in the UK to reveal that the Omicron variant of the CCP virus was less severe than the Delta variant.

Chief Nursing Officer for England Ruth May was made a dame for her services to nursing, midwifery, and the NHS. She was also included in the governments Covid-19 briefing team at the beginning of the pandemic but was dropped from the team in June 2020.

The list also included nearly 150 people particularly for their services in different areas, such as art, hospitality, or others, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Actor Damian Lewis, who won a Golden Globe for his role in TV drama Homeland, was made a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for services both to drama and to charity for initiating a campaign with his late wife Helen McCrory to raise 1 million pounds to provide food for health service workers during the pandemic.

Other prominent figures in the UKs response to the CCP virus pandemic also previously received knighthoods and damehoods. Those people include Englands Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, UK Health Security Agency Chief Executive Dr. Jenny Harries, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Chief Executive Dr. June Raine.

Reuters contributed to this report.
People line up to speak during a reparations task force meeting at Third Baptist Church in San Francisco on April 13, 2022. (Janie Har/AP Photo)

California Reparations Task Force Recommends 10 New State Offices in Report

SACRAMENTOTo repay African Americans in California for the ongoing and compounding harms of slavery, a state task force on June 1 recommended lawmakers create 10 new offices to oversee reparations.

The interim report (pdf) by the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americansabout 500 pages longdescribes the harms slavery inflicted on African Americans and its lingering effects on American society today.

One of the new state offices recommended in the report would be designed to help black Californians file for monetary reparations, while another office would help prove their eligibility for compensation through genealogical data.

The proposed Office of Freedmen Education and Social Services would also offer free tuition for black students in private K-12 schools and students wanting higher education in the state. A higher minimum wage and housing grants would be offered, too, though the details are unclear.

The 9-member task force is made up of five members who are appointed by the governor, two members are appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, and two members by the Speaker of the Assembly.

A Reparations Task Force meeting is held online in California on Sept. 23, 2021. (Screenshot via California Reparations Task Force)

It has been an honor and a privilege to supervise the release of this monumental interim report, Task Force Chair Kamilah Moore said in a statement.

[I]t is my hope that people in California and across the United States utilize this report as an educational and organizing tool, as this interim report exceeds expectations in substantiating the claim for reparations for the African American/American Freedmen community on the municipal, state and federal level.

The report claims all levels of government in the United States have historically criminalized African Americans for the purposes of social control, and to maintain an economy based on exploited Black labor.

It states this has led to over-policing black neighborhoods, mass incarceration, a refusal to accept African Americans as victims, and other inequities.

The report also alleges that the current child welfare system in the U.S. and California operates on false stereotypes of Black Americans, which has resulted in high rates of the removal of children from their families, even though Black parents do not generally mistreat their children at higher rates than white parents.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs into law a bill that establishes a task force to come up with recommendations on how to give reparations to Black Americans in Sacramento, Calif., on Sept. 30, 2020. (Office of the Governor via AP)

Following the death of George Floyd in 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 3121 (AB 3121) to create the task force to identify the current effects of slavery on black Californians. At the time, only three Republican lawmakersJames Gallagher (R-Yuba City), Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin), and Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia)voted against the bill in the judiciary committee, arguing the conversation would better fit at the federal level.

Other opponents of the bill include the Blexit Foundation headed by conservative activist Candace Owens and Brandon Tatum.

I think its a joke. Its a sham. Its a way to continue the victim narrative of black America. We do not need reparations. Nothing happened to us, so we dont need to make people to pay who had nothing to do with slavery. Its ridiculous, in my opinion, Pierre Wilson, national director of the Blexit Foundation, told The Epoch Times in a previous interview.

In March, the task force voted to limit any government compensation to Black Americans whose ancestors were in the U.S. in the 19th century.

The groups official recommendations are slated to be presented to the state legislature in June 2023.

I commend the Reparations Task Force for their commitment to this effort and for being a model for partners across the nation, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. I urge every American to read the task forces report and join with us in recommitting ourselves to justice.
Democrats on Capitol Hill are trying to make the case for why the federal government should crack down on gun rights. Republicans are forcefully pushing back. Meanwhile, some are urging Congress to take the middle ground.

A new energy plan is proposed by House Republicans. How does it address soaring gas prices, and whats the GOPs take on climate change? And what part does the plan play in the upcoming elections?

The World Economic Forum just wrapped up their annual summit last week and this once little-talked-about organization is being talked about more and more.

The White House announced a new slate of sanctions on Russian elites with close ties to Vladamir Putin.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the Chinese communist regime is Americas most serious long-term challenge. He said the United States is working with coalition partners to counter the long-term threat China poses to a rules-based world order.

Naomi Wolf is a feminist who for much of her life was a Democrat, and may still be, but in the aftermath of the global pandemic and the subsequent measures that were taken, she was forced to reconsider some of her views. She has just released a new book and we had a chance to sit down with her to discuss.

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Test tubes labelled "Monkeypox virus positive" in an illustration taken on May 23, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

CDC: Current Monkeypox Cases Suggest Community Transmission

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that it will be initiating an emergency response to monitor and investigate monkeypox after recent cases suggest that the disease may be spreading through person-to-person community transmission.

Identification of monkeypox clusters in several countries that do not have endemic disease and involving patients with no direct travel history to an area with endemic monkeypox suggests person-to-person community spread, wrote the authors of the CDC report.

Community transmission means the person infected has not been to places known as infection hotspots or been in contact with any other cases, indicating that the authorities would be unable to trace the source of the infection.

A recent U.S. study has also suggested community transmission of monkeypox, after emerging cases were identified to be of different households, with no contact, nor did they travel to endemic areas in West and Central Africa.

CDC has initiated an emergency response to monitor and investigate cases, the CDC wrote on Twitter on June 3.

Currently, monkeypox cases have been confirmed in nine states in the United States: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

The CDC reported that the 13 identified patients are clinically well and monitored by the health department, with ongoing investigations into their close contacts.

Among the cases, 56 high-risk, 117 intermediate, and 235 low or uncertain risk contacts have been identified.

While a high proportion of individuals currently diagnosed with the disease are men who identify as gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men (MSM), CDC cautions that the early cases may simply reflect an early introduction into interconnected social networks suggesting that the currently observed trends may be biased.

The health agency speculated that current observations of the disease mostly affecting MSM individuals may be due to selection bias by clinicians due to previous established medical relationships between MSM and some clinical STIs and infectious diseases.

The CDC warned that infections are often not confined to specific geographies or demographics because close physical contact with infected persons can spread monkeypox, any person, irrespective of gender or sexual orientation, can acquire and spread monkeypox.

Close contact with infected persons or objects likely to carry infection such as linen still remains the most significant risk factor for monkeypox virus infection in humans.

CDC urges health care providers in the United States to be alert for patients who have rash illnesses consistent with monkeypox, regardless of a patients gender or sexual orientation or a history of international travel or specific risk factors for monkeypox, the CDC stated.

So far, in the recent outbreak in North America and Europe, no deaths have been reported. Monkeypox, a relative of smallpox, is endemic to several African countries, though outbreaks outside the continent are considered quite rare.

Earlier this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) suggested that the virus may have been spreading undetected for some time before the recent outbreak.

We dont really know whether its too late to contain. What WHO and all member states are trying to do is prevent onward spread, Dr. Rosamund Lewis, the WHOs monkeypox technical lead, said on June 1 in Geneva. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said that most cases have been reported by homosexual males who sought care at health clinics for sexually transmitted diseases.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
Chicago Police set up near the corner of 64th St. and Loomis Blvd., an intersection near the location where an officer was shot, in Chicago, on June 1, 2022. (Brian Rich/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

Chicago Officer Critically Hurt When Shots Fired Into Car

CHICAGOA man with an arrest record for a gun charge that was later dropped is suspected of shooting and seriously wounding a Chicago police officer, according to a police alert sent Thursday.

The 28-year-old, who remains at large, was identified in the alert as the gunman who opened fire on a marked police car on Chicagos South Side, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Police Supterintendent David Brown said during a news conference that two uniformed officers were in a marked squad car attempting a traffic stop in the West Englewood neighborhood on Wednesday afternoon. The car the officers tried to pull over first sped up, then slowed down to pull even with the squad car, Brown said. At that point, someone in the car started shooting at the officers.

Chicago Police Supt.. David Brown speaks at a news conference in Chicago, on June 1, 2022, following the shooting of a Chicago police officer. (Brian Rich/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

The officer who was driving was wounded in her upper body, Brown said. The officer in the passenger seat drove the wounded officer to a hospital, where she was in serious condition. Her name has not been released.

The suspects vehicle crashed nearby and suspects fled from it, police said.

The suspected gunman lives less than 2 miles from the scene of the shooting, the police alert said.

Court records show he was arrested in October 2020 after he was spotted speeding and running red lights on the South Side. Arresting officers found a handgun under the drivers side floor mat.

The man was charged with unlawful use of a weapon because he did not have a state Firearm Owners Identification Card or concealed carry license. Those charges were dropped this year, apparently after the gun owner provided both a FOID card and concealed carry license, the Sun-Times reported.
Syringes of COVID-19 vaccine CoronaVac displayed by Sinovac Biotech during a press conference in Beijing on Sept. 24, 2020. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

China-Made COVID-19 Vaccines May Contribute to Leukemia, Families of Chinese Diagnosed With Illness Say

A growing number of Chinese citizens who have been diagnosed with leukemia after receiving domestic COVID vaccines say authorities deem their claims to be a threat to social order, and arent providing answers to their queries.

Wang Jun (pseudonym), a resident of the city of Panjin, in Liaoning Province, told The Epoch Times on May 31 that his wife was diagnosed with acute leukemia after receiving two Sinovac vaccinations.

She took her first shot in our town on May 14 last year, a Beijing-based Sinovac product, Wang said. Then the second one on June 4.

A woman receives a dose of Chinas Sinovac COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine at a community vaccination center in Hong Kong, Feb. 25, 2022. (Kin Cheung/AP Photo)

Four days later, she developed a persistent daily headache that was resistant to painkillers. It took until Sept. 22 for doctors to conclude, because of an extremely low level of platelets, that she had leukemia. Previously, his wife was healthy, with no history of exposure to toxic substances or blood transfusions, according to Wang. Her family had no history of leukemia.

Wang said that one of his former colleagues developed the same disease, and that there were reportedly six cases of leukemia in his city alone last year.

Ms. Lin, the mother of a 14-year-old girl who lives in Loudi in Hunan Province, said her daughter was diagnosed with myeloid leukemia in November 2021, two months after receiving her second Sinovac shot.

I believe my childs disease [leukemia] has something to do the shots, she told The Epoch Times. My daughter had had an operation because of congenital heart disease. Before taking the shots, I consulted the [local] CDC, asking if she was qualified to receive COVID vaccines, and they said yes.

A male surnamed Yang from the city of Jincheng, in Shanxi Province, said he was confirmed to have acute myeloblastic leukemia M2a in April 2022, and had symptoms of severe anemia and limb weakness. He was inoculated with the Sinovac vaccine in July 2021 and developed a large patch of petechiae on his body one month later.

Heavy Financial Burden

According to Wang, his family has spent more than 200,000 yuan (about $30,000) over eight months for the treatment of his wifes disease, which he says is a heavy blow to the family.

Lin told The Epoch Times that her daughters five courses of chemotherapy cost her more than 500,000 yuan (about $75,072). She said she had to mortgage their house to meet the medical costs.

In China, patients must pay for most medical treatments because general medical insurance only covers a limited number of items that have been preapproved by authorities, and excludes a large number of imported drugs that are more expensive but more effective, and usually have fewer side effects.

Questionable Official Response

Notably, a top Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expert gave a vague response to a question about post-vaccination leukemia at a top anti-COVID conference hosted by the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council on May 27.

When asked about the issue, the chief expert on immunization planning at Chinas CDC, Wang Huaqing, didnt confirm or deny the possibility of a connection between COVID vaccines and the subsequent development of leukemia. Nor did he cite any comparative studies indicating a change in the number of leukemia cases pre-pandemic and during the pandemic.

Instead, he emphasized compliance with reporting procedures and relying on a reasonable basis for assessing results.

No Authority Takes Responsibility

Wang said that when it came to a medical assessment regarding his wifes leukemia, different authorities chose to shift responsibility elsewhere.

Our complaint stayed in our town even one month after we submitted it, Wang said. They [local town officials] said they couldnt report our case to a higher level, which they deem as indirectly demonstrating they have recognized that COVID shots led to leukemia.

Local officials wouldnt even provide him with any proof of vaccination.

Wang contacted the local health commission, the vaccine maker, and the CDC, but officials and experts found a variety of excuses to delay their response or refuse to provide an official paper or sign their name on any document.

Wang is still seeking a resolution of his queries from the authorities.

Open Letter Calling for Help Censored

Early in May, an open letter was circulated online calling for attention to the community of those who have been diagnosed with leukemia. However, the original text was heavily censored on the Chinese internet, with WeChat showing a message that the content couldnt be shown on suspicion of violating relevant laws, regulations, and policies.

The letter says: We have voluntarily collected information on 1,000 plus cases, including vaccine takers, time and location of vaccination, pre-vaccination health status, post-vaccination symptoms, type of leukemia, and courses of treatment. These detailed data and information are of certain statistical significance.

Additionally, the letter expresses distrust in the assessment from the CDC-approved experts, which show, without exception, what they call a coincidental link between receiving COVID shots and developing leukemia.

A mere theory of coincidental link cannot justify the occurrence of more than 1,000 [leukemia] cases among us, the letter states, refuting the official explanation.

Victims are also angry that the authorities treat them rudely and deem them to be a threat to social stability and targets for suppression, citing a document allegedly leaked from the National Health Commission.

A document leaked from the National Health Commission suggests the Chinese authorities have recognized the existence of post-vaccination leukemia patients. (Twitter/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

The official document suggests that the top medical authority had recognized the leukemia patients before March 2022. It includes a list of their names, which was given to its branches in each province to monitor their whereabouts in the name of maintaining social stability.

Victims and their families have tried contacting domestic reporters and lawyers, although none agreed to help them, according to the letter.

The open letter warned of a potential crisis, as confirmed cases could surface endlessly as long as vaccinations continue and society remains ignorant of the presence of a potential consequence.

There is no known official study linking receipt of a COVID vaccine and a subsequent diagnosis of leukemia.

Finally, the letter urged the leading domestic vaccine maker, Sinovac Biotech, to offer humanitarian funds to help victims and asked the Chinese regime to not see them as enemies anymore.

Chinas National Health Commission couldnt be reached for comment despite repeated attempts. Sinovac Biotech declined a request for an interview.
Chinese Buyer Drops UK Graphene Takeover Amid National Security Review

A Chinese company has abandoned its proposed acquisition of a British graphene company after the plan came under the scrutiny of the UK government, British Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said on Thursday.

Kwarteng last month ordered an investigation into the proposed acquisition of Wales Perpetuus Group by Shanghai Kington Technologies and others on national security grounds.

In an update on Twitter, Kwarteng wrote, the proposed acquisition has been abandoned.

The UK government monitors the market at all times to identify acquisitions of potential national security interest. We will intervene where necessary, he added.

Kwarteng first intervened in the proposed acquisition in September last year, when he asked the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to look at the proposed takeover of Perpetuus involving Taurus Internationala company of scant detail registered to a semi-detached house in Londonand a Chinese nano-materials scientist with industry links in China who already works with Perpetuus.

The person named in the intervention is Dr. Zhongfu Zhou, a materials scientist born in China, who has worked in the UK for the last 15 years. He is listed as the only associate of Perpetuus. He has carried out research in the UK and holds various positions in the materials research industry relating to collaboration with China.

On May 11, Kwarteng ordered further investigation into the proposed acquisition of Perpetuus by Kington Technologies and others.

The Epoch Times didnt find any official information on Kington Technologies, but according to a Chinese language feature report, the company was also founded by Zhou under the auspices of schemes including the thousand talents plan and a similar 3310 plan launched by the local government in Shanghai.

The report also said the company fell into the A category of the 3310 plan, meaning the entrepreneur is awarded a start-up fund of one million yuan (121,000 or $149,000).

U.S. officials have warned that the Chinese regime uses recruitment programs, such as the thousand talents plan, to lure foreign academics to work in China, a process that facilitates the transfer of technology and know-how to the country.

Graphene is a relatively new material, which has 200 times the strength of steel, but is light, potentially superconductive, and can be used in layers just one atom deep. Its applications are still being developed across sectors such as health, aerospace, and electronics.

Perpetuus is a leader in using plasma to add a coating of graphene to polymers.

A previous government statement said that the intervention was because at least one quarter of all graphene plasma goods and/or services which are supplied in the United Kingdom are supplied by Perpetuus Group.

Simon Veazey and Hannah Ng contributed to this report.
Australian journalist Cheng Lei is seen in Beijing, China, in this still image taken from undated video footage. Australia Global Alumni-Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade/Handout via REUTERS

Concerns Raised Over Australian Journalist Cheng Lei as Beijing Suspends Consular Visits

The partner of Cheng Lei, a Chinese-Australian journalist, detained in China for almost two years, has raised concerns about Chengs declining health and the suspension of consular visits.

Nick Coyle, the outgoing CEO of the Australian China Chamber of Commerce, revealed that monthly consular visits and regular 30-minute video meetings between his partner Cheng and Australian officials have been suspended due to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)s tight COVID-19 restrictions.

I find that just totally unacceptable, Coyle told Sky News Australia. These monthly consular visits have literally been whats kept her going for 20 months.

Shes been able to make no phone calls with anybody. Shes had maybe three visits from her lawyer, just to prepare for the trial.

Having been in the Chinese system myself, (I) lived there, if they wanted to put an exemption in for Australian officials, they have to get tested before they go in anyway. Do a PCR test or do a couple days quarantine  and have a video call, he said.

Australian journalist Cheng Lei is seen on a television set in Beijing, China, in this still image taken from undated video footage. (Australia Global Alumni-Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade/Handout via Reuters)

Cheng, 46, previously worked as an English-language anchor for China Global Television Network (CGTN), the international arm of the Chinese regimes state broadcaster, CCTV. She was detained in Beijing on Aug. 13, 2020, on suspicion of illegally spreading state secrets overseas, and was formally arrested in February 2021.

On March 31, Chengs case was tried in secret at Beijings Second Intermediate Court after 19 months in custody, with the authorities refusing to allow Graham Fletcher, Australias ambassador to China, to attend.

This is deeply concerning, unsatisfactory and very regrettable, Fletcher told reporters at the time. We can have no confidence in the validity of the process which is conducted in secret.

Under Australias Agreement on Consular Relations with Beijing, Australian embassy officials should be able to visit detained citizens at least once a month.

Australian Ambassador to China Graham Fletcher, left, is turned away by court officials and police as he tries to enter the trial of Chinese Australian journalist Cheng Lei at the Beijing Number 2 Intermediate Peoples Court in Beijing, China, on March 31, 2022. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Coyle also expressed concerns about his partners range of health issues, which have declined since her detention and been exacerbated by eating raw rice.

Fortunately, were dealing with about the strongest person I know, mentally, emotionally, but there have been really difficult health challenges along the way, Coyle said.

She joked with me in one of the consular visits in one of her messages to me that my Starbucks coffee, I spent more on that, than her weeks worth of food.

One of the excuses given by CCP officials for Chengs lack of nutrition was that the pandemic caused food restrictions in Beijing, while Coyle is not convinced by the claims.

Theres been no food restrictions in Beijing, I talk to people there literally every day, he told Sky News. The idea that the detention centre couldnt get adequate food is just not acceptable.

Coyle also said he still couldnt figure out what Cheng might have done wrong, saying she isnt even that interested in politics, rather focusing on business.

It doesnt make any sense to me, he said. It never has.

Cheng Lei, a Chinese-born Australian journalist for CGTN, the English-language channel of China Central Television, attends a public event in Beijing on Aug. 12, 2020. (Ng Han Guan/AP Photo)

Having graduated from the University of Queensland, Cheng returned to China and became a business analyst for a SinoAustralian joint venture in 2001. She started her journalism career at CCTV a year later, according to her CGTN profile page. The profile has since been removed from the website, along with videos featuring Chengs previous reports.

After working as a CNBC China correspondent for nine years, she started working at CGTNs office in Beijing in 2012.

Being the second Chinese Australian detained by Chinese authorities since 2019 after writer Yang Hengjun, Cheng was detained months after then Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. A deteriorating diplomatic relation followed, with Beijing began to impose trade tariffs and restrictions on Australian exports in retaliation to Canberra.

Chengs two children reside in Melbourne, with Coyle saying they had not seen their mother since her arrest.

Kids are resilient, so Im sure that in time theyll get through it, but thats even more reason why she needs to be back. Its not about me, its about her and her kids, he said.

After the trial in March, Chengs verdict was deferred to an unspecified later date.

Caden Pearson contributed to this report.
White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha speaks at the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, on June 2, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

COVID-19 Vaccination for Children Under 5 May Start by June 21: White House

10 million doses would be initially released

The White House said it expects its COVID-19 vaccination rollout for children under 5 years of age to start on June 21, in the event of a swift approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, on Thursday walked reporters through a hypothetical timeline of how things may play out within the next month regarding the vaccines for the young cohort, but pointed out he is not there to pre-judge the outcome of the vaccine vetting process.

Im not here to pre-judge the outcome of the process, but the administration is hard at work planning all sorts of scenarios based on whatever the outcome is from the process thats playing out, Jha said. Weve been working very closely with states, local health departments, pediatricians, family physicians, other health care providers, and pharmacies to get ready.

He said that if and when the FDA authorizes the vaccine, the administration will move from planning to execution.

FDA authorization will allow us to start shipping doses. These doses are specifically formulated for these young kids. These doses will be shipped to thousands of sites across the country, he said.

He said that the FDAs independent advisory panel, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), is set to meet June 1415 to discuss requests for emergency use authorizations from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for their COVID-19 vaccines for children.

We expect FDA to make its decision soon thereafter. Once FDA authorizedif they have authorized vaccines, we can begin shipping, Jha continued. We expect some of the shipments to start arriving to in their destinations over that long weekend. Remember Monday is an important federal holiday and many doctors offices may be closed. And we cant ship vaccines until FDA has authorized these vaccines. And vaccination cant start until CDC has issued its recommendations.

So we expect that vaccination will begin in earnest as early as Tuesday, June 21, and really roll on throughout that week. It will take some time to ramp up the program and for vaccines to be more widely available.

He noted that the White House expects that within weeks every parent who wants to vaccinate their children in the under-6 age group will be able to get an appointment, and that the administration will make sure that supply is always meeting demand.

Those under age 5 comprise the only age group not eligible for any COVID-19 vaccination in the United States. There are about 18 million children under age 5 in the country.

We have plenty of supply of both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to start our vaccination program, and we are going to make 10 million doses available to states, pharmacies, and community health centers and federal entities to order initially, Jha said.

He said that while parents may be frustrated at what appears to be a delayed timeline for obtaining FDA authorization, it was important to get things right.

Jhas statements come a day after Pfizer-BioNTech announced it has submitted its request to the FDA for emergency use authorization (EUA) for its vaccine for children aged 6 months to under 5 years old.

VRBPAC is set to discuss the EUA for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, as well as Modernas COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6 months through 5 years of age, on June 15.

A poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation in April found that just one in five parents of those under age 5or 18 percentwould be eager to vaccinate their child and say they will do so right away once a COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for their age group.

The vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are both based on mRNA technology. The COVID-19 vaccines from these companies have been linked with heart inflammation, including myocarditis and pericarditis, in age groups older than 5, and more so in young men. A small number of deaths due to heart inflammation after the COVID-19 vaccine have been reported.

Vaccine manufacturers are immune from liability for any adverse reactionsunless theres willful misconduct involved. Vaccine providers are required to report any serious adverse effects or vaccination administration errors to VAERS, hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The federal government has a countermeasures program that can compensate eligible persons who suffer serious injury from approved vaccines. But the burden of proof may be challenging.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
A pharmacist prepares a dose behind a counter lined with vials of both Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines, in Toronto on June 18, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette)

COVID Vax Compensation Recipient Disheartened Over Lack of Recognition of the Vaccine Injured

BC man one of the first Canadians approved for payout due to COVID-19 vaccine injury

Ross Wightman, who was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome shortly after receiving a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, has become one of the first recipients of funds under Canadas Vaccine Injury Support Program.

But the plight of others who have suffered vaccine injuries weighs heavily on the realtor and former pilot from B.C.s Okanagan Valley.

Wrightman says hes feeling fired up about the inaction of government and the medical system in recognizing those who have suffered vaccine injuries.

The longer this goes on the more angry, and completely disheartened I get by the lack of recognition from government officials and doctors that these things are actually happening, he wrote in a May 31 Facebook post.

Its not a coincidence.  Theres one common denominator.

Wightman was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) days after receiving his only dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in April 2021. On May 17, 2021, he woke up in the Kelowna General Hospital paralyzed. He couldnt walk again without assistance for seven months.

Wightman received a letter from the Vaccine Injury Support Program on May 20 of this year saying he was approved for compensation.

First and foremost, we would like to offer you our deepest sympathies for your ongoing health struggles. We wish you the strength and support to sustain you during this difficult time, the letter said. Following an assessment of your case, there is a probable causal association between the injury(ies) sustained and the vaccination.

Wightman has not disclosed his payout, except to say it is short of the maximum amount of $284,000, according to CBC News. He told CBC he is also eligible for income replacement of up to $90,000 per year, though that is less than what he was used to.

In his Facebook post, Wightman said the letter represented long awaited recognition from the government he wasnt sure would come.

We were very sceptical as to where this process would go early on, as the service we were getting was appalling. That being said, I have to give credit where credit is due, and our current case manager and project lead has been excellent, he wrote.

Wightman flew to Vancouver to see a neurologist on May 31. He has been very public with his recovery journey, but has received more media coverage since his payout. He says he hears new vaccine injury stories every time his own experience gets covered.

Every time one of these goes live I receive phone calls, text messages and DMS from people across the country sharing their vaccine injury stories with me, he wrote. How come doctors arent putting their hands up and waving the flag? Its OK to be wrong, but its not OK to do nothing about it when these things are occurring.

In January, the BC Centre for Disease Control acknowledged 10 people in the province had been hospitalized with GBS following vaccination for COVID-19. Four had received AstraZeneca, five Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty, and one had received Modern Spikevax.

Wightman, however, believes the problem is much worse.

Its not normal to be having healthy young people like myself and others in the Okanagan showing up in the emergency room (in a 6-week period) with rare neurological conditions, he wrote, urging people to do due diligence around COVID vaccines.

Just like everything in life, make informed decisions and ask questions. The information is out there you just have to dig a little bit unfortunately. Keep on fighting people, and find your wings.

In April, Health Canada said the 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine that Canada received from the Emergent Biosolutions plant in Baltimore, Marylandwhich had experienced a contamination event due to quality-control issueswere safe.

However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a report saying staff at the plant were not adequately trained, nor was equipment cleaned at frequent enough intervals to prevent contamination that would alter the safety, identity, strength, quality or purity of the drug substance.

The plant was shut down and the FDA said what had been produced would not be distributed in the United States.

The Vaccine Injury Support Program was introduced in December.
A tow truck removes destroyed cars from an Amazon Fulfillment Center in Edwardsville, IL on Dec. 11, 2021, after it was hit by a tornado. (Tim Vizer / AFP via Getty Images)

Democrat Reps. Demand Amazon Comply With House Oversight Probe Into Labor Practices

The House Oversight Committee has demanded Amazon.com, Inc. comply with its probe into the companys labor practices during severe weather events, claiming it has obstructed their investigation by failing to produce documents seven weeks after the deadline.

The committee launched its probe into Amazons corporate labor practices following the deaths of six workers during a December 2021 Category 3 tornado in Edwardsville, Illinois.

Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the committees chair; Cori Bush (D-Mo.); and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to Amazon on June 1 demanding the company comply with the committees March 31 request for documents and information.

The lawmakers said their investigation into Amazon was of crucial importance given the size of the company and the vast number of Americans it employs.

Employers like Amazon must prioritize worker safety over the corporate bottom line. Our investigation into Amazons response to the events in Edwardsville and other extreme weather events seeks to determine whether Amazons corporate practices put employee safety first, or whether your company, which now employs nearly one million people in the United States, is merely paying lip service to this principle, the lawmakers wrote (pdf).

Amazon has withheld key documents the House committee wants, which the companys lawyers say fall under workproduct and attorneyclient privileges, according to the House committee. But the lawmakers told Amazons CEO they dont recognize common-law privileges as valid reasons to withhold documents from Congress.

The sought-after documents relate to internal investigations and reviews of the Edwardsville tornado and relevant policies and procedure documents.

The site of a roof collapse at an Amazon distribution center a day after a series of tornadoes struck multiple states, in Edwardsville, Ill., on Dec. 11, 2021. (Drone Base/Reuters)

On Dec. 10, 2021, a tornado struck the Amazon DLI4 facility in Edwardsville killing six delivery contractors. The walls of the facility on both sides collapsed inward and the roof collapsed downward, said Edwardsville Fire Chief James Whiteford on Dec. 11.

The tornado was part of a larger weather system across the central United States which left dozens of people dead and injured in Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) opened a probe into the partial collapse of the Amazon facility after the incident.

The Epoch Times understands that OSHAs official investigation did not find any violations or causes for citations, and that the government department informed Amazon that they responded like any responsible company.

However, the House committee members said OSHAs inspection on April 26 revealed concerns about the potential risk to employees during severe weather emergencies, and recommended that Amazon voluntarily take the necessary steps to eliminate or materially reduce your employees exposure to the risk factors OSHA identified.

Amazons failure to provide key documents has obstructed the Committees investigation, they wrote. As an additional accommodation, the Committee will grant an extension until June 8, 2022, for Amazon to complete its document production. If Amazon fails to do so, the Committee will have no choice but to consider alternative measures to obtain full compliance.

The committee members said in their letter that their concerns about safety practices at Amazon have only increased since their March 31 request for documents.

Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company has been cooperating with the House Oversight committee.

We were surprised to receive this letter because we began producing materials to the Committee just two weeks after receiving its initial request and have produced more than 1,500 pages of responsive information, Nantel said in a statement to The Epoch Times.

As we have done from the start, we will continue to work with Committee staff on further document productionwhich includes the most recent materials we shared on June 1.

This report was updated to include the Amazon spokespersons response.
DNA Identifies 1974 Remains That May Link to Serial Killer

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.The remains of a teenager who went missing nearly 50 years ago have been identified through advanced DNA technology, and detectives believe she may have been slain by a police officer who was also a serial killer.

Susan Poole, 15, was a high school dropout whose family reported her missing just before Christmas in 1972. She had been living between the familys home in a trailer park near Fort Lauderdale and with a friend in a nearby apartment, Palm Beach County Sheriffs Detective William Springer said during a news conference Thursday.

Nobody knew where she went, he said, noting that her clothes and pocketbook were left at the friends apartment.

A year and a half later, in June 1974, sheriffs deputies were called to a remote location in Palm Beach County where human remains were found.

She was tied up in the mangroves with wire to a tree, Springer said. She was skeletal remains, totally nothing left of her except bones.

Back then, detectives didnt have the DNA technology that is now readily available, so the case quickly turned cold, he said.

In 2015, investigators submitted DNA to a national missing persons database, which turned up nothing.

Then, in December, Othram, a Texas-based forensics lab that builds DNA profiles using genealogy, contacted the sheriffs office and said they may be able to help solve cold cases. In March, the company provided the names of the victims mother and siblings. Springer said they provided a DNA sample from Pooles mother, who was verified as a match.

Now Springer is looking for evidence that connects Poole to Gerard Schaefer, a serial killer who was fatally stabbed by a fellow inmate at the Florida State Prison in 1995. Schaffer had been a police officer in Wilton Manors, a Fort Lauderdale suburb, and was a deputy with the Martin County Sheriffs Office at the time Poole disappeared, Springer said.

Schaefer was found guilty of murdering two other girls, ages 16 and 17, who lived near Fort Lauderdale. Their mutilated and decapitated remains were found in April 1973 in Martin County. Because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Florida did not have a death penalty in the early 1970s and Schaefer was sentenced to life in prison.

Because of the similar way in which those teens were killed, Springer said he believes Schaefer could have been involved in Pooles death. Authorities say Schaefer was implicated in up to 30 deaths.

Robert Stone, who prosecuted Schaefer, once called him, the most sexually deviant person I had ever seen. He made Ted Bundy look like a Boy Scout.

Investigators are hoping to speak to several friends who lived near Poole when she disappeared and could possibly fill in some blanks about her activities during that time. Springer wants to know if she frequently hitchhiked or whether she had ever confided in them about any kind of relationship with Schaeffer.

For Pooles mother, who is in her 90s, and siblings, the news has brought some closure, Springer said.

The family was happy to know what happened, he said. Its been a long time waiting to see what happened to their sister.

By Freida Frisaro
Expelled Liberal MP Bernie Finn Becomes Democratic Labour Party Leader for Victoria

Victorian MP Bernie Finn has joined the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) and will lead the party at the state election this November.

His expulsion comes after the Victorian branch of the traditionally centre-right Liberal Party passed a motion on May 24 cancelling Finns membership, which he had held for 41 years.

The move was in response to a Facebook post by Finn where he said he was praying for the practice of abortion to be banned in Australia.

His post came in the wake of revelations that the U.S. Supreme Court was considering overturning the landmark Roe v Wade decision, which entrenched the right of women to have abortions in the United States.

Opposition leader Matthew Guy said Finns expulsion was not in response to his beliefs.

I want to make it that this motion is about respectful discourse, he told reporters. It is  not about naval-gazing from the federal election or other issues. It is about moving on and being a sensible alternative to government.

Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy is seen at St Patricks Cathedral in Melbourne, Australia, on Nov. 20, 2018. (Daniel Pockett  Pool/Getty Images)

On June 2, Finn announced his move to a new political home, while calling the DLP a genuinely conservative labour party.

The DLP was deregistered nationally in March for not having enough members; however, it still exists in Victoria. The DLP is known for its 1955 split from the Australian Labor Party over concerns communist elements had infiltrated the centre-left party.

The formation of the DLP was a strategy to dilute the size and membership base of the Labor Party so it could not win government. The plan worked until 1972 when Gough Whitlam took the Labor Party to office.

Finn told Melbourne radio station 3AW that Victoria had been totally destroyed by the current Daniel Andrews-led Labor government.

And on the other hand, youve got a Liberal opposition  like a cork in the oceantheyre just all over the shop. You never know whats going to happen next. Its a day by day proposition.

Finn said the DLP was a principled party, and it strongly believed in workers, small businesses, and traditional families.

I think that will appeal to a lot of people, he said.

The MP also claimed to have been approached to join eight other political parties, including the United Australia Party.

When learning of Finns joining the DLP, Guy said he would not make any comment on the issue.

I dont want to make any adverse comment. Thats up to Bernie to do that, he said. The Liberal Party in Victoria has a very clear plan to go forward positively, to grow our state, to get us back on our feetand we are not going to be deterred by that.
This handout picture released by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on June 2, 2022 shows Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong (R) attending a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Samoa Fiame Naomi Mata'afa in Apia. (Sarah Friend/Courtesy of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs. (D/AFP via Getty Images)

Experts Deride Claims Aussie Foreign Minister Singlehandedly Torpedoed Pacific China Pact

Pacific experts have panned claims that new Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong singlehandedly took down Beijings efforts to sign 10 island nations onto a sweeping economic and security pact.

James Cox, director of Pacific advocacy group Peacifica Australia, said any suggestion that a quick visit from a minister from the newly elected Labor government could shift the balance in the Pacific was absurd.

The change in government will certainly have been noted with interest by Pacific leaders, but thats about it, he wrote in a post on Twitter, noting that the situation in the Pacific was far more complex.

Two points show that things arent as simple as Sen. Wong going to Fiji and saving the day: 1. The [Federated States of Micronesias] presidents great cautionary letter was written well before Wong came to Fiji; 2. Fijis [prime minister] is one of the more pro-China Pacific leaders.

His comments come after Wong was praised by the Australian Broadcasting Corporations (ABC) global affairs editor, John Lyons, for having a blinder in recent diplomatic efforts.

This handout picture, released by Australias Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on June 2, 2022, shows Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong attending a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Samoa Fiame Naomi Mataafa (out of frame) in Apia. (Sarah Friend/Courtesy of Department of Foreign Affairs/AFP via Getty Images)

China had this incredible lunge at the Pacific10 nationsit was all carefully planned. Australia appeared to not know much about that, Penny Wong, I think, has at least rescued it, at least for the moment, and shes playing the card of climate change, he told ABC on June 2.

I think its trying to salvage one of the worst foreign policy blunders weve seen in this country for many years; we almost lost the Pacific, in a sense, to Chinese influence, he said. Its saying to the Pacific, were interested in you, were listening, and secondly, playing the card that this new government has of climate change. Clearly, they want to change direction.

Similar praise was meted out by Belinda Barnet, lecturer in media and communications at Swinburne University in Melbourne.

Are we going to talk about how Penny Wong managed to *fix* a situation that was giving Australians a lot of anxiety? We could at least acknowledge how she did it in THREE DAYS, she wrote on Twitter on May 31.

This did not happen by magic or by chance. It happened because we put an intelligent, diplomatic, and strategically-minded adult in charge of foreign relations, she added. We do not deserve Penny Wong. But God, Im glad we have her.

The comments, however, were not received well.

Or  we could recognise and acknowledge that it was actually Pacific states who determined the outcome of the proposed communique. Thats the real story and where the credit lies, Anna Powles, senior lecturer of international security at Massey University in New Zealand, wrote in response.

Foreign affairs reporter for the ABC, Stephen Dziedzic, said Pacific nations had agency and that all the intel suggested the Pacific leaders declined to push ahead because of internal disagreements and not because of Australian arm-twisting/advocacy.

No consensus, no deal, he wrote on Twitter.

Beijings Foreign Minister Wang Yi has embarked on an eight-nation tour of the South Pacific aimed at shoring up alliances with key leaders that have close ties with Beijing, including the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks during a joint press conference with Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama in Fijis capital city Suva on May 30, 2022. (Leon Lord/AFP via Getty Images)

However, leaked documents emerged to reveal that the Chinese regime had ambitions exceeding that of bilateral ties, with Beijing proposing a sweeping 10-nation economic and security bloc in the region.

The China-Pacific Island Countries Common Development Vision envisioned the CCP working even closer with Pacific leaders in the fields of free trade, fisheries, pandemic response, and sensitive areas such as security, cyber, and maritime mapping.

The deal fell over on May 30 during a meeting between the Chinese foreign minister and leaders of the Pacific after a lack of consensus.

David Panuelo, president of the Federated States of Micronesia, was vocal in his opposition to the pact, writing to 21 Pacific leaders warning it could trigger a new Cold War.

Chinese control over our communications infrastructure, our ocean territory and the resources within them, and our security space, aside from impacts on our sovereignty, is that it increases the chances of China getting into conflict with Australia, Japan, the United States, and New Zealand, he said.

If you read one thing about #WangYis Pacific tour, make it @POTFSM letter to other Pacific leaders about the vision and five year plan documents China wants signed. [This is] the single-most game-changing proposed agreement in the Pacific in any of our lifetimes. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/akoHRvcDan  Cleo Paskal (@CleoPaskal) May 27, 2022

Heston Russell, a former special forces operative who also spent years working behind the scenes in the South Pacific region, said Pacific nations had major problems with corruption and that Beijing had largely succeeded in locking in relationships with some Pacific leaders (elite capture).

He said democratic nations should avoid going pound for pound with Beijing and instead pivot and focus on grassroots engagement.

Theres a separation between the political level and local population. Most of the population are too busy surviving and going about their everyday lives and are not actively engaged in politics or whats going on, he previously told The Epoch Times. That allows the political elite to exploit the country, be influenced, be corrupted, and that plays right into the hands of countries with big resources, big regions, big power bases like the Chinese.
Biologist Dr. Rupert Sheldrake and famed psychiatrist Carl Jung have taken different, but complementary, approaches to synchronicity  coincidences between whats on ones mind and events occurring in the external world.

A simple, common example is when you think of someone out of the blue and your phone instantly rings with that person on the other line. But many synchronicities are more bizarre and complex.

Jung coined the term synchronicity and approached this mysterious phenomenon from a psychological perspective, forming a theoretical basis for understanding it. Sheldrake  who counts among his credentials work in developmental biology at Cambridge University  has spent decades gathering evidence for the physical existence of a mental field extending beyond the body. His specialty is the extended mind.

An exclusive interview with Sheldrake was included in a webinar titled Jung and Sheldrake: Synchronicity & the Extended Mind, opening a discussion on synchronicity from a variety of perspectives. It was hosted by Gary Bobroff, an author, speaker, and workshop leader with a masters degree in psychology, who spoke to The Epoch Times on the mysterious subject.

The Biologists Perspective

Starting with Sheldrakes extended mind research, Bobroff said he feels he can ground the synchronicity discussion in physical science.

An example of Sheldrakes research along this vein is his studies on the sense of being stared at. It is common knowledge to store detectives, airport drug inspectors, private detectives, and martial artists that people can feel others staring at them, Sheldrake said at the 2014 Synchronicity: Matter & Psyche Symposium.

Trainees for the British services, he said, are told not to look at peoples backs when following them because they are likely to turn around.

Trainees for the British services, he said, are told not to look at peoples backs when following them because they are likely to turn around. Bobroff said his cousin, a Canadian Armed Forces reservist, was also trained not to look directly at a subject hes trying to sneak up on. Martial artists, on the other hand, train to increase their sensitivity to the gaze of others so they are more likely to feel the approach of an opponent.

Sheldrake cited a study at the Amsterdam Science Museum that had tens of thousands of people see if they could correctly guess whether someone was looking at them.

(Illustration  J Walters/Shutterstock)

In the study, one person would be told randomly whether to look at the subject or to look away and think of something else. The subject would have to decide within 10 seconds whether he or she was being looked at. The success rates were significantly above chance. Children under 9 years old were especially sensitive.

Teachers use the power of the gaze all the time, Sheldrake said.

He also cited a study by Dr. Marilyn Schlitz, who found subjects registered a galvanic skin response when they were being watched through closed-circuit TV.

These and other studies Sheldrake has reviewed or conducted suggest, he said, that the mind can have some physical impact beyond the body. In synchronicity, a persons mind and the world around him seem connected in a mysterious way.

How Emotion Is Involved

Bobroff noted that Sheldrakes work also highlights the role of emotion in creating synchronicity.

Looking at academic studies on psi (psychic phenomena, including clairvoyance, precognition, etc.) over the past century, Sheldrake found the highest success rates among family members  and especially twins. The worst success rates were found among those who didnt believe in psi. These people scored below average. They showed a statistically significant result below chance, suggesting disbelief can negatively impact psi  ironically supporting the hypothesis that psi exists.

Emotional bonds and attitude seem to affect (either strengthening or weakening) the part of the mind that extends beyond the body.

Theres no such thing as a synchronicity without feeling.  Gary Bobroff, master's degree in psychology

Theres no such thing as a synchronicity without feeling, Bobroff said. Theres a way that a parent might know if a son or daughter on the other side of the world is in danger. Theres a way that these extended fields of consciousness are not simply just mental fields, theyre also emotional fields.

The Psychologists Perspective

Jung cautioned against analyzing synchronicities in an ego-based way, Bobroff explained. For example, a coincidence related to a romantic relationship may not necessarily mean that relationship is meant to be. We shouldnt make synchronicities out to mean what we want them to mean.

Bobroff was driving in his home province of Saskatchewan, Canada, heading west to Calgary, in the province of Alberta. He stopped to get gas and ran into his high school sweetheart. She was also heading to Calgary. They realized it was exactly 10 years ago to the day that they had been traveling to Calgary together as a couple.

I dont think its necessarily the egos answer of, Should we get back together? he said. Instead, theres simply something in our world that honors heart connections.

He also reflects on ancient Chinese modes of thought to understand synchronicity. Am I sincere in my connection to the universe? he asked introspectively. He wonders what changes he is being called upon to make going forward. Jung also took synchronicities as signals to look within and reflect.

For Bobroff, synchronicity reunites spirit and matter. It brings mystery, magic, a spirit back in a time, he said, when were so high on ourselves that we think weve invented the world.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
Faith Through Difficult Times: Falun Gong Practitioner Tells His Story to Raise Awareness of the Dangers of Communism

What Winston Liu found in Falun Gong was a system of practices and principles that not only allowed him to cultivate balance in his life but also filled an empty void in his heart.

Finally, there was meaning and a sense of purpose that transcended the day-to-day routine of rote existence.

However, just as this new light grew, a jealous shadow was spreading across the hearts and minds of those who sought control.

That shadow soon cast itself over the sun-lit parks where Falun Gong was practiced in the open air, and the freedom with which practitioners exercised their movements toward inner peace was eclipsed by fear.

Though Liu escaped years of persecution in China for being a practitioner of Falun Gong and is now a chemical engineer in Greenville, North Carolina, what he said hes currently witnessing in the United States is not unlike that from which he fled, which is why he tells his story.

Liu began practicing after he watched his then-girlfriend at the time find a level of wellness through the practice that Liu himself said he had craved, he said.

After reading the primary book, Zhuan Falun, he said he was touched by the principles and teachings of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.

Before practicing Falun Gong, like many Chinese people my spiritual life was empty because of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) destruction of traditional cultural values, so when I came across these guidelines on how to be a good, more responsible person to myself and others, I was very excited, Liu told The Epoch Times. After becoming a practitioner, I became a kinder, more energetic person with inner peace.

Falun Gong is a practice that was founded by Li Hongzhi in the early 1990s and is rooted in Buddhist and Taoist traditions.

Its two components are self-improvement through the study of the teachings, and a series of qigong exercises and meditation.

Liu explained that in the early 1990s, the CCP had opened its market to the world and relinquished control over its formerly prohibited cultural practices, which in turn allowed for Falun Gong communities to spring up and be practiced freely throughout China.

Because it aligned with traditional teachings and values, it became very popular and welcomed by everyone immediately, Liu said.

But this didnt last, he said.

Liu cited a report titled The Battle for Chinas Spirit from a human rights and civil liberties organization called Freedom House that lists reasons why the CCP saw Falun Gong as a threat, the first being its popularity.

In 1999, the number of Falun Gong practitioners reached 70 to 100 million, which is the number the CCP published in the first half of 1999 based on their monitoring Falun Gong very closely, he said.

This means that Falun Gong practitioners outnumbered the CCP, which at the time had 63 million members, something he said upset the CCP.

The second reason is Falun Gong encourages the pursuit of truth, compassion, harmony, and tolerance, while the CCP encourages the pursuit of materialism, extreme nationalism, and to engage in political struggles, Liu said. The CCPs foundation is its demanding of loyalty. It turns community harmony into hostility, hatred, and struggle.

Also, Liu said, Falun Gong doesnt have a formal membership that requires a list of members.

Since the CCP established power in 1949, they have monitored groups closely, he said. They wanted to create internal CCP branches in any civil group, including Falun Gong, which was in violation of the principles of Falun Gong.

Living in Fear

As a result, there was growing oppression from 1996 to 1999 when it could still be practiced in public, Liu said, even though some CCP officials held favorable views of the practice.

Zhuan Falun was banned in 1999, Liu said, as state-run media outlets launched an intensive smear campaign against Falun Gong.

Liu was a Ph.D. candidate at Chinas prestigious Tsinghua University at the time with his then-girlfriend, whom he later married one month before widespread attacks on Falun Gong began.

I started practicing in June 1998 right about the time there was news from Beijings largest television station defaming Falun Gong, he said. Practitioners appealed to the TV station, and they later corrected their news and issued a statement.

Continually, Falun Gong practitioners found themselves having to implore government officials and media outlets to stop their persecution, he said.

On July 20, 1999, the CCP dictator Jiang Zemin launched a nationwide campaign against Falun Gong.

I still remember the state-controlled media running hate propaganda 24/7, he said. That was a really hard time for us.

The national campaign included his university, where there began propaganda efforts geared toward students designed to steer them away from Falun Gong.

I often asked myself, if a political party says universal principles of truth, compassion, and tolerance are bad, then what is good? Liu asked. As human beings, we should insist on good values, and not compromise them with other benefits.

For many, loyalty to the CCPs narrative overrode the truth of Falun Gongs principles, Liu said.

Liu watched fellow practitioners around him get arrested and never see any of them again, he said.

Having heard that many of them were tortured to death, Liu said he lived in fear.

Winston Liu at Tsinghua University in 1997. (Courtesy of Winston Liu)

In January 2000, a CCP official came to his home, he said.

She said, Go with me; no question, he said.

She brought me to a hostel 40 miles outside of Beijing City where they had set up a brainwashing class, he said.

Though they werent practitioners, CCP officials had detained his parents as well, using them as leverage to break my will, he said.

They used his mother and made her cry in front of him daily, among the other brainwashing methods.

My mother became ill and could not sleep, he said. CCP officials offered no treatment. One official told me that if I didnt renounce Falun Gong, my parents and I would stay there forever.

To get his mother treatment, he verbally renounced Falun Gong but said he preserved his practice in his heart and mind.

On June 18, 2000, he was detained again, this time for 38 days, for holding a banner of support for Falun Gong during a protest at Tiananmen Square.

He wrote an article about his experience that was published on the Falun Gong practitioners website minghui.org, he said.

This irritated CCP authorities and on January 1, 2001, policemen broke into my apartment, abducted me and my ex-wife, and took us to a detention center, he said.

His charge was publishing and spreading information about Falun Gong on the internet, he said.

At the end of the trial, I was sentenced to three years in jail, and my ex-wife was sentenced to 12 years, he said.

Liu explained that the number of years sentenced to prison was determined by how much information was disseminated.

Because his wife had been involved in a campaign to release balloons carrying information about Falun Gong, as well as mass email efforts that reached more people, her sentence was higher than Lius.

Liu endured physical and mental torture in prison, he said, and toward the end of his jail time, his hair had turned grey and he was on the verge of a mental breakdown, he said.

He received an extensive medical exam with 40 other practitioners, he said, that at the time guards had told him was normal.

He later found in 2006 that practitioners had been targeted for potential organ harvesting, which is a part of the gruesome economy of the CCP that involves forced organ removal from prisoners of conscience.

I believe that had I been one of the unwilling organ donors, I could have been killed at any time if my physical indexes matched with a patient who was looking for an organ, he said.

After he completed his 3-year sentence, he returned to Tsinghua University where he got his masters degree in thermal engineering in 2005.

His wife at the time stayed in prison for ten years, and later, in 2014, they divorced.

She couldnt get a passport to join me, so she just told me, You just need to pursue your life, he said. In about 15 years of marriage, we were together less than one year.

Winston Liu at Tsinghua University in 2005. (Courtesy of Winston Liu).

The Feeling of Touching Freedom

He got an opportunity to study at the University of Calgary in the Ph.D. program on a scholarship, but getting there and out of the clutches of the CCP would take maneuvering.

I really had no confidence that the CCP would let me go, he said.

He purchased his plane tickets with a Japanese instead of a Chinese airplane company, and it wasnt only his luggage he brought with him, but also fear.

I was a targeted person; it was a hostile climate, so I was nervous until I landed, he said.

He carried no material related to Falun Gong and he spoke as little as possible to avoid drawing attention, he recalled.

Each passport check was an attack on his nerves, he said.

When he finally landed, he breathed a sigh of relief, he said.

It had come time for him to say goodbye, he said, not only to the endless fear, assault, and harassment but also to his family.

To his loved ones in spirit, he said, Im sorry for leaving this country; please take care of yourselves.

Then, he cried, knowing he was finally going to be safe in a country that accepted him as refugee status and allowed him to become a Canadian citizen.

One Sunday morning, he came across a scene he thought he hadnt witnessed in years: Falun Gong practitioners publicly exercising in the park in Calgary, Canada, which he said flooded his eyes with tears.

It was the feeling of touching freedom, he said. They were practicing so freely and peacefully; it was like I came to a different planet.

While at the University of Calgary, he got his second masters degree in chemical engineering before moving to Wyoming in 2012, then later to North Carolina.

Winston Liu in Calgary, Canada in 2006. (Courtesy of Winston Liu).

A Familiar Shadow

Since hes been in America, Liu said there have been what he called disturbing trends, he said, which have reminded him of how the CCP carried out its social engineering in China.

Critical race theory, cancel culture, the defunding of the police movement, and censorship in American media have all been used by the CCP, he said.

Critical race theory (CRT) is an attempt to divide people and encourage them to hate each other, he said. Thats the trick of the communist regime to establish power and control over people.

CRT is a Marxist philosophy that claims society is a class struggle between oppressors and the oppressed, specifically labeling white people as the oppressors and all other races as the oppressed.

Another method of the communist ideology is to destroy families, which he said was done during the Cultural Revolution when Chinese communist dictator Mao Zedong implemented the Four Olds; a title that referenced the citizens traditional ideas, cultures, habits, and customs that, according to Mao, needed to be eradicated for the party to thrive.

I saw similarities to this in cancel culture that encourages the same ideology of upending culture, tradition, the founders, and the principles of the country, he said. Typically, traditional values include moral standards that keep society in harmony.

Communist ideology demands loyalty, he said, which leaves little room for spiritual beliefs.

The communist regime always wants people to worship the communist regime, not God, and it doesnt encourage people to believe in a constitution, he said. A constitution in a communist country is just a piece of paper that can be revised as needed.

This is why, he said, he believes there is a movement to defund the police: to get rid of the police who are loyal to the Constitution and replace them with law enforcement loyal to a new government.

For Liu, seeing these similarities provoked really bad memories, he said.

There is also censorship in the media, he said, citing its coverage of Falun Gong as an example.

At the beginning of the persecution, Western media reported on it regularly, he said, referencing Wall Street Journal reporter Ian Johnson, who won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting.

Since then, there has been a dramatic change in how Falun Gong is covered in American media, he said, with many platforms echoing the CCPs hateful propaganda.

The media has become saturated with self-censoring, progressive journalists, he said, whose ideologies run counter to the principles of Falun Gong.

Those stories of the victims of CCPs persecution of Falun Gong are not useful for their social agenda, even though Falun Gong practitioners never attempted to impose their views on anyone, he said. Liberal elites view the Falun Gong teachings and its values as a threat to their agenda, and when I realized this, I became actually scared.

It was supposed to be only in the past, he thought to himself, but here were the familiar sentiments of the CCP echoing through progressive media voices, he said.

Are they influenced by the CCP? he said he asked himself. I cannot give an answer, but I was shocked by the hypocrisy of this elite culture.

A Grassroots Solution

Under the mask of the liberal agenda, Liu said he fears there is a plan to get total control over the lives of the American people.

To break free of this, he said Americans need to campaign for the truth.

Its not easy to learn the truth because big tech media tries to confuse people, he said. They twist a lot of things that happen in the U.S., and if you try to speak the truth on social media, you get labeled as disinformation.

Uniting under grassroots organizations, as many have done in China with underground printing presses in the face of imprisonment and death, is what Liu said can be an effective strategy to dismantle the false narratives being broadcasted from all sides.

Because the Chinese people were surrounded by anti-Falun Gong propaganda, we realized that the best way to counter the CCP attack is to facilitate change inside of China, he said.

Falun Gong practitioners launched the largest information campaign in modern history as non-violent resistance to CCP oppression, Liu said, which included practitioners operating more than 200,000 underground printing presses that produced flyers, brochures, and other modes of information that they distributed at night, and at great personal risk.

Unsilenced, a film about Tsinghua University students who risked their lives to reveal the CCPs persecution of Falun Gong practitioners with the help of a Chicago journalist, was released in January and directed by Canadian filmmaker Leon Lee.

The film has brought more international attention to the persecution of Falun Gong, Liu said.

Internet censorship in China has been fought by overseas practitioners who formed teams of computer scientists who developed software that helped millions in China breakthrough CCPs firewall.

Why Americans Should Care

There are several practical reasons why Americans should not tolerate the CCPs persecution of Falun Gong, Liu said, one of which being that the persecution carries with it crimes within the CCPs medical industry through COVID cover-ups and organ harvesting.

If the West had investigated and requested transparency in Chinas health system on the issue of organ transplant abuse that targeted Falun Gong, it would have known earlier about the COVID-19 outbreak in December 2019, which could have saved many lives, Liu said. Americans thought the cover-up was a joke, but for Chinese people, we all knew that a cover-up is the common response of the communist government to civil emergency events and human rights abuse.

The Falun Gong Protection Act

Today, Liu tells his story to raise awareness about the CCPs abuses, its nature, and how it impacts Americans, to prevent the shadow from fully darkening the U.S.

He attended a GOP state convention for the North Carolina members of the U.S. Congress to encourage them to co-sponsor The Falun Gong Protection Act, an act that aims to end forced organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners in China and to protect American transplant patients and the international medical community from unwittingly supporting this crime.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) on Dec. 16, 2021.

Winston Liu in 2020. (Courtesy of Winston Liu)

Faith Through Difficult Times

Because of Falun Gong, he said hes able to see those who persecuted him and his fellow practitioners not as enemies, but as sick people who have been poisoned by the propaganda of the CCP.

And through those difficult times of persecution, Liu said, he would take time to ask himself, How can I value my life?

Under the tyranny of the Chinese Communist regime, there are two options as a Falun Gong practitioner, he said. The first is being a slave of the regime. It means wiping out the nature of humanity and living without dignity. This is the way of life the Chinese communist regime would have expected every Chinese to have since CCP took power.

The second option, he said, is to retain the inner beautyuntouched by the exterior, fleeting circumstancesof the human spirit, and to pursue the traditional values like truth, compassion, and tolerance, he said.

The former would have me living in a dark, selfish inner world; the latter would make me really happy from the inner heart and have a life with dignity, he said. From the teachings of Falun Gong, I valued the latter.

Though he knew his physical body could die, he said he found that his interior journey could remain unwavering in the light of his practice.

What is the meaning of life? To return to my true self, Liu said. This is the faith that got me through the difficult times.

Winston Liu in China in 1993. (Courtesy of Winston Liu)
Fire fighters battle a fire at the Alzheimer center in Roztoky, near Prague, on June 1, 2022. (Michal Kamaryt/CTK/via AP)

Fire at Czech Alzheimer Home Kills 2, Over 50 Injured

PRAGUEA massive fire in a nursing home for Alzheimer patients in the Czech Republic has left two people dead and injured more than 50 others, officials said on Thursday.

The regional rescue service said the bodies of the two patients were discovered in the badly damaged building following the fire that broke out late Wednesday at the home in Roztoky, a town just north of Prague.

A total of 55 people were injured with two in critical condition, officials said.

Almost 100 firefighters battled the blaze.

Police said the fire might have been caused by human error.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly speaks at a news conference after a meeting with her counterparts from the Baltic region on June 2, 2022, in Quebec City. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot)

Foreign Affairs Minister Concerned by Close Calls Between Chinese, Canadian Aircraft

Chinese jets have endangered a Canadian military plane operating in Asia, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Thursday, adding that she would raise the issue with her Chinese counterpart.

Joly was reacting to reports by the Canadian Armed Forces, who said Wednesday that on several occasions the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force failed to meet international aviation safety standards by flying dangerously close to the Canadian aircraft.

I am extremely concerned that there have been incidents in this region of the world, Joly told a news conference at the Citadelle in Quebec City, where she met with her counterparts from the Baltic region. She said it is certain she will raise the issue with Chinese officials.

The Armed Forces said the interactions between Chinese and Canadian aircraft in international airspace near North Korea are not professional and they endanger the security of our personnel.

The aircrews in several (Chinese) aircraft are very clearly visible as they approach and attempt to divert our patrol aircraft from their flight path, the Forces said.

In some instances, the (Royal Canadian Air Force) aircrew felt sufficiently at risk that they had to quickly modify their own flight path in order to increase separation and avoid a potential collision with the intercepting aircraft.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is taking the situation very seriously.

The fact that China would have chosen to do this is extremely troubling, he said in Alberta. So we will be bringing it up directly with Chinese officials and counterparts and ensuring that this doesnt continue to be part of an escalatory pattern.

Asked if she considered the behaviour of the Chinese air force to be an aggression against Canada, Joly said the behaviour was a meaningful gesture and needed to be discussed with her counterpart.

Joly said she spoke with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in April, a first since the arrest of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were released from Chinese custody in September 2021. Canada and other countries maintain Kovrig and Spavor were arbitrarily detained in China in 2018 in retaliation for the RCMPs arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on a United States extradition warrant.

Now our goal is to make sure that we have a diplomatic relationship with China, but also be able to discuss difficult subjects, Joly said.

Canada deployed a CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft from April 26 to May 26 to Japan, as part of Operation NEON, a multinational effort to support the implementation of UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea. The Armed Forces said the incidents occurred several times during that deployment and that the interactions became increasingly frequent.

Joly, during her meeting with government ministers from Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, discussed the Russian invasion of Ukraine, disinformation and food security. Joly said Canada would work with its allies to prevent the conflict from triggering a global energy and food crisis.

She was also questioned by reporters about whether Canada would increase its military presence in Europe. She said Canada has about 1,300 troops in Latvia, adding that there are 3,400 more soldiers in reserve and ready to be deployed if needed.

Joly and the ministers from Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia will be in Toronto on Friday for an armchair discussion hosted by Toronto Metropolitan University.

By Caroline Plante
Former Conservative Minister Draws Fire After Arguing UK Should Rejoin EU Single Market

A former British Conservative minister has sparked controversy after he argued the UK should upgrade Brexit by rejoining the European Unions single market.

Writing in The House magazine on Wednesday, Tobias Ellwood, the Tory MP for Bournemouth East, argued that his proposed Brexit course corrections would ease the cost of living crisis and make the political impasse in Northern Ireland go away.

Pointing to the UKs export shrinkage to the E.U., Ellwood said it would be a dereliction of duty not to access how well Brexit has worked given the gargantuan economic challenges ahead.

Citing a recent YouGov poll that suggested that nearly half of the people (49 percent) thought Brexit had gone badly and only 17 percent considered it successful, he argued that theres now an appetite for change.

The senior Tory advocated for the Norway model, meaning the UK would join the European Economic Area (EEA) to gain and provide access to the internal markets free movement of goods, persons, services, and capital, but stay out of the EUs common agriculture and fisheries policies, the customs union, the common trade policy, the common foreign and security policy, justice and home affairs or the monetary union.

Ellwood said the EEA membership was not on the ballot of the 2016 Brexit referendum, which asked the question of whether the UK should remain in the E.U.

Ellwood said he appreciates that the understandable reservations about the free movement of people needs addressing, but said the problem is not insurmountable.

He also recognised that joining the EEA would require acceptance of some E.U. regulations, but argued one common standard may be better than two for UK industry.

Invoking Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, Ellwood urged his conservative colleagues to remember the former prime ministers both endorsed this model, with the view that the potential economic benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

Ellwood also warned that mishandling the Northern Ireland Protocol could trigger a trade war with the E.U. and risk vexing the United States.

In conclusion, he submitted, If joining the single market (with conditions) results in strengthening our economy, easing the cost-of-living crisis, settling the Irish problem at a stroke, and promoting our European credentials as we take an ever greater lead in Ukraine, would it not be churlish to face this reality?

But his argument was met with forceful rebuttals from his Conservative colleagues on Twitter.

Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat takes part in a meeting of a conservative research group in Westminster Hall in London on April 9, 2019. (Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images)

Arguing that rejoining the single market would open up the UKs borders, puts the E.U. in charge, and inhibit the UKs ability to make new trade deals, House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Tugendhat wrote, We need a deal British people control not foreign laws with no say. Lets plan for the future and stop looking back. This decision is made.

Former chief whip Mark Harper said the Brexit referendum meant leaving the Single Market and putting an end to freedom of movement, adding thats The end.

Harper acknowledged that the Brexit agreement regarding Northern Ireland has led to issues, but insisted that those issues are being dealt with.

Treasury minister Simon Clarke said he was pleased to reassure Mr. Ellwood that the UK would not be rejoining the single market, as this would extinguish half the freedoms that make Brexit so important.

Former Brexit minister Lord Frost appeared to suggest that Ellwoodwho has publicly said Prime Minister Boris Johnson no longer has his support because of lockdown breaching gatherings in Downing Street during the COVID-19 pandemicwould not be suited to the top job, saying: Brexit really is not safe in his hands or his allies.

The UKs Union flag (above) and the E.U. flag flying from the same mast on March 31, 2017. (Jane Barlow/PA)

Speaking to Times Radio on Thursday, Ellwood described the issue as a hot potato, but said people should not shy away from the subject.

Joining that single market, I believe, would strengthen our economy because it would remove so much red tape, it would ease the cost-of-living crisis, it would actually settle the difficult Irish problem on the Northern Ireland Protocol  and finally, its also to do with boosting our European credentials, he said.

Because we are now taking a lead in Europe on Ukraine, but the fact that this Brexit issueparticularly on Northern Irelandis unresolved means, you know, were pulled back on this.

PA Media contributed to this report.
In order to get an insiders view, we spoke with Dr. Michael Yeadon, former chief scientific officer at Pfizers Global Allergy & Respiratory Research Department.

We discussed many topics, such as how, in his professional opinion, there is no safe way to combat a pandemic with a vaccinesince the necessary safety trials take longer than the length of the pandemicthat its reckless to attempt to vaccinate an entire population, and that if we continue down the path weve been traveling over the past two years, it will lead to total global control by a small group of elites.

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The Hong Kong government promoted a former police official to a key position to control the civil servants. Kwok Yam-shu, former police deputy commissioner, who retired in April, will be the inaugural Head of the Civil Service College. (Yu Gang / The Epoch Times)

Former Police Deputy Commissioner Appointed Head of Civil Service College

The Hong Kong institution Is Feared to Become a Quasi CCP Cadre Training School

The Hong Kong government has recently promoted another former police official to a key position to control the civil servants. Kwok Yam-shu, former police deputy commissioner, who retired in April 2022, will be the inaugural Head of the Civil Service College and will assume his duties on July 5. While the HK government and politicians praised Kwoks management experience in the police force, some analysts believe that this appointment is a sign that the government will try to instill loyalty and compliance into the civil servants, who have been trained to uphold such values as political neutrality, professionalism, and performance.

On June 1, the Hong Kong government announced the appointment of Kwok as Head of the Civil Service College, following an open and internal recruitment process, with a monthly salary of HK$273,000 (US$35,000). Back in June 2021, when the government proposed the position for Legislative Council approval, it was already rumored that Kwok would be appointed to the post.

Kwoks Wolf-Warrior Style Rhetoric: UK Is a Thief and the USs Basic DNA Is Aggressive

Kwok Yam-shu, aged 57, having served in the Hong Kong police for 31 years, starting as an inspector in 1990 and promoted to senior superintendent in 2007, chief superintendent in 2011, assistant commissioner in 2014, senior assistant commissioner in 2017, and deputy commissioner in 2019, had just retired in April, ahead of the appointment.

In an interview with Bloombergs Stephen Engle in the past year, Kwok talked about the Hong Kong National Security Law and other issues. He said that Hong Kong faced perpetual national security risks. There are countries on earth whose basic DNA is aggressive. He was talking about the United States. He also added that it was an open secret that the U.S. intends to suppress the development of China.

He compared the UK to a thief who has to return a stolen family heirloom but is unhappy when the owner decides to increase its security measures.

Dr. Wong Wai-kwok, former assistant professor of politics and international relations at Hong Kong Baptist University, said Hong Kong already has a politically correct atmosphere in which the more left-wing, radical, and extreme ones speech, the more likely one may be appreciated by Lee Ka-chiu and Beijings liaison offices, and lead to better positions and higher ranks. He pointed out that when the government is filled by a group of people who are extreme in speech, thought and action, it is easy to make policy mistakes, leading to disastrous or unpredictable results.

Executive Leadership of Hong Kong Government Expected to Be Replaced

The establishment of the Civil Service College was proposed by Chief Executive Carrie Lam in her 2017 Policy Address and the college was set up in December in 2021. According to the Hong Kong government, the College will enhance the civil servants understanding of Chinas Constitution, the HKSARs Basic Law, the Hong Kong National Security Law, as well as their knowledge of national affairs, which is considered the top priority of civil service training. As well, the College will strengthen its training programs, with more study tours and exchange activities held in mainland China.

When interviewed by Sarah Liang, reporter for the Chinese-language Epoch Times, senior banker Victor Ng Ming-tak commented that administrative officers (AOs) in the government were noticeably absent from Lees campaign advisory team, which comprised of a 90-member presidium and 58 consultants. Not a single one was an (current) Administrative Officer (AO), he said, in Lees entire campaign team. He predicted that in the next 25 years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) would gradually replace the current executive tier of the government, i.e., more than 300 administrative officers, and that it would be Lee Ka-chius top priority to replace the current rank with new mainland migrants to Hong Kong, who have the backing of Beijing and wouldnt need to care Hong Kong people feel, when pushing their policies. It will be a very smooth run for them.

Professor Wong Wai-Kwok: Police Must Follow Orders Whereas Civil Servants Need To Be Politically Neutral; The Two Are Fundamentally Different

Dr. Wong Wai-kwok also pointed out that this appointment meant government deliberately wants to influence the civil service through police or the law-enforcement sector. In the long run, he argued, having a former police taking any position in the government would weaken the power and influence of traditional civil servants and administrative officers.

According to Wong, the police force is about loyalty and carrying out orders, whereas civil service is about political neutrality, professionalism, and performance. Trainings are fundamentally different for the two. He said that it was wrong for Regina Yip, former Secretary for Security, to cite police management experience as Kwoks strength for his new position. Other than the fact that she was ignorant, she was obviously biased towards the disciplinary forces due to her background, Wong said.

Wong also argued that civil service training is political training by nature. Under CCP dictatorship, Civil Service College would become Party School, producing cadres who are politically correct, toe the party line, and implement the Partys wishes.

According to current training regulations of the CCPs National Civil Service Bureau, civil service training program must ensure that the CCP is in control of the cadres. Senior civil servants (county level or higher) are required to attend Party School every five years.
Peter Navarro, former trade adviser to President Donald Trump, speaks to reporters as he departs U.S. District Court after he was indicted on two counts of contempt of Congress for his failure to comply with a subpoena from the House of Representatives committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, in Washington on June 3, 2022. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Former Trump Adviser Peter Navarro Charged With Contempt of Congress

A grand jury on June 3 indicted Peter Navarro, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, for contempt-of-Congress charges after he refused to cooperate with the controversial January 6 panels probe into the Capitol breach.

The House Jan. 6 committee voted at the end of March to advance criminal charges against Navarro and Dan Scavino amid a raging legal battle over executive privilege.

At the time of the vote, Jan. 6 Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) rejected the claims of executive privilege.

Executive privilege doesnt belong to just any White House official. It belongs to the president, Thompson said. Here, President Biden has been clear that executive privilege does not prevent cooperation with the Select Committee by either Mr. Scavino or Mr. Navarro.

Even if a president has formally invoked executive privilege regarding testimony of a witnesswhich is not the case herethat witness has the obligation to sit down under oath and assert the privilege question by question. But these witnesses didnt even bother to show up.

The Democrat-controlled House later voted to certify the charge.

Now, a grand jury has voted to move forward with criminal proceedings against Navarro.

He has been indicted for two counts of contempt of Congress. One count is in response to his failure to produce documents requested by the committee while the other is for his failure to answer the committees subpoena to show up and testify.

The decision makes Navarro the second former Trump White House official to be indicted.

Navarro did not respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.

In October, the commission set its sights on former White House adviser Steve Bannon, who left the White House years before the Jan. 6 rally.

Bannon, citing executive privilege, refused the summons. The Democrat-led House quickly advanced a contempt-of-Congress charge against Bannon, and President Joe Bidens Department of Justice has since indicted Bannon on the charge.

Trumps attorneys have argued that Bannon and other former officials shouldnt comply because the requested information is protected by Trumps executive privilege.

Much the same story has played out with former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, who also refused a Jan. 6 commission summons in November, citing executive privilege.

Since then, the commission has further expanded its search, targeting sitting members of Congress like Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), and even House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

McCarthy called the efforts to subpoena sitting members of Congress an abuse of power, and all three House Republicans refused to testify before the committee.

The panel also set its sights recently on Ginni Thomas, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas wife, over claims that she texted Meadows during the Jan. 6 rally.

In view of the partisan nature of the summons and charges advanced by the commission some Republicans, including Trump, have accused it of a witch hunt exclusively targeting Democrats GOP enemies.

Others, like McCarthy, have been more ambiguous in their critiques of the committee. When the commission sent out its subpoena to Bannon, McCarthy argued that the ongoing legal disputes made the subpoenas legitimacy unknown.

Theyre issuing an invalid subpoena, McCarthy said. Issuing an invalid subpoena weakens our power. He has the right to go to the court to see if he has executive privilege or not. I dont know if he does or not, but neither does the committee. So theyre weakening the power of Congress itself by issuing an invalid subpoena.

Following the commissions recent decision to subpoena several prominent Republicansmarking the first time in U.S. history that sitting members of Congress have been subpoenaed by a congressional bodyMcCarthy further expanded on his argument that the subpoenas are potentially invalid.

All valid and lawfully issued subpoenas must be respected and honored, wrote Elliot S. Berke, McCarthys attorney, in a lengthy May 27 letter (pdf). Unfortunately, the words and actions of the Select Committee and its members have made it clear that it is not exercising a valid or lawful use of Congress subpoena power.

In fact, Berke continued, citing Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) refusal to place minority-selected members on the commission, the Select Committee is not even operating in compliance with the rules its own members voted to put in place.

Jordan, another Republican who received a subpoena from the commission, has also refused to comply with what he called a political vendetta.

With the decision of the federal grand jury to indict Navarro, the case will now move to criminal proceedings. If convicted, each count carries a minimum sentence of one month in jail or a maximum sentence of 12 months in jail, in addition to a fine ranging from $100 to $100,000.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon speaks at a press conference in Los Angeles on Dec. 8, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

Gascon Recall Surpasses 500,000 Signatures, Raises $6.5 Million

LOS ANGELESWith a little over a month left until the Los Angeles County registrars deadline, the Recall George Gascon campaign has surpassed 500,000 petition signatures and raised $6.5 million in donations as of May 31.

To trigger a recall election, the campaign needs signatures from 10 percent of registered county votersor 566,857 signaturesby July 6 to qualify for the Nov. 8 ballot.

Organizers also mailed out 3.6 million petitions with pre-paid return envelopes, hoping for at least a 5 percent return rate that would provide enough signatures to pass the threshold.

Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon called the recall effort against him an imitative driven by very conservative, very right-wing forces during an interview with the How We Win podcast on June 1.

They have sort of created this false narrative about this is anti-safety, which is kind of the same fear-mongering tactics frankly that you can go back to the Nixon era, Gascon said during the hour-long interview.

Gascon, who was elected in 2020, made promises to reform Los Angeles Countys criminal justice system.

He introduced several bold steps for reform, such as holding accountable law enforcement officers who violate the law, no longer charging minors as adults, eliminating many sentencing enhancements including firearms, ending the death penalty, and removing cash bail for misdemeanors or nonviolent felony crimes.

Critics of these policies say it has only increased crime, pointing to recent statistics from the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department that show a 94 percent jump in homicides between 2019 to 2021, and a 54 percent increase in auto theft.

In response to Gascons comments, recall organizer Tim Lineberger said the effort is largely bipartisan.

There are a half of democrats involved in the recall. Democrat cities and elected Democrat officials are endorsing the recall, Lineberger told The Epoch Times on June 2. This has nothing to do with partisan politics, and its the only defense Gascon can do at this point because he has no other argument.

Lineberger added that many of the recall proponents previously voted for Gascon because what he was running onpolice accountability and reformwere good things. However, he turned his back on victims and insulted real criminal justice reform, he said.

Angelenos have this recall in their hands with the mailed-in petitions, which he said could help swing the recall election in their favor.

The campaign has raised just over $6.5 million and will need to raise more to be in a comfortable position ahead of the election, he said.

More than 30 cities in Los Angeles County, including Torrance, Santa Clarita, Lancaster, and Beverly Hills, support the recall, with more than a dozen passing votes of no confidence against Gascons policies.

Several high-profile law enforcement unions, including the Los Angeles Association of Deputy District Attorneys, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, and the Los Angeles Police Protective League also support the recall.

Los Angeles mayoral candidate and real estate billionaire, Rick Caruso, also supports the recall.
Cargo ships are loaded at a container terminal in a harbor in Hamburg, Germany, on April 27, 2022. (Fabian Bimmer/Reuters)

German Exports Bounce Back in April From Ukraine War Impact

BERLINGerman exports rose more than forecast in April, as Europes biggest economy relied on trade with the United States and the euro area to recover from the initial impact of the war in Ukraine, government data showed on Friday.

Exports rose 4.4 percent from the previous month, the Federal Statistical Office said, almost three times the 1.5 percent increase predicted by economists in a Reuters poll.

In March, exports had fallen by 3 percent.

The boost for Germanys export-driven economy came despite a collapse in trade with Russia over recent months due to severe sanctions imposed by the West in a bid to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.

Exports from Germany to Russia dropped 10 percent in April after plummeting 60 percent in March, the statistics office said.

Imports also increased more than expected in April, by 3.1 percent, following a 3.2 percent rise in March, the statistics office reported.

ING chief economist Carsten Brzeski called the April trade data a pleasant surprise.

German exports have defied renewed supply chain disruptions and the economic impact of the war in Ukraine. At least for now, he said.

However, the Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) warned that the upswing could be short-lived.

The export engine is grinding tremendously, said DIHK foreign trade chief Volker Treier, adding that the April growth was solely due to price increases in exports, which had actually fallen in real terms.

Supply-chain bottlenecks were yet to comebut with some delayas a result of Chinas weeks-long COVID-19 lockdowns, Treier said.

The DIHK expects German exports to stagnate in 2022 on the whole.
Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) demonstrates assembling his handgun as he speaks remotely during a House Judiciary Committee mark up hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC, on June 2, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

GOP Rep. Displays Guns During Hearing He Says Will Be Banned by Legislation

A Republican lawmaker has used his own firearms as an example of how a ban on high-capacity magazines would target common handguns used by law-abiding Americans to defend themselves and their homes.

Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) virtually attended a House Judiciary Committee hearing on a gun control bill on Thursday, where he held up a number of his own handguns with magazines that he said would be banned under the legislation.

I was trying to highlight to the American people that this isnt just a magazine ban on rifles, Steube told Tucker Carlson Tonight on Thursday evening.

The Florida lawmaker said that every single semi-automatic weapon that takes more than a 10-round magazine would be banned under legislation that passed the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

Three of which I just happen to have, and I showed to make it very clear that a 10-round magazine doesnt fit in it, he added. So by having the magazine ban, you are effectively banning all of these handguns that millions, hundreds of millions of Americans use every single day to defend themselves, [their] families, to protect their homesteads.

Law enforcement personnel run away from the scene of a shooting near Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. (Marco Bello/Reuters)

The emergency committee hearing was called for Thursday to mark up H.R. 7910, the Protecting Our Kids Act, which is a legislative gun control package moved in response to a string of mass shootings in New York, Texas, and Oklahoma.

A high-capacity magazine is a firearm magazine defined by the Democrats bill as capable of holding 10 rounds or more. However, some Republican lawmakers consider 10-round magazines to be average capacity.

President Joe Biden has said he does not support a ban on all handguns, but does want assault weapons and high-capacity magazines banned.

In making his case during the hearing, which was called to mark up H.R. 7910, Steube held up three of his own handguns: a Sig Sauer P226, a Sig Sauer P320, and a Sig Sauer P365 XL.

These handguns, he said, would be banned under the legislation because their manufacturer model magazines start at 10 rounds, even though they are not semi-automatic rifles.

Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla) demonstrates assembling his handgun as he speaks remotely during a House Judiciary Committee mark up hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC, on June 2, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

In a video Steube posted on Twitter, Steube held up his Sig Sauer P365 XL which he said he carries every single day to protect myself my family, my wife, my home.

This is a XL Sig Sauer P365. It comes with a 15-round magazine. Heres a seven-round magazine which would be less than what will be lawful under this bill, if this bill were to become law, Steube said, as he unsuccessfully attempted to insert the seven-round magazine.

It doesnt fit, he added, as he slid the magazine in and out. So this gun would be banned.

Everything you need to know about this gun control package: Democrats dont even want to let me show what theyre trying to ban. Im an American in my own home, and Ill do whatever I want with my guns, Mr. Chairman. pic.twitter.com/pH2OIsnlVp  Congressman Greg Steube (@RepGregSteube) June 2, 2022

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), co-chair of the Second Amendment Caucus, confirmed the 10-round limit would be set for both semi-automatic handguns and semi-automatic rifles, Washington Times reported.

Thats not even a high-capacity magazine. Thats like an average capacity magazine, Massie said.

He also argued that the Democrats bill would essentially ban what he considered some of the most common handguns in circulation.

In his Fox interview, Steube argued that the Democrats sought to restrict the rights of Americans to own guns while they relied on them for their own protection.

Thats the hypocrisy of the left, Steube declared. Joe Biden has all this security, Nancy Pelosi has all this security, the Capitol Police have all this security. Yet they want everyday Americans, like you and me, at our homes, at our businesses, as we drive, some of us that have concealed carry permits, to not be able to use the very weapons that we can utilize to protect our homes, our families and our loved ones.

Biden delivered an address on Thursday urging Congress to take action on gun control, and if that fails, for Americans to turn their outrage into making this issue central to your vote in November.

The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted to advance H.R. 7910, but it is expected to fail in the GOP-controlled Senate.
A veiw of the Hume Weir at sunrise on February 23, 2007 in Albury, Australia. The Hume Weir is the largest dam on the River Murray. (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Greater Understanding of Murray Darling Basin Communities Needed As Labor Appoints New Water Minister

A liberal senator in the state of South Australia has called on newly appointed environment and water minister, Tanya Plibersek, to visit communities across the Murray Darling Basin in order to have a greater understanding of rural and regional communities in Australia.

Speaking to Sky News host, Chris Kenny on June 2, liberal senator Anne Ruston said every community across the Murray Darling should be extending an invitation to Plibersek to ensure that she gets out there and she sees the extraordinary importance and the value of these communities, and that making decisions a long long way from where the actions happening is really fraught with danger.

Ruston also criticised the appointment of Plibersek, an inner Sydney member, to be the nations water minister saying that maybe the centre-left Labor government prioritises political and ideological outcomes that will make their people in the city happy, without any regard whatsoever about the impacts its going to have on our river communities.

The complexities of the issues that rural and regional Australia face in the Murray Darling Basin about making sure that weve got that great river system sustainably operating for the benefit of everybodyand that includes our farmers and our river communities.

[The ministerial role] really does require somebody with a great understanding about what actually happens in rural and regional Australia, Ruston said.

Plibersek wrote on twitter on May 31: Im delighted to be appointed a Cabinet minister in the new Labor Government with responsibility for environment and water. I look forward to the challenge.

Australia is lucky to be home to the most beautiful natural environments in the world, which we need to protect and preserve for future generations. Lets get to work.

Im delighted to be appointed a Cabinet minister in the new Labor Government with responsibility for environment and water. I look forward to the challenge. pic.twitter.com/HMvT5uc92E  Tanya Plibersek (@tanya_plibersek) May 31, 2022

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told Sky news on June 2 that the environment and water has always been a major priority for Labor. While he dismissed commentary that Pliberseks appointment was a demotion he added that the environment portfolio was front and centre in terms of Labors agenda.

The Epoch Times has approached the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment for comment.

This comes as Australias inspector-general of water compliance, Troy Grant, recommended the new water minister intervene in speeding up the New South Wales Governments submission of a Water Resource Plan under the Murray Darling Basin Plan.

Grant said on June 2 that NSWs plan was three years overdue.

Currently, the inspector-general cannot enforce compliance without NSWs plan, but said that the water minister can step in to adopt one that is prepared by the Murray Darling Basin Authority rather than the state, under the Commonwealth Water Act.

The Murray Darling Basin Plan sets the amount of water that can be taken from the Basin each year between the states of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory.

The plan also sets out the rules for how water is used at a local or catchment level, including limits on how much water can be taken from the system, how much water will be made available to the environment, and how water quality standards can be met.

Basin state governments are responsible for complying with water resource plans, and accounting for water taken from the river system, according to Murray Darling Basin Authority website.

The Basin is considered to be the food bowl of Australia and covers approximately 1 million square kilometres of south-eastern Australia.
A section of skin tissue, harvested from a lesion on the skin of a monkey, that had been infected with monkeypox virus, seen at 50X magnification on day four of rash development in 1968. (CDC/Handout via Reuters)

Growing Number of Monkeypox Cases Reported Across the US: CDC

The number of monkeypox cases in the United States has risen to 21 as of Friday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The agencys data show that there are four cases in New York, four in California, three in Florida, two in Colorado, two in Utah, and one each in Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington state.

Health officials on Thursday said multiple U.S. cities reported suspected monkeypox cases.

The Health Department has identified a Philadelphia resident who is a probable monkeypox case based on preliminary testing at the @PAHealthDepts Bureau of Laboratories. Confirmatory monkeypox testing at the [CDC] is pending, Philadelphia Public Health wrote on Twitter.

The agency also said that monkeypox is spread through close, personal contact. Initial symptoms usually include fever, fatigue, headache, and enlarged lymph nodes. A rash often starts on the face and then appears on the palms, arms, legs, and other parts of the body.

Officials in Los Angeles County said the citys health agency submitted data to the CDC about the first likely Los Angeles monkeypox infection.

The patient is an adult resident who recently traveled and had a known close contact to a case, the Los Angeles Department of Public Health wrote. Although the patient is symptomatic, they are doing well and not hospitalized. They are isolated from others.

Around the same time, Chicago and Illinois state officials said a man who recently traveled to Europe was the states first likely case. The man is isolated and in good condition, officials said in a statement.

The case remains isolated and at this time there is no indication there is a great risk of extensive local spread of the virus, as monkeypox does not spread as easily as the COVID-19 virus, the two agencies said in the statement.

So far, in the recent outbreak in North America and Europe, no deaths have been reported. Monkeypox, a relative of smallpox, is endemic to several African countries, although outbreaks outside the continent are considered quite rare.

Earlier this week, the World Health Organization suggested that the virus may have been spreading undetected for some time before the recent outbreak.

We dont really know whether its too late to contain. What WHO and all member states are trying to do is prevent onward spread, Dr. Rosamund Lewis, the WHOs monkeypox technical lead, said on June 1 in Geneva. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said that most cases have been reported by homosexual males who sought care at health clinics for sexually transmitted diseases.
Despite schools reopening and COVID-19 restrictions being lifted, a lot of American families are choosing to keep homeschooling their children. (Iren_Geo/Shutterstock)

Homeschool Students Soar Above Pre-Pandemic Levels as Public School Enrollment Drops

Since the onset of COVID-19, parents have taken the reins of their childrens education and made homeschooling mainstream.

Before the pandemic, homeschool rates from the U.S. Census Bureau have been holding steady at around 3 percent since 2012.

However, data from 18 states reveals the number of home-educated students skyrocketed 63 percent in the 2020-2021 academic cycle and fell by only 17 percent during the 2021-2022 school year.

The total number of children receiving home education soared to 3.7 million in that time frame.

A drop in public school enrollment rates this year reflects the trend.

In 2020-2021, the number of students enrolled in public school fell by 3 percent, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Yet the rates havent rebounded as expected this year, despite a return to physical classes and more flexible COVID-19 protocols in some districts.

Conversely, enrollment numbers dropped another 0.2 percent nationwide, varying by state and school district.

In some districts, the reduction in students attending public school was marked.

One of the greatest benefits of homeschooling is that it can be designed to cater to the needs of each individual student. (Shutterstock)

This is evident in Grandview, Missouri, where the number of students enrolled in public school has dropped 7.5 percent over the past two years.

Likewise, California announced a statewide fall of nearly 2 percent in public school enrollment in April.

According to homeschool educators, this isnt likely to change anytime soon.

With a lot of things that are happening in public schools, a lot of it is curriculum and also the teaching that is happening. Parents are starting to realize its not very family friendly, Stephen Howsley told The Epoch Times.

Howsley is the assistant manager for public policy at the Texas Home School Coalition (THSC), which has operated both as a resource and advocate for homeschool parents since 1986.

Texas has a long tradition of homeschooling, with more than 400,000 families and an estimated 750,000 students currently being taught outside traditional public learning institutes.

When asked why he thinks the popularity of educating children at home has outstripped the restrictions of COVID-19, Howsley said, I think its honestly a culmination of so many things. One of the first ones that comes to mind for me is, from what Ive heard, parents just like it.

He joked that after the stay-at-home orders arrived in March 2020, everybody in Texas became a homeschooler overnight.

Additionally, Howsley maintains that part of the growing popularity of homeschooling bloomed from the forced abandonment of brick-and-mortar classrooms during the height of the pandemic.

A sign outside of Columbus Elementary School lets visitors know that the playground has been closed in Chicago, Illinois, on Jan. 25, 2021. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Some of those families started public school at home options when they started to roll out. But the vast majority of them were homeschooling from the very beginning, he asserted.

Thats the one thing in the midst of the craziness we look back on fondly because it was something where despite how tough COVID was, we were excited so many families were suddenly exposed to something we think is just excellent.

David Garretson at the Arizona Families for Home Education (AFHE) says that the pandemic served as a catalyst, not a reason, for the rapid rise of homeschoolers in his state.

This is why even though schools are reopening and COVID restrictions are being lifted, we see a lot of families choosing to homeschool, Garretson told The Epoch Times.

He explained the AFHE spoke with parents who were either considering or already homeschooling their kids. They raised questions that challenged previously held assumptions regarding the quality of public education.

One of the common findings shared by homeschool parents includes gaps in their childrens knowledge that traditional schooling hadnt addressed. Many parents also discovered a difference in values along with an overall better performance from their kids when schooled at home.

And with the rise of remote jobs over the past two years, parents found even greater freedom to take charge of their childrens education.

We celebrate the fact that many families are discovering the benefits that come with the homeschool lifestyle, Garretson said.

Control over the quality of education is a significant determining factor for homeschoolers. Students at home typically score 15 to 30 percentile points above their peers receiving public education on standardized achievement tests, according to the National Home Education Research Institute.

Further, an astounding 78 percent of peer-reviewed studies on academic achievement show homeschool students perform statistically better than those in traditional public schools.

Florida homeschool teacher and evaluator Cherie Lee echoed this sentiment and shared her own experiences with at home education as a child.

I was homeschooled from second to eighth grade. My Mom felt compelled to homeschool me since I was failing in reading and was so unhappy in school, Lee told The Epoch Times.

[Then] I taught in private and public school before I stayed home with my own children. Im now a homeschool parent myself.

Lee says homeschool parents also have the ability to choose their curriculum and be more involved with what their kids are learning. Additionally, its a more efficient method of education.

Its done in three to four hours, and theres time for so much more! Time for traveling and learning outside the classroom, mentoring and entrepreneurship, job shadowing, all that fun stuff I dont think schools are able to offer anymore, she said.

High school homeschooled students can take advantage of field trips and hands-on learning opportunities. (Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock)

Carol King, a certified K-12 teacher turned homeschooler, and evaluator for Parents Educating Children agrees with Lee.

I think the reason some families are continuing to homeschool is theyve found many benefits to this way of education, King told The Epoch Times.

Among other things, theyre enjoying the extended time they get to spend together, the flexibility of setting their own schedule, and the liberty of choosing their own curriculum.

Lee added that theres a difference in the values observed within the public school system that she says many parents wont tolerate.

Often times parents choose to homeschool because their morals and values do not align with the public schools  The transgender and Critical Race Theory are all things that many families do not agree with.

Public schools across the United States have faced considerable backlash and protests over introducing Critical Race Theory and transgender initiatives into curriculums.

When theyre teaching this in schools, I wonder what theyre not teaching, Lee noted.

Moreover, the issue of safety in public schools is a serious issue for some parents.

The timing for security concerns has never been more poignant or relevant.

On May 24, an 18-year-old gunman walked into Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, with an assault rifle and killed 21 people.

Former president Donald Trump called the action a heinous massacre and a savage and barbaric atrocity that shocks the conscience of every single American, which he followed with a call for better security at schools across the nation.

Howsley says many parents have already voiced fears to the THSC regarding the safety of their children at public learning institutions.

Thats probably another thing that caused people to reevaluate, is it safest for me to be sending my child to a public school every day of the week when in reality, maybe I work from home and can homeschool at the same time?' he postulated.

Lee asserted, Physical safety has been a concern since the Columbine High School.
White House senior adviser Jared Kushner listens as U.S. President Donald Trump holds a meeting on economic "opportunity zones" in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, on May 18, 2020. (Leah Millis/Reuters)

House Committee Probing Saudi Governments Billion-Dollar Investment in Jared Kushners Firm

The House oversight and reform committee announced on Thursday that it is launching an investigation into whether former senior White House adviser Jared Kushner improperly used his position to secure an investment for his private equity firm from the Saudi government.

Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform announced the probe into the son-in-law of former president Donald Trump in a press release.

In a letter to Kushner, the lawmaker requested documents regarding the major investment in his firm, A Fin Management, LLC (Affinity) from the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Kushner incorporated Affinity in Delaware in January 2021, the day after Trump left the White House. He secured the $2 billion Saudi investment six months later, according to the House panel.

PIF is led by the Crown Prince, with whom Mr. Kushner developed a very close relationship while a senior adviser to former President Trump, lawmakers said.

Affinitys public filings indicate that PIFs investment will generate $25 million in annual asset management fees for Affinity, in addition to a share of any profits maderepresenting a substantial windfall for Mr. Kushner, Affinitys sole owner.

In her letter to Kushner, Maloney said the committee is investigating whether Kushner improperly traded on his government position to obtain billions of dollars from the Saudi government and whether his personal financial interests improperly influenced U.S. foreign policy during Trumps administration.

This investigation will inform the Committee about whether federal ethics laws should be strengthened to prevent senior public officials from taking advantage of their position within the federal government to reap a financial windfallbefore, during, or after government employment, Chairwoman Maloney wrote.

The committee has also requested that Kushner supply the panel with documents, including personal communications and records, relating to the investment by June 16, 2022.

Your support for Saudi interests was unwavering, even as Congress and the rest of the world closely scrutinized the countrys human rights abuses in Yemen, the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi assassins tied to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Saudi Arabias crackdown on political dissidents at home, wrote Maloney.

Maloney added that the committee is concerned by the investment that came immediately following your significant involvement in shaping U.S.-Saudi relations.

Your close relationship with Crown Prince bin Salman, your pro-Saudi positions during the Trump Administration, and PIFs decision to fund the lions share of your new business ventureonly six months after the end of your White House tenurecreate the appearance of a quid pro quo for your foreign policy work during the Trump Administration, the committee Chairwoman wrote.

The committee in 2019 published two reports regarding Kushners efforts to secure a project to share nuclear power technology with Saudi Arabia, despite concerns of senior U.S. national security leaders.

If successful, that project would have benefitted an asset management firm, Brookfield Asset Management, which subsequently bailed out a troubled property owned by Mr. Kushners familys real estate business, Kushner Companies, according to the committee.

Saudi Arabia has come under fire for a string of human rights abuses and its restrictive laws on political and religious expression. In March the kingdom executed 81 men who were found guilty of committing multiple heinous crimes, in one day.

In 2021, Saudi executed 67 individuals, while in 2020, it executed 27.

Saudi denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws.

A spokesman for Kushner said in a statement to The New York Times that Kushner: While achieving six peace deals in the Middle East, Mr. Kushner fully abided by all legal and ethical guidelines both during and after his government service.

The spokesman added that the former senior White House adviser is proud to be among many private sector stakeholders advancing connectivity between Americans, Israelis, and Arabs to encourage continued regional progress.

The Epoch Times has contacted Jared Kushner and the Saudi Public Investment Fund for comment.
Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) speaks during a House Judiciary Committee mark up hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington on June 2, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

House Judiciary Committee Votes to Advance Expansive Gun Control Bill

The House Judiciary Committee on June 2 voted to advance a gun control bill in the wake of a deadly shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

The final vote fell along party lines, with every committee Republican voting against the legislation and every committee Democrat voting to advance it.

Splits between Democrats and Republicans were on full display during the hearing, which focused on the Protecting Our Kids Act, H.R. 7910.

That bill, among other provisions, would ban the sale of any semiautomatic centerfire rifle or semi-automatic centerfire shotgun that has, or has the capacity to accept, an ammunition feeding device with a capacity exceeding 5 rounds to citizens below the age of 21; currently one only needs to be 18 to buy such a weapon.

It would also codify the Department of Justices controversial ban on bump stocks, a weapon modification that increases the fire rate of a semiautomatic firearm.

In addition, it would also make it a federal crime to possess weapons that critics have pejoratively labeled ghost guns, usually describing homemade or 3D-printed weapons without a serial number.

Democrats pushed strongly for the passage of the bill, saying that stricter gun control laws are needed in response to the shooting in Uvalde that left 19 children and two adults dead.

The legislation might have saved those children in Uvalde, Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said, adding whoever saves one life, its as if he saved the whole world.

Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) argued at one point in the hearing that arguments against the bill hinging on the Second Amendment are faulty.

The Supreme Court has ruled time and time again that the Second Amendment is not absolute, he said.

Others pushed for the bill as a matter of urgency, and called for various changes to Senate rules and the Supreme Courts composition if necessary to pass the legislation.

This epidemic of gun violence is not unstoppable, said Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.). It is a choicea choice you could make differently at any time, a choice between our lives and your guns.

Time and time again you have chosen to put your right to kill over our right to live, Jones added. But your selfishness and your indifference have not killed our hope.

If the filibuster stops us, we will abolish it, Jones said. If the Supreme Court objects, we will expand it. And we will not rest until we have taken weapons of war out of circulation in our communities.

Each and every day, we will do whatever it takes to end gun violence, Jones said. Whatever it takes, he emphasized.

Republicans, by contrast, have pushed for legislation to address mental illness and to increase school security, but have rejected efforts to limit gun rights.

While what happened in Uvalde was a tragedy, Judiciary Ranking Member Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said, protecting children is not a Democrat or Republican issue.

Jordan called instead for legislation based on making schools safer rather than restricting gun rights, a sentiment shared by many other Republicans.

Were all for that, Jordan said. But were not for taking away Second Amendment liberties.

Rather, Jordan said, we should focus on discovering the why of mass shootings: Until we discover the why, were never going to solve the problem.

The left and the Democrats response to practically every problem is to take more power and control into the national government, or take away individuals rights, or throw taxpayer money at the problemsometimes both, said Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.).

Thats why they tend to exacerbate practically every problem without resolution, Biggs said. They misidentify the cause of virtually every effect.

The misuse of guns for evil or even criminal purposes is another example. Millions of Americans safely and responsibly own and use guns.

Rep. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.) echoed the sentiment.

You are not going to bully your way into stripping Americans of fundamental rights, Bishop said.

In a statement, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said that the House would vote on the legislation next week.

Though the legislation is likely to pass the lower chamber, it has little to no chance of passing in the Senate, where it would need the support of at least 10 Republicans to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold.
A Border Patrol agent organizes a large group of illegal immigrants near Eagle Pass, Texas, on May 20, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Illegal Border Crossings Increase to 7,500 Per Day in May

DEL RIO, TexasBorder Patrol agents along the southern border apprehended more than 7,500 illegal aliens per day in May, according to provisional Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data obtained by The Epoch Times. The average daily apprehension rate in January was 4,700.

Agents from Brownsville, Texas, to San Diego apprehended 232,628 illegal border crossers in May, the highest monthly total in at least 23 years.

Another 34,547 individualsalso known as gotawayswere detected illegally entering the United States, but werent apprehended as they headed into the interior. Its impossible to estimate how many illegal aliens entered and werent detected.

The provisional statistics also reveal that 79 illegal immigrants were found dead or died while crossing the border in May. Deaths during the summer months are generally higher, as the heat claims more lives.

Already this morning, weve encountered two deceased individuals that were apparently left behind by the smuggler in the desert, Del Rio Border Patrol Sector Chief Jason Owens said on May 17.

Owens said a third body was found in the river.

During fiscal year 2020, a total of 247 individuals died, according to the last available CBP statistics for deaths along the southern border.

CBP is yet to provide The Epoch Times with the number of deaths for fiscal year 2021 and fiscal year 2022 to date, after an initial request was made on May 3.

Apprehensions in the El Paso, Texas, sector have almost doubled this yearto 35,650 in May from 18,039 in January.

El Paso Deputy City Manager Mario DAgostino told the El Paso City Council on May 23 that during the previous two weeks, more than 60,000 migrants had amassed in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, directly across the border from El Paso in anticipation of Title 42 being lifted.

And we can only imagine it growing even further, DAgostino said.

The Biden administration had planned to end the Title 42 public health order on May 23, although it was blocked by a federal judge in Louisiana, and the order remains in place. The measure allows for the quick expulsion of illegal aliens at U.S. borders to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the Department of Homeland Security has been exempting whole groups of illegal immigrants from Title 42 since February 2021, and is instead releasing the majority into the United States with a court date that can be years away.

During April, 53 percent of illegal immigrants were processed under Title 8 immigration law and ushered into the United States, while 47 percent were quickly expelled under Title 42. Three-quarters of the Title 42 expulsions were Mexican.

Other nationalities, such as Venezuelans, Cubans, and Nicaraguans, are being given parole status, which used to be a rare exception to the rule and allows illegal aliens to stay in the United States for at least a year.

During April, Border Patrol agents released more than 40,000 illegal aliens as parolees15,000 more than in March.
Students and parents arrive masked for the first day of the school year at Grant Elementary School in Los Angeles on Aug. 16, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

LA Unified Combats Cannabis Dispensaries Near Schools

LOS ANGELESThe Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is working with local authorities to clamp down on cannabis dispensaries near school campuses, according to officials.

Since I arrived in Los Angeles, I have heard reports about dispensaries that are located across the street from some of our schools, Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said in a statement. If this were your child, would you want a dispensary in your neighborhood or zip code? As caretakers of our communitys children, we must ensure that we keep them safe, healthy and thriving.

LAUSD officials said theyre concerned about new cannabis-infused products that look like regular candies and gummies and incidents of children mistakenly ingesting such products.

Gummies containing CBD (Cannabidiol) are seen in a shop in the Paris area on June 14, 2018. (Geoffroy Van der Hasselt/AFP via Getty Images)

Los Angeles Unified is proactively working to ensure that students remain safe from adverse effects of marijuana which have been noted in other states, the statement reads.

Last month, a fourth-grade student in the Twin Rivers Unified School District in Sacramento, California, shared marijuana-infused candy with classmates, according to Fox News.

The cannabis candy was in a package that resembled Skittles, the district said in a statement. We find this whole situation distressingedible marijuana products in packages that resemble popular brands of candy.

Candy bars laced with medical marijuana are seen on display at the Alternative Herbal Health Services cannabis dispensary in San Francisco on April 24, 2006. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Similar incidents of students sharing marijuana candies with classmates have occurred in Ohio and Pennsylvania this monthwith the Ohio students experiencing nausea, elevated heart rates, and hallucinations and the Pennsylvania students being hospitalized and later released.

Los Angeles Unified has more than 270 campuses throughout the city, and its currently unclear how many of them have marijuana dispensaries nearby.

None of the licensed existing marijuana dispensaries were allowed to operate within 700 feet of a school, according to a spokesperson for Los Angeless Department of Cannabis Regulationformed in 2017 and responsible for commercial cannabis license issuing and regulation.

The spokesperson told The Epoch Times that if a retail cannabis business is closer than 700 feet to a school, its likely because of one of the three following circumstances: The cannabis shop was deemed eligible at the location before the schools license was publicly available on the State Board of Education website, the school doesnt have a license issued to operate at its current location, or the business isnt licensed by the city and is engaged in unlicensed commercial cannabis activity.

The department encourages the public to report these locations to its online complaint portal or contact the Los Angeles Police Department.

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that some existing marijuana dispensaries are grandfathered to operate within 600 feet of a school. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Bags of heroin, some laced with fentanyl, are displayed before a press conference at the office of the New York Attorney General, in New York, on Sept. 23, 2016. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

LA Unified Warns of Fentanyl After 3 Students Overdose

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) issued a health alert June 1 warning parents and students about the dangers of fentanyl-laced drugs after three LAUSD students overdosed last week.

The three teenage girls were hospitalized May 25 after consuming a drug laced with fentanyla synthetic opioid about 100 times stronger than morphine. Officials said the students thought they were buying ecstasy online.

LAUSD officials advised parents to educate their children about making healthy choices and about the dangers of ingesting any illicit drugs especially as we enter into end-of-year celebrations and the summer.

The county public health department released an alert, stating there is a strong likelihood these drugs are being distributed throughout the community.

The incident highlights the growing national and local trend of illicit drugs and counterfeit pills being contaminated with illegally manufactured fentanyl and other stimulant contaminants with toxicity impacting multiple organ systems, including the heart and brain, that can lead to multiple symptoms, the LA County Public Health Department said in the alert May 31.

The three students overdosed on the drugs at an apartment in Santa Monica. Their ages were not released by LAUSD, nor was whether the students took the drugs on district campus grounds.

At the time of the overdose, the girls were taken to a hospital, with authorities initially saying two of the teens were in critical but stable condition, and the third was conscious and alert.

LA County has seen a rise in opioid substance abuse in recent years, with opioid-related deaths jumping nearly 40 percent in 2021 from the previous year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mothers Against Drug Deaths, a group of parents calling for more drug regulation, marched on the state Capitol last month, demanding Gov. Gavin Newsom do more to solve the states fentanyl crisis.

Mock sizing of a potentially lethal dose of Fentanyl, on April 1, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Jacqui Berlinn, co-founder of Mothers Against Drug Deaths, told The Epoch Times that many young people get their drugs from social media platforms, such as Snapchat.

A lot of young people order drugs from dealers on Snapchat, and then the drugs get delivered to your door just like a pizza, Berlinn said.

Many of these substances come from across the U.S.-Mexico border, where fentanyl gets mixed in with other drugs, according to Berlinn.

People who accidentally consume fentanyl laced in other drugs can often develop an addiction to fentanyl, Berlinn said.

Berlinn said her son was a heroin addict until he developed a fentanyl addiction from accidentally smoking fentanyl-laced heroin.

Sometimes, fentanyl poisoning can also cause death; Mothers Against Drug Deaths co-founder Michelle Leopolds son died of a fentanyl-laced pill.

To prevent such addictions and deaths, the group is calling on Newsom to end open-air drug marketssuch as the ones in San Franciscos Tenderloin District and Skid Row and Venice Beach in LAand to declare a state of emergency on fentanyl.

I think its important for everyone to be aware of this, and if youre a parent, you have to talk to your kids about this, Berlinn said. Fentanyl is deadly. People could be curious and try it one time, and then they lose their lives.

In addition to fentanyl, LAUSD is also concerned with students accessing other drugs such as marijuana.

Last week, LAUSD officials issued a statement expressing concern over new cannabis-infused products that look like regular candies and gummies, and incidents of children mistakenly ingesting such products.

The district said it is working with local authorities to close or relocate cannabis dispensaries near school campuses.
Labors Push for a Republic

Commentary

The 31st Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, has unveiled his ministry. It consists of a total of 42 ministers who were sworn in on June 1 by Governor-General David Hurley.

One notable choice is the appointment of Matt Thistlethwaite as assistant minister for the republic. Although the appointment has attracted only a limited amount of attention, it is potentially of serious concern to Australia.

This is because Thistlethwaites appointment foreshadows the activist nature of Albaneses Labor government with regard to the constitutional structures of Australia.

Not only has the prime minister thrown his unqualified support behind the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which seeks to entrench Aboriginal rights in the Constitution but, in appointing an assistant minister for the Republic, he has also disclosed his desire to radically change the constitutional framework of Australia, changing it from a monarchy to a republic.

Common sense and experience confirm that Australias political class should exercise restraint when promoting structural amendments to the Constitution. This is because constitutional referenda needed to make such a change are not often successfulsince federation, 44 proposals have been voted upon by Australias electors, and only eight of these have been approved.

Assistant Minister for the Republic Matt Thistlethwaite (L) shakes hands with Australian Governor-General David Hurley during a swearing-in ceremony at Government House in Canberra, Australia, on June 1, 2022. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)

Albaneses activist approach, which tinkers with Australias basic law, is as unwise as it is deplorable for several reasons.

First, the appointment of a minister for the Republic constitutes a repudiation of the Australian Constitution, which states in its preamble that the people  have agreed to unite in one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and under the Constitution hereby established.

Section 2 of the Constitution states that A Governor-General  shall be Her Majestys representative in the Commonwealth, and  may exercise  subject to this Constitution, such powers and functions of the Queen as Her Majesty may be pleased to assign to him.

The new Labor government has unequivocally opted to work outside this framework to achieve its long-held dream of turning Australia into a republic.

Second, the appointment of a minister for the Republic pre-empts any decision that Australian electors might make in a referendum on this issue, thereby disrespecting and disregarding their views. The Constitution, in section 128, provides that electors, voting in a referendum, must consent to any proposed constitutional amendment.

The last referendum on this issue was held in 1999 when 55 percent of electors voted No to the establishment of a republic. An Ipsos poll, released in January 2021, found that 40 percent of interviewees opposed Australia becoming a republic, and one-quarter of the surveyed people indicated they did not know.

Jewel Topsfield, reporting on the results of the survey, indicated that this is the highest level of undecided responses on the issue recorded by successive Ipsos and Nielsen polls. The poll indicated that support for a republic, which peaked in December 1999, has steadily decreased since then.

Another poll, conducted by research company Resolve Strategic and released in January 2022, found that 54 percent favour the establishment of a republic, but it also noted that there is no momentum for the republican cause compared to opinion polls over the past two decades.

So, if the polls are correct, it is unlikely that a double majority can be found for this profound constitutional change.

Third, the appointment of a minister for the Republic has been made at a most inopportune time when her Majesty the Queen celebrates her platinum anniversary jubilee as Queena reign of 70 years.

As could be expected, the Australian Republic Movement (ARM) chair Peter FitzSimons welcomed the appointment of the Assistant Minister for the Republic. However, he commented dismissively that were getting our head of state from a family of English aristocrats living in a palace in England.

Queen Elizabeth ll smiles amongst Australian flags being waved by the crowd after the Commonwealth Day Service in Sydney, Australia, on March 13, 2006. (Rob Griffith/Pool/Getty Images)

ARM announced its preference for the election of an Australian Head of State for a five-year period. If this proposal were to be adopted, Australians would have to vote for yet another politician, who likely would be aligned with a political party. If so, his or her impartiality would be seriously compromised. If the Australian Head of State were to belong to a party different from the ruling party, the likelihood of constitutional crises would be radically increased.

FitzSimons also disclosed his personal preference to call the Australian Head of State Elder, instead of, say, President. He indicated that this title represents the dignity of Australia.

Although this title would easily fit into the narrative proposed by the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which aims at entrenching the Voicean Indigenous advisory body to the Australian Parliamentinto the Constitution, it does not represent the dignity of all Australians.

The proponents of maintaining the monarchy undoubtedly deplore the continuing push, supported by a progressive left-wing government bent on trashing the constitutional structures of Australia and turning the country into a republic.

They point out that Australia already has an Australian Head of State, who is known as the governor-general. The governor-generals appointment is made by the Australian government, and the Queens assent is a formality because she always signs off on the recommendation. They argue that any change in the constitutional structure would lead to unnecessary upheaval, resulting in cultural as well as economic challenges, and would not result in measurable benefits for Australia.

The appointment of the assistant minister for the Republic raises the spectre that Albanese is planning a referendum to change the Constitution. However, he will have to contend with section 128 of the Constitution, which requires a double majority for a law amending the Constitution to be successful: an overall majority of electors and a majority of electors in four states. It is a formidable hurdle to overcome.

But the prime minister, in appointing an assistant minister for the Republic, has skewed the debate in favour of a republic and will be spending public money on yet another dubious project.

Australia has now a minister of the Crown whose job it is to remove the Crown from the Australian landscape.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
New Mexico Congresswoman Yvette Herrell interviews with NTD's Capitol Report, on March 17, 2022. (NTD/Screenshot via The Epoch Times

Last Republican US House Seat in New Mexico on the Line After Redistricting

The only Republican U.S. House seat from New Mexicos congressional delegation is on the line in the November midterm elections after a Democrat-led redistricting changed the district from one that Trump won by 12 points to one that Biden won by 6 points.

New Mexicos Second Congressional District, held by Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) since 2020, is now rated as a toss-up by the University of Virginia Center for Politics, the Cook Political Report, and Inside Elections.

Incumbent Republican Congresswoman Yvette Herrell, who represents New Mexicos Second District, is running for reelection in November. She has no primary challenger.

After serving four terms in the New Mexico House of Representatives, Herrell, a native American, ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2018. She won the seat in 2020.

Seeking the Democratic nomination for the right to challenge Herrell in November is Dr. Darshan Patel, 35, of Hobbs.

Patel is a rural physician and president of a union representing 20,000 resident physicians. Patel, who has the endorsement of the Service Employees International Union, is a strong advocate for a living wage for all workers.

Though vying to represent a sprawling congressional district rich in oil and natural gas, Patel is an unabashed supporter of transitioning the state of New Mexico away from fossil fuels.

Running against Patel for the Democrat nomination is former Las Cruces city council member Gabriel Vasquez.

Vasquez, a progressive and environmental activist, is endorsed by dozens of establishment Democrat party leaders and elected officials across the state.

Vasquez says he is concerned about the high cost of living, combating climate change, conserving public lands and natural resources, and creating good-paying jobs.

New Mexico Turns Blue

The once purple state of New Mexico has gone deep blue and the states Democratic Party is working to keep it that way.

Registered Democrats now outnumber registered Republicans by nearly 200,000, creating an almost insurmountable challenge for Republican candidates going into the 2022 election cycle.

Beginning with Barrack Obamas victory in 2008, the Democratic Partys nominee for president has won the state four times in a row.

It wasnt always so.

In 1992, Bill Clinton was the first Democrat presidential candidate to win New Mexico since Lyndon Johnson in 1964, breaking a 28-year Republican winning streak.

Al Gore won the state by 366 votes in 2000 and then in 2004 New Mexico voted to reelect the incumbent Republican President George W. Bush, the last time a GOP nominee won the state.

Today, New Mexicos United States senators are both Democrats, as are two of the states three congressional representatives.

Neither senator is up for reelection this year.

The Democrats have held the majority in the state house of representatives for an unbroken streak of 30 years and the majority in the state senate all but twice during that time.

Democrats currently control by comfortable majorities both houses of the legislature, the state house of representatives 47 to 23 and the state senate 26-16

All five of New Mexicos Supreme Court justices are Democrats.

The offices of New Mexico secretary of state, attorney general, state treasurer, state auditor, and commissioner of public lands are all occupied by Democrats.

Only in the battles for the governorship have the Republicans managed to win about half the time over the last 30 years.

Incumbent Democrat Governor Michelle Grisham, who was elected to her first four-year term in 2018, may face a stiff challenge in November from Republican front-runner Mark Ronchetti.

The New Mexico Capitol, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (Zack Frank/Shutterstock)

Just a week away from the June 7 primary, Ronchetti, a former TV meteorologist and unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2020, holds a commanding lead over three-term State Representative Rebecca Dow.

According to a poll published in the Albuquerque Journal, Ronchettti comes in at 45 percent to Dows 17 percent, with three other candidates each polling in single digits and 21 percent undecided.

The poll was based on a live statewide survey of 560 registered Republicans who voted in the 2018 and 2020 primary elections, and stated they are likely to vote in the June 7 primary.

The survey was conducted from May 15-19.

Over the years, New Mexico Democrats have effectively used their legislative muscle to help perpetuate their advantage.

The Democrat legislature recently passed a redistricting plan, which was signed by Grisham, that changed Herrells district from one that Trump won by 12 points to one that Biden won by 6 points.

In early 2022 Grisham signed legislation raising teachers salaries, a move seen by Republicans as an attempt to shore up support for Democrats from the politically powerful teachers unions.

Earlier, Grisham signed into law Election Day voter registration, as well as automatic registration for every eligible person who has dealings with the Division of Motor Vehicles.

Under the automatic registration law, a person must affirmatively opt-out or be automatically registered to vote.

A law was also passed allowing 17-year-olds in New Mexico to vote in the upcoming June 7 primary election if they will turn 18 (the legal voting age), by the date of the November general election.

Historically, the New Mexico primary election has been a closed primary, meaning only voters who have previously stated their party affiliation are eligible to vote, and then only within their declared partys primary.

Recent rule changes have liberalized the process, now allowing voters who have declared themselves members of parties other than the three ballot-qualified parties, Republican, Democrat, and Libertarian, to vote in the party of their choice.

The new process also allows DST voters (those who have declined to state a party affiliation) to declare one and vote that day in the partisan primary they choose.

Absentee voting began on May 10.
A student studies in the sunshine at Georgetown University in Washington, on March 9, 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Law Professor Suspended for Criticizing Bidens Affirmative Action SCOTUS Pick Will Get Job Back

Georgetown University has reinstated the director of its constitutional law program, who had been suspended for objecting to President Joe Bidens explicit race- and gender-driven plan to fill a Supreme Court vacancy.

Ilya Shapiro, who would have started working as executive director of the Georgetown Center for the Constitution on Feb. 1, became a target of progressives because of a series of Twitter posts in which he criticized Bidens use of race and gender criteria for selecting a replacement for retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Objectively best pick for Biden is Sri Srinivasan, who is solid prog & smart, Shapiro wrote in one of the now-deleted Jan. 26 posts. Even has identity politics benefit of being first Asian (Indian) American. But alas doesnt fit into the latest intersectionality hierarchy so well get lesser black woman. Thank heaven for small favors?

Because Biden said hes only consider[ing] black women for SCOTUS, his nominee will always have an asterisk attached. Fitting that the Court takes up affirmative action next term, he wrote in another post.

After receiving backlash, Shapiro quickly released an apology for his inartful choice of words, but insisted that Bidens blatantly using identity politics in choosing Supreme Court justices is discrediting to a vital institution.

The apology wasnt received well by the progressives in the campus community. Georgetowns Black Law Students Association on Jan. 28 released a statement calling on the law school to fire Shapiro, along with a list of other demands. Georgetown Law Dean William Treanor reacted by placing Shapiro on suspension, pledging to investigate him for potential violation of professional conduct, non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies.

In a lengthy announcement on June 2, Treanor said an investigation found Shapiro was not properly subject to discipline, since he wasnt yet a Georgetown employee when he wrote those comments, and as a result, he will assume the position he was hired for.

The dean stressed that the university still found Shapiros opinions harmful and antithetical to its goal of building inclusion, belonging, and respect, but ultimately decided to reinstate him for technical reasons.

I am deeply aware of the pain this incident has given rise to in our campus community, particularly but not exclusively among our Black female students, faculty, staff, and alumni, Treanor said, promising that Shapiro will undergo mandatory programming on implicit bias, cultural competence, and non-discrimination.

Shapiro wrote on Twitter that he is looking forward to promoting freedom to think and diversity of ideas at Georgetown Law.

As befitting a Center for the Constitution, all students and participants in my programs can expect to be accorded the freedom to think and speak freely and to be treated equally: a diversity of ideas will be most welcome, he wrote.

Breyer, who first joined the bench in 1994, is set to retire later this year. He will be replaced by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, who is set to become the first black woman to serve on the nations highest court.
LA Restricts Outdoor Watering to 2 Days Per Week

LOS ANGELESLos Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) customers can only water their yards twice a week, after the utility implemented stricter water conservation rules on June 1 to combat the states drought.

We want our customers to dig deeper and save water wherever possible, to help get us through the summer without having to further restrict outdoor watering, said Martin Adams, LADWP general manager and chief engineer.

The new restriction limits customers with street addresses ending in odd numbers to water on Mondays and Fridays, and customers with even-numbered street addresses to water on Thursdays and Sundays. All watering activities should take place before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m., according to the department.

In addition, the LADWP also issued several other restrictions: no washing vehicles using a hose without a self-closing nozzle, no water should flow off a property, and no hosing down the driveway or sidewalk.

The department also recommended residents with swimming pools use a pool cover to prevent evaporation and wash their cars at commercial facilities.

The LADWP officials also urged their customers to take advantage of water-saving rebates and programs, such as a $3-a-square-foot rebate for turf replacement and the utilitys high-efficiency showerhead and faucet aerator giveaways to maximize water conservation and save on their water bills.

LADWP said it will be patrolling the streets of Los Angeles to educate Angelenos on the days of the week watering restrictions and to enforce the ordinance.

The regulation was embraced by some, but others have different ideas about water conservation.

Luke Huang, a resident of Hacienda Heights, said he thinks the city should invest more money in repairing leaking pipes and improving the water system.

You can still take showers regularly. There is no better way to solve the drought problem. But I think what the city should do is to replace the water pipes, Huang told The Epoch Times. Gallons of water could run off during transportation if there is a pipe leakage.

Jacob Sayono, a Westwood resident who lives in an apartment, said he will not be impacted by the policy but thinks residents should do whatever they can to conserve water.

I believe it is good to regulate water usage according to the climate circumstances. But I believe we as a society should conserve water usage in the first place, Sayono told The Epoch Times.
Candy-flavored cigars appear on display at a custom tobacco shop in Albany, N.Y., on May 31. The American Cancer Society is pushing to make New York the first state to enact a comprehensive restriction on the sale of candy-and fruit-flavored cigarillos, chewing tobacco, and tobacco used in water pipes. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

Los Angeles to Ban Flavored Tobacco, With Exception of Hookah

LOS ANGELESThe Los Angeles City Council on June 1 banned the sale of flavored tobacco in the city, with an exception for hookah lounges that meet certain conditions.

The ordinance will go into effect on Jan. 1. It does not ban the possession or use of flavored tobacco for people over the age of 21.

In June of last year, the council directed the city attorney to draft an ordinance to ban flavored tobacco and menthol cigarette sales in the citybut exempted hookah tobacco products at existing lounges.

The ordinance, which underwent amendments in March, passed 120 on June 1.

Under the ordinance, existing smoke lounges will be able to sell hookah products for on-site or off-site consumption, but the citys 4,500 tobacco retail stores will be banned from selling flavored tobacco, including hookah tobacco.

A representative for the National Association of Tobacco Outlets thanked city councilors before the vote for finding a middle ground on the issue of flavored tobacco and listening to the voice of retailers throughout the city who sought a delayed enforcement date of Jan. 1.

The council was initially going to vote last June on requesting an ordinance to ban flavored tobacco with an exemption for menthol cigarettes, but the bodys three Black councilmen at the timeMark Ridley-Thomas, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and Curren Priceamended the motion to remove that exemption, citing the high rates of Black people who smoke menthol cigarettes.

Menthol is included in this ban, as it should be, Harris-Dawson said before the vote Wednesday. It is a flavor just like every other flavor and it would have been extremely disappointing if we had said were going to protect people and children from uptake of tobacco, except for the flavor that we know Black people first and Latinos second use the most.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the tobacco industry has aggressively marketed menthol products to young people and African Americans, especially in urban communities.

Carol McGruder, of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council and Black Leaders Against Tobacco Injustice, told council members ahead of the vote Wednesday, Just want to tell you how our hearts are full as we stand with the great city of Los Angeles to get on record that we will no longer sell these deadly products in our communities into our children, particularly the African American community that has been so perniciously and racistly targeted by the tobacco industry for decades.

Councilors heard on June 1 from representatives of the American Heart Association, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, the American Lung Association, the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, Black Leaders Against Tobacco Injustice, the Los Angeles Youth First Tobacco Coalition, and more organizations in support of the ban on flavored tobacco.

Councilman Paul Krekorian thanked the coalition for their activism and for pushing the council to take action.

What youve made happen is the second-largest city in America is setting the example for America, thanks to you. And thanks to you, there will be thousands and thousands and thousands of people that are going to escape the pernicious clutches of one of the wealthiest, most powerful industries on planet earththanks to you and your activism, he said.

Several councilors also wanted to ban shisha, used for hookah, under the ordinance, as did City Attorney Mike Feuer. Feuer, who is tasked with writing the citys laws at the city councils request, transmitted a draft of the ordinance to the city council in September, but he urged the council to amend it to include a complete ban on all flavored tobacco products, including flavored hookah.

A complete ban in the city of Los Angeles on the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including flavored hookah, has the potential to be life-saving, Feuer said then, adding that 3.6-million kids nationwide are using ecigarettes, which he called a gateway to regular cigarettes.

Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who motioned last June to amend the original ordinance request to allow hookah products to be sold for off-site consumption, as well as on-site consumption at lounges, said she worried about the impact on small business owners, who also rely on selling hookah products for off-site activity.

That amendment, which passed last year eight votes to six, came as the city council faced demands from the National Hookah Community Association to exempt hookah from the ordinance, calling it a cultural tradition.

Councilman Paul Krekorian, who is of Armenian descent, attempted during the June 16 council meeting to counter the arguments that hookah is a cultural tradition.

There has been a lot of discussion  about hookah and its cultural significance to some immigrant communities, and I have to say that argument has bothered me a lot because Ive never smoked a hookah; people in my family, my Armenian extended family, do not smoke hookah. Armenian culture is defined by its music and its art and its literature and its faith  its not defined by hookah, Krekorian said at that meeting.

In my view, the way that you protect Armenian culture  is by not allowing Armenian young people to die prematurely from smoking-related death, he said.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in October 2019 to adopt an ordinance banning flavored tobacco products and to call on Gov. Gavin Newsom to pass a statewide ban on vaping.

On Aug. 28, California became the second state in the nation to pass statewide restrictions on the sale of flavored tobacco products, following Massachusetts. Tobacco manufacturers and retailers have challenged many of the laws and ordinances, but courts have upheld restrictions on the sale of flavored tobacco products, finding them constitutional and in line with the Tobacco Control Act.

According to national data, tobacco is the No. 1 preventable killer in the United States, resulting in more deaths than the number of people who die from alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murder, and suicide combined.

Every day, thousands of young people will use a tobacco product for the first time, and many of those tobacco products will be flavored. In California alone, 36.5 percent of high school students report using tobacco products. Of those, 86.4 percent reporting using a flavored product, according to the California Attorney Generals Office, which filed a brief in the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in support of Los Angeles Countys ordinance.

The city councils steps toward banning flavored tobacco have been celebrated by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and the American Lung Association.

Ending the sale of flavored tobacco products in the City of Los Angeles will save lives, help reduce unjust disparities in tobacco use, and will prevent young people from becoming hooked on nicotine. We know that nearly 80 percent of children who use tobacco products begin with a flavored product, and that the flavor of menthol has long been used by the tobacco industry to target communities of color as well as the LGBTQ+ community, American Lung Association in California Advocacy Director Erica Costa said on June 1. Research shows that ending the sale of menthol cigarettes would result in a significant number of people quitting smoking.
Pictures showing ammunition, body armor, a BB gun, and a Dodge Charger belonging to a man who was arrested outside the Capitol building on June 3, 2022. (US Capitol Police/Twitter)

Man Arrested at the US Capitol With Fake Badge, BB Gun, and Body Armor: Police

The U.S. Capitol Police says that a man with a fake badge, body armor, and a BB gun was arrested outside the Capitol building on Friday morning.

In a news release, officials identified the individual as Jerome Felipe, 53, a resident of Flint, Michigan. He was also armed with high capacity magazines and other ammunition, said the U.S. Capitol Police.

Felipe was also identified as a retired police officer who had worked in New York.

Just before 5:00 am, the release added, a U.S. Capitol Police patrol officer started talking to a man who had parked his 2017 Dodge Charger near Peace Circle, on the West side of the Capitol.

Later, he presented officials with a fake badge with the writing, Department of the INTERPOL, printed on its front. The individual also made what was described as a false statement that he was a criminal investigator for INTERPOL, also known as the International Criminal Police Organization headed in Lyon, France.

Felipe gave officers permission to search his vehicle, the release said. The officers discovered a BB gun, two ballistic vests, several high capacity magazines, and other ammunition in the car.

USCP Arrests Man with Fake Badge, Body Armor & High Capacity Magazines: https://t.co/FkFUq4UpYJ pic.twitter.com/xjfFQHQgD0  U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) June 3, 2022

They added that no real guns were found inside his vehicle.

Officials said they are still attempting to determine why Felipe was parked near the Capitol building.

Hes now facing charges of unlawful possession of high capacity magazines and unlawful possession of unregistered ammunition, according to the news release. Other details about the incident were not provided.

A spokesperson for the New York City Police Department told the New York Post that Felipe was an NYPD officer and retired in 2018. The paper reported that records suggested that he had lived in the Bronx as recently as 2019.

We are fully cooperating with the U.S. Capitol Police investigation, the spokesperson said.

During a January congressional hearing, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger called for lawmakers to create a new agency to investigate threats on the Capitol and lawmakers. He claimed that there were more than 9,000 threats lodged against House representatives and senators in 2021.

Months after the Jan. 6 Capitol breach, a U.S. Capitol Police officer was killed and another was injured in April 2021 after a man rammed his vehicle into a security barrier near the Capitol. The suspect in that case was identified as Noah Green, a follower of the Nation of Islam. After ramming his vehicle into the barrier, Green exited with a knife and was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer.

The arrest follows several mass shootings in Texas, New York state, and Oklahoma in recent weeks that have left law enforcement agencies on edge.
Moderna Delays COVID Vaccine Deliveries to EU by Several Months

Moderna Inc. said on Thursday it has agreed to push back some COVID-19 vaccine deliveries to the European Union by several months to later in 2022 or early next year.

Shares of Moderna fell nearly 2 percent before the bell over the delay, even though the company stuck to its vaccine sales forecast of $21 billion for 2022.

Delivery of the doses were originally planned in the second quarter, the European Commission said in a statement.

The bloc had also tweaked agreements with Pfizer Inc. and German partner BioNTech SE. in April to delay vaccine deliveries by three months as it gears up for a potential booster campaign in the fall.

The region has also seen a drop in demand for COVID-19 vaccines.

The agreement helps optimize supply arrangements and align them with current demand levels in our Member States, said Stella Kyriakides, commissioner for Health and Food Safety.

Switzerland health officials said last week that the country will destroy more than 620,000 expired doses of Modernas COVID-19 vaccine as demand for the shots drops dramatically.

Under the amended agreement with Moderna, EU countries will also get access to a next-generation vaccine targeted at both the Omicron variant and the original strain, if it is approved.

By Manas Mishra and Mrinalika Roy
Most New Hong Kong Immigrants to UK Doing Well Mentally, but 1 in 4 Have PTSD Symptoms: Survey

Most Hongkongers who immigrated to the U.K. after Beijing imposed a sweeping security law on the city in June 2020 say their mental health has subsequently improved, while smaller numbers say they have experienced symptoms of post-traumatic stress, a survey has found.

The survey report (pdf) by Cambridge University researcher Mark Liang in collaboration with the U.K.-based advocacy group Hongkongers in Britain, found that 62 percent of Hong Kong arrivals surveyed said their mental health has improved overall since moving to Britain.

However, the survey found that 18.9 percent and 25.8 percent of survey respondents reported symptoms of depressive and anxiety disorders, respectively.

One in four reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress linked to the trauma they experienced in Hong Kong.

[Some] 23.8 percent of respondents reported clinically significant symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as related to the 2019 Hong Kong Protests and implementation of HKs National Security Law, the report said.

In early 2019, the Hong Kong government introduced whats commonly known as the new extradition bill, which triggered an intense backlash from Hong Kong residents. In June 2019, the Hong Kong Civil Human Rights Front organized a large demonstration against the proposed bill, marking the beginning of the anti-extradition protests.

Protests grew in scale over concerns that the citys freedoms were being eroded and violent clashes between police and some pro-democracy activists followed.

Beijing forced a new National Security Law in Hong Kong in June 2020. The controversial law allowed local police to arrest Hongkongers who participated in the protests, resulting in large numbers of Hongkongers fleeing the city.

Pro-democracy protesters gather during a rally at Victoria Park in Hong Kong on Aug. 18, 2019. The protesters were rallying against a controversial extradition bill. (Billy H.C. Kwok/Getty Images)

The online questionnaire was the first U.K.-wide survey conducted on newly arrived Hong Kong immigrants in Britain. Some 658 people answered the survey, with 90 percent identified as British National (Overseas) passport holders, and the rest were Hongkongers seeking asylum and naturalized British citizens.

Most respondents were between the ages of 25 and 54, and more than half had lived in the U.K. for four to 11 months.

Fear of Retribution

Cambridge Universitys Liang said that in addition to typical immigration issues such as language, employment, family and child relations, the mental health issues specific to the Hong Kong arrival population included perceived fear of retribution for discussing politics and worry for people still back in Hong Kong.

Several survey respondents cited wanting to visit parents or family members who continue to live in Hong Kong and so felt they were unable to give any political opinion that might run afoul of authorities. More than one mentioned survivors guilt, the report stated.

I hate to think [I] cannot travel back to [my] homeland freely. No one wants to be exiled or named fugitive, said a respondent.

Riot police guard detained pro-democracy protesters in the Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong on May 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

Mistrust

Over 90 percent of respondents said they are enrolled in U.K.s National Health Service (NHS), but only 6 percent of respondents have reportedly discussed mental health issues with a general practitioner. Meanwhile, nearly 75 percent of Hong Kong immigrants said they were unlikely to pursue mental health treatments in the next six months.

Most respondents expressed low willingness to talk to Hong Kong community groups and NHS therapists but rather discuss mental health issues privately with friends and family members.

There appears to be a lack of trust in non-white ethnic support groups or communities, most likely related to political factors, Liang said in a video conference. Many respondents worry that their words will be misunderstood or negatively impact them in the future.

Liang said that the British government had previously allocated funds to provide new Hong Kong arrivals with support services such as education and mental health. However, some Chinese groups that won the bid were suspected of being infiltrated by the Chinese Communist Party, further exacerbating Hongkongers mistrust of these services.

PTSD

Liang added that 10 percent of respondents exited the survey upon seeing the PTSD question, which may indicate some form of distress and factors impacting their ability to speak freely.

[The] worst-case scenario would be a mental health crisis that goes unresolved for years, maybe even decades, because something like PTSD does not go away over time, he said.

Liang said it is important for the Hongkongers to gain confidence in the British social support system.

The U.K. should have psychotherapy services for Hongkongers, such as counselors who can speak Cantonese or have lived in Hong Kong and are aware of the psychological impact of the political environment, he said.

Protesters attend a rally for Hong Kong democracy at the Marble Arch on June 12, 2021 in London, England. (Laurel Chor/Getty Images)

Immigration Increase

By the end of last year, more than 100,000 Hongkongers had applied for the British National (Overseas) visa or BN(O) visa. The U.K. Home Office estimates that between 258,000 and 322,400 Hong Kong people will immigrate to the U.K. over the next five years.

As the National Security Law continues to violate the freedom and rights of Hong Kong residents, the U.K. began to accept BN(O) visa applications on Jan. 31, 2021, providing those with BN(O) status or Hong Kong passport holders a path to immigration.

The latest Hong Kong emigration wave marks the fourth since the beginning of the SinoBritish negotiations in the 1980s. The other two emigration waves were the Tiananmen Square crackdown, June 4, 1989, and the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997.
A wind farm, seen in a December 2015 photo, operates in Clay County, Texas, and there are efforts to build more, but not everyone is in favor of them. (Rodger Mallison/Star-Telegram via AP)

New Hampshire Residents File Suit Against Wind Farm Regulatory Agency

A group of New Hampshire residents has filed for a court injunction against the state agency in charge of regulating wind farms, alleging it deliberately misinterpreted the law in order to green-light a permit for one of the largest operators in the United States.

Neighbors of Antrim Wind Energy Turbines allege that the state Site Evaluation Committee (SEC) failed to properly apply regulations to a 1,700-acre wind farm built in their heavily-forested neighborhood by TransAlta.

The results, they allege, have left them subject to excessive and harmful noise levels.

The SEC resolved the Antrim noise problem by unilaterally voting to change its interpretation of the noise rule in violation of state law, the group said in a statement announcing its court action on June 2.

In doing so, the SEC members condemned their fellow citizens to live with dominant turbine whoosh-whumps while granting international energy giant, TransAlta, who owns Antrim Wind, the opportunity to self regulate noise levels produced by its turbines.

According to the complaint, the wind farm is producing nighttime noise levels that are at least 40 decibels over the maximum allowed under state law.

The residents hired their own noise engineer after SEC allowed TransAlta to use an average noise level from a 5-minute interval taken within a one-hour period instead of basing its review on peak noise levels, as required by state law.

Every time one of the blades passes by its station, it spikes over 52 decibels then goes back down and then back up again, said Lisa Linowes whose property abuts the wind farm. Rapid succession of noise going up and down is very hard to adapt to.

Neither the SEC nor TransAlta responded to inquiries by The Epoch Times about the groups complaint.

Shelly Ivey, who also abuts the Antrim wind farm, called the turbines War of the World monstrosities and an outrageous abuse of natural habitat.

Barbara Berwick, a longtime Antrim resident, said before the turbines were constructed, she used to enjoy keeping her windows open and listening to the peepers and sounds of nature.

Now during the summer, she keeps her windows shut and her TV on to drown out the noise.

She and the others said they were especially frustrated with the noise because the energy produced by the NH wind farm is sold to Massachusetts and has no benefit to the community.

Last year, the New Hampshire attorney general called out the SEC for failing to require TransAlta to comply with the states mandatory aircraft warning light system on its turbines.

According to a letter the attorney generals office sent to the committee, the Aircraft Detection Lighting System (ALDS) is to be strictly radar-activated, but instead stays on for long periods of timeexposing residents to a heavy stream of bright red glowing lights.

The SEC responded by saying it would investigate the matter, but offered no explanation for why it didnt include the state requirement as part of its conditions for approval of the wind farm.

TransAlta issued a statement blaming the problem on what it called the unique location of the Antrim Wind Farm.

The surface is not flat and this introduces challenges for the ADLS system to detect air traffic without any errors given the heavy presence of trees, leaf canopy and the car traffic, the company said.

Lori Lerner, founder of the New Hampshire Wind Watch, told The Epoch Times that she believes the government is doing whatever it takes to push windmill farms down the throats of residents.

She is concerned that the SECs rulingdeliberate or notwill set precedence for the allowance of similar excessive noise levels at other wind farms being built around the state.

The New Hampshire case is the latest in a growing number of lawsuits filed against wind farms.

They have already been filed in response to the recent record-breaking $4 billion lease deal President Joe Bidens administration sealed for a wind farm along Long Island Sound.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at the New York State Capitol in Albany, N.Y., on Aug. 24, 2021. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

New York Lawmakers Pass Sweeping Election Bill

New Yorks legislature has approved an elections bill modeled on legislation that failed to pass in the United States Congress.

We have passed the most powerful and most comprehensive voting rights protections in America, Assemblywoman Latrice Walker, a Democrat, said in a statement.

The bill, S1046E, amends election law in New York in order to encourage participation in the elective franchise, or elections, by all eligible voters to the maximum extent.

It says that all laws related to elections must be construed liberally in favor of protecting the right to vote and making sure minority voters have equitable access to the voting process.

If any election offices or officials are found to impair the right to vote, then the New York Supreme Court shall impose remedies such as an alternative method of election, the legislation states.

The bill will strengthen protections for all voters, especially those who have historically been disenfranchised, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, a Democrat, said in a statement.

The bills longer name is the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York. It is modeled off federal legislation named for late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), which was rejected by a bipartisan vote in the U.S. Senate in January.

Critics said the bill would federalize election administration. Among the provisions was making voting by mail an option in every state.

L. Joy Williams, president of the Brooklyn National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said in a statement that the New York legislation represents hope for New Yorkers of color who are entitled to an equal opportunity to hold local government officials accountable at the ballot box.

Not everybody agreed.

Gerard Kassar, chairman of the New York State Conservative Party, said in a statement that voting in New York is already easy.

Ballots are printed in multiple languages; early voting takes place for a full 10 days prior to an election, and diverse slates of candidates are elected to public office every year under the current system. There is no need to add new, bureaucratic and redundant layers to a voting process that already works, he said. This proposal seeks to resolve a problem that doesnt exist at enormous cost to taxpayers. It should be added to the growing pile of bad ideas out of Albany.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has said she will sign the legislation when it reaches her desk.
Law enforcement officers stand outside a subway station, the scene of a shooting, in the Brooklyn borough of New York on April 12, 2022. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

New York Subway Shooting Survivor Sues Gun Manufacturer Glock

NEW YORKA New York woman who was injured during the April 12 mass shooting aboard a New York City subway car has sued Glock Inc, arguing the gun manufacturer should have known its weapons could be purchased by people with criminal intent.

Brooklyn resident Ilene Steur, 49, is seeking to have the Georgia-based company and its Austrian parent, Glock Ges.m.b.H, compensate her for physical injuries and emotional pain she suffered after she was shot on the northbound N train while on her way to work, according to the complaint.

Her lawsuit comes after New York state in 2021 passed a law allowing people affected by gun violence to sue gunmakers for creating a nuisance that endangers public safety and health. Steur asked a judge to order Glock to eradicate the effects of its marketing practices.

New York police said Frank James used a Glock pistol he bought in Ohio to open fire after setting off two smoke bombs during the rush hour attack, injuring two dozen people, including ten who were shot. James, 62, pleaded not guilty.

The defendants marketing and distribution practices made it far more likely that criminals, including Frank James, would obtain their weapons, Steurs lawyers wrote in a complaint filed on Tuesday in Brooklyn federal court.

Last week, a federal judge in Albany threw out a lawsuit by a group of gun manufacturers and others challenging the nuisance laws constitutionality.

Glock did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The suit comes amid a renewed push to reform U.S. gun laws following a string of mass shootings, including the subway attack, a May 14 racist shooting in Buffalo, New York, that killed 10 people, and an elementary school shooting last week in Uvalde, Texas, in which 19 children and two teachers were killed.
We are living in an unprecedented era facing unprecedented challenges and unprecedented injuries. Sadly, many people have died over the past few years. Additionally, the number of people who have been injured or disabled by COVID jabs is skyrocketing and medical authorities have not been able to manage these issues in an adequate transparent manner or provide professional treatment guidelines to doctors or the public on how to help them.

The core problem is that the jabs have caused injuries to our immune system functioning, damage to our mitochondria (the cellular engines), both of which disable our normal physiologic functions. The main objective of treatment is to help our body enhance the two basic elements of human health: our self-healing mechanisms and vibrant natural immunity.

There are just a handful of currently published articles or reports that acknowledge the side effects of COVID jabs. The treatment strategies being recommended currently are based on doctors pathological and clinical observations as well as scattered experiences from patients themselves.

Just how complex is our self healing mechanism? How many layers does our immune system have? Could one method or one drug possibly be the solution for it all?

Most of us have received allopathic medical training in medical universities, and we have our clinical experiences to judge effectiveness of healing methods. All of us have realized that we have to be open-minded and continue seeking effective ways to heal until we achieve satisfactory recovery.

We will provide what we have studied, researched, and observed in a responsible manner based on our over 30 years of medical and scientific research background. We have discussed various healing strategies including using natural compounds to stop the binding of spike protein with cellular receptors, neutralizing the intracellular toxicities induced by spike protein, enhancing the self-repairing mechanisms like autophagy, and energy healing.

Here, we would like to share a novel effective method that we have researched in recent years that may help people who are seeking solutions and want to heal themselves.

Unexpected Recovery From Jab Induced Severe Brain Disease

Recently, one of my friends shared her fathers experience of an unexpected recovery from a critical condition that was caused by a COVID injection.

He is an old man in his 70s living in a southern city in China. In June 2021 he received the first dose of a COVID vaccine developed by Beijing Institute of Biological Products, a whole SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine adjuvanted with aluminum hydroxide developed by SinoPharm. In December 2021, he received the second jab and had no obvious adverse reaction. In January 2022, a third shot was given to him.

Ten days after the third jab, he felt coldness and weakness all over his body, gradually became unable to walk, and soon progressed to being unable to speak. He went to several major hospitals and underwent MRI examinations of the brain and was diagnosed with brainstem encephalitis, which is an uncommon condition characterized by autoimmune-induced demyelination syndrome in the brainstem and nervous system. His symptoms did not improve after receiving infusion therapies in a few hospitals for his symptoms.

One month after the third injection, his daughter couldnt hear what he was saying when she phoned him due to his speaking problems. The hospital issued a critical illness notice and told him that there was no more treatment for him.

He accepted his daughters suggestion of doing a surprisingly simple, easy, and cost-free method. She asked him to speak nine Chinese characters, also called the nine true words, with a calm and concentrated mind and to repeat it whenever he could.

The next day, his mind was clearer and his symptoms had significantly improved. Even the attending doctor was surprised and asked how he was able to recover so well without any effective drug treatment. He is still, to this day, in a stable recovery process.

What a surprise! He healed himself by simply speaking a few specific words.

Miraculous Recovery From COVID-19 by Repeating the Same Words

My friends fathers story simply reminded me of another case from 2020. I not only interviewed the woman myself but I also wrote a medical case report and published it in an online medical journal in March 2021.

A 73-year-old Jewish American woman who had past cardiovascular diseases and cancer history, suffered from loss of taste, had a low-grade fever, and body pains. After taking acetaminophen, the patient initially felt better, but then began to experience worsening symptoms of fatigue, body aches, and difficulty breathing.

At her worst, she was afraid she might die. Thats when a friend reached out and suggested that she recite the same nine Chinese words.

She recited the words many times a day, whenever she felt difficulty breathing. I started saying the mantra slowly because I wasnt sure if I was pronouncing the words correctly since my prayers in Hebrew must be exact, she said.

She recited these words many times a day, whenever she had difficulties breathing, roughly every hour during the day. Each recitation lasted about 510 repetitions. In the beginning she was saying the mantra very frequently. She quickly realized that oxygen was getting into her lungs when she was saying the mantra and it was clearing congestion that had solidified in her chest.

Upon realizing that the mantra was clearing her chest, she started repeating the mantra more often to quicken her recovery. After three days of reciting the mantra in this manner, the patient was able to breathe normally.

After reciting the words, she found that her symptoms began to recede. My lungs [have] opened. I can inhale longer and deeper. Within nine days, she was back to normal and breathing normally without fatigue or weakness.

I think the mantra chanting triggers a healing process that enhances the intake of oxygen and air into my chest, she added.

I want to say that [chanting] the mantra cured more than one ailment of mine. I had several different types of illnesses, but all symptoms are gone. She reported that her earlier heart disease and other medical conditions disappeared. Previously her heartbeat was 44 to 46 beats per minute. After sincerely reciting the nine words, her heart rate has been 50 to 54 beats per minute since May 20, 2020.

This mantra is good for people with breathing problems, with vascular problems, she said. I dare say that it is good for everybody, not just coronavirus patients, she added.

According to a large case series analysis in China, 14 percent of COVID-19 patients had severe symptoms (with dyspnea, respiratory frequency 30 breaths/min, etc.) and 5 percent were critical (with respiratory failure, septic shock, and/or multiple organ dysfunction or failure). The mortality rate was 2.3 percent in all cases and 49.0 percent in critical cases. For older people, it was 8 percent for those aged >70 years and 14.8 percent for those aged 80 years. Case fatality was elevated among those with pre-existing comorbid conditions; it was 10.5 percent for cardiovascular disease, 7.3 percent for diabetes, 6.3 percent for chronic respiratory disease, 6.0 percent for hypertension, and 5.6 percent for cancer. Another retrospective study including the first 200 COVID-19 patients admitted to a tertiary medical center in New York also found increasing age was independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality.

A noteworthy observation is that the patient in the current report was in her 70s, with a history of coronary artery disease and cancer; she would have had a very low chance of spontaneous recovery if she had not recited the mantra. The only factor to help alleviate her symptoms and recover from breathing difficulties was chanting the nine words.

She said, repeating the mantras has changed my energy level. She was also shared her experience in an interview with The Epoch Times.

More Cases: Recovering From COVID-19 Symptoms After Reciting the Same Words

There are several other case studies of other besides the American woman in New York who recovered from COVID-19 symptoms by reciting the nine Chinese words.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, I have been exploring methods and searching for cases of people who cured themselves from COVID-19. I found a few interesting case series and adopted a retrospective and observational approach to summarize what I have found.

There were 36 eligible cases from six ethnic groups and six countries, with 17 percent (n= 6) of the patients being older people over 70. Eight percent (n=3) of the reported cases were medical professionals.

Patients reported respiratory symptoms, fever, coughing, dyspnea or breathing difficulties, and/or neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Symptoms range from mild, moderate to severe. The vast majority 91% of patients had moderate or severe symptoms.

Of these 36 cases, over 47 percent (n=17) received hospital treatment or medication. But the treatments were either ineffective or initially effective and followed by a rapid relapse or worsening of symptoms.

After reciting the nine Chinese characters, all of them experienced symptom improvement, while 72 percent (n=26) recovered fully. The median time for improvement was one day, and three days for recovery.

A multiple causality analysis indicated that clinical improvement comes from reciting the nine words.

Surprisingly, data showed three critically ill patients either improved significantly or recovered completely after reciting these words. Though each of the patients recited the nine words, the frequency varied with some repeating them daily and others repeating them many times a day.

Here are a few examples of noteworthy cases:

1) Case 6 was an 80-year-old Chinese male from Wuhan, China.

In mid-January 2020, he was diagnosed with COVID-19. After six days of treatment in a hospital, he showed no improvement.

In early February, he was admitted to the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital. Due to his critically ill condition, the 80-year-old man had little desire to live and thus was unwilling to cooperate with his physicians. His relatives then advised him to recite these nine words.

Being old and critically ill, he could only remember the first five words. As he sincerely and silently recited the Chinese words every day, his symptoms disappeared and his mental state improved. On the seventh day, his doctor tested him and found the SARS-CoV-2 test was negative. On the eighth day, he fully recovered and was discharged from the hospital.

2) Case 26 was a 78-year-old Vietnamese female from Paris, France.

She was diagnosed with COVID-19 at the end of March 2020. She had high persistent fever for over a week and was admitted to the hospital emergency room in a semi-unconscious state. Her niece called and asked her to recite the nine characters. She did. By the next morning, her symptoms of infection disappeared. She fully recovered and was discharged soon.

3) Case 36 was a Chinese male student studying at Harvard University in the United States.

In early April 2020, a Chinese postgraduate student at Harvard University was hospitalized with COVID-19. The student was in a semi-comatose state in the ICU and diagnosed with 60 percent lung necrosis. There was basically no hope for him to survive. Somehow, his classmate asked him to recite these words. He took her advice, recited them, and recovered from the coronavirus the lung damage it had caused.

4) Case 35 was a 64-year-old female from Denmark.

On February 18, 2020, she traveled to Spain. Two days later, she started coughing. She returned to Denmark on February 26 and developed a fever on February 28 or 29. By March 5, she had the COVID-19 symptoms of loss of taste and breathing difficulty.

On March 13, her condition worsened. Her chest X-ray showed symptoms of pneumonia and bronchitis. The doctor treated her with penicillin but her condition continued to deteriorate. By March 23, she had difficulty breathing. The following day, the doctor asked her to inhale oxygen, but without any effect. Then on March 26, her brother called and advised her to recite the nine words. After two days of reciting, her coughing stopped. At the time of the report date, she could talk easily and ride a bicycle on the street.

5) Case 32 was a 58-year-old Turkish female in Brix, France.

She was diagnosed with COVID-19 in late March 2020. For 11 days, she could not eat anything and felt constant bone pain. She reported that she felt like snakes and other animals were biting her under her skin and bones or eating her. That feeling was terrible and so dreadful that she wanted to die. She even contemplated suicide.

Then in April, her nephew in the Netherlands contacted her and advised her to recite the nine word mantra. As soon as she started reciting, she reported feeling surprisingly happy. Her condition improved quickly. Every time I recite it, I feel like Im resurrected from death, she said. It happens again and again. How did I make it? This is a miracle! she uttered. On April 20, 2020, when her nephew called her again, she reported feeling lively, healthy, and thinking clearly.

6) Case 28 was a 79-year-old Vietnamese male living in Paris, France.

He was hospitalized for throat cancer in April 2020. While he was in hospital, he was diagnosed with COVID-19 and was in a critical state. His friend advised him to recite the mantra. In the morning after he sincerely started reciting, he felt much better. Two days later his COVID-19 symptoms disappeared and the hospital discharged him.

7) Case 27 was an adult Vietnamese male living in Paris, France.

One night in April 2020, he felt very weak and called a medical emergency number. The paramedic team came to give him antipyretic medicine and left. But his fever did not improve.

He called his landlady, who went to see him and found the heating in the bedroom was on to the maximum. The bedroom was hot like a sauna. He was wearing a woolen hat, curled and bundled up like a plush teddy bear under a quilt. But he still felt cold and was shivering under the quilt.

His landlady wrote these nine words on a piece of paper and asked him to keep reciting the words. He did this throughout the night. The next day, he felt much better. As he had coughed up some blood, he went to a hospital for a checkup. Based on the test results, he was diagnosed with COVID-19 and was hospitalized. In the hospital, he continued to recite them. By the 3rd day, all his COVID-19 symptoms disappeared. His fever was gone, and he was no longer coughing up blood. Two days later, the doctor discharged him.

More and More People Are Benefiting From This Mantra

Together with Dr. Margaret Trey, we did a scientific presentation about these cases in the 6th International Conference on Spirituality and Psychology (ICSP2021) which was held virtually on March 13 through March 15, 2021.

Less than two months ago, another friend in Vietnam emailed me about his brothers recovery from not only from his depression but also unexpected improvement from presbyopia. He had shared the presentation webinar link in March 2021 and his brother watched out. In their previous conversations, he said he was, A man of science. I believe in hard, actual, scientific proof. He said that what he saw in the presentation struck a chord in him, and he started reciting the nine words and then he subsequently recovered quite unexpectedly.

Does Reciting the Mantra Trigger Healing?

We have scrutinized the causality analysis of reciting the mantra with clinical improvement. A comprehensive analysis includes failure to respond to conventional treatment, unexpected effects in severe and ICU patients, and short time to improvement and recovery. Some patients who acted as their own controls directed us to the same conclusion.

The causality analyses are detailed here:

Unexpected improvement: You may say that the patients recovery occurred naturally, and would have occurred whether the patient recited the nine words or not. However, for these 37 cases, most of their symptoms have worsened before reciting the nine words, so self recovery would have been very unlikely. Their improvement and/or recovery happened only after they recited the mantra.

Short time to recovery: The 36-case study showed that the median time for improvement was just one day with three days for complete recovery. Over 40 percent (n=15) improved within one day or overnight and 67 percent (n=24) improved within two days. The close temporal relationship between reciting the mantra and the clinical effects supports causality. The shorter time for improvement or recovery, the greater is the probability of the effect being attributed to the chanting or reciting of the nine word mantra.

Same effects in people who opposed the content of the mantra: This indicated that the effects were real. Regardless of the patients subjective views of the mantra, recovery or improvement manifested, thus implying objectivity.

Controls: Case 15 recited the mantra and recovered. She stopped reciting the mantra and experienced symptom recurrence. After she resumed reciting the mantra, her symptoms improved again. With two other patients, their spouses acted as controls and also observed proof that the improvement and recovery effect were from reciting the mantra.

Intra-spouse controls involved two couples from two different families. In both families, the couples developed COVID-19 symptoms at the same time. Initially, only one spouse recited the mantra and experienced symptom improvement within one day. The other spouse, who did not recite it, went to hospital and received symptomatic treatment, but symptoms worsened. The spouse eventually also began to recite the mantra and experienced a quick improvement.

Of course, people may say that in the perspective of the hierarchy of research methods, case studies are near the bottom. But they are useful because they can provide rich, detailed data about one particular persons history and case. Randomized controlled studies (RCT) are required before claiming any effect. However, RCT have their own drawbacks including narrowly selected patients and are often far from real world practice. Theyre also expensive and usually take years to complete. Data from RCT may not necessarily translate into real world effects. RCT is not one-fit-for-all. If some people already benefited from a safe method, why not try it and heal yourself at no cost?

Another possibility is that the individuals recovered in part because of the placebo effect which is a beneficial effect produced by the belief that a treatment works (rather than by the treatment itself). If this is the case, yes, please feel free to use the placebo method and heal yourself. Some cases may see up to a 10 percent improvement from the placebo effect, however, a complete and swift recovery from the brink of death can hardly be explained by placebo.

Chanting for Health: A Traditional Way of Healing

How can people be healed just by speaking a few specific words? It seems far-fetched, but it is completely possible. These ideas arent new in fact, theyre very old.

Several ancient traditions have proposed using vibrations to enhance health. For example, several Indic religions, including Hinduism, consider Om to be a sacred syllable and the greatest of all mantras. Some believe that chanting Om is beneficial for stomach health, calming the mind, and reducing stress.

Audio therapy has been used by people to treat diseases. In worldwide traditional cultures, including Chinese Buddhism, Taoism, ancient India, and medieval Christianity, there have been many precedents for reciting mantras or spiritual words to achieve better physical and mental health and well-being or to cure illnesses.

Biomedical research has identified the effects of mantra reciting on regulating physiological function and restoring health.

Rich scientific research have shown that the practice of mantra chanting has positive physiologic effects on the human body, including decreased heart rate, improved heart function, slower respiration, reduced anxiety or fear, and better sleep

Modern research has found that human speech carries neural oscillations that subserve a broad range of functions in speech processing and language comprehension.

Vibrational Energy, Nervous System, Holistic Health

So whats the link between speaking specific words and physical health?

On the microscopic scale, our bodies are made of particles that are constantly in motion. We vibrate. Some believe that we can optimize our health by interacting with that vibrational energy. Physical therapies, like chanting, may play a role in regulating those vibrations, aligning our energy, and contributing to health. These therapies fall within the domain of energy medicine.

The vagus nerve connects organs throughout the neck, chest, and abdomen to the brain. It interfaces with the parasympathetic nervous system which is the part of the nervous system thats responsible for calming us down and getting us ready to rest and digest.

Electrical vagus nerve stimulation has been shown to facilitate healing in some circumstances. In a two-year pilot study on 59 adult patients with depressive symptoms, vagus nerve stimulation was found to significantly improve depression scores for 42 percent of participants. Electrical vagus nerve stimulation is also regularly used as a treatment for individuals suffering from epilepsy.

The above studies stimulated the vagus nerve using electricity. But in theory, chanting certain sounds can have the same stimulating effect on the vagus nerve. If so, we might find that chanting can also reduces activity in some brain regions, and thus produce a calming effect on the body.

One study using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) found exactly that. Researchers compared the effects of chanting Om to the effects of chanting ssssa sound that doesnt cause significant vibration. The researchers found that chanting Om led to significantly decreased activity in a number of brain regions including the amygdala, anterior cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, insula, orbitofrontal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, and thalamus.

What Are the Nine Words? How Do They Work?

The nine true words refers to nine Chinese characters: Fa-Lun Da-Fa Hao and Zhen-Shan-Ren Hao (, ) (Audio link, song link).

In English, these Chinese words mean, Falun Dafa is Good and Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is Good.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient Chinese spiritual meditation discipline for overall improvement of body, mind, and spirit. The teachings of Falun Gong emphasize the universal principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, or Zhen-Shan-Ren in Chinese (ZHUAN FALUN).

Since its first introduction to the public in 1992, Falun Gong has become popular due to its extraordinary healing effects for peoples physical and mental health. Due to its beneficial health effects, by 1999 there were about 100 million people practicing Falun Gong in mainland China. Now, it is practiced in over 100 countries worldwide.

According to a China government sponsored health survey conducted in 1998 in mainland China, out of 12,731 participants, 93.4 percent had ill conditions, and 49.8 percent had suffered from at least three type of diseases, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, lung diseases, immune disorders or other difficult to treat, before they began practicing Falun Dafa. Through learning and practicing Falun Dafa, practitioners health conditions improved to various degrees. The total effective cases reached 99.1 percent, among which the complete recovery rate was 58.5 percent and 96.5 percent of the total participants became psychologically healthier after practicing Falun Dafa.

It is suggested that Falun Gong exudes a powerful positive energy field that can act to ward off illnesses and maintain fitness.

A study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncologys (ASCO) annual meeting in 2016 showed the significant benefits of practicing Falun Gong on end stage cancer, including significantly prolonged survival, and improved quality of life.

These two books have also compiled stories of patients with end stage cancer or diseases without any therapeutic solutions who have been able to cure themselves after practicing Falun Dafa: Life and Hope Renewed: The Healing Power of Falun Dafa and Hearts and Minds Uplifted: The Power of Falun Dafa.

It is suggested that Falun Gong exudes a powerful positive energy field that can act as a means of warding off illnesses and maintaining fitness.

Many Falun Gong practitioners have reported experiencing this strong, high-energy field, which can produce extraordinary healing effects. From the perspective of energy medicine, the action of a healing energy field can be instantaneous.

This mantra also contains the high energy field of Falun Gong that can be transmitted to people who could sincerely speak it.

Moreover, scientists from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, similarly found people who practiced Falun Gongs four standing and one sitting exercises had enhanced immune system function with enhanced phagocytosis and their gene expression profiles indicated significantly enhanced anti-viral immunity.

Reciting the 9 Words Could HelpIt Wont Hurt

Reciting these words is easy to learn, is safe, and does not conflict with any other types of treatment. Regardless what beliefs you may have, what views you may have of the mantra, you may still benefit from repeating it if you can repeat them sincerely.

As many people are suffering from COVID-19 symptoms or jab-induced injuries and are not getting relief from other treatments, reciting the nine words certainly wont hurt.

If youre suffering from COVID-19 symptoms or jab-induced injuries, and arent getting relief from other therapies, why not give it a try? Find out how to recite the nine words here or here.

There is also a beautiful song from a young girl singing these nine words (audio file here). A video file for this beautiful song is also available via this link.

We recommend that one please listen to these words as many times as possible till you can pronounce them correctly and use a journal to record your symptom changes on a daily basis.

I also often recite these words whenever I feel tired, distressed, in a negative mood, or frustrated. It often works for me as well. This has been one of my secret tools during this pandemic that allowed me to have maintained health and energy after facing many challenges and having to be vaccinated twice with the Moderna vaccine so as to travel without restrictions.

After I got my first shot, I felt heart pains and had a dizzy head, and healed myself two days after reading Zhuan Falun (the main text of Falun Dafa) and doing the second standing exercise of Falun Gong every day. Taking the lesson learned from the first shot, when I got the second shot, I kept reciting the nine words sincerely for about 10 minutes; then I felt nothing uncomfortable at all. That is my personal self-control experiment of reciting these nine words.

We will detail more insights into the mechanism of action of these nine words in more papers soon. To be frank, though, it is not easy to explain the effects of these nine words in modern scientific language. Furthermore, modern science is still developing itself, and it is not able to explain everything with its current theories. More and more traditional theories about healing, including mind-body holistic concepts and energy, are being proven to be correct.

We really care about the health and wellness of all people around the world. As more evidence emerges to support the real significant healing effects of the nine words: Falun Dafa Hao; Zhen, Shan Ren Hao, we want to share this safe and effective method of healing with everyone.

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Latest US Data Shows Vaccine Injuries Skyrocketed; How Will We Recover? (theepochtimes.com)

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Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Gun safety advocates rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court during oral arguments in the Second Amendment case NY State Rifle & Pistol vs. City of New York, N.Y., in Washington, on Dec. 2, 2019. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

NY State Legislature Tightens Gun Laws, Raises Age to Buy, Possess Semi-Automatic Rifles

New Yorks legislature on Thursday voted to pass a number of bills as part of its comprehensive package of gun safety laws following a string of mass shootings across the United States, including one that changes the age at which semi-automatic rifles can be purchased or possessed in the state.

The Democratic-controlled legislature passed a string of gun bills aimed at strengthening gun laws in the wake of shootings in Buffalo and Texas that left a total of 31 dead.

Salvador Ramos, 18, opened fire on Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, killing 19 students and 2 teachers. Just a week prior, Payton Gendron, 18, gunned down 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York.

The evening before lawmakers began debating the latest bills, a gunman shot and killed two doctors and two others before killing himself at a medical building in Tusla, Oklahoma.

Under the new package of bills passed on Thursday, the minimum age at which an individual can purchase or possess a semiautomatic rifle is set to be raised from 18 to 21.

The move means New York will join a handful of statesincluding Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Vermont, and Washingtonthat require buyers to be at least 21 instead of 18 to purchase some types of long guns. Similar legislation has been proposed in Utah.

The legislature spent Thursday evening debating that bill, which passed the Senate along party lines 4320 and in the Assembly 10247.

That legislation also launches a licensing requirement to buy or possess a semiautomatic rifle, establishes the crimes of criminal purchase of a semiautomatic rifle and criminal sale of a semiautomatic rifle and requires recertification of licenses for such weapons every five years.

Another bill passed bans the unlawful sale and possession of bullet-proof body vests, which was worn by the killer in Buffalo.

A third revises the states so-called red flag laws; granting certain health care providers such as licensed physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists or registered nurses the authority to file an application for an extreme risk protection order against an individual examined by such health care provider in certain circumstances.

Another bill set to pass in New York would require new guns to be equipped with microstamping technology, which would allow law enforcement investigators to more easily track bullets to specific firearms.

The latest bills were part of a comprehensive package of bills aimed at strengthening New Yorks gun laws and keeping people safe, Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.

People under 21 were already unable to possess a handgun and under the new law, younger people will still be allowed to possess other types of rifles and shotguns. However, they will not be able to purchase the type of fast-firing rifles used by the 18-year-old gunmen in the mass shootings in both Buffalo and Texas.

Elsewhere on Thursday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the formation of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force which he described as a comprehensive multiagency, cross-program effort to address the root causes of gun violence and prevent shootings before they take place.

Members of the prevention task force will regularly meet to solve problems in real-time and ensure accountability among all agencies for keeping New York neighborhoods safe, according to the mayor.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath wipes a tear as she announces her resignation as party leader during her campaign event in Hamilton on June 2, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Tara Walton)

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath Steps Down as Tories Secure Majority

Andrea Horwath is stepping down as leader of the Ontario New Democrats despite the party regaining Official Opposition status.

In an emotional speech, Horwath said it was time for her to pass the torch.

My commitment to you is never going to waver and Im going to keep working to earn your confidence each and every day, she said before a crowd of supporters in Hamilton on Thursday evening.

Im going to keep doing that, but tonight, its time for me to pass the torch, to pass the baton, to hand off the leadership of the NDP. It makes me sad, but it makes me happy because our team is so strong.

Horwath did not commit during the campaign to continuing to lead the party if the NDP didnt form government and observers expected her to step down.

She ran for premier four times during her tenure as NDP leader.

Horwath held the post since 2009, and led the party to become the Official Opposition in 2018 by nearly doubling their seat count. She has been re-elected to represent the riding of Hamilton Centre.

The NDP spent the campaign pitching themselves to progressive voters as the only alternative to Doug Fords Tories.

The partys campaign was primarily rooted in promises to invest in health care, improve conditions in long-term care, and make life more affordable for Ontarians.

In the 2018 election, Horwath led the NDP to Official Opposition status, partly assisted by the collapse of the Liberal vote.
David McCormick is currently locked in a tight contest for a U.S. Senate seat with Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania's GOP primary. (Photo courtesy of David McCormick's Facebook page)

Pennsylvania Court Orders Disputed Ballots Counted in US Senate Contest

A Pennsylvania state court ruled in favor of former hedge fund CEO David McCormick, who is locked in a tight Republican primary contest for a U.S. Senate seat against celebrity heart surgeon Mehmet Oz, ordering late on June 2 that contested ballots be included in the count.

Oz and McCormick are now duking it out in a statewide recount over less than a thousand votes. The primary vote took place May 17. Former President Donald Trump endorsed Ozs candidacy.

Oz was slightly ahead in unofficial results with 31.2 percent (419,661 votes), followed by McCormick at 31.1 percent (418,688 votes), Kathy Barnette at 24.7 percent (331,585 votes), and Carla Sands at 5.4 percent (73,269), Politico reported at midday June 3.

State law requires that ballots received on time but missing a handwritten date on the envelope are to be rejected.

McCormicks campaign filed suit on May 23 against Acting Secretary of the Commonwealth Leigh M. Chapman and county boards of elections. The campaign said the boards were refusing to count absentee and mail-in ballots in the primary election that were received on time and stamped by the county boards but on which voters failed to write a date on the exterior mailing envelope. The campaign asked the court to declare that absentee and mail-in ballots received by the deadline may not be rejected due solely to the lack of a date in the declaration on the exterior envelope.

The undated mail ballots at issue in the case were indisputably submitted on timethey were date-stamped upon receiptand no fraud or irregularity has been alleged, McCormicks attorneys argued in the lawsuit, as The Epoch Times reported.

The  only basis for disenfranchising these voters is a technical error that is immaterial under both state and federal law, they added. McCormicks campaign also sent a letter to the states counties urging that mail-in and absentee ballots filed without dates on their envelopes be counted.

The Pennsylvania Republican Party objects to undated mail-in ballots being counted.

Ozs campaign manager Casey Contres said previously that the McCormick legal team is following the Democrats playbook, a tactic that could have long-term harmful consequences for elections in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, according to a statement.

On June 2, Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court directed county boards to segregate the ballots that lack a dated exterior envelope [and] to canvass those ballots assuming there are no other deficiencies or irregularities that would require otherwise. She also ordered that two vote talliesone including the disputed ballots and one withoutbe forwarded to Chapman, according to the 40-page memorandum opinion (pdf) issued by the court late on June 2.

A dispute over ballots in a separate Pennsylvania election is also before the Supreme Court. The end result in the litigation could affect the race between McCormick and Oz.

On May 27, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit ordered (pdf) the state to count undated mail-in ballots in a state judicial election in Lehigh County between Republican David Ritter and Democrat Zachary Cohen.

But on May 31, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito temporarily stayed (pdf) the 3rd Circuit ruling pending further order of the undersigned or of the Court. The case is known as Ritter v. Migliori, court file 21A772.

Katabella Roberts contributed to this article.
An electron microscopic image shows mature, oval-shaped monkeypox virus particles as well as crescents and spherical particles of immature virions, obtained from a clinical human skin sample associated with the 2003 prairie dog outbreak. (Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regnery/CDC/Handout via Reuters)

Philadelphia Announces First Probable Case of Monkeypox in Pennsylvania

A probable monkeypox case has been identified in Philadelphia, the first such case in Pennsylvania.

The citys health department announced the case based on preliminary testing at the Pennsylvania Department of Healths Bureau of Laboratories where the person tested positive for orthopoxvirus, the family of viruses that includes monkeypox and smallpox.

A test to confirm whether the case is monkeypox is pending at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Philadelphias public health department says it will not be confirming any information about the resident but is working with Pennsylvanias health department and the CDC to figure out how the individual contracted the disease.

The health groups will also probe whether the person may have exposed anyone else to the disease ever since they became infectious for monkeypox. If they identify any potentially exposed contacts, the department staff will contact those people directly.

The threat to Philadelphians from monkeypox is extremely low, Dana Perella, the acute communicable disease program manager of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, said in a statement.

Monkeypox is much less contagious than COVID-19 and is containable particularly when prompt care is sought for symptoms. Vaccine to prevent or lessen the severity of illness is available through the CDC for high-risk contacts of persons infected with monkeypox, as is antiviral treatment for patients with monkeypox, Perella said.

I believe that residents and visitors should feel safe to do all the fun things Philadelphia has to offer, with the proper precautions.

Monkeypox is spread through close or intimate personal contact.

There are a total of 21 confirmed monkeypox/orthopoxvirus cases in the United States as of June 2, inclusive of the latest Pennsylvania case, according to a CDC tally. The other cases come from California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

The first case of monkeypox this year outside of Africa, where the disease is endemic, was detected in the United Kingdom on May 6 in a person who recently traveled to Nigeria. Cases have been confirmed in at least 23 other non-endemic countries, including the United States, since the start of May, according to the World Health Organization.

According to the CDC, monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 after two outbreaks in laboratory monkeys. Monkeypox was reported in humans for the first time in 1970, in what is now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The United States faced its last major outbreak of monkeypox in 2003.

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health advises that anyone who has symptoms of an unexplained rash on their body that may be accompanied by flu-like illness, should contact their doctor for treatment.

People who are feeling ill should stay home. And of course, remember that persons who only have flu-like symptoms without rash should get tested for COVID-19, the city announced in a release. Ill persons should wear a mask when seeking care or if they are not able to isolate from others.

Symptoms of monkeypox include fatigue, fever, and headache, as well as enlarged lymph nodes, later accompanied by a rash on the face or other parts of the body, including the limbs and genitals. Some cases start with a rash with no other symptoms. The rashes morph from small flat spots to small blisters similar to chickenpox, and later to larger blisters.

The disease typically resolves within a month. But some cases can be severe and can result in death, with recent death rates being around 3 to 6 percent, according to the WHO. This year, nine people have died in Congo, and one has died in Nigeria, due to monkeypox.
Escaped Texas inmate Gonzalo Artemio Lopez, 46, who escaped a prison bus near Centerville, Texas, on May 12, 2022, as seen in a photo released on May 25, 2022. (U.S. Marshals)

Police Fatally Shoot Fugitive Accused of Killing Texas Family of 5

A convicted murderer who escaped from a transport bus for high-risk inmates in Texas on May 12 was shot dead by law enforcement officials on Thursday, authorities said.

Suspect Gonzalo Lopez is captured [and] deceased, the Leon County Sheriffs Office said in its latest update.

Lopez, 46, is believed to be connected to the murder of a Houston family of four minors and one adult. The fugitive stole the familys truck, a 1999 white Chevrolet Silverado, from a rural weekend cabin after he allegedly killed the family, police said.

Jason Clark, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), said authorities in Atascosa County located the missing truck and trailed it with spike strips.

The suspect then crashed the vehicle into a tree after a brief chase and engaged in a shootout with officers, the spokesman said. No officers were injured in the firefight.

He fired several rounds at officers and was armed with an AR-15 and a pistol, said Clark, adding that authorities suspect both weapons were likely stolen from the cabin where he allegedly murdered the family of five.

A 1999 white Chevrolet Silverado was stolen by Gonzalo Lopez after he allegedly killed a family of five. (Courtesy of Texas Department of Criminal Justice)

Authorities found the bodies of the family after investigating a call from someone who had not heard from an elderly relative, according to a June 2 notice posted on the TDCJ website. Lopez was identified by police as the prime suspect in the family murder.

The family is believed to have arrived early on Thursday at the weekend cabin, which they owned, Clark said. The five are believed to have been killed Thursday afternoon and had no link to Lopez, who has been described as a former member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang with ties to South Texas.

Lopez is affiliated with the Mexican Mafia and has ties to the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio. He should be considered armed and extremely dangerous. Do not attempt to apprehend this fugitive, the U.S. Marshals said in a May 25 statement.

According to the statement, Lopez escaped custody on May 12 when being transported on a prison bus in a rural area near Centerville, the county seat of Leon County, which has roughly 16,000 residents and is about 50 miles north of the states Huntsville prison headquarters.

The U.S. Marshals said Lopez escaped his restraints and a metal cage, stabbed the prison bus driver, and stole the bus. The bus drivers wounds were not life-threatening, according to reports.

No one else from the bus escaped.

Lopez was on the TDCJ 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List and officials offered a combined reward of up to $50,000 for information leading up to Lopezs capture.

The convicted murderer was serving a life sentence for capital murder in Hidalgo County and attempted capital murder in Webb County, according to the TDCJ. Robert Hurst, a spokesman for the states criminal justice department, said the murder was committed with a pickaxe.

This is a very dangerous man. Back in 2005, he killed someone with a pickax. In 2004, he shot at an officer. If he has that device, whatever he used to cut through the door and also stab the officer, folks need to be aware he may still have that on him, Hurst told KHOU 11.

From NTD News
Put Two Abortion Questions Before California Voters

Commentary

The U.S. Supreme Courts likely overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision has put abortion on the front pages again. The final wording wont come out until June. But it will likely only return the matter to where it was in 1972at the discretion of state legislatures.

In California, the law of the land currently is Senate Bill 1301, the Reproductive Privacy Act. It effectively codifies Roe in state law. It was passed in anticipation of Roe possibly being overturned by justices appointed by President George W. Bush. Which seems to be the case 20 years later, as the author of the decision overturning Roeassuming matters hold as they seem to be nowis Justice Samuel Alito, appointed by that president in 2006.

In response, Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state leaders are saying they want to amend the California Constitution to make it iron-clad that abortion remains legal here. According to NBC Bay Area, Newsoms office said its goal is to put the amendment on the ballot this November, though lawmakers will have to act quickly to make that happen. They have to vote on it before the end of June to give state officials enough time to print the ballots.

A two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the Assembly is needed to put a constitutional amendment before voters. That seems almost certain as Democrats currently wield supermajorities of more than two-thirds in both houses.

However, if that happens, it would be a heads I win, tails you lose situation. If the amendment passes, then abortion remains legal and is part of the state constitution. If it loses, then abortion remains legal because SB 1301 would remain in effect.

There isnt time for the pro-lifers to gather signatures to put an abortion repeal on the November ballot themselves. So to be fair, the legislature should put a second amendment on the ballot, making abortion illegal by repealing both SB 1301 and the 1967 Therapeutic Abortion Act and replacing them with the law as it existed prior 1967. That way, Californians could have a real debate on the controversyand real decision-making power. It would be a real initiative vote, not a sham.

Explained Gov. Hiram Johnson, who propelled the reforms of 1911, I do not by any means believe the initiative, the referendum, and the recall are the panacea for all our political ills, yet they do give to the electorate the power of action when desired, and they do place in the hands of the people the means by which they may protect themselves.

Its debatable whether this system has made the legislature more irresponsible, because they can just pass the buck to voters; or has allowed citizens to correct the irresponsible actions the legislature would have perpetrated no matter what. In any case, if Roe had not been handed down in 1973, by now California probably would have had several initiatives on abortion, much as we do every few years on taxes, rent control, and the death penalty.

A March PPIC poll (pdf) found 41 percent of likely voters approve of the way the California Legislature is doing its job, with 51 percent saying they disapprove. At least that score was better than Californians opinion of the U.S. Congress, which among likely voters gained just 24 percent approval to 73 percent disapproval.

With the legislature held in such low regard by voters, the abortion question best should be handled by the voters themselves. With two questions on the ballot, as above.

If just one question is put on the ballot, affirming Roe, its guaranteed the issue will crop up again in 2024, with a pro-life constitutional amendment on the ballot entirely repealing all state laws allowing abortion. Both sides of the issue currently are energized. That makes Nov. 8 the time for Dueling Initiatives on the issue. Let the people decide.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The logo of job seeking website 'Seek' is seen on a screen in Canberra, Australia, Feb. 21, 2017. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)

Regional Australia Sees Job Vacancies Jump for Month of April

The latest data from the Regional Australia Institute showed that job vacancies rose to 84,600 in April 2022up by nearly 25 percent from the year prior.

This figure also exceeds the peaks of the 2011 mining boom, which saw job vacancies at 60,000, reported The Guardian.

Top growth spots, according to the data, were scattered across the nation in South Australia, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and Queensland.

Outback Queensland saw the most significant jump in vacancies with a jump of 59.1 percent for April 2022, with Geelong and the Surf Coast seeing the next biggest growth of 54 percent.

Professional roles made up 24 percent of all vacancies in April, followed by technicians and trades roles (16 percent) and clerical and administrative roles (14 percent).

Nationally, job vacancies in February 2022 were 86 percent higher than in February 2020, prior to the start of the pandemic, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Liz Ritchie, CEO of the Regional Australia Institute, said professional jobs in health, legal and engineering services were consistently at the top of the job vacancies, particularly as businesses seek to grow and scale across regional Australia, reported The Guardian.

However, outback Queensland also had the highest unemployment rate of 14.6 percent.

Chair of the Ag Business Committee for Ag Force, Mark Collins, said he was not surprised by the figures but blamed the shortage of skilled workers in outback Queensland on the state governments closure of agricultural colleges in 2019 and a decade ago, reported The Guardian.

Theres nowhere to train young people for a future in agriculture, Collins said, reported The Guardian.

At a farm level, thats a problem, and then you cant find truck drivers with good enough skills to take our cattle to be processed  and then at that next level at a meatworks or even at a grain handling facility, they cant find anyone.

Ritchie said Queenslands high job vacancy and unemployment rates highlighted the need for skills to be aligned with work available, adding that the similar rates in the region were due to the smaller job numbers, reported The Guardian.

But by comparison, Geelong and the Surf Coast were tier-two cities and had the fastest growth rates in the country, with Geelong on the rise due to high population migration.

But finding the right housing for potential employees remains a problem, Ritchie said.

Not just in Geelong but right across the country in regional Australia, housing approvals and construction have not kept pace with population growth in our regions, Ritchie said.

The new federal Labor government has promised more funding to create jobs in regional Australia, such as creating 465,000 new fee-free TAFE places in areas of demonstrated labour shortage. Federal Labor has also promised to assist 10,000 families in regional Australia to purchase their first home.

According to another report by the Regional Australia Institute, Australias rural and regional population grew by an average of 76,500 people per annum in the decade to 2020.

The ABS recorded the highest net inflow of Australians moving to regional areas during the pandemic, with regional Queensland having the biggest net inflow (17,000 people) of all the states, followed by regional areas of Victoria (13,400) and New South Wales (12,700).
The 1910 Flexner Report laid the foundation of the modern medicine as we know it. Post-COVID, the principles of the so called Rockefeller medicine were taken to the extreme.

During the past two years, the toxicity of the Rockefeller medicine have become more obvious to all

In the first part of the 20th century, the Rockefeller and Carnegie lobbies were up to their ears in eugenics, and its very unlikely that they have since reformed

Since that time, the corporate interests have established near total control of the medical field, both though pharmacology and through their impact on medical education

This story is about the famous 1910 Flexner Report that laid the foundations of the modern medical system, dubbed Rockefeller medicine. It is also about the fascinating dynamic that exists between the ego, the plight of a respectable scammer, and the trajectory of the world.

Who Was Flexner?

Abraham Flexner was born in 1866 in Louisville, Kentucky. He lived until 1959. For several years, he ran a college prep school in his home town of Louisville. In 1908, Flexner published The American College: A Criticism, a book criticizing American college education.

As the official story has it, his book attracted the attention of the Carnegie Foundation, and he was commissioned to write a report on the state of medical education in America and Canada, which led to the creation of science-based standards for medical education in America and a closure of a large amount of medical schools, thus restructuring the medical market in America and in the world.

Notably, his brother, Simon Flexner, whose medical education at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine he helped finance, was a medical researcher at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research (later renamed to Rockefeller University) and its first director, as well as a personal friend and advisor of John D. Rockefeller. Abrahams daughter Eleanor grew up to become a pioneer of womens studies.

His nephew, Louis Barkhouse Flexner (1902  1996), was a founding director of the Mahoney Institute of Neurological Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania and a former editor of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Speaking of respectable sciences (and the strange melting pot of evolutionary studies, genetics, eugenics, and molecular biology), starting in 1904, the Carnegie Institution (a privately-funded scientific research organization founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1902) funded the Station for Experimental Evolution at Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, that hosted the federally funded Eugenics Record Office.

With the Carnegies financial support, the ERO quickly became the most important center for eugenics research in America.

(But of course, all the dark overtones are all in the past because since then, the human nature has changed, and the powerful people of the world have finally realized that its not nice to try to modify the human race  and left that habit behind!) Phew.

Anyway, back to Flexner. In the words of the most trustworthy authority on medical education in America, the American Association of Medical Colleges (disinformation be dammed), Abraham Flexner, often called the father of modern medical education  was an education specialist who was commissioned by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching to assess the state of medical education in the United States and Canada in the early part of the 20th century.

Flexner visited all 155 medical schools existing at the time and issued a detailed report in 1910  Medical Education in the United States and Canada, also known as the Flexner report  that called for major reforms to medical education, including higher admissions standards for students, adherence to the scientific method in research and practice, and oversight by state licensure boards.

The Flexner report is a curious read and a reflection of his subjective views on the world  the views of a loyal supporter and a professional beneficiary of the pharmacological school of thought who carried a great distrust of homeopathy, osteopathy, and so on. Here is my tongue-in-cheek summary of the report:

Currently, there are too many doctors; most are practicing God knows what, and its frustrating as hell

There are waaaay too many medical schools; they are all over the place when it comes to admission standards and educational ways

Medical schools are regrettably allowed to make money without adhering to what I believe to be correct; its unacceptable, and it needs to be changed

Good medical education should be centered around labs, pharmacology, and modern methods, as opposed to various quackery, such as homeopathy, osteopathy, electrotherapy, etc.

It is appropriate to emphasize that I am obviously qualified to speak for the population of the United States, the civilized world at large; and even for the African race; the confident tone of my report is proof enough!

Thus, Flexner proposed a total restructuring of the American medical education, and he specifically mentioned that the eradication of dissidents is a positive thing. He framed the need to restructure and standardize the medical education as a public need (with the Carnegie and Rockefeller interests being the implied guardians of the public needs, without a doubt).

Here are some quotes: On the benefits of standard education and the closing of schools that dont fit his view:

On pharmadynamics (the study of biochemical and physiologic effect of drugs) and  cocaine:

On the need to be exact (as a matter of wordplay, precision medicine comes to mind):

On medicine as it relates to race (the appallingly insulting nature of his words aside, he also had no idea about how rich and in-depth the traditional African medical science was; a respectable rational man and a Rockefeller ally had no need to think about that):

If we were to summarize the report and say the quiet part out loud, we could say something like: Let all the things that I dont understand or control be gone  at last  and let the medical field be shaped after my views, with the financial help and to the financial benefits of my friends! Because I am obviously right!

On a side note, Flexners contempt for electrical medicine probably contributed to the disaster of the electromagnetic pollution that we are experiencing today.

The Power of Confident Prejudice: Flexner Report and Modern Medicine

As a result of the Report  that incidentally perfectly served the financial interests of the Rockefellers  new requirements were introduced, and a very large number of medical schools had to get out of the way and close down. The reform especially impacted the schools graduating predominantly African American doctors and the schools teaching what is known today as alternative medicine.

According to Wikipedia, Flexner clearly doubted the scientific validity of all forms of medicine other than that based on scientific research, deeming any approach to medicine that did not advocate the use of treatments such as vaccines to prevent and cure illness as tantamount to quackery and charlatanism.

Medical schools that offered training in various disciplines including electromagnetic field therapy, phototherapy, eclectic medicine, physiomedicalism, naturopathy, and homeopathy, were told either to drop these courses from their curriculum or lose their accreditation and underwriting support. A few schools resisted for a time, but eventually most complied with the Report or shut their doors.

In the spirit of eliminating competition, the fields of holistic medicine that were previously regarded as normal in society, became artificially discredited  which cleared the markets for the Rockefeller interests through the promotion of oil-derived medications and Rockefeller education-shaped doctors who felt that they were smarter than the so called quacks because their professors told them so.

Heres your market restructuring at work  as it dances to the beat of emotional poverty, good intentions, bad intentions, ignorance, a missionary itch, a very confident tone, and financial controls!

Myopic Views Combined With Confidence Are Trouble

While concepts such as wisdom, humility, and depth, may sound lofty, they matter to us in practical terms. Why? They matter because in principle, there is nothing wrong with practicing quality control, especially when it comes to medicine  but it greatly depends on who controls the quality, how, and why  and it matters whether they come from a place of wisdom or from a missionary itch!

Lets say, Flexner was excited about pharmacology and labs. Fine! If he approached his excitement in a balanced way (and, oh, if he werent hired specifically to help restructure the markets and help create Rockefeller medicine), he could have said something like, Hey, I really like this pharmacology thing. Lets please try to add it to the mix and see how it goes.

But no! The mind of a missionary is not at peace as long as other, competing views are allowed to be. The missionary tosses and turns all night until all other views are gone. And as far as I am concerned, for practical purposes, it doesnt matter if the missionary sincerely believes that his ideas are the best thing since sliced bread for humanity  or whether he is plotting to kill all life on Earth. Existentially, yes, it does matter  but for all practical purposes, it sucks either way!

A Scam, Perhaps?

There are different ways to look at the powerful people wrecking our lives. One way is to be intimidated and disgusted, to be shaken to the core by the sheer scale of the destruction they are causing, and to feel abused and wronged. A valid and understandable reaction, without a doubt!

But we can also  while allowing ourselves to acknowledge and grieve the abuse and pray for healing  refuse to be afraid of the abusers and ask ourselves: What if these guys are all but glorified scammers? Wealthy scammers, cruel scammers  yes  but scammers none the less? Trivial scammers with a lot of money? Trivial scammers with a lot of access to the metaphorical fog machines? What if they are that? Lets look.

John D. Rockefellers Father Was a Notorious Professional Scammer

The father of the famous oil monopolist, John D. Rockefeller (born in 1839), William Rockefeller, was a literal snake oil salesman. Heres from the trustworthy and non-conspiratorial Wikipedia:

William Avery Devil Bill Rockefeller Sr. (November 13, 1810  May 11, 1906) was an American businessman, lumberman, herbalist, salesman, and con-artist who went by the alias of Dr. William Levingston. He worked as a lumberman and then a traveling salesman who identified himself as a botanic physician and sold elixirs.

He was known to buy and sell horses, and was also known at one point to have bought a barge-load of salt in Syracuse. Land speculation was another type of his business, and the selling of elixirs served to keep him with cash and aided in his scouting of land deals. He loaned money to farmers at twelve percent, but tried to lend to farmers who could not pay so as to foreclose and take the farms.

Per Wikipedia, he was indicted on rape charges, after which he left his first wife allegedly penniless with six children and married another woman in Canada, using a different name, while being still married to his first wife  but not before he fathered two children with a woman who he was fond of before his marriage to his first wife but whom he didnt marry because she was poorer than his first wife. Here is an interesting James Corbett episode on John D. Rockefellers father.

The Rise of John D. Rockefeller: A Very Quick Summary

This topic of John D. Rockefellers rise is endless, and for the sake of this article, I am only providing a brief overview, for context. One is left to wonder if his habits developed at least in part in reaction to the trauma of his dads betrayal. Did he feel wronged and humiliated? Was he compensating for his humiliation by becoming on the most influential people in the world? Maybe, maybe not, well never know.

As rumor has it, his mother, due to relative poverty, taught him to be extremely thrifty. Allegedly, as a kid, John D. Rockefeller sold chocolates to his classmates, saved money to later lend it with interest, etc. He was always serious and rarely smiled.

As an adult, John d. Rockefeller was known for his ruthless elimination of competition and his extreme obsession with cost cutting. His first job, at 16, was of a bookkeeper. From there, he became a successful general merchant. Then in 1863, he built his first oil refinery in Ohio, and eventually, through notoriously ruthless practices, he came on top of all his competition.

To crush his competitors, Rockefeller would create a shortage of the railroad tank cars that transported oil. Hed then buy up all the barrels on the market so his competitors would have no place to store or ship their oil. He bought up all the available chemicals that were necessary to refine oil. He was also known for his rebates.

By 1882, his Standard Oil had a near monopoly on the oil business in the United States. According to history.com, In 1890, the U.S. Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act, the first federal legislation prohibiting trusts and combinations that restrained trade. Two years later, the Ohio Supreme Court dissolved the Standard Oil Trust; however, the businesses within the trust soon became part of Standard Oil of New Jersey, which functioned as a holding company.

In 1911, after years of litigation, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Standard Oil of New Jersey was in violation of anti-trust laws and forced it to dismantle (it was broken up into more than 30 individual companies).

At the time of the breakup. Rockefeller held over 25% of Standards stock (per Wikipedia). He and all of the other stockholders received proportionate shares in each of the 34 companies. Over the next 10 years the breakup proved immensely profitable for him. The companies combined net worth rose fivefold and Rockefellers personal wealth jumped to $900 million.

Also per Wikipedia, one of the most effective attacks on Rockefeller and his firm was the 1904 publication of The History of the Standard Oil Company, by Ida Tarbell [the daughter of Franklin Summer Tarbell, whose company went out of business due to Rockefellers ruthless choking of competition]. She documented the companys espionage, price wars, heavy-handed marketing tactics, and courtroom evasions.

Interestingly, the publication happened around the same time when Rockefeller started really focusing on philanthropy, which is not dissimilar how Bill Gates became passionate about philanthropy after his antitrust troubles. Both transformations of a monopolist into a philanthropist magically supported the goal of securing even more control of the markets as well as psychological control, disguised as investing in education, medicine, and so on.

Civilization, Roads, and Progress? Pain and Destruction?

It is interesting how there are polar opposite ways to view technological progress of the past century and a half, including the birth of Rockefeller medicine. It is almost as if there are two worlds! In one world, the mostly imaginary world, described in the words by the winners, the plot is clean and glorious.

Here is a new scientific triumph, a new invention, a new efficient thing that allows a great advancement in cleanliness, and comfort! And here is a hard-working man  perhaps a little eccentric and not without flaws  but a good, hard-working man none the less, who through his selfless work and admirable dedication manages to bring new goodness to our lives. A role model! A win-win! Yay, progress! Yay, public health! Yay, yay!

In the real world though, the hard-working man tends to be emotionally messed up  and progress is built on a large amount of blood and orphans tears.

In the case of Rockefellers empire, oil development, much like every other method of modern energy production, old or new, is very destructive. Oil sites leave the land lifeless and devastated, spills are murderous, burning oil produces toxins, etc. etc. And of course, the monopolistic Rockefeller medicine, making much use of oil products, is not particular medicinal overall, comparing to many other modalities of medicine, that it tries to kill.

And, if we look at the existential aspect of the entire thing, well see that at the very onset of the industrial revolution, believing in its absolute superiority and goodness required one to have an important part of ones sensory perception burned out. Either that, or the industrialists and the financiers just sincerely didnt care what happens to the world once their profits are made and multiplied.

On a tangent, here is a video that shows the visuals of barren land  with an added allusion (not intended by the makers of the video) to the competition that John D. Rockefeller had with Baku Oil, and the subsequent rumored ties between the Rockefeller interests and Bolshevik Russia (per historian Anthony Sutton, not referred to in the video).

The Mind of a Disruptor

Where does the psychological type of a disruptor come from? When I think about the proud disruptor, I imagine a child who is born into a world that lacks a meaningful connection to nature  a world that focuses on ego and mechanical things.

There is something about the metaphorical mind of a man who looks at nature and sees mostly profits, or who looks at old (indigenous) knowledge and sees  well  something to laugh at, like a rude child  who has no understanding of nature and no connection to nature, and who is not interested in developing depth because he is doing just fine without  for now at least. He just never develops the senses to feel what its like to be a child, in awe, loved by the universe!

If I were to create a word for this kind of a mindset, my word would be soulhole a person with a hole in his soul. He is starved emotionally and in denial of starvation. He is troubled, his spirit is screaming for respect but he doesnt admit to it, and his hunger in insatiable.

And  lucky us  people with this mindset are currently in charge of the reform we are dealing with today!

Rockefeller Medicine and COVID

Today, we live in a world where the Rockefeller medicine is showing its teeth. We live in a world where medical boards, largely shaped by the Flexner Report, are suspending doctors licenses for daring go against the establishment lies.

Following in the footsteps of John D. Rockefeller, the self-appointed owners of everything on Earth are attempting to grab even more power and to destroy all remaining competition  in all industries  for good, concentrating everything, from food to medicine to education to finance, in their own hands.

Things are so absurd that it feels like we should be able to just pinch ourselves  and the dream will end. But alas, this is not a dream. We have any challenges ahead  but I pray that all of us, including the poor destructive soulhole, are healed, so that we can finally live in peace. Its been too long.

About the Author

To find more of Tessa Lenas work, be sure to check out her bio, Tessa Fights Robots.

Originally published
In this image from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office and posted on Facebook, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks from Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 16, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Russia Controls About One-Fifth of Ukraine: Zelenskyy

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that Russian forces now control roughly one-fifth of his country as fighting rages on for nearly the hundredth day.

Zelenskyy told Luxembourgs legislature that Russian troops have entered 3,620 settlements in Ukraine of which 1,017 of them have already been liberated and another 2,603 are to be released.

As of today, about 20 percent of our territory is under the control of the occupiers, Zelenskyy said. Almost 125 thousand square kilometers. This is much larger than the area of all the Benelux Countries combined. About 300 thousand square kilometers are bestrewn with mines and unexploded ordnance. Almost 12 million Ukrainians have become internally displaced persons. More than 5 million, mostly women and children, have gone abroad.

Despite Russian troops having taken over large swaths of the country, the Ukrainian president noted that Ukrainian forces have shown extraordinary bravery and refused to surrender to Moscow.

We have stopped and are gradually pushing the army of invaders, which was recently considered the second strongest in the world, out of our territory, he said.

Zelenskyys comments come shortly after he visited Kharkiv on Sunday, marking his first public appearance outside Kyiv since the conflict began.

In a statement, his office said that the president met with the members of the military and presented troops with state awards and valuable gifts while thanking them for their service.

During his visit, the Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleg Synegubov said that currently 31 percent of the regions territory is temporarily occupied by Russian forces while 5 percent has been liberated from Russian soldiers.

We are not yet able to fully inspect some of the liberated settlements, conduct full-fledged demining and begin rebuilding critical infrastructure, as shelling continues. Where we can do it remotelywe do it, said Synegubov.

Synegubov added that Russian forces had destroyed 2,229 high-rise buildings, of which 225 were completely destroyed. The northern and eastern districts of Kharkiv have suffered the most damage and destruction, with a total of 30.2 percent of the total housing being impacted, according to the RMA head.

During his visit, Zelenskyy, among other things, inspected the destroyed residential buildings in the Saltivka district of Kharkiv and said that new houses in the city must be built with bomb shelters.

The Ukrainian presidents latest comments come after Russian troops have seized control of more than two-thirds of the strategically important eastern Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk after days of fierce fighting.

Serhiy Haidai, Head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration, confirmed via Telegram on June 1 that Moscows forces have taken over 70 percent of the city, which is situated in the Donbass.

Multiple reports state that roughly 800 people, including children, are hiding from Russian shelling beneath a chemical factory in the city.

If Russian forces were to completely take over Sievierodonetsk, Russian president Vladimir Putin would effectively control all of Luhansk, which, along with the Donetsk collectively makes up the Donbass.

Zelenskyy told Luxembourgs legislature on Thursday that Russian forces have already destroyed almost the entire Donbass which he said was once one of the most powerful industrial centers in Europe but is now completely devastated.

The occupiers are destroying it city after city. Just look at the city of Mariupol. There were half a million people, ordinary peaceful life in an important industrial city. Now there are burnt-out ruins. And we still dont even know exactly how many of our people were killed by the occupiers. At least tens of thousandstens of thousands in a little less than 100 days.

This is what it means, in fact, to characterize this war as full-scale. And that is why we are so loud urging the world to support us, he added.
San Clemente to Fight Human Trafficking Through Stronger Oversight of At-Risk Businesses

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif.Hotels and personal service businesses like massage parlors and nail salons have become a hotbed for human trafficking in San Clemente, California, prompting city officials to push for stronger oversight of such establishments.

In terms of quality of life and the safety and security of our residents, we dont want those establishments here, Mayor Pro Tem Chris Duncan said during a May 25 city council meeting.

At the meeting, officials voted unanimously to implement a plan with preventative actions against human trafficking by recognizing cases of sex trafficking or forced labor more effectively.

The plan was created in January by the city councils Public Safety Committee, which works with city staff, law enforcement, and the i-5 Freedom Networka San Clemente-based non-profit fighting to end human traffickingto address potential issues at massage establishments and similar businesses that provide illicit services.

The plan identified three priorities to stop modern-day slavery from crossing city lines.

The first would be to delegate at least one city employee to enforce compliance at targeted establishments using an inspection sheet based on existing regulations and annual licensing requirements.

Secondly, the city would educate hotels, motels, and other establishments to recognize and report human trafficking cases and reward compliant businesses.

Finally, the city would include human trafficking information in community forums and schools and encourage citizens to create civilian-run crime prevention programs like the Neighborhood Watch to help rescue victims from their traffickers.

Adam Atamian, deputy community development director of the committee, recommended the city create an inspection program to search two random massage establishments unannounced annually.

Atamian said during the meeting that approximately 12 massage parlors are currently operating in San Clemente, including standard massage businesses, sole proprietorships, and nail salons that also provide a massage service.

From time to time, we get some complaints submitted about illicit activities, he said.

Committee also receives reports of such activities from the Orange County Sheriffs Department, which performs stings a couple of times a year under the citys current ordinance that allows unannounced random inspections, Atamian said.

The pre-existing ordinance also prohibits locking massage room doors or allowing customers to receive services in the nude.

While mildly uncomfortable, people should be able to get up and open the door in a reasonable amount of time, he said while describing a random inspection.

According to a city report, it costs the city about $2,500 to conduct 40 hours of random inspection per year. If the council chose to do inspections more frequently, the cost would be around $15,000 per year.

Alejandra Baker, programs director of i-5 Freedom Network, said during the meeting, survivors whom we serve have been literally traumatized and abused over and over.

Baker said because traffickers force nine out of ten victims of sex trafficking into performing lewd acts against their will, the nonprofit suggested city officials arrest business owners and traffickers rather than the victims.

[Traffickers are] forcing these women into laboring for free in exchange for shelter, she said. This is not a condition that we want to offer here in San Clemente.

Recently, Baker said, the nonprofit completed an operation at a Lake Forest hotel where 19 men, who responded to an ad for prostitution, were caught and charged by authorities.

There were no [human trafficking] signs in the hotel, she said, adding that hotel employees were often untrained in identifying traces of such activity. We really encourage [the city] to take further action to prevent this from happening here in San Clemente.
The Stellantis sign outside the Chrysler Technology Center, in Auburn Hills, Mich. on Jan. 19, 2021. (Carlos Osorio/AP Photo)

Stellantis, Controlled Thermal in Lithium Hydroxide Deal

Automaker Stellantis has reached a deal to have Controlled Thermal Resources Ltd. supply battery-grade lithium hydroxide for its electric vehicles in North America.

CTR will supply Stellantis, the company that combined PSA Peugeot and Fiat Chrysler, with up to 25,000 metric tons per year of lithium hydroxide over the 10-year term of the agreement.

CTR will produce battery grade lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate along with geothermal energy in California with a resource production capacity in excess of 300,000 metric tons per year.

Ensuring we have a robust, competitive, and low-carbon lithium supply from various partners around the world will enable us to meet our aggressive electric vehicle production plans in a responsible manner, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said in a statement on Thursday.

Rod Colwell, CEO of Controlled Thermal Resources (R), and Tracy Sizemore, the companys Global Director of Battery Materials, walk along geothermal mud pots near the shore of the Salton Sea, where the company is mining for lithium, in Niland, Calif., on July 15, 2021. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Photo)

Last month the Biden administration announced $3.1 billion in funding to U.S. companies that make and recycle lithium-ion batteries. Its part of the administrations ongoing push to dramatically boost sales of electric vehicles.

The new program will offer grants to companies that process or recycle battery components. The grants are intended to help strengthen U.S. energy independence and support Bidens goal to have electric vehicles make up half of all vehicles sales in America by 2030.

In November Stellantis announced that it secured a five-year supply of battery-grade lithium hydroxide in Europe to support its plans to convert to 98 percent electrified vehicles by 2025. Stellantis signed a binding agreement with Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd. in Germany. Vulcan will supply between 81,000 metric tons and 99,000 metric tons of lithium hydroxide over the five-year term of the agreement.
Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca looks on from the stage after stepping down as party leader on election night in Vaughan, Ont., on June 2, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Chris Young)

Steven Del Duca Steps Down as Ontario Liberal Leader After Crushing Defeat

Steven Del Duca has resigned as leader of Ontarios Liberals after his partys third-place finish in the election.

The Liberals failed to secure official party status once again, and Del Duca was unable to win in his own riding of Vaughan-Woodbridge.

This isnt the outcome that we had hoped for, and work hard for, Del Duca said in a speech Thursday night.

Earlier this evening, I informed our party president of my decision to step down from the leadership of our party. And I have asked him to meet with the executive to set a leadership contest for as soon as is reasonable.

The Liberal leader was defeated in his riding of Vaughan-Woodbridge, which went to Progressive Conservative candidate Michael Tibollo, who also beat Del Duca in 2018.

Its true, I am disappointed to not have been successful here in my home community, Del Duca said.

The Liberals suffered a historic loss in 2018, securing just seven seats in the legislature, and were looking to rebuild in this election.

But they trailed far behind the Progressive Conservatives who secured a second majority, and the NDP who regained official Opposition status.

Del Duca said hes sure the Liberal candidates who have been elected to Queens Park will serve their constituents well.

The former Wynne government minister was elected to helm the party days before the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.

His Liberal platform included plans to make COVID-19 vaccinations compulsory for school attendance, remove provincial HST on prepared foods under $20, and boost the minimum wage to $16 per hour by next year.
Firearm instructor Clark Aposhian holds a handgun up as he teaches a concealed-weapons training class to 200 Utah teachers in West Valley City, Utah, on Dec. 27, 2012. (George Frey/Getty Images)

Texas Republicans Renew Interest in Arming Teachers

In wake of the Uvalde school shooting, Texas Republicans have expressed renewed interest in programs already in place to arm teachers as state Democrats call for more gun control.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) said he doesnt believe passing new gun laws will deter criminals, and believes the answer is to make schools hard targets for killers.

We cant stop bad people from doing bad things. Theyre going to violate murder laws. Theyre not going to follow gun laws  Ive never understood that argument, Paxton told Fox News.

We can potentially arm and prepare and train teachers and other administrators to respond quicklybecause the reality is we dont have the resources to have law enforcement at every school, he added.

Paxton was responding to the May 24 mass shooting in Uvalde, home to a small, rural Texas school district where a teen gunman slipped through an open door and killed 19 children and two teachers.

Meanwhile, Democratic candidate for governor Beto ORourke, is demanding action from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto ORourke (L) interrupts a press conference held by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott following a shooting the day before at Robb Elementary School, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 25, 2022. (Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images)

Anyone can call for a committee. Only a governor can call a special session. Do your job, ORourke said on Twitter. ORourke went so far as to interrupt Abbotts press conference on the Uvalde school shooting last week. This is on you, he said.

Like Paxton, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said restrictive gun laws wont stop criminals.

Inevitably when theres a murder of this kind, you see politicians try to politicize it you see Democrats and a lot of folks in the media whose immediate solution is to try to restrict the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens, Cruz told MSNBC. That doesnt work.

Abbott said Wednesday in a statement Texas must reassess the twin issues of school safety and mass violence, but ruled out gun control legislation. He called on Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan (R) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, (R) the State Senates presiding officer, to form committees examining previous legislation and resources available to schools.

Gun toting teachers are nothing new in Texas. In 2013, the state legislature authorized employees to carry firearms on school property. Texas school districts can opt into the School Marshal Plan and the Guardian Plan.

Under the Marshal Plan, school employees can carry a handgun on school premises after 80 hours of training. However, school marshals are restricted from carrying concealed firearms if theyre in regular contact with the students. Instead, the marshal can store a gun in a safe at the school. There are 62 school districts participating in this plan according to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

The Guardian Plan authorizes school boards to allow any employee to be armed under the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act and the Texas Penal Code. After completing 16 hours of training, those employees may carry a concealed firearm in the presence of students. According to the Texas Association of School Boards, 389 districts reported using the Guardian plan as of May.

The cost-effectiveness of the Guardian program is one reason why one Wichita Falls school district adopted it about three years ago. Tony Bushong, superintendent for City View Independent School District, told The Epoch Times that while armed teachers cant replace police officers, they offer a solution to security when budgets are tight.

By doing this, Im arming my teachers, but its not costing me a whole lot, he said.

Right now his district of 1,130 students has 14 Guardian volunteers. Three more have asked to join since the Uvalde shooting. Bushong thinks more schools will consider the Guardian program in the aftermath of the Uvalde tragedy.

In this Dec. 27, 2012 file photo, Cori Sorensen, a fourth grade teacher from Highland Elementary School in Highland, Utah, receives firearms training with a .357 magnum from personal defense instructor Jim McCarthy in West Valley City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

At LaVernia Independent School District east of San Antonio, Director of Safety and Security Michael Duffek told The Epoch Times via email that his district opted into the Guardian program shortly before the Uvalde shooting due to outside visitors trying to get in.

Like Bushong, he believes more schools will sign up for the programs to deter criminals and enhance protection.

Absolutely, time is crucial and those supports on campus could help, Duffek said in an email.

Bushong said the Guardian program is voluntary and no one on campus knows who carries a weapon. The training for the program involves the use of rubber bullets and making split-second decisions in different scenarios to eliminate a shooter.

In my opinion, the more guns we have on campus, the safer we will be, Bushong said. Teachers packing firearms can respond within minutes to potentially save lives.

State funding for school security is sparse, he said, adding his district received a little over $10,000 from the state for the school year. Bushong said his district and others are forced to use local funds to fill the gap. He estimates that his district spent about $200,000 this school year on police salaries along with training costs and hundreds of rounds of ammunition for Guardian teachers.

Its not just meits everyone, he said of school districts struggling to secure their populations. Its very frustrating.

Bushong and Duffek said their message for the legislative committees would be to increase funding to help schools stay safe.

I dont believe we will ever stop evil. All we can do is minimize. We cant stop everything, Bushong said.

People visit a makeshift memorial for the 21 victims of an elementary school mass shooting in the town square in Uvalde, Texas, on May 29, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who was appointed to the newly formed Senate Special Committee to Protect All Texans, believes the first order of business is to get an accurate record of what happened that day in Uvalde, including a complete picture of police response.

Once the events are clear, the committee will look at a number of school safety enhancements, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. Districts using armed officers and programs to arm teachers will be part of their review.

School financing can also be addressed by the committee he said, adding that a special session is not needed despite what Democrats are claiming.

Bettencourt said there is about $15 million available that can be sent quickly to the Texas Education Agency to distribute to schools for security.
By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov and Italys Undersecretary at the Ministry of the Ecological Transition Vannia Gava discussed the successful development of economic partnership, especially in the energy sector, Azernews reports per the Economy Ministry.

During the meeting, Jabbarov noted the successful development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Italy, the importance of mutual visits of presidents, and ongoing negotiations in expanding ties.

In turn, Gava emphasized the importance of productive discussions on expanding economic cooperation and shared her opinion on the directions for developing partnerships. She informed about the emerging demand for natural gas in Europe, also the interest in importing raw materials, and emphasized the importance of cooperation with Azerbaijan to this effect.

According to the ministry, the sides exchanged views on alternative energy, and cooperation in the restoration and reconstruction of Azerbaijans liberated territories.

The diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on May 8, 1992. The first embassy of Italy among the Southern Caucasus republics was opened in Azerbaijan in 1997 and the embassy of Azerbaijan in Italy has been functioning since 2003.

The two countries' trade turnover was $9.6 billion in 2021, with Italy being Azerbaijan's main trade partner.

Azerbaijan is a major supplier of energy resources to Italy. In Azerbaijan, over 100 Italian companies operate in various sectors. Further, Italian firms have contracts worth more than 10 billion ($11.8 billion) for Azerbaijani projects both inside and outside the country.

Azerbaijan's total investment in the Italian economy is estimated to be around 1.7 billion ($2 billion), with Italy investing approximately 770 million ($910.8 million) in Azerbaijan.

Further, Italy was one of the first countries to express support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, as well as an interest in participating in the restoration of Azerbaijan's liberated territories. Thus, Italy and Israel have already launched a joint project in the liberated Zangilan region.
The Founders and the Twitter Mob

Commentary

Over the past two centuries, our Constitution has done a good job of curbing the menace of mob behavior. Unfortunately, social media have created new challenges by reempowering political mobsnotably, but not exclusively, the Twitter Mob.

In this essay, I discuss the risks mobs pose to republican political systems. I explain how the American Founders addressed those risks and how modern social media have recreated some of them. At the end, I propose two partial remedies. I encourage readers and policymakers to think of others.

The Historical Background

Most early republicssuch as the democratic republics of ancient Greece, the Roman Republic, and various Swiss cantonsrelied on mass citizen assemblies to elect magistrates and approve laws. In theory, these assemblies were deliberative. In fact, they often degenerated into irrational fury. Later generations referred to them as mobs, an abbreviation of the Latin phrase vulgus mobile, meaning the fickle common people.

Mobs proved to be terrible decision-makers. A military victory might inflate a citizen assembly into thoughtless arrogance and overreaching. A military defeat might foster a panicked and foolish response.

A voting mob could make a wild decision in the heat of Monday and regret it in the cool dawn of Tuesday. In 427 BCE, for example, the Athenian assembly voted to slaughter all male citizens of the city of Mytilene and enslave the restonly to reverse its order the following day. Mobs issued decrees of exile against Aristides and Cicero, and later rescinded those decrees.

But sometimes a foolish mob action could not be reversed, such as the execution of Socrates by a 500-member jury or the Athenian decision (in 416 B.C.) to massacre the inhabitants of the island of Melos.

Mob mischief often wasnt entirely spontaneous. Some people (today, we euphemistically call them activists) learned how to raise and direct mobs. They planted rumors and gossip and spread panic and misinformation. They became adept at fostering momentum to persuade others to join the cause. They employed bribery as another form of persuasion. They intimidated, exiled, and crushed dissenters.

Activists might do such things for their own purposes or as agents for ambitious demagogues or wealthy paymasters.

If such events sound distant, recall the Black Lives Matter/Antifa mobs of less than two years ago: Activistsfunded and facilitated by donors, demagogues, legacy media, and social mediastoked mobs that destroyed property, intimidated public officials, stifled dissent, and killed people.

More on modern mobs below.

The American Founders Recognized the Risk of Mobs

The American Founders favored republican government, but they also knew of republics turbulent history. In the ninth essay of The Federalist, Alexander Hamilton observed:

It is impossible to read the history of the petty republics of Greece and Italy without feeling sensations of horror and disgust at the distractions with which they were continually agitated, and at the rapid succession of revolutions by which they were kept in a state of perpetual vibration between the extremes of tyranny and anarchy.

In No. 10 of The Federalist, James Madison described the related concept of faction:

By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.

Factions often operated through mob-like behavior, promoting, Madison wrote, a rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property, or for any other improper or wicked project.

The Founders Addressed How to Curb Mobs

Unlike Marxists, the Founders recognized that human nature remains relatively constant. Mob activity appeals to many people because humans are gregarious (a word derived from the Latin word for herd). Most people like to be part of a group, especially a group with a cause. It makes them feel virtuous and secure. Because many people are unsure of their own critical faculties, they are comforted by the belief that thousands of others feel the same way they do.

Thus, Madison concluded that the causes of faction cannot be removed  [so] relief is only to be sought in the means of controlling its effects.

The Constitutions framers studied history and political systems carefully to determine what institutions and laws could reduce mob activity, or at least reduce the damage it caused. They adopted a system of mixed governmentthat is, a government comprising democratic, monarchical, and aristocratic elements. They created a representative, bicameral Congress. They adopted fixed terms of office, checks and balances, and specific protections for dissenters and other minorities.

Because mobs could upset small polities more readily than large ones, the framers favored lodging additional power in a central government.

Enter Technology

New technology can either reduce or increase the dangers of mob activity. For example, 19th-century developments in telecommunications enabled states to adopt systems of direct democracy (initiative and referendum) without the need for thousands of voters to assemble in one place. On the other hand, 21st-century social media technology has made it easier to raise and manipulate mobsa situation the authoritarian left has been quick to exploit.

Of course, the Twitter mob and its counterparts arent made up of people physically together in one place. Moreover, because of the American Founders reforms, they cant control government policy directly. But in other respects, they resemble traditional mobs both in their behavior and the risks they pose:

Intra-mob communication is very fast;

rumors, half-truths, and disinformation are spread before they can be rebutted;

ambitious or ideologically driven activists feed the fury, often facilitated by demagogues and wealthy donors;

an illusion of momentum pushes people to join the movement;

dissent is crushedor, in modern parlance, canceled; and

the causes promoted usually meet Madisons classification as improper and wicked; recent examples include attempts to corrupt the courts and intimidate the police, promotion of race hatred, demands for race-based property redistribution, and (particularly on campuses) suppression of free speech.

Addressing the Problems

As the Founders recognized, the human impulse toward mob behavior isnt going to disappear. But reforms can limit its influence. Here are two partial responses to the risks posed by social media mobs:

First: Political decisions have become far more centralized in Washington, D.C. than the Founders envisioned. Modern mobsters take advantage of this. Decentralization is one way to counter them. The more political decisions are made at the state and local level, the less influence nationwide mobs will have.

Experience tells us that the only way to bring about decentralization is through a constitutional amendment proposed by a convention of the states.

Repealing or Enforcing Section 230

We must remove the legal immunities social media enjoy when they quash dissent. Canceling is immoral and, when carried out in conjunction with government officials, unconstitutional. And by fostering an echo chamber of mutually reinforcing views, cancellation provokes mob behavior.

Illustrating the heavy hand of social media company censorship is the experience of my fellow Epoch Times columnist Roger Simon. As he reported on May 6, he had been recently canceled by Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, all without explanation.

Social media companies base their right to cancel on Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act. Section 230 protects social media companies from damages caused by untrue and harmful content, but only if they comply with certain standards of impartiality. Social media companies point out that Section 230 allows them to remove otherwise objectionable material without losing their immunity.

I rebutted their position in a previous essay. As both the text of the law and its legislative history make clear, otherwise objectionable doesnt mean whatever the company doesnt like or whatever the company disagrees with politically. Rather, otherwise objectionable refers solely to material harmful to children.

Once Republicans retake control of the federal government, they should either enforce Section 230 or repeal the protection it gives to social media companies for the damage they cause.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A worker looks past a fence in a compound during a COVID-19 lockdown in the Jing'an district of Shanghai, China, on May 25, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

The Last Generation Reflects the Dehumanization of China by the CCP

In the ultimate statement of resistance, a new generation no longer believes in China

Commentary

Despair is a powerful force. Its the complete loss of hope. Without hope, theres no meaning in life and no reason to go on living. Thats where the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has led Chinas latest generation.

Or, as they call themselves, The Last Generation.

The Young and the Hopeless

This is more than just the flippant response of a young man despondent at the totalitarian lockdowns, surveillance, and state intrusion into his life. When police told him that his attitude and lack of cooperation in going to a quarantine camp would affect his family for three generations, the man replied, This is the last generation.

That last generation response resonated with Chinas younger generation, which sees little to hope for in their lives. It quickly became a social media hashtag across the country, allowing young people to easily express their own despair with life under the CCPs draconian decisions to lock down entire cities such as Shanghai and many others, isolating tens of millions of young Chinese.

Ultimately, the response is borne of despair and disillusionment with life in modern China. One can certainly sympathize with their plight.

996 Culture Exploits a Generation

Typically, the generation of Chinese who are in their 20s and 30s today are the only child of their parents as a result of the CCPs decades-long one-child policy. They may be married, with two sets of parents to take care of, but many are not married and live alone. Often as not, they have no children and may own an apartment that has fallen in value due to market manipulation by the state. Many cannot afford to buy an apartment, scrimping and saving just to get by.

Their jobs, if they have one, are long and tedious. These workers slave away their lives in high-tech roles that leave them little time in their lives. This new Chinese lifestyle has been cynically identified as the 996 culture in which young, college-educated workers are on the job from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week.

Although complaining about the 996 life is common on social media and has stirred a national discussion in China, it has been entirely supported by the upper echelons of business and political power for decades. Recent changes in the law have been made to reduce this modern phenomenon of high-tech labor exploitation, but in practice, it remains.

This exploitation and 996 culture serve the purposes of the state, of course, which gains both the productivity of its younger generation with the added benefit of people being too tired to do much of anything else.

A National Mental Health Crisis

Whats more, in the pandemic era, the state has become all-powerful and intrusive. Frequent testing, invasive monitoring by police, a constant barrage of instructions over loudspeakers, and a lack of communication with peers have impacted the psyches of a generation.

Todays generation has seen the country go from global leader in industry and even pandemic control to global pariah with a totalitarian government that has complete control over them.

Aerial view of people lining up for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing in Tianjin, China, on Jan. 20, 2022. (VGC/VCG via Getty Images)

The outcome is a national mental health crisis that the government is ill-equipped to even recognize, much less handle, characterized by mass disillusionment and apathy.

Run for Your LifeOut of China

In response, a new trend has emerged among the young known as runxue or the run philosophy. Its message is as simple as it is damningit tells the young to run away from China for a better and safer life.

That new philosophy is as understandable as the last generation sentiment. After all, young people need an opportunity to try new things, spread their wings, try, fail, and then try again without the stifling and constant pressure of the CCPs boot on their necks and its presence in their minds.

From a behavioral perspective, the young generation is unlike any China has seen. During the one-child policy era, for example, many wanted more than one child, while the state engaged in forced abortions to enforce the policy.

Today, many young Chinese refuse to have any children. One poll showed two-thirds of mostly women between the ages of 18 and 31 have chosen not to have children.

Not bringing children to this country, to this land, will be the most charitable deed I could manage, wrote a Weibo user under the hashtag #thelastgeneration, before it was censored.

Another wrote: As ordinary people whore not entitled to individual dignity, our reproductive organs will be our last resort.

A Dystopian Present and Future

Even with government tax and income incentives to persuade the young to have up to three children, the idea of bringing a child into the dystopia that is modern China isnt appealing to the very generation on which the policy depends.

As one might expect, an aging population with below-replacement birth rates doesnt bode well for the future of China or the CCP. Thats a separate topic, of course, but suffice to say the CCPs policies over the past several decades have created a generational and societal wasteland of which the consequences are only now beginning to be felt in the Party.

Of course, the CCP has handled such a devastating and apparently deep-seated mood among many of its young people much like it approaches all the problems it faces: by stifling public discussion.

Naturally, the last generation is now censored across Chinas social media channels. Apparently, the CCPs thinking is that since it cant be seen or expressed on social media, or any other media, the whole thing has gone away. The Party can confidently and officially declare that there is no more despair among the young.

Except, of course, that there is despair among the younger generation. Its borne ofor at least most identified withthe CCPs extensive and cruel lockdown policies, but its roots are much deeper than that. Whats more, this deep despondency is rampant. Business crackdowns, lockdowns, and a collapsing economy have only made China less livable and the state more intimidating and aggressive toward its people.

Back in the early 1990s, when China was ascending rapidly, the promise of material wealth was on the lips of Chinas leaders and the minds of the young generation. A popular saying at the time went, Id rather cry in your BMW than laugh on your bicycle.

Today, much of Chinas young generation is beyond tears, beyond numb, and perhaps irretrievably broken by their cruel government and are refusing to legitimize it by having children.

Thats a multidimensional problem for which the CCP lacks any empathy or real answers.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A logo at the Toronto Police Services headquarters, in Toronto, on Aug. 9, 2019. (The Canadian Press/Christopher Katsarov)

Toronto Police to Allow Unvaccinated Staff Back to Work

Toronto Police Service (TPS) says it will be reinstating unvaccinated employees, who were put on unpaid leave for not receiving COVID-19 shots, effective June 21.

The Services decision to rescind its COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Requirement was made in response to the current public health and occupational health context of the pandemic and the unique nature of its work and workplaces, Allison Sparks, director of corporate communications for TPS, told The Epoch Times.

Sparks said in the June 2 emailed statement that future TPS hires will still need to be fully vaccinated.

The Service continues to ensure that our workplaces remain safe which includes continued COVID-19 measures as appropriate, Sparks said.

TPS is the fourth-largest municipal police force in North America, with 5,500 officers and 2,200 civilian support staff.

Sparks said the vaccination rate in the organization is 99 percent and that 101 employees are currently on unpaid leave. TPS didnt respond to a question on the number of employees who resigned due to the mandate.

TPS had announced in November that it was placing 205 of its members on unpaid leave, including 117 police officers and 88 civilian employees, as its vaccine mandate was coming into effect.

Officers will be deployed as operationally required by the Service and civilian members will return to their original roles, Sparks said.

The Toronto Police Association was contacted for comment but didnt respond by publication time.

The move was welcomed by some advocacy groups calling for vaccine choice and civil liberties, including Mounties for Freedom. The group was formed by RCMP officers in part to stand united against the forced and coerced medical intervention of Canadians and against the discrimination faced by those who chose not to be vaccinated.

Daniel Bulford, a spokesperson for the group and former RCMP sniper who was involved in the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa this winter, applauded the move by TPS to reinstate employees but said they shouldnt have been let go in the first place.

Im glad to see TPS members being invited back to work. I hope that the atmosphere is welcoming for them, he said, adding he hoped their colleagues would acknowledge the impact the mandates had on the returning employees.

If police agencies wouldve made an evidence-based decision and stood their ground on behalf of these officers and the greater public, mandates would have been defeated and Canada would be united in freedom again.

Clay Farnsworth, chair of Police on Guard, a group composed of active and retired officers opposed to use of emergency powers by governments during the pandemic, said his group vehemently opposed the vaccine mandates implemented across Canada.

[The mandates] were not backed by any credible scientific data and were an affront to our democracy and Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Farnsworth told The Epoch Times.

Farnsworth says the group stands by the officers that have lost their jobs and is calling for financial compensation for lost wages.

The RCMP has imposed a vaccine mandate on its workforce, whereas the Ontario Provincial Police did not, allowing its employees the alternative of testing regularly. This was in line with the Ontario Public Service policy that was dropped in early April.
Two Workers Die After Being Buried in a 60-foot Coal Pile Collapse at Colorado Plant

DENVERThe bodies of two workers who were buried in coal pile collapse at the Comanche power plant in Pueblo have been recovered.

The incident happened at about 8:40 a.m. at the Comanche Generating Station in Pueblo, fire spokesman Erik Duran said. A 911 caller reported that multiple people were trapped in coal following a landslide, he said.

At about 4:30 p.m. the bodies of two men, one in his 20s and the other in his 30s, were recovered from beneath 60-feet of coal, Duran said.

The Pueblo County Coroners Office has taken possession of the bodies. Their identities will be released at a later time.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families and their co-workers, Duran said.

A rescue team arrived at the plant within 10 minutes of being notified and began working to free the two reported victims, Duran said. That rescue attempt was ongoing at 12:45 p.m. There was no communication between rescuers and the people trapped.

The plant is owned and operated by Xcel Energy, but the two people believed to be buried are employees of Savage, a company that contracts with Xcel to operate the coal yard at the plant, Xcel spokeswoman Lacey Nygard said.

Savage has served as a long-term contractor partner that operates and maintains the coal yard at Comanche and our other coal plants, she said in an email. Savage manages all of the onsite operations; hiring, training and maintaining staff and equipment and coal operations at the Comanche plant coal yard.

Jeff Hymas, a spokesman for Savage, confirmed that two Savage employees were trapped and said the incident happened around 8:20 a.m., adding in a statement that employees immediately launched rescue efforts.

We appreciate the rapid response of the local emergency agencies and Xcel Energys assistance, he said the statement.

Nygard added that she believes the incident happened inside the coal yard; Duran said it occurred at an outdoor feeder pile for the furnaces.

The coal pile is made up of a combination of lumps of coal and finer, more gravel or dust-like particles, Duran said, adding that both suffocation and crushing were a concern.

Earlier this year, Xcel Energy agreed to close the coal-fired power plant, which has long-standing mechanical and operational problems, by the beginning of 2031 as part of a deal between the company, businesses, environmental organizations and several local governments.

2022 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at denverpost.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits an area damaged by Russian military strikes, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kharkiv, Ukraine on May 29, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)

Ukrainians Hold Out as Russia Storms Eastern City on Wars 100th Day

SIEVIERODONETSK, UkraineUkraine on Friday said it recaptured a large chunk of territory in fierce fighting for Sievierodonetsk and foiled an attempt by Russian troops to advance from the devastated eastern industrial city on the 100th day of Moscows invasion.

Ukraines defense minister said his soldiers were training in Europe to operate advanced missile systems pledged this week by the United States and Britain, which Kyiv hopes will help swing the battle in its favor.

Rejecting Western criticism that the war is to blame for rising global food prices hurting poor countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin denied Moscow was preventing Ukrainian ports from exporting cereals.

Reuters reached Sievierodonetsk on Thursday and was able to verify that Ukrainians still held part of the city. Troops drove toward a plume of black smoke at high speed over roads littered with wrecked armored vehicles.

At another location in the city, Ukrainian troops, including foreign volunteers, unloaded weapons from a truck.

On Friday, the Ukrainian head of the Luhansk region Serhiy Gaidai told national television that Ukrainian troops had recaptured around 20 percent of the territory they had lost to Russian forces in Sievierodonetsk.

Reuters could not independently verify Gaidais claim.

Two Reuters journalists were injured and a driver killed after their vehicle came under fire as they tried to reach Sievierodonetsk from an area controlled by Russian-backed separatists.

Gaidai said the Russians were shelling Ukrainian positions for hours and then advancing, only to be repulsed by defenders who had not been hurt, before repeating the pattern.

This is how they are moving forward, step by step, because with artillery, aircraft, mortars, they are simply destroying everything, he said.

But as soon as we have enough Western long-range weapons, we will push their artillery away from our positions. And then, believe me, the Russian infantry, they will just run.

Russian soldiers attempted to advance toward Lysychansk, across the Siverskyi Donetsk River from Sievierodonetsk, but were forced to retreat, Ukraines military general staff said.

In neighboring Donetsk province, also a target of Moscows eastern offensive, Russian troops were just 15 km (9 miles) outside the city of Sloviansk, regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko told Reuters.

Donetsk will not fall quickly, but needs more weapons to keep the attackers at bay, Kyrylenko said.

Washington said this week it expected Ukrainians would need three weeks of training to use the rockets, whose range of up to 80 kilometers (50 miles) could help negate Russias artillery fire-power advantage.

U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters a negotiated settlement in Ukraine would be needed at some point, but in the meantime, the United States would help Ukrainians defend themselves.

Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an overnight address that Kyiv was expecting more good news on foreign arms, after the latest $700 million U.S. weapons package for Ukraine. Victory will be ours, he said later on Friday in a video address from outside his Kyiv office to mark 100 days of the war.

Slow but Steady Progress

Moscow says the Western weapons will pour fuel on the fire, but will not change the course of what it calls a special military operation to disarm Ukraine and rid it of dangerous nationalists.

Despite being driven from the north of Ukraine in March after a failed assault on the capital, Russia still controls around a fifth of the country, about half seized in 2014 and half captured since launching its invasion on Feb. 24.

For both sides, the massive Russian assault in the east in recent weeks has been one of the deadliest phases of the war, with Ukraine saying it is losing 60100 soldiers every day.

Moscow has made slow but steady progress, squeezing Ukrainian forces inside a pocket in the Luhansk and Donetsk provinces, but so far failing to encircle them.

Kyiv, meanwhile, hopes the Russian advance will drain Moscows forces enough for Ukraine to recapture territory in months to come.
A perimeter fence is constructed around what is officially known as a vocational skills education center in Dabancheng in Xinjiang, China, on Sept. 4, 2018. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

US and Other Nations Seek ILO China Mission to Probe Alleged Xinjiang Abuses

GENEVAThe United States, Britain, and other countries on June 2 called for the International Labour Organization (ILO) to set up a mission to probe alleged labor abuses in Chinas Xinjiang and urged Beijing to allow unfettered access.

A committee at the U.N. agency is addressing Chinas compliance with global labor standards after describing its practices in the western region of Xinjiang as discriminatory in February, ILO documents showed.

The June 2 meeting comes just days after the end of a trip by U.N. High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet to Xinjiang that has been widely criticized by both civil society and U.N. member states including the United States.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in March that China continues to commit genocide and crimes against humanity against mostly Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

A so-called tripartite mission, if accepted by the ILO committee, could shine a light on allegations that Uyghurs have been unlawfully detained, mistreated, and forced to work. China denies the accusations.

The US ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva Sheba Crocker called for China to accept the mission to investigate what she described as systemic violations of labor and human rights.

Britains envoy asked for the trip to be conducted before the next major ILO conference in 2023. Australia, Canada, and the European Union also voiced support.

Through a series of virtual interventions, including a Uyghur furnace worker, China claimed that its laws, regulations and practices are fully in line with the principles of conventions that it has ratified.

The prospective ILO mission would evaluate Chinas practices on the basis of its ratified conventions.

The June 2 committee, made up of government, employer, and workers delegates, is set to make a decision next week on whether to accept the mission request.

Sending a tripartite mission to China could be a first step toward further action.

As well as a tripartite mission, ILO members also have the option to seek a Commission of Inquiry (COI) to go to China, which would have more investigative powers.

This requires a formal complaint. Some 35 such complaints have been filed in the ILOs more than 100-year history, of which less than half have led to COI missions, the ILO official said. In only one case were sanctions applied, against Burma in 1998.
Police tape is seen in this stock photo. (Carl Ballou/Shutterstock)

US Marshal, Police Dog Wounded in Shootout With 2 Gunmen

CHICAGOA U.S. marshal and his police dog were shot during an exchange of gunfire between officers and two gunmen Thursday afternoon on Chicagos Northwest Side, authorities said.

The officer, who is with the U.S. Marshals Services fugitive apprehension team, was shot while serving a warrant, said Elorm Blake, a spokesperson for the Marshals Service.

The two gunmen were arrested, Chicago police spokesman Tom Ahern said.

After the shooting that occurred around 1:20 p.m., the marshal rushed the dog to a veterinary clinic, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said. He said the marshal then realized he had been shot in his hand and called for an ambulance.

The marshal has not been identified.

The conditions of the dog and officer and further details about the shooting were not immediately released.

The shootings came a day after a Chicago police officer was shot and seriously wounded while trying to make a traffic stop on the South Side. The gunman in that shooting remains at large.
An electrical line technician works on restoring power after a tornado in Vilonia, Ark., on April 29, 2014. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

US Midwest in Danger of Rotating Power Blackouts This Summer

The power grid in the Central United States could be forced to impose rotating blackouts on some of the hottest days of the summer due to rising demand and plant retirements, federal energy officials said in an online energy comment on Friday.

Extreme weather is causing increasing challenges for power grids across the United States, and officials are concerned that record heat and drought could result in rotating blackouts in several regions in the western half of the country.

In addition to the shutdown of coal and nuclear plants over the past year, the Midwests summer generating capacity is threatened by planned maintenance and forced outages, as well as seasonal factors like low wind conditions.

The regions grid operator, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), has already warned of potential capacity shortfalls and other reliability concerns in the north and central regions of its coverage area.

MISO operates the power grid for some 42 million people in 15 U.S. Central states from Minnesota to Louisiana and the Canadian province of Manitoba.

The northern and central regions of MISOs coverage are at increased risk of temporary, controlled outages to preserve the integrity of the bulk electric system, MISO has said.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in the Today in Energy section of its website on Friday that forecast demand in MISO could reach an hourly peak of 118.2 gigawatts (GW) under normal conditions this summer and 125.2 GW in extreme conditions.

To meet that peak demand, MISO expects to have 143.2 GW of capacity available this summer. But planned maintenance and forced outages could reduce that capacity, EIA warned.

Reductions could leave MISO with just 114.9 GW of generating capacity, which is less than its summer demand forecasts.

One gigawatt can power about a million U.S. homes on average, but as little as 200,000 on a hot summer day.

In the past five years, MISOs summer capacity has been reduced by an average of 6.7 GW of maintenance outages, 14.4 GW of forced outages, and 9.6 GW of seasonal derates like drought, low-wind conditions, and fuel supply limitations, EIA said.

One of the biggest power plants in MISO to shut over the past year was Entergy Corp.s 0.8 GW Palisades nuclear reactor in Michigan, which was retired in May after more than 50 years of operation.

MISO said it and member utilities have trained for worst-case scenarios this summer and are prepared to take actions to maintain grid reliability.

Those actions include urging homes and businesses to conserve energy, limiting power plant and transmission line maintenance during heatwaves and, if necessary, imposing rotating blackouts.

By Scott DiSavino
A file photo of the flags of Taiwan and United States are placed for a meeting in Taipei, Taiwan, on March 27, 2018. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

US Reinstates We Do Not Support Taiwan Independence Line to Fact Sheet

The U.S. State Department has once again amended its fact sheet on Taiwan and reinstated the line about not supporting the Chinese-claimed islands independence, just weeks after removing it in May.

The State Department had previously removed the line on not supporting Taiwans independence and on recognizing Beijings position that Taiwan is a part of China from its fact sheet, a move China denounced as political manipulation.

In an updated page on the Taiwan fact sheet, the State Department says: We oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side; we do not support Taiwan independence; and we expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means.

The amended version of the page maintains that Washington would make available defense articles and services as necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.

While the State Department has not yet commented on why the line was reinstated, the move was in line with State Department spokesperson Ned Prices remarks on May 26 that the United States does not support Taiwans independence.

As the president has said, our policy has not changed. The United States remains committed to our One China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Joint Communiques, the Six Assurances, Price said.

During a press briefing in Tokyo on May 23, President Joe Biden told reporters that his administration would be willing to defend Taiwan in the event that China invades the self-ruled island.

Its the commitment we made. Look, heres the situation. We agree with a One China policy, weve signed onto it, and all the intended agreements are made from there. But the idea that [Taiwan] can be taken by force  its just not appropriate, Biden said.

It will dislocate the entire region, and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine. And so its a burden that is even stronger, he added.

The One China policy refers to the United States recognition of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) claim that there is only one Chinese government. Thats separate from the CCPs One China Principle, which maintains that the communist regime has historic rights to the whole territory of pre-civil war China, including Taiwan.

The CCP claims that Taiwan is a breakaway province that must be united with the mainland, although Taiwan has been self-governed since 1949 and has never been under CCP control.

While Taiwan does not have a mutual defense agreement with the United States, the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act does guarantee that the United States will furnish Taiwan with the capabilities necessary to maintain its own defense.

Andrew Thornebrooke contributed to this report.
Sheep eat in their enclosure at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, on Aug. 11, 2019. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)

US Sheep Herders Sue Employers for Cartel-Like Wage Suppression

Sheep herders in the U.S. West have banded together to sue their employers, accusing them of operating an illegal cartel that artificially suppresses their wages, according to court documents filed Wednesday in Nevada.

The case could have implications for how antitrust laws are applied to labor markets, according to legal experts, as the Biden administration pushes for greater competition in every sector of the economy.

The suit alleges that ranches coordinate through the Western Range Association (WRA), a ranching trade group, to suppress sheepherder wages and avoid competing for labor.

Herders apply to jobs through the WRA which then assigns them to ranches, leaving no room for the herders to negotiate or shop around among ranches, the complaint said.

The arrangement violates the Sherman Act, a 130-year-old antitrust law that prohibits wage-fixing agreements among employers, the suit alleged.

Even workers who make some of the lowest wages in our economy should be able to benefit from the fair competition that our antitrust laws ensure, said David Seligman, executive director of Towards Justice, which brought the suit.

Ellen Jean Winograd, WRAs general counsel, said the suits allegations appear to lack merit, but that the group could not comment in more detail.

Sheepherders are typically men from rural Peru who come to the United States on agricultural H-2A visas and live in isolated areas, according to the complaint. Their wages have stagnated even as pay for other agricultural labor has risen in recent years, the complaint said.

An earlier version of the suit was dismissed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in 2017 because the court said the herders had not sufficiently proven collusion. Several antitrust experts have argued the case was wrongly decided.

There are around 100,000 sheep farms in the United States that sell about $750 million of sheep, lambs, and wool annually, according to Department of Agriculture data.

By Leah Douglas
Uvalde school district Chief of Police Pete Arredondo hugs a school student at a community prayer evening held the day after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that killed 19 children and 2 teachers, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 25, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Uvalde Police Chief Had No Radio During School Mass Shooting: Official

The commander facing criticism for a slow police response during last weeks mass shooting at a school in Texas wasnt carrying a radio when the massacre was taking place, said a state senator.

State Sen. Roland Gutierrez told The Associated Press that a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) official informed him that school Chief Pete Arredondo didnt have a radio during the attack that left two teachers and 19 children dead.

The revelation is sure to raise more questions about the police response during the May 24 incident. On Thursday, the senator told AP that Arredondo didnt know there were 911 calls being made by children inside Robb Elementary School while the gunman was inside the building.

Authorities have not said how Arredondo was communicating with other law enforcement officials at the scene, including the more than a dozen officers who were at one point waiting outside the classroom where the gunman was holed up. Arredondo heads the districts small department and was in charge of the multi-agency response to the shooting.

Lt. Christopher Olivarez, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety, told outlets that a tactical team of U.S. Border Patrol agents killed Ramos.

Meanwhile, Arredondo has made few public comments since the shooting, although he told a CNN reporter outside the school districts office building that he is cooperating with the Texas DPS in spite of reports saying he wasnt.

Last week, the head of the DPS, Steven McCraw, told reporters that Arredondowho was the incident commanderbelieved the situation was not a mass shooting but a hostage situation and that it was the wrong decision to delay the police response.

Law enforcement personnel look on as the caskets for Irma Garcia and her husband Joe Garcia are carried by pallbearers following a joint service at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Uvalde, Texas, on June 1, 2022. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)

The gunman in Uvalde, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, spent roughly 80 minutes inside the school, and more than an hour passed from when the first officers followed him into the building and when he was killed by law enforcement, according to an official timeline. Ramos slipped through an unlocked door into adjoining fourth-grade classrooms at Robb Elementary, authorities said.

A teacher who had propped open the door to retrieve a phone and call 911 after witnessing Ramos crash his car said via her lawyer that she shut the door after the crash.

Adding to the confusion over the timeline, McCraw and other officials last Friday initially said that the teacher, who hasnt been named, propped open the door minutes before Ramos entered. However, DPS spokesman Travis Considine told news outlets this week that the teacher shut the door, which was supposed to automatically lock.

An investigation is underway regarding why the door didnt lock, he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Walmart sign at one of their stores in Mexico City on March 28, 2019. (Edgard Garrido/Reuters)

Walmart Shareholders Reject Pro-Abortion Proposal, Say Its Unnecessary Distraction of Resources

Shareholders at Walmart on Wednesday overwhelmingly rejected a vote to uphold a pro-abortion proposal as the debate regarding terminations rages on across the United States.

The proposal, made by Clean Yield Asset Management (CYAM) on behalf of activist investor Julie Kalish, urged Walmarts board to issue a public report detailing any known and any potential risks and costs to the company caused by enacted or proposed state policies severely restricting reproductive rights by Dec. 31, 2022.

The vote comes shortly after a leaked draft majority opinion indicating the Supreme Court that if it remains unchanged in its final form it would overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

Should Roe v. Wade be weakened or overturned, as is widely anticipated, Walmart employees will face challenges accessing abortion care, the pro-abortion proposal (pdf) to Walmart shareholders read.

As of October 2021, 60 percent of Walmarts 5,342 stores across the United States were located in states that could potentially immediately ban abortion, should Roe v. Wade be overturned, according to CYAM.

The pro-abortion proposal further argued that both employers and employees would likely bear the costs of restricted access to abortion under such a scenario, citing a report from the Institute for Womens Policy Research which states women who cannot access abortion are three times more likely to leave the workforce than women who were.

If Roe vs. Wade is weakened or overturned, Arkansas is likely to outlaw abortion entirely, the proposal reads. Should that occur, Walmart may find it more difficult to recruit employees to Arkansas, or to the 20+ states now considered likely to outlaw abortion if Roe is overturned.

CYAM further noted that should Walmart employees face challenges accessing abortion care, this may damage the Walmart brand and harm its ability to meet diversity and inclusion goals while also having negative consequences to performance.

The pro-abortion proposal could have affected roughly 800,000 female employees, according to Reuters.

However, with only 12.9 percent of shareholders supporting the proposal, it ultimately failed.

In response to the plan, Walmart said the company is a great place to work for women noting that approximately 49.8 percent of its newly-hired associates in the United States were women in the first half of fiscal 2022 while citing its affordable healthcare options and insurance for workers.

We recommend that shareholders vote against this proposal because we believe the preparation of the requested report would be of little value for our shareholders, associates, and other stakeholders and, therefore, would be an unnecessary distraction and redirection of resources, the company wrote in an opposition statement.

The vote came after Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law a measure that would ban abortions in the state starting at conception, although there are exceptions to this, including if the mothers life is in danger, and if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest that has been reported to law enforcement.

Texas in 2021 enacted a law that prohibits abortions as early as six weeks.
A silhouette of a mobile user next to a screen projection of Youtube logo on March 28, 2018. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

YouTube Could Be Liable for Unauthorised Uploads If Slow to Act, German Court Rules

BERLINGoogles YouTube and other platforms could have to pay copyright damages over unauthorized uploads even if the content was put online by a third party, Germanys top court ruled.

The platforms would be liable only if they did not act quickly to block access once they had learned of illegal uploads, the court said in its ruling on Thursday.

The case comes amid a long-running battle between Europes $1 trillion creative industry and online platforms, with the former seeking redress for unauthorized uploads.

It is also part of the wider debate on how much online platforms and social media should do to police the posting of unauthorized, illegal or hateful content.

Operators of upload platforms could in principle also be obliged to disclose the identify of users who commit the infringements and their email addresses, according to the ruling.

The court based its ruling on one issued by the EU Court of Justice last year.

Thursdays decision involves a lawsuit filed by a music producer after video and audio recordings of an artist he owned the rights to were still available on YouTube even after the producers lawyer had sent a letter asking them to be removed.

No final decision was taken by the court over whether YouTube was liable, which means the case will return to the lower courts for re-examination based on the new guidelines.

YouTube said it was confident in the systems it had built to fight copyright infringement and ensure rights holders would receive their fair share.
Growing up, being an actor wasnt on Juan Ayalas list of career options. He didn't see people like him in films and he had no connections to Hollywood. Now, he produces a podcast where he has conversations with other actors about their struggles to make it in the film industry.

"Especially being the child of an immigrant working class family, you don't even think like, 'Oh, I can be an actor!' because so many folks say you need connections," said Ayala, who was born and raised in Bridgeport.

His interest in music started when he got involved in his church's choir at around five years old. Then, when he attended Park City Magnet School in Bridgeport, he got to participate in his first theater production  and he fell in love with acting.

"It was the first time that I was singing and acting and dancing all at the same time, so I kind of just fell in love with performing as a character instead of just singing in front of a microphone or with a group of people," said Ayala.

Contributed by Juan Ayala

After graduating from Trumbull High School, Ayala attended Housatonic Community College where he enrolled in the theater program. During his college career, he mainly focused on doing theater; he performed at the Bijou Theater and Westport Community Theater. In 2016, he made his leap to television, appearing in shows such as NBCs Blindspot and For Life.

One of Ayala's highlights while he was attending Housatonic was getting to learn from mentors such as Geoffrey Sheehan, Housatonic's Theater Arts coordinator.

"I'm very lucky that I've had so many wonderful mentors throughout my career," said Ayala, who mentioned that he sometimes gets invited back to his college to talk about his career.

It was through another of his mentors that Ayala ventured into journalism. Ed Martin, a producer of the Bridgeport production of "Take me out" where Ayala was working, invited him to write reviews about Spanish-language shows for Media Village. It was through his work covering television and film events that Ayala got to meet more actors, who he would later invite to his podcast.

"Actors with Issues" started when, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ayala had more free time on his hands and was back in Trumbull after several years in New York City. First starting by interviewing his friends and then cold-calling more actors, Ayala started his podcast that now has more than 100 episodes.

"The name of the show spawned from [the popular saying] 'we all got problems,' so let's talk about them and the obstacles that we've overcome," said Ayala. Some of the actors that Ayala has interviewed include Theo Rossi from Sons of Anarchy, Raul Esparza from Hulus Candy and Lewis Pullman from Top Gun: Maverick.

In his conversations with other movie or television actors, he tackles topics such as mental health, diversity in the industry, the struggles of finding a first agent or choosing an acting school. In June, Actors with Issues will host Amanda Chordner from HBO Max series Sort Of and an LGBTQ actors roundtable that will include Ian Paget, Broadway actor and TikTok star, Terry Hu from Disney Channels Zombies 3, among others.

Contributed by Juan Ayala

Through his conversations with other actors, Ayala has learned more about the industry too, he said. A recurrent struggle for Ayala has been the lack of diverse representation of the Latino community.

"It's very frustrating when you don't get those roles because you don't fit into the stereotypes," he said.

A common casting call for Latino actors, he said, is to play a criminal or a person involved with drug cartels, which Ayala doesn't want to do. He believes the industry only welcomes one type Latino, instead of being open to the wide diversity of the community.

"Some of us have indigenous features, some of us are mixed. It can can a little frustrating as an actor of color when people say you don't look like your community. It's like, 'Well, I am my community'," said Ayala. As a member of the LGBTQ community, Ayala also hopes that he can represent his identity as a bisexual men, he said.

Regardless of the industry's hardships, Ayala's conversations with other actors have motivated him to continue creating a community where people in the industry support each other.

"A lot of times we feel that we're alone because this industry is very competitive. We feel that we maybe can't really be friends with actors because that's out competition, so it can get very lonely for actors out there. So I think it's important to continue these conversations and to be able to create a little community of actors who are open with talking about these things," said Ayala.
RACINE, Wis. (AP)  Police were still searching Friday for whoever opened fire during a funeral at a Wisconsin cemetery.

Someone began shooting during Da'Shontay King's funeral Thursday afternoon in Racine. King died last month after he was shot by a Racine police officer.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Jeff South, Virginia Commonwealth University

(THE CONVERSATION) For decades, nine U.S. Army bases have carried the names of men who fought against the U.S. Army  in a war waged to defend and perpetuate the slavery of people of African descent.

These military installations, all in Southern states, were named to honor such figures as Gen. Robert E. Lee, who commanded the Confederate Army; John Bell Hood, an associate of Lees known for being both brave and impetuous; and Leonidas Polk, an Episcopal bishop who, thanks to his friendship with Jefferson Davis, began the war as a major general. All three enslaved Black people.

Created by Congress in 2021 to recommend names that exemplify modern day U.S. military and national values, a federal panel took a major step on May 24, 2022, toward removing this remnant of lost cause ideology.

That ideology is the discredited notion that the Confederacys rebellion was an honorable struggle for the Southern way of life and that what Confederates viewed as the war of northern aggression was over states rights, not slavery.

What the government called the Naming Commission proposed rechristening nine of the Confederate-themed bases, mostly after men and women of diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds  people who would be inspirational to the soldiers and civilians who serve on our Army posts, and to the communities who support them.

For example, Fort Lee in Virginia would become Fort Gregg-Adams in honor of Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams, African Americans who excelled at logistics and other military support functions during World War II.

Fort Hood in Texas would become Fort Cavazos, commemorating Richard Cavazos, who received the Purple Heart and other awards for valor in Vietnam and became the first Latino to reach the rank of general.

And Fort Polk in Louisiana would become Fort Johnson in recognition of Sgt. William Henry Johnson, who was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart in 1996 and the Medal of Honor in 2015 for heroism during World War I. As a Black man in the Jim Crow era, Johnson was denied those honors during his military service.

We wanted names and values that underpin the core responsibility of the military, to defend the Constitution of the United States, said Michelle Howard, a retired Navy admiral who chairs the commission.

Unquestioned for too long

Four of the bases had been named for Confederate leaders at the start of World War I, and the others at the start of World War II.

Until recently, the military installations honoring Confederate leaders received little scrutiny from the media. As a newspaper reporter four decades ago, I gave the names a free pass.

In 1981, I covered the Boy Scouts Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia without mentioning that the base was named for a man who had turned against the United States and fought to defend slavery.

Movement to rename the bases

In recent years, more Americans, including those living in the South, have reconsidered the use of Confederate iconography.

Such concerns escalated in 2015 after Dylann Roof, a self-avowed white supremacist, shot and killed nine Black people during a Bible study at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. Investigators later found a website registered in the name of Roof containing images of Roof posing with the Confederate battle flag.

The issue gained momentum in the U.S. Congress after the George Floyd protests in 2020, when many communities started taking down statues and renaming buildings that honored Confederate figures.

Congress included the creation of the Naming Commission in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. Then-President Donald Trump vetoed the bill, but Congress overrode the veto.

Coming up with new names

The Naming Commission received more than 34,000 suggestions from the public for new base names.

Every name either originated from or resonated with the local communities, said Ty Seidule, a retired Army general and the panels vice chair.

In addition to the previously mentioned names, the commission proposed renaming bases for:

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Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, who served in Vietnam and other assignments, and his wife, Julia Moore, who has been an advocate for military families and reformed the militarys death notice procedures.

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Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower.

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Dr. Mary Walker, the Armys first female surgeon, who received the Medal of Honor for her service during the Civil War.

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Sgt. Van Barfoot, a Choctaw Indian who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

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Michael Novosel Sr., a pilot who volunteered in his 40s to fight in Vietnam and subsequently rescued his son, who had been shot down and was stranded near the enemy. Novosels selection recognizes generational service, the panel said.

The commission also proposed renaming Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as Fort Liberty.

Congress and the U.S. secretary of defense still must sign off on the new names. But people like Troy Mosley, who for years has pushed to erase the Confederate names, is encouraged.

Mosley, who formed a group called Citizens Against Intolerance, said the commission did a fantastic job selecting name replacements from the rich tapestry of diverse and distinguished military service.

To people who have anguished over the prevalence of Confederate symbols in the U.S., the commissions proposals are long overdue.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/us-moves-to-rename-army-bases-honoring-confederate-generals-who-fought-to-defend-slavery-183862.
The Edwardsville Public Services Committee Tuesday unanimously denied a resident's request for a water bill adjustment.

The resident, who lives at 21 Camelot Dr., requested an adjustment after receiving a water bill in April for $2,850.

On April 13, one of her neighbors contacted public works after a surveyor the neighbor hired noticed pooling water at 21 Camelot Dr.

The next day, water department staff confirmed the leak and notified the property owner, Theresa Purchas. Public works sent a letter to Purchas about the leak and repairing it, which per city ordinance, she had 10 days to do. The leak occurred in the lateral line between the home's foundation and the city's water pit, making it the homeowner's responsibility to fix.

The 4,032-square-foot, single-family structure with three bedrooms and three bathrooms was built in 1977. On April 23, public works received a request for a JULIE locating request for a water line repair. By April 27, public works confirmed the line had been repaired.

On May 17, Purchas called the finance department after she received her April bill. She did not believe the consumption is correct. She requested someone meet with her to explain the consumption, as her previous bill was less than $82. Representatives from the water department visited her home on May 18 to confirm her water meter worked as designed and they explained the consumption was due to the leak. Purchas then asked to speak to Finance Director Jeanne Wojcieszak.

Wojcieszak returned a call to Purchas on May 19. Purchas again did not believe that much water was used and requested an adjustment, claiming she was not going to pay the bill. Wojceiszak said she had no authority to make such an adjustment; Purchas asked to speak to her boss. Wojcieszak suggested an in-person meeting.

On May 20, Purchas, Wojcieszak, Dave Renken from the city's water department, City Attorney Jeff Berkbigler and City Administrator Kevin Head met.

Wojcieszak said she reviewed the events leading to the 20-minute meeting. In this meeting, Purchas said when she was first told of the leak, she said she was not in a rush to get it repaired because a previous leak last September resulted in a $200 utility bill and that was her expectation for the April leak. She called the same contractor who came out before, only to be told there was a waiting list. After consulting a friend, she called a second company that was able to repair the leak on or about April 27.

"She believes something is wrong with her (water) meter," Wojcieszak said. "She believes for that amount of water to enter the ground, she should have been able to see water when the excavator trenched for the repair."

Renken said water leaking from this location tends to seep into the ground. In addition, he noted that there is a storm sewer nearby. He assured Purchas that her water meter works correctly. Head told the committee that last September, and in April, Purchas only repaired the weak points in the line and did not have the entire lateral line replaced.

This is one of many situations that the city's new water meters are designed to handle, notifying the homeowner and public works immediately when there's a pipe break, extreme consumption or a sudden lack of consumption. However, that program has not been fully implemented yet.

Head advised Purchas on May 20 that city staff cannot adjust utility bills, but she had the option of pleading her case to the public services committee and city council. Since city staff cannot say where that much water went, Purchas did not feel obligated to pay the bill.

Wojciezsak provided details on community organizations that might be able to provide some assistance, including the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Madison County Community Development, Glen-Ed Food Pantry and others.

Wojcieszak said she told Purchas that she would need her appeal in writing by May 25 for the May 31 meeting. As of Tuesday, she had not received any communication from the property owner. Ultimately, Purchas made a 12-month payment arrangement and she received external assistance from the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

"This is another of these unfortunate situations that have come to us before," Alderman SJ Morrison said. "This is the property owner's responsibility. At this time, I wouldn't support a reduction on the bill."

Alderwoman Janet Stack added, "this is my concern why I would not support it; she's not following through. "I sympathize, but if you're asking for help, you have to cooperate a little bit, too."

The request will now to go city council Tuesday with a recommendation to deny.
Summer is here and many families will be trying to beat the heat with water parks, pools, lakes and other waterside activities this summer. The American Red Cross recommends before going in, on or around water, every family member should be water smart.

The Edwardsville YMCA is offering a free Water Safety Day this Saturday from 12-1 p.m. at the Edwardsville YMCA Meyer Center outdoor pool. An open swim from 1-2 p.m. will follow the class.

This will be the third and final Water Safety Day the YMCA offers this year. The YMCA partnered with the City of Edwardsville Parks and Recreation to bring the free event to the community, according to Niebur Branch Director Monica Snook.

We cover lots of topics in our water safety classes, said YMCA Aquatics Director Katherine Kuhl, who will be running the event on Saturday. Our focus is on pool signage, pool rules, lifeguard recognition and the importance of lifeguards/swimming supervised. And then we go over a few skills in the water with families for kids to work on, including front and back floats, bobbing underwater and more.

You do not have to be a member to attend the event. While the Water Safety Day is free and open to all Edwardsville residents, the YMCA is asking participants to register on the YMCA website in order to have an accurate head count.

The YMCA will be offering free ice cream to all who attend.

The previous two Water Safety Days were very successful and we believe this Saturday will be another great event, said Snook. We believe water safety is of the utmost importance and the YMCA is very excited to offer this training.

The YMCA also provides swimming lessons year round and offers a financial assistance program for those who may need help with the cost of swimming lessons.

The American Red Cross reminds families that water smart starts with learning how to be safe, making good choices and learning to swim. This means everyone should be able to enter the water, get at least one breath, remain afloat, change position and swim a distance.

The American Red Cross encourages families to prevent unsupervised access to water, maintain active adult supervision when children are swimming and remain within arms reach of young children and new swimmers.

Families should also use a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket when boating or when swimming skill level requires one. The Red Cross also recommends always swimming with a buddy.

The Red Cross Swim app has more safety tips, kid-friendly videos and activities and Water Safety online courses.
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At a virtual news conference Friday, attorney and partner Jack J. Casciato with Clifford Law Office contends that Amazon missed its deadline to turn over documents to Congress and is now guilty of obstruction.

Casciato represents the family of Austin J. McEwen, 26, who died after a tornado hit a fulfillment center in Edwardsville on Dec. 10, 2021. Casciato's firm filed a wrongful death and survival action for McEwen, who was an only child and who planned to marry his long-time girlfriend. He was a former college hockey player.

"We learned yesterday that dating back to Dec. 20, 2021, 10 days after this collapse, that members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives issued letters and correspondence to Amazon CEO, Andy Jassy, and Amazon's founder, Jeff Bezos," Casciato said.

The letters inquired as to what occurred on Dec. 10.

"Amazon has made it clear since receiving [those] letters, that they undertook an extensive internal investigation into this matter. When asked to meet an April 14 deadline to turn over those documents, Amazon has failed to comply with the Congressional investigation.

"One only needs a small amount of common sense to recognize that whatever is in those internal memoranda and communications that Amazon refuses to turn over, certainly is not exonerating them," he said.

He said the documents tell a story and that perhaps, six deaths could have been prevented.

We were surprised to receive this letter because we began producing materials to the committee just two weeks after receiving its initial request and have produced more than 1,500 pages of responsive information," said Kelly Nantel, Amazon's spokesperson via email Thursday evening. "As we have done from the start, we will continue to work with committee staff on further document production  which includes the most recent materials we shared on June 1.

Regarding a report made by the U.S. Department of Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), Amazon employees were not properly informed of safety precautions and a megaphone intended to inform them was locked in a cage when a tornado hit the Edwardsville facility.

Casciato said Amazon has made it clear to Congressional members such as Elizabeth Warren, Cori Bush and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, that it is not complying and Amazon officials have thwarted any further attempt to get documents.

"I think we all know that if these documents were helpful to Amazon, if they exonerated Amazon, they would willingly turn them over immediately," Casciato said.

Casciato said his office will issue its own subpoenas for these documents, in addition to Congressional subpoenas to have high-ranking Amazon officials explain why they have not been able to produce the requested documentation.

"One major question here is if you can sell FEMA-approved shelters, which would have prevented this tragedy, on Amazon's website, why could you not have those in your own facilities?" Casciato asked.

RELATED: Amazon 'obstructing' House probe into warehouse collapse

McEwen's mother, Alice, previously accused the corporation of valuing holiday profits over employee safety at the time of the tornado, which happened 15 days before Christmas.
The League of Women Voters of the Edwardsville Area is doing its part to increase voter turnout, especially in local elections.

On Friday at the Edwardsville Public Library, LWV members launched the first part of a get-out-the-vote experiment. They identified a precinct with low voter turnouts in last years spring elections, and they are sending postcards with a handwritten note to people in that precinct who did not vote, asking them to exercise their right to vote on or before June 28, which is Primary Election Day.

We chose Precinct 1401, which had a little over 900 registered voters, and there were 600 households with registered voters who did not vote, said Anne Masters, a board member of the Edwardsville chapter of the LWV and one of the chairs of the voter service group. Only about 10% of the registered voters in that precinct voted in the last local election in the spring of 2021.

They werent unique in that as most precincts had between 8% and 20% of registered voters actually voting. We couldnt do them all, but we chose this precinct and were sending postcards to the people who did not vote in that spring 2021 election. After the election, well compare that precinct with all of the others and see how many of them got out to vote.

Masters said the idea of sending postcards to registered voters was appealing because it adds a personal touch.

Were hoping that a personal touch might make a difference, Masters said. We created this postcard and were writing a personal note to each of those households. Even though they dont know who we are, were hoping they will read it instead of just throwing it in the trash like we do with so many other things that come in the mail.

While Masters hopes that the postcard campaign will encourage people to vote in all elections, increasing turnout for local elections is especially vital.

We want to remind people that local elections are important, and they can make a difference by casting their vote, Masters said. A lot of times the local elections get overlooked, and a comparison is that we had 10% to 15% of registered voters voting in a local election in certain precincts in 2021, while those same precincts had 70% to 80% turnout for the last presidential election.

Carol Gerdt, meanwhile, is also a LWV board member. Like Masters, she feels that the postcard campaign is way to expand the mission of the League of Women Voters.

The League of Women Voters in general is very much a proponent of urging everybody to vote, Gerdt said. This is the first time weve done the postcards, so its kind of an experiment, seeing if the personal touch can make a difference.

We also hold candidate forums at the Wildey Theatre. Theyre very popular now because we record them, and people can watch them later.

Gerdt noted that the League of Women Voters works with other organizations to encourage people to register to vote, and to exercise their voting rights once they are registered.

We invited everyone in our organization as well as the Edwardsville chapter of the NAACP to come and help us today because thats a lot of postcards to write, Gerdt said. They also helped us with voter registration at Leclaire Parkfest and the Goshen Farmers' Market.

The NAACP is our partner in a lot of things, and they were our partner in the candidate forum that we had in May, Masters added. Weve also done voter registration activities at Edwardsville High School and the NAACP works with us on that as well.

Masters said that the League of Women Voters will be monitoring the voter turnout for Primary Election Day in Precinct 1401 to determine if the postcard campaign becomes an annual event.

Well see how this turns out, so perhaps well pick another precinct and send some more cards before the next election, Masters said. We printed 1,000 cards and were sending a little over 600 this time.

For more information on the League of Women Voters of the Edwardsville Area, go to https://my.lwv.org/illinois/edwardsville-area.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A U.S. Embassy tweet of a rainbow-flag-festooned message by President Joe Biden in support of Pride Month has drawn a face-to-face diplomatic protest from Kuwait and sparked a rare Twitter fight between the two close allies.

On Friday, U.S. diplomats were doubling down with rainbow flag postings and statements in support of LGBTQ rights on social media. The messages appeared in response to the Kuwaiti government's official objection the day before to what Kuwait's state news agency called the pro-gay rights post of the U.S. Embassy there.

The United States stands with the LGBTQI+ community everywhere around the world, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a pointed retweet Friday of the embassy's original offending Pride Month message.

The dispute began after the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait posted a tweet Thursday that called Biden a champion of LGBTQI rights. All human beings should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear no matter who they are or whom they love," it said.

Late that night, according to the account on Kuwait's state news agency, Kuwait's Foreign Ministry summoned acting embassy charge d'affaires James Holtsnider to express its rejection of the post.

A Foreign Ministry official, Nawaf al Ahmad, handed Holtsnider a written objection as well as stressing necessity for the embassy to respect the country's laws and regulations, according to the Kuwaiti news agency.

Kuwaiti law punishes consensual same-sex relations between men by up to seven years in prison, according to Human Rights Watch. A court ruling this year threw out another law that made imitating the opposite sex a crime punishable by prison.

Some conservative Kuwaitis spoke out in support of their government's action. The U.S. Embassy was attempting to impose modes of abnormal behavior rejected by the Muslim Kuwaiti society, tweeted one, Hamad al Matar.

Asked for comment, the State Department said in a statement Friday, The United States proudly advances efforts around the globe to protect all individuals.

On Friday, the Kuwait U.S. Embassy's Twitter account featured the original tweet, in Arabic and English, that drew the objection, as well as a photo of a rippling rainbow flag against a blue sky set as the account's profile photo.

The U.S. and Kuwait, bound by strategic interests including regional security, have a long history of largely steady good relations. That includes the U.S. leading a 1991 international army to liberate Kuwait from invading forces of Iraq's Saddam Hussein.
Madison County Treasurer Chris Slusser gave a presentation on structuring investment portfolios during the Illinois County Treasurers Association Spring conference.

The Public Funds Investment Act only allows such funds to be placed in safer types of investments. County investments are shaped around three main factors: safety, liquidity and yield.

My hope is that other county treasurers are able to emulate the investment strategies assembled in Madison County, Slusser said. From year to year our investment portfolio continues to be a top performer throughout the state.

According to Slusser, a healthy investment portfolio can make a big difference in tough economic times by covering unforeseen revenue shortfalls. He often assists other Illinois treasurers when they need help formulating an investment strategy.

Although the treasurers office serves as the countys tax collector, its important to remember that the treasurers office has other wide-ranging responsibilities," he said. "Investing county funds is an incredibly important function for treasurers, especially in larger counties.

Slusser is running for reelection in the June 28 Republican primary against former Madison County Administrator Doug Hulme. No Democratic candidate has come forward.

For more information contact the treasurers office at 618-692-6260.
Molina, Waino honored in Budweiser ad And this isn't the first time a commercial featuring two Cardinals legends.

Madison County stops COVID-19 dashboard updates While the COVID-19 community level for Madison County remains at medium, the Madison County...

Granite City schools plan summer recycling Clean plastic lids are being collected at Granite City schools as part of a summer recycling...
A statement from local Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod clergymen regarding the drag queen story hours for children to be held in Collinsville and Glen Carbon libraries.

Dear Editor:

Our Lord Jesus Christ especially blessed little children during his earthly ministry (Mark 10:13-16) and issued a vivid warning to those who would endanger the innocence of children (Matthew 18:5-6). Each child deserves the protection and care not only of his or her parents but also of the community at large. It is simply wrong to expose children to sexually explicit themes. This fact is recognized in the Illinois law against obscenity, which makes special mention of obscenity aimed at children (720 ILCS 5/11-20 (c)). Inviting a drag queen to perform for children is intended to introduce children to sexually explicit themes. In the words of the Illinois statute, it is "prurient." It is contrary to common sense, natural law and all that is good and holy. Even a decade ago one would have struggled to find even a small minority in our communities who would disagree with those statements. Now our local libraries are using community funds and community space to do exactly this. Our communities deserve better from their public servants. We strive to make our churches places of refuge from a world gone mad. We preach the love of God to all who will repent of their wrongdoing and come with open arms to receive the Lords grace. There can be no repenting of wrongdoing without acknowledging that it exists. As ministers of Christ, it is our duty to say that the actions of the Collinsville and Glen Carbon libraries are wrong. We exhort all involved to repent of this wrongdoing. We encourage all Christians to beseech the Lord to give them repentance and faith.

Rev. Scott Adle - Associate Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Collinsville

Rev. Benjamin T. Ball - Senior Pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hamel

Rev. Heath R. Curtis - Pastor, Trinity & Zion Lutheran Churches, Worden & Carpenter

Rev. Brian Feicho - Pastor, Concordia Lutheran Church, Granite City

Rev. William Gleason - Emeritus, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hamel

Rev. Aaron Mueller - Pastor, St. James Lutheran Church, Glen Carbon

Rev. Martin T. Schnare - Emeritus, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hamel

Rev. John Shank - Senior Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Ministries, Edwardsville

Rev. William C. Weedon - Assistant Pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hamel

Rev. Kyle Wright II - Pastor, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Collinsville
As the total sealing of all Zenith Bank branches in Imo State enters into its second day, it has been authoritatively revealed that the bank's defiance to Court order, intentionally lying on oat aimed at derailing the judgement of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria has weighed heavily on the fortunes of the bank in Imo State.

More disturbing facts have emerged, establishing the alliance of Zenith bank Plc with Imo State government to flout the Order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria which led to the sealing of all Zenith Bank Branches in Owerri and other towns.

Recall that Owerri residents had woken up on Thursday morning to be thrown into untold hardship, confusion, and stranded following the sealing of the Banks branches in Owerri and its environs.

It all started when Zenith bank lied on oath, aligning with Imo State Government to deny the National Industrial Court's Judgement Creditor, Prince Eze Madumere the benefits of his judgment.

In a twist of complicity, the account numbers belonging to the judgment debtor/respondent in the Zenith bank were denied by the Zenith bank Plc under oath. It was speculated that the bank had colluded with the state government to move most of the money to another account.

Zenith Bank had filed a 14 paragraphed affidavit of cause on 23rd November 2021 and deposed in the same that accounts numbers 1013118920 and 1017415829 does not exist in its database but the other two accounts  1013197705 and 1017415788 do exist. The bank had also claimed that the last two accounts contain a balance of N42, 116.37k purportedly at the time, an account which at the time of the order nisi was served contained. The second 1013197705 allegedly contained a negative balance of N18, 035, 728, 347.07 DR. Zenith thus attached 2 statements of loan accounts as exhibits C and D to its affidavit.

According to the judgment, Zenith bank had allegedly and tacitly made a frantic effort to show cause why it should not be further burdened with a debt as the state government isallegedly heavily indebted to the bank.

Contrary to zenith banks claims, in its counter-affidavit, the judgment creditor, Prince Eze Madumere denied all depositions made by Zenith Bank Plc and stated as follows;

That account number 1017415829 is owned by the judgment debtor, Imo state government named Imo Prosperity Account and the same is in the custody of the bank contrary to its denial that it does not exist;

That account number 1013197705 had a credit balance of N329, 283, 717.56 whereas account number 1017415788 had N4, 602, 042, 116.37 at the time of granting the order nisi.

Prince Madumeres legal team insists that the State is never indebted to the Bank but rather the bank owed the State when it was caught inappropriately and dubiously surcharging and levying the State billions of Naira against the State accounts. In his affidavit, it was explained that Zenith bank Plc struck a compromise as the former refunded the sum of N3 billion to the State Government.

According to its action, Zenith Banks explanation is inexcusably a ploy to withhold vital information with a view to frustrating Prince Eze Madumere who is genuinely seeking to recover his entitlements, having served the State with the highest level of patriotism.

According to an Owerri-based legal practitioner, Iheanacho, the action of Zenith bank Plc is not only reprehensible but an act of irresponsibility for a bank that has won many laurels locally and internationally.

He called for a thorough probe into the activities of the Bank to ascertain that it does abuse and violate the public trust.

He bemoaned its action by aligning with the State government leading to the suffering of the people of Imo State, calling on the management of the bank to obey Court Order otherwise, the Federal Government should take over the bank in trust for the public.

Meanwhile, National Industrial Court had granted Order Absolute against the Garnishee on May 27, 2022, after the State Government had blatantly refused to explore the settlement.

In his explanations, Barr. Kalu Uduma said that Zenith Bank as the custodian of the Judgment debtors fund is palpable anxiety in Owerri, the Capital Territory of Imo State over the sealing of the Zenith Bank Branches in Imo by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

Prince Madumere, the former deputy governor of Imo State after a high court of competent jurisdiction sitting in Owerri presided by Justice Benjamin Iheka on September 25, 2018, declared his purported impeachment null and void, in 2019, approached the court and instituted a legal action to recover the arrears of unpaid entitlements.

In 2021, the National Industrial Court ruled in his favour, ordering the government of Imo State to pay him.

Rather than diligently truthfully exploring the opportunity granted it to settle out of court with Madumere, it became a platform for some people to sharpen their deceitful acts as they kept tossing him and his legal team.

As reported in the affidavit, since the judgment and application for Order Absolute against the garnishee, for months the State government turned Madumere into an object of ridicule.

In a reaction to the sealing of all Branches of Zenith Bank Plc in Imo State, the State government through the Chief Press Secretary to the governor waved the crisis, stating that an apeal against the judgement has been instituted by the state government. He requested the bank to open it's doors to customers. However, as at the time of filling this report: 07:48 am, there was no sign of unsealing any of the branches. The State government's statement was dismissed by the legal team of Prince Eze Madumere, describing it as lacking in legal knowledge and deficient in knowledge. The Statement is attached below:

The last may not have been heard about the crisis as Imo State customers of Zenith Bank are moving en masse to seek for succour in other banks.
Washington, DC.- (Friday June 3, 2022): The very influential Washington DC based Nigerian American Coalition for Justice and Democracy, Inc (NACJD) has congratulated Mr. Peter Obi, on his nomination as the Presidential Flagbearer of the Labor Party for the 2023 Nigerian Presidential Elections

In a statement from their Washington DC, USA based office, signed by Professor Eddie Oparaoji and Mr Chijike Ndukwu, it said, Since independence, Nigeria has continued to run behind every other nation in the world that got her independence in 1960 in every development index. Today, Nigeria is better known and described as a Nation in crisis, sitting on gun powder - waiting to implode and explode. From economic downturn, massive poverty, high unemployment, acute insecurity and growing calls for referendums, secession and wanton destruction of lives and property around the country. Yet, no other time since 1960 has provided a greater opportunity for national redemption than the forthcoming 2023 General Elections. Mr. Peter Obi, the Presidential flag bearer of the Labor Party, brings a unique mix and a powerful choice among all presidential contenders. As Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Obi brough probity, effectiveness, efficiency and unusual political leadership and organization. Mr. Obi is also known for intellectual and innovative prowess - a combination that is rare in the Nigerian political space. The Nigerian-American Coalition for Justice and Democracy (NACJD) congratulates Mr. Obi, and wishes him the best in his efforts to pull Nigeria from the brink. We call on all Nigerians to give Mr. Peter Obis Presidential aspiration a good look.

In response to a question, the leader of NACJD, Professor Oparaoji said, "This is not an endorsement, we have never endorsed a candidate in a Nigerian election. However, given how precariously perched Nigeria is on the precipice, after the party primaries, we might be making history when we endorse any candidates, capable of pulling Nigeria back from the brink".

The NACJD is a Washington, DC. based Research and Good Governance advocacy, non-profit organization, in the United States. We lobby the US Government, the Congress and the policy making community to influence US policies on Nigeria.
The Ebonyi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has described the recently concluded States' primary elections of the Party as the most peaceful party primaries in Nigeria's recent history.

The Party's State chairman, Stanley Okoro Emegha stated this in a message made available to newsmen on Friday in Abakaliki.

Emegha, who commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his fatherly role in the whole exercise, also appreciated the National Working Committee of the party for what he described as their incorruptibility and intelligence which helped to shape the entire exercise.

He maintained that the calibre, integrity and comportment of members of the various committees that handled the Ebonyi Primaries of the Party was responsible for the commendable outing, devoid of confusion.

That, he added, was a clear pointer to the readiness of the Party to emerge tops in the 2023 elections.

Part of the statement reads: "Consequent upon the successful completion of the primaries, the All Progressives Congress APC, Ebonyi State chapter, writes to profoundly felicitate with our indefatigable leader cum President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR for his fatherly role that midwifed a violence free exercise all over the country.

"Unlike the catastrophes that usually characterised party primaries in the past, your Excellency, you have truly instilled discipline and brotherliness among Nigerians because even other political parties organised theirs with minimal turbulence."

The State Party Boss, while appreciating Governor David Umahi for his equity, justice and fair stance throughout the exercise, also congratulated the Party's governorship flag bearer, Francis Nwifuru for his victory in the Ebonyi primaries.

He extended his gratitude to other stakeholders including the National Electoral Commission, security agencies, the media and other party leaders for their invaluable roles which added impetus to the entire exercise.

"To our amiable state Governor, His Excellency, Engr. Chief David Nweze Umahi, for standing on the path of equity, Justice and fairness in the best interest of Ebonyi people during the primaries, the party is indebted to you.

"As a consummate leader endowed with unassuming wisdom, your Excellency, you provided a level playing field for all the aspirants to test their popularity.

"This stand of yours has further strengthened the party's unity and progress, Emegha affirmed.
Phuket officials honour Queen Suthidas birthday

PHUKET: Phuket officials led by Governor Narong Woonciew this morning joined a merit-making and blessing ceremony to honour the 44th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Suthida

Friday 3 June 2022, 10:27AM

The auspicious occasion is marked by a public holiday throughout the country today (June 3).

The ceremony, held at the new Phuket Provincial Hall, began at 7am.

Phra Kru Metta Pirom, Abbot of Wat Mongkol Nimit in Phuket Town, led 45 monks from various temples across Phuket to receive alms from the Governor, Vice Governors, heads of local government offices, students and members of the public.

At 5:30pm today people may pay their respects to Queen Suthida at a ceremony to be held at the Auditorium at the new Provincial Hall, which until recently served as the Aunjai Clinic COVID-19 care centre.

Government officers are to be in their full dress whites uniform for the ceremony. Members of government agencies, organisations and students are to wear their uniforms, while members of the public are asked to wear the colour purple to signify respect for Her Majesty.

Participants are to wear a white mask or a white cloth mask throughout the ceremony.
Phuket Town bars inspected for COVID compliance

PHUKET: Phuket health officials led by Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong inspected a series of nightlife venues in Phuket Town last night (June 2) to ensure they comply with the COVID measures still required now that they are officially allowed to re-open.

COVID-19healthtourismeconomics

By The Phuket News

Friday 3 June 2022, 10:55AM

V/Gov Pichet led the assembly of health officials, Muang District officers and provincial security personnel at the Expo Night Market on Chanachaoren Rd before launching the sortie of inspections, focussing on the area around the Seahorse Circle in the southeast corner of Phuket Town.

Following approval from the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Bangkok, pubs, bars and nightclubs were allowed to officially re-open since Wednesday, if they were not already openly trading having specially registered as restaurants.

V/Gov Pichet and accompanying officials conducted checks on several venues, including the popular Sound Up and Sharks & Chill bars.

The operators were checked for ensuing the venues comply with all measures required under the Thai Stop COVID 2 Plus (TSC 2+) mandate, including all staff being vaccinated for COVID-19, temperature checks of all staff and patrons and appropriate seating arrangements with enough space between tables to comply with the measures.

However, the main focus was to ensure that all venues were well ventilated.
PM defends military procurement budget

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha stood by the Defence Ministrys weapons procurement projects, saying they are essential to boosting national security, after the opposition took aim at the ministrys budget yesterday (June 2).

economicspoliticsmilitary

By Bangkok Post

Friday 3 June 2022, 10:18AM

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, standing, presenting the 2023 budget bill to the House on Tuesday (May 31). Photo: Government House photo

On the third day of deliberation for next years budget, Gen Prayut - who is also serving as Defence Minister - told parliament that the ministry has to ensure it is capable of dealing with any form of security threat despite its limited budget, reports the Bangkok Post.

We have to procure [weapons] when it is necessary. We cant afford to wait until the weapons in our arsenal expire before purchasing new ones, he said.

Thailand does not receive assistance from anyone so we must rely on ourselves to bolster our defences, he said.

According to Deputy Defence Minister Chaichan Changmongkol, the ministry has been allocated B197.2 billion for the next fiscal year, down B4.37bn from the budget in the previous fiscal year.

The PM jumped to the budgets defence after deputy Pheu Thai Party leader Yuttapong Charasathien took aim at military spending, saying a number of procurement projects lack transparency.

Mr Yuttapong said the navy requested a budget of B40.3bn, which will be spent procuring a number of weapons systems, including the Chinese-made S26T Yuan-class submarine.

Mr Yuttapong, a staunch critic of the navys plan to acquire submarines, again slammed the planned purchase, before reiterating his claim that the navy was duped into buying a submarine with no engines.

The Royal Thai Navy had previously countered the MPs claim, saying the navy has outlined its required engine specifications and China will have to honour the contract.

The navy will hold talks with China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co (CSOC) next Thursday.

According to a source, the vice president of CSOC will meet navy chief of staff Adm Tharoengsak Sirisawat after Germanys MTU 396 refused to sell the engines to China as they are designated a military/defence item.

CSOC has asked the navy to alter the contract to allow the use of a Chinese-built alternative, such as the MWM 620, which it claims to be of the same standard, but the navy is standing by the terms of the original contract.

The submarine is due to be delivered in 2024.

During yesterdays debate, Mr Yuttapong also targeted the navys planned purchase of three Israeli-made Hermes 900-model unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs), at B1.34bn each. He said the Philippine air force purchased the same model for about B340 million each.

He also slammed the Royal Thai Air Forces planned procurement of F-35A fighter jets worth B2.7bn each, saying the planes, with an operating cost of about B1.2mn an hour, are too expensive to run given the current economic circumstances.
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ALTON  After several hours of work Friday, and the help of two giant cranes, workers from Ardent Mills in Alton removed the large elbow pipe from a dust filtration system on the Mississippi River side of the mill.

Budrovich Crane in St. Louis used two German-made cranes on the project, one to lift workers in a bucket and the other to secure and lower the pipe.
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FAIRFAX, Va. (AP)  A jury sided Wednesday with Johnny Depp in his libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, awarding the Pirates of the Caribbean actor more than $10 million and vindicating his allegations that Heard lied about Depp abusing her before and during their brief marriage.

But in a split decision, the jury also found that Heard was defamed by one of Depp's lawyers, who accused her of creating a detailed hoax that included roughing up the couple's apartment to look worse for police. The jury awarded her $2 million.

The verdicts bring an end to a televised trial that Depp had hoped would help restore his reputation, though it turned into a spectacle that offered a window into a vicious marriage.

Heard, who was stoic in the courtroom as the verdict was read, said she was heartbroken.

Im even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. Its a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously, she said in a statement posted on her Twitter account.

Depp, who was not in court Wednesday, said the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.

I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up, he said in a statement posted to Instagram.

Depp sued Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. His lawyers said he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.

The jury found in Depp's favor on all three of his claims relating to specific statements in the 2018 piece.

Throughout the proceedings, fans who were overwhelmingly on Depps side lined up overnight for coveted courtroom seats. Spectators who couldnt get in gathered on the street to cheer Depp and jeer Heard whenever they appeared outside.

A crowd of about 200 people cheered when Depps lawyers came out after the verdict. Johnny for president! one man yelled repeatedly.

Greg McCandless, 51, a retired private detective from Reston, Virginia, stood outside the courthouse wearing a pirate hat and red head scarf, a nod to Depps famous role as Capt. Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

I do believe that there was defamation, and I do believe that it did hurt his career, McCandless said. I think the jury heard the evidence, and the verdict was just.

In evaluating Heard's counterclaims, jurors considered three statements by a lawyer for Depp who called her allegations a hoax. They found she was defamed by one of them, in which the lawyer claimed that she and friends spilled a little wine and roughed the place up, got their stories straight, and called police.

Sydni Porter, 30, drove an hour from her home in Maryland to show support for Heard. She said the verdict was disappointing, but not surprising, and sends a message to women that as much evidence as you have (of abuse), its never going to be enough.

The jury found Depp should receive $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, but the judge said state law caps punitive damages at $350,000, meaning Depp was awarded $10.35 million.

While the case was ostensibly about libel, most of the testimony focused on whether Heard had been physically and sexually abused, as she claimed. Heard enumerated more than a dozen alleged assaults, including a fight in Australia  where Depp was shooting a Pirates of the Caribbean sequel  in which Depp lost the tip of his middle finger and Heard said she was sexually assaulted with a liquor bottle.

Depp said he never hit Heard and that she was the abuser, though Heards attorneys highlighted years-old text messages Depp sent apologizing to Heard for his behavior as well as profane texts he sent to a friend in which Depp said he wanted to kill Heard and defile her dead body.

In some ways, the trial was a replay of a lawsuit Depp filed in the United Kingdom against a British tabloid after he was described as a wife beater. The judge in that case ruled in the newspapers favor after finding that Heard was telling the truth in her descriptions of abuse.

In the Virginia case, Depp had to prove not only that he never assaulted Heard, but that Heards article  which focused primarily on public policy related to domestic violence  defamed him. He also had to prove that Heard wrote the article with actual malice.

And to claim damages, he had to prove that her article caused the damage to his reputation as opposed to any number of articles before and after Heards piece that detailed the allegations against him.

The case captivated millions through its gavel-to-gavel television coverage, including impassioned followers on social media who dissected everything from the actors mannerisms to the possible symbolism of what they were wearing. Both performers emerge from the trial with reputations in tatters with unclear prospects for their careers.

Eric Rose, a crisis management and communications expert in Los Angeles, called the trial a classic murder-suicide.

From a reputation-management perspective, there can be no winners, he said. Theyve bloodied each other up. It becomes more difficult now for studios to hire either actor because youre potentially alienating a large segment of your audience who may not like the fact that you have retained either Johnny or Amber for a specific project because feelings are so strong now.

Depp, a three-time best actor Oscar nominee, had until recent years been a bankable star. His turn as Sparrow helped turn the Pirates of the Caribbean into a global franchise, but hes lost that role. He was also replaced in the third Fantastic Beasts spin-off film, The Secrets of Dumbledore.

Despite testimony at the trial that he could be violent, abusive and out of control, Depp received a standing ovation Tuesday night in London after performing for about 40 minutes with Jeff Beck at the Royal Albert Hall.

Heards acting career has been more modest, and her only two upcoming roles are in a small film and the upcoming Aquaman sequel due out next year.

Depps lawyers fought to keep the case in Virginia, in part because state law provided some legal advantages compared with California, where the two reside. A judge ruled that Virginia was an acceptable forum for the case because The Washington Posts printing presses and online servers are in the county.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea says its leader, Kim Jong Un, sent a letter congratulating Queen Elizabeth II as Britain began a four-day celebration marking her 70 years on the throne.

North Koreas Foreign Ministry said on its website Thursday that Kim sent a letter congratulating the queen and the British people. It didnt provide further details.
LOS ANGELES  Dr. Simone J. Renault, the granddaughter of Jane Stites and the late James Stites of Godfrey and the daughter of the Rev. Laura (Stites) Renault originally of Alton, has received her medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in Los Angeles.

While attending medical school, Renault spent Wednesday evenings running a mobile medical clinic for the homeless and underserved populations in the Los Angeles area.

She was honored and inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society for senior medical students for excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion and dedication to service. She took a gap year to study at Kings College-London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene where she received her Masters in Science in Global Mental Health in 2021.

While at Clinton High School she was homecoming queen, a drum major, a national Finalist for the National Honor Society, part of the All-State Theater Production of "A Chorus Line", All-State Band flutist and was featured in theater productions and musicals. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa as an Old Gold Scholar where she obtained two degrees with honors in Neurobiology and International Studies with emphasis in Global Health and Human Rights, and a minor in Philosophy in 2014.

She was awarded the Hancher-Finkbine Distinguished Student Leader Award in 2012 and the Philip G. Hubbard Human Rights Award in 2013 and was named as a United Nations Foundation Ambassador for her founding and directing of the ImmUNITY campaign in 2012 which still has a presence at the University.

Dr. Renault interned at The World Food Prize in Des Moines and Partners in Health in Boston and spent two years after graduating from the University of Iowa working as a Clinical Research Coordinator in the Department of Neurology at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston before attending medical school.

She will begin her residency program in psychiatry at University of California San Francisco Health Systems this summer.
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When Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in late February, the Russian president vowed his forces would not occupy the country. But as the invasion reached its 100th day Friday, Moscow seemed increasingly unwilling to relinquish the territory it has taken in the war.

The ruble is now an official currency in the southern Kherson region, alongside the Ukrainian hryvnia. Residents there and in Russia-controlled parts of the Zaporizhzhia region are being offered expedited Russian passports. The Kremlin-installed administrations in both regions have talked about plans to become part of Russia.

The Moscow-backed leaders of separatist areas in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region, which is mostly Russian-speaking, have expressed similar intentions. Putin recognized the separatists' self-proclaimed republics as independent two days before launching the invasion, and fierce fighting has been underway in the east for weeks as Russia seeks to liberate all of the Donbas.

The Kremlin has largely kept mum about its plans for the cities, towns and villages it has bombarded, encircled and finally captured. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said it will be up to the people living in seized areas to decide their status.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week that enemy forces now control almost 20% of the country's territory. Before the war, Russia controlled 7%, including the Crimea Peninsula and parts of the Donbas.

But in a video message marking the war's first 100 days, Zelenskyy made it clear Ukraine will not submit easily.

We have defended Ukraine for 100 days already. Victory will be ours, he said.

U.S. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, said he believes theres going to have to be a negotiated settlement to end the war. Asked if Ukraine should give up territory in exchange for peace, the president said, It's their territory and "Im not going to tell them what they should and shouldnt do.

Initially, at least, annexing more land from Ukraine was not believed to be the main goal of the invasion. It was widely thought that the Kremlin intended to install a pro-Moscow government in Kyiv that would prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and pulling further away from Russias influence.

But now, Moscow is unlikely to let go of its military gains, according to political analysts.

Of course (Russia) intends to stay, said Andrei Kolesnikov, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. To Russia, its a pity to give away what has been occupied, even if it was not part of the original plan.

Russian forces captured much of Kherson and neighboring Zaporizhzhia early in the war, gaining control over most of Ukraines Sea of Azov coast and securing a partial land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. They completed the takeover last month with the capture of the port city of Mariupol following a three-month siege.

Residents of the cities of Kherson and Melitopol took to the streets to protest the occupation, facing off with Russian soldiers in plazas. Ukrainian officials warned that Russia might stage a referendum in Kherson to declare the region an independent state.

Petro Kobernyk, 31, an activist with a nongovernmental organization who fled Kherson with his wife, said Russian security forces are cracking down on pro-Ukrainian activists.

Hundreds of pro-Ukrainian activists, including my friends, are being held in the basements of security services, Kobernyk said by phone. Those who actively express their position are kidnapped and tortured, threatened and forced out of the region.

Russian forces keep people in an information vacuum, with Ukrainian websites no longer available, Kobernyk said.

His claims could not be independently verified.

But some in captured areas of Ukraine have welcomed a Russian takeover.

Ive wanted to live in Russia since I was little, and now I realize I dont even have to move anywhere, said Vadim Romanova, a 17-year-old from Mariupol.

In Russian-occupied cities in southern Ukraine, people with pro-Kremlin views replaced mayors and other local leaders who disappeared in what Ukrainian officials and media said were kidnappings. Russian flags were raised, and Russian state broadcasts that promoted the Kremlins version of the invasion supplanted Ukrainian TV channels.

The Russian ruble was introduced as the second official currency in both the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions  at least in the parts under Russian control  and pro-Russian administrations started offering a one-time social payment of 10,000 rubles (roughly $163) to local residents.

An office of Russias migration services opened in Melitopol, taking applications for Russian citizenship from residents of the captured southern regions through a fast-track procedure. The procedure was first implemented in 2019 in the rebel-controlled areas of the Donbas, where more than 700,000 people have received Russian passports.

Top Russian officials started touring the regions, touting the territories' prospects for being integrated into Russia. Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin visited Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in mid-May and indicated they could become part of our Russian family.

A senior official in the Kremlins ruling United Russia party, Andrei Turchak, put it even more bluntly in a meeting with residents of Kherson: Russia is here forever.

Members of the pro-Kremlin administrations in both regions soon announced that the areas would seek to be incorporated into Russia. While it remains unclear when or if it will happen, Russia is appears to be digging in.

Oleg Kryuchkov, an official in Russia-annexed Crimea, said this week that the two southern regions have switched to Russian internet providers. State media ran footage of people lining up to get Russian SIM cards for their cellphones. Kryuchkov also said that both regions are switching to the Russian country code, +7, from the Ukrainian +380.

Senior Russian lawmaker Leonid Slutsky, a member of the Russian delegation in stalled peace talks with Ukraine, said that referendums on joining Russia could take place in the Donbas, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions as early as July.

Kremlin spokesman Peskov was evasive when asked Friday whether Russian authorities planned to hold votes in those areas, saying that it would depend on the course of Russias offensive.

Tatyana Stanovaya, founder and CEO of R.Politik, an independent think tank on Russian politics, said she believes Putin doesnt want to rush the referendums and run the risk of them being denounced as shams.

He wants the referendum to be real, so that the West can see that, indeed, Russia was right, the people want to live with Russia, Stanovaya said.

Ukrainian experts say it will not be easy for the Kremlin to rally genuine support in Ukraines south.

Volodymyr Fesenko, of the Kyiv-based Penta Center think tank, said most residents of the southern regions identify as Ukrainians much more strongly than the people in areas that are closer to Russia or have been led by the Moscow-backed separatists for the past eight years.

___

Follow all AP stories on the war in Ukraine at https://apnews/hub/russia-ukraine.
ALTON  Each week award-winning photographer John Badman of The Telegraph captures images of the Riverbend.

Here is a sampling of his photographs from this week. They also appear in the weekend issue of The Telegraph.
Its easy to take for granted one of our countrys greatest strengths: a legal system in which we settle our disputes peacefully in court.

We do this without the type of violence, intimidation and threats against judges that occur in too many other countries.

That was true until someone leaked a draft opinion from the Supreme Court a few weeks ago.

Now, even though the Supreme Court hasnt even issued its official opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, pro-abortion protesters are gathering outside the homes of the five conservative justices who are assumed to be in the majority of the leaked draft. These crowds have engaged in illegal protests outside the homes of those justices each week since the leak, in clear violation of federal and state law.

So why arent Attorney General Merrick Garland and Steve Descano, the rogue state prosecutor of Fairfax County, Virginia, enforcing federal and state law to stop pro-abortion extremists invading the neighborhoods of Supreme Court justices in order to intimidate them  and their families  over the upcoming decision in Dobbs v. Jackson?

These foul-mouthed vulgarians have no regard for the law, civility or even human life. Their sentiments about the killing of unborn children are entirely captured by one of them saying save the fetus, f the child at the home of Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

They protest every Thursday night at Barretts house and rotate from one conservative justices home to another throughout the week. There have also been protests at the Alexandria, Virginia, home of Justice Samuel Alito.

Imagine for just a moment that an important Second Amendment case was pending before the Supreme Court and a memo was leaked indicating that the liberal justices were poised to do what the progressive left has wanted the court to do for years: erase the Second Amendment from the Bill of Rights.

Picture gun-rights advocates showing up at the homes of Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, shouting profanity-laced slogans, disrupting the peace of the neighborhood, and scaring the other families who live there.

In other words, acting just like the abortion protesters are now.

Does anyone doubt that theyd be immediately arrested (and properly so), and Garland and Descano would be arguing over who was going to prosecute them first? But because Garland and Descano agree with the political views of these protesters, they refuse to do anything to stop what they are doing  trying to impede, obstruct, intimidate, and influence Supreme Court justices doing their jobs.

Even Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., says whats happening is reprehensible, adding: Stay away from the homes and families of election officials and members of the court.

Durbin is right. A recent poll showed that 75 percent of those polled do not agree with publishing the homes addresses of the five Supreme Court justices, nor do they agree with the protests happening at their homes.

Federal law is quite clear. Under 18 U.S.C.  1507, it is a criminal violation of federal law to picket or parade near a building or residence occupied or used by [a federal] judge, juror, witness, or court officer with the intent of interfering with, obstructing, or impeding the administration of justice, or with the intent of influencing any judge, juror, witness, or court officer, in the discharge of his duty.

While we have extensive First Amendment rights in this country to speak out, including criticizing decisions of federal courts, we do not have the right to try to abuse that freedom by trying to intimidate judges, jurors, and witnesses in ongoing cases to influence their decisions and their testimony.

Virginia law is clear also. Under the Virginia Code, it is a criminal offense to engage in protests before or about the residence or dwelling place of any individual  which disrupts or threatens to disrupt any individuals right to tranquility in his home. The law specifically allows protests at places used for the discussion of subjects of general public interest, thus making the same distinction that Durbin, to his credit, is making.

No one wants to restrict peaceful, civil protests in the public arena. But taking that to peoples homes, to their families, is an outrageous  and dangerous  abuse that should be stopped.
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Rain early. A mix of sun and clouds in the afternoon. High near 75F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy during the evening with thunderstorms becoming likely overnight. Low 63F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Just how does one best celebrate the landmark anniversary of a rock-solid paragon of civic duty?

Not the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations but, rather, of the Honda Civic, which this year marks its 50th anniversary with a new hybrid-only incarnation.

First launched in 1972, the new 11th generation Civic e:HEV will be available to order from July from about 23,000.

It features Honda's award-winning e:HEV full hybrid powertrain  which shifts seamlessly between pure electric EV, hybrid and engine driving with no need for input from the driver  and fulfils the Japanese car maker's plans to electrify all mainstream models by the end of this year.

Landmark: Honda Civic is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a hybrid version

The self-charging hybrid set-up combines a new 2-litre petrol engine with two electric motors to produce 181bhp.

It promises more than 50mpg and CO2 emissions of 108g/km.

Styling is evolutionary rather than revolutionary, but there is more of a fastback look with a sloping roof and an extra 35mm on the wheelbase.

There are three trim levels: Elegance, Sport and Advance. Honda promises it will also be more fun to drive thanks to a series of engineering tweaks. Inside is a practical interior with a free-standing 9-inch infotainment system.

The Civic was built at Honda's Swindon plant in the UK until it closed in 2019 and is now built in Japan for the European market. Since its launch, the Civic has sold more than 27.5 million models across 170 countries.

To help celebrate the Civic's 50th anniversary, Honda teamed up with Magic Radio's Home Run DJ presenter Simon Phillips to compile the ultimate driving playlist, featuring a track from every year through the five decades since the original version was launched.

The full line-up of 50 tracks is available on Spotify.

Next year, Honda is set to launch a small all-electric SUV, a compact hybrid SUV and a new generation CR-V 4x4.

A Honda survey of 2,000 UK motorists showed a quarter of people have built their own motoring playlist, and almost half (48 per cent) of respondents saying that they experience a lift in mood when they listen to music in the car, with four in 10 saying they feel more relaxed at the wheel when listening to music. Nearly a quarter (24 per cent) feel more focused with music on in the car, and 22 per cent said they found music made them feel more energy at the wheel.

Honda's UK head of automobile Rebecca Adamson said: 'In a time where we're surrounded by noise, hitting the open road with your favourite tracks playing, or hearing a new song for the first time on the radio is a timeless luxury.

Happy anniversary: The original Honda Civic (pictured above) was launched in 1972

'With the all-new Honda Civic e:HEV careful attention has been paid to the hybrid drivetrain and noise management to create a refined cabin. This, combined with an updated infotainment system complete with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto makes for ideal listening conditions.'

A separate survey of parent drivers by Honda revealed that 2,496 songs are played every year in the typical family car. Honda also did a poll of its own audience, who nominated songs to be added to the list.

She added: 'Since we launched the Honda Civic, the analogue radios and tape decks may have evolved into touch screens, but the principle remains the same. There are few better pairings than a road trip with a brilliant playlist.'

List of top 50 Honda playlist tunes - 1972 to 2022 1972 Alice Cooper - Schools Out 1973 The Jackson 5 - Dancing Machine 1974 Queen - Killer Queen 1975 Average White Band - Pick Up The Pieces 1976 Chicago - If You Leave Me Now 1977 Earth, Wind & Fire - Fantasy 1978 Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick 1979 The Specials - A Message To You Rudy 1980 Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall 1981 Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime 1982 Imagination - Just an Illusion 1983 Herbie Hancock - Rockit 1984 Wham!  Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go 1985 Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule The World 1986 Bruce Hornsby - The Way It Is 1987 Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full - Seven Minutes Of Madness - The Coldcut Remix 1988 Inner City - Big Fun 1989 Soul II Soul - Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) 1990 Oleta Adams - Get Here 1991 Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy 1992 Arrested Development - People Everyday 1993 Jamiroquai - Blow Your Mind 1994 Youssou N'Dour Feat Neneh Cherry - 7 Seconds 1995 Oasis - Wonderwall 1996 Faithless - Insomnia 1997 Ultra Nate - Free 1998 Brandy & Monica - The Boy Is Mine 1999 Moloko - Sing It back 2000 Coldplay - Trouble 2001 David Gray - Sail Away 2002 Justin Timberlake - Like I Love You 2003 Beyonce  Crazy In Love 2004 Keane - Somewhere Only We Know 2005 Jennifer Lopez - Get Right 2006 Gnarls Barkley - Crazy 2007 Timbaland Feat Keri Hilson & D.O.E - The Way I Are 2008 Madonna Feat Justin Timberlake & Timbaland - 4 Minutes 2009 Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow 2010 Lady A  Need You Now 2011 Bruno Mars  Grenade 2012 Emeli Sande - Next To Me 2013 Daft Punk  Get Lucky 2014 James Bay - Hold Back The River 2015 Hozier - Take Me To Church 2016 Drake Feat Wizkid & Kyla - One Dance 2017 Sam Smith - Too Good At Goodbyes 2018 RagnBone Man - Human 2019 Calvin Harris and Rag n Bone Man - Giant 2020 The Weeknd - Blinding Lights 2021 Silk Sonic Feat Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak - Leave The Door Open 2022 Dave  Starlight Compiled by Magic Home Run Presenter Simon Philips
I am wondering whether to invest 6,000 into training as a dog groomer and spend another 10,000 setting up a business in my local area.

It's a huge chunk of money for me and a massive career change. I'm currently a carer.

Any advice would be helpful and I just need that push to believe in myself but shelling out that sort of money scares the living day out of me. J.G, via email.

Barking mad? Our business doctor Dave Fishwick (pictured) shares his views on setting up a dog grooming business

Dave Fishwick, This is Money business doctor, replies: You're right, 16,000 is a lot of money, so I wouldn't spend so much immediately until you are confident that you'll achieve the earnings and customer base you are hoping for.

I think you should look at ways of reducing your initial spending or spending some of it after you start earning.

Through the Bank of Dave, I helped a local dog groomer start a business, Sarah at Rubydoo's Pet Grooming (Named after her own puppy Ruby.)

Sarah started by going on a dog grooming course and then she got a job at a local dog grooming salon.

I think this was key to her future success, Sarah gained lots of experience from working with very experienced dog groomers, this gave her lots of confidence and helped her build up her own customer base in her spare time, which has been key to her success.

Once Rubydoo's had a solid customer base, Sarah then left her job at the salon and went self-employed.

She sold her car and bought a little van and did mobile dog grooming and also turned her spare room at home into a salon.

By working from home the overheads were kept to a minimum. Sarah also does cat grooming, and this has been very profitable, so I suggest you look into diversifying and doing the same.

Pet grooming is seasonal, especially around Christmas, which is very busy, and in the summer months, when pets need their thicker coats removed.

It's also worth pointing out that there has been a dog ownership boom in the pandemic, meaning more pets to groom.

Being your own boss and doing a job you love can be a great place to be and can give you freedom and the potential for higher earnings.

An advertising tip is to build up your positive online reviews as quickly as you can and advertise free on Google in your area, you will soon find yourself to be top of the local pages for dog grooming.

It isn't just your furry clients and their owners you'll have to deal with, sourcing supplies, balancing the books and promoting the business all take time.

Reading and researching all about the different animal breeds is very important. I also suggest taking a first aid animal course, just in case you cut an animal by accident, these courses can be found at the local vets and colleges.

Public liability and insurance, are also important, especially while the animals are in your care or being transported by you.

Visit some grooming seminars and conventions (there is an excellent one at the Crufts event every year) and take a look at events and webinars of the Pet Industry Federation.

The British Grooming Society on Facebook has some great information and advice all about the grooming industry.

To begin with, you will definitely find yourself working longer hours than you did before. However, I have worked for myself since I was 17 years old, and I love the freedom, I am sure you will too.

Dave shares his tips on how to find a job including how to make a CV stand out

How do I make my CV stand out?

I've recently graduated and am now looking for a job. However, the industry I have a fresh degree in is highly competitive and I'm not having much luck in terms of getting a foot in the door for an interview.

Are there any tips you can give me to make my CV stand out from the crowd without looking desperate?

Is it worth me thinking outside of the box and sending in a video, for example, instead of a paper CV? And Dave, how do you personally decide on who to hire? Via email.

Dave replies: Congratulations on your degree, it's a great achievement and will hopefully help you a lot in your future career, though as you are now finding, it's only the start of your journey.

The first thing you need to do is get your name out there and get the attention of employers, so yes think outside the box, but also pay attention to any specific instructions.

Maybe send a video as well as a written CV rather than instead of, it is best to do both. Don't be afraid to knock on doors, for a job that is not currently advertised.

I have over the years, employed many people who have just called in on the off chance, as I have been thinking about advertising for someone new.

THIS IS MONEY PODCAST How can you protect against holiday chaos this summer?

However, I had just not gotten around to it, due to being too busy. Remember, it's only words, call in as many places as you can in the industry you are looking for a job in, take a deep breath and just say the words...

'Excuse me, are there any jobs currently available now or coming up anytime soon?'

Communication skills are incredibly important, in writing and person, these skills can increase your value by at least fifty per cent.

You could take a Dale Carnegie Course, you have to be able to put forward your ideas in a confident manner.

Remember, if you invest in yourself, nobody can ever take it away. You must sell yourself, tell them all about you, what can you bring to the party, how can the company benefit from you being part of their team.

Write down as much as you can about yourself, tell them about your interests, hobbies, sports, and community groups, mention any extra skills you may have.

Research the company properly and the role you're applying for, have relevant questions prepared and read and review the company's website. Always remember, a bit of spark and enthusiasm can go a long way.

I have been employing people for over thirty years, and I remember one person, in particular, being more than ten minutes late, with no excuse.

Even though they interviewed okay, I couldn't help think: if you are late for your job interview, that is a terrible start. So make sure you are always ten minutes early, if possible.

First impressions count and minds can be made up in the first few minutes, so make sure you dress smart, remember to smile, shake hands like you mean it and don't be afraid of eye contact.

Have confidence in yourself and you will inspire confidence in others.

Prioritise companies and jobs which are a good fit for your skills and personality.

Try and find a job in an industry that you are passionate about, and work for people you admire.

If you can find the job you love and would do for free, if you didn't need the money, then you have truly succeeded.
Germany is now once again the 'sick man of Europe', experts have warned.

The country is reliant on gas from Russia and trade with China  both of which are causing a headache following the Kremlin's war in Ukraine and a slowdown in the People's Republic.

Troubles: Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that 'some people were a bit careless in the past'

Julian Jessop, economics fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: 'Germany is already the sick man of Europe.'

Germany was initially dubbed the 'sick man of Europe' in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It had experienced years of lacklustre growth.

But then-chancellor Angela Merkel beefed up its reliance on cheap Russian energy and encouraged trade with China.

But as Western countries shun Russia  and China, for backing Vladimir Putin  those policies mean Germany is bearing the brunt of the pain.

Merkel's successor Olaf Scholz said that 'some people were a bit careless in the past'.

Jessop said: 'Germany used to be the industrial powerhouse of Europe and is still a major trading partner for the UK, so Brexiteers should not crow too much.'
Nelson Peltz is facing a backlash over how he bought his 1.4billion stake in Unilever.

Last night sources close to the billionaire confirmed he had been building his 1.5 per cent stake of 37.4m shares in the Dove and Marmite maker since January, using derivatives  a series of complex financial instruments.

It means New York-based hedge fund Trian, where Peltz is chief executive and founding partner, does not own all the underlying shares.

Family fortunes: Billionaire Nelson Peltz and his daughter Nicola

But despite not officially owning all the shares, the 79-year-old has managed to muscle his way onto the board and accrue voting rights.

Buying the shares in this way is common among activist investors and means they can avoid payments of stamp duty to HMRC.

But the practice is criticised for its lack of transparency.

Derivatives are complex financial instruments that allow investors to bet on the price of a stock without actually owning it.

A source close to Peltz said: 'The stake was gradually bought over time.

'It was done using back-to-back call-and-put options, as well as buying shares. The options can be exercised at any time.'

The options mean Peltz may buy all the underlying stock at a later date. While not illegal, the tactics have caused outrage in the City. Danni Hewson, analyst at broker AJ Bell, said: 'This behaviour always angers ordinary investors. I am sure Peltz can cover his positions but it leaves a sour taste.'

Peltz's stake building in Unilever has echoes of activist investor Patrick Drahi's method when he bought his holding in BT.

The Frenchman has amassed an 18 per cent stake in the telecoms giant using a series of derivative instruments without owning the shares outright.

The Government is so concerned by Drahi and his motives that Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng last week launched a 'full national security assessment' of his stake.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said these practices need looking into, adding that the complex tools can undermine confidence in the financial system.

He said: 'It is another example of how the super-rich can avoid taxes. Wealth buys lawyers, accountants and choices.'

Unilever investors await to see what Peltz will do with his seat on the board. It is hoped that he can revive the struggling consumer giant, having previously successfully agitated for change at Proctor & Gamble.

Unilever is trying to repair relations with investors after its failed 50billion tilt at GlaxoSmithKline's consumer division.
Kingsport, TN (37660)

Today

Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 82F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.
Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday extended a joint military operation launched late last year against Islamist insurgents in east Congo, the operations spokesperson said.

Uganda sent at least 1,700 troops to its central African neighbour in December to help fight a violent rebel group known as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)  the largest foreign intervention in Congo in over a decade aside from a United Nations peacekeeping operation.

Initially meant to last six months, Operation Shujaa was extended on Wednesday despite an earlier announcement by Ugandas military that it would pull out troops when the mission ended unless instructed otherwise.

Shujaa spokesman Colonel Mak Hazukay told Reuters the Congo and Ugandan armies signed documents on June 1st to prolong their joint military operations into a third phase because the threat was not eradicated.

The length of the extension has not yet been determined and the number of deployed troops is classified information, he added.

The ADF began as an uprising in Uganda but has been based in Congo since the late 1990s. It pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2019 and is accused of killing hundreds of villagers in frequent raids over the past two years.

Uganda blamed the group for a triple suicide bombing in its capital Kampala on Nov. 16, which killed seven people, including the bombers.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on a village in North Kivu province on Sunday that killed at least 15 civilians. L1N2XN21C

The ADF is among several militias wrangling over land and resources in Congos mineral-rich east over the past decade, a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions.

SOURCE: REUTERS
For two years, restaurants have faced a relentlessly challenging environment fraught with uncertainty, significant operational changes and supply chain disruptions  not to mention a labor shortage that is costing 71% of restaurants $5,000 or more per month.

So, how have restaurants survived, and even thrived, with the odds stacked against them? The pandemic shined a spotlight on two important factors influencing business performance: 1) the remarkable resilience of restaurant owners and staff and 2) their level of technology usage.

Whether they pivoted to online ordering or re-engineered dining room experiences, restaurants that were already more tech-enabled or quicker to adopt new technologies tended to bounce back faster and withstand additional curveballs as Covid variants made their way through the Greek alphabet.

Seemingly temporary solutions became core to operations, and the increased reliance on technology will continue as restaurants look to boost guest volume, efficiency, sales and profitability. A Popmenu study of 415 U.S. restaurant owners and operators found that 51% plan to automate more online operations in 2022 and 41% plan to automate more on-premise operations.

As restaurants take steps toward recovery and set the stage for post-pandemic growth, it is critical that they continually evaluate their execution in three key areas that can affect whether they land on the higher-performing side of a widening digital divide.

Related: This Is What People Want in a Post-Pandemic Restaurant Experience

Digital divider #1  Online menus

Hands down, the online menu is the most important and most underutilized sales asset for a restaurant. A text-only or PDF experience is not going to do a menu justice and will likely cost a restaurant some business: 30% of U.S. consumers said that if they visit a restaurant's website on their mobile device  which most consumers do  and they see a PDF menu, they will move on to another restaurant.

Quick tips:

Offer an interactive menu with enticing photos, descriptions and the ability to review dishes. Imagine visiting Amazon to buy a pair of shoes, and there are no photos or written details. Chances are, those shoes won't make it into the shopping cart. The same goes for ordering meals. According to Popmenu's research on over 2 million online orders, dishes with photos receive twice as many orders and four times as many reviews.

Leverage the menu for search engine optimization (SEO). Each dish should be set up as a unique and indexed page for search engines. When a restaurant updates the menu, adds new dishes or has reviews posted, that automatically signals search engines that there is new information to read. This helps the restaurant to appear higher in search results and increase website traffic, and the interactive experience helps to increase customer conversions.

Integrate with Google Business Profile. Google owns the vast majority of search engine marketing share, and nearly half of all Google searches are local, like "restaurants near me."

By implementing an SEO-driven online menu and website, The Hampton Social, a coastal-inspired, multi-location restaurant group in Illinois, Florida and Tennessee, experienced a 63% increase in average monthly website sessions within three months (reaching over 285,000) and more than doubled the value of its organic traffic keywords to over $520,000. Texas-based upscale steakhouse, B&B Butchers & Restaurant, drove over $450,000 in online orders since expanding digital capabilities during the pandemic.

Related: These 3 Restaurant Franchises Thrived During the Pandemic. Here's What to Learn From Their Successes

Digital divider #2  Marketing  or lack thereof

Many restaurants do not have dedicated marketing staff, and a lack of time and resources can hinder the ability to attract and re-engage guests. While marketing can seem complex and costly, so much of it is just staying in front of guests with "craveable" assets. A lot can be automated  and at a manageable price point.

Quick tips:

Send automated text messages signaled by guest behavior. When a guest places an order, likes a certain dish or leaves a review, automatically send a follow-up message with a special promotion to incentivize future business. Make sure to invite guests to become a VIP so they can receive exclusive offers, invites to events and other perks.

Stay social. 45% of consumers have tried a restaurant because of a social media post by the establishment. Share info on new dishes, happy hours, trivia nights, wine tastings, guest experiences, etc., posting at least twice a week if not every day.

The Chori-Man, known for chorizo-making artisans in southern California, is very active on social media and other digital marketing channels. They bring their staff and customers into their story and leverage user-generated photos and content in addition to professional visuals. From 2020-2021, The Chori-Man attracted twice as many monthly visitors as they had the previous year and saw a 40% increase in their Instagram following, which is now over 20,000.

Related: Food For Thought: Restaurants Go Digital To Survive and Thrive

Digital divider #3  On-premise execution

Once thought of as a barrier to building guest relationships, technology is now being embraced as a facilitator as restaurants navigate safety mandates and talent deficits. From QR-based, contactless dining on-premise to AI-enabled phone answering, restaurants are continually engaging guests even when they can't be in front of them.

Quick tips:

Be available 24/7. Two-in-five consumers (42%) say, if they call to make a reservation at a restaurant and they get voicemail, they immediately move on to another restaurant. Restaurants can now use AI technology to answer common questions as well as customized ones for their business. AI technology can also send the caller a link to the restaurant's menu, send a link to make a reservation and record voicemails via text so owners can instantly view priority messages.

Use waitlisting as a marketing tool. With new tech, guests automatically receive a link to the menu when they add themselves to a waitlist via a QR code or the restaurant's website. After the meal, guests are invited to submit a review and follow the restaurant, so ongoing engagement is automated.

The Deck on Laguna Beach in California uses automation to support its oceanfront dining experience, ensuring customer inquiries are addressed even if they can't get to the phone. In 30 days, AI-enabled technology answered 1,658 calls, covering everything from restaurant hours and location to reservations and ordering information.

Consumers became accustomed to new ways of doing things during the pandemic with 75% expecting restaurants to offer more digitally-enabled experiences both online and on-premise going forward. As the industry works toward sustained recovery, restaurants that are leaning into technology to drive greater connections and convenience are poised to perform better.

Copyright 2022 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

The Agency for Small and Medium Business Development can support Czech entrepreneurs who want to invest or open businesses in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

The remarks were made during a meeting between representatives of the agency and a delegation headed by the Czech Republic's Director of the Foreign Economic Policy Department under the Industry and Trade Ministry.

During the meeting, the parties expressed mutual interest in establishing strong and long-term relations between the business entities of the two countries. They discussed issues on the organization of business missions, cooperation with local SMBs interested in creating joint ventures, and expanding ties with the relevant Czech organizations.

Azerbaijan's Small and Medium Business Development Agency continues to hold meetings with local and foreign entrepreneurs in order to expand relations and implement new business initiatives.

Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic cooperate in different spheres of the economy. Around 30 companies with the Czech capital operating in Azerbaijan. The Czech Republic had invested $37.2 million in Azerbaijan, while Azerbaijans investment in the Czech Republic amounted to $48.2 million during the period from 1995 to 2021.

Incidentally, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic amounted to $307.4 million in 2021.
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ATLANTA (AP)  A Georgia judge denied bond Thursday evening for Atlanta rapper Young Thug, who's accused of conspiracy to violate Georgias RICO Act and participation in a criminal street gang.

Fulton County Judge Ural Glanville handed down the ruling saying he has significant concerns about the entertainer, whose real name is Jeffery Lamar Williams, being a danger to the community, news outlets reported.

Prosecutors argued Williams is the head of a violent street gang called Young Slime Life that he cofounded. The gang committed multiple murders, shootings and carjackings over roughly a decade and promoted its activities in songs and on social media, prosecutors allege in an 88-page indictment that charges him, rapper Gunna  whose real name is Sergio Kitchens  aspiring rapper Christian Eppinger and 24 others with racketeering.

Eppinger was already in jail, accused of shooting an Atlanta police officer six times in February.

Young Thug, prosecutors said Thursday, is the top dog, the most dangerous man here, because he doesnt have to get his hands dirty, he has others to do his business, Atlanta station WXIA-TV reported.

Williams has been in custody since his arrest last month at his home in an upscale neighborhood north of downtown Atlanta. His attorneys presented several witnesses to counter the image prosecutors painted, pointing to the musician's community involvement. Music executive Kevin Liles testified that Williams was like a son and he was willing to put up his own wealth and business behind a bond.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

The rapper, he said, is not just an artist - hes an influencer, a person I think was put here to change the people around him and a contributing citizen to this world.

Young Thug co-wrote the hit This is America with Childish Gambino, making history when it became the first hip-hop track to win the song of the year Grammy in 2019.

An expected trial date, the judge said, would be Jan. 9, 2023.
Carlo Fornitano

Take a break and head for one of the festivals hosted in person by local churches. And for Jewish friends celebrating Shavuot, there is a family-friendly day of strawberries and ice cream beckoning.

St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church at 909 River St. in Troy hosts its Greek Festival which promises homemade food, live music, dancing and a $10,000 raffle this weekend, June 3, 4 and 5. Friday night's festivities run from 5 to 10 p.m, Saturday's hours are noon to 10 p.m and Sunday's fun is noon to 5 p.m. Join the party and help the congregation celebrate its 100th anniversary.
National Doughnut Day is the first Friday each June, which this year falls on June 3. It was started in 1938 by the Salvation Army to commemorate its members who served doughnuts to soldiers during the First World War. According to Wikipedia, arbiter of all truths on the internet, National Doughnut Day is a holiday to celebrate the doughnut.

In order not to let a good holiday go to waste, here are our top picks to observe this sweet and sacred tradition.

Half Moon Rondout Cafe

Half Moon follows the old adage, simple is best. Its three mainstays  plain, cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar  are made to order, meaning you get fresh, hot, fried dough until the shop closes at 5 p.m. Half Moon also has rotating daily specials including maple glaze and blueberry sugar, plus a few bakery classics like chocolate babka and rainbow cookies.

36 Broadway, Kingston

Open every day 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

Rabble Rise Doughnuts

Formerly Gunkin Doughnuts, Rabble Rise specializes in fun flavors made with cake, brioche and a vegan sourdough. (If youre familiar with the New York City brand Dough, Rabble Rise has a similar artisanal flair.) You can expect spins on traditional flavors such as a tri-jam with strawberry, blueberry and raspberry, alongside dazzlers like the triple chocolate brioche.

183 Main St., New Paltz

Thursday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Peaceful Provisions

If you like your doughnuts vegan and fair-trade, Peaceful Provisions has you covered (at least until noon, when the store usually sells out). Their mainstays include strawberry with sprinkles and vanilla glazed twists, but they also mix in bangers like orange tahini, pistachio cherry and coffee bourbon.

383 Main St., Beacon

Friday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Hole in the Wall at the Anchor

What started as a pickup window in the burger and craft beer bar has become a Kingston institution in its own right. Hole in the Wall specializes in old-fashioned sour cream doughnuts with a twist  think ube and Cocoa Pebbles cereal, and rosewater and orange blossom.

744 Broadway, Kingston

Friday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Glazed Over

Glazed Over tops best-of lists year after year, and with good reason. The doughnuts are completely customizable: choose from an old-fashioned or a doughnut of the day, then pick two toppings and a special drizzle. With combinations like hazelnut-chocolate, Fruity Pebbles, and salted caramel, you cant make a bad decision.

315 Main St., Beacon

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Tuesday

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Dream Donuts

Dream Donuts believes the more, the merrier. These mini delights come in dozens of flavors, so you can have your taste of dark chocolate raspberry along with blackberry custard and Nutella banana, and still have room for cinnamon sugar, chocolate chip pancake and strawberry shortcake (and maybe an old-fashioned for good measure).

72 South St., Warwick

Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Monday

Boxer Donut and Espresso Bar

This Rockland County hotspot is outside our typical coverage area, but worth the trek. Since 2017, Boxer Donut has been serving top-shelf espresso drinks alongside solid cakes and yeasteds. Recent specials have included powdered sugar filled with matcha pastry cream, peach glazed with candied ginger and a vegan Earl Grey tea doughnut.

17 N. Franklin St., Nyack

Open every day 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
The City of Kingston, where home values have increased nearly 50 percent since the start of the pandemic, may soon become the first municipality north of the New York City suburbs to adopt rent stabilization after a study found a rental vacancy rate of just 1.57 percent.

The study, published yesterday, was conducted by the city in April and May and was intended to determine whether Kingston can declare a housing emergency regarding available apartments. Doing so would pave the way for the city to implement rental protections on buildings constructed before 1974 with six or more units, under guidelines set forth by the states Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA).

In accordance with those parameters, the study only analyzed rental properties that would be protected by ETPA guidelines. According to Kingston Mayor Steve Noble, at least 1,200 rental units could be potentially subject to rent stabilization if Kingston opts in. EPTA could ensure long-term affordability for these residents, he said.

A resolution to declare a housing emergency will go before the Kingston Common Councils Laws & Rules Committee on June 15, according to Alderwoman Rita Worthington, the chair of the committee. We are hoping that the housing emergency declaration and opting into the ETPA program is immediate, she said.

Kingston was among several Hudson Valley municipalities to signal a desire to adopt some form of rent stabilization after the New York state Legislature expanded the ETPA in 2019 as part of a package of sweeping tenant protections. That expansion allowed any municipality in the state with a rental vacancy rate of 5 percent or lower to opt into rent stabilization laws, which historically had been limited to New York City and Rockland, Westchester and Nassau counties.

A previous study of qualifying rental units was undertaken in 2019 and 2020 on behalf of the city by the Center for Governmental Research, a nonprofit consulting organization based in Rochester. It found a vacancy rate of 6.7 percent.

But since then, an Ulster County Rental Housing Survey released in June 2021 showed a vacancy rate of 1.81 percent for non-subsidized housing in the county. The same survey also found that more than half of Ulster County renters were housing-cost burdened, meaning they pay at least 30 percent of their income toward housing.

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I am relieved a new vacancy study has been completed, said Rashida Tyler, a housing organizer who helps run the Ulster County Coalition for Housing Justice, which has been petitioning the city for a new study since 2020. My hope is that this evidence validates the experiences of Kingston residents, and that action can be taken quickly to help those who are being priced out of their homes every day by speculatory rent increases.

Noble said the city felt the study would be more effective in receiving responses from landlords if the outreach came directly from the City of Kingston rather than a third party. Landlords for 59 properties totaling 1,270 units responded to the survey.

Aside from preserving affordable housing, under the ETPA stabilized units will be regulated by other rules, including building maintenance standards, lease renewals and capital improvements. In January, Kingston also adopted a good cause eviction law, which gives every tenant the right to a lease renewal and protects against predatory rent increases and unfair evictions.

Weve all seen the negative impact of housing insecurities, Worthington said. Declaring a housing emergency and opting into the ETPA will bring much-needed relief to renters in our city.
ALBANY  Like many workplaces, state agencies do not typically go public with the news that an employee has died by suicide  a silence often motivated by the desire to protect the privacy of grieving friends, family and co-workers.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation this week decided to take a different path with the death of Capt. Christopher Kostoss, a veteran ranger who died Tuesday at age 49 as a result of what authorities determined to be suicide.

"Capt. Kostoss was passionate about protecting public safety and deeply committed to the cause of conservation," state DEC Commissioner Basil Seggo in a statement released Thursday.

He was also a tireless advocate for mental health awareness, particularly among his fellow Rangers, Seggos added. His death is a painful reminder of the critical need to promote wellness and destigmatize issues surrounding mental health that prevent individuals from seeking treatment.

Seggos publicly acknowledged the cause of death with permission of Kostoss family, which also noted it on Facebook.

The Times Union typically does not report on deaths by suicide unless they occur in a public manner or involve high-profile individuals.

Kostoss, a 23-year veteran of the ranger service, "was great at his job, remarked Ron Konowitz, a well-known skier and outdoorsman in the area who had assisted Kostoss on numerous backcountry rescues over the years as a volunteer.

Lake Placid police found Kostoss on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Adirondack Daily Enterprise newspaper. The paper noted that Kostoss had long been an advocate for mental health services, participating in a 2019 North Country Walk to Fight Suicide to raise awareness about the issue in the Adirondack Park.

He started his career in Dutchess County and by 2018 had been promoted to lieutenant in the Adirondack High Peaks region around Lake Placid  one of the busiest spots in the state when it comes to backcountry search and rescue missions.

During an interview that year with North Country Public Radio he acknowledged the psychological toll that search and rescue work  where people's lives can hang in the balance  can take. "Over the course of your career, there's so much emotional drain and physical drain that it's something that you have to address," Kostoss said at the time. "I don't claim to be an expert on it ... but it's certainly something that if you don't maintain it, it's going to catch up with you."

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

Kostoss was the incident commander during a December 2016 rescue in which two missing hikers from Niskayuna were found in freezing temperatures atop Algonquin Peak in the High Peaks and retrieved with a helicopter.

Experts say acknowledging suicide in a public manner can help the grieving, as well as those who have grappled with thoughts of harming themselves.

The time following a suicide death of a peer, friend, colleague or loved one is extremely difficult, and openly acknowledging a death by suicide does help to open the conversation and bridge connections between people who are hurting, said James Plastiras, spokesman for the state Office of Mental Health.

Harvey Rosenthal, executive director of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, said health planners in the Empire State are increasing supports for people who are at risk of suicide.

That includes plans to open a new 988 mental health phone line, as opposed to using the traditional 911 police/emergency line, and creating crisis stabilization centers to help people with mental health challenges.

The state Office of Mental Health has resources on its website (https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/bootstrap/crisis.html), and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has a toll-free number at 1-800-273-TALK.
CHICAGO (AP)  A Chicago police officer was taken to a hospital in critical condition Wednesday after she was shot while attempting to make a traffic stop on the city's South Side, authorities said.

In a news conference at the University of Chicago Medical Center, police Supt. David Brown said that at 5:42 p.m. two uniformed officers were in a marked squad car attempting a traffic stop in the West Englewood neighborhood.
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COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  Russia will cut off natural gas to Finland after the Nordic country that applied for NATO membership this week refused President Vladimir Putin's demand to pay in rubles, the Finnish state-owned energy company said Friday, the latest escalation over European energy amid the war in Ukraine.

Finland is the latest country to lose the energy supply, which is used to generate electricity and power industry, after rejecting Russia's decree. Poland and Bulgaria were cut off late last month but, along with Finland, were relatively minor customers who had prepared to move away from Russian natural gas.

Putin has declared that unfriendly foreign buyers open two accounts in state-owned Gazprombank, one to pay in euros and dollars as specified in contracts and another in rubles. Italian energy company Eni said this week that it was starting procedures to open a euro and a ruble account.

The European Commission, the European Union's executive arm, has said the system does not violate EU sanctions if countries make a payment in the currency listed in their contracts and then formally signal that the payment process is concluded. But it says opening a second account in rubles would breach sanctions.

That has left countries scrambling to decide what to do next. Analysts say the EU stance is ambiguous enough to allow the Kremlin to keep trying to undermine unity among the 27 member countries  but losing major European customers like Italy and Germany would cost Russia heavily. It comes as Europe tries to reduce its dependency on Russian oil and gas to avoid pouring hundreds of millions into Putin's war chest each day but build enough reserves before winter from scarce worldwide supplies.

Finland refused the new payment system, with energy company Gasum saying its supply from Russia would be halted Saturday.

CEO Mika Wiljanen called the cutoff highly regrettable.

But provided that there will be no disruptions in the gas transmission network, we will be able to supply all our customers with gas in the coming months, Wiljanen said.

Natural gas accounted for just 6% of Finland's total energy consumption in 2020, Finnish broadcaster YLE said. Almost all of that gas came from Russia. That pales in comparison to big importers like Italy and Germany, which get 40% and 35% of their gas from Russia, respectively.

According to Finland's Gasum, Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom said in April that future payments in its supply contract must be made in rubles instead of euros.

The cutoff was announced the same week that Finland, along with Sweden, applied to join the NATO military organization, marking one of the biggest geopolitical ramifications of the war that could rewrite Europes security map.

The gas cutoff has more to do with the sanctions and the fact that they want to be paid in rubles than Finlands application to NATO, said Charly Salonius-Pasternak, an analyst with the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in Helsinki.

Russia uses its energy as a weapon as part of its geopolitical thinking," he said. It will have little impact on Finland, which has been diversifying its energy (sources) in recent years.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

The government in Helsinki said Friday that it had signed a 10-year lease for a floating liquefied natural gas terminal in the Gulf of Finland and that necessary port structures will be built along the coasts of the Nordic country and Estonia, Economy Minister Mika Lintila said in a statement.

It will play a major role in securing gas supplies for Finlands industry, Lintila said. The vessel should be ready to operate by next winter.

Finland and Estonia have been cooperating on renting the LNG terminal ship, which will provide enough storage and supply capacity to allow Russian gas to be abandoned in the neighboring countries, said Gasgrid Finland, the transmission network company. A gas pipeline between the neighbors will make it possible to import gas from the Baltic states instead of Russia.

Meanwhile, Italian company Eni said Tuesday that it was moving to follow Putins decree in view of the imminent payment due in the coming days but did not agree with the changes.

___

AP writer Colleen Barry contributed from Milan.
PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP)  A publicly owned health system with three hospitals and more than 30 clinics in south Mississippi intends to put itself up for sale or try to merge with another health system.

Trustees of the Singing River Health System announced Wednesday that they had voted to make the move. A sale or merger could happen only if supervisors in coastal Jackson County also agree. The supervisors meet Monday. Their vote would then lead to public hearings.

Singing River has hospitals in Pascagoula, Ocean Springs and Gulfport. It has more than 4,000 employees.

Singing River Health System communications manager Ashley Butsch told the Sun Herald that Wednesday was the first time the board considered pursuing a merger or sale.

The health system has been managing complexities of a constantly evolving healthcare industry, according to a news release. Over the last decade, the healthcare industry has continually changed, with community hospitals like ours facing the strongest headwinds.

Butsch said the system told its employees about the board's decision before making a public announcement.

If a sale or other full integration occurs, the Singing River assets will be sold to or fully integrated with the highest and best bidder that is identified during the formal process, the news release said.

The release said Singing River expects to engage in negotiations with Louisiana-based Ochsner Health, but proposals would be considered from other health systems that might submit offers that are higher and/or better than Ochsner Healths offer," WLOX-TV reported.

Ochsner President and CEO Warner Thomas said in a statement to news outlets that Ochsner already has a partnership with Singing River Health System and "it is our goal to enter into a long-term fully integrated relationship to continue serving the communities of the Mississippi Gulf Coast together.

Ochsner operates a hospital in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and recently expanded operations in a merger with Rush Health System that operates hospitals in Meridian, Mississippi, and western Alabama.

Patient care should not be affected as Singing River considers a sale or merger, Butsch said.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

Patients will continue to see the providers and access services as they always have  and Singing River Health System will continue to accept insurance from payers as we do today, she said.

Singing River will continue funding the pension plan for current employees and retirees, Butsch said.

The hospital system stopped paying into its own pension plan from 2009 to 2014 without telling employees and retirees. That decision was part of a financial crisis at the county-owned hospital system. In early 2018, a federal judge ruled that Singing River must pay more than $156 million to its pension fund over 35 years.

Earlier this year, Singing River Health System CEO Lee Bond abruptly resigned to pursue other career opportunities.
Albany Police

ALBANY  A judge told a city man facing a murder charge that he must either accept a proposed deal that calls for him to plead guilty to manslaughter in exchange for 16 years in prison by noon next Friday or the case will go to trial beginning July 5.

That was after Paul Barbaritano told acting state Supreme Court Justice Roger McDonough he didn't want to take the agreement offered by the Albany County district attorney's office.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  Legislation that would expand North Carolina's Medicaid rolls by hundreds of thousands of adults received final Senate approval on Thursday.

The measure, which also contains several other provisions that its authors say would improve health care access and control patient costs, now goes to the House. Speaker Tim Moore reiterated later Thursday that the bill was too complex and time too limited during this annual work session to consider. GOP leaders want to adjourn around July 1.
ISLAMABAD (AP)  The Pakistani Taliban said Thursday they have indefinitely extended a cease-fire with the government in Islamabad, following two days of talks with a delegation of Pakistani tribal elders that were hosted by the Afghan Taliban.

According to Mohammad Khurasani, a spokesman for the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan group or TTP, the decision was made after substantial progress in the talks with the 50-member team of elders.

He did not elaborate and there was no immediate confirmation from the Pakistani government about the extension of the truce.

The Pakistani Taliban are a separate group but allied with the Afghan Taliban, who seized power in their country last August as the U.S. and NATO troops were in the final stages of their pullout from Afghanistan.

The TTP has waged an insurgency in Pakistan over the past 14 years, fighting for stricter enforcement of Islamic laws in the country, the release of their members who are in government custody and a reduction of Pakistani military presence in the countrys former tribal regions.

Khurasani, the TTP spokesman, said the talks in Kabul would continue in the coming days. There was no statement from the Afghan Taliban, who in the past have only said they offer neutral ground for the talks.

The Taliban in Afghanistan have also been encouraging the new government in Pakistan to reach a peace agreement with the Pakistani Taliban. The previous truce between the two sides expired on May 30. So far, none of the cease-fires have paved the way for more permanent peace.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

The Pakistani Taliban have for years used Afghanistans rugged border regions for hideouts and for staging cross-border attacks into Pakistan and have now been emboldened by the return to power of the Afghan Taliban.

The group wants Pakistani government forces pull out of former tribal regions of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, release all the TTP fighters in government custody and revoke all the legal cases against them.

The government in Islamabad, on the other hand, wants the Pakistani Taliban disbanded and for the insurgents to accept Pakistans constitution and sever all their ties with the Islamic State group, another Sunni militant group with a regional affiliate that is active in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Pakistani tribal elders were sent to Kabul as intermediaries because under Pakistans constitution, the government cannot negotiate  at least not directly  with those waging an insurgency against it.
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DUANESBURG  A fight over equity in school spilled into the Duanesburg Parent Teachers Association Wednesday, with more than 60 people voting for new leadership that would oppose equity.

But about 170 other people came to the PTA meeting to support the current leadership and their efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the schools.

The anti-equity leadership challenge was beaten back in a vote of 169-62 for president and similar margins for the other leadership positions. By comparison, almost 500 voters supported the anti-DEI candidates for school board two weeks ago.

During public comments before the leadership vote, both sides were careful not to discuss the issue that divides them. Instead, they spoke of their desire to give back to the community and help children.

But while League of Women Voters chapter representatives counted the ballots, those who wanted to take over explained their reasoning to a reporter.

Diversitys not a problem. Inclusions not a problem. Equity is the problem, said resident Jay Gignac, who ran for the position of first vice president.

He explained that he supports equality instead. Equality is giving an equal opportunity for everyone to learn. Equity is an equal outcome, he said.

Resident Cliff Bradshaw said the difference was that in equity, something is taken from one person and given to another.

Its a form of socialism, he said.

He added that he doesnt mind special education supports for students. Im not against that, as long as theyre not taking away from the overachiever, he said.

He urged voters to elect him and the rest of the Vigilant Neighbors slate, including Gignac, to transform the PTA.

Representatives from the state PTA were present and enforced a voting rule: no one who could not read or write could vote. Several babies were brought to the meeting, and PTA officials said they were welcome  just not as voters. Many parents, on both sides, brought their elementary or middle school children to vote.

Its not clear how the Vigilant Neighbors could play a role in opposing equity as a school policy if they took control of the PTA. Members emphasized that they have a hands off policy on teachers and think they do a wonderful job. However, some criticized the state Department of Educations policies on what constitutes passing a Regents exam.

I call it dumbing down the educational system, said Lori Bradshaw. Im worried my kid might do really well in New York, but not in another state (in college).

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

PTA President Deanna Fox, who was re-elected, said the vote was a referendum on the recent school board vote. The winning candidates stated that they were "opposed to diversity, equity and inclusion." (Fox is a longtime Times Union freelance writer.)

"Last night's DCPTA vote clearly demonstrated in landslide numbers that the dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion is strong in Duanesburg, Fox said.

But the meeting wasnt all about educational policies. Gignac was mainly there to organize a work group to fix the elementary school playground.

I work in the trades, I should be able to figure out how to fix it, he said. I want to save the playground.

One member, surveying the more than 350 people who packed the auditorium at the start of the PTA meeting, said the crowd could create powerful opportunities for children  if they stayed involved after the vote. They could help at fundraisers, which pay for teachers' supplies, scholarships to graduating seniors and programs for children.

Coming in, I had mixed emotions at seeing the crowd, said newly elected recording secretary Carey Raymond. Where were all you people when we needed help in the concession stand?

A regional PTA member said she was impressed to discover the number of events run by the PTA this year, including a Halloween party and an ice cream truck.

You guys came forward and made sure they had events again, said Kim Blasiak. You guys do a lot of amazing work. Especially coming off of COVID! Theyre going to remember that forever.
LONDON (AP)  A top official at the World Health Organization said the U.N. health agency assumes the coronavirus outbreak in North Korea is getting worse, not better, despite the secretive country's recent claims that COVID-19 is slowing there.

At a briefing on Wednesday, WHO's emergencies chief Dr. Mike Ryan appealed to North Korean authorities for more information about the COVID-19 outbreak there, saying we have real issues in getting access to the raw data and to the actual situation on the ground. He said WHO has not received any privileged information about the epidemic  unlike in typical outbreaks when countries may share more sensitive data with the organization so it can evaluate the public health risks for the global community.

It is very, very difficult to provide a proper analysis to the world when we dont have access to the necessary data, he said. WHO has previously voiced concerns about the impact of COVID-19 in North Korea's population, which is believed to be largely unvaccinated and whose fragile health systems could struggle to deal with a surge of cases prompted by the super-infectious omicron and its subvariants.

Ryan said WHO had offered technical assistance and supplies to North Korean officials multiple times, including offering COVID-19 vaccines on at least three separate occasions.

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and other top officials discussed revising stringent anti-epidemic restrictions, state media reported, as they maintained a widely disputed claim that the countrys first COVID-19 outbreak is slowing.

The discussion at the Norths Politburo meeting on Sunday suggested it would soon relax a set of draconian curbs imposed after it announced the outbreak in early May out of concern about its food and economic situations.

North Korea's claims to have controlled COVID-19 without widespread vaccination, lockdowns or drugs have been met with widespread disbelief, particularly its insistence that only dozens have died among many millions infected  a far lower death rate than seen anywhere else in the world.

The North Korean government has said there are about 3.7 million people with fever or suspected COVID-19. But it disclosed few details about the severity of illness or how many people have recovered, frustrating public health experts' attempt to understand the extent of the outbreak.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

We really would appeal for for a more open approach so we can come to the assistance of the people of (North Korea), because right now we are not in a position to make an adequate risk assessment of the situation on the ground, Ryan said. He said WHO was working with neighboring countries like China and South Korea to ascertain more about what might be happening in North Korea, saying that the epidemic there could potentially have global implications.

WHO's criticism of North Korea's failure to provide more information about its COVID-19 outbreak stands in contrast to the U.N. health agency's failure to publicly fault China in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

In early 2020, WHO's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus repeatedly praised China publicly for its speedy response to the emergence of the coronavirus, even as WHO scientists privately grumbled about China's delayed information-sharing and stalled sharing the genetic sequence of COVID-19.

__

Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
ALBANY  Legislation seeking to reform a key aspect of New York's Family Court system passed a crucial hurdle Wednesday.

By a unanimous vote, the state Senate passed the bill raising standards to be a "forensic evaluator" providing paid expertise in Family Court cases. Previously, the same bill had passed the Assembly. Once it's formally delivered to Gov. Kathy Hochul, the bill will await her signature or veto.

The bill is the first among a package seeking to increase child safety in Family Court that has passed both the Senate and the Assembly. Among others, the package is being pushed by Jacqueline Franchetti, whose 2-year-old daughter was murdered by her ex-boyfriend after a forensic evaluator recommended the parents receive joint custody. The murder occurred before the case to determine custody of Franchetti's daughter went to trial in Family Court.

In such cases, forensic evaluators' opinions about which parent should gain custody often play a crucial role.

When parties in a child custody dispute cannot strike a settlement, Family Court judges often appoint forensic evaluators, who conduct interviews with parents, children and others and then issue lengthy reports. The reports often include recommendations about who should gain custody, and judges often base their rulings at trial upon those recommendations. Critics contend evaluators lack training, clear standards or accountability for their findings.

The bill that passed the Senate on Wednesday takes a step toward addressing some of those concerns. Sponsored by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and state Sen. Brad Hoylman, it would require forensic evaluators to be licensed New York psychiatrists, psychologists or social workers  a mandate that had not uniformly existed across the state.

The bill also mandates that forensic evaluators receive training every two years on the dynamics of domestic and family violence and how trauma and abuse can inform the behavior of participants in custody or visitation disputes. The nonprofit New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence would be responsible for creating the training program and conducting it.

In remarks on the Senate floor before the bill's passage, Hoylman said that with greater training and an "awareness of the impact domestic violence has on its victims," evaluators can better prepare reports in the best interests of a child.

The training program mirrors a recommendation made in January by a 20-person commission that had examined forensic evaluation reforms in New York. The commission's work and the legislation followed a series of Times Union articles in 2020 that highlighted instances in which the murder of a child occurred in the context of an ongoing Family Court case despite a previous warning to court officials that a parent was dangerous.

Some of the panel's other recommendations are not as close to being adopted into law. The panel had agreed unanimously, for instance, that a statewide committee should be formed to approve or deny applications of those seeking to perform forensic evaluations, to create a statewide system for lodging complaints, and to ensure that an "immediate and thorough review" occurs for cases in which a fatality or serious injury occurs to a child or parent during or after the issuance of a forensic report.

The panel split 11-9 on whether to eliminate forensic evaluators altogether from the Family Court system. Franchetti contends the system is flawed beyond repair, while the New York State Psychological Association wants evaluations to continue.

Franchetti is additionally pursuing a number of other bills this legislative session, including one named in honor of her daughter, Kyra. This bill would require the childs health and safety be the first concern when determining custody, would require courts to make findings regarding abuse before addressing custody and visitation, and would mandate abuse training for judges and other court officials.
The idea took shape over a bonfire during the pandemic among friends who appreciated small farms, the slow food movement and Brazilian coffee.

Honesta Coffee soon became a passion project and a growing business for four Saratoga Springs women. Honesta Coffee is the exclusive importer of this women-grown Brazilian coffee to the U.S. The sister company in Brazil, Cafe Honesta, launched six months before the Saratoga Springs company and seeks out the women coffee growers.

Erin Maciel said they are proud that their entire supply chain is women-owned. And making sure customers know exactly where the coffee originated from is key to the startups mission. A lot of times the story of the small farmer never gets here to the U.S.

Maciel first traveled to Brazil in 2005 to finish her degree in landscape architecture, meeting her future husband there.

We went back for an extended stay during the pandemic, Maciel said. COVID had all these sorts of silver linings. While they visited family, friends told them about a womens collective supporting coffee growers. And she thought that this might be the string Ive always looked for to bring something truly Brazilian to America. So she brought some coffee back and served it to her friends. They were hooked.

Along with Maciel, Kathleen Willcox, Camille Daniels and Lauren Neulander brainstorm at Palette, a woman-owned co-working space on Broadway in Saratoga Springs. They launched the brand outside Palette at a tasting event, which was a hit. The coffee can be purchased online at honesta.us and at the Niskayuna Co-op and other specialty stores. The women also sell via pop-up events.

The growers and roasters are credited on the packaging. For instance, the red catuai is grown by Evanete Domingues in Araguari and roasted by Gabrielle Malloy and Nathalia Rodrigues.

Theres a recognition thats sort of been lost  that recognition that you can see on the label whose coffee that is and who roasted it. And with that comes the added transparency and story, Daniels said.

Willcox said they hope to encourage and support women who are running farms that have been in families for generations. They may have Ph.Ds, they may be architects, but have moved back to the family farm to kind of honor their familys roots and keep it going and not sell to big (agriculture).

The venture has snowballed into more support for other local businesses, particularly those that are women-owned. Honesta enlisted Kim Lange, a local potter, for custom mugs and a women-owned shipping company, Shipology, in Menands. Argyle Brewery used the coffee to create its Honesta Coffee Porter.

The friends behind Honesta all bring different talents to the venture and continue to work at their other jobs: Daniels is a consultant with a talent for organizational details, Willcox is a writer specializing in food and wine, Maciel owns a landscape architecture business, and Neulander is a school administrator and has experience with farmers markets.

Launching a business during the pandemic has been tricky, especially with rising shipping costs, which theyve shouldered. But doing it with friends has paid off.

At the end of the day, its great to work together and see this little idea become something, Maciel said.
A free mental health support group to help students cope with stress from sitting the Leaving Certificate and college exams has been launched.

Turn2Me, a national mental health charity, has announced that it is launching The Exam Stress support group which will start next Thursday the 9th June at 6pm.

It will be open to students of all ages and will cater for young people sitting the leaving certificate, students preparing for college entrance exams, and students doing third level examinations.

The support group will be 100% free for all students and is also open to parents who are worried about their children during exam season. The support group will focus on exam anxiety, how to reduce exam stresses, and how to prepare for upcoming exams while ensuring your mental health is also prioritised.

The free support group will be conducted by a mental health professional, Anika Sparling, who is a qualified, accredited Psychotherapist. The support groups are accessible to anyone on the island of Ireland. People who want to enroll for the free Exam Stress support group can create a free account on Turn2Me.ie and simply sign up for the group.

We are delighted to launch this vital support group for students, Fiona OMalley, CEO of Turn2Me.

We have been listening to our users and to feedback from secondary schools and third level institutions across the country, and the need for this support group has become clear to us. A little bit of stress coming up to exams can be good, as it can help you focus and act as a motivation tool.

"The problems occur when the anxiety and stress levels increase and become overwhelming. Some students feel like theyre drowning in the pressures they put on themselves, or pressures from their parents, to perform well in exams. Of course, its important to try your best in exams, but academic success isnt the most important thing.

"The most important thing is to manage your wellbeing and to make sure that youre approaching exams with as little stress as possible, one topic and one subject at a time, Ms O'Malley said.

The common symptoms of stress coming up to exams are feeling low, appetite loss, feeling overwhelmed by the pressure, not being able to sleep, and sometimes not being able to focus, psychotherapist Anika Sparling said.

"This level of stress is unproductive and unhelpful because its bad for your mental health and it also negatively impacts your performance during the exams. The support group were launching on Exam Stress will run every Thursday at 6pm on the Turn2Me website.

"People can anonymously post how theyre feeling and voice their concerns. It will be a safe, welcoming space for students who might just want to get their worries off their chest, who may need some support coming up to and during exam season, and for parents who are worried about their children sitting important exams, and who arent sure how to support them during this challenging time, Ms Sparling added.

Turn2Me is encouraging secondary students, third level students, and any parents interested in getting support for themselves or a loved one during exam season, to sign up to this free support group, run by a mental health professional, by creating a free account on Turn2Me.ie and booking their slot.
Everton approach Montpellier's Mavididi

| Friday, 03 June 2022



Everton are one of a few clubs who have reportedly made enquiries about Montpellier striker Stephy Mavididi.

That's according to Fabrizio Romano who has tweeted that the 24-year-old Englishman could leave the French club this summer, with movement on that front expected in the coming weeks.

Born in Derby, Mavididi was on Southend United's books as a teenager before he joined Arsenal who sent him out on loan to Charlton and Preston before he joined Juventus's Under-23s set-up in 2018.

Mavididi made one senior appearance for the Italian giants before making a loan switch to Dijon in France and then signing for Montpellier in 2020 for just over 6m.

Article continues below video content

So far in Ligue 1, he has played 77 times and scored 20 goals.

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We set this post to publish in the wee small hours and to offer our late, late night readers something to ponder as their neighbors sleep.



A local faith blogger ciphers the big question and we pick up the topic from there . . .



"In his new book, The Universe: A Biography, British astronomer Paul Murdin outlines what scientists currently know or, on the basis of evidence, conjecture about the future of the sun and the Earth. It's not a happy story.



"First, the sun "will warm and brighten" until it "will be at its hottest 2.55 billion years from now." All that heat "will cause the Earth to bake, at about the same time that it loses its magnetospheric defense against solar cosmic radiation. It's hard to see that life could continue on our planet . . ."



"The challenge for people of faith is to wonder whether this violent, sad ending is what God had in mind from the beginning. Or is there a divine plan to mitigate what scientists now believe is inevitable?"

Just for fun . . .

Let's not forget that the inevitable "heat death" of the universe isn't the only theory out there . . . It's a big cosmos after all.

"A cyclic model is any of several cosmological models in which the universe follows infinite, or indefinite, self-sustaining cycles. For example, the oscillating universe theory briefly considered by Albert Einstein in 1930 theorized a universe following an eternal series of oscillations, each beginning with a Big Bang and ending with a Big Crunch; in the interim, the universe would expand for a period of time before the gravitational attraction of matter causes it to collapse back in and undergo a bounce."



And so . . .

For the late night, early morning under a sky full of stars . . . It doesn't to hurt to think about this topic for just a moment and in between so many days politically charged slap fighting ahead.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Thinking theologically about the inevitable death of our home planet There are two creation stories in the book of Genesis (they don't exactly agree). In both cases it's clear that God is in charge and is bringing the world, including Earth, into existence as an act of will and love....

Hubble spies the heart of a grand design spiral galaxy The Hubble Space Telescope has looked straight into the heart of a stunning galaxy.The observatory captured this head-on view of a grand design spiral galaxy, called NGC 3631, located about 53 million light-years away from Earth.

NASA: 'Something weird' is expanding universe amid Hubble discovery There's a disturbance in the force. During a recent study on the universe's expansion rate, NASA researchers discovered "something weird" transpiring in the cosmos that might not be able to be explained by modern science. The discovery supports "the idea that something weird is going on, possibly involving brand new physics," per a press release by NASA.

The Big Freeze: How the Universe Will Die The cosmos may never end. But if you were immortal, you'd probably wish it would. Our cosmos' final fate is a long and frigid affair that astronomers call the Big Freeze, or Big Chill. It's a fitting description for the day when all heat and energy is evenly spread over incomprehensibly vast distances.

Universe could stop expanding, and collapse on itself 'remarkably' soon Scientists have developed a new model of the universe which suggests its currently observed accelerated expansion could end as early as 100 million years from now, after which it would transition to a phase of contraction. Researchers, including Paul Steinhardt from Princeton University in New Jersey, say all this may happen "remarkably" quickly, sooner than thought before.

Could an advanced civilization change the laws of physics? If you are going to look for evidence of technologically advanced civilizations in the Universe, you must start by considering what, exactly, you might be looking for. My colleagues and I in the NASA-sponsored Categorizing Atmospheric Technosignatures program spend a lot of time thinking about this.

This Cyclic Model of the Universe Has Cosmologists Rethinking the Big Bang In Paul Steinhardt's corners of the cosmology world, to say that history repeats itself would be a laughable understatement. That's because according to him and a handful of peers, the universe's form might be hurtling into a new cycle every trillion years or so.

You decide . . .
Quick one just for the record . . .



EVERYTHING ACTIVISTS SAID ABOUT A SUSPECTED KANSAS CITY LADY CARJACKING SUSPECT IS FAKE!!!

We can only hope that this tragic incident and the people who attempted to capitalize from it will remember their brazen lies that they told the public.

Check-it . . .



The 26-year-old woman shot and seriously injured by Kansas City police on Friday is not pregnant, according to a local faith leader who said he is working with her family.



Leonna Hale was shot and seriously injured by two officers in the parking lot of a Family Dollar store near Sixth Street and Prospect Ave.



A witness said she heard Hale tell police she was pregnant moments before she was shot.



She is not, in fact, pregnant, Rev. Timothy Hayes, pastor of the 24-hour Faith Training Center in Kansas City, said Thursday.

Here at TKC we don't believe in judging people by their looks . . .

But when a lady is wearing a clown wig on TV telling a fantastical tale in a salacious manner . . . It's fair to second guess her story or at least encourage everyone to WAIT until at some of the facts are verified.

The upshot . . .

What is absolutely horrific is that this story circulated circulated the globe within a matter of hours but now so many of the people who were outraged over police brutality WILL LIKELY NEVER NOW THE FACTS of the story.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Woman shot by KC police not pregnant, local reverend says, contradicting witness statement The 26-year-old woman shot and seriously injured by Kansas City police on Friday is not pregnant, according to a local faith leader who said he is working with her family. Leonna Hale was shot and seriously injured by two officers in the parking lot of a Family Dollar store near Sixth Street and Prospect Ave.

KC mayor, FOP president talk about releasing bodycam image after woman shot by officers A police body camera image released by the Jackson County prosecutor on Wednesday shows a woman the prosecutor said pointed a handgun at two Kansas City, Missouri, police officers on Friday night.Those officers opened fire on the woman, wounding her.Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said Leonna M.

Prosecutor, mayor reject claims that KC police shooting photo was edited KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office said a body camera photo released Wednesday in connection with a police shooting is not doctored. Kansas City Missouri, police shot and wounded a carjacking suspect when they said she pointed a gun at officers May 27.

Developing . . .


Once again this cowtown's largest almost daily newspaper hits a new low . . .

THE KANSAS CITY STAR BLAMES LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR DISINFORMATION THAT THE NEWSPAPER HELPED TO SPREAD ABOUT A CARJACKER LADY SUSPECT SHOT WHILST CARRYING A GUN!!!

Again, the facts are worth repeating . . .

- A lady "victim" of a police shooting WAS NOT PREGGERS despite witness testimony.

- She is, in fact, now charged with carjacking

- Contrary to activist claims . . . She was holding a gun and refused to cooperate with police.

We can forgive local pay-for-play bloggers and even social media denizens for their fake activism that's quickly forgotten and likely doesn't register for most people.

But c'mon man . . . This is a so-called "4th Estate" in a major American city helping to spread a "false narrative" asking misleading questions and then working to direct urban core negativity at police.

On the surface their latest screed seems to equivocate but here's the money line that abolves their role in this drama . . .

"This case, which quickly gained national attention, has been muddied by a spread of misinformation due to local authorities doling out updates in dribs and drabs."

We'll let readers judge their motives but it's worth noting that the newspaper has been publishing mostly anti-police propaganda since 2020 and recently lied about "forcing out the KCPD Chief of Police" after he announced his retirement about 6 months in advance fulfilling his 5 year commitment.

Don't get it twisted . . .

This blog isn't a "stan" for the po-po . . . We actually agree with some of the criticisms of police communication and realize that there is room for improvement amid methodical but outdated modes of communication.

However . . .

WITHOUT QUESTION THE STAR OFFERED THEIR PLATFORM TO ACTIVISTS WHO DENIED FACTS & SPREAD LIES ABOUT THE LATEST KCPD OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING!!!

Meanwhile, Toriano Porter, a member of the Star's editorial board is still deflecting criticism via Twitter rather than really taking stock of this situation by way of a column . . . We have hope for Mr. Porter because he is, in fact, a talented writer who has seemingly been misled by social justice warriors and forgets his power to provide objective commentary as an opinion journalist.

Meanwhile . . .

This blame game politics propagated by local dead-tree media is dangerous and doesn't merely risk hurt feelings amongst keyboard warriors but threatens the safety of Kansas City residents by way of creating a divisive political climate wherein outrageous rumors carry more weight than uncomfortable facts regarding a tragic shooting in the midst of a suspected crime.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

What really happened before Kansas City police shot Leonna Hale? Release the whole video OPINION AND COMMENTARY Days after Kansas City police shot Leonna Hale in a Family Dollar parking lot, we learned the 26-year-old woman was allegedly armed, according to charges filed against her by Jackson County prosecutors. This week, to address rumors that Hale was unarmed, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker released a photo showing Hale holding a gun.

You decide . . .
A reality check amid so much hyperbolic coverage, advocacy and chatter . . .

PREZ BIDEN PROBABLY WON'T BE TAKING ANYBODY'S GUNS GIVEN HIS HORRIFIC POLLING NUMBERS!!!



The Prez has historically low approval and now ranks below former Prez Trump in 49 states.

And so tough talk, blame game politics and attempting to bolsters his numbers by (rhetorically) climbing atop the bodies of murdered youngsters is a desperate last ditch effort.

Sadly . . .

Given a week of angry KCMO tweeting following an American tragedy . . .



We've noticed that the vast majority of KCMO council members support gun control of some kind in the aftermath of a horrific Texas school slaughter.



Check-it . . .



The president called the proposals rational, common-sense measures to tackle gun violence in the United States.



How much more carnage are we willing to accept? Biden said in the address from the White House. Lets meet the moment. Let us finally do something.



Bidens speech represented his most detailed plea yet to Congress for action in the wake of a devastating mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, in which 19 children and two teachers were killed by an 18-year-old gunman. That mass shooting followed another at a supermarket in Buffalo, N.Y., last month that killed 10 people.



While Biden has called for a renewal of the 1994 assault weapons ban and expanded background checks before, he has largely shied away from directing Congress to take specific actions in the wake of the shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo. The president has faced calls from some advocates to do more to pressure Congress for action.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Biden urges Congress to renew assault weapons ban, pass stricter gun laws President Biden on Thursday called for a series of specific actions to respond to recent mass shootings, using a prime-time address to urge Congress to ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines or otherwise raise the purchasing age from 18 to 21. Biden also pushed Congress to expand background checks, pass "red flag" laws and safe storage requirements, as well...

Biden's education secretary says there's 'no appetite' for gun reform after Texas killings "If that's not enough motivation for us to recognize that we need to include sensible legislation to provide more gun safety in this country, then we have a bigger problem," Cardona said in an interview with POLITICO on Thursday. "If the murder of children is not enough for people to recognize that these conversations have to happen, then I'm very concerned."

As Biden and lawmakers debate, U.S. Supreme Court poised to expand gun rights As President Joe Biden and Congress ponder how to respond to the latest U.S. mass shootings, the Supreme Court is due to decide a major case that could undermine new efforts to enact gun control measures while making existing ones vulnerable to legal attack.

Developing . . .
Canadas Wonderland is thanking Toronto health-care workers for their ongoing efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic with 3,450 tickets to its park with 17 rollercoasters  the third-most coasters in any amusement park in the world.
To many in Scarborough, the election results should satisfy: no change, all local incumbents returned, Doug Ford given free rein for four more years. But in Oakridge, Sultana Jahangir sees more poverty coming.
The Agriculture Minister says one reason why some people do not want Local Government reform
Ukrainian forces themselves will determine the range of performance of HIMARS systems.

"As President Biden announced yesterday, a $700 million security assistance package had been signed. This includes HIMARS long-range rocket systems. This will help Ukrainian forces to aim more accurately but also have a longer range. The exact range will be determined by the Ukrainian forces," U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink told journalists after presenting credentials to the President of Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

As reported, the US administration announced it would provide Ukraine with HIMARS high mobility artillery rocket systems with ammunition that can hit targets at a distance of 70 km instead of 300 km, although Ukraine has requested long-range missiles.

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Ukrainian defenders have destroyed 24 Russian troops, one tank and nine other equipment units in southern Ukraine over the past day.

The relevant statement was made by the South Operational Command on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The rashists desperate attempt to restore their lost position near Mykolaivka, Kherson Region, has failed. After that they launched two air strikes on our positions. No casualties. Meanwhile, two civilians were killed in Russias massive shelling of Novovorontsovka, the report states.

On June 2, 2022, Russian troops opened fire on Mykolaiv three times: in the morning  with multiple launch rocket systems, in the afternoon and in the evening  with heavy cannon artillery. Two apartment blocks, four detached houses and household buildings were damaged, as well as a water supply and gas pipelines.

One civilian was killed at the scene, and one more died at hospital. Two more people were injured.

Over the past day, the Ukrainian military have destroyed 24 enemy troops, one Russian T-72 tank, four 152 mm Msta-B howitzers, four armored and motor vehicles in southern Ukraine. The Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense units also shot down Russias Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicle.

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In cooperation with international partners, Ukraine has already started working on new sanctions packages against Russia to make the occupiers pay the full price for destroying the lives of neighbors.

The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his video address, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The full text of the speech is provided below:

Ukrainians!

Our defenders!

We have three important pieces of news. First, the European Union is gradually moving towards the implementation of the sixth sanctions package. Frankly, achieving this is very difficult. Because this sanctions package is primarily about oil.

Finally, the world is giving up Russian oil. Moreover, other countries, which produce much better and lighter oil, are preparing to replace Russian supplies. Therefore, huge revenues are lost for the aggressor state in this sphere.

Of course, Russia is constantly trying to counter this. It has long enjoyed the flow of petrodollars and does not want to be weaned off it. But it has to. It has to get used to the fact that a very painful reduction in income is an inevitable consequence of the war for its culprit, for the Russian state.

The second piece of news is that the United States has confirmed at various levels that modern HIMARS are being sent to our country. These weapons will really help save the lives of our people and protect our land.

I am grateful to President Biden, all our American friends, and the people of the United States for their support. We are looking forward to it.

We also expect good news about the supply of weapons from other partners. For example, today we have a new package of defense aid from Sweden. I am very grateful to the leadership of this state.

We are working to bring the supply of modern combat systems to a much higher level.

Third, more and more embassies resume their full-fledged activities in Kyiv. As of today, there are already 50 of them. This is very important not only in practice - for the work of diplomats, but also on a symbolic level. Every new embassy that returns to our capital is a testament to the faith in our victory. Faith that Ukraine will be able to defend its statehood in this war unleashed on our land by the Russian Federation.

A new and, I think, very important and beautiful tradition was launched today. From now on, the ceremony of presenting credentials by ambassadors of foreign countries who start their mission in Ukraine will take place not just in Kyiv, but on the territory of our St. Sophia Cathedral.

And the first ambassadors that presented credentials today in such a new ceremony were the ambassadors of Moldova, India and the United States.

Why there? Why in Sophia? Because it is the sacred, historical and statehood center of our people. Receiving the credentials of the ambassadors there, we demonstrate who the Ukrainians are, what we are and what is behind us. We hereby express our highest respect to the representatives of other nations. We open up to them. And at the same time we show that we expect from them the same respect, the same sincerity to the Ukrainian people, to our interests and to our history.

Immediately after the ceremony, I spoke with the new ambassadors. Impressions are good. I hope for productive work.

Today there were two important addresses: to the Luxembourg Parliament and to the participants of the Security Forum in Bratislava, which was attended by President of Slovakia Zuzana Caputova, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and other friends and partners of our country.

Of course, the key task is still to accumulate maximum support for Ukraine. First of all defensive, financial and, of course, political. Almost every address leads to increased assistance to our state.

It is very important that now - in a few weeks - we are waiting for the answer of the European Union on the issue of candidate status for Ukraine. We are very much looking forward to it.

And I am grateful to all those who have already spoken in support of our state, in support of the candidacy. In particular, in response to my requests in appeals to the parliaments of different countries, forums, student and expert communities, people in the squares of various European cities who rallied in support of Ukraine, in support of our people.

We must understand that Russia has now mobilized all its forces to thwart Ukraine's European movement. And every tool - especially public debates and appeals - must be fully used.

The situation in Donbas has not changed significantly in a day. We had some success in the battles in Severodonetsk. But it's too early to tell. The situation there is the hardest now. Just as in the cities and communities nearby - Lysychansk, Bakhmut and others. Many cities are facing a powerful Russian attack.

The Russian army uses all its armed capabilities and does not count people at all. It is especially cynical that in the first line of the offensive the occupiers very often use those people who were recruited into their army in the previously occupied territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Russian soldiers often simply hide behind these so-called mobilized.

The longer the war lasts, the more vile, shameful and cynical things Russia inscribes in its history forever.

Absolutely senseless shelling of our border northern regions, in particular Chernihiv, continues from the Russian territory. Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, the Kharkiv region were shelled. The entire temporarily occupied territory of our state is now a zone of total catastrophe, for which Russia is fully responsible.

We have already started working on new sanctions packages against Russia. Step by step, we will deprive the Russian state of all the elements of the modern economy. The occupiers will pay the full price for destroying the lives of neighbors. And no lobby in any country will help Russia.

Today I signed a new decree on awarding our defenders, our heroes. 223 combatants were awarded state awards, 72 of them posthumously.

Eternal memory to all who gave lives for Ukraine!

Eternal glory to each of our heroes!

Glory to Ukraine!

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

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From February 24 to June 3, the Armed Forces of Ukraine eliminated nearly 30,950 Russian servicemen, which is 100 more than reported on the previous day.

The update was published by the General Staff of Ukraines Armed Forces on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

Ukrainian troops also destroyed 1367 (+4) tanks, 3366 (+12) armored combat vehicles, 661 (+14) artillery systems, 207 MLRS, 95 air defense systems, 210 warplanes, 175 helicopters, 535 (+14) operational and tactical level UAVs, 121 (+1) cruise missiles, 13 warships/cutters, 2329 (+4) trucks and tankers, and 51 units of special equipment.

Read also: MFA Ukraine names three prerequisites for winning war

The enemy suffered the greatest losses over the past day in the Bakhmut direction.

As Ukrinform reported, Ukrainian defenders eliminated 24 Russian invaders, also destroying a tank and nine units of other military hardware in the southern direction over the past day alone.
Ukraine's Armed Forces have recaptured 20% of the city of Sievierodonetsk in eastern Ukraine, with Russian troops controlling about half of the city.

Serhii Haidai, head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration, said this in a Facebook post, according to Ukrinform.

Haidai said that the invaders earlier seized about 70% of Sievierodonetsk, but now they lost 20% of the city.

"The Russians will not be able to take the region in two weeks, as predicted by British intelligence," he said.

According to Haidai, the Russian army suffers significant losses in the regional center. "And the 'Donetsk People's Republic' refuses to fight for the 'Luhansk People's Republic'," he said.

Haidai noted that Ukraine needed long-range artillery in order to push back the enemy and "the invaders' infantry will then run to the border."

Earlier reports said that Russian troops are trying to establish full control over the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, but to date this goal has not been achieved.
The U.S. Department of Commerce has imposed new export restrictions on 71 companies from Russia and Belarus over aggression against Ukraine.

Thats according to the U.S. Department of Commerce press service.

In response to the Russian Federations (Russias) further invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the Department of Commerce is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding 71 entities under 71 entries to the Entity List. These entities have been determined by the U.S. Government to be acting contrary to the national security interests or foreign policy of the United States and will be listed on the Entity List under the destinations of Belarus and Russia, the press release says.

The restrictions are effective June 2, 2022.

It is noted that the list includes the Central Naval Design Bureau Almaz, the Central Design Bureau of Naval Engineering Rubin, S.V. Ilyushin Aviation Complex, Yakovlev Research and Design Bureau, and Gazprom Neft Shelf.

In Belarus, the sanctioned entity is the Belarusian representative office of Eleron.

As Ukrinform reported, yesterday the United States government announced new sanctions against Russian individuals and legal entities in connection with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including against government officials and businessmen, as well as businesses, yachts, and other property.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said that Russia must not be allowed to win the war. Thus, Ukraine needs help.

According to Ukrinform's own correspondent, the first such statement by a German government official was made by Baerbock at the Markus Lanz talk show on ZDF.

"Of course, Russia must not win this war. It must lose strategically as it commits violations not only as regards Ukraine, but also violates international law. They want to destroy the peace in Ukraine. That's why Ukraine must not lose under any circumstances  that means Ukraine must win," Baerbock said, answering a direct question of whether Ukraine should win the war.

The German Foreign Minister stressed that Russia is waging a war to destroy Ukraine, and therefore it is very important to continue providing assistance to Ukraine in its self-defense.

"We cannot and do not want to leave Ukraine to its own devices because then Putin will win," Baerbock said.

As reported on Monday, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz during his speech in the Bundestag said "Putin must not and will not win this war."

Earlier, the German opposition, media, and Ukraine's Ambassador to Germany, Andrii Melnyk, repeatedly criticized the country's coalition government for avoiding and refusing to state clearly that Ukraine must win the war against Russia.

"It is very unfortunate that neither the German government nor the chancellor personally has the courage to speak about Ukraine's victory and act accordingly, supporting Ukraine with modern heavy weapons," Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andrii Melnyk said on Wednesday.

Read also: Ukraine asks Germany to shut down Nord Stream 1 gas pipe

As Ukrinform reported, on Thursday at the GLOBSEC 2022 forum in Bratislava, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Ukraine must win the war against Russian aggression, while Putin must suffer a severe strategic defeat in his invasion of Ukraine.
In light of Russias continuing war of aggression against Ukraine and Belarus' support to it, as well as the reported atrocities committed by Russian armed forces in Ukraine, the Council decided today to impose a sixth package of economic and individual sanctions targeting both Russia and Belarus.

Thats according to the European Councils press service.

With todays package, we are increasing limitations to the Kremlins ability to finance the war by imposing further economic sanctions. We are banning the import of Russian oil into the EU and with this cutting a massive source of revenue for Russia. We are cutting off more of the key Russian banks from the international payment system SWIFT. We are also sanctioning those responsible for the atrocities that took place in Bucha and Mariupol and banning more disinformation actors actively contributing to President Putins war propaganda, says Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

The agreed package includes a series of measures intended to effectively thwart Russian abilities to continue the aggression.

Oil

The EU decided to prohibit the purchase, import or transfer of crude oil and certain petroleum products from Russia into the EU. The phasing out of Russian oil will take from 6 months for crude oil to eight months for other refined petroleum products.

A temporary exception is foreseen for imports of crude oil by pipeline into those EU member states that, due to their geographic situation, suffer from a specific dependence on Russian supplies and have no viable alternative options.

Moreover, Bulgaria and Croatia will also benefit from temporary derogations concerning the import of Russian seaborne crude oil and vacuum gas oil respectively.

De-SWIFTing of additional Russian and Belarusian banks

The EU is extending the existing prohibition on the provision of specialized financial messaging services (SWIFT) to three additional Russian credit institutions - Russia's largest bank Sberbank, Credit Bank of Moscow, and Russian Agricultural Bank - and the Belarusian Bank For Development And Reconstruction.

Broadcasting

The EU is suspending the broadcasting activities in the EU of three more Russian state-owned outlets: Rossiya RTR/RTR Planeta, Rossiya 24 / Russia 24 and TV Centre International. These structures have been used by the Russian Government as instruments to manipulate information and promote disinformation about the invasion of Ukraine, including propaganda, with the aim to destabilize Russia's neighboring countries and the EU and its member states. In line with the Charter of Fundamental Rights, these measures will not prevent those media outlets and their staff from carrying out activities in the EU other than broadcasting, e.g. research and interviews.

Export restrictions

The EU is expanding the list of persons and entities concerned by export restrictions regarding dual-use goods and technology. Such additions to the list include both Russian and Belarusian entities. Moreover, the EU will expand the list of goods and technology which may contribute to the technological enhancement of Russias defense and security sector. This will include 80 chemicals which can be used to produce chemical weapons.

Consulting services

The EU will prohibit the provision of accounting, public relations and consultancy services, as well as cloud services to Russia.

Individual listings

Furthermore, the Council decided to sanction additional individuals and entities: those responsible for the atrocities committed by Russian troops in Bucha and Mariupol, personalities supporting the war, leading businesspersons and family members of listed oligarchs and Kremlin officials, as well as companies in the defense and a financial organization.

The EU resolutely condemns Russias war of aggression against Ukraine. It urges Russia to immediately stop its indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to immediately and unconditionally withdraw all its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. The atrocities being committed by Russian forces and the suffering and destruction being inflicted are unspeakable. The EU calls on Russia to allow immediate humanitarian access and the safe passage of all civilians concerned. It also calls on Russia to immediately allow the safe return of Ukrainian individuals forcibly removed to Russia.

The European Union is unwavering in its commitment to help Ukraine exercise its inherent right of self-defense against Russian aggression and build a peaceful, democratic and prosperous future.

The relevant legal acts will soon be published in the Official Journal.
Portugal is a sincere partner in Ukraine's European integration path.

Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President's Office Ihor Zhovkva said this during his working visit to Portugal, Ukrinform reports, citing the website of the President's Office.

According to the report, Zhovkva's conversation with Secretary of State for European Affairs Tiago Antunes concerned practical steps being taken by Ukraine to join the EU. Zhovkva expressed hope that after the positive conclusion of the European Commission in June, the relevant decision on granting Ukraine the status of a candidate country for EU accession will be made by the leaders of the member states.

"Ukraine has not stopped working on the Copenhagen criteria, so we hope that the member states will recognize the importance of Ukraine's integration, which will only strengthen the European Union, particularly in the field of security and economy. In this context, the support of Ukraine's accession to the EU by the citizens of Portugal, which reaches 87%, is very important," Zhovkva said.

Antunes said that the Portuguese side was ready to share the experience gained during Portugal's accession to the EU.

During his conversation with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, Zhovkva on behalf of the President of Ukraine expressed gratitude for Portugal's strong support for Ukraine in combating Russia's full-scale armed aggression.

Both parties reaffirmed their readiness to strengthen cooperation in the context of Ukraine realizing its intentions to become a full member of the European Union.

"I had a good opportunity to make sure that Portugal, which is geographically far from Ukraine, understands the concerns and needs of Ukrainians very well. We are sincerely grateful for the help provided. This means that it [Portugal] will definitely not be against the symbolic decision for Ukraine - the status of a candidate for EU membership," Zhovkva said.

During the meeting, special attention was paid to the prospects for involving Portugal in the post-war reconstruction of destroyed facilities in the Ukrainian regions.

In his conversation with the President of the Assembly of the Portuguese Republic, Augusto Silva, Zhovkva highly praised the parliamentary dimension of bilateral cooperation to ensure support for Ukraine. Both parties noted the importance of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's address to the Assembly of the Republic and the People of Portugal on April 21, 2022.

"I am glad that after the formation of the new Assembly of the Republic you have already begun to actively engage in a constructive dialogue with your Ukrainian counterparts and clearly condemned Russian aggression in Ukraine," Zhovkva said.

The whole spectrum of bilateral relations was discussed in detail with Portugal's Foreign Minister Joao Cravinho. The interlocutors focused on increasing the sanctions pressure on the aggressor country, speeding up the provision of heavy weapons to Ukraine, receiving financial assistance, as well as the prospects for Ukraine obtaining the status of a candidate for EU membership.

Zhovkva and Cravinho also discussed the prospects for deepening Ukraine's integration into the EU internal market, which will allow the Ukrainian economy to gradually recover.

During his meeting with the Minister of National Defense of Portugal, Helena Carreiras, Zhovkva discussed in detail the current security situation caused by Russia's armed aggression. Zhovkva thanked Portuguese partners for their practical assistance, but recalled that every day of delays in the supply of weapons is very expensive for Ukrainian society.

The issue of available facilities for the treatment of wounded Ukrainian servicemen in Portugal was also raised.

Given the agreements reached at a meeting of the President of Ukraine with the Prime Minister of Portugal in Kyiv, Zhovkva met with the Minister of Education of Portugal, Joao Costa, and the head of the state-owned institution Parque Escolar, Luis Silva Andrade.

The Portuguese side was informed about the situation resulting from the destruction of more than 1,888 educational institutions in Ukraine and was invited to join efforts to rebuild the country's educational infrastructure. Zhovkva also thanked the minister for providing study opportunities for Ukrainians who arrived in Portugal after February 24 and for preparing for a national multi-subject test in Lisbon.

On February 28, Ukraine officially applied for EU membership and completed all necessary procedures.
Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, and the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced that Ukrainians arriving in Canada can now apply to receive transitional financial assistance.

Thats according to an Ukrinform correspondent in Canada.

Our commitment to Ukrainians fleeing Russias illegal war doesnt stop once theyve arrived in Canada. We will continue to help those seeking refuge live and thrive in communities across the country. This one-time financial assistance will be crucial in addressing the immediate challenges faced by Ukrainians who have left so much behind to find a safe haven in Canada, said Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

The benefit will consist of a direct, one-time payment of $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child (17 years and under).

Read also: Another charter flight carrying Ukrainian refugees arrives in Canada

Ukrainians and their family members who are in Canada with a valid work permit, study permit, temporary resident permit or visitor record under the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) will all be eligible to receive this one-time payment. Applicants must also have a bank account with a Canadian financial institution.

As reported earlier, in mid-March, Canada opened a temporary migration program for Ukrainian asylum-seekers, allowing them to live and work in the country for three years. They are also eligible to apply for housing free of charge for the first two weeks of their stay, financial assistance, and help in finding a job.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Shalimov National Institute of Surgery and Transplantology, congratulating its employees on the 50th anniversary of the institution, conferring state awards to the doctors and meeting with the wounded military servicemen.

This was reported by the presidential press service, according to Ukrinform.

"I thank you for the great path you have walked over these 50 years. At every step along this path, you save many lives," said Zelensky, addressing the staff.

The President thanked the doctors for their daily efforts and saving the lives of their patients.

The head of state also visited the clinics Department of Endoscopic Surgery and Intensive Care where he got briefed on the methods of transplantation and polytrauma treatment.

He also spoke with Ukrainian servicemen wounded in battles with Russian invaders, who are currently undergoing treatment at the Institute.

The president presented state awards and conferred a title of "Honored Doctor of Ukraine" to staffers and physicians who provide assistance to civilians amid Russia's armed aggression.

"I want to thank you. You are on the same front line as our military. You perform operations not only in surgical wards, but also in field hospitals. I wish you and your families good health. Thank you for taking care of all of us," Zelensky said.

Memo. The Shalimov Institute was founded on May 30, 1972, as the Kyiv Institute of Clinical and Experimental Surgery. Every year, more than 7,500 surgical interventions are performed there. From the onset of hostilities in eastern Ukraine back in 2014, the clinic has been treating servicemen of the Armed Forces and other military formations. Over the past eight years, more than 2,000 servicemen were treated in the facility, a third of whom suffered combat injuries while defending their Homeland.

Photo: Ukrainian Presidents Office
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Published June 2, 2022

The Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Association awarded Dr. Mark Johnson the Leadership Award for Emergency Preparedness at its conference on May 17 in Lake Charles. Johnson is a University of Louisiana Monroe assistant professor of criminal justice and the training director of the ULM Police Department.

Johnson first led the Campus Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in December 2021 after a delayed launch of the program due to the pandemic. ULM was the first university in the state of Louisiana to initiate the Campus CERT training. The demand of staff and faculty who wished to take the training was so high, Johnson scheduled a second Campus CERT session in April. In total, he taught 88 volunteers.

People at ULM want to be prepared to help our community when things hit, like floods and tornadoes. Our people always resoundingly step up to the plate and are there to help, he said. By creating the Campus CERT program, instead of people just showing up, now we have people who have been certified and trained who show up.

Campus CERT is funded by FEMA and managed through the Lieutenant Governors office and Volunteer Louisiana. The purpose is to train civilians to assist and lead their community during emergencies until outside help arrives. The volunteers learned medical triage, team organization, fire safety, and active shooter Avoid-Deny-Defend situational techniques. The ULM training was so successful, Johnson introduced Campus CERT to other universities in the UL System.

Volunteer Louisiana nominated Johnson for the award at the LEPA meeting, where Governor John Bel Edwards and Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser were the featured speakers. Multiple emergency preparedness groups attended, including the Department of Homeland Security, municipal fire departments, and chapters of the American Red Cross.

No matter the emergency, were going to have a safe campus. Were going to have people ready. Were going to make it happen, he said. I accepted this award on behalf of the 88 people at ULM. This is the result of their efforts of stepping up to take care of our community and university.

During local and state-wide disasters, ULM often serves as a shelter site. Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot, disaster services specialist of Volunteer Louisiana, said Johnson and his volunteers will not only serve people on campus, but also Louisianans from all walks of life.

The Campus CERT team is now ready to stand and help the citizens of Louisiana run a shelter, help with light search and rescue, direct traffic and many other activities during a hurricane or other emergency, she said. Dr. Johnsons infectious nature surrounding disaster preparedness is making ULM one of the most prepared campuses in the state. His training with creating shelters in the event of a storm will have wide-reaching benefits for all of Louisiana.
Lyudmyla, 87, and her granddaughters Sasha and Lera are helped by UNHCR staff at a reception centre in Uzhhorod, western Ukraine.  UNHCR/Igor Karpenko

I have spent the last weeks in Kyiv, Poltava, Dnipro, Zaporizhia, and now in Vinnytsya, meeting internally displaced people, local authorities, emergency services and volunteers in the host communities.

The situation is very fluid, and the outlook for the innocent victims of this brutal and senseless war is fragile.

People are still fleeing fighting, others remain in the places they fled to in the last 100 days; some are already returning to rebuild their homes. I also met some people who had returned, then decided it was unsafe and had to flee again.

In Dnipro, I saw buses arriving with people who had evacuated from locations like Bakhmut. They were visibly weak and shaken. Most arrivals were elderly, had difficulty walking alone and needed help. These are people with next to nothing.

For some, this is the second time they have fled for their lives since 2014. They need immediate, emergency humanitarian support: somewhere to sleep, clothes, hygiene items, food, cash assistance and - importantly - psychological first aid and counselling.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has so far, with partners, assisted over 1.2 million people across Ukraine. That includes 233,000 reached with protection counselling and services; 500,000 with essential items such as mattresses, blankets and solar lamps in areas with no electricity; and 73,400 have received vital assistance through humanitarian convoys delivered to hard-hit areas

We have also scaled up the accommodation capacity of 182 reception and collective centres, so people who have just fled have a dignified and warm place to sleep for a short while.

This week, I spoke with many IDPs living in temporary reception facilities. Tonight, they have somewhere warm to sleep, but they dont know about tomorrow or the months to come. As one elderly displaced woman I met yesterday in Koziatin, Vinnytsya oblast, said: Our main question is  where to go now? She knew their stay in that reception centre would be temporary.

In Dnipro, I met 60-year-old Iryna in the dormitory of the State Academy of Physical Education and Sports.

She had fled with her husband, daughter, son-in-law and their two children from the shelling in Kharkiv. They have been trying to find an apartment to rent in Dnipro, but are struggling to afford one.

Iryna said: We all want to go home, but Kharkiv is still a dangerous area. And because of the children, we cant go. One of my grandsons has already started to have neurological reactions to the stress  his face at times gets twisted.

At a dormitory in Poltava, I met people who had returned to Kharkiv, only to find that it was not yet possible to start rebuilding their homes or resume work, so they headed back  again - to Poltava.

As we continue trying to reach those cowering in bomb shelters in areas under heavy shelling with emergency assistance, we are also scaling up support to help the displaced in the medium to longer-term; to lay the ground for recovery and durable solutions.

Protection support must be at the centre of our response, as the risks and needs are mounting. Everyone is traumatized. Psychosocial counselling is essential for recovery. The needs are huge. Some have fled without their ID or civil documents and need help to receive new ones to access rights and services. Risks of exploitation, abuse and harmful coping strategies are also increasing, as destitution rises.

Several people I spoke with told of people returning to their homes, even in areas in Luhansk oblast, as they simply cannot afford the expense of displacement.

UNHCR is also ramping up programmes that will help people with damaged houses to repair roofs, windows, doors and walls. In Donetsk and Luhansk oblast, and in areas around Kyiv, we have provided emergency shelter kits to prevent the rain from pouring in. So far, 24,300 households have received shelter kits.

We are also working to support the refurbishment and repurposing of buildings that can be turned into medium-term collective centres, for people who need to move from temporary reception centres but cannot afford to rent an apartment.

But this will not be enough.

Winter is coming. And winters in Ukraine are brutal. Having somewhere warm, safe and dignified to stay will be lifesaving. So UNHCR, as the shelter and NFI cluster lead, is preparing with partners an overview of the specific types of support vulnerable families will need this winter, to complement the other assistance that the national authorities, the UN and our humanitarian partners are providing.

For more information on this topic, please contact:
Ukrainian refugee Veronika, 6, is pictured outside her family's accommodation in the converted offices of a pallet-making business in Moldova.  UNHCR/Caroline Bach

Nadejda Grosu and Vitalie Ovcearenco had just moved into their new office space in Ialoveni near the Moldovan capital Chisinau when images of refugees fleeing war in Ukraine filled the news channels.

The couples company makes wooden pallets for local and export markets, and they were expanding their business when thousands of people  mostly women and children  began arriving at the border. Moved by the suffering they saw, they immediately resolved to host as many people as they could.

We could no longer focus on expanding our business when people were suffering before our eyes, said Vitalie. So we started converting our office into a centre for accommodating refugees,

That involved moving all their equipment back into the small office they had recently vacated, and converting the new office by adding partition walls, installing toilets and plumbing, and buying beds and other furniture to make it as comfortable and welcoming as possible.

Less than two weeks after the start of the conflict on 24 February, Nadejda Karpenko and her daughters Oleksandra, 15, and Veronika, 6, became the first occupants of the newly repurposed office. They had fled after days of incessant bombing near their home in the Black Sea port city of Odesa, leaving Nadejdas husband and her 20-year-old son behind.

The trip took us only two hours, but once we reached the border, I didnt know anyone in Moldova to ask for help, Nadejda said. But thanks to information shared by volunteers on social networks, she got in touch with her new hosts and make her way to the accommodation.

Nadejda Grosu (left) has formed a strong friendship with Nadejda Karpenko since she and her husband began hosting the Ukrainian mother and her daughters.  UNHCR/Caroline Bach

Thats how we were connected to Nadejda and Vitalie, and we are so fortunate to have been hosted by this incredibly generous family, Nadejda said of her Moldovan namesake and her husband.

Since the start of the war, around 480,000 refugees have entered the Republic of Moldova. Most have since moved onward, but some 100,000  mainly women and children  are still in the country, with the vast majority hosted by Moldovan families.

Moldova has responded with a massive mobilization of citizens, grassroots organizations, civil society and government departments to support to the new arrivals.

Online platforms sprang up to link people fleeing Ukraine with those offering help. However, given the proliferation of such networks at the outset of the crisis, the government established a centralized platform  dopomoga.gov.md  to provide information on issues such as housing, transportation and medical care, and to ensure better protection of refugees.

See also: Ukrainian refugees find warm welcome in neighbouring Moldova

"Nadejda and Vitalie are the epitome of the warm-hearted welcome with which Moldovans have been receiving refugees from Ukraine right from day one, said Francesca Bonelli, the Representative of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to the Republic of Moldova. I would like to thank the government and people of Moldova for opening their borders, homes and hearts to people fleeing Ukraine.

In Moldova, UNHCR is providing cash grants to refugees such as Nadejda and her family, allowing them to prioritize their most urgent needs, as well as a range of other assistance and protection services. Bonelli reaffirmed UNHCRs commitment to work closely with the government to ensure refugees receive the support they need.

The World Food Programme is providing similar support to host families like Nadejda and Vitalie to help share some of the costs. Our guests have received their first payment and we received one-off cash support, which we appreciate, Nadejda confirmed.

A telescope  , a racoon  and a ray of sunshine 



UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador @BenStiller met 6-year-old Veronika after she fled the war in Ukraine with her mom and sister. pic.twitter.com/EP02SibTVM  UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) May 20, 2022

While the family has hosted as many as 20 people at a time, Nadejda and her girls are the only ones who have remained throughout, saying: We would like to stay close to home and with our friends for life until we are able to return.

Nadejda and Vitalie say they are willing to help refugees as long as they need it, but added that as time goes on, more activities would be needed to keep them occupied. I would appreciate if some help came from somewhere that can keep our guests busy during the day when we are all busy with our daily routine, said Nadejda.

UNHCR is working with the authorities to create socio-economic opportunities for refugees and Moldovan youth so they can help themselves and contribute to the national economy.

However, one person who has no trouble keeping herself occupied is Nadejdas six-year-old daughter Veronika, who spends her days happily playing with her host familys dog Bars, her many toys and a prized telescope, which she proudly showed off on a video call with UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Ben Stiller.

However, Veronikas mother told the actor, producer and director that it was at night when the impact of their situation weighed most heavily on her youngest child. She misses her brother, grandmother and father. She sometimes cries a lot at night, Nadejda explained.

I want to go home, Veronika added. Im missing my playmates Maxim, Andal, Vishnurat and would like to play with them again."

Until then, she and her family have a safe home with Nadejda and Vitalie, whose response to the crisis reflects the help being offered by so many across Moldova. Stiller summed it up by telling them: Your generosity is an inspiration to many across the world.

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" " The beautiful copperhead (Agkistron contortrix), with its distinctive pattern, will not attack, but will bite if disturbed. It is considered venomous, though its bite is rarely fatal. CDC/Wikimedia Commons

All Judy Reed wanted to do was wash some clothes. On June 18, 2019, the Pennsylvania woman descended the basement stairs of her house at around 8 a.m. to do the laundry. Suddenly, a copperhead snake, which had been curled up on a shelf near the washing machine, bit her.

Copperheads, like rattlesnakes, are venomous, although their toxins rarely kill humans. Regardless, Reed dialed 911 and went to the hospital where she recovered. As for the snake  Pennsylvania wildlife officials bagged it and took it to another location.

A 52-year-old Alabama man was less lucky. A couple of weeks before Reed had her run-in with the snake, Oliver Baker died after a copperhead bit his index finger. Baker was walking the family's new puppy when the snake bit. Authorities speculate he either accidentally stepped on the reptile, or scared it. Once bitten, family members say Baker had an allergic reaction to the bite, which led to his death.

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Where Are Copperheads Found?

In the pantheon of North American snakes, copperheads are among the most common, populating nearly all of the Atlantic seaboard from Georgia to Connecticut and from western Florida to western Texas. You know a copperhead when you see one. They are huge reptiles, between 24 and 40 inches (61 to 102 centimeters), long, with triangular heads. Their bodies are brownish in color with hourglass-designs along the length of its body.

While their bites are usually not fatal, copperheads are one of three species of venomous snakes in the United States, which also include rattlesnakes and water moccasins, also known as cottonmouths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 7,000 and 8,000 people in the U.S. annually are bitten by venomous snakes of all stripes. Of that number, about five people succumb to their injuries. Yet, the CDC says, that number would be greater if people did not seek medical treatment. Permanent injuries and disabilities, such as losing part of a finger, are much more common, reported by 10 to 44 percent of rattlesnake bite patients.

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Will a Copperhead Attack?

Jeff Beane, a herpetologist at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, says in an email interview that copperheads are not aggressive, and will only bite if they feel threatened or are frightened, such as when someone accidentally steps on or near them. "They don't go around attacking people," he explains. "They defend themselves."

Copperheads (Agkistron contortrix) get their name from their copper-colored heads. Although several snake species are colloquially called "copperheads," Agkistron contortrix is the only true copperhead in North America.They thrive in a variety of habitats, including wooded areas, mountains, along streams and rivers, abandoned farm buildings, and in desert canyons and sawdust piles. "They mostly like wooded areas with some kind of cover, and also along the edges of woods and openings," Beane says.

The copperhead, like the rattlesnake and cottonmouth, is a so-called "pit viper." They have a heat-sensitive pit organ on each side of its head, between the eyes and nostril. The copperhead uses its pit organ to detect its dinner at night. Once they bite, the copperhead's fangs release a venom that breaks down red blood cells. "The venom is a mixture of proteins and enzymes," Beane says, adding that the copperhead feeds mostly on small mammals, such as mice and shrews. They will also chow down on large insects, including the cicada and meaty caterpillars. When attacking a larger mammal, the copperhead will bite and then allow time for the venom to do its dirty work. The snake will then slither behind, tracking its prey and attacking when it is too weak to fight back.

While other snakes might seem to be loners, copperheads are very social. They hibernate during the winter with other copperheads and other species. When the spring mating arrives, the males turn overly aggressive and will try to overpower their rivals, generally in front of the female. Those who lose the battle are, for all intents and purposes, emasculated, and will never challenge another male.

Males seek out females with their tongues, which can detect pheromones emitted by the female. Once the male has found its mate and vanquished his rival, he works hard to stimulate her. This courtship could last an hour or more until the female is ready to receive him. How does the male know when the female is stimulated? She lifts and arches her back. Males also emit a pheromone that makes the female less desirable to other males.

As far as the female is concerned, reproduction can take several forms. While the male can fertilize her eggs, the female can also give birth asexually, through the process of parthenogenesis that doesn't require fertilization. Some vertebrates, like snakes, are notorious for this. Females can also store sperm. Regardless of how they become pregnant, the eggs develop inside the female's body, where they hatch. Once the child is born, the female slithers away and does not care for her children.

Now That's Interesting If you were to see a copperhead in the summer, it will generally be at night. But during the fall, copperheads are active during the day. They'll hibernate from November to April, but if there is a warm day, they'll come outside to soak in some sun.
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. The authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic will continue their efforts aimed at the international recognition, State Minister of Artsakh Artak Beglaryan said in an interview to RIA Novosti.

We will continue making efforts for the international recognition of the Republic of Artsakh. After the international recognition of the independence of Artsakh it will be possible to consider also the issue of the republic joining Armenia, the State Minister said.

He said that at this moment Azerbaijan feels strong, moreover, this country is receiving a military-political support by Turkey, therefore, he added, that the authorities of Artsakh will search for ways in order to gradually, step by step solve their issues, and later already through direct negotiations with Azerbaijan. According to him, for this Azerbaijan should be ready for peace.

The State Minister said that contacts are always being held with Armenia over the possibility of the recognition of the Republic of Artsakh.

He said it could be claimed that Armenia has actually recognized Nagorno Karabakh because there are horizontal ties between the two republics like equal with equal.
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Washington, June 3 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Jun, 2022 ) :US President Joe Biden will visit Saudi Arabia this month, reports said Thursday.

The reported decision comes hours after Saudi Arabia addressed two of Biden's priorities by agreeing to a production hike in oil and helping extend a truce in war-battered Yemen.

The New York Times, The Washington Post and CNN, quoting anonymous sources, said that Biden would go ahead with the long-rumored Saudi stop on an upcoming trip.

CNN said that Biden would meet Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she had no travel to announce, adding only: "The president will look for opportunities to engage with leaders from the middle East region.

" However, a senior administration official told AFP that if Biden "determines that it's in the interests of the United States to engage with a foreign leader and that such an engagement can deliver results, then he'll do so." While not confirming the trip, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there was "no question that important interests are interwoven with Saudi Arabia."The trip would reportedly happen around the time Biden travels to a NATO summit in Spain and Group of Seven summit in Germany later this month.

He is also widely expected to travel to Israel where, as in Saudi Arabia, he is sure to face pointed questions about slow-moving US diplomacy with the two countries' rival, Iran.
London, June 3 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Jun, 2022 ) :Prince Harry and his wife Meghan were on Friday expected to make their first public appearance in Britain in two years, at a church service for Queen Elizabeth II.

But any hopes that the family would be all back together were scuppered after his grandmother overdid it at Thursday's launch of the four days of celebrations for her historic Platinum Jubilee.

Buckingham Palace said the 96-year-old monarch, who has been dogged by mobility +++after the Trooping the Colour military parade.

"Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in (Friday's) national service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty with great reluctance has concluded that she will not attend," it added.

There will be no sign either of the queen's second son Prince Andrew, who was not at Thursday's parade. It was later announced he had tested positive for Covid.

Royal officials have reportedly urged the queen to pace herself during the public events for her record-breaking 70 years on the throne because of her difficulties standing and walking.

What the palace has described as "episodic mobility problems" forced her to pull out of engagements since October last year.

But her heir Prince Charles, 73, will be there to represent her as the most senior-ranking royal, in preparation for his future role as king.

On Thursday, he stood in for his mother at the Trooping the Colour, taking the salute on horseback.

More than 400 people have been invited to Friday's service, including health and social care staff to give thanks for their work during the Covid pandemic.

The Bible readings, prayers and hymns on Friday are designed to reflect on and recognise what the palace said was the queen's "lifetime of service".

Former British Army captain Harry and American television actress Meghan, who is of mixed race, were once hailed as the modern face of the monarchy after they wed in 2018.

But less than two years later they quit royal life and moved to the United States, launching a series of damaging broadsides, including of racism.

The couple's attendance was as good as confirmed last week, when their biographer Omid Scobie told reporters in London they would be there.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as they are formally known, kept a low profile on Thursday and were excluded from the royal balcony appearance because they are no longer "working royals".

Andrew is in disgrace and has effectively been stripped of his royal position. His no-show avoids further controversy amid lingering public anger at his settling of a US civil claim for sexual assault earlier this year.

His appearance at a memorial service for his father, the queen's late husband Prince Philip, in late March, was criticised as inappropriate.

British newspapers, particularly the tabloid press, have been Harry and Meghan's harshest critics, and warned them not to "hijack" the celebrations.

One commentator in the Daily Mail even said they had "no right" to participate in the jubilee, after their damaging criticisms of the institution.

"I believe I speak for many when I say: Harry and Meghan, you are not welcome. Please just stay away," wrote Amanda Platell.

Harry, 37, and Meghan, 40, have set up a charitable foundation in California, but angered royal supporters for leaving and then lifting the lid on royal life in a bombshell television interview.

A recent YouGov poll indicated the couple's popularity with the British public has slumped to an all-time low.

Nearly two-third (63 percent) hold a negative view of them.

All eyes will be watching for signs of tension with other family members, notably Harry's elder brother William, 39, or Meghan with William's wife Kate.

Harry said in an October 2019 that he and William were on "different paths", apparently confirming a rift that opened up after he began dating Meghan.

The pair were last seen in public at the unveiling of a statue to their late mother princess Diana in July 2021, and at the funeral of their grandfather, the queen's husband Prince Philip, that April.

William has been the only senior royal to publicly comment on Harry and Meghan's racism claims, saying: "We are very much not a racist family".

Harry and Meghan, who have two young children Archie and Lilibet, made a private visit to see the queen at Windsor Castle in May.
SYDNEY, June 3 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Jun, 2022 ) :Health authorities in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) have detected the third case of monkeypox in a man who has recently returned from Europe.

The man in his 50s developed mild symptoms several days after arriving in Sydney, and was tested for monkeypox after visiting his doctor with symptoms.

It followed the state's first two cases, a man returning from Europe on May 20, and a man traveling from the state of Queensland.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said the three existing cases had not been linked by state contact tracers.

"Monkeypox does not present a transmission risk to the general community, and has until recently not been an infection most clinicians in NSW would have been looking for or concerned about in their patients," said Chant on Friday.

In the past monkeypox has been endemic in parts of Africa, but since mid-May has been spreading globally, primarily in Europe.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, virologist at the Australian National University (ANU) David Tscharke said the virus would likely spread slowly as transmission requires very close contact.

"If the virus is behaving in the same way as in previous outbreaks, we would not expect a lot of spread ... It will be a matter of watching carefully to see if these people spread the virus further."He called for smallpox vaccines, which are effective against the virus, to be used for close contact with people who contract monkeypox.

"The key thing with monkeypox virus infections is that vaccination can be effective even after you have been exposed to the virus, so it is possible to vaccinate all recent close contacts of a case."
Moscow, June 3 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Jun, 2022 ) :Two people were injured after a fire ripped through a 10-storey business centre in western Moscow on Friday, authorities said.

The blaze was put out after more than 120 people were evacuated, the emergencies ministry said.

Footage showed massive flames and billowing plumes of smoke as firefighters battled the blaze.

"At 12:32 (0932 GMT) the fire was fully extinguished," the emergencies ministry said in a statement on messaging app Telegram.

The ministry said earlier that "more than 120 people had been rescued from the burning building".

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that two people required medical help and one of them was treated on the spot.

"Their lives are not in danger," Sobyanin said in a statement.

The blaze covered an area of 1,000 square metres (10,764 square feet), the ministry said, adding that 180 people and 41 pieces of equipment battled the fire.

Fires are a frequent occurence in Russia and are often due to non-compliance with safety standards or the dilapidated state of the premises.
By Trend





There are definite reasons to be looking at expanding capacity of Southern Gas Corridor, Laura Lochman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Diplomacy in the Bureau of Energy Resources at the U.S. Department of State said in an exclusive interview with Trend.

It is my first visit to Baku and it has been a wonderful few days. I am here to attend the Baku Energy Forum, first time in the three years thats taking place. So, I am very happy to be a part of that and to talk about the very important role that Azerbaijan plays in energy security in the region, as well as in Europe. Were celebrating 30 years of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and the Republic of Azerbaijan. So, this is a momentous occasion in that sense. Weve long collaborated on issues related to energy, as well as trade and investment, broader economic issues. We in the U.S. are a committed partner to Azerbaijan on energy and economy issues and we have definite room to deepen that collaboration in relation to meeting current supply challenges, as well as looking to the future in developing renewable sources of energy, she said.

Lochman pointed out that the Southern Gas Corridor is a significant accomplishment and the U.S. was supportive of this project from the very beginning and thats an excellent example of collaboration among the regional partners and also between governments and private sector.

So, were now reaping the benefits of having this infrastructure in place, which is significantly helping European regional energy security now. There are definite reasons to be looking at expanding the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor to meet the additional needs of the European continent. Diversification of all sources of energy is critical. We dont want to be reliant on a single producer of any form of energy. The European demand is currently there for additional supplies of natural gas from Azerbaijan through the Southern Gas Corridor. European member states will be making that interest known, are making an interest known to your companies here, your government here. That will lead to increased financing and the actual execution of projects to expand capacity, she said.

Talking about Azerbaijans renewable energy potential, Lochman recalled that President Ilham Aliyev was saying in this remarks that there is a tremendous potential for offshore wind here in Azerbaijan.

I think he was referring to 157 gigawatts, which is a massive potential for wind power. You also have solar potential as well and that can be used in addition to produce hydrogen eventually. So, there are many opportunities and the U.S. companies have quite a bit of experience and expertise in these technologies. Well be making known from the U.S. government side, well make sure that they know what opportunities are here and the advantage that they could provide to this development, she explained.

Lochman also touched upon the ongoing energy crisis in Europe and the steps, which are being taken to mitigate it.

Globally, weve started to see higher prices for energy and less supply than demand starting actually in the fall of last year due to the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. And of course, that was exacerbated by Russias war against Ukraine. At this point, Europe is working very steadily to try to decrease their dependence on Russian coal, as well as oil and gas. So, the need is great and the U.S. is contributing in talking with Europeans about methods to reduce demand for fossil fuels through use of efficiency, smart thermometers, heat pumps, things of that nature, so you dont need as much natural gas. Then were looking with suppliers around the world to what the sources of additional gas could be to Europe, because they will have to replace a good bit of supply, she said.

Lochman pointed out that President Biden made a commitment to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in March that the U.S. could help facilitate 15 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Europe this year, in 2022.

A good part of that will come from U.S. natural gas and LNG producers. Other sources from around the world will be aggregated to that so that we meet 15 billion cubic meters this year. Weve committed to increasing that over the next few years to 50 billion cubic meters a year. Thats is the commitment that our president made to the EU, she concluded.
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan received the delegation led by Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Zurab Pololikashvili, the Presidential Office said.

The delegation arrived in Armenia to attend the 67th meeting of the UNWTO Commission for Europe.

In his remarks President Khachaturyan praised the fact that the relations between Armenia and the UNWTO are developing steadily. He said that tourism is a very important sector for Armenia and has been declared by the government as one of the priority areas for the development of economy.

The UNWTO Secretary-General highlighted the fact that after the COVID-19 pandemic the first meeting of the Organization is taking place in Yerevan and congratulated Armenia on being elected as member of the UNWTO Executive Council for 2021-2025, which will contribute to improving Armenias position and raising awareness on it in the European region.

The meeting also touched upon issues on further enriching the cooperation agenda, developing new guidelines for boosting tourism sector, etc.

It was stated that Armenia makes big efforts for the development of digital technologies, education, science and innovations, which will contribute to raising and strengthening the potential of the tourism sector.
The leaders of the European Union, including European Council President Charles Michel, will participate in the upcoming UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine scheduled for June 6, Albanian Ambassador to the United Nations Albania Ferit Hoxha said on Wednesday

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st June, 2022) The leaders of the European Union, including European Council President Charles Michel, will participate in the upcoming UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine scheduled for June 6, Albanian Ambassador to the United Nations Albania Ferit Hoxha said on Wednesday.

"The European Union representatives will be in town.

Charles Michel, the President of the Council of the European Union, will be in town. He will participate in that meeting," Hoxha said during a press briefing.

Hoxha pointed out that government and civil society of numerous countries will participate in the UN Security Council meeting.

On June 1, Albania assumed the monthly rotating presidency of the UN Security Council.
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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) finished its mission to Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) on Friday after completing all set objectives, despite facing logistical challenges, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd June, 2022) The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) finished its mission to Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) on Friday after completing all set objectives, despite facing logistical challenges, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said.

"This week's combined IAEA safety, security and safeguards mission succeeded in achieving all its objectives, despite the significant logistical challenges in travelling and working in Ukraine. It was the third such mission to Ukraine since the conflict began and it will be followed by others in the coming weeks and months," Grossi said in a statement.

According to the IAEA chief, during their three-day stay, the organization's seven experts provided support to Ukrainian colleagues on radiation protection, waste management safety and nuclear security.

On February 25, the Russian airborne forces took control over the defunct Chernobyl NPP, raising concerns of nuclear safety. On April 2, Grossi said that Russia had confirmed the withdrawal of its forces from the Chernobyl NPP.
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WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th June, 2022) The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) issued a statement on Friday denouncing the latest test missile launches by North Korea and called on Pyongyang to respect Convention on International Civil Aviation.

"During a meeting of its 226th Session this week, the ICAO Council condemned the continuation of unannounced missiles being launched by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which continue to pose a serious safety risk to international civil aviation, and occurred in defiance of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718, 2270 and 2321," ICAO said. "The Council again urged the state to act in accordance with and respect for the Convention on International Civil Aviation, and to comply with applicable ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices.

"

The ICAO governing body reiterated that the organization's secretariat should avoid all technical activities with North Korea of a direct or indirect nature.

"The Council requested the Secretariat to continue to actively monitor the situation and to report any developments," ICAO said. "The Council further decided to submit this matter to all ICAO Member States at the 41st Session of the ICAO Assembly to convene in September this year, for their consideration in accordance with Article 54 k) of the Convention on International Civil Aviation."

North Korea test-launched three ballistic missiles last week toward the Sea of Japan just hours after President Joe Biden concluded his trip to South Korea and Japan for meetings with his counterparts to discuss security in the region and trade.
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Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett claimed on Friday that Iran was feeding false information to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in order to obtain nuclear weapons capabilities

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd June, 2022) Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett claimed on Friday that Iran was feeding false information to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in order to obtain nuclear weapons capabilities.

Earlier in the day, the prime minister held a meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, expressing gratitude for the organization's work and warning about Tehran's alleged deceptiveness.

"Iran is taking unprecedented steps towards nuclear weapons, while deceiving & misleading the IAEA. The world should not allow Iran to jeopardize the IAEA's critical mission," Bennett tweeted.

According to the Israeli prime minister's office, Bennett told Grossi that despite Israel preferring diplomacy, it reserves the right to defend itself and take action to block the Iranian nuclear program should the international community fail to succeed in preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons in the relevant time frame.

In 2015, the P5+1, Iran and the European Union signed the multiparty nuclear agreement, formally known as the JCPOA, to provide sanctions relief to Iran in exchange for scaling back its nuclear activities. In 2018, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Iran. In April 2021, the parties to the agreement, together with the United States, began negotiations to restore the nuclear deal, working in Vienna.

Grossi said last week that nuclear aspects of the deal with Iran on its atomic research have been "pretty much finalized" but the talks have stumbled over non-nuclear issues.
OTTAWA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd June, 2022) Canada and Ukraine are invited to attend the next Three Seas Summit to be held in Riga later this month, Latvian Parliamentarian Secretary for Foreign Affairs Zanda Kalnina-Lukasevica said at a press conference alongside Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Baltic counterparts in Quebec City on Thursday.

"Latvia will host the next Threes Seas initiative Summit and business forum in Riga on the 20 and 21st of June, and we have also invited Canada to support the initiative by participating," Kalnina-Lukasevica said.

"We also invited Ukraine to be present in this summit."

The announcement comes as Baltic diplomats are in Canada holding talks with Joly on energy, defense, and food security related issues.

During the presser, Joly stressed Canada's continued support for an overhauled defense on NATO's Eastern flank amidst increasing tensions with Russia.

The Three Seas Summit initiative is a political and commercial platform whose goal is to improve connectivity between twelve EU Member States allocated between the Baltic, Adriatic, and Black seas.
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WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd June, 2022) US sanctions imposed on Russia are affecting Brazil's ability to acquire fertilizer and cutting off one of Paraguay's key importers of beef, US Southern Command Commander Gen. Laura Richardson said at a virtual panel.

"Some of the sanctions that we have against Russia impact some of the countries in my region - Brazil being able to get fertilizer for their country, Paraguay (selling) beef," Richardson said during a virtual panel discussion with the Institute of the Americas on Thursday.

Richardson said Russia had been consuming 30 percent of Paraguay's beef exports, but now is unable to pay for it.

Last month, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said new banking restrictions and fear of violating sanctions have caused delays or even terminations of transactions between Russia and trading partners in many countries, including Western farmers who are dependent on Russian and Belarusian fertilizers.

Hence, Nebenzia said there is no point in discussing sanctions exemptions.

On May 19, Brazilian Ambassador to the United Nations Ronaldo Costa Filho, during a United Nations Security Council meeting on global food insecurity issues, said that it is undeniable that the West's unilateral sanctions imposed on Russia have a secondary impact on the operation of markets, resulting in an increase of costs and in hampering the availability of foodstuffs and fertilizers.
BUENOS AIRES (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th June, 2022) Colombia's police and prosecutors have detained suspects in the murder of Marcelo Pecci, Paraguayan special prosecutor known for fighting organized crime and drug trafficking, Colombian President Ivan Duque said on Friday.

"In a special operation by the police and the Colombian prosecutor's office, we detained all the suspects, including the alleged executor of the murder of Paraguayan prosecutor Marcelo Pecci. The perpetrators will be brought to justice," Duque said on Twitter.

According to media reports, Pecci and his wife, journalist Claudia Aguilera, were spending their wedding vacation on the Colombian resort island of Baru. On May 10, gunmen on jet skis opened fire on Pecci as the couple was about to leave the island. The prosecutor died instantly, with his wife sustaining no injuries.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell that any actions taken against Iran by the United States and the three European members of the JCPOA multiparty nuclear agreement the United Kingdom, France and Germany will receive a swift and appropriate response, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd June, 2022) Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell that any actions taken against Iran by the United States and the three European members of the JCPOA multiparty nuclear agreement the United Kingdom, France and Germany will receive a swift and appropriate response, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

According to the ministry, the top diplomats discussed the sanctions removal talks and other issues related to the relations between the bloc and Tehran during a phone conversation.

"Amirabdollahian pointed to a law approved by the Iranian parliament, warning any move by the #US and the European troika at the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) will be definitely met with an appropriate, effective and immediate response from the IR #Iran," the ministry tweeted.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett claimed that Tehran was deceiving the IAEA to achieve nuclear weapons capabilities and warned that Israel is ready to defend itself should the international community fail to succeed in preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons in the relevant time frame.
(@FahadShabbir)

CARACAS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd June, 2022) US and EU sanctions against Russia are accelerating the transition to a multipolar world without US and Dollar hegemony, Venezuelan lawmaker Julio Chavez said on Friday in an interview with Sputnik.

"Sanctions are far from weakening Russia, China, or the bloc of developing countries.

All they (sanctions) have done is strengthen them (countries) and accelerate the transition to a multipolar world without US hegemony and dollar dictatorship," Chavez said.

Chavez added that illegal and absurd sanctions of the West, aimed at damaging the economies of Russia, China, and a number of other countries, only harm the population of Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
The University of South Floridas abundance of clean energy innovation and research is earning recognition at the federal level.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm was joined by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor for a meeting with leaders of the USF Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) to learn more about efforts of the Tampa Bay Clean Cities Coalition, which is housed at USF.

The coalition facilitates the collaboration of 20 government agencies, businesses and organizations working to promote the use of non-traditional and cleaner energy for transportation throughout the Tampa Bay region. It supports the U.S. Department of Energys Clean Cities Coalition Network.

An amazing amount of coalitions are being built here at USF to ensure that we have clean cities and that were thinking about how transportation intersects with those cities  infrastructure, training, making sure people are comfortable with electric vehicles, making sure the research is done to ensure the right placement for example, of charging stations  all of that intellectual work and the students who are working on that, its a very exciting time to be here at this university in a state that has so much potential, Granholm said.

We are poised now to grow by leaps and bounds in powering our lives by clean energy and were fortunate that the University of South Florida, our major research university in the area, has the cutting-edge research here at the College of Engineering and the Center for Urban Transportation Research, Castor said. Im very happy that Secretary Granholm is here to see what a lot of those U.S. Department of Energy grants go to, including Clean Cities, bringing these collaborators around.

USF researchers shared highlights of some of their most significant initiatives, such as the DOE-funded Florida Alternative Fuel Resiliency Plan  an effort to develop technologies that can offset disruptions to the fuel supply. All of Floridas petroleum is transported through ports, which are vulnerable to closures during hurricanes. The project is aimed at identifying new ways alternative fuels can be transported through other means.

They also discussed the curriculum they developed for the Tampa Electric EV & Energy Education Program, which exposes high school students to electric vehicles through drivers ed.

Secretary Granholms and Rep. Castors visit was a great opportunity for USF/CUTR to showcase its work in the clean energy field, said Fred Mannering, executive director of CUTR and professor of civil and environmental engineering. We look forward to working with them to continue our efforts to support and promote clean energy.

These are just a few of CUTRs $36 million in active contracts and grants. It has been heavily involved in the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority Connected Vehicle Pilot and has several ongoing projects to improve the safety of autonomous vehicles.
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. The authorities of Artsakh think that the European Union should not participate in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, State Minister of Artsakh Artak Beglaryan said in an interview to RIA Novosti.

Taking into account the format of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the effective role of the Russian peacekeeping mission, we think that the Karabakh conflict settlement issue should not become a subject of negotiations for the European Union, Beglaryan said.

According to him, dialogue is necessary, but it should not be part of Russias complex relations with the West. He reminded the OSCE Minsk Group as the main operating format for the settlement of the conflict.

He attached great importance to the fact of the presence of the Russian peacekeeping mission in the country. We think that the peacekeeping mission should stay here for an unlimited time, as the conflict is not settled, he said.

Artak Beglaryan said the authorities of Artsakh want to keep the presence of the Russian peacekeepers in the region as Azerbaijan is not ready for negotiations based on the three main principles proposed by the international mediators, that is the territorial integrity, the nations right to self-determination and the non-use of force and threat of force. Currently there is a strong necessity for the presence of the Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh, he said.

According to him, the settlement of the NK conflict in the foreseeable future is impossible because there is a serious contradiction in the positions of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, they are diametrically opposed.

He said that the main difference is that it is a matter of prestige and ambitions for Azerbaijan, but for the residents of Karabakh it is a matter of life and death, their existence and historical justice.
As Colombia approaches the presidential run-off on 19 June, the nation's Bishops continue to invite all Colombians "to participate actively and consciously in the elections, to strengthen the democratic system and contribute to the construction of a better country."

By Deborah Castellano lubov

The Catholic Bishops of Colombia are urging the nation's citizens to vote in the upcoming presidential elections.



According to Fides, as the Latin American country approaches the 19 June elections, the nation's Bishops continue to invite all Colombians "to participate actively and consciously in the elections, to strengthen the democratic system and contribute to the construction of a better country."

In the second round of voting for the president, the leader of the left, Gustavo Petro, will face the independent, Rodolfo Hernandez.

On 29 May, in the first round, Petro obtained 40.33% of the vote, and Hernandez, 28.14%.

Three criteria when voting

Ahead of the election, Monsignor Hector Fabio Henao Gaviria, the delegate for Church-State relations of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia (CEC), highlighted, in a videomessage, criteria that must not be forgotten" when electing the new president.

Monsignor Henao Gaviria underscored that all must be done to strengthen the democracy, making it "more alive, more participatory, inclusive, truly expressing the values of civilization and citizenship."

Urging citizens to remember the common good, "thinking according to the good of the nation," he said to take into account the proposals and policies the candidates are likely to pursue.

Listen to our report:

Strengthen democracy

Monsignor Henao Gaviria warned against using hateful or discriminating language, in politics at all languages, "it is contrary to strengthening democracy and causes long-term damage to our nation."

He also reminded that the first round of elections on May 29 took place peacefully, and "with a massive participation of young people, women and all social sectors, who placed all their trust in the different proposals who are at the service of the country."
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Ministry of Defense denied Azerbaijani accusations on opening fire at the border.

The statement of the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan according to which in the evening and night of June 2 the units of the Armenian Armed Forces opened fire from various caliber firearms and grenade launchers at the Azerbaijani positions located in the eastern section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is another disinformation, the Armenian Ministry of Defense said. The situation in the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is relatively stable and is under the full control of the Armenian Armed Forces, it added.
Vietnams digital economy has seen significant growth over the last decade and is expected to be valued at US$57 billion by 2025. The countrys digital...
Speaking from the back of a pickup truck decked out with campaign posters and loudspeakers, veteran politician Son Chhay is determined to convince voters that democracy in Cambodia is not dead.

With the newly created Candlelight Party, he and other activists are contesting upcoming local elections, hoping to resurrect political opposition to what has become a one-party state under Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) has in recent years moved to crush all dissent by jailing more than 100 opposition members for treason, prompting international criticism of Hun Sen, who has ruled for 37 years.

"A victory for the Candlelight Party is a victory for all Cambodians," Son Chhay, the party's vice president, told cheering crowds gathered recently on the outskirts of the capital, Phnom Penh, as campaigning got under way for the nationwide commune elections on June 5.

But the CPP, which controls the vast majority of 1,652 communes, maintains a vice-like grip on the political landscape that analysts say the fledgling opposition party is unlikely to loosen given the intimidation and legal and bureaucratic battles it faces.

Sok Eysan, a spokesperson for the ruling CPP, dismissed as insubstantial any contest posed by the sole opposition camp, dismissing it as a "piece of broken glass."



REBRANDED

The Candlelight Party, though only six months old, is not exactly new.

Its leadership is populated with former members of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), an opposition party that the Supreme Court disbanded in 2017 as part of a wider crackdown on Hun Sen's critics.

The ban came just after the CNRP had won 40% of communes in the last local elections, and all of its areas were handed over to the ruling CPP, giving it near total control.

CNRP co-founder, Sam Rainsy, a former finance minister in exile in France, helped rebrand the opposition as the Candlelight Party with Son Chhay, who serves as its vice president.

The party has attracted young and low-income voters by promising universal healthcare, equal access to education and a crackdown on drugs and crime.

"The Candlelight Party won't allow any development that causes people's tears. We won't allow anyone to rob people of their land," Son Chhay told supporters at the rally outside Phnom Penh, speaking to a concern many Cambodians share about forced evictions at the hands of real estate, mining or agricultural corporations.

The party's total membership is not clear but it is fielding candidates in 90% of the 1,652 communes and "hoping to win many," said secretary general Lee Sothearayuth.

Inheriting the old party infrastructure and supporters makes it the only opposition party that poses a realistic threat to the CPP, said Sebastian Strangio, journalist and author of the book "Hun Sen's Cambodia."

"Whether it will succeed in doing so this year, however, is unlikely. For the CPP, political survival comes first, and the moment that the Candlelight Party poses a serious threat to Hun Sen's camp will be the moment that this party, too, finds itself banned or pressured into submission," he said.

'INTIMIDATION'

Already the Candlelight Party has felt the heat. The Ministry of Interior has said Son Chhay's appointment as a party deputy is illegal and at least 24 complaints have been filed accusing the party of faking candidates' documents.

Son Chhay says the accusations are politically motivated and that in fact, Candlelight candidates have faced bureaucratic hurdles in even registering for the election.

"We see this as intimidation, they like to use the courts to intimidate us," he said.

The CPP called that complaint "baseless" and defended its practice of handing out cash and gifts to voters ahead of elections.

"If they are true, competing political parties can file complaints to the National Election Commission. However, there have been no complaints," said CPP spokesperson Sok Eysan.

Further undercutting Candlelight's efforts is disagreement within the opposition over tactics. Once-friendly politicians like the influential former CNRP chief, Kem Sokha, say the new party should not be participating in what some consider a compromised election.

"The Candlelight Party plays right into Hun Sen's hands," said Kem Sokha's daughter, Kem Monovithya.

Many see the commune elections as a bellwether for a general election next year and the ruling party is expected to win most communes next week.

Despite the obstacles, the Candlelight Party is aiming at the very least to get opposition candidates back into the public eye, hoping that any support now can translate to national-level success next year.

"Because people have lost their representation for nearly five years, they have difficulties, they have been suffering. So this is the chance they have to come out and find their representatives."
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((PKG)) PARENTS REACT TO SCHOOL SHOOTINGS

((TRT: 06:52))

((Topic Banner: Parents Seeking Change))

((Producer/Editor: Lisa Vohra))

((Map: Vienna, Virginia))

((Main characters: 2 female; 1 male))

((NATS))

((Jairica Johnson, Parent of First and Second Graders))

19 students, two adults. I was physically sick.

((Sandip Nayak, Parent of Kindergartner and Fourth Grader))

My thoughts and prayers goes out to the parents and the society at large in that town. Its a mix of sadness and also getting more afraid as time goes by.

((Karlie Sharma, Parent of Kindergartner and Toddler))

When you have children in school, when you have children and events and things where this type of thing happens, it just feels a lot more at home because you know, you now know how those parents are feeling.

((NATS: Karlie Sharma))

All right, lets go. Got it?

((Karlie Sharma, Parent of Kindergartner and Toddler))

When I was sending Ash to school, it was, it's hard. I mean, it's hard because I know he needs to go to school. He needs to have thathe needs to have the exposure. He needs to have the education. But at the same time, it's the one time of day where I'm not in control of his situation. And that, I mean, we've seen it that can be the time of day that you, you lose your children. It's scary to send them to school now. I mean, thats the way I feel at this point.

((NATS: Ashwin Sharma, Karlies Son))

When my nanny gets here, she gonna get us.

((Karlie Sharma, Parent of Kindergartner and Toddler))

I did end up hugging him tighter and hanging out with him more than I, both the night before, in the morning, you know, after.

((NATS))

((Sandip Nayak, Parent of Kindergartner and Fourth Grader))

With increasing violence because of gun shootings, if that keeps getting worse and worsening with time, I have to think about safety for my kids while going to school.

((NATS: Avant Nayak, Sandips Son))

Can I try this now?

((Jairica Johnson, Parent of First and Second Graders))

The next day, of course, I was very teary, you know, sending them off, you know, to go to school with their dad to get to the school bus. And then just, really just wanting to wrap my arms around them and tell them, have a good day. And we, I, we have this fear now or we always have. But its always, I guess, heightened when something like this happens. We send our kids to school, are they going to come back?

((NATS/MUSIC))

((Sandip Nayak, Parent of Kindergartner and Fourth Grader))

Ive been here 20 plus years and by all means, America is still very attractive and Im happy to be an American. But there has been little cracks in some of the dimensions of the Americanness, the very idea of Americanness and one of them is the freedom and the connection to the responsibility and that needs to be addressed. I think if we cannot protect our kids, make them feel safer, thats not what America should be known for in this dimension.

((NATS))

((Karlie Sharma, Parent of Kindergartner and Toddler))

I feel helpless. I feel like there's nothing that can be done. I mean, it doesn't matter what. It doesn't matter what events occur essentially in this country. It doesn't seem to change the gun culture. It doesn't seem to change the mentality that we have, everyone should have a right to a weapon. I don't understand, at the very least, why we can't have something along the lines of stronger background checks or a countrywide registry system for weapons or some sort of restriction on semi-automatic weapons, things like that. I don't understand how thats something we can't seem to get accomplished because in my mind it preserves the rights of the Second Amendment, if that's something that you're very passionate about. But it also prevents this type of massacre occurring.

((NATS))

((Jairica Johnson, Parent of First and Second Graders))

These things that happen because of hate we've had. What happened in Buffalo, motivated by hate, prejudice. Basically, it just makes you feel like youre not safe. We could do simple things. We don't have to take guns away from people in general. We can do the screening for mental health. We can raise the age. We cannot have them have access to semi-automatic weapons. We need to do something. Right now, it's a big story. Next week, maybe. The week after that, I don't, I dont think so.

((NATS))

((Sandip Nayak, Parent of Kindergartner and Fourth Grader))

There has been an attack on the very fabric of the notion of freedom which has been taken too far, which all can be solved if we all can come together and do the right things as a community, show leadership and uniting the people. I think raising the minimum age of gun ownership from 18 to 21. If buying a cigarette, case of cigarette is 21, the guns has to be at least 21 because the same argument applies.

((NATS))

((Karlie Sharma, Parent of Kindergartner and Toddler))

We have a very high percentage of gun violence compared to everyone else in the world. And I'm just, that really to me indicates a systemic issue. We can't, I don't know that it's necessarily the answer to continue to fortify schools or fortify businesses or anyone else who feels that they might be a target. I feel the answer is to address the problem, not the symptoms. And it's just, I just, I can't. I don't understand why other people cannot see that.

((NATS))

((Jairica Johnson, Parent of First and Second Graders))

I'm actually angry about it. The five stages of grief: hopelessness, sadness, despair, bargaining, anger. And I am angry. That six and eight year old, who are innocent, who love life, who want to go to school and play with their friends. And that is their safe place. And these guns are jeopardizing, literally jeopardizing their futures. And it's not hard. It's not hard what we're asking. None of it is hard. It is simple. We could do this tomorrow if we just had the courage.

((NATS))




The top African Union official met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to discuss the war in Ukraine and its effects on Africa. A cutoff in grain exports has heightened food insecurity in many African countries, leaving millions of Africans hungry.

Senegalese President Macky Sall met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Russian city of Sochi Friday to discuss the war in Ukraine and the effect it's having on Africa's 1.3 billion people.

Before the war, the continent annually imported about 30 million tons of wheat and maize from Russia and Ukraine. The war has greatly reduced the exports and sparked a global increase in food and fuel prices.

At Friday's meeting, Sall, the current African Union chairperson, urged Putin to be aware that African countries are "victims" of the Ukraine conflict, according to the French news agency. He said food supplies should be "outside" of Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over Ukraine.

Speaking to journalists in Nairobi, Africa Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina, said the rise in oil prices caused by the war is also hurting Africa's economy.

"You look at the energy prices today, energy prices have gone up to the roof of course which benefits all the exporting countries but you, for example, Kenya, you spend a lot of money importing fuel," Adesina said. "So fuel made importing countries suffer as a result of that which has a tendency to slow down economic growth."

Adesina also lamented the Russian blockade of ships in the Black Sea, which is holding back millions of tons of Ukrainian grain meant for other countries, including some in Africa.

The Africa Development Bank recently authorized a $1.5 billion program to ensure that Africa grows enough food to feed its citizens. The bank group said the money would benefit 20 million African farmers.

Adesina said the bank is determined to make Africa less reliant on outside countries for its food supply.

"Africa will not have a food crisis," he said "We will support Africa to produce its food and we will use this opportunity. We must not lose, and wait for a crisis, to get Africa to be a solution to global food issues. Africa has 65 percent of all arable land left in the world. So what Africa does with agriculture will determine the future of food in the world. We must take agriculture as a business."

In the meantime, some countries are facing severe problems feeding their populations.

Chad, a landlocked African country, declared a food emergency Thursday and authorities called other countries for help.

Last month, the United Nations said the number of food-insecure people in the world has doubled from 135 million to 276 million in two years. The crisis is blamed on climate change, the global pandemic and the current war in Ukraine.

As African leaders meet the Russian president, the head of the African Development Bank is calling for an end to the war that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands and negatively impacted millions of people around the world.
A Mali-based coalition of al-Qaida-aligned militants has claimed responsibility for an attack in Togo last month, the SITE Intelligence monitoring group said Friday.

The Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) has been expanding geographically, threatening northern parts of coastal Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Togo.

Togo's government had confirmed a "terrorist attack" on May 11 in the northern town of Kpekankandi, near the border with Burkina Faso, where the insurgents are also present.

Officials had said that eight Togolese soldiers were killed and 13 others were wounded.

JNIM, according to SITE Intelligence, which monitors jihadist activities worldwide, said it had killed eight soldiers, stolen some weapons and damaged two cars.

A senior security source in Togo told AFP that the soldiers were attacked by a group of 60 gunmen who arrived on motorbikes.

"They exchanged fire for more than two hours  and then a reinforcement unit was hit by an improvised explosive device," he added.

Togolese soldiers foiled an attack last November in the northern village of Sanloaga, making the May attack the first to cause casualties.

The statement from JNIM also claimed attacks in Mali and in Burkina Faso.
President Joe Biden publicly acknowledged on Friday that he may travel to Saudi Arabia soon, a trip that multiple sources say is expected and could include talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Biden told reporters that he does not yet have direct plans to make a trip to Saudi Arabia but if he does it would be to try to advance Middle East peace prospects.

Sources familiar with the process say Biden is planning a trip to Saudi Arabia in conjunction with a trip to Europe and Israel in late June.

As recently as Wednesday, the White House said Biden still felt bin Salman was a "pariah" for what U.S. intelligence says was his role in the killing and dismembering of a political opponent, Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in Turkey in 2018.

Khashoggi's murder at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul tainted the crown prince's image as a reformist. The Saudi government has denied any involvement by him.

"Look, Im not going to change my view on human rights but as president of the United States my job is to bring peace if I can and thats what Im going to try to do," Biden said in explaining his reasoning for why he may make the trip.

The visit would be aimed at bolstering relations with Saudi Arabia at a time when Biden is trying to find ways to lower gasoline prices in the United States.

Biden would participate in a Riyadh summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a regional union whose members are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, sources said.

"There is a possibility that I would be going to meet with both the Israelis and some Arab countries at the time, including I expect ... Saudi Arabia. ... But I have no direct plans at the moment," he said.

Prospects for a Biden visit improved on Thursday when OPEC+ agreed to increase oil output by 200,000 barrels in July and August and a ceasefire in the Yemen war was extended.

The White House took the rare step of recognizing the role played by bin Salman in extending the Yemen ceasefire.
The Canadian government is decriminalizing possession of small amounts of cocaine, heroin and other narcotics in the Pacific coast province of British Columbia, the latest step in a battle against deadly drug overdoses.

The exemption will last three years and start Jan. 31 2023. It will decriminalize the personal possession of up to 2.5 grams of cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, MDMA and methamphetamine. These so called hard drugs have been at the center of a massive increase in overdose deaths in recent years.



The move only covers British Columbia, people above the age of 18 and does not allow for any possession at schools, airports, childcare facilities, ships or helicopters of the Canadian Coast Guard, or for members of Canadas military.



Since 2016, an estimated 27,000 people have died in Canada from drug use, 10,000 in British Columbia. Just last year, 2,236 people fatally overdosed in British Columbia. The goal of the move is to reduce the stigma of drug addiction and push more people toward recovery.



Carolyn Bennett, Canadas minister of mental health and addictions, said while decriminalization is limited to one province, it could set an example for similar actions in other parts of Canada.

This time-limited exemption is the first of its kind in Canada, Bennett said. And with it comes great responsibility for the health, safety and well-being of the people in British Columbia and template for other jurisdictions across Canada.



Decriminalization means a person will not be arrested or charged for possession, not that the drugs become legal. When a drug is legalized, like personal possession of marijuana was in Canada in October 2018, the drug becomes regulated like alcohol and available in licensed stores, many run by provincial governments.



Benjamin Perrin, a law professor at the University of British Columbia and author of Overdose: Heartbreak and Hope in Canadas Opioid Crisis, said researching his book gave him a change of heart on the issue of drug criminalization. Perrin had served as a legal adviser to Stephen Harper, the last Conservative Party prime minister of Canada, and was opposed to any form of legalization or decriminalization. But, he said, he now favors Canadas move.



We know that criminalizing people who use drugs is deadly, Perrin said. It contributes to opioid-related overdose deaths, it causes people to use alone, to use their drugs more quickly. It creates barriers to getting into recovery and treatment. And so the research is really clear.



By contrast, Toronto Sun newspaper columnist Brian Lilley opposes decriminalization if it is not accompanied by a renewed focus on helping people recover from drug addiction.

If this is the road that we're going to go down as a society, then I think we need to get serious about offering treatment for addictions, he said. Because otherwise, we're just simply aiding and abetting in prolonging the suffering that we shouldn't wish on our worst enemy.

Bennett, who worked for years as a family physician prior to her political career, also announced nearly $9.5 million dollars ($11.78 million Canadian) in new funding toward substance abuse and addiction programs in British Columbia.



The exemption will last until 2026 and can be extended, both in time and potentially to the rest of Canada.


Chad on Thursday declared a "food emergency" in the impoverished landlocked country, urging the international community to help.

The plea for aid comes before a meeting Friday between the head of the African Union and Russia's president to discuss grain supplies in the aftermath of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

"Following the constant deterioration of the food and nutritional situation this year and taking into account the growing risk to populations if no humanitarian aid... is provided, this decree declares a food emergency," read the document signed by the head of the military junta ruling the country.

"The government calls on all national actors and international partners to help the populations," the decree said.

The United Nations has warned that 5.5 million people in Chad -- more than a third of the population -- would need humanitarian assistance this year.

The World Food Program in March estimated that 2.1 million Chadians would be "severely food insecure" during the lean season starting in June.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions on Moscow have disrupted deliveries of wheat and other commodities from the two countries, fueling concerns about the risk of hunger around the world.

Around 30% of the world's wheat supply comes from Ukraine and Russia.

Food prices in Africa have already exceeded those in the aftermath of the 2011 Arab springs and the 2008 food riots.

Friday, Russia's President Vladimir Putin will receive Senegalese President Macky Sall, who chairs the African Union, to discuss "freeing up stocks of cereals and fertilizers, the blockage of which particularly affects African countries", Sall's office has said.

Chad is the planet's third poorest nation, the United Nations says.

In 2021, it ranked 113 out of 116 nations on the "Global Hunger Index" -- a peer-reviewed tool compiled by European NGOs.

A junta led by General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno has ruled Chad since last year, after his father, long-serving strongman Idriss Deby Itno, died in battle.
China is trying to win deals in the South Pacific this week and roll back traditional Western influence, experts say, as the foreign minister continues a 10-day visit to the region.

Analysts say the quest for deals shows in Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yis travels to the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor. He wraps up his tour on Saturday. China signed a security pact with the Solomons in April.

Wang fell short of signing a pan-Pacific accord earlier in the week but has reached agreements with individual countries, including this week in Tonga for disaster management, among other projects. Wang reached Vanuatu on Wednesday.

Beijing had already built up its navy over the past few years to sail past the north-south chain of islands between Japan and Indonesia. The tropical South Pacific lies just beyond that chain.

For relatively modest attention, resources (and) effort, something could fall into their lap, like the Solomons, for example, said Satu Limaye, vice president of the East-West Center research organization in Honolulu. He said China is ready for great power competition with Western countries that have historic but sometimes fragile political influence in the South Pacific.

Forget talking about competitions coming, he said. Competitions here. Its there.

Vying with the West

China is seeking a long-term source of seafood for its population of 1.4 billion people, along with a way to disrupt U.S. and Australian dominance in the South Pacific, said Derek Grossman, senior defense analyst with the U.S.-based RAND Corporation, a research organization. The South Pacific extends from Australia to Peru.

Beijing failed to get an agreement Monday for its plan to have 10 Pacific nations endorse a deal covering matters from security to fisheries as some governments held back, media reports from Fiji said. The president of the Federated States of Micronesia had warned fellow South Pacific leaders that a deal with China would raise geopolitical tensions.

Wang has made other pledges during his trip.

In Fiji this week, Wang said China was willing to merge its $4 trillion-plus Belt and Road Initiative with the South Pacific nation's 20-year national development plan and carry out a technology cooperation project, the official Xinhua News Agency in Beijing reported on Monday. The Belt and Road Initiative, which goes back nine years, builds infrastructure in dozens of countries to expand trade routes linked with China.

Similarly in Kiribati last week, Wang made a Belt and Road pledge, Xinhua reported Friday. The report said China agreed to give full play to Kiribati's advantages in resources and create new highlights in maritime cooperation.

Wang has further offered pandemic recovery aid to some of the South Pacific nations. He said recently that China would continue to promote the comprehensive and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change, in the face of rising sea levels that threaten Oceanias flatter islands.

Both the Solomons and Kiribati, in 2019, switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan, an informal friend of the West, to China.

Some media reports suggest that Chinese vessels may get rights to the Phoenix Islands Protected Area near Kiribati.

Kiribati President Taneti Maamau said in November he would lift a fishing ban in place since 2015 over the 408,250-square-kilometer tract, which UNESCO describes as the largest designated Marine Protected Area in the world.

China had sought a dual-use port facility in Vanuatu as well but rejected the idea after the media found out, the Washington-based research group Brookings Institution said in a 2020 study.

Chinese influence is there to stay, said Tarcisius Kabutaulaka, associate Pacific Islands studies professor at University of Hawaii at Manoa.

In the Solomons, he said, There are those who are really pro-China, and their views are often that the relationship with the West has not changed development in the Solomon Islands and therefore China represents an alternative.

U.S. weapons testing in the South Pacific shook peoples sense of security in some island countries because of forced relocations in the 20th century, he said.

US, allies push back

In March, Washington began renegotiating deals with the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. The Department of State said then that completing the negotiations is a priority for this Administration.

Australia, Japan and the United States expressed fears in April that the Sino-Solomons deal would usher in the deployment of Chinese military forces in the South Pacific.

China feels the geopolitical pressure. Wang said the United States and its allies are bent on containing the development of China, Xinhua said May 27. In essence, they do not want to see the success of a non-Western force as well as strengthened solidarity and cooperation between the developing countries.

The naval branch of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army is no longer constrained by islands in East Asia, said Sean King, vice president of the Park Strategies political consultancy in New York.

The time is ripe for the PRC (Peoples Republic of China) to move into the Pacific as the Solomon Islands and Kiribati have in recent years switched their Chinese diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, while Washingtons negotiations to renew its compacts of free association with the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau are thought to not be moving as quickly and as well as they could be, King said.

Officials in Beijing are thinking 20 to 30 years ahead, Limaye said. He said Chinese infrastructure projects and evolving ties with local leaders would eventually break up the Australia-U.S. influence. Chinese educational scholarships for islanders and any support against rising sea levels would make strong a impression if Western influence fails to keep pace, he added.
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan received today the delegation led by the European Unions Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia, Toivo Klaar, the Office of the Security Council said.

During the meeting the sides discussed issues relating to the normalization of the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and in this context Armen Grigoryan highly valued the role of the European Union.

The sides specifically touched upon the existing humanitarian problems, particularly the issue of repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and other persons held in Azerbaijan.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday Russian troops have succeeded in their main stated task of protecting civilians in the separatist-controlled areas in eastern Ukraine.



He added that Russian forces have liberated parts of Ukraine and this work will continue until all the goals of the special military operation are achieved.

The U.N. crisis coordinator for Ukraine issued a statement Friday to mark the 100th day of war in Ukraine.



This war has taken an unacceptable toll on people and engulfed virtually all aspects of civilian life, said Assistant Secretary-General Amin Awad. This war has and will have no winner. Rather, we have witnessed for 100 days what is lost: lives, homes, jobs and prospects. We have witnessed destruction and devastation across cities, towns and villages. Schools, hospitals and shelters have not been spared.



Awad added, The war must end now."

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces occupied about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

Just imagine! Constant fighting, which stretched along the front line for more than a thousand kilometers, Zelenskyy told the Luxembourg parliament in a virtual speech. He said the Ukrainian area controlled by Moscows forces was comparable to the entirety of the Netherlands.

Zelenskyy did not say how much territory Russia has captured since the start of its invasion, Feb. 24. Moscow seized Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and Russia-backed separatists had also captured parts of the eastern Donbas region, where fighting is the most intense now, prior to the invasion.

Ukraine said Thursday its forces have recaptured 20 small towns and villages in the Kherson region in the southern part of the country. Meanwhile, Russian forces continued their assault on Sievierodonetsk, the last major city nominally held by Ukraine in the Luhansk region in the eastern part of the country.

Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said Russia controlled about 70% of the city as fierce street battles took place.

Britain's Defense Ministry said Russia has taken control of most of the city. The ministry said Ukrainian forces control the main road into Sievierodonetsk, with Russia making "steady local gains, enabled by a heavy concentration of artillery."

A Ukrainian official said Kyivs forces were hoping to recapture territory lost earlier in the war in southern Ukraine in part to tie up some Russian forces more focused on fighting in the Donbas region.

The Ukrainian leaders assessment of the war came a day after U.S. President Joe Biden said the United States is providing Ukraine with a $700 million package of more advanced rocket systems and munitions to help fight off Russias invasion, now in its fourth month. White House officials say Ukraine has vowed not to fire those rockets into Russian territory.

This new package will arm them with new capabilities and advanced weaponry, including HIMARS with battlefield munitions, to defend their territory from Russian advances, Biden said in a statement. We will continue to lead the world in providing historic assistance to support Ukraines fight for freedom. Biden used the acronym for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System.

Zelenskyy said in his daily address that the HIMARS package is one item in a list of three important pieces of news for Ukraine.

The two other items are the European Unions moves towards the implementation of the sixth sanctions package against Russia, which Zelenskyy said is primarily about oil, and also the fact that more and more embassies are resuming their full-fledged activities in Kyiv.

The world is giving up Russian oil, Zelenskyy said. Moreover, other countries, which produce much better and lighter oil, are preparing to replace Russian supplies. Therefore, huge revenues are lost for the aggressor state in this sphere. He said, Russia has to get used to the fact that a very painful reduction in income is an inevitable consequence of the war.

The return of embassy activity to Ukraines capital, Zelenskyy said is a testament to the faith in our victory.
After his arrival in the U.S. as an Afghan evacuee, Mohammad Nisar was surprised to learn that even basic health services in the world's richest country  a country that also spent millions of dollars improving health care in his native country  are not free.

His surprise has now evolved into worries about the possible loss of Medicaid, the state-sponsored health insurance program for low-income Americans that is currently covering his family.

To remain eligible for the full medical coverage they have in the state of Virginia, Nisar's family of five must earn less than $49,000 a year before taxes.

"I try to work hard here, but I worry that we might lose Medicaid if we make just a little more than $49K a year," Nisar told VOA.

Uprooted from his home in Afghanistan, Nisar works 18 hours a day, as a part-time sales assistant and a full-time food delivery driver.

"I have to pay $28,000 in annual rent and utility bills for a two-bedroom apartment," he said during a lunch break from his work, "and there is food, clothes, home appliances and everything else to pay for.

"I can't afford a self-financed health insurance or through a partial contribution from my employer.  We can remain poor, but we can't have no health coverage."

Just last month, Medicaid paid more than $4,000 for his children's dental fees.

"America has the largest economy in the world," Nisar said, "and it doesn't make sense that it has such an expensive and complicated health care system."

Temporary protected status

The U.S. government offered temporary protected status (TPS) to tens of thousands of Afghans who had been evacuated to the U.S. under a program called Operation Allies Welcome. Under the program, the Afghans can live and work in the U.S. until November 2023.

Last month, U.S. lawmakers removed from a draft bill in support of Ukraine a provision to establish a legal pathway for the permanent settlement of Afghan evacuees.

It is unclear how and when the U.S. government will determine a permanent status for the Afghan evacuees, but the uncertainty worries some Afghans.

"I've seen people who have spent years waiting for their status to be determined, and I fear we will fall in the same category," said Mohammad Naweed, an Afghan man who entered the U.S. in September without a visa and was given humanitarian parole.

While parole allows Naweed and others to stay for now, without changes to U.S. policy, they cannot sponsor the immigration of their close family members still left in Afghanistan.

Canada

Over the past nine months, almost 15,000 Afghans have migrated to Canada under a special immigration program called Welcome Afghans.

"Our commitment is to provide protection to at least 40,000 vulnerable Afghans as quickly and safely as possible," a spokesperson for Canada's immigration and citizenship agency told VOA.

While most Afghans have migrated to Canada through a humanitarian program and a separate program for Afghans who worked for Canada in Afghanistan, scores of Afghans have also crossed the U.S.-Canada border to claim asylum.

Last year, 416 Afghans sought asylum at Canada's border entry points. Between January and March this year, 177 Afghans registered their asylum petitions at the U.S.-Canada border, according to Canadian government figures.

"Canada has shown that they're able to welcome Afghans quickly. They have a robust refugee welcoming system that has not suffered from the same political attacks that we've experienced here in the U.S.," Chris Purdy of Human Rights First, a U.S.-based nongovernmental organization, told VOA.

In the U.S., immigration has long been a divisive policy area. As of February, there was a backlog of 9.5 million immigration cases at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, according to agency data.

There are also allegations of unequal treatment of immigrants and asylum-seekers.

Last month, in a letter to President Joe Biden, several U.S. senators expressed concerns about "inconsistency" in the treatment of Afghans and Ukrainians who sought to enter the U.S. under the humanitarian parole program.

"We applaud the administration's efforts to welcome to our shores all those displaced by war and its aftermath. But the disparate policies and requirements for those seeking refuge in the United States depending on their country of origin causes us concern," the letter said.

Double migration

The U.S. and Canada share data and information about refugees and immigrants.

Under a 2004 agreement, refugees must seek protection in the first country they reach  either the U.S. or Canada. The agreement also "prevents asylum-seekers who are in the United States, or traveling through the United States, from making refugee claims at the Canadian border (and vice versa), subject to certain exceptions," according to a study by Harvard Law School.

"A second migration effort would be a very risky proposition for any Afghan who was brought to the U.S.," Purdy said.

Of the 177 Afghans who crossed the border and sought asylum in Canada, 96 were accepted and the rest are pending. None has been rejected.

For Nisar, the Afghan evacuee in Virginia, taking his family across the border to Canada appears to be an attractive option, at least in some aspects.

"What pains me is that I'd have to restart from the zero.  But if Canada offers a path for a normal life for us, we'll take that," he said.
Hong Kongs vast Victoria Park, which for decades has hosted a candlelight vigil to remember China's 1989 Tiananmen massacre, is expected to be largely crowd-free on Saturday as the far-reaching national security law limits how Hong Kongers can commemorate the bloody crackdown in Beijing.

This is the third year in a row that local authorities have invoked public health concerns related to COVID-19 to restrict the gathering.

It is the second year in a row that the national security law, imposed on June 30, 2020, has strengthened the pandemic-related ban on what was long the only large-scale massacre memorial on Chinese-ruled soil. The events organizer, Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, disbanded on September 25 because of the security law.

On Thursday, Hong Kong police warned residents not to participate in any "unlawful assemblies" around the park on Saturday, where there would be stepped-up patrols, according to the South China Morning Post.

Ms. Poon, a Chinese newspaper editor in her 50s, has participated in the Victoria Park candlelight vigil many times. She, like others VOA Mandarin interviewed for this report, asked that her full name not be used to avoid attracting officials attention.

Poon said that the Victoria Park event, once an important symbol of Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy after it reverted to Chinese from British control in 1997, is now part of history.

"I believe that the Hong Kong government will never allow Hong Kong people to commemorate June 4 again," she said. "This is very sad. This regime is very cowardly, and it is afraid that the people will know how cruel it is."

One of Poon's female colleagues, who moved from China to Hong Kong eight years ago, said Hong Kong authorities did not need to ban the activities memorializing those killed at Tiananmen Square. The proof, she said, is that the Chinese Communist Party, which continued to oversee the government after the massacre, remains in power.

Just after the massacre, the Chinese government released an official death toll of 241 people, mostly students who took part in the weekslong pro-democracy gathering. Another estimate, based on a secret diplomatic cable from the British ambassador to China at the time, has put the total closer to 10,000, according to the BBC.

Ms. Ng, who teaches Asian history at a university, said she had attended every Victoria Park candlelight vigil since 1990.

"The large-scale protests in 2019 have overwhelmed the Hong Kong government, and they can't allow the same type of protests to take place again," she told VOA Mandarin. "They feel that even a little spark can start a prairie fire. Any activity with a slightly political overtone must be suppressed immediately."

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam was asked by reporters on May 31 whether it was illegal for citizens to show up in Victoria Park or light candles at home to commemorate what is referred to locally as June 4th. Lam said that any public events in Hong Kong, regardless of the purpose, must comply with legal requirements including the Hong Kong version of the national security law, social distancing measures and venue permits.

Ng believes that the Hong Kong government is being deliberately vague on what will be allowed.

"The Hong Kong government doesn't provide any clear explanation, so you don't dare to take any action," she said.

Even the Justice and Peace Commission of the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese, which has celebrated a June 4 memorial Mass since 1990, opted out of the event this year rather than risk violating the national security law.

Instead, the commission celebrated a "praying for Chinese churches Mass" on May 24, during which Cardinal Joseph Zen discussed the Catholic saints and popes who defied temporal rulers.

"I hope that even in the dark, we can still have faith and wait for the dawn," Zen said, urging attendees to pray for the massacre victims.

The Methodist Church, which has hosted June 4th prayer meetings, changed this years theme for its May 30 gathering to "seeking peace for the people" and limited attendance to parishioners.

The Rev. Yuen Tin Yau, former chairman of the Hong Kong Christian Council and president of the Methodist Church, told VOA Cantonese that people will commemorate June 4th despite the national security law.

"It doesn't matter if we don't use the name of June 4th," he said. "We all remember it in our hearts that there are sufferings in China and some parts of the world today, and we commemorate them. So I think we don't need to do it in the name of June 4th. In fact, everyone knows that we all start from June 4th, from our own country, and extend our care to the whole world."

The facts and spirit of June 4th will continue to be passed on, Poon believes, and shes pinning her hopes on Taiwan, a refuge now for many Hong Kongers, which is planning to hold the largest Tiananmen memorial in the Chinese-speaking world this year.

"Actually, there are still many 'visible' ways to mourn June 4th, such as hanging black cloth, lighting candles at home, and even sending text messages to each other over the phone," Poon said. "In case the 'visible' methods are not allowed, everyone should keep the word 'June 4th' at heart."

Poon added: "According to my observation, after the  protests in 2019, most Hong Kong people, especially young people, are striving for democracy, longing for freedom, and opposing autocracy. The most important thing is that we let young people know what June 4th is about. But without touching the red line the Hong Kong government sets."
The U.S. State Department on Thursday released its annual report to Congress on international religious freedom, singling out China, Russia, Myanmar, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and others for grievous violations.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ambassador-at-Large Rashad Hussain presented the report, citing China as one of the worst repeat offenders of violating basic rights in 2021. The report looks at religious freedoms in the nearly 200 countries around the world.

Rights groups and the U.S. government accuse Beijing of serious abuses of Uyghur rights, including torture, forced sterilization, sexual violence, forced separation of children from parents and widespread surveillance. More than a million Uyghurs, Kazakhs and members of other minority groups have been sent to detention camps.

China has dismissed the accusations as groundless and says Xinjiang enjoys stability, development and prosperity. Beijing has also lashed out at other nations for interfering in its internal affairs.

In September 2021, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva that her office was "finalizing its assessment of the available information on allegations of serious human rights violations in [Xinjiang] with a view to making it public."

In December, a spokesperson for Bachelet said the report would be released within a few weeks. The report still hasn't been made public.

Hussain told VOA's Persian Service, "We've made clear that we're really concerned about the delay in the report. The situation there is urgent, it needs to be addressed immediately."

The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

VOA: What are your thoughts on the U.N. human rights commissioner's visit to China and the delay in the long-awaited U.N. report on China's treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang?

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE HUSSAIN: We've made clear that we're really concerned about the delay in the report. The situation there is urgent, it needs to be addressed immediately, as we've done. China's been designated a "Country of Particular Concern" for a number of years. They continue to engage in genocide and crimes against humanity against the Uyghur population. But I should also note that China has been repressing other minority groups as well, including Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong, other Christians, Hui Muslims. With regard to China, we have, through Congress, passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which the president (Joe Biden) signed into law.

We've implemented a series of financial sanctions and visa restrictions. As you know, we made the decision not to have any diplomatic representation at the Olympics. So we're going to continue to use all of our tools available in our toolkit. I've been working, actually, very closely with OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) countries to make sure that they're doing everything that they should be doing to speak out about the situation in China. For far too long, a number of countries have remained silent in the face of Chinese oppression of the Uyghurs, and there's a number of countries around the world who routinely stand up for Muslim communities that are suffering and certainly that's the case in China. So a full range of diplomatic efforts, including bilaterally, multilaterally through sanctions, and also as we have done today, highlighting the plight and the evidence, the strong evidence of satellite imagery that we see of detention camps, of internment camps, the stories of those who have gone through the abuse that they've faced in the internment camps, those that have been able to escape. Those stories are stories that we document very clearly in our report. And it's something that we do for every country around the world. But the situation in China is urgent, and we continue to use all of our tools to address it.

VOA: With the history that you just mentioned, do you think it was the correct decision for U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to have traveled to China?

HUSSAIN: We've expressed our view on this issue a number of times. We believe that there should not be a delay in the release of her report. And unfortunately, due to the delay in the trip, the report has been delayed. It's very important to document the evidence that we know is there. We've seen it through so many sources. And even if you just look at the statements that the Chinese government has made, the PRC (People's Republic of China) has made, in conceding some of the conditions that exist there now shifted, shifted from a position where before they used to deny altogether anything was happening, and now they're moving more toward a position of trying to justify what's happening. So even by their own admission, there is significant evidence to be deeply concerned about the situation there.

VOA: The Chinese government frequently points to evidence of racism and discrimination in the U.S. when Beijing is being criticized for its own policies on religious freedom. Can you explain why the U.S. has the authority to call out the shortcomings for religious freedom and other human rights issues abroad when many see there's still a lot of work to be done in the U.S.?

HUSSAIN: I can speak to this issue very personally. I'm an attorney. I'm someone who has worked on civil rights issues, constitutional issues, issues involving terrorism, including cases where there's been violent extremism right here in the United States. The big difference is that, first of all, there's accountability in the United States from law enforcement. If you engage in a crime against a religious minority, that crime is investigated, that crime is prosecuted, you go in front of the jury, and when they find evidence beyond a reasonable doubt, there is a penalty for that. What we're concerned about in many countries around the world, including China, is when you have a government that itself has engaged in policies that are discriminatory, and when they've tolerated actions in society, without holding those that are responsible accountable. So here in the United States, we have a long history where we have made progress with regard to policies and ensuring nondiscrimination, including through landmark legislation, the 1964 Civil Rights Act, for example. Initiatives that we continue to implement today to seek equal protection under the law for all people. And when those laws were violated, we respond, and we take them very seriously.

VOA: Last month, a Christian student was stoned and burned to death in the northwestern city of Sokoto, Nigeria, after she allegedly blasphemed the Prophet Muhammad. Tensions rose across the country, which has a large number of Muslims and Christians. What role can the U.S. play in minimizing religious tensions, which have escalated as elections approach?

HUSSAIN: I'm very familiar with the unfortunate case of Deborah Samuel and made a statement on that last month. Our hearts go out to her family, and that type of violence is appalling and absolutely unacceptable. We've been in very close communication with the Nigerian government and with civil society in Nigeria. It's important that blasphemy laws are not used as the basis for allegations to attack individuals. It's important that they're not used as tools and legal proceedings to criminalize speech. And it's important that the government takes actions to hold perpetrators accountable. We have seen the government of Nigeria take action, but there are instances in which we've called on Nigeria to make sure that they're using the full extent of the law to prosecute those that engage in violence against religious minorities. It's important that we continue to work with civil society.

There are a number of religious leaders, for example, who have played such a strong role in trying to quell violence in Nigeria. There are religious leaders in Nigeria whom I've met with personally, both in Nigeria in the United States, Christian leaders and Muslim leaders who have said, "Enough is enough. We cannot use Islam, we cannot use any faith as a basis for interpretations that would justify violence against innocent people."

So there are a number of steps that we're taking, working with the government, working with civil society, including religious leaders working at the multilateral level, as well. And it's something that we have to remain persistent on because it's not, unfortunately, a situation that will change overnight.

VOA: Religious freedom in Iran has been violated by the Islamic Republic for the past four decades, despite continuous condemnations. What leverage does the U.S. have to put more pressure on Iran to observe the rights of religious minorities?

HUSSAIN: First of all, today's report is an opportunity to highlight the plight of the Iranian people who are facing persecution. We stand in support of the Iranian people. And when we document what is happening, that's an important first step. This is a unique report, unlike anything that's issued anywhere in the world. We have 2,600-plus pages meticulously going through the conditions that people face in Iran, whether it's the Baha'is or Christians or non-Shia Muslim population, we remain deeply concerned. That's why Iran continues to be designated as a "Country of Particular Concern." We always welcome the opportunity to take any steps that we can with governments around the world to improve the situation for religious communities to improve human rights overall. And we'll continue in our efforts to support civil society to speak out, to work with the international community on the situation in Iran, but there are also consequences for actions that violate human rights. And so we continue to use all the diplomatic tools that are available to us to address deeply concerning human rights situations.

VOA: But these diplomatic tools haven't really changed Iran's behavior.

HUSSAIN: Yeah, it's interesting to consider what might be the case if there was no one to shed light on what's happening in Iran, such as we do in our report, if there was no country or coalition of countries that continues to maintain pressure. So I would argue that the steps that we're taking, they do have an impact. We have to continue to take them. We have to continue to support the people of Iran. And to continue to use all the tools that are available. But, ultimately, the burden of responsibility lies on those who would target religious minorities or implement any discriminatory policies to take further action to help people that are there. We'll continue to do everything we can in our power.
Iran said Friday it will respond immediately to any "political" action at a looming meeting of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, after the U.S. vowed to join Europeans in urging Tehran's cooperation.

Iran's warning comes as talks to revive a hobbled 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic republic and world powers have been stalled since March and ahead of a pivotal meeting next week of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors.

The U.S. said Thursday that it will join Britain, France and Germany in seeking an IAEA resolution at that meeting, after the nuclear watchdog said Iran had not clarified questions about the presence of nuclear material found at three undeclared sites.

"Any political action by the United States and the three European countries in the IAEA would provoke without any doubt a proportional, effective and immediate response," Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said.

He was quoted in a statement by his ministry and made the comments in a telephone call with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the coordinator of talks to restore the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran and the IAEA had previously said that resolving the issue of the three sites is necessary for efforts to revive the deal.

The 2015 agreement gave Iran relief from crippling economic sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities, measures aimed at preventing it from developing an atomic bomb. Iran has always denied seeking such a weapon.

Iran warns Israel

The U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump and reimposed biting sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to roll back its nuclear commitments and leaving the agreement hanging by a thread.

Amir-Abdollahian said the move by Washington and the three European states in favor of a resolution is "an act contrary to diplomatic practice, hasty and unconstructive."

It will "make the process of negotiation more difficult and complicated," he added in the statement.

Efforts to restore the 2015 deal were already mired by the U.S. designation of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist organization  Tehran insists that the designation must be removed, but the U.S. says the blacklisting will remain.

Iran had warned Wednesday against "unconstructive action" at the IAEA and said that it would respond "firmly and appropriately."

On Thursday U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price confirmed that Washington planned to join its three allies "in seeking a resolution focused on the need for Iran to fully cooperate with the IAEA."

He said that the latest IAEA report raised "very serious concerns that Iran has failed to credibly respond" to the Vienna-based body's questions.

Amir-Abdollahian spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday, his ministry said.

He told his Russian counterpart, "parties that obstruct the diplomatic path will be held responsible for the consequences of adopting any anti-Iranian resolution at the IAEA meeting."

Russia, along with China, are also parties to Iran's 2015 agreement.

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned the head of the IAEA that Israel was prepared to use its "right to self-defense" to stop Iran's nuclear program.

He spoke after nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi met Bennett on Friday morning during a whirlwind visit that Amir-Abdollahian said contravened the IAEA's principle of neutrality.

Iran's nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri meanwhile issued his own warning to Israel.

"The Zionists may only be able to dream of striking Iran  and if that happens, it will be a dream from which they will never wake up!" he said on Twitter.

Israel and Iran are arch foes, and the Jewish state is staunchly opposed to the 2015 nuclear agreement, perceiving it as a threat to its security.

Tehran blames Israel for killing several of its nuclear scientists, most recently Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in late 2020.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Friday that Israel was prepared to use it's "right to self defense" to stop Iran's nuclear program.

The comments came after IAEA chief Rafael Grossi met Bennett Friday morning during a whirlwind visit.

Bennett's warning is a reiteration of Israeli vows to do whatever it takes to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb. It comes with tensions rising over stalled efforts to revive a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers aimed at preventing Iran from developing such a weapon.

Bennett said in a statement that he has made it clear that Israel prefers diplomacy, but "it reserves the right to self-defense and to action against Iran in order to block its nuclear program should the international community not succeed in the relevant time frame."

Grossi's visit came after the global nuclear watchdog on Monday said it still had questions which were "not clarified" despite long-running efforts to get Iran to explain the presence of nuclear material at three undeclared sites.

The issue of the sites is one of the remaining obstacles to reviving the 2015 deal which gave Iran relief from crippling economic sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities.

Experts consider Israel as the only nuclear power in the Middle East, though the country refuses to confirm or deny that it has such weapons.

Iran has always denied seeking a nuclear bomb.

Israel is staunchly opposed to the 2015 agreement which it perceives as a threat to its security.

In October Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said that, "If a terror regime is going to acquire a nuclear weapon, we must act." He added that Israel "reserves the right to act at any given moment in any way."

This week the Israeli army held military exercise over the Mediterranean and in the Red Sea. Israeli media reported the exercise simulated a wide-scale attack on Iran, including on its nuclear facilities.

When questioned by AFP on Thursday, the army did not comment on the nature of the drills, but confirmed that it prepares and trains "continuously for several scenarios including threats from Iran".
Myanmar's junta will execute a former lawmaker from Aung San Suu Kyi's party and a prominent democracy activist, both of whom were convicted of terrorism, in the country's first judicial executions since 1990, a spokesman told VOAs Burmese Service on Friday.

Four people, including former Member of Parliament Phyo Zeya Thaw and democracy activist Kyaw Min Yu, better known as Ko Jimmy, were sentenced to death, said Major General Zaw Min Tun, the juntas spokesperson.

Phyo Zeya Thaw, a member of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy who was arrested in November, was sentenced to death in January for offenses under anti-terrorism laws.

Ko Jimmy, a prominent democracy activist, received the same sentence from the military tribunal.

The final stage was to submit an appeal and it had to go through state leaders. We will proceed [with the execution] now that the head of the state upheld the ruling and this final process [of the appeal] is over, Zaw Min Tun said.

We will proceed according to prison procedure, and theres a procedure for carrying out death sentence.

Process assailed

Critics said the two men did not receive a fair trial.

First of all, its not a fair trial because [they] lost their legal rights to defend at the military tribunal. [They] also lost their rights to legal counsel during the appeal process, Min Lwin Oo, a Myanmar legal expert based in Norway, told VOAs Burmese Service.

Normally, the appeals process for death sentence takes up to three to five years through different courts and takes at least four to five years to go through state leaders. But such a fast-track process is unprecedented, he added.

Two other men, who were convicted and sentenced to death for killing a woman they alleged was an informer for the junta in Yangon, will also be executed, said Zaw Min Tun, adding that no date had been set for the executions.

If the executions go ahead, Phyo Zeya Thaw and Ko Jimmy will be the first political dissidents to be executed in the country since the 1970s.

Under military dictator General Ne Win, Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, carried out two death sentences over political offenses: ethnic Chin student leader Salai Tin Maung Oo was hanged by Ne Wins authoritarian regime at Yangons Insein Prison in 1976, and military Captain Ohn Kyaw Myint was executed in 1977.

Since last years coup, the military regime has handed down death sentences to 113 people for their roles in the armed resistance to the junta, according to VOAs Burmese Service, but none of these sentences have been carried out.

A spokesperson for Amnesty International called on the junta to "immediately drop such plans and for the international community to step up its efforts to intervene."

The junta's decision to "move towards executing two prominent political leaders will be like pouring gasoline on the fire of popular anti-military resistance in the country," said Phil Robertson, a deputy director of U.S.-based Human Rights Watch.

"Such a move will also lead to global condemnation and cement the junta's reputation as among the worst of the worst human rights abusers in Asia."

'Deeply troubled'

At the United Nations on Friday, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said: We are deeply troubled by the Myanmar military's decision to proceed with the execution of two pro-democracy activists after they received death sentences. This is a blatant violation of the right to life, liberty and security of person as per Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Phyo Zeya Thaw had been accused of orchestrating several attacks on regime forces, including a gun attack on a commuter train in Yangon in August that killed five police officers.

A hip-hop pioneer whose subversive rhymes irked the previous junta, he was jailed in 2008 for membership in an illegal organization and possession of foreign currency.

He was elected to parliament in the 2015 elections, which ushered in a transition to civilian rule.

The country's military alleged voter fraud during elections in 2020, which the NLD won by a landslide, as justification for its coup on February 1, 2021.

Suu Kyi has been detained since then and faces a slew of charges in a junta court that could see her face a prison sentence of more than 150 years.

Ko Jimmy, who rose to prominence during Myanmar's 1988 student uprising against the country's previous military regime, was arrested in an overnight raid in October.

The junta issued an arrest warrant for him last year, alleging he had incited unrest with his social media posts.
New Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Indonesia on Sunday, where trade and security will be high on the agenda. His trip comes as Australian foreign minister Penny Wong arrives in Tonga on Friday  part of the new government in Canberras boosting of efforts to counter Chinas growing ambitions in the Pacific.

Foreign policy has become a key focus of Australias new center-left government.

Australia and Indonesia have cooperated closely on terrorism and cybercrime. Last year, they agreed to expand combined military training exercises and education programs.

However, experts have said that bilateral trade has been falling, partly because of the COVID-19 pandemics impact on tourism but also because of a perceived lack of knowledge by Australian companies on how to do business in Indonesia. The large Muslim-dominated country is Australias 14th largest commercial partner.

Wong said Australia will continue to enhance relations with its regional partners.

All the nations in the region understand that we are in a time of great change and that our region is being reshaped and all nations are seeking to find their way through that in a way that accords with their interests, she said. Australias prime minister and foreign minister, she said, are going to put to the countries of the region our perspective on where those interests are shared and what work we can do to ensure they are preserved.

Before Wong flies to Indonesia, she will meet leaders in Samoa and Tonga -- her second visit to the South Pacific in just over a week as the new government in Canberra races to challenge Chinas diplomatic efforts.

Beijing recently signed a security deal with Solomon Islands, a geographically strategic archipelago northeast of Australia.

However, other island nations have rejected a trade and security pact promoted by the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi.

Some of the regions leaders were reported unwilling to agree to Chinas accord because they felt the process had been rushed.

Wang has insisted Beijing has no intention of competing with other countries for influence in the region. Wang Yis tour of the South Pacific is continuing Friday in Papua New Guinea.
New guidance aimed at streamlining the asylum process and removing cases from the backlogged U.S. immigration courts took effect this week along the U.S.-Mexico border, but only on a limited basis.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the rule in March. It applies only to those migrants seeking asylum at the border who were placed in expedited removal proceedings after May 31.

Individuals who qualify for asylum will receive protection more swiftly, and those who are not eligible will be promptly removed rather than remaining in the U.S. for years while their cases are pending, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement Thursday.

We are delivering justice quickly, while also ensuring due process, he added.

How does it work?

The first step is a credible fear interview. During this interview, asylum-seekers must convince a federal immigration officer that they have a well-founded fear of being persecuted in their home country because of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinions.

If they pass the credible fear interview, migrants will next be sent to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) asylum office in one of six U.S. cities for an asylum merits interview, where their credible fear interview is considered an asylum application.

The asylum merits interview is expected to take place within 21 to 45 days after the credible fear interview. After the asylum merits interview, an asylum officer will either approve or deny the migrants asylum request.

Migrants who are granted asylum can proceed to a permanent residence. Their asylum cases are completed within weeks instead of the four to five years that they take now because of an immigration court backlog of at least 1.6 million pending cases.

Who is affected by the new guidance?

Those affected are migrants who were placed in expedited removal proceedings after May 31, are being held in one of two immigration detention centers in Texas, have passed their credible fear interview, and have plans to move to one of the six U.S. cities where asylum merits interviews are conducted  Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, or Newark, New Jersey.

What does 'expedited removal' mean?

Expedited removal is a process that allows immigration officers to deport certain noncitizens quickly, without a hearing before a U.S. immigration judge.

Expedited removal can apply to migrants who are being processed at a port of entry, have entered the United States unlawfully, or cannot prove to a U.S. immigration officer that they have been in the country for at least two years. The process can also apply to immigrants who have committed fraud or misrepresentation.

Immigration officers can apply expedited removal to individuals who entered the U.S. without authorization, were encountered within 100 miles of the Mexican or Canadian border, and were apprehended within two weeks of their arrival to the U.S.

What happens if an immigration officer denies an asylum application?

If a USCIS officer does not grant asylum, the agency will refer the case to an immigration court for streamlined removal proceedings.

There will be specific dockets for these proceedings in these six U.S. cities: Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Newark, New Jersey.

During the process, an immigration judge will review the migrants asylum application and decide whether to grant asylum or agree that the migrant is not eligible for protection under credible fear rules. The judge will then issue a deportation order, and the migrant is expected to expeditiously be removed from the United States.

Who supports the policy? Who opposes it?

Though the rule went into effect May 31, its fate remains uncertain. Texas filed a lawsuit against the new rule in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Texas, Amarillo Division, on April 28, but it did not affect the rollout of the guidance.

On the same day, 20 Republican-led state attorneys general filed a second lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Louisiana, Lafayette Division.

Both lawsuits argue that immigration judges must make asylum decisions. And both argue that the new guidance will encourage more people to come to the southern border, even though the guidance does not change the initial processing at the border.

Federal judges in Texas and Louisiana did not rule on the states request to block the rule from going into effect, which means it will stay in effect for months before a decision.

Immigration advocates, however, criticized the guidance, saying it does not give migrants enough opportunity to assemble an asylum case and appeal eventual denials.
The tiny African nation of eSwatini is officially holding its first set of elections Friday under its new name, which was bestowed by the king in April. Critics say this poll is nothing but a pretense of democracy in the state, that was known as Swaziland, until the king unilaterally changed the name to celebrate the nation's 50th anniversary of independence from Britain.

Voters will choose 55 parliamentarians to fill the lower house in this nation of some 1.3 million people. King Mswati III, who has ruled since 1986 with unlimited constitutional powers, gets to choose another 10 legislators.

VOA made multiple attempts to reach government officials to discuss the elections, but calls and messages were not returned. The governments official website makes no pretense of eSwatini being an ordinary democracy, describing the king as being born to rule, and the only absolute monarch in Africa who rules his country with a firm hand.

'Is there any freedom?'

Political activist Kenneth Kunene, the general-secretary of the nations Communist Party, says he is not sorry to be missing this historic occasion. Political parties like his are banned from participating in elections. And since 2005, he has lived in exile just outside the enclave nation, which is surrounded on all sides by South Africa and Mozambique. Rights groups have frequently criticized the government for curbing freedoms and rights, and Kunene says he agrees.

In Swaziland, is there any freedom of expression?" he told VOA. "People, they want to express themselves, they are shot dead, they are beaten, they are silenced, and others are forced to leave the county in whatever way. And so, under such circumstances, can there be elections? We say no.

Taking to the streets

In recent days, Swazis have expressed themselves in large numbers, with hundreds of public sector workers taking to the streets of the nations four largest towns to demand higher wages and government reforms. In the commercial hub of Manzini, they were met with police force, including stun grenades and beatings, which drew condemnation from rights groups.

Chris Ngwenya, an organizer from the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress, was there. He says these protests are about far more than just wages and work conditions  they are, he said, political as well.

The workers are also, you know, demonstrating, or venting out against, the high levels of unemployment that are prevailing in the country amidst the grand corruption that we see," he told VOA. "Workers are also reflecting their frustrations with the shortages of drugs and medications in hospitals. Workers are also, you know, showing their displeasure with the way the country is being governed.

One man

Like Kunene, Ngwenya says he holds little hope of change with this poll. His party, the country's oldest, says only one thing can bring real change. And like everything in this tiny nation, it all comes down to one mans decision.

Our view has been that that the monarch must modernize," he said. "Our view has been that the king must relinquish, you know, certain political power. Our view has been that the powers of the monarch need to be curtailed so that the power to govern, or the power to actually form a government, can rest with the majority of the people.
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. Armenia highly appreciates the cooperation with the European Union, Vice Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan said during the meeting with the delegation led by the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar, the Parliaments press service said.

The Head of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin was also present at the meeting.

The sides exchanged ideas on the settlement process of the relations between Armenia and Turkey. Ruben Rubinyan presented the positions and the priorities of the Republic of Armenia.

Toivo Klaar underlined that the EU is interested in promoting the advancement of the process.

The interlocutors discussed the regional situation, highlighted the establishment of peace and stability in the South Caucasus.
Horse-loving Queen Elizabeth was thanked for being "in the saddle" for 70 years as head of state at a service on Friday to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, an event she missed due to her "mobility issues."

Other senior members of the royal family joined a congregation of politicians, charity figures and groups the queen has supported for the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London to pay tribute to the sovereign's record-breaking reign.

Four days of celebrations began on Thursday when a beaming Elizabeth waved to crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after a military parade and Royal Air Force flypast. She later led the lighting of the Principal Platinum Jubilee Beacon at her Windsor Castle home near London.

The 96-year-old, who has been forced to cancel a series of engagements recently due to an "episodic mobility problem," reluctantly pulled out of Friday's service after experiencing "some discomfort" the previous day, the palace said.

Elizabeth, who is a devout Christian and also the titular head of the Church of England, watched the service on television at Windsor Castle.

Her son and heir Prince Charles, 73, represented her, while much attention was focused on her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who were making their first public appearance together in Britain since stepping down from royal duties two years ago.

The couple moved to the United States to lead a more independent life, and have since delivered some stinging attacks on Buckingham Palace and the royal family. They were greeted by cheers and a few boos by fans outside, while members of the congregation strained to catch a glimpse as they walked through the cathedral.

Endurance

Noting the queen's well-known love of horse-racing, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said in his sermon that her reign reflected the distance of the Grand National, the famous, grueling steeplechase, rather than the Epsom Derby sprint.

"But with endurance through times of change and challenge, joy and sorrow, you continue to offer yourself in the service of our country and the Commonwealth," he said.

"Your Majesty, we are sorry that you're not here with us this morning, but we are so glad that you are still in the saddle. And we are glad that there is still more to come. So thank you for staying the course."

Buckingham Palace later confirmed the queen would also miss Saturday's 243rd Epsom Derby, which she normally attends and which together with a pop concert outside Buckingham Palace will be the focal point of the third day of Jubilee celebrations.

As with the service, she will watch the Derby on television.

Also absent from Friday's service was her second son, Prince Andrew, 62, who has tested positive for COVID-19.

That spared the royals some awkwardness, with Andrew's reputation shattered after he settled a U.S. lawsuit in February in which he had been accused of sexually abusing a woman when she was underage, claims he denied.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who delivered a reading, was also met by a mixture of cheers and boos from the crowd outside the cathedral, reflecting recent public anger over his conduct in office.

Yvonne Thomas, who had traveled from east London, said she loved the queen but felt Harry and Meghan had been disrespectful towards the monarch with their criticism of the institution. "I think they should be more supportive towards her," she said.

Others in the crowd were delighted to see the couple return, along with the rest of the family. "While I am disappointed the queen is not here today, she deserves a day off," said Akachi Okoro, 45, who had traveled from Scotland.

After the service, the Lord Mayor of the City of London hosted a reception at the medieval Guildhall that was attended by most of the senior royals, Johnson and his ministers.

Thursday marked not only the start of the Jubilee, but also the 69th anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth, who became queen on the death of her father George VI in February 1952 and is head of state of 14 other countries including Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

She has now been on the throne for longer than any of her predecessors in 1,000 years, and is the third-longest reigning monarch ever of a sovereign state. Opinion polls show she remains hugely popular and respected among British people.

Tributes have poured in from across the globe, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un adding his own congratulations to those from the likes of U.S. President Joe Biden and Pope Francis.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said it was summoning the heads of U.S. media outlets in Moscow to a meeting this Monday to notify them of tough measures in response to U.S. restrictions against Russian media.

"If the work of the Russian media - operators and journalists - is not normalized in the United States, the most stringent measures will inevitably follow," ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Friday.

"To this end, on Monday, June 6, the heads of the Moscow offices of all American media will be invited to the press center of the Russian Foreign Ministry to explain to them the consequences of their government's hostile line in the media sphere," she added. "We look forward to it."

Russia has accused Western countries of imposing unfair restrictions on its media abroad, including bans on some state-backed news outlets. Lawmakers passed a bill last month giving prosecutors powers to shut foreign media bureaus in Moscow if a Western country has been "unfriendly" to Russian media.

Since invading Ukraine in February, Russia has cracked down on media coverage of the conflict, introducing 15-year prison sentences for journalists spreading intentionally "fake" news about what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine.

The law prompted some Western media to pull their journalists out of Russia. Other Western organizations, including Reuters, have stayed in the country and continue to report.

Russia says it is engaged in a "special military operation" to disarm and "denazify" its neighbor. Ukraine and allies call this a baseless pretext for a war that has killed thousands, flattened cities, and forced more than 6 million people to flee abroad.
An auto repair garage in Saudi Arabia is turning to an untapped source for new car mechanics: Saudi women, who just four years ago weren't even allowed to drive.

At the Petromin Express garage in Jeddah, on the Red Sea coast, new female recruits check oil and change tires alongside their male counterparts, part of a nationwide push to bring more women into the workforce.



Yet the women trainees have, perhaps inevitably, encountered a host of barriers as they enter a field that is male-dominated the world over  and even more so in the conservative Muslim kingdom.



Several told AFP their first months on the job have brought flashes of self-doubt, skepticism from relatives and outright hostility from some customers.



One "old man" who came by the garage immediately ordered all the women out, saying he didn't want them going near his car, recalled recruit Ghada Ahmad.

"At the beginning, it's normal not to trust us, because I'm a woman and he doesn't trust my work as a woman," said Ahmad, wearing grease-streaked white gloves and a long blue overcoat.



"It's something new for them ... After years of only seeing men, now comes a woman."



As she struggled to learn the basics, Ahmad had moments when she wondered if such men might have a point.



"I used to go home with swollen hands, crying and saying: 'This job is not for me. It looks like their words were correct,'" she recalled.



But as her skills improved, so did her confidence  aided by other customers who were more encouraging.



"One man came and said: 'I'm very proud of you. You are honoring us. You are a crown on our heads.'"



Helpful husbands



Expanding women's rights is central to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 agenda, intended to diversify the oil-dependent economy while softening Saudi Arabia's radical image.



The highest-profile change came in 2018, when Prince Mohammed, the kingdom's de facto ruler, oversaw the end of a decades-old ban on women driving.

The country has also eased so-called "guardianship" rules that give men arbitrary authority over female relatives.



These moves have burnished Prince Mohammed's reputation as a women's rights champion, despite a crackdown on dissent that has ensnared some of the very activists pushing for reform.



Yet women mechanics in Jeddah told AFP they could never have started working without their husbands' consent.



Ola Flimban, a 44-year-old mother of four, first heard about the jobs from a social media post, and immediately asked her husband, Rafat Flimban, if she could apply.

Rafat agreed and helped his wife prepare for the interview by teaching her the names of spare parts.



"Now she has experience in different car types, how to change oil, how to check cars. She's even checking my car," he said.

The support at home has made it easier for Ola to deal with wary customers at the garage.



"They are surprised that girls work in this field and ask us to explain how we fell in love with this field," she said.



"That is the most common question."



As she spoke, 20-year-old Mechaal drove up in his silver sedan for an oil change.

He admitted being "shocked" that the task would be carried out by a woman, but he soon came around.



"If they are here, it must mean they are trained," he said, "and maybe they understand my car better than me."



Petromin vice president Tariq Javed said his company was "confident that this initiative will encourage more women to join the automotive industry in all stages".



The company says its training covers "all express services, including oil, battery, tires, A/C, and other automotive requirements".



'We make girls feel relaxed'



Perhaps the biggest winners from the firm's initiative are the city's women drivers.



"We make girls feel relaxed when we operate on their cars," said 30-year-old Angham Jeddawi, who has been at the garage for six months.



"Some girls feel shy when dealing with men. They don't know how to talk with them, and they don't know what will be done with the car. But with us they are free to talk a lot."



For Jeddawi, the job has fulfilled a lifelong goal she once thought impossible.

"My dream was to enter the automobile sector, but for a Saudi woman this field was not available. So, when the opportunity came, I applied straight away," she said.



The knowledge she's gained has encouraged her to hit the road herself.

She has been studying for her driving test and hopes to have a license within a month.



"If I face a problem in the middle of the road, now I know how to react," she said.


The United States has targeted al-Qaida-linked fighters in Somalia, launching its first airstrike since announcing U.S. special operations forces would again be based in the Horn of Africa nation.



Somalia's Ministry of Information announced the airstrike Friday on Twitter, saying it had targeted al-Shabab militants near Beer Xaani, west of the southern city of Kismayo, after they had attacked Somali forces.



Initial estimates indicated that five al-Shabab fighters were killed and that there were no civilian casualties, the Somali announcement said.





So far, neither the Pentagon nor U.S. Africa Command has shared any details about the incident.



Friday's airstrike against al-Shabab is the first since the U.S. announced in mid-May that it would reestablish what it described as a "small, persistent U.S. military presence" in Somalia, following a December 2020 decision by the previous U.S. administration to pull out troops that had been stationed in the country.



Senior U.S. administration officials last month called the decision by former President Donald Trump to end the persistent U.S. presence in Somalia a mistake, arguing it gave al-Shabab, already seen as the largest, wealthiest and most dangerous al-Qaida affiliate, a chance to regenerate.



Al-Shabab "has unfortunately only grown stronger," a senior U.S. official told reporters. "It has increased the tempo of its attacks, including against U.S. personnel."



Pentagon officials have described the move, which will see fewer than 500 U.S. special operators working out of Somalia, as a repositioning, noting U.S. troops had been flying into the country to periodically work with the Somali military.



New Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud welcomed the change, thanking U.S. President Joe Biden on social media.

Like a number of high-profile U.S. military officials, some Somali officials had been lobbying for the return of a U.S. military presence to help with the fight against al-Shabab.



"This was a wrong decision taken. Withdrawal was a hasty decision," a senior adviser to Mohamud told VOA, ahead of the official announcement about the return of the U.S. presence.



"It disrupted counterterrorism operations," said the Somali adviser, who asked not to be named because his position in the administration had not yet been made public. "To reinstate and start with the new president is the right decision, and it came at the right time."



Somali officials have also said they hope a persistent U.S. military presence in Somalia will lead to an uptick in airstrikes against the group.



So far this year, U.S. Africa Command has publicly confirmed only one airstrike, on February 22, against al-Shabab fighters near Duduble, Somalia. It has not yet commented on the strike reported Friday by Somali authorities.



It is not clear how many, if any, U.S. forces are currently operating in Somalia. Senior U.S. officials said last month it would "take a little bit of time to reach that full implementation stage."



Intelligence estimates from United Nations member states and shared earlier this year put the number of al-Shabab fighters at close to 12,000 while warning the al-Qaida affiliate has been raising as much as $10 million a month to fund its activities.
Following her long-anticipated trip to China, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's statement concerning the treatment of minority groups in Xinjiang prompted strong criticism from commenters on social media and in Western governments.

In a May 28 press conference, Bachelet emphasized that her trip to China was not an investigation but an opportunity to discuss human rights issues with senior officials and "pave the way" for continued talks. She then praised China for its work on poverty and gender equality.

"In the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, I have raised questions and concerns about the application of counterterrorism and deradicalization measures and their broad application  particularly their impact on the rights of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities," her statement said.

Bachelet made a "mockery of the U.N. Human Rights Office by adopting Beijing's narrative, said Rushan Abbas, founder and executive director of the Washington-based organization Campaign for Uyghurs.

"Bachelet parrots CCP [Chinese Communist Party] talking points like 'anti-terrorism' and 'deradicalization.' Co-opting Beijing's 'anti-terrorism' narrative legitimizes China's genocide," Abbas said in an email to VOA.

Rights groups and some Western countries accuse China of crimes against humanity that include detaining more than 1 million Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim ethnic minorities in camps and subjecting them to torture, sterilization and forced labor, accusations that China has denied. Beijing has described the facilities as vocational education and training centers.

Following her visit, Bachelet said Chinese government officials assured her that the centers have "been dismantled."

Social media response

In a tweet, Abbas said that Bachelet neglected her mandate, and she demanded that Bachelet resign.

Nikki Haley, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, tweeted that Bachelet "should be fired for looking the other way on genocide during her Chinese propaganda tour."

On Wednesday, the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China said in a tweet that Bachelet failed to speak on behalf of "repressed Uyghurs" and urged the U.N. rights chief to release a report on Xinjiang and "speak honestly" at the next U.N. human rights session about how Uyghurs are being treated in China. "Barring that, she should be replaced when her term expires in September."

Last September, Bachelet said her office was finalizing a report on allegations of "serious human rights violations" in Xinjiang.

UN response

Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, or OHCHR, said that as with all reports by the office, once it is final, the "report will be shared with the authorities for factual comments" before publication.

"The report will need to be updated with our interactions and observations from the visit," Throssell told VOA in an email.

"I thought that she [Bachelet] knows what it is like to be a political prisoner, tortured and tormented for her beliefs and for who she is," Abbas told VOA. "Therefore, I had some positive expectations of her."

As a member of the Youth Socialist group in Chile in the 1970s, Bachelet was imprisoned, along with her mother, under Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet's military regime. Her father died after being tortured in 1974. She was president of Chile for two terms before being named as U.N. high commissioner for human rights in September 2018.

Last month, after nearly four years of discussions with Beijing and requests for "unfettered access" to Xinjiang, the OHCHR announced that Bachelet and her team would conduct an "official visit to China" that included the cities of Urumqi and Kashgar in Xinjiang May 23-28. The visit was the first by an OHCHR head in 17 years.

Bachelet, however, did not get unfettered access. "Access was limited, in part because of the need for a COVID 'bubble' arrangement," Throssell told VOA in an email, adding that during Bachelet's time in Xinjiang, she was "accompanied by [Chinese] government officials who were part of the 'bubble' and attended all the meetings and visits" with her.

During her visit to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, Chinese authorities announced COVID-19 lockdown measures in the city's mostly Uyghur district, according to Chinese media.

Western governments' response

On Monday, the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office issued a statement saying, "China's failure to grant such access only serves to highlight their determination to hide the truth."

Germany expressed disappointment and requested that Bachelet's office publish a report on the situation in Xinjiang "as soon as possible."

Last Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken released a statement saying the U.S. "remains concerned about" Bachelet and her team's visit and Beijing's "efforts to restrict and manipulate" her visit.

"We are concerned the conditions Beijing authorities imposed on the visit did not enable a complete and independent assessment of the human rights environment in the PRC [People's Republic of China], including in Xinjiang, where genocide and crimes against humanity are ongoing," Blinken said.

China's response

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the accusations of human rights violations in Xinjiang were "lies and rumors" and accused the U.S. of turning "a blind eye and a deaf ear to the facts and truth" about Xinjiang.

"The U.S. rehashed the false claims that had already been debunked countless times in an attempt to smear and attack China," Zhao said at a press briefing in Beijing on Monday.

He called accusations of a restrictive China visit "new lies," saying "all the activities and arrangements of High Commissioner Bachelet during her stay in China were decided in accordance with her will and based on full consultation of the two sides."

On Monday, Liu Pengyu, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, tweeted that Bachelet's "visit achieved positive concrete results."

In the past, Beijing, through its state-run media, had said the measures in Xinjiang were "not about human rights, ethnicity or religion" but about fighting "violent terrorism and separatism."

OHCHR has not announced the release date of the report on human rights in Xinjiang.
A new United Nations-supported survey has concluded that 1.3 million Afghan refugees are residing in neighboring Pakistan, about 100,000 fewer than the figure officially used until now.

An official statement said Friday the government had completed the survey, officially known as the Documentation Renewal and Information Verification Exercise (DRIVE), with the help of the U.N. refugee agency.

Officials explaining the revised figures said that some Afghan families either did not seek to renew refugee status for unknown reasons, or might have simply returned to Afghanistan.

The data of Afghans was not updated in the last 10 years, therefore it was imperative to verify and update records which will enable us to better understand existing needs in the refugee communities, said Saleem Khan, the chief commissioner for Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

As part of the verification exercise, documenters gave so-called smart identity cards to close to one million Afghans. Officials said the cards, which are valid until June 30th of next year, are meant to protect and safeguard the displaced populations interests as legitimate refugees in Pakistan, enabling them to access humanitarian aid and other benefits.

They provide proof of identity, entitlement to temporary stay in Pakistan, and freedom of movement. They facilitate access to certain essential services, including education, healthcare, banking, property rental and allied facilities, explained Noriko Yoshida, UNHCRs representative to Pakistan.

The survey found that more than half of the 1.3 million registered Afghan refugees reside in the northwestern border province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The DRIVE exercise found that more than half (52%) of the registered refugee population are children, including 197,428 (15%) being four years of age or under. Only 4% of those registered are 60 years of age or older. Women, children and older people represent 76% of the population, according to the statement.

The exercise also allowed for the registration of some 267,000 newborn children of registered Afghan refugees, describing it as an important step for the protection of the youngest members of the refugee community.

The survey, officials said, would facilitate support for those refugees who decide to return home when conditions in Afghanistan allow. The smart cards, meanwhile, allow Afghans to open accounts in Pakistani banks and receive remittances from relatives working in Persian Gulf and Western countries to meet their economic needs.

The Afghan refugees in Pakistan are among several million people who fled decades of conflict and persecution in Afghanistan, starting with the Soviet Unions invasion of the country in 1979.

Many returned to Afghanistan soon after the United States-led Western military alliance invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 and dislodged the countrys repressive Taliban rulers.

The fundamentalist Islamist group regained power last August just before the final U.S.-led foreign troops chaotically withdrew from the county, prompting hundreds of thousands of Afghans to flee for fear of Taliban reprisals.

Pakistani officials report more than 300,000 Afghans have entered Pakistan since the Taliban takeover. Around 100,000 of them arrived on valid visas while the rest crossed over the border illegally.

Islamabad refuses to treat these Afghans as refugees and wants them to leave Pakistan, saying the country already hosts one of worlds largest and oldest refugee populations and its troubled economy cannot sustain the pressure of new refugees.

The U.N. has repeatedly warned that humanitarian conditions have worsened in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover and financial sanctions on Kabul have pushed the countrys war-hit national economy to the brink of collapse.
Editor's note: Here is a fast take on what the international community has been up to this past week, as seen from the United Nations perch.

Russia's war in Ukraine reaches 100-day mark

Friday marks the 100th day of fighting since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian troops control about one-fifth of his country's territory. U.N. Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine Amin Awad said in a statement that "this war will have no winner." Awad said nearly 14 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes  mostly women and children. More than 3 million children have seen their education suspended and 15.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. He urged the parties to end the war "now."

Yemen truce extended for two months

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the extension of a two-month truce in Yemen for another two months on Thursday. During the initial truce, negotiated by his envoy, Hans Grundberg, civilian casualties have decreased, fuel deliveries through Hodeida port have increased, and some roads have reopened. The first commercial flights in nearly six years have also resumed from Sana'a airport.

Yemen Warring Parties Agree to Extend Truce for 2 Months

COVID-19 on rise in North Korea

The World Health Organization expressed concern Wednesday that a COVID-19 outbreak in North Korea is likely getting worse. Pyongyang has claimed to some international skepticism that it is the country's first outbreak since the coronavirus pandemic started sweeping the planet in 2020.

WHO: COVID Most Likely Getting Worse' in North Korea

In brief

 Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has deployed two teams, led by humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths and UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, to help negotiate a package deal for the safe and secure export of Ukrainian-produced food through the Black Sea, along with unimpeded access of Russian food and fertilizers to global markets, especially in developing countries. The two were in Moscow this week and Grynspan also traveled to Washington to meet officials there.

 The U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine will make its first trip to the country June 7-16. The U.N. Office of Human Rights said Friday that the three commissioners plan to visit several cities, including Lviv, Kyiv, Kharkiv and Sumy, to gather "first-hand information on alleged human rights violations and abuses, and international humanitarian law violations, and to meet with victims, witnesses and internally displaced persons."

 The U.N. Children's Fund, UNICEF, warned Wednesday that nearly 100 days of war in Ukraine has left 3 million children inside the country and more than 2.2 million in refugee-hosting countries in need of humanitarian assistance. Verified reports from the U.N. Human Rights Office found that on average more than two children are killed and more than four injured everyday day in the conflict.

 Four U.N. peacekeepers from Jordan were injured, and one subsequently died of his wounds, when their logistics convoy was ambushed Wednesday near Kidal in northern Mali. On Friday, two peacekeepers from Egypt were killed when their armored personnel carrier hit an improvised explosive device on a road in the Mopti region. The mission, known by its acronym MINUSMA, has sustained six attacks since May 22.

 U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield traveled to the Syrian-Turkish border this week. She visited the Bab al-Hawa border crossing, which connects southern Turkey with northwestern Syria, and is the sole remaining international crossing that humanitarians can use to get vital aid to millions of civilians living in areas outside government control. Russia has wanted to shutter the crossing for some time, arguing that aid moved across lines of conflict inside the country and controlled by Damascus is sufficient. The U.N. Security Council will have to decide in early July whether to continue authorizing access via Bab al-Hawa or end it. Several countries, including the United States, would like to see cross-border access expanded.

What we are watching next week

On June 8, the U.N. General Assembly is scheduled to hold a meeting on the recent veto by China and Russia of a draft Security Council resolution sanctioning North Korea for a series of prohibited missile launches. It will be the first time a plenary is held on the use of the veto since the assembly adopted a resolution on April 26, calling for such meetings when one of the permanent five members of the council (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States) exercises its veto privilege. China and Russia's envoys will have the opportunity to explain their governments' decisions at the session.
More than three months into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. Justice Department is girding for more Russian cyberattacks, the department's top national security official said Thursday.

"At DOJ, were particularly focused right now on the cyberthreat from Russia," said Matthew Olsen, head of the Justice Department's National Security Division. "And we are bracing for the possibility of more attacks."

Olsen made the remarks at a conference of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence. The Tallinn, Estonia-based organization this week approved Ukraine's bid to join as a "contributing participant."

Olsen's comments echoed repeated warnings by the Biden administration throughout the Ukraine conflict that Russia is likely to carry out cyberattacks against the United States in response to punishing Western sanctions on Moscow.

In March, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned about "possible threats to U.S. and international satellite communication networks."

The warning came after a purported Russian cyberattack on U.S.-based telecommunications provider Viasat on February 24, the day Russia invaded Ukraine.

The attack affected several thousand customers in Ukraine and tens of thousands of others across Europe, the company said in a statement on March 30.

The attack, Olsen said, was "one of numerous recent examples" of Russian malicious cyberactivity.

SolarWinds attack

In a massive cyberattack in late 2020, Russian hackers exploited software developed by U.S.-based SolarWinds Corporation to compromise the computer networks of multiple U.S. government agencies and private companies.

In response, the Biden administration last year expelled 10 Russian diplomats and imposed sanctions on several Russian individuals and entities.

Olsen said the Justice Department is working with other law enforcement agencies and private companies to respond to cyberthreats.

"We are determined to hold accountable those who target and attempt to destroy the computer systems that support our critical infrastructure," Olsen said.

In March, the Justice Department announced criminal charges against four Russian government employees in connection with two hacking campaigns that targeted the global energy sector between 2012 and 2018.

In addition to prosecuting hackers, the Justice Department has "taken more proactive steps to disrupt nation-state cyberthreats before a significant attack or intrusion can occur," Olsen said.

He cited a 2021 court-authorized operation by the Justice Department to disrupt a Chinese hacking group's exploitation of vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Exchange Server.

Olsen did not say whether the U.S. has taken any proactive steps against Russian cyber actors during the Ukraine conflict. But General Paul Nakasone, head of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, told Sky News on Wednesday that the U.S. had conducted offensive cyber operations in support of Ukraine during the three-month-old war.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that tens of thousands of Viasat's Ukrainian customers lost service.
American children under age 5 could receive their first COVID-19 vaccines as early as June 21, the White House's top COVID official said Thursday  if the two vaccines under review are approved by both U.S. government bodies responsible for such authorizations.

"We know that many, many parents are eager to vaccinate their youngest kids," said White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha. "And it's important to do this right. And that's what this process has been all about."

Starting Friday, he said, the federal government will make 10 million doses available for order by states, pharmacies, community health centers and federal entities. Once the Food and Drug Administration approves the vaccine, those doses can be shipped, and once the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives its approval, children can start to get vaccinated. He predicted that if the process unfolds smoothly, children could begin receiving shots on June 21.

Currently, only children 5 or older are eligible for two-dose vaccines and for booster shots. If the vaccine is approved, the doses will be smaller than adult doses, Jha said, and the government has encouraged suppliers to make vaccinations available outside work and school hours, so parents can easily access them.

"We are prepared," said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. "We're working with states, local health departments, pediatricians, family doctors, other health providers and pharmacies to get ready, as we did with kids that are between 5 and 11. So we want to make sure that we get this done swiftly but also safely and ... follow CDC recommendations."

Last month, during the Quad leaders summit in Tokyo, the U.S. committed to providing COVID-19 boosters and pediatric doses to countries in greatest need, including in the Indo-Pacific. But it's not clear whether the administration has firm plans to donate the vaccines for young children at this point.

"One of the things that the Quad partners are committed to is making sure that doses are safe and effective, and not trying to do anything to try and prejudge the approval process," a senior administration official told VOA.

Moderna asked for authorization for pediatric vaccines in late April; Pfizer asked last month. The most recent survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 18% of parents of under-5 children will get their children vaccinated quickly. But 38% say they will wait and observe how others take the vaccine. And another 38% say they will either "definitely not" pursue the vaccine or will do so only if required.

Johns Hopkins University, a leading tracker of the pandemic, notes that parental uptake of child vaccinations has been "stubbornly slow," with less than 30% of children receiving the vaccine.

"The consistent message throughout the pandemic has been that the virus is mild for children," said Rupali Limaye, deputy director of the International Vaccine Access Center.

The CDC emphasizes that the child-sized vaccine is safe and effective.

While severe cases among children are less prevalent than among adults, the CDC notes that since the pandemic began, COVID-19 has taken the lives of 479 American children under age 5.

Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry reacted angrily on Thursday to the announcement that, later this month, the Biden administration will begin enforcing a new law barring products made with forced labor in China's Xinjiang province from being imported to the United States.



The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which President Joe Biden signed into law in December, is set to take effect June 21. Under the law, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will treat any goods that are made in Xinjiang, either wholly or in part, as the product of forced labor unless the importer can show "clear and convincing evidence" that they are not.



The law passed with strong bipartisan support, as lawmakers from both parties joined to condemn China's treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority. The U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and an array of human rights groups have accused China of perpetrating genocide against Uyghurs, with a regime that includes mass imprisonment and forced labor, vast "reeducation" camps, forced sterilization, blanket surveillance and the separation of children from families.

China reacts



China has denied the allegations against it in forceful terms, and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian repeated those denials Thursday when he condemned the U.S. announcement that the UFLPA would soon come into force.



"We have rebuked U.S. lies on Xinjiang many times," he said at a news conference. "The so-called Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, in disregard of facts, maliciously smears the human rights conditions in China's Xinjiang, grossly interferes in China's internal affairs, gravely violates international law and basic norms governing international relations, and violates market rules and commercial ethics."



Zhao warned of dire consequences that, he said, would follow from the law's being allowed to take effect.



"If implemented, the act will seriously disrupt normal cooperation between Chinese and American businesses, undermine the stability of global supply chains and eventually hurt the U.S.s own interests," he said. "We urge the U.S. to refrain from enforcing the act, stop using Xinjiang-related issues to interfere in China's internal affairs and contain China's development. If the U.S. is bent on doing so, China will take forceful measures to firmly defend its own interests and dignity."



China's potential response



The Biden administration has given no indication that it would consider seeing the law go unenforced. On Wednesday, in a webinar about the new law, a Customs and Border Protection official said, "The expectation is that we will be ready to implement the Uyghur Act on June 21, and that we have the resources."



How China will respond is not immediately obvious, but some sort of reaction is almost certain, said Marcus Noland, executive vice president and director of studies at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.



"The Chinese play hardball," Noland told VOA. "They use what you might call legal means, they abuse legal means, and they use extralegal means in terms of economic coercion or retaliation, oftentimes linked to noneconomic issues."



In the past, he said, Beijing has used "anti-dumping" sanctions to retaliate for what it has seen as political slights. For example, it imposed sanctions on Australian barley, beef and wine in what was widely seen as retaliation over an Australian call to probe the origins of COVID-19 on mainland China. Beijing restricted imports of Norwegian salmon after the Nobel Committee gave the Nobel Peace Prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiao Bao.



Noland said the U.S. might see those types of retaliatory sanctions. However, he said, Beijing might resort to something more complex, such as demanding that Chinese firms break the embargoes the U.S. and its allies have imposed on Russia for the invasion of Ukraine.



US businesses concerned



U.S. companies that do business in China are concerned about the looming implementation of the UFLPA, said Doug Barry, a vice president with the U.S.-China Business Council, in an email exchange with VOA.

The law creates what is known as a "rebuttable presumption" that goods with ties to Xinjiang were produced with forced labor. This means that unless an importer can prove to the satisfaction of Customs and Border Protection that the goods are not made with forced labor, they will be subject to seizure, forfeiture, fines and other penalties.



This creates "a high bar" for importers to clear, Barry said, and the rules importers must observe remain in question.



"The specifics of what must be proven and how have not been announced, leaving American companies to worry that cargo may be seized for unspecified reasons," he said. "Companies insist that they take every reasonable action to ensure supply chains don't involve forced labor. The worry is that the law is so broad that it can apply to many categories of goods regardless of proximity to Xinjiang."



The uncertainty is made worse by what Barry described as the "amped-up rhetoric" coming from both Washington and Beijing.



"In the absence of official dialogue, [it] makes it difficult to put a floor under the downward trajectory of the bilateral relationship."



Labor investigation demanded



Also on Thursday, the United States, Canada, the U.K., Australia and the European Union asked the International Labor Organization, an arm of the United Nations, to launch a probe into whether China is abiding by its commitments to international labor conventions that Beijing has ratified.



The countries cited reports of mistreatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang in general, and of prisoners being subject to forced labor in particular.



"We call on the PRC to immediately end its discriminatory policies and abuses against minority groups," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva Sheba Crocker said in a statement.



Crocker called on China to "provide full and unhindered access, including meaningful, unrestricted and unsupervised access to all relevant organizations, individuals and locations implicated in the system of detention."



A Chinese representative to the U.N. in Geneva denied the allegations, calling them "a political show."
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. The emergency session of the Parliament of Armenia convened at the request of the opposition lawmakers didnt take place because of the absence of quorum.

33 MPs were registered for the session.

The members of the ruling Civil Contract faction earlier announced that they will not take part in the session.

The agenda includes one item  the draft statement drafted by opposition Hayastan and Pativ Unem factions titled On the Occasion of the Armenian-Azerbaijani and Armenian-Turkish Relations.

Despite the absence of quorum, the opposition lawmakers didnt leave the session hall. MP from Hayastan faction Aram Vardevanyan approached the tribune and read the text of the statement without a speaker, which was followed by applauds of the opposition lawmakers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said victory will be ours Friday as the conflict with Russia entered its 100th day.

Zelenskyy appeared in a video filmed outside the presidential palace in Kyiv, flanked by the same officials who appeared in a similar video on the day of the invasion, February 24.

Our team is much bigger. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are here. The most important  the people, the people of our state are here. Defending Ukraine for 100 days already. Victory will be ours," he said.

European leaders also voiced solidarity with Ukraine. 100 days ago Russia unleashed its unjustifiable war on Ukraine. The bravery of Ukrainians commands our respect and our admiration. The EU stands with Ukraine, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on Twitter.

Invasion

Russia began building up troops along the border in the fall of 2021 but repeatedly denied it planned to attack its neighbor. Then, on February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a televised address announcing what he called a special military operation in Ukraine.

We will strive to de-militarize and de-Nazify Ukraine and will bring to justice those who committed multiple bloody crimes against civilians, including Russian citizens, Putin said.

That night, explosions echoed across Kyiv. Russian tanks and armored vehicles began crossing the border. A sovereign European nation had been invaded, triggering the continents worst conflict since 1945.

U.S. President Joe Biden said it was a pre-meditated attack. The Russian military has begun a brutal assault on the people of Ukraine, without provocation, without justification, without necessity, Biden said.

Russian failures

A 64-kilometer-long Russian armored column approached Kyiv from the north. But tactical mistakes saw the Russian advance on Kyiv stall as Ukraines armed forces put up fierce resistance, aided by Western weapons, including anti-tank missiles and drones.

By April, Russian forces were in retreat from the capital. They left behind scenes of horror. In towns like Bucha, advancing Ukrainian forces uncovered mass civilian graves and widespread evidence of torture and mass rape by Russian soldiers. Moscow claimed the evidence was fabricated.

War crimes

Visiting the site of the mass graves in Bucha, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said the world must take action. These are war crimes and they will be recognized by the world as genocide, he said.

The atrocities prompted NATO and Western countries to beef up their deployments in eastern Europe and increase weapons supplies to Ukraine. We agreed that we must further strengthen and sustain our support to Ukraine so that Ukraine prevails in the face of Russia's invasion, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said April 7.

The United States has so far pledged $53 billion in military, economic and humanitarian aid.

Finland and Sweden  which for decades have remained neutral  applied to join NATO in the face of Russias aggression.

Refugee exodus

Meanwhile, the war prompted a huge exodus of Ukrainian refugees, with some six million fleeing to neighboring countries so far, and a further eight million internally displaced within Ukraine.

Russia is weaponizing refugees, says Afzal Ashraf, a professor of international affairs at Britains Loughborough University. The shelling of civilian areas and driving out large amounts of civilian populations may well be part of the Russian plan, because that serves them well. It puts pressure, long term economic and political pressure, on Western governments, Ashraf told AFP.

Western sanctions have tightened the economic noose on Russia, causing its currency to plummet. The U.S. banned imports of Russian energy. Europe  which is far more reliant on such imports  agreed to phase out Russian coal by the end of 2022 and ban most oil imports. However, European countries have so far failed to agree on a gas embargo and continue to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to Russia every day.

Eastern offensive

Facing mounting military losses, the Kremlin had redirected its forces to the eastern Donbas region by early May and began a new offensive to take the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, which had been partly controlled by pro-Russian rebels since Moscows forceful annexation of Crimea in 2013.

The strategic port of Mariupol was all but destroyed. It fell to Russian forces in late May, after the last 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers sheltering in the giant Azovstal steelworks surrendered. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed in the city under indiscriminate Russian shelling and missile strikes.

Fighting continues to rage in the east and south of Ukraine. The governor of the Luhansk region said Friday that Russia now controls around 70 percent of the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk. Russian forces have been making steady gains across Donbas in recent days.

New weapons

The U.S. is to begin sending long-range GPS-guided artillery systems to Ukraine, something Kyiv has long demanded, says Bradley Bowman of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington.

If you combine Ukrainian bravery and skill and a willingness to defend their homes against this unprovoked invasion with Western support, which frankly were going to have to be able to provide for the long haul, then I think over the long run this will be a grand strategic disaster for Putin. But in the short term, lets be clear, the picture is mixed, Bowman told VOA.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian forces are occupying about 20% of Ukrainian territory as the war approaches its 100th day on Friday and fighting continues on several fronts.

Just imagine! Constant fighting, which stretched along the front line for more than a thousand kilometers, Zelenskyy told the Luxembourg parliament in a virtual speech Thursday. He said the Ukrainian area controlled by Moscows forces is comparable to the entirety of the Netherlands.

Zelenskyy did not say how much territory Russia has captured since the start of its invasion February 24. Moscow seized Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and Russia-backed separatists had also captured parts of the eastern Donbas region, where fighting is the most intense now, prior to the invasion.

Ukraine said Thursday its forces have recaptured 20 small towns and villages in the Kherson region in the southern part of the country. Meanwhile, Russian forces continued their assault on Sievierodonetsk, the last major city nominally held by Ukraine in the Luhansk region in the eastern part of the country.

Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said Russia controlled about 70% of the city as fierce street battles took place.

Britain's defense ministry said Russia has taken control of most of the city. The ministry said Ukrainian forces control the main road into Sievierodonetsk, with Russia making "steady local gains, enabled by a heavy concentration of artillery."

A Ukrainian official said Kyivs forces were hoping to recapture territory lost earlier in the war in southern Ukraine in part to tie up some Russian forces more focused on fighting in the Donbas region.

This new package will arm them with new capabilities and advanced weaponry, including HIMARS with battlefield munitions, to defend their territory from Russian advances, Biden said in a Wednesday statement. We will continue to lead the world in providing historic assistance to support Ukraines fight for freedom. Biden used the acronym for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System.

Administration officials said this new weapons package is tailored to the needs of the current phase of conflict, which is unfolding in Ukraines east.

SEE ALSO:

Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl said Wednesday the United States is sending four of the new rocket systems, and that it will take about three weeks to train Ukrainian forces to use them. He declined to say where that training would take place but said the systems are on the European continent.

What the HIMARS will allow them to do is to get greater standoff range against targets more than 70 kilometers away, he said. So right now, the howitzers we provided them have about a 30-kilometer range, the HIMARS have more than twice that, which will allow them, even with fewer systems, greater standoff. And the other thing that distinguishes this is an extraordinary amount of precision.

SEE ALSO:

Speaking in Washington alongside Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said its not clear how or when this conflict will end, but that NATO wants to see Ukraine in a position of strength when peace talks happen. Blinken said Russia holds the power to slow or stop the conflict.

Biden wrote in an opinion piece in The New York Times, released late Tuesday that he does not seek war with Russia.

As much as I disagree with Mr. Putin, and find his actions an outrage, the United States will not try to bring about his ouster in Moscow, Biden said. So long as the United States or our allies are not attacked, we will not be directly engaged in this conflict, either by sending American troops to fight in Ukraine or by attacking Russian forces. We are not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders.

Residents wait as they evacuate from the city of Sloviansk in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, June 2, 2022.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that the supply of rocket launchers to Ukraine raises the risk of expanding the conflict, and called Ukraines push for weapons from its Western allies a direct provocation intended to draw the West into the fighting.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday that the U.S. weapons shipments do not encourage the renewal of peace talks.

The decision to send more advanced weapons follows earlier reluctance on the part of the Biden administration. White House officials told reporters late Tuesday that the new weapons package  the 11th such tranche of weapons the U.S. has sent to Ukraine  includes the rocket system, counter-fire radars, air surveillance radars, additional Javelin anti-tank missiles and other anti-armor weapons.

The U.S. is also sending more helicopters, more than 200,000 artillery rounds and a package of spare parts to help the Ukrainians fix their existing equipment.

This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows a Russian armor unit deployed along a road and the aftermath of artillery bombardments in Popasna, a town in Sievierodonetsk Raion, May 25, 2022. (Satellite image 2022 Maxar Technologies via AP)

Russian forces continued their push to capture the city of Sievierodonetsk, key to its efforts to seize the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said Russia controlled about 70% of the city as fierce street battles took place.

Britain's Defense Ministry said Russia has taken control of most of the city. The ministry said Ukrainian forces control the main road into Sievierodonetsk, with Russia making "steady local gains, enabled by a heavy concentration of artillery."

Anita Powell contributed to this report. Some information also came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
LONDON 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said victory will be ours Friday as the conflict with Russia entered its 100th day.

Zelenskyy appeared in a video filmed outside the presidential palace in Kyiv, flanked by the same officials who appeared in a similar video on the day of the invasion, February 24.

Our team is much bigger. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are here. The most important  the people, the people of our state are here. Defending Ukraine for 100 days already. Victory will be ours," he said.

European leaders also voiced solidarity with Ukraine. 100 days ago Russia unleashed its unjustifiable war on Ukraine. The bravery of Ukrainians commands our respect and our admiration. The EU stands with Ukraine, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on Twitter.

Invasion

Russia began building up troops along the border in the fall of 2021 but repeatedly denied it planned to attack its neighbor. Then, on February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a televised address announcing what he called a special military operation in Ukraine.

We will strive to de-militarize and de-Nazify Ukraine and will bring to justice those who committed multiple bloody crimes against civilians, including Russian citizens, Putin said.

That night, explosions echoed across Kyiv. Russian tanks and armored vehicles began crossing the border. A sovereign European nation had been invaded, triggering the continents worst conflict since 1945.

U.S. President Joe Biden said it was a pre-meditated attack. The Russian military has begun a brutal assault on the people of Ukraine, without provocation, without justification, without necessity, Biden said.

Russian failures

A 64-kilometer-long Russian armored column approached Kyiv from the north. But tactical mistakes saw the Russian advance on Kyiv stall as Ukraines armed forces put up fierce resistance, aided by Western weapons, including anti-tank missiles and drones.

By April, Russian forces were in retreat from the capital. They left behind scenes of horror. In towns like Bucha, advancing Ukrainian forces uncovered mass civilian graves and widespread evidence of torture and mass rape by Russian soldiers. Moscow claimed the evidence was fabricated.

War crimes

Visiting the site of the mass graves in Bucha, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said the world must take action. These are war crimes and they will be recognized by the world as genocide, he said.

The atrocities prompted NATO and Western countries to beef up their deployments in eastern Europe and increase weapons supplies to Ukraine. We agreed that we must further strengthen and sustain our support to Ukraine so that Ukraine prevails in the face of Russia's invasion, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said April 7.

The United States has so far pledged $53 billion in military, economic and humanitarian aid.

Finland and Sweden  which for decades have remained neutral  applied to join NATO in the face of Russias aggression.

Refugee exodus

Meanwhile, the war prompted a huge exodus of Ukrainian refugees, with some six million fleeing to neighboring countries so far, and a further eight million internally displaced within Ukraine.

Russia is weaponizing refugees, says Afzal Ashraf, a professor of international affairs at Britains Loughborough University. The shelling of civilian areas and driving out large amounts of civilian populations may well be part of the Russian plan, because that serves them well. It puts pressure, long term economic and political pressure, on Western governments, Ashraf told AFP.

Western sanctions have tightened the economic noose on Russia, causing its currency to plummet. The U.S. banned imports of Russian energy. Europe  which is far more reliant on such imports  agreed to phase out Russian coal by the end of 2022 and ban most oil imports. However, European countries have so far failed to agree on a gas embargo and continue to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to Russia every day.

Eastern offensive

Facing mounting military losses, the Kremlin had redirected its forces to the eastern Donbas region by early May and began a new offensive to take the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, which had been partly controlled by pro-Russian rebels since Moscows forceful annexation of Crimea in 2013.

The strategic port of Mariupol was all but destroyed. It fell to Russian forces in late May, after the last 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers sheltering in the giant Azovstal steelworks surrendered. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed in the city under indiscriminate Russian shelling and missile strikes.

Fighting continues to rage in the east and south of Ukraine. The governor of the Luhansk region said Friday that Russia now controls around 70 percent of the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk. Russian forces have been making steady gains across Donbas in recent days.

New weapons

The U.S. is to begin sending long-range GPS-guided artillery systems to Ukraine, something Kyiv has long demanded, says Bradley Bowman of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington.

If you combine Ukrainian bravery and skill and a willingness to defend their homes against this unprovoked invasion with Western support, which frankly were going to have to be able to provide for the long haul, then I think over the long run this will be a grand strategic disaster for Putin. But in the short term, lets be clear, the picture is mixed, Bowman told VOA.
NAIROBI, KENYA 

The top African Union official met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to discuss the war in Ukraine and its effects on Africa. A cutoff in grain exports has heightened food insecurity in many African countries, leaving millions of Africans hungry.

Senegalese President Macky Sall met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Russian city of Sochi Friday to discuss the war in Ukraine and the effect it's having on Africa's 1.3 billion people.

Before the war, the continent annually imported about 30 million tons of wheat and maize from Russia and Ukraine. The war has greatly reduced the exports and sparked a global increase in food and fuel prices.

At Friday's meeting, Sall, the current African Union chairperson, urged Putin to be aware that African countries are "victims" of the Ukraine conflict, according to the French news agency. He said food supplies should be "outside" of Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over Ukraine.

Speaking to journalists in Nairobi, Africa Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina, said the rise in oil prices caused by the war is also hurting Africa's economy.

"You look at the energy prices today, energy prices have gone up to the roof of course which benefits all the exporting countries but you, for example, Kenya, you spend a lot of money importing fuel," Adesina said. "So fuel made importing countries suffer as a result of that which has a tendency to slow down economic growth."

Adesina also lamented the Russian blockade of ships in the Black Sea, which is holding back millions of tons of Ukrainian grain meant for other countries, including some in Africa.

The Africa Development Bank recently authorized a $1.5 billion program to ensure that Africa grows enough food to feed its citizens. The bank group said the money would benefit 20 million African farmers.

Adesina said the bank is determined to make Africa less reliant on outside countries for its food supply.

"Africa will not have a food crisis," he said "We will support Africa to produce its food and we will use this opportunity. We must not lose, and wait for a crisis, to get Africa to be a solution to global food issues. Africa has 65 percent of all arable land left in the world. So what Africa does with agriculture will determine the future of food in the world. We must take agriculture as a business."

In the meantime, some countries are facing severe problems feeding their populations.

Chad, a landlocked African country, declared a food emergency Thursday and authorities called other countries for help.

Last month, the United Nations said the number of food-insecure people in the world has doubled from 135 million to 276 million in two years. The crisis is blamed on climate change, the global pandemic and the current war in Ukraine.

As African leaders meet the Russian president, the head of the African Development Bank is calling for an end to the war that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands and negatively impacted millions of people around the world.
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Salinas, Ecuador (14.3 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) : I was sound asleep but felt the bed shaking, I jumped out of bed and could see the movement of the wall in reference to where I was standing and the fan swinging from the ceiling. | One user found this interesting.

Manta, Ecuador (127.5 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 20-30 s : Felt like waves in my bed, I thought it was from me moving position in my bed and dismissed it as an earthquake at first, but it persisted for 30 seconds so it had me wondering

Olon / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 5-10 s : Windows vibrante , lamp swing , house shake but not strong enough to make me want to leave the house ..the only worry I have is that an ocean quake is the only thing that am always alert because that when the tsunami can or might happen...

Puerto Lopez, Manabi, Ecuador / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : Woke me up. Bed was shaking. | One user found this interesting.

Salinas, Santa Elena, Ecuador (16.7 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 30-60 s

Salango (56.5 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 5-10 s

45 km of Pajan, Canton Pajan, Manabi (40.8 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s

Salinas (21.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging : fear

Salinas (15.6 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Una sacudida moderada de corta duracion

Ayampe, Manabi, Ecuador (48.4 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s

Olon, Ecuador (40.1 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 2-5 s : Bed swayed briefly. TV on wall mount shook.

Guayaquil (100.1 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / very short : Upper floor of multistory building, I felt a quick swaying back and forth. Super short.

42 km of Santa Elena (36.1 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) : Se sintio un poco fuerte

Salinas, Muey calle 18 A y Av 18 (18 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / very short : Estaba acostada y de pronto la cama se movia

Ayampe, Manabi / Weak shaking (MMI III)

Manglarato / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 10-15 s

Olon Santa Elena Ecuador / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s

Olon, Ecuador / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / complex motion difficult to describe : I was sleeping & woke up due to the earthquake. The shaking felt strong.

Salinas. 17 floors up on the Malecon. / not felt Very high up. My neighbors also did not feel it. Condo built in 2017. (reported through (reported through our app / not felt

Olon / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake : Woke up to bed rocking back and forth

In the bathroom on 10 th floor / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s

Salinas, hotel Miami / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Ayampe Manabi Ecuador / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

Las Nunez / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex motion difficult to describe / 10-15 s : It was between light and moderate shaking

Santa Elena / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Metal windows protection creaking

Salinas / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / very short : Very weak Shaking
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. On June 1, 2022 the closing ceremony of Future Seeds program took place online due to the limitations of the Covid19 in the country.

The greeting and motivational speeches were held by RA Deputy Minister of Education and Science Mr. Arthur Martirosyan, Director of "Union of Operators of Armenia" NGO, ASUE "Information Technologies in Business" Program Manager, Lecturer, Kristine Gyonjyan, Arpinet Company Development Director, Lilit Bdoyan and Huawei Technologies Armenia company Director Mr. Chen Liang.

Mr. Martirosyan greeted the participants of the training:

"I think you will agree on the importance of digitalization, the profession of digitalization in the education system, or in various spheres of public life in general.

Digitalization tools are currently being actively introduced in the education system in Armenia, both to combat the epidemic and to ensure access to quality education in general.

At present, we have specialists in the field of digitalization, not only in education, but also in various spheres of public life in our country, which will contribute to the implementation of transparent participatory procedures.

I am hopeful that you will be in the base of specialists who will help our country to solve these crucial problems. 

The congratulatory speech was continued by the director of the "Union of Operators of Armenia" NGO, Kristine Gyonjyan.

Dear participants of "Future Seeds" program. I congratulate you for being participants of such a wonderful initiative of Huawei. The digital world is evolving rapidly, requiring governments, companies, and employees to be "digital" ready to respond to new educational demands in line with educational institutions. Information and the field of telecommunication technologies is developing at a rapid speed, need to keep pace with modern technological trends, to ensure its competitiveness in the market, every company must respond appropriately to innovations of the current requirements of the field.

Thanks to Future Seeds program, you have become acquainted with, have mastered, modern technologies that are in great demand in the field of information technologies and telecommunications. The knowledge you gain gives you a unique opportunity to find a suitable job in the rapidly developing technological world. Today, 5G, Cloud technologies, modern network technologies, data centers are considered to be the most important areas of development for organizations. You have already had the opportunity to participate in the most up-to-date course. So, be purposeful, use the opportunities given to you, develop the knowledge gained during the course, invest your potential in the development of the state  ICT sector.

I am convinced that you are the specialists who will fill the digital gap with confident steps and become a demanded specialist in the field. I wish you success, congratulations on participating in the course, and successful completion. "

Next, Lilit Bdoyan, Development Director of Arpinet Company, addressed her congratulatory speech to the participants.

"Congratulations on your successful completion of the Huawei-led free training course.

Today in our country there is a need for specialists with fresh ideas and innovative solutions. This program allows you to manage your time correctly, effectively, to reach greater heights, because your achievements are the success of our country, the confidence in our future.

We are confident that with the knowledge you have gained, we will not only lay the foundation for professional growth, but will also serve as an example for future generations.

The closing ceremony was summed up by the Director of Huawei Technologies Armenia, Mr. Chen Liang.

As the general manager of Huawei Armenia, I am so glad that you took the opportunity that offered to you with the program "Seeds for the future". The program that enabled you to expand your knowledge and skills in the area of information  communication technologies. This is especially important today, in the hyper  connected world of global and dynamic economy, exposed to constant changes, challenges and opportunities.



I am convinced that the seeds that were planted, will bring rich harvest in the future, for you and for the Republic of Armenia and the relations with the People's Republic of China. And the future is guaranteed because every fruit is a seed that waits to be planted for the future.
The movie works on multiple levels, the filmmaker explains. But I really do think were kind of destroying the earth. Photo: Nikos Nikolopoulos/NEON

What is David Cronenbergs Crimes of the Future about? When I meet up with the 79-year-old writer-director before the Cannes premiere of his latest film, in theaters June 3, I bring up a few different interpretations. Theres the surface-level plot, about a near-future society where humans have lost the ability to experience pain or infection and have started substituting surgery for sex, gazing sensually at the new organs theyve evolved to spontaneously grow, and turning these mutations into performance art. Some critics have read the film as an allegory about climate change; others saw it as a laugh-out-loud return to the Cronenbergian body-horror classics of the 80s; still others felt it was a prescriptive death sentence for the human race. Cronenbergs cast  Viggo Mortensen (who plays the films central artist, Saul Tenser), Lea Seydoux (who plays Caprice, Tensers partner), Kristen Stewart (who plays an investigator turned rabid fan of Tensers)  see it as his most autobiographical film, a metaphor reflecting how the act of making art feels like pulling out and coughing up and exposing your own innards. Cronenberg only shrugs at the idea that he made a movie about himself.

Much of our hour-long conversation falls along these lines, with Cronenberg smiling cheerfully and shaking off the darker thematic implications of a 50-plus-year career making movies that quite literally probe the insides of peoples bodies. The filmmaker, who many believed had retired eight years ago, is surprisingly gentle and sweet for someone who wrote and directed a film about a woman whose latent trauma manifests as hives that swell and turn into mutated human children with the primary function of performing murders at her psychic behest and then said it was about his own divorce.

I want to hear about the inception of Crimes of the Future. Originally, it was, what, 20 years ago when you started writing it?

I think I wrote it in 1998. So it was more than 20 years. But I wasnt thinking that it would be 20 years before I made the movie. Robert Lantos, who produced it, was interested even then. I think he announced it at Cannes 2005  then it was called Painkillers  that its going to be my next movie. Of course, it turned out not to be. For various reasons it didnt happen.

And after Maps to the Stars, I wasnt making any movies. I wrote a novel. I was thinking maybe Id prefer to just write because the hassle is less. You hassle yourself. But youre not hassled. You dont have to finance it. You dont have agents and actors. And I enjoyed that. But Robert Lantos said, You really should start making movies again. And I said, Well, I dont have a project. And he said, Well, have you read your old script Painkillers? I said, Well, its a sci-fi script. Its 20 years old. It obviously will be totally irrelevant because technology has moved on and society has changed. And his classic line was, No, no, its more relevant than ever.

So I read it and I thought, Hes actually right.

What happened in 2005? Why didnt it get made?

I think suddenly I was offered A History of Violence, and it was different from what Id been doing. I knew that Painkillers was connected more or less with my early horror films, and I was interested in trying a gangster movie. Of course then I met Viggo, and if I hadnt done that, he probably wouldnt have been in Crimes of the Future. Because that was the beginning of our relationship. We did three movies, and this is the fourth.

How did you meet?

It was New Line that was producing History of Violence, and Viggo had been a big star in Lord of the Rings, which was also New Line. I dont know if they suggested him or I just thought he would be good for the role. But we met in L.A. and we got along immediately, although I wasnt sure he liked the script. When he left, I said to the people at New Line, Well, I dont know that he really wants to do this. And they said, No, his agent just said he really wants to do it. I was surprised because we were talking so abstractly and about art and all kinds of stuff that I wasnt sure that hed actually agreed to do the movie or not, and found out that he actually had somehow.

When you looked back at the script for Crimes, did you change anything?

Not a word.

Not a single word?

Not one word, no. What did change, but this is always the case, was in production. We were shooting in Athens. I had written it thinking of Toronto, my hometown, so Athens presented all kinds of wonderful things, like the ship in the first shot of the movie. That was not in the script. The kid and the sea were, but not that ship. You have to be open to the things that surprise you. Sometimes its from an actor. Sometimes its on the set. Sometimes its a location. But in terms of dialogue, nothing changed. The characters are basically the same.

How do you account for the fact that you wrote something more than 20 years ago and it still works completely and feels fresh?

I cant really account for it. Part of it is that its set in a kind of alternate universe. Because of that, it has a longer shelf life than if you wrote something very specific that was socially relevant 20 years ago. Because of what it was, it could sort of float in a timeless bubble.

You always are returning this idea of the evolution of the body, the transformation of the body. After exploring the topic for so many years, have you come to any new understanding of it?

All art is really the exploration of the human condition, however you perceive that. But in specifics, what we film most in filmmaking is the human body. The face, the body, the voice, which I consider part of the body. So how can you be a filmmaker and not be sort of obsessed with the body? Actors know that. They know that their instrument is the body. So its just natural for me to explore that. And just from my junior scientist background  because I did think at one point I would be an organic biologist  it seems very natural to me. Even in movies like A Dangerous Method, in a Victorian society, which in some ways denies the body, especially the clothes  still, thats what the subject is.

Viggo called this your most autobiographical film. Do you think its autobiographical?

I wonder if hes kidding about that. I dont know. In the sense that Saul Tenser is dealing with changes in his body  of course, Im getting older and dealing with changes in my body. And Tenser is an artist. Hes giving everything, including the inside of his body, to his art. It perplexes him and it confuses him, but at the same time, he really feels a compulsion to do that. I think thats a part of me as a filmmaker that Viggo is referring to. But Ive never done body art and I dont even have a tattoo.

It does feel like its a film about making art on an allegorical level, about what it sort of takes from you and what it gives to you. Do you see it functioning that way?

I do. As an artist, you are completely absorbing, constantly, your environment, and so it makes sense that I should be sensitive, literally, to the environment  not just the social environment, but the physical environment.

But I really do think were kind of destroying the Earth. Its interesting that 20 years ago, nobody was talking about microplastics and now everybodys talking about microplastics in your bloodstream, in your flesh. So it kind of becomes satirical on one level, and actually serious on another level. There are two solutions. One is that we bend plastics and we suppress plastics and we try to clean the ocean and we clean the atmosphere and we clean everybodys body of plastic. How realistic is that? The other possible solution is that we learn to live with plastic and that we learn to use it as fuel. And in fact, there are bacteria that can eat plastic basically, and survive on it and feast on it and use it as protein substitutes. And there are scientists now who are saying that theyre trying to make food out of plastic, and theyre having some success. So is that really the solution? I dont know. Of course, its slightly bizarre to say the least, but on the other hand, maybe we need something bizarre to survive as a species.

So the movie was always functioning on multiple levels for you.

Yeah, I think so. Life is not just one level. Every person at every moment is functioning on many different levels and not just in terms of Twitter feeds. Theres so many things going on in any human being. Were very complex, as Im sure you know. So why shouldnt a movie be like that? Why shouldnt a movie be like a human body?

Are you on Twitter at all?

Im not on social media at all. Its partly because I just dont want to be that accessible. I find that whenever someone sends me a Twitter feed or something, its just very distracting and chaotic and I dont want to know about it. I dont do Instagram. I dont do Facebook. I have enough friends who let me know when things are interesting. Even the normal media talk about Donald Trumps latest tweet, when all that was happening  I dont really need it. I dont need to be there. I like the clarity. As an artist, Im constantly looking for some kind of clarity, and this is muddying up everything with usually not very useful information.

Do you see technology as an increasingly destructive force?

In the 40s and 50s, people saw technology as like spaceships and alien technology that was dangerous and very nonhuman and very metallic, and you see all the sci-fi stories about that. But for me, technology was always 100 percent human. Technology is us. Its like an extension of our fists, our hand, our eyes, our voice. It reflects the great stuff about humans, the beautiful stuff, and it also reflects the totally destructive stuff.

The moment James Spader had enough of the nonsense at the Cannes Film Festival press conference for Crash. pic.twitter.com/0rO5af8lhf  Will McCrabb (@mccrabb_will) March 23, 2022

Crash caused such controversy in 1996 and now its a Criterion 4K rerelease. What changed?

Well, I think time moves on. We had that screening in Venice of the 4K version of Crash and it was quite a young audience, and they had no problem. They certainly werent walking out or anything. I cant say that people have gotten more sophisticated in general, but somehow it just has settled, as I thought it would have the first time. It was based on a 1972 novel by J.G. Ballard that was very well accepted.

The reaction really surprised you?

Gilles Jacob, the then-president of the festival, knew that it would happen. He said, David, Im programming your film to be in the middle of the festival because I want it to off like a bomb in the middle of the festival. I said, Youre exaggerating a bit. But he was so totally right.

How did you feel when it happened?

I loved the fight that we had. The press conference was classic because Ballard was there. We had the writer there and the producer there and all my actors there, so we were ready for the fight. And it was fun. The worst thing would be if your movie was born and nobody cared. That would be depressing. But if people are fighting about it and some are loving it and some are hating it, thats just art.

Francis Ford Coppola was the one who had the biggest issue and was sort of scandalized by the film. You said that when you saw him again, you would talk to him about it. Did you ever get a chance to speak to him?

No, because he always says, Remember, we gave you a prize  He says it like he thinks I dont know that he hated the movie. And I didnt want to be unkind and call him on it and say, Francis, I know you hated the movie, because every time I met him, he made a point about them giving me this Jury prize. So I didnt want to make a big deal out of it.

Do you prefer that people like your work versus hate it, or does it not matter to you?

Its not like I dont want to be loved. I certainly do. But on the other hand, I can live without 100 percent love. I think the only movie that was almost 100 percent loved was E.T., maybe.

Are you concerned about Crimes being misunderstood at all? Is there any part of you that wonders about the reception?

I mean, if you make a complex film and youre not didactic and youre not telling your audience exactly what to think  which is very boring and very insulting  then youre always open to possible misunderstanding. But youre also open to some other interpretations that might be valid. I find that every once in a while, somebody will come up with something that I can say, Well, I didnt intend that, but actually, its still accurate.

To that point, when I was watching Crimes and noticing its themes about the evolution and transformation of the human body, I was wondering if you were engaging at all in ongoing conversations about the transgender movement.

Yeah, well, I observe it. Im not really engaged with it directly. Theyre taking that idea seriously. Theyre saying, Body is reality. I want to change my reality. That means I have to change my body. And theyre being very brave and theyre investing a lot in these changes, especially these ones that are not reversible, which most of them arent. I say, go ahead. This is an artist giving their all to their art.

From reading past interviews with you, it seems that youre not thrilled about the idea of body horror or of being its godfather.

Well, its the word horror, not body, because I think its actually quite beautiful. To me, inner beauty is more like what I would talk about. It was some critic or some fan who came up with the term body horror and that stuck. And you know, fine. Its okay. But its not a term I would have ever thought of because its just not the way I perceive it.

But does Crimes feel like a return to a sort of filmmaking that you havent done in a while?

Yes. Undeniably, thats true. The thing is, I know people find this hard to believe, but I just simply dont think about that when Im making a movie. I wrote the script, and now Im just trying to make it come alive and make it be believable within its own strange sphere. My focus is totally on that and not really thinking of, Oh, wait, theres this plug-in thing that will remind people of Existenz, or whatever. Obviously, when its mentioned, Im not denying the connection. But its been said, Are you giving a kind of wink to the audience? And Im saying, Totally not. I dont have that in me. Im not interested in being self-referential.

Everyone who I have spoken to about you talks about what a sweet and normal person you are. And how they all were sort of surprised by that. What do you make of that?

Well, my son is sweet too, and hes made some pretty scary movies. Making scary movies doesnt mean youre a scary person. Making dark movies doesnt mean that youre a depressive. The easiest thing to say, and I probably have said this at one point, is that youre playing with things in your art that you dont want to be in your actual life. It gives you a sense of control of these bad things. Youre acknowledging them in the movie, that these things can happen. By doing that, youre sort of keeping it out of your life.

Like youre expunging it.

Yeah. But thats maybe too simplistic. I really dont know the answer to that question. But the lesson is that you cannot tell what an artist is going to be like personally from being very familiar with their art.

In the end, was it difficult to come back after eight years?

I wondered. I thought, What is it going to be like on the set? Im eight years older now, and its very draining. You really have to give everything to directing. I wondered if I had the stamina. Would I need to sleep more? Would I get to sleep? Would I be anxious? I didnt know. So for the first three days of shooting, I thought, I am performing the role of film director. Im pretending, basically, to be a film director so I can say, Action, Cut. Then after that it was like no time had passed. It felt completely normal.

And now youre going to make another film, right?

Yeah. Maybe another two I have in mind. One is The Shrouds that was announced here and the other one would be to do a movie based on my novel, Consumed.

And you had basically said that you were retired after Maps to the Stars.

I didnt really say that. And they say, Oh, yes, you did. And Im saying, No, I didnt say that. I said, If Maps to the Stars is my last movie, itll be okay. If it turns out that I just dont end up making another movie, its fine. Some fans got very upset by that, which is very sweet. But I still deny that I actually said, I am officially retired. I know about Soderbergh. He retired like five times already. I didnt want to do that.

And you know, my wife had died. We had been together 43 years.

Im so sorry.

I felt I didnt have the heart for it because she had been with me through all of my career. And that was part of it. It wasnt the only part. I felt that I could really live without making another movie. It wouldnt crush me. Whereas when I was younger and desperately trying to make movies, it would be crushing to say, Oh my God, my career is over. But now, these are projects I would really like to do. And once again, I can say, If I dont make them, its not like the worlds going to fall.

How much of that shift in your attitude about filmmaking is just natural, youre growing older, and how much is about the industry itself and how its changed?

I think its really about aging. Because the industrys always been hard. I did go to Netflix with The Shrouds at one point and wondered if they would be different than a Hollywood studio, and I think theyre not that different. Theyre making a different thing, but their attitude is basically very Hollywood.

Im curious if you think you have a harder time because youre making more eccentric work.

A long time ago I talked to Marty Scorsese, who is a friend. He was saying that everybody assumes that Marty Scorsese can get anything financed whenever he wants because hes Marty Scorsese. The answer is absolutely not. He has to fight all the same battles. Hes usually dealing more with studios than I am, but hes having to fight for it, struggle for it. Ive even seen Guillermo del Toro go through hell. And his projects are usually pretty monsters and stuff. Technically you would say theyre pretty commercial. And Ive seen him have things fall apart. So I cant really be the martyr there.

Have you done therapy?

No. Never.

Have you purposely avoided it?

No. I just honestly  I felt I didnt need it.

Youre just all good.

Yeah, Im totally cool. No problems. I had no problems to solve. My parents were really sweet, very sensitive, very understanding and supportive. They were lovely. I had a lovely childhood.

So youve never stayed up at night being like, Why do I make movies where people pull each others organs out of their bodies?

No, because I know that as George Bernard Shaw said, Conflict is the essence of drama. You dont make a movie about nice people who are all nice to each other. Thatd be so boring. You might want to live like that. But you dont make a movie like that.

I yearn for your placidity.

Well, the placid nature is genuine.

Related
Photo: ExclusiveAccess/Shutterstock

Young Thug has been denied bond for racketeering and gang-related charges brought against him last month. The rapper, born Jeffrey Lamar Williams, pleaded not guilty during a June 2 hearing in Fulton County, Georgia. A judge made the decision after prosecutors argued that Young Thug is a danger to the community and a flight risk, claiming house arrest would not be enough to keep anyone safe. Vulture has reached out to Young Thugs legal counsel for a statement. Young Thugs trial is set for January 9, 2023.

Young Thugs charge is a part of a larger indictment against YSL, the label founded by Thug, which encompasses 28 rappers and associates, including Gunna, Yak Gotti, Duke, and Young Thugs brother, Unfoonk. The indictment alleges a number of rap lyrics serve as evidence of gang activity, although multiple artists have urged prosecutors to view lyrics as fictional and remove them from evidence.

Young Thugs bond hearing was delayed due to an effort from the prosecution to try and remove the rappers longtime lawyer, Brian Steel, from the case. Prosecutors cited a potential conflict of interest as the reason for Steels removal, arguing that the lawyer is too closely involved in the rappers life and other members of YSL. They believe that Steels involvement may affect their ability to pursue plea deals or other forms of cooperation with the defendants. Prosecutors told the court that they have already approached one attorney in the cases about their defendants potential cooperation. I have been with Mr. Williams countless days, weeks, months and hours. I know his entire life. You want to talk about representation of a client? That is the bond of an attorney-client relationship, Steel told the court. The judge threw out the motion to remove him for the time being.
Johnny Depps legal team bet that a combination of subliminal shots of nostalgia, meme- and sound bite-friendly details, and Depp being Depp on the witness stand could sway public opinion. They were right. Photo: Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images

In the op-ed that Amber Heard wrote for the Washington Post in 2018, she stated that, Two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our cultures wrath for women who speak out.

That op-ed, which never once mentions Johnny Depp by name, was deemed defamatory by a jury because it implied that Depp had abused Heard during their one-year marriage. Meanwhile a 2018 article published in British tabloid the Sun that outright referred to Depp as a wife beater was deemed not libelous in 2020 by a U.K. judge who presided over a separate defamation suit filed by Depp, who declared 12 out of 14 incidents of assault documented by Heard and the Sun to be credible. Depp has never been criminally charged in any of the incidents, but the U.K. trial got as close as a civil case can to finding him guilty.

The disparity between the two outcomes is jarring, but makes sense when considering how each case was decided and covered. While the British verdict was determined by a judge, the more recent trial in Virginia, where the Posts printing presses and servers are located, was decided by a jury. More importantly, the British trial was not televised; U.K. law only recently enabled sentencing remarks from High Court and Senior Circuit judges to be televised, but trials are never broadcast or streamed in their entirety. In case this has not become abundantly clear during the past six weeks, the American version of Depp v. Heard did air live, both on Court TV and via a livestream on the Law & Crime YouTube channel, both of which reported substantial bumps in viewership during this messy, often absurd legal battle. And thats how a trial prompted, in part, by Heards declaration that she had felt the full force of our cultures wrath for women who speak out ended up unleashing the full force of that cultures wrath again, at an even higher volume.

Certainly the 2020 trial in England received substantial media coverage. But if that proceeding was a three-ring circus, the one that just unfolded here in the States was a double bill brought to you by Barnum & Bailey and Jim Rose. Memes as well as mainstream media splashed pictures of Heard on the stand all over digital media, freeze-framing her expressions to make her look as grossly distraught as possible. Video of her touching her nose with a tissue was characterized by Depp supporters as evidence she was sniffing cocaine while being questioned by attorneys. All of this is exactly what Heards lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, predicted would happen during a pre-trial hearing: What theyll do is take anything thats unfavorable  a look, Bredehoft argued at the time, as noted by Variety. Theyll take out of context a statement, and play it over and over and over and over again.

Depps attorneys, on the other hand, encouraged the presence of cameras, and used them to their advantage. No doubt aware that Depp has a substantial fan base ready to amplify select moments from the trial, his team played to that audience, guessing, correctly, that statements would be taken out of context and played out over and over again online. They focused time and again on largely irrelevant issues, like how Depp severed a finger and his assertion that Heard once revenge-pooped in their bed, that would surely spark discussion online and distract from more crucial evidence. If theres one thing that people will remember from this trial, it may be all the shit about shit (Heard testified it was actually excrement from one of their dogs), which sparked its own subcategory of attempts at comedy  suddenly she was being referred to widely as Amber Turd  and provided the centerpiece of a Saturday Night Live sketch that bolstered the notion that this trial was frivolous but also kind of entertaining.

After the strides made during the Me Too movement, the tenor of public conversation around the case once again reduced a womans accusations of abuse to fodder for a laugh, and worse, something she was probably making up. The memeification of Heard during the trial heightened the sense that what we were watching was performative and therefore not credible, even though the U.K. judge had already said, the great majority of alleged assaults of Ms. Heard by Mr. Depp have been proved to the civil standard. The impact of that ruling got lost in the chaotic, pro-Depp jumble of words spit out on various platforms as the trial progressed. It also quite possibly was lost on the jury, who, as Bredehoff noted in an interview on the Today show, was not permitted to be informed of the outcome in the U.K. case.

For his part, Depp spent the trial leaning into his image as a non-mainstream non-conformist, the same image that established him as an actor blazing an unconventional path through Hollywood and that made his turns in Disneys Pirates of the Caribbean movies seem like subversive acts. He often seemed bemused, as if he found the whole trial ludicrous, even though he was the one who instigated it. On the stand, he cracked jokes about his friend Marilyn Manson (also accused publicly of abusing women) and made light of texts he exchanged with actor Paul Bettany in 2013 in which he said of his then-future wife: Lets drown her before we burn her!!! I will fuck her burnt corpse afterward to make sure she is dead. He explained the comments, apparently a joke about how to determine whether Heard was a witch, as a darkly comic riff on a scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Ironically, the scene in question is actually about a bunch of primitive men who are so eager to burn a real witch that they dress up a woman to look like one. Context is important, and often during this trial, it was overshadowed if not completely absent.

It also worked to Depps advantage when his exes, who have never accused him publicly of abuse, entered the narrative. Ex-girlfriend Kate Moss testified in his defense, and even discussion about whether he struck Heard after she made fun of his famous Wino Forever tattoo  ink that originally said Winona Forever, in honor of former fiancee Winona Ryder  sparked memories of the Depp we first grew to know and like back in the 1990s. Thats what this trial was really about: Johnny Depp making everyone like him again so he can get hired instead of fired from movie projects. His legal team bet that a combination of subliminal shots of nostalgia, meme- and sound bite-friendly details, and Depp being Depp on the witness stand could sway public opinion. They were right.

Even those who say they stand with victims will sometimes look for the most tenuous excuse to let abusers off the hook when those abusers are famous people they admire. Its why there are still staunch Woody Allen fans who claim he was framed by Mia Farrow, and why it took 30-plus women to accuse Bill Cosby of rape and assault before those accusations were taken seriously. Even people who arent hardcore enough to show up at a Virginia courthouse dressed as Jack Sparrow still may have hoped that Depp, whose work they love, whose posters once adorned the walls of their adolescent bedrooms, did not do the things Heard said he did. Any hints on social media that he was not an abuser were embraced and amplified, which made them seem socially acceptable. Once those pro-Depp sentiments were deemed acceptable, they became the norm, and its really easy to mistake the norm for the truth.

In an essay for Embedded, the Substack by Kate Lindsay and Nick Catucci, an anonymous former Depp supporter says she changed her mind about the case after noticing how far some Team Johnny folks were willing to go to maintain their stance. I even saw one Reddit commenter confidently assert that he could tell Amber is a narcissist, because  I kid you not  her handwriting is too nice, she wrote. This is QAnon 2022, with the Q drops being daily TikToks analyzing the secrets hidden in Ambers body language.

But most supporters did not take the time to dig deeper or question the story that Depps team proposed as fact, and in doing so played into a legal strategy known as DARVO  deny, attack, and reverse victim and offender  that can be incredibly effective in a TL;DR, scroll-and-seek online world. Republicans have built a playbook around DARVO, which is perhaps why some of them were so celebratory over Depps victory. It also may explain why the American case bent in Depps favor and the U.K. one didnt. As an international media lawyer told the Washington Post, We find that DARVO works very well with juries but almost never works with judges, who are trained to look at evidence.

The jury in the Depp/Heard case was never sequestered. They were told not to absorb media coverage about the proceedings, but if youre living in this world, how could you not? It was impossible over the last month-plus to log on to Facebook, Twitter, TikTok or any news website without being smacked in the face with a headline or an image related to the very public feud. Even a casual glimpse at a GIF or YouTube video could have provided a sense of public sentiment and consciously or subconsciously swayed a jurors perspective.

Much has been said already about the effect the rulings in Depps favor could have on other survivors of abuse, who may feel even more reticent to say something, especially when powerful men are involved. But its just as chilling to think that this case may be precedent-setting proof that as long as one person in a contentious lawsuit can win the fight for public sympathy, whether its based on facts or not, a jury very well may follow. At the end of this six-week ordeal in Virginia, whats indelible in the hippocampus is the idea that, thanks to the way we absorb information in 2022  either dismissing details because anything involving celebrities is deemed trivial, or assessing them based on the skewed assessments that enter our carefully curated information bubble  weve only begun to feel the full force of our cultures wrath for women who speak out.
Like every gay man who at one point has lived in New York City, RuPaul long ago tried his hand at improv and to this day maintains an unwavering belief that hes very good at it. So it should come as no surprise that this weeks Drag Race tries yet another iteration of an improvisational-comedy challenge. And like every friend or acquaintance of a gay man who at one point has lived in New York City can tell you, a good improv scene has several key factors: It should be short and to the point; it should have a straightforward game; and it should feature strong performers who understand how to shape the comedic premise. And while this cast indeed boasts many strong performers, theyre handicapped by drawn-out scenes and overly intricate setups that make for a tough sell. However, the episode is far from unsalvageable, and key players make for some memorable moments during this weeks courtroom dramedy, Fairytale Justice.

Team Jaida

First out the gate is Team Jaida, who picks Monet, Jinkx, and Yvie as her castmates. If you feel a little bit of Snatch Game deja vu, it might be because Jinkx once again dominates this challenge from the second she enters the courtroom and triple-closes the door. In this first scene, Spare Rib (Jinkx), a swinish Instagram influencer, sues the beastly  and I guess sexy?  Big Bad Wolf (Yvie) for blowing her house down. Though shes unable to earn a star, Jinkx pulls no comedic punches this week. While much of the challenge feels scripted, Jinkx is clearly the most alive in the scene, reacting to her environment and scene partners with alacrity, often making me laugh out loud. In the middle of her testimony, when the rabbit-faced pit-crew bailiff drops the courts Bible (understandably, as he seems to be covered in an entire Walgreens aisles worth of baby oil), Jinkx immediately quips, Yeah, its drop-the-book shocking. She continues to carry a rather enjoyable back-and-forth when Jaida enters as Twiggy, who, despite sporting a pigs snout, somehow manages to look like the most gorgeous woman who has ever lived.

But lest you underestimate Jaida as just a pretty face, she quickly proves her comedy chops. Her interjections arent as numerous as Jinkxs, but Jaida is no improv slouch, proving her prowess in the political-debate challenge back in season 12 was no fluke. Rounding out the scene in Act Five, Monet appears as Wolfies luckless girlfriend. As with Jinkx, Im laughing from the second she enters, slamming a briefcase full of blank pages onto the witness stand. While she doesnt shine quite as bright as Jaida or Jinkx, she holds her own, bringing an energetically necessary pick-me-up to the right side of the courtroom. While Yvie is once again praised for her sexiness in a challenge about being funny, conspicuously absent are any compliments about her improvisational skills or comedy chops. To her credit, her Big Bad Wolf admirably keeps the scenes pace and certainly doesnt drop the ball or stutter the pacing. After Michelle awards the plaintiffs no damages, the pigs are given one last exit interview with RuPaul, giving Jinkx a last chance to shine. After a wardrobe malfunction (her pig ear falls off), Ru begins to ask Jinkx a question when she goes, Sorry, youre gonna have to speak up. A perfect cap to another dominant challenge performance.

Team Trinity

For her team, Trinity selects The Vivienne, Shea, and (by default) Raja. In this much more convoluted court case, Halle Beary (Shea) sues Goldilocks/Little Red/Gretl/??? (The Vivienne) for breaking and entering into her home, sleeping in her bed, and eating her porridge. Sure. While undoubtedly the weaker team overall, Trinity and The Vivienne make for notable standouts. Shea is perfectly fine as Mama Bear, whos taken aback by the crass, flat-assed Goldilocks and appropriately aghast at accusations that she shops at low-end furniture stores. Much like Jaida, she also took this as an opportunity to look absolutely stunning for no particular reason other than, well  she can!

Raja is a little less refined as Grandma Hood, who comes off rather one-note (the one note being old lady voice). Its not all her fault, however, as Raja finds herself in the unenviable position of being responsible for all the exposition dumping of her team. After all, theres not much room to crack wise when youre word-vomiting all the necessary plot details the audience needs to even grasp the basics of your improv scene. But among these three, its The Vivienne who really shines. While her central character motivations remain hazy as ever, watching her cycle through a half-dozen specific regional accents at a rapid-fire pace is both funny and a technically impressive feat. One moment shes from Scotland, the next shes from Hamburg, and by the end shes an unapologetic brat from Glendale.

However, in my eyes, the star of this team is Trinity. Ive said it before, and I have a feeling Ill be saying it again: Among all the queens this season, Trinity is so obviously having the most fun. And its fun to watch! As the witch Theresa, she comes in and quickly bonds with Michelle over their identical dresses and wigs. The accent is bizarre, and when Michelle points out, You sound like Cher!, Trinity immediately leans in. But the moment of the episode for me? When describing the state of her gingerbread abode, Trinity cries, Im frantic! and proceeds to do a quick box step about the stand. A truly inspired comedic choice.

On the runway, its another great night for our winners. Raja, The Vivienne, and Jaida, in particular, look fantastic, and Yvie defies gravity and human anatomy in her alienlike spiked ensemble. The judges have high praise for all the girls but seem most impressed with Jinkxs continued acting-challenge supremacy and The Viviennes chameleon-like mastery of accents and characters. But with Jinkx blocked this week, that leaves The Vivienne as the sole recipient of the legendary legends star. They duke it out to Love Will Save the Day, by Whitney Houston, a distinctly non-Jinkxian song. The Vivienne, however, knows every word. Her fringe is fringing in all the right places; she hits all the right beats and emerges with an indisputable victory. That leaves one final decision: Who to block? Though theres some performative deliberation, the outcome is obvious, and Monet begrudgingly accepts this weeks plunger. Its about time! Monet has been very conspicuously concocting schemes and machinations for three weeks now, and as Jaida points out at the top of the episode, shes yet to be punished for it. Shes a good choice to block, and perhaps this will encourage her to play her cards a little closer to the vest going forward.

Next week, the queens will be writing commencement addresses in what appears to be a twist on the standard stand-up comedy challenge. Im eager to see what twists Ru has in store and even more eager to see Trinity try to look slutty in a cap and gown.

Until then!
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. The delegation led by Deputy Minister of National Defense of Greece Nikos Chardalias visited today the Armenian Defense Ministrys National Defense Research University, the ministry said in a news release.

The guests were introduced on the history of the foundation of the University, its main activity directions and educational programs.

Head of the National Defense Research University, Major-General Genadi Tavaratsyan and the Greek Deputy Defense Minister highlighted the development of the Armenian-Greek friendly ties and mutual partnership, including in the field of military education.
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister praised the Armenia-EU partnership, highly appreciating the efforts of the EU and European Council President Charles Michel for regional stability. In the context of regional peace and the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Nikol Pashinyan stressed the importance of the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs.

Toivo Klaar noted that the European Union attaches importance to the deepening of cooperation with Armenia and supports regional dialogue.

The interlocutors exchanged views on the implementation of the agreements reached as a result of the Brussels meetings. Issues related to the work of the Delimitation and Border Security Commission and the unblocking of regional infrastructure were touched upon.
Rome's state and city-run museums free this Sunday.

State museums and archaeological sites in Rome and across Italy will be open for free on Sunday 5 June thanks to the popular Domenica al Museo initiative.

The nationwide free entry scheme takes place every first Sunday of the month in tandem with the monthly free entry for Rome's city-run museums.

This means that practically all museums and archaeological sites in Rome will be free to visitors this Sunday, however some museums such as Galleria Borghese require advance booking.

The Italian culture ministry encourages the wearing of masks when visiting museums however it is not obligatory. For details of participating museums see ministry website.

Cover image: David by Bernini at Galleria Borghese. Photo credit: silverfox999 / Shutterstock.com.
President Joe Biden gave a prime-time speech Thursday about gun violence. It was carried by all three broadcast networks, as well as the cable stations. As presidential speeches go, it was fine; he mixed some aspirational policy goals with support for more modest objectives that may have a chance of passage, and added a little Republican-bashing to the mix.But why give such speeches?We dont know what the White House staff thought it could accomplish, but we do know that high expectations would have been unrealistic. Presidential speeches are highly unlikely to change anyones mind about public policy. Thats been true throughout the polling era. Its been true when presidents are popular. Its been true for presidents such as Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama who were generally thought to be strong public speakers. Given that Biden is not currently popular and the straight-into-the-camera policy speech isnt his strength, theres really no reason to think that hell change minds. At the same time, these speeches generally dont improve a presidents polling numbers or spark voters to go contact their members of Congress with demands to do what the president wants.One plausible goal is to inform party loyalists and supporters about a position they previously werent aware of. But gun safety isnt that kind of issue; almost all solid Democrats already support the partys position. Nor are such speeches going to have much effect on the other partys adherents, who are much less likely to be watching. (In case anyone polls what speech-watchers thought, remember that theres a strong selection effect at work, in which people from the presidents party are far more likely to watch, and therefore will make up the bulk of the respondents.)The one thing that presidents can potentially affect is agenda-setting; they can at times convince people that the topic of the speech is a very important issue. But thats unlikely to happen here, given that gun violence is already dominating the headlines, news shows and social media.Perhaps White House staffers didnt know any of this, and thought they could accomplish the impossible. But there are a few more reasonable goals that they might have had in mind.The first would be simply as a matter of representation. When something important is happening, politicians often feel obliged to let their constituents know what theyre doing in response. There are also media expectations, and while Biden had already spoken multiple times on the subject, its possible that the White House wanted to avoid having the press criticize him for failing to do whatever he could to fight for his proposed measures. Or it could be that Bidens allies  in Congress, within the party, among activists  were pushing for him to say more. For example, some Democratic senators might want cover to support a compromise bill that they think can pass but that might disappoint activists. In such cases, the presidents ability to convey the party position might make it easier to sell a deal to constituents.One other possibility? Biden will be criticized if nothing passes regardless of what he does, but if something does pass hell want to take credit  and a high-profile speech before Congress votes probably deflects some critics who might question whether he had anything to do with it. Thats a pretty marginal reason for a speech, but it might seem important to those in the White House who have to deal with such things.Which gets to one very good reason to do these speeches: Theres often little or no downside. While presidential time (and staff support) is not exactly an infinite resource, giving this speech likely involved only minor trade-offs. Its true that high-profile presidential involvement on such issues can be polarizing, but Biden was going to be pushing for his proposed measures one way or another, and its unlikely that this speech would trigger polarization on the issue that wouldnt have happened otherwise.So even if the possible benefits are marginal at best, theres no real reason not to go ahead with it.For weekend reading, here are some of the best items from political scientists this week:
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Brits hoping to fly away for the school holidays after two years of pandemic restrictions are instead visiting various circles of hell: cancelled flights, interminable check-in queues and lost luggage. Flying was aggravating before the pandemic: Now its worse. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Teething troubles were inevitable when travel restarted. Airports were turned into ghost towns by the pandemic, entire terminals were mothballed and airlines provided only a skeleton service, resulting in billions of pounds of industry losses.

But the lack of preparation for the predictable travel rebound and the extent of staff shortages in vital areas like baggage handling are pretty shocking. The point of the UKs taxpayer-supported furlough programs was so companies retained skilled workers and were ready to respond when demand recovered. It hasnt worked in aviation.

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Britain isnt alone. The U.S. and parts of continental Europe are experiencing flight cancellations, labor shortages and crowded terminals. Yet overzealous cost-cutting, the labor-market impact of Brexit and a comparative lack of government financial support for aviation have exacerbated UK travelers misery. More than 370 flights from UK airports were cancelled in the week ended Tuesday, according to Cirium. A Tui AG co-pilot desperate to depart Manchester Airport following a more than 24-hour delay resorted this week to loading bags himself.

Heathrow Airport and the contractors there have shed about 25,000 workers since the start of the pandemic, a decline of one-third. Gatwick Airport directly employs more than 40% fewer staff than it had in 2019. Airlines have cut about 30,000 UK jobs. Is it any wonder the sector cant cope?

To be sure, UK airlines and airports benefited from furlough money but the program ended in September  before the winters omicron outbreak again grounded planes. Overall government support for UK aviation was much less than in Germany, France and the United States. UK airports tend to be privately owned  Heathrow by Spains Ferrovial SA, Qatar Investment Authority and others  and some paid out big dividends in prior years, making ministers disinclined to help.

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Salary cuts and Britains constantly changing travel rules have made working in aviation unattractive. Thanks to the tight UK labor market, there are better options than hauling luggage in the rain at dawn or shepherding impatient passengers through airport security. You cant blame workers for picking a less uncertain career.

Hiring them back isnt straightforward because Brexit has ended the free movement of labor from the European Union. Airlines have resorted to offering signing bonuses and referral rewards to attract staff. Failing that, EasyJet Plc has removed seats from aircraft so it can fly with fewer crew.

Even once theyve found recruits, vetting applicants can take months due to the security checks. Workers references must explain any gaps in employment, a common occurrence during Covid.

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In fairness, airlines cant do much about staff sickness, air-traffic control problems or the burden of checking extra vaccine documentation sometimes still required when flying internationally.

And not everyones floundering. Budget carrier Ryanair Holdings Plc flew more passengers last month than in May 2019. It told investors recently it had retained cabin crew and pilots during the pandemic and ensured they flew regularly to remain qualified, which might explain why its coping better than Easyjet and British Airways, which cut more deeply.

Nevertheless, the bottlenecks in peak travel periods are adding to the long list of indignities air passengers must already endure, which begin when you purchase a ticket. Airlines are now even more determined to generate extra revenue from so-called ancillary services. Hence the endless website clicks and charges required to pay for baggage, speeding boarding, seat selection and sundry extras.

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Forget two hours, passengers are often encouraged to turn up three hours before an international flight and must then tag their own baggage before enduring dehumanizing airport security.

IT failures are worryingly common and when flights are cancelled rebooking can be nightmare. And I doubt customers will forget how airlines slowed refunds or issued vouchers during the pandemic to preserve cash.

Regrettably, the damage done to balance sheets by the pandemic and a continuing race to the bottom to provide cheap fares are impediments to aviation becoming more resilient. So if youve already waited two years for a foreign holiday, consider waiting a few more months or make do with a staycation.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 Boeing Faces a Chorus of Critics in High Places: Brooke Sutherland

 Jet Fuel Sees Crazy Prices After Two Unloved Years: Javier Blas

 The Airline Mask Mandate Never Stood a Chance: Stephen Carter

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Chris Bryant is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering industrial companies in Europe. Previously, he was a reporter for the Financial Times.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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Singapore Airlines Ltd.s long-delayed flight to India may finally be ready for takeoff. As travel resumes and the carrier moves past the record annual loss it was reporting around this time last year, Chief Executive Officer Goh Choon Phong wants to pursue a multi-hub strategy, one in which airlines owned by it will benefit from aviation demand outside of Singapore. India is obviously a very important one because its going to be massive, Goh told Bloomberg News, adding that he expects the country to be the third-largest aviation market after China and the U.S. by the middle of the decade, if not sooner.

Its a market that has attracted the small Asian city-state for decades. Singapore Airlines had partnered with the Mumbai-based conglomerate Tata Group in the failed 2001 privatization of Air India Ltd. New Delhi finally got around to selling the flag carrier to Tata only last year. During that 20-year period, Middle East rivals tried to make inroads into India. Etihad Airways PJSC invested in Jet Airways India Ltd., whose founder Naresh Goyal ran his carrier into bankruptcy. When Qatar was negotiating for more flights between Indian locations and Doha six years ago, it was told to set up a new airline. Qatar Airways Ltd. even announced a brand-new short-haul carrier for India. While nothing came of that plan, the company has often expressed its keenness to buy a stake in IndiGo, Indias biggest airline.

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The Tata Group flirted with others, including Singapore Airlines arch rival AirAsia Bhd., with which it launched AirAsia India. Goh, who rose to become CEO in 2011, stuck to Tata, taking a 49% stake in its full-service carrier Vistara. In the seven years that Vistara has been flying, its yet to turn a profit even though it now serves nine overseas destinations and covers 31 cities in India.

But Gohs loyalty and patience may finally be rewarded: Campbell Wilson, the CEO of Singapore Airlines no-frills Scoot brand, is joining as CEO of the newly privatized Air India. This isnt a case of Tata poaching senior talent from its partner, but rather the beginning of a deeper relationship. Wilsons move  plus the Tata Groups plan to lease 700,000 square feet of commercial space near the New Delhi airport to house the corporate offices of Air India, its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express as well as Vistara and AirAsia India  prompted The Morning Context to ask if a merger was on its way. The news website had previously reported that Singapore Airlines and the Indian conglomerate had agreed to keep Vistara and Air India separate for two years. That timeframe to decide on a big, fat, Indian wedding may no longer be sacrosanct, it said.

For the salt-to-software Tata Group, consolidation of its airline businesses will mean cost efficiencies, for instance, by removing overlapping routes and perhaps losing the AirAsia brand along the way. Meanwhile, a substantial stake in Air India will be the jewel in Singapore Airlines crown. Its home base in Singapore is well-suited as a router of international passenger flows between India and the U.S. west coast.

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Vistara, which has already started some European routes, plans direct flights to the U.S. as well, effectively giving Singapore Airlines a foothold in the lucrative West-bound market from India, long dominated by Emirates Airline, Etihad and Qatar Airways. If the New Zealand-born Wilson, a Singapore Airlines veteran, can pull off an Air India-Vistara integration, Goh can use the template to roll out his multi-hub strategy in other markets. Hopefully, those efforts wont drag on for two decades. Or else they may have to be concluded by the successor to the 58-year-old CEO.

More From This Writer and Others at Bloomberg Opinion:

 Your Pilot Had Suicidal Thoughts? Thats OK: David Fickling and Tim Culpan

 Air Indias Privatization Comes Two Decades Late: Andy Mukherjee

 In Singapore, a Chicken Ban Is a Serious Threat: Daniel Moss

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Andy Mukherjee is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering industrial companies and financial services in Asia. Previously, he worked for Reuters, the Straits Times and Bloomberg News.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. A brawl broke out near the Government Cottages between the police and the representatives of "Resistance" movement, as a result of which some people were detained.

ARMENPRESS reports, earlier the participants of the movement headed to the Government from the National Assembly, and then to the Government Cottages.

21:25 - The members of the "Resistance" movement are currently moving from the Government Cottages to the French Square.

Ishkhan Saghatelyan, a representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun's supreme body in Armenia, said that a gathering will be held there to discuss what to do next. There are detained and injured people as a result of clashes with the police, he said.

21:42 - Shushan Danielyan, Chief of Staff of Yerevan State Medical University, wrote on her Facebook page that as of 9:10 p.m., 7 citizens were taken to Heratsi University Hospital by ambulance. They are currently under examination.
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Fewer than half of eligible Americans have received a third Covid vaccine shot despite clear evidence of its benefit. That booster shot improves your odds of avoiding even mild omicron. So why havent more people gotten it? Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight One reason may be that were all over map in our risk of getting infected. That variability could be causing confusion over who should get how many booster shots and when. Im confused, and Im on the FDA advisory committee, said Paul Offit, director of the vaccine education center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, on a recent video conference.

Another part of the problem is the term booster, he said. It might be clearer to redefine full vaccination to encompass two, three or four shots depending on various individual risk factors. But figuring that out wont be easy, since there are factors besides age and being immune-compromised that matter. Some peoples antibodies hold up better than others and work better fighting the current variants.

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Thats why some people are getting Covid two or three times and others have never gotten it at all. About one in four Americans still havent been infected with Covid-19, according to some estimates  and as far as I know, Im one of them, though its also possible I had an asymptomatic case. Ill find out soon, since I just gave a blood sample for a study that can decipher this and a lot more from the mix of antibodies I carry.

Though a third shot is obviously not 100% effective  nothing in medicine is  it vastly improves your odds of avoiding omicron, which is the family of variants that have dominated since the end of last year, said Duane Wesemann, an immunologist at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston who is heading the study. He told me that earlier studies from his lab and others show that the third mRNA shot gives most of us more than a temporary increase in antibodies. It also improves the quality of our antibodies. The way he explains it, antibody-making cells, called B-cells, can grow to different levels of maturity. The most mature B-cells carry different mutations that allow them to produce antibodies with more diversity, improving the odds that some will be good at attacking the new variants that keep evolving.

The first two shots (or one shot of the J&J vaccine) still protect most of us against severe disease because our bodies retain virus-fighting T-cells, which are a sort of backup line of defense. They wont stop you from getting sick, but they will kick in to prevent the disease from becoming severe. But without any further shots, the circulating antibodies that had provided an earlier line of defense do almost nothing to stop an infection with omicron and its sub-variants BA.2 and BA.2.12.1.

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The first two mRNA shots might have been too close together to allow these B-cells to mature, he said, and so the longer interval to the third shot might explain why those who received it make antibodies that neutralize omicron 20 to 30 times better than the initial shots. He explained this in more detail in a review article in Cell called Omicrons Message on Vaccines, as well as a research paper on his own labs work in Science Immunology.

The long-term goal of Wesemanns new study, the one I enrolled in, is to find a pan-coronavirus vaccine  one that could protect people from Covid variants that have yet to evolve as well as any new coronaviruses we might encounter in the future. Its being conducted through the Ragon Institute, a collaboration of Harvard, MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital.

So far they have more than 200 volunteers and theyre still accepting more. Lab tests that will be done on the samples can detect past infection in vaccinated people by looking for antibodies to a protein called nucleocapsid, which isnt elicited by the vaccine but is part of the full virus. They can also look at how my vaccine-induced antibodies are holding up.

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Unfortunately, unless youre enrolled in a study like this one you probably dont know how good your current protection is. Vaccine protection wanes over time but not in a predictable or uniform way. Wesemann said some people are sustainers  they clear the virus easily when infected and retain a strong set of immune cells and antibodies. Understanding how could help scientists design a better vaccine.

It could also help doctors give better advice about who needs a fourth shot. Right now, the benefits of a second booster are far less clear. Offit, who is on the FDA advisory committee, said during that video conference in mid-May that hes had his third shot, but not the fourth. Hes waiting for more evidence of a benefit.

Theres no reason to wait on that third, shot, though. In fact, Wesemann said my booster, received way back in December, may have protected me against getting BA.2.12.1, an omicron variant now surging in the Northeastern US. Its supposed to be the latest in an ever-escalating series, about 25% more transmissible than BA.2, which has been estimated to be 30% more transmissible than the initial omicron, itself a whopping 50% more transmissible than the already wildly contagious delta, which had a 50% advantage over the highly transmissible alpha.

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Some experts qualify these numbers by saying the variants might not be that much more inherently transmissible but instead are progressively better at evading immunity from past variants and the vaccines. Genes, past coronavirus infections and many other factors might also influence who getting infected despite a booster.

The message that everyones going to get Covid might not be true, and the message that everyone is at risk undersells the value of that first booster. Its an odds game, so why not stack them in your favor by getting that extra shot?

More from Bloomberg Opinion:

 Covid Boosters, Like Flu Shots, Need a Yearly Schedule: Lisa Jarvis

 AstraZeneca + Pfizer Vaccines = Better Omicron Immunity: Therese Raphael and Sam Fazeli

 Just How Gruesome Is Gun Violence? Maybe the Public Should See: Timothy L. OBrien

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Faye Flam is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering science. She is host of the Follow the Science podcast.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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In Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy  John le Carres classic novel about the hunt for a traitor near the top of British Intelligence  the hero, George Smiley, tells a colleague that the art of being a mole is to be one of a crowd. The greater the number of suspects, the smaller the possibility of being caught. Smiley is hauled from retirement to conduct some quiet detective work precisely because the alternative is a massive investigation that would disrupt and perhaps destroy the very institution its designed to protect.

Thats the territory the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to enter. According to news reports, the search for the leaker of Justice Samuel Alitos proposed abortion opinion has led to demands that law clerks sign affidavits under penalty of perjury and allow inspection of their cell phone records. A sitting federal judge has joined the loud clamor for a criminal investigation.

This isnt shattered trust; its self-immolation.

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And all because the leaker, described by some as a hero, prefers to remain hidden in the crowd.

With some law clerks reportedly seeking legal counsel, one can well imagine a course of events that ends in litigation, after a clerk who refuses to turn over cell phone data is fired, then sues for wrongful termination. (Key query for another day: Would the justices recuse themselves from the lawsuit?)

To be sure, internal investigations are a commonplace of our era. In some fields of endeavor, theyve become sufficiently ubiquitous that the psychological literature includes advice on how to survive the process. And when it comes to leaks from the judicial branches, investigations are not new.

In 1938, for example, the Philadelphia Inquirer published a story predicting, correctly, that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court was about to strike down several new state laws restricting grand jury investigations. The furious justices interrogated the city editor, who implausibly explained that he had no sources inside the court and had based his prediction on the oral argument and a study of recent decisions.

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In 1939, an incensed Illinois judge demanded to know why a prisoner hed ordered released, one Raymond Scott, had been rearrested. He was told that the attorney generals office had received a tip that the Illinois Supreme Court was about to overturn the order and send the defendant back to jail. Thus, the prosecutor explained, we moved to get Scott before he could flee. The judge announced that he would undertake an investigation into how word of a pending decision got to the attorney generals office. History does not record the result, but it is surely worth noting that the tip turned out to be wrong.

As everyones been pointing out, the Supreme Court has hardly been exempt from worry over leaks. A 1919 leak of a pending railroad decision led to profiteering in the stock market, and criminal charges.

But the justices have often used more discretion in responding. A 1935 Washington Post piece about the justices penchant for secrecy refers to a past incident in which, when a leak was suspected, the court quietly disposed of the matter by internal investigation.

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Since the leak of Justice Alitos proposed opinion, many outlets have run stories reminding us that the result in Roe itself leaked back in 1973, in an issue of Time magazine that hit the stands shortly before the decision was handed down. Then, too, there was talk among the justices of an internal investigation, perhaps even including lie detector tests. Then, too, there were fears that so intrusive a hunt would shake the foundations of the very institution it was supposed to protect.

But we should also remember the denouement. The law clerk in question, appalled at the potential damage to the institution, bravely came forward. He confessed to his boss, Justice Lewis Powell, and offered to resign. Powell forgave his clerk, but sent him to see Chief Justice Warren Burger. Burger gave the young man a stern talking-to and sent him about his business.

Perhaps the leaker of Alitos opinion possesses sufficient nobility to publicly admit culpability, and so avoid further damage to the trust that the institution requires. Else the momentum of investigation might prove unstoppable. Perhaps the leaker is too much a coward; or too much a careerist. But those of us who even in this day and age still admire the Supreme Court must hope that rather than hide in the crowd like Smileys mole, the leaker will decide that the time has arrived to come in from the cold.

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More from Bloomberg Opinion:

 US Justices Are Looking More Like Politicians: Noah Feldman

 Whats Not Going to Happen After Roe Falls: Ramesh Ponnuru

 Just How Gruesome Is Gun Violence? Maybe the Public Should See: Timothy L. OBrien

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Stephen L. Carter is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. A professor of law at Yale University, he is author, most recently, of Invisible: The Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down Americas Most Powerful Mobster.

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The global eradication of smallpox more than 40 years ago was one of the greatest achievements in public-health history, vanquishing a cause of death, blindness and disfigurement that had plagued humanity for at least 3,000 years. But, on the downside, it also led to the end of a global vaccination program that provided protection against other pox viruses. That includes monkeypox, which has been spilling over from its animal hosts to infect humans in Africa with increasing frequency since the 1970s. More recently, monkeypox has sparked outbreaks in at least 30 countries, mostly in Europe, demonstrating again how readily an infectious agent that emerges in one country can quickly become an international concern.

1. Whats monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a misnomer resulting from the fact that it was first discovered in 1958, when outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research. While monkeys are susceptible to it, just like humans are, they arent the source. The virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus, which includes the variola virus, the cause of smallpox; the vaccinia virus, which is used in the smallpox vaccine; and cowpox virus. Monkeypox is less contagious than smallpox and the symptoms are milder. About 30% of smallpox patients died, while the fatality rate for monkeypox in recent times is around 3% to 6%, according to the World Health Organization.

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2. What does monkeypox do?

After an incubation period of usually one to two weeks, the disease typically starts with fever, muscle aches, fatigue and other flu-like symptoms. Unlike smallpox, monkeypox also causes swelling of the lymph nodes. Within a few days of fever onset, patients develop a rash, often beginning on the face then spreading to other parts of the body. The lesions grow into fluid-containing pustules that form a scab. If a lesion forms on the eye, it can cause blindness. The illness typically lasts two to four weeks, according to the WHO. The person is infectious from the time symptoms start until the scabs fall off and the sores heal. Mortality is higher among children and young adults, and people whose immune system is compromised are especially at risk of severe disease.

3. How is it normally transmitted?

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Monkeypox doesnt usually spread easily between people. Contact with the virus from an animal, human or contaminated object is the main pathway. The virus enters the body through broken skin, the respiratory tract or the mucous membranes in the eyes, nose or mouth. Transmission from one person to another is thought to occur through respiratory particles during direct and prolonged face-to-face contact. But it can also happen through contact with body fluids or lesion material, or indirectly through contact with contaminated clothing or linens. Common household disinfectants can kill it.

4. Whats unusual this time?

There have been multiple chains of human-to-human transmission occurring, including in sexual networks, in countries in which monkeypox isnt normally present.

 Cases dont involve recent travel to places in West and Central Africa, where the disease is endemic.

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 Although anyone can get monkeypox, most cases occur in men. In endemic areas of Africa, it was thought that was related to hunting practices, whereas in the current outbreak, most individuals are men who have sex with men, people with multiple sexual partners, or people who practice condomless sex.

 Flu-like symptoms havent always preceded the rash, and some patients first sought medical care for lesions in the genital and perianal region.

 In some cases, the lesions are mostly located at these sites, making them hard to distinguish from syphilis, herpes simplex virus, shingles and other more common infections, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 Close skin-to-skin contact during sex is the primary mode of transmission among men who have sex with men.

 Semen from four patients in Italy collected around the time their symptoms appeared was positive for monkeypox DNA in three of the cases. Its not yet known whether the fluid alone can transmit the infection.

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Analysis of the genetic sequence of the virus collected from some patients in Europe indicates that the strain spreading has a single origin. It belongs to the West African clade, or branch on the evolutionary tree, and is most closely related to viruses found in cases exported from Nigeria to the UK, Israel and Singapore in recent years. Monkeypox virus strains from this clade have a case-fatality rate of 1% to 3.6%. (That compares with 10% for a second clade called Congo Basin, which appears on the US governments bioterrorism agent list as having the potential to pose a severe threat.)

5. How fast is it spreading?

From just a handful of cases in Europe in early May, almost 800 cases, mostly in men, were reported across the region, as well as North and South America, and Australia by early June. Experts told a WHO meeting that monkeypox had been circulating undetected in Europe since at least April. Understanding the dynamics of spread is proving difficult. A UK study found anonymous sex has proved a barrier to effective contact tracing, with only 28% of men able to provide the names of recent sexual contacts. This may challenge efforts to stem transmission ahead of LGBTQ pride celebrations occurring in major cities around the world. Data from outbreaks in Canada, Spain, Portugal, and the UK suggest venues where men have sex with multiple male partners are helping to drive spread.

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6. Where does monkeypox come from?

The reservoir host or main carrier of monkeypox disease hasnt yet been identified, although rodents are suspected of playing a part in transmission. It was first diagnosed in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a 9-year-old boy. Since then, most cases in humans have occurred in rain forest areas of West and Central Africa. In 2003, the first outbreak outside of Africa occurred in the US and was linked to animals imported from Ghana to Texas, which then infected pet prairie dogs. Dozens of cases were recorded in that outbreak.

7. Is monkeypox a pandemic threat?

Outbreaks outside Africa occur infrequently. There have been at least eight known exported cases since 2017, usually involving international travelers, but they havent typically caused onward transmission. Human-to-human transmission raises concern that the virus may undergo genetic changes to enable it to spread more efficiently from person to person. The DNA sequences of viruses collected during the recent epidemics harbor a larger constellation of mutations than one would expect considering the natural evolution of related viruses, researchers in Portugal said in a report released on May 23. It isnt known yet whether the genetic changes have any clinical significance, however.

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8. How is it treated and prevented?

The illness is usually mild and most patients will recover within a few weeks; treatment is mainly aimed at relieving symptoms. For the purposes of controlling a monkeypox outbreak, the CDC says smallpox vaccine, antivirals, and vaccinia immune globulin can be used. Vaccination against smallpox can be used for both pre- and post-exposure and is as much as 85% effective in preventing monkeypox, according to the UK Health Security Agency, which is offering the Imvanex smallpox vaccine to close contacts of a person diagnosed with monkeypox. It lists cidofovir and tecovirimat as antiviral drugs that can be used to control outbreaks. Tecovirimat was approved by the European Medical Association for monkeypox in 2022 based on data in animal and human studies but isnt yet widely available, according to the WHO. Newer vaccines based on non-replicating versions of the vaccinia virus have been developed, of which one has been approved for prevention of monkeypox. Limited supplies of two vaccines are available in the US for adults, the journal JAMA reported in late May:

 There are 100 million doses of ACAM2000, which was approved in 2007 for immunization against smallpox. Although it can be administered to people exposed to monkeypox if used under an expanded access investigational new drug protocol, it contains a live vaccinia virus linked to some serious potential adverse effects.

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 There are 1,000 doses of JYNNEOS, a live, non-replicating vaccinia virus vaccine manufactured by Bavarian Nordic A/S and approved in 2019 by the US Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of smallpox and monkeypox.

The main way to prevent infection is by isolating patients suspected of having monkeypox in a negative pressure room and ensuring health staff wear appropriate personal protective equipment.

9. Is there a test for monkeypox?

Yes. Monkeypox is diagnosed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to detect viral DNA in specimens collected from the scabs or swabs of a patients lesions. In the US, these are available at state health departments and the CDC.

(Adds detail on outbreak in first paragraph, potential role of semen and predominance of cases in men in section 4, details of spread in section 5.)

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Usually, its only after fighting ends that prosecutions begin for breaking the rules of war. Ukraine isnt waiting. It began putting captured Russian soldiers on trial in May. But what about the political and military leaders higher up the chain of command? Widespread attacks on Ukrainian civilians and non-military targets such as schools and hospitals have led to calls in the US, UK and Europe to hold not just Russian troops but President Vladimir Putin and his subordinates accountable for war crimes. An international tribunal is investigating such offenses and other potential atrocities. However, its far from certain that senior Russian leaders will be brought to justice under international law.

1. What are war crimes?

They are violations of the rules of warfare as set out in various treaties, notably the Geneva Conventions, a series of agreements concluded between 1864 and 1949. War crimes include willful killing, torture, rape, using starvation as a weapon, shooting combatants who have surrendered, deploying banned weapons such as chemical and biological arms, and deliberately attacking civilian targets. The Kremlin has rejected allegations that its troops have committed such transgressions in Ukraine.

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2. How have these crimes been prosecuted in the past?

In an early exercise of international criminal justice, Allied powers tried and punished German and Japanese leaders after World War II, sentencing some to death. Because the Allies granted themselves immunity from war crimes charges, the tribunals were criticized as victors justice. To avoid that conflict of interest, the United Nations Security Council created independent, international tribunals to prosecute atrocities in the Balkans and Rwanda in the 1990s. Those horrors revived a 19th-century idea of establishing a permanent world court to hold people accountable for acts of mass inhumanity. The Hague-based International Criminal Court was born in 2002 out of a treaty called the Rome Statute; 123 states have ratified it to become ICC members. Notable holdouts include Russia, China, India and the US, which says putting its citizens under the courts jurisdiction would violate their constitutional rights.

3. Whats Ukraines approach?

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With the help of a number of countries, including the US, Ukrainian officials began collecting evidence of war crimes early in the conflict. As of mid-May, Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said her office had opened more than 11,000 cases. In the first trial, a Ukrainian court sentenced a Russian soldier to life imprisonment for killing an unarmed civilian. In the second, two soldiers got 11.5 years for shelling an educational facility. In a commentary published in The Conversation, Robert Goldman, president of the International Commissions of Jurists, said that Ukraines approach was permissible under international law but arguably not wise. He noted that the International Committee of the Red Cross has cautioned against holding such trials during hostilities because of the improbability that the accused could properly prepare a defense in that setting.

4. Whats the ICC doing?

It sent a team of 42 people -- its largest such deployment -- to Ukraine to investigate crimes that fall within the courts jurisdiction. Although Ukraine is not an ICC member, it accepted the courts jurisdiction for incidents on its territory starting months before Russia seized the countrys Crimea peninsula in 2014. In addition to war crimes, the ICC is investigating crimes against humanity and genocide. The former are defined as acts such as murder, enslavement, deportation, imprisonment, rape and apartheid when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population. Genocide is defined in a 1948 UN convention as specific acts intended to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has accused Russia of genocide, saying Putin intends to end Ukraines existence as a nation.

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5. What are the prospects of trying Russian officials?

Barring a change of regime in Moscow, not good. The ICC doesnt permit trials in absentia, and the court is unlikely to gets its hands on Putin or his lieutenants. It relies on its member states to make arrests, and accused Russian officials could always avoid traveling to a country that might turn them over. Of the two dozen people against whom the ICC has pursued war crimes cases, about a third remain at large. Those charged have been members of armed groups rather than political or state military leaders, with four exceptions -- a Libyan general, Sudans ex-president, Omar al-Bashir, and two of his ministers -- none of whom have been turned over to the ICC. Numerous political leaders were prosecuted for barbarities in the Balkans and Rwanda, but those tribunals were established by the Security Council, where Russia has a veto.

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The US House of Representatives committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the nations Capitol is nearing a more public phase of its work. Televised hearings are set to begin on June 9, with at least two expected to be held in prime time for maximum exposure. After that, the committee of seven Democrats and two Republicans will report its findings sometime before the midterm elections on Nov. 8. Former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies continue to call the probe a witch hunt focused on scoring political points.

1. What has the committee done?

Its conducted more than 1,000 interviews and collected more than 100,000 documents, including emails and texts. It held a public hearing in July 2021 to hear testimony from police officers at the Capitol who came under attack. Its issued at least 99 subpoenas for witness testimony and document production; in four instances where the recipient hasnt complied, the Democratic-controlled House has voted to pursue charges of contempt of Congress.

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2. What does the committee hope to learn?

Chairman Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, has said the panels work seeks to uncover the facts, tell the American people the full story of January 6th and ensure that nothing like that day ever happens again. One focus is what role Trump and his advisers played in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election -- which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden -- or to organize the events that preceded the storming of the Capitol while Congress was certifying the results of the 2020 election. Another is what explains the 187 minutes of inaction before National Guard troops and additional police were sent to the Capitol. Other areas of inquiry include why the Capitol and federal and local law enforcement agencies werent better prepared, whether any lawmaker gave a tour of the Capitol on Jan. 5 to members of the public casing the building for the next days incursion, and whether there were crimes or violations of campaign finance law in the funding of events to promote claims the presidential election had been stolen.

3. What has the committee learned?

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Much of that is private, for now. Some of the biggest early committee headlines stemmed from text messages sent or received by Trumps White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, on Jan. 6 or in the days leading up to it. The texts, provided to the committee by Meadows, include messages to him from members of Congress and others pleading for Trump to call on his supporters to stop the assault. Other texts show Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, advocating for invalidating the results of the 2020 presidential election. The committee revealed in March it had uncovered a more-than-seven-hour gap in White House telephone logs of Trump calls during the riot -- a period when lawmakers were urgently trying to get him to quell the mob.

4. Could the committees work lead to criminal charges?

Lawmakers arent law enforcement, and the Justice Department is already separately prosecuting more than 800 people for their actions at the Capitol. But the committee could send the Justice Department any evidence it believes shows additional criminal wrongdoing, via a so-called criminal referral. Thompson said on May 17 that the Justice Department had requested access to some of the committees interview transcripts. In legal filings on March 2, the committee suggested it may have evidence that Trump and his associates committed crimes -- including obstruction of an official proceeding, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison -- in attempting to prevent Congress from certifying the 2020 election results. Committee investigators have information on strategies by Trump advisers to audit or impound voting machines in key 2020 election swing states, for instance.

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5. How close might this get to Trump himself?

Trumps actions and inactions are central to the timeline of Jan. 6. The committees vice chair, Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming -- one of the panels two Republican members -- said on Jan. 2, 2022, that the committee has firsthand testimony now that he was sitting in the dining room next to the Oval Office watching the attack on television as the assault on the Capitol occurred. She said Trump could have, at any moment, walked those very few steps into the briefing room, gone on live television, and told his supporters who were assaulting the Capitol to stop. Not doing so, she said, was a serious dereliction of duty.

6. Who hasnt complied with the committee?

Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications Dan Scavino, former trade adviser Peter Navarro and former Trump strategist Steve Bannon refused to comply with subpoenas seeking their testimony. So did Meadows, even as he initially complied with the committees request for text messages. Their matters were referred to the Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution. Bannon and Navarro have been indicted; Bannon is set to go on trial in July on two counts of contempt, which can potentially carry a penalty of up to a year in jail plus a fine. The committee says it has subpoenaed five Republican House members, including the Republican leader, Kevin McCarthy, who spoke to Trump by phone during the Capitol riot. McCarthy resisted complying with his subpoena, challenging the committees legal standing. Trying to compel testimony from sitting members of Congress is legally complicated and underscores a key facet of the case: Lawmakers were participants in some of the events on Jan. 6 and have information germane to the probe.

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7. Why the lack of cooperation?

In remarks echoed by other Republicans, McCarthy argues the committee is partisan and not conducting a legitimate investigation. Some of those refusing to cooperate cited Trumps claim of executive privilege, the limited right of a president to decline requests from Congress and the courts for information about internal White House talks and deliberations. Longtime Trump confidante Roger Stone invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination. Trumps onetime lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, said he invoked attorney-client privilege to refuse to answer some questions. Part of what could be motivating the resistance is a desire to delay the committees progress. All 435 House seats will be on the ballot in November, and Democrats could lose their majority. Republicans have been clear that, should they gain House control at the start of 2023, they would shut down an investigation they view as a partisan waste of taxpayer dollars.

8. Why is the committee dominated by Democrats?

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The Democrat-controlled House passed legislation to create the committee after Senate Republicans blocked the creation of an outside commission, independent of Congress, modeled on the one that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Then, when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to seat two of McCarthys choices for the panel, he pulled his other picks. The two Republicans Pelosi named to the panel, Cheney and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, are both Trump critics who have become regular targets of attacks from within their own party.

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UPDATE: Masati was convicted of misdemeanor charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and unlawful dissemination of images of another in Fairfax County juvenile court in 2019 in connection with this case. The charges of possessing child pornography were dropped. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight A former Fairfax County high school student is facing charges in connection with a trove of nude photos and videos of 14 underage girls from area high schools, Fairfax County police said Thursday.

Ergi Masati, 18, of Fairfax, has been charged with five counts of possessing child pornography for collecting the images in folders in an account with the online file-sharing service Dropbox. Masati graduated from Fairfax High School in 2017.

The trove came to light after someone sent an anonymous letter to the school resource officer at Chantillys Westfield High School in September. The letter contained links to two Dropbox accounts that contained the nude images, police said.

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The investigation led to Masati, who was arrested Oct. 23, police said. Masatis family declined to comment when reached by phone. An attorney was not listed for Masati in court records. He was released on $5,000 bond in October.

His arrest was not immediately announced because police said they were attempting to identify and notify all of the teens who were pictured in the photos and videos. Police said all of the teens have now been identified. They attended several high schools in Fairfax County between 2015 and 2017. All have graduated.

One of the victims was a 15-year-old girl, who took a nude photo of herself in front of a mirror, according to a search warrant. Police said all of the victims were aware that nude photos of themselves existed and none were taken surreptitiously.

Fairfax County police detective J. Katzman wrote in a search warrant that the two Dropbox accounts contained about 100 folders labeled with a name, nickname or other identifying information for a girl or woman, but police said many of the images did not constitute child pornography.

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It is really important that parents educate their children on Internet safety, said Fairfax County Police Second Lt. Jane Burns, who works in the Child Exploitation Unit. Please remind your kids that they are responsible for what they post or share online.

The case follows similar ones in Fairfax County and across the nation. Last May, reports of nude photos circulating at a Falls Church middle school mushroomed into an investigation that found illicit photos of nearly a dozen youths at two schools.

In 2013, three teenage boys at West Springfield High School were charged with child pornography after allegedly filming themselves engaging in drunken sex acts with at least six juvenile girls. The case generated headlines across the region.

Dealing with teens sharing nude images, or sexting, has become a thorny problem for teens, parents, school administrators, police, prosecutors and legislators.

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In Virginia, many underage teens dont realize they can be charged with felony child pornography for sharing images of themselves or fellow classmates, although most cases are resolved without such charges. Fairfax County police said they generally seek to charge in cases where teens are maliciously and aggressively sharing nude images of other juveniles.

Last year, the Virginia Senate passed a bill that would have kept teens from being labeled sex offenders for willingly sharing nude images with each other. Sexting would have been treated as a misdemeanor, but the bill ultimately died in a House committee.

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INDIANAPOLIS  A former Mike Pence aide seeking to oust Indianas Republican secretary of state is embracing Donald Trumps lie that the 2020 election was stolen while also fending off criticism about twice leaving jobs in that office after being written up for poor job performance. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Diego Morales work history has emerged as an issue in his campaign against Secretary of State Holli Sullivan. Its largely happening outside public view as they seek support among roughly 1,800 delegates who will pick the nominee for Indianas chief elections officer at the June 18 state Republican convention.

Sullivans campaign sent text messages to delegates in recent weeks with links to documents critical of Morales job performance in 2009 and 2011. The messages close: Our elections are too important to hand over to someone who is not ready for the job and has a troubled employment history in the exact office he is seeking to hold.

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The secretary of state oversees statewide policies for elections, which are run by county officials.

Morales, 43, dismisses the disciplinary actions as office politics and has worked to connect with delegates through frequent appearances at local Republican events.

Sullivan, 49, previously worked in auto plant management and was a state representative from Evansville for seven years before being appointed secretary of state by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb in March 2021 when her predecessor retired.

Sullivan touts her work toward improving cybersecurity for county election offices and adding small printers to thousands of electronic touch-screen voting machines across the state to create a paper trail of each ballot cast.

Morales, meanwhile, has called the 2020 election a scam while pointing to unfounded claims Trump and his allies have made about other states. The former president hasnt endorsed anyone in the race, but Morales is trying to attract Trump supporters.

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Hes pushing voter restrictions that include cutting the states 28-day early voting period in half, requiring new voters to prove their U.S. citizenship when registering, and creating an election task force that would investigate shenanigans.

As for the disciplinary actions he faced as a junior staff member in the secretary of states office, he says hes facing a smear campaign.

That was disagreement in leadership, disagreements in opinions, probably office politics, office rivalry, Morales, who immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala as a teenager with his parents and sisters, said in an interview. Obviously, the government bureaucracy at its best.

The disciplinary actions were first reported by The Associated Press during Morales unsuccessful 2018 run for Congress.

Records obtained under Indianas public records act showed he was fired in 2009 after eight months in Republican Todd Rokitas office due to incomplete work, inefficient execution and a lack of focus. He refused to agree to a work improvement plan and submitted his resignation when he was fired, according to a termination letter.

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Two years later, Morales left a different position in the office after refusing to sign a work improvement plan under then-Secretary of State Charlie White, a Republican who was himself removed from office in 2012 following a voter fraud conviction. Morales worked just over a month when he was disciplined for poor execution and failing to complete his work, records show.

Morales returned to state government as an aide on the governors staff when Pence took office in 2013 and remained until Pence left to become Trumps vice president in 2017. Some top Pence governors office staffers have defended Morales work and support his candidacy.

Rokita, now state attorney general, wrote a message distributed by the Morales campaign saying, As far as Im concerned, Diego left my office on good terms, and I consider him a longtime friend.

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Sullivan, a former vice chair of the state Republican Party, said qualifications and background are important for the office and that the public documents do not show someone leaving on good terms.

I think delegates deserve transparency and because it was a public office and he was a state employee, they have those public documents to review, Sullivan said.

Other candidates seeking the Republican nomination are Knox County Clerk David Shelton and Paul Hager, a former Libertarian Party candidate from Bloomington. Sullivan and Morales each raised about $500,000 for their campaigns through the end of March, far ahead of the others.

Destiny Scott Wells, an attorney and Army Reserve intelligence officer, is the only Democrat seeking the nomination at the partys June 18 convention. Libertarian candidate Jeff Maurer will also be on the November ballot.

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Complicating Sullivans candidacy are her links to Holcomb, who despite his landslide reelection win in 2020 has faced conservative criticism over actions ranging from COVID-19 restrictions he imposed to his veto of a bill banning transgender females from girls school sports. Many conservative activists won convention delegate seats in the May primary, even though hard-right challengers to current Republican legislators largely failed.

The attention on Morales job history could sway delegates who arent already strong supporters of any candidate, said Steve Shine, whos been the Republican chairman in Allen County, which includes Fort Wayne, for 29 years.

That also has the possibility of backfiring and working against those who thought it would help because there are some people who are totally turned off by negativism in any race, said Shine, who hasnt endorsed any candidate.

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LONDON  Tongas chief diplomat in the United Kingdom will be thinking about two monarchs this weekend as Britain and the Commonwealth celebrate Queen Elizabeth IIs Platinum Jubilee. There is Elizabeth, of course, who will celebrate 70 years on the throne with four days of parades and pageantry. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight But High Commissioner Titilupe Fanetupouvavau Tuivakano will also remember her great- grandmother Queen Salote Tupou III, who endeared herself to Britons as she rode through the streets of London in an open carriage during Elizabeths coronation parade in 1953.

Despite pouring rain, Queen Salote refused to close the top as a sign of respect for the new monarch, drawing cheers from the revelers lining the streets.

Every single Tongan knows about that experience, Tuivakano told The Associated Press. I even have some individuals walking up to me (in London) and asking me, Are you Tongan? These are ladies who were there 70 years ago.  They still remember what happened.

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Tonga is an example of how Britains relationship with the world has changed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

The archipelago of 170 islands in the South Pacific was a British protectorate at the time of the coronation. It became fully independent in 1970 and joined the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 54 countries that grew out of the British Empire and is headed by Elizabeth.

Britain worked closely with Australia and New Zealand, two other Commonwealth nations, to provide aid to Tonga after a volcanic eruption and tsunami devastated the islands earlier this year.

Queen Salote was just 18 when she came to the throne in 1918. She is credited with laying the groundwork for independence, though she died in 1965 before seeing it become reality.

Her actions at the coronation helped cement the links between the two countries, the diplomat said.

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There were crowds and crowds of people who witnessed this auspicious occasion and this sign of traditional Tongan respect which was passed down among generations, she said. I think this has, in a sense, not only reflected the relationship between the United Kingdom and Tonga but also among the people of the United Kingdom that were there and also the people of Tonga.

One of those who witnessed the event was David Hodge, a young soldier who marched in the parade. Fresh from a posting in what was then known as Malaya, Hodges unit of the Somerset Light Infantry was positioned right behind the Tongan monarchs carriage.

The crowd loved her sitting in an open carriage taking absolutely no notice of the weather and with a wonderful smile on her face the whole time, Hodge wrote on the 40th anniversary of the coronation in 1993. Her happiness summed up the whole day for a great many people that day.

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Hodge died in 2013. But his daughter Susan Duddridge will dance in Sundays jubilee pageant, providing a direct link between the coronation parade and this weekends celebrations.

She will be thinking of her dad as she joins 10,000 performers for the procession that ends outside Buckingham Palace.

My dad was very proud when he was chosen to march at the coronation, so to have the opportunity to walk in his footsteps is amazing, she said. And I am equally as proud to be part of this amazing day.

The build up to the jubilee has also been a time of reflection for Tongas high commissioner, who has small etching of Queen Elizabeth II on her desk and an immense black and white photograph of her great-grandmother on her office wall.

Tuivakano sees similarities between the two queens from opposite sides of the world. Both were crowned at a young age and took their places in a male dominated world. Yet both became iconic in their own right and hold respect that transcends generations.

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As she takes Queen Salotes picture off the wall to pose for a photograph, Tuivakano gently touches the edge of the frame, handling it with great care. It is almost as if the queens spirit is not far.

The great-grandmother she never met still serves as a guiding light. When asked what she would say to Queen Salote if she had the chance, she responds quietly.

I would tell her that she has left a great legacy, not only for our family, but for Tonga and the Pacific region and also the world, she said. We have all tried to follow suit. I would tell her that.

___

Follow APs coverage of Queen Elizabeth II at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii

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South Africa: Commission monitors air ticket prices after suspension of Comair flights

The Competition Commission of South Africa says it has noted the announcement made by Comair to effectively suspend all British Airways and kulula.com flights with immediate effect, a decision which will significantly reduce capacity in the domestic air travel and reduce competition.

Comair, which owns kulula.com and operates British Airways locally under a licence agreement, suspended its flights on Tuesday night, pending securing funding to resume operations.

In a statement on Thursday, Competition Commission spokesperson, Siyabulela Makunga, said the commission on Wednesday met separately with the leadership of major airlines, Lyft, FlySafair, Airlink and the South African Airways (SAA).

The meeting came after the commission raised concern about the impact of Comairs decision on air ticket prices. It sought to understand how capacity could be brought to the market to mitigate the impact of the decision.

Specifically, the commission sought to prevent any possible price gouging emanating from the supply shock.

The commission was encouraged by the positive response of all the airlines in this respect, as they acknowledged the need to bring in more capacity in the market and committed not to change their pricing methodologies to exploit the situation, Makunga said.

He said all parties further acknowledged the challenges posed by the rising fuel prices, which will further put pressure on the cost of air travel.

The commission said it will continue to monitor the situation.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-06-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

The Caspian Sea region plays a big role in ensuring energy supply security, bps Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey Gary Jones told the 27th Baku Energy Week, Azernews reports.

Asserting that oil and gas resources will be in demand in decades to come, he emphasized that clean energy is also in demand today, and projects are being implemented and investments are being made to make it happen.

He added that it is planned to put into operation the Azeri Central East development project at Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli with a production of 100,000 tons.

Modern technologies are being introduced to achieve the maximum production of oil and gas resources. Modern technologies on the ACE platform will reduce the release of hazardous waste, in particular methanol, he said.

The signing of a new agreement

Simultaneously, Vice-President for Caspian Communications and Advocacy Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli noted that Azerbaijan and bp are holding discussions on renewable energy projects.

In this regard, he mentioned that an agreement between Azerbaijan and bp is expected to be signed in Shusha on the last day of the forum.

The sides are currently negotiating on renewable energy projects, and studying investment opportunities, he added.

HR employment legislation optimization

Aslanbayli also noted that optimizing the HR employment legislation is underway. He stated that Azerbaijan has been the country of trained oil and gas experts for a long period of time.

Now we see the need for new human resources in the renewable energy industry. Renewable energy projects do require the personnel available to serve such kinds of projects. Thus, we are working with international universities on forming appropriate educational programs in this regard, he said.

Noting that BP and local universities intend to create a joint cyber lab, he added that the cooperation document on renewable energy signed between the Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University and bp Exploration Limited will allow 40 Azerbaijani students to get a masters degree in renewable energy.

SOCARs long-term policy aims to reduce hydrocarbon emissions

Speaking at the forum, SOCAR Vice President for HR, IT and Regulations Xalik Mammadov stated that the companys long-term policy is aimed at reducing hydrocarbon emissions.

Azerbaijan is taking serious steps towards energy transformation, he said.

He added that SOCAR pays great attention to the development of human capital in order to achieve sustainable development goals. Reiterating that the policy of personnel training has always been at the center of attention, he added that the company is implementing multilateral training programs.

Some 1,404 students were able to get an education as part of our scholarship program, and 339 Azerbaijanis studied abroad at the expense of SOCAR, he said.
(Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Wire)

Here is a collection of key quotes from Northern Irelands election campaign.

I will not be going back into an executive that is required to implement a protocol that harms Northern Ireland every day  DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson on his call for UK Government action on the Northern Ireland Protocol.

I dont think people woke up this morning thinking about that. I think people woke up this morning thinking about the cost-of-living crisis. I think people woke up this morning around the pressure they feel right now  Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill responding to result of a poll on support for Irish unity.

What the DUP are actually doing is whipping up fear. They are whipping up hysteria. They are saying you have to vote for us or they will call for a border poll. It is a lie  UUP leader Doug Beattie on DUP election tactics.

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long highlighted the importance of the election (Niall Carson/PA) (PA Wire)

This is not just an election about who will be in government, but about whether or not we will have a government  Alliance Party leader Naomi Long.

The reality is though, after 15 years of crisis and failure and walking in and walking out of government, the two parties that are at the very top have failed this community and they dont want you to talk about it  SDLP leader Colum Eastwood on Sinn Fein and the DUP.

There is more of an awakening within unionism than maybe there has been for some time, and I think the protocol has been a catalyst in that regard  TUV leader Jim Allister on the unionist response to the protocol.

Clare Bailey, leader of the Green Party Northern Ireland, called for reform of the Stormont institutions (Michael Cooper/PA) (PA Wire)

A political system which allows constant collapse, constant stalemate, to arise is clearly a system long overdue reform  Green Party NI leader Clare Bailey.

There is no doubt, the Stormont Executive has failed to protect working people from soaring prices and spiralling waiting lists  People Before Profits Shaun Harkin on the cost of living.

I cannot accept the candidate that the DUP centrally have imposed on South Down  Former DUP veteran Jim Wells on why he resigned from the party and supported a candidate from the rival TUV.

Story continues

We are not inventing this. Right at the heart of the Sinn Fein manifesto is their demand for a date for a border poll  Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.

So I think a lot of people are now considering the constitutional position because Brexit has pulled us out of the EU, stolen our EU citizenship from us  Michelle ONeill.

Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie dismissed the possibility of a united Ireland (Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Wire)

There will be no united Ireland in my lifetime, there will be no united Ireland in my childrens lifetime  Doug Beattie on the possibility of a border poll.

Whatever our challenges, whatever the challenges of the protocol, it cannot be made better by not having a government here; all that does is make peoples lives harder  Naomi Long.

Its slow learners as usual. We have been saying to them for years to stop calling for a border poll now  Colum Eastwood on Sinn Feins position on a border poll.
Matthew Reilly has lost count of the number of stories he has had optioned by Hollywood with the promise of a big-budget action movie to follow.

Oh my God, at least eight, he says, before rattling off the projects  Ice Station, Seven Wonders, Tournament, Hover Car Racer  and the studios (Warner, Fox, Disney, Sony) that have tempted him with the promise of bringing his bestselling novels to the screen. Which was, famously, the reason he started writing them in the first place.

Matthew Reilly on the set of his film Interceptor. Credit:Nick Moir

Now, the 47-year-old best-selling Australian author has finally made it with Interceptor, a $US15 million ($21 million) action blockbuster for Netflix that looks like it cost a lot more than that. And best of all, he not only wrote this one  he directed it too.

The film stars Elsa Pataky as an army officer assigned to a missile platform in the middle of the ocean as punishment for blowing the whistle on sexual harassment. The base is hijacked by terrorists who plan to launch 16 stolen Russian nukes at the US. Panic, mayhem and a whole lot of action  all standard-issue Reilly ingredients  ensue.
2020 was shaping up to be an exceptionally good year for Will Vinson. The British saxophonist was marking his 21st year in New York, where hed built a substantial profile for himself in that citys thriving jazz scene as valued sideman and adventurous leader. Hed just released a superb new album (teaming his saxophone with five different rhythm sections), and had recently recorded with an all-star band called Trio Grande.

When the pandemic hit New York, Vinson and his heavily pregnant wife (Australian singer Jo Lawry) packed up their apartment and 20 hours later were on a plane to Adelaide, Lawrys hometown. It was meant to be a temporary relocation, until this whole (pandemic) thing blows over, says Vinson with a rueful laugh.

Saxophonist Will Vinson.

Two years later, theyre based in Sydney. Lawry, a jazz-trained vocalist and long-time member of Stings band, is on staff at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where Vinson also teaches. Both are planning to resume recording and touring overseas but have reassessed their priorities.

Such a big part of what I do as a musician  and Jo, too, before we had children  has been about travel; being away from home for long periods of time. So now, having had two years of being together as a family, its a bit strange to think about travelling again. Jo and I will be taking it in turns to tour later this year. But coming out of this (pandemic), well have to find an equilibrium.
Hat. Check. Coat. Check. Pearls. Check. Gloves. Check. The serene uniform the Queen wore for the Trooping the Colour parade on Thursday was as predictable as the finger sandwiches that arrive by her side at 4pm for afternoon tea (corners removed, please).

In a pale, dove-blue Charmelaine wool dress, hat with a pearl and diamante trim and matching jacket adorned by her grandmother Queen Marys diamond Brigade of Guards Brooch, worn every June for Trooping the Colour, the Queen was immediately recognisable, no crown required.

The Queens diamante and pearl-trimmed outfit worn to Trooping the Colour was designed by her personal adviser, Angela Kelly, and also worn in her official Platinum Jubilee portrait by Ranald Mckechnie. Credit:Getty; Royal Household/Ranald Mackechnie via Getty Images

This was unexpectedly the grandest moment of the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations  she later announced she would no longer attend the Service of Thanksgiving at St Pauls Cathedral on Friday. Past outfits worn at the religious ceremony are currently on display at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Scotland.
A West Australian businessman has handed over $4 million in unexplained cash and assets to the Commonwealth following a two-year-long money laundering and tax fraud investigation.

Nick Ivanina, 60, was forced to forfeit $3.45 million he kept in Australian and Thailand bank accounts under the names of a relative and business associate, as well as his Burswood apartment after the Australian Federal Police-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce pursued a tip-off about suspicious international banking activity.

A WA man has forfeited $4 million in cash and assets, including a riverfront apartment, inset, after being unable to explain to police how it was lawfully obtained. Credit:Getty Images/RP Data

While the father of two has not been charged with a criminal offence, Ivanina was unable to explain where the wealth had lawfully come from which led to him agreeing to forfeit the money and assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The law allows for a civil standard of proof and can operate where there is no related criminal prosecution.
Labor has vowed to crack down on providers overcharging for services claimed on the National Disability Insurance Scheme as well as clear the backlog of thousands of legal appeals for funding, while delivering COVID-19 booster shots to people with disability.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said he is disturbed by the twin-pricing system for services to people with disabilities and says restoring trust between scheme participants and the senior bureaucrats is vital.

New National Disability Insurance Scheme Minister Bill Shorten wants to start with a blitz of COVID boosters and the legal appeals waiting list. Credit:James Brickwood

The National Disability Insurance Agency has come under fire for cutting the funding packages for disabled people as it faces rapidly rising costs to the budget.

In an exclusive interview, Shorten said it was an obscenity that there were some 5000 appeals of NDIS packages before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
Jumping forward to 2022, a lack of action on emissions has become less acceptable from a community and investor standpoint. As community views have changed, Tonts, whose expertise lies in the field of geography, looks at what Hatton and the last EPA board tried to do. He thinks if the plan had come a little later, maybe the discussions around what the EPA was trying to achieve might have been different. It seems to me that the job that Ive inherited has been much, much easier, firstly, because of the, I think, brave decision that Tom and the EPA made at that point, Tonts said. But also because once the superannuation companies, once the big financial companies, once shareholder interest groups and so on started to put real pressure on large proponents, the discussions with those proponents gets that bit easier to say, Well, you know, what? Youre going to actually have to do pretty well here in terms of reducing your emissions.

On the greenhouse matter ... the momentum thats behind now significant reductions in emissions, is sort of accepted, increasingly, and I think it probably was pretty well accepted in 2019 as well, but I think things have moved really quickly even from there. Tonts and the EPA currently have the job of reviewing that greenhouse gas guideline. Woodsides Pluto LNG plant in Western Australia. Credit:Woodside Petroleum It comes at the same time the authority evaluates a second train at the Pluto gas plant, an expansion of the North West Shelf to see it keep running out to 2070, Chevrons so-far failed storage of carbon on Barrow Island, and a review of a relaxation on offset requirements on the Wheatstone project by the Barnett government which was supposed to balance out a nixed federal carbon tax. Tonts called it a happy coincidence to have all the projects under some level of assessment at the same time.

The beauty of that is we can kind of compare and contrast whats going on with all of these, but also try to work towards conditions that are consistent so you dont end up with quite different conditions, which is what weve got at the moment, he said. So theyll overlap a bit [with the guideline review] and I think ... the EPAs thinking, in terms of the updated guidance, will probably translate somewhat into those assessments. A draft of the new greenhouse gas guidance will likely be out before July and finalised at the end of the year. Tonts said the next guidance would be an evolution from its current version. Its certainly going to try and clarify some of the areas that have been a little bit probably in the gray spaces for both proponents and for the broader community, he said.

So I think its about trying to sort of clarify some of those sorts of things and I suppose the other thing that we find is that the landscape is moving so quickly, that we need to ensure that weve got enough flexibility to be able to keep up with that as well. Balancing renewable projects with existing environmental values While WA and the rest of the world looks to transition away from fossil fuels, the prospect of major renewable projects based on hydrogen, wind and solar and the mining of critical minerals needed to bring about this sort of infrastructure has its own environmental challenges. Last year, former federal environment minster Sussan Ley knocked back a $US36 billion renewable energy hub in the Pilbara, utilising wind turbines and solar panels, which would have cleared 12,000 hectares of land and had a negative impact on significant wetlands. Tonts said the EPA had to have an eye to the future on large-scale renewable projects and how they could be balanced in terms of impact.

Loading Its not like they dont have an impact, but theyre part of a pathway to a different sort future in terms of fossil fuel dependency, he said. So weve got to sort of be thinking ahead to what are those projects looking like? You know, what does hydrogen look like? What does large-scale wind farms and solar look like? And potentially offshore as well. Theres an interesting balancing act there between the objectives in terms of a low carbon future and the potential on the ground impacts. But I guess the key thing is you cant trade off one necessarily against the other.

Refocusing on cumulative impacts The EPA has had an uptick in project referrals in the past five years. Tonts says he does not want to get stuck in the micro and lose track of the bigger questions. Former WA environment minister Stephen Dawson tasked the EPA with analysing the cumulative impacts from several proposals on the Exmouth Gulf. The process resulted in greater marine park protections and could stifle some developers.

Loading Similar studies will be conducted by the EPA with an extension northward to cover more Pilbara mangroves where salt and potash players want to set up shop. Tonts is also keen to see a greater focus on the Wheatbelt, which has a few vestiges of native vegetation left after mass-clearing for farming. In the short-term, the EPA has turned its attention to the Swan Coastal Plains and Perths most biodiverse patch of land in Kenwick which is under threat from further urbanisation. I guess what Im really keen for the EPA to do is not to just focus on environmental impact assessments and those controversial projects, Tonts said.

Our act is really broad, it gives us lots of latitude to engage in quite interesting questions. Its a view that fits into Tonts three key goals for the authority. He said the first thing always on his mind was the EPA being there to achieve good environmental outcomes and protection. I think the second thing then is to lift the environmental impact assessment process up to better accommodate cumulative impacts, Tonts said. To understand what are the nonlinear processes, what are the things that are occurring over time and space that we need to better account for then we might have in the past.

The third thing probably is to continue to sort of steward, if you like, our environment through this period of really rapid development ... to make sure that our environment assets arent degraded and I suppose to see them as an asset. Overall, Tonts said the responsibility of the EPA was to push debate and push the agenda when it comes to the environment. The EPA should be nudging government along ... I dont think we should blindly follow government policy, he said. Whoever drafted this act ... was thinking about an EPA that was on the front foot and was about [being] out there trying to actively protect the states environment.
Hamish Douglass no longer ranks among Sydneys billionaire class since stepping down from Magellan in February, but his coffers did well from the property market on Thursday evening when he and his sister Sybella Morris sold their long-held family home in Double Bay.

There had been a $30 million guide for the 2300 square metre property when it hit the market less than two weeks ago through Ray White Double Bays Elliott Placks, and sources have suggested it sold for almost that figure.

The grand Double Bay home of Hamish Douglass and Sybella Morris sold on Thursday night.

The Douglass family have owned the grand six-bedroom residence since 1967 when Douglass and Morris father, the late arts patron and racehorse owner Gordon Douglass, bought it for $74,000.

It was listed after the death of their mother Jane last July.
The lake sturgeon in Cayuga Lake will be the subject of a presentation at 7 p.m. Sunday, June 12, at the Frontenac Historical Society & Museum, 178 Cayuga St., Union Springs.

Presenter Tom Brooking, of the group New York Sturgeon for Tomorrow, will give a slideshow on the fish, which has been reintroduced to Cayuga and other New York state lakes. He will also cover the history of the fish and an update on its status.
London: The number of Russian oil tankers going dark to avoid being tracked during voyages has tripled since the invasion of Ukraine.

Instances of so-called dark activity skyrocketed in the first month of the conflict and remain elevated, according to research by the maritime intelligence group Windward.

It found a significant and steady increase in dark activity, with more than six Russian-affiliated tankers a day trying to avoid detection.

Many Russian oil tankers are going dark. Credit:Bloomberg

Typically ships go dark by switching off their automatic identification system, an on-board tool that transmits a vessels location to others.
As watershed residents, our appreciation for Owasco Lake has continued to unite us throughout time and has allowed us to reliably see beyond our ideological and political differences. Over 45,000 people rely on the lake for a public source of drinking water. Owasco Lake is a recreational asset, an economic driver and an important natural resource for the well-being of watershed residents. These critical values that pertain to human health and well-being have led to collective actions towards the protection of Owasco Lake. Many watershed residents are aware that faithful stewardship is required to continue to protect lake water quality. The Owasco Lake Watershed Inspection and Protection Division, which serves to help protect the lake from watershed-sourced pollution, has recognized this awareness firsthand during interactions with the public.

The OLWIPD makes regular and thorough inspections of Owasco Lake, its watercourses and its watershed to ascertain compliance with the rules and regulations of the Owasco Lake watershed, and provides educational outreach to the watershed community to foster lake stewardship. The rules and regulations, set forth in 1984, can be found on the OLWIPD website, owascoinspection.org. This local mandate is a part of New York State Public Health Law, and permits watershed inspectors to access and inspect any area within the watershed to guide corrective actions and land use activities where necessary. With an overall watershed area of 208 square miles, and 25 miles of shoreline, the divisions two watershed inspectors have a lot of ground to cover. The OLWIPD commonly receives questions from the public inquiring about the condition of the lake and how they, as individuals, can become better stewards. These conversations demonstrate that both the OLWIPD and watershed residents share the same goal: to ensure that the quality of our water is held to the highest standard.

The OLWIPD, while acting as an enforcement body, additionally strives to provide the community with the knowledge and tools needed to improve and maintain water quality. This is primarily done through the adoption of land use practices that target limiting the mobility of sediment and nutrients, pollutants that have adverse impacts on water quality. The OLWIPD frequently partners with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, as well as the departments of health and Soil and Water Conservation Districts for Cayuga, Tompkins and Onondaga counties. Overall, our collective responses and actions ensure our drinking water remains protected, now and for future generations. Voluntary efforts such as the deployment of sediment and erosion control during construction, the implementation of best management practices on farms such as cover cropping and reduced tillage, properly stabilizing a forest trail, and upgrading outdated or failing septic systems are measures that can be taken to protect and improve water quality.

The impression we leave on our landscape as individuals is greater than we might appreciate. As the community continues to join forces and community members become more influential and dedicated stewards, our collective actions shape the future of Owasco Lake. Watershed inspectors provide a friendly outlet for discussion, planning and support to address current and future operations that may impact water quality. Were here to help; if you have any questions or concerns, or would like to speak with a watershed inspector, please use the following contact information:

 Ally Berry, lead watershed inspector: (315) 427-5188, alberry@owascoinspection.com

 Jillian Aluisio, watershed inspector: (315) 209-9840, jcaluisio@owascoinspection.com

Ally Berry is lead watershed inspector and Jillian Aluisio is a watershed inspector with the Owasco Lake Watershed Inspection and Protection Division. For more information, visit owascoinspection.com.

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The Auburn City Council passed the 2022-23 budget on Thursday in a 4-1 vote along party lines.

Council approved the $43,462,530 spending plan at its meeting, capping off a months-long refinement process. That amount, which represents a 6.46% boost from the 2022 revised budget, entails a property tax levy increase of 2.28%, or $285,000.

The sole no vote on the budget came from Councilor Timothy Locastro, the lone Republican on the council.

"I'm not ready for an increase to the taxpayers at this time," Locastro said after the meeting.

Before the vote, Councilor Jimmy Giannettino thanked City Manager Jeff Dygert and the municipality's department heads for their efforts on the budget.

"I think this is a fiscally and operationally responsible budget. It allows us to maintain the level of service that the people of Auburn depend upon every day, also allows us the expand those services in some ways," Giannettino said.

He added that some Department of Public Works positions will be added to "address our parks," for example. Mayor Mike Quill lauded the work of city staff.

Under the approved spending plan, solid waste collection fees are set to rise to be a $240 per unit charge, instead of the current rate of $120 for a single-unit property, with higher fees for multi-unit properties. During the meeting, Locastro joined his Democrat colleagues in a separate vote on the city's fees, which included the solid waste collection increase.

A projected 13% sales tax increase was built into the budget, greater than the 6.3% sales tax uptick included in the city's preliminary budget presented in early April.

The approved spending amount also includes budget requests made by city councilors at a prior meeting, including $5,000 directed to a trap, neuter and release program for cats in Auburn and $58,777 for city hall security. A public hearing on the recommended budget was held at a council meeting May 19.

In other news

 A new agreement is slated to allow for the operation of the Casey Park pool facility next month.

At Thursday's meeting, city council authorized a resolution with the Auburn YMCA-WEIU ahead of the upcoming pool season. The city and the YMCA have collaborated to provide services at the pool over the summer since 2009, the resolution noted.

The YMCA will receive $53,500 for services, staff and programming for the pool, the resolution said, while the city will maintain the pool and premises and supply pool chemicals.

The pool is poised to open Wednesday, July 6 and run through Sunday, Aug. 28.

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.

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Today

Clouds and a spotty leftover shower around sunrise, then becoming partly sunny.

Tonight

Becoming cloudy with some rain and a thunderstorm late; some heavy downpours possible around sunrise.

Tomorrow

Some leftover rain early, some heavy, and maybe a thunderstorm, then drier with some sun later in the day with some brisk winds.
Rob Astorino has a plan for upstate New York.

Astorino, a former Westchester County executive who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, unveiled a seven-point upstate jobs plan this week. To highlight his proposals, he crisscrossed the state holding press conferences in upstate cities, including Syracuse.

While the plan has seven planks, there are several proposals under each point. To achieve tax relief, the first point of his plan, he wants to reduce the number of state income tax brackets from 10 to three, allow counties to opt out of non-mandated Medicaid services, eliminate certain energy and utility taxes, and slash state spending.

Astorino advocates for regulatory reform, including a moratorium on any new regulations and reforming the state environmental quality review process to prevent what he described as "costly delays and redundancies." He also supports workers' compensation reform and reducing the number of licenses and fees.

"New York has taxed, regulated and harassed thousands of small and mid-sized businesses right out of the state; even the slightest reforms should encourage robust growth here," Astorino said. "But the bold, time-tested ideas I'm proposing would significantly revive New York's economy, moving our long downward trajectory into an upward arrow again."

Astorino's plan also includes investing in upstate infrastructure, such as bridges, roads and high-speed internet. To support energy development, he wants to lift the ban on natural gas drilling in the Southern Tier and allow for the construction of new natural gas pipelines. He also supports the construction of a new nuclear power plant in the North Country.

Providing assistance to technology start-ups and increasing the number of skilled workers are also priorities. He also wants to reduce taxes and fees on family farms in New York and eliminate the estate tax. Other agricultural-related proposals include the creation of a pilot program to give tax incentives to new farmers and allow for whole milk to be served in New York schools.

Astorino developed an upstate-specific plan due to the factors that have contributed to the region's decline over the past few decades. He noted that upstate has lost population and employers have moved out of the area.

"It doesn't take a miracle to turn around an economy, it takes vision, discipline and hard work, and I'll bring all three to the job as governor," he said.

Astorino is one of four Republicans  Andrew Giuliani, Harry Wilson and Lee Zeldin are the others  seeking the GOP nomination for governor. In 2014, Astorino was the Republican candidate for governor. He lost to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

This race is an uphill climb for Astorino. Polls have shown that Zeldin, who has the party's endorsement, is the front-runner in the primary. But Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, is viewed as a darkhorse who could pull off the upset.

The winner of the GOP primary will face the Democratic nominee. Polls show Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is seeking a full term as governor, is the heavy favorite among the Democratic primary field.

Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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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.
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Sun then clouds; breezy with a few showers and a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening; no severe weather expected. .

Tonight

Mostly cloudy with a few showers or a rumble of thunder.
A bridge over Interstate 90 in Onondaga County that was built in the same year as the New York State Thruway is being replaced.

The Thruway Authority announced on Tuesday that the $4.7 million project to replace the Canton Street Bridge in the town of Van Buren is underway. The bridge, which carries approximately 2,000 vehicles daily, was built in 1954  the year the Thruway opened.

According to the Thruway Authority, the bridge will be replaced with a modern structure. Other features will include new guiderail, reflective line striping and pedestrian access will be maintained.

Slate Hill Constructors, which is based in Warners, is rebuilding the bridge.

The bridge is closed during the project, which is expected to be completed in spring 2023. A 1.2-mile detour directs motorists to use the Warners-Iona bridge, which crosses over I-90, to Brickyard Road. Brickyard Road intersects with Canton Street.

The project may affect traffic on I-90. The Thruway Authority said there may be lane closures, traffic shifts and stoppages.

It was not the Thruway's original intent to replace the bridge. State and local representatives voiced concern after the authority planned to tear down the 68-year-old bridge but not build a new one. Onondaga County Legislator Ken Bush, who represents Van Buren, authored a local resolution opposing the removal of the bridge. He argued that not replacing the bridge would negatively affect businesses and home property values.

The Thruway Authority changed course. Matthew Driscoll, the former Syracuse mayor who heads the authority, announced in June 2021 that the design phase of the project began and there were plans to hold an informational session. The session was held in August.

"After feedback from residents and meeting with local leaders, the Thruway Authority decided to move forward with replacing the Canton Street Bridge this spring," Driscoll said. "When this project is complete, motorists will be traveling over a safer and more reliable bridge to meet their local transportation needs."

Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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Williamson, WV (25661)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 81F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low near 65F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
A trip planning feature highlighting overnight accommodations and nearby attractions is now part of the official website for the Empire State Trail.

In celebration of National Trails Day, officials announced the launch of the new feature on the empiretrail.ny.gov site that provides information about trail routes, parking, nearby attractions, and a variety of overnight accommodations available along or near the Empire State Trail route.

The site includes hotels, inns, campgrounds, museums, wineries and other stops along the Erie Canalway Trail that brings travelers through Cayuga County.

In addition to providing a wide range of lodging options within five miles of the trail, the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation said the new trip planning features include downloadable GPS routes and other resources such as access to maps and guidebooks.

The state said that the 750 miles of trail from Buffalo to Albany, and from New York City through the Hudson and Champlain valleys to Canada is used by more than 8 million people each year.

"The Empire State Trail is a wonderful pathway through our state's scenic beauty and extraordinary history. Whether you want to plan a day-trip or an epic long-distance adventure, there are a wealth of places to see and enjoy along the way," state Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said in a news release. "The updated website is a great tool for visitors to plan the ideal trip, and will help bolster New Yorks regional tourism strategies."

Robert Provost, president & CEO of the NYS Tourism Industry Association, called the trail a win for state tourism.

The Empire State Trail has the potential to transform New York State into America's #1 destination for bikers, hikers, pedalers and paddlers," Provost said. "It offers more quality of life, economic development and marketing possibilities to more communities than any other single tourism asset in New York State. Creating itineraries and assisting residents and visitors in navigating the Empire State Trail will help us begin to realize those potentials and possibilities."

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Decades before anyone heard of non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, there was Maud Lewis.

Decades before anyone heard of non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, there was Maud Lewis.

The Nova Scotians folksy paintings from the mid-20th century and todays trendy digital assets have one big thing in common: its difficult to explain why either has become worth thousands of dollars.

Art preview Click to Expand Maud Lewis Retrospective  Mayberry Fine Art, Unit 138-2025 Corydon Ave. (Tuxedo Park Shopping Centre)  Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.  To June 18

"Her paintings were usually $4, $6 in the mid-60s and by the time she died in 1970, she raised her price to $10," says Winnipegs Bill Mayberry, who has bought and sold dozens of Lewiss paintings during his 50 years as an art dealer. "This little partially disabled lady, whom most of us would see in poverty, poor health and pain, left us this amazing legacy of art that Canadians, regardless of where theyre from, find joy in being a custodian of them for a period of time."

A retrospective of Lewiss work, on display at Mayberry Fine Arts gallery at the Tuxedo Park Shopping Centre, offers a few hints at the appeal of Lewiss paintings.

BOB BROOKS PHOTO Maud Lewis sold her paintings, often made with scavenged materials, to tourists in Nova Scotia.

However, its her humble life and her unlikely mystique after she died from pneumonia in 1970 that have created a fascination among her fans and collectors.

Lewis lived in Nova Scotia for all of her 67 years, almost all of them in poverty. For many of those years, her paintings were her only income.

She was born with birth defects and would later develop rheumatoid arthritis. Her simple-looking style is a product of her adapting to the stiffness in her joints; in her later years, she would have to use the arm she didnt paint with to steady the other one.

"As her arthritis really took hold, her ability to move her painting arm was very restricted," says Shaun Mayberry, who is gallery director at Mayberry Fine Art, the familys business.

Maud Lewis, Deer at Sunset, 1957.

She began painting in the mid-1940s, and her husband, Everett, would sell her work as souvenirs to tourists  often as quickly as she could paint them  for three or four dollars. Those meagre earnings would help them eke out their existence at their small cottage near Digby, N.S.

She painted with and on whatever her husband could find as scrap, mostly leftover boat paint on sheets of particle board Everett could scrounge in the area.

The works were sold unframed; many of the paintings in the exhibition have frames the Mayberry family made specifically for Lewiss works.

The Lewises cottage became a favourite stop for travellers after she was profiled in a 1965 CBC documentary, and her paintings would soon be spread across the world, but mostly in North America.

Two even made their way to the White House after then-president Richard Nixon mailed a few bucks her way  the Lewises demanded cash up front even from the leader of the free world.

White Cat with Flowers, 1963; cats were a favourite subject for Maud Lewis.

"If you look at Mauds work, theres such joy within her work that people saw them and bought them for themselves. They bought them for wedding gifts, souvenirs theyd bring back from Nova Scotia, and thats how so many of them got spread all over the place," Bill Mayberry says.

"Mauds work has always been fun to buy, because you usually buy it from very positive people, and you usually sell them to the same type of mindset, who buy them for the joy of owning them."

Lewis often painted the same scenes over and over again  wintry landscapes with locomotives, horse-drawn sleighs entering covered bridges or fluffy-looking cats, all looking slightly different  because thats what tourists liked and bought.

Bill Mayberry says the value of her paintings slowly increased over the years as collectors who couldnt afford higher-profile Canadian artists such as Emily Carr and Tom Thomson switched to lower-priced Lewis works.

Covered Bridge, 1965; quaint scenes such as this were popular with tourists so Lewis painted similar ones frequently.

A 2016 movie, Maudie, which starred Sally Hawkins as Maud and Ethan Hawke as Everett, added to the Lewis legend and interest in her paintings increased even more.

That interest reached epic proportions last month when a London, Ont., couple auctioned a Lewis work, Black Truck, an oil painting on Masonite board estimated to be worth $30,000 to $35,000. It sold for $350,000.

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The people who sold the painting say they obtained Black Truck nearly 50 years ago in exchange for grilled cheese sandwiches from a British painter, John Kinnear, who purchased it directly from Lewis.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Bill Mayberry

So why arent more people cashing in on the Maud Lewis craze? Mayberry says its rare for one to be available because their owners have had their Lewis paintings for years.

The 25 paintings, postcards and letters that are part of the exhibition are on loan from Winnipeg owners  Mayberry bought and sold every one of them years ago  and despite the results from the Ontario auction, they have no interest in selling, he says.

"Thats what will probably keep the value of Mauds (paintings) up because people find it very difficult to part with them," he says. "Sometimes things are worth more than money, and art is certainly one of them."

alan.small@winnipegfreepress.com

Twitter: @AlanDSmall

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Petrol price in Pakistan, after the fresh hikes, now stand at PKR 209.86 per litre, while a litre of diesel costs PKR 204.15. On May 27, the hike was similar which had propelled the rates to nearly PKR 180 per litre.

Protests have broken out on the streets of Pakistan after the government increased fuel prices by 17 percent in the second straight hike within a week. The increase in petrol prices saw people taking to the streets targeting petrol pumps in cities like Karachi in anger. In an effort to honour a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Prime Minister Shehbaz-led government decided to remove fuel subsidies further which increased petrol prices by another PKR 30 per litre (approximately 11.50).

Petrol price in Pakistan, after the fresh hikes, now stand at PKR 209.86 per litre, while a litre of diesel costs PKR 204.15. On May 27, the hike was similar which had propelled the rates to nearly PKR 180 per litre.

Protests over the latest fuel price hike in Pakistan was reported from Karachi, where a petrol pump near Purani Sabzi Mandi in Central District was vandalised. Protests were also reported from other areas like Nagan Chowrangi and Larkana. Angry citizens reportedly set fire to tires at Jinnah Bagh Chowk in Larkana.

The recent hikes in petrol and diesel prices is the Pakistani government's attempt to resume getting funds from the International Monetary Fund. As protests hit the streets, Pakistani PM tried to mitigate the impact of fuel price hike by launching a new relief package of PKR 28 billion per month.

Earlier in February this year, the former Imran Khan-led government had announced relief measures to reduce fuel prices amid pressure from Opposition parties. He had reduced fuel prices by 10 litre. The decision to increase subsidy on fuel has added pressure to the economy already facing cash crunch, according to the current government.

First Published Date:
LONDON (AP)  Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, joined other members of Britains royal family on Friday for a church service honoring Queen Elizabeth IIs 70 years on the throne, making their first public appearance in the U.K. since stepping back from royal duties two years ago.

LONDON (AP)  Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, joined other members of Britains royal family on Friday for a church service honoring Queen Elizabeth IIs 70 years on the throne, making their first public appearance in the U.K. since stepping back from royal duties two years ago.

The queen skipped the event at St. Pauls Cathedral in London, which came on the second of four days of festivities marking her Platinum Jubilee. The 96-year-old monarch has had difficulty moving around in recent months and experienced "some discomfort" after smiling and waving to throngs of supporters from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on Thursday afternoon.

But royal watchers quickly shifted their focus to Harry and Meghan, who held hands as they walked down the long central aisle accompanied only by a military officer in a scarlet dress tunic. Other guests craned their necks to watch the couple take their places in the second row, underscoring their lesser roles as non-working members of the royal family.

Prince Charles, who represented the queen, and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, had special chairs in the front row on the other side of the central aisle. Prince William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge were seated next to them.

Harry and Meghan sparked tensions within the royal family when they moved to California and signed lucrative media contracts. The rift deepened after they made allegations of racism and bullying in the royal household. But they flew back to Britain for the jubilee celebrations, bringing their son, Archie, and daughter, Lilibet, who had never met her great grandmother the queen.

Prince Harry, center, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, left, and Zara Tindall depart after attending a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul's Cathedral in London Friday June 3, 2022 on the second of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee. (Henry Nicholls, Pool Photo via AP)

"This is, again, Elizabeth II trying to put on a united front, bringing her family together one last time, probably, during her reign, so that ... handing over to the next monarch, she can be seen to have done at least publicly her best to try and unite the divisions that have opened up within the family group over the last couple of years," Ed Owens, author of "The Family Firm: Monarchy Mass Media and the British Public 1932-53'' said in an interview before the jubilee.

The service of thanksgiving took place a day after the celebrations opened with the glittering military parade known as Trooping the Color, an event that has marked the sovereigns official birthday for some 260 years.

Following the event, tens of thousands of royal supporters cheered wildly as Elizabeth joined other senior royals on the palace balcony and 70 military aircraft roared overhead in salute.

Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William leave after a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul's Cathedral in London Friday June 3, 2022 on the second of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee. (Henry Nicholls, Pool Photo via AP)

The queen doggedly appeared later in the evening outside her home at Windsor Castle for the final moments of an international beacon lighting ceremony. Moving slowly and with some difficulty she pressed an illuminated globe that sent a river of lights flooding toward Buckingham Palace, where a sculpture of living trees was lit up.

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Though the palace said she had enjoyed the festivities, the queen apparently decided that another trip from Windsor back into London on Friday might be a bit much. Prince Charles again stood in for his mother at the church service, as he has often done of late.

But the queen was still part of the service as participants assumed she was watching on television.

AP Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Conrnwall leave after a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul's Cathedral in London Friday June 3, 2022 on the second of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee. (Henry Nicholls, Pool Photo via AP)

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell spoke directly to her in his sermon, playfully riffing on her love of horse racing.

"Im afraid I dont have any great tips for the Derby tomorrow, but since the scriptures describe life as a race set before us, let me observe that your long reign reflects the distance of Aintree rather than the sprints of Epsom , he joked. "But with endurance, through times of change and challenge, joy and sorrow, you continue to offer yourself in the service of our country and the commonwealth."

"Your Majesty, were sorry youre not with us this morning, but we are so glad you are still in the saddle,'' he added. "And we are all glad that there is still more to come.

___
Bless his twisted heart, David Cronenberg is back with his "Future."

Apart from the title, his new film has little to do with the notorious Canadian directors 1970 film of the same name, aside from being set in a world beset by a plague of mutation. (Alas, there is no character here named "Adrian Tripod.")

Movie Review Click to Expand Crimes of the Future Starring Viggo Mortensen and Lea Seydoux Polo Park 107 minutes 18A  stars out of five

Crimes 2022 also distinguishes itself with star power attached, most notably Viggo Mortensen as Saul Tenser, a man whose penchant for creating strange new internal organs has made him a performance artist star, in collaboration with his partner Caprice (Lea Seydoux), who shares Sauls enthusiasm for sensual surgery.

Yes, you read that right. The movie shares a queasy fascination with medical erotica, recalling Cronenbergs 1988 feature Dead Ringers, about mad gynecologist Beverly and his twin brother Elliot, both played by Jeremy Irons. "Ive often thought there should be beauty contests for the insides of bodies," Elliot says in the film, a sentiment that pretty much comes to fruition in this movie.

Lea Seydoux and Viggo Mortensen star in Crimes of the Future. (Neon / The Associated Press)

Sauls story intersects with early scenes, in which a small boy is seen indulging in a habit of eating chunks of plastic. The boys mother disapproves and, shall we say, takes radical corrective measures.

Soon, the boys father (Scott Speedman) is meeting with Saul to discuss a project involving his son. Like Casablancas Rick Blaine transposed to the apocalypse, Saul is the nexus of a whole bunch of shady characters, including Wippet (Don McKellar), a too-enthusiastic bureaucrat in charge of new organ registration, his creepy assistant Timlin (Kristen Stewart), as well as a cop (Welket Bungue) of questionable devotion to the law. Also floating around menacingly are a pair of women (Nadia Litz and Tanaya Beatty) whose enthusiasm for recreational surgery runs downright sinister.

Other voices Cronenberg sardonically comments on cosmetic surgery, environmental destruction and the feeling of all artists, himself included, that putting your work before the public is akin to being operated on in the city square.  Peter Howell, Toronto Star Every millimetre of this film is filthy, decayed, polluted. And thank god for that.  Barry Hertz, Globe and Mail click to read more Cronenberg sardonically comments on cosmetic surgery, environmental destruction and the feeling of all artists, himself included, that putting your work before the public is akin to being operated on in the city square.  Peter Howell, Toronto Star Every millimetre of this film is filthy, decayed, polluted. And thank god for that.  Barry Hertz, Globe and Mail David Cronenberg stares upon humanitys need to evolve toward some kind of survival with a serene, godlike assurance.  Mark Hanson, Slant Magazine This is a film rich in ideas but with very little tension or passion. At times, its more like a cerebral art gallery installation piece than a full-blooded dramatic movie.  Geoffrey Macnab, Independent (UK) In movies, a vibe can often carry you much further than ideas can, and Crimes of the Future has vibes to spare.  Stephanie Zacharek, TIME magazine Pure, essential Cronenberg, Crimes Of The Future comes across as a manifesto of the Canadian directors lingering preoccupations, the works for which he is justifiably most celebrated.  Fionnuala Halligan, Screen International Close

Cronenberg has been absent from filmmaking for the past nine years, and he returns with a disregard for convention very much intact.

Shot in Greece, the dystopia he creates is without the usual blasted futurescapes. The destruction of mankind is literally internalized, mostly hidden from view in the bodies of the afflicted. This is also a world without pain, where the hero Saul admits to one would-be seducer that he is not very good at traditional sex.

One must admire Viggo Mortensens lack of ego in taking a role that would frighten off most actors of his stature. Saul spends much time languishing in weird bio-pods and making old man noises. One could mistake his hooded costume for that of a ninja: In fact, it more closely resembles the outfit of a mad monk, denied of worldly pleasures and thus devoted to a life of ritualistic self-mutilation. Its not a typical hero, but its certainly a Cronenberg hero.

And this is very much a Cronenberg movie in line with his "body horror" era (encompassing Videodrome, Rabid, The Brood and eXistenZ). It is occasionally shocking and squirm-inducing.

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Viggo Mortensen in 'Crimes of the Future.' (Neon / The Associated Press)

And yet it is not gratuitously horrifying. This is the kind of movie that could play at an art gallery, albeit one of the shady art galleries/performance spaces depicted in the film. (Never has the term "gallery opening" been quite so literal as it is here.)

While he once relished the gross-out, Cronenberg is a director who comes down on the side of exploring ideas and letting them take him to weird new places.

He does this sometimes at the expense of narrative coherence.

But his twisted heart is in the right place.

randall.king.arts@gmail.com

Twitter: @FreepKing

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  President Joe Bidens special envoy for North Korea said Friday the United States is preparing for all contingencies in close coordination with its South Korean and Japanese allies as it monitors North Korean arrangements for a possible nuclear test explosion that outside officials say could be imminent.

Sung Kim, U.S. Special Envoy for North Korea, speaks during a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Kim Gunn and Japanese counterpart Takehiro Funakoshi at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul, South Korea Friday, June 3, 2022. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  President Joe Bidens special envoy for North Korea said Friday the United States is preparing for all contingencies in close coordination with its South Korean and Japanese allies as it monitors North Korean arrangements for a possible nuclear test explosion that outside officials say could be imminent.

South Korean and U.S. intelligence officials have said they detected North Korean efforts to prepare its northeastern testing ground for another nuclear test, which would be its seventh since 2006 and the first since September 2017, when it claimed to have detonated a thermonuclear bomb to fit on its intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Sung Kim, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, was in Seoul for a trilateral meeting with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts to discuss the growing threat posed by North Koreas nuclear weapons and missiles programs.

The U.S. assesses that the DPRK is preparing at its Punggye-ri test site for what would be its seventh nuclear test. This assessment is consistent with the DPRKs own recent public statements, said Kim, using the initials of North Koreas formal name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

Takehiro Funakoshi, director-general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau speaks during a meeting with his South Korean counter part Kim Gunn and U.S. counterpart Sung Kim at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul, South Korea Friday, June 3, 2022. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

Aside from coordinating with Seoul and Tokyo over contingency planning, Washington is also prepared to make both short- and longer-term adjustments to our military posture as appropriate and responding to any DPRK provocation and as necessary to strengthen both defense and deterrence to protect our allies in the region, Kim said.

Funakoshi Takehiro, Japans director-general for Asian and Oceanian Affairs, said the Norths spate of ballistic tests this year and possible nuclear test preparations underscore the need for a more robust international response and lamented the United Nations Security Council's inaction over the Norths recent tests.

Kim Gunn, South Korea's representative at the nuclear envoy, said North Koreas nuclear weapons and missile development would only strengthen the security cooperation between the United States and its Asian allies and deepen the Norths isolation and economic woes.

That is why it is so important to steer North Korea back towards the paths of dialogue and diplomacy, he said.

Nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019 over disagreements in exchanging the release of crippling U.S.-led sanctions against North Korea and the Norths disarmament steps.

Protesters hold signs as police officers stand guard during a rally outside of Foreign Ministry where a trilateral meeting among the United States, South Korea and Japan is held in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, June 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has expanded his ballistic missile program amid the diplomatic pause and a nuclear test would escalate his brinkmanship aimed at cementing the Norths status as a nuclear power and negotiating economic and security concessions from a position of strength.

North Korea has already conducted missile tests 17 different times in 2022, including its first ICBM demonstrations in nearly five years, exploiting a favorable environment to push forward weapons development as the U.N. Security Council remains divided over Russias war on Ukraine.

Russia and China last week vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution that would have imposed additional sanctions on North Korea over its latest ballistic tests on May 25, which South Korea's military said involved an ICBM flown on medium-range trajectory and two short-range weapons. Those tests came as Biden wrapped up his trip to South Korea and Japan, where he reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend both allies in the face of the Norths nuclear threat.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said Washington will still push for additional sanctions if North Korea conducts a new nuclear test.

Kim Jong Uns pressure campaign is unlikely to be impeded by a deadly coronavirus outbreak in his largely unvaccinated autocracy.

Dr. Mike Ryan, the World Health Organizations emergencies chief, said Wednesday that the U.N. health agency assumes the virus situation in North Korea is getting worse, not better, considering the lack of public health tools, despite Pyongyangs recent claims that COVID-19 is slowing there.

While North Korea has so far ignored U.S. and South Korean offers of vaccines and other COVID-19 supplies, the country appears to be receiving help from China, its main ally and economic lifeline.

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GAVI, the nonprofit that runs the U.N.-backed COVAX distribution program, said it understands that North Korea has accepted an offer of vaccines from China and has started to administer doses. It isnt immediately clear how many doses of which vaccines the North received or how the country was rolling them out.

Some experts say North Korea, with its supplies limited, would prioritize inoculating certain groups based on economic needs, including workers and soldiers involved in cross-border trade or major construction projects Kim Jong Un considers crucial to his rule.

The North had previously shunned millions of doses offered by COVAX, possibly because of international monitoring requirements attached to those shots.

COVAX has allocated doses to DPRK in several prior allocation rounds, and has always been ready to support Pyongyang should it request our assistance, but so far we have received no formal requests for COVID-19 vaccine support, GAVI said Friday in an email to The Associated Press.

Sung Kim, the U.S envoy, said Washington would continue to support humanitarian efforts to supply the North with COVID-19-related relief.

North Korea says it has so far found 3.9 million people with feverish symptoms, but health officials have confirmed only a handful of cases as COVID-19, likely because of shortages in testing supplies.
BERLIN (AP)  German lawmakers voted Friday to approve a 100 billion-euro ($107 billion) special fund to strengthen the country's military, preparing the way for a massive procurement drive three months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine jolted the government into action.

German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht delivers a speech during a meeting of the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, Friday, June 3, 2022. German lawmakers are expected to approve a 100 billion-euro ($107 billion) special fund to strengthen the country's military. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

BERLIN (AP)  German lawmakers voted Friday to approve a 100 billion-euro ($107 billion) special fund to strengthen the country's military, preparing the way for a massive procurement drive three months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine jolted the government into action.

The measure won broad support in the parliament's lower house after Chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition held lengthy negotiations with the main opposition Union bloc.

A majority of 593 lawmakers voted in favor of the fund, with 80 opposed and 7 abstaining.

Parliament's upper house, which represents Germany's state governments, will still need to approve the plan.

Scholz announced the fund on Feb. 27, three days after Russia invaded Ukraine, and said that Germany would now spend over 2% of its gross domestic product on defense  a NATO target on which it has long lagged. The government and the opposition agreed that defense spending would meet the 2% target on a multi-year average, with help from the special fund.

Officials acknowledge that the German military, the Bundeswehr, has for years suffered from neglect and in particular from aging, poorly functioning equipment.

Scholz's center-left Social Democrats and the Union, which led the government for 16 years under ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel, have blamed each other for that. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told lawmakers Friday that the shortcomings of the Bundeswehr can't be sustained for a second longer.

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This is a historic day, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told parliament. This is a lot of money, but it is well invested  in the security and peace of our country.

Earlier this week, Scholz said the planned spending spree amounts to a quantum leap that will be greeted with relief in Paris, London, Washington and Warsaw. 'Finally,' they say, Germany is taking on the security policy responsibility that it has in the 21st century, he said.

The opposition insisted during negotiations with Scholz's coalition that the fund be used exclusively for the Bundeswehr, rather than go toward other things related to national security, such as aid to stabilizing poor countries or civilian cyber-defense measures.

Some details of how the money will be spent have emerged. The defense ministry says it will buy 60 Chinook CH-47F transport helicopters, made by Boeing. The government also wants to buy up to 35 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets to replace aging Tornado aircraft.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
FREDERICTON - The federal government said Friday it will invest $55 million to expand high-speed internet in several rural, remote and Indigenous communities in New Brunswick.

A cell tower is pictured in rural Ontario on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. The federal government has announced $55-million in funding to expand high-speed internet in several rural, remote and Indigenous communities in New Brunswick. Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings says the funding will help connect 11,000 households. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

FREDERICTON - The federal government said Friday it will invest $55 million to expand high-speed internet in several rural, remote and Indigenous communities in New Brunswick.

Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings says the funding will help connect 11,000 households.

"Connectivity was an issue long before the pandemic, but the pandemic kind of ripped off the Band-Aid," Hutching said as she made the announcement in Miramichi, N.B.

We have kids now doing their homework around the kitchen table; we can work from home, can access goods and services and medical appointments online and keep in touch with loves ones," she said. "It's also our future for Canada because that's where the true economic growth is."

Details of the projects with Rogers and Xplornet will be announced in the coming months, but the minister said the projects will involve connecting homes with fibre-optic cable.

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The funding announcement did not include provincial funding.

"I have memorandums of understanding with Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island," Hutchings said. "This funding today is strictly federal government money. We're in negotiations with other provinces and territories."

Hutchings said there will still be about 20,000 New Brunswick homes without high-speed access that will need to be included in future projects.

The federal government has set a national target of giving all Canadians access to high-speed internet by 2030.

Earlier this week, Bell announced plans to expand fibre broadband access to more than 20,000 locations in New Brunswick. That plan, which is fully funded by Bell, will expand access in more than 25 communities.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2022.
WASHINGTON - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will attend next week's Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles as President Joe Biden summons leaders to talk about what's ailing the Western Hemisphere.

WASHINGTON - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will attend next week's Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles as President Joe Biden summons leaders to talk about what's ailing the Western Hemisphere.

On his way to California, Trudeau and Defence Minister Anita Anand will also pay a visit to Colorado Springs, which is home to the jointly commanded continental defence system known as Norad, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed Friday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden talk at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on Thursday, March 24, 2022. Trudeau will be attending next weeks Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles as Biden summons leaders to talk about whats ailing the Western Hemisphere. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Trudeau will be in Colorado on Tuesday before travelling to Los Angeles for meetings at the summit, which gets underway Monday and runs through the week.

Military analysts have been waiting for months to hear more about how Canada and the U.S. plan to upgrade Norad, particularly in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, although it's not clear whether an announcement is imminent.

In L.A., the social and humanitarian impact of the war in Ukraine will be a central theme of the talks, as will new ways to address global migration challenges, including those confronting the U.S. at its southern border.

Trudeau will also be accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, who will be involved in additional meetings on climate change and nature protection.

The prime minister "will underscore the importance of taking ambitious climate action, including by protecting our oceans and cutting pollution, while creating good jobs and growing the economy," the Prime Minister's Office said in a release.

"He will also promote democracy and reinforce the continued importance of COVID-19 testing and treatments, both to identify dangerous variants and to contain future outbreaks."

Immigration, however, is expected to be the dominant topic at the summit, where Biden is expected to seek buy-in from across the hemisphere on a comprehensive, holistic strategy to address the root causes of irregular migration.

That approach will recognize the role of the economic and security challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, Juan Gonzalez, the National Security Council's senior director for the Western Hemisphere, said in a briefing call earlier this week.

Biden will propose what Gonzalez described as a strategy of shared responsibility and economic support for those countries most impacted by the flow of migration. It will also include a multilateral declaration "of unity and resolve" to bring the crisis under control.

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"The leaders of the region that are either source, transit, or destination countries for migration are really coming together behind a plan that recognizes that the migration challenge is not one that is at the U.S. border, but it's one that is actually impacting all the countries in the Americas."

Defending core democratic values will also be a major focus in Los Angeles, which is part of why the U.S. has not invited leaders from Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela to attend  three authoritarian countries with dubious records on human rights.

Others, including Mexico's Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Bolivian President Luis Arce, have vowed not to attend unless all of the hemisphere's heads of government were invited.

The U.S. has yet to release a final list of attendees; the White House insisted earlier this week there's still plenty of time.

"One week is not the 11th hour when it comes to how things move," press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday. "We still have some final considerations, and once we have that together, we will share that."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2022.
DETROIT (AP)  More than 750 Tesla owners have complained to U.S. safety regulators that cars operating on the automaker's partially automated driving systems have suddenly stopped on roadways for no apparent reason.

FILE - The Tesla company logo sits on a vehicle at a Tesla dealership in Littleton, Colo., on Feb. 2, 2020. The U.S. governments road safety agency has dispatched a team to investigate the possibility that a Tesla involved in a California crash that killed three people was operating on a partially automated driving system. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 confirmed that it had sent a special crash investigation team to probe the May 12 crash on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

DETROIT (AP)  More than 750 Tesla owners have complained to U.S. safety regulators that cars operating on the automaker's partially automated driving systems have suddenly stopped on roadways for no apparent reason.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed the number in a detailed information request letter to Tesla that was posted Friday on the agency's website.

The 14-page letter dated May 4 asks the automaker for all consumer and field reports it has received about false braking, as well as reports of crashes, injuries, deaths and property damage claims. It also asks whether the company's Full Self Driving and automatic emergency braking systems were active at the time of any incident.

The agency began investigating phantom braking in Tesla's Models 3 and Y last February after getting 354 complaints. The probe covers an estimated 416,000 vehicles from the 2021 and 2022 model years. In February, the agency said it had no reports of crashes or injuries.

The letter gives Tesla a deadline of June 20 to respond to the information request but says the company can ask for an extension.

Shares of Tesla Inc. tumbled more than 9% Friday.

FILE - A sign bearing the company logo is displayed outside a Tesla store in Cherry Creek Mall in Denver. More than 750 Tesla owners have complained to U.S. safety regulators that cars operating on the automaker's partially automated driving systems have suddenly stopped on roadways for no apparent reason. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed the number in a detailed information request letter to Tesla that was posted Friday, June 3, 2022, on the agency's website.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

A message was left early Friday seeking comment from Tesla.

In opening the probe, the agency said it was looking into vehicles equipped with automated driver-assist features such as adaptive cruise control and Autopilot, which allows them to automatically brake and steer within their lanes.

Complainants report that the rapid deceleration can occur without warning, and often repeatedly during a single drive cycle, the agency said.

Many owners wrote in their complaints that they feared a rear-end crash on a freeway.

In the letter, NHTSA asks for the initial speed of when the cars began to brake, the final speed, and the average deceleration. It also asks if the automated systems detected a target obstacle, and whether Tesla has video of the braking incidents.

The agency is now seeking information on warranty claims for phantom braking including the owners names and what repairs were made. Its also seeking information on Teslas sensors, any testing or investigations into the braking problems, or if any modifications were made.

The letter focuses on Teslas testing of the automated systems when it comes to detecting metal bridges, s-shaped curves, oncoming and cross traffic, and different sizes of vehicles including large trucks. The agency also wants information on how cameras deal with reflections, shadows, glare and blockage due to snow or heavy rain.

The agency asks Tesla to detail its assessment of the alleged defect in the automated systems, including what caused the unnecessary braking, what failed, and the risk to motor vehicle safety that the problem poses. It asks Tesla what warnings, if any, the operator and the other persons both inside and outside the vehicle would have that the alleged defect was occurring, or subject component was malfunctioning.

The probe is another in a string of enforcement efforts by the agency that include Autopilot and Full Self-Driving software. Despite their names, neither feature can drive the vehicles without people supervising.

Its the fourth formal investigation of the Texas automaker in the past three years, and NHTSA is supervising 23 Tesla recalls since January of 2021.

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The agency also is investigating complaints that the automatic emergency braking systems on more than 1.7 million newer Hondas can stop the vehicles for no reason.

In addition, NHTSA has a broader probe under way into crashes involving partially automated driving systems from all automakers. Since 2016, the agency has sent teams to 34 crashes in which the systems were either in use or suspected of operating. Of the 34, 28 involved Teslas.

Fifteen people died in the crashes that NHTSA is investigating, and at least 15 more were hurt. Of the deaths, 14 occurred in crashes involving Teslas, agency documents say.

NHTSA also is investigating why Teslas on Autopilot have crashed into emergency vehicles parked on roads.

Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have been fighting with U.S. and California government agencies for years, sparring with NHTSA and most notably with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Musk has offered to buy Twitter for $44 billion and make it a private company, but says he has put the deal on hold because of allegations that the social media platform has more automated bot accounts than it has disclosed.
The CRTC is demanding Bell MTS submit monthly updates about the number of landline telephone outages in Winnipeg and explain what it is doing to fix them.

The CRTC is demanding Bell MTS submit monthly updates about the number of landline telephone outages in Winnipeg and explain what it is doing to fix them.

A letter sent to Philippe Gauvin, Bell MTS assistant general counsel, on Thursday, thanks Bell MTS for sending responses to its questions last month to help it "better understand the issues impacting the provision of reliable telecommunications services and the companys efforts in resolving these issues."

While the information provided by Bell MTS is mostly deemed confidential and not to be shared with the public, the CRTC called it concerning and said it warrants further and continued data.

Fiona Gilfillan, executive director of the federal regulators telecommunications sector, said "given the ongoing nature of the issues," Bell MTS must provide monthly updates for the next five months.

In a statement, Bell MTS spokeswoman Morgan Shipley said the company would comply with the CRTC demand.

>While the information provided by Bell MTS is mostly deemed confidential and not to be shared with the public, the CRTC called it concerning. (Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg Free Press files)

In a series of Free Press articles last month, numerous customers around Winnipeg detailed their landline outages  some of which had lasted weeks or even months.

The union for Bell MTS technicians has blamed the outages on years of job cuts and inadequate maintenance; it said the landline system had been in a "slow decline" since the former Tory government of Gary Filmon privatized the telephone company in 1997.

The CRTC, which said it was aware of the news stories, as well as complaints, stepped in. It issued an order on May 20 for Bell MTS to explain service-quality issues within seven days.

In Bell MTSs response at the time, Gauvin told the CRTC problems with phone lines began before the company purchased MTS.

"Simply put, MTSs practices involved very short-term solutions that left the network vulnerable to water penetration in the face of heavy rainfall," Gauvin wrote.

"Since acquiring MTS, we have invested more than a billion dollars in maintaining and improving networks in Manitoba unfortunately, given the state of the copper network we inherited, this is not an issue that can be overhauled and corrected within the few years we have owned the network."

"This is not an issue that can be overhauled and corrected within the few years we have owned the network.  Philippe Gauvin

Now, the CRTC says Bell MTS must hand over outage information on a monthly basis, including a list of all outages that last four hours or more in Winnipeg and affect five or more households.

The CRTC also wants the company to reveal the number of residential customers who experience service interruptions of between 24 hours to 1,440 hours or more, the number of complaints received from Winnipeg customers, and the number of service appointments dispatched.

As well, the CRTC wants, for every customer with an outage of 168 hours or more, details about what caused the outage, how the company resolved it, and how the company helped the telecommunications needs of its customers during the outage, including using 911, and when the outage was expected to be resolved.

In some cases, customers faulty landlines have called 911 and police have been sent to their home.

Gilfillan said Bell MTS has until June 13 to turn over the information for May, but after that the information has to be in by the second Monday of the month, or the next day if there is a statutory holiday.

Shipley said crews are working overtime to restore services. She said there has been a 15 per cent reduction in service requests in the last two weeks.

"Manitobas significant precipitation this winter did result in more copper cable repair requests than usual," she said.

Manitobas significant precipitation this winter did result in more copper cable repair requests than usual.  Morgan Shipley, Bell MTS

"Since 2017, we have invested over $330 million to maintain and improve the existing MTS wireline networks, including copper networks."

A former employee, who worked almost four decades at the company when it was a provincial Crown corporation as well as after it was privatized, said hes not surprised the outages have been widespread.

"I think it could be fixed, but it would cost money and they dont want to spend it on a redundant system when they are putting in a fibre system," he said, asking that he not be identified.

"They are just putting Band-Aids on copper cables."

He said "in the old days" when melting snow and springtime precipitation resulted in line outages, everyone had to work overtime for days until the system was fixed.

They are just putting BandAids on copper cables.  Former Bell MTS employee

"Now, about the time I left, they limited the amount of overtime and even had people fill out reports to justify the overtime they did," he said.

As for the CRTC demanding information from Bell MTS, he said such information was automatically sent to the commission every month when he worked there.

"If they were three months behind, they were in trouble," he said. "Now, the CRTC has to ask for it.

"Thankfully, Im not there now."

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

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One year before the completion of the controversial downtown police headquarters project, then-Winnipeg Police Service chief Devon Clunis told a news conference at city hall the force wasnt responsible for runaway construction costs.

One year before the completion of the controversial downtown police headquarters project, then-Winnipeg Police Service chief Devon Clunis told a news conference at city hall the force wasnt responsible for runaway construction costs.

Clunis was armed with a newly released audit, which he and city councillors said absolved the WPS of responsibility for the skyrocketing price tag.

"There may have been a perception that the police service was doing things to drive up the cost and this audit says, clearly, this is not the case," Clunis said on July 15, 2014.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Then-police Chief Devon Clunis at news conference in 2014.

But an unreleased draft of the audit report obtained by the Free Press tells a different story.

The draft, dated three weeks earlier, reveals steps taken by the citys administration to limit the police services exposure in the controversy, and minimize its responsibility for ballooning costs on the over-budget project.

The documents the Free Press obtained raise questions about the citys narrative that the multimillion-dollar fraud perpetrated during the construction of the WPS HQ is one of the worst cases of white-collar crime in Winnipegs history  sparking a five-year RCMP investigation and ongoing civil litigation.

And yet it all happened right under the nose of city police.

Over budget, but acceptable The WPS HQ construction project is widely seen as $75 million over budget, but the truth is more complicated than that. click to read more The WPS HQ construction project is widely seen as $75 million over budget, but the truth is more complicated than that. The projects final price tag sits at roughly $214 million, which includes the purchase of the former Canada Post building, debt financing and other non-construction related costs. The building was bought for roughly $30 million, while more than $11 million went to design firms hired at various stages of the project. A 2014 quantity survey from Turner & Townsend pegged the construction costs at $156 million. T&T calculated that Winnipeg paid significantly less per square-foot for its police headquarters than Saskatoon and Kingston, Ont., although slightly more than the London and Niagara jurisdictions in Ontario. Strictly from a financial viewpoint it is our opinion that the project value of ($156 million) for the Winnipeg Police Headquarters and Wyper Road Firing Range is within the acceptable range of cost for a facility of this nature, reads the T&T report. The perception of the project as massively over budget is due  in part  to the fact it was sold to city council with an initial price tag of $135 million, including $30 million to buy the building. At that time, the city had an estimate from the firm Hanscomb projecting total costs at $179 million  with $30 million for the building and $149 million for construction. But that estimate was withheld from city council by the civic administration. Final construction costs were roughly $7 million higher than the initial Hanscomb estimate. But even taking the final overall project costs ($214 million) and comparing it with the initial Hanscomb estimate ($179 million) suggests the job was not as wildly over budget as generally perceived, given the amount of design work complete when the project was approved. The city approved the initial budget for the project on the basis of a Class 3 construction estimate, which means the design work was only 30 per cent finished. According to the citys own cost-estimate classification system, the final price tag on a project approved with a Class 3 estimate is liable to be anywhere from 20 per cent lower to the 30 per cent higher than budgeted for. A final price tag of $214 million represents a 19 per cent increase over the Hanscomb cost projection of $179 million, which falls within the acceptable range of a Class 3 estimate. The fact the job was sold to council at a lower-than-expected price tag  while city administration had reason to believe it would cost more  fits a broader pattern of controversial capital projects during the 2004-2014 administration of former mayor Sam Katz.  Ryan Thorpe Close

The close relationship between the police service and the construction project was flagged as a cause for concern in the 2014 external audit from KPMG that was commissioned by the City of Winnipeg.

Two former police chiefs sat on the projects oversight committee: Keith McCaskill, followed by Clunis after McCaskill retired. For reasons that remain unclear, the committee failed to maintain minutes of its meetings and discussions.

Abdul Aziz, a civilian employee of the WPS, served as project manager, and police officers Randy Benoit and Ari Berdesis served in major project roles.

Aziz was eventually replaced as project manager, with the audit finding he had no previous experience executing a "project of this size and complexity," which resulted in "challenges in progressing the project."

The audit also found that police officers were given significant job titles despite having no relevant experience.

It said a "foundation-level principle" on capital projects is to have a "clear separation" of the "end-user" (WPS) from the designers and the builders, to ensure "increase/creep in scope" does not run up costs or cause delays.

This principle was not followed, the auditors found.

The audit determined there were 81 change orders, resulting in cost increases of $18.89 million and representing a "significant volume and degree of change during the course of design and construction."

The audit report was released July 14, 2014, the day before Cluniss news conference. But three weeks earlier, a draft version was given to the city auditor for review and to obtain feedback from city administration.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The Winnipeg Police Service headquarters cost roughly $214 million.

"Comments or feedback received will be reviewed and assessed, and where relevant incorporated into the final version," reads the draft.

A Free Press side-by-side analysis of the reports two versions revealed last-minute changes that minimized the role of the WPS.

An appendix to the final report notes certain edits were made at the request of city management, but the full scope of the changes are not made clear, nor is there acknowledgement that in one case an entire section critical of the WPS was deleted.

The draft report states that a lack of segregation between the WPS and the designer and builder was "a fact which influenced all aspects of project delivery."

The final version changed the sentence to read: "many aspects of project delivery."

The arrangement "allowed (WPS) to directly influence the project scope throughout the project on a daily basis by dealing directly with design consultants and construction contractor," according to the draft report.

But in the final version, the arrangement merely "increased the risk" the WPS could drive up costs through change orders.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The Winnipeg Police Service headquarters went $75 million over budget.

The Free Press asked the city Thursday what percentage of change orders were initiated by the WPS, but a spokesman declined comment, citing the ongoing lawsuit. In the appendix to the final report, city management claimed police were responsible for just three per cent of the 81 change orders.

But the Free Press has also obtained project correspondence  variously involving city staff, the designers and the construction firm  showing frequent complaints were made by contractors regarding the WPS pushing design changes.

In a November 2013 email, Peter Chang of the design firm Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Ltd., told Mike Ruta, the citys former chief financial officer, that $10 million of the project budget had been eaten up by "WPS requested CCNs."

CCN is an industry term for "contemplated change notice," which becomes official only when approved. But the audit found the project lacked a clear, documented change management process, and that many change orders were authorized retrospectively after the work was complete.

The Free Press also obtained and reviewed an internal project spreadsheet breaking down various change orders and their associated costs, which suggests the majority of change orders were initiated by the WPS to the tune of $11.6 million.

That fits with another finding of the draft report.

"(By) allowing direct and unrestricted end-user access to the design consultant and construction contractor, the WPS was able to dictate their requirements largely unchecked throughout all stages of design and construction," the report reads.

But that passage was deleted from the final version of the audit following pushback from city management.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Peter Chang of the design firm Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Ltd. in 2013 told Mike Ruta, the citys former chief financial officer, that $10 million of the project budget had been eaten up by changes requested by the police department.

Also cut from the final report was an entire section detailing the hiring of a retired WPS officer, Henry Hagenaars, as a design sub-contractor on the job, which cost the city at least $300,000 in single-sourced contracts.

Hagenaars was hired in April 2012 for $150,000. Two months later, Ruta authorized an "over-expenditure" of an additional $150,000 for Hagenaars services.

According to a city administrative report, Hagenaars was hired to provide "professional engineering services," even though he was not licensed as a professional engineer. His services were allegedly needed to "complete the scope of work under contract."

But the draft report states Hagenaars had no "formal role or job description," and raised serious concerns his hiring constituted an ethics breach.

"No mention was made in the over-expenditure report that this contract arrangement could represent either a violation of procurement policy or a potential conflict of interest," the draft reads.

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The entire section detailing Hagenaars involvement in the project was deleted, with no mention made of the change in the final reports appendix.

KPMGs national director of communications, Kevin Dove, said in a written statement that his firm "takes its role as auditor seriously in all cases," adding that "our professional regulations prohibit us from commenting on confidential client matters."

In a written statement, the citys director of corporate communications, Felicia Wiltshire, said its standard procedure to have the administration review a draft report as a "final check" to ensure the "information and facts concluded are accurate."

"On occasion, through the draft review process, additional information/evidence is shared that requires revisions of statements within the report. Those revisions are at the sole discretion of the report author," Wiltshire said.

"The audit was conducted by an independent consultant and they had the option to accept or reject any changes that were suggested by the city, and maintained the discretion to make whatever recommendations they believe are required for the final report."

The WPS did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.

The city forwarded the final audit to Manitoba Justice which, in turn, sent it to the RCMP  sparking Project Dalton, the multi-year, multimillion-dollar fraud investigation that closed without criminal charges in December 2019.

Civil litigation between the city and numerous defendants, including the building firm Caspian Construction and design firm AAR, remains before the courts.

Caspian did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: rk_thorpe
A Springfield Collegiate Institute teacher organized an unusual field trip to the Oakbank schools parking lot this week.

Just after lunch Wednesday, a group of about 25 students and educators, some of whom travelled from Winnipegs Fort Richmond Collegiate, gathered around a single parking space to watch a custodian install a new sign.

As the metal marker was screwed into place, the group cheered, celebrating the small but significant step in updating accessibility signage on public school grounds in Manitoba.

Facilities across the world have long used an image depicting an individual seated in a stationary wheelchair, known as the international symbol of access, to mark accessible infrastructure for the disabled. Both Springfield and Fort Richmond are swapping out that icon, which was designed in the late 1960s, for a modern one that indicates a person in action using a wheelchair.

"I hope other schools and municipalities and cities will think about seriously changing (signage to use a) symbol that represents disability as active and powerful rather than static," said Michael Baker, a student services teacher at Springfield who authored Manitobas introductory high school course on disability studies several years ago.

Baker said he hopes the visual shift at both high schools creates dialogue among his students and their peers, as well as their families and communities at large.

Nancy Hansen, director of the University of Manitobas interdisciplinary masters program in disability studies, applauded the move.

During a virtual presentation to high schoolers, Hansen said disability has been taboo throughout history because disabled individuals are often viewed as passive people who take up space rather than contributing members of society.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Disabilities studies teachers Michael Baker and Carla Bouchard at Springfield Collegiate Institute in Oakbank.

The professor noted that famous figures such as Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, and naturalist Charles Darwin had disabilities  a clubfoot and chronic illness, respectively.

"Dont see it as negative. See it as something to learn from and something to work with, and think of it as a possibility to do things in new ways as opposed to something to be afraid of," Hansen said.

The event Wednesday  Changing Signs, Changing Attitudes  was held in solidarity with the Accessible Icon Project.

Founded in 2010 as a street art campaign in Boston, the project promotes "design activism" to change perceptions about people with disabilities.

A trio of artists kept the blue-and-white colour scheme, but they adjusted the original logos stick figure positioning and device so it is evident the person is not stationary.

"Weve seen the icon become a kind of megaphone for our partners and friends who are self-advocates with disabilities; not just wheelchair users, but people who see this image as a metaphor, as a symbol of their own wishes for agency and dimensional action in the world," co-creator Sara Hendren wrote in a 2016 blog post.

Baker hired a local designer to print the icon, at a cost of roughly $30 per sign, for his school and Fort Richmond. Both sites offer his optional course on disability studies.

Calling the new symbol "vibrant" and "lifelike," Grade 11 student Josh Nienhuis said it is a far better representation of people with disabilities than the symbol typically posted on parking spaces and bathroom stalls.

Josh said he started to take notice of accessibility signage in Oakbank after he and his peers learned in Bakers class about the significance of symbols and dearth of positive representation of people with disabilities.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS New accessible parking signage at Springfield Collegiate Institute in Oakbank.

"Disability is everywhere. You just have to look for it," said the 17-year-old, who indicated he signed up for the course to learn how to be a better ally.

Baker said his course, introduced four years ago, addresses a gap in K-12 education in that it aims to shift the widespread understanding of disability from a medical model promoting pity to a human-rights perspective touting valorization.

The curriculum highlights the concepts of ableism, intersectionality and the difference between impairment and disability, among other topics.

"The history behind disability movements has never been talked about at all in my 13 years of school," said Amber Cook, 18. "It should be taught in social studies and history classes, because its such a huge part (of history)."

The Springfield 12th-grader did not think twice about curb cuts  or sidewalk intersection access points  until this semester. In addition to learning about the advocacy work that went into altering sidewalks, the senior student said her newfound knowledge has equipped her to be a better part-time nursing-home employee.

Winnipeg resource teacher Carla Bouchard started offering the introductory course this year.

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A total of 10 teenagers signed up for the initial intake at Fort Richmond. Interest has more than doubled for next year, a spike that Bouchard attributes to positive word-of-mouth.

Many students have been shocked by how little they know about disability while learners with lived experience have been able to share their stories, she said.

"Youre constantly being made more aware of the history of people with disabilities and how weve progressed to support everyone better and create more inclusion," said Hailey Bazan, a Grade 11 student in Winnipeg.

"But also, how far we still have to go."

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
In Chloe Okunos stylish debut Watcher, the title refers not just to one person, but two, when the watched becomes the watcher, the stalker and stalked swapping places throughout the course of this chilly psychological thriller. Working in the vein of 70s-style horror, Okunos Watcher is in dialogue with films like Roman Polanskis Repulsion and Rosemarys Baby, nods to Andrzej Zulawskis Possession with its foreboding European setting, and features a Hitchcock blonde in heroine Julia (Maika Monroe).

But those films about vulnerable women caught in voyeuristic traps were all directed by men, and with Okuno, a female writer/director, telling the story, its a very different result, one thats emotionally and ethically complex, but undeniable in its bold clarity.

Newlyweds Julia and Francis (Karl Glusman) arrive in Bucharest, Romania, ready to start a new chapter in a new city. Francis, who is half-Romanian, has a high-powered advertising job, but Julia, an erstwhile actress, doesnt have much to do. She wanders the city, practicing her halting Romanian in coffee shops and attempting to sightsee alone. As a serial killer known as the Spider slays the women of Bucharest, slashing their throats, Julia realizes shes under surveillance, and not just from the taxi drivers who call her beautiful.

Through the oversize picture windows in their apartment, she notices someone (Burn Gorman) across the street, watching her, and suddenly he seems to be everywhere.

The brilliant thing about Julia in Watcher is she does everything right, and yet, its maddening, because it doesnt protect her. She tells her husband as soon as she feels uncomfortable about this man watching her, and reports the strange incidents when he follows her to shopkeepers and the police. But her actions, to the men around her, seem strange and sketchy. Francis just barely refrains from calling her crazy, though refers to her experiences a fantasy, and capably rationalizes this strangers behavior. All Julia has the agency and ability to do herself is simply watch him back.

Okunos script, which is based on a screenplay by Zack Ford, is pointed, deliberately so, and theres no mistaking what shes trying to say about womens intuition, the reluctance of men to believe them, and the systems of power that fail to protect the vulnerable.

She beautifully uses space in her cinematic storytelling as well. The apartments glass windows become a prison panopticon, their visibility stripping the safety from Julias intimate domestic space. The transparency of the windows are juxtaposed against the opaque wall she shares with her neighbor, and only friend, Irina (Madalina Anea), through which sound travels, transmitting muffled, mysterious information.

Watcher is a slow burn, but like its leading lady, its restrained and elegant. Monroes performance is less than operatic, but the strain of containing her fear and maintaining her composure is palpable. Combined with the intelligent use of point-of-view shots (the cinematographer is Benjamin Kirk Nielsen), there is a visceral sense of the genuine, and specifically feminine, fear that Julia feels, whether its founded in reality or not.

But the greatest trick that Okuno pulls off in Watcher is leading the audience to question our own intuition, and interpretation of events, of what weve seen and heard. It throws the viewer off balance just enough so that the finale is truly shocking, but rendered with the utmost control and refinement of style and emotion.

This beautifully crafted jewel of a throwback thriller signifies Okuno as a talent to watch, but furthermore, it probes the viewer to question what, and who, we choose to believe and why.

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Calvin Christian School has requested an elementary student put away his Pride flag and stop promoting the LGBTTQ+ community to younger students, according to his mother.

Calvin Christian School has requested an elementary student put away his Pride flag and stop promoting the LGBTTQ+ community to younger students, according to his mother.

Jennaya Isaac said she is livid after learning educators singled out her son, a Grade 5 student at the private academy in Winnipeg, for celebrating his gay identity on school grounds in recent days.

Isaac started the process of filing a complaint with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission on Friday.

We shouldnt have to hide who we are just because it goes against the norm of the community that were in, said Isaac, a mother of four  three of whom are enrolled in either the independent schools elementary or high school program. One is a recent graduate.

Isaac shares custody with her childrens father, who is keen on them getting an education at Calvin Christian, she said, adding both she and her youngest son, Kaiden, had reservations about the idea after the 12-year-old came out.

I told him: The world is changing, people are evolving, said the mother, who identifies as bisexual and is not religious.

The events that have transpired over the last week have validated their concerns and prompted Isaac to call for the elementary schools principal to be dismissed. The school is partially funded by taxpayers.

On May 27, her fifth grader took a rainbow flag  a recent birthday present from his younger sister  to school. He took it out of his bag during recess to wave it around the playground, Isaac said.

She said a teacher tipped off administration about the flag and following the break, principal John Sawatzky told Kaiden it was not appropriate to teach younger children about the LGBTTQ+ community.

They accused him of trying to make a statement, she said, noting her son put the flag away and told her about what happened in the evening.

When I drop my kids off at the school in the morning, I expect the adults at the school to keep my kids safe. Not only did the adults fail to keep my kid safe (but) it was the principal who made my kid feel unsafe.

Isaac has contacted school leaders about her concerns via email and phone call. She said she has been told the board asked the principal to apologize directly to her son, but that has yet to happen more than a week after the incident.

Kaiden continues to be disrespected, she said. On Thursday, he took the flag to school again, was threatened by peers, and his class had to spend recess indoors to discuss the flag matter, according to Isaac. She kept her son home Friday because he doesnt feel well.

Sawatzky did not respond to an interview request.

In an email to Isaac earlier this week, the principal said he would like to know if Kaiden is concerned about anything at school related to the flag situation or another issue. If he needs more of a listening ear Id be open to that, Sawatzky wrote.

When reached for comment, the chairman of the private schools board said leaders are working on a peaceful resolution.

We want everyone to feel loved and respected. Thats what we are striving towards. Were not always going to get that right, but were looking to find ways to get that right all the time, said Ron Pluchinski.

Pluchinski acknowledged LGBTTQ+ rights are a very emotional issue in the community. He said the school has been collaborating with consultants from the Prairie Centre for Christian Education to create new inclusion guidelines.

Calvin Christian is receptive to feedback from community members, including Isaacs recommendation that all employees should complete a human rights seminar, the board chairman said.

It remains unclear where Kaiden will attend Grade 6, but Isaac said her son wants to switch to public school.

Public schools across the province often display rainbow flags on poles and in classrooms both amid Pride month and throughout the school year so students see a visual cue that welcomes them into the space, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

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The Manitoba Teachers Society provides professional development on LGBTTQ+ education and runs a support network for educators to improve their understanding on creating inclusive classrooms.

Union leader James Bedford said MTS wants all Grade 12 graduates to be empathetic and supportive allies to all of their peers.

Weve always said that Manitoba students who graduate high school need to be prepared for the world theyre about to live in, the world theyre going to work in. I think part of that is having a good understanding of the issues that are out there, Bedford said.

The union offers free age-appropriate lesson plans on topics, including identity and the history of Pride, for educators to incorporate into subjects ranging from social studies to English language arts.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
A government-funded pandemic-relief program that encouraged Manitobans to spend their travel budget close to home put nearly a quarter million dollars into the coffers of companies outside the province.

A government-funded pandemic-relief program that encouraged Manitobans to spend their travel budget close to home put nearly a quarter million dollars into the coffers of companies outside the province.

Last month, rebate cheques started to land in the mailboxes of Manitobans who took part in the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce Tourism Rebate Incentive Program.

To the surprise of some staycationers, the $100 rebate cheque they received had travelled more than 1,300 kilometres from Colorado.

When our economy needs help, they should be helping our economy. Why cant they hire people locally, create employment?  Free Press reader

"When our economy needs help, they should be helping our economy. Why cant they hire people locally, create employment," said a Free Press reader who had received her cheque and agreed to an interview if she was not publicly identified.

The taxpayer-funded program promised rebates of up to $100 to people who stayed at a Manitoba hotel between May 6 and 16, and discounts on admission to participating attractions. In 2021, the program ran for 16 days, spurring nearly 25,000 rebate claims.

The stub from a rebate cheque received by one Manitoban who took part in the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce Tourism Rebate Incentive Program.

"I was thrilled to get the $100 back. It helped the hotel, it helped me and its a great way to boost the economy," she said, "but why are they sending money from Colorado?"

The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce said Vancouver-based SNIPP Interactive was hired to deliver the program. It received five per cent of the $4.2-million cost, or $210,000, to process rebate claims.

Unbeknownst to the chamber, SNIPP Interactive subcontracted its responsibility to deliver cheques to SmartPayables, president and chief executive officer Chuck Davidson said. During the 2021 program, rebates were issued via a virtual Mastercard.

"I was a little surprised when I started hearing that the cheques were coming from a Colorado company," Davidson said. "If we would have known that in advance, I would have advised is there a way we can do this differently."

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Chuck Davidson, president and chief executive officer of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce.

Davidson said SNIPP Interactive was recommended by Travel Manitoba, a provincial Crown corporation, which signed the agreement with the chamber to deliver the program on behalf of the government.

The contract was awarded to SNIPP Interactive without going through a tendering process. The Free Press reached out to SNIPP Interactive for comment on Thursday, but did not hear back.

Davidson described the company as a one-stop-shop with the experience to process rebates in a simple and efficient way. Neither the chamber nor Travel Manitoba was aware of any local company that offers a comparable service, Davidson said.

I was a little surprised when I started hearing that the cheques were coming from a Colorado company. If we would have known that in advance, I would have advised is there a way we can do this differently.  Chuck Davidson, Manitoba Chambers of Commerce president and chief executive officer

"The whole intent was how do we make sure this program works for Manitobans? How do we make sure as many people as possible can take advantage of it, and how do we make sure we reimburse them for that?" Davidson said. "I was more concerned about the delivery of the program, and probably less concerned about what the address on the envelope that they received the cheque was."

NDP finance critic Mark Wasyliw argued the provincial government ought to have delivered the rebate program directly to residents from the start. But, at a minimum, the chamber should have solicited proposals from Manitoba companies that might have been interested in delivering the program, Wasyliw said.

"This is about Manitoba small business, so why are we contracting with a Vancouver company and with a Colorado company to provide this service?" Wasyliw said. "This is a classic example of an untendered contract that could have gone to a Manitoba company and could have kept the money in Manitoba."

TREVOR HAGAN/ WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES NDP finance critic Mark Wasyliw: Wheres the oversight? Wheres the control?

Over the past two years, the provincial government repeatedly tapped the Manitoba chamber to administer its pandemic relief programs, including the Shop Local program and the Dine-In Restaurant Relief Program.

Under the Shop Local program, the chamber provided a $500,000 grant to locally owned e-commerce platform GoodLocal in December 2020 to assist small businesses that were shuttered under public health orders. GoodLocal co-owner Obby Khan was elected MLA for Fort Whyte in March.

By hiring third parties to deliver pandemic programs, Wasyliw said the provincial government is avoiding accountability and transparency.

"Its a cynical, political move to shut up opposition," Wasyliw said. "Wheres the oversight? Wheres the control?"

This is about Manitoba small business, so why are we contracting with a Vancouver company and with a Colorado company to provide this service?  NDP finance critic Mark Wasyliw

The Free Press requested comment from Andrew Smith, the minister responsible for Travel Manitoba.

In response, a provincial government spokesperson provided a statement commending the chamber and Travel Manitoba for "coming up with an innovative way to encourage Manitobans to explore our province while also supporting our local economy and recovery."

"The Travel Rebate Incentive Program was designed to stimulate local business in the tourism sector, and it was very successful in doing so," the statement said.

Davidson said TRIP generated significant economic activity for the sector, with a total of $5.5 million in direct spending at recreational properties tracked by the chamber in 2021. The spring iteration of the program was expected to generate $2.3 million for Manitoba businesses.

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Of the $4.2 million, close to 87 per cent went directly to Manitobans in the form of a rebate and four per cent went to marketing (including $43,000 for advertising in the Free Press), in addition to the fees paid to SNIPP Interactive, Davidson said.

"The story is a success story of something we delivered to Manitobans," Davidson said. "Someone had to deliver the program. We found someone to deliver it and from my perspective, five per cent is minimal."

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
Current and former students at The Kings School say a male teacher, who has been put on leave amid an investigation, overstepped boundaries by massaging them, disclosing intimate secrets to teenagers, and asking deeply personal questions in return  including the status of their relationships with their fathers.

Current and former students at The Kings School say a male teacher, who has been put on leave amid an investigation, overstepped boundaries by massaging them, disclosing intimate secrets to teenagers, and asking deeply personal questions in return  including the status of their relationships with their fathers.

One Grade 12 student at the independent Winnipeg school, which is run in partnership with Gateway Church and partially funded by the provincial government, said she immediately noticed the educators inappropriate behaviour when she enrolled.

"It just didnt sit right with me," she told the Free Press.

The student described the educators conduct as "intimate." He offered what he called "fatherly hugs" and asked teenage girls, herself included, about what their relationship with their fathers was like, she said.

"Private schools and private Christian schools need boundaries. We cant just do things just because were Christian. We need clear boundaries. We are a school before we are a church."

Multiple sources indicated the teacher has a reputation for being touchy with students, be it by hugging or putting his hands on their shoulders when he prays for them in the tight-knit community, and proclaims that is how he "shows Gods love."

A former student said little changed after she reported being uncomfortable in the fall of 2018. Earlier this year, however, a group of current pupils approached administration with similar concerns that have prompted an external probe.

Prior to a Free Press report, church leaders and administrators at The King School, an evangelical institution that provides instruction for pupils in preschool through Grade 12, had released few details about the situation.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Current and former students at The Kings School say a male teacher, who has been put on leave, overstepped boundaries by massaging them and disclosing intimate secrets to teenagers.

Gateway Church issued a notice late Wednesday to inform members of the congregation about the investigation, which has been underway for more than four months.

Church elders acknowledged the recent media coverage and assured the community the school takes the safety and well-being of its students "very seriously" and has "comprehensive protection policies and procedures" to guide the response to any concerns about employees.

"Earlier this year, concerns about inappropriate behaviour were brought to the school boards attention regarding a teacher in the school The teacher in question was immediately put on leave while an investigation was initiated," states the mass email to members.

(Several pupils dispute this claim; they say the teacher remained on the job during early questioning and until the school faced vocal student and parent pressure.)

The June 1 notice from Gateway states an independent investigator, who was retained in February, is in the process of meeting with past and present students and will submit a report with findings "as soon as possible."

Church leaders wrote it is "a very difficult time for everyone concerned, in the midst of year-end and preparing for the move (to a new school location in West St. Paul)," and thanked congregants for their prayers.

A Manitoba teachers first responsibility is to their students and they recognize "a privileged relationship with students exists and refrains from exploiting that," per their provincial code of professional practice.

Teachers-in-training learn about that document at their first orientation and study consent throughout their undergraduate career, said Martha Koch, an associate dean of undergraduate programs and partnerships in the University of Manitobas education faculty.

Koch said professors use case studies to explore the topic and promote practices such as leaving a room door open when teachers meet with students to prepare students for complex situations on the job.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Church elders say the school takes the safety and well-being of its students seriously.

"The reality is teaching is a very human interaction and professional judgment will always be required in terms of whats appropriate," she added.

As far as a Winnipeg-based sex educator is concerned, there should be enthusiastic and clearly-communicated, consent before a physical interaction of any kind and a power imbalance makes navigating those situations "nearly impossible."

"Consent is about respect. Consent is about bodily autonomy. Consent is about sharing and caring for other human beings. Its about empathy. Its about honouring your instincts. Its about so much more than, Did someone do something illegal?" said Erica McNabb, co-director of Red Tent, an organization that provides training on anti-oppression, safe spaces and consent.

McNabb said youth who have survived grooming, sexual harassment or unwanted attention by a teacher need to be immediately assured their disclosures will be taken seriously.

"They need to hear, literally: I believe you. They need to be told it was not their fault, and schools need to give adequate supports to be able to heal from those experiences."

During an assembly held Wednesday, administrators informed pupils they were aware students knew of news coverage involving The Kings School.

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The next day, female teachers met with high school girls to apologize for how the situation has been handled and the fact youth had long been feeling uncomfortable before they felt safe to report their concerns.

Krista Gerbrandt said she continues to be frustrated by the lack of transparency provided by both her former church and her childrens old school.

"We pay for our children to be there. We expect a certain level of transparency and care and morality and standards from a private Christian education  and that did not happen," said Gerbrandt, who last year transferred her children to public school.

Annual tuition is nearly $5,000 per high school student, with discounts available for families with multiple pupils enrolled.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
Winnipeg police began searching the Brady Road landfill Thursday for partial human remains which belong to a recent homicide victim.

Winnipeg police began searching the Brady Road landfill Thursday for partial human remains which belong to a recent homicide victim.

Some remains of Rebecca Contois, 24, were found in a garbage bin in the 200 block of Edison Avenue, just east of Henderson Highway, on May 16.

Rebecca Contois

A source previously told the Free Press a severed human head and leg were discovered in the bin.

Suspecting the missing remains may be at Manitobas largest landfill, police secured a section of the site the same day, and stopped any further dumping of waste.

Ten members of a police ground search-and-rescue team are wearing respirators, methane-detection equipment and other protective gear due to hazards at the landfill on the southern boundary of Winnipeg.

Jeremy Anthony Michael Skibicki, 35, has been charged with first-degree murder after partial human remains were discovered in a North Kildonan apartments dumpster. (Facebook)

Extensive preparation work and wet and windy weather delayed the start of the search until Thursday, according to police.

On Monday, a sacred fire was lit and tobacco was passed to a grandmother, who performed a traditional ceremony in honour of Contois, her family and her loved ones, and to support the officers carrying out the grid search.

Among those present at the ceremony were Angie Tuesday, the Winnipeg Police Service family support and resource advocate, and members of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanaks Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls liaison unit and Ka Ni Kanichihks Medicine Bear counselling program.

Police have pledged to give timely updates to Contois family through a trauma-informed approach about the search and status of the ongoing homicide investigation.

Jeremy Anthony Michael Skibicki, 35, has been charged with first-degree murder.

The charge is laid in cases where police allege a killing was planned and deliberate.

Skibicki lived in a four-plex apartment on McKay Avenue, about a block north of the area where the partial human remains were found.

Police previously said Contois and Skibicki knew each other, but did not elaborate.

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Investigators believe Contois was killed on or around May 14, two days before the discovery, according to an arrest information sheet.

Homicide detectives have not ruled out the possibility of additional victims, according to police.

Known officially as the Brady Road Resource Management Facility, the landfill is located just south of the Perimeter Highway near Kenaston Boulevard.

The site, which stores residential and commercial waste, is about 790 hectares. Police have not disclosed the size of the search area.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching
On the bright side, it looks like we are in for some warm, sunny weather this weekend, after a mostly cold and wet week. Enjoy!

Queen Elizabeth II, celebrating 70 years as reigning monarch, is did not attend a thanksgiving church service today after experiencing some discomfort at events on Thursday.

The Liberals have reintroduced a bill in Parliament to create a monthly Canada Disability Benefit , but have so far released few details on how much it would be or who would qualify for it.
The Talibans draconian measure of requiring face coverings is the latest step in an ongoing nightmare for the women and girls of Afghanistan.

Opinion

The Talibans draconian measure of requiring face coverings is the latest step in an ongoing nightmare for the women and girls of Afghanistan.

Since the Taliban reasserted control over the country last August, women and girls have seen their access to education cut off, had their mobility restricted and been excluded from political life. Women have lost their jobs. Domestic violence has increased exponentially. Activists who speak out have been arrested and tortured.

And it is not just women who have been attacked. Hazaras and members of sexual minorities have also suffered violence at the hands of Taliban militants. Many are in hiding or have fled the country.

This is all happening as the country faces drastic economic, security and humanitarian challenges. The latest reports are that 97 percent of Afghans are facing food shortages.

There is something particularly nefarious in the latest decree.

Male guardians are now responsible for ensuring that their female relatives are covered, removing even more autonomy and dignity from women. Women have been told to stay home. Their participation in public life is now completely off limits.

The impact of the ongoing assaults on the rights and security of women is dramatic. Thousands have fled the country and thousands more are looking for a way out. Reports of suicides are rising. Depression is widespread.

Yet there are brave Afghan activists who speak out. Some are still in Kabul. Others speak from countries around the world where they have found temporary asylum.

Women in Afghanistan have organized protests and media conferences. In Kabul, one womens shelter has managed to keep its doors open. Prior to August of last year, more than 30 were operational.

The Afghan Womens Advocacy Group has issued a statement calling on the Taliban to focus on the urgent problems facing the country rather than focusing on womens clothing. They also pushed for a face-to-face meeting between representatives of womens organizations and Taliban officials.

Yet Canadian organizations, given our current domestic legislation, cannot flow money to womens rights organizations in Afghanistan to support their brave and courageous work. Humanitarian organizations have raised concerns about the impact of Canadas sanction and counter-terrorism frameworks, prohibiting operations in Afghanistan.

Questions also continue to be raised regarding the speed and effectiveness of Canadian efforts to provide asylum to Afghans at risk, including women human-rights defenders and activists. Canada has pledged to accept 40,000 Afghans, but after nine months, only 12,605 have arrived.

While Canadian headlines have been dominated by the plight of interpreters who supported Canadas military mission, we estimate thousands of women activists still await news on the status of their applications.

The government of Canada has expressed concern over this latest edict. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly tweeted: The human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan must be preserved and we will continue to judge the Taliban not by their words, but by their actions.

Actions are precisely what the women and girls of Afghanistan need from the government of Canada and other countries right now.

In a recent submission to the House of Commons Special Committee on Afghanistan, the Equality Fund called for the government of Canada to take a series of immediate steps and report clearly on progress. This includes facilitating the evacuation, travel and resettlement in Canada of Afghans at risk.

We hear constantly from womens rights activists and women human-rights defenders attempting to find asylum. They face expiring visas, no means of economic support and declining hope. Canada must move quickly to cut through bureaucracy, grant asylum and make public how many women rights defenders have been resettled in Canada.

Second, frontline organizations need our support. The government of Canada must provide and direct resources to women-led and LGBTTQ+ organizations operating in Afghanistan, and to Afghan women participating in discussions on the future of Afghanistan outside of the country.

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This means immediate resources for organizations addressing gender-based violence and delivering critical services, and longer-term support for efforts to shore up womens economic survival, girls education and health care.

The government must also ensure that Canadian humanitarian organizations and those supporting human rights, especially the rights of women and girls, can operate in Afghanistan. Current legislative restrictions on humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan must be revised.

Finally, Canada should work with other governments and multilateral organizations to make sure that humanitarian aid reaches those who fall through the cracks, including women, LGBTTQ+ people and girls. This includes ensuring that humanitarian organizations can employ women  an essential measure in ensuring aid reaches women-headed households and moves to the most vulnerable.

Humanitarian assistance must also include attention to sexual and gender-based violence, as well as reproductive health care.

The crisis in Afghanistan is a litmus test of Canadas ability and determination to turn its words into action. Womens rights activists in Afghanistan listened to Canadian officials when we urged them to step up and claim their rights. They moved in brave and courageous ways  both before August 2021 and after. We are now called to be equally brave and courageous in our support of them.

Wazhma Fogh is the founder of Women, Peace and Security Organization, Afghanistan. Beth Woroniuk is the policy lead at the Equality Fund.
A crucial mission awaits Anita Anand, Canadas defence minister.

The future of the Canadian Armed Forces depends on whether she treats her task  stamping out sexual misconduct within the military ranks and restoring the forces tattered reputation  with less cynicism than her predecessors and top military brass, some of whom have been part of the problem.

Harassment and abuse  sexual or otherwise  is so troublesome in Canadas military that three separate former Supreme Court justices have been asked to study the armed forces in the past seven years and offer solutions.

While the matter requires exploration, bringing three judges out of retirement to investigate  each issuing a red alert about an outdated structure that has done little to prevent misconduct  amounts to engaging in delaying tactics aimed at passing the buck rather than addressing legitimate concerns.

The latest report, released Monday, was written by Louise Arbour, who besides once being a justice on Canadas top court has also served as the United Nations high commissioner for human rights.

THE CANADIAN PRESS In her 420-page report, Louise Arbour chastises those in the armed forces top ranks for leading a deeply damaging organizational culture. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press files)

In her 420-page report, Ms. Arbour cites incidents such as date rape, degrading comments and inappropriate relationships between people of different ranks, and chastises those in the armed forces top ranks for leading a "deeply damaging organizational culture" that has brought the military into disrepute.

Perhaps her most damning criticism is her assertion that some military personnel, especially women, "are more at risk of harm, on a day-to-day basis, from their comrades than from the enemy."

Dont expect those words to find their way into the militarys recruitment materials.

While her recommendations are welcome, the government didnt need to enlist Ms. Arbour to identify  again  the militarys problems and declare how urgently they need to be addressed.

High-profile cases involving some of Canadas top officers are hardly the stuff of top-secret dossiers.

Highprofile cases involving some of Canadas top officers are hardly the stuff of topsecret dossiers.

Gen. Jonathan Vance, a former chief of defence staff who retired in 2021, pleaded guilty in March to obstruction of justice in a case revolving around his relationship with an officer of a lower rank. His successor, Adm. Art McDonald, resigned after the military launched an investigation into sexual-misconduct allegations.

In May 2021, Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, who had been appointed to head Canadas COVID-19 vaccine rollout, resigned from the post after the military announced a similar investigation, which has led to sexual assault charges.

Ms. Arbour provided 48 recommendations, and Ms. Anand would be wise to consider every one of them. Some include forwarding sexual-harassment complaints to the Canadian Human Rights Commission and a reform of Canadas military colleges, which Ms. Arbour described as institutions from a bygone era.

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Defence Minister Anita Anand says the government agrees with the issues Louise Arbour identified. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press files)

Ms. Anand made a good start last November  after less than a month on the job  by enacting an interim recommendation from Ms. Arbour that urged the military refer all sexual-misconduct cases to civilian authorities.

The defence minister made further inroads Monday by implementing 17 more of Ms. Arbours proposals, including a vital one: appointing someone from outside the military to oversee the reforms.

Ms. Anand said the government agrees with the issues Ms. Arbour identified, adding that "this is the moment to create change."

For the Canadian Armed Forces, simply following through on Ms. Anands commitment would be a major change.

Failure to implement these reforms will continue a pattern by Canadas forces of attempting to defend an indefensible position  a manoeuvre which, as any military strategist could confirm, has no chance of success. Maintaining long-entrenched attitudes will only continue a great disservice that has been done to the men and women who make it their mission to protect our nation.
Its unclear how many Canadians have had to go on long-term disability because long-haul COVID symptoms make them unable to work.

Its unclear how many Canadians have had to go on long-term disability because long-haul COVID symptoms make them unable to work.

The federal government isnt specifically tracking long-COVID-related applications for disability benefits under the Canada Pension Plan, and the provincial government stated it couldnt provide reasons for Manitobans eligibility for provincial disability benefits, including long COVID.

Due to the changing nature of the categorization of COVID-19 and post-COVID conditions, as well as how an applicant may be diagnosed by their care provider, the number of applications specifically related to long COVID is not available, stated Maja Stefanovska, spokesperson for Employment and Social Development Canada.

Fewer Canadians are receiving disability benefits compared with pre-pandemic levels of disability claim files. There are fewer long-term disability support applications being processed at the federal level, and the number of cases accepted for Manitobas provincial disability benefits under Employment Income Assistance has also declined since 2019.

Its also unclear whether fewer Manitobans applied for EIA disability income support or whether fewer applications were accepted. The province provided only its caseload numbers, not the number of applications received.

There were 21,729 disability EIA cases in the 2019-20 fiscal year; 21,388 in 2020-21; and 21,003 in 2021-22.

The provincial government did not answer when asked whether it has seen a need to provide specific guidance for Manitobans who want to know whether their lingering symptoms of COVID-19 will make them eligible for disability benefits.

Research is ongoing to determine how many Manitobans are suffering from long COVID.

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Canada has acknowledged the prevalence of lasting physical and psychological symptoms following a COVID-19 infection. A federal government webpage designed to inform Canadians of long COVID and the governments response to it cites recent research that suggests 30 to 40 per cent of people who contracted COVID-19 but were not hospitalized still have symptoms three months later.

The chances of suffering long-COVID are even greater for people who had to be admitted to hospital with the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

At the federal level, the number of disability benefit claims dipped significantly last year, and remains below pre-pandemic figures. There were 79,173 in 2019-20; 60,614 in 2020-21; and 73,861 in 2021-22, according to data provided by Ottawa.

Currently, Canadians who are experiencing long-term COVID symptoms may be eligible for up to 15 weeks of sickness benefits under Employment Insurance, stated Stefanovska.

The EI sickness benefit is set to increase to up to 26 weeks later this year, under the federal budget for 2022. If long COVID symptoms are profound with no anticipated improvement in the foreseeable future, the individual may qualify for Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits, the federal spokesperson stated.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca
WASHINGTON (AP)  Enough, enough, President Joe Biden exclaimed over and over Thursday night, as he delivered an impassioned address to the nation imploring Congress to take action against gun violence after mass shootings he said had turned schools, supermarkets and other everyday places into killing fields."

President Joe Biden speaks as he meets virtually with infant formula manufacturers from the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Wednesday, June 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP)  "Enough, enough," President Joe Biden exclaimed over and over Thursday night, as he delivered an impassioned address to the nation imploring Congress to take action against gun violence after mass shootings he said had turned schools, supermarkets and other everyday places into "killing fields."

If legislators fail to act, he warned, voters should use their "outrage" to turn it into a central issue in Novembers midterm elections.

Speaking at the White House, Biden acknowledged the stiff political headwinds as he sought to drive up pressure on Congress to pass stricter gun limits after such efforts failed following past attacks.

President Joe Biden speaks from the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Wednesday, June 1, 2022. Biden will speak Thursday night on the recent spate of mass shootings. The White House says he'll talk about his plans to press Congress on acting to pass commonsense laws to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is taking lives every day. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

He repeated calls to restore a ban on the sale of assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines  and said if Congress won't embrace all of his proposals, it must at least find compromises like keeping firearms from those with mental health issues or raising the age to buy assault-style weapons from 18 to 21.

"How much more carnage are we willing to accept," Biden said after last week's shootings by an 18-year-old gunman, who killed 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and another attack on Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a gunman shot and killed four people and himself at a medical office. "Dont tell me raising the age wont make a difference," he said.

The most recent shootings came close on the heels of the May 14 assault in Buffalo, New York, where a white 18-year-old wearing military gear and livestreaming with a helmet camera opened fire with a rifle at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood, killing 10 people and wounding three others in what authorities described as "racially motivated violent extremism."

"This time we have to take the time to do something," Biden said, calling out the Senate, where 10 Republican votes would be needed to pass legislation.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Thursday, June 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

For all the passion of Bidens address, and for all his big asks and smaller fallback alternatives, any major action by Congress is still a long shot.

"I know how hard it is, but Ill never give up, and if Congress fails, I believe this time a majority of the American people wont give up either," he added. "I believe the majority of you will act to turn your outrage into making this issue central to your vote."

Adding a stark perspective to young people's deaths, he noted that Centers for Disease Control data shows "guns are the number one killer of children in the United States of America," ahead of car crashes.

"Over the last two decades, more school age children have died from guns than on-duty police officers and active duty military  combined," he said.

President Joe Biden arrives to speak about the latest round of mass shootings, from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, June 2, 2022. Biden is attempting to increase pressure on Congress to pass stricter gun limits after such efforts failed following past outbreaks. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Aware of persistent criticism from gun-rights advocates, Biden insisted his appeal wasn't about "vilifying gun owners" or "taking away anybodys guns."

"We should be treating responsible gun owners as an example of how every gun owner should behave," Biden said. "This isnt about taking away anyones rights, its about protecting children, its about protecting families."

He called on Congress to end "outrageous" protections for gun manufacturers, which severely limit their liability over how their firearms are used, comparing it to the tobacco industry which has faced repeated litigation over its products' role in causing cancer and other disease.

"Imagine if the tobacco industry had been immune from being sued, where wed be today," Biden said.

President Joe Biden speaks about the latest round of mass shootings, from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, June 2, 2022. Biden is attempting to increase pressure on Congress to pass stricter gun limits after such efforts failed following past outbreaks. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

All major broadcast networks broke away from regular programing to carry Bidens remarks at 7:30 p.m. EDT, before the start of primetime shows.

Biden has given major speeches on the coronavirus pandemic and the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. But the president has used such addresses sparingly during his nearly 18 months in office, especially during evening hours.

Earlier Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about the Oklahoma shooting, saying, "All of us hold the people of Tulsa in our hearts, but we also reaffirm our commitment to passing commonsense gun safety laws."

"No more excuses. Thoughts and prayers are important, but not enough," Harris said. "We need Congress to act."

President Joe Biden speaks about the latest round of mass shootings, from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, June 2, 2022. Biden is attempting to increase pressure on Congress to pass stricter gun limits after such efforts failed following past outbreaks. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Visiting Uvalde on Sunday, Biden mourned privately for three-plus hours with anguished families. Faced with chants of "do something" as he departed a church service, the president pledged: "We will." In his address, he spoke of being passed a note by a woman in a Uvalde church grieving the loss of her grandchild, calling on people to come together and act.

His Thursday night address coincided with bipartisan talks that are intensifying among a core group of senators discussing modest gun policy changes. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said the group is "making rapid progress," and Biden has spoken to Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, among those leading their party's efforts on the issue.

Democrats are hoping Biden's remarks encourage the bipartisan Senate talks and build pressure on the Republicans to strike an agreement. Jean-Pierre said Biden is "encouraged" by congressional negotiations but the president wants to give lawmakers "some space" to keep talking.

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The private discussions in the Senate, which is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, are not expected to produce the kinds of sweeping reforms being considered by the Democratic-led House  which has approved expansive background checks legislation and will next turn to an assault weapons ban.

But even a House package debated Thursday  and approved by a committee, 25-19  that is less sweeping but includes a provision raising the required age for buying semi-automatic firearms to 21, faces slim chances in the Senate.

Instead, the bipartisan senators are likely to come up with a more incremental package that would increase federal funding to support state gun safety efforts  with incentives for bolstering school security and mental health resources. The package may also encourage "red-flag laws" to keep firearms away from those who would do harm.

While the Senate approved a modest measure to encourage compliance with background checks after a 2017 church mass shooting in Texas and one in Parkland, Florida, the following year, no major legislation cleared the chamber following the devastating massacre of 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.

__

Associated Press Writer Lisa Mascaro contributed.
HOUSTON (AP)  Residents of Centerville had become more vigilant over the past three weeks as authorities searched for a murderer who had killed on behalf of Mexican drug cartels and who stabbed and injured the driver of a prison transport bus last month when he escaped custody not far from their small Texas town.

HOUSTON (AP)  Residents of Centerville had become more vigilant over the past three weeks as authorities searched for a murderer who had killed on behalf of Mexican drug cartels and who stabbed and injured the driver of a prison transport bus last month when he escaped custody not far from their small Texas town.

The search for Gonzalo Lopez, 46, ended late Thursday in a shootout about 220 miles (350 kilometers) away. He led officers on a brief chase in a stolen truck before he was gunned down.

This undated photo provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows Gonzalo Lopez. Lopez, a convicted murderer on the run since escaping a prison bus after stabbing its driver on May 12 may be driving the truck linked to the deaths of five people, Texas prison system officials said late Thursday., June 2, 2022 (Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP)

Authorities believe while Lopez roamed free, he killed a man and his four grandsons, then stole an AR-15-style rifle and a pistol from their ranch near Centerville, as well as the truck he drove to Atascosa County, south of San Antonio, where he was fatally shot by officers.

"This is something that you cant imagine ever to happen in a small community like this, said Tuffy Loftin, 61, a pastor in Centerville who knew the family.

Centerville residents had been worried ever since May 12, when Lopez overpowered the officer who was driving him and 15 other prisoners near their community between Dallas and Houston. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is still investigating how Lopez broke free from his restraints and escaped a caged area of the bus where he had been held.

Following his escape, law enforcement vigorously patrolled Highway 7 and other roads in Centerville, escorting many of the citys nearly 1,000 residents to their homes to ensure they felt safe.

Jean Davis, 70, who owns a feed and fertilizer store on the east side of town, said her husband wanted her to take a rifle and pistol to work, but she refused.

The town has really been on edge, especially that first 10 days when he was out missing and nobody knew where he was, said Davis, who lives about 15 miles (24 kilometers) away in Buffalo.

State troopers, Texas Department of Criminal Justice officers, the U.S. Marshals service and sheriff's deputies from Leon County  which includes Centerville  searched the area for Lopez for weeks with no luck.

This undated photo provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows Gonzalo Lopez. Lopez, a convicted murderer on the run since escaping a prison bus after stabbing its driver last month, was shot dead by law enforcement late Thursday, June 2, 2022, after he killed a family of five and stole their truck from a rural weekend cabin, a Texas prison system spokesman said.(Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP)

Concerns over his whereabouts were justified: Lopez's long criminal history included convictions for capital murder, attempted capital murder, kidnapping and aggravated assault. Authorities said he belonged to the Mexican Mafia, which is a prison gang, and was a contract killer for at least two drug cartels.

In a confession to authorities, Lopez said he had been on his way to Laredo to kill a restaurant and bar owner for the Mileno drug cartel from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, in 2004 when he became embroiled in a shootout with deputies who tried to stop his vehicle.

Lopez escaped to Mexico with the help of the Mexican Mafia.

In March 2005, Lopez said he was contracted by La Mana drug cartel from Tamaulipas, Mexico, to kidnap a man named Lupe Ramirez from Weslaco in South Texas because he owed the cartel $40,000, according to court records.

Lopez and another person kidnapped Ramirez and left him hog tied in an outside room of my moms residence as they went to pick up money and marijuana that Ramirezs family had left for them, according to court records. Lopez later bludgeoned Ramirez's head with a pickaxe and buried his body in a desert.

This undated photo provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows inmate Gonzalo Lopez, a convicted murderer on the run since escaping a prison bus after stabbing its driver last month. Lopez was fatally shot by law enforcement late Thursday, June 2, 2022, in Jourdanton, Texas, after he killed a family of five and stole their truck from a rural weekend cabin, a Texas prison system spokesman said. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP)

Lopez had been serving a life sentence for capital murder for Ramirezs death and a life sentence for attempted capital murder for the 2004 shootout with deputies, when he escaped from the prison bus.

Authorities maintained nearly 40 roving patrols, believing he remained in the area around Centerville, possibly entering unoccupied structures to look for food, water and clothing, said Jason Clark, spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

At around 6 p.m. on Thursday, authorities went to a home near Centerville for a welfare check and discovered five bodies. In a statement, their family identified the dead as 66-year-old Mark Collins, and his four grandsons: Waylon Collins, 18; Carson Collins, 16; Hudson Collins, 11; and Bryson Collins, 11. Waylon, Carson and Hudson were brothers and Bryson was their cousin.

These precious people who loved and were loved by so many, will never be forgotten, the Collins family said in a statement. Steve Bezner, the familys pastor, described the Houston area family as having the greatest character, the deepest faith and unrelenting kindness and love.

At a Friday afternoon news conference, Andy Kahan, the director of victim services and advocacy for Crime Stoppers of Houston, called the familys killing absolutely one of the most gut-wrenching scenarios that Ive dealt with and Ive seen a lot and been through a lot.

People gather for a community vigil at Tomball High School for the five members of an area family who were killed by an escaped prisoner Friday, June 3, 2022 in Tomball, Texas. Gonzalo Lopez, a convicted murderer on the run since escaping a prison bus last month was fatally shot by law enforcement in Texas after he killed five members of the same family, including four children, and stole a truck from their rural weekend cabin, officials said. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

The Tomball school district in suburban Houston said Friday that the grandchildren were students in its district.

Loftin, a pastor at the Cowboy Church of Leon County, said he used to go to the familys ranch, which also features a beautiful fishing lake and a pier, to help with cattle management. He called them good, salt of the earth people.

Authorities believe Lopez confronted the family on Thursday. The Leon County Sheriffs Office has not specified how they were killed.

Authorities say Lopez took several firearms from the home as well as the familys white Chevy truck and fled. Law enforcement spotted him just before 10 p.m. in Atascosa County.

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Officers with Jourdanton police used spike strips to flatten the trucks tires, but Lopez kept driving, firing the rifle through a truck window before hitting two telephone poles and a fence, said Atascosa County Sheriff David Soward.

Lopez exited the stolen pickup truck armed with a rifle and handgun and reportedly fired at officers, Soward said. Four officers returned fire, killing Lopez.

___

Sainz reported from Memphis, Tennessee. Associated Press writer Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed this report.

___

Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at www.twitter.com/juanlozano70
Teachers and representatives from the Arizona and Flagstaff Education Associations gathered outside Sinagua Middle School on Tuesday as part of a statewide Educators' Budget Day of Action to collaborate as the Arizona Legislature is finalizing the years budget, they are seeking additional funding for education.

Similar events happened across Arizona on Tuesday as well, including in Phoenix, Tucson and Sierra Vista. Speakers at the Flagstaff event included Mayor Paul Deasy, Patrice Horstman and Jeronimo Vasquez, both county supervisors, teacher and FEA President Derek Born, and Anne Dunno, a member of the Flagstaff Unified School District's board.

It is time to pay the long overdue bill to Arizonas education system that our schools have been asking to be paid for more than two decades, said Jessica Kitterman, an ELL interventionist at Puente de Hozho Elementary.  We can no longer wait. It is always raining in Arizona in our public schools, who desperately need the funding to address the teacher-shortage crisis that were facing.

The state has a $5.3 billion budget surplus, according to AEAs Educators' Budget, which outlines the organizations spending priorities and proposes allocating $1.23 billion of that surplus to fund public education.

In the introduction, AEA said it is proposing this budget to recruit and retain quality educators and provide the support and resources our students need.

Funding these priorities will demonstrate the value Arizona has for our educators and provide the support and resources our students need, it said.

Among the priorities proposed for additional funding are restored funding for full-day kindergarten and new funding for preschool, increased special education funding, and expanded access to career and technical education.

It also proposes over $4.47 million in one-time funding for educator retention bonuses, repair and maintenance of school facilities and broadband access, especially in rural and remote areas.

At the event, Killip Elementary Principal Joe Gutierrez gave a few examples of how he would like to see additional funds used.

Our society, our world is changing right in front of us, and we are not being provided the support that we need, he said. Right now with the pandemic, I'm thinking of social-emotional learning. All our students, they came back to the classroom unsure, very quiet for many months. They were scared. Our students at Killip, coming back from being flooded out of school, they were scared. This shouldn't be happening."

He added: "These shootings that are happening across our nation are a terrible tragedy, and we shouldn't have to be afraid to go to school. We don't have to be afraid to provide our students with what they need in order to succeed at the levels that we would like them to succeed to.

More can be found at arizonaea.org. A recording of the Flagstaff event is available on FEA's Facebook page.

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While Columbia and Sauk counties may not be host to the largescale Pride celebrations seen in Milwaukee or Madison this month, residents in the more rural areas can still find ways to celebrate LGBTQ identities in June.

Oftentimes, safe spaces for the younger members of the LGBTQ community exist in schools. Portage High School, for instance, has had a Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) since 2011, starting with just six members. Now, the Alliance consists of over 35 students, with activities like anti-bullying training, putting safe space stickers on classroom doors, and GSA Advocacy days overseen by PHS English teacher Miranda Shanks.

I graduated from PHS in 2000, and practically no one was out, said Shanks. Im really proud of the progress PHS has made, and Im sure well continue to make progress.

While the academic calendar in Portage ends in early June, Shanks and her students coordinated a pre-Pride month week which ran from May 23-27. Featuring a kindness wall of supportive sticky notes, T-shirt sales, and a coloring contest, Shanks said the week encompassed the true mission of GSA.

So much of our focus is on treating all people with respect, said Shanks. Our clubs activities touch all of the students in our building and help build a positive school climate.

Beyond fostering positive connections and support for the LGBTQ community, Portages GSA has also connected with Snapraise, a digital fundraising platform, where the GSA was able to collect more than $4,000 in donations. A portion of which went toward a scholarship for the GSA Club President, PHS senior Emma Alden.

Beyond school walls, many in-person Pride events are planned in southern Wisconsin this month. Drag Queen Story Time, drag shows, and Pride fundraisers in the Dells are all slated for June.

Looking ahead, Sauk County will hold its second-ever Pride festival in August, according to Peggy Goodenow, treasurer of the Baraboo Queers & Allies. Turnout to last years event topped 2,000 people.

We try to create different opportunities for people to feel welcomed and safe, she said.

The August dates, added Goodenow, were chosen for the proximity to InterPride, a global LGBTQ event in October.

Goodenow maintains that, despite the heightened focus on the LGBTQ community in June, its important to acknowledge the community throughout the year.

We hold to the standard that every month is Pride month, said Goodenow. The LGBTQIA+ community still faces a lot of challenges and discrimination.

Compounding that, she said, is the sense of isolation the last two years have brought on, especially for those in smaller, more rural communities.

Living in rural communities can enhance the sense of isolation that marginalized people can experience, she said. Our goal is to create community and strong allyships.

Barb Farrar echoed Goodenows concerns for rural-based members of the LGBTQ community. As executive director of the LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin, Farrar has done a lot of outreach in the last couple of years to try and maintain a sense of community, especially for those who may not have the greatest support system in their families and friends.

While the pandemic has brought isolation to the fore in many of the people Farrar works with, it also fostered virtual connections over Zoom and Discord.

If theres one positive aspect of COVID, its that so many programs for the community in general, but specifically LGBT people, are virtual programs, she said.

While Farrars Center is based in Racine, virtual meetings are open to people across the state.

In total, the LGBT Center holds seven different support groups, with focus on things like spirituality, transgender and nonbinary identities, and queer parenting. All of these groups meet over Zoom, allowing participants the comforts of privacy while still connecting with others.

A lot of people are more reserved and quiet and are really looking for people who have very, very similar experiences, said Farrar.

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A gunman shot and killed a retired Juneau County judge Friday morning in what Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul called a "targeted act" against the judicial system.

The unidentified shooter gunned down John Roemer, 68, at the judge's home in the town of Lisbon around 6:30 a.m., officials said.

State Senator Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, who represents Juneau County, confirmed Roemer's death in a statement, adding "we never expect violent tragedy to strike in our small, close-knit communities."

During a press conference Friday afternoon, Kaul did not confirm Roemer's identity but said the gunman had compiled a list of other potential targets. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that Gov. Tony Evers appeared on the gunman's list.

The attorney general declined to release the names of the 56-year-old shooter or other potential targets.

"So far the information that's been gathered indicates that it was a targeted act and the targeting appears to be based on some sort of court case or court cases," Kaul said.

"We're limited in what information we can provide at this point," Kaul added, citing an ongoing investigation.

The Juneau County Sheriff's Office first responded to the scene after another person in the residence fled to a nearby home and contacted authorities, Kaul said.

A tactical team entered the residence just after 10:30 a.m., and found the gunman, who had shot himself, in the basement, Kaul said. The shooter is still alive though in critical condition at the hospital.

Roemer was first elected as a Juneau county Circuit Court judge in 2004 and went on to be re-elected in 2010 and 2016. He retired in 2017.

While he was on the bench in Juneau County, Roemer presided over some high profile cases.

In 2017, he presided over a case in which a Lyndon Station village president had been convicted of 22 counts of sexual assault. Roemer ruled that a juror was not credible and granted Donald Coughlin a new trial, in which he was convicted again.

In 2009, he sentenced a former Necedah religious leader for hiding the corpse of a follower who died from natural causes on her toilet.

Donna Voss, who lived next door to Roemer for 22 years, described him as "a really nice guy."

"This is not a type of neighborhood where anything ever happens," Voss said.

After the shooting, Voss said Roemer's two sons fled to the nearby home of a law enforcement official. Roemer's wife and another son had died in recent years, Voss said, and that the judge had been living with his two other children.

The other targets on the gunman's list have been notified and there is no longer a threat to public safety, Kaul said. The Department of Justice is following up to see if other individuals are connected to Friday's shooting.

Kaul appeared at a press conference Friday afternoon flanked by Juneau County Sheriff Brent Oleson and Tina Virgil, head of the Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation.

The attorney general said the Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation into the shooting since they are "often involved in complex investigations of this nature."

Kaul noted that Juneau County deputies were considered witnesses to the incident.

The town of Lisbon is about four miles north of Mauston, the county seat.
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday endorsed millionaire businessman Tim Michels in Wisconsins packed GOP gubernatorial primary  backing that political insiders believe could provide a significant boost as the August primary rapidly approaches.

Trumps endorsement had remained a lingering question in the Republican primary for governor and has been described by some as the most important endorsement in the race due to the considerable sway the former president still holds over Republican voters. Several of the top GOP candidates in the race have been actively seeking Trumps backing and made trips to Mar-a-Lago to meet with the former president.

In a statement issued Thursday, Trump described Michels as a very successful businessman, touting the millionaire co-owner of Brownsville-based Michels Corp. over Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who Trump said has been an abject failure for the people of Wisconsin.

Tim Michels has my Complete and Total Endorsement, Trump said. If Wisconsin has the wisdom to make Tim their next governor, it will have unprecedented success!

Tim is an America First Conservative who Supports our Second Amendment, Honors our Brave Law Enforcement and First Responders, and Stands Strongly against the Woke Mob trying to destroy our Country, the former president continued.

Michels, who has pledged to largely self-fund his campaign efforts, announced his candidacy in April and is the most recent entry into the crowded field of GOP candidates vying to unseat Evers this November. The U.S. Army veteran last ran for office in 2004, when he lost to Russ Feingold in the U.S. Senate race.

This is a tremendous boost to our efforts and a continuation of our astounding surge since I entered the race, Michels said in a statement. I am working every day to defeat Tony Evers and get Wisconsin back on the right track.

Other Republicans in the race include former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, former Marine Kevin Nicholson and state Rep. Timothy Ramthun, of Campbellsport. Kleefisch, who served eight years under former Gov. Scott Walker, joined the race back in September, while Nicholson and Ramthun announced campaigns earlier this year.

While Kleefisch led the most recent Marquette Law School Poll in April with support from 32% of respondents, UW-La Crosse political science assistant professor Anthony Chergosky said Trumps endorsement of Michels completely shifts the race.

Lets not sugar coat this, the Trump endorsement is a devastating blow for Rebecca Kleefisch, Chergosky said. Its just another sign, though the biggest sign to date, of the weakness in her candidacy. Theres nothing good in this news for Rebecca Kleefisch  theres only downside here for her.

The winner of the gubernatorial primary will go on to face Evers on Nov. 8 in a high-stakes election for both parties.

If I know one thing about President Trump, its that he likes winners, and Im the only person in this race who has won statewide  not once, but four times, Kleefisch said in a statement, referencing her wins in the 2010 GOP primary, 2010 general election, a 2012 recall vote and the 2014 general election. Kleefisch, along with Walker, lost to Evers in 2018.

Our campaign will win this primary with our hardworking team of activists, volunteers and grassroots efforts, Kleefisch added. Then we will beat Tony Evers. And we will help Wisconsin families and workers win by securing our elections, making gas and groceries affordable again, restoring law and order, and putting parents back in charge of our schools.

The Ramthun campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

President Trump has been effective at identifying many of our nations problems  but the race to replace Tony Evers as governor isnt going to be won by endorsements; it will be decided by thousands of hard-working Wisconsinites on election day, Nicholson said in a statement.

False claims

On Thursday, Trump said Michels would end the well-documented Fraud in our Elections. Trump has continued to falsely claim he won the 2020 election, despite recounts, audits and court decisions affirming that President Joe Biden defeated Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes.

Trumps endorsement comes just a week after Michels reversed his stance on the Wisconsin Elections Commission, an agency that has come under fire from Republicans for how the 2020 election was administered. After previously saying he would replace the six members of the bipartisan commission, Michels last week joined his fellow GOP gubernatorial challengers in calling for a complete dismantling of the agency.

Trumps endorsement also comes after delegates attending the Republican Party of Wisconsins annual convention last month chose not to endorse a candidate in several statewide races, including for governor. The decision means the state party will not provide funding or resources to a preferred candidate until after a nominee is selected in the Aug. 9 primary.

While none of the gubernatorial candidates received enough votes to secure the partys endorsement, Kleefisch easily won the majority of votes, coming in just about six percentage points short of the 60% needed for an endorsement. Ramthun, Nicholson and Michels each received less than 6%.

Chergosky said falling short of securing the partys endorsement was the canary in the coal mine for what is now developing in the gubernatorial primary and Kleefischs inability to narrow the field of candidates despite securing big endorsements from Walker, Trumps former White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and groups such as Wisconsin Right to Life and the Milwaukee Police Association.

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the states largest business organization, endorsed Kleefisch in January. It previously backed Walker ahead of the 2010 primary.

But while some established Republicans in the state have backed Kleefischs campaign, including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, who said the former lieutenant governor was the partys best choice to defeat Evers this fall, others remain skeptical. Former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, who had mulled his own run for governor before eventually opting out, has not endorsed a candidate in the GOP primary.

Divided party

The GOP is now more divided than ever  Wisconsinites can expect the primary fight to only get worse, Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said in a statement.

Trumps divisive brand of politics paired with Michels extremist and out of touch views is a recipe for disaster. The irony is that Michels claimed hes tired of Republicans fighting in public  but sought the endorsement of Americas biggest bully anyway.

UW-Madison political scientist Barry Burden said Trumps endorsement is likely to change the race fundamentally.

Trump remains the most visible and popular figure in the Republican Party, and all of the GOP candidates for governor have been trying to brand themselves in his image, Burden said in an email. Whatever their opponents might say, getting the endorsement essentially proves to Republican primary voters that Trump deems the candidate to be most faithful to his approach to politics.

Former GOP strategist Brandon Scholz said Trumps endorsement certainly would introduce Michels to Trump supporters in various regions around the state, but said it will take work to overcome efforts taken by Kleefisch, who formally joined the race in September.

That gets balanced off against the amount of time Rebecca Kleefisch has invested in working at the grassroots and all up and down across the state and the positions she has developed on key issues facing Wisconsin, Scholz said. Itll be an interesting tradeoff.

Two-person race

The Republican primary for governor is really a two-person race. Rebecca Kleefisch has been working her tail off for quite some time, building a base, reaching out, and Tim Michels is a late entry but hes spending a million dollars a week, Scholz added.

Burden added that Trumps endorsement comes at a time when the majority of Wisconsin conservatives remain undecided in the upcoming primary.

An endorsement from Trump will make news and buzz within the party, he said. In addition, a candidate who has money to spend can leverage the endorsement instantly by touting it in advertising.

How that endorsement plays out in the general election, when the eventual nominee faces Evers, remains to be seen, Burden added.

Every candidate in the Republican primary will continue to support radical policies, like banning access to abortion, supporting Trumps attempts to overturn the 2020 election, and attacking public education, Evers campaign spokesperson Sam Roecker said. Gov. Evers is focused on doing the right thing for our state and bringing people together to solve real problems, not caving to partisan radicals like Tim Michels, Rebecca Kleefisch, and the other candidates for governor.

Trumps record in Wisconsin is mixed. During the 2016 Republican primary he lost to Sen. Ted Cruz. He went on to win the state in what proved to be a crucial part of his 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton, before losing to Biden in 2020.
More than two years after UW Hospital nurses asked managers to recognize the revival of a union lost after a 2011 state law, Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul on Thursday said the hospital can contract with its employees and set their terms of employment via a voluntary collective bargaining process.

Kauls nonbinding opinion, a boon for labor rights, came after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in March asked him whether UW Hospital is prohibited under state law from voluntarily recognizing and engaging in collective bargaining with a union. The UW Hospital Board has repeatedly said it could not recognize or bargain with a union under state law.

Nurses at UW Health got one step closer to the union recognition theyve fought so hard for! state Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, said on Twitter after Kaul issued the opinion.

While this opinion runs contrary to statements in the legislative history, Legislative Council opinions and our own internal and external counsels review, we respect the Attorney Generals opinion and will be discussing these conflicting legal opinions with our Public Authority Board at its next meeting, UW Health spokesperson Emily Kumlien said in a statement.

Amid the legal debate, nurses have drawn attention to what they say are difficult working conditions that threaten patient safety as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Families need our attention now more than ever, but with the staffing and retention crisis its difficult to give the care they need, Kelly OConnor, a UW Hospital nurse, said in an SEIU statement Jan. 13.

Kaul didnt reach any conclusion as to whether UW Health, one of the largest employers in Dane County, is required to collectively bargain. But he did state the mandatory bargaining provisions in the labor-focused Wisconsin Employment Peace Act appear to apply to the hospital. Even if that statute isnt applicable, Kaul noted, UW Hospital would still be able to engage in voluntary collective bargaining with SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin, which is trying to reestablish the union dissolved after the passage of former Republican Gov. Scott Walkers 2011 Act 10.

Unlike other public employees affected by Act 10, which banned collective bargaining except for cost-of-living pay increases, UW Hospital workers are not state or municipal employees.

When the hospital became a public authority separate from the university in 1996, it acquired its own special status. How Act 10 and other laws apply to that status has accounted for most of the legal arguments over whether UW Health can recognize the union for collective bargaining.

At the time of Walkers signature legislation, hospital administrators said they didnt ask for the law to abolish unions at the hospital but that it did. In 2014, when a contract for about 2,000 nurses and therapists represented by SEIU expired, they lost the union.

In December 2019, shortly before the pandemic began, nurses announced they were restarting the union and asked the UW Hospital Board to voluntarily recognize it. Initially, the nurses called for a meet and confer process, which is what Madison Teachers Inc. and the Madison School District used after Act 10 to develop an employee handbook. Recently, the nurses have called for full collective bargaining of a contract.

The UW Hospital Board and hospital leaders have repeatedly said the law doesnt allow them to recognize and bargain with the union.

A May 20, 2021, memo from the nonpartisan Wisconsin Legislative Council seemed to back the position of the board, formally known as the UW Hospital and Clinics Authority, or UWHCA. Act 10 removed the authority for UWHCA to recognize a union as an exclusive bargaining representative for employees, the memo said.

An Oct. 4, 2021, memo appeared to reach a different conclusion. Act 10 simply deleted the obligation and duty for UWHCA to engage in collective bargaining with its employees, and did not replace the former duty with language prohibiting collective bargaining, it said.

Kauls opinion is most closely aligned with the second memo.

Not only is there no statutory bar to voluntary bargaining, but the statutes governing the Authoritys powers plainly encompass bargaining as a means to contract with its employees, he said in the opinion released Thursday.

Its time for UWHCA management to do the right thing, come to the table and bargain in good faith, state Sen. Melissa Agard, D-Madison, said in a press release Thursday. After the most challenging two-year period for health care workers in generations, their labor must be honored and they must have a union voice in the workplace moving forward.
Im aware that what Im about to write wont shock or amaze anyone whos been watching or reading the news. I know everyone reading this has the ability to look up the statistics on deaths and injuries caused by civilians with guns in the U.S. and to compare those numbers with those from other civilized countries where mass shootings are almost unheard of.

That data alone proves that strict and sensible gun laws save innocent lives.

If you look up mass shootings in the U.S., be prepared to scroll down a long time. One group, the Gun Violence Archive, is a nonprofit that tracks shootings here. Their site shows thereve been 214 mass shootings (where four or more, including the suspect, are killed) in 2022 alone  and were not even halfway through the year. Twenty-seven of those have been school shootings. It takes nine pages to list the mass shootings in the U.S. just since the beginning of the year.

Weve known for a long time that most Americans, including most Republican voters, are in support of laws that require background checks and gun safety training before someone is allowed to purchase a firearm. In 2021, a Pew Research Center poll determined that 63% of Americans supported a ban on civilians buying assault-style weapons.

Im not sure why 100% dont support banning weapons that are designed solely to kill a large number of people in only minutes. Hunters sure dont need an assault rifle to kill deer, rabbits or other game. Those weapons are designed for the military to use during wars  nothing else. Yet theyre sold to 18-year-olds for  what?

Recently, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos used one to kill 19 young students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Like too many other young people, he was bullied. His father wasnt in his life, according to reports, and his mother struggled with drugs. Ramos lived with his grandmother, spent a lot of time on social media and was full of anger. A few days before the massacre, he legally bought two assault rifles.

Some Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin, such as Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, are now saying that teachers need to be armed. Yet while Ramos was killing little kids and their teachers, authorities say 19 heavily armed and highly trained law enforcement officers  you know, good guys with guns  stood in the hall outside the door. The police chief reportedly felt it was too dangerous to enter the room.

It took a federal Border Patrol Tactical Unit with body armor to unlock the door and go in and stop Ramos from killing the few children who were still alive. But Vos and other Republican lawmakers think it would make sense for teachers to do that. I hate to tell them, but teachers should not have to be armed and trained to stop mass murderers in the schools.

Immediately after the massacre, Texas Gov. Greg Abbot said that gun laws dont prevent those kinds of killings. He used the same old tired excuse, saying that states with strict gun laws have large numbers of gun deaths. He obviously thinks his fellow Republicans are too stupid to figure out that people who live where there are strict gun laws can easily go where there arent strict gun laws and buy whatever weapons of mass destruction they want.

Right after the Texas shooting, Democrats in Congress tried to pass a domestic terrorism bill that would help stop mass shootings and other hate crimes. But of course, most Republicans including Sen. Ron Johnson opposed it. So it went nowhere, just as any bill to protect us from gun violence will never pass as long as Republicans have the numbers to stop them and have supporters who believe the oft-proven lie that Democrats want to take away everyones guns.

The reason GOP lawmakers refuse to pass bills to protect us against gun violence is because they get lots of campaign money from the National Rifle Association, the National Association for Gun Rights and other organizations that, in turn, get much of their funding from gun manufacturers. Obviously, Republicans like Johnson value their campaign chests more than they value the lives of children, teachers and others. Why else would they oppose sensible legislation like waiting periods, required gun safety training, red flag laws, universal background checks or bans on assault weapons for anyone but the military?

Republican lawmakers who voted against commonsense gun laws should be forced to view unedited photographs of whats left of the bodies of those murdered children in Uvalde. Sadly, I doubt it would matter. As to whether theyll do anything to stop these things from happening so often and so easily, I guess well find out.

Nash lives in Baraboo: patnash5149@gmail.com.
Home recognition for Italian Prof

Prof. Maria Marchetti-Mercer has been awarded the Order of the Star of Italy.

The distinction is awarded by the President of the Republic of Italy to Italians and foreign citizens in recognition of their role in promoting Italy abroad or in promoting friendly relations and co-operation between Italy and their country of residence.

The awards are bestowed annually on Italian National Day, to commemorate the institutional referendum of 1946 (2 June) when Italians were called to take a vote and decide the form of their government after World War II.

Marchetti-Mercer, a lecturer in the Department of Psychology received the honour at the Italian Consulate in Johannesburg.

A family therapist whose research mostly focuses on the emotional aspects of migration, Marchetti-Mercer was born in Italy and arrived in East London with her parents when she was a child. This background has shaped her academic career and helped to build ties with Italy.

I do think that our personal journeys often shape our research interests and this has definitely been the case for me, she says.

I came to this country when I was very young and I am aware of the impact that emigration has on families and especially the challenges that emigrant children encounter. This has led me to explore this phenomenon from a psychological perspective especially from the focus of family therapy. More recently I have also looked at second and third generation Italians living in South Africa and their socio-psychological experiences as there has been very little research done in this area.

Maria-Mercer who joined Wits when she was appointed as the Head of the School of Human and Community Development, says she is humbled by the recognition from the land of her birth.

I am very honoured but also deeply moved by this award.

I am extremely proud of my Italian roots and still have a strong emotional attachment to Italy. I hope that over the years I have portrayed a positive image of Italy through my professional work and in some small way have contributed towards the positive relationship that exists between Italy and South Africa, she says.

Marchetti-Mercer is collaborating with colleagues to deepen the understanding of Italians in the country. Her latest research examines the experiences of second and third generation Italians living in South Africa. She, together with Dr Anita Virga from the Italian Studies Department at Wits are finalising a book on this research project which is due to be finished at the end of the year.
By Trend

Products worth 671 million manat ($394.7 million) were produced in the industrial zones of Azerbaijan in the first quarter of 2022, which is 82.5 percent or 308 million manat ($181.1 million) more than the same period in 2021, Azerbaijani Agency for Development of Economic Zones told Trend.

According to the agency, the share of products manufactured in industrial zones amounted to 14.8 percent of total volume of its production in Azerbaijan in first quarter of 2022.

Share of non-oil products exported by industrial zones (of total exports) amounted to 36.3 percent, or 318 million manat ($187.05 million), which is 2.7 times more than the same period in 2021 or 198.1 million manat ($116.5 million).

Products worth 373 million manat ($219.4 million) were manufactured in the industrial zones of Azerbaijan in the first quarter of 2021 and products amounted to 119.9 million manat ($70.5 million) were exported.
The various flood mitigation projects related to the Museum Fire scar are on track to be completed before monsoon season, according to updates presented to the Flagstaff City Council during Tuesday's meeting.

With the exception of one project, all others were reported to be proceeding at a timely rate, with expected completion by July 1 or earlier. There are also upcoming volunteer events through which community members may contribute to mitigation and monsoon preparation efforts.

Heres a breakdown:

Finances

The City of Flagstaffs financial focus group has been meeting weekly and is creating processes to track expenses related to flood mitigation preparations and potential response as they are charged to the citys stormwater fund, said management services director Rick Tadder.

Thats where were going to charge a majority of things to," Tadder said.

Theyve been primarily focused on pre-monsoon action, Tadder adeed, and have identified the need for city investment of up to $350,000 in preparation costs.

The hope is that it will be at least several years before the city experiences flooding similar to that which occurred in 2021, but Tadder said they are already planning financially in the event that 2022 brings more flooding. The focus group is also working to identify further funding sources.

Equipment

Thanks to funds from the Department of Forestry and Fire Management, the city of Flagstaff has been able to order new equipment for flood management and response.

Development engineer Gary Miller reported that the city had received delivery of four digital portable message boards, three light plants, and traffic barricades (including 1,100 road cones). They are expecting delivery of a Combo vac truck for culvert cleaning by the end of August. They have also ordered a mini excavator and trailer, two vehicle mounted signboards, 200,000 empty sand bags, and a manual sandbag machine, but the timeline of delivery for these items is uncertain.

Dortha Crossing

The Dortha Crossing project includes a box culvert and some open-channel construction.

Contractor Tiffany Construction has been moving quickly out in the field, said Christine Cameron, capital improvements project manager. The open channel grading between Cedar and Dortha is about half done, with pouring of shotcrete scheduled for the week of June 20.

For the box culvert, shoring is in place, Cameron said, the floor was poured Tuesday and walls are expected to be poured the week of June 13.

The lid of the box culvert is likely to be installed the first week of July. In total the Dortha Crossing project is estimated to come in at a cost of about $2.6 million.

Killip retention basins

The Killip School retention basin project is in its final leg of development, said Scott Overton, public works director.

Both basin fields are at their final grade and the weir structure is being completed. Fencing went in on Tuesday, and landscaping elements such as trees are coming soon.

The project did incur some cost overruns due to rock work and unanticipated utility work, Overton said, but overall the project looks very good.

It is in position to be completed early potentially  by the third week of June.

Killip inlet at Ponderosa Park

The inlet structure at Ponderosa Park will allow flood management to take full advantage of the Killip retention basins, said Miller.

This project is being funded by Environmental Infrastructure grant money  about $1.5 million worth  but the city is having a hard time getting a response from the granting agency about when this money will become available. The inlet structure project is still moving ahead, with the city working alongside to parks department to figure out a conveyance structure design that works with the rest of the park and what the park was intended for. Next steps include removing park equipment that is no longer in use and removing barriers that are currently being stored in the park.

Route 66 channel / FUTS crossing

Sediment and debris from the flooding a year ago have been fully removed from the channel between Route 66 and the BNSF railway, reported Ed Shanks, stormwater manager. A Flagstaff Urban Trail System crossing has also been repaired using a 2019 FEMA pre-disaster grant.

Just to give you some idea of the speed of FEMA, we were awarded that grant in 2019, Shanks said. We got the funding this year.

On-forest mitigation

Mitigation and watershed restoration on the Coconino National Forest is progressing very well, said Lucinda Andreani, deputy county manager.

Alluvial fan work on the West tributary is expected to be completed by July 1. The Paradise Fan closer to Paradise Street is expected to be completed probably by the end of next week.

A small portion of the main tributary has also been restored, but a significant portion of that tributary has been closed to construction due to seasonal protections of Mexican spotted owl habitat.

The remainder will be constructed this coming fall when restrictions are lifted, Andreani said.

Mitigation within Mount Elden Estates, which includes construction of low-water crossings and grade control, is 85% complete and expected to be done in the next two to three weeks. In the area known as the 40-acre parcel, grade control and alluvial fan work is set to be completed by the end of next week.

Parkway sediment basins

The Parkway sediment basin project is moving though wont be delivered by July 1. From the beginning, the project has been challenged by complex legal jurisdictions in the proposed area.

Next month, I'm hopeful well have a little more information on the Parkway basins, Overton said.

Flood warning siren system

Installation of the flood warning siren systems broke ground on Tuesday, and residents can expect to see poles going up this week, Overton said. The systems have been transitioned to rely on solar power.

Onsite testing is expected to occur in the next few weeks, and county emergency management is in the process of integrating siren software into the county emergency notification system.

Upcoming events

There are two upcoming volunteer events on Saturday and June 18 that will be primarily geared around helping residents refresh sandbags in their neighborhoods. The city has also opened a service request line at (928)-213-2102, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday where residents can request assistance refreshing sandbag walls.

Sean Golightly can be reached at sgolightly@azdailysun.com

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WATERLOO  Ecologist Jennifer Baltzer has been named the Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Forests and Global Change. An associate professor in Wilfrid Laurier Universitys Department of Biology, Baltzers research as a tier one chairholder will examine how the effects of climate change, including the intensification of wildfires, will impact forest ecosystems in Canadas North.

The prestigious CRC program aims to attract and retain some of the worlds most accomplished and promising minds. Baltzer will receive research funding for a seven-year term, including support for Laurier student researchers.

I have had the opportunity to spend the past decade building relationships with government and community partners in the Northwest Territories, said Baltzer. My team and I have focused on understanding key drivers of landcover change that are occurring rapidly in the North with profound consequences for northern communities and ecosystem functioning. I am looking forward to advancing these research efforts and strengthing northern partnerships through this CRC.

Climate warming is occurring most rapidly in Northern Canada, intensifying natural disturbances and driving changes to the structure, composition and function of northern boreal forests. Baltzers CRC program will focus on two specific disturbances: permafrost thaw and wildfire, the most important drivers of change in high-latitude ecosystems.

Baltzer and her team will combine field-based studies, long-term data sets and existing knowledge to advance future forecasting efforts. Their research will evalulate the rate, trajectory and implications of forest ecosystem changes, providing knowledge and predictive tools to support decision-making by northern communities and governments.

Dr. Baltzer has become a recognized world leader in boreal forest research through her unique research program, national and international leadership roles, and efforts to ensure that her research is applicable to communities and decision-makers across the North, said Jonathan Newman, Lauriers vice-president: research. She is a critical contributor to Lauriers successful research partnership with the Government of the Northwest Territories, with a strong focus on supporting capacity building and knowledge sharing in local Indigenous communities.

A prolific researcher, Baltzer has written more than 63 peer-reviewed publications in her career to date. Among her notable contributions are a 2021 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences which found that increasing fire activity due to climate change may lead to declining black spruce populations in boreal North America; and a 2019 Nature article which found that extreme fires in Canadas North are both caused by and contributing to climate change, and that carbon stored for centuries in the soils of boreal forests will be released by more severe and frequent wildfires as the climate warms.

Baltzers most recent leadership roles include contributions to NASAs Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment and the Smithsonian Forest Global Earth Observatory Network. She leads the multi-million-dollar Northern Water Futures project, which is funded by Global Water Futures, the largest university-led water resources program in the world. As part of her CRC program, Baltzer will serve as the Government of the Northwest Territories-Laurier partnership faculty liaison. She will bring the perspectives of northern researchers to strategic partnership planning discussions and enhance communication and coordination of partnership activities between the growing number of participating Laurier faculty members and research centres.

Baltzer has won several prestigious awards for her outstanding scholarship, including the Ontario Early Researcher Award, Lauriers University Research Professor Award, and membership in the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada.
The August 2 primary and municipal elections are fast approaching and voters may have many questions.

Who can vote? Every registered voter  even Independents.

Who should vote? Every registered voter  even Independents.

The Arizona primary on August 2 is an important election, and if you would like your voice heard, you should vote.

Why is this important? Primary races determine who will appear on the general election ballot on November 8. Many elections in Arizona are, in fact, decided at the primary level, so now is your time to speak up. If you would like to help direct the tone and direction of our political parties, now is the time to do so.

Primary day is also the day to vote on many local municipal elections  mayors, town councils and town initiatives. Depending on local races and vote counts, winners on this day may be immediately elected or go on to a runoff race during the general election. Many local elections are decided by a small number of votes. Your town, your voice, your vote.

But Im an Independentcan I vote in the primary? Yes.

Independent voters are a large portion of all registered voters in Arizona, and they CAN vote in primaries. To do this, they simply need to request a ballot for the party of their choice. This will not change their affiliation from Independent to a political party, it will simply allow them to cast a ballot in the current race. They will still remain Independent.

If you are on the Early Voting List (mail ballot) you should have received a notice from the county recorder with a form to request a party ballot. Dont delay  return this form now to get a ballot mailed to you.

If you vote in person, you may go to the polls on election day, or for early voting as set up by your election officials, and request a partisan ballot at the polls.

But what if I just want to vote in the municipal election? You can do that. Simply use the mail ballot form, contact your recorder, or ask for this ballot at the polls.

Im going to be away -- can I still get my mail ballot? Yes. Mail ballots are never forwarded. However, if you are going to be away temporarily, you can request that your ballot be mailed directly to your temporary address. Call your county recorder to do this.

Im not registered, do I still have time before the primary? Yes. You can register up to July 5, but dont delay.

Ive moved within my town since the last election -- can I still vote? If you move, you must update your voter registration to your current address. Go online to ServiceArizona or contact your county recorder now to do this.

Where can I find more information? There are a number of sites that provide accurate, unbiased information or allow you to register / update your registration

ServiceArizona.com: Register or update your registration; uses AZ driver's license

My.Arizona.Vote: Check your information, request early ballot, mail ballot status

Vote411.org: National LWV site - all things voting

AZCleanElections.com: Great site for elections, candidates, and registration

County Recorders: Yavapai (928) 771-3244; Coconino (928) 679-7850

How can I learn more about the candidates? Participate in one of the local candidate forums occurring this summer. To see forum dates and to submit forum questions visit LWVNAZ.org

So what about the two votes? Many years ago, in another state and another town, my husband and I were busy working parents. Our town used a town meeting format where we would all show up to vote on local matters. We were tired, but decided we should go to support an issue important to us. We wentand the issue won by two votes! This was such a strong lesson to me: every vote counts.

The League of Women Voters, as a non-partisan political organization, never supports or opposes individual candidates or political parties. We do strongly encourage all voters to participate in democracy.

Maryann Kenney is the president of the League of Women Voters Northern Arizona (LWVNAZ).

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Salina served as a landing place for displaced Delaware and Potawatomi tribes after the Indian Removal of 1830. However, this led to conflict in the unsettled region over hunting lands with the Sioux, Arapaho, and Cheyenne Indians, leading to a bloody Native American battle. Salina is a small town located in the Smoky Hills and on the banks of the Smoky Hill River, but it has an interesting past. From its early days of being an establishment, it benefited from the Colorado gold rush, the Union Pacific Railroad, and fertile lands for agricultural production. At present, Salina is a scenic community known for its historic downtown and green spaces.

Geography Of Salina

Aerial view of Salina, Kansas, in late summer.

Salina is a small city situated in Saline County in the north-central portion of the US State of Kansas. Salina is located approximately 130 km north of Wichita, Kansas, 645km east of Denver, Colorado, and 264 km west of Kansas City, Missouri. Salina is placed in the physiographic region of the Smoky Hills and the Great Plains. The Smoky Hills appear as a subtle mountainous or hilly plateau region, while the Great Plains consist of dissected till plains of tall prairie grass. The 925km long waterway known as the Smoky Hills River can be found outside Salina, which runs between Colorado and Kansas. Salina covers a total area of 65.14 sq. km, of which 0.10 sq. km is covered by water, and 65.14 sq. km is occupied by land.

Climate Of Salina

A white cone tornado moves across Kansas field near Salina, Kansas.

According to the Koppen Climate Classification, Salina is placed in a transition area between humid subtropical and humid continental climates. It experiences four seasons in a year, with a distinguishable clear summer and windy and snowy winter. Over a year, Salina receives 70 days of precipitation from rain, hail, and snow. Rainfall totals to 779.78 mm, whereas snowfall equates to 18.1 inches. The warmest month is July, with an average high of 34 C, while January is the coldest month, with an average low of -7.3 C.

History Of Salina

An abandoned building in Salina, Kansas.

Before being settled, the Great Plains around would-be Salina was the site of one of the bloodiest Indian Battles. The area was an unclaimed territory, and the Sioux, Cheyennes, and Arapaho tribes hunted on the land. However, following the Indian Removal of 1830, the Potawatomi and Delaware Native Americans relocated here. Moreover, tensions between the eastern tribes over hunting land increased among the Nebraska and Kansas-based tribes, and the Battle of Indian Rock took place. This was largely why the region remained free of settlers. Salina was founded in 1858 when Kansas was still a territory by William A. Phillip. A group of men arrived at the Salina River from Lawrence, Kansas, and began staking out the land. Salina got selected as a town for its fertile lands and beautiful scenery. Also, it benefitted from the gold rush of nearby Pikes Peak, which saw miners and equipment pass through. This was due to its nearness to the Colorado territory, and it became the southernmost stop of the Smoky Hill Trails. The arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad connected Salina to Kansas City, Kansas, and brought forth a population boom. In 1872 Salina became a cow town. However, this was short-lived due to the rowdiness of cowboys that disturbed residents. As such, Salina turned its economic focus to the agriculture trade. Wheat was the main product grown but later specialized in alfalfa.

The Population And Economy Of Salina

Exterior view of Taco Bell brand fast food restaurant in Salina, Kansas. Editorial credit: Tupungato / Shutterstock.com

Salina has a population of 46,079 inhabitants and a population density of 700 people per sq. km. The median household income is $65,603, and the gross monthly rent is 758. The average age of a resident is 37.6 years old. On the cost of living index, Salina rates at 76, whereas the state of Kansas rates at 83.1. Yet, 12.24% of the population lives below the poverty line.

The unemployment rate is 3.6%, whereas the US unemployment rate is 6.0%. The top industries that make up the economy of Salina include manufacturing at 20.6% overall, healthcare and social assistance at 13.4%, and retail trade at 12.3%. Established at the height of its wheat boom, Lee jeans were founded in 1889. Today, Lee can be found under the Kontor Brand, which has other apparel companies like Wrangler Jeans in its portfolio. The company was the vision of Henry David Lee, with a focus on making jean pants and jackets. Sales grew in the 1920s at the height of union workers needing durable workwear. During the 1930s and 1940s, Lee was the top manufacturer of workwear in the nation. The headquarters are currently in Greensboro, North Carolina, and employ 400 workers.

Attractions In Salina

Grain Silo Railroad Station, Salina, Kansas.

Smoky Hills Museum

The Smoky Hill Museum is not a run-of-the-mill museum. Its focus is to insight education through hands-on exhibits. Opening its doors in 1997, the museum has acquired a collection of 30,000 artifacts dating back to its early days of being settled. Featured exhibits are made in-house, whereas the permanent exhibits rotate artifacts. Notable exhibits include the Curiosity Shop, which allows children to explore early technology. Also, the Crossroad of the Heartland exhibit details the turmoil and history of Salina from 12,000 years ago to the 19th century.

Indian Rock Park

To the northeast of Salina is Indian Rock Park. The green space is known for its geological features and the Smoky Hill River. Its main attraction is the Smoky Hill River Falls, which is nine meters high cascade that can be reached by a hiking trail. Furthermore, the green space is the sight of the Battle of Indian Rock. Other activities in the park include fishing, rock climbing, picnics, grilling, and sledding in the winter.

The turmoil among displaced and nomadic livelihoods of native tribes prevented the early settlers from arriving in the unclaimed region. It took the brave travels of William A. Philip, who determined that the fertile lands of the Great Plains could one day be a significant agricultural producer. Alas, with the nearby gold rush and establishment of a railroad terminus, Salina became a booming town welcoming visitors from all over. As of today, hints of Salina's past can be seen throughout the scenic city with Indian Rock Park and its various museums.
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Weather Alert

...DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM CDT TUESDAY... * WHAT...Areas of dense fog reducing visibility to one quarter mile or less. * WHERE...All of southeast Missouri, most of southern Illinois, and the Purchase area of western Kentucky. * WHEN...Until 8 AM CDT Tuesday. * IMPACTS...Areas of dense fog will reduce visibility and make for hazardous travel through the night and into early Tuesday morning. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Dense Fog Advisory means visibilities will frequently be reduced to less than one quarter mile. If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you. &&
State police: Suspect used handgun hidden on his person in deadly shooting of Calloway County Chief Deputy Jody Cash




(China Daily) According to a weekend survey by the Nikkei and TV Tokyo, 61 percent of respondents said they "approved" of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's talks with visiting US President Joe Biden, in which he pledged to "substantially increase" Japan's defense budget.

Should his ruling Liberal Democratic Party win a decisive victory in July's election, Kishida will also have the time and backing to focus on a policy program that includes revising Japan's pacifist Constitution at some point in the future.

During Biden's trip, Tokyo also hosted a summit of the Quad countries, a security alliance the US has pieced together with Japan, India and Australia and which Washington seems determined to mold into an Asian NATO.

It is therefore no surprise that Japan intends to "drastically strengthen" its military capabilities, according to a draft of the government's proposed economic policy.

As demonstrated during Biden's recent visit, Tokyo has fully bought into Washington's portrayals of China as a threat to regional security in East Asia, and it has eagerly jumped on Washington's Indo-Pacific contain-China bandwagon.

Despite it acknowledging that it is a political tool rather than a vehicle for promoting regional economic cooperation, Tokyo also endorsed the so-called Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity that Biden announced during his visit.

Tokyo has also followed Washington's lead by making provocative remarks on the Taiwan question and the South China Sea issues. It has even followed in the US' footsteps by creating an internal strategy group within its foreign ministry that is tasked with collecting and analyzing political, economic and diplomatic intelligence related to China with a view to better coordinating its China policy with that of the US.

Clearly the country is accelerating its efforts and making big strides in breaking away from the constraints of its pacifist Constitution.

Such a tendency shows Japan will dutifully serve as the "deputy sheriff" of the US in the latter's strategic maneuvering in the Asia-Pacific region, which combined with its own ambitions for regional primacy means the regional security risks will become increasingly severe.

While it has the wherewithal to respond to any provocations, China has repeatedly urged Japan to look to the big picture of bilateral ties and regional peace and stability.

Although these have consistently been ignored, it continues to call on Japan to rethink its role in the region and the consequences of inviting a wolf into the house, lest the tragedy of the Ukrainian crisis be repeated in Asia.
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Public health officials confirm third case of Monkeypox identified in Wales

A third monkeypox case has been identified in Wales, public health officials have said today.

A further 77 cases of monkeypox have been detected in the UK bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the UK to 302, as of 5 June.

According to the UK Health Security Agency, the risk of monkeypox remains low for the general public.

Monkeypox  which is usually found in west and central Africa  has been on the increase during the past month with more than 200 confirmed cases recorded in Britain, Portugal, Spain and the United States.

Currently most cases have been in men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with men, so its particularly important to be aware of the symptoms if youre in these groups.

Dr Graham Brown, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control for Public Health Wales, said:

Public Health Wales is today (6 June) confirming that an additional case of monkeypox has been identified in Wales. 

This brings the total in Wales to three.

The case is being managed appropriately.

To protect patient confidentiality, no further details relating to the patient will be disclosed.

How is monkeypox spreading?

The first patient in the current outbreak had returned to the UK from travels to Nigeria where monkeypox is endemic.

However, cases are now spreading among people who have not travelled to west or central Africa, suggesting local transmission is occurring.

Monkeypox usually spreads by close contact and respiratory droplets.

However, sexual transmission (via semen and/or vaginal fluid) has been posited as an additional possible route.

Most cases in the current outbreak have been in youngish men, but the virus can spread to anyone.

What are the symptoms?

Early symptoms are flu-like, such as a fever, headaches, aching muscles and swollen lymph nodes.

Once the fever breaks, a rash can develop, often beginning on the face and then spreading to other parts of the body  most commonly the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

How deadly is monkeypox?

Monkeypox is mostly a mild, self-limiting disease lasting two-to-three weeks. However, in some cases, it can cause death. According to the WHO, the fatality rate in recent times has been around 3% to 6%. The west African monkeypox virus is considered to be milder than the central African one.

Monkeypox tends to cause more serious disease in people who are immunocompromised  such as those undergoing chemotherapy  and children. There have been no deaths from monkeypox in the current worldwide outbreak, but, according to the Daily Telegraph, one child in the UK is in intensive care with the disease.

Why is it called monkeypox?

Monkeypox was first identified in laboratory monkeys (macaques) in Denmark in 1958, hence the name. However, monkeys dont seem to be the natural hosts of the virus. It is more commonly found in rats, mice and squirrels. The first case in humans was seen in the 1970s in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Is monkeypox related to smallpox and chickenpox?

Monkeypox is related to smallpox  they are both orthopoxviruses  but it is not related to chickenpox. Despite the name, chickenpox is a herpes virus, not a poxvirus. (How chicken got in the name is not entirely clear. In his dictionary of 1755, Samuel Johnson surmised that it is so named because it is of no very great danger.) Nevertheless, the vesicles (little pus-filled blisters) caused by monkeypox are similar in appearance to those of chickenpox.

Are cases likely to continue rising?

Cases are likely to continue to rise significantly over the next two-to-three weeks, but this is not another pandemic in the making. Monkeypox doesnt spread anywhere near as easily as the airborne virus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19.

Has monkeypox evolved to be more virulent?

RNA viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, dont have the ability to check their genetic code for mistakes each time they replicate, so they tend to evolve faster. Monkeypox is a DNA virus, which does have the ability to check itself for genetic mistakes each time it replicates, so it tends to mutate a lot slower.

The first genome sequence of the current outbreak (from a patient in Portugal) suggests that the virus is very similar to the monkeypox strain that was circulating in 2018 and 2019 in the UK, Singapore and Israel. So it is unlikely that the current outbreak is the result of a mutated virus that is better at spreading.

How is monkeypox diagnosed?

In the UK, swab samples taken from the patient are sent to a specialist laboratory that handles rare pathogens, where a PCR test is run to confirm monkeypox. The UK Health Security Agency has only one rare and imported pathogens laboratory.

Is there a vaccine for it?

Vaccines for smallpox, which contain the lab-made vaccinia virus, can protect against monkeypox. However, the vaccine that was used to eradicate smallpox can have severe side-effects, killing around one in a million people vaccinated.

The only vaccine specifically approved for monkeypox, Imvanex, is made by a company called Bavarian Nordic. It uses a nonreplicating form of vaccinia, which causes fewer side-effects. It was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency in 2019  but only for use in people 18 years of age or older.

UK health secretary Sajid Javid said that the UK government will be stocking up on vaccines that are effective against monkeypox. The UK currently has about 5,000 doses of smallpox vaccine, which has an efficacy of around 85% against monkeypox.

Are there drugs to treat it?

There are no specific drugs to treat monkeypox. However, antivirals such as cidofovir and brincidofovir have been proven to be effective against poxviruses in animals and may also be effective against monkeypox infections in humans.

[Image and Q&A republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.]
On Wednesday Elon Musk, the worlds richest man, issued an ultimatum to office workers at the electric car manufacturing company Tesla and the rocket company SpaceX to return to the office or be fired.

Writing in his typically crude and arrogant manner, Musk declared, Everyone at Tesla is required to spend a minimum of 40 hours in the office per week, in an email titled To be super clear. It continued, Moreover, the office must be where your actual colleagues are located, not some remote pseudo office. If you dont show up, we will assume you have resigned.

In a post on Twitter, Musk said of those who objected to in-office work, They should pretend to work somewhere else. Earlier the Tesla founder and CEO had written to executive staff requiring that they be in a main Tesla office, not a remote branch office unrelated to the job duties.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk (Wikipedia photo)

Tesla has about 100,000 full-time employees worldwide, with production plants in the US, Germany and China and stores and service centers in about a dozen countries in Europe, Asia and North America. SpaceX employs about 12,000.

In his recent tweets Musk did not say anything about the enforcement of COVID-19 safety measures for those staff forced to resume in-person work.

The ultimatum comes as COVID-19 case numbers in California, the site of Teslas giant Fremont EV assembly plant, are once again on the rise, as they are nationally. Musk has consistently downplayed the seriousness of the pandemic, telling SpaceX employees in March 2020 they had a greater chance of dying in a car crash than of COVID-19. In April 2020 he denounced COVID-19 restrictions as fascist in a profanity-laced rant during a conference call to discuss the companys profit report.

In May 2020 Musk defied a public health order from Alameda County, California, to reopen the Fremont Assembly plant. Tesla fired several workers for protesting the unsafe return to work, and county officials soon capitulated to the multi-billionaire, dropping any enforcement proceedings. Hundreds of plant workers were later infected with COVID-19, and an unknown number died.

Literally coining profit out of death, Musk and other billionaires saw their fortunes reach unprecedented new heights during the pandemic. Musk added $121 billion to his net worth in 2021 alone. He is currently the worlds richest man with around $250 billion in net worth, about 10 times his wealth before the pandemic.

The Tesla founder and CEO is emblematic of the parasitism of the financial aristocracy, the rebirth of the lumpenproletariat on the heights of bourgeois society, in the words of Karl Marx. While Tesla still produces less than 1 million vehicles a year, its stock valuation exceeds that of Toyota, General, Motors, Stellantis and all other major car companies combined, based almost solely on speculation by stock market investors.

Musks ultimatum to Tesla and SpaceX workers led to conjectures that he would apply a similar policy to Twitter employees following the completion of his takeover of the social media company. Many Twitter employees are currently allowed to work from home on a permanent basis, as are workers at Facebook and many other tech companies.

Most auto companies permit remote work for at least some office and tech workers. Return-to-office policies vary from company to company, with most facing significant worker resistance. On top of the danger of COVID-19, in-person work means a further erosion of workers income given soaring fuel and transportation costs. Some have predicted that Tesla could lose 10 to 20 percent of its current office workforce due to Musks ultimatum.

In recent weeks Musk had contrasted US workers unfavorably with workers in China, tweeting that while Chinese workers were burning the 3 a.m. oil, American workers, and by implication those at Tesla, were trying to avoid going to work at all.

Tesla had kept operations in Shanghai going during the recent COVID-19 lockdowns by essentially locking workers inside the factories, while imposing 12-hour, 6-day schedules. Until recently many workers at Tesla in China had been literally sleeping on the floor inside the production facilities.

Musk did not say anything about Chinas Zero COVID policy, which has saved millions of lives during the pandemic.

Musks demand for the end of at-home work is in line with the policies of the Biden administration, backed to the hilt by the corporatist trade unions, to declare the pandemic over and force the full reopening of the economy, including schools, factories and other workplaces. This homicidal living with the virus policy ensures a continuing toll of mass death and chronic sickness from Long COVID.

In March of this year Musk, an opponent of unionization, tauntingly invited the United Auto Workers to try to organize Tesla factories in the US. Despite the miserable pay and working conditions for the workers, the billionaire was well aware of the deep distrust felt by workers toward the UAW and all the official trade unions, which have enforced cuts in real pay and participated in the employer cover-up of COVID-19 infections and death.

For its part the UAW has essentially offered Tesla a sweetheart contract in exchange for the right to extract union dues from workers paychecks.

In Germany, where Tesla recently open its Gigafactory in Berlin, the IG Metall trade union made a toothless promise to support any employee who opposes Musks demand to return to work. IG Metall has helped enforce the homicidal return-to-work policy of Germany and capitalist governments across Europe, which has led to more than 1 million unnecessary deaths, while the union helps auto companies enforce layoffs and plant closures.

The return-to office demand follows reports in March that Musk himself had contracted COVID-19 for the second time. He has promoted vaccine skepticism, but later reported that he and family members had been vaccinated.

All workers, whether they are office workers or production workers, essential or otherwise, deserve to be protected from COVID-19. This means rejection of the deadly and unscientific policy of living with COVID and fighting for a policy of global elimination and eradication. The recent success of Chinas Zero COVID policy in halting the spread of Omicron demonstrates this is entirely possible and would save countless millions of lives.

While Musks pronouncements produce nervous embarrassment in some quarters of the ruling class, it is only because he articulates bluntly the rapaciousness of the ruling class, which through its single-minded pursuit of profit at the expense of social interests is leading mankind from disaster to even greater disaster.
Public Administration Ministry Secretary Priyantha Mayadunne addressed a meeting of his officials on Sunday to outline aspects of the reform program being planned by the Sri Lankan government.

Any political party, mass organisation or trade union that disagrees with these things, he declared, will all be considered traitors by the future generation.

Public Administration Ministry Secretary Priyantha Mayadunne (Source: Priyantha Mayadunne Facebook)

Mayadunnes remarks came as the government of President Gotabhaya Rajapakse and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has begun imposing International Monetary Fund (IMF) demands. The IMF has insisted that any bailout loan to the cash-strapped Colombo regime will only be forthcoming if its demands are implemented and Sri Lankas debt sustainability is assured.

These measures include reducing the fiscal deficit through cuts to state expenditure, increased taxes, the privatisation or commercialisation of state enterprises and the slashing of welfare programs. In other words, mass job destruction, wage and pension cuts in the public sector, the elimination of subsidies and further attacks on public health and education.

The public administration ministry secretarys threatening comments are not just personal opinions but a clear warning to the working class. They are an indication that the government is preparing a repressive political campaign against all opponents of austerity.

Part of Mayadunnes 15-minute speech explained the rapidly worsening danger of starvation. Whether we like it or not we will definitely be sunk by next month. We have no guarantee that our agricultural products will be good in Yala [next] season. We are sitting on a volcano, he said.

Mayadunne arrogantly attempted to blame the population for Sri Lankas economic crisis and then brutally declared, The people has to suffer the pain in order to understand. Only then can this country be developed.

Mayadunnes attack on ordinary people was a crude bid to hide the real source of the crisis. What is unfolding in Sri Lanka is a sharp expression of the global capitalist breakdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and brought to a new peak of intensity by the US-NATO instigated war against Russian in Ukraine. Successive Sri Lankan governments and the entire ruling class have desperately sought to defend the profit system by imposing its burdens on the people.

Mayadunnes told the meeting that an urgent contingency plan is essential and said state employees must postpone all their privileges for at least a decade.

Until the economy reaches $US10,000 [per capita income level] no one has the right to ask for pensions and gratuities. There is a 17.5 billion-rupee [$50 million] gratuity [lump sum retirement amount] to pay, he said, insisting that there is no way to honor this amount.

Foreshadowing public sector job and salary cuts, Mayadunne continued: The maximum bearable number of jobs in the public sector is 500,000 or at most 800,000. Therefore, what is most suitable is to retire and demand the pension without paying gratuity. Even if the trade unions shout, there is no money to pay. We cannot pay by printing money. Therefore, this is an era where everything must be sacrificed.

Mayadunne said state employment, which stands at 1.7 million, had been bloated by previous governments and declared that he opposed salary increases for workers in the sector under present conditions.

The ministry secretarys statements echo discussions now underway within the Colombo elite. In the face of mass opposition from the working class, governments have repeatedly postponed the full implementation of previous IMF economic reforms. International financial institutions have made clear, however, that no retreat is possible.

Accumulated opposition by the working class and the poor has deepened in the past months as prices have skyrocketed, along with shortages of essential items, such as food, medicine and fuel, and extended power cuts. This triggered the eruption of mass protests and demonstrations across the country in early April with tens of thousands of people occupying Galle Face Green in Colombo.

The trade unions were forced to call two general strikes, on April 28 and May 6. Millions of workers participated in the powerful national walkouts, supported by broad sections of the oppressed masses, shocking not just the Rajapakse government but the entire political establishment.

Relying on the treachery of the trade unions to end these strikes, Ranil Wickremesinghe, the newly appointed pro-US prime minister and finance minister, is working to impose the IMF program.

Wickremesinghe told Reuters on May 24 that the governments interim budget which he is currently preparing, would cut government spending to the bone.

As a first step, the government has ordered all state institutions authorities to only retain essential employees needed to maintain service. Accordingly, just 50 percent of the state sector workforce is being called in to work. This week, the labour ministry announced that all its offices will be closed on Fridays. Discussions are underway about more job cuts, as well as how wages and pensions can be slashed.

Neither the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, the Tamil National Alliance, pseudo-left formations like the Frontline Socialist Party nor any other opposition party has opposed these imminent attacks. They all support the imposition of the IMF program.

Likewise, the trade unions are maintaining a sinister silence over the IMF demands and the governments moves to slash hundreds of thousands of public sector jobs.

Over the past year, the unions have responded to strikes and angry demonstrations by teachers and health workers by telling the government that they understand the economic crisis. The unions have blocked workers struggles. When unable to hold back their members, they have called protests and strikes which they have quickly betrayed.

On Monday, the Alliance of Action Committees initiated by the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) issued a statement titled Oppose job and wage cuts in the public sector! Build action committees to defend workers rights!

We urge workers to study this analysis, join us in the fight to urgently build action committees in every workplace, factory, estate and in working-class suburbs and prepare to defend their rights through the struggle for socialist policies.
In the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, mass demonstrations involving tens of millions of people took place in the United States and across the world. A section of the middle class left took part in these demonstrations, which brought together a broad cross-section of the population, including many young people and workers, in opposition to a war that would last nearly two decades and kill over 1 million people. At the time, individuals and political tendencies associated with groups like the Green Party and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) participated in the demonstrations and presented themselves as anti-war.

Twenty years later, groups like the DSA and Greens not only support imperialist war, in some cases their political representatives are leading it. The DSAs four elected members of Congress voted unanimously for the Biden administrations $40 billion in military spending to fight Russia in Ukraine. The German Green Party is part of the coalition government carrying out the rearmament of German imperialism. Pabloite and Morenoite groups like the International Socialist League urge the imperialist powers to send more weapons to neo-Nazi Ukrainian militias.

A June 1 article by Matt Duss in The New Republic entitled Why Ukraine Matters for the Left is a milestone in the exposure of the pseudo-lefts pro-imperialist political essence.

Duss is a top foreign policy adviser for Bernie Sanders who typifies the social layer that has now become a main constituency of the Biden administrations war against Russia. According to a profile in The Nation, Duss first became involved in politics via anti-globalization activism and Ralph Naders 2000 presidential campaign. A February 2020 Foreign Policy article noted that Music, not foreign policy, was one of Dusss biggest life passionsuntil the 9/11 attacks galvanized in him a sense of wanting to do more on US politics and policy toward the Middle East. He developed a career as a critic of the war in Iraq, telling The Nation, I was just uncomfortable with America sending troops around the world.

It is significant, then, that Duss has written an article denouncing left-wing opponents of imperialist war and adopting the argument made by Christopher Hitchens in his December 2001 article attacking left-wing opponents of the US War on Terror.

The first sentence of Duss article reads, Weeks after the September 11 attacks, Christopher Hitchens wrote a piece in The Atlantic castigating an American left he saw as unwilling to recognize the enemy that had just attacked the United States or support appropriate measures to confront it.

Duss says Hitchens was wrong to support the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but Duss then states:

There is, however, a line from Hitchens that Ive been thinking a lot about lately as I consider the Biden administrations response to Russias war on Ukraine and the debate within the U.S. left about it. All the lefts objections, Hitchens wrote, boil down to this: Nothing will make us fight against an evil if that fight forces us to go to the same corner as our own government.

At the time of its publication, Hitchens article, Stranger in a strange land: The dismay of an honorable man of the left, attracted significant attention and generated a wave of disgust over Hitchens naked prostration before the war hysteria promoted by the Bush administration.

In the article, Hitchens, who had been a prominent left cultural critic, argued that September 11 meant the left must forget its criticisms of US imperialism and support the War on Terror. As the World Socialist Web Site wrote at the time, Hitchens recent comments on the September 11 World Trade Center attack indicate that he has irretrievably passed over to the extreme right. His permanent and final political identity, which was always the essential one, has now solidified.

Duss article adopts the heart of Hitchens argument and launches an attack on those on the left who oppose or even express hesitancy over the Biden administrations reckless provocations against Russia in Ukraine.

Duss attacks two groups. He defines his primary target as those who engage in pernicious authoritarian agitprop justifying the actions of the Russian imperium. This group includes not only open supporters of the reactionary Putin government, but those who oppose the Russian invasion (as does the WSWS) and question the veracity of US imperialist claims of Russian atrocities. Duss calls such groups and individuals atrocity-denying grifters and click-baiting provocateurs. Their aim, he says, is to divide the left by making opposition to imperialist war a fundamental issue of political principle. He urges what he calls the genuine anti-war left to place such opponents of war beyond the pale, and to not waste time with them.

Dusss second target is sections of the membership of the Democratic Socialists of America who have supported the war against Russia with insufficient bellicosity. Solidarity with the Ukrainian military, he writes, has been hard to find in some of the statements from the Democratic Socialists of America.

The fact that the DSAs entire congressional slate supported the war is not enough. Duss attacks the DSA for publishing statements that also raise criticism of NATO expansion in Eastern Europe.

He writes, Hard questions need to be asked, especially now, about the goals and interests NATO actually serves. But we also need to ask hard questions about how our struggle against militarism works alongside our commitment to colleagues around the world who require more than just a call to stop the war (emphasis added). Duss does not explain how a struggle against militarism is compatible with sending weapons from the worlds dominant imperialist power to Ukraine, nor does he say how arming neo-Nazi militias in the Ukrainian military is an act of socialist solidarity. For an anti-war movement to be genuine, Duss concludes, it must support imperialist war.

Like Hitchens, Duss argues that the left must suppress its criticism of US imperialism and support its war aims. For all its faults, Duss writes, supporting American imperialism is the only way to uphold the values of social justice, human security and equality, and democracy.

Our political class advocates military violence with a regularly and ease that is psychopathic, Duss writes. We should not, however, let all of this absurdity blind us to the instances when provision of military aid can advance a more just and humanitarian global order. Assisting Ukraines defense against Russian invasion is such an instance.

The article is structured with a series of similar buts and howevers.

The endless military interventions of the last 20 years have engendered a hard won-skepticism to imperialist war, Duss writes, But we should also recognize that the Biden administration is not the Bush administration. Yes, the Biden administration has failed to uphold progressive principles, Duss says, But Ukraine is an area where I think the administration is getting it mostly right. The US has been involved in a permanent series of wars, Duss acknowledges. I get that sentiment. But I think we should interrogate it.

He goes on: the US government has engaged in nonstop hypocrisy and the US and its allies have undermined the order they themselves built  But preventing powerful countries from invading and obliterating weaker ones should be a core principle of any such order, and past hypocrisy shouldnt serve as an excuse for failing to say that clearly, and act on it. And yes, it is maddening to see calls for accountability for Putins atrocities from the same people who endorsed, defended and continue to oppose any meaningful accountability for the war in Iraq, But suggesting that Bushs impunity is a reason not to hold Putin accountable is asking Ukrainians to join Iraqis in footing the bill for our corruption.

Duss cannot explain how it is that American imperialism, dripping with blood from decades of permanent war for plunder, in which it carried out horrific war crimes with impunity, is capable of advancing the values of social justice, human security and equality, and democracy, especially when its shock troops in Ukraine consist of fascist forces who idolize Nazis and the Holocaust. To Duss, it is as though the actions of American imperialism over the last 30 years (let alone the last 125 years) have no bearing on the essential character of the US wars and no connection to its aims in Ukraine.

Dusss claim that the US war against Russia in Ukraine is for social justice and equality is lying war propaganda. Every imperialist war the US has ever waged has been justified by the claim it is fought for democracy and freedom. After all, the Bush administration justified the criminal invasion of Iraq on the same grounds that Duss now seeks to justify left support for a war that poses the risk of nuclear catastrophe.

Duss endorsement of Christopher Hitchens pro-war screed is a landmark in the right-wing transformation not only of an individual, but of the affluent pseudo-socialist layer for whom he speaks.

Social being determines social consciousness, and over the course of the past two decades, the growth of social inequality and the financialization of the world economy have driven the affluent upper-middle class to the political right. The social layer from which groups like the Greens, DSA and other pro-war, pseudo-left tendencies draw support have a vested financial interest in the success of American imperialism.

In the 20 years since the Bush administration launched the War on Terror, the share of national wealth possessed by the next 9 percentile (i.e., those below the top 1 percent but still in the top 10 percent) has risen from 34.8 percent to 38.6 percent. This section of the population possesses a total of $53.3 trillion in wealth, up from $14.7 trillion in 2000. An individual in the 10th richest income percentile now makes 12.5 times more than an individual in the 90th percentile, up from 10.6 times in 2000. The wealth and income of the top 10 percent is more closely intertwined with the health of the stock markets than ever before. The richest 10 percent now own 89 percent of all stocks, up from 77 percent in 2000.

It is no wonder that the individuals and political tendencies rooted in this social layer advocate giving imperialist war a chance.
Nearly two months after Grand Rapids, Michigan, police Officer Christopher Schurr shot 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya in the back of the head during a traffic stop on April 4, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker has yet to make a decision on whether criminal charges will be brought against the officer.

A TV display shows video evidence of a Grand Rapids police officer pursuing Patrick Lyoya in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Lyoya, 26, was shot and killed about 8:10 a.m., on April 4, after what police said was a traffic stop. (Video released by Grand Rapids Police Department)

When Becker received the preliminary investigative report into the shooting from the Michigan State Police (MSP) on April 28, he said he needed additional information before he could draw his review to a conclusion.

Then three weeks later, on May 18, the prosecutor issued a public statement saying he was under pressure from several concerned community members to release an update. He acknowledged the slow pace of the investigation, and while he would be receiving the full MSP report soon, he said that this does not mean my decision is imminent. He concluded the statement with a request for the publics continued patience.

In explaining the ongoing delay, Becker declared that he was seeking guidance from state and national experts. Beyond these vague phrases, Becker did not elaborate on what exactly this guidance was supposed to be or who the experts were that he was consulting with. Becker also declined to give a timetable for when he would reach a decision in the case.

Lyoya, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was pulled over by Schurr in a southeast Grand Rapids neighborhood, ostensibly due to a license plate violation. Following a short chase and scuffle on the front lawn of a residential home that involved Lyoya gaining control of Schurrs taser after the officer discharged it twice unsuccessfully, the officer killed Lyoya with a single bullet from his service handgun to the back of his head.

After officials initially attempted to sweep the death of Lyoya under the rug, protests erupted in Grand Rapids and other Michigan cities demanding that the police release the video evidence of what took place on April 4. Once the videos became public, protesters demanded that the name of the officer be released. This information was only provided after National Action Network leader and Democratic Party operative Al Sharpton made an appearance in Grand Rapids in order to contain the spreading protests.

Lyoyas murder is not the only Michigan police shooting that is being monitored intensely by the public. On April 25, 20-year-old DeAnthony VanAtten was shot in the back twice by an East Lansing police officer. While VanAtten survived his violent encounter with the police, video footage shows that he was shot in the back in a crowded Meijer supermarket parking lot, where he had just bought food for a barbecue.

In VanAttens case, police released footage from May 5 that painted him as a criminal who was trying to flee the police. Then on May 16, the police released what they had said was irrelevant footage, showing VanAtten at the self-checkout paying for his food items.

In a similar fashion to the selective release of police video in the VanAtten shooting, the media has been doing all it can to demonize Patrick Lyoya and depict his killer as a saint-like figure. However, when the official autopsy report for Lyoya was released on May 6, the medical examiner notably ruled the death an intentional homicide. Therefore, it is clear that the delay by the Kent County prosecutors office was over whether the use of deadly force against Lyoya by Schurr could be legally justified.

There is clear evidence in police bodycam and dashcam videos, as well as the smartphone video of an eyewitness, that shows Schurr pinning Lyoya to the ground, pulling his gun from its holster, aiming it at the back of Lyoyas head and pulling the trigger. However, instead of focusing on these facts, the media has focused on the toxicology report saying that Lyoya was super drunk when he was pulled over by Schurr for a license plate violation.

Since Lyoyas blood alcohol content (BAC) at the time of his death was 0.29, more than three times the legal limit. According to Michigan law such an elevated level while driving can be referred to as super drunk, and the media latched onto this dubious and wholly irrelevant piece of information. As many have pointed out, the officer had no idea what Lyoyas BAC was when he shot him, nor is his level of intoxication a justification for his killing.

Contrasted to this is what Peter Lyoya had to say about his son. He told News 8 shortly after his sons killing, He was a good kid, a smart kid. He was a hard worker. He was a sharing person. He helped his family. If he had money, he would share with them.

Public outrage has been simmering in Grand Rapids and across Michigan over the killing of Lyoya. Protesters continue to be present at the twice-monthly Grand Rapids City Commission meetings to demand justice for Patrick Lyoya and his family.

Community groups, such as the Grand Rapids Association of Pastors (G-RAP) and the Grand Rapids NAACP, have called for Becker to recuse himself from the case because of the close relationship between the Kent County prosecutors office and the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD). Prosecutor Becker has rejected these calls outright, telling MLive, Ive done numerous officer-involved shootings over the past six years Ive been elected. Im not sure why that would change now.

Others have issued calls for a federal investigation and the intervention by the Biden administrations Department of Justice to investigate not only the murder of Patrick Lyoya but the entire history and culture of the GRPD. G-RAP, for example, has also demanded that public input be solicited in the negotiations of the police union contract and for city bodies, namely the Civilian Appeal Board and Office of Oversight and Public Accountability, to be granted control over the police department.

In the case of VanAtten, the Michigan State Police investigation was handed over to the office of state Attorney General Dana Nessel. Ingham County Prosecutor Carol Siemon, who covers Lansing, instituted a policy to refer all officer-involved shootings to the AGs office for review.

These developments come just one week after President Joe Biden signed an executive order that was billed as police reform, when in fact it was a measure to strengthen police departments in communities across the country. Notably, during the drafting of his order, Biden worked closely with pro-police organizations who signed off on the proposals.

The order, which requires the Department of Justice to promote officer wellness and support programs as well as requiring an updated approach to recruitment, hiring, promotion and retention of law enforcement officers, called for governors and mayors to use unspent COVID-19 relief money to hire more police.

Biden timed the signing of his executive order for the two-year anniversary of the brutal murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police on May 25, 2020. Peter Lyoya, Patrick Lyoyas father, was one of several people invited to Washington D.C. to attend the signing. With him were also family members of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, Peters interpreter Israel Siku, and the Lyoya familys attorneys, Ben Crump and Ven Johnson.

The fight for justice for Patrick Lyoya and his family cannot be waged through appeals to the Democratic Party or calls for police reform. Only the mobilization of the working class in a political struggle against the capitalist system can defend democratic rights and put a stop to police violence and repression.
Poland will cut Ukrainian refugees off an essential welfare benefit on July 1, the government announced on Wednesday. As of the start of next month, those fleeing the war will no longer receive 40 zloty a day, about $9.40 at current exchange rates, toward the cost of food and housing. Exceptions are being made only for families with many children, pregnant women and invalids. Major cities, such as Warsaw and Cracow, just recently ended free municipal transport and train fares for Ukraines displaced, of which there are millions in the country.

A representative from Polands right-wing, nationalist Law and Justice party (PiS), which holds the presidency and has a majority in the parliament, told the press that the goal is to stimulate Ukrainians to work. In other words, they can either stay and serve as a cheap labor force or leave the country, having lost access to money they need to survive.

Beyond even the fact that many do not have permanent housing, Ukrainian refugees face language, age and family-status barriers in finding work. The majority of them are women, children and the elderly. Most of those in the latter two categories cannot take on jobs, either because of their youth48 percent are under 18or the physical limitations of age.

Predominantly female-headed households with young kids face an impossible situation, as schooling is not available for children under three, many Ukrainian students are taking classes online through their home institutions, and summer vacation is about to begin. Support servicestemporary shelter, translation services, food banks, childcare, logistical helpoverwhelmingly staffed by volunteers are also drying up, as ordinary Polish people do not have the personal resources to sustain the volume of giving needed.

Poland has yet to receive a promised $154.5 million aid package from the EU to support refugees, despite various Polish provinces having already shelled out tens of millions of dollars to make the 40 zloty daily payments. Just recently and only after significant pressure, the country was granted the right to tap unused funds in Europes multi-billion-euro COVID-19 relief program.

The Czech Republic, to which 348,000 Ukrainians have fled, is contemplating making a move similar to that of Poland. It may cut off Ukrainian refugees who do not find a job after 180 days from social benefits, including medical care.

In Bulgaria, thousands of displaced people are now being ejected from hotels along the countrys Black Sea coast in time for the tourist season. Refugees report a chaotic process of removal and say they have been given basically no information as to what awaits them at buffer centers set up near the Burgas airport, to which they are being offered transfer.

One nurse who fled eastern Ukraine with her 13-year-old daughter told RFE/RL, We have no official information. Absolutely none. A volunteer group issued a statement on Facebook explaining, for instance, that instructions for refugees as to what to do when their hotel stays ended were published in Bulgarian, which they cannot read. The volunteers described the Bulgarian governments actions as a complete lack of communication with refugees from the moment they cross the border [and a] complete lack of understanding of needs.

Bulgarias Deputy Prime Minister Kalina Konstantinova, however, complaining about the fact that buses sent to seaside hotels to transport refugees to buffer centers were not full, told the press, Protection is a right, not an obligation. Therefore, I will not allow any more empty buses or empty cars to leave. The development of the situation from that moment on is in the hands of the Ukrainian community in Bulgaria. However, Bulgarian officials have acknowledged that the state only has space for about 33,000 people at its various facilities, although there are 63,000 Ukrainian refugees in the country.

Media coverage of the crisis has largely portrayed the problem as one of ungrateful visitors not wishing to have to leave their luxury vacation spots.

Spanish officials are receiving large numbers of complaints from Ukrainians of ridicule and poor treatment. Just 6.5 percent of the 47,000 refugees in Spain have found work, primarily seasonal agricultural jobs tied to the orange harvest. In addition to the fact that the country has a 13.5 percent unemployment rate, making jobs scarce, the newly-arrived Ukrainians face a language barrier. According to news reports, through social media, Russian speakers living in Spain are helping Ukrainiansmany of whom are of Russian or mixed Russian-Ukrainian ancestry or simply dual-language speakersnavigate everyday life and find work.

Switzerland is preparing to cancel the special refugee status of Ukrainians who return home for more than 15 days over the course of three months or were in another country for more than two. If, for instance, a mother needs to go to Ukraine or elsewhere to reunite with children or family but cannot stay because it is dangerous, there is no work, or she has no home, she risks losing her right to return to Switzerland for safe harbor. As there are more than 3.6 million Ukrainian refugees spread out across Europe and elsewhere, all of them caught in a chaotic world of scrambling for housing, jobs, schools and visas, the ability to travel for periods of time without penalty is essential for families.

In Britain, thousands of Ukrainians with a temporary status are stuck in an endlessly long visa process and many who have been granted visas are unable to get to the UK. Currently, about 500 Ukrainian children who have host families waiting for them in Britain cannot go there because they cannot get through the paperwork. The charity Safe Passage says the kids are now alone in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.

The problems are mounting even among those who make it to the UK, with many ending up homeless, reports the BBC. The governments Homes for Ukraine program continues to have problems. According to another news outlet, residents of East Yorkshire who opened up their homes to refugees and were supposed to receive a 350 stipend havent seen a penny. As much as 400,000 from the money promised for host families and people escaping the war still hasn't materialized.

Inside Ukraine, where 7.8 million people are internally displaced, social catastrophe is in the making. The countrys GDP is projected to fall by 45 percent this year, according to the ministry of finance. Already 5 million jobs, about one third of the nations total, have been wiped out.

But as the US and NATO allies pour ever-more lethal weapons into the country, the International Labor Organization is warning, Should the military escalation continue, over 43 percent of jobsabout seven millioncould be lost. If the conflict goes on for just another six months, the United Nations Development Report says that 90 percent of the Ukrainian population could fall into poverty or be surviving just on the edge of it.

The International Organization for Migration just released a report showing massive numbers of Ukrainians are in dire straits. According to the agency, among internally displaced people, 77 percent need direct financial assistance, 27 percent need clothes and shoes, 27 percent need health care and medicine, 25 percent need food (a rising number), 22 percent need hygiene items, and 28 percent need transportation.

Even among those who have not fled somewhere inside the countrys borders, the level of need is high. Fifty-seven percent of Ukrainians still living in their homes are short of money, 24 percent cannot get the health care and medicines they require, and 14 percent do not have enough food. Among both groups, 30 percent of families with children under 5 years of age report they are having problems feeding their kids due to a lack of formula and baby food. That number increased by three percentage points from a month ago. Nearly 20 percent of the Ukrainian population reports being in want of psychological and mental health support.

At the end of April, Disability Rights International issued a report showing that the situation facing institutionalized disabled children in Ukraine is disastrous. According to Euractiv, They found children living in overcrowded, closely packed rooms filled with strong smells of urine and faeces and encountered children with untreated severe medical conditions like Hydrocephalus, which leads to fatalities in 80% of cases. They also met children that were physically underdeveloped due to enforced inactivity, and showing signs of emotional abuse and neglect.

On June 1, the head of the Chernivtsi regional military administration in Ukraine was found guilty of manipulation with humanitarian aid. He was using ambulances donated from Italy for commercial purposes.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. The social consequences of the NATO/Ukraine-Russia war are intensifying and will continue to do so, as Washington and the EU keep escalating the conflict, creating the conditions for the transformation of the regional proxy war into a full-blown world conflict. Tens of billions of military aid and ever-more lethal weaponry is being sent to Ukraine, laying the groundwork for strikes on Russian territory. Moscows criminal, reckless, blind-alley invasion has given the US and NATO what they wanted. The working class is paying the price.
Metricon, Australias largest home builder, struck a deal on Friday for an emergency doubling of its working capital credit facility, in an effort to stave off bankruptcy amid a mounting crisis in the countrys construction sector.

The possible collapse of Metricon threatens the jobs of about 2,500 directly employed workers, primarily in eastern Australia, where it currently has around 4,000 homes under construction. Also facing an uncertain future are the numerous subcontractors engaged by the company, as well as suppliers of building materials, home appliances and furnishings. According to the Housing Industry Association, Metricon completed 6,052 dwellings last year and 4,354 in 2020.

House under construction in Manly, Queensland [Photo by Orderinchaos via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Prior to securing the additional loan from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Metricon met with the New South Wales (NSW), Victorian and federal governments to discuss the possibility of a bailout package, rumored at $100 million or more. In an attempt to shore up consumer and lender confidence in the failing firm, Metricon shareholders have also provided a $30 million injection of cash into the company.

Even as the company was scrambling to secure additional funds, acting CEO Peter Langfelder, appointed after the sudden death earlier this month of Metricons founder and CEO Mario Biasin, denied the company had solvency issues and insisted the business remains viable.

Despite Langfelders assertions, the company has reportedly been pushing its salespeople to secure deposits for home construction projects in a bid to boost cash flow. Such deposits are 5 percent of the total cost of a build, therefore on an $800,000 home project, for example, the upfront payment would be $40,000. However, given the widely reported speculation of potential insolvency, it is highly likely that clients will either delay or withhold deposits undermining Metricons bid to overcome any liquidity problems.

The reality is that these eleventh-hour financial manoeuvres will do nothing to address the underlying crisis confronting the entire construction industry.

Russ Stephens, co-founder of the Association of Professional Builders (APB), estimated earlier this year that around 50 percent of Australian building companies were currently trading insolvent, based on the associations monitoring of 2,680 Australian residential home builders over an extended period last year.

An APB report stated that by October 2021, it was clear that the increasing price of construction materials, supply chain delays and COVID-related labour shortages were impacting the profitability of every single building company in Australia.

A number of the companys major suppliers and subcontractors launched an advertising campaign designed to assure the public that there was no substance to reports of Metricons impending collapse. This includes Dulux, Fisher & Paykel, Fujitsu, Beacon Lighting Commercial and Civic Shower Screens and Wardrobes, all of which would undoubtedly be severely impacted by the failure of yet another major home building company.

In a bid to head off home buyers reluctance to risk laying down large deposits, Civic Screens Chief Executive Stefan Styles told the media: We dont believe the company is in trouble. Even so, Styles warned: The problem is that customers will become nervous and it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Home buyers have every reason to be skeptical of such assurances. As speculation grew last week over Metricons possible demise, Pivotal Homes, one of Queenslands largest home builders, went into liquidation. Another Queensland firm, Solido Builders, a small company that specialised in luxury houses, revealed over the weekend it had appointed administrators, adding to the string of collapses of home building firms and major commercial construction companies over the past six months.

In April, Perth-based Home Innovation Builders went into liquidation on the same day that another Western Australian company New Sensation Homes was placed in the hands of administrators. In March, Queensland-based Condev Construction, which specialised in multi-unit residential constructions, retail and commercial premises, industrial units and warehouses, went into liquidation.

Also in March, major construction company Probuild was placed in administration with $5 billion worth of unfinished projects across three Australian states on its books.

Other home building companies that went belly up over the last six months include two Tasmanian-based firms, Hotondo Homes, in February, and Inside Out Construction, in November.

Many of the failures have left behind a mountain of unfinished projects and home buyers millions of dollars out of pocket.

The pandemic exacerbated existing problems in global supply chains, delaying shipments and increasing the price of essential materials across every industrial sector. Steel, concrete and plasterboard underwent multiple price rises in 2021, increasing the cost of building a new home in Australia by between 15 percent and 50 percent.

Fixed-price contracts typically signed by Australian building companies do not contain cost-escalation clauses. As a result, these increases could not be passed on to customers, even assuming home buyers could afford the price hike, under conditions of stagnant or declining wages throughout the working class.

The let it rip COVID policies adopted since late last year by all Australian governments, Liberal-National and Labor alike, have caused repeated waves of mass infection, illness and death. In construction, as in many sectors, this has resulted in ongoing labour shortages.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the drive to keep production going, no matter what the cost to human health and lives, was spearheaded by the unions. The Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU), in lockstep with the big builders, continually demanded that the sector be exempted from lockdowns and other public health measures, forcing workers to stay on the job amid a raging pandemic.

This is a logical extension of the role played by the unions for decades, enforcing the destruction of working conditions and the massive increase of casual, labour-hire and sham contracting arrangements across the construction industry. The unions have justified this assault by parroting the phony management line that it was necessary to ensure competitiveness and preserve jobs into the future.

Now, with construction companies failing in quick succession, destroying the livelihoods of workers, subcontractors and suppliers, the CFMMEU is virtually silent, except to warn that there will likely be more pain in the industry. The purpose of this is to shut down workers opposition to the crisis by leading them to the conclusion that they can do nothing but accept the inevitable further destruction of jobs.

Construction workers need to draw a balance sheet of the bitter experiences through which they have passed. This will demonstrate that they cannot leave matters in the hands of the unions, which are tied by a thousand threads to the corporations and the capitalist state, and serve as an industrial police force of management.

The crisis now wracking the construction sector, always a harbinger of what is developing across every sector of the economy, is a graphic example of the irrationality of the capitalist system itself.

Why are construction workers being idled and resources laid to waste when there exists a desperate need for the construction of vital social infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, as well as high-quality public housing to deal with growing homelessness and the lack of affordable accommodation?

It is because such pressing social needs, along with the provision of decent jobs, working conditions and living standards, are of no concern to the capitalist system, in which every aspect of life is subordinated to the ruthless and destructive drive for profits.

To fight for decent jobs, pay and conditions, workers must form new organisations of struggle, including rank-and-file committees on every job site across the construction sector and beyond. Through an interlinked network of these committees, workers can take up a unified political and industrial counter-offensive against global capitalism and its deepening assault on every aspect of working-class life.

This struggle must be guided by a socialist perspective and the fight for a workers government. This includes placing construction and other critical sectors under public ownership and democratic workers control. Only in this way can production be reorganised to serve social need, rather than the profit interests of the wealthy elite.




Galileo's heliocentric theory in the Middle Ages changed the way people looked at themselves and the outside world. The fact that the universe does not revolve around the Earth was a sobering reminder of the limit of human knowledge. Yet centuries later, the US still lives under the illusion that the world pivots on it and that US rules and interests override those of the rest of the world. Moving against the historical trend would only backfire, as US sanctions imposed from "a position of strength" have delivered nothing but shame to itself.

"So far from God and so close to the United States." For Cuba, the waters keeping the US at bay cannot keep away the sweeping sanctions dating back to the 1960s. The US has adopted every major method available to sanction a state, including but not limited to prohibiting imports from or through Cuba, US exports to Cuba, and the travel of US citizens to Cuba. A declassified 1960 State Department memo was surprisingly straightforward about real US intention: "to bring about hunger, desperation", and ultimately, the "overthrow of government".

The type of Cuban government the US tried to subvert is alive and well 60 years later. What also remains in place is the blockade on Cuba despite international opposition. Since 1992 when the issue was first voted on, the UN General Assembly has adopted resolutions for 29 consecutive times,overwhelmingly calling on the US to end the embargo. It is not hard for anyone with compassion to sympathize with Cuban people's lives. According to Al Jazeera, the Cuban government and the UN estimated that the embargo has cost the Cuban economy $130 billion over 60 years. In 2020 alone, the loss was $9.1 million. And the figure is sure to rise amid the pandemic.

The virus knows no borders but US sanctions do, as they cut Cuban people off from medical supplies from overseas. Special rapporteurs of the UN Human Rights Council warned in 2020 that "In the pandemic emergency, the lack of will of the US Government to suspend sanctions may lead to a higher risk of such suffering in Cuba and other countries targeted by its sanctions." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for the waiving of sanctions which could undermine countries' capacity to respond to the pandemic. The World Health Organization also called for "intensification of cooperation and collaboration at all levels to contain, control and mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic" "in the spirit of unity and solidarity".

As always, the US has turned a deaf ear to all those voices. To Cuba, US inaction and indifference has reinforced its conviction in self-reliance and self-development. When medical supplies could not reach Cuba's shores, the Caribbean country produced and administered its own vaccines. By May 6, more than 89.8 percent of the population have been fully vaccinated, including all kids aged two years and above. In mid-May, the case-fatality rate in Cuba was 0.77 percent, much lower than that of the US. When the fast-moving Omicron variant caused another record surge in COVID cases in the US, infections in Cuba have been slowing notably with only two-digit cases confirmed per day. In fact, Cuba has always been prepared and even dispatched medical experts to support other countries' efforts in fighting the virus.

Separated by water, the two countries are worlds apart. But it all comes down to the perception of what people needs and what makes us human. Those who strive for nothing but self-interest will dismiss the worth of humanity, while others, though subject to repression, can unite as one and show the resilience and infinity of human capacity. In solidarity with Cuba and indignation with the US practice, regional countries have mounted resistance to the US, which is to host a Summit of the Americas for invited countries only. This time, they warned to skip the meeting in June if Cuba and two other countries the US keeps finding fault with cannot attend.

The US has tried to assuage the resistance by easing a tiny fraction of sanctions on Cuba. But a short relief - again tailored to US interests - cannot make up for decades of suffocation. If the US really wants to pave a #RoadtotheSummit as the twitter hashtag suggests, it should clear all obstacles to basic human survival and development. Otherwise, it will find that the road it paved for hegemony only leads to a dead end.

The author is a commentator on international affairs.
For over six months since the eruption last November of the partygate scandal, Conservative Party Prime Minister Boris Johnson has faced talk of an imminent leadership challenge.

Last weeks report by senior civil servant Sue Gray only gave him a slap on the wrist for the illegal drinks parties held in Whitehall, including in his Downing Street residence, during lockdown.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson pauses during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, in London, Monday April 5, 2021. (Stefan Rousseau/Pool via AP)

With Johnson declaring it is now time to move on, talk of a leadership challenge continues. A Tory leader can be removed only if 15 percent (currently 54) of party MPs submit a letter declaring no confidence to the chairman of its backbench MPs, Sir Graham Brady. If Johnson then loses a confidence vote by 50 percent plus one of votes cast, 180 MPs, he must step down.

There is speculation that the 54 MPs target is now within reach and that a leadership vote could be announced as early as next week. Many of the same sources say Johnson would survive a vote anyway, even if damaged.

A substantial section of Tory MPs certainly want him out. Their main political concern is that he is not up to the task of imposing savage austerity, deepening the assault on democratic rights and waging war against Russia over Ukraine, all compounded by his having become an electoral liability. Up to 80 Tory MPs in marginal seats could lose them in any upcoming general election.

The partygate crisis stemmed from leaks from Johnsons former chief adviser Dominic Cumming, who he sacked in November 2020.

But the problem Johnsons opponents face is that none of those being put forward as replacements are in any better position. Chancellor Rishi Sunak, only weeks ago favourite to replace Johnson, appears to be a political busted flush due to the revelations of his vast wealth and his wife avoiding British taxes for years. He was also fined along with Johnson over partygate. Others such as the new favourite Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and longtime leading Brexiter Michael Gove are similarly problematic.

In this May 24, 2020 file photo, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson's senior aid Dominic Cummings leaves 10 Downing Street, in London. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)

This prompted Cummings to declare this week to the Unherd website, The Tory party itself is quite rotten now and the sign of that is that they cant think of anyone better than Boris, whos clearly just completely shot.

They are collectively saying, if we get rid of him, we might get somebody worse And they actually could get somebody worse: Liz Truss would be even worse than Boris. Shes about as close to properly crackers as anybody Ive met in parliament.

Cummings added that Sunak had blown himself up, while Whatever you might think of Michael Goves abilities, he is not a loved character.

This is as good a guess as any as to the present state of play. With the ruling party in disarray, the population is being forced to endure the medias insistence that all attention must be focused on the Byzantine inner workings of the Tory party, with just one individual, Brady, holding the key to everything.

The central function of this media feeding frenzy is to ensure that no independent working-class opposition to Johnson finds expression and the Tories collectively continue to dictate events. The Guardian, representative of what passes for liberal opinion in Britain, focuses its efforts on political mythmakingseeking to convince its sceptical readers that if only Johnson were removed then the Tory Party would be miraculously transformed by its supposedly progressive One Nation wing.

On Tuesday the newspaper led with the headline, PMs sudden lurch to right fuels anger of Tory rebels, commenting, Boris Johnsons lurch to the right after Partygate is fuelling even more anger among rebel Tory MPs, with momentum now building for a leadership challenge next week.

It listed a number of right-wing and nationalistic policies launched in recent weeks, including the return of imperial measures, plans to override the Northern Ireland protocol, a hint about expanding grammar schools, a review of fracking and repeated promises to tear up more EU regulation.

Johnson calculates that this is the red meat necessary to throw at the Tory membership base, but the Guardian points to the displeasure of right-wing warmonger Tobias Ellwood. The enlightened Ellwood didnt think nostalgia for pints, gallons, feet and inches was the sort of one-nation Conservative thinking that is required to appeal beyond our base.

The Guardian also noted, Another Conservative MP said he represented a seat in the heart of middle England and about half of the core Conservative voters there had lost faith in the prime minister.

This is political nonsense. Whatever disagreements exist between the old David Cameron-led pro-European Union wing of the party and the hardline Brexiteers, up to now represented by Johnson, the Tories are a hardened right-wing, One Class party of the British bourgeoisie. Every Tory MP represents a ruling elite which is enacting policies of brutal austerity against the working class, to be enforced by an evisceration of democratic rights.

Just in the six months of the partygate scandal, the government, backed by every Tory MP, has voted through a raft of reactionary legislation, with more in the pipeline including a Public Order Bill handing virtually limitless stop and search powers to the police.

This war against the working class at home is the necessary corollary of the Johnson governments central role in NATOs proxy war against Russia, for which the Guardian is the biggest cheerleader. On this central issue Ellwood, chair of the defence select committee and a former captain in the Royal Green Jackets, is indistinguishable from Truss when it comes to calls to step up military conflict with Russia.

Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood arrives at the Houses of Parliament in London, Friday March 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

The Guardian hailed him as the putative leader of the Tory progressives on the same day he published an op-ed piece in the Sun newspaper, The West has to ensure Ukraine defeats Russiaevery Nato member must up defence spending now.

Ellwood warned, To date we are only doing enough to ensure they dont losebut not enough to guarantee they can win. Putin may have misjudged Ukraines resolve to hold ground, but he was spot on in believing Nato would have no appetite to get directly involved.

None of the leading warmongers in the Tory Party, or any of the opposition parties, have any differences with British imperialism stepping up provocations that could lead to all-out with Russia and China, threatening the future of humanity.

Millions of workers in the UK want to see Johnson gone. They hate him for having presided over a herd immunity policy that has led to 200,000 deaths from COVID-19 and millions more left to mourn and suffer from long-term health problems, and for his ruthless imposition of the austerity measures demanded by big business. But they want to see the entire Tory government swept from power, not his replacement by Truss or some other political criminal. Moreover, workers are confronted with the fact that the Labour Party under Sir Keir Starmer has no differences with the Tory agenda of herd immunity, austerity and war.

A movement is now beginning to develop that can achieve this goal. Despite every effort by Labour and the trade unions to try to suppress the class struggle, recent days have seen a vote for national strike action by tens of thousands of rail workers, an ongoing ballot for national action by 40,000 BT telecoms workers, multiple strikes by bus and refuse workers and wildcat action by oil rig workers calling for a wages revolution.

This movement must be given leadership by the formation of rank-and-file committees, independent of the treacherous trade union leaders, and armed with a socialist programme for a workers government. We urge workers to read the Socialist Equality Partys assessment of the Johnson crisis, The working class must mobilise to bring down the Johnson government!, and to join and build the SEP.
President Joe Biden gave a prime-time address Thursday night advancing a series of limited gun control measures which will do nothing to address the unending wave of gun violence in the US and have no chance of passing in the evenly divided Senate.

President Joe Biden speaks about the latest round of mass shootings, from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, June 2, 2022 [AP Photo/Evan Vucci]

His remarks came a day after a 45-year-old man murdered three health care workers and a patient before turning the gun on himself at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and just nine days after 19 children and two teachers were massacred at Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.



Testifying to the routine nature of gun violence in the US, hours before Biden gave his speech, at least five people were shot at a funeral in Racine, Wisconsin. The funeral was for 37-year-old DaShontay King Sr. who had been shot and killed by Racine police officer Zachary Brenner on May 20 after a short foot pursuit.

Since the Uvalde massacre, the Gun Violence Archive (GVA) has cataloged at least 21 mass shootings, which it defines as an incident in which four or more people were injured or killed in a shooting.



So far this year the GVA has documented at least 232 mass shootings in the US, amounting to more than one every day. This horrific pace would shatter the previous record set in 2021, in which the GVA identified 240 incidents which qualified as a mass shooting. So far, at least 256 people have been killed in mass shootings in the US with over 1,000 injured.



There has not been a single week in 2022 were there have not been at least four mass shootings. For comparisons sake, in 2014 there were 91 mass shootings throughout the entire year.



In his speech, Biden attempted to deflect the blame for daily mass shootings in the United States away from the deep social crisis produced by the capitalist system and onto the back of the entire population. Biden called on his fellow Americans to do their part, to advance his limited gun control measures.



Biden put forward several proposals, a majority of which would require the support of 10 Republican senators to overcome the filibuster. The Democrats, who control Congress thanks to a majority in the House and Vice President Kamala Harriss tie-breaking vote in the Senate, could unilaterally abolish the filibuster and pass any number of bills concerning gun reform, voting rights, abortion rights, marriage equality, and the rest of Bidens long-dead Build Back Better agenda.



However, in the interest of unity with their far-right ruling class accomplices, Biden and the Democrats have refused to eliminate the filibuster and follow through on any of their limited social reform measures. Instead, as Biden did again during his Thursday speech, the Democrats mindlessly instruct the population to vote for them in the November elections.



Even while framing his proposals as common sense, Biden acknowledged that the most robust measure he proposed, reinstating the 1994 assault weapons ban, had no chance of becoming law again. This fact exemplifies the rightward shift of not only the Republicans, but the Democrats as well over the last three decades.



In his speech, Biden called on Congress to a ban high-capacity magazines, institute red-flag laws, repeal immunity from liability for gun manufactures and implement a safe-storage law, a punitive measure that would be used to target shooters friends and family members after the fact for failing to lock up firearms.



Seeking to appeal to his fascistic Republican colleagues, the Catholic Biden recited biblical verses throughout his speech while claiming that he had respect for gun culture and tradition. Biden claimed that his proposals were not about taking away anyones rights but about protecting children ... families ... communities.



Bidens declaration that he cares about protecting children is as hollow as the measures he proposed.



Attempting to present a somber appearance meant to convey compassion, Biden gave his speech in the White Houses Cross Hall, which featured a red carpet lined with candles. In February 2021, Biden held an address from the same location to commemorate the 500,000 Americans that needlessly died from COVID-19, something he did not repeat this year when the COVID-19 death toll doubled to over a million.

The massive pandemic death toll in the United States is the outcome of the bipartisan herd immunity strategy pursued by Trump and Bidena historic social crime and a searing indictment of the capitalist system and its representatives false claims to protect children, families or communities.



Bidens appeal for common sense gun reform came a day after 45-year-old Michael Louis, apparently upset about ongoing pain he experienced following a recent back surgery, sought revenge on his doctor and any who tried to stop him at the Saint Francis Hospital complex in Tulsa.



In a news conference Thursday morning, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin told reporters police had discovered a letter on Louiss body after he killed himself. Franklin claimed that Louis made clear in the letter he was going to kill Dr. Preston Phillips and anyone who came in his way.



While hundreds of police, including heavily armed SWAT officers, descended on the hospital within minutes of emergency services receiving calls about an active shooter situation, Louis killed himself before police made contact.



In addition to killing Dr. Phillips, the orthopedic surgeon who performed surgery on Louis last month, a second orthopedist, Dr. Stephanie Husen, was also killed. The other two victims are Amanda Green, a receptionist at the hospital, and William Love, who was at the hospital as a patient. Multiple reports claim there were several other injuries, however it is unknown as of this writing if these are gun-related injuries or if they were sustained by people trying to escape the hospital during the rampage.



Police revealed that since Louis was discharged from the hospital following his surgery, he repeatedly called Dr. Phillips complaining of back pain. Apparently upset at the fact that he was still suffering following his surgery, police claimed that Louis legally bought a .40 caliber pistol last week and an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle hours before carrying out his massacre.



In the same Thursday news conference, the president and CEO of Saint Francis Health System, Dr. Cliff Robertson, called on those viewing the press conference to support this community with your prayers.



Capitalism does not run on prayers, though, so in an email that went out to staff following the shooting, which was re-posted on social media, health care workers were instructed that they are allowed one morning to mourn the passing of their colleagues.



To allow our staff and caregivers the opportunity to process todays tragedy, a snippet of the email read, all Warren Clinic appointments in Tulsa and Broken Arrow scheduled before noon tomorrow have been canceled.




About 1,800 sanitation workers attached to the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), a public service and state government agency, were forced to abruptly end their strike on May 25 due to bullying tactics employed by senior CMWSSB officials and a large contingent of police officers. The workers began an indefinite strike May 15 to demand permanent employment.

Striking Chennai sanitation workers (WSWS Media)

During a sit-in strike at the Metro water depot in MRC Nagar on May 25, top Board officials barged in and threatened the contract workers with termination if they did not immediately return to their posts. Threats of force from the accompanying police officers were also made. Sensing rising anger among the workers, the senior Board officials told them that they would raise their demand for permanent jobs with the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, of which Chennai is the state capital, and that a favourable solution would be found for them within three months. These promises were nothing but a fraud meant to supplement their efforts to force the strikers back on the job with bullying and intimidation.

Workers say that the Board decided to end the direct employment of 1,800 temporary workers February 21, reducing them to the status of contract workers. However, management kept quiet about this change. The workers only came to know about it when their salary for April was not paid on time.

The Stalinist Communist Party of India (Marxist)linked Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), which is active in the CMWSSB and some of whose members were threatened with termination and arrest by the police, played the principal role in bringing the sanitation workers militant strike to an end. Rather than responding to the CMWSSB managers threats and the police intimidation tactics by broadening the strike and rallying support from other sections of the working class, the CITU isolated and abandoned the sanitation workers.

According to media reports, workers alleged that officials forcefully retrieved the keys of jet rodding vehicles and desilting vehicles from the protesting drivers saying that they have been terminated from service.

A worker at the May 25 sit-in described to the media the background of the workers decision to end the strike: The CMWSSB management has been continuously threatening the protest workers to call off their strike. Now, they are calling up individual workers asking them to return to work immediately and get the wages for the protesting period or they will appoint a new person in his place. Police also threatened to arrest the workers citing the Prime Ministers visit to the city.

The sanitation workers strike against the contract labour system erupted spontaneously without any trade union assistance.

The CMWSSB sanitation workers are not alone in fighting for permanent jobs and against cheap-labour and precarious-contract jobs. The vast majority of the sanitation workers across India are contract workers. Government authorities are keeping these highly oppressed workers employed on a contractual basis for indefinite periods in order to impose poverty wages and deny them even the most minimal rights and benefits. Contract workers suffer unrestrained exploitation because violations of worker rights by contract agents are hardly ever monitored and restrained.

Contract labour is prevalent in both the private and public sectors across India, and its spread has been a key mechanism by which the ruling-class has intensified worker-exploitation, while dividing workers.

The unions, including the CITU, declaim against contract labour, but have mounted no serious struggle against it. They have confined worker opposition to isolated and sporadic struggles and have accepted the splitting of the workforce at numerous companies into two or more tiers, often consisting of permanent, contract, trainees and temporary workers.

The unions have isolated the contract workers struggles from the broader upsurge of working-class strikes and protests directed against Prime Minister Narendra Modis austerity measures and pro-investor reforms. Major strikes by autoworkers, one- and two-day general strikes involving tens of millions of workers across the country, and the year-long agitation by farmers against the governments pro-agribusiness farm laws demonstrate that the potential exists for a unified struggle by working people for improved conditions and workplace benefits.

More than 70,000 Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) workers struck for five months, from early November though the end of April, to secure the status of state government employees so as to block the corporation and state governments plans to privatise bus routes and depots. Despite the determination and militancy of the strikers, their strike was isolated and betrayed by the trade unions, above all the Stalinist CITU. The courts stepped in to illegalise the strike, and workers were ultimately forced to return to work as the financial strain of the struggle became too much to bear.

The striking sanitation workers in a May 16 open letter to the residents of Chennai, asking for support for their strike, declared: We have been working for about 2030 years as Field Workers, Silt Vehicle Drivers, Jet Rodding and Super-Sucker Vehicle Drivers and Operators. Before the law prohibiting manual scavenging was enacted, we were regularly risking our lives inside septic tanks and in underground sewer wells. ... There is not a day that goes by without us facing accidents or humiliations. ... The toxic gasses and fecal contaminants have been occupationally affecting our bodies in many worksites. ...

WSWS reporters visited striking Chennai sanitation workers while the strike was going on and discussed with them the need to build an action committee that is independent of and in opposition to the treacherous pro-capitalist trade unions, like the Stalinist CITU. They explained that workers can no longer rely on the trade unions and the political parties tied to them to defend their class interests. The contract labour system is a state-supported policy to increase worker exploitation and the profits of big companies and investors. They must therefore wage a struggle against the capitalist state and national governments and fight for socialist policies.

The Stalinist Communist Party of India (Marxist) forms alliances with big business parties including the Congress Party, until recently the Indian bourgeoisies preferred party of national government, and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which currently forms Tamil Nadus government, promoting them as a secular and democratic alternative to the communal and authoritarian BJP. In this way the Stalinist parties tie the working class to the capitalist parties and state.

Striking sanitation workers spoke out against the appalling conditions they must endure.

Striking Chennai sanitation worker, Kamalakannan (WSWS Media)

Kamalakannan, 40, told the WSWS: Previously we were direct employees of the Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board. Now we came under different contract agents who supply contract workers to the board. He complained that sanitation workers were not provided with safety kits like gloves, helmets, shoes, and uniforms by the authorities.

Deprived of safety kits, a 42-year-old worker, Janakiraman, was seriously injured when the jet rodding system busted and extremely high-speed water splashed out and his head was severely damaged. The administration took him to a public hospital. After treatment, he is now staying in his home. The board has not provided him any compensation. He is paid only a nominal wage monthly, the worker explained.

Chandrasekar (WSWS Media)

Chandrasekar, 32, a sewerage cleaning worker, said: We are not paid for Sunday, as they follow a no-work no-pay policy. I have been working for 11 years. My monthly salary is 15,000 rupees [US$193]. They deduct 850 rupees from my monthly salary for PF [Provident Fund] and ESI [Employees State Insurance Scheme, a social security scheme for workers].

On using modern equipment at work, he said: Though new modern types of equipment are available now for cleaning sewers, in some places working men have to go down sewerage wells to remove any blockage. This type of work causes various health problems for workers. We do this cleaning job virtually in all the government sector premises as well as in housing boards schemes.

Though they use jet rodding and sewage suction trucks in some places at work, the state government uses men in most of the places. We work on High Court and General Hospital [GH] premises as well as in the houses of state ministers.

Sridar (WSWS Media)

Sridar, 45, said: I used to get a monthly salary of 25,000 rupees when I was working for the board. But after they made me a contract worker, my salary is reduced to 20,000 rupees. We demand permanent jobs so our jobs will be secured permanently and we will become entitled to the other benefits enjoyed by permanent workers.

Speaking on the treacherous role played by the CITU, he said: Five years ago, we joined the CITU, on their promise that they would make all of us permanent within three months. But to our disappointment, they didnt make us permanent even after five years. The CITU didnt even come to our protection whenever we were harassed by higher officials. Therefore we left the CITU union. We lost confidence in the union. We dont need a union. We are now in a direct struggle against the state government.

Nirmal, 38, said: I have been working for eight years. My monthly salary is 12,000 rupees. However, out of this, I have to spend 5,000 on my house rent. Most of the contract workers are living in rented houses.

According to Gopal, who joined the board in 1992, three workers have died due to COVID-19 in the last two years.

He said the union had filed a case in the courts in 2019 under pressure from contract workers. But we have not been informed with any updates regarding the case. When asked, the union officials would say not to ask that question because they themselves didnt know anything about it.
North Korea is currently facing a surge of COVID-19 cases amid a worsening economic crisis. The situation is compounded by the impoverished countrys isolation from the rest of the world, a result of both US-led sanctions as well as Pyongyangs own self-imposed border closing for most of the pandemic. The spate of missile tests in recent months, including the launching of three ballistic missiles on May 25, must be seen within this context.

An employee of Songyo Knitwear Factory in Songyo district disinfects the work floor in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, May 18, 2022, after the country's leader Kim Jong Un said Tuesday his party would treat the country's coronavirus outbreak under the state emergency. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)

Pyongyang publicly admitted to COVID-19 cases within North Korea for the first time on May 12, though it is believed there have been other outbreaks. The government declared a major national emergency, which included lockdowns in every city, in an attempt to curb virus transmission.

Daily infections reached as high as 392,920 on May 15, with these classified as fever cases, since North Korea reportedly lacks adequate testing capabilities. This is an indication that many more cases may be unidentified, suggesting an even larger health crisis. On June 1, Pyongyang reported 93,180 daily cases. Officially, more than 3.74 million have been identified as likely cases since the end of April. Only 70 deaths have so far been reported.

China has pledged to assist North Korea with the outbreak, citing a fine tradition of mutual assistance between the two, according to Beijings Foreign Ministry. On May 16, North Korea flew three cargo planes to China and back, a South Korean government source told CNN, though it is unknown what they carried. Radio Free Asia (RFA), a mouthpiece for US imperialism, reported on May 26 that North Korea had only recently begun its mass inoculation program with vaccines from China, though they are supposedly only available for soldiers involved in construction projects in the capital.

On May 29, Pyongyangs Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a positive evaluation of the pandemic situation being controlled and improved across the country at a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers Party of Korea.

Pyongyang, therefore, appears to be lifting COVID control measures, possibly in response to the economic crisis. Reports also suggest that in many cases workers were kept on the job despite lockdowns. Hong Min of the South Korean government-affiliated Korea Institute of National Unification stated, According to North Korean broadcasting, production activities were carried out on a daily basis with exceptions, despite quarantine and containment measures.

For most of the pandemic, North Korea has maintained self-imposed border closures with other countries, which primarily means closing its border with China. While some shipments of Chinese relief aid started to enter the country last year, they were forced to sit in quarantine for months. Pyongyang also opened its border with China for freight trains in January, however, it was closed again on May 1.

Even before the latest COVID-19 outbreak and the border closure, North Korea faced a deteriorating economy. The brief re-opening of trade, coupled with several ballistic missile tests this year, suggests Pyongyang is attempting to secure an easing of the crippling US-led sanctions that have been in place for years. North Korea has repeatedly utilized nuclear and missiles tests as its only bargaining chip with Washington, short of complete capitulation.

In 2020, North Koreas economy declined sharply by 4.5 percent, which continued in 2021 and this year. During the brief period the North Korea-China border reopened, trade grew by 40.7 times in January and February over the previous year, according to the Chinese General Administration of Customs. This mostly included foodstuffs as well as construction, agricultural, and pharmaceutical goods. However, trade only recovered to approximately 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

North Korea is also facing food shortages. Pyongyangs trade with China reportedly dropped by 80 percent in 2020 and by another two-thirds through the first nine months of 2021. The US Central Intelligence Agency claims that the North faces a shortage of 860,000 tonnes of food necessary to prevent widespread malnutrition.

This, of course, has not prevented Washington from attempting to enforce even stricter sanctions on North Korea following the latest missile tests on May 25, which is believed to have included an intercontinental ballistic missile and two short-range ballistic missiles.

On May 26, China and Russia, the two main targets of US imperialism, vetoed a US-drafted United Nations Security Council resolution to intensify sanctions on North Korea. Neither has vetoed a resolution since 2006.

Chinas UN ambassador Zhang Jun argued that additional sanctions would only worsen the situation in North Korea and lead to increased testing. He accused the US of causing the current situation by the flip flop of its policies. These sentiments were echoed by Russias ambassador Vasily Nebenzya.

During the Trump administration, the US president threatened at the UN to totally destroy North Korea, only to turn around and enter negotiations with vague promises of economic assistance that ultimately led nowhere. Under Biden, Washington has offered nothing of substance to Pyongyang while at the same time expressing support for South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeols audacious economic plan to revive North Koreas economy.

The proposed sanctions included a ban on exports of tobacco products to North Korea, an extension of the ban on ballistic missile testing to include cruise missiles or any method of potentially delivering a nuclear weapon, cutting crude oil exports to the North from four million barrels to three million annually, and reducing refined petroleum exports from 500,000 barrels to 375,000. It would also have banned all North Korean exports of mineral fuels, mineral oils, and products of their distillation.

Despite this, the US has offered pandemic assistance to North Korea, though Pyongyang has not responded, understandably wary of US intentions. Last July, Pyongyangs Foreign Ministry criticized US offers of humanitarian assistance, stating it was meant to legitimize their pressure on sovereign states and achieve their sinister political scheme.

Pyongyang has also seen the fates of past targets of US imperialism who have tried to make deals with Washington, including Iraq and Libya, both of which were destroyed and their leaders killed. In a book on Kim Jong-uns decade in power published Tuesday in Pyongyang, the North stated, The invasion tactic of the US is to force [a country] to surrender its self-defensive capabilities. The US has relentlessly laid out sugarcoated words, saying that it will help the country to prosper if it gives up its military buildup and takes a different path.

Given this history, Pyongyang undoubtedly feels there is no reason to trust the Biden administration today without significant assurances for North Koreas security.
At a recent panel event hosted by the Democratic Socialists of Americas (DSA) chapter for the state of Maine, Vladyslav Starodubstev, a leader of the Ukrainian pseudo-left Sotsialnyi Rukh (Social Movement), put forward the chilling perspective that the war creates the possibility for a push of socialist ideas in Ukraine. The panelists and DSA moderators stated their agreement with the speaker and demanded the US government deploy more tanks, missiles, and howitzers to wage war against Russia, regardless of the risk of nuclear holocaust.

This was the outcome of an event cynically titled Ukrainian, Russian and Polish socialists speak out for peace, moderated by DSA member and former International Socialist Organization (ISO) leader Todd Chretien.

It is a strange kind of peace meeting that calls for deploying American weapons, praises NATO and the Pentagon, explicitly opposes any negotiated settlement to the war in Ukraine and urges solidarity with a government dominated by neo-Nazis.

Starodubstev got right to the point:

The Ukrainian people have a right to fight, he said, Left-wing people can support Ukrainian people to fight to be Ukrainians. To support this fight, people need to voice their opinion for sending weapons to Ukraine and for limiting the military possibilities of the Russian regime, by pushing also for sanctions. This is my main point. Diplomatic solutions wont work. To have a diplomatic discussion, to negotiate something, one needs to have power.

Beyond Starodubstev, the event also featured Zofia Malisz, a representative of the Polish pseudo-left party Razem. Malisz echoed Starodubstevs call for expanding the war.

We should deliver weapons to Ukraine, she said. You strangely find yourself in a situation where you may actually agree in practice with the US State Department. You suddenly find yourself in alliance with whatever NATO is doing.

In reality, there is nothing strange about this. The DSA and its international associates represent a section of the upper-middle class whose material interests correspond with Wall Streets drive for world domination. They agree in practice with American imperialism because they share the same social interests. For its entire history, the DSA has formed a part of the State Department and imperialist apparatus. DSA founder Michael Harrington said, after all, that the organization would play a pro-American, Cold War, State Department kind of role.

Chretien, speaking after Starodubstev and Maliszs appeal for weapons shipments, declared, We have the same principles and the same overriding goals. I think the comrades in the Ukraine are absolutely right to ask for whatever aid they need and that socialists should feel completely confident about providing whatever aid we can. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the DSA is not in charge of the American State Department or Pentagon so we have no control over what our government sends.

In the aftermath of the DSAs meeting, what Chretien tellingly referred to as our government agreed to send Ukraine $40 billion in military aid. Every single DSA member of Congress, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib, voted to support the aid package. Ilhan Omar and Bernie Sanders, who are not technically DSA members, also voted for the bill.

To justify their appeal for weapons, the speakers at the DSA event downplayed the role played by neo-Nazis in the Ukrainian military and denounced all left-wing criticism of NATO and US imperialism as justifying genocide.

Starodubstev attacked those who criticize NATOs eastward expansion as mirroring Russian propaganda.

When people try to bring up NATO, they are just justifying Russian aggression against the Ukrainian people, justifying genocide against the Ukrainian people, he said. We must strongly fight against all misunderstandings. I hope this discussion will help bring this understanding into DSA.

Malisz said that Western leftists who criticize NATO are engaged in US-centric thinking. She attacked not only opponents of NATO, but also all who call for a negotiated end to the war. Be wary of people who say that the west should talk to Russia and negotiate Ukraines neutrality. Talking like that over the heads of countries that are directly affected is worthy of the most arrogant attitudes the west has had anywhere. She said that it is neo-colonial and orientalist to support a negotiated peace.

Malisz called NATO expansion a myth, saying, NATO expansion is one of the most persistent myths on the left, particularly the western left. Left intellectuals say yes we condemn Putins regime but, and they treat that as a preface for a long litany of criticisms against NATO that always contain this NATO expansion myth. In fact, NATOs constant eastward expansion is a violation of repeated assurances made by the imperialist powers to the Russian oligarchs who usurped power after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The panelists responded to an audience member who spoke and expressed concern over the fact that weapons sent to Ukraine are ending up in the hands of fascists like the Azov Battalion.

Starodubstevs response was to reassure the audience that the Ukrainian Army is political and has a very centralized structure so the weapons are centrally distributed.  The possibility of [the far-right] using these weapons for pushing their political goal is very low, Starodubstev said. He sought to comfort the questioner by saying, I dont think the far-right will use planes and Javelin missiles to fire at minorities.

Starodubstev presented the NATO-armed Ukrainian Army as a force for socialism. Socialists are fighting in the army, he said, and if weapons are sent, more people will see the bravery of socialist soldiers. He did not address the fact that entire battalions of the Ukrainian armed forces are explicitly neo-Nazis, or that most of the political leadership of the country are admirers of Stepan Bandera, the Nazi collaborator who participated in the Holocaust. The Ukrainian army, he insisted, is a progressive popular force that is waging an anti-colonial war.

Malisz stressed that socialists should not be embarrassed about supporting the positions of their imperialist governments. This is uncomfortable, she acknowledged, and it happens to be where I find myself, agreeing with liberal German politicians or the general Christian democratic conservatives in Europe.

She then addressed the historic origins of her present alignment with German imperialism. Referencing the parties of the German bourgeoisie, she said, they also fought against Soviet aggression, for only partly overlapping motives. So you have to understand the differences in the motives, but not have a knee-jerk reaction to reject the solution, like sending Ukraine weapons.

Though she was not asked to clarify her remarks, Maliszs reference to Germanys fight against Soviet aggression is highly significant, considering the German bourgeoisie under Hitler invaded the Soviet Union, killed 30 million Soviet soldiers and civilians and carried out the systematic extermination of the Jewish population of Europe.

Malisz concluded her remarks with a declaration that sums up the attitude of the tendencies involved: Some on the left say the left has a duty to offer an alternative to the mainstream view. I disagree. She said that those who believe in abstract peace or dreams of a revolution are completely out of touch.

It was a fittingly pathetic end to this gathering of imperialist warmongers. To Maliszs last point, genuine socialist opponents of war respond with the words of Vladimir Lenin, who wrote:

A revolutionary class cannot but wish for the defeat of its government in a reactionary war, cannot fail to see that its military reverses facilitate its overthrow. Only a bourgeois who believes that a war started by the governments must necessarily end as a war between governments and wants it to end as such, can regard as ridiculous and absurd the idea that the Socialists of all the belligerent countries should wish for the defeat of all their governments and express this wish.

That is the perspective of genuine socialists to the expanding US/NATO war against Russia in Ukraine. There is nothing surprising about the DSA organizing an event declaring that imperialist war creates the possibility for a push of socialist ideas. This is the role the DSA has played for a half-century. It is not a socialist organization, it is a part of the Democratic Party and the American imperialist war machine.
Nurses, tell us about conditions in your hospital or workplace. Share your story by using the form at the bottom of this article.

In the week following the May 27 walkout of around 40 nurses at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) in downtown Orlando, Florida, nurses are sharing their views and speaking out against dangerous staffing ratios.

The nurses at ORMC launched the spontaneous walkout against inhuman workloads that threaten patient safety and led to a tragic suicide by a patient going unnoticed for hours. As news of the walkout spread online, the hospital administration has responded by denying that a walkout even took place.

A recent email to ORMC staff from Karen L. Frenier, the Senior Vice President of Human Resources & Chief Nurse Executive, began by stating, We continue to monitor some social media chatter that began over the weekend around rumors of a nurses walkout at Orlando Health ORMC. Just to reiterate, that is misinformation and not true.

Nurses were reportedly forced to sign non-disclosure forms and are unable to speak on conditions in the hospital for fear of retaliation. They have communicated through nurse advocates such as Nurse Nander, The.Nurse.Erica, and Masshole McGuido, as well as through the World Socialist Web Site, which is the only news publication covering the action.

They reported that the patient jumped to his death on May 16 after using a bedside table to break the window in his 8th story room. The nurses say that the Progressive Care Unit (PCU) nurses had such heavy patient loads that the discovery of the deceased patient was greatly delayed.

After the death of the patient, additional staffing was supplied to bring down the patient-to-nurse ratios during an inspection by state officials. But nurses say the ratios returned to unbearable numbers, with some reporting 13:1 for Medical Surgical Units, 7:1 or 8:1 on PCU, 5:1 on Stepdown and 3:1 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Rejecting the claim by hospital administrators that a walkout did not take place, The.Nurse.Erica confirmed, Out of the hundreds of messages Ive received from nurses, there has only been one that has refuted it.

Several current and former nurses at ORMC, as well as nurses in the surrounding region, have written to the WSWS to confirm what happened and are speaking out against conditions at the hospitals. They have asked that their names be withheld for fear of retribution.

One nurse, who currently works at ORMC, confirmed to the WSWS that many nurses had indeed walked out. They also confirmed the patient suicide, as well as another recent patient death that was the result of CMS violations in which a patient eloped, left the hospital and was subsequently hit by a car and killed.

A trauma nurse in the ICU at ORMC wrote, ORMC also triples assignments in their trauma burn ICU, where other level one trauma centers in Florida dont. To be approved to be a level one trauma center, the ratio must be 2:1 patient-to-nurse ratio. That is the guidelines used by all union hospitals in Florida that are approved to be a level one trauma center.

Recently ICU nurses held a meeting with the CNO of the hospital and other leaders of the organization, begging in tears for help, many sharing personal stories of how the 3:1 ratios were destroying patient care, and saying that it is unsafe. Nurses were asking what would happen if they refused an assignment knowing that they physically wouldnt be able to care for the three patients because of their acuity, and they were told only travelers can refuse an assignment. And still nurses are being tripled.

Another nurse who worked at ORMC for many years told the WSWS how the hostile conditions forced them out. I thought I was making things better by calling out policies that changed and were unsafe, also calling out management on their intimidation policies and unfair practices, and I was labeled a troublemaker.

I was blacklisted from working at certain facilities, advised to keep my comments to myself, in order to preserve a calm working environment. I was advised in a way that violated my right to free speech and violated my rights to a fair workplace, which was guaranteed in action by Congress, to promote fair working conditions.

And what theyre doing to new nurses, who know no better, is awful, she wrote. Referring to the case of RaDonda Vaught, she added, Especially with nurses being in a state of witch-hunt, and not being supported by their hospitals when they follow the procedures put forth by the hospitals. Its unfair, and its scary. I used to feel bad for the patients.  Now I feel bad for the patients, and terrified for the staff.

Another Florida nurse wrote, I was a traveling RN at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point in Bayonet Point, Fl. This is an HCA facility that has similar ratios to ORMC. I was tripled nearly every shift in the ICU. We had no patient care techs to assist, and our charge nurse usually had a patient load as well. The PCU and MS ratios were severely unsafe.

I brought up the issue with management, and there was nothing done. They only told us that this is how it is everywhere. Management is relying on new graduate nurses to fill the gaps, while making them believe high ratios are the new norm. I terminated my contract early out of fear for my license.

I work for health first in Melbourne, Florida, another nurse wrote. Our staffing is not adequate. On med surg and med tele, our ratios are anywhere from 1:6 to 1:8, PCU is almost always 1:6. I am not personally sure of ICU ratios, but Id be willing to bet its 1:3. We dont have enough sitters for 1:1, so they have been putting two patients who have a 72-hour psych hold with one sitter on a consistent basis.

All the charge nurses almost always have a full patient assignment as well. Constantly nurses are being asked to work in areas for which they have not been properly trained.

Another nurse in Melbourne, Florida wrote: Im currently working in Melbourne, FL, not far from Orlando, and our PCU ratios are also 1:6 and super unsafe. We are a cardiac PCU, so we get post op day 1-2 open heart patients. The acuity is very high, and we are all overwhelmed.

They hired travelers, but travelers were told no OT was available even though they are short-staffed every single shift. The charge nurses take 4-6 patients every single shift!!!! This is crazy and so unsafe, not to say so so so unfair to the patients that truly need great care.

In a video posted online, Nurse Nander reported that ORMC hospital administrators recently informed nurses via email that increased patient ratios are on the horizon, which prompted many nurses to reply to all and denounce even greater workloads.

Im writing this email to let everyone know that Im putting my patients first, one nurse wrote. If I walk into a 5:1 scenario, Im refusing the assignment and will simply go home. Then that day will be my official two weeks notice, with a stipulation that I will only work with patient ratios of 4:1 or you can simply fire me for leaving since I will always put my patients and license first. Without my license Id have no job either way.

The reality of what nurses and patients are facing at ORMC is only one example of the serious issues that plague the entire health care system. The fact that nurses and health care workers are terrified to speak out and afraid of retaliation is testament to the silencing of nurses more broadly.

Just three weeks ago former Tennessee nurse RaDonda Vaught was sentenced to three years of probation for a medical error that led to the death of one of her patients in 2017. Only a mass mobilization of nurses protesting against the scapegoating of health care workers for systemic problems in the hospitals, prevented her from going to jail.
In the notification Madagascar indicated, among other things, as follows (provisional English translation):

All persons having substantial interest and wishing to be considered as interested parties in this investigation must make themselves known and may request a questionnaire from the ANMCC, the authority in charge of the investigation, within 30 days of from the start of the investigation. Responses to the questionnaire, comments and relevant information must reach the ANMCC no later than 12 July 2022.

Where information requested from interested parties in this investigation is not provided within the time allowed, decisions will be made on the basis of the best information available. The same applies to incorrect or incomplete information.

[]

All inquiries and correspondence relating to this investigation should be directed to:

Monsieur Le Directeur General de lANMCC

Enceinte Ex-Conquete Antanimena, Antananarivo 101  Madagascar

e-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]

site web: www.anmcc.mg

Further information is available in G/SG/N/6/MDG/8.

What is a safeguard investigation?

A safeguard investigation seeks to determine whether increased imports of a product are causing, or is threatening to cause, serious injury to a domestic industry.

During a safeguard investigation, importers, exporters and other interested parties may present evidence and views and respond to the presentations of other parties.

A WTO member may take a safeguard action (i.e. restrict imports of a product temporarily) only if the increased imports of the product are found to be causing, or threatening to cause, serious injury.
The participants are from Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

The course was opened by WTO Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang, China's Vice Minister of Commerce Mr Shouwen Wang and Professor Rongming Wang, President of the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics (SUIBE).

DDG Zhang said that it was an opportune time for participants to learn more about the WTO and what it stands for. The participants would explore the challenges that the multilateral trading system is currently facing and the opportunities that the WTO agreements provide, he added.

Professor Wang expressed gratitude for SUIBE's growing partnership with the WTO, including as a WTO Chair and highlighted that with the concerted effort of both institutions, the eRTPC would achieve fruitful results.

Organized by the WTO's Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation in partnership with SUIBE, the course seeks to ensure that trade-related technical assistance continues to be available despite limitations on face-to-face training due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The virtual regional course offers most of the training components offered by face-to-face courses. The current course is an intermediate training activity specifically designed for government officials with trade-related experience and who have undertaken basic WTO training. Its curriculum covers the WTO agreements, its rules and procedures, and regional trade policy issues. The course will consist of self-learning, interactive case studies and exercises, and face-to-face webinars. It will be conducted by WTO experts and trade-policy experts from the Asia-Pacific region.

Despite its challenges, the online nature of the course has facilitated easier access to, and closer collaboration with, a broader range of experts, international institutions and partners that are also engaged in capacity-building in the areas of regional and multilateral trade.

The course will host, on a weekly basis, information sessions that showcase the trade-related work conducted by other multilateral and regional organizations, such as the International Trade Centre and the Advisory Centre on WTO Law. This will provide participants with the opportunity to learn more about the practical impact of international and regional trade in the Asia-Pacific region.

The course will conclude with a roundtable discussion open to the public on a trade-related topic of current relevance to the Asia Pacific region.
The Beatrice Community Food Pantry is celebrating 50 years of service in the community this year.

On Wednesday, June 8, the Pantry will hold one of its largest annual food and donation drives, the KOLN sponsored Can Care-a-Van, and a ribbon cutting ceremony to ring in the 50th year.

Signs and banners will festoon the parking lot of St. Johns Lutheran Church, the building that houses the pantry. At 9 a.m., Pure Nebraska will be live at St. Johns. The Pantry will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate 50 years with representatives of the Beatrice Chamber of Commerce at 10 a.m.

Mains said theyll be serving cookies, lemonade and tea and will be offering tours through the pantry until 3 p.m.

We really want people to see the pantry and how it works, she said. The Pantry has a lot of unique things about it.

Mains pointed to the fact that the Pantrys dozens of volunteers fill specific order requests, as though it were a kind of grocery store.

We get people what they need, she said.

Mains said attendees are encouraged to bring gifts of food items or money to the event. As she said, even with 50 years under the belt, theres no time to rest on their laurels.

Every 15 minutes we fill an order, she said. We try to do 12 in the morning and 12 in the afternoon on a typical day.

She said the food pantry is in need of more food and money, and shes hopeful the event will get the Pantry what it needs until its fall donation drive.

Mains said shes thankful for the community support.

I just think its wonderful, she said. Everybody has been so supportive of this food pantry. And thats whats so wonderful about Beatrice.

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Dick and Margaret Ann Leseberg will celebrate two major milestones next June: 6o years of marriage and their first full year of retirement.

The Lesebergs spent the past 46 years of their lives washing cars in the community. In May, they sold their car washes to Matt and Wendi Strein.

Back in 1976, Dick, while working for the Beatrice Fire Department, spent his time off making deliveries in towns around Beatrice. He saw a gas station and car wash for sale in Fairbury. He bought in in August.

I always wanted to run my own business, Dick said. My father was a farmer, which is like being your own boss. I wanted that.

Dick then bought a closed gas station at 6th and Jefferson in Beatrice, where he built a car wash, in 1982.

Working together, the Leseberg family came to own multiple car washes and a car lot in town.

Its been a passion for me, Dick said. I always told everybody Id be there until I died, but the closer I got to dying, I thought, well maybe thats not a good idea.

Dick said he and his son, Randy, helped fix parts and clean up. Margaret helped do paper work and clean up.

Theres a lot of clean up to do at a car wash in a rural community, Dick said, smiling.

Dick and Margaret Ann said they enjoyed running the business as a family. It kept them together and gave them something in common to work for.

Dick said he and Randy did most of the repairs themselves, making sure that out-of-order signs didnt stay up for long.

You learn a lot about the machines in 46 years, Dick said.

The pair said theyre grateful for the help of their son, Randy.

Our son has worked for us for 31 years, which we couldnt have managed to do it as long as we have without him, Margaret Ann said.

Margaret Ann said the transition to new ownership has gone well so far. Wendi Strein, whos lived in the area with her husband Matt for 17 years, agreed.

They have been so good to work with, Strein said. We just want to continue the legacy of Dick and Margaret Ann Im really looking forward to learning so many new things.

Dick said the Streins will be good stewards of the car washes and car lot in town.

Looking back, Dick said hell miss the relationships he built with customers the most.

Weve had some emotional days, he said. Weve built so many relationships with the customers over time. We grew old with them over 46 years. Thats the hard part. Thats hard to give up.

Dick and Margaret Ann said theyre thankful to all the kindness the community showed them in their 46 years of work in the area. In their retirement, they said they hope travel more.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden is delivering an address to the nation Thursday night about the latest wave of mass shootings, attempting to increase pressure on Congress to pass stricter gun limits after such efforts failed following past outbreaks.

The speech follows last week's shootings by an 18-year-old gunman, who killed 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and another attack on Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a gunman shot and killed four people and himself at a medical office.

And those came after the May 14 assault in Buffalo, New York, where a white 18-year-old wearing military gear and livestreaming with a helmet camera opened fire with a rifle at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood, killing 10 people and wounding three others in what authorities described as "racially motivated violent extremism."

All major broadcast networks planned to break away from regular programing to carry Biden's remarks at 7:30 p.m. EDT, before the start of primetime shows. The White House said the president would address "tragic mass shootings, and a need for Congress to pass commonsense laws to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is taking lives every day."

"He's going to renew his call for action to stop the epidemic of gun violence that we've seen in Uvalde and in Tulsa and in Buffalo in just a few short weeks," said press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. She said Biden did not plan to announce any new executive actions and that "tonight's speech is going to focus on what Congress needs to do."

"It'll be basically making sure that his voice is out there and calling to action and making sure that the American people know that he's still continuing to speak on their behalf," she said.

Biden has used national speeches in the past to speak about the coronavirus pandemic and the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. But the president has used such addresses sparingly during his nearly 18 months in office, especially during evening hours

Earlier Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about the Oklahoma shooting, saying, "All of us hold the people of Tulsa in our hearts, but we also reaffirm our commitment to passing commonsense gun safety laws."

"No more excuses. Thoughts and prayers are important, but not enough," Harris said. "We need Congress to act."

Before marking Memorial Day on Monday, Biden told reporters at the White House that there may be some bipartisan support to tighten restrictions on the kind of high-powered weapons used by the gunman in Uvalde. But he also noted that, while he had taken some steps via executive actions, he didn't have the power as president to "outlaw a weapon."

He also said that "things have gotten so bad that everybody's getting more rational, at least that's my hope," adding, "There's realization on the part of rational Republicans" who realize "we can't keep repeating ourselves."

Visiting Uvalde on Sunday, Biden mourned privately for three-plus hours with anguished families. Faced with chants of "do something" as he departed a church service, the president pledged: "We will."

His Thursday night address coincided with bipartisan talks that are intensifying among a core group of senators discussing modest gun policy changes. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said the group is "making rapid progress," and Biden has spoken to Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, among those leading their party's efforts on the issue.

Democrats are hoping Biden uses the remarks to encourage the bipartisan Senate talks and build pressure on the Republicans to strike an agreement. Jean-Pierre said Biden is "encouraged" by congressional negotiations but the president wants to give lawmakers "some space" to keep talking.

The private discussions in the Senate, which is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, are not expected to produce the kinds of sweeping reforms being considered by the Democratic-led House  which has approved expansive background checks legislation and will next turn to an assault weapons ban.

But even a House package debated Thursday that is less sweeping but includes a provision raising the required age for buying semi-automatic firearms to 21, faces slim chances in the Senate.

Instead, the bipartisan senators are likely to come up with a more incremental package that would increase federal funding to support state gun safety efforts  with incentives for bolstering school security and mental health resources. The package may also encourage "red-flag laws" to keep firearms away from those who would do harm.

Jean-Pierre suggested Biden would use his speech to call for expanded background checks and red flag laws  as well as a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. She said he would focus on two audiences: congressional negotiators and also the general public.

Any major action is still a long shot. While the Senate approved a modest measure to encourage compliance with background checks after a 2017 church mass shooting in Texas and one in Parkland, Florida, the following year, no major legislation cleared the chamber following the devastating massacre of 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.

__

Associated Press Writer Lisa Mascaro contributed.

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The primary race for Montanas eastern U.S. House district is winding down with few people donating to U.S. Rep Matt Rosendales challengers.

Rosendale, a Republican, leads all eastern district candidates with $1,137,244.01 cash on hand, as of May 18. Rosendale's receipts for the election total $1.6 million.

U.S. House District 2 includes Billings, Helena Great Falls and all points east. The low-dollar trend in the east differs from spending in U.S. House District 1, where candidates have combined to raise $6.27 million.

Combined, the remaining candidates reported $124,770.22 in the bank and that figure comes with a major asterisk: Mark Sweeney the leader in funding among the non-Rosendales, died unexpectedly May 6. Without Sweeney, the available funding totaled $56,136.34.

Rosendales contributions from individuals totaled $159,158.05 between April 1 and May 18. He also picked up $21,400 in PAC money and $52,514.85 in money from other committees.

There is a Republican primary, pitting Rosendale against James Boyette, of Bozeman, Kyle Austin, of Billings, and Charles Walking Child, of Helena. None of those candidates have cash on hand. Among the Rosendale primary challengers, only Boyette has reported his spending, with $5,371.07 in net operating expenditures since the start of he year, including $2,500 from himself.

The Democrats in the race, Penny Ronning and Skylar Williams, both of Billings, had a combined $4,707.85 cash on hand. Williams accounted for $48.13 of that amount.

Williams did pick up $650 in contributions from individuals between April 1 and May 18, plus $153.66 from political party committees.

Ronnings fundraising has been more robust. Shes raised $47,320.45 from all sources since filing for office. Between April 1 and May 18, the candidate picked up $8,299 in contributions from individuals.

There are three Libertarians in the primary: Sam Rankin, of Billings, Roger Roots, of Livingston, and Samuel Thomas, of Missoula. Only Rankin is reporting funds, $20,326.66 of his own money.

Independent Gary Buchanan, who appears to have gathered enough signatures from voters to qualify for the November ballot, but will not be in the primary, reports $51,428.49 cash on hand, the most among the non-Rosendales. Buchanan, of Billings, reported $47,750 in individual contributions between April 1 and May 18. He also loaned his campaign $25,000.

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A shootout in the Billings North Park neighborhood Monday that left a suspect dead and a police officer injured has reignited the debate about the number of parolees and probationers the state releases in Billings.

Advocates for reforming where Montana Department of Corrections releases this population are again speaking up and hoping city, county and state officials listen.

"It's the root of the violent crime here," said Frank Ewalt, a past city council member. "We need to make a stand and say we're not going to take it anymore."

Ewalt, who lost his council election to Jennifer Owens last fall, has been lobbying city council for much of the spring to send a message to the state by passing an ordinance that would cap the number of parolees the state can send to Billings.

The state may not honor the cap, he said, but it would send a signal to Helena that the city is serious about pushing back.

The issue of the number of state parolees and probationers sent to Billings has been debated over the last few years as crime rates in the city have steadily risen.

In November, city and county leaders met with state lawmakers in Billings, a meeting sparked by a chaotic stabbing in the kitchen at Jake's restaurant earlier in the fall. The suspect was from Missoula on prerelease at Alpha House, a corrections halfway house in Billings.

The perception of state parolees being delivered to Billings in disproportionate numbers has long been held by residents and officials alike. Some of it is borne out in the data.

Yellowstone County has about 15% of the states population but at the end of last year had 24% of the state's community supervised residents. Community supervision includes parolees, probationers and those in conditional release.

By comparison, Missoula County has 11% of the states population and 11.5% of the states community supervised population. Gallatin County, roughly the same size as Missoula, has about 5% of the states total community supervised population.

Along with the hard data, Billings officials talk about stories they've heard about other communities sending members of their own vulnerable populations to Billings. They worry the state's largest city is seen statewide as some kind of collector city.

For Ewalt, that's the heart of the issue. For him, the solution to Billings' crime problem is getting other communities to take their fair share of the state's community supervised population.

"There's seven major cities in the state," he said.

Mayor Bill Cole, who, along with County Attorney Scott Twito, has met in the past with state lawmakers to discuss the issue is keen to see action taken.

"We need to explore all options for reducing crime, including reducing the number of probationers and parolees who are released here," he said by email.

He's not sure the city placing a cap on the number of state supervised residents released in Billings is the answer. Traditionally, municipalities don't have the authority to tell the state what it can do.

But he believes there's action to be taken.

"The first step should be to collect and analyze the data because anecdotal reports are contradictory," he said.

The responsibility of collecting that data likely falls on the Yellowstone County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, a consortium of criminal justice professionals that includes representatives from the federal government, state, county and city, he said.

Billings City Administrator Chris Kukulski sits on the coordinating council, which he said has been meeting regularly and will meet again next week.

"If the data shows Billings is receiving more than its fair share, we should work with our local legislators to find a solution," Cole said.

Within a week, Billings police shot and killed two men after a pair of car chases and standoffs  the suspect in North Park on Monday and a man near Mountview Cemetery the Monday before. Department policy stipulates that officers involved in shootings be placed on administrative leave until those shootings are cleared.

As a result, currently 19 officers are on leave, which has raised concerns about the reduced number of officers left to patrol the city.

The community can rest assured, we have the required number of officers that are on the street," Billings Police Department administrative Lt. Matt Lennick said in a statement. "We made those adjustments, and its short term, its for several weeks, and then those officers will be working their way back onto the street."

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(Instagram/BHPD)

The Beverly Hills police department has bragged on social media about its officers catching an alleged coffee thief who took a cup of Starbucks from a store in the ritzy California city.

The department, made famous in the Eddie Murphy movies, re-posted a video of its officers returning a womans coffee after a short chase on foot. The video was originally posted by the Beverly Hills Unified School District account on Instagram.

We are so grateful to BHPD for keeping us safe wherever we go in the (Beverly Hills) they wrote in a caption of the video of officers returning to the store with the pilfered beverage in hand.

And the police department added a playful caption of their own to the video.

Cop Catches Coffee Caper at Starbucks. #NoCallTooSmall #answerthecall #joinbhpd #starbucks #coffee #brew #grande #drip #latte #espresso #bean.

Social media users were quick to poke fun at the department for the video  and the chase.

Great reaction time on a coffee caper. Now catch the ppl who stole $9 million in jewelry, wrote one Instagram user.

So glad they handled this dangerous individual. He was going after croissants next, added another.
Story at a glance

Effective Friday, residents in Alameda County will once again have to mask up inside public places.

The order does not apply to K-12 schools through the end of the 2021-22 school year, but county health officials strongly recommend masking.

Daily reported coronavirus cases in Alameda County, which is the San Francisco Bay Areas second-most populous, have surpassed the peak of last years delta wave.

A county in Californias Bay Area is reviving its mask mandate for most indoor public settings to limit the impact of a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

Effective Friday, residents in Alameda County will once again have to mask-up inside public places like grocery stores, restaurants and gyms for the first time since the winter omicron wave. County officials cited rising coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, which have more than doubled over the last month.

The order does not apply to K-12 schools through the end of the 2021-22 school year, but county health officials strongly recommend masking. Masks will be required, however, in other settings such as childcare, summer school and youth programs. The City of Berkeley is exempt from the order as it has its own public health department.

Daily reported coronavirus cases in Alameda County, which is the San Francisco Bay Areas second-most populous, have surpassed the peak of last years delta wave and are now approaching levels observed during the winter 2020-21 wave, health officials said.

America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.

Rising COVID cases in Alameda County are now leading to more people being hospitalized and todays action reflects the seriousness of the moment, Alameda County Health Officer Nicholas Moss said in a statement.

We cannot ignore the data, and we cant predict when this wave may end. Putting our masks back on gives us the best opportunity to limit the impact of a prolonged wave on our communities.

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The county is the first in California to reinstate a mask requirement since February when the state and most counties lifted mandates.

The move comes as the U.S. is seeing a spike in daily new cases. The current seven-day moving average of new cases increased by nearly 19 percent, surpassing 101,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

But as cases climb, Americans appear to be shrugging off the risk of the virus. An Axios-Ipsos poll found last month that just 36 percent of Americans said there was significant risk in returning to their normal pre-coronavirus life.

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Peter Navarro said he would reciprocate a "BS" Democrat effort to imprison him for "standing by principle. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Ex-Trump advisor Peter Navarro has been indicted for defying the House January 6 committee.

Navarro has claimed that he can't cooperate due to Trump's supposed privilege over the information.

Navarro joins Stephen Bannon in now facing federal charges over his refusal to cooperate.

A federal grand jury indicted former Trump advisor Peter Navarro after he repeatedly defied the House January 6 committee.

The grand jury indicted Navarro on two separate counts, one related to his refusal to testify for a deposition and another related to his refusal to provide documents to the committee. Each count carries with it a minimum of 30 days in jail and the potential of up to a $100,000 fine.

The charges, which were unsealed on Friday, add further weight to the federal investigations into the Capitol riot and the to go after witnesses that are reluctant to cooperate with investigators. US District Judge Amit P. Mehta on Thursday signed an order to seal the case for one day out of concern the public disclosure could lead to Navarro taking off, tampering with evidence, and "serious jeopardy to the execution of the arrest warrant."

Navarro,72, has tried to claim that former President Donald Trump's executive privilege prevents him from cooperating with the probe. President Joe Biden has waived executive privilege over some of Trump's documents and the bipartisan panel has repeatedly rejected Navarro's claims.

NBC News has reported that Navarro was arrested by authorities and is expected to appear in court Friday afternoon in Washington DC. He did not respond to Insider's request to comment.

A noted-China hawk, Navarro mostly advised Trump on trade policy and was later involved in his pandemic response. After the 2020 election, Navarro publicly bragged about his efforts to help put into motion a plan that would have delayed certification of Biden's win in a bid to get state legislatures to eventually overturn the election results.

Navarro called the plot the "Green Bay sweep" and detailed its contents to Rolling Stone in January.

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"The more likely scenario based on our assessment of the evidence was that states would withdraw any certification," Navarro told Rolling Stone. "And the election would be thrown to the House of Representatives. And even though the House is controlled by Democrats, the way votes would be counted in a presidential election decided by the House, Trump would almost certainly win."

House lawmakers voted to hold Navarro and Dan Scavino, another Trump White House official, in contempt in April, triggering the Justice Department's review of the case.

Navarro is the second Trump ally to face contempt charges, joining former top advisor Steve Bannon. Judge Carl Nichols, a 2019 appointee to the federal trial court in Washington, DC, set Bannon's trial to begin on July 18. Some House Democrats have pushed the Justice Department to bring charges against recalcitrant witnesses, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. Last year, George Terwilliger, Meadow's attorney, said that his client would not cooperate with the select committee's investigation.

The indictment comes a day after Navarro said on MSNBC that he would subpoena Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, members of the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack, if the Republican party wins the 2024 Presidential election.

"I will take Adam Schiff and Jamie Raskin and Nancy Pelosi and Elaine Luria and all of those clowns and kangaroos," he said. "I'll take Biden and every single senior staff member in there, I will put them with subpoenas, and we'll start with the impeachment of Biden for Ukraine, the southern border, all manner of things he is guilty of."

It also comes days after Navarro said in a court filing that the FBI issued him a subpoena to appear before a grand jury as part of the Justice Department's investigation into the Capitol riot.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Darren Baileys Chicago hellhole comment and the issue of crime become focus in debate among GOP candidates for governor

State Sen. Darren Bailey doubled down on his comments he considered Chicago a crime-ridden hellhole during a debate Thursday night of the Republican candidates for governor as he also sought to aggressively label rival Richard Irvin a corrupt Democrat.

But Irvin, mayor of suburban Aurora, sought to shut down criticism from Bailey as well as his other GOP rivals, saying they were upset because he was hurting their political aspirations.

Overall, though, it was the issue of crime that dominated the hourlong debate hosted by ABC-7 Chicago, Univision and the League of Women Voters of Illinois. It was the first, and likely last, televised broadcast forum featuring all six GOP candidates prior to the June 28 primary  though contender Jesse Sullivan of Petersburg took part remotely after testing positive for COVID-19.

The debate came against the backdrop of two mass shootings across the country in a little more than a week. On Wednesday, a gunman killed four people and then himself at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, medical clinic. The previous week, 19 children and two adults were killed at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school before that gunman was killed by a law enforcement officer. In both instances, the gunmen used high-powered, high-capacity assault weapons.

Only minutes before the debate, President Joe Biden addressed the public in a prime-time televised address, rhetorically asking, For Gods sake, how much more carnage are we willing to accept? Biden proposed raising to 21 from 18 the age to purchase an assault weapon in lieu of banning the weapons, which is more a difficult politically to accomplish.

But when Bailey was asked about what steps could be taken to make schools and the nation safer, he said that since Illinois already had some of the most strictest gun laws in the nation, the answer was obvious.

I see young people crying out for help. And sometimes they go ignored by family or by our education system, by our civic groups, Bailey said. We must offer the mental health solutions and help these people to be able to get help and to be able to function in life. And I think thats the only solution we have.

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Irvin said the state needs to look at common sense solutions.

Weve got to focus on safety, and weve got to focus on responsibility, making sure that we keep these guns  out of the hands of criminals and keep these guns out of the hands of people with mental illnesses. As for specifics, Irvin said, Weve got to look at this holistically  how do we stop crime generally in the state of Illinois? And weve got to make sure we support our men and women in law enforcement.

Sullivan, a cryptocurrency venture capitalist who portrays himself as a conservative political outsider as he makes his first bid for elective office, blamed Democrats for politicizing the tragedies.

You know the Democrats use every excuse, every crisis to step in and try to say gun control is the answer, he said. Well the real problem is the liberal agenda, a liberal agenda that has been taking God and faith out of our society.

Sullivan also called for voters to recall Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx, even though there is no provision in Illinois law to recall county prosecutors from office and Foxxs current term runs through 2024.

Bull Valley businessman Gary Rabine said children at schools should be treated like the gold at Fort Knox and proposed armed officers, metal detectors, secured doors and advanced concealed gun carry training for teachers. Former state Sen. Paul Schimpf, a military veteran, proposed that retired military veterans be used as part of enhanced safety personnel in schools, while Max Solomon, a Hazel Crest attorney, called for a relaxation of all gun laws.

Last week, during dueling debates that split the field up into separate broadcasts, Bailey used his appearance on WGN-TV to label Chicago a crime-ridden, corrupt, dysfunctional hellhole. On Thursday, he doubled down on the claim.

You probably heard me refer to it as a hellhole. And you want to know what happened within hours after I made that statement? A homeless man was burned alive. Hes fighting for his life today, Bailey said in reference to an attack on 75-year-old Joseph Kromelis, known as The Walking Man. Mayor Lightfoot, Gov. (J.B.) Pritzker, Kim Foxx and their woke, anti-police policies are responsible for this. And if we are going to restore Chicago, somebodys got to tell the truth. I said it, and when Im elected as governor Ill fix the problem and we will restore the greatness to Chicago.

The debate did provide an opportunity for rivals of Irvin, the best-funded candidate who has been running a candidacy largely through TV ads and mailers, to go on the attack.

Noting reports of Irvin receiving campaign contributions for his mayoral campaigns from firms that won Aurora city contracts, Bailey has repeatedly questioned Irvins Republican loyalties. The Aurora mayor has voted in Democratic primaries in 2014, 2016 and 2020.

Im not interested in defeating you just because youre a Democrat, Bailey said. Im interested in defeating you because you are a corrupt Democrat and your pay-to-play politics in the city of Aurora.

Bailey cast a Democratic primary ballot in the 2008 presidential election and Irvin has used that to attack the state senators GOP bona fides. Sullivan questioned how Irvin is using his multi-million dollar campaign resources.

Richard said his greatest and his only strength  he has a whole lot of money that hes willing to throw around. Well, money cannot buy you character. Money cannot buy you a conservative record, Sullivan said.

Rabine also attacked Irvins background of 15 years as a defense attorney, which Irvin typically ignores in favor of the five years he spent as a local prosecutor.

Theres nobody else running up here thats freed up rapists as well as wife beaters, Rabine said of Irvins tough-on-crime imagery. I cant see how youre going to govern the state that way.

But Irvin largely refused to engage his rivals attacks.

My opponents here on the stage are attacking me and I understand and I get it, he said. Theyre threatened by the fact that Im violating their political aspirations and Im hurting their political aspirations.

The debate occurred as Illinois repeal of its parental notification of abortion act becomes law. The 1995 law required abortion providers to notify a parent if a minor daughter was seeking an abortion. All of the GOP contenders have, at the very least, vowed to push to reinstate the notification law as part of their efforts to curb abortion rights in Illinois.

But Sullivan criticized Irvin for once again refusing to go further and say if he thought the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that permitted abortion without extensive government regulation should be overturned.

I think conservatives around the state need to take this opportunity to hear from Richard Irvin. Do you support the overturning of Roe vs. Wade? Do you support taxpayer funded abortions? This is a clear conservative value that people deserve to hear from you on.

With a little more than three weeks before the primary Election Day, the race has already seen a heated TV ad war. A spate of recent commercials from Irvin have promoted his backing of law enforcement. Other ads attack Bailey, a nod the race may be moving into a two-man contest.

The attack ads on Bailey are critical of the senators record of voting for property tax increases while he served on a local school board and also contend Bailey is receiving Democratic support in attacking Irvin because Democrats think Pritzker could more easily defeat Bailey in the November general election.

Funding Irvins ad campaign is his largest campaign contributor, hedge-fund CEO Ken Griffin, who has now put $50 million behind the Aurora mayor. The effort is part of billionaire Griffins political feud with Pritzker, an entrepreneur and a billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune.

Bailey, who shied away from expensive Chicago advertising until last month, has benefitted from the funding of another billionaire, conservative mega-donor Richard Uihlein of Lake Forest, who owns the Uline business product and office supply business. Uihlein gave Bailey $3 million earlier this week, bringing his total contributions to the downstate senator to more than $9 million. Additionally, Uihlen has given an independent expenditure group backing Bailey and running Irvin attack ads nearly $8.1 million.

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Mandatory Credit: Photo by Alex Brandon/AP/Shutterstock (12970507ax) Harini Logan, 14, from San Antonio, Texas, gets a kiss from her mom Rampriya Logan on stage as she celebrates winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md Spelling Bee, Oxon Hill, United States - 02 Jun 2022

Alex Brandon/AP/Shutterstock

Harini Logan is the winner of the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Scripps announced Harini as the champion of the national spelling contest after facing off against one other speller in a down-to-the-wire Spell-off competition that involved a 90-second speed round. The 14-year-old eighth grader hailing from San Antonio spelled 22 words correctly, upsetting her opponent, 12-year-old Vikram Raju, who fell short with only 15 words.

Logan's final winning word was moorhen, a noun defined as the female of the red grouse.

Harini outspelled 230 competitors at the national level, taking on words like pyrrolidone, Senijextee, Otukian, and scyllarian to secure the grand prize, according to The New York Times.

In addition to winning $50,000, she earned a commemorative medal and the Scripps Cup, as well as a $2,500 cash prize and reference library from Merriam-Webster and $400 of reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Alex Brandon/AP/Shutterstock (12970507ax) Harini Logan, 14, from San Antonio, Texas, gets a kiss from her mom Rampriya Logan on stage as she celebrates winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md Spelling Bee, Oxon Hill, United States - 02 Jun 2022

Alex Brandon/AP/Shutterstock

Raju, a seventh grader from Denver, took home a second place medal for spelling 15 words correctly in the Spell-off. According to the Scripp's official Twitter account, Raju has one final chance to take home the prized Scripps cup.

For more on Harini Logan, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

"We know he'll take a page out of his favorite athlete's @nuggets' #NikolaJokic book and do what Nikola does: stay tenacious, motivated, and work hard," the account wrote of the runner-up.

The 12 finalists, who ranged in age between 11 and 14, hailed from all across the country, including Washington, Texas, Florida and New York.

RELATED: Photos of Former National Spelling Bee Champions (and the Words They Won with)

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Alex Brandon/AP/Shutterstock (12970507ax) Harini Logan, 14, from San Antonio, Texas, gets a kiss from her mom Rampriya Logan on stage as she celebrates winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md Spelling Bee, Oxon Hill, United States - 02 Jun 2022

Alex Brandon/AP/Shutterstock

This year's competition marked the first fully in-person Bee since 2019.

In 2020, the Bee was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021, spellers competed virtually in the quarterfinals and semifinals, with finalists then traveling to Florida for the big event.

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For the 2022 event, the Scripps National Spelling Bee welcomed 234 spellers to National Harbor, Maryland, as the national rounds of competition began at the end of May.

The national qualifiers ranged in age from 7 to 15, with 45 spellers having previously competed in the Bee.

Serving as host this year was LeVar Burton.

RELATED: 2021 National Spelling Bee Champ Zaila Avant-garde Makes History as First Black American Winner

In 2019, the Bee saw an unprecedented outcome when eight contestants tied to win. After 17 rounds, longtime announcer (and 1980 champion!) Jacques Bailly said the competition would end after 20 rounds, and anyone who spelled three more words correctly would be crowned co-champions.

And last year, Zaila Avant-garde became the first Black American student to be crowned the champion in the Bee's nearly century-long history.

The 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee aired live on ION at 8 p.m. EST on Thursday.
Maynard James Keenan is pretty excited to finally tour on "Existential Reckoning," the album Puscifer released in late October 2020 when concerts weren't happening due to the pandemic.

"I'm just excited for the chance to develop these songs in a live setting," Keenan says.

"Because the more you play them live, the more they evolve. And I think it's important to keep breathing life into these things, to never be static, just kind of repeating yourself. Or parroting yourself."

He and his bandmates did perform the album live without an audience in the experimental desert community of Arcosanti, Arizona  a pay-per-view performance filmed to stream online at Puscifer TV the day the album hit the streets.

They obviously can't take Arcosanti on the road but there are elements of that performance that they've modified to travel better and use in different settings.

As Keenan says, "It's similar but different."

Moodie Black: They never fit in on the Phoenix music scene. Now they're opening for Puscifer

Why 'Existential Reckoning' lyrics are still relevant

Puscifer won't be performing the album in full the way they did at Arcosanti, just most of the songs in addition to highlights of their other albums.

"Existential Reckoning" was built on synth tracks Puscifer's Mat Mitchell started working on five years before the album saw the light of day, with most of the recording done in mid- to late 2019.

Puscifer, "Existential Reckoning"

But the overall tone of the album could be easily interpreted as the band responding to the isolation and uncertainty most listeners experienced as humanity fumbled its way through COVID-19.

"Well, you know, I am psychic," Keenan jokes. "Or psycho. Which one is the one that predicts stuff?"

More synth tracks: Stevie Nicks' 20 greatest songs of all time, ranked

From the first line of an opening track called "Bread and Circus" ("Here we are in the middle of our existential reckoning") to "Apocalyptical" ("Go on, moron, ignore the evidence/ Skid in to Armageddon"), it's clear that Keenan is sharing his views on the state of a world gone mad.

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But he sidesteps the "ripped from the headlines" approach that so often makes topical music feel instantly dated.

"The way I write is not very specific to a thing or place or person," Keenan says. "I tend to keep it all a little wider open."

That's why, nearly two years later, Keenan says, "I think the subject matter is still relevant. I mean, the pendulum is still swinging."

Review: Maynard James Keenan, Puscifer set the controls for otherworldly at Arcosanti

'Maybe we should be cool to each other'

One recurring theme in Keenan's lyrics is the sense that we're not getting any smarter or more civilized.

"I don't want to be the old dude blaming the new stuff," Keenan says.

"But that really is part of the issue. Social media technology. And the isolation of being able to voice every uninformed opinion that you've ever had or come across. I don't know if there's any way out until somehow it all gets unplugged for a reset."

Puscifer

Part of the problem is the anonymity of online culture, he says.

"It's very comfortable from your living room to run your mouth," he says. "But when you actually have to see the situations in real time or have to talk to the person across from you, we tend to be a bit more civil."

There are consequences for being an abrasive troll in face-to-face discussions.

"You might be the big tough guy, but eventually there's a bigger tougher guy who doesn't agree with you," he says.

"So at some point, you're sort of going, 'OK, maybe we should be cool to each other instead of running our mouths.'"

Interview: Maynard James Keenan on 'Money Shot' and public spanking

The early days of Puscifer

Keenan was already famous as the voice of Tool and A Perfect Circle when he started Puscifer, whose latest album was tracked between the barrels at his winery, a studio he likes to call the Bunker, during harvest.

That's when Keenan tends to get a lot of work done since he launched a second career as a winemaker with Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards from his home in the central Arizona town of Jerome, where he also has a retail business, Puscifer the Store. Keenan has lived in Jerome since 1995.

Puscifer the Store in Jerome, Arizona.

At first, the concept was to take ideas and just run with them.

"That was kind of the whole foundation," he says.

"If I had an idea for a shirt or a song or a video, no holds barred, just kind of go for it. And I found that working with Mat and Carina (Round), that ends up being kind of the cornerstone of their approach to things, too."

The arrival of Round, who made her first appearance on 2009's "'C' Is for (Please Insert Sophomoric Genitalia Reference Here)," is when he feels they really started getting somewhere.

Now, Keenan says, "It's no holds barred. It's bigger. It's more. And more in tune with the original idea than the original idea, honestly."

That's why their songs are constantly evolving.

"Even an earlier song, we do it and go, 'Wow, I really like that song. Hey, what if we completely broke it and started over and did four different versions?' 'Sure, why not?'"

Jerome: How Maynard James Keenan became the biggest rock star in this tiny Arizona town

Why Keenan needs Puscifer, Tool and A Perfect Circle

Having multiple musical projects works for Keenan.

"It's just a matter of I do a thing," he says. "And I just need to do this thing. And if one of the projects isn't moving very quickly, I can't sit still. I have to do this thing. So that's why the multiple projects. Because some of them just don't move fast enough."

It's not a matter of each different project filling different needs in Keenan's life.

"I don't really look at them that way," he says. "They're just things we do. They all kind of have their own little space and exist in their own world. They have room for each other. They can all coexist because they're different processes and different people."

Review: Tool unleash dystopian art-rock spectacle in Glendale on 'Fear Inoculum' tour

'I'm just more wired for a small town'

It's not about the fame for Keenan.

"There are people in our industry who need the attention," he says.

"They need to be upfront. They need to dance around. They like to be on the red carpet. They've just gotta be out there and be seen. And that's no disrespect to them. That's what they love. They love being the celebrity. Being the rock star. That's not really how I'm wired."

This is part of why he left LA and settled in Jerome.

"I'm just more wired for a small town," he says. "I operate better."

Compared to those rock stars who thrive in Los Angeles, Keenan feels more like a kid in his underwear dancing around the bedroom.

"And then the unfortunate part is you look up and realize you're in your underwear in front of a bunch of people," he says. "But I don't need you in the room. I just need to do this thing."

At some point, Keenan had to come to terms with the idea that he's in an industry that needs him to do something more than dance around his bedroom in his underwear for no one.

And that's fine. He doesn't mind performing.

"You end up embracing that part," Keenan says. "You have fun with it. And it gives me an opportunity to step outside of the one person and become the other."

More live music: Your complete June guide to the top concerts playing metro Phoenix

How making wine adds to the mix

Keenan's other other person is a winemaker, a passion that requires him relinquishing control to Mother Nature.

"There's only so much control you have when it comes to agriculture and winemaking," Keenan says. "So it really is kind of a grounding event. And then you appreciate the things that you do actually have a little bit of control over."

When asked if tracking records in the winery has an impact on the music, Keenan answers, "Sonically it does, for sure. The different spaces that we end up recording in definitely has an effect on it."

It's also a different environment in which to explore his creative side than, say, the LA studios where Tool made their most recent album, "Fear Inoculum."

As Keenan says, "In LA, if you're in a studio, you walk outside and it's a much different sensory overload than it would be here with a view of the Verde Valley. That's a different kind of sensory overload."

Although October marks two years since the release of "Existential Reckoning," there's been no talk of getting back between the barrels to record the next one.

"We don't really have the bandwidth right now," Keenan says.

"We've got to focus on all these other things. We filmed two more pay-per-views. We're in the process of editing both of those together and trying to figure out when to release them. We got a lot done. We just didn't get a lot of writing done."

She was the 'Female Elvis.' Now this Phoenix rocker is on the cover of new Bob Dylan new book

On learning to live with COVID-19

He also spent some portion of the past two years recovering from COVID-19.

"I just had it the fourth time," he says. "I got the European-flavored one. That was fun."

He's better now.

"It was a flu," he says. "It's done."

At this point, as he's getting ready to go back on tour, he sees it as another cost of doing business.

"I mean, when you're in a room full of thousands of people, it's being passed around," he says.

"You get into a tube and you fly 10 hours in a contained environment, you're gonna get it. If somebody has it and you're gonna get it, you can get it. That's just the nature of what it is now. We need to embrace that and stop freaking the (expletive) out."

Interview: Maynard James Keenan on recovering from COVID-19, anti-maskers

Puscifer

When: 8 p.m. Saturday, June 11.

Where: Arizona Federal Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix.

Admission: $39.50 and up.

Details: 800-745-300, ticketmaster.com.

Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Musician Maynard James Keenan talks Puscifer tour, wine and COVID-19
SAINT PAUL  The Otto Bremer Trust has awarded $11,090,773 in grants and program-related investments as part of its most recent grantmaking cycle.

More than $1.3 million went to dozens of Montana-based charitable organizations to include $350,000 in Eastern Montana and $280,000 going to Billings-based organizations.

The grant recipients are making a positive impact in their communities and we are impressed with the good work they do, said Daniel C. Reardon, co-CEO and trustee, OBT.

A list of grants awarded to organizations in Eastern Montana include:

Northern Plains Resource Council, Billings, MT, $30,000. To build economic resilience, improve soil health, and foster partnerships through regenerative agriculture in Montana.

Young Women's Christian Association of Billings, Billings, MT, $250,000. For the new shelter capital campaign and general operations to provide support services to women and children experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

Boys & Girls Club of Richland County Montana, Sidney, MT, $60,000. For general operations to provide youth development programming in Richland County.

Makoshika Wellness, Glendive, MT, $10,000. For general operations to provide holistic health programming to individuals and families in rural Glendive, Montana.

Also awarded were charities serving the entire state of Montana. Those include:

Leadership Montana, Helena, MT, $75,000. For leadership programming to develop and improve the state's economic wellbeing in Montana.

Montana Budget and Policy Center, Helena, MT, $40,000. To expand and improve the health and well-being of children in Montana and North Dakota through the collection, analysis, and distribution of quality data and information.

Montana Food Bank Network, Missoula, MT, $100,000. For general operations to support the acquisition and distribution of food for Montana's network of community programs addressing immediate food insecurity.

The Otto Bremer Trust is a bank holding company and a private charitable trust based in Saint Paul, Minn., that works at the intersection of finance and philanthropy. Created in 1944 by Otto Bremer, it is today one of the nations largest philanthropic organizations and is committed to supporting a better quality of life for residents of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. OBT is the majority owner of Bremer Financial Corporation, a regional financial services company; manages a diversified investment portfolio; and operates Community Benefit Financial Company, a financial resources subsidiary. Since its founding, OBT has invested more than $948 million in people, places, and opportunities in the Upper Midwest. Visit ottobremer.org.

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South Dakota Rotarians and others filled suitcases with school supplies which they donated to the School of St. Jude in Arusha, Tanzania. The supplies were presented to the school upon the groups arrival in May.

Most Americans donate charitably from their abundance but when you receive the gift of one of the only two chickens a family owns it changes your life.

Such was the case in May when three Watertown Rotarians visited the home of their clubs sponsored student at the School of St. Jude in Arusha, Tanzania.

The trio was part of about 35 mostly South Dakota Rotarians and spouses who traveled to Africa to enjoy a photo safari and spend a week at the private school started 20 years ago by an Australian woman.

The week-long Safaris-R-Us trip in the Serengeti Plains, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara provided a stunning experience with African wildlife. It was one of the first safaris in the area since Covid.

The group then headed for the School of St. Jude, which now educates 1,800 students who are the brightest students from the poorest families.

The school is funded largely by sponsors with connections to Rotary clubs in Australia and the United States. South Dakotas role in helping build the school is extraordinary.

Tanzania, on Africas eastern coast is home to about 66.6 million people. About 80% live on less than $4 a day.

Education is a luxury and most adults average only 5.8 years of school. Only about 28% of Tanzanian students will enter the equivalence of middle school and even fewer graduate high school and about 8% get university degrees.

But the School of St. Jude is a beacon of hope on the edge of Arusha, a city of about 580,000 people.

School founder Gemma Sisia said Tanzania has about 17,500 primary (elementary) schools and less than 800 high schools. Students must take national exams at the end of sixth grade and 10th grade in order to compete for a few higher-level grades.

Often it was the poorer students whose families could not afford government schools that did not continue and Sisia wanted to help the students living in deep poverty.

Sisias father first connected her to Australian Rotarians for possible financial help. In 2003 the international Rotary conference was in Brisbane, Australia and Sisia was invited to speak. It was there she met Rapid City Rushmore Club Rotarian Pat Sutliff who was so impressed by Sisias efforts that she formed the American Friends of the School of St. Jude foundation so that U.S. Rotary clubs and individuals could sponsor students.

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The Tanzanian school system leaves a lot to be desired, Sutliff said. This school gives very poor families a chance to have their children receive an education.

The Sutliffs have sponsored at least one student for nearly their entire 19-year association with the school It is amazing to see where these students come from and what they are like when they graduate, she said. They are going to make a difference in their country. For us to touch and change other peoples lives on the other side of the world is amazing.

Admission to the school is very competitive. About 4,000 students including the top 10% from government schools make the first cut. After academic tests, the number may drop to less than 1,000.

Rapid City Rotarians Pat Sutliff and her husband Willis help put the final touches on art work the group prepared with the high school students. The art was part of a larger piece entitled The Big Picture that was unveiled at graduation. Pat Sutliff has been the lead U.S. supporter of the School of St. Jude for 19 of its 20 years.

School staff then visits the home of each prospective student and if they meet the poverty criteria, they may become one the few hundred eventually admitted. Once admitted the students receive a free education and 80% are housed on campus.

They are hungry (to learn) Sisia said of St. Jude students. They know what a government school is like. Imagine being in a government school not having a teacher half the time. You have to self-teach yourself. You have to really have that determination factor.

Rotarians on the St. Jude visit were taken to a government school. No education buildings in South Dakota are anywhere as poor as these schools. Some classes can have 60 to 100 students.

So being accepted to St. Jude, where instruction is in English, is similar to winning the lottery.

The school depends on hosting visitors to advance its sponsorship support. Two years of Covid had a negative impact as about 24% of current enrollment is without sponsors.

To build rapport, the U.S. visitors spent time with St. Jude students, enjoying lunches, participating in classes, discussing careers and exchanging culture. They also were honored at the schools equivalence of high school graduation.

The Rotary visitors also broke into small groups to visit the homes of their sponsored students.

The home visit was a life changer, said Tom Johnson, general manager of Karls TV, Appliance and Furniture in Sioux Falls. It is one where you realize the depth of poverty. Even though we have poverty at home, we do not see it to the level of the depth that we do here.

When you meet a woman who graduated in 2015 and seven years later is a medical doctor who came out of a dirt hut with a straw roof, no running waterit is stories that you hear but until you see it, touch it, smell it that it becomes real.

Johnson, a member of the Sioux Falls downtown Rotary Club, said it made him re-evaluate his charitable giving.

We live in such a marvelous world. Somebody said on this trip that the day you were born in America, you won the lottery and that is so true. These people have nothing, but they are happy, and they are fortunate to have a school here that says we believe in you and people around the world support these children from age five or six until they are 20 and educate them to make a difference.

Sutliff said that making home visits and witnessing the poverty breaks your heart. But one of the wonderful things is they are so thankful for the education being provided. The kids work really hard to take advantage of what they have been given.

Former Rotary District 5610 Governor Bert Olson, Sioux Falls, said The poverty and living circumstances of the majority of the people here are lower than anything I have ever seen in my life.

On a home visit, the sponsors bring a gift prepared by the school  essential items such as cooking oil, soap and solar lamps as many houses do not have running water or electricity. In return, it is tradition for the family to give a gift to the sponsor.

The gift given by the family of the student sponsored by Watertowns Rotary club was one of their two chickens.

When I think about it now, I still cry, said Watertown Rotarian Wendy Fransen who helps sponsor the student, whose name is Goodluck. For them to give us half of what they had is so deeply profound. They gave so much when we gave so little. It just brings tears to my eyes.

Sutliff noted that sponsoring children at the school is not limited to Rotarians. Anyone can help change the world.

We are all in this world together, she said, and it is important to help each other because you as an individual can make a difference.

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: South Dakota group visit supports school in Tanzania
The system's current projected path as of 5 a.m. Friday. The system could drop between 6 and 10 inches of rain on Southwest Florida.

Potential Tropical Cycle One is expected to develop into Tropical Storm Alex later Friday, according to a 7 a.m. briefing from the National Weather Service Tampa Bay.

The rainstorm slowly chugging over the Gulf of Mexico should mature into a Tropical Storm by late Friday morning or afternoon once the "low-level circulation" closes off, according to NWS. A system advances into a tropical storm once it reaches sustained winds of 39 mph.

On Thursday, the National Hurricane Center issued a Tropical Storm Watch for both Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Live updates: Tropical system approaches Sarasota-Manatee

And: Heavy rains spreading across southern Florida ahead of Potential Tropical Cyclone One

Stephen Shiveley, a meteorologist with NWS Tampa, told the Herald-Tribune that the worst of the storm should be overnight tonight and early tomorrow morning.

Shiveley also said that heavier rainfall is expected inland and closer to the south  predicting 1-2 inches of rain in northern Manatee County and 5-6 inches in south Sarasota County.

There is only a slight possibility of isolated flooding, according to Shiveley.

"This is the beginning of our wet season. If a system was like this was dumping six, eight inches in August after we've been raining and wet and all the rivers are nice and full, it'd be a little more concerning," he said.

Here are the 10 AM CDT Jun 3 Key Messages on Potential Tropical Cyclone One (#PTC1) which is forecast to soon become a Tropical Storm.



Heavy rains could lead to considerable flash and urban flooding across South Florida and the Keys. See https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB for more info. pic.twitter.com/sMYLniIteF  National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) June 3, 2022

Forecast maps from the National Weather Service Miami show a storm surge threat for coastal Sarasota County, starting south of Longboat Key. There is also potential for localized flooding throughout inland Sarasota and Manatee County.

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Shiveley said Sarasota County has a 20% chance of sustained tropical-storm-force winds. Additional maps from NWS Miami show that isolated tornados are possible around Osprey and Venice.

The Herald-Tribune previously reported that Manatee County Emergency Management Coordinator Tristan Morath cautioned residents to be prepared for any storm.

We always try to get our residents to prepare as early as possible, whether there's a storm out there brewing or not, Morath said.

Shiveley said conditions are expected to calm by noon Saturday.

Stefania Lugli covers a little of everything for the Herald-Tribune while pursuing watchdog/investigative stories. You can contact her at slugli@heraldtribune.com or dm her on Twitter at @steflugli.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Tropical Storm Alex likely to form, bring rain to Sarasota, Manatee
WASHINGTON  After being sexually assaulted at Camp Pendleton in 2007, Erin Kirk went to the base's medical facility for the medication designed to prevent pregnancy in an emergency.

The base didn't have any Plan B pills, so she had to go to the nearest Planned Parenthood for help.

Kirk, a former Marine, is now worried about how other female servicemembers will cope if Roe v. Wade is overturned and they face an unwanted pregnancy. She has influential backing on Capitol Hill.

Top lawmakers say the repeal of Roe v. Wade would leave women troops in many states without access to abortion or other reproductive health services.

Led by Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., more than 70 Democratic House members plan to introduce a bill Friday to reverse the Pentagon's ban on funding abortion. Current federal law prohibits the Pentagon from funding abortions or allowing the procedure to be done at military health care facilities, except in cases of rape or incest or where the life of the mother is endangered.

Text with the USA TODAY newsroom about the days biggest stories. Sign up for our subscriber-only texting experience.

Erin Kirk had to go off-base for Plan B pills after she was sexually assaulted at Camp Pendleton in 2007.

The repeal of Roe would trigger laws banning abortion in as many as 26 states. Many of those states, including Texas, host large military bases such as Fort Hood, home to about 40,000 soldiers.

A 2018 Rand Corp. survey that women in the military have a slightly higher rate of unintended pregnancies than their civilian peers.

And they will face bigger obstacles to accessing abortion off-base, said Speier, who chairs the Armed Services Committee's panel on personnel.

"Many servicemembers wont be able to take the time needed away from their jobs and families to travel thousands of miles off-base and out of state, all at their own personal cost," Speier said. "The fallout for our service members and their families will be catastrophic, as is the threat to our military readiness, morale, and unit cohesion.

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ABORTION AROUND THE GLOBE: US could be 'global outlier' if Roe v. Wade is overturned. How do other nations handle abortion?

Her bill, the Military Access to Reproductive Care and Health for Military Servicemembers, or MARCH Act, has 73 members who have signed on in support. It would repeal the restrictions on funding and performing abortions in a military setting.

A Gallup poll released Thursday showed that Americans remain largely opposed to overturning Roe v. Wade. The poll found a steady 58% majority believe that the1973 Supreme Court ruling that recognized abortion as a constitutional right should stand, while 35% want it to be reversed. These sentiments are essentially unchanged since 2019, according to Gallup.

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) on Capitol Hill in December 2021 in Washington

Kirk said she counts herself lucky because she was stationed in California and was able to go to a nearby Planned Parenthood.

"Someone in Texas or Oklahoma won't be so lucky," she said. "This is really going to impact service members and have a lot of unintended consequences. Its going to impact national security."

Kirk, 40, co-founded Not In My Marine Corps, a non-profit group fighting to end sexual harassment and assault in the military. She was also assaulted while deployed in 2008.

Roe's repeal will make some women less inclined to serve, knowing that their reproductive health care won't be assured by the military, she said. The issue is of particular concern for victims of sexual assault, she said.

"Why would women join military if they could be sent to a hostile state and not get the health care they need?" Kirk said.

The Pentagon's latest comprehensive survey on sexual assault dates to 2018, a lag in data due to COVID-19. It found an estimated 20,500 instances of unwanted sexual contact in 2018, an increase over the 14,900 compared with 2016. The military's definition of unwanted sexual contact ranges from groping to rape.

Speier predicted that military readiness will suffer if Roe is repealed and Congress does not provide guarantees that women serving in the military will have access to abortion.

"The fallout for our servicemembers and their families will be catastrophic as is the threat to our military readiness, morale, and unit cohesion, she said.

More:

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, here's how abortion laws in each state will stand

Athletes may think twice where they go to school if Roe v. Wade is overturned | Opinion

Explosive leaked draft in abortion case reveals Supreme Court on verge of overturning Roe

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Abortion: Women in the military may face hurdles if Roe is overturned
DUBAI  Chalhoub Group has signed a partnership with French jewelry brand Korloff to relaunch its retail presence in the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain. They plan to have five stores across the region.

This is the first step in a new growth strategy for the company, which recently added watches, jewelry and eyewear as a key new vertical.

More from WWD

Michael Chalhoub, president of joint ventures and Strategy, Growth, Innovation & Investment for Chalhoub Group, emphasized the importance of this new pillar within the company. The Chalhoub Group went through a restructure a year and a half ago with Michael, third generation in the family business, leading growth and investment. He said they have a three-year strategy coined Bold, which is to expand into new categories where they can be the market leaders.

We have always catered to all our customers fashion needs and now we are looking for new categories that will enthuse her. High jewelry was not particularly on our radar in the decades preceding. Today it has become very strategic for the group. Its not just a tactical. We have developed a new vertical where we are aiming to become the market leaders.

In a market report on personal luxury released earlier this year by the Chalhoub Groups research division, the high jewelry and luxury watches segment in the Gulf countries was reported to be worth $3.9 billion in 2021, jumping by 16 percent since 2019. Estimates indicate the segment would grow another 8 percent by next year.

Bassam Azakir, chief executive officer of Korloff, said the Middle East represents 25 percent of the companys revenue and its a market unlike any other they operate in. This is a unique market, with high [per capita] consumption in our category. A consumer will buy four watches a year here in the Middle East when in France that customer will buy once in five years. The jewelry business is an occasion business in the Europe. Here its for the customers own pleasure.

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He added that they have a different marketing approach as well. In high jewelry an influencer doesnt usually convert, but in the Middle East, there are young people with disposable income so the approach is different.

The addition of Korloff to the jewelry division is a first step for the group, which also has had a partnership with Chaumet for many years in the Middle East, which they will continue to grow.

Whats next? We were already lucky to have strong partnership and ties to the LVMH Group and their portfolio brands, said Chalhoub, hinting at a natural course of growth to bring in more watch and jewelry brands into the region.
Jeff Schmaltz (NASA Earth Observatory)

Global warming doesnt just mean scorching temperatures and rising sea levels. It also means the death of oceans, lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water. Dead zonesareas in the water that are low on oxygenare on the rise around the world due to a double-whammy of hotter temperatures and increased pollution, leading to the death of marine life and turning once vibrant habitats into hypoxic deserts.

Scientists have been monitoring one such dead zone in the Gulf of Mexicoconsidered the largest in U.S. watersfor over three decades. On June 2, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the Gulf of Mexico dead zone is expected to reach 5,364 square miles (or about eight times the size of the city of Houston) this year. This forecast is only a smidge lower than the five-year average of 5,380 square miles, and about 15 percent smaller than last years measurement. But it's still nowhere close to the federal-state target of 1,900 square miles set in 2001.

Dead zones are primarily created when runoff containing chemicals like nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural practices, industrial activities, and population growth enter nearby waters and stimulate algae to grow like crazy. Overgrown algae sink and decompose and the decomposition process strips water of its oxygen, depriving marine life.

Climate Change Is Turning Us Into Sleep-Deprived Zombies

Climate change only worsens the situation since water holds less oxygen as it warms up, making it easier for dead zones to form. This is compounded by the fact that marine animals require more oxygen in warmer weather since theyre expending more energy.

The Gulf of Mexicos dead zone is fueled by nutrient runoff from farms along the Mississippi River. The Interagency Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force have been using NOAAs hypoxia forecastsbased on computer modeling from five universities and one government agencyand the U.S. Geological Surveys nutrient monitoring to set nutrient reduction targets across the Mississippi watershed states.

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To confirm the forecasts and size of the dead zone, NOAA supports a monitoring survey each summer to incorporate any major coastal weather conditions that could impact a dead zones size and oxygen levels like hurricanes and tropical storms.

The Gulf dead zone remains the largest hypoxic zone in United States waters, and we want to gain insights into its causes and impacts, said Nicole LeBoeuf, assistant administrator of NOAAs National Ocean Service, in a press release put out by the agency. The modeling we do here is an important part of NOAAs goal to protect, restore, and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources through ecosystem-based management.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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August primary will be important for women's health

For Kansas women and others concerned about the health, rights and welfare of Kansas women, the August primary election will be one of the most important in Kansas history. The Republican legislators and other antiabortion fanatics hope the results of voting in this election will lead to amending the Kansas Constitution to make abortions illegal in Kansas. Thisll be similar to actions already taken or underway in several other backward, regressive states.

A no vote on the ballot question will oppose amending the constitution and will let Kansas women, in consultation with their health care providers, remain in charge of their sexual and reproductive health care. The alternative will largely relegate such control to the Kansas Legislature comprised mainly of Republican men. Republican legislators arent meant to be physicians for Kansas women even though many talk like theyve been educated at a fictitious Fox News Medical School.

Richard Schutz, Topeka

Why ban books instead of guns?

According to a recent study, guns were the leading cause of death for children and teens in 2020. Currently a lot of people and politicians are calling for books to be banned to protect children and teens. I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think books were responsible for any deaths of anyone. Why aren't the same people advocating for a ban on guns? Why is it easier to ban a book than to ban a gun?

Mike Hickman, Topeka

Offer to pay Kansas gas bill in rubles for lower rate?

I learned in the news today that Russia is cutting natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria because they refuse to pay for their gas in rubles per the Putin war in Ukraine.

My last winter's natural gas bill 40%-45% higher than the previous year, despite my using less gas to heat my home here in Kansas. And looking at my bill, I see that the cost of gas has doubled, despite Kansas having a wealth of the commodity within its own borders.

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With Kansas being a Republican state, I wondered if would I agree to pay Kansas Gas Service in rubles, would they then lower my heating bill for next winter?

David Hewitt, Topeka

Kansas legislators show little respect for educators

A group of parents, students and educators held a Rally for Public Schools at the Maner Conference Center in late April. Organized by Sen. Cindy Holscher, CARE4Kansas and Freedom to Learn Kansas PAC, speakers addressed the projected loss of 1,300 teachers, many of which are special education, for the next school year. Also, funding for special education has been greatly reduced in the proposed budget. That means local school districts will have to make up those lost dollars, and something else will not be funded locally.

Our elected leaders should be asking, How can we support you? but instead, they have passed several bills to hurt public education, our teachers and students.

Rally attendees addressed over 2,000 postcards and Tuesday retirees volunteered to hand them out to legislators. I personally ended up with the second-floor offices, and since the post cards were "slippery," I dropped a few heading to Rep. Kristey Williams office. She was also heading to her office, and asked if I needed help. I said actually several of these cards are for you and after picking them up, tried to hand them to her.

She said, just leave them on my assistants desk, walked into her office with me following. I asked her if I could just hand them to her, and she said, Put them on my assistants desk and somehow I was able to put them in her hand. She then tossed them on her assistants desk. Rep. Williams is chair of the Education Committee, and the K-12 Education Budget Committee and this is how she treated me.

I hope voters in August and November will elect representatives who value public education and will properly fund it. Kansans, WE have the power to do that! Please vote!

Chris Huntsman, Topeka

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Readers tackle August primary, natural gas cost, treatment of teachers
Russian cruiser Moskva in the Mediterranean Sea near Syria, December 17, 2015. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP

Russia's navy has taken high-profile losses against an outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian enemy.

The losses themselves are not catastrophic for Russia's navy but they are blows to Russian prestige.

These defeats come a century after another Russian naval debacle on the other side of the world.

Since Russia launched its attack on Ukraine in late February, a heavily outnumbered and outgunned adversary has handed the Russian navy several high-profile losses.

The Russians have lost at least five Raptor-class patrol boats, one Tapir-class landing ship, one Serna-class landing craft, and most notably the Moskva, a Slava-class guided-missile cruiser that was also the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet.

The losses themselves are not catastrophic for the Russian navy and are unlikely to alter the course of the war or the balance of power in the Black Sea, but they are blows to Russian prestige and come a little over a century after another historic debacle for Russia: the Battle of Tsushima, the last time a Russian navy flagship was sunk in combat.

The Japanese and Russian empires fought in the waters between Korea and southern Japan on May 27 and 28 in 1905. The battle cemented Japan's rise as an equal to Western powers and had a lasting impact on both empires.

Competing empires

A print of Japanese warships steaming to bombard Port Arthur during the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War. Ann Ronan Pictures/Print Collector/Getty Images

Japan's overwhelming victory in the Sino-Japenese War in 1895 had stoked tensions between the Japanese and Russian empires.

Japan, equipped with an organized, modern army, pursued ambitions in Korea and China that brought it dangerously close to Russian interests, especially in Manchuria and Korea.

Of particular importance to Russia was Port Arthur  now Dalian, China  which it leased and was the Russian Empire's only warm-water Pacific port. Port Arthur became the headquarters of Russia's Pacific Fleet and the government had plans to connect it to Russia via the Trans-Siberian Railway.

Negotiations between Japan and Russia over the future of the region went nowhere, and on February 8, 1904, the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked the main part of the Russian Pacific Fleet at Port Arthur, formally declaring war hours later.

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Men on shore in front of the Russian ships Pallada, left, and Pobida, after Japanese forces sunk the boats at Port Arthur in 1904. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Japan gained a naval advantage relatively quickly. It fought off an attempt by the main part of the Russian Pacific Fleet to break the blockade of Port Arthur and largely defeated Russia's Vladivostok-based squadrons at Chemulpo Bay and Ulsan  victories that allowed Japan to effectively dominate the Pacific.

Unwilling to concede defeat, and with Japanese ground forces beginning a siege of Port Arthur itself, Russia's Tsar Nicholas II ordered the creation of the 2nd Pacific Squadron, which would be made up of ships from the Baltic Fleet.

Commanded by Vice Adm. Zinovy Rozhestvensky, some 40 ships  including 11 pre-dreadnought battleships, nine cruisers, and nine destroyers  composed the 2nd Pacific Squadron.

Sailing from the Baltic in October 1904, they were supposed to relieve the Pacific Fleet at Port Arthur, destroy any Japanese ships they encountered, and cut the supply lines between Japan and mainland Asia.

Russia's doomed fleet

Imperial Russian battleship Knyaz Suvorov, the Russian flagship at the Battle of Tsushima, in Kronshtadt near St. Petersburg in August 1904. Official photograph

Russia's navy had been modernized in during the latter half of the 1800s, but while the 2nd Pacific Squadron appeared strong on paper, it was not a first-rate naval force. Some of the warships were new and untested, but many were old and bordered on obsolete. Others were little more than auxiliary ships with guns mounted on them.

Russian Navy leadership was also of low quality. Many of its officers came from wealthy and connected families who simply bought their commissions. The rank-and-file sailors were not much more professional, as many of them were inexperienced conscripts.

These issues were on full display during the seven-month, 18,000-mile journey to the Pacific.

While in the North Sea near England, the fleet opened fire on British fishing trawlers, somehow thinking they were Japanese torpedo boats. The mistake killed two fishermen, injured one, and sunk one trawler while damaging four others. In the chaos, some of the Russian ships even fired on each other, causing casualties and damage.

Imperial Russian battleship Borodino at Kronshtadt near St. Petersburg in August 1904. Official photograph

Diplomatic maneuvering managed to prevent the British from joining the war on the side of Japan, but the Russian fleet's troubles were only beginning.

Most of the fleet sailed around Africa rather than through the Suez Canal. The longer journey took a toll on the crews, who had never experienced such a different climate or such a long time at sea. The ships themselves were also under considerable strain. During gunnery practice with a mock target towed by a cruiser, the only thing the fleet hit was the cruiser.

With no allies, the Russians couldn't dock in friendly ports, and so they had to take on more coal while at sea. Conditions on the ships deteriorated, and disease and respiratory issues killed a number of sailors.

By the time the fleet was in Madagascar in January, Port Arthur had fallen. Their mission was then changed: They were to meet the remnants of Russia's Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok before engaging the Japanese in a decisive battle.

Slaughter at Tsushima

The Japanese fleet sailing to meet the Russians at Tsushima early on May 27, 1905, as seen from the battleship Asahi. Shigetada Seki via Wikimedia Commons

When the Russian ships finally reached the Tsushima Strait on the night of May 26, 1905, Rozhestvensky attempted to slip through unnoticed. Unfortunately for him, a patrolling Japanese vessel had spotted one of his ships.

Even more unfortunately, the Russian ship mistakenly believed the Japanese vessel was a lost Russian ship and signaled that more Russian ships were nearby.

With the location of his enemy confirmed, Japanese Adm. Togo Heihachiro's Combined Fleet  which included four modern battleships, over 20 cruisers, 21 destroyers, and 43 torpedo boats  set out to meet them.

On the morning of May 27, the fleets made contact. Before the firing began, Togo hoisted a signal flag that conveyed a predetermined message to his fleet: "The Empire's fate depends on the result of this battle, let every man do his utmost duty."

Russian protected cruiser Oleg, showing damage from the Battle of Tsushima, in Manila Bay on June 27, 1905. Collection of P.H. Proctor via Wikimedia Commons

The ensuing battle was a slaughter. In addition to better training, discipline, and experience, the Japanese were equipped with modern armor-piercing rounds that tore the Russian ships apart.

By the end of the day, the Japanese had sunk four Russian battleships. Imperator Aleksandr III sank with its entire crew of over 700 sailors, while Borodino sank with all but one of its more than 800 crew members.

The flagship, Knyaz Suvorov, sank with all but 20 officers, while about half of Oslyabya's crew went down with the ship. The Japanese sunk a number of cruisers and destroyers as well.

As night fell, the survivors attempted to make it to Vladivostok under cover of darkness. Togo's destroyers hunted them down, picking off two more battleships and several other warships. By the following afternoon, most of the survivors surrendered.

Lost prestige

Japanese citizens welcome Adm. Heihashima Togo upon return to Tokyo on October 22, 1905. ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images

Russian losses were immense: 21 ships sunk or scuttled, and seven captured. Only three ships reached Vladivostok, though six others made it to neutral ports in China, the Philippines, and Madagascar.

The Japanese killed over 4,000 Russian sailors were killed and captured almost 6,000. The Japanese lost only three torpedo boats with just 117 killed and about 500 wounded  including a young Isoroku Yamamoto, mastermind of the attack on Pearl Harbor, who lost two fingers in the battle.

The Russian navy's prestige never recovered after Tsushima. It saw little major action in World War I, being unable to rebuild to the same grand scale. The Soviet Navy also only saw limited action in World War II and never truly proved itself during the Cold War, though Soviet submarines were a constant concern for NATO navies.

Today, the Russian navy boasts a smaller, more modern fleet that focuses on green-water operations rather than high-seas campaigns, but its surprising losses against Ukraine show it has yet to regain the dominance it lost a century ago.

Read the original article on Business Insider
This article originally appeared on Climbing

This article first appeared in 2017 and is being republished now in celebration of Pride Month.

The boulderfields above the basecamp of India's 22,520-foot Changabang are an unforgiving place. With 60 mph winds and subfreezing temps at 14,000 feet above sea level, it's a harsh environment. But Jim Logan saw it as a refuge. In the days leading up to an attempt on the summit in 1979, Logan wore a tie-dyed cotton skirt he'd bought in the market in New Delhi. Wandering around alone in the skirt offered him the freedom to wear women's clothes without judgment. It was a desire he'd had at least since his teens, though he had no idea why. He had cross-dressed a few times before in secret, but walking around in the open made Logan feel more like himself.

If you don't know who Logan is, the short answer is: one of the great pioneers in North American free climbing. Today, Logan, age 70, is a successful architect in Boulder, Colorado, with a small firm that specializes in energy-responsible design and structures with low carbon emissions. But in 1965, Logan was just another kid who'd come to Boulder ostensibly to attend the University of Colorado, but ended up climbing so much that he flunked out in his freshman year. From then on, he began to make his mark. In 1966 when he was 18 years old, Logan and partner Chris Fredericks made the first free ascent of Crack of Fear, an infamous three-pitch 5.10d offwidth that Royal Robbins and Layton Kor, among other strong climbers, failed to free. In 1976, Logan and longtime climbing partner Wayne Goss made the first free ascent of the Diamond of Longs Peak by linking D7 into the Forrest Finish into the Black Dagger Chimney, with the crux pitch clocking in at 5.11b/c. In 1978, Logan and Mugs Stump made the first ascent of the shale-covered Emperor Face of Mt. Robson (12,989 feet) in the Canadian Rockies. It took Logan six hours to lead the 150-foot crux pitch, with a bamboo axe and a Forrest ice hammer. When Steve House repeated the pitch 30 years later, he called it M8.

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But perhaps Logan's boldest move has been transitioning to life as a woman--Jim Logan is now Jamie Logan, a transition she started five years ago. In a small town like Boulder, Colorado, she has experienced both freedom and exile by finally living the life she wants. Transitioning was not an easy decision, one Logan has called "way scarier than the Emperor Face."

Logan on the Emperor Face, Mt. Robson. (Photo: Mugs Stump)

But back to Changabang: Having spent all 30 years of his life trying to hide his secret, Logan found a welcome peace in those boulders. But intense fear punctuated that quiet. He was scared of the unknown, of the thousands of feet of rock, ice, and mixed climbing on their objective: the Japanese Route on the Southwest Ridge, first climbed in 1976. He was scared of the fast-changing conditions that could wipe him and his partner Dakers Gowans off the face of the earth in seconds. But most of all, Logan was scared that someone would see him wearing a skirt.

At age 11, Jim Logan went climbing with family friends, WWII veterans from the Tenth Mountain Division. They took Logan climbing in the Davis Mountains near his home in Midland, Texas. With a WWII hammer, pitons, and a rope tied around his waist, Logan led his first pitch when the soldiers couldn't do it. Growing up as the oldest of four brothers, Logan never had a girlfriend or much experience with women, other than his mother. "I never knew how to be around women and girls," she says. "I was befuddled by the whole thing."

Logan had always wanted to climb everything--rocks, trees, buildings--so when he boarded at the Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs, he organized a rock-climbing club. A few years later at the University of Colorado in Boulder, he started climbing in Boulder Canyon, putting up routes with a small group of local climbers who shared the ultimate dream of climbing El Capitan and the Diamond. After flunking out of school in 1966, Logan worked as a carpenter, making just enough money to climb and get to the Valley every few months.

The time was a climbing heyday for Logan, bouncing between big faces in Colorado and Yosemite. In summer 1967 in the Valley, he ran into Royal Robbins, who was showing off the newfangled passive protection he had brought back from England. "Nuts probably changed climbing in America more than anything," Logan says, "because right away we knew that pitons were done."

Throughout that time, Logan remained confused about "the gender stuff." All he knew is that he loved to wear women's clothes--and that he was terribly embarrassed about it. She can remember wanting to cross-dress ever since age 12 or 13; Logan had read an article about someone who changed gender and was intrigued by it. When Logan was living in Camp 4 in 1967-'68, there were no women around--only a bunch of macho guys. And so he kept his desire secret. "It made me feel screwed up and weird," she says, "like there was something wrong with me. Why do I do this?" He had clues that there were people like him, but for him it didn't seem possible. Instead, he snuck around and wore women's clothes in secret, thinking that if anybody found out, his life would be over. Even worse, he feared that nobody would want to climb with him again.

Logan (left) and younger brother Tony, Flatirons, CO. (Photo: Courtesy Jamie Logan)

It all came crashing down at the end of 1968. Logan got drafted and sent to Vietnam, where he served from 1969 to 1970 in an area behind the front that was hit by rockets every night. "When they let me out in the spring of 1970, I went straight to the Valley and up on a wall with Goss, my best climbing partner," Logan says. "We were up eight or 10 pitches on this new route on the Captain, and I just started crying. I said, 'I don't want to be here. I want to go down.' I was an emotional wreck." The strain of living as a man, the aftermath of Vietnam, and the stress of climbing hard way off the ground crushed Logan. It would take him more than a year to get back on the sharp end. "Time passed, I went climbing, it got better," Logan recalls.

In summer 1976, Logan and Goss made a longtime dream come true when they nabbed the first free ascent of the Diamond. Before their ascent, the Diamond had never been climbed without a haulbag, bivy gear, or hammer--they climbed with just hexes and nuts. Goss led the last pitch, a vertical 5.11 that is the final part of the Black Dagger Chimney, when it started to rain. With no bivy gear, their best option was going up. Goss put chalk on his shirt to clean the holds and fired the crux. "Then I came along and it hit me that I only had to climb 10 feet of this just-off-vertical, technical, crimpy thing and we'll have done the first free ascent of the Diamond," Logan recalls. "We each climbed every pitch and nobody fell. When we made it to the top, we realized that this is how everybody is going to climb this now. It's going to be just a rock climb. It's not going to be a big wall anymore."

They didn't tell anyone about their ascent, but Logan's friend and climbing partner Roger Briggs called a few days later.

"Hey, Logan," Briggs said. "We're going up to do the first free ascent of the Diamond. You didn't do it already did you?"

"Yeah, we did, actually," Logan responded. "I'm sorry, Roger. I feel bad, but we did."

Moving past "The Ghost" flake on the Goss-Logan, Black Canyon.(Photo: Wayne Goss)

Logan had gotten married in 1971 and had twin boys in 1972 while working as a carpenter, but in 1975, his wife divorced him. (They would share joint custody.) He funneled his frustration, anger, confusion, and hurt into a four-year climbing rampage during which he sought bigger, more dangerous objectives, like Changabang, Denali, the Hummingbird Ridge on Mt. Logan, and the unclimbed 8,000-foot Emperor Face on Canada's Mt. Robson.

In 1978, he and Mugs Stump--"This kid who nobody had heard of but turned out to be a pretty good rock climber," says Logan--ferried loads across a raging river into Robson's basecamp. Logan had attempted the face in vain in 1976 and '77, so this year he and Stump had agreed to spend the whole summer there to reach their goal. "The vision of the greatest unclimbed face I had ever seen remained implanted in my mind," Logan wrote in Climbing no. 52. They messed around on the lower face, coming out every few days to resupply and recover. After about four weeks, a big snowstorm hit the range, covering the face in rime. The duo saw this as the perfect opportunity, and cast off with 25 pitons and eight days of food. After bivying low, the duo climbed 2,000 feet of moderate ice before roping up for a short rock band. What followed was several pitches of gullies of steep ice and a bivouac. The morning brought challenging mixed terrain for hundreds of feet, and an uncomfortable bivy seat chopped into vertical ice. It snowed most of the night while they sat upright and tried to rest. The next pitch was the crux: 150 feet of overhanging ice and rock.

As he finished his epic six-hour lead, recalls Logan, "There was a point where I was 30 or 40 feet above a knifeblade, and I stuck my bamboo ice axe onto a little shelf and got it to stick, and got it to stick, and got it to stick, and finally committed to it even though I didn't know what it was stuck in. I pulled as hard as I could and thought, 'Here I go .... '" Logan manteled onto the ax and stood on a shelf; he slammed in two pins and equalized them with a red sling as a belay anchor. Says Logan, "When I did that section, I knew if I fell, I would kill me and Mugs. Steve House went back 30 years later thinking he was doing a new route. He pulled onto the shelf to find two pitons and a bleached-white sling." House later graded the free version of the pitch M8. (Logan began on aid before switching to free climbing.)

Stump quickly jumared the crux and then led the last four pitches of snowy slab to the summit ridge, where they spent the night. After 28 pitches of difficult climbing, they decided to forego the summit (Logan had summited on a previous trip) and downclimbed the South Face without a rope.

With two 5-year-olds at home and the knowledge that this type of climbing would eventually kill him, Logan swore off hard, scary ascents. He remarried and went back to school in his thirties to become an architect. Work flooded in, and a friend introduced him to sport climbing in the mid-1990s. "Then it was all over," Logan recalls with a smile.

The ease of clipping bolts fit well into Logan's role as a family man. He was able to reach his goal of climbing 5.13. In 2007 at age 61, he ticked Sonic Youth, a 5.13a in Clear Creek Canyon--it was among a half-dozen 5.13s he did in his sixties. (Ironically, he'd made the first ascent of the line, on aid, in 1966.) But his secret longing to wear women's clothes was always right under the surface. At age 50, he told his wife, who agreed to him wearing them around the house. However, Logan still didn't want his teenage kids to know, for fear of "screwing them up." He began to cross-dress more often, driving his car to distant gas stations where he wouldn't run into anyone. Around the same time, the Internet was on the rise, and he realized that gender confusion is more common than he thought and that there were other people like him.

When his kids left the house in 1997, the American Alpine Club (AAC) asked him to be on its board. With an annual meeting in Seattle, Logan saw a new city as a chance to cross-dress openly. Before the AAC events started, he signed up for a cross-dressing service that would help him present as a woman for a few days. "A very sweet woman helped me get dressed up. We went to JC Penney's and bought clothes, then went to a restaurant," Logan says. "I thought, 'I really like this .... ' But then, I went to the American Alpine Club meeting the next day [dressed as a man]."

When Logan came back to Boulder, he began therapy to address his gender confusion. With no idea where it might lead or what it meant, the idea of living as a female was attractive but seemed unreachable. "I thought the climbing community would not be OK with this," Logan says. "[The community] always felt pretty homophobic, with certain magazine articles and route names." Logan also worried he might lose architecture work because of prejudices against trans people.

In 2014, Logan decided to have his facial hair removed by electrolysis. The next year, he went to New York and dressed as a female for three or four days straight. "At some point it became clear to me that that's how I wanted to live," Logan says. She told her kids. "My son Michael said, 'Oh, Dad, that must have been so horrible to live your life with this kind of secret.' It pretty much was."

Over the next few months, she told a few of her climbing partners, and it spread quickly throughout the climbing community in Boulder, where Logan has now lived for more than 50 years. The first question she was asked by a well-known male climber was, "Who do you want to have sex with?" When Logan responded, "My wife," the climber was befuddled. "But, ultimately, whenever some bigger segment of my world knew, my life got better, and I was happier," she says. After years of individual and couples therapy, Logan and her wife worked through the emotional turmoil brought on by the transition. They decided to stay married, and are still going strong today.

This July, I went out to Upper Dream Canyon near Boulder with Jamie Logan to see how her life has changed. At 70, she moved through techy 5.11+ cruxes with confidence and ease. Although her life has shifted drastically, Logan's affinity for climbing has remained a constant.

At age 70, "my goal is just to keep climbing," says Logan. (Photo: Julie Ellison)

Interview

Climbing: When you look back on those bold ascents of the past, does it feel like that was a different person?

Logan: When I was climbing, I was climbing. There was no gender stuff; there was just the next pitch. When you're on something hard and scary, there's a rule--you gotta take your pitch. You think, "How hard is it going to be? Is there going to be protection? What am I going to do up there?" And gender doesn't make any difference. When I was climbing, I was just climbing. It was the rest of my life that was confusing.

Climbing: What role does fear play in your life as a climber and transgender person?

Logan: To me, fear in climbing comes only abstractly, when you're sitting at the base of the route and you're scared. You think, "Oh, should I go up on this? If I do it, we could die." I had a good brain for that stuff. When I found myself committed to a big route and runout above bad gear, my brain got really quiet. I can climb better than I've ever climbed when I'm 30 feet above a knifeblade. It just happens, and I'm not aware of the rope or how long the fall would be.

However, transitioning was terrifying. It was way scarier than the Emperor Face: What if I can't climb with anybody? What if I screw up my kids? What if my wife divorces me?

Climbing: Any negative experiences in the climbing community as a transgender person?

Logan: No, not really. [When I came out], I didn't really know what was going to happen, but I can say that the climbing community--the younger ones in particular--has been incredibly supportive. I think some of the older ones don't understand or can't really handle it. There are some people who I climbed with in the 1960s who I don't see anymore, and I think that's because of how I live now. It's, like, befuddling to them. They're very macho guys. I think giving up all the male privilege--the whole thing is beyond them. I have more architecture work than I can do. Overall, nobody seems to care.

I have this idea that if you're trans or gay or whatever, if you can look other people in the eye and smile, you're good. That's mostly what other humans want. When I'm walking around the grocery store and a woman smiles at me, I have no idea whether she's smiling because she sees me as a woman or because she sees me as wanting to be a woman. I'll never know, and it doesn't make any difference.

Climbing: Has your transitioning affected your climbing?

Logan: My climbing is going downhill, but it doesn't have anything to do with taking hormones or transitioning--it has to do with the fact that I'm 70! And I feel pretty good that I can still climb 5.12 here and there. I was able to get on a 5.11+ in Boulder Canyon and try hard and even climb above the bolt a bit. I still love climbing, and my goal is just to keep climbing. There's a gazillion beautiful easy climbs. In Yosemite, I've never done Snake Dike and Royal Arches; I've never done the Durrance Route on Devils Tower, never climbed High Exposure in the Gunks. I don't really have to do the hard stuff anymore.

Climbing: Tell me about the process of transitioning.

Logan: It was just a series of steps, like a climb. You do the next move: "I'm going to get rid of my beard, then I'm going to go to New York and present as a female and see what happens. Finally, I'm going to go as a board member to the AAC annual dinner wearing a dress." That was scary, but the general reaction was fine. I bought a table and loaded it up with my crew, so I had my posse. Like, "Yeah, fuck you. I may be old and wearing a dress, but you don't get to sit next to Tommy [Caldwell]." I was afraid, and wasn't able to just be myself. Now I've learned how to be myself, but of course, sometimes I feel a little uncomfortable or insecure.

Climbing: How would you describe your life now?

Logan: I feel happy. Even when I started trying to figure this out, there were all these times when I would look in the closet and see my wife's clothes, and think, "Oh, I wish I could wear that." Now I can, so it feels freer. It feels like I'm truer to myself.

Climbing: How would you explain this to those who might not understand?

Logan: The whole boy/girl dichotomy is really false. A lot of people live in the gender spectrum, and there's a lot of in between. There are people who are way boyish of girl, and I'm way girlish of boy. But we all navigate somewhere in this Neverland. I'll never have the experiences that a young woman did, and that's fine. Sometimes when I'm on jobsites and I'm explaining how I want the concrete done, I get pretty boyish. But then again, when I arrive on a jobsite carrying something heavy, the Mexican concrete guys will run over and carry it for me. It's part of their culture. Or when I'm in a meeting at work and it's busy, people will slip back into saying "he." I don't get upset, and I don't expect people to gender-parse their stuff when all we really care about is [getting the work done].

I enjoy women. I like to wear women's clothes. I like to not be macho. I like to be more sensitive. I like to be more caring about other people. Those are all things I didn't do as well when I was a boy. I was always trying to prove myself, like, always working the conversation around to my climbing accomplishments. I like the way women are, and it's something I have to try really hard to be.

Jamie Logan: A Life on the Walls

1966: First free ascent of the sandbagged Crack of Fear (5.10d), Twin Owls, Lumpy Ridge, Colorado. As Logan wrote on Mountain Project, "When we did the first free ascent in 1966, 5.10 was the hardest grade .... T2 was 5.9 and the Grand Giraffe was 5.8." Logan concedes that today she'd rate the route 5.11c.

1967: Climbed Eldo's Grand Giraffe (5.10a) with Royal Robbins in the first use of passive pro in Colorado.

1972: First ascent of Goss-Logan (V 5.11- R; later freed by Jimmy Dunn) on the North Chasm View Wall, Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

1972: Second American ascent of the Eiger Nordwand.

1976: FFA of the Diamond, Longs Peak, with Wayne Goss, freeing up to 5.11 without pitons or bivy gear and linking D7 into Forrest Finish.

1978: Alpine-style attempt on Changabang's Southwest Ridge with Dakers Gowans. Every time they climbed above 18,000 feet, Gowans experienced altitude sickness.

1977: Attempt on Hummingbird Ridge, Mt. Logan, with Mugs Stump, Randy Trover, and Barry Sparks. "We climbed from dawn to last light every day for weeks," recalls Logan, "until it became apparent that whole sections of the route were gone."

1978: First ascent of the 8,000-foot Emperor Face of Mt. Robson, Canadian Rockies, with Stump. Logan spent six hours on the crux lead.

2007: Redpoint of Sonic Youth (5.13a), Clear Creek Canyon, CO. Logan had made the FA in 1966 with soft-iron pitons, aiders with metal rungs, and a geology hammer.

2008: Designs Movement Boulder and then Movement Denver, two influential Colorado mega-gyms.

Julie Ellison was Climbing's editor at large.

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Florida scrub jays are clearly declining in Brevard County, Florida.

Jays lived on the barrier island in the South Beaches for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. The last one was seen there approximately five years ago. Portions of Palm Bay provided great habitat for the jays until development crowded them out.

Most recently, the population at the Buck Lake Conservation Area near Scottsmoor can no longer be found.

Florida scrub jays are known to require very specific habitat, including scrub oaks and palmettos, open areas and two tall trees per acre. Hawks use the trees to observe the jays and find opportunities to capture them. Many Florida scrub lands have become developed for human occupation, and the overall population has declined substantially.

Concluded in 2021, scientists Dr. Lacy and Dr. Breininger conducted Population Viability Assessments on the Florida scrub jays in Brevard County. These assessments showed that small isolated populations of jays are unlikely to survive.

The most promising location for jays in Brevard County includes Malabar Scrub Sanctuary, Jordan Scrub Sanctuary, Cameron Preserve, Micco Scrub and Grant Flatwoods, but the land management of these conservation lands needs improvement to help the jays survive.

The Malabar Scrub Sanctuary is temporarily closed to the public.

The Malabar Scrub Sanctuary was acquired as conservation lands under the leadership of the Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program in the 1990s. The property was acquired for the protection of the Florida scrub jay and other scrub species. With matching funding from a state conservation program, the title to the property is held by the state with the EEL Program responsible for managing the land for the benefit of wildlife and the environment.

The property must be managed according to a plan that was reviewed by the Town of Malabar and approved by the County Commission and Florida DEP.

To save the remaining threatened scrub jays there, thousands of trees, including a few hundred yards of old oak hammockA that shades trails atA Malabar Scrub Sanctuary, must go, Brevard County officials say.

Last year, the EEL Program initiated an effort to improve the scrub jay habitat with plans to remove up to 7000 pines from the 577 acres. Some neighbors and mountain bike riders expressed their objections to the restoration of the overgrown scrub ecosystem to the town council because the user experience would be negatively impacted by the loss of trees.

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In January, the County Commission closed public access to the site when the Malabar Council declined to issue a permit to allow the EEL Program to perform this work.

The county expressed a willingness to relocate sections of the trails to areas outside of the restoration zone into more shaded portions of the site. The restoration zone will be managed for the jays.

Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY file Brevard Zoo has pioneered and perfected the process of moving Florida scrub jays from endangered habitats to new lands where they can flourish. 02/05/2008--Photo by Craig Bailey/Florida Today--A family of Scrub Jays inhabit newly restored habitat in Grant-Valkaria.

Brevard County and the town of Malabar have both initiated legal actions to achieve their desired outcomes.

The county contends that habitat restoration for a threatened species cannot be minimized to the detriment of the species for which the site was originally protected in order to satisfy the interests of a recreational user group.

Vince Lamb is a Florida Master Naturalist who served on the Procedures Committee for the EEL Program for 10 years. He has volunteered extensively with Florida scrub jays and other wildlife species. Vince is also deeply involved in efforts to protect and restore the Indian River Lagoon.

Support local journalism and become a subscriber. Visit floridatoday.com/subscribe

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Scrub jay habitats should come before jogging paths and bike trails
Apple will make a number of changes to scheduling rules for its retail employees that the company believes will result in more flexible working hours, reported Bloomberg. The move arrives as Apple retail stores in Maryland and New York City are slated to hold union elections in the coming weeks. The changes will include changes to limits on the number of late shifts worked, consecutive days worked and the minimum amount of time that must pass before an employee is eligible to work a new shift.

According to staff who spoke to Bloomberg, Apple will make some of the following changes over the next several weeks. Others will not arrive until later in the year. Shifts must be scheduled at least 12 hours apart (up from 10 hours.) Choosing a weekend day to not be scheduled, and a maximum of five consecutive scheduled days in a row also appear to be among the concessions. And unless they opt to pick up late shifts, retail workers won't work more than three shifts per work that run past 8pm.

Apple retail workers over the years have spoken out about the demanding work schedule and low wages. The company expanded benefits for all full-time retail employees earlier this year, increasing the number of paid sick days and offering paid parental leave. It also set a new floor of $22 per hour for its retail employees last week. Still, Fruit Stand Workers United  the group in the midst of organizing Apples Grand Central Store  is pushing for a $30 minimum wage, tuition reimbursement and more options for retirement plans.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan's satellite operator Azercosmos has signed a protocol of intent with GTD Ingenieria de Sistemas, Spains aerospace, defense and security company, Azernews reports.

According to the protocol of intent, the parties will create opportunities for space analytics and solutions, the development of satellite systems, as well as an exchange of knowledge and experience within the framework of educational programs.

The document includes support for R&D activities in the field of space in Azerbaijan, as well as the provision of technology transfer of engineering solutions for satellite systems.

Moreover, it also stresses the importance of applying the latest information technologies in the field of remote sensing and geospatial data management, which is currently one of the priorities of the space industry.

The signed document lays the foundation for cooperation in mutually beneficial space projects.

GTD Ingenieria de Sistemas is a high-tech company, which has been operating for over 30 years. The company specializes in providing engineering and technical solutions in the space, aerospace and energy industries, including science, research and infrastructure projects.

Established in 2010, Azercosmos is the only satellite operator in the South Caucasus region and provides high-quality satellite services for telecommunications and geographic intelligence.

Azercosmos along with Azerspace-1, Azerspace-2, and Azersky satellites, facilitates the reception of signals from satellites of other satellite operators via a fiber-optic network.
U.S. gas prices are hitting new records every day. Check out average gas prices today and compare to the past in these five graphics.
A look at some of today's top stories, the weather forecast and a peek back in history.

Spending on the Senate review of the 2020 election continues even after Joe Biden's victory in Maricopa County was verified.

Mesas court is one of a growing number geared toward rehabilitation to help the homeless move more effectively through the criminal justice system.

June 3 is National Donut Day and you'll find freebies and discounts at chains like Dunkin' Donuts and Krispy Kreme in metro Phoenix.

Today, you can expect it to be sunny, with a high near 103 degrees. Decreasing clouds at night, with a low near 74 degrees. Get the full forecast here.

For more stories that matter, subscribe to azcentral.com.

Today in history

On this date in 1901, Richard McCormick, first territorial secretary and second territorial governor of Arizona, died.

In 1913, stockholders of the African Land and Irrigation Co. decided to construct a two-story building in Tucson as headquarters for the organization of Southern Arizona Negroes.

In 1936, a convict at Florence State Prison attempted to escape and elude prison bloodhounds by swimming 16 miles (26 kilometers) through irrigation canals to Picacho Lake, towing his lunch in a milk pail.

In 1996, record temperatures were reported in Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff and Wilcox. The mercury in Phoenix hit 111, just one degree hotter than the record for June 3, which was set in 1987 and tied in 1990. The temperature at Tucson International Airport reached 107 degrees, tying a 1990 record. Flagstaff hit 86 degrees, matching a record set in 1988, and in Wilcox, the mercury rose to 102 degrees, the hottest for a June 3 since 1956.

In 2016, heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali died at a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona, at age 74.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ Briefing: Senate election review has cost taxpayers millions
Michael M Santiago/GettyImages

Businessman David McCormick called celebrity doctor and former daytime talk show host Dr. Mehmet Oz to concede the Republican Senate primary in Pennsylvania on Friday, according to the Associated Press.

McCormick told supporters at a campaign party it was clear that a recount triggered by the close race would not end in his favor.

Tonight is really about all us coming together, the AP, which has not formally called the race, reported.

Before the primary, Oz had polled neck and neck against McCormick, with both MAGA outsiders splitting the GOP moderate vote. But down the stretch, Oz also had to fend off upstart candidate Kathy Barnette, who exploited her right-wing bona fides to mount a last-minute charge that in one poll put her within a point of the top spot. Neither McCormick nor Barnette, however, could ultimately outmuscle Ozs fame and former President Donald Trumps endorsement.

Ozs win is also a triumph for Trump, who had notched another major endorsement victory two weeks earlier with J.D. Vances come-from-behind win in the Ohio Senate primary. But while Trump can safely declare himself the Republican Partys de facto kingmaker, both Oz and Vance suffered from antipathy among the Trump base all the way through election day, losing a large chunk of the MAGA vote despite his endorsement.

Although that Ohio field featured more candidates and ran months longer, the Pennsylvania contest shared its ugly streak. In all, the Oz and McCormick camps spent tens of millions of dollars on attack ads, CNBC reported, some of them misleading, as each scrambled to prove the other was the true MAGA fraudOz the Hollywood liberal, and McCormick the corporatist China ally.

Part of the problem was that both candidates stepped into a MAGA vacuum left after Trump-backed Sean Parnells exit, pursued by child support issues and domestic battery allegations. Neither candidate fully won that community over, and now Oz, like Vance in Ohio, will have to cement their support without alienating the states key suburban swing voters, who made the difference in Joe Bidens 2020 victory.

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Still, its hard to gauge the Trump effect. He was riding high after Ohio, but last week saw a stinging defeat of his anointed gubernatorial candidate in Nebraskaa megadonor whom eight women had accused of sexual assault. And Pennsylvania, where Trumpworld figures split their support, doesnt appear to be a ringing referendum either way.

McCormick, who is married to Trumps former deputy national security adviser Dina Powell, drew backing from top figures in Trumps orbit. Kellyanne Conway and Sarah Huckabee Sanders both campaigned for him, and he landed endorsements from former secretary of state Mike Pompeo and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). McCormick had also sweetened his campaign staff with Trump whisperers Stephen Miller, Cliff Sims, and Hope Hicks, a unique move that still failed to appeal to the former president. (Miller dropped him when Trump chose Oz.)

The results also indicate that Trumps base is prepared to turn their backs on their leader.

Barnettes last-minute grassroots surge drew fire from within the pro-Trump tent. A number of influencers warned that her candidacy would spell doom for Republicans in the general election. She also attracted odd, late-game rebukes from Fox News stalwart Sean Hannity and Newsmaxs Greg Kelly, who trounced her for Islamophobic remarks, among other things. And even Trump weighed in, releasing a statement last week that claimed Barnette would lose in the general election because of many things in her past which have not been properly explained or vetted.

Despite those efforts, a significant slice of the MAGA base, lukewarm on the top two contenders, deprioritized their loyalty to Trump and turned en masse to Barnette.

Stil, it wasnt enough to topple Oz. He now face his new Democratic opponent, Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, who won his primary easily May 17.

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Steve Dackin. He was elected vice president of the Ohio State Board of Education on Nov. 15, 2021.

Ohio's new superintendent of public instruction Steve Dackin resigned Friday  less than a month after he was selected to oversee the education of Ohio's 1.7 million K-12 students.

Dackin, in a resignation letter, cited concerns about his recent selection to the role. Dackin, while serving as school board vice president, led the search for the position that he ultimately was selected for.

Concerns have been raised about my recent acceptance of the position of Superintendent of Public Instruction," Dackin wrote. "I dont want revolving door questions to distract from the important work ahead for schools, educators and especially the children.

Ohio ethics laws prohibit board members from accepting any benefit, including compensation, from a contract authorized by a board they served on either during their term or for one year after they leave the board, said Paul Nick, executive director of the Ohio Ethics Commission.

Dackin resigned from the state board on Feb. 25 and applied for the superintendent position a few days later. Confidentiality laws prohibit Nick from commenting on whether or not there was an investigation into Dackin's selection.

On May 10, the State Board of Education selected Dackin in a 14-4 vote. He previously served as the superintendent of Reynoldsburg City Schools between 2007 and 2014 and on the State Board of Education

Dackin's salary was set at $215,000 with the possibility of an annual performance bonus of $35,000. Dackin, in his letter, said he would forgo any compensation for the work he had done to date.

State Board of Education President Charlotte McGuire announced Dackin's resignation in a Friday afternoon news release, which did not detail why he was leaving.

"I am confident that together we will continue the important work in support of Ohios children, families and future," McGuire said in the news release.

Gov. Mike DeWine, through a spokesman, said he was "surprised and disappointed" by Dackin's decision to resign but respected Dackin's decision to avoid being a distraction from important work on topics like literacy, mental health and helping children achieve their "God-given potential."

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Stephanie Siddens will serve as superintendent of public instruction in the interim. She temporarily held the position after Paolo DeMaria retired in September 2021.

Steve Dackin resignation letter by Jessie Balmert on Scribd

Reporter Anna Staver contributed to this article.

Jessie Balmert is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Akron Beacon Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

Get more political analysis by listening to the Ohio Politics Explained podcast

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio's new K-12 education chief resigns after less than 1 month on the job
decorated pralines, close up view

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It's no wonder that chocolate and candy sales hit a record high in 2021we all deserved a treat. According to the National Confectioners Association's 2022 State of Treating Report, sales of chocolate grew 9.2% over the previous year.

While there are plenty of top-notch places to buy chewy salted caramels and glossy, ganache-filled hearts, making chocolate confections at home is also a treat. Before trying to emulate the perfect, airbrushed bonbons you see in store windows, though, it pays to learn the principles of chocolate-making, says Justine MacNeil, pastry chef and owner of Fiore Fine Foods in Philadelphia. "It's really a science first and art second, and the science needs to be understood."

Chocolate-making takes research, practice, and plenty of patience, but the finished productfrom dark chocolate-dipped marshmallows to mango-sprinkled mendiantsmakes the process worthwhile. We talked to pastry chefs and chocolatiers to learn their best advice, including essential equipment and tried-and-true methods for tempering chocolate, plus the most essential tool in your clean-up arsenal.

Temper chocolate with a heating pad

There are several ways to successfully temper chocolatei.e. the process of slowly heating and cooling chocolate to prepare it for making confections. While makers use several methods for tempering, including a double broiler or a microwave, Erik Landegren, confectionist and founder of Connecticut-based Bridgewater Chocolate, uses a clever technique to keep his chocolate in temper. "Lay a heating pad underneath the tempered chocolate to help maintain the temperature of 90 degrees, which is a great go-to temperature for dark chocolate," he says.

Test the temperature on your lip

Although it's not permitted in professional kitchens, Christopher Curtin, master chocolatier and owner of Eclat Chocolate in West Chester, Pennsylvania, learned a trick to test the temperature of tempered chocolate while working in Europe. "Put a dab on your bottom lip," he says. "It's like the cliche of testing baby's milk on your wristyou can feel if the chocolate is a proper temperature."

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Have patience

Making chocolate candy is akin to baking, in that it requires patience, organization, and an attention to detail. "The process of making bonbons, from painting cocoa butter, shelling, filling, and capping is a long process, and patience plays a big role," says Krystle Swenson, pastry chef at the green o in Montana. "It's important to not rush throughout any of the stages, and take the time you need to finish each step."

F&W Recipe: Tropical Mendiants

Tropical Mendiants

Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Don't use chocolate chips

Couverture, or chocolate formulated with a higher percentage of cocoa butter, is essential for making chocolate bonbons, says Ocean House Collection pastry chef Maya Hayes. "Make sure you are using bars, chunks, or callets, not chocolate chips," she says. "Chocolate chips contain thickeners such as soy lecithin so that they can stay in the chip form even in the oven. This will make the chocolate very thick and difficult to temper."

Do invest in high quality chocolate

Deirdre Maguire, chocolatier at Gotham Chocolates (part of NYC's Gotham restaurant), avoids baker's chocolate, or chocolates with added palm oils. She suggests using bean-to-bar chocolate, noting, "The end result will be much better than using a commercial brand like Hershey's." Hayes likes working with a brand like Valrhona or Barry Callebaut, while Swenson adds Guittard and TCHO to the list. MacNeil likes Italian chocolate brands Amedei and Domori, and says Cacao Barry is also great, and a bit more accessible.

Dip gently

Dipping takes practice, says Erik Landegren. "I suggest using a two prong fork and placing the confections on parchment paper after so it comes off easily," says the chef.

Stock these tools

There's no need to spend a bundle on fancy equipment to make confections at home. A temperature probe, spatula, offset spatula, and piping bags are the must-haves, according to Maguire. "Use rubber silicone molds for bonbons when just getting started instead of plastic ones," she says. "The bonbons pop out nicer and are easier to work with." MacNeil adds microwave-safe bowls, a two-ounce ladle, and inexpensive paint brushes, for when you're ready to start painting bonbons.

Keep coconut oil on hand

Mistakes will happen! An easy trick for fixing chocolate that's gotten too thick, says Landegren, is to add a little coconut oil to thin it out.

F&W Recipe: Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookie

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Get creative with fillings

Go beyond vanilla buttercreams and dream up something more imaginative. Eclat's chocolate bars range from Coffee and Cardamom to Porcini and Thyme. Krystle Swenson loves meshing fruity and floral teas or herbaceous ingredients into her chocolate, and pastry chef Ashley Robinson of Chicago's 16 on Center uses fresh (and freshly ground) spices. But the key is to make sure they're high quality. "If you're going to put spices with chocolate, you'd better be sure those spices can hold up to the flavor," she says. "No sense wasting good chocolate on stale, bland spices."

Ocean House's Maya Hayes creates ganache based on what's in season. In the winter, for example, she loves a dark chocolate couverture with a white chocolate mint ganache, while in spring she steeps lavender flowers into the cream before adding it to the chocolate for the ganache. She also incorporates nuts and nut pastes into my chocolate. "If you haven't yet eaten gianduja chocolate bonbons, you are missing out!"

Pay attention to your climate

"Working in high humidity and high temperatures can be quite challenging when working with chocolate," says Krystle Swenson, who has found Montana's dry climate to be far easier than former kitchens in Hawaii, California, and North Carolina for tempering chocolate. "Don't be discouraged if it doesn't work out or takes a couple tries when tempering chocolate in warm environments," she says. "Try to turn off any ovens or kitchen equipment that may warm your working area, if possible, and try to work at the coolest time of day also helps a lot."

Taste test

Perhaps the most fun part of the job, Ashley Robinson recommends tasting chocolate varieties side by side. "Chocolate is an incredibly variable and complicated substance. Even if two chocolates have the same cocoa percentage, the flavor can vary wildly depending on growing region, production, and many other factors. It's important to develop a palate for what chocolates you like for which projects.

Save money

Making chocolate candy doesn't have to be an expensive endeavor. Deirdre Maguire recommends saving money by using fillings you already have in your kitchen. "For example, a simple caramel can be made out of sugar, butter, cream and salt," she says. "Also jams and peanut butter are fantastic fillings."

Don't forget the cleanup

Chocolate making can be quite messy. Justine MacNeil only uses Dawn dish soap for post chocolate-making cleanup. "Don't get store brands," she says. "Dawn is queen to break down the fat of the cocoa butter in the cleaning process."
Following a string of mass shootings, including Wednesday in Tulsa, President Joe Biden called for a nationwide ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, along with several other gun reform measures.

Its time to act, for the children weve lost, for the children we can save, said Biden, who delivered a live address from the White House Thursday evening.

Biden referenced recent shootings in Texas and New York, along with the attack in a Tulsa hospital that left four dead.

President Joe Biden speaks about the latest round of mass shootings, from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, June 2, 2022. Biden is attempting to increase pressure on Congress to pass stricter gun limits after such efforts failed following past outbreaks. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The shooter in Tulsa purchased an AR-15 style rifle just over an hour before he entered Saint Francis Health System.

Biden said he wanted a ban on assault weapons like the one used in Tulsa, or at least to raise the age required to purchase one from 18 to 21.

More: A doctor who loved jazz, a mother of two: What we know about the Tulsa shooting victims

Biden also called for tougher background checks, repealing gun manufacturers immunity from liability, and for a nationwide "red flag" law that allows courts to take guns away from a person exhibiting violent tendencies.

Oklahoma has a law that prevents cities and counties from enacting "red flag" laws.

"This is not about taking away anyone's guns, not about vilifying gun owners," Biden said. "I respect the culture and the tradition  At the same time the Second Amendment, like all other rights, is not absolute."

As vice president, Biden was tasked by President Barack Obama to lead an effort for tougher gun control laws following a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, where 26 people were killed.

Biden advocated for tougher background checks for firearm purchases but it ultimately failed in the U.S. Senate.

Oklahoma House Minority Leader Emily Virgin, D-Norman, said she was optimistic that Biden could effectively convince the American people that action on gun control is now necessary.

"He was vice president when Sandy Hook happened, so he has seen the personal devastation of these events," Virgin said on Thursday, previewing Biden's address. "I think President Biden has an incredible capacity for empathy and conveying the stories of what people are experiencing and he knows the legislative process."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Citing Tulsa, other shootings, Biden for national ban on assault weapons
(Getty Images)

Former Liverpool and Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge was released by Australian club Perth Glory on Friday after playing less than 140 minutes of football in an injury-blighted campaign.

The 32-year-old former England international started only one of the six games he played and failed to find the net as Glory finished bottom of the 12-team A-League with four wins from 26 matches.

Sturridge was one of six players to leave Glory on Friday, the day after former Australia midfielder Ruben Zadkovich was named coach for the next two seasons.

Former Ireland striker Andy Keogh, whose goals helped Glory to the 2018-19 championship final, has retired and will take up a role as head of recruitment, the club said.

Prior to his move to Western Australia, Sturridge spent just over six months in Turkey with Trabzonspor before his contract was terminated early, ahead of receiving a four-month worldwide ban for breaching betting rules.

He scored 67 goals in 160 games for Liverpool in total, with Manchester City, Bolton and West Brom his other clubs during his career. He also won 26 caps for England, scoring eight times, and hit two in five for Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Miami-based FiGa Films has picked up worldwide sales on Andres Kaisers found-footage doc Time Theorem (Teorema de Tiempo), which will have its world premiere at DOK.Fest Munchen on May 8.

Doc will also receive a market screening at the Cannes Marche du Film on May 18.

More from Variety

We could not believe that Time Theorem was a documentary when we first watched it, said FiGa Films CEO, Sandro Fiorin, adding: Fiction could only hope for such a twisted story.

Andres is supremely talented, the way he and his producer put this film together is truly remarkable. We are lucky to be part of the team, he continued.

According to Kaiser, the doc relates the story of his grandparents and their lives as amateur filmmakers between Mexico and Switzerland from the 1940s to the 1980s. Its a story that reflects on how we use images as a tool to build our own personality, in contrast to the relentless passage of time and the tragedies that it carries with it, he said.

In his directors statement, Kaiser goes on to describe Time Theorem as a film essay that portrays the unstoppable passage of life through hundreds of film reels and thousands of photographs created by my grandparents Anita Schlittler and Arnoldo Kaiser, who, through their film camera, captured their obsessions, myths and fantasies throughout the 20th century.

For me, the making of this film is a way of unifying an unfinished portrait of my family and myself; an assembly of someone elses memory with intention of telling a story that resonates strongly in the human heart, he added.

Kaiser, who studied film editing in Madrid and screenwriting in Mexico City, is developing The Spring of the Anchorites, an archival documentary that recreates the psychoanalyst experience that took place inside a Benedictine monastery in Cuernavaca, Mexico during the 60s. Hes also working on his next genre pic, Precious Blood, a tale of demonic possession inside a female convent in 18th century colonial Mexico. His debut feature Feral took home the Fipresci critics award at the Los Cabos Film Festival and won him best director prize at RIFF Oslo.

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FiGa Films other pick-ups in 2022 include animated short The Year of the Radio, by Samuel Kishi Leopo, whose previous pics Los Lobos and We Are Mari Pepa also form part of FiGa Films catalog. FiGa also nabbed worldwide sales rights to Diana Cardozos coming-of-age drama Estacion Catorce (Station 14) this year.

The Munich International Documentary Film Festival (DOK.Fest Munchen) runs May 4-22. Cannes Marche du Film runs May 17-25.

Time Theorem - Credit: Courtesy of FiGa Films/ Andres Kaiser

Courtesy of FiGa Films/ Andres Kaiser

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Congress quickly passed a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine in May, but according to a report at Politico, worries about how well that money is being monitored and spent could delay future efforts to assist the war-torn country.

Concerns are mounting on Capitol Hill about the Biden administrations ability to properly account for the unprecedented wave of cash and to track the thousands of U.S. weapons heading to Ukraine for its war with Russia, Politicos Andrew Desiderio, Lara Seligman and Connor OBrien write.

The concerns are coming from both sides of the aisle. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) briefly delayed the aid package in a failed effort to appoint a dedicated inspector general to oversee the spending, and eventually joined 10 other GOP senators in voting against the bill.

Far to Pauls left, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) also wants to see a full accounting of how the aid is used. The U.S. government is sending billions in humanitarian, economic, and military assistance to help the Ukrainian people overcome Putins brutal war, and the American people expect strong oversight by Congress and full accounting from the Department of Defense, she told Politico in an email. Warren added that she was not pleased with the information provided by the Pentagon so far, charging that the department has not complied with the law by failing to provide full reports on various issues for years.

Some protections in place: The aid package does include provisions related to oversight. It requires the Pentagon inspector generals office to review the spending, and it calls on the State Department to work with the Pentagon to report to Congress on how weapons are being transferred to Ukraine.

A Pentagon spokesperson told Politico that the department is committed to being open and transparent, but also noted that war always involves uncertainty. Risk of diversion is one of many considerations that we routinely assess when evaluating any potential arms transfer, Marine Corps Lt. Col. Anton Semelroth said.

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), who sits on the Armed Services Committee, said that while military aid has been siphoned off in some places, Ukraine is a different story due to the long-standing relationship between the two countries. Obviously, we always have to be on the lookout, but this is not the same scenario that we have in the past, he said. There have been agreements between our governments about [some of the weapons] usage. And I believe so far Ukraine has abided by all of them.

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UNITED NATIONS  U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday renewed his call for an immediate halt to violence on the 100th day of the war in Ukraine.

The U.N. chief also called for urgent protection for civilians, unfettered access to provide them with humanitarian aid and safely evacuate those trapped in areas where fighting is taking place, and respect for human rights.

The conflict has already taken thousands of lives, caused untold destruction, displaced millions of people, resulted in unacceptable violations of human rights and is inflaming a three-dimensional global crisis  food, energy and finance  that is pummeling the most vulnerable people, countries and economies, Guterres said in a statement Friday.

From the first days of the war, he said the United Nations has been supporting the Ukrainian people trying to deal with its humanitarian impact while also drawing attention to the dangers and long-term implications of continued fighting and potential escalation of hostilities for the country, the wider region and the world.

The secretary-general said the U.N. remains committed to the humanitarian effort, but as I have stressed from the beginning, resolving this conflict will require negotiations and dialogue.

The sooner the parties engage in good-faith diplomatic efforts to end this war, the better for the sake of Ukraine, Russia and the world, Guterres said.

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:

 Deadly secret: Electronic warfare shapes Russia-Ukraine war

 Analysts think Russia may be in Ukraine to stay after 100 days of war

 AP PHOTOS: Russian malls half-empty after Western firms exit

 At 100 days, Russia-Ukraine war by the numbers

 US and allies: Hold Russia accountable for Ukraine crimes

 Russian Orthodox leader skips EU sanctions thanks to Hungary's Orban

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Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

UNITED NATIONS  The United Nations on Friday said humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths had frank and constructive discussions with Russian officials as part of U.N. efforts to reach a deal on agricultural exports amid an escalating food crisis.

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U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Griffiths held meetings with officials in the ministries of foreign affairs and defense on Wednesday and Thursday focused on seeking ways to facilitate the export of grain and other food from Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea to global markets.

His meetings followed a Monday visit to the Russian capital by Rebeca Grynspan, the secretary-general of the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development, who is focusing on getting Russian grains and fertilizer to global markets.

Dujarric said Friday that we have seen a lot of positive comments come from various capitols.

But he said there are a lot of moving pieces in this puzzle and he was not in a position to confirm reports of a possible meeting in Istanbul on June 8 when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visits Turkey, or that there will be an observation mechanism based in Istanbul but run by the U.N. for grain exports from Ukraine.

Dujarric did confirm that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, a close Russian ally, on Friday about export issues.

He would not confirm Belarusian media reports that they discussed the possibility of exporting Ukrainian grain through Belarus in exchange for access for Belarusian products to be exported through ports in Germany, the Baltics and Poland.

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MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday blamed the United States and Europe for the energy problems theyre facing, saying they stoked fears about climate change to boost support for renewable energy but then underinvested.

Speaking on Russian TV, Putin said those countries adopted a short-sighted policies that relied too heavily on renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydrogen.

Those technologies werent yet ready for massive deployment or were too expensive, he said, and Europe and the United States downplayed the role of what they were supposed to replace: hydrocarbons. The result was under-development and under-investment in energy, and an increase in prices, according to Putin.

Exacerbating the problem, in his view, is that Europeans  despite Moscows warnings  declined to maintain long-term natural gas supply contracts with Russia.

The higher natural gas prices also increased fertilizer costs. Natural gas is heavily used in fertilizer manufacturing.

But we warned about that, and its not connected in any way to Russias military operation in Donbass, Putin added.

Several European countries are heavily dependent on Russia oil and natural gas and have been rushing to find alternatives now that they have adopted sanctions  including energy embargoes  against Moscow for its military operation in Ukraine.

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MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday blamed the West for emerging global food and energy crises and repeated his governments offers of safe passage for ships exporting grain from Ukraine if mines are removed from the waters.

Of course, we are now seeing attempts to shift the responsibility for what is happening on the world food market, the emerging problems in this market, onto Russia, he told Russian TV. I must say that this is an attempt, as our people say, to shift these problems from a sick to a healthy head.

As reported by the state-run Tass news agency, Putin also said Western sanctions against Russia would only worsen world markets  reducing the harvest and driving up prices.

He said inflation stemmed from the unprecedented dollar printing press during the coronavirus pandemic and blamed short-sighted European policies for under-investment in alternatives to traditional energy supplies and price increases.

The Kremlin leader said Russia wasnt blocking grain shipments from Ukraine and that the West is using Russia as a scapegoat for its problems.

Putin pledged that if the waters were demined, Russia wouldnt attack grain shipments and suggested they could be made from the Ukrainian port of Berdyansk or other countries, such as Belarus. Berdyansk is under Russian occupation.

We wont take advantage of the situation of demining to undertake any sea attacks, Putin said.

These were Putins most extensive comments to date on the emerging food crisis.

Putins positions on these issues conflict with explanations given by Ukraine and its allies.

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GENEVA  Switzerlands government on Friday said it wont honor a request by Denmark to send nearly two-dozen Swiss-made armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, citing Swiss neutrality law that bans the export of war material to a country at war.

The executive Federal Council confirmed the decision, reported in Swiss media this week, on Friday just as the Swiss government also announced that it would allow the transfer of some military equipment to Germany and Britain as they replenish supplies that the two countries have sent to Ukraine.

The announcement testified to the fine line Swiss authorities are treading to hold to Switzerlands legal requirement to remain neutral as laid out in the War Materiel Act, which bars the transfer of Swiss-made weapons systems, ammunition and other war material to a country involved in an international conflict.

Denmark had requested that Switzerland transfer 22 Swiss-made Piranha III wheeled armored personnel carriers, which Denmark had procured and stored in Germany, to Ukraine.

Previously, the Swiss rejected a German request to send Swiss-made 35mm ammunition for Gepard anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine.

However, the Swiss executive said it would allow the export of some parts for hand-held anti-tank weapons and anti-aircraft weapons components sought by Germany and Italy. It acknowledged those parts could end up in Ukraine, but the parts involved would represent less than half the value of the total weaponrys value.

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REHOBOTH BEACH, Del.  President Joe Biden on Friday said he thinks a negotiated settlement will be necessary to end Russias war in Ukraine.

Asked whether Ukraine should give up some of its territory to Russia in order to end the war and bring peace to the region, Biden said his policy continues to be that the United States will not make any decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine.

He said its their territory and Im not going to tell them what they should and shouldnt do.

But the U.S. leader also said it appears to me that at some point along the line theres going to have to be a negotiated settlement here. He said he does not know what such an agreement would look like but that the U.S. will continue to help Ukrainians defend themselves.

Biden commented from Delaware on Friday, the 100th day of Russias invasion.

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PARIS  A French person was killed in combat in Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.

The ministry did not elaborate in its written response to a journalists question about the death of a French volunteer fighter in the Kharkiv region.

The ministry, which holds electronic written briefings, noted that Ukraine in the totality of its territory is a war zone. France advises anyone against going there whatever the motive.

French are among numerous foreign fighters who headed to Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyys call for volunteers to join an international brigade soon after Russia invaded the country Feb. 24.

The number of French volunteers is not known.

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GENEVA  A Ukrainian ambassador said Russia is playing hunger games with the world by trying to depict sanctions against Moscow as the reason that grain cant transit the Black Sea  and not Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Yevheniia Filipenko, Ukraines envoy to the U.N. office in Geneva, spoke in an interview on the 100-day mark since Russian military forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

As grain exports dry up through Ukraines embattled or captured ports, Filipenko said Russia has sought to pin the blame for the blockage on Ukraine and Western sanctions that have been levied by the thousands against Moscow.

Russia has played hunger games recently to put the blame on Ukraine and others for blocking Ukrainian food exports, she said.

Filipenko said Ukrainian forces were intensely motivated to protect their homeland and would one day win the war. She echoed calls from other top Ukrainian officials for more weapons.

We are fighting for freedom of Europe and the whole world. So the next 100 days will be very busy for all of us, she said.

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BRUSSELS  The European Union says it has targeted Russian military officers linked to atrocities in Ukraine in its latest round of sanctions, including top brass accused of war crimes in Bucha and the siege of Mariupol.

The EU froze the assets of 65 people and imposed travel bans on them. The bloc has now targeted almost 1,160 people, including President Vladimir Putin, pro-Kremlin oligarchs and other top officials over Russias actions in Ukraine since 2014.

The EU said Friday that Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov and Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, known as the Butcher of Mariupol, were among those on the list.

It said Omurbekov was leading the actions of his military unit and nicknamed the Butcher of Bucha due to his direct responsibility in killings, rapes and torture in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv.

It accused Mizintsev of orchestrating the bombardments of the city of Mariupol, killing thousands of civilians, including the shelling of a Mariupol maternity hospital and a theatre, killing hundreds of children.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said there can be no impunity for war crimes.

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CHISINAU, Moldova  Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has paid an official visit to Moldova, which borders Ukraine, in a public show of support for the country witnessing Russias ambitions in the region up close and sheltering thousands of Ukrainian refugees.

Sanchez said Spain would stand up for Moldovas territorial integrity, in a reference to Transnistria and Russias military presence there.

Transnistria is a disputed, Russian-backed breakaway state that borders southwestern Ukraine. Pro-Russian forces broke it off from Moldova in 1992, and Russian troops have been stationed there ever since, ostensibly as peacekeepers.

Sanchez assured President Maia Sandu at a press conference Friday in Chisinau, the capital, that Moldova has Spains resounding support and our commitment to solidarity with the Moldovan authorities and the Moldovan people at a time of great difficulty and international political tension.

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KYIV, Ukraine  A regional governor in eastern Ukraine says intense fighting is continuing in a key town that has faced a massive Russian offensive.

Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai told The Associated Press that fierce battles are continuing in Sievierodonetsk, where about 13,000 residents left in the city are sheltering in basements to escape relentless Russian bombardment.

Haidai said Friday that the Russian forces were also pummeling the nearby city of Lysychansk that has remained under Ukrainian control. Some 20,000 residents, or about one-fifth of Lysychansks pre-war population, have remained in the city which has seen 60% of its residential buildings and civilian infrastructure shattered by the Russian shelling. Haidai said a civilian was killed in the Russian shelling of Lysychansk on Friday.

He told the AP that the Russians have been shelling a key highway linking Lysychansk with Bakhmut, but that it remained under Ukrainian control.

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LVIV, Ukraine  A Ukrainian military analyst says a Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine has slowed down amid staunch Ukrainian resistance.

Mykola Sunhurovsky of the Razumkov Center, a Kyiv-based think-tank, said Friday that the Russians are fighting for every block and every street in the eastern city of Lysychansk, adding that it has deprived them of the initiative. Lysychansk, the administrative center of the eastern Luhansk region has become an arena of fierce fighting this week as it has faced a massive Russian attack.

Sunhurovsky charged that the Russian offensive in the region has started to slow down, they have lost too many forces and need a tactical break.

He noted that time is working in Ukraines favor as supplies of Western weapons are increasing, making the Kremlin nervous, but added that Western supplies have taken time to reach Ukraine, forcing Kyiv to drag out time in the east to accumulate forces for a counter-offensive.
Springfield nonprofits working on projects aimed at building their communities are invited to apply to the 2022 A Community Thrives program, a $2.3 million initiative of the Gannett Foundation.

A Community Thrives, which is sponsored by the Springfield News-Leader's parent company, Gannett, is accepting applications through June 30 for this year's program.

The program supports nonprofits, schools and municipal organizations focused on community building. Special consideration will be given to organizations that work to build up historically under-resourced and under-served groups.

A Community Thrives provides a platform for nonprofits to first raise money on their own through crowdfunding campaigns.

Participants can then become eligible to be considered for one of 15 national grants of up to $100,000 or hundreds of local grants of $2,500 or more targeted specifically toward communities that are served by Gannett news organizations.

In Missouri, that includes two daily newspapers  the Springfield News-Leader and the Columbia Daily Tribune.

Last year, the program awarded $12,500 to the Springfield Chamber Chorus. Throughout the year, the chorus used the funds to record and film the album "Forgotten Voices," a song cycle about homelessness, as well as "A Springfield Christmas."

More: New album shares what it's like to be homeless in Springfield

Go to the A Community Thrives website to learn more about how organizations can apply to participate.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield nonprofits can apply for Gannett Foundation grants
Montana coal production is up slightly as rising natural gas prices make the fuel more competitive.

Mines produced seven million tons through March, an increase of about 11% from the same period a year earlier, according to federal Mine Safety and Health Administration data.

The increase comes at a time when U.S. coal production is up 3% for the year so far. Montana mine production can be attributed partly to two things, increased exports and a slight rebound in coal demand at domestic power plants. The longer trend in production is for less coal. The state has one less mine than it did in 2020, when Decker Coal went bankrupt.

Signal Peak reported an increase of nearly 200,000 tons at Bull Mountain mine, which straddles Yellowstone and Musselshell counties. The mine is exclusively a source of export coal for customers in Japan and South Korea. Its 1.72 million tons produced in the first three months of the year marked its best first quarter since 2018 and its third best early-year performance in the last decade.

Likewise, Spring Creek Mine coal production was up 160,568 tons. At the beginning of the year, Spring Creek owner Navajo Transitional Energy Company forecasted improved demand in South Korea and Japan would spur production in its Montana and Wyoming mines.

Spring Creek is Montanas largest coal mine. First quarter production has hovered around 2.7 million tons for several years. Prior to a 2016 coal slump, which lead to the bankruptcy of then owner Cloud Peak Energy, Spring Creek rarely produced less than 3 million tons in a first quarter.

Cheap natural gas and a global coal glut was credited for Cloud Peaks coal crash in 2016. Rising gas prices and tight coal production are now credited for the mines improved production.

NTEC CEO Clark Moseley told Argus Media at the start of the year, that coal would benefit from higher natural gas prices in 2022. Just two years ago, NTEC was furloughing Spring Creek employees as the pandemic disrupted domestic coal consumption in the Midwest.

Spring Creeks most productive period is usually between June and October as domestic demand for coal increases. Coal piled at power plants ahead of air conditioning season, and again ahead of winter heating, are the big drivers.

Westmoreland Mining LLC, which operates Rosebud and Absaloka mines, has increased production. The companys Montana mines fuel domestic power plants, primarily Colstrip Power Plant in southeast Montana and the Sherburne County Generating Station in Becker, Minnesota. Both power plants have owners intending to phase out coal power in less than five years. SHERCO Unit 2 is scheduled to retire next year.

Rosebud mine, which serves Colstrip and a smaller power plant that burns waste coal, produced 130,000 more tons in the first quarter of the year, than it did in early 2021. The 1.9 million tons produced at the mine were the most first-quarter tons mined since 2019, which was the last year Colstrip Units 1 and 2 operated, before being shuttered.

Absaloka mine, the states smallest active mine, increased production to 550,674 tons in the first quarter, a 42% increase over the same period a year earlier.

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FILE PHOTO: Flags of Taiwan and U.S. are placed for a meeting in Taipei

TAIPEI (Reuters) -The U.S. State Department has updated its fact sheet on Taiwan again, to reinstate a line about not supporting formal independence for the Chinese-claimed, democratically governed island.

Last month, the State Department changed its website on Taiwan, removing wording both on not supporting Taiwan independence and on acknowledging Beijing's position that Taiwan is part of China, which angered Beijing.

Washington said the update did not reflect a change in policy. That wording has now been changed again, to reinstate a line saying "we do not support Taiwan independence."

The change was first reported by Taiwan's official Central News Agency on Friday, and appears to have happened on May 28, the date at the top of the fact sheet.

A State Department spokesperson said on Friday that the fact sheet was again updated to reflect Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent speech on China, in which he said the United States does not support Taiwan independence.

"We oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side; we do not support Taiwan independence; and we expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means," the spokesperson said, referring to the strait separating the island from the Asian mainland.

Other U.S. officials have echoed that position in recent weeks, saying long-standing policy has not changed.

Taiwan is already a de facto independent country, though with only very limited international recognition. Washington has no formal ties with Taipei, but is its most important international backer and arms supplier.

Taiwan's official name remains the Republic of China, the name of the government that fled to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war with the Communist Party, which set up the People's Republic of China with its capital in Beijing.

China's government in 2005 passed a law giving Beijing the legal basis for military action if it judges Taiwan to have seceded or to be about to.

Taiwan's government says only the island's 23 million people have the right to decide their future, and while it wants peace, will defend itself if attacked.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Michael Martina in Washington; Editing by Michael Perry and Jonathan Oatis)
Don't miss CoinDesk's Consensus 2022, the must-attend crypto & blockchain festival experience of the year in Austin, TX this June 9-12.

The New York State Senate passed a bill targeting proof-of-work (PoW) mining early Friday morning in an effort to address some of the environmental concerns about cryptocurrencies.

The bill, which was passed by the state Assembly last month, would impose a two-year moratorium on new PoW mining projects powered by carbon-based fuel in the Empire State, though existing mining firms or ones currently undergoing the permit renewal process would be allowed to continue operations. The Senate voted 36-27 in favor of the bill.

According to the bill's Democratic sponsor, state Sen. Kevin Parker of Brooklyn, there is only one such plant in current operation that wouldn't be affected by the bill. He added that there is one pending application that may be put on hold until the study has concluded.

During the moratorium, the state will conduct a study on the potential environmental impact of proof-of-work mining.

Many had expected the bill to die in committee  the fate met by last years version of the bill  after the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee declined to consider the bill during its last meeting of the session. The committees chairman, state Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat from Long Island, told CoinDesk in May that he was worried the bill could lead to deleterious economic consequences for New York if people perceive it as being hostile to crypto.

However, an eleventh-hour referral of the bill from the Environmental Conservation Committee to the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, where Parker is the chairman, on Thursday evening meant that the bill was able to reach the full Senate floor for a vote mere hours before the close of the legislative session at midnight.

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul still needs to sign the bill before it can become law.

Read more: What a Mining Moratorium Could Really Mean for New Yorks Crypto Industry

Story continues

New York has long been seen as a place for crypto mining firms to set up because of the state's cheap hydroelectric energy sources. In more recent years, mining firms have also repurposed defunct coal power generation facilities. Greenidge Generation, for example, refurbished one such facility to operate using natural gas.

The crypto industry rallied against the bill after its Assembly counterpart was introduced last May, with many industry advocates calling the proposal a ban on mining outright.

John Olsen, a lobbyist with the Bitcoin Association, told CoinDesk last month that he feared the moratorium could be extended or turned into a ban over the course of the next two years, which could drive away companies seeking to set up shop near New Yorks cheap energy sources.

Mining companies based in New York have threatened to leave the state if the moratorium is passed, pointing to the comparative ease of doing business in more mining-friendly states like Texas.

Clark Vaccaro, the acting president and chief strategy officer at industry trade organization BaSIC, told CoinDesk the passage of the bill "is a grim day for blockchain technology, effectively shutting the door on a nascent industry."

Separately, the Senate passed a bill early Friday that would create a "cryptocurrency and blockchain study task force."
A Grandview man arrested following a standoff at a Sunnyside home Wednesday is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Gerald Wyena missing

Gerald Wyena has been reported missing to Yakama Nation Tribal Police, and anyone who has information is asked to call 509-865-2933 regarding case number 22-003984, or call 911.

Relatives may call his mother, Julie Andy Jim, directly.

Wyena is 34 and has shoulder-length dark brown hair and brown eyes. He weighs around 160 to 180 pounds and is 5 feet 8 inches tall, according to flyers being shared on social media.

His case is on the latest Washington State Patrol list of active cases of missing Indigenous people. State Patrol has a Missing Indigenous Persons section within its Missing and Unidentified Persons Unit. For more information, email mupu@wsp.wa.gov or call 1-800-543-5678.

State Patrol has two tribal liaisons. Reach Dawn Pullin (Eastern Washington) at 360-890-0150 or Dawn.Pullin@wsp.wa.gov. Contact Patti Gosch (Western Washington) at 360-280-0567 or Patti.Gosch@wsp.wa.gov.
Stella Nickell, an Auburn woman who was sentenced to 90 years in prison for product-tampering that left two people dead, is seen here in 1987 at the age of 44.
Andrew and Jenny Slagle are planning to open Indigenous Eats, a Native American-themed restaurant, in August at 829 E. Boone Ave., Suite E.
We like to say were a nation of laws.

It has a nice, noble ring to it. It suggests civility, safety, justice  some of the most important values that have kept our diverse nation together for more than two centuries.

But are we saying one thing and doing another? Are we eroding our own principles?

Look deep into your heart and consider these questions honestly. We wont judge:

The speed limit is a law. Do you follow it, or do you push it by 5-10 mph or more when the coast is clear?

You need a burn permit to start a bonfire in rural Yakima County. Do you have one?

While were at it, does your dog have a license?

Youre not hurting anybody, right? You havent committed murder or armed robbery or something. Whats the big deal?

Were just talking about lesser infractions here  victimless crimes, you could argue. Maybe nothing worth worrying about.

Lately, though, it seems like our disregard for laws has edged up a notch or two.

Police are seeing it, too.

A news story the other day noted that more and more drivers are simply disregarding officers orders to pull over.

In the first four and a half months of 2022, Washington State Patrol records showed 934 motorists failed to stop when troopers turned on their lights.

Somethings changed. People are not stopping right now, WSP spokesperson Sgt. Darren Wright said. Its happening three to five times a shift on some nights and then a couple times a week on day shift.

Local police and sheriffs offices around the state echo that frustration.

Just this week, Chief Matt Murray described how a suspect fled from Yakima officers who realized the suspect and a woman were standing next to a stolen car on North First Street. In that case, the 30-year-old suspect opened fire on officers as he ran across North First  and he kept running even after hed been hit when police returned fire.

Its the fourth time this year local police have met violent resistance when confronting a suspect.

Theres an alarming trend of violence against police officers, Murray said.

A number of law officers blame a law the Legislature passed last year  House Bill 1054  for the increased disregard of authority. The law, passed in response to the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, bars high-speed police pursuits in most circumstances and attempts to curtail racial disparities in policing.

Many police associations and agencies say it goes too far, though  that it unintentionally ties law enforcements hands.

We certainly wouldnt dismiss that possibility. House Bill 1054 is ripe for revisiting. But it seems like all this shrugging off of laws goes deeper than that.

Perhaps its symptomatic of a cynical, but widespread, national contempt for government, for laws.

After all, its been barely a year and a half since an angry crowd that refused to accept defeat in a fair election violently stormed the very seat of our nation: the U.S. Capitol.

On the other hand, what extremes might abortion-rights advocates go to if the Supreme Court formally overturns Roe v. Wade in the coming weeks?

It seems to us like it all comes back to that how well were living up to that nation of laws notion.

Truth be told, no matter what we say, deep down, most of us really dont want to be told what to do. By anyone. Look at the collective meltdown mask mandates caused during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, we expect other people to toe the line  especially politicians, judges, business executives, church leaders and, of course, police themselves. When they dont, it undermines everybodys principles.

Our expectations might be hypocritical and unfair, but even so, the more laws we all ignore, bend or outright defy, the weaker our claim of being a nation of laws gets.

Maybe thats the worst crime of all.
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This mainly electronic music festival, held annually by a picturesque part of Lake Balaton, is one of the largest open-air events in Europe.

Sound, as the cool cats call it, features a diverse musical offering set across 9 stages, plus there are 'immersive theatrical performances' and 'carnivals'.



The line-up this year includes international stars such as Paul Kalkbrenner, Martin Garrix, Modestep, Becky Hill, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Alesso Carnage, Paul van Dyk and so many more.



Each year an increasing number of festival-goers take the trip to enjoy daytime gigs by the water, savouring the flavours of summer festival food, refreshing at the many open-air bars, before dancing the night away to pumping beats!



More:

Balaton Sound Festival
The state Supreme Court has cleared the way for backers of a constitutional initiative for pre-kindergarten in Montana to begin gathering signatures to put the measure on the November ballot, though now they're on a tight timeline with a June 17 deadline.

Bozeman lawyer John Meyer and Missoula lawyer Holly Seymour asked the court at the end of April to overturn a finding by state Attorney General Austin Knudsen that their proposal was legally deficient. The Attorney General must review initiative language and approve it before backers can begin gathering signatures to qualify to appear on the ballot.

The court found Knudsen was wrong in saying the language of the proposal, which aims to amend the state Constitution to include pre-kindergarten in its description of the basic system of free education the state must provide, amounted to an appropriation.

The state Constitution gives Montanans the right to enact laws by initiative except on matters of appropriating money. The Attorney General extended that limitation to constitutional amendment initiatives and determined that Initiative 133 would constitute an appropriation of money, so he rejected it.

But Chief Justice Mike McGrath wrote in his Thursday order that the ban on appropriation applies to laws enacted through the initiative process only and isnt present in the part of the state Constitution that governs amending the Constitution by initiative.

Petitioners proposal here, I-33, would be a constitutional amendment and thus operates outside the appropriation restriction that the Constitution explicitly applies to legislation by initiative, McGrath wrote. We conclude that this distinction resolves the issue. There are inherent differences between constitutional provisions and legislation, and only the latter may direct an appropriation.

McGrath continued that the Constitution, by its nature, cannot dictate expenditures like legislative acts can, but instead reflect the rights, obligations, structure and goals dictating how the Montana government functions and the peoples rights it protects.

The court, however, did not grant Meyer and Seymour more time to gather signatures. The deadline to submit them is June 17.

Petitioner could have avoided the challenge of his present compressed timeline by simply preparing his proposed ballot initiative much sooner than he did, and the avoidable time-crunch he may now face is insufficient ground for this court to override numerous explicit statutory deadlines, McGrath wrote.

Meyer filed with the court April 29. He first submitted the language to the Secretary of State Feb. 28. The Secretary of State forwarded it to the Attorney General for legal review March 3 and told Knudsen he had until April 18 to determine the legal sufficiency. On April 19 the Secretary of State forwarded Knudsens finding to Meyer and Seymour.

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The opposition Jobbik party is calling on the government to lift the ban on building wind farms, arguing that wind power would be a vital component of Hungarian energy security.

Jobbiks deputy group leader Koloman Brenner told an online news briefing that ruling Fidesz had made Hungary totally dependent on Russian energy supplies and missed opportunities to replace them with cheap and secure sources of energy, he said.



Brenner blamed the government not developing renewable energy sources other than solar energy.



He also criticised Fidesz for its sinful decision in 2011 to ban the construction of new wind farms. Jobbik has presented a draft to parliament on lifting the ban and has asked all parliamentary groups to support its initiative, he said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade summoned Austrias ambassador in Budapest over a scandalous statement made by one of the heads at Austrian state media, Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Mate Paczolay told news agency MTI on Thursday. The remark stating that, "Orban having a heart attack would be an honourable thing to do," has since been retracted.

Paczolay wrote that the ambassador had been summoned because one of the directors at the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) apparently wished for the death of the Hungarian prime minister.



Karl Pachner, one of ORFs managing directors, said in a since-removed Facebook post that it would be a fair thing if Viktor Orban had a heart attack.



ORF has distanced itself from the post, wrote Heute magazine.
YORK  Irene Lira, 44, whose address has been listed in court documents as a variety of locations in York and York County, was wanted by local authorities as a warrant had been issued for her arrest. She was located and is now facing nine additional charges, including the delivery of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, the York Police Department received information that Lira and Michael Fortner (who also had an active warrant) were in the area of Nobes Road and Lincoln Avenue, occupying a Blue Honda Fit with California plates.

An officer with the police department located them and upon searching Fortners person found a bag of marijuana, as well as a bag containing methamphetamine.

When the officer asked Lira for her identification, she presented a California identification card bearing the name of Yanira Sylvette Galimberty Navarro. The officer says in his affidavit he already knew Lira from past contacts and knew the identification claim was false.

The officer asked Lira to exit the vehicle and when she did, he saw a glass pipe where she was sitting, which is used to smoke methamphetamine. The officer also allegedly saw Lira attempting to hide something in her pants.

After they were arrested, Lira allegedly told officers they were high on methamphetamine and they had not gone without methamphetamine before.

During a search of the vehicle, the officers found: 10 cell phones, a methamphetamine bong made out of a childs juice cup, multiple torches, two concentrated THC vape pens, a methamphetamine bong, one methamphetamine pipe, a bottle containing Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride, a digital scale, four grams of methamphetamine, two ounces of marijuana, two loaded syringes, a bucket with miscellaneous drugs and paraphernalia, a marijuana pipe, a large quantity of sale baggies, a plastic tube containing methamphetamine and a meth kit.

It is also noted in court documents that Liras warrants have been active for over nine months and she has a history of fleeing charges and returning to California.

Lira has been charged with delivery of an exceptionally hazardous drug, a Class 2 felony; first degree forgery, a Class 3 felony; possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony; criminal impersonation, a Class 4 felony; obstruction of government operations, a Class 1 misdemeanor; false reporting, a Class 1 misdemeanor; inhaling certain compounds, a Class 3 misdemeanor; and two counts of unlawful acts relating to drugs, both Class 3 misdemeanors.

Liras arraignment was held in York County District Court where she pleaded not guilty to all the charges and a jury trial was scheduled for late October.
YORK -- Longtime band director Curtis Forsch has been an instrumental piece to the success of Yorks band program in the last 22 years. The beloved music man has been dedicated to Yorks band since he was a band member at York High School. He said he did not grow up in a musical family, but that did not stop him from pursuing his passion for music.

Forsch said, I always wanted to play the drums, and in order to play the drums, you needed to play the piano, so I learned piano and went on with the drums.

Forsch attended the Kearney State College where he got a degree in music education. He received a masters and specialist degree as well in music education through University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

For 16 years, Forsch was a band teacher at Stromsburg where he shared many laughs with the students.

Forsch said, We got new tubas one year, and I bent over to get a new tuba out of its case and my pants ripped right before a parade. Luckily in Stromsburg, I didnt live too far away from school because I had to run home to get a change of pants.

He wont forget the time when he sent a student to the dentist to fix a chipped tooth. A kid came running up to me and said Mr.Forsch, I knocked my tooth out. The kid pulled his tuba mouthpiece up to his face and must have hit his tooth and it broke. I asked him if he still had his tooth and he said yeah, so I told him to run to the dentists office just on the other side of the marching field, and they glued his tooth back in. It just so happened we had a performance that night and the kid was back, playing the tuba.

After 16 years of making great memories in Stromsburg, Forsch was drawn to the band director position at York. Even though I had gone to college and taught at Stromsburg for 16 years, a lot of teachers who taught me were still at York, said Forsch I knew a lot of the people when I came to teach and that was special. It was nice to be back home again and be around everything that was familiar.

Forsch's greatest skill as a teacher has been his ability to recognize the potential of students. There are some students who are strong with musicianship right away and there are some that have no background in music at all, so being able to figure out where students are at and trying to encourage them along the way is the main thing, said Forsch.

It hasnt always been easy though. Forsch said the challenging part of being a band director is maintaining the students interest in band. Keeping students enthused is tricky.

Everybody is interested in technology, said Forsch. It seems like students were more excited about making progress on band instruments before, but now, it takes time to get students interested. They really have to put in a lot of work to keep going.

Forsch said although it can be challenging at times, it is rewarding to see the progress that the students make.

Forsch said, I have a lot of students who have gone on to music teaching themselves. I like to encourage everyone as much as I can, but I know its not for everyone. Students who have gone on with music in college are fun to watch. I try to keep up on what the students are doing when they leave York.

In 22 years of teaching at York, Forsch has had plenty of ha-ha moments like the time when one of his bass drummers left his carrier on the bus at Harvest of Harmony parade. We were at the Harvest of Harmony Parade and one of the bass drum players forgot to bring his carrier, so we had the bass drum, but not the carrier. He asked me if one of the parents could carry it during the parade, and I said, No, I dont think so. So he carried the drum and walked along the sidewalk while the rest of them marched in the parade.

Another moment was when they were marching in a parade at Minden and one of his students was messing with her trumpet mouthpiece. She dropped the piece and it rolled down into the storm drain so she had to borrow a mouthpiece from another band.

At the same parade, Forschs assistant, Konda Cooper, tripped, fell and broke her arm when she was marching alongside the flag squad. All kinds of things went wrong in that parade, said Forsch.

Cooper, who will also be retiring from her assistant position, has also been working with the band for 22 years. Cooper is in charge of the choreography for the flag team. Both she and Forsch had the same band director in high school. She graduated from York in 1972 and attended Wayne State College where she was a twirler.

When Coopers son, Benton, played in the band in high school, she began assisting Forsch on band trips and became the official band mom. From care of any medical accidents to helping students find their missing equipment, Forsch said Cooper did everything he didnt do.

We made a good team, said Forsch.

The duo has taken the band on several trips to Florida, California, Illinois, Texas and Missouri.

There were plenty of neat opportunities for the kids to travel, said Cooper.

In 2014, the York band played for the Super Bowl commercial in Milligan.Forsch said, That was really exciting because you just dont expect to do anything like that. Pepsi was the sponsor, so we got to work with an ad agency out of Colorado. It was very cold and we had to march outside, but the band couldnt play because the horns were frozen.

Forsch and Cooper said they will be keeping busy. Forsch said has a couple of rental homes he will be taking care of and he said he will still be involved with music in some way or another. Cooper will be doing crafts and taking trips out to Estes Park where she owns a home.

Forsch gives recognition to his high school band director Bill Harshbarger, Dr. Ron Crocker who was the director of the University of Kearney, and his parents. Cooper also gives recognition to her parents and Bill Harshbarger.

Forschs last piece of advice to the next director in line is, Be ready to spend a lot of time in school, working. It takes a lot of time to get everything ready. Being the only band director in the district is always a bit tough because youve got to take care of everything that might come up for not only the younger kids, but the older kids too. It was always when we were in parades like the Yorkfest parade and we had to march the middle school band through, and then we had to march the high school band through. Its double duty in a lot of cases.
The launch of the new Hyundai Venue facelift is scheduled to be on June 16, right before the launch the Korean carmaker has opened the bookings of the car for a token amount of Rs 21,000. It is to be noted that the new design of the car was revealed by the maker earlier. Upon launch, the compact SUV will be competing with others in the segment like Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon and others.

The new Hyundai Venue will be available with loads of connectivity features and will enable them to control vehicle functions right from the comfort of their homes. Owners can control multiple functions while also being able to check vehicle status through Home to car (H2C) with Alexa & Google Voice Assistant. The features can be controlled with voice support for English and Hindi Language. With Home to car (H2C), customers will be able to use functions such as Remote Climate Control, Remote Door Lock/ Unlock, Remote Vehicle Status Check, Find My Car, Tire Pressure Information, Fuel Level Information, Speed Alert, Time Fencing (Out-of-Time) Alert and Idle Time Alert.

The new Hyundai Venue has also been equipped with Drive Mode Select for a versatile driving performance with the choice of Normal, Eco and Sport modes. Further the new Hyundai Venue offers r-seat passengers a superlative ride experience with features such as 1st in Segment 2 Step Rear Reclining Seat. With the flexibility of choosing their ideal seating posture, rear seat occupants can enjoy an even more comfortable journey in the new Hyundai Venue. The new Hyundai Venue will also boast an acoustic sound feature, with Sounds of Nature (1st in Segment).

Also read: Hyundai Venue Facelift India launch on June 16, first official images out revealing design

The new Hyundai Venue with Bluelink offers customers 60+ features, enhancing their connected car experience with heightened convenience and comfort. Customers can utilize multiple 1st in Segment functions through Bluelink including, Firmware Over-the-Air (FOTA) update, Embedded Voice Commands and much more.

The new Hyundai Venue will be available in up to 5 variants across multiple powertrain options. HMI will offer the new Hyundai Venue with 7 Colour Options (Polar White, Typhoon Silver, Phantom Black, Denim Blue, Titan Grey, Fiery Red), including 1 Dual Tone (Fiery Red with Black Roof) option.

Commenting on the commencement of bookings, Mr. Tarun Garg, Director (Sales, Marketing & Service), Hyundai Motor India Ltd., said, Hyundai Venue has had a stellar success in India ever since its launch in 2019. Customers from across the country have been thrilled by its futuristic design, advanced technology and powerful performance. With the new Hyundai Venue, we will set the bar even higher. Driven by the aspirations of Gen MZ customers, the new Hyundai Venue is set to enthral customers with many first in segment technologies that offer an unparalleled experience, for instance, customers can now control many car functions through Home to car (H2C) with Alexa & Google Voice Assistant; 60+ Bluelink Connected features; and 2 Step Rear Reclining Seat. We are confident that the new Hyundai Venue will build on the strong brand legacy and amplify the Hyundai SUV Life for unmatched customer delight.
A Dornier 228 aircraft operated by Alliance Air landed at Tezu airstrip in the Lohit region of Arunachal Pradesh, marking the start of commercial operations, officials said. According to them, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) 17-seater aircraft took roughly 20 minutes to reach Tezu from Dibrugarh in Assam. The ticket will set you back Rs 1,600.

"We extend our deep gratitude to the government for bringing Tezu on the aviation map of the country, which will benefit the people immensely during medical emergencies, besides promoting tourism," said Ojimso Tayeng, who, along with his wife, were the only passengers on the maiden flight.

Captain TS Negi and Flying Officer Nishit Tare said that air connectivity is getting a new boost in the Northeast, and the economy of the state would witness a significant growth "Tezu and adjoining districts have tremendous tourism potentials, which will receive a major boost with air connectivity," Negi said.

Also read: Virgin Atlantic starts second daily flight connecting Delhi and London Heathrow

The flight service would be available three days a week -- Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. On April 12 this year, Alliance Air's first flight landed at Pasighat in East Siang district, where Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia and Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju were received by Chief Minister Pema Khandu.

With inputs from PTI
If an airline believes a specially abled passenger's health is likely to deteriorate during a flight, it must contact a doctor at the airport and make an "appropriate call" on whether the flyer should be refused to board or not, based on the DGCA's proposed guidelines. The suggestion to appoint new management comes only six days after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced that IndiGo airline had been fined Rs 5 lakh for denying a specially-abled child boarding at Ranchi airport on May 7.

IndiGo had on May 9 said the boy was denied permission to board the Ranchi-Hyderabad flight as he was visibly in panic. After the boy was prohibited from boarding, his parents also decided not to enter the plane.

On May 28 said that to avoid such situations in the future, it would revisit its own regulations, making it mandatory for airlines to take the airport doctor's written opinion on a passenger's health before deciding to deny boarding.

Also read: Alliance Air launches flight services on the Dibrugarh-Tezu route, check ticket prices here

The draft rules issued by the DGCA on Friday stated: "Airline shall not refuse carriage of any person on the basis of disability."

"However, in case an airline perceives that the health of such a passenger may deteriorate in-flight, the said passenger will have to be examined by a doctor who shall categorically state the medical condition and whether the passenger is fit to fly or not. After obtaining the medical opinion, the airline shall take the appropriate call," it mentioned.

The regulator has asked the public to send in their comments about the draft rules by July 2, after which it will issue the final rules. IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta had, on May 9, expressed regret over the incident and offered to buy an electric wheelchair for the specially-abled child.

Dutta had said the airline staff took the best possible decision under difficult circumstances. Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had on May 9 said on Twitter that no human being should have to go through this, and he himself was investigating the Ranchi incident.

With inputs from PTI
Tata Projects, the infrastructure and construction arm of the Tata Group, has been awarded the contract to build the new Noida International Airport in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh. Tata Projects will develop the airport's terminal, runway, airside infrastructure, roadways, utilities, landside facilities, and other ancillary buildings, according to a statement from Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL).

YIAPL is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Swiss developer Zurich Airport International AG and has been incorporated as a Special Purpose Vehicle to develop Noida International Airport.

In 2019, Zurich Airport International AG won the bid to develop the airport. The Uttar Pradesh government signed the concession agreement with YIAPL on October 7, 2020, to commence the development of the NIA.

Also read: Germany to induct 60 Boeing Chinook heavy-lift helicopters into armed forces

The greenfield facility, spread over 1,334 hectares, will have a single-runway operation in the first phase with a capacity to handle 12-million passengers per annum at an investment of Rs 5,700 crore.

"YIAPL has selected Tata Projects Ltd to undertake the Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of Noida International Airport. The company has been selected from three shortlisted teams with demonstrated experience in the design, procurement, and construction of large infrastructure projects," the statement said.

The new airport is expected to be functional by 2024, as per the developer. With the closure of the EPC contract, the first phase of the airport is on track to be delivered within three years of the commencement of the concession period, YIAPL said. "We are pleased to partner with Tata Projects for EPC work at Noida International Airport. With the award of this contract, our project enters the next phase, which will witness a rapid increase in the pace of construction activities on-site," said Christoph Schnellmann, Chief Executive Officer, Yamuna International Airport Private Limited.

The company, together with Tata Projects, is working to deliver a passenger terminal, runway, and other airport infrastructure with a capacity of 12 million passengers annually, by 2024, he said.

"Tata Projects will work closely with YIAPL to deliver to the airport on time. We will deploy the latest technologies in its construction while meeting the highest standards of quality, safety, and sustainability," said Vinayak Pai, CEO and MD-designate at Tata Projects Ltd.

Tata Projects' other major projects include the New Parliament Building, Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link, and metro rail lines across various cities, as per the statement.

With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: The State Bank of India has mourned the death of SBI branch manager Vijay Kumar posted in Jammu and Kashmir. Vijay Kumar was the branch manager with Ellaquai Dehati Bank (EBD), a Srinagar-headquartered Regional Rural Bank sponsored by the SBI in J&K`s Kulgam. Kumar shot dead by militants at Areah Mohanpora village in Kulgam on Thursday morning. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where the doctors pronounced him dead.

Vijay Kumar, who belonged to Rajasthan, was just 29 years old and had joined EDB in March 2019.

Grieving his death, SBI in a statement said, "Vijay Kumar was one of many such bankers hailing from different parts of the country, who are working in the Kashmir Valley and other difficult places to ensure delivery of uninterrupted banking services to the public."

"SBI, as the sponsor of Ellaquai Dehati Bank, remains committed to ensure the safety and well-being of all its employees, including those posted in the Valley. The EDB shall ensure that the bereaved family is provided with necessary support  financial and otherwise  on priority," SBI added.
New Delhi: Shark Tank India judge and Co-Founder and Chief Mama at Mamaearth, Ghazal Alagh, on Thursday (May 2), shared a new post on Instagram, in which she, along with SUGAR cosmetics co-founder and CEO, Vineeta Singh, was seen grooving to a Bollywood number. Singh was also one of the sharks (investors) on the popular business show. Ayushi Gudwani, founder and CEO of FableStreet, was also seen dancing with the two Shark Tank judges in the Instagram post.

The three women entrepreneurs were seen shaking a leg on Shila Shettis song Nikamma, from Shirley Setia and Shilpa Shetty's film Nikamma. In the caption of the Instgaram post, Ghazal said, Jab mil baithe teen yaar (When three friends meet). We had to have fun and what better way than to dance to the song from our favorite @theshilpashetty. With the amazing @vineetasng and @ayushi.gudwani."

Shark Tank India, a business reality show, which provided entrepreneurs with a stage to showcase their startups and ideas in hope of raising funds from the show judges, besides, of course, getting the attention of the show viewers.

The video is from an industry event wherein incredible women in retail were invited. The event held in Kolkata where We got the chance to meet some phenomenal women entrepreneurs powering India with their path-breaking businesses and ideas, Alagh said in the caption.

In addition to Gazal and Singh, Shark Tank India also featured BharatPe co-founder Ashneer Grover, Lenskart CEO Peyush Bansal, Emcure Pharmaceuticals executive director Namita Thapar, boAt CMO Aman Gupta, and founder and CEO of Shaadi.com Anupam Mittal as judges on the show. Also Read: Xiaomi announces leadership change, appoints Alvin Tse as India head

Meanwhile, Aman Gupta was recently seen acing the 'Jiggle Jiggle' dance moves with his daughter Adaa. He shared the video on Instagram, showing off his dancing talents. He captioned the video with the sweet message, "When Adaa wants you to do something that's trending, I can't say no anyways to her. Also Read: 'Shark Tank India' Judge Aman Gupta dances on Jiggle Jiggle with daughter, fans go gaga-Watch video
A Yellowstone County deputy who took part in a fight outside of a Billings bar in January while off duty has been disciplined.

Sgt. Brandon Smart, a deputy sheriff in the patrol division and other assignments for the past 11 years and a former detention center sergeant, faces a formal reprimand and removal from special duties, according a statement Thursday from Sheriff Mike Linder.

Smart was one of the people injured in the fight outside the bar that night. The scuffle brought dozens of on-duty officers to the Grandstand Bar and Casino and ended with a wreck that put a man in the hospital.

"Upon learning of the incident, I ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident," Linder said in his statement. "The investigation was conducted by a lieutenant in the Sheriffs Office Training and Professional Standards Division. Currently, an investigation to determine if any criminal activity occurred during the incident is being conducted by the Montana Department of Criminal Investigation."

Security footage from outside Grandstand in the early hours of Jan. 15 showed three men standing outside the bar, the Gazette reported. The three men were later identified as Billings Police Officer Matt Frank, Yellowstone County Deputy Brandon Smart and retired Billings Police officer Steve Swanson, and all were drinking at the bar that night.

While the three men talked, Frank kicked the side of an SUV as it left the parking lot. About a minute later, a Chevy Malibu rolled passed. Frank put his knee into the drivers side door. The driver, 24-year-old Louis Delgado, told the men to get out of his way.

"Really? Or what?" one of the men with Frank said.

A melee ensued. Frank and Smart wrestled with the driver, who had a pistol. Smart reeled away from the car after being struck in the face, while Frank threw several punches through the window. Swanson went to the opposite side of the Malibu and demanded that Delgados passenger get out. He identified himself as a police officer, according to audio taken from the skirmish. Delgado's passenger got out and Swanson climbed into the passenger seat.

Delgado then sped out of the parking lot and onto Grand Avenue with Swanson in the passenger seat. Swanson jumped out of the car before it left security camera range. Delgado returned a few minutes later to pick up his friend. By then, all three men had gone back into the bar.

He again pulled back onto Grand Avenue and sped away before he crashed, landing upside down in the parking lot of the Albertsons grocery store at 1212 Grand Ave.

No arrests have been made, nor charges filed in the months following the altercation. The Montana DCI was called in to assist, running a parallel criminal investigation. Smart was never placed on administrative leave.

Video and audio recordings of the fight at the Grandstand were obtained by the Gazette through an attorney representing Delgado about a month after Delgados crash.

Smart will be barred from applying for special duties for a year and his mandatory training will include ethics and conduct.

"Our internal investigation concluded that Sergeant Smart had violated Yellowstone County Sheriffs Office Policy on Ethics and Conduct," said Linder. One of the sections quoted by Linder states, "Deputies will behave in a manner that does not bring discredit to their agencies or themselves. A deputys character and conduct while off duty must always be exemplary, thus maintaining a position of respect in the community in which he or she lives and serves. The deputys personal behavior must be beyond reproach."

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New Delhi: Even if IT companies choose for the hybrid model of working in the long run, which comprises working from home on certain days and in the office on others, the hybrid model will be approached in a variety of ways. When it comes to the hybrid approach, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) talked about the 3Es  Enable, Embrace, and Empower  in an e-mail issued to its staff.

Embrace

There are too many environmental distractions in the work from home environment, such as housework, child schooling, and pet care, to name a few. It is quite easy to fall into a "always online" lifestyle when there is no obvious division or border between work and home. This necessitates some thoughtful consideration and the prioritisation of 'living holistically' over 'eat-work-sleep.'

Enable

While a person may be ready to embrace the future of work from anywhere, TCS stated in an article titled 'the future of work from anywhere' that an equally crucial issue to address is if our organisation is ready to enable the necessary ecosystem to 'work from anywhere.'

Organizations must focus on and provide the necessary conditions and environment to facilitate remote working, rather than just lip service, marketing discussions, and press releases. "One of the most significant issues that a company has today is that the external ecosystem, regulations, laws, and norms have yet to develop with the 'New Normal,' and thus operate as a hindrance rather than an enabler for "Work From Anywhere."

Empower

Both organisations and individuals must be empowered to work from anywhere in innovative ways. Socio-technical solutions must be used to connect the person and organisational environments. Individuals, teams, and management all have unique requirements and issues that must be taken into account.

TCS has also created hot desks and occasional operating zones to allow its employees to connect to the global workforce by plugging in their systems in any office throughout the country. It has also implemented a 25 multiply 25 policy, under which no more than 25% of the company's colleagues are required to work from an office at any given moment, and they must spend no more than 25% of their time in the office.

Infosys Hybrid Plan

Infosys had announced a three-phased plan to get staff back to work, and the company also wants to allow employees to join the company physically in the future. "We have already rolled out the first phase in April, and those who are in their home places where DCs (development centres) are located, or in the upcountry town near to the DCs, are being urged to come to the office twice a week," said Nilanjan Roy, the company's Chief Financial Officer.

In the second phase, he said, the company will encourage people living outside of DC towns to begin making plans in the coming months to see if they can return to their base development centres. "In the long run, we're looking at a hybrid style of employment," Roy explained, "depending on the clients, regulatory climate, and a lot of other factors."
New Delhi: Top business tycoons who attended the third ground breaking ceremony here on Friday, lauded the vision and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the implementation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath which is helping in the emergence of New India. Kumarmangalam Birla of Birla group said that his group was investing Rs 40,000 crore in projects that bring jobs for 35,000 youths.

He said that UP had emerged as a much-favoured investment destination which had been helped by the single window system.

Niranjan Hiranandani of the Hiranandani group, said that Uttar Pradesh was moving ahead at the speed of a bullet train.

"I have been in the construction business for almost 40 years but I have never seen this speed of business before," he said and complimented the state government for cooperation and assistance being extended to businessman.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that Uttar Pradesh will give momentum to India`s growth story. He said the youth of Uttar Pradesh have the ability to give wings to the dreams of corporates and businessmen. "Your dreams will be realised by the commitment and passion of the youth," he stated.

Addressing the Third Ground Breaking Ceremony here, the Prime Minister said, "We are the fastest-growing nation among other G-20 countries. Our government followed the mantra of reform, perform and transform."

He said that policies were now being made with a vision for the future and added, "In the past eight years, we worked to strengthen the digital revolution. We brought in policy stability and erased irrelevant laws."

The Prime Minister further said the global scenario was bringing new opportunities and India was emerging as a dependable friend because it has the capabilities. He added that India`s potential and performance was being appreciated. Also Read: Tesla stops hiring, Elon Musk wants to cut 10% of jobs

He said that after a gap of almost 37 years, people had re-elected a government in Uttar Pradesh which speaks volumes about the performance of the Yogi government. Also Read: Travel, retail sectors on fire! Hiring activity bounces back in May 2022
New Delhi: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party government completed eight years in the office, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Friday highlighted the transformation in India`s foreign policy under the PM`s leadership. Jaishankar, in a tweet, said that Prime Minister Modi has led the nation from the front. A video shared by the EAM on his social media account showed how India has excelled tremendously in various areas such as development, security, diaspora connection, trade, and foreign policy among others under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.

Jaishankar wrote, "8 yrs of foreign policy that PM Narendra Modi has led from the front. In a polarized world, we have maintained our independence. In a pandemic world, we have been a source of relief. In addressing global challenges, we are a force for good. Welcome to citizen-centric diplomacy."

8 yrs of foreign policy that PM @narendramodi has led from the front. In a polarized world,we have maintained our independence. In a pandemic world,we have been a source of relief. In addressing global challenges,we are a force for good. Welcome to citizen centric diplomacy. pic.twitter.com/lhz6vEBhHe  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 3, 2022

The EAM noted that developing India through diplomacy is at its core. "Attracting technology and capital, absorbing best practices, and promoting exports are priorities. Foreign partnerships are being utilized to build our cities, increase agriculture output and access, create infrastructure upgrade industry and clean up the environment," he said.

"Security India through trusted relationships matters equally. Our forces have access to the latest technologies from multiple sources. Whether it is standing up on the northern borders or deterring terrorism on the west, we have obtained international support and understanding. Delegitimizing terrorism and denying sanctuaries is no small achievement. Projecting India on the global stage has gathered momentum," he continued.

Hailing India`s Vaccine Maitri program which "underlines our credentials as the pharmacy of the world", Jaishankar said, "we are rightly rewarded as a first responder in difficult situations, especially by neighbors".

On the occasion of the Modi @20: Dreams Meeting Delivery book launch event, Jaishankar on May 11 expressed his gratitude for being a contributor to the volume which marks 20 years of the Modi government, and highlighted PM Modi`s influence on the foreign policy.

During his speech on the occasion, Jaishankar said that past eight years of PM Modi`s governance, he has witnessed the new concepts, aspirations, visions and strategies. The External Affairs Minister added that he had also contributed to the foreign policy impact along with PM Modi.

Further, reminiscing his first encounter with Modi, when the PM was the chief minister of Gujarat, Jaishankar added that 11 years ago, in November 2011, Jaishankar, who was the Ambassador of China at that time spoke, about how Modi was "different" from the others.

Jaishankar remembered that during his meeting with Modi at that time, the former chief minister of Gujarat had said, "I may be chief minister of Gujarat, but I`m a citizen of India. When I go outside, I will not be one millimeter different from what is our national sense."

Live TV
The sensational gang-rape of a minor girl in moving Mercedes car has shocked entire state of Telangana, with Chief Minister ordering special directions for strict actions against the culprits . The cops have finally made two arrests in the case after a delay of five days. As per the allegations, the 5 accused, including 3 minors, were from highly influential political families. The BJP is protesting and demanding the arrest of an AIMIM MLA's son, whose name have come up in the matter.

Here are 5 BIG developments in the Hyderabad rape case:

1) AIMIM MLA's son's involvement: According to Hyderabad west zone deputy commissioner of police, Joel Davis, the name of a AIMIM MLA's son as alleged by the Telangana BJP did not figure in victim's statement as of now. "The investigation will continue and if the victim gives any further details as and when she is in a position to do so, we will investigate accordingly. We will not spare anyone however high and mighty they are," the DCP reiterated.

2) Arrests and detentions in the matter: The Hyderabad police has arrested one Tajuddin Malik, 18, in the sensational gangrape of 17-year-old minor girl. A total of five culprits have been identified based on the statement given by the victim. Apart from Tajuddin Malik, another person Umair Khan, 18, has been identified while the three others are juveniles in conflict with law. While one juvenile, who has been identified, will be picked and produced before the court tomorrow morning, the special police teams have been looking for others.

3) When did Hyderabad rape case take place?

According to Hyderabad west zone deputy commissioner of police, the incident took place on May 28 evening after 5.30 pm. ``The victim and the culprits attended a day-time ``nonalcoholic'' , ``nonsmoking'' college fresher's party at a pub from 1.30 pm to 5.30 pm. After 5.30 pm, the victim went with the five accused in a Mercedes Benz car. However, after travelling for distance, the victim and the culprits shifted to Toyota Innova car. At an isolated place in Jubilee Hills area, the victim was sexually assaulted by five of them, in turns, in the Innova car itself,'' the DCP explained.

4) Why did Hyderabad Gagngrape victim filed FIR 3 days later?

Though the incident took place on May 28, the victim, who was in shock, could not tell her parents properly the ghastly incident that took place. ``On May 31, the victim's father registered the complaint of ``outraging the modesty'' as he was not aware of the exact incident. On June 1, as per SOP ( standard operating procedure ) our senior women police officers counselled the victim and gained her confidence when she narrated the entire sequence,'' Joel Davis elaborated.

5) POSCO charges added later: After the victim's statement, the case was altered to sections 354 ( IPC ), 323 IPC apart from POSCO act. ``Immediately we started looking at CCTV footage, CDR ( Call Data Records ), corroborating everything the victim disclosed about the culprits though she did not recall the names of four. With the one name she had given to us, we identified four others,'' the DCP said.
Gandhinagar: Referring to the importance given to local languages in the new National Education Policy (NEP) by the Centre, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday stressed that all languages of the country are national languages and none is inferior to Hindi or English. Pradhan was addressing the two-day National Education Ministers' Conference at Mahatma Mandir here. "All languages are national languages, be it Gujarati, Tamil, Bengali or Marathi. No language is inferior to Hindi or English because each language has its own importance. That is why we have given importance to local languages in our new NEP," Pradhan said in his inaugural speech.

While noting that nearly 20 per cent of the population of India does not fall into the definition of "literacy", Pradhan urged participants to discuss the issue at the conference. Education ministers of all the states and Union Territories are participating in the conference, with the focus being on the implementation of the new NEP, he said.

"We know that some states disagree with the new NEP. But, the Centre does not have any issue with that, because we know whatever you have thought (other than what is prescribed in NEP) will be in the interest of the people and we will accept that too," said Pradhan.

The minister also sought "active participation" of all states in developing 'Curriculum Frameworks'.

"We need to free our education from colonial influence. This is the time of decolonisation of our education. We all need to change our mindset. In the 21st century, we need to create a knowledge-based India and school education will serve as the base for it," said Pradhan.

On the occasion, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said the state has taken a lead in implementing the new NEP, adding that nearly 15,000 government-run schools will be developed under the 'Mission School of Excellence'.

                                      pic.twitter.com/n1AMTPnWvW  Office of Dharmendra Pradhan (@OfficeDp) June 3, 2022

Among others, Goa CM Pramod Samant, who handles education portfolio, Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia and Union MoS for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrasekhar attended the conference.

Live TV
Bhalasava landfills fire: A fire broke out in New Delhi's Bhalasava landfill site on Friday (June 3). At least 12 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot, ANI reported.

"A fire call was received for the Bhalasava landfill site. 12 fire tenders rushed to the site: Atul Garg, Director, Delhi fire service," ANI tweeted.

The official said that they received a call about the fire incident at 1.53 p.m. at a dumping ground in Bhalaswa Khataafter which as many as 12 fire tenders were immediately pressed into service.

"Currently 10 fire tenders are working at the spot," the official said.

As per the visuals from the spot, plumes of smoke could be seen billowing out of the mountain of trash.

On April 26 as well, a massive fire had broken out at the same landfill site and firefighters took several days to completely put it out.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, however, officials said the rising temperature these days allows the formation of methane gas at the dumpyard site which is extremely flammable.

"It could have triggered a spark that would have ultimately led to this massive blaze," said the official.

Experts have time and again said that to prevent such incidents at the dumping grounds, a layer of soil should be placed regularly after dumping the waste on the trash mountain. Whether this has been implemented or not, is yet to be learnt.

(More details awaited)
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Karti Chidambaram and two others' anticipatory bail applications were dismissed by the Special CBI court on Friday in connection with a money laundering case linked connected with the Chinese Visa scam case.

Passing its order, Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court today dismissed the anticipatory bail applications moved by Karti Chidambaram, S Bhaskar Raman and Vikas Makharia in a money laundering case connected with the Chinese Visa scam case.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram & two other's anticipatory bail applications dismissed by the Special CBI court, in a money laundering case connected with the Visa scam case. https://t.co/nwWyrk6yMo  ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2022

Denying relief to Karti, Special Judge MK Nagpal said there was not enough ground to allow his application. The special court had last week reserved its order for today after hearing the arguments last week.

The ED recently registered the money-laundering case against Karti and others in the alleged scam pertaining to the issuance of a visa to 263 Chinese nationals in 2011 when his father P Chidambaram was the home minister.

The federal agency has filed its case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) taking cognisance of a recent first information report by the CBI in the same case.
Kolkata: Calcutta University Friday announced all upcoming semester exams will be held offline, refusing to buckle to demands by a section of agitating undergraduate students who want online tests which were the norm during the two years when the Covid-19 pandemic raged through the country. CU Vice-Chancellor Sonali Chakraborty Banerjee told PTI, that the members of the highest decision making body of the institution, Syndicate "unanimously" decided to conduct the upcoming semester exams in offline mode.

"Today Calcutta University Syndicate members unanimously accepted the recommendations of the members of all Faculty Councils, the chairpersons of all Undergraduate Boards of Studies and the opinions of most of the Principals to conduct the upcoming even semester examinations in offline mode," she said in an official statement.

On the claims by students, that in-person classes at the campus have taken place only in the past two months resulting in gaps in their tutorials, the VC said in her statement."Syndicate took the decision and also decided that all the Principals of affiliated colleges will be well- advised to take steps to arrange special classes to complete courses immediately according to the syllabi, if not already done."

After two panels of the university recommended holding the semester exams in both undergraduate and post-graduate levels on offline mode, the varsity sought the opinion of affiliated college principals on the issue and an overwhelming majority advocated for in-campus tests.

Educationist Pabitrra Sarkar, Indologist and academic Nrisinga Prasad Bhaduri and others described "online exams as no exam at all and said for the sake of their career, the students should give up the unjust demand."

"With the dip in Covid cases and offline classes having begun, there is no reason why the higher educational institutions should give in to such unfair demands by a section of students," Bhaduri said earlier.

Students of Calcutta University have been protesting against the offline exams as the majority of classes took place in online mode. Around 200 students recently demonstrated outside the varsity's main campus at College Street, claiming that two months of classroom teaching was not enough for finishing the syllabus of a six-month semester and holding offline examinations
NEW DELHI: Amid growing concerns over rising Covid-19 cases in the country, the Centre on Friday write a letter to five major states asking them to maintain a close watch and take pre-emptive action if required.

According to ANI, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, in his letter, told the states that they must maintain a strict watch and take pre-emptive action if required to control any emerging spread of Covid-19 infection.

The Union Health Secretary tells states that they must maintain a strict watch and take pre-emptive action if required to control any emerging spread of infection.  ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2022

The Union Health Secretary also wrote to Telangana Secretary (Health), Maharashtra Additional Chief Secretary (Health), Karnataka Principal Secretary (Health), Kerala Principal Secretary (Health) & Tamil Nadu Principal Secretary (Health) expressing grave concerns over the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in these states.

Union Health Secy Rajesh Bhushan writes to Telangana Secretary (Health), Maharashtra Addl Chief Secy (Health), Karnataka Principal Secy (Health), Kerala Principal Secretary (Health) & Tamil Nadu Principal Secy (Health) over increasing number of #COVID19 cases in these states.  ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2022

"There is a need to follow a risk assessment-based approach on the public health responses without losing the gains made so far in the fight against the pandemic ... It is essential that the state must maintain a strict watch and take pre-emptive action if it is required to control any emerging spread of infection," Rajesh Bhushan wrote.

Through his letter, the Union Health Secretary also assured these 5 states that the Centre would continue to provide all support required to contain the pandemic.
The stories that don't have glitz and glamour don't often find space in prime-time slots of country's news channels. The simple reason for this is that these stories have poverty in them, which people don't want to watch sitting in their drawing rooms. However, it's extremely important to analyse the grim picture that often emerges from the hinterlands of our nation.

In today's DNA, Zee News Editor In Chief Sudhir Chaudhary analyses the water crisis in villages of heatwave-hit north-Indian states.

At places, the situation is so bad that people have to risk their lives in order to get a bottle of water to drink and make food. One such place is Madhya Pradesh's Dimartola village which falls in state's Didori district. The village, that houses around 550 families, has left no water to drink or cook food.

The four wells in the village have gone dry due to severe heatwave.

The women in this village are forced to climb down the walls of the wells to get a bottle of water. The women have to risk their lives - they have to climb down a wall of 30 feet - everytime they need a litre of water.

In a nutshell, the people of this village are risking their lives for every drop of water they drink.

The people here have alleged that they have received no relief from the district administration despite multiple complaints.

The visuals from the Dimartola village is a wake up call for those who waste water for the sake of 'having fun', swimming or taking a shower.

It's time we understand that our forefathers saw water coming through rivers and ponds, our fathers saw water coming from wells, and we are the generation that saw water coming to us via taps.

However, it's time to think on the availability of water for our future generations.

Watch DNA with Sudhir Chaudhary to understand in detail the potential water crisis in India.
Sharon Runcorn came from Dickinson to visit her husband, brother-in-law and some friends who are buried at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery on Monday.

Her husband, Duane Runcorn, was stationed in Vietnam as a supply specialist and died in 2020 from COVID-19. Having been married for 51 years, Sharon Runcorn said she can't even begin to talk about all the good memories they shared. She said she stops by the cemetery whenever she is in town to have a long chat with Duane, which makes her feel a little better.

Its always hard to come back but it is what it is," Runcorn said. "But it is a beautiful ceremony and it is a beautiful place."

Runcorn was one of many who gathered at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery to honor those who have died while serving in the United States military. Guard spokesman and ceremony co-planner Bill Prokopyk said an estimated 1,800 people attended.

The annual Memorial Day service was not soiled by the weather, though a flyover by two North Dakota National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters had to be canceled. Those in attendance brought umbrellas and blankets and drank hot chocolate to help fend off the cold.

Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, North Dakota National Guard adjutant general, said Monday's ceremony was another example of the state's appreciation and unmitigated support for those who served, which is what he says makes North Dakota so special.

"It's a beautiful day. Any day we can gather and honor our veterans and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice is beautiful," Dohrmann said during the ceremony. "You think of what our soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines have gone through in their service and putting up with a little dampness is not a big deal."

Gov. Doug Burgum, U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and Rep. Kelly Armstrong, all R-N.D., also gave remarks at the ceremony.

Burgum said it is important to express gratitude for our veterans with both words and actions, highlighting recent legislation that benefits those serving and their families.

"Our goal is to make North Dakota the most military friendly state in the nation and we're on our way and we can make that happen," Burgum said. "We know that our debts to them can never fully be repaid. The sacrifice can inspire us, however, to continue to remember how fortunate we are to live in this country, for all of us to keep fighting for Americas future and for all of us to support our military members and their families in every possible way."

Cramer and Hoeven echoed this sentiment. Both mentioned their Burial Equity for Guards and Reserves Act, which was passed earlier this year. The bill would make members of the National Guard and Reserves eligible for burial in state veterans cemeteries without those cemeteries losing access to federal grants, which Hoeven said is the least they deserve.

"Whether it's Memorial Day, whether it's Veterans Day, but every day, our veterans have to know that there is a place for them," Hoeven said.

Before the ceremony, hundreds of motorcycles participated in an honor ride from Bismarck to the cemetery. Francis Fritz, of Bismarck, said she usually leaves early to avoid traffic but decided to stay to see the motorcycles, which really impressed her.

She came to visit her husband, Ernest Fritz, who traveled the world while he served in the Navy from 1951 to 1955 and died in November of 2020. They were married for 62 years.

"It was a long time, that's why it's really hard to get over," she said. "But you have to do what you have to do."

Reach Alex Kautzman at 701-250-8255 or alexandra.kautzman@bismarcktribune.com.

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New Delhi: A portion of Deepak Nitrite's chemical manufacturing facility in Nandesari industrial area on the outskirts of Vadodara city in Gujarat was engulfed by an explosion and a major fire on Thursday (June 2, 2022) nevening, but no casualty was reported. The fire officials informed that seven workers have been hospitalised in a nearby after inhaling smoke, while over 700 people living in the vicinity of the factory have been shifted to safer places. Vadodara district collector AB Gor said, "A fire broke out at Deepak Nitrite Company in Nandesari GIDC in Gujarat`s Vadodara on June 2. No casualty has been reported."

"However, 4-5 people have been shifted to hospital due to difficulty in breathing. We are monitoring the pollution level of the city. People living in nearby areas have been shifted to safer places," he said.

A fire broke out at Deepak Nitrite Company in Nandesari GIDC in Gujarat's Vadodara on June 2. No causality, 4-5 people shifted to hospital due to difficulty in breathing. Monitoring pollution rate of city. People living in nearby area shifted to safer places: Vadodara DC AB Gor pic.twitter.com/YcsNJgNlNo  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2022

A Vadodara fire official said a powerful explosion also occurred when the fire started spreading in the factory during the evening, adding that 10 fire tenders are at the spot to douse the blaze.

"Efforts are on to douse the massive fire, in which no injury has been reported. Seven workers who had inhaled the smoke were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. As a precaution, nearly 700 people living in the rural areas adjoining the factory have been shifted to safer places," Vadodara Collector RB Barad said.

The cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained.

(With agency inputs)
Karnataka Hijab row: A government college in Karnataka has suspended six students for wearing Hijab in the class as it was against the High Court order on the recent Hijab controversy, ANI reported. The principal of Government First Grade College Uppinangady on Friday told ANI that six Hijab-clad students were suspended from college for six-day for violating court-mandated norms. Their suspension period will end tomorrow and the students will be allowed in classes after that. According to PTI, the six students who have been suspended allegedly wore the hijab in the classroom, despite repeated attempts by the college authorities to inform them that their conduct was in violation of state government and High Court's orders.

Other students wore saffron in protest

Following the suspension, as more students came to college wearing hijab on Thursday (today), another section of students wore saffron shawl in protest, and demanded they should not be allowed to enter classes, forcing the police to intervene.

Authorities did not allow both hijab and saffron shawl wearing students to attend classes, sources said.

The Karnataka High Court on March 15 had dismissed petitions filed by a group of Muslim students, seeking permission to wear hijab inside classrooms.

The three-judge bench of the court consisting of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice J M Khazi further noted that the prescription of school uniform is only a reasonable restriction, constitutionally permissible, which the students cannot object to.

Following the High Court order, the Department of Pre-University Education has made uniforms prescribed by the College Development Committee, compulsory for Pre-University (PU) students from the 2022-23 academic year.

It also states that in case no uniform is prescribed by the College Development Committee or management, students must wear a garment which will "maintain equality and unity, and which does not disturb public order".

(With PTI inputs)
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad police has arrested one Tajuddin Malik, 18, in the sensational gang-rape of a 17-year-old minor girl. A total of five culprits have been identified based on the statement given by the victim. Apart from Tajuddin Malik, another person Umair Khan, 18, has been identified while the three others are juveniles in conflict with law. While one juvenile, who has been identified, will be picked and produced before the court tomorrow morning, the special police teams have been looking for others.

According to Hyderabad west zone deputy commissioner of police, Joel Davis, the incident took place on May 28 evening after 5.30 pm. "The victim and the culprits attended a daytime ``nonalcoholic'' , ``nonsmoking'' college fresher's party at a pub from 1.30 pm to 5.30 pm. After 5.30 pm, the victim went with the five accused in a Mercedes Benz car. However, after travelling for distance, the victim and the culprits shifted to Toyota Innova car. At an isolated place in Jubilee Hills area, the victim was sexually assaulted by five of them, in turns, in the Innova car itself,'' the DCP explained.

Though the incident took place on May 28, the victim, who was in shock, could not tell her parents properly about the ghastly incident that took place. "On May 31, the victim's father registered the complaint of "outraging the modesty'' as he was not aware of the exact incident. On June 1, as per SOP ( standard operating procedure ) our senior women police officers counselled the victim and gained her confidence when she narrated the entire sequence,'' Joel Davis elaborated.

After the victim's statement, the case was altered to sections 354 ( IPC ), 323 IPC apart from POSCO act. "Immediately we started looking at CCTV footage, CDR ( Call Data Records ), corroborating everything the victim disclosed about the culprits though she did not recall the names of four. With the one name she had given to us, we identified four others,'' the DCP said.

Importantly, the DCP clarified that the name of an AIMIM MLA's son as alleged by the Telangana BJP did not figure in victim's statement as of now. "The investigation will continue and if the victim gives any further details as and when she is in a position to do so, we will investigate accordingly. We will not spare anyone however high and mighty they are,'' the DCP reiterated.


Nabanna transferred the District Magistrate of Purulia as soon as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's visit to the district ended. Purulia district magistrate Rahul Majumdar was removed after issuing a directive from Nabanna on Thursday. He was sent as additional secretary of the Asansol-Durgapur Development Board. Mamata held an administrative meeting in Purulia on May 30. In that meeting, the Chief Minister had reprimanded district magistrate Rahul in strong language.

The revenue collected from the brick kiln is not being properly deposited in the treasury. Mamata became angry when she heard such allegations at the administrative meeting. To the district magistrate, she said, "Can you hear DM? On the grassroot level, they collect. They don't deposit the money to the government. They give some percentage. Others keep it with themselves. The remaining funds are embezzled. What district are you running? You've been in the district for so long. My idea has changed." Without stopping here, Mamata added, "I am giving so much to the people. Why have some people become so greedy? How much more do you want? If they had been members of my party, I would have slapped four times."

Incidentally, it was only after this that Nabanna decided to remove Rahul from the post of Purulia district magistrate. The guidelines have been published by the state department of personnel and administrative reforms. The minister of that department is Mamata herself. Howrah ADM Rajat Nanda has been replaced by Rahul from the post.

Along with Purulia, Jhargram district magistrate Jayasi Dasgupta has also been removed. Apart from this, the district magistrates of West Medinipur, South Dinajpur, 24 Parganas, Murshidabad and Malda have been transferred.
Kabul: A multi-member Indian team met senior members of the Taliban in Kabul on Thursday. An Indian delegation led by MEA Joint Secretary JP Singh is on a visit to the capital of Afghanistan to oversee the delivery operations of our humanitarian assistance to the country. Besides meeting the Taliban leadership, they also visited Indian projects including the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) in Kabul. The IGICH is the main hospital in Afghanistan, set up with Indian assistance in the `70s that caters to the well-being of children. An MEA statement earlier today said the India team will meet Taliban leadership and representatives of the International Organisations involved in the distribution of humanitarian assistance.

"India has historical and civilisational ties with the Afghan people and these longstanding linkages will continue to guide our approach," the MEA added. A Taliban spokesperson on Twitter said the Indian team met with leaders of the Islamic group and discussed bilateral trade and humanitarian assistance.

"Today, Maulvi Amir Khan Mottaki, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, met with JP Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs of India and his accompanying delegation. During the meeting, diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and India, bilateral trade and humanitarian assistance were discussed," Taliban spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on Twitter.

Today, IEA Acting Deputy Foreign Minister Alhaj Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai met with Indian MEA Joint Secretary J.P. Singh and accompanying delegation. Mr. Singh called ties between the two countries historic, adding that India wants to assist in line with pic.twitter.com/cwBFmAmUQT  Abdul Qahar Balkhi (@QaharBalkhi) June 2, 2022

India today said that the visit of its team to Kabul relates to the delivery operations of its humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. Addressing a regular media briefing here, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the Indian team will meet senior members of the Taliban and representatives of international organisations who are involved in the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

"A multi-member team headed by Joint secretary JP Singh is in Kabul. The team will meet senior members of the Taliban. They`ll also meet representatives of international organisations who are involved in the delivery of humanitarian assistance. This is one focus area," Bagchi said. He said the Indian team will try to visit places where its programmes are being implemented but did not give further details.

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Washington (US): US Secretary of State Atony Blinken said there have been rising attacks on people and places of worship in India, asserting that America will continue to stand up for religious freedom around the world. He also said people from the minority communities and women were being targeted in other Asian countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and China. "The United States will continue to stand up for religious freedom around the world. We'll keep working alongside other governments, multilateral organisations, civil society to do so, including next month at the United Kingdom's ministerial to advance religious freedom," Blinken told media persons at the release of the annual International Religious Freedom report on Thursday (June 2).

"At its core, our work is about ensuring that all people have the freedom to pursue the spiritual tradition that most has meaning to their time on earth," he said, noting that the report documents how religious freedom and the rights of religious minorities are under threat in communities around the world. "For example, in India, the world's largest democracy and home to a great diversity of faiths, we've seen rising attacks on people and places of worship; in Vietnam, where authorities harassed members of unregistered religious communities; in Nigeria, where several state governments are using anti-defamation and blasphemy laws to punish people for expressing their beliefs," Blinken said.

Also read: Why look for a shivling in every masjid: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat amid Gyanvapi mosque row

China, he said, continues to harass adherents of other religions that it deems out of line with the Chinese Communist Party doctrine, including by destroying Buddhist, Christian, Islamic and Taoist houses of worship and by erecting barriers to employment and housing for Christians, Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists and Falun Gong practitioners.

In Afghanistan, conditions for religious freedom have deteriorated dramatically under the Taliban, particularly as they crack down on the basic rights of women and girls to get an education, to work, to engage in society, often under the banner of religion, he said. Meanwhile, ISIS-K is conducting increasingly violent attacks against religious minorities, particularly Shia Hazaras, he added. "In Pakistan, at least 16 individuals accused of blasphemy were sentenced to death by Pakistani courts in 2021 though none of these sentences has yet to be carried out," Blinken said. "Beyond these countries, the report documents how religious freedom and the rights of religious minorities are under threat in communities around the world," he said.
New Delhi: The India Post has invited applications for the recruitment of individuals for Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) posts as Branch Postmaster (BPM), Assistant Branch Post Master (ABPM) and Dak Sevak. The company is looking to fill over 38,000 vacant posts in the organisation through this recruitment drive. Interested and eligible candidates can apply online through the official site at indiapostgdsonline.gov.in.

The last date to apply for India Post Recruitment 2022 is June 05, 2022.

India Post Recruitment 2022: Vacancy details

The recruitment drive is being conducted to fill up 38,926 vacant posts in the organization on various posts of Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) as Branch Postmaster (BPM), Assistant Branch Post Master (ABPM) and Dak Sevak.

India Post GDS Recruitment 2022: Important Dates

Online application commencement date: May 2, 2022

Last date to apply: June 5, 2022

Click Here For Detailed Notification

India Post Recruitment 2022: Eligibility criteria

Candidates applying for the GDS posts must have Secondary School Examination pass certificate of 10th standard having passed in Mathematics and English (having been studied as compulsory or elective subjects) conducted by any recognized Board of School Education by the Government of India/State Governments/ Union Territories in India.

"The candidate should have studied the local language i.e. (Name of Local language) at least up to the 10th standard [as compulsory or elective subjects]," stated the India Post in the official notification.

India Post GDS Recruitment 2022: Age Limit

Candidates must be between 18 to 40 years of age.

India Post GDS Recruitment 2022: Here's How to apply

Step 1: Visit the official website at: indiapostgdsonline.gov.in

Step 2: On the homepage, click on the 'Registration' tab

Step 3: In the newly opened window fill in your details and upload all the required documents

Step 4: Pay the application fee and submit your application form

Step 5: Download your application form and take a print put for future reference.

Click Here For Direct Link To Apply

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New Delhi: At least seven people were charred to death after a Hyderabad-bound private sleeper bus caught fire on Friday (June 3) morning in Karnatakas Kalaburagi district. The bus, carrying 32 passengers from Goa to Hyderabad, collided with a goods vehicle and caught fire near Kamalapura town in Kalaburagi district. Twelve people escaped the overturned bus with minor injuries, PTI reported. The accident took place at 6.30 AM today on the outskirts of Kamalapur taluk in Kalaburagi district on the Bidar-Srirangapatna highway. Union minister Bhagwanth Khuba visited the hospital in Kalaburagi where the injured have been admitted for treatment.

Expressing grief over the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished for the speedy recovery of the wounded. Saddened by the mishap in Karnatakas Kalaburagi district. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones due to this tragedy. I hope that the injured recover at the earliest. The local administration has been helping those affected, PMO cited Modi as saying.

#UPDATE | Death toll in the collision between a Hyderabad-based private bus and goods vehicle in Kalaburagi, Karnataka rises to 7. Union minister Bhagwanth Khuba visited the hospital in Kalaburagi where injured people have been admitted for treatment. pic.twitter.com/YP00qd4d34  ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2022

Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed anguish over the death of Hyderabad residents and announced compensation for the kin of the victims. He announced ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh to the next of kin of those from Telangana who died in the bus accident and Rs 50,000 to the injured. The Telangana CM asked state Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar to take steps in this regard.

As per an official release, Rao also directed Telangana Health Minister T Harish Rao and Animal Husbandry Minister T Srinivas Yadav to supervise measures to provide medical treatment to the injured and to transport the bodies to Hyderabad.

(With agency inputs)
KCET Hall Ticket 2022: Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has released hall tickets for Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) online on June 2, 2022 for all students. Candidate who wish to appear in KCET 2022 examination can now download their admit cards on the official website  kea.kar.nic.in. KCET Hall Ticket 2022 has been released for the upcoming UGCET exam scheduled to be held on June 16, 17 and 18, 2022.

All the candidates must note that the admit cards can only be downloaded online from the official website and would not be sent by post.

KCET Hall Ticket 2022  How to download

- Visit the official website of Karnataka Common Entrance Test  kea.kar.nic.in

- On the homepage, click on the link that reads, 'UGCET 2022  Admission Ticket Download link'

- Enter your login details like application number or anything else as asked in the new page

- Your KCET Hall Ticket 2022 will be displayed on your screen

- Download and print a copy of it for future references

KCET 2022 Hall Ticket download  Direct link here

Candidates must carry their KCET Hall Ticket 2022 to the exam centre as they wouldnt be allowed to sit in the examination without it. KCET admit card 2022 official release also advises students to verify the details on the hall ticket before appearing for the exam.
JNU: A decomposed body was found hanging in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus on Thursday, ANI reported quoting Delhi Police. The body is highly decomposed, which suggests that the man died several days ago. The man is aged between 40-45, according to the Delhi police. A highly decomposed body aged 40-45 years has been found hanging from a tree in JNU jungle, this evening. Body yet to be identified. An inquiry has been initiated, crime & forensic team at the spot: Delhi Police, tweeted ANI.

The police were informed about the body around 6.30 pm, they said.

Police visited the spot and found a body in a highly decomposed state hanging from a tree in the jungle area. The victim appears to be in the 40-45 age group, a senior police officer said.

The crime and forensic teams have been called to the spot for examination. The body is yet to be identified. An inquest proceeding has been initiated, police said.

Sources from the university said: "It seems that the body is not of someone from JNU. The body was found in the jungle near Yamuna Hostel. A couple of students had gone for a walk in the jungle where they sensed a foul smell and alerted the authorities."

(With inputs from agencies)
State environmental officials held a hearing Tuesday on North Dakotas proposal for addressing regional haze, which requires the approval of federal officials who have already begun poking holes in the document.

The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality proposes to maintain the status quo at the states coal-fired power plants and not require any to install new technology to better control emissions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide. The plan incorporates burner upgrades already installed at Coal Creek Station in 2020 to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides, making the operation of the technology an enforceable requirement, said David Stroh, an environmental engineer with the department.

The state evaluated the impact of requiring additional emissions reduction measures on several facilities and concluded that doing so would result in essentially no visibility change within two key natural areas: Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge in the northwestern part of the state. Officials looked at costly, stringent measures and other less-pricey options, as well as allowing the plants to operate without any new controls.

What we found was there was no humanly perceptible change in visibility regardless of the scenario we would have selected, Stroh said.

He added that its hard to justify requiring the installation of costly equipment that wont result in an improvement to visibility. Wildfires in other states account for much of the deteriorated visibility during parts of the year in North Dakota, he said.

The state is projected to meet short- and long-term visibility goals, the department says in its proposed plan.

Each state is going through a similar planning process, which aims to improve visibility at national parks and major wilderness areas. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency must sign off on states plans, or it could impose a plan of its own upon a state. The last time North Dakota submitted a plan in 2010, the agency rejected the states proposal in part and placed its own requirements upon the state. The matter ended up in court.

Haze in North Dakota is monitored through a network led by the EPA, other federal agencies and research organizations. The network has monitors in the national park and at Lostwood. The state has also included data from its own air quality monitors in its proposal.

Agencies weigh in

Several federal agencies have weighed in already on North Dakotas plan, and they say the state ought to do more.

The National Park Service said that of all states, North Dakota has the most significant influence on haze in major natural areas.

North Dakota emissions are significant across the region and specifically contribute to regional haze at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota as well as Badlands and Wind Cave National Parks in South Dakota, the agency wrote in comments to the state.

The park service acknowledged that visibility trends are improving overall, but it said pollution has increased on the worst visibility days in recent years.

Continuous improvement will be needed to continue the downward trend in haze and meet the 2064 goals, the agency said.

The EPAs regional haze program seeks to reach natural visibility conditions by that year.

The Park Service wants North Dakota to require cost-effective measures to reduce pollutants from industrial facilities and impose new requirements on oil and gas infrastructure, among other requests.

The U.S. Forest Service, likewise, said cost-effective controls should be considered regardless of the sources individual, or combined, impact to visibility.

The agency added that small visibility improvements, even those that may be imperceptible by themselves, are essential for making progress towards the National Goal of restoring natural conditions by 2064. It said the state should reconsider its decision not to require low-cost emission controls, particularly at Coyote Station and Antelope Valley Station, which are two coal plants.

The EPA has also weighed in, echoing the other agencies in comments about minor visibility improvements and oil and gas rules. It also listed a host of other recommendations.

North Dakota did not make any major changes to its proposed plan as a result of the agencies feedback, but it made minor adjustments to better explain its perspective, Stroh said.

The federal agencies indicated We have a very strong technical plan, but they disagree with the conclusions we came to, he said.

North Dakota has responded to some of the comments, writing that it has addressed certain emissions from oil well sites already and that federal rules exist. Sites on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation fall under federal jurisdiction, the state said. The department added that the matter could be further addressed under new proposed EPA rules.

Out-of-state wildfires further west have the greatest effect on visibility at Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge, Stroh said. Last summer was particularly bad as smoke from fires in the western United States and Canada extended over North Dakota for numerous days, causing hazy skies and a significant deterioration in air quality.

They completely overshadow any visibility impairment that would be caused by our sources, Stroh said.

A few changes at major industrial facilities within North Dakota are expected to have a positive effect on air quality, Stroh said. Montana-Dakota Utilities shuttered its two coal units at Heskett Station north of Mandan earlier this year and is planning to add one more natural gas unit, which is expected to emit less. Hesss Tioga Gas Plant is making upgrades as well.

The operators of several coal plants in North Dakota are eyeing technology to capture their carbon dioxide emissions. Such equipment is also likely to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, as the pollutant needs to be removed from exhaust gas for the rest of the capture process to function properly, Stroh said.

The EPAs regional haze program is designed so that states make incremental progress over 10-year periods through 2064. Its possible North Dakota could require more emission controls at various facilities in the future, Stroh said.

Its not a one-and-done thing, he said.

North Dakotans react

While a group representing North Dakotas coal industry has endorsed the states plan, conservation groups say it falls short.

"North Dakota has some of the most egregious haze polluters in the nation, harming air quality in Theodore Roosevelt National Park and other treasured places in the Badlands," said Elizabeth Loos, executive director of the Badlands Conservation Alliance. "This new plan yet again lets North Dakotas dirtiest facilities dump haze pollution into our skies and lungs unchecked, showing that North Dakota still values polluters over people and parks."

Prairie Rose Seminole, a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation and an Indigenous Fellow with the National Parks Conservation Association, said she can see the exhaust gas of several coal plants from her home.

"It is unconscionable that our state is advancing a haze plan that does nothing to cut pollution from these facilities and other industries despite clear evidence that they are harmful to me and my family, our livestock and my native lands," she said. "The peoples of the MHA Nation and my family have been stewards of these river valleys and bottom lands for time immemorial and can recall a time of pure waters, clean air and bountiful lands that may come to only exist in our stories."

The Lignite Energy Council said North Dakotas power plants have spent more than $2 billion over the past 10 years on emission controls. The state is currently well ahead of schedule in meeting EPAs visibility targets, President Jason Bohrer said.

We urge the Environmental Protection Agency to recognize the states authority and discretion by approving the states implementation plan, he said.

The three members of North Dakota's Public Service Commission discussed the proposed plan earlier this week, indicating they might provide comments to state environmental officials in support of the plan. They hope to ward off any actions by the EPA that could accelerate the retirement of coal plants in North Dakota, particularly amid a projected shortfall in electricity capacity within one of the power grids that operates in the state.

Next steps

State officials were also accepting comments from the public through Wednesday.

The state will prepare a document responding to the comments it receives and could incorporate feedback into the final plan it sends to the EPA. The state aims to submit the plan by Aug. 15, Stroh said. That kicks off a lengthy review process -- the EPA has six months to ensure the document is complete and another year to give it a thumbs up or down.

Reach Amy R. Sisk at 701-250-8252 or amy.sisk@bismarcktribune.com.

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New Delhi: A fire broke out in a godown near Shaheed Nagar Metro station in Uttar Pradeshs Ghaziabad on Friday (june 3, 2022) morning. On receiving the distress call, the fire department sent more than 12 fire tenders to the spot to begin the dousing operations. The officials also informed that no casualty has been reported so far in the mishap. "More than 12 fire tenders are engaged in dousing operation. No casualties have been reported. Fire has been brought under control," Sunil Kumar Singh, Chief Fire Officer (CFO) said.

Uttar Pradesh | A fire breaks out in a godown near Shaheed Nagar metro station in Ghaziabad More than 12 fire tenders are engaged in dousing operation. No casualties have been reported. Fire has been brought under control: Sunil Kumar Singh, CFO pic.twitter.com/Bru2MKIEV3  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) June 3, 2022

The blaze has been brought under control, according to fire officials.

Sunil Kumar Singh further said, "It will take some more time to douse the fire completely because the blaze was spread due to clothes and plastic things available in the warehouse. However, the fire has been stopped from spreading."

More details are awaited.
Amid recent targetted killings in Jammu and Kashmir, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Friday urged the central government to take strict action against the incidents and people behind such attacks. The BSP chief noted that the recent attacks have created an atmosphere of panic in the region and called it worrisome. "Innocent people are being killed every day in Jammu and Kashmir. Recently, there was a murder of a resident of Rajasthan and a bank manager, very sad and also worrying. Due to this, there is an atmosphere of panic. The central government should take strict action against such guilty elements, this demand of BSP," Mayawati tweeted.

In a recent terror attack, a bank manager, identified as Vijay Kumar, was shot dead by terrorists in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. He was shot right outside his office. The incident occurred at the Ellaqie Dehati Bank at Areh Mohanpora in Kulgam.

The Resistance Front, a shadow outfit of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group, claimed responsibility for the attack. A couple of days ago, a 36-year-old Hindu woman teacher Rajni Bala, hailing from Jammu`s Samba district, was shot dead by terrorists at a government school in Gopalpora, Kulgam.

Over the last two months, two civilians - including Kashmiri Pandit employee Rahul Bhat -- and three off-duty policemen were killed in Kashmir by terrorists. Meanwhile, people belonging to the Hindu community employed in Kashmir staged a protest in Jammu and demanded security for members of their community.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha are likely to hold a high-level meeting here in the national capital on Friday over the killings of Kashmiri Pandits in the Union Territory in the last few days.

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New Delhi: With reports of increasing Monkeypox (MPX) cases in non-endemic countries, Union Health Ministry has issued `Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease` to ensure advance preparedness across the country. Issuing a statement recently, the Health Ministry clarified that "There are no reported cases of monkeypox disease in India, as of date."

The ministry further stated that the Monkeypox cases have been reported as endemic in several other central and western African countries such as Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d`Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, and Sierra Leone.

The cases, however, have been also reported in certain non-endemic countries e.g. USA, United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Australia, Canada, Austria, Israel, Switzerland, etc.

Health Ministry guidelines on Monkeypox

As per the Health Ministry guidelines, a confirmed case is laboratory confirmed for monkeypox virus by detection of unique sequences of viral DNA either by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or sequencing.

"All the clinical specimens should be transported to the Apex Laboratory of ICMR-NIV (Pune) routed through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network of the respective district/state," ANI report quoted the guidelines.

Accordingly, the guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease include the epidemiology of the disease (including host, incubation period, period of communicability, and mode of transmission; contact and case definitions; clinical features and its complication, diagnosis, case management, risk communication, guidance on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) including use of personal protective equipment.

It further said "The guidelines on stress surveillance and rapid identification of new cases as the key public health measures for outbreak containment, mandating the need to reduce the risk of human-to-human transmission."

It explains the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures, IPC at home, patient isolation and ambulance transfer strategies, additional precautions that need to be taken care of, and duration of isolation procedures.

As per the guidelines, contacts should be monitored at least daily for the onset of signs/symptoms for a period of 21 days from the last contact with a patient or their contaminated materials during the infectious period.

The guidelines further explained in detail about raising awareness and educating people about the measures for Monkeypox virus-like avoiding contact with any material of the sick person, isolation of the infected patient from others, practising good hand hygiene, and using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for patients.

(With Agency Inputs)
Monkeypox virus is on the rise in western countries outside Africa. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a total of 550 cases have been reported in 30 countries so far. Such an outbreak of the virus alone has created panic all over the world. WHO has already issued a warning about Monkeypox. According to the World Health Organization, the unknown, rare virus can spread very quickly in countries where the virus has not yet been detected. The Union health ministry has issued strict surveillance and guidelines on monkeypox in advance.

In fact, scientists are quite worried about the events in Monkeypox. Most of Europe is also witnessing a rise in cases of the virus. Travel to Africa has nothing to do with Europe. Despite this, the virus continues to grow. The cause of the disease and the form of the virus is also changing. As a result, the pathogen also started to grow with anxiety. The possibility of spread from animals to humans is high. Generally, the pathogens were at one time usually limited to specific geographical regions. They have created the possibility of spreading more quickly. People and wild animals are fast catching up.

Currently, five people each have been diagnosed with monkeypox in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, US and Netherlands. In countries like Spain, Britain and Portugal, the number of cases is increasing.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it is looking into why the virus is spreading, what the reason is. The virus has recently been found in 30 countries. If not alerted now, this rare virus can lead to another epidemic. Experts say the whole incident was an accident. The infection was first thought to be spreading among gay or bisexual men, but the chances of rapid group transmission may be high if appropriate measures are not taken to prevent the disease now.

According to an expert from the World Health Organization, it is still unknown whether monkeypox is spreading the infection through intimate contact between people engaged in sexual activity. It has been assumed to be a much lower form for the general public. It is not yet known whether this virus is exploiting a new mode of transmission. But what is clear is that it continues to absorb its familiar form of infection. Monkeypox spreads when an infected person or an intimate physical encounter on their clothing or bed sheets.
New Delhi: A court in Maharashtras Mumbai awarded death penalty to a convict in the rape and murder of a 9-year-old girl in 2019. The Dindoshi court in Mumbai pronounced the death sentence for convict Gudappa Chinnatambi Devendra in the rape and murder case of the minor girl after she was kidnapped by him in the Juhu area in April 2019, ANI reported. Her body was recovered a few days later from a septic tank of a public toilet near her home.

The prosecutor on Thursday had sought the death sentence for the accused for kidnapping, raping and murdering the nine-year-old child.

Maharashtra | Dindoshi court in Mumbai awards the death penalty to convict Gudappa Chinnatambi Devendra in connection with the rape of a 9-year-old girl after she was kidnapped by the convict in Juhu area in April 2019. Her dead body was later found in a sewer: Mumbai Police  ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2022

Special Pocso judge had found Devendra guilty on Tuesday and had adjourned the hearing to Friday to announce the quantum of punishment.

In another rape and muder case, a Mumbai court on Thursday awarded death penalty to a 45-year-old man. He was found guilty of the brutal rape and murder of a 34-year-old woman in Mumbai's Sakinaka area in September 2021.

The accused Mohan Kathwaru Chauhan had been convicted under IPC sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape) as well as provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on May 30 by Additional sessions judge (Dindoshi) H C Shende. The prosecution had demanded capital punishment for Chouhan who had used an iron rod during the assault.

In the order, the court said the incident was inhuman and "brought dreadful shivers up the spine in thinking about it."

"To show leniency or mercy in the case of such heinous crime and to an accused who has shown no repentance or remorse after exhibiting an extremely depraved mentality would be a travesty of justice, " the court noted.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued fresh summons to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to appear before it on June 13 for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper, officials said on Friday. He was earlier asked to depose on June 2 but the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad seat in Kerala sought a fresh date as he was out of the country.

Officials said Rahul Gandhi, 51, has now been asked to appear on June 13 at the headquarters of the federal agency in central Delhi. His mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, 75, has been asked to depose before the agency on June 8.

The case pertains to the ED probe into the alleged financial irregularities in the party-promoted Young Indian that owns the National Herald newspaper. The agency, officials said, wants to record the statements of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The National Herald is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Pvt Limited. The agency recently questioned senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawan Bansal as part of the investigation.

The questioning of the senior Congress leaders and the Gandhis is part of the ED's investigation to understand the share holding pattern, financial transactions and role of the promoters of Young Indian and AJL, officials had said.

The agency registered a fresh case under the criminal provisions of the PMLA after a trial court here took cognisance of an Income Tax Department probe against Young Indian Pvt Ltd on the basis of a private criminal complaint filed by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013.

The Congress party had called the ED action as "vendetta". "The Modi government should know that by registering such fake and fabricated cases, they cannot succeed in their cowardly conspiracy," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi had told reporters early this week.
New Delhi: The age-old state-level education laws are a major hindrance in implementing the new National Education Policy (NEP) in true spirit, and without a new legal framework, it will be merely be a set of guidelines, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Thursday. The minister said the pre-primary education system in India lacks framework, is not well regulated, and varies within states itself. Sisodia, who is also Delhi's education minister, said unlike the national capital, the condition of 95-98 per cent of government schools across the country is extremely poor barring a few "showpiece schools" in each state.

"The recommendations of the recently introduced National Education Policy are progressive, but it needs an enabling legal framework to realise its full potential. There are many provisions in different state education laws which are restricting the proper implementation of the NEP," he said during the National Conference of School Education Ministers in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

NEP 2020: Legal framework required, says Manish Sisodia

"There is a need for a new legal framework for NEP to align it with the forward looking provisions of the NEP 2020. Otherwise, the policy will not be able to cross the hurdles created by existing legal provisions and age-old practices," he added. Sisodia said there are two major barriers in the way of smooth implementation of the NEP.

NEP 2020: Manish Sisodia points out Hiderances in implementing policy

"First, the age-old rules and regulations governing the functions of the education departments across the country. Some of the rules and regulations created just after independence continue to be in existence even today. These are not only irrelevant in present times, but are a hindrance in the way of NEP. Therefore, a new legal framework is needed to make the new education policy successful," he said.

"For example, in the Gujarat Primary Education Act 1961, primary education (class 1-7) is compulsory, but parents are legally responsible for this. There is no mention of curriculum, training and assessment in this Act," he said.

"Similarly, the Primary Education Act in Punjab, made in 1960, is also similar where parents can be compelled to send their children to school and parents can be fined for not sending them (to school)."

"Uttar Pradesh's Basic Education Act made in 1972 talks about the education board there, while Kerala's Education Act made in 1952 talks about regulating aided schools," he added. The two-day long National Education Ministers' Conference began in Gandhinagar on Wednesday with a focus on implementation of the new NEP. The minister said the second barrier is related to practice legacy.

"We talk about inclusive education in our policies, but does the teacher, while completing the curriculum in the classroom, guarantee that every child has a space for learning at their own pace. Are we training our future teachers to practice inclusion in our B.Ed. Curriculum?" Sisodia said.

"We need to ensure that when teachers enter the classroom, they are not only masters of their subject, but have also deeply absorbed the principles of inclusive development as their basic character," Sisodia said.

"In the NEP, the maximum focus has been given on the first five years. This is in sync with the thought around early childhood education globally. But the pre-primary education system in India is very unsystematic and varies in each state," he said.

"The anganwadi focuses on 0-6 years, play schools have their own standards and class 1 has a different criteria. Whereas the new education policy focuses on foundational learning in the first 5 years. In such a situation, we need to have an implementation framework that really sets the foundation for lifelong learning," he added.

The minister said the central government's National Achievement Survey (NAS) for schools should not end up being only a high-stakes exam.

"In India we have a traditional annual examination process of three hours which decides the future of the children. This causes a lot of stress on schools and leads to pressure on students to pass the exam," he said.

"I fear that NAS is also shifting on the same lines, where getting high scores in NAS has become the priority of state education departments. This will create additional pressure on students."

"The government should look into the framework of NAS too and look for new assessment processes," he added.

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The bullet-hit `bir` (scripture) of the Guru Granth Sahib has been put on display at the Golden Temple complex in Punjab`s Amritsar to mark the 38 th anniversary of Operation Bluestar. The Sikhs consider a physical copy of the Guru Granth Sahib as a living guru and treat it with the utmost respect. The physical copy is called Saroop or bir in Punjabi. The bir, which was struck by a bullet during the operation conducted in 1984, has been put on display at the Sri Shaheed Ganj Baba Gurbaksh Singh Gurdwara, located near Akal Takht of the Golden Temple.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has put the bullet-hit bir on display for the second consecutive year for "darshan". Last year, after 37 years, the sangat were given the darshan of the bullet-hit bir for the first time. While speaking with ANI, head granthi of the Golden Temple Giani Gurmukh Singh, said that the bir will be put up on display daily from morning 9 am to evening 7 pm till June 5.

"We have put on display the bullet-hit bir, the bullet that had hit the bir, and the remains of the holy pages that were damaged because of it," he said. Former senior vice-president of the SGPC Surjit Singh condemned the attack and said that these days bring back memories of the deep wounds the then Congress government gave to the Sikh community.

"The then Congress government inflicted deep wounds to the Sikhs by attacking Sri Harmandar Sahib and Sri Akal Takht Sahib in 1984. These wounds have not been, and will never be forgotten. The youth sees and knows the brutal assault carried out by the then government," he said.

Thanking the BJP government for giving the community some justice after the `84 riots killed thousands, Surjit said, "1984 induced riots across India, killing thousands of Sikhs. We were never given justice. The BJP government has helped us achieve some justice by putting a few people behind the bars. We hope to get complete justice."

Meanwhile, the security has been heightened in Amritsar city ahead of the Operation Blue Star anniversary. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Amritsar, Parminder Singh Bhandal said that the paramilitary forces have been deployed in advance.

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (June 3, 2022) attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the third Uttar Pradesh Investors Summit in Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were also present at the event. PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of 1,406 projects worth over Rs 8,000 crore. The projects were in diverse fields, including agriculture, IT and Electronics, MSME, manufacturing, renewable energy, pharma, tourism, defence and aerospace, handloom and textile.

Today the world is seeing India's potential and appreciating India's performance. We are growing the fastest among the G20 economies. India is at number two in the Global Retail Index, the Prime Minister said at the event.

While speaking at the Ground Breaking Ceremony, PM Modi shared the Centres mantra of governance - reform, perform, transform. We recently completed 8 years of central governance. In these years, we progressed on the mantra of reform, perform, transform; focussed on policy stability, coordination and ease of doing business, said PM Narendra Modi at the Ground Breaking Ceremony.

PM Narendra Modi attends the Ground Breaking Ceremony @ 3.0 of the UP Investors Summit in Lucknow CM Yogi Adityanath, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also present at the event pic.twitter.com/5qE7CeM7EI  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) June 3, 2022

Today agreements of investment of more than Rs 80,000 Cr have been done here. This record investment will create thousands of employment opportunities. I congratulate the youth of UP for it as they will be most benefitted from it, PM Modi added.

Today agreements of investment of more than Rs 80,000 Cr have been done here. This record investment will create thousands of employment opportunities. I congratulate the youth of UP for it as they will be most benefitted from it: PM Modi at UP Investors Summit in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/8PoyKP6HoF  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) June 3, 2022

PM Modi also took the opportunity to highlight Uttar Pradeshs contribution to India's growth story and said, I believe that it is Uttar Pradesh that will give momentum to India's growth story in the 21st century. In the next 10 years, Uttar Pradesh will be a big driving force for India

We have worked to strengthen India as a nation with our reforms. One Nation-One Tax GST, One Nation-One Grid, One Nation-One Mobility Card, One Nation-One Ration Card. All these efforts are a reflection of our solid and clear policies, PM Modi added.

The UP Investors Summit 2018 was held on February 21st -22nd, 2018, with the first Ground Breaking Ceremony being held on July 29, 2018 and second Ground Breaking Ceremony on July 28, 2019.

At the event, UP CM Adityanath hailed the Centre's schemes like 'One District One Product' and said, "UP increased its traditional enterprise export from Rs 88,000cr to Rs 1.56 lakh crores with effective action in schemes like 'One District One Product'."

"The unemployment rate in Uttar Pradesh has decreased from 18% to 2.9%...," CM Yogi Adityanath added.

The unemployment rate in Uttar Pradesh has decreased from 18% to 2.9%...: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, at the Ground Breaking Ceremony @ 3.0 of the UP Investors Summit, at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/aW9pGPMQ5V  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) June 3, 2022

The Ground Breaking Ceremony was also attended by top industry leaders of the country. Leading industrialists, including Gautam Adani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Sajjan Jindal, and Anant Ambani, son of Mukesh Ambani, are likely to attend the event, officials from the UP government said.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate several projects in Uttar Pradesh on Friday (June 3, 2022). PM Modi will attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the third Uttar Pradesh Investors Summit today. The prime minister will lay the foundation stone of 1,406 projects worth more than Rs 80,000 crore in the state. According to the Prime Ministers Office (PMO), the projects encompass diverse sectors like agriculture and allied industry, IT and electronics, MSME, manufacturing, renewable energy, pharma, tourism, defence & aerospace, and handloom & textiles, among others.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took it to Twitter on Friday morning and said, "Under the guidance of respected PM Narendra Modi ji, `New India of New Uttar Pradesh` has become the best destination in the country for investment. The enthusiasm of investors towards Ground Breaking Ceremony 3.0 is a direct proof of this. This ceremony is going to give flight to the aspirations of `New Uttar Pradesh`."

 Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) June 2, 2022

Check PM Modis itinerary here:

- At around 11 AM, Prime Minister will reach Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Lucknow where he will attend the Ground Breaking Ceremony @3.0 of the UP Investors Summit, the Prime Minister`s office informed.

- At around 1:45 PM, Prime Minister will reach Paraunkh village, Kanpur, where he will accompany President Ram Nath Kovind to visit Pathri Mata Mandir.

- At around 2 PM, they will visit Dr BR Ambedkar Bhawan, which will be followed by a visit to Milan Kendra at 2:15 PM. The Kendra is the ancestral house of the President that was donated for public use and converted to a community centre (Milan Kendra).

- Subsequently, they will attend a public function at Paraunkh village at 2:30 PM.

The Ground Breaking Ceremony will be attended by top industry leaders of the country. Leading industrialists, including Gautam Adani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Sajjan Jindal, and Anant Ambani, son of Mukesh Ambani, are likely to attend the event, officials from the UP government said.

The UP Investors Summit 2018 was held on February 21st -22nd, 2018, with the first Ground Breaking Ceremony being held on July 29, 2018 and second Ground Breaking Ceremony on July 28, 2019.

During the first Ground Breaking Ceremony, the foundation of 81 projects worth more than Rs 61,500 crore was laid, while in the second Ground Breaking Ceremony, the foundation of 290 projects with investments of more than Rs 67,000 crore was laid.

(With agency inputs)
Nursery officials are at work in Bismarck injecting insecticide into nearly 2,000 elm trees to help manage the spread of European elm scale.

The insect feeds on elm trees by sucking sap from branches and leaves. The Bismarck Forestry Division has contracted with Fargo-based Paul Bunyan Nurseries to administer injections of Imidacloprid insecticide on American elm and Siberian elm trees lining boulevards in the city.

There are 3,398 elm trees on city property, according to City Forester Doug Wiles. About 1,750 of them will be treated, Paul Bunyan arborist Eric Christl said.

The project will cost an estimated $150,000, according to Wiles. The money will come from the forestry operations budget.

The European elm scale insect reduces the vigor of a tree and poses a "significantly worse" threat to elms than does Dutch elm disease, according to Christl.

European elm scale is often first noticed on urban elms when sticky liquid honeydew produced by feeding insects becomes a nuisance on parked cars or outdoor furniture, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The honeydew dripping from a tree becomes negligible after a tree is treated, according to Christl.

The pest is not new to Bismarck. But Wiles and Beth Hill, outreach and education manager for the North Dakota Forest Service, said weather conditions have exacerbated its impact.

With the drought conditions that the state has experienced this past year, the effects of pests like European elm scale can become more apparent," Hill said. "Trees under stress can become more susceptible to pest infestations.

Trees in Bismarck were chosen for injection by their condition and concentration, according to Wiles. Targeted trees have been marked with a green dot. Each tree is then measured, and the circumference determines the number of holes that need to be drilled before the pesticide is injected, according to Paul Bunyan Nurseries President Chad Carlson.

For example, a tree with a circumference of 21 inches would have 11 holes bored, each approximately 2 inches deep, with each hole injected with 8 milliliters of pesticide, he said.

There are four areas of the city that are being treated over the next several months, according to the city.

Work has been completed in the area north of Boulevard Avenue and south of Interstate 94 between State Street and North 19th Street.

Work is now underway in the area north of East Avenue D and south of East Divide Avenue between North Fourth Street and North Washington Street.

The other two areas that will follow are:

West of North Second Street and east of North Bell Street between Main Avenue and Rosser Avenue.

West of North 16th Street and east of North Fourth Street between East Main Avenue and East Avenue E.

Questions can be directed to the Forestry Division office at 701-355-1700, Option 3.

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Vidisha: A Right To Information (RTI) activist who earlier worked as a government contractor was allegedly shot dead by unidentified persons near the Public Works Department (PWD) office here on Thursday (June 2) evening, police said. The victim was identified as Ranjeet Soni (42). District Superintendent of Police Monica Shukla said Soni was a resident of Ashoknagar district.

He was shot in the head from behind, from a close range, in the portico of the PWD office, she said. CCTV cameras at the PWD office premises were not functioning, and police are looking for footage of cameras installed in the surrounding areas, the SP said. ALSO READ: IMD warns of heatwave, heavy rainfall in THESE states- Read full report

The personal rivalry could be the reason for the killing, she said. The assailants escaped from the spot after the incident, said Additional Superintendent of Police Samir Yadav. Soni used to collect information, quite often related to government works, by using the RTI Act, he said.

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Lviv: Ukraine expects to receive more weapons from allies after a fresh US pledge, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, as the battle for Ukraine`s east raged 100 days into Russia`s invasion. Moscow`s forces now occupy about 20% of Ukraine`s territory, according to Zelenskiy. Russian President Vladimir Putin`s forces are focusing on the industrial Donbas region, comprised of Luhansk and Donetsk, in the hope of a high-profile victory.

Three civilians were killed in Donetsk, including two in the coal-producing town of Avdiivka, and nine people were injured, Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said late on Thursday (June 2). Reuters could not immediately confirm the details.

"The entire temporarily-occupied territory of our state is now a complete disaster zone, for which Russia bears full responsibility," Zelenskiy said in a late-night address.

"We are expecting more good news on weapon supplies from other partners... We are working to bring the supply of modern combat systems to a much higher level," he said.

Russia has accused Washington of adding "fuel to the fire" with a new $700 million weapons package for Ukraine that will include advanced rocket systems with a range of up to 80 km (50 miles).

President Joe Biden`s administration has repeatedly said it had Ukraine`s assurances it would not use the rocket systems to hit targets inside Russia.

Russia says it is engaged in a "special military operation" to disarm and "denazify" its neighbour. Ukraine and allies call this a baseless pretext for a war that has killed thousands, flattened cities, and forced over 6 million people to flee abroad.

DONBAS

While Moscow denies targeting civilians, it says it regards Ukrainian infrastructure used to bring in Western arms as a legitimate target. But it has insisted Western supplies will not alter the course of its attack.

"Pumping (Western) weapons into Ukraine does not change all the parameters of the special operation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"Its goals will be achieved, but this will bring more suffering to Ukraine," Peskov said when asked whether U.S. plans to sell Ukraine drones that can be armed with missiles could change the nature of the conflict.

On the ground, the eastern industrial city of Sievierodonetsk is now largely in ruins after days of fierce fighting.

Its capture and that of smaller twin Lysychansk would give Russia control of all of Luhansk, which like Donetsk is claimed by Moscow on behalf of separatists.

Seizing Luhansk would accomplish one of Putin`s stated aims and shift battlefield momentum further in Russia`s favour after its forces were pushed back from the capital Kyiv and the north.

Moscow`s forces were also attempting to advance south towards the Ukraine-held cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in Donetsk, governor Kyrylenko said.

UN TALKS ON GRAIN

The war and Western sanctions imposed in response to it are taking a toll on the world economy, which is still dealing with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

With its control of some of Ukraine`s biggest seaports and critical Black Sea shipping routes, Russia has been blocking Ukrainian farm exports and deepening a global food crisis.

U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths is in Moscow on Thursday and Friday to discuss with Russian officials how the way can be cleared for exports of grain and other food from Ukraine`s Black Sea ports.

"The situation remains fluid," spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said, adding that the U.N. "will do and go anywhere we need to go to push this project forward."

Russia and Ukraine together account for nearly a third of global wheat supplies, while Russia is also a key fertilizer exporter and Ukraine a major supplier of corn and sunflower oil.

Interfax news agency quoted Russia`s defence ministry on Thursday as saying that vessels carrying grain could leave Ukraine`s Black Sea ports via "humanitarian corridors" with Moscow ready to guarantee their safety.

As Washington blacklisted more individuals and entities with ties to the Kremlin, including a major steel producer and a cellist it called Putin`s middleman, the European Union gave final approval to a sanctions package that includes a 90% cut in Russian oil imports by the end of the year.

Moscow called the move "self-destructive", saying it could destabilise global energy markets.



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New Delhi: Amid a spike in recent targeted killings in Jammu and Kashmir, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Friday (June 3) attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for seeking votes in the name of Hindutva while taking no measures to improve peoples lives in the Valley. "Today the same situation has arisen in Kashmir that was in the 1990s. You (BJP) talked about the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley and fetched votes on the same in the name of Hindutva. There is no improvement in people`s lives despite the abrogation of Article 370 in J-K," ANI quoted Raut as saying.

Congress also upped its attack on the Centre over the recent killing of civilians in J&K. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel asked who will take the responsibility for the killings. Article 370 is removed, J&K is divided into 3 parts, President's rule also imposed, LG (Manoj Sinha) is there. But today, Kashmiri Pandits are being killed, Hindus are being killed; who'll take the responsibility? Why can't GoI & Gov provide security? the CM questioned.

Baghel further said that if official government employees cannot be provided security in the Valley then how will they keep the general public safe. He added, They used to say that by removing Article 370 & dividing J&K into 3 divisions, everything will become fine. Why is the situation not normal now?

Questioning the silence of BJP and RSS, Baghel said the governments strategy in J&K has completely failed.

Former Uttar Pradesh CM and BSP chief Mayawati also urged the Centre on Friday to take strict action against those responsible for such attacks.

J&K has been witnessing a slew of protests amid the recent killings of the Kashmiri Hindus, with protestors demanding relocation to safer places outside Kashmir. On Thursday, hours after a bank manager, known as Vijay Kumar, was shot dead right outside his office by terrorists in the Kulgam district, a migrant labourer was killed in Budgam, while another was seriously injured in the terror attack.

A few days back, a 36-year-old Hindu teacher Rajni Bala, hailing from Jammu`s Samba district, was shot dead by terrorists at a government school in Gopalpora, Kulgam.

In view of the spate on attacks, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also hold a security review meeting with J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and other top officials in Delhi today.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed pleas alleging illegal construction and excavation at Shree Jagannath temple in Puri by the Odisha government and deprecated the practice of filing PILs for publicity or personal interests, wasting the court`s time. A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Hima Kohli rejected two PILs and imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh each on two petitioners.

In its order, the SC bench said "In the recent past, there is a mushroom growth of PILs. Many such petitions are either publicity interest litigation or personal interest litigation. We deprecate the practice of filing such PIL as it is a waste of judicial time and it needs to be nipped in bud so that development work is not stalled."

The apex court refused to entertain petitions seeking a stay on Jagannath Temple Corridor project work and termed it as a necessity for providing public amenities. It is observed that the construction activities are meant to provide facilities and amenities to devotees. The top court was hearing PILs challenging the order of the Orissa High Court refusing to restrain the state government from carrying out excavation work around the Shree Jagannath temple at Puri, Odisha.

On Thursday, the bench heard arguments of advocates representing petitioners and the state government and reserved the order for today. Senior advocate Mahalaxmi Pavani, appearing for one of the petitioners, had argued that as per the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act 1958, the State government has to mandatorily obtain a NOC from the competent authority for carrying out any works in a protected site.

The state took a NOC from the National Monuments Authority for the construction works, however, the competent authority under the Act to grant the NOC is the Director or Commissioner of Archeology Survey of India, she had added. There is a clear embargo that there cannot be any construction in the prohibited area, the senior advocate said. She further contended that permission was not taken to construct a regulated area.

Advocate Vinay Navare, appearing for another petitioner, had argued that the temple is centuries old and the report of the officer of the Archeology department records that construction carried out is within a prohibited area. Cracks have been found in the temple and its wall and the state government is doing unauthorized construction work which is posing a serious threat to the structure of the ancient temple of Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannath, the petitioners had contended.

Ashok Kumar Parija, Advocate General of Odisha, however, had opposed the pleas and said that under the AMASR Act, the authority is the NMA, and the competent authority has been notified to be Director Culture, State of Orissa. The State government is undertaking the activities to provide amenities to the pilgrims and the same has permission from the NMA, he had said.

The pleas challenged the order of the division bench of Orissa High Court and alleged illegal excavation and construction work by the Odisha government at Shree Jagannath temple.The appeals filed in the apex court alleged that the excavation of the area close to the temple wall poses a serious threat to the temple`s structural safety. It sought a stay of the operation of the construction work near the temple.

The High Court, while hearing a PIL, had asked the Archeological Survey of India as well as the State government agencies to conduct a joint inspection of the area and submit a report. The ASI had informed the High Court that there was every possibility of archaeological remains at the heritage site being destroyed due to the excavation work for the corridor.

It had been said that the Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation, the PSU which is undertaking the construction, may have destroyed archaeological remains from around the 12th century Jagannath temple by carrying out a deep excavation to build common facilities under the `Srimandir Parikrama` plan. It had further submitted that the government had not obtained any permission to carry out the construction work.

The state, however, contended that it had obtained all the requisite permission for the construction. The High court, while taking into note the ASI`s report, had directed the State government to file an affidavit by June 20 and fixed June 22 as the next date of hearing.

One of the appeals, filed through advocate Gautam Das said that as per Section 19 of the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains Act, no person can construct any building within a 100 meters radius protected area and the temple was declared a protected area in 1975, hence such construction is happening at a structure called Meghanad Pacheri which is an integral part of the temple.

It said the state government is trying to construct certain structures by using heavy machinery and has already dug up to 30 feet from the ground level adjacent to the western side of Meghnad Pacheri and added that the equipment used for construction is putting pressure on the foundation of the temple.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Pattanaik 2021 had laid down the foundation stone for the Jagannath Temple corridor project wherein the 75-metre perimeter of the temple was sought to be transformed into a heritage corridor to attract devotees. `The Srimandir Parikrama project` has been designed to have a wide terraced green landscape and a pedestrian-only pathway.
Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday sparked a controversy after he said that the recent rising incidents of target killings of Kashmiri Hindus were taking place only because of the movie The Kashmir Files. "When the film was released, the BJP forced Nitish Kumar's government to tax-free it in the state. Several cabinet ministers and other legislators went to the theatre to watch the movie on the expenses of the state government. At that time I said that it was a conspiracy of militants to make the film and I am saying it again," Manjhi said.

The former chief minister also asked the Centre to investigate the background of the makers and their terror links. "The central government should investigate the terror links of the makers with militants and take action against them," Manjhi said.

"The motive of making `The Kashmir Files` was to create fear among `Kashmiri Brahmins` (Pandits) so that they are not able to go back to the valley. Even those Hindus, who are living in the valley, will leave or face the consequences. The result of the targeted killings of the Bihari labourers is an example of this and it has proved my point," he said.

"If we want to maintain peace, hand over Kashmir to the Bihari people. We will restore peace immediately," Manjhi said.

On Thursday, terrorists killed a Bihari labourer in the Badgam district of Kashmir. The victim, Dilkhus, was employed as a daily wage labourer in a bricklin. Besides him, another migrant labourer was also shot.

Earlier on Thursday, a non-local bank manager from Rajasthan was gunned down in south Kashmir`s Kulgam district.

Following the violent activities, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and other senior officials held a meeting in New Delhi to assess the situation. In Srinagar, Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha held a high-level meeting on the situation
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday said the BJP government in Gujarat was ashamed of its schools and that is why people coming from other states are not giving tours of these facilities. Sisodia's comments came a day after the National Conference of School Education Ministers ended in Gandhinagar.

"As part of the conference, education ministers from other states were supposed to see the Gujarat Model on June 1. Surprisingly, though ministers from all over India were here, we were not shown a single government school. Why? Because they knew their schools are not worthy of being shown to others. The state government did not have the courage to show it to us," Sisodia told reporters in Vadodara.

"When someone comes to Delhi, we take them to our schools and show them how we impart education to students and how confident students are. But, the Gujarat government was ashamed, and that is why they did not show their schools," Sisodia, who handles the education portfolio in the Arvind Kejriwal government, said.

He asked why the BJP could not improve the standards of schools in 27 years in Gujarat while the AAP had done it in five years.

On June 1, Sisodia and other education ministers visited Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK), a command-and-control centre to monitor activities of state-run schools in Gandhinagar.

While speaking to reporters in Vadodara, Sisodia claimed those at the centre could not show data of two government schools when he had asked for it.

He was speaking to reporters after inaugurating an exhibition showcasing differences between the schools run by Gujarat government and those by the AAP government in Delhi.
Kochi: The Congress-led UDF on Friday (June 3) retained the Thrikkakara Assembly constituency here in the much-awaited bypoll, giving a big blow to the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala. Congress nominee Uma Thomas won the seat by a historic margin of over 25,000 votes against the Left candidate Jo Joseph. The bypoll victory is a morale booster for the Congress-UDF which had suffered a huge setback in the Assembly polls held a year ago.

While the CPI(M), which had conducted an unprecedented grassroots level campaigning under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the constituency, termed the defeat as "unexpected" and a "shock", the jubilant Congress said their resounding victory was a slap on the face of the second Vijayan government on its first anniversary.

Kerala | People celebrate at Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee office in Thiruvananthapuram as Congress-led UDF candidate Uma Thomas wins the Thrikkakara Assembly by-election pic.twitter.com/Y59iYx5XqN  ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2022

Uma showcased an impressive lead in all the 12 rounds of the counting since the beginning. She polled a total of over 72,000 votes, while her nearest rival Joseph could garner only over 47,000 votes. BJP nominee A N Radhakrishnan came third.

The bypoll was necessitated in Thrikkakara, a complete urban constituency which comprises a major chunk of the Kochi Corporation, following the demise of Thomas late last year. Though Thrikkakara has been a Congress bastion, the bypoll captured the attention of political Kerala as the ruling CPI(M)-led front had made an unprecedented grassroot level campaign in the last one month fielding its top leaders and ministers.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took the leadership of the campaign after his return from the US post-treatment on May 10. All his cabinet ministers and a majority of the MLAs and front leaders camped in the constituency for weeks and made a thorough campaign through house visits and political meetings.

Making their proposed K-Rail semi-high speed rail corridor, which is strongly opposed by the Congress-UDF, as a major campaign topic in the constituency, Vijayan had said it was a battle between the proponents of pro-development and anti-development.

Many Left leaders including CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had openly said the bypoll result would be a referendum on the Vijayan government.

Notably, top Congress leaders slammed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan saying that his "arrogance" and "rude behaviour" led to his party "faring poorly" in the bypoll. State Congress president K Sudhakaran said that the `Captain` (that`s what the CPI-M cadres call Vijayan) has been floored.

"It was no one else but CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan who said that the verdict in the Thrikkakara bypoll would be an assessment of the Vijayan government. And now that the verdict has come, it`s best that Vijayan should quit. What Vijayan should understand is the people of Kerala do not think on the lines of development that he and his party thinks," the IANS report quoted Sudhakaran as saying.

Former Defence Minister A K Antony after campaigning at Thrikkakara said that the electorate will give shock treatment to Vijayan. "The voters have done it and they have given a shock treatment to the arrogance and rudeness of Vijayan," said Antony.

Despite his failing health, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was the star campaigner for Uma. He was in the constituency for most of the days concentrating only on family meetings.

"This is a huge win for the Congress and the prime reason is there was absolute cooperation among the entire UDF and all worked with total discipline. Vijayan and the CPI-M`s hashtag of development was never going to be a clincher as people in Ernakulam know that they played spoilsport for each infrastructure project which came up here. The electorate knew that and voted for us," Chandy told IANS.

CPI-M candidate Joe Joseph, an interventional cardiologist, congratulated the winner saying "I accept the people`s verdict and the CPI-M will look into what happened."

(Inputs From Agencies)
Kanpur: A communal clash broke out in Kanpur on Friday after members of one community started forcing closure of shops in the Beconganj area after the Friday prayers. The members had announced closure of the market in protest against BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma`s purported derogatory remarks on Prophet Mohammad. After Friday prayers, members of one community started getting the shops closed and the other community protested over this.

This led to clashes, followed by stone pelting and brick batting. Sources said that the miscreants had also fired in the air.

Seventeen persons have been taken into custody after the incident.

ADG, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar said that the situation had been brought under control and additional forces had been deployed. He said that the reasons that led to the flare-up would be probed.

He said that video footage was being scanned to identify the accused.

Incidentally, President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were in Kanpur Dehat, a neighbouring district around the same time when the clashes broke out.
SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Friday mocked Sonia- Gandhi-led Congress party, saying its time is over and it is finished in the country. The Himachal Chief Minister, who was addressing a rally, said that the Congress national leaders are on bail and the time for the partys farewell has come.

There was a time of Congress, but not anymore. They are finished in the country. Their national leaders are on bail. Their 'Vidai Ki Shehnai' has been sounded in the country...Just tell them 'Babul ki Duaein Leti Jaa..., Himachal Pradesh CM said in Dharamshala.

#WATCH | There was a time of Congress, but not anymore. They are finished in the country. Their national leaders are on bail. Their 'Vidai Ki Shehnai' has been sounded in the country...Just tell them 'Babul ki Duaein Leti Jaa...': Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur in Dharamshala pic.twitter.com/4NLM69BJPX  ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2022

Referring to the targeted killings of non-Muslims in Kashmir, Thakur said that the Central government is taking strict action against terrorism in the Valley. The CM also strongly condemned the targeted killings in Jammu and Kashmir and termed the incidents as unfortunate. He added that these were attempts to create panic in the Valley.
West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2022: West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) is all set to announce Madhyamik Result 2022 on Friday (June 3, 2022). The West Bengal Board will release Class 10th Madhyamik results online on the official website today. The West Bengal Madhyamik exam result 2022 will be announced at 9 am. Once released, the Class 10 result will be available on the official websites- wbresults.nic.in, wbbse.wb.gov.in.

Earlier, the officials of West Bengal Board of Secondary Education released an official notice regarding the declaration of West Bengal 10th result 2022. The notice stated that the results of Madhyamik Pariksha 2022 will be announced by the president of the board on June 3, 2022 at 9 am through a press conference.

WB Madhyamik 2022 10th Result: How To Check

- Visit the official websites- wbresults.nic.in, wbbse.wb.gov.in

- Click on the Madhyamik, 10th exam result 2022 link on the home page

- Use the log-in credentials like roll number, date of birth to login

- Your Madhyamik, 10th exam result 2022 will appear on the screen

- Download and take a print out for further references.

WB Madhyamik 2022 10th Result: Alternative ways to check

To check their results, candidates can download the mobile app Madhyamik Results 2022 from Google play store.

Candidates can also check their WBBSE Madhyamik Result 2022 through SMS. Candidates will have to send SMS-- WB10<space>Roll Number to 5676750. The candidates will receive the result on their registered mobile number.

According to the reports, a total of 11,18,821 students appeared for the exam this year, including 6,21,931 girls and 4,96,890 boys. The examination was conducted in offline mode from 7th to 16th March 2022.
The owners of the Cherry Blossom Spa were arrested Friday on suspicion of promoting prostitution after a police raid on the north Bismarck business.

David Coble, 54, and his wife, Yanhong Liu Coble, 48, both of Bismarck, were arrested for allegedly promoting prostitution. Formal charges weren't immediately filed, and it wasn't clear if the couple had an attorney representing them.

Police detectives conducted a human trafficking investigation into the spa after receiving complaints that sexual acts were being offered during massages, according to department spokeswoman Officer Lynn Wanner. Officers executed a search warrant Friday morning and arrested the owners. The Cobles were jailed at the Burleigh Morton Detention Center.

Police said services were provided to two victims, and that the case remains under investigation.

The raid is the second at a Bismarck spa in recent years.

Authorities raided the Hong Kong Spa in south Bismarck in September 2020 after reports that massage therapists there were offering sexual acts to customers in exchange for tips.

Owner Craig Grorud, of Bismarck, was charged with felony facilitating prostitution and ultimately pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor promoting prostitution. Lance Jacobson, 65, and Jiang Jennings, 57, both of Hanover Park, Illinois, pleaded guilty to facilitating prostitution, and charges of human trafficking were dismissed. All three suspects got two years of probation.

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New Delhi: Ace stock market investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is known for making massive profits from the stock markets. Often called the Big Bull of the Indian stock market, Jhunjhunwala has made a lot of money by placing bets on stocks that provided impressive returns. Several retail market investors, as well as fund managers, keep a tab of stocks in Rakesh Jhunjhunwalas portfolio.

One such stock in Rakesh Jhunjhunwalas portfolio, VA TECH WABAG (WABAG), jumped as much as 5% intraday on June 3. However, the stock closed with a 3.66% gain on Friday to 259.35.

The sudden movement in the stock came after it was announced to the public that the company has bagged an order for 50 MLD desalination project in Senegal. VA Tech Wabag Ltd is a company catering to the water management and supply segment

"VA TECH WABAG (WABAG), a leading pure-play water technology Indian Multinational Group, further enhanced its global position in the Desalination market, by securing a consortium Design, Build, Operate (DBO) order, for the 50 MLD (expandable to 100 MLD) Mamelles Sea Water Desalination," said the company in regulatory filing on Friday.

In the past 5 days, the stock has jumped 7.61%, offering impressive returns to the investors. However, the upward movement in the stock has come after weeks of downfall. For instance, the stock is down 9.33% in the last one month. Also Read: BIG collab between WhatsApp, Indian govt! App to be used for healthcare, administrative purposes

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala's portfolio has about 34 stocks, with Va Tech Wabag being one of them, as per March 2022 corporate filings. Jhunjhunwala owns 50 lakh shares aggregating to 8% stake in the water treatment company, as per the latest corporate filings. Also Read: Aether Industries IPO allottees earn HUGE profit as company shares zoom 21% in debut trade
New Delhi: Former beauty queen and Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan recently attended a doctors conference in Mumbai. She remained the highlight of the event and looked ravishing in a white full-sleeves dress with bold red lipstick and hair open with a middle parting.

However, Aishwarya's current look didn't go down too well with trolls, who roasted her on social media and demanded a change of her stylist.

AISHWARYA RAI TROLLED FOR HER DRESS

Well, Aishwarya looked stunning in her white floor-length full-sleeves attire with red lipstick dominating her entire avatar. She greeted the people and posed for shutterbugs. Popular celeb pap Viral Bhayani posted the video on Instagram which attracted a lot of comments. Fans appreciated her beauty and grace while haters commented on her 'bad dressing sense'. Take a look at what netizens wrote:

AISHWARYA AT CANNES 2022

Aishwarya recently marked her 21st appearance at the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, where she is a regular fixture at the red carpet. Haters didn't even spare her Cannes look. Some posed a few nasty comments on several social media pages where the pictures and videos were posted. Aishwarya got trolled for her choice of clothes by some while others commented on her using 'too much botox'.

Aishwarya has been L'Oreal ambassador and a Cannes regular at the film festival for many years. She even posed with Hollywood actress Eva Longoria for the beauty brand.
Los Angeles: Elaine Bredehoft, Amber Heard's attorney in her defamation trial against Johnny Depp, opened up about the verdict in a no-hold-barred conversation with Savannah Guthrie on the NBC network's 'Today' show.

She said Heard will "absolutely" want to appeal the jury's decision that was in favour of Depp. "She has some excellent grounds for it," Bredehoft added, according to 'Variety'.

"She was demonised here," Bredehoft added about Heard. "A number of things were allowed in this court that should not have been allowed, and it caused the jury to be confused. We weren't allowed to tell them about the UK judgment."

The attorney was referring to the libel case Depp lost in the United Kingdom. The 'Pirates of the Caribbean' actor sued the popular British red-top tabloid, 'The Sun', for calling him a "wife beater" but lost the case.

Bredehoft also shared her belief that the vitriol Heard received on social media during the course of the high-profile trial most likely impacted the jury, reports 'Variety'. Social media was largely on Depp's side, according to the attorney, as was evident from the viral TikTok trend in which users widely mocked Heard's testimonies.

When asked if social media impacted the jury, Bredehoft replied: "Absolutely. Jurors [weren't supposed to be looking at social media], but how can you not [be aware]? They went home every night. They have families. Their families are on social media. We had a 10-day break in the middle because of the judicial conference. There is no way they couldn't have been influenced."
Mumbai: Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar took to social media on Thursday, posting a special message requesting the audience to refrain from posting "spoilers" from his latest historical film Samrat Prithviraj. Akshay and his team said that the film contains some 'awe-inspiring' moments taken from mighty ruler Prithviraj's life.

He requested to keep those moments as a surprise because while watching the film, "those moments would blow their minds away". "A humble request to everyone watching the film #SamratPrithviraj in theatres tomorrow. Releasing in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Celebrate #SamratPrithviraj Chauhan with #YRF50 only at a theatre near you on 3rd June!" Akshay captioned his Instagram post.

A humble request to everyone watching the film #SamratPrithviraj in theatres tomorrow. Releasing in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Celebrate #SamratPrithviraj Chauhan only at a theatre near you on 3rd June! pic.twitter.com/6wfVVswpm0  Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) June 2, 2022

"The entire team of Samrat Prithviraj, a film that gloriously celebrates the life of one of India's bravest king's Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan, has taken four years to create a visual spectacle that we are all extremely proud of. Since it's an authentic historical, there are many facets of Samrat's life that are lesser-known to the people of our country, especially the youth." posted the Khiladi actor on his social media handle.

"Thus, this is our sincere request to everyone watching the film from tomorrow, to not give out spoilers that reveal several aspects of our film that are designed to be awe-inspiring. We hope to entertain you thoroughly ONLY on the big screen from tomorrow!" Akshay added.

Prithviraj, the first historical by Yash Raj Films is directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, is based on the life story of brave and mighty king Prithviraj Chauhan and portrays the great warrior's valour and his valiant fight against the invader Muhammad Ghori.

The visual spectacle will also feature former Miss World Manushi Chhillar who is making her Hindi film debut with the movie, in the role of Sanyogita, Prithviraj's beloved partner. Sanjay Dutt and Sonu Sood are also a part of the period drama. Prithviraj Samrat is set to hit the screens on June 3 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages.
MUMBAI: Daughter of Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, star kid Suhana Khan, recently took to Instagram to share some pictures of herself alongside her co-stars from her debut Netflix film, 'The Archies' while shooting for the film in Ooty. She captioned the post with just a simple smiley emoji.

Suhana had struck a stylish pose, donning a ribbed, black-coloured full-sleeved crop top matched with high-waist blue denim. Her hair tied in a loose bun, with locks falling on either side, made her look chic. It seemed that Suhana opted for a no-makeup, makeup look.

In the second picture, Suhana had snapped pictures with her 'The Archies' co-stars, Khushi Kapoor, Yuvraj Menda, and Vedang Raina. Suhana and actor Boney Kapoor's daughter were seen in all smiles while the other debutantes looked quite happy.

Khushi Kapoor was seen wearing a beige-tinged baggy sweater coupled with sky blue denim and a small, black sling bag. Yuvraj had casual wear on him with a striped T-shirt and an aqua jacket. His black trousers and free-flowing hair made him look completely vintage.

On the other hand, Vedang gave a style statement with a maroon-hued shirt, a denim jacket casually hung over his shoulders and a navy blue cap. The third image had Suhana Khan striking a walking pose, her head slightly tilted back.

Suhana's smile complimented her look further. Rudra Mahuvar who also features in 'The Archies' appeared in the fourth image, showing off his muscles, standing behind Suhana and Yuvraj. The trio can be spotted with smiles on their faces. The fifth image reveals Suhana in a fashionable pose, with one hand behind her ear and legs crisscrossed, giving a smile as usual.

Suhana will be making her Bollywood debut with Netflix's film 'The Archies', directed by Zoya Akhtar. The film is an adaptation of the popular 'Archie' comics. Mihir Ahuja, Dot, and Agastya Nanda will also play pivotal roles in the film. The trailer, which features the characters and a catchy music track by Ankur Tiwari and the Islanders, gives viewers a glimpse into the universe that Akhtar promises to bring to life for them.

Live TV
New Delhi: The Noida police, on Thursday (May 3), claimed to have arrested 16 people in relation to a complaint filed by a retired NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation) official who lost Rs 1.62 crore on the pretext of getting Rs 26 lakh of an insurance policy back. The police claim to have busted a fake call centre which was located in the Bhopura area of the adjoining Ghaziabad district. The police have arrested the gang's kingpin, Sonu Kumar, and 10 women, who worked at the fake call centre.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Noida) Ranvijay Singh said that the case has been solved by the Noida Cyber Cell and Sector 113 police station officials. "On May 21, a retired NTPC official approached the Sector 113 police station with a complaint that he has been duped of Rs 1.62 crore by some people over a period of time," Singh said.

"He had provided us with whatever documents and evidence he had related to the episode, after which a case was lodged and we took up the investigation. We have successfully busted a gang involved in this fraud and arrested 16 people," the police officer added.

The fraudsters had identified themselves as individuals linked to a bank insurance agency. They duped the NTPC official who had subscribed to a life insurance policy from HDFC six-seven years ago.

"The complainant had paid only one instalment for that policy and not any follow-up instalments. The gang had somehow procured the insurance data and called up the complainant, telling him that 26 lakh are in his account, which can be transferred back to himOver a period of time, the gang duped the complainant of Rs 1.62 crore in installments of Rs 1 lakh or Rs 2 lakh in the name of getting him his Rs 26 lakh back," Singh said.

Stay Cautious

The Noida police have urged the general public to remain cautious while doing online activities. The police have also urged to tread with caution while on a phone call with unknown callers who talk to people on the pretext of providing them finance-related assistance or benefits. Also Read: 7th Pay Commission: 5% DA hike CONFIRMED in July? Check latest update on dearness allowance

The police explained that the gang had been using fake sim cards for cheating people by assuring them of the recovery of money in lieu of the policy whose installment had not been deposited and other benefits. Also Read: Explained: ExpressVPN removes its servers from India, what happens to users now?

- With PTI inputs.
In a new update regarding the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), the first train set of the system has been dispatched from Savli in Gujarat and will shortly arrive at the Duhai depot in Ghaziabad. India's first RRTS, a rail-based, high-speed, high-frequency regional commuter transport system, is being built by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). On the Sarai Kale Khan-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, the first train will run.

"The aerodynamic RRTS train set was loaded on a trailer at the manufacturing factory of Alstom in Gujarat and will be brought to the Duhai Depot in Ghaziabad via road," the NCRTC statement said.

The first train set of RRTS was handed over to the NCRTC on May 7 at an event organised at the manufacturing unit in Savli in the Vadodara district.

Also read: Anand Mahindra appreciates Indian Railways for transporting Scorpio across India

The statement said the Duhai depot is gearing up for its arrival. "The tracks have been laid out; shades have been prepared for the workshop, and preparations are being made for the testing of the train at the depot. For the operation of the RRTS trains, an administrative building has also been constructed at the depot," the statement read.

It added that for the testing and the maintenance of the RRTS trains, 11 stabling lines, two workshop lines, and three Internal-Bay Lines (IBL) are being constructed.

Alstom has been awarded the contract of manufacturing the RRTS trains under Make In India, as per which they would be delivering 40 train sets, including 10 three-car train sets for Meerut Metro, bundled with rolling stock maintenance for 15 years, the statement said.

The 17-km priority section between Sahibabad and Duhai is targeted to be commissioned by 2023 and the full corridor by 2025.

With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: ExpressVPN, a popular VPN service provider, has announced that it would cease operations in India as a result of the new VPN service provider standards. After the Centre announced that it would need all VPN providers to record users' real identities, IP addresses assigned to them, usage patterns, and other identifying data, the firm announced that it is deleting all India-based servers. Notably, the central government's new VPN guidelines will take effect on June 27, 2022.

What is ExpressVPN?

ExpressVPN is well-known among Indian internet users for their Virtual Private Network (VPN) service. Kape Technologies, a United Kingdom-based advertising platform, owns ExpressVPN, which was founded 13 years ago in 2009. ExpressVPN bills itself as a privacy and security solution that encrypts online traffic and hides customers' IP addresses.

Peter Burchhardt and Dan Pomerantz, both Wharton School alumni, founded the company. After being acquired by Kape Technologies in 2021, ExpressVPN was added to the parent company's existing portfolio of VPN services and antivirus solutions, which included Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, and ZenMate; antivirus software provider Intego; and other cybersecurity technologies.

ExpressVPN includes programmes for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and routers, as well as other platforms. It also has a Smart DNS function called MediaStreamer that lets you add VPN capabilities to devices that don't have them, as well as a router software that lets you set up the VPN on your network.

Why is ExpressVPN shutting operations in India?

ExpressVPN said in a statement that it is shutting down all India-based VPN servers as a result of the central government's recent guidelines requiring VPN companies to keep customer data for at least five years. However, Indian customers would be able to connect to VPN servers that will give them Indian IP addresses and allow them to browse the internet as if they were in India, according to the business.

How will it affect users?

ExpressVPN's VPN servers will no longer be available as a result of the update to the Indian users. Users will still be able to connect to VPN servers that will provide them with Indian IP addresses and allow them to connect to the Internet as if they were in India, according to the company's blog post.

According to the company, the "virtual" India VPN servers will be physically situated outside of India, in Singapore and the United Kingdom.

"As for Internet users based in India, they can use ExpressVPN confident that their online traffic is not being logged or stored, and that it's not being monitored by their government," ExpressVPN added.

New VPN guidelines

In April of this year, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) announced a new directive requiring VPN companies to gather and keep customer data for up to five years. CERT-In claims that the ability to investigate possible cybercrime is the most important reason.

Customers' identities, ownership patterns, contact information, and the reason for which they are hiring these services must be registered, according to the recommendations, along with VPN providers' data centres, cloud service providers, and cryptocurrency exchanges.

The new restrictions will take effect from June 27 unless the compliance deadline is extended, according to the CERT-In.

Under CERT-in, organisations must disclose data breaches, fraudulent mobile apps, server infrastructure assaults, and even unauthorised access to a user's social media accounts, according to the guideline.
New Delhi: A coalition of consumers on Friday filed a police case against Google`s top executives, including CEO Sundar Pichai, for the tech giant`s in-app billing system that forces domestic app developers to pay hefty commissions.

According to The Korea Times, Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty (CUCS) has filed a complaint against Pichai, Google Korea CEO Nancy Mable Walker and Google Asia-Pacific President Scott Beaumont at Gangnam Police Station in Seoul for allegedly violating the country`s Telecommunications Business Act.

"The enforcement of Google`s in-app payment policy has raised costs, burdening consumers and damaging creators," a representative from the consumer group was quoted as saying.

"App developers have no choice but to accept the request from Google, which accounts for 74.6 per cent of the app store market share," the representative added.

South Korean companies have raised charges for paid content services on Google as the US tech giant prepares to remove apps with external payment links circumventing Google`s in-app payment system.

Google started enforcing the controversial billing system in Korea from June 1.

Currently, many app developers on Google`s Play store directed users to external links for payment to circumvent Google`s billing policy, which takes a hefty 15-30 percent commission from in-app purchases, reports Yonhap News Agency.

In March, South Korea`s Cabinet approved a revised bill that would ban app store operators from forcing developers to use their own in-app payment systems.

Still, Google required in April all app developers selling digital goods and services to use its billing system and to remove external payment links. Non-complying apps were not able to offer updates, and Google warned to remove such apps from the Play store on June 1.

Since Google`s announcement, in-app charges for a wide array of content services, including webtoons and digital books, have seen 15-20 per cent hikes on the Play store in the past two months.
Kolkata: A special NIA court in Kolkata on Friday sentenced Mohd Mosiuddin alias Musa, accused of plotting ISIS-style chilling execution of foreigners, to life imprisonment. Musa was arrested from a passenger train in West Bengal's Burdwan in July 2016 by the state CID, following which the NIA had taken over the probe into the matter.

Chief Judge Siddhartha Kanjilal sentenced Musa to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of conspiring to wage war against the government of India and collecting men and weapons for the purpose. According to a charge sheet filed earlier by NIA, Musa was plotting ISIS-style chilling execution of foreigners, especially those from the US, Russia and the UK, visiting the Mother House in Kolkata.

NIA counsel Shyamal Ghosh, claiming that Musa is a terrorist inspired by ISIS and was plotting murderous attacks, prayed for awarding of imprisonment to him.

The NIA in its charge sheet claimed that Musa was planning to stab and kill foreigners, a style frequently chosen by ISIS to eliminate its targets and had chosen Mother House, which is the headquarters of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity.

NIA said that it has proof of his having bought a big knife to commit the terror crimes. The charge sheet had alleged that Musa discussed plans for conducting such attacks at the Mother House, which is frequented by foreigners from the US, Russia and the UK.

He wanted them killed as the governments of their countries had bombarded ISIS in Syria and Libya, the charge sheet alleged. A .38 bore six-chamber revolver, three rounds of ammunition, a knife, a mobile phone and other incriminating articles were seized during Musa's arrest.

Subsequently, a laptop and a sword were seized from his house at Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu. Musa, who had been questioned in a Kolkata prison by the FBI for his links with ISIS, is also accused of murderous attacks on jail staff on two occasions.

He is accused of slashing the throat of a staffer of the Alipore Correctional Home with a knife in 2017. Again in 2020, he allegedly attacked another warder with a pipe at Presidency Correctional Home.
Rapid City law enforcement officials say police shot and wounded a woman after she tried to run over an officer following a failed traffic stop and chase. Rapid City Police Chief Don Hedrick says the incident began about 4 a.m. Tuesday after officers unsuccessfully attempted to pull over the silver Mitsubishi sedan for an unspecified equipment violation. Police tried several tactics to stop the vehicle, the last of which involved an attempt to block it with a squad car. Hedrick says the woman than drove in the direction of an officer, who fired several rounds at the car. The woman is being treated for several gunshot wounds. Her condition is not known.
Kyiv: Russia`s ongoing war against Ukraine completed 100 days on Friday, with Moscow`s forces now in control of 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory. On the eve of the anniversary, Ukraine`s President Volodymyr Zelensky said up to 100 of his soldiers were dying each day as they resisted Russia`s push to control the country`s eastern region, the BBC reported.

He also said that Russia now occupies a fifth of Ukraine`s territory. Before the war, which began on February 24, Russia and Moscow-backed separatists accounted for less than 10 per cent of Ukraine`s make up.

Following the end of the battle in Mariupol last month, with Russia taking control of the Azovstal steel plant and the city, both sides have now shifted their military focus to the northeastern part of the Donetsk region, and the western part of the Luhansk region, both in Donbas.

The current military action is centred around two strategically important cities in the Luhansk region, namely Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, reports Xinhua news agency. ALSO READ: India progressed on mantra of 'reform, perform, and transform' in last 8 yrs: PM Narendra Modi

The Ukrainian side has confirmed that heavy fighting continued in Severodonetsk. The head of the Luhansk regional military administration Sergei Haidai recently said that Russia was gaining control of most of the city, while Ukrainian forces were still showing resistance.

During his visit to the frontline in Kharkiv region on Sunday, President Zelensky said his country`s troops were facing an extremely difficult situation. In a Telegram post following the visit, the leader said his country would "defend its land till the very end" and "would fight and definitely win".

Meanwhile, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed that Moscow`s "special military operation", a term Moscow uses for the war, would continue despite Western pressure and increased Western assistance to Kiev. While there were noticeable developments on the battlefield, the same cannot be said about the current state of the negotiation process between Russia and Ukraine.

The prospect of peace remains bleak, as talks were put on hold in April. Russian officials said that Moscow was willing to continue diplomatic talks, despite Ukraine`s constant urge to deviate from previous agreements. After sending draft proposals to Kiev in April, Russia said the "ball was now in Ukraine`s court".

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelensky said that Russian forces must return to positions held before the start of the conflict for diplomatic talks to continue. Deputy Chairman of Russia`s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said such conditions were "impossible in principle".

World leaders have nonetheless continued to pursue mediation efforts. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have held multiple telephone conversations with Putin to discuss the Ukrainian crisis and the peace talks.

Turkey, which has expressed its desire to play a mediating role in the conflict and has already hosted a round of Russia-Ukraine talks, recently expressed readiness to host a new round of negotiations. Nevertheless, none of the current efforts have led to a successful revival of the talks because of stark differences in the negotiation positions of both sides.

Russia has already begun strengthening its presence in southern and eastern Ukraine, including simplifying the procedures for residents in the Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions in southern Ukraine to apply for Russian citizenship. Meanwhile, the US and its Western allies have continued to exert pressure on Russia, ramp up sanctions, and provide military assistance to Ukraine in an attempt to end the war.

US President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that his administration would supply Ukraine with advanced rocket systems that Kiev had requested.

The Ukrainian Defence Ministry has also announced recently that the country was receiving Harpoon anti-ship missile systems from Denmark, the UK, and the Netherlands to defend itself in the Black Sea, while other countries will also supply defence equipment in the near future.

In a bid to contain Russia even further, European Union leaders have recently agreed to ban "more than two thirds" of Russian oil imports to the bloc, as they adopted their sixth package of sanctions against Russia. In recent telephone conversations with European leaders, Putin pointed out that the supply of weapons would further destabilise the situation and worsen the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that the West is fighting a proxy war against Russia, using Ukraine as the battlefield. Since the war began, 4,149 people have been killed in Ukraine and 4,945 injured, according to the UN.

Zelensky has claimed that 243 Ukrainian children have died, while and 200,000 were forcefully taken to Russia. According to the UN, most of the civilian casualties were due to explosive weapons, shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes. ALSO READ: UP Investors Summit 2022: Birla, Hiranandani laud PM Modi, CM Yogis vision for New India

Meanwhile, the Russia government has claimed that 1,351 troops killed, with 3,825 others injured. The UN Refugee Agency estimates that more than 14 million people have fled Ukraine.

Poland has taken in highest number of Ukrainian refugees - 3,544,995. While some 2.1 million Ukrainians have returned, over 8 million people remain internally displaced.
Afghanistan's Taliban rulers are maintaining close ties with al-Qaida as they consolidate control over the country, and their main military threat is coming from the Islamic State extremist group and guerrilla-style attacks by former Afghan government security personnel, UN experts said in a new report. The experts said in the report to the UN Security Council that with the onset of better weather, fighting may escalate as both Islamic State and resistance forces undertake operations against Taliban forces.

But neither IS nor al-Qaida is believed to be capable of mounting international attacks before 2023 at the earliest, regardless of their intent or of whether the Taliban acts to restrain them, the panel of experts said.

Nonetheless, it said the presence of IS, al-Qaida, and many other terrorist groups and fighters on Afghan soil is raising concerns in neighboring countries and the wider international community.

Since their takeover of Afghanistan last Aug 15 as US and NATO forces were in the final stages of their chaotic withdrawal from the country after 20 years, the Taliban have favoured loyalty and seniority over competence, and their decision-making has been opaque and inconsistent, the experts said.

In the report obtained Thursday, the panel monitoring sanctions against the Taliban said its leaders have appointed 41 men on the UN sanctions blacklist to the Cabinet and senior positions, and they have favoured the country's dominant Pashtun ethnic group, alienating minority communities including ethnic Tajiks and Uzbeks.

The Taliban's primary concern has been to consolidate control while seeking international recognition, to re-engage with the international financial system and to receive aid in order to deal with the growing economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the experts said.

Since taking power, however, there have been many factors creating internal tensions within the movement, leading to perceptions that the Taliban's governance has been chaotic, disjointed and prone to reversing policies and going back on promises," they said.

As the Taliban struggle to transition from an insurgency to a governing body, they have been divided between pragmatists and hardliners who have gained the upper hand and want to turn the clock back to the group's harsh rule from 1996 until December 2001, when they were ousted from power by US forces following the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

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Washington: In view of the recent incidents gun violence in the United States, President Joe Biden said that the US needs to raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21. Making an impassioned plea to Congress to act on gun control on Thursday night in an address to the nation, President Biden said "We need to ban assault weapons. ... if we can`t, then we should raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21. Ban high-capacity magazines. Strengthen background checks. Enact safe storage laws and red flag laws. Repeal gun manufacturers` immunity from liability."

Speaking at the White House, President said that this is not about taking away anyone`s rights, adding "It`s about protecting children. It`s about protecting families. It`s about protecting communities. It`s about protecting our freedoms to go to school, to a grocery store, to go to church without being shot and killed."

He is further quoted as saying, "This is not about taking away anyone`s guns...we believe that we should be treating responsible gun owners as examples of how every gun owner should behave."

Earlier on Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris also spoke about the Oklahoma shooting, saying, "All of us hold the people of Tulsa in our hearts, but we also reaffirm our commitment to passing commonsense gun safety laws."

"No more excuses. Thoughts and prayers are important, but not enough," Harris said, adding "We need Congress to act."

Notably, President Biden's Thursday night address coincided with bipartisan talks that are intensifying among a core group of senators discussing modest gun policy changes. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said the group is "making rapid progress," and Biden has spoken to Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, among those leading their party's efforts on the issue.

Democrats are hoping Biden uses the remarks to encourage the bipartisan Senate talks and build pressure on the Republicans to strike an agreement. Jean-Pierre said Biden is "encouraged" by congressional negotiations but the president wants to give lawmakers "some space" to keep talking.

The private discussions in the Senate, which is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, are not expected to produce the kinds of sweeping reforms being considered by the Democratic-led House, which has approved expansive background checks legislation and will next turn to an assault weapons ban.

But even a House package debated Thursday that is less sweeping but includes a provision raising the required age for buying semi-automatic firearms to 21, faces slim chances in the Senate.

Instead, the bipartisan senators are likely to come up with a more incremental package that would increase federal funding to support state gun safety efforts, with incentives for bolstering school security and mental health resources. The package may also encourage "red-flag laws" to keep firearms away from those who would do harm.

Recent gun violence incidents in the United States

On May 24, a mass shooting incident took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde in Texas in which several people including 19 children were killed. This was the deadliest attack since the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed, according to CNN.

On May 31, an elderly woman was killed and two other persons were injured when gunfire erupted at a high school graduation ceremony in New Orleans.The shooting occurred outside the Convocation Center on the campus of Xavier University where graduates of Morris Jeff High School were gathered, NBC news reported citing New Orleans police.

On June 1, at least four people were killed in a shooting incident at a hospital campus in Oklahoma`s Tulsa city, CNN reported citing police. The shootout incidents in the US have been increasing.

Earlier, US President Joe Biden also sought advice from New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern over tackling violence in the United States as shooting incidents in America have been increasing in recent days.

Biden referred to the 2019 Christchurch slaying of 51 people in mass shootings targeting Muslims. The incident prompted New Zealand to ban military-style rifles. A gun buy-back was also instituted.

"We need your guidance," Biden said during the meeting with Arden in the Oval Office, adding "Your leadership has taken on a critical role in this global stage -- and it really has -- galvanizing action on climate change; the global effort to curb violence, extremism, and online, like happened in Christchurch."

(With ANI/AP Inputs)
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan's Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov and Romania's Energy Minister Virgil Daniel Popescu have discussed the development of economic relations, Azernews reports, citing the Economy Ministry.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the development of partnerships in such areas as energy, transport, trade, as well as SOCAR's activities in Romania. The sides invited Romanian companies for active cooperation with their Azerbaijani counterparts.

They also discussed various areas of the economy, including strengthening cooperation in the oil and gas sector and other issues of mutual interest.

Virgil Daniel Popescu is on a visit to Azerbaijan to attend the Baku Energy Week. Earlier he also held a meeting with Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov.

At a meeting, the Azerbaijani minister looked into issues of supplying natural gas and oil, as well as the Black Sea submarine power and digital connectivity project between Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Romania. In this regard, they discussed the possibility of exporting green energy to Europe at the expense of the huge wind energy potential of the Caspian Sea through this project. Shahbazov emphasized that the use of wind energy in the Caspian Sea is in the interest of investors, adding that the agreement to be signed in this direction soon will increase the export opportunities of green energy.

Azerbaijan and Romania are cooperating in various spheres of the economy. The two countries established diplomatic relations on June 19, 1992. The Embassy of Romania in Azerbaijan was opened on November 3, 1998, and the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Romania on May 19, 2001.

SOCAR operates in Romania through SOCAR Petroleum SA, established in 2011, and owns SOCAR-branded petrol stations in 26 regions of Romania.

The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $215.5 million in 2021, with exports amounting to $120.5 million, and imports to $94.9 million.
Moderate drought disappeared from North Dakota over the past week, leaving just a strip of "abnormally dry" area in the western and southwestern regions.

The rapid improvement is a marked difference from even a month ago, when patches of severe and extreme drought still existed in the northwest. One year ago, more than half of North Dakota was in extreme drought, and nearly another fifth was in exceptional drought, the worst category, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

"Large-scale improvements to drought conditions and abnormal dryness took place in the High Plains region this week," National Drought Mitigation Center Climatologist Curtis Riganti wrote in this week's Drought Monitor report. "Lingering long-term abnormal dryness in western North Dakota ... continued to wane, while moderate drought was removed entirely from the west end of the state after precipitation this week."

Less than 12% of the state is considered abnormally dry. A year ago, all of the state was in some form of drought. The recovery has prompted the National Weather Service to end its regular drought briefings.

"Drought conditions have continued to improve across the west due to above-normal precipitation over the past month," the agency said in its final report. "This is the last scheduled drought briefing until such time as severe drought or higher returns to the state."

Bismarck has received 6.71 inches of precipitation so far this calendar year, nearly an inch above normal, according to weather service data. Last year at this time, the city had received 2.46 inches.

The U.S. Drought Monitor is a partnership of the National Drought Mitigation Center, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Crop report

The wet spring has created other issues.

"Despite the improving drought conditions, agricultural problems continued in the region," Riganti wrote. "Winter wheat harvest potential in Kansas was reduced by over 25%, while conditions are too wet in parts of Montana and the Dakotas for planting spring wheat."

The most recent crop report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service showed that North Dakota farmers have planted a little more than half of the state's staple spring wheat crop, when normally they would be nearing completion.

Only about half of the corn crop and one-fourth of the soybean crop is seeded, also well behind the average pace -- as are all major crops in the state.

The crop report rates topsoil moisture supplies statewide as 96% adequate or surplus, and subsoil moisture as 90% in those categories. Both percentages are up slightly from the previous week.

North Dakota pasture and range conditions also continue to improve, with 16% being rated poor or very poor, compared to 24% last week. Stockwater supplies are 11% in those categories, about the same as last week.

Cover crops

The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a statement late last week urging Upper Midwest farmers to speak with their crop insurance agents about options such as federal prevented planting payments.

Its been a cold, wet spring for many North Dakota and South Dakota farmers, and weve heard about challenges getting into the fields to plant or replant, said Eric Bashore, USDAs Risk Management Agency regional director. We recommend you stay in touch with your crop insurance agents, so you know all the options available."

Producers with crop insurance may hay, graze or chop cover crops and still receive 100% of the prevented planting payment, according to USDA.

Cover crops such as alfalfa help manage erosion on land that can't be seeded to crops. They also present an opportunity to address another problem -- many ranchers in the region are short on forage due to severe drought in 2020 and 2021 and delayed pasture readiness this spring, according to North Dakota State University Extension.

The increase in preventive-plant acres provides an opportunity for the production of supplementary forage for livestock to offset the shortage of forage supplies, said Miranda Meehan, Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist.

The NDSU Feedlist at www.ag.ndsu.edu/feedlist/ can connect farmers with ranchers in search of additional forage.

Reach News Editor Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com.

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"It's a big challenge, but we'll get through it. The people in Mott are fighters."

-- Mott Mayor Troy Mosbrucker, on the impending closure of the towns nursing home. Sanford Health is gifting the building to the city, but the city will need to come up with a plan to use it.

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"I personally am hoping that he just respects the people of the state and stops trying to be a tyrant and dominating over everybody."

-- Rep. Jeff Magrum, R-Hazelton, asking for Gov. Doug Burgum to stop making hefty donations to the Dakota Leadership PAC, which has targeted seats of fellow Republicans.

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"Gov. Burgum is a fierce defender of the constitution, and he is a strong supporter of our nation's hard-fought freedoms. The First Amendment is very clear."

-- Levi Bachmeier, chairman of the Dakota Leadership PAC, to which Burgum heavily donates and which is seeking to influence GOP primary races in eight political districts.

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Its always hard to come back but it is what it is. But it is a beautiful ceremony and it is a beautiful place."

-- Sharon Runcorn, who came from Dickinson to attend the annual Memorial Day ceremony at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery south of Mandan. Runcorn's husband, brother-in-law and some friends are buried at the cemetery.

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"I've done this ever since I've been in public life when people call and leave a message on the answering machine at work and say what an idiot I am or whatever, and I always call them back and tell them they are free to ... come by and say to me in person, and I still have not had a person come by and do it."

-- Attorney General Drew Wrigley, who in a series of tweets challenged a man to meet in Wrigley's state Capitol office after the man questioned how Wrigley's eldest daughter obtained an internship with U.S. Sen. John Hoeven.

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Students who experience a variety of trauma or abuse can certainly benefit, but also those who are simply struggling with stress from a rough day at home or with their peers. Therapy dogs are trained to provide victims with an outlet from the mental, physical or psychological effects of these types of scenarios, and their effectiveness is being proven across the country.

-- Morton County Sheriffs Deputy David Tomlinson, who will be the handler for a goldendoodle therapy K-9 the sheriff's office is acquiring.

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"What we're waiting to see is a significant change in consumer behavior. When consumers start purchasing less gasoline and traveling less, then gasoline prices will likely start moving lower. Where that tipping point is, is anyone's guess."

-- Gene LaDoucer, AAA's spokesman in North Dakota, on how long record high gasoline prices will last.

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What we found was there was no humanly perceptible change in visibility regardless of the scenario we would have selected.

-- David Stroh, environmental engineer with the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, whose proposal for addressing regional haze does not require coal-fired power plants to install new technology to better control emissions of pollutants.

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Back at the tail end of the aughts, I was on a team designing a monitoring system for cell phone towers. It was during that time a cell phone tower company executive regaled us with tales of craziness that had caused him to seek us out in the first place. Tales of theft spanned the gamut, from single grounding busbars that would go unnoticed until lightning destroyed everything disconnected from them, to thieves attempting to steal a whole cell phone tower.

"The whole thing" was the executive's reply when I asked if I'd heard him correctly. After that meeting ended, I had to know more. Consulting the oracle at Google yielded this article about William H. Cameron, Ricky Reed, and David Leon Weaver, which tells the tale of three would-be thieves from Alabama that had cut the anchoring guy wires attached to a disused cell phone tower to fell it in 2019.

The cacophony of a generator, power tools, and miscellaneous noises led a neighbor to call the Washington County Sheriff's department, whose deputies arrived on the scene to apprehend the thieves, red-handed.

From Wireless Estimator:
Elon "Pedo Guy" Musk has "a super bad feeling" about the economy. In a letter leaked to Reuters Musk calls for Tesla to immediately stop hiring, and to prepare for a 10% layoff.

Yahoo/Reuters:

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has a "super bad feeling" about the economy and needs to cut about 10% of jobs at the electric carmaker, he said in an email to executives seen by Reuters.

The message, sent on Thursday and titled "pause all hiring worldwide", came two days after the billionaire told staff to return to the workplace or leave, and adds to a growing chorus of warnings from business leaders about the risks of recession.

Almost 100,000 people were employed at Tesla and its subsidiaries at the end of 2021, its annual SEC filing showed.

The company was not immediately available for comment.
A 21-year-old Texas man became cross with his girlfriend, so he did the logical thing and destroyed more than $5 million worth of ancient artifacts at the Dallas Museum of Art. The angry gentleman, Brian Hernandez, broke into the museum with a metal chair at 9:40pm Wednesday night, according to NBC News, and then proceeded to smash precious items including ancient Greek statues and a pot that dates back to 450 B.C. That oughta show her.

From NBC:

[H]e is seen on video in the museum, walking from room to room, smashing display cases and the items inside, according to a Dallas police arrest sheet.

After he punched a case multiple times, Hernandez grabbed a metal stool and shattered the glass and two pieces within it  a sixth century Greek amphora and a pot dating to 450 B.C., according to the police document. The two items combined were valued at about $5 million, the document says.

He also smashed a case and destroyed a "Kylix Herakles and Nemeon Lion" statue, valued at about $100,000, according to police. 

Hernandez continued through the museum and used a hand sanitizer stand to shatter the case containing a statue of the "Batah Kuhuh Alligator Gar Fish" valued at $10,000, which he then picked up and slammed to the ground, breaking it to pieces, the sheet says.
Maryland State Police officers have a tradition of making offensive challenge coins that denigrate women and minorities. Its newest challenge coin makes fun of the fact that people think their coins are awful. One side of the coin depicts a woman's rear end in thong underwear with the captions "GENERATION 'BUTT HURT'" and "I'm offended" while the other side depicts a vagina with the captions "The BIG GREEN Va'Geenie" and "These PUSSIES can't take A Pounding." One of the coins is listed on ebay for $500 (NSFW image). Both sides include the Maryland State Police insignia.

A Maryland State Police depicting a penis with the caption "Screwing TROOPERS Since 1921" is selling on ebay for $25 (NSFW IMAGE).

From NBC Washington:
'National Enquirer'

"Hollywood's Fakest Boobs & Bottoms Exposed!" screams this week's cover story, with the promise of "Implants! Lifts! Nip/tucks!"

Doing what it does best  ogling vast expanses of female cleavage and protuberant posteriors, while pouring scorn on their owners  the 'Enquirer' has a team of six cosmetic surgeons review photos of celebrities and declare, without a physical examination, whether they are real or fake.

Among those with body parts deemed fraudulent: Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Nicki Minaj, Iggy Azalea, Madonna, Cardi B, Salma Hayek, Megan Fox and Amber Rose. Some might argue with their inclusion on this list, while others have freely admitted to getting assistance: Dolly Parton, of course, and former 'Teen Mom' Farrah Abraham, who posted photos of her receiving "butt-boosting injections" on Instagram.

Those who the 'Enquirer' deems are the "real deal"? It's a very short list: Jennifer Lopez and Halle Berry.

"Cruise's Mission: Hayley! Pressure on Tom to try again after Gaga flameout."

Ignoring for a moment the fact that Tom Cruise and Lady Gaga were never, ever going to be a couple, the 'Enquirer' claims that the 'Top Gun: Maverick' star is being "urged by friends" to rekindle his romance with his 'Mission: Impossible' co-star Hayley Atwell. As if any "friend" of Cruise would ever dare tell him what to do.

"Cash-strapped royal renegades" Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan hope to "turn themselves into the next Kardashians" with a reality TV series, claims the 'Enquirer.'

The couple have announced a Netflix docuseries being filmed by cameras following them around, But don't expect to see Kanye West, Travis Barker or Pete Davidson adding to the Sussexes' celebrity quotient. The 'Enquirer' envisions it as "Keeping Up With The Sussexes," with Meghan waking to Tibetan wind chimes, enjoying sunrise primal scream therapy, and breakfasting on tofu and "whole-wheat, organic, locally sourced, sustainable rice crackers."

Someone should politely tell the 'Enquirer' that rice is unlikely to be whole wheat, or indeed to contain any wheat at all.

"China unleashes New Bioweapon  Deadly Monkeypox!"

China naturally gets the blame for a virus first identified in monkeys  where else?  in 1953, and first found in humans in the Congo in 1970. The latest outbreak originated in a British traveller newly returned from Nigeria, which no doubt shows how cunning are the Chinese military, with their ability to plant the disease in West Africa to divert attention away from Chinese biolabs as the source. Thank goodness that the 'Enquirer' team of crack investigators wasn't fooled by that elaborate cover-up.

Monkeypox was conveniently weaponised at the same Wuhan laboratory where Covid-19 allegedly escaped, according to 'Enquirer' source Dr Jim Garrow, who the rag explains "has business interests in China," which sounds like the perfect qualification for obtaining inside information on what happens behind the closed doors of a secret bioweapons lab.

Interestingly, Garrow is credited as the founder of English-immersion schools in China: he has a teaching degree, but admits his doctorate is honorary. In the past the 'Enquirer' has variously called Garrow an "Asia expert," "an expert on Chinese spy and terror tactics," an "international terror expert," and "international affairs expert," all of which are debatable for what appears to be a rent-a-quote.

This is the same Dr Garrow who in 2016 alleged that Barack Obama was an Indonesian citizen educated in a school for Imams, and put in place by the Saudis to bring down America. You can't argue with that level of international affairs expertise.

'Globe'

"Clinton Moneyman Murdered In Epstein Cover-Up!" declares the cover story.

Mark Middleton, formerly President Bill Clinton's special advisor and campaign finance director, who was also linked to billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein  because what campaign fund-raiser wouldn't want to know deep-pocketed Epstein?  was found dead last month, an apparent suicide.

Middleton ran a heating and air conditioning company in Little Rock, AK, and was found hanging from a tree in the woods, having apparently put a noose around his neck and then shot himself with a shotgun, the rag reports.

But the 'Globe' suspects it's murder and "yet another staged suicide" to cover up Epstein's links with the rich and powerful.

It's been almost two years since Jeffrey Epstein was found hanging in his New York jail cell. So who does the 'Globe' think is killing people in this cover-up? They're not saying.

"Putin's Secret Cancer Surgery."

It's so secret that only the 'Globe' knows about it. Are they going to have enough shelf space for all the Pulitzer Prizes they'll be hauling in?

"Meghan's Minions Abandoning Ship!"

The Duchess of Sussex is yet again accused of being "an abusive bully" as she sees the resignation of her 12th senior employee in the past four years: PR director Toya Holness. Well, maybe you should expect bad publicity when you fire your PR director.

"Queen Elizabeth's Bizarre Secret Life."

Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin allegedly stroked the Queen's thigh, and the Duke of Rutland Charles Manners "made a bold pass" at her, according to royal biographer Andrew Morton. Both events took place more than 50 years ago, which counts as breaking news in the 'Globe.'

"TV Chef Gordon In Arthritis Hell!"

Gordon Ramsay is suffering "crippling arthritis" which inexplicably has those closest to him terrified, as "friends fear he's headed for an explosive crash!"

No, not a car crash or plane crash. He works 12 hours a day and then exercises for another two hours (the way that people do when "crippled" by arthritis) and friends are allegedly concerned that "he's taking on so much." Right.

"Hunchback Ozzy's Crazy Back Train! Stooped rocker, 73, facing wheelchair if he doesn't slow down."

Osbourne has been walking with the aid of a cane for years, and despite what the 'Globe' thinks, staying active is probably keeping him out of a wheelchair, not putting him into one. As a doctor who hasn't treated Osbourne tells the rag: "Inactivity will exacerbate his health problems". Of course it would. Do the 'Globe' reporters even read their own stories?

'People'

"21 Lives" dominates this week's cover. "Stories of Love & Anguish From Uvalde, Texas."

It's a special report on the horrific school shooting that stunned a nation and that 'People' magazine hopes will sell more copies than putting 'Star Wars' alums Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen on the cover. Instead the duo are feeling "the force" on the inside pages, discussing their new 'Obi Wan Kenobi' series.

"Elle Fanning Knows Exactly What She's Doing."

If that's true, she's the only one in Hollywood who does.

"Hunter Biden's Ex Tells Her Story."

Kathleen Buhle has been through the wringer: "Her husband's addiction shredded her sanity; his affair with his brother's widow shattered her family." Five years later she has found forgiveness, and is marketing it in her new memoir, 'If We Break.' But what more is there to tell when Hunter has already done such a good job of self-evisceration?

'Us Weekly'

There are duelling covers of the mag on the newsstands this week:

In one, Prince Harry is branded "A Prince Under Pressure," as the rag explores the "mystery behind missing $20M memoir."

Well, Harry's memoir isn't so much missing, as it is delayed, now expected to be published in 2023 instead of later this year. The rag assumes it's because he hasn't dished enough dirt on the Royal Family, and is being asked to come back from the Queen's Jubilee celebrations in England this month with a new chapter or two of family conflict and angst.

In the rival cover story, Heidi Montag is "Pregnant & In Love AGAIN!" In one of rare occasions when the celebrity subject actually appears to have spoken to the magazine. What a concept.

"Why Brad Vanished.  4 Months in Hiding."

Did anyone even notice that Brad Pitt had disappeared off the face of the Earth? Have they searched the International Space Station for him?

But no, Pitt hasn't "vanished." He's still enjoying life in the privacy of his own homes, and happily hanging out at his art studio. But because he hasn't been seen by the paparazzi for four months, 'Us Weekly' concludes that he "is becoming increasingly reclusive" and living in a "lonely world." Right.

Meanwhile his ex-wife Angelina Jolie is "out & about" at red carpet events, engaging in charitable endeavours, running errands, and posting on social media. So she must be winning!.

Elsewhere in the tabloids:

'Star'

Married celebrity couple Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton may be surprised at this week's cover headline: "Gwen & Blake  Shock Split!"

Stefani and Shelton were allegedly seen arguing in Los Angeles, and as anyone knows that means the marriage is over. Call the divorce lawyers!

Or, as 'Star' magazine phrases it: "Is one of them cheating with a hot co-worker?"

What other possible reason could there be for a couple of argue?

'Life & Style'

When absolutely nothing scandalous is happening in Hollywood, the rag dives into photos of the homes of stars to bring us: "25 Most Expensive e Celeb Homes!" The catalogue of old at-home photoshoots includes Adele, Adam Levine, Mark Wahlberg and ("celebrity"?) Ivanka Trump.

'In Touch'

Harry Styles, ahed 28, and his 38-year-old girlfriend Olivia Wilde, are having a "Wedding & A Baby!" the rag claims.

Styles and Wilde may be the last to know.

The couple allegedly say: "We'd love to have a girl" and are planning a "$2 million Italian ceremony."

I'll believe it when I see it.

Onwards and downwards . . .
The city of El Segundo, California saw a whole lot of police action on May 30, 2022  without much rhyme or reason to it.

According to a Facebook post, police received a report of a "male slumped over a wheel" of a parked car around 7:30am on a Friday morning. Paramedics arrived, and one looked inside the car and swore they saw a handgun.

The paramedics backed off and alerted ESPD officers to the presence of the firearm. We established a containment of the area , REACT team, and began to conduct call-outs for the occupant(s). The driver could be seen moving inside the vehicle but did not comply with the orders to exit the vehicle. Additional resources were deployed including, outside agency assistance for traffic control, K-9's, Armored Vehicle Bearcat, Drones and Crisis Negotiators.

This already seems overkill for, uhhh, an unconscious person who may or may not possibly maybe have a handgun near him somewhere.

This huge squadron of police remained in position around the car for hours, until eventually, the driver woke up. He opened the door, looked around, then panicked and drove off again  though not before reversing into one of the Bearcat tanks, oops. A car chase ensued! But they ultimately lost track of the guy.

The police allegedly remained on high alert for the next two hours, then eventually received a phone call about a vehicle parked illegally in an alley adjacent to a nearby high school. They notified the school about the impending threat  although curiously didn't lock the school down, or offer any sort of protection, despite the fact that they believed the person in this car to be armed.

When the police arrived on the scene, the car was abandoned. They searched the vehicle and found "numerous power tools," including a sawzall  something "commonly used by burglars to cut and steal catalytic converters from vehicles," the police insisted  but alas, no handgun.

LA Taco captures some of the community response to this absolute clusterfuck. Suffice to say, local residents were not so pleased that a legion of armored cops with tanks both failed to apprehend a sleeping person, and also that they failed to do anything to protect the schools beyond telling them (falsely) that they had the situation under control. Naturally, the city has responded to this situation by  deploying more police officers at schools.

To be clear: it's entirely possible this was in fact a stolen vehicle, and that the suspect did in fact have a handgun somewhere in the car. But there was still no need for a 5-hour standoff and car chase that still failed to secure the community.

Surrounded by SWAT and K9 Units, suspect escapes cops and armored vehicles in El Segundo, after hours long standoff [Lexis-Olivier Ray / LA Taco]

Image via Reddit
Even as the freezing rain steadily came down and the temperature dropped to 35 degrees, the smile never left Sam Eders face during the Dyngus Day parade.

Eder, who moved to Buffalo from Austin, Texas, in January after his company Big Wheelbarrow won the 43North startup contest, was experiencing his first-ever Dyngus Day. He had never heard of the traditional Buffalo holiday before.

Bundled in a fur hooded gray coat and waterproof pants, the CEO walked alongside the Buffalo Distilling Co.'s float, waving to the cheering crowd. He even got tickled with a few pussy willows and was stuck in some squirt gun crossfire.

"Buffalo knows how to have a good time," Eder said after the parade, sipping on a cocktail made with krupnik, a sweet Polish liquor, at Buffalo Distilling Co. The distillery is owned by Eders friend, Andy Wegrzyn, who he met when they both lived in Austin.

Big Wheelbarrow  a supply chain software platform that connects local growers with supermarkets to sell their produce  won a $500,000 43North prize last year.

As a condition of the prize money, all winning companies not from Western New York must move their headquarters to the city for a year, which can mean disrupting the lives of founders and their families. Including Big Wheelbarrow, five out of the eight most recent 43North winners moved to Buffalo.

Stipulating winning companies set up shop in Buffalo for a year is an important aspect of 43North's mission to attract high-growth companies to the region.

The idea behind the contest is not just to bring the winning startups to Buffalo for a year, but to convince them to stay by showing founders the region has everything a company needs to thrive  like a supportive community, access to talent and a high quality of life.

"The 43North team is here on the ground," Eder said. "We find out we win and they're like, 'Don't make any decisions in the dark. We're here to help you.'"

So Eder made the move to Western New York with his wife, Julie Amaon, and their dog, Ella. Big Wheelbarrow Chief Technology Officer Evan Alter also moved to Buffalo, while the company's two other co-founders  Ben McConnell and Christina Wing  remain in Texas.

Eder and Amaon seem to have adapted to Buffalo quite well: They've joined the Josh Allen fan club, found their favorite bakeries and bars and are exploring the region's numerous pizza and wing joints.

"The people here are just so nice and so open," Eder said. "I really I feel like it shortened our onboarding into Buffalo."

Eder and Amaon's two-decades-long relationship has taken them from Virginia to Texas and Minnesota and now Buffalo.

The couple both attended the University of Virginia, but didn't meet until after graduation when they were both on a trip in Lima, Peru, with their families. They started dating in 1999 and married in 2012.

Amaon is a family medicine physician with an online practice and she works out of the couple's apartment. So, she was able to move with her husband and still keep her job.

"We've moved so many times and I dragged him to Minnesota for my residency," Amaon said. "I feel like I'm up for a new city. I always like to explore new places. I can't say I was super excited about moving in January because I'm kind of a big baby when it comes to the cold, but we've really enjoyed just exploring around."

Big Wheelbarrow found out they would be part of 43North's seventh cohort of startup businesses during the 43North Finals at the end of October. So, Eder and Amaon had roughly two months to pack up their lives, find a place to live and make the 1,500 mile drive from Austin to Buffalo.

New digs, easy commutes: 43North startup executives move into Buffalo office space This week, excitement was in the air as eight companies moved into office space on Seneca One tower's 24th floor, kicking off the one-year commitment to Buffalo that is a condition of the prize money.

Pickings for rentals in Buffalo in January were slim, but 43North staff were able to help the couple find an open-concept, three-bedroom apartment unit in the Seneca One tower downtown. Eder's apartment is just an elevator ride away from Big Wheelbarrow's office on the 24th floor of the building, considered Buffalo's tech and startup hub.

The couple decided to sell most of their belongings and start from scratch in Buffalo. They bought their giant sectional couch from a guy in Lancaster and have furnished much of their apartment from finds on Facebook Marketplace and an Amazon returns center in Tonawanda.

With demanding jobs, the couple spends most weeknights together at home, where Eder unwinds by cooking dinner using local produce and Amaon mixes up the accompanying cocktails.

But they've taken advantage of weekends to explore. They recently visited Niagara Falls and rode the Maid of the Mist when Amaon's parents were visiting. They drove to Canandaigua to explore the Finger Lakes.

Amaon has enjoyed the "cool old architecture" and "tons of good food" in Western New York. The staff at 43North has made them and the other out of town companies feel at home, planning plenty of fun happy hours and outings. Eder went to a Sabres game for the first time and has started racing sailboats on Lake Erie with a neighbor.

The couple has received no shortage of recommendations from locals since they've gotten to Buffalo. Everyone from Lyft drivers to waiters at restaurants have shared their favorite stores, restaurants, places to go and things to do in Western New York.

"People are really proud of their city and they want to tell us where to go," Amaon said.

"Yeah," Eder agreed. "That's really awesome, especially during the winter and Covid where you feel like you're already being boxed in, to have people just wanting to share their favorite things is really cool. I feel like we got a jump-start. We got into the city so much faster."

And with summer coming up  arguably the best and busiest season in Western New York  Eder and Amaon are looking forward to checking out all the different festivals, exploring local farmers markets and maybe catching a Bisons game across the street at Sahlen Field.

"I'm just so excited to be here in the summer," Amaon said. "I hear there's so much stuff."

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  The Indiana Supreme Court on Friday threw out a law that gave state legislators increased power to intervene during public health emergencies, agreeing with arguments from Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb that the move violated the state constitution.

The courts unanimous decision settles a legal fight that began more than a year ago when Holcomb sued over a law that was a response to his efforts to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new law gave legislative leaders authority to call the General Assembly into an emergency session if the governor declares a statewide emergency. The GOP-dominated Legislature approved it over Holcomb's veto.

Holcombs lawyers contended that the state constitution allows only the governor to call the Legislature into meetings for consideration of new laws outside of its annual sessions that begin in early January and adjourn by the end of April.

Chief Justice Loretta Rush agreed, writing for the five-justice court that Holcomb's attorneys had satisfied the high burden required to establish that the law is unconstitutional."

Under our Constitution, the General Assembly simply cannot do what the challenged law permits absent a constitutional amendment," Rush added.

Holcomb said in a statement that the battle over the law had raised important procedural, statutory and Constitutional questions that only the courts could answer."

Today, the Indiana Supreme Court has provided clarity and finality on these important issues," he said.

The high courts ruling came after a Marion County judge sided with the Legislature in October.

Legislative leaders never tried to convene an emergency session under the law. Holcomb first issued a public health emergency in response to the pandemic on March 6, 2020, and terminated it this March. He had issued 23 monthly extensions, drawing the ire of many conservatives even though any mask mandates or business restrictions ended in spring 2021.

Under the law, it would be up to the Legislative Council  made up of eight senators and eight House members  to call an emergency session if it determined that the governor had declared a state of emergency with statewide impact and that it is necessary for the General Assembly to address the state of emergency with legislative action.

GOP legislative leaders have maintained that the measure wasnt anti-governor and praised Holcombs handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which health officials say has killed more than 23,000 people in the state.

Republican House Speaker Todd Huston said in a statement that he respected the court's ruling. Well consider all options moving forward," he said.

Republican Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray echoed that, saying in a statement: We will work collaboratively to find a way forward that serves the best interests of the State of Indiana."

Although Friday's ruling found the emergency session" law to be unconstitutional, Rush wrote that the General Assembly does have the constitutional authority to set additional sessions.

While our Constitution authorizes only the Governor to call a special session, the General Assembly can set additional sessions -- but only by fixing their length and frequency in a law passed during a legislative session and presented to the Governor, she wrote.

All of the court's justices were appointed by Republican governors. Only Justice Christopher Goff was appointed by Holcomb, in 2017.

Holcombs lawsuit divided Indianas Republican hierarchy, with Attorney General Todd Rokita siding with legislators. Rokitas office unsuccessfully argued that the attorney general alone had the legal authority to represent the state in court.

Rokita said in a statement that the court's ruling had overridden the intent of those who are directly elected by the people."

But the Indiana Democratic Party called the ruling a repudiation of Republican lawmakers, saying that their extremism and unnecessary purity tests have wasted Indiana residents tax dollars.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Representatives of the Azerbaijani Economy Ministry and a delegation headed by Russia's Perm region governor Dmitry Makhonin have discussed bilateral trade relations, Azernews reports, citing the ministry.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the presentation of products under the "Made in Azerbaijan" trademark at exhibitions in Perm region, as well as trips of Perm companies to industrial and agricultural parks in Azerbaijan.

They also exchanged views on participation in the Alar Free Economic Zone and the expansion of cooperation in the fields of mechanical engineering, chemical, and petrochemical industries.

As for the need for establishing logistics and trade ties between Perm region and Azerbaijan, the sides underlined that the Agroexpress project may become one of the steps to this end. They emphasized that the project will allow organizing cargo transportation through container hubs with simplified customs and phytosanitary procedures.

They stressed that the organization of transport and logistic network between Azerbaijan and Perm region will strengthen economic growth.

Agroexpress is a specialized service intended for the delivery of goods using high-speed trains between the two countries. It is being implemented by Alliance Logistics LLC and a subsidiary of Russian Railways CJSC - RZD Logistics JSC through the support of the Azerbaijani-Russian Business Council, Russian Export Center JSC, Eximbank of Russia, Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, Russian Railways JSC.

Azerbaijans participation in the project was announced by the countrys Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev on December 16 last year, at the conference on "the current state and prospects of the Russian-Azerbaijani economic relations in the context of integration processes".

This project not only reduces the delivery time of goods and transportation costs thanks to the efficiently-built export-import logistics but also contributes to the development of business.
WASHINGTON  Citing the recent slaughters in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas, President Biden on Thursday delivered a rare prime-time address to the nation to call on Congress to enact legislation aimed at preventing such mass shootings.

Noting that on Sunday he visited Uvalde, where 19 fourth-graders and two teachers were shot to death last week, Biden said, "We stood in such a place just 12 days before, across from a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, memorializing 10 fellow Americans: a spouse, a parent, a grandparent, a sibling, gone forever."

'The world needs to know were hurting here in Buffalo': A grieving community gathers to see President Biden Dozens gathered at a police blockade at Jefferson Avenue and East Utica Street, as close as they could get to where the president and first lady Jill Biden laid flowers in memory of the victims over a block away.

Biden and First Lady Jill Biden met with hundreds of family members who had lost loved ones in both places.

"They had one message for all of us: 'Do something,' " Biden said. " 'Just do something. For God's sake, do something.' "

There's comparatively little that Biden can do, though, given that the power to change gun laws rests with the deeply divided Congress. That being the case, much of Biden's 17-minute speech served as a call to action urging lawmakers to compromise and pass meaningful gun safety legislation.

Biden stressed, as he has for years, that he supports banning assault weapons: the military-style rifles that can carry upwards of 30 rounds of ammunition and kill multiple people quickly.

But perhaps in a silent acknowledgement that even the Democrat-led House lacks the votes to ban assault weapons, the president put a heavy emphasis on a proposal that's likely to garner more support: moving the minimum age for buying an assault weapon from 18 to 21.

The suspects in the Buffalo and Uvalde shootings both bought their weapons shortly after they turned 18. Biden made it clear that he thinks that is too young for anyone to purchase such a deadly weapon.

The Uvalde shooter  who was shot dead by police  "purchased two assault weapons for himself, because in Texas, you can be 18 years old and buy an assault weapon, even though you can't buy a pistol in Texas until you're 21," Biden said. "If we can't ban assault weapons  as we should  you must at least raise the age to be able to purchase one to 21."

Biden acknowledged that 18-year-olds can serve in the military and use such weapons, but he noted that those young soldiers receive training and supervision from "the best-trained experts in the world."

The president also suggested a strengthened background check system that would cover nearly all weapons purchases, including those sold at gun shows and online. He said the federal background check system also needs to be improved by closing the loophole that allows gun purchases to go forward after three business days, even if the FBI hasn't finished reviewing the gun buyer's background.

Biden also proposed:

 A ban on high-capacity magazines.

 A ban on "ghost guns" that don't have serial numbers and therefore can't be traced.

 A safe-storage law requiring gun owners to keep their weapons under lock and key.

 A federal red flag law that would allow law enforcement to take guns away from people deemed to be a threat to themselves or others.

 A crackdown on gun trafficking and straw purchases.

Biden displays sense of resolve and commitment in wake of mass shooting, Brown says Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown said he felt a strong sense of resolve and commitment in President Biden when he came to Buffalo in the wake of a racist massacre Saturday that killed 10 people and wounded three others.

The House next week will take up legislation addressing most of those issues. But that measure and House-passed legislation strengthening background checks are likely dead on arrival in the Senate, which is split 50-50 between the two parties and has a filibuster rule requiring a 60-vote majority to approve legislation coming to the floor for debate.

A group of senators from both parties has been trying to negotiate a deal that would be acceptable to at least 10 Republicans, and the key Democrat in that group  Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut  said after Biden's speech that he was optimistic that a deal could be struck.

President Biden is right  doing nothing is not an option," Murphy said in a statement. "Over the last week, I have been in almost constant communication with my colleagues to find common ground on a meaningful, bipartisan package that will save lives. Momentum is building, and were going to keep at it to make sure we meet this moment and deliver for the overwhelming majority of Americans demanding change.

VP Kamala Harris says 'enough is enough' as Buffalo buries last of 10 Tops massacre victims Harris and her husband were among several officials who attended the funeral of Ruth Whitfield at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Buffalo.

The key Republican in that group, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, offered no immediate reaction to Biden's speech. But Fox News host Tucker Carlson quickly chimed in, criticizing Biden's speech before a photo of Biden and a headline that read: "PREPARE TO BE UNARMED."

But Biden stressed that he wants to do no such thing.

"I want to be very clear: This is not about taking away anyone's guns," he said, adding: "This isn't about taking anyone's rights. It's about protecting children. It's about protecting families. It's about protecting whole communities. It's about protecting our freedom to go to school, to a grocery store, to a church and not being shot and killed."

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WASHINGTON  Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia and Zeneta Everhart, whose son Zaire Goodman was wounded in the May 14 massacre at the Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue, will testify at a House committee hearing on gun violence next Wednesday.

Gramaglia and Everhart will join witnesses from Uvalde, Texas, at a hearing of the House Oversight and Reform Committee at 10 a.m. Wednesday, the panel's chairwoman, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, announced Friday.

After 19 innocent children and two teachers lost their lives in Texas just ten days after the mass shooting in my home state of New York, Im turning my anger into action," said Maloney, a Manhattan Democrat. "Our hearing will examine the terrible impact of gun violence and the urgent need to rein in the weapons of war used to perpetrate these crimes."

Everhart will be the first witness to testify at the hearing, while Gramaglia will testify on the hearing's second panel. Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat who is not on the committee, will take part in the hearing as well.

Congress needs to listen to communities that know the pain that comes with these tragedies and act swiftly to stop the endless parade of mass shootings, said Higgins. We are grateful that the committee is giving Buffalo a voice to help convey the impact and discuss potential solutions.

Other witnesses at the hearing include:

Dr. Roy Guerrero, a pediatrician from Uvalde.

Felix Rubio and Kimberly Rubio, the parents of the late Lexi Rubio, one of the 19 fourth-graders shot to death at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on May 24.

Miah Cerrillo, a fourth-grade student who survived the shooting.

Greg Jackson Jr., executive director of the Community Justice Action Fund, which fights against gun violence.

Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association.

Nick Suplina, senior vice president for law and policy at Everytown for Gun Safety.

The hearing, which will be webcast on the committee's website, will take place in the same week that the House plans to vote on a package of gun safety reforms. That bill would raise the minimum age for buying semiautomatic weapons from 18 to 21, ban high-capacity magazines and other ways to increase the capacity of assault rifles, force gun owners to safely store their weapons and allow local governments to set up gun buyback programs.

"Our hearing will examine the terrible impact of gun violence and the urgent need to rein in the weapons of war used to perpetrate these crimes," Maloney said. "It is my hope that all my colleagues will listen with an open heart as gun violence survivors and loved ones recount one of the darkest days of their lives. This hearing is ultimately about saving lives, and I hope it will galvanize my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation to do just that.

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A Buffalo man accused of seriously injuring an 80-year-old woman when he tried to steal her purse is facing a 13-count indictment for a series of crimes, including assault for allegedly strangling a woman in front of two children, the Erie County District Attorney's Office announced Friday.

If convicted on all charges, Michael T. Sawyer, 32, faces up to 25 years in prison.

The purse-snatching incident took place at about 5:15 p.m. April 5 outside the Tops supermarket on Harlem Road in Cheektowaga. Sawyer was allegedly driving a stolen Jeep when he reached out from the vehicle and grabbed the handles of the victim's bag, the DA's Office said in a statement. The woman held on to her purse and she was dragged by the vehicle before she fell.

She suffered a brain bleed and "many fractured ribs," Cheektowaga police said at the time, and was hospitalized for several weeks.

About three hours later, police spotted the vehicle parked on Miller Avenue, near Broadway in Buffalo. As Sawyer walked up to it, police approached him and he allegedly fled on foot. He was soon taken into custody.

Authorities allege that four nights earlier Sawyer beat up another woman in front of children, punching and slapping her multiple times before "strangling the victim with his hands to the point of unconsciousness" and throwing her to the floor. The victim suffered a concussion and bruises.

Sawyer allegedly took the woman's keys and stole her vehicle  the one he is accused of using in the purse snatching. Then, while in jail, he allegedly called the strangulation victim multiple times, in violation of an order of protection, and tried to have someone else contact her. Prosecutors say he was trying to prevent the victim from coming to court.

Sawyer also has been charged in connection with two incidents in which he fled from Cheektowaga police, one on Nov. 28, 2021, and on March 22.

He was charged with five felonies  one count each of first-degree assault, first-degree attempted robbery, second-degree attempted robbery, second-degree strangulation and fourth-degree grand larceny.

In April, police said Sawyer has been arrested 24 times since 2010, including on 10 felony charges, and has led police on vehicle chases 10 times since 2016.

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A Buffalo man who traveled to North Carolina for the purpose of having sex with a minor was sentenced to 25 years in prison by a federal court, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte, N.C.

In July, Allen Roger Cobb, 63, began expressing interest on the dark web about having sex with a minor.

The person with whom he was communicating turned out to be an undercover agent posing as the parent of a minor female.

Cobb, already a registered sex offender, was arrested on Aug. 31. He carried a stuffed toy he had purchased as a gift for the minor he was expecting to meet and a camcorder he intended to use to record the sexual encounter.

Cobb pleaded guilty on Dec. 29 to traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

Cobb is a repeat sex offender who was willing to travel great distance for his sexual gratification with a child," U.S. Attorney Dena King said. Thanks to law enforcement officers, "this dangerous predator is off the streets and no longer able to harm innocent children.

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On Thursday, the chief operating officer of an Iowa company that alleged Tops gunman Payton Gendron claimed sold him the body armor plates online told The Buffalo News that he and his company are devastated by the Buffalo tragedy.

Adam Ruff of RMA Armament confirmed that the firm sold items to Gendron, but said his companys products are intended for use by law-abiding citizens.

What happened in your city is a tragedy and a horrific act of violence, Ruff wrote in an email responding to questions about whether Gendron bought his body armor from RMA. RMA Armament is saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred in Buffalo ... Our products are intended for the protection of law-abiding private citizens, police departments and government partners.

Accused Tops gunman in court for arraignment on new charges, including domestic terrorism This is believed to be the first time an individual in New York State has been charged with the domestic terrorism crime created in a 2020 state law enacted after an anti-Semitic attack in Rockland County.

"We do have a record of this individual purchasing products from our website. Our entire team is devastated by this tragedy, and we are keeping the families and the community of Buffalo in our prayers, Ruff wrote.

According to a lengthy online diary Gendron published online shortly before the shooting, he bought two armor plates from RMA on Jan. 10, and they were delivered to his house on Jan. 14. On its website, RMA sells the plates that Gendron said he bought for $320 a plate, or $640 a pair.

Gendron said the plates were made to fit into a body armor vest that he had bought Jan. 5 from a seller on eBay for $230.

When The News asked whether RMA is cooperating with the ongoing investigations into the shooting, Ruff answered: RMA has a company policy to cooperate fully with all inquiries from local, state and federal authorities.

Ruff said he could not provide further details at this time.

Accused shooter's log says he fired AR-15 with his 'buddy Matt' before Buffalo mass killing There is no sign Payton Gendron told his friend Matt Casado he planned to slaughter Black people at a Buffalo supermarket, or was out to kill anyone. Nor is there any sign in Gendron's log that Casado questioned him about his need for new weapons and ammunition, or that Casado expressed concern when considering Gendron's suicidal ideation.

The RMA website boasts that the ceramic body armor plates that Gendron said he purchased can stop ammunition fired by the M16 automatic rifle used by the military and the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle that Gendron possessed when he was arrested.

In a 2017 story in the Des Moines Register in Iowa, RMAs founder and CEO Blake Waldrop was identified as a former Marine and former police officer. Waldrop said he founded the company because a Marine buddy had been killed by an explosive in Iraq in 2005 while wearing body armor that did not protect him. Waldrop launched RMA in his garage in 2011. The company now operates out of a factory in Centerville, Iowa.

Gendron, 18, was arraigned Thursday on charges of first-degree domestic terrorism, 10 counts of first-degree murder, 10 counts of second-degree murder as a hate crime, three counts of attempted second-degree murder as a hate crime and a weapons possession in connection with the shooting deaths of 10 Black people and the wounding of three others during the shooting spree at the Tops Markets on Jefferson Avenue.

Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said a retired police officer, Aaron Salter Jr., who was working as a security guard in the store, fired shots at Gendron to try to stop his assault.

"He fired one round that struck the defendant's bulletproof vest," Gramaglia confirmed.

A farewell to a former Buffalo Police officer who gave all: 'Aaron bravely fought evil that day' At a funeral service at The Chapel in Getzville attended by hundreds, Salter was awarded the Buffalo Police Department's Medal of Honor, the highest honor that can be bestowed on an officer  "for his sheer bravery in taking on the face of evil in order to save lives," Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told mourners. "Aaron saved lives."

Gendron then proceeded to shoot and kill Salter, police said.

Gendron is one of several American mass shooters in recent years who have worn body armor while murdering people.

The use of body armor by mass killers is a growing topic of debate in law enforcement. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is among the government officials who maintain that only law enforcement people should be allowed to own bulletproof vests.

Some government officials, including Hochul, also suggest that there should be a ban on online sales of bulletproof vests.

After the Buffalo murders, Hochul and other state legislators voiced support for a bill that would allow only law enforcement officials to buy body armor. State lawmakers passed the bill late Thursday that also bans online sales of body armor. The bill makes it a misdemeanor to sell body armor to someone who is not a police officer, peace officer, in the military or in an other eligible profession, or to sell body armor online. A conviction for the unlawful sale of body armor can result in a $5,000 fine.

Complete coverage: 10 killed, 3 wounded in mass shooting at Buffalo supermarket Ten people were gunned down at a Buffalo supermarket May 14 in a horrifying mass shooting that officials were quick to label as "pure evil" an

Law enforcement and military service members need body armor vests to do their job safely. Most civilians don't, Hochul said Monday. Our bill makes purchasing body armor vests unlawful for anyone not engaged in an eligible profession. All sales of vests will also be required to be done in person.

Most states allow private citizens to buy body armor.

Federal laws on body armor prevent only convicted violent felons from buying bulletproof vests and armor.

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A few months before the May 14 massacre at the Tops Markets on Jefferson Avenue, the accused killer walked into the Vintage Firearms store in Endicott, a town about 20 miles from where he lived in Conklin.

At age 18, Payton Gendron, now facing murder and domestic terrorism charges, would not have been able to legally buy a handgun at that store. That's because in New York State, you must be at least 21 and have a firearms license to buy a handgun.

Tops Markets shooter chose AR-15 to stoke controversy Payton Gendron said he decided to use an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle in his killing spree both for its effectiveness and potential to generate controversy.

But Gendron was able to legally buy himself an AR-15 rifle, which authorities say he later used to slaughter 10 people in Buffalo.

He also did not need a license to buy that semi-automatic military-style rifle. All he was required to do was pass a background check.

Legislation passed and expected to be signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul by the end of this week will raise the age to buy a semi-automatic rifle in New York to 21 and require a firearms license to do so. The package of laws, aimed at strengthening gun safety and stopping the spread of violent extremism on social media platforms, will also tighten regulations regarding "red flag laws," ban online sales of body armor like what the accused killer was wearing and limit sales of body armor to law enforcement and other authorized people.

Buffalo gunman pleads not guilty to domestic terror charge The white gunman who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket has pleaded not guilty to hate-motivated domestic terrorism and other charges. It's the first case to make use of a domestic terrorism hate crime law that New York state passed two years ago. A lawyer entered the plea for 18-year-old Payton Gendron on Thursday. A a prosecutor called the evidence against him overwhelming. Witnesses, police and his own video and writings incriminated him as the shooter who used an AR-style semi-automatic rifle to target shoppers and employees of a Tops Friendly Market, and he surrendered at the crime scene.

Red flag laws take away firearms from people who may do harm to themselves or others.

The new laws will also require firearm manufacturers to use "microstamping" technologies that would imprint a distinct mark on bullet casings, making it easier to solve gun crimes, and create a new "Office of Social Media and Violent Extremism" within the state Attorney General's office.

How does an 18-year-old purchase an AR-15 in the state of New York, the state of Texas? That person is not old enough to buy a legal drink, Hochul asked at a news conference last week following the mass shooting in Texas that left 19 fourth-graders and two teachers dead. That gunman, who was fatally shot by law enforcement, was also 18. Texas authorities said the killer in the Uvalde massacre bought two AR-15s after he turned 18.

State Sen. Tim Kennedy, D-Buffalo, called the events in Buffalo "a reckoning for our state and nation to strengthen our gun safety laws," and to stop the spread of violence extremism. "We can't sit idly by."

While the state legislation to raise the age to buy a rifle to 21 passed, it is sure to meet resistance.

Accused shooter's log says he fired AR-15 with his 'buddy Matt' before Buffalo mass killing There is no sign Payton Gendron told his friend Matt Casado he planned to slaughter Black people at a Buffalo supermarket, or was out to kill anyone. Nor is there any sign in Gendron's log that Casado questioned him about his need for new weapons and ammunition, or that Casado expressed concern when considering Gendron's suicidal ideation.

Just three days before the mass shooting at Tops, an appeals court struck down a California law that banned the sale of semi-automatic rifles to people under 21.

"America would not exist without the heroism of the young adults who fought and died in our revolutionary army. Today we reaffirm that our Constitution still protects the right that enabled their sacrifice: the right of young adults to keep and bear arms," wrote U.S. Circuit Court Judge Ryan Nelson in the decision.

However, the appeals court did uphold a provision that requires a hunting license to buy a rifle.

And getting firearms manufacturers to comply with microstamping regulations isn't guaranteed either. California passed the "Unsafe Handgun Act" in 2007, requiring all new semi-automatic pistols use microstamping technology, but according to Brady United, a gun violence prevention organization, gun manufacturers said they were unable to comply. A new version of the microstamping requirement was signed into law in 2020 by California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Paul McQuillen, executive director of Gun Sense New York, which advocates for gun safety regulations, said he expects challenges to the new laws.

"That doesn't mean we shouldn't try to do what is the right thing," he said. "And who knows? The temperature and mood of the country is changing. You can see that with our own local Congressman," he said, referring to Rep. Chris Jacobs, who announced he would support a ban on new sales of assault rifles.

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There is no sign Payton Gendron told his friend Matt Casado he planned to slaughter Black people at a Buffalo supermarket, or was out to kill anyone. Nor is there any sign in Gendron's log that Casado questioned him about his need for new weapons and ammunition, or that Casado expressed concern when considering Gendron's suicidal ideation.
A survivor of the Tops supermarket mass shooting who is preparing to sue the parents of 18-year-old Payton Gendron for the racist gun attack that killed 10 people sought a court order Friday to require Gendron's parents to preserve evidence.

The documents filed by Buffalo attorney Terrence M. Connors ask a judge to order Gendron's parents to appear in court for pretrial depositions and also to preserve numerous records regarding their son's behavior, his mental health evaluations and his purchases of a semiautomatic gun and other items used in the attack.

Representing Zaire Goodman, 20, who survived after being shot in the throat, Connors alleged that Gendrons parents knew or should have known of his dangerous, racist and violent attitudes long before the attack.

The parents, Paul and Pamela Gendron of Conklin, in Broome County, failed to use reasonable care to restrain Payton Gendron from so viciously conducting himself as to intentionally harm others, despite their knowledge of his propensity for not only racism but violence, Connors said in court papers.

People who knew Gendron were aware of his propensity for racist outbursts since he was in sixth grade when he was suspended for using a racial slur, and the parents were aware that he was investigated by state police in June 2021 after making a remark about plans for a murder/suicide during an online class, Connors said.

He accused the parents of "carelessly, negligently, recklessly" allowing Gendron to buy firearms and store them in their home before the Buffalo attack.

Several of the families of the 10 deceased victims have also hired lawyers and are expected to file civil lawsuits, with possible targets including the manufacturer of the gun Gendron used, websites where Gendron posted his massacre plans and a livestream video of the shooting, and others.

Connors said he is researching lawsuits that could hold the Gendrons, gun companies, video game companies and possibly other parties accountable for the Buffalo attack.

"We promised the families that we would find the root cause of this racist and murderous plot. This is the first step," Connors said Friday afternoon.

Connors filed papers in State Supreme Court asking Gendrons parents to appear for depositions on or before July 29.

He also asked that the courts direct the parents to preserve a wide range of records about their son dating back to January 2020, including school disciplinary records, any records of mental health evaluations, any records of guns or ammunition he owned and stored in the family home, and any records relating to the State Police investigation of last year.

Connors also asked that the Gendrons be required to provide any records of their son's travel  including EZ Pass records  since 2020, records of his use of computers and cellphones, and also to provide any of the video games and consoles used by Payton.

Arrested outside the market when he surrendered to Buffalo police moments after the May 14 slayings, Gendron faces numerous murder, hate crime, weapons and domestic terrorism charges. He has pleaded not guilty.

His parents have not spoken publicly about the murders.

The Buffalo News was not able to reach them after Connors filed his petition with the court on Friday. The couple has not responded to The News' past requests for interviews.

Supporters of the family have called the couple decent, God-fearing people who would not have supported the violence attributed to their son.

It will be a "tall order" to prove in court that the Gendron parents are legally liable for their son's violence, suggested Dmitriy Shakhnevich, an attorney and adjunct assistant professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Shakhnevich wrote an article for a legal journal about the possible culpability of parents in the Buffalo shooting and other massacres.

"In any court case of negligence, a big issue is foreseeability," Shakhnevich told The News in an interview. "Was his act of violence something that was foreseeable to the parents? Were the parents a proximate cause of what he did? These are the questions that would be addressed in a case like this."

State records indicate that both parents are civil engineers with the state Department of Transportation, making a combined $183,400 in state salaries in 2020.

"The attack was a foreseeable consequence of acts and omissions of Paul Gendron and Pamela Gendron, as well as other unidentified defendants," Connors declared in his court papers.

He said the accused killer had weapons, body armor and other military tactical gear delivered to his parents' home in the months while he was planning his attack.

"Using his parents' power drill, Payton Gendron modified the Bushmaster XM-15 semiautomatic rifle in his childhood bedroom so that it could hold a high-capacity magazine to increase its power to kill," Connors said in court papers.

In the weeks before the supermarket attack, Gendron repeatedly used his social media diary to express his fears that his parents suspected that somethings wrong with his behavior, The News reported on May 20.

Gendrons writings indicate that his father bought him a hunting gun when he was 16, and that his mother was aware that he had killed and decapitated a feral cat in a garage at the family home on March 25, about seven weeks before the Buffalo murders.

Gendron's parents did not know he owned a shotgun, an AR-15 or illegal magazines, he wrote, and neither realized their son was a white supremacist.

Based on The News analysis of Gendrons Internet diary for the months leading up to the Buffalo murders, he spent more than $1,000 on eBay for gear, including a combat helmet, body armor vest, military sunglasses and a GoPro camera that he planned to use to livestream the slaughter, at least some of which appear to have been delivered to his parents home.

Gendron wrote that he stored weapons and tactical gear in his bedroom, including the semi-automatic rifle, decorated with racist handwriting, that he later used in Buffalo. He also tried on bulletproof vests, combat helmets and safety glasses in a bathroom in his parents home, photographing himself wearing the gear in a mirror.

Connors alleged that the parents remained "willfully blind" to the dangers posed by their son's ownership of guns, ammunition, body armor and tactical gear.

Connors and attorney Ben Crump are representing the families of several of the murder victims from the Tops attack.

A second legal team  including Buffalo attorney John V. Elmore and Connecticut attorney Joshua Koskoff  also represents three other families who lost loved ones in the Tops massacre. Koskoff led a group of attorneys who reached a $73 million settlement earlier this year with the Remington gun company over the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that took the lives of 20 children and six educators.

Remington made the assault rifle used in the Sandy Hook Elementary attack in Newtown, Conn. Authorities say the same Remington assault rifle was used by Gendron in the Buffalo attack.

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On a recent Saturday, Immaculee Ndayisaba was busy transplanting eggplants into rows on cultivated land in Orchard Park.

Ndayisaba, from Burundi, was also planting tomatoes, hot peppers and corn  native plantings she farmed in Africa before fleeing to the United States as a refugee 20 years ago.

On 37 acres of farmland leased by the Providence Farm Collective, Ndayisaba and others from nine ethnic groups get a chance to return to their roots, grow fresh produce and earn income.

"We're thankful PFC gives us somewhere to remind ourselves where we come from, and somewhere to be able to come and gather together," Ndayisaba said.

The community plots are a godsend for the refugees and immigrants, the majority of whom live on Buffalo's West Side, said Hamadi Ali, the market's manager.

Ali, a member of the Somali Bantu community, spent a decade at a refugee camp in Kenya before emigrating to Buffalo, where he earned a master's degree in economics from the University at Buffalo.

The Providence Farm Collective hopes to make the farmland permanently available, and it is partnering with the Western New York Land Conservancy to purchase the farmland and preserve the land in perpetuity.

The farmland costs $507,000, with other costs including a fund set up for longtime stewardship of the property, farmer-directed funds, a conservation easement and facility needs such as a barn and pavilion.

The two organizations have embarked on a capital campaign and hope to raise $2.3 million by Dec. 31.

Bigger harvest

The farm collective began as a project of the Somali Bantu community in 2017 at the Providence Farm, a horse farm in East Aurora owned by Dr. Christopher Kerr. They farmed on 9 acres.

The move to Orchard Park came in April 2021. This year, more than 300 people are expected to farm the land, with the number of small farm incubators increasing to 21 thanks to the quadrupling of acres now available.

The incubators are part of a three-year educational program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Farmers are given a quarter of an acre, sometimes more, of fertilized and plowed farmland with access to hand tools, seeds and agricultural and marketing training.

Hawa Mohamed, a Somali Bantu who grows peppers she calls "pepperoni," collard greens, scallions and maize, earns income from the sale of produce she grows.

Business education is offered by WEDI, which started the West Side Bazaar featuring immigrant and refugee food and clothing vendors. Cornell Cooperative Extension provides farming education. There are also 26 workshops on business and farming, interpreted in several languages.

Ali helps connect farmers with sales opportunities for their vegetables.

A demonstration farm plot for training purposes and a summer youth employment program are also offered.

Providence Farm Collective's long-term goal is to teach people to find farmland in rural communities to start a small farming business, or to form a cooperative, said Kristin Heltman-Weiss, the executive director.

In 2020, farmers harvested 23,000 pounds of produce among 27 varieties of crops. Last year, the harvest increased to 90,000 pounds.

For the first time, beginning on July 2, seasonal produce grown on the plots of land will be sold from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays through October at the PFC Farmers Market on the West Side, in the M&T Bank parking lot at 130 Grant St.

The Providence Farm Collective received a $477,000 grant from the USDA, allowing the farmers market to operate. The mixed racial neighborhood includes immigrants and refugees from Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Ethiopia, Burma and Liberia.

'Natural food from the farmer'

Ntizimpa Therence, a Burundi immigrant, was using a large hoe to break up clods of dirt before planting corn. It is the third year in a row he has farmed with Providence Farm Collective.

"Here, we grow food that is very natural, and doesn't have chemicals," Therence said. "In my country, according to my culture, we ate natural food from the farmer."

Therence was preparing to plant beans, red and white onions, eggplants, red peppers and cucumbers.

Nelson Nagbe, who fled his native Liberia to come to Jacksonville in 2003 and Buffalo six years later, also grows a variety of native foods.

There's African eggplant known as "bitter ball;" the bitter-tasting kittley  a pea eggplant believed to have medicinal value; hot peppers; okra; pinto beans; and sweet potatoes.

"I really did miss it," Nagbe said. "PFC has brought us to a place where we remember what we used to do and what our parents taught us."

Mahamud Mberwa, a Somali Bantu and one of the Providence Farm Collective's founders, imports African maize seeds from Tanzania, making the farm "pretty much the only place in New York State that grows so much of it," Heltman-Weiss said.

It is sold as far south as Charlotte, N.C., as far west as Columbus, Ohio, and Utica to the east, she said.

The farming experience has meant a lot to him on many levels, said Mberwa, who grew up in a Kenyan refugee camp at age 10 after war broke out in Somalia.

He enjoys learning about farming from community elders and Americans. He likes helping instruct other farmers and the chance to work with people of different ethnicities.

"Farming is beautiful," Mberwa said. "I enjoy it very much. It makes me very happy here working with the different cultures."

For more information, go to providencefarmcollective.org.

Mark Sommer covers preservation, development, the waterfront, culture and more. He's also a former arts editor at The News.

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The then-city commissioner of permits and inspections who issued an emergency order to demolish the Great Northern grain elevator didn't understand the building's engineering, mistakenly concluding that a large hole on the north wall endangered the entire structure, a preservationist said in State Supreme Court.

Paul McDonnell, the chairman of the Campaign for Greater Buffalo, History & Architecture, which is trying to stop the demolition, said James Comerford based his condemnation order on Dec. 17 on several misunderstandings of how the building was constructed.

Common Council calls for alternatives to Great Northern demolition "It is important that all options must be considered before making a decision that can never be undone," the resolution said.

Comerford, before reaching his decision, failed to consult original architectural drawings of the Great Northern on file in his office, or review the grain elevator's local landmark application or a federal study from 1990 available online, McDonnell said.

The brick cladding that covers the steel bins inside "is basically a brick curtain wall," McDonnell said. "Everything else in the structure, including the cupola on top, which is hung so no steel touches the brick, is supported by the steel frame.

"This was a failure of the commissioner looking at the structural documents and seeing how it was actually built. I do not think he had enough information to make that conclusion, and some of the information he cites is erroneous."

Appellate court orders new hearing on Great Northern demolition request An appellate court ruled Friday that a State Supreme Court justice erred in refusing to consider a preservation group's evidence at a hearing to determine whether the City of Buffalo legally granted an emergency permit to demolish the Great Northern grain elevator.

The Campaign for Greater Buffalo was given the chance to present expert testimony after an appellate court on April 29 sided with the preservation organization and reversed Justice Emilio Colaiacovo's Jan. 5 decision allowing the demolition to proceed. At his hearing earlier this year, Colaiacovo did not allow expert testimony from the preservation organization.

McDonnell was the lone witness before Colaiacovo on Thursday, and he was cross-examined Friday. McDonnell said the commissioner lacked a rational determination for issuing the emergency demolition order  the legal issue at hand in whether the demolition can go forward.

Attorneys representing ADM repeatedly raised concerns in cross-examination about uncertainties associated with the building's condition, stressing that Comerford was responding to the information known at the time when he issued the order. The commissioner cited safety and public welfare concerns after considering drone imagery, an engineering report and consultations with city housing inspectors and the fire commissioner.

McDonnell, a former senior architect and director of facilities with Buffalo Public Schools, said he called Comerford two days after a Dec. 11 windstorm damaged the structure to offer his help, but never got a call back.

Gwen Howard, who succeeded McDonnell as chair of the city's Preservation Board, said Comerford informed her he had reviewed materials and wanted to give her a heads-up that he was leaning toward issuing the demolition order. She said he didn't seek her advice.

Receivership called a promising tool for saving derelict historic properties "The receivership is a great idea for a city like Buffalo, where our housing stock is so old and there is so much worth preserving," Housing Court Judge Patrick M. Carney said.

"I stressed that I felt that was not a prudent decision or necessary," said Howard, also a certified New York State building inspector.

McDonnell refuted other claims by Comerford, some cited in reports commissioned by Archer Daniels Midland that Comerford said he had read before reaching his decision.

There was no significant bowing, movement or cracking in the walls, McDonnell said.

McDonnell also pushed back against claims that the mortar had seriously eroded.

"We do not have any evidence, any testing or any reason to know that the walls have lost any type of mortar adhesion inside," he said.

Great Northern grain elevator damaged by Buffalo windstorm The City of Buffalo landmark was built in 1897 and operated for nearly a century. Saturday's windstorm tore a hole in the northern wall, but the grain elevator is not in danger of collapse.

McDonnell said the structure was not a fire hazard, noting the brick wall was fireproof and there haven't been active operations in decades.

William Renaldo, the city's fire commissioner and the lone witness for the city and ADM over the two days of the hearing, said he thought the building should be demolished because of "grave concerns" he had after meeting with Comerford and reviewing drone footage.

Renaldo said he was concerned that if the whole structure collapsed, it could threaten firefighting capacities on Ganson Street and endanger the Edward Cotter fireboat and other ships passing by. He also said he didn't know if there were combustibles or industrial waste inside that could pose a hazard to firefighters if they entered the structure.

McDonnell and Howard said Comerford was mistaken in saying the Great Northern was unsafe in part due to the lack of control joints. Both said control joints aren't appropriate for the building and weren't used when the Great Northern was built in 1897.

McDonnell also said reports commissioned by ADM that Comerford consulted lacked documentation, construction drawings and photography typically found in such documents, or evidence of any tests conducted during the the three decades the company has sought to demolish the Great Northern.

The Great Northern is the last brick-enclosed steel structure elevator left in North America. It is also the first grain elevator in the world, along with the Electric Elevator, to harness electricity from Niagara Falls.

Preservationists say demolishing the Great Northern would be among the most significant architectural losses in Buffalo in decades.

The hearing will resume June 9, with a decision by Colaiacovo expected to follow days or weeks later.

Mark Sommer covers preservation, development, the waterfront, culture and more. He's also a former arts editor at The News.

The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) auctioned $288 million in May, the funds press service reports.

As a whole, in 2022, SOFAZ sold funds in the amount of $2.4 billion at foreign currency auctions.

The fund's revenues from the major oil and gas fields amounted to $3.3 billion from January to April 2022. Of these, revenues from the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli block of fields, which are the largest oil fields in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, amounted to $2.8 billion, while the fund's revenues from the Shah Deniz field, which is among the worlds largest gas-condensate fields, amounted to $405.4 million.

The fund's budget revenues and expenditures respectively totaled AZN 2.9 billion ($1.7bn) and AZN 2.7 billion ($1.5bn) in the first quarter of 2022.

Established in 1999, SOFAZ is a sovereign wealth fund, which accumulates and preserves Azerbaijans oil and gas revenues for future generations.

The fund accumulates income from the sale of oil contracts, and in 2003, it started to make transfers to the state budget of Azerbaijan. As for now, SOFAZ's contribution to the countrys GDP is over 80 percent.
For a window on the state of the New York Republican Party, look no further than the new 23rd Congressional District. Only days after Rep. Chris Jacobs of Orchard Park announced his support of stronger gun laws, he was chased out of the campaign. Instead, he will leave Congress at the end of this term.

Now, even in New York, the Republican Party has become a refuge for absolutists who would rather tolerate mass murder, including the massacre of children, than even consider the obvious steps endorsed by Jacobs: ban military-style weapons; raise the age to buy some firearms; ban the sale of body armor to the public. The state Republican party is now so radicalized that it cannot acknowledge a circumstance in which weapons designed for human carnage should be restricted. Thats bad for the party, worse for New York and terrible for the country.

New York was once home to the kind of Republican who made the state and the party proud: Jack Kemp and Jack Quinn, both former congressmen from Erie County; and Sherwood Boehlert, who represented the Utica area. These were leaders who placed country over party, who understood the need for compromise in a large and diverse nation and who could see that assault weapons posed threats not just to individual lives, but to the party and the country.

That version of the Republican Party is already but a memory in other parts of the country. In places like Texas and Florida, the party test requires an eagerness to stake out increasingly extreme positions, then to heap abuse on those unwilling to take the bait. Even Pennsylvania Republicans just nominated a gubernatorial candidate who spreads the repeatedly disproved lie that voter fraud cost Donald Trump the 2020 election.

The New York party has been moving in that direction for years and, now, its taking another giant step. Among those reported to be interested in the 23rd District seat are state party Chairman Nicholas Langworthy of Erie County and the Buffalo developer he once thought would make a fine governor, Carl Paladino.

That candidacy broke the mold of professionalism among high-profile elections in New York, in the same way that Trump did in his presidential campaign six years later. Ability mattered less than anger. Langworthy, who also tried to persuade Trump to run for governor, has offered no second thoughts on his judgment in candidates, even after Trump incited a deadly insurrection last year. Is this how New York Republicans now understand themselves? Paladino, also a Trump supporter, seems to think so. He said he would seek the 23rd District seat if Jacobs dropped out.

A congressional campaign is a different beast from a national or statewide election. In New York and around the country, district lines are often so gerrymandered that they produce foregone results. With the candidate of the favored party all but guaranteed to win in November, the crucial decisions are pushed to the primary elections, typically dominated by the party base  those furthest to the left for Democrats and furthest to the right for Republicans. That feeds the divisions that already fracture the country.

The new 23rd District isnt gerrymandered. It was created by the courts, which threw out the lines drawn by Democrats. But its a decidedly conservative area and New Yorks Republican Party has moved to the right, as the absence of leaders such as Kemp, Quinn and Boehlert makes clear. The party primary is on Aug. 23.

Indeed, the pressure on Jacobs to bow out suggests there is less space than optimists might have hoped between Republicans in New York and those in Texas.

Its also notable that, except for Jacobs and Rep. Claudia Tenney of Utica, New York Republicans have failed to speak out against the dangerous and despicable lie of replacement theory. Less a theory than a kook-driven fantasy, it holds that Democrats are strategically working to sideline white voters in favor of immigrants of color and Jews.

That calumny inspired the lethal Unite the Right rally five years ago in Charlottesville, Va., and it drove the accused gunman in the May 14 shooting at Tops, where 10 Black people were gunned down. Among the Republicans playing to the replacement crowd is the Houses third-ranking member, Rep. Elise Stefanik of the North Country.

It shouldnt be hard for anyone, left or right, to speak out against so vulgar and destructive a lie. But, except for Jacobs and Tenney, the Republican silence speaks volumes about what some people are willing to do to in the name of power. What do a few dead people matter? So what if it puts targets on minorities?

Still, things change. The party wasnt always this way and maybe it wont stay this way. Regarding guns, some observers detect a rising tide of national anger at government indifference to intolerable violence. As Jacobs has demonstrated, you can be conservative and still recognize the obvious connection between repeated mass murders and the easily acquired firearms that facilitate them. Indeed, that is conservative. The party is now radical.

We wish Jacobs had stayed in the race. The debate could have been clarifying.

  

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.
I listened in disbelief to the instructions given to police officers arriving at the elementary school in Uvalde, Texas to stand back as there was an active shooter in the school. Since the Columbine attack the standard instructions have been to run towards the bullets not away from them. Thank God for the bravery of the security officer at Tops who confronted the shooter and the two responding officers who ended the horrific attack. A two-minute response versus a more than 60-minute response in Texas.

Texas lawmakers want to arm teachers to respond to these heavily armed shooters. As a teacher with 49 years of experience in our Buffalo schools I know that the critically important role of a teacher in these situations is to protect and counsel their students.

Gov. Greg Abbott suggests that mental health is the cause for these tragedies not the military style assault rifles that are so easily purchased in our country that it is sickening. Maybe he and his fellow gun loving Republican cohorts would change their minds if they viewed the so badly ravages bodies of the 10-year-old victims that authorities needed DNA evidence to identify them. What if the victims were their children or grandchildren would they still believe the money they receive from the gun lobby outweighs the terror and devastation that these guns that they support inflict on innocents over and over again.

Shame on this country for allowing this to happen. We are not a great country.

Peter Hurley

Buffalo
LACHUTE, QC, June 3, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)

Stephane Lauzon, Member of Parliament for ArgenteuilLa Petite-Nation and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Rural Economic Development, will announce Government of Canada funding to open a new library in Lachute.

The announcement of this CED financial contribution will be made on behalf the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for CED.

Date:

June 6, 2022

Time:

10:30 a.m.

Location:

Salle du Conseil

Hotel de Ville

380 Rue Principale

Lachute, Quebec

J8H 1Y2

Masks may be worn during this event at the discretion of participants. Those who are vulnerable and the elderly are recommended to do so. Anyone who is symptomatic or who has had contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 and who wishes to participate in this activity must ensure they follow all applicable isolation directives. In case of doubt, go to the COVID-19 selfassessment tool for information on any measures you may need to follow based on your situation.

Stay connected

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SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2022/03/c6178.html
MANAGUA (Reuters) - Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said his government was "not interested" in attending the U.S.-hosted Summit of the Americas next month, which some leaders have criticized for reports it may exclude the Central American country along with Cuba and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government.

Nicaragua was previously informed that it would be excluded from the summit, which will take place in Los Angeles, according to a person in Washington familiar with the matter.

"We are not interested in being at that summit," Ortega said at a public event late on Wednesday. "This summit does not dignify anyone, rather, it dirties them, it sullies them. We Latin Americans have to defend ourselves so that they respect us."

Ortega won a fourth consecutive term in November after jailing rivals and cracking down on critical media, triggering international criticism. He has frequently accused the United States of being interventionist and trying to undermine his government.

He added in Wednesday's speech that Latin American leaders already meet via the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), comprised of 32 countries.

A senior State Department official said in April that Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government would likely be excluded because the summit is meant to focus on democracy in the region.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has urged all countries to be included and said he may not attend otherwise. On Thursday, he told reporters he expected a response from U.S. President Joe Biden this week after expressing concerns to U.S. special adviser Christopher Dodd.

The Biden administration on Thursday accused Cuba of fueling controversy over its possible exclusion from the summit to pit itself against the United States and distract attention from its human rights record at home.

(This story corrects fifth paragraph to show CELAC is comprised of 32 countries, not 33.)

(Reporting by Ismael Lopez; Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick in Washington; Writing by Daina Beth Solomon; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Ukraine Latest: Putin Says Russia to Allow Grain Exports by Sea

(Bloomberg) -- The European Union formally adopted new sanctions against Russia, including a partial ban on crude imports, and the UK said Vladimir Putins forces have gained momentum in their push to capture Ukraines Donbas region 100 days since he invaded.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Putin said that Russia will allow exports of Ukrainian grain and promised not to attack ports if Ukraine removes its mines.

OPEC+ kept Russia at the oil cartels center even as it agreed to increase oil supplies over the summer.

(See RSAN on the Bloomberg Terminal for the Russian Sanctions Dashboard.)

Key Developments

Oil Sands Crude Prices Nosedive as Russian Bans Upend Market

German Lawmakers Approve Scholzs Military Spending Splurge

What Are War Crimes? Could Putin Face Prosecution?: QuickTake

Russia Stake in Biggest Zimbabwe Platinum Project Deters Backers

A Hundred Days of Putins War in Ukraine: Balance of Power

Serbia Offered Help to Free Itself From Russian Energy Reliance

Oil Sands Crude Prices Nosedive as Russian Bans Upend Market (11 p.m.)

Canadian heavy crude prices have collapsed as the European war upends global market flows and makes oil sands crude less valuable. Western Canadian Selects discount to benchmark West Texas Intermediate grew $1.70 to $20.80 a barrel in Alberta on Friday, the widest in almost seven months, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

Soaring energy costs prompted the Biden administration to tap US strategic petroleum reserves, nearly all of which is similar in grade to oil sands crude. As many as 39 million barrels of these sour barrels will be released this summer, just as oil sands sites come out of maintenance. A glut of ultra-light oil is also contributing to the collapse.

Story continues

US Must Sanction Enablers of Russias War: Senators (7:45 p.m.)

A bipartisan group of US senators, including Mark Warner, Marco Rubio, Ron Wyden and John Cornyn wrote to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to ask for sanctions against lower-tier enablers of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The senators asked Yellen to take into account a list of 6,000 Russian officials and regime enablers compiled by Anti-Corruption Foundation of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny.

Putin Says Russia Will Allow Ukraine Grain Exports (7:43 p.m.)

Putin said Russia is ready to facilitate the export of Ukrainian grain and can guarantee the safety of shipments from ports it controls. In an interview with Russian state television, he urged Ukraine to clear its waters of mines and vowed Russia will not take advantage of the clearance situation in order to launch any attacks from the sea.

More broadly, the Russian president sought to deflect Russias responsibility for contributing to the global run-up in food and energy costs, blaming foreign governments and saying Europes short-sighted policies drove up gas prices on the continent.

He also slammed the EU for its sixth package of sanctions, warning it will make worse the situation on the fertilizer market. Russia is able to boost its grain exports in the next season to 50 million tons from 37 million tons, Putin said.

Ukraine Imposes a Cap on Natural Gas Prices (6:47 p.m.)

Ukraines government put a cap on natural gas prices for utilities companies in an effort to keep household prices unchanged.

Ukrainian utility companies will buy natural gas at a price not higher than 7,400 hryvnia ($253) per 1,000 cubic meters as the government prepares for a heating season that will begin in the middle of October, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at a cabinet meeting on Friday, according to an e-mailed statement.

The government is seeking incentives for Ukrainians to return home from evacuation, the prime minister said. Before the war, Ukraine had agreed to free gas prices from controls as part of its commitments to the International Monetary Fund.

War Forces Biden to Rewrite Security Plan, Nod to Europe (6:05 p.m.)

Putins invasion of Ukraine has prompted a major rewrite of the Biden administrations National Security Strategy, according to people familiar with the matter.

A new draft, which may still be revised, emphasizes the importance of both Europe and Asia to US national security interests, a shift from an earlier version that focused more squarely on China and Asia. Rather than downplaying the importance of China, the document argues that events in Europe and Asia are intricately connected, according to the people.

Read the full story here.

EU, US to Strengthen Coordination of Export Controls on Russia (5:49 p.m.)

The EU and US agreed to strengthen coordination on the enforcement of export controls on Russia, building on cooperation under the US-EU Trade and Technology Council, according to a statement.

Ukraine Says 74 Million Acres of Land Must Be Demined (5:45 p.m.)

Ukraine needs the help of international partners to clear 30 million hectares (74 million acres) of land land from mines and other explosives, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. After four regions in the north and north east were liberated from the Russian army, mines were cleared from 2.7 million hectares so far, he said.

German Lawmakers Back Constitutional Change for Military Fund (4:50 p.m.)

Germanys ruling coalition and the opposition conservatives paved the way for the creation of a special fund worth 100 billion euros ($107 billion) for additional military spending, part of a push by the government to transform the armed forces after years of underfunding.

The new investment vehicle, which is not part of the regular budget and not subject to rules limiting net borrowing, will enable Germany to meet a NATO goal of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense.

Putin Critic Kallas Ends Estonian Coalition After Infighting (4:47 p.m.)

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas ended her 16-month governing coalition after weeks of political squabbling, saying shell seek to form a new alliance as the Baltic nation confronts its biggest security threat in decades.

The standoff in Tallinn had hobbled the ability of the nation, which shares a border with Russia, to confront the threat posed by the invasion of Ukraine, he said.

Orbans Risky Sanctions Path Weakens EU, Czech Minister Says (4:44 p.m.)

Hungarys obstinate approach toward negotiating sanctions against Russia are undermining European Union unity and weakening the blocs position on the world stage, Czech Minister for European Affairs Mikulas Bek said in an interview.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbans stonewalling against efforts to pass a sixth package of EU sanctions this week, including an embargo on most Russian oil, had increasingly left Budapest isolated among Western powers, even if he eventually relented, Bek said.

EU Formally Adopts Sixth Sanctions Package (3:28 p.m.)

The EU penalized 77 people and 26 entities linked to Russia and Belarus in a sixth sanctions package that includes a ban on seaborne oil from Russia and cuts off Russias largest bank, Sberbank, from the SWIFT international payments messaging system.

Many of the individuals cited are Russian military commanders, including those who led the siege on the Ukrainian city of Mariupol and others accused of atrocities in Bucha. Former gymnast Alina Kabaeva, who the EU describes as a close associate of Putin, was sanctioned, along with Arkady Volozh, the co-founder of Russian technological company Yandex NV, who resigned. The EU also sanctioned Peskovs wife, as well as two of his adult children.

In addition, the EU cited the wives of previously sanctioned tycoons Andrey Melnichenko and Alexey Mordashov. Aleksandra Melnichenko had received some of her husbands assets after the co-founder of fertilizer maker EuroChem Group and the Suek JSC coal company was penalized in March. Marina Mordashovas husband transferred his stakes in travel company TUI AG and gold mining firm Nordgold to her.

Putin Told That Africans Are Victims of His War (2:05 p.m.)

African Union head Macky Sall told Putin that people on the continent were suffering from food shortages caused by the war in Ukraine.

Sall, who is also the president of Senegal, said African countries are victims on an economic level of the fighting, according to televised comments before he met Putin in Sochi, Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Peskov said on a conference call earlier that Putin would tell Sall that Kyiv was to blame for stranded grain shipments because it mined its ports. Ukraine denies that and has requested that allied nations provide warship escorts to allow for the safe passage of vessels carrying food.

EU, Egypt Near Gas Deal in Shift From Russia (2 p.m.)

The EU and Egypt are set to sign a deal this month on supplying gas as the bloc seeks to slash its dependence on Russian supplies, according to a draft document seen by Bloomberg.

The proposed deal highlights Egypts crucial role in ensuring both food and energy security following Russias invasion of Ukraine. EU leaders have also highlighted the potential of African countries to provide not only the liquefied natural gas needed to replace Russian fossil fuels, but also green hydrogen in the coming years.

Finland Disconnects Russian Power Link (12:26 p.m.)

The interconnector between Imatra in Finland and Svetogorsk in Russia has been disconnected until further notice after flows were suspended, Finnish utility Fortum Oyj said in a company filing.

Russian power flows to Finland were halted last month after a Russian-owned power importer said it stopped receiving payments. Theres enough electricity in Finland even without imports from Russia, the operator of the countrys transmission system said at the time.

Certain Results Achieved 100 Days Into War, Kremlin Says (12:05 pm)

Russia has achieved some results in the 100 days since sending troops into Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Peskov said, even as the invasion has fallen short of Moscows initial goals.

Certain results have been achieved, Peskov told a conference call when asked to assess the progress since the so-called special operation began on Feb. 24, citing the liberation of some areas from Ukrainian forces.

This work will continue until all the goals of the special military operation are achieved, he said, without specifying what those goals are. Russian forces now occupy about a fifth of Ukraines territory, and thousands of people have died in President Vladimir Putins invasion.

Kadyrov Meets Russian Defense Minister (11:18 a.m.)

Chechen President Kadyrov said after a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu that Russia is planning new measures to speed up the special operation, state-run Tass reported.

Russia refers to the war in Ukraine as a special military operation, and Kadyrovs troops are a key component of Kremlin forces fighting there.

Ukraine Declares EBRD-Backed Kharkiv Lender Insolvent (11:12 a.m.)

Ukraines central bank declared Kharkiv-based Megabank, which counts Germanys KfW, the European Bank For Reconstruction and Development and the International Finance Corporation as shareholders, insolvent.

The lenders problems predated Russias invasions, the National Bank of Ukraine said in a statement. Megabanks net assets account for 0.5% of the banking sectors total, it said.

Allianz Sells Majority Stake in its Russian Business (9:33 a.m.)

German insurance giant Allianz SE agreed to sell a majority stake in its Russian operations to Interholding LLC, the owner of Zetta Insurance, for an undisclosed price.

The transaction will reduce profit by about 400 million euros ($430 million), the Munich-based company said. Allianz earlier this year stopped insuring new business and making new investments in Russia on behalf of its own investment portfolio following the countrys invasion of Ukraine.

Read more: Allianz Sells Majority in Russian Operations to Interholding

UK Says Luhansk Region Likely to Fall Within Two Weeks (8:05 a.m.)

Russia controls over 90% of the Luhansk region and will likely take complete control of it in the next two weeks, the UK Defense Ministry said on Twitter.

Following the failure of the initial plan, through false planning assumptions and poor tactical execution, Russia adapted its operational design to focus on the Donbas, the ministry said.

Yacht of Second-Richest Russian in Turkey (5:21 a.m.)

After not broadcasting its location for almost two weeks, a $150 million luxury yacht linked to sanctioned Russian billionaire Leonid Mikhelson reappeared again -- transmitting it was headed to the Bahamas and Barcelona -- locations that would have put it at risk of seizure.

Turns out, its final destination is a safe haven sought after by many other vessels of tycoons facing sanctions: Turkey. After a nearly month-long journey that took it more than 7,000 miles (11,265 kilometers), the Pacific moored Thursday at the port of Marmaris in the countrys south.

Read more: Yacht of Second-Richest Russian Raced for Turkeys Safe Waters

US Adds Russia, Belarus Entities to Restricted List (11:16 p.m.)

The US added 71 entities based in Russia and Belarus to a list that prohibits American firms from doing business with them without getting a government license. The action raised the number of parties on the so-called Entity List to 322.

The restrictions limit Russias ability to obtain the items and technologies it needs to sustain its military aggression, Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez said.

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BURLINGTON  Federal investigators are sending a balloon specialist to explore an incident Wednesday night that injured three people after a hot-air balloon collided with a moving train.

The Burlington Police Department initially said three adult occupants of the hot-air balloon all suffered life-threatening injuries and were taken to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa.

By Thursday, all three were released from the hospital, identified as pilot Jimmy Winder, 62, of Bristol, Wisconsin, and passengers Nikolay Veltchev, 37, of Barrington, Illinois, and Elena Petrova, 36, of Arlington Heights, Illinois.

According to police, witnesses on the scene reported that the airborne balloon appeared "in distress" over Burlington and, during its descent, collided with a northbound Canadian National Railroad train.

Canadian National spokesman Jonathan Abecassis declined to comment on how fast the train was traveling or other details of the incident. Abecassis referred questions to local authorities.

The balloon operator, Lake Geneva Balloon Co., said Thursday a balloon pilot and two passengers were injured, and that two of them  it was not clear which ones  had been released by the hospital.

John Trione, chief pilot and manager of the balloon company, said the crash occurred as the pilot was attempting to land on a road in a park while a freight train was moving through the area.

"The balloon and its occupants were pulled into contact with the train," Trione said.

Weather conditions at the time were unremarkable, with clear skies and mild winds.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are helping state and local police investigate the incident.

NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss said the federal agency should have a preliminary report within two weeks, and that it could take a year or longer to produce a full report on the incident.

Weiss said the NTSB gets involved whenever there is an accident involving an aircraft, including hot-air balloons.

A balloon specialist from Denver, Colorado, is being sent to help with the investigation in Burlington, Weiss said. Asked whether the government has ever before seen a collision between a hot-air balloon and a moving train, Weiss said: "We get a lot of unusual cases  let's just leave it at that. We see a lot of things."

Burlington police said they were called at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday to the scene of the incident in the 400 block of Calumet Street, near Downtown Burlington. Providing assistance with the injured people were the Burlington Fire Department and other fire departments from Waterford, Rochester and Kansasville.

Two patients were flown to Froedtert by helicopter ambulance, and one was transported by a ground ambulance.

Ryan Lamp, who works at the nearby Caseys General Store, 100 S. Dodge St., told a reporter that many customers told him a hot-air balloon flying over an industrial building appeared to hit a chimney and then crash and collide with a moving train.

The police department asked that anyone with information about the incident contact the Burlington Police Department at 262-342-1104 or via email at rjones@burlington-wi.gov.

The department said Canadian National Railroad, the Racine County Sheriffs Office and Racine County Communications also assisted at the crash site. Canadian National and the Wisconsin State Patrol are helping with the investigation.

On Facebook, some people posted photographs that they said showed the balloon in flight shortly before the crash. In some photos, it appeared that more than one balloon was present.

Lake Geneva Balloon Co., based in Lake Geneva, provides sightseeing balloon rides for tourists and other visitors. On clear days, the company's balloons are often seen floating high in the sky over the Lake Geneva area.

According to the company's website, Trione received a commercial pilots certificate for hot-air balloons in 2000, and he created Lake Geneva Balloon Co. two years later.

In the company's statement Thursday, Trione said the company has a 20-year record of safety, but that all flights are being suspended for a week because of the crash.

"Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our guests," he said. "Our entire company is devastated."

Of the three injured people, Trione said, "Their recovery is our most important consideration, and our hearts and prayers are with them."

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Wisconsin will hand out a record $125 million this year to help expand access to high-speed internet service, exhausting most of the funds set aside in the current two-year state budget.

Gov. Tony Evers, who is up for re-election this fall, announced Thursday he would release another $25 million in addition to $100 million previously announced for this years round of broadband access grants.

I promised to work to ensure every Wisconsinite had access to high-quality, high-speed internet, and our State Broadband Expansion Grant Program is one of the fastest and most efficient ways we have to do just that, Evers said in a statement announcing the additional funding.

The Public Service Commission is expected to choose recipients later this summer from nearly 200 applications seeking more than $495 million in public funding.

With the latest round of awards, the state will have given out some $346.6 million in the nine years since the broadband grant program was launched.

Nearly two thirds of that funding will have been spent in the past two years, including $100 million awarded last year from the roughly $2.5 billion in federal pandemic relief awarded to Wisconsin through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Im proud (that) our work over the last three years is helping provide more than 300,000 homes and businesses with reliable, high-quality internet, Evers said.

Evers sought $200 million for broadband expansion in his last budget proposal, though Republicans in the Legislature instead approved borrowing $125 million.

By awarding the full amount this year, the state will have about $4 million available for grants next year through the Universal Service Fund, a 30-year-old program to ensure access to essential telecommunications service.

The PSC has estimated it would cost up to $1.4 billion to bring what the Federal Communications Commission considers high-speed internet service (25/3 Mbps) to all residents.

Broadband experts say the market has served most of the densely populated areas where theres a good return on investment. But in rural areas  especially the rugged Driftless area and remote North Woods  there arent enough customers to cover the cost of installing cable or building wireless towers.

According to a 2021 report from the Federal Communications Commission, nearly 395,000 Wisconsin residents lack access, though private studies have estimated the actual number could be higher than 600,000.

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New York State to Ban Carbon-Powered Bitcoin, Altcoin Mining, While Kenya Fosters Green BTC

A geothermal power plant in Kenya. Source: Adobe/Belikova Oksana

As regulators across the world work to adopt varying stances on crypto mining, the US state of New York and the East African country of Kenya offer two examples of how legislators can thwart or foster crypto innovation through their initiatives.

Citing the need to curb the states energy use, the New York Senate has passed a bill that introduces a moratorium on certain crypto mining operations with the use of proof-of-work (PoW) authentication methods to validate blockchain transactions. The two-year moratorium concerns any new PoW mining projects operated with the use of carbon-based fuel, including bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptoassets.

After it was passed by the Senate and the New York State Assembly, the lower chamber of the states legislature, the bill was delivered to New Yorks governor. Unless the incumbent governor, Democrat Kathy Hochul, vetoes the bill, its provisions will go into force.

The bill states that the "continued and expanded operation of cryptocurrency mining operations running proof-of-work authentication methods to validate blockchain transactions will greatly increase the amount of energy usage in the state of New York, and impact compliance with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act."

Meanwhile, Greenidge Generation Holdings, a vertically integrated crypto data center and power generation company, said that "should the legislation be signed into law, our fully permitted power generation and cryptocurrency data center in Dresden, NY will continue to operate without interruption."

On the other hand, Kenyas energy production company KenGen has adopted a different approach to crypto, declaring its plans to offer BTC mining companies the KenGen's surplus geothermal power. This is designed to help industry players meet their energy needs, Quartz reports.

The energy business says that, by offering clean energy, it will contribute to cutting crypto minings carbon emissions triggered by bitcoin mining.

As Africas leading geothermal energy producer, Kenya has an installed capacity of 863 MW, the majority of which is ensured by KenGen. The state has an estimated geothermal potential of some 10,000 MW located along the Rift Valley circuit which could be used to foster green crypto mining by local industry players.

____

Learn more:

- Another Bitcoin Mining Scrutiny

- Bitcoin Mining Can be a Force for Good or Bad, Banning it Doesnt Solve Anything  FTX.US President



- Kenyan Crypto Entrepreneurs Urge CMA to Create Regulatory Framework, Not Demons

- Bitcoin in Kenya w/ Roselyne Wanjiru



- Cryptos Need for Sustainability Standard-Setting Starts Here

- Bitcoin Mining Efficiency Up 63% in Year, 'Sustainable Electricity Mix' Jumped 59% - Bitcoin Mining Council



- After Mozilla Abandoned PoW Cryptos Citing Energy Concerns, Wikipedia May Follow

- The Compromises and Benefits of Ethereum Switching to a Proof-of-Stake Network

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(Updated at 13:09 UTC with a statement by the Blockchain Association. Updated at 13:39 UTC with a comment from Greenidge Generation Holdings.)
A Cumberland County man has agreed to pay $900,000 for the resolution of civil liabilities for alleged violations of the False Claims Act, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said.

Rodney Yentzer, 52, utilized a series of pain clinics (called Pain Medicine of York) that were under his control to submit false claims for payment to Medicare between 2017 and 2019, U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus said. The U.S. Department of Justice said the claims were for urine drug tests that were neither necessary nor medically reasonable and that they were not used to diagnose or treat patients.

Yentzer also agreed to exclusion from all federal health care programs for 22 years, meaning that no payments can be made to federal health care programs (directly or indirectly) for items or services provided by Yentzer or by his direction or prescription.

"Civil enforcement is an important tool to recover funds when providers cause improper claims to the Medicare program, said Maureen Dixon, special agent in charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. HHS-OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorneys Office to ensure the integrity of the Medicare Trust Fund."

Yentzer plead guilty to health care fraud, money laundering and theft of public money in March for a related matter.

He is awaiting sentencing.

Maddie Seiler is a news reporter for The Sentinel and cumberlink.com covering Carlisle and Newville. You can contact her at mseiler@cumberlink.com and follow her on Twitter at: @SeilerMadalyn

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Police released more information for the first of two crashes that occurred on Interstate 81 in Middlesex Township within minutes of each other Saturday afternoon.

State Police at Carlisle said the first crash occurred at 3:56 p.m. on Interstate 81 north near mile marker 49.3 when a motorcycle rear-ended an Audi SUV after following too closely while approaching congested traffic.

The operator of the motorcycle, Joshua Hill, 35, of Madison, Alabama, was transported to Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center via Silver Spring Ambulance and Rescue Associates for injuries of unknown severity, police said.

Hill's condition has not been released.

Kalim Johnson, 43, of Hagerstown, Maryland, was driving the SUV and was not injured.

A second crash occurred at the same location on Interstate 81 south at 4:12 p.m.

The details of the that crash have not been released, but Cumberland Goodwill EMS referred to the two crashes as a "mass casualty incident" on Twitter Saturday and said nine people were transported to the hospital as a result.

Maddie Seiler is a news reporter for The Sentinel and cumberlink.com covering Carlisle and Newville. You can contact her at mseiler@cumberlink.com and follow her on Twitter at: @SeilerMadalyn

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By Trend





Work is underway to design the construction of ten reservoirs, Deputy Chairman of Azerbaijan Melioration and Water Management OJCS Zakir Guliyev told Trend.

"Commission for the rational use of water resources in Azerbaijan is currently discussing issues related to the design of ten reservoirs, and their construction is expected on the rivers of Greater Caucasus mountain," Guliyev said.

Guliyev added that it is planned to build large reservoirs on the Hakari and Bargushad rivers [liberated from Armenian occupation in the 2020 Second Karabakh War].
Virginia State Police identified the man shot and killed by authorities in Prince George County on Wednesday.

Derrick G. Avey, 42, was also wanted in connection with a homicide after authorities discovered a dead woman on his Franklin County property later the same day, police said.

The woman, Kyline C. Avey, 41, was identified as his wife.

Hopewell Sheriff Travis Stanley said the initial incident occurredaround 12:28 p.m. as a deputy working radar on Interstate 295 was told to be on the lookout for a black Ford Explorer that had struck a guardrail.

After spotting the sport utility vehicle, the deputy pulled behind it to make a traffic stop, but the vehicle took Exit 9B to Oaklawn Boulevard in Hopewell. The SUV pulled into an Exxon service station at 5003 Oaklawn Blvd., Stanley said.

The deputy followed the vehicle into the parking lot and again tried to conduct a traffic stop, but when the deputy got out of his car, the SUV drove away onto nearby Cousins Avenue.

The SUV later became tied up in traffic, and the deputy maneuvered his cruiser in front to block the vehicle, according to Stanley.

The deputy then got out of his car and approached the SUV, but the deputy saw a person inside point what appeared to be a long, black rifle directly at him, the sheriff said. The deputy went back to his cruiser for cover while the SUV drove away and the deputy radioed for assistance restarting the pursuit of the SUV.

The deputy followed the SUV until it reached Temple Avenue and River Road, where several Hopewell police officers had positioned their vehicles to contain the SUV and end the pursuit.

The driver then pulled nose to nose with police and confronted the officers with a firearm, officials said. Hopewell police officers and an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives fired their weapons, said state police spokeswoman Sgt. Jessica Shehan in a statement. Avey was declared dead at the scene.

Pennsylvania State Police discovered a dead woman at Aveys home in Lurgan Township, Franklin County.

Officers had arrived in the 8900 block of McClays Mill Road in Lurgan Township to assist with an investigation for a woman who had not been seen or heard from for several days.

Authorities found a woman lying in a wooded area to the rear of the property. Kyline Avey had multiple gunshot wounds, police said.

Pennsylvania police then learned that Derrick Avey was involved in a shooting incident in Prince George prior to Kyline Avey being discovered.

Shehan said Virginia State Police are still investigating the Prince George shooting as is standard procedure when an officer discharges their weapon. The state medical examiners office has yet to determine Derrick Aveys cause of death. His autopsy is scheduled for Friday.

Editors Note: The Richmond Times-Dispatch is owned by The Sentinels parent company Lee Enterprises.
Any deep dive is bound to make a splash followed by a ripple.

Throughout its history, Cumberland County has played host to a variety of getaway destinations often built around such natural features as mineral springs, inland lakes and waterways.

In many cases, transportation had an influence over how far and fast each summertime attraction progressed in a cycle that moved from pent-up demand to a popularity surge to a shift in consumer preferences and a re-purposing of the grounds.

Fairs and festivals have emerged that lend such a sense of identity and tradition that local residents plan reunions and homecomings around Summerfair and Jubilee Day.

In this series, The Sentinel will explore the origins of 12 local attractions using material drawn from past newspaper articles along with information available through the Cumberland County Historical Society and other online sources.

Day 2 will run online Monday and in Monday's print edition.

Day 1 - Carlisle Springs Hotel

The handbill advertised beautiful scenery along with the health benefits of drinking and bathing in the sulfur spring water.

Beyond its medicinal qualities, the resort at Carlisle Springs, located where Spring Road and Sulpher Springs Road intersect today in Middlesex Township about 5 miles north of Carlisle, offered its guests the chance to stroll over its extensive lawns, hike through the adjoining woods and dance the night away.

For the men the hotel provided a bowling alley and there was fishing nearby, said an article published in the summer 1995 edition of the journal Cumberland County History.

Horses and carriages were available for jaunts into the countryside, the limestone cave in the bank of the Conodoguinet [Creek] being particularly recommended, the article reads.

The story of this destination began in 1792 after William Ramsey acquired land in Middlesex Township that included mildly sulfurous springs. Over the decades that followed there was a growing acceptance in medical and social circles of the health benefits of spas.

In 1830, Ramsey capitalized on this trend by constructing a two-story frame building along an old Indian trail that eventually became a road running between New Bloomfield and Carlisle. The inn was used as a boarding house for visitors. Ramsey also installed a stone basin to collect the water flowing from the spring.

As his product became popular, Ramsey bottled the water for shipment elsewhere. He leased the hotel operation to two neighbors. When Ramsey died in 1832, the 21 acres that included the spring were sold off to David Cornman, a local landowner.

Twenty years later, Anson Norton and Morris Owen of New York purchased the 21 acres from Corman and in 1853-1854 built a larger and more luxurious hotel than the original structure. The building could accommodate 200 guests on four floors topped with a cupola surrounded by balconies and porticos.

Handbills circulating its virtues drew in guests from as far away as Baltimore and Philadelphia. A village was developed around the resort to include a schoolhouse, post office, general store and a church shared by Reformed and Lutheran congregations.

Some of the guests brought their own horses and carriages, but most came by train  via Harrisburg, and were conveyed to the Springs in time for afternoon tea, the journal article reads. Board was $1.75 a day or 10 dollars a week, but only nine if one stayed longer than four weeks. Children and servants might be charged half the regular rates. The hotel was staffed with attentive and obliging black servants. No hotel register exists today to identify the guests.

The Civil War was a blow from which the Carlisle Springs hotel did not recover, the journal article reads. Many of the summer guests in the 1850s had come from the southern states; but after the outbreak of war in 1861, they no longer came north, while the number of visitors from Philadelphia and Baltimore fell off as well.

As the Confederate army approached Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863 some farmers in York, Cumberland and Adam counties moved their horses and herds through Carlisle Springs to the safety of Perry and Juniata counties, the article reads. Those who stayed  labeled the fleeing farmers derisively as skeddadlers.  On June 28, 1863, a party of some 20 rebel cavalrymen rode into Carlisle Springs on a reconnoitre. They seized no property and did no harm.

After the war, Carlisle Springs lost its customary summer patronage. Springs and spas began to lose their appeal. In 1867, the hotel burned down allegedly by an arsonist. The building was then replaced by a smaller structure that was not identified on an 1872 map as a hotel.

In 1879 the property was sold to Willis W. Gutschall, who tore the building down and erected a stone farmhouse on the site, the article reads. Nothing now remains above ground to show where the hotels stood. The sulphur spring is still visible and accessible from a land off the main road, but the iron spring has been lost to sight.

Joseph Cress is a reporter for The Sentinel covering education and history. You can reach him at jcress@cumberlink.com or by calling 717-218-0022.

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Someday, when all is right in the universe, National Doughnut Day will be deservedly recognized as a national holiday, and we'll be able to celebrate with the day off. But until then, you can just recognize the occasion by swinging by one of Louisville's many doughnut bakeries in honor of the holiday on June 3.

Sure, Louisville has the national favorites, with six Dunkin' Donuts locations and three Krispy Kreme shops around town. There's even a brand-new Duck Donuts location in Louisville. But if you're looking for something with a little more local flavor this morning (or afternoon, no judging here) you have some options.

1212 S. Fourth St. in Louisville; 129 W. Court Ave. in Jeffersonville, cakestoday.com/

A longtime mainstay in Jeffersonville and Southern Indiana, Adrienne and Company recently opened up a shop across the river and quickly made a name for itself as one of the top bakeries in Old Louisville. Come for the fresh doughnuts, stay for the 25-cent thumbprint cookies.

If you're interested in the history of the event, National Doughnut Day was established in 1938 to honor the Salvation Army Donut Lassies  women who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I. So keep that in mind when you're chowing down today.

You may like: Are Donuts the perfect to-go food? For National Doughnut Day, we asked these Louisville experts

2317 Brownsboro Road, 502-749-6896, facebook.com/cliftondonut/

The decadent doughnut showcase at Clifton Donut Shop.

Thai Eng told the Courier Journal in 2020 that business was going well, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that the shop's most popular item is its mix-your-own dozen  customers get to choose a variety of doughnuts to fill the box.

"For people that don't come into the shop, its been easy because they usually just let us mix it up for them," Eng said, adding that all the doughnuts and sandwiches at this locally-owned shop "are made fresh every morning. We make sure our products are as fluffy and as lean as possible."

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4600 Shelbyville Road, Suite 634, 502-614-6657, duckdonuts.com/location/louisville-ky.

Duck Donuts products are fresh and made-to-order. The popular doughnut franchise is opening a Louisville location in February 2021.

Duck Donuts opened its Louisville Location in February 2021, the 100th store for the nationwide company. The donuts are served warm, delicious, and made to order and the most popular item on the menu is the Maple Bacon Donut, which has maple icing and chopped bacon.

Earlier this year, manager Kristin Kellum said it's important to support local restaurants right now. "Although Duck Donuts is a corporate franchise, our Louisville location is locally owned and operated. We cannot thank the Louisville community enough for supporting us every single day since we have opened."

You may like: This wildly popular donut franchise is opening its first Kentucky location in St. Matthews

106 W Adams St., La Grange, 502-602-0020, doughbabydonuts.com

White Iced And Dough Baby Blue doughnuts from Dough Baby Donuts

This doughnut shop in La Grange serves up all the classics you yearn for, but its top sellers are this Bourbon Fill or Tiger Tails. If you've never been be sure to check out the shop this month. It does a donut of the month every month, so check out their Facebook page to see the next fun doughnut.

Here's something else you might not know  the main owner of Dough Babys three owners is a 21-year-old young man. His father and Jennifer Mills are owners simply to help him "because he was too young to get a loan. But he makes all the decisions, does payroll, makes the doughnuts, and everything. His grandfather had a donut shop in that same building 22 years ago, and he was determined to reopen it," Mills told the Courier Journal previously.

1011 E. Main St., hifivedoughnuts.com

A popular food truck in Louisville for years, Hi-Five opened up a shop in Butchertown in 2017 and has grown into one of the city's most well-known doughnut stops. Owned by Annie Harlow and Leslie Wilson, their doughnuts are huge and hard to miss, with plenty of bright frosting and strong flavors.

Nord's Bakery

2118 S. Preston St., nordsbakery.biz/

A Louisville classic. You might know them for their maple bacon doughnuts  it's a combo that seems tough to screw up, but they take it to the next level and make it worth the trip down near the University of Louisville. Nord's also churns out plenty of other quality doughnuts, cookies, cakes and other pastries.

You may like: Epic tacos and loaded fries: 5 new restaurants opening in Louisville this month

1228 S 7th St., northlime.net/

Doughnuts at North Lime Coffee & Donuts in Louisville.

North Lime opened in Old Louisville last February after years of success in Lexington. Down the street from the University of Louisville in Old Louisville, its pastries are made using local ingredients, and the shop often offers unique specials, like pulled pork doughnuts (we don't know if that's a good or bad thing, but it is a thing).

5613 Bardstown Road, sugarandspicedonuts.com/

Sugar & Spice serves the Fern Creek area and is worth a visit if you're on lower Bardstown Road. The shop offers a full spread of all your classic favorite doughnuts and is a longtime favorite for many in the region.

Reporters Dahlia Ghabour and Lennie Omalza contributed to this report. Lucas Aulbach can be reached at laulbach@courier-journal.com, 502-582-4649 or on Twitter @LucasAulbachCJ.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: National Donut Day: Where to get donuts in Louisville
Climax-Scotts Community Schools voters renewed a non-homestead operating millage Tuesday but rejected an additional 2-mill proposal intended to reverse Headlee Amendment rollbacks.

Voters approved the renewal of a five-year, 17.5864-mill non-homestead operating millage by a wide margin, 389-229. The measure will allow the district to collect nearly $340,000 annually through 2028.

The operating millage had been set to expire in 2023.

The renewed millage does not raise taxes on primary residences. Taxes will only be levied on non-homestead properties such as rentals, and commercial and industrial businesses.

A second proposal requesting a 2-mill increase to address recent Headlee rollbacks was narrowly voted down, 322-298.

"We are very pleased and grateful to the community for their support in passing the renewal of the Headlee reduced operating millage of 17.5864," Climax-Scotts Superintendent Doug Newington said. "Although it does not allow us to levy the full 18 mills we are still very appreciative of the renewal and the services and support that it will allow us to provide our students."

District voters last approved an 18-mill non-homestead operating millage in 2019. The districts operating millage rate has since been reduced below 18 mills through a voter approved provision in the Michigan Constitution known as the Headlee Amendment, which requires units of government to "roll back" non-homestead property taxes when annual growth of property values exceeds the inflation rate.

Only 0.4136 mills of the 2-mill proposal would have been levied if approved. The measure would have restored the non-homestead rate to the full 18-mill statutory level approved by voters in 2019, with the balance of 1.5864 mills available in the event of future Headlee rollbacks.

"We will review our options for restoring the Headlee Amendment rollback of the operating millage," Newington said. "The amount of shortfall is currently approximately $7,814 and will likely increase annually."

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The owner of a non-homestead property with a taxable value of $50,000 will continue to pay just shy of $900 in property taxes each year under the renewed millage. Funds will be used to pay for staffing, purchase textbooks and classroom supplies, and operate the districts school buildings.

Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-501-5661. Follow him on Twitter: G_SteeleBC

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Climax-Scotts voters renew operating millage, reject increase
AP Photo

President Biden and Vice President Harris met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as the alliance head visits Washington.

Well talk about the meeting. Plus, well recap the latest moves from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

This is Defense & National Security, your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. For The Hill, Im Jordan Williams. A friend forward this newsletter to you? Subscribe here.

NATO chief huddles with Biden, Harris

President Biden and Vice President Harris met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg ahead of the alliances upcoming summit in Madrid.

The meeting was one segment of Stoltenbergs two-day trip in Washington, during which he also met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

The backdrop: Stoltenbergs visit to Washington comes as Russias invasion of Ukraine approaches its 100th day. Moscow refocuses its efforts toward the eastern part of Ukraine after failing at its initial goal of capturing the capital city of Kyiv.

It also comes as NATO looks to fast-track Finland and Swedens ascension into the alliance.

The alliance has to unanimously agree to accept new members, but Turkey is objecting over accusations that the Nordic countries harbor terrorist groups.

Recapping the meeting: The leaders discussed how Russias war affects transatlantic security, as well as the importance of strengthening NATOs deterrence and defense, the White House said in a readout of the meeting.

The leaders also welcomed Finland and Swedens applications to NATO, and Biden conveyed his strong support for efforts to facilitate a rapid accession process that addresses the security concerns of all Allies, the White House added.

Stoltenberg separately met with national security adviser Jake Sullivan, the readout said.

A lookahead to Madrid: The heads of state and government from NATOs member countries will be meeting at the alliances summit in Madrid from June 29-30.

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The countries will discuss the most pressing security concerns of today and tomorrow, the alliance said.

NATO will also adopt its new Strategic Concept, which reaffirms the alliances purposes and tasks.

Mastriano agrees to interview with Jan. 6 panel

Doug Mastriano, Pennsylvanias Republican gubernatorial nominee, will testify before the committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol about his role aiding the Trump campaign in challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election.

The select House committee subpoenaed the Pennsylvania state lawmaker in February, citing his involvement in a plan to send an alternate slate of electors for some states to swing the 2020 election for former President Trump.

Mastriano last month won Pennsylvanias GOP gubernatorial primary after centering much of his campaign on claims of voter fraud and winning Trumps endorsement.

What Mastrianos attorney said: A letter from Mastrianos attorney, Timothy Parlatore, indicates he has turned over a suite of documents to comply with the committees request but notes the panels guardrails to avoid information related to official actions that you took as an elected lawmaker.

Given those limitations, the bulk of the tranche of documents provided are social media posts.

Parlatore told The Hill they are still in discussions with the committee over when Mastriano will sit for a voluntary interview.

What the panel wants: The letter from Mastrianos lawyer, first reported by Politico, makes clear the extent of what the panel was seeking from the lawmaker, including any documents or communications tied to the plan to send an alternate slate of electors on Jan. 6 as well as any of his communications with Trumps legal team.

It also asks for any documents tied to his efforts to organize busses to transport supporters to the rallies.

FORMER PENCE ADVISER TO APPEAR IN JAN. 6 PANEL HEARINGS

The retired judge who advised former Vice President Mike Pence ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol is expected to be among those who will testify as hearings begin next week, according to Axios.

Michael Luttig, a former judge on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals appointed by George H. W. Bush, wrote ahead of the attack that the vice presidents role in certifying the election is only to faithfully count the electoral college votes as they have been cast.

Axios notes that official invitations to testify have not yet been sent, but Luttig previously told CBS News that he would be willing to speak before the House panel investigating Jan. 6, when supporters of former President Trump stormed the Capitol as lawmakers were certifying President Bidens win.

Read more here.

Biden looks to sell armed drones to Ukraine

The Biden administration is reportedly planning to sell armed drones that can carry Hellfire missiles to Ukraine, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

The U.S. is looking to sell four MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones made by General Atomics, sources told the outlet. The drones can be armed with Hellfire missiles.

The administration plans to notify Congress of the sale in the coming days and make a public announcement afterward.

About the drone: The Gray Eagle is larger than the drones that Ukraine has been using to fend off Russias invasion so far. The 28-foot unmanned aircraft can last more than 27 hours and hold up to four Hellfire missiles, according to the Armys acquisition website.

State weighs in: A State Department spokesperson didnt directly dispute the report but told The Hill as a matter of policy, we do not confirm or publicly comment on proposed defense transfers until they have been formally notified to Congress.

The spokesperson added that as the conflict is changing and Ukraines defense needs change so too has our support for Ukraines defense.

We continue to closely consult with our Ukrainian partners to ensure U.S. military assistance is adapting as needed to deliver the critical capabilities for todays fight, such as this weeks announcement of plans to transfer Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, they added.

Read the story here.

ON TAP TOMORROW

The U.S. Institute of Peace will host a discussion on Preventing Mass Atrocities in Afghanistan at 9 a.m.

The Friends of the National World War II Memorial will host an event titled Battle of Midway 80th Anniversary Reading of the Names and Wreath Presentation at the World War II Memorial at 10 a.m.

WHAT WERE READING

Biden administration announces fresh round of Russia sanctions

9/11 families press Biden on possible meeting with Saudi crown prince

Biden lays groundwork for risky meeting with Saudis

Biden officials speak with Ukraine on latest military aid package

The Hill Opinion: The unpalatable truth in Ukraine

Thats it for today. Check out The Hills Defense and National Security pages for the latest coverage. See you tomorrow!

VIEW FULL VERSION HERE

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett during their meeting, in Sochi, on October 22 2021. (Photo by YEVGENY BIYATOV/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images

Israel's prime minister said Putin apologized for Russia's pro-Nazi accusations.

Russia has repeatedly tried to use Nazism as a justification for its devastating war in Ukraine.

Israel has taken a seemingly neutral stance of the war and has tried to play the mediator role.

Israel's prime minister said Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to him after Moscow's top diplomat previously accused Israel of being pro-Nazi over its support of Ukraine.

"The Prime Minister accepted President Putin's apology for [Foreign Minister Sergey] Lavrov's remarks and thanked him for clarifying his attitude towards the Jewish people and the memory of the Holocaust," Naftali Bennett's office said in a Thursday statement after a phone call with Putin.

Lavrov falsely suggested last weekend that Adolf Hitler was Jewish, the latest attempt from Moscow to try to justify war in Ukraine as a campaign against neo-Nazis. Russia also accused Israel of being pro-Nazi by showing support for Kyiv.

Israel's government called Lavrov's remarks "unforgivable" and "the lowest form of racism."

"Such lies are intended to accuse the Jews themselves of the most horrific crimes in history that were committed against them," Bennett said in a statement in response to Lavrov, adding, "The use of the Holocaust of the Jewish people as a political tool must cease immediately."

The Kremlin made mention of an apology in its readout of Thursday's call between Putin and Bennett.

But Bennett's office said that along with the apology, Putin also promised to allow an evacuation from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, where a small band of Ukrainian resistance and civilians have been holed up for weeks.

Israel's evacuation request  which would involve a United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) humanitarian corridor  comes a day after Bennett spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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Hundreds of civilians have already been evacuated from bombarded Mariupol to the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia in recent days through a joint UN and ICRC operation.

Israel has taken a relatively neutral stance throughout Russia's war against Ukraine  providing humanitarian assistance and denouncing Russia over atrocities like the Bucha killings, though stopping short of unveiling any sanctions or providing lethal military aid to Ukrainian forces.

The Israeli government voted to condemn Russia's invasion in the UN, and has offered Ukraine non-lethal military aid. But lawmakers in Washington, among others, have pressured Israel to do more to help Ukraine bolster its security  particularly given the billions in military aid the US gives Israel per year.

The US and its Western allies have slapped unprecedented sanctions on Russia over the war, while sending billions in military aid to Ukraine, including heavy weapons.

The Israeli government's position on the Ukraine war is heavily influenced by the Russian military's presence in Syria and security concerns over Iran. Israel coordinates with Russia to target Iranian activities in Syria, and has sought to maintain amicable relations with Moscow as a result.

Israel also has strong political and cultural ties to both Russia and Ukraine  roughly 15% of its population is Russian-speaking and many came from the former Soviet Union (including Ukraine). Taken together, these factors have placed Israel in an awkward position as its Western allies band together against Russia.

But Lavrov's comments risked alienating Israel and pushing it to fully embrace Washington's approach to punishing Russia over the war, which could help explain why Putin apparently made an atypical effort to apologize to a fellow world leader.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A former Augusta man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison and ordered to pay a $2,500 fine for bank and bankruptcy fraud connected to his purchase of a Hale Street apartment complex.

Jerome Walter Kiggundu, 38, was convicted in December and now has a Commerce City, Colo. address, according to a news release from U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia.

Kiggundu submitted fraudulent bank statements showing his company Nakaddu LLC had an average monthly operating balance of $100,000, when it was actually around $500, the release said. Kiggundu also misrepresented his net worth was able to obtain a $2.8 million loan, which he used to refinance the 80-unit complex, it said.

Read More: $2.8 million loan leads to federal fraud convictions for Augusta apartment building owner

Also: Federal fraud indictment names Augusta businessman

When the lender began to foreclose on the property, located across from the former Craig-Houghton Elementary School, Kiggundu filed for bankruptcy protection. In doing so he submitted additional fraudulent bank statements and lied under oath about his finances, U.S. Attorney David Estes said in the release.

Kiggundus extensive fraud scheme was motivated purely by personal greed, Keri Farley, special agent in charge of the Atlanta FBI office, said in the release. This sentence serves as a warning to others that the FBI will not let such lies go unchecked.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta bank fraud case: Man sentenced to prison in federal court
North Korea now heads the top international disarmament conference that's recognized by the UN

North Korean ambassador Han Tae Song chairs the Conference on Disarmament. FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images

North Korea has assumed the temporary presidency of the Conference of Disarmament.

Forty-eight nations issued a joint statement protesting the appointment but didn't stage a walkout.

North Korea has conducted six banned nuclear weapons tests since the year began.

North Korea now holds the presidency of the Conference of Disarmament, the top international forum on disarmament recognized by the United Nations, multiple media outlets reported.

The appointment comes despite the hermit nation alarming the West and its neighbors with a spate of banned ICBM tests over the last few months.

According to Agence France-Presse, Pyongyang's ambassador, Han Tae-Song, assumed the presidency of the 65-member group on Thursday and will hold it until July 1.

The conference's presidency rotates between its members in alphabetical order according to their country names in English. Currently, it is North Korea's turn to chair the meeting in Geneva.

Han opened the session by recognizing the "honor and privilege," of the role, per The Associated Press.

However, the niceties didn't last long. Han later declared before the body that his country is "still at war with the United States," per AFP.

Amanda Gorely, Australia's ambassador at the conference, read a joint statement by 48 countries expressing outrage at North Korea's assumption of the presidency, per AP. The statement said these nations were "gravely concerned" about its "reckless actions which continue to seriously undermine the very value" of the conference.

Responding to the criticisms, Han said he had "taken note" of the statement, AFP reported.

Several non-governmental organizations had initially urged a walkout of the room to signal a diplomatic protest, although none eventually took place, per the outlet. Instead, some states such as the US, UK, the European Union, Australia, and South Korea chose to send lower-level diplomats to the meeting.

The Conference of Disarmament aims to prevent nuclear war and end the nuclear arms race but hasn't produced any significant deals since 1996, the BBC reported.

Read the original article on Insider
(Getty Images)

Rangers won through to the Europa League final in sensational style with a 3-1 semi-final second-leg victory over RB Leipzig to dramatically emerge 3-2 winners on aggregate.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg in Germany, and in the biggest game at Ibrox for 50 years, Light Blues skipper James Tavernier levelled the tie in the 18th minute with a close-range finish.

Amid a fever-pitch atmosphere, midfielder Glen Kamara drove in a terrific second from 20 yards just six minutes later and the Gers fans were in dreamland at the interval.

France striker Christopher Nkunku brought Leipzig back into it when he levelled the tie in the 70th minute with a smart volley but Gers midfielder John Lundstram fired in with 10 minutes remaining to book a place in the Seville final against Eintracht Frankfurt.

The frantic search for tickets, flights and hotels for Spain is now underway after Rangers reached their first European final in 14 years on a never-to-be-forgotten night in Govan.

It has been an epic journey for Rangers, who were playing their 18th game in UEFA competitions this season against Leipzig.

After much speculation, striker Kemar Roofe remained out injured with Aaron Ramsey declared fit enough only for the bench as Joe Aribo was handed a main strikers role.

Midfielders Ryan Jack and Kamara and attacker Scott Wright returned, with Scott Arfield, Steven Davis and Fashion Sakala dropping to the bench.

James Tavernier got the ball rolling for Rangers (PA)

Leipzig boss Domenico Tedesco had Willi Orban, Kevin Kampl and Mohamed Simakan back from suspension with the former two included in the starting line-up.

It was Rangers most important game at Ibrox since they beat Bayern Munich 2-0 in the 1972 European Cup Winners Cup semi-final second leg on their way to winning the trophy, and the stadium shook beforehand with the noise of excited Gers fans.

After a minutes silence before kick-off in tribute to popular kitman Jimmy Bell who died on Tuesday both sides battled frantically for control.

Visiting keeper and skipper Peter Gulacsi saved a long-distance drive from Jack in the seventh minute before Orban headed a corner wide at the other end.

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However, right-back Tavernier, who scored twice against Braga in the previous round at Ibrox, struck the first blow, racing in at the back post to knock in a cross from Ryan Kent after good work by Kamara in keeping the move alive on the touchline.

More mayhem ensued when Aribo played in Wright to lay the ball off to Kamara who guided a left-footed shot from outside the box past the outstretched arms of Gulacsi. Ibrox was in uproar.

Aribo then somehow mis-kicked from five yards out after being set up by Taverniers header from Borna Barisics deep cross.

Just before the break the makeshift centre-forward then fell to the ground after blocking a powerful free-kick from Angelino with his face and was replaced by Sakala.

Glen Kamara scored Rangers second goal of the night (AFP via Getty Images)

With defenders Connor Goldson, Calvin Bassey and Barisic booked in the first half, the home side had to be cautious - yet retain a threat - as the Bundesliga outfit went in search of a tie leveller.

Wright and Jack made way for Arfield and Leon Balogun just before the hour-mark as the visitors began to dominate.

Gers keeper Allan McGregor made a great save from Konrad Laimers drive but moments later he had no chance when Angelino crossed from the left for Nkunku to volley in from 10 yards and the pendulum looked like it had swung towards the visitors.

But only until Lundstram pounced when Kents cross from the left was cleared to his feet 12 yards from goal and he gleefully drove it low into the net.

Rangers were on their way to Seville.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering Missouri landowners another way to help manage deer numbers on their properties.

MDCs Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) can help landowners manage deer on their properties by allowing them and hunters they designate to buy additional firearms permits to take antlerless deer on the properties above and beyond regular-season harvest limits. Each permit authorizes the take of one antlerless deer and costs the same as a Firearms Antlerless Permit. Permits may be used during any portion of the firearms deer season with methods allowed during that portion. Permits may only be used on the enrolled DMAP property for which they were issued.

According to MDC, the number of deer in a local area varies widely throughout Missouri due to various types and quality of habitat, land-use practices, hunting regulations and harvest levels, and other factors.

For some landowners, deer cause crop damage and other problems, even with deer removals through regular hunting seasons and damage authorizations, said MDC Deer Biologist Kevyn Wiskirchen, who coordinates DMAP. And some landowners need additional tools for achieving their deer-management goals for their properties. The programs main goal is to maintain healthy deer populations while balancing landowner needs.

Wiskirchen added that any private property of at least 500 acres located outside of municipal boundaries, regardless of the owners legal residence, is eligible for the program. For properties inside the boundaries of a city or town, at least 40 acres are required. Individual parcels of land, regardless of ownership, may be combined to satisfy the acreage requirements as long as no parcel of land is more than a half-mile (by air) from the boundary of another parcel being combined to form an enrolled DMAP property.

The acreage requirement is designed to encourage deer management at a scale that will have a meaningful effect on local populations, said Wiskirchen.

DMAP also provides landowners with science-based methods and information to address a spectrum of other local deer-management goals, including Quality Deer Management (QDM) objectives.

MDC piloted the program in 2019 on a limited county and regional level. MDC expanded DMAP to additional counties and regions in 2020 and 2021, and now offers it statewide. According to MDC, more than 86,000 acres were enrolled in 2021 and included 89 landowners or landowner cooperatives.

Annual DMAP enrollment is available from May 15 through Oct. 1.

To learn more about DMAP, including enrollment, visit MDC online at mdc.mo.gov/dmap, or contact your local MDC private land conservationist or conservation agent.

Find local MDC contacts online at mdc.mo.gov/contact-engage/local-mdc-contacts.

Learn more about DMAP in the June Missouri Conservationist feature article, Managing the Herd, online at mdc.mo.gov/magazines/missouri-conservationist/2022-06/managing-herd.

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By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan and China have discussed activities realized for the implementation of green energy projects in the country, Azernews reports.

The discussion took place during the meeting between Azerbaijan's Export and Investment Promotion Agency Head Yusif Abdullayev with the newly-appointed Economic and Trade Adviser at the Chinese embassy in Baku, Ma Chi.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the business and investment climate in Azerbaijan and the work done to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

They also exchanged views on the participation of Azerbaijani companies in the 5th China International Import Expo to be held in Shanghai on November 5-10.

Azerbaijan is Chinas key trade partner in the South Caucasus region. In 2021, China became Azerbaijans 4th largest trading partner. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $1.7 billion.

Azerbaijan has a trade mission in China, trade and wine houses, trade branches in trade networks and measures are continuously taken to develop cooperation. In addition, there are companies with Chinese capital operating in Azerbaijan. The successful investment cooperation is underway.

Meanwhile, negotiations are underway with China on a number of industrial projects. Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to support China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative.
NEW YORK  A New York appeals court on Thursday upheld Harvey Weinsteins rape conviction and 23-year prison sentence, rejecting the former movie moguls claim that the judge at his landmark #MeToo trial unfairly allowed women to testify about allegations that werent part of the case.

The ruling by a five-judge panel in the states intermediate appeals court affirmed one of the highest-profile verdicts to date in Americas reckoning with sexual misconduct by powerful figures  an era that began with a flood of allegations against Weinstein.

Weinsteins publicist, Juda Engelmayer, said he is reviewing his options and will seek to appeal the decision to the states highest court, the Court of Appeals.

We are disappointed, but not surprised, Engelmayer said.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who took office in January while Weinsteins appeal was pending, said in a statement that prosecutors were gratified by todays decision, which upholds a monumental conviction that changed the way prosecutors and courts approach complex prosecutions of sexual predators.

Weinstein, 70, was convicted in New York in February 2020 of forcibly performing oral sex on a TV and film production assistant, Mimi Haley, in 2006 and raping an aspiring actress in 2013. He was acquitted of first-degree rape and two counts of predatory sexual assault stemming from actor Annabella Sciorras allegations of a mid-1990s rape.

The Associated Press does not generally identify people alleging sexual assault unless they consent to be named; Sciorra has spoken publicly about her allegations, and Haley has agreed to be named.

Weinstein is jailed in California, where he was extradited last year and is awaiting trial on charges he assaulted five women in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills from 2004 to 2013.

Lawyer Gloria Allred, who represents Haley, Sciorra and another witness, said that she was thrilled Weinsteins conviction was upheld and that her clients many sacrifices for the cause of justice were not in vain.

Justice was done, Allred said. But now I am also looking forward to the criminal prosecution of Mr. Weinstein in Los Angeles, where I also represent alleged victims for whom charges have been filed.

Former District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., who oversaw Weinsteins prosecution, told The Associated Press he has always had confidence in the strength of the case. He said he was confident that trial judge James Burkes rulings were fair and would be sustained on appeal.

I am also grateful this decision by the appellate court fully credits the powerful testimony of the brave and strong survivors of Mr. Weinsteins abuse, Vance said. Today, they are one step closer to full closure of the legal process, which they deserve.

The ruling follows several setbacks for women seeking to hold celebrity men accountable for alleged wrongdoing.

On Wednesday, a Virginia jury found that Amber Heards abuse allegations against Johnny Depp were defamatory. In March, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal after a Pennsylvania court threw out Bill Cosbys sexual assault conviction.

In Weinsteins case, the appeals court took an unusually long time to rule  nearly six months after contentious oral arguments last December that stoked doubts about whether his conviction would stand. The court had been expected to rule in January.

At the hearing, some judges were critical of Burke and prosecutors, suggesting they were open to reversing Weinsteins conviction and ordering a new trial. Judge Sallie Manzanet-Daniels said Burke let prosecutors pile on with incredibly prejudicial testimony from additional witnesses.

But, in the 45-page ruling Thursday, the five judges were unanimous in finding that Burke had properly exercised his discretion in allowing testimony from three women who accused Weinstein of violating them but whose claims did not lead to charges in the New York case.

The judges also concurred with Burkes decision to let prosecutors confront Weinstein with evidence about other, unrelated misbehavior if hed testified, including whether hed stranded a colleague in a foreign country, told people to lie to his wife, or screamed at restaurant staff while demanding a late-night meal.

The judges, in their ruling, said that although the volume of material  pertaining to 28 alleged acts of boorish behavior over 30 years  was unquestionably large, and, at first blush, perhaps appears to be troublingly so, Burke properly weighed its relevance to the case. Weinstein didnt take the witness stand.

The panel also rejected Weinsteins arguments that Burke was wrong in other ways: by keeping a juror who wrote a novel involving predatory older men, and by letting a prosecution expert testify about victim behavior and rape myths. Burke did not allow testimony on similar subjects from defense experts.

Rules on calling additional witnesses to testify about prior bad acts vary by state and were an issue in Cosbys successful appeal of his sexual assault conviction in Pennsylvania. New Yorks rules, shaped by a decision in a 1901 poisoning case, are among the more restrictive.

At the December hearing, Weinsteins lawyers argued the extra testimony went beyond whats normally allowed  detailing motive, opportunity, intent or a common scheme or plan  and essentially put the ex-studio boss on trial for crimes he wasnt charged with and hadnt had an opportunity to defend himself against.

The jury was overwhelmed by such prejudicial, bad evidence, Weinstein lawyer Barry Kamins told the appellate panel. This was a trial of Harvey Weinsteins character. The people were making him out to be a bad person.
CUMBERLANDEnvigo, the Cumberland County breeder that a federal judge lambasted for its torturous abuse of dogs and puppies, has relinquished 446 beagles that authorities seized last month after finding them in acute distress.

The disclosure is in a new joint filing by federal officials and Envigo. It seeks to extend Judge Norman Moons temporary restraining order for 14 days so the parties can work out a settlement to satisfy issues the judge and federal prosecutors raised.

The Parties have determined that the best path forward is to work together toward a settlement to address the issues raised in the Complaint and temporary restraining order, the joint motion says.

The Parties respectfully request a short extension of time to work out the details of their settlement, which will include non-governmental organizations and other third parties.

Agents had already seized 145 dogs as of May 19, when Chris Kavanaugh, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, filed a federal enforcement action against Envigo, asking the judge to halt the breeders violations of federal animal welfare laws and regulations.

Two days later the judge, finding extraordinary relief is warranted, issued a temporary restraining order against Envigos Cumberland County breeding facility in an effort to halt its torturous mistreatment of beagle dogs and puppies.

Moon ordered Envigo to immediately cease breeding, selling, or otherwise dealing in beagles at the Cumberland Facility, until in full compliance with his order, which requires a long list of corrective actions, including that Envigo provide its dogs quality food, water, shelter and veterinary care.

The judge also halted Envigo from euthanizing any beagle at the Cumberland site without the consent of the U.S. Attorneys Office, or a court order if the federal prosecutor does not consent.

The new joint motion asked the judge to hold off on a hearing on the preliminary injunction that was slated for Thursday.

Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, D-Va., hailed the news that authorities had rescued nearly 450 beagles from Envigo.

Weve spent months pressing the Department of Agriculture to take action against Envigo following its persistent and egregious abuses of animal welfare laws, and are glad to see enforcement efforts come to fruition, the senators said in a joint statement.

We will continue to follow this case closely and do everything in our power to prevent Envigo from causing further harm to innocent animals.

Envigo had said in a May statement that while it was fully cooperating with federal authorities at the facility it said it denies the allegations in the complaint and will vigorously defend against the lawsuit.

Daphna Nachminovitch, a senior vice president at PETA, said in a statement: These docile, long-neglected dogs will be spared untold suffering in cruel and deadly experiments, and they can leave behind Envigos relentless stress, sweltering sheds, barren cages, and chronic deprivation of their basic needs.

PETA is celebrating a new beginning for these dogs and what we hope will be the end of Envigos horrific hell on Earth for thousands of dogs.

In April, Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed legislation to protect dogs and cats at breeding facilities  a bipartisan legislative effort that stemmed from dozens of animal welfare violations at the Cumberland County beagle mill.
After five years of blood, sweat and tears, the Culpeper Battlefields State Park is on the verge of being born.

The proposal gained the backing Wednesday of the Virginia Senate and the House of Delegates, atop Gov. Glenn Youngkins earlier support for the preserve first proposed in 2016.

The General Assembly's approved budget would create a 1,700-acre state park in Culpeper, focused on the county's Brandy Station and Cedar Mountain battlefields, from land preserved over decades by the American Battlefield Trust. Now, the budget requires only Youngkin's signature, expected later this month.

The protection of Culpeper Countys historic battlefields has been among the great success stories of the American Battlefield Trust over the past 35 years, and we celebrate the General Assembly vote unreservedly, Trust President David Duncan said Thursday. The creation of a state park from these protected landscapes is the culmination of a tremendous vision shared by the preservation community, local residents and elected officials from across the commonwealth.

Close to the commonwealth's most populous regions, Culpeper's battlefields illustrate the sweep of the Civil War in Virginia, from Confederate troops mobilization in 1861 through the Gettysburg and Wilderness campaigns of 1863 and 1864.

The federal Civil War Sites Advisory Commission, created by Congress, ranked Cedar Mountain and Brandy Station higher in national historical significance and priority for preservation than Virginia's Sailors Creek, High Bridge and Staunton River battlefields. Those three state parks in Southwest Virginia are tied to the wars final campaigns.

The Culpeper state-park idea gained steam in 2016 when the county Board of Supervisors and the Culpeper Town Council endorsed it. A bipartisan coalition of state legislators, national and local preservation groups, and Virginia residents advocated for the proposal.

"As awe-inspiring as these preserved lands are, we came to realize the wherewithal and marketing muscle of the Virginia State Park System was needed to make the battlefields into a genuine heritage tourism destination and economic engine for the community," recalled Jim Campi, the trusts chief policy and communications officer.

Later, state Sen. Emmett Hanger, a budget conferee, aided by Sen. Bryce Reeves and Del. Michael Webert, secured budget language mandating a state-agency study of the park. The effort was reinvigorated this year, when Youngkin supported the park, leading to its inclusion in the states two-year budget.

I am excited to see that the budget conferees included Governor Youngkin's proposal to create the Culpeper Battlefields State Park, Reeves said Thursday. This is an initiative I worked on for many years and convinced the new administration to make a priority. This park will be a great resource for the people of Culpeper County and will bring in impactful tourism dollars. I want to thank the great team at the American Battlefield Trust for their consistent efforts to get us across the finish line.

State Sen. Chap Petersen, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committees subcommittee on agriculture, conservation and natural resources, was another strong proponent.

If you look at how our state parks are spread out, they are very heavy west of the Blue Ridge, running down to Southwest Virginia, and heavy on the Bay side, east of Richmond, the Fairfax County Democrat told the Culpeper Star-Exponent earlier this year. "But theres a gap in the corridor from Washington, D.C., down U.S. 29 to Charlottesvillea huge population corridor. ... The bottom line is, this could be a very popular state park within a 45-minute drive of Northern Virginia.

Culpepers location between Manassas National Battlefield Park and Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park will boost visitation to the state park, supporters say.

The General Assemblys compromise budget includes a $3 million appropriation to enable the Battlefield Trust to acquire up to 800 additional acres to enhance the new park. The national nonprofit will donate its 1,700-acre holdings to create the state preserve. Its land is mainly at Brandy Station and Cedar Mountain, but also includes parts of the battlefields at Kellys Ford and Rappahannock Station and a Union winter encampment on Hansbrough's Ridge near Stevensburg.

The state park will be created on July 1, 2024, according to the General Assembly's budget. Many of its sites are now open to the public, stewarded by the American Battlefield Trust, Friends of Cedar Mountain or the Brandy Station Foundation.

"The trust will continue to maintain its former lands for a few years while the state park hires staff and mobilizes to assume management of the properties," Campi said.

The trust said Culpeper Battlefields State Park would not be so close to reality without the dedication of many elected and appointed officials.

The group, which protects sites from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War, expressed its thanks to Youngkin, Reeves, Petersen, Hanger, Webert, Rep. Barry Knight, Del. Robert Bloxom Jr., Del. Alfonso Lopez, Sen. David Marsden, Del. Daniel Marshall and Andrew Wheeler, senior advisor to Gov. Youngkin.

Nestled in the Virginia Piedmont next to the Blue Ridge, Culpeper County is known for its rolling green landscapes, natural beauty and abundant history, the trust noted.

During the Civil War, Culpepers setting between the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers made it strategically important to the Union and the Confederacy. Thousands of enslaved people crossed its rivers northward to freedom at the first opportunity. As free men enlisted in the U.S. army, some later returned to fight for their country on the same ground.

Both battles fought in Culpeper affected the progress of the nations deadliest conflict.

In the Battle of Cedar Mountain, waged on Aug. 9, 1862, Confederate Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson repelled Union forces that marched into Culpeper intent on capturing Gordonsvilles critical rail junction.

The Battle of Brandy Station, fought June 9, 1863, opened Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lees Gettysburg campaign, his second invasion of the North. The biggest cavalry engagement in the Western hemisphere, it was the first time Union troopers held their own against the Confederacy.

The American Battlefield Trust, which educates the public about what happened on the nations hallowed battlegrounds and why it matters today, has protected more than 55,000 acres from the three major wars waged on U.S. soil. Learn more at www.battlefields.org.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijans State Oil Company (SOCAR) First Vice-President Xoshbaxt Yusifzada has said that the country will increase oil production by 40 million tons every year.

He made the remarks speaking at the 27th Baku Energy Forum on June 3, Azernews reports.

Yusifzade recalled that Azerbaijan has been supplying oil and gas to the EU markets since 1997.

The main pipeline through which oil is exported to the EU is Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, he said.

Moreover, the companys first VP stated that a total of 11.3 billion cubic meters of gas have been transported to Europe through the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, of which 9.7 billion were transported to Italy, 1.3 billion to Greece and 0.3 billion to Bulgaria.

Some 166 billion cubic meters of gas have been exported from Azerbaijans Shah Deniz field so far, of which 36 million cubic meters fell to the share of condensate, he said.

Speaking about the Caspian Energy Forum and Exhibition, he emphasized that its holding will contribute to the expansion of ties between the oil and gas industry players.

The energy forums and exhibitions held over the past 29 years have contributed to attracting new technologies and innovations in the field of oil and gas production to the country. Besides, a number of foreign companies were able to get acquainted with Azerbaijan's experience in oil and gas production, he said.

Zero carbonization

Azerbaijan's oil and gas companies are restructuring their program and development strategy in order to achieve zero carbonization, SOCAR's Vice President of Ecology Rafiga Huseyn-zade said.

"Today, SOCAR has already prepared an appropriate program and launched projects to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. SOCAR is carrying out relevant work with international partners in order to ensure the environmental safety of the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea," she said.

Noting that the oil and gas resources of Azerbaijan will continue to provide energy security, she mentioned that SOCAR's new strategy provides for expanding the usage of technologies, reducing emissions and safe extraction of energy resources.

Huseyn-zade added that according to international organizations, SOCAR will achieve zero carbonization in the next ten years.

"Hydrogen and alternative energy sources are one of the safest types of fuel, and SOCAR is engaged in projects in this direction," she said.

Green economy projects

Speaking at the forum, UNDPs Officer-in-Charge for Azerbaijan Sukhrob Khojimatov stated that the development of Azerbaijani Karakabh should be based on a green economy. He added that one of the goals of sustainable development is precisely the transition to green energy.

We welcome the idea of ??the Azerbaijani government to create a green zone in Karabakh, he said.

The official emphasized that the UNDP, together with the World Bank and the EU, organized a mission to assess the volume of restoration work in Azerbaijans liberated territories, adding that the first report was already prepared in late March this year.

The de-mining process in the liberated lands still remains a priority area in cooperation between Azerbaijan and UNDP, he said.

He added that UNDP has already implemented several energy projects with SOCAR, as well as a number of projects with the public and private organizations, projects in the field of water and agriculture.

At the same time, Azerbaijans Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Mukhtar Babayev mentioned that it is planned to implement green projects in the country, aimed at improving energy efficiency, in accordance with the countrys development strategy until 2030.

The usage of alternative energy sources is a priority. The solutions in the sphere of alternative energy are carried out within the framework of an international program to prevent climate change. We also implement projects for the processing and reuse of waste, he said.

Oil and gas sector digitalization

Equinors Azerbaijan Country Manager Stig Atland underlined the necessity to work on the digitalization of the oil and gas sector in Azerbaijan.

He highlighted that Equinor has a high level of cooperation with Azerbaijan and it needs to be brought to the global level.

Now it is necessary to fill the gaps that exist in the digital database for even more productive cooperation, he said.

Atland added that it is necessary to systematize and digitalize the data necessary for the development of new fields.

We need to share data if we really want to succeed in the oil and gas business, including the energy transition, he said.

Hydrogen production to be launched at Baku Oil Refinery

Hydrogen production is planned at Baku Oil Refinery named after Heydar Aliyev this year, Heydar Aliyev Oil Refinery Revamp Project Deputy Managing Director Emil Alkhasli stated.

He added that along with this, modernization and reconstruction work is underway at Baku Oil Refinery in order to increase production capacity, ensure the supply of Euro-5 standard fuel in Azerbaijan, minimize the impact on the environment, ensure uninterrupted supplies of raw materials to the countrys Azerikimya production association and increase the export potential of petroleum products.

"Some 1,200 specialists have been involved in repair work at the refinery, until now, who work on a 24-hour basis. Step by step work is underway to put various equipment into operation. Modernization of refinery will ensure the efficiency and sustainability of production, also energy security," he said.

At the same time, SGC CJSC Director-General Afgan Isayev noted that Azerbaijan has the potential for transporting hydrogen along the Southern Gas Corridor.

"We are planning a transition to the sphere of green technologies. Appropriate programs are already being developed. We see potential in implementing of projects in the sphere of renewable energy, and transportation of hydrogen through the SGC. This transformation is aimed at ensuring climate security," he said.

Noting that there are opportunities to increase the capacity of SGC to 31 billion cubic meters per year, Isayev recalled that at the moment, its capacity is 16 billion cubic meters per year.

He added that the Azerbaijani government has allocated $10.4 billion for the implementation and development of this project so far.
If United Airlines is going to hire 10,000 more pilots by 2030, as the company announced this week, its going to need a bigger training center.
The East Troublesome fire, Colorado's second largest wildfire on record, was human caused, the U.S. Forest Service announced Friday.

In a news release, investigators said they believe the blaze was caused by either a hunter or a backcountry camper  possibly by accident  due to the location and time of year the fire ignited.

Investigators with U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Grand County Sheriff's Office are working to identify whoever ignited the blaze.

The East Troublesome fire broke out on Oct. 14, 2020, as a small fire about 15 miles northeast of Kremmling.

After firefighters battled the blaze for a week, the fire grew from 18,500 acres to 187,964 acres from Oct. 21 to Oct. 22, according to the fire incident management website.

Red flag weather conditions mixed with dead and downed beetle-killed trees fueled the flames as they spread through northern Colorado and torched 370 homes and 188 outbuildings.

The fire's spread was mitigated by a storm system that dropped snow and lowered temperature in the impact zones, which helped firefighters contain the blaze.

The fire was fully contained on Dec. 1  48 days after it began.
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MONTGOMERY  An Enterprise man was sentenced Thursday to 15 months in prison for attempting to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Alabama.

Following his sentence, Eric Michael Caylor, 40, will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to Caylors plea agreement and other court records, in early 2019, postal inspectors noticed that Caylor was receiving suspicious packages through the mail. Further investigation revealed that Caylor was ordering controlled substances on the dark web and paying for them using Bitcoin.

During Caylors plea hearing in February of this year, he specifically admitted that, on May 2, 2019, he attempted to possess a package that he knew contained methamphetamine. Caylor also admitted to previously receiving packages containing controlled substances and sharing or trading the drugs with others.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the Coffee County Sheriffs Office. Assistant United States Attorney Russell T. Duraski prosecuted the case.
The Wiregrass Museum of Art has received some financial support for its summer outreach programs and its First Saturday Family Day.

The Wiregrass Foundation awarded the Wiregrass Museum of Art (WMA) a $10,000 grant for its summer outreach programs, while the Southeast Alabama Community Foundation awarded a $3,000 grant for the First Saturday Family Day, the museums longest-running program.

These programs reflect the museums core mission to inspire lifelong learning for all ages, said Dana-Marie Lemmer, the museums executive director and curator. WMAs programs are part of a comprehensive educational plan to provide access to the arts for our youngest residents, seniors, and families, and were grateful for support from Wiregrass Foundation and the Southeast Alabama Community Foundation.

The Wiregrass Foundation grant will help fund art camps and field trips with several local partners: the Hawk-Houston Youth Enrichment Center, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Wiregrass, the Ozark Boys & Girls Club, and Time Youth Impact Center.

It has been our pleasure to support the WMA arts program that allows children access to the arts, who may not otherwise have the experience, said Cindy Bedsole, vice president of programming of Wiregrass Foundation.

Through this grant, 430 students from partnering organizations will visit WMA over the summer months. Students will experience guided tours through the museums galleries, exploring art from WMAs collections and temporary exhibitions. Each group will spend time creating artwork with high-quality supplies in the museums studio as a part of their trip, and will take home supply kits to continue to explore self-expression and creativity after their camp experience.

WMA will also provide students at the Hawk Houston Youth Enrichment Center with an on-site camp at their location, structured to fit the needs of the centers daily schedule over six weeks. The camp experience will conclude with a field trip to WMA, to experience newly opened exhibitions and studio artmaking in late July.

Additionally, this grant creates 14 scholarship seats for the museums paid, in-house summer camps to students from low-income and disadvantaged backgrounds. Scholarship applications are available at wiregrassmuseum.org/camps, and in person at the Wiregrass Museum of Art.

The First Saturday Family Day program is held each first Saturday of the month in the museums studio, and is a free, monthly art workshop for residents and visitors of all ages.

Were proud to be able to play a small part in helping this amazing organization bring art workshops to local families, Burton Crenshaw, president of the Southeast Alabama Community Foundation, said. This grant is a result of generous donors who support investments in the Wiregrass region.

Specifically, this program provides four hours each first Saturday of the month for residents to interact directly with artists and art educators, creating opportunities to learn artistic skills and techniques and explore their own creativity. Each month offers a free hands-on activity, and program participants are encouraged to learn alongside their family members in the studio and from exhibitions throughout the museum. Activities include painting and drawing, weaving, art bookmaking, sculpting, mixed media, collage, and more. No registration is required, and the program runs from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The Wiregrass Museum of Art, located at 126 Museum Ave. in downtown Dothan, is open to the public every Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. General admission is free. For more information, visit wiregrassmuseum.org or call 334-791-3871.
Ton Duc Thang and Duy Tan universities have been ranked among the 100 best schools in Asia for 2022 by British magazine Times Higher Education.

Ton Duc Thang University in Ho Chi Minh City is ranked 73rd while Duy Tan University in Da Nang City hit 91st in the Asia University Rankings 2022 that Times Higher Education (THE) released Wednesday.

This marks the first time ever that Vietnamese universities have broken into the Asia top 100 list in the annual ranking.

Featuring 616 institutions from 31 countries and territories, the 2022 ranking of the top Asian universities is THE's biggest ever.

The rankings are scored on 11 key indicators, which are academic reputation (30 percent), employer reputation (20 percent), faculty/student ratio (10 percent), international research network (10 percent), citations per paper (10 percent) and papers per faculty (5 percent), staff with a PhD (5 percent), proportion of international faculty (2.5 percent) and proportion of international students (2.5 percent), proportion of inbound exchange students (2.5 percent) and proportion of outbound exchange students (2.5 percent).

Aside from the two schools in top 100, Vietnam have three others universities ranked, with Vietnam National University, Hanoi in the 301-350 group, Vietnam National University, HCMC in the 401-500 group, and Hanoi University of Science and Technology in the 500+ group.

China still leads the Asia rankings this year, with Tsinghua and Peking universities taking the top two spots for the third consecutive year. They are followed by the National University of Singapore and the University of Hong Kong.

In Southeast Asia, in addition to two Singapore schools at the top and five Vietnamese schools, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines are also represented.

Compared to 2021, Malaysia overtook Thailand to become the country with the most ranked universities at 18, of which the University of Malaya has the highest ranking, at 55th.

Thailand has 17, Indonesia 14, and the Philippines, two.

Times Higher Education became known for publishing the annual Times Higher Education  Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, which first appeared in November 2004.

In 2009, it broke with QS, the world's largest international higher education network, and signed an agreement with Thomson Reuters to provide the data instead.
U.S. magazine Travel + Leisure has recommended a backpacking trip to Southeast Asian destinations including Vietnam as among 20 best vacation ideas this summer.

It advised American tourists to go explore Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia where they can take a cooking class, go temple-hopping or have an ethical elephant experience, which does not include riding.

"The region is famous for its far lower prices on food, hotels, activities, and excursions than most Westerners are used to," Travel + Leisure wrote.

In Vietnam, tourists can visit Dak Lak, home to the country's largest elephant population, in which provincial authorities have been committed to halting elephant tours to save the animal from extinction.

Visitors to Dak Lak can now take a tour with a limited number of people to trek through the forest and see elephants, learn about their history and why they live in Yok Don National Park.

Tour guides will also inform visitors of the long-standing tradition of training and taking care of elephants among the residents in the Central Highlands, particularly ethnic minorities.

The American magazine also recommended other travel experiences like hiking to Machu Picchu, going on safari in South Africa, exploring U.S. National Parks, wandering Europe by train, and driving the Pacific Coast Highway.
The first South Korean visitors arrive in Da Nang after the pandemic, April 29, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong

Authorities in Da Nang have been offering free rapid Covid-19 antigen testing for South Korean tourists before they fly home.

They will be tested for free from now until the end of this month when they arrive at the international passenger terminal.

Those who test positive for Covid will be monitored and treated in accordance with health ministry protocols.

The move aims to attract more tourists from the Northeast Asian country as the South Korean government currently requires those returning from abroad to submit a negative PCR test result within 48 hours or a rapid antigen test conducted within 24 hours before departure.

South Korea is one of the largest tourism markets for Da Nang, famous for its long, sandy beaches.

In 2019, the year before the onset of the pandemic, Da Nang welcomed 1.7 million tourist arrivals from South Korea, accounting for half of total Korean visitors to Vietnam.

Vietnam allowed free-quarantine entry for all foreign arrivals and resumed visa exemption for South Korean tourists from March 15.

The country also removed pre-departure Covid testing requirement for foreign arrivals.
By Trend

Azerbaijan and Moldova discussed cooperation in the field of investment promotion, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said on Twitter, Trend reports.

"We held a productive meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development of the Republic of Moldova Andrei Spinu. During the meeting we discussed the expansion of bilateral relations in the field of exports, the promotion of investments, as well as the organization of business forums," Jabbarov noted.

According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, from January through April 2022, the trade turnover with Moldova exceeded $8.4 million, which is an increase of five times compared to the same period of last year ($1.69 million).
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In late March, the United States Government assessed that members of Russias forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine.
ELKO  Join the Elko Area Chamber for Business Before Hours on June 9 from 8-9 a.m. with Nevada State Bank at 2915 Mountain City Highway.

Business Before Hours is a free and fun event open to the public. The hosts will be providing a variety of beverages with an array of breakfast treats. Also, be sure to enter for a chance at winning some raffle prizes.

Attend and network with other business leaders and community members. Additionally, learn more about the hosting organization and have the first opportunity to hear about whats up and coming in our community.

Nevada State Bank has been the bank of choice for many Nevadans for more than 60 years. They work hard to understand your financial needs so they can offer a complete suite of products and services customized to fit your household or your business needs. They want to earn your trust and share in your financial future.

Nevada State Bank offers everything you need to help you achieve your financial goals. Ask them how they can open the door to your future, and they will make it happen for you.

For more information, contact there Elko Branch at 775-393-2350 or their Spring Creek Branch at 775-393-2380.

Meghan Micheli is marketing and program coordinator at the Elko Area Chamber.

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ELKO  A woman in Wells who advertised her car for sale on Facebook let two men take it for a test drive but they did not return.

An Idaho man was jailed Thursday for grand larceny in the November 2020 incident.

The woman told deputies that two Hispanic men left a flatbed pickup with Idaho plates at her home while they drove off in her 2006 Lincoln Navigator. When they didnt return within an hour she contacted law enforcement, who determined that the pickup had been stolen in Idaho.

Her car was recovered the following morning in Battle Mountain, but by that time the pair had stolen another vehicle and left the area.

On the following morning, authorities in Idaho reported finding that vehicle with two men inside. One of them, Adan S. Galvan-Martinez, 21, was identified by the Wells woman as the man who drove off with her car, according to a deputys report.

The other man gave deputies the name of someone who had been dead for some time.

Both men were jailed in Idaho by the time they were identified in the Nevada crime. They were charged in February 2021 with grand larceny of a motor vehicle or principle to grand larceny of a motor vehicle.

Galvan-Martinez was booked into Elko County Jail on Thursday.

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The May 24 massacre of 19 children and two of their teachers at Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, Texas incited rage and indignation from many  and grieving among us all.

The profile of the 18-year shooter, Salvador Ramos, is depressingly familiar.

Ramos was a teenage loner from a dysfunctional family. Bullied as a child, he immersed himself in video games and other virtual reality. He fought with his mother and hinted at violent actions.

This history is similar to the profile of other young mass killers.

The 2018 Parkland gunman regularly posted violent and threatening images, and his classmates later told investigators if there was ever going to be a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, they believed it would be him.

The shooter behind the May 14 racist attack in Buffalo specifically told classmates he wanted to commit a murder/suicide after graduation.

Similar warning signs were there for mass killers from Sandy Hook to Aurora  and in Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Newtown, Thousand Oaks, Tucson and Sutherland Springs shootings.

As after each of these previous atrocities, theres the usual demand to do something on gun violence. But doing something is easier said than actually done in identifying achievable steps to reduce the likelihood of future massacres.

President Biden has called for commonsense gun reforms without specifics. Former President Obama tweeted: Its long past time for action, any kind of action.

Both easily demonize Republicans and the gun lobby.

This call to action, any kind of action means that anything apparently will do, even if it turns out to be futile or counter-productive.

The RAND Corporation, respected public policy experts  no sycophants for the National Rifle Association  conducted a 2018 research study and failed to find a single gun-control policy that had been proven to reduce mass shootings in the United States.

We found no qualifying studies showing that any of the 13 policies we studied decreased mass shootings, their report bluntly concluded.

A 1994 ban on assault weapons actually resulted in sales of weapons like AR-15 rifles increasing during the era of the ban and sky-rocketing when it was lifted in 2004.

A 2004 report for the Justice Department found the bans effects on gun violence are likely to be small at best and perhaps too small for reliable measurement. Congress let the ban lapse with little debate that year.

Are there common ground actions that can be taken by a bipartisan majority in Congress to stop mass shootings by disturbed young men?

So-called red-flag laws giving police the ability to deny guns to people who may pose a risk to the community might be useful, but they are hard to enforce. New York state has a red-flag law and the Buffalo shooter was referred for mental counseling, and still got a gun.

Nevada is one of 19 states to have a red-flag law passed along strict party lines in 2019. AB 291 allows family, household members or police to petition for a court order to seize weapons for up to a year.

Requests for red flag confiscations have been extremely rare in Nevada. Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo reported last year Metro had seen only two applications for extended protection orders and both were never processed by the state.

The proliferation of mass shootings reflect deeper problems than gun laws can fix.

Society needs to rethink our hands-off attitudes to antisocial behavior and mental illness.

Security at schools and churches will need to be enhanced.

The rise of family dysfunction and the decline of institutions such as churches and social organizations have consequences.

Hollywood films, television and video games contribute to an overall culture of violence that affects our society in negative ways.

Anyone who thinks gun laws will end mass shootings in America isnt paying attention to our much larger societal problems.

Email Jim Hartman at lawdocman1@aol.com.

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Ambassador Nguyen Ba Hung (L) talks with Ms Mai about the Embassys key tasks in 2022.

(Photo: NDO)

During the meeting, Ms Mai highly appreciated the activities of the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos, emphasizing that the Vietnamese Ambassador, officers and employees of the Embassy and relevant agencies have actively contributed and advised the leaders and departments on the development of policies and procedures for Vietnam's foreign affairs in Laos.

She affirmed that Vietnamese and Lao leaders always pay attention to and cultivate the special relationship between the two countries. This year is the Vietnam-Laos and Laos-Vietnam Friendship and Solidarity Year 2022 with two major activities, including the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam  Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. In each country's capital, important commemorative activities will be held, according to Ms Mai.

Announcing a number of key activities between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, including cooperation in theoretical exchange, in training and fostering leadership cadres, she said she believed that this is an important task in the current situation, contributing to promoting the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

She added that the two sides have successfully coordinated to organize many programs and training courses for leaders and managers of the political system of Laos.

On behalf of officials and employees of the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos, Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung affirmed his determination to perform well the tasks assigned by senior leaders, together with the Embassy and the agencies, to foster the growing relationship between Vietnam and Laos./.
At the ceremony to release the book (Photo: VNA)

The book was first published in Vietnamese six decades ago and first reprinted in 2001.

VNA cited the sayings of Associate Prof. Dr. Do Bang, Vice President of the Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA), that the book features the construction of the former royal capital of Hue (now in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue) and citadels in localities, as well as the development of the domestic shipbuilding industry.

The book, issued by the History Institute under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS), was first published in Vietnamese six decades ago and first reprinted in 2001. (Photo: VNA)

In 1803, King Gia Long (1762-1820) ordered reestablishing the Hoang Sa (Paracel) fishing boat fleet and sent naval forces to establish the countrys sovereignty over Hoang Sa, according to the book.

King Minh Mang then dispatched representatives of various central office to the archipelago to exercise Vietnams sea and island sovereignty./.
Visitors to the Vietnam International Maternity - Baby & Kids Fair opened in HCM City on June 2 (Photo: dangcongsan.vn)

Those activities started with the Vietnam International Premium Products Fair (VIPREMIUM) and the 10th Vietnam International Maternity - Baby & Kids Fair (Vietbaby Fair), both opened in Ho Chi Minh City on June 2.

About 150 leading companies in beauty, health, food, and household products are taking part in VIPREMIUM 2022. Meanwhile, Vietbaby Fair sees the participation of over 100 businesses from nine countries and territories that make products for newborn babies and toddlers.

Due to the pandemic, overseas fairs held by COEX and KITA took place both in person and via videoconference in 2020 but completely online in 2021.

COEX and KITA are planning the Korea Smart Electric & Energy Fair (KOSEP) in July, the Vietbaby Fair in Hanoi in September, a franchise and retail show along with Coffee Expo Vietnam in November, and many other activities, they said.

Kim Hyun-cheol, head of the global cooperation division at KITA, noted though the Vietnamese economy faced certain stagnation in 2021 due to COVID-19, it is still attractive to Korean exporters thanks to low labour cost, simplified administrative procedures, its participation in many free trade deals, and diverse supply chains.

They plan to make use of these events as stepping stones for Korean small- and medium-sized enterprises to enter the Vietnamese market, he added.

Vietnam Airlines resumes Hanoi-Busan route

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

Vietnam Airlines has become the first foreign carrier to resume flights to Busan since the Republic of Korea (RoK) restricted flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic, reported Vietnam News Agency.

Flight VN426 departed from Hanoi with 148 passengers on board, and another run by the national flag carrier returned from Busan with 175 passengers.

The airline is operating three flights per week on the route every Monday, Tuesday and Friday.

As from July, it will also reopen the Ho Chi Minh City-Busan route with four flights per week, and plans to launch flights connecting Hanoi, HCM City, Da Nang and Nha Trang with Seoul.

Wide-body Boeing 787 aircraft will be used on the routes.

Tickets are available at www.vietnamairlines.com, booking offices and sale agents of Vietnam Airlines nationwide.

Vietnam, Cambodia target 10 billion USD bilateral trade in 2022

The first quarter of this year witnessed total two-way trade turnover between the nation and Cambodia reach nearly 3.4 billion USD, with the figure anticipated to reach over 10 billion USD for the entire year, reported VOV News.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. (Photo: VOV)

Both sides officially established diplomatic relations 55 years ago in 1967, marking a new chapter in the relationship and creating momentum to ramp up co-operation, especially in the field of economics and trade. This can be viewed as a bright spot in bilateral relations, thereby contributing to the two countries development and prosperity.

Despite facing the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its ongoing complicated developments since 2020, the two countries have made all-out efforts to cope with the pandemic. As a result, bilateral trade turnover has recorded many impressive results.

According to data provided by the General Department of Vietnam Customs, total two-way trade turnover reached more than 5 billion USD in 2020, and over 9 billion USD in 2021, with this figure is projected to hit 10 billion USD this year.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen put the sharp increase in trade turnover between the two nations at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic down to the foundation of sound bilateral relations.

During the period affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Cambodian exports to the nation expanded by more than 300%. Therefore, it can be said that the two economies are complementary for each other.

As a means of further ramping up economic, trade, and investment co-operation, the two governments have agreed to build and implement an open door mechanism for import and export activities, international travel, and labour co-operation. This is along with customs procedures as well as entry and exit and trade regulations, all of which are aimed at facilitating greater investment by businesses in each other's respective markets.

The two sides have also revamped preferential mechanisms and policies for firms in terms of labour training, production and business expansion, investment, and trade promotion by organising forums and fairs, along with diversifying Vietnamese investment activities in Cambodia and vice versa.

Currently, the nation has roughly 190 valid investment projects in Cambodia, with a total registered capital of nearly 3 billion USD, duly ranking fifth among countries investing in the neighbouring nation.

Vietnam primarily invests in the Cambodian agricultural sector. (Photo: VOV)

The country chooses to primarily invest in the agricultural sector, accounting for nearly 70% of total registered capital, with the rest coming in fields such as finance, banking, insurance, telecommunications, healthcare, construction, tourism and hotels, real estate, and other services.

In contrast, Cambodia currently has 21 investment projects in the nation with total capital of roughly 64 million USD.

However, according to Vu Chi Thanh, head of the Economics section of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia, besides these achievements, economic, trade, and investment co-operation between the two countries continue to face certain challenges and difficulties.

For example, there is no clear consensus from the central to the local level on the process of carrying out administrative procedures, while the support and orientations provided for business activities lacks a true connection.

As a means of ensuring the effectiveness of bilateral co-operation moving forward, the two sides need to implement a number of solutions in a bid to further promote economic and trade co-operation, with a particular focus on ensuring the trade of goods, thereby creating favourable conditions for border trade activities. These efforts should serve to intensify business connection activities, he went on to say.

Furthermore, the country should seek to outline a key investment plan in order to turn Cambodia into a manufacturing and raw material supply centre under the 1+1 model to take advantage of its comparative advantages in terms of large land fund as well as the labour resources available in Cambodia.

Efforts should be taken to strengthen the economic connection between provinces bordering the two countries and building bonded warehouses on border gate areas to ensure timely supply of goods.

Moving forward, both sides will continue to promote and constantly improve the efficiency of co-operation in the fields of economics, trade, and investment so as to create new driving forces for the development of each country. This will help step up the comprehensive co-operation between the two sides in a more substantive and effective manner.

Vietnam to use new passport form from July 1

Vietnam will use new passport form from July 1. (Photo: NDO)

The Ministry of Public Security will use a new passport form from July 1, 2022, reported the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP).

The move aims to implement Circular 73/2021/TT-BCA of the Ministry of Public Security on passport specimens.

The new passport form will be printed with Vietnamese spectacular sceneries and cultural heritages, namely Ha Long Bay, Hue Citadel, Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary, Nha Rong Habour, Lung Cu Flag Tower, and so on.

Apart from promoting the images of Vietnam to the outside word and uphold the tradition, history, geography and culture of the country, the new passport form is expected to ensure technical safety and prevent counterfeiting.

From June 6 to 31, the Ministry will only issue ordinary passports for urgent cases, including those with medical treatment certificates, working decisions, or plane tickets.

The same day, the Ministry of Public Security started launching online issuance of ordinary passports (without electronic chips) to Vietnamese citizens from June 1, according to the Immigration Department of Vietnam.

Vietnamese citizens can access http://dichvucong.gov.vn or http://dichvucong.bocongan.gov.vn to make an online declaration, pay the fee and receive their passports by post or collect them at immigration offices.

Previously-issued passports are still valid until the dates of expiration which are printed on the passports./.
Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang and Vice Chairman of the Union of Friendship Organizations of Vinh Phuc Province Nguyen Huy Quang present awards to outstanding collectives and individuals. (Photo: TDO)

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Huy Quang, Vice Chairman of the Union of Friendship Organizations of Vinh Phuc Province, said that in recent years, Vinh Phuc province has promoted many friendship cooperation activities with 10 Lao localities. The province has many practical supports for Lao localities, notably activities to support the construction of facilities and especially the cooperation program to support staff training for localities in Laos.

Up to now, Vinh Phuc province has supported training nearly 200 Laos students at academies and schools in Vietnam. Overseas students in Vinh Phuc province are always cared for and enthusiastically supported by authorities, schools and friends, creating the best conditions from studying to daily life, being considered as a citizen of Vinh Phuc.

Especially, Vinh Phuc province established the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association early with the number of nearly 2,200 members. Recently, the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association of Vinh Phuc province has well implemented solidarity and friendship activities such as launching a fund to support and help members in difficult circumstances.

Mr. Sengphet Houngboungnuang, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam, emphasized the traditional, loyal and long-standing relationship between the two peoples of Laos and Vietnam throughout history, especially since the two countries officially established diplomatic relations on September 5, 1962.

He hoped that in the coming time, Vinh Phuc province in particular and the Central Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association in general would jointly organize many specific programs and activities to preserve and cultivate the special friendship between the two countries./.
The USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine, Ukrposhta and TECHBUREAU have announced the results of the Made in UA Support Project initiative, within which 100 Ukrainian manufacturers received grant support of $1,000, the press service of the project told Interfax-Ukraine.

"Made in UA Support Project aroused great interest among Ukrainian entrepreneurs. We were guided by 500-700 applications, but received 3,397! This figure shows the demand for financial support and the outstanding entrepreneurial activity of Ukrainian manufacturers in the conditions of a full-scale war," Hannah Zenn, the director of TECHBUREAU, said.

According to her, it was a very difficult choice, they had to extend the deadline for considering applications by a week, until May 31, in order to select 100 brands.

"If it were possible, we would have chosen many more companies," adds Zenn.

More than 25% of the brands that applied to participate in the project are from Kyiv, more than 10% are from Kharkiv region. Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Lviv regions actively responded. At the same time, enterprises from the regions that suffer the most from hostilities - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia regions - joined the project.

More than 75% of the applicant enterprises have about ten people in the team. The most common types of products are clothing or footwear, home decor, furniture, toys, cosmetics, etc.

About 40% of enterprises are engaged in export. Moreover, many of them began to export already during the war, having discovered such sites as eBay, Etsy, etc.

Applications for participation were collected through a specially created platform UAmadesupport.com. The enterprises that received the most votes from all experts were selected to provide assistance. In the event that the number of votes was equal, preference was given to the one who applied earlier.

The release contains several examples of companies that were among the winners of the project. Anzy Home (Kharkiv region) creates handmade carpets, baskets, furniture, etc., plans to create a stock in fulfillment centers in the United States so that customers are not afraid to order because of uncertainty about the situation in Ukraine.

She Flowers (Odesa region) produces home decor from stabilized flowers, and despite the martial law, it is carrying out a brand transformation and wants to resume offline work in the showroom.

NOELED (Zhytomyr region), which produces ecological packaging, after the loss of the majority of wholesale customers and the transfer of production, promotes goods for export through eBay.

Winning businesses will receive $1,000 in financial aid (tax not included). They will be able to direct these funds to the most urgent production costs: materials, equipment for creating products, advertising, salaries, improving the presentation of goods, etc. Each of the winners will receive detailed instructions and a list of data that must be provided in order to sign a contract. Within a month, the money will go to the balance of producers.
The amount of environmental damage recorded to date, caused as a result of the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, exceeds UAH 200 billion, said Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strilets.

"We are constantly collecting information. All those cases that are recorded are added daily to the Ecozagroza (Ecological threat) mobile application, which everyone can join. To date, this figure has already exceeded UAH 200 billion. And we continue recording these losses," he told reporters at the Chornobyl NPP site when visiting the exclusion zone on Thursday.

At the same time, he noted that not all environmental losses can be estimated in money.

"There are ecosystems that, perhaps, will never recover or it will take hundreds of years. If we are talking about a burnt tree that has been growing for 50-100 years, or burned hectares of valuable territories. And no funds will restore them," the minister explained.

As for the Chornobyl NPP itself and the exclusion zone, then, according to him, the total amount of damage caused by the Russian invaders during the occupation has already reached UAH 2 billion.

However, the minister expressed conviction that this amount will be significantly higher after the final work to identify the facts of damage.

"The work is still ongoing. I am sure that in the near future the final amount will be calculated in order to put it in the general basket of damages and declare them in order to compensate," he stressed, noting that an appropriate compensation mechanism will be found at the international level.

"Today we have a victory, because the whole world understands that this was an act of nuclear terrorism. There is no analogous fact in the world. The international community will find together with us the right mechanisms to bring the occupier to justice and not only to condemn, but also to compensate for the damage," the minister stressed.

He also stressed that Russia should, among other things, compensate for the moral damage to the Chornobyl nuclear power plant workers  "to keep more than 30 days without rotation, this is an injury for which Russia must pay the appropriate price."

As reported, the Chornobyl nuclear power plant was occupied from the first day of the war until the end of March. During this time, the occupiers, in particular, robbed and destroyed buildings located in the zone, plundered a modern radiation laboratory worth EUR 6 million. In addition, during the occupation, it was impossible to rotate personnel who actually remained hostages of the Russian military.
RTHK: German parliament approves 100bn-euro military boost

The German parliament voted on Friday for a constitutional amendment to create a 100-billion-euro fund that will beef up its military defences in the face of an emboldened Russia.

Deputies to the Bundestag lower house approved the measure by 567 votes to 96 with 20 abstentions after the centre-left-led government and conservative opposition reached a deal on Sunday.

The watershed move answers years of criticism from close allies that Berlin was failing to achieve Nato's target of spending two percent of GDP on defence.

The Bundesrat upper house must still approve the measure.

"This is the moment in which Germany says we are there when Europe needs us," Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of the Green party told MPs.

Three days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged a special budget of 100 billion euros to rearm the German military and modernise its outdated equipment over the next few years. But critics have since accused Scholz of timidity in his support for Kyiv and failing to take enough concrete action in terms of arms deliveries.

The agreement will allow Berlin to achieve Nato's target of spending 2.0 percent of GDP on defence "on average over several years".

Russia blasted the move on Friday, accusing Germany of "remilitarising" and using language that summoned up its Nazi past.

"We take that as another confirmation that Berlin is on the path to a new re-militarisation," said Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. "We know only too well how that can end."

The bulk of the German investment  40.9 billion euros  will go toward the air force, with the acquisition of 35 US-made F-35 fighter jets, 15 Eurofighter jets and 60 Chinook transport helicopters.

Nearly 20 billion euros will be earmarked for the navy, mainly for new corvettes, frigates and a 212-model submarine.

More than 16 billion euros will bolster the army's holdings with Marder transport tanks and Fuchs armoured troop carriers.

"Germany will soon have the largest conventional army in Europe within Nato," Scholz told media. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-06-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The National Carpet Museum ( ANCM) has hosted a children's festival as part of the Year of Shusha in collaboration with Hero of the Patriotic War Zaur Nudiraliyev Secondary School No. 47.

The festival featured bright performances by various music and dance groups as well as master classes for children, Azernews reports citing the Carpet Museum.

The program included the plays "Shusha - the Cultural Capital of Azerbaijan" and "Cloth Peddler" staged by the Carpet Museum's Children's Department, as well as a puppet theater performance "Flying Carpet" prepared with the participation of students of School No. 47.

The museum also organized an exhibition of drawings and an essay contest "Heroes of Shusha" among schoolchildren held by the ANCM's Shusha branch.

An exhibition of handicrafts "Image of Karabakh  Art Object by students" was held by Baku Modern Educational Complex during the festival.

Founded in 1967, the National Carpet Museum never ceases to amaze the audience with its beautiful architecture.

Initiated by eminent carpet artist Latif Karimov, it is beautiful inside and out. The museum's new building is designed in the form of a rolled carpet. The Carpet Museum stores over 14,000 exhibits of the finest Azerbaijani carpets.

The museum hosts multiple events, including international symposiums, conferences, and various exhibitions.

In 2019, the museum received the national status for its significant contribution to the popularization and promotion of the Azerbaijani Carpet Weaving Art.

In 2020, the Carpet Museum enriched its collection with beautiful pile carpets purchased by the Culture Ministry at the Sartirana Textile Show in Italy.

The 19th-century Guba carpet Ugakh was donated to the Carpet Museum, while the Karabakh carpet Chalabi enriched the collection of the museum's Shusha branch.

The Carpet Museum also focuses on cooperation with world-leading museum organizations.

Moreover, the Carpet Museum won Travelers' Choice Awards for the fourth time in a row.
The sixth package of EU sanctions provides for the phasing out of Russian oil, in particular from six months for crude oil to eight months for other refined petroleum products, the European Council reported.

"The EU decided to prohibit the purchase, import or transfer of crude oil and certain petroleum products from Russia into the EU. The phasing out of Russian oil will take from six months for crude oil to eight months for other refined petroleum products," a press release posted on the website of the European Council on Friday reads.

A temporary exception is foreseen for imports of crude oil by pipeline into those EU member states that, due to their geographic situation, suffer from a specific dependence on Russian supplies and have no viable alternative options.

"Moreover, Bulgaria and Croatia will also benefit from temporary derogations concerning the import of Russian seaborne crude oil and vacuum gas oil respectively," the European Council said.
Employees of Megabank, declared insolvent, prevent the Deposit Guarantee Fund from gaining control over the bank, head of the fund Svitlana Rekrut said.

"As of 11:00, we record the obstruction of the fund's access to the insolvent bank," she said during a press briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

However, Rekrut noted that regardless of the obstacles, the work of the interim administration at the bank began at 09:00.

"That is, all actions of the employees, the bank management and the supervisory authorities will be considered as part of the violation of laws on the system of guaranteeing deposits of individuals and other laws that began to operate from 09:00," she said.

The head of the fund clarified that the bank's managers do not get in touch, do not respond to messages, refuse to accept the fund's documents and register them.

"All branches of the bank are closed, and informally, the employees report that they were instructed not to accept any documents from the Deposit Guarantee Fund ... Now the IT departments, including the deputy head of IT work, do not get in touch, and the employees do not hand over the keys to the fund, which is actually an obstruction," Svitlana Rekrut explained.
On June 2, the state-owned enterprise National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom and U.S. Westinghouse signed an agreement on the supply of nuclear fuel to all nuclear power plants in Ukraine at the Khmelnytsky NPP site, Energoatom told Interfax-Ukraine on Friday.

"In connection with the refusal to purchase Russian nuclear fuel, Energoatom agreed with its strategic partner, Westinghouse, to increase the supply of U.S. nuclear fuel for all Ukrainian nuclear power plants," the company said.

It is about both the supply of nuclear fuel for existing nuclear power units, and for those that Energoatom and Westinghouse are still planning to build in Ukraine.

Fuel supplies will be from the Westinghouse production site in Vasteras (Sweden).

"At the same time, fuel assembly components will be manufactured in Ukraine on the basis of one of the separate divisions of Energoatom, which is currently completing the qualification for the production of heads and tails for Westinghouse fuel," the company said.

In addition, on June 2, Energoatom and Westinghouse signed two more agreements at the Khmelnytsky NPP: on increasing the number of nuclear power units to be built using AP 1000 technology in Ukraine from five to nine units, and on establishing a Westinghouse engineering and technical center in the country.

"We are grateful to Westinghouse for many years of reliable cooperation in the supply of nuclear fuel to Ukrainian nuclear power plants and the intention to quickly expand the production of additional batches of it. Eight years of Russian armed aggression proved what a right step was the diversification of nuclear fuel supplies. This gave us the opportunity three months ago to calmly and confidently make a decision to refuse Russian supplies," Energoatom President Petro Kotin, whose words are quoted in the company's message on the Telegram channel on Friday, said.

According to Minister of Energy Herman Haluschenko, in whose presence the documents were signed, the agreements concluded between Energoatom and Westinghouse are another powerful step towards Ukraine's energy independence and its carbon-free future.

"We will modernize our fleet of nuclear power units, which will produce clean, safe and reliable energy without the influence of Russia. In the future, Ukraine can become a key exporter of electricity to Europe," the minister said, adding that new generation AP1000 reactors with the best operational characteristics in the field and the ability to work in maneuvering mode.

At the same time, he said that Ukraine considers the creation of the joint Westinghouse engineering and technical center with Energoatom as trust and recognition of the high level of domestic nuclear science, the qualifications of Ukrainian nuclear engineers and a powerful foundation for the development of Ukraine's nuclear energy for a decade ahead based on the most modern technologies.

"I am sure that we will justify this trust. I thank our American partners for many years of fruitful cooperation and reliable support for Ukraine during the war," Haluschenko said.

Early March of this year, Energoatom completely refused to purchase Russian nuclear fuel after the start of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine.
Ukraine in the marketing year 2021/2022 (MY, September-August) produced 1.4 million tonnes of sugar, which completely covers domestic demand in the amount of 1.2 million tonnes, therefore, the excess of production over consumption eliminates the shortage of this product in the country, the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UAC) said on Friday.

"In 2021/22 MY, some 1.4 million tonnes of sugar were produced, which is 44% more than in the previous year. The produced sugar is enough to cover Ukraine's annual demand for sugar calmly and even with a margin. And given the fact that part of the population of Ukraine temporarily went abroad and the consumption also decreased, respectively, the transitional balance is increasing," the association specified.

The association recalled that during the sowing campaign in Ukraine, as of June 2, some 181,000 hectares had already been sown with sugar beets, which is 80% of the sown area of the previous year. In addition, a new season of sugar making will begin in four months to meet the needs of Ukrainians next year.

According to the UAC, in the context of the Russian military invasion in Ukraine, there is a rush demand for basic food products. Each family is trying to stock up for more than one month, fearing food shortages and possible price increases. In turn, an increased demand can lead to higher prices.

As reported, a number of countries banned export of sugar to meet their own needs. In May 2022, restrictions on its export were introduced by India, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, in April - by Belarus, in March - by the Russian Federation.
National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom has signed an export contract with the Moldovan state company Energocom, according to which it plans to supply 85,200 MWh of electricity to Moldova in June at a price of $77 per 1 MWh.

Energoatom has great potential to increase the production of electricity, so its export to Moldova, and subsequently to the neighboring EU countries, is an extremely promising area of the company's trading activities," the company said on its Telegram channel on Friday.

At the same time, thanks to the export, Energoatom will receive an additional source for financing of public service obligations (PSO), according to which the population is supplied with electricity.

As Energoatom said, Ukrainian exports will allow Moldova to diversify electricity supplies and strengthen the country's energy security, since its power consumption largely depends on generation at the Moldavskaya State District Power Plant of Russia.

According to the results of daily auctions, on June 4 and on June 5, Energoatom bought 150 MW of interstate section towards Moldova on a flat schedule, another 200 MW on a flat schedule was bought by PJSC Ukrhydroenergo, which has been exporting electricity to Moldova since May 12.
Prime Minister of Urkaine Denys Shmyhal called on international companies to resume work in Ukraine.

"I appeal to all international companies that have worked in Ukraine. Resume your work now, as most Ukrainian enterprises in safe regions did. The government will help you as much as possible," Shmyhal said at a government meeting on Friday.

According to him, the cessation of work in Ukraine is sanctions against the country's economy.

"Your return will be a manifestation of true solidarity with the Ukrainian people, who today are fighting for their freedom and fighting for a peaceful future for all of Europe," he said.
PJSC Philip Morris Ukraine has been forced to reduce the range of cigarette brands since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but already in June the range of imported cigarettes is expected to expand, which will continue in the coming months.

Five factories of the international tobacco company Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) are currently working to ensure supplies to Ukraine, CEO of Philip Morris Ukraine Maksym Barabash said in an interview with Censor.net.

"Before the war, our portfolio of cigarette brands consisted of 41 SKUs (commodity items). Today, it has, of course, decreased. Difficulties with logistics affect both the volume of deliveries and the ability to fully provide the entire range of our products in Ukraine... We expect that the most popular brands will be available from June, and in the coming months we plan to significantly expand the range," he said.

At the same time, Barabash noted a reduction in the cigarette market in March-May 2022 by at least 10%, mainly due to adult consumers who went abroad, as well as people who remained in the temporarily occupied territories.

The CEO recalled that the PMI factory near Kharkiv stopped working at the beginning of the war due to hostilities with Russian occupiers in the region. However, the company was able to resume sales of imported cigarettes in Ukraine in two weeks.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he expects good news from partner countries regarding the supply of weapons.

"The United States has confirmed at various levels that modern HIMARS are being sent to our country. These weapons will really help save the lives of our people and protect our land, " Zelensky said in his video address on Thursday night.

He thanked U.S. President Joseph Biden and the American people for such support.

"We also expect good news about the supply of weapons from other partners. For example, today we have a new package of defense aid from Sweden, " the President noted, adding that Ukraine is working to bring the volume of supplies, first of all, of modern combat systems to a higher level.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell sees the risk of a "grain war" that, in his opinion, will affect not only Ukraine, but also the most vulnerable countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

"The EU is taking urgent action to facilitate food and agriculture exports from Ukraine, stepping up transport infrastructure and we are strongly supporting UN efforts to unblock the Black Sea route and coordinate to ensure a comprehensive global food security response," he said during his visit to Jordan.

He said if this agreement between the UN and Russia is reached, the European Union will be ready to take part in the implementation of this decision.

He assured that the European Union will do everything in its power, even take part in any mission of the navy, if there is an agreement between Russia and the UN on the export of Ukrainian wheat.

During the May 30-31 EU summit in Brussels, President of the European Council Charles Michel said that the EU supports UN efforts to find a solution to free up a sea corridor in the Black Sea for the export of Ukrainian wheat stocks.
Combat losses of Russian army personnel reach almost 31,000 in 100 days of full-scale invasion - General Staff

Since the beginning of its full-scale armed invasion of Ukraine, the combat losses of the personnel of the Russian army amounted to almost 31,000 people, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine informed.

The total combat losses of the enemy from February 24 to June 3 were approximately: personnel - about 30,950 [+100 - over the past day], the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Facebook on Friday.

During this time, 1,367 (+4) units of tanks, 3,366 (+12) armored combat vehicles, 661 (+14) artillery systems, 207 MLRS, 95 air defense systems, 210 aircraft, 175 helicopters, tactical level UAVs liquidated - 535 (+14), cruise missiles - 121 (+1), ships/boats - 13, automotive equipment and tankers  2,329 (+4), special equipment - 51.

The enemy suffered the greatest losses in Bakhmut direction.
By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The Land of Fire is home to many extraordinary natural wonders, Azernews reports.

From emerald forests to majestic waterfalls, there are numerous natural sights in Azerbaijan that are waiting to be explored.

Mud volcanoes are undoubtedly one of the country's most-visited natural attractionsc encouraging people to travel to far-flung destinations just to catch a glimpse of this natural miracle.

In total, there are about 700 mud volcanoes in the world and 350 of them are located in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

NASA geologists studying Mars concluded that the mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan are similar to the uplands of the planet in their structure.

World's largest mud volcano

Toragay is the largest mud volcano in the world, which is located in the south of Gobustan.

The height of the volcano is 400 meters, and the volcanic crater is 150 meters in diameter. The mud volcano erupted 6 times from 1841 to 1950.

In 2004, the Toragay mud volcano was added to the Guinness World Records.

Boyuk Kanizadag is another mud volcano that thrills everyone who sees it.

It is known as the largest mud volcano on the territory of Gobustan. This mud volcano erupted on October 10, 2001, shooting out flames 300 meters in the air.

Located in the suburb of Baku, the Otman Bozdag mud volcano erupted in 2017. The Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) announced that two eruptions were recorded in the territory of the Sangachal settlement, Garadagh district. This was the 9th eruption of the mud volcano.

Mud Volcanoes Tourism Complex

In 2021, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for Mud Volcanoes Tourism Complex in Gobustan.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the event.

The Mud Volcanoes Tourism Complex will be established 59 kilometers south-western Baku, around 17 kilometers north-western Gobustan settlement, on the main road to Shamakhi region. This territory is known as Gilinj mud volcanoes area.

The decision to create a tourism complex here was made upon the evaluation of this destinations tourism potential. Thus, another tourism infrastructure project is underway within the "State Program for the Socioeconomic Development of the Regions for 2019-2023".

The 12-hectare complex is expected to include a quad bike path, footpaths, a zip line and an observation tower, a parking lot, a souvenir shop, as well as therapeutic baths.

There are also plans to extend a 20-kilometer road from the Gobustan Reserve to Gilinj and surrounding volcanoes and create the Baku-Gobustan-Mud volcanoes tourism cluster.

Unique and rare minerals

Studies have revealed the presence of rare types of minerals, non-specific sulfates, oxides, natural iron, and many other elements in the mud volcanic breccia.

Note that volcanic breccia consists mainly of a mixture of clay mass with fragments of hard rocks.

The studies suggest that these minerals were formed under the influence of deep mud volcano fluids.

Rich in minerals, mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan can be used for medicinal purposes.

Mud is considered suitable for treatment if it contains a large number of organic compounds, iodine, bromine, hydrogen sulfide, etc.

In general, the healing properties of about 40 types of volcanic mud have been studied and confirmed by biochemical analysis.

The volcanic mud of Akhtarma Garadag, Dashgil, Bahar, and Masazir are the most studied in the country from a medical point of view.

They are considered similar to healthy mud found in Akhtala, Georgia.

Mud resort of Georgia due to the high content of bromine, iodine, boron, and other organic compounds.
Ukraine is waging a defensive war and does not plan to use multiple launch rocket systems provided by the United States to attack objects on the territory of the Russian Federation, any false stories about such intentions is propaganda by Russian special services, said Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the head of the Presidents Office.

"Task No 1 today for Russia  to undermine trust between Ukraine and USA. Ukraine is waging a defensive war and does not plan to use the MLRS to attack facilities in Russia. Our partners know where their weapons are used. Any allegations of such intentions - PSYOP of Russias special services," Podoliak said on Twitter.
Russian invaders bombarded Donetsk region with aircraft, Uragans and air-to-ground missiles in a day, there are dead and wounded civilians, residential buildings, a coking and refractory plant, thermal power plant premises, a trolleybus depot are damaged, the National Police of Ukraine reports.

"The enemy shelled Donetsk region from planes, Uragan multiple launch rocket systems, artillery, tanks, small arms, and air-to-ground missiles. The invaders purposefully destroy the civilian population and infrastructure and prevent the provision of assistance to people. So, in Avdiyivka, the rescuers who went to put out the fire, came under fire," the Facebook post said.

Some 17 settlements were under attack: Sloviansk, Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, Zalizne, Toretsk, Krasnohorivka, Kurakhove, Donetske, Rayhorodok, Semenivka, Scherbynivka, Ocheretyne, Bohoyavlenka, Novobakhmutivka, Soloviove, Starodubivka, Pokrovske.

A total of 35 civilian facilities were damaged - residential buildings, a coking and refractory plant, thermal power plant premises, and a trolleybus depot.

The police and SBU started criminal proceedings under Article 438 (violation of the laws and customs of war) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Tesla Powerwall solar stations have been installed in the Borodianka outpatient clinic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov said on his Telegram channel.

"In the de-occupied territories, the most affected by the Russians, there are problems with electricity, and Tesla Powerwall stations provide backup power during power outages," Fedorov explained.

Fedorov noted that Tesla Powerwall solar stations, handed over by Elon Musk, ensure the operation of the critical infrastructure in Kyiv region.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on the international community to support the creation of a Special tribunal to investigate the crime of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, as well as to increase sanctions pressure until the aggressor country stops the war it has started.

"Until the Kremlin ceases the war it has waged and is properly punished for its crimes, including reparations for destruction and court verdicts for war criminals, sanctions pressure should only increase. The Putin regime must lose all influence in the world and its ability to carry out external aggression, conduct information and psychological operations, spread corruption and manipulate history and culture in order to protect its aggressive interests," it is said in the comments of the ministry on the occasion of 100 days since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine.

Thus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on the international community to support the creation of a Special tribunal to investigate the crime of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

"Russian criminals should be brought before the Tribunal in the same way as it was with the leadership of Nazi Germany," the comment says.

The MFA is sure that "Ukraines victory in the war will be an impetus for the renewal of the overall architecture of world security and the creation of effective mechanisms that would prevent the recurrence of Russian and any other international aggression."

"In order to stop Russia's crimes against the Ukrainian people, destruction of our economy and blackmail of the whole world by famine, consistent support for Ukraine should continue. Assistance to our state today is the best investment in peace and sustainable development of all mankind," the ministry said.

The main pillars for our victory, the ministry said, remain unchanged: maximum sanction pressure on Russia, deliveries of necessary weapons and granting Ukraine the status of candidate on the way to full-fledged EU membership.
Russia fires six cruise missiles from Black Sea, ten from long-range bombers at targets in Kyiv, Lviv, Mykolaiv regions  Defense Ministry

Russia fired at least six cruise missiles from the Black Sea and at least ten missiles from long-range bombers at facilities in Kyiv, Lviv and Mykolaiv regions, Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzianyk has said.

"From the Black Sea, a small missile ship launched at least six Kalibr-type sea-based cruise missiles, and Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers fired at least ten X-22 missiles at targets in Kyiv, Lviv and Mykolaiv regions," Motuzianyk said at a briefing at Ukraine media center in Kyiv on Friday.

According to him, as of Friday, two ships carrying Kalibr sea-based cruise missiles are in readiness for the use of missile weapons in the Black Sea.

"Their total missile salvo at the moment is up to 16 missiles," the spokesperson said.
EU imposes new sanctions against Belaruskali, BPC, Naftan and five other companies

The European Union, as part of its sixth package, has imposed direct sanctions against a number of large companies, including against Belarus's Belaruskali and the Belarusian Potash Company (BPC), Belaruskali's trader, with the corresponding decision published on Friday in the EU's official journal, thereby bringing the sanctions into force.

The EU has imposed the restrictions against 12 individuals and eight legal entities in Belarus.

Specifically, Belarus's Naftan oil refinery; the country's largest tobacco manufacturer, Neman Grodno Tobacco Factory; and the private tobacco manufacturer Inter Tobako, have been included in the EU's sanctions list. Sanctions have also been imposed against Belkommunmash, which manufactures municipal vehicles; and against state-owned Beltamozhservice, the country's largest logistics operator.

The EU has also imposed sanctions against Belarus's mass media company, Belteleradiocompany.

According to the EU document, personal sanctions have been imposed against Belaruskali general director Ivan Golovaty, as well as against a number of representatives of law enforcement agencies and employees in state media.
The number of refugees from Ukraine registered for temporary protection or similar national protection schemes in Europe stood at 2.93 million as of the end of May 2022, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in its website.

According to his data collected from national governments, Poland has the most refugees with this status of 1.143 million people, while 3.792 million arrived in the country from Ukraine, according to the Polish border service, from the beginning of the war to June 2, and in the opposite direction departed to Ukraine 1.795 million.

Following are the Czech Republic and Germany, where the number of refugees registered for temporary protection from Ukraine amounted to 361,420 and 329,340, respectively.

The UN, referring to government data, said that in total in Germany, where Ukrainians are allowed to stay without registration until the end of August, some 780,000 refugees from Ukraine were recorded. Thus, based on the data presented, less than half of them applied for temporary protection status in this country.

In the Czech Republic, the situation, according to UN information, is different: almost all arrivals applied for protection status some 361,420 out of 361,560 refugees.

In the vast majority of other countries, the picture is similar to the Czech Republic: the statistics of registered refugees is completely or almost equal to the statistics of those who applied for protection status, which is probably due to the peculiarity of their registration. An exception, similar to Germany, is only Romania with 33,220 having the status of 84,470 refugees registered in the country, Estonia with 25,690 out of 39,800 and Italy some 97,310 out of 125,910 refugees.

In addition to Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany and Italy, more than 50,000 refugees from Ukraine have also registered for temporary protection status in Spain, namely 109,470, Slovakia some 78,570 (out of 270,000 net inflows across the border since the beginning of the war), Austria some 68,750, the Netherlands some 60,020, Lithuania some 53,890 and Switzerland some 50,100 refugees.

Following are Belgium with 44,650; France with 43,300; Portugal with 39,790; Sweden with 38,000, Great Britain with 37,400; Ireland with 32,420 and Denmark with 27,210, as well as the above-mentioned Romania and Estonia.

From 10,000 to 25,000 refugees from Ukraine with the status of temporary protection are in Finland (24,460), Latvia (23,380), Hungary (23,350), Norway (16,710); Greece (13,400); Croatia (13,370) and Cyprus (11,980).

In addition, in the UN statistics on those who received the status of temporary protection, Ukrainian refugees are represented in Slovenia (6,940); Luxembourg (5,400); Montenegro (2,530); Iceland (1,000); Malta (920); Serbia and Kosovo (620) and Liechtenstein (190).

In addition, the table contains data from Bulgaria, possibly entered with an error: according to them, 78,710 refugees from Ukraine were recorded there, but 110,620 received protection status.

The UN also indicated the countries in which refugees from Ukraine were recorded, but there is no data on their obtaining status: Moldova some 87,720; Turkey some 85,000; Georgia some 19,690; Azerbaijan some 5,060; Albania some 1,340; North Macedonia some 1,130; Bosnia and Herzegovina some 360 and Armenia 300 refugees.

Separately, it is worth mentioning Russia and Belarus, the Ukrainian border with which was crossed by 1.041 million and 16,650 people, respectively. The UN information said that in Russia all those who crossed the border were recorded, while in Belarus - less than half. There is no data on any status of these people, as well as data on crossing the border of Ukraine in the opposite direction.

In total, according to the UN, some 6.98 million people have left Ukraine since the beginning of the war, while, according to the State Border Service of Ukraine, about 2.5 million have returned. According to this information, the net outflow since the beginning of the war can be estimated at about 4.5 million people, including to Russia over 1 million people.

UNHCR estimates the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine due to the war unleashed by Russia at about 8 million. In addition, about 13 million people, according to the organization, are stuck in the affected areas or cannot leave them due to increased security, destruction of bridges and roads, and lack of resources or information about where to move to find safety and shelter.

UNHCR said that by the middle of 2021 there were only 53,470 Ukrainian refugees in the world who applied for the appropriate status, of which 36,490 were in Europe.

As of the middle of 2020, the UNHCR estimated the Ukrainian diaspora in the world at 6.1 million, including 5 million in Europe.
On Friday U.S. President Joe Biden expressed confidence that the situation in Ukraine would be resolved through negotiations, and until this happens, the United States will continue to support the Ukrainians.

During a speech at the White House, Biden said that according to him at some point there will have to be a negotiated settlement. The president said he does not know what this will entail, but the United States will continue to help the Ukrainians so that they can protect themselves.

Biden said that nothing on the issue of Ukraine will be decided without the knowledge of Ukraine itself and the United States is not going to tell the Ukrainians what they should and should not do.
The European Union has expressed resolute condemnation of Russia's decision to facilitate the acquisition of Russian citizenship for residents of Kherson and Zaporizhia regions of Ukraine, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said in a statement.

"The European Union strongly condemns the Russian Presidential decrees of 25 May and 30 May, simplifying the process for granting Russian citizenship and issuing Russian passports to Ukrainian citizens of Kherson and Zaporizhia regions," the statement said.

The European Union "will not recognize these passports," it said.

The European Union "also condemns the attempts to introduce the Russian ruble as a parallel currency to the Ukrainian hryvnia" and "to change the language of tuition in schools in those parts of Kherson and Zaporizhia regions," Borrell said.
Iran warned Wednesday it would respond to any "unconstructive actions" taken by the UN atomic watchdog after the agency reported traces of nuclear material at undeclared sites in the Islamic republic.

Iran and the UN agency agreed in March on an approach to resolve the issue of the nuclear material found at Marivan, Varamin and Turquzabad, sites that had not been declared by Iran as having hosted nuclear activities.

But in a report on Monday the International Atomic Energy Agency said it still had questions which were "not clarified" despite long-running efforts to get Iran to explain the presence of the nuclear material.

The IAEA board of governors is to hold a meeting on Monday for which Britain, France, Germany and the US have prepared a draft resolution "calling on Iran to cooperate on the question of undeclared sites", according to a European diplomatic source.

"We will respond firmly and appropriately to any unconstructive action at the board of governors," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement.

"The responsibility for its consequences falls on the shoulders of those who see the board of governors and the director-general's report as leverage and a tool of political games against Iran," he added.

The issue is one of the remaining obstacles to reviving a 2015 deal that gave Iran relief from sanctions in return for guarantees that the Islamic republic is unable to develop a nuclear weapon, something it has always denied wanting to do.

The agreement, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was torpedoed in 2018 by the administration of then US president Donald Trump, which withdrew unilaterally and imposed sanctions on Iran.

Tehran has condemned the UN watchdog's report as "not fair and balanced", saying it "does not reflect the reality of the negotiations between Iran and the IAEA."

France had called on Iran to respond "promptly" to the IAEA's requests.

"We are consulting closely with our partners on how to respond to this situation at the next board of governors meeting", its foreign ministry said.

Khatibzadeh called on "countries such as France to refrain from taking positions and making interventions that would cause the cooperation to deviate from its proper path."

These statements were aimed at putting "pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran on the eve of the meetings of the IAEA board of governors," he added.

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By Azernews

By Fuad Muxtar-Aqbabali

As a reputable and reliable energy supplier, Azerbaijan has reiterated its willingness to increase gas volumes to the global market amid the ongoing politically and economically volatile environment in the world.

Addressing the 27th International Caspian Oil & Gas Exhibition on the sidelines of the Baku Energy Week on 1 June, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev emphasized the pivotal role of new investments and collective efforts in maintaining stable natural gas supplies to the world market from the Caspian basin.

President Ilham Aliyev revealed the amount of natural gas the energy-rich Azerbaijan exported in 2021 and forecasted the volume to be pumped to the international market next year.

Last year Azerbaijan exported 22 billion cubic meters of natural gas, this year, the projection is 24, and the next year it will be even more, the president struck a confident tone.

The figures can be different depending on the production and the use of other gas fields in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, the president said, adding that the nations gas potential is not limited only to the Shah Deniz deposit and other fields were also very promising.

In view of the current volatile situation in the global energy market, where energy prices are soaring almost on daily basis, the Azerbaijani leader let the audience know that the nation is determined to support countries facing difficulties.

The president signaled that some of the gas fields will start production next year and that will be an important contribution to the energy security, especially now when the demand for Azerbaijani hydrocarbons is higher than ever before. We, as a responsible country, are taking that into account, trying to support countries, which face difficulties due to different reasons, Ilham Aliyev added.

This resonates with the unease and anxiety of countries that are currently facing an energy crisis and once again demonstrates the importance of the Southern Gas Corridor in strengthening Europes energy security.

The president pointed to collective efforts, his governments experience to this effect, and existing contacts with relevant actors - international financial institutions, energy companies, governments of leading countries, and the European Commission needed to increase gas production through the use of new sources and expansion of the capacities of the available gas pipelines to supply gas to European countries.

Now we think about the expansion because there is a demand for that and that, of course, will take time, take a lot of financial resources, and also close coordination, cooperation, and active dialogue with all countries involved. We are ready for that. The Azerbaijani energy minister and Azerbaijani state oil company (SOCAR) have already got all my instructions and they are in the process of active negotiations," the president broke the news.

In light of the presence of officials from energy-hungry nations, oil and gas experts, and CEOs, the Azerbaijani president opined that the venue is the right for weighing the pros and cons of future contracts and projects.

Baku Energy Week will be an excellent opportunity because we have guests - high-ranking officials from many countries - to address these important issues. At the same time, of course, we need to continue our active dialogue with members of the Southern Gas Corridor team, including governments, the president added.

The Azerbaijani leader highly appreciated foreign governments' contribution to energy projects.

I would like to express gratitude to the governments of Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, and Italy and participants in the Southern Gas Corridor for their active cooperation. Taking into account that there are new challenges and new demands now, of course, we are already negotiating with other potential consumers. However, our efforts alone will not be sufficient for the purpose. There must be investments in infrastructure in Europe, new interconnectors must be built and, of course, terms are to be agreed, because as we all know in the gas business, you first sell gas, sign the contract, and then start to invest and extract, the president elaborated.

Alluding to his governments capacity to shoulder most of the activities, Ilham Aliyev vowed.

We will do all we can to speed up the process and it has already started.

Aliyev thanked the U.S. and British governments for supporting Azerbaijans efforts. With their great support, we have managed to achieve these results. I would like also to express gratitude to international financial institutions, World Bank, EBRD, the Asian Development Bank, EIB, and the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank.

The Azerbaijani president, who has traditionally been against borrowing from foreign creditors, said Azerbaijan was ready to borrow funds from leading financial institutions "if we see that there are projects of global importance, and the projects are important for Azerbaijan".

Aliyev said that Azerbaijan was rapidly developing the production of renewable energy resources which would release additional volumes of gas for export. He also said that Azerbaijan's transit potential had not been fully used, apparently alluding to the hydrocarbon producers in Central Asia - Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

"Unfortunately, the potential of Azerbaijan as an important transit country was underestimated by potential suppliers, but I think now they have made up their mind because everybody understands that diversification is one of the important factors of energy security," Aliyev added.
The milestone came as Kyiv announced Moscow was now in control of a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and parts of Donbas seized in 2014.

Russia's invasion, which began on February 24, saw Moscow's troops first attempt a blitz on Kyiv before relinquishing control of area around the capital and Ukraine's second city Kharkiv in the north east.

The have made steady gain in the south and east, however.

"This war has taken an unacceptable toll on people and engulfed virtually all aspects of civilian life," Awad said.

"In just over three months, nearly 14 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes, the majority women and children," the statement said.

The UN said the group was working to limit the war's "devastating impact on food security by seeking to unblock critical grain and commodity trade."

Cereal prices have surged because of a slump in exports from Ukraine, sharpening the impact of conflict and climate change and sparking fears of social unrest.

"We need peace. The war must end now," the UN's statement read.
Egypt and the European Union are moving to a new phase of partnership, where the former will be a reliable and long-term energy supplier for Europe, according to EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi in an interview with Ahram Online.

Egypt's partnership with the EU will cover a range of fields including water management, climate action, food security and sustainable development, but it is the recent gas talks with both the EU and Israel that are grabbing the worlds attention.

The EU is now just about days before it can sign a tripartite agreement with Israel and Egypt to supply gas to the bloc, Varhelyi has said.

As per the agreement, gas will be brought from Israel to the EU after being liquified in Egypt, said Varhelyi on Wednesday.

This will take us to a completely different level of partnership, Egypt becoming a reliable and long-term energy supplier for Europe, Varhelyi stated.

The EU hopes to import at least 17 billion cubic metres of gas, Varhelyi said, noting that the tripartite agreement will hopefully be signed in a planned visit of President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to Cairo in two weeks.

Von der Leyens visit is set to coincide with the forthcoming ministerial meeting of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF), which has both Egypt and Israel as members, in Cairo later this month.

Bringing Egyptian gas

The EU commissioner expressed hope that Egyptian gas can also be brought to Europe through less costly gas pipelines without having to be liquified.

That will be the next stage in our partnership, Varhelyi said, adding that hydrogen from Egypt should then replace the gas in the future.

EUs talks on Middle Eastern gas come as it faces pressures to diversify its energy resources amid the Russia-Ukraine war, as it received around 45 percent of its gas imports from Russia in 2021, according to the International Energy Agency.

Israeli Energy Minister Karine Elharrar has said the hoped-for agreement will pave the way for the development of infrastructure required to transport gas via Egypt to Europe.

Egypt achieved self-sufficiency in natural gas in 2018 and expects its exports of gas to reach 7.5 million tons by the end of the 2021/22 fiscal year.

Egyptian gas exports to the European continent were around two million tons in 2021, up from just 270,000 the previous year, according to data from S&P Global Platts.

Egypt's natural gas and LNG export revenues rose by 98 percent to reach $3.892 billion in the first four months of 2022, Reuters reported, citing data from the Egyptian petroleum ministry.

This is equal to the countrys export revenues of the gas and LNG throughout 2021 and is more than seven times its revenues in 2020.

Cooperation on renewable energy

Moreover, Egypt can be a major net exporter of green energy to Europe, Varhelyi said. He noted that Egypt has a huge potential to generate renewable energy that can then be used to generate hydrogen.

That could be very easily linked to our markets and this is what we are working on, Varhelyi said.

He added that bringing hydrogen to Europe will be a major game changer for the whole Egyptian economy.

There is also an opportunity to connect Egyptian electricity with the EU markets as Europe needs electricity to replace Russian gas and Russian fossil fuel, the commissioner said.

Egypt, however, has to work on developing its power capacities as the surplus of energy in the country may be turned into a deficit amid the fast growing population, Varhelyi said.

Egypt, a country with an electricity surplus of more than 25 percent according to officials, seeks to act as a regional electricity hub, exchanging electricity with nearby countries during peak demand and exporting electricity to countries in need.

In October, Egypt signed with EUs Greece and Cyprus a trilateral agreement on power linkage a few days after Egypt signed another accord with Cyprus on linkage between the two countries electricity transmission networks.

After talks in Athens with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in October, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis pledged to link Egypt to the EU's energy market with an undersea cable that would carry electricity across the Mediterranean.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry has highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperation between Egypt and the EU in the field of energy, especially natural gas, LNG, electricity and the production of green hydrogen in preparation for exporting energy surpluses to Europe.

Shoukry made the remarks during a meeting with Varhelyi on Wednesday during his official visit to Egypt earlier this week.





Overcoming global crisis

Varhelyi also met on the same day with El-Sisi, during which they discussed the economic repercussions of the Russia-Ukraine crisis at the global level, especially with regards to energy and food.

The EU announced in April that it will provide Egypt a grant worth 100 million in response to the surging food prices on the heels of Russias war on Ukraine.

The EU has mobilised 75 million euros for expansion of wheat and storage capacity in Egypt and 25 million euros for agricultural small- and medium-sized enterprises to help Egypt tackle the global food crisis, Varhelyi said.

That funding comes as part of a previously announced 225 million euros allocated by the EU as a support package to help Middle Eastern and North African nations impacted by the crisis regarding food security.

In remarks to reporters later on Wednesday, Varhelyi said the EU is committed to help its partners amid the ongoing crisis.

We want to help all our partners with what we have. It may be less than your needs but still a significant contribution, Varhelyi stated.

He noted that the EU allocations in this regard aim to help partners build new capacities to store grains and help farmers grow more crops locally.

"The challenge is of the vulnerability of Egypt in the sense of being exposed very much to importing; we need to work on both the availability of new resources and availability of local production and we are partners in this, Varhelyi added.

The commissioner expressed the EUs keenness to provide financial support for the countries most vulnerable due to the global crisis, including Egypt, which used to import 80 percent of wheat from the two warring countries.

The EU is working to help Ukraine to bring the largest possible amounts of grains to the markets as the war is about to create a major food crisis, Varhelyi said.

Cooperation on water resources

Varhelyis visit to Egypt was not limited to discussing the war impacts and the gas deal; he also signed on Tuesday an agreement with the French Development Agency (AFD), and the European Investment Bank (EIB) to upgrade the Helwan wastewater treatment plant in southern Cairo.

The funding partnership aims to expand the capacity of the Helwan plant by 250,000 cubic metres per day.

The expansion will serve 2.2 million inhabitants of south Cairo with advanced wastewater collection and treatment services until 2037 and will allow the plant to tackle the overflow of wastewater that is currently harming the environmental and social situation.

The project shall significantly contribute to climate change adaptation targets through substituting fresh water used in irrigation from the Nile River with treated wastewater.

The plant will also generate renewable energy from biogas, aiming to provide 60 percent of its own energy needs, reducing the projects carbon footprint and electricity costs.

Varhelyi told reporters that cooperation between Egypt and the EU in the water resources projects can change the lives of millions of people on the ground.

For any future agricultural project in Egypt water is a must, Varhelyi said, noting that the availability of water resources remains the first challenge amid the fast-growing population in Egypt.

Egypt benefited from the EUs Neighbourhood Investment Platform through which the bloc leveraged seven billion euros in investments since 2008 for projects in various sectors including water and wastewater management and renewable energy.

Between 2014 and 2020, the EU also supported Egypt with 756 million euros through the European Neighbourhood Instrument in fields including climate action.

Cooperation on climate, COP27

Egypt is preparing to host the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in November this year in Sharm El-Sheikh city with determination to work with international partners to reinforce mitigation and adaptation efforts and turn climate pledges into actions.

Varhelyi told Ahram Online that the European Commission has put forward five million euros as a contribution to COP27, which he hopes will contribute to making the conference a success.

We are reaching out to countries in the UN to make it successful and making it successful means getting everybody to long-term commitments, Varhelyi said.

Egypt can count on the European Union. We will do the groundwork for it to be a success, the commissioner added.

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Egypt will host in July the first meeting of the higher committee of the Integrated Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development signed by Egypt, Jordan and the UAE, Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea announced on Friday.

Gamea held a virtual meeting with Emirati Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber and Jordanian Minister of Industry Trade and Supply Yousef Al-Shamali to follow up on the recent agreement.

The partnership signed in late May targets reinforcing food and pharmaceutical security as well as increasing cooperation in the fields of industry, investment, agriculture, fertilisers, textiles, minerals and petrochemicals.

The initiative was signed in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi in the presence of Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh, and other high-level officials representing the three Arab nations.

In a statement released following Friday's meeting, Gamea said the three countries are keen to put the initiative into practice and start implementing the desired projects.

Egypt, the UAE and Jordan are committed to provide all necessary support for the private sectors in the three countries so as to execute the proposed ventures, Gamea added, stressing that the countries will roll out measures to remove any bumps in the way of the capital flow and intra-trade movement.

During the meeting, the ministers agreed on forming an executive committee to start its meeting as of next week with business community to discuss the mechanism for involving the private sector in the three countries in the partnership initiative and to identify a list of eligible companies.

Egypt is about to launch a paper, dubbed the State Ownership Policy Document, to reassure local investors, attract more foreign investments, and enhance the confidence of international institutions in the Egyptian economy.

It aims to delineate the state's presence in the economic sectors to increase private sector participation via specifying the sectors from which the state plans to exit and those where it will continue during the next three years.

During the launch ceremony of the tripartite initiative, the UAE announced the allocation of an investment fund of $10 billion for joint projects with Egypt and Jordan as part of the newly partnership industrial.

The fund will be run by Abu Dhabi Development Holding (ADQ) to support and accelerate the projects arising from the initiative.

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Nineteen civilians have been killed in Yemen during a recently renewed two-month truce, mostly by landmines or improvised explosive devices or unexploded ordnance, the UN said on Friday.

The toll recorded between April 2 and June 1 "underscores the threat these devices pose to civilians, often over long periods of time, causing death or serious injury", said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

"Children are especially at risk," UNHCR spokesperson Liz Throssell said in a statement, adding that "three children were reported to have been killed and another 12 injured in this manner".

The two-month ceasefire declared at the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan had largely been held, although the internationally recognised government and Iran-backed Huthi rebels traded blame over violations.

The two sides have been locked in conflict since 2014 when the Houthis descended from their northern stronghold to seize the capital Sanaa.

A Saudi-led coalition intervened on the side of the government the following year, giving rise to what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

During the truce, which was welcomed by the UNHCR, three civilians, including a woman, were shot dead by snipers in four separate incidents near the front line in government-controlled areas, the agency said.

It said two civilians, including a boy, were seriously wounded in government-held areas close to the front lines in Ad-Dali and Taez provinces.

Its field office in Yemen also recorded two other cases of drone fire that wounded four civilians, including a girl, also in areas controlled by government forces and not far from the front line.

"We urge the parties to make serious efforts to ensure that roads into the city of Taez are reopened," Throssell said.

The UNHCR spokesperson described as "dire" the humanitarian situation in Taez, the country's third-largest city, which has been under siege by the Huthis since 2015.

She warned of reports that "parties to the conflict may be regrouping in case military operations resume" and called on them "to adhere to the terms of the truce in good faith".

The truce was renewed on Thursday the day it had been set to expire.

US President Joe Biden hailed the ceasefire extension, adding: "It's important that we work from here to make it permanent."

The conflict has killed hundreds of thousands of people and left millions on the brink of famine.

More than four million people have been displaced, and 19 million stand to go hungry this year, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN chief Antonio Guterres, said on Wednesday.

That includes "more than 160,000 who will face famine-like conditions", he said.

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Two journalists working for the international news agency Reuters were lightly wounded and their driver killed on Friday in eastern Ukraine, a company spokesperson said.

"Two Reuters journalists sustained minor injuries when they came under fire while en route to Severodonetsk," a statement from the agency said.

"They were travelling in a vehicle provided by the Russian-backed separatists and driven by an individual assigned by the separatists. The driver of the vehicle was killed.

"Reuters extends its deepest sympathies to the family of the driver for their loss."

The agency did not provide any further details.

On Monday, French journalist Frederic Leclerc-Imhoff was killed in eastern Ukraine while on board a humanitarian bus with civilians fleeing Russian bombardment. He worked for the French BFM television news channel.

Since the start of Russia's invasion in late February, Reporters Without Borders, an international media advocacy group, says at least eight journalists have been killed while reporting on the Ukraine conflict.

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The Kremlin says that Ukrainian grain supplies to world markets will be part of the agenda for Russian President Vladimir Putin's talks with the chairman of the African Union, Senegalese President Macky Sall.

Ukraine is one of the world's largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil. Ukrainian authorities and their Western supporters have accused Russia of endangering world food supplies with a naval blockade of Ukraine's ports. Russia has denied blocking the ports and said Ukraine needed to remove sea mines to allow safe shipping.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin plans to give Sall a ``detailed explanation`` of Russia's view of the situation and ``explain again what's going on there, who mined the ports, what is necessary to do to allow the grain flow to resume.''

African countries imported 44% of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine between 2018 and 2020, according to U.N. figures. Wheat prices have spiked 45% as a result of the war-related disruption of supplies, according to the African Development Bank.

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U.S. President Joe Biden, in a White House address Thursday night, will implore Congress to approve "common-sense laws" to attempt to curb the recent spate of mass shooting deaths that have shocked many Americans. The White House said Biden would call for the new restrictions "to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is taking lives every day.

The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday debated a bill it said was an emergency response to the mass shootings. It would raise the purchase age for an assault weapon from 18 to 21 and attempt to curb the sale of large-capacity ammunition magazines and "ghost guns" without identification numbers. The measure could pass the Democratic-controlled House as early as next week but is not expected to advance in the Senate, which is divided equally, with 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats.

But some lawmakers are attempting to craft more limited restrictions in the aftermath of the three mass shootings within the past month: 10 Black people gunned down in a racist attack at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store; 21 students and teachers shot to death in their classroom at a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school; and four more killed at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, medical facility.

It was not clear whether Biden would advocate for specific restrictions he favors, such as universal background checks for gun buyers or a ban on the sale of the rapid-fire, high-powered weapons that have been used in recent mass shootings. Neither element is likely to win approval in the politically divided Congress, where lawmakers for years have been at odds over gun legislation.

 Mass Shootings Every Week

In the United States this year, there have been 232 mass shootings, defined as incidents in which four or more people, not including the shooter, have been injured or killed. Not a single week has passed without at least four mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit research group.

Some lawmakers have called for a significant boost in school security measures. Others want rules allowing law enforcement authorities to confiscate guns for a year or so after people threaten to harm others or exhibit mental instability -- so-called "red flag" laws.

Congress has long been divided on the passage of new laws to control the sale of guns. Biden and Democrats mostly support a ban on the sale of assault weapons, such as the 10-year U.S. prohibition that ended in 2004, and they have called for more background checks of gun buyers before sales are completed.

Republicans, on the other hand, have condemned mass shooting violence but have regularly blocked gun control legislation. For the most part, Republicans say the proposed restrictions that Democrats favor would impinge on the freedom of law-abiding citizens and are at odds with the right of Americans to own guns that is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

Hours after the Texas elementary school rampage, Biden spoke to the nation about gun violence. "As a nation, we have to ask: When in God's name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?" Biden said. "When in God's name will we do what we all know in our gut needs to be done?"

Vice President Kamala Harris last weekend told reporters that Congress should pass a ban on assault weapons. "We know what works on this," she said. "It includes, 'Let's have an assault weapons ban.' You know what an assault weapon is? You know how an assault weapon was designed? It was designed for a specific purpose: to kill a lot of human beings quickly. An assault weapon is a weapon of war with no place, no place in a civil society."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian forces are occupying about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory as the war approaches its 100th day on Friday and fighting continues on several fronts.

"Just imagine! Constant fighting, which stretched along the front line for more than a thousand kilometers," Zelenskyy told the Luxembourg parliament in a virtual speech Thursday. He said the Ukrainian area controlled by Moscow's forces is comparable to the entirety of the Netherlands.

Zelenskyy did not say how much territory Russia has captured since the start of its invasion February 24. Moscow seized Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and Russia-backed separatists had also captured parts of the eastern Donbas region, where fighting is the most intense now, prior to the invasion.

Ukraine said Thursday its forces have recaptured 20 small towns and villages in the Kherson region in the southern part of the country. Meanwhile, Russian forces continued their assault on Sievierodonetsk, the last major city nominally held by Ukraine in the Luhansk region in the eastern part of the country. Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said Russia controlled about 70 percent of the city as fierce street battles took place.

Britain's defense ministry said Russia has taken control of most of the city. The ministry said Ukrainian forces control the main road into Sievierodonetsk, with Russia making "steady local gains, enabled by a heavy concentration of artillery." A Ukrainian official said Kyiv's forces were hoping to recapture territory lost earlier in the war in southern Ukraine in part to tie up some Russian forces more focused on fighting in the Donbas region.

"This new package will arm them with new capabilities and advanced weaponry, including HIMARS with battlefield munitions, to defend their territory from Russian advances," Biden said in a Wednesday statement. "We will continue to lead the world in providing historic assistance to support Ukraine's fight for freedom." Biden used the acronym for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System.

Administration officials said this new weapons package is "tailored to the needs" of the current phase of conflict, which is unfolding in Ukraine's east.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 3, 2022 - 19:34 | World, All, Japan

Senior diplomats from South Korea, Japan and the United States on Friday agreed to bolster their security cooperation and deterrence against North Korea, condemning its repeated ballistic missile launches amid growing concerns over a possible nuclear test by Pyongyang.

During a meeting in Seoul, Sung Kim, U.S. special representative for North Korean affairs, and his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, Kim Gunn and Takehiro Funakoshi, also confirmed their shared view that the North's reinforcement of nuclear and missile development is "a clear and serious challenge to the international community," the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The senior officials underscored that North Korea conducted the latest ballistic missile test on May 25 just after Japan-U.S. and U.S.-South Korea summits, and a meeting of the Quad leaders involving Japan, the United States, Australia and India, according to the ministry.

North Korea has conducted 15 rounds of ballistic missile tests since the start of the year in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Kim of the United States said that Washington is "preparing" with Tokyo and Seoul to deal with contingencies on the Korean Peninsula. The United States assesses that North Korea is readying its Punggye-ri test site for what could be the seventh nuclear test, he added, highlighting the importance of trilateral cooperation.

The meeting was the first such in-person trilateral talks of the top diplomats in charge of North Korean issues since Yoon Suk Yeol assumed office as South Korea's president last month.

The diplomats also emphasized that it is essential for South Korea, the United States and Japan to cooperate in responding to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, according to the South Korean Foreign Ministry.

South Korea, Japan and the United States remain on alert for further provocations. If North Korea conducts another nuclear test, it would be its first since 2017.

Kim, South Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, said at the outset of their meeting, open to the media, that their talks are "extremely timely, considering the gravity of the current situation on the Korean Peninsula."

He urged the North to return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy, saying that "North Korea's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons will only end up strengthening our deterrence."

Amid possible further provocation by Pyongyang including a nuclear test, Funakoshi, director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, said he believes trilateral cooperation will be "further advanced" under the new South Korean administration, and reiterated that Japan remains open to "serious and sustained dialogue" with North Korea.

Kim of the United States said that ultimately, the goal for the complete denuclearization of the peninsula remains unchanged.

They also discussed offering humanitarian aid to North Koreans who are currently facing hardships caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Friday's meeting also came at a time when Japan and South Korea are working to improve bilateral ties, which sank to their lowest level in decades under Yoon's predecessor Moon Jae In.

Seoul and Tokyo have been at odds over a number of issues stemming from Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula such as the wartime labor of Koreans and Koreans forced to work as "comfort women" in Japan's wartime military brothels.

There have been recent signs of improvement, with Yoon calling for a future-oriented approach in bilateral relations.
China has announced its targets of peaking CO2 emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060.

NW China's Xinjiang and Ningxia are contributing to China's climate pledge.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Deputy Amir of the State of Qatar Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of the Independence Day.

His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Your Excellency,

I have the pleasure, on the anniversary of your countrys Republic Day, to extend to you my sincere greetings and felicitations, coupled with my best wishes of well-being and happiness to Your Excellency and further prosperity and progress to your brotherly people.

With my best highest consideration,

Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani

Deputy Amir of the State of Qatar
To celebrate China's traditional Dragon Boat Festival, over 1,000 participants of 41 teams from both sides of the Taiwan Strait compete in a dragon boat race from Thursday to Friday in the coastal city of Xiamen in Fujian Province.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service








The screenshot taken from the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on June 2, 2022 shows the graphics it posts to exhibit the distribution of newly found monkeypox and orthopoxvirus cases in the United States. (Xinhua)

It is not clear how the people were exposed to monkeypox, but early data suggests that gay and bisexual men make up a high number of cases, according to the CDC.

LOS ANGELES, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The United States spotted a total of 19 monkeypox cases in 10 states as of Wednesday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The virus has been spotted in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and Washington.

Georgia, New York and California all reported monkeypox cases over the last 24 hours, health chiefs revealed Wednesday.

The Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the United States, confirmed the first presumptive case of monkeypox infection on Thursday.

The patient is an adult resident who recently traveled and had a known close contact to a case, according to the county Department of Public Health.

The patient is symptomatic, but not hospitalized, and is isolated from others, according to the health department.

The screenshot taken from the web streaming of ABC7 Eyewitness News on June 2, 2022 shows its latest report about the finding of more monkeypox cases in the United States. (Xinhua)

It is not clear how the people were exposed to monkeypox, but early data suggests that gay and bisexual men make up a high number of cases, according to the CDC.

The risk of monkeypox in the general population remains very low, said health officials. However, anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has monkeypox is at risk, they stressed.

The CDC is urging healthcare providers across the United States to be alert for patients who have rash illnesses consistent with monkeypox.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday confirmed more than 550 monkeypox cases across 30 countries as the virus continues to spread across the globe.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the sudden appearance of monkeypox in multiple countries across the world indicates the virus has been spreading undetected for some time outside the West and Central African nations where it is usually found.

The surge in monkeypox infections worldwide has prompted the WHO to upgrade the threat level from the virus to "moderate". 
XIAMEN, June 3 (Xinhua) -- A dragon boat race kicked off Thursday in the coastal city of Xiamen in China's Fujian Province.

More than 1,000 participants of 41 teams from both sides of the Taiwan Strait are competing in the race.

The race is part of a two-day event starting Thursday to celebrate China's Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on Friday this year.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
WASHINGTON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday urged Congress to take action on gun violence in a prime-time address from the White House.

He urged Congress to ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, or at least raise the purchasing age from 18 to 21. Other proposals included expanding background checks, passing "red flag" laws and repealing the liability shield for gun manufacturers and dealers.

The remarks came after the United States was shaken by a spate of mass shootings over the past few weeks.

Biden traveled to Uvalde, Texas, on Sunday to meet with families of the victims and survivors of a school shooting on May 24, in which the gunman, killed by responding officers on the scene, used an AR-15-style rifle, a popular range of semiautomatic weapons, to kill 19 children and two teachers.

Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill are negotiating gun reform measures but it's unclear how much talk would be turned into action.

Also on Thursday, a committee in the House approved along the party line a package of gun control legislation, a response to the recent mass shootings, but U.S. media consider it likely to die in the Senate, as The New York Times said, "fierce Republican opposition during the committee debate underscored the partisan animosity."

Jim Jordan, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, dismissed the package as partisan, CNN reported. "No one wants another tragedy. No one wants this to happen again. That's why it's regretful that Democrats have rushed to a markup today in what seems more like political theater than a real attempt at improving public safety or finding solutions," he said.

Republicans deem such measures, including restricting gun buyers' age and the sale of magazines, as unconstitutional and depriving Americans of the right to defend themselves. Representative Dan Bishop, Republican of North Carolina, said that "you are not going to bully your way into stripping Americans of fundamental rights," The New York Times reported.

Representative Jamie Raskin, Democratic of Maryland, accused Republicans of "misleading the American public about the Second Amendment," according to CNN. "My colleagues are throwing up the Second Amendment as a smokescreen to protect their opposition to any reasonable gun safety regulation," he said.

In a recent survey of all 50 Republicans in the Senate by The New York Times, most Republicans who had responded either declined to take a position or signaled they would oppose the measures, worrying about infringing on the rights of gun owners.

So far this year, the United States has seen at least 233 mass shootings with more than 18,000 deaths due to gun violence, according to the nonprofit organization Gun Violence Archive. A mass shooting is defined as one in which four or more people were injured or killed,

The United States has more guns than any other nation in the world, and that number continues to grow each year.

There are estimated 400 million guns in the United States between police, the military and American civilians, and over 393 million of these guns are in civilian hands, the equivalent of 120 firearms per 100 citizens, according to a 2018 report on global firearms holdings by the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey. 
HONG KONG, June 3 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said Friday that it will distribute about 60,000 sets of COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits to people in an area of the city as part of a follow-up on recent detection of the COVID-19 virus in sewage samples.

The test kits will be distributed to residents, cleaning workers, and property management staff working in an estate in Sai Kung District with positive sewage testing results showing relatively high viral loads, in order to help identify infected persons, it said.

The HKSAR government also urged RAT kit users to report any positive results for COVID-19 via the government's online platform.

In an effort to combat COVID-19, the HKSAR government's Environmental Protection Department and the Drainage Services Department have strengthened the sampling of sewage in all districts of Hong Kong for COVID-19 virus testing.

On Friday, Hong Kong registered 199 new COVID-19 cases by nucleic acid tests, and 300 additional cases through self-reported rapid antigen tests, official data showed. 
As the U.S. is plagued with worsening gun violence, some observers say that mass shootings carried out by white supremacists expose structural, generational racism in the society.

Last month, a heavily armed 18-year-old white man shot and killed 10 people and injured three others in Buffalo, New York, 11 of them African Americans.

U.S. President Joe Biden denounced white supremacy as "a poison running through our body politic."

However, as a recent Washington Post-Ipsos poll shows, more than half of African Americans believe the problem of racism will get worse in their lifetimes.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service








A man works at a factory of Chongqing Fuego Power Co., Ltd. in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

CHONGQING, June 3 (Xinhua) -- In a factory in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, an array of off-road motorcycles made by Chongqing Fuego Power Co., Ltd. was waiting to be transported to Venezuela, one of the company's 50-plus export destinations.

Having been engaged in international trade for over seven years, the company expanded its overseas market mainly by attending international exhibitions.

However, due to interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on exhibitions worldwide, cross-border e-commerce has emerged as a new option for the manufacturer to further develop international business.

Last year, cross-border e-commerce generated an export value of 90,000 U.S. dollars for the company.

"Although our cross-border e-commerce business just started and didn't yield much profit now, we believe it has great potential and will grow in the future," said Zhang Yimin, chairman of Chongqing Fuego Power Co., Ltd.

Cross-border e-commerce, featuring online marketing, online transactions and contactless payment, has boomed in China over the past few years, particularly during the last two years when the pandemic impeded business travel and face-to-face contact.

Data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC) showed that China's cross-border e-commerce imports and exports grew by 0.5 percent year on year to 434.5 billion yuan (about 64.76 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter of this year, with exports increasing by 2.6 percent to 310.4 billion yuan.

"In recent years, as a new form of foreign trade, cross-border e-commerce has shown strong development vitality," GAC spokesperson Li Kuiwen told a press conference in April.

Some 1,200 km east of Chongqing in landlocked Anhui Province, cross-border e-commerce has gained momentum thanks to factors including smoother logistics channels and more convenient customs clearance policies.

At a cross-border e-commerce industrial park in Hefei, capital of Anhui, workers from Shangyan Trading Company were busy loading clothes destined for North American market into trucks after quality inspection.

"Despite the pandemic headwinds, our cross-border e-commerce sales have continued to grow in recent years," said Jiang Yebing, general manager of Shangyan.

Besides novices of cross-border e-commerce, some enterprises with years of experience in the sector are also grasping new opportunities to open up more markets.

Having provided customized car parts to over 4 million consumers in over 170 countries and regions, Chongqing Guogui Racing Technology Co., Ltd. has joined cross-border e-commerce since its founding in 2006.

"In 2021, our trade volume on cross-border e-commerce platforms exceeded 800 million yuan, which accounted for nearly 80 percent of our total trade volume and grew 30 percent year on year," said Yao Yi, deputy manager of Guogui.

To meet the demand of the growing cross-border e-commerce business, 40 percent of the company crew are taking part in work related to cross-border e-commerce, Yao added.

Meanwhile, a favorable policy environment for cross-border e-commerce has also led to a continuous increase in the number of cross-border e-commerce companies in the country.

So far, China has seen the establishment of more than 30,000 enterprises related to cross-border e-commerce, with the volume soaring every year.

"China has actively developed cross-border e-commerce and other new forms of foreign trade to promote sustained growth of foreign trade," said Fu Linghui, spokesperson for the National Bureau of Statistics.

Despite the complex and uncertain international environment, China's strong resilience and great potential in foreign trade will remain unaffected and the country's foreign trade is expected to maintain stable development, Fu noted. 

Workers work at a factory in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

Workers work at a factory of Chongqing Fuego Power Co., Ltd. in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

Workers work at a factory in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

A man works at a machinery factory in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

Workers work at a factory in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

A woman works at a machinery factory in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
* While most of the world is working to help achieve a peaceful settlement, Washington is erecting a slew of roadblocks in the way of Russia-Ukraine negotiations, including providing massive military aid for Ukraine and coercing other countries into sanctioning Russia.

* "The West's military aid seeks to exhaust and drain Russia's capabilities, and the Russians understand this," said Tariq Fahmy, a political science professor at the Cairo University in Egypt.

* Despite Washington's pressure to take sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, many Asian, African, and Latin American countries have chosen to remain neutral and advocate peaceful solutions.

by Xinhua writer Lu Jiafei

BEIJING, June 3 (Xinhua) -- With the Russia-Ukraine conflict entering its 100th day and still dragging on, the call for a peaceful resolution is growing stronger.

However, while most of the world is working to help achieve a peaceful settlement, Washington is erecting a slew of roadblocks in the way of Russia-Ukraine negotiations, including providing massive military aid for Ukraine and coercing other countries into sanctioning Russia.

The bleak reality on the ground begs the question of how the world can prevent such a conflict from recurring. Experts believe that the Ukraine crisis has highlighted the dangers Cold War-era security concepts, such as bloc confrontation, pose to global peace and stability.

Photo taken on March 7, 2022 shows a view of the third round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations at the Belovezhskaya Pushcha. (Belta News Agency/Handout via Xinhua)

BLOC CONFRONTATION IN NATURE

Following a visit to Ukraine's capital city of Kiev in late April, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was asked by reporters to define "America's goals for success" in Ukraine.

After repeating Washington's talking points that Ukraine would remain "a sovereign country, a democratic country, able to protect its sovereign territory," Austin revealed that the United States hopes Russia will be "weakened" by the conflict.

"It (Russia) has already lost a lot of military capability and a lot of its troops, quite frankly, and we want to see them not have the capability to very quickly reproduce that capability," he said.

Austin's admission that Washington wishes to "weaken" Russia made many wonder what America's true goal for the Russia-Ukraine conflict is.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (4th R) and visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (4th L) and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (3rd L) meet in Kiev, Ukraine, April 24, 2022.



(Ukrainian Presidential Office/Handout via Xinhua)

"The West's military aid seeks to exhaust and drain Russia's capabilities, and the Russians understand this," said Tariq Fahmy, a political science professor at the Cairo University in Egypt.

"Instead of pacifying or resolving this crisis through diplomacy, the United States has begun to play around with it a little more," according to Umit Alperen, an analyst with Turkey's Ankara Policy Center.

"The United States most likely wants the conflict to continue, and that is its intention from the beginning," said Alperen.

While the Western media has overwhelmingly painted Russia's special military operation in Ukraine as entirely unprovoked, many scholars, including Robert Kagan, Stephen and Barbara Friedman Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, argued that such an association is misleading.

"Just as Pearl Harbor was the consequence of U.S. efforts to blunt Japanese expansion on the Asian mainland, and just as the 9/11 attacks were partly a response to the United States' dominant presence in the Middle East after the first Gulf War, so Russian decisions have been a response to the expanding post-Cold War hegemony of the United States and its allies in Europe," Kagan wrote.

What Kagan was referring to was U.S.-led NATO's relentless expansion at the expense of Russia's security concerns. Since 1999, NATO has expanded eastward five times, advancing more than 1,000 km all the way to the Russian border, gradually pushing Russia into a corner.

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict grinds on, the United States has increased its support for Ukraine with a 40-billion-U.S.-dollar aid package, including 20 billion dollars in military assistance. Washington has also attempted to corral its allies as a bloc to economically sanction Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meet to discuss the security situation around Ukraine in Kiev, Ukraine, Jan. 19, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Office/Handout via Xinhua)

According to John Pang, a senior fellow at New York-based Bard College, the sanctions smack of the Cold War as they "attempt to impose a binary opposition, to divide the world into 'with-us and against-us-countries'."

The sanctions were part of this attempt to globalize the conflict and to polarize the world against Russia, Pang said, adding that the aim is to defend the unipolar world order that has been in place since the fall of the Soviet Union.





ANACHRONISM OF U.S. HEGEMONY

Despite Washington's pressure to take sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, many Asian, African, and Latin American countries have chosen to remain neutral and advocate peaceful solutions.

After 17 African nations abstained and another eight African nations did not vote in a UN vote condemning Russia in early March, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield "practically demanded that they (African countries) take a stance that follows the American position," as commented by Murtaza Hussain, a reporter with The Intercept.

Thomas-Greenfield reportedly said then that she believed that "we have to do additional work to help these countries to understand the impact" of the Ukraine crisis.

In their interviews with Xinhua, African scholars argued that because developing countries are on the receiving end of Western sanctions against Russia, they understand better than U.S. politicians the impact of an unstable world on their countries.

"The arms industry in America is one of the biggest beneficiaries. And then, of course, by putting sanctions on Russia, they want to make sure that Russia's economy is battered," said Stephen Ndegwa, an international relations lecturer at the Nairobi-based United States International University-Africa in Kenya.

"With high oil prices and supply chain disruptions, Africa and other developing countries are experiencing one of the most significant increases in essential commodities," Ndegwa said.

Thomas-Greenfield's choice of words "not only smacks of hubris, it paints a picture of African countries as moral adolescents who require Western supervision in order to understand and do what is right," wrote Ebenezer Obadare, Douglas Dillon Senior Fellow for Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, adding that there is a longstanding perception that powerful Western countries, and the United States in particular, do not always live up to their own moral rhetoric.

Most countries have refrained from supporting America and its Atlantic Alliance, according to Adnan Bourji, director of the Lebanese National Center for Studies, "because they (the West) have provided the world with nothing but wars, devastation, and destruction for many decades."

A staff member hangs a U.S. national flag before U.S. President Joe Biden arrives for the European Council meeting in Brussels, Belgium, March 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)

People in most parts of the world will never forget that "Western progress was built on the resources of the poor countries that they have colonized for centuries, and that the American administration is responsible for the majority of modern-era wars," said Bourji.

For the New York-based scholar Pang, "it is a very interesting moment in world history in which the West have never been more separate from the rest of the world."

"They have never seemed so disconnected in their views from attitudes in other parts of the world," said Pang.

Some people in the West have also pondered the mere anachronism of U.S. hegemony in an increasingly multipolar world.

"Over the longer term, Americans must realize that in an increasingly multipolar world, reckoning with the limits of their power is critical for achieving a more peaceful and just world," Zeeshan Aleem, an opinion columnist with MSNBC, wrote in March.

"The U.S. may want to be the only great power in the world, free to expand its hegemony with impunity, but it is not. Refusing to see this is dangerous for us all," the article concluded.

Across the Atlantic, former French Ambassador to the United States Gerard Araud lamented that Western countries "underestimate the resentment of the rest of the world against us."

"I am convinced that even if they don't particularly like Russia, a lot of non-westerners are supporting it only because it is confronting us," he tweeted.

(Xinhua correspondents Tian Ye and Yao Bing in Cairo, Wang Feng in Istanbul, Liu Yanan and Zhang Mocheng in New York, Li Cheng and Liu Chang in Kenya, Dana Halawi in Beirut contributed to the story.) (Video reporters: Meng Jing, Liu Yanan, Zhang Mocheng, Yang Yi and Yang Yunqi; video editors: Zhang Yucheng, Zhu Jianhui)
UNITED NATIONS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday welcomed the two-month extension of the nationwide truce in Yemen.

"I welcome the agreement by the Government of Yemen and the Houthis to renew the truce in Yemen for an additional two months under the same terms as the original agreement," said Guterres in a statement issued at UN headquarters in New York. He is in Stockholm, marking 50 years since the UN conference linking the environment and poverty.

Since the original truce came into effect on April 2, he said, Yemenis experienced tangible benefits, including a significant reduction in violence and civilian casualties. The UN chief also noted an increase in fuel deliveries through the Hodeidah port and the resumption of international commercial flights from Sanaa for the first time in almost six years. The conflict began in 2014.

The truce also enabled the parties to meet directly under UN auspices to negotiate military de-escalation mechanisms, Guterres said. Talks also are expected on the opening of roads in Taiz and other governorates.

"I strongly urge the parties to complete the full implementation of the terms of the truce without delay in order to uphold the interests of all Yemenis, who continue to suffer from one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world," he said, referring to the nation being on the brink of famine during hostilities.

"I thank my special envoy, Hans Grundberg, and his team for their tireless efforts and those of all regional and international actors, including the members of the Security Council, for their continued support to our collective efforts," said the secretary-general. "Regional and international support will remain critical for the continuation and successful implementation of the truce."

The second truce took effect at 7:00 p.m. Thursday local time. 
People visit a park in Xujiahui area of Shanghai, east China, June 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

BEIJING, June 3 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland Thursday reported 20 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, including eight each in Beijing and Shanghai, according to the National Health Commission's report Friday.

A total of 54 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified, including nine in Guangxi, eight in Shanghai, seven each in Beijing and Liaoning.

With 212 patients discharged from hospitals after recovery, 1,872 patients were still receiving treatment on the Chinese mainland on Thursday.

Thursday saw no new deaths from COVID-19, with the mainland's total COVID-19 deaths at 5,226. 
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

The State Border Service has seized some 2.3 kg of drugs and over 10 kg of contraband jewelry in the southern Yardimli region on the border with Iran, Azernews reports, citing the service.

A border guard serving in the Goytapa border detachments border post near Yardimlis Deman village discovered traces of the state border violation from Iran to Azerbaijan at 2330 on May 28.

The area was blocked immediately, the border strip and cars were inspected, and the footprints of an unidentified individual were discovered.

Shukurov Elsevar (33), Yardimlis Arvana village resident, working as a shepherd in Deman village and temporarily residing there, was detained as a suspect as a result of a complex border search and operation conducted jointly with the Yardimli district police.

During the investigation, Shukurov admitted that he illegally crossed the state border to smuggle drugs into the country at the request of Aliyev Rahab (39), a resident of Deman village.

During the inspection in his yard, 2.3 kilograms of marijuana and two bottles of liquid methadone in 130 ml containers, wrapped in black packages, were confiscated.

Currently, measures are being taken to detain and prosecute Aliyev.

In a similar vein, employees of the Goytapa border detachment prevented the smuggling of jewelry and tobacco goods from Iran into Azerbaijan, the service said in a separate report.

At around 0320 on June 1, two unknown individuals violated the state border from Iran to Azerbaijan in the service area of the border post near Yardimlis Avash village.

One of the border trespassers - Avash resident Guliyev Mehman (36) was chased and captured in his yard as a result of border search and operational actions carried out in collaboration with the Interior Ministry.

During the investigation, Guliyev and his fellow Mayilov Rahim (32) confessed that they violated the state border in order to bring jewelry from Iran at the request of another villager, Agayev Nazim.

Over 10.7 kilograms of gold-like jewelry were discovered during the search in Guliyev's house, while another accessory to the crime - Mayilov, escaped the investigation. As a result of the search of Mayilovs apartment some 7,050 boxes of Marlboro cigarettes smuggled from Iran were confiscated.

Agayev Nazim, who ordered the smuggled goods, was apprehended; steps are being conducted to find Mayilov, the report said. The State Border Service continues to take measures to ensure reliable protection of state borders and combat drug trafficking, the source adds.
UNITED NATIONS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, on Thursday celebrated the two-month renewal of truce in the war-torn nation.

"By agreeing to implementing and now renewing the truce, the parties have provided a rare glimmer of hope to Yemenis that an end to this devastating conflict is possible," Grundberg said in a statement.

The extension came into effect at 7:00 p.m. Thursday local time, under the same terms as the original UN-brokered agreement, which began on April 2. The conflict began in 2014.

In the past two months, the people of the country have seen the tangible benefits of the truce, said Grundberg.

The number of civilian casualties has dropped significantly, fuel deliveries through Hudaydah port have increased considerably, and commercial flights are now available again at Sanaa's main airport.

Also, the parties have been meeting under UN auspices for the first time in years to advance the process of opening roads in Taiz and other war-ravaged governorates and implementing nation-wide military de-escalation mechanisms.

"I commend the parties for taking these steps, and for agreeing to extend the truce," said Grundberg. "The truce represents a significant shift in the trajectory of the war and has been achieved through responsible and courageous decision making by the parties."

In particular, he pointed out that more needs to be done on road openings and commercial flight operations.

The UN envoy will work with the parties to fully consolidate all elements of the truce and achieve a sustainable political settlement.

"I count on the parties' continued cooperation in good faith to build trust and take meaningful steps towards providing a peaceful future for all Yemenis," he said.

Grundberg also thanked the international community for its support in implementing and renewing the truce. 
UNITED NATIONS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday slammed the United States and Britain for unfounded accusations they leveled against China at the UN Security Council.

"I wish to point out that the representatives of the United States and Britain in their statements made unfounded accusations against China, which China firmly rejects," Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, told the Security Council open debate on strengthening accountability and justice for serious violations of international law.

"As the saying goes, to hide a lie, 1,000 lies are needed," said Dai. "Allegations of 'genocide' or 'forced labor' in Xinjiang are lies of the century pure and simple."

The United States and Britain are afraid that their "cooked-up lies" about Xinjiang "are seen through" by the international community, so they come up with more lies to discredit China, hoping "to continue misleading the international community," Dai said.

"However, no amount of lies spread by the United States and Britain can deny the factual reality of Xinjiang that it enjoys stability and prosperity, and its people are living and working in peace and happiness," Dai stressed.

"What they are doing only exposes even further the nature of their tactic, that is to politicize and instrumentalize human rights, and exposes their political agenda of containing China by hyping up the Xinjiang issue," he said.

Dai noted that whoever has visited Xinjiang will not buy the lies peddled by the two countries.

"When it comes to countries like the United States and Britain, and the individuals concerned, who spread rumors, tell lies, confuse and mislead, and attempt to smear and discredit other countries, shouldn't accountability apply to them as well?" he asked. 
Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister James Marape (R) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, June 3, 2022. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

PORT MORESBY, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister James Marape met with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi here Friday, with both sides expressing willingness to deepen bilateral relations and expand pragmatic cooperation.

Marape said his country thinks highly of China for making remarkable achievements in its development, realizing poverty alleviation goals as scheduled, and improving its people's livelihood, noting that PNG fully agrees that developing countries also have the legitimate right to develop.

The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative has extensively benefited developing countries including PNG, the prime minister said, while thanking China for its tremendous support in helping his country to accelerate development, particularly in infrastructure.

Important consensuses are being implemented by the two sides, and the two countries have established strong political ties and close economic and trade links, Marape said. He reaffirmed his country's adherence to the one-China policy, saying that a friendly relationship with China has become a consensus among all sectors in PNG.

PNG has learned from China to establish special economic zones, and has yielded positive results, Marape said, noting that his country will continue to deepen bilateral pragmatic cooperation, expedite a free trade agreement with China, and provide convenience to Chinese investment in PNG.

Praising PNG as a frontrunner in regional development as well as an engine for China-Pacific island countries cooperation, Wang said during the meeting that bilateral relations have withstood the test of international vicissitudes, with solid mutual trust established between the two countries.

The Chinese side appreciates PNG for fully understanding and staunchly supporting China in safeguarding its core interests. China will firmly stand with PNG on the regional and international arenas, and backs the Pacific island country seeking a development path suited to its national conditions, Wang said.

China will always be a reliable friend and good partner of PNG, he added.

The China-PNG cooperation has shown great vitality, which features development of all dimensions, in various fields and at different levels, Wang said.

China is ready to further synergize the respective development strategies with the PNG, and support the Pacific island country in establishing special economic zones, developing processing industries and expediting its industrialization, so as to strengthen self-development, he said.

China is willing to share development opportunities with PNG and welcome the export of more quality PNG products to the Chinese market, Wang said.

Both sides agreed to increase cultural exchanges and form stronger bond between the two peoples. Noting that China is a member of the "Pacific family", Marape said the Pacific Ocean binds the PNG and Chinese people together and PNG will continue pursuing a friendly policy toward China.

Wang encouraged more youths from the two countries to contribute to bilateral relations and friendship, and pass on their friendship from generation to generation.

PNG is the seventh leg of Wang's current tour to Pacific island countries starting from May 26, with Timor Leste as the last stop. Before arriving in Port Moresby, he visited the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu. 

Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister James Marape (R) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, June 3, 2022. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)
BEIJING, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Dragon Boat Festival is an important traditional festival in China. It fell on Friday this year and was celebrated across China, embodying the Chinese people's love for their country.

The festival, also called Duanwu Festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

"There are many versions concerning the origin of the festival, and the most influential one is related to Qu Yuan," said Shao Fengli, an associate professor at Liaoning University, adding that it reflects Chinese people's love of the poet, and also the patriotism that remains the backbone of Chinese culture.

Qu Yuan is a well-known poet and served as a minister of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475 -221 BC). As a poet, Qu Yuan is known today for his patriotism and contributions to classical verse. Lines such as "The way ahead is long and has no ending, yet high and low I'll search with my will unbending" are still spread widely.

"The spirit of patriotism has been deeply embedded into the blood of all Chinese people and has become an important spiritual symbol of the nation," Shao said.

After Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River, local people rowed out on the river to search for his body, and many boats could be seen on the wide river. Dragon boat races have thus become one of the most important customs of the festival, said Luo Haobo, head of the Qu Yuan memorial hall in Miluo city, central China's Hunan Province.

Gao Hu, head of a dragon boat manufacturing plant in the city, said that there were more than 100 dragon boat orders this year, and he is making a 30-meter-long traditional dragon boat for a customer in east China's Anhui Province, which can be rowed by more than 60 people.

Beijing aims to hold more than 240 online cultural events during this year's Dragon Boat Festival holiday from June 3 to 5.

"Traditional festivals are formed through thousands of years of inheritance. They have rich cultural significance and represent the beliefs of the Chinese people," Shao said. 
BEIRUT, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Egypt will continue to support Lebanon and stand with the Lebanese people as the country faces a difficult situation, visiting Egyptian Minister of Social Solidarity Nivine El Kabbag said on Thursday.

El Kabbag made the remarks upon her arrival in Lebanese capital Beirut, where she is scheduled to attend a meeting for the Council of Arab Ministers for Social Affairs, Lebanon's National News Agency reported.

While highlighting the joint cooperation and coordination between Egypt and Lebanon, El Kabbag said her visit also aims to voice her country's support for Lebanon.

Egypt has offered several donations to Lebanon over the past two years, including medical equipment, medicine and food. 
Aerial photo taken on April 19, 2022 shows a seeding machine guided by the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System working in a cotton field in a farm of a division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

"As the saying goes, to hide a lie, 1,000 lies are needed," said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

"Allegations of 'genocide' or 'forced labor' in Xinjiang are lies of the century pure and simple."

UNITED NATIONS, June 3 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday slammed the United States and Britain for unfounded accusations they leveled against China at the UN Security Council.

"I wish to point out that the representatives of the United States and Britain in their statements made unfounded accusations against China, which China firmly rejects," Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, told the Security Council open debate on strengthening accountability and justice for serious violations of international law.

"As the saying goes, to hide a lie, 1,000 lies are needed," said Dai. "Allegations of 'genocide' or 'forced labor' in Xinjiang are lies of the century pure and simple."

A seeding machine guided by the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System works in a cotton field in Shawan City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

The United States and Britain are afraid that their "cooked-up lies" about Xinjiang "are seen through" by the international community, so they come up with more lies to discredit China, hoping "to continue misleading the international community," Dai said.

"However, no amount of lies spread by the United States and Britain can deny the factual reality of Xinjiang that it enjoys stability and prosperity, and its people are living and working in peace and happiness," Dai stressed.

"What they are doing only exposes even further the nature of their tactic, that is to politicize and instrumentalize human rights, and exposes their political agenda of containing China by hyping up the Xinjiang issue," he said.

Dai noted that whoever has visited Xinjiang will not buy the lies peddled by the two countries.

"When it comes to countries like the United States and Britain, and the individuals concerned, who spread rumors, tell lies, confuse and mislead, and attempt to smear and discredit other countries, shouldn't accountability apply to them as well?" he asked. 
URUMQI, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region plans a total fixed-asset investment of over 900 billion yuan (about 134.1 billion U.S. dollars) in 2022.

The regional development and reform commission said the investment will focus on major projects in infrastructures and strategic emerging sectors, including railways, airports, power transmission lines and new energy bases.

The regional authorities have rolled out a guideline to encourage investment in large wind and solar power bases in Xinjiang's vast expanse of deserts.

The region has encouraged its traditional energy-guzzling petroleum and coal chemicals industries to use more clean energy and even asked them to build new energy projects to power new production facilities.

In 2021, Xinjiang's fixed-asset investment exceeded 820 billion yuan, up 15 percent year on year, the second-fastest growth rate among provincial-level regions across the country. 
BEIRUT, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said on Friday that Lebanon may not continue to host displaced Syrians if Europe fails to adopt a clear roadmap for returning them to their homeland.

"We've been hosting refugees for nearly 11 years while the Europeans still do not have a clear roadmap to end this crisis," Bou Habib was quoted as saying in a presidential statement, which was issued after he briefed the president on his recent visits to Washington, New York and Brussels.

The minister said Lebanon can no longer tolerate the presence of massive displaced Syrians on its territories which have weighed heavily on the country's economy and society.

"All we want from international organizations is to stop paying refugees in Lebanon while assisting them upon their return to their homeland," he added.

Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, with a government estimate of 1.5 million Syrian refugees.

The country is suffering a steep financial crisis that has plunged more than 74 percent of the population into poverty. 
UNITED NATIONS, June 3 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday urged all domestic armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to lay down their arms.

"The Security Council urges all domestic armed groups to immediately cease all forms of violence, permanently disband and lay down their arms, and participate in the Demobilization, Disarmament, Community Recovery and Stabilization Program," according to a president statement of the council.

"The Security Council calls all armed groups operating in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to participate unconditionally in the inter-Democratic Republic of the Congo dialogue initiated by His Excellency President Felix Tshisekedi and His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta," the statement said.

The council welcomed "the recent positive political developments" in the DRC and the region and the convening of the second Regional Heads of State Conclave on the Democratic Republic of Congo in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 21.

According to the statement, the council expressed concern over the increase of armed group activity in the eastern provinces of the DRC and reiterates its condemnation of all armed groups operating in the country.

The council further urged all foreign armed groups in the DRC "to disarm and return unconditionally and immediately to their respective countries of origin."

On other issues, the council encouraged continued consideration of the needs and experiences of women and youth as well as the protection of children's rights as an integral part of those processes.

"The Security Council reaffirms its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo," it said. 
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

The Armenian armed forces have shelled Azerbaijani military positions in the liberated Kalbajar region, Azernews reports, citing the Defence Ministry.

In a statement posted on its website, the ministry said: Starting from the evening of June 2 to the night of June 3, units of the Armenian armed forces from their positions in the direction of Yukhari Shorzha and Ashaghi Shorzha settlements of the Basarkechar region on the state border, using grenade launchers and large-caliber weapons once again subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions in the direction of Zaylik and Yellija settlements of the Kalbajar region.

The Azerbaijani army units took appropriate retaliatory measures to suppress the opposite side. The ministry ruled out any causality among the personnel and military equipment of the army. The units of the Azerbaijan army are in command of the operational situation, it added.

According to the ministry, Armenia is seeking to aggravate the situation on the state border by utilizing large-caliber arms to deflect the focus of its population away from internal processes.

We declare that the entire responsibility for the consequences of provocations committed by the opposing side falls on the military-political leadership of this country, the ministry stressed.

Armenia periodically shells Azerbaijani military positions located on its liberated territories. The previous truce violation took place on June 1 in the Kalbajar and Tovuz directions.

To recap, on May 22, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, European Council President Charles Michel, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met in Brussels. After the meeting, Michel said that Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed on a number of key issues, including the creation of border delimitation commissions, of which the first meeting was held on May 24.

Earlier, Ilham Aliyev stated that peace will return to the Caucasus based on the five principles Baku recently proposed for normalizing relations with Armenia.

In response to the peace negotiations with Azerbaijan, Armenia's revanchist opposition took to the streets, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The street protests have been going on since mid-April, with no tangible outcomes.

The trilateral ceasefire deal, signed by the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders with the mediation of the Russian president on November 10, 2020, ended the three-decade conflict over Azerbaijans Karabakh region, which along with the seven adjacent regions came under the occupation of Armenian armed forces in the war in the early 1990s.

The deal also stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions. Before the signing of the peace deal, Azerbaijan liberated 300 villages, settlements, city centers, and historical Shusha city that had been under Armenian occupation for about 30 years.
ANKARA, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday told NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that Turkey's security concerns on Sweden and Finland's intention to join the alliance were based on "just and legitimate" grounds, according to a statement from the Turkish presidency.

"Both countries should clearly display that they have given up supporting terrorism, that they have lifted sanctions against Turkey, and that they are ready to show alliance solidarity," Erdogan told the NATO chief in a phone call.

Stoltenberg stressed the "necessity to meet the expectations of Turkey, an important ally."

Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO following the Russia-Ukraine conflict that erupted in late February.

NATO allies, except for Turkey, have welcomed the Nordics' appeal. Ankara, however, citing the Swedish and Finnish ties with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and other anti-Turkey outlawed groups, objected to their entry into the alliance.

Turkey demanded an array of "concrete assurances" from Sweden and Finland, which included "termination of political support for terrorism," "elimination of the source of terrorism financing" and "cessation of arms support" to the PKK and its Syrian Kurdish offshoot.

The demands also include the lifting of the two countries' arms sanctions against Turkey. 
ADDIS ABABA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- More than 51,000 hectares of land in Ethiopia is pest-infested, an Ethiopian official said on Thursday.

Belayneh Negussie, plant protection Director at Ethiopia's Ministry of Agriculture, said 51,209 hectares of land across Ethiopia has recently been infested with pests.

Negussie said parts of Ethiopia's Gambella, Benishangul-Gumuz and Amhara regions have detected pest infestation in their farmlands, reported state media outlet Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporation (EBC).

"Out of the 51,209 hectares of pest-ridden farmland, 23,219 hectares of farmland has been treated with modern and traditional means of pest control," Negussie added.

He also said Ethiopia is facing the worst pest attack in two years, with efforts being undertaken to ensure there are no substantial crop losses in pest-affected areas.

Ethiopia's Ministry of Agriculture is also conducting preparatory works including chemical spraying in other parts of Ethiopia, which are deemed to be vulnerable to pest infestation.

In addition, the ministry is encouraging local communities to undertake traditional pest control measures to mitigate the impact of the pest invasion on farmlands. 
SEOUL, June 3 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Friday returned a part of its military base in central Seoul to South Korea, according to the Office for Government Policy Coordination.

The office said in a statement that the South Korean government received 51,000 square meters of land southeast of the Yongsan garrison from the U.S. Forces Korea.

The returned land included the garrison's southern and southwestern gates and thoroughfares to the gates.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol relocated his presidential office to the former defense ministry building near the Yongsan garrison, right after taking office on May 10.

The Yoon government planned to build a public park near the new presidential office with the returned U.S. garrison land. 
COLOMBO, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday instructed officials to utilize the COVID-19 social security fund to purchase essential medicines as the country faced a severe shortage of drugs amid economic crisis.

In a statement, the President's Media Division said Rajapaksa had instructed to utilize an estimated 600,000 U.S. dollars from the COVID-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund, collected from donors during the pandemic within the past two years, to import essential medicines for hospitals.

The president said since the pandemic is under control in the South Asian country, the fund could be used for other healthcare needs.

Sri Lanka is in the middle of its worst ever economic crisis due to a foreign exchange shortage, which has led to lack of essentials such as medicines, fuel and food. 
COLOMBO, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa instructed officials to maintain adequate stocks of all essential food items to prevent a shortage of goods, the president's media division announced on Friday.

The president pointed out that it could prevent the organized efforts of some businessmen to increase prices by artificially creating a shortage of goods and acting on people's fears.

He said a portion of the agricultural products currently being sent to the wholesale market should be made available directly to grocery stores.

The president said this would reduce the cost of transportation and enable consumers to purchase goods at lower prices and farmers to obtain higher prices.

Rajapaksa also instructed the Consumer Affairs Authority to take legal action against those who take advantage of the prevailing situation and sell goods at unfair prices.

Sri Lanka has seen a rapid increase in food prices in recent months due to lower yields after the country banned the use of chemical fertilizers in April 2021.

The government recently lifted the ban on chemical fertilizer and said it will import fresh fertilizer stocks for the coming farming season. 
SYDNEY, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese communities throughout Australia have been buzzing with a celebratory vibe recently in preparation for the traditional Dragon Boat Festival which takes place on Friday, providing locals with an up-close encounter with one of the most vibrant events on China's rich cultural calendar.

Among those to taste the festival's delights this weekend is Erin, who works at the Museum of Chinese Australian History which is nestled in the Chinatown district of the Victorian capital of Melbourne.

Erin told Xinhua of her first experiences with zongzi, the "weird" sticky rice dumplings which she had tried during a visit to China. But Erin didn't realise the historical story behind it until she found the food showed up in a limited time in Australia every year.

"It's only in time when you've learnt more that you make the connection between. Oh, I used to see that food in China," Erin said of the aromatic treats which have played an integral part in the festival that dates back about 2,000 years ago.

"There's always so much to learn about Chinese customs ... because they're very detailed and deep," she said. "You can see it at a sort of shallow level, or you can go deeper into the meaning and the tradition."

Erin hopes to share such cultural knowledge during the Dragon Boat Festival which will be celebrated at the museum on Sunday with a range of activities including zongzi making, folk storytelling and insights into the dramatic life of classical poet Qu Yuan (340 BC-278 BC) and the origins of the boats.

Museum chief executive Mark Wang told Xinhua that the annual event is a good opportunity to explain potentially puzzling traditions such as why the zongzi are thrown into the river during the festivity, and why people race on boats.

"The festival is really motivational, and I could tell them the answer to the questions most frequently asked about," Wang said.

Huynh, a regular museum visitor, grew up in Australia but is always eager to learn more about her Chinese ancestral background.

"It is good to know more about the culture through these kinds of festivals," she said. "It makes me feel closer to some parts of my identity."

"That's why we hold events for these major Chinese festivals," Wang added. "People here want to know the culture. We hope more of them can get an appreciation of Chinese culture as that can create social harmony in this multicultural society."

While taking time out to speak to Xinhua, Wang was happily appreciating his wife's delicious zongzi-making skills.

"I could eat as many as she gives me ... three, four or five," he said. 
MOSCOW, June 3 (Xinhua) -- One hundred days into the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the deadly crisis with global repercussions still shows no sign of easing off.

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, his country's special military operation in Donbass starting on Feb. 24 was launched in response to the fundamental threats posed by NATO and the bloc's eastward expansion.

The global community has since been closely monitoring how the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to remodel the global economy, energy landscape as well as diplomatic and military ties.

Russian officials have repeatedly stressed that the special military operation would continue until all its objectives are met, while Ukraine has vowed to "fight till the end."

In this context, the West's ever-increasing military aid to Ukraine and unprecedented pressure on Moscow have strongly exacerbated the situation, and created barriers to future peace talks.

With both Russia and Ukraine adhering to different negotiation positions, the prospect of peace remains elusive.

CHANGES ON THE GROUND

Following the end of the battle in Mariupol, with Russia taking control of the Azovstal steel plant and the city, both sides shifted their military focus to the northeastern part of the Donetsk region, and the western part of the Lugansk region.

The current military action is centered around two strategically important cities in the Lugansk region, namely Severodonetsk and Lysychansk.

The Ukrainian side has confirmed that heavy fighting continued in Severodonetsk. The head of the Lugansk regional military administration Sergei Haidai recently said that Russia was gaining control of most of the city, while Ukrainian forces were still showing resistance.

During his visit to the frontline in Kharkiv region on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country's troops were facing an extremely difficult situation.

In a Telegram post following the visit, the Ukrainian leader said his country would "defend its land till the very end" and "would fight and definitely win."

In a more recent address to the Luxembourg parliament on Thursday, Zelensky said that Russian forces controlled around 20 percent of Ukrainian territory.

Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed that Moscow's military operation would continue despite Western pressure and increased Western assistance to Kiev.

Russian military expert Aleksei Leonkov believes that the Ukrainian army has already suffered defeat in the battle for Donbass and that Kiev's efforts on the battlefield have not led to any tangible results.

According to Igar Tyskevich, an analyst at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, Russia's full control of the Donbass region would not be feasible in the short term, and that it would be difficult to predict how long this conflict would last.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE TALKS AT A STANDSTILL

While there are noticeable developments on the battlefield, the same cannot be said about the current state of the negotiation process between Russia and Ukraine. The prospect of peace remains bleak, as talks were put on hold following a controversial incident in Bucha in April.

Russian officials said that Moscow was willing to continue diplomatic talks, despite Ukraine's constant urge to deviate from previous agreements. After sending draft proposals to Kiev in April, Russia said the "ball was now in Ukraine's court."

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelensky said that Russian forces must return to positions held before the start of the conflict for diplomatic talks to continue. Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said such conditions were "impossible in principle."

World leaders have nonetheless continued to pursue mediation efforts. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have held multiple telephone conversations with Putin to discuss the Ukrainian crisis and the peace talks.

Turkey, which has expressed its desire to play a mediating role in the conflict and has already hosted a round of Russia-Ukraine talks, recently expressed readiness to host a new round of negotiations.

Nevertheless, none of the current efforts have led to a successful revival of the talks because of stark differences in the negotiation positions of both sides.

Russia has already begun strengthening its presence in southern and eastern Ukraine, including simplifying the procedures for residents in the Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions in southern Ukraine to apply for Russian citizenship.

Some Russian analysts agree that it is pointless to continue negotiations with Zelensky on key political matters.

Alexander Perendzhiev, a Russian political and military analyst, has said that Zelensky is merely a puppet of the West, and the West itself is not ready for serious negotiations.

Tyskevich, the analyst at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, believes the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has escalated into a "long-term war" and the "active phase" may last for several months or even longer, and the next key step would be to discuss the necessary conditions for a ceasefire agreement.

However, even if a truce is reached, according to the expert, it would be very fragile.

WESTERN INVOLVEMENT

Instead of promoting peace talks and a rapid end to the conflict, the United States and its Western allies have continued to exert pressure on Russia, ramp up sanctions, and provide military assistance to Ukraine.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that the United States would supply Ukraine with advanced rocket systems that Kiev had requested.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has also announced recently that the country was receiving Harpoon anti-ship missile systems from Denmark, Britain, and the Netherlands to defend itself in the Black Sea, while other countries will also supply defense equipment in the near future.

In a bid to contain Russia even further, European Union leaders have recently agreed to ban "more than two thirds" of Russian oil imports to the bloc, as they adopted their sixth package of sanctions against Russia.

The Kremlin has repeatedly stressed that by supplying heavy weapons to Ukraine, the United States was deliberately "adding fuel to the fire" and hindering a potential resumption of peace talks.

In recent telephone conversations with European leaders, Putin pointed out that the supply of weapons would further destabilize the situation and worsen the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

Russian political scientist Karine Gevorgyan noted that by providing Ukraine with an unlimited supply of weapons, the West risks depleting its own arsenals.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that the West is fighting a proxy war against Russia, using Ukraine as the battlefield.

If the West finally recovers from its "anti-Russian frenzy" and decides it wants to restore relations, Moscow would seriously consider whether or not it needs to re-establish these ties, said Lavrov. 
CHICAGO, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Two people were wounded in a shooting Thursday at a cemetery in Racine, south of Milwaukee in the U.S. state of Wisconsin during a funeral for a man killed by police.

One victim was taken to hospital and is expected to survive; the other was treated and released, local media reported Friday.

The shooting occurred just before 2:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) as multiple shots were fired, the Racine Police Department said in a statement

Police are not able to say what led to the shooting. No suspects are in custody. The public has been asked to avoid the area during the ongoing investigation.

In response to the shooting, Racine Mayor Cory Mason has imposed a curfew for anyone under the age of 18.

The shooting comes the day after a gunman killed four people at a Tulsa medical office.

Shooting has happened frequently in the United States recently. On May 14, a mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo in the U.S. state of New York left 10 dead and three injured. On May 24, a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde of Texas left 21 people dead, including 19 students.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, there has already been 233 mass shootings so far this year in the United States, averaging more than one per day. 
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

Thirty years have passed since Azerbaijan joined the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Azerbaijan and UNESCO have been enjoying successful cooperation since 1992.

The Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry has issued a statement on the 30th anniversary of the country's membership in UNESCO, Azernews reports, citing the Foreign Ministry.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said that over the past three decades, the partnership between Azerbaijan and UNESCO has been rapidly developing, and the country became a reliable partner in ensuring peace and security throughout the world in all international organizations, of which it's a member, including UNESCO.

The Azerbaijan National Commission for UNESCO was established in 1994 by the relevant order of the national leader Heydar Aliyev, and in subsequent years, cooperation between UNESCO and Azerbaijan further developed.

Following the organization's goals and principles, Azerbaijan continues its activities in all priority areas of the organization, being among UNESCO's most active members.

"The exceptional merits of the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva in developing cooperation between our country and the organization, promoting the ideas and goals of the organization at the international level and within the country, should be especially emphasized. Thanks to the attention and support of the First Vice-President, Azerbaijan has made a great contribution to the promotion of UNESCO values in the fields of education, preservation of cultural heritage, restoration and protection of historical monuments in Azerbaijan and around the world, intercultural dialogue and other areas," said in the statement.

"Over the past years, three tangible and 15 intangible heritage pieces related to Azerbaijani history and culture have been included in the relevant UNESCO lists. As a result of the pursued targeted policy, our country was elected a member of the UNESCO Executive Board for the period of 2021-2025, winning the support of a big majority of members in the election held in November 2021 during the 41st session of the General Conference of UNESCO. Three cities of Azerbaijan-Baku, Ganja, and Gabala are included in the network of learning cities, and Baku, Shaki, and Lankaran are in the network of UNESCO creative cities".

The statement says that Azerbaijan, which is on the path of sustainable and dynamic economic development, supports the noble mission of UNESCO in various parts of the world, closely cooperates with the organization in the implementation of UNESCO values, as well as the idea of ??promoting intercultural dialogue and peace and implements a number of joint projects.

Azerbaijan supports the programs and projects of the organization through the Trust Fund, established in accordance with the Framework Agreement signed with UNESCO in 2013.

Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to join and make a financial contribution to the Global Education Coalition, established at the initiative of UNESCO to eliminate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Azerbaijan actively cooperates with UNESCO within the framework of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in Armed Conflict.

Azerbaijan, which was a member of the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict in 2015-2019, has been a member of the Committee since 2021.

In its statement, the Foreign Ministry also pointed out Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan

"For thirty years, UNESCO has been regularly informed about Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan and its war crimes such as destruction, misappropriation, modification of the essence, illegal removal of cultural treasures from our country during the occupation. After the liberation of the country's territories, restoration and protection of monuments in these areas, regardless of their origin, is among the priorities of the Azerbaijani government".

"Azerbaijan is a multicultural country, all monuments on its territory are protected at the state level and representatives of all religions and cultures are respected. Azerbaijan has always been committed to cooperating with UNESCO, fulfilling its obligations under the conventions to which it is a party, and in particular its obligations to protect cultural heritage. For many years, with its experience and participation, our country has made significant contributions to the activities of the organization in the restoration and protection of cultural heritage, both in Azerbaijan and globally. Our country will continue to develop partnerships in the activities of the organization, remaining true to the values of UNESCO," the statement said.
WASHINGTON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Two people and a shooter died after a shooting outside a church in Ames, U.S. state of Iowa, on Thursday.

The Story County Sheriff's Office tweeted they received multiple calls reporting that a male individual had shot two people in the parking lot of a church in the evening.

"There are three people deceased, one of them being the male identified as the shooter," the sheriff's office wrote.

"There is not an ongoing threat to the community. There will be no further updates at this time," it added.

Ames, a city in Story County, is about 50 km north of Des Moines in central Iowa. 
People gather outside the building of affordable housing for artists in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 2, 2022. The affordable housing project focuses on supporting local artists and their families living and working in Vancouver. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)

People gather at the production space inside the building of affordable housing for artists in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 2, 2022. The affordable housing project focuses on supporting local artists and their families living and working in Vancouver. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)

Artists talk to each other at the shared studio space inside the building of affordable housing for artists in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 2, 2022. The affordable housing project focuses on supporting local artists and their families living and working in Vancouver. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)
OTTAWA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Siksika Nation Chief Ouray Crowfoot announced Thursday the signing of a historic land claim settlement.

The 1.3 billion Canadian dollar (1.04 billion U.S. dollar) settlement is one of the largest agreements of its kind reached in Canada, according to a news release on the prime minister's website.

The settlement aims to right past wrongs dating back over a century when the Canadian government broke promise and wrongfully took almost half of Siksika Nation's reserve land, including some of the most productive agricultural and mineral-rich lands, to sell to settlers, the release said.

"Settling this case, which dates back to 1910, is long overdue for the People of Siksika Nation. I want to make that clear: Canada is not giving 1.3 billion dollars to Siksika," said Crowfoot, adding that Canada is righting a wrong committed over a century ago when Canada illegally took 115,000 acres of lands provided to Siksika along with other illegal acts.

Under the settlement, Siksika can acquire over time up to 115,000 acres of land for addition to their reserve land base on a willing-seller/willing-buyer basis.

To date, Canada has settled over 590 specific claims through negotiated settlements with First Nations across the country. This includes over 180 claims settled through negotiations since 2016, the news release said. 
Srinagar: A conspiracy to kill Hindus in Kashmir and create panic among the valley's peaceful litigants was hatched in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (Pok) a year ago. Security agencies have received information that the series of target killings of Hindus in Kashmir that has started at this time was scripted by the Pakistani agency ISI in Muzaffarabad of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). A total of 200 people have been listed who are to be killed.

Islamic terrorists have killed 10 people in the valley in the last 26 days. People have been forced to leave the valley of fear. People living in the Valley are migrating to safer places to save their lives. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also held a high-level meeting to curb the killings. National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval as well as the RAW Chief were also present. The government can take a big step in this matter.

In a major revelation on the targeted killing in Kashmir, intelligence agencies have said that the killings were planned in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) last year. According to the media report, a meeting was held on September 21, 2021, between ISI officials and other terror outfits in Muzaffarabad. According to security agencies, a list of 200 people who are to be killed was prepared during the planning. According to the agencies, plans to form new terror outfits with new names have also come up in the meeting.

Jaishankar meets Slovak PM to discuss political, economic, defence ties

World Bicycle Day: Anurag Thakur launches nationwide programme

VP Naidu in Senegal: Lauds Indian diasporas' immense goodwill for country
STOCKHOLM: India and Canada have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their environmental and climatic action.

Bhupender Yadav, India's Minister of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, and Steven Guilbeault, Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Thursday to expand bilateral collaboration on climate change, environmental protection, and conservation.

The signing took place on the sidelines of Stockholm+50, and it was made possible by a previous meeting between the two ministers at COP26 last year.

Under the terms of the MoU, both countries have agreed to work together, share information and expertise, and support each other's goals in a variety of areas, including increasing renewable energy capacity, decarbonizing heavy industries, reducing plastic pollution, promoting chemical safety, and ensuring sustainable consumption.

Both countries are committed to assisting each other in achieving their climate and environmental goals by developing long-term solutions that also give opportunities for economic growth and employment creation.

Water and waste management systems, clean hydrogen, smart grids, and energy storage are just a few of Canada's proven sustainable technologies that could be of interest to India.

World Economic Forum forms an alliance to boost India's climate efforts

Environmentalists urging incoming Australian govt to take action

Ottawa signs USD 1.3-Bn landmark settlement with Siksika Nation
KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait's oil production is expected to increase to approximately 2.77 million barrels per day (bpd) in July.

Mohammad Al-Fares, Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister and Oil Minister, made the announcement via video conference after attending the 29th Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting.

According to news reports, Kuwait's oil production would jump to nearly 2.77 million bpd in July based on OPEC and its partners' decision, known as OPEC+. The Minister commended OPEC+'s decision to increase monthly production, stating that it will help to improve the oil market's supply security.

"This indicates that the OPEC+ countries will reclaim a major portion of their production quotas in the next months, returning to levels comparable to those seen before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out at the start of 2020," he said.

The OPEC+ group decided on Thursday to considerably raise oil output in July in response to pleas for the group to help curb rising oil prices.

India urges oil, gas producers to increase supplies as high prices bite

America's warning ignored! After cheap oil, India made another big deal with Russia

Crude Oil prices rise ahead of EU meet on Russian sanctions; Brent hits at USD119.89/bbl
OTTAWA: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Siksika Nation Chief Ouray Crowfoot have agreed to sign a historic land claim settlement with Siksika Nation. The land agreement was announced on June 2, as per reports.

The settlement strives to address historical wrongs stretching back over a century, when the Canadian government illegally took about half of the Siksika Nation's reserve property, including some of the most productive agricultural and mineral-rich territories, to sell to settlers.

According to a news release on the Prime Minister's website, the 1.3 billion Canadian dollar ($1.04 billion) settlement is one of the largest of its kind in Canada.

"For the People of Siksika Nation, resolving this dispute, which dates back to 1910, has been long overdue. I want to be clear: Canada is not giving Siksika 1.3 billion dollars "Crowfoot went on to say that Canada is making amends for a mistake made over a century ago when it illegally seized 115,000 acres of land provided to Siksika, among other things.

Under the terms of the agreement, Siksika can acquire up to 115,000 acres of land on a willing-seller/willing-buyer basis over time to add to their reserve land base.

Through negotiated agreements with First Nations around the country, Canada has resolved over 590 unique claims. According to the news announcement, over 180 claims have been settled through discussions since 2016.

Ukraine receives 20,000 artillery rounds of NATO standard 155 mm ammunition from Canada

Denmark votes to join EU defence pact amid Ukraine tensions

Shehbaz furious as Imran Khan says Pakistan will cut up into 3
New Delhi: India has lashed out at Pakistan for raising the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). India said the neighbouring country is a "living example" of how a country avoids its accountability on serious crimes like genocide and ethnic cleansing. India said it will continue to take concrete and decisive steps to respond to terrorist activities from across the border.

Dr Kajal Bhat, counsellor/legal advisor in India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN), said in the Security Council on Thursday that she has to respond to some lies and malicious propaganda spread by a representative of Pakistan as she (Pakistan) is used to doing such an act. "Today, we are discussing how to empower accountability and justice for serious violations of international law. '

"Bangladesh came into existence 50 years ago because of Pakistan's shameful history of genocide in East Pakistan, which was never accepted, never apologised, nor any accountability was fixed. Bhat said that after pakistan's representative raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), there was a fierce debate on "strengthening accountability and justice for serious violations of international law" under the chairmanship of the council's chief Albania.

World food commodity prices fell slightly in May: FAO

GACA issues rules for airlines transporting Haj pilgrims

Russia and Ukraine complete 100 days of war, 6.8 million people forced to flee
KABUL: The Taliban-led Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has pledged to continue serving as a mediator between the Pakistani government and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group in order to maintain regional stability.

"Based on its main and permanent policy of supporting security and stability in the region, the IEA has continued to mediate between the Pakistani government and the TTP and is still continuing its efforts and hoping for good results," a spokesman for the Taliban government, Inamullah Samangani, source said.

The TTP issued a statement after more than 50 ethnic elders from seven Pakistani tribal regions arrived in Kabul, requesting the Islamabad government to withdraw its troops and negotiate a truce. According to media report, the TTP has also demanded the complete freedom of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's tribal territories from the Pakistani Army.

The IEA has frequently mediated between the TTP and the government in Islamabad in recent months, but Pakistani tribal elders have indicated that their journey to Kabul is intended to settle on a longer truce with the Taliban administration in Afghanistan's help.

The TTP has demanded the repeal of draconian laws, the release of its members by the Pakistani government, and a reduction in military presence in tribal areas over the past 14 years.

Pakistan-TTP agreed to extend cease-fire agreement indefinitely

Shehbaz furious as Imran Khan says Pakistan will cut up into 3

Pak Govt shocks consumers with Rs.213 per litre hike in cooking oil prices
SENEGAL: The Indian diaspora has built great goodwill for India through their achievements and contributions to Senegal's development, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said during a reception hosted by community members in Dakar.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Senegal.

According to the Indian Embassy's website in Dakar, Senegal has a population of around 500 Indians. The majority of them work for Indian enterprises, particularly those who are implementing development projects using India's Lines of Credit. Some of them are in charge of their own companies.

On the second phase of his three-nation journey to Gabon, Senegal, and Qatar, the Vice President arrived in Dakar on Wednesday. On Friday, Vice President Naidu attended a reception organised by the Indian community in Dakar, according to the Vice President's official Twitter account, which also shared photos from the occasion.

"Through their achievements and contribution to Senegal's progress, the Indian diaspora has produced great goodwill for the country," the Vice President remarked, noting that there is a strong Indian community in Africa. They have truly been true Indian cultural ambassadors." Naidu and Senegalese President Macky Sall conducted extensive talks on Thursday, during which the two countries agreed to increase cooperation in areas including as defence, agriculture, railways, health, and energy.

Prez Kovind, PM Modi greet people of Telangana on their Statehood Day

President empowers Ladakh LG to exercise powers under Hindu Marriage Act

President Ram Nath Kovind on three-state visits starting from today
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Elizabeth II.

Your Majesty,

It is on the occasion of the National Holiday of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland  Queens Official Birthday that on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I cordially congratulate you and through you, your entire people, and offer my best wishes.

Along with that, I am delighted to most sincerely congratulate you on the Platinum Jubilee  the 70th anniversary of your ascension to the throne. In the last seven decades, your tireless efforts for the sake of prosperity and overall development of the United Kingdom, personal example and selflessness have earned you great affinity, esteem and prestige worldwide.

I wish to highlight your contribution to every phase of the development of relations between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom, those relations reaching the present level and our cooperation becoming strategic by nature in a number of areas today.

This year we celebrate a significant milestone in the history of our interstate relations  the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties between our countries. Throughout this time, we have been gratified by the level of friendly engagement between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom. I am confident that our relations, underpinned by mutual trust and support, and our fruitful and multifaceted cooperation, will continue to thrive and expand.

Your Majesty,

I renew my sincere congratulations and wish robust health, longevity, happiness, and success in every endeavor to you and everlasting prosperity to your friendly people.

Sincerely,

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 2 June 2022
Home  Technology  Gadget  Google Pixel 6A coming to Nepal: An economical version of the Pixel 6 looks unique in its price range

Google Pixel 6A is one of the many products launched at Googles latest I/O event which was held recently. This is an economic choice compared to the already launched Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. Pixel phones are usually known for their unique design, solid build, good camera quality and a custom Google processor.

Since Google Pixel 6A is the economical version of the Pixel 6 series, one cannot expect top-notch performance from the phone like Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. The performance of the phone is toned down but is decent enough for the price range it is being offered. This phone is also powered by Googles own chipset, has an adaptive battery and comes out with the latest Android straight out of the box.

Lets get into the details of the phone.

Specifications

Dimensions Height: 152.5mm

Width: 71.8mm

Thickness: 8.9mm

Weight: 178 grams Display 6.1 inches OLED, 60Hz Sim Dual sims Resolution 1,080*2,400 pixels, 429 PPI density OS Android 12 Chipset Google Tensor (5nm) GPU Mali-G78 MP20 Storage UFS 3.1 128GB SD card slot No RAM 6GB Camera Front: 8MP, f/2.0, Auto-HDR

Rear: 12.2MP, f/1.7, dual pixel PDAF

12 MP, 114 degrees (ultrawide) Sound Loudspeakers with stereo speakers

No 3.5mm headphone jack 2 microphones Battery 4410 mAh, Li-Po, non-removable

18W Fast charging

USB power delivery 3.0 Sensors Under display fingerprint sensor

Proximity sensor

Ambient light sensor

Accelerometer

Gyrometer

Magnetometer

Barometer Colours Chalk, charcoal, sage Price Rs 60,000-65,000

Design and display

Photo: google

Google Pixel 6A has a glass front, an aluminium frame and a plastic back build. It shares a similar design seen on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. The phone has a similar camera bar design on the back and a centre punch-hole camera on the front. There is a small change in the design of the new Pixel 6A; the cameras now lie under a single glass cover making them more noticeable. The Google branding lies in the middle of the phone, and it looks neat. The phone also has an IP67 dust/water resistant certification.

The phone weighs lightly at 178 grams and is 8.9mm thick. It is available in chalk, charcoal and sage colours.

Photo: google

On the front is a 6.1-inch punch-hole OLED display with a resolution of 1,080*2,400 pixels with 429 PPI density. The display supports a 60Hz refresh rate which is a bit concerning as most smartphones these days at a similar or even lower price range offer a 90Hz or even 120Hz refresh rate. Similarly, it has an under-display fingerprint sensor like its siblings and gets gorilla glass 3 protection.

Cameras

Google Pixel 6A features a dual-camera setup on the back. The 12.2MP main camera with an aperture of f/1.7 features dual pixel PDAF which helps in the immediate and accurate focus. The main camera is accompanied by another 12MP ultrawide lens with a FOV of 114 degrees and an LED flashlight. On the front is an 8MP selfie shooter with an auto-HDR feature.

Pixel phones offer some interesting photography features which are not usually seen on other smartphones. The photography option on Google Pixel 6A includes real tone, face unblur, panorama, manual white balancing, locked folder, night sight, top shot, portrait mode, portrait light, super res zoom, motion autofocus, frequent faces, dual exposure controls, live HDR+ and cinematic pan. It also features an interesting magic eraser tool.

For the video, the main camera on Google Pixel 6A can record 4K resolution videos up to 60fps. Meanwhile, the front camera is capable of recording 1080p resolution videos at 30fps. The dual-pixel PDAF will help in the stabilisation of the videos. Some interesting videography features on the phone include 4K timelapse with stabilisation, astrophotography timelapse, 4K cinematic pan video stabilisation and 4K locked video stabilisation. The phone also offers stereo recording, speech enhancement and wind noise reduction while recording.

Performance and storage

Photo: google

Google Pixel 6A runs on the latest Android 12 and is said to receive five years of security updates and at least three years of OS updates. The phone is powered by Googles own Google Tensor (5nm) chipset while the graphical duties of the phone are handled by Mali-G78 MP20. This is the same chipset used on the flagship Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro and should give an upper hand in terms of power compared to its competitors.

Google Pixel 6A gets a single variant of 128GB internal storage coupled with 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM. There is no option of expanding the memory with an external SDcard and also the new generation of Pixel phones does not get the privilege of unlimited Google cloud storage.

Battery life, connectivity and others

Photo: google

Google Pixel 6A features a 4410 mAh non-removable li-po battery backup. Comparatively, this is the smallest battery backup on the Pixel 6 series. It also features the smallest fast charging system of just 18W, which too is a bit concerning while competitors are offering better battery backup and a faster charger. However, the phone features an adaptive battery feature that learns your favourite apps and saves power from those rarely used. This will allow the phones battery to last all day. There is also an extreme battery saver mode, which when enabled will help the battery to last for up to 72 hours.

The phone features dual sim card slots that support 5G network connectivity. For Wifi connectivity, the phone supports Wifi 6 as well as Wifi 6E. The phone is NFC-enabled and has multi-system GPS support. For wireless connectivity with other devices, the phone features Bluetooth 5.2 while for charging and wired connectivity, the phone uses a USB Type-C 3.1 cable.

Google Pixel 6A features stereo speakers but does not feature a 3.5mm headphone jack. The phone also features two microphones.

Google Pixel 6A is launched at USD 449 and pre-orders will start from July 21 while the full retail release will be on July 28. There is no official importer or distributor of Google phones in Nepal currently, but the phone could be available from unauthorised dealers.

Should the phone arrive in Nepal, one can expect a price range from Rs 60,000 to Rs 65,000.
Home  Opinion  Heres what you can do to improve the situation of street dogs in Nepal

One day out of curiosity, I opened up some websites on my phone to see what practical approaches were out there to help the street dogs.

I was curious about things like the possibilities of helping these street dogs to live in peace within our society and more. With some questions in mind, I became ready to dive deep into the internet for information.

Street dogs in Nepal

I found that Nepal has thousands of abandoned dogs, with an estimated 10,000-30,000 in Kathmandu alone. The Indian pariah dog (most common), the mountain dog, Tibetan mastiffs, Himalayan mastiff (bhote kukur) and other mixed breeds are the breeds of street dogs found in our country.

These ownerless, homeless dogs spend most of their lives on the streets and receive little to no medical attention. Yet, Nepals street dogs are found to be intelligent, clever, resilient, and street-savvy, and given a chance, they can become loving and loyal companions.

However, I also figured out that this ungoverned, displaced, and disregarded animal thriving their life on the streets are exposed to several human-induced threats reflecting the substandard attitude and behaviour of this 21st-century society towards these vulnerable beings.

Nevertheless, humanity is still alive and in many cases, the majority of the food for these homeless dogs comes from human donations. The prevalence of disease and injury among these street dogs is significant, and their lives are much shorter than those of pet dogs, also because of the food they have from garbage laying around in the streets of Kathmandu.

The problem with people more than dogs

Photo by yawan sahu on Unsplash

These street dogs face problems such as malnutrition, being hit and run by vehicles, not getting medical attention, cruelty, physical abuse etc. There are many cases where the negligence of humans in regard to this animal has led their lives to the death.

Some of them are beaten badly for them trying to get closer to humans or visiting their houses in search of affection whereas some are harmed just for the peace of some evil human minds for no reason. Then, hundreds of street dogs are left to be killed on roads every year, hit by a vehicle by jagged riders; some of them are racked with the pain of wounds given by humans; some are brutally murdered as well; some die just because of deprivation of food; some become prey to humans having fun with a catapult and stone.

Governing bodies show no empathy as well because many of them are poisoned by municipalities, local bodies or community people in the name of reducing the dog population in their locality.

Every year, almost 200 people suffer rabies as a result of dog bites and this becomes a big enough reason for people to believe that street dogs are a problem, and some to the extent of believing that these misplaced canines should be killed to reduce the street dog population, while still others admit to hurling stones at dogs. While risks of rabies from street dogs are a factor to be considered, there must be more humane ways to deal with them.

Organisations working for the welfare of street dogs

I looked up to see organisations that are working in the sector and the kind of work being done. I found very few organisations speaking up for stray dogs even though there are hundreds of donors and organisations fighting for other causes.

A non-profit organisation Kathmandu Animal Treatment (KAT) Centre was established to help and protect Nepals street animals, particularly dogs. Its main purpose is to reduce the number of street dogs while also ensuring that those that remain are safe and healthy.

One of the members of the organisation was found saying that there are over 20,000 dogs that live in the streets of Kathmandu. They say many suffer from malnutrition, infected skin patches, parasites and other illness and injuries.

This organisation and others similar to them have aided these canines by providing rabies vaccinations, animal birth control, public education, and rescuing and treating sick hounds. Also, there are organisations working for animal welfare that have rescued thousands of street animals. To name some, there are Animal Nepal, Snehas Care, HART, Paaila, Aatmoutsarga Nepal, and more.

Optimistic scenario and challenges

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Some also believe that because these street dogs rely on scavenging waste to live, more waste means healthier dogs and puppies. In an ironic twist, this makes their presence in society helpful for public health. They eliminate perishable waste that could otherwise be a cause of contamination for people by scavenging rubbish.

I do not know the extent to which they contribute to the waste management problem, but I do believe that we must conserve these breeds to ensure that their kind does not become extinct from our ecosystem. But, how do we do it?

Initial conservation steps towards their survival in a community would be establishing an animal management welfare community in the municipalities. This committee would work to link community members with their respective wards and make proper plans to feed and vaccinate the street dogs. This committee then should also provide awareness to the people in the communities while also identifying rogue dogs and transferring them to animal shelters.

The government should encourage people to pet the local breeds of dogs and discourage foreign breeds. A good animal shelter with proper facilities like veterinary care should be put in place. Population control of street dogs should be prioritised through vaccinations. These approaches can be specifically laid out in the points below:

Capture, neutering, vaccination, and release: Vaccinating stray dogs against diseases like rabies, etc In several countries, sheltering free-roaming dogs is the most experimental and theoretical approach to dog population control. Imposing taxes on foreign breeds: This was first done in the Netherlands and was hugely successful in encouraging people to adopt local dog breeds. Dogs in homes mean no dogs on the streets.

While street dogs do not have the luxury of a comfortable life that house pets enjoy, they are nonetheless adaptive to humans and respond to human empathy. A little empathy and respect for other animals may undoubtedly decrease a lot of strife and make our country a nicer place.

There is a saying by Mahatma Gandhi that the greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated!
Home  Society  Covid-hit Nepali students allowed to return to China to continue their studies

Kathmandu, June 3

Nepali students who were stranded in Nepal owing to the Covid pandemic will be permitted to return to China to continue their studies.

The Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology stated in a notice that the return of Nepali students studying in China will take place in multiple phases.

In the first phase, 281 Nepali students will return. The students have been asked to follow specific guidelines and immediately apply for a visa to return to China.

Since China formally closed its doors to international students in February 2020, students who had come to Nepal during the winter break had been stranded. The students, who were rescued by Nepal from China, have also not been able to return to China.

Here is the notice released by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology 
Description

The vibrant Three Village Farmers Market returns to the grounds of the Three Village Historical Society (rain or shine) on Fridays between 3 and 7pm.

A variety of nutritious and delicious locally grown produce and crafted products are the theme. With 35+ vendors this season.

Live Music, Rotating Wine Series, Local non-forprofits, Health & Wellness and activities for the kids!

Cornell monthly LI Seafood series and of course follow along with the TVHS Barn Build.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has released details of the vehicle crash that led to the arrest of Speaker Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) husband late Saturday night for allegedly driving under the influence.

CHP said in a press release Sunday night that Paul Pelosis 2021 Porsche was struck in Napa Valley by a 2014 Jeep as he was attempting to cross State Route 29. No injuries were reported, and Pelosi was arrested about 80 minutes after law enforcement responded to the scene, according to the agency.

A public booking report by the Napa County Sheriffs Office lists Paul Pelosi as being booked early Sunday morning on charges of driving under the influence. His bail was set at $5,000.

A representative for Pelosi told CBS News that he had been at a dinner party in Oakville until about 10:15 p.m., and drove the short distance home by himself. They added he was fully cooperative with authorities and that processing took until 7:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The arrest was first reported by TMZ.

Speaker Pelosi was in Rhode Island on Sunday to deliver Brown Universitys commencement address. Drew Hammill, a spokesman for the Speaker, said on Sunday that she was not with her husband at the time and would not be commenting on the matter.

Nancy and Paul Pelosi have been married since 1963.

Updated: 8:23 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Attralus, Inc

Final Phase 1/2 Study Results for AT-01 (Evuzamitide), Attralus's Novel Pan-Amyloid Imaging Agent for the Detection of Systemic Amyloidosis



Repeat PET/CT Imaging of a Patient with Systemic Amyloidosis using AT-01 (Evuzamitide) Identifies Organ-Specific Amyloid Regression

SAN FRANCISCO, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Attralus, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing transformative medicines to improve the lives of patients with systemic amyloidosis, today announced that final data from the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine from its Phase 1/2 trial of iodine evuzamitide (124I-AT-01), the companys pan-amyloid binding peptide in development as a radiotracer for the diagnosis of systemic amyloidosis, will be presented in both oral and poster presentations at the 2022 Society of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Annual Meeting. The SNMMI Annual Meeting is scheduled to be held June 11-14, 2021, in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Oral Presentation Details

Abstract Title: Final Results of The First-In-Human Study of The Amyloid-Reactive Peptide 124I-p5+14, (Iodine[124I] Evuzamitide; AT-01) For the Detection of Systemic Amyloidosis

Presenter: Jonathan Wall, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Director of the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicines Amyloidosis and Cancer Theranostics Program

Session: Integrated Session 9: Cardiac Amyloidosis: Advances in Imaging and clinical applications

Date/Time: June 14, 2022, 8:45 a.m.  9:00 a.m. PDT



Poster Presentation Details

Abstract Title: Repeat PET/CT Imaging of a Patient with Systemic Amyloidosis Using iodine (124I) evuzamitide (124I-p5+14) Identifies Organ-Specific Amyloid Regression

Presenter: Emily Martin, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine

Session: Meet-the-Author Poster Hall Reception

Date/Time: June 13, 2022, 5:45 p.m.  7:00 p.m. PDT



For additional information, please visit the SNMMI Annual Meeting website.

Story continues

Systemic amyloidosis is a group of progressive and debilitating diseases affecting more than 500,000 patients globally. It is a difficult disease to diagnose, and many patients are diagnosed years after the onset symptoms, said Gregory Bell, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Attralus. Attralus is developing the first and only non-invasive, pan-amyloid, whole body imaging diagnostic designed to detect all types of systemic amyloidosis. We look forward to the presentation of these encouraging new data from Dr. Jonathan Walls Phase 1/2 trial for AT-01, at the SNMMI Annual Meeting.

About AT-01 Pan-Amyloid Diagnostic

AT-01 utilizes the companys pan-amyloid binding peptide as an amyloid-specific radiotracer to image all types of systemic amyloidosis by PET/CT imaging. In initial clinical trials, AT-01 has been shown to detect multiple types of amyloid deposits, including AL and ATTR, in major organs such as the heart, kidney, liver and spleen. Attralus obtained exclusive rights to commercialize 124I-AT-01 under a commercial license agreement with the University of Tennessee Research Foundation. The same PAR-peptide technology is utilized in AT-02 and AT-04, two of the companys therapeutic candidates.

About Systemic Amyloidosis

Systemic amyloidosis encompasses a diverse group of rare diseases that occur due to accumulation of toxic amyloid deposits in tissues and organs, a consequence of aberrant protein misfolding events. These diseases are progressive, debilitating and often fatal. Systemic amyloidosis is significantly underdiagnosed due to low awareness, lack of specific symptoms, and no current disease-specific diagnostics. The two most common forms of systemic amyloidosis are immunoglobulin light-chain-associated (AL) amyloidosis and transthyretin-associated amyloidosis (ATTR). There is a significant unmet need for new therapies and diagnostics in systemic amyloidosis.

About Attralus

Attralus is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on creating transformative medicines to improve the lives of patients with systemic amyloidosis. The companys proprietary pan-amyloid removal (PAR) therapeutics are designed to directly bind to and remove toxic amyloid in organs and tissues. By targeting the universal disease-causing pathology in systemic amyloidosis diseases, PAR therapeutics have the potential to treat and reverse disease in patients with all types and stages of systemic amyloidosis. Attralus was founded by scientific experts in the field of amyloidosis and the company is headquartered in San Francisco.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements related to the efficacy, continued development and potential of AT-01. Words such as novel, developing, first and only, potential, shown and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Attralus' current expectations. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Attralus' actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties. Attralus expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Attralus' expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Contact:

Luke Heagle

Real Chemistry

(910) 619-5764

lheagle@realchemistry.com




FILE PHOTO: Elon Musk looks at his mobile phone during a post-launch news conference to discuss the SpaceX Crew Dragon astronaut capsule in-flight abort test at the Kennedy Space Center

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Elon Musk got into a Twitter spat with Australia's third-richest man on Friday over the value of putting an end to the pandemic-era habit of remote working.

In an internal email this week, the Tesla Inc chief executive said "everyone at Tesla is required to spend a minimum of 40 hours in the office per week", and "if you don't show up, we will assume you have resigned". That drew criticism from worker advocates about potential exposure to the coronavirus.

The co-founder of Australian project management software maker Atlassian Plc, Scott Farquhar, ridiculed the directive in a series of tweets as being "like something out of the 1950s". The U.S.-listed company's "work from anywhere" policy was "key for our continued growth", he said.

"We're setting our sights on growing Atlassian to 25K employees by FY26," Farquhar concluded. "Any Tesla employees interested?"

Musk shot back: "The above set of tweets illustrate why recessions serve a vital economic cleansing function".

The exchange is not unusual for Musk, who frequently uses Twitter to make unapologetic pronouncements about sensitive subjects.

In Silicon Valley, many tech firms moved to mixed home and office working during the pandemic, while others have set dates for returning to the office only to push them back as new outbreaks have occurred.

Musk, the world's wealthiest man and also CEO of SpaceX, also has a record of taking on other billionaires. In 2021, he posted an image of a second-place medal in response to a tweet by Jeff Bezos celebrating the success of Amazon.com Inc.

In 2017, Farquhar's Atlassian co-founder, Mike Cannon-Brookes, cooperated with Musk, publicly taking up and facilitating his offer to supply a powerful Tesla battery installation for the state of South Australia after it suffered a blackout in 2017.

Cannon-Brookes, who has since led a campaign to buy Australian energy company AGL Energy Ltd and speed up its transition to renewable power, reposted Farquhar's remarks criticising Musk's return-to-office order.

(This story corrects to change to 'U.S.-listed' from 'London-listed' in paragraph 3)

(Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Bradley Perrett)
AP Photo

A group of oil exporters will further boost their production efforts, and Republicans are talking up a new energy and climate plan.

This is Overnight Energy & Environment, your source for the latest news focused on energy, the environment and beyond. For The Hill, were Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk. Someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

After resistance, OPEC+ to boost oil output

OPEC+ nations on Thursday agreed to an approximately 50 percent boost in increased oil production by for the next two months.

After initially saying it would boost its production by 400,000 barrels per day, the group of oil exporters agreed to increase their output in July and August by 648,000 barrels a day.

Gasoline prices in the U.S. saw another spike heading into the Memorial Day holiday, while across the Atlantic, European Union members reached an agreement on banning Russian oil imports in response to the countrys invasion of Ukraine. As recently as earlier Thursday morning, U.S. prices hit another record average high of $4.71 a gallon.

The move represents a reversal after the oil-producing nations had previously refused to budge on output, even after oil prices soared following Russias invasion of Ukraine. On May 5, its second most recent meeting, OPEC+ announced it would stick to the 400,000-barrel figure in the wake of the initial EU sanction announcements.

Russia, a member of the OPEC+ bloc of oil-producing countries that are aligned with OPEC but not members, has also seen its production fall amid international sanctions. Russia is the worlds third-largest oil producer, behind the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. OPEC+ data indicated crude production in Russia fell by nearly 9 percent in April, before the EU announcement but after numerous international sanctions, including an American import ban.

The Biden administration had previously appealed to Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of OPEC, to produce more to handle the energy crunch in the U.S., but to no avail.

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The White House is pleased: White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre said in a statement Thursday the U.S. welcomes the news.

This announcement accelerates the end of the current quota arrangement that has been in place since July of last year and brings forward the monthly production increase that was previously planned to take place in September, she said.

Read more here.

House GOP launches energy, climate strategy

House Republicans are launching a new energy and climate strategy as the party seeks to win over voters ahead of the midterm elections, though green groups have immediately criticized the plans as insufficient.

Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), who leads the House GOPs task force on energy, climate and conservation, told reporters Thursday that the plans being unveiled by the party are guided by affordability, emissions reduction and energy security.

We are aggressively pursuing meeting this global energy demand spike  with U.S. resources. That means U.S. innovation, it means U.S. renewable energy technologies and, yes, it means conventional energy sources like oil and gas, Graves said.

A portion of the plan unveiled Thursday focuses on legislation promoting oil and gas, mining for critical minerals, and hydropower.

So what does that mean for the climate? Critical minerals are used in renewable energy technologies. Hydropower is also renewable, but according to the Energy Information Association, the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from hydropower reservoirs is uncertain.

Meanwhile, oil and gas are major climate change contributors.

Graves said that other components of the plan include promoting innovation and conservation with a purpose, defeating Russia and China, letting America build and fostering community resilience to climate.

Environmental groups are less than thrilled: This would be laughable as a climate agenda in 2022 except there is absolutely nothing funny about the climate crisis or Congressional Republicans obstruction of desperately needed solutions in the name of lining the pockets of their corporate allies and big oil polluters who fund their campaigns, said Tiernan Sittenfeld, senior vice president of government affairs at the League of Conservation Voters.

The plan comes as Republicans for months have hammered the Biden administration amid high gasoline prices. While experts say that presidents often have limited influence on prices, Republicans have sought to use the issue to make their cases to the voters in November.

On a national level, many Republicans have shunned the climate issue, with Republicans having no climate plan as part of their 2016 or 2020 election platforms.

Many of the policies put forward by the Republicans face an uphill battle garnering support from the Biden administration, and Graves acknowledged that part of the purpose is to show the American people the GOP plan.

One of the objectives here is being very clear to the American public that we recognize theres an energy crisis and we recognize the causes of this energy crisis, he said.

Read more about the announcement here.

IN REVERSE?

U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said Wednesday that the U.S. Postal Service is reconsidering the proportion of its fleet that will be electric vehicles (EV) after months of sharp criticism for ordering a predominantly gas-powered fleet.

In the statement, DeJoy said the USPS will publish a supplement to the original environmental impact statement (EIS) to its original truck order. Following a recently-announced plan to streamline delivery routes, USPS said the update may affect the gas-to-electric ratio of the vehicle order.

As I noted when we placed our initial NGDV delivery order, the Postal Service would continue to look for opportunities to further increase the electrification of our fleet in a responsible manner, as we continue to refine our operating strategy and implement the Delivering for America plan, DeJoy said in a statement. A modernized network of delivery facilities provides us with such an opportunity. This is the right approach operationally, financially, and environmentally.

Read more about his announcement here.

Biden gives states more ability to block pipelines

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to give states and tribes more power to block infrastructure projects like pipelines that run through their waters, reversing a Trump-era move.

The EPA issued a proposed rule on Thursday that would give states more discretion under the Clean Water Act to veto projects that may have impacts on their waters.

The Trump administration had imposed a strict one-year limit for a state or tribal government to approve or block a project. The Biden administration is proposing a system under which states and tribes can work with federal agencies to establish a reasonable period of time to consider such projects.

A fact sheet from the Biden administration said the proposed change would allow states and tribes to holistically evaluate the water quality impacts of a project.

Under the proposal, a state or tribal government would meet with federal officials to reach a deal on a timeframe for considering the project. If the two sides cant agree on a timeframe, that state would have 60 days to decide whether to approve or block a project.

The rule would also allow the state or tribal government to automatically extend that deadline by issuing a notice saying it needs more time to consider the project.

In its new rule, the Biden administration also expanded the scope of what could be considered in blocking a project. In its new rule, it said it would allow states to consider whether the activity as a whole could negatively impact state or tribal waters. It said that this differed from the Trump administrations approach, which only considered the impacts of a projects potential discharges.

The Trump administrations rule came after two high-profile instances where blue states used their powers to block fossil fuel projects: New York blocked a proposed natural gas pipeline, while Washington state blocked a coal shipping port.

It argued at the time that states were abusing the Clean Water Act to make decisions that were not adequately connected to water quality.

However, the Biden administration says that its approach adequately balances states rights with supporting infrastructure.

Read more about the proposal here.

COMPANIES CANCEL ANWR LEASES

Companies are apparently backing out of controversial plans to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

Regenerate Alaska, which leased more than 23,000 acres in the refuges coastal plain at an auction held by the Trump administration last year, has since asked to have it rescinded, according to an Interior Department spokesperson.

The spokesperson said Thursday that the Bureau of Land Management last month rescinded and canceled the lease, and the Office of Natural Resources Revenue refunded the companys bonus bid and first year rentals.

A Chevron spokesperson also confirmed that earlier this year it pulled out of a lease on land owned by an Alaska Native Corporation inside the refuge.

Chevrons decision to formally relinquish its legacy lease position was driven by the goal of prioritizing and focusing our exploration capital in a disciplined manner in the context of our entire portfolio of opportunities, said Chevron spokesperson Deena McMullen.

The Anchorage Daily News, which first reported the cancellations, also reported that Hilcorp pulled out of a lease on land owned by the Alaska Native corporation.

WHAT WERE READING

We cannot adapt our way out of climate crisis, warns leading scientist (The Guardian)

Permian Basin oil and gas company agrees to pay $650,000 after air pollution lawsuit (The Carlsbad Current-Argus)

Unprecedented water restrictions hit Southern California (The Los Angeles Times)

Red-Hot Coal Prices Threaten More Increases in Power Bills (The Wall Street Journal)

And finally, something offbeat but on-beat: Let them eat cake?

Thats it for today, thanks for reading. Check out The Hills Energy & Environment page for the latest news and coverage. Well see you tomorrow.

VIEW FULL VERSION HERE

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

The Azerbaijani Navys SAT Special Forces are holding marine drills, Azernews reports per the Defense Ministry.

Throughout the training, the naval personnel fulfills a variety of tasks designed to test their physical and psychological endurance.

All of the tasks designed for the team to develop their endurance are completed successfully, even under the most challenging situations at night and during the day, the ministry said.

The SAT Special Forces sessions are scheduled to run till October 22.

Similarly, members of the Azerbaijani Naval Forces are also attending the Efes-2022 multinational drills conducted in Turkiye. The servicemen successfully completed actions such as rescuing a seized ship and disembarking naval special troops from a helicopter to a ship, as a part of the drills next stage, the ministry reported earlier.

The Efes-2022 multinational drills are being held in four stages.

Azerbaijan periodically holds drills to improve the combat readiness of the military personnel.

The drills also aim to improve interaction and combat coordination between the servicemen during operations, as well as to develop commanders' military decision-making and unit management skills.




ReportLinker

Major players in the essential oils market are Givaudan SA, Young Living Essential Oils, The Lebermuth Company Inc. , Symrise, Essential oils of New Zealand, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc, Robertet SA, BIOLANDES SAS, Cargill Inc, DuPont, Koninklijke DSM N.

New York, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Essential Oils Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06282660/?utm_source=GNW

V., doTERRA International LLC, Sensient Technologies Corporation, Firmenich SA, Mane, Rocky Mountain Oils LLC, Falcon, Farroti, Indian Essential Oils, and Ungerer Limited.



The global essential oils market is expected to grow from $12.36 billion in 2021 to $13.58 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.90%. The market is expected to grow to $21.85 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 12.62%.



The essential oil market consists of sales of essential oils by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that refer to the oils that are concentrated plant extracts that retain the natural flavor/essence and smell of their source. These types of oils are mainly used in aromatherapy.



The main types of essential oils are orange oil, lemon oil, lime oil, peppermint oil, cornmint oil, citronella oil, spearmint oil, geranium oil, clove leaf oil, and eucalyptus oil.Orange essential oil is extracted from the rind of the sweet orange, Citrus sinensis.



The methods is used for extracting essential oils include distillation, carbon dioxide extraction, cold press extraction, solvent extraction, and other extraction methods. The major uses of essential oils can be seen in the food and beverage, aromatherapy, cosmetics and toiletries, pharmaceuticals, cleaning and home care, animal feed, and fragrances industry.



North America was the largest region in the essential oils market in 2021.Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The growing spa industry across the globe is expected to propel the growth of the essential oils market.Essential oils are used in aromatherapy, a form of alternative medicine to support health and well-being.



The consumer preference is increasing for natural and organic oil products all around the globe.For instance, according to the Global Wellness Institute, in 2020, there were over 1,60,000 spas, earning $68 billion in revenue globally.



Spa revenue was growing by 8.7% annually prior to 2020. Therefore, the increasing spa industry across the globe is driving the growth of the essential oils market.



New product launches are a key trend gaining popularity in the essential oils market. For instance, in October 2020, doTERRA, a multi-level marketing company based in Pleasant Grove, Utah that sells essential oils and related products, announced several new essential oil products and diffusers like Helichrysum Touch, which is ideal balance of Helichrysum oil and fractionated coconut oil used to promote youthful complexion, glowing, and reduce signs of aging.



In December 2020, NEW WAVE HOLDINGS CORP., which is engaged in the research and development of mushroom products, including psychedelic substances has acquired Way of Will Inc. for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition will provide capital and support services to NEW WAVE HOLDINGS CORP. Way of Will Inc., a Canadian retailer of aromatherapy products, which uses natural aromatic plant and essential oils to promote healthy outcomes.



The countries covered in the Essential Oils market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.





Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06282660/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

Story continues

CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001




FILE PHOTO: Representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the European Union meet for the gas talks, at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels

By Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union wants to accelerate efforts to finalise trade agreements with third parties after a six-month pause, as the bloc adapts to the Ukraine war and other challenges, EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Friday.

Dombrovskis said there was a "very broad consensus" among ministers meeting in Luxembourg that the bloc should step up efforts to conclude, sign and ratify trade agreements.

"We need to reconsider the current geopolitical landscape to ensure security of our supply chains and create new opportunities for our exporters," he said.

Dombrovskis said the Ukraine war was the main but not only factor behind the bloc's greater focus on trade deals. China's "ambiguous positioning" towards Russia's invasion of Ukraine was also a problem, although Brussels still needed to talk to Beijing.

EU diplomats say France, which holds the six-month rotating presidency of the EU, has halted moves to clear trade deals, such as with Chile and Mexico, so as not to disturb presidential and legislative elections in April and June.

France is particularly sensitive to increased beef imports such deals could bring, but has denied it is holding up agreements. The more free-trade oriented Czech Republic takes over the EU presidency on July 1.

Finnish trade minister Ville Skinnari said before the meeting that his country was a strong backer of a deal with Mercosur bloc of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay struck in 2019, but put on hold due to EU concerns about Amazon deforestation.

French trade minister Franck Riester said it was important that Mercosur countries provided guarantees on sustainable development before the deal could be ratified.

The European Union is also negotiating free trade agreements with Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and India.

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
By Jan Strupczewski

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU countries have reached agreement on their sixth package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, including a complete import ban on all Russian seaborne crude oil and petroleum products in six to eight months.

Below are the main elements of the package:

OIL EMBARGO

The EU will stop buying all Russian crude oil delivered by sea - or 2/3 of all EU imports of Russian crude - from early December, and will ban all Russian refined products two months later.

Deliveries of Russian crude via the Druzhba pipeline, which runs through Poland, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, will be exempt from the embargo for an indefinite time, but Poland and Germany have said they would stop using the pipeline by year end, bringing the reduction of Russian oil imports into the EU to 90% by end-2022.

In 2021, the EU imported 48 billion euros ($51 billion) worth of crude oil and 23 billion euros of refined products from Russia.

Russian crude is much cheaper than Brent, so for the sake of fairness, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, which will continue to buy Russian crude, will not be able to re-sell it, or refined products they make from it, to any other EU country.

OTHER EXEMPTIONS

Because of its geographical location, Bulgaria will be allowed to import Russian crude and refined products by sea until the end of 2024. Croatia will be able to buy until the end of 2023 Russian vacuum gas oil for its refinery.

INSURANCE

To make it difficult for Russia to re-direct its oil tankers to other buyers in the world, the EU, together with Britain and other G7 countries, is blocking the insurance and re-insurance of ships carrying Russian oil by EU firms. New insurance contracts are banned immediately and existing ones will be phased out over six months.

Tankers without insurance are not allowed into most major ports because of the risk of cargo loss and litigation in case of oil spills

Story continues

Many major insurance companies in the shipping business are either European or, in case of groups of insurers and re-insurers, include European firms, so the ban is likely to be effective, as it was for Iranian oil in 2012.

BANKS AND SERVICES

The EU is disconnecting Russia's biggest bank Sberbank from the SWIFT messaging system as well as two smaller lenders, Credit Bank of Moscow and Russian Agricultural Bank. The EU is also disconnecting one Belarusian bank.

EU accounting, lobbying, public relations and consultancy companies will not be allowed to provide services to Russian entities. This is coordinated with Britain and other G7 countries, making sure most of the world's biggest consultancy firms are covered.

MEDIA

The EU is suspending broadcasting permits for three Russian State outlets: Rossiya RTR/RTR Planeta, Rossiya 24/Russia 24, and TV Centre International. Also, EU companies will not be allowed to advertise in these outlets.

EXPORT RESTRICTIONS

The EU has added chemicals that could be used in the process of manufacture of chemical weapons.

INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES

The EU package expands the list of individuals and companies facing asset freezes and travel bans associated with Russia's military-industrial sectors. A full list of names will be available later on Friday or on Saturday. The expansion brings the EU into line with a similar list compiled by the United States.

The list of sanctioned Belarusian entities is increased from one to 25. These are entities related to authorisations for the sale, supply, transfer or export of dual-use goods and technology, as well as goods and technology which might contribute to Belarus's military and technological enhancement, or to the development of its defence and security sector.

($1 = 0.9321 euros)

(Reporting by Jan Strupczewski; Editing by David Holmes)
Pianist Alexander Toradze is shown performing Dec. 3, 2016, with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra. The head of the piano studio at Indiana University South Bend, Toradze performed the second and third movements of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3, while one of his students, Joseph Bush, performed the first.

In late April, an astonishing story began to circulate on several classical music websites.

A pianist had endured a prolonged episode of heart failure during a performance of Stravinsky and Shostakovich with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, but he had finished the April 23 concert anyway.

Anyone who knew him was not surprised to hear that the musician was Alexander Lexo Toradze, the founder of the former Toradze Piano Studio at Indiana University South Bend.

His commitment to his art was so intense that he did not see how a heart attack was a good enough reason to stop playing.

Afterward, he posted some video footage, making cheerful remarks from his hospital bed.

It was shaping up to be a feel-good story, but on May 11, Toradze died at home in Granger, in the house he shared with partner and fellow pianist Siwon Kim. He was 69.

Edisher Savitski, a graduate of Toradzes studio who now teaches at the University of Alabama, described the awe he felt while watching a video of his teachers final concert.

I frankly dont know how he played those pieces in that condition. He was so committed. It will serve as his swan song, he said by telephone from Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, just after Toradzes funeral this past weekend in his hometown. I knew it was bad when he couldnt get up from the bench when they had finished. He would usually jump up at the moment a concerto ended.

Alexander Toradze stands in his studio May 2, 2012, in this file photo.

Born May 30, 1952, in Tbilisi, to the composer David and actress Liana (Asatiani) Toradze, the pianist graduated from Moscows Tchaikovsky Conservatory in 1978.

He already was a rising star in the Soviet-controlled Republic of Georgia when he traveled to Texas in 1977 to enter the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.

His explosive style thrilled many attendees, but the top prize went to a more conventional virtuoso, and Toradze brought home the silver medal.

Second place was still enough to launch his name internationally, however. He longed to be free of the constraints of Soviet rule, and, finally, he made a dramatic defection in 1983 while on tour in Spain with the Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra. He evaded his KGB guards, entered the American embassy in Madrid and requested asylum.

Story continues

Mere months later, he was playing throughout the United States as soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

In 1991, he was appointed the Martin Endowed Professor in Piano at IUSB. His Toradze Piano Studio attracted pianists from around the world, many of whom were from Georgia and other former Soviet-bloc countries.

His defection was a symbol of freedom, Savitski said. He was an ambassador of freedom, and his free spirit was also reflected in his playing.

Toradzes personal freedom, however, also weighed on him: His father died unexpectedly three days after a day-long interrogation by the KGB initiated after father and son spoke for the last time, by telephone.

Every meaningful action, musically speaking, that I take, I ask his forgiveness, Toradze told The Tribune in a 2009 story about the WNIT Public Television documentary Kicking the Notes the Toradze Way. Revisiting the death of my father is a daily occurrence for me. Its almost as if I have to justify his sacrifice for the mutual goal of serving music, serving our family and also serving young people, whom he loved dearly, his students, and so do I love mine.

Toradze's journey: WNIT Television kicks notes Toradzes way in 2009 documentary about the pianist

In the U.S., Toradze married and had two sons, David and Alex, with pianist Susan Blake. The marriage ended in divorce in 2002.

In a broader sense, his family was the unique group of studio members. As someone who had to say goodbye to his homeland after his defection, Toradze was keenly aware of the value of this surrogate family system.

He built an international reputation for the studio, but he was also very committed to making it a home away from home for those students, said Marvin Curtis, who was dean of the Raclin School of the Arts for the final years of Toradzes time on campus.

Curtis also pointed out that although many of the pupils were Georgian, they included a vast range of backgrounds. Curtis described the difference Toradze made in the life of African-American pianist Joseph Bush, who got to play a concerto as a guest with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra during one of the many SBSO concerts over the years that featured Toradze and his students as the guest soloists.

With his students: Toradze performs Prokofiev with SBSO

That opportunity changed Josephs life, Curtis said. It was the first time hed ever played with an orchestra. Hed worked so hard. His parents came in from Connecticut, and they got to hear him playing Prokofiev with a real symphony.

Toradze designed his studio as both an educational institute and as a touring and performance opportunity for his students with annual tours of Europe and, sometimes, the U.S., featuring him and his students. In addition, many of his students served as church pianists in the South Bend community.

Longtime SBSO music director Tsung Yeh, emailing The Tribune from Singapore, remembered what it was like when Toradze himself would take the soloists role.

Tsung Yeh, left, music director of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, and Alexander Toradze stand in the Toradze Piano Studio on the campus of Indiana University South Bend in this May 2, 2012, file photo. The two collaborated often for SBSO concerts that featured Toradze and his students.

Lexo struck me as a torch of fire, Yeh said. He showed endless passion, new ideas and light. It was great fun to handle his sudden shifts in tempo and dynamics during a concert. What dramatic and heart-shaking musical rides we had together!

A local concert: Review: SBSO, Toradze studio confirm special bond

After a leave of absence that began in 2014, Toradze finally retired from IUSB in 2017. He received the Governors Arts Award in 2012 and was inducted into the South Bend Community Hall of Fame in 2014.

Ketevan Badridze, currently serving as interim chair at the studio, came to the United States to study with Toradze in 2000 and knows his style as well as anyone. She said that although Toradze had a reputation as a loud and powerful player, this can be a misconception. It also does not necessarily apply to his pupils.

In this May 14, 2002, file photo, Alexander Toradze rehearses the unusual Mozart concerto for three pianos with Ketevan Badridze (standing behind him), Sean Botkin (also standing) and Alexander Korsantiya (at the other piano) at his studio at Indiana University South Bend.

He would tell students, Never become me. The whole point of his teaching was to approach each of us individually. He would never push us to be like him, Badridze said. He was an emotional player, and this means he might approach a piece differently every time he played it. He was radiant and very honest in his performances, and people would often see that as being aggressive.

A particularly ambitious creation of Toradze was what he dubbed his monocomposer festivals. Rather than merely selecting a few compositions by Scriabin or Rachmaninoff for a themed concert, Toradze and his students would present performances of every single work that composer wrote for the piano.

In some cases, these concerts, often held in prestigious European venues, could last eight hours. Sometimes they would take two days.

The listeners could hear all of the works, and they would also hear so many different ways that each of us would interpret the works, Badridze said. There were no other piano studios doing that sort of thing. Bob Demaree, who was dean at IUSB at the time the position was created, wanted the studio to become important. Thats why they hired Lexo.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Alexander Toradze, famed pianist and former IU South Bend prof, dies
ReportLinker

The Global Smart Glove Market size is expected to reach $3. 9 billion by 2028, rising at a market growth of 10. 0% CAGR during the forecast period. The smart glove is an improved wearable gadget that allows users to interact with virtual items in a more intuitive and direct manner.

New York, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Smart Glove Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Usage, By Industry Vertical, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2022  2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06283462/?utm_source=GNW

Furthermore, the smart wearable gloves imitate sensitive inputs that may be felt by the users hands, such as kinesthetic and tactile feedback, which simulates touching and handling goods. Smart gadgets can also be used as a fashion statement, a fitness tracker, a specific health problem monitoring device, a media device, or to connect to other digital devices.



Smart Gloves are a type of sensor technology glove that can be used for advanced and personalized solutions such as hand protection, high-tech rehab devices, and other assistive device services. Smart Gloves are microcontroller-based electronic devices that provide cutting-edge opportunities for a variety of commercial applications, including medical grade gloves and industrial grade gloves. The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and connected devices, as well as advancements in wearable health devices, smart personal protective equipment with GPS, wireless communication features, and in-built voice assistance, have all aided the Smart Glove Industrys growth.



Smart wearable gloves are interactive gloves that can act as a translator for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. When these gloves are connected to MATLAB, they provide a high level of gesture detection accuracy. The integration of gesture recognition will be one of the primary elements that will have a beneficial impact on the industrys growth. To map the orientation of the hand and fingers, bend sensors, Hall Effect sensors, and accelerometers are incorporated inside smart wearable gloves. As a result, the healthcare industry is widely adopting and recommending gesture-recognition smart wearing gloves for people with disabilities. These gloves assist them in translating sign language into a more human-readable text message.



COVID-19 Impact



Due to a major impact on core companies functioning in the supply chain, the COVID-19 outbreak has had a significant impact on the growth of the smart glove market in 2020. However, one of the significant factors driving market expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic is the rise in demand for VR and AR-based smart solutions across key industries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the market was primarily hampered by a dearth of trained workers and project delays or cancellations due to partial or complete lockdown around the world. Furthermore, post-COVID-19, the spike in the adoption of smart infrastructure solutions across the consumer electronics, residential, and commercial sectors is likely to boost the smart glove market opportunity.



Market Growth Factors



Rising Prominence of Healthcare Wearables



The growing demand for wearable medical devices is fueling the growth of the Smart Glove Market, due to strong awareness of healthy and a fitness lifestyle, as well as the popularity of linked gadgets in healthcare. Additionally, the advent of high-tech devices has ushered in a variety of potential solutions for clinical-grade wearables with 3G and 4G connections. UCLA bioengineers developed a glove-like device that uses a smartphone app to convert American Sign Language (ASL) into English speech in real-time in July 2020. Hand movements are translated into spoken words using a set of gloves with thin, stretchy sensors. As a result, the Smart Glove Market grew due to the high demand for tailored treatment, particular health issue monitoring devices, and user-friendly, small medical wearables.



Developments in Consumer Electronics



There are various developments take place in consumer technology with a variety of technological advantages, such as touch-sensitive features and tiny designs. The market is being driven even further by the arrival of digitalization and the latest developments in sensor technology to improve user performance. For example, Mi.Mu, a British music technology firm founded by Grammy Award-winning composer Imogen Heap, announced the debut of the new Mi.Mu gloves in April 2019, allowing artists to map hand motions to music software. In addition, Mi.new Mus gloves are tough and have a replaceable battery system, giving musicians total control over their musical performances.



Market Restraining Factors



High Prices and Risk of Failure of Smart Gloves



The market for Smart Gloves is growing as a result of substantial technological advancements that combine sensing and feedback operations to create smarter systems. As a result, commercially available devices with smart glove features are prohibitively expensive, which is a major impediment to quick adoption. Due to this, factors such as less logical investment and unavailability of some of the most advanced smart glove technology in some countries due to high cost are anticipated to limit the Smart Glove Market.



Usage Outlook



Based on Usage, the market is segmented into Specific Health Monitoring Device, Fitness Tracker, Media & Connected Device, and Others. The fitness tracker segment registered a promising revenue share in the smart glove market in 2021. The rise in popularity of wearable technologies among the youth is propelling the fitness tracker market forward. In addition, due to the rise in the healthy retirement trend, the elderly populations preference for these devices has increased. These gadgets also have high-end activity tracking tools and interactive operating systems, which increases demand for them.



Industry Vertical Outlook



Based on Industry Vertical, the market is segmented into Healthcare, Industrial, Fitness, and Others. The healthcare segment acquired the largest revenue share in the smart glove market in 2021. The widespread adoption of next-generation virtual reality and Internet of Things solutions has resulted in the expansion of smart glove solutions in the healthcare and fitness sectors, boosting the smart glove industrys growth. The data which these devices collect through tracking helps doctors and healthcare individuals better care for the patient.



Regional Outlook



Based on Regions, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East & Africa. North America acquired the largest revenue share in the smart glove market in 2021. The market in this regions is expected to be driven by the early acceptance of IoT, large-scale deployment of a broad range of ubiquitous systems, such as wearable computing and sensor technologies across multiple business sectors, and growing consumer interest insensorized fitness wearable gadgets.



The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include Flint Rehabilitation Devices, LLC, Neofect, HaptX, Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Workaround GmbH (ProGlove), Shenzhen Seekas Technology Co., Ltd., Saebo, Inc., Dexta Robotics, and Vandrico Solutions, Inc.



Strategies deployed in Smart Glove Market



Oct-2021: HaptX entered into a partnership with Haption, a France-based producer of top-spec force feedback devices. The partnership aimed at designing unmatched levels of full-body immersion for workers in robotics, training, and industrial design. This partnership permitted Haption to put an end to the production of its HGlove haptic gloves to work solely on marketing HaptX gloves to their client base



Jun-2021: Dexta Robotics released Dexmo Enterprise Edition, the worlds premier wireless force feedback gloves. These smart gloves empower its users to perform real-life actions with their full-hand dexterity in the virtual world. The advanced sensors equipped in the gloves enable users to feel the shape, texture, size, and stiffness of virtual objects.



Jun-2021: ProGlove extended its partnership with Panasonic System Solutions Company, a major Japanese multinational conglomerate company. This partnership aimed to address the industrys requirement to improve logistics, warehousing and supply chain operations.



Jan-2021: HaptX unveiled HaptX Gloves DK2, improved haptic feedback gloves featuring true-contact haptic technology. These gloves offered its users the sensation of touch when they interacted with something in a VR game or app. The technology allowed them to feel the texture, size, weight, and impact of objects in a virtual environment.



Jul-2020: ProGlove entered into a partnership with Vuzix Corporation, a key player supplying smart glasses and augmented reality (AR) technology and products. The partnership aimed at bringing together a combined product solution to meet the growing need for greater optimization and safety in industries spanning transportation, retail, logistics, and manufacturing.



Jan-2020: Samsung Electronics America joined hands with ProGlove, a leading company involved in developing wearables. The collaboration announced a combined product solution to meet the rising need for wearable scanners in industries ranging from transportation, retail, manufacturing, and logistics. The combined solution is composed of ProGloves MARK product family of wearable barcode scanners and Samsungs most advanced ruggedized smartphone for business - the Galaxy XCover Pro - offering enterprise users a smooth, secure flow of information,.



Nov-2019: ProGlove formed a partnership with Ansell Limited, a key global player in providing safety solutions. The partnership aimed at designing hand protection solutions utilizing technology to establish the right personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance in the workplace.



Jun-2019: Dexta Robotics unveiled Dexmo glove, a smart glove. These gloves are the worlds first Dexo gloves, which integrate motion capture and force feedback across more than 50 generations of iterations.



May-2019: ProGlove unveiled MARK 2, a part of the companys second generation of smart gloves. The new wearable is unique due to its Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection, increased scans per second, larger scan range, and extended battery life.



Oct-2018: Neofect unveiled NeoMano wearable robotic glove, an innovative solution that enhanced hand mobility and allows people to regain independence. The NeoMano wearable robotic glove empowered people recovering from stroke or living with multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries (SCI), cerebral palsy, or ALS to do everyday tasks they could not otherwise.



Scope of the Study



Market Segments covered in the Report:



By Usage



 Specific Health Monitoring Device



 Fitness Tracker



 Media & Connected Device



 Others



By Industry Vertical



 Healthcare



 Industrial



 Fitness



 Others



By Geography



 North America



o US



o Canada



o Mexico



o Rest of North America



 Europe



o Germany



o UK



o France



o Russia



o Spain



o Italy



o Rest of Europe



 Asia Pacific



o China



o Japan



o India



o South Korea



o Singapore



o Malaysia



o Rest of Asia Pacific



 LAMEA



o Brazil



o Argentina



o UAE



o Saudi Arabia



o South Africa



o Nigeria



o Rest of LAMEA



Companies Profiled



 Flint Rehabilitation Devices, LLC



 Neofect



 HaptX, Inc.



 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.



 Workaround GmbH (ProGlove)



 Shenzhen Seekas Technology Co., Ltd.



 Saebo, Inc.



 Dexta Robotics



 Vandrico Solutions, Inc.



Unique Offerings



 Exhaustive coverage



 Highest number of market tables and figures



 Subscription based model available



 Guaranteed best price



 Assured post sales research support with 10% customization free

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06283462/?utm_source=GNW



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ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

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CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001




Bangkok, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bangkok, Bangkok -

According to announcements released by AquaOrange Software and Shahan Farid, the business has more than 1000 Google Workspace implementation projects to its credit. Its training, consultancy, and online IT support for Google Workspace have helped its clients in Thailand run their businesses smoothly and also scale up, when required, at low costs.

The company offers four Google Workspace implementations, training tailored to meet the requirements of a business client. The functionality provided by the tools made available through Google Workspace costs less than what competitors deliver. Google Workspace provides a single dashboard for working with many Google apps, including Gmail for business, Google Document, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Chat, and Google Meet.

AquaOrange Software helps customers acquire a Google email (@yourdomain.com) on their companys domain via the Google GSuite Email service. With AquaOrange Software by their side, SMBs and new businesses do not have to invest in an in-house IT service for managing Google Workspace, troubleshooting issues, or communicating via Gmail, even when offline. Google Workspace is a feature-rich set of tools.

Because of its many successful implementations, AquaOrange is able to help its clients extract the maximum benefits from this set of cloud computing apps. Employees of a business can create, edit, or delete documents online or offline and while on the move. Companies that move to the cloud eliminate investments in hardware, such as storage disks and backup facilities.

AquaOrange Software also implements Zoho CRM software, which is in use worldwide. Zoho facilitates marketing automation, analytics, sales management, email management, customer service, etc. A smooth shift to this CRM, as overseen by the experts from AquaOrange Software, enables businesses to achieve growth and stay ahead of the competition.

Story continues

For more information, go to https://www.aquaorange.co.th/google-workspace.

Shahan Farid of AquaOrange Software said, Big data management may seem too difficult and expensive. Switch to Google Workspace and enjoy up to 5TB of secure cloud storage per user. Relying to Google infrastructure and online 100%. Access files anytime, anywhere. Just connect to the internet. Go beyond introductory email and online storage with Google Workspace and enjoy various online tools - from document creation to integrated calendar and chat. You'll have everything you need to succeed online. Gmail features in Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) include custom business email addresses - @yourcompany.com, unlimited group email addresses, 99.9% uptime guarantee, double the amount of free storage of Gmail, no ads, 24/7 phone and 24/7 support, Google Sync for Microsoft Outlook, and many more.

"These features cannot be purchased separately. Google Workspace is a suite of applications designed to work together. For example, you can save Gmail messages as your calendar events with one click. Changes and comments made to Sheets, Docs, or Slides won't get the attention of your coworkers because everyone gets an email notification. In the Calendar, you can also create meetings. If you are a business with less than 300 employees, you can start online today. Companies with more than 300 employees can contact AquaOrange sales to learn more about our corporate plans.

About the Company:

AquaOrange Software provides a bouquet of services designed to help businesses operate securely and efficiently. It has the expertise and experience to handle Google Workplace implementation projects that have helped its many clients work better and at lower costs. Customers can choose from four different Google Workspace implementation plans.

###

For more information about AquaOrange Software, contact the company here:



AquaOrange Software

Shahan Farid

+662 6863440

sales@aquaorange.co.th

CONTACT: Shahan Farid




OTTAWA, TRADITIONAL UNCEDED ALGONQUIN TERRITORY, ON, June 3, 2022 /CNW/ - CrownIndigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in Canada is an ongoing national tragedy. The Government of Canada is working with families, survivors and communities as equal partners towards solutions that will protect vulnerable people and address the root causes of this violence.

Today, on the first anniversary of the release of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of CrownIndigenous Relations, attended a ceremony at the Canadian Museum of History with family members, survivors, members of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, Elders and Grandmothers.

During the ceremony, the Government of Canada reaffirmed its commitment to continue working with families and communities to respond to this national tragedy. The Prime Minister received teachings from Elders and Grandmothers on the importance of continuing this work.

Following the ceremony, the Government of Canada released its report that outlines some of the work undertaken over the last year under the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People. The Federal Pathway is the Government of Canada's contribution to the National Action Plan. The report also acknowledges the significant work ahead to further implement the government's commitments.

A report was also released by contributing partners to the National Action Plan entitled A Progress Report on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. The Government of Canada remains steadfast in its commitment to continue to work in partnership with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous Peoples, families and survivors, and Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQQIA+ organizations to make progress on the National Action Plan and address the tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in Canada.

Story continues

Addressing the ongoing violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people is a whole-of-government approach, which requires living up to our moral obligations as a country, and all the Calls for Justice. Our work will never cease as long as survivors, families, and communities are enduring this national tragedy. We will ensure our initiatives are trauma-informed and survivor-centric, to put an end to this tragedy  as survivors work towards healing.

Quotes

"On this important anniversary, we reaffirm the Government of Canada's commitment to continue working with Survivors, families and communities to end the tragedy of the missing and murdered. We will never forget those who never came home and we will honour their memories by working tirelessly to build a better future, where everyone is safe from violence. To Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, today, and every day, we are supporting you in reclaiming your power and your place."

The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau,

Prime Minister of Canada

"I want to acknowledge the dedication and devotion of First Nations, Inuit, Metis and 2SLGBTQQIA+ families, survivors, communities, organizations, and leadership in their tireless advocacy. We need your advocacy and guidance; our priority is to work together with you to end the violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. We know there is still much more work to do and we remain committed to seeing this work through."

The Honourable Marc Miller

Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

"Indigenous languages and cultures are at the heart of First Nations, Inuit and Metis community, identity and self-determination. They are critical sources of support, healing, and safety for Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. Canadian Heritage will continue to support initiatives that help Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people reclaim their language and cultural knowledge, and share their own stories in their own words."

The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez

Minister of Canadian Heritage

"In Canada, Indigenous girls and women are significantly more likely to experience gender-based violence than non-Indigenous women. We will continue to fund partners to create and run programs that protect and support First Nations, Inuit, Metis and 2SLGBTQQIA+ families and survivors. Changing a culture that undermines the worth of women is not easy but we will keep at it. Together, we can make Canada safer and more inclusive for Indigenous women and girls."

The Honourable Patty Hajdu

Minister of Indigenous Services

"The Government of Canada recognizes that, although we all have the right to feel safe and protected in our communities, this has not been the case for many Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals. There remains much to be done before this changes. I am committed to continue working with Indigenous partners, communities and organizations, provinces and territories, and others to help end the violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. This includes advancing the unique policing and community safety priorities of First Nations, Inuit and Metis and co-developing federal legislation recognizing First Nations police services as an essential service."

The Honourable Marco Mendicino

Minister of Public Safety

"Today and every day, we reflect on the tireless work and the many voices that shaped last year's release of the 2021 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. Family members and survivors, Indigenous communities and organizations, 2SLGBTQQIA+ leaders, advocates and academics  we hear you, we see you, and we share your pain and grief. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you."

The Honourable Marci Ien

Minister for Women, Gender Equality and Youth

"Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people deserve a justice system that protects, not harms them. We know there is more work to be done and we are committed to ensuring access to a fair, equitable, and inclusive justice system that respects the rights of Indigenous Peoples and protects Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people now and in the future."

The Honourable David Lametti, P.C., Q.C., M.P.

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

"We continue to work together with Indigenous partners, Northern communities and all orders of government to address the root-causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. Our critical investments in infrastructure, violence prevention, and in supports for survivors help meet urgent needs in communities in the North and Arctic. Our government is moving forward in partnership to bring necessary change and to end the enduring violence.."

The Honourable Daniel Vandal, P.C., M.P.

Minister of Northern Affairs

Quick facts

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan including the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People , was released on June 3, 2021.





The Federal Pathway is supported with historic investments of over $2.2 billion in Budget 2021. Budget 2022 provides additional investments towards addressing some of the root causes of this tragedy, including racism, housing, education, mental wellness and health care, and economic development and employment.

Related products

2021-2022 Federal Pathway Annual Progress Report: Summary

Associated links

The Federal Pathway Annual Progress Report

The National Action Plan Progress Report

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan

Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People

Stay connected

Join the conversation about Indigenous Peoples in Canada:

Twitter: @GCIndigenous

Facebook: @GCIndigenous

Instagram: @gcindigenous

You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit www.cirnac.gc.ca/RSS

SOURCE Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2022/03/c8708.html
A candidate for the South Carolina House of Representatives has accused poll workers of violating election laws by influencing voters to cast ballots for a specific candidate in the race for the Democratic nomination for state House District 25.

Bruce Wilson filed a complaint with the Greenville County election office on Friday and requested formal charges be filed against the accused workers.

Wilson said he was made aware of the incident by a voter who was voting during early voting on May 31.

Conway Belangia, Greenville County's voter registration and elections director, said he was also made aware of an incident and has prohibited two poll workers from continuing to work in early voting.

In an emailed press release, Wilson said the actions happened in the presence of candidate Adriene Atkinson. Wilson said two poll workers tried to persuade Atkinson to vote for another candidate, not realizing that Atkinson was in the race herself.

In an email forwarded to The Greenville News, Atkinson said one of the poll workers was on the phone in the voting line when she overheard her say, "Tell them to vote for Jones. They don't like Jones, tell them to vote for Adriene Atkinson. But Wendell Jones is the one who is most intelligent to get the job done."

Atkinson then spoke with another poll worker who informed her that they were telling people to vote for Jones, according to the email.

According to the South Carolina poll manager's handbook, poll managers should not attempt to influence anyone to vote in a particular way, in any party's primary, nor allow anyone else to do so.

2022 voter guide: Here are candidates running for SC House seats in Upstate

Belangia said a poll worker was on the phone talking to a friend too close to the polling place and not telling voters how to vote.

"It was a conversation that shouldn't have happened," Belangia said.

He said because the poll worker was on the phone, someone may have felt influenced by the conversation. The poll workers involved are no longer working in early voting, according to Belangia, and they will be assigned to areas that are not in House District 25 during voting on primary day June 14.

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Wilson, who spoke to The Greenville News by phone Friday, said one of the poll workers described what was done as routine.

2022 voter guide: Who's running for governor of South Carolina

Atkinson said the two poll workers involved was sent home that day.

"Now the election is in jeopardy," Wilson said. "I don't know how many people she's told to vote for a specific candidate. How many people did she tell?"

Wilson said he doesn't trust any of the votes.

2022 voter guide: Here's who is running for US Congress and Senate

"It is a people's choice to make a decision about who they want to vote for, and I don't want to be apart of anyone's interference or persuasion," Atkinson said in a phone call with The News.

In a Facebook post, Jones said he was made aware of poll workers allegedly encouraging voters to vote for him.

"This is a forbidden practice and we do not condone this whatsoever and have not directly or indirectly encouraged any supporter to violate the laws governing fair elections," Jones said in the post.

Check back for more on this developing story.

Tamia Boyd is a Michigan native who covers breaking news in Greenville. Email her at tboyd@gannett.com, and follow her on Twitter @tamiamb.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Greenville SC candidate accuses poll workers of breaking election laws
CLOTHES CALL: Just call him cover boy: Guram Gvasalia, cofounder and creative director of Vetements, fronts the latest issue of Forbes in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The issue hits newsstands on Wednesday, reaching about 200,000 readers across the region.

We feature the most interesting entrepreneurial thinkers from the German-speaking region, said Klaus Fiala, editor in chief of Forbes German-language edition. When an interesting life story meets a hot business topic, we feature this story bigger. This was the case with Guram Gvasalia: A war refugee that turned the fashion industry upside down and now has to prove that he can build Vetements into a fashion powerhouse without the help of his brother.

More from WWD

Hes referring to Demna, who now goes by only his first name and devotes himself to Balenciaga as its creative director.

According to Fiala, Guram Gvasalia has proven that doing things differently, moving against the mainstream and not following old, outdated rules can be extremely beneficial for a company and a brand  if done the right way. The story also shows that hype alone doesnt build a business and that fashion brands need more than creative geniuses to thrive.

The article notes that Vetements, with 4.6 million followers on Instagram, is the third largest account in Switzerland after Roger Federer and Rolex.

The German edition of Forbes, which publishes 10 issues a year, only occasionally spotlights executives from the fashion world, with Sven Voth, founder and chief executive officer of German streetwear retailer Snipes, a recent example.

Last year Gvasalia also appeared on the cover of Forbes in his native Georgia. He fled that country with his family in the early 1990s, grew up in Dusseldorf and studied law, management and economics. After a stint at Burberry, he and his brother founded Vetements, the French word for clothes, in 2014.

Story continues

SEE ALSO:

Vetements Loses the Vowels for New Brand Name

Guram Gvasalia Named Creative Director of Vetements

Guram Gvasalia Talks New Platform, Strategic Growth and True Engagement

Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.
LONDON, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market size is expected to reach USD 5326.8 Million by 2028, registering to accelerate at a 7.1% CAGR, according to the most recent study by Brandessence Market Research & Consulting Pvt ltd.

BEMR_Logo

The Global Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market size was Valued at USD 3295.6 Million in 2021. Increasing geriatric population, rising smokers population, increasing prevalence of fibrotic diseases, and growing demand for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis are some of the major factors driving the growth. "Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market Size, Share, And Trends Analysis By Drug Type (Nintedanib, Pirfenidone) By Distribution Channel (Hospital Pharmacy, Online Pharmacy, Retail Pharmacy) Based On Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022  2028"

Get Sample of Report@ https://brandessenceresearch.com/requestSample/PostId/1955

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market: Market Scope

The global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market all over the world is going to be growing at a great rate with the world suffering intensively from the chronic lung diseases. There are lung conditions which the world is going to see an increase in and many people in the world will be suffering from it continuously. The term idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis refers to a chronic disease in the lungs or the condition in which the lung tissues become stiff and thick over the period of time. Because of this, there is a thickening of the lung tissues, brain or any other organ.

This results in them not receiving the optimum level of oxygen. These are conditions which cause the scar tissues to be built up in a person's lungs which is going to make the lungs unable to transport any amount of oxygen in a person's bloodstream in an effective manner. The disease has the greatest effect in people who are older. These are lung diseases which involve the inflammation or the lungs being scarred.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market: Segmentation Analysis

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The segmentation of the global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market has been done based on the type, distribution channel as well as region. As per the type of drug, this is a market which has been segmented into the nintedanib, pirfenidone and others. When it comes to the distribution channels, the market ha been segmented into hospital pharmacies, online providers and retail pharmacies. The segment which is currently dominating the market is the segment of the retail pharmacies. This is also going to remain the most dominant market in the coming years as a prominent growth rate will be witnessed in the number of consultations that happen with regard to the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This will drive the segment quite a bit particularly in the developed nations.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Competitive Analysis - As the global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market size has grown, many companies have found their pace in the market. The major companies here are the company like Biogen Inc., AstraZeneca Plc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Boehringer Ingelheim, Mission Therapeutics., FibroGen, Inc., Biogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company., Mission Therapeutics, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, AstraZeneca Plc, GNI Group Ltd, Galapagos NV, as well as Shiongi Co Ltd. The market players are making sure that they spread awareness about their products which will be a key to their success as many people are yet unaware about the existence of this disease. Also important is reducing the cost of these diseases.

Recent Developments

News-Bohringer Ingelheim's Latest Diagnostic Treatment Reduced Lung Function In People with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

On May 15th, 2022; Boehringer Ingelheim released Phase II data for BI 1015550, a new test phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B) inhibitor, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The 12-week promising data showing a decrease in lung function in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was presented at the American thoracic society (ATS) international conference breaking news session on May 16 in San Francisco.

Sandoz Launched the First Generic Pirfenidone in the US for Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Growing its Respiratory Portfolio.

On May 12th, 2022; Sandoz, a global leader in generic and biosimilar drugs, announced the US launch of the generic paraphenidone, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the equivalent of Genetek's Esbriet. Prescription Oral Medicine is readily available to patients through a special pharmacy, with a $ 0 co-pay program for eligible patients.

Get Methodology @ https://brandessenceresearch.com/requestMethodology/PostId/1955

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market: Key Drivers

The global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market growth will be dependent on its market drivers. The growth is going to happen in the coming years due to the growth in the demand for the ideal drugs for treatment of the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. What also drive this market is that the reimbursement policies which are provided by the insurance providers and manufacturers in many countries are favorable. There are many other factors which are driving the growth of this market which include the rising prevalence of the fibrotic diseases which needs the treatment from this market.

Another big factor behind the global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market growth is the fact that the geriatric population is growing all over the world. Further, there is an addition or a surge in the demand for the drugs which are cost-effective along with the introduction of treatment options which are advanced in nature and highly developed. This is going to grow the market as it benefits the patients greatly. What does peg the market though is the fact that the treatment is pretty unidimensional. There aren't many options available when it comes to the kind of treatments which are available in the market for this kind of a disease. This is why the treatment options are not going to be available anytime soon. This pegs the global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market back a bit.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market: Key Trends

The global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market trends show that the market was affected negatively by the market. The reason behind this negative growth was the focus that was put on the covid treatment. This also meant that there were lockdowns enforced all over the world and it led to an increase in the social distancing norms and regulations. The disease started spreading rapidly and the patients who were coming in contact with the virus were being affected by it and the disease was spreading continuously.

The virus had many symptoms and mad it difficult to breathe for the people who were affected by it. The virus also affected the geriatric population which created a situation where the geriatric population was afraid of going to get their treatment for the Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis with the fear of contracting the coronavirus. The social distancing was anyway observed to curb the spread. The impact remained negative for the large part of the pandemic period but things are looking upwards for this market.

The global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market 2022 look to be showing great development as people have received vaccines and particularly the geriatric population will now be willing to find a solution to this issue which would have plagued them in the last few years. The developed economies have been more affected by the disease as the standard of livings have been unhealthy and the eating habits have deteriorated with the obesity levels increasing. Further the geriatric population is also higher in these region.

Reginal Analysis:

The global idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis market has been segmented by region into different markets of which the North American market is the one which is going to show the greatest amount of growth in the market. There are research activities which are going to take place in the market. Another benefit in this region is the developed infrastructure for this disease and the government infrastructure which is going to help in the market development. The other regions which will show growth are countries like Europe where there are manufacturers which assists the growth of the market in the region.

On Special Requirement Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Market Report is also available for below region:

North America

U.S, Canada

Europe

Germany, France,U.K., Italy, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands, Turkey, Switzerland, Belgium, Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific

South Korea, Japan, China, India, Australia, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Rest Of APAC

Latin America

Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Rest of Latin America

Middle East and Africa

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, South Africa, Rest Of MEA

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By Trend

Denmark will join the European Union's defence policy after a referendum on Wednesday, public broadcaster DR projected, signalling the latest shift among Nordic countries to deepen defence ties, Trend reports citing Reuters.

Denmark is the only EU member that is not part of the bloc's defence and security policy, after the country secured several exemptions in a 1993 referendum.

Preliminary results by DR showed 66.6% of voters were in favour of removing an opt-out to the EU's so-called Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).

Almost 34 percent of voters polled were opposed, but the outcome will not change, according to DR.

"It is a completely new approach to Europe, that we are signalling to our European allies, to the whole world," said former foreign minister and member of the Social Liberal Party, Martin Lidegaard.

"It can hardly be overestimated, the importance it has on our foreign and European policy," Lidegaard said.

In the CSDP Denmark would be able to take part in joint military operations, such as those in Somalia, Mali and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to cooperate on acquisition of joint military capabilities.

"The United States has said it very clearly. Europe must be more responsible for security, and I think it makes good sense to be part of that cooperation instead of constantly hoping for the U.S. to come," said Conservative People's Party leader Soren Pape.

The final results are expected to be published later on Wednesday.
Kayleigh McEnany Robert C. O'Brien Richard Grenell - Credit: AP

A $2 billion investment by a Saudi Arabian wealth fund in Jared Kushners private equity firm is the subject of an investigation by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, according to a letter the committee sent to former President Trumps son-in-law and White House adviser. The New York Times reported the investigation on Thursday.

In a letter requesting documents, committee chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) writes to Kushner that the government wants to know whether your personal financial interests improperly influenced U.S. foreign policy during the Trump administration. The letter requests that Kushner turn over any communications he had with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who controls the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF).

More from Rolling Stone

Your close relationship with Crown Prince bin Salman, your pro-Saudi positions during the Trump Administration, and PIFs decision to fund the lions share of your new business venture  only six months after the end of your White House tenure  create the appearance of a quid pro quo for your foreign policy work during the Trump Administration, the letter states.

The substantial Saudi investment into Affinity Partners, Kushners firm, has led to concerns from ethics experts. The firms parent company was incorporated on the first full day after Trump left office, Maloney notes in the letter. She also cites reports indicating that PIFs investment committee expressed significant concerns about the inexperience of the Affinity Fund management and about your own limited experience in private equity.

The Times reported last month that in the final weeks of the Trump administration, Kushner and former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin sought Middle East funding for what seemed to be the Abraham Fund, a result of a 2020 peace agreement between the U.S., Israel and the UAE. However, according to the report, the money they raised ended up going to their own firms.

Story continues

A spokesperson for Kushner offered a statement to the Times in response to the House committees activities. While achieving six peace deals in the Middle East, Mr. Kushner fully abided by all legal and ethical guidelines both during and after his government service, it said. He is proud to be among many private sector stakeholders advancing connectivity between Americans, Israelis and Arabs to encourage continued regional progress.

The committee has given Kushner two weeks to respond to its requests.

Best of Rolling Stone

Click here to read the full article.
The claim: 'Dead people always vote Democrat.'

Kevin Rinkes latest campaign ad is nothing if not eye-catching.

The ad, designed to bolster the Michigan car dealers campaign for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, features Rinke standing next to an actor made up to look like a zombie wearing a Biden-Harris T-shirt and multiple I voted stickers.

Why is it that dead people always vote Democrat(ic)? Rinke says, motioning to the zombie with bugged-out eyes and a wide-open mouth. Rinke goes on to accuse Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of failing to crack down on voter fraud, saying that if he wins the governorship, hell make sure that voters are registered, identified and alive.

Katie Martin, a spokesperson for the Rinke campaign, said that a quick Google search will show multiple news articles on deceased voters voting in elections.

Ballots are sometimes cast on behalf of dead people, though its a tiny fraction of all votes. However, a Google search like the one the Rinke campaign requested actually shows that its assertion that dead people always vote Democratic is itself a zombie claim  and no less mythical than an actual zombie.

This ad is so incorrect it gave me a headache, said Thessalia Merivaki, a political scientist at Mississippi State University who studies voter fraud. She said there is zero evidence that ballots cast by dead people account for more than a tiny fraction of all votes recorded, and theres also zero evidence that such ballots have uniformly been cast in favor of Democrats, Merivaki added.

More: James Craig loses bid to appear on primary ballot after Michigan court denies appeal

More: Whitmer 'optimistic' on gun reform, but key Dem says 'full of s---' GOP won't act

Allegations of voter fraud in Michigan

Politicians aligned with former President Donald Trump have consistently raised the specter of voter fraud to explain how Trump could have lost the state to Joe Biden by more than 154,000 votes in the 2020 presidential race after winning it in 2016. But none of these claims hold water.

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For instance, a viral tweet said Wayne County saw thousands of ballots cast by deceased voters. However, the list contained names of voters outside the county; several were not listed as ever having received or cast an absentee ballot; and at least one voter listed said she was alive and cast a ballot in the election.

The Michigan Secretary of States office has previously said that it is not aware of a single confirmed case showing that a ballot was actually cast on behalf of a deceased individual in the state.

Officials have ways to flag deceased voters, and clerks across the state successfully identified thousands of voters who submitted absentee ballots in 2020 but died before Election Day. Their ballots werent counted. In total, clerks across Michigan rejected 3,469 absentee ballots cast by people who were alive when they returned them but died before Election Day on Nov. 3, 2020.

A review by Michigans Office of the Auditor General thoroughly debunked charges by Trump and his allies that thousands of ballots were cast on behalf of dead Michigan voters in the 2020 election. The vast majority  98.8%  of votes cast by those who died before the 2020 election passed away less than 40 days before Election Day.

Ballots cast on behalf of dead voters are rare in other states, too. Merivaki pointed to a 2021 study of Washington states vote-by-mail program, a system that is used statewide. The analysis found extraordinarily low rates of potential fraud related to deceased individuals ballots.

The study concluded that among roughly 4.5 million distinct voters in Washington state (2011-18), we estimate that there are 14 deceased individuals whose ballots might have been cast suspiciously long after their death, representing 0.0003% of voters. Even these few cases may reflect two individuals with the same name and birth date, or clerical errors, rather than fraud.

An official review in Georgia found that in the 2020 election, just four absentee ballots were cast on behalf of deceased voters.

What fraud cases do exist include many examples of voters acting in grief over the loss of a relative.

For instance, in Pierce County, Washington, auditor Julie Anderson found five instances of ballot fraud on behalf of dead voters in the 2020 election, several of which were cast by a household member who firmly believes their loved one would have wanted to vote and wanted to participate, the Tacoma News-Tribune reported. (The newspaper did not report the partisan affiliation of the voters.)

What is the partisan affiliation of ballots cast for dead voters?

States like Michigan typically make public whether a voter has cast a ballot in a given election, but they do not specify for whom an individual has voted. In fact, the government doesnt even know how someone voted because a marked-up absentee ballot is removed from its envelope before being counted, a process that separates specific votes cast from a voters identifying information.

When we combed news reports in recent years for cases of ballot fraud on behalf of deceased voters, we found that Republicans were more often the perpetrators. This does not mean that only Republicans perpetrate this kind of fraud; ours is not a scientific study, and its possible that other occurrences, by either Democrats or Republicans, have not been detected or reported on. (One study commissioned by WBBM-TV in Chicago found that 119 ballots were cast on behalf of dead people in the city over the decade ending in 2016; while the city is heavily Democratic, the partisan leanings of the perpetrators are unclear.)

Regardless, the presence of any Republicans committing this sort of voter fraud is enough to undercut Rinkes sweeping statement that only Democrats do it.

Here are some examples:

Nevada: In the aftermath of Bidens roughly 34,000-vote win over Trump in Nevada, Donald Kirk Hartle, a Republican, told KLAS-TV that he was surprised to see that his wife cast a ballot because she passed away three years ago. That is pretty sickening to me, to be honest with you." While Hartles story quickly gained attention from GOP leaders and pundits who were questioning the results of the states presidential vote, the tale eventually fell apart, as investigators concluded that Hartle himself had cast the fraudulent ballot. Hartle pleaded guilty to one count of voting more than once in an election, receiving a sentence of probation and a $2,000 fine.

Pennsylvania: Bruce Bartman from Marple voted on behalf of his late mother in the 2020 presidential election. He pleaded guilty to two counts of perjury and one count of unlawful voting and was sentenced to five years of probation. Bartman said his illegal vote was cast for Donald Trump, the Associated Press reported. He also registered his late mother-in-law but did not secure an absentee ballot for her. Bartman apologized, telling the court, I was isolated last year in lockdown. I listened to too much propaganda and made a stupid mistake. Meanwhile, in August 2021, a man from the Wilkes-Barre area pleaded guilty to a third-degree misdemeanor  not for voting fraudulently but for filing an absentee ballot application in the name of his late mother. The application cited a need to vote absentee because the mans mother was purportedly visiting great grand kids Oct. 24-Nov. 10. The defendant, Robert Richard Lynn, was a registered Republican, the Times-Leader newspaper reported, citing state records. He was sentenced to six months of probation and 40 hours of community service.

Florida: In 2020, voter Larry Wiggins of Manatee County tried to "test" the system by requesting a ballot for his late wife. I heard so much about ballots being sent in and people just having found them in different places, Wiggins told WFLA-TV. I feel like I havent done anything wrong. He told the Tampa station, I said, Well, let me just send it in and see whats going to happen, to see if theyre actually going to send a ballot for her to vote. The request was flagged by the local elections office when it went through standard identity checks, so Wiggins did not receive a ballot. Instead, his case received a criminal referral. He pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 24 months of probation and 100 hours of community service. Wiggins told WFLA that he was a Democrat who supported Trump.

Arizona: Tracey Kay McKee of Phoenix cast her late mothers ballot in the 2020 general election. She was sentenced to two years of probation, fines and community service. Both McKee and her recently deceased mother were registered Republicans, the Associated Press reported. In court, prosecutors noted that McKee railed against absentee voting during an interview with investigators in which she denied casting the ballot herself, saying, I dont believe that this was a fair election. I do believe there was a lot of voter fraud.

Colorado: In 2017, a woman from Golden pleaded guilty to voting twice for her late father. Toni Lee Newbill had cast ballots in the 2013 general election and the 2016 Republican primary.

Our ruling

Rinke said, "Dead people always vote Democrat."

Not every case of voting on behalf of the dead has been discovered, adjudicated in court, and received media coverage. However, six cases that have surfaced during the past five years produced either a plea of guilty or no contest, and in each case the defendant was either a registered Republican or acknowledged voting for Trump.

Even this small number of cases is enough to invalidate Rinkes sweeping statement that only Democrats do this.

We rate the statement False.

Clara Hendrickson fact-checks Michigan issues and politics as a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support her work at bit.ly/freepRFA. Contact her at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on Twitter @clarajanehen.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: GOP candidate for governor makes false dead voter claim
Campaign signs for Sen. Kellie Warren, R-Leawood, and Tony Mattivi, who are vying the Republican nomination for Kansas attorney general, are seen Thursday along S.W. Topeka Boulevard.

Cruising down Topeka Boulevard, it is clear the race for attorney general has kicked into gear.

Signs dot the landscape, showing support for one candidate or another to replace Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who is running for governor.

The office of the powerful Kansas Chamber, for instance, has a large sign extolling Sen. Kellie Warren, a Leawood attorney and chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who has been endorsed by some of the state's most powerful groups.

Others support Anthony Mattivi, a former federal prosecutor who has touted his extensive courtroom experience as an asset in the race.

But drive around rural swaths of eastern Kansas and signs are everywhere, emblazoned with perhaps the most infamous surname in state politics: Kobach.

More: Derek Schmidt's running mate in challenge to Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is a Roger Marshall staffer

Despite his controversial tenure as secretary of state, as well as failed runs for governor and U.S. Senate, Kris Kobach has emerged as the frontrunner in the Republican primary, despite ample efforts to derail his progress.

Were Kobach to both win the primary and defeat Democrat Chris Mann in the general election, he would massively ramp up trends started by his predecessor, most notably an aggressive bid to challenge President Joe Biden's administration in court.

Still, while Kobach leads in early polling, experts caution that both of his opponents can gain ground if they can become more visible. And it remains to be seen what voters make of his past electoral defeats.

"Memories can fade or they don't have as a bigger impact on voters in this election, possibly," said Bob Beatty, a professor of political science at Washburn University. "So it's up to Warren and Mattivi to define themselves as an alternative to Kobach. And possibly try to define him as well."

Kris Kobach's plan centers on suing President Joe Biden, voter fraud

If elected, Kobach is already promising major changes to the attorney general's office.

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The centerpiece of his platform is a civil litigation team specifically tasked with suing President Joe Biden's administration.

Kobach imagines personally handling those cases himself, along with three other handpicked lawyers he has worked with on other cases nationally. He acknowledged the new office would likely require a funding increase.

More: 'There's just more politics today': Derek Schmidt's gubernatorial bid and a flurry of lawsuits underscore new era

Schmidt has been no stranger to taking on the Biden administration, using the office in ways past attorneys general have not.

But much of this has involved joining multistate lawsuits led by other states.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has often been in the limelight for a series of those high-profile lawsuits, most notably a challenge seeking to overturn 2020 election results in key swing states on the basis of unsubstantiated voter fraud claims.

But that unsuccessful legal challenge has also caused problems, including a lawsuit from the state bar association for professional misconduct.

Kobach, however, said he wanted to emulate Paxton's work in the Lone Star State. And at a time when many are expecting a reflexive reaction at the ballot box to Biden's first term, he said he thought it was what voters wanted.

Former Secretary of State Kris Kobach files his paperwork to run for attorney general Tuesday morning.

"The No. 1 issue is stopping President Biden in court when he violates the Constitution or statutes," Kobach told reporters after filing paperwork to run Tuesday. "So I think it will tie into that."

Warren and Mattivi have said they will stand up to Biden as well, pointing to a series of what they believe to be overreaches on everything from energy policy to immigration.

"Too much is at stake," Warren said at a debate among the three GOP candidates in Pittsburg last week. "We have seen how far, how fast, how far left the Biden administration has gone and it won't stop."

Other parts of Kobach's platform include eliminating state fees for obtaining a concealed carry permit, which totals $79.50 per license.

And he also has stated he will use authority given to the attorney general's office in 2015 to prosecute instances of voter fraud.

Kobach controversially prosecuted cases of alleged voter fraud as secretary of state, though he secured few convictions and critics argued the effort was a waste of time and resources for what often amounted to simple errors from voters.

Is Kris Kobach the frontrunner in the Kansas attorney general race? Could other candidates win?

The Kansas Chamber, among other prominent state groups, has backed Sen. Kellie Warren, R-Leawood, in her bid for attorney general.

While polling is limited, a survey released by Kobach's campaign in April shows him with 52% of the vote, well ahead of Warren, who has 12% and Mattivi with 7%.

Concern has been palpable for months that the party will be unable to coalesce around a viable alternative in order to ensure Kobach doesn't obtain the nomination.

The Kansas Chamber, among other groups, has backed Warren and explicitly taken aim at Kobach's past electoral defeats to Gov. Laura Kelly and his second-place finish to Roger Marshall in the 2020 U.S. Senate primary.

Warren has also zeroed in on her work in the Legislature, including an overhaul of the state's emergency management law passed last year that allowed citizens to challenge COVID-19 mitigation measures in court.

She also has touted bills to allow law enforcement to pursue crimes outside their jurisdiction, as well as a proposal to ban sanctuary cities in Kansas.

"I will always put issue as attorney general before ego," Warren said. "Not about getting headlines, not about getting TV coverage, but about winning on the issue."

Tony Mattivi, a former federal prosecutor, has championed his courtroom experience, arguing it outstrips both of his rivals for the GOP nomination for attorney general.

Mattivi, meanwhile, has championed his experience as a prosecutor, arguing his experience as a trial attorney outstrips Warren and Kobach.

He has highlighted his work handling the case of a man allegedly behind the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole.

Kobach, he said, is akin to former Attorney General Phill Kline, whose scandal-plagued tenure ended with a defeat to Democrat Paul Morrison.

"We need to elect a candidate who is qualified for the job, not a politician," he said during the debate.

While Warren and Mattivi have held highly visible positions, their statewide profile remains uncertain. Beatty said it was unclear why neither of them have taken to the airwaves or ramped up efforts to improve their name recognition with primary voters.

"If you're Kris Kobach, and your polling showing you could be up by 30 to 40 points, every day (the race) doesn't really start is probably a good day for you," he said.

Democrat Chris Mann waits in the general election

Waiting in the wings in the general election is Democrat Chris Mann.

A former police officer and prosecutor who works as a private practice attorney, is considered to be a stronger candidate than the party's past nominees challenging Schmidt in 2018 and 2014.

A poll conducted by the Kobach campaign found him beating Mann in a head-to-head matchup, but the margin was ultimately within the poll's margin-of-error, a fact that raised some eyebrows.

"Republicans should go into almost any race against an unknown Democrat with about a 20-point lead," Beatty said.

When asked, Kobach said he fared better against Mann than either Mattivi or Warren. He insisted the final margin of the race would not be in the single digits.

"I think 2022 is going to be like 2010," he said. "It'll be a wave election."

Were Kobach to win the nomination, however, it would likely buoy Mann's chances of fundraising and could raise his profile.

Thus far, the Democrat has focused on more conventional law-and-order fare, including how he would serve as the state's chief law enforcement official.

"Im going to make sure were not distracted by politics. I will only be working in the best interests of all Kansans," Mann told the Kansas Reflector after filing his candidate paperwork last month.

Still, Mike Kuckelman, chair of the Kansas Republican Party, cautioned about reading too much into limited polling and said the party was confident in any of the three Republicans running.

"I think that race is a race to be watched," he said. "I think there are three strong, viable candidates in the attorney general's race. From the party's standpoint, we're prepared to back whomever comes out of that race to get them elected."

Andrew Bahl is a senior statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached at abahl@gannett.com or by phone at 443-979-6100.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kris Kobach emerges in Kansas attorney general race as campaign begins
Here are prarie dogs in Wyoming.

One of these idle summers, Im flying west for an honest-to-goodness prairie dog shoot, an outing with benchrest rifles, spotting scopes, and ample ammunition.

I sampled prairie dogging last May in Wyoming. Ranchers despise these tunnel-dwellers as they will denude pastures of grasses needed to feed their livestock. In an arid climate where such resources are precious, a colony of several dozen dogs is quite taxing, and the environment surrounding their burrows resembles moonscape.

Gator permit whiff: Another lottery to acquire a gator permit produces ... another whiff

Plan ahead: Start planning now for limited-entry hunting opportunities

Mounts advice: Some tips to help get mounts that will keep memories alive

Fun Fact: Prairie dogs also carry the plague. I joked, at the time, that this was just a ruse outfitters put on to keep clients from breaking ankles in their holes or being tagged by a lurking rattler, but indeed, prairie dogs are host to the flea-borne sylvatic plague that can be transmitted to humans.

Anyway, free-of-charge, I was invited out to a prairie dog town to test my shooting skills after my turkey hunt had ended.

I shot two boxes of .22-250 in a howling wind from the hood of an F-150 and tagged three whole rodents, much to the immediate delight and ultimate dismay of the host. It was the most aggravated Ive been with a rifle; my profanities are likely still rolling across the foothills of the Bighorns.

My redemption journey for prairie dogs wont be anytime soon, though, especially with the ongoing ammunition shortage. Fortunately, theres plenty to keep up with here in Florida in the world of hunting, so lets touch on some of the highlights:

 Phase I for big game limited-entry permit applications ends June 15. These include quota, special-opportunity, and National Wildlife Refuge hunts for deer and wild hogs during the 2022-23 season. For unsuccessful applicants afterwards, Phase II will start June 24.

Ian Nance

 Phase III for Statewide Alligator Harvest permits is June 3 to June 13. A handful of permits for northern counties remain. And if theyre remaining this late in the game, cant say their desirability is that high, at least for $280. I certainly wouldnt apply for any if youre not familiar with the area.

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 The 2022-23 Florida Hunting Regulations have been published. On Page 33 is a photo of a handsome hunter you might know. These rules can be found at myfwc.com/hunting/regulations/

 Among the major rule changes for this year, hunters must report all harvested wild turkey to a telephone or internet-based reporting system within 24 hours and log the kill prior to moving the gobbler.

 Speaking of turkeys, folks can assist biologists learn more about Floridas wild turkey population by reporting all wild turkeys you see during your normal daily activities from June 1 to Aug. 31. FWCs goal is 4,000 reports. Though relatively healthy in Florida, turkey populations are fluctuating throughout the south. Any data people can provide will help monitor the health of flocks. For more information, please visit myfwc.com/hunting/turkey/

Though the calendar hasnt rolled up to the official date yet, hard to doubt summer has hit the Sunshine State. Dreaming of airing out a few prairie dogs  or trying to  in a mountain breeze to escape the oncoming heat and tropical systems will carry me through for at least a little while. Good luck on those quota hunt applications and report your turkey sightings!

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: NANCE: No prairie dogs but hunters have a lot to look forward to in Florida
WASHINGTON, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 10 a.m. CDT Tuesday, June 7, to discuss research about intense summer thunderstorms over the central United States and their effects on Earth's atmosphere and climate change. A replay of the call will be posted on the agency's website as soon as possible.

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA) (PRNewsFoto/) (PRNewsfoto/NASA)

Media are also invited to speak with NASA mission members, who are studying these thunderstorms, at the mission's base of operations at the Salina Regional Airport in Salina, Kansas, on Wednesday, June 8, from 8 a.m.  noon.

NASA and university scientists are studying thunderstorms for the second year in row as part of the Dynamics and Chemistry of the Summer Stratosphere (DCOTSS) mission. Though the storms develop in the troposphere, the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere where we live, intense thunderstorms can punch up into the next layer of the atmosphere, the stratosphere, and inject tiny atmospheric particles called aerosols, as well as water vapor. Mission scientists want to better understand how aerosols from tall, powerful storms affect the chemical makeup of the stratosphere, which is home to Earth's protective ozone layer. In addition, the water vapor these storms inject is a potent greenhouse gas that can affect our changing climate.

Teleconference participants include:

Kate Calvin, NASA chief scientist and senior climate advisor at NASA Headquarters in Washington

Ken Bowman, DCOTSS principal investigator and professor of atmospheric science, Texas A&M University

Media interested in participating in the call should request the dial in-details at least two hours prior to the start of the call. Media interested in interviewing mission members in person in Salina, Kansas, must request access by 7 a.m. CDT Wednesday, June 8. Interested media in either event should send their full name, media affiliation, email address, and phone number to Elena Johnson at elena.n.johnson@nasa.gov or Joe Atkinson at joseph.s.atkinson@nasa.gov. For NASA's media accreditation policy, please visit:

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https://go.nasa.gov/3GQpoCj

Based at Building 703 of NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, located in Palmdale, California, the ER-2 aircraft will fly as high as 70,000 feet with 12 instruments attached to collect atmospheric chemistry samples that are carried above Earth's surface and into the ozone layer by these intense thunderstorms.

For more information on DCOTSS, visit:

https://www.dcotss.org/

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SOURCE NASA
"My two youngest children are [hard of hearing]," a mom wrote on Facebook. "You sharing your story gives them a wonderful role model of what can be! My 11 year old has already been let down by what she may not be able to do because of her impairment but for her to see you killin it as one of our local meteorologists means more to us than you will ever know!"

Meaghan Thomas was terrified last year by the idea of going public about her hearing loss, 70% in her left ear and 30% in her right. Didn't know what people might say. Didn't know if people would look at her as, well, different.

But each year, she gives herself a motivational word to live by  and her 2021 word was "bold."

News 2 morning meteorologist Meaghan Thomas poses with her hearing aids in the station's studio Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. Thomas didn't realize what she was unleashing when she posted a picture of herself with her hearing aids last year. The response was overwhelming with tens of thousands of people reaching out.

So on April 6, Thomas held her hearing aids in front of her, had a colleague take a picture and posted it on Instagram.

"Even tho I struggle sometimes, I want to encourage you today to embrace what makes you different & celebrate it! So cheers to my ears & whatever makes you special," the WKRN News 2 morning meteorologist wrote.

The post went viral and sparked an appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America." Thomas, 32, since parlayed the post into becoming an advocate for the hard of hearing.

She wrote a children's book, "Heart of Hearing," and set up a nonprofit of the same name to raise money to pay for hearing aids for young professionals who can't afford them. Because she couldn't when she was living paycheck to paycheck doing weather for a Birmingham, Ala., TV station.

News 2 morning meteorologist Meaghan Thomas has received many positive notes and comments on social media after she posted a picture of herself with her hearing aids last year. Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn.

"I have also had hearing loss from when I was a baby and I didnt get hearing aids until my 20s. I felt embarrassed for so long and never wore my hair back in a ponytail or anything at that time. Im in my 40s now and Ive finally embraced it and dont care if people to see them," a woman wrote on Thomas' Instagram. "Youre (sic) story inspires a lot of young people going through this and I am grateful for you sharing.

Few health insurance plans cover hearing aids, especially for adults, and Thomas couldn't afford them. But Thomas found a friendly audiologist at the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, and the agency paid for all the equipment Thomas needed.

Story continues

MORE FROM BRAD SCHMITT: Couple found their baby's Ukrainian birth parents  and now they're afraid of losing them

MORE: Meet the mild, gentle kindergarten teacher who tackled an intruder at her elementary school

"After, I sat in the car and started crying because I was so overwhelmed and relieved," she said.

Thomas said she's thrilled to be in the beginning stages of paying that gift forward  and her Alabama audiologist, Dr. Carrie Hargrave, is, too.

"Meaghan is the person to shine a light to help others. She provides hope for people, and thats amazing!" Hargrave said.

"And she has a dream for great things. It makes your heart sing when you see someone youve helped help others."

Reach Brad Schmitt at brad@tennessean.com or 615-259-8384 or on Twitter @bradschmitt.

Heart of Hearing fundraiser party

What: A nine-hour event with live music, games and face painting to raise money for hearing aids for young professionals in Middle Tennessee who can't afford them

When: noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 4

Where: New Heights Brewing Company, 928 Rep. John Lewis Way S., Nashville

Admission: A $5 entry donation is suggested

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Meaghan Thomas of News 2 goes public with hearing loss to help others
Telecoms have been slow to hop on the 5G bandwagon  your smartphone normally relies on 4G or LTE for old-fashioned phone calls. But T-Mobile is venturing forward by launching its commercial Voice over 5G service today in limited areas of Portland and Salt Lake City. For now, only customers with Samsung Galaxy S21 5G phones will be able to access the technology. So while this is a truly small sample size, T-Mobile says it plans to keep rolling out the feature to other areas and other brands of 5G phones later this year. Support for the Samsung Galaxy S22 will arrive later this year.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 with 5G has HD Voice+ , but as some customers have noted , theres no ability to use this nifty feature over 5G. For customers who dont use T-Mobile, youll likely face an even longer wait for 5G voice calls. As FierceWireless noted, both AT&T and Verizon havent made 5G voice calls a priority yet. We plan to implement VoNR when we believe we can offer a voice experience that rivals our HD Voice capabilities, AT&T told Fierce in a statement.

Its unlikely customers will notice a wild difference in sound quality between 5G voice calls and LTE voice calls. According to T-Mobile, callers may notice slightly faster call set-up times," or a shorter amount of time between when they dial a number and the phone starts to ring. But as more carriers build standalone 5G networks, were likely to see major advances in voice technology to follow, such as the use of 5G in immersive audio and conference calls.
(Removes Diamond Gas Victoria after it leaves port; shows Christophe de Margerie is docked) June 3 (Reuters) - The following liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers are expected to arrive in Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands in the coming weeks. Estimated arrival dates, often revised by port authorities and AIS Live ship-tracking data on Refinitiv Eikon, are updated below. Some tankers heading for Belgium and Britain may be loading at the terminal. Those expected to load are indicated with an (L). Those likely to perform ship-to-ship transfers are indicated with (STS). Tankers that have docked are indicated with (A). For the Reuters LNG guide, click here: LNG TANKER CAPACITY in EXPECTED ARRIVAL FROM PORT cubic metres BRITAIN Al Samriya 258,000 June 2 (A) Qatar South Hook Gaslog Warsaw 176,000 June 7 United States South Hook Methane Julia Louise 168,000 June 7 Peru Dragon Al Mayeda 262,000 June 9 Qatar South Hook Al Bahiya 206,000 June 11 Qatar South Hook Transgas Power 174,000 June 13 United States Isle of Grain Methane Becki Anne 170,000 July 11 Peru Milford Haven BELGIUM Celsius Copenhagen 180,000 June 2 (A) United States Zeebrugge Christophe De Margerie 170,000 June 3 (A) Russia Zeebrugge Golar Snow 155,000 June 4 Qatar Zeebrugge Hoegh Gannet 170,000 June 7 United States Zeebrugge Al Rekayyat 212,000 June 10 Qatar Zeebrugge Golar Crystal 160,000 June 26 France Zeebrugge NETHERLANDS Arctic Discoverer 140,000 June 4 Spain Gate Sonangol Sambizanga 156,000 June 16 Angola Gate Sources: Ports, AIS Live ship tracking, Refinitiv Eikon data. (^) Partial unload (*) Arrival date calculated using www.searates.com at an average speed of 13.5 knots (Reporting by Nora Buli in Oslo)
Hopes of reviving a long-dormant rail between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids seem to be fading as lawmakers consider other options.

It has been a goal of many Johnson County lawmakers to restart service on at least a portion of the 27-mile Cedar Rapids and Iowa City (CRANDIC) line that once operated commuter rail service between the cities. The line, owned by Travero, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy, hasn't been used for anything but freight since it ceased ferrying passengers in the corridor in the 1950s.

At a meeting last week of the Johnson County Metropolitan Planning Organization's Urbanized Area Policy Board, elected officials and other policymakers talked about possible alternative uses for the rail line. The tone of MPO representatives and the elected officials was far less optimistic about reviving the rail line than at a meeting in November, when the board considered a line from Iowa City to North Liberty.\

Previously: Could commuter rail return to the Iowa City area after 70 years? Lawmakers hope to spark renewal

The board received news this spring that the owners of CRANDIC were no longer interested in partnering with local governments to revive a commuter rail line. Despite this, CRANDIC communicated that it would not stand in the way of local governments, if they wished to go this route on their own.

Emily Bothell, a senior transportation planner with the MPO, told the board that CRANDIC is open to bus transit or passenger rail being used on the line, but the company wouldn't operate it.

A CRANDIC rail passenger car makes its final southbound crossing of the Iowa River towards its Iowa City station on May 30, 1953.

Two alternatives for turning CRANDIC line into bus service

That prompted the MPO to propose other options for local governments to consider, including paving over the rail system to add a bus line with an adjacent multi-purpose trail. Finding a way to revive commuter rail was still an option presented to the board.

In a memo to the board, MPO Director Kent Ralston said bus service could be easier and more cost-effective and noted that there has been excitement around Iowa City's four new electric buses. Ralston was not present at the meeting last week.

Story continues

Ralston said there are two potential methods to implement bus service in the corridor, "rail banking" or getting authorization for rail abandonment.

Rail banking is when a railroad company enters into an agreement with a government agency to use an out-of-service rail corridor for a multi-purpose trail or other approved use. Rail abandonment is when the rail line is discontinued and governments have the opportunity to purchase the right-of-way unless another rail company chooses to buy it. Rail companies have first-right to purchase under federal law.

Bothell said it is likely a company would try to purchase the rail line, but it is unknown if any specific company is interested.

Rail banking would guarantee the right-of-way for the CRANDIC line remains intact, but any bus service would have to be built with a multi-purpose trail running adjacent to it.

Despite asking the board to consider bus service instead of passenger rail, Ralston said the board can still seek to study passenger rail on the CRANDIC line more by forming a working group, hiring a design consultant and pursuing grant funding.

The memo said the alternative is to hire a consultant and start a feasibility study to pursue bus transit on CRANDIC.

Politicians want to keep right-of-way of rail line for future use

Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan said the most important thing is to preserve the right-of-way of the rail line. He said that would allow future policymakers to consider the viability of passenger rail decades from now.

"Once it is gone, it is definitely gone," Sullivan said.

A Cambus bus drives below the CRANDIC rail line bridge on Iowa Avenue, Monday, Aug. 9, 2021, in Iowa City, Iowa.

He said his preference is to keep the rails in place and avoid using the land for a bus line because there are already plenty of roads for buses to take in the corridor.

"I totally get the fact that no one has this budgeted," he said.

Johnson County allocated $100,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act to study rail transportation in the county.

Iowa City Councilor Laura Bergus said she thinks the key is that the board look at ways of providing transportation alternatives in the corridor outside of the highway systems, whether it is passenger rail or bus service with a trail adjacent to it.

"In a way that is safe and environmentally sound and accessible and easy," Bergus said. "Regardless of the timeline, that's something we really should not step away from."

Iowa City Councilor John Thomas, who chairs the board, said he thinks preserving the CRANDIC corridor right-of-way is important and that the option for bus transit is better with electric buses.

"It provides a much cleaner and smoother ride than a conventional bus. It would help distinguish it from our street systems as a means of travel," he said.

Bothell said that Ralston will continue working through details on any proposal on the CRANDIC lines with city managers from Johnson County and will likely have another update at the next Urbanized Area Policy Board meeting in July.

George Shillcock is the Press-Citizen's local government and development reporter covering Iowa City and Johnson County. He can be reached at (515) 350-6307, GShillcock@press-citizen.com and on Twitter @ShillcockGeorge

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Johnson County now considering buses, not trains, on old CRANDIC line
ReportLinker

Major players in the wireless healthcare market are AT &T Inc. , Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. , Cerner Corporation, Omron Corporation, Philips Healthcare, Verizon Communications Inc. , Qualcomm Inc.

New York, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Wireless Healthcare Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06282663/?utm_source=GNW

, Vocera Communications Inc., Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco Systems Inc., Motorola Solutions Inc., Healthcare Solutions Inc., Aerohive Networks Inc, GE Healthcare, Polar Electro, Nihon Kohden, and Siemens A.G.



The global wireless healthcare market is expected to grow from $123.0 billion in 2021 to $151.68 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.31%. The market is expected to grow to $313.20 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 19.87%.



The wireless healthcare market consists of sales of wireless helthcare products and related services by entities (organisations, sole traders and partnerships) that integrate wireless technology into the traditional medicine, such as diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of illness, as well as other tools that can help individuals improve their personal health and wellbeing. Wireless healthcare ensures the accuracy of real time documentation, reduces costs for consumers, provides access to real-time patient records, and enables real time monitoring of patients conditions even from a remote location.



The main types of technologies for wireless healthcare include Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Wi-Fi, and Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN).Components of wireless healthcare include hardware, software, and services.



Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) is used to convey information over short distances among a private, intimate group of participant devices.It is a network for interconnecting devices centered around an individual persons workspace in which the connections are wireless and the kind of network may rely on technologies such as Ultra-Wide Band (UWB), Bluetooth, or ZigBee.



The major applications of wireless healthcare are patient specific and provider specific. Major end users associated with wireless healthcare are providers, payers, and patients.



Asia Pacific was the largest region in the wireless healthcare market in 2021.Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The rising demand for remote access to healthcare via mobile phones is a major driver of the wireless healthcare market.Remote access to healthcare services via mobile phones ensures cost benefits of telehealth as less equipment is required and it also enhances the benefits of remote patient monitoring (RPM) to reduce the burden on medical professionals.



The usage of smartphones also enables the doctors to view patients documents and records.For instance, mobile devices have become commonplace in healthcare settings.



In fact, a research conducted by the American Medical Association in 2021 found that nearly 9 in 10 physicians see an advantage in using digital health tools.Further, healthcare providers are increasing their use of a variety of tools, including mobile devices.



Thus, the increase in demand for remote access to healthcare via mobile phones is driving the growth of the wireless healthcare market.



Wearable healthcare devices are a recent trend in the wireless healthcare market.Wearables are small electronic devices that are placed on the body, and can help measure temperature, blood pressure, blood oxygen, breathing rate, sound, GPS location, elevation, physical movement, changes in direction, and the electrical activity of the heart, muscles, brain, and skin.



The intelligent wearable sensors promote the transformation of healthcare from a traditional hospital-centered model to a personal portable device-centered model.There is an urgent need of real-time, multi-functional, and personalized monitoring of various biochemical target substances and signals based on the intelligent wearable sensors for health monitoring, especially wound healing.



Companies such as Proteus, Neurotech, and Philips Healthcare have launched wearable healthcare devices into the market.



In 2020, Philips Healthcare, a Netherlands based company that specializes in healthcare products, acquired BioTelemetry for $2.8 billion. Philips acquired BioTelemetry as it provides cardiac and mobile blood-glucose monitoring, centralized medical imaging and original equipment manufacturing services to the healthcare and clinical research sectors. BioTelemetry operates in diagnostic imaging systems, patient care and clinical informatics, and home healthcare.



The countries covered in the Wireless Healthcare market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.





Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06282663/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

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CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001




RTHK: Myanmar to execute two political dissidents

Myanmar's junta will execute a former lawmaker from Aung San Suu Kyi's party and a prominent democracy activist in the country's first judicial executions since 1990, a spokesman said on Friday.

Four people, including former MP Phyo Zeya Thaw and democracy activist Kyaw Min Yu, "will be hanged according to prison procedures", Zaw Min Tun, a junta spokesman told AFP.

The junta has sentenced dozens of anti-coup activists to death in a crackdown on dissent after seizing power last year, but the country has not carried out an execution for decades.

Phyo Zeya Thaw, a former lawmaker from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy was arrested in November and sentenced to death in January for offences under anti-terrorism laws.

Prominent democracy activist Kyaw Min Yu  better known as "Jimmy"  received the same sentence from the military tribunal.

"They continued the legal process of appealing and sending a request letter for the amendment of the sentence," said junta Zaw Min Tun. "But the court rejected their appeal and request. There is no other step after that."

Two other men, who were convicted and sentenced to death for killing a woman they alleged was an informer for the junta in Yangon, will also be executed, the spokesman said.

No date has been set for the executions, Zaw Min Tun said.

Phyo Zeya Thaw had been accused of orchestrating several attacks on regime forces, including a gun attack on a commuter train in Yangon in August that killed five policemen.

A hip-hop pioneer whose subversive rhymes irked the previous junta, he was jailed in 2008 for membership of an illegal organisation and possession of foreign currency.

He was elected to parliament representing Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD in the 2015 elections, which ushered in a transition to civilian rule.

Kyaw Min Yu, who rose to prominence during Myanmar's 1988 student uprising against the country's previous military regime, was arrested in an overnight raid in October.

The junta issued an arrest warrant for him last year, alleging he had incited unrest with his social media posts. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-06-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
By Trend

Russias COVID-19 case tally rose by 4,188 over the past day to 18,343,964, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Friday, Trend reports with reference to TASS.

In relative terms, the growth rate reached 0.02%.

As many as 2,093 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Russia over the past day, up 6.5% from a day earlier. The number of hospitalized patients increased in 44 regions, while in 35 regions the figure decreased. The situation remained unchanged in six regions. A day earlier, 1,965 people were rushed to hospitals.

Moscows COVID-19 cases surged by 264 over the past day versus 353 cases a day earlier, reaching 2,771,552, according to the anti-coronavirus crisis center. St. Petersburgs COVID-19 cases increased by 302 over the past day versus 291 a day earlier, reaching 1,530,387.

Russias COVID-19 recoveries rose by 5,234 over the past day, reaching 17,755,194, the anti-coronavirus crisis center told reporters on Friday.

The share of patients discharged from hospitals has risen to 96.8% of the total number of those infected.

A day earlier some 4,976 patients recovered.

Russias COVID-19 death toll rose by 78 over the past day, reaching 379,363, the anti-coronavirus crisis center told reporters on Friday.

A day earlier 85 COVID-19 deaths were registered.

The average mortality rate remained at 2.07%, according to the crisis center.
If you havent stepped into Fredericksburgs Parthenon restaurant for a number of years, youll be surprised to find it still looks, smells and feels the same as it did in the mid-1980s. In fact, youll still see owner Manny Psaras working in the kitchen while his wife Sophia tends to the tables and customers.

The only thing thats changed is I got them to close on Monday, said Irene Psaras, the couples daughter who helps out on weekends and whenever she can get away from her own business next door at Renees Crepes and Cakes.

It looks pretty much like it looked in the 80s, she said. The kitchen is essentially the same.

Irene said many things inside her parents small Greek and Italian restaurant havent changed much since March 1984, when the couple began serving homemade pizzas, pastas, gyros and baklava.

Ninety-five percent of the stuff is still the same, other than the tablecloths and the booths, she said. Even the freezers and refrigerators are 50 years old. Everythings still working.

Originally from the Greek island of Karpathos, which lies in the Mediterranean Sea between Rhodes and Crete, Manny and Sophia Psaras immigrated to Arlington in the mid-1970s separately to join relatives from each of their respective families who had already made the journey.

While in Greece, Manny worked as a laborer on construction jobs, pouring concrete for new homes. When he arrived in the U.S., his first job was as a busboy in a Northern Virginia restaurant. Unbeknownst to Manny, his future wife Sophia, who was also living in Arlingtons Greek community at the time, was a coat checker at another business in the area.

Irene said her father had a challenge speaking to others back then.

He didnt even know one word of English, she said. His best friend told him, whatever they say to you, you just repeat it.

Manny eventually met Sophia in 1976 during a community event. Although just a couple of years older than Manny, Sophia said the two actually lived in the same small village while growing up on Karpathos and even attended the same school, but after they met on U.S. soil for the first time in years, she said she was a bit surprised at Mannys reaction.

He didnt even recognize me, Sophia said. He said, Whos the young lady?

The couple fell in love and married the same year, and eight years went by until they decided to start their own business together.

The couple found three Northern Virginia restaurants for sale, including Fredericksburgs Parthenon at 2024 Augustine Ave., which was originally owned by two brothers who sold it to another man. That man sold it to Manny and Sophia one year after he ventured into the business. For the first six months of ownership, the couple drove from Arlington to Fredericksburg seven days a week before moving into an apartment close to the business, where the new menu featured homemade meals with a Mediterranean flavor.

(Manny) grew up making bread. Irene said. I think thats where the trick is. Everything is home made.

Although they didnt know anyone in Fredericksburg when they first opened the restaurant, Sophia ventured out to deliver copies of the restaurants menu to local businesses and medical offices in the vicinity. The late Franklin Powell, who was running Powells Furniturealso on Augustine Avenue at the timeeven pitched in to help the couple by spending over $300 to buy an advertisement in The Free LanceStar announcing the new establishment. For their first year in business, Manny even stepped away from the oven to deliver pizzas to students in dorms at the University of Mary Washington.

After we got more busy, we stopped doing that, Manny said.

Irene, 41, said she grew up at the Parthenon, calling it our first home.

They work hard, Irene said. Theyre like robots.

Now in their 70s, Irene said her parents dedication to serving the community a good meal hasnt slowed down one bit since they first opened. She said her brother, a part-time dishwasher and herself are the only help the couple has to give them a hand.

Unless I leave for Europe, I dont have a weekend off, Psaras said. I think if they stop working they slow down more, but with them working there, it keeps them active.

Over the last 38 years in Fredericksburg, Manny and Sophia have developed a loyal following of customers who patronize the old-school restaurant.

Stafford County Commonwealths Attorney Eric Olsen has been a devoted Parthenon customer since it first opened.

Manny makes the best pizza in town, Olsen said. He has perfected pizza.

Olsen said the reason he keeps returning to the Parthenon is not only because of the great food and the small-town restaurant feel, but because of the warm hospitality always extended by Manny and Sophia each time he walks through the door.

Theyre so engaging. Theyre so friendly, Olsen said. You feel like youre a member of the family when you come, and thats just the way its always felt.

Barbara McQuiddy of southern Stafford has been dining at the Parthenon every Friday since the late 1970s, even before the Psaras took over, back when the two original owners were operating the restaurant.

Everybody is so nice there and the food is always so good, McQuiddy said. For us to be going all these years, the food has to be good.

A few days after the January blizzard that dumped a heavy blanket of snow across the region, Manny came down with COVID-19 and was forced to stay away from the business for several weeks. Today, he has a clean bill of health and hes once again doing what he loves with his wife at his side. Irene said the idea of her parents ever retiring or closing the Parthenon is a topic the family doesnt venture into.

I dont even bring it up, Irene said. Theyre living the dream. Ill just let them enjoy what they have.

James Scott Baron: 540/374-5438 jbaron@freelancestar.com

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One evening many years ago, two women spent time walking in and out of the woods barefoot.

One of them was a longtime member of the Fredericksburg areas homeless community and the other, a college graduate whod worked for 22 years as an ICU nurse, was new to homelessness following a catastrophic family breakdown.

The veteran of homelessness, Carrie Barber, was teaching the novice, Peg Phillips, how to safely get away from the camp if something bad were to happen in the middle of the night.

It was the first piece of advice out of volumes that Barber would give, and it was Phillipss introduction to the supportive community that exists among the area homeless population.

It wasand still isa community in which people would dust snow off each others tents during snowstorms to prevent them from collapsing, that developed a series of calls to warn each other of approaching police and that celebrated together with music and campfire birthday cake assembled from salvaged ingredients.

Phillips would go on to spend five years living homeless. In 2011, she joined the team of Micah Ecumenical Ministries, where she works as home development leader, and on Wednesday evening, she described what the homeless community meant to her.

Without the community, I would have lost the only possession I had lefthope, said Phillips, speaking at a prayer gathering at Hurkamp Park in downtown Fredericksburg. Our homeless community already knows a thing or two about caring for each other.

Micah Ministries, which was formed by nine downtown Fredericksburg churches to coordinate services for the local homeless population, organized Wednesdays gathering to share its vision for a new projectJeremiah Community, a village of 3050 tiny homes with wraparound services to meet the needs of those whose experiences make both shelter living and housing without community poor options.

Housing will not solve homelessness when it is caused by a loss of relationships, said Meghann Cotter, executive director of Micah Ministries, at Wednesdays gathering.

The goal of Jeremiah Community is to shelter those who are difficult to house without removing them from the community that supported them on the street.

According to Micah Ministries, about 30 percent of the homeless community is made up of those who are chronically homelessmeaning they experience repeated episodes of homelessness for years or even decades.

About 47 percent of the homeless population have a mental illness, 42 percent experience ongoing health problems and 68 percent report four or more adverse childhood experiences, according to Micah.

The concept of Jeremiah Community is based on similar developments in Texas, Missouri and Charlottesville.

Micah Ministries has named the Fredericksburg community for Jeremiah, a 27-year fixture of downtown Fredericksburg, who was often seen sitting on a bench outside the Visitors Center.

The Rev. Larry Haun, pastor of Fredericksburg Baptist Church, told Wednesdays audience that when he first met Jeremiah decades ago, he was so distrustful that he would not venture indoors to participate in the community dinners.

Volunteers would pack dinners in to-go containers and stash them in dumpsters for Jeremiah to find. Eventually, he began to trust the churches enough to attend meals in person.

It wasnt until the pandemic that a team of dedicated friends was finally able to convince Jeremiah to move into a house and stay thereand today, he is still successfully housed, Cotter said.

Jeremiah Community would be for the Jeremiahs of Fredericksburg, Haun said.

[Jeremiah] is quiet and gentle. Hes an [Army] veteran. He chose to be in the community and not in trouble, Haun said. I am proud to stand here with and for Jeremiah.

In [Jeremiah Community], the voice inside the home is I love you and the voice outside is You are welcome here,  Haun continued.

Micah Ministries has set up a website, jeremiahcommunity.org, to answer questions about its vision for Jeremiah Community.

On Wednesday, the leaders of the Micah churches asked the community to join the effort to make Jeremiah Community a reality.

Lets do the work of the kingdom of God now, on Earth, Haun said.

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Two Marines who served on active duty for a combined 56 yearsand continue to travel the world to bring home remains of missing service memberswill undertake a different mission, starting Monday.

Justin JD LeHew and Coleman Rocky Kinzer are both retired Marine Corps sergeant majors who are hitting The Long Road, a cross-country journey that will span 3,365 miles across 12 states. The two are hiking from one coast to another to raise money for efforts to recover the remains of those missing and killed in action.

LeHew, 52, is the CEO of History Flight, a nonprofit based in Fredericksburg that has brought home the remains of more than 130 missing service members since 2003. Kinzer, 44, lives in Kailua, Hawaii, but serves as assistant operations manager and team leader for History Flight missions.

History Flight and the cross-country walk espouse the motto of both the Corps and the two decorated combat veterans.

It is truly semper fidelis in action, always faithful, LeHew said in a 2020 story in The Free LanceStar.

The cross-country journey also will bring support to Gold Star families who have lost a loved one in military service, and highlight other charitable causes, according to a press release.

The two chose to travel along U.S. Route 20 for a number of reasons. Its Americas longest road, and it highlights the long journey home that over 81,000 missing U.S. service members have been trying to make since World War II, said the press release. It also represents Americas longest wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the men and women who fought there.

Highway 20 is our tribute to all those who served and sacrificed so much in the service of this nation, both past and present, according to a press release.

The route begins at the USS Constitution Museum in Boston Harbor to honor the countrys naval traditions and Marine service. The two Marines are carrying rucksacks to represent the heavy burden carried by generations of warriors who have served since 1775 and as a reminder that we will never surrender and never leave a fallen comrade behind, according to a press release.

LeHew and Kinzer chose to take on the challenge together, rather than individually, to reinforce the military buddy system as well as the principle that You are not in this alone. As he hiked around Fredericksburg-area military parks to prepare for the trip, LeHew responded to questions about how others can help.

He wrote that theyre relying on crowdsourcing and the general goodness of humanity to show that people can indeed come together from all walks of life for a common greater good. Actually, [its] a pretty cool concept when you think about it.

The retired Marines will chronicle their journey at The Long Road Facebook Group.

Donations to support their journey and History Flights mission can be made through PayPal or sent to History Flight/Team Long Road, 317 William St., Suite 1, Fredericksburg, VA 22401.

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We all watched in horror.

Last week, the tight-knit community of Uvalde, Texas, was ravaged by a mass shooting at an elementary school. Two teachers and 19 children were slaughtered in their fourth-grade classroom at the hands of an 18-year-old armed with an assault-style rifle. Parents received the worst news they will ever hear: Your baby is gone.

As a mother, I know the worry American parents feel across the country when we send our children off to school. But it is the reality that countless American children live in fear of being murdered in their classrooms that should unite Americans across the nation in wanting change.

Today, June 3, marks National Gun Violence Awareness Day. As a legislator who believes that no American should live in fear of being murdered, I know that its long past time to enact commonsense gun violence prevention legislation.

Since I came to Congress, I have voted twice to pass the Bipartisan Background Checks Act to ensure existing laws meant to keep guns out of the hands of those with a history of violence are being enforcedensuring that background checks occur for all purchases, including for sales online and at gun shows.

I have also voted twice in support of the Enhanced Background Checks Act, which would extend the amount of time that federal law enforcement has to complete background checks. While 91% of checks are cleared within minutes, law enforcement has three business days to return that last 9%. If this window expires, the background check defaults to an approvalknown as a default proceed. Now known as the Charleston Loophole, this default proceed allowed the man who killed nine congregants at Emanuel AME Church to purchase the pistol he used, despite being prohibited by law from owning a firearm because of his violent history.

Congress has more concrete, data-driven actions to consider. For example, I have repeatedly voiced my support and cosponsored legislation related to Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), or red flag laws, to give law enforcement the ability to act when friends and family report concerns about armed individuals. These measures can save the lives of those in crisis and those around themas we have seen in states, like Virginia, where they are in place. After the Parkland massacre, we watched a Republican state legislature pass and a Republican governor sign an ERPO measure into law in Florida.

Congress should also enact safe storage laws. In 2020, firearms surpassed car crashes as the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in the United States. Responsible gun storage that prevents children from accessing firearms is vital in preventing unintended shootings, suicides, and intentional violence by minors.

But in the United States, endemic and high-fatality mass shootings are directly tied to unbridled access to assault-style weapons. Both the Uvalde and Buffalo shooters purchased their assault-style rifles at 18 years old.

Americans must be 21 to purchase a handgun from a federally licensed dealer. Yet the minimum federal age to purchase riflesincluding semi-automatic, assault-style weaponsis 18. Raising this age to 21 is a first step towards protecting lives.

I also support reinstating the ban on large-capacity magazines. The use of large-capacity magazines in shootings statistically leads to higher fatality rates and the unfortunate reality is that requiring would-be mass murderers to reload saves livesallowing people to escape and law enforcement to intervene.

As a former federal law enforcement officer, I carried a gun and two extra magazines every day. My mags were stamped with for law enforcement use only, because at the time, federal law limited magazine capacity to 10 rounds outside of law enforcement useand mine held more than 10. That provision was part of the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which expired in 2004.

Ultimately, we should move toward reinstating the ban on the manufacturing, sale, and transfer of assault-style weapons. I have twice cosponsored the Assault Weapons Ban, which clearly defines the weapons that would be impactedfirearms manufactured for the quick and efficient massacre of human beingswhile exempting more than 2,200 firearms with prominent use for home protection and hunting. When similar provisions were in place under the 1994 ban, mass shootings declined by 37 percent. Once these provisions expired, gun massacres increased by 183 percent.

If we are serious about protecting Americas childrenand all Americansfrom gun violence, then we need to turn our reactions of horror into action. The problem of gun violence in America is devastatingly pervasive, but we are the country that has demonstrated ingenuity, progress, and strength since our founding. We must rise to the occasion.

U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger is a Democrat representing Virginias 7th District in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is a former CIA case officer and former federal agent.
Methodist Fremont Health will be having a blood drive from 8 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, June 7. The bloodmobile will be parked in the hospital parking lot.

Appointments are recommended. Visit ncbb.org/searchdrives and use sponsor code MFH or call 402-486-9414.

Each donor at this blood drive will be helping raise funds for the Fremont Health Foundation. Blood donors also will have a chance to win a full-service suite at a Lincoln Saltdogs home game.

To save time, blood donors can complete their health history questionnaire online on the day of their donation at ncbb.org/iDonate.

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Anybody can get unplugged.

That happened to me while I was interviewing Vietnam veteran Arthur Alston in 2019.

Id set up my laptop in a back room at the Tribune and had begun to type while Arthur told me about his experiences.

It was 1968 when Arthur and his fellow Marines were assigned to Khe Sahns airstrip.

Before he went, Arthur called his mom, Althea.

When I got off the phone, I felt a bubble of protection. She was praying for me, he said.

Arthur was in the battle of Khe Sahn and the Tet Offensive. At one point, Arthur and other Marines were ordered to attack a hill.

On the way up, Arthur was met with an explosion.

There was a blast from an artillery piece that landed in front of me and blew me about 50 feet back, Arthur said. It felt like a cushion of air had picked me up. It felt like a cushion of hands that grabbed me and took me out of the area.

He believes it was the hands of God.

When it felt like Gods hands grabbed me and pulled me off the hill, Arthur said, it was the softest thing you can imagine.

Arthur headed back up the hill to more fighting.

At the end, 13 Marines and 13 enemy soldiers were killed.

Arthur faced more terrible times in Vietnam before he came home where he was met with protesters.

In Houston, where he was on convalescent leave, Arthur went to get a haircut, but was denied due to his race and was escorted out of a barbershop.

Arthur later earned a college degree at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He relocated in California where he worked for the U.S. government before retiring and returning to Nebraska.

I was amazed as I heard Arthurs story.

But we were about two-thirds of the way through the interview when my computer screen turned black.

I punched a couple keys. I tried to restart the computer.

Nothing.

Id been recording the interview, but I like to have my typed notes when I write a story.

Now, I feared I might have lost all of them.

Arthur calmly got out of his chair.

He walked over to the wall outlet that my laptop was plugged into. Then he noticed an extension cord plugged into a different outlet.

Arthur plugged my laptop into the extension cord.

My laptop screen lit up like a color television.

Id plugged my laptop into an outlet that didnt work, so when my laptop battery lost its charge, my computer quit working.

It just needed to be plugged into a working power outlet.

I started thinking about Arthur and my laptop fiasco after he spoke at the recent Memorial Day Service.

And I started thinking about how  like the laptop  our spiritual batteries can lose their charge if were not plugged into our true power source  God.

Although he doesnt use batteries as an analogy, Jesus talks about the importance of being connected to him.

Jesus refers to himself as the true vine, while his father is the vinedresser.

Can you picture a vineyard with vines? Branches are sticking out from the vines and theres fruit on the branches.

Jesus says no branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain connected to the vine.

We cant bear fruit if we dont stay connected to Jesus.

I am the vine; you are the branches, Jesus says. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Then Jesus says something that sounds scary.

If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned, Jesus says.

But then Jesus says something wonderful.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you, Jesus says. This is to my Fathers glory that you bear much fruit.

I believe Arthurs mom was connected to Jesus just like a branch to a vine.

God heard her prayer for protection for Arthur and shielded him. Arthur still faced the horrors of war. He still had flashbacks and hardships later, but I believe God has helped him.

Back in 2019, Arthur said he lives with pain and health issues, but if he had to do it again, hed still serve his country.

Somebodys got to pay the price, he said. Sometimes, I think the lucky ones are the ones who didnt come back. Their pain is over.

Yet Arthur sees a continuing mission in his time on earth.

I believe God saved me to tell the story that hes real and freedom is not free, he said.

If you went to the Memorial Day Service, you heard part of Arthurs story.

Aspire to be a hero, not merely appear to be one, Arthur said. Bravery never goes out of fashion.

Then repeating a quote from the Rev. Billy Graham, Arthur said: Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others stiffen.

I especially liked the part of Arthurs talk when he asked his listeners if they were standing up for Christ.

Arthur also reiterated a Bible verse that Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg quoted: Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

I think Arthur  like his mom  is plugged into God. Hes made the connection and because of that Arthur is able to encourage others.

Or in the words of Jesus, hes bearing fruit.

Arthur seems to be a good problem-solver, too.

Youve really got to appreciate someone who can stay calm and figure out the problem when your computer looks dead and you think youve lost all your notes.

Tammy Real-McKeighan is news editor of the Fremont Tribune. She writes a weekly spiritual column.

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Futures and Commodity Market News Canacol Energy Ltd. Provides May Gas Sales, Alboka 1 Exploration Well Tests 33 MMSCFPD

CALGARY, Alberta, Jun 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE via COMTEX) --

EQNX::TICKER_START (TSX:CNE),(OTC US:CNNEF),(Other OTC:CNNEF),(BVC:CNEC), EQNX::TICKER_END Canacol Energy Ltd. ("Canacol" or the "Corporation") (TSX:CNE; OTCQX:CNNEF; BVC:CNEC) is pleased to provide the following information concerning its May 2022 natural gas sales and the results of the Alboka 1 exploration well, along with near term drilling plans.

Gas sales averaged 189 MMscfpd for May 2022

Realized contractual natural gas sales (which are gas produced, delivered, and paid for) were approximately 189 million standard cubic feet per day ("MMscfpd") for May 2022.

Alboka 1 exploration well tests 33 MMscfpd

The Corporation completed the drilling of the Alboka 1 exploration well located on the VIM-5 Block 100% working interest and operated by CNE OIL & GAS S.A.S. Alboka 1 was spud on May 5, 2022 and reached a total depth of 10,155 feet measured depth on May 18, 2022. The well encountered multiple gas filled sandstones between 7,778 and 9,078 feet true vertical depth within the primary Cienaga de Oro ("CDO") sandstone reservoir target with average porosity of 22 percent.

The well was flowed for a total of 24 hours with an average production rate of 6 MMscfpd during the first 22 hour flow period, 23 MMscfpd production rate during the following 2 hour flow and a final rate of 33 MMscfpd. The well is currently shut in for a pressure build up. The Corporation is commencing the laying of a flow line to tie the well into permanent production.

Forward Drilling Program - Cornamusa 1 exploration well and Toronja 3 development well

The Petro Polar drilling rig is preparing to spud the Cornamusa 1 exploration well located on the Corporations 100% working interest VIM 21 E&P Contract. Cornamusa 1 is targeting gas bearing sands within the CDO sandstone reservoir. The Cornamusa 1 exploration well should take approximately 4 weeks to drill, test, and complete.

The Pioneer drilling rig is being mobilized to drill the Toronja 3 development well located on its 100% working interest VIM 21 E&P contract. Toronja 3 is targeting gas bearing sandstone reservoirs within the Porquero Formation which are productive in the offsetting Toronja 1 and 2 wells. The Corporation anticipates spudding the well in mid June 2022, which is planned to take 3 weeks to drill, complete and tie in to permanent production.

About Canacol

Canacol is a natural gas exploration and production company with operations focused in Colombia. The Corporation's common stock trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the OTCQX in the United States of America, and the Colombia Stock Exchange under ticker symbol CNE, CNNEF, and CNE.C, respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, including without limitation statements relating to estimated production rates from the Corporation's properties and intended work programs and associated timelines. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Corporation cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. They are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change and the Corporation assumes no obligation to revise or update them to reflect new circumstances, except as required by law. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. These factors include the inherent risks involved in the exploration for and development of crude oil and natural gas properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological and geophysical data, fluctuating energy prices, the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs or delays and other uncertainties associated with the oil and gas industry. Other risk factors could include risks associated with negotiating with foreign governments as well as country risk associated with conducting international activities, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Corporation.

Realized contractual gas sales is defined as gas produced and sold plus gas revenues received from nominated take or pay contracts.

<img src="https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/ZWM0NDQwYzUtY2NlYS00YTk2LWE2ODAtYWEwNjdmZTNlNWEyLTExMDI3MzQ=/tiny/Canacol-Energy-Ltd-.png" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" /><pre>For more information please contact: Investor Relations South America: +571.621.1747 IR-SA@canacolenergy.com Global: +1.403.561.1648 IR-GLOBAL@canacolenergy.com</pre><p>https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/f8065888-8469-4453-8051-1c8d703849d6/small/canacollogo-ltd-01-002-jpg.jpg

For more information please contact: Investor Relations South America: +571.621.1747 IR-SA@canacolenergy.com Global: +1.403.561.1648 IR-GLOBAL@canacolenergy.com

https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/f8065888-8469-4453-8051-1c8d703849d6/small/canacollogo-ltd-01-002-jpg.jpg

COMTEX_408152514/2010/2022-06-03T08:45:00

(C) Copyright 2022 GlobeNewswire, Inc. All rights reserved.
Futures and Commodity Market News Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size, Growth 2022 Global Leading Players, Industry Updates, Future Business Prospects, Forthcoming Developments and Future Investments by Forecast to 2028

Jun 03, 2022 (The Expresswire) --

Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market includes Elaborative company profiling of leading players of the Lathe Bar Feeders market. All of the segments studied in the report are analyzed based on different factors such as market share, revenue, and CAGR. The analysts have also thoroughly analyzed different regions such as North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific on the basis of production, revenue, and sales in the Lathe Bar Feeders market. The researchers used advanced primary and secondary research methodologies and tools for preparing this report on the Lathe Bar Feeders market.

Get a Sample PDF of report - https://www.marketreportsworld.com/enquiry/request-sample/20833715

About Lathe Bar Feeders Market:

A bar feeder or bar loader automatically conveys material bars of various forms to a lathe or CNC lathe. In their construction they are distinguished between single-spindle and Sliding Head Lathe.

Market Analysis and Insights: Global and United States Lathe Bar Feeders Market

This report focuses on global and United States Lathe Bar Feeders market, also covers the segmentation data of other regions in regional level and county level.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global Lathe Bar Feeders market size is estimated to be worth USD million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD million by 2028 with a CAGR during the review period. Fully considering the economic change by this health crisis, by Type, 6a Bar Feeders accounting for of the Lathe Bar Feeders global market in 2021, is projected to value USD million by 2028, growing at a revised CAGR in the post-COVID-19 period. While by Application, Fixed Head Lathes was the leading segment, accounting for over percent market share in 2021, and altered to an CAGR throughout this forecast period.

In United States the Lathe Bar Feeders market size is expected to grow from USD million in 2021 to USD million by 2028, at a CAGR during the forecast period.

Global Lathe Bar Feeders

Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size (sales, revenue) forecast by regions and countries from 2022 to 2027 of Lathe Bar Feeders industry.The detailed information is based on current trends and historic milestones. This section also provides an analysis of the volume of production about the global market and about each type from 2017 to 2027. This section mentions the volume of production by region from 2017 to 2027. Pricing analysis is included in the report according to each type from the year 2017 to 2027, manufacturer from 2017 to 2022, region from 2017 to 2022, and global price from 2017 to 2027.Lathe Bar Feeders Market Share, distributors, major suppliers, changing price patterns and the supply chain of raw materials is highlighted in the report.

Get a Sample Copy of the Lathe Bar Feeders Market Report 2022

Here is List of BEST KEY PLAYERS Listed in Lathe Bar Feeders Market Report are:-

 LNS Bucci Industries Top Automazioni Alps Tool PRO Machinery Haas Automation INDEX Corporation Tornos SA Ikura Seiki Barload Machine Co FMB Maschinenbau CNC Technology Cucchi BLT srl Cucchi Giovanni Edge Technologies Goodway Machine Corp Hydrafeed Breuning IRCO Marubeni Citizen-Cincom Samsys

Lathe Bar Feeders Market Segmentation By Type:

 6a Bar Feeders 8a Bar Feeders 10a Bar Feeders 12a Bar Feeders Others

Lathe Bar Feeders Market Segmentation By Application:

 Fixed Head Lathes Sliding Head Lathes Fixed or Sliding Head Lathes

Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market: Scope of the Report

This report provides an all-inclusive assessment of the analysis for the Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market. The market estimates provided in the report are the result of in-depth secondary research, primary interviews and in-house expert reviews. These market estimates have been considered by studying the impact of various social, political and economic factors along with the current market dynamics affecting the Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market growth

Along with the market overview, which comprises of the market dynamics the chapter includes a Porters Five Forces analysis which explains the five forces: namely buyers bargaining power, suppliers bargaining power, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, and degree of competition in the Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market. It explains the various participants, such as system integrators, intermediaries and end-users within the ecosystem of the market. The report also focuses on the competitive landscape of the Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market.

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Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Lathe Bar Feeders in these regions, from 2017 to 2027, covering

 North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam) South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.) Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)

Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market: Competitive Landscape

The market analysis entails a section solely dedicated for major players in the Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market wherein our analysts provide an insight to the financial statements of all the major players along with its key developments product benchmarking and SWOT analysis. The company profile section also includes a business overview and financial information. The companies that are provided in this section can be customized according to the clients requirements.

The global Lathe Bar Feeders market Growth is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2022 and 2027. In 2022, the market was growing at a steady rate and with the rising adoption of strategies by key players, the market is expected to rise over the projected horizon.Lathe Bar Feeders Market Forecast by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2022 to 2027.

Lathe Bar Feeders Market Report also mentions market share accrued by each product in the Lathe Bar Feeders market, along with the production growth.Lathe Bar Feeders Market Trend for Development and marketing channels are analysed. Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed and overall research conclusions offered. Lathe Bar Feeders Market Analysis Report focuses on Lathe Bar Feeders Market key trends and Lathe Bar Feeders Market segmentation (Types,Application),and all the regions.

Study Objectives of this report are:

 To study and analyze the global Lathe Bar Feeders market size (value and volume) by company, key regions/countries, products and application, history data from 2017 to 2020, and forecast to 2027. To understand the structure of Lathe Bar Feeders market by identifying its various subsegments. To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks). Focuses on the key global Lathe Bar Feeders manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in next few years. To analyze the Lathe Bar Feeders with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market. To project the value and volume of Lathe Bar Feeders submarkets, with respect to key regions (along with their respective key countries). To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.

Key Stakeholders

 Raw material suppliers Distributors/traders/wholesalers/suppliers Regulatory bodies, including government agencies and NGO Commercial research and development (RandD) institutions Importers and exporters Government organizations, research organizations, and consulting firms Trade associations and industry bodies End-use industries

This Lathe Bar Feeders Market Research/Analysis Report Contains Answers to your following Questions

 Which Manufacturing Technology is used for Lathe Bar Feeders? What Developments Are Going On in That Technology? Which Trends Are Causing These Developments? Who Are the Global Key Players in This Lathe Bar Feeders Market? What are Their Company Profile, Their Product Information, and Contact Information? What Was Global Market Status of Lathe Bar Feeders Market? What Was Capacity, Production Value, Cost and PROFIT of Lathe Bar Feeders Market? What Is Current Market Status of Lathe Bar Feeders Industry? Whats Market Competition in This Industry, Both Company, and Country Wise? Whats Market Analysis of Lathe Bar Feeders Market by Taking Applications and Types in Consideration? What Are Projections of Global Lathe Bar Feeders Industry Considering Capacity, Production and Production Value? What Will Be the Estimation of Cost and Profit? What Will Be Market Share, Supply and Consumption? What about Import and Export? What Is Lathe Bar Feeders Market Chain Analysis by Upstream Raw Materials and Downstream Industry? What Is Economic Impact On Lathe Bar Feeders Industry? What are Global Macroeconomic Environment Analysis Results? What Are Global Macroeconomic Environment Development Trends? What Are Market Dynamics of Lathe Bar Feeders Market? What Are Challenges and Opportunities? What Should Be Entry Strategies, Countermeasures to Economic Impact, and Marketing Channels for Lathe Bar Feeders Industry?

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Detailed TOC of Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market Report 2022

1 Study Coverage

1.1 Lathe Bar Feeders Product Introduction

1.2 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Outlook 2017 VS 2022 VS 2028

1.2.1 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in USD Million for the Year 2017-2028

1.2.2 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Volume for the Year 2017-2028

1.3 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Outlook 2017 VS 2022 VS 2028

1.3.1 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in USD Million for the Year 2017-2028

1.3.2 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Volume for the Year 2017-2028

1.4 Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size, United States VS Global, 2017 VS 2022 VS 2028

1.4.1 The Market Share of United States Lathe Bar Feeders in Global, 2017 VS 2022 VS 2028

1.4.2 The Growth Rate of Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size, United States VS Global, 2017 VS 2022 VS 2028

1.5 Lathe Bar Feeders Market Dynamics

1.5.1 Lathe Bar Feeders Industry Trends

1.5.2 Lathe Bar Feeders Market Drivers

1.5.3 Lathe Bar Feeders Market Challenges

1.5.4 Lathe Bar Feeders Market Restraints

1.6 Study Objectives

1.7 Years Considered

2 Market by Type

2.1 Lathe Bar Feeders Market Segment by Type

2.1.1 6a Bar Feeders

2.1.2 8a Bar Feeders

2.1.3 10a Bar Feeders

2.1.4 12a Bar Feeders

2.1.5 Others

2.2 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size by Type

2.2.1 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Value, by Type (2017, 2022 and 2028)

2.2.2 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Volume, by Type (2017, 2022 and 2028)

2.2.3 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Average Selling Price (ASP) by Type (2017, 2022 and 2028)

2.3 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size by Type

2.3.1 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Value, by Type (2017, 2022 and 2028)

2.3.2 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Volume, by Type (2017, 2022 and 2028)

2.3.3 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Average Selling Price (ASP) by Type (2017, 2022 and 2028)

3 Market by Application

3.1 Lathe Bar Feeders Market Segment by Application

3.1.1 Fixed Head Lathes

3.1.2 Sliding Head Lathes

3.1.3 Fixed or Sliding Head Lathes

3.2 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size by Application

3.2.1 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Value, by Application (2017, 2022 and 2028)

3.2.2 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Volume, by Application (2017, 2022 and 2028)

3.3.3 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Average Selling Price (ASP) by Application (2017, 2022 and 2028)

3.3 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size by Application

3.3.1 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Value, by Application (2017, 2022 and 2028)

3.3.2 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Volume, by Application (2017, 2022 and 2028)

3.3.3 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Average Selling Price (ASP) by Application (2017, 2022 and 2028)

4 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Competitor Landscape by Company

4.1 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size by Company

4.1.1 Top Global Lathe Bar Feeders Manufacturers Ranked by Revenue (2021)

4.1.2 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Revenue by Manufacturer (2017-2022)

4.1.3 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Sales by Manufacturer (2017-2022)

4.1.4 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Price by Manufacturer (2017-2022)

4.2 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Concentration Ratio (CR)

4.2.1 Lathe Bar Feeders Market Concentration Ratio (CR) (2017-2022)

4.2.2 Global Top 5 and Top 10 Largest Manufacturers of Lathe Bar Feeders in 2021

4.2.3 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market Share by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3)

4.3 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Manufacturing Base Distribution, Product Type

4.3.1 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Manufacturers, Headquarters and Distribution of Producing Region

4.3.2 Manufacturers Lathe Bar Feeders Product Type

4.3.3 Date of International Manufacturers Enter into Lathe Bar Feeders Market

4.4 Manufacturers Mergers and Acquisitions, Expansion Plans

4.5 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size by Company

4.5.1 Top Lathe Bar Feeders Players in United States, Ranked by Revenue (2021)

4.5.2 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Revenue by Players (2020, 2021 and 2022)

4.5.3 United States Lathe Bar Feeders Sales by Players (2020, 2021 and 2022)

5 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size by Region

5.1 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size by Region: 2017 VS 2022 VS 2028

5.2 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size in Volume by Region (2017-2028)

5.2.1 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Volume by Region: 2017-2022

5.2.2 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Volume Forecast by Region (2023-2028)

5.3 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size in Value by Region (2017-2028)

5.3.1 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Value by Region: 2017-2022

5.3.2 Global Lathe Bar Feeders Sales in Value by Region: 2023-2028

6 Segment in Region Level and Country Level

6.1 North America

6.1.1 North America Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size Growth 2017-2028

6.1.2 North America Lathe Bar Feeders Market Facts and Figures by Country (2017, 2022 and 2028)

6.1.3 U.S.

6.1.4 Canada

6.2 Asia-Pacific

6.2.1 Asia-Pacific Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size Growth 2017-2028

6.2.2 Asia-Pacific Lathe Bar Feeders Market Facts and Figures by Region (2017, 2022 and 2028)

6.2.3 China

6.2.4 Japan

6.2.5 South Korea

6.2.6 India

6.2.7 Australia

6.2.8 China Taiwan

6.2.9 Indonesia

6.2.10 Thailand

6.2.11 Malaysia

6.3 Europe

6.3.1 Europe Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size Growth 2017-2028

6.3.2 Europe Lathe Bar Feeders Market Facts and Figures by Country (2017, 2022 and 2028)

6.3.3 Germany

6.3.4 France

6.3.5 U.K.

6.3.6 Italy

6.3.7 Russia

6.4 Latin America

6.4.1 Latin America Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size Growth 2017-2028

6.4.2 Latin America Lathe Bar Feeders Market Facts and Figures by Country (2017, 2022 and 2028)

6.4.3 Mexico

6.4.4 Brazil

6.4.5 Argentina

6.5 Middle East and Africa

6.5.1 Middle East and Africa Lathe Bar Feeders Market Size Growth 2017-2028

6.5.2 Middle East and Africa Lathe Bar Feeders Market Facts and Figures by Country (2017, 2022 and 2028)

6.5.3 Turkey

6.5.4 Saudi Arabia

6.5.5 UAE

7 Company Profiles

7.1 LNS

7.1.1 LNS Corporation Information

7.1.2 LNS Description and Business Overview

7.1.3 LNS Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.1.4 LNS Lathe Bar Feeders Products Offered

7.1.5 LNS Recent Development

7.2 Bucci Industries

7.2.1 Bucci Industries Corporation Information

7.2.2 Bucci Industries Description and Business Overview

7.2.3 Bucci Industries Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.2.4 Bucci Industries Lathe Bar Feeders Products Offered

7.2.5 Bucci Industries Recent Development

7.3 Top Automazioni

7.3.1 Top Automazioni Corporation Information

7.3.2 Top Automazioni Description and Business Overview

7.3.3 Top Automazioni Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.3.4 Top Automazioni Lathe Bar Feeders Products Offered

7.3.5 Top Automazioni Recent Development

7.4 Alps Tool

7.4.1 Alps Tool Corporation Information

7.4.2 Alps Tool Description and Business Overview

7.4.3 Alps Tool Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.4.4 Alps Tool Lathe Bar Feeders Products Offered

7.4.5 Alps Tool Recent Development

7.5 PRO Machinery

7.5.1 PRO Machinery Corporation Information

7.5.2 PRO Machinery Description and Business Overview

7.5.3 PRO Machinery Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.5.4 PRO Machinery Lathe Bar Feeders Products Offered

7.5.5 PRO Machinery Recent Development

7.6 Haas Automation

7.6.1 Haas Automation Corporation Information

7.6.2 Haas Automation Description and Business Overview

7.6.3 Haas Automation Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.6.4 Haas Automation Lathe Bar Feeders Products Offered

7.6.5 Haas Automation Recent Development

7.7 INDEX Corporation

7.7.1 INDEX Corporation Corporation Information

7.7.2 INDEX Corporation Description and Business Overview

7.7.3 INDEX Corporation Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.7.4 INDEX Corporation Lathe Bar Feeders Products Offered

7.7.5 INDEX Corporation Recent Development

7.8 Tornos SA

7.8.1 Tornos SA Corporation Information

7.8.2 Tornos SA Description and Business Overview

7.8.3 Tornos SA Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.8.4 Tornos SA Lathe Bar Feeders Products Offered

7.8.5 Tornos SA Recent Development

7.9 Ikura Seiki

7.9.1 Ikura Seiki Corporation Information

7.9.2 Ikura Seiki Description and Business Overview

7.9.3 Ikura Seiki Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.9.4 Ikura Seiki Lathe Bar Feeders Products Offered

7.9.5 Ikura Seiki Recent Development

7.10 Barload Machine Co

7.10.1 Barload Machine Co Corporation Information

7.10.2 Barload Machine Co Description and Business Overview

7.10.3 Barload Machine Co Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.10.4 Barload Machine Co Lathe Bar Feeders Products Offered

7.10.5 Barload Machine Co Recent Development

7.11 FMB Maschinenbau

7.11.1 FMB Maschinenbau Corporation Information

7.11.2 FMB Maschinenbau Description and Business Overview

7.11.3 FMB Maschinenbau Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.11.4 FMB Maschinenbau Lathe Bar Feeders Products Offered

7.11.5 FMB Maschinenbau Recent Development

7.12 CNC Technology

7.12.1 CNC Technology Corporation Information

7.12.2 CNC Technology Description and Business Overview

7.12.3 CNC Technology Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.12.4 CNC Technology Products Offered

7.12.5 CNC Technology Recent Development

7.13 Cucchi BLT srl

7.13.1 Cucchi BLT srl Corporation Information

7.13.2 Cucchi BLT srl Description and Business Overview

7.13.3 Cucchi BLT srl Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.13.4 Cucchi BLT srl Products Offered

7.13.5 Cucchi BLT srl Recent Development

7.14 Cucchi Giovanni

7.14.1 Cucchi Giovanni Corporation Information

7.14.2 Cucchi Giovanni Description and Business Overview

7.14.3 Cucchi Giovanni Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.14.4 Cucchi Giovanni Products Offered

7.14.5 Cucchi Giovanni Recent Development

7.15 Edge Technologies

7.15.1 Edge Technologies Corporation Information

7.15.2 Edge Technologies Description and Business Overview

7.15.3 Edge Technologies Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.15.4 Edge Technologies Products Offered

7.15.5 Edge Technologies Recent Development

7.16 Goodway Machine Corp

7.16.1 Goodway Machine Corp Corporation Information

7.16.2 Goodway Machine Corp Description and Business Overview

7.16.3 Goodway Machine Corp Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.16.4 Goodway Machine Corp Products Offered

7.16.5 Goodway Machine Corp Recent Development

7.17 Hydrafeed

7.17.1 Hydrafeed Corporation Information

7.17.2 Hydrafeed Description and Business Overview

7.17.3 Hydrafeed Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.17.4 Hydrafeed Products Offered

7.17.5 Hydrafeed Recent Development

7.18 Breuning IRCO

7.18.1 Breuning IRCO Corporation Information

7.18.2 Breuning IRCO Description and Business Overview

7.18.3 Breuning IRCO Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.18.4 Breuning IRCO Products Offered

7.18.5 Breuning IRCO Recent Development

7.19 Marubeni Citizen-Cincom

7.19.1 Marubeni Citizen-Cincom Corporation Information

7.19.2 Marubeni Citizen-Cincom Description and Business Overview

7.19.3 Marubeni Citizen-Cincom Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.19.4 Marubeni Citizen-Cincom Products Offered

7.19.5 Marubeni Citizen-Cincom Recent Development

7.20 Samsys

7.20.1 Samsys Corporation Information

7.20.2 Samsys Description and Business Overview

7.20.3 Samsys Lathe Bar Feeders Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2017-2022)

7.20.4 Samsys Products Offered

7.20.5 Samsys Recent Development

8 Industry Chain and Sales Channels Analysis

8.1 Lathe Bar Feeders Industry Chain Analysis

8.2 Lathe Bar Feeders Key Raw Materials

8.2.1 Key Raw Materials

8.2.2 Lathe Bar Feeders Distributors

8.3 Lathe Bar Feeders Production Mode and Process

8.4 Lathe Bar Feeders Sales and Marketing

8.4.1 Lathe Bar Feeders Sales Channels

8.4.2 Lathe Bar Feeders Distributors

8.5 Lathe Bar Feeders Customers

9 Research Findings and Conclusion

10 Appendix

10.1 Research Methodology

10.1.1 Methodology/Research Approach

10.1.2 Data Source

10.2 Author Details

10.3 Disclaimer



Continued.

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COMTEX_408137278/2598/2022-06-03T02:23:41
A Pakistani official has confirmed a deal with the Pakistani Taliban under which an indefinite cease-fire with Islamabad was declared following a round of peace talks brokered by Afghanistans Taliban leaders in Kabul.

Muhammad Ali Saif, a spokesman for Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, said in an audio message to RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that both sides had agreed to extend the cease-fire until further notice, and to continue peace talks.

It was the first time a Pakistani government official has publicly confirmed peace negotiations in Kabul.

On June 2, Muhammad Khurasani, a spokesman for the hard-line Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), said the decision on the cease-fire was made after substantial progress in talks held in Kabul with a delegation of 50 Pakistani tribal elders.

The Pakistani government has been in talks with the militants as part of Islamabad's ongoing efforts to stem attacks carried out by the outlawed TTP that have killed dozens of Pakistani soldiers this year.



A new delegation of elders arrived in Kabul from Pakistan on May 31 for a fresh round of negotiations.

As a result of progress in the talks "the leadership of the TTP has extended the cease-fire until further notice," Khurasani said in a statement issued in Kabul. Further meetings will be held in few days, he said.

There was no statement from the Afghan Taliban, which seized power in their country in August as U.S. and NATO troops were in the final stages of a withdrawal.

A truce previously agreed until May 30 for the Islamic festival of Eid had held until now.

The TTP has been fighting for the stricter enforcement of Islamic laws in Pakistan, the release of their members from government custody, and a reduction in the Pakistani military presence in the countrys former tribal regions.

With reporting by AFP and AP
 Moire Sculpture #12, by Collin Parson, Lakewood, acrylic, vinyl, metal base, $25,000, northwest corner of Tejon Street and Moreno Avenue (near Atomic Cowboy, 528 S. Tejon St.)

 Continuous Line VI (levity), by Kelly Goff, Norton, Mass., steel pipe, oil-based enamel, $18,000; median on South Nevada Avenue between Costilla and Cimarron streets (near Loyal Coffee, 402 S. Nevada Ave.)

 Mariachi Galaxy, by Jeff Glode Wise, Durango, welded steel (powder coated), reflectors, faceted glass sphere, $48,000; exterior archway of Plaza of the Rockies, 121 S. Tejon St.

 Betwixt, by Su Kaiden Cho, Colorado Springs, aluminum (thermoplastic) duct, $42,000, North exterior wall of UCCS Downtown at 102 S. Tejon St.

 Jade, by Juls Mendoza, Denver, latex paint and acrylic spray paint, $11,000; west exterior wall of 327 E. Pikes Peak Ave.

 Seek Higher Ground, by Michael Krondl, Brooklyn, N.Y., digital photography on vinyl, $10,000, orth exterior wall of Downtown Transit Terminal, 127 E. Kiowa St.

 Bighorn Sheep/Mountain Sun, by Brenda Biondo, Manitou Springs, digital photography on vinyl, $8,000; west exterior wall of Downtown Transit Terminal, 127 E. Kiowa St.

 From U to You, by Hootnannie, Los Angeles, Calif., acrylic paint, $8,800; north exterior wall of 32 N. Tejon St.

 WindSong, by Kim Carlino, Easthampton, Mass., exterior acrylic latex and spray paint, $4,000; east exterior wall of 101 N. Cascade Ave.

 we are one, by Mono Sourcil, Montreal, Canada, latex paint and acrylic spray paint, $8,000; West exterior wall of Saks Building, 19 E. Bijou St.

 Mountain Horse, by Francis Fox, Boise, Idaho, bronze, $25,000; northwest corner of Tejon and Boulder

Scavenger Hunt

What: A passport-guided event. Start at any Art on the Streets location and show your ticket to receive a passport. Some artists will be on site. Each location will have fun surprises.

When: 5-8 p.m. Friday

Where: Downtown Colorado Springs

Price: Free. A $10 donation is suggested. Pre-registration is required online at bit.ly/3M0h9Vs.
By Trend

Turkey will be in the forefront of the space war thanks to its dedicated youth, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, informing that there is a great interest in the governments project of sending a Turkish citizen to space in 2023, Trend reports citing Hurriyet Daily News.

We will be in the space race, and we will be at the forefront. Maybe the Turkish citizens who we will send to space are with us in this hall today. And we will greet him or her on his or her return from space, Erdogan said at a meeting with high school students at an award ceremony for the science projects held by the Turkish presidency on June 2.

We will win this race thanks to you, the Teknofest youth, whose eyes are on space, Erdogan stated.

Recalling that he already announced that a Turkish citizen will go to space in 2023, the centennial of the Republic of Turkey, Erdogan said the website launched to receive applications has been viewed 35 million times and 35.000 people have already registered.

The deadline for applications is June 23. I want to thank everyone who is interested in this mission, he stated.

If they have their Neil Armstrong, we have our own Ahmets, Ay?es and Fatmas, Erdogan stated, repeating that the government will continue to invest in the research and development projects and scientific education of the youth.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced that he will travel to Colorado Springs to visit the North American Aerospace Defense Command headquarters.

Trudeau's office announced that he will visit NORAD at Peterson Space Force Base on Tuesday before traveling to Los Angeles to participate in the ninth Summit of the Americas, hosted by President Joe Biden. The summit is scheduled Monday through Friday, June 10.

Trudeau will be joined in Colorado Springs by Anita Anand, Canada's defense minister.

The U.S. Department of Defense also announced on Friday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet with senior leaders and troops at NORAD and Northern Command at Peterson on Tuesday.

Austin will then travel to Singapore to participate in the International Institute for Strategic Studies 19th Shangri-La Dialogue with Indo-Pacific leaders.

Austin was recently in Colorado Springs, giving the keynote address at the Air Force Academy graduation at Falcon Stadium.

Canada's Anand said in April that she was close to offering a "robust" plan to modernize continental defenses through NORAD, according to a Defense News story. The modernized defenses are wanted by the U.S. in response to potential complex hypersonic missile threats by China, Russia and other countries.

Anand met with Austin at the Pentagon in late April.

The Ottawa Citizen reported that Canada plans to spend $1 billion (U.S. $780 million) for a new northward-facing, over-the-horizon radar system in the Arctic. The radar system would provide long-range surveillance to detect threats against U.S. or Canadian cities and would begin operation in 2028.

This spring, U.S. Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck, the commander of NORAD and Northern Command, said the binational command faces increasing threats from Russia and China, according to Defense News. The threats include hypersonic missiles that are difficult to detect and track.

Its the maneuverability and the challenges they present by coming in at different attack vectors, or different angles, which allows us to not see them, candidly. So what Im most worried about, in my NORAD hat, is providing threat warning, he said.

NORAD is operated jointly by the U.S. and Canada, charged with the missions of aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America. It works with mutual support arrangements with other commands.

On May 12, 1958, the agreement between the Canadian and U.S. governments that established NORAD was formalized. The renewal of the NORAD agreement in May 2006 added a maritime warning mission.

The Summit of the Americas brings together leaders from North America, Central America and South America and the Caribbean to discuss shared priorities, which this year will include advancing action on climate change, gender equality and Indigenous rights, according to a news release from Trudeau's office. Leaders also will discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

This year's summit is only the second time the U.S. has hosted since 1994, when the first summit was held in Miami.
Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said a Government Accountability Office report released Thursday concluding that the Trump administration's decision to relocate U.S. Space Command lacked credibility and transparency gives the Biden administration "all the ammunition that's needed" to reverse it.

"It would be hard to imagine a report that's less enthusiastic about the decision that was made by the Trump administration," Suthers told reporters gathered downtown Thursday afternoon.

The GAO found "significant shortfalls" in the "transparency and credibility" of the process that led up to the decision in January 2021 to move Space Command headquarters from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Ala., confirming what some congressional leaders who received an early look at the report told The Gazette in April.

"The GAO report today confirmed what we have stated throughout  that the process that recommended moving Space Command out of Colorado Springs was vastly flawed," Suthers said, in part, in an email to The Gazette. "... The report specifically gave low scores in three of the four assessment categories covering documentation, credibility and bias."

Suthers said he wasn't surprised by the report's findings and asserted moving Space Command presents national security risks, particularly as war continues in Ukraine.

"I think thats what these individuals are indicating. ... Keep in mind at the time that this decision was made there wasnt a war in eastern Europe. We now have a war in eastern Europe. Its very clear that Ukrainians are relying on a lot of information ... available to us, our space assets," he said. "The notion that we would suffer any interruption in our capabilities, thats a big deal and we shouldnt be tolerating that."

On Thursday, Suthers called on the Biden administration to confirm Colorado Springs as the permanent home of U.S. Space Command.

Most importantly, Suthers said, no funding has yet backed the command's move to Huntsville.

"Theres two aspects to this: The executive branch makes the decision. The legislative branch funds the decision. As of this point in time ... no money has been expended in support of a move to Huntsville," he said. "... From a cost-saving perspective, leaving (Space Command in Colorado Springs) is clearly the right path."

The El Paso County Board of Commissioners also released a statement:

"The release of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report reinforces our concerns about the decision to uproot U.S. Space Command. The GAO report highlights the transparency and credibility concerns found in the decision process. We have maintained that keeping U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs will be the least costly to taxpayers and most beneficial to national security."
A Colorado woman has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the city of Colorado Springs and five Colorado Spring police officers for brutal and unconstitutional assault and an unlawful arrest, according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by The Gazette.

Tara Hadam  a former resident of Colorado Springs  attended a Black Lives Matter protest on South Nevada Avenue on June 2, 2020, to demonstrate against police violence after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis late May that year.

According to the lawsuit, Hadam was sprayed in the face with noxious chemicals and arrested on false charges by Christopher Pryor, Dale Peterson, Blake Evenson, David Brockman and Jason Reeser of the Colorado Springs Police Department.

In the lawsuit filed by Frank Law Office LLC, attorneys Adam Frank and Cameron Bedard claim that police did not have a warrant authorizing the arrest, nor did they have probable cause that a crime was committed.

Hadam was charged with disobedience of public safety orders under riot conditions and obstructing a peace officer, according to Frank. She was acquitted by a jury on Sept. 28, 2021.

Hadam filed a complaint in December 2021, but nothing came of it. "Based on documents obtained by Ms. Hadam in response to open records requests, Ms. Hadam learned that CSPD chose not to even initiate an investigation of her complaint," the lawsuit said.

Evidence in the lawsuit allegedly shows Hadam protesting peacefully and exercising freedom of speech at the time of her arrest.

The news footage shows Ms. Hadam doing nothing but standing still, holding her hands in the air, and occasionally unsuccessfully trying to wipe the chemical spray out of her eyes, the lawsuit said.

Hadam was allegedly sprayed in the face four times with oleoresin capsicum spray, commonly known as pepper spray, while she faced officers with her arms in the air.

Officers allegedly arrested Hadam by surrounding her in a bearhug, lifting her off the ground and placing her in handcuffs. After being restrained, she was allegedly sprayed a fifth time at point-blank range with MK-9 crowd control fogger, intended for controlling large crowds, the lawsuit said.

"She was peaceful, she was doing nothing wrong and the polices response was emblematic of the significant police brutality problem that the Colorado Springs Police Department has, Frank said in an interview with The Gazette.

The lawsuit also claims that Colorado Springs is liable for the officers actions during the protest.

This is not the first time Colorado Springs police has faced scrutiny over their response to Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.

Another woman protesting on the same day as Hadam was awarded a $175,000 settlement from the city of Colorado Springs in February after she filed an excessive force lawsuit.

Celia Palmer sued the city, Sgt. Keith Wrede and another officer, Wesley Woodworth, after the officers allegedly "ambushed" Palmer and her friend, "tackling both of them," then "slammed" Palmer to the ground.

A jury trial has been requested in federal court for Hasam's lawsuit. The defendants have 60 days to respond.

"The Colorado Springs Police Department is unable to speak about matters under litigation," Sgt. Jason Newton of the police department said in an email. "In the end, we want the facts to be able to speak for themselves and justice to prevail."

The Gazette reached out to the city of Colorado Springs for comment but has not received a response.
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By Trend

Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili met with Johannes Hahn, the European Commissioner for Budget and Administration and Janusz Wojciechowski, the Commissioner for Agriculture, in Brussels.

The meeting positively assessed EU-Georgia cooperation and focused on the importance of Georgias application for EU membership and ongoing or implemented reforms within the Association Agreement, the Foreign Ministry said.

The sides also discussed Georgias sectoral rapprochement with the EU and the next steps. They touched upon prospects to increase Georgian exports to the EU, stressing the need to fully realize the potential of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement.
FILE PHOTO: The U.S. Capitol is seen at sunset on the eve of the first anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the building, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 5, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo
By Trend

TikTok media platform intends to expand cooperation with Kazakhstan, Trend reports citing Kazakh Invest National Company JSC.

The cooperation was discussed during the meeting between Oleg Sokolov, Director of the TikTok office in Eastern Europe and Kazakhstan's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Almas Aidarov

A delegation of TikTok visited the Republic of Kazakhstan to discuss issues related to projects in the field of education, culture, tourism and other issues of platform development in Kazakhstan.

According to TikTok representatives, currently more than seven million registered users use the platform in Kazakhstan every month. The company implements large-scale projects in the field of promoting the development of education and culture in many countries of the world, including Kazakhstan.

Sokolov noted the intention of TikTok to strengthen the cultural and educational content of the platform in Kazakhstan, including the promotion of national theaters and museums.

In turn, Aidarov proposed to consider the possibility of opening a representative office of the company in Kazakhstan and announced readiness to provide comprehensive support to the company's initiatives in the country.

Launched in 2018, the international version of TikTok is one of the leading global internet platforms with a worldwide monthly audience of over one billion users.
EDITORIAL: Cops at school  now, more than ever
A federal judge has refused to pause a civil lawsuit against the city of Loveland and two officers for killing a couple's 14-month-old puppy.

U.S. Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter decided that considering all factors, including whether the defendants are likely to succeed on their request to dismiss the case, there is no justification for halting the discovery of evidence.

"The public has a strong interest in understanding what occurred on June 29, (2019) and whether the shooting death of an allegedly friendly dog, who was showing no signs of aggression, was lawful, and whether the LPD issued a citation in retaliation for plaintiffs stated intention to go to the media about the incident," Neureiter wrote in a May 24 order. "It may be that defendants conduct will pass constitutional muster, in which case the public is better served by knowing that hard reality, as fairly determined by the judicial process, sooner rather than later."

Wendy Love and Jay Hamm first filed their lawsuit in Larimer County, but the defendants initiated a transfer to the Denver-based federal court. The couple leveled claims of unconstitutional seizure and retaliation arising from the slaying of their "affectionate and friendly" dog, Herkimer.

Love and Hamm were delivering firewood for their business on June 29, a Saturday, when they stopped in an empty parking lot next to a commercial building to make repairs to an item on their truck. The couple had three dogs with them that day, also including Bubba and Max. Love and Hamm let the animals out of the truck to stretch and drink water.

The owner of the commercial building at 995 N. Wilson Ave. saw the truck on a surveillance feed and called Loveland police to investigate, citing previous tampering on his property. One of the responding officers was Mathew Grashorn.

Grashorn's body-worn camera footage depicted him exiting his vehicle, with Bubba lying on the ground in the distance near the truck. Bubba began a "friendly gallop," as the plaintiffs described, toward Grashorn, prompting the officer to pull his gun.

The first seconds of Grashorn's video footage had no audio, but Bubba stopped running once the couple reportedly called for Bubba to return. Simultaneously, Herkimer also ran toward Grashorn, prompting Grashorn to shoot the dog within seconds.

Audio then captured Grashorn yelling, "Get back to the truck" at Love as she began crying and begging, "Please let me see him."

Love approached to hold Herkimer as he lay injured on the ground, and Grashorn warned her, "He will bite you, he's hurt." The video footage did not depict any biting by Herkimer.

The dog spent four days in intensive care before his euthanization.

"No reasonable officer or reasonable person would have perceived this situation as a threat requiring the immediate destruction of an innocent citizens beloved pet," wrote attorney Sarah Schielke in the lawsuit. "Officer Grashorn didnt care. He had his gun out and his adrenaline was up so he sure as heck was going to shoot something. So he did."

The other officer defendant, Sgt. Philip Metzler, reportedly told Grashorn that because Hamm claimed he would go to the media about the shooting, "We better scratch him a ticket for something." Love and Hamm claimed this amounted to retaliation for exercising their First Amendment rights.

The defendants moved in December 2021 to dismiss the lawsuit, blaming Love and Hamm for allowing their dogs to "run around the property without a leash."

"Officer Grashorn acted reasonably under the circumstance of having two large sized dogs charge at him immediately after he got out of his patrol vehicle to investigate plaintiffs crime of trespassing. Officer Grashorn had only 3 seconds to make a decision as to how to best protect himself," wrote attorney Jonathan M. Abramson.

In early March, the defendants asked to pause, or stay, the discovery of evidence in the case until U.S. District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore had made a decision about whether to dismiss the lawsuit. If the two officers were entitled to qualified immunity, which bars lawsuits unless they violated a clearly-established constitutional right, such a finding could end the case entirely, they argued.

"The allegations in plaintiffs complaint  particularly regarding LPDs patterns of victimizing vulnerable citizens and then working together as a cohesive policing unit to cover each incident up  are an urgent matter of community health and safety," Schielke wrote in opposition to the request. She alluded to another claim she pursued against Loveland involving the violent arrest of a 73-year-old woman. Metzler was involved in that excessive force case, as well.

Neureiter, who evaluated the request to stay proceedings, noted that Love and Hamm's lawsuit has already been pending for several months and there is difficultly in "gearing up" proceedings after a pause. Without weighing in on how Moore may decide the motion to dismiss, Neureiter determined he could take a "preliminary peek" at the court filings to get a sense for the viability of the allegations.

He believed it plausible that Moore would allow the case to proceed.

"The courts brief review of the motions to dismiss does not suggest that these are insubstantial claims nor that there is an 'immediate and clear possibility' that the motions will be granted," Neureiter wrote.

The case is Love et al. v. Grashorn et al.
By Trend

Uzbekistan and Italy are aimed at further strengthening cooperation,Trend reports via Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investments.

In this regard, on May 27 this year in Rome, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic Luigi Di Maio.

During the meeting, the parties paid special attention to measures to further increase investment, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

Positive results were noted in the development of mutual trade: at the end of 2021, the volume of trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Italy increased by 25 percent.

Growth trends were also observed in the first quarter of this year due to an increase in the supply of textiles, food, leather goods, equipment and other products.

The parties considered further joint actions to increase bilateral trade and agreed to intensify work in this direction.

The number of enterprises with Italian capital operating in Uzbekistan has doubled over the past five years, covering such new areas as the mining sector, metallurgy, petrochemical and electrical industries, as well as the production of building materials.

The relevance of continuing work to bring the business circles of the two countries closer and attract Italian investments and technologies for the implementation of projects in Uzbekistan was emphasized.
For many years, historians thought that the development of capitalism had not faced serious challenges in the United States. Writing in the early twentieth century, Progressive historians sympathized with the battles waged by farmers and small producers against large capitalists in the late nineteenth century, but they did not question the widespread acceptance of laissez-faire (unregulated) capitalism throughout American history. Similarly, Louis Hartz, who sometimes disagreed with the Progressives, argued that Americans accepted laissez-faire capitalism without challenge because they lacked a feudal, precapitalist past. Recently, however, some scholars have argued that even though laissez-faire became the prevailing ethos in nineteen-century America, it was not accepted without struggle. Laissez-faire capitalism, they suggest, clashed with existing religious and communitarian norms that imposed moral constraints on acquisitiveness to protect the weak from the predatory, the strong from corruption, and the entire culture from materialist excess. Buttressed by mercantilist notions that government should be both regulator and promoter of economic activity, these norms persisted long after the American Revolution helped unleash the economic forces that produced capitalism. These scholars argue that even in the late nineteenth century, with the government's role in the economy considerably diminished, laissez-faire had not triumphed completely. Hard times continued to revive popular demands for regulating business and softening the harsh edges of laissez-faire capitalism.

Show Spoiler D

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

Show Spoiler E

2. According to the passage, the "Progressive historians" ( Highlighted ) and the "scholars" ( Highlighted ) disagree with regard to which of the following?

Show Spoiler A

3. The passage suggests that the "scholars" ( Highlighted ) would agree with which of the following statements regarding the norms ( Highlighted )

(A) reveal the underlying similarities of certain arguments regarding the development of capitalism in the United States(B) synthesize two competing arguments regarding the development of capitalism in the United States(C) defend an established argument regarding the development of capitalism in the United States(D) summarize a scholarly refutation of an argument regarding the development of capitalism in the United States(E) discuss a new methodology for the study of the development of capitalism in the United States(A) Whether laissez-faire became the predominant ethos in the nineteenth-century United States(B) Whether moral restraints on acquisitiveness were necessary in the nineteen-century United States(C) The economic utility of mercantilist notions of government(D) The nature of the historical conditions necessary for the development of laissez-faire capitalism in the nineteen-century United States(E) The existence of significant opposition to the development of laissez-faire capitalism in the nineteen-century United States(A) They provided a primary source of opposition to the development of laissez-faire capitalism in the United States in the nineteenth century.(B) Their appeal was undermined by difficult economic times in the United States at the end of the nineteenth century.(C) They disappeared in the United States in the late nineteenth century because of the triumph of laissez-faire capitalism.(D) They facilitated the successful implementation of mercantilist notions of government in the United States in the nineteenth-century.(E) They are now recognized by historians as having been an important part of the ideology of the American Revolution.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Danville Area recently announced Curtis Carrington was selected as the 2022 Big of the Year.

Carrington joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Danville Area program in 2010.

He heard about the program through an announcement from his pastor at his church. Carringtons first match with the agency was with the school-based program where he was partnered with a third grade youth who had moved into the area from Florida. His teacher indicated the youth would benefit from a mentor due to his quiet nature and being a new student.

Carrington, who is quiet in nature as well, visited the youth weekly during his lunch time. The youth openly talked to the volunteer. When the youth moved on to middle school, he insisted the volunteer stay with him. During this relationship, the parent/youth and volunteer wanted to become a community-based match.

This was the beginning of a powerful relationship.

The parent, on one occasion with communication with staff, indicated this was the best mentor for her son. Even at school, when the volunteer came to visit the youth during lunch, the other students joined in, talking to the volunteer as if he was their Big as well.

This youth then moved out of the serving area, and the volunteer stopped hearing from this youth over time, but indicated he really missed the youth.

He was then asked to be matched with a youth who was referred to the program that did not have any males in his life at the time. He also was quiet, bullied in school before being matched and mostly only interacted with family. This too, became a strong relationship.

The youth  with encouragement from the volunteer  transferred from home-schooled back into the public system. The youth grew out of his shyness, improved with his ability to interact with others and made new friends. The pair continued in the match until the youth finished high school. The parent stated Carrington was very good to her son.

Even though, he worked long hours and days, when he had available time, they did activities together.

So that Carrington would not leave the program, staff informed the volunteer of a younger youth who needed a mentor. This youth also is a quiet individual. But Carrington is patient and lets each youth take their time with opening up to him.

Carrington informed staff he will go wherever I am needed.

And he has been mentoring for over 12 years to male youths who gained confidence, self-esteem and better relationships with others.

He has never turned the agency down when asked to mentor another youth. Each parent indicated this is a good mentor and is proud that he was selected to mentor their child.

For more information on the program contact Executive Director Pat Daniel at 434-773-8394.
For Allyson Jacobs, life in her 20s and 30s was about focusing on her career in health care and enjoying the social scene in New York City. It wasn't until she turned 40 that she and her husband started trying to have children. They had a son when she was 42.

Over the past three decades, that has become increasingly common in the U.S., as birthrates have declined for women in their 20s and jumped for women in their late 30s and early 40s, according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau. The trend has pushed the median age of U.S. women giving birth from 27 to 30, the highest on record.

As an older parent celebrating Mother's Day on Sunday, Jacobs feels she has more resources for her son, 9, than she would have had in her 20s.

"There's definitely more wisdom, definitely more patience," said Jacobs, 52, who is a patients' services administrator at a hospital. "Because we are older, we had the money to hire a nanny. We might not have been able to afford that if we were younger."

Keep scrolling for the most popular baby names of 2021

While fertility rates dropped from 1990 to 2019 overall, the decline was regarded as rather stable compared to previous eras. But the age at which women had babies shifted. Fertility rates declined by almost 43% for women between ages 20 and 24 and by more than 22% for women between 25 and 29. At the same time, they increased by more than 67% for women between 35 and 39, and by more than 132% for women between 40 and 44, according to the Census Bureau analysis based on National Center for Health Statistics data.

Decisions by college-educated women to invest in their education and careers so they could be better off financially when they had children, as well as the desire by working-class women to wait until they were more financially secure, have contributed to the shift toward older motherhood, said Philip Cohen, a University of Maryland sociologist.

In the past, parents often relied on their children for income  putting them to work in the fields, for example, when the economy was more farm-based. But over the last century or more in the U.S., parents have become more invested in their children's futures, providing more support while they go to school and enter young adulthood, he said.

"Having children later mostly puts women in a better position," Cohen said. "They have more resources, more education. The things we demand of people to be good parents are easier to supply when you are older."

Lani Trezzi, 48, and her husband had their first child, a son, when she was 38, and a daughter followed three years later. Even though she had been with her husband since she was 23, she felt no urgency to have children. That changed in her late 30s, once she'd reached a comfortable spot in her career as an executive for a retail company.

"It was just an age when I felt confident all around in the many areas of my life," said Trezzi, who lives in New Jersey, outside New York City. "I didn't have the confidence then that I have now."

Over the last three decades, the largest increases in the median age at which U.S. women give birth have been among foreign-born women, going from ages 27 to 32, and Black women, going from ages 24 to 28, according to the Census Bureau.

With foreign-born women, Cohen said he wasn't quite sure why the median age increased over time, but it likely was a "complicated story" having to do with their circumstances or reasons for coming to the U.S.

For Black women, pursuing an education and career played roles.

"Black women have been pursuing higher education at higher rates," said Raegan McDonald-Mosley, an obstetrician and gynecologist, who is CEO of Power to Decide, which works to reduce teen pregnancies and unwanted births. "Black women are becoming really engaged in their education and that is an incentive to delay childbearing."

Since unintended pregnancies are highest among teens and women in their 20s, and more of their pregnancies end in abortion compared to older women, ending Roe v. Wade would likely shift the start of childbearing earlier on average, in a reverse of the trend of the past three decades, "although the magnitude is unknown," said Laura Lindberg, principal research scientist at the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.

"The burden will fall disproportionately on women of color, Black women, people without documentation, people living in rural areas, people in the South  where there are a lot of Black women  and in the Midwest," said McDonald-Mosley, who also has served previously as chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Motherhood also has been coming later in developed countries in Europe and Asia. In the U.S., it could contribute to the nation's population slowdown since the ability to have children tends to decrease with age, said Kate Choi, a family demographer at Western University in London, Ontario.

In areas of the U.S. where the population isn't replacing itself with births, and where immigration is low, population decline can create labor shortages, higher labor costs and a labor force that is supporting retirees, she said.

"Such changes will put significant pressure on programs aimed at supporting seniors like Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare," Choi said. "Workers may have to pay higher taxes to support the growing numbers of the retired population."

Although the data in the Census Bureau report stops in 2019, the pandemic over the past two years has put off motherhood even further for many women, with U.S. birth rates in 2020 dropping 4% in the largest single-year decrease in nearly 50 years. Choi said there appears to have been a bit of a rebound in the second half of 2021 to levels similar to 2019, but more data is needed to determine if this is a return to a "normal" decline.

During the pandemic, some women at the end of their reproductive years may have given up on becoming parents or having more children because of economic uncertainties and greater health risks for pregnant women who get the virus, she said.

"These women may have missed their window to have children," Choi said. "Some parents of young children may have decided to forego the second ... birth because they were overwhelmed with the additional child-caring demands that emerged during the pandemic, such as the need to homeschool their children."
By Trend

Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Vepa Hadjiev met with Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran for Economic Diplomacy Mehdi Safari in the Iranian capital Tehran, Trend reports with reference to the Business Turkmenistan website.

The talks were held on the sidelines of a meeting of deputy foreign ministers of the member countries of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).

During the meeting, the sides discussed issues of expanding economic cooperation, in particular, in the fields of transport, transit and energy.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan stressed the need to increase trade relations and cooperation for further expansion of ties between the countries.

At the same time, Safari expressed the readiness of the Iranian side to simplify transportation along the North-South Transport Corridor.

Furthermore, he noted that Iran is interested in increasing cooperation with Turkmenistan in the field of oil, electricity and gas exchange.
WINSTON-SALEM  A former nurse in Winston-Salem was sentenced Wednesday to more than four years in federal prison. Investigators said she injected herself with opioids and replaced the drug  which was supposed to be administered to surgical patients  with saline solution.

Emilee Kathryn Poteat, 32, of Danville, Virginia, worked at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center. She pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on Dec. 8, 2021, to one count of tampering with a consumer product.

U.S. District Judge Loretta C. Biggs sentenced Poteat to four years, six months in federal prison. Poteat also has to pay a $3,000 fine and, when she gets out of prison, she will be on three years of supervised release, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of North Carolina.

Poteat is already serving a three year prison sentence for tampering with consumer products at Sovah Health-Danville hospital.

Poteat was a registered nurse licensed by the Virginia Board of Nursing. From July to November 2020, she worked as a contract nurse in the Clinical Pre/Post Procedure Unit at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem.

Poteat had access to a machine that stored vials of injectable hydromorphone, an opioid derived from morphine, according to court documents.

At Forsyth Medical Center, the drugs are stored in sealed vials locked inside drawers. The only way to access the drug is with an authorized fingerprint and a password. A nurse or other authorized personnel also has to enter the specific prescription information for an actual patient before getting the drugs.

Poteat removed the vials containing hydromorphone and injected the drug into herself. Then she injected saline solution into the vials to cover her tracks and used glue to replace the lids on the vials, according to federal prosecutors.

Poteat put the contaminated vials back into their containers, resealed them and put them back into the locked drawers, knowing that CPPU nurses might administer the compromised and tampered-with vials of injectable hydromorphone to surgical patients at the hospital, the news release said.

The hospital gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration three suspect vials of injectable hydromorphone. The FDA laboratory showed that each of the vials had been tampered with and that two of the vials were missing their seals. One vial didnt have its cap cover and tamper seal. According to court papers, that one vial showed evidence that a hypodermic needle had been inserted to remove the drug and replace it with saline solution.

An investigator said Poteat admitted that she had tampered with the vials of hydromorphone.

Poteat stated that she removed the vials from the Pyxes machine, went to the bathroom, drew down the drugs and injected them into her bloodstream, court documents said.

Poteat was accused of doing the same thing in Danville. In a February news release, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Virginia said that, beginning in January 2020, Poteat diverted and tampered with vials of fentanyl and injectable hydromorphone that was intended for patients at Sovah Health-Danville.

On May 19, 2020, the hospital discovered that the tops of several vials had been either removed or tampered with. Out of 20 vials of fentanyl that were inspected, 14 of them had tops that popped off while the remaining ones had tops that fell off when they were touched. One of the vials had a dry white film around the rim that appeared to be superglue, according to the news release.

Investigators said Poteat was interviewed three times before she admitted that she had tampered with the drugs and that she had a substance abuse problem.

According to the Virginia Department of Health Professions website, Poteats license is currently suspended.
A former nurse in Winston-Salem was sentenced Wednesday to more than four years in federal prison. Investigators said she injected herself with opioids and replaced the drug  which was supposed to be administered to surgical patients  with saline solution.

Emilee Kathryn Poteat, 32, of Danville, Virginia, worked at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center. She pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on Dec. 8, 2021, to one count of tampering with a consumer product.

U.S. District Judge Loretta C. Biggs sentenced Poteat to four years, six months in federal prison. Poteat also has to pay a $3,000 fine and, when she gets out of prison, she will be on three years of supervised release, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of North Carolina.

Poteat is already serving a three year prison sentence for tampering with consumer products at Sovah Health-Danville hospital.

Poteat was a registered nurse licensed by the Virginia Board of Nursing. From July to November 2020, she worked as a contract nurse in the Clinical Pre/Post Procedure Unit at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem.

Poteat had access to a machine that stored vials of injectable hydromorphone, an opioid derived from morphine, according to court documents.

At Forsyth Medical Center, the drugs are stored in sealed vials locked inside drawers. The only way to access the drug is with an authorized fingerprint and a password. A nurse or other authorized personnel also has to enter the specific prescription information for an actual patient before getting the drugs.

Poteat removed the vials containing hydromorphone and injected the drug into herself. Then she injected saline solution into the vials to cover her tracks and used glue to replace the lids on the vials, according to federal prosecutors.

Poteat put the contaminated vials back into their containers, resealed them and put them back into the locked drawers, knowing that CPPU nurses might administer the compromised and tampered-with vials of injectable hydromorphone to surgical patients at the hospital, the news release said.

The hospital gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration three suspect vials of injectable hydromorphone. The FDA laboratory showed that each of the vials had been tampered with and that two of the vials were missing their seals. One vial didnt have its cap cover and tamper seal. According to court papers, that one vial showed evidence that a hypodermic needle had been inserted to remove the drug and replace it with saline solution.

An investigator said Poteat admitted that she had tampered with the vials of hydromorphone.

Poteat stated that she removed the vials from the Pyxes machine, went to the bathroom, drew down the drugs and injected them into her bloodstream, court documents said.

Poteat was accused of doing the same thing in Danville. In a February news release, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Virginia said that, beginning in January 2020, Poteat diverted and tampered with vials of fentanyl and injectable hydromorphone that was intended for patients at Sovah Health-Danville.

On May 19, 2020, the hospital discovered that the tops of several vials had been either removed or tampered with. Out of 20 vials of fentanyl that were inspected, 14 of them had tops that popped off while the remaining ones had tops that fell off when they were touched. One of the vials had a dry white film around the rim that appeared to be superglue, according to the news release.

Investigators said Poteat was interviewed three times before she admitted that she had tampered with the drugs and that she had a substance abuse problem.

According to the Virginia Department of Health Professions website, Poteats license is currently suspended.

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About 200 people gathered in front of the Montana Capitol Thursday to call on state politicians to act to curb gun violence in America.

Following the spree of mass shootings across the country in recent weeks, the local chapter of Moms Demand Action, a nationwide organization founded in the wake of the Sandy Hook Massacre advocating for public safety measures around gun violence, organized Thursday's protest.

The disease of gun violence hit close to home Tuesday when law enforcement arrested a Helena man, Logan Pallister, who they said possessed multiple weapons and explosives and threatened to shoot up and bomb Helena High School.

"Every one of us here today would have been effected," Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins told the crowd, alluding to the potential disaster averted by law enforcement.

Collins called on lawmakers to pass meaningful gun reform legislation, including raising the age at which a person can purchase a firearm.

"What is more important than protecting our children?" Collins asked rhetorically. "We must hold our lawmakers accountable."

According to Gun Violence Archive, every week in 2022 has seen at least four mass shootings in the United States, in which four or more people are injured or killed, not including the shooter.

Local Moms Demand Action Be Smart Lead Shani Henry said in an interview Thursday that as sad as it may be, each subsequent mass shooting causes more and more people to mobilize and her organization has seen an uptick in volunteers in recent weeks.

"It's a silver lining in what we struggle to do," Henry said.

She said she is optimistic that change in the form of common sense gun law reforms such as mandatory background checks for private and gun show sales; red flag laws that allow guns to be seized from potentially dangerous people; and funding mental health programs, especially within public schools.

"I 100% think there's hope," Henry said. "It's going to be tough, and we need a lot of people to speak up."

One of those people who spoke up Tuesday was Su DeBree, a Helena resident who said her late husband served as a Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office deputy and later as a detective following three tours of duty in Vietnam.

DeBree said her husband, knowing firsthand the devastating damage military-style weapons and ammunition can inflict on law enforcement officers and civilians, advocated for federal bans.

"Ken (DeBree's husband) held major concerns about gun safety for himself and his own work as well as for the crime victims," she said. "He believed that armor-piercing ammo, military assault weapons did not belong in the hands of civilians."

DeBree also shared the story of her oldest daughter, Gretchen Marie DeBree, who 32 years ago in Great Falls was "shot in the back of the head with a .357 Magnum that was kept loaded next to the bed with that prevalent attitude that a loaded gun is the ultimate solution to any problem."

Henry said Moms Demand Action members have a meeting with a staffer of Gov. Greg Gianforte scheduled for next week.

"We'll take that," she said, lamenting the governor declining to meet personally.

Moms Demand Action plans to meet locally next on June 28 at the Lewis and Clark Library at 5:45 p.m.

Those interested in learning more about the group's efforts can find members giving out free gun locks to people at the Helena Farmers Market on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

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Mikayla McLaughlins mom said she did not know if her daughter would ever graduate high school.

I did not think this was going to happen for a long time, Danielle Veilleux said Friday in the school auditorium, minutes after Mikayla received her diploma.

She has done so much to turn around, its awesome, Veilleux said.

Not only had Mikayla graduated, but the 19-year-old did so with gusto, as she was presented with the David Strong Memorial Scholarship, which will give her two tuition-free years of higher education at Helena College.

I was really surprised, Mikayla, who goes by Kayla, said, adding she did not think she would be able to attend college. She said she will likely study business.

Im really excited, she said.

Mikayla was among the 35 students who received high school diplomas Friday through Helena Public Schools' Access to Success program. Since 2009, the high school diploma completion program improves options for those who are severely at-risk or who have dropped out of high school, officials said.

The coursework is in an adult learning environment and the program is housed on the Helena College campus. Eligibility is limited to those who are at least 16, who meet minimum reading levels, and who are not enrolled in school and do not have a high school diploma.

More than 500 students have received their high school diploma through the program.

Fridays ceremony was held in the Helena Middle School auditorium. Dozens of proud family members and friends clapped and cheered as the students received their diploma. Seventeen of the 35 graduates attended the ceremony.

Helena Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Josh McKay asked for the diplomas to be handed out at a slow pace, in order to let each graduate and their family bask in the moment. Among those attending were several of the teachers, some members of the school districts board of trustees, and Rex Weltz, superintendent.

Im really proud of these students, McKay said, adding the program gives students the opportunity to move forward to do what they need to do next.

"I am really excited about that," he said.

The Strong scholarship was named after a school administrator in Helena who died with his son in a car crash in eastern Montana. He was the founder of the program. The scholarship is a two-year waiver on tuition to attend Helena College, and McKay said it allows Strong to keep making a difference in students lives.

In a speech to the students that sometimes turned emotional, McKay urged them to take those chances in life to make an improvement in the world. And to seize challenges and make a difference in that moment of time.

Friends and family shared hugs and made plans for where to go for a celebratory meal.

Tonee West-Smiraldo, 18, was among those in the hugfest.

Im so excited I graduated, she said. It was very hard, but I had wonderful teachers.

Her grandmother, also named Tonee West, came from Las Vegas for the ceremony.

It was a hard road for her, Grandma said, nodding toward the stage. I think its beautiful. These kids went up there and fought for this.

Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021.

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By Trend

The death toll from heavy rains last week in the Brazilian city of Recife and its metropolitan area has risen to 126, with two people still missing, the government of the northeastern state of Pernambuco said, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

At least 9,302 people have been driven from their homes due to rains that caused major floods and landslides in Recife, burying dozens of hillside houses and causing most of the deaths.

It is the worst tragedy to occur in Pernambuco since the start of the 21st century and the second-worst in the state's history, after the May 1966 flooding caused the Capibaribe River to overflow leaving 175 dead.

Firefighters and army soldiers are working to recover the bodies of the two missing victims with the help of trained rescue dogs.

A total of 31 municipalities in Pernambuco have declared a state of emergency due to the rains, while 51 towns suffered some type of damage.

The federal government has announced it will allocate some 200 million U.S. dollars to rebuild affected areas.
Helena Public Schools has adjusted the schedule for three of its four 2022 commencement ceremonies, partly because of the inclement weather in the forecast for Saturday.

About 570 students across the district will be graduating this weekend.

Here is the updated schedule for all four ceremonies.

Access to Success

The commencement ceremony for the school districts Access to Success program has been rescheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 3, at Helena Middle School, 1025 N. Rodney St.

Access to Success is a high school diploma completion program hosted at Helena College. The program serves students who are at risk or who may have dropped out of high school.

Project for Alternative Learning

The commencement ceremony for the Project for Alternative Learning will remain at 1 p.m. Friday, June 3, at the Myrna Loy Center, 15 N. Ewing St.

Each participating student graduating from the alternative high school will receive six tickets to Fridays ceremony. Each attendee must have a ticket to enter.

This years commencement speaker is local author Virginia Reeves, who graduated from Helena Public Schools in 1996 with the help of PAL.

Helena High School

Helena High Schools commencement ceremony has been rescheduled for 8 a.m. Saturday, June 4, at Carroll Colleges Nelson Stadium, 1601 N. Benton Ave. In the event of electrical storms, this ceremony will be moved indoors to the Carroll College PE Center adjacent to Nelson Stadium.

There will be no attendance restrictions if the ceremony is held outdoors as planned. Due to fire codes, a ticket will be required to attend the event if it is moved indoors, and all participating graduates have received tickets for their families.

The ceremony will also be streamed online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKclgFm6Y1E.

This years commencement speaker is former Helena High educator Margaret Belisle.

Capital High School

Capital High Schools commencement ceremony has been rescheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, June 4, at Carroll Colleges Nelson Stadium, 1601 N. Benton Ave. In the event of electrical storms, this ceremony will be moved indoors to the Carroll College PE Center adjacent to Nelson Stadium.

There will be no attendance restrictions if the ceremony is held outdoors as planned. Due to fire codes, a ticket will be required to attend the event if it is moved indoors, and all participating graduates have received tickets for their families.

The ceremony will also be streamed online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBY643V51JA.

This years commencement speaker is Matt Kuntz, a 1995 graduate of Capital High School and the executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Montana.

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Cases of COVID-19 are on the rise again in Montana, a reminder that the pandemic is not over though for many life has gone back to the way it looked before the virus arrived.

The state health department reported Friday that cases in Montana rose 1,501 over the previous week, or an average of nearly 215 new cases added each day. The department started reporting cases weekly instead of every weekday about a month ago, citing lower case counts and less strain on hospitals.

The state also reported 23 new deaths since last Friday, though some of those deaths could have occurred earlier and just been counted now. A total of 3,423 Montanans have died from COVID-19.

Cases have been increasing over the past couple weeks. The week before last, the state Department of Public Health and Human Services reported 1,464 new cases, a 25% jump over the week prior, and 42 hospitalizations, a 17% increase. And the preceding week, Montana added 1,164 new cases, a 35% increase. Hospitalizations rose 33% that week.

Statewide hospitalizations hovered around a dozen a day until the end of late April, when they began to rise. They're still well below the peaks of the fall of 2021 and last winter, however, as is capacity in intensive care units.

Several communities around the state have reported high community transmission, a designation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that comes with the recommendation of wearing a face covering indoors and avoiding any non-essential activities for those who are immunocompromised or at high-risk or have someone in their household who is. The recommendation also calls for things like enhanced protection measures in high-risk congregate settings like correctional facilities and nursing homes.

In 2021 state lawmakers passed bills to dramatically limit public health officials ability to implement measures locally like mask requirements in the case of rising cases. Gov. Greg Gianforte lifted a statewide mask mandate and ended other measures like capacity limits at businesses last year, too.

The counties in Montana reporting high transmission are Beaverhead, Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Lewis and Clark, Glacier, Meagher, Park, Golden Valley, Pondera, Garfield, Prairie, Custer, Fallon, Powder River and Carter.

Several more are reporting moderate transmission levels: Toole, Teton, Choteau, Cascade, Judith Basis, Broadwater, Jefferson, Gallatin, Blaine, Sweetgrass and Sheridan.

In Gallatin Countys weekly report updated Friday, the local health department noted the rolling seven-day average for the percent of tests coming back positive was 21.1%, a 20.57% increase from the week prior. Any rate over 10% may mean more testing is necessary in order to avoid missing a significant number of cases in the community, the report noted. In Missoula, the positivity rate is 15.38%

On May 25, wastewater testing in Helena marked 86,300 genomes per liter of the virus, a level not seen since late September 2021. That had dropped to 26,500 by June 1, which is still elevated from earlier in the spring. Wastewater testing can be an early indicator of how relevant the disease is in the community.

Vaccination still proves a challenge in Montana, with about 55% of the eligible population vaccinated compared to about 67% nationally. Last week the state reported administering just shy of 500 first vaccine doses and said 460 people joined the ranks of the fully vaccinated. Since boosters became available, they quickly accounted for the most shots administered in any week.

Those ages 5 and up are eligible for vaccination and information about getting vaccinated can be found at https://dphhs.mt.gov/covid19vaccine/ or by talking to a doctor.

Data from the state illustrates how effective vaccinations are in preventing severe disease and death from COVID-19. In an analysis of deaths between April 1, 2021 and May 27 of this year, 79% of Montanans who were hospitalized and 76% of those who died were unvaccinated at the time of infection, according to the state.

The state health department has detected 4,371 cases of omicron variants, though not all positive tests are checked for variants. The BA.2 variant, or stealth omicron, was first detected in the state Jan. 30, the BA.2.12.1 was dedicated April 19 and BA.4 was detected May 4.

A total of 25 cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C, have been reported in Montana children, and so far there have been no documented deaths.

Recently cases in long-term care facilities have spiked, with the most recent state health department report showing 63 facilities with an outbreak, a 75% increase over the week prior. Since the start of the pandemic, 4% of all cases statewide have been tied to long-term care facilities, along with 19% of deaths.

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Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is developing a new private land habitat leasing program that the department plans to add to conservation easements and land purchases funded by hunting license sales.

FWP will continue to pursue purchases and easements using funding from the Habitat Montana account, Director Hank Worsech and spokesman Greg Lemon said in an interview. But interest from landowners and some county commissioners, as well as controversy over some past projects, contributed to the decision to develop and fund a leasing program.

The goal for the program is leasing 500,000 acres in five years, with a focus on prairie grasslands, and specifically, sage grouse habitat, they said.

Its not a this or that, its another tool in the tool chest, Worsech said of adding the leasing program to Habitat Montana. With more land selling in Montana, FWP has seen a number of properties formerly open to public access lost in the last year, he said.

FWP would seek long-term leases of 30-40 years, with terms similar to perpetual conservation easements held by the department. Terms of the departments conservation easements vary, but typically contracts limit residential development, allow public access and may include provisions guiding agricultural practices.

While not a direct parallel, conceptually Worsech compares a state leasing program to the federal Conservation Reserve Program, or CRP, which paid landowners to remove land from agricultural production in part for wildlife habitat. The focus on sage grouse habitat is important as a tool to keep the birds from listing under the federal Endangered Species Act, he said.

Long-time FWP Wildlife Division Administrator Ken McDonald has been assigned to get the new leasing program off the ground. That includes the framework for valuation of the leases and other nuts-and-bolts components of the program.

The financial impact of a new leasing program, and what it means for Habitat Montanas funding of existing programs, has not yet been determined.

The cost of the program, its too soon to tell and we do not know what the landowner interest will be until the program is stood up, Lemon said. What I can say is that we will do our best to leverage every dollar of Habitat Montana, predominantly (as a match to federal conservation dollars). Our focus is to make sure every dollar of Habitat Montana money goes as far as it can.

Habitat Montana was originally conceived by the Legislature in 1987, earmarking a portion of hunting license sales for purchasing wildlife habitat and private land conservation easements. Lawmakers removed a sunset on the program in 2005, making it permanent. It generates about $3 million per year, according to a 2021 FWP report.

FWP will release an environmental assessment on the new leasing program in the coming weeks, which includes public comment. The assessment looks specifically at the environmental impact of the leasing program.

FWP is then expecting to bring the leasing program to the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission in August, which will also include public comment. If the commission approves the overall program, the department could proceed with enrolling landowners without returning to the commission for individual approval of each lease. The program will also not require approval of the Montana State Board of Land Commissioners  made up of the governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state auditor and superintendent of public instruction  as is presently needed for conservation easements or land purchases, Worsech and Lemon said.

Our commitment to our mission of conservation hasnt wavered, were just looking at ways to be more effective at getting that conservation done, Lemon said.

Worsech and Lemon also believe the new leasing program could be a gateway to consider a future permanent easement, noting that the permanence of an easement can be intimidating for many conservation-minded landowners.

(Leasing) doesnt mean that you cant reevaluate that if the climate changes and put them into a perpetual (easement) at that time, but its almost like you get the check it out and make sure its working, Worsech said.

The Montana Wildlife Federation has been a major proponent of the Habitat Montana program, frequently testifying in favor of conservation easements and land purchases. News of the new leasing program brought a mix of enthusiasm but also concerns about what it means for existing programs and Habitat Montana.

Perpetual easements are one of our best tools for advancing landscape conservation priorities and keeping working lands in the working hands of Montanans, said MWFs Marcus Strange. While we are always thrilled to add another conservation tool to the toolbox, we should not do that at the expense of the existing options that we have at our disposal, such as the Habitat Montana program. These programs are biologically sound and broadly supported by local stakeholders. As open lands and wildlife habitat become increasingly desired by out-of-state interests, permanently protecting the places that make Montana the last best place should be our No. 1 priority.

Public access and Habitat Montana

The new program shines a spotlight on struggles to maintain or expand public access for hunting. The states role in securing access through buying land or permanent access has seen significant debate among elected officials and advocacy groups, who have sparred over use or changes to existing programs.

FWP land purchases and conservation easements funded by Habitat Montana have been lauded by hunting advocates for expanding public access and conserving wildlife habitat. But both have seen disapproval as well, from those opposed to the state owning more land or questioning the price of some easements. GOP lawmakers in the past have sought to curtail spending from Habitat Montana including a since-lifted halt to new land purchases and legal changes to add additional layers of oversight to easements.

In 2018 FWPs conservation easement program pitted then-Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, against the four Republicans making up the five-member Land Board. Following debate over private property rights and split surface and mineral estates, three of the Republicans voted to indefinitely delay the $6.1 million Horse Creek Conservation Easement near Wibaux.

Bullock moved to finalize the easement without the Land Boards approval, saying that although FWP had traditionally brought easements to the board, the law states the easements are finalized by a vote of the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission. The clash ended in the Montana Supreme Court, which sided with the governor.

FWP has not brought a conservation easement to the Land Board during the current administration  one FWP land purchase did pass unanimously. The department has moved some conservation easements through the initial commission process. Those easements have focused on large former industrial timber lands in western Montana with long histories of public access, rather than agricultural land.

FWP said six conservation easements are currently in various stages of the approval pipeline, including some on agricultural lands.

Worsech says that the popularity of easements among hunting groups remains strong but he has continued to hear consternation from some opponents.

Perpetual easements were popular for some of the people and unpopular for a lot of the people, he said. Perpetual easements for the public, the sporting public, they love it because theyre going to get access and different things like that, but surrounding landowners did not love it.

Ive heard it several times, a producer or somebody that doesnt do a really good job, and kind of going under, then we would come along and give them a shot in the arm and keep them on the landscape for a period of time, then it ties up that property with a perpetual easement.

Worsech also believes FWP needs to do more follow up on existing conservation easements. That includes site visits at those properties to gauge compliance with the terms of the easement, and looking at contract language for enforcement of the terms.

The Land Board

Moving forward, Worsech and Lemon said conservation easements must meet certain criteria if they are to gain enough support to pass the commission and Land Board, which have the power to vote down easements. Central to that is local support including an endorsement letter from the county commission  without that support they foresee difficulty in getting the votes necessary to pass either body.

Obviously theres a change with a change in administration, theres a change in the Land Board as well, Worsech said. So what were looking for is, well still bring things to the Land Board, but what we have to do is make sure they meet the criteria that theyre accepted by the county commissioners and the public in the area in doing these things because we took a lot of heat for getting some of these perpetual easements through that the community and (area) landowners thought  we shouldnt have been doing.

Worsech said he had not met with all the current Land Board members, but again noted the history of when easements have stalled with a lack of grassroots support.

Members of the all-Republican Land Board provided varying degrees of specificity to the Montana State News Bureau on whether they conceptually support conservation easements or what criteria they would look to inform their votes.

Gov. Greg Gianforte and state Auditor Troy Downing both agreed that local support would factor into their decisions.

The governor supports easements as a tool to further the state's conservation and public access goals, a Gianforte spokesperson said. As no proposed easement is the same, each one must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis with appropriate public input. The governor looks for projects that receive broad support from the local community, especially affected stakeholders and local elected officials.

Downing said in an interview that he was "not categorically opposed to a perpetual easement, but they should be considered individually, taking into account the long-term effects on the agricultural resource, development, and equally important, the tax base." He added he thought it was very important to have local input.

Spokespeople for both Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen emphasized the individual nature of each proposal.

Knudsen's spokesperson said he would "evaluate and make a decision about each conservation easement proposal on its own merits" and a spokesperson for Jacobsen said she would "take into consideration the agenda items specific details, background, public comments, etc., before joining her fellow State Board of Land Commissioners in a vote."

A spokesperson for Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen also provided a framework for decision making.

The Superintendent diligently reviews all information that comes before the Land Board, an OPI spokesperson said, also providing language in state statute for conservation easements. Arntzen is the only current member of the Land Board that voted on Horse Creek, joining two other members to delay the vote.

Tom Kuglin is the deputy editor for the Lee Newspapers State Bureau. His coverage focuses on outdoors, recreation and natural resources.

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In a relatively quiet primary season for Montanas new western U.S. House district, accusations of shady campaign finance dealings are flying as the campaigns hit the final stretch before Election Day.

After an outside spending group recently began attacking Democratic candidate Cora Neumann as being more Californian than Montanan, her campaign has responded by painting her primary opponent, Monica Tranel, as too closely tied to the political action committees activities.

A disclosure report filed with the Federal Elections Commission last week showed that Tranels husband, physician Gregor Lind, contributed $5,000 to Montanans for a Better Congress, which spent $109,000 in May on a political ad supporting Tranel and attacking Neumann and GOP candidate Ryan Zinke. As a super PAC, the group can raise and spend unlimited money but must disclose its donors.

Tranels campaign manager, Sam Sterling, was quick to point out that nothing in the FEC rules forbids a candidates husband from contributing to an independent PAC. Campaign finance laws forbid campaigns from coordinating with outside PACs on political activities. But that legal threshold is based on the FECs three-pronged test, which would require proof of interactions between the two entities.

Monica had no awareness of Gregs involvement, and Greg has no involvement in the activities of the super PAC, Sterling said. He added that Tranels husband is a long-time donor to Democratic groups and campaigns, and has not been involved in the day-to-day operations of his wifes campaign.

After the Neumann campaign recently began airing ads referring to the outside group as Monica Tranels Super PAC, Tranel recently responded with a letter to local television stations asking them to pull the ad, which she called libelous for suggesting illegal coordination.

That hasnt stopped Neumanns campaign from continuing to hammer on the super PAC issue, though.

Monica Tranel is benefitting from a super PAC running TV ads filled with lies about Cora, her campaign manager, Emma Harris, said in an emailed statement Thursday. This super PAC  has been funded by her husband and donors with the express purpose of helping her win this seat.

Tranel has also turned to campaign finance reports for primary ammunition.

I'm in a race right now where over 80% of my campaign money comes from Montana, and I'm really proud of that, Tranel told the Montana State News Bureau in an April 6 interview. I'm going to Congress from Montana and Montanans are sending me there. And my opponents, both in the primary and the general, are raising almost the inverse proportion from out of state. So whose interest do you serve?

Those percentages are difficult to pin down exactly, with both Neumann and Tranel reporting a sizable amount of their individual contributions as non-itemized, meaning the donors did not reach the $200 threshold requiring them to be listed on disclosure reports.

For Neumann, that means 20% of her total amount raised from individuals arent accompanied by the donors states of residency, as of the most recent FEC reports due last week.

For those that are itemized, 25% of her total fundraising dollars have come from Montana donors, with 26% coming from contributors in California. But the campaign says that most of the non-itemized remainder is coming from in-state.

The No. 1 source of our total dollars and the number of contributions is Montana, and thats driven by small-dollar, grassroots contributions from Montanans, Harris said Thursday.

Neumann also holds a substantial fundraising lead over Tranel, which her campaign has argued will make her better-positioned to compete against the massive war chest that Zinke has been accumulating, should he be the Republican nominee.

Tranel has gotten 82% of her itemized contributions, dollar-wise, from Montanans. Those account for about two-thirds of her contributions.

Tom Winter, a former state lawmaker from Missoula, remains a distant third in the Democratic money race, having raised just under $100,000.

The Republican primary has also generated suggestions of fishy financial activities by the campaigns. Al Olszewskis campaign manager, Drew Zinecker, pointed reporters on Tuesday to a recent article published in the newspaper Roll Call, which detailed the spending patterns of SEAL PAC, a political committee run by GOP candidate Ryan Zinke.

The PAC is dedicated to electing conservative veterans to lead our nation, according to its website. The article, published Tuesday, details the PACs spending to support GOP candidates, about a quarter of which are nonveterans, according to Roll Call. The article also found that many of the incumbent candidates it supported voted against a measure in Congress to extend health care benefits to veterans sickened by exposure to toxins during their service.

Zinke campaign spokeswoman Heather Swift didnt dispute the facts of the article in an email, but wrote that the former congressman and Navy SEAL absolutely disagrees with the characterization of the article and noted the PAC also supports nonveterans who are strong advocates for veterans and America First defense policies.

Swift also provided a statement from Zinke noting that his campaign is not associated with the spending group.

The SEAL PAC acronym stands for Supporting and Electing American Leaders and we are very clear that we support conservative veterans and other conservatives who support veterans, he stated. Being a veteran is honorable and I'm grateful for all who served. However it is not the only criteria used to determine an endorsement. In many cases veterans are running against veterans, or a veteran decides to run but has absolutely no path to victory or legitimacy.

Olszewski's campaign manager also shared research that showed Zinke benefitting from PACs that had gotten contributions from SEAL PAC in the last two years. FEC records show Zinke's campaign received more than $29,000 in total contributions from PACs that had gotten a similar combined total from SEAL PAC since 2021. The campaign has also received $10,000 directly from SEAL PAC, according to disclosure reports.

"It's no surprise that other like-minded conservative and veteran-aligned PACs support Zinke," Swift wrote in response. "The campaign is not associated with the PAC and has nothing to do with PAC giving."

The other Republican candidate to report significant fundraising, Mary Todd, loaned her campaign over $250,000, according to the most recent finance reports.

Two other Republican candidates who have filed for the western congressional seat have not reported any fundraising so far: Mitch Heuer of Whitefish and Matt Jette of Missoula.

While the western district primaries have seen few fireworks so far, Carroll College political science professor Jeremy Johnson said sparring over campaign finance issues isnt too unusual for a high-profile Montana race.

Campaign finance has been an issue of importance to Montanans for years now, Johnson said. He singled out the high-profile controversies surrounding Western Tradition Partnership, which years ago helped fuel a bipartisan backlash against so-called dark money groups operating in the state.

Montanas really been at the front of a lot of campaign finance issues for over a decade now, so it doesnt surprise me that those issues would come to the surface, he said.

But whether the last-minute mud-slinging will matter to voters is an open question, Johnson added. As of Thursday, 24% of registered voters had already cast their ballots. Montanas overall turnout for midterm primaries has typically been between 30% and 40% in recent years.

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DECATUR  Sunara Bradford is the owner of Major Butter, a small store in a corner of the Inc. Spot.

My products will moisturize, rejuvenate, heal broken and dead skin, she said of the body butter she makes on site. It will bring it back to life.

Bradford moved her business, which she started in 2018 and operated out of her home, to the Inc. Spot last month to take advantage of the services it offered and hopefully grow her business.

Located at 269 W. Eldorado St. in Decatur, the Inc. Spot in an incubator for mostly minority-owned businesses, providing service and resources to help businesses, like Major Butter, to grow.

In addition to the body butter products, Bradford has expanded her business to include candles, car fresheners, jewelry, and sea moss products, which is an immune booster.

Im just grateful to have the opportunity to be in the Inc. Spot, Bradford said. Anything that I ask for, they are there to help. Youve got the store and the help too. You cant go wrong.

The Inc. Spot began in 2020, during the first summer of the pandemic. The resources include affordable office space and other shared business resources, according to Greater Decatur Black Chamber of Commerce president Tamarra Fuller.

Putting something together where its a one-stop-shop would be good for the business community here, she said. We envisioned something great for Black businesses, minority businesses, to help them to grow.

Fuller and Black Chamber of Commerce of Illinois president Corey Walker admit they didnt know all the details of running an incubator when the Inc. Spot groundbreaking took place nearly two years ago.

We didnt have the blueprint on a business incubator, Walker said. But just being able to grow with the tenants, grow with the concept of what a business incubator should be and giving them that extra push with the educational component, has been big and rewarding. We love every minute of it.

The Inc. Spot contract involves a three-year phase for each business. In return, the business receives a place to operated from, receptionist assistance and other resources for a credible company. We create what is best for your business, Fuller said.

Walker was assisted by the city of Decatur in writing the state grant to obtain funding for small business incubators that help minority enterprises, according to Scot Wrighton, Decaturs city manager.

The city connected Mr. Walker to the Central Illinois Methodist Conference that owned the property where the Inc. Spot is now located, he said. The city helped facilitate the sale of the property to the Inc. Spot.

Decatur has worked with several businesses that have or plan to locate in the Inc. Spot, so as to help nurture minority small businesses, Wrighton said. We agree that the city of Decatur is best served by having a small business incubator whose mission is to provide support, encouragement and assistance to help minority businesses succeed.

Geoff Duncan and his wife Holly joined the Inc. Spot in September.

We like to call this our headquarters, Holly Duncan said.

The couple own Emergency Training Providers, LLC. As strategic partners with the American Red Cross, they are licensed trainers, providing emergency education, awareness and preparedness training. They hold classes at the Inc. Spot as well as other locations in Central Illinois.

For 10 years, the couple organized the business from their home. We wanted some growth, Holly Duncan said. Oh my gosh, has that happened since we got here.

Not only do the Duncans have more room for classes and equipment storage, the localized area gives them opportunities to network with other businesses and agencies.

However, the more classes they schedule, the more help they need. Were growing so fast, were starting to take on more and more instructors, Geoff Duncan said.

Community classes were important to the instructors. The Inc. Spot was a resource, providing the room and communication for the public. We were short-changing the community by not having the classes, Holly Duncan said.

The Inc. Spot is an incubator facility with the goal of the start-up businesses to grow and move on to a more permanent location. However, the Duncans would prefer to stay put. This is perfect for us. Geoff Duncan said.

According to Fuller, the incubator has been growing steadily since it opened. Its a great ecosystem of businesses and resources, she said.

In addition to the physical resources the Inc. Spot provides, there is also the access to training on financial literacy and credit awareness, as well as education on how to run a business.

Some of the training comes in a formal setting, but it also comes through random conversations with follow tenants who have more experience and know things.

If I have a question about what I am doing as far as the business is concerned, I have experts all over this building that I feel comfortable going and talking to, Holly Duncan said. We bounce ideas off each other.

The Duncans hope to continue expanding to include an EMT basic program. The Inc. Spot will be able to help guide them, they said.

We are wanting to open doors that have not been opened in the past, Holly Duncan said.

Shanice Johnson, owner of Luving Hands Daycare, serves families of children, ages five to 12 years old, in a second-floor location.

Johnson said the incubator is ideal for her. Instead of paying the water bill, garbage, power, all of it comes in one bill, she said.

Johnson also takes advantage of the meetings the Inc. Spot offers to grow the business.

Business meetings, grant meetings, they are places that can help you out as a business owner, she said.

The plan for Luving Hands Daycare is to move on in September.

For those interested in learning more about the Inc. Spot, the current tenants suggest they visit the facility.

Its probably about the best way, come down to see if this is a fit, Walker said. The incubator concept might be a fit for your needs.

During a consultation, those in the early stages of operating a business may find they aren't ready for rental space. A virtual office may suffice for the time, Fuller said. We really do it by the need of each tenant, she said.

Its nice to be able to provide the classes that people are taking advantage of, Geoff Duncan said. And its nice that these guys are giving us all the opportunity in the world.

They do that for pretty much everybody in the building, Holly Duncan said. Were not the favorite children.

Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR

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Published news reports in Missouri said Tucker was being sought in connection with the shooting death of Christopher S. James. He was found dying Feb. 2, 2017, from a gunshot wound in an apartment complex stairwell in Moberly, Missouri. Tucker was described by Moberly police as being involved in a dispute with the victim over a woman they were both romantically involved with.
WINNETKA - Looking to own a piece Cuban folk art or an antique cast-iron monkey bank? Missing the perfect vintage rug to accent your homes classic style?

Or do you simply relish the idea of perusing the many antiques and oddities collected by one of Illinois most notable politicians?

Any of those desires could be met this weekend when scores of items amassed by the late Gov. James R. Thompson Jr. will be available for purchase at an estate sale in north suburban Winnetka.

He was a prolific collector of things, said Samantha Thompson, the governors daughter, who is hosting the sale. The for-sale items are kind of an overview of his collecting career. I wouldnt say anything is more important than anything else, but it shows the breadth of his collection and the things he was interested in, in different periods of time.

Known as Big Jim, the 6-foot-6 Thompson was Illinois longest-serving governor, holding office from 1977 to 1991. His political accomplishments over four terms notably included securing a new stadium to keep the White Sox in Chicago and restoring Navy Pier.

He also hosted annual antique fairs on the Governors Mansion lawn and established the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. His hobby did land him in trouble at times, when he set aside items at antiques stores that were later purchased by friends and given to him.

Thompson died last August at 84 due to heart problems. Besides his political legacy and a Loop building bearing his name, the Chicago Republican left behind lots of  well, stuff.

Thompson referred to his preferred pastime as pickin and junkin, said his daughter, who was brought along on those excursions from an early age. During his time in office, the governor would stop in at antique shops in the smallest of Illinois towns, she said. He created the Illinois Artisans Shops, one in downtown Chicago and the other downstate, to feature and promote the work of local artists.

Samantha Thompson credits her fathers introducing her to weird and wonderful antiques growing up as the reason why she pursued interior design as a career. The eccentricity runs in the family, she said, noting her fathers influence over her own hunt for antiques and the Patrick Roullier tropical mural she had painted in her foyer last year.

Finding things of intrinsic value was never the former governors top priority, Samantha Thompson said. Instead he would come upon a quirky piece, research everything there was to know about it, form a collection of similar items, from depictions of Adam and Eve to figurine cocktail shakers, and then move on to something else, she said.

Theres something freeing about the way he collected, she said. For him, it was all about educating himself and moving onto something new.

Thompson didnt keep his treasures packed in a storage unit, preferring to keep as many items as possible on display because he wanted to live with everything in full view, Samantha Thompson said. She is moving with her family to Savannah, Georgia, and while many of her fathers collectibles are for sale, shes holding onto the things that evoke his memory, including items the two of them searched for together, she said.

Annie Adams of Nest Estate Sales, which is organizing the event, touted the Thompson estate sale as a treasure hunters dream. Some of her favorite items include: a vintage booze-label bar cart purchased at an auction in the United Kingdom; a Maison Jansen-inspired sunflower floor lamp; and a framed hand fan signed by Cuban American artist Ruben Toledo. Theres also a wide selection of collectible furniture available.

Buyers can bring home a set of black-and-white buffalo check plates for less than $50, or select paintings and furniture at prices upward of $2,000.

Photographs of most of the items are included in the estate sales listing, and while most of the pieces for sale are part of the Thompson family collection, there are also more prosaic items like a Peloton exercise bike and a Samsung TV available.

Adams anticipates the two days to bring in close to a six-figure sale, she said. But the true value, she said, is the opportunity to rehome Gov. Thompsons treasures, something thats impossible to put a price tag on.

This collection is pretty significant, Adams said. Weve got beautiful furniture thats highly collectible  a really neat mix.

Samantha Thompson said she hopes some child whos reluctantly dragged to the estate sale by their parents finds something and catches that spark about collecting and learning about the past, like she did through her father. Shes confident her father would approve of his treasures being sold to others with a similar interest in curating antiques and would enjoy having the pieces out in the world.

The sale, which runs Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., is at 159 Fuller Lane in Winnetka. Adams recommends people park on Winnetka Road, especially for the first couple of hours of the sale, when parking is restricted on Fuller.

Shoppers will put their name on the sign-up sheet, starting an hour before the sale opens Friday, with people being let in on a first-come, first-served basis. Prices arent negotiable, Adams said, but all items will be half-off from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday as the sale concludes.

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CHICAGO - Federal prosecutors are asking for up to 34 years in prison for a former Indian movie producer who pleaded guilty to running a Chicago-based sex-trafficking ring that lured unsuspecting young actresses from their home country to the U.S., where authorities said they were forced into prostitution, physically abused and threatened with public shaming if they complained.

Kishan Modugumudi, 42, pleaded guilty in February 2020 to a count of sex trafficking related to one victim. His wife, Chandra, 35, also pleaded guilty to sex trafficking for her role in the scheme, court records show.

U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall later held a closed-door hearing where she heard directly from some of the Modugumudis victims, including an actress who testified the couple likely thought none of them would show up to talk against them, prosecutors revealed in a court filing Friday.

But yes, we are here, the woman, identified only as Victim C, told the judge, according to the prosecution filing. Women, we are here, and we are talking against them. We are raising our voice. And we are showing that they did something wrong in their life. They have to feel regret until their death.

In asking for a sentence of between 27 and 34 years for Kishan Modugumudi, prosecutors said in the filing he was a predator who preyed on the hopes and dreams of young, innocent Indian women with dreams of coming to the United States and advancing their careers.

In a separate filing Friday, prosecutors asked Kendall to sentence Chandra Modugumudi to up to 27 years behind bars.

Both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on June 24.

A Tribune report detailing the allegations against the couple in July 2018 caused a major stir in Tollywood, a nickname for the lively Telugu-language film scene in southern India where Kishan Modugumudi had worked as a producer and found his alleged victims.

According to federal prosecutors, Modugumudi lured the actresses to Chicago with the promise of being discovered. Once here on temporary visas, however, the actresses were treated like sex slaves, forced to stay in a dingy, two-story apartment building in Chicagos Belmont Cragin neighborhood waiting for their next date, the charges alleged.

The Modugumudis advertised the girls, some as young as 16, for sex at Indian conferences and cultural events across the country. The couple charged clients up to $3,000 for each sexual encounter, which took place in hotel rooms in Chicago, Dallas, New Jersey, Washington and elsewhere, according to prosecutors.

To keep the scheme going, Modugumudi resorted to physical and sexual assault of the victims as well as threats to disclose their names, which would result in career-ending and reputation-destroying shame for the victims and their families in India, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Merin wrote.

They were not empty threats, according to Merin. Kishan Modugumudi took lewd photos of some of the victims and kept them to blackmail them into silence. Actresses who were sent back to India suffered continued threats of exposure if they spoke out, Merin wrote.

One of the actresses, who was 17 at the time, refused to engage in commercial sex acts, prompting Kishan Modugumudi to text his wife, Is she blabbering anything?

I threatened to kill her if she speaks anything, Chandra Modugumudi replied, according to the prosecution filing.

Her husband texted back: Tell her you would inform her mother if she creates any trouble.

Even after he was arrested and held without bond, Kishan Modugumudi attempted to disclose information about the victims to gain sympathy in Indian media and make good on his threats to destroy his victims lives if they dared to speak out against him and his wife, Merin said.

Investigators were able to stop the attempt after they intercepted emails he had sent to an Indian reporter from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago, according to prosecutors.

Before his arrest, Kishan Modugumudi had risen to become a player in the Tollywood movie industry and co-produced several hit films.

Founded in the silent-film era in the early 1900s, the Telugu film industry is one of the oldest and busiest in India. Its commercial hub, Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, holds the Guinness World Record as the largest film studio complex in the world with 47 sound stages.

But Tollywood also has been criticized as a haven for traffickers who use promises of stardom to trap aspiring young actresses in the sex trade. An estimated 200,000 women and children in India are forced into prostitution every year, many lured by opportunities to model or act in films, according to Reuters.

When federal agents searched the Modugumudis apartment in the 5700 block of West Belden Avenue in February 2018, they found detailed ledgers of the sex acts performed by each girl, including where they occurred and how much they collected, according to prosecutors.

The ledgers showed that the couple had taken in at least $617,000 from forcing the victims to engage in commercial sex acts, prosecutors said.

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NAPERVILLE  A suburban Chicago police officer fatally shot a man who came at the officer with a hatchet during a traffic stop Friday, authorities said.

The officer was conducting a traffic stop at 11 a.m. when an unrelated vehicle pulled up next to the vehicle the officer had pulled over, the Naperville Police Department said. A man exited the second vehicle and charged the officer with a hatchet in his hand, it said.

The officer fired their gun, striking the man, police said. The man, a white male in his 20s, was transported to an hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The man's name was withheld pending notification of family.

The officer, a 22-year-veteran of the Naperville Police Department, was not injured.

The DuPage County Metropolitan Emergency Response and Investigative Team and the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office were notified and are conducting the independent investigation into this incident, police said.

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Its been happening right before our eyes, and we didnt see it coming.

For years, Republican strategists have been taking a long-term approach, systematically placing their partisan actors in judgeships across the country. While Democrats naively believed presidential elections were of primary importance for furthering their cause, Republicans knew that if they could control the judiciary, they could control everything. What they didnt realize was just how rapid their road to power would be.

To be sure, their alliances with the evangelicals and the NRA helped garner momentum, but they truly struck gold when a reality-show president tapped into a rich vein of xenophobia, racism, homophobia, white supremacy and misogyny heretofore hidden just below the surface, ready to be mined and marketed.

These days their approach is hardly a secret. The Supreme Court has been compromised. Voting rights are now limited in red states. School boards are banning books. Partisan election officials are being appointed to state election boards  boards that have the power to control voting certification. Red states are passing laws to whitewash school curricula and weaken the rights of African Americans, women, and the gay community. For the first time in our history, we are seeing rights rolled back instead of expanded.

There is little doubt that the Republican party has morphed into a radical right-wing cult set on imposing its self-righteous will on the American people.

Cults generally operate from a place of fear; a political parties operate according to a stated platform. What is the stated platform of these radical Republicans? They have none. But they do indeed peddle a lot of fear through fictional threats like their Great Replacement Theory.

Its clear Republicans have no real answers to Americas problems. If they did, dont you think theyd state them? Theyd rather place blame for our problems on various subgroups who dont look, pray, or love like they do.

Its painfully clear that this iteration of the Republican party sees women as breeding stock, Black men as target practice, gays as perverts, elementary schools as willing slaughterhouses, and Tucker Carlson as a real journalist. Seeing the world as they do, answers are not important. Only power is.

While most Americans remain hopeful that this MAGA radicalization will fade with the eventual prosecution of the January 6 insurrectionists, the nature of cult loyalty indicates otherwise. Having drunk the Kool-Aid, cult members typically exhibit intense loyalty to their leaders no matter how corrupt they become.

Trump, DeSantis, and the other cult bosses will enjoy a similar allegiance from their indoctrinated followers who will certainly show up in large numbers at election time. It will take the combined efforts of all Democratic and moderate Republican voters to curb the bleeding by holding their noses in support of an admittedly tepid Democratic Party at midterm time.

What other choice do you have? Sitting out the upcoming election is really not an option; that will only cede advantage to the right-wing MAGA mob. To be sure, your vote is vital, for if these radical Republicans manage to gain control of the House and Senate, our rights and freedoms will continue to vanish, and our democracy will be forever changed.

Randy Reyman is a Decatur resident.

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By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijan has repatriated 13 more citizens (11 children, two women) from Iraq and Syria recently as part of the government's repatriation efforts, Azernews reports, citing the ministry.

Of the repatriated people, 11 were placed in the social service institution of the Agency for Social Services under the Labor and Social Security Ministry, and two in the medical institution. The repatriates have received preliminary medical, social, and psychological assistance.

As a next step, the agency's social workers and psychologists will assess the socio-psychological state of the repatriated women and children and psychological support measures will be implemented for each repatriated person based on an individual development plan.

When repatriates finish their rehabilitation procedure, their social rehabilitation continues after they are returned to their families. Their social assistance services are offered in collaboration with other appropriate agencies.

Individual social work is carried out by the agency professionals for the social reintegration and social rehabilitation of the repatriated persons. These people are involved in psychological counseling, educational activities, and various clubs for meaningful leisure time.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. Near record high temperatures. High 102F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds overnight. Low 74F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.
ABINGDON, Va.  After waking before sunrise to a morning cup of French-pressed coffee and a brisk walk in town with Gracie, an English cream golden retriever, William Denton heads to work just a few blocks away.

The brick sidewalk outside his Abingdon home leads him on foot to White Birch Food & Juice, an award-winning eatery in town known for its cold-pressed juices and made-from-scratch menu.

Denton, whos finishing up his business education at Emory & Henry College, said its just now sinking in that the East Main Street business founded in 2014 belongs to him.

Only 24 years of age, Denton became the sole owner of the locally owned restaurant a few weeks ago, after two business partners sold their interests, making him the youngest restaurant owner in town.

Dressed in a casual cotton shirt, shorts and sandals, he may not look like the typical business owner in town, but hes optimistic about his future and the town where he was raised.

With no restaurant experience to speak of, Denton is being praised for leading the popular restaurant into a post-COVID recovery. He is keeping the wellness menus the restaurant was founded on but mingling the menu with a little bit of Southern comfort foods learned from his beloved late grandmother, Alvena Casteel Davis.

On Fridays and Saturdays, you can catch the young entrepreneur in the kitchen making some of the restaurant favorites, along with a few of his own.

For a Friday night special, Ive cooked Grandmas salmon cakes with mashed potatoes and green beans. You just cant beat that served with cornbread, he said, with a contagious smile that reflects his outgoing personality.

Denton helps out on the weekends to fill a gap in the work shifts.

Theres no need hiring someone when I can do it, said the owner, who describes himself as a conservative businessman. He credits his grandmother, a business-savvy woman, for instilling in him a good business sense and for helping him pave the way to entrepreneurial success.

Michael Ferracci, who, along with Nicole Dyer, previously owned the Abingdon downtown restaurant, said Denton is a perfect fit for the business. I tried to get William to come to work here for more than three years, said Ferracci, who co-owned the restaurant at the time. I knew I needed that kid because he knows everybody in town. I believed he could take this place and run with it.

With wisdom far beyond his years, Denton operates the business with the same values and principles he was taught as a youth  having a heart for people.

Although hes been offered the finer things in life, Dentons childhood started with humble beginnings.

Denton was born Ruslan Kusch in 1999 in Moscow, Russia. At age 2, his life dramatically changed when he was adopted by Mike and Patty Denton, whose family owned Woodsview Dairy, a long-running farm in Abingdon, Virginia.

Malnourished, Denton weighed only 17 pounds at the time of the adoption.

Underneath the flashy diamond rings and designer watch he wears is a young man whose good works far outshine any jewelry he dons.

Denton has worked at Farris Funeral Home in Abingdon for nearly a decade, a job he acquired at age 16 just about the time he started driving.

When his grandfather, James Davis, died in 2004, Denton was fascinated with the mortuary business and took an interest in comforting people during their losses.

When someone passes away in the community, I want to take that burden on me, he said.

Community is my niche in life. I love being the busy bee in town, said Denton, who finds time to mingle with customers at the restaurant while also performing volunteer work in the community.

The young man who described himself as a servant to the community said his focus is being a heart for people.

Everybody knows if they need something, they can call me, and Ill be right there to help them, he said. Its not uncommon for him to volunteer to take a shift when a business owner in town needs an extra hand.

Everyones friend

His desire to help others actually began as early as when he was a student at Abingdon High School, where Denton served as class president for two consecutive years.

I didnt care who you were or what you had, I was your friend. If I see youre down, Im going to do everything in my power to get your spirits up.

He recalled one day after school, he spotted a student walking home in the pouring rain. I didnt know him well, but I convinced him to let me drive him home.

During the trip to his home far into the country, the student opened up about his troubled home life.

The next day, he brought me a handwritten letter, thanking me for doing the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him. I still have that letter.

Sink or swim

Only 24 days after Denton became a third business partner in March 2020, the new restaurant owner was forced to close the doors to in-house dining on March 24 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the kitchen manager left the restaurant, Denton was left to manage the kitchen, preparing take-out meals for customers.

Denton describes becoming a new restaurant owner as being thrown in the water to sink or swim.

With the help of the restaurants former owners, Denton gradually learned the ropes, eventually embracing the restaurant industry.

A large recipe binder in the restaurant became Dentons best resource as he practiced cooking, remembering the lessons he learned while watching his grandmother cook when he was younger.

I went through every recipe in that binder, said Denton, who learned to make all of the customer favorites, like the restaurants Power Bowl made with grilled broccoli and chickpeas, topped with roasted sweet potatoes, beets, walnuts, cranberries and avocado and finished off with goat cheese and a maple dressing.

I love making the Thai Chicken Wrap. And my favorite dish to prepare is the fried grouper with a lemon glaze, he said.

Patsy Austin, an employee at the restaurant, continues to make the cold-pressed juices, a staple menu item. He currently manages 13 employees  six in the kitchen and seven up front.

Our passion is fresh, local and made with love is written on a sign in the restaurant. Denton is committed to preparing meals with farm-fresh foods from local growers from Georgia to Northern Virginia.

While reflecting on the busy summer schedule that lies ahead, the owner plans to one day offer franchise opportunities in the region. I have a great business model, he said.

Some days, it doesnt feel real that I was born in Russia, he said.

After completing an AncestryDNA test, Denton met online some of his cousins who live in Russia, but he has no plans to visit the country.

This is my home now.

White Birch Food & Juice, located at 170 E. Main St. in Abingdon, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturdays; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. Follow the restaurant on Facebook.

Carolyn R. Wilson is a freelance writer in Glade Spring, Virginia. Contact her at citydesk@bristolnews.com.
For the first time since 2019, the Blue Plum Festival is back in Johnson City.

With event organizers expecting a crowd of more than 10,000 over the course of two days, the festival showcasing downtown Johnson City is known for its lively atmosphere, according to Caroline Abercrombie, festival director.

You look around, and theres so many different people enjoying so many different things  its like, wow, all of this is happening in little downtown Johnson City, Abercrombie said. It makes you feel proud of your community  just getting a sense of community is what I enjoy about it.

Organized by the Blue Plum Organization, a nonprofit named after the citys first post office, the free festival offers two days of live music from 17 acts across two stages on the festival grounds stretching from Founders Park to King Commons Park.

The festival also has a kids zone, a wellness area, a 5K run, a Ferris wheel and more activities to choose from, like browsing plenty of vendors.

We have multiple beer tents where you can get beverages, Abercrombie said. We have 30 or 40 art, craft and boutique vendors, and then we have a number of food and snack vendors as well, so a little bit of everything stretched throughout.

Established in 1999, the Blue Plum Festival has grown to become one of Johnson Citys largest music festivals, according to Abercrombie, who says one reason Blue Plum is unique is the regional and national acts it brings in, like alternative group Wilderado, who is returning to stages in the U.S. after touring in Europe with alt-J.

Abercrombie said the Blue Plum Organizations mission is to support Johnson Citys downtown scene.

Blue Plum [Organization] was started really to help get people downtown and interacting with art and music and wellness activities, Abercrombie said. Its really just about bringing people in to downtown to experience new things.

Blue Plum Festival begins at 4 p.m. Friday and runs through Saturday night.

Zach McNabb of Johnson City is the first musical act to take the stage Friday at 5:15 p.m. on the Mountain Roots Hemp Amphitheater Stage at Founders Park. Friday nights music culminates with touring rock bands Mo Lowda & the Humble at 8:30 p.m. and The Vegabonds at 10 p.m. on the Ballad Health Main Stage located in the heart of the festival.

Music on the main stage begins at 12:30 p.m. Saturday with a bike-powered rock show from Virginia duo Illiterate Light, who also performs at 6:30 p.m. before the night is capped off by folk-rock act Drivin N Cryin at 8 p.m. and Wilderado at 9:30 p.m.

Kingports Donnie and the Dry Heavers (8 p.m. Friday) and Abingdons Fritz & Co. (5:30 p.m. Saturday) are also scheduled to perform on the Amphitheater Stage.

Abercrombie says the event is a success thanks to the support it gets from community members and businesses.

It's really only free because of the volunteers and the sponsors, Abercrombie said. If it wasn't for the sponsorship and the volunteers, there is no way we would be able to keep the festival going as big as it is.

For more on the festival, including a full music lineup and a festival map, go to www.blueplum.org.

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HICKORY  Seniors Morning Out participants will enjoy a variety of activities in June including a performance by Ulysses Long, cooking classes and wellness programs.

Any resident of Catawba County who is 60 or older is invited to join Seniors Morning Out, which is held between 8:30 a.m. and noon Monday through Thursday at five locations. A hot, balanced lunch is served each day. Programs are free to participants, who may pick and choose which days to attend. Bus transportation to and from the sites is available in some locations.

Program highlights are as follows:

At the Newton site, located at First Presbyterian Church, 701 N Main Ave., Newton: June 6, CPR and first aid for choking with Melanie Sigmon, Catawba County EMS; June 8, Steps to Health  Take Control with Tina McGilvary, Catawba County Extension; June 14, Elvis impersonator, Ed Smith; June 21, patriotic jewelry with Donna Gentry; June 23, blood pressure checks and cataracts awareness with Carolyn Thompson, Catawba Valley Health System; June 27, bingo; June 29, anxiety disorders with Vaya Health; June 30, no-bake energy bites. If you would like to participate in any of these activities, call the site at 828-455-4133 at least two days in advance.

At the West Hickory site, located at the West Hickory Senior Center, 400 17th St. SW, Hickory: June 6, creating cards for deployed soldiers with Bethel United Methodist Church; June 14, red, white and blue milkshakes and create your own flag for Flag Day; June 20, turbulent sixties trivia with Jennifer Williams, Hickory Public Library; June 21, blood pressure checks and cataracts awareness with Carolyn Thompson, Catawba Valley Health System; June 22, Steps to Health-Take Control with Tina McGilvary, Catawba County Extension; June 27, music with John and Mary Roller. If you would like to participate in any of these activities, contact Danielle Hicks at 828-323-8746 at least two days in advance.

At the East Hickory site, located at First United Methodist Church, 311 Third Ave. NE, Hickory: June 6, music with Charles Ballard; June 7, cataracts awareness and blood pressure checks with Carolyn Thompson, Catawba Valley Health System; June 9, musical performance by Ulysses Long; June 14, anxiety disorders with Vaya Health; June 20, decorative decoupage soap craft; June 23, Steps to Health-Take Control with Tina McGillvary, Catawba County Extension; June 27, turbulent sixties trivia with Jennifer Williams, Patrick Beaver Library. If you would like to participate in any of these activities, contact the site at least two days in advance by calling 828-320-5963.

At the Catawba site, located at Center United Methodist Church, 4945 Sherrills Ford Road, Catawba: June 7, ice cream in a bag for National Chocolate Ice Cream Day; June 15, Steps to Health-Take Control with Tina McGillvary, Catawba County Extension; June 16, music with Charles Ballard; June 21, crafts with Tonya Jarnac; June 27, bingo; June 28, anxiety disorders with Vaya Health. If you would like to participate in any of these activities, contact Kayla Smith at 828-320-0434 at least two days in advance.

At the Maiden site, located at the Maiden Community Center, 207 E Klutz St., Maiden: June 7, anxiety disorders with Amy Penley, Vaya Health; June 8, cataract awareness and blood pressure checks with Carolyn Thompson, RN, CVMC; June 14, two Ingredient apple angel food cake; June 15, local fraud and scam information with Officer Whisenant, Maiden PD; June 21, Medicare fraud and scams with Diane Trainer, SHIPP; June 22, making ice cream in a bag with Suzan and Lisa. If you would like to attend any of these programs, call Lisa Adams at 828-320-5966 at least two days in advance.

Seniors Morning Out is operated by Senior Nutrition Services of Catawba County Social Services and is in need of volunteers to assist with the program between 8 a.m. and noon, Monday  Thursday. Call 828-695-5610 if interested. In addition to SMO, Senior Nutrition Services operates Meals on Wheels and related programs in the county. Additional volunteers are urgently needed to deliver Meals on Wheels. You can volunteer as little as 1.5 hours a month. To find out more, contact Senior Nutrition Services at 828-695-5610 during regular business hours, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except for holidays. For the latest updates, like their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MealsonWheelsofCatawbaCounty, or visit their website at http://www.MealsonWheelsofCatawbaCounty.org.

Catawba County Senior Nutrition Services is a United Way funded partner.
Every single person who spouts pro-life values and votes NRA-backed politicians into office should be ashamed of themselves.

The NRA has tainted the democracy of the United States by offering politicians money and support in exchange for protection of their bottom line. Politicians who have been endorsed by the NRA repeatedly refuse to support gun legislation that would drastically reduce gun violence. The NRA has spent decades peddling the narrative that the most patriotic symbol of freedom is an object that exists to kill.

Do you think it is a coincidence they are making money on that? I think the strongest symbol of American freedom and values is a grinning child, holding up their A honor roll certificate, excited and wide-eyed for the future this country promised them.

Whatever happened to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? How free of a country are we if people must fear going to the grocery store? How free are we if teachers in our elementary schools are dying like war heroes? Why must I go on?

I am disgusted by the hate and obstinate ignorance and paranoia spouted by people who claim to be Christians. If these politicians are as Christian as they claim, they would not accept blood money from the NRA.

Erin DeChristopher

Morganton
Being in an unproductive meeting is frustrating for all involved. When no one feels like they are being heard, attendees think their time is being wasted and leaders feel they arent getting anything accomplished. On farms, meetings have proven useful for communicating daily tasks as well as longer term planning, but it takes skill to make these conversations effective.

A good place to start is by organizing the tasks, time, and guidelines, of a farm meeting, explained Alma Jorgensen in a Rural Resiliency webinar. She described that having an agenda and calling it a meeting helps provide business structure and can take some of the family emotion out of it. Still, she recognized that getting to the table for that first one is often the hardest.

Best practices

Jorgensen is the rural mental health outreach coordinator with a community health center in Minnesota, and she has helped many farm families hold better meetings. Her first suggestion is for the group to develop a set of guidelines for the meetings to create a common understanding of how the meeting will run smoothly and stay short. Some rules to set might be no swearing, phones away, no interrupting, and sticking to an agreed-upon length.

The agenda for the meeting should be a simple list of things to cover that everyone has had access to contribute to, Jorgensen said. She advised keeping a notebook in a dedicated spot, a specific white board, or a Google document that attendees can access between meetings to add things to the agenda. Items to include could be updates from the last meeting, financial decisions, new projects coming up, and ideas for improvement. However, Jorgensen cautioned, An agenda is not a to-do list. It organizes the time youre going to spend together and keeps the meetings short and effective.

It is the job of the meeting facilitator to keep the discussion to the agenda while encouraging everyone to speak, ensuring mutual understanding, and delegating responsibilities. Jorgensen also outlined that the meeting should have a recorder who takes notes to keep everyone accountable after the meeting and a timekeeper who watches the clock so others dont have to. Switching up these roles each time is critical.

This can help break that power dynamic and help people feel like they have equal say within the meeting, she emphasized. The recorder, especially, may be more focused on taking notes than sharing their thoughts, so rotating positions helps everyones voice be heard. Jorgensen also mentioned that shifting the power structure in the room can be done by changing where people sit each meeting.

Knowing who needs to be at a meeting can be a fine line to walk, Jorgensen said. In general, anyone who would be affected by the meetings outcome should attend. This means employees in conversations about day-to-day operations, both generations in succession meetings, and all investors in financial discussions. If someone is left out, apologize and determine how the next meeting can be better, she added.

During the meeting, stick to the guidelines and agenda and stay positive, Jorgensen said. Ask clarifying questions, listen instead of formulating a response, and work to find a solution. If necessary, bring in an expert or trusted adviser to offer a fresh perspective and help the group work through sticking points. It is really not shameful to ask for help; it is sometimes necessary to have another person in the room, Jorgensen said. It can make your life and the life of those on the farm so much better.

End the meeting once youve gone over the whole agenda or reached the allotted time, she concluded. Go over action points, do a quick evaluation of how the meeting went, and set the next one. Jorgensen recommended a recurring time that doesnt detract from work or involve a meal, since the person cooking wont be focused on the topic. No matter when it is held, aim to make each meeting better than the last, she said.

To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2022

May 30, 2022
U.S. Navy Seaman First Class Joseph Grady Black Jr. (known as JG) was the first resident of Cabarrus County, North Carolina, to be killed in combat during World War II. This is the third part of a series of stories about him.

The clouds of war were thickening. Little did they realize that planning was by then complete and Imperial Japan was in the process of marshaling its forces North-East of Hokkaido Prefecture at Hitokappu Bay (named in Japanese) located in the rugged and very remote central Kuril Islands north of Japan roughly 5,500 miles from the Hawaiian Islands.

War

While anchored at Iloilo City, Panay Island, the Philippines, war news arrived on the Mid-Watch at 0345 (3:45 am) on December 8th [JAPAN STARTED HOSTILITIES  GOVERN YOURSELVES ACCORDINGLY] Captain Rooks spoke to the crew using the shipboard interior communication system, with emphasis he added we are now at a state of war.

The next day the ships at Iloilo City got underway with guns manned taking a zig-zag course south into the Sulu Sea. The mood aboard ship had changed, scuttlebutt was rampant. Daily routine assumed an apprehensive tone mostly due to not knowing what would happen. The ships four SOC Curtis-Wright Seagull float planes were launched in rotation regularly starting at dawn to patrol the route ahead. Without radar any mast sighted on the horizon was cause for concern until positively identified as friendly.

The First Blow- Flores Sea

Author Donald M. Kehn, Jr.On February 4, 1942, the Combined Striking Force was moving out to sea with no more protection overhead than a vague reliance on cloud cover and flimsy hopes that enemy air patrols would be ineffective. Such wishful dreams were futile. Heavy losses by the Dutch and American fliers the previous day in the air and on the ground had left ABDAs Java air forces shaken and disorganized. On the other hand, Japanese air reconnaissance had been functioning with effectiveness since the outbreak of the war. It would have significant ramifications  all of them bad.

Having been alerted by Allied aircraft to the presence of a large Japanese invasion fleet making its southerly transit through Makassar Strait the order was sent to sortie all available warships. At 0130 hours on February 4th, 1942, in an effort to confront the threat, three cruisers USS Houston (CA-30), USS Marblehead (CL-12), HNLMS DeRuyter got underway from Surabaya, passing near Madura Island in the eastern end of the island of Java. Preceding the cruisers departure, were U.S. destroyers; USS Stewart (DD-214), USS John D. Edwards (DD-216), USS Barker (DD-213), and USS Bulmer (DD-222). In company with the U.S. destroyers were their Dutch counterparts HNLMS Van Ghent, and HNLMS Piet Hein, with HNLMS Banckert acting as rear screen.

Dawn broke at sea with warm temperatures, a moderate sea, and with the sky mostly clear with scattered cumulus clouds. The ships assumed a fuel conserving 13 knots, later increasing speed to 15 knots as their cruising formation began to zig-zag. The prevailing mood aboard the ships was a strong desire to deal the Japanese a heavy blow. At that stage of the war, a few officers and enlisted personnel alike held the belief that the war could be over in perhaps in as short a time as six weeks. Within a few hours on that day, their naivete would come down to a violent and terrible realization for once and for all.

At 0945 the lookouts spotted unidentified aircraft flying in a V formation. All ships went to General Quarters as 45 land-based Japanese [G4M Betty] twin-engine bombers made their approach. As a result of the ensuing action, Houston and USS Marblehead being two of the largest ships became targets for the enemys 551 lb. and 132 lb. bombs.

Author James D. Hornfischer  Watching Houston under bombardment, with near misses a sailor on another ship said all this water just sort of hung in the air. Then it started to fall back, and out from underneath all of this stuff comes the Houston going thirty knots. A master ship handler, the fifty-year-old skipper had an intuitive sense of his cruisers gait. He was an expert in dodging the bombs that fluttered earthward in the midmorning sun, never hesitating to stretch the limits of the engineering plant or test the skill and endurance of the throttlemen and water tenders and machinists, who gamely kept pace with the sudden engine orders and speed changes. Relying on the smart reactions of his Snipes as an extension to his own hand, Rooks maneuvered his cruiser like none the crew had never seen, accelerating, slowing, ordering crashbacks that wrenched his engines from full ahead straight to full astern, thus steering not only by rudder but by counterturning the propellers, the starboard pair surging ahead while the port pulled astern. He handled that ship like you or I would handle a motorboat.

Author Donald M. Kehn, Jr.  As soon as the leading flight of enemy aircraft came within range, Houstons 5/25 secondary guns promptly opened fire. Of every four projectiles expended, only one exploded. Thereafter this percentage  roughly one shell in four detonating  held throughout the engagement. That their shooting was quite accurate only made the bad performance of their shells that much more disappointing. Although this defect in ammunition would leave Houstons crew very much downcast, the men continued to fire steadily at their attackers.

For the men of Houston, this initial exposure to heavy air attack was terrifying. The 551-pound bombs landed close enough to deliver thundering body blows to the cruisers twelve thousand tons. They sprang hull plates and popped rivets inside compartments, while tons of seawater knocked men off their feet topside as mountainous cataracts of seawater was thrown over the ship. The men passing ammo on the 5-inch batteries who were swept off their feet with shells still in their arms, the ship was given what amounted to a massive haymaker.
Whose blood will spill, whose heart will break? Wholl be the last to die for a mistake?

 Bruce Springsteen, Last To Die

And once again: Why?

Its the question we always find ourselves asking in moments like this, the understanding we always seek as bodies lay strewn and the air is rent by shrieks of mourning. But for all that, the answer is no mystery.

As is so often the case with Americas miseries, if you seek the origin story, if you follow the twisted roots back to the beginning, you will find people who were desperate to guard the ramparts of white supremacy. For instance, as historian Kevin M. Kruse points out in The 1619 Project, we sit in traffic gridlock because suburban voters routinely reject mass transit measures for fear their distant enclaves might become more accessible to people of color from the city centers.

So when you survey last weeks too familiar carnage in Uvalde, Texas  two teachers and 19 children slain at an elementary school by a demented teenager with an AR-15  it is, yes, fair to indict the tattered mental-health system, the craven politicians, the greedy gun industry and the American firearms fetish that enabled it.

But dont forget the founders, who, as historian Carol Anderson shows in her book, The Second, were essentially held hostage by Southern states that refused to join the new country unless it guaranteed their militias would not be disarmed. See, they depended on those militias to protect against uprisings by enslaved Africans. Thus was born the Second Amendment enshrining the right to keep and bear arms.

Youd hope the rest of us had some rights, too  our children, especially. Youd hope they had the right to laugh until milk squirts out their noses and then, the right to laugh at that. The right to swing on play-yard swings. The right to come home safely from school. The right to grow up.

But this is America, so the right of an 18-year-old kid to own an AR-15 supersedes all that.

The song quoted above was inspired by something Navy Lt. John Kerry said in a 1971 Senate testimony about the Vietnam War. By then, most Americans had concluded that war was a grievous blunder. But the government still refused to admit what was obvious to the people. How, said Kerry, do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?

In other words, once you know its crazy, how can you allow people to go on dying for it? The question resonates far beyond its original context. After all, there are few things crazier than Americas insistence on treating the Second Amendment as holy writ rather than the grubby racist compromise it was. Few things crazier than watching slaughter you could set your watch by and doing nothing about it.

Yet the craziness persists.

We remain a country where an 18-year-old may legally buy a weapon of war while the right spouts platitudes and harebrained ideas  Texas Sen. Ted Cruz thinks schools should have only one door  while ignoring that what happened in Uvalde, what will absolutely happen soon in some other town, only happens here.

Only.

Happens.

Here.

Some day it will end. Some day, it has to. Some day, surely, even conservatives must finally face the obvious: This is insane. If the obvious insanity of Vietnam posed a question that stung, the obvious insanity of mass slaughter poses one that devastates. You think its hard asking a man to be the last to die for what you know is wrong?

Try asking a child.

Leonard Pitts Jr. is a columnist for the Miami Herald, 3511 NW 91st Ave., Miami, FL 33172.
The Telstra/TPG network sharing agreement is before the ACCC but has already drawn criticism from Optus. TPG Telecom general manager external affairs James Rickards says Optus is terrified because it knows the deal brings choice and competition to regional Australia.

The Telstra/TPG submission to the ACCC is available online and outlines the benefits the deal is anticipated to bring.

However, it's not without critics from none other than the likes of Optus who state the deal will erode resilience for regional communities by reducing infrastructure variety in those regions.

TPG Telecom general manager external affairs James Richards states TPG Telecoms proposed network sharing deal will benefit more than five million customers across Australia overnight. It will strengthen TPG Telecom as a competitor in areas where we have not been able to previously compete, and bring real choice to millions of customers in regional Australia.

Rickard also notes the deal is "nothing like the old days" and that Telstra is actually giving up a key network advantage.

"This infrastructure sharing arrangement is not without commercial risk to Telstra. TPG will have the ability to compete for and win a substantially increased share of customers in regional Australia from both Telstra and Optus."

There is no truth to Optus claims that its access to spectrum will be restricted in some way. The numbers do not mislead - Optus will have more low-band and mid-band spectrum per subscriber in regional Australia than Telstra and TPG after they pool their spectrum. Importantly, the TPG spectrum must be used by Telstra in the shared regional network for the benefit of both TPG and Telstra customers," Rickard said.



Optus is terrified because it knows this deal brings real customer choice and competition to regional Australia. It is deliberately twisting the facts to suit its own commercial agenda at the expense of TPG customers who should be allowed access to the superior regional mobile coverage enjoyed by Optus and Telstra customers.
By Trend





The TURKOVAC vaccine can also be produced in Azerbaijan, Head of the Project Management and Support Department of TUSEB (Health Institutes of Turkey) Batuhan Yesilyurt told Trend.

According to Yesilyurt, within the framework of cooperation with Azerbaijan, testing of the above vaccine is conducted in the country.

"This vaccine is currently used in Turkey. In Azerbaijan, its being tested with the participation of 300 volunteers. After testing is completed, well be able to use this vaccine if necessary, he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic gradually declines, but we must not forget that humanity has faced pandemics many times. This situation may repeat. The Azerbaijani people should know that there is already a Turkish vaccine against COVID-19, and it can be used, added the official.

The Turkish-made vaccine began to be tested in Azerbaijan since the end of December last year.




State Sen. Darren Bailey doubled down on his comments he considered Chicago a crime-ridden hellhole during a debate of the Republican candidates for governor as he also sought to aggressively label rival Richard Irvin a corrupt Democrat.

But Irvin, mayor of suburban Aurora, sought to shut down criticism from Bailey as well as his other GOP rivals, saying they were upset because he was hurting their political aspirations.

Overall, though, it was the issue of crime that dominated the hourlong debate hosted Thursday by ABC-7 Chicago, Univision and the League of Women Voters of Illinois. It was the first, and likely last, televised broadcast forum featuring all six GOP candidates prior to the June 28 primary  though contender Jesse Sullivan of Petersburg took part remotely after testing positive for COVID-19.

The debate came against the backdrop of two mass shootings across the country in a little more than a week. On Wednesday, a gunman killed four people and then himself at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, medical clinic. The previous week, 19 children and two adults were killed at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school before that gunman was killed by a law enforcement officer. In both instances, the gunmen used high-powered, high-capacity assault weapons.

Only minutes before the debate, President Joe Biden addressed the public in a prime-time televised address, rhetorically asking, For Gods sake, how much more carnage are we willing to accept? Biden proposed raising to 21 from 18 the age to purchase an assault weapon in lieu of banning the weapons, which is more difficult politically to accomplish.

But when Bailey was asked about what steps could be taken to make schools and the nation safer, he said that since Illinois already had some of the most strictest gun laws in the nation, the answer was obvious.

I see young people crying out for help. And sometimes they go ignored by family or by our education system, by our civic groups, Bailey said. We must offer the mental health solutions and help these people to be able to get help and to be able to function in life. And I think thats the only solution we have.

Irvin said the state needs to look at common sense solutions.

Weve got to focus on safety, and weve got to focus on responsibility, making sure that we keep these guns  out of the hands of criminals and keep these guns out of the hands of people with mental illnesses. As for specifics, Irvin said, Weve got to look at this holistically  how do we stop crime generally in the state of Illinois? And weve got to make sure we support our men and women in law enforcement.

Sullivan, a cryptocurrency venture capitalist who portrays himself as a conservative political outsider as he makes his first bid for elective office, blamed Democrats for politicizing the tragedies.

You know the Democrats use every excuse, every crisis to step in and try to say gun control is the answer, he said. Well the real problem is the liberal agenda, a liberal agenda that has been taking God and faith out of our society.

Sullivan also called for voters to recall Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx, even though there is no provision in Illinois law to recall county prosecutors from office and Foxxs current term runs through 2024.

Bull Valley businessman Gary Rabine said children at schools should be treated like the gold at Fort Knox and proposed armed officers, metal detectors, secured doors and advanced concealed gun carry training for teachers. Former state Sen. Paul Schimpf, a military veteran, proposed that retired military veterans be used as part of enhanced safety personnel in schools, while Max Solomon, a Hazel Crest attorney, called for a relaxation of all gun laws.

Last week, during dueling debates that split the field up into separate broadcasts, Bailey used his appearance on WGN-TV to label Chicago a crime-ridden, corrupt, dysfunctional hellhole. On Thursday, he doubled down on the claim.

You probably heard me refer to it as a hellhole. And you want to know what happened within hours after I made that statement? A homeless man was burned alive. Hes fighting for his life today, Bailey said in reference to an attack on 75-year-old Joseph Kromelis, known as The Walking Man. Mayor Lightfoot, Gov. (J.B.) Pritzker, Kim Foxx and their woke, anti-police policies are responsible for this. And if we are going to restore Chicago, somebodys got to tell the truth. I said it, and when Im elected as governor Ill fix the problem and we will restore the greatness to Chicago.

The debate did provide an opportunity for rivals of Irvin, the best-funded candidate who has been running a candidacy largely through TV ads and mailers, to go on the attack.

Noting reports of Irvin receiving campaign contributions for his mayoral campaigns from firms that won Aurora city contracts, Bailey has repeatedly questioned Irvins Republican loyalties. The Aurora mayor has voted in Democratic primaries in 2014, 2016 and 2020.

Im not interested in defeating you just because youre a Democrat, Bailey said. Im interested in defeating you because you are a corrupt Democrat and your pay-to-play politics in the city of Aurora.

Bailey cast a Democratic primary ballot in the 2008 presidential election and Irvin has used that to attack the state senators GOP bona fides. Sullivan questioned how Irvin is using his multimillion-dollar campaign resources.

Richard said his greatest and his only strength  he has a whole lot of money that hes willing to throw around. Well, money cannot buy you character. Money cannot buy you a conservative record, Sullivan said.

Rabine also attacked Irvins background of 15 years as a defense attorney, which Irvin typically ignores in favor of the five years he spent as a local prosecutor.

Theres nobody else running up here thats freed up rapists as well as wife beaters, Rabine said of Irvins tough-on-crime imagery. I cant see how youre going to govern the state that way.

But Irvin largely refused to engage his rivals' attacks.

My opponents here on the stage are attacking me and I understand and I get it, he said. Theyre threatened by the fact that Im violating their political aspirations and Im hurting their political aspirations.

The debate occurred as Illinois repeal of its parental notification of abortion act becomes law. The 1995 law required abortion providers to notify a parent if a minor daughter was seeking an abortion. All of the GOP contenders have, at the very least, vowed to push to reinstate the notification law as part of their efforts to curb abortion rights in Illinois.

But Sullivan criticized Irvin for once again refusing to go further and say if he thought the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that permitted abortion without extensive government regulation should be overturned.

I think conservatives around the state need to take this opportunity to hear from Richard Irvin. Do you support the overturning of Roe vs. Wade? Do you support taxpayer funded abortions? This is a clear conservative value that people deserve to hear from you on.

With a little more than three weeks before the primary Election Day, the race has already seen a heated TV ad war. A spate of recent commercials from Irvin have promoted his backing of law enforcement. Other ads attack Bailey, a nod the race may be moving into a two-man contest.

The attack ads on Bailey are critical of the senators record of voting for property tax increases while he served on a local school board and also contend Bailey is receiving Democratic support in attacking Irvin because Democrats think Pritzker could more easily defeat Bailey in the November general election.

Funding Irvins ad campaign is his largest campaign contributor, hedge fund CEO Ken Griffin, who has now put $50 million behind the Aurora mayor. The effort is part of billionaire Griffins political feud with Pritzker, an entrepreneur and a billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune.

Bailey, who shied away from expensive Chicago advertising until last month, has benefitted from the funding of another billionaire, conservative mega-donor Richard Uihlein of Lake Forest, who owns the Uline business product and office supply business. Uihlein gave Bailey $3 million earlier this week, bringing his total contributions to the downstate senator to more than $9 million. Additionally, Uihlen has given an independent expenditure group backing Bailey and running Irvin attack ads nearly $8.1 million.

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A decade ago, a gunman killed 20 students and six teachers at a Connecticut elementary school, and many Americans wearily asked what the hell it would take to keep people safe on campuses as gun violence metastasized in a nation where the Constitution says gun rights shall not be infringed upon.

A week ago, a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at a Texas elementary school, and many Americans are asking the same question with the same level of anger and heartache.

Maybe this time it'll be different. The left, the center and a larger group on the right than you might think are expressing major frustration at gun-rights activists who think that campus carnage  unique to to the U.S. in the developed world  doesn't require any new response.

These activists in turn blame poor parenting, cultural malaise, violent video games, insufficient security and more for the shootings. They reject the idea that they are enabling access to firearms in a way that is a formula for recurring disaster  despite the ghoulish fact that among those under 20 years of age in the U.S., guns finally surpassed auto accidents as the leading cause of death in 2020.

Meanwhile, the one voice who matters most remains in his rut. On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., downplayed measures being crafted by House Democrats, which included more reliable, consistent background checks and crackdowns on proxy purchases of weapons. Instead, he said, senators are "discussing how we might be able to come together to target the problem, which is mental illness and school safety." That definition of "the problem" is a part of it.

But there are hints that progress is possible. In recent days, GOP Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas have been speaking to their Democratic colleagues about gun legislation, and some influential cultural conservative pundits  including Ross Douthat and Hugh Hewitt  have expressed interest in a simple, powerful first step: banning anyone under 21 from buying a semi-automatic rifle.

Ten days before the Texas shooting, a gunman the same age  18 years old  killed 10 people with a semi-automatic rifle at a grocery store in Buffalo, N.Y. The "slippery slope" argument  that any meaningful new gun restriction is the first step toward repeal of the Second Amendment  is a stretch when that step is keeping weapons of war out of the hands of the nation's teenagers.

Another step could be building on the words of the late Justice Antonin Scalia. The passionate defender of the Second Amendment also emphasized that the government was firmly within its rights to deny weapons to people with mental illnesses and to establish comprehensive "conditions and qualifications" on the sale of firearms.

It was only four years ago that then-Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott  working with a bipartisan group of state lawmakers  signed a gun reform bill less than a month after 17 people were killed inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The law banned firearm sales to those younger than 21, set a three-day waiting period on purchases of types of rifles and made it easier for authorities to remove weapons from people perceived as threats to the public.

If a GOP-controlled state government could do this, there's hope a federal government controlled by Democrats could do the same  even if faced with GOP filibusters in an election year with Congress up for grabs.

California shows attacking this issue on multiple fronts works. Courts have thrown out some of its gun laws, but California's approach has left it with 38 percent fewer gun deaths per capita than the U.S. as a whole, destroying claims that states with the most gun laws have spotty records on gun violence.

Steps such as those seen in Florida won't be far-reaching enough for many Americans. But they are better than nothing. If a dozen or so Senate Republicans can figure this out, change is possible. Perhaps that's naive, but it is driven by the constructive hope that our nation still has the capacity to rise to the occasion  because as the mass shooting at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, medical building Wednesday night showed, our uniquely American horror won't stop without it.

The San Diego Union-Tribune

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The planned Toyota Battery Manufacturing N.C. electric-battery manufacturing plant in the Greensboro-Randolph County megasite has been selected as the nations top manufacturing project for 2021 by Area Development magazine.

Toyota has pledged to create 1,750 jobs at the plant where it will build lithium batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles. It has committed to at least $1.29 billion in capital investments.

The magazine also selected Apples $1 billion investment in Wake County, bringing in 3,000 jobs, as the nations non-manufacturing project for 2021.

North Carolina also was chosen with Tennessee to receive the magazines inaugural 2022 Platinum Shovel awards, which recognizes states that went beyond the gold standard for investment and job creation.

North Carolina has received the magazines previously highest honor, the Gold Shovel award, in 2018 and 2021, as well as Silver Shovel awards in 2009, 2011 through 2017, 2019 and 2020.

The overall award initiative honors state economic development agencies and their achievements in job creation and economic impact through policies and processes that attract and develop new and existing businesses.

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Jensen Ackles joins the subversive superhero thriller The Boys in Season 3 as Soldier Boy, the first Superhero. American Masters salutes the Public Theaters late impresario, Joe Papp, on the 60th anniversary of Free Shakespeare in the Park. Turner Classic Movies names Judy Garland its Star of the Month on the 100th anniversary of her birth. P-Valleys Mississippi strip club opens its doors on a second season before moving to its regular Sunday time period.

Season Premiere

Jensen Ackles reunites with Supernatural creator Eric Kripke as he joins the ensemble cast of the bloodily subversive action series about a group of vigilantes determined to take down The Seven, the worlds most corrupt and abusive band of superheroes. Ackles is the legendary Soldier Boy, an original Superhero forged from the fires of World War II, who may be the only one powerful enough to take down the dreaded Homelander (Anthony Starr). After all of those years battling demons as Dean Winchester, our moneys on Ackles.

Documentary Premiere

American Masters pays homage to one of the most influential figures in 20th-century New York theater, whose legacy lives on at the Public Theater and its popular Free Shakespeare in the Park series, now in its 60th summer season. He wanted theater to be as public as the library was, explains James Earl Jones, one of the many stars who took advantage of Joe Papps progressive, egalitarian approach to the classics. Clashing with urban giants like Robert Moses to achieve his dream of free theater in Central Park, using hits like A Chorus Line to bankroll his eclectic vision, Papp is a towering personality, remembered by stars including Kevin Kline (who recites Shakespearean verse to open each act), Mandy Patinkin, Christopher Walken and Meryl Streep, seen in tantalizing clips from her early Park appearances (including The Taming of the Shrew opposite Raul Julia). A must for theater lovers.

Season Premiere 9/8c

The pandemic doesnt quiet the drama at the Mississippi Deltas liveliest strip club, The Pynk, in Season 2 of Katori Halls acclaimed adaptation of her provocative theater piece. As Uncle Clifford (Nicco Annan) wrangles with new owner Autumn Night (Elarica Johnson) for authority, they take the acts to an unconventional place to stay afloat during the pandemic. And as always, theres new blood to keep things interesting in the locker room.

Series Premiere 9/8c

Guy Fieri packs up his family (wife Lori and sons Hunter and Ryder) for an RV road trip from Northern California to Oregon and Washington, with episodes airing through June 24. First stop: a cow and chicken farm, then a jet-boat excursion on the Rogue River. Yes, they will stop for hearty meals.

Inside Friday TV:

Judy Garland: Star of the Month (starts at 1 pm/12c, Turner Classic Movies): A child star turned movie-musical sensation and concert superstar, Judy Garlands tragically short and turbulent lifedying at 47 of an overdose in 1969is the stuff of show-business legend, and TCM will showcase her films on Fridays through June on the occasion of what would have been her 100th birthday on June 10. The festival starts with early appearances in 1936s Pigskin Parade (1 pm/12c) and Broadway Melody of 1938 (3 pm/2c), where her rendition of You Made Me Love You to Clark Gables photo put her on the path to stardom. Prime time is dominated by her youthful Lets put on a show musicals with Mickey Rooney, including 1939s Babes in Arms (8/7c) and Babes on Broodway (10/9c). Her greatest hits are yet to come.

(starts at 1 pm/12c, Turner Classic Movies): A child star turned movie-musical sensation and concert superstar, tragically short and turbulent lifedying at 47 of an overdose in 1969is the stuff of show-business legend, and TCM will showcase her films on Fridays through June on the occasion of what would have been her 100th birthday on June 10. The festival starts with early appearances in 1936s (1 pm/12c) and (3 pm/2c), where her rendition of You Made Me Love You to Clark Gables photo put her on the path to stardom. Prime time is dominated by her youthful Lets put on a show musicals with Mickey Rooney, including 1939s (8/7c) and (10/9c). Her greatest hits are yet to come. 20/20 (9/8c, ABC): John Quinones conducts a prison interview with Laura Day , convicted of first-degree capital murder in the 2012 Texas drowning death of her 6-year-old stepson.

, convicted of first-degree capital murder in the 2012 Texas drowning death of her 6-year-old stepson. Dateline NBC (10/9c, NBC): Andrea Canning reports on the 2015 disappearance and death in Virginia of 18-year-old Anjelica AJ Hadsell , and the investigation which led to the conviction in February of her stepfather.

reports on the 2015 disappearance and death in Virginia of 18-year-old , and the investigation which led to the conviction in February of her stepfather. CNN Special Report: Missing Madeleine McCann (10/9c, CNN): Randi Kaye updates the 15-year investigation into the disappearance of 3-year-old Madeleine McCann from a resort apartment in Portugal in 2007, described as the most heavily reported missing-person case in modern history. Kaye visits the familys hometown in the U.K. and interviews a German prosecutor who has named the first formal suspect, a convicted rapist and child abuser.

On the Stream:
Q: Once again this year, an aggressive vegetation is spreading over the Poindexter Wildlife and Nature Preserve wetlands on Reynolda Road. I am concerned about the eventual fate of the turtles and other aquatic life. Is this a danger to them and are they in peril?

W.G.

Answer: William Royston, the director of the Recreation and Parks Department for the City of Winston-Salem, which oversees the wetlands, said that the department is working on a plan for the wetlands.

We are aware of this and are working with a consultant to figure out best practices to remove many of the plants. There is a preferred method of removing the plants so they dont drop seeds when removed.

It is a priority for us as we want to remain good stewards of our park land and open space, Royston said.

Q: Are there any plans for the city to landscape the median on Reynolda Road in front of Maple Springs United Methodist Church?

F.T.

Answer: Keith Finch, the director of vegetation management for the City of Winston-Salem, took a look at the median.

This was not on our list for this year. However, after looking at it, it looks very bad. We will try to add some plantings this winter.

Upcoming shredding events

Girl Scout Troop 40047 will sponsor a community shredding event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of the G. Galloway Reynolds Community Center, 131 Lucy Lane, Lewisville, enter from Shallowford Road. Shamrock Shredding will provide secure onsite document destruction for a suggested donation of $5 per box or bag. Proceeds will be used by the Girl Scouts to fund service projects in their community. For more information, call the troop leader at 336-926-6911.

Hopewell Moravian Church will have a shredding event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 25 at the Griffith Volunteer Fire Department, 5190 Peters Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem. A $5 per bag or box donation is suggested.

Fries Memorial Moravian Church, 251 N. Hawthorne Road, Winston-Salem, will have a community shred day from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 17. Shamrock Shredding will be shredding documents onsite in the church parking lot. Donations of $5 per file box or bag are requested. Paper only; no plastic or non-paper trash will be accepted. Proceeds will benefit local youth and family ministries.

Mount Carmel United Methodist Church, 4265 Ebert Road, Winston-Salem, will have a paper shredding event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 8. A donation of $5 per box would be appreciated. Bags and file boxes only. All proceeds will go toward local mission opportunities.

Trinity Moravian Church, 220 E. Sprague St., Winston-Salem, will hold a shredding event from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 15th. A $5 per box or a donation is appreciated.

If your group is planning a shredding event and you want to be included on the list, you can email the information to asksam@wsjournal.com or mail it to Ask SAM, 418 N. Marshall St., #100, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.

Email: AskSAM@wsjournal.com Write: Ask SAM, 418 N. Marshall St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101

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A Salisbury man is facing charges after he was accused of shooting a juvenile Tuesday outside a Walmart Supercenter in Lexington, authorities said.

Marvin Daniels III, 26, of Lee Street in Salisbury is charged with one count of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury; two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill; and one count of discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, causing serious injury, Lexington police said in a statement.

Daniels was being held Friday in the Davidson County Jail with his bond set at $550,000, police said.

Lexington police were called to 160 Lowes Blvd. after witnesses reported a man firing a gun into an occupied vehicle, police said.

A male juvenile was struck by a bullet and was taken to Brenner Children's Hospital in Winston-Salem for treatment, police said. He is expected to recover. Two adults, who were also in the car, were uninjured.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Lexington police at 336-243-3302 or Lexington Area Crime Stoppers at 336-243-2400.

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N.C. Rep. Harry Warren doesnt drive an electric vehicle.

But the Rowan County Republican knows that as automakers add more zero-emission options and prices fall, EVs will become increasingly popular in North Carolina  if drivers are confident they wont be stranded with a drained battery and no place to plug in.

Thats why Warren sponsored legislation that would make it illegal for a gas-powered vehicle to block any EV charger in the state, on public or private property.

Preventing the use of an electric vehicle charging station could be considered the same as preventing the use of a gasoline pump station, the six-term representative explained. These stations each need to be accessible to consumers in order to facilitate their travel.

EVs would be required to be plugged in while parked. Scofflaws would face a $100 fine.

The legislation has been stalled in the Senate rules and operations committee since cruising through the House in a 115-4 vote in March 2021. The prospects for shifting the bill to the Senate floor during the General Assemblys current short session are uncertain, but given the lack of urgency around what has yet to become a high-profile problem, the measure could remain parked when legislators wrap up their work June 30.

Warren conceded there has been no uprising among electric vehicle owners who are charged up over gas-guzzlers preventing them from plugging in.

It is just a matter of common sense that there is a greater need than there is an availability, so this must be addressed now, while EV owners have less choices, he explained.

Long road

In a January executive order, Gov. Roy Cooper set a goal of at least 1.25 million registered emission-free vehicles in the state by 2030. The target is a centerpiece in North Carolinas target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by the end of the decade in an effort to control rising temperatures tied to climate change.

About 28,000 zero-emission vehicles were registered in the state as of March 31, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation. About 2,700 charging ports are available in the state to serve them, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy reported.

The vast majority of those chargers will deliver enough power in one hour for just 12 to 60 miles of driving, which makes the time EV owners have to plug in precious. A traditional vehicle blocking a port takes away from what may be a limited supply of charging options for electric vehicle drivers, especially in smaller towns and rural areas.

Businesses, parks and other destinations are employing charging stations as a strategy to attract customers and visitors who can plug in vehicles during their stay. The ports are typically installed near the entrances to the destinations, making those spots tempting for non-EV drivers who can end up in the way of electric vehicle owners who made charging part of their plans.

Warrens legislation aims to eliminate any misunderstanding of what is or isnt a charging station, or which vehicles are allowed to park near them.

To be covered by the proposed law, a space designated as an electric vehicle charging station must be indicated by vertical signage identifying the station as an electric vehicle charging station, the bill says.

In the Triad, Guilford County continues to lead the way in no-emission vehicle registrations, with 1,154 through the first quarter of 2022, followed by 656 in Forsyth, according to the transportation department.

However, Forsyths per-capita emission-free registration rate of 588 outpaces Guilfords 470.

John Deem covers climate change and the environment in the Triad and Northwest North Carolina. His work is funded by a grant from the 1Earth Fund and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. 336-727-7204

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GREENSBORO  A former state trooper from Guilford County was sentenced Thursday to 37 months in prison for unlawfully transporting and dealing in firearms.

Timothy Jay Norman, 47, pleaded guilty March 10 to dealing in firearms without a license. He was ordered to pay a $15,000 fine and will face three years of supervised release in addition to his prison sentence, according to a news release from Sandra J. Hairston, U.S. attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.

The Highway Patrol previously said that Norman, who had been with the department since 2012, resigned the day he was arrested in July 2021.

An affidavit attached to the U.S. Department of Justices criminal complaint shows the months-long investigation began with a tip from a confidential informant in January 2021 and later led to three controlled buys by the FBI.

According to the DOJ, 33-year-old felon Tommy Lee Hudson of Reidsville served as a middleman in the sale of weapons. He and Norman had known each other since they both graduated from basic law enforcement training in 2010, the DOJ said in court documents.

Hudson, who was convicted in Rockingham County in 2016 for felony assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, offered to introduce the informant to Norman, whom he described as his source for buying ammunition and firearms, according to the affidavit.

Hudson told the informant that hed bought many firearms from Norman, and hed done so while the trooper was on duty and in uniform, according to the affidavit. Hudson also said he didnt know of any other cop that would sell a felon a gun.
Regenerative design rather than retrofitting is the need of the hour to make buildings carbon efficient, said an industry expert yesterday (June 1) at the second Retrofit Tech Abu Dhabi Summit.

"What we need are designs that focus on reducing carbon emissions, rather than those which merely emphasise energy and cost savings alone," remarked Nadia Ibrahim, Associate Director- Consultancy & Sustainability at leading UAE-based facilities management (FM) company Farnek.

She was addressing delegates during a panel session, entitled Net-Zero Energy Projects  Challenges, Opportunities and the Realities, on the opening day of the event.

Ibrahim, offering her considered opinion on how best to achieve the UAE capitals Net Zero ambitions through retrofitting existing buildings, said: "Looking at the big picture, Net Zero is a tool to stabilise climate change, through the significant reduction of carbon emissions. I like to use the term Regenerative Design rather than retrofitting."

"What we need are designs that focus on reducing carbon emissions, rather than those which merely emphasise energy & cost savings alone," added Ibrahim.

She went on to describe a strategic approach including the overall assessment of buildings using advanced modelling tools, the differing levels of refurbishment, the renewable energy component and the increased awareness and use of digital tools, such as Farneks groundbreaking HITEK solution, which integrates with Building Management Systems (BMS), to identify, design and focus on reducing carbon emissions through energy reduction & materials management.

However, Ibrahim also acknowledged the challenges faced when trying to execute a retrofitting project.

"One barrier is commonly referred to as the "split incentive". This is where the landlord is responsible for the capital expenditure to make the efficiency improvements, but the tenant is the one who is likely to benefit from lower energy bills. Overcoming this barrier through both regulatory and voluntary measures will be key to making progress on this front," stated the senior official at Farnek.

"Inadequate financial support is also holding back energy efficiency and green government initiatives. Most buildings are privately-owned but local developers and investors are reluctant to commit to the initial capital expense because risk-averse banks are unlikely to offer financial backing for what is still a relatively new process," she added.

Ibrahim called upon UAE banks to develop risk analysis mechanisms to measure the potential for lending to this market and added that energy services companies (ESCOs) should raise awareness within the financial community and try to complete as many projects as possible to establish a track record.

"Banks could also create energy efficiency funds, while investors should be encouraged to take a longer-term view of the returns, which in some cases can continue for up to 30 years," she noted.

Ibrahim said in essence Farnek is fully equipped to identify, design, deliver and finance energy reduction for and on behalf of building owners, which creates not only more cost-effective buildings but a cleaner environment.

In terms of other solutions, she suggested that government incentives would be key to unlocking and accelerating retrofitting projects, such as rebates, subsidies and in the near future tax credits.

The event, which is taking place at the Conrad Hotel, in Abu Dhabis Etihad Towers, has attracted over 300 delegates, officially co-hosted by Abu Dhabi Energy Services (ADES), bringing together key stakeholders across the energy efficiency, sustainability and retrofitting sectors, to help achieve Abu Dhabis energy goals.

Moderated by Hassan Younes, Co-CEO and Founder, GRFN, other notable speakers on the panel included, Majid Ideisian, Project Manager Financial Sustainability and Investment Department, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Eng. Mohamed Al Hadhrami, Energy & Water Efficiency Accelerators Directorate, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy Amer Bin Ahmed, Managing Director, Knauf Middle East.-TradeArabia News Service
The state Senate cast a historic vote Thursday on a proposal to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Bipartisan Senate Bill 711 is the latest attempt at medical marijuana in North Carolina and the first to ever receive a vote on the Senate floor. It passed Thursdays reading 35-10, with eight Republicans and two Democrats voting against.

A third vote is set for Monday's floor session that is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., but is likely to be delayed until early evening.

If approved, SB711 would then move to the N.C. House, where experts say an uphill battle awaits.

This bill is designed to help people who often cant help themselves, Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, the primary sponsor of the legislation, said during Thursdays floor debate.

Although Rabon did not use medical marijuana as part of his treatment for cancer, he said his own experience, coupled with discussions with other cancer patients, convinced him of the need for making the option available.

It can help a number of people at the end of their life at a time that they need compassion  what time they have left should be as comfortable and as easy as they can be, Rabon said.

Theres not anyone in this room who has not had someone in their family, or a close friend, that could have benefited from this legislation.

Sens. Wiley Nickel, D-Wake, and Kirk deViere, D-Cumberland, said their support for the latest medical marijuana bill comes from the benefits it could provide to military veterans living in North Carolina, particularly those dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Nickel cited his father, who died from cancer and used marijuana illegally to ease his pain in his final months.

It will allow people to legally and safely enjoy the time they have left, Rabon said. I really believe this is going to do that.

Sen. Julie Mayfield, D-Buncombe, voted no after her amendment was tabled. It would have allowed more North Carolina hemp growers, manufacturers and retailers to participate in the medicinal marijuana pipeline.

House considerations

If approved on third reading, SB711 will be sent to the N.C. House for discussion.

Its unclear whether a House vote will occur given expectations that the short session will end by early July and because the House Republican leadership is focused on the 2022-23 state budget.

Legislative analysts caution that House Republicans tend to be more conservative on socioeconomic issues, such as medical marijuana.

If all 53 House Democrats voted for the medical marijuana proposal, it still would require eight GOP votes for SB711 to pass the chamber in its current form. It is likely House GOP leadership would tweak the bill.

Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford, said Thursday she defers to House GOP members on the likelihood of the House passing the Senates medical marijuana bill.

The Senate bill is a much narrower version of the bills we have been filing, Harrison said. I was hoping it is narrow enough that it could garner the necessary House support, but it does appear that the Republican caucus is very split on the issue.

That said, it is long past time to enact this important legislation that could provide needed relief for many North Carolinians.

Potential opposition from House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, and House majority leader John Bell IV, R-Johnston, could derail the vote during the current session, said John Dinan, a Wake Forest University political science professor and national expert on state legislatures.

At this point, we have to rely on the comments of (Moore and Bell), who have cast significant doubt on plans to consider medical marijuana legalization or Medicaid expansion this session, Dinan said.

That increases the likelihood that the bills would be considered again next year by newly elected House and Senate members.

12-year journey

SB711 is the latest in numerous attempts over the past 12 years to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes.

The bill has been on an arduous path since being introduced during the 2021 session.

It requires the medical marijuana system to pay for itself following initial money to set up the system.

The funding would come mostly from license fees and a monthly fee equal to 10% of the gross revenue derived from the products sold at medical cannabis centers.

The bill previously was amended to reduce the number of medical cannabis centers from eight to four, two of which would be located in the states 20 Tier 1 counties  likely Mecklenburg and in the Triangle.

Forsyth and Guilford counties are in Tier 2.

During Thursdays floor debate, bipartisan sponsors and supporters pointed to examples of how medical marijuana could benefit constituents.

Opponents expressed concern that the legislation would serve as a gateway to legalized marijuana in North Carolina by 2024; that the licensing fee for vendors is too low; that a license should not be be sold; and that the potential profit levels need to be lowered.

Sen. Joyce Krawiec, R-Forsyth, who has been among the bills skeptics, was not present for Thursdays vote.

Sen. Paul Lowe, R-Forsyth, who is a co-sponsor, voted yes.

Sen. Jim Burgin, R-Lee, said he voted against SB711 because of his concern that it would allow Big Marijuana to flourish in North Carolina following legislative efforts to limit the influence of Big Tobacco.

Marijuana does not treat the ill, but only masks the symptoms, he said.

Sen. Ralph Hise, R-McDowell, has questioned the safety and efficacy of medical marijuana. He also said he was concerned legislators would be removed from the regulatory process so that it would be left up to doctors to determine who qualifies for medical marijuana.

But Hise voted yes Thursday.

Rabon called SB711 the tightest, best-written bill, seeing what other states did wrong and trying to omit those pitfalls.

We had to jump through a lot of hoops to do this, and we jumped through them the right way. We have been calculating, methodical, written and rewritten, taken things out, taken advice to come up with a final product that every person in the legislature can be proud of.

That included his amendment Thursday that would bar physicians from advertising that they offer medical marijuana. It also addressed potential conflicts of interest between physicians, independent testing laboratories and suppliers.

It will be, from start to finish, traceable and trackable to every single supplier, grower, manufacturer  Rabon said.

Lowe said his support comes from his belief that the use of medical marijuana will help many North Carolinians with their chronic and debilitating health issues.

Our citizens should be able to take part in medicine that will help them, compared with using opioids as painkillers, he said.

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With tears still fresh from the horrors of mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas, North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is sticking to his guns.

In fact, hes bragging about them.

I am here today, much to the chagrin of many of the leftists back home in my state who thought I should cower and stay home, and not come here and continue to defend that right for those law-abiding citizens back home in North Carolina and for the law-abiding citizens of this nation, Robinson said last Friday at an NRA legislative forum in Houston.

Then, in characteristically twisted logic, Robinson scoffed at calls for tighter restrictions on the AR-15-style semi-automatic weapons used by 18-year-olds in both shootings.

You are bound and determined to leave our children defenseless, he said  as if not keeping such weapons, which make killing easy, out of the hands of dangerous individuals would prevent the type of carnage that claimed 10 lives in Buffalo and 21 in Uvalde, including 19 fourth graders at Robb Elementary School.

But those remarks werent even Robinsons worst (at least concerning gun violence).

In a tasteless and insensitive speech less than 24 hours after the Buffalo massacre  and in a Nash County church, no less  Robinson made an impassioned plea  for the survival of the AR-15.

Im not ashamed to say it. Im probably not supposed to say it. But Im gonna say it anyway, said Robinson, a Greensboro Republican whose rise to fame and power is rooted in his advocacy for guns. I got them AR-15s in case the government gets too big for its britches. Because Im going to fill the backside of those britches with some lead. Im going to say it to you plain: Your boy aint going down without swinging.

Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, condemned the church speech in a tweet on Tuesday. So did another Democrat, Attorney General Josh Stein.

This is dangerous and not who we are as patriotic North Carolinians, Cooper, a Democrat, tweeted.

Stein added: To say that you have an AR-15 to shoot government officials is simply unacceptable.

Frankly, you would expect those words from Democrats. But Robinsons fellow Republicans should be speaking out as well.

Both the gunmen in Buffalo and Uvalde not only used military-style rifles, each was able to buy them legally, which appears to be just fine with Robinson.

Robinson spoke at the NRAs annual meeting in Texas, even though a number of other previously scheduled speakers, including Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, had withdrawn from making in-person appearances.

Beyond the cold-heartedness of Robinsons remarks was his tacit endorsement of the armed overthrow of the government in the shadow of the Jan. 6, 2021, siege of the U.S. Capitol.

Robinsons path to political success began in comments he made at a 2018 Greensboro City Council meeting in defense of gun rights. The NRA Political Victory Fund helped, spending more than $82,000 on pro-Robinson mailers in 2020, WRAL reported, as well as a $5,400 donation directly to his campaign.

He has since made any number of offensive remarks about LGBTQ people, Muslims and Jews, among others, both orally and in online posts.

Every time you imagine he cant possibly go lower, he does.

And even as at least some Republicans appear finally open to doing something about easy access to military-style weapons, perhaps with red-flag laws and reasonable background checks, this loud and unreasonable man keeps being morally irresponsible for all to hear and see.

Yet he is expected to run for governor in 2024.

Which raises another troubling concern: How low will North Carolina voters go?
Political points

Politicians using the Uvalde tragedy to score political points  isnt this what state Sen. Joyce Krawiec did in her June 1 guest column (Working to keep our children safe)?

A brief reading of her column would make you think that N.C. GOP laws were the formula for a maximum security prison. Painfully absent are any references to gun safety laws, while our children are sacrificed on the altar of gun fetish.

Before Sen. Krawiec takes a victory lap, she should search her heart for the reasons why American children die from guns at a higher rate than auto accidents.

I pray that she and others in the General Assembly truly do something to save lives in the United States!

Arthur R. Kainz

Winston-Salem

Our free state

Time magazine published What Makes Teens Tick on May 10, 2004. The article summarized the results of MRIs being used to examine almost 2,000 children as they aged. The astounding conclusion was the teenage brain can take up to the age of 25 years to fully form the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex allows, among other characteristics, impulse suppression, evaluation of the consequences of actions and correctly reading facial emotion.

In the United States, 18-year-olds are allowed to legally purchase AR-15-type weapons. Science says they cannot properly suppress impulses, correctly determine others emotions or weigh the consequences of killing people. This is crazy!

But 18-year-olds serve in the military and shoot military-grade weapons. True, but one cannot imagine the military giving an unsupervised 18-year-old an AR-15-type weapon and all the ammo they need to commit mass murder. Military weapons are well regulated. So heres my suggestion:

No military-style guns sales to anyone under 25.

No other gun sales to anyone under 21.

The Second Amendment says, A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. How can an 18-year-old, without a fully formed prefrontal cortex, without the ability to weigh the consequences of his or her actions, without the ability to suppress impulses, provide any security to our free state? They provide the exact opposite! They terrorize our free state.

Ellen F. Reece

Boonville

No benefit?

I am disheartened to see another well-regarded writer has been dropped by the Journal (Looking back: Three decades of visual art around Winston-Salem, May 22).

For decades, Tom Pattersons art column has been invaluable to the arts community in our City of Arts and Innovation. Unfortunately, with Toms departure, readers such as me and many others have lost the benefit of his institutional knowledge of all things artistic in our city.

I have continued to subscribe to the Journal to support the few journalists who remain. But Im reminded every day that Lee Enterprises sees no benefit to investing in quality coverage of our community. How can we be an informed citizenry if we have no reporters to cover local institutions?

Jessica Tefft

Winston-Salem

Now is the time

I appreciated hearing what the legislature has done to keep our kids safe in state Sen. Joyce Krawiecs June 1 guest column, Working to keep our children safe. Thank you! What I didnt hear was anything about gun safety.

There was nothing about universal background checks, red flag laws, banning assault rifles, banning high-capacity magazines or limiting the amount of ammunition one can buy. Why is that? Instead, Krawiec says There will be plenty of time for that later.

If this isnt the time to talk about gun safety, then when is it? And when has Krawiec talked about it? Her column seems to be more of a distraction and dodge to say, Dont look at the gun safety issue.

Now is the time to talk about it. Legislators who dont want to deal with gun safety when the vast majority of the country wants commonsense solutions need to be voted out of office.

The Rev. Duke Ison

Winston-Salem
A Lincoln judge Thursday sentenced a 21-year-old man to jail for three years -- the most she could -- for an incident at a University of Nebraska-Lincoln fraternity house in 2019.

Landon Ludwig initially faced a first-degree sexual assault charge, but he ultimately pleaded no contest to two counts of child abuse and criminal trespassing, all misdemeanors, as part of a plea deal.

Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Christopher Reid said while a plea agreement was reached resulting in a significant reduction in charges, incarceration still was appropriate.

Reid said the victim was an articulate, young college student who "found herself someplace she did not want to be when these events took place." He said she was unable to stop it or successfully resist.

According to court records, she told University Police she had been raped by Ludwig late Oct. 12, 2019, at Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.

Ludwig wasn't a member of the fraternity or a student at UNL. But they both ended up at the chapter house at 601 N. 16th St., after police broke up an off-campus party in the North Bottoms.

Security cameras caught footage of the two walking through the house and into an upstairs room, with the woman stumbling and having trouble maintaining her balance.

She told police Ludwig turned off the lights, took off her clothes and his, and pushed her down when she tried to leave and sexually assaulted her. She went to Bryan West Campus the next night and reported it.

In court Thursday, Ludwig declined a chance to speak before sentencing. But his attorney, Seth Morris, argued for probation, pointing to his lack of criminal record before this.

Lancaster County District Judge Darla Ideus said the circumstances giving rise to the charges were very serious and disturbing.

"You stated that you thought the victim was the person to blame. You said truthfully, Mr. Ludwig, you think you are the victim in this case," she said.

She also pointed to comments he had made during a pre-sentence interview with a probation officer where he described laws as suggestions because some don't align with his personal views.

Ideus said the statements convinced her he was not a good candidate for probation.

"Sir, you have shown a complete lack of appreciation for the impact your actions had on this victim," the judge said.

Ideus said in a statement the woman said she wasn't the same person she was 2 years ago. She used to be able to trust people and think they would do the right thing. She never thought people would have the intention to hurt someone.

The woman said while Ludwig would get a finite amount of time to serve, she faces lifelong emotional damage.

Ideus sentenced Ludwig to a year at the Lancaster County Department of Corrections on each of the three charges. With credit for good-time, he will have to serve 190 days in jail on each.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSpilger

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A 27-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for acting as a go-between for the distribution of methamphetamine from inside a Nebraska prison.

In a news release, acting U.S. Attorney Steven Russell said U.S. Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Irving Cervantes Rodriguez for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced Wednesday in Omaha.

In July 2019, investigators with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension began investigating Cervantes Rodriguez, who was serving a five to 15-year sentence for a 2017 meth case out of Seward County.

Russell said investigators became aware that Cervantes Rodriguez was communicating via smuggled phones, and an undercover agent was introduced to Cervantes Rodriguez.

The agent spoke to Cervantes Rodriguez over the phone and as a result, two transactions were arranged. The first occurred July 18, 2019, and the second Aug. 7, 2019. In total, the undercover agent was able to purchase 1.73 kilograms of pure methamphetamine through deals arranged by Cervantes Rodriguez.

The case was investigated by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

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The 24-year-old man who police arrested Thursday after a three-hour standoff in central Lincoln was wanted for his alleged role in a Lancaster County shooting last week, the sheriff's office said.

Members of the Lancaster County Tactical Response Unit found Jesse Salamanca hiding in the basement of a residence near 13th and D streets at about 5:40 p.m. Thursday, more than three hours after he had barricaded himself in the home, Capt. John Vik said.

Deputies had been seeking Salamanca for five days after he allegedly fired rounds into a home near Northwest 27th Street and U.S. 34 on Saturday, Vik said.

Vik said the shooting, just north of Lincoln's city limit, stemmed from a nondescript dispute between two parties. No one was injured in the weekend shooting or Thursday's standoff.

Authorities located Salamanca near 13th and D streets and initially tried to contact him at about 2:15 p.m. Thursday, but those attempts were unsuccessful, prompting the deployment of the Tactical Response Unit, Vik said.

Sheriff's deputies  assisted by the Lincoln Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol and U.S. Marshals Service  entered the home at about 5:30 p.m. and took Salamanca into custody without incident.

Authorities found a handgun in the residence that matched the type used in Saturday's shooting, according to the sheriff's office. Salamanca was not armed when deputies contacted him, Vik said.

Salamanca was arrested on suspicion of unlawful discharge of a gun into an occupied dwelling, possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, terroristic threats and possession of a controlled substance.

He was taken to the Lancaster County Jail.

Vik said the sheriff's office is seeking one additional suspect involved in Saturday's shooting, but investigators believe Salamanca is the only one who fired shots.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com. On Twitter @andrewwegley

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A man was arrested Thursday afternoon after a standoff that lasted several hours at a house near 13th and D streets.

Law enforcement officers with the Lincoln Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Marshals Service gathered outside the Lincoln home Thursday afternoon in what the police department called a "tactical situation."

The significant police presence, which included an armored sheriff's office vehicle, continued for several hours. Authorities communicated with the man through a megaphone, urging him to come out of the home. A loud bang was heard by reporters in the area around 4:30 p.m.

SWAT and K-9 units entered the house around 5 p.m. and came out with a young man in handcuffs around 5:45 p.m.

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Evelyn Mejia News intern Evelyn Mejia is a news intern and current sophomore at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She covers breaking news and writes feature stories about her community. Follow Evelyn Mejia 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
Honeybees, windmills, cottonwood trees and Chimney Rock were among several design options submitted for Nebraska's next license plate.

After rejecting vibrant blue skies, classic sunsets and an all-black option, a design featuring a mosaic from the floor of the state Capitol was ultimately selected.

Known as the "Genius of Creative Energy," the mosaic features planets, suns, moons and stars. It will be displayed on an estimated 8 million license plates from 2023-2028, according to Rhonda Lahm, director of the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

The plate was chosen for its nod to Nebraska's rich history, which is told in various art forms throughout the Capitol.

Several other design options alluded to the relationship between the rural and urban aspects of Nebraska, with city sky lines, cornfields and farm houses  themes that have been used for the state license plate in the past.

"I think a lot of people around the country know that Nebraska is an agricultural state, and that has certainly been the theme of many of our license plates in the past," Gov. Pete Ricketts said Tuesday at a news conference.

Other options honed in on the celebration of Arbor Day, featuring blue skies, green grass and flourishing trees.

Another design focused on Nebraska's state insect: the honeybee. With a yellow border and honeycomb design, the plate also was emblazoned with the saying "the Western Honey Bee State."

A third design kept things simple with a black background and white lettering.

When searching for the next license plate, first lady Susanne Shore and others working on the project had to be wary of certain limitations set by the Legislature.

Shore had to make sure certain font, letter and number sizes, colors and visibility levels were up to code  which is not something she initially anticipated.

I originally thought when we started that you just find a nice attractive image and stylistically plop it on that plate and youre ready to go. I couldnt have been more wrong," Shore said during the news conference.

The chosen design was instantly under public scrutiny, with mixed opinions surfacing across social media platforms, but Shore is satisfied with the decision.

I think its incredibly unique and Im willing to stand behind it," she said. "Its inevitable that theres going to be criticism. Its sort of a state sport in every state to criticize the license plate. I think time will show that this will become a very beloved license plate.

Reach the writer at 402-473-2657 or jebbers@journalstar.com

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Dogs at the Capital Humane Society typically dont have dream catchers hanging in their rooms.

They dont have piles of presents from fans. Or special outings. Or frequent visitors.

Most dogs are adopted after just a week of being in the shelter.

But Baby Girl isnt like most dogs.

The special, 9-year-old canine finally found her forever home after a record-long stay at CHSs Pieloch Pet Adoption Center. Baby Girl started her stay in December 2017 and lived at the shelter until Kristy Raley brought her home March 15 of this year.

Today, shes Raleys whole world.

She wakes up a big energized ball, just greets you the second you walk in the door, Raley said. She's always ready to go, lovey dovey.

The 25-year-old waitress adopted Baby Girl following a rocky road for the pup. Baby Girls search for a loving owner took more than four years.

CHS executive director Matt Madcharo said the second-longest stay was a dog named Kayla, who lived with them for about a year.

The shelter is supposed to be a temporary stop, Madcharo said. I never want them to stay around that long.

During Baby Girls extended visit, the staff became attached to her. The shy American Staffordshire Terrier/Australian Shepherd mix would take park trips with staff and sometimes stay overnight at their homes.

She became fond of the CHS employees, and she began to show her gentler, cuddly nature.

She was so protective and close with us, director of service Amanda Carson said. We bond with the animals, but it was a different kind of bond we had with her, since she was there for so long.

Carson said she thinks it took Baby Girl a while to find a home because of her needs. In addition to having thyroid issues and arthritis, shes wary of new people. Baby Girl needed a home with no other dogs and someone who was willing to visit several times before adopting her. The repeat visits would allow Baby Girl to feel safe around her prospective family.

The humane society doesn't put pets down based on length of stay  only if there are severe health problems or behavior issues.

And while many appreciated seeing Baby Girls smile on social media, few were willing or able to work toward taking Baby Girl home with them. Madcharo said thousands of people view their pet adoption page, and some began to notice that Baby Girls toothy grin was a permanent staple.

She kind of built a cult following, Madcharo said.

Community members sent Baby Girl toys and Christmas gifts, and a handful even visited just to see her. Social media posts grew her fan base even more.

Despite the clout and casual visits, however, CHS staff began to get discouraged. They wondered if Baby Girl would ever get adopted. Some serious inquiries turned futile, and they knew Baby Girl wouldnt warm up to just anyone. And she didnt.

Until Raley.

Animal behaviorist Haley VanDewalle was there when Baby Girl and Raley met. VanDewalle said Baby Girl seemed to fall in love with her right away.

The feeling was mutual.

She was like, This is my dog, from the very beginning, VanDeWalle said. I know Baby Girl is my dog.

Raley said she knew Baby Girl was hers the moment the two locked eyes. She was willing to do whatever it took to have her best friend.

In order to get Baby Girl accustomed to Raley and to comfortably transition her out of shelter life, Raley visited twice a week for more than six months. The CHS staff became certain Raley was in it for the long haul and would be the perfect match for their four-legged friend.

Then, one sunny March day, Baby Girl was ready to finally come home.

I'm just so proud and so blessed that she's home. She's finally home, Raley said. It took me a long time to get ahold of her.

Carson called the adoption day, bittersweet. While they would miss Baby Girls snuggles, they were thrilled she had Raley.

The staff celebrated Baby Girls adoption by throwing her a party. The theme was baby shower  a play on her name, of course. Baby Girl enjoyed a dog-friendly cake while the employees shared slices of pizza.

Since her adoption, Baby Girl has visited VanDeWalle, Carson, Madcharo and her other CHS friends a few times, but they all said she seems much livelier with Raley.

Raley said Baby Girl is almost like a different dog now that shes in her home. Shes happier, healthier and she's even shed a little weight.

She's more than excited to be home and out of that one room, Raley said.

The pair visit CHS at least twice a month, and they make sure to send frequent text updates. Raley even said Baby Girls been recognized in public a few times.

Some have thanked her for taking care of Baby Girl. But for Raley, there was never any doubt that she would be the one to finally give the humane societys most famous dog a home.

I looked at her, she looked at me, and that was kind of it, Raley said.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7241 or jthompson@journalstar.com

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A district court judge denied a request for a lower bond amount from a Beatrice man accused of sexually assaulting a Beatrice State Developmental Center resident.

Allen Evans, 30, appeared in Gage County District Court Thursday. He has been jailed since his April arrest on a $500,000 bond with a $50,000 deposit required for his release.

This week his attorney, Kelly Breen, requested a lower bond of $75,000, saying his client has family in the area, no criminal history other than traffic offenses and employment opportunities that make him a low risk to abscond if hes able to post bond.

District Court Judge Rick Schreiner denied the request, saying the seriousness of the offense justified the bond amount.

Evans was an employee at BSDC at the time of the alleged sexual assault, and following the investigation was arrested for first-degree sexual assault, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a vulnerable adult.

In October 2021 investigators with the State Patrol were notified of allegations that Evans had sexually assaulted a 34-year-old resident.

The Department of Health and Human Services previously declined to say what Evans role was at BSDC, though the arrest warrant refers to him as a supervisor.

The victim told a worker at BSDC that Evans had raped her and did something to her in the bathroom. The worker took the victim to Beatrice Community Hospital, and eventually Bryan Health West in Lincoln.

The warrant states the State Patrol investigator was told by a sexual assault nurse examiner that the injuries were amongst the worst she had ever observed and included vaginal and anal trauma.

Evans was interviewed at BSDC and denied sexual contact between the two.

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Index 2022 (The International Interior Design, Furniture & Fit-Out Exhibition) ended on a successful note drawing 22,000 visitors across all of its co-located shows at the 2022 edition held in Dubai, UAE last month (May 24 to 26).

The show remains one of the largest and most significant interiors event in the Middle East, connecting the worlds leading furniture and homeware, kitchen and bathroom, lighting and decor brands with regional hospitality, residential, commercial and retail buyers, said the event organisers dmg events.

Going from strength to strength, the 2022 trade event included inspiring features, conferences and interactive fireside chats.

This years event features included extraordinary design installations from some of the best talent in the region, including "State of Mind" designed by ODG Design and built by depa and Stretch Ceilings, Serenity Pool designed by Kristina Zanic Consultants and built by Bond Interiors and Ray of Light by design and branding agency Brand Creative for Cosentino, built by Design Infinity.

With an exciting programme of conferences and fireside chats which addressed issues such as the future of design and the changing workplace, Elaine OConnell, Vice President of Design & Hospitality at dmg events said: "We are extremely pleased to have welcomed so many visitors from around the world, with 21% of visitors attending Index coming from overseas, while 79% came from the Middle East region, as we start to return to face-to-face events."

The three-day event, which has been staged in Dubai since 1991, offers the largest single trading and networking event in the entire Middle Eastern architecture and design industry calendar, in a uniquely dynamic region, she stated. Index is set to return to Dubai next year from May 23 to 25.

OConnell pointed out that no other event offers such direct and comprehensive access to serious buyers in this extraordinary market as Index does.

"Buyers rely on Index to procure everything from contract furniture through to accessories, decor and limited-edition pieces. Professionals from across the interior design industry get the unique opportunity to network with experts and colleagues," she added.

The Index Design Talks conference, The Work Design Summit and the new Retail Leadership Forum, brought together the leaders and thinkers of the industry for a series of live debates and discussions on important design-focused topics which saw a large turnout of attendees.

Some key takeaways from the talks included tips on how architects and designers can explore the Metaverse and conquering the new technology, as well as the shift to more sustainable projects.

New for 2022, the Retail Leadership Forum provided dedicated intelligence and critical discussion for retailers of interiors products in the Middle East. With an increasing volume of retail buyers attending the show, it offered a chance for retail leaders and buyers to discover the latest in consumer trends, logistics strategy and detailed procurement techniques.

"We have been overwhelmed with high level talent and industry experts attending the event this year, said OConnell. "Index remains a must-attend show allowing the design community to come together to discuss the newest topics and trends to impact the industry whilst giving serious buyers access to the latest product launches," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Airborne debris from Mondays massive chemical fire at Nox-Crete traveled at least 1.25 miles east-southeast of the plant, state environmental regulators reported Thursday.

The material, roofing insulation, has been found scattered in peoples yards and elsewhere.

Testing of that material, along with sampling of standing water, soil and ash, was underway this week, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The insulation has tested negative for asbestos, so homeowners can safely dispose of it with their trash, according to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy.

Still, the state is advising homeowners to use caution when handling it. The insulation should be double-bagged, and people are advised to lightly dampen it with water before handling so that it doesnt crumble. People shouldnt mow over any debris.

The EPA is testing the debris for the presence of other chemicals, said Ben Washburn, an agency spokesman.

Washburn said the EPA has completed most of its sampling and expects to finish Friday.

The agencys testing is being done at the plant and downwind of it based on the prevailing wind direction and speed during the fire, he said. Air-modeling experts have assisted in determining the sampling area, he said. EPA personnel also have spoken with nearby residents to identify areas that need sampling.

Because the fire has been extinguished, there is no need for field air monitoring, Washburn said. People who have concerns about what they inhaled during the fire are advised to check with the Douglas County Health Department or their doctor.

Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse said at a public meeting Wednesday that her department has compiled a fact sheet on the fire and distributed it to the local medical establishment.

Once the EPA gets the results of its tests, it will forward the information to Nebraska environmental regulators, Washburn said. The federal agency is acting in a support role, he said.

State personnel were at the site Tuesday and Wednesday conferring with Nox-Crete officials on cleanup and also taking samples, according to the state.

Air testing at the site on Tuesday detected very low levels, no higher than 1 part per million, of volatile organic compounds, according to the state. Volatile organic compounds by their nature vaporize easily and dissipate in the air.

Data taken from the states Air Quality Monitoring Network showed that none of the following pollutants exceeded federal standards: nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, particulate matter or sulfur dioxide.

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy will issue a report within a couple of weeks of the completion of the investigation, said Carla Felix, a department spokesperson. The report will be available to the public.

To read the companys environmental records, go to the home page of the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, deq.state.ne.us, and click on Public Records Search. Enter facility 10550.

Explosions and fire broke out Monday evening at the Nox-Crete Inc. warehouse at 1440 S. 20th St. The fire sent thick black smoke billowing over the neighborhood.

As many as 50 firefighters responded, and they worked into the night. Police also responded to the scene to assist with the emergency response and crowd control.

Lori Reid, president of Nox-Crete Inc., issued a statement Wednesday afternoon, thanking first responders for being able to control the situation in a way that has resulted in no injuries, for which we are grateful beyond description.

Reids statement did not provide information on what was inside the warehouse, but noted that various agencies are conducting a full investigation into the cause of the blaze. Nox-Crete continues to cooperate with local authorities and will defer to their expertise regarding questions about the fire.

Reid acknowledged that nearly 2,400 of the plants neighbors lost power during the fire, and she expressed appreciation for the efforts of utility workers to quickly restore power as well as the work of the city of Omaha.

Nox-Crete has been on the same site in Omaha since 1956, employing nearly 50 people.

The fire affected Nox-Cretes main warehouse but did not affect our nearby offices or production facilities, Reid said, and as such, our team is back at work.

World-Herald staff writer Christopher Burbach contributed to this report.

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Sen. Ben Sasse on Thursday called upon the Republican Party to embrace an optimistic future with "leaders who tell the American people that we can write our destiny."

In a widely watched address at the Ronald Reagan presidential library in California, Nebraska's two-term senator said the party "cannot be a cult of personality and grievance," but should provide "a big tent" for Americans who want to build "a big, optimistic, Reagan-like aspirational future."

"We've got to do better," Sasse said.

"We've got to be speaking to people who tuned both parties out long ago.

"We've got to be speaking to men and women who can't stand preach-to-the-choir-politics because in the real world they're the ones getting things done."

Sasse, whose name shows up on most lists of potential Republican presidential candidates in 2024, said "I'm a Republican because I'm a conservative.

"And I'm a conservative because I believe in gratitude. Everyone born here is blessed and the heart of keeping this Republic is starting with gratitude.

"American conservatives don't traffic in grievance. We don't believe in whining. Our party must reject politicians who tell the American people that we're victims."

Sasse said "the defining national security question of the next two decades" is going to be "whether there will be a second American century or whether it will be a CCP (Communist Chinese Party) order."

"We need a revival of American self-confidence," he said. "We need leaders who live and breathe that American self-confidence so we can inspire a generation of self-confident Americans.

"We can build a new American order that will see us through the coming conflict with the Beijing tyrant seeking to export surveillance-state autocracy."

The American people "don't like feckless leaders who humiliate the nation, as the last and current administrations did in bowing to the Taliban," Sasse said in a shot aimed at both former Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden.

"The catastrophe in Afghanistan is a stark example of how defeatism at home produces chaos abroad," he said.

"Think how long it's been since the American people have heard a big, optimistic, Reagan-like inspirational message," Sasse said.

The "Time for Choosing" series is designed to provide "a forum for leading voices in the conservative movement to address critical questions facing the future of the Republican Party."

Sasse was most recently preceded by Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland, a potential 2024 GOP presidential candidate who said during his address that Republicans are "desperately in need of a course correction" after the presidency of Donald Trump.

Next on the schedule following Sasse is Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who will speak later this month.

Cheney, vice chair of the House select committee that is investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol last year fueled by Trump, faces a tough Republican primary election challenge in August prompted largely by Trump who has campaigned against her.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon

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The Air Force used a makeshift process that did not fully follow its own best practices when it selected Huntsville, Alabama, for the new U.S. Space Command headquarters over Offutt Air Force Base and four other sites in January 2021, according to a new report released Thursday by the Government Accountability Office.

GAO auditors found that the Air Force had fully or substantially met only 7 of 21 of its best-practice standards for selecting the sites of strategic bases like the SpaceCom headquarters.

The Air Force only minimally met standards for making its selection credible, the report said, because no independent groups reviewed its process and because costs werent fully analyzed.

And it only partially met standards for appearing unbiased because it failed to document the reasons it weighted various selection factors for the bids it analyzed. Further, the cost analysts left out some key costs.

The GAO report did say that Huntsvilles Redstone Arsenal appeared to be the proper choice under the process used, even if that process was flawed. There had been a flurry of last-minute lobbying by top Air Force and SpaceCom leaders in support of Peterson Air Force Base (now Space Force Base) in Colorado Springs  the commands temporary home since it was re-established in 2019.

SpaceCom is in charge of all of the militarys space operations. It is separate from the Space Force, which was created by President Donald Trump as a sixth branch of the armed forces in 2019.

SpaceCom chief Gen. James Dickinson and then-Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Hyten (a former StratCom commander) argued in a series of emails and Zoom meetings just before the decision was announced that Colorado Springs bid could save the Pentagon money, because it would save relocation costs and could make use of renovated facilities instead of building new ones.

The GAO report did not address whether the Air Force should reopen the selection process in light of its findings, and those of a separate investigation by the Department of Defense Inspector General released last month.

It recommended, however, that the Air Force should develop and follow a basing process that is in line with its own best practices.

Such actions, the report said, would better position the Air Force to substantiate future basing decisions and help prevent bias, or the appearance of bias, from undermining their credibility.

Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Don Bacon, both Republicans serving on the congressional Armed Services committees, said the two reports do raise issues that merit further study.

The report raises some important questions that we will be following up on with the GAO and the Air Force, Fischer said in a statement.

We will be reviewing it in the coming days and will make the necessary inquiries, Bacon said in a separate release.

Then-Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett announced the selection of Redstone Jan. 13, 2021, over Offutt, Peterson and three others sites: Albuquerque, New Mexico; San Antonio, Texas, and Cape Canaveral, Florida. It came on her last day on the job, just a week before then-President Trump left office.

The timing led to accusations from political leaders in Colorado that Trump had influenced the selection as a political reward to Alabama, and to local politicians there who had supported him in his failed 2020 reelection bid.

The GAO said it could not determine who had made the final decision.

SpaceCom had been headquartered at Peterson from its creation in 1985 until its 2002 merger with the Offutt-based U.S. Strategic Command  though many of its operations remained in Colorado even after the merger.

The Pentagon announced plans to re-establish SpaceCom in 2019 as an independent command. It also began a search for a permanent headquarters.

The GAO said the Air Force largely followed its strategic basing process during its initial site selection, from December 2018 to March 2020. That process led to a list of six finalists, including Redstone, Vandenberg Air Force Base (now Space Force Base), Peterson and three other Space Force bases in Colorado.

But several members of Congress complained about a lack of transparency in the decision. So then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper restarted the site selection in March 2020 using a new three-phase process that incorporated some elements of customary Air Force basing processes but changed or left out others.

The GAO report noted that, instead of starting with a list of sites known to fit SpaceComs needs, the Air Force solicited applications from across the country. The headquarters was highly coveted, with the planned construction of a new building at a cost of $1 billion to $2 billion and the promise of an estimated 1,450 mostly high-paying jobs.

Nominations were received for 66 sites in 26 states. The list was trimmed to 50, then 15. The six finalists were announced in November 2020. Peterson and Redstone Arsenal were the only bases to appear on both lists. Offutt, which was not on the first list, qualified this time.

All six made video teleconference pitches and received site visits from the selection team in December 2020 and early January. The qualifiers were scored in 21 areas in the broad categories of mission compatibility, capacity, community support and cost to the Defense Department.

The team boosting Offutt  headed by Fischer and Gov. Pete Ricketts  thought it stood a solid chance of winning because of the areas low living costs, solid schools and strong support for the military. Nebraska sweetened its pitch with $107 million in financial incentives.

Neither the inspector general nor GAO reports revealed details of how the finalists scored, except to note that the Redstone bid scored highest at every step. Huntsville has few ties to the Air Force but touts itself as the Rocket City because it is the home of NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center and the headquarters of several Army missile commands.

But the digital magazine Breaking Defense, which obtained an unredacted version of the IG report, reported last month that the committee scored Offutts bid third behind Huntsville and Albuquerque, followed in order by San Antonio, Colorado Springs and Cape Canaveral.

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The shooting earlier this week that ended with five people dead at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has brought into sharp focus the threat of violence that health care workers face.

On Wednesday, a man who was unhappy with the results of his back surgery shot and killed his surgeon, another doctor, a patient and a receptionist at Tulsa's St. Francis Hospital before turning the gun on himself.

While nothing that extreme has happened at a Nebraska medical facility, officials say staff face abuse and violence daily from patients and their families, something that has gotten worse since the coronavirus pandemic started.

Lisa Vail, vice president of patient care services and system chief nursing officer at Bryan Health, said violence and abuse used to be confined to patients frustrated over their care and recovery.

"Now the people walk through the front door and they're angry," Vail said.

That anger usually is caused by hospital rules that require people to wear masks and at times have limited visitors, she said.

And the verbal and physical abuse has not been limited to medical staff, with Vail saying there have been instances of volunteers being assaulted after asking visitors to put on masks.

She said nearly 60% of incidents at Bryan in 2021 that resulted in staff injuries bad enough to require reporting to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were caused by patients or visitors.

Jeff Farmer, system director for public safety at Methodist Health System in Omaha, said assaults come in many forms  both verbal and physical  but they are almost always perpetrated by patients.

"I will tell you that 95% of the assaults that occur in our health system are patient on staff member," he said.

The problem is not just at large hospitals in Lincoln and Omaha, however.

Alex Wilkerson, emergency room clinical director at Great Plains Health in North Platte, said her hospital has 24/7 security, bulletproof front doors and windows, and security cameras throughout the facility.

She said the cameras can be very vital when it comes to assaults on staff, such as a recent incident where a jail inmate being treated in the hospital assaulted a nurse and had to be tased twice by police officers.

Nicole Thorell, chief nursing officer of Lexington Regional Health Center, said her hospital recently decided to hire professional security to deal with an increase in aggression and violence.

"Violence against health care workers isn't an urban versus a rural problem," she said. "It's in every health care facility across the nation."

The four hospital officials spoke Friday during a news conference via Zoom organized by the Nebraska Hospital Association in connection with the annual Hospitals Against Violence Day.

NHA President Jeremy Nordquist said that as health care organizations prepared to recognize the day, "we had no idea we would face the tragedy of two hospital shootings just this week."

The other shooting Nordquist referenced also occurred Wednesday, when a county jail inmate receiving treatment at a hospital in Dayton, Ohio, fatally shot a security guard before killing himself.

The NHA on Friday, along with the Nebraska Medical Association, released a joint letter calling for "commonsense, responsible gun violence prevention."

"Gun violence in our country is a true public health emergency that requires all of us to come together to put an end to the recent tragedies weve seen play out," the letter said. "Bottom line, we have seen enough carnage at our hospitals and clinics, whether from treating countless shooting victims or from caring for co-workers victimized by workplace violence. Enough is enough. The time is now for meaningful change."

Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz.

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CROWN POINT  A Texas woman was placed on probation for two years after admitting last week she pushed a pregnant woman to the ground in 2019 in Hammond so her co-defendant could steal the woman's pit bull puppy.

Chelsea A. Flowers, 24, who was living in Hobart in 2019, pleaded guilty to battery resulting in bodily injury to a pregnant woman, a level 5 felony.

Flowers admitted in her plea agreement she pushed a woman who was 17 weeks pregnant to the ground and pinned her down while co-defendant Devontai M. Mitchell, 23, kicked the woman's stomach during an attack Sept. 24, 2019, near a gas station in the 6300 block of Calumet Avenue.

The woman suffered injuries to her knee, toe, finger, wrist, foot and back and sharp pains to her lower stomach, Lake Criminal Court records state.

Mitchell, of Hammond, pleaded not guilty to six felony counts, including armed robbery, criminal confinement and battery. His next court date is set for July 21.

Prosecutors also charged Davion N. McCloud, 21, of Hammond, in the attack. He pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to face a jury in August.

According to charging documents, McCloud pulled up alongside the pregnant woman and her boyfriend and pointed a gun at them and Mitchell said he wanted their dog.

Flowers pinned the woman down as Mitchell kicked her, and McCloud punched the man in the face and hit him in the jaw with the gun, records state.

The couple told police Mitchell picked up the dog by its legs and threw it into a Chevrolet before all three co-defendants fled.

Police arrested Flowers, Mitchell and McCloud after stopping a car that matched the description of a vehicle involved in the attack, records state. Officers recovered the couple's pit bull puppy and a semi-automatic handgun from their vehicle.

Judge Gina Jones accepted Flowers' plea agreement Thursday and sentenced her to an agreed term of two years in jail, suspended in favor of probation.

Jones also granted Flowers' request to transfer her probation to Texas.

Flowers was represented by attorney Adam Tavitas.

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The mask mandates were lifted months ago, and most of Nebraska has moved forward, realizing that COVID-19 might always be with us, but we've learned how to manage a virus that caused so much harm for two years.

Unfortunately, there are still many feeling the post-COVID financial strain, an affliction that is causing too many industries continued struggles.

Among them is the child care industry.

COVID, though it lingers with a new strain of the virus that has caused case numbers to soar in recent weeks, was a 24-month ordeal. But its impact will be felt for many years to come.

Many child care centers in Nebraska have reported difficulties hiring and retaining staff, paying sufficient wages and preventing the spread of COVID-19, according to a survey released late last month by the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska.

Journal Star education reporter Zach Hammack wrote that the survey, conducted in February, paints a sobering picture of a field still feeling the aftershocks of a worldwide public health crisis. The survey is the institute's third report on the state of early child care and education during the pandemic.

Of providers who employ staff, nine in 10 said they had difficulty filling open positions because of a lack of applicants or inability to offer sufficient pay or benefits, the 35-page report said.

Most of the surveyed providers reported "experiencing symptoms of stress, including changes in sleep and eating," while many said they've felt anxiety, depression, sadness and had difficulty concentrating. That's troubling, said Alexandra Daro, report co-author, because it has a direct effect on children.

"In order for children to be well and thriving, we need a workforce that is well and thriving," she said.

Make no mistake, this all comes down to the wellbeing of our younger generation, which will be feeling the effects of COVID for many years to come.

Finding a way to give them the care they need that keeps them safe and is affordable to their families is a topic that that has never been more pressing.

Child care is an industry that is essential because it has a trickle-down effect to filling jobs in other industries as well. Without affordable and reliable child care, a number of parents -- mostly mothers -- are being forced to stay out of the workforce to tend to their children.

Keeping our child care facilities afloat during this challenging time should be near the top of the list of priorities for state lawmakers to address in the next session.

It's a problem in need of an immediate and lasting fix.

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RACINE  Donuts or doughnuts, however way you spell them, America cannot get enough of them.

More than 10 billion of them, or 31 doughnuts per citizen, are consumed in the U.S. per year, according to a 2018 Dawn Foods survey.

National Doughnut Day, which started in Chicago in 1938 to honor Salvation Army members who served the raised doughy treats to soldiers during World War I, takes place every first Friday in June. But how does the office breakroom staple rise to the occasion every morning? The Journal Times enlisted the help of one local baker to get the hole story.

Maria Farnsworth, owner and head baker at Main Street Bakery, 328 Main St., shows up to the bakery early every morning (or late every night, as Farnsworth considers it) to get the doughnuts and all the other baked goods Main Street serves ready.

She gets up at 10 p.m., downs a whole pot of coffee, and is usually in the bakery sometime between midnight and 2 a.m.

The dough for a doughnut is a simple combination that includes yeast, sugar, flour and other ingredients.

The dough we use is also used to make our bismark doughnuts, which are the cream and jelly-filled kind, as well as our long johns, Farnsworth said.

The dough is kept overnight to allow the yeast to rise. In the morning, Farnsworth places trays of doughnuts in the proofing machine  a steam bath that encourages the fermented dough to rise more efficiently  for about 15 minutes.

After proofing, the doughnuts are dunked into a hot oil bath for 45 seconds on each side until golden brown. The doughnuts also begin to expand further in the process, so Farnsworth pushes them down using a wire screen.

After being given a chance to slightly cool and be drained from any excess oil, its time to decorate.

Farnsworth split the tray of doughnuts in half, one half of the batch will be glazed and the other frosted.

For the glazed variety, the doughnuts are placed on a glazing table as Farnsworth cascades them with a glaze waterfall on both sides.

Quote In a National Doughnut Day survey conducted in 2021 by Ipsos, cream-filled donuts were ranked the most popular donut among Americans, gaining 22% of votes. Plain-glazed doughnuts placed second with 18% of votes.

For the frosted doughnuts, Farnsworth sets them on a separate table and gently dips each individual doughnut into chocolate or vanilla frosting on one side, and then applies either sprinkles or peanuts to the frosted side.

After decorating, the doughnuts are placed on the bakery counter and ready to be purchased.

Farnsworth has co-owned and baked for Main Street Bakery since 2018, working at several bakeries in the area beforehand such as O&H and Larsens.

While other bakeries treat doughnuts as if they have a shelf life of a handful of days, Farnswoth believes the best kind are the ones that are made fresh everyday, so she does exactly that and makes her doughnuts and baked goods fresh everyday.

Prior to the pandemic, Main Street would donate all of its leftover baked goods to the HALO (Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization) homeless shelter.

Farnsworth and her daughter, Lauren Woodward, expect to see a surge in doughnut sales Friday for National Doughnut day, having missed out on the event for the last two years due to COVID-19 restrictions and being closed on the day in 2021.

Tell everyone you know, I dont want to have to throw out a couple extra trays of doughnuts, Farnsworth joked. We already have the fattest squirrels and birds on the block.

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DOVER  U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil is seeking federal action on reports of mistreatment of veterans at a state-run facility, following several efforts by constituents to call attention to the issue going back at least several months.

Steil, a Republican from Janesville, announced Wednesday he is asking federal authorities to review allegations of abuse and neglect of veterans living at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove.

The congressman, whose district includes the Town of Dover facility, released a letter he wrote to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Urging all appropriate action from the federal authorities, Steil wrote: This kind of treatment of our veterans is unacceptable. Our veterans deserve the highest quality of care, and this level of mistreatment cannot be tolerated.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported last week that staff at the Racine County veterans home has been accused of physical abuse, medication errors, unsanitary conditions, poor quality food and other forms of maltreatment toward veterans.

The newspaper cited 62 operating violations found in the Union Grove home in the past five years, and said that ranks among the five worst offenders out of 117 federally certified veteran facilities in the nation.

The violations inside the state-run home date back to the administration of Republican Gov. Scott Walker and have continued since Democratic Gov. Tony Evers took office in 2019.

The veterans home named for Union Grove is located at 21425 Spring Street in the Town of Dover, just west of the Village of Union Grove.

It was not immediately clear what role the federal government could play in responding to conditions inside the facility.

Colleen Flaherty, a spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, said officials at the state agency had no immediate comment on Steils request for a federal review.

We would like some clarity, she said.

The Milwaukee newspapers investigation was based largely on reports from residents inside the veterans home, as well as past residents and family members of veterans.

Steil, who was elected in 2018 in Wisconsins 1st Congressional District, told the newspaper he, too, had been receiving reports of problems at the home for years. The 1st Congressional District includes all of Racine and Kenosha counties, and stretches west to Steils home in Janesville.

Asked by The Journal Times to elaborate, Steil said in an email last week that many relatives and friends of veterans living in the facility had approached the congressman with concerns about staffing levels and quality of care at the facility.

He said he alerted the state veterans affairs office in instances when he had consent from the person making the complaint.

The congressman has separately expressed concerns about how the Wisconsin Veterans Home was handling COVID-19 pandemic safety protocols; at least 10 residents died after contracting COVID in the home. But he said he also had taken action to alert the state to complaints about the sort of issues raised later in the Milwaukee newspaper.

In the last several years, numerous relatives and friends who have loved ones at the state-run Union Grove Veterans Home have reached out to me with concerns about staffing levels and quality of care at the facility, he wrote. In the cases that my office received consent from the veterans family, my office reached out to the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.

Steil spokeswoman Grace White said the congressman would not provide copies of any such correspondence, citing privacy rights for those making complaints.

State veterans affairs officials, however, released copies of five letters received from Steil or his staff dating back to November 2020. The names of those registering complaints with the congressman were redacted.

In the first letter, Steil relayed concerns about staffing to manage COVID-19 risks. Along with other Republicans, Steil has made an issue of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers response to COVID safety inside the veterans home, alleging that Evers did not accept federal assistance fast enough or keep National Guard troops on site long enough.

In subsequent letters to the state, Steil or his staff forwarded constituent complaints  some about COVID-19, and others about more general issues of care for veterans.

In January 2021, the congressman received a complaint from a woman who wrote that COVID was aggravating a staffing shortage, and that her father was getting cold food, was left in bed for extended periods, was left sitting in a wheelchair with no pants on. She also noted that visitation was being restricted because of COVID-19.

I dont want my Dad to die alone, she wrote. I want my Dad to survive this pandemic, and that means assuring that there is consistent professional staffing and level of care. Neither is a reality today.

In December 2021, Steil staff member Ryan Vishaway wrote the state about about a woman whose husband had died while living in the Dover veterans home.

She would like to advocate for better staffing and investigation into medical care, and living conditions for residents, Vishaway wrote.

Records show that the state in each instance responded to the congressman  or directly to the person making the complaint  and offered assurances that efforts were underway to improve conditions at the veterans home.

Steil wrote to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in September 2020 to express concerns about staffing levels inside the veterans home to combat COVID-19.

Asked why the congressman did not seek federal action on other quality-of-care issues until after the Milwaukee newspaper investigation, White noted that Steil reached out to state officials several times. She added: I will also note  while the facility receives federal funding  it is state-run.

In his letter Wednesday to federal authorities, Steil again mentioned his past inquiries regarding COVID-19 protocols.

The quality of care at this facility has long been a concern of mine and of the people of Wisconsins First Congressional District, he wrote. For additional background, back in 2020, I made multiple inquiries highlighting issues the Union Grove home was facing regarding cases and deaths of veterans infected with COVID-19.

He concluded: It is now abundantly clear that the veterans home in Union Grove has much larger issues than even I and the people who reached out to me were reporting in 2020.

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RACINE  A Racine County Juvenile Detention Center inmate allegedly fought a staff member due to being denied gym access.

Micah T. Lminggio, 15, of the 3300 block of Victory Avenue, was charged with a felony count of battery by prisoners.

According to a criminal complaint:

At 7:38 p.m. on April 27, a deputy with the Racine County Sheriffs Office was sent to the Racine County Juvenile Detention Center at 1717 Taylor Ave. for an assault of a staff member.

The deputy met with an employee who said Lminggio requested to use the gym at the facility and was denied. In response, the teen broke a spray bottle.

Staff tried to place him in his cell, but he resisted. During a struggle, the employee bent over to pick up his body cam when Lminggio attacked him.

He was punched in the face, and Lminggio was equipped with a metal spring. The deputy noticed the employee had a swollen lower lip with a laceration on it.

Lminggio was given a $3,500 cash bond in Racine County Circuit Court on Thursday. A preliminary hearing is on June 8 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave., online court records show.

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President Joe Bidens May visit to Asia has been timely especially in the wider context of international developments, in Europe, the Americas and elsewhere. Chinas sustained military buildup requires a diplomatic and strategic response, and clearly, this is a principal  though not the only  incentive for the trip.

The journey included Japan and South Korea, the two largest Asia economies outside of China. Both are close United States allies.

The Korean War of 1950-53 forged a powerful tie. South Koreas evolution afterwards to political democracy and economic powerhouse is extraordinary.

Biden spent three of the five days of the trip in Korea, including a wreath laying May 21 at Seoul National Cemetery to honor Korean War dead. Talks with new President Yoon Suk-yeol followed.

On May 24, high-level talks took place in Tokyo among leaders of The Quad, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, reestablished in 2017 following unsuccessful earlier efforts. The Quad leaders who met in Japan: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and Biden.

China accuses Quad nations of trying to replicate NATO. That analogy neglects the great distances and associated challenges of the Asia theatre. NATO ties together largely contiguous nations of Europe, along with North America.

Along with geographic realities, important differences in histories characterize the Quad. Nonetheless, the enormous growth of Chinas military, in particular the maritime dimension, provides powerful incentive for this allied cooperation.

The Obama administration declared Asia a priority concern for defense policy. This reflects the threat from China, and more generally the expanding strategic importance of Asia.

Since the mid-1980s, the total volume of U.S. trade with Asia has been larger than with Europe. In the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union, and end of the Cold War, international relations have become more flexible  and unpredictable.

The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organization is an ambitious initiative to provide policy coordination among the Pacific nations. APEC was conceived by Australias Prime Minister Bob Hawke and embraced enthusiastically by President George H.W. Bush and Secretary of State James Baker.

Australia over the past several decades has moved in the direction of free markets, and a much more explicit national commitment to tolerance, directly reflected in official policy toward indigenous populations. The Obama administration decision to station a U.S. Marine contingent in Australia underscores the strong bilateral ties between the two nations, dating back to World War II.

The 2006 APEC summit was held in Vietnam. The gathering highlighted that nations economic growth, and commitment to multilateralism. As with China, economic realities forced ideological change.

Hanoi honored U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and our government with a parade, complete with American flags  an ironic as well as poignant gesture.

There are military security aspects to APEC summits, just as with the Quad. In the 2008 summit held in Peru, Americans and Russians discussed differences over Moscows invasion of Georgia, important background given Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The Pacific region generally lacks the complex established network of economic and military organizations defining Atlantic area relationships. For this reason especially, APEC and the Quad are significant.

For decades, Cold War division defined relationships among nations. Today, economic incentives and related self-interest undermine ideological hostilities.

This unfolding reality may or may not change Chinas strategy. Therefore, Bidens blunt declaration of commitment to Taiwan is justified.

Beijing is on notice. Asia-Pacific democracies are strong, and united.

Arthur I. Cyr is the author of After the Cold War (Macmillan/Palgrave and NYU Press), and other books. Contact acyr@carthage.edu

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dnata, a leading global air and travel services provider, has announced that it would invest $100 million in green operations in the next two years to further enhance environmental efficiency across its global network.

The companys ongoing investment in infrastructure, equipment and process improvement will support it to achieve its strategic objectives and reduce its carbon footprint by 20 percent by 2024, and by 50 percent by 2030.

Group CEO Steve Allen said: "dnata has been making great progress on reducing carbon footprint, minimising waste and reducing energy and water consumption across its operations. We will further increase our investments and efforts in strong cooperation with our partners to achieve our targets and preserve the environment for current and future generations."

He pointed out that in recent years dnata has significantly invested in advanced technologies to optimise resources and improve operational efficiency across its facilities.

It installed renewable energy features, such as solar panels, heat recovery units and electric vehicle charging, at its existing facilities in the UK, Singapore and Ireland. The company will also incorporate carbon reduction initiatives in the construction and operation of its recently announced new cargo centres in The Netherlands and Iraq, he stated.

Choosing green options is a prime consideration in dnatas fleet planning, too. It has increased investments in electric and hybrid ramp, ground support (GSE) and forklift equipment, and refurbished existing GSE with new technologies to further decrease emissions and update them to the latest safety and quality standards.

As a result, dnata became the first ground handler to successfully complete green aircraft turnarounds using only zero-emission GSE in the USA and UAE, he noted.

dnatas catering team has invested in process improvement to minimise its environmental footprint. It has been working closely with many of its airline customers to analyse consumption trends and use predictive data to optimise the loading of F&B for in-flight catering.

Analysis of on-board data not only reduces food waste but also fuel burn associated with carrying excess weight.

According to him, dnata has also taken initiatives across its business units to conserve water consumption and recycle materials, such as paper, plastic, cardboard, wood, glass, metal, used cooking and mineral oils. Earlier this year, the company said it was committed to reducing its waste to landfill by 20% by 2024.

dnata has embedded its environmental framework across its broad-spanning Travel businesses, aiming to empower customers to make better travel choices.

In the financial year 2021-22, dnatas customer-oriented teams handled over 527,000 aircraft turns, moved 3 million tonnes of cargo, uplifted 39.9 million meals, and recorded a total transaction value (TTV) of travel services of $632 million.
The roof had all but succumbed to water damage. Animals had burrowed indoors, interior fixtures were missing or crumbling away and the heating and plumbing systems were shot. The Seth Peterson Cottage was unlivable.

In 1989, volunteers set about restoring the last building commissioned in Wisconsin from the world-famous, Wisconsin-born architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The renovation lasted until 1992, when the Seth Peterson Cottage became an overnight destination for countless travelers who would stay there and experience, firsthand, the magic of living in a Wright-designed building.

The Seth Peterson Cottage Conservancy group will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the cottages restoration  and its success as a self-sustaining nonprofit  with a special open house June 12. The public can drop by for tours and to take in the history, architecture and towering woods that envelop the home.

Perched atop a steep wooded hill on Mirror Lake, only about a 2-hour drive northwest from Burlington and less than 2 hours from Racine, the cottage is built of Wisconsin sandstone and other local materials. Though just 880 square feet, the interior has a breathtaking spaciousness. William Wesley Peters, Wrights chief assistant, described the intimate home as having more architecture per square foot than anything else Wright designed.

It was commissioned in 1958 by Seth Peterson, a young fan of Wrights work who after high school unsuccessfully applied for admission to Wrights Taliesin Fellowship as an apprentice. Peterson, a native of Black Earth, later took a job as a computer operator for the state and bought a cottage property on Mirror Lake. In time he persuaded Wright, then nearly 90, to design a home for him and his fiancee.

Neither man saw the cottage completed. Wright died in April 1959. A year later, Peterson took his own life, just two months shy of his 24th birthday.

The cottage was sold to the Pritchard family of Milwaukee, who owned it for six years before it was purchased by the state Department of Natural Resources. While the DNR bought many cottages around the lake for demolition in order to create Mirror Lake State Park, it recognized the significance of a Wright-designed building and left it intact.

They essentially boarded the place up where it sat for 23 years, said Bill Martinelli, a Conservancy member who helped with the cottages restoration. For all that time, it was a piece of art sitting out in the woods.

A group of volunteers rallied by the late Audrey Laatsch, who owned a cottage on another side of Mirror Lake, formed the nonprofit Seth Peterson Cottage Conservancy, raised $350,000 and hired architect John Eifler to direct the restoration. Three years later, the cottage became the first Frank Lloyd Wright-designed structure that members of the public could rent for a weekend getaway.

Today, the cottage is booked two years out. Stays cost $325 a night with a two-night minimum. June and October, the most popular months for rentals, are already full for 2024.

The Conservancy operates the cottage under a renewable lease with the DNR. Staying there is the ultimate in relaxation, said Tim McNeely of Georgetown, Kentucky, who has visited the cottage every year since 2001.

A self-described Frank Lloyd Wright aficionado, McNeely and his wife spend their time there reading, listening to music and marveling at the surrounding landscape.

Theres no TV. For years my cell phone wouldnt work there, McNeely said. You get away from all those things that you do every day and go into total relaxation mode.

Centered around a massive stone fireplace, the Seth Peterson Cottage incorporates many of the features that Wright is known for, said Martinelli: an openness to nature, the use of natural materials such as stone, glass and wood, and the way it is sited on the property to take advantage of natural light.

The inside borrows space from the outside, he said. Renting out the cottage has been a very successful project for us financially  and helped people get a better idea of the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright.

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On May 16, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention marked a grim milestone for the pandemic, as more than one million Americans were reported to have lost their lives due to COVID-19.

In Kenosha County, over 600 have died from COVID. In Racine County, as of Wednesday, there were 691 cumulative COVID-19 deaths.

Local health officials and workers reflected on the past two years of the pandemic, and many struggled to find the proper way to describe what would have been unimaginable a few years ago.

Overwhelming and exhausting

Kenosha Countys Director of Health Jen Freiheit, the head of the countys COVID response for the last two years, said her first takeaway from the pandemic was the strength and resilience of the public health department and its staff.

We have the most amazing persistent team that works tirelessly to help the community, Freiheit said.

But Freiheit admitted it had also been extraordinarily difficult as staff struggled with growing stress, workloads and severe burnout.

Its just been overwhelming and exhausting and trauma filled, Freiheit said.

A nationwide anti-vaccination movement found footing in Kenosha, with one protest against vaccine mandates for local hospital employees drawing in over 100 people, some of them Kenosha health care professionals themselves.

Across Wisconsin, nursing homes and hospitals warned of staffing shortages, and stories of freezer trucks full of bodies circulated in the news.

The past two years have been exhausting and I feel as if its taken 10 years off my life, Freiheit said.

Dr. Renee Kirby, student health director at UW-Parkside, worked with Freiheit and the County Health Department throughout the pandemic. She said the lack of trust the public had in health officials was unprecedented in her experience.

Ive never seen that before in my life, Kirby said.

Beth Garoutte, Chief Operating Officer at Cancer Treatment Centers of America Zion, spoke about the strength she saw as health workers and ordinary people took care of each other, during the pandemic. But while the CTCA was somewhat isolated from the negative backlash, Garoutte said she was aware of the issues.

COVID has brought out the best and worst of health workers and humanity in general, Garoutte said. Its been very polarizing.

Perspective

Part of the issue with so many deaths, Kirby said, was getting any meaningful perspective.

With one million, I dont think we can wrap our minds around what that means, Kirby said. All adults know someone who has died or been very ill.

But in Kenosha, Freiheit said health workers had a very real understanding of what each local COVID death meant.

Its devastating, Freiheit said. Its been very difficult because as we have to investigate. When youre delving in that data, its hard. Kenosha is such a tight community, we often know some of those who have passed.

Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing Julie Maher, who also works as practicing nurse in Racine, said the pandemic has been a painful learning experience for everyone, even Washington D.C.

Its shocking and devastating, Maher said. I remember when this first started. Its mind boggling.

Looking Ahead

Today, Kenoshas community COVID-19 levels are once again listed as high by the CDC. Infection rates are climbing nationwide and in Kenosha, and with a stark drop in testing as well as the use of at-home tests, Freiheit said CDC projections were likely far below the reality.

However, so far symptoms have been far milder, and deaths nationwide havent climbed at the same rate as before.

The good part about this wave is that the severity of hospitalizations doesnt seem to be as bad, Freiheit. So thats a good sign.

This can be explained by several factors according to Freiheit. Warmer weather means more people outdoors, where transmission is less likely. And with so many people already vaccinated or having been infected previously, many people have some degree of immunity. The new variants are also reportedly less deadly than early ones.

However, Freiheit said things can always change, and advised residents to keep safety in mind.

Its a milestone I hope people look at and reflect on their own personal risk level and safety, Freiheit said.

While COVID is hopefully on the way down, Freiheit said the departments work was far from done. For just one example, opioid deaths spiked during the pandemic, and efforts to curb overdoses and drug abuse within Kenosha have continued despite pandemic difficulties.

Theres all the other issues we neglected for two years, Freiheit said. So now theres fires everywhere. So its not over for us.

Kirby stressed the importance of keeping health departments strong to better combat future health crises.

I dont think we could envision that the toll would be so high and it is also believed that the numbers could be higher, Kirby said. Investing in public health needs to be a priority so we can remain vigilant in our efforts to keep citizens safe.

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Other past abusers identified

Researchers have repeatedly identified patterns of sexual abuse in religious groups committed by leaders in places of worship, regardless of the faith or denomination.

Below, find excerpts from a 2013 Journal Times report by Alison Bauter:

Thousands of documents released Monday (July 1, 2013) detail allegations against 42 Milwaukee Archdiocese priests accused of sexually assaulting minors, including at least five who allegedly molested children in Racine County parishes.

In many instances, the priests have admitted to all or some of the charges, and several cases resulted in settlements with the church and received no media coverage at the time.

A series of letters from then-Archbishop Dolan detail his efforts to de-frock Michael Benham, formerly an associate pastor at St. John Nepomuk Parish in Racine, who admittedly repeatedly sexually abused an 11-year-old there in the mid-1970s. The church stripped Benham of his title in 2009.

As was the case with many of the 42 priests, the documents detail Benhams struggle with alcoholism. In several of those cases the alcohol abuse reportedly intersects with instances of same-sex child abuse, as with Jerome Lanser, formerly of Racines Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where a police report states he sexually abused an eight- or nine-year-old boy from 1975 to 1976.

Children at the Town of Paris' St. John the Baptist Parish, near the county line, reportedly feared former Pastor Eugene Kreuzer during his two-decade career there, which included multiple alleged abuses of teenage boys.

Daniel Budzynski, formerly of Caledonias St. Louis Catholic Church, references an unfortunate incident with a young boy during a church retreat, which Budzynski in a 2001 letter identified as horsing around. He transferred parishes shortly thereafter, and over the years allegedly abused multiple boys between age 7 and 16.

Budzynskis multiple transitions from parish to parish correspond with charges against him, similar to many of the cases.

Dolan himself noted that pattern in a 2004 letter regarding former St. Josephs Parish associate pastor Raymond Adamsky, who is accused of inappropriately touching at least six underage girls between 1961 and 1983.

Oswald Krusing, who served from 1958-63 at (the now-defunct) Holy Name Parish, allegedly repeatedly molested young girls. His subsequent transfer away from Holy Name was one of 15 over the course of his career.
1. Yes. Expect rolling blackouts if hot temperatures persist. The grid cant handle the strain.

2. Yes. No significant steps were taken after the grid failed during last years winter storm.

3. No. Texas power officials have been preparing for the hot weather. The grid will be OK.

4. No. If some brown-outs are needed, fine. Thats just part of protecting the system.

5. Unsure. Its hard to know how much stress the energy grid is designed to handle.

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Bloomberg Media Studios has named former CNN International Director and Expo 2020 Dubai Broadcast Production Manager Nicola Porter as the Executive Editor of its Middle East & Africa Studio.

In this role, Porter will lead the UAE-based creative team building thought leadership platforms through unique brand stories that leverage Bloombergs mission, influence, and intelligence for clients in the region.

Based in Bloombergs regional headquarters in Dubai, Nicola will be responsible for developing relationships with existing and prospective Bloomberg clients in the Middle East & Africa Studio and building an on-the-ground talent network in the region.

She will report to the Global Head of Bloomberg Media Studios, Ashish Verma, and Bloomberg Medias Managing Director of the Middle East & Africa, Amit Nayak.

Amit Nayak, Managing Director, Middle East & Africa at Bloomberg Media, said: "We are delighted to welcome Porter to our team. Her extensive background in media, including her regional and international experience, will support our continued growth in the Middle East and Africa."

An Emmy Award-winning journalist with more than two decades of experience in international broadcasting and production, Porter most recently spent a year managing the broadcast production for Expo 2020 Dubai, where she oversaw the creation of news and feature segments.

Prior to Expo 2020 Dubai, Porter was a Director of Coverage at CNN International. During her 15 years there, she travelled the world covering major news events and developing multi-platform feature programming, and played a pivotal role in overseeing and gathering diverse and critical global news content in politics, culture and finance.

On her new role, Porter said: "I am excited to join Bloomberg Media Studios and contribute to the studios continued growth in the region. I look forward to building creative content story platforms for our clients that deliver meaningful results."

Bloomberg Media Studios launched its regional on-ground presence in March following 50% year-over-year growth from 2020 to 2021 in the Middle East and Africa, where the studio doubled its client roster during the same period.-TradeArabia News Service
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The La Crosse and Holmen Area Fire Departments will continue to fight fires together at least through the end of the year, and a referendum on increased public safety funding for some of the communities involved is likely coming this fall.

The communities entered into a shared service agreement last summer, which is set to expire at the end of the month. An amendment, which was approved Thursday by the Finance & Personnel Committee, extends that contract until Dec. 31.

This is currently only a temporary agreement between the La Crosse Fire Department and the Holmen Area Fire Department  which provides service to the village of Holmen and the towns of Onalaska and Holland  while a possible long-term contract can be drafted.

Interim Fire Chief Jeff Murphy told the committee that negotiations have been going well so far, and that there will likely be a referendum this fall.

So anything we agree upon will likely be subject to that referendum, beginning Jan. 1, Murphy said.

That referendum is likely to be a binding referendum that asks voters whether public safety funding should be increased, including both fire and police, according to Holmen village president Patrick Barlow, though the exact language is still being ironed out.

Only voters in the village of Holmen and the town of Holland would see the referendum, as the town of Onalaska already charges a separate service to residents that can be adjusted.

Barlow said there is a connection between the referendum and the joint fire agreement between the LFD and HAFD, but one doesnt necessarily depend on the other, and the referendum would ask about increasing funding for fire service in general  joint or independent.

Specifically that means if voters in Holmen and Holland agreed to increase funding, it could help pay for a long-term joint fire agreement, but it could also help pay for independent service instead. And the future of a long-term, regional merger of fire services wont depend on the outcome of the referendum.

Were still just negotiating, Barlow told the Tribune. Its hard to say what the full scope of all these things might be.

Under the temporary agreement, response operations to fires and other crises hasnt changed, only administration and leadership. Its unclear how these things would change with a long-term service agreement.

The joint agreement came after a Wisconsin Policy Forum study concluded that a regional, consolidated emergency response unity for the La Crosse area would be cheaper and run more smoothly, and its likely more mergers are to come.

The extension of the current contract will need final adoption from the La Crosse Common Council next Thursday, June 9.

This story was updated at 9:15 a.m. Friday, June 3, to clarify the details of the referendum.

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For the second year in a row, voco Riyadh, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts, has won the "Best Business Hotel in Riyadh" award at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2022.

The awards were presented in a grand ceremony recently in Dubai, UAE.

The award is a testament to voco Riyadhs dedication to providing outstanding services that meet the needs of global business travellers. The hotels exceptional design ensures the comfort and well-being of guests, said the hotel.

Mark Allaf, Regional General Manager of IHG Hotels & Resorts and voco Riyadh, said: I am delighted voco Riyadh won the Best Business Hotel in Riyadh award for the second year in a row, acknowledging the hotel's excellence and reputation as a favorite among business travellers and corporate guests."

Allaf expressed his gratitude to the "voco Riyadh family", highlighting their professionalism, dedication and commitment that resulted in exceptional outcomes.

Allaf continued: The award would serve as a strong and important motivation for the hotel to progress and contribute to the advancement of the hospitality and tourism sector in Saudi Arabia, to achieve the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.

voco Riyadh boasts 23 meeting rooms, ranging in size from 57 to 1,200 sq m, suitable for all kinds of meetings, events, parties, conferences, and exhibitions. The hotel is home to four restaurants serving cuisines from all over the world.
PLEASANT VALLEY, Wis.  It might sound lonely to walk around the world. But for Dutch man Tom Boerman, its anything but.

The Holland native said its been a challenge for him to walk his usual 25 miles a day through the Driftless Region because so many people stop and talk to him, dubbing it the friendliest area hes walked through so far.

Boerman, 35, has set out on a journey to be the first human to walk across all seven continents. Hes already completed Europe and part of Asia, and started his trek across North America in April, beginning in Delaware.

His journey brought him through the Driftless Region this past week, making stops in Viola, Viroqua, Soldiers Grove and Onalaska.

In part, hes walking to raise money to rebuild schools in Nepal that were destroyed in the 2015 earthquake. Boerman was in Nepal when the earthquake happened and stayed for six months to help communities rebuild.

But walking around the world, he said, is also about humanity  which he said still exists.

The idea to walk across all seven continents was born out of a dark moment as Boerman battled addiction and depression. But he went through recovery and created a bucket list, set on finding a life he loved.

He was then inspired by a documentary of a man who was living in the wild of New Zealand. Boerman followed suit and traveled to New Zealand, where he spent long periods of time alone in the wilderness. Then he decided he wanted to do something that had never been done before, and the idea to walk around the world was born.

Through his journey of healing and traveling, Boerman has overcome isolation, something a lot of people faced during the pandemic. And in those moments, Boerman instead found love for himself.

That self-love is embedded in his walk around the world, which he said isnt necessarily an extension of his healing, but a sequel to it, and its meant to give hope to others facing addiction and mental health issues like he was.

My walk, its all about self-love and self-acceptance. People think its a physical challenge. It is, but its a mental challenge, Boerman said.

He has specifically found humanity while walking across Wisconsin, which originally wasnt in his route. But when he compared the hills of the Driftless to flat Iowa, he changed course.

Boerman prefers to travel through rural communities and along country roads where he says people arent in a hurry and have time for you. He doesnt travel through national parks or touristy areas because he doesnt consider it authentic America. Plus, country roads are easier to walk along.

He particularly likes passing through small communities that most people havent heard of or dont think of as hot spots for travel. When he was told he shouldnt walk through North Dakota on his way across the continent, it made him want to go even more.

I always do the opposite, he said.

On Thursday, Boerman met a Tribune reporter just on the outskirts of Pleasant Valley, an unincorporated community between La Crosse and Stoddard. He had to bump the interview back half an hour.

Too many people are pulling over for a talk in Wisconsin, he said in a message.

He had walked that day from Esofea, another unincorporated town near Westby and Viroqua, where he had ended his previous days walk.

The easiest way to see where Boerman is, is by using a tracking map on his website. But hes also easy to spot when you cross paths with him  a tall man with a walking stick pulling a bike caddy, with the flags of America and the Netherlands bopping behind them.

Boerman prefers to walk because its easiest to talk to people that way, and youre forced to slow down enough to experience more of a communitys scenery and culture.

As he sits on a guardrail of a bridge in Pleasant Valley, Boerman unwraps a GoMacro energy bar.

He received a box of them from a community member in Viola  where the bars are made  while camping near the Kickapoo River on Wednesday night.

When he enters a new town, Boerman said he typically heads to a gas station first, because people have time to talk there and he can start inquiring about a place to stay for the night.

I didnt even have to ask. Someone showed up and said, Man, I just saw you walking, passing by, and I was like, you need a place to stay for the night, Boerman said. The man offered to pay for his campsite.

Word spread quickly, and soon community members were bringing him food, homemade banana bread, and eventually a ride to his next sleeping arrangement.

The next day, Boerman arrived in Viroqua, a community which he found surprising.

That was such a cool town, he said, describing it as a hippie town that appeared out of nowhere in rural America.

On Wednesday and Thursday nights, Boerman stayed with a fellow Netherlands native, Wilja Happe, who moved to America 35 years ago, and to Soldiers Grove nine months ago. She said the move has reminded her of home compared to California, where she now has four seasons and 500 shades of green in the summer.

Boerman also said the area reminded him of the Netherlands, partly because there are so many fellow Dutches in the area, but also because of the agriculture.

This is cheese county  well, I am from cheese country, Boerman said, adding that he grew up on a dairy farm.

Happe arrived at Pleasant Valley on Thursday to pick Boerman up at the end of his days walk. She brought him an orange juice and a bag of cookies, and the previous night had made him and some of her friends a Dutch-Indonesian meal with hot peanut sauce. The two were set to attend a charity event in Soldiers Grove later that night, and then she would drop him off in Onalaska on Friday so he could continue on his walk from there.

Boerman said that Wisconsin is different from his experience of walking through Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana or Illinois.

This is by far, by a length, the friendliest state I have walked through, Boerman said.

When asked what hes learned about America during his journey, which has brought him across seven states so far, Boerman said it was difficult to give a non-political answer.

He talked about gun control, and about how mass shootings are a uniquely American issue  he was speechless when he heard there was another mass shooting in Tulsa on Wednesday  and how divided the country was. He said hes learned not to talk about politics or religion while traveling across the country.

But he still said that America has been the most supportive and generous country hes traveled through so far. While walking across Europe, he said he didnt receive any donations from people he met while walking. On his first day in America, he received almost $200.

The world traveler has climbed mountains and spent months alone in the deep wilderness before. And he thinks of this latest journey as an example for fellow travelers: Go alone, and go without a plan.

Although he has a general direction mapped out, the routes Boerman walks each day are largely determined by talking with locals.

If people ask me what time you go to bed or what time you wake up, just write down, Hes living with the birds. And I can tell you they start to sing at 4:30 at the moment, Boerman said.

Hes encountered noisy turkeys and coyotes that keep him up at night along his walk, and horses pulling Amish buggies that are startled by him.

Boerman kept on walking on Friday. As of about 2 p.m. on Friday afternoon, his map showed him just north of Perrot State Park near Trempealeau.

Those who are interested in following along Boermans journey can visit his website at iwalkaroundtheworld.com or on his social media. There, you can also make a donation to his cause in Nepal or for supplies for his walk such as peanut butter, new socks or lodging.

He anticipates finishing his walk across North America sometime at the end of August  but if he finds another friendliness heaven like he described the Driftless, it might take longer.

And thats alright with him.

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A gunman who killed his surgeon and three other people at a Tulsa medical office blamed the doctor for his continuing pain after a recent back operation and bought an AR-style rifle just hours before the rampage, police said Thursday.

The patient called the clinic repeatedly complaining of pain and specifically targeted the doctor who performed the surgery, then killed himself as police arrived, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said.

That physician, Dr. Preston Phillips, was killed Wednesday, along with Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn and visitor William Love, police said. The attack occurred on the campus of Saint Francis Health System in Tulsa. The chief identified the shooter as Michael Louis, 45, of Muskogee, Oklahoma.

It was the latest in a series of mass shootings in the United States including the deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and an attack on a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. The recent Memorial Day weekend saw multiple mass shootings nationwide, including at an outdoor festival in Taft, Oklahoma, 45 miles from Tulsa, even as single-death incidents accounted for most gun fatalities.

President Joe Biden addressed the carnage in recent years from mass shootings with AR-style rifles in an address Thursday night.

Since the mass shooting at a Uvalde elementary school killed 21 people, including 19 children, just over a week ago, there have been 20 mass shootings in America, each with four or more people killed or injured," he said. After describing the Tulsa shooting as one of those 20 mass shootings, the president said, "That doesnt count the carnage we see every single day that doesnt make the headlines.

Louis carried a letter that said he was targeting Phillips, Franklin said. The letter made it clear that he came in with the intent to kill Dr. Phillips and anyone who got in his way, Franklin said. "He blamed Dr. Phillips for the ongoing pain following the surgery.

Franklin said Phillips performed the surgery on May 19 and Louis was released from the hospital on May 24.

He said Louis called the doctor's office several times over several days reporting he was still in pain and saw Phillips on Tuesday for additional treatment. Louis called the office again Wednesday complaining of back pain and wanting additional assistance, he said.

A phone number listed for an address for a Michael Louis in Muskogee was not working Thursday.

Phillips, 59, was an orthopedic surgeon with an interest in spinal surgery and joint reconstruction, according to a profile on the clinics website. He once served as lead physician for Tulsas WNBA team before the franchise moved out of state, according to the Tulsa World.

Dr. Cliff Robertson, president and CEO of Saint Francis Health System, called Phillips a "consummate gentleman" and a man that we should all strive to emulate. He said the three employees who were killed were the three best people in the entire world and that they didnt deserve to die this way.

Husen was 48 and Glenn was 40, officials said.

Love, a 73-year-old retired Army sergeant, was a patient at the clinic but that day he was accompanying his wife, Deborah, for her six-month checkup, said their daughter, Karen Denise Love.

Police have received reports that Love held a door shut in hopes of allowing others to flee from the gunman through another door, Franklin said in response to reporters questions.

Karen Love said her parents were in an examination room with one of Phillips assistants when the couple heard the commotion outside. When they realized it was gunshots, Karen Love said her father grabbed the door handle from inside the room.

As they heard this guy going up and down the hall, they knew it was gunfire, Karen Love said. They thought it was someone just shooting people. My dad was trying to hold the door the best he could.

Police believe Louis bought his weapons legally, Franklin said. Louis bought an AR-style semi-automatic rifle on the afternoon of the shooting and a handgun on Sunday, the police chief said.

Franklin praised the law enforcement officers, 911 operators and emergency for their immediate response to the attack Wednesday. Police responded to the call about three minutes after dispatchers received the report at 4:52 p.m. and made contact with the gunman at 5:01 p.m., authorities said Wednesday.

Franklin said police believe Louis shot himself about 39 seconds after the first officers entered the building.

Our training led us to take immediate action without hesitation, he said. Thats exactly what officers do and thats what they did in this instance."

The length of time it took police officers in Uvalde, Texas, to engage the gunman during last weeks deadly school shooting at Robb Elementary School has become a key focus of that investigation. Officers waited over an hour to breach the classroom where the 18-year-old gunman attacked with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle, killing 19 children and two teachers.

Democratic leaders have amplified their calls for greater restrictions on guns since the Uvalde shooting, while Republicans are emphasizing more security at schools. The divide mirrors a partisan split that has stymied action in Congress and many state capitols over how best to respond to a record-high number of gun-related deaths in the U.S.

Oklahoma House Democrats on Thursday called for a special session to consider gun safety legislation, but thats unlikely to happen in a GOP-controlled Legislature that has been pushing for years to loosen firearms restrictions.

Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who is running for reelection, said last week after the Texas shooting that it was too soon to talk about firearms policy. A pro-firearms group, the Oklahoma 2nd Amendment Association, is an influential force at the state Capitol, and the first bill Stitt signed into law after taking office in 2019 was a measure that allows most adults to openly carry firearms without the previously required background check or training.

Since January, there have been 12 shootings where four or more people have been killed, according to The Associated Press/USA TODAY/Northeastern University mass killing database. Those shootings have left 76 dead, including 35 adults and children in Buffalo, Uvalde and Tulsa, the database says. The death toll does not include the suspects in the shootings.

Murphy reported from Oklahoma City; Bleed from Little Rock, Arkansas; and Foody from Chicago. AP researchers Jennifer Farrar and Randy Herschaft contributed from New York.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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When Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in late February, the Russian president vowed his forces would not occupy the country. But as the invasion reached its 100th day Friday, Moscow seemed increasingly unwilling to relinquish the territory it has taken in the war.

The ruble is now an official currency in the southern Kherson region, alongside the Ukrainian hryvnia. Residents there and in Russia-controlled parts of the Zaporizhzhia region are being offered expedited Russian passports. The Kremlin-installed administrations in both regions have talked about plans to become part of Russia.

The Moscow-backed leaders of separatist areas in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region, which is mostly Russian-speaking, have expressed similar intentions. Putin recognized the separatists' self-proclaimed republics as independent two days before launching the invasion, and fierce fighting has been underway in the east for weeks as Russia seeks to liberate all of the Donbas.

The Kremlin has largely kept mum about its plans for the cities, towns and villages it has bombarded, encircled and finally captured. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said it will be up to the people living in seized areas to decide their status.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week that enemy forces now control almost 20% of the country's territory. Before the war, Russia controlled 7%, including the Crimea Peninsula and parts of the Donbas.

But in a video message marking the war's first 100 days, Zelenskyy made it clear Ukraine will not submit easily.

We have defended Ukraine for 100 days already. Victory will be ours, he said.

U.S. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, said he believes theres going to have to be a negotiated settlement to end the war. Asked if Ukraine should give up territory in exchange for peace, the president said, It's their territory and "Im not going to tell them what they should and shouldnt do.

Initially, at least, annexing more land from Ukraine was not believed to be the main goal of the invasion. It was widely thought that the Kremlin intended to install a pro-Moscow government in Kyiv that would prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and pulling further away from Russias influence.

But now, Moscow is unlikely to let go of its military gains, according to political analysts.

Of course (Russia) intends to stay, said Andrei Kolesnikov, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. To Russia, its a pity to give away what has been occupied, even if it was not part of the original plan.

Russian forces captured much of Kherson and neighboring Zaporizhzhia early in the war, gaining control over most of Ukraines Sea of Azov coast and securing a partial land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. They completed the takeover last month with the capture of the port city of Mariupol following a three-month siege.

Residents of the cities of Kherson and Melitopol took to the streets to protest the occupation, facing off with Russian soldiers in plazas. Ukrainian officials warned that Russia might stage a referendum in Kherson to declare the region an independent state.

Petro Kobernyk, 31, an activist with a nongovernmental organization who fled Kherson with his wife, said Russian security forces are cracking down on pro-Ukrainian activists.

Hundreds of pro-Ukrainian activists, including my friends, are being held in the basements of security services, Kobernyk said by phone. Those who actively express their position are kidnapped and tortured, threatened and forced out of the region.

Russian forces keep people in an information vacuum, with Ukrainian websites no longer available, Kobernyk said.

His claims could not be independently verified.

But some in captured areas of Ukraine have welcomed a Russian takeover.

Ive wanted to live in Russia since I was little, and now I realize I dont even have to move anywhere, said Vadim Romanova, a 17-year-old from Mariupol.

In Russian-occupied cities in southern Ukraine, people with pro-Kremlin views replaced mayors and other local leaders who disappeared in what Ukrainian officials and media said were kidnappings. Russian flags were raised, and Russian state broadcasts that promoted the Kremlins version of the invasion supplanted Ukrainian TV channels.

The Russian ruble was introduced as the second official currency in both the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions  at least in the parts under Russian control  and pro-Russian administrations started offering a one-time social payment of 10,000 rubles (roughly $163) to local residents.

An office of Russias migration services opened in Melitopol, taking applications for Russian citizenship from residents of the captured southern regions through a fast-track procedure. The procedure was first implemented in 2019 in the rebel-controlled areas of the Donbas, where more than 700,000 people have received Russian passports.

Top Russian officials started touring the regions, touting the territories' prospects for being integrated into Russia. Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin visited Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in mid-May and indicated they could become part of our Russian family.

A senior official in the Kremlins ruling United Russia party, Andrei Turchak, put it even more bluntly in a meeting with residents of Kherson: Russia is here forever.

Members of the pro-Kremlin administrations in both regions soon announced that the areas would seek to be incorporated into Russia. While it remains unclear when or if it will happen, Russia is appears to be digging in.

Oleg Kryuchkov, an official in Russia-annexed Crimea, said this week that the two southern regions have switched to Russian internet providers. State media ran footage of people lining up to get Russian SIM cards for their cellphones. Kryuchkov also said that both regions are switching to the Russian country code, +7, from the Ukrainian +380.

Senior Russian lawmaker Leonid Slutsky, a member of the Russian delegation in stalled peace talks with Ukraine, said that referendums on joining Russia could take place in the Donbas, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions as early as July.

Kremlin spokesman Peskov was evasive when asked Friday whether Russian authorities planned to hold votes in those areas, saying that it would depend on the course of Russias offensive.

Tatyana Stanovaya, founder and CEO of R.Politik, an independent think tank on Russian politics, said she believes Putin doesnt want to rush the referendums and run the risk of them being denounced as shams.

He wants the referendum to be real, so that the West can see that, indeed, Russia was right, the people want to live with Russia, Stanovaya said.

Ukrainian experts say it will not be easy for the Kremlin to rally genuine support in Ukraines south.

Volodymyr Fesenko, of the Kyiv-based Penta Center think tank, said most residents of the southern regions identify as Ukrainians much more strongly than the people in areas that are closer to Russia or have been led by the Moscow-backed separatists for the past eight years.

Follow all AP stories on the war in Ukraine at https://apnews/hub/russia-ukraine.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Former President Donald Trump on Thursday endorsed millionaire businessman Tim Michels in Wisconsins packed GOP gubernatorial primary  backing that political insiders believe could provide a significant boost as the August primary rapidly approaches.

Trumps endorsement had remained a lingering question in the Republican primary for governor and has been described by some as the most important endorsement in the race due to the considerable sway the former president still holds over Republican voters. Several of the top GOP candidates in the race have been actively seeking Trumps backing and made trips to Mar-a-Lago to meet with the former president.

In a statement issued Thursday, Trump described Michels as a very successful businessman, touting the millionaire co-owner of Brownsville-based Michels Corp. over Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who Trump said has been an abject failure for the people of Wisconsin.

Tim Michels has my Complete and Total Endorsement, Trump said. If Wisconsin has the wisdom to make Tim their next governor, it will have unprecedented success!

Tim is an America First Conservative who Supports our Second Amendment, Honors our Brave Law Enforcement and First Responders, and Stands Strongly against the Woke Mob trying to destroy our Country, the former president continued.

Michels, who has pledged to largely self-fund his campaign efforts, announced his candidacy in April and is the most recent entry into the crowded field of GOP candidates vying to unseat Evers this November. The U.S. Army veteran last ran for office in 2004, when he lost to Russ Feingold in the U.S. Senate race.

This is a tremendous boost to our efforts and a continuation of our astounding surge since I entered the race, Michels said in a statement. I am working every day to defeat Tony Evers and get Wisconsin back on the right track.

Other Republicans in the race include former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, former Marine Kevin Nicholson and state Rep. Timothy Ramthun, of Campbellsport. Kleefisch, who served eight years under former Gov. Scott Walker, joined the race back in September, while Nicholson and Ramthun announced campaigns earlier this year.

While Kleefisch led the most recent Marquette Law School Poll in April with support from 32% of respondents, UW-La Crosse political science assistant professor Anthony Chergosky said Trumps endorsement of Michels completely shifts the race.

Lets not sugar coat this, the Trump endorsement is a devastating blow for Rebecca Kleefisch, Chergosky said. Its just another sign, though the biggest sign to date, of the weakness in her candidacy. Theres nothing good in this news for Rebecca Kleefisch  theres only downside here for her.

The winner of the gubernatorial primary will go on to face Evers on Nov. 8 in a high-stakes election for both parties.

If I know one thing about President Trump, its that he likes winners, and Im the only person in this race who has won statewide  not once, but four times, Kleefisch said in a statement, referencing her wins in the 2010 GOP primary, 2010 general election, a 2012 recall vote and the 2014 general election. Kleefisch, along with Walker, lost to Evers in 2018.

Our campaign will win this primary with our hardworking team of activists, volunteers and grassroots efforts, Kleefisch added. Then we will beat Tony Evers. And we will help Wisconsin families and workers win by securing our elections, making gas and groceries affordable again, restoring law and order, and putting parents back in charge of our schools.

The Ramthun campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

President Trump has been effective at identifying many of our nations problems  but the race to replace Tony Evers as governor isnt going to be won by endorsements; it will be decided by thousands of hard-working Wisconsinites on election day, Nicholson said in a statement.

False claims

On Thursday, Trump said Michels would end the well-documented Fraud in our Elections. Trump has continued to falsely claim he won the 2020 election, despite recounts, audits and court decisions affirming that President Joe Biden defeated Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes.

Trumps endorsement comes just a week after Michels reversed his stance on the Wisconsin Elections Commission, an agency that has come under fire from Republicans for how the 2020 election was administered. After previously saying he would replace the six members of the bipartisan commission, Michels last week joined his fellow GOP gubernatorial challengers in calling for a complete dismantling of the agency.

Trumps endorsement also comes after delegates attending the Republican Party of Wisconsins annual convention last month chose not to endorse a candidate in several statewide races, including for governor. The decision means the state party will not provide funding or resources to a preferred candidate until after a nominee is selected in the Aug. 9 primary.

While none of the gubernatorial candidates received enough votes to secure the partys endorsement, Kleefisch easily won the majority of votes, coming in just about six percentage points short of the 60% needed for an endorsement. Ramthun, Nicholson and Michels each received less than 6%.

Chergosky said falling short of securing the partys endorsement was the canary in the coal mine for what is now developing in the gubernatorial primary and Kleefischs inability to narrow the field of candidates despite securing big endorsements from Walker, Trumps former White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and groups such as Wisconsin Right to Life and the Milwaukee Police Association.

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the states largest business organization, endorsed Kleefisch in January. It previously backed Walker ahead of the 2010 primary.

But while some established Republicans in the state have backed Kleefischs campaign, including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, who said the former lieutenant governor was the partys best choice to defeat Evers this fall, others remain skeptical. Former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, who had mulled his own run for governor before eventually opting out, has not endorsed a candidate in the GOP primary.

Divided party

The GOP is now more divided than ever  Wisconsinites can expect the primary fight to only get worse, Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said in a statement.

Trumps divisive brand of politics paired with Michels extremist and out of touch views is a recipe for disaster. The irony is that Michels claimed hes tired of Republicans fighting in public  but sought the endorsement of Americas biggest bully anyway.

UW-Madison political scientist Barry Burden said Trumps endorsement is likely to change the race fundamentally.

Trump remains the most visible and popular figure in the Republican Party, and all of the GOP candidates for governor have been trying to brand themselves in his image, Burden said in an email. Whatever their opponents might say, getting the endorsement essentially proves to Republican primary voters that Trump deems the candidate to be most faithful to his approach to politics.

Former GOP strategist Brandon Scholz said Trumps endorsement certainly would introduce Michels to Trump supporters in various regions around the state, but said it will take work to overcome efforts taken by Kleefisch, who formally joined the race in September.

That gets balanced off against the amount of time Rebecca Kleefisch has invested in working at the grassroots and all up and down across the state and the positions she has developed on key issues facing Wisconsin, Scholz said. Itll be an interesting tradeoff.

Two-person race

The Republican primary for governor is really a two-person race. Rebecca Kleefisch has been working her tail off for quite some time, building a base, reaching out, and Tim Michels is a late entry but hes spending a million dollars a week, Scholz added.

Burden added that Trumps endorsement comes at a time when the majority of Wisconsin conservatives remain undecided in the upcoming primary.

An endorsement from Trump will make news and buzz within the party, he said. In addition, a candidate who has money to spend can leverage the endorsement instantly by touting it in advertising.

How that endorsement plays out in the general election, when the eventual nominee faces Evers, remains to be seen, Burden added.

Every candidate in the Republican primary will continue to support radical policies, like banning access to abortion, supporting Trumps attempts to overturn the 2020 election, and attacking public education, Evers campaign spokesperson Sam Roecker said. Gov. Evers is focused on doing the right thing for our state and bringing people together to solve real problems, not caving to partisan radicals like Tim Michels, Rebecca Kleefisch, and the other candidates for governor.

Trumps record in Wisconsin is mixed. During the 2016 Republican primary he lost to Sen. Ted Cruz. He went on to win the state in what proved to be a crucial part of his 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton, before losing to Biden in 2020.

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Inadequate staffing levels at Wisconsins embattled Lincoln Hills juvenile facility is having a profound negative impact on daily operations, according to a court-ordered monitor report released Friday.

The report, which stems from a 2018 settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Wisconsin, Juvenile Law Center and Quarles & Brady LLP following dangerous conditions inmates faced at Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls in Irma, states the staffing shortage has caused the facility to resort to operational room confinement  that is, confining youth in their rooms not based on behavior but for operational reasons.

The monitor report comes about two months after Gov. Tony Evers signed into law a bill to advance the long overdue replacement of the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls with a juvenile facility in Milwaukee County.

As we work toward the necessary goal of closing Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake once and for all, we need to reduce the stress on youth (and staff) in the facilities today, Kate Burdick, a senior attorney at the Juvenile Law Center, said in a statement. We should start by increasing access to community-based services and diversion programs to meet youths developing needs through positive support rather than traumatic and ineffective imprisonment.

At the same time, the report underscores that, despite the various challenges being faced at the facility, staff attitudes remain positive.

Our goal remains to have the youth in our care out of their rooms for school and other programming from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, when safely possible to do so, Department of Corrections Division of Juvenile Corrections Administrator Ron Hermes said in a statement Friday. Recently, we have not been able to meet that goal for every youth every day. The facilities leadership is continuously reviewing options to safely maximize the amount of time youth are out of their rooms.

The Irma facility in the last decade has faced reports of child neglect and injury, violent outbursts from inmates, use of pepper spray to cause bodily harm and intimidation of witnesses.

Staffing challenges

While previous reports had shown progress on conditions at the facility, Fridays report notes that this is the first time the Monitor reports that there are inadequate staffing levels on the living units, which presents very significant problems for youth and staff.

The current staffing situation is having a profound negative impact on daily operations, the report adds.

According to the April report, eight out of 12 social worker positions and 11 out of 23 teacher positions remained vacant at the two facilities as of March 31. Despite added incentives, the facilities have struggled to fill positions due to low compensation, the location of the facilities and the uncertainty as to when both will close, according to the report.

Everyone is looking for workers, so we had to offer a more competitive salary. We thank Gov. Evers and the Legislature for working with us on that, Department of Corrections Secretary Kevin Carr said in a statement. We also hope moving the schools to Milwaukee County, as called for in the legislation Gov. Evers signed earlier this year, will lead to a larger pool of applicants to fill critical roles.

Juvenile numbers

The report notes that while the efforts have been underway to increase staff presence by having supervisory, mental health or other staff regularly come into Lincoln Hills living units, a rising juvenile population has created additional challenges.

There were 65 juveniles at Lincoln Hills and 13 at Copper Lake as of May 20, according to the state Department of Corrections. To compare, there were just 36 boys at Lincoln Hills and 12 girls at Copper Lake on Jan. 7.

This situation is bad for youth, but it is also bad for taxpayers, Karyn Rotker, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Wisconsin, said in a statement.

Counties have to spend more than $400,000 annually per youth to house them at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake. We need to be investing our resources by expanding the capacity of intensive programs like the Milwaukee County Accountability Program (MCAP) and other diversion programs to serve youth in their communities  in a much more cost-effective manner.

Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake became the states primary prisons for juvenile offenders after former Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican Legislature in 2011 closed two other facilities in southeastern Wisconsin as a cost-saving measure. Several incidents of abuse have resulted in the state paying out millions of dollars in settlements.

Walker signed a measure authorizing the state to close Lincoln Hills by January 2021 and replace it with smaller, more regional facilities. Evers has pledged to close the facility and included in his two budget proposals plans to create replacement sites for Lincoln Hills, but each was rejected by legislative Republicans.

Evers signed into law a bill in 2019 extending the closure date to July 2021, a deadline he later said was unrealistic.

Replacement facility

The bill signed by Evers in April authorized nearly $42 million in borrowing to build a juvenile correctional facility to replace the Lincoln Hills facility. One potential placement is the Felmers O. Chaney Correctional Center, an adult facility offering qualified prisoners work release programs with local employers.

Several more steps in the process remain, including some that will require significant preparation and/or approvals from other state and local agencies, the report states. While the signing of the legislation represents a step forward, the completion of a new ... facility and the subsequent closure of (Copper Lake and Lincoln Hills) will still take considerable time.

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Ethiopian Airlines, a leading airline in Africa, is set to start thrice weekly operations to Chennai, India from July 2, 2022, marking the airlines fourth destination in the country after New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.



Ethiopian started its service to India with a debut flight to New Delhi in 1966, just 20 years after the airline was founded. Ethiopian pioneered the air transport linkage between Africa and India. Recently, Ethiopian marked its 50th year anniversary of uninterrupted service to Mumbai, the commercial capital of India.



The flights to Chennai will fly a B737-8 aircraft on the Addis Ababa-Chennai route.



Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said: I am excited that we are getting closer to our customers with our signature service and global connectivity options. We have been connecting Asia and Africa for 55 years now facilitating trade between the two continents. The addition of Chennai as a fourth passenger destination in India is a testimony of our resilience and unwavering commitment to serve our customers in India and the continent at large. We will continue to serve India with enhanced frequency and more destinations in the future. 



Chennai is a modern cosmopolitan city and the most prominent cultural, economic and educational centre of South India. Ethiopian has been serving India without any interruption even during the pandemic cementing the longstanding bilateral relationship between the two countries.



India is one of Ethiopian Airlines key destinations in the Asian continent and Ethiopian currently flies to three passenger and five cargo destinations with its enhanced services and modern fleet.



Besides the opening of a new route to Chennai, Ethiopian Airlines flight frequency to the cities of Mumbai and New Delhi will increase to double daily and ten weekly flights, respectively, as of July 2022.  TradeArabia News Service
The simple, three-letter word but might not sound or look special, interesting or beautiful.

But this little word can be a powerful force in writing and in speaking. It can play an important part in creating colorful, interesting sentences.

In this Everyday Grammar, we will explore how a simple connecting word makes for good storytelling.

The grammar connection

The word but has many uses. It can act as a coordinating conjunction, preposition, adverb, and sometimes even a noun  as in the expression No ifs ands or buts about it!

For todays report, lets explore the part but plays as a coordinating conjunction. A conjunction joins two things together.

When acting as a coordinating conjunction, but is used to add information to an earlier statement that usually contrasts with it in some way.

We often use but to connect two clauses, or groups of words that have a subject and a predicate. Consider these lines from The Diamond as Big as the Ritz, by F Scott Fitzgerald.

"John strained his eyes to see whether there might be men coming down the mountain, but the mountain was bare of human life."

The first clause starts with John strained his eyes and the second clause starts with but the mountain.

The first part of the sentence suggests an effort  straining of the eyes. The second part of the sentence suggests that the effort was to no use  John did not see anyone.

Consider how the sentence might have been different if but were not used. It might be something like this:

John strained his eyes to see whether there might be men coming down the mountain, and he didnt see anyone.

This sentence is much less interesting. Lets explore why.

Storytelling

In the book Storyworthy, the American storyteller Matthew Dicks described a few words that can bring a story to life. One of these words is but.

Dicks says but has an interesting effect on the reader or listener. The words that come before but create an expectation. What comes after but goes against the expectation. This creates interest between statements and ideas.

Other common conjunctions, such as and, do not have the same effect, Dicks believes. Speaking or writing that uses and too much becomes more like a list  and lists are not very interesting.

An exercise

Now, its your turn to do an exercise. Take these two statements and connect them using but. You can pause the audio after the second statement if you need more time before hearing the answer.

She said she had lost their address long ago.

A few days later it miraculously turned up.

Here is one way to connect the two statements. It comes from the short story, "That in Aleppo Once..." by Vladimir Nabokov:

"She said she had lost their address long ago, but a few days later it miraculously turned up..."

Closing thoughts

This report is not only about telling stories. It is also about exploring connections between ideas. Such connections are important for expressing more complex language in writing and in speaking.

Remember, like any word or structure, it is good to use but in the correct amount. It is like cooking. You need the right amounts of the right ingredients to get a nice finished product. If you add too much of any one thing, the result might not be very good.

The next time you read stories or listen to English speakers, pay careful attention to how they use but. Its a small, simple word, but it can bring variety and richness to your language.

Im John Russell.

John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English.

____________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

contrast v. to compare two things to show their differences

predicate n. the part of a sentence that expresses what is said about the subject

strain  v. to try very hard to do or get something

bare  adj. not containing anything

miraculously  adv. very wonderful or amazing

variety  n. the quality or state of having or including many different things
Many Cubans seeking visas to join family members in the United States are facing long delays linked to processing problems.

U.S. officials say about 20,000 visa applications have built up in the governments Family Reunification Program. The program permits Cubans living legally in the U.S. to bring close family members from Cuba into the country.

The reunification program was effectively suspended in 2017 by the administration of President Donald Trump. The suspension was linked to the withdrawal of American diplomatic workers. The workers were pulled out of Cuba after a series of mysterious health incidents affected diplomatic workers there.

U.S. officials suspected the diplomats might have been targeted in some kind of attack  possibly from a foreign power  involving energy from radio waves. But U.S. intelligence officials now say the incidents were likely not the result of attacks.

The administration of President Joe Biden said in April it planned to restart the Family Reunification Program. But it has not set a date for increasing the number of U.S. diplomats in Cuba.

This means that family members waiting to leave Cuba will have to keep waiting for now.

Among those awaiting visas are family members of Roberto De la Yglesia. He left most of his family behind when he came to the U.S. with his only son in 2015. At the time, he hoped he would be able to bring his wife and daughters over soon after.

But years later, the mechanical engineer living in the northeastern state of New Jersey is still waiting to bring the rest of his family over.

My life is on pause," Robertos wife, Danmara Triana, told The Associated Press. She lives in the coastal city of Cienfuegos with her 21-year-old daughter Claudia and her 7-year-old daughter Alice.

My day-to-day life hangs on this, to see my son, to see my husband," Triana said. The 48-year-old accountant repeatedly visits the website of the U.S. Embassy in Havana for news about the application process.

I get up in the morning and look at the telephone. Will I have an interview (for a visa) or won't I have an interview? Triana said.

U.S. officials told Triana in 2017 that the family qualified for the Family Reunification Program. By 2020, they believed they had finished all the required paperwork and paid all application costs. But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, slowing the visa issuing process even further.

The withdrawal of diplomats was only one of many steps the Trump administration took to isolate Cuba. The steps halted policies by former President Barack Obama that established closer ties.

Among more than 200 measures enacted by Trump were a ban on cruise ships, limits on money sent from the U.S. and restrictions on American visitors. Biden has announced that he plans to undo some  but not all  of the Trump administration measures.

With diplomatic operations slowed in Havana, U.S. officials have urged Cubans to seek visas in Guyana, on the South American mainland. But that choice is costly and unrealistic for most visa seekers in Cuba.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section and visit out Facebook page.

___________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

application  n. a formal and usually written request for something (such as a job, admission to a school, a loan, etc.)

pause  v. to stop doing something for a short time

interview  n. a meeting in which someone asks you questions to see if you are qualified for a job or position

qualify  v. to be permitted to do or have something

isolate  v. to put or keep (someone or something) in a place or situation that is separate from others

cruise ship  n. a large ship that people travel on for pleasure
The U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday that it will cancel the federal student loans of hundreds of thousands of people.

Those people borrowed money to attend Corinthian Colleges, a for-profit group of schools that was judged to have carried out fraud.

Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced the move to cancel or discharge the loans. His message was for students who went to schools run by Corinthian Colleges between 1995 and 2015 and who still owe money.

Every student deceived, defrauded and driven into debt  can rest assured that the Biden-Harris administration has their back, he said.

Corinthians for-profit schools were not like traditional American universities. Most American universities are known as not-for-profit schools. That means they use money paid by students to cover their costs but they do not operate to make a profit like a business does.

There are hundreds of thousands of students who paid to go to the schools run by Corinthian, which failed financially in 2015. They decided to attend the schools based on false claims of success. The students borrowed money from financial aid programs run by the U.S. government.

Cardona said the company exploited students and misled them. He said they borrowed more and more money to pay for classes with the promise that they would find better jobs at the end of their studies.

There are a total of 560,000 students who are said to owe a total of $5.8 billion. Some of them already submitted documents asking the federal government to cancel their student debt, but the program was not well known. The Department of Education will discharge the student debt without any action by the borrower and will extend it to additional borrowers.

However, students who finished paying their loans will not receive anything.

They never stopped fighting

The problems with Corinthian go back to the administration of former President Barack Obama. His administration worked with the California attorney general at the time, current Vice President Kamala Harris.

Government officials investigated the education business. They found that Corinthian Colleges was falsely telling students about graduates who had good jobs. Instead, those students were working at food stores and restaurants.

The government investigators found that the colleges run by Corinthian, with names like Everest, WyoTech and Heald, promised good results. They also pressured students to spend more money. The schools falsely said other colleges would accept educational credits from the Corinthian schools.

After several investigations, the Obama administration started a program for the students to get their loans canceled.

When he was running for president, President Joe Biden said he supported canceling up to $10,000 for people who stilled owed money for student loans. The administration has said it is considering ways Biden can do that through a presidential action instead of through Congress.

Including his announcement, Cardona said his department had so far approved $25 billion in loan discharges for a total of 1.3 million borrowers.

Eileen Connor is director of the Project on Predatory Student Lending. She called the action a big student victory.

She praised the student borrowers saying, They never stopped fighting.

Libby DeBlasio Webster is a lawyer for another organization called Student Defense. She called it a fresh start for the Corinthian college students. However, she noted that students from other for-profit colleges still need help.

Nathan Hornes is a former student at a school run by Corinthian. He called the Everest Institute he attended in Los Angeles a joke of a school.

Hornes said he once played a game in class in place of taking an examination. His debt was canceled in 2017 through one of the earlier programs. But he said his sister is one of the students who will be helped by the new action by the Department of Education.

In a statement, he called the news a relief.

A group that represents for-profit colleges said students who paid to go to schools that made false claims deserve their money back. But it notes that not all are like Corinthian Colleges.

Jason Altmire is head of a trade group called Career Education Colleges and Universities. He said the Department of Education should not punish schools that provided opportunities for millions of students, because of the actions of one group.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by the Associated Press.

Write to us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page.

Words in This Story

fraud  n. the crime of using dishonest methods to take something valuable (such as money) from another person

deceive v. to make someone believe something that is not true

assured adj. to be sure that something will happen

exploit v. to treat someone in a way that unfairly helps you, not them

relief- n. the removal of something that is difficult or painful
The Lebanon Public Library has announced that effective Wednesday, June 1, late fees are no longer accruing on materials for children and teens  no matter the age of the person checking out the materials.
LEXINGTON  Avamere at Lexington will be closing effective July 31 after the property was sold to a limited liability company from Roswell, New Mexico.

Avamere at Lexington, an independent and assisted living community, has announced their permanent closure, effective June 1, 2022. Avamere Communities oversees the management of the building and was notified by ownership of the closure as Chevalier Capital sold the property. The community will be closed effectively July 31, 2022, according to press release from Thomas Cloutier, Chief Marketing Officer with Arete Living.

Avamere at Lexington was proactive in assisting employees and residents through this transition, assisting them in finding new employment and homes. Maria Barajas, Executive Director of Avamere at Lexington, was instrumental in ensuring a smooth transition, according to the release.

We sincerely thank our employees for their dedication to our residents, stated Sarah Silva, President of Avamere Communities. Your work directly impacts lives, and I extend my heartfelt thanks for your selfless service. To our residents, thank you for choosing Avamere as your home. Our team has loved getting to know you and serving you, per the release.

According to Dawson County real estate records, the sale of the Avamere property took place on Monday, May 23. It was sold to United Partners, LLC, of New Mexico, which is registered to Narendra Mistry, per the New Mexico Secretary of State.

Mistry was attempted to be contacted about his plans for the location, but could not be reached by press time.

According to the Roswell Daily Record, Mistry is a Roswell businessman with 28 years in the hospitality industry. In March 14, 2020 he purchased a former Avamere facility in Roswell with the intent of turning it into a hotel.
Editors Note: This is the third of a multi-part series about Don Magnusons service as an airman in World War II and the letters he wrote home, now compiled into a book by his sons.

On a Wing and a Prayer

Don Magnuson and Crew 77 of the 459th Bombing Group were ramping up their bombing raids throughout German occupied territory and their allies throughout the spring of 1944.

Don continued to write home regularly to his parents, telling them about his living accommodations. He said they had a sign on top of their tent naming their home, Roseland Ballroom, and that he had a sign in the corner which read Nebraska, 6,000 miles, that pointed toward home.

He also wrote about their tent mascot, a small dog they named Spook, who was always running off with socks or shoes or getting into their K rations.

By mid-May the bombing missions had ramped up, with several conducted in northern Italy.

On May 27, 1944, the group flew their longest mission to date, 1,350 miles to Montpellier, France. Robert Hejtmanek, a squadron mate of Crew 77, recalled Plenty of fighters and very heavy flak. I saw one B-24 go down by flak on the French coast.

In addition to their strategic missions, the 459th would also be asked to carry out support and interdiction operations. They carried out just such a support mission on May 29, 1944 in Yugoslavia.

The Chetniks, a Yugoslav royalist and Serbian nationalist movement and guerrilla force in Axis-occupied Yugoslavia, requested U.S. forces to bomb the town of Prijedor, where German Fallschirmjager (paratroopers) were stationed. It was reported there were no fighters and little flak on this raid.

The next day, Dons group targeted a major target, the Wels Airdrome in Vienna, Austria. It was noted the bombers encountered flak five times on their way to the target. They were also attacked by German Messerschmitt Bf 109s, a mainstay single engine fighter and Junkers Ju-88s, originally a twin engine bomber sometimes converted to a heavy fighter.

The mission was costly, 24 bombers were lost.

June 9, 1944 would be a date Don would soon not forget, their mission was to bomb targets in Munich, Germany.

In his memoirs, Don recalled they were briefed that an escort of P-51 Mustangs, Americas best long range escort fighter, would meet up with them on route to target around 10 a.m.

While on mission, the top turret gunner, Sam Sammy Whitlow called out fighters at two oclock high and everyone thought they were the escorts, but they werent.

A few seconds later Whitlow screamed out, fighters coming in at four oclock high, and several German Bf 109s tore through the B-24 formation and shot down five bombers on their first pass. It was very obvious that they caught us by complete surprise, Don wrote.

Not only were five planes lost, but fifty airmen perished.

While Dons aircraft was staying in formation with no fires and no injuries, he still needed to take inventory of any damage, soon they found out they had big problems.

Don asked bombardier, Edward Denari, if the bomb bay doors would open, but they wouldnt. Being one hour away from the target, they had to stay in formation for safety, but they had to drop their bombs before reaching the target.

At 20,000 feet in the air, Don, with only a walk around oxygen bottle that only last five minutes, had to manually crank both the right and left bomb bay doors open so the ordinance could be dropped.

He had to do this all while standing on the cat walk, a ten inch wide path through the bomb bay, that was slick with hydraulic fluid. Needless to say, looking out of that bomb bay was not a comfortable feeling from 20,000 feet, Don wrote.

On the way back from the target, two hours from home, Don asked pilot Mercer Markman to check if the landing gear would go down. Perhaps not surprisingly, they would not; the hydraulic lines had been shredded by 20 mm cannon shells.

This meant Don had to go up into the nose section and lower the gear manually by turning a crank. He then returned to the bomb bay and had to do the same with the two main landing gears in the wings, only there was an issue, the left gear would not lock.

If they could not get the gear to lock, the weight of the aircraft would collapse the gear while they were landing, likely with dangerous and deadly results.

Don then got the idea for Markman to put the bomber in a sharp bank. The turn put the wing nearly vertical and gravity did the rest and the gear slipped into the locking position.

There was one final issue; the flaps on the wings would not go down, another hydraulic issue. Flaps are a small wing that extends back and down from the main wing, Don wrote, Putting it down gives the main wing more lift and you can land at a slower speed.

Normal landings call for the flaps to be lowered to 20 degrees but hand pumping hydraulic fluid into the system could only get the flaps down to 10 degrees. However, Don felt it was enough and they landed safely, if a bit faster.

Once the plane was on the ground, they took stock of the damage. Besides the hydraulic lines being torn apart, oxygen bottles had been ripped open, there was a hole in the right tail section and the top radio antenna was shot off. It took the ground crews three days to repair all of the damage.

For his actions to make sure the crew and the plane returned safely, Don was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

On June 19, Don penned another letter to his parents, They called us about 2:30 a.m. this morning to fly, but then it was canceled. It doesnt hurt my feelings at all. Im not too eager and Ill take them as they come whenever they are ready, but none of this volunteer stuff for me.

Don also wrote home in late June, between missions to Italy, Romania and France that he and the crew had a chance to visit the island of Corsica for some rest and relaxation. He wrote that they took out Springfield rifles with incendiary ammunition and just had fun shooting at rocks and watching the blue sparks.

As the calendar turned to July, there were several intense missions. The first came on July 3 when the bombers hit heavy flak and the whole German air force seemed to be in the area, but none of the aircraft in Dons formation were hit.

The mission on July 7 was one of their longest to date, bombing an oil refinery at Odertal, Germany, near the Polish border. Don recalled they were flying through anti-aircraft fire for a total of 20 minutes, but for nine minutes they were in heavy, accurate and intense flak. This was the worst we were ever in, Don said.

On Saturday, July 15, Don and his squadron returned to the dreaded oil refiners in Ploiesti, Romania. However, he noted they had a safe trip up to the target and dropped their bombs without encountering any hazards.

On the way back to base, they dropped down to 16,000 feet, where it was warmer when the Germans let loose with a barrage of anti-aircraft fire.

One B-24 in the formation was blasted out of the sky, while Dons aircraft had his No. Three engine hit and they had to feather it. The situation would deteriorate from here.

Being on only three engines, their bomber dropped out of formation and it left them easy pickings for any German fighters prowling the area, looking for stragglers. They dropped down to 3,000 feet to make the aircraft harder to pick out amid the ground clutter.

They flew out of Romania into Yugoslavia and this presented a problem, they had to climb up and clear the mountain ranges on just three engines. They managed it, but used up more fuel in the process. To make sure they could get the rest of the way home the crew began to lighten the load and threw out .50 caliber ammunition and two of the .50 caliber guns from each waist window.

Disaster struck when a crew member decided to take out a waist window and threw it out of the bomber. It went straight back and struck the horizontal stabilizer on the right side and created a 12 to 24 inch gash.

This increased drag and the already damaged bomber began nosing down in a five degree decent toward the Adriatic Sea.

When the B-24 impacted the water, the nose section was torn clean off and Don, pilot Mercer Markman and co-pilot Howard Brinkley were thrown into the water. Both Markman and Brinkley were still strapped into their seats but were able to get free.

Of the nine man crew, navigator Joe Clark was out for the mission, eight survived. Top turret gunner Sam Whitlow was killed in the crash.

The crew was picked up by an Italian fishing boat and they used their dye markers to get the attention of a Catalina flying boat that was looking for the downed bomber. They were transferred onto a British mosquito boat and taken back to Foggia, Italy.

Later, Don found out Sams father, S.C. Whitlow, wrote a poem, There is Someone Overseas Tonight: A Fathers Tribute to his Son.

There is someone overseas tonight,

Someone I love so dear,

Someone who is brave and courageous,

Someone who knew no earthly fear,

Someone that God called from this world,

To a home where he knows no sorrow or pain,

Someone that leaves in my heart an empty feeling,

That in words I cannot explain,

Someone who gave his life,

That on this earth we might have Peace and Joy,

Yes, that someone I love so dearis my little boy.


In the temple city of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, a Muslim hotelier claimed to change the name of his restaurant from Hotel Taj to Royal Family Restaurant, fire staff and hire Hindus, and change the menu from non-vegetarian to completely vegetarian.

Muhammad Raafi | TwoCircles.net

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NEW DELHI  A Muslim restauranteur in Uttar Pradesh has claimed that he was forced to change the name of his restaurant, throw out Muslim staffers and change the entire menu in view of the changing times.

Situated on Daresi road in the temple city of Uttar Pradeshs Mathura, Hotel Taj was into the restaurant business for nearly 48 years with the same name. As the Hindu sentiments ran high in the backdrop of a proposal to remove the Shahi Eidgah, Muhammad Zameel, the owner of the restaurant, changed everything at his eatery. From name to staffers to food. Hotel Taj is now named Royal Family Restaurant.

Changing the name of the restaurant was painful for Zameel since his parents had opened the restaurant with the same name and it would have completed 50 years in two years. Its painful to change the name of my familys legacy, Zameel said.

Zameel said that being a Muslim in the city has become extremely difficult. Miscreants did not allow him to run his business smoothly. He said he is constantly looked upon with suspicion. We live in times of uncertainty and constantly fear the unknown. We have no option but to hide our identity in order to earn our livelihood.

The restaurants existing menu listing a number of dishes made of chicken has disappeared. Instead, the chicken dishes have been replaced with cheese. The eatery has turned into a vegetarian space.

Zameel has also terminated the services of eight Muslim staff members and hired Hindus instead. He claimed that they (Hindus) cook better vegetarian food. Thats all we are allowed to sell after the state government banned the sale of meat and liquor in the city last year. Once selling chicken kormas, chicken changezi, and niharis, the eatery now sells paneer changezi and paneer korma.

To protect himself and his business, Zameel has stopped sitting at the cash counter to ensure that his appearance doesnt keep clients away.

I have hired a Hindu to sit at the cash counter. I have faced huge losses. Some anti-social elements still dont allow me to operate smoothly, as I am their target. My income has reduced from Rs 14,000 to Rs 15,000 a day earlier to Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 today. This is the first time in my life that I have seen such hostility in the area. This was a peaceful temple town and we lived harmoniously. Suddenly, everything has changed. No one can even think about eating non-vegetarian dishes at their homes because theres always fear that a right-wing activist may thrash us after accusing us of smuggling beef, he told Times of India.

Zameel said that the high court had been approached about the meat ban but the matter is still pending. Instead of waiting for long and incurring more losses, I decided to convert my restaurant to survive.

In April, a Hindutva mob including men belonging to the so-called Sangeet Som Sena, was booked by Meerut police for rioting and loot. The mob had vandalised the food cart of Mohd Sajid, a vegetarian biryani seller as they claimed the Muslim vendor was selling meat during Navratri in Sardhana, the Assembly constituency of Meerut.

Pertinently, the consumption of non-vegetarian food has increased in India, including in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, as per data released by the recent National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5).

Muhammad Raafi is a journalist based in New Delhi. He covers politics and human rights. He tweets at @MohammadRaafi
Elizabeth E. Joh (University of California, Davis - School of Law) has posted The Unexpected Consequences of Automation in Policing (__S.M.U. L. Rev. __ (Forthcoming 2022)) on SSRN. Here is the abstract:

This essay has two aims. First, it explains how automated decisionmaking can produce unexpected results. This is a problem long understood in the field of industrial organization. To identify such effects in policing is no easy task. The police are a notoriously difficult institution to study. They are insular, dislike outsiders, and especially dislike critical outsiders. Fortunately, we have the benefit of a decades worth of experimentation in the police use of automated decisionmaking, and the resulting political backlash against some of these uses. As a result, some large urban police departments have undergone external investigations to see whether tools like predictive policing or individual criminal risk assessments are biased or ineffective or simply too costly in light of their benefits. One of these recent reports, on the use of acoustic gunshot detection software in Chicago, provides a window into one type of police automation.

This leads to the articles second observation. Automation is not just a set of tools that the police use; it changes the environment of policing in unexpected ways. There are now some widely-known criticisms of the increasing use of automated tools in policing, but they focus primarily on the flaws of the technologies used. The training data in facial recognition algorithms may be biased along lines of race, gender, and ethnicity. Risk assessments for gun violence may in truth be poor guides for police intervention. These claims are singularly technology-focused. Accordingly, errors and inefficiencies merit technological improvements. Even calls for bans on technologies like facial recognition are responses to the technology itself. As Chicagos experience with acoustic gunshot detection technology demonstrates, however, automation serves not just as a tool for the police, but also led to changes in police behavior. These changes in police conduct are documented in a 2021 report from the Chicago Office of Inspector General. And they are noteworthy. If automation unexpectedly changes police behaviors, these changes have implications for how we understand policing through the lens of inequality and unaccountability.

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Former Hudson ISD teacher sentenced to eight years for sexual relationship with student

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Former Hudson ISD teacher James Dillon English was sentenced on Thursday to eight years in prison for indecency with a child and having an improper relationship with a student.

English was accused of engaging in multiple sexual relations with a student in late 2019, his second year at the school. He was indicted for indecency with a child/sexual contact and improper relations with a student, both second-degree felonies, in June 2021 and pled guilty in April 2022.

The 2019 investigation began when Hudson ISDs Police Department was informed of the situation by the Angelina County Sheriffs Office. Family gave authorities the childs phone, which held communications between the child and English in many different forms at all hours of the day and night, according to his arrest affidavit.

The student told law enforcement she had been physical with English at school, church and on the church bus, the affidavit states. English provided police with a written statement about the relationship, according to Hudson police.

The sentencing came after testimonies from the following witnesses: Hudson ISD superintendent Donny Webb; Wesley Matchett, the pastor at First Baptist Church of Wells; and Sunny English, James wife.

Webb said that he was embarrassed that this had happened because his responsibility as the superintendent is to protect his students.

When kids come to our campus, its our responsibility to love our kids and do what we can to take care of them. Our public trusts us to do that  thats what were there to do, he said. Its my job to ensure that everything on campus goes well, and quite honestly, I take it very personal and I feel bad when things happen. Its my responsibility to ensure our kids are well taken care of.

Webb said that while, unfortunately, things happen, when Hudson ISD hires people, it is looking for people with good morals.

It is embarrassing, its hard, and I feel horrible for any victim in this situation at all, he said.

Matchett said after a great deal of counsel with him, he believes English has changed.

His overall attitude through every bit has been repent and remorseful, he said. The consequences that hes faced had a big sway on his future.

Matchett said he does not believe English is a risk after seeing how he has been rebuilt.

The man that committed the offense and the issues that were present at him when he committed that offense are no longer present, in my opinion, he said. He has structured safeguards against himself and with his wife and made himself to where he cant be a risk.

Sunny also said she believes her husband is a different person today.

I support the person he is today, for sure, she said. When this first happened, I was hurt and I was done with the whole situation. I was going back to Georgia  where Im from originally  and we were separated at the time. He was staying with his mom and he came over to get his stuff, and the person that I saw was devastated and broken and repentant. I had never experienced anything like that before.

The couple went to marriage counseling after that, and she believes her husbands priorities have shifted from school and church to herself and their children.

Hes always been there to let me express myself and always proven to me that he is different and that he is trustworthy, he said. Beforehand, we were never his no. 1 priority, and now he makes sure every single day that we are the first things thats on his mind.
Abigail Barnes has been allergic to peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish for her entire life, and has faced reactions that have hospitalized her six times  one instance almost took her life.

That was from a tiny bite of a nut cookie, said the founding CEO of Madisons Amulet, a fast-growing company that seeks to put the science of food allergen detection into the hands of consumers via a small, wearable sensor whose technology is normally found in a medical laboratory setting.

The sensor can test for allergens such as soy in about a minute, which is likely why the first company release of the tech sold out in just four hours, Barnes said.

Amulet, which changed its name in May, started as Allergy Amulet in 2016. The startup, which has garnered $5 million in investment funding to date and has 10 employees, was born of Barnes desire to help people like herself navigate what she called a minefield of vague ingredient labels, restaurants whose waitstaff are untrained about food allergens and events where its a gamble to know whats being served on the menu.

You can liken it a little bit to COVID, Barnes, who is also a licensed attorney, said. The stuff we breathe everyday suddenly becomes harmful to us. Imagine living with that all the time.

Allergy Amulet is now a brand of Amulet, as well as Allergy Scientific, which Barnes said was launched in February to equip fellow companies with food allergen detection tech. The Downtown Madison company, which has a lab in Boston, is also exploring applications in food safety, environmental contaminants and biomolecules, as well as developing a mobile application to pair with the sensor via Bluetooth, Barnes said.

The startup also plans to double the size of its team in the next year, she said.

Thats a far cry from when she had a serendipitous encounter with scientist and food chemistry expert Joseph BelBruno in 2012, when Barnes was a law student studying on the East Coast.

The scientist, who is now an adviser to Amulet and also has a food allergy, was developing sensors similar to the ones Amulet has created while working as a faculty member at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

That meeting was enough to change the trajectory of Barnes career  the CEO saw how she could help others navigate an anxiety she knows all too well.

(Developing the tech) means helping a lot of people, said Amulet co-founder BelBruno during a recent Amulet video production. It means saving a lot of visits to emergency rooms and saving a lot of money since buying a sensor is much less expensive than an emergency room visit.

Food allergen research

Thats because every three minutes, a food allergy sends someone to the emergency room.

One in 13 kids have a food allergy, and one in 10 adults, according to Amulet research thats based on several studies published in the last few years out of Food Allergy Research and Education, an East Coast nonprofit, as well as other sources. Thats 32 million Americans.

The most common food allergies in both adults and children are peanuts, milk, shellfish and tree nuts. Even trace amounts of each allergen can be fatal, according to Amulet research.

Thats because food allergens can cause a condition known as anaphylaxis, which can cause worrying symptoms including breathing difficulties, clammy skin, confusion and anxiety, dizziness, a rapid heartbeat and even death.

Around one in four Americans, which includes 85 million people, avoid buying products that contain the above ingredients, as well as wheat, soy, sesame and other foods, the Amulet research states.

Around 8.2 million people in the U.S. are allergic to shellfish, while 6.1 million have reactions to peanuts and 6.1 million to milk.

How the sensor works

The Amulet food allergen sensor seeks to pare down those numbers, Barnes said, calling the device a miniaturized lab.

The Amulet, which retails for $299 but is currently sold out on the startups website, is a portable and wearable device that can attach fashionably to a keychain or necklace chain  Barnes was sporting a gold chain with her gold Amulet on Wednesday morning. It wasnt immediately obvious she was wearing her sensor.

The Amulet attaches to a sampler that comes in a pack of eight for $29.99. Thats also sold out.

The user can stick a piece of food inside the sampler, Barnes explained. The food mixes with water via a grinding mechanism to help homogenize the sample  it helps if the wearer shakes the sampler, she said.

The sensor is then attached to the sampler. Using the Amulets touch screen, the user is able to test their food for any allergens with results available in a minute.

More product releases with expanded food allergen detection capabilities are planned, Barnes said, adding that the sensors are able to help people manage sensitivities to ingredients like gluten.

Amulet will be playing a lead role in identifying invisible threats in food supply, she said of what horizons she sees for Amulet.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP)  A West Virginia hospital plans to join the Mountain Health Network under an agreement that calls for $39 million in investments over the next five years, health officials announced.

The agreement announced Thursday is the first step toward Pleasant Valley Hospital in Point Pleasant being acquired by Cabell Huntington Hospital and allowing the 101-bed nonprofit hospital to become part of the health network that also includes St. Marys Medical Center in Huntington, Mountain Health said in a news release.

Pleasant Valley already was under a 2013 management services agreement with Cabell Huntington.

The latest agreement calls for Cabell Huntington to invest $25 million in Pleasant Valley. That includes an upgrade in its information technology platform, renovations to the emergency department, additional physician recruitment and physician residency training programs in partnership with the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and Marshall Health.

In addition, Pleasant Valley will contribute an estimated $14 million that Cabell Huntington will use toward capital improvement projects at the hospital, the statement said.

"With so many positive changes in Mason County and the surrounding area, the timing is right for Pleasant Valley Hospital to take the next step with Mountain Health Network to advance our future in caring for our community, Pleasant Valley board chairman Peter Allinder said in the statement.

Mountain Health CEO Kevin Yingling said the agreement's goal is to ensure access to advanced medicine and compassionate care for residents served by the Point Pleasant hospital from West Virginia and Ohio.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A criminal complaint filed in Columbia County alleges the suspect of a March shooting in Wisconsin Dells fired into a vehicle full of people.

Mason L. Acuna, 22, has been charged with seven counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. He is also charged with one count of felony bail jumping and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Acuna was arrested by U.S. Marshals in April. He was apprehended in Lafayette, Indiana, and extradited back to Wisconsin. Online records show Acuna is in custody at the Dane County Jail.

There are currently no hearings scheduled in this case.

According to the criminal complaint filed on May 23, a Wisconsin Dells police officer was dispatched on March 30 around 6 a.m. to South Frontage Road for a report of multiple victims with gunshot wounds.

Two officers arrived at the scene and found a car in the middle of a parking lot with a man lying on the ground outside the rear passenger door. The man was identified as Victim No. 3 in the complaint. The officer reported the man had a gaping gunshot wound to the back of his left arm and two small wounds on the front of his arm.

Another man on scene  referred to in the complaint as Victim No. 2  told officers he had been shot in the right side of his chest. An officer reported seeing a long horizontal wound across his chest but did not see any obvious entry or exit wound.

As the officer began to identify witnesses, he was also attempting to calm them down. Witnesses told police the shooting took place somewhere on Vine Street in Wisconsin Dells between the 600 and 800 blocks. One person told the officer a shooter allegedly walked up to the vehicle and fired into the vehicle before driving away.

During the investigation, police were informed there were seven people in the vehicle that was shot at, which was more than the vehicle had seats for.

One of the victims was interviewed by police on March 30. The victim told police that Acuna was seen allegedly holding a gun standing outside the car in the alley of Vine Street. The victim told police they believed Acuna would shoot them.

Online court records from an open February case in Eau Claire County for possession of marijuana list Acunas address as being in Mount Horeb. Last year, Acuna entered a no contest plea to being party to a crime of felony robbery with threat of force. The charge stemmed from a 2019 incident in West Baraboo when Acuna was allegedly part of a group of men who robbed a man of $250 in cash and clothes in Haskins Park.

Court records also show various traffic citations against Acuna in several Wisconsin counties, including Columbia, Dane and Sauk counties.

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The Dane County Sheriffs Office says a Marshall woman found dead late last month in a rural area near Waterloo was killed.

The Sheriffs Office said Thursday it is investigating the death of Dora Gonzales Zarate, 39, as a homicide.

According to the Sheriffs Office, Zarate was found dead on May 24 inside her home on York Center Road in the town of York.

Detectives have interviewed Zarates family, friends and neighbors and searched the home and property for evidence. The Sheriffs Office said the killing was likely not a random incident.

The Sheriffs Office is asking anyone with information about the death or who may have been in the area before 1 p.m. on May 24 to call the tip line at 608-284-6900.

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Money was stolen in a burglary early Friday morning of a Near East Side business, Madison police reported.

Someone broke into Taco Local, 811 Williamson St., around 12:50 a.m. Friday., damaging doors to the business as well as stealing money, police spokesperson Stephanie Fryer said in a statement.

No arrests have been made and the investigation is continuing, Fryer said.

Police ask that anyone with information on the incident contact them at 608-255-2345. Tipsters may remain anonymous by contacting Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014 or P3Tips.com. Individuals contacting Crime Stoppers can receive a reward of up to $1,000 for tips that lead to an arrest.

[Correction: Madison police originally named a business that formerly was in the Taco Local site as the victim of the burglary, and it was identified as the victim in an earlier version of this story.]

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A Sun Prairie woman who struck her daughter and the girls father with a car in December pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of reckless endangerment, along with a charge of causing injury by intoxicated driving.

Under a plea agreement, prosecutors will seek no more than eight years in prison and five years of extended supervision for Alicia L. Walker, 36, who struck the man and the child during an incident at a parking lot in Sun Prairie that happened after a disagreement about money, according to court documents.

With her guilty pleas to two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment and intoxicated driving, Walker would face up to 27 years of combined prison and extended supervision when she is sentenced on Sept. 2 by Dane County Circuit Judge Chris Taylor.

But in a letter sent to Taylor last month, the man wrote that he doesnt believe Walker intended to strike anyone and was completely above and beyond not being in her right mind when the incident happened because of drug use. He asked that she not be sent to prison but allowed to again be a presence in the lives of their children.

A criminal complaint states he told police in December that he thought Walker acted intentionally.

Walker will remain in the Dane County Jail until she is sentenced, Taylor ruled, and will be allowed to have contact with the man. But Taylor said she will wait until she receives information from Child Protective Services before deciding whether video visits with her children will be allowed.

According to the criminal complaint, the man told police immediately after the Dec. 2 incident that he was driving with Walker and the three children. He said Walker was flipping out asking him for money when they were at Walmart and while he was driving.

He said he stopped the car and took the three children, all under age 5, and began walking, the complaint states. He said he tried to call friends or a social worker to pick them up. As they walked, he said, he saw Walker, now in the drivers seat of the car, first following them in the car, then coming at them. He said he grabbed their 2-year-old daughter and pushed the other two children out of the way before he was struck by the car.

The girl slipped from his hands, he said, and she ended up next to the cars front passenger side tire, under the cars front bumper, while his leg was pinned under the car. He was treated for a broken leg, the complaint states. The girl was not seriously injured.

As part of the plea agreement, two other counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, one for each of the other children who were not struck, were dismissed, along with a second count of causing injury by intoxicated driving.

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DOVER  Rep. Bryan Steil is seeking federal action on reports of mistreatment of veterans at a state-run facility, following several efforts by constituents to call attention to the issue going back at least several months.

Steil, a Republican from Janesville, announced Wednesday he is asking federal authorities to review allegations of abuse and neglect of veterans living at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove.

The congressman, whose district includes the town of Dover facility, released a letter he wrote to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Urging all appropriate action from the federal authorities, Steil wrote: This kind of treatment of our veterans is unacceptable. Our veterans deserve the highest quality of care, and this level of mistreatment cannot be tolerated.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported last week that staff at the Racine County veterans home has been accused of physical abuse, medication errors, unsanitary conditions, poor quality food and other forms of maltreatment toward veterans.

The newspaper cited 62 operating violations found in the Union Grove home in the past five years, and said that ranks among the five worst offenders out of 117 federally certified veteran facilities in the nation.

The violations inside the state-run home date back to the administration of Republican Gov. Scott Walker and have continued since Democratic Gov. Tony Evers took office in 2019.

The veterans home named for Union Grove is located at 21425 Spring Street in the Town of Dover, just west of the Village of Union Grove.

It was not immediately clear what role the federal government could play in responding to conditions inside the facility.

Colleen Flaherty, a spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, said officials at the state agency had no immediate comment on Steils request for a federal review.

We would like some clarity, she said.

The Milwaukee newspapers investigation was based largely on reports from residents inside the veterans home, as well as past residents and family members of veterans.

Steil, who was elected in 2018 in Wisconsins 1st Congressional District, told the newspaper he, too, had been receiving reports of problems at the home for years. The 1st Congressional District includes all of Racine and Kenosha counties, and stretches west to Steils home in Janesville.

Asked by The Journal Times to elaborate, Steil said in an email last week that many relatives and friends of veterans living in the facility had approached the congressman with concerns about staffing levels and quality of care at the facility.

He said he alerted the state veterans affairs office in instances when he had consent from the person making the complaint.

The congressman has separately expressed concerns about how the Wisconsin Veterans Home was handling COVID-19 pandemic safety protocols; at least 10 residents died after contracting COVID in the home. But he said he also had taken action to alert the state to complaints about the sort of issues raised later in the Milwaukee newspaper.

In the last several years, numerous relatives and friends who have loved ones at the state-run Union Grove Veterans Home have reached out to me with concerns about staffing levels and quality of care at the facility, he wrote. In the cases that my office received consent from the veterans family, my office reached out to the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.

Steil spokeswoman Grace White said the congressman would not provide copies of any such correspondence, citing privacy rights for those making complaints.

State veterans affairs officials, however, released copies of five letters received from Steil or his staff dating back to November 2020. The names of those registering complaints with the congressman were redacted.

In the first letter, Steil relayed concerns about staffing to manage COVID-19 risks. Along with other Republicans, Steil has made an issue of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers response to COVID safety inside the veterans home, alleging that Evers did not accept federal assistance fast enough or keep National Guard troops on site long enough.

In subsequent letters to the state, Steil or his staff forwarded constituent complaints  some about COVID-19, and others about more general issues of care for veterans.

In January 2021, the congressman received a complaint from a woman who wrote that COVID was aggravating a staffing shortage, and that her father was getting cold food, was left in bed for extended periods, was left sitting in a wheelchair with no pants on. She also noted that visitation was being restricted because of COVID-19.

I dont want my Dad to die alone, she wrote. I want my Dad to survive this pandemic, and that means assuring that there is consistent professional staffing and level of care. Neither is a reality today.

In December 2021, Steil staff member Ryan Vishaway wrote the state about about a woman whose husband had died while living in the Dover veterans home.

She would like to advocate for better staffing and investigation into medical care, and living conditions for residents, Vishaway wrote.

Records show that the state in each instance responded to the congressman  or directly to the person making the complaint  and offered assurances that efforts were underway to improve conditions at the veterans home.

Steil wrote to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in September 2020 to express concerns about staffing levels inside the veterans home to combat COVID-19.

Asked why the congressman did not seek federal action on other quality-of-care issues until after the Milwaukee newspaper investigation, White noted that Steil reached out to state officials several times. She added: I will also note  while the facility receives federal funding  it is state-run.

In his letter Wednesday to federal authorities, Steil again mentioned his past inquiries regarding COVID-19 protocols.

The quality of care at this facility has long been a concern of mine and of the people of Wisconsins First Congressional District, he wrote. For additional background, back in 2020, I made multiple inquiries highlighting issues the Union Grove home was facing regarding cases and deaths of veterans infected with COVID-19.

He concluded: It is now abundantly clear that the veterans home in Union Grove has much larger issues than even I and the people who reached out to me were reporting in 2020.

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Former President Donald Trump on Thursday endorsed millionaire businessman Tim Michels in Wisconsins packed GOP gubernatorial primary  backing that political insiders believe could provide a significant boost as the August primary rapidly approaches.

Trumps endorsement had remained a lingering question in the Republican primary for governor and has been described by some as the most important endorsement in the race due to the considerable sway the former president still holds over Republican voters. Several of the top GOP candidates in the race have been actively seeking Trumps backing and made trips to Mar-a-Lago to meet with the former president.

In a statement issued Thursday, Trump described Michels as a very successful businessman, touting the millionaire co-owner of Brownsville-based Michels Corp. over Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who Trump said has been an abject failure for the people of Wisconsin.

Tim Michels has my Complete and Total Endorsement, Trump said. If Wisconsin has the wisdom to make Tim their next governor, it will have unprecedented success!

Tim is an America First Conservative who Supports our Second Amendment, Honors our Brave Law Enforcement and First Responders, and Stands Strongly against the Woke Mob trying to destroy our Country, the former president continued.

Michels, who has pledged to largely self-fund his campaign efforts, announced his candidacy in April and is the most recent entry into the crowded field of GOP candidates vying to unseat Evers this November. The U.S. Army veteran last ran for office in 2004, when he lost to Russ Feingold in the U.S. Senate race.

This is a tremendous boost to our efforts and a continuation of our astounding surge since I entered the race, Michels said in a statement. I am working every day to defeat Tony Evers and get Wisconsin back on the right track.

Other Republicans in the race include former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, former Marine Kevin Nicholson and state Rep. Timothy Ramthun, of Campbellsport. Kleefisch, who served eight years under former Gov. Scott Walker, joined the race back in September, while Nicholson and Ramthun announced campaigns earlier this year.

While Kleefisch led the most recent Marquette Law School Poll in April with support from 32% of respondents, UW-La Crosse political science assistant professor Anthony Chergosky said Trumps endorsement of Michels completely shifts the race.

Lets not sugar coat this, the Trump endorsement is a devastating blow for Rebecca Kleefisch, Chergosky said. Its just another sign, though the biggest sign to date, of the weakness in her candidacy. Theres nothing good in this news for Rebecca Kleefisch  theres only downside here for her.

The winner of the gubernatorial primary will go on to face Evers on Nov. 8 in a high-stakes election for both parties.

If I know one thing about President Trump, its that he likes winners, and Im the only person in this race who has won statewide  not once, but four times, Kleefisch said in a statement, referencing her wins in the 2010 GOP primary, 2010 general election, a 2012 recall vote and the 2014 general election. Kleefisch, along with Walker, lost to Evers in 2018.

Our campaign will win this primary with our hardworking team of activists, volunteers and grassroots efforts, Kleefisch added. Then we will beat Tony Evers. And we will help Wisconsin families and workers win by securing our elections, making gas and groceries affordable again, restoring law and order, and putting parents back in charge of our schools.

The Ramthun campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

President Trump has been effective at identifying many of our nations problems  but the race to replace Tony Evers as governor isnt going to be won by endorsements; it will be decided by thousands of hard-working Wisconsinites on election day, Nicholson said in a statement.

False claims

On Thursday, Trump said Michels would end the well-documented Fraud in our Elections. Trump has continued to falsely claim he won the 2020 election, despite recounts, audits and court decisions affirming that President Joe Biden defeated Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes.

Trumps endorsement comes just a week after Michels reversed his stance on the Wisconsin Elections Commission, an agency that has come under fire from Republicans for how the 2020 election was administered. After previously saying he would replace the six members of the bipartisan commission, Michels last week joined his fellow GOP gubernatorial challengers in calling for a complete dismantling of the agency.

Trumps endorsement also comes after delegates attending the Republican Party of Wisconsins annual convention last month chose not to endorse a candidate in several statewide races, including for governor. The decision means the state party will not provide funding or resources to a preferred candidate until after a nominee is selected in the Aug. 9 primary.

While none of the gubernatorial candidates received enough votes to secure the partys endorsement, Kleefisch easily won the majority of votes, coming in just about six percentage points short of the 60% needed for an endorsement. Ramthun, Nicholson and Michels each received less than 6%.

Chergosky said falling short of securing the partys endorsement was the canary in the coal mine for what is now developing in the gubernatorial primary and Kleefischs inability to narrow the field of candidates despite securing big endorsements from Walker, Trumps former White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and groups such as Wisconsin Right to Life and the Milwaukee Police Association.

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the states largest business organization, endorsed Kleefisch in January. It previously backed Walker ahead of the 2010 primary.

But while some established Republicans in the state have backed Kleefischs campaign, including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, who said the former lieutenant governor was the partys best choice to defeat Evers this fall, others remain skeptical. Former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, who had mulled his own run for governor before eventually opting out, has not endorsed a candidate in the GOP primary.

Divided party

The GOP is now more divided than ever  Wisconsinites can expect the primary fight to only get worse, Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said in a statement.

Trumps divisive brand of politics paired with Michels extremist and out of touch views is a recipe for disaster. The irony is that Michels claimed hes tired of Republicans fighting in public  but sought the endorsement of Americas biggest bully anyway.

UW-Madison political scientist Barry Burden said Trumps endorsement is likely to change the race fundamentally.

Trump remains the most visible and popular figure in the Republican Party, and all of the GOP candidates for governor have been trying to brand themselves in his image, Burden said in an email. Whatever their opponents might say, getting the endorsement essentially proves to Republican primary voters that Trump deems the candidate to be most faithful to his approach to politics.

Former GOP strategist Brandon Scholz said Trumps endorsement certainly would introduce Michels to Trump supporters in various regions around the state, but said it will take work to overcome efforts taken by Kleefisch, who formally joined the race in September.

That gets balanced off against the amount of time Rebecca Kleefisch has invested in working at the grassroots and all up and down across the state and the positions she has developed on key issues facing Wisconsin, Scholz said. Itll be an interesting tradeoff.

Two-person race

The Republican primary for governor is really a two-person race. Rebecca Kleefisch has been working her tail off for quite some time, building a base, reaching out, and Tim Michels is a late entry but hes spending a million dollars a week, Scholz added.

Burden added that Trumps endorsement comes at a time when the majority of Wisconsin conservatives remain undecided in the upcoming primary.

An endorsement from Trump will make news and buzz within the party, he said. In addition, a candidate who has money to spend can leverage the endorsement instantly by touting it in advertising.

How that endorsement plays out in the general election, when the eventual nominee faces Evers, remains to be seen, Burden added.

Every candidate in the Republican primary will continue to support radical policies, like banning access to abortion, supporting Trumps attempts to overturn the 2020 election, and attacking public education, Evers campaign spokesperson Sam Roecker said. Gov. Evers is focused on doing the right thing for our state and bringing people together to solve real problems, not caving to partisan radicals like Tim Michels, Rebecca Kleefisch, and the other candidates for governor.

Trumps record in Wisconsin is mixed. During the 2016 Republican primary he lost to Sen. Ted Cruz. He went on to win the state in what proved to be a crucial part of his 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton, before losing to Biden in 2020.

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Inadequate staffing levels at Wisconsins embattled Lincoln Hills juvenile facility is having a profound negative impact on daily operations, according to a court-ordered monitor report released Friday.

The report, which stems from a 2018 settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Wisconsin, Juvenile Law Center and Quarles & Brady LLP following dangerous conditions inmates faced at Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls in Irma, states the staffing shortage has caused the facility to resort to operational room confinement  that is, confining youth in their rooms not based on behavior but for operational reasons.

The monitor report comes about two months after Gov. Tony Evers signed into law a bill to advance the long overdue replacement of the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls with a juvenile facility in Milwaukee County.

As we work toward the necessary goal of closing Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake once and for all, we need to reduce the stress on youth (and staff) in the facilities today, Kate Burdick, a senior attorney at the Juvenile Law Center, said in a statement. We should start by increasing access to community-based services and diversion programs to meet youths developing needs through positive support rather than traumatic and ineffective imprisonment.

At the same time, the report underscores that, despite the various challenges being faced at the facility, staff attitudes remain positive.

Our goal remains to have the youth in our care out of their rooms for school and other programming from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, when safely possible to do so, Department of Corrections Division of Juvenile Corrections Administrator Ron Hermes said in a statement Friday. Recently, we have not been able to meet that goal for every youth every day. The facilities leadership is continuously reviewing options to safely maximize the amount of time youth are out of their rooms.

The Irma facility in the last decade has faced reports of child neglect and injury, violent outbursts from inmates, use of pepper spray to cause bodily harm and intimidation of witnesses.

Staffing challenges

While previous reports had shown progress on conditions at the facility, Fridays report notes that this is the first time the Monitor reports that there are inadequate staffing levels on the living units, which presents very significant problems for youth and staff.

The current staffing situation is having a profound negative impact on daily operations, the report adds.

According to the April report, eight out of 12 social worker positions and 11 out of 23 teacher positions remained vacant at the two facilities as of March 31. Despite added incentives, the facilities have struggled to fill positions due to low compensation, the location of the facilities and the uncertainty as to when both will close, according to the report.

Everyone is looking for workers, so we had to offer a more competitive salary. We thank Gov. Evers and the Legislature for working with us on that, Department of Corrections Secretary Kevin Carr said in a statement. We also hope moving the schools to Milwaukee County, as called for in the legislation Gov. Evers signed earlier this year, will lead to a larger pool of applicants to fill critical roles.

Juvenile numbers

The report notes that while the efforts have been underway to increase staff presence by having supervisory, mental health or other staff regularly come into Lincoln Hills living units, a rising juvenile population has created additional challenges.

There were 65 juveniles at Lincoln Hills and 13 at Copper Lake as of May 20, according to the state Department of Corrections. To compare, there were just 36 boys at Lincoln Hills and 12 girls at Copper Lake on Jan. 7.

This situation is bad for youth, but it is also bad for taxpayers, Karyn Rotker, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Wisconsin, said in a statement.

Counties have to spend more than $400,000 annually per youth to house them at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake. We need to be investing our resources by expanding the capacity of intensive programs like the Milwaukee County Accountability Program (MCAP) and other diversion programs to serve youth in their communities  in a much more cost-effective manner.

Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake became the states primary prisons for juvenile offenders after former Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican Legislature in 2011 closed two other facilities in southeastern Wisconsin as a cost-saving measure. Several incidents of abuse have resulted in the state paying out millions of dollars in settlements.

Walker signed a measure authorizing the state to close Lincoln Hills by January 2021 and replace it with smaller, more regional facilities. Evers has pledged to close the facility and included in his two budget proposals plans to create replacement sites for Lincoln Hills, but each was rejected by legislative Republicans.

Evers signed into law a bill in 2019 extending the closure date to July 2021, a deadline he later said was unrealistic.

Replacement facility

The bill signed by Evers in April authorized nearly $42 million in borrowing to build a juvenile correctional facility to replace the Lincoln Hills facility. One potential placement is the Felmers O. Chaney Correctional Center, an adult facility offering qualified prisoners work release programs with local employers.

Several more steps in the process remain, including some that will require significant preparation and/or approvals from other state and local agencies, the report states. While the signing of the legislation represents a step forward, the completion of a new ... facility and the subsequent closure of (Copper Lake and Lincoln Hills) will still take considerable time.

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The Dane County Board will hire a retired judge to investigate allegations against Vilas Zoo management of racism, animal neglect and retaliating against employees who speak out amid a growing reckoning on how the county should handle workplace environment complaints.

Board supervisors voted 25-7 Thursday night to spend $50,000 on the independent probe with the hope that it will restore public trust in the zoo. In April, the Wisconsin State Journal reported that the zoo's only Black zookeepers quit in recent months over discrimination and zoo management decisions that lead to the death and injury of animals.

Sup. Tim Kiefer, 25th District, who authored the resolution commissioning the investigation, said he's backing the probe so he isn't taking young family members to a zoo that has problems caring for animals and employees.

"It's about the kids and the families who go to the zoo," Kiefer said. "It's about the animals that are in the zoo, and making sure that everyone, all species that are at the zoo, are treated fairly."

"I don't have any predetermined idea of where I think this investigation should lead or what the conclusion should be," Kiefer added. "I just want someone who's impartial and independent who's going to look at it and come back with a report."

Under the resolution, the judge will have the ability to investigate allegations of racism, retaliation against union activity, unequal discipline of employees, neglect of animal welfare and whether staff have left the zoo over its workplace environment. Supervisors have yet to choose the judge who will lead the probe. Kiefer said selection of the judge would be an informal process overseen by Board Chair Patrick Miles.

In April, the county's Office of Equity and Inclusion conducted an internal review of the workplace environment at the zoo. Investigators confirmed that the zoo had a toxic workplace environment that included racism and lack of transparency of how animal welfare concerns get addressed. But investigators placed the blame of creating an "Us versus Them" climate on unnamed zoo staff and the county's workers union.

Following revelations about the zoo, management there has started to work with the Office of Equity and Inclusion to implement a diversity and equity plan that will be continuously monitored and assessed after a year.

Other workplaces

But issues at the zoo are only one workplace environment concern that has surfaced publicly in recent weeks, prompting many supervisors to suggest that the county has systemic issues with how it treats its workforce.

Earlier this month, Wisconsin Watch reported that more than a dozen current and former employees at the Dane County Medical Examiner's Office faced bullying, transphobia and insults at the hands of office management.

Supervisors grappled with the question of whether a zoo-specific investigation would truly remedy what they said appears to be a county-wide problem.

Sup. Analiese Eicher, 3rd District, urged peers to send the resolution back to committee so supervisors "get exactly what we need." Her motion to refer the resolution back to committee failed on a 13-20 vote.

"I think we all want a good report and a report that gives us direction as to how to fix these things, how to make better policy," Eicher said.

But other supervisors argued that an investigation of the zoo be a start in addressing workplace environment problems.

"I think starting with the zoo could be a good first step to see and help shed some light and direction," said Sup. Elizabeth Doyle, 1st District.

Parisi's stance

Earlier this week, County Executive Joe Parisi came out in favor of commissioning on outside organization to conduct an assessment of the racial climate throughout the entire Dane County workforce. Parisi has publicly opposed the board's plan to hire an outside judge, likening it to the GOP-ordered probe of the 2020 election led by former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman.

County attorneys have disputed the board's authority to investigate the zoo, saying that a judge will not be able to investigate allegations against specific employees.

Specific allegations detailed in the State Journals report included the zoos deputy director, Joseph Darcangelo, calling an Asian restaurant ching-chong food and director Ronda Schwetz ordering a pre-disciplinary meeting for a union representative and zookeeper who asked other employees about the racist incident and reported it to Schwetz.

Since the county executive handles management of county staff and functions, the boards investigation cannot probe specific allegations made against employees, Carlos Pabellon, a county attorney, has said.

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Madison-based WEA Trust, a health insurance company wounded by the passage of the 2011 Republican anti-union law Act 10, will stop offering health insurance at the end of 2022.

The company will lay off 110 employees, it said in a statement, and offer each employee a severance package and at least 60 days notice. It will continue offering long-term care, life and vision coverage for its members.

WEA Trust clients will have until the end of 2022 to find a new insurer. Nearby employers insured by WEA Trust include Reedsburg school district.

The challenges related to healthcare consolidation, the costs associated with the global pandemic, and the drop in the stock market have made it difficult for local, not-for-profit organizations like ours who seek to provide families with high value personal care, company president and CEO Vaughn Vance said in a statement.

It became clear that we had to make the difficult decision to pivot as an organization before we sacrificed what has made WEA Trust unique for many years, Vance continued.

WEA Trust was created by the Wisconsin Education Association Council in 1970 to serve Wisconsin school district employees.

The company insured the vast majority of school districts before former Gov. Scott Walkers Act 10 in 2011 blocked unions from negotiating over benefits, which led school districts to shop for cheaper alternatives, resulting in a stark revenue loss for the company. Conservatives heralded the change, saying it saved school districts tens of millions of dollars around the state.

For years taxpayers across the state were getting a raw deal, Walker said in a 2012 press release. Collective bargaining stymied competition for benefits in the health insurance market, and instead directed property tax revenue to those affiliated with big government union bosses, adding taxpayers were saving millions with the changes he enacted.

WEA Trust has since expanded to cover state, county and municipal workers.

WEA Trust spokesperson Steve Lyons said Act 10 had nothing to do with the companys decision to pull out of the health insurance market in Wisconsin.

Its a difficult decision by WEA Trust, but its also a difficult day for the state of Wisconsin, Lyons said in an interview, adding the companys workers live and work in the state.

When you call WEA Trust, not only do they know how to say Oconomowoc, they know where it is on a map, he said.

This story was corrected to reflect that Columbus School District did not use WEA Trust for health insurance.

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BURLINGTON  Federal investigators are sending a balloon specialist to explore an incident Wednesday night that injured three people after a hot-air balloon collided with a moving train.

The Burlington Police Department initially said three adult occupants of the hot-air balloon all suffered life-threatening injuries and were taken to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa.

By Thursday, all three were released from the hospital, according to a release from the Burlington Police Department. The three were identified as pilot Jimmy Winder, 62, of Bristol, Wisconsin, and passengers Nikolay Veltchev, 37, of Barrington, Illinois, and Elena Petrova, 36, of Arlington Heights, Illinois.

According to police, witnesses on the scene reported that the airborne balloon appeared "in distress" over Burlington and, during its descent, collided with a northbound Canadian National Railroad train.

Canadian National spokesman Jonathan Abecassis declined to comment on how fast the train was traveling or other details of the incident. Abecassis referred questions to local authorities.

The balloon operator, Lake Geneva Balloon Co., said Thursday a balloon pilot and two passengers were injured, and that two of them  it was not clear which ones  had been released by the hospital.

John Trione, chief pilot and manager of the balloon company, said the crash occurred as the pilot was attempting to land on a road in a park while a freight train was moving through the area.

"The balloon and its occupants were pulled into contact with the train," Trione said.

Weather conditions at the time were unremarkable, with clear skies and mild winds.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are helping state and local police investigate the incident.

NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss said the federal agency should have a preliminary report within two weeks, and that it could take a year or longer to produce a full report on the incident.

Weiss said the NTSB gets involved whenever there is an accident involving an aircraft, including hot-air balloons.

A balloon specialist from Denver, Colorado, is being sent to help with the investigation in Burlington, Weiss said. Asked whether the government has ever before seen a collision between a hot-air balloon and a moving train, Weiss said: "We get a lot of unusual cases  let's just leave it at that. We see a lot of things."

Burlington police said they were called at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday to the scene of the incident in the 400 block of Calumet Street, near Downtown Burlington. Providing assistance with the injured people were the Burlington Fire Department and other fire departments from Waterford, Rochester and Kansasville.

Two patients were flown to Froedtert by helicopter ambulance, and one was transported by a ground ambulance.

Ryan Lamp, who works at the nearby Caseys General Store, 100 S. Dodge St., told a reporter that many customers told him a hot-air balloon flying over an industrial building appeared to hit a chimney and then crash and collide with a moving train.

The police department asked that anyone with information about the incident contact the Burlington Police Department at 262-342-1104 or via email at rjones@burlington-wi.gov.

The department said Canadian National Railroad, the Racine County Sheriffs Office and Racine County Communications also assisted at the crash site. Canadian National and the Wisconsin State Patrol are helping with the investigation.

On Facebook, some people posted photographs that they said showed the balloon in flight shortly before the crash. In some photos, it appeared that more than one balloon was present.

Lake Geneva Balloon Co., based in Lake Geneva, provides sightseeing balloon rides for tourists and other visitors. On clear days, the company's balloons are often seen floating high in the sky over the Lake Geneva area.

According to the company's website, Trione received a commercial pilots certificate for hot-air balloons in 2000, and he created Lake Geneva Balloon Co. two years later.

In the company's statement Thursday, Trione said the company has a 20-year record of safety, but that all flights are being suspended for a week because of the crash.

"Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our guests," he said. "Our entire company is devastated."

Of the three injured people, Trione said, "Their recovery is our most important consideration, and our hearts and prayers are with them."
The most important recent long-term election result may have been Brad Raffenspergers resounding victory in Georgias Republican primary for secretary of state.

In essence, the result was a vote by Georgians for nonpartisan supervision of elections, an issue that gained saliency from the way state officials such as Raffensperger resisted former President Donald Trumps efforts to overturn the popular 2020 vote in several key states.

The recent Georgia result marked the third straight defeat for one of the facts-denying Trump allies who have formed a fundraising combine to bolster their efforts to take control of the election machinery in more than a dozen states, including the likeliest 2024 battlegrounds.

The website of the America First Secretary of State Coalition lists more than a dozen conservative hopefuls, most of whom share Trumps claims there was widespread fraud in the 2020 election.

These battles could have a significant impact on whether the 2024 election is conducted and counted fairly, since the secretary of state, in most states, supervises elections. Most are elected, though some are appointed by governors, as in Texas.

The biggest battles will come this November in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania. In the sixth key state, Wisconsin, a bipartisan state election commission supervises elections.

Raffensperger, who resisted pressures including an hour-long phone call from Trump to reverse Georgias legitimate 2020 result, routed U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, one of the Republican lawmakers voting to overturn Bidens Arizona and Pennsylvania victories.

Earlier, Trump allies lost secretary of state primaries in reliably Republican Idaho and Nebraska.

According to its website, the coalitions goals are to raise funds and seek common objectives, including universal voter ID requirements, all paper ballots, elimination of mail-in ballots, single day voting and aggressive voter roll clean-up.

Here are the key upcoming state contests:

ARIZONA: The incumbent secretary of state, Democrat Katie Hobbs, is running for governor to succeed term-limited Republican Doug Ducey. Two Democrats and four Republicans are running in the Aug. 2 primary.

Trump has endorsed state Rep. Mark Finchem, a conservative state lawmaker who was active in 2020 efforts seeking to overturn Bidens 10,000-vote Arizona victory. He has been a member of the militia group Oath Keepers, a supporter of QAnon conspiracy theories and participated in the Jan. 6 Washington demonstrations that led to the invasion of the Capitol while lawmakers were counting the 2020 electoral votes.

Trump is also backing GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, a former television newscaster who called for imprisoning Hobbs on unspecified charges stemming from her supervision of the 2020 election.

MICHIGAN: The incumbent Democratic secretary of state, Jocelyn Benson, a former dean of the Wayne State University Law School, is seeking reelection.

Trump is backing Kristina Karamo, a community college professor who gained a following in 2020 after contending she saw widespread fraud at a Detroit-area tabulation center and repeated the unproven claims in a series of television appearances. The Detroit Free Press subsequently reported she appeared to have taken standard tabulation procedures for something improper.

State Republicans endorsed Karamo and the Trump-backed candidate for state attorney general, Mathew DePerno, though their official nominations will take place at a convention in August.

NEVADA: The incumbent Republican, Barbara Cegavske, was censured by state Republicans after supporting Bidens 33,000-vote victory and rejecting fraud allegations. Term-limited, she cant run.

Trump hasnt yet made an endorsement, but several allies, including former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Nevada Senate candidate Adam Laxalt, have endorsed Jim Marchant. A former state assemblyman who lost a 2020 House race, he was among the first Nevada Republicans calling to overturn Bidens victory and is an organizer of the America First Secretary of State Coalition.

One opponent in the June 14 GOP primary is Sparks City Councilman Kristopher Dahir, who defended Cegavske and said there was no widespread voter fraud.

The only declared Democratic candidate is attorney Cisco Aguilar, who was a staffer to the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

PENNSYLVANIA: In Pennsylvania, the governor appoints the secretary of state, who supervises elections in the state.

Doug Mastriano, a 2020 supporter of Trumps allegations who joined the Jan. 6 demonstration, easily won the GOP nomination in the May 17 primary. Trump endorsed him late in the campaign.

He promised to require all 8.7 million registered Pennsylvanians to re-register and said he would use his power to decertify or certify any machines or anything else involved with elections.

His Democratic opponent, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, proposed making voting easier by automatically processing registration when a resident applies for a drivers license or other state document. He also favors Election Day registration.

WISCONSIN: Though it has an elected secretary of state, a bipartisan state election commission, named by the governor and legislative leaders, runs elections. It has been roiled by substantial political in-fighting over the past year, stemming from GOP efforts to force a recount of the 2020 election, which Biden won by 20,000 votes.

Secretary of State Doug La Follette, in office since 1974, is seeking reelection, but both parties have contested Aug. 9 primaries.

Besides Georgia, Idaho, Nebraska, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania, the America First coalitions web site lists secretary of state candidates in Alabama, California, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico and South Carolina.

But the key races will be in the six states that determined the 2020 election and could do so again in 2024.

Leubsdorf is the former Washington bureau chief of the Dallas Morning News: carl.p.leubsdorf@gmail.com.
Maya Jean Jadhavs face registered the confidence she felt as she heard the word she needed to spell.

The Fitchburg teen asked the judge to give her all the information about the word: origin, pronunciation, its use in a sentence. But it was clear that she already knew how she would spell the word that describes an abnormal worker ant with minute wings.

P-t-e-r-e-r-g-a-t-e. Pterergate. And with that, she turned and triumphantly returned to her seat, having survived another round at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

On Tuesday, Maya and 233 other bright young spellers took to the stage outside Washington, D.C. After two days and seven grueling rounds, 13 spellers made it to the finals. And in dramatic fashion, 14-year-old Harini Logan was crowned champion after a first ever spell-off.

You might already know that in 1985, the Wisconsin State Journal sent me to the national spelling bee. It was good fortune that Id return to Wisconsin 37 years later as the papers editor, but not entirely coincidental. The bee experience sparked a passion for words that eventually led to my journalism career.

I watch every round of the national bee each year, and I still feel that nervous twinge as spellers, one by one, approach the microphone. I celebrate the visible relief on the faces of spellers who recognize their word, and empathize with the kids seeking any clue as they ask again and again for the definition or origin of a word they dont know.

The Wisconsin State Journal has a proud history of sponsoring young hopefuls in the bee, dating back to 1949. The papers values align with the national spelling bees mission for these youth: to improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives.

These skills are vital in any career. They improve a young persons verbal and written communication and hone critical thinking skills.

But the benefits of the spelling bee experience reach far beyond language.

Organizers emphasize camaraderie and socializing through events, autograph books and a space to write notes of encouragement to current and future spellers.

These kids root for one another even as they compete. They bond over the shared experience with young people from around the country, and form long-term friendships. They have fun.

Maya has kept in touch with a couple girls she met at the bee when they were in the fourth grade, her father, Nitin, said. Maya said she was thrilled to visit her friends in person again, because this was the first time the national bee was held live since 2019.

The competition was Mayas fourth and final national spelling bee. The 13-year-old counted off the benefits of the experience: proven study habits, resilience and a greatly increased vocabulary, to name a few.

Add to that confidence and discipline. It takes guts for these young spellers to stand on stage in front of hundreds of people  and a television audience  to wait for words they may or may not be able to spell. They study hard, but it all comes down to the words theyre handed.

For Maya, this years bee ended with a stroke of bad luck. Her final word was branzino (sounds like bruhn-ZEE-noh), and with no etymology it was difficult to identify the a.

She was disappointed, of course. But Maya, who tied for 32nd place, said shes grateful for the experience and proud of what shes accomplished.

The national bee has faced some criticism over the years that isnt exclusive to this competition. Some worry that children from low-income families dont have a fair advantage because they cant benefit from paid tutors or expensive learning tools. The pandemic shifted priorities, and sponsors for the bee dropped from 245 to 198.

But I think each speller will take lessons and experiences from the bee.

For me, a farm girl from rural Wisconsin, it gave me my first chance to travel  a passion of mine to this day  and meet new friends. Like Maya, I learned study habits that helped me all the way through college, and kindled my love of words.

And I cherished the support from the community. I looked back this week through some of the letters and cards I received. Herbert Grover, then state superintendent of public instruction, scribbled on the bottom of a typed letter, You have a great future. A woman I dont know sent a card that read, Just do your best and Im sure everyone will be proud of you. Imagine what would happen if all young people heard these messages.

Maya will attend Stanford Online High School in the fall, a virtual academy associated with Stanford University in California. She wants to be a doctor.

On Wednesday, when that dreaded bell dinged as Maya spelled her last word, head spelling bee judge Mary Brooks told her she was proud of her, but I think were going to be more proud of your plans going forward.

Were excited to see that too, Maya.

Lecker is executive editor of the Wisconsin State Journal: klecker@madison.com and @kellylecker.

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This year's hurricane season will be above normal, according to forecasts from Colorado State Universitys Phil Klotzbach, the respected student of Bill Gray, who started long-range hurricane forecasts decades ago.

This should be headline news, right? Actually, within some pretty broad limits, these types of seasonal forecasts are of only marginal utility. If I lived in a hurricane-prone region (I do), this wouldnt prompt me to do anything different than any prudent resident normally does in preparation for any season. Nor would I change my routine because of the latest forecast from IBMs Weather.Com, which says pretty much the same thing, and the yet-unreleased version from the Department of Commerce.

These kinds of forecasts also might prompt the usual fearmongers to caterwaul about global warming jacking up hurricanes. But tropical meteorologist Ryan Maue has made a career by pointing out there is simply no relationship between the frequency and power of these storms and global warming. His Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index covers every storm detected since satellite coverage became global more than 50 years ago, and its correlation with mean surface temperature hovers near zero.

With regard to an individual storm hitting your house, these forecasts offer little information. An average of seven hurricanes appear each year in the North Atlantic, and most of these dont hit the United States. The two current forecasts are for eight and nine hurricanes. Yes, everything else being equal (very dangerous words in science), this would mean the probability of being hit is up  but by an amount so small as to be statistically insignificant (and therefore operationally meaningless).

Theres another problem. Thanks to ever-improving satellite algorithms, we see increasing numbers of storms that would normally have been undetected, owing to small size, short lifetimes and distance from shipping lanes. These storms, called shorties by Chris Landsea, the head research scientist for the National Hurricane Center, show no detectable effect on Maues ACE index over time.

QUOTE Only six tropical storms and hurricanes occurred in 1915, near the historical low end. But two of them were whoppers.

If you live in a region prone to disruptive weather such as hurricanes, tornadoes or river floods, you should have a reliable generator wired into your house circuits by a professional electrician. Also, keep plenty of fuel around, either in the form of propane or no-ethanol gas, which lasts much longer. (Stores nationwide can be found online.) And you probably should run it for a few minutes every month or so, use a synthetic lubricant, and have one of those handy Halo chargers that revive dead batteries instantaneously.

Thats it. Thats my response to any gloom and doom seasonal hurricane forecast.

Also worth noting is that a forecast of low hurricane activity is also pretty useless from an individual view. Only six tropical storms and hurricanes occurred in 1915, near the historical low end. But two of them were whoppers, getting named as the 1915 Galveston and New Orleans hurricanes. The year before had only one storm, the least on record.

Nor will any of these forecasts have much federal influence. State and federal emergency planning agencies are fully aware that one monster in a weenie season causes a lot more problems than most weak storms in an active season.

Then theres simply bad hurricane luck. Though its rank is still debatable because of the lack of satellite coverage, 1933 was an impressive year, especially if you lived in northeastern Mexico along the Texas border. That region was hit by six storms at pretty much the same spot.

The bottom line is to be prepared. Whatever is forecast for the entire Atlantic Basin has very little to do with your location and good (or bad) hurricane luck. Test the generator, make sure it is hooked up right and rest easy.

Michaels is a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the CO2 Coalition who has published articles about hurricanes in peer-reviewed scientific literature: cei.org. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.
The Idaho State Board of Canvassers voted unanimously Wednesday afternoon to certify results of the states May 17 primary elections, making the results official for the first time.

The canvass can be thought of as a reconciliation of all the votes in all the races, and it is different from a recount. The findings of the canvass did not show the outcome from any of the races would be affected or changed, Secretary of State Lawerence Denney said.

At the end of the day, all of those numbers add up, Denney said.

Although Idahoans saw election results and the news media widely reported on initial, unofficial election results released by the state and counties after polls closed, the election results did not actually become official until they were certified Wednesday at the Idaho State Capitol.

Thats not a new or different process for this years election.

There is a process, but in our fast-moving society, we are just used to that instant gratification, so its done and its over, Chief Deputy Secretary of State Chad Houck told the Idaho Capital Sun.

Its one more step in a very well thought through, longstanding and consistently applied election process that Idaho has altered very little since the 1970s, Houck added. Its established, its trusted, and you can rely on it.

State law outlines the process, which gives county commissioners seven days after a primary election to canvass results. The law then calls for the State Board of Canvassers to certify the election results within 15 days of the primary election.

The State Board of Canvassers includes Denney, State Controller Brandon Woolf and State Treasurer Julie Ellsworth. Before certifying election results Wednesday, the three officials reviewed election data from the canvasses of all 44 counties and received a briefing by the staff from the Idaho Secretary of States Office. The data included election results down to the county and precinct level. It also included voter turnout data by county and absentee and early voting totals by county.

We literally go through, down to the single vote, and reconcile out any discrepancies, Houck said.

The State Board of Canvassers voted unanimously to certify the election results after staff from the Idaho Secretary of States office told them there were no problems with the results. During the briefing, Deputy Secretary of State Jason Hancock told the State Board of Canvassers the staff pulled all of the data from the counties canvasses and cross-checked the data with live election night results reported to the state May 17. Hancock said the process uncovered a small number of variances, the largest of which were three or four variances in races that Hancock said were not close. Hancock said the staff then went through to determine if the error was made in the canvass or in reporting the live election results May 17. Hancock said reasons for the variances included typographical errors or data entry errors, such as transposing two different numbers.

We got it all resolved and ironed out, Hancock told the Sun. This is why we do the canvass. It forces us to look at these things, and we didnt find anything in any close races (that would change the outcome).

That is the reason why there are seven days between the election night and the canvass itself and another seven days before the state certifies, Houck added. It is like any good accounting process where you go back and double check and have another set of eyes look at it and go back through.

With Idaho election results certified, candidates may now request a recount

Now that election results are officially certified, candidates have 20 days to formally request a recount with the Idaho Attorney Generals Office.

Rep. Scott Syme, R-Caldwell, told the Idaho Capital Sun he will seek a recount after losing the closest primary election in the state by six votes to fellow incumbent Rep. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale. In that race, Boyle defeated Syme by a margin of 4,636 votes to 4,630 votes.

Under Idaho law, the state will pay for Symes recount because the difference between the two vote totals was less than 0.1%. Any other legislative candidate may also request a recount with the Idaho Attorney Generals Office within 20 days, though they would have to pay $100 per precinct for the recount since no other legislative or statewide races were within a 0.1% margin.

Even though this can be confusing, the canvass and certification and recounts are different. The certification involved comparing and reconciling the data reported on the night of the election with the data from the county canvasses and reconciling any differences between the two.

Weve done all the math, and there is not a math error in there, Houck said. It doesnt address whether there is a counting error.

Houck has previously told the Sun he heard that a recount will also be requested in Madison County, where former Rep. Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg, defeated incumbent Rep. Ron Nate, also R-Rexburg, by 36 votes. However, Nate would have to pay for the recount if he wants one because the difference was not within 0.1%. Nate could not be reached for comment.

Once a request for a recount is filed, Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden will issue an order for a recount to take place within 10 days, and order the relevant county sheriff to sequester the ballots.

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Idahos Republican Party is split by geography as much as ideology.

A hard-right movement with a white nationalist fringe dominates the north.

A moderate, establishment version of the GOP controls the south.

You got an inkling of this in the 2014 GOP gubernatorial primary when incumbent Gov. C.L. Butch Otter forfeited his own political base in the 1st Congressional District to then-state Sen. Russ Fulcher.

Otter cinched renomination statewide and ultimately a third term by winning the 2nd Congressional District.

Fast forward to May 17. Thanks to a data visualization prepared by Ada County Clerk Phil McGranes office, its become clear that Otters anomaly has become Idahos new norm:

Governor  Incumbent Brad Little won 52.8% statewide. But in the 1st Congressional District, 53.6% preferred someone else. Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin picked up 39.5% and Ada County GOP activist Ed Humphreys got 10.5%.

McGeachin, who addressed the America First Political Action Conference in Florida and toadied up to militia groups, resonated best in the Panhandle, where she carried Benewah, Bonner, Boundary and Kootenai counties.

Lieutenant governor  House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, won with 51.6%. But exposing a rape victim to public ridicule  and then lying to the House Ethics Committee about it  did not stop the morally bankrupt Rep. Priscilla Giddings from winning a 50.05% majority in the 1st District.

Secretary of State  McGrane won narrowly with 43% over state Rep. Dorothy Moon, R-Stanley, who got 41.4%, and Sen. Mary Souza, R-Coeur dAlene, who won 15.5%.

Had the 1st District prevailed, Moon  who espoused the big lie that former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election and engaged in fantasies about Canadians crossing the border to vote in Idaho elections  would be on her way to becoming the states chief elections officer. She carried the district with 45.9%.

Attorney general  Former Congressman Raul Labrador clobbered incumbent Lawrence Wasden, 51.6% to 37.9%  with Coeur dAlene Attorney Art Macomber coming in third at 10.6%.

But that was the choice of the 1st District. Had the 2nd District prevailed, Wasden would have been narrowly reelected with 45.6% to 44.9% for Labrador.

Superintendent of public instruction  The 1st District preferred former state Sen. Brandon Durst  a man who would undermine Idahos already underfunded public schools with a voucher system and whose own family background is pockmarked with charges of domestic violence and child abuse  and it wasnt even close. He got 43.2% to 32.9% for Debbie Critchfield and 23.9% for incumbent Sherri Ybarra.

Thanks to her support in the south, Critchfield won statewide with 39.6%.

It goes beyond that.

The north nominated at least 11 allies of Idaho Freedom Foundation President Wayne Hoffman to the state Senate.

In the south, some of Hoffmans staunchest supporters  Reps. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, Karey Hanks, R-St. Anthony, and Chad Christensen, R-Iona  were dispatched by more reasonable opponents.

What accounts for the difference?

An influx of like-minded conservatives  including those infatuated with the Redoubt movement  has taken hold in the north. The south retains a mix of Democratic enclaves in Boise, Blaine County and Pocatello, a Magic Valley version of Republicanism that hews toward a sober, establishment brand of politics and a dominant Mormon culture in the east remains moderate, especially on issues of public education support.

But you cant count on it lasting.

For instance, given all the work groups such as Take Back Idaho put into ousting the IFF acolytes in the east, the results were uncomfortably close. Nate, for instance, lost his seat to former Rep. Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg, by only 36 votes.

In other words, the election has not provided Idahos reasonable middle with a political firewall against radicalism.

The south may catch up with the north.

This was more of a respite. Consider it a warning

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)  One of the bidders in an oil and gas lease sale for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge last year has canceled the lease it bought, the U.S. Interior Department said.

Regenerate Alaska, a subsidiary of Australia-based 88 Energy Ltd., was one of three entities that won leases during the sale held in the waning days of the Trump administration. It was the only oil company to win a lease in the first-of-its-kind sale for the refuge's coastal plain, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

Regenerate Alaska requested the cancellation and its money back, according to a statement provided by the Interior Department's media office that said the lease was canceled and that the Office of Natural Resources Revenue refunded (the) full bonus bid and first year rentals. The statement did not include the amount of the refund.

The company bid about $800,000 for the lease along the western boundary of the coastal plain. That part of the refuge is closest to existing oil field infrastructure. ExxonMobils Point Thomson development is to the west on state land.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management last summer said it was moving ahead with a new environmental review of oil and gas leasing in the refuge after Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said she found multiple legal deficiencies in a previous review that provided a basis for the lease sale.

A law passed by Congress in 2017 called for two lease sales. Another sale has not been held.

Chevron and Hilcorp previously canceled interests in older leases on a tract of land owned by an Alaska Native corporation within the refuges borders. The energy companies paid $10 million to end their deal with Arctic Slope Regional Corp.

The newspaper said 88 Energy did not respond to its requests for comment. The company did not respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press left through the company's website.

Peter Winsor, executive director of the Alaska Wilderness League, in a statement to the AP called the lease cancellations the clearest sign yet that there is zero interest out there in industrializing the wildest place left in America.

In last year's sale, Knik Arm Services, a real estate company, won a lease, and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority state corporation acquired seven leases. The state corporation is suing the federal government over the lease suspension.

Mark Graber, who owns Knik Arm Services, said he's paying attention to the lawsuit.

Theres no plan to do anything until the lawsuit is resolved and we can move forward, he said.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Anchorage Daily News.

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New Jersey environmental protection officials said Thursday they hope to have a law that guards communities from overbearing pollution in full effect by the end of this year.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed the law in September 2020 in Newark, but rulemaking, public comment and other procedures have yet to be completed.

Officials with the state Department of Environmental Protection said they hope to approve rules spelling out the details of the law by Dec. 31, which would mark the point where the law was fully implemented.

In the meantime, DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette has issued an administrative order requiring current and future projects to comply with its spirit and goals.

He said the order has the practical effect of placing us where the rule ultimately would.

Murphy signed the law in order to prevent communities  often low-income, minority neighborhoods  from having to bear the brunt of too many sources of pollution.

This is a big deal, LaTourette said during a briefing for reporters on where the law currently stands. We have wrestled with those hard questions. We believe we have landed at the right place.

Because it is not yet in full effect, the law does not directly affect one of the most hotly contested environmental justice cases in the state, the proposed addition of a backup gas-fired power plant at a sewage treatment facility in Newark's Ironbound section.

That neighborhood already suffers from multiple sources of pollution from nearby power plants, an international airport, numerous highways and heavy truck traffic through residential neighborhoods.

LaTourette said he would not prejudge the application, which is already being considered by his agency.

But he and other DEP officials said there are steps that the power plant and other applicants could take to lessen pollution in the area, including in places off their own property.

In January, the governor directed the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission to pause a plan to build the largest part of a $180 million backup power plant, designed to kick in when the main facility is knocked offline.

The commission has proposed measures including the adoption of state of the art pollution controls that go beyond the states own requirements.

The commission says it will only run the backup power plant during emergencies and for basic maintenance only; in a year in which no emergencies occur, the backup plant would operate for a maximum of 12 days a year.

The commission also has dropped a plan to use the backup power plant on days of high electric demand, which it says will eliminate 700 hours of operation. It also says it plans to install all of the technically feasible solar power it can.

It also plans to convert from natural gas to cleaner fuels as soon as that becomes feasible, including the use of battery power.

The backup power plant is designed to avoid a repeat of what happened during Superstorm Sandy in 2012, when nearly a billion gallons of raw sewage flowed into nearby waterways when the plant went offline due to a lack of electricity.

The commission says that without the backup plant, the streets of the Ironbound section could be awash in raw sewage during a serious storm that knocks out power to the sewage treatment facility.

LaTourette predicted numerous legal challenges to the law once it takes full effect.

"Lawyers will build entire careers on splitting its hairs," he said.

Follow Wayne Parry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Growing up in Idaho in the 1950s, it was an article of faith that every youngster was going to get the gun responsibility lecture before being turned loose with a firearmalways assume the piece is loaded, never point a gun at anyone, be aware and respectful of everyone around you and so on. It was stressed that safety and responsibility were inherent parts of the use or ownership of a firearm.

Idahoans relied on customs that were fashioned by our forebearers in Territorial Idaho. Those wise heads knew there was a segment of the population that would ignore gun safety, requiring that rules be put in place to protect the public.

Idahos Territorial Legislature enacted a statute in February 1889, making it unlawful for any person, other than on-duty law officers and express company employees, to carry, exhibit or flourish any dirk, dirk-knife, sword, sword-cane, pistol, gun or other deadly weapons, within the limits or confines of any city, town or village or in any public assembly of Idaho Territory. Many of the territorial legislators who wrote that law also worked on Idahos Constitution the very next year, making it clear that our Constitution allows for strong gun safety restrictions.

Imagine the shock of those presently fleeing to Idaho from progressive states to learn that Idahoans have not always gone to bed at night with an arsenal of deadly weapons at their fingertips. Or, that it was not acceptable back in the early days of the Gem State to pack war weapons anywhere you wishedthe dry goods store, the State Capitol, the county fair, all sorts of public gatherings.

As late as the 1960s, responsible public officials figured there were proper places for firearmsthe great outdoors, hunting, riding herd and the likebut that brandishing them in populated places outside of the home infringed upon the rights and safety of others.

My old boss and mentor, former Idaho Senator Len Jordan, was one of them. He was a rugged individualist, having operated a ranch down in Hells Canyon during the Great Depression. He didnt need to pack a gun in Washington, D.C., to establish his manhood. When a mugger confronted him with a blackjack in 1969, he punched out the guys lights.

Senator Jordan told me he voted for the Gun Control Act of 1968 because, although we didnt need it in Idaho, there were many urban areas that needed it. He could not be cowed by the gun lobby, even as it exists today. Our present Congressional delegation in Washington is shamefully afraid to get crosswise with the National Rifle Association, even as its agenda gets ever more extreme. Back in Jordans days, the NRA was more into teaching gun safety and responsibility. Nowadays, it is basically a mouthpiece for the gun industry, responsible for creating fear among gun owners to increase profits, regardless of the consequent death toll.

Idahos Legislature is fully in thrall with the NRA and its companion organizations. Every year it feels obligated to pass at least one law to make it easier to pack heat in more instances with fewer limitations. Two such bills passed in the recent session. As Idaho Attorney General in 1990, I challenged the constitutionality of a concealed weapons law, but did not succeed in the Idaho Supreme Court. A court challenge against some of todays extreme gun laws may have a better chance of success.

We hear so much about gun rights at this time in our history. It is not like the earlier days of our State when wiser heads understood that with every right there are corresponding responsibilities. The foremost responsibility of todays gun owners is to safeguard the rights and safety of those who live among them. It will save lives.

Jim Jones is a Vietnam combat veteran who served eight years as Idaho attorney general (1983-1991) and 12 years as justice of the Idaho Supreme Court (2005-2017). He is currently a regular contributor to The Hill online news. He blogs at JJCommonTater.

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There is talk of the need for a new bridge crossing the Snake, connecting North and South, with the idea of helping to alleviate the congestion on Twin Falls roads.

I grew up in filer, and since the late '90s, I proposed a bridge to family and friends that would connect Filer and Jerome, think this would help grow the Wildcat territory. I envisioned using the old "Broken Bridge" location with improvements to existing roadways, but not rim to rim.

There are now multiple locations and options proposed for a new bridge. The most recent was suggested near the Perrine Bridge. If the idea is to clog up the Twin Falls streets, that sounds counterintuitive to the new bridges' purpose.

Currently, northbound travelers from Nevada have only two options to get to Boise: Go through Twin Falls or through Buhl and Hagerman to Bliss.

If U.S. 93 was extended to Interstate 84 in Jerome, multiple problems would be solved.

Another road suggestion for Planning and Zoning: I heard they are getting rid of the fire station at Frontier Field. Why not extend and connect Fillmore Street through the east side of CSI. This would help eleviate traffic through the campus and help protect kids at the Boys and Girls Club, the Armory, students and park users in general.

Joe Mannen

Filer

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The Virginia General Assembly approved its two-year budget on Wednesday and to the delight of local educators, included is a 5% raise for teachers and millions of dollars for renovations.

Martinsville Schools Superintendent Dr. Zebedee Talley was among those who shared in the elation.

This is an exciting time for educators, Talley told the Bulletin. The proposed budget by the General Assembly is a huge step towards giving educators and students the support they deserve.

The deal worked out by negotiators also includes $4 billion in tax cuts, but for teachers and state employees a 10% raise over two years was preserved, including a $1,000 bonus in the first year.

The state budget also includes $1.25 billion for renovations to schools, and $400 million of that will go directly to local school districts.

Our teachers and students deserve the best education and support possible and must see that we value them, said Talley. These funds will also help with capital improvements which are vital for our school buildings. Our community deserves the best facilities and education available.

Some of the money has also been set aside for school resource officers to provide additional security where needed.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has called for eliminating the 2.5% grocery tax, but the agreement removes the 1.5% that is returned to the state and retains the 1% that goes to local governments.

The three-month suspension of the states 26 cents a gallon gasoline tax proposed by Youngkin was not approved.

Details of the agreement include a reduction in Virginias grocery tax.

Information of the early details that came from the negotiating table were shared with the Washington Post and the Richmond Times-Dispatch during a private briefing on Thursday and are expected to be publicly released by Sunday night, but Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Janet Howell (D-Fairfax) has already said the reports coming from both outlets are accurate.

Lawmakers who still must vote on the negotiated budgeted are expected to be briefed on the amendments on today and will meet in Richmond to vote on the matter sometime next week.

Once the vote occurs, Youngkin will then have one week to propose any amendments or veto any of its provisions.

Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 2360. Follow him @billdwyatt.

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Deputies are looking for two suspects who broke into a drink machine at a McDowell County convenience store, authorities said on Friday.

On Thursday, June 2, at least two unknown subjects broke into a drink machine at Riverside Convenience Store on U.S. 70 West and stole the change from the machine. A surveillance camera caught the image of one of them. The McDowell County Sheriffs Office needs the publics help in identifying one or both of the subjects, according to a new release.

Anyone with information concerning the theft or identity of the suspects is asked to call Detective Richard Pittman at 652-2237 or McDowell County Crime Stoppers at 65-CRIME (652-7463).

You can also text your tips to Crime Stoppers. Text TIP MCDOWELLSO and your information to 888777. With Crime Stoppers, your identity remains anonymous.
N.C. Farmers of the Foothills will launch the 2022 CSA Share Program on Monday, June 6.

This program offers two options for customers interested in local produce/food. The Small Summer 2022 CSA Share contains seven to nine pounds of produce per box per week for $220 and the Large Summer CSA Share contains 10 to 15 pounds per box each week. The CSA Share Program is for six weeks, during which customers can pick up their fresh produce CSA Shares weekly at a convenient pickup point.

McDowell residents also have the option of ordering their favorite food, produce and edible gifts from the N.C. Farmers of the Foothills website. These orders can be picked up at the same time as their CSA Share from Foothills Food Hub (263 Barnes Road in Marion).

Were giving folks the opportunity to enjoy the best local food producers have to offer, while strengthening the relationships between farmers and neighbors, says Mike Hobbs, a farmer and member of N.C. Farmers of the Foothills.

Hobbs stated that each CSA Share will include local and regional crops that are sustainable by farms throughout the foothills.

The N.C. Farmers of the Foothills met earlier in 2022 to establish their 2022 collective of contributing farms and food producers, allowing an open agreement and network of farms working toward creating healthy food share packages. The system ensures that CSA Share participants receive weekly bundles of well-planned boxes containing vegetables and goods that complement the entirety of the share.

Having worked together over the past few months, weve organized a system where farmers can strategically plant, grow and harvest food that will give a great variety to customers, while showcasing the quality of locally grown goods, Kelly Stewart, warehouse manager of the Foothills Food Hub explains.

As their CSA Summer 2022 program grows, the N.C. Farmers of the Foothills (in conjunction with other food-based organizations and projects) plan to expand pick-up options and offer additional goods on their website. While the site currently hosts produce, meat, and bee products for retail purchase, the organization also offers farmers to list jellies, jams, baked goods and wholesale options. The N.C. Farmers of the Foothills are also scheduled to release apparel and gifts like custom logo hats (available this summer).

Foothills Food Hub Project Manager Heather Edwards speaks of the CSA Summer 2022 Share with enthusiasm.

We need to get the word out that living in the foothills means were blessed with the opportunity to live so close to our food, said Edwards. Being able to support the food producers around us while benefiting from healthy, direct-from-the-farm food can make the difference in living healthier lives.

To learn more about the N.C. Farmers of the Foothills CSA Share Program, please visit NCFarmersOfTheFoothills.com or visit: https://ncfarmersofthefoothills.eatfromfarms.com/category/csa-shares.

The Foothills Food Hub is a project of the McDowell Local Food Advisory Committee (LFAC). The Foothills Food Hub is designed to integrate several food network components. The facilities will include:

Food pantry storage and packing;

Farm fresh produce wash line, cold storage and distribution;

Teaching kitchen for cooking and other classes; and

Commercial kitchen for meal preparation, value added processing and food entrepreneur development.

Visit https://www.facebook.com/FoothillsFoodHub/ to learn more.

N.C. Farmers of the Foothills is a collective of regional farmers working to promote and streamline access to locally grown foods and produce. It is supported by community partners like Foothills Food Hub, Master Extension and McDowell Local Food Advisory Council.

Learn More Here: https://ncfarmersofthefoothills.eatfromfarms.com/
South Africas president denied Thursday that he bought the silence of burglars who stumbled upon 3.8 million euros hidden in one of his properties, accusations that target him in a complaint filed the day before by the former head of intelligence.

The accusations of criminal acts against President Ramaphosa are unfounded, the presidency said in a statement.

Arthur Fraser, South Africas intelligence chief until 2018, filed a complaint on Wednesday for kidnapping and corruption. He accuses the head of state of having concealed a burglary dating from February 2020, during which the equivalent of 3.8 million euros hidden in a farm belonging to him would have been stolen.

The president is guilty, he said, of obstruction of justice and of having organized the kidnapping of suspects, their interrogation in his property and their corruption.

The presidency confirmed an armed robbery at Ramaphosas residence in the northeastern state of Limpopo, during which the proceeds of the sale of game were stolen. Cyril Ramaphosa, who was attending an African Union summit in Addis Ababa, was not present at the time.

After being informed of the theft, President Ramaphosa reported the incident to the head of the presidential protection unit of the police for investigation, the presidency continued, assuring that the head of state is ready to cooperate with the law enforcement agencies.

After a career in intelligence, Fraser became head of the prison service. Two months after former President Jacob Zuma was jailed in July 2021 for contempt of court, he decided to release him on medical grounds.

Mr. Ramaphosas main political opponent in the historic ruling ANC, Mr. Zuma was forced to resign in 2018 after a series of corruption scandals. Cyril Ramaphosa remains determined to fight against corruption which he has made a hobbyhorse, assured the presidency, regretting campaigns of misinformation.
Two Red Cross employees were killed Wednesday in an attack on their vehicle in the Kayes region (Western Mali), the Malian Red Cross announced in a statement Thursday.

The driver of the vehicle and an expatriate delegate of the Dutch Red Cross were killed in this attack perpetrated, according to the first testimonies collected by the Red Cross, by armed men who appeared on a motorcycle and opened fire without warning on the team, the statement adds.

The driver was Malian and the expatriate delegate was Senegalese, said Nouhoum Maiga, secretary general of the Malian Red Cross.

The Red Cross said the team, which was on a humanitarian mission in one of its vehicles bearing the Malian Red Cross emblem, was attacked at around 6 p.m. local time (18:00 GMT) on the Koussane-Kayes road.

The two other members of the team  the project coordinator and the accountant  were deeply affected by this tragedy, the statement added.

It was not the Red Cross as such that was targeted, Maiga said, referring to a likely act of brigandage and not jihadism. We have had robberies in the past, vehicle kidnappings, but no deaths of men in recent years, he added.

The perpetrators of the attack left with the vehicle and equipment, he said. They later abandoned the vehicle, according to information he received.

The Malian Red Cross has condemned in the strongest terms this incident which undermines the humanitarian mission towards vulnerable populations.
A young man was shot dead Wednesday in Conakry during clashes between security forces and demonstrators protesting against rising fuel prices, family members reported Thursday.

Thierno Mamadou Diallo was shot in the head, said Halimatou Diallo, the victims sister. The judiciary and the police have confirmed the death of a 19-year-old and assured that an investigation would be opened.

This is one of the first deaths in a context of confrontation between demonstrators and security forces since Colonel Mamady Doumbouya took power on September 5, 2021.

The last two years before the overthrow of President Alpha Conde were marked by political demonstrations against a third term for Conde and a crackdown on the protesters. Dozens of civilians were killed, according to human rights organizations, which have repeatedly denounced the excessive use of force and impunity by the police and gendarmerie.

Guinea has been largely free of unrest since September 2021. But this weeks announcement of an increase in the price of gasoline has provoked localized protests.

According to his relatives, Thierno Mamadou Diallo was shot while driving through the Hamdallaye neighborhood in the suburbs of Conakry, where young people were demonstrating against the fuel price hike.

As a convoy of police and gendarmes passed by, some youths started throwing rocks at the law enforcement officers; in the confusion my brother was shot in the head, said his sister Halimatou.

An adopted sister, Tahirou Diallo, also said her brother was a stranger to the demonstration. According to her, he had gone out to run an errand and it was on the way back that he got shot.

I learned with bitterness of the death of a young man named Theirno, aged 19, who died in circumstances not yet clarified, Attorney General Alphonse Charles Wright told the press. He said he had given instructions to determine the circumstances of death.
Morocco is among the countries that have seen notable progress in the field of religious freedoms, said Thursday the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

In remarks at the release of the State Departments 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom, Blinken said that this years report includes several countries where we see notable progress, thanks to the work of governments, civil society organizations and citizens.

He mentioned in this connection some initiatives made by Morocco, saying for example, last year the Kingdom of Morocco launched an initiative to renovate Jewish heritage sites, like synagogues and cemeteries, and to include Jewish history in the Moroccan public school curricula.

The 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom hailed King Mohammed VIs leadership as the monarchy continued to support the restoration of synagogues and Jewish cemeteries throughout the country, efforts it stated were necessary to preserve the countrys religious and cultural heritage and to serve as a symbol of tolerance.

The document recalls that on December 14, 2021 King Mohammed VI introduced an initiative to renovate Jewish heritage sites in the country, including hundreds of synagogues, cemeteries, and other sites in several cities.

In this regard, the U.S. report quoted the Israeli publication Israel Hayom which said that the Jewish cemetery in Fez, which includes 13,000 graves, was included in the initiative, and that the King had decided to reinstate the original names of some of the countrys Jewish neighborhoods.

Similarly, the State Department said the Moroccan government continued to fund the study of Jewish culture and heritage at state-run universities.

In October, the report added, the Ministry of National Education announced a change to the public school curriculum to include Jewish heritage and history in both Arabic and French, starting in the fourth grade of primary school.

The document also mentioned the mission of the Rabat-based Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams, Morchidines and Morchidates (religious preachers and spiritual guides), responsible for shaping the countrys religious life and promoting its interpretation of Sunni Islam.

It employed 2100 morchidines (male Muslim spiritual guides) and

901 morchidates (female Muslim spiritual guides) in mosques or religious

institutions throughout the country, the report stated, adding that the morchidates taught religious subjects and provided counsel on a variety of matters, including womens legal rights and family planning. The institute continued to provide government-required one-year training for imams and trained an average of 150 morchidines and 100 morchidates per year.

It also continued to train foreign imams, predominantly from sub-Saharan Africa. The training sessions fulfilled the requirement for religious leaders to acquire a certificate issued by the High Council of Ulema to operate in the country. The High Council of Ulema also continued to host continuing training sessions and capacity-building exercises for the religious leaders.

The government required religious leaders who worked in the country to abide by the guidelines outlined in the MEIA-issued Guide of the Imam, Khatib, and the Preacher, the report said, noting that the MEIA continued to monitor Quranic schools to prevent what the ministry considered inflammatory or extremist rhetoric and to combat violent extremism.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital have identified potent, highly specific compounds that interfere with bromodomain (BD)-containing proteins involved in cancer. The compounds, called BET BD1-inhibitors, are a starting point in the development of potentially more effective anti-cancer drugs with less side effects.

The team reports in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that the novel approach developed at Baylor's Center for Drug Discovery (CDD) enables the screening of billions of compounds at once and precisely identifies potent drug-like molecules that bind to the cancer protein of interest. One key advantage of this approach is the price tagthese screens are a fraction of the cost of previous methods. In laboratory experiments with cells, the new BD1-inhibitors had marked anti-leukemic activity.

"BD-containing proteins are implicated in cancer, inflammation, infectious diseases and metabolic disorders and have emerged as potential drug targets in a variety of diseases," said Dr. Joanna Yi, one of the lead authors and assistant professor of pediatric hematology/oncology at Baylor and Texas Children's. "Over a decade of research has shown that BD-inhibitors can help control cancer growth; however, when tested in clinical trials some had side effects and limited efficacy, halting further clinical development. This has encouraged our group to search for more effective BD-inhibitors."

The researchers focused on identifying inhibitors specific for the first bromodomains (BD1) in the bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) subgroup of human proteins. Recent research has shown that BD1 is very important in driving cancer, the researchers explained.

"To identify novel BD1-inhibitors, we took advantage of an innovative, faster and more cost-effective drug discovery tool called DNA-Encoded Chemistry Technology, which enables us to screen billions of compounds," said first author Dr. Ram K. Modukuri, a staff scientist in the Department of Pathology & Immunology and the CDD at Baylor.

The more commonly used method for discovering drugs, called high throughput screening, involves screening at most a million compounds in individual test tubes. In contrast, by using DNA-Encoded Chemistry Technology, the team was able to screen 4 billion DNA-encoded molecules all in one test tube against BD1 to find one that would bind to it with high specificity when compared to binding to other bromodomains.

"DNA-Encoded Chemistry Technology enabled us to identify CDD-724, a compound that is highly selective for BD1. It is about 2,000 times better at inhibiting BD1 than at inhibiting other human bromodomains, including the second bromodomain (BD2) of the BET subgroup," Modukuri said.

How does DNA-Encoded Chemistry Technology work?

"The DNA-Encoded Chemistry Technology process involves a simultaneous screen of billions of molecules, each one tagged with a DNA barcode," said corresponding author Dr. Martin Matzuk, professor and chair of pathology and immunology and director of the Center for Drug Discovery at Baylor. "The molecules that 'stick' to the protein (in this case BD1) are identified by sequencing of their attached DNA barcode. This is a rapid drug discovery screen, and our study demonstrates its enormous potential to find unique candidates for anti-cancer drugs."

To better understand why their BD1-inhibitor stands out over other inhibitors, the team joined forces with Dr. Choel Kim, associate professor of pharmacology and chemical biology, who also is a member of the CDD and the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor. The researchers conducted 3D molecular studies to determine the precise location on the BD1 protein to which the BD1-inhibitor binds. They discovered that the BD1-inhibitor binds to a shallow area on the BD1 proteinthis is not seen in other BD1 inhibitors. This finding represents a new opportunity to explore other BD1-selective inhibitors.

"We are searching for highly specific, potent, effective compounds with reduced side effects that we can bring to the clinic," said Yi, also a member of Baylor's CDD and the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. "We are ready to test these compounds in animal models to evaluate their safety and efficacy, which is one step closer to clinical trials."

More information: Ram K. Modukuri et al, Discovery of potent BET bromodomain 1 stereoselective inhibitors using DNA-encoded chemical library selections, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Ram K. Modukuri et al, Discovery of potent BET bromodomain 1 stereoselective inhibitors using DNA-encoded chemical library selections,(2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2122506119
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

New findings led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) show the number of women in the United States who reported having a recent (in the past year) breast cancer or cervical cancer screening dropped by 2.13 million (6%) and 4.47 million (11%) respectively in 2020 compared to 2018. The study is the first of its kind to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer screenings nationally using population-based data. The results are published today in JAMA Network Open.

"COVID-19 pandemic had an immediate impact in March and April of 2020, as screenings initially dropped by close to 80%," said Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, senior vice president, surveillance & health equity science at the American Cancer Society and senior author of the study. "Many people caught up on screenings later in 2020, but overall, the COVID-19 pandemic kept screenings down over the course of the entire year. As we move forward, it's crucial to get people back into their doctor's offices to get screened."

The study also found that between 2018 and 2020 colonoscopies for colorectal cancer detection in the past year dropped by 16% for both men and women but was offset by an increase in stool testing of 7%. This showed the promise of at-home testing to maintain population-wide screening rates during a major healthcare disruption.

In other study findings:

Hispanic and lower-income people experienced sharper drops in past-year breast and cervical cancer screening, reflecting newly emerging barriers and exacerbation of long-standing barriers to cancer screening.

Asian/Pacific Islander women had a 27% drop in past-year breast cancer screening, the largest drop for any race.

Hispanic women had a 17% drop in past-year cervical cancer screening.

The drop in screening in the past year nearly doubled for non-high school graduates compared to college graduates. Non-high school graduates dropped by 11% for breast cancer screening and 17.7% for cervical cancer screening, compared to 6.1% and 9.5% respectively for college graduates.

"The impact of these drops on stage at diagnosis and survival is not yet known, but it is something we need to monitor closely," said Jemal. "It is imperative that we understand the impact of lower screening rates on cancer outcomes among people of color and people of lower socioeconomic standing and also work to improve access to health care and cancer screenings for everyone."

"Regular screening for cancer can help save lives. This important study is further evidence of how critical it is to get people back on track with their regular screening tests following COVID-19," said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society. "Screening campaigns like our Get Screened campaign continue to aim to increase cancer screening rates by raising awareness about the need for recommended screenings for breast, cervical, colorectal, prostate, and lung cancers."

Dahut adds, "Screening is safe, effective, and accessible. Facilities that offer screening services have COVID-19 safety precautions in place. Many states have low or reduced-cost screening programs to help ensure that everyone has access, even people who don't have insurance or a primary care doctor."

Other ACS authors include: Jessica Star, Dr. Priti Bandi, Adair Minihan, Dr. Xuesong Han, and Dr. Robin Yabroff. Dr. Stacey Fedewa, now at Emory University, is lead author of the study.

Explore further Study identifies and addresses US cancer screening deficits due to the COVID-19 pandemic
In the second trimester of pregnancy, the breasts begin secreting milk. Even if a baby dies at birth or is stillborn, milk production will still automatically ramp up following delivery.

In cases such as this, many parents are advised to suppress milk production. However, in a new study conducted through the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, or HMBANA, researchers found that some parents who experienced a loss wanted to pump and store their milk explicitly to donate it. These parents reported that milk donation was an important and meaningful component of their grieving.

"For some families, expressing milk is a huge part of the grieving process, a huge part of giving meaning to their child's life," says the study's senior author, Diane Spatz of Penn's School of Nursing and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). "It's such a neglected topic but such an important one."

Spatz says the study's findings, published in the journal Breastfeeding Medicine, underscore the importance of investing in services that support families in making and carrying out decisions related to childbearing and breastfeeding.

"Given the concerning situation that's playing out with the formula shortage, this space and time seems like an important one to really think about the ways that we as a society and as health care experts can really improve the care of childbearing families," Spatz says.

Spatz was instrumental in establishing CHOP's Mother's Milk Bank, which opened in 2015 and screens and regulates the process of donating human milk and using it for critically ill infants whose parents can't produce enough milk. CHOP's milk bank is part of HMBANA, which oversees all nonprofit milk banks in the United States and Canada.

In the study, Spatztogether with Molloy College's Ann Marie Paraszczuk and Laura M. Candelaria and New York University Langone Health's Karen Hylton-McGuireinterviewed parents who had opted to donate milk following the loss of a baby.

"A lot of people don't think of that as an option," Spatz says. "But, if your baby dies, you still make milk, so what do you do with it? Most people would say, suppress it. But that's not the preferred option for every family."

At CHOP, Spatz says, some expectant parents arrive knowing that their baby will not survive long past birth. As part of the palliative-care and bereavement-planning processes, families are given a variety of options for what they would like to do. One of those options is to pump and register to donate milk to the milk bank.

The study included 21 parents in 11 states who donated to seven HMBANA milk banks. Among the themes that emerged from interviews, bereaved parents shared that donating milk helped them form a connection with their child, reduced grieving, and created a positive outcomesupporting another familyfrom a negative one.

Spatz recalls one mother whose baby died and who continued to pump and donate milk for three months following the loss, hand-delivering her milk to CHOP.

"She said it gave her such comfort that part of her child's life was still being sustained through the fact that she could give this tangible gift to help other people's children," Spatz says. "That's so powerful."

While HMBANA nonprofit milk banks offer assistance to parents who wish to donate milk, some people interviewed in the study reported difficulty in navigating the donation process, including challenges in accessing a breast pump. While not all parents will choose to donate, Spatz says, removing obstacles could make it a more positive experience for those who do.

And more milk in milk banks is a positive thing for the families of critically ill babies who depend on the donations, Spatz says. The current formula shortage is putting additional stress on milk banks because there is an increased demand for donated milk. The crisis is also revealing racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in breastfeeding and formula use.

"The families who are being disproportionately affected by this formula crisis are low-resource families in the Women, Infants, and Children Program," Spatz says. "WIC doesn't give you 100% of the formula you need, and we know that WIC spends 25 times as much on formula as they do on breastfeeding support."

Spatz, a nurse scientist, clinician, and educator, has long advocated for health care providers and members of society to understand the critical role of human milk in both short- and long-term health outcomes.

"For me," she says, "the takeaway message is that all of us should be invested and committed to helping families make informed feeding choices, to supporting people on their lactation journeys, and to making care better for families, whether they have a healthy child or they are a bereaved family."

Explore further Guidelines support breastfeeding during parent-newborn separation

More information: Ann Marie Paraszczuk et al, The Voice of Mothers Who Continue to Express Milk for Donation After Infant Death, Breastfeeding Medicine (2022). Ann Marie Paraszczuk et al, The Voice of Mothers Who Continue to Express Milk for Donation After Infant Death,(2022). DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2021.0326
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Flinders University's Dr. Vivian Isaac (senior lecturer in rural mental health) and Ph.D. student Dennis Asante led a team that has made key observations for improving access to mental health support for older people with other illnesses living in rural and remote Australian communities.

Their study on psychological distress and health services usage among adults aged 60 or older in rural South Australia found that a significant proportion (13%) of people who participated in the study reported moderate to high psychological distress.

Psychological distress was higher in femalesbut lower among those aged more than 80 years.

Through evaluating the relationship between psychological distress, multimorbidity and health services utilization, the study found that multimorbidity is highly associated with psychological problems, and that this distress increases with age.

Psychological distress is associated with high health services use.

As a solution to address this problem, Dr. Isaac suggests that screening of psychological distress in older adults is required in clinical setting.

"In Australian rural environments, healthcare challenges such as poorer access to health services, inadequate healthcare professionals, particularly specialized care doctors and waiting times for clinical appointments are reported to affect the overall physical and mental well-being of rural locales," says Dr. Isaac.

"These healthcare challenges exacerbate for the rural older population who require complex health needs."

The paper, "Psychological distress, multimorbidity and health services among older adults in rural South Australia," has been published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

The study employed a population-based survey of almost 6,000 older South Australians in regional locations to investigate the prevalence of psychological distress in older adults (aged 60 and above) and evaluate the relationship between psychological distress, multimorbidity and health service utilization in rural South Australia.

Explore further Psychological distress may lead to more care and high medical costs for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors

More information: Dennis Asante et al, Psychological distress, multimorbidity and health services among older adults in rural South Australia, Journal of Affective Disorders (2022). Journal information: Journal of Affective Disorders Dennis Asante et al, Psychological distress, multimorbidity and health services among older adults in rural South Australia,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.04.140
How the adoptive transfer of altered gut microbiota is sufficient to disrupt/restore intestinal tissue homeostasis. Credit: Markus Schwalbe and Sahar El Aidy, University of Groningen

Inflammatory bowel disease is accompanied by a number of changes in the intestines, such as a change in epithelial permeability, a change in the composition of the microorganisms, and altered levels of antimicrobial substances that are secreted by cells lining the gut. Finding out whether changes are a cause or an effect of the inflammation is difficult. Sahar El Aidy, a microbiologist at the University of Groningen (the Netherlands), together with colleagues from San Diego (US), have now teased out the causal chain leading to inflammation. Their results were published in the journal Gut Microbes on 29 May.

The scientists used mice in which the gene that is responsible for the production of the antimicrobial compound catestatin was knocked out using genetic techniques. In normal mice, catestatin is secreted by cells lining the gut and kills susceptible bacterial strains. The same team, led by Sahar El Aidy, associate professor of Microbiology at the University of Groningen recently described how the composition of gut microbes had changed in these knock-out mice and that signs of inflammation of the intestines were visible.

Metabolites

In their follow-up experiments, the scientists used fecal transplants to find out whether the change in microbial composition is indeed the cause of the inflammation or if it is a result of the observed inflammation. Both knock-out mice and normal mice (wild-type) were given a laxative that removed most of the bacteria from their intestines. "We used a laxative, rather than antibiotics, because these drugs could hamper recolonization after the fecal transplant," explains El Aidy.

Knock-out mice were given feces from wild-type mice and vice versa. After two weeks, samples were taken to assess the microbial composition in the intestines. "The results showed that the composition had shifted towards that of the donor, which means that the fecal transplants were successful." Analysis of the metabolites inside the gut showed that the production of short-chain fatty acids, molecules that affect the function of the gut, was reduced in the knock-out mice. "This was largely restored by the fecal transplant from wild-type mice," says El Aidy.

Fibrosis

The reduction in short-chain fatty acid production was the result of a change in the microbial community in the intestines, which was in turn caused by the absence of catestatin. "Our experiments showed that the epithelial permeability of the intestines, which is higher in the knock-out mice, is restored by the fecal transplant. Also, the extent of fibrosis resulting from inflammation was reduced." These results show that the changes in the microbial composition that are caused by the absence of catestatin are responsible for the inflammatory response in the knock-out mice.

Target

This is an important step towards a treatment for inflammatory bowel disease, explains El Aidy: "Using transcriptome analysis, we have pinpointed a pattern of gene expression that is associated with the changes that are caused by the removal of catestatin and that was similar to that seen in inflammatory bowel disease. We could link this expression pattern to a number of microbial species, which are, therefore, candidates for being responsible for the changes."

However, their plan is not to treat patients with fecal transplants. "This process has shown contradictory results in humans," she says. "This might be due to the fact that we didn't know what constitutes a healthy microbial composition in humans." Instead, the results from the new study have given them tools to target specific bacterial strains that are affected by the removal of catestatin. "This is what was missing in previous attempts to restore a healthy intestinal microbial community."

Explore further Fecal transplants reverse hallmarks of aging

More information: Pamela Gonzalez-Davila et al, Gut microbiota transplantation drives the adoptive transfer of colonic genotype-phenotype characteristics between mice lacking catestatin and their wild type counterparts, Gut Microbes (2022). Pamela Gonzalez-Davila et al, Gut microbiota transplantation drives the adoptive transfer of colonic genotype-phenotype characteristics between mice lacking catestatin and their wild type counterparts,(2022). DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2022.2081476
A new study of a leading cause of heart attacks in pregnant and postpartum women offers insights on when the problem strikes, how it has been treated and how survivors might weigh the risks of becoming pregnant again.

The conditionpregnancy-associated spontaneous coronary artery dissection, or P-SCADwas until recently considered too rare to study. Using European SCAD registry data from 1984 to 2021, the new research included 82 women with P-SCAD and 28 women who became pregnant after SCAD. Researchers also evaluated 13 fatal P-SCAD cases from a U.K. review of maternal deaths.

Those are small numbers, said the study's senior author, Dr. David Adlam, but important in the world of P-SCAD.

SCAD doesn't cause the typical heart attack, where a clot blocks blood from reaching the heart muscle, said Adlam, a cardiologist and associate professor at the University of Leicester in Great Britain. Rather, there's a separation between the layers of the artery wall, caused by what Adlam describes as a bleed or a bruise. As that bruise expands, it squeezes off flow through the artery.

SCAD primarily affects women 50 and younger, according to a 2018 American Heart Association scientific statement, and can strike people with few obvious risk factors. It's unclear exactly how common SCAD is, but it may cause 1% to 4% of cases of acute coronary syndrome, an umbrella term for heart attacks and other conditions where blood flow to the heart is blocked.

P-SCAD cases make up a fraction of that. But although heart attacks during or soon after pregnancy are rare, P-SCAD is a common cause and tends to be more severe than SCAD outside pregnancy.

Adlam said the new findings, which appear Friday in the AHA journal Circulation, shed light on several areas.

One is P-SCAD's timing. Although it's often thought of as a threat during pregnancy, the most dangerous period in the study was in the month after delivery. In the study, only five of the 82 P-SCAD cases occurred during pregnancy. Among the 13 fatal cases, 10 happened after pregnancy.

The study did not look at P-SCAD's causes, but the data suggests the physical strains of labor and delivery are not to blame, Adlam said. "It's very likely to be related to those changes in how the vascular wall is made up as a consequence of those very precipitous changes in female sex hormones that occur after delivery."

The researchers also examined pregnancy-associated risks for survivors. Among the 28 women who became pregnant after SCAD, there were a total of 37 pregnancies. In three of those pregnancies, a heart attack occurred that was caused by or likely caused by another SCAD. But none of the women or babies died.

The findings suggest non-aggressive treatment may be best where possible.

For most heart attacks, standard practice is to insert a catheter, reopen the blocked artery and "pop a stent in," Adlam said. But women with SCAD, and particularly P-SCAD, have fragile arteries. The catheter might cause another dissection or worsen the dissection.

More than half of women in the study were successfully treated conservatively, without procedures to open arteries.

Dr. Sharonne Hayes, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who was not involved in the study, said the findings confirm earlier work that led to conservative treatment becoming the norm.

Hayes, who led the writing group for the AHA's SCAD statement, said the new study also affirmed "a fairly similar and not insubstantial risk" for women who became pregnant after SCAD. "But it also affirmed that the vast majority of the individuals did well."

Hayes said SCAD survivors for many years were told not to get pregnant. But the new findings match what has been seen in other studies of SCAD survivors who become pregnant, including one in JAMA Network Open in 2020. Hayes was the senior author of that study, involving 23 women who became pregnant after SCAD; two had a repeat SCAD.

It's all good information for women and their doctors, Hayes said, as they decide what's right for them.

In the long term, ongoing genetics research promises a better understanding of what causes SCAD and who is at risk, experts said.

Meanwhile, Adlam said, health care workers of all disciplines need to be more aware of P-SCAD, which he suspects is underdiagnosed for a host of reasons. Pregnant and postpartum women endure so many changes to their bodies that chest pain might be overlooked.

He suspects the number of cases his and other studies have found might be just the tip of the iceberg. "It's not a big iceberg," Adlam said, but "I'm sure that it's bigger than what we're seeing."

In the meantime, he said, "it's really nice that we're now able to take pregnancy-associated SCAD out of the realm of occasional case reports or small series of a couple of patients." Having dozens of cases may not be a lot, but "we're starting to get towards numbers of cases where we can draw some inferences and start to give some clearer advice."

Explore further Common cause of heart attacks in younger adults linked to gene variants

More information: Nathan Chan et al, Pregnancy and Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Lessons From Survivors and Nonsurvivors, Circulation (2022). Nathan Chan et al, Pregnancy and Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Lessons From Survivors and Nonsurvivors,(2022). DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.059635

 2022 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Lobular kidney organoids contain distinct kidney structures. (a) Schematic depiction of the protocol for generating kidney organoids. (b) Overview of iPSC spheroids at D8 after generation (a.,b.) and kidney organoids UMK2 at D21 (c.,d.) with binocular. a. 4 magnification under light microscope. Scale bar depicts 500 m. b. 10 magnification under light microscope. Scale bar depicts 200 m. c. 1 magnification. Scale bar depicts 2000 m. d. 4 magnification. Scale bar depicts 2000 m. (c) Morphology of organoid section via histological H&E staining. A typical glomerulus-like structure is depicted by a dashed rectangle. Tubule-like structures are marked with an asterisk. Scale bar depicts 50 m. (d) Confocal pictures of glomerular (ACTN4, yellow) and tubular (LTL, green) (OCT2, red) structures in UMK1 sections. A glomerulus-like structure was marked with an arrow and the membrane of tubular structures were marked with a dotted line. Scale bar depicts 50 m. (e) Monitoring of iPSC spheroids and kidney organoids in a dextran uptake assay. a. iPSC spheroids treated with dextran after 4 h pulse. b. Kidney organoids treated with dextran after 4 h pulse. c. Kidney organoids treated with dextran after 24 h chase. Scale bar depicts 200 m. Credit: Cells (2022). DOI: 10.3390/cells11040635

By filtering waste products and toxins from the urine, the kidney is one of the most important players in human metabolism. It is estimated that several million patients worldwide die each year from renal disease. When a patient reaches the stage of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), only organ transplantation or regular dialysis can keep them alive. However, the availability of donor kidneys is very low and both treatments severely limit the patient's quality of life.

Scientists at the Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine at the University Hospital Dusseldorf in Germany are contributing to a better understanding of the causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) and other kidney diseases with the aim of developing drug and therapy alternatives. They have developed a laboratory-based model of acute kidney injury (AKI) by treating three-dimensional kidney organoids with a toxic substance (nephrotoxin aminonucleoside puromycin-PAN) known to cause kidney injury at high doses. Prof. Dr. James Adjaye is the senior author of this study, published in the journal Cells. Biologist Lisa Nguyen is the first author of the publication.

Organoids are three-dimensional cell aggregates that mimic the structural and functional properties of the corresponding organ. For this work, the researchers isolated cells from urine and generated three-dimensional kidneys through several steps.

"It's fascinating how much potential there is in the waste product urine. We started with isolated cells from urine and ended up with kidney organoids," says Prof. Adjaye. "You can see that the structures are very similar to those of kidneys," Lisa Nguyen adds. Aside from generating kidney organoids in the Petri dish, the researchers additionally simulated AKI using the nephrotoxin PAN.

"Many kidney problems are triggered by high doses of drugs, and parts of the kidney that are important for blood filtration are particularly susceptible," Prof. Adjaye explains. Triggers can be commonly prescribed drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, cisplatin and cardiovascular drugs such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor inhibitors (ARBs) in a subset of patients.

The experiments of the Dusseldorf scientists were able to replicate these processes, including inflammation, DNA damage and cell death, which were particularly striking, says biologist Lisa Nguyen. "Understanding how the basic mechanisms of these diseases work at the level of each individual is the first step to effectively discover and develop therapies and drugs," explains Prof. Adjaye.

Explore further Research in human kidney organoids reveals target to prevent irreversible kidney damage

More information: Lisa Nguyen et al, The Nephrotoxin Puromycin Aminonucleoside Induces Injury in Kidney Organoids Differentiated from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Cells (2022). Lisa Nguyen et al, The Nephrotoxin Puromycin Aminonucleoside Induces Injury in Kidney Organoids Differentiated from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells,(2022). DOI: 10.3390/cells11040635

Provided by Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf
Design, architecture, and mechanical properties of an SWS. (A) Schematic illustration of remote monitoring using the SWS, with the zoomed-in photo of the device on the finger and the chest (bottom). Mobile device showing real-time graphs of cardiac and pulmonary auscultation data over 3 days (right) while doing daily activities without any contact (bottom right). (B) Exploded view of the SWS with multiple layers of deposited materials. (C) Image of the 20% stretched interconnects in the SWS. (D) Finite element analysis (FEA) results in (C). (E) Photo of the SWS with 180 bending. (F) FEA results showing cyclic bending from (E). (G) Schematic illustration of the flow for automated, objective diagnosis of diseases via machine learning in the SWS. Various real-time collected abnormal sounds go through preprocessing, machine learning, and classified results stream through the application installed in any mobile device. Credit: Science Advances (2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo5867

Digital stethoscopes provide better results compared to conventional methods to record and visualize modern auscultation. Current stethoscopes are bulky, non-conformal, and not suited for remote use, while motion artifacts can lead to inaccurate diagnosis. In a new report now published in Science Advances, Sung Hoon Lee and a research team in engineering, nanotechnology, and medicine at the Georgia Institute of Technology, U.S., and the Chungnam National University Hospital in the Republic of Korea described a class of methods to offer real-time, wireless, continuous auscultation. The devices are part of a soft wearable system for quantitative disease diagnosis across various pathologies. Using the soft device, Lee et al detected continuous cardiopulmonary sounds with minimal noise to characterize signal abnormalities in real-time. The team conducted a clinical study with multiple patients and control subjects to understand the unique advantage of the wearable auscultation method, with integrated machine learning, to automate diagnoses of four types of disease in the lung, ranging from a crackle, to a wheeze, stridor and rhonchi, with 95% accuracy. The soft system is applicable for a sleep study to detect disordered breathing and to detect sleep apnea.

Auscultation in the field of medicine

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are predominant factors of mortality worldwide. The two pathologies form an umbrella term for diseases of the heart and lung, leading to the malfunction and restricted blood flow during breathing. While approximately 80% of COPD mortality occurs in low-to-middle income countries due to healthcare inaccessibility, accurate auscultation can be helpful diagnose disease at an early stage and evaluate the treatment response. Similarly, heart sounds also facilitate diagnosis and the identification of vascular heart diseases.

Auscultation is the most basic and vital diagnostic method in medicine, due to its noninvasive, fast, informative and inexpensive use. Since most stethoscopes cannot record the detected sounds, the process can be limited via conventional stethoscopes, making it difficult to share the outcomes to record abnormalities. As a result, some of the critical respiratory and heart diseases can be misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed. Digital stethoscopes that assist auscultation in real-time can covert acoustic sounds to electrical signals to amplify inaudible sounds via acoustic stethoscopes. In this work, Lee et al introduced a soft wearable stethoscope system for ambulatory cardiomyopathy auscultation via a class of methods based on advanced electronics, flexible mechanics, and soft packaging for cardiovascular disease, and respiratory monitoring.

Mechanics, optimization, and control of motion artifacts with an SWS. (A) Photo comparing an SWS with a commercial device (TLO digital stethoscope) on the skin model. (B) Comparison of skin contact quality between the commercial rigid stethoscope (left) showing delamination from the skin due to the 45 curvature and the SWS showing intimate contact. (C) Difference of pressure applied on the microphone island using various biocompatible adhesives, including silbione, 3M 2476P, 3M Tegaderm, and micropore. (D) Time-series graph versus normalized amplitude for the S1 peak from the heart sounds using different adhesives. (E) Calculated SNR from S1 peaks from (D); there are four trials. (F) Time-series graph of the SWS versus the commercial device (TLO) when both are mounted on the chest; this subject conducts different activities, including standing and walking while recording the sounds. (G) Zoomed-in graphs for part of the noise peaks caused by walking; the SWS with skin-conformable contact (top graph) clearly shows S1 and S2 peaks, while the commercial one (bottom graph) shows step-noise amplified compared to the heart sounds. Credit: Science Advances (2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo5867

The team collected the cardiorespiratory data accurately during daily activities to diagnose pulmonary abnormalities. They then improved the signal-to-noise ratio from the wavelet-denoised sound collection, to minimize circuitry and made the device more compact to train a machine learning model to accurately identify stridor, rhonchi, wheezing, and crackling lung sounds. Lee et al also developed a user-friendly mobile device application to record heart and lung sounds, and uploaded the information remotely and securely. They formed the miniaturized, soft wearable system for remote patient cardio-pulmonary auscultation with exceptionally small and mechanically flexible devices, for flexible skin integration, and self-assisted auscultation to facilitate remote continuous monitoring without patient-physician physical interactions. The elastomeric enclosure maintained an inner silicone gel to assist skin contact, and included a thin, conductive hydrogel-coupled layer to auscultate cardiac and respiratory activities. The setup included multiple layers of soft materials and electronic components, including a microphone sensor, rechargeable battery, and thin-film circuits with a blue-tooth low-energy unit for wireless data transmission. The system maintained a microelectronic mechanical system microphone for sound recording, allowing the team to convert the sound collected from the microphone to digital signals via an analog-to-digital converter streamlined via the wireless chip for data processing. The fully portable stethoscope offered a unique opportunity to remotely monitor the digital health.

Conventional stethoscope vs. the digital stethoscope

Device performance in the monitoring of heart and lung sounds. (A) Photo of the SWS mounted on the chest (Botkin-Erb point) for heart sound detection. (B) Time-series plot of the 5-s window heart sounds, measured from a healthy subject. (C) Spectrogram of the time-series plot showing the frequency range of the measured signals. (D) Welch-plotted power spectrum density (PSD) over the heart frequency range from 0 to 500 Hz. (E) Persistence spectrum of the heart sounds showing the percentage of time that heart frequency is present in the signals around 20 to 180 Hz. Compared with the spectrogram, brighter colors represent unwanted noises in the surrounding. (F) Photo of the SWS mounted on the back (right lower lobe point) for lung sound detection. (G) Time-series plot of the 5-s window lung sounds from a healthy subject with normal breathing. (H) Spectrogram of the time-series plot showing the frequency range of the lung signals. (I) Welch-plotted PSD over the lung frequency range from 0 to 2 kHz. (J) Persistence spectrum of the lung sounds showing the percentage of time that lung frequency is present in the signals around 450 to 1350 Hz. Credit: Science Advances (2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo5867

The team sought to maintain appropriate contact of the wearable microphone system to the skin. When compared to the commercial stethoscope, the thin and flexible digital stethoscope formed conformable contact for high-quality sound recording. Lee et al conducted experiments to compare the sound recording performance between conventional vs. digital stethoscopes, in which healthy subjects walked or stood with the device mounted on the chest and recorded sounds every five minutes. The device further demonstrated water-proof capabilities and breathability, for long-term use.

Detecting cardiac sounds in daily life and introducing a denoising algorithm for automated disease diagnosis

Since daily activities have diverse sources of noise, and can negatively affect recording sounds with a conventional stethoscope, clinicians perform auscultations in patients in a resting state. Lee et al demonstrated the performance of a digital stethoscope to regulate motion artifacts relative to the skin-contact quality by exploring a range of scenarios in which subjects mimicked a variety of real-life situations to show the influence of the measured sound quality. While the soft device allowed efficient sound recording, conventional stethoscope-like devices caused low-quality recordings of the heart and lung sounds. The team used additional filtering of the first-level cut-off frequencies to remove unwanted high-frequency noise.

Fully portable, continuous monitoring of cardiac sounds in daily life. (A) Series of photos showing different daily activities, including standing-control, talking, walking, and jogging. To demonstrate the devices performance, the SWS is compared with a rigid device (right photo). (B) Graph showing cardiac sounds measured by both devices during different activities (control, talking, walking, and jogging). The SWS shows motion-artifact controlled data with negligible noise, while the rigid device has corrupted data because of device delamination from motions. (C) Zoomed-in data of measured cardiac sounds; motions from walking and jogging cause noise issues for the rigid one, while the SWS shows negligible effects. (D) Photos comparing two devices (top: SWS and bottom: rigid one) mounted on a soft skin model where the SWS shows conformable contact while the rigid device shows delamination (left photos), and magnified view of device structures without the top encapsulation (right photos). (E) Detailed design of the SWS showing skin-conformal contact for minimizing changes in skin-to-diaphragm air gaps. Credit: Science Advances (2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo5867

The researchers studied wavelet transformation of heart, lung sound signals and noise filtering to capture sounds of the body and the surrounding. They accomplished this with a threshold algorithm to suppress noise in digital signals. The work showed superior performance of the soft wearable system by detecting lung sounds and abnormalities from various diseases. The new stethoscope provided a crucial advantage for continuous real-time recording of high-quality sounds, and quantitative data via convolutional neural network (CNN)-based machine learning, for automated disease classification. The team converged the smartphone app with machine learning to classify disease phenotypes in real-time.

Outlook

In this way, Sung Hoon Lee and colleagues developed a flexible, soft material noise-reduction mechanism and associated algorithm to fully realize a portable, continuous, real-time auscultation method with a wearable stethoscope. The team showed cardiopulmonary monitoring across multiple humans engaged in various daily activities. The soft wearable system is biocompatible and skin friendly, with integrated deep learning, applicable for successful clinical studies and remote disease analyses, suited for next-generation personalized biometric security systems.

Explore further New software delivers advanced sound quality in heart and lung monitoring for newborns

More information: Sung Hoon Lee et al, Fully portable continuous real-time auscultation with a soft wearable stethoscope designed for automated disease diagnosis, Science Advances (2022). Sung Hoon Lee et al, Fully portable continuous real-time auscultation with a soft wearable stethoscope designed for automated disease diagnosis,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo5867 Pranav Gupta et al, Precision wearable accelerometer contact microphones for longitudinal monitoring of mechano-acoustic cardiopulmonary signals, npj Digital Medicine (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41746-020-0225-7 Journal information: Science Advances

 2022 Science X Network
By Nate Jorgensen, University Communications and Marketing

Della Reams, Miami University assistant teaching professor of Art, will co-host an exhibition titled From Fine Art to Fashion from June 10 to July 1 at the Oxford Community Arts Center.

Joining Reams in the exhibition are New York City-based artists Larry Rushing and Hisham Dawoud. The trios art takes images of Rushings paintings, creates repeating fabric patterns from areas of the images, then creates one-of-a-kind dresses from the fabric  merging the artform of the painting with the form of a dress.

"Larry and I planned a textile design collaboration as early as 2007, Reams said. However, it wasn't implemented until 2014 when I was teaching fashion design in Qatar and had access to a large-scale digital printer for the first time.

She explained how the process worked. Larry sent digital images remotely from New York. I developed prints, and Hisham and I worked together on draping the dresses  each design customized to feature a specific print in relation to the female body form. Some of the prints and dresses from this ongoing collaboration have taken years to develop, and this exhibition has been a long time coming.

The exhibition will feature both digital prints of paintings and dresses, including the five inspirational paintings by Rushing and five finished dresses on dress forms.

This exhibition is intended to be a cross-cultural collaboration.

Rushing is an African American painter with a master of fine arts from Tyler School of Art. Dawoud, a Palestinian fashion designer specializing in evening wear, is a former student of Reams with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University's Qatar campus.

Reams is a European American fashion and textile designer and maker and lead fashion faculty at Miami. She has been creating one-of-a-kind textiles and apparel since earning a Master of Fine Arts degree from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 2005.

At RISD, I learned about creativity, as opposed to just making clothing, as I did when I had my own small clothing design and manufacturing company in Boston, Reams said.

Her work has been shown in nine countries and has appeared in Boston Globe Magazine, Self Magazine and New York Times Magazine, and in several periodicals and books.

Rushings paintings are inspired by his southern rural and urban roots, his philosophy that femininity is the center of creativity, and the improvisational rhythm of jazz. He uses his anima to express an exquisite sense of color. His work has been shown in numerous group and solo exhibitions in New York, Houston and France.

Dawoud grew up in Qatar and is a freelance fashion designer in New York, known as the "Ballgown Boy." He worked previously as a design assistant intern at KaufmanFranco, as a couture design intern at Marchesa, and as Ralph Ruccis fashion assistant.

Learn more about Miami Universitys fashion programs on the Department of Art website.
This weekend, expect to see Missoula painted rainbow.

For the first time in recent history, Missoula will host its own Pride event, complete with a parade, block party, drag shows and more. With Missoula having a large LGBTQ population, Missoula Pride co-director Devin Carpenter said it only makes sense that there be a large celebration here.

Its important for us to put our money where our mouth is, he said.

Missoula Pride will feature over 25 events spanning from a fun run to a comedy night to a two-spirit history educational session. Hundreds of volunteers and organizations are responsible for making Pride happen. Carpenter said events have been designed to be as accessible for all people as possible. Almost every event being open to all ages and with free admission.

After attending Big Sky Pride in Helena last year, he said he was struck by how many young people were there, and he wishes he could have had that when he was their age. LGBTQ youth are more likely to face mental health challenges due to their identities not being accepted, with the Trevor Project reporting that nearly half of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide this year. For trans and non-white LGBTQ youth, numbers are even higher.

Even in Missoula, which is typically seen as a welcoming town for LGBTQ people, hate can still happen, and its important people know that there are resources and support available to them, Carpenter said. He hopes people feel welcome at every event, and he encourages feedback.

I am super excited to be able to create a space where people from a wide range of identities can come together without having to worry about their age or being able to pay to be there, Carpenter said.

The celebration is expected to make downtown come alive with large groups of people from all over the region, as far as Seattle, Salt Lake City, Spokane and more. Carpenter said organizers plan on making Missoula Pride an annual tradition, and he hopes the event becomes a hub for the region.

The last time Missoula hosted a Pride event was in 2015, when it was affiliated with Big Sky Pride. The statewide group rotated hosting Pride events in different cities across Montana every year. Now, Big Sky Pride will be a statewide event hosted toward the end of July in Helena each year, with other towns being invited to start their own Pride traditions. This years Big Sky Pride will take place July 17 to 23 in Helena.

According to Executive Director Andy Nelson, two most frequently asked questions at the Western Montana Community Center are: Why Missoula doesnt have its own gay bar, and Why doesnt Missoula have its own Pride?

The center has been poised to do something about the second question, and hes excited to start the tradition in Missoula.

We are probably one of the most open and affirming communities in Montana, and there's a large population of LGBTQ folks in this area, he said. We saw the need and were making it happen.

Missoula Pride For a complete list of events, visit missoula-pride.com/events. A few things you dont want to miss: The Pride Parade will take place on North Higgins Avenue on June 4 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The rally and street party will begin at 2:30 p.m. and go until 10:30 p.m. immediately following the parade, featuring over 40 vendors. Missoula Paddleheads' annual Pride night will begin at 7:05 on June 3.

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A Ronan high-schoolers portrait of her younger sister in a jingle dress is heading to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

Katie Medicine Bull, a sophomore at Two Eagle River School, entered portraits in a nationwide open call for teenage photographers called Reconnecting With, between Getty Unshuttered and Amplifier, a nonprofit art and activism organization.

It needed to be a portrait, the 16-year-old said. The subject could be reconnecting with your life after COVID, or with your culture, she said. And it was such a time crunch, she said.

They only had about a month to take pictures. Medicine Bull wanted to emphasize the culture aspect, she said, and reconnecting.

I just recently moved up here about a year and a half ago, she said. "We came up here and we didn't really know our Salish familys culture or anything like that. So I really wanted to use this as an opportunity to get some culture out of it."

The deadline approaching, she took her younger sister, Lily Blossom, her own jingle dress from when she was younger, and found a scenic spot. She also shot one of her mother, Tracey Littlewolf, holding hands with her sister with the Mission Mountains in view.

She was at school when her mother got a call  they needed a title. I got pulled from class. It was just insane. I didnt believe it, she said.

Shes one of 20 photographers picked out of 1,700 entries. The show will be on view June 14-Oct. 16. Her family is raising money to see if they can make it out for the opening banquet. Go to bit.ly/medicine-bull. Littlewolf said theyll aim for a later date if need be.

***

Littlewolf said that her daughter has always been really creative, from drawing to painting. She just found another part of her creativity through photography.

She didnt really get into photography until they moved to Ronan and she began taking classes through Our Community Record with instructor David Spear. They learned technique, theory and darkroom and digital camera tricks.

Spear said she took photography classes each term this past year.

When the fall hit, we have a picture that she made that was the first foggy day, and the way that she worked the edit was kind of painting-like, Spear said.

Spear, who also teaches at Salish-Kootenai College, heard about the competition and encouraged the students to try it out. Katie at the time happened to be really working steadily at picture-making, he said. She would shoot on weekends, and was diligent about editing and discarding things that didnt work.

Medicine Bull said she wants to take more photography classes. She said she looks at pictures differently now, with some over-analyzing.

Every time I take a picture, its like, How can I make this better? 

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After a number of bills targeting trans and LGBTQ people made their way through Montanas Legislature in 2021, Izzy Milch said there was a lot of talk about the negative impact the bills would have on trans people in Montana.

While that is an important part of the story, Milch realized there was something missing from the common narrative about what it means to be a trans person in Montana: joy.

Milch, who uses they/them pronouns, decided to do something about it. The first volume of the zine Transcendent Joy was born.

The idea of the project is this isnt the end of the story of what it means to be a trans person in Montana, they said. Our lives are more than just tragic headlines.

Transcendent Joy ran its first volume last summer, following the legislative session. The zines second volume will be released Friday, celebrated with a release party and reading at the Missoula Public Library from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., as one of many Missoula Pride activities taking place over the weekend.

This years zine will feature artwork, poetry, photography and several forms of prose from 25 LGBTQ collaborators from all over Montana, said Milch, who serves as advocacy organizer for Forward Montana, the organization facilitating the project. It will be distributed across the state.

With trans-Pride flag colors blue, pink and white playing a big role in the aesthetics of the zine, Milch said it features lots of bright colors and tries to stay true to zine roots in social movements throughout history, with a fun, DIY feel. Artwork includes photos of LGBTQ people having fun, collages made of magazine clippings, and art made entirely from makeup. Writing spans from poetry to a series of vignettes to personal essays to everything in between.

One of Milchs favorite parts of the project is how collaborative it is.

I think, a lot of the time, queer organizing in a place like Montana can feel like screaming into a void they said. So it can be really cool when the void screams back.

As restrictive trans and LGBTQ legislation has been discussed by lawmakers all over the U.S. and in places like Montana, Milch said often the narrative is not controlled by people impacted by that legislation.

Zines and projects by LGBTQ people for LGBTQ people, like Transcendental Joy, are handing the mic to people who should have had it all along, Milch said.

CJ Janssen said they love the nature of zines in that they encourage the sharing of selves and stories. Janssens prose piece, Puberty 2: This Aint My First Rodeo (Its My Second), shares sweet moments and discussions they have had as they have begun to transition while teaching special education in a middle school in Bozeman.

For example, two months into taking testosterone, their voice cracked while they were doing reading interventions with their students. A student said:

Oh, CJ  I know  its SO annoying. It happens to me all the time. It might mean were growing, but Im not so sure.

Janssen reassured the student that they were actually happy their voice cracked. In moments like these, they made connections with students. Queer and trans students have been able to see an adult that shares parts of their identity living in the world as an adult, which can help them accept themselves as they are.

You know, if they can do their thing, maybe I can do my thing, Janssen said.

In thinking of what to submit to Transcendent Joy, Kenzie Carter said they wanted to submit something that would draw from the well of power that we have inside of ourselves.

They has been working on drawing and designing a tarot deck, so they submitted two cards they felt fit with the transcendent joy theme: the magician and the strength card, with the strength card being the one ultimately chosen for the zine.

In their deck, the strength card features a headless person with top surgery scars with a plant wrapped around them, petting a lion. Carter said the card represents turning inward and being compassionate toward ones most animalistic needs.

Strength looks like boundaries, tenderness and introspection, they said. Purposeful growth for the sake of growing a healthy community.

While being trans and LGBTQ may not always be easy, Carter said they hope Transcendent Joy leaves LGBTQ people feeling empowered and inspired.

We have the ability to create the world weve always imagined for ourselves, they said.

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A bicyclist found a grizzly bear foot on Snowbowl Road on April 11. The rest of the bear, and more besides, left marks all across the Missoula Valley.

We thought it might have been from something scavenging, like a coyote had found a dead grizzly, said Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear manager Jamie Jonkel. But it was a high-impact injury and it would be very odd that we would find a foot on the Snowbowl Road right where the family group was hanging out.

The family group was a sow grizzly with three yearling cubs who caused lots of trouble last fall raiding human food sources. After one of this Aprils spring snowstorms, hikers found grizzly bear tracks north of Interstate 90 through the Rattlesnake neighborhood. Grizzly observations also got recorded in Marshall Canyon, just east of the city.

Then came reports that two young grizzlies were hanging around Wisherd Ridge, above the Blackfoot River about 5 miles east of Bonner. Jonkel set culvert traps in the adjacent Twin Creek drainage and caught two 2-year-old grizzly females last week. The two apparent siblings were in extremely different condition. One was missing a foot and weighed 90 pounds, was severely dehydrated and had deeply sunken eyes. Her sister weighed 130 pounds and appeared completely healthy.

But she was keeping up across rough terrain, Jonkel said. She was pretty near death. She might have made it another week.

Instead, game wardens euthanized the injured grizzly. The healthy female was fitted with a radio collar and released in an undisclosed location.

Jonkel said its likely the two young grizzlies were daughters of the female frequently seen raiding sheds and garages in Grant Creek and Lavalle Creek north of Missoula. The sow is likely the same one that broke into a LaValle Creek chicken coop in 2020, and then did it again exactly a year later in 2021. Last fall, that grizzly and her cubs were tracked breaking into several food sites, including an unoccupied cabin with freezers full of rotting meat.

No one has reported seeing the mother or the third male cub this spring, although its likely all three denned together last fall before the family group broke up.

For all I know this could be completely different family group, Jonkel said of the two captured bears. Its so coincidental, that makes me think theyre the same. Were just waiting on DNA results.

Hes also waiting on a veterinary analysis of the severed foot. It did not appear to be cut by a trap or snare.

Last year, the Legislature passed a new law prohibiting state FWP bear managers from relocating a grizzly captured in a conflict situation. That means the state staff must contact federal FWS bear personnel to move the bear, kill it at the site or let it go.

As the two young grizzlies had not been connected with any human food acquisition, they didn't fall under the conflict-bear rules.

Grizzly bears are protected as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act. When they got listed in 1975, fewer than 600 were believed to survive south of the Canadian border.

About 1,000 grizzlies are now estimated to inhabit the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem extending from Glacier National Park south through the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. Some of those bears are occasionally seen exploring farther south around Missoula and into the Bitterroot and Sapphire mountain ranges south of Interstate 90. While the Bitterroot Ecosystem is an official grizzly bear recovery zone, it has no resident grizzlies confirmed yet.

The three-footed grizzly incident comes as the far more common black bears have kept FWP wardens scrambling in and around Missoula. Several black bears have keyed into garbage schedules in the Rattlesnake neighborhood, and one bear got caught on camera roaming the Clark Fork River residential area between the Beartracks and Orange Street bridges.

Assistance in keeping bears safe from people as well as laws and policies for storing garbage and other bear attractants can be found at Be Bear Aware or MissoulaBears.org.

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That water wouldnt just be spilling over the dam (if Hyperblock wasnt buying it), Commissioner Dave Strohmaier said at the time. There are buyers for the power, so its not as though this is renewable energy that is otherwise being wasted. Near as I can tell cryptocurrency is using exponentially more energy; its a grotesque amount of energy and weve got to take steps to address it.

Hyperblock ceased operations in Bonner in the spring of 2020.

One of the investors in Bitzero, the company building the Polson data center, is Kevin O'Leary, a Canadian businessman who became famous on the television show "Shark Tank."
Missoula County received $80,000 in job creation funds to assist onXmaps, Inc. with the creation of 16 jobs in the first year. The company offers hunting mobile applications for outdoor adventurers, enabling them to navigate public and private lands.

Were thrilled to be a recipient of the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund grant (and) wed like to thank the Montana Department of Commerce, as well as all those who helped us achieve this milestone, said Keith Giordano, operations manager for onX. Were very passionate about our Missoula roots, and care deeply for the areas economic health, its workforce, and its residents. We look forward to growing alongside our hometown well into the future.

More BSTF funding opportunities are available. The money comes from Montana's coal severance tax. The next application deadline for Job Creation and Planning projects is June 15, 2022. For more information, contact Annmarie Robinson at the Montana Department of Commerce at 406-841-2250 or visit MarketMT.com.
Missoula County and a number of Missoula County Sheriff deputies settled a $3.45 million wage claim Thursday morning for back pay owed to the deputies.

The case, Baker et. al. v. Missoula County, involved three years of unpaid wages based on the countys failure to calculate the sheriff's parity pay and certification pay in the deputies wages.

The claim will be funded through a judgment levy.

County Commissioners Josh Slotnick and Dave Strohmaier approved the settlement with Board Chair Juanita Vero absent during an administrative meeting Thursday.

Vero participated in the two-day mediation process that took place with the sheriff deputies in May.

Erica Grinde, Missoula County director of risk management and benefits, said the discrepancy in the deputies wages stemmed from some unclear state statutes.

She said state legislation passed in 2021 required parity and certification pay to be included in deputies wages, but Missoula County failed to include those wages in the deputies base pay.

The claim alleged that because those factors werent included it decreased the deputies earnings, explained Grinde.

Deputies filed the claim in January.

The settlement, Grinde said, resolves all claims related to the lawsuit. Going forward, the county plans to include parity and certification pay in deputies wages, said Grinde.

This is a practice that Missoula County will be following into the future, she said.

Settling the claim saved the county time and other resources that wouldve been expended on continued litigation, Grinde added.

However, because state law ties deputies wages to the sheriffs pay, the settlement raised concerns among the commissioners that deputies would be compensated for certifications the sheriff earns but the deputies dont.

I get legally thats right, said Slotnick. Morally, feels not right.

Grinde said the Missoula County Compensation Board will have to reevaluate components of the sheriffs salary.

The parties both agree that the settlement reflects the importance of the continuing strong relationship between the sheriffs deputies and the county and, in particular, the relationship between the sheriff and his deputies, said Grinde. This settlement reflects the value Missoula County places on the work of the Sheriffs Office and the deputies and the critical role those deputies play in ensuring a safe and strong community.

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Missoula police took a male suspect into custody after a daylong standoff at a South Hills home on Thursday.

Police were still in the area as of 6 p.m. processing the scene. No injuries were reported, according to a Missoula Police Department Facebook post, which said the situation had been resolved safely.

Missoula SWAT teams were at the scene negotiating with the man barricaded in the South Hills neighborhood house for hours prior to the arrest.

Only one individual was inside the house at the 100 block of Black Pine Trail and there was no hostage situation, Missoula police spokesperson Lydia Arnold said.

Around 3:30 p.m., a team from the Kalispell SWAT joined in on the action. Teams sent two robot devices into the residence where the suspect was barricaded.

The robots allowed officers to approach the scene safely, Arnold explained. She didnt specify what theyre being used for in the house.

Arnold said there were weapons involved in the calls for service that led up to the incident on Black Pine Trail.

Witnesses say they heard a commotion and a police presence starting at about 10 p.m. Wednesday evening.

Officers are still asking people to stay away from the area.

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Within the confines of the outer fence at Montana State Prison, the staffing shortage has touched all corners of the facility  from education to security.

Warden Jim Salmonsen has made no secret of the thinning workforce. At a legislative interim committee meeting in January, he told lawmakers the prison is "never fully staffed in a shift," and that the facility was operating on a 20% vacancy rate.

During a media tour of the prison on Wednesday, Salmonsen, who has worked at the prison 33 years and held the warden's office since late 2020, said that number may have crept higher in the time since.

"We've had a staffing issue for 10 years, but nothing to this magnitude," he told reporters in the Secure Adjustment Unit on the high-security side of the prison.

Montana had one of the nation's highest rates of voluntary quits among workers during the pandemic, according to a January report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. That, combined with historically low unemployment and lower labor force participation, has made it difficult for employers to hire, the Fed said.

The Department of Corrections started pulling together a recruitment and retention committee from its facilities and various divisions to find ways to consolidate resources and root around for untapped employee pools. Jim Anderson, the Public Safety Bureau chief, said Wednesday the committee's work is just getting off the ground, but the group will look to career fairs and Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls as potential recruitment groups. In the meantime, cross-training employees from different facilities will help the department be more agile to staffing needs, he said.

"We're one DOC," said Anderson, whose position was created as part of the Department of Corrections' reorganization last year. "We have a lot of resources spread across the state."

Despite the workforce troubles, Salmonsen remains encouraged by the work that happens at all levels inside the prison and he said he is honored to be the warden. Montana Correctional Enterprises, the prison's workforce and training program, is a clear point of pride and was a main feature of Wednesday's media tour.

The wood shop produces furniture, and elsewhere inmates do upholstery work and stitch up prison uniforms. And the automobile repair garage maintains the work vehicles, allowing the prison to, in many ways, sustain itself. Inmates make between 40 and 80 cents an hour.

Still, there's no mistaking the prison's needs, which have existed since before Salmonsen was the facility's top official. In 2020, correctional officers from Pine Hills, which at the time only housed juvenile inmates, were transferred to MSP to fill vacant posts, Salmonsen said. That was right before "the bottom fell out" due to a COVID-19 outbreak among staff. The Montana National Guard was deployed to the prison to fill in for ill employees, less than a month after Salmonsen was named warden.

The need for recruitment and retention, particularly at the state prison outside of Deer Lodge, has prompted lawmakers to huddle with Gov. Greg Gianforte about finding solutions to a long-term problem that's escalating. The union president reported staff have been put on mandatory overtime lists and few people have applied for open jobs, even after a $2 raise in the prison's new contract with the union.

The prison closed a unit of the facility last month, in part to reduce the number of mandatory posts. These adjustments make due with the workforce the prison has, but a plan to draw in new employees remains elusive.

"Obviously it's one of our main concerns and topics we're focusing on," Anderson said of the new committee's work. "We were doing a ton of things before. But we're just trying to consolidate those efforts and put all of our resources going one direction.  We need nurses and mental health professionals just as much as we need correctional officers and all that stuff."

The prison's education program, for example, typically has a capacity of 150 inmates that can take classes, which run five days a week for six hours per day. Education Director Marisa Britton-Bostwick said that cap is now closer to 90.

The prison's infirmary, too, has staffing needs. But, as medical services manager Melissa Scharf points out, it's not just the state prison; health care providers and corrections nationwide are clamoring for more employees.

"It's difficult," she said.

The clinic at MSP currently has two traveling nurses to supplement the infirmary, which sees 20 to 25 inmates a day. Scharf herself was a traveling nurse who decided to stay. She likes working with the population and the skill with which her team is able to assess the needs of patients, some of whom arrive at the prison with unaddressed medical needs.

At the mental health block on the Secure Adjustment Unit, Salmonsen explains every inmate requires two correctional officers to be transported to see a therapist or a doctor. Without full staffing, transportation can be limited. With inmates suffering from mental health crises, it's also important they become familiar with the correctional officers on their block to maintain trust.

"Keeping a regular crew here is very important," Salmonsen said.

Big changes may be coming for the prison, which was built in the 1970s. While staffing is priority, infrastructure needs have also become an area of focus. Anderson said Wednesday the prison is "kind of outdated," and the department will need to "look at a more efficient way of doing business." That could mean retooling the space in its agricultural setting or moving the facility somewhere with a bigger potential workforce pool. The Montana Women's Prison in Billings doesn't suffer from staff shortages the same way the Montana State Prison or the private prison on the Hi-Line do. Anderson said all options are on the table.

"We don't have any formal plans," he said. "We're just recognizing in the future, you know, the next five to 10 years, we're going to have to do something. And so we're just starting to explore those options. Population base is one thing to consider, state land is another. There's just so many factors that we have to look at."

Anderson also echoed Salmonsen in lauding the prison staff who have remained on duty despite the tough working conditions. Correctional officers don't usually get the same applause as police or firefighters, yet their work is no less important for public safety in Montana, he said.

"I'm proud of our people," Anderson said. "They're working under hard conditions, and having overtime shifts and holding people over, and our people are still working really hard and coming to work.  We're looking to go to (the Legislature) and ask for more (funding). We want their wage to be competitive with detention centers across the state."

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The Queen at a Buckingham Palace reception in July 2017 (Getty Images)

Keen to raise a late-night toast to her majesty over the Jubilee weekend? Depending on which part of the UK youre in, you may well be in luck.

Four days of celebrations are scheduled to honour the monarch, including a Platinum Jubilee concert, Trooping the Colour, a pageant and a Service of Thanksgiving.

But how will pub opening times be affected by this royal revelry? Heres everything you need to know.

What time will pubs close over the Jubilee weekend?

Different rules apply to different areas of the UK.

In England and Wales, opening hours for pubs and bars will be extended over the four-day bank holiday weekend.

This extension will see hours lengthened from 11pm to 1am on Thursday 2 June, Friday 3 June and Saturday 4 June. Normal hours will resume on Sunday 5 June.

In Scotland, only pubs and bars in Glasgow will be permitted to pour drinks later than usual, with all licensed premises, with the exception of off-sales and casinos, being granted an additional hours opening time.

Edinburgh will not be offering the same extension, however, and updates on local authority decisions are yet to be confirmed.

To date, Northern Ireland has not said it will extend opening hours over the Jubilee weekend.

What has the government said about extending pub opening hours?

On 25 April, Parliament passed an order to approve the longer licensing hours under Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003.

Amendments to the Act can be made to mark occasions of exceptional national significance, criteria the Queens Platinum Jubilee weekend meets.

In a statement, Home Secretary Priti Patel said: For 70 years her majesty the Queen has served the UK and the Commonwealth with the utmost dignity, steadfastness and resolve.

The Platinum Jubilee is a truly historic national occasion, which will see families, friends and communities across the country come together to celebrate this unprecedented landmark in a remarkable reign.

Over the extended bank holiday weekend, we will be able to raise a glass to toast her majestys incredible service to our country, while also providing a boost to the hospitality industry after a challenging couple of years.

Story continues

Will extended opening hours also apply to other premises selling alcohol, such as off-licences and supermarkets?

No. Following a public consultation, the government agreed with the majority of respondents that the order should not extend to premises which sell alcohol for consumption off the premises, such as off-licences and supermarkets.

The consultation also received support from the National Police Chiefs' Council and National Association of Licensing and Enforcement Officers.

What other occasions has the government extended pub opening hours?

In the past, pubs have been permitted to extend their opening hours for the Queens 90th birthday in 2016 and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges wedding in 2011.

Join former BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond to reflect on the Queens 70 incredible years on the throne at a Platinum Jubilee panel event run by The Independent on Thursday 17 May at 6.30pm.

The broadcaster and journalist will be joined by The Independents Associate Editor Sean OGrady, Deputy Voices Editor Sunny Hundal and hosted by Deputy Lifestyle Editor Laura Hampson to explore the highs and lows of Her Majestys seven decades on the throne.
Federal marshals arrested a man Wednesday who was wanted for an armed robbery at a Morganton convenience store last week.

Reginald Alfonza Faison, 49, of 1917 Norwood St., Lenoir, was charged with felony attempted murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon, according to an arrest warrant filed at the Burke County Courthouse.

The charges came after officers were dispatched to the Shop and Save #4 on West Fleming Drive next to Burger King around 2:30 p.m. on May 23, according to a press release from the Morganton Department of Public Safety.

Video from the robbery provided by MDPS shows a man enter the store with his face covered. Viewers can see the man pull out a .32-caliber handgun, investigators said, and aim it at the floor before firing a shot.

The man turns the gun on the store clerk, who wags his finger at the man and searches for his phone. The clerk finds the phone and steps toward the back near a side office, dialing 911, the video and the 911 call show.

The robber held his gun on the clerk the whole time and eventually walks around the counter to where the clerk is standing and a struggle ensues, the video shows.

At this point, the clerk grabs a long, metal pole and he and the robber start fighting. The gun goes off and the bullet ricochets off the metal pole, keeping it from hitting the clerks chest, investigators said. The shot can be heard in the 911 call.

The clerk starts hitting the robber with the pole as the fight moves closer to the counter, eventually landing them in front of the cash register, where the robber opens the drawer and grabs a handful of cash.

The struggle continues for a while longer until the robber leaves the store with a limp and a wad of cash. Investigators said he left the store on foot, headed toward Table Rock Pharmacy on West Fleming Drive.

Investigators received a tip about Faisons involvement in the crime shortly after it was committed, said MDPS Lt. Josiah Brown, and warrants were issued for his arrest. The U.S. Marshalls Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force was contacted to assist with locating Faison, who was found Wednesday at an apartment on Fifth Avenue Northeast in Hickory, the MDPS release said.

In addition to the charges against him from the robbery, Faison was served with an indictment for uttering a forged instrument and a misdemeanor show cause for failure to pay money, the release said.

A copy of the warrant from the robbery showed Faison made off with about $800 in cash from the store.

Faison, who has habitual felon status, has previous felony convictions of multiple counts of forgery, common law robbery, attempted breaking and entering, larceny, possessing stolen goods, multiple counts of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, breaking and entering vehicles, larceny over $1,000, selling a Schedule II controlled substance, selling a Schedule VI controlled substance and multiple counts of selling a Schedule IV controlled substance, according to a records check on the North Carolina Department of Public Safety website.

Faisons bond for his charges is set at $1.25 million, with an additional $310 cash bond for the misdemeanor show cause.

He appeared before District Court Judge Burford A. Cherry at the Burke County Courthouse on Thursday. Faison didnt make any comments on the charges, but did request a court appointed attorney. His next court date is set for June 27.

Chrissy Murphy is a staff writer and can be reached at cmurphy@morganton.com or at 828-432-8941. Follow @cmurphyMNH on Twitter.

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CONNELLY SPRINGS  A couple is facing charges after more than a pound of methamphetamine was found in a pair of motel rooms Wednesday.

Charles David Gilmore Jr., 32, of Statesville, was charged with felony trafficking in methamphetamine Level 3, possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, probation violation, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a stolen firearm, along with misdemeanor carrying a concealed gun, according to a news release from the Burke County Sheriffs Office.

Also charged was 37-year-old Kinglsey Michelle Perkins of Granite Falls, who was charged with felony probation violation and two misdemeanor counts of failure to appear.

The charges came after BCSO narcotics investigators conducting surveillance at the Motel 6 in Connelly Springs saw Gilmore, who had multiple outstanding warrants for his arrest, at the motel, the release said.

They took him into custody, searched him and found a stolen handgun and methamphetamine, according to the release.

Further investigation revealed that he was staying at the motel with Perkins, his girlfriend, who also had outstanding warrants for her arrest, the release said.

Investigators searched two different motel rooms and found 1.1 pounds of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, cash and three guns, one of which had been reported stolen, the release said.

Gilmore has previous felony convictions of interfering with an electronic monitoring device, possession of a firearm by a felon, malicious conduct by a prisoner and common law robbery, according to a records check on the North Carolina Department of Public Safety website.

Perkins also has previous convictions, which include felony charges of obtaining property by false pretenses, cheats or services, possession of a Schedule II controlled substance and larceny, NCDPS records showed.

Gilmore is being held under no bond for the drug and gun charges, and was issued a $40,000 secured bond for his felony probation violation, according to the press release from the sheriffs office. Perkins was held under a total $30,000 secured bond, the release said.

Gilmore was due in court Thursday, and Perkins is due in court Monday, the release said.
Joe Willauer, executive director of both the Butte Local Development Corp. and Headwaters Area RC&D, submitted his resignation late Thursday afternoon to the BLDC board.

The BLDC is an economic development organization, while Headwaters, a non-profit, focuses on boosting economic production in southwest Montana.

His last day as director will be June 17.

Willauer, who has been at the helm since September 2017, said it was time to do something different and that an opportunity arose he couldnt pass up. He did not elaborate any further.

Rick Edwards, who serves on the BDLC executive committee and is board chair for Headwaters Area RC&D, said he will be meeting with the executive committees of both entities early next week.

For now, someone within the organization will have to step in as interim director, said Edwards. A job search will occur thereafter.

Willauer also resigned his board position on the Butte-Silver Bow Chamber of Commerce.

According to Edwards, the BLDC board will be working with the chamber to fill that position as well.

Willauer said he has thoroughly enjoyed his time and will miss being part of the BLDC/Headwaters organizations. He is thankful for the help he received from Butte-Silver Bow Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher, Karen Byrnes, community development director with B-SB, and the communities throughout the region.

During his nearly five years, the outgoing director is proud of what he and the BLDC team have accomplished despite the pandemic, including the growth at the Montana Connections Business Development Park, the development of the Uptown Master Plan, and the growth of small businesses in Butte and southwest Montana.

Willauer said he leaves his position knowing that the BLDC and Headwaters will continue to do great work.

The economy in southwest Montana is in good hands with the team already in place, he said.

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Montana, we are at a crossroads. As I travel the district running for this new seat, I hear how quickly our state is changing in every single town, no matter the size. In a recent study, three out of four Montanans named housing as their top concern. Twenty-seven percent of Montana adults face medical debt, many forced to forgo medication or treatment because they cant afford it. And the rising prices of gas, diesel and groceries are forcing working families to visit food banks for the first time. I know exactly what this feels like  these struggles are what my own family faced in the '80s, when I was growing up in Bozeman.

When I was a baby we lost my father to injuries he sustained in a lumber mill accident, and if we had been closer to good care he may have survived. Later my stepfather, a union carpenter, couldnt find good work any closer than Great Falls  three hours away. We were forced to leave behind the community that raised me to find work elsewhere. I watched my mom and stepdad work hard to make ends meet and provide for my siblings and me. These experiences shaped me into the person I am today, and I have dedicated my life and career working to ensure other families dont have to face the same hardships mine did. Over the past 25 years, I have founded and led multiple non-profit organizations that improve health care for rural and underserved communities, spur job creation, and protect our public lands throughout Montana and the country.

Im running for Congress because we deserve a representative with a personal understanding of what Montana families are facing right now, and one who has the experience and backbone to stand up to Washington and fight for the Montana we love.

From Congress, I will work with my colleagues to preserve and even increase funding for Federal Housing Administration loan programs, and expand public-private partnerships, tax and investment incentives, and USDA rural housing initiatives to ensure we have access to housing we can actually afford.

To address the cost of living  everything from gas prices, to prescription drugs, groceries and more  I will go after price gougers, including putting pressure on the FTC to investigate oil and gas companies anti-consumer policies. The invasion of Ukraine is a stark reminder of our need to increase domestic energy production, and we can do this by increasing investments in renewable energy infrastructure.

Finally, we have to ensure that our families have access to the good jobs and wages that fuel our towns and main streets. The growth in Montana has to benefit Montanans  our businesses, our workers, and our families  so families who have lived here for just a few years or even generations can afford to stay.

My campaign has the support of Montanans who arent the normal political insiders, but whose communities and livelihoods are on the line: Tribal leaders, farmers and ranchers, union leaders, hunters and anglers, healthworkers, service industry workers and more. Together, were building a movement that can win in November.

Because this is about ensuring that families like mine and yours can keep calling the Montana we love home. My husband and I are raising our two teenage children here, surrounded by four generations of family. Montana has everything they could need to build great lives  we just need a leader who is hellbent on ensuring they have access to it. And thats why Im running.

Cora Neumann is a candidate for U.S. Congress and founder of We Are Montana.

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By Shawn Touney | Jun 4, 2022

Murray State alumna Karen Jones Squires and her husband, Jim Squires, have made a transformational gift to the Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology designated for full-ride scholarships, preferably female students, pursuing degrees in engineering, engineering technology, industrial technology or cybersecurity and network management. Pictured is a recent Murray State engineering student.

Murray State alumna funds full-ride scholarships

MURRAY, Ky.  Murray State University alumna Karen Jones Squires and her husband, Jim Squires, have made a transformational gift to the Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology designated for full-ride scholarships, preferably female students, pursuing degrees in engineering, engineering technology, industrial technology or cybersecurity and network management.

In 2015, Jones Squires established the Robert Bob W. and Caroline Carol T. Jones Internship/Academic Scholarship of Excellence as an endowment to memorialize her parents, Bob and Carol Jones. Bob Jones was a professor at Murray State from 19591984. This new gift to the fund will significantly increase annual awards to full-ride scholarships which can be renewed each year so long as the recipients continue to meet the required GPA and major area of study within the college.

Dr. Bob Jackson, President of Murray State University emphasized the importance of this significant gift.

"We are extremely grateful for this transformational and generous gift from MSU Foundation Trustee, Karen Jones Squires and her husband, Jim Squires, said Jackson. Not only is this an institution-changing gift which will greatly benefit our students, but it will advance our science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs to a new level. In addition, this gift will endow scholarships with an emphasis on women in engineering and related fields and is our largest gift ever received to advance this important area."

This generous gift from Karen Jones Squires and Jim Squires will help our engineering, technology and cybersecurity students achieve their dreams, said Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology Dean Dr. Claire Fuller. Moreover, it will help level the playing field for women in engineering-related fields, where they make up few of the graduates nationwide. I am thrilled that our students will benefit from these new scholarships.

Sarah Boyd, a recent Murray State graduate and former recipient of the Jones scholarship shared, I really wouldnt have been able to finish my degree without their assistance and I am thankful every day that they were able to help me! It helped me achieve one of my long-standing goals as I was the first in my family to graduate from college. Sometimes the smallest acts of kindness mean the world to the person you are helping. In my case, it was my world to finish my degree. I will forever be grateful!

Jim and I are thrilled to make this gift to my parents scholarship fund. It is so special that we can do this and it means so much to us, said Karen Jones Squires, 78, and current member of the Murray State University Foundation Board of Trustees. Jones Squires earned degrees in French and political science at Murray State and has served on several boards, including the Norfolk School Board in Norfolk, Virginia. Jim Squires is recently retired from Norfolk Southern Railway where he served as the chief executive officer. The couple now resides in northern New England.

Jim and Karen Jones Squires are very special and generous donors. To have them support our students in this big way during our centennial year speaks to their commitment to our students and our University. We are so very grateful, said Dr. Tina Bernot, executive director of development at Murray State.

Total alumni giving has been on a steady increase over the last several years at Murray State University, especially in the area of scholarship support. Since 2018, more than $33.8 million in private giving has been raised to benefit students and programs at Murray State University.
MUSCATINE  With a month until fireworks can legally be used in Muscatine, and with fireworks sales about to start, the Muscatine City Council received its first complaint Thursday evening about fireworks use.

During public comment, resident Richard Havel commented on people using large aerial displays. Saying he has no problem with smaller fireworks such as roman candles or bottle rockets, he objected to the large displays, and people shooting them in areas where houses are about 12 feet apart. He said the displays are what you have on the river. He believes the city should put a restriction on the big displays.

They cause a lot of damage, he said. I had a new roof put on and the neighbor four houses away were shooting them off and hot sparks came down and there are pits in my new roof.

He also said there had been damage to a car cover and a canopy.

In June 2021, the council discussed whether to make changes to the citys fireworks ordinance. As part of the discussion, Hartman explained fireworks were legal in the 1930s, but that a few large incidents had caused consumer fireworks to be outlawed. Novelty fireworks  sparklers, snakes etc.   had remained legal. In 2017 Iowa legislators decided to legalize consumer firework sales.

In Muscatine firework use is allowed July 3 and 4 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Dec. 31 until 12:30 a.m. Firework sales begin June 13. In 2020 there were five arrests for fireworks. Iowa is above the national average for fireworks injuries and several cities in Iowa that have banned the use of fireworks.

Assistant fire chief Mike Hartman explained during the June 2021 in-depth meeting consumer fireworks are determined by the amount of accelerant they contain. Anything beyond that is a display grade firework and the user needs a pyrotechnician license. Hartman explained that there are some people who disassemble commercial fireworks and remake them bigger than they are supposed to be. He also said in 2019 there was an accident in Muscatine where someone had lost a hand and some others had lost fingers. He said consumer fireworks did this. The same year there was a fatality and in that case he said some firework equipment had been repurposed.

Also in 2021, the Muscatine Police Department announced taking a more aggressive approach to firework enforcement and that anyone caught illegally shooting fireworks would be fined no less than $250 per violation.

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MUSCATINE  With summer beginning and hundreds of openings at area businesses, Rebecca Paulsen, interim CEO of the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said she was happy to see many of the people attending the chambers yearly job fair Thursday were teenagers.

About 40 employers from the Muscatine area gathered in the Muscatine High School activity center to promote jobs and training programs. Also at the event was IowaWorks, which helps place young people with jobs. IowaWorks is part of the Mississippi Valley Workforce Development, a Quad Cities-based state group that provides a variety of programs to enhance the job market.

I did kind of strategically pick the first week in June knowing that college students are home and high school students are out so those who are kind of eligible in that age range and looking for jobs could find something, Paulsen said.

Youth outreach specialist DaShawn Banks and youth career navigator Kenzie Failyer worked the IowaWorks table at the fair. They offered young people the chance to get on a career path or get some idea of what kind of work they want to do in the future.

Failyer said she provides job assistance to people between the ages of 14 and 24. She has a spot at the Musser Public Library she mans from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays. She can help with finding specific training or the completion of a general equivalency diploma. She said there are also a variety of internships she can help young people get involved with.

We have certain eligibility for our programs so we work with anyone who may be low income, food stamps, or someone who might have a disability, Failyer said. We work with people in schools who may be pregnant or parenting. We work with people who may already have something going on in their life and we really want to help them get unsubsidized employment when they are done with our program.

Information about employers in the area seeking workers will be posted on the chambers Facebook page for people who were unable to attend the job fair.

People wishing to set up a time to speak with Failyer outside of the Wednesday hours can call (563) 279-4283.

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LE MARS, Iowa -- Aaron Leusink's addiction to painkillers started with one pill.

Prescribed hydrocodone after undergoing a vasectomy performed after his fourth child was born 11 years ago, Leusink said he took one of the pills to ease the pain as he recovered from the procedure.

"One pill that made me feel good changed my entire life," Leusink told District Judge Roger Sailer.

The high from that first pill led Leusink to take all of his prescription, then any unused opiates he could find from family members' past prescriptions. He later turned to theft, using his position as a Plymouth County Sheriff's deputy to steal prescription drugs collected as evidence and from homes while serving search warrants. He broke into pharmacies and stole more.

His secrets came crashing down on April 20, 2020, when a state investigator visited his home, asking about the missing drugs.

"I had to look my family in the face and tell them who I had become," the former deputy said.

He looked his family members in the face again Thursday, this time hugging, kissing and telling them goodbye after Sailer sentenced him to 40 years in prison for burglary, theft and other charges.

Leusink had faced up to 60 years in prison, and Sailer said the fact Leusink had sought treatment and has been sober since his arrest two years ago worked in his favor. However, the circumstances surrounding the crimes were "nothing short of outrageous," Sailer said, and the damage done to the integrity of the sheriff's office, law enforcement and the criminal justice system is not easily fixed.

"All of these crimes represent a gross, gross violation of the public's trust," said Sailer, who also fined Leusink a total of $3,195.

Apologizing to his former co-workers, the community and his family, Leusink asked Sailer for leniency, telling the judge he'd continue his drug abuse rehabilitation and needed to support his family, who he said would suffer financially in his absence, possibly losing their business and home.

"I've made some mistakes, your honor, and I fully understand the people I've hurt," Leusink said. "I'm asking you for a chance to right my wrongs but at the same time support my family."

Ironically, Leusink served as the department's DARE officer for nine years, educating hundreds of Plymouth County students about the dangers of drugs. Retired Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo said the 30 years he spent in office promoting integrity and trust were shattered by a man he had hired and had sworn under oath to uphold the law.

"He used the very system designed to protect the public for his own advantage," Van Otterloo said. "We've been given a black eye by the actions of former deputy Leusink."

Earlier, Leusink's wife, April, had asked for leniency, saying the stress of being separated from her husband since he'd been jailed after pleading guilty two months ago has taken a toll on her and their children.

"We have not had a family meal since Aaron's been gone, and I can't bring myself to look at the empty seat," she said. "He has never had ill intentions to anyone."

Leusink, 43, of Le Mars, pleaded guilty in April in Plymouth County District Court to 11 charges: single counts of first-degree burglary, felonious misconduct in office, fourth-degree theft and unlawful possession of prescription drugs, two counts each of second-degree burglary and third-degree burglary, and three counts of fifth-degree theft.

Van Otterloo had asked the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation to investigate Leusink in April 2020 after a review of his body camera videos showed him taking prescription drugs from a rural Le Mars home. Leusink was fired later that month.

Agents searching Leusink's home found more than 1,600 pills, evidence bags that had been ripped open or were left unsealed, a thumb drive and an iPhone from a case he had previously worked and $5,432 in cash. Opened evidence bags that were missing hydrocodone pills seized in cases Leusink had worked were found at his desk at the sheriff's office.

The DCI found evidence linking Leusink to 2019 pharmacy burglaries in Akron and Kingsley and others that dated back to 2017, and video and audio footage from his body camera showed him seizing bottles of prescription medications while executing search warrants at homes in rural Merrill and Hinton.

Leusink was arrested in September 2020.

An Iowa State Auditor's Office investigation report in November 2020 detailed flaws in the department's evidence procedures. Van Otterloo, who had requested the probe, said after the report was released that his office had implemented auditors' recommendations to improve procedures.

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Lawmakers are calling for a federal investigation by the Department of Justice into USP Thomson following the deaths of seven inmates in two years and ongoing allegations of abuse, including the continued overuse of solitary confinement by correctional officers.

U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.; Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; and U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Moline; referenced a report published May 31 by The Marshall Project and NPR that describes correctional officers intentionally pairing inmates together who are known to attack each other; staff encouraging assaults against sex offenders and informants; abusive shackling that leaves scars known as the "Thomson tattoo," often in a room known as the "torture room," where men would lie shackled to a bed for hours in their own urine and feces without food or water; the highest rate of pepper-spray usage in the Bureau of Prisons (BOP); and an incident in which staff allegedly laughed and joked at the expense of a Jewish man they were guarding as he lay dying in a hospital following an assault that occurred after staff placed him in a recreation cage with known white supremacists.

The federal prison in Thomson, Ill., currently houses 929 inmates: 797 in the maximum security facility and 132 at the adjacent minimum security camp.

"If these reports prove accurate, they describe conduct that would almost certainly contravene numerous BOP policies, as well as infringing the civil rights of individuals in BOP custody and possibly violating federal criminal statutes," the lawmakers wrote in a news release. "The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is responsible for protecting the integrity of Department of Justice components, including BOP, as well as the health and safety of the people in BOP custody. The NPR and Marshall Project report raises serious and troubling allegations about the conduct of staff at USP Thomson."

In a joint letter sent June 1 to U.S. Inspector General Michael Horowitz, the lawmakers demanded immediate action.

"We respectfully request that your office immediately open an investigation into allegations included in a disturbing report published by NPR and the Marshall Project concerning the deaths of seven incarcerated men and serious abuses by staff at the United States Penitentiary Thomson in Illinois," they wrote. "Five of the deaths were reportedly the result of homicides by fellow Special Management Unit (SMU) residents; the remaining two were suicides."

AFGE Local 4070 President Jonathan Zumkehr declined Thursday to comment on the investigation.

"I'm not aware of any of these incidents happening," Zumkehr said. "We cannot comment on an ongoing investigation, but we have been fighting to fully staff USP Thomson. We are currently short 105 staff members, including 78 from custody. We are committed to fully staff USP Thomson and we have hosted monthly job fairs to bring new staff to USP Thomson."

Durbin also asked the OIG to investigate the role that staffing shortages may have played in contributing to the deaths and alleged incidents of abuse.

In addition to the investigation, Durbin announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee will soon hold a hearing on the continued overuse of solitary confinement and restricted housing in federal prison facilities, including USP Thomson. Nearly 8 percent of BOP inmates are housed in a form of restricted housing.

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The prevalence of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks in South Africa has remained unchanged despite Secure List by Kaspersky reporting a 46% increase in DDoS attacks during the first quarter of 2022, network operators told MyBroadband.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict led to concerns over cybercriminal activity globally, but South African Internet service providers MTN, Vodacom, and Afrihost say their networks have been unaffected.

Denial of service attacks exploit capacity limitations on network resources. Attackers send an overwhelming number of requests to the targetted resource in the hope of exceeding its capacity.

MTN told MyBroadband that it hadnt noticed a significant change in the frequency of DDoS attacks.

There hasnt been an increase in the prevalence of DDoS attacks towards [the MTNSA network], the company stated.

Afrihosts observations were similar. It told MyBroadband that there had been no increase or change in frequency of DDoS attacks on the Afrihost network.

Vodacom said it had not experienced any recent major spikes or disruption of services.

Kasperskys report

Kasperskys DDoS intelligence system recorded 91,052 attacks in the first quarter of 2022  up 46% from the same period in 2021.

The cybersecurity firm noted that the US was the nation most hit by DDoS attacks, with 44% of attacks directed at targets in the country. China was a distant second with under 12%.

Kaspersky revealed that 95% of DDoS attacks recorded this year lasted less than four hours, with the longest lasting 549 hours  or almost 23 days.

User Datagram Protocol (UDP) flooding constituted nearly 54% of all attacks. SYN attacks were the next most common, while Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) attacks were the least common.

Kaspersky said that the geopolitical situation primarily influenced the frequency of DDoS attacks in the first quarter of 2022.

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

Since the end of February, we have seen a surge in hacktivist activity and the emergence of a large number of spontaneous botnets that users connected to voluntarily, it said.

DDoS attacks in South Africa

Kaspersky didnt provide data specific to South Africa, but it would appear that DDoS attack frequency in South Africa has remained unaffected by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

This is despite a warning from Stellenbosch Universitys head of information security, Professor Bruce Watson, who said the cyber weaponry used to attack Russia and Belarus could easily attack South Africa too.

A cyberweapon is a blunt instrument, and its very difficult to refine it in such a way that its aimed at only one specific target, Watson said.

It attacks indiscriminately and can destroy everything in its path.

Watson also warned that South Africas neutral stance on Russias invasion of Ukraine could make it a target for hacktivists who are unsatisfied with the countrys response.

Cybersecurity group Orange Cyberdefense warned South African organisations to be on alert for DDoS attacks.

Watson agreed with Orange Cyberdefenses warning, saying that DDoS attacks are commonly used by hacktivists, country hackers, and cybercriminals.

Russian outfits, in particular, are associated with large international DDoS attacks.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine have begun operation of Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters delivered by the United States.

Footage with the new helicopter of Ukraine was released by the press service of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

On April 13, the United States announced a $ 800 million aid package to Ukraine, which included 11 helicopters.

In May, it became known that one of the US aviation parties had already arrived in Ukraine.

The United States is providing Ukraine with aircraft that previously belonged to or were assigned to the Afghan Air Force, which no longer exists.

About two dozen Mi-8/17 helicopters of the former Afghan Air Force were outside the country, and their fate remained unknown.

In January, former Afghan Air Force aircraft were transported to a single military base in the United States.

More and more helicopters appeared in the 309th U.S. Air Force Aerospace Services and Restoration Group, also known as Boneyard, near Tucson, Arizona.

Former helicopters of the Afghan Air Force at an air base in the United States. Photo: Aidan Curley

Under an agreement with the United States, Russian Mi-17V-5 helicopters were delivered to Afghanistan by Rosoboronexport.

The main contract for the supply of 21 helicopters was signed by Rosoboronexport and the US government on May 26, 2011, and was completed by mid-2012.

We are the 17th Army of Afghanistan. Photos from open sources

All Mi-17V-5s assembled at the Kazan Helicopter Plant of the Russian Helicopters Holding were transported to Kabul by An-124 transport aircraft of the Volga-Dnepr Airlines.

It will be recalled that in October 2021, it became known that one Afghan multi-purpose Mi-17 helicopter repaired by the Ukrainian enterprise JSC Motor Sich remains on the territory of the plant.

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In Germany, the Ukrainian military is mastering 155-mm self-propelled artillery units "PzH 2000".

The Bundeswehr press service shared the details of this training of Ukrainians.

German 155-mm howitzers "Panzerhaubitze 2000" are to arrive in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian military began training on German howitzers in mid-May.

The German Armed Forces said the training took about 40 days.

Illustration: PzH 2000 ACS Training Center. 2016. Photo: Germany at NATO

The artillerymen fired the first shot at the Panzerhaubitze 2000 after about a month of training.

The retraining of gunners at the Panzerhaubitze 2000 is going well. The first shot was fired last week. In about 40 days of training, they get acquainted with the complex system in order to use it immediately, "the Bundeswehr said in a statement.

PzH 2000

The first self-propelled howitzer self-created in Germany after World War II - "Panzerhaubitze 2000", without exaggeration, set a new standard for the development of ACS in other countries. The decision to create an ACS in Germany was made almost immediately after the closure of the SP70 program in 1987. The system was designated "Panzerhaubitze 2000", which symbolized that the self-propelled gun was to become a weapon of the XXI century.

ACS PzH 2000. Photo: staticflickr

The customer did not restrict the freedom of developers, requiring compliance with only two key conditions - to use a new barrel length of 52 calibers in the artillery system and place the power plant in front of the chassis. The new barrel provided fire with standard (inactive-reactive) NATO ammunition at a range of 30 km (against 24 km in the "FH70" and "SP70").

The armor of the tower provides protection against small arms up to 14.5 mm and large fragments of artillery and mortar shells. The main weapon PzH 2000 - 155-mm howitzer with a barrel length of 52 calibers (slightly more than 8 m), installed in a turret. The range of vertical aiming angles is from -2.5 to + 65 .

ACS PzH 2000. Photo: German media

Additional armament ACS PzH 2000 consists of a 7.62-mm MG3 machine gun and 8 grenade launchers. The ammunition of the self-propelled gun includes 60 artillery shells, 48 full metal charges, as well as 2,000 rounds of machine gun ammunition and 8 grenades for grenade launchers.

The maximum range of fire with a standard projectile is 30 km, a projectile with a bottom nozzle - about 35 km, active-jet munitions - 40 km. At the same time, the howitzer can fire with the use of traditional charges of the "NATO" standard.

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At least ten occupiers were burned: cadres of successful work of the Armed Forces
After hearing complaints of large booms over the past few weeks, the American Canyon Police Department arrested a man shortly after midnight Friday for igniting illegal fireworks using a drone, according to a department press release.

Following a report of illegal fireworks being ignited from a drone, officers were dispatched early Friday to the 400 block of Poppyfield Drive. Once there, the officers saw a drone in the air, and the drone was igniting fireworks, according to a press release.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

The officers then followed the drone, which landed about a block over in 600 block of Kilpatrick Street. Police found an American Canyon resident holding the drone, and detained him, the press release says. The resident admitted to igniting M-80 type explosive devices from the drone  which reportedly had a device attached to it that was used to ignite explosives while in flight. The resident was arrested and issued a misdemeanor citation for dangerous fireworks, police said. Police also seized the drone for evidence.

The press release notes that the incident happened a few days after the Old Fire, which has burned roughly 570 acres, broke out in Napa County.

ACPD would like to remind the community that fireworks are illegal in Napa County and in the City of American Canyon, the press release says.

You can reach Edward Booth at 707-256-2213.

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US President Biden, who as a candidate vowed to make Saudi Arabia a pariah in response to the assassination of a prominent dissident, has decided to travel to Riyadh this month to rebuild relations with the oil-rich kingdom at a time when he is seeking to lower gasoline prices at home and isolate Russia abroad, according to The New York Times.

Biden planned to add the visit to a previously scheduled trip to Europe and Israel, US administration officials said, asking for anonymity because the trip had not been formally announced. During his stop in Riyadh, the president will meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was deemed responsible for the dismemberment of the dissident, the Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Biden will also meet with the leaders of other Arab nations, including Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates.

The visit represents the triumph of realpolitik over moral outrage, according to foreign policy experts. In the wake of the Ukrainian war, Biden has found it necessary to court other energy producers to replace oil from Moscow and stabilize world markets. The group of oil-producing nations called OPEC Plus, led by Saudi Arabia, announced on Thursday that it would increase production modestly in July and August. American officials expect the group to do more in the fall, but it may not be enough to bring down prices at the pump before Novembers US congressional elections.
The upcoming visit of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia could please Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan if he did not include Greece and Cyprus in his tour. At a time of resurgence in tensions between Turkey and Greece, the prince's itinerary is signaling that Saudi Arabia has no intention of upsetting its friends by mending relations with Turkey, Al-Monitor writes.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's planned tour will also cover Egypt and Jordan, with the exact schedule still under discussion, Reuters reported. The trip could take place as early as early June, two sources told the agency.

Riyadh's perception of the growing Iranian threat, its setbacks in the war in Yemen, and changes in US policy may be reasons to move closer to Turkey. The idea of creating a Sunni axis against Iran in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon also brings Riyadh and Ankara closer, despite their cooperation with various players on the ground. Ankara and Tehran have clashed over a range of issues in recent months, including the formation of a new Iraqi government, a proposed Kurdish gas export route, Turkey's pursuit of Kurdish fighters in Iraqi Kurdistan and threats of intervention in Sinjar, a cross-border water exchange and the specter of a new Turkish military operation in Syria.

Erdogan may have additional motives to make peace with the Saudi prince, whom he sought to discredit internationally over the assassination of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashggaagji. For many observers, his desire to alleviate the financial crisis in Turkey is the most important reason.

In addition, peace with the Saudis could alleviate Turkey's regional problems to some extent. Ankara will face obstacles in various Arab countries while arguing with Riyadh. Saudi Arabia can influence these relations, negatively or positively. Turkey has faced such Saudi influence throughout the region, including in Egypt, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Tunisia.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have backed Egypt, Greece, Cyprus and Israel in isolating Turkey in an energy rivalry in the Eastern Mediterranean, although the two Gulf states are not directly involved in the issue. The main goal of Turkey's drive to normalize relations with Egypt, Israel and the Gulf heavyweights is to tip the balance in the Eastern Mediterranean in its favor, which leaves Greece on the alert not to lose its Arab friends.

The crown prince's plan to visit Turkey follows Erdogan's visit to the kingdom in April. It may look like a return visit, but including Greece and Cyprus on the same tour could dampen mood in Ankara, given Turkey's hopes of beating its two historic rivals in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Saudi Arabia was not directly involved in the disputes, but their show of solidarity with Greece and Cyprus irritated Ankara. In March 2021, Saudi Arabia sent warplanes to Greece as part of a joint military exercise, signaling its side. Athens then agreed to provide Riyadh with a Patriot air defense system to help protect Saudi infrastructure from missile attacks from Yemen.
NATO needs to consider a divorce from Turkey because growing differences between the alliance and Ankara are becoming irreconcilable, said Elizabeth Shackelford, a former U.S. diplomat.

Turkey is not the country that was drawn to NATO 70 years ago and other members have long tired of Turkeys duplicity and games, said Shackelford, who is a senior fellow on U.S. foreign policy with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

In the early NATO days, Turkey was sitting on the border of the Soviet Union. When stopping Soviet expansion was NATOs primary purpose, Turkeys geography might have been compelling enough to overcome other shortcomings. This was easy to do, too, given Turkeys potential at the time. It seemed to be moving firmly toward a Western identity and embracing liberal, democratic values that NATO saw within itself.

As often happens in relationships, that promise didnt turn out, and Turkey saw coups and unrest in the coming decades. In 2002, the West thought this time could be different, with the democratic election of Recep Tayyip Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP), but the commitment to democracy still wasnt real, and Turkey took a hard turn toward illiberal, authoritarian rule.

Turkeys antidemocratic nature isnt just a bad look for an alliance that claims to be grounded in democratic principles. It also undermines NATOs security. Turkey wields its veto within the alliance like a cudgel, slamming its allies on unrelated issues to punish it for not validating Erdogans obsession with punishing the Kurds. Erdogan is in it for what Erdogan wants  and that frequently doesnt align with the alliances interest and security.

While they clash on several issues, Erdogan is still close to Putin, as he tries to play both sides. Turkeys purchase of Russian missile defence systems in 2019 was a slap in NATOs face and direct violation of U.S. sanctions. Can Turkey still be trusted with NATOs weapons systems, or does Turkeys snug relationship with Russia risk the compromise of classified NATO weapons system information?

NATO, you can do better. Finland and Sweden are courting you, after all. Like Turkey, they have capable, professional militaries and strategic geography, but they also share your values, such as democracy and the rule of law. Youre not likely to catch Finland or Sweden imprisoning political opponents or threatening journalists. And Erdogans objection to the accession of Finland and Sweden raises the question of whose side Erdogan is on at all.

Other NATO members have long tired of Turkeys duplicity and games. This isnt the first time booting Turkey out of the alliance has been a topic of debate. The possibility was raised after Erdogans harsh crackdown in 2016 following a failed coup attempt, as well after Turkey invaded northeastern Syria in 2019. But since NATO has no mechanism for suspending or expelling an ally, a path out isnt clear.

If the rest of the alliance finds that Turkey has consistently violated NATO principles, they can unanimously agree to withdraw Article 5 protections from Turkey, effectively suspending its participation and any assistance it receives from NATO.

This is probably the closest to divorce it can get, but even this determination would require a clear-eyed assessment of the benefits Turkey brings to the table and the risks too. Perhaps Turkey would agree to a no-fault divorce  it can always choose to withdraw. If not, marriage counseling might be in order.

No ally is the perfect ally, and no spouse the perfect spouse. Some manner of compromise and understanding is always necessary.

As I return to my vows, I consider whats most important to me in my own personal alliance. NATO, do you and Turkey have a shared vision of the future and your collective priorities? Can you trust Turkey to have your back?

If not, consider your options. Breakups are hard and messy, but you might be better off in the long run. And Finland and Sweden might be able to help with the rebound, the article reads.
Progress on Finland and Sweden's applications for NATO membership ahead of the alliance's Madrid summit in June depends on their reaction to Turkey's demands, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said.

Stockholm and Helsinki had applied to join the Western defense alliance but faced opposition from Turkey, which accused them of supporting and harboring Kurdish fighters and other groups it considers terrorists.

While Sweden and Finland have said talks with Turkey will continue to resolve their differences, President Recep Erdogan said Wednesday that Ankara has not received any proposals for its demands.

Ibrahim Kalin said in an interview with El Pais that Finland's and Sweden's reactions to Turkey's demands will determine whether progress can be made ahead of the June 29-30 NATO summit in Madrid. "It depends on what Sweden and Finland do," he said. "When we see progress on our requests, then the process will move forward. NATO is not a tourist or economic alliance, it is a security alliance, and that means it must provide security to all of its members equally and fairly."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said during a visit to Washington that he would convene senior officials from Finland, Sweden and Turkey in Brussels in the coming days to discuss the issue.

The application for NATO membership requires the support of each of its 30 members. Turkey, a NATO ally for more than 70 years, has said it will not change its position unless the Nordic countries take concrete steps to address its concerns.
Following the Brussels meeting of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan on May 22 and the first meeting of the governmental commissions on border delimitation and security on May 24, News.am sent an inquiry to the Russian Foreign Ministry, requesting comment on some statements.

Requested statements concerned the US and EU regarding the Brussels meeting, the mediation role of the EU, and some questions about the prospects for Russian involvement in the work of the delimitation commissions and the possibility of a trilateral meeting between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In response to our questions, the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry informed that the topics of interest are regularly covered by the leadership of the Ministry, and provided references to some official statements made during the last two months by Russian diplomats.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the first meeting of the bilateral Armenian-Azerbaijani Border Delimitation Commission and expressed support for the European Union-mediated dialogue between Yerevan and Baku. Additionally, during his phone conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Blinken offered Washington's assistance in delineating and demarcating the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, reiterating U.S. willingness to assist on a bilateral basis as well as with like-minded partners to "help achieve a long-term comprehensive peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan." How would you comment on these statements and the U.S. role in the negotiation process as a whole, given that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair format is now defunct?

The Russian ministry suggested reading the statements by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov following his talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on April 8, when Lavrov assessed the prospects of further activities and the priority of the format of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship.

"I don't know what the future will be. The French and American "partners" in this group in a Russophobic frenzy, in an effort to cancel "anything and everything" concerning Russia, also canceled the "three members" of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. They declared that they would not communicate with us in this format. It is their right. If they are ready to sacrifice the interests of the settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh and in the whole South Caucasus (in this case the Armenian side), that's their choice. It's not just about this particular conflict. They make all the other crises on Earth hostages of their Russophobic policy. They force everyone to stop interaction in any format just to prove their ability to dictate their unilateral will. I think this approach is irresponsible. It will not put us out of business. As always, we are fully committed to facilitating the settlement of the Karabakh situation, to the implementation of all the agreements reached in the trilateral format between the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. If the U.S. and France decide to do otherwise, God be their judge," Lavrov said at the time.

The May 22 statement by European Council President Charles Michel did not mention Russia's role as a mediator and the trilateral agreements reached under Moscow's auspices. When asked why Michel did not mention Russia's role, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar told NEWS.am, that the EU has always highlighted the need to implement all past trilateral agreements, which served as a basis for the current discussions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He added that no one questions the relevance of the trilateral agreements reached with Moscow in 2020 and 2021. How does Russia assess the EU's mediation efforts in the talks between Yerevan and Baku and the possibility of cooperation with Brussels in this direction?

During the above-mentioned briefing, Sergey Lavrov also criticized the EU actions in the framework of Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations and recalled the trilateral agreements reached earlier with Russian mediation.

"I would like our European colleagues in Brussels to understand that this "channel" has already been created by the three leaders in 2020 and 2021, and they will not put obstacles, "dams" or anything else.

I noticed that in the statement issued by Michel after his meeting with the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia there is no mention of Russia. It shows what is more important for the EU leadership: to develop the achievements or to use the Karabakh issue to "celebrate" their Russophobic views. This is unfortunate. Russia will never sacrifice the interests of our closest allies to some geopolitical, propaganda schemes and games. We are fully committed to helping Armenia and Azerbaijan get back on track.

Part of this work is delimitation. We and our colleagues confirmed today that the decision of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan that the delimitation commission will be bilateral with consultative participation of the Russian side remains in force. Not only because we have a map of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, which Yerevan and Baku are willing to use, but also for the simple reason that our living together on this territory for centuries allows us to hope that this kind of issues will be resolved more effectively in this format.

I develop the idea of how Brussels is positioning itself not only on delimitation issues. Michel also promoted trilateral trade, economic and transport projects. He talked about the EU's role in promoting a peace treaty. We are already familiar with this delicacy. It is purely European. Mirzoyan quoted a statement of Azerbaijanis that the "three members" of co-chairmen ceased to exist. I have not heard this statement of Azerbaijan. But it is a fact that the French and Americans, as part of the "three members", said so.

I don't know what words they used to put their statement into. It is a fact that they sacrificed the fate of the region, at least the role, which the "three members" could play in the fate of the region, to their Russophobic aims. They have set priorities quite clearly," said the Russian minister.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, during telephone conversations of Sergey Lavrov with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on May 23 - a day after the Brussels meeting of the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the EU - the commitment to the comprehensive implementation of trilateral agreements at the highest level of 9 November 2020, 11 January and 26 November 2021 was confirmed, in particular in the launch of project activities to unblock transport and economic relations in the South Caucasus, delimit the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and normalize relations between Yerevan and Azerbaijan. It is noteworthy that according to the Russian side's report on the conversation with the Azerbaijani minister the sides reiterated their commitment to strict fulfillment of all trilateral agreements.

The Ministry also mentioned Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's statements of May 18 and 25 that Russia sees the EU's persistent attempts to interfere with the implementation of trilateral agreements at the highest level. "We expect Brussels to help implement them, rather than try to play geopolitical games," Zakharova said, recalling that the trilateral agreements of the leaders dated November 9, 2020 form the basis of efforts towards comprehensive normalization of relations between Baku and Yerevan.

November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021.

Russia has repeatedly expressed its readiness to provide consultative assistance in the work of the bilateral Commission on the Delimitation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian Border. Is there an appeal from the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides (or one of the sides) to Russia to provide consultative assistance, since the first meeting of the Commission has already taken place and the second one is planned in Moscow and the third one in Brussels?

Russian Foreign Ministry mentioned Zakharova's statement that a team of Russian experts had already been formed to provide advisory assistance.

"Russia has unique expertise in the area of delimitation and settlement of border disputes in the post-Soviet space. We have the necessary cartographic materials at our disposal. We will be happy to share our experience and expertise with Armenian and Azerbaijani friends within the framework of the Commission's activities", noted Zakharova.

Does Russia see the need for a new trilateral meeting of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan? Are preparations being undertaken to organize a meeting at this level?

In this connection, the Department of Information and Press of the Russian Foreign Ministry recalled a statement by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko in an interview with the TASS news agency that the leaders are in constant contact, and the Russian side does not exclude the organization of a face-to-face meeting should such a need arise.
The resistance movement marched towards the Armenian government building.

Presenting the agenda, Armenian parliament Vice Speaker Ishkhan Saghatelyan recalled that for more than a month, literally becoming a family, citizens have been fighting. There are certain successes, but they are not enough - traitors turned out to be at the helm of power, Saghatelyan stated.

We submitted a document to the Parliament, which reflects the minimum principles and requirements for the viability of Armenia. They gave the authorities a chance to understand that the people will not give them a chance to go to new capitulations. The document contained neither resignation nor political demands. There was an exclusive demand to state that Artsakh would not be part of Azerbaijan. That we will have statehood and that the authorities are not enemies of the people. They didn't come, the meeting failed. A government that refuses to serve the interests of its people is illegitimate, Saghatelyan noted.

He added that before the end of the time allotted by law for the arrival of deputies, there are still 3.5 hours.
Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the digest of top news of protests in Yerevan as of 03.06.22:

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend a session of the CSTO Council of Ministers in Yerevan.

Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian foreign ministry, noted that the participants of the meeting shall sum up the results of multilateral cooperation within the CSTO, and discuss the prospects of further cooperation.

During the event, an in-depth exchange of views is envisaged on the international and regional situation and its impact on the CSTO member states, as well as the improvement of the CSTO crisis response mechanism.

Also, the plan of consultations on foreign policy and security issues for 2022-2024 is expected to be signed as a result of this session.

Within the framework of the session, the Russian foreign minister will have a number of bilateral meetings, too.

Azerbaijan has only partially managed to assess the US State Departments 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom.

Thus, publications in the Azerbaijani media referred to the violations allegedly committed by Armenia in the territories now controlled by Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, everything attributed to the Armenian side in this report is in fact a result of the war unleashed by Azerbaijan in the 1990s.

At the same time, however, Azerbaijan "did not see" what the report said about the actions of the Azerbaijani side.

There have been numerous reports throughout last year on Azerbaijans vandalism and destruction of Armenian cultural and religious sites, as well as on the Azerbaijani government's deliberate actions aimed at severing and distorting the connection of religious sites with the Armenian heritage.

Azerbaijani government actions and rhetoric that the Armenian churches are "Caucasian Albanian" have prompted international observers, Armenias officials, civil society representatives, and the Armenian Apostolic Church to raise serious concerns about continued Armenian ties to historical and religious sites now under Azerbaijani control.

Armenian businessman and consulting company owner Hovhannes Kamaryan, 62, was shot dead in Moscow.

Kamaryan was shot while leaving a restaurant with a woman. An unidentified person shot him in the back and head, after which he took a cell phone photo of the deceased and fled the scene.

According to REN TV, the murder suspect is 25 years old.

Hovhannes Kamaryan was declared wanted in Armenia for attempting to plot the murder of his rival Rafik Madoyan in 2013.

Artur Ghandilyan, an assistant of a cameraman of a local television station in Armenia, has died during filming.

He fell from a building in the capital Yerevan.

Ghandilyan was 36 years old, married, and had a young son.

Turkeys government has sent a letter to the United Nations formally requesting that it be referred to as Turkiye, the state-run news agency has reported.

The move is seen as part of a push by Ankara to rebrand the country and dissociate it from the bird of the same name and negative connotations associated with it.

Anadolu Agency said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson to UN secretary general Antonio Guterres, confirmed receipt of the letter from Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Turkish foreign minister. The agency quoted Dujarric as saying that the name change had become effective from the moment the letter was received. Dujarric told the Washington Post: It is not uncommon for us to receive such requests.
They often shared a church pew on Sundays in their Spartanburg, South Carolina, church, but now Karen Randall and Kathy Hodge share much more and have for 20 years. Called the Liver Sisters by Hodges husband, the two have an incredible bond that has been celebrated throughout the years and every April during National Donate Life Month.

Healthy all her life, Randall was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, primary biliary cholangitis, during a routine check-up in 1995 when she was 41-years-old. The disorder inflames the bile ducts between the liver and the small intestines, which eventually collapse and cause liver damage. The progressive disease would mean that Randall would need a liver transplant within five years.

Randall sought a second opinion at Emory Transplant Center, where she returned yearly for tests and consultation. In 2000, she was placed on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waitlist for a liver from a deceased donor, but because her health was deteriorating, she was concerned about the wait. Then a friend of Randalls found an article about a living liver donor.

I read about it and almost felt like it was science fiction, says Randall. Who in the world is going to donate more than half their liver to me? It seemed far-fetched, and I dismissed that idea, she states.

The first adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation in the U.S. occurred in 1998. Less than 10 years earlier, the first adult-to-child pediatric living donor liver transplantation occurred.

In the early 2000s, adult living donor liver transplantation was in its infancy and was not standard of care at that time, says Giorgio Roccaro, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Digestive Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine and medical director of living donor liver transplantation at Emory Transplant Center. But without a deceased liver donor, a living liver donor was the alternative.

Randall talked with her close family and friends about her need for a liver transplant and then to members of her church. Nearly a dozen people from her church said they would get tested to donate.

But Hodge, the church member who shared a pew with Randall, says she felt called to get tested and be a donor for Randall.

Karen and I were friends in church; I heard that she was sick and needed a liver, and one day I asked my husband, what do you think about me trying to be a donor? says Hodge, then a 51-year-old retired teacher. I just felt led to do that. The Lord used me as an instrument.

Hodge was a match for Randall.

I am a worrier, but I never worried about this, says Hodge. I always felt at peace about it, from the minute I made the decision to the day of the surgery.

On Dec. 4, 2001, 65 percent of Hodges liver was surgically removed in an operating room at Emory University Hospital and transplanted into Randall a short time later.

I felt like not only did I have the weight of my own surgery on my shoulders, but Kathys as well, Randall says. But I knew we were in good hands. When I was prepped and about to go under, I asked, How is she? and they said, It went great. 

The surgeries were successful. Both women were taken to the ICU for care, then moved to the regular transplant floor. Staff and visitors liked hearing about their Christmas miracle. They were among the first few living donor liver transplantations at Emory in 2001.

It was absolutely heroic to donate a portion of the liver, and particularly at that time, says Roccaro. This is a very inspiring story.

Randall spent about a month in the hospital following liver transplant surgery, and Hodge was discharged after about two weeks to Emorys Mason Guest House, a nearby facility for transplant donors, recipients and families who dont live in metro-Atlanta. Both returned home to Spartanburg after the holidays.

Hodges husband calls the two the Liver Sisters. In December 2021, they celebrated their 20-year anniversary of the living donor liver transplant.

Kathy gave me the gift of a lifetime, says Randall. No two ways about that. Twenty years is pretty amazing, and Im expecting to have many more.

Throughout the years, Randall had not shared with many people that she had a liver transplant; but because of the global pandemic, where she needed to be more careful because she is immunocompromised, she began sharing the news. She also wanted to celebrate the special 20-year anniversary of her transplant and honor her donor.

Emory has now performed more than 2,900 liver transplants, with the majority of these transplants coming from deceased donors. Less than four percent of liver transplants in the U.S. are from living donors.

The liver has the ability to regenerate and grow back to 85 to 90 percent of its original size in both the living liver donor and recipient, says Roccaro. This regeneration usually happens in a few weeks, which is remarkable.

Randall, now 68, has lived a very normal life since her liver transplant. Living now in a retirement community in North Georgia, she enjoys traveling internationally (pre-pandemic), exercising and volunteering in her church and community.

To this day, Ive been able to return to a normal life, resume my career and enjoy an active retirement. I had no complications and was never back in a hospital, says Randall.

Hodge, 72, still lives near Spartanburg, is also enjoying life and says her health is good. And I am still marked as an organ donor on my drivers license, she says. I am just happy I got to donate while I was alive and didnt have to wait.

To learn more about liver transplantation at Emory Transplant Center, visit this link.
During the 1950s, with the establishment of the suburbs, images of pearl-donning housewives dominated media and advertising. However, there was a group of women who didnt quite fit societys new mold, and the publishing industry took note. They started mass producing pulp fiction  inexpensive paperback books  and selling them in drugstores and supermarkets. One of the most popular genres of pulp fiction was lesbian drama.

One of the first major bestsellers of this era was a novel called Womens Barracks that included a lesbian relationship, so publishers realized that queer content sold well and jumped on the bandwagon to produce more of it, says Carrie Hintz, associate director of Emorys Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library. This ultimately led to thousands of lesbian pulp novels being printed between 1952 and 1968, with the most popular of them going into multiple printings and selling millions of copies.

In recognition of Pride Month, the Rose Library will host an exhibition featuring queer pulp fiction books from Emorys LGBTQ+ literature collection. The book covers and details about the authors will be displayed in the Rose Library, located on the 10th floor of Woodruff Library, from June 1 to Oct. 7. One of the reasons Hintz believes its time to do this type of exhibition is because though readers devoured queer pulp fiction, many of the authors used pseudonyms.

One thing this exhibition can help us reflect on during Pride Month is how far we as queer people have come since the 1950s in terms of being able to live visibly, says Hintz. It is important to highlight these books to remember our histories, acknowledge our progress and prompt us to continue to fight for our futures.

Creating community

Visibility is the focus of the Emory Pride Employee Network, which launched earlier this year to offer social engagement, professional development and mentorship opportunities for the universitys LGBTQ+ faculty and staff.

EPEN is one of two new resource groups for Emory employees. The LGBTQ+ group, along with the Emory Black Employee Network, were chosen as the first to be piloted based on the results of an employee survey conducted by Emory University Human Resources last summer.

We want people to feel a stronger sense of connection to Emory, says Melissa Morgan, Human Resources manager of recognition and engagement. We want people to feel like they have a community to identify with, so that they will come here, stay here and love Emory as a place to work.

EPEN has several events slated for Pride Month. Among the highlights:

On June 7 at noon, the group hosts an Out at Emory virtual panel where some board members will discuss their experiences of being LGBTQ+ on campus. Adam Malm, EPENs chair, hopes these types of discussions will contribute to making every employee feel safe while being their authentic selves at any given time on campus or working within their departments.

EPENs Pride Month recognition will culminate with a carnival-themed celebration on June 30 from 4-5:30 p.m. on the Cox Hall bridge. The entire Emory community is encouraged to come and enjoy food, games and giveaways. Organizations serving the LGBTQ+ community will host tables at the event, including PFLAG Atlanta , the I am Human Foundation Southern Jewish Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity and the National Institutes of Health All of Us research program.

Its a celebration of everything that has happened historically for the community and an opportunity to be visible in the heart of Emory with rainbows everywhere, says Malm.

Since launching earlier this year, EPEN has started a monthly newsletter, hosted a dance party from the stage at Staff Fest, and hosted a Hawaiian-themed pit stop at the 2022 AIDS Vaccine 200 bike ride. The group has also identified an executive sponsor, University Ombuds Lynell Cadray, and formed an advisory board of LGBTQ+ employees and allies. The full list of board members includes:

Shadree Bachan, clinical research coordinator, Winship Cancer Institute

Philip Davis, assistant clinical professor, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

Stephanie Elser, vet tech II, Emory National Primate Research Center

Andrew Garber, EPEN co-chair and business analyst, Emory Continuing Education

David Goetsch, assistant director of faculty recruitment, Human Resources

Adam Malm, EPEN chair and senior assistant dean for operations, administration and facilities in Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

Maria Mendez, division director of Human Resources and Operations

Hillary Moe, administrative assistant, Emory School of Medicine

Andrew Moses, operations coordinator, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

Haley Murray, senior operations manager, Goizueta Business School

David Payne, associate vice president of planning and engagement

Michael Price, COVID-19 screening site operations and site lead, Business Operations

Gabriel Nelson Sears, administrative assistant, Emory College of Arts and Sciences
Turkey wishes to be called Turkiye in all languages

Over the past few years, the country has sought to change the branding on its products from "made in Turkey" to "made in Turkiye." Image: Shutterstock

Turkey has told the United Nations that, at the behest of its president, it wishes from now on to be called "Turkiye" in all languages, the UN announced Thursday.



"The change is immediate," Stephane Dujarric, the UN chief's spokesperson, told AFP by email.



He noted that Ankara's official letter requesting the change had been received at the UN's New York headquarters on Wednesday.



The day before, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavasoglu had tweeted a photo of himself signing the letter, addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.



"With the letter I sent to the UN Secretary General today, we are registering our country's name in foreign languages at the UN as 'Turkiye,'" he wrote, including an umlaut over the "u".



He added that the change would bring to an end the process of "increasing the brand value of our country," an initiative started by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has led the country for almost two decades.



Over the past few years, the country has sought to change the branding on its products from "made in Turkey" to "made in Turkiye."



In addition to making the UN's nomenclature match how the nation is spelled in Turkish, the update would also help distinguish the country from the bird of the same name in English.



"The name change may seem silly to some but it puts Erdogan in the role of protector, of safeguarding international respect for the country," Georgetown University professor Mustafa Aksakal was quoted as saying in The New York Times.



The newspaper also noted that the move comes ahead of next year's presidential election as well as the centenary of the nation's founding after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire. (AFP)
India's largest cement producer UltraTech Cement on Thursday said it will invest Rs 12,886 crore to increase its production capacity by 22.6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). The company's Board of Directors at its meeting held on Thursday approved the capital expenditure required to increase expansion capacity. The new capacity will be a mix of brown field and green field expansion. This would be achieved by setting up integrated and grinding units as well as bulk terminals. The additional capacity will be created across the country, UltraTech Cement said in a statement. "This ambitious capacity expansion plan is a significant milestone in the ongoing transformational growth journey of UltraTech. The company has more than doubled its capacity over the last five years and is committed to meeting India's future needs for housing, roads, and other infrastructure," said Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group. UltraTech Cement is a flagship company of Kumar Mangalam Birla-led Aditya Birla Group. "This investment is backed by a strong conviction on India's growth potential as well as a deep and nuanced understanding of the market dynamics of the cement industry. Given the size of the investment outlay, I am confident that this new capacity creation will have a multiplier effect leading to jobs and growth across multiple regions in India," Birla said in the statement. UltraTech Cement is the third-largest cement producer in the world, outside of China, with a consolidated grey cement capacity of 119.95 MTPA. Upon completion of the latest round of expansion, the company's capacity will grow to 159.25 MTPA, reinforcing its position as the third-largest cement company in the world, outside of China. On expansion timeframe, the statement said, "commercial production from these new capacities is expected to go on stream in a phased manner, by FY25. UltraTech's current expansion program is on track and estimated to be completed by the end of FY23." (ANI)
Beijing [China], June 3 (ANI/PR Newswire): Who is Zhang Jiuling? Why does his 1,000-year-old legacy still matter today? Zhang Jiuling was a politician and writer who beat the odds with his integrity and hard work back in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Zhang was a native of Shaoguan city in the historically isolated and underrepresented Lingnan area in southern China's Guangdong province. Although from humble beginnings, Zhang proved himself in the imperial examinations and soon became well known for his honest, incorruptible character in the imperial court. He didn't forget about those back home either, opening up pathways integrating Shaoguan and Lingnan with the rest of the kingdom. Today, Zhang is still revered by many for his unmatched grace and literary talent. With just a simple walk through Shaoguan, one would soon notice just how influential Zhang has been on this city. Zhang Jiuling is a household name here and many streets, libraries and local dishes are named in remembrance of his legacy. To find out more about the story of Zhang Jiuling, American host Jack heads to Shaoguan in Guangdong. Jack visits many places on his journey to learn about this legendary figure, but what do a library, ancient road, bowl of noodles, and cartoon-style notebook all have to do with Zhang Jiuling? How is this man's legacy still very much alive in Shaoguan? And why is this legacy so important to the people here today? YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/gV1jcIFeEfA This story is provided by PR Newswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PR Newswire)
New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI/SRV): As the digital electronic market is expanding in the world with new technologies, TEDDY BEAR (http://teddybear.tech), a leading brand has been producing electronics products and services since 1998. They have been in business for 25 years and have launched a new website called TEDDY BEAR in April 2022 for better exposure in the market to serve clients with world-class high-quality products. TEDDY BEAR intends to provide consumers with premium-quality items at reasonable rates that are appealing to the Indian market. The company's website now serves metro areas, but it plans to expand to include tier 2 and tier 3 cities soon. The company is well-known for its manufacturing in India and export around the countries, which focuses on recognizing the customer's demands and behaviours. TEDDY BEAR serves numerous geographies including India, the United States, London, Dubai, the Middle East, and Singapore. Willing to expand with its flagship brand TEDDY BEAR with the same enthusiasm. With the company's efficiency, they hope to release new items in the market shortly while keeping the demands of the customers in mind. At the same time, the firm strives to stay ahead of the competition in terms of technology and quality. TEDDY BEAR aspires to be India's number one brand in the consumer products business, and the company intends to leave an imprint on customers' minds using the newest generation of digital technology. According to Athul Passricha, the company's Founder and CEO, "To compete with the global brands, we are committed to deliver high-end premium products with latest technology to our customers while working with ethical practices and compliances at the workplace, keeping in mind the continuous operation along with strict quality control and delivering the products on time by creating a digital environment for the employees. At TEDDY BEAR, we are always committed to and strive for excellence through our innovative products and customer-centric service. Given our strong track record in numerous geographies, we are confident in expanding even further." The website currently provides high-tech LED TVs and CCTV Security Cameras and also provides EMI facilities on all major credit and debit cards. TEDDY BEAR aims to provide customers with a personalised and flexible experience, hence, offers a wide range of payment options. The brand also prides itself in giving the best after-sales services in the industry. Grayson one of the clients said, "For this price bracket, this is a terrific visual and sound combo, and the general performance of the OTT platform is strong. TEDDY BEAR smart cloud Android LED TV is an excellent and good offer". The company takes a customer-oriented strategy and prefers to engage directly with its clients to establish long-term relationships. Furthermore, the company also focuses on continuous improvement to prepare for the future. With excellence and customer satisfaction at its core, TEDDY BEAR is all set to capture every market is steps foot in. To know more visit: http://teddybear.tech This story is provided by SRV. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 3 (ANI/PR Newswire): In its effort to strengthen India's regional connectivity, Star Air, the aviation arm of Sanjay Ghodawat Group is set to operate Bhuj as its 17th destination under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN. With a vision of Connecting Real India, Star Air views Bhuj as a multifaceted city of culture and color, that is widely famous for its amazing handicrafts, gigantic palaces, and the mesmerizing white desert of Kutch along with the ever so colorful Kutch-Rann Utsav festival. With the launch of our new destination, Star Air will operate its Embraer 145 jets for direct and connecting flights between Bhuj, Ahmedabad, and Belagavi as part of its summer 2022 schedule, w.e.f June 3, 2022. Famous for its weaving, embroidery, block-printing, tie and dye items, Bhuj is also an ideal textile tourism destination that attracts millions of people from across the world. Flights to our new destination will not only strengthen tourism, and boost economic growth, but will allow seamless connectivity to the colorful and picturesque destination. The launch of the new route heralds the beginning of a new era for Gujarat, as it advocates for better connectivity within the state and the rest of the country. Commenting on the milestone achievement, Shrenik Ghodawat, MD - Star Air, said, "We are pleased to announce Bhuj as our 17th destination. The launch of Bhuj would provide easy access to tourist attractions like the famous Rann Utsav, the Aina Mahal, and religious destinations including the Swaminarayan temple. Enhanced connectivity in Bhuj, will boost tourism, trade, and commerce in Gujarat. We hope to continue connecting many other regional cities to the travel map of India in the times to come." Star Air will operate five times a week between Bhuj, Ahmedabad, and Belagavi on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The schedule of these flights has been planned to offer passengers the most reasonable prices under the popular UDAN scheme. This historic flight service between Ahemdabad and Bhuj covers 297kms of the distance between these cities in just 60 minutes instead of 6+ hours via other modes of transport. Currently, Star Air offers scheduled flight services to 17 Indian destinations that include Ahmedabad, Ajmer (Kishangarh), Bengaluru, Belagavi, Delhi (Hindon), Hubballi, Indore, Jodhpur, Kalaburagi, Mumbai, Nashik, Surat, Tirupati, Jamnagar, Hyderabad, Nagpur, and Bhuj. For more information, please visit www.starair.in. One can also connect with Star Air on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Sanjay Ghodawat Group (SGG) is a prominent Indian business conglomerate that has a presence in various high-value business verticals. Aviation, Consumer Products, Education, Energy, Mining, Realty, Retail, and Textiles are some of its key business domains. SGG was founded in 1993 and since then it has witnessed impressive growth under the splendid stewardship of its Founder and Chairman- Sanjay Ghodawat. It has a strong base of millions of customers globally, an employee strength of over 10,000, and a student base of over 16,000. SGG is moving ahead with great vigour and bringing significant changes in people's lives with its wide range of high-quality products and services. For more information, please visit www.ghodawat.com This story is provided by PR Newswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PR Newswire)
New Delhi [India] June 3 (ANI/ATK): May 16, 17, 18 2022 saw big leaps in the space of DEI as Ask Insights in collaboration with Times of India hosted DICE - The Global Diversity Equity and Inclusion Summit 5.0 at The Lalit, New Delhi. Ask Insights, led by Padma Shri Dr Niru Kumar, has always been a pioneer in coining the newest themes in the field of Diversity and Inclusion in India. This year, the concept of DICE was introduced by Dr Niru Kumar and Dr Akshay Kumar from Ask Insights, and this term has been used for the first time in the space of Diversity and Inclusion. Imagine having a workspace that is inclusive but a society where the biases are still prevalent till the time there is a widespread culture of inclusion we cannot hope to achieve the results we desire. That's exactly what the 'C' in DICE stands for - 'Collaboration'. As Dr Akshay Kumar rightly pointed out, "Simply talking about work place Inclusion is not enough. Employees who face issues of social injustice based on their gender, caste and sexual orientation, look towards their teams for the necessary support and yearn to hear a unanimous supportive voice from within and outside the walls of their organization. Hence, Collaboration is critical for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to stand on its two legs and function as an organizational culture." The term DEI has been used across the world for some time now, and DICE is the newly coined acronym that is creating a buzz and is gradually becoming the accepted norm in the space of workplace Inclusion. Collaboration is an essential addition to DEI, highlighting the critical importance of collaboration between functions, organizations and sectors, to create a truly inclusive planet. The power-packed Global Diversity Equity Inclusion Summit 5.0 was opened by the Chief Guest, Sunil Arora, 23rd Chief Election Commissioner of India and Chair of World Election Bodies. For the first time ever, an Inclusion conference like these hosted attendees from Senior Government positions, non-profits, education sector and corporate sector alike. There were more than 125 eminent speakers, 200+ attendees on ground and 60+ Global Organizations that participated. Embodying the spirit of DICE, and looking to spread the message far and wide, the summit was also broadcasted live to attendees around the globe and hosted world-class leaders in this field who facilitated master classes on critical themes like removing systemic barriers, sustained DEI strategies, gender intelligence, global leadership, inclusion in healthcare, and the evolving theme of neuro-diversity. The summit also featured special roundtables where critical stakeholders from across organizations and sectors came together on the same table to initiate on-the-spot alliances and collaborations to strategize in the space of D&I together. The roundtable themes included Collaboration between marketing and HR - with a view that external communication should play a part in breaking stereotypes; Collaboration between corporates and non-profits; Collaboration between educational institutes and corporates, etc. and even a CXO round table. Each of these roundtables saw enthusiastic participation and sustainable intent from the top-most leadership members. In the CXO roundtable, the leaders signed a charter committing to collecting sponsorship towards marginalized groups. Some of the participating leaders in the CXO round table were from KPMG, Amazon, PepsiCo, Perfetti Van Melle, Max Life Insurance, Rolls Royce Lenovo, PwC, Sodexo, Uber, Hero MotoCorp, SP Global, Jubilant and more. The panel discussions saw Global CXOs, international thought leaders and government stakeholders speak on the important D&I aspects of Inclusive Leadership; Women for Women; Reinventing DEI after the Pandemic; Accessible and Disability Inclusive Indian Workplaces, LGBTQ+: From Tolerance to Authentic Inclusion; Gender Intelligence: Equity Policy and Practices; Psychological Safety: The Heart of DEI. These panels had organizations joining hands and sharing their best practices to chalk out a 'DICE' path, inspiring and encouraging others to follow the same. The summit ended on a high note with the Times of India and Ask Insights DEI Awards to the organizations who have showcased exemplary work in the field of Diversity and Inclusion. These awards set the benchmark for admirable work in the space of DEI. The Chief Guest for the awards evening was Dr Sandeep Marwah who is himself doing exemplary work in the field of inclusion. He set the tone for the evening with an enlightening speech that resonated perfectly with the DICE theme, subsequently handing out some of the important awards to the winners. The DEI awards were independently curated by the Award Partner PwC, and more than 40 nominations were received. The Senior Executive Director at PwC shared "It is heartening to see the vast increase in the number of nominations over the years, implying a large-scale improvement and growth in the space of DEI amongst organizations." Padma Shri Dr Niru Kumar, Founder and CEO of Ask Insights says, "The purpose of my life is to keep driving the change towards amplifying the voice of inclusion, and bringing people of the marginalized groups to the mainstream. For that, Ask Insights will put in their all towards facilitating collaborations which make the DICE movement prominent." This story is provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/ATK)
New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI/NewsVoir): The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a quick scale-up to a more digitised world and the Indian organised sector has jumped on to the online bandwagon to address the need gap of digitally savvy traders looking for solutions to their daily trading needs. In the past two years, while many forex firms have entered the market millions of users are still looking for a trustworthy broker and platform to trade with. Traders today, especially individual traders, are looking for credibility, trust, quality and convenience for their daily Forex trading. The need for online services which offer livelihood to multitudes of people who have lost the same during the pandemic is the need of the hour. And that need is filled by Lavish Choudhary, the CEO of QFX Markets, an award-winning and trusted Forex Prime broker that provides multiple trading options in crypto, currencies, stocks, commodities, and indices. For Choudhary, the whole point of becoming an entrepreneur and starting the company was to offer the youth a golden opportunity of self-employment and help all others become entrepreneurs in their own right. In order to achieve his entrepreneurial dreams, Choudhary had begun studying trading, share markets and crypto right from the time that he was in school. Over the years, as his knowledge of the online money markets grew so did his confidence, and simultaneously he began active trading in the commodities space. Gradually, he was working on ideas to find an extensive variety of online high-return investment options and solutions for individual investors, which is what he did when he started QFX Markets in 2021. As per to his dream, the start-up assists individual investors to build their personalised profiles while simultaneously understanding their financial and behavioural journeys. Thus, he educates people about markets and helps them develop real-time intelligence and poise to trade in crypto, stocks, commodities and forex markets. Choudhary's mission for the company and his community is to equip and empower individuals with complete working knowledge of global markets, thus enabling them to make informed investment decisions. Since dabbling in the markets as a school-goer, Choudhary has built a sterling presence in the global money industry. During these years, he has proved himself to be an outstanding business leader, lateral thinker and innovator, who is always ready to meet problems 'head on'. When Choudhary founded QFX Markets in 2021, he was setting in motion his life-long dream of being a successful entrepreneur by helping investors make the most of their money with an entire array of investment opportunities. In the process, he has also given gainful employment to thousands of Indians. In his role as a CEO, he is a veritable problem solver and has affected a transformational shift in the way the company's client base views investment. By presenting them the streamlined, hi-tech processes of the best trading platform MT5 - a powerful, cutting-edge trading platform with advanced features, he has not only introduced increased time efficiencies but also opened people up to a whole new experience of trading across forex markets. At the same time, with his innovative offering, he has also sought to build a lasting bond with his clients. Hence, the platform is designed to be easy to use with superior features such as a trader's calculator, performance statistics, real-time data on market sentiment, etc. He has ensured it's suitable for experienced traders as well as investment novices. Thanks to his dedication, the company has recently completed two years, with a 2-lakh investor base and over 1 lakh activations on the platform. At last count, the company had garnered over 20 forex industry awards after having expanded its operations in over 32 countries worldwide. His vision is to see QFX reach the top of its segment and become the world's numero uno Forex trading company. Choudhary has always believed that people should have the option to do more than just their regular job for generating wealth. He has studied the Forex markets intently for long years to understand that with adequate know-how and a little time invested in trading most people can learn how to build a parallel income source. Other than sharing this knowledge with all, he is also focused on team building, market study and prediction, revenue and financial performance. Hence, going forward, he has plans to build and launch an OTT platform for Forex traders, which will make trading on-the-go more convenient than ever before. He is also working on another app that'll be a social media platform of sorts to connect people with other like-minded souls and help disseminate expert tips and information within a community. What he aims to do with this app is essentially to build a community for his traders and get them to stay connected at all times. As if that's not all, Choudhary is also working on mounting a Hollywood movie with the working title, "The Secret of Crypto and Forex". If this does not spell out his belief in and enthusiasm for these markets and how they can help every individual have a parallel source of income in their life, nothing else can. QFX Trade Limited is a leading Forex Prime Broker that provides multiple trading options like crypto, currencies, stocks, commodities, and indices among others. The company has been serving its customers for years and operates in more than 32 countries. QFX is an automated trading platform which also provides a copy trading feature, where clients can get additional income by following the accounts of more experienced traders, by investing just one hour a day in analyzing, executing, and monitoring one's portfolio. It empowers people with the knowledge of global markets and provides its clients with access to the world's leading financial institutions while delivering cutting-edge technology solutions. Its goal is to deliver an exceptional service experience through innovation and commitment to quality at all levels - from research capability to client care services For more information, please visit: qfxmarkets.com. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 3 (ANI/BusinessWire India): During a recent visit to India, representatives of Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) connected with 32 companies to highlight business opportunities in Fairfax County, Virginia, located right outside of Washington, D.C., U.S.A. "It was delightful to go back to India and re-engage with tech companies whose commitment to U.S. expansion remains undiminished," said Juhi Naithani, Assistant Director of International Business Investment. "We are ready to welcome and support Indian companies that want to establish a presence in Fairfax County." Since 2004, FCEDA has had a presence in India and has served as a go-to resource for companies interested in expanding into the U.S. market. After a pandemic-imposed hiatus, FCEDA returned to India for this trip, May 15-19, 2022, which included visits to New Delhi and Bangalore. Key highlights included: * Meetings in New Delhi and an exclusive interview with leading Indian television journalist VickramBahl. This interview focused on global opportunities in Fairfax County, U.S.A - the tech hub of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area. Vickram Bahl is the Editor-in-Chief of the television production news agency ITMN. * High-tea networking session with India Inc. in Bangalore on May 17: An esteemed panel of experts, leaders, practitioners and officials from industry and government shared their insights on the technology landscape of U.S.A; the power of place; and the importance of ecosystem, best practices, and opportunities for Indian companies, primarily from information technology, cyber security, healthcare, aerospace, and defense, fintech and other tech focused industries. The session included representatives from FCEDA, U.S. Commercial Service and Fairfax County-based global businesses CGI and D'Code. * 1:1 business meetings on May 18-19: FCEDA authorities shared the opportunities and support offered to Indian businesses expanding to the United States, along with a detailed discussion about their investment goals, talent requirements and global growth efforts. Nearly 30 Indian companies, including some of the largest names in tech, are already part of the dynamic and diverse business community of Fairfax County, Virginia. Along with its eastern time zone, in line with both New York and Toronto, Fairfax County offers direct links to global markets through Washington Dulles International Airport, which serves hundreds of international destinations, including a direct flight to Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. Fairfax County's business community features 9 Fortune 500 headquarters, leading government contractors, a mix of more than 8,800 technology businesses such as Amazon and Google, and global headquarters for outstanding companies such as Hilton, Mars, Airbus and General Dynamics. Along with its strength in government and defense technology, Fairfax County's diverse ecosystem is evident in the cluster of cybersecurity, communications, financial and healthcare companies based in the region. Indian companies that have already selected Fairfax County as their home of choice include Tata Communications, Hexaware, HCL and Granules Pharmaceuticals. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 3 (ANI/NewsVoir): Minister for Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, Dharmendra Pradhan, visited Ahmedabad University on May 31, 2022, accompanied by the Minister of Education, Higher and Technical Education, Science and Technology, Government of Gujarat, Jitendra Vaghani. Pradhan interacted with faculty to understand the strategy of the University and particularly its unique learning environment. Sanjay Lalbhai, Chancellor and Chairman, Board of Governors, and Shri Sudhir Mehta, Member, Board of Governors, Ahmedabad University, were present at the meeting. Professor Pankaj Chandra, Vice Chancellor, briefed the Honourable Minister on how the University was reimagining the classroom by addressing complex challenges facing the larger society through interdisciplinarity, experiential learning and research thinking. He mentioned that creating intersections between the arts, sciences, and the professions was a critical element of an Ahmedabad education as it provides a young student with better skills and perspectives. Shri Pradhan praised the efforts of the University leadership in creating a vibrant campus with a unique learning process centred around promoting interdisciplinary holistic learning, furthering research and innovation, and encouraging entrepreneurship through start-up accelerators in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Commending the University's efforts to provide inclusive education, the Honourable Minister encouraged Ahmedabad University to strengthen social science research, develop innovative instruments for taking education to the less empowered and prepare students for the future of work. Ahmedabad University is a leading private, non-profit research university offering students a liberal education focused on interdisciplinary learning and research thinking. The University, established in 2009, is rooted in the vision of one of India's finest educational foundations, the Ahmedabad Education Society, which was founded in 1935 by nationalist leaders. Programmes at the University range from bachelors to doctoral levels in humanities & social sciences, natural sciences, engineering and management through its ten Schools and Centres: Amrut Mody School of Management | School of Arts and Sciences | School of Engineering and Applied Science | Centre for Heritage Management | VentureStudio | Centre for Learning Futures | Global Centre for Environment and Energy | Centre for Inter - Asian Research | Ahmedabad Design Lab | International Centre for Space and Cosmology. An urban university, Ahmedabad promotes independent-mindedness and diversity across all dimensions of its activity and helps students mature into critical thinkers who are analytically equipped, practically oriented, and contextually-aware global citizens. The University provides a contemporary educational framework that brings liberal arts, sciences, and the professions to engage together in creating new knowledge for addressing complex challenges of the society and in offering majors that merge the boundaries of disciplines to prepare students for the new economy. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI/NewsVoir): The need to break silos and work in collaboration across borders, ministries, departments and sectors to mainstream sustainability was asserted by experts during the curtain-raiser to the 22nd edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS 2023) held ahead of the World Environment Day in New Delhi on Friday. The WSDS 2023, the annual flagship science-policy interface event of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), will be held in the capital on the theme of 'Mainstreaming Sustainable Development and Climate Resilience for Collective Action' from February 22 to 24, 2023. In his keynote address at the curtain-raiser, Ovais Sarmad, Deputy Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) said, "We have not inherited the environment from the previous generation, but borrowed it from the future generation. We have a huge moral and ethical responsibility to protect that... We have to keep the perspective of human development and the individual at the centre of it all. Unfortunately, sometimes the policies and discussions fail to do that." Pointing out that inclusive multilateralism is the only way forward to address climate change, recover from current conflicts and the crisis we are living through, Sarmad also added, "In both developed and developing countries, there is an increased importance towards mainstreaming the effects of climate change and addressing them in climate policies." In his presidential address, Dr S Siddharth, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance), Government of Bihar, gave an overview of how the State conceptualised and implemented the Green Budget. "Bihar is the first state in the country to place the Green Budget in both the houses of the Assembly. We came out with our first Green Budget in 2021. We identified 19 departments that have an impact on climate change; every budget head was broken to identify its effect on climate change," pointed out Dr Siddharth. Noting that the world has come a long way in terms of awareness of sustainability, especially among corporates, 50 years after the Stockholm Conference and 30 years since the Rio Summit, Nitin Desai, Chairman, TERI, however observed that political barriers are yet to be surpassed. "There are institutional and ethical barriers still in getting solutions which address the challenges of equity, particularly between now and future generations," Mr. Desai said. Calling for the integration of sustainable development across sectors of climate policy, finance, science, technology and innovation, Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, in her welcome address said, "Perspectives from a variety of lenses and institutional vantage points become important when we talk about mainstreaming sustainable development." The Summit Overview Document of WSDS 2022 and the curtain-raiser to the 22nd edition of WSDS was launched by Dr Shailly Kedia, Senior Fellow and Associate Director, TERI. In his leadership address, Dr Akhilesh Gupta, Senior Adviser and Scientist 'H', Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, highlighted that though industrial development played a part in accelerating climate change, solution to the problem also lies in science. "Technology driven industrial development led to climate change. It is going to be science and technology led coping strategy and clean technology that will help address climate change. The new science and technology policy will focus on creating the STI ecosystem that meets the challenges of SDG goals and aligns with national priorities," he said. Noting that all major banks in India need to scale up their engagement with sustainable development, Sunil Nair, Chief General Manager, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), gave an overview of the central bank's vision and policies for mainstreaming sustainable development and climate action. "The RBI has been spreading awareness on green and sustainable finance through its publications and communication channels," said Nair. In a bid to spread awareness on water conservation, TERI also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Diamond Toons to produce a series of popular books. Emphasising the need to take the message of water conservation to all stakeholders, Dr. SK Sarkar, Distinguished Fellow, TERI, said, "We should reach the youth and other stakeholders who are the future citizens of the country. As per the estimates of Niti Aayog, by 2030, our water demand will be double of our water supply. Water conservation is the key." Collaborations such as the MoU between TERI and Diamond Toons will help in taking the message across, he added. Signing the MoU with Dr Dhawan, Manish Verma, Director, Diamond Toons, said the platform of talking comics and its universe of characters will take the message conservation and sustainable development to stakeholders in multiple languages. "More than ever we need behavioural change in making inclusive and sustainable change. We have to increase the share of voices in protecting the one earth. The power of storytelling is the only way to make a society inclusive of change," Mr. Verma noted. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is an independent, multi-dimensional research organization, with capabilities in policy research, technology development, and implementation. Headquartered in New Delhi, TERI has regional centres and campuses in Gurugram, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Mumbai, Panaji, and Nainital, supported by a multi-disciplinary team of scientists, sociologists, economists, engineers, policy analysts, administrative professionals and state-of-the-art infrastructure. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Front-running is the practice of dealing on advance information provided by their brokers and investment analysts, before their clients have been given the information is called front running.

The SEBI also found his friend Adil Suthar guilty, thereby penalised the accountholders whose accounts were used by the duo for placing those front running trades.

Additionally, Singh and Sutar would be barred from 5 years, while slapped with Rs 10 lakh and Rs 8 lakh penalties, respectively, which must be paid within 45 days time.

--IANS ad/vd

( 143 Words)

2022-06-03-20:32:02 (IANS)
One of the attorneys from Johnny Depp's legal team, Camille Vasquez, seems to have become the internet's favourite as the six-week-long televised trial between the two Hollywood bigwigs came to an end yesterday, resulting in Depp's win against Amber Heard. Over the course of the trial, while trying to defend her client, the young California lawyer managed to unintentionally turn the limelight on herself and has gone on to become the internet's latest sensation thanks to her legal expertise and in-court brilliance. As per E! News, soon after the verdict was read, Depp's lawyers spoke out outside the courtroom. She said, "Today's verdict confirms what we have said from the beginning, that the claims against Johnny Depp are defamatory and unsupported by any evidence... We are grateful, so grateful to the jury for their careful deliberation, to the judge and the court staff who have devoted an enormous amount of time and resources towards this case." During the trial, Vasquez had fearlessly cross-examined Heard and among the highlights had been when she asked the 'Aquaman' actor whether the 7 million dollar divorce settlement amount had been donated to charity by her, as promised. After Heard tried to avoid answering it directly by stating that she had pledged the money to different charities, Vasquez famously pointed out the misdirection by saying "Ms Heard, respectfully, that's not my question." While her efforts have left Heard in a tough spot, the internet can't ignore but obsess over Vasquez. "I gotta say, I want Camille Vasquez as my lawyer if I ever get into trouble. She's a boss. Her closing arguments are on point," one user shared on Twitter. Another one wrote, "Camile Vasquez ate Amber Heard alive and didn't even burp. CV u rock. #Camille Vasquez." A third tweet read, "Anyone else agree Camille Vasquez should get her own monetary award from this trial for being an absolute queen throughout." "#Camille Vasquez is just so powerful and you can feel how much she cares and believes Johnny and is fighting for him," tweeted another user. Earlier, in May, Vasquez was speculated to be dating Depp, however, as per Mashable India she had responded by laughing off the rumours. US Weekly reports, that Vasquez is a litigation associate for Brown Rudnick, the firm that Depp had hired to oversee his legal defence in the defamation trial. Depp had sued Amber for USD 50 million in defamation, claiming that a 2018 article she wrote for Washington Post damaged his career. In the article, Amber talked about being a domestic abuse survivor but not named Depp. In 2020, Heard filed a USD 100 million countersuit against her ex, alleging that after she was granted a temporary restraining order, Depp "unlawfully targeted" her in an "ongoing harassment and online smear campaign." On Wednesday, June 2, a Virginia jury member gave his verdict that Amber had indeed defamed her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. The jury has awarded Johnny Depp USD 15 million in damages. Heard has also won part of her libel case against Depp over articles in a privately owned newspaper, in which Depp's former lawyer described her claims of domestic abuse as a hoax. The jury has awarded Amber Heard USD 2 million in damages. Depp and Heard got married in 2015. However, the marriage was short-lived. They split in May 2016 and Heard accused the actor of sexual abuse. Depp denied the claims, and they settled their divorce in August 2016. (ANI)
According to Deadline, the original crime thriller, written by Alex Pina, lasted five seasons and followed a bunch of criminals who carried out a series of heists.

The Korean version, executive produced by Pina, is set against the backdrop of North and South Korea's reunification and focuses on The Professor (Yoo Ji-tae), who approaches Tokyo (Jun Jong-seo) with a plot to steal 4 trillion won from the Korea Unified Mint.

The series is directed by Kim Hong-sun and written by Ryu Yong-jae, Kim Hwan-chae, and Choe Sung-jun, and was initially announced in November 2020.

Park Hae-Soo, one of the stars of Netflix's Squid Game, plays Berlin in the series. 'Squid Game', which is also in Korean, is Netflix's most-watched series of all time; Money Heist's final three seasons occupy three of the top five slots on that list.

This isn't Netflix's only Money Heist project in the pipeline. In November, the streaming service authorised a spinoff of the original Spanish series focused on the popular character Berlin, played by Pedro Alonso as Andres de Fonollosa. The programme will premiere in 2023, as reported by Deadline. (ANI)
Enforcement Directorate (ED) in its chargesheet filed in PMLA Court has stated that the Popular front of India (PFI) is involved in terror funding, illegal activities like anti-CAA protests, inciting violence in the Delhi riots on social media and making posters related to Babri Masjid, inciting people against NRC and Common Civil Code. ED said that PFI member KA Rauf Sherif has a Chinese connection and is also linked to the Hathras case where a Dalit woman died after being allegedly gang-raped. According to ED, Rauf received Rs one crore from China in the guise of mask trading. Rauf was an employee of Race International LLC, Oman. Race International has four Directors, two were Chinese and two were NRI from Kerala. Rauf visited China in 2019 and 2020 and received funds in his Indian Bank Account. In one more case, Kaleem Pasha of SDPI (sister concern of PFI) received Rs 5 lakhs from a Chinese company named Jumpmonkey Promotions India (P) Ltd. Pasha was involved in Banglore riots. ED stated that Sharif had funded the trip of Sidhique Kappan, a Delhi-based Kerala journalist and three others to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh. In its report, ED has stated that PFI has formed District Executive Committee in UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia etc to raise funds. Targets are given to individuals to collect cash and transfer the same through Hawala or camouflaged as genuine business transactions. ED during the investigation analysed more than 600 domestic contributors and their bank accounts and also looked at accounts of more than 2600 beneficiaries. ED investigation has found that many of these accounts were bogus and people on the ground were not found during physical verification. One of the beneficiaries of this money was Anshad Baseudeen. He was arrested by UP ATS with IEDs, a pistol and live cartridges. PFI has transferred Rs. 3.5 lakh from the account of PFI. This shows PFI was involved in Terror Activities. PFI is organising Physical Training Camps in Gulf Countries. The fact came out during a search at Unity House, Calicut House. PFI has approximately 1,800 to 2,000 members in just Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Jeddah. PFI has also formed a "Hit Squad", these squads are formed to carry out terror activities in India. PFI is also planning to attack BJP or RSS workers in a planned manner. One attack was planned for December 3, 2020, but it was postponed due to an ED raid. During a search operation on Abdul Razzak, a Divisional President of PFI a document was found which showed 151 different styles of protest. Wearing symbols is mentioned as one way to protest. This can be clearly linked to the recent Hijab Protests in Karnataka. (ANI)
The visit comes as 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the formation of the official diplomatic ties between India and Israel.

Modi and Gantz, who is also the Defence Minister, reviewed the rapid growth in defence cooperation between their countried over the past few years, and the former encouraged Israeli defence companies to benefit from opportunities of co-development and co-production in India.

During the meeting, Gantz emphasised the opportunity to invest further in defense cooperation between the two countries, while building on shared values in order to contribute to global stability.

Earlier, he met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

--IANS avr/vd

( 147 Words)

2022-06-02-23:16:01 (IANS)
Admitting that Ken Betwa Link Project will have negative impacts on three key species -- tiger, vulture and gharial -- the Integrated Landscape Management Plan for Greater Panna Landscape released on Thursday has proposed multiple prescriptive steps for conservation of these species along with community management. The Ken-Betwa Link Project was approved by the Centre in December 2021 for implementation following the signing of an agreement on March 22, 2021 between the Union Minister of Jal Shakti and the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is the first major centrally driven river inter-linking project in the country. The Integrated Landscape Management Plan for Greater Panna Landscape has been prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). The plan period has been identified for 10 years from 2022-23 to 2032-33. "Despite its noble intentions and much-needed expected outcomes, Ken Betwa Link Project will have negative impacts on three key species i.e. tiger, vulture and gharial. These concerns include disrupting connectivity, submerging nesting habitat and reducing flow requirements respectively for these species," the Plan document admitted upfront. For the tigers, the Plan identified 28 habitat cores and 67 potential corridor links and said, there are around 60 tigers in the Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) with overall population growth rate of about 27 per cent with an annual growth rate of 31 per cent. A total of 37 adults /sub-adults have dispersed in the landscape between 2013 and 2021, it said, adding, "Over 60 per cent of PTR is suitable for tigers and there are still unoccupied areas. Carrying capacity of tigers in PTR can be around 130 individuals." The Plan document has suggested 21 prescription steps including continuous camera-trap monitoring systems (CCMS); Crime Detection and Alert Systems (CDAS); Genetic Management; Diversion of Road Traffic volume, Strategic Fencing and Alert Systems, and Recognition and Protection of Important Tiger Habitats (satellite cores, stepping stones and corridors), among others. For the vultures, the Plan said, there are seven vulture species present in the PTR and the landscape. PTR accounts for 34 per cent of the total population of vultures in Greater Panna Landscape (GPL) and accounts for 14 per cent of highly suitable cliff-nesting habitats in the GPL. Vultures use the entire landscape for feeding, the Plan said and suggested 19 prescription steps for conservation including Fencing of Carcass dump sites, establishment of electronic surveillance system, demographic and genetic structure profiling, disease surveillance and monitoring, among others. Highlighting the low population size of gharials in Ken River, the Plan said muggers are relatively abundant in PTR and Ken Gharial Sanctuary - 38-62 individuals. It mentioned the restocking efforts ongoing since 1983 wherein 167 individuals have been released in the 13 sq kms suitable habitat of gharials. The Plan document suggested 14 prescription steps including protection of crocodile priority and restricted zones; protection and co-management of river habitats; population estimation and monitoring, and management of artificial sandbanks. With a proposed total budget of Rs 1,012.44 crore, the Plan also suggested steps for biodiversity conservation, community engagements and integrated management. The implementation strategies include Special Purpose Vehicle called as Greater Panna Landscape Council (GPLC) that will comprise Union Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change & Jal Shakti and state governments of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. --IANS niv/pgh ( 562 Words) 2022-06-02-23:30:01 (IANS)
Speaking to ANI on Thursday night, Vadodara district collector AB Gor said, "A fire broke out at Deepak Nitrite Company in Nandesari GIDC in Gujarat's Vadodara on June 2. No casualty has been reported."

"However, 4-5 people have been shifted to hospital due to difficulty in breathing. We are monitoring the pollution level of the city. People living in nearby areas have been shifted to safer places," he said.

Earlier on Thursday, Gor said that seven workers were shifted to nearby hospitals after inhaling smoke, while some 700 people living in the vicinity of the factory have been shifted to safer places, officials said.

"Efforts are on to douse the massive fire, in which no injury has been reported. Seven workers who had inhaled the smoke were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. As a precaution, nearly 700 people living in the rural areas adjoining the factory have been shifted to safer places," Vadodara Collector RB Barad said.

The cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Uttar Pradesh on Friday where he will inaugurate several projects. In a tweet on Friday morning, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wrote, "Under the guidance of respected PM Narendra Modi ji, 'New India of New Uttar Pradesh' has become the best destination in the country for investment. The enthusiasm of investors towards Ground Breaking Ceremony 3.0 is a direct proof of this. This ceremony is going to give flight to the aspirations of 'New Uttar Pradesh'." At around 11 AM, Prime Minister will reach Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Lucknow where he will attend the Ground Breaking Ceremony @3.0 of the UP Investors Summit, the Prime Minister's office informed. At around 1:45 PM, Prime Minister will reach Paraunkh village, Kanpur, where he will accompany President Ram Nath Kovind to visit Pathri Mata Mandir. Thereafter, at around 2 PM, they will visit Dr BR Ambedkar Bhawan, which will be followed by a visit to Milan Kendra at 2:15 PM. The Kendra is the ancestral house of the President that was donated for public use and converted to a community centre (Milan Kendra). Subsequently, they will attend a public function at Paraunkh village at 2:30 PM. During the Ground Breaking Ceremony, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of 1,406 projects worth more than Rs 80,000 crores. The projects encompass diverse sectors like Agriculture and Allied, IT and Electronics, MSME, Manufacturing, Renewable Energy, Pharma, Tourism, Defence and Aerospace, Handloom and Textiles etc. The ceremony will be attended by top industry leaders of the country. The UP Investors Summit 2018 was held on February 21st -22nd, 2018, with the first Ground Breaking Ceremony being held on July 29, 2018 and second Ground Breaking Ceremony on July 28, 2019. During the first Ground Breaking Ceremony, the foundation of 81 projects worth more than Rs 61,500 crore was laid, while in the second Ground Breaking Ceremony, the foundation of 290 projects with investments of more than Rs 67,000 crore was laid. (ANI)
On June 2, Delhi Police received a PCR call about a quarrel between a husband and wife in the Mundka area.

After getting the information, the police reached the spot of the incident wherein they found that a person named Sanjay, 54, had hanged himself to death.

The crime investigation team of the Delhi Police thoroughly inspected the site of the incident. Thereafter, the body of the deceased was shifted to Mortuary Sanjay Gandhi Hospital.

During the preliminary enquiry, it has been found that the deceased was a government teacher who used to consume liquor and thereafter quarrel with his wife named Ritu.

The police have initiated legal action in the matter, though no foul play has been suspected over the death of the deceased.

Further probe into the matter is underway.

Earlier on Thursday, another incident of suicide was reported wherein a 41-year-old man allegedly committed suicide as he was allegedly depressed due to a strained relationship with his wife, police said on Thursday. Umesh Dhar Trivedi was found hanging from the ceiling fan of his house in east Uttam Nagar, they said.

A four-page suicide note claimed that his wife had gone to Switzerland with their children and had blocked him on social media. He took the extreme step on May 30, police said citing the suicide note.

Further probe into the matter is underway. (ANI)
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee at the conclusion of its 'Nav Sankalp Shivir' passed a resolution expressing full faith in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and appealed for her son Rahul Gandhi to lead the party at the national level. At the end of the two-day long Congress Shivar on Thursday senior Congress Leaders of Jammu and Kashmir unanimously urged senior party leader Rahul Gandhi to lead the party as the next Congress president and resolved to "fight back the politics of vendetta and anti-people policies of the BJP government led by Prime minister Narender Modi." The resolution was passed in the presence of All India Congress Committee (AICC) in charge of Jammu and Kashmir Rajni Patil at the conclusion of the meeting held at Patnitop in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district which saw participation by the top brass of the party including senior functionaries of JKPCC, district Presidents, former ministers, ex-legislators, frontal heads etc from all parts of Jammu Kashmir. The leaders passed a resolution to demand the restoration of the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, delimitation on the existing conditions was rejected, compensation for the losses during two years of COVID-19 associated restrictions, balance payment of compensation to POJK refugees was demanded and a spurt in selective killings in Kashmir especially of Hindus was also condemned. A threadbare review of prevailing law and order and administration in Jammu and Kashmir was also taken during the meeting. The resolution was proposed by JKPCC President Ghulam Ahmad Mir and Rajya Sabha member (Elect) Ranjeet Ranjan, CWC member Tariq Hameed Karra and all senior leaders of Jammu and Kashmir were among others who were present. To strengthen the organization, it was resolved that as per the decision of the Udaipur declaration Mandal Committees shall be defined and constituted at each assembly segment level. The shivir condemned the targeted killings of innocents especially the minorities in the strongest possible words and expresses its grave concern over the deteriorating situation in Kashmir and demanded urgent and effective measures to stop innocent killings and the prevailing sense of great insecurity amongst the common people, especially the minorities. It also sought immediate shifting of Kashmir Pandit employees, Jammu employees and other vulnerable people to safer places till the situation is brought under control. (ANI)
A 41-year-old man allegedly committed suicide as he was depressed due to a strained relationship with his wife, police confirmed on Thursday. The deceased's name is Umesh Dhar Trivedi, who was a resident of Uttam Nagar in Delhi. On Thursday, an officer at the Bindapur Police Station received a PCR call. Upon reaching the spot, the police saw that the gate had already been opened by the fire tender, who was called by locals. Further, the decomposed body of Umesh Dhar Trivedi was found hanging from the ceiling fan with a blue dupatta. The body was brought down by cutting the dupatta. A complete inspection of the scene of the crime was conducted by the Crime team of Delhi Police. After searching the body for further evidence, a four-page suicide note was found. The suicide note claimed that Umesh's wife had gone to Switzerland with their children. His wife had a strained relationship with him and therefore she blocked her husband on social media. The relationship with his wife took him into depression which led to his suicide. Other than the suicide note, a mobile phone and a purse were found in the pocket of the deceased's half pants. The enquiry statement of the deceased's family members was recorded and they didn't suspect any foul play, the police said. As of now, proceedings under CrPC 174 have been conducted and further investigation is going on. Earlier on Thursday evening, another incident of suicide was reported wherein a person from Delhi's Mundka had died allegedly by suicide after a rift with his wife. On June 2, Delhi Police received a PCR call about a quarrel between a husband and wife in the Mundka area. After getting the information, the police reached the spot of the incident wherein they found that a person named Sanjay, 54, had hanged himself to death. The crime investigation team of the Delhi Police thoroughly inspected the site of the incident. Thereafter, the body of the deceased was shifted to Mortuary Sanjay Gandhi Hospital. During the preliminary enquiry, it has been found that the deceased was a government school teacher who used to consume liquor and thereafter quarrel with his wife named Ritu. Further probe into the matter is underway. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a visit to Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh to take part in the Ground Breaking Ceremony of the UP Investors Summit on Friday. At around 11 AM, Prime Minister will reach Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Lucknow where he will attend the Ground Breaking Ceremony @3.0 of the UP Investors Summit, the Prime Minister's office informed. During the Ground Breaking Ceremony, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of 1,406 projects worth more than Rs 80,000 crores. The projects encompass diverse sectors like Agriculture and Allied, IT and Electronics, MSME, Manufacturing, Renewable Energy, Pharma, Tourism, Defence and Aerospace, Handloom and Textiles etc. The ceremony will be attended by top industry leaders of the country. The UP Investors Summit 2018 was held on February 21st -22nd, 2018, with the first Ground Breaking Ceremony being held on July 29, 2018, and the second Ground Breaking Ceremony on July 28, 2019. During the first Ground Breaking Ceremony, the foundation of 81 projects worth more than Rs 61,500 crore was laid, while in the second Ground Breaking Ceremony, the foundation of 290 projects with investments of more than Rs 67,000 crore was laid. After the event, the Prime Minister will reach Paraunkh village, Kanpur, where he will accompany President Ram Nath Kovind to visit Pathri Mata Mandir. Thereafter, at around 2 PM, they will visit Dr BR Ambedkar Bhawan, which will be followed by a visit to Milan Kendra at 2:15 PM. The Kendra is the ancestral house of the President that was donated for public use and converted into a community centre (Milan Kendra). Subsequently, they will attend a public function at Paraunkh village at 2:30 PM. The Prime Minister will also visit Kanpur to attend a series of programmes in the august presence of the President of India. "After the programme in Lucknow, I will be in Kanpur to attend a series of programmes in the august presence of Rashtrapati Ji. The programmes include a visit to the Pathri Mata Mandir, Dr BR Ambedkar Bhawan and Milan Kendra, Rashtrapati Ji's ancestral house. @rashtrapatibhvn," PM Modi said in a tweet. (ANI)